Spinal Cord Lesion Problem Solving Health And Social Care Essay

Scenario: A complete transverse spinal cord hurt occurs at degree T11/T12 vertebrae. See the worst instance scenario of complete lesion to turn to the undermentioned issues. A ) Describe which sections of spinal cord will be affected T11/12 lesions ( besides called paraplegia ) cause damage or remotion of the connexion between the Lumbar part and the encephalon. The sections above T11 ( C1-T10 ) will still be able to work decently. The lumbar sections ( Below T12 ) of the spinal cord will non be able to direct sensory signals up towards the encephalon through the white affair in the spinal cord, ensuing in deficiency of sensitiveness in that part. Descending piece of lands are besides damaged ; this consequences in loss of musculus control in that part because the encephalon can non direct encephalon signals. # Then comparison and contrast at 1 twenty-four hours and at 100 yearss after the hurt the followers: B ) loss of sensitiveness After a twenty-four hours of the hurt the patient will non hold any centripetal abilities from the legs. This is because the go uping centripetal signals can non be sent towards the encephalon. After 100 there will be no alteration from twenty-four hours 1. C ) musculus map The harm caused by the lesion does non let the musculus to work decently. Day 1 the patient will non experience anything and his encephalon can non direct signals to the musculuss leting controlled motion of the legs. After Day 100 the patient s leg will hold a decreased musculus tone compared to Day 1. The patient may besides see uncontrolled spastic physiological reactions ( explained underneath ) . D ) leg physiological reactions After the lesion occurs on the spinal cord, the spinal cord goes into spinal daze, all of the leg musculuss innervated bu the lumbar part below T12 become flaccid. 100 yearss after the incident, the patient might get down to acquire spastic physiological reactions. Compared to twenty-four hours 1 the spinal daze disables the automatic discharge in the spinal cord but in twenty-four hours 100 the physiological reaction discharge activates. However because of the harm, the centripetal signals do non go to the encephalon to let voluntary control from the encephalon, the signals merely travel in the automatic Ark below the site of harm this causes the spastic physiological reactions. Tocopherol ) continency Smooth musculus map is besides affected. The control of the vesica and sphincters which allow micturition will be impaired. T12 flat lesions cause flaccid vesicas, this is when patient will non be able to state when the vesica is full and can take to pulling of the vesica. At twenty-four hours one the patient will non be able to experience when their vesica is full, they will necessitate aid from the physician who will besides prove them and take the patients through a bladder direction plan. After 100 yearss the patient will be used to cognizing the clip when they are required to empty their vesicas due to following the bladder direction plan. This essay counts towards the concluding twelvemonth test. A upper limit of 10 % is available from this study. Maximum reply length one A4 page. Pay attending that you understand what people in wheelchairs experience. Announced 11.2.2011 Deadline for entry: 4th March 2011. To be handed in to Teaching Office- Harborne BuildingSpinal Cord Lesion: Problem Solving AssignmentSpinal cord hurt is when the spinal cord is damaged to an extent that its communicating with the encephalon is either impaired or removed. The most common causes of spinal cord hurt is through injury ( falls, auto accidents etc ) or diseases such as infantile paralysis. Overtime gilal cicatrixs incorporating astrocytes and macrophages start to develop. Glial cicatrixs besides contain chondoitin sulfate proteoglycans which inhibits the regeneration of axons forestalling the aa‚ ¬E?rewiringaa‚ ¬a„? of the nervousnesss in the spinal cord ( Bradbury et al 2001 ) Patients enduring from complete cross spinal cord T11/12 lesions ( besides called paraplegia ) will lose their connexion between the Lumbar part of the spinal cord and the encephalon, nevertheless the sections above T11 ( C1-T10 ) will still be able to work decently. The deficiency of communicating will forestall the lumbar sections ( Below T12 ) from directing sensory signals up towards the encephalon through the white affair in the spinal cord, ensuing in deficiency of sensitiveness in that part. Descending piece of lands are besides damaged ; this consequences in loss of musculus control in that part because the encephalon can non direct signals to the motor neurones. After a twenty-four hours of the hurt the patient will non be able to direct go uping centripetal signals towards the encephalon, this means that they will non hold any centripetal abilities from the legs, the sense of hurting is included. Blood flow is besides affected, the sympathetic tracts of the fringe system will non be able to increase blood flow of the arterias in the legs, and this affects the overall blood force per unit area of the organic structure. At twenty-four hours one the patient may still be in spinal daze and his encephalon would n't be able to have and centripetal information from his legs, unluckily The harm caused by the lesion does non let the musculus to work decently. At Day 1 the patient will non be able to voluntarily travel the musculuss controlled by the lumbar part. This causes complications with blood flow because the musculuss in the leg can non impel the deoxygenated blood against the force of gravitation through the vena. This plus the deficiency of sympathetic stimulation may take to ischemia. After Day 100 the patient s leg will hold a decreased musculus tone compared to Day 1 due to miss of musculus motion. The patient nevertheless may still be able to walk utilizing abdominal musculuss to travel the legs and either braces or clasps for support. During spinal daze, all of the leg musculuss innervated below T12 become flaccid. During twenty-four hours 1 the spinal daze will disenable the automatic discharge in the spinal cord but during twenty-four hours 100 ( after the daze ends ) the automatic discharge activates and the patient might get down to acquire spastic physiological reactions. The spastic physiological reactions are caused because action potencies reflex discharges are activated Smooth musculus map is besides affected. The control of the vesica and sphincters which allow micturition will be impaired. T12 flat lesions cause flaccid vesicas, this is when patient will non be able to state when the vesica is full and can take to pulling of the vesica. At twenty-four hours one the patient will non be able to experience when their vesica is full, they will necessitate aid from the physician who will besides prove them and take the patients through a bladder direction plan. After 100 yearss the patient will be used to cognizing the clip when they are required to empty their vesicas due to following the bladder direction plan. There are still overall alterations that the patient will hold to travel through. There are medicines that are available to assist patients get by with their state of affairs such as Muscle relaxants ( baclofen, Flexeril, Valium Etc ) and Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs to handle hurting. The patient will besides hold to set their life style because they will be utilizing a wheel chair Bradbury, E. J. , L. D. F. Moon, et Al. ( 2002 ) . â€Å" Chondroitinase ABC promotes functional recovery after spinal cord hurt. † Nature 416 ( 6881 ) : 636-640. McLachlan, E. M. and J. A. Brock ( 2006 ) . Adaptations of peripheral vasoconstrictive tracts after spinal cord hurt. Advancement in Brain Research. C. W. Lynne and P. Canio, Elsevier. Volume 152: 289-297. mimushasho4ever, Nacho ‘s accident T11-T12 Com, Jul 21, 2010, Online picture cartridge holder, Youtube, Accessed: 01 March 2010

Using Animals in Disease Research

Using Animals in Disease Research People all over the world have different opinions on whether animal testing is an ethical way to research drugs and treatments or not. Almost every medical advancement has involved using of animals including discovery of penicillin, organ transplantation, vaccines etc. Scientists should use animals in disease research because nowadays it is the only right way to develop drugs, treatments and cures for diseases and to be sure that new products are safe to use.The first reason why animals should be used in lab testing is that it is the best way to do the research not on human beings but on something that is very similar to humans by chemistry, cell structure and organization. Only drug testing on animals will shows maximally closest result to what will happen in the human's body. Perhaps we weren't be able to cure even very common diseases in present-day medicine without using animals in researches. The second reason why scientists should use animals i n their researches is that animal’s rights are still protected and they don't feel pain during the testing.According to Foundation for Biomedical Research, the Public Health Service Act, Federal laws, and Animal Welfare act controls the removal of pain. All animals used in procedures always relieved from pain by anesthesia. A well-treated animal provide more reliable scientific results, which is the goal of all researchers. The last reason why using animals in research is necessary is that human beings are more important than animals. Animals quickly reproduce itself and they have short life cycle that help scientists to study effects of the drugs on several generations. Also animals can be donors of organs for humans.The society knows many facts in a last few years about transplanting of animal`s organs into human body. The opponents of using animals in disease research might say that scientists could discover drugs using alternative methods such as computer models. However, scientists should see the drug action in all system of living organism to be sure how it works. Using animals in lab testing and researches is necessary because alternative methods are currently not as reliable. Testing drugs and treatments on animals will someday help scientists find the cure for diseases like Alzheimer, AIDS, and cancer.

