Industrial attachment report Essay

CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION Students Industrial work experience scheme (SIWES) was established by ITF (Industrial Training Fund) in 1973 to solve the problem of lack of adequate practical skills required for employment in industries by Nigerian graduates of tertiary institutions. SIWES is an exercise created for students of higher education to enable them practice those things they have learnt theoretically in class. It also helps to expose students to the use of certain industrial equipment. The exercise reveals students skills as well as inspiring students’ ambition to become useful citizens in the future. It also helps them to interact with the highly respected and educated personalities. These students are willing and eager to prepare themselves to attain certain higher positions after graduation. This is a report of the SIWES experience I had at the national root crops research institute, Umudike, abia state. CHAPTER 2 COMPANY DESCRIPTION The National root crops research institute (NRCRI), Umudike is one of the 17 Agricultural research institutes in Nigeria. The institute started as a provincial experimental farm under the national department of agriculture with headquarters at Moor plantation. It assumed a federal status to become Federal Agricultural Research and Training Station (FARTS) in April 1, 1972. By April 1, 1976 it became known as national root crops research institute by the Agricultural research institutes decree of 1973. In line with its national and zonal mandate, the institute has the responsibility of conducting research into: Genetic improvement of root & tuber crops of economic importance in Nigeria Agronomy of root and tuber crop production including farming systems development for the southeast agro ecology Design and fabrication of simple agricultural farm tools and equipment Storage, processing, utilization of root & tuber crop production. NRCRI has taken giant strides with commendable results. These have earned the institute one of the best research institutes in Nigeria having contributed immensely to the economic development. The research findings of the institute have made Nigeria to become the world’s leading producer of cassava and yam with annual production of 33.1 and 19 million metric tons. The track record has also placed the institute in the top position for two years consecutively in the annual world food day. ACHIEVEMENTS: Effective control of major pests and diseases in cassava, yam, irish potato & sweet potato Development of sweet potato starch & media for biological uses Development of true potato seed for irish potato production Development of cassava, yam, sweet potato & cocoyam flour for baking, odorless fufu, cocoyam chips as snacks. Development of low cyanide cassava varieties for the savanna agro ecological zones CHAPTER 3 JOBS DONE/EXPERIENCE GAINED INTRODUCTION TO THE WORKSHOP: On arrival to the workshop, the first thing I was introduced to was the safety rules of the workshop which included the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) at all times. After this, I was given a full orientation to the workshop staff and tools. MODIFICATION OF A GINGER CUTTING & WASHING MACHINE: When I arrived at the workshop, the ongoing project was the modification of a ginger cutting machine and a ginger washing machine. A ginger washing machine is a machine used for washing freshly harvested ginger from dirt while a ginger cutting machine is a device used for cutting freshly harvested matured ginger into two equal parts. For this the following jobs were needed. USE OF HAND CUTTING/HAND GRINDING: The hand grinding machine which is also called an angle grinder is one of the very useful tools in the workshop. It is used for cutting, grinding and polishing. They can be powered by an electric motor, petrol engine or compressed air. In the workshop, the angle grinder was powered by an electric motor. The motor drives the geared head at a right angle on which is mounted an abrasive disk (used for grinding) or a thinner cut-off disc (used for cutting). It was used for cutting into metal sheets to a specified measurement, removing excess material and smoothing rough edges off the material. PRECAUTIONS: -In the workshop, we were required to replace worn discs because the continuous use of already worn discs could cause parts or the whole disc to fly out thereby causing serious damage to body or machine. -The cutting disc should never be used in place of the grinding disc and vice versa -Never stay in an enclosed place and always use the right posture when cutting/grinding. A HAND CUTTING/GRINDING MACHINE USE OF THE HAND DRILLING MACHINE: A drill is a tool fitted with a cutting tool attachment or driving tool attachment usually a drill bit or driver bit which is used for drilling holes in various materials. The drill bit is gripped by a chuck at one end and rotated while pressed against the material. A centre punch is usually used to indicate the spot where the drill is about to perforate so as to prevent the drill bit from slipping of the mark. PRECAUTIONS -Apply just the right amount of pressure to the drill during use as too much can end up breaking the drill bit and too little would not do anything. USE OF JOINING PROCESSES: During the work on the ginger cutting and ginger washing machine, metals also needed to be joined together. We used processes such as welding, riveting and also bolts & nuts. PRECAUTIONS -When welding, make sure the eyes are protected by a facemask -When riveting ensure staying on a flat surface. MEASUREMENT & MARKING: Before any work is carried out, it has to be put into measurements so as to avoid waste. Some of the instruments used were the vernier calipers, steel rule, measuring tape. THE USE OF THE RADIAL DRILLING MACHINE: A radial drilling machine is a large gear headed drill press in which the head moves along the arm that radiates from the column of the machine. The arm of the machine can swing in relation to the base of the machine. This swing operation helps the drill head to move out of the way so a large crane can place the heavy work piece on the base of the radial drilling machine. This also helps in drilling holes at different locations of the workpiece without actually moving the workpiece. Common features of the radial drilling machine are the power feed of the spindle and the coolant system. We also discussed problems when looking for solutions and also acquainted ourselves with the relationship between pulleys and the speed of a crankshaft. At the end of all these, the ginger cutting machine and ginger washing machine were tested and modified where necessary with good results. CHAPTER 4 RELATION OF EXPERIENCE TO FIELD OF STUDY The relevance of my experience to my field of study is the fact that most of the problems and tools encountered in the workshop were those which have been solved theoretically in class and hence a better understanding of the course was achieved. The relevance of this industrial training to Mechanical Engineering is the fact that it helps students to be more compatible with what they have been taught. Mechanical Engineering is more understood when combined with practice. The Industrial training helps to achieve this part. It makes the students not only knowledgeable but also quick with their hands and minds. This, at the end of all these, will result in better trained members of the mechanical engineering society. Mechanical Engineering, in fact, is a practical course. Considering the situation of our country with respect to education, I would say that without SIWES, graduates of mechanical engineering would really be lacking when it comes to practicing the course in the real world. CHAPTER 5 CONCLUSION/RECOMMENDATION All in all, the experience was a very wonderful one. I developed a good working relationship with the staff and my supervisor as I had learned from my 200 level industrial training and I also had a wonderful time putting what is learned in the classrooms into practice. Safety is a very important issue in any environment but it can never be over emphasized in a workshop.

