Evaluate the Impact of Changes in the Economic Environment

Evaluate the impact of changes in the economic environment on a selected business – D1 After various changes to the economic tax and interest rate, CPHP have conducted and compiled research into current public spending. The results show that there has been a dramatic reduction in the level of public spending in the UK. The changes in economic environment will affect a business, the profit of the business will be affected because its affect the price and income of a business, which are the main aspect of a business.If Tesco decides to change the price of their goods, for example; the price of their doughnut in 2009 was 5 pieces for a pound, a reasonable price for students but with the economic environment it affected everything with the introduction of VAT from 17. 5% to 20% made the price of the doughnut to now cost around 1. 30p the change is affordable for some people but for other people it is not affordable. The reality of this economic environment is that when the price c hange and it becomes higher, consumers get less happy and this affects our range of time of buying certain products.The article above shows how the economic environment tax income is affecting prices as a whole, the price of cigarettes and alcohol in going to increase. This will affect Tesco because this is where they make most of their sales from. They have almost to sessions for both cigarettes and alcohol. When these products increase, it means their sales on these products will reduce because not a lot of customers will still be buying these products.Another policy that will affect the business Tesco is the fact their employee can’t work more than 39 hours, this policy will have impact on the business because they will have to recruit more workers and especially for the big 24 hours Tesco. This will affect Tesco income because it will increase the rate of their outcome because they will spend a lot of money on paying their workers. Another important economic environment i mpact will be the fact that Tesco will have to apply for more loans to be able to successfully run the business until it’s able to make enough money by itself and rely only on their income.This will affect Tesco growth because the loans will affect their income, cash flow and business image. Tesco will pay more and profit will drop. Tesco also have social factors that affect them, as the business have charity centre in helping the less privilege people and the more these people gets poor, the more they will have to stretch to help out which also spending money. Recession causes unemployment, this will affect the demand for goods and Tesco profit will drop.An economic factor that might affect Tesco is the demand of the consumer and customer which will decrease with the different problems; people are having in the world. As the demand decrease so the economy of the business will decrease and the profit of the business will decrease too. This refers in the fiscal and monetary, f or example since when the government decided to raise the VAT from 17. 5% to 20%, the business increase their goods price and due to that reason the customers do not purchase enough goods like they used.Social factors refer in the trend of customer which keeps changing their trend, and what the trend of their purchase. For example nowadays due to people’s work, they are really busy so they often decide to buy already cooked food. Technology refers in how Tesco adopt online shopping to attract customer, to purchase goods and services from the business. Another technology might be the introduction of delivery which refers in how the businesses deliver their goods around the customer’s address.

Electricity Billing System

1-310-919-0950 Log In | Sign Up StudyMode. com Essays Book Notes AP Notes More Essays  » English Composition  » Inquiry Electric Billing System By damzee, Sep 2011 | 2 Pages (435 Words) | 546 Views | Report | Sign Up to access full essay RATELESS 0. 218 /* rate of charge first 200 unit */ RATEMORE 0. 334 /* rate of charge following unit */ PEN 0. 015 /* penalty for unpaid balance */ Inputs int unit /* unit of electricity used */ float UnpaidBal /* unpaid balance */ Outputs float Penalty /* charge of penalty */ float UseCharge /* charge for the current electricity use */ float TotalBill /* total charge */PROGRAM ALGORITHM (FLOW OF PROGRAM) 1. Display user instructions 2. Get data: unpaid balance and electricity unit used 3. Determine electricity unit used and compute use charge 4. Determine unpaid balance and compute penalty 5. Compute total charge 6. Display the total bill amount DESIGN OF COMPUTATION OF USE CHARGE The data required to compute the use charge are listed. We separa te the involved data categories into Input, Process and Output. Input Data int unit /* unit of electricity used */ Process Data RATELESS 0. 218 /* rate of charge first 200 unit */ RATEMORE 0. 34 /* rate of charge following unit */ Output Data float UseCharge /* charge for the current electricity use */ Algorithm for Computation of Use Charge We know that different rate will be used if the electricity unit used is more than 200. Thus we use if else selection to design the algorithm. if unit > 200 compute use charge for more than 200 unit else compute use charge for less than 200 unit Formula for Use Charge UseCharge=(unit-200)*RATEMORE+200*RATELESS /* more than 200 */ UseCharge=unit*RATELESS /* less than 200 */ DESIGN OF COMPUTATION OF PENALTYThe data required to compute the penalty are listed. We separate the involved data categories into Input, Process and Output. Input Data float UnpaidBal /* unpaid balance */ Process Data PEN 0. 015 /* penalty for unpaid balance */ Output Data fl oat Penalty /* charge of penalty */ Algorithm for Computation of Penalty Penalty is dealt when there is an unpaid balance. We use if selection to design the algorithm. if†¦ [continues] Read full essay Cite This Essay APA (2011, 09). Electric Billing System. StudyMode. com. Retrieved 09, 2011, from http://www. studymode. om/essays/Electric-Billing-System-774944. html MLA CHICAGO Welcome StudyMode. com is the web's leading learning tool. We inspire millions of students every day with over 650,000 model essays and papers, AP notes and book notes. Learn More Related essays Standard For Electrical Power System †¦ Std C37. 2TM-2008 (Revision of IEEE Std C37. 2-1996) IEEE Standard for Electrical†¦ 84 pagesNov 2010 Water Billing System †¦ General Objective: To create an accurate, reliable, and correct water billing†¦ 15 pagesMar 2011 Electric Power Systems †¦ and index.ISBN-13: 978-0-471-17859-0 ISBN-10: 0-471-17859-4 1. Electric†¦ 566 pagesNov 2011 Billin g System †¦ use of transistor that stores instructions, providing good and affordable electric†¦ 6 pagesDec 2011 Student Billing System Documentation(Not Yet Completed) †¦ will appear: the tuition fee, entrance fee and all data involved in the billing†¦ 36 pagesFeb 2012 Ready to get started? Sign Up Free Products Essays AP Notes Book Notes Citation Tool Company About Blog Help Jobs Contact Follow Facebook Twitter Google+  ©2012 StudyMode. com Legal Site Map Advertise