The role of government in a free market economy Essay

The role of government in a free market economy - Essay Example The transaction between the buyer and seller fosters cohesion and a free market. Competitive and free economies allow sellers to meet customers’ demands according to their likings and distribute inputs among manufacturers. Division of labor is important in an organization because it facilitates a balance in the economy to reduce the cost of production (Mathur par 2). The government plays a critical role in a free economy by proving a legal framework of enforcing contracts and resolving contractual disputes. The government also protects individual rights to property and establishes a sound economic environment by proving a stable trading currency. The government also provides public goods such as schools, hospitals and street lighting that would be costly for the private sector to provide in a market economy. The government also corrects the market failures such as economic downturns and external costs like air pollution. The government maintains the competition in the free mar ket economy through regulating the activities of monopolies and stabilizes the national economy by regulating the unemployment level, the inflation rate and enhancing the rate of economic growth. The government taxation policies also help in redistributing income in the economy by taxing the rich heavily and using the taxes to provide social services to the low income citizens. A free market elevates the overall economy of a country, but there are unfortunate situations when a free market has dysfunctions. Economists term these circumstances as market failure (Mathur par 3). Market failure occurs due to monopoly power, environmental pollution by manufacturers, common property resources, misinformation and risky business ventures. Market failure prompts the government to intervene by enabling the functioning and fluidity of these small markets. The role of government in free markets is to design, enact and finally implement reasonable market policies and laws that ensure customers an d sellers’ rights to buy, sell and own property under positive rates and trading environment. Government requires the cooperation of all free markets to improve the living standards of citizens. Private sectors that continue to improve the overall economy are fully supported by the government and their clients. The government develops institutional and democratic economic structures that guarantee strong and stable economic, political, social and environmental aspects of the country. Regulation of monopolies Monopoly power implies that a single of few manufacturers and sellers control the whole market. The entrepreneurs that control the whole market are referred to as monopolists. They restrict the production of goods and services and charge high rates. Monopolists have the ultimate control of the market thus facilitating the foreclosure of small businesses and gaining the competitive advantage. The government intervenes by creating antitrust laws that split or cease the mono polistic practices (Mathur par 4). Regulating these monopolies promotes the interest of other small-scale business communities and the public. Gas and electric services in the U.S were previously controlled by private sectors. Electricity and gas are essential in running businesses, travelling, cooking, building and construction, medical practices, water and

Identifying Challenges Within Institutional Structures Research Paper

Identifying Challenges Within Institutional Structures - Research Paper Example This is owing to the fact that it contributes to the external and external structures that impact on leadership. From a research conducted by qualified faculty developers there are three setbacks facing faculty development in universities and colleges (Kezar, 2005). First, there is the dynamic nature of the student community, the dynamic professoriate and the dynamic nature of scholarships, learning and teaching (Kezar, 2005). In the contemporary world, professors are facing increasing challenges in their roles and responsibilities that will need them to take part in a continuous faculty development. This poses a challenge for faculty development (Darling-Hammond, 2005). There is need for faculty developers in universities to identify the growing roles as one of the challenges facing the faculty in the modern times. The established tasks are under growing pressure to stay abreast with the changes in research and teaching (Kezar, 2005). Therefore, for example, the new members of the faculty may need to polish their skills in offering online courses as well as in grant-writing. Although the current members of the faculty in various universities are seasoned, they are required to keep up with new specialties in their areas of specialization (Seaman, 2009). Leaders are therefore challenged with the responsibility of proving the professorate with new learning opportunities. The leadership is faced with the task of handling the changing faculty roles and maintaining a balance in life and work. It was found that finding balance in the diverse responsibilities is a major area of concern throughout various stages in the lecturers’ career. It is difficult for new members of the faculty to be recognized as a scholar or campus citizen. The members of the faculty care about how they attain the balance as they deal with the professional and personal commitments. Finding balance has proven to be a key issue facing leadership in the

Firearm and Tort Litigation Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Firearm and Tort Litigation - Research Paper Example The right to keep and bear arms is afforded by the Second Amendment, and is given Constitutional Protection since it enjoys the first-tier level of scrutiny (Equal Protection, 2011). Any attempt to infringe this right, as was the case in Bloomberg (City of New York v. Beretta U.S.A. Corp), should be considered a repealing of the Second Amendment, and, hence, unlawful. Suing the arms suppliers and stores is a direct act of this infringement (Burch, 2006); making it difficult to purchase arms by levying a hefty permit fee in the state (O’Connor, 2011) is an indirect, yet equally unlawful act against the Constitution and civil rights of the citizens. Both acts aim to discourage the public from practicing their legal right of bearing arms, and the argument that this could somehow prevent the rampant criminal activities (Burch, 2006) is but weak; the infringement of social rights under Constitutional protection is itself a criminal activity, and to suppress one such act with anothe r is a destabilization of the legal framework (Burch, 2006). The need to protect this right by Law and through the involvement of the Court is well-founded and justifiable.

Community Health Nursing Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Community Health Nursing - Research Paper Example The black community in this area has a long history and has continued to show tremendous growth in many aspects as compared to the white population that has continued to diminish. Many African Americans making up the community moved to this area that was previously associated with the whites and have since become the majority according to the 2010 census statistics. The community has a rich culture a mixture of the black culture and the white culture of the Germans immigrants who used to stay in this place. Demographic and Epidemiological data Baden community has a total population of 7,268 people of which the blacks make up a total of 6,676 while the whites are 461. The American Indian and Alaska native are 9; the native Hawaiian and other pacific islanders have been found to comprise of 1 individual (US. Census Bureau, 2011). The Asian are 3 while other people of two or more races are 96 of which the Hispanic and Latinos have been found to be 27. The other category comprised of 22 people and this is according to the 2010 census results. The current population of Baden has declined since the 2000 census from 8,441 to the current 7,268 representing a -14% decline. This has been attributed to the high rate of crime in the area that has contributed greatly to the decline in the population. This statistics represent the general trend in St. Louis County where the general population has been declining since the last census (US. Census Bureau, 2011). Reports also show that the place is a food desert and therefore many people have no access to fresh food (Gustin, 2010). Research has shown that without access to fresh food many people develop a range of health problems that range from diabetes to other nutrition-influenced illnesses such as obesity (Omoleke, 2011). The food deserts issue does not seem to affect Baden only. Statistics show that the entire country is faced with the problem of food deserts where people cannot access fresh fruits and vegetables. Approxima tely 23.5 million Americans are said to be living in a food desert (The week, 2011). A food desert is defined by the US department of Agriculture as any census district where approximately 20% of the inhabitants are living below the poverty line and 33% are staying over a mile from the nearest supermarket (Starr, 2011). Both the lower end and the upper end of the American population are affected with the problem of food desert with the problem existing both in urban and rural areas. In America, areas such as West Virginia, Ohio and Kentucky that are majorly rural are faced with this problem as well as areas such as Detroit, Chicago and New York which are in the urban category (Starr, 2011). Windshield Survey A closer exploration of Baden reveals a lot of information about this community. There are various types of housing in this areas and these range from modern houses to the old architectural designs of houses. Residential houses are seen to be many and of different categories. So me or good stone houses mansions while some like those around the train tracks are mostly houses that are built for convenience purposes. Many of them are in bad state. There are many schools in Baden most of which are private and these include kindergartens and elementary schools. Baden school is the only public school in the community and serves many students. Baden has many churches most of which are Christian churches and these include Church of God, Our Lady of the Holy Cross, Ebenezer Lutheran Church, Dove Covenant Christian Center, Holy

Rwanda genocide Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Rwanda genocide - Essay Example Concerned countries of the world have often refused to act in time to stop these events even though ample signs of trouble were apparent. Racial superiority has traditionally been an issue for various countries, at one point or another in their history, but none worse than that displayed by the Tutsis over the Hutus in Rwanda Feelings of hatred have been translated into outright acts of violence against those viewed as inferior, and this, at times, prompted retaliation against their oppressors as in the case of Rwanda. â€Å"Rwandan genocide took place between April and June 1994. During this tragic period of 3 months, some 800,000 Rwandans died, the majority was ethnically Tutsis, murdered by their rival countrymen, the Hutus† (Le, 2004). The Rwanda genocide was spread out over the span of three months. Hutu uprising against their fellow citizens was triggered when Juvenal Habyarimana, a Hutu and the then Rwandan president, was killed in a rocket attack at his plane near Kigali airport, on 6 April 1994 (Le, 2004). Tutsi leader, Paul Kagame (the current Rwandan President, but then, the leader of the Rwandan Patriotic Front) was blamed for the attack and death of the president (Le, 2004). This was denied by Kagame, who blamed the attack on Hutu extremists. Nevertheless, within a few hours of the at tack, violence broke out all over the country; and such violence would not wane for three months after the assassination of Habyarimana (Martin, 2003). By then, nearly one million Rwandans had lost their lives. Media is one of the strong tools and starting point of the progression that led to genocide. â€Å"Radio was extensively utilized as the support medium for sowing the seeds of deep hatred against the Hutus in the penultimate stage, by projecting them indiscriminately as liars, thieves and killers† (Assah, 1994). Hutus, as a race, was thus subjected to intense stigmatization; their eventual annihilation as the only

The tattooed soldier Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The tattooed soldier - Essay Example Antonio and Elena are forced to flee to rural San Cristobal. But even there the dormant revolutionary zeal makes her take up the issue for the lethal practices of the local sanitation company. In retaliation, one ill-fated day, she and her young son are shot dead. Earlier they had thought of going to Mexico. Hector Tobar writes, "Perhaps they could move to Mexico. Save enough money to move to Mexico or the United States. A place where they could be safe, and their daughter or son could be educated. A place where you could speak your mind and there were no soldiers on the street." (p.118) After the death of Elena and his son, sensing danger to his life, Antonio flees to Los Angeles. Once in Los Angeles, he finds life much more difficult and risky. He cannot forget Elena and suffers from intense love pangs. The novel begins with the scene of his landlord giving him final notice of eviction and Antonio is busy packing up his meager belongings. In the process of packing, he is overwhelmed to see a photograph. What is his reaction, when he sees it? Hector Tobar writes, â€Å"He discovered a forgotten photograph of his wife and son, taken years ago in Quetzaltenango against a painted backdrop of fanciful lakes and volcanoes. Of all things. He raised the photograph to his lips and tried to fight off the rush of memories that began to gather and rumble like thunder behind his eyes. This picture is the sadness of me, the tragedy of me. (p.7)In Los Angles, he expected a better life.