The Relationship Between Structure Mentoring Programs

The issue of new graduate nurse retention remains a challenge in many healthcare facilities. More than 50% of new graduate nurses leave their first employment in less than a year (North, Johnson, Knotts & Whelan 2006). Because new recruits are often faced with a variety of stressors in their beginning practice it is clear that a structured mentoring program could be of immense value. Such a program would provide technical and emotional support to nurses and so ease their transition into the unit culture. This article provides a critical review of the literature on mentoring, especially the impact that structured mentoring programs have on the retention rates of new graduate nurses. In the first section I will explore the nature of mentorship within the nursing discipline. I will discuss the functions of a formal mentoring program and the chief characteristics of the mentor: mentee relationship. In the second section I will provide a critical review of the literature concerning the relationship between mentoring programs and increased nurse retention rates. The third section explores common pitfalls that subsume in a dysfunctional mentoring program. Finally recommendations to organisations are proposed based on the review findings. Introduction Graduating from a nursing school is a considerable achievement. New graduates eagerly anticipate their first position in the ‘real world’. The issue however of new graduate nurse retention continues to be a grave concern in many healthcare facilities. It was reported that more than 50% of new graduate nurses leave their first employment in less than a year (North, Johnson, Knotts & Whelan 2006). New recruits are often faced with a variety of stressors associated with beginning practice. It is clear therefore, that a structured mentoring program which provides technical and emotional support to new nurses may be one of the best retention strategies for nurse administrators. This article provides a critical review of the literature on mentoring, with an emphasis on the impact that structured mentoring programs have on nursing retention rates. The first section sets up mentoring concepts and processes as identified in the literature. The second section will provide a critical eview of the literature on the relationship between structured mentoring programs and the nursing retention rate. The third section explores common pitfalls that subsume in a dysfunctional mentoring program. The final section makes recommendations to organisations regarding a successful mentoring program. Significance New nurse graduates have many employment options. They can choose not to work in settings where they are not supported and often they take that option. Common themes emerging from the literature show that many new nurses lack both confidence and a sense of competence (Oermann & Garvin 2002). They are afraid of making mistakes; they complain of an unsupportive environment; and of being obliged to work with ‘difficult’ colleagues (Oermann & Garvin 2002). A lack of recognition of their work as well as difficult shift-work schedules have also been identified as sources of distress (McVicar 2003). It is a sad fact that one out of every three nurses under 30 years plans to leave during his or her first year of employment (Nelson, Godfrey & Purdy 2004). The cost of such high levels of unnecessary nurse turnover is significant (Halfer, Graf & Sullivan 2008). More significantly the resulting deficit of nursing personnel inevitably affects the quality of patient care in hospitals and can compromise patient safety (Leners, Wilson, Connor & Fenton 2006). In response to the critical issue of nursing retention, hospital managements have been urged to address the issue by developing a more congenial work environment. However, it is noticeable that mentoring initiatives are still not integrated into many healthcare organisations, despite a plethora of literature relating this with positive outcomes. Literature search Relevant studies were identified by searching the following electronic databases: Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, Ovid and ProQuest. The keywords or their combinations have been utilised in the searching process. These include: mentorship, preceptorship, new graduate nurses, personnel retention, and personnel recruitment. Other literature was identified through searching the bibliographies of studies found through electronic searches, including the World Wide Web, Google Scholar and library data systems. Inclusion criteria included discussion/ opinion papers and articles/materials written in English. There were no particular discipline restrictions and there were also no specific date restrictions. Articles that were published after 1999 were sought. The retrieved articles were reviewed and selected based on these criteria: the relationship between formal mentoring programs and personnel retention; benefits of mentoring; new graduate transition; and possible pitfalls of mentoring. Literature review What is mentoring? There is a substantial body of literature which deals with mentoring and preceptoring as discrete functions (Block, Claffey, Korow & McCaffrey 2005; Kelly 1994). To date however, the two terms continue to be used interchangeably or synonymously (Block et al. 2005). It is useful to draw some distinctions between them. Preceptorship is understood as an organised orientation program in which the nurse preceptor facilitates the integration of new staff into role responsibilities in the clinical setting for a limited period of time (Greene & Puetzer 2002). This relationship is often viewed as one-sided and patriarchal (Leners et al. 006). In contrast, mentorship is a reciprocal relationship established between two nurses â€Å"on the basis of respect and compatible personality with the common goal of guiding the nurse toward personal and professional growth† (Block et al. 2005:134). The relationship often occurs over a much longer period, depending on whether the agreed-upon goals have been achieved (Andrews & Wallis 1999). Stated simply, the features of mentorship as distinct from other supporting roles in clinical settings include a strong repertoire of helper functions, reciprocal sharing and a relatively longer duration (Morton-Cooper & Palmer 2000). Characteristics of the relationship Mentorship primarily involves a mentor and a mentee in a one-to-one relationship (Latham, Hogan & Ringl 2008). This relationship is characterised by a process of enabling, cultivating, and empowering a less experienced practitioner within the work environment (Morton-Cooper & Palmer 2000). In this longitudinal relationship, both mentors and mentees assume their own responsibilities and obligations in achieving either organisational or personal goals (Latham et al. 2008). In this relationship, a mentor is recognised as a wiser and more experienced practitioner, who possesses certain ‘personal’ and ‘professional’ attributes such as good interpersonal skills, self-confidence, flexibility, knowledge, and an interest in professional growth (Kane-Urrabazo 2006:193; Andrews & Wallis 1999:204; Morton-Cooper & Palmer 2000). Personal attributes that have been identified as important factors to success also include good listening skills, the ability to facilitate learning and being comfortable in giving feedback (Sherrod, Roberts & Little 2008; Woodrow 1994). The literature refers to the nurse being mentored as a ‘mentee’, ‘protege’, ‘learner’, or ‘mentoree’ (Zucker, Coss, Williams, Bloodworth, Lynn, Denker & Gibbs 2006; Hunter 2002). Referred to here simply as â€Å"the mentee† she or he can be any nurse at a distinctive stage of his/her profession (Leners et al. 2006). The characteristics of a mentee that allow a functional mentorship to flourish include honesty; the capacity to take responsibility; being ready and available for feedback; following through on decisions, having a strong self-identity and a willingness to learn (Wagner & Seymour 2007; Sherrod et al. 008). Structured mentoring program Various structures of formal mentoring programs are available across institutions (Latham et al. 2008). Broadly speaking, the structure of a mentoring program contains several stages of strategic planning (Latham et al. 2008). Initially the focus is on: establishing objectives and measurable outcomes, role delineation for mentors and mentees, establishment of criteria for involvement in mentorship and the construction of a supportive system and a surveillance system of the mentor-mentee team (Latham et al. 2008). Those parties who are involved in this formal relationship are required to fulfil pre-determined aims, objectives and outcomes as identified by their respective supporting organisations (McCloughen, O'Brien & Jackson 2006). The second stage in which the program is implemented involves the selection of suitable mentors, the recruitment of mentees, (on both a voluntary or involuntary basis) and mentor preparation (Latham et al. 2008). Final stages include an evaluation through reflection and feedback by mentors and mentees, to determine whether specific objectives and measurable outcomes have been achieved (Latham et al. 008). The program duration may last one year or even longer (Morton-Cooper & Palmer 2000). Structured mentoring programs and retention success In this session, several issues regarding structured mentoring program and retention success will be addressed. First, we must ask what mentoring functions are important to retention success? Second: to what extent or in what way does mentoring contribute to the retention of new graduate nurses? Each of these questions is considered in the following section. Benefits of mentoring programs Mentoring has been shown to provide a beneficial effect on a proteges’ job satisfaction levels and willingness to remain in an organisation (Fleig-Palmer 2009). One aspect of the mentoring relationship is the passing of knowledge from a more experienced staff (mentor) to a less experienced staff (protege) (Heartfield, Gibson, Chesterman & Tagg 2005). Research suggests that by the absorption via socialisation of specific skills to proteges is positively related to personal learning in the workplace (Sherrod et al. 2008). This component is akin to preceptorship which also includes skill-development (Sherrod et al. 2008) and is widely accepted as a crucial orientation to new graduate nurses. Literature has linked preceptorship to a high level of satisfaction together with successful retention (Almada, Carafoli, Flattery, French & McNamara 2004; Lee, Tzeng, Lin and Yeh 2009). Anecdotal evidence shows that new graduates after completing the preceptorship program tend to seek more support, a fact which in itself would imply a strong need for good mentoring programs. A second aspect of the mentoring relationship is the psycho-social support the mentor may provide to a mentee: support which enhances his or her sense of competence and confidence (Heartfield et al. 2005). Recent findings from a longitudinal study suggest that mentoring fosters organisational retention rates through the establishment of emotional connections between mentor and mentee, by contributing to higher level of commitment to the organisation (Beecroft, Dorey & Wenten 2007). A substantial body of literature also supports the notion that mentorship initiatives can help new recruits transiting into the unit culture (Leners et al. 006). Positive environments can be created through frequent interaction, communication and relational caring between different generations of co-workers (Latham et al. 2008). Such interactions can help new nurses transcend the generations, norms and values differences in a unit (Latham et al. 2008). It also can aid a new recruit in getting in touch with overt or covert culture within the practice environment (Morrow 