Thursday, November 28, 2019

What Are the Disadvantages of Computer Addiction free essay sample

Before discussing options for computer addiction treatment, one point regarding addiction to the computer needs to be made : Computer addiction is not an official psychiatric diagnosis. Despite a growing movement to have obsessive computer and internet use included in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), so far this has not happened. In relative terms when disadvantages of computer addiction compared to other addictions such as alcoholism and drug addiction, computer addiction is a very new phenomenon. Most of the disorders included in the DSM have been extensively researched and treated in some form for at least fifty years – and many such as depression have been studied for well over one hundred years. In contrast, the computer itself has only been widely available for twenty or so years. Computer addiction is a relatively new term used to describe a dependency on one’s computer. Computer addiction is not limited to personal computers (PCs). We will write a custom essay sample on What Are the Disadvantages of Computer Addiction? or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page It covers video games and the Internet and has already been given a label by psychologists, namely Internet addiction disorder (IAD). In short, excessive internet use has not been around long enough or sufficiently studied to warrant official disorder status. Still, is there any doubt that some people spend far too much time online and that this can significantly interfere with their functioning in the â€Å"real world†? Computer addiction is a loosely used term for the excessive use of computers to the extent that it interferes with daily life. Excessive use may explain problems in social interaction, mood, personality, work ethic, relationships, thought processes, or sleep deprivation. Whether we call this computer addiction, internet addition, or something is largely irrelevant. Online habits that far exceed what most people would consider â€Å"healthy†. For example ten-plus hours per day, can have serious consequences for the addict. In my opinion, computer addiction, like any addiction, can creep up on a person without one being aware of it. There are a lot of disadvantages of computer addiction. The newly diagnosed computer addiction has gained much press attention recently, as children have also been affected. Talk shows are full of people whose relationships have been torn apart by one partner’s computer addiction. Spending hours chatting online, surfing the web or playing computer games can cause relationships to deteriorate as other parts of a person’s life are neglected. A recent research study showed that some children suffer from computer rage when they are forbidden to play computer games. The results are temper tantrums and behavioral traits similar to those of an addict going cold turkey. So how exactly is computer addiction defined? When does a hobby become an addiction? As with most other dependencies, specific questions can be asked to assess whether or not someone may suffer from computer addiction. These questions include assessing how much time is spent on the PC or playing video games, sometimes relative to how much time is spent interacting with real people. Another way to assess computer addiction is to assess one’s quality of life before and after the computer arrived. Many people have lost jobs due to their computer addiction. Constantly logging onto the Internet at work has caused many people to be dismissed, often after repeated warnings were issued. Money is another factor. Some people have gone into debt and lost great amounts of money using online services and chatrooms. Computer addiction is also sometimes linked to computer gambling. For some people, gambling is reliant on the computer. They cannot have one without the other. Not only do such people spend countless hours playing online poker, but they often lose thousands of dollars while playing. Computer addiction can have a number of physical, social, and psychological effects on a person and it is to be taken as seriously as any other addiction that a person is battling. One common physical effect computer addiction can have on a person are back problems. Sitting for so long can take a toll on a person’s muscles and can result in poor posture. Poor posture can result in chronic back problems that require the services of a chiropractor. Tips on solving disadvantages of computer addiction As with any addiction, steps can be taken to treat computer addiction. Limiting the amount of time spent on the computer or playing video games is a simple step. If your computer is on all the time at home, switch it off. Don’t leave the computer near at hand. In order to prevent things from getting out of control, reassure that you understands that if you buy a computer, you will have to respect some rules regarding its usage. The first and most important rule is establish a schedule for using the computer. Develop a new passion that has nothing to do with computers. The disadvantages of computer addiction in mainly caused by a lack of activities or boredom. Get out of the house, play with friends or encourage to invite your colleagues at home. The more friends you has, the better. The important thing for your child is to interact more with the real world than with the virtual one. More and more people are spending time in cyberspace in a virtual world of their own making. If not treated, this condition can lead to diminished social skills and deterioration in the addict’s quality of life. Take care, the disadvantages of computer addiction is said to be on the increase.

