The Philosophy of Morality

There is restriction on freedom everywhere. This is a derived idea from the argument of Immanuel Kant in his work, An Answer to the Question: â€Å"What is Enlightenment?† This restriction is the reason why humans behave as they are: they need a harmonious environment within themselves as a pursuit of individual community of well-being, freedom and safety. Humans are not ultimately free as they could be because their actions have consequences. We may call these consequences, according to Kant, â€Å"imperatives for actions†. The reason â€Å"why certain acts ought to be done is because they ought to be done† (Stratton-Lake, 2000).Generally, a rational human being would do an action consciously for practical reasons, which is considered as hypothetically imperative. It demands that a person does such action for the sake of a purpose that he has in mind. Why Man should not   break promises, why should not tell lies, why and should not commit suicide? This is beca use Man ought not do these acts.   According to Kant, the reason why Man should keep his promises because of his â€Å"obligation to be consistent and the injunction against using others (i.e., against treating them only as means)† (Nasr, 2008). This is a concrete example of Kant’s Ought priciple of ethics.â€Å"Act so that you treat humanity, whether in your own person or in that of another, always as an end and never as a means only†(Kant, 1785). A true ethical person would not use people to further his own end and he treats other   people with respect to a value of dignity and not a value of price because a person with a value of dignity cannot be replaced and their value is priceless. An object with a value of price, as what the hypothetically imperative person believes, can be exchanged and used as a means to achieve an end.To Kant,   this principle of humanity â€Å"is the supreme limiting condition on the freedom of action of each man,† and a rgues that the principle is not founded on experience but rather seated in the footholds of a priori reasoning, reasoning that comes before experience. Indeed, Man’s actions are limited and the â€Å" theoretical Ought of our judgments about facts, like the practical Ought of Ethics, is after all definable only in terms of what Kant called the Autonomy of Will† (Royce, 1901).In fact, not only Kant recognized the limitations of the freedom of human Will and the actions that their will impose upon them and why Man obeys. Another philosopher who made a discourse on this ethical issue is Jonathan Edwards. He noted that there are â€Å"ethics or the rules† (Tappan 1839), which are, in fact, not compelled to be obeyed by everyone but impose a strong power upon the conscience of the majority, especially those who believes in an Almighty being and those who do not want to feel the uneasiness of the evil and the persecuting nature of the Man.Disobedience to these manly i mposed rules are considered as a â€Å"state of sinfulness† (Tappan 1839) or the corruption of human sensitivity disposed to violate the harmony and fitness of the spiritual constitution. This is another binding factor that makes man perform the hypothetically imperative actions.Does morality purely exist? Morality is something that is not strongly defined, yet it is considered as the ultimate commandment of reason and this is the guiding source for Man’s duties and obligations. Even Kant   argues   in his Fundamental Principles of the Metaphysics of Morals that â€Å"it is only a pure philosophy that we can look for the moral law in its purity and genuineness.† Human beings have moral obligations to each other, and, as previously mentioned, because of reasons that they need and not because of their pure will to do such obligations. Man, to be good to each other without qualification would be a conceived as having a â€Å"good will† (Kant, 1785) and i t must be understood, however, that humans do not have the autonomous will.They have the morally good will to attain the practical ends that they wish to have. Moral philosophies follow the â€Å"laws of human will† as affected by nature and when applied to man, it does not borrow the least thing from the knowledge of man himself (anthropology), but gives laws a priori to him as a rational being. Moral laws require human judgment that has been sharpened through time and experience in order for them to be properly applied and for these laws to access the will of the man and â€Å"effectual influence on conduct†(Kant, 1785). The virtuous person does not only conform and obeys the moral law.He also act for the sake of the moral law itself. Man’s actions are morally right as determined by the virtue of their motives, derived not from Man’s inclinations but from Man’s duty. A virtuous person, who makes a morally right action, is determined to act in acc ordance with his duty and this duty overcomes that person’s self-interests and hidden desires. And for Kant, the Ought of Ethics is the defining factor for morality: â€Å" the sense in which the conduct of moral aget is to be judged as   good or evil according as it does or does not conform to the standard of the Ought† (Royce, 1901)As Kant have further argued in his philosophies, the ultimate moral law principle was abstractly conceived to guide man to the right action in life’s circumstances. However, if man is immature enough to acknowledge this guidance, enlightenment would never be achieved. Moreover, it is not only the lack of maturity that deter man and give him obstacles from being enlightened but also laziness, superstitious and dogmatic beliefs or fanaticism. â€Å"Laziness and cowardice are the reasons why such a large proportion of men, even when nature has long emancipated them from alien guidance (naturaliter maiorennes), nevertheless gladly re main immature for life† (Kant, 1784).Enlightenment would result to freedom, and, if man is still of prejudices and dogmatic beliefs, Man would be nothing but an unthinking and leashed controlled being. Dogmas â€Å"are the ball and chain of His permanent immaturity.† (Kant, 1784) If Man stays immature and an obedient being without reason, he would be an object without dignity, a mere machine.Works CitedKant, Immanuel; translated by James W. Ellington [1785] (1993). Grounding for the Metaphysics of Morals 3rd ed.Royce, Josiah. The World and the Individual: Gifford Lectures Delivered before the University of Aberdeen. 2d Series: Nature, Man, and the Moral Order. New York: Macmillan, 1901.Stratton-Lake, Philip. Kant, Duty, and Moral Worth. London: Routledge, 2000.Tappan, Henry Philip.   A Review of Edwards's â€Å"Inquiry into the Freedom of the Will. New York: J.S Taylor, 1839.