Trailblazers in Photography Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Trailblazers in Photography - Essay Example Thus, throughout the development of photography, several individuals have dedicated their lives to this art with astounding results and their names etched on the list of trailblazers in photography. Prominent trailblazers in photography Simply described, photography is the art as well as the science of creating long-lasting images on a film or paper and this ideally forms the basis of trailblazers in photography. Basically, the camera obscura which implies a dark chamber is the main device used in photography. Its invention dates back to Leonardo da Vinci discovery of the pin-hole camera. The camera works on the principle of concealing the image of an illuminated object where the image is taken (Halstead 1). Ancient cameras required the object to be exposed to light for as long as eight hours. The first photograph recorded was taken in 1826 by the French innovator, Joseph Nicephore Niepce. The exposure time recorded was eight hours which accounted for no ancient human photographs. Th ese ancient photographs were monochromes which continued to dominate the world of photography even after color photography came into being. The first color photograph of a tartan ribbon was taken by James Clerk Maxwell in 1861 (Halstead 1). Advancement in photography was then taken over by companies like Kodak, Sony among others. Photography has several genres among them photojournalism. Besides, various individuals have been for a long time known as trailblazers in photography. Among the distinguished figures of photojournalism, Alfred Eisenstaedt also became known as Eisie. Beginning his career in 1920 in Berlin as a photojournalist, Eisie rose to leave a great legacy and profound impact in photography. Using a camera invented by Dr. Erich Salomon, this photographer succeeded in recording people’s lives. In fact, he endured the risk of annoying people by venturing into their rooms to photograph them. Furthermore, he engaged the people he photographed on the subject of his i nterest (Eder 258). His pictures produced a life story unlike others who did not utilize such ensuing opportunities or particular interests. Eisie revolutionized photojournalism in several ways. He had a passion for photography and never got tired of taking pictures. Eisie was a real visual story teller and provided a platform on which other foundations of photojournalism are based. The work Eisie was based on real life situations which represented a particular subject of his own interest. His passion for photography, humor, decisions and determination made him produce the best photos ever in his era. Photographs taken at his time were mostly monochromes (Halstead 1). Though todays photos are colored, few can match Eisie work. His contribution was so immense that he was named the photojournalist of the century. Fashion and women nudity are subjects of fascination which materialize hard to study apart. Few photographers dedicated their time to photograph these aspects. Helmut Newton is one of the famous photographers who dedicated his time to photograph fashion but later deviated to photographing naked women. Helmut started as a portrait photographer in Singapore. Basically, experience in photography paced way for the establishment of a studio in Australia. He later worked for the popular magazine dubbed as Playboy in California. Helmut had his best photography career and his photos remain highly priced assets (Weaver and Daniel 22). His popularity has

Country with High Mortality Rates- Angola Term Paper

Country with High Mortality Rates- Angola - Term Paper Example Location/geography It has an area of 481,321 square miles making it the twenty-third largest country in the world. It lies between latitudes 4 degrees and 18 degrees south and longitudes 12 degrees and 24 degrees east (Staeger, 2012). It gets bordered by Democratic Republic of Congo on the North, Zambia on the east and to the south is Namibia. The country’s west coast lies on the Atlantic Ocean and capital and largest city is Luanda. The country has experienced an intense civil war which lasted for close to 40 years. The country’s official language is Portuguese but it has various recognized national languages; Kikongo, Chokwe, Umbundu, Ganguela and Kwanyama (Staeger, 2012). Population Population in Angola gets estimated to be around 18,056,072 as of July 2012 (Staeger, 2012). 37% of the population consists of the Ovimbundu tribe, 25% the Ambundu, 13% bakongo and 32% the other ethnic groups including Asians and Europeans (Staeger, 2012). As at the end of 2007, Angola ha d an estimated population of 12,100 refugees and in 2008 it is estimated 400,000 had moved to Angola as migrant workers from Congo (Staeger, 2012). Statistics also shows that there are 30,000 Portuguese and more than 259,000 Chinese people in Angola. The fertility rate of Angola according to the 2012 estimates is 5.5 making it the eleventh highest in the world. The Angolan population grows by 2.2% annually as there are 44.5 births and 24.8 deaths in every one thousand citizens (Staeger, 2012). The infant mortality rate is 184 deaths in every one thousand live births and their life expectancy is 37.63 years (Staeger, 2012). Government Angola’s government is based on the constitution that got amended and passed in 2010 (Staeger, 2012). They have the executive branch which gets headed by the president who serves as both the head of state and the government. The president is the commander in chief of the armed forces. One gets to become the president only if he or she receives th e majority votes in the national assembly and they are allowed to serve for a maximum of two five year terms. The country has a unicameral National Assembly which has two hundred and twenty elected members (Staeger, 2012). The country is administratively divided into eighteen provinces each headed by a governor who in turn answer to the president. The National assembly is responsible for making and amending the constitution. The country enjoys a nominally multi party democracy after intense civil war between individual leaders who wanted to have absolute power. The executive is made up of the president and a council of ministers since the position of the prime minister was abolished (Staeger, 2012). The council of ministers entails all ministers and assistant ministers who regulate policy issues. Their constitution has broad outlines which define the government structure and also protect the rights of the citizens and at the same time it outlines the duties of the citizens (Staeger, 2012). Their legal system is mainly based on the Portuguese and customary law making it to be fragmented and weak. The Supreme Court acts as the appellate tribunal. The country has no court with judicial review powers despite the statutory authorization by the constitution. Economy The countries financial operation and system gets regulated by the National Bank of Angola. The country is rich in diamonds, gold, copper, oil and wildlife which significantly boost the economy of the country (Staeger, 2012).

Knowledge Is Virtue Essay Example for Free

Knowledge Is Virtue Essay We define knowledge as the state or fact of knowing, familiarity, awareness or understanding, gained through experience or study and virtue as the moral excellence and righteousness. All of us have knowledge but not all the knowledge we have is the same, same with virtue. All of us have virtue but not all is practicing it. All of us have knowledge because it is a gift from God that we can keep and share to others. Through knowledge, one is also given the knowledge of understanding one’s self and what surrounds him. One can be taught about life through knowledge. Having knowledge is also having the ability to know what is right and what is wrong. With knowledge we can also do change or improvements. For instance, the knowledge of sickness, the more we know about our sickness, the more we know that it can be cured and by that, life our life is improved. We can make improvements through knowledge physically and mentally. We can identify problems and find solutions because of knowledge, but these problems is not caused by knowledge itself but from the individuals’ use of knowledge. By having simple knowledge about these problems, it already creates vision of solutions. Knowledge is a virtue that we should know what is good for us. Virtue is something that is good or something that is right. If we have done something that is not right, for example, if the knowledge of power is used improperly, it is not because of the mere knowledge already. It is because of the emotions that caused him to do that. If that’s the case, he doesn’t possess virtue. Knowledge is like the other virtues that we should keep and be reminded of always. We should use it not to seek advantage over others but to share it and make them a better individual. Through knowledge, we know how to understand and we know how to act right. We just have to use knowledge justly so we will know about virtue. Thus, knowledge is the creation of virtue. Knowledge is virtue.

Personal Ethics Statement Essay Example for Free

Personal Ethics Statement Essay The ethics that I am personally living with revolves on how I deal with my life, with other people and with the world per se. Some of them are anchored on my childhood years and learning which definitely reveals my becoming and upbringing. Some have developed and came up during my college years due to the fact that my eyes have become open towards different perspectives. Ethics deals with personal philosophies in life. What I believe in certainly reflects the ethics that I am living with and upholding. For me, if a person is to make one lie to me, he or she needs to add ten more. He or she needs to add more lies in order for his or her lie to be consistent. That reality has something to do on how I trust a person; it has something to do with relationship and friendship because trust is one of the vital components of establishing ties and relationships. â€Å"To refuse an offer is more than an insult. † I usually state and utter these words among my friends whenever they refuse something that I have given them because for me, it is unethical to decline one’s offer especially if it comes from the bottom of the giver’s heart. However, everything still depends on the circumstance because some offers are worth refusing especially if it is beyond your limit or beyond your belief. There are also things to consider when declining one’s offer. â€Å"Love is universal. † And I strongly grasped this philosophy. I do not believe that it is wrong to love a person of the same sex or to discriminate those persons who are involved in homosexuality. I am not gay but I believe in human rights and equality. If it is unethical for the church and for the society, for me it is not. I may evolve as a deviant on that but certainly, I, definitely, am not alone. Some of my personal ethics that are indeed of great help to my life, how I live with it and how I fight and struggle on life’s challenges focus on the following: (1) positive vibrations, which means that I have to get away with negative thoughts; (2) never manipulate a person, instead motivate them; (3) learn to fight; (4) be aware and sensitive of other’s feelings; (5) if a person or thing is not meant for you, it is not really meant for you; (6) forgive; (7) do not hold back and cling on to the past and; (8) if a thing is needed to be done, it should be done.