Sunday, November 24, 2019

Understanding and implementing Essays

Understanding and implementing Essays Understanding and implementing Paper Understanding and implementing Paper Understanding and implementing culturally competent and culturally congruent care are the key factors for effective and excellent nursing care (Srivastava, 2007). However, health care provider’s roles and responsibilities in meeting health care needs of the clients in consideration to cultural perspective and diversity are getting more challenging and complicated due to increased number of people from a group of multi-ethnic and multi-cultural society, which, in turn requires health care providers to acknowledge and understand variations of cultural healthcare beliefs, values and practices. Transcultural nursing is essential in the process of nursing care because of the different factors, which includes increasing diversity and multicultural identities, emergent use of health care equipment that occasionally dispute the cultural ethics and beliefs of the clients and a rise in feminism and gender issues (Andrews ump; Boyle, 2008). Maier-Lorentz (2008) states that the fundamental aspect of healthcare is transcultural nursing since culturally competent nursing care help guarantee patient satisfactions and health beneficial outcome. According to the Royal College of Nursing (2009), providing care with respect to health and illness based on the expectations of the people’s values, beliefs and practices corresponding with culture is the focal point of transcultural care. Influenced by the principles and theories of transcultural nursing, the author defines transcultural nursing as a discipline of culturally care for individuals, families, groups and communities representing different cultural lifestyle, values, habits, life process, beliefs and practices. Furthermore, the author believes that the aims of transcultural nursing are to bestow effective and excellent care to people from diverse backgrounds and avoid cultural conflicts and negligence related to health care practices. Transcultural nursing helps ensure effective communication, accurate assessment and culturally appropriate interventions to patients with distinct cultural backgrounds. (Andrews ump; Boyle, 2008; Giger ump; Davidhizar, 2004) Galanti (2008) report that increased patient contentment to health, developed and improved medical outcome and greater cost productivity are the main benefits of effective transcultural and culturally competent care. To provide effective transcultural care, nurses should have the required knowledge, skills, attitude, values and awareness in caring for people with different cultures. Nurses should understand the different cultures of the society they are caring for and develop awareness of ones own culture and ethnic identity to avoid biases, misunderstanding and prejudices to other culture (Royal College of Nursing, 2009). For the purpose of this essay the author will critically discuss and evaluate Campinha-Bacote’s Model of Cultural Competence (2003) and focus on the application of the above-mentioned model in the process of nursing care. The author chose the aforementioned model of transcultural nursing because the model specifically tackles the importance of culturally competent care in nursing practice. It is also concise, specific and easy to understand. Moreover, the model is simply applicable in all areas of healthcare practice. Aside from being useful as a structure in providing culturally relevant healthcare services, Campinha-Bacote’s model of cultural competence has been endorsed and recognized as a guiding framework for organization and administration development (Brathwaite, 2009; Campinha-Bacote ump; Munoz, 2001). In the author’s point of view the model is categorically specific, measurable and systematically applicable in the assessment of healthcare provider’s competency in cultural care. In addition, the nurses can use the model as a step by step guide to understand and practice culturally competent care without biases and misunderstanding to other culture. However, like in the other theories and models of transcultural nursing, limitations also hits Campinha-Bacote’s model of cultural competence (2003). In the author’s point of view, the model is not comprehensive; it merely focuses on cultural attributes of healthcare providers in providing culturally competent care. Capell, Veenstra ump; Dean, (2007) report that the model is limited solely to the assessment and evaluation of the cultural competence of healthcare professional but the patient’s cultural attributes and possible health outcomes are not addressed. Campinha-Bacote’s Model of Cultural Competence (2003) is figuratively illustrated as a volcano in which the cultural desire serves as a stimulus in the course of cultural competence. Once the cultural desire erupts, strong inclination in seeking cultural awareness, attaining cultural knowledge, searching for cultural encounters and showing cultural skills take place. The model regards cultural competence as a continuing process for healthcare providers in achieving culturally competent care. It consists of five major constructs which includes cultural awareness, cultural knowledge, cultural skill, cultural encounters and cultural desire, as discussed below based on Campinha-Bacote’s model of care (2002). Cultural awareness is the process of introspection and detailed exploration of one’s own cultural background. It involves avoidance of cultural imposition (imposing personal beliefs, values and behaviour on another culture). Cultural awareness helps identify one’s predisposition, prejudices, biases and assumptions to individual with diverse cultural backgrounds. The stages of cultural awareness are unconscious incompetence, conscious incompetence, conscious competence and unconscious competence (Weber ump; Kelley, 2009). Cultural knowledge is the process of searching and acquiring fundamental facts and information about different cultural and ethnic groups focusing specifically on the issues of health-related beliefs and cultural values, disease prevalence and treatment effectiveness. Whereas, cultural skill is one’s own capability in gathering relevant cultural information concerning to patient’s problem and accurately conducting culturally based physical assessment. Cultural encounters, on the other hand, are defined as a process that inspires healthcare provider to continuously engage openly in cross-cultural relations to individual with diverse cultural backgrounds. In addition, cultural encounter helps avoid possible stereotyping and culture-related negligence. Lastly, cultural desire is the driving force of the healthcare provider to participate in the process of becoming culturally aware, knowledgeable, skillful and familiar with cultural encounters (Campinha-Bacote, 2003a). The author as a healthcare assistant working in the nursing home will present a case study of a patient who is confined in the frail unit of the care home. The author nursed the patient for more than three months until now and was able to have continuous one to one interaction occasionally. The author will critically discuss the relevant culture-related aspect of care of this patient and identify transcultural challenges encountered from admission to the delivery of care. Moreover, using Campinha-Bacote’s Model of Cultural Competence (2003), the author will critically address and discuss the patient’s culture-related issues and care through the process of assessment, planning, implementation and evaluation. Mrs. Somers is an 88 years old British Asian who was born and grew up in Birmingham, England but presently residing and transferred to Kent, England eleven years ago. She was discharged from a tertiary hospital and admitted to the nursing home where the author works on the 16th of October, 2010. She was diagnosed with osteoporosis, respiratory infections, rheumatoid arthritis, hypertension and myocardial infarction aside from a history of right hip replacement and spinal fusion approximately seven years ago. She was admitted to the nursing home because she needs partial to full assistance on her activities of daily living due to her present condition. Apparently, her only child is in France at the moment and no one could look after her as her whole family is in Birmingham. Mrs. Somers mentioned that she came from a happy or â€Å"lovely† family as she termed it. Her mother is English while her father is half British and half Indian. She has two siblings and she is the eldest and the only girl among them. Aside from being used to the British culture as she was raised here, Mrs. Somers points out that her parents specifically her father thought her with some Indian cultures that she continuously practiced until