Descartes’ Meditations Essay Example for Free

Descartes’ Meditations Essay Rene Descartes is not only a known philosopher, but he also contributed significantly in the field of mathematics. It is with the same vigor and methodological reason he applied in the realm of Mathematics by which he comes to his conclusions in the Meditations. Hence, we see him going about his arguments, thoughts, opinions, and conclusions in a reasonable, methodological fashion, forming skeptical hypotheses in every step. In a way, Meditations can be regarded as a guide for the readers: it seeks to take along the reader with the meditator in his journey of the unknown and knowing. It tries to convince them to follow his step-by-step argumentation and skepticism, and to accept the obvious logical conclusion of each. Yet, although his conclusions are impressive and convincing, a crack in his reasoning might break down his arguments. The purpose of this paper then, is to examine the ideas, assumptions, and arguments presented by Descartes. However, this paper will only concern itself with the first two parts of Descartes’ Meditations (Meditation I: Of the Things Which May Be Brought Within the Sphere of Doubt and Meditation II: Concerning the Nature of the Human Mind: That It Is Better Known Than the Body). The First Meditation: Methodic Doubt In the First Meditation, Descartes cast all things into doubt. He does this by first questioning all that he knows as he remembers his senses has deceived him before. He says: All that up to the present time I have accepted as most true and certain I have learned from either from the senses or through the senses; but it is sometimes proved to me that these senses are deceptive, and it is wiser not to trust entirely to any thing by which we have once been deceived (Descartes, pg. 0). He then continues to give proof of his reasons for doubting what he knows to be true. He considers if he might be crazy, dreaming, or deceived by God or an evil genius. He reasons out that he is not mad as the mad people who imagine things when these are clearly not the case, and dismisses that possibility. He considers that when is dreaming he is convinced that what his senses perceive are real, only to find out that it was not. Finally, he thinks that perhaps an omnipotent being, God, deceives him into believing all the things around him exists even if these are not true, yet he cannot accept that because it would go against the nature of God’s goodness, hence he supposes that it is â€Å"not God who s supremely good and the fountain of truth, but some evil genius not less powerful than deceitful, has employed his whole energies in deceiving me; I shall consider that the heavens, earth, colors, figures, sound, and all other external things are nought but the illusions and dreams of which this genius has availed himself in order to lay traps for my credulity† (Descartes, pg. 33). Ending the first part, he closes with likening himself to a prisoner who while sleeping enjoys freedom but knows that it is only a dream, and is afraid to wake up. The meditator knows that he has opened a Pandora’s box of questioning and yet chooses to go back to his former beliefs for the meantime. Descartes’ method of questioning and casting all that can be questioned as being false is the underlying concept of skepticism, and his has been called methodic doubt. One by one he stripped his notions of truth so he could get to the most fundamental part, for he says he only needs one immovable point on which to build truth. Descartes’ questioning of the senses and perception is useful in order to arrive at the fundamental point of his argument which is to find what is absolute, what cannot be doubted given that he is casting everything in the sphere of doubt. We find out in the second part of the Meditations that though everything can be cast into doubt, there is one thing that cannot: his thoughts doubting themselves. No matter what happens, there is an absolute truth: that he is thinking. And he thinks, he exists. But then what is the point of all these? When does an individual begin to think? Is it not that the thinking process is facilitated by the accumulation of ideas, ideas gleaned from the dubious world through imperfect senses? Does this mean that the mad person who can comprehend his existence is as sane as the rest? It seems convenient to cast everything into doubt and the senses in question to arrive at the fundamental point of the consciousness. But what is the consciousness, where does it stem from? Does it not have a vessel? Are we to accept that we are merely floating consciousness in the abyss? Or that we are simply consciousness being deceived by an evil genius? Descartes’ Belief in the Idea of God and the Evil Genius Which brings us to Descartes’ discussion of God and the evil genius. Descartes casts everything into doubt except God, that is why he could not accept that God will deceive him. Of course this can be argued as Descartes way of trying to coax the conservative Jesuits to read and accept his arguments, for if he downright casts God into the realm of doubt as he did his body then he might be excommunicated or ordered to be killed as Galileo. Then if it is not God it must be something as powerful yet evil, the evil genius. If we follow this train of thought, does it make sense? This borders on theological argument, but why would an all powerful, all good God as believed in by the meditator allow an evil genius to deceive him? If the All powerful, all good God is indeed all powerful and all good, then he will not allow this evil genius to exist, or would he? Because then if God and the evil genius are pitted against each other, who will win if they are both powerful and so on? Also, where did this idea of an evil genius come from? It is, according to the flow of arguments in the Meditations, necessitated by the theory of being deceived. Something must be doing the deceiving, and that something must be powerful enough to paint the world and deceive the beholder. A being as powerful as that can only be God, but since it goes against God’s nature, then t must be the evil genius. But what is the cause of this evil genius? Was it not the need of the meditator for an evil genius to support his arguments? Hence, can we not argue that there is no evil genius? In the same vein, that there is no God? Descartes said: I have long had fixed in my mind the belief that an all-powerful God existed by whom I have been created as such as I am (pg. 32). He provides no reason, no proof of God’s existence but proceeds with his meditations as though this was a given. Why would it be? Is God’s existence and goodness really necessary? Can these not be cast into doubt as well? Or the thought of casting God into doubt is unspeakable? For if we will really cast everything into the realm of doubt, would not there be only the self talking to itself? Descartes’ unwillingness to put God to the test makes Descartes’ methodological reasoning biased. If Descartes is biased in his reasoning, can we accept the conclusions he has arrived at? He stubbornly holds that an idea of a perfect being is necessarily true and necessarily means that the perfect being exists for who will put that idea to him, him an imperfect being who must be incapable of conceiving anything perfect? Already there is a fallacy in his thinking, for this becomes evidently a tautological argument. But more than that, his defining this ultimate being, this perfect being as based on an idea of it throws off his arguments. What of the heavens and the sea? Of earthly things which he has ideas of also, then does it not mean that they are true because he has ideas of them? Will he point out that these are a different case because our idea of these material things are based on our perception of them through our senses? And that mythical figures such as mermaids are complex images formed out of simple things combined yet still has basis on sensory perception? Then, can we argue that his notion of an ultimate being must have come from the simple idea of an imperfect being and make that complex, let us say a carpenter who we know can build a house, and if he can build a house maybe there is a perfect carpenter who can build a world? For why would a perfect being, perfectly good, can be doubted if we so choose? The Second Meditation: Arriving at Consciousness Descartes’ argument supposes there are simple things that do not need explaining but which can be taken for truth. If there is no ultimate Being, and no evil genius, who then makes up all the illusion? The mind as the powerful deceiver, as it is the only thing that can attend to the train of his thoughts simultaneously. If we do doubt God, we will more or less arrive at the same conclusion, that the only thing that we cannot doubt is one’s own skeptical thinking. As Descartes makes clear when in the passage: is there not some God, or some other being by whatever name we call it, who puts these reflections into my mind? That is not necessary, for is it not possible that I am capable of producing them myself? I, myself, am I not at least something? But I have already denied that I had senses and body†¦ am I so dependent on body and senses that I cannot exist without these? Bu I was persuaded that there was nothing in all the world, that there was no heaven, no earth, that there no minds nor any bodies: was I not then likewise persuaded that I did not exist? †¦ but there is some deceiver or other, very powerful and very cunning, who ever employs his ingenuity in deceiving me. Then without doubt I exist also if he deceives me, and let him deceive me