Belonging: Indigenous Australians and Connected Family Relationship Essay

Belonging is the enlightenment felt when man gains an awareness of themselves, which may or may not include affiliations to others & the wider world. This insight is found in the texts of ‘As You Like It’ by William Shakespeare, ‘The Last Samurai’ directed by Edward Zwick & ‘The Past’ by Oodgeroo Noonuccal. As You Like It initially accentuates familial & political usurpation, injustice, exile & the pain of being made to feel that no one longer belongs in either court or family. The physical level of ‘wrestling’ within the play metaphorically acts as an impulsive level of ‘grappling’ amongst civilisation. This diminishes any sense of connection amid urban society & in effect, the court is seen as a world of division, lack of acceptance & where powerless people such as Orlando do not seem to belong. In the play, belonging, however, develops from the interaction of the characters nature & nurture. For Oliver & Orlando these aspects varied. Oliver is of noble ‘birth’, yet his degenerate nature contrasts to that of Orlando’s. Despite this, Oliver accuses Orlando of being a villain, whilst carrying only hate for him, personifying his soul, â€Å"I hope I shall see an end of him, for my soul†¦ hates nothing more than he†. Henceforth an absence of filial connection existed between the siblings. Nonetheless this insufficiency dwindles as the two venture through Arden, discovering diverse values, emotions & essentially a forced change of nurturing, with Oliver in particular. He experiences brotherly love & sacrifice, evoking an inherent benevolence, in the paradox, â€Å"Twas I, but ’tis not I: I do not shame to tell you what I was, since my conversion so sweetly tastes, being the thing I am.† Oliver now ‘belongs’ in a connected family relationship, & to a ‘self’ that he can now perceive as being different from before. Shakespeare uses Jacques to show how the guise of ‘not belonging’, veneers a desire to find belonging on another level. â€Å"Out of these convertities there is much matter to be heard & learned.† In repelling a return to the court, Jacques endorses a transcended form of belonging, a self-belonging of a philosophical, intellectual & spiritual degree. Ironically, while isolating himself from man, it is through the company of various temporary characters that Jacques cultivates his conceptions about humanity. From the movie ‘The Last Samurai’, the concept of belonging is centred on the idea of kinship & assimilation. Recalling Algren’s initial encounter with the Samurai, a reservoir of fear in the modernised Japanese soldiers is present as they are overwhelmed by their masochistic nature. Zwick’s use of fog concocts an atmosphere of ambiguity & evokes panic amongst the moderns, symbolic of their imbalance in contrast to the kinship of the Samurai. Evidently, Zwick shapes meaning by contrasting two opposing societies & values, allowing the responder to realise the importance of belonging. Zwick’s attempt to provide the responder with an insight into Algren’s mentality is achieved with flashbacks & diary entries. The flashbacks are nightmares of Algren’s shameful past, which creates within him a resent & rage towards all things, the core of his isolation. Likewise the diary entries are an extension on this device in which they keep the responder informed on Algren’s current state. Per contra, a clear breaking of disparity emerges as he writes â€Å"It is here I’ve known my first untroubled sleep† thus gradually assimilating with eastern culture. The entries begin to represent a lack of defiance & a growing curiosity, the idea of acceptance being associated with understanding & comfort ultimately grants Algren refuge & a sense of belonging. The composer’s use of symbolism contributes to the assertion of attaining belonging. The rain is a recurring symbol which represents revelation & growth within Algren & the fire signifies creation & rebirth of a new asylum found with the Samurai. Colour itself is a symbol; the dull darker colours are mostly associated with the westernised area, rendering a disconnected aura. On the contrary, we are introduced to the collation of vibrant earthly colours found at Samurai village, betokening a sense of truth, a place where Algren can develop a conceptual understanding of himself & others. In ‘The Past’, Noonuccal enunciates her sense of belonging to Aboriginal culture with the direct juxtaposition of the past & present; White & Aboriginal ethnology. The importance & connection to the land for Aboriginal Australians is accentuated through metaphoric antiquity, â€Å"But a thousand camp fires in the forest†¦Are in my blood†. The multitudinous campfires insinuates the significant length of Aboriginal history in antithesis with late European settlement & comfortable white culture, â€Å"In easy chair before electric radiator†. Noonuccal differentiates past & present to express how an individual’s unresolved identity can influence their belonging in the present. Noonuccal fails to find association with present, white ethnics due to her inability to relate & attain solidarity. As an Aboriginal Australian, Noonuccal’s belonging lies within her Aboriginal identity & her strong mutuality with nature, the land, her ancestors & the past. Her firm belief in animism expresses the camaraderie she shares with her environment. Personification is employed to communicate the idea of animism, as seen in the third stanza, â€Å"The tall surrounding trees that stir in the wind.† Noonuccal achieves a state of harmony through an intimate alliance with the land that shapes their integrity. Ultimately, through the use of various literary techniques & discussion of the texts, it is prominent that†¦

Advantage and Disadvantage of Living Abroad

Up to now there are more people living abroad. Some people live abroad to travel study or work. Living abroad has many advantages and disadvantages. The first advantage is easy to learn another language. This means if you are living abroad, you can learn another language. For example, your original language is Chinese, but now you living in America, you can learn English and speak it well. In addition, the second advantage is can know different culture. This means you can learn lots of knowledge and custom in that country.The final advantage is can make friend with people from different country. This means you can be happy with new friends. For instance, I study in Malaysia; I have friends from Japan, Korea, and Malaysia. Aside for the advantage, there are some disadvantages of living abroad. Firstly, you may not easily find a helper to help you if you are having a problem. Moreover, you will waste a lot of money on transportation. For example, take cab can cost you more than driving your own car.You need adapt to your new environment is also a disadvantage at living abroad. For example, you need to try to eat those indigenous foods though you don’t like it. At the end, living abroad also has many disadvantages. To sum up living abroad can be easy to learn another language, know different culture and make friends with people from different country. But also need to conquer those issue such as different environment, transportation and become more independent. So living abroad have many advantages and disadvantages.