Drug Abuse Prevention Essay

The term drug abuse most often refers to the use of a drug with such frequency that it causes physical or mental harm to the user or impairs social functioning. Although the term seems to imply that users abuse the drugs they take, in fact, it is themselves or others they abuse by using drugs. Traditionally, the term drug abuse referred to the use of any drug prohibited by law, regardless of whether it was actually harmful or not. This meant that any use of marijuana, for example, even if it occurred only once in a while, would constitute abuse, while the same level of alcohol consumption would not. In 1973 the National Commission on Marihuana and Drug Abuse declared that this definition was illogical. The term abuse, the commission stated, â€Å"has no functional utility and has become no more than an arbitrary code word for that drug presently considered wrong.† As a result, this definition fell into disuse. The term drug is commonly associated with substances that may be purchased legally by prescription for medical use, such as penicillin, which is almost never abused, and Valium, which is frequently abused, or illegal substances, such as angel dust, which are taken for the purpose of getting high, or intoxicated, but actually have no medical use. Other substances that may be purchased legally and are commonly abused include alcohol (see alcoholism) and nicotine, contained in tobacco cigarettes. In addition, in recent years, chemists working in illegal, clandestine laboratories have developed new chemicals that have been used for the purpose of getting high. (These are called â€Å"designer drugs†.) All of these substances are psychoactive. Such substancesÑlegal and illegalÑinfluence or alter the workings of the mind; they affect moods, emotions, feelings, and thinking processes. Drug Dependence Drug abuse must be distinguished from drug dependence. Drug dependence, formerly called drug addiction, is defined by three basic characteristics. First, users continue to take a drug over an extended period of time. Just how long this period is depends on the drug and the user. Second, users find it difficult to stop using the drug. They seem powerless to quit. Users take extraordinary and often harmful measures to continue using the drug. How dependency-producing a drug is can be measured by how much users go through to continue taking it. Third, if users stop taking their drugÑif their supply of the drug is cut off, or if they are forced to quit for any reasonÑthey will undergo painful physical or mental distress. The experience of withdrawal symptoms distress, called the withdrawal syndrome, is a sure sign that a drug is dependency-producing and that a given user is dependent on a particular drug. Drug dependence may lead to drug abuseÑespecially of illegal drugs. Psychoactive, or mind-altering, substances are found the world over. The coca plant grows in the Andes of South America and contains 1 to 2 percent cocaine. The marijuana plant, Cannabis sativa, contains a group of chemicals called tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC. This plant grows wild in most countries, including the United States. The opium poppy is the source for opium, morphine, heroin, and codeine. It grows in the Middle East and the Far East. Hallucinogens (such as LSD), the amphetamines (speed), and sedatives, such as methaqualone (Quaalude, or ludes) and barbiturates, are manufactured in clandestine laboratories worldwide. As a result, psychoactive drugs are used for the purpose of intoxication practically everywhere (see drug trafficking). Classification of Psychoactive Drugs Pharmacologists, who study the effects of drugs, classify psychoactive drugs according to what they do to those who take them. Drugs that speed up signals passing through the nervous system, which is made up of the brain and spinal cord, and produce alertness and arousal and, in higher doses, excitability, and inhibit fatigue and sleep, are called stimulants. They include the amphetamines, cocaine, caffeine, and nicotine. Drugs that retard, slow down, or depress signals passing through the central nervous system and produce relaxation, a lowering of anxiety, and, at higher doses, drowsiness and sleep, are called depressants. They include sedatives, such as barbiturates, methaqualone, and alcohol, and tranquilizers, such as  Valium. Constituting one distinct kind of depressants are those which dull the mind’s perception of pain and in medicine are used as painkillers, or analgesics. These drugs are called narcotics. They include heroin, morphine, opium, and codeine. In addition to their painkilling properties, these depressants also produce a strong high and are intensely dependency-producing. Some drugs cannot be placed neatly in this stimulant-depressant spectrum. Hallucinogens include LSD, mescaline, and psilocybin. Such drugs produce unusual mental states, such as psychedelic visions. Marijuana is generally regarded as not belonging to any of these categories but as a drug type unto itself. History of Drug Abuse in the United States During the 19th century there were virtually no controls on the importation, sale, purchase, possession, or use of psychoactive drugs at the federal level and very few at the state level. Dangerous substances such as opium, cocaine, and morphine were basic ingredients in patent medicines that could be purchased by anyone for any reason, without a prescription. These nostrums were used to cure headaches, toothaches, depression, nervousness, alcoholism, menstrual crampsÑin fact, practically every human ailment. As a result of the ready availability of addicting drugs, and as a result of their heavy use for medical problems, many individuals became addicted to the narcotics contained in these patent medicines. In fact, in 1900, there were more narcotics addicts, proportionate to the population, than there are today. At that time, most of the users who became addicts were medical addicts. Very few abusers took drugs for â€Å"recreational† purposes. In 1914, in an effort to curb the indiscriminate use of narcotics, the federal government passed the Harrison Act, making it illegal to obtain a narcotic drug without a prescription. During the 1920s the Supreme Court of the United States ruled that maintaining addicts on narcotic drugs, even by prescription, was in violation of the Harrison Act. Approximately 30,000 physicians were arrested during this period for dispensing narcotics, and some 3,000 actually served prison sentences. Consequently, doctors all but abandoned the treatment of addicts for nearly half a century in the United States. The use of narcotic drugs dropped sharply in the United States between the 1920s, when there were as many as half a million addicts, and 1945, when the addict population was roughly 40,000 to 50,000. The recreational use of other drugs, such as marijuana, cocaine, stimulants, hallucinogens, and sedatives, which are used so frequently today, also remained at extremely low levels during this period. The 1960s, however, was a watershed decade. The widening use of illegal drugs accompanied increased tolerance for a wide range of unconventional behavior. The period saw the growth of movements that stood in opposition to the Vietnam War and to mainstream American culture, the coming into popularity of rock music, and enormous publicity devoted to drugs, their users and proselytizers. During this time some social groups viewed drug use in positive terms and believed it a virtue to â€Å"turn on† someone who did not use drugs. Although media attention to drugs and drug use declined between the late 1960s and late 1970s, the use of drugs did not. The late 1970s and 1980s represent another turning point in the recreational use of marijuana, hallucinogens, sedatives, and amphetamines. Studies show a large drop in the use of most drug types through the 1980s, but a significant increase since 1990. The 1980s witnessed the development of a new form of an old drug (crack), the widespread use of a drug that was not previously taken on a recreational basis (â€Å"Ecstasy,† or MDMA), and the resurgence of a drug that was widely abused in the 1960s but then fell into disuse for a time (methamphetamine, or â€Å"ice†). Crack is a smokable derivative of cocaine that began to be used on a widespread basis starting in 1985; heavily abused in the inner cities in the late 1980s, it has since fallen off in use. Chemically related to amphetamines, MDMA was developed early in the 20th century as an appetite suppressant; it is not easily classified, although most observers regard it as a hallucinogen. In the 1980s it had a brief vogue among college students, intellectuals, and psychiatric patients seeking spiritual and therapeutic insight; its use has declined into the 1990s. Methamphetamine had a brief run among â€Å"speed freaks† in the late 1960s, who took huge intravenous doses on a compulsive, addicting basis. In 1989 â€Å"ice† emerged on the West Coast as  a drug of choice. Its use has been far greater in some areas than others, and no national epidemic of methamphetamine abuse has developed. Patterns of Drug Use The illegal use of psychoactive drugs is extensive in the United States. Some 78 million Americans age 12 and over have tried at least one or more prohibited drugs for the purpose of getting high. The illegal drug trade represents an enormous economic enterprise, with annual gross sales estimated to be $40 to $100 billionÑmore than the total net sales of the largest U.S. corporation. About 60 percent of the illegal drugs sold worldwide end up in the United States. By far the most commonly used illegal drug is marijuana. Roughly half of the total of all illegal drug use involves marijuana alone. There was a substantial decline in all measures or levels of marijuana use throughout the 1980s. In 1979, 31% of 12-to-17-year-olds and 68% of 18-to-25-year-olds had at least tried marijuana; by 1990 the comparable figures had shrunk to 15% and 52%. Since 1990 the use of marijuana has risen significantly, especially among schoolchildren. In 1990, 27% of high school seniors had used marijuana during the past year, while in 1996 this was 36 percent; the rise among eighth- and tenth-graders was even sharper. Cocaine is the second most commonly