Motivating Pharmaceutical Employees in Kuwait

Motivating Pharmaceutical Employees in Kuwait The pharmaceutical sector in Kuwait has never been considered by the Government to be as important as the other healthcare or even many other professional sectors, like engineering for example. It has always been viewed as a less important profession with a very small number of professionals relatively to other jobs in the country. However, Pharmacy is a necessity in Kuwait and in every country, in addition to the obvious increment of the number of pharmacists who join the field every year, especially since the beginning of the last decade after Kuwait University launched its first pharmaceutical department in 1997. Therefore, these pharmacists must be heard and understood like every other profession in Kuwait, they have potential and needs which must be considered and met whenever possible by the Government. One of these needs or even necessities is motivation. The practice of motivation is critical for every successful organization, just like other important measures to increase pe rformance; it is a tool that must be present in every healthy working environment. Being a previous pharmacist working in the public sector in Kuwait, the Author has come across this subject numerous times with different pharmacists, who had negative views of the matter in most times. However, there was no clear study which shows the true level of motivation that is being experienced in the sector, which is the reason for conducting this research. 1.2 Problem Definition The experience of motivation for pharmacists who work in the public sector is poor, compare with other healthcare professionals such as doctors, and compare to the pharmacists who work in the private sector in Kuwait. Therefore, the Author chose to examine the level of that motivation in a deeper manner to have clearer and more reliable view of the concept within the public sector of pharmacy, in addition to finding new methods which could improve the implementation of such practice. 1.3 Research Objective The main objective of this thesis is to define the level of motivation that is experienced within pharmacists working in the public sector in Kuwait. The sub-objectives can be classified into the following three measures: The first one is to determine the level of motivation that is experienced in the public pharmaceutical sector in Kuwait. The second objective is to determine whether there is an effect of motivation on the overall performance of pharmacists. The third and final measure is to explore new techniques and motivational methods that can be used in order to satisfy public pharmacists and fulfill their needs. 1.4 Research Questions The research shall consist of one major question and three minor ones. The major research question is: What is the experience of motivation for pharmacists who work in the public sector in Kuwait? The minor questions are as follows: What is the level of motivation that is experienced in the public pharmaceutical sector in Kuwait? What are the effects of motivation on the overall performance of pharmacists? What can be used as new techniques or new methods of motivation in order to satisfy public pharmacists and fulfill their needs? 1.5 Research Methodology For the research method, we will conduct personal interviews, which shall be done face to face to get the most reliable responses from pharmacists. The proposed methodological framework for this study, will be based largely on several motivational models that would be described later in chapter two, they are Maslow Hierarchy of needs, achievement motivational model, the two factor theory, the expectancy theory and the equity model. From those five models, a guiding criterion will be extracted and compared with the responses of the research questions. In addition to that, the role of management and supervision and its effects on motivation will be examined and compared to the characteristics of a motivational management which will be addressed in chapter 2. And finally, the interviewees will be asked for their recommendations and suggestions for newer and better motivational techniques and methods, to be implemented by the Ministry of Health. 1.6 Data Analysis Method After collecting the qualitative data, they will be analyzed using different criteria. The analysis will basically list the answers of the participants and find the relationships between them with the assistance of weighing frequencies of repentant responses to reach a better conclusion. The conceptual framework will be based on five motivational theories (Maslows hierarchy, achievement model, two-factor theory, the expectancy theory, and the equity theory), which is the base for analyzing the findings. The impact of positive motivation implementations will also be discussed with the selected pharmacists, in addition to an interpretation of their recommendations on improving the motivational process within the Ministry of Health. 1.7 Thesis Structure The structure of the thesis will be based on five main chapters, they are listed below: Chapter one: Introduction. Chapter two: Literature Review. Chapter three: Research Design and Methodology. Chapter four: Data Analysis, Findings and Discussion. Chapter five: Conclusion, Recommendations and Further Research. The next chapter will present our literature review. CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW 2.1 Introduction Motivation is a global concept, recognized worldwide today; it is a necessary tool for all different kinds of organizations to survive and grow, and most importantly to succeed. Below is a literature review for the term motivation. It includes different definitions of the term in addition to other terms related to motivation. Different theories on motivation will be mentioned and reviewed briefly to better understand the meaning and limitations of the term motivation. Successful tools to achieve the desired motivation will also be addressed and explained, as well as a review on the different mechanisms used by organizations to motivate their employees. And finally, there will be a review on employee motivation techniques used including a few examples from the best motivational companies in Kuwait. 2.2 Motivation So, who are the motivated workers? According to Myers (1964), when Texas Instruments Incorporated conducted a six year of research and study on the subject of motivation during the 1950s, they came up with the following conclusion1: Employees are motivated to work more effectively when they have a job that is challenging, because it might give them some interest in the job, more enjoyable work, a possibility of recognition, and a since of achievement when they accomplish the task. They become dissatisfied when those noted factors are missing from their jobs. They may also become dissatisfied by some negative factors related to the job itself including astringent rules, no breaks, low status, and low levels of salary or fringe benefits. This study was conducted by a company which experienced a tremendous growth in the 1950s, their annual sales rose from $2 million to over $200 million, along with their employee force which had risen from 1,700 to 17,000 in that decade. This success was accomplished because of their brilliant management philosophy, which provided employees with opportunities that allowed them to explore their works and efforts, and even set their own goals. In addition, the culture was a very friendly and informal one, as employees had very close relationships and strong communication links. Despite that success, the growth was not for long after those years, and employees were no longer highly motivated as before, because there were poor managerial skills in understanding the concept of motivation and how each employee can be motivated. This was in the 1950s; today the main idea or the concept of motivation still have the same old parameters, but with some improvements and modifications after many long studies by many of scientists and philosophers. To best understand the term motivation, one must start with the definition. 2.2.1 Definition of Motivation For the purpose of this thesis, we will keep the definition of (The Collins business Dictionary, 2002) regarding the concept of motivation. In that perspective, motivation is defined as the force or process which impels people to behave in the way that they do. In a work setting, motivation can be viewed as that which determines whether workers expand the degree of efforts necessary to achieve required task objectives2. Furthermore, here is another explanation of the term: motivation represents the forces acting on or within a person that causes the person to behave in a specific, goal-directed manner3. In addition, the online business dictionary (business dictionary , 2009) defines it as the Internal and external factors that stimulate desire and energy in people to be continually interested in and committed to a job, role, or subject, and to exert persistent effort in attaining a goal. Motivation is the energizer of behavior and mother of all action. It results from the interactions among conscious and unconscious factors such as the (1) intensity of desire or need, (2) incentive or reward value of the goal, and (3) expectations of the individual and of his or her significant others4. Since the term motivation is being defined, one must address some terms which are highly related to motivation, including: job satisfaction, job commitment, and job loyalty. Job satisfaction is the satisfaction that an individual gains (or does not gain) from his or her job. It is generally believed that satisfied employees will be more highly motivated and will work more productively than dissatisfied employees. Job dissatisfaction may lead to absenteeism, job turnover, industrial actions, and etc2. Commitment is the state of being bound emotionally or intellectually to a course of action or to another person or persons2. It is a well known fact that job satisfaction strongly leads to job commitment, which later leads to loyalty. Furthermore, job loyalty is another state led to by motivation, and it is a measure of commitment based on obligation or, in consumer preferences, degree of satisfaction2. 2.3 Theories of Motivation Over the years, many researchers have looked into the human psychology and studied the human nature to understand the process of motivation. They have come up with many theories which are being thought now to millions of students around the globe. Below this paragraph there is an overview of some of the most recognized theories of motivation worldwide, starting with the need theories: Maslows hierarchy of needs, and David C McClellands achievement motivation model. 2.3.1 Motivating Employees through Satisfying Human Needs 2.3.1.1 The Needs Hierarchy Theory The hierarchy of needs theory is one of the most recognized theories in the subject. It was found by Abraham Maslow, who published an article in 1943 under the title A theory of human motivation, which was developed later into the hierarchy of needs theory in Maslows Motivation and Personality book in 19545. The hierarchy model is shown in figure 2.1, as presented in the following website (making it clear.com, 2007)6: (Figure 2.1) Maslows Needs Pyramid or Maslows Needs Triangle Taken from (making it clear website, 2007) Maslow has based his theory on the fact that people are motivated by certain types of needs, he classified them into five levels based on their importance to people, and they are in ascending order: physiological, security, affiliation, esteem and self-actualization. He then arranged them in a hierarchy showing the order in which these needs are fulfilled from bottom to top5. According to Maslow, these human needs can be classified into lower and higher levels of needs, the lower levels or factors of needs has to be satisfied and fulfilled before the higher ones, which means they must be satisfied in order, so that a person can be motivated, and reach a high level of achievement in life5. The model indicates that when one need is satisfied, another one becomes important, which means that the lowest level of needs  (physiological)  must be  fulfilled  in  order to  move to the higher one (security), and so on, until one reaches  self-fulfillment 3. In other words, each level of needs is a motivator, which when satisfied, does not motivate anymore, and the higher level is now the motivator5. Firstly, Physiological needs. They are the first and lowest level of the hierarchy, they are the most basic needs which are necessary for the continuation of life, and they include: the desire for food, water, air, and sleep3. It can safely be said that no human being can live without the physiological needs, which is why they are sometimes called survival needs. They must be satisfied in order for a person to move up the hierarchy, and be motivated by the next level of needs5. Secondly, security needs. They occupy the second level of the pyramid, and are sometimes called safety needs, as they include the need for safety, stability and absence of pain, threat or illness3. When it comes to work, these needs may cause the preference for a safe and secure job, with a health insurance benefit for example. They include financial security, as they may cause people to open savings accounts for the security of their future, or to take different types of insurances for example, the insurance against accidents4. When this level is satisfied, a person may move to the next level5. Thirdly, Social needs, which can be explained as the needs someone wants from society, such as friendship and the feeling of belonging3. This level of needs deals with the emotions of the human being, every person needs to feel accepted and loved by others, and as most people do, a human may belong to a group, which can be a small one like family and friends, or a large one such as clubs, religious parties, or even gangsters. In the case that this emotional need was not fulfilled, a person may be lonely and experience some mental disorders such as anxiety or depression3. Esteem is the next level in the pyramid, and it is the desire to feel respected and self worthy, and thereby boost the self-esteem. People need to be valued by other people, they need to be accepted by what they are and recognized for their activities and contributions in order to feel self-valued. The imbalances of this need can lead to low self-esteem, which can cause psychological conditions such as depression3. The highest and last need is Self-actualization, which only appears when all the levels have been satisfied, and involves people recognizing their full potential, and be the best as they can be at what they do3,which can be best seen with self-employed people3. 2.3.1.2 The Achievement Motivation Model This model of motivation has been identified by David C McClellands in 1961. He proposed the idea that there are three important types of needs; they are achievement, authority/power, and affiliation needs. These needs were found to be present in every worker especially within managers, and the degree of which need is dominant can be seen in the workers attitude and behavior at work, which is based on their motivational status7. The ones, who are motivated by achievement, can be seen competing against a high standard, having difficult and challenging goals, and always seeking achievements and advancements in their jobs3. The authority/power motivated ones always strive for authority and leadership. They need to be leaders and have their ideas prevail. In addition, they want to be influential, make an impact in work and on other workers, and reach high personal status3. The affiliation motivated persons are team players; they are motivated by friendly relationships with others, as they need to be liked and always have close friendships7.   