The influnce of North Korea 3rd successor Term Paper

The influnce of North Korea 3rd successor - Term Paper Example erence to a closed economic policy that has refused to allow the country to be influenced by the world’s democratic policies or free market policies. The third in line – Kim Jung eun has already received bad press alleging the abuse of farming officials, in much the same vein as his father and grandfather. This essay will specifically analyse four articles from various newspapers in order to ascertain the indications which suggest that the third successor in the family may well influence the rest of the world in much the same way as his forbears did, continuing the totalitarian, undemocratic regime so that the people of North Korea remain relatively untouched by global influences. Kim Il Jung first came to power when North Korea separated itself from the South and declared itself a separate country on 9th September 1948 in the post IInd World War era. Availing of support from the Soviet Union, he instituted a series of economic and political reforms to convert North Korea into a Communist state, including the nationalization of Japanese property (www.news.bbc.co.uk). The subsequent war that broke out between North and South Korea was largely the result of political and ideological differences between the two countries, with each becoming aligned with one or the other of the superpowers. In the 1950’s, Kin Il Sung instituted the â€Å"Juche† or self reliance policy, giving rise to a rigid, state controlled, economic system with high levels of military spending which has driven North Korea further and further into poverty. The situation deteriorated to the extent that the country was defaulting on all of its loans in the 1980s and still, the ruler refused to open the country’s borders and markets to international trade. When Kim Il Sung died, his son Kim Jong-il took control of the military but did not immediately assume the title of head of State. Some high level officials however, who would have ascended to the post, died mysteriously and the son took on

Commercial and Investment Banking Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Commercial and Investment Banking - Essay Example Lending relationships, particularly those that are long-term associations make it simpler for small sized organizations to have access to outside funds. Owing to the risky nature of the small firms, it becomes very difficult for them to borrow funds if they lack lending relationships with banks. However, such kind of organizations predictably attempts to get access to further diversified sources of funds, after they have formed long-term lending associations with banks. Thus, it can be stated that the organization’s preceding lending association with a bank enables it to gain admission to the public securities market. Furthermore, the association of the organization with a bank persists to play a crucial role even when the organization is capable of issuing public securities. Nonetheless, when an organization diversifies its sources of funds, it has to face certain consequential drawbacks. The funding diversification restricts the bank’s readiness to assist the organiza tion when it faces financial distress. This restriction in the bank’s flexibility is true even when the organization had taken up only diminutive values of public debt. In spite of everything, it can be conclusively stated that a good lending relationship with a bank augments the probability of fruitful negotiation when an organization encounters financial difficulties (Berlin, 1996). Answer 2 a) Kwan (2004) defines a large bank merger as the amalgamation of the operations of two banks, which are huge in size and the merger provides a large geographic scope to the subsequently merged institute. In the recent years, the large bank mergers have been an indication of the process for creating an extensive nationwide banking franchise. b) The regulatory modifications in the 1990’s have created immense opportunities for the banks to pursue the overseas economies. The banks have benefitted in terms of economies of scale as well as scope. Mergers have enabled the banks to prov ide the number of products and services and as a result, the unit price of production has reduced. Additionally, the expansion had created a circumstance where the shared expenses of providing two corresponding services are not more than the joint expenses of providing the two services separately. c) It is believed that mergers can increase the bank’s capability to diversify risk. Prior studies have implied that geographic spreading out would offer diversification advantages to a banking organization. This can be accomplished in the form decreased portfolio risk on the asset side, in addition to a decline in the funding risk on the liability side. Banks are likely to attain these benefits as it spreads funding actions over a wider geographic region. Furthermore, studies have also indicated that product extension could result in diversification benefits. The benefits would be more distinguished amid the banking as well as the securities activities, while it would be less promi nent in the activities between banking and insurance (Kwan & Laderman, 1999).

Charitable Trusts as One of the Types of Equity Research Paper

Charitable Trusts as One of the Types of Equity - Research Paper Example A purpose trust is found to be charitable if it is construed that the main aim of the trust was charitable; beneficial to the general public rather than being detrimental; it benefits the general public rather than focusing on collective private citizens; further it has to be proved that the purpose was solely charitable and neither political nor profit distributing. Public purpose trusts have been immensely scrutinized by courts and statutes and the new charities act 2006 has greatly reformed the law. However, the old case law still remains to be of relevance, because of the fact that there has not been much judicial scrutiny after the new Act. The preamble to the Charities Uses Act 1601 provides a list of purposes which were said to be charitable; this has been reformed by the new act (Oakley & Parker, 2003). The preamble was used as a guide by Lord Mcnaughten in Income Tax Special Purposes Comrs v Pemsel for producing his fourfold characterization of what is to be construed as charitable. The divisions were trusts for the relief of poverty; trusts for the advancement of religion; trusts for the advancement of education; and trusts for other purposes beneficial to the community (Hayton, David, Charles & Oshley, 2005). The fourth head is by far the broadest and relevant to the facts of the question. Lord Simmonds in A-G v National Provincial and Union Bank of England stated that a general public purpose benefitting the society will not suffice; it must be shown that the trust was charitable (Penner, 2006). In Williams Trustees v IRC, there was a gift on trust to establish and maintain an institute, to be known as the London Welsh Association, the purposes of which included maintaining an institute for the benefit of Welsh people in London and promoting their language culture.  

Social work dessertation -Does Every child Matter Analysing policies Essay

Social work dessertation -Does Every child Matter Analysing policies around Young Unaccompanied asylum seekers in UK - Essay Example er, it should be noted, together with the global spread of capitalism (Cemlyn & Briskman, 2003), there has been also the spread of poverty, instability and war (Cemlyn & Briskman, 2003). The conditions of poverty, instability and war have resulted into the massive displacement of people. Adults as well as children are â€Å"displaced across national borders by armed conflict and political oppression†(Boyden & Hart, 2007: 237). This circumstance is aggravated by the reality that the violence against the displaced people is perpetuated by the state (Boyden & Hart, 2007). However, the suffering of the displaced people does not end there. As they flee from their country because it can no longer provide security and protection on their lives, property and liberty, they seek asylum on other countries wherein they are perceived as ‘outsiders’ who may be â€Å"encroaching on national assets however justified their claim†( Boyden & Hart, 2007: 237).This forced migra tion with which people are subjected includes children. The United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR), currently offers support to around 8 million refugee children (Boyden & Hart, 2007: 238). There is a tremendous increase in the number of asylum-seeking children since it is claimed that the contemporary shape of wars has changed in such a way that wars are now fought within the state, at the centre of the cities, at the very heart of the towns. Being such, there is an increase in civilian casualties which in turn gives rise to the â€Å"emerging demographic profile in much of the global South, where up to 50 per cent of national populations are currently under 18 years of age, it is inevitable that children constitute a large proportion of the peoples displaced by conflict† (Boyden & Hart, 2007: 238). In this regard, among asylum seekers, there is now the occurrence of unaccompanied asylum-seeking children. â€Å"Unaccompanied children leave their homes for diverse reasons: poverty and lack of

