Health Care in the U.S.A & it's effect on Society- MLA Format

                                        

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Health Care in the U.S.A & it's effect on Society

Introduction

In the United State of America, there are various organizations that distinctly provide health care. The main owners and operators of the health care facilities are private and the government provides insurance of health to the public employees in the USA with around 60 to 65 percent of the spending and provision in the health care coming from programs like the Veterans Health Administration, the Children's Health Insurance Program, TRICARE, Medicaidand the Medicare. Most of the population below 67 years old is insured by either employers of their family members or by their own employers while a section of the population buy the insurance on their own. There is a percentage of the US population that remains are uninsured for health care.

Health care in the United States of America

The life expectancy level in the United States of America is rated at 78.4, an increase from 1990’s 75.2. This life expectancy level makes USA to be ranked 50^thout of 221 countries. Among the developed nations, the life expectancy of the USA is ranked at 27^th position out of 34 countries. The prevalence of the infant mortality in the United States of America is rated among the highest if not the highest among the countries with high income. This is the similar trend on prevalence in disability, homicides and injuries, pregnancy of the adolescents, sexually transmitted diseases, lung and heart diseases among other illnesses.

The World Health Organization 2011 report indicates that the 8,608 dollars was used by the United States of America on the health care per capita. This was the highest as compared to any other nation that year. According to the Commonwealth ranking, the cost of USA healthcare was ranked high and the quality of healthcare was ranked at the last position in comparison to other countries in the same level as the United States of America. The ranking of USA effectiveness in as far as health care is concerned was position 46 out of 48 countries in a research that was done by Bloomberg in the year 2013

The health care debate

The health care in the United States of America has experienced a lot of challenge. The health care system has been in other times termed to be ineffective and not up to the expected standards. This has elicited for the call for several reforms in the healthcare system in America. These reforms have been pushed to enable quality healthcare service provision and to help address the issue of poor health services provision.

The United States of America healthcare services provision systems have had a very long history. There have been several reforms that have been proposed to the healthcare system with very few of them being implemented. However, in the year 2010, America experienced a major stride towards healthcare system and reforms with the enacting of laws as statutes of the Federal government. The two statutes include the 2010 Act of Healthcare and Education Reconciliation and the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. The two were enacted in 23^rd March the year 2010. There have still been proposals for further reforms which have seen a proposal of a system of single- payer and the reduction in the medical care service fee. (Aaron, 1996)

There has been an activate debate concerning health care reform in America, with several entities, organizations, share holders and individuals adding their voices to the debate. Majorly, the areas of concern have been the quality of health care services, value, choice and the cost of accessing health care in the United States of America. The debate has also been based on the efficiency, fairness, accessibility and the general right to health care. There have been arguments that the delivery of health care services in the United States of America has not been equivalent to the value of the money that is spent. The money spent in the United States in health care is around twice that spent in Canada yet the life expectancy and mortality rates are still lower as compared to other nations that are as wealthy as America. The infant mortality rate in the USA is currently higher as compared to most of the developed economies.

Health care providers and facilities in the USA

The health care providers in the United States of America are majorly from the individual health care personnel. There are also other medical products and health care facilities. The health care facilities in the United States are majorly in the hands of private service providers. However, there are other health care facilities that are owned by the city government, county, state and the federal governments

Determinants of health in the United States of America

There are several determinants and indicators of health in the United States of America. These range from biology and genetics, individual behavior, health services, social factors, policy making and the strategies. There factors’ interrelationship is vital in determining the general public’s and individual health. Carrying out interventions focused on the multiple determinants of health become more effective in healthcare provision.America has had policies at Federal, State and at the local levels which have been vital in shaping of both the population and individual health. Such policies include those on tobacco among other aspects. ( Jonas, 2003)

Medicare and Medicaid

The Medicare and Medicaid have been instrumental in the shape up of healthcare services and development in the country. Through the Medicare policy, there is a reduction of up to 50 percent on the drugs that have brand names. The program also has measures to have cuts on the medical bills up to 500 billion dollars in the next decade. Through the Medicaid policy, the government intends to have a 133 percent expansion of the Medicaid to the levels of poverty in the federal level amounting up to 29.327 dollars. This targets families of four people.

Effects of Health Care on the USA society

Through the signing of the law on health reform by President Obama, the healthcare program now is set to cover a lot of people, with the quality of healthcare increasing and the cost of accessing the healthcare reducing. The law is vital as it sets to address the issue of promotion of health services without discriminating color. The community that is set to benefit more is the African American community. This is specifically because the law seeks to expand the accessibility of healthcare coverage in America. This is through the expansion of Medicaid set to start in 2014. This will further see the increase in the funding in various US territories. The law offers protection to various groups in America including the Africans.(Chapman, 1994)

Increase in use of emergency care and delays in seeking healthcare

There are several uninsured Americans. This is because of the high cost of health care in the country. These individuals are going to lack preventive care and are less likely to access the regular health care. The services of seeking health care are more likely to be delayed hence leading to more crises in health related complications. These crises are going to be more expensive than the treatment that is ongoing for other health conditions like high blood pressure and diabetes. The people who are uninsured are less likely to seek a follow up of medical services after an accidental injury as compared to those who are insured. The uninsured people are also more likely to make visits to the emergency care hence burdening the centers that are supposed to be meant for emergencies only.

Variations and efficiency

The variations in the health care efficiency provision have caused several variations in the general health outcome in the United States of America. The distribution of health care resources has been varying over the last 20 years of health care provision on the US. This has been marked by variations in the outcomes and has had effects on the American society at large. The physicians’ willingness and readiness to work in various areas has been affected by the conditions and amenities offered at the health care services provision centers. This has basically affected the primary health care service provision, meaning that a majority of the Americans are affected by these conditions. These variations have effects on the accessibility of quality healthcare services by the people of the United States of America. Several people have succumbed to illnesses which could otherwise have been dealt with earlier. This has been as a result of less information, poor health care services and lack of access to the health care services. This has had a bad effect on the greater American society.

A number of Americans have fallen victims to diseases which could otherwise have been treated with a well designed and organized healthcare system. Diseases like pulmonary diseases, stroke, lung cancer, artery diseases among others have caused many deaths in America. Others have succumbed to neck pains, depression, low back pains, high blood pressure and sugar, kidney diseases and cancer. The access of basic health has been inefficient and the American people have been skipping going for checkups.