The McClelland theory proposed that all people have a combination of these needs, however not in the same level. The level of which particular need is dominant can be seen in someones attitude and behavior at work. He thinks that the managers, who are strongly affected by affiliation motivation, always need to be liked, which in turn affects their decision-making criteria. While authority motivated workers will posses a high level of commitment and work ethics, and in most cases are managers or leaders, unless they do not have the required skills or flexibility for the job. In addition, McClelland thinks that the best leaders are the ones with strong achievement motivation, however they may have some difficulties in leading their staff into believing and having as much dedication to what they want to achieve7. In his theory, McClelland proposed that achievement-motivated people are characterized by the following attitudes3: They set their own goals, because of their high selectivity of matters; they cannot accept other people to draw goals for them. They take full responsibility in their decisions and results, if they succeed they want the credit, and if they do not, they do not mind the blame. To them, Achievement is valued more than financial reward. They prefer achieving their goals to receiving praise or getting recognition. They do not consider a financial reward as a goal; to them it is just a measure of success. They are not highly concerned about Security, or about their status. They like nothing more than a reliable feedback for their work, not to get an appraisal or something of that matter, but to measure their work and see how successful they have been. They always seek better ways to do things, and improve their methods. they are highly selective for jobs which have higher satisfaction for their needs, which means they choose jobs which have greater responsibilities and opportunities for them to set their own goals and achieve them, for example they can work as managers, or in the sales department, in addition to many of them work as entrepreneurs. Next, there is a description of another category of motivation models, which is based on job designs. 2.3.2 Motivating Employees through Job Design 2.3.2.1 The Two-Factor Theory In 1959, Frederick Herzberg and his associates developed a famous theory of motivation known as the two-factor theory, or the motivator- hygiene model of motivation. He studied people to know what the factors that causes them to be satisfied at work, and the ones that causes dissatisfaction to them. He then came up with a list of factors and classified them in two categories: motivators and hygiene factors8. Motivators are the factors that satisfy people at work, in addition to generating positive feeling; they include recognition, achievement, advancement, responsibility, and challenging work. They are called intrinsic factors, because they are related to the job itself 3. Hygiene factors on the other hand, are factors which usually gives negative feelings to individuals, and may affect job dissatisfaction if they were absence, hence the term hygiene, because in the absence of hygiene, health can deteriorate. They include: job security, working conditions, salary, relationship with co-workers and supervisors, company policy and fringe benefits. They are called extrinsic factors because they are external to the job, not directly related to the job itself 8,3. 2.3.2.2 The Job Characteristic Model This is one of the most famous models of motivation, proposed by Hackman Oldham (1976), and it is highly used in designing jobs in many organizations5. It is related to Herzbergs model to a great degree, as it proposes the use of motivation factors at a workplace, and limiting the hygiene factors to minimum9. The model includes five main characteristics of any job, they are: skill variety, task identity, task significance, autonomy and job feedback. It proposes that the levels of all these characteristics should be increased in order to create a motivational environment at the workplace3. The first characteristic is skill variety, which is the amount and the types of skills and competencies required by a certain job. Some jobs are a daily routine activity and require too little from an employee to get them done, while other jobs require certain competencies and skills from individuals which can make them more interesting. Next is task identity, and it is the identification of the complete work needed to complete a task by an employee, from beginning to end, with an identifiable outcome3. Task significance is another characteristic, and it is described as the amount of importance and necessity of a given task, and whether it is worth doing and would have an impact on other people and society, or if it would not make a big difference when it gets done. The fourth characteristic is autonomy, and it is the amount of empowerment and control provided in certain jobs, which increases their importance in peoples minds. The last one is job feedback, which gives indications on an employee performance and effectiveness; therefore a job should be formulated in ways which allow superiors to measure the performer as simply and accurately as possible3,9. The model proposes that the levels of these five characteristics should be increased, because they have strong effects on three psychological aspects in humans, they are3: Experienced meaningfulness of the tasks performed. Experienced personal responsibility for task outcomes. Knowledge of the results of task performance. In the end, the model states that if these three status were raised in a human being, that individual will be highly satisfied at the job and strongly motivated to work. Next, there is another category of motivation models, which is based on performance expectations. 2.3.3 Motivating Employee through Performance Expectation 2.3.3.1 The Expectancy Theory The link between motivation and the expectancy theory was defined by Condrey as: Motivation is a product of the individuals expectancy that a certain effort will lead to the intended performance, the instrumentality of this performance to achieving a certain result, and the desirability of this result for the individual, known as valence10. The theory was found by Victor Vroom in 1964, a business professor at Yale School of Management , it proposes the idea that people become motivated to do a certain job when they believe they will get a certain reward that they want and expect. They make an estimation of the desired results, and based on that they act and behave in a way which will help them get to those results. It predicts that individuals within an organization can be motivated when they believe that10: More effort exerted will yield better performance at a job. Better performance will result in desirable organizational rewards, such as salary increment. These rewards are valued by the performer and satisfy the needs Satisfying the need is worthwhile doing better and giving the required effort to the proposed job. However, Victor Vroom together with his associates Edward Lawler and Lyman Porter thought that the link between peoples behavior at work and their goals was not exactly as simple as previous scientists had proposed. He believed that the performance of an employee is based on three major psychological factors, which can create a strong motivational force to that employee, they are9: Valence: refers to how people feel about and the level of satisfaction they get from the outcomes and rewards of completing their jobs, such as money, promotion, and satisfaction. On the one hand, an outcome is said to be a positive valent if an employee prefers having it. On the other hand, an outcome which an employee does not want to have is known as a negative valent. An outcome which an employee is indifferent about are said to have zero valence. Expectancy: it is the belief of employees that their actions will lead to certain outcomes, and their confidence in what they can do. Instrumentality: This is the belief of employees that they will get what has been promised to them after completing the task successfully. Vroom proposed that the belief of an employee in these three factors helps psychologically in building a motivational force which makes that employee happy and avoiding negativity. Hence, the theory describes the mental procedure of motivation, as people make choices based on their understanding and behavior 3. 2.3.4 Motivating People through Equity 2.3.4.1 The Equity Model The Equity Theory was developed by J. Stacy Adams in 1962; it describes how an employee perceives that the outcome reward of a certain job is being fair, after completing one which is expected to be satisfying9. The theory can be measured against other employees in a work place, or even employees from different organizations. Normally this measurement results in three different perceptions: they will feel they are fairly rewarded, under rewarded, or over rewarded. Unless they feel fairly rewarded, they will act in a way as to reduce inequity. Because they always try to measure what they put in a job (input) and what they get from it (output). Examples of employees inputs and outputs can be found in table 2.1 3: Table 2.1 Examples of employee inputs and outputs in a job: Inputs Outputs Attendance Recognition Personal skills Fringe benefits Commitment and effort Responsibility Level of education Sense of achievements Past experiences Job perquisites (parking space or office location) Performance Job security Personal appearance Promotion and growth Social status Salary Technical skills Seniority benefits Training Status symbols Support of collogues Working conditions (Taken from J Slocum, Jr. (2007) Fundamentals of organizational behavior) The Equity Theory is built on the belief that, employees who think their rewards are fair and equal to their contributions, are the most motivated ones, The same goes for the ones who belief they are being rewarded in a similar manner as their peers. On the other hand, employees may become demotivated when they belief that their input is greater than the output. They may become depressed and not satisfied with their status, and show many negative reactions9. Therefore, managers must be fair and give their employees their fair share of rewards, based on their actions and inputs. They should understand how to balance inputs and outputs fairly, so that they give each employee fair and deserved rewards, which in turn improves employee motivation and thereby gives them more job satisfaction9. As mentioned before, managers must understand the balance of inputs and outputs of their employees; because employees measure their inputs differently, in addition to the fact that they may prefer different types of rewards. For example, a working mother may prefer more flexible working hours to an incentive9. At the end, managers should make sure their employees do not feel under rewarded, because then they will be demotivated, which should be avoided in any organization that wants to be successful. They should reward them fairly and equally based on their efforts, contributions, expectations, and peers 11. 2.3.4.2 The Procedural Justice Theory This theory was proposed by Rawls (1971), and it is based on fairness just like the previous equity model; however it is not based on the outcomes or the outputs, but on the fairness of the process of making decisions5. The theory measures the procedure of making decisions in an organization, which can be fair or unfair, and affects employee motivation and job satisfaction9. Procedural justice can be very important and essential to every company or organization, because it has a great effect on employees. When they perceive a procedure as fair, they become highly motivated to work and improve their inputs at their jobs. On the other hand, if they think the procedure is unfair they may be dissatisfied and demotivated to work9. A good example can be seen in most companies is pay raise determination, if employees perceive fairness of the decision, they will be satisfied, and visa versa. Sometimes, the fairness of such decision can be more satisfying than the raise itself, because the human being highly values equity and fairness. Employees may also judge the process of layoffs within a company, as the survivors would judge the fairness of the decision and become highly affected by it, and if it was a fair decision, they would become highly satisfied and more committed to their job. However if the decision was unfair, they may become demotivated and even have fear about their job status, which usually leads to seeking jobs elsewhere 3. Another examples is students, especially hard workers who put so much efforts in their studies, they expect to get good grades for their hard work, but sometimes they are misjudged or marked unfairly, which can be seen when they compare their results or marks with each other, and when they think the marking procedure was unfair, they become hugely dissatisfied9. 2.3.5 Other Theories of Motivation There are many theories and models of motivation, which are not widely recognized as the ones explained before; here is a review of some of them: 2.3.5.1 The Incentive Theory of Motivation According to Kerr (1995), a reward can be very effective in boosting employee motivation. Whether it was tangible or intangible, when a reward is presented to an employee after a certain behavior or performance, it is more likely that the same desired performance will occur again. In addition, the sooner the reward is given the better, as its effect would be larger in employees minds, and later on, this performance becomes a habit by that employee12. However, as the author has noted, there might be some difficulties applying the technique efficiently by managers, because they should make sure that the reward is not just a simple reward, it should be some kind of a reinforcer, which is like a reminder to employees of the incentive they get for what they did, and later on this becomes embedded in their behavior, and a continuous source for motivation, and job satisfaction. 2.3.5.2 The Drive-Reduction Theory The theory was proposed by C. Hull (1940), who suggested that when a person experiences some kind of a biological drive or arousal to do something, that person will experience a driving force to do that thing. And whenever that person does the action, then the action would be reinforced. For example: when a person is hungry and wants to eat, there would be a drive to do so, but as soon as that person eats, the forced drive becomes reduced. However, the theory was not considered very successful because it did not explain clearly the motivation process9. 2.3.5.3 The ERG (Existence, Relatedness and Growth) Theory Suggested by Clayton Alderfer in 1969, who followed up on Maslows needs theory. He reestablished the order of needs into three categories: the existence category including Physiological and safety needs, the relatedness category including affiliation and esteem needs, and the growth category including self-actualization and needs 13, 9. 