now like dressing modestly, as all her clothes are below the knee and must cover the shoulders. Family roles and organization is a big issue for Mrs. Somers. She is married to a nurse. According to her, she has a prosperous life with her one and only child. She gets whatever she wants and considers herself as the luckiest person in the world until her husband died in 1989 and problematic personal issues appears, which is the same reason why she leaves Birmingham with her child and transferred to Kent. As for workforce, Mrs. Somers is a nurse same with her husband. No high-risk behaviors was identified as she does not smoke or drink alcohol. On pregnancy and childbearing practices, Mrs. Somers explained that she did not opposed contraception but she was extremely against abortion. For communication, Mrs. Somers speaks two languages, Hindi and English. She prefers to socialize more with women and avoids physical contact with men in public. As she is adapted to English culture, eye contact in communication and punctuality is very significant. In addition, Mrs. Somers honestly said that sometimes as part of being Indian, she just can’t say no when asked by someone. She sometimes has a habit of offering a response that she thinks someone wants to hear. In terms of religion, Mrs. Somers mother is a Catholic while her father is a Sikh. Even though her parents are practicing two different religions, the siblings were given the free will to choose which religion they would wish to follow. Mrs. Somers chose Catholicism but said that she also has high regards to Sikh beliefs and practices. In accordance with spirituality, Mrs. Somers pray three times a day, every morning after she wakes up, every afternoon (6pm) with the holy rosary and before she go to sleep in the evening as she explained when asked about her prayer routine. On death and dying issues, Mrs. Somers believe in life after death, that the soul still exist after death and judgement, either to heaven, purgatory or hell. Mrs. Somers added that she is against euthanasia. She further added that the sacrament of the dying and sick is essential as it will comfort the ill person and make them feel secure. Their family practiced common death rites which include washing and draping the body with white cloth, but prefer cremation after death. With regards to her Nutrition and Dietary habits, Mrs. Somers prefer to eat British foods like sandwich, fish and chips, pies, lamb and chicken served with potatoes and one other vegetable. In addition, as being part of Catholicism, she practiced meat restriction every Friday and fasting on specified holy days especially during lent. In terms of health care belief and practices, Mrs. Somers consider medical treatment at the same time with natural/ traditional remedies as her father thought her. For instance, for fever she drinks chamomile tea, for cough and congestion she put formaldehyde crystals in a plastic bag and places it on her chest and for indigestion she drink buttermilk. Mrs. Somers further added that she takes cod liver oil daily to maintain health. She also mentioned that after cleaning a sick room she drinks brown ale to prevent catching the disease. Using Campinha-Bacote’s Model of Cultural Competence the author will now illustrate how the aforementioned model will help the health care workers to provide culturally competent and quality nursing care. To provide excellent and culturally competent care to this patient, health care provider must reflect first and informally assess their level of cultural competence using the mnemonic, ASKED Awareness, Skill, Knowledge, Encounter, Desire (Campinha-Bacote, 2003b). The care workers of Mrs. Somers may ask themselves with the following questions: For Awareness: Am I sensitive and supportive to the values, beliefs and life ways of Mrs. Somers? Am I aware to my personal prejudices and biases towards the culture of Mrs. Somers? How can my own cultural beliefs and background affect the care that I need to give to Mrs. Somers? If Mrs. Somers cry for help and become demanding, should I ignore or disregard her? Would I behave like this toward any of my other patients? For Skill: Do I have the skill to conduct a cultural assessment in a sensitive manner? Do I have a skill to perform culture-based physical assessment and interpret the data accurately? Is there any language barrier in communication? For Knowledge: Let me ask Mrs. Somers if she’s more used to British culture or Indian culture? Let me ask her about her cultural beliefs and practices that may affect the quality of nursing care. For Encounters: The care worker would like to care for other British Asian clients to learn more and gain additional knowledge and skills. For Desire: The health care provider showed signs of cultural desire by wanting to participate in the process of becoming culturally aware, knowledgeable, skillful as well as considering ways to have additional encounters with other British Asian patients. The author will now critically discuss the cultural challenges identified as well as the aim, plan and evaluation of care based on the information obtained from Mrs. Somers. One of the identified cultural challenges is in the area of communication and cultural behaviour. As mentioned above, Mrs. Somers claimed that she sometimes has a habit of offering a response that she thinks someone wants to hear. This cultural behaviour serves as a barrier in providing excellent cultural care. For instance, the care worker asked Mrs. Somers if she wants to join in the fun art activity with other residents, Mrs. Somers said yes, but in the actual activity the care worker noticed that Mrs. Somers is not doing the activity, don’t want to interact with others and not as bubbly as she usually was. When the care worker asked her if she’s alright, Mrs. Somers said that she’s not feeling well and wants to be alone in her room. So, the care worker decided to bring Mrs. Somers back to her room and asked if she wants anything, Mrs. Somers replied that she just want to have a rest with the music on while having a cup of tea. When the care worker followed her request, Mrs. Somers become relaxed and looks happy. Care worker can overcome this barrier by looking for nonverbal cues such as facial expression that shows reluctance or excitement or enthusiastic response. Evaluation revealed positive outcome as the care worker makes Mrs. Somers comfortable and fulfilled. Another cultural problem identified is in the area of heath care belief and practices. The doctor wants to change Mrs. Somers old medications for heart condition and hypertension to the more effective one but the problem is, Mrs. Somers is still taking cod liver oil that may counteract and lessen the effectiveness of the new medication. When the doctor and the nurse explained and politely asked Mrs. Somers if she can stop taking cod liver oil, Mrs. Somers refused and get mad. Then, the doctor decided not to change the medication and lessen up the dosage that Mrs. Somers taking up for her cod liver oil. Care provider explained to Mrs. Somers that she can still include her natural remedies if it is not dangerous to her health but she must still need to follow her medical treatment to improve her health. Evaluation revealed positive outcome as care provider respect and value patient’s right and cultural beliefs while giving best possible care. Healthcare professionals can overcome this cultural problem by providing better alternative actions while respecting patient’s right and cultural practices (Zerweck ump; Claborn, 2006). In conclusion, the main goal of transcultural nursing is to promote culturally competence care. However, excellent and quality cultural nursing care is impossible to achieve unless care provider acquire knowledge and skills in cultural health care as well as learn and apply cultural competency models into practice (Dayer-Berenson, 2009). The author learns that to attain cultural competence and provide adequate cultural care, healthcare provider should develop the desire to achieve congruent care, be aware to any personal biases and prejudices, acknowledge and support other person’s cultural belief and practices, avoid stereotyping and cultural imposition and most importantly identify and overcome the barriers to effective assessment and intervention. Understanding one’s own culture, being supportive, appreciative and sensitive to other culture and differences are the key factors to achieve cultural competence. The author recommends that aside from being focused to care provider’s cultural competency and cultural assessment, transcultural nursing theories and concepts also needs to develop ways on how to avoid cultural negligence, overcome personal biases and resolve cultural barriers that may affect quality nursing care.