used illegal drug in the United States. In 1995 there were roughly 1.5 million monthly or more cocaine users in the United States, a decline from 5.7 million in 1985. Heroin is less widely used, but it has been used at least once by roughly one American in 100. Most people who have taken illegal drugs have done so on an experimental basis. They typically try the drug once to a dozen times and then cease using it. Of all illegal drugs, marijuana is the one users are most likely to continue using. Discontinuation rates are very high for drugs such as methaqualone, sedatives, barbiturates, heroin, and LSD. Even most regular users of illegal drugs are moderate in their use. The typical regular marijuana smoker is an occasional user. Still, a sizable minority does use the drug frequently, to the point of abuse. In 1996 about 5% of all high  school seniors used marijuana daily or nearly daily (20 or more times in 30 days). A pattern of episodic, regular use characterizes nearly all drug use for the purpose of recreation. This does not deny the problem of the heavy, chronic abuser of these drugs. Drug Law Enforcement In 1970 the Congress of the United States passed the Comprehensive Drug Abuse Prevention and Control Act (Drug Control Act). Most of the states followed suit, basing their state legislation on the federal model. The Drug Control Act distinguishes among several categories of drugs based on their supposed abuse potential and medical utility. Drugs that supposedly have a high potential for abuse and no currently accepted medical use, including heroin, LSD and the other hallucinogens, and marijuana, may be used legally only in federally approved scientific research. In roughly half of the states, marijuana has been approved for medical use, but it remains illegal by federal law. In practice, the criminal justice system distinguishes between â€Å"hard† and â€Å"soft† drugs; it is unlikely that a first-time offender arrested for small-quantity marijuana possession will ever serve a prison sentence. Drugs such as morphine, cocaine, the amphetamines, and short-acting barbiturates are also regarded as having great abuse potential, even though they have accepted uses in medicine. Rigid prescription procedures maintain extremely tight controls over use. Drugs such as long-acting barbiturates and nonnarcotic painkillers are considered to have a lesser abuse potential, although they may lead to low physical dependence or high psychological dependence. These drugs have more relaxed controls, as do tranquilizers, and are classified as having low abuse potential. There has been a notable drop in the number of prescriptions written for psychoactive drugs that were most often abused in the 1960s and early 1970s. By the mid-1990s the number of prescriptions written for barbiturates and the amphetamines was one-tenth of what it was in 1970. Many other countries have also placed severe restrictions on the prescribing of drugs by doctors and have thus greatly reduced the frequency of their abuse. Restricting psychoactive pharmaceuticals brought about a reduction in the number of legal prescriptions written for them. A decline in the illegal street use of these same drugs lagged a few years behind the decline in legal prescriptions. In 1975, 11% of high school seniors said that they had taken barbiturates for nonmedical purposes during the previous year; in 1996, that figure was 5%. For methaqualone, completely outlawed in 1985, the comparable figures were 5% and 1%. The illegal use of amphetamine in the mid-1990s is half of what it was in the late 1970s and early 1980s. However, many forms of nonmedical drug use among the young have risen since the early 1990s. The demand for drugs for illegal purposes remains high despite law-enforcement efforts. In 1996 there were about 1.5 million arrests on drug violations in the United States; drug arrests have nearly doubled over the past decade. Each year there are roughly 300,000 arrests on marijuana charges, and nearly 80% are for simple possession. The risk of arrest does not deter substantial numbers of Americans from selling and using illegal drugs. Treatment From the 1920s until the 1960s treatment for drug abuse in the United States was practically nonexistent. Following the enforcement of the Harrison Act during the 1920s, few physicians were willing to treat addicts. During the 1930s two Public Health Service prison hospitals were opened, but their patients had a relapse rate of roughly 80%; during the 1970s the federal government closed them down. Since the 1920s the primary treatment program for most addicts has been no treatment at all; until recently, arrest has simply resulted in incarceration and therefore forcible detoxification. The dramatic explosion in the use and abuse of a number of illegal drugs during the 1960s demonstrated the weakness of this approach. As a result, a range of treatment programs, developed largely in the 1960s, have been widely used. Methadone is an addictive synthetic narcotic used to combat narcotic addiction. A hospital or a clinic administers the drug, usually dissolved in  artificial orange juice drink. Taken this way, the addict does not get high. Methadone blocks the action of narcotics so that addicts cannot become high, even if they were to inject heroin. According to the program’s rationale, addicts will then stop taking heroin. Although patients remain addicted to methadone, they can live a normal life, since the drug supply is steady and secure. Plus, they are no longer exposed to health risks like AIDS and hepatitis from shared needles used for injecting drugs. Because the program is inexpensive to administer, methadone has become a very popular form of treatment; roughly 100,000 narcotic addicts in the United States are treated in this program. The drug naltrexone has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for treating alcoholism and heroin addiction, in concert with an appropriate counseling program. Naltrexone reduces cravings for alcohol and heroin, thereby decreasing relapse rates. Therapeutic communities (TCs), such as Daytop Village in New York and Walden House in San Francisco, advocate a completely drug- and alcohol-free existence. Addicts live in the therapeutic communities, and many of the administrators are ex-addicts, who can best understand the addict residents. The view of all TCs is that the addict uses drugs as a crutch. TCs attempt to resocialize the addict by inculcating a value system that is the opposite of what prevailed on the street. Discipline in therapeutic communities is strict, penalties for breaking rules are severe, peer pressure is unrelenting, and the program benevolently dictatorial. Because of the strictness, many residents leave against the advice, and without the permission, of the staff. TCs seem to be effective for a limited segment of the addict populationÑthose who are young, middle-class, and highly motivated to quit drugs. The programs are expensive to administer; there are far fewer patients in them than in methadone-maintenance programs. The Legalization Debate In the 1990s there has been a strong call among some experts, politicians, judges, and government officials for the removal of all criminal penalties  for the sale, possession, and use of illegal drugs. This development has taken place at a time when public opposition to such a policy has actually grown. The legalization or decriminalization program rests on three assumptions: drug abuse will not rise significantly under legalization; these illegal drugs are less harmful than the legal drugs alcohol and tobacco and are less harmful than generally believed; and the current policy of arresting and imprisoning for drug possession and sale does more harm than good. No one can know for sure whether drug use and abuse will rise, fall, or remain stable under legalization. In nine U.S. states and in the Netherlands, where small-quantity marijuana possession has been partially decriminalized, there has been no sharp rise in the use of this drug. Evidence suggests, however, that criminalization of some drugs has produced lower use and abuse, and that legalization, if accompanied by lower cost and ready availability, might result in a significant rise in use and abuse. For example, legal controls on certain prescription drugs has been followed by a decline in their illegal street use. In addition, the continuance rates of the legal drugs alcohol and tobacco are strikingly higher than for illegal drugs. For the most part, the use of the illegal drugs tends to be more sporadic and occasional, and more likely to be given up, than the use of legal drugs. In the United States, outlawing the sale of alcohol to persons under the age of 21 has produced a significant decline in its use, as well as in the number of alcohol-related fatalities in this age group. Many current users, abusers, and addicts state that they would take drugs more frequently if drugs were legalized and readily available. And contrary to the stereotype, evidence suggests that, during prohibition (1920-33), alcohol consumption dropped significantly. There is much information to indicate that the abuse of drugs might very well rise under a policy of legalization or decriminalization. The prolegalization groups are almost certainly right that crime and certain medical maladies among drug abusers would decline if drugs were legalized. Perhaps a â€Å"third path† somewhere between the current punitive policy and  full legalization would be most effective. Needle exchange programs have cut down on drug-related AIDS transmission in Liverpool, England. The Dutch policy of de facto decriminalization for marijuana and hashish has not resulted in a rise in use or abuse. Perhaps the guiding policy on drug use ought to be on harm reduction rather than waging a war on drug abuse. Some aspects of this policy should include a flexible or selective enforcement, vastly expanding drug treatment programs, needle exchange programs, a distinction between â€Å"hard† (cocaine and heroin) and â€Å"soft† drugs (marijuana), expanding antidrug educational efforts, and focusing on reducing the use and abuse of tobacco and alcohol. The first priority should be to make sure that the users and abusers harm themselves and others as little as possible.