2008). Ultimately, better patient outcomes can be achieved, which in turn can increase nurses’ satisfaction (Leners et al. 2006). Many studies show that individuals who were mentored report higher levels of job satisfaction (Halfer et al. 2008; Krugman, Bretschneider, Horn, Krsek, Moutafis & Smith 2006; Faron & Poeltler 2007). An abundance of research studies indicates that organisations who implement mentoring programs show a consistent decrease in turn-over rate of new nurses (Hurst & Koplin-Baucum 2003; Greene & Puetzer 2002; Halfer & Graf 2006; Halfer et al. 2008; Zucker et al. 2006; Persaud 2008). Similar results are also evident in other disciplines such as Medicine, Pharmacy and Academia (Cohn, Bethancourt & Simington 2009; Sambunjak, Straus & Marusic 2006). One report in particular highlights the benefits of mentoring. A study from the southern United States by Zucker and co-workers (2006) was done to determine the impact of an 18-month mentoring program on nurse retention in five hospitals. Prior to commencement of the program, participants completed a personality profile, to ensure successful pairing (Zucker et al. 2006). This program included topics such as communication and conflict resolution skills, co-operative learning and time-management (Zuker et al. 006)– all subjects which are normally not covered in conventional orientation programs. At the end of the program, both parties reported that the mentoring relationship increased their knowledge and helped them become ‘better people’ and ‘better colleagues’ (Zucker et al. 2006). Higher levels of protege satisfaction were directly translated into increased retention. In this case, the increase was 16% (Zucker et al. 2006). Given that the high turnover rate of new recruits, mentoring program yield a significance of cost-saving to healthcare system. Research methodology/measurement issues Admittedly, strict evidence for an improved retention rate is hampered by the small sample size of these programs (Hamilton, Murray, Lindholm & Myers 1989; Faron & Poelter 2007). Atkin and William (1995) argue that findings which result from such small purposive studies cannot be generalised. Despite numerous studies therefore which show that retention rates increase with the application of a mentorship program (Block et al. 2005), it is still difficult to draw a firm conclusion on the direct causal relationship between mentoring programs and the attained retention level. This is due to the limited amount of information provided with respect to evaluation tools, sample size, mentor styles as well as the lack of a comparison group in the available studies (Gagliardi, Perrier, Webster, Leslie, Bell, Levinson, Rotstein, Tourangeau, Morrison, Silver & Straus 2009; Greene & Puetzer 2002; Hurst & Koplin-Baucum 2003). In addition, the outcomes of these studies may be affected by: differences that exist in a mentor-mentee relationship; the program’s aim and function; and the frequency of interaction between mentor and mentee (Jacobi 1991; Beecroft et al. 2007). Lack of strong quantitative data may prevent the establishment of a positive colleration between mentoring programs and retention rates. Furthermore it can be argued that retention strategies such as mentorship (which are deemed appropriate in one hospital) may not work in another (Jacobi 1991). Atkin and William (1995) point out that the findings might only show that mentors and mentees’ experience during mentorship was relatively new to them. In spite of all critiques, no one however has doubted the overall value that mentoring programs have for mentees, mentors as well as for organisations (Block et al. 2005). The existing mentoring studies on nursing which are linked to retention rates include cross-sectional and longitudinal components (Halfer et al. 2008). In contrast, empirical studies with correlational design, contain data which are only collected for a single point of the study and are subject to a limited amount of participants (Caine 1989; Fagan & Fagan 1982). Quasi-experimental design is therefore recommended (Jacobi 1991). In such studies data is collected from a group of participants who receive mentoring programs together with another non-receiving group, at multiple points throughout the study (Jacobi 1991). Until today, it is not known how long the mentorship effect takes to emerge, in this instance, nor how long it will last (Jacobi 1991). Pure experimental research has value in determining the relationship between mentoring and retention of new graduates (Jacobi 1991) but not many current studies can afford to adopt such a strict approach to measuring the cause and effect of mentoring programs and retention rates. Pitfalls of a structured mentoring program Despite numerous of benefits gained from a mentoring relationship, the desired outcome such as retention not always achieved. Several types of problems that might occur in mentoring include:- Selection of mentors A number of authors note that inequity in the selection of mentors can be problematic to the success of a mentoring program (Greene & Puetzer 2002; Andrews & Wallis 1999). Andrews and Wallis (1999:206) state that ‘some of the nurses are not mentors by choice’, as they dare not reject their selection by the nursing manager. The mentor selection criteria have not been made clear and explicit (Andrews & Wallis 1999). Sometimes, an experienced staff nurse does not have the attributes to become a good mentor (Greene & Puetzer 2002). Indeed, selection of the mentor should be subject not to seniority but to the mentor’s â€Å"availability, interpersonal skills, clinical knowledge, and teaching experience† (Greene & Puetzer 2002:69). An optional basis may also be used (Atkin & William 1995). An inadequate mentor who lacks strong values, or good personal and professional attributes and who exhibits unwarranted behaviours can be a liability (Kane-Urrabazo 2006). Such behaviours can include negative feedback or a lack of respect towards the mentee and can result in decreased self-esteem in the new recruit (Kane-Urrabazo 2006; Woodrow 1994). These behaviours are also known as ‘joy stealing’ (Heinrich 2007, cited in Driscoll 2009:8). The consequence of this will be frustration for either or both mentor and mentee (Kane-Urrabazo 2006). Poor mentoring can drive the newly employed staff away (Kane-Urrabazo 2006; Woodrow 1994). It is therefore imperative that a formalised selection criteria for mentors should be identified. Compatibility Many proteges complain of being enmeshed in a dysfunctional relationship with their mentor (Feldman 1999). This is likely to occur if there is ‘forced matching’ when a less experienced nurse is assigned to be with a mentor pre-selected from experienced staff nurses (Morton-Cooper & Palmer 2000:46). Given the closed relationship between mentor and mentee, there is a risk of this relationship becoming destructive (Woodrow 1994). Empirical studies have identified this issue (Fenske 1986). Common themes that emerge are: failure of the mentor or mentee to maintain confidentiality of private information, mentee abuse of the relationship in which the mentor’s resources are exploited for personal advantage, mentor abuse of the enthusiasm and goodwill of the mentee by making use of his/her as a personal helper or assistant (Hunter 2002). Eventually varying degrees of injurious consequences to mentor, mentee and organisation can develop if not properly monitored (Feldman 1999). The literature has identified that mentees would have better opportunities for growth if mentees were able to select the mentors (Woodrow 1994). Opposition to this suggests that matching is not as important as meeting regularly for a successful mentoring relationship (Beecroft, Santner, Lacy, Kunzman & Dorey 2006). Training for mentors Undoubtedly, a mentor is the key person in the success of a mentoring relationship. However, several studies have shown that most mentors feel deficient in their role as mentor because their training consisted of learning â€Å"on the job†, and by â€Å"watching how other people do it† (Andrews & Wallis 1999:205-206). There are some institutions providing formal mentor training to guide the mentor along (Hurst & Koplin-Baucum 2003). An evaluation study done by Jinks and Williams in 1994 (cited in Andrews & Wallis 1999:205) found those who undertake a formal course with exams felt significantly more able to undertake the role. A formal mentoring course commonly would examine the phases in mentorship, recognising different adult learning styles and personality traits, provide techniques in dealing with conflict and effectively help to manage the relationship with the mentee (Hurst & Koplin-Baucum 2003; Block et al. 00. In spite of these improvements, the majority of the course content was still perceived as inadequate by mentors’ (Andrews & Wallis 1999). Additionally, those who had left school for a significant period of time, might feel the lack of a theoretical background leading to doubts as to whether they possess sufficient preparation to be a mentor (Andrews & Wallis 1999). Woodrow (1994:813) argues that the ideal of mentorship might be undermined by ‘token mentorship’, in which mentors are unable to perform true mentor functions. Recommendation It is important for hospital managers who prepare and support nurses as mentors to develop a greater understanding of mentoring from the mentor’s perspective (Atkin & Williams 1995). Andrews and Wallis (1999:206) argue that mentors’ gain invaluable skills and satisfaction from their work but this often tends to be â€Å"intrinsic† and is internalised. Several authors believe that administrative support through financial compensation, staffing and schedule flexibility, title and leadership recognition can act as motivators for experienced staff (Greene & Puetzer 2002). Such measures would make mentors more likely to commit and sustain in this longitudinal relationship (Greene & Puetzer 2002). In addition, on-going mentor support through a mentor-support group may be helpful in maintaining the momentum (Latham et al. 2008). Latham et al. (2008) had further examined a university-hospital partnership mentoring program. The program included a component of mentor support as part of the program follow-up. It offered an opportunity for mentors to vent about the difficulties they were facing, and share the successful experiences in the mentorship. A mentor support group can clearly help management to monitor the mentorship progress and develop a strategy to tackle emerging problems (Latham et al. 2008). Conclusion It is important that healthcare organisations not continue to take the nurse retention issue lightly. The provision of an effective mentoring program structure is the appropriate response. This is essential in helping clinical entry nurses make a smooth transition into the working environment and at the same time benefit experienced nurses to achieve a higher level of professional development. Such a program can also help the organisation transcend a multitude of problems by creating a positive environment where every staff member may enjoy working. In order for an effective mentoring program to be carried out, organisations must: allocate sufficiently experienced staff to act as mentors; provide flexible staffing and scheduling; give quality training to mentors; and support the mentors through various means by title recognition, wage adjustment and support groups. In turn the program can help organisations increase retention and reduce turn-over for nurses, particularly new graduate staff. It can thus achieve better patient outcomes and increase nurse’s job satisfaction. By providing a structured mentoring program for new nurses’ career development and advancement, we can help to improve the longevity of active nursing careers and also help to alleviate the problem of current nurses’ retention.

