International Management International Business Plan Analysis

International Management International Business Plan Analysis Introduction The recent wave of globalization has transformed business operations on global scale. International businesses have been compelled to modify their products and services as well as management strategies to enable them meet the needs of this modern generation. As such, the banking industry has not been spared at all.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on International Management: International Business Plan Analysis specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More For instance, unlike the traditional trend when banks only concentrated in offering commercial services, modern banking calls for diversification of services to include investment, insurance and pension plans, underwriting securities and portfolio management. On the same note, although Citibank enjoys enormous branch network globally, it has been equally trapped in this mayhem. As a result, the bank has put in place strategies to improve its international presence by expanding into emerging markets. On the same note, product diversification has also been employed by the bank as one of the expansion strategies. Citibank prides itself in the history of international banking for being the oldest operator to venture in international marketing (Deloitte, 2006, p. 14). The company was established in New York way back in 1812. However, it began its international operations in 1902 having been elevated to position of the largest bank in United States banking industry (Cleveland Huertas, 1985, p. 112). It commenced its initial international presence by investing in Asian markets in countries like Manila and Shanghai (Zweig Wriston, 1995, pp. 74-82). The expansion was rapid and heightened by major acquisitions of already established banks such as International Banking Corporation in 1918 and other subsequent mergers with Farmer’s loan and trust company. Hence, by 1929, Citibank had already assumed sterling position in international banking (Clev eland Huertas, 1985, p. 112). It is imperative to mention that Citibank operated under different names until 1980s when it adopted its current name (Zweig Wriston, 1995, pp. 74). Moreover, in 1998, it started operating under Citigroup Inc. and it is under this umbrella that the bank has grown to be a giant player in international banking. It has always remained ahead of competition as illustrated in the figure below (Grosse, 2003, p. 24). Figure 1. Citigroup Major Competitors for the last 20 yearsAdvertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Definitely, the path to Citibank’s success has not been easy. However, the road ahead is not smooth at all as international banking sector becomes more complex due to numerous globalization challenges and opportunities (Ammann, Gemes Lenzhofer, 2010, p. 4). The effects of globalization which have been more pronounced in the 21st century have attracted new challenges for businesses since they have to keep up with the trend to avoid being redundant in the contemporary banking world (Hufner, Metzger Reichenstein, 2000, p. 66). The latest technology in the banking sector has facilitated identification of new market segments, development of customized services as well as opportunities for capturing new markets (Kim, 2010, p. 46). However, the same technological innovation has attracted its own share of management challenges (Kim, 2010, p. 48). Citibank is not an exception in the sense that despite its success stories in the past, the new era might bring devastating outcomes. It is against this background that this insightful analysis was conducted with an aim of establishing challenges of international banking in 21st century. Moreover, this paper provides the much needed business plan guidelines that may enable Citibank to survive amidst myriad of challenges likely to be faced international banking. Study meth od To facilitate the success of this case study, data was collected from credible secondary sources which included authentic websites, books, financial magazines and reputable financial consulting companies’ reports and the justification of each source is explained below. Euromoney –this is very resourceful for this case study because of its long standing reputation in financial publications focusing on the banking industry Datamonitor- is a company that specializes in businesses analysis in six key industry sectors such as health, technology, automotive, energy, consumer markets and financial services Wall street journal and financial news magazine are also reputable for their objectivity in business reporting. Emerald and Ebsco Host online databases provide recent peer reviewed articles on all subjects and hence they are very relevant in this case study. World Bank and OECD journal (financial markets trends) are very relevant for this case study because these report s cover diverse global issues. Booz company, a leading consulting firm on management issues with a high reputation in financial analysis. Citibank is also very insightful especially the Investment research and analysis section which provides current reports about the organization performs across all regions. Organizational Analysis – Citibank products and Services Citibank operates under the wide umbrella of a giant financial services company known as Citigroup (Grosse, 2003, p, 16). The company offers consumer and corporate banking services via wide network of over 1,700 branches which are spread worldwide in over 100 countries (Datamonitor. 2004, p. 4).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on International Management: International Business Plan Analysis specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More These branches are interlinked via strong electronic system and ATMs as well as the World Wide Web. The company is headquartere d in New York. It is further subdivided into sub brands such as Citicorp Investment services, Citiphone Banking and CitiTerm life insurance to facilitate smooth delivery of wide array of services. Citibank mostly concentrates on banking, lending and investment services. It serves wide range of clientele ranging from individual consumers, institutional and individual investors, large corporations and governments to small businesses (Datamonitor. 2004, p. 6). In order to facilitate delivery of the above services, the company has streamlined its operation under three major sectors namely personal finance, small business and corporate/institutional sector. However, most of these products and services tend to overlap across the different sectors. For instance, insurance and credit cards are available across the three sectors. As highlighted above, Citibank is rigorously branded and each of the brands offers wide range of selected products and services. The Citicorp investment services of fers basic banking accounts and investment services such as mortgages and asset management. The banking accounts are further subdivided into savings, checking and college savings categories. Checking accounts are very flexible and they offer different rates depending on the average balance under each category. Therefore, customers have an opportunity to select a checking account within their reach (Grosse, 2003, p, 16). Similarly, the savings account also varies in terms of interest earned and Citibank encourages their customers to maintain large balance by paying attractive interests to big savers. The college savings account allows parents to deposit money for their children until they reach college level of education whereby the amount is paid in installments (Datamonitor. 2004, p. 4). On the same note, CitiTerm Life insurance specializes in business and personal insurance while CitiPhone Banking enables its consumers to access banking services via phones (Datamonitor. 2004, p. 4 ). However, Citibank card division is much diversified and offers quite a number of credit card solutions to businesses and individuals. This credit card services is one of the Citibank’s strongest point and they have diversified them to incorporate each and every need of their diverse customer base. The card services falls under three subcategories namely college, value and reward cards. The most popular are value cards since they offer low interest rate of 11.24 % (Datamonitor. 