Author: chris

Effective Business Partnerships

Developing relationships is vital to organizational success.  These relationships ultimately benefit not only the organizations but the customers and shareholders.  There is a process identified in the Strategic Alliances & Marketing Partnerships referred to the “Gibbs + Humphries Partnership types that can be used to help to create a successful partnership.  These characteristics can be used to help determine the dynamics of the potential relationship.  Additionally, Jerry R. Mitchell (Mitchell, 2004, p. 1) has identified a four (4) factors for use in “Creating relationships that produce meaningful result,” (Mitchell, 2004, para. 6).  These factors will be used to determine if the partnership scenario, with only two (2) factors in place, can be successful.

The Partnership

The partnership of Health Tech Management Services (HTMS) and rural hospitals is the product of a company providing financial services, consulting services, supply chain solutions and revenue cycle products to struggling small rural hospitals.  This type of partnership is effective while including three (3) of the four (4) factors.  The “Shared Risk” (Mitchell, 2004, p. 1) is not present because the facility bears all the risk of the venture.  “Shared Resources” (Mitchell, 2004, p. 1), are higher for the hospital than HTMS.  Even though HTMS provides people and knowledge to the relationship the hospital provides the capital, technology and financial risk.

According to Allen et al (2010), the Cisco Company is a good example of failed partnerships. The company has suffered two failed alliances one with Motorola and the other with Ericsson. Both alliances failed because of the same reason: The partners in the partnership had turned into competitors because of acquisitions vision. Allen at al (2010), notes that the partnership in this case lacked shared rewards and shared vision. The partners in this case did not have clear guidelines on how to share the rewards and hence resulted into competion. the computer-network giant continued to work with rivals making the partnership to fail.

 

On the other hand, it would be difficult for a business partnership to succeed, almost impossible, without the four principles. For instance, a partnership between two companies that do not share a common vision would bring about conflict of interests. Consequently, it would be impossible for partners to conduct business together if they did not share resources and rewards. Resources in this case include information which is a key component in any business partnership (Gannon and Smith, 2011).

Gannon and Smith (2011), points out that the Human Resource business objectives are established with an aim to the attainment of the overall strategic organizational plan and objectives. Consequently, the tactical HR is deeply knowledgeable about the entire design of work systems upon which people succeed and contribute. This strategic aspect influences such HR services as the design of hiring; reward; strategic pay; appraisal systems; performance development; appraisal systems; succession planning; and employee development. Gannon and Smith (2011), argues that the HR personnel is a crucial component of the organization planning and is a strategic contributor to business success.  In addition, the HR is supposed to do advocacy. This entails creating a work environment in which people are motivated, willingly contribute to organizational policies, and are happy. In this role, therefore, the HR manager provides talent management strategies such as employee development opportunities, gain sharing and profit-sharing strategies, employee assistance programs, organization development interventions, and communication opportunities.

According to Williamson and De Meyer (2012), another important role of the HR is the constant evaluation of the organization’s effectiveness so as to be part of the team that champions change. Both the knowledge concerning and the ability to undertake successful change strategies make the HR exceptionally valued. Knowing how to link change, in this case partnership, to the strategic organizational needs will reduce employee dissatisfaction and resistance to change. This will in turn help to create the most appropriate organization culture, monitoring, and employee satisfaction. Williamson and De Meyer (2012) notes that in this case it is crucial for the HR to take the rightful role as an advisor in such matters concerning these issues during the planning of the partnership. Shared resources may include the human task force and in this case considerable attention is crucial to the welfare and working conditions of the employees. The organization should also consider the risks involved in terms of employees. The vision of the partnership should be clearly laid out and the HR involved so as to sell the same idea to the employees who are to form the steering team of the same.

Williamson and De Meyer (2012) notes that the most important factors that would ensure a successful partnership would be the shared vision and resources both companies should ensure the partnership is based on a common and shared vision, and equally agreeable service principles. Both partners should understand and agree on the purpose as well as the outcome of their partnership. Williamson and De Meyer (2012) points out that everyone must have a shared vision as to why the partnership was developed and the objective such rewards it hopes to achieve. This will form the basis of a common purpose and a shared commitment. The partnership should also provide for the sharing of resources between the two business entities. For instance, expertise from one firm might be required to participate in exchange programs. However, there should be a clear guideline the govern such programs. Sharing of information is crucial between the two partners. Successful partnerships will not only benefit the organization, but will also boost customer satisfaction through enhanced services and goods.
References

Allen, N. H., Tilghman, C., & Whitaker, R. (2010). For Gain or Pain? Establishing Effective Partnerships with outside Organizations. Continuing Higher Education Review,

GANNON, M., & SMITH, N. (2011). An effective outline business case to facilitate successful decision-making. Construction Management & Economics, 29(2), 185-197.

James Williamson, P., & De Meyer, A. (2012). Ecosystem Advantage: HOW TO SUCCESSFULLY HARNESS THE POWER OF PARTNERS. California Management Review, 55(1), 24-46.

Mitchell, J. R. (2004). Strategic Alliances [White Paper]. Retrieved from http://www.jerryrmitchell.com/SearchbyCategory.aspx?cid=5027&name=Partnering

The Use of Technology Tools to Study Many Geometric Ideas

 

Technology tools are essential for effective teaching and learning of mathematics. For instance, in mathematics education computer technology is effective because it usually focuses on higher-order cognitive skills, such as hypothesizing, reasoning, investigating, and making generalizations (Beckmann, 2013). Use of technology tools motivate students towards becoming more interested in the exploration, investigation, conjecturing, creation, and discovery of principles which helps students to become mathematical problem-solvers, while at the same time making sure that the conceptual understanding of geometry is enhanced (Van de Walle et al., 2013).

A particular technology tool that can be used with students to increase their understanding of points, lines, planes, and angles is the Dynamic Geometry Software (DGS). This technology tool is particularly a wonderful tool used to teach Geometry to students in a discovery mode (Chandler, 2011).  Chandler (2011) contends that this is attributed to the fact that it allows students to create and manipulate geometric figures while at the same time encouraging them towards making conjectures on the basis of what they see. The students can also modify the constructed figures by dragging points around the screen, while not changing the underlying relationships. Therefore, through recognition of the aspects remaining constant while doing the modifications, students are able to identify geometric concepts (Chandler, 2011).