Thursday, November 21, 2019

How was the ideology of the Progressive Era different from that of the Essay

How was the ideology of the Progressive Era different from that of the Gilded Age Compare the two, consider business regulation - Essay Example The American industrial revolution peaked during the Gilded Age as large labour pools were available. Miners, ranchers, farmers and African Americans moved to the cities and provided cheap and abundant labour. Innovators such as Bell and Edison saw rapid progress and innovation. This led to the formation of companies that could not be overseen directly by a business owner. The railroad industry’s expansion demanded that a formal, well regulated management system be put into place. New large corporations began to emerge. Banking and stock selling were utilised to generate the large revenues required to finance the new industrial mammoths. The railroad industry expanding into the West required $16,000 per mile of track. This level of financing could not be met with by one investor or a group of large investors. Finance was generated using new corporate structures. Corporate organisations such as â€Å"gentlemen’s agreements†, trusts and holding companies began to d ig deeper into the market for monopolistic control. Eventually the holding companies overran the trusts. A new class of robbers barons emerged who were robbing the common man but presented themselves as devout philanthropists. Industry slipped into the hands of the financing wizards. Finance gurus such as J. P. Morgan utilised oversold stock to reinvigorate businesses and Morgan eventually became â€Å"America’s greatest financier† representing his power of the field of finance. Monopolistic associations began to emerge such as Morgan, Schwab and Carnegie’s steel business, Rockefeller’s oil business and the American Tobacco Corporation. Wealth began to accumulate in the coffers of a select few. Labour was both abundant and cheap. Women and children were the least paid and overworked. While the average pay was just 400-500 USD but the minimum sustenance was 600 USD. Working conditions were unsafe, working hours long and job security absent. A wave of immig rants from Asia and China exacerbated matters. Trade unions could not be materialised because the diverse ethnicities found it hard to work together for their rights. Multiple small and ineffective labour unions emerged. Events such as small, sparse and uncoordinated protests were the only achievements of the early trade unions. On the other hand, the Progressive era was dominated by the wish and will to reform the corrupt and discriminatory system. The Progressive surge was led by the rising middle class. Professional development in specific fields in urban centres encouraged a class of organised and determined people to emerge. Professionals such as doctors, lawyers, professors, teachers and architects formed organisations to defend and project their interests. The enrolment in college went up by some 400% between 1870 and 1920. Similarly, the ranks of the professional class rose from 750k to some 5.6 million people. The emergence of a professional class with their own organisatio ns presented the emergence of new interest and pressure groups. However, these groups were actively lobbying for reform in the government and industry which they saw as corrupt and discriminatory. Most progressives were looking for ways to clamp down on â€Å"laissez faire† so that governmental control could be introduced. Large corporations were seen as an active threat. The hoarding of half of the nation’