as much as he will, he can never cause me to be nothing so long as I think that I am something (Descartes, pg. 34). Here is saying that he thinks he is something, which lays the groundwork for: But then what am I? A thing which thinks. What is a thing which thinks? It is a thing which doubts, understands, conceives, affirms, denies, wills, refuses, which also imagines and feels (Descartes, pg. 37). Of course in this statement can be summed up the famous â€Å"I think, therefore I am†. But it is not merely thinking per se that Descartes is saying here, but rather self-awareness, or consciousness. One’s consciousness is absolute: it tells him that he does exist for certain, even if everything else is illusion. Hence, one’s consciousness implies one’s existence. The Consciousness and the Wax Argument The truth is fundamental, common sense. The consciousness needs no explaining because everybody understands what it is. But let us ask, where does consciousness come from? Perhaps this is no longer part of Descartes’ philosophy, as his thesis has been chiefly to prove that if one has consciousness then he exists. That is why the important construction of the statement, I think, I am. It is necessarily has to be the I who has understanding of being. How does one think though? Through the ideas garnered from sensory perception? To explain further, and in a way define himself better through example, Descartes turns to the analogy of the wax. Descartes asks how he knows of the wax, when its physical properties change? When its color, texture, size, shape, smell change, is it still not wax? Thus: what then did I know so distinctly in this piece of wax? It could certainly be nothing of all that the senses brought to my notice†¦ for all these are found to be changed, and yet the same wax remains†¦ (p. 39). Descartes argues that the wax does not change, but he knows it not through the senses but because he grasps the idea of the wax with his mind: But what is this piece of wax which cannot be understood excepting by the mind? †¦what must particularly be observed is that its perception [of the wax] is neither an act of vision, nor of touch, nor of imagination, and has never been such although it may have appeared formerly to be so (Descartes, p. 39). Further, he uses the wax to affirm his existence when he says that his perception of the wax no matter how distinct or indistinct only proves the existence of his mind as being the thing that processes all these, proving not the wax but the nature of his mind. In this way Descartes is actually saying that all we know, we know from the mind. That is why he believes that we know the mind better than we know the body. This not only affirms his consciousness, but also affirms Meditation I’s methodic doubt. After all, we only know the world through ideas – these ideas including dreams, concepts, images, perceptions, and memories – hence, we know the world indirectly. Also, these ideas represent something else – something that is external or separate from the self, that which we do not identify with I, making them separate from the mind as well. Since these are external to the mind, these can be illusions, false images or faulty representations. And if these ideas can be trusted, what can be but the absolute existence of the thing that conceives these ideas in the first place, the mind, the consciousness. Conclusion Descartes’ Meditations is undoubtedly an important text in history, and its methodic presentation convincing. His thesis that we could doubt everything but the existence of the self via the consciousness makes perfect sense – with or without the reference to an ultimate Being or an evil genius, as his insistence, or his inclusion of these, stains his logical arguments, for there is no logical basis for God or the Devil. But then, since these does not cripple nor in any way change the outcome of the meditations, then it could be safely dismissed as perhaps a necessary inclusion to encourage conservative readers of the time to consider a novel idea before they turn a skeptic eye on him.

Effect of Hugo Rafael Chávez Frías Regime on the Economy

Effect of Hugo Rafael Chà ¡vez Frà ­as Regime on the Economy Introduction Venezuela is located in the upper corner of South America and neighbors with Colombia, Brazil, and Guyana. It has been nearly 200 years since Venezuela first gained its independence from Spain (1811). From 1830 onwards, when Venezuela split from the Bolivarian Colombia (1819-1830), the country was governed mostly by military and despotic regimes. That military period lasted until 1958 when the current democratic spell started following the ousting of General Marcos Perez Jimenezs dictatorship.  [1]  Despite that long period of military dictatorships, the Venezuelan economy is considered to be a mixed economy where there is a mixture of command and free market elements  [2]  . These will be discussed in greater depth in the following text. Venezuela had until the 1980s a series of successful periods of economic growth  [3]  . The country had from there on and until 1999 a succession of economic and political crises. The government previous to the election of Hugo Chavez headed by Rafael Caldera was in power from 1994 to 1999. During this time in office he had to deal with high inflation rates and a financial crisis. Due to these severe problems, Caldera was forced to impose an exchange control in mid-1994. This was shortly followed by more stabilization actions that were enforced by the International Monetary Fund agreement. Due to these severe actions taken by the Calderas government (Convergencia) he became severely unpopular among the electorate. This did not help him win his reelection and set the stage for Hugo Chavez  [4]  . The purpose of this essay is to discuss whether or not Hugo Rafael Chà ¡vez Frà ­as regime is moving towards a planned economy due his anti- American stance. Moises Naim states that the rise to power of Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez is often seen as evidence of an impending backlash against globalization, American-style capitalism.  [5]  This statement reflects the change in the governments policies on the Venezuelan economic system. To further explain this transformation it is vital to define what a free market economy and planned economy are. Theoretical Background Hypotheses If the Venezuelan government is moving from a free market economy to a planned economy, one would expect to find evidence of this transition economy. Definitions are needed to be known before explanation of results. A free market economy refers to an economy in which markets, in other words the interaction of buyers and producers, determine price and output.  [6]  In addition, this economic system [relies] on free markets which permit people to engage in economic activities largely free from government control.  [7]  In other words the government must have a hands-off policy in regards to the economy. Therefore, all production is in private hands and companies are able to adjust their wages and prices according to the demand and supply curve. Furthermore individuals are able to make independent decisions regarding the price of products, amount of production, and retailing. The free market economy is one that allows for the best interests of both consumers and producers to be met  [8]  . Advantages of the free market economy include: resources are allocated by market forces and price mechanisms,  [9]  and the motivation of profits provides an incentive to reduce costs and be innovate.  [10]  As William Baumol points out, to some extent, innovation in the economy is important as it indicates the expansion of peoples creativities in businesses and therefore fosters productivity growth in the economy.  [11]  What this makes clear once again is that a lot of the power and decision making lie within companies and the market. Disadvantages can include resources being used up too quickly as firms seek to make high profits and to minimize costs.  [12]  Additionally, large firms can expand and dominate a particular industry; leading to higher prices, and results in excessive power. A planned economy is defined as an economy where decisions are made by the government on the behalf of the people, and in theory, in their best interests.  [13]  This indicates that the state has great ownership of resources in the economy and through this provides social welfare to the people. In this economy the government sets the price of resources. There are thought to be several advantages and disadvantages in a planned economy. The advantages are that the government can directly influence the distribution of income to make it more equal  [14]  . In addition the government determines which [types of goods] are to be supplied  [15]  . This necessarily gives the government the power to decide what goods are considered to be important in the society. A disadvantage of this economy is the government [s dominance which] may lead to a loss of personal freedom of choice  [16]  . Unlike the free market economy there is no incentive for individuals or firms to be innovat iveà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ goods are often of poor quality and usually a limited choice.  [17]  No competition in the economy and low profit (or absence of profit altogether) can lead to inefficiencies of resources. In short, it is the government, and not the consumers, who make all the decisions. A planned economy is an ideology often used by governments in communist states. Countries like Cuba and North Korea are currently using a planned economy system. An important concept of economic theory in describing a planned economy and free market economy is the understanding of economic growth. Economic growth is defined as an improvement in the standard of living (that) typically occurs when an economy increases its output of goods and services during an expansion  [18]  . This leads to economic development which refers to an improvement in living standards in an economy encompassing material consumption, education, health, and environmental concerns.  [19]  Therefore the use of a production possibility curve (PPC) is implemented to determine economic growth. Looking at the graph below (figure 1), one can see the theoretical downfall of the total goods and services (GDP) as the market moves from free market to planned economy. The PPC1 curve shifts downwards to PPC2 a level where planned economy would function. In moving from a free economy to a more planned economy orientated structure (transition economy), theoretically the output of the countrys total goods and services would decrease because of the inefficiencies. Overall the economic growth diminishes as the governments dominance in the economy increases. Figure 1 The PPC can also be used to better understand the change in government spending in a planned economy. This curve demonstrates the shifting of the government spending. The graph below (figure 2) presents public sector production and private sector production. The PPC curve represents the maximum amount of output possible given the available resources.  [20]  . At point A, there is an equal amount of production from the public and private sector. The total production at point A is on the PPC curve meaning that the maximum level of production is obtained  [21]  . As the government moves closer to a fully planned economy and it begins to invest in the public sector which include schools, health programs, housing, and so forth bureaucracy and inefficiencies increase and production moves to point B.  [22]  As we can see in figure 2, point B is no longer on the PPC curve but below it, signaling that the maximum level of output is not being achieved. Figure 2 Methodology Departing from the following hypothesis If the Venezuelan government is moving from a free market economy to a planned economy, one would expect to find evidence of this transition economy. This evidence would be found in several areas. One would expect to find more government bureaucracy and interferences in private enterprises. This could take the form of increased unjustified fines, paper work, restriction of all kinds, and control, which all result in reduction of business. One would also expect to find an increase in the nationalization of private companies; this could take the form of expropriation of private lands by the government. Further evidence of a movement towards a planned economy would be greater spending on social welfare. This would be clear in areas such as health, education, and housing. Finally, one would expect to find evidence of more interference in the economic structure exemplified by manipulation of currency exchange rates. To prove my hypothesis, this evid ence should be demonstrated as actually present in order to confirm the transition of Venezuelas economy. To prove or disprove my hypothesis I relied both on primary and secondary sources. In investigating primary sources, I met with two local business men  [23]  and one professor  [24]  in Venezuela. I then asked them specific questions  [25]  regarding their businesses in this transition economy. Furthermore, in October 2010 on a visit to Venezuela, I was able to make my own observations of the state of the country. In investigating secondary sources, I researched articles and books written by authors and journalists. In addition, I looked for statistics that represent the movement from a free-market to a planned economy. Results Analysis Evaluation More government interference on businesses When Hugo Chavezs government got into office in 1999, the government slowly imposed new regulations on all sizes of businesses. This policy mainly impacted negatively small businesses and employment. I interviewed one business man, Otto Horn, regarding the increased bureaucracy that his firm, Floritec  [26]  , encounters. In this interview he stated that It is harder to import and export raw materials and finished products abroad  [27]  . Many businesses are required to fill in extra custom paper work for SENIAT (the governments tax collection entity)  [28]  and face crippling fines for even a minor inconsistency in the eyes of custom agents. It gets harder by the day to keep small enterprises in business. This has led to higher cost for businesses as these bureaucratic obstacles force the firms to hire more labor to deal with these issues. As well, it is noticed that waiting for approvals from the government in so many newly imposed demands on small enterprises means los s of time and money which impacts the efficiency of these businesses. To put an example, the government has begun charging firms for the use of their own company logo on their own trucks. Otto Horn stated, If you want to put a company logo, you need to buy a license from the government and this raises costs.  [29]  These examples point to an increased level of government interference. Small businesses are mostly affected by these measures as they dont have enough capital to cover these new expenses. Big businesses have also been affected by these government interferences and even though they are better prepared to cope with it the uncertainty leads to less investment and further instability in the economy as a whole. In early 2009, the economy encountered high inflation  [30]  . This caused a surge in the prices of all products. The Venezuelan government, under Chavez, made several attempts in reducing this high inflation. One of the actions taken was imposing price controls on certain staple foods in an effort to make them more affordable to everyone. However, this action did not have the best outcome, [the] government [`s] attempts to impose price control has had limited effect as big food producers have cut back on production, food distributors have decreased shipments and even hoarded essential goods and retail sellers have traded on the black market  [31]  This control further damaged the food producers by cutting their profit which forced them to reduce the costs, which in one example was achieved by reducing the number of employees. Furthermore, Luis Carmona of Polar states, Forcing companies to produce rice at a loss will not resolve the situation, [and] simply makes it worse.  [32]  In addition, fewer goods could be established on the market. These price controls largely affects food producers and many food processing companies became bankrupt. Hugo Chavez and his government decided to sue or even nationalize dysfunctional companies if they do not follow the governments rules  [33]  . Hugo Chavez said he would take over the control of the food processing industries, as he said in one of his statements, I will expropriate them, I have no problem with that, and Ill pay them with bonds. Dont count on me paying with hard cash  [34]  . This suggests that the government is serious about making food available to the poor but on the other hand, private firms cannot cope with the price changes unless it cuts down on costs. This is all evidence of a planned economy. Government interference was evident in the conversation with another business man named Jorge Redmond, CEO of Chocolates El Rey  [35]  . Mr. Redmond initially wanted to merge his company with the world renowned company, Nestlà ©. He wanted to merge the company to avoid suffocating levels of governmental interference and bureaucratic hurdles brought upon the firm affecting its products exports mainly to its U.S customers. However the government blocked the deal between the potential mergers, as the government did not want more foreign presence in Venezuela  [36]  . The governments move against expansion of global assets limits the choices of private firms. This emphasizes the governments bureaucracy and interference on businesses. Government Nationalization Growing bureaucracy and government interference have led to a failure of private companies as they cannot maintain healthy profitability levels. This has given the government an excuse to nationalize private firms. Common examples are CA Nacional Telefonos de Venezuela (CANTV), the countrys telephone company and Electricidad de Caracas, the largest electric company in Venezuela  [37]  . These nationalizations were linked by Chavez to his pursuit of XXI century Socialism  [38]  . In July 2007, at the start of the high fuel prices, the government nationalized key infrastructures of the Venezuelan economy in an attempt to reach the goals of the government.  [39]   Also in 2007, the government stripped assets from two U.S. oil companies Exxon Mobil Corp. and ConocoPhilips.  [40]  The government seized control of the profits of both companies. In the following year, 2008, Hugo Chavez and his government ordered the nationalization of the cement industry, Cemex,  [41]  a Mexican owned company. Chavezs rationale was to prepare for future building in the housing sector. In addition, in 2008, the Venezuelan steel mill, Siderà ºrgica del Orinoco SIDOR, was nationalized. Chavez complained the companies do not put a high enough priority on supplying the domestic market  [42]  . In 2009, the government for the first time ordered the Venezuelan armed forces to take over a business, in this case a rice processing plant  [43]  . In October 2010 the government nationalized AGROISLENA, the countrys largest producer of goods and services for the agricultural sector  [44]  . According to The Economist, since Hugo Chavez got into power in 1999, almost 400 companies have been nationalized, the vast majority in the past two years.  [45]  This shows the governments movement to take over major industries in order to fix the prices of the goods. All the above actions taken by the government have been sweeping reforms throughout the nation with the aim of reducing the prices of products which would result in massive consumption of the products by the local economy. The nationalization of firms by the government points to evidence of a planned economy as the government begins to de-privatize companies, moving towards a greater control of how the economy functions. More Social Welfare Spending Hugo Chavez came to power by promising the people a reduction in poverty and an increase in quality of life for the masses. This spending was fueled by high oil prices in July 2007, crude had reached the remarkable world market price of $US 147 per barrel.  [46]   This increased spending in the public sector gives more evidence of the move to a planned economy. The graph (figure 3) below shows the statistics of government public expenditure  [47]  . The current regime under Hugo Chavez has increased public spending by a factor of 13 between 1999 (the year Chavez entered office) to 2008. Figure 3 The government has spent money on the educational, health, and housing sectors. With the increase profits from the oil rents and productions, the Ministry of Education has introduced mission programs, Robinson I and II are mission[s] focusing on literacy and primary education for adults, Ribas and Sucre target secondary and university education for individuals who never had the opportunity to attend or those who dropped out.  [48]  This missions are examples of increased spending on the public sector. Hugo Chavezs government has increased public spending on the health sector of the economy. The government has created new mission programs such as, Barrio Adentro [which] provides free health care to the poor through the assistance of tens of thousands of Cuban doctors  [49]  Internet correspondence with Guillermo Buhrkohl  [50]  , a political professor from Venezuela, confirms this in the following, The health programs known as Mission Barrio Adentro and Mission Miracle, are programsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ aiming [at]à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ providing primary medical attention to the shantytown population; however the professor confirms the government is literally asphyxiating both health care provided by private hospitals and the traditional public health system, paradoxically the later is the place where the poor go when a very limited Barrio Adentro cannot cope. This proves that there has been an increase in government spending on healthcare which could be seen as detrimental to both priv ate and public sectors. The government promised the masses to increase the public social welfare to all. This would also include the construction of close to free housing for each family. From my own personal observation while visiting the country in October 2010, the use of the billboards to promote housing plans was clearly evident everywhere  [51]  . This evidence of increased spending in the public sector mostly for political purposes adds up to the motive of the planned economy. Manipulation of currency Hugo Chavezs government has interfered deeply into the currency market. The government has made severe adjustments to currency, starting with the introduction of strict exchange rate controls by pegging the exchange rate to the American dollar in 2005. In 2008, the government changed the numerical currency making 1,000 Bolivars equal to the value of one Bolivar Fuerte (strong Bolivar)  [52]  . This measure could be seen to minimize the perceived inflation due to government action. However, it does not address the inflation that the country faces. In January 8th 2010, the government announced the devaluing of the currency by up to 50%  [53]  . The government believed that the devaluation of the Bolivar would trigger an export boom as Venezuelas exports would become more competitive. In reality, the devaluation had little to no effect on the countrys exports, as can be seen in Figure 4  [54]  . Figure 4 As mentioned above, in 2005, Hugo Chavezs administration made extreme adjustments to the Venezuelan financial system. The governments control over the currency exchange rates is shown in a statement, The introduction of the exchange controls has meant that companies and individuals have to apply to the Comision de Administracion de Divisas (Cadivi, the official foreign exchange agency).  [55]  This is where the government fixed the currency rate at 2.15 to the dollar. This triggered an increase in imports from 2005 which can be seen on the graph above (Fig.3)  [56]  . On January 8, 2010, the devaluation has occurred; from 2.15 bolivars to the [US] dollar to 4.3 bolivars to the [US] dollar  [57]  explained above caused higher consumer inflation on goods thus affecting the total spending on imported goods like televisions. The devaluation of the currency and exchange controls has lead the Venezuelan economy to have extremely high inflation. Consumption in the Venezuelan economy has decreased and business production has lowered to meet their expenditures. For example, Movistar, [in Venezuela] a mobile phone company owned by Spains Telefonica, last month [August 2010] à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ suspended roaming agreements in 13 countries.  [58]  This indicated that the dollar squeeze is affecting the Venezuelan economy deeply. On the other hand, high inflation means that the government gets more Bolivars from a quick recovery of oil prices, and exporting oil to United States. This money allows the government to satisfy the needs of the Venezuelans to the best interests of the government, and this brings the role of the government into everyday lives as, that gives Mr. Chavez the chance to throw money around: pay rises for the army for example.  [59]  This manipulation of the currency gives solid evidence of interferences in economy by Hugo Chavezs government which adds a new element that confirms the hypothesis of a transition towards a planned economy in Venezuela. Conclusions In this investigation, I found information that supports the transformation to a planned economy from a free market economy in Venezuela. The evidence included: increased government bureaucracy, nationalization of the private sector, increased government spending in social welfare, and increased manipulation of the currency. This has led Hugo Chavezs government to gain greater control of the Venezuelan economic system since his election in 1998. The government is able to decide which goods and services are considered to be important for society. Such examples are the heavily subsidized food distribution firms (MERCAL and PDVAL) created by the government  [60]  . In this investigation, there are a number of difficulties that hinder the gathering of evidence. First, it was hard to gain true statistics regarding the economy. For example, the unemployment rate is hard to determine due to the fact that workers in the informal sector of the economy are included in the statistics which constitutes half of the countrys total workforce  [61]  . It was difficult to find statistical data to support the losses of business budget. Despite my attempts to access this information through internet sources, I was unsuccessful. Secondly there has been a strong political bias in many articles, books, and interviews. These biases affected my research and influenced me deeply, though I made every attempt to remain objective. In addition, it was often hard to separate politics from economics where both are closely linked together. These shortcomings together with a lack of time beg for further and more in depth research to formalize conclusions. Specifically, I would wish to focus on a significant number of concrete business cases where the governments interference in the economy has greatly affected their profitability. I would be interested in confirming the statistical data to support the hypothesis presented. However, the evidence and research presented here demonstrate that there are elements to sustain my hypothesis. It is clear that the government is seriously attempting to impose upon the country a planned economy of the Venezuela. Whether the government is able to complete a transition to a fully planned economy or not, this conclusion stands regardless. In my opinion, the move to the planned economy under Hugo Chavez can have a negative impact on Venezuela as it has negatively limited the freedom of Venezuelan businesses and increased government interference in the economy. Evidence can be found in articles discussing the current brain drain  [62]  ; the educated Venezuelans are more likely to leave the country. Many of these educated people whom are students, professors, doctors, business owners and so forth have either moved to Colombia or to the United States. References Bad news for Venezuelan economy. El Universal 24 May 2010: n. pag. Web. 22 Nov. 2010. . Baumol, Willam. The free-market innovation machine: analyzing the growth miracle of capitalism. Oxfordshire: Princeton University Press, 2002. Print. Blink, Jocelyn, and Ian Dorton. Economics: Course Companion. Oxford: Database right Oxford University Press, 2007. Print. The Bolivarian Brain Drain. Newsweek 1 July 2009: n. pag. Web. 22 Nov. 2010.