It is quite evident that DGS provides more opportunities for the concentration of students on abstract structures in comparison to traditional approach of paper-pencil (Van de Walle et al., 2013). Thus, with this new approach, it is easy for students to enter the research setting, and engage in investigating, hypothesizing, testing, rejecting, formulating, or explaining these hypotheses (Beckmann, 2013). Hence DGS has revolutionized the nature of teaching and instruction in geometry because it can help to discover mathematical relationships with induction, while enabling them to draw simple to relatively complex figures, conduct analysis on them, and subsequently express their own hypotheses in form of a theorem (Beckmann, 2013). However, the most significant feature of DGS which helps students to increase their understanding of points, lines, planes, and angles is its ability to drag individual elements of a figure or the figure as a whole. This feature can be used by students to observe the dynamics of some of the figures’ properties because some changes while others remain constant (Van de Walle et al., 2013).

The main challenge encountered using DGS is that it initially requires close supervision from the teacher in order to ensure that students grasps all the details. Geometer’s Sketchpad program is a particular DGS technology tool which might be used to solve real-world geometry problems (Van de Walle et al., 2013). This is mainly because it gives very good results, and it can be practically used by students to quickly learn how to construct segments, circles, parallel and perpendicular lines as well as many other geometric figures (Chandler, 2011). The Sketchpad can also practically used as a measuring tool specifically because it only makes available all the measuring tools that are applicable to highlighted figures (Chandler, 2011).

This technology tool can be used to present students with geometric experiences that will foster their advancement through the van Hiele levels because students progress through levels based on their experiences, and it is imperative that teachers might use this technology tool to provide tasks and experiences so that students are capable of developing along this continuum (Breyfogle & Lynch, 2010). Breyfogle & Lynch (2010) show that DGS which is applicable in Van Hiele geometric model can be used to support deductive proof because it usually show empirical evidence as proof. Furthermore, DGS not only provides empirical data for confirmation or rejection of a conjecture, but also provides ideas leading to a proof (Breyfogle & Lynch, 2010).

References

Beckmann, S. (2013). Mathematics for elementary teachers with activities (4^th ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson.

Breyfogle, M. L., & Lynch, C. M. (2010).Van Hiele revisited. Mathematics Teaching in the Middle School, 16(4), 232–238.

Chandler, S. (2011). Dynamic Geometry Software. Retrieved from Maths RUs website: http://mathr.us/welcome/2011/03/31/dynamic-geometry-software/ (Accessed on January 14, 2014).

Van de Walle, J. A., Karp, K. S., & Bay-Williams, J. M. (2013). Elementary and middle school mathematics: Teaching developmentally (8^th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson.

 

 

 

 

Application of Deontological Ethics to Discuss How Adelphia Communications’ Executives Violated the Company Shareholders’ and the General Public’s Trust

 

Introduction

Violation of rules and regulations that have already been put in place to control the conduct of public and private companies’ executives has over the recent past become a common phenomenon in the contemporary business world (Beauchamp, 1991). This is often attributed to the executives’ greed which makes them misappropriate or embezzle company finances or engage in unethical behaviors in order to conceal their activities which are not in accordance with laid down rules and regulations (Waller, 2005). To a significant extent, these unethical behaviors by company executives considerably violate the trust of company shareholders as well as the trust of the general public. According to Waller (2005) trust of shareholders and the general public is essential to the functioning of public companies, especially those which directly offer services or manufacture goods for the general public. Moreover, recently reported accounting scandals, where some public companies prepare fraudulent financial statements, subsequently followed by auditing firms issuing clean opinions on such financial statements which are fraudulent, have to a significant extent violated the trust of company shareholders and the general public (Beauchamp, 1991).

According to deontological ethics most of the unethical behaviors perpetuated by company executives, and particularly the fraudulent conduct of Adelphia Communications Corp executives result to significant violation of the trust of company shareholders as well as the general public (Barlaup et al., 2009). This is mainly because deontological ethics is the normative ethical position responsible of judging an action’s morality on the basis of how the action adheres to existing rules and regulations. As a result, deontological ethics is sometimes described as “rule” or “obligation” or “duty” -based ethics, since a person is bound to his/her duty by the existing rules and regulations (Waller, 2005). Beauchamp (1991) notes that along with rules and regulations, trust guide interactions in public companies because trust is defined as the expectations arising within a company due to honest, cooperative, and a regular behavior, on basis of commonly shared norms. Thus, in public companies where shareholders and the general public trust and have confidence the company executives, smooth running, operational efficiency, and profitability are often achieved (Waller, 2005). Hence in this essay the focus is on Adelphia Communications Corp scandal that was perpetuated by the company executives, and drawing upon deontological ethics the extent to which the conduct of Adelphia Communications’ executives violated the trust of company shareholders and that of the general public is discussed.

Application of deontological ethics principles and concepts to evaluate the conduct of Adelphia Communications’ Executives

Considering that deontological ethics is the normative ethical position responsible of judging an action’s morality on the basis of how the action adheres to existing rules and regulations (Waller, 2005), it is essential to draw upon this theory in order to discuss the violation of company shareholders and the general public trust by Adelphia Communications’ executives. This is mainly because despite the existing rules and regulations on which morality of an action is judged in deontological ethics, Adelphia Communications’ executives carried out fraudulent financial reporting (Barlaup et al., 2009). The reason for the wide public outcry resulting from Adelphia scandal, is that

Adelphia Communications Corp was a public corporation offering cable television services, and by the time the fraudulent accounting scandal at Adelphia Communications Corp was reported in 2002, the company was the sixth largest cable television services provider in the United States (Markon & Frank, 2002). Therefore, based on deontological ethics the reason why Adelphia Communications’ executives violated the trust of company shareholders as well as the general public was due to the fact that financial statements prepared by Adelphia’s management were fraudulent because they failed to represent the company’s economic reality, through exclusion of debts which amounted to billions of dollars. External auditors did not manage to realize the fraudulence in the company’s financial statements, giving Adelphia Communications’ executives an opportunity to continue embezzling company finances (Barlaup et al., 2009).

The fraudulent financial reporting and other unethical behaviors perpetuated by Adelphia Communications’ executives are immoral and unethical on the basis of deontological ethics because they violated existing rules and regulations eventually resulting to violation of the trust of company shareholders as well as the trust of the general public (Markon & Frank, 2002). Adelphia Communications’ executives appear to have acted unethically and immorally, due to lack of fundamental concern for rules and regulations as well as ethical behavior. Hence the ethical analysis of Adelphia Communications’ executives conduct on basis of deontological ethics to discuss how it violated the trust of company shareholders and the general public show an outright disregard of the existing rules and regulations an indication that their actions significantly violated the trust of company shareholders and the general public (Barlaup et al., 2009).