Adult Learning and Learning Styles Essay

When one thinks about education thoughts are naturally turned toward adolescents. In today’s society the media is quick to expose flaws in the educational system. One rarely thinks about the educational needs of adults, but for many adults there is a large need for continuing their education. One might venture to ask the question what is adult learning? According to Malcolm Knowles adult learning is a process of self-directed inquiry (Urological Nursing, 2006). Although there are many adults that are driven to continue their education, the idea can be overwhelming for most. It is best for the adult learner to prepare for the journey by knowing the process of adult learning, identifying the types of learning styles, and identifying one’s personal learning style. Assessing the level of the above traits and the readiness to learn will equip the adult learner with an arsenal of tools. Learning is defined as, a relatively permanent change in an organisms behavior (Merriam, Caffarella, & Baumgartner 2004). There are a multiple theories as to how people learn. The more popular theory is the Learning Theory. The learning theory encompasses five orientations to learning: Behaviorist, Humanist, Cognitivist, Social Cognitive, and Constructivist (Merriam et al. , 2007). This paper will focus on the behaviorist aspect of learning, the permanent change in behavior. Understanding how and why adults learn will increase the chances of teaching success. The reason most adults enter any learning experience is to create change. This could encompass a change in (a. ) their skills, (b. ) behavior, (c. ) knowledge level, or (d. ) even their attitudes about things (Adult Education Center, 2005). The degree of motivation is what separate adult learners from school age children, previous experience, engagement in the learning process, and applied learning. Adults learn best when convinced of the need for knowing the information (Urologic Nursing, 2006). For example, an employee who is offered a training opportunity that will directly impact one’s job will be more likely to take advantage of the opportunity, as compared to an employee whose training opportunity is not directly related to the employee’s job description. Adults have a greater depth, breath, and variation in the quality of previous life experiences than younger people (O’Brien, 2004). Former experiences can lead the adult learner to connect current learning to something learned in the past. For example, if an adult learner is taking an advance course in Accounting. One might be able to recall a mathematical strategy used previously in a basic course that can apply to the current accounting class. Utilizing experience in this fashion can lead to making the learning experience more meaningful. In a classic study, Rogers (1969) illustrated that when an adult learner has control over the nature, timing, and direction of the learning process, the entire experience is facilitated. Adults tend to be self-directed and decide what they want to learn. For instance, in today’s economy many adults have decided to return to school in order to become more marketable in the current economic slowdown. The website for the Higher Education Statistics Agency ( HESA) states that 24% of undergraduate students are now classified as mature students (i. e.21 years of age), many of whom have arrived in university after completing a foundation-level access course at a further education college. Choosing to return to school allows learners to have more control over the educational process. It allows the adult learner to choose which program to enroll, and the level of commitment towards the program the learner is willing to give. It is important to remember that in order to engage the adult learner and facilitate the transfer of knowledge, patience and time on the part of the teacher and learner are needed (Urologic Nursing, 2006). As skills and knowledge are acquired, it is paramount to include return demonstrations by the learner (Urologic Nursing, 2006). It is important for the teachers to observe the learned skills in the learner, and for the learner to experience the progress in their understanding, and application of the education. Seeing progress and realizing a tangible movement forward in the learning process may increase the learner’s motivation to learn even more. Table 1. Characteristics of Adult Learners * Autonomous and self- directed. * Accumulated a foundation of experiences and knowledge * Goal oriented * Relevancy oriented * Practical * Need to be shown respect Characteristics of Adult Learners Source: Knowles, 1970 Table 2. Sources of Motivation for Adult Learning * Social Relationships * External Expectations * Social Welfare * Personal Advancement * Escape/Simulation * Cognitive Interest Source: Lieb, 1991 Learning styles refers to the consistent way in which a learner responds to or interacts with stimuli in the learning context (Robert Loo, 2002). Learning styles are related to cognitive styles of the learner’s personality, temperament, and motivation. According to Riding and Cheema (1991) the concept of learning styles seem to emerge in the 1970’s as a replacement for the cognitive styles. Activity in the learning styles field has been so strong that some 21 different models have been developed (Curry, 1983). Kolb’s Experimental Learning Model (ELM) is one of the most popular and utilized learning models today. ELM has attracted a wide audience as well as application. His model is founded on Jung’s concept of types or styles through which the individual develops by using higher level of integration and expression of non-dominant modes of dealing with the world (Kolb, 1994). Experience is formed into concepts that guide the choice of new experiences. Kolb’s model reflects two dimensions based on (a) perceiving , which involves concrete experience (feeling) and abstract conceptualization (thinking), and (b) processing, which involves active experimentation (doing) and reflective observation (watching) (Robert Loo, 2002). These two dimensions form the following four quadrants reflecting four learning styles: accommodator, diverger, assimilator, and converger (Robert Loo, 2002). FIGURE 1. Kolb’s Two–Dimensional Learning Model and Four Learning Styles Accommodator Diverger Converger Assimilator Concrete Experience Active Experimentation Reflective Observation Abstract Conceptualization Accommodators are described as â€Å"hands on† or â€Å"gut feelings, divergers deal best with concrete situations, assimilators understand a wide range of information, and convergers are best at finding practical uses for ideas (Kolb, 1994). As more adults are participating in learning activities, adults are beginning to seek ways to improve their learning experiences. One way in which adult learners are achieving these goals is to familiarize themselves with their individual learning styles. How do adult learners identify their personal learning style? Many have been interested in how one learns. Even before the 1970’s, scholars have known that matching teaching styles and learning styles would result in improved grades, which logically reflect greater learning. Understanding ones learning style can lead to successful learning for all learners. Over the past fifty years researchers have learned a great deal about learning styles and how to identify them. Adult learners can improve test scores and increase content knowledge by identifying styles. Dunn and Dunn (1992) demonstrate that when students are taught using their preferred learning styles, the show increased academic achievement and improved attitudes toward instruction than when they are taught using their non-preferred style (Joseph Pitts, 2009). The problem has been that instruments are often time consuming in administering, scoring, and implementing. Research on learning and cognitive styles evolved from psychological research on individual differences (Curry, 1987). In the process, scholars began to develop inventories and other measures to identify the learning styles they discovered (Joseph Pitts, 2009). In the early 90’s more than thirty published instruments that assess the dimensions of learning styles were in use. In order for adult learners to identify their learning style they most use a valid learning style inventory. There is a multitude of learning inventories. Many are composed of self-report rank ordered questions. For example, Curry (1987) organized a three-layer system composed of twenty one learning styles. The first level focuses on learning behavior, the second level centers on information-processing dimensions, and the third presents instructional preferences. TABLE 1. Curry’s Classification System of Learning Styles Instruments| Level| Author| Instrument| 1. Instructional and environmental preferences| Canfield and LaffertyDunn, Dunn, and PriceFriedman and Stricter| Learning Styles InventoryLeaning Style InventoryInstructional Preferences| 2. Information-processing preferences| BiggsEndwise and RamsdenHuntKolb| Study Process QuestionnaireApproaches to StudyingParagraph Completion MethodLearning Styles Inventory| 3. Personality-related preferences| KaganMyersWitkin| Matching Familiar Figures TestMyer-Briggs Type IndicatorEmbedded Figures Test| Source: Curry 1987 Dunn et al. (1992) classified individuals as analytical or global learners that analytical learners are more successful when information is presented step-by-step in a cumulative, sequential pattern that builds towards conceptual understanding (i. e. , a part-to-whole pattern of learning). These individuals prefer to learn in a quiet, well-illuminated, formal setting: often have a strong emotional need to complete tasks; like to learn alone or one-on-one with a teacher; prefer highly structured assignments; and rarely eat, drink, smoke, chew, or bite on objects while learning. Global learners have the opposite set of characteristics, learning more easily when they master a concept first and then concentrate better with distractors such as sound, soft lighting, and informal seating arrangement and some form of intake (e. g. eating or drinking). They take frequent breaks by studying and often work on several tasks simultaneously. Global learners prefer to work with their peers and structure tasks in their own way. In conclusion, many adults for different reasons are choosing to return to some form of educational activity. Some are motivated because of social relationships, personal advancement, or cognitive interest, but whatever the reasons, adults should be prepared for the journey. Adults can prepare by knowing the process of adult learning, identifying the types of learning styles, and identifying one’s own style. Reference Page Londell D. Jackson (2006). Revisiting Adult Learning Theory through the Lens of an Adult Learner. Harold Pashler, Mark McDaniel, Doug Rohrer, and Robert Bjork (2009). Learning Styles, Concepts and Evidence. University of California, San Diego, Washington University in St Louis, University of South Florida, and University of California, Las Angeles. Joseph Pitts (2009). Identifying and Using a Teacher Friendly Learning-Styles Instrument. Sally Russell (2006). An Overview of Adult-Learning Processes. Urological Nursing.

Tatoo is good Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Tatoo is good - Essay Example The tattoos designs are not just restricted to anchors, skulls, and battleships but now, ways and designs have come under findings by the populace as a mean to express themselves. A tattoo that is profound into the skin is a perforate lesion, where needles come under the use to pierce into the skin of an individual and infusion of ink through that needle occurs to make some type of a design. Since the tattoos are deep-rooted into ones’ skin, this attribute of tattoos make them lifelong stay on the body. Initially, hands came under use in operating the practice of tattoo making and there was no mechanical way of doing it, but with the advancement in technology, the tattoo artist makes use of a machine (electric gadget) to make the tattoo. In some remote areas of the world, the practice of making tattoos is still manual. The tattoo making is not a new art, as it has been in practice from scores of generations across the globe. In some parts of the world despite of being popular, is it considered as a symbol of religious and divine dedication, awards or medals of gallantry, sexual attraction or expression of love, lucky or good luck charm, security, and as the marks of outsider, slaves and guilty. Different religions and cultures have different concepts, meaning, and impact of the tattoos and its symbols. In recent years, moreover people make tattoos to express their feeling to their loved ones, whether it be mother, father, siblings, children, or someone special. Even some individuals make tattoos for cosmetic, monument, and magical grounds to get themselves coupled or recognized with a particular social or ethnic group. Tattoo is not a new concept and has been in existence for more than five thousand years. Tattoo is an unintentional invention by a person who got a small injury, and rubbed that cut with the hands full of dirt with fire ashes. The mark stayed on a permanent basis, which came under notice after the healing of the injury. The history of tatt oos reveals the fact that tattoos has been in subsistence since the time of the civilization and has been present in many cultures around the world. Nevertheless, the modern history tells us that tattoos were most common amongst the military personnel in order to distinguish their identities in a particular group. Later on, it became in style amongst the common person (Diman, pp.121-150). People find tattoos, which is, making a symbol or picture on the body, as one of the artistic, unique, and innovative ways to broadcast everybody about the personality and their beliefs. People also use tattoos to express their harmony and shared/common views they have with another group, individual, or thoughts. Individuals even make tattoos in order to commemorate themselves with a significant and crucial incident or an event that is of high importance, value and meaningful for them due to the reason that a tattoo stays perpetually on their bodies. People often use tattoos as a symbol of articula tion and expression. They make tattoos in the form of images or symbols that represents their faith, trust, passion, and obsession. The individual emboss a tattoo on their body when they are confident enough to show their commitment it in front of the world. Few people even use tattoos as a tool to beautify their bodies. They consider their body as an unprinted picture, which with

The Palace of Minos at Knossos Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

The Palace of Minos at Knossos - Essay Example There are indications of proper systems of obtainment of natural light during the day. There are signs of proper systems of drainage and water supply. As far as heat is concerned, the palace gives no signs of proper systems for the control of cool and chilled winds in winter seasons (Benton and DiYanni, 1998). Because of the facilitation of natural light, the constructors of the palace had to provide a lot of openings for the incoming light and these facilitations of light appear to be problematic in winter seasons. In night, there were employment of ceramic lamps and candles with olive oil (Dempsey, 2007). The palace of Minos at Knossos served for many purposes according to the archaeologists. It served as an administrative center for the people of Crete. It also served as a religious center for the people of Crete. It also worked as storage of food so; it also served as a food storage center for the people of Crete (Bourbon, 1998). The palace is not like those palaces that provide residential facilities but as a place that provided working facilities as the archaeologists found no furniture or objects that can be called as beds or other residential features (Dempsey, 2007). The palace of Minos at Knossos is regarded as the major site for the analysis of Bronze Age buildings prevalent till this time. It is archeologically the largest building found related to Bronze Age (Bourbon, 1998). It is located at Crete. It gives a clear overview of Minoan culture and civilization. Tourists from all over the world visit the palace in order to judge the features of Bronze Age still found in the world today. The palace of Minos at Knossos is named after the discoverer, Minos Kalokairinos (Benton and DiYanni, 1998). The discovery can be traced back in 1878. The palace can also be named on the King Minos of Crete for whom; it was constructed according to the mythology. With the discovery of the palace, it

Macroeconomics Inflation and Unemployment Exchange Rate and Open Term Paper

Macroeconomics Inflation and Unemployment Exchange Rate and Open Economy - Term Paper Example The national output per head is assumed to represent the standard of living. The total national output is divided by the number of people in a nation. An increase in the national income per capita is a representation of an improvement in the standards of living in a country (Sowell, 13). This is because it means the national output or income is increasing while the population is constant. More is given out in terms of production by the same number of people in a nation that is, holding all other factors constant (Miller, 2011). One challenge in using national income statistics to measure and compare living standards of people in different nations is that there is no common currency .Different nations use different currency thus national income is hard to compare across different nations. The dollar or the euro is however used in most cases which involves converting all data in a common measure (Riley, 2006). The purchasing power of the dollar or Euro is different in different nations so there many adjustments have to be made to cater for differences in average costs of goods and services in different countries (Sowell, 2000). Another challenge is GPD usage in representation of living standards, it only focus on economical aspects; other important aspects of life cannot be expressed in national income data. ... This will reflect an improvement in output yet loss of leisure hours is a decrease in standard of life. There could be imbalances between consumption and investment which is not recognized while computing the national income and output statistics. The net disposable income of an individual may seem to increase after a change in spending priorities. Over consumption may mean a nation’s economy will suffer instability in the long term (Riley, 2006). Life expectancy changes can not be represented in the GPD yet it is a representation of standards of living. Assigning a value on the life of people is hard thus; reduction in mortality rates is not recognized in GPD. The government in open economies will regulate exports and imports and government spending when stimulating the economy of a nation to maintain balance of payments. 16-5 Frictional unemployment is the unemployment of skilled people with capability to work because there changing jobs to seek better one thus there are vol untarily unemployed. People competing schools also form part of the frictional unemployment statistics because there are skilled. Frictional unemployment is important in an economy because it makes it possible for worker employee to move to other jobs that they like better and the employers are able to get more suited employee. In an economy, frictional unemployment brings a balance between supply and demand of labor in the labor market (Maynard, 2009). So long as there are people leaving their current job to search for better ones and other leaving schools to join the employment seeking people, frictional unemployment will always be present. People quit jobs due to different reasons like disagreements, after relocating; acquiring more skills, family issues