Research Into Job Satisfaction Among Nurses

Research Into Job Satisfaction Among Nurses Nurses in most healthcare facilities have some of the highest levels of direct patient contact of any employees. Nursing force plays an essential role in achieving organizational goals and providing high quality care to the community. Hospitals are important health care and social system where nurses are the cornerstones for their effectiveness and efficiency. Many of the nurses even take on the responsibilities of the medical supervisors or the doctors in command, and this makes them a very important part of the medical system (International Council for Nurses, 200) Devoid of people, organizations can not reach their goals. (Drucker, 1999). High nurse turnover can impact negatively on an organizations capacity to meet patient needs and provide quality care (Gray and Phillips, 1996; Tai et al., 1998; Shields and Ward, 2001). At the nursing unit level, high turnover affects the morale of nurses and the productivity of those who remain to provide care while new staff members are hired and orientated (Cavanagh and Cof ¬Ã‚ n, 1992; Sofer, 1995). Jones (1990a, b) de ¬Ã‚ ned nursing turnover as the process whereby nursing staff leave or transfer within the hospital setting. This de ¬Ã‚ nition Includes intentional and unintentional, as well as internal and external turnovers. Voluntary and involuntary turnovers are not always distinguished in studies because costs are incurred regardless of whether staffs resign or are requested to leave. According to L.J. Hayes et al(2008) turnover is a product of job satisfaction and commitment and can lead to nursing shortage. Nursing shortage and high rates of nurses turnover has become a prevalent global issue (Kingman, 2001). The nursing shortage has a vital effect on healthcare system because of its negative impact on both preventive and curative care. For example, in developing countries, fewer nurses have been available for providing immunizations and prenatal care. Hospitals in many industrialized and developing countries have been forced to close units when nursing staff has not been available (Oulton, 2006,cited in sianze,Malvarez (2008).Shortages can be a symptom of low job satisfaction, poor management and lack of organizational support (Zurn et al., 2005). Shortages are resulting in heavy workload, which is a precursor to job stress, and burnout, which have also been linked to low job satisfaction. Nurses job satisfaction is an elusive concept, which is defined within its extrinsic and intrinsic values (Cowin, 2002 cited in Masroor A.M., Fakir M. J 2010). Job satisfaction is an essential elemen t that has strong effects on patient safety, productivity, and performance, quality of care, retention and turnover (Cavanagh and Cof ¬Ã‚ n, 1992; Blegen, 1993; Irvine and Evans, 1995, Murrells, T., et al, 2007). Job satisfaction refers to overall positive feelings towards a job. It is defined as, Pleasurable or positive emotional state resulting from the appraisal of ones job experiences (Locke, 1976). What in terms of job satisfaction counts the attitude of an employee towards his job? Attitude is a point of view of an individual towards an object. The object may be anything, such as, an organization, a manager, a colleague or a job. What is important about attitude is that: people make decisions based on their attitudes. When employees are satisfied with their job, they tend to stay in their job. On the other hand, people who are not satisfied with their job tend to take a decision of quitting their workplace. Workers with positive attitude are likely to be productive and effective in the organization whereas those with negative attitude have poor performance and ultimately less productive (Abu Ajamieh, A. R, 1996). Satisfied employees tend to be more productive, creative, and committed to their industry, and recent studies have shown a direct relation between staff satisfaction and patient satisfaction in health care organizations (Al-Aameri, 2000). The entire employee wants to be satisfied at their job no matter what activities they are engaged in or have the will to carry out. The significance of job satisfaction arises from the fact that the nurses whom job satisfaction is positive are not only pleased and happy within themselves but also affecting the quantitative and qualitative outcomes of the health organization in a positive way. Quite the opposite, the dissatisfied nurses are not peacefully pleasured resulting in poor performance, increased absenteeism, tardiness, burnout, turnover and qualitative and quantitative negative outcomes for the health care system. Nurses shortage and Job satisfaction should be of primary concerns to the health managers because nurses take the responsibility of many positions in the hospital and their turnover would have great impact on the employers and the patients as well. The shortage of nurses has been well recognized and extended to the long-term care services (Fletcher, 2001; Mark, 2002; Mitchell, 2003) Cited in MH 2008. In response population growth, health care organizations are facing problems in finding and keeping skillful nurses (Gohen Van Nostrand, 1995; Kassner Bertel, 1998). High nurse turnover and vacancy rates are affecting access to health care (Best Thurston, 2004) Cited in MH 2008. Continuously hiring new staff is costly and recurrent turnover influence the morality of nurses and vitiates patient care (Sofie, Belzar, Young, 2003) Cited in MH 2008. The increasing rate of turnover resulted in unfavorable physical and emotional effects on nursing home residents, leading to a greater incide nce of falls, medication errors, fear and anxiety, and feelings of hopelessness (Best Thurston, 2004; Sofie, Belza, Young, 2003). Background and significance: There are five governmental schools of nursing spread overall the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Three of them are called Institutes of Nursing (IONs) governed by the Ministry of Health (MOH). The IONs offer a Diploma degree and cover the Northern Emirates. While the Higher College of Technology and the Institute of Applied Technology which are controlled by the Ministry of Higher Education in both of Abu-Dhabi and Al-Ain graduate nurses holding Bachelors degree of nursing science. The period of study in the IONs is three years. All of the graduates are female Emiratis and expatriates and the number of graduates in the northern emirates is relatively higher that of Abu-Dhabi and Al-Ain cities. Despite all such number of graduates, the UAE like the other countries is in severe shortage of nurses related to high rate of turnover. The UAE is need for 30,000 nurses and midwives, only 23000 are available which means that the shortage is 7000 (Underwood, M, 2010). According to the MOH-secretary of the Nursing and Midwifery Council, low remuneration, low status and limited career development are all factors influencing the shortage. Therefore, the UAE must hire up to 25 to 30 per cent; 7000 nurses to overcome the shortage of nursing staff. Dr. Rifaai (2010), the Head of Federal Nursing Department, referred the shortage of nurses and midwives in the UAE to the perceived low status of the profession. The Emirati nurses account only 4% of the total population (UAE-MOH, cited Underwood, M, 2010) which does not run in parallel with the demographics population of the country. The serious nursing shortage has prompted the MOH-UAE to start a national study to identify the factors that could lead to a better workplace at the governmental hospitals. This study was in response to a previous pilot study funded by the Ministry of Health called Thinking Magnetism which revealed that low wages and Lack of autonomy to make decisions are the primary reason for nurses dissatisfaction (Khaleej Times, 23 November 2009). The outcomes of the study drove the government