2.3.5.4 The Goal Setting Theory This is based on the idea that when an employee sets a goal for oneself, he/she will have to increase performance to achieve t Motivating Pharmaceutical Employees in Kuwait Motivating Pharmaceutical Employees in Kuwait The pharmaceutical sector in Kuwait has never been considered by the Government to be as important as the other healthcare or even many other professional sectors, like engineering for example. It has always been viewed as a less important profession with a very small number of professionals relatively to other jobs in the country. However, Pharmacy is a necessity in Kuwait and in every country, in addition to the obvious increment of the number of pharmacists who join the field every year, especially since the beginning of the last decade after Kuwait University launched its first pharmaceutical department in 1997. Therefore, these pharmacists must be heard and understood like every other profession in Kuwait, they have potential and needs which must be considered and met whenever possible by the Government. One of these needs or even necessities is motivation. The practice of motivation is critical for every successful organization, just like other important measures to increase pe rformance; it is a tool that must be present in every healthy working environment. Being a previous pharmacist working in the public sector in Kuwait, the Author has come across this subject numerous times with different pharmacists, who had negative views of the matter in most times. However, there was no clear study which shows the true level of motivation that is being experienced in the sector, which is the reason for conducting this research. 1.2 Problem Definition The experience of motivation for pharmacists who work in the public sector is poor, compare with other healthcare professionals such as doctors, and compare to the pharmacists who work in the private sector in Kuwait. Therefore, the Author chose to examine the level of that motivation in a deeper manner to have clearer and more reliable view of the concept within the public sector of pharmacy, in addition to finding new methods which could improve the implementation of such practice. 1.3 Research Objective The main objective of this thesis is to define the level of motivation that is experienced within pharmacists working in the public sector in Kuwait. The sub-objectives can be classified into the following three measures: The first one is to determine the level of motivation that is experienced in the public pharmaceutical sector in Kuwait. The second objective is to determine whether there is an effect of motivation on the overall performance of pharmacists. The third and final measure is to explore new techniques and motivational methods that can be used in order to satisfy public pharmacists and fulfill their needs. 1.4 Research Questions The research shall consist of one major question and three minor ones. The major research question is: What is the experience of motivation for pharmacists who work in the public sector in Kuwait? The minor questions are as follows: What is the level of motivation that is experienced in the public pharmaceutical sector in Kuwait? What are the effects of motivation on the overall performance of pharmacists? What can be used as new techniques or new methods of motivation in order to satisfy public pharmacists and fulfill their needs? 1.5 Research Methodology For the research method, we will conduct personal interviews, which shall be done face to face to get the most reliable responses from pharmacists. The proposed methodological framework for this study, will be based largely on several motivational models that would be described later in chapter two, they are Maslow Hierarchy of needs, achievement motivational model, the two factor theory, the expectancy theory and the equity model. From those five models, a guiding criterion will be extracted and compared with the responses of the research questions. In addition to that, the role of management and supervision and its effects on motivation will be examined and compared to the characteristics of a motivational management which will be addressed in chapter 2. And finally, the interviewees will be asked for their recommendations and suggestions for newer and better motivational techniques and methods, to be implemented by the Ministry of Health. 1.6 Data Analysis Method After collecting the qualitative data, they will be analyzed using different criteria. The analysis will basically list the answers of the participants and find the relationships between them with the assistance of weighing frequencies of repentant responses to reach a better conclusion. The conceptual framework will be based on five motivational theories (Maslows hierarchy, achievement model, two-factor theory, the expectancy theory, and the equity theory), which is the base for analyzing the findings. The impact of positive motivation implementations will also be discussed with the selected pharmacists, in addition to an interpretation of their recommendations on improving the motivational process within the Ministry of Health. 1.7 Thesis Structure The structure of the thesis will be based on five main chapters, they are listed below: Chapter one: Introduction. Chapter two: Literature Review. Chapter three: Research Design and Methodology. Chapter four: Data Analysis, Findings and Discussion. Chapter five: Conclusion, Recommendations and Further Research. The next chapter will present our literature review. CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW 2.1 Introduction Motivation is a global concept, recognized worldwide today; it is a necessary tool for all different kinds of organizations to survive and grow, and most importantly to succeed. Below is a literature review for the term motivation. It includes different definitions of the term in addition to other terms related to motivation. Different theories on motivation will be mentioned and reviewed briefly to better understand the meaning and limitations of the term motivation. Successful tools to achieve the desired motivation will also be addressed and explained, as well as a review on the different mechanisms used by organizations to motivate their employees. And finally, there will be a review on employee motivation techniques used including a few examples from the best motivational companies in Kuwait. 2.2 Motivation So, who are the motivated workers? According to Myers (1964), when Texas Instruments Incorporated conducted a six year of research and study on the subject of motivation during the 1950s, they came up with the following conclusion1: Employees are motivated to work more effectively when they have a job that is challenging, because it might give them some interest in the job, more enjoyable work, a possibility of recognition, and a since of achievement when they accomplish the task. They become dissatisfied when those noted factors are missing from their jobs. They may also become dissatisfied by some negative factors related to the job itself including astringent rules, no breaks, low status, and low levels of salary or fringe benefits. This study was conducted by a company which experienced a tremendous growth in the 1950s, their annual sales rose from $2 million to over $200 million, along with their employee force which had risen from 1,700 to 17,000 in that decade. This success was accomplished because of their brilliant management philosophy, which provided employees with opportunities that allowed them to explore their works and efforts, and even set their own goals. In addition, the culture was a very friendly and informal one, as employees had very close relationships and strong communication links. Despite that success, the growth was not for long after those years, and employees were no longer highly motivated as before, because there were poor managerial skills in understanding the concept of motivation and how each employee can be motivated. This was in the 1950s; today the main idea or the concept of motivation still have the same old parameters, but with some improvements and modifications after many long studies by many of scientists and philosophers. To best understand the term motivation, one must start with the definition. 2.2.1 Definition of Motivation For the purpose of this thesis, we will keep the definition of (The Collins business Dictionary, 2002) regarding the concept of motivation. In that perspective, motivation is defined as the force or process which impels people to behave in the way that they do. In a work setting, motivation can be viewed as that which determines whether workers expand the degree of efforts necessary to achieve required task objectives2. Furthermore, here is another explanation of the term: motivation represents the forces acting on or within a person that causes the person to behave in a specific, goal-directed manner3. In addition, the online business dictionary (business dictionary , 2009) defines it as the Internal and external factors that stimulate desire and energy in people to be continually interested in and committed to a job, role, or subject, and to exert persistent effort in attaining a goal. Motivation is the energizer of behavior and mother of all action. It results from the interactions among conscious and unconscious factors such as the (1) intensity of desire or need, (2) incentive or reward value of the goal, and (3) expectations of the individual and of his or her significant others4. Since the term motivation is being defined, one must address some terms which are highly related to motivation, including: job satisfaction, job commitment, and job loyalty. Job satisfaction is the satisfaction that an individual gains (or does not gain) from his or her job. It is generally believed that satisfied employees will be more highly motivated and will work more productively than dissatisfied employees. Job dissatisfaction may lead to absenteeism, job turnover, industrial actions, and etc2. Commitment is the state of being bound emotionally or intellectually to a course of action or to another person or persons2. It is a well known fact that job satisfaction strongly leads to job commitment, which later leads to loyalty. Furthermore, job loyalty is another state led to by motivation, and it is a measure of commitment based on obligation or, in consumer preferences, degree of satisfaction2. 2.3 Theories of Motivation Over the years, many researchers have looked into the human psychology and studied the human nature to understand the process of motivation. They have come up with many theories which are being thought now to millions of students around the globe. Below this paragraph there is an overview of some of the most recognized theories of motivation worldwide, starting with the need theories: Maslows hierarchy of needs, and David C McClellands achievement motivation model. 2.3.1 Motivating Employees through Satisfying Human Needs 2.3.1.1 The Needs Hierarchy Theory The hierarchy of needs theory is one of the most recognized theories in the subject. It was found by Abraham Maslow, who published an article in 1943 under the title A theory of human motivation, which was developed later into the hierarchy of needs theory in Maslows Motivation and Personality book in 19545. The hierarchy model is shown in figure 2.1, as presented in the following website (making it clear.com, 2007)6: (Figure 2.1) Maslows Needs Pyramid or Maslows Needs Triangle Taken from (making it clear website, 2007) Maslow has based his theory on the fact that people are motivated by certain types of needs, he classified them into five levels based on their importance to people, and they are in ascending order: physiological, security, affiliation, esteem and self-actualization. He then arranged them in a hierarchy showing the order in which these needs are fulfilled from bottom to top5. According to Maslow, these human needs can be classified into lower and higher levels of needs, the lower levels or factors of needs has to be satisfied and fulfilled before the higher ones, which means they must be satisfied in order, so that a person can be motivated, and reach a high level of achievement in life5. The model indicates that when one need is satisfied, another one becomes important, which means that the lowest level of needs  (physiological)  must be  fulfilled  in  order to  move to the higher one (security), and so on, until one reaches  self-fulfillment 3. In other words, each level of needs is a motivator, which when satisfied, does not motivate anymore, and the higher level is now the motivator5. Firstly, Physiological needs. They are the first and lowest level of the hierarchy, they are the most basic needs which are necessary for the continuation of life, and they include: the desire for food, water, air, and sleep3. It can safely be said that no human being can live without the physiological needs, which is why they are sometimes called survival needs. They must be satisfied in order for a person to move up the hierarchy, and be motivated by the next level of needs5. Secondly, security needs. They occupy the second level of the pyramid, and are sometimes called safety needs, as they include the need for safety, stability and absence of pain, threat or illness3. When it comes to work, these needs may cause the preference for a safe and secure job, with a health insurance benefit for example. They include financial security, as they may cause people to open savings accounts for the security of their future, or to take different types of insurances for example, the insurance against accidents4. When this level is satisfied, a person may move to the next level5. Thirdly, Social needs, which can be explained as the needs someone wants from society, such as friendship and the feeling of belonging3. This level of needs deals with the emotions of the human being, every person needs to feel accepted and loved by others, and as most people do, a human may belong to a group, which can be a small one like family and friends, or a large one such as clubs, religious parties, or even gangsters. In the case that this emotional need was not fulfilled, a person may be lonely and experience some mental disorders such as anxiety or depression3. Esteem is the next level in the pyramid, and it is the desire to feel respected and self worthy, and thereby boost the self-esteem. People need to be valued by other people, they need to be accepted by what they are and recognized for their activities and contributions in order to feel self-valued. The imbalances of this need can lead to low self-esteem, which can cause psychological conditions such as depression3. The highest and last need is Self-actualization, which only appears when all the levels have been satisfied, and involves people recognizing their full potential, and be the best as they can be at what they do3,which can be best seen with self-employed people3. 2.3.1.2 The Achievement Motivation Model This model of motivation has been identified by David C McClellands in 1961. He proposed the idea that there are three important types of needs; they are achievement, authority/power, and affiliation needs. These needs were found to be present in every worker especially within managers, and the degree of which need is dominant can be seen in the workers attitude and behavior at work, which is based on their motivational status7. The ones, who are motivated by achievement, can be seen competing against a high standard, having difficult and challenging goals, and always seeking achievements and advancements in their jobs3. The authority/power motivated ones always strive for authority and leadership. They need to be leaders and have their ideas prevail. In addition, they want to be influential, make an impact in work and on other workers, and reach high personal status3. The affiliation motivated persons are team players; they are motivated by friendly relationships with others, as they need to be liked and always have close friendships7.   