Mother-daughter relationships Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Mother-daughter relationships - Essay Example At the same time, it shows the necessity to desist from such terms. Further, contextualizing this novel, it tries to explore the various ways that people make meaning pursuant to their lives characterized by conflicts that originate from gender, race, and idiosyncratic viewpoints. However, Sula rejects the simple answers that demonstrate ambiguity, a terror of life, beauty, in both its horrors and triumphs. Nevertheless, Sula illustrates the varied relationships that exist between the family members showing their importance as a tool of the social construct (Pruitt 115). Therefore, the essay will examine, analyze, and elucidate the various relationships that take the center stage of this novel. Based on the novel, the black women do not have access to the male protection. Hence, the daughter and mother relationships are fundamental for them to receive the motherly skills meant for survival. In this case, the African American parents give protection to their daughters while teaching t hem to love themselves for whom they are in the patriarchal society. This depiction is eminent when the mothers strive to offer protection for the undetermined dangers through giving them a sense of their unique self-worth. Although, this feeling of security and self-worth often miss in the mother and daughter relationships in Sula. The situation indicates the historical experiences of the African American that impact differently on how men, women, and their children express affection, tenderness, support, and protection to one another.

Financial Analysis of Aberdeen Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Financial Analysis of Aberdeen - Term Paper Example As the paper discusses Aberdeen stands at the Centre of these preferences to advice its customers accordingly on the best choice of company to invest in. It accumulates information regarding the different companies and shares this information with the investors in the consultation sessions. This company is all about financial data. It helps to bridge the information asymmetry that exists between the investors and the market trends. Most investors lack the financial knowledge of how the markets operate, and Aberdeen jumps into the bandwagon to help them get the highest returns out of their investments. The company gets its revenues from the financial services it offers its clients. It also has investments as shown by the statement of cash flows. It runs its financial year from December to November, effectively closing its books of accounts before the normal year-end in order to accrue the outstanding payables for the year.  From this paper it is clear that  financial analysis enab les the decision makers and the policy makers to get a perspective of the company’s performance. A company like Aberdeen has a wide range of stakeholders who include the suppliers, the lenders and other creditors, the employees, the shareholders, the government and the competitors.  Aberdeen’s competitors would be some of the keen stakeholders who follow up its financial performance to check where the company beats them in terms of financial performance and business in general.

Facility safety Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Facility safety - Essay Example A visit to the field to assess the safety concerns of the university’s soccer field, various issues were realized. On the positive side, the field lacked pot holes, limiting any possible dangers they present. Secondly, sprinklers used to sprinkle the glass were completely sealed making the field safe for use. Next, every person is limited from using the field unless with authorization a safety measure that is essential in ensuring that the safety condition of the field remains intact (Azusa Pacific, 2015). Goalposts lack sharp corners as well as unsafe rusting indicating the quality of safety of using the goal posts while they equally remain well fastened into the ground. Horseplay limitation around the goal posts also serve in ensuring that the goals remain safe together with removal of nets after games serving as an extra safety measure. On the negative side, there is one significant issue that presents safety concerns in the form of availability of foreign objects in form of grass and papers was evident making the field unsafe for soccer. Safety soccer fields remain a necessity for the game of football (Oklahoma. Dept. of Labor, 2011). Soccer management teams and institutions need to ensure that effective measures are applied to ensure safety of players and that of the spectators. In respect to Cougar soccer field, there is need to ensure that once the grass is cut, the particles are fully removed. Consequently, papers mostly blown by the wind into the field should be removed before soccer games. Shannon,  J.  B. (2012). Sports injuries sourcebook: Basic consumer health information about the diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of common sports-related injuries in children and adults ... etc. Detroit, MI:

How I Write Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

How I Write - Essay Example The practice of playing music whiles writing is one thing that helps me in speeding up my work and keeping pace with my thought. This is because unlike a talk show or a speech related program where I have to concentrate on what is being said or pay attention to what is being said, when music is playing, I only act as a passive partaker of it. Reflecting on my past, it would be said that my writing experience has seen some tremendous degree of improvement over the years. One way of measuring such degrees of improvement is when I take some of my own writings that were done years ago and begin to read over them. Even though I have often been impressed with my command over the English language, I often find some petty mistakes that I made in those days that I would not do today. Some of the negatives in my writing have been the fact that in the time past, I hardly dedicated time to reading over my work. This was indeed something I did not enjoy doing at all and so rendered some of my works to be filled with avoidable mistakes. The positives however have to do with the fact that I try to keep my thoughts in-depth and detailed. Writing is something I have come to realize to be one of the things I enjoy most in life. My likeness for writing is howeer relative to what I am writing about. For instance, I would prefer and love to write about things that will not necessarily be assessed. This means that I am more comfortable with free style writing. This is because they enable me to be free flowing with my thoughts and takes away the pressure and demand of detailed research. I hold a personal ambition to become a better writer with this class. I have always believed that learning and writing for that matter is a continuous process and that we get better with them if we keep doing them more and more often. I also hold the believe that knowledge is universal and so the need to seek for new ideas

I am studing phd in operatioanal research and applied statistics my Thesis

I am studing phd in operatioanal research and applied statistics my topic is Data Envelopment Analysis in health care - Thesis Example In this case, the medicine commerce is one of the most prominent industries that make use of this envelopment approaches. Efficiency capacity has been a domain of incredible interest as firms have strived to better efficiency. Causes for this focus were best claimed half a century ago by Farrell in his archetypal document on the measurement of dynamic efficiency. Farrell additionally stated that that chief cause that all trials to resolve the issue and failed, was because of a failure to join the measurements of the numerous inputs into whichever reasonable measure of efficiency (Kuah, Wong & Behrouzi, 2010, p. 3). These insufficient methods creating standard proficiency for one input while disregarding all additional inputs, and building an index of efficiency in which a weighted standard of inputs is compared with efficiency. Reacting to these insufficiencies of distinct indices of labor proficiency and capital profitability were suggested by Farrell an operation scrutiny method that can more efficiently tackle the issue (Cook 7 Seiford, 2009, p. 5). His measures were intended to be applicable to whichever productive firm. From a workshop to an entire financial system, Farrell apparently confined his digital cases and discussion to one output situation, even though Farrell was capable of making a multiple output case (Kuah, Wong & Behrouzi, 2010, p. 3). The provision of a reasonable assessment of every DMU could be argued out that in whichever provided criteria ought to be contrasted simply to other units in similar or less-deprived criteria. A DMU under substantial struggle would be unethic ally punished if contrasted to units in importantly more promising modest surroundings. In the nonexistence of renowned multipliers such as Charnes, Cooper and Rhodes and many others, anticipated deriving suitable multipliers for a provided DMU by resolving a specific non-linear software design issue. Particularly, if DMU is being designed under consideration, the CCR