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Pay-for-Performance Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Pay-for-Performance - Essay Example performance measure’, and ‘Financial Gains and Risks in Pay-for-Performance Bonus Algorithms’, which addressed the challenges of adopting a pay-for-performance approach for ensuring quality and safety in healthcare. In the article ‘Achieving Potential of Healthcare Performance Measure, Berenson, Pronovost, & Krumholz (2013), a number of concerns with the promotion of pubic reporting and P4P are growing. In the U.S., the majority of the prominent applications have not met their performance improvement. One example is the test of the combined use of public reporting and pay-for-performance, called the Medicare Premier Hospital Quality Incentive Demonstration. This demonstration has little or no impact on the value of care received for the important clinical condition; such as the reduction of the patient mortality or cost growth. However, the important issues of P4P are the health plans performance that relate to patients with acute health care problems. In addition, the P4P approach faces a great challenge when it comes to measuring the quality of service accurately especially for major manual patient services. The complexity of keeping accurate record poses a big challenge in the measurem ent of quality of service in healthcare units. If it is not possible to measure the quality of service, it becomes a big challenge to offer a proportional reward for services delivered to the customers. Cromwell et al. (2011), in ‘Pay for Performance in HealthCare: Methods and Approaches’, the author identify a wide range of challenges that undermine the results of this service delivery approach. In health care units, the P4P approach involves the setting of achievable targets and working towards them. The development of these targets is an issue that has become posed a challenge to many health practitioners. The question of whether the targets are too low of too high is a controversial issue. Consequently, it becomes hard to define the reward system and how to

Monday, November 18, 2019

Plastic Water Bottles and Their Environmental Impacts Research Proposal

Plastic Water Bottles and Their Environmental Impacts - Research Proposal Example Amazingly, thousands of plastic water bottles are used across the globe within a year. Consequently, a lot of money is used in producing and purchasing the plastic water bottles in a year. In addition to huge expenses in producing and purchasing plastic water bottles, it is important to note that more than 85% of the plastic bottles are not recycled especially within the United States of America (Claudio). In New Zealand, data indicate that more than 78% of the plastic bottles are not recycled. Approximately more than 80% of plastic bottles are not recycled within the globe. Such plastic bottles are found lying around the environment. Astonishingly, plastic bottles take over 700 years to decompose and this can take up to 1000 years to fully decompose (Claudio).There are other data and information that continues to cause a serious shock with respect to the environmental impacts of plastic bottles. For instance, it is believed that approximately 1500 plastic bottles end up into the var ious oceans of the world every second. That would amount to hundreds of thousands of such bottles into the oceans (Halden 180). In terms of production, companies use approximately 3 to 5 liters of water to make one bottle and approximately 151 billion liters of oil every year to produce annual quantities of plastic bottles. Notably, 151 billion liters of oil is enough to fuel approximately 500,000 cars in a year (Claudio). The fact that these statistics are shocking indicates that manufacturing plastic bottles are as expensive as the environmental impacts they (plastic bottles) cause.