2004, p. 6).Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More On the other hand, reward cards charge slightly higher interest rate of 14.24% but it has numerous benefits to consumers through the various reward schemes that are earned depending on frequency of usage. The college cards category offers students wide range of credit cards to choose from such as Citi Dividend Platinum and Citi Platinum Select. Each of the cards attracts myriad of benefits and opportunities to users (Citi, 2011b, par.4). Consequently, Citibank has realized significant role of internet to business and by so doing they have embraced online banking services whereby consumers are able to access wide range of their services without the need for physical contact (Datamonitor. 2004, p. 4). Through their effective website, Citibank.com, consumers are able to apply for various Citi Cards, open and access accounts among other functions (Datamonitor. 2004, p. 4). As mentioned above, Citibank originated in the United States. Besides operating in the U.S, domestic market its pre sence is greatly felt in other parts with most of its operations being concentrated in Asia markets such as china, Hong Kong, India, Japan, Singapore and Philippines (Gkoutzini, 2005, p.23). In addition, it has several branches in Europe. Latin America, Middle East and Africa and also its growth vision is to expand in emerging markets in these regions (Citi, 2011b, par.5). International Market Analysis The fact that Citibank presence is felt in over 100 countries indicates that it enjoys a wide market share in international banking. However, a SWOT analysis is necessary to portray the extent to which its strengths, weakness, opportunities and threats affect its business operations within the international market. Strengths Weaknesses Global network Innovative product offering Citigroup support Tarnished brand name Branding problems Online operations restrictive to US clientele Opportunities Threats Emerging markets Chinese and Asian markets Online presence Click C iti Foreign exchange fluctuations Regulatory forces Market conditions Strengths Citibank operations in over 100 countries has given the organization a competitive edge in global arena and also cushioned it against huge losses in case of financial turmoil in any of its representative region (Datamonitor. 2004, p. 6). In addition, Citibank has undue advantage over its rivals because of its huge capital base under the umbrella of Citigroup. Hence management at Citibank is capable of taking huge investment risks (Datamonitor. 2004, p. 8). Similarly, Citibank innovative product offering has enabled it to remain ahead of its competitors because specifically tailored products attract large number of consumers (Citi, 2011b, par. 3). Weaknesses Recently, Citigroup, the umbrella under which Citibank operates, has been accused of wrongful practices leading to severe tarnishing of its brand. This negative perception is likely to drift away investors especially from its investment servi ces since they fear negative outcome from the ongoing law suit (Bianco Timmons, 2002, p. 38). Similarly, Citibank needs to expand its online presence beyond United States in order to compliment physical branch operations worldwide (Bianco Timmons, 2002, p. 42). Past failures in website branding has also cost the organization whereby it relentlessly attempted to sell the company under a different online brand name (Timmons, 2002, par, 8). Opportunities Citibank interest in emerging markets has enabled it to become a pioneer in highly profitable but risky markets such as Moscow and this has given it a strategic positioning advantage (Dennis, 2010, par. 6). However, the Chinese market which is on a fast lane towards becoming fully liberalized presents the best opportunity for Citibank although it is yet to make any significant impact in this market largely due to tight government regulations (Busch, 2009, p. 86). In spite of the increasing tendency towards online shopping, credit car d holders are still reluctant to provide their card details to online vendors (Mullineux Murinde, 2003, p. 70). Therefore, in order to encourage usage of its credit cards for online transactions, Citibank has come up with Click Citi option that enables one to pay online without keying in confidential card details (Citi, 2011b, par. 12). Threats Economic instability following the 2007 financial crisis in the United States has created uncertainties among investors thus negatively affecting financial institutions (Busch, 2009, p. 86). This has lead to fluctuation in foreign exchange rates. As such, Citibank, being a global financial institution, is likely to be hard hit by this fluctuation. Interest rates have also dived thus impacting Citibank profits negatively. For instance, foreign exchange fluctuations in Argentina and Brazil led to substantial losses at Citibank (Datamonitor. 2004, p. 8). In addition, over the recent years, market conditions have not been conducive and the deter iorating financial performance is indeed clear evidence. To make matters worse, strict regulations in consumer banking industry are hurting banks negatively (Gkoutzini, 2005, p. 8). For instance, regulations put a cap on the amount of interests that loans are supposed to earn of which failure to comply might attract far reaching consequences (Mullineux Murinde, 2003, p. 74). Foreign entry in emerging markets In spite of the above challenges, the future looks bright for Citibank if it takes the big leap towards investing in emerging markets in Asia and Middle East. According to Wilkinson (2011, par, 12), Citibank has embarked on massive recruitment drive to hire managers for the new branches that are yet to be opened in Asia and Middle East. Other banks such as Barclays, HSBC, Goldman Sachs and JP Morga have also followed similar trend in preparation for new expansion to Asia-Pacific region. These two markets are quite promising due to recent discovery of potential benefits in Islam ic banking (Divanna, 2007, p. 66). In addition, although these regions are also experiencing spill over effects of financial crisis, there is still some possibility of rebound and subsequent growth. Therefore, reaching out for these customers might prove to be profitable in the near future (Weldon, 1998, p. 46). However, Citibank has to be a bit cautious even as it enters these markets via private banking brand and introduce investment services on a later date (Wilkinson, 2011, par, 8). According to Yuksel (2010, p. 24), private banking services are highly resilient and are able to withstand economic turmoil as evidenced in continued profitability of private banks amidst current economic downturn. International Challenges Volatility of emerging markets As epitomized above, emerging markets present the best opportunity for Citibank to invest during this period of economic downturn. According to Citi (2011a, par 6), emerging markets offer greater potential for growth as compared to ad vanced economies. According to Dennis (2011, p. 5), emerging markets refer to developing countries that are experiencing above average economic growth rate which is fueled by rapid infrastructural development and large populations that provide cheap labor. Economists’ forecasts indicate that emerging markets will recover from economic down turn faster than core economies in the current year (Citigroup Inc. 2011, par, 5). A recent survey by International monetary Fund highlighted a huge disparity between core economies and emerging markets growth rate whereby in 2001 they grew by 2.2% and 6.4% respectively (Dennis, 2011, par, 8). Therefore, markets such as Central Eastern Europe, Middle East and Africa will present the best opportunity for Citibank to invest. Nevertheless, emerging markets should be approached with caution because they are deemed to be very volatile (Jaffer, 2004, p. 8). Mikdashi (2001, p. 112) underscores that although past political instability and lack of t ransparency in emerging markets is