The Factors That Can Affect An Individual Essay Example for Free

The Factors That Can Affect An Individual Essay The factors that can affect an individual’s views on death and dying and include social factors, cultural, religious and spirit I believe ones religion plays a big part. Many suicide bombers believe that if they fight the religious war and become a hero through death they will get many virgins as a reward in the afterlife. Therefore they dont mind killing themselves. Most people view the idea of death through the glasses of their trained religion teachings. Death is a personal event that man cannot describe for himself. As far back as we can tell, man has been both intrigued by death and fearful of it; he has been motivated to seek answers to the mystery and to seek solutions to his anxiety. Every known culture has provided some answer to the meaning of death; for death, like birth or marriage, is universally regarded as a socially significant Event, set off by ritual and supported by institutions. It is the final rite de passage. The social and psychological aspects of death have been studied by anthropologists, sociologists, psychologists, and psychiatrists; and the main outlines of their understandings can be summarized on three levels—cultural, social, and individual. The meanings which have been attached to death in most cultures include beliefs in some kind of existence after death; most peoples—save the no literate—have entertained theories of personal salvation; and religion, philosophy, and political ideology have provided some answers to man’s quest for the meaning of death. The relationship between death and the social structure has received little systematic attention from social scientists, although there is much research on the social prescriptions for bereavement, especially as these relate to ritualistic mourning and individual grief. Scattered empirical studies suggest that, for the individual in the contemporary Western world, matters of death are less salient than those of living, although there are clear traces of a latent and underlying ambivalence. Spiritual, religious, and cultural beliefs and practices play a significant role in the lives of patients who are seriously ill and dying. In addition to providing an ethical foundation for clinical decision making, spiritual  and religious traditions provide a conceptual framework for understanding the human experience of death and dying, and the meaning of illness and suffering Death is a personal event that man cannot describe for himself. As far back as we can tell, man has been both intrigued by death and fearful of it; he has been motivated to seek answers to the mystery and to seek solutions to his anxiety. Every known culture has provided some answer to the meaning of death; for death, like birth or marriage, is universally regarded as a socially significant event, set off by ritual and supported by institutions. It is the final rite de passage. The social and psychological aspects of death have been studied by anthropologists, sociologists, psychologists, and psychiatrists ; and the main outlines of their understandings can be summarized on three levels—cultural, social, and ind Adults experiencing a death feel a whole range of emotions including panic, shock, disbelief, hopelessness, irritability, isolation, and sometimes even relief if the death comes after a long, painful, lingering illness. They need time to go through different stages of grief. Just as with teens, adults may become depressed, and their physical and mental health may suffer. They also may worry about the practical effects the death will have on their life. For example, their financial security may change. Having friends who are good listeners and who offer practical help when needed can ease adults through difficult emotional times. Many people, both children and adults, find short term professional counselling and grief support groups helpful in understanding their emotions and knowing that they are not going through the grief process alone. After death, virtually all religions and cultures perform some ceremony to mark the death and celebrate the life and memories of the person who has died. There ceremonies and rituals are very important to the survivors. Occasionally before a funeral can occur, an autopsy must be done to determine precisely the cause of death. Autopsies are usually done in the event of an unexpected death or where criminal activity is suspected. The idea of an autopsy may be very disturbing to the survivors. During an autopsy, a specialist medical doctor called a pathologist examines  the body and submits a detailed report on the cause of death. Although an autopsy can do nothing for the individual after death, the information it provides can benefit the family and, in some cases, medical science. For example, the link between smoking and lung cancer was confirmed from data gathered through autopsy. 10.Respect the physicians professional responsibility to discontinue some treatments when appropriate, with consideration for both patient and family preferences; 11.Promote clinical and evidence-based research on providing care at the end of life. Cultural Aspects of Death and Dying Posted by Marcia Carteret, M. Ed. in Cultural Health Beliefs + Behaviors, Special Topics While the end of life experience is universal, the behaviors associated with expressing grief are very much culturally bound. Death and grief being normal life events, all cultures have developed ways to cope with death in a respectful manner, and interfering with these practices can disrupt people’s ability to cope during the grieving process. While health care providers cannot be expected to know the mourning ceremonies and traditions of each family’s culture, understanding some basics about how different cultures may prepare for and respond to death is important. Though difficult to ask, there are crucial questions that need to be part of conversations between doctors and nurses and families. For example: What are the cultural rituals for coping with dying, the deceased person’s body, the final arrangements for the body and honoring the death? What are the family’s beliefs about what happens after death? †¢What does the family consider to be the roles of each family member in handling the death? †¢Who should the doctor talk to about test results or diagnosis? †¢Are certain types of death less acceptable (for example, suicide) or are certain types of death especially hard to handle for that culture (for example, the death of a child – this example may seem too obvious, but in countries with high  infant mortality, there are indeed different attitudes about the loss of children.)3 This list of questions is so important because patients and families should be viewed as a source of knowledge about their special/cultural needs and norms – but health care professionals sometimes are at a loss about what to ask under such trying circumstances. There is perhaps no area where reliance on cultural reference books is less useful. The degree of acculturation is absolutely paramount in determining the beliefs and traditions a family will follow when coping with impending death, post-death arrangements and mourning. While we can find many similarities across cultures, such as wearing black as a sign of mourning, there are always exceptions. In China, for example, white is the color of death and mourning. Part of why the degree of acculturation is highly significant is that blending belief systems becomes more pronounced in highly acculturated persons. There are places in the world where accommodation is made for multiple faiths. For example, in Nigeria there is a triple heritage of Christianity, Islam, and ancestor worship2. Similar blending can be found in Caribbean nations and Mexico where Catholicism can be mixed with indigenous folk beliefs like Voodoo and Curanderismo. Another layer of expectation comes with living in the United States culture and relying on the Western medical culture. The mix of cultural/religious attitudes and behaviors surrounding death and dying can become very complex indeed. And when a death actually occurs, some individuals suddenly choose to break with tradition entirely, often creating chaos within families. What follows in this article are some important points of consideration, but the list is introductory in nature at best. There is a strong focus on religions because religion can be thought of as a cultural system of meaning that helps to solve problems of uncertainty, powerlessness, and scarcity that death creates. In placing death within a religious perspective, bereaved persons find meaning for an event that for many is inexplicable.1 (Each underlined heading is a link to further resources for readers.) Monotheistic Religions: Especially since the events of 911 changed many  people’s views of Muslims, it is important to be aware that Christians and Muslims both believe death is a transition to a more glorious place and both believe in the sovereignty of a God (Allah) in matters of loss and take consolation in phrases such as â€Å"Allah giveth and Allah taketh away.† Both are also faiths springing from a single scripture, founder or sacred place. Readings from the Koran or Bible are important parts of the recognizing the departure of a loved one from this life. Similarly, in the Jewish faith, there is the expression mourners recite a few minutes before a funeral begins: â€Å"The Lord has given and the Lord has taken, blessed be the name of the Lord.† Both Muslims and Christians believe in the afterlife and view worldly life much in terms of preparing for eternal life. In the Jewish tradition, the focus is on the purpose of earthly life, which is to fulfill one’s duties to god and one’s fellow man. Succeeding at this brings reward, failing at it brings punishment. The traditions around death and dying differ greatly across all three major monotheistic religious systems (as well as within different branches of each faith, i.e. Jehovah’s Witnesses and Mormonism in Christianity). They are highly nuanced and very hard for outsiders to understand thoroughly. Key rituals and practices that differ widely between religions include the preparation of the deceased person’s body, the permissibility of organ donation, and the choosing of cremation vs. burial. Ancestor Worship: The premise of ancestor worship is based on understanding that the course of life is cyclical not linear. Those who are dead may not be seen physically, but are alive in a different world and/or can reincarnate in new births. Ancestor worship in various forms can be found in many parts of the world and is very strong in parts of Africa and Asia. Many Native Americans and Buddhists alike believe that the living co-exist with the dead. A central theme in all ancestor worship is that the lives of the dead may have supernatural powers over those in the living world – the ability to bless, curse, give or take life. In some cultures, worship of the dead is important, and includes making offerings of food, money, clothing, and blessings. In China there is the annual observance of â€Å"sweeping the graves† and as its name denotes, it is a time for people to tend the graves  of the departed ones. In Mexico, there is The Day of the Dead (Dia de los Muertos), a holiday that focuses on gatherings of family and friends to pray for and remember those who have died. The Day of the Dead is also celebrated by many Latin Americans living in the U.S. and Canada. The intent of the celebration is to encourage visits by the souls of the departed so that those souls will hear the prayers and the comments of the living directed at them. It makes sense that in cultures where ancestor worship is common, the acceptance of organ donation and cremation may be low. Buddhism and Hinduism: Hinduism does not have roots springing from a single scripture, founder or sacred place. It is more like an umbrella term describing a set of philosophies and ways of life. Buddhism has a single founder, but the Buddha is not prayed to in the same sense as a God or Allah. Buddhism is also a set of philosophies for living. There are marked differences between the two, or course, but in both death is not seen as the end of life; it is merely the end of the body we inhabit in this life. The spirit remains and will seek attachment to a new body and a new â€Å"life† – in Buddhism it is called a â€Å"kulpa,† which is a unit of time. Where a given person will be born again is a result of the past and the accumulation of positive and negative action, and the result of karma. Followers of both traditions keep in mind the impermanence of life. The transition of a soul to a new life is very important so both traditions observe specific rituals at the time of dying and the handling of the body. The corpse of a Buddhist should not be touched for 3-8 hours after breathing ceases as the spirit lingers on for some time. Hindus believe the body of the dead must be bathed, massaged in oils, dressed in new clothes, and then cremated before the next sunrise. It follows that cremation would be acceptable in a faith where the soul will be released to find another body to inhabit. Truth-telling to Patients: In collectivist cultures, the good of the individual is often so enmeshed with the good of the family or in-group that family members may have a greater say in health care decisions than the patient does in some circumstances. In many countries, family members may become very upset if a physician reveals bad news directly to the patient. Families and patients may place great value on the right NOT to know! This  is completely at odds with the standards set forth in the Patient Self Determination Act http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patient_Self-Determination_Act which secures certain rights legally for all patients in the U.S. The health care system needs to be flexible enough to accommodate communication patterns that look different from those within the informed-consent tradition which insists doctors and nurses tell patients everything. So, a key question in cross-cultural health care situations would be: Who do you want me to talk to about test results or diagnosis? Expressions of Grief: In some cultures, showing grief, including wailing, is expected of mourners because the more torment displayed and the more people crying, the more the person was loved. In other cultures, restraint is expected. Rules in Egypt and Bali, both Islamic countries, are opposite; in Bali women may be strongly discouraged from crying, while in Egypt women are considered abnormal if they don’t nearly incapacitate themselves with demonstrative weeping. In Japan, it is extremely important not to show one’s grief for a number of reasons. Death should be seen as a time of liberation and not sorrow, and one should bear up under misfortune with strength and acceptance. One never does anything to make someone else uncomfortable. In Latino cultures, it may be appropriate for women to wail, but men are not expected to show overt emotion due to â€Å"machismo.† In China, hiring professional wailers may be customary in funerals, which may sound odd, but this w as also a common practice in Victorian England. Conclusion: For health care professionals, providing culturally sensitive bereavement/end of life care is understandably an issue of discomfort. Language and cultural barriers obviously compound the challenges of being professionally appropriate and compassionate. Patients and families may be in need of compassion, advice, and guidance from doctors and nurses, but often the realities of a given situation include a press for time and both physical and emotional exhaustion among providers and families. It happens – sometimes we simply fail, in the moment, to express sufficient sensitivity and warmth when critical decisions must be made. The clinical facts are immediate and demand logical linear thinking which is natural for those  trained in the Western medical tradition. For many cultures, such a direct approach may seem harsh, and decisions about something like organ donation might be experienced as inhumane immediately upon death. The questions suggested in this article can be used to ease some of the communication challenges and facilitate more openness between health care professionals and families around death and dying. Of course they should be tailored to the context of a given situation.