Friday, November 15, 2019

Economic Value of Sustainable Development

Economic Value of Sustainable Development Introduction The generation living presently should leave the enhancement of air, water and soil resources as normal, as pure and not polluted as they found it to be for the future generations. Its quiet impossible to achieve such intergenerational equity given global environmental problems that emanate through human activities. Therefore following the Brundtland (1987) view, Sustainable Development implies meeting developmental needs of present human beings without compromising/sacrificing the needs of future generations. Sustainable Development is an injunction not to satisfy ourselves by depriving our successors (future generation) a pure ecosystem, particularly of finite resources. Environmentalist/Ecologists typically argue that archiving sustainable development requires treating natural resources (exhaustible and non-exhaustible) with care as they form part of all human productive activities. Whilst on the other hand, Economists believe that individual consumers will automatically adopt env ironmental preferences such that it leads towards environmental preservation, in other words: the market will solve all problems. Sustainable Development has arguably been the centre of debate amongst different schools of thought, particularly between the Neo Classical school of thought and the Ecological school of thought (as we can see the different approaches used by the schools in the above paragraph). The environments capacity to accommodate human activity is questionable given the arising problems of unsustainable development that’s enhanced by the rate at which humans devalue certain environmental amenities and also by the rate in which humans discount future costs and benefits for present costs and benefits. This assignment is particularly aimed at exploring, how valuing and discounting of the ecological system by humans relate to sustainable development. The rationale behind discounting by individuals is the preference for consumption now as opposed to sometime in the future (time preference). This preference may be composed of factors associated with the risk in delaying consumption, with the fact that increased wealth in the future might reduce the relative worth of the postponed consumption, and with possibly irrational, â€Å"pure† time preference (Tim Cowards, 1997: 28-39). Whilst on the other hand R. Kerry Turner, Jouni Paavola,†¦, (2003; 493-510) believe the rationale behind valuation is not having a defined monetary price tag on environmental goods but rather to express the effect of a marginal change in ecosystem services provision in terms of a trade off against other things people value. Theoretical Analysis of the Discount Rate Sustainable Development As defined earlier, discounting future environmental benefits for present environmental benefits has resulted in large controversies and can have severe implications on policy formulations that seek to strengthen abatement levels in achieving sustainable development. Environmentalists typically despise the act of discounting as it impoverishes the ecological well-being of future generations thus resulting to unsustainable development. In understanding the concept of discounting, John Quiggin (1997: pp. 65 – 90) applies a basic example where; if a 1 dollar benefit subject to arise in thirty years, comprising a discounted current value of 10 cents, an individual consumer in thirty years will therefore have at margin, a weight of 10 cents relative to an individual born today. This basic example shows how future generations can be made worse off due to present human activities. Therefore we can clearly see that policies which seek to enhance present consumption coupled with resour ce depletion such that there’s predominantly scarcer finite resources in the future is associated with discounting procedures. Therefore the discounting procedure in-relation to sustainable development hampers strategic aims of intergeneration equity that seeks to distribute finite resources equally for both current and future generations. Tom Crowards (1997, 28-39) stipulates that the rationale behind discounting by the society is that they face a preference on whether to consume now or to consume in the future (time preference). Such that this factor is associated with risk of delaying consumption, as the value of the worth in the future might be relatively worth less in present terms. Given that we can clearly see that there’s an opportunity cost associated with present consumption, which is said to be the return that society might derive by delaying consumption. Computation of the discount rate: The most common method to use when computing the discount rate is the Ramsey Rule. The Ramsey Rule enables us to get an efficient discount rate that is made equal to the interest rate, which measures the opportunity cost of funds in the economy. The discount rate is given by r: r = ÃŽ ´ + ÃŽ ·g Where ÃŽ ´: Measures the time preference faced by the society which was slightly discussed in the above section. This time preference stipulates the extent to which the society discounts future welfare. Such that the higher the value of ÃŽ ´, relatively implies less abatement measures today as less weight is being put to future damages. Sterner Martin (2007, 07-37) argued that some economists use a very low time preference value anticipating the risk that future generations might not be alive to witness environmental problems particularly of climate change. Where ÃŽ ·: is the marginal elasticity of utility to income thus measuring the curvature of the utility function. The higher the value on the marginal elasticity of utility to income relatively implies the richer we become in the future. Therefore the higher the value of ÃŽ ·, higher abatement levels will be taken as a higher ÃŽ · results to higher environmental damages. Where g: Ressembles the growth rate for a particular eceonomy. Most economists tend to fix it to one given implications and technicalities it may lead us to when trying to find the discount rate. Discussion Analysis of Discount Rates: There has been large controversy amongst various authors such as Ralph Winkler (2009), Thomas Sterner Martin Persson (2012) over the extent to which the current generation discount future environmental benefits. Ralph Winkler (2009) analyses optimal investment in environmental protection and believes that human beings engage in hyperbolic discounting which is derived from the shortcomings of exponential discounting. Hyperbolic discount rates suggest that the discount rate of the society declines overtime due to three factors; Firstly, Empirical evidence suggests policy makers utilize a declining discount rate rather than a constant discount rate when making decisions about abatement levels for future environment (Frederick et al 2002., Gintis, 2000). Secondly, implications of uncertainty relating to the state of the world in the future leads to certainty-equivalent discount rate (Azfar, 1999, Gollier, 2002, Weitzman, 1998). Thirdly, it is believed that declining discount rates are consistent with intergenerational equity (Li Lofgren, 2000, Chichilnisky, 1996). Hyperbolic discount rate has its limitations such as its failure to be time-consistent; therefore Ralph Winkler assumes a non-overlapping generation which is represented by a single agent. He believed the limitations of hyperbolic discounting will be eliminated by assuming the above and given that hyperbolic discounting stems from the societies uncertainty over the future, than there’s no issue of time-inconsistencies’ if plans about the environment are updated as new information becomes available. On the other hand, the view of a high discount rate by Thomas Sterner Martin Persson (2007) stems from the Stern Review (2006) which was a discussion paper aimed at providing policy makers input on the impact of climate change. Thomas Sterner Martin Persson based their strong criticism over the low discount rate and non-market damages of climate change that are underestimated in the Stern Report. The two authors believed taking into account relative price could change the composition of the discount rate as changing relative prices (particularly of environmental goods) due to climate change can have severe impacts on the economy. Given that, the Stern Review made use of the Ramsey Rule when computing the discount rate as shown by the following equation: r = ÃŽ ´ + ÃŽ ·g Thomas Sterner Martin Persson (2007) modified the Ramsey Rule that gave a low discount rate and rather made use of the DICE model which takes into account changing relative prices between market goods and environmental goods such that they arrive to the following equation: Taking into account relative prices (particularly the environmental component denoted by ÃŽ ³E) will result to a high discount rate such that policy makers will strengthen abatement measures of the dealing with the impacts of climate change. The figure below presents a scenario where after relative prices are taken into account policy makers’ intern take severe abatement measures of dealing with climate change which can be significantly reduced by minimizing greenhouse gas levels in the atmosphere. As we can see in the above figure, initially the Stern discounting (low discount rate) comprises a low carbon dioxide emissions compared to Sterner Martin’s discounting (high discount rate) but in the long-run the high discount rate results to low carbon dioxide emission compared to a low discount rate given changes in relative prices of environmental goods. This effect illustrates that taking relative prices into account can enhance necessary abatement levels that’s in the same order of magnitude as changing the discount rate. Theoretical Analysis of Economic Valuation