The essence of deontological ethics in evaluating actions of public corporations’ executives is that the morality of an action’s value is not dependent of its consequences. This is mainly because the moral value of an action is dependent on whether the motivation of an action was to carry out one’s duty (Beauchamp, 1991). According to deontological ethics theory, the fair thing to do is the only one possible action when in a position to serve interests of the public. This implies that there is a duty for everybody to always make the correct decision and do the right action. According to Waller (2005) deontological ethics theory considers an act as morally wrong even if it maximizes good as long as the action is not properly motivated. Therefore, this is a succinct indication that according to deontological ethics theory, an individual or a group of people should always tell the truth with total disregard of the outcome of telling that truth and under no circumstance is lying or misrepresentation of facts justifiable. This clearly shows that the fraudulent financial statements reporting by Adelphia Communications’ executives with absolute disregard of rules and regulations was unethical and not morally right meaning that this action negatively influenced the confidence of company shareholders and the general public on them (Markon & Frank, 2002). Subsequently this action led to significant violation of trust of company shareholders and the general public.

Deontological ethics theory is divided into: act and rule deontology. According to Waller (2005) act deontological ethics usually view every action as a distinct ethical occasion and reiterates that through consultation of our intuition or conscience, it is possible to determine the right and the wrong in a given situation without reference to set of rule and regulations meaning our actions should be guided by our intuition or conscience. Moreover, rule deontological ethics reiterates that the standards to determine whether an action is right or wrong are provided by universal rules and regulations (Waller, 2005). This means that deontological ethics accept the principle of universalizability, which incorporates the notion that one appeals to universally accepted principles to make moral decisions. Truth-telling is perhaps one of the most common examples of universal principles (Beauchamp, 1991). Hence the misstatement of financial statements by Adelphia Communications’ executives to secure a loan cannot be universalized because if everyone did it, the practice of lending would eventually fall apart. This implies that such an act cannot be universalized, hence unethical and not morally right because it involved concealing of the company’s borrowing status and inflating the company earnings (Barlaup et al., 2009). This act by Adelphia Communications’ executives further violates the trust of shareholders and the general public because most of the secured loans were used to finance family-owned entities. At the same time the Adelphia Communications’ executives continued to withdraw increasingly vast sums of money for Rigas family personal use (Barlaup et al., 2009).

Furthermore, Adelphia Communications’ executives and the Rigas family spent a total of $12.8 million corporate money for construction of a private golf course without authorization and disclosure to shareholders (Markon & Frank, 2002). On confrontation Adelphia Communications’ executives refuted claims that the project was aimed to benefit them, but considering the location and magnitude of the golf course it was obvious that the motive of the project was not proper (Markon & Frank, 2002). Thus, considering deontological ethics theory, it is clear that this action was immoral and violated the truth of the company shareholders and that of the general public. For instance, the violation of this truth is further based on using over $12 million of shareholder money without their consent making out of line with any categorical imperative (Markon & Frank, 2002). Furthermore, this action cannot express any of the morality’s universalizable principles.

Conclusion

As seen in the discussion, it is succinctly clear that deontological ethics advocate to right actions based on existing rules and regulations. Therefore, the actions carried out by Adelphia Communications’ executives are immoral and unethical because they cannot be universalized and were done with total disregard to rules and regulations. This meant that such actions by Adelphia Communications’ executives violated the company shareholders and the general public trust.

References

Barlaup, K., Hanne, I. D., & Stuart, I. (2009). Restoring trust in auditing: Ethical discernment and the Adelphia scandal. Managerial Auditing Journal, 24(2), 183-203.

Beauchamp, T.L. (1991). Philosophical Ethics: An Introduction to Moral Philosophy, (2^nd ed.). New York: McGraw Hill.

Markon, J., & Frank, R. (2002). Adelphia officials are arrested, charged with ‘massive’ fraud – three in the Rigas family, two other executives held, accused of mass looting. The Wall Street Journal.

Waller, B.N. (2005). Consider Ethics: Theory, Readings, and Contemporary Issues. New York, NY: Pearson Longman.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Congestive Heart Failure

Congestive heart failure (CHF) is a condition which occurs when the heart muscle is unable to pump sufficient blood to the body (Grady et al., 2000). The care approach will involve making the right diagnosis and creating an effective treatment plan. Mr. P will undergo diagnostic procedures such as cardiac catheterization, echocardiography and cardiac nuclear stress imaging. The nurse and cardiologist will work closely with Mr. P to ensure that the treatment is effective and also provide information on a healthy lifestyle and diet. The patient will be put on a diet with low fat and sodium and advised not to take stimulants. He will also undergo a change in lifestyle including an exercise program and stress reduction (Grady et al., 2000). Several medications will be administered to ease the symptoms, reduce exertion of the heart muscle, regulate the heartbeat and improve the pumping ability of the heart.

An effective treatment plan for Mr. P includes conducting left ventricle tests, administering appropriate medication, providing him with instructions on caring for himself at home such as a healthy diet, exercise and self-monitoring, and advice on what to avoid such as smoking. Mr. P can undergo several treatment options to strengthen his heart. In order to expand his blood vessels and improve the flow of the blood, vasodilators and ACE inhibitors can be used (Gardetto & Carroll, 2007). The left ventricle’s ability to pump blood can be improved by beta blockers. The ability of the entire heart to pump blood can be improved by digitalis. Excess water and salt in the body can be eliminated by using diuretics. ACE inhibitors are initiated at low doses while monitoring the renal function, blood pressure and serum potassium (Gardetto & Carroll, 2007). Beta blockers are also administered in low doses at an interval of two weeks until the target dose is achieved. Aldosterone antagonists are also administered while monitoring the renal function and potassium level of the patient. Mr. P also needs support from family members in order to cope better with the disease (Quaglietti, Atwood, Ackerman, & Froelicher, 2000).

The education of the patient and his family is essential to ensure better management of CHF. Education will enable Mr. P and his family to understand the condition and its symptoms, the purpose and dosage of different medications, the appropriate diet and exercise (Grady et al., 2000). After undergoing education, Mr. P will learn to cope with the condition and his wife will be able to support him and ensure that he adheres to the treatment plan. A one-on-one method of education involving physicians, home health nurses, advanced practice nurses, pharmacists and registered nurses is appropriate for the patient and his family (Quaglietti et al., 2000). A one-on-one teaching method is the most suitable as the healthcare providers will be able to explain all the relevant information in a clear language and also answer any questions that the patient and his family may have. They will also give further clarifications on the areas that are not well understood and also give reassurance to the patient and his family. This method can be supplemented by video tapes and written materials to ensure that the patient and his family access all the information regarding the condition (Grady et al., 2000).

A proper teaching plan for the patient and his family is essential in order to achieve the intended outcomes (Grady et al., 2000). It should be simple and understandable to the patient and his family. A teaching plan will include several topics:

General information about CHF	The meaning of CHF, symptoms, psychological responses, probable outcome of the CHF, actions to take when symptoms increase and how to do self-monitoring.
Dietary recommendations	Restriction of sodium, alcohol, fluid and compliance strategies.
Exercise	Leisure activities, work, sexual activity, exercise program and compliance strategies.
Medication	Purpose of drugs, dosage and their side effects, interaction of multiple medications, cost issues, how to cope with complicated prescriptions and compliance strategies.