The national (U.S.) agencies and nursing organizations that address health care policy, regulation, standards, and delivery.

Among the agencies that are responsible for health care policy, regulation, standards, and delivery in the America include the various centers for Medicaid and Medicare services. These include the CMS, which is an agency affiliated to DHHS and is charged with the responsibility of the administration of Medicare programs. It works in partnership with administrator of the state governments. There is the Department of Veteran Affairs which provides healthcare services to people who are actively involved in duty. The American Nurses Association is an organization of professional nurses that ensures that the nursing standards are set high in the country. It is charged with the responsibility of promoting, transferring and looking at the needs of the nurses.(Forman, 2009)

Through the healthcare agencies, the provision of health can at least be improved. Through the organizations like the nursing organizations, the health care service providers are able to have a collective bargaining power and be in a position to set the pace and quality required in the nursing and health care system. Better health care service provision can just be achieved through adequate staffing and enabling environment for the health care professionals to be able to carry out their work. Without the necessary equipment and resources needed, health care provision will basically be of low quality hence the American people will suffer. The health care system in America has had to contend with several challenges towards the achievement of quality health care service provision.

Conclusion

Health care in the United States of America has gone through a lot of transformation and improvement over the years. The system has had to meet several challenges all the way through. Despite the fact that America is a developed economy country, the health care sector has not been up to the expected quality hence attracting a lot of criticism. There have been a lot of discussions pertaining to how the health care in the United States of America can be improved to well serve the American society. This has been based on the fact that a health nation is a working nation and that the society can be in shape only if people are healthy. There is an increasing pressure on the various governments to ensure that the health care system is well developed to take care of all the people who are in need of the services.

Work Cited

Aaron, H. The Problem that Won't Go Away: Reforming U.S. Health Care Financing. Washington D.C Brookings Institution Press, 1996

Chapman, A. Health care reform: a human rights approach. Washington D.C. Georgetown University Press. 1994

Forman, L. Health Care Reform. Minnesota: ABDO. 2009

Jonas, S. An Introduction to the U.S. Health Care System: Fifth Edition. New York; Springer Publishing Company. 2003

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Gun Control vs. Second Amendment(How does 2nd Amendment and right to bear arms relate to the stand your ground laws of a state like Florida?)

Gun Control vs. Second Amendment

1.      How does 2nd Amendment and right to bear arms relate to the stand your ground laws of a state like Florida?

The Second Amendment and right to bear arms

The Second Amendment refers to a change in the Constitution of the US constitution which was initiated in order to protect the people’s gun ownership rights, and to prevent against the infringement of bearing arms. This amendment was adopted 10 1791 December 15^th. This was alongside the Bill of Rights of the United States of America. The right to bear arms and the right to keep arms were the basis of the Second Amendment, and which was largely influenced by the 1689 English Bill of Rights that was described as an auxiliary right by Sir William Blackstone. This was seen as a right that was essential in acting in concurrence with the state defense, civic duty, the resistance of oppression and the larger support of self defense rights. Generally, the Second Amendment has had varied interpretations. (Doherty, 2008)

The National Rifle Association believes that the Amendment presents a guarantee of carrying and possession of various firearms by different individuals. However, those advocating for gun control insist that the Amendment is purposefully meant for guaranteeing the right to operation by the militias. The right to bear arm has been a subject of controversy in the United States of America over a long period of time. There are those who have held onto the fact that there is need for the gun control in order to control the high crime rates and to make America to be a safer place to live in. there are those who have however held onto the fact that the anti gun control measures would help secure the nation more. There have been arguments that no one would walk into a family’s house with an intention to cause harm if he knew that the family was in possession of an arm. The Second amendment has stressed on the fact that there shall not be an infringement to the rights of a person to be in possession of an arm. This has led to the argument that this Amendment makes everyone feel that owning an arm is right. (Massaro, 2008)

Relationship with ‘stand your ground’ laws.

The ‘stand your ground’ law is basically a law that allows people to defend themselves even if it means through the use of force. From the name, it means that a person can stand his or her ground instead of retreating to a safer place. If one has a belief that there is an impending danger, or that someone wants to harm or kill them, then the person is allowed to stand his or her ground through retaliation. It is a law that is more of a self defense law. The law accords individuals the permission of using force and avoids retreating when faced with an impending danger. It applies within certain sates in the United States of America like in Florida. This relates to the Second Amendment and gun control.  The ownership of arms by individual as spelt out in the Second Amendment has a bearing on the stand your ground law. This is because an individual who has a gun can easily be prompted to apply the stand on your ground law as he or she will feel more comfortable. This means that there shall be an increase in cases of gun killings in the name of defending one’s self. The Second Amendment indicates that one shall not be deprived of his or her right to own an arm. However, this will greatly cause insecurity if the stand your ground law is applied by that person having an arm. At times, the human judgment can fail. One can have a perception that he is under attack or in danger yet the actual fact is that it’s not the case. (Krouse, 2012)

2.      What influence do the NRA and lobbyist have on politics and gun laws in the United States?

The NRA is an organization that since its formation in 1827 has continued to posse’s power and influence over the politics and gun laws in the United States of America. NRA promotes the ownership of firearms, carries out self defense trainings, hunting trainings, marksmanship, firearm safety and police training. This contributes to the fact that the organization yields a lot of power in the United States. The NRA is also the biggest firearm certifying body and safety training in the country. Apart from certifying, the organization is also in charge of proficiency and safety trainings regarding firearms, the safety of child firearm and recreational hunting training.

According to Spitzer(2009), the influence of the NRA cannot be washed aside. This is due to the fact that firearm handling and policies are part of the fundamental issues addressed by the constitution of the United States of America. Moreover, firearms are associated with powerful individuals like politicians, prominent businessmen among other citizens. NRA has a strong connection and influence on the political activities in the USA. This is basically due to the fact that the ownership of firearms is enshrined under the constitution as a civil right. This was affected by the Second Amendment that was done to the Bill of Rights. The NRA has therefore had a long history of lobbying against or for certain legislations that have been proposed dealing with firearms. Eventually, the NRA refers to itself as the longest standing civil rights group. In Washington, the lawmakers and observers regard the NRA as an influential bobby group. In fact, it is regarded to be among the top three with its membership exceeding 5 million people.