Issues and controversies in management project Case Study

Issues and controversies in management project - Case Study Example McDonald's evidences the validity of the stated. Renown for its corporate social responsibility record in its home country, and owing a sizeable percentage of its market share to this, upon expansion into foreign markets, McDonald's exported its CSR principles along (Bronn, 2006). Hence, in the 32 of the countries in which it operates, it has over 200 Ronald McDonald Houses, charity organisation which support underprivileged children (Bronn, 2006). It has also embraced environmentalism and committed itself to green practices, publicly acknowledging its responsibility towards the preservation and conservation of an increasingly fragile environment and ecosystem (Paton, 2007). Operating on the basis of these and other practices designed to underscore its commitment to CSR, McDonald's has successfully entrenched itself in the communities within which it operates. Indeed, a significant part of its market success and ability to penetrate the barriers to foreign market entry are a direct o utcome of the fact that it projects an image of a company which wants to give, not just take, from its community (Paton, 2007). Corporate ethics, albeit strongly related t... rnationalisation, it is imperative that multinationals acquire an understanding of the ethical systems particular to the foreign markets in question and adhere to them. For instance, in some cultures, gender segregation is an inviolable ethical principle, with the implication being that foreign entrants should adhere to this practice. In others, child labour is not viewed as unethical and the employment of children may be interpreted as the extension of assistance to an impoverished family. However, since this last is not viewed as an ethical practice and its implementation as universally unethical, not to mention a violation of international law, multinationals who engage in this practice may irreparably damage their market standing. This means that in designing their ethics guidelines, companies must create a fine balance between international and national ethical systems. McDonald's has managed to achieve this balance. On the one hand, it adheres to universal ethics guidelines whi ch dictate the imperatives of fair wages, non-discriminatory labour practices Royle, 2005) and quality goods from suppliers (Verschoor, 2001). On the other, it respects the cultural ethics of its host environments whereby, for example, it does not employ women in its restaurants, in concession to the segregation precept, although it does in its offices (Heck, 2003). The point here is that upon entry into foreign markets, the company does try to embrace and adhere to local ethical precepts, even as it abides by international ones, so as to facilitate entry and acceptance. Branding Competitive advantage is a critical determinant of successful entry into foreign markets and of surviving the challenges of globalisation and realising its promises. Branding is a managed process to

To what extent were male and female adolescents' reading preferences Essay

To what extent were male and female adolescents' reading preferences gendered over the twentieth century, and did this change over time - Essay Example As the century progressed, research regarding the adolescent stage of life began to reveal that the angst of adolescence is not born of a single unavoidable cause, as had been previously thought, but rather is a complex relation between physical changes, social issues and cultural preparedness. These studies revealed the close relationship that could be traced through the adolescent’s development and how this reflected the signs of the times. Beginning with a brief overview of the changing theories regarding this age group in both physical and developmental contexts as they pertain to reading choice, an examination into the reading choices of adolescent girls and boys from the early 20th century, to approximately mid-century to more present times will prove enlightening regarding how changing roles in the greater society has had an effect, perhaps a reciprocal effect, upon the reading choices of adolescents working to define their own identity in a changing world. Concepts of adolescence in the early part of the 20th century seemed to be divided between one of two schools. One group of theorists believed the insanity of adolescence was more or less unavoidable as a natural outcome of the physiological changes that were taking place with the onset of puberty and the subsequent societal role changes expected (Blanchard, 1924: 15). The adolescent became overwhelmed with trying to adjust to physical changes at the same time that they were expected to take on new responsibilities and behaviours. According to this view, adolescence for both boys and girls was a time of great physical change, causing more hormones to be released into the bloodstream by the endocrine glands and throwing the entire physical system into an imbalance to which it requires time to adjust (Zorbaugh & Payne, 1935: 373-374). The mental issues of extreme unhappiness, extreme happiness, rebellion, mood swings and other seeming psychoses are simply the

Member of Parliament Essay Example for Free

Member of Parliament Essay Delegation is to give another person authority and responsibility of a certain task that you would normally do yourself but you still take accountability for the outcome. In order to delegate effectively you need to first decide what tasks to delegate. You need to track what you can delegate by making a list of tasks that you do and from this the things that you can give to others. It is a more cost effective way of giving others responsibility rather than hiring someone else to do the work. Planning is essential when you are delegating. You need to identify the individual’s knowledge on the task, the skills they have to do it efficiently. Give them control of the task completely but follow it up regularly by meetings and asking them how it is going, what is going good and what they need help on. Communication between the other person and you has to be very clear and precise. You should have their full attention. They need to have a clear understanding of what needs to be done and by when. SMART objectives need to be set for them and discuss the standard that you expect from them. Ask them how they will do it and what help you can give them in the task. Give them reassurance, confidence, offer them your support and appreciate them. Believe in them. When delegating tasks there are several levels of delegation to consider. Everyone is different, not everyone can handle or respond well to certain styles. A good manager knows which level to use with each member of staff when assigning a task. Level 1- this is when the manager asks the staff member to look into the situation, get all the facts needed and come back to him/her. The decision of what to do is made by the manager. This type of delegation is usually used for new employees who have no experience in the business. It is also used when you cannot physically do it yourself as you are handling quite a few other things at the same time. For example, at SS during a busy patch at lunch time, if there is a customer who comes in who has problems with his glasses. You cannot see him as you are already dealing with two other customers. You ask a member of staff to check the glasses thoroughly, find out what problem they are having by getting all the facts from the customer. You have delegated this task out to that member of staff but you make the final decision on what should be done. You control the delegation. Level 2- this is when the manager asks the member of staff to look into the situation but also come up with possible solutions to the problem. For example, in the above example, the manager  would have asked the member of staff to come up with reasons why the customer is having problems and ways to fix the problem. However, the final decision is still made by the manager. The manager still controls the delegation. This level offers opportunities for more instruction, coaching, and development of the employees. It is often used for employees who may be changing companies but staying in the same career, so they are familiar with the task but not with the new employer’s working style and requirements. Level 3 –this is when the manager asks the member of staff to look into the situation and come up with possible solutions. The staff member picks the best solution for the customer but gets the manager to approve before going ahead with it. For example the above mentioned member of staff would have the measurements rechecked by the manager before he remakes the customer’s glasses. The manager still controls the delegation but it conveys more trust and faith in the chosen employee, it also facilitates training, improves the overall experience and increases educational opportunities for the employee. This is a good happy medium for both new and experienced employees and works well in large workplaces where the tasks must be managed properly for structural purposes. Level 4 – this is when the manager asks the member of staff to look into the situation and carry on and finish it till the end of the solution unless he says not to. For example, in the above example, the member of staff would be able to finish it off unless the manager said not to. The staff member controls this type of delegation. It shows a lot of faith and pays a compliment to the staff as to their manager’s level of confidence in their ability to complete the task successfully. It is often left for experienced employees, particularly those who have performed the repeated task successfully in circumstances prior. One problem to this approach is it can also be a source of frustration for an employee who is told they have the expertise and capability to do what is requested the way their manager wants it done, but then if they lack the confidence in their manager to follow through or if something goes wrong, then it makes this person almost entirely accountable. This Level requires trust, rapport, confidence and understanding. Level 5 – this stage is when the managers asks the staff member to complete the task and to report back to him when it is done and what was done. For example in the above situation, the manager will want to know when the problem is sorted and what the member of staff  did to solve it. The manager doesn’t even require a heads-up or check-back before the staff member starts work on the task. Many companies who have experienced staff members use this type of delegation to accomplish more. It can also be beneficial for smaller companies who trust in their employees to help them perform at maximum potential. They control the delegation. Level 6 – this is when the manager tells the staff member to take action and follow it up if needed. For example in the above example, the manager gives full authority for that staff member to deal with the customer. He does not get involved at all. This is not only complete freedom, but also the ultimate compliment in terms of a manager’s confidence in the staff member’s ability to complete a task to the manager’s complete satisfaction. When it comes to effective delegation, you cannot just order people around. Each individual is different and responds differently to different styles of delegation, criticism and praise. This means in order to be most effective, and get the best results from staff chosen to have tasks and projects delegated to them, employers must be both creative and knowledgeable when it comes to picking the right person for the right kind of delegated assignment.