slowly fading away especially in large markers like China and India, caution is still needed while venturing in these markets. Therefore, prior research is necessary to determine the volatility risk. This implies that investment managers will have an uphill task establishing whether any venture in emerging markets has potential for profitability or not. Operational Inefficiency due to limited technology in emerging markets Operations in emerging markets especially in Africa will be greatly hindered by too much paper work that reduces efficiency (Clacher et al., 2006, p. 112). This may be due to limitations in technological advancement which has been a persistent problem in African emerging markets. Clacher et al. (2006, p. 112) further underscore that paper transactions are very costly and also tend to expose banks to transactional errors and deliberate frauds. Moreover, due to lags in settlement of cheques and drafts business liquidity is highly c onstrained leading to increased operation risks. Human resource management challenges in highly technological era Over the recent years, employees have been regarded as the most important asset for organizational growth and success (Smith, 2007, p. 130). In banking industry, employees are equally important due to the fact that it is a service industry whereby customers have very high expectations. A cursory look at the new trend of online banking might despise the role of employees in service delivery. Nonetheless, Gkoutzini (2005, p. 8) expounds that they are still critical in facilitating online banking success. According to Citigroup Inc. (2011, par, 5), online consumers have very high expectations and unmet expectations may lead to organizational failure unlike in traditional banking whereby customers can blame an employee. Therefore, the challenge today is how to keep the IT staff on their toes so that they can be more vigilant to avoid service failure. In addition, these emplo yees need to be extra vigilant to protect customers from internet fraud. Otherwise, Citibank might end up losing considerable market share (Gkoutzini, 2005, p. 8) International Business Strategy (Planning): Investment plan for emerging markets In spite of high volatile nature of emerging markets, it is imperative to note that benefits outweigh possible risks if the business plan outlined below can be adopted. Furthermore, neither the core economies nor emerging markets can guarantee 100% return on investment if the recent debt crisis in Europe is anything to go by (The Committee on the Global Financial System, 2010, p.6). To begin with, pooled investment strategy is the best due to minimal risks involved. Citibank bank can merger with existing financial services provider in these emerging marketing and run a joint mutual fund entity (Gkoutzini, 2005, p. 8). Moreover, Citibank investment division might consider investing in Exchange Traded Fund which is usually invested via internati onal brokerage service. The latter is another option of pooled investment. However, it is crucial to mention that the latter move is rather risky due to the high volatile nature of stock markets. Introduce modern banking where absent Citibank has recorded success in implementation of modern banking equipments to facilitate transactions in core and some emerging economies (Citigroup Inc. 2011, par, 5). The same strategy can be adopted in emerging markets where such services are absent. However, great care should be taken to avoid locking out significant clientele who may be unable to use modern technological equipments (Gkoutzini, 2005, p. 8). Most importantly, security concerns should be taken into consideration while adopting modern internet banking (Gkoutzini, 2005, p. 12). Needless to say, such a strategy will facilitate business operations by increasing efficiency and subsequent reduction in transaction errors and fraud. Integrate human asset with technology In this era of globa lization, technology will play significant role in business operations and performance (Citigroup Inc., 2011, par, 5). According to Deloitte (2006, p. 14), banks should strive to reconnect with their customers through a combination of technology and personal service (The Committee on the Global Financial System, 2010, p.6). This implies that employees are still significant in spite of the major shift towards online banking. Although technology is the main resources for performance optimization, full implementation will require huge capital base (Busch, 2009, p. 86). To reduce cost, banks should consider entering into global partnerships on technology in an attempt to reduce initial costs (Gkoutzini, 2005, p. 8). As epitomized above, employees can either make or break online service delivery process, therefore, it is important for human resources managers to ensure that employees are motivated to carry out their duties effectively. According to Walker (2001, p. 102), employee motivat ion is anything from compensation to non-monetary benefits that makes employees loyal towards fulfilling organizational goals. Conclusion In a nutshell, Citibank is obviously a pace setter in international banking. Data collected during this analysis indicate that the bank is headed for notable success owing to its wide capital base and diverse network across the globe. However, some weaknesses still persist. Most of these weaknesses are mainly external in nature. As a critical example, it is imperative to note that businesses today are operating in a highly competitive world due to globalization which has also attracted myriad of challenges for international businesses operations. As such, Citibank interest in emerging markets appears to be an excellent initiative. However, this giant financial institution ought to approach such a move with extra caution owing to the high volatile nature of these markets. Most importantly, the management at Citibank has to come to the realization t hat employees are indeed potential assets. Better marketing strategies should be adopted to integrate latest technological platform in order to boost online marketing and banking. References Ammann, C., Gemes, A Lenzhofer, A. 2010. Private Banking: After the Perfect Storm, BoozCo. [Online] Web. Bianco, A Timmons, H. 2002. Crisis at Citi, Business Week, [Online] Web. Busch, A. 2009. Banking regulation and globalization. New York: Oxford University Press. Citi 2011a. Emerging market growth forecast for 2011, [Online] Available at  https://www.ipb.citibank.co.uk/citigold/index.htm . Citi. 2009. Major and emerging markets agent bank reviews. Web. Citi. 2011b. Our product expertise. [Online] Available at  https://www.ipb.citibank.co.uk/citigold/index.htm . Citigroup Inc. 2011. Citi Private Bank Identifies 2011 Investment Themes. Web. Clacher, I. et al. 2006. Challenges facing banking in emerging markets: A case study of the Tanzanian national payments systems. Journal of Financial Regulation and Compliance, 14(1, 112 – 118. Cleveland, H. B. Huertas, T. F. 1985. Citibank, 1812-1970. Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press. Datamonitor. 2004. Citibank, N.A. Swot analysis. [Online] Web. Deloitte. 2006. Global banking industry outlook, growth solutions in changing world. Web. Dennis, G. 2011. Emerging market earnings: Holding up well, Citi [Online] Web. Divanna, J. A. 2007. Middle Eastern Wealth Management. London: VRL KnowledgeBank Limit. Gkoutzini, A. 2005. International Trade in Banking Services and the Role of the WTO: Discussing the Legal Framework and Policy Objectives of the General Agreement on Trade in Services and the Current State of Play in the Doha Round of Trade Negotiations. International Lawyer, 39 (4), 877-915. Grosse, R. 2003. The Challenges of Globalization for Emerging Market Firms. Latin American Business Review, 4(4), 12-32 Hufner, K., Metzger, M. Reichenstein, B. 2000. Challenges for international organizations in the 21st centu ry: essays in honor of Klaus Hà ¼fner. New York, NY: Palgrave Macmillan. Jaffer, S. 2004. Islamic asset management: forming the future for Sharia-compliant investment strategies. London: Euromoney Books. Kim, S. 2010. International banking in the New Era: Post-Crisis Challenges and opportunities. Bingley: Emerald Publishing Group. Mikdashi, Z. (ed.). 