The National Rifle Association has in many cases made its position clear on issues touching on gun policies. For instance, in the gun debate in America, the Association stood its grounds that the laws were already in the books and that all that needed to be done was to enforce the laws. The organization is well known for lobbying for the prevention of legislations preventing the limitations of using firearms and ownership.

Florida case study

The NRA has even had influence among the political circles, influencing the policies made at political levels regarding gun usage. Florida State is a case study of how powerful and influential the NRA is. The legislation that was passed concerning doctors was through the influence of the NRA. The doctors are forbidden from asking the patients they treat and examine as to whether they posses guns. This would lead to the doctors being jailed. On its side, the NRA has insisted that its main objective is to ensure that the taxpayers; money is not channeled into the promotion of certain political agenda, but the money is used for programs that will benefit the people of the United States of America. There have been concerns that the NRA has been overstepping its mandate and using its powers excessively, to the extent of hamstringing the lawmakers. This has been especially on the case of the pro gun NRA lobby team. NRA has been on the spotlight over gun laws and other political policies. The influence of the organization cannot be overlooked by those having interest in politics as their lobbying is usually very intense and influential on the decisions taken by a majority of the civil servants in the Unites States of America. (Uviller& Merkel, 2002)

3.      How do you protect the nation’s right to bear arms and take guns away from criminals?

It is a tough balancing act between the protection of the nation’s rights with regards to bearing arms and taking the guns away from criminals who obviously have harmful intentions with the guns. The government of the United States of America, various lobbying groups and organizations and the NRA has been trying to combat criminals with firearms. This challenge can however be addressed through a comprehensive and well crafted gun policy. For instance, the relevant authorities should be tight on licensing all the firearms in the country and ensure that there is a catalogue of all the individuals with firearms. This will make it easier to track the criminals who have firearms. Moreover, security should be beefed up to make the people of America more secure and shun the need for having firearms. (Carter, 2006)

References

 Carter, G. (2006). Gun Control in the United States: A Reference Handbook. California: ABC-CLIO.

Doherty, B. (2008). Gun Control on Trial: Inside the Supreme Court Battle Over the Second Amendment. NY: Cato Institute.

Krouse, W. (2012). Gun Control Legislation. New York: DIANE Publishing.

Massaro, J. (2008). No Guarantee Of A Gun: How and Why the Second Amendment Means Exactly What It Says.Bloomington: AuthorHouse.

Spitzer, R (2009). Gun Control: A Documentary and Reference Guide. Westport: Greenwood Publishing Group.

 Uviller, R. & Merkel, W. (2002). The Militia and the Right to Arms, or, How the Second Amendment Fell Silent the Militia and the Right to Arms, or, How the Second Amendment Fell Silent. Duke University Press. 

 

 

 

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Reform in education locally and globally

Emerging possibilities and ongoing reform in education locally and globally

Executive summary

Reform in education is a process that is usually political engineered toward the improvement of the education standards and contents especially in public schools. These improvements that are done on education ultimately have an impact on the health, wealth, social returns and the well being of a people. Reform in education has taken different forms in the history of educational reform. This is majorly because there have been various motivations that have driven the reformers of education. Some of the reasons cited for reform in education include the need of having an affordable education to the society and the students. For instance, there were reforms in the 1800s with a major aim of cutting on the cost of education. The classical education was quite expensive as it was undertaken with personal tutors who were expensive and did that full time. This form of education could then be accessed by the wealthy people only. In attempts to lower the cost of the classical education by then, there was emergence of grammar schools, public libraries and encyclopedias as innovative ways of lowering the cost of accessing education. (Horn, 2002)

There have been related reforms which have since sought to further examine the classical education by seeking to answer more questions as to what the content should be and the reason of having the system. There was then an introspective that is abstract that answers the questions by bringing out compressed facts that are few out of the abstract. Reform in education has also been incorporated with social and humanistic goals as in the case of Maria Montessori’s view. Reform in education has taken many dimensions from the history and current world. This is as a result of changes in the education methods and the meaning attributed to education. The debates have been varying in terms of the contents and modes of education. (Berry, 2011)

Introduction

Chapman (2009) sees ‘reform’ in itself as having its complexities. It refers to the policy changes, changes in organization or in practice. This is the noun perspective. To reform also means to attempt to enact or to correct certain problems. In education, reform basically aims at being an aspiration to the realization of a systematic, deep and achieving a reconstruction to the public schools and education. In the American history, reform in education has been aimed at enacting the conceived visions for the good of the education system. This was exhibited in the formation of the common schools as a result of Dewey’s advocacy for the achievement of social reform. Other remarkable instance of reforms in America was the enacting of the No Child Left Behind advocacy among others that have sought to bring equality and quality in the education system in America. (Earnest, 2006))

Education reform in America

The various American reform movements in the public education were majorly mooted by crisis declarations alongside rhetoric urgencies that are intolerable. This was further fuelled by the inspirations, hope and visions of the American educationalists and reformers. The reforms in the country have taken three major dimensions namely Holism, Progressivism and Essentialism. These reforms in the American education have been characterized by controversies over the practice, policies and the principles of education in the American public schools.

Holism approach on reform in education

The holism approach on reform in education is based on the indigenous ecological philosophies and beliefs specifically from Transcendentalism, Taoism, Hinduism and Buddhism. Education is seen as having its primary purpose as encouraging integration and development of the human spirit, heart and body vis-à-vis promoting environmental and social communion. Holists believe that it is essentially rational for one to have knowledge that is contextually enduring, compassionate and of mutual benefit. In this perspective, reform in schools is designed to encourage the relationships that support and promote learning that is interpersonal that developed a connection between individuals and the community at large. Further, the reform in education is designed to achieve transpersonal learning that aims at achieving a connection between the environmental and social forces, the values that are spiritual and the entities that are non human in the learners.