Tele Health And Tele Care Health Health And Social Care Essay

Tele Health And Tele Care Health Health And Social Care Essay Telehealth and Telecare are both advocated as a means of delivering social health and services effectively and economically in peoples home. By using these two technologies, monitoring activities and safety, providing virtual home visiting, and activating reminder system can be done quickly. Therefore, most of the consumers are elderly people .This paper compares Telehealth and Telecare technologies and highlights the popularity of each technology. The literature review of the paper has focused on defining each technology and looking to the users satisfaction from each technology. The SWOT analysis has been used to demonstrate the strength, weakness, opportunities and threats of each technology. To find the popularity of each technology some questionnaire forms has been used which distributed between 40 elderly people of Toronto by random. The results show that people between ages 66-75 are the highest consumers of telehealth and telecare and more satisfied. The overall analysis show ed that telecare satisfaction percentage is higher than telehealth satisfaction percentage however it is recommended for more advertisement for telecare products due to facing lots of people who were unfamiliar with telecare products. Future recommended research is an investigation on elderly and telehealth and telecare technology and focusing on telecare and telehealth interactions and requirements. INTRODUCTION 1.1- Introduction During the past few years there have been growths in possibilities of technical developments in smart environments. Developing the life quality for young, elderly and disabled people has become more and more vital task for todays societies all around the world. What is a smart home? According to the (Smart home, 2009) The terms smart homes, intelligent homes, home networking have been used for more than a decade to introduce the concept of networking devices and equipment in the house. According to the Smart Homes Association the best definition of smart home technology is: the integration of technology and services through home networking for a better quality of living Other terms that are related to smart homes are aware house changeable home, attentive house and ambient intelligence These terms are used to emphasize that the home environment should be able to respond and modify itself continuously according to its diverse residents and their changeable needs According to (Allen, 2001) Assistive technologies (AT) which can be known as a branch of Smart homes is applied to any kind of system or device, which has been designed to help disabled or elderly to overcome their individual disabilities. In other word Assistive technologies are broad range of devices and services that are designed to increase the functional abilities of disabled people. Assistive technology enables disabled and elderly people to become independent and participate more actively in their daily life. Telecare and Telehealth are two effective extensions of smart home technology as the concern is to use of technology to monitor the health of the users. Both telecare and telehealth systems rely on telephone lines or broadband internet as means of transferring information from the source which can be house to the receiver who maybe a doctor or a nurse. 1.2 -Background Telehealth, which is a part of information and communication technologies introduced for delivering health care services and it is considered as a way to answer lots of essential changing in healthcare systems in current years. Many of telehealth projects are taking place to targeting countryside and remote the population. So far, different kinds of telehealth applications have been implemented in developing countries and have shown the outcomes. However telehealth technologies have increased the availability of technology and telecommunication around the world. As (Gagnon et al , 2006) argue in their research, the execution of telehealth still faces major barriers, typically barriers related to structural, organizational and finally professional imperatives. Furthermore the structural barriers related to licensure, information technology developments and settlement of telehealth. Also, issues about health care organizations are also important to ensure the telehealth adoption. More over the adoption of telehealth technology by an individual is considered to be difficult which is determined by a large set of physical factors. According to (Perry et al, 2009) Telecare also is a part of telecommunication and technology which can provide care and support people in their homes. There are three kinds of people who can benefit most from telecare service, elderly people, disabled and those with mobility impairments. The use of this technology is determined to reduce the inappropriate or unnecessary admissions to the hospital especially for falls or any kind of accidents at home. To increase the benefits of telecare, it is necessary to know the opinion of the users about this technology. As (Crump, 2010) discusses, telecare services provide opportunities for technology to replace people in some roles. Although it is a rapid and effective technology for supporting services but it is necessary to have some training before using this technology. In other word this technology can be useful only if you know how to use it correctly otherwise it could be harmful. According to Nation health executive (NHE, 2006), by increasing an ageing population and prevalence of chronic disease a challenge for the management and integration of health care is growing. The need for new care models and new technologies for long term illness is more visible and clinical partnerships and networks supports the care strategies within home Environment. Therefore emerging telecare and telehealth have the potential to enable long term medical care in peoples own homes. Many studies indicate that telecare and telehealth technology has a positive effect on the clinical outcomes, user independencies, reduction in emergency visits and lower admission to hospital. However there is a lack of evidence to execute that these two technologies are cost effective-whilst there is a belief about assistive technologies exists that they should help to reduce costs in long terms and supports for faced problems. 1.3- Research The main focus of this research is to comparing telecare and telehealth and their consequences in medical business. The aim of this paper is to find out the popularity of these two technologies between elderly and finding their good and bad consequences on people, society and business. According to ( Sixsmith ,2000) Many people in the field trial reported enhanced feelings of safety and security, which could help to stimulate independence and help them to remain living in their own homes The monitoring system increased the care choices available to elderly people and supported and enhanced the cares role Technical perspective of telehealth and telecare concerns the use and development of ICT based systems. The marketplace of these technologies continues to see rapid developments. Therefore telecare and telehealth can make a real difference to the lives of elderly and disabled people. In this research the author is going to define telehealth and telecare separately and talking about the advantages and disadvantages of each of these two technologies as well as cost analysis of them due to the several studies over the years executes that these two systems achieved a considerable cost saving. Furthermore telecare and telehealth satisfaction is going to evaluate. 