UP level accounting Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

UP level accounting - Essay Example When a semi-variable cost is treated as a variable cost for the purpose of variance analysis, the charge of overhead is exceeded. This is because semi-variable costs do not vary with each unit of activity, but change depending upon the level of activity achieved.Therefore, by granting the status of variable costs to semi variable costs, the overheads are hiked and thus profitability is reduced. Similarly, fixed costs remain fixed over a period of time, irrespective of the levels of activity. By assigning the status of fixed costs to semi-variable costs, during times of lowered levels of activity, there is a high overhead charge which significantly erodes profitability.The result of treating a step-fixed costs, for the purpose of variance analysis, as a variable one would be that, if the costs need to be calculated on the shortest time frame, there may not be material variations, but if taken on the long time, the impact of the step fixed costs would not be realized, or in other words , profits may be over stated. For example, the costs of running a single machine for several months would be different from running several machines for a single month. (Blocher et al, 2008) Thus by assigning the nature of variable to a step fixed cost would overstate profits over a period of time.When an operation entails both fixed and variable costs, and if all costs are taken as variable, it would wrongly inflate profits and underestimate costs. The element of fixed costs is generic to all cost centers, and very conspicuous in the cases of Health Care Providers, since investments in hospital machinery, equipments and infrastructure are quite substantial. (Blocher et al, 2008). In case of high level of activities, by not assigning the rightful fixed costs, profits become inflated; however, if all overheads are accounted for as fixed, during lowered levels of activities, costs become higher than booked and this could be disastrous, especially for smaller companies with low revenue generations. Question 2 (i) The key drivers for profitability in an organization would be the correct assessment and implementation of cost factors- fixed, variable, semi-variable and step-fixed costs since any mis-match could lead to derailed planning, execution and incorrect decision-making. What is even more important is the correct booking of the overheads, since overheads not booked at all, or wrongly booked could lead to a host of critical problems later. The top management takes strategic decisions based on the cost data provided and it is therefore, it is essential that it be factually correct. (ii) The two variances depicted in Exhibit 3 consider the recovery of fixed overheads when the actual procedures performed, instead of the standard 50,000 procedures, was actually only 49,000 procedures. Fixed costs were considered at $50, 00,000 for the predetermined standard 50,000 procedures. But the actual procedures billed were only 49,000 and therefore $ 100 X 1000 - $ 100,000 was unrealized. (Blocher et al, 2008). (iii) Regarding Exhibit 4, the mismatch occurred because the aspect of fixed cost overheads was not correctly judged. The mismatch occurred because of the 460 examinations made, only 310 were billed, leading to 150 examinations carried out but not billed and the profits have been inflated by (460 - 310) X $ 20 = $ 3000. This is the reason why the profits are overstated. (Blocher et al, 2008). Question 3 (i) Traditional standard costing is a system by which predetermined value / efficiency standards are assigned for each element of cost. The actual performance is then matched against their Standard costs, and the variances, positive or negative are determined. This is an invaluable management tool since there is a complete breakup of cost components and determinants, and for each item of costs, it is possible to know the standard, the actual and the resultant variances. Hence adverse variances could be effectively monitored by

Where There Is an Invasion of Privacy by the Media, an Action in Tort Essay

Where There Is an Invasion of Privacy by the Media, an Action in Tort is Really only an Option for the Wealthy - Essay Example Recent events have added credence to this view; the law and its application by the judiciary has come under intense criticism from the media, celebrities, and politicians. In general terms, tort refers to a civil wrong because it is committed by a person against the other (the term â€Å"person† includes legal entities like companies). The law of tort and especially that relating to privacy are founded on the belief that each person has certain interests that have to be protected by law.1 These interests can be protected by the court in two main ways; issuing an injunction to the defendant to refrain from interfering with the interest of the complainant, and awarding damages for infringement of protected interest of a particular individual. Recent years have witnessed increasing number of people getting concerned about their reputation and privacy. Therefore, in an event that the reputation and privacy is infringed by writing or untrue speech, damages may be sought in the cour t of law by the aggrieved party.2 In English law, privacy law considers that individual has a right to informational privacy and the situations in which such right should be protected or disregarded. Specifically, this right to informational privacy protects individuals’ private information against unauthorized disclosure or misuse.3 The media has been the biggest â€Å"culprit† of violating the right to privacy of people in the UK. Most cases relating to privacy are usually brought against media companies.4 Recent years have witnessed a rising number of people especially the celebrities and the politicians bringing privacy cases against media companies, as well as seeking injunction from the court to refrain media from interfering with their informational privacy.5 These individuals seek informational privacy on a number of issues such as: communication privacy, health privacy, relationship privacy, and financial privacy among others. Previous and present cases relati ng to privacy show that most people who opt for tort are the wealthy and there is very small evidence of â€Å"non-wealthy† opting for an action in tort in regard to privacy. There has been a raging debated on whether, indeed, where there is an invasion of privacy by the media, an action in tort is really only an option for the wealthy. This debate has been fueled by the increasing evidence of the wealthy opting for action in tort while negligible number of â€Å"non-wealthy† opting for the same.6 This paper will discuss this debate with the view of finding out whether it is true or not. Privacy Law in the UK It is important to note that English law has no specific tort to defend privacy. As a result, the courts have had to confront this situation and balance the individual’s privacy rights against the right to freedom of speech which is often â€Å"attacked† in most cases relating to privacy.7 The development of protection of human privacy in English Com mon law has been helped greatly by the UK Human Rights Act 1998 that was incorporated through the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR). Particularly, Article 8 of the Convention helped in guaranteeing the right to privacy into the English Common law.8 That notwithstanding though, English Common law does not have a freestanding tort of privacy. In the absence of such tort law, a variety of torts linked to inflicting harm to a person intentionally, principles of administrative law relating to proper use of police powers, and equitable remedy of confidence have been used to resolve cases relating to infringement of privacy of individuals.9 As reaffirmed in the case of Wainwright v Home Office, the application of multiple remedies and emphatic and frequent assertions by the judiciary, shows that there is