 This reform in education basically aims at transforming individuals to be connected to the non human nature and the humanity as a whole thereby developing in the social aspects of life. Education in this perspective is not only about academic content but about the sociality of the people. These reforms are further prompted by the need to have transformation at personal levels so as to be in harmony with the biophysical and social environments. Education is therefore made as an instrument of integrating and developing the dimensions of spirituality alongside the emotional moral and intellectual aspects of the learning process in schools and life. Holists view spirituality as the moments of inspirations that are always complex and elusive to understand but do become clear through education. This is only deemed possible through an integration of emotion, insight, mystery and sensation. The Holists view education as a more interdisciplinary and front for reform in education in that perspective. The view is that education should present a relationship of interdependence between the methods used in enquiry and the fields. This reform aimed at creating a situation of synthesized perceptions in education that include cognitive, kinesthetic and emotional aspects of learning. (Levin, 2011)

The reform also was in support of explanatory learning where the students are free to enquire and question the coverage of the content. Education was also to incorporate the sustainability in the environment through creation of an environmental understanding of the economic and social consequences brought about by consumption. Public education was also seen as an important aspect in education. This included the development of the spiritual aspects of humans incorporating non materialism, aesthetics and the intuition in learners.

Progressivism reform in education

This educational reform pursues the access to personal fulfillment that is universal without losing site of promoting social justice and civil rights. Education is crafted to be an agent of social change that is crucial in the promotion of economic, political and social equity in the society. This education reform perspective largely draws its philosophy from various perceptions including Pragmatism, Humanism, Social Reconstructionism and Romanticism. The reforms aims at presenting education as a journey through which an individual walks as an individual but its destination is a broad ended social responsibility and self identity. The knowledge acquired from the educational system is not only aimed at being intellectualized, but also includes the various dimensions of learning that are emotional based and education is seen as a political endeavor that is explicit. (St. John, 2006)

This reform perspective in education aims at shifting the public schooling from being a place of the preparation of the brightest and the best students to effectively compete economically and academically, to another higher level of being an empowering factor to the educationally and socially disadvantaged in order to improve their lives’ quality. Education should thereby be a source of knowledge which in turn is a form of power to the learners. In this aspect, reform in education majorly aims at elevating education as an academic gratification element to an element of strengthening the learners’ skills in social advocacy and self efficiency.

The progressive reform in education aims at offering a system that guides learners through experiences that are carefully designed so as to help in the ultimate build up of knowledge through a cooperative and pedagogy which is constructive in the learning process. This perception aims at reforming education to be relevant in the provision of knowledge that can be relevantly utilized in specific social contexts by specific persons. The ambiguity of knowledge in the assumption that all circumstances and people are the same is not encouraged in progressive reform in the education sector. Education is reformed to accommodate the community aspects and to extend to the community life other than just academic work. This system aims at creating awareness in the communities towards the achievement of equal access to social and economic privileges in the society. (Towers, 2007)

Currently, the progressive educational reform advocated for an equal distribution in school financing. This is based in increasing the funding that comes from the federal and state government and a decrease of tax dependence on property. The reform further aims at decentralization in education through power sharing of management in charter schools. Issues of gender fairness, bilingual, multicultural and anti bias curriculum are key on the reforms. There is a deliberate move to achieve a more compact and strengthened ties that exist between the communities and schools to enhance increased community and service learning partnerships. Social activism and teaching of deliberation skills are among the reforms that are aimed at creating curriculum that is based on discussion, contemporary issues, and engagement in civic issues and to achieve authentic democracies in the governance of the schools.

Essentialism reform in education

Essentialists’ view of reform in education is basically informed on providing equal access to common literacy to all the citizens. Education in this reform is comprised of a core of skills, values and knowledge whose applicability cuts across all cultures and time. These reform proponents borrow heavily from the philosophies of Realists and Idealists in which learning is supposed to be an agent of individual excellence. (Zadja, 2010)

Education is supposed to help the learners to accumulate knowledge that will eventually help them in developing cognitive skills that are necessary for moral, intellectual, social and economically empowered lives hence leading to productivity in life. The achievement of positions in the competitive hierarchies is maintained through a process of rewarding and acknowledging the learner’s progress. As Ladd (1996) observes, this reform aims at leading the learners to a path that is clearly defined through modeling, articulating and ensuring that the learners are held accountable to the various standards that are universally held. This is only achieved through the teachers and schools as the main agents of bringing this transformation. Teachers are further elevated to the stature of authoritative, skillful and respected agents of guiding the learners to understand the highest thoughts of humanity.

Current reforms in education

Currently, the objectives of reform in education in public schools are based on achieving high educational standards that are nationally accepted. This reform is aimed at improving the performance of the public school. The current reforms in education seek to prepare the teacher for the task and to propel student achievement in the education system. Most of the reforms are based on the national curriculum content which emphasized more on the advancement of placement, scientific research and reasoning and ultimately imparting cultural literacy among the learners. There is a deliberate attempt to strengthen the accountability of the schools, students and districts for the purpose of improving the academic performance in schools and learners in general. The reforms are further geared towards expanding the various choices of schools by the learners by tendering an open enrollment system, the increasing of charter schools and the exploration of home based schooling. This is to open up the accessibility of education and to make knowledge acquisition flexible. (Ball, 1994)

The ongoing reforms in education are driven by the need to have effective connections that exist between the national and international economic goals and the national education goals. This is in an attempt to align the education system with the current job specifications and requirements to enhance job readiness and to impart consumer education to the learners in schools. The achievement of character development is a key aspect in the reform in education as the reformists aim to emphasize the need and importance of patriotism, the significance of role modeling and ultimately developing social values in the society.

Teaching and learning in the 21st century

Education has really evolved and advanced over the years. The twenty first century is characterized by a change in the teaching and learning process. There has been incorporation of digitalism, collaboration, problem solving and critical thinking aspects in the education system. This is basically the situation as demanded for by the change in today’s world which unlike the past centuries, has advanced in all the sectors. Long (2010) states that the learning ways in the twenty first century have however been characterized by a lot of criticism and controversies. The teaching and learning process in the twenty first century is characterized by an inquiry and collaboration into the environment of learning. Teachers have to create personal learning networks with a number of other educators in the learning environment through the utilization of the vast amount of knowledge that is available. The teaching and learning process is basically based on skills acquisition with an aim of fitting into the competitive world.