 

 

References

Gardetto, N.J. & Carroll, K.C. (2007). Management strategies to meet the core heart failure measures for acute decompensated heart failure: A nursing perspective. Critical Care Nursing Quarterly, 30(4), 307-320.

Grady, K.L., Dracup, K., Kennedy, G., Moser, D.K., Piano, M., Stevenson, L.W., & Young, J.B. (2000). Team management of patients with heart failure: A statement for healthcare professionals from the Cardiovascular Nursing Council of the American Heart Association. Circulation, 102, 2443-2456.

Quaglietti, S.E., Atwood, J.E., Ackerman, L., & Froelicher, V. (2000). Management of the patient with congestive heart failure using outpatient, home and palliative care. Progress in Cardiovascular Diseases, 43(3), 259-274.

Anemia

Mrs. A’s symptoms and laboratory results indicate that she is suffering from iron-deficiency anemia. People suffer from anemia when the body lacks sufficient red blood cells to transport oxygen to all the parts of the body. In order to carry oxygen, the inhaled oxygen is bound to the hemoglobin found in the red blood cells (Johnson-Wimbley & Graham, 2011). Red blood cells need sufficient iron in order to produce hemoglobin. As such, insufficient iron in the blood is one of the commonest causes of anemia. Red blood cells contain many hemoglobin molecules.

Hemoglobin is made up of a molecule called heme and protein referred to as globulin. The heme bonds with oxygen in the lungs and the oxygenated cells move to all the parts of the body through the blood stream. When the body does not have sufficient iron for the production of hemoglobin, the individual develops iron-deficiency anemia. Symptoms such as low energy levels, shortness of breath and light-headedness indicate that Mrs. A is suffering from iron-deficiency anemia (American Society of Hematology, 2013). These symptoms are as a result of reduced transport of oxygen in the blood.  Iron deficiency occurs when the demand of iron in the body cannot be met (Killip, Bennett, & Chambers, 2007).

Mrs. A has also been suffering from dysmenorrhea and menorrhagia for a long time. Menorrhagia refers to excessive bleeding during menstruation while dysmenorrhea refers to severe cramps accompanying the bleeding. Women suffering from menorrhagia are at a high risk of contacting iron-deficiency anemia because their bodies may lose more iron in the blood than can be replaced through their diet. Therefore, Mrs. A’s iron deficiency may be a result of losing a lot of blood. Women normally lose approximately 30 ml of blood during menstruation but menorrhagia makes them lose over 80 ml. Mrs. A is suffering from iron-deficiency anemia, which is a type of microcytic hypochromic anemia. One of the causes of this type of anemia is loss of blood (American Society of Hematology, 2013). Mrs. A has lost a lot of blood due to menorrhagia leading to iron deficiency. Laboratory tests reveal that Mrs. A’s red blood cells are hypochromic, which means that they have less hemoglobin. Such red blood cells are paler than usual. Her red blood cells are also microcytic, which means that they are smaller in size than the normal cells (Johnson-Wimbley & Graham, 2011). Pale and smaller red blood cells are some of the main indicators of iron-deficiency anemia.

The results of other blood tests further ascertain that Mrs. A’s condition is iron deficiency anemia. She is suffering from anemia since her hemoglobin levels are less than 12 g/dl. Her hematocrit is also lower than the normal 35 to 47 % for women. Low levels of hematocrit and hemoglobin are signs of iron-deficiency anemia (Killip et al., 2007). Moreover, Mrs. A’s reticulocyte count is not high and this indicates that she is losing red blood cells but their production is low. A low value of reticulocyte count indicates that the bone marrow is making few red blood cells and this is common in iron-deficiency anemia (Johnson-Wimbley & Graham, 2011). This type of anemia is as a result of very low iron stores in the body which cannot support the normal production of red blood cells. A reticulocyte count is done to determine whether the cause of anemia is as a result of excessive loss of red blood cells (Johnson-Wimbley & Graham, 2011). This test measures the number of immature erythrocytes in circulation. Mrs. A’s erythrocyte count is also low, which is a sign of iron-deficiency anemia.

From the symptoms presented in the case, Mrs. A appears to be suffering from Iron deficiency anemia. This diagnosis arises from observations such as dysmenorrhea and menorrhagia, which puts Mrs A at risk for anemia. Further, laboratory results indicating hemoglobin levels lower than 12 g/dl, lower than normal hematocrit, low reticulocyte count and low erythrocyte count confirms the diagnosis. Such a diagnosis implies that Mrs. A may need to take iron supplements to boost the levels of Iron in her body.

 

References

American Society of Hematology. (2013). Iron-deficiency anemia. Retrieved January 20, 2014 from http://www.hematology.org/patients/blood-disorders/anemia/5263.aspx

Johnson-Wimbley, T.D. & Graham, D.Y. (2011). Diagnosis and  management of iron-deficiency anemia in the 21^st century. Therapeutic Advances in Gastroenterology, 4(3), 177-184.

Killip, S., Bennett, J.M., & Chambers, M.D. (2007). Iron Deficiency Anemia. American Family Physician, 75(5), 671-678.

 

 

Acute Decompensated Heart Failure

Acute Decompensated Heart Failure (ADHF) refers to a condition that leads to the worsening of heart failure symptoms and that requires immediate medical intervention (Neuenschwander & Baliga, 2007). After admission, the nursing interventions suitable for Mrs. J include treatment of symptoms, hemodynamic stabilization, treatment of congestion and long-term therapy initiation. Oxygen should be administered to the patient and pressure should be delivered through a facemask to ensure constant pressure in the respiratory cycle. The administration of IV furosemide (Lasix) is aimed at treating hypertension, shortness of breath and acute volume overload. Enalapril (Vasotec) is an ACE inhibitor which is suitable for the treatment of high blood pressure by relaxing the arteries. Metoprolol (Lopressor) is suitable for treating abnormal heart rhythms, heart pain and high blood pressure. The administration of IV morphine sulfate (Morphine) is aimed at reducing the patient’s anxiety and the cardiac filling pressure (Neuenschwander & Baliga, 2007).