Future of Comuper Networking Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Future of Comuper Networking - Essay Example Although the current version of IP has worked well for many years, exponential growth of the Internet means that the 32-bit address space will be exhausted within 20 years. The IETF has designed a new version of IP that uses 128 bits to represent each address. The new address space is so large that it will not be exhausted for many decades to come. To distinguish the new version of IP from the current version, the two protocols are named using their version number. The current version of IP is IPv4 and the new expected version is IPv6. IPv6 retains many of the concepts from IPv4, but changes all the details. For example like IPv4, IPv6 provides a connectionless service in which two computers exchange short messages called datagrams. However, unlike an IPv4 datagram in which the header contains fields for each function, IPv6 defines separate headers for each function. Each IPv6 datagram consists of a base header followed by zero or more extension headers, followed by data. Like IPv4, IPv6 defines an address for each network connection. Thus, as in IPv4, a computer that connects to multiple physical networks (e.g., a router) has multiple addresses. However special addresses are completely changed in IPv6. Instead of IPv4's notion of network broadcast, IPv6 defines multicast and anycast (cluster) addresses, both of which correspond to a set of computers. A multicast address corresponds to a set of computers at multiple sites that are treated as single entity; each computer in that set will receive a copy of any datagram sent to the set. A cluster permits replication of services; a datagram sent to a cluster address will be delivered to exactly one member of the cluster. To make IPv6 addresses easier for people to use, the designers propose using colon hexadecimal notation, which expresses groups of 16 bits in hexadecimal, with a colon separating groups. The resulting notation is more compact than the dotted decimal form used in IPv4. Today about 6 billion people inhabit the earth. They own an estimated 350 million computers and 480 million mobile phones. The number of mobile phones and PDAs is expected to reach one billion by 2003. The reason we are quickly moving beyond the capabilities of the current protocol has a lot to do with the propagation of wireless devices and new services, as well as the subsequent of massive demand for more addressees. The very concept of computers is changing rapidly as cars, vending machines and even house hold applications follow the lead of the PC and become connected to the Internet. Each one will require its own unique address. It is estimated that within seven to ten years a single user will manage an average of 10 addresses and this number could grow higher in future. Wireless gambling, music on demand, video content and video conferencing are becoming a reality. With IPv6 every person on earth could have a million uniquely addressees and the individually locatable IP devices. With this kind of capability we could create the potential for virtually unlimited access to the Internet for variety of devises. (Techiwarehouse) Some of the benefits of IPv6 seem obvious: greater addressing space, built-in QoS, and better routing performance and services. However, a number of barriers

Entamoeba histolytica Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Entamoeba histolytica - Essay Example This disease spreads rapidly in highly populated places that lack the basic facilities of sanitation and hygiene and is thus more common in the still developing or under developed countries. Classification of any organism depends on its external and internal characteristics and taxonomy is a branch that deals with this classification. Cellular organisms can be classified into two groups- the eukaryotes and prokaryotes. The eukaryotes again can be divided into four basic types or kingdoms. As Sleigh (1991) frames it â€Å"Animalia or multicellular animals (Parazoa, Mesozoa and Metazoa), Plantae or green land plants (Bryophyta and Tracheophyta), Fungi ..and Protista, comprising eukaryote groups formerly classed as algae, protozoa and flagellate fungi†( Sleigh, 1991). The sub kingdom protozoa are not much in use nowadays. Protozoan refers to heterotrophic, unicellular and microscopic protists that can perform functions similar to that of multicellular animals and E. histolytica falls under this protozoan sub kingdom. Like any other Protista its cellular membranes are made of lipoprotein. Its order is amoebida as like any other amoeba it possesses pseudopodia and a f ree flowing cytoplasm that can move into any form of cellular projections often carrying the contractile and food vacuole into the projections. This parasitic protozoan forms a part of the genus entamoeba. The species name of histolytica refers to its highly pathogenic nature, histo-lytic or that which causes destruction of cells and tissues. Thus its taxonomic classification can be outlined as: E.histolytica is a single celled anaerobic eukaryote. However under the electron microscope it is seen that it lacks many of the cellular organelles that are present in other eukaryotic organisms. They lack the golgi bodies, the rough endoplasmic reticulum, the mitochondria and the microtubules. It was

The Beat Generation and the Sixties Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

The Beat Generation and the Sixties - Essay Example They were a postwar generation, and the war had made them weary and long to escape. They turned to inner examination in the form of literature, to drugs and in some cases to crime. It was this emotion and the desire to escape from the bounds of life and society that paved the way for the cultural revolution of the 1960s. The 1960s were a decade of social and cultural change, commonly known for indulgence and excess, as well as the disregard for many of social norms of the time. Two different impulses drove the youth of the sixties, the spiritual and the desire for revolution. Both of these impulses can be tied back to the Beat Generation. The term Beat was first used by writer Herbert Huncke who picked it up in Chicago. In that context, beat was used to describe the condition of travelers who had been travelling for a long time. However, it was the phrase â€Å"I guess you might say we’re a Beat Generation† made by Jack Kerouac and quoted by writer John Holmes that make the term popular . Members of the Beat Generation were far from the stereotypical American, and as such, they challenged the perceptions of those around them. They were considered to be interested in the extremes of life, too independent and intent to be taken seriously by their elders or society around them . Television and magazines depicted the Beats as rebels , and to many extents they were. Although there was no universal politic for the Beat Generation, it could generally be considered a worn down culture, rubbed raw from repeated use and abuse and tired of the rigidly of society around them. Many used drugs as a means of escaping the confines of society and those that broke laws showed little to no guilt about doing so . The Beat Generation had either fought or witnessed the Second World War, and years of fighting, hardship and loss had led to many angry at the cost of victory and tired of the violence of war . These two factors combined in the sixties to produce a generatio n that saw war as a waste of lives and was tired of the oppressive nature of government. The Vietnam War had been in operation since 1955 however, it was early in the sixties that the war became especially prevalent. In addition, the Bay of Pigs, a failed attempt at overthrowing the Cuban government occurred in 1961 and the Cuban Missile Crisis occurred in 1962. All of these events considerably grew the antiwar sentiment among the population resulting in a change from the non active Beat Generation, that did not get politically involved, to the anti-war protests of the hippie era. The same can be seen in regards to the environment. The desire to defend the environment was prominent among many members of the Beat Generation, yet other members of the generation had no interest in it . In addition, some of those interested in environmental conservation did not wish to identify with the Beat Generation label. This desire to protect the environment grew from the Beat Generation, inspirin g a save the environment movement within the sixties. Thus, while both the Beat Generation and those from the sixties had many of the same values, these grew from a more theoretical base within the Beats to something that was applied actively through protests and movements. The American Dream, prosperity and security appeared readily available in the 1950s, but not so for the Beat

Night Photography Research Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Night Photography Research Paper - Essay Example It was John Adams Whipple that has firstly tried the system of daguerreotype into nigh photography. He captured the moon using a telescope. Following this, he then took photographs of the Boston Common using electric lights. This was in the year 1863. Although Whipple has been taking photographs specifically during at night, night photography had only been positively real with the invention of the gelatin dry plate. Earlier photography had used the wet-collodion process. In this process the negatives are needed to be exposed and processed while still damp. However, with the gelatin dry plate process, the plates were more light sensitive and they allow longer exposures. In 1890, Alfred Stieglitz tried testing the limits of the photography when he tried capturing the New York Streets on wintry night. Aside from this attempt, there was no significant attempt for night photography until the 1930s. The two significant people that have contributed to night photography were Brassai and Bill Brandt. Brassai was responsible for publishing a book of black and white pictures showing the streets of Paris. This book was Paris de Nuit. The photos in Brassai's book were patented by atmosphere. They were moody, revealing and even gives the feeling of detachment from its photographers. After World War II, it was Brandt's turn to show the London streets during its black out condition. Brandt's photos also with them a sense of detachment from their photographer. Many photographers followed Brandt into night photography. Then in the 1970s, night photography became formal when it was taught as a course in the collegiate level by Steve Harper. He taught the course on night photography at the Academy of Art College in San Francisco. After having taught night photography at the academy, the academy had been known for the legacy of night photography. Then come the 1990s where in Michael Kenna became known for being a successful night photographer that time. His works were mostly set in between duck and dawn. Now with the emergence of new technologies, innovations and developments with cameras used, people have an easier way for venturing into the world of night photography. Yet night photography still has areas or aspects in it which is needed to be understood so as how to create and even develop worthwhile pictures. Glitches in Night Photography Just like in sports and landscape photography, night photography also demand a great deal when it comes to shutter speeds and apertures. In some instances, these technical aspects are taken into extremes. Night photography is subjected to a lot of different constraints just like any other photography. Much like daylight photography, night photography could also be hindered by shutter speeds, apertures and light sensitivity. Often times, night photography as said could demand extremes from these areas. In earlier times, many photographers veer away from night photography because of the problems brought about by taking pictures at night. Night photography requires longer exposures so as to maintain the right and enough depth-of-field. More often, it could result to unacceptable amounts of image noise. Another, night photography also poses a problem with the film called "reciprocity failure". This means that the longer the exposure, the more light is needed to reach the film. This case could lead to diminishing returns compared with shorter exposures. Another problem that was encountered earlier was that, the

Full block international letter Essay Example for Free

Full block international letter Essay September 11, 2007 Dear Mr. John, Thanks for writing to us, enquiring about our new hair-product, â€Å"Growmore†. We appreciate your kind interest. We are aware that you are one of the top super-stockiest of hair-oil products in your State, California; you have the network to supply the products to about 3000 boutiques all over the State. We have received hundreds of enquiries from your State, in response to our mail-order communication, but you are the one selected by the Company for further negotiations for a sales contract. Yes, it is possible with you. Though we do not have any business dealings so far, our Managing Director Mr.Wills Parker is personally aware of the reputation of your Company. We believe, you have gone through the product catalogue. Being in this line, you must have come across some interesting new features about this oil. This product is catching up fast with the women clients; it is already the number one product of our company within a short span of two years. Extensive promotion of this product is being done this year in the European and USA markets. Now that we are on the threshold of a working deal, I need to share some additional information with you, not mentioned in the catalogue. A research team of five, all of them holding Doctorates in herbal medicines, was given the responsibility of developing this unique product, three years ago. Along with application of the oil, guidelines about figure, diets and nutrition, exercising, staying young and healthy and beauty problems of every kind have been given. The truth about this hair oil is that mere applications will not do; hair-growth can not be bought in a jar it is necessary to tell the truth to a client, to win the long-term trust—one has to change the living style. The results are guaranteed. Only a healthy individual will have the healthy growth of hair. Every woman, irrespective of the age, would like to remain poised and sophisticated, with a stunning hair-growth. Hair is the permanent and most versatile accessory of a woman. It is a vital part of her personality and looks. To a cosmopolitan woman, it is a medium of art and self-expression. We only wish to assure them that it is possible to fulfill their aspirations. This is the genuine assurance of our product. This product cures the existing problems and prevents the impending ones that contribute to then loss of hair. I am writing this letter in some length, because we are aware that you are the stockiest of hair oil and other products for many companies. We demand your very best attention to promote our product at the initial stage. We say, at the initial stage, because we know, the intelligent and satisfied customers will then take over the sales campaign for the benefit of both of us. Chemically prepared and preserved cosmetics have done enough damage to the hair of women. Now the herbs, fruits and vegetables have taken over. The facts mentioned in hundreds of ancient texts on herbal oils have been researched over, and this product is the result of it. The first dispatch of 2000 jars is under way. As discussed over the phone, our Chief Sales Manager (International), Mr. K. L. Baptist will call on you, with an appointment, within the next ten days. We look forward for a happy and long association with you. Yours truly, Mark Patterson. Deputy General Manager.