2001. Financial Intermediation in the 21st Century. New York, NY: Palgrave Macmillan. Mullineux, A. W. Murinde, V. 2003. Handbook of international banking. Cheltenham, U.K.: Edward Elgar. Smith, A. D. 2009. Internet retail banking: A competitive analysis in an increasingly financially troubled environment. Information Management Computer Security, 17(2), 127 – 150. The Committee on the Global Financial System (CGFS). 2010. Long-term issues in international banking: new report by the Committee on the Global Financial System. [Online] Available from  https://www.bis.org/publ/cgfs41.pdf Timmons, H, et al. 2002. Citis Sleepless Nights: The Bank Faces Lawsuits, Fines, and Closer Scrutiny,Business Week, [Online] Available from  https://www.bloomberg.com/europe [Accessed 23 September 2011] Walker, G. A. 2001. International banking regulation: law, policy, and practice. London: Kluwer Law International. Weldon, L. 1998. Private banking: a global perspective. Cambridge: Gresham. Wilkinson, T. L. 2011. Managers hire for emerging markets, financial news, [Online] Available from  https://www.fnlondon.com/ Yuksel, U. 2010. A Risky Mode Of Foreign Market Entry: International Portfolio Investments. Journal of Business Economics Research, 8(8), 22-32. Zweig, P. L., Wriston, W. 1995. Citibank, and the Rise and fall of American Financial Supremacy. New York, NY: Crown.

White Matter and Your Brain

White Matter and Your Brain The brains white matter is situated under the surface gray matter or cerebral cortex of the brain. White matter is composed of nerve cell axons, which extend from the neuron cell bodies of gray matter. These axon fibers form connections between nerve cells. White matter nerve fibers serve to connect the cerebrum with different areas of the brain and spinal cord. White matter contains nerve fibers that are wrapped with nervous tissue cells known as neuroglia. Neuroglia called oligodendrocytes form an insulating coat or myelin sheath that wraps around neuronal axons. The myelin sheath is composed of lipids and proteins and functions to speed up nerve impulses. White brain matter appears white due to its high composition of myelinated nerve fibers. It is the lack of myelin in the neuronal cell bodies of the cerebral cortex that makes this tissue appear gray. Most of the subcortical region of the brain is composed of white matter with masses of gray matter dispersed throughout. Conglomerates of gray matter that are located below the cortex include the basal ganglia, cranial nerve nuclei, and midbrain structures such as the red nucleus and substantia nigra. Key Takeaways: What Is White Matter? White matter of the brain is situated beneath the outer cortex layer, also known as gray matter. Most of the brain is composed of white matter.White brain matter appears white because of myelin that is wrapped around the nerve axons of white matter. Myelin helps to facilitate nerve impulse transmission.White matter nerve fibers connect the cerebrum with the spinal cord and other areas of the brain.There are three main types of white matter nerve fiber tracts: commissural fibers, association fibers, and projection fibers.Commissural fibers connect corresponding regions of the left and right hemispheres of the brain.Association fibers connect brain regions within the same hemisphere.Projection fibers connect the cerebral cortex to the brainstem and spinal cord. White Matter Fiber Tracts The primary function of the brains white matter is to provide a pathway for connecting the different areas of the brain. Should this brain matter become damaged, the brain can rewire itself and establish new nerve connections between gray and white matter. White matter axon bundles of the cerebrum are composed of three main types of nerve fiber tracts: commissural fibers, association fibers, and projection fibers. This is a colored 3-dimensional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan of the white matter pathways of the brain, side view. White matter is composed of myelin-coated nerve cell fibers. Tom Barrick, Chris Clark, SGHMS/ Science Photo Library / Getty Images Plus Commissural Fibers Commissural fibers connect corresponding regions of the left and right brain hemispheres. Corpus Callosum - thick bundle of fibers located within the medial longitudinal fissure (separates the brain hemispheres). The corpus callosum connects the left and right frontal lobes, temporal lobes, and occipital lobes.Anterior Commissure - small fiber bundles that make connections between the temporal lobes, olfactory bulbs, and amygdalae. The anterior commissure forms the anterior wall of the third ventricle and is thought to be involved in pain sensation.Posterior Commissure - white matter fibers that cross the upper region of the cerebral aqueduct and interconnect the pretectal nuclei. These nuclei are involved in pupillary light reflex and control the diameter of the pupils in response to intense changes in light.Fornix - an arching band of nerve fibers that connect the hippocampus in each brain hemisphere. The fornix also connects the hippocampus to the mamillary body of the hypothalamus and projects to the anterior nuclei of thalamus. It is a structure of the limbic system and is important to the transfer of information between the hemispheres of the brain. Habenular Commissure - band of nerve fibers located in the diencephalon that are positioned in front of the pineal gland and connect the habenular nucleus of each brain hemisphere. Habenular nuclei are nerve cells of the epithalamus and a component of the limbic system. Association Fibers Association fibers connect cortex regions within the same hemisphere. There are two types of association fibers: short and long fibers. Short association fibers can be found just below the cortex and deep within white matter. These fibers connect brain gyri. Long association fibers connect cerebral lobes within brain regions. Cingulum - band of fibers located within the cingulate gyrus that connect the cingulate gyrus and frontal lobes with the gyri of the hippocampus (also called parahippocampal gyri).Arcuate Fasciculus - long association fiber tracts that connect frontal lobe gyri with the temporal lobe.Dorsal Longitudinal Fasciculus - thin fiber tracts that connect the hypothalamus with portions of the midbrain.Medial Longitudinal Fasciculus - fiber tracts that connect areas of the mesencephalon with cranial nerves that control eye muscles (oculomotor, trochlear, and abducent cranial nerves) and with spinal cord nuclei in the neck.Superior Longitudinal Fasciculus - long association fiber tracts that connect the temporal, frontal, and occipital lobes.Inferior Longitudinal Fasciculus - long association fiber tracts that connect the occipital and temporal lobes.Occipitofrontal Fasciculus - association fibers that branch into superior and inferior tracts that connect the occipital and frontal lobes.Uncinat e Fasciculus - long association fibers that connect the frontal and temporal lobes of the cortex. Projection Fibers Projection fibers connect the cerebral cortex to the brainstem and spinal cord. These fiber tracts help to relay motor and sensory signals between the central nervous system and peripheral nervous system. White Matter Disorders In multiple sclerosis or MS, the nerves of the brain and spinal cord are damaged by ones own immune system. Damage to myelin disrupts nerve signal transmission. ttsz / iStock / Getty Images Plus White matter brain disorders typically result from abnormalities related to the myelin sheath. A lack or loss of myelin disrupts nerve transmissions and causes neurological problems. A number of diseases can affect white matter including multiple sclerosis, dementia, and leukodystrophies (genetic disorders that result in abnormal development or destruction of white matter). Destruction of myelin or demyelination can also result from inflammation, blood vessel problems, immune disorders, nutritional deficiencies, stroke, poisons, and certain drugs. Sources   Fields, R. D. Change in the Brains White Matter. Science, vol. 330, no. 6005, 2010, pp. 768769., doi:10.1126/science.1199139.