The Work And History Of Green Day Music Essay

The Work And History Of Green Day Music Essay Its something unpredictable, but in the end its right. I hope you had the time of your life. Most people have heard this song on the radio at some point or another as it gets played frequently. This is one of Green Days biggest hits called Good Riddance, from the album Nimrod. Every Green Day fan at some point must have wondered how Green Day went from being a local band filling tiny clubs with a few hundred fans to an international best-selling band filling huge stadiums for their shows. It sure wasnt an easy road. Things were tough in the beginning. They never gave up even though they were hardly making any money for a few years. Green Day had a huge influence on music throughout the 90s, so heres their story. Billie Joe Armstrong was born on February 17, 1972. His father Andy Armstrong played drums in a jazz band and was a truck driver to make money. Five year old Billie Joe began singing in childrens hospitals and old peoples homes to keep them company. He was already developing his musical abilities at such a young age. This marked his entrance into the world of music. Later that year, he recorded his first studio song called Looking for Love. Right before Andy passed away, he bought young Billie a 1956 Fender Stratocaster copy made by Fernandez. This really sparked an interest in the promising musician-to-come. He called this guitar Blue, and he played it till it could be played no more. He really wore this guitar down, and later had copies of it created so he could still use his trademark guitar while playing shows. Next, came along Mike Dirnt on May 4, 1972. His mother was a heroin addict that had separated from his father, so he was adopted soon after birth. He was born with an enlarged mitral valve in his heart, which would cause him to have panic attacks and nervousness later in life. One night, his mother brought home a new guy and he was to be Mikes new step-dad. They never hit it off until Mikes mom moved away. But his sted-dad passed away when Mike was 17, so he moved back in with his mother. Mike was a tall, skinny, energetic kid and was also a class clown. He met Billie Joe in 1983 at school, and the two hit it off because they had a similar sense of humor. They bonded over their love for The Ramones. Mike had been messing around on the guitar, but then switched over to bass. He and Billie Joe wrote their first song together called Best Thing in Town. Both came from very poor families, and they had barely any money to afford records or instruments. The only way for them to hear music w as to play it. So Mike saved up for a bass. Tre Cool was born on December 9, 1972. His dad had flown helicopters in Vietnam. Wanting to get away from civilization, his dad moved them near the town Willets up in the mountains where their closest neighbor was a mile away. Turns out this neighbor would be a huge influence on Tre Cool. Larry Livermore, a punk rock fan, magazine writer, and musician would let Tre Cool hangout at his house and listen to his records. One of Larrys friends had moved to Brazil and left his drum set at Larrys house. Tre Cool started to play it occasionally and became interested in drumming to punk rock right away. Eventually, Larry recruited Tre to play drums and a local named Kain Kong to play bass. They formed the punk band called The Lookouts. They released their debut 12/cassette single, One Planet One People, on Larrys newly created Lookout! Records. They went on to record a few more albums/eps with Tre on drums. During April 1986, a venue was discovered at 924 Gilman Street, which was a run-down industrial area. Many local punks helped clean up the venue and begin turning it into a real venue; not some run-down abandoned building. After passing the health, safety, and fire inspections, it held its very first show on December 31, 1986. This venue quickly became the staple for many punk bands. A lot of punk bands that made it big in the 1990s started playing shows at Gilman Street. One of these bands was the precursor to Green Day, Sweet Children. Sweet Children formed sometime during 1987. It consisted of Billie Joe, Mike, and they recruited a drummer by the name of John Kiffmeyer, aka Al Sobrante. After a few practices, they played their first show in 1987 at the side lounge at Rods Hickory Pit to about 30 friends and a few patrons wondering what the noise was. The show went over well, and Rod sold enough ribs to invite the band back for a second show. Afterwards, they began playing shows wherever there was a power supply- house parties, garages, and at school. It was at one of these shows that the band first met Larry Livermore. Sweet Children played in front of five people, but they played their hearts out which drew Larrys attention. On November 26, 1988, Sweet Children had their first gig at Gilman Street. They were so well-received that they played again on January 1, 1989, and a third time on February 11, 1989, supporting Chrimpshrine at the bands last show ever. They played their fourth show at Gilman in 3 months on February 24, but this time they were second on the bill, as opposed to opening. In early 1989, Sweet Children went into a local studio and recorded four tracks. Displeased with their current name, they played their last show as Sweet Children on April 1, and changed it to Green Day shortly afterwards. The name was inspired by a remark made by the character Ernie on Sesame Street. They released their first single in April 1989 on Lookout! Records. It was entitled 1,000 Hours, and they released in under their new name Green Day. On March 20, 1989, Operation Ivy played their final show and Green Day also played this show as the first with their new name. Billie Joe had enough of home life by 1989, and he moved out to join Mike living in an abandoned building on West 7th and Peralta, located in West Oakland. He also dropped out of school on February 16, 1990; the day before his 18th birthday. This was a good career move for Billie Joe because it allowed him to focus all his attention to Green Day. After seeing the success of 1,000 Hours, Larry Livermore signed Green Day to Lookout! Records. On December 29, 1989, Green Day entered the studio to begin recording their first full-length and the recording started at 4:30 p.m. By January 2nd, the album was mixed and mastered. The total cost was $675 for the studio time. To test how well the album would do, Larry recorded another single called Slappy, and released that sometime in 1990. It was generally well-received and built their fan base even further and solidified the idea of releasing their first full-length. Early in 1990, Green Days first full-length was released on vinyl, cassette, and CD. The name was 39/Smooth. It was pulled from the band constantly saying smooth. Also, it was Billie Joes brothers 39th birthday and he jokingly mentioned that they should add this somewhere in the title. Billie Joe had one goal in 1990: keeping the band going at all costs. He concentrated on booking a 45-date US tour for the band, and he managed to do so. As soon as Mike graduated school, they left for the tour. On the inlay of the Slappy EP, it read the following: To raise spending money for the tour, Mike shucked clams, Billie Joe flipped pizzas, and John drove a diaper truckà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ During this tour, Billie Joe met a girl in Minnesota named Adrienne, and he fell for her pretty fast. He booked a few tours afterwards around seeing her. While they were touring in Minneapolis, they went into a local studio and recorded four songs for an EP in a low-budget and quick manner. Sweet Children EP was r eleased on Minneapoliss Skene! in late 1990. During July 1990, the Lookouts played their final show. They decided to call it quits because they simply lived too far away from each other to schedule practices. But they also left behind IV, a four track single that featured Billie Joe on lead guitar and backing vocals, which was released in January 1991. Al Sobrante decided to quit Green Day in autumn 1990 in order to go to college full time. Dave EC from Filth and the Wynona Ryders filled in on the drums for a few weeks, but he quit on his own. Finally in November 1990, the two asked Tre Cool to play drums for them. He agreed, and the line-up for Green Day was finally solidified. He fit right in the band with his quirky sense of humor and his energy. They embarked on their first US tour with Tre in 1991. One night after a New Orleans show, they returned to their van only to find that someone had broken in and stolen their money and most of their possessions. Even after that, the band drove through the night to get to their next show in Auburn, Alabama, where fans donated clothes and money to the young band members. On that first tour with Tre, they were supposedly approached by IRS Records, a major record label. But with some self-restraint on Mikes part, they turned down the offer because they knew that the label would have screwed them over in the end. They entered the studio for the first time with their new drummer Tre Cool in 1991. Thanks to the small-time success of their previous album, they had a larger budget, $2,000. Recordings were split between two short sessions in May and September of 1991 with producer/engineer Andy Ernst helping, a total of four days of recording. That autumn, they bought plane tickets to Europe and flew over, while each band member was still only 19. They funded the trip from their modest royalty checks from their Lookout! releases and any U.S. touring profits to pay for basic necessities such as airfare and van hire. Using equipment borrowed from other bands every single night, they played sixty-four shows over the span of three months. We snuck copies of our records over by hand to sell, recalls Mike. To get our own T-shirts made we had to sneak over the photo negative and get a screen made in Germany so we could print them as and when we needed to. Then we had our amp heads, which were hell-heavy to carry. Mine lasted a week and Billies a total of one day. In Denmark if they like you they throw beer at you, so that was very much. Our instruments were toast. There would be anywhere between 50 and 500 people in places like Germany, Poland, and Spain. If they were lucky, theyd get paid above their guarantee of $170, but some shows theyd only get paid with some beer or communal chili. On December 17, 1991, Green Day received the first finished copies of their sophomore album. They decided the show they were playing in Southampton was going to double as a Kerplunk! release party. January 17, 1992 marked the official release of their second album. It was released by Lookout! on CD, vinyl, and cassette. For their next tour in support of Kerplunk!, Tres father bought a former mobile library. He ripped out the interiors and installed bunks, equipment racks, and the odd attempt at home comfort and also, for a while at least, became their new designated driver. In August 1992, at a show at Gilman, Green Day brought out a couple of new tunes. Longview and Better Not Come Around (which was the early version of When I Come Around) received great reactions from the crowd, and the songs sounded like their best and tightest material to date. After touring without management, they decided this needed to change. They contacted Cahnman Management, a company run by two attorneys, Elliot Cahn and Jeff Saltzman, who had previously worked with Primus, the Melvins, and Mudhoney and had impressed Green Day. So they hired them for the job. Immediately, their managers began approaching major record labels, tempting them with a band who sold over 50,000 albums based on just raw talent alone. The members of the band were all living together in the basement of a large, ramshackle, student-dominated Victorian house at 2243 Ashby Street, which was just down the block from the pristine entrance to the esteemed University of Berkeley. They were getting many calls from major record labels, who heard that this young cult had now sold a total of 60,000 copies of their cheaply recorded independent releases and wanted this band to sign to their roster. Warner Bros., Geffen, Sony and everybodys mother wanted to sign us, said Tre, but we held off for quite a long time. Why? Because David Geffens money was paying for us to go to Disneyland. We kind of milked them. We wanted to hold out until we got complete artistic control. We wanted to be the bosses and not let somebody else tell us what to do. Of course, the first offer is bull****, the second slightly less, the third still kind of sucksà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦we thought F*** this, its our lives. Its like getting married or something. This would all change when they met Rob Cavallo of Reprise Records, a subsidiary label of Warner Brothers. He was different than all the other higher ups; he actually played guitar and came from a musical background. Also, he had worked with other punk bands such as Jawbreaker and the Muffs, and this had sparked Green Days interest. The way he got through to them was he brought his guitar and joined them in jamming, then later went out for ice cream with them. It was that day that he convinced them to join the roster. Finally in April 1993, they signed to Warner Bros./Reprise for an initial deal of five albums, with the plan that Cavallo would produce their major label debut. Also, they made sure that Lookout! would still own the rights to their first two albums, the idea being that the indie labels support would earn them money even if Green Day was no longer with them, a move which has paid off very well for Livermore and Co. over the past 10 years. Although Lookout! had just lost their most profitable band, the combined sales of 39/Smooth and Kerplunk! had reached the one million mark by the close of 1995, so they were still making money off Green Day. They played their last two shows at Gilman Street that year, never to look back. While recording their next album Dookie, they had a much larger budget and more time to lay down tracks in the studio. When the album was completed, they played a bunch of dates over the summer with Bad Religion on their Recipe for Hate tour. Dookie was finally released on January 11, 1994. The lead single from the album was Longview. It quickly topped the Billboard Modern Rock chart. Billie Joe was the first in the band to get married. He tied the knot with his long-time lover Adrienne in a quick ceremony in July. The next day, his wife revealed that she had been feeling somewhat different recently, so they stopped to pick up a pregnancy test. A few minutes later, the newlyweds discovered they were about to become parents. The same year, Green Days popularity was on the rise. They were asked to replace the opening band the Boredoms in Lollapalooza 1994. Another huge deal for them was when they were asked to play Woodstock 94, as a late addition. This was a day to go down in history. They arrived in upstate New York on August 11, and it had been raining continuously. The ground was completely churned up and all mud. As they began playing songs, the crowd went nuts and began flinging clumps of dirt and mud everywhere. Billie Joe caught the first clod and put it in his mouth. Eventually, he took off his pants as the crowd went even wilder. Fans began climbing on stage to get closer, and soon a riot broke out. The band had to be hauled away in a helicopter to escape the crazed fans. The summer of 1994 was a busy time for them. Their music video for Longview had been nominated by the 1994 MTV Video Music Awards at the Metropolitan City Opera House for Best Group Video and Best Alternative Video. The next night they had a show in Ohio. The whole summer consisted of flying all over the US from show to show, night after night. Their next big stint was a show in September set up by a Boston radio station that attracted about 100,000 people. Within minutes of hitting the stage, the crowd had surged forward and knocked over safety barriers and havoc broke out. They were concerned that the entire lighting rig was going to come down, so the promoter pulled the plug. This just made the crowd riot even harder and spill out onto the streets of downtown Boston. The night concluded with 60 arrests and dozens of injuries. A very respectable thing to do, the band had a policy that door prices were to be kept affordable with a ceiling price of $20, even though they could charge much more. Sometimes shows even went as low as $5, and their official t-shirts cost a maximum of $10. They were still receiving much controversy from the punk community though. People were claiming that they had sold out when they signed to a major record label and that they had compromised their music. Sometime in 1994, someone was so opposed to Green Day signing that they wrote Billie Joe Must Die on a wall at 924 Gilman Street. One night, a fan asked Billie Joe Whats punk? He then kicked over a garbage can and exclaimed, Thats punk! So the fan kicked over a garbage can too and replied, Thats punk? And Billie Joe then replied, No, thats trendy. Billie Joe still knew what punk was and still had it in him, even though his band was selling millions of albums and quickly becoming the hottest band of the 1990s. They had lived the lifestyle of true punks for many years before they struck it big. One would think that their dedicated fans would be happy for them being successful after sticking it out through the tough times; going through years of having no money. If anyone deserved to make it huge, it was definitely Green Day. Since its release, Dookie has sold over 16 million copies worldwide and is the bands top selling album. They have sold over 65 million copies worldwide and are undeniably one of the biggest rock bands there are today. If it wasnt for their music, the whole music scene might be a lot different than it is today. Punk wouldnt have taken the mainstream spotlight in the 1990s, and most punk bands that formed around the same time as Green Day wouldnt have made it as big as they did. Green Day single-handedly changed the direction of music in the 1990s.