Communication and Interpersonal Skills Reflection

Communication and Interpersonal Skills Reflection The aim of this report is to look at a critical incident that occurred in placement and relate this to the theory and knowledge regarding communication and interpersonal skills, so as to demonstrate an understanding of my views on the art and science of reflection and the issues surrounding reflective practice Reflection is part of reflective practice and a skill that is developed. It can be seen as a way of adjusting to life as a qualified healthcare professional and enhancing the development of a professional identity (Atwal Jones, 2009). Reflection is defined as a process of reviewing an experience which involves description, analysis and evaluation to enhance learning in practice (Rolfe et al 2001). This is supported by Fleming (2006), who described it as a process of reasoned thought. It enables the practitioner to critically assess self and their approach to practice. Reflective practice is advocated in healthcare as a learning process that encourages self-evaluation with subsequent professional development planning (Zuzelo, 2010). Reflective practice has been identified as one of the key ways in which we can learn from our experiences. The incident that was chosen was so for the reasons that the situation made the student aware of inadequacies on his own part and those of the staff on the team, which made him reflect upon the situation and how this could be learned from, so as not to make the same mistake again. Before the critical incident is examined it is important to look at what a critical incident is and why it is important to nursing practice. Girot (1997), cited in Maslin-Prothero, (1997) states that critical incidents are a means of exploring a certain situation in practice and recognising what has been learned from the situation. Benner (1984, cited by Kacperek, 1997) argues that nurses cannot increase or develop their knowledge to its full potential unless they examine their own practice. Confidentiality will be maintained as required by the Nursing Midwifery Council Code (NMC, 2008). MODELS In order to provide a framework for methods, practices and processes for building knowledge from practice, there are several models of reflection available. All can help to direct individual reflection. Reflective models, however, are not meant to be used as a rigid set of questions to be answered but to give some structure and encourage making a record of the activity. Johns (2004) model reflects on uncovering the knowledge behind the incident and the actions of others present. It is a good tool for thinking, exploring ideas, clarifying opinions and supports learning. Another model, Schon (1987), however, identifies two types of reflection that can be applied in healthcare, Reflection-in-action and Reflection-on-action. Reflection-in-action can also be described as thinking whilst doing. Reflection-on-action involves revisiting experiences and further analysing them to improve skills and enhance future practice. Terry Bortons (1970) 3 stem questions: What?, So What? and Now What? were developed by John Driscoll in 1994, 2000 and 2007. Driscoll matched the 3 questions to the stages of an experiential learning cycle, and added trigger questions that can be used to complete the cycle. However, Driscoll (2006) notes that reflective practice is often represented as a choice for health professionals, whether to be reflective or not to be, about their clinical practice. Finally, Gibbs (1988) reflective cycle is fairly straightforward and encourages a clear description of the situation, analysis of feelings, evaluation of the experience, analysis to make sense of the experience, conclusion where other options are considered and reflection upon experience to examine what one would do if the situation arose again. In spite of all these models advantages, there are known barriers which prevent practitioners being able to reflect effectively and time plays a huge role. Smyth (2004) questions whether there is any time to think and be reflective because of the busy work environment that practitioners are involved in. CHOSEN MODEL In this report, I have chosen to use Gibbs Reflective Cycle (1988) as a framework, because it focuses on different aspects of an experience and allows the learner to revisit the event fully. Gibbs (1988) will help me to explore the experience further, using a staged framework as guidance and I feel that this is a simple model, which is well structured and easy to use at this early stage in my course. This model comprises of a process that helps the individual look at a situation and think about their thoughts and feelings at the time of the incident; and consists of six stages to complete one cycle. Its cyclical nature starts with a description of the situation. This includes e.g. where were you; who else was there; why were you there; what were you doing; what were other people doing. Next is to analysis of the feelings that is, trying to recall and explore those things that were going on inside your head? The third stage is an evaluation of the experience; making a judgement regarding the reasons behind the event and its possible consequences. The fourth stage is an analysis to make sense of the experience. At this stage the event is broken down into its component parts so they can be explored separately. The fifth stage is a conclusion of what else could I have done; the creation of insight through the reflective process towards individual roles within the event being considered. And final stage is an action plan to prepare if the situation arose again. That is, recognitions leading towards behavioural adjustments where faced with similar events in the future (NHS, 2006). The use of this model represents a fundamental shift from the ideas of Kolb in that Gibbs model specifically refers to the key processes within reflection itself, rather than as reflection as a process within general learning. Reflective practice can mean taking our experiences as an initial point for our learning and developing practice (Jasper, 2003). Many literatures have been written in the past that suggest the use of reflective assignments and journaling as tools to improve reflection and thinking skills in healthcare (Chapman et al, 2008). Reflective journals are an ideal way to be actively involved in learning (Millinkovic Field, 2005) and can be implemented to allow practitioners to record events and document their thoughts and actions on daily situations, and how this may affect their future practice (Williams Wessel, 2004). The experience gained in this can then be used to deal with other situations in a professional manner. By contemplating it thus, I am able to appreciate it and guided to where future development work is required. Context of incident In the scenario the patients name will be given as Xst. The consequences of my actions for the client will be explained and how they might have been improved, including what I learned from the experience. My feelings about the clinical skills used to manage the clients care will be established and my new understanding of the situation especially in relation to evidence based practice will be considered. I will finally reflect on what actions I will take in order to ensure my continued professional development and learning. Xst is 55 year old woman who has a 10 year old daughter. She suffers from psychiatric problems, lack of motivation and has difficulties in maintaining her personal hygiene and the cleanliness of her flat. She was one of my mentors clients to whom I had been assigned to coordinate and oversee her care under supervision. Nurses owe their patients a duty of care and are expected to offer a high standard of care based on current best practise, (NMC 2008). Description Xst had been prescribed Risperidone Consta 37.5mg fortnightly, which is a moderate medication. Risperidone belongs to a group of medicines called antipsychotic, which are usually used to help treat people with schizophrenia and similar condition such as psychosis. Xst did not like attending depot clinic and she missed three consecutive appointments. My mentor decided after the third non-attendance to raise the issue in the handover meeting where it was decided to see Xst in the morning but when we arrived she was not there. We left a note for her to call the office. We did not hear from her and a further home visit was carried out to arrange for her next depot clinic appointment. I was asked to call a meeting of the multi-disciplinary team (MDT) who, at the meeting agreed that there would be a problem if the next injections were missed. At the next clinic, we waited for about an hour but she failed to attend. At a subsequent meeting with the patient, she agreed a joint visit with the CPN, my mentor and me to re-assess her condition and consider if it was necessary to refer her case to the Consultant. I was given the opportunity to participate in the assessment, which showed that her behaviour was very unpredictable and very forgetful. Her inability to take her medication and to manage her personal hygiene clearly demonstrated that she was not well and indeed, had no insight into her illness and was in denial (Barker, 2004). However, the patient had been very upset because of the lack of communication and interpersonal skills that the staff and the student had displayed. I talked to Xst about her non-concordance with her medication, whilst stroking her hand but she persisted in saying she was well. I reminded her that continuous use of the medication would benefit her mental health and protect her against relapse. We agreed that she could discuss this with the doctor on her next outpatient appointment, with the option of reviewing or reducing her medication. I stressed the importance of her communicating any side effects or reservations she may have about the medication to doctor. She appeared to understand this and following the discussion, she finally complied with her depot injection. Feeling During the handover, I was nervous as I felt uncomfortable about giving feedback to the whole team. I was worried about making mistakes during my handover that could lead to inappropriate care being given to Xst or could cause her readmission to hospital. As a student nurse I felt I lacked the necessary experience to be passing information to a group of qualified staff members. However, I dealt with the situation with outward calm and in a professional manner. I was very pleased that my mentor was available during the handover to offer me support and this increased my confidence. Evaluation What was good about the experience was that I was able to carry out the initial assessment and identify what caused Xst failure to comply with the treatment regime. From my assessment I documented the outcome and related what had happened to the MDT with minimal assistance. Accurate documentation of patients care and treatment should communicate to other members of the team in order to provide continuity of care (NMC, 2008). The experience has improved my communication skills immensely, I felt supported throughout the handover by my mentor who was constantly involved when I missed out any information. Thomas et al, (1997) explains that supervision is an important development tool for all learners. The team were very supportive throughout the process as they took my information without doubt. What was not good about the experience was the fact that my mentor had not informed me that I was going to handover the information; as a result I had not mentally prepared myself for it. I also felt that I needed more time to observe other professionals in the team carrying out their handovers before I attempted to carry out mine. During the first MDT meeting, I felt that we did not provide enough time to freely interact with Xst to identify other psychosocial needs that could impact on her health. However, in any event, she was unable to fully engage because of her mental state. Turley (2000) suggests that nursing staff should include their interaction with the patient when recording assessment details, which can be used to provide evidence for future planning and delivery of care. Dougherty and Lister (2004) have suggested that healthcare professionals should use listening as part of assessing patient problems, needs and resources. Analysis The literature regarding communication and interpersonal skills is vast and extensive. Upon reading a small amount of the vast literature available, the author was able to analyse the incident, and look at how badly this situation was handled. I realised communication is the main key in the nursing profession as suggested by Long (1999) who states that interpersonal skills are a form of tool that is necessary for effective communication. The behaviour of the person listening to the person who is talking is important during the interpersonal process (Burnard, 1992).The author used touch to convey support, genuineness and empathy, which is essential for the helping relationship (Betts, 2002, cited in Kenworthy et al, 2002). Carl Rogers (1967, cited by Betts, 2002, in Kenworthy et al, 2002) recommended three principal conditions necessary for effective counseling: empathic understanding, congruence or genuineness and unconditional positive regard. The terms genuineness and congruence ar e used interchangeably and used to describe the helper always being real in the helping relationship (Betts, 2002, cited in Kenworthy et al, 2002). I found it difficult to communicate with the patient initially because I did not understand her condition ( Adams,2008). It was also difficult for me not to take her behaviour to heart and show emotion at the time and thought this to be a failure. Even though the NMC (2008) maintains that nurses have a responsibility to empower patient in their care and to identify and minimise risk to patient, the principle of beneficence (to do well) must be balanced against no maleficence (doing no harm) (Beauchamp and Childress, 2001). All these transactions were recorded in Xsts care plan file and on computer. Good record keeping is an integral part of nursing and midwifery practice, and is essential to the provision of safe and effective care. It is not an optional extra to be fitted in if circumstances allow NMC (2009). The consequences of my actions for the patient and her daughter were that she attended to her daughters needs and to her personal hygiene, and made regular fortnightly visits t o the clinic. Her mental condition was improved. She was allowed to continue on her moderate medication and she did not have to be readmitted in the hospital. However, Bulman Schutz (2008) argue that this failure is to educate and for us to learn from practice and develop thinking skills. I would agree with them, as I learn best from practical experience, and build on it to improve my skills. With this is mind, I am now going to focus on my weaknesses, in both theory and practice, and state how, when and why I plan to improve on these. Through effective communication I was able to convince Xst of the need to take her medication. I was able to pass on the information to the MDT for continuity of care. Roger et al (2003) concluded that communication is an on-going process but can be a difficult process when dealing with mental health problems. Whilst talking I attempted to use Egans SOLER (Egan, 1990, cited in Burnard, 1992).The SOLER acronym is an aid to identifying and remembering the behaviours that should be implemented in order to promote effective listening (Burnard, 1992). I Sat facing Xst; assumed an Open posture; Leaned towards Xst slightly (in order to express interest); maintained