1.4- Research Aim and objectives The major significance of this study is to probe deeply in to the comments and analysis of several authors conducting their research in the subject of telecare and telehealth, to identify evidence of advantage or flaws and weaknesses that may or may not exist in the present exploitation of the services and related devices technology as well as evaluating the comments of elderly about telecare and telehealth, and finally evaluating the telecare and telehealth satisfaction between elderly. Therefore, the major objectives of these investigations are: * To provide necessary response to questions arising from the comparisons between telecare and telehealth. * To evaluate the popularity of telecare and telehealth between elderly and possible flow that may or may not exist in the present use of telecare and telehealth * To criticize and analyze the results. * To make some recommendation for future development of telecare and telehealth REVIEW OF LITERATURE Telecare and Telehealth ; as a part of the collection smart home play a major role in the comfort and quality of life of all people. This role is even more important when these technologies and services are contributed to a special group called elderly. (BBC news, 2008) produces program about chronic disease patients and elderly to use telehealth and telecare products at home and monitor their health by mobile phones. As declared in (BBC , 2008) Patients with high blood pressure and chronic lung disease will be initially recruited to test new technology that allows them to measure their blood pressure,and oxygen levels at homeThe readings will be sent via mobile phone into a central computer and collated into an online health record that can be accessed by both the patient and their GP. As BBC announced ; it is expected that project of telehealth and telecare to be expanded between 1500 patients by 2012. However the question is that how well do elderly people know these products? 2.2 -What is meant by Telehealth? As American (telecare, 2009) argues Telehealth is a revolutionary medical tool that affordably expands and improves health care services for patients regardless of age, race, gender or economic status Generally Elderly patients living in remote areas and individuals suffering from a chronic disease are best suited for telehealth services In another word telehealth plays an integral role in the management of long-term conditions. As healthcare professionals begin their health services from pilot to mainstream provision your telehealth partner must help you step by step to go through the transition. These services are usually provided when a Tunstall telehealth projects is started. Tunstall is a founder member of the continua health Alliance. Their policy of ongoing development means that products specification and appearance could change without prior notice. In general, telehealth is general term that includes many various activities. Many of components of telehealth integrated have been presented in the Telehealth Pyramid (figure 2.1). Figure 2.2.1 The Telehealth pyramid, ( Elford , 2004) Although all parts of the pyramid should be coordinated to gain the best result, each section could exist independently. On the basis of past successful telehealth experience, the components of telehealth should be placed in one physical center. In Figure 2.2.1 which has illustrated Telehealth levels in Health care system of USA, various parts of the pyramid will be delineated from the bottom to top. The size of each section could hardly present the number of people involved. The base section is 1-800 health call center. This center is active day and night for 24 hours, 7 days a week. The staff working in this section includes: health professionals, for most parts nurses. When clients call in , the staff would respond major health questions, assist patients with minor health problems and if needed guide the patient to the proper healthcare resource. The next layer (Medical Data and Telemetry call center). Has been set up similar to 1-800 call center, however in spite of receiving telephone calls, would also receive telemetry and medical information such as: blood pressure, EKG, Blood sugar and other types of blood chemistry, weight and pulmonary function test. This information could be sent on a daily basis or upon urgent request. The next section, Internet Health Information and Education provides health information websites for healthcare professional and patients. The patients website includes information on different topics, response to common health questions to choice of e-mailing a health professional on a special health problem, chatting with groups for the patients with special conditions. The health professional website has more complete information for various health conditions and provides access to the health education endeavors. The Tele-education layer is using all the telecommunication technologies and information to provide health education for both patient and health professionals. Some of the website functions of the former level could be used in this section. According to (Elford ,2004) The next layer includes Teleconsultation, Telenursing and Telehome care. Teleconsultation is defined as the provision of any medical services occurring between physician and patient such as: Telepsychiatry, Teledermotology, and Tele ENT All activities mentioned involve a health professional providing a health service a patient. Finally the last layer of pyramid (administrative center, research unit and training center) includes a number of key components that are crucial for the proper operation and long term maintenance of the telehealth. This center would manage and coordinate the following endeavors: a research unit will help in the design implementation and evaluation of telehealth project s and could also be involve d in technical test projects or evaluation. At last, a curriculum in Telehealth and a place for hands on training could be providing for the students. ( Elford ,2004) believes that Professionals (physicians, nurses, technicians) can also take non-credit courses could also take non-credit courses for education or training. Some organizations such as (Department of National Defense) contracting the training center, could provide health training to their personnel. Whilst the telehealth pyramid of NHS (national health center) , which belongs to the UK , shows using telehealth at three levels. Looking through the pyramid from bottom to top will show that 70 -80 % of the population are supported self-care which is possible by web based- tools, and self monitoring. At the second level which is high risk disease, some home monitoring is possible but the availability of doctors and nurses are necessary at this case. And finally at the third level of the NHS telehealth pyramid , because of the highly complex case management , home monitoring of patient, using assistive technology and computerized decision support system can be using all together. Figure 2.2.2 , NHS Pyramid , (Procter , Azarmina , 2007) Telehealth can connect people with one another and by various health organizations as follow: * Wireless mobile devices According to (Hinz ,2010), wireless mobile devices in this study will only be utilized in the context of healthcare. these devices include: consumer mobile phones, medical devices that work in the next generation of consumer mobile phone, and medical devices operates within a home premise and can transmit information through land-line , mobile phone or internet. * Basic mobile phones According to Hinz ,(2010) over the last ten years, the most accepted technology in day to day communication