Reflection Paper Term Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Reflection - Term Paper Example In his job, he does the direct service provision, but most of the time, he supervises people who do direct service. The health center provides health care services, where there is a comprehensive primary care service. The interviewee himself works with the segment that looks at the social health care determinants and help patients overcome such challenges of social health care determinants to be able to access healthcare. He works with the youth to solve two problems, one of them is the history of incarceration and connecting people to health care. He is also charged with the duty of overseeing health screening of people in the community and taking then to the health center to receive healthcare. The center deals mostly with the young people, most of whom are of pre-adolescent and adults of between ages 12-24-year-old. The interviewee is in-charge of four different programs that he oversee their provision to this population. The organization started in 1972 that resulted from a movement in the late 60s about creating a big community center. In those days, Worcester was an isolated part of the city that was far from the city. Therefore, it forced people who were sick to take a bus to the hospital. Then the doctors and professors a nearby college organized and created the center. Initially, it was named after a housing project in the area, Great Brook Valley Health Center, but now it is called the Hadron-M-Kennedy Community Health center. The organization has federal state and local funding. People who have health insurance also pay through the insurance. The interviewee specifically works with the foundation that is funded by the state of private funding. The services that the interviewee oversee does not generate any income, so it is fully funded. However, the health center services that the facility provides, charge at least something for the services. First challenge is working with stigmatized people to identify their health care problem

Large of numbers of people really leave home because of environmental Essay

Large of numbers of people really leave home because of environmental problems - Essay Example The environment is one of these developments that are influencing the movement of people from their homes. The environment encompasses a number of factors in it including climatic change (Schipper and Pelling, 2006). Most of these environmental factors are natural, and human beings do not have the ability to prevent them. The effects of these environmental factors are so severe that they force people flee their homes. The United Nations High Commission on Refugees (UNHCR) recent reports indicate that the number of environmental refugees has increased suggesting the severity of this matter. The factors that force people to move away from their homes can be summarized into two broad categories. These broad categories are climatic change factors and natural disasters. Climatic change accounts for the majority of environmental migration cases (Afolayan and Adelekan, 2009). Global warming affects the ecosystem, which leads to drying up of rivers and other sources of water. Individuals have no access to clean water to sustain their life. Others whose livelihoods come from farming have no water to irrigate their lands. Lack of water will force people to move to other locations that have adequate water. Climatic change affects health, availability of food and water, the ecosystem and the coastal regions, which affect the settlements of individuals. Food is a basic factor that is necessary for the survival of human beings. Most people especially in Africa depend on farming to provide them with food. Weather and climatic changes in some regions are becoming increasingly unpredictable nowadays due to degradation of the environment (Ezra, 2001). Individuals will move to other areas that are productive in terms of farming. Some areas are prone to diseases due to the environment. For instance, cold areas are breeding sites for mosquitoes. Rainfall causes development of swamps in some areas. These swamps create breeding sites for mosquitoes. Places

King Leopold Essay Example for Free

King Leopold Essay 1. Between 1880 and 1920, the population of the Congo was slashed in half: some ten million people were victims of murder, starvation, exhaustion, exposure, disease and a plummeting birth rate. Why do you think this massive carnage has remained virtually unknown in the United States and Europe? 2. Hochschild writes of Joseph Conrad that he â€Å"was so horrified by the greed and brutality among white men he saw in the Congo that his view of human nature was permanently changed.† Judging from Hochschild’s account and from Heart of Darkness, in what way was Conrad’s view changed? How is this true of other individuals about whom Hochschild writes? In what way has this book affected your view of human nature? 3. The death toll in King Leopold’s Congo was on a scale comparable to the Holocaust and Stalin’s purges. Can Leopold II be viewed as a precursor to the masterminds behind the Nazi death camps and the Gulag? Did these three and other twentieth century mass killings arise from similar psychological, social, political, economic, and cultural sources? 4. Those who plundered the Congo and other parts of Africa (and Asia) did so in the name of progress, civilization, and Christianity. Was this hypocritical and if so, how? What justifications for colonial imperialism and exploitation have been put forward over the past five centuries? 5. Morel, Sheppard, Williams, Casement, and others boldly spoke out against the Congo atrocities, often at great danger to themselves. Many others rationalized those same atrocities or said nothing. How do you account for Leopold’s, Stanley’s, and others’ murderous rapaciousness, on the one hand, and Morel’s, Casement’s, and others’ outrage and committed activism, on the other? 