References

Ball, S. J. (1994). Education reform: a critical and post-structural approach. UK: Open University Press.

Berry, R. (2011). Assessment Reform in Education. New York: Springer.

Chapman, C. (2009). Radical Reforms: Perspectives on an Era of Educational Change. New York: Taylor & Francis.

Earnest. J. (2006). Education Reform in Societies in Transition:  International Perspectives. Rotterdam: Sense Publishers.

Horn, R. A. (2002). Understanding Educational Reform: A Reference Handbook. California: ABC-CLIO.

Ladd, H. F. (1996). Holding Schools Accountable: Performance-Based Reform in Education. Washington D. C: Brookings Institution Press.

Levin, B. (2011). Reforming Education: From Origins to Outcomes. New York: Routledge

Long, W. R. (2010). It's All the Basics: Teaching and Learning for the 21st Century. London: CreateSpace.

St. John, E. P. (2006). Education and the Public Interest: School Reform, Public Finance, and Access to Higher Education. New York: Springer

Towers, J.  (2007). Twenty "No-Brainers" for Reforming Education in America. New York: Mill City Press, Incorporated.

Zajda, J. (2010). Globalization, Ideology and Education Policy Reforms. New York: Springer.

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Research Proposal (Intro): Corporal Punishment in US Public Schools

Corporal Punishment in US Public Schools

Statement of the problem

                    Corporal punishment has been an issue of contention across most public schools in the United States of America. Corporal punishment refers to a form of punishment that is always admitted to students in schools as a way of dealing with misbehaviors and indiscipline. It involves the striking on the hands or the buttocks of students using items like yardsticks that are wooden, leather straps, slippers, paddles made of wood or rattan canes. To some level smacking or spanking on the students’ body parts is always involved in a deliberate way with open hands. This is always done in the level of elementary schools. Those advocating for corporal punishment in schools insist that it is effective as it provides an immediate response to indiscipline as opposed for suspensions which waste a lot of learning time. Those opposing corporal punishment observe that it is an inhumane method that is tantamount to abuse and violence. Corporal punishment continues to elicit controversies. (Farmer, 2009)

                         The research aims at establishing the views on corporal punishment and the various effects it has on the students with a reference to public schools in the United State of America. This article aims at providing a clear overview as pertains to corporal punishments in the United States of America’s public schools. Taking into account that the corporal punishment in schools is a contentious issue, the research included all the stake holders in the public education system in the United States of America. It will also explore the various religious and cultural attitudes that are tied to corporal punishment as a disciplining tool in public schools. The methodology applied in this research included interviewing the students why have undergone the corporal punishment and trying to gather their views as concerns the mode of punishment. Teachers were also interviewed in order to get their take on the mode of punishment. Questionnaires were used to collect information about the research.

Purpose of the study.

                   The purpose of this research is to establish the views, frequency of occurrence and the level of administration of corporal punishment in public schools in the United States of America. Further, the research seeks to establish the impact that corporal punishment has on the change and shape of behaviors of the students, and whether corporal punishment indeed addresses the issues of indiscipline and misbehavior among students in public schools in the United States of America. Heads of Public schools, education officers, counseling and guidance departments, parents, teachers and students will also have a range of considerations to make after reviewing the views and findings expressed in the research.

Research Methodology

                    The research was carried out in a study area of ten sampled public schools across the US. This was done in order to ensure that all the areas in the research were effectively and extensively covered. The research design combined the collection and analysis of data in relevance to the research purpose, making the end product comprehensively concrete and worth considerations. This research study was qualitative, and a cross-sectional study that used descriptive techniques of analysis. Sawilowsky(2007) defines target population as all members of or hypothetical set of subjects, people, events to which a researcher wishes to generalize their results of the study. The research’s target population was the entire group of people in the education category that are in one way or another affected by the administration of corporal punishment. The target population for the study included all students of the ten schools across the US.

Sample size

                         The determination of the Sample size and distribution among the selected schools was done in a manner in which the data collected was adequate and reflective of the subject matter. The research employs an all inclusive structure and is extensive in its data collection and analysis, thus it is a more comprehensive and in depth report. Different from other reports, the research is based on secondary data analysis and presentation thus the dissection of the research is justified. (Johnson& Christensen, 2010)

ReferencesTop of Form

Bottom of Form

Alice Farmer(2009). United States, Impairing Education: Corporal Punishment of Students with Disabilities in US Public Schools. NY: Human Rights Watch.

Burke Johnson, Larry Christensen (2010). Educational Research: Quantitative, Qualitative, and Mixed Approaches. Carlifonia. SAGE.

Shlomo S. Sawilowsky (2007). Real Data Analysis (Hc). UK: IAP.

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Cliffhanger- Movie Review

A Brief Review of the Cliffhanger Movie

Introduction

‘Cliffhanger’ is a 1993 American adventure thriller movie that  runs for about one hour and forty-five minutes staring Sylvester Stallone, John Lithgow, Michael Rooker, Janine Turner, Rex Linn, Caroline Goodall, León, Craig Fairbrass, Gregory Scott Cummins, Denis Forest, Michelle Joyner, and Max Perlich.

‘Cliffhanger’ was written by Alan Marshall and Renny Harlin and produced by Michael France and Sylvester Stallone based on story by Gene Patrick Hines and John Long. It was directed by Renny Harlin and it remains one of the best action thrillers of the 1990s.

The Synopsis Summary

The movie begins with a clever mid-air theft and crash-landing: sort of a cross between "The Pursuit of D. B. Cooper" and "Alive!" A gang of expert criminals, led by John Lithgow, hijacks a U.S. Treasury plane carrying millions of dollars in large bills. Their cockeyed plan is to transfer the money to another plane, and indeed one of the crooks transfers from one plane to another on a wire rope. This feat, which was actually performed by a stunt man, is one of the movie's most breathtaking moments.

Expert climber and Rocky Mountain rescue worker Sylvester Stallone drops a climber to her death during a rescue but he must face the mountain by himself to save his friends from criminals in the action-packed thriller. In the movie, a well-armed gang of international thieves lures a rescue party with a fake call for help after their getaway plane crash-lands in the Rockies, and their loot is lost in the snow-covered wilderness. They need the mountain experts to locate the cash and will stop at nothing in this suspenseful, danger-filled adventure.