Sustainable Development It is believed that predominant sustainable development is coupled with the extent to which the society values the environment and the extent to which the society is willing invests current environmental benefits to future generations. Environmental valuation is believed to be the process by which the society attaches monetary values on environmental goods and services. Environmental goods and services can be complex in-terms of breaking them down and attaching monetary values as many of which have no easily observed market prices, this includes environmental goods and services ranging from coral reefs, scenic views, biodiversity, mountain vistas, etc. The benefits of having an environment are believed to have value only if they enter an individual’s utility function or a firm’s production function, such that environmental benefits that fail to meet the two conditions are said to have no economic value (Nick Hanley, Clive L. Spash, 1488-1490). Therefore the rationale be hind monetary valuing the costs and benefits of environmental goods and services is to allow for monetary comparison between market goods and non-market goods. Richard B. Howarth Richard B. Norgaard (1992, 473-477) stated that the imperfection of the environmental market is a major source of societies overexploiting the availability of natural resources such that, if the value of these resources are known then optimal efficient levels would emanate. It’s further emphasized that environmental value towards achieving sustainable development is interdependent upon each generation’s commitment towards transferring to the next sufficient natural resources and capital assets to make development sustainable. Therefore, Richard B. Howarth Richard B. Norgaad (1997, 473-477) explicitly states the existence of a relationship between intertemporal allocative efficiency and intergenerational asset distribution towards understanding how valuing affects sustainable development. This explicit relationship is depicted by the graph below: In the above figure, we can see that the vertical axis measures utility of future generations and the horizontal axis measuring the utility of current generations. The 45* degree line represents the substitutability threshold between future and current generations. Each point on the utility possibility frontier represents an efficient allocation of resources. If initially the economy is inefficient at point A, environmental valuation could possibly move the economy to point B (on the utility possibility frontier). Neither of the two points are sustainable given that future generations are made worse-off by the actions of current generations. Policy and implementation of intergenerational equity within the economy could possibly move the economy to point A* which is inefficient but sustainable. A society that values environmental amenities would enhance a sustainable and efficient allocation of environmental resources such that the economy is at point B*. Approaches to environmental valuation: Economists define valuation based on an anthropocentric, utilitarian approach, which focuses on measures of individual well-being. The economic value of changes in environmental goods and services is derived from measuring the effects of these changes on human welfare (Lee, J.F.J., M. Springborn, S.L Handy, J.F. Quinn and F.M. Shilling, 2010, Pp.123). Economists typically argue that the multiple values of the ecosystem can be best represented by the total economic value (TEV) framework which comprises use values and non-use values. Use values are regarded as values related to environmental features associated with an individual. The use-values can be direct or indirect; to such an extent that direct use-value involves human interactions with the environment, whilst direct use-values can be classified into consumption and non-consumption uses. Consumption-uses involve the extraction of resources from the ecosystem for human consumption (consumable resources such as, fish, food, timber, etc.). While on the other hand, non-consumption uses are environmental goods not directly associated with the day-to-day consumption activities of humans (these include, wild-life viewing, hiking, scenic vistas, etc.). Indirect uses are derived from environmental functions such as groundwater recharge and the option of keeping use-values at a later stage respectively. Non-use values are the remaining values aside from consumption and non-consumption uses. This includes existence value, such that people benefit by having knowledge of the existence of a particular environmental attribute. The distinction made can be best summarized by the following figure below: Figure 3: Classification of total economic value and valuation methods Methodologies for valuating environmental goods services There’re two broad categories for evaluating environmental goods and services, according to Lee, J.F.J., M. Springborn, S.L Handy, J.F. Quinn and F.M. Shilling (2010, Pp.123) these two categories include revealed preferences and stated preferences. Both categories can be used to capture use-values but stated preference is more adequate in measuring non-use values. Revealed Preferences This approach is fairly dependent upon the connection between market goods and non-market goods such that advantage can be taken by the amount of money paid for market goods .e.g. the connection between local water quality and residential housing. Revealed preferences generally involve choices that humans make in the market. Revealed preferences include methods of evaluation such as: Recreational demand, Hedonics, Market prices, and averting behaviour. Recreational Demand Method: Recreational components of environmental typically include wildlife viewing, boating, hiking, etc. therefore the quality of the environment can arguably affect these recreational opportunities at site. There’re two basic models used to value recreational components provided by the environment, they’re; standard travel cost models and the random utility model. The standard travel cost model identifies the number of visits to particular environmental site and random utility model considers the individuals choice of selection from a range of environmental sites. This method of valuation can be best applied if an environmental attribute of concern influences recreational use. Hedonic Models: Explains price differences using data on the different characteristics of a marketed good. These are implicit prices of attributes and are revealed to economic agents from observed prices of differentiated products and the specific amounts of characteristics associated with them (Rosen 1974). If the Hedonic price function is estimated accurately then estimates represent an individuals’ marginal willingness to pay for the environmental quality. This method is commonly used if an environmental attribute directly affects the price of marketed goods. Market Prices Method: When environmental goods or services can be purchased in the market then market prices can be directly used to evaluate environmental attributes. This process is regarded as the production function approach as it considers the environmental conditions as an input in the production of marketed goods. In other words, environmental attributes contribute to the production of marketed goods. This application of this approach is mostly present in habitat and fishery linkages. Averting behaviour Models: Averting behaviour models asses the individual’s willingness to engage in defensive behaviour in an attempt to eliminate morbidity risk by achieving a desired level of health while accounting for the cost of defensive behaviour. In other words, averting behaviour models asses the individuals’ act of protecting health and the general well-being. Stated Preferences Here economists generally consider intentions made by the individuals in hypothetical market situations. Stated preference methods are based upon surveys that distinguish values that individuals place on goods or services. Stated preferences comprises of two segments, namely contingent valuation and conjoint analysis which both comprise the adoption of simulated markets. This sort of valuation methods are the only ones capable of capturing non-use values as they’re mostly used when collecting information on the value placed on environmental attributes by those who value their existence. Contingent Valuation: A contingent valuation basically describes an environmental scenario and therefore estimates the value attached to the particular environmental change scenario. Individuals would therefore reveal their willingness to pay (WTP) for the change. In other words, this sort of method evaluates an individual’s willingness to pay or accept a specific change in environmental attribute. In order for the survey to be effective, respondents a required to understand what’s being valued and have a sense on how they would be willing to trade off between changing environmental attribute and income. Conjoint Analysis: This statistical method is typically used in determining the value of a set of environmental attributes. Researchers generally identify a set of environmental attributes of which individuals/respondents are expected to rank these environmental attributes to a specific value. This method has been projected useful when dealing with environmental evaluation questions that cover multiple dimensions which vary over a range. As conjoint† analysis considers trade-offs among different dimensions, this method can be used to rank policy options that would have various impacts over multiple attributes of the environmental† amenity of concern. Conjoint Analysis and Contingent Valuation are similar when applied accept that conjoint analysis doesn’t ask respondents to disclose their willingness to pay for environmental amenities.