6. The European conquest and plunder of the Congo and the rest of Africa was brutal, but so was the European settlement of North America and, long before that, the conquest of most of Europe by the Romans. Hasn’t history always proceeded in this way? 7. Hochschild begins his book with what he calls Edmund Morel’s â€Å"flash of moral recognition† on the Antwerp docks. What other flashes of moral recognition does Hochschild identify, and what were their consequences? In what ways may Hochschild’s book itself be seen as a flash of moral recognition? What more recent flashes of moral recognition and indignation can you identify? 8. Hochschild quotes the Swedish missionary, C. N. Bà ¶rrisson: â€Å"It is strange that people who claim to be civilized think they can treat their fellow man — even though he is of a different color — any which way.† How may we explain the disregard of â€Å"civilized† individuals and groups for the humanity and life of others because of skin color, nationality, religion, ethnic background, or other factors? Why do this disregard and resulting cruelties persist? 9. What are the similarities between the colonial and imperial aspirations of pre- and early twentieth-century nations and the corporate and market aspirations of today’s multinational companies? Whether rapacious or beneficent, most actors in the Congo, and in Africa at large, seem to have been motivated principally by profit. In what ways do business objectives continue to shape the policies and actions of national governments and international organizations? 10. Hochschild writes that Leopold â€Å"found a number of tools at his disposal that had not been available to empire builders of earlier times.† What new technologies and technological advances contributed to Leopold’s exploitation of the Congo? What impact have these tools had on both the advancement and degradation of colonial or subject peoples? 11. The â€Å"burgeoning hierarchy of imperial rule† in the Congo Free State was, Hochschild writes, reflected in â€Å"the plethora of medals† and attendant grades and ranks. What were the reasons for this extensive hierarchy and for the bureaucracy it reflected and maintained? Are there any contemporary parallels? Of what historical examples can we say that the more heinous the political or governmental crimes, the larger and more frequently rewarded the bureaucracy? 12. How does Hochschild answer his own question, â€Å"What made it possible for the functionaries in the Congo to so blithely watch the chicotte in action and . . . to deal out pain and death in other ways as well†? How would you answer this question, in regard to Leopold’s Congo and to other officially sanctioned atrocities? 13. Hochschild quotes Roger Casement as insisting to Edmund Morel, â€Å"I do not agree with you that England and America are the two great humanitarian powers. . . . [They are] materialistic first and humanitarian only a century after.† What evidence supports or refutes Casement’s judgment? Would Casement be justified in making the same statement today? 14. After stating that several other mass murders â€Å"went largely unnoticed,† Hochschild asks, â€Å"why, in England and the United States, was there such a storm of righteous protest about the Congo?†

Kants and Aristotles Ethics Essay -- Philosophy, Philosophers

To be good is good but it has to be done for the right reason. Aristotle and Kant are two famous philosophers who have different ethical theories. The theory’s of virtue and duties rest not only on laws and obligations but from what comes from the inside. Morality comes from inner strength, character and how we live our life to the best end. Aristole 384-322 b.c.e. Aristotle conceptualized the branches of philosophy and contributed to the theories in logic, metaphysics, ethics and political philosophy (book 237). Aristotle’s teleological ethics: the reason for being. Aristotle focused on the peoples actions whether good or bad, as well as their character, not there right or wrong actions. Immanuel Kant (1724-1804) branches of philosophy included contributions to metaphysics, epistemology, ethics, and aesthetics. Kant's deontological ethics, a duty based ethics. His focus is on rational will and a conception of self-governing reason, and not what kind of person one should be (Betzler 7). The bases of Aristotle’s and Kant’s theories are different. Aristotle believes when you do something it comes from the virtues you have, while Kant believes there is always a reason behind actions. However, both agree â€Å"that time and practice is required to develop virtues† (betzler 50). Another thing they have in common is that both of them focused on peoples actions and why people performed those actions. Whether, it is happiness or good will we are all completing an action to the end; in order to have a good life. Aristotle’s Strength is his belief in moderation (Book480). Aristotle believes the ultimate goal in life is to be happy and people will do what makes them happy. He defined the highest good as â€Å"eudaimonia† (Chaffee 477). To a... ...n different ways to achieve an end. However, I believe that Kant’s theory is most likely correct because it includes everyone and not just what makes an individual happy. Although, Kant’s views are a bit extreme when it comes to rules, we all have to have rules to live by we cannot just go out and do what makes us happy. I do like the â€Å"Golden Rule† better mainly because that is what my great-grandmother us to tell me all the time and it is a good rule to live by. â€Æ' Works Cited Betzler, Monika. Kant's Ethics of Virtue. Berlin, DEU: Walter de Gruyter, 2008. Broadie, Sarah. Ethics with Aristotle. Cary, NC: Oxford University Press, 1993. Chaffee, John. The Philosopher's Way Thinking Critically About Profound Ideas. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Prentice Hall, 2009. Kupperman, Joel. Ethics and Qualities of Life. Cary, NC: Oxford University Press, 2007.