The McClelland theory proposed that all people have a combination of these needs, however not in the same level. The level of which particular need is dominant can be seen in someones attitude and behavior at work. He thinks that the managers, who are strongly affected by affiliation motivation, always need to be liked, which in turn affects their decision-making criteria. While authority motivated workers will posses a high level of commitment and work ethics, and in most cases are managers or leaders, unless they do not have the required skills or flexibility for the job. In addition, McClelland thinks that the best leaders are the ones with strong achievement motivation, however they may have some difficulties in leading their staff into believing and having as much dedication to what they want to achieve7. In his theory, McClelland proposed that achievement-motivated people are characterized by the following attitudes3: They set their own goals, because of their high selectivity of matters; they cannot accept other people to draw goals for them. They take full responsibility in their decisions and results, if they succeed they want the credit, and if they do not, they do not mind the blame. To them, Achievement is valued more than financial reward. They prefer achieving their goals to receiving praise or getting recognition. They do not consider a financial reward as a goal; to them it is just a measure of success. They are not highly concerned about Security, or about their status. They like nothing more than a reliable feedback for their work, not to get an appraisal or something of that matter, but to measure their work and see how successful they have been. They always seek better ways to do things, and improve their methods. they are highly selective for jobs which have higher satisfaction for their needs, which means they choose jobs which have greater responsibilities and opportunities for them to set their own goals and achieve them, for example they can work as managers, or in the sales department, in addition to many of them work as entrepreneurs. Next, there is a description of another category of motivation models, which is based on job designs. 2.3.2 Motivating Employees through Job Design 2.3.2.1 The Two-Factor Theory In 1959, Frederick Herzberg and his associates developed a famous theory of motivation known as the two-factor theory, or the motivator- hygiene model of motivation. He studied people to know what the factors that causes them to be satisfied at work, and the ones that causes dissatisfaction to them. He then came up with a list of factors and classified them in two categories: motivators and hygiene factors8. Motivators are the factors that satisfy people at work, in addition to generating positive feeling; they include recognition, achievement, advancement, responsibility, and challenging work. They are called intrinsic factors, because they are related to the job itself 3. Hygiene factors on the other hand, are factors which usually gives negative feelings to individuals, and may affect job dissatisfaction if they were absence, hence the term hygiene, because in the absence of hygiene, health can deteriorate. They include: job security, working conditions, salary, relationship with co-workers and supervisors, company policy and fringe benefits. They are called extrinsic factors because they are external to the job, not directly related to the job itself 8,3. 2.3.2.2 The Job Characteristic Model This is one of the most famous models of motivation, proposed by Hackman Oldham (1976), and it is highly used in designing jobs in many organizations5. It is related to Herzbergs model to a great degree, as it proposes the use of motivation factors at a workplace, and limiting the hygiene factors to minimum9. The model includes five main characteristics of any job, they are: skill variety, task identity, task significance, autonomy and job feedback. It proposes that the levels of all these characteristics should be increased in order to create a motivational environment at the workplace3. The first characteristic is skill variety, which is the amount and the types of skills and competencies required by a certain job. Some jobs are a daily routine activity and require too little from an employee to get them done, while other jobs require certain competencies and skills from individuals which can make them more interesting. Next is task identity, and it is the identification of the complete work needed to complete a task by an employee, from beginning to end, with an identifiable outcome3. Task significance is another characteristic, and it is described as the amount of importance and necessity of a given task, and whether it is worth doing and would have an impact on other people and society, or if it would not make a big difference when it gets done. The fourth characteristic is autonomy, and it is the amount of empowerment and control provided in certain jobs, which increases their importance in peoples minds. The last one is job feedback, which gives indications on an employee performance and effectiveness; therefore a job should be formulated in ways which allow superiors to measure the performer as simply and accurately as possible3,9. The model proposes that the levels of these five characteristics should be increased, because they have strong effects on three psychological aspects in humans, they are3: Experienced meaningfulness of the tasks performed. Experienced personal responsibility for task outcomes. Knowledge of the results of task performance. In the end, the model states that if these three status were raised in a human being, that individual will be highly satisfied at the job and strongly motivated to work. Next, there is another category of motivation models, which is based on performance expectations. 2.3.3 Motivating Employee through Performance Expectation 2.3.3.1 The Expectancy Theory The link between motivation and the expectancy theory was defined by Condrey as: Motivation is a product of the individuals expectancy that a certain effort will lead to the intended performance, the instrumentality of this performance to achieving a certain result, and the desirability of this result for the individual, known as valence10. The theory was found by Victor Vroom in 1964, a business professor at Yale School of Management , it proposes the idea that people become motivated to do a certain job when they believe they will get a certain reward that they want and expect. They make an estimation of the desired results, and based on that they act and behave in a way which will help them get to those results. It predicts that individuals within an organization can be motivated when they believe that10: More effort exerted will yield better performance at a job. Better performance will result in desirable organizational rewards, such as salary increment. These rewards are valued by the performer and satisfy the needs Satisfying the need is worthwhile doing better and giving the required effort to the proposed job. However, Victor Vroom together with his associates Edward Lawler and Lyman Porter thought that the link between peoples behavior at work and their goals was not exactly as simple as previous scientists had proposed. He believed that the performance of an employee is based on three major psychological factors, which can create a strong motivational force to that employee, they are9: Valence: refers to how people feel about and the level of satisfaction they get from the outcomes and rewards of completing their jobs, such as money, promotion, and satisfaction. On the one hand, an outcome is said to be a positive valent if an employee prefers having it. On the other hand, an outcome which an employee does not want to have is known as a negative valent. An outcome which an employee is indifferent about are said to have zero valence. Expectancy: it is the belief of employees that their actions will lead to certain outcomes, and their confidence in what they can do. Instrumentality: This is the belief of employees that they will get what has been promised to them after completing the task successfully. Vroom proposed that the belief of an employee in these three factors helps psychologically in building a motivational force which makes that employee happy and avoiding negativity. Hence, the theory describes the mental procedure of motivation, as people make choices based on their understanding and behavior 3. 2.3.4 Motivating People through Equity 2.3.4.1 The Equity Model The Equity Theory was developed by J. Stacy Adams in 1962; it describes how an employee perceives that the outcome reward of a certain job is being fair, after completing one which is expected to be satisfying9. The theory can be measured against other employees in a work place, or even employees from different organizations. Normally this measurement results in three different perceptions: they will feel they are fairly rewarded, under rewarded, or over rewarded. Unless they feel fairly rewarded, they will act in a way as to reduce inequity. Because they always try to measure what they put in a job (input) and what they get from it (output). Examples of employees inputs and outputs can be found in table 2.1 3: Table 2.1 Examples of employee inputs and outputs in a job: Inputs Outputs Attendance Recognition Personal skills Fringe benefits Commitment and effort Responsibility Level of education Sense of achievements Past experiences Job perquisites (parking space or office location) Performance Job security Personal appearance Promotion and growth Social status Salary Technical skills Seniority benefits Training Status symbols Support of collogues Working conditions (Taken from J Slocum, Jr. (2007) Fundamentals of organizational behavior) The Equity Theory is built on the belief that, employees who think their rewards are fair and equal to their contributions, are the most motivated ones, The same goes for the ones who belief they are being rewarded in a similar manner as their peers. On the other hand, employees may become demotivated when they belief that their input is greater than the output. They may become depressed and not satisfied with their status, and show many negative reactions9. Therefore, managers must be fair and give their employees their fair share of rewards, based on their actions and inputs. They should understand how to balance inputs and outputs fairly, so that they give each employee fair and deserved rewards, which in turn improves employee motivation and thereby gives them more job satisfaction9. As mentioned before, managers must understand the balance of inputs and outputs of their employees; because employees measure their inputs differently, in addition to the fact that they may prefer different types of rewards. For example, a working mother may prefer more flexible working hours to an incentive9. At the end, managers should make sure their employees do not feel under rewarded, because then they will be demotivated, which should be avoided in any organization that wants to be successful. They should reward them fairly and equally based on their efforts, contributions, expectations, and peers 11. 2.3.4.2 The Procedural Justice Theory This theory was proposed by Rawls (1971), and it is based on fairness just like the previous equity model; however it is not based on the outcomes or the outputs, but on the fairness of the process of making decisions5. The theory measures the procedure of making decisions in an organization, which can be fair or unfair, and affects employee motivation and job satisfaction9. Procedural justice can be very important and essential to every company or organization, because it has a great effect on employees. When they perceive a procedure as fair, they become highly motivated to work and improve their inputs at their jobs. On the other hand, if they think the procedure is unfair they may be dissatisfied and demotivated to work9. A good example can be seen in most companies is pay raise determination, if employees perceive fairness of the decision, they will be satisfied, and visa versa. Sometimes, the fairness of such decision can be more satisfying than the raise itself, because the human being highly values equity and fairness. Employees may also judge the process of layoffs within a company, as the survivors would judge the fairness of the decision and become highly affected by it, and if it was a fair decision, they would become highly satisfied and more committed to their job. However if the decision was unfair, they may become demotivated and even have fear about their job status, which usually leads to seeking jobs elsewhere 3. Another examples is students, especially hard workers who put so much efforts in their studies, they expect to get good grades for their hard work, but sometimes they are misjudged or marked unfairly, which can be seen when they compare their results or marks with each other, and when they think the marking procedure was unfair, they become hugely dissatisfied9. 2.3.5 Other Theories of Motivation There are many theories and models of motivation, which are not widely recognized as the ones explained before; here is a review of some of them: 2.3.5.1 The Incentive Theory of Motivation According to Kerr (1995), a reward can be very effective in boosting employee motivation. Whether it was tangible or intangible, when a reward is presented to an employee after a certain behavior or performance, it is more likely that the same desired performance will occur again. In addition, the sooner the reward is given the better, as its effect would be larger in employees minds, and later on, this performance becomes a habit by that employee12. However, as the author has noted, there might be some difficulties applying the technique efficiently by managers, because they should make sure that the reward is not just a simple reward, it should be some kind of a reinforcer, which is like a reminder to employees of the incentive they get for what they did, and later on this becomes embedded in their behavior, and a continuous source for motivation, and job satisfaction. 2.3.5.2 The Drive-Reduction Theory The theory was proposed by C. Hull (1940), who suggested that when a person experiences some kind of a biological drive or arousal to do something, that person will experience a driving force to do that thing. And whenever that person does the action, then the action would be reinforced. For example: when a person is hungry and wants to eat, there would be a drive to do so, but as soon as that person eats, the forced drive becomes reduced. However, the theory was not considered very successful because it did not explain clearly the motivation process9. 2.3.5.3 The ERG (Existence, Relatedness and Growth) Theory Suggested by Clayton Alderfer in 1969, who followed up on Maslows needs theory. He reestablished the order of needs into three categories: the existence category including Physiological and safety needs, the relatedness category including affiliation and esteem needs, and the growth category including self-actualization and needs 13, 9. 2.3.5.4 The Goal Setting Theory This is based on the idea that when an employee sets a goal for oneself, he/she will have to increase performance to achieve t