Eye contact and attempted to appear Relaxed, as advised by Egan. During the handover I was pleased that the MDT members were supportive and interested in what I was saying and they asked questions. My mentor explained that a patient with schizophrenia can often behave like this as they develop dementia, which Noble (2007) also confirms. Since the incident I have read about schizophrenia and I am now aware that the patients expressionless face Netdoctor (2008), also made her comments appear more confusing and aggressive. Conclusion In conclusion, I have learnt that through effective communication, any problem can be solved regardless of the environment, circumstances or its complexity. Therefore, nurses must ensure they are effective communicators. I have identified the weaknesses that should be turned to strengths. I am now working on strengthening my assertiveness, confidence and communication skills. Participating in the care of Xst I have realised that a good background information and feedback about mental health problems before providing care to clients can assist in accurate diagnosis and progress monitoring. A good relationship between client and staff nurse is therapeutic and help in building trust. This can be achieved by a free communication that allows the client to express their feelings and concern without the fear of intimidation. From the experience, I feel the knowledge I have acquired will aid me in future practice should such situation arise again. Action Plan So that I could identify my strengths and weaknesses in both theory and practice easily, I found that the use of a SWOT analysis provided a good framework to follow. I have then built on this by producing a development plan that focuses on my weaknesses and how, when and why I plan to improve on them. I will now begin to work on these, the main reason being of course, that I am determined to be a competent, professional nurse in the future. I am now more prepared for any future patients with this disease as I have researched it. I will take the time to talk to them, to make sure they are at ease with me, before providing any care. If they appear distressed I would get another member of staff to help me to reassure them. Learning Need To improve my knowledge about patients illnesses and the risks of relapse associated with not taking medication. To identify and have good background information and feedback about patients mental health problems before providing care to them. To ensure a good rapport exist between my patient and I, in order to build up a therapeutic relationship with them and to gain their trust. To have effective communication with the patients and other members of the multidisciplinary team and being prepared. Planned action to meet these learning needs I aim to read books about different illnesses and causes of relapse and to read my patients notes. I will be talking with senior members of staff and allocating time to talk to patients and their relatives and participating in the ward round. Finally, I will have regular meetings with my clients. Target time to meet the learning needs I hope by the end of third year and some will be on-going skills to develop throughout the training. CONCLUSION I have clearly demonstrated that by using a reflective model as a guide, I have been able to break down, make sense of, and learn from my experience during my placement. At the time of the incident I felt very inadequate It was also difficult for me not to take her behaviour to heart and show emotion at the time, it is clear that this is an area I need to build on for the future. Nursing requires effective preparation so that we can care competently, with knowledge and professional skills being developed over a professional lifetime. One way this can be achieved is through what some writers refers to as technical rationality, where professionals are problem solvers that select technical means best suited to particular purposes. Problems are solved by applying theory and technique. The invaluable use of non-verbal communication has now become clearer to the author. The author believes he has become more self-aware regarding his own non-verbal communication and hopes that in the future he will use his communication skills to become a better advocate for the patient in his care. The aim of this report is to look at a critical incident that occurred in placement and relate this to the theory and knowledge regarding communication and interpersonal skills, so as to demonstrate an understanding of my views on the art and science of reflection and the issues surrounding reflective practice Reflection is part of reflective practice and a skill that is developed. It can be seen as a way of adjusting to life as a qualified healthcare professional and enhancing the development of a professional identity (Atwal Jones, 2009). Reflection is defined as a process of reviewing an experience which involves description, analysis and evaluation to enhance learning in practice (Rolfe et al 2001). This is supported by Fleming (2006), who described it as a process of reasoned thought. It enables the practitioner to critically assess self and their approach to practice. Reflective practice is advocated in healthcare as a learning process that encourages self-evaluation with subsequent professional development planning (Zuzelo, 2010). Reflective practice has been identified as one of the key ways in which we can learn from our experiences. The incident that was chosen was so for the reasons that the situation made the student aware of inadequacies on his own part and those of the staff on the team, which made him reflect upon the situation and how this could be learned from, so as not to make the same mistake again. Before the critical incident is examined it is important to look at what a critical incident is and why it is important to nursing practice. Girot (1997), cited in Maslin-Prothero, (1997) states that critical incidents are a means of exploring a certain situation in practice and recognising what has been learned from the situation. Benner (1984, cited by Kacperek, 1997) argues that nurses cannot increase or develop their knowledge to its full potential unless they examine their own practice. Confidentiality will be maintained as required by the Nursing Midwifery Council Code (NMC, 2008). MODELS In order to provide a framework for methods, practices and processes for building knowledge from practice, there are several models of reflection available. All can help to direct individual reflection. Reflective models, however, are not meant to be used as a rigid set of questions to be answered but to give some structure and encourage making a record of the activity. Johns (2004) model reflects on uncovering the knowledge behind the incident and the actions of others present. It is a good tool for thinking, exploring ideas, clarifying opinions and supports learning. Another model, Schon (1987), however, identifies two types of reflection that can be applied in healthcare, Reflection-in-action and Reflection-on-action. Reflection-in-action can also be described as thinking whilst doing. Reflection-on-action involves revisiting experiences and further analysing them to improve skills and enhance future practice. Terry Bortons (1970) 3 stem questions: What?, So What? and Now What? were developed by John Driscoll in 1994, 2000 and 2007. Driscoll matched the 3 questions to the stages of an experiential learning cycle, and added trigger questions that can be used to complete the cycle. However, Driscoll (2006) notes that reflective practice is often represented as a choice for health professionals, whether to be reflective or not to be, about their clinical practice. Finally, Gibbs (1988) reflective cycle is fairly straightforward and encourages a clear description of the situation, analysis of feelings, evaluation of the experience, analysis to make sense of the experience, conclusion where other options are considered and reflection upon experience to examine what one would do if the situation arose again. In spite of all these models advantages, there are known barriers which prevent practitioners being able to reflect effectively and time plays a huge role. Smyth (2004) questions whether there is any time to think and be reflective because of the busy work environment that practitioners are involved in. CHOSEN MODEL In this report, I have chosen to use Gibbs Reflective Cycle (1988) as a framework, because it focuses on different aspects of an experience and allows the learner to revisit the event fully. Gibbs (1988) will help me to explore the experience further, using a staged framework as guidance and I feel that this is a simple model, which is well structured and easy to use at this early stage in my course. This model comprises of a process that helps the individual look at a situation and think about their thoughts and feelings at the time of the incident; and consists of six stages to complete one cycle. Its cyclical nature starts with a description of the situation. This includes e.g. where were you; who else was there; why were you there; what were you doing; what were other people doing. Next is to analysis of the feelings that is, trying to recall and explore those things that were going on inside your head? The third stage is an evaluation of the experience; making a judgement regarding the reasons behind the event and its possible consequences. The fourth stage is an analysis to make sense of the experience. At this stage the event is broken down into its component parts so they can be explored separately. The fifth stage is a conclusion of what else could I have done; the creation of insight through the reflective process towards individual roles within the event being considered. And final stage is an action plan to prepare if the situation arose again. That is, recognitions leading towards behavioural adjustments where faced with similar events in the future (NHS, 2006). The use of this model represents a fundamental shift from the ideas of Kolb in that Gibbs model specifically refers to the key processes within reflection itself, rather than as reflection as a process within general learning. Reflective practice can mean taking our experiences as an initial point for our learning and developing practice (Jasper, 2003). Many literatures have been written in the past that suggest the use of reflective assignments and journaling as tools to improve reflection and thinking skills in healthcare (Chapman et al, 2008). Reflective journals are an ideal way to be actively involved in learning (Millinkovic Field, 2005) and can be implemented to allow practitioners to record events and document their thoughts and actions on daily situations, and how this may affect their future practice (Williams Wessel, 2004). The experience gained in this can then be used to deal with other situations in a professional manner. By contemplating it thus, I am able to appreciate it and guided to where future development work is required. Context of incident In the scenario the patients name will be given as Xst. The consequences of my actions for the client will be explained and how they might have been improved, including what I learned from the experience. My feelings about the clinical skills used to manage the clients care will be established and my new understanding of the situation especially in relation to evidence based practice will be considered. I will finally reflect on what actions I will take in order to ensure my continued professional development and learning. Xst is 55 year old woman who has a 10 year old daughter. She suffers from psychiatric problems, lack of motivation and has difficulties in maintaining her personal hygiene and the cleanliness of her flat. She was one of my mentors clients to whom I had been assigned to coordinate and oversee her care under supervision. Nurses owe their patients a duty of care and are expected to offer a high standard of care based on current best practise, (NMC 2008). Description Xst had been prescribed Risperidone Consta 37.5mg fortnightly, which is a moderate medication. Risperidone belongs to a group of medicines called antipsychotic, which are usually used to help treat people with schizophrenia and similar condition such as psychosis. Xst did not like attending depot clinic and she missed three consecutive appointments. My mentor decided after the third non-attendance to raise the issue in the handover meeting where it was decided to see Xst in the morning but when we arrived she was not there. We left a note for her to call the office. We did not hear from her and a further home visit was carried out to arrange for her next depot clinic appointment. I was asked to call a meeting of the multi-disciplinary team (MDT) who, at the meeting agreed that there would be a problem if the next injections were missed. At the next clinic, we waited for about an hour but she failed to attend. At a subsequent meeting with the patient, she agreed a joint visit with the CPN, my mentor and me to re-assess her condition and consider if it was necessary to refer her case to the Consultant. I was given the opportunity to participate in the assessment, which showed that her behaviour was very unpredictable and very forgetful. Her inability to take her medication and to manage her personal hygiene clearly demonstrated that she was not well and indeed, had no insight into her illness and was in denial (Barker, 2004). However, the patient had been very upset because of the lack of communication and interpersonal skills that the staff and the student had displayed. I talked to Xst about her non-concordance with her medication, whilst stroking her hand but she persisted in saying she was well. I reminded her that continuous use of the medication would benefit her mental health and protect her against relapse. We agreed that she could discuss this with the doctor on her next outpatient appointment, with the option of reviewing or reducing her medication. I stressed the importance of her communicating any side effects or reservations she may have about the medication to doctor. She appeared to understand this and following the discussion, she finally complied with her depot injection. Feeling During the handover, I was nervous as I felt uncomfortable about giving feedback to the whole team. I was worried about making mistakes during my handover that could lead to inappropriate care being given to Xst or could cause her readmission to hospital. As a student nurse I felt I lacked the necessary experience to be passing information to a group of qualified staff members. However, I dealt with the situation with outward calm and in a professional manner. I was very pleased that my mentor was available during the handover to offer me support and this increased my confidence. Evaluation What was good about the experience was that I was able to carry out the initial assessment and identify what caused Xst failure to comply with the treatment regime. From my assessment I documented the outcome and related what had happened to the MDT with minimal assistance. Accurate documentation of patients care and treatment should communicate to other members of the team in order to provide continuity of care (NMC, 2008). The experience has improved my communication skills immensely, I felt supported throughout the handover by my mentor who was constantly involved when I missed out any information. Thomas et al, (1997) explains that supervision is an important development tool for all learners. The team were very supportive throughout the process as they took my information without doubt. What was not good about the experience was the fact that my