to start looking carefully after these phenomena particularly when the pilot study, the magnet indicators showed very low scores for ministry hospitals as compared with USA magnet hospitals. The indicators studied: nursing contribution in hospital affairs; nursing foundation of quality of care; ability of nurse manager, leadership; staffing; resources; and nurse-physician relationship. Among the 14 urgent requirements identified, the pilot study recommended: part-time jobs; flexible recruitment; promotion p olicies, and competitive salaries. Involvement in decision-making and encouragement of a healthy nurse-physician relationship was also suggested. Expatriate nurses working in the government hospitals demanded equal treatment with UAE nationals and placements according to qualifications. Suliman, A.B., (2006), stated in his study that staffs perceptions of fairness are largely based on comparison. For instance, employee may compare their payment, working hours, and incentives. If the comparison is positive, they are likely to feel positive toward their organization. Conversely, if the result is negative, they will react negatively toward the system and may challenge and oppose it. Consequently, the employees may intent to quit their job. The finding of this study may help the health care managers and policy makers to develop and institutionalize targeted nurse recruitment and retention strategies by taking into consideration the predictors of nurses dissatisfaction and turnover. The significance of the problem and the absence of related researches and statistical data about the level of nurses satisfaction, and the factors that contribute to turnover give the urge to study these phenomena. Statement of Purpose: The aim of this research is to : Explore the relationship between job dissatisfaction and turnover among registered nurses in the governmental hospitals of UAE. Find relationship between individual/ demographic variables and job satisfaction among the registered nurses in the Governmental hospital in the UAE. Give the nursing managers in the UAE hospitals clear indicators towards improving the nurses job satisfaction, retention and reduction of turnover rates. Research questions: This research is intended to answer the following questions: What is the relation between dissatisfaction factors to turnover? What is the relationship between demographic variables and job satisfaction? Literature Review Theoretical Framework: Job satisfaction is multi-faceted with many definitions and theoretical frames. According to Spector (1997), Job satisfaction is the most important variable that is frequently studied in organizational behavior research. In addition, the fundamental variable in both research and theory of organizational phenomena were ranging from job design to supervision. Moreover, the traditional model of job satisfaction focuses on all the feelings that an individual has about his/her job. Yet, being satisfied or dissatisfied does not rely on the type of the job only but also on the expectations of the individuals from their job. In another definition, Job satisfaction is defined as the degree to which employees enjoy their jobs (McCloskey McCain 1987). Job satisfaction is an enjoyable affecting state resulting from the consideration of ones job (Locke, 1976 cited in Brief, A. P., Weiss, H. M. (2001) cited in Wikipedia), an emotional response to ones job (Cranny, Smith Stone, 1992 cited in Weiss, H. M. (2002) cited in Wikipedia) and an sentiment towards ones job (Brief, 1998 cited in Weiss, H. M. (2002) cited in Wikipedia). Researchers usually relate job satisfaction to motivation. Motivation can be defined as an internal process that activates, guides and maintains behaviour over time (Pintrich 2003; Schunk 2000).There are several theories of motivation .The most important theories are Maslows hierarchy of needs, Hertzbergs dual factor theory, and. Vrooms expectancy theory. Unfortunately, none of these theories have gained adequate support or shown to be valid as job satisfiers. Nevertheless, they are based on satisfying human needs that address motivation. Maslows theory1954: Maslow suggested a hierarchy of needs and links these needs to motivation. Maslow divided human needs into three categories, the deficiency needs (physical and psychological well being) , growth needs(knowing, appreciating, and understanding), and self actualization (ones potential). Maslow pointed out that individuals will not be motivated to the second need until the demands of the first need have been satisfied. Based on Maslows theory, job satisfaction has been approached by some researchers from the perception of need ful ¬Ã‚ llment (Kuhlen, 1963; Worf, 1970; Conrad et al., 1985). The fulfillment of job related needs lead to increase satisfaction as individual moves up in the hierarchy to the highest level. An individual who reaches the self-realization will continue in his job and becomes more efficient and productive, whereas unfulfilled needs will lead to poor performance; less productivity, work related stress and eventually job dissatisfaction which might result in turno ver. Herzberg Motivation-Hygiene theory (1959): Herzberg presented a dual factor theory. He uses the needs satisfaction to explain job satisfaction. He believed that satisfaction and dissatisfaction were separate and unrelated. Intrinsic factors called motivators (i.e. related to the nature and experience of performing work) were found to be job satis ¬Ã‚ ers and included: achievement, recognition, work itself and responsibility and similar to the growth needs of Maslows hierarchy. Extrinsic factors called hygiene factors were found to be job dissatis ¬Ã‚ ers and included: organizational policy, administration, supervision, salary, interpersonal relations and working conditions to the deficiency needs of Maslow. However, the distinction between motivators and hygiene was not supported by many researches (Cronin-1977; Everly and Falcione, 1976; Gangadhraiah, et al.1990; Hutto Davis, 1989; Joiner, Johnson Crokrean, 1981; Koelbel, 1988; Munro, 1983; Simpson, 1985). Cavanagh (1992 cited in Burnard et al., 1999) noted that these theories attempt to specify particular needs that must be met or values that must be attained (p. 705) if an individual is to be satisfied at work. Figure 1: (Maslows and Herzbergs Ideas Compared, cited in Tiffany Jordan, undated) Vrooms Expectancy Theory of Motivation (1964): Vroom predicts that effort lead to increased performance (Expectancy), and performance lead to valued rewards (Instrumentality) and then these values are placed on outcomes (Valence), all three are required for positive motivation. If either of these factors were absent, performance will be altered to zero (Suliman, 2001). However several researches have supported the principles of the theory (Campbell Pritchard, 1976, Hollenback, 1979, Mitchell, 1974). However, questions remain to which extent an employee can increase his/her efforts about the corresponding organizational structure and decision making processes needed to fulfill the expectations of workers. (Expectancy Theory of Motivation (Undated), cited in Arrod, http://www.arrod.co.uk/archive/concept_vroom.php) Definitions of Job Satisfaction based on the theories: Job satisfaction is the affective orientation that an employee has towards his or her work (Price, 2001). Specter (1997) summarized the following facets of job satisfaction: appreciation, communication, co-workers, fringe bene ¬Ã‚ ts, job conditions, nature of the work itself, the nature of the organization itself, an organizations policies and procedures, pay, personal growth, promotion opportunities, recognition, security and supervision. Dentitions Related Theory The individual matching of personal needs to the perceived potential of the occupation for satisfying those needs (Kuhlen, 1963) Maslows