Several cardiovascular conditions can result in heart failure. One of these is coronary artery disease which is caused by the buildup of fatty deposits and cholesterol in the arteries. Consequently, less blood reaches the heart muscle and its flow can be obstructed completely leading to heart failure (American Heart Association, 2014). Vasodilators such as nitroglycerin can be administered to widen the coronary arteries so as to increase the flow of blood to the heart muscle. Beta blockers are administered to reduce the heart rate and improve the flow of blood to the heart. Aspirin prevents blood clotting in the arteries. Lipid management also reduces lipid levels in the blood. Heart muscle disease or cardiomyopathy affects the muscle of the heart by damaging or weakening it (American Heart Association, 2014). Therefore, the heart is unable to pump blood properly. This condition can also result in heart failure. Cardiomyopathy can be managed with medications to ensure a normal heart rhythm, reduce inflammation and decrease the blood pressure to prevent further damage to the heart. Heart failure can also be prevented by maintaining an appropriate diet, healthy weight, sufficient sleep and reducing caffeine intake.

Hypertension is another condition which refers to high pressure in the blood vessels and it requires higher heart rates order to maintain the blood circulation (American Heart Association, 2014). This affects the heart by making the chambers weaker and larger and it may lead to heart failure. Diuretics can be administered to patients with hypertension to prevent the development of heart failure. Diabetes is another condition which increases the levels of lipids in the blood and this may result in the development of atherosclerosis and hypertension (American Heart Association, 2014). This may lead to heart failure. Diabetes can be managed through medication to control sugar levels, reduce blood pressure, improve the levels of cholesterol and reduce the workload of the heart. It is also managed through physical activity, healthy diet and healthy weight to reduce the risk of heart failure.

Most elderly adults suffer from several chronic diseases which require them to take different types of medications at the same time (Marek & Antle, 2008). This puts them at risk of the negative effects of drug interactions. One of the nursing interventions to help the elderly patients is medication reconciliation. This involves reviewing all the patient’s medications and screening for effects of drug interaction. This will facilitate the management of the medication. Another intervention is to assess the limitations and abilities of the patient in organizing and using the medication (Marek & Antle, 2008). The healthcare provider will assist the patient to remember the right time to take each medication through memory-enhancing devices and memory cues. This will ensure that the correct dosage is taken at the right time to reduce the risk of adverse drug reactions. Another intervention is to provide education to the patient regarding the purpose, instructions and names as well as the safe management of each medication. Use of large letters to write instructions and the use of medication charts enables the patients to take the right medication (Marek & Antle, 2008). Another intervention is ongoing monitoring of the patient to ascertain adherence to the dosage, assess side effects of the medication and ascertain effectiveness of the treatment. This will enable the healthcare providers to identify any risk of adverse drug interactions and take remedial action.

 

References

American Heart Association. (2014). Understand your risk of heart failure. Retrieved January 16, 2014 from http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/Conditions/HeartFailure/UnderstandYourRiskforHeartFailure/Understand-Your-Risk-for-Heart-Failure_UCM_002046_Article.jsp

Marek, K.D. & Antle, L. (2008). Medication management of the community-dwelling older adult. Patient Safety and Quality: An evidence-based handbook for nurses, 1, 499-536.

Neuenschwander, J.F. & Baliga, R.R. (2007). Acute Decompensated Heart Failure. Critical Care Clinics, 23, 737-758.

 

Points, Lines, Planes, and Angles

Introduction

Measurements and geometry play a central role in mathematics and science. Measurement is a systematic way of assigning a number to a subset of a set of identifiable objects which could be measured in size, length, width etc. Measurements enable students to assign a number to an attribute of an object such as length, width etc. measurements are endless attributes; for example they can be subdivided into smaller numbers to smallest level of precision. Geometry and measurements empower students to appreciate interrelationships between figures and discover proofs through performing several activities. Measurements assist students to compare an attribute measurement using numbers. Measurements of an attribute held by one object are compared with measurements of an attribute held by another object and this indirect comparison enables students to solve real life problems (http://www.geogebra.org/cms/en/; Schuetz, 2008).

I have been hired as a manager by a Community Recreation Center (CRC) to redesign its rectangular shaped parking lot to accommodate 15 additional parking spaces  from the current 36. The rectangular shaped parking lot measures 50yards in length by 40 yards in width.  The current design of the parking lot has 36 parking spaces which enables it to accommodate 36 vehicles at any time.  Each parking lines is estimated to measure 4 inches in width. The length and width of the parking lot is limited as it cannot be increased beyond the current measurements. Measurements of the current 36 parking spaces have not been provided. Measurements of existing parking space have not been provided however they are all rectangular in shape.  In the existing design there is a driving aisle between 12 parking spaces and the next lot of 24 parking spaces totaling 36 parking spaces. The 24 parking spaces are divided into 12 each facing each other.  The current design of the parking lot is shown below;

The existing design of the parking lot enables vehicles to park without causing any congestion and pull out with ease. The challenge of the new manager is to design a parking lot that offers additional parking space but still enables motorists to pull in and out of the parking lot without causing congestion. As the manager hired by the Community Recreation Centre (CRC) I am required to determine the maximum number of angle parking spaces with an angle of 60^0.

The park must be repainted as one of the first steps of redesigning the parking lot. I have to make a number of assumptions in order to redesign the parking lot to accommodate the maximum possible number of angled parking spaces. Each parking space will measure 18feet in length and 9 feet in width. The main challenge that the manager faces is to determine the area in square feet to be occupied by the parking lot as measurements cannot be altered. The only thing that the manager can do is to reduce the size of each parking space.       The parking lot is measured in yards as the unit of measurement of 50 yards in length and 40 yards in width. To make reasonable comparisons I must convert the unit of measurements in yards into unit of measurements in feet since the parking spaces will be measured in feet. The length of the parking lot in feet is therefore 50 yard divided by 1yard multiplied by 3 feet =150 feet. The width of the parking lot in feet is 40yard divided by 1yard multiplied by 3 feet=120feet (Tsao & Pan, 2013). The parking will be as follows after redesign;

50 yards

40 yards

 

The parking spaces will take the form of a parallelogram. The area of a parallelogram is obtained by multiplying the length by the width. The area of one parking space will therefore be 18 feet *9 feet=162square feet. The total area of the entire parking lot in square feet is 150feet * 120 feet =18,000 square feet. The total number of parking spaces that can be obtained from the parking lot without including the parking lines and driving aisles are 18,000square feet divided by 162 square feet multiplied by 1 parking space=111 parking spaces. However, it will be impossible to service the parking lot without adequate driving aisles.