Essay Comparing Masks in A Dolls House and The Stranger (The Outsider) :: comparison compare contrast essays

Masks in A Doll's House and The Stranger In the real world there exist many different people, of different races and ages, each one unique. Some live secluded lives with few friends and others live very rich and complex lives surrounded by friends and acquaintances. No matter what type of life is led it is human nature to adjust one's external personality to suit the specific situation, much like putting on and removing different masks. People tend to be polite and respectful to others in public even though they may not know the person well or not care for them, yet behind closed doors that mask may disappear and their true feelings may come to the surface. People may adjust their external behaviour and attitudes when around others because they may not like their true selves and either want to change themselves or just merely fit in with society and be liked by others. Another mask that is often worn is the powerful and superior one and so to feel superior when among others pushes them around and becomes a bully. This same person could be gentle, nice and kind when around family but may feel the need to appear superior around other people. This form of adjusting one's personality or mask to suit a situation in life, is also common among characters in novels, dramas, and other forms of literature. In certain characters it is evident in the novel The Stranger and the play A Doll's House . In some instances it is quite easy to notice but other times it may be difficult to identify the changes in character's masks as the changes slowly develop throughout the plot. A form of mask wearing was found at the beginning of the novel The Stranger, where Meursault goes to the beach to go swimming and meets Marie Cardona. She was lying on a float when Meursault was swimming towards it. "She turned toward [him]. Her hair was in her eyes and she was laughing."(20) Later on when both Meursault and Marie go swimming together "She laughed the whole time,"(20) and then on the dock while they were drying themselves off Marie playfully says "I'm darker than you."(20) She puts on a type of giggly, flirty mask when around Meursault, probably