is the mobile phone. Even the most outdated mobile phone can make and receive both calls and text-messages .text messages and specially 3G mobile internets is a suitable media for the health system when we try to connect to patients. Also the appointment reminder alert is a very valuable tool. * Remote care clinical devices (Remote medical care, 2010) argues that In relation to vital signs, medical devices are different in size and complexity and the interaction with ill people. Many of these medical devices have software that could operate as a PC and mobile phone. High performance semiconductor chips which are highly integrated will expand personal medical devices. Whether these devices are a blood glucose meter, digital blood pressure meter, blood gas meter, digital plus/heart rate monitor or a digital thermometer are five system level blocks that are common for each device: * Power battery management * Data processing and control * Amplification and A/D conversation of the sensor input * Some type of Display * The sensor element(s) itself These devices are controlled by a handle, which are activated by battery power and using different biosensors and take measurements. The real performance topology of these blocks is quite different with the sensing, processing and information display demands of the type of meter and the chronic condition it measures. 2.2.1 -Telehealth satisfaction As (Ellis,2009) argued patient satisfaction influences on patients values and expectations from telehealth services therefore by measuring telehealth satisfaction more information and more positive and negative affect will be gained. On the other hand according (Ellis, 2009) the researches on patients satisfaction about quality of interactions and telehealth services are pretty low therefore there is more requires going in depth of this topic. According to the (Clinical evaluation, 2008) which evaluated the telehealth satisfaction from different aspects, most of the users of telehealth were between the ages of 65 to 80. The Pie chart in appendix 2 shows the age dividing in detail. The overall satisfaction level with Telehealth experience shows that 85 % of the users are very satisfied from this technology where only 15 % were satisfied and no one were not satisfied of it. The details of users satisfaction is shown in the pie chart in appendix 3. On the other hand the evaluation shows only 5% of people were disagree about the cost saving of Telehealth whilst 95% were agree about the cost saving. Appendix 4 shows the pie chart of the agreement and disagreement. 2.2.2 Consequences of Telehealth for the patients * Immediate utilization of care specifically for the patient who live in rural environments. * Patients receive care and health from a distance and do not have to go to doctors office to receive attention from their health provider. * Early detection to reduce emergency room visits and hospitalizations * To discharge early from hospital * Patient and family can have access to care from the comfort of their home. * Patients anxiety is reduced. * Increased conformity and ownership to their individual health care plan * Old patients can stay independent rather than going in to assisted living situation * Patients feel thesaurus to take part in their care program. * Increased patients satisfaction in received care In general Telehealth is a very effective tool to handle patients that need the most care and attract the most cost, especially patients with chronic and terminal conditions. The following patient conditions were successful with Telehealth program: 1- Chronic disease which includes: * HIV Aids * Cancer * Asthma * Diabetes * Congestive heart failure 2- Elderly patient cares which includes: * Post stroke * Therapies * Post operative states * Medical compliance 3- General care which includes * High risk pregnancy * Wound care The Telehealth advantage for healthcare providers, administrators and institutions are: * It can improve quality of care and clinical outcome * It can increase productivity for healthcare provider * It is a cost saving method that can advance profitability and business growth There are also some other advantages for doctors and nurses can schedule for patient visits without leaving the office. In this way productivity of the number of patients that can be visited per day could increase. Clinicians can expand their office geographically. Patients can be visited regularly. Healthcare will be able to spend more time with patients and can monitor and regulate their patients care better. Healthcare providers have the advantage of attracting managed care contracts and also will be able to manage cost effective service. (Darkins and Cary, 2000) believe that since healthcare expenses are rising, providers while maintaining good quality care and patients satisfaction .lower their costs. The related technologies help providers to produce their own effective healthcare by maximizing their human and capital resource. 2.3 -What is meant by Telecare? Telecare is to monitor a patients real-time emergencies and his life style changes from a distance in order to manage the risks associated with independent living. Telecare is needed since: As (Camarinha-Matos, Afsarmanesh, 2004) argue It is a highly flexible tool which can be employed by the needs of new users. This technology can be utilized in learning disabilities, physical disabilities and mental health. Telecare can contribute to independent living and quality of life for people and their family significantly. (Tunstall , 2007) believes that The major activity of Telecare services is to manage Telecare assets more effective to guarantee that service remain more productive. According to (Tunestall ,2007) Telecare overlay has been developed to allow the effective implementation of radio Telecare sensors into supported housing communities It enables the monitoring of wandering and bed occupancy as well as environmental issues such as smoke, flood and gas within a sheltered setting (Tunstall, 2007) also argues that the telecare overlay system includes a telecare manager unit and a radio receiver, this equipment is added to the existing communicable vision system and enables staff using a variety of sensors receive alarm calls. These receivers are located around scheme. When a receiver receives the radio signals of a sensor, it will be forwarded to the communicational vision system and then raises the alarm call on the handset carried by onsite staff. Therefore, the onsite staff will be able to talk to the resident. The system can alternately sound on alarm at the responding center. According to James Buckley, the chief executive officer of Telecare times in (Tunstall , 2007) , Telecare will make the cares able to go back to their work, will promote these services to more number of audience, and support people who have learning disabilities. In another word Telecare describes any services that bring health and social care directly to a user, generally in their homes, supported by information and communication technology. It covers social alarms, lifestyle monitoring and Telehealth (remote monitoring of UTIA signs) for diagnosis, assessment and prevention. Telecare covers a wide range of equipment (detectors, monitors alarms, pendants and etc) and also services for monitoring call centers and response. ( Camarinha-Matos , Afsarmanesh ,2004) believes that In the UK Telecare alarms acts as a mediator through call center, however in the US you are able to purchase devices that connects directly to emergency response services. The sample lists of Telecare devices are include: * Safety confirmation phones * Movement /non-movement sensors * Fire/smoke alarms * Food / water alarms * Window/door sensor * Bed/ chair occupancy sensor * Falls sensor * Wrist worn wellbeing monitors * Automatic lighting sensor * Carbon monoxide sensor * Temperature range sensor * Medication reminder sensor 1- Devices for predicting problem: This prediction depends on software that receives signals from sensor and analyses the frequency and severity of monitored event such as minor falls. 