I need to create 3 driving aisles in the new design that is 2 one –way driving aisle and 1 one-way driving aisle. The area in square feet of one-way driving aisle is obtained by multiplying the width of the one-way driving aisle by the length of the parking lot that is 12feet*150feet=1,800square feet whereas the total area occupied by a two way aisle is 24feet*150feet=3,600square feet.  The total area for the one-way driving aisles is therefore 2*1800square feet=3,600square feet. The total area to be covered by the 3 driving aisles will be 3,600square feet+ 3,600square feet=7,200 square feet. One parking space will be shaped as per the diagram below;

 

 

                                                               B

                                                             A     9 feet

                                                                                   60⁰

18 feet

 

The surface area covered by each parking space represents a plane and will measure 162 square feet; that is 18 feet*9 feet. Point A to point B represents the width of the parallelogram.  The next step is to calculate the total area that will be taken up by the parking lines. To determine that I must count the number of parking lines which will measure 9 feet and the ones that will measure 18 feet. Note that one parking line measuring the width of the parking space demarcates the boundary between two parking spaces. I therefore must count just one parking line for each parking space. There are 60 parking lines measuring the width of each parking space. As for length of each parking space I must count each line measuring 18 feet. After counting these parking lines they came to 31 parking lines whereas. The reason being that some parking spaces especially the ones facing each other share the parking lines determining their length. The width of one parking line is 4inches which converts to 1.33 feet. This is because 1 inch is equivalent to 0.333 feet. The total area of one parking line measuring 9 feet will be 9feet*1.333feet=11.997square feet. The area of the 60 parking lines with the same measurements will be 60 lines/1 feet*11.997square feet=719.82. The area of parking line measuring 18 feet will be 18feet*1.33 feet=23.94square feet. The total area will be 23.94square feet multiplied by the 31 parking lines measuring 18 feet that is 23.94square feet*31 lines* 1 line=742.14square feet. The total space occupied by the parking lines will be 742.14 square feet + 719.82 square feet=1,461.96 square feet (http://education.ti.com/en/us/products/calculators/graphing-calculators).

The total space in square feet that will be occupied by the parking lines and the driving aisles will be 7,200square feet+1,461.96 square feet =8, 661.96 square feet. This therefore means that the available space in the parking lot available to create parking spaces is total area of the entire parking lot in square feet less area to be occupied by parking lines plus that to be occupied by drive in aisles.  Hence, 18000 square feet less 8, 661.96 square feet = 9,338.04 square feet. Assuming each parking space will measure 162 square feet that is  9 feet by 18 feet  in a parallelogram then the total parking spaces that can be obtained of the parking lot will be 9,338.04 square feet divided by 162 square feet= 57parking spaces. As the manager I will inform the CRC management that it can add the parking spaces from the current 36 to 57 by adding an additional 21 new parking spaces (http://www.dynamicgeometry.com; http://illuminations.nctm.org/ActivityDetail.aspx?ID=125).

In summary it is important to note that each parking line separating the parking spaces will be slanting at an equal gradient to the previous thus creating parallel lines by adding doted lines you can create a perfect parallelogram. The outcome is a plane whose distinct points are the intersection on the width of each parallelogram (http://www.geogebra.org/cms/en/). A number of assumptions have been made which include the measurement of parking spaces in parking line A and in all other parking line areas. The other assumption is that I yard is equivalent to 3 feet.  Formulas used in the assignment include formulas to calculate the area of a rectangle which is length multiplied by width. This was used to calculate the surface area of a parking line. That is 0.4feet* 9 feet=3.6 square feet for example. The area of a parallelogram was also relied on which was Length multiplied by width to determine the surface area of each plane which formed each parking space (http://www.wmich.edu/cpmp/CPMP-Tools/; Tsao & Lin, 2011).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

References

http://www.wmich.edu/cpmp/CPMP-Tools/

http://www.geogebra.org/cms/en/

http://www.dynamicgeometry.com

http://education.ti.com/en/us/products/calculators/graphing-calculators

http://illuminations.nctm.org/ActivityDetail.aspx?ID=125

Schuetz, G. (2008). Approximating geometry measurement. Modern Machine Shop, 81(4), 58-58,60. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/213728246?accountid=45049

Tsao, Y., & Pan, T. (2013).The computational estimation and instructional perspectives of elementary school teachers. Journal of Instructional Pedagogies, 11, 1-15. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/1440862387?accountid=45049

Tsao, Y., & Lin, Y. (2011). The study of number sense and teaching practice. Journal of Case Studies in Education, 2, 1-14. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/887907244?accountid=45049

 

Black Diamond and the War of Resources

 

Introduction

The film Black Diamond is an American-German political war thriller produced in 2006. The title is symbolic of the diamonds normally mined in African war zones and later sold to enable the financing of conflicts. The film is set during the 1996-2001 Sierra Leone Civil War. It depicts a torn apart country which is mainly as a result of the struggle between two forces; the loyalist’s government and the insurgent forces (Arnold, 2006). The film portrays an image of the atrocities of this war, including how the rebels would amputate the hands of citizens so they would not be able to vote in the upcoming elections. The end of this film is based on an actual event which took place in Kimberly, South Africa back in 2000 (Arnold, 2006). It was a meeting which paved way for the Kimberly Process Certification Scheme.

The Message of War

The film, ‘Blood Diamond” carries with it a number of messages meant to enlighten the viewers on various issues. The main theme here is that of war and how people look to the presence of possible ways to get out of it unharmed. Civil wars in the past have been characterized with the abuse of human rights among other conflicts. People have suffered under the hands of the most powerful individuals. Lives have been lost, and many others have had to live with the memory of how cruel the people they loved died. According to this film, war from the past is what paves way for conflicts in the future (Arnold, 2006). It is the major cause for the loss of lives in big numbers as well as the displacement of many people from their homes.

Wars are what make people suffer while trying to meet their daily needs since it destroys the availability of basic needs within reach. When there is war, grocery stores or other shops cannot open up because the owners are also scared for their dear lives. The warlords are the only people who benefit from the situation because they call the shots. From the film, the rebels and warlords used diamonds to purchase firearms which was used against the Sierra Leoneans (Arnold, 2006). Today, terrorist groups such as the al-Qaeda use diamonds to aid in financing their illegal activities. Wars usually cause a great set back on the progress of a country. It destroys infrastructure and any other important features which were already developed. The country is therefore torn to pieces and forced to start all over again once the war is over.

Resource Wars

This book pays close attention to the growing impacts of resource scarcity on the policies of various nations (Klare, 2002). The author argues that the first years of the new millennium will be characterized by wars, not because of ideology but as a result of the dwindling supplies of natural commodities which are also precious in most countries (Klare, 2002). According to the book, the Cold War has cleared the way for a global scramble for commodities such as oil, minerals, natural gas and also water. Therefore, the wars to come are bound to be based on each nation thriving to protect that resource which it depends on.

This book changes the perspective obtained from watching the film, ‘Blood Diamond’. It shows that the result of most wars is mainly based on the natural resources which are slowly becoming scarce. People in the film were fighting over the diamonds which they hope will enable them to survive the situation which they are facing.

Conclusion

            There are many reasons why war breaks within nations. The fight for survival by relying on natural commodities is one of them. People fight one another just to get their hands on these commodities which are not enough to satisfy all the needy individuals.

References

Arnold, W. (2006). ‘Blood Diamond’ is a Multicarat Message Movie. Seattle Pi. Retrieved January 13, 2014, from http://www.seattlepi.com/ae/movies/article/Blood-Diamond-is-a-multicarat-message-movie-1221798.php

Klare, M. T. (2002). Resources Wars; The New Landscape of Global Conflict. Nature: Henry Holt and Company.

Elizabeth Kubler-Ross’s Theory and Job’s Suffering

Comparison between Job’s story and Kubler-Ross’s Theory

            In On Death and Dying, Doctor Kubler-Ross’ book, she was keen to note that not everybody goes through all the five experiences or stages of grief and in the order she arranged them. According to her, there are five stages in a grieving process; denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance. When an individual is in the denial stage, he asserts that he is okay regardless of the pain that he may be \experiencing. Though the stage assists the person to face the feelings of grief and survive the loss without fear, one sees life as meaningless (Kübler-Ross, 1969). When in the anger stage, the person tries to reflect on why bad things are occurring in his life and who can really be blamed on what is taking place (Elizabeth, 1977). During bargaining, there is weighing between what ought to and ought not to happen to the person. The person also formulates the things that should be done so as to postpone challenges. During depression, the person ceases to care as he thinks he will either die or the problem has to persist no matter the measures taken. Finally, a person prepares for the results during the acceptance stage (Garrett, 2008).

The story on Job’s suffering correlates to Kubler-Ross’s grief process. Job had lost all the spiritual, financial, emotional, and physical things that had been given to him by God. These include falling sick, the wife being against him, and losing all his wealth and children (Elizabeth, 1977). The wife advised him to neglect God so that he would avoid all this suffering. However, Job did not heed to this advice (Kübler-Ross, 1969). Job 1: 21 denotes denial where Job is claiming that God gives and has taken. In addition, denial is evident in chapter 10 when Job tells God that He is aware of his innocence. Job’s anger can be seen in chapter 2 where he enquires if anything good can be expected from God. Job 7: 11 indicates his apparent anger by claiming that he will not just keep quiet but will lament in his soul (Hodder General Publishing Division, 1992).

In Job’s story, there is bargaining in chapter 9 when Job enquires whether there is a person who can mediate between God and him and get rid of the rod God has placed on him so that he can cease being frightened (Gangoli, n.d.). In Job’s case, depression is experienced throughout his entire suffering. In Job 10: 18, he is asking God why he had to bring him into this world. He also wishes that he died before being seen in this world by anyone (Elizabeth, 1977). In chapter 13: 15, there is acceptance when he makes the decision to have hope in God regardless of all that has happened in his life. Following a conversation in chapter 42, there is evidence of acceptance when he comprehends that God was only testing his faith to see how much he loved Him (Elizabeth, 1977).

In both Kubler-Ross’s Theory and Job’s suffering, there is denial, anger, and bargaining. Acceptance is experienced as the final stage. However, while Kubler-Ross’s Theory argues that depression is the fourth stage, it is experienced in almost the whole process of grief in Job’s life. Another contrast is that Job rotates through the grief stages that Kubler-Ross identified.

Joy and the grieving models

Finding joy during difficult and challenging times can be extremely difficult. Finding joy is equivalent to rejoicing and it can be considered as a measure against grief. Gangoli (n.d.) argues that healthcare professionals should come up with strategies to assist patients in pursuing joy following the acceptance stage. Some of these measures include taking part in activities that create fantastic memories, journaling of thoughts, having talks with the loved ones, and joy in peace. The patient and family can participate in creating an environment where there is joy (Gangoli, n.d.).  So as to create joy, a provider can provide encouragement, demonstrate compassion, or share smiles with patients, which can play a role in helping the patient to transition from grief to joy.

            Joy and grief can be thought of as twin sisters that converse to listening hearts. The two have unfathomable feelings’ depths. In addition, both end up in gratefulness in that while grief emerges from the heartrending appreciation of all that is most important to us, joy reawakens in us the wonders of life even after recognizing it precariousness (Garrett, 2008).

Handling grief

One of the initial steps towards dealing with grief is identifying and acknowledging its existence. During this stage, there is a need for self-reflection and self-awareness. In this regard, there is need for reflections on whether the person is experiencing signs of suffering or if there are close friends who have indicated any signs. This is important in identifying the grief and it helps in the application of appropriate coping mechanisms (Kübler-Ross, 1969).

Affirm: this is the second step and it involves making a commitment towards addressing the grief by caring for oneself, utilizing the available resources, and validating feelings. The next step is assessment (Gangoli, n.d.). After a commitment has been made, there is a need to assess how prepared a person is to act.  According to Hodder General Publishing Division (1992),

there is a self-assessment tool through which personal readiness towards action can be assessed as well as the benefits and risks of the actions. If a person is experiencing uncertainties towards taking an action, it is important to consider the roadblocks, rewards, risk, and relevance (Gangoli, n.d.). Finally, an action is taken so as to save the patient from the grief and assist them in leading a normal life. This may involve clarifying the personal values, leaving out time to participate in self-care activities, and identifying support sources that are vital in addressing the feelings one has.

Has the research changed the view on grief?

From the foregoing research, it has been evident that the healthcare provider has a role in increasing or reducing grief in a patient (Chapman, 2007). Regardless of the fact that grief is a normal process, it culminates in a novel normalcy. There is no way through which an onlooker, patient, or caregiver can reduce the grief that accompanies the disappointments and shocks in ever day life. However, it is extremely vital to be present with others and the self during the entire grieving process. More significantly, words are unnecessary in a majority of the situations. There may be no solution in many of these situations (Kübler-Ross, 1969). The sole real option is having the desire to continue living, allow oneself to grieve, support the grieving through a comforting presence, and search for hope in a renewed life focus.

If attachment is recognized as a natural process, then grief is also natural and emerges when things that are dear to us disappear. It was worth learning that dealing with grief appropriately initiates insight. On the contrary, dealing with it unskillfully results to complications. The ordinary grief reaction manifests behaviorally, emotionally, physically, or spiritually. The grieving process has phases and depending on individuals, there may be a relapse to phases that had been experienced before. There are some practitioners who advise that participating in a task-oriented approach that actively enables a person in grief to resolve and process the grief reaction (Chapman, 2007). The Theravadin Buddhist’s mindfulness practice is a perfect example on how grief can be dealt with. Mindfulness implies that a person is fully aware of the body and mind conditions during the current moment context. According to Chapman (2007), mindfulness is present in a majority of the modern psychotherapies and the task oriented approach uses mindfulness. With mindfulness, a person who is experiencing grief is able to acknowledge the loss’s reality more effectively and permit the grief’s pain to manifest without anymore complications. If the person experiences pain in the absence of undue reaction, grief’s manifestation and the undermining impact are likely to be resolved. Thereafter, the person in grief can function freely without any impediments.

 

 

References

Chapman, E. (2007). The caregiver medications: Reflections on loving presence. Nashville: Vaughn Printing.

Kübler-Ross, E. (1969). On death and dying: What the dying have to teach doctors, nurses, clergy, and their own families. New York: Macmillan.

Elizabeth, K. (1977). On death and dying. London: Macmillan.

Garrett, G. (2008). Stories from the Edge: A Theology of Grief. Louisville, Kentucky: Westminster John Knox Press

Hodder General Publishing Division. (1992). New International Version Bible. Hodder General Publishing Division.

Gangoli, N. (n.d.). This too shall pass. Retrieved June 26, 2009, from http://1stholistic.com/prayer/A2005/hol_buddhism-this-too-shall-pass.htm

 

 

Cultural Dimensions: The U.S. and Japan

This paper applies Hofstede’s five cultural dimensions to compare and contrast the American and the Japanese cultures/societies to enhance intercultural communication between Japanese and American people. This is because different communication symbols (choice of words, gestures, clues, use of space and facial expressions) create a diversity of meanings across the world (Dowling, Festing, & Engle, 2008). For instance, a native may feel insulted by a gesture from a naïve traveler.

Similarities and Differences between the U.S. and Japan

Power Distance

Both the American and the Japanese cultures have mild sensitivity to power distance because of their meritocratic nature. According to Naoi (2012), the meritocratic nature of Japanese culture is because of industrialization. Industrialization operates on the principles of capitalism, which enhances a sense of equity in the society. However, the Japanese retains some sense of power distance because of the effects of the Meiji Restoration in the country. Based on such state, juniors would still bend lower than their seniors during greetings.

The American society is less sensitive to power distance compared to the Japanese society because of the constitutional doctrines of equity and liberty. However, the Americans still keep distance and use terms such as “sir” when addressing their seniors.

Individual or Collectivism

Both the American and Japanese cultures have some sense of individualism and collectivism. Individualism in Japan and the United States is subject to the effects of capitalism.  However, individualism is more profound in American than Japan because of the American culture and constitution emphasizes self-reliance. For instance, the American children often start sleeping alone from childhood; this enforces individualism in the society. Such value is often reinforced by culture because the Americans are mostly trained to start being independent right from 18 years. Then the pursuit of happiness drives individuals to work more and socialize less thereby lowering the degree of collectivism in the United States (Mogilner, 2010). However, the American collectivism is evident during disasters when Americans from all walks of life donate to help the needy. However, individualism is stronger in the United States.

Nonetheless, in Japan the level of individualism is lower because Japan has a history of imperial socialism. According to Crump (2010), socialism thought emerged during the Meiji era.  Nonetheless, collectivism in Japan is rooted in the Japanese family culture because Japanese live in closely-knit family structures. However, capitalism and economic growth for the Japanese society has boosted the growth of individual thought. For instance, most Japanese live and work in cities, which have led to the growth of the individual sense of self-gratification in a rather competitive environment. Nonetheless, collectivism in Japan is more elaborate; Japanese often value groups’ interests compared to individual interests.

Masculinity and Femininity

Both the United States and Japan record high levels of masculinity and femininity. Masculinity in the United States is because of the spirit of capitalism and the pursuit of happiness. In this case, the society encourages women to “think like men and act like women” because the American society socializes men to be aggressive. Japanese also emphasize about success which comes through hard work and determination.

Nonetheless, the Japanese society has a higher sense of masculinity compared to the Americans. This is because the Meiji Restoration instilled hardworking culture among the Japanese people. Capitalism and education have enhanced such aggression. Nonetheless, Japanese are less assertive and competitive compared to the Americans because Japanese society embraces socialistic values.

Uncertainty Avoidance

American and Japanese have some degree of uncertainty avoidance. The American’s uncertainty avoidance is anchored on their ability to adapt to change and openness to criticism. The Japanese base their uncertainty avoidance on their consistent experience with natural disasters; typhoons and earthquakes.

Nonetheless, individual Japanese have a relatively lower degree of adaptability compared to the Americans. Japanese base their decision on evidence; Americans often treat each challenge on its unique capacity. For instance, the American business persons make decisions basing on their desire to try new ideas and things. As such, one would find it hard to move and transform Japanese because of their higher degree of conservativeness.

Short-or Long-Term Orientation

Both American and Japanese have some degree of short and long-term orientations. Americans’ short-term orientation is based on the American capitalism and search for happiness. Most Americans strive to excel in life at a lower cost to their individual being. On the other hand, the American long-term orientation is based the ethical and legal part of doing business. On the other hand, Japanese also have a sense to short-term orientation thereby justifying the reason for mechanization of Japan as a country in the world. At the same time, Japanese have a stronger value for long-term orientation. Japanese base their long-term orientation on a Confucius mentality, which emphasize ethics and the need to do good to other people.

However, the American society has a stronger short-term orientation compared to Japan. The American’s values place more emphasis on success while the Japanese values are based on the common good. Owing to such difference, the Americans are likely to take short-cuts compared to the Japanese.

Case Scenario

An American multinational wants to operate from Japan; the company should choose measures to minimize cultural conflict. In this case, the company should train the expatriates on major cultural elements. The expatriates should first learn the cultural values and norms of the natives. Secondly, they should then learn taboo phrases, topics, issues and words. Thirdly, the expatriates should learn taboo gestures, greetings, and the meaning associated to each symbol. For instance, they should learn the use of space, facial expression, and basic communication skills to reduce confrontation with the Japanese authorities, children, and senior members of the community.

Conclusion

In conclusion, an American company can only succeed in Japan by respecting the Japanese culture. As such, the American company should ensure that its workers are trained about what are consider as either right or wrong form of communication and how to exploit Japanese culture when it comes to business negotiations.

 

 

References

Crump, J. (2010). The origins of socialist thought in Japan (Vol. 5). Taylor & Francis US.

Top of Form

Dowling, P., Festing, M., & Engle, A. D. (2008). International human resource management: Managing people in a multinational context. London: Thomson Learning.

Hamamura, T. (2012). Are cultures becoming individualistic? A cross-temporal comparison of individualism–collectivism in the United States and Japan. Personality and Social Psychology Review, 16(1), 3-24.

Mogilner, C. (2010). The pursuit of happiness time, money, and social connection. Psychological Science, 21(9), 1348-1354.

Naoi, A. (2012). Industrialization, social structure and meritocracy in japan. Retrieved 14, January, 2013, from, http://ir.library.osaka-u.ac.jp/dspace/bitstream/11094/4543/1/ahs10_y001.pdf