Brute force is the deciding factor as Stallone attempts to beat the villain and save his friends on the mountain top. For Rocky Mountain Rescue, the mission is almost a routine: locate five climbers. With the woman he loves and his best friend, Gabe Walker braves the icy peaks only to discover that the distress call is really a trap set by merciless international terrorist Eric Qualen. Now millions of dollars and their own lives hang in the balance. Against explosive firepower, bitter cold and dizzying heights, Walker must outwit Qualen in a deadly game of hide-and-seek.

That sets up the main thread of the plot, as the crooks and the good guys chase each other over the mountainside and through a series of bluffs, showdowns and fights to the finish, all taking place on the edge of suitably vertiginous precipices.

Movie Review

 "Cliffhanger" has all those ingredients and remains one of the best action thrillers of the 90s. The opening 10 minutes contain more tension than most action blockbusters can muster in their total running time. Director Renny Harlin hits the viewer hard with a bravado scene that's tough to top. (Haflidason, 2001)

This movie shows action filmmaking at its best – a career high for director Harlin and arguably Stallone as well. The cinematography is stunning, with the aerial shots, the mountain vistas and the climbers hanging thousands of feet in the air, all combining to make this a visually amazing film. Stallone turns in his usual stoic performance, slim on dialogue but huge on action. Janine Turner's performance is a joke, but Michael Rooker helps out with a good effort as Stallone's partner. John Lithgow makes a great villain, and, along with his gang, is responsible for the brutally offensive content with the bad guys getting what they deserve.

Like a lot of recent movie villains (most of them played by Alan Rickman or Charles Dance), Lithgow seems subtly effete and dangerously intellectual, and speaks with a slight British accent. He also of course cares for nothing but the money and his own skin, and in the great tradition of all cliffhangers he eventually has to face Stallone. It is one of the achievements of the movie to convince us that Lithgow and Stallone are a good match.

"Cliffhanger", taken as an entertaining movie, is effective, especially during those moments when Stallone is hanging by his fingernails over a three-mile fall, and the bad guys are stomping on him (Ebert, 1993). However, extremely offensive dialogue and brutal violence destroy the entertainment value of the movie. This is attested by the existence of 62 obscenities an15 profanities; graphic violence in the form of multiple bloody, sadistic killings and brutal beatings; and, murder, theft & corruption of law enforcement.

Cliff Hanger is not a movie about climbing. It's a Stallone Hollywood action flick, pure fiction, with about 1 minute tops of actual climbing footage, most of it fake. It does have some nice mountain scenery, and is entertaining enough if you're into action movies, but as a climbing movie it plainly leaves a lot to be desired. Lots of people get shot, killed, beaten up, fall out of planes, helicopters and cliffs. There are also ample explosions to satisfy the masses. In it's day, Cliff Hanger was probably a highly popular movie, but it's got little or nothing to do with climbing.

References

Almar, H. (1993). BBC Moview. A Review of Cliffhanger. City, Publisher. e.g New York: Cengage)

Haflidason, R.  (1993). Moview Review. Cliffhanger (City, Publisher. e.g New York: Cengage)

Wolf. (2005). Stallone’s Best. City, Publisher. e.g New York: Cengage)

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Strategic management- Toyota Company Case study

Strategic management

Introduction

                    For a company to succeed in its businesses, strategic management must be its main agenda. Managing multinational companies can be a hectic job and can end up in disarray if not well structured. Strategic management is based on a company’s top brass of management. The top management of the company is always at the center of decision making process on behalf the real owners of the company. This set up is in charge of mobilizing resources and structuring the company to match the external business environments. Formulating policies, planning and setting of objectives is the management’s concerns. Strategic management also deals with the achievement of the company’s vision through fast tracking the mission, programs and projects. In strategic management, there is a deliberate effort by the management to strike a scorecard that is balanced through evaluating the general performance of the business and the steps toward the achievement of the business’ set objective. Strategy in any business or company is in line with the expectations of all the stake holders of the business and must be based on the stakeholders’ objectives. Most multinational companies that have managed to be main players in the global business market have history of effective strategic management measures and settings. Such companies include the Coca-Cola Company, the Toyota Company, and the Hyundai Company among other multinational companies. Strategic management is the backbone of a successful multinational company or global business. Witcher & Chau (2010)

Background study

                    For any company or business to be competitive in the market, there must be a high level and a well coordinated strategy management which is the fundamental aspect of tactics and goal setting. Strategic management is always vital in offering the direction to the business and its ultimate success. In business administration, strategic management and strategic consistency between the business and its environment needs to be struck. In various companies, strategic management is always undertaken by a management team which is mostly comprised of a Board of Directors among other stakeholders. Amason (2010)

                   Different companies employ different strategic management approaches in trying to stay competitive in the business environment. The management boards in different companies apply different processes of evaluation and controlling the businesses and the various industries that are involved with the company. This is the case in two leading automobile companies, the Toyota and Hyundai companies. In assessing their competitors’ strategies, the two companies use various strategy management processes. Despite executing different strategic management forms, both companies consider basic factors in strategically managing their businesses. Such include the size of the organization and the need to adapt to the changes of the business environment. In order to achieve the objectives of any company, there are various aspects and concepts that need to be explored. A strategic management which is more structured may be employed in consideration to the size of the company, operations, requirements and the views of the stakeholders. Strategic management plays a very important role in shaping the way a business is run or the success and achievements of a company. Nevertheless, strategic management is always tied to the goals, vision, mission and the objectives of the company. In managing a company, the management board or team do work towards the views and expectations of the owners of the company or business. Hitt, Ireland & Hoskisson (2009)

Toyota Motor Corporation

                    The Toyota Motor Corporation is based at Toyota at Aichi in Japan. The multinational company is an automaker with a large employee base of over 400000 employees with the largest manufacturing capacity of automobiles and specifically the famous vehicle brand ‘Toyota’. It terms of world revenue, the Toyota Company sits at the eleventh position and had manufactured an estimated 200 million vehicles in July 2012. Founded in 1937 as a family company by Kiichiro Toyoda, the company has been keen to strategically manage its businesses. The Toyota Company has had a choice of leadership that has embraced the benchmark of quality, perfect practices and corporate responsibility in the wake of stiff competition and technological advancement in the global market. Borowski (2010). The strategies of the company have been deeply rooted in principles that have continued to improve the respect for people, their strategy framework as been gearing towards waste cutting, positive attitude building and maximum utilization of the inherent talents of the workers. The Toyota Company has managed to create an impression of social responsibility in the global market. The company has exploited a number of strategies with a view of being the best company in terms of product quality and service provision vis-à-vis matching growing customers’ needs and technological advancement. The management board of the Toyota Company has been vigil to clinch any opportunity in developing and growing the company’s worth, a strategy that has gone a notch higher to see the company explore options of developing hybrid cars among other market strategies. The underlying strategy of the Toyota Company is rooted in rewarding merit and identifying faults in an attempt to perfect the product and service delivery. Through this basic strategy, the Toyota Company has managed to propel its influence and achieve an extensive customer base. Magee (2008).