human needs theory (Maslow, 1954 Need ful ¬Ã‚ llment, that is, whether or not the job met the employees physical and psychological needs for the things within the work situation (Worf, 1970) A match between what individuals perceive they need and what rewards they perceive they receive from their jobs (Conrad et al., 1985) A function of satisfaction with the different elements of the job (Herzberg 1959) Herzberg motivation-hygiene theory (Herzberg, 1959) All the feelings that an individual has about his job (Gruneberg, 1976) Focus on cognitive process (Spector, 1997) The affective orientation that an employee has towards his or her work (Price, 2001) (Table 1, Dentitions of job satisfaction, Hong Lu, While, A., Barriball, K.,(2004) C. Previous Research Review: C. Previous Research Review: Locke (1976) defined job satisfaction as a pleasurable or positive emotional state resulting from the appraisal of ones job or job experience. That is, it is the discrepancy between what an employee values and what the situation provides. Job satisfaction is a complex phenomenon. The current global shortage of nurses places of interest the importance of understanding the effect and interrelationships of the factors that contribute to nurses dissatisfaction and consequently turnover so that healthcare organizations may implement strategies that help to retain nurses. Sources of nurses job satisfaction: Satisfaction has been found to be related to performance within the work environment (Landeweerd and Boumans, 1988, cited in Burnard et al., 1999), so it is not amazing that the notion of job satisfaction has gained much attention. Researchers have attempted to identify the different variables of job satisfaction, measure the significance of each variable and examine what effect these variables have on the productivity of the employee (Burnard et al., 1999). A variety of quantitative and qualititative studies have been done on the sources of job satisfaction among nurses and here are the most important findings: Aiken et al. (2001) found in his global study in a sample of 43,329 nurses working in adult acute hospitals that job dissatisfaction among nurses was highest in the United States (41%) followed by Scotland (38%), England (36%), Canada (33%) and Germany (17%). One third of nurses in England and Scotland and more than one  ¬Ã‚ fth in the United States have intent to quit their job within 12 months of data collection. More striking, however, was that 27-54% of nurses less than 30 years of age intended to quit within 12 months of data collection in all countries. Opportunities for the development were the reason behind the satisfaction of the nurses in Germany (61%) while salary was the satisfier for the nurses in USA (57%) and Canada (69%). Similarly, Adamson et al. (1995) found that British nurses were more dissatis ¬Ã‚ ed than Australian nurses. He pointed that the poor insight of professional status, insufficient relationship with hospital management system and improper working environment, were found in British more than Australian nurses. Professional organization and work design, con ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å¡ict between the newly gained experience during training and the available one. Furthermore, lack of communication between nurses and physicians, feeling of being not respected by other related health professionals, hospital managers and physicians were a concern to the British nurses. Nevertheless, the perception of autonomy by the Australian and British nurses was nearly the same. Eventually Tovey and Adams (1999) came up with the main sources of nurses dissatisfaction: working interactions, mainly those with administration, shortage of staff, professional concerns about poor standards of care and external work pressure. Nolan et al. (1998) found that level of job satisfaction had remained stable. They further found in a sample of 518 nurses that 35% of nurses reported reduction in their level of satisfaction and 69% drop in their morality. Price (2002), using the satisfaction scale of Mueller and McCloskeys (1990a, b) in a sample of 141 nurses found that (58%) were generally satis ¬Ã‚ ed with their job. Highest satisfaction was related to co-workers and extrinsic rewards and most dissatisfaction was with the amount of control and responsibility they had and with professional opportunities. Nurses were most satis ¬Ã‚ ed with annual leave, nursing peers and hours worked (79%, 78% and 76% of respondents) and dissatisfied with compensation for working weeke nds and control over work conditions and childcare facilities (55%, 55% and 46% of respondents. Using the same scale, Wang (2002) found that Chinese nurses were mostly dissatis ¬Ã‚ ed with pay and job promotion. Finally, nurses job satisfaction is very essential to organizations as levels of job satisfaction would globally impact the nursing workforce. Sources of job satisfaction are relatively similar, e.g., physical working setting, relations with fellow workers and managers, salary, promotion, job security, responsibility, the recognition from managers and working hours. Effects of job satisfaction of nurses on absenteeism, burnout, turnover and intention to quit: Researchers have generally found that satisfied employees are more productive and committed to their jobs, whereas dissatisfied ones experience absenteeism, grievances and turnover (Smith 1996, cited in Alamri, 2001).Matrunola, (1996) did not find any significant relationship between job satisfaction and abscentism in a small sample of 34 nurses which makes its generalization difficult. Borda and Norman (1997) noted a signi ¬Ã‚ cant positive relationship between job satisfaction and intent to stay and negative relationships between job satisfaction and frequency of 1 day absence and short-term absence. Sius (2002) indicates that job satisfaction was an important predictor of abscentism. Job dissatisfaction is consistently linked to high levels of stress, burn-out or mental and physical exhaustion (Blegen et al. 1993, Adams Bond 2000, Aiken et al. 2002). Keel (1993) cited in Tzeng 2002), indicated that burnout affects mainly nurses, physicians, social workers and teachers. Burnout seems to be caused by stressful working conditions, disproportional-high efforts (time, emotional involvement, and empathy) and dissatisfaction with jobs. For the goals of lowering professional stress and improved satisfaction, social support and improved team cooperation could protect nurses against burnout. There is a vast body of the literature linking job satisfaction in nursing and turnover. Job dissatisfaction has been frequently identi ¬Ã‚ ed as the reason why nurses leave their jobs (Lum et al., 1998; Tzeng, 2002). Tzeng (2002) has also noted that factors such as indirect working environment (hospitals policies, bene ¬Ã‚ ts, leisure activities, housing, parking, and vacation policy), salary and promotion as very important but strongly dissatisfying and indicated that job satisfaction is a predictor of turnover. A study conducted in the United States revealed that dissatisfied nurses were 65% more likely to have intent to quit compared to their satisfied colleagues (Shields Ward, 2001 cited in Masroor A.M., Fakir M. J., 2010). Gray and Philips (1994) Examined turnover rates and relationship to age and length of service in 342,000 employees from nine staff groups in National Health Service (NHS) and explored that annual turnover rate among all NHS staff 13.6%; higher turnover among full-time than part-time; turnover declines with age, are high in  ¬Ã‚ rst year of service, remains high in second year before declining. Leveck and Jones (1996) indicated that experience on unit and professional job satisfaction were predictors of staff nurse retention; job stress and clinical service were predictors of quality of care. The variable contributing the most was