Promoting Molly’s health and wellbeing Essay

The purpose of this essay will to be to promote Molly’s health and wellbeing through evidence based theory and practice (Refer to appendix 1 for Molly scenario). Molly has various health needs that necessitate the need for health promotion such as the risk of postnatal depression. However, for the purpose of this essay, the focus will be her type 2 diabetes health need. There are several bio-psychosocial factors that contribute to Molly’s health and wellbeing such as genes, stress and low income. The interventions that are designed to promote Molly’s health and wellbeing will include education and empowerment . These will address Molly’s determinants of health by using appropriate models and approaches to provide realistic and practical suggestions to Molly. The rationale upon promoting Molly’s diabetic health need is due to the fact that, type 2 diabetes can cause severe complications such as retinopathy, kidney failure and cardiovascular disease. What is more, type 2 diabetes continues to increase in the United Kingdom and it is estimated to affect more than 5 million people by 2015 (NHS choices 2013) Historic overview of health promotion was first highlighted by Florence Nightingale (1860) who noted the biomedical care given to patients and suggested the need to provide holistic patient centred care to patients (Piper 2010). Notably, she recognized the importance of environmental factors such as cleanliness and nutrition to promote the health of patients (Piper 2009). Health promotion is a plethora of contested definitions. Therefore, over the years there have been considerable attempts to define this concept. For (WHO 1986) Ottawa Charter, health promotion is defined as a process of educating and empowering people to make healthier choices (Hubley et al 2013). This definition implies that, health promotion is a holistic concept that emphasizes on the physical, social and mental wellbeing (Piper 2010) The nurse is the health professional that will be involved in promoting Molly’s health and wellbeing through evidence based theory and practice in addition to using various models and approaches (Piper 2009). This strategy will enable Molly and the nurse to individually and holistically express themselves, develop innovative plans suited to Molly’s health needs and promote effective communication between Molly and  the nurse (Bowden and Manning 2006). Communication is an important principle in health promotion as not only does it underpin the basis of holistic care given to patients but it also builds therapeutic relationships between the nurse and the patient (Bowden 2006). Communication is a fundamental concept in nursing that is defined as a skill of information sharing between the patient and other health professionals (Yulli et al 2011). In these circumstances, the nurse will communicate with Molly through various modes of communication which will include verbal, non-verbal and written communication. She will discuss with Molly on shared values and beliefs that is relevant to Molly’s health needs. Most important, communication in Molly’s case will go beyond information sharing to involving Molly in her own care by supporting her to make positive healthier choices in her life (Hubley 2013). Significantly, the nurse will adhere to ethical principles of autonomy, non-maleficence, beneficence and justice (Whitewood 2010). There are several bio bio-psychosocial factors that contribute to the health and wellbeing of Molly. These factors can be well understood by using the bio-psychosocial model. This is holistic model that combines major determinants of health such as social economic status, biological status and psychological status to give a holistic view of an individual mental, physical and social wellbeing (Baxter 2010). The biological factors that contribute to Molly diabetic health need are her genetic susceptibility due to her family history (NHS choices2013). Her unborn child is also at a risk of inheriting the illness from her mother. Type 2 diabetes tends to run in families largely due to similar unhealthy lifestyle (Bowden and Manning 2006). Whereas Molly might have inherited type 2 diabetes from her parents, the development of this illness is also influenced by lifestyle choices (NHS choices 2013). Psychologically, Molly is at the risk of suffering from postnatal depression and stress due t o physical demands of work and taking care of her family. This can consequently lead to mental illnesses (Hobart and Frankel 2009). Psychological illnesses can affect Molly’s ability to self-manage her blood glucose. Apart from this, psychological instability can cause Molly to lose control of her diabetes with fatal consequences (NHS choices 2013). Molly is on a low social economic status as she is only able to work part time. Green  and Tones (2010) contends that, low income limits access to nutritional food and housing which can consequently lead to poor physical health and social exclusion. Furthermore, Hill et al 2013 s proposes that, type 2 diabetes disproportionately affects people with limited resources. Perhaps this is because, low income earners are more likely to indulge in unhealthy damaging behaviours such as eating unhealthy food and lack of physical activity (Hubley 2013). If this were the case, Molly might not able buy healthy food or accesses those activities that address her health needs such as the gym and other social networks in her community. All these factors might hinder positive health outcomes. According to (WHO 1986), health is defined as not only an absence of diseases but also a complete state of physical and mental wellbeing. In order to promote Molly’s health, a holistic approach is needed to address the bio-psychosocial the factors that affect her health and wellbeing. Therefore, various activities need to be undertaken by using appropriate theoretical approaches and models. Initially, the nurse should ensure that, Molly’s basic needs are meet first before moving up to the higher needs. Maslow (1943) proposed that, humans have hierarchies of needs. He believed that, needs such as food and water are meet first before reaching the level of self-actualisation (Hubley2013). Having previously identified that Molly is on a low income which can affect her ability to access healthy food. The health promotion priority will be then to address this need before moving on to the other higher needs. The nurse should advice Molly on the help that is available for her to increase her earnings . For example, Molly would benefit from extended school that offer childcare and family support services (Larkin 2009). The importance of childcare would be that, Molly will be able to work more hours bringing in some extra income for her family. Consequently, she will be able to buy healthy food and engage in activities such as swimming or going to the gym. Significantly, this would reduce her risk of social exclusion and diabetes related complications (NHS choices 2013). However, it is important that Molly believes that, her positive health behaviours will prevent complications and help acquire good quality of life. This will influence  Molly’s willingness to take action (Yulli 2010). According to Health belief model by Rosenstock (1966), Molly will only take positive action if she believes that, she is susceptible to serious illnesses, believes that her type 2 diabetes is serious and believes that her positive actions will avoid the negative consequences of diabetes ( Yulli 2010). For instance, by doing physical activities it reduces her chance of her being obese and consequently reducing her risk the of cardiovascular diseases or even death (Coyle 2013). The Health belief model is useful in promoting Molly’s diabetic health need. This is because it organises the patients health status, views and points out the factors that that determines whether the patient will change their behaviour. Furthermore it provides a useful checklist that points out the issues that need to be addressed and the patient’s motivation to change their health ( Yuill et al 2010). Nevertheless, the Health belief model has not escaped criticism due to its individualistic way and ignores social influences (Hubley 2013). For example, Molly low income status may influence her decision of whether or not she eats healthy food. Furthermore, it does not address psychological factors such as fear and denial that greatly influences human ability to take positive action towards their health (Hubley 2013) . For instance, Molly’s ability to engage in physical activities may be affected her pregnancy, emotions and social influences such as family and friends. Another activity that to be undertaken to promote Molly’s health is encouraging Molly to learn from positive