Organized Retail Current And Future Prospects

Organized Retail Current And Future Prospects The word Retail comes from the French retaillier which means to cut a piece of or to break bulk. Retail involves activities whereby products or services are sold to consumers in small quantities as per their requirements. The retail sector in India is evolving and undergoing transition. Early consumers use to visit kirana stores for their daily necessities but with the advent of retail formats with products under one roof, consumers were attracted to it. Retail formats have trained staff that cater to consumer requirements and is more organized. Organized retailing provides consumers an experience characterized with comfort, style and speed. It provides consumers more control, convenience and choice. Organised retailers have a network of retail outlets that are managed by professionals. CURRENT SCENARIO IN ORGANIZED RETAIL India is a hot spot for many retail giants due to its vast middle class population and untapped retail markets. The retail industry in India has seen a transition. An annual growth of 25% is expected in India. In the last few years, India has witnessed a tremendous growth. Change in consumer profiles and demographics, increase in the number of international brands in the market, government policies, urbanization, credit availability, improved infrastructure, increasing investments in technology and real estate are the factors responsible for the retail boom in India. The retail sector has provided employment to people in rural areas and contributes to 10% of its GDP and 8% employment. In India 3% of the market is organized whereas 97% of the market consists of mom and pop stores. The retail sector is gradually increasing. Retail sector can be broadly classified into food and groceries, textile and clothing, consumer durables, footwear, jewelry and watches, furniture and furnishing, c atering services, books, music and gifts, mobile handsets and others. Retail managers make complex decisions in selecting their target markets and location. Determining want merchandize and service to offer to consumers. The distribution channels to be used are another important step for the retailers. They have to make complex decisions on training and motivating sales associates and on deciding how to price, promote and present merchandize. Retail in India is not at the same pace as other Asian counterparts but is gearing up. India has a secured a great position in the international market. India provides huge scope for companies due to its demographic composition. These companies bring different products and target different consumer segments. Global Retail Development Index has positioned India as the foremost destination for retail investment and business development. This is due to the large population comprising of the age group 20-34 having high purchasing power, which has c aused high increase in demand in the urban market. Thus causing growth in the retail business. TRENDS IN RETAIL Demographic Increase in disposable income India becoming a popular destination for foreign retailers India revamping its retail sector 24% growth in departmental sales annually Growing population of double income individuals Use of information technology Rural markets as emerging markets for retail Organised retail largely present in urban areas Successful in cities due to consumer buying behaviour CHALLENGES IN ORGANIZED RETAIL SECTOR Retail sector in India is going through a transitional phase and has faced many challenges. Some of the challenges faced are as follows: 97% of the market is unorganized comprising of mom and pop stores. It has low cost, negligible real estate and labour cost, little or no taxes to pay. Consumers for generations to generations tend to visit these mom and pop stores and have gained favorability. Organized sector has huge expenses and need to keep the prices low to match the traditional store prices The organized retail sector is not recognized as an industry. Thus being unable to get finances and thereby affecting growth and expansion plans. Investing in real estate is very expensive. Retailers have to pay large amount to build retail formats. The rent or lease to be paid is high. The high lease or rent reduces profitability. High stamp duties that need to be paid by retailers. The stamp duties vary from state to state. Lack of infrastructure poses a challenge to retailers. Poor roads and transportation. Lack of cold storage in food and grocery segments. Retailers often face multiple taxes in different states. Value added tax system. Approval of foreign retail in India is not an automatic process. Regulations enforced on purchasing real estate. Local laws. Tax policies that favor small businesses. Poor supply chain and information technology infrastructure. Lack of skilled and trained work force. Low levels of skill in retail segment. Rapid price change. Threat of products becoming obsolete. Threat of low margins OPPORTUNITIES IN ORGANIZED RETAIL SECTOR Organized retail provides product visibility and a platform for customer interaction. It helps in launching new products and its variants Helps is market penetration and expansion. It has wider product range and fast delivery process. Due to urbanization, consumers can be catered to through a single retail outlet. Nuclear families have to earning members which increases the available disposable income. Due to lack of time consumers want everything under one roof. Retail outlets have various payments modes like cash payments and payments through credit or debit card. Retail outlets have proper infrastructure, air conditioning, well maintained buildings, trained staff, electronic machines, parking facilities and categorical display of goods. It provides customer an experience and enhances customer engagement. Organized retail provides employment opportunities to skilled. Semi-skilled as well as unskilled individuals. It contributes to social- economic development of the country. Due to emergence of retail outlets, there is a lot of competition. Thus retailers offer discounts, promotional events, festival offers etc. It reduces supply chain management process FUTURE PROSPECTS The retail industry in India is growing more and more rapidly. The retail sector in the small towns and cities is expected to increase 50-60%. The factors that play a crucial role in shaping the future of the retail sector are as follows: Due to the increase in the income of an average individual, the purchasing power is increasing. There is improvement in the infrastructure and thus is contributing to market growth. With liberal policies formulated by the government, foreign investors can enter the Indian market and make investment. As Indian consumers are evolving through purchase of different products and services. The national and international brands are benefitting. The internet has made it easy for international brands to understand Indian consumers and influence them before entering into the market. Due to internet penetration in the remotest markets, consumers are aware of global products and service offerings. With well developed retail, large areas of land lying ideal in prime location with governmental and non-governmental agencies can be used to set up large retail formats and cater to the requirements of the consumers. Major tourist destinations have well organized retail sectors. Thus, well established retail sectors can attract tourist to the city and promote it. Realizing the need gap is important in the retail sector. Use of decision support system by retailers. Use of technological innovations to provide real time information of products sold, thus managing inventory levels. Building store brand by creating footfalls and converting them into sales.