management style. While Davidson et al (1997) in a sample of 736 hospital nurses cited that intent to leave predicted by perception of little promotion, high routinization, low decision latitude and poor communication. Lum et al (1998) found among 361 RNs in neonatal and pediatric Intensive Care Unit that Job satisfaction has indirect and organizational c ommitment has direct effect on intent to quit. Boyle et al (1999) recognized that managers position power and in ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å¡uence over work coordination had direct link to intent to stay. Instrumental communication, autonomy, and group cohesion decreased job stress and thus increased job satisfaction. Job satisfaction was directly linked with intent to stay. Furthermore, Hemingway and smith (1999) discovered that high work pressure was predictive of greater role con ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å¡ict and role ambiguity, and of more stress from heavy workload. In addition, poor supervisor support was signi ¬Ã‚ cantly related to greater stress from heavy workload, and lack of autonomy was related to higher role ambiguity. Larabee et al (2003) proposed that major predictor of intent to leave was job dissatisfaction, and the major predictor of job satisfaction was psychological empowerment. Predictors of psychological empowerment were hardiness, transformational leadership style, nurse/ physician collabor ation, and group cohesion. Strachota et al (2003)identified the following reasons: hours worked; better job opportunity; family; poor pay and bene ¬Ã‚ ts; poor staffing; unsupportive management; unacceptable work environment; work stress; no opportunity for advancement. Duffield et al (2004) added the following causes: leaving related to work aspects, structural aspects, professional issues, team support, salary and prestige, employer care, and legal concerns. Turnover has many consequences such as mean cost per RN turnover was $10,198, ranging from $6,886 to $15,152(Jones, 1990b, Waldman et al, 2004)), poor patient satisfaction, risk of infection increased almost 30% and the risk of hospitalization increased more than 80% (Zimmerman et al, 2002). Leiter et al. (1998)cited in Tzeng,2002) concluded that patients, who stayed on wards where nursing staff felt more exhausted or more frequently expressed their intention to quit, were less satis ¬Ã‚ ed with their medical care. This study con ¬Ã‚ rmed the importance of understanding nurses job satisfaction and intention to quit as both concepts, which would contribute to patient outcomes. Moreover, both nurses job satisfaction and patient satisfaction have been identi ¬Ã‚ ed in the Nursing Report Card for Acute Care (American Nurses Association, 1995) as two of the important nursing quality outcome indicators. Lee et al.s (2003) showed that the most common reasons for nurses turnover were work overload, rotating shifts and con ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å¡ict in interpersonal relationships. A total of 24%, 15% and 35% of variance regarding depersonalization, emotional exhaustion and personal accomplishment, respectively, was explained by the individual characteristics, job stress and personal resources were explained by the predictor variables. Turning to, Cavanagh (1990) indicated that job satisfaction was the determining factor of turnover which could be predicted by kinship responsibility, promotion, pay and influential communication skills. Wu et al (2000), found a positive and significant relation between the job stress and intention to quit. This was also confirmed in Yin and Yangs (2002) meta-analysis who revealed that the strongest factors for nurse turnover were job satisfaction, autonomy, advancement opportunity, job stress, pay, group cohesion, marital status and educational level. To sum up, researches from various countries indicate that job satisfaction is a signi ¬Ã‚ cant predictor of nursing absenteeism, burnout, turnover and intention to quit the organization and nursing profession. Related factors to job satisfaction of nurses Blegens (1993) meta-analysis found a strong connection between job satisfaction, stress and organizational commitment. Seven variables had strong correlations: communication with supervisor, autonomy, recognition, routinization, communication with peers, fairness and locus of control; and four variables had very weak correlations: age, years of experience, education and professionalism. A causal model of job satisfaction has been tested in the studies of Chu et al.s (2003) among 308 Taiwanese nurses and Seo et al.s (2004) among 353 South Korean nurses, respectively. In this model 11 independent variables included: job involvement, positive affectivity, negative affectivity, autonomy, distributive justice, procedural justice, job stress (role ambiguity, role con ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å¡ict, and workload and resource inadequacy, pay, promotional chances, routinization and social support .Moreover, four of twelve structural variables (workload, supervisory support, routinization, and pay) were found to have signi ¬Ã‚ cant net effects on satisfaction. Chu et al. (2003) found that six variables had significant impact on job satisfaction: routinization, positive affectivity, involvement, negative affectivity, role ambiguity, supervisor support which explain 45% of the variance in satisfaction. Whereas Seo et al. (2004) found seven variables had statistically signi ¬Ã‚ cant effects on job satisfaction: positive affectivity, supervisory support, pay, routinization, negative affectivity, workload and job opportunity and he found reasonable fit between the casual model and data; all the variables explained 53% of the variance. Interestingly, Packard and Motowidlo (1987) correlated job satisfaction with depression, hostility, subjective stress, frequency of stressful events, intensity of stressful events and anxiety. Knoop (1995) indicated that organizational commitment is positively related to job satisfaction among nurses, satisfaction with work, promotion opportunity, supervision, co-workers and pay among Canadian nurses. Organizational commitment refers to identi ¬Ã‚ cation with and loyalty to the organization and its goals (Blau and Boal, 1987) which Mowday et al. (1979). Commitment is characterized by three factors: a strong belief in and an acceptance of the organizations goals and values; a willingness to exert considerable effort on behalf of the organization; and a strong desire to maintain membership in the organization (Blegen, 1993; Al-Aameri, 2000). Fang, (2001) agreed with the studies of (Blegen, 1993; Al-Aameri, 2000) and cited that job satisfaction was significantly and positively relate d to organizational commitment, professional commitment, and negatively related to job stress. Organizational commitment has an incremental effect on a professionals intention to leave the organization (Blau and Lunz, 1998). Enhancing professional commitment in nursing has the potential to produce bene ¬Ã‚ ts for both the individual and their organization (Cohen, 1998; Cohen, 1999). Furthermore, professional commitment is positively related to the job satisfaction of nurses (Lu et al., 2000; Jones, 2000).Lu et al., (2002) indicates that professional commitment is more effective in predicting intention to leave the nursing profession than intention to leave the organization at 9.2 %. Lu et al., (2002) added that Job satisfaction was more effective in predicting intent to leave the organization than intention to leave the nursing profession at 8 %. Moreover, role con ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å¡ict and ambiguity are signi ¬Ã‚ cantly related to job stress, organizational commitment, job satisfacti on and intentions to leave the nursing profession (Rosse and Rosse, 1981).Dailey (1990) found that most signi ¬