Impact of Airports Political, Environmental and Social

Impact of Airports Political, Environmental and Social Airports play an important economic role within their local communities. Airports serve a significant role in the economic shaping of the communities of which they serve due to the sheer actuality that they are among the largest public facilities in the world. It is well understood that a viable and efficient transportation system is a fundamental and necessary component to the economy of any region (Wells Young, 2004). Although there is no doubt that the presence of an airport has great positive impacts on a surrounding community from an economic standpoint, the presence of an airport, much like any large industrial complex, unfortunately impacts the community and surrounding natural environment in what many consider a negative manner. These effects are a result of activity whose sources is the airport itself and of vehicles, as well as both aircraft and ground vehicles, which travel to and from the airport (Wells Young, 2004). Examine the political, environmental and social impact an airport has on its local community. Analyze some rules and regulations that govern environmental impact activities, and explain how their strategies help satisfy the needs of the local communities while maintaining sufficient airport operations. Determine and evaluate the role technology plays in mitigating the risks and reducing the environmental impacts created by airport activity. Determine if a relationship exist between community economic growth indicators and airport activity. Program Outcome addressed by this question. 1. P.O. #1: Students will be able to apply the fundamentals of air transportation as part of a global, multimodal transportation system, including the technological, social, environmental, and political aspects of the system to examine, compare, analyze and recommend conclusion. A literary review will analyze the environmental impacts of airports on the surrounding communities in which they serve. An evaluation of environmentally related complaints filed against aviation activity and reported to the FAA will determine the most significant environmental impacts associated with airports. Predicting the future of the global multimodal air transportation system is impossible without first understanding the local role and responsibility of each component of the air transportation system. This question will show evidence of satisfying the Program Outcome by demonstrating how the social, economical, political, and environmental fundamentals of an airport are an integral part of the air transportation system, and how these factors contribute to the relationship that an airport has with its surrounding communities. Research and Analysis Airports serve a significant role in the political, economic, and social shaping of the communities of which they serve due to the sheer actuality that they are among the largest public facilities in the world. Political Roles A major commercial airport is a huge public enterprise. Some are literally cities in their own right, with a great variety of facilities and services (Wells Young, 2004). Although the administrative functions and responsibilities of these facilities are governed by public entities, airports are also comprised of private dispositions. Commercial airports must be operated in cooperation with the air carriers that provide air transportation service and all airports must work with tenants, such as concessionaires, fixed-based operators (FBOs), and other firms doing business on airport property. This amalgamation of public management and private enterprise fashions a unique political role for airport management (Wells Young, 2004). Airline carrier-airport relationships. One of the most prominent and essential relationships in the aviation industry is the airport airline relationship. When viewing the relationship from the airlines standpoint, an airport is a point along their route system for the purpose of enplaning, deplaning, and transferring passengers, cargo, and freight. To facilitate effective and efficient operations, the airlines necessitate specific facilities and services at each airport. The specified requirements of the airports are as varied and unique as the airlines who request them; however, they scarcely remain stagnant, as they are ever changing and evolving to meet the needs of traffic demands, economic conditions, and the competitive climate. Before airline deregulation in 1978, response to changes of this sort was slow and mediated by the regulatory process. Airlines had to apply to the Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB) for permission to add or drop routes or to change fares. CAB deliberations involved published notices, comments f rom opposing parties, and sometimes hearings that could take months, even years, and all members of the airline airport community were aware of an airline carriers intention to make a change long before they received permission from the CAB (Wells Young, 2004). The Deregulation Act of 1978 enabled air carriers to change their routes and fares without awaiting the approval of the CAB. Many of these changes occurred on short notice, thus causing airline necessities and requirements at airports to change with haste. Contrary to the viewpoints of air carriers, which operate at multiple airports over a route system connecting many cities, airports concentrate on accommodating the interests of a variety of users at a solitary location. Airport operators and managers have the strenuous task of ensuring that they meet all the demands and requirements of their airline carriers while maintaining their resources. Due to the rapidly changing specifics of each airline carrier, airports often find their services and facilities needing improving or refurbishing, requiring major capital expenditures or even making obsolete an already constructed facility. Airport operators and managers must exercise diligence and caution in realizing that they accommodate and must meet the needs of other tenants and users besides the airline carriers, and must ensure that the airports landside facilities are effectively and efficiently utilized. Although the landside facilities are of minimal importance to the airline carrie rs, their efficiency can severely have an effect on and be affected by their operations. Despite their notably different perspectives, airline carriers and airports share the collective objective of making the airport a successful and established economic venture in which both parties can benefit and prosper from. Traditionally the relationship between the airline carriers and airports has been formally fused through the use of airport user agreements which establish the circumstances and methodology for establishing, calculating, and collecting usage fees and charges. These agreements are also used to identify the rights and privileges of air carriers, sometimes including the right to approve or disapprove any major proposed airport capital development projects (Wells Young, 2004). Residual cost airports, or airports where two or more air carriers assume financial risk by agreeing to pay any cost of running the airport that are not allocated to other users, typically have longer-term use agreements than compensatory airports, with agreements of terms of 20 or more year s and terms of 30 years or longer not being uncommon. On the other hand, only approximately half of compensatory airports, or airports in which the airport operator assumes the financial risk of running the airport and charges the air carrier fees and rental rates set so as to recover the actual costs, have agreements running for 20 years or more, with many of the compensatory airports having no contractual agreements whatsoever with the airline carriers (Wells Young, 2004). Concessionaire-airport relationships. Another vital relationship which attributes to an airports success is the relationship between the airport and the concessionaires. This is due to the fact that the majority of airports rely on their concessionaires in order to generate a considerable amount of their non-aviation related revenues. Airports maintain management contracts and concession agreements with the concessionaires who provided the airport with services and facilities such as banks, restaurants, hotels, car rental companies, parking facilities, bookstores, bars, gift shops, taxi services, and business centers. The context of these agreements varies to a great extent; however, they typically extend the various concessionaires the privilege of operating on the property of the airport in exchange for the greater payment of either a minimal annual fee, or a percentage of the revenues. These agreements can vary from outlet to outlet at the same airport depending upon location, nature of business, forecast turnover and whether or not the outlet is new (Francis et. al, 2004). The tenure of each agreement between the airport and the various concessionaires and the financial circumstances affixed to each will vary by airport and concessionaire. The length of the contractual agreement is dependent upon an array of criteria, with one of the most important being the level of investment required from the retailer. If little investment is required then a contract is often short term; however, if any substantial level of investment is required from the retailer then a contract of five years would be considered the minimum (Freathy OConnell, 1999). A concessionaire who is often overlooked when speaking of concessionaire, despite its critically important role, is the fixed based operator (FBO). FBOs generally provide services for airport firms, users, and tenants lacking facilities of their own, typically through fuel sales, and aircraft repair, service, and maintenance facility operations. The contracts and agreements between airport operators and FBOs vary due to FBOs constructing and developing its own facilities on airport property in some cases, and FBOs simply managing facilities belonging to the airport in other cases. In addition to concessionaires, some airport authorities serve as landlord to other tenants which may reside and operate on airport property such as industrial parks, freight forwarders, and warehouses, all of which can provide significant revenue. It is the responsibility of airport management to maintain fruitful political relationships with all tenants, by ensuring reasonable lease fees, contract terms, and an overall mix of tenants that meet the needs of the airport and the public it serves (Wells Young, 2004). General aviation-airport relationships. In contrast to airline carriers and concessionaires, contractual agreements are rarely used to characterize and solidify the relationships between airport operators and general aviation (GA). GA is a diverse group which can be comprised of GA aircraft owned and operated by an assortment of organizations and individuals for a miscellaneous number of leisure, business, or instructional purposes. Agreement when they are in place, are seldom long term due to the variety and diversity of owners and aircraft type and use. Airport facilities, in particular storage space such as hangars and tie-downs, are often leased from the airport with the airport playing the role of landlord in a landlord-tenant relationship. Thus, at the airport, the primary needs of GA are parking and storage space, along with facilities for fuel, maintenance, and repair. Whereas as air carrier might occupy a gate for an hour to deplane and enplane passengers and load fuel, a GA user might need to have property space to park an aircraft for a day or more (Wells Young, 2004). Airport-public relations. Indubitably, one of the most vital and challenging relationships that an airport must foster and maintain, is the relationship between the airport and its community it serves. The overall goal of the airport must be to create goodwill and a positive reputation for the airport and its products, services, and ideals with the community, who can affect its present and future welfare. Without regards to the size, location, or activity scope of an airport, every airport four publics in which it must deal with. These publics include the 1) external business public, which includes all segments of the business, government, educational, and general flying public; the 2) external general public, which is all the local citizens and taxpayer, many of whom have never been to the airport but who vote on airport issues or who represent citizens groups with particular concerns; the 3) internal business public, which includes the businesses and enterprises who interests are tied directly to the airpor t-the airlines, FBOs, other members of the GA community, government officials, and other aviation and travel-oriented local businesses and trade organizations, and the employees of all these enterprises; and the 4) internal employee public comprised of everyone who works for the airport and its parent organization (Wells Young, 2004). Like any other facility that is a part of and serves the total community, the airport requires total understanding by its community and publics, and must ensure that it creates an environment and atmosphere of awareness and acceptance. Airport regulatory policies. The airport has many organizations who are profoundly interested in their operations, and in developing and preserving airports due to their role in the national air transportation system and their value to the communities and publics they serve. The primary goal of these groups is to provide political support for their causes with hopes to influence federal, state, and local laws concerning airports and aviation operations in their favor (Wells Young, 2004). Some of the most prominent groups include the Aerospace Industries Association (AIA), the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA), the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA), the Airports Council International-North America (ACI-NA), the Air Transport Association of America (ATA), the American Association of Airport Executives (AAAE), the Aviation Distributors and Manufacturers Association (ADMA), the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA), the Flight Safety Foundation (FSF), the General Aviation Manufacturers Association (G AMA), the Helicopter Association International (HAI), the International Air Transport Association (IATA), the National Agricultural Aviation Association (NAAA), the National Air Transportation Association (NATA), the National Association of State Aviation Officials (NASAO), the National Business Aviation Association (NBAA), the Professional Aviation Maintenance Association (PAMA), and the Regional Airline Association (RAA). Economic Roles Unquestionably, airports are economic locomotives and a reflection of the community, publics, and region in which they reside, serve, and represent. Transportation, by definition, provides the ability for people and goods to move between communities, thus leading to trade and commerce between markets, which in turn, lead to jobs, earnings, and overall economic benefit for a communitys residents (Wells Young, 2004). Transportation role. Despite the fact that there are numerous modes of transportations, to include automobiles, trains, trucks, and ships, air travel has had a significant impact on trade and commerce that is absolutely unrivaled by any other transportation mode. In comparison to their sister modes of transportation, travel in the aviation system allows substantial amounts of passengers and cargo to travel internationally in relatively short periods of time, resulting in communities garnering extraordinary and exceptional economic benefit through providing them access to various world-wide markets. Stimulating economic growth. The airport has become vital to the growth of business and industry in a community by providing air access for companies that must meet the demands of supply, competition, and expanding marketing areas. Economic impacts of airports are measured according to direct impact and indirect, or induced, impact. Directs impacts include the economic activities carried out at the airport by airline carriers, airport management and operators, FBOs, and other firms, and tenants with a direct involvement with aviation. Airports and the agencies and tenants that directly impact the airports represent a major source of employment for their various outlying communities, with the wages and salaries earned by the employees of airport-related business having a significant direct economic impact on the local communities economy by providing the means to purchase goods and services while generating tax revenues as well. Local payrolls are not the only measure of an airports economic benefit to the commun ity. In addition, the employee expenditures generate successive waves of additional employment and purchases that are more difficult to measure, yet nevertheless substantial (Wells Young, 2004). Total Airport Earnings and Employment (Earnings in Millions) Category Earnings Jobs Salaries $208.91 4,870 Local Fuel Purchases $3.99 237 Local Non-Fuel Purchases $4.23 252 Rent $18.35 723 Equipment Purchases $1.39 82 Utilities $8.07 318 Contractual Services $41.77 1,647 State Taxes $10.16 125 Local Taxes $27.42 338 Other Spending $73.14 901 Hotel Spending $42.20 2,234 Construction $19.11 743 Total $458.74 12,471 * Totals may not add due to rounding Table 1: Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport (MSY) 2004 earnings and employment. Taken from MSY 2004 Airport Report In addition to the direct economic impact generated by the airport, the outlying communities receive indirect, or induced, impact generated by economic activities by on-airport businesses and off-airport business activities associated with the airport through-put, such as hotels, gas stations, restaurants, and travel agencies, as well their roles in facilitating trade and tourism, among others. The airport also indirectly supports the local economy through the use of local services for air cargo, food catering to the airlines, aircraft maintenance, and ground transportation on and around the airport, as regular purchases of fuel, food, goods, supplies, equipment, and other services permeate additional income into the communities surrounding the airport. The local economys tourism and business convention industry can also receive economic growth and substantial revenues indirectly impacted by the airport through air travelers patronage and use of hotels, restaurants, retail stores, sp orts and night clubs, rental cars, and local transportation, among others. Beyond the benefits that an airport brings to the community as a transportation facility and as a local industry, the airport has become a significant factor in the determination of real estate values in adjacent areas. Land located near airports almost always increases in value as the local economy begins to benefit from the presence of the airport. Land developers consistently seek land near airports, and it follows inexorably that a new airport will inspire extensive construction around it (Wells Young, 2004). TOTAL TAX REVENUE CREATED (In millions of $s) CATEGORY INCOME State Direct $9.95 Income $7.18 Selective Sales $7.52 General Sales $8.90 Business $2.48 Total State $36.04 Local Sales $10.57 Local Direct $23.83 Local Property Taxes $0.97 Total Local $35.38 State Plus Local $71.41 * Totals may not add due to rounding Table 2: MSY Tax revenue created 2004. Taken from MSY 2004 Airport Report Airports are a major force and contributor to the local, regional, and national economy with an impact that goes well beyond the actual physical boundaries of the airport. As cargo and passenger continue to rise, and infrastructure continue to improve, the importance and impacts of airports as economic catalyst will also continue to increase. Environmental Roles Although there is no doubt that the presence of an airport has great positive impacts on a surrounding community from an economic standpoint, the presence of an airport, much like any large industrial complex, unfortunately impacts the community and surrounding natural environment in what many consider a negative manner. These effects are a result of activity whose sources is the airport itself and of vehicles, as well as both aircraft and ground vehicles, which travel to and from the airport (Wells Young, 2004). Noise Impacts. Conceivably the most noteworthy environmental impact associated with airports is the noise emanated by the taking off and landing of aircraft, with engine maintenance and taxiing aircraft following closely behind. The impact of such noise on communities is usually analyzed in terms of the extent to which the noise annoys people by interfering with their normal activities, such as sleep, relaxation, speech, television, school, and business operations (GAO, 2000). According to a 1978 study that has become the generally accepted model for assessing the effects of long-term noise exposure, when sound exposure levels are measured by the method that assigns additional weight to sounds occurring at night (between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m.), and those sound levels exceed 65 decibels, individuals report a noticeable increase in annoyance (Schultz, 1978). There is increasing evidence that high exposure to noise has adverse psychological and physiological effects and that people repeatedly exposed to loud noises might exhibit high stress levels, nervous tension, and inability to concentrate (Wells Young, 2004). Since the beginning of aviation, airports have always had conflicts with their neighboring communities; however, noise did not become an issue until the 1960s introduction of the commercial jet. It is estimated by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) that between 1960 and 1970, the land area affected by aviation-related noise and the complaints they received with noise as the culprit increased sevenfold.