Wednesday, November 13, 2019

Holmes Is Made Possible By Watson. :: Free Essay Writer

Holmes Is Made Possible By Watson. Sherlock Holmes is one of the most popular characters in literature. I read the three stories; ‘The Speckled Band,’ ‘The Engineer’s Thumb’ and ‘The Beryl Coronet.’ I have looked at; how the stories were structured, Dr Watson as the narrator, language used in the stories and the difference between Dr Watson and Sherlock Holmes as characters in the stories. Most crime fiction stories are structured in the same way. Sherlock Holmes stories usually employ this structure; the crime is committed, an investigation is launched, a solution is thought up and an explanation is given. This structure is used to build up suspense and keep you guessing what happened until the end, when it is revealed. An example of this is in ‘The Engineer’s Thumb,’ where the crime was reported to Holmes, Holmes then investigated the crime, by making observations and deducing he reveals the solution and finally explains his solution to the characters and readers. Dr Watson is vital in the structure of the stories because he is an eye-witness throughout all the cases. Holmes explains his theories and methods to him, so Watson is in the reader’s position. This is because he obtains information from Holmes and writes it as the narrator for the readers. As the narrator, Watson eye-witnesses the investigations and tells us every development in the cases. Watson also enables Holmes to explain his methods, the explanation to each case and how he solved it. For example where it says in ‘The Speckled Band’, â€Å"There is no mystery, my dear madam†, said he, smiling. â€Å"The left arm of your jacket is splattered with mud in no less than seven places. The marks are perfectly fresh. There is no vehicle save a dig-cart which throws up mud in that way and then only when you sit on the left-hand side of the driver.† Holmes makes a deduction from the fresh mud on her left arm that she had come in a dog-cart. This is achieved by Watson allowing Holmes to convey his method. Every time that Holmes explains something to Watson, another clue is revealed to the reader. He does this by explaining in detail to Watson and the readers in detail. An example of this is in ‘The Engineer’s Thumb,’ â€Å"†¦as fast as the horse could go.† â€Å"One horse?† Interjected Holmes. â€Å"Yes, only one.† â€Å"Did you observe the colour?† â€Å"Yes †¦ It was a chestnut.† Watson makes all this possible, just by narrating ‘The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes.’ Holmes and Watson are two very different characters, Holmes is the detective and Watson is his sidekick. This makes Sherlock look