2- Devices that reduce the chance if problems occurring: For example a bad sensor can prevent falls by turning a light on when a person gets out of bed. This helps because does not need to move around and search for the light switch in the dark room. if the person does not return to bed it can raise an alarm. If the helps received quickly, problems do not rise. 3- Devices that mitigate harm These devices send an alert signal to a call center, therefore, a help can arrive quickly before harm is done .an extreme temperature device is activated when the temperature rises quickly or reaches a low point . 4- Personal safety confirmation: (Camarinha-Matos , Afsarmanesh ,2004) argues that The owner of this phone based device pushes a bottom on an agreed time everyday to inform the call center that they are well and alive. This considered as an alternative for independent people who are not interested in wearing a pendant alarm button or those who may fall and become unconscious and cannot pull an alert themselves. 2.3.1- Telecare satisfaction There were two types of telecare units that were developed. One of them is based on pc setup and video conferencing and another one off- the- shelf video conferencing units. According to (Guillen et al , 2002) there is high satisfaction for the patients who used telecare devices also the medical staff were satisfied due to the improvement in quality of health services. The result of their research shows that medical staffs believe that telecare system is a trustworthy system for patients and there is low risk for patients while using telecare system. However there are more researches needs to be done in this area because of the short duration of previous experiments. 2.3.2-Consequences of Telecare * It can help to maintain independence for people * Safety and confidence could be increased * It could support careers along with traditional healthcare support and housing initiatives. * It could ease the transfer from traditional models of residential care to supporting people at home. The pressure on the NHS can be reduced the environmental risks such as fire, flooding, carbon monoxide , natural gas , high and low temperatures and personal risks such as wandering , falling , inactivity , burglary , bogus callers and many more could protect users. (Camarinha-Matos , Afsarmanesh ,2004) * According to the (department of health ,2010) Telecare could prevent 160.000 people from entering residential care per year, indicating potential cost saving of 20 Billion pound . 2.4 -Comparison of Telecare and Telehealth A high increment in the cost of care or nursing homes is the main reason of inventing new methods of supporting people in their homes. Since according to (Doughty et al ,2007,p.6) the dependency ratio which is defined as( number of working people to those who are retired) is about to fall from 4:1 to 2.1:1 in the next 40 years, so the demands for the care services will increase and services that are based on technologies can replace. (According to Doughty et al ,2007, p.7) The term telecare was selected to cover all electronic technologies of a preventive or supportive nature because it had the necessary buzz and because it implied a modular approach and a need for a developing telecommunications infrastructure As (Doughty et al, 2007, p.7) argued Although the fundamental purpose of the technology is to avoid unscheduled care incidents and, in particular, the management of long-term conditions, it can support Independence because it is capable of overcoming the need for people to move prematurely into a nursing home environment Such technology would appear to be a medical application of telecare, which would be consistent with the new definition of telecare described above However, remote and regular (but not continuous) vital signs monitoring may be fundamentally different to existing UK telecare systems because the purpose is to collect data rather than offer an automated alarm Whilst in the USA, the remote vital signs monitoring system are known as telehealth. The term of telehealth in the Europe has been the Umbrella term which is used for grate range of technologies which includes telemedicine as well. The telehealth and telecare umbrella model will show the alternatives for adoption or rejection. As the figure 2.4.1 shows there are three components of telehealth exist which shows a growing range of assistive technologies. Also there are some disabled facilities has covered .covering number of comparatively expensive fixed assistive technologies like level access showers can be known as effective versions. However consequent removal while the service user moves on is more difficult with the result that the venture is left in the property. This means that following architects to follow the lifetime homes and using free access for the standards is necessary. Telehealth somehow has higher weight than telecare because health is necessary for everyone but maybe not everyone need care. Figure 2.4.1 Telehealth Umbrella model (Doughty et al ,2007, p.9) As figure 2.4.2 shows telecare is term which is used for all defensive technologies which are using electronics, telecommunication and information system. Thats why they can cover some applications such as alarms through monitoring the vital signs either in the home or on the move thus when a term such as Telehealth covers all forms of information and medical monitoring then the advanced form which is telecare could be expanded from environmental to medical areas. In another word According to (Doughty et al ,2007,p.8) the use of community / social alarm system to support independent living as a form of telecare was both a consequence of change in community care but also it produced a valuable service that did not have doctors and nurses as the gatekeeper Figure 2.4.2 umbrella model of telecare (Doughty et al ,2007,p.9) 2.5 -Impact of telecare and telehealth on cost saving There are lots of comparative studies in telehealth and telecare which demonstrate the economic benefits of these technologies. These studies show that improved access to suitable healthcare services, increased patients satisfaction and cost savings. Many of pre- reviewed researches consistent in finding that telehealth and telecare saves the patients, providers and payers money in compare of traditional healthcare system. According to (Jennett et al, 2003), Cost saving of telehealth services can be done by reduction in use of hospitals, nursing home services and transport costs. In other word reduction in transporting patients to emergency departments and therefore to physician offices will cause a reduction in cost of emergency department visits. 4.5- SWOT Analysis Since in primary data , the author couldnt noticed the presented data completely relevant to the research questions and couldnt answer all the objectives of the research therefore she decided to do the SWOT analysis .SWOT Analysis is a kind of evaluation by defining the Strengths, weakness, opportunities and threats of the defined subject. 4.5.1- Telehealth SWOT Analysis The SWOT analysis of telehealth is focusing on what the strength of the telehealth are, what can be known as the weaknesses, what opportunities telehealth has and finally what are the threats o