role models that will motivate her to positively regulate her behaviour and reflect on her actions (Green 2010). This can be learning from her family, friends or other people who have type 2diabetes but have successfully managed their diabetes through positive attitudes, behaviours and treatments. According Social learning theory by Bandura (1986), people actions are influenced by observing the behaviour of other people. He argued that, this promotes people self-esteem that in turn drives them to make positive changes (Green 2010). In these circumstances, the social learning theory is equally important in promoting Molly’s diabetic health need because it addresses the concept of self-esteem. This is a key part of resisting negative influences and promotes self-efficacy and locus of control to do what is right by her health (Amdam 2012). Social learning theory importance should not be  underestimated as it recognizes that, individuals do not exist in isolation (Amdam 2012). Despite this, it is criticised by biological theorists for its rejection of biological factors such as genes. Moreover, the biologist model challenges the social learning flawed assumption that, behaviours are learnt by contending that, behaviours are inherited but not learnt (Gyenscuico 2011). Education is another activity that needs to be undertaken in order to promote Molly’s diabetic health need. The aim of education will be to teach Molly on self-management skills and to improve Molly’s knowledge on diabetic care (Bowden and Manning 2006). The nurse will use health educational model to modify Molly’s behaviour and actions through providing value-laden facts and information about type 2 diabetes . This may be done by giving Molly leaflets about type 2 diabetes, teaching Molly on how to control and monitor her glucose levels (Bowden and Manning 2006). According to education approach, if Molly have the necessary knowledge on diabetes, she is more likely to make positive decisions (Lawrence et al 2009). For Instance, by teaching Molly how her blood glucose is affected by food and exercise, she is more likely to eat more healthier food and be active in order to keep her blood glucose stable (NHS 2012). One cannot ignore that education model is evidence based and not only does it educate the patient but it also gives skills to the patient. However, this model fails to consider environmental, psychological and economic constraints which affect individual’s ability to make choices (Lawrence et al 2009). Another limitation of this model is its simplistic view of cost-benefit analysis. It assumes that, if Molly is given the knowledge she will accept it unconditionally, weigh up the cost and then make a positive health choices for her best interest (Bowden and Manning 2006). What is more, its deterministic view point that, education is a must does and its top down approach does not give Molly much free will to make her own choices which the self-empowerment does (Bowden and Manning). The empowerment model gives the patient the free will through it advocacy of the individual concept of locus of control and self-efficacy to take control of their own health (Lawrence et al 2013). Thi s model links to the activity of empowerment which is another activity that needs to be undertaken in in order to promote Molly’s health and well being . This will be through Molly  participating and taking part in all areas of decision making (Piper 2009). This model shifts the balance of power from the health professionals to the patient (Piper 2010). The empowerment model bottom up approach is a vital factor in empowering the patient (Bowden and Manning 2006). The empowerment will mean that , Molly is acknowledged as being a part of her health promotion and she will work alongside the nurse and other multi-agency teams involved in her own care (Yulli et al 2010). Perhaps this might raise her confidence and influence her ability to make healthier choices by taking responsibilities on her type 2 diabetes management (Hanlon et al 2012). The advantage of using the self-empowerment model in Molly’s scenario will be that, Molly will gain more control of her life and confidence to move towards healthier existence (Hanlon 2012). However, it fails to consider influences of power that may prevent Molly from making healthier choices (Hanlon 2012). For example, Molly’s husband might influence her ability to make choices. Moreover, it does not address social economic factors such as low income that can mean that, Molly’s primacies may be at odd with the priorities of the health promoting professionals (Bowden and manning 2006). Finally, its acknowledgment of the self-determination means that, Molly might exercise her free will and choose unhealthy eating behaviours that might place her at risk or even death (Dean and Irvine 2010) One cannot ignore the benefits of health promotion in Molly’s scenario is a useful tool to educate, motivate and empower Molly to make positive changes towards her health. However, health promotion can be problematic at times. This is due to the dangerous assumptions of the health promoters focus on health issues ignoring that, people have various motives to change their behaviours and health might not be one of them (Scrive 2010). For instance, for Molly diabetic health need might not be her prime motivator to change her lifestyle. Another criticism of health promotion is the ever changing health advice for patients due to research that is always finding new evidence (Amdam 2011). In these circumstances, patients have barely enough time try one treatment or advice before th ey can adapt to another. This affects the efficacy of health promotion (Scriven 2010). Evidently, the media contradicts the health promotion advice which is based on facts due to its focus on controversy rather than facts which can be confusing for the patients (Amdam 2011). Furthermore, the health promotion in Molly’s scenario  raises this question. If Molly decides not to change, does it mean that the health promotion in her case has failed? The challenges of effective health promotion require actions at all levels starting at an individual, community and at a government level (Scriven 2011). Therefore, to successfully, promote the health of an individual, it is necessary to have an approach that combines all these levels together as they all influence the effectiveness of health promotion ( Amdam 2011). To conclude, health promotion is defined as a process of educating and empowering people to make healthier choices. Molly’s health is influenced by various determinants of health that are linked to her social, biological and environmental conditions. The health promotion emphasis is to tackle such determinants of health through evidence based practices that combines various theories and approaches. These theories and approaches are tied up with practical activities that are aimed at changing Molly’s lifestyle and behaviour to promote her health. The importance of health promotion should not be underestimated at it educates and empowers the patients to make positive actions towards their health. Nevertheless, health promotion is plagued with challenges such as contradicting health advice that affects the efficacy of health promotion. These challenges affect the most vulnerable people such as Molly. It is therefore important that the health promoters recognizes these difficulties and address them accordingly. Finally, it is recommended that, future health promotion professionals address the deficit of the lack of an approach that tackles health promotion at an individual, community, government level to ensure the effectiveness of health promotion. Referencing Amdam, R. (2011) Planning in health promotion work. Oxfordshire: Routledge. Baxter, M. Health (2010). 2nd ed. Cornwall: Polity press. Bowden, J. and Manning, V. (2006) Health promotion in Midwifery. 2nd ed. London: Edward Arnold Ltd. Ghensucico, B. (2011) Critic on Albert Bandura’s Social Learning Theory. Dawsonera [Online]. Available at: http://dawsonera.com [Accessed: 25 January 2014] Green, J. and Tones, K. (2010) Health promotion planning and strategies. 2nd ed. London: Sage Publication Ltd. Hanlon, P. Carlisle, S. Hannah, M. and Lyon, A. ((2012) The future public health London: Open University Press. Hobart , C., Frankel. J. (2009) Safeguarding children . 3rd ed. Cheltenham: Thornes Ltd. Hubley, J. Copeman, J. and Woodall, J. (2013) Practical health promotion. 2nd ed. Cambridge: Polity Press. Larkin, M. (2009) Vulnerable groups in health and social care. Dawsonera [Online]. Available at: http://dawsonera.com [Accessed: 30 March 2014] Needle, JJ. Petchey, RP. Benson, J. Scriven, A. Lawrenson, J. and Hilari, K.(2011) The allied health professions and health promotion: [Systematic review] Cochrane