Strategy and management

                    The success of the Toyota Company is attributed to its strategic management formula that has made them to remain competitive in the automobile market while maintaining the quality and efficiency of their products. The philosophy of management at Toyota Company has continued to evolve over a long period of time. This management philosophy has been built on the original value of the company which was centered on ‘Lean manufacturing and the concept of production in time. These two concepts have been vital in the development and growth of the company. The Toyota Company strives to produce designs of cars that are exclusively ideal and perfect. In its lean manufacturing policy, the company aims at achieving a customer ideal production which will eventually cumulate to customer satisfaction. In this quest, the Toyota Company has been producing different models of cars in order to meet the demands, taste and different preferences of its customers. Hino (2006). This has enabled the company to remain competitive and to have a wider market area. The business strategies and managerial values have been collectively convened into a single structure referred to as the ‘Toyota Way’.

a.      The ‘Toyota Way”

                    The ‘Toyota Way’ was one of the strategies that the Toyota Company adopted in order to help them stay ahead in the automobile industry. It is a set of values guidelines of conducts that all the employees at Toyota are expected to embrace. The strategy had two main pillars; Continuous improvement and Respect for People. Liker & Jeffrey(2011). All the conduct guidelines and values of the Toyota Company are summarized into major principles of embracing challenge, striving to improve their services and products, respect to customers, teamwork and a ‘go and see’ slogan. This is a strategy that the company has employed to ensure that the employees not deviate from the main objectives of the company thus enhancing success in business thus working as a driving force towards an achievement. Liker (2003). The strategy has also aided the formation of identity and has kept the spirit of quality and service which has helped the company to be outstanding among other automobile manufacturers. Alongside the Toyota Way are four other components that complement the strategy. These components include management decisions that are based on long term deliberations and a comprehensive problem solving process. Further, the aspect of focusing on the development of the people has added a lot of value to the organization. Consequently, the Toyota Company has embraced the art of organizational learning through solving the root problems continuously in the organization. Ōno (1988)

b.      Worldwide establishment

                    The Toyota Company has used a world presence strategy that has made them be a common household name in terms of automobile development. Through intensive marketing and strategic management, the company has expanded tremendously thus establishing factories in a majority areas in the world that deal with assembling and manufacturing of different types of vehicles. The Company has set branch factories in countries like South Africa, Turkey, Japan, India, The United States of America, Brazil, France, the United Kingdom, and Columbia and has recently established factories in Thailand, Mexico, Malaysia, Argentina, Pakistan, Vietnam, Russia, Egypt and Mexico. In this manner, the company has been able to meet the rising demand for automobiles and have provides a large variety of automobiles thus giving the customers the large variety to choose from. This is a strategy that has ensured that the products of Toyota Company are accessed by most people around the globe. The strategy of worldwide establishment does make a company to be widely known and become easier to be identified with.

c.       Electric technology

                    Strategic management is all about exploring the possible options that can assist a company to be elevated above its competitors. This means that every implemented strategy needs to be suitable to effectively achieve the mission, feasible to ensure that it is applicable and that the strategy is accepted by the stakeholders. The management team at Toyota Company has explored the application of electric technology which is feasible, acceptable and suitable. In this respect, the Toyota Company has gone a long way in releasing hybrid electric vehicles into the automobile market. It has been the first company to introduce and sell hybrid electric vehicles, thus shaping the face of the automobile industry. In 1997, the company introduced the Toyota Prius and started producing vehicles that were smaller but maintaining the luxurious touch. Such cars like Lexus and Camry were received into the automobile industry with excitement, a sign of an effective strategic management implementation. Anderson & Judy Anderson (2010).

                    In 2012 October, the Toyota Prius became the hybrid car that was best sold in the whole world and this earned the Toyota Company about 2.8 million units. This high sale was replicated in most parts of the world. Later in 2012 October, the company was the first to manufacture a passenger car that was hybrid and a motor vehicle hybrid that was one plug in model. This model was availed to around 80 regions and countries worldwide. The company has an aim of achieving the launch of a 20 hybrid vehicles models at the end the year 2015.

Hyundai Motor Company

                    The Hyundai Motor Company has been a main player in the motor industry just like the Toyota Company. It is a multinational automotive company with it’s headquartering in South Korea in Seoul. Founded in 1967, Hyundai is ranked the forth in terms of automobile manufacturing having sold about 3.6 million vehicles in the year 2010. Hyundai is the largest automobile company that is integrated with an employee base of around 75000 people working in the factories worldwide. Hyundai Company has applied strategic management in its success story. The company has set up 6 development and research centers across the world. The company has also an established center in California for designing automobiles specifically for the markets in the United States of America. Hyundai Company has applied various forms of strategy to remain equally competitive. The Hyundai Company has been able to establish a system of quality management which has gone forth to help the company achieve the status of a major player in automobile industries and machineries globally. In this sense, the company has realized a top class service provider status. Lansbury, Chung , Sok Suh,  Kwŏn & Ho Kwon (2007)

a.      Product development

                    Hyundai has strived to improve the quality levels of their products through application of unique procedures. The company has applied pilot production vis-à-vis researching by center engineers in an aim to meet the desired levels of production. The pilot production is a strategy that Hyundai Company used to avoid problems during the production of automobiles in mass. Through the large pilot plants, Hyundai Company is able to ensure there is quality in the production of its models. The company is also striving towards achieving a perfect product quality in order to be at the helm of profit making. Henry (2008)

b.      Outsourcing

                    Outsourcing has been part of Hyundai’s strategy to maintain the quality of products they offer. This is a strategy that amalgamates various parts manufacturers who manufacture specific automobile parts before the parts are assembled by Hyundai to form complete automobiles. This strategy contravenes the Toyota policy whereby the manufacturing of the automobiles is done wholesomely by the company. The Hyundai Company outsources companies which make parts. The outsourced parts are sub-assembled into some modules which are further assembled into final automobiles. This strategic management aspect has made the Hyundai Motors Company to save a lot in terms of profits. Through outsourcing, the company has been able to shift its concentration more on marketing and product development and not to worry about the production of parts. This aspect of the Hyundai production model has been advantageous to the company as it accumulates more resources and channels them towards marketing and improving on its products.

c.       Advanced philosophy and Quality innovations strategies

                    The achievements made by the Hyundai Motors have been as a result of quality innovations. The company, through strategic management organs, has weathered the challenges of hostile and competitive business environment through application of innovation. There has been an increase in customer satisfaction which has proved that the Hyundai Company has the ability to marshal massive shares in the market. As a result of aggressive and intensive innovations, Hyundai has come up with vehicles which meet the customers’ demands, wishes and comfort. This has been in line with the achievement of the company’s objective of meeting customer satisfaction and bringing ultimate elegance, enjoyment and creating confidence in its customers. The style and luxury that is aimed at by the Hyundai Company is thereby achieved. This strategy has ensured that Hyundai Company stands out in terms of class and design, making its products popular among people worldwide.

                    Despite the growing fierce competition in the automobiles industry, Hyundai Company has managed to stay at the top in terms of quality and market base as a result of its management philosophy which is advanced. Its strategy has ensured that there is a clear cut for the future of the Company not leaving the customers behind. Hyundai’s philosophy has seen an increased favor among the customers due to its striving to make products of good quality and its main goal of laying emphasis on the satisfaction and efficiency of its products to the customers. Hyundai has continued to be a global brand name in automobiles. This has been boosted by the fact that the company has been creating an impression of fairness and transparency in terms of the acceptable and expected business ethics.

d.      Expansion of production

                    Hyundai Company has employed the strategy of market expansion as a way to ensure it achieves its main objectives. It has increased the shares of its export in the market internationally and domestically. During the economic recession in the year 2009, Hyundai still managed to export 1.3 million vehicles amidst a production capacity of 1.6 million units. This strategy ensured that the company stayed at the top of automobile manufacturing and assembly industries when other players were diversely affected by the recession. Its marketing strategy and management strategy strength is further exhibited in the company’s success in increasing its market shares in the United States of America. This has gone a long way in improving on the quality of the company’s products. Hyundai has also extended its competitiveness in engaging in overseas businesses since the late 1990s. It has established its products in Alabama, Montgomery among other areas. In North America, Hyundai’s plant was ranked second in the level of productivity.

e.       Electric vehicles

                    Just like the Toyota Company, the Hyundai Motor Company has embraced the use of electricity in the manufacture of vehicles. The company has introduced a hybrid electric automobile to match the increasing technological advancement. In 2008 November, the company introduced the first electric car which was facilitated by the technology of lithium polymer battery. In applying the electricity technology, Hyundai Company aimed at achieving sophistication, style and class in order to remain as competitive as possible. Chris, Masrur, &  Gao(2011). The strategy of applying electricity technology has ensured that the company has been at par with the other automobile producers to ensure that it does not lose its grip on the top spot in the global business. Society of Automotive Engineers (2000).

Conclusion

 Strategic management has been the center of interest for both the Toyota and Hyundai automobiles companies. Both have gone out of their way to establish global markets and have embraced the use of electricity in automobile development. Toyota Company manufactures its own vehicles from scratch while the Hyundai Company opts to outsource for parts manufacturers in order to reduce the costs incurred. The role of strategic management is evident in the two automobiles companies as both do have a team or a board of managers that is always tasked with the responsibility of formulating policies to help the company grow to transcendent heights. The board reviewing possible strategies in the companies does work towards actualizing the aims and objectives of the companies. The owners’ wishes can never be ignored in the strategic management process.

References

Allen C. Amason (2010). Strategic Management: From Theory to Practice. NY: Taylor & Francis.

Anthony Henry (2008). Understanding Strategic Management. NY. Oxford University Press.

Arkadi Borowski (2010). Report on the Toyota Company. UK: GRIN Verlag.

Barry J. Witcher, Vinh Sum Chau (2010). Strategic Management: Principles and Practice. UK: Cengage Learning EMEA.

Chris Mi, M. Abul Masrur, David Wenzhong Gao (2011). Hybrid Electric Vehicles: Principles and Applications with Practical Perspectives.UK: John Wiley and Sons.

Curtis Darrel Anderson, Judy Anderson (2010). Electric and Hybrid Cars: A History.UK: McFarland.

David Magee (2008). How Toyota Became #1: Leadership Lessons from the World's Greatest Car Company. UK: Penguin Group.

Jeffrey Liker (2003). The Toyota Way: 14 Management Principles from the World's Greatest Manufacturer. McGraw Hill Professional.

Liker, Jeffrey (2011). The Toyota Way: Management Principles and Field book (eBook). NY: McGraw-Hill Professional.

Michael A. Hitt, R. Duane Ireland, Robert E. Hoskisson (2009). Strategic Management: Competitiveness and Globalization: Cases. Canada: Cengage Learning.

Russell D. Lansbury, Chung-sŏk Sŏ, Chung-Sok Suh, Sŭng-ho Kwŏn, Seung-Ho Kwon (2007). The Global Korean Motor Industry: The Hyundai Motor Company's Global Strategy. Seoul. Taylor & Francis

Satoshi Hino. (2006). Inside the Mind of Toyota: Management Principles for Enduring Growth. Productivity Press.

Society of Automotive Engineers (2000). Hybrid electric vehicles. Society of Automotive Engineers.  Nov 1.

Taiichi Ōno (1988). Toyota Production System: Beyond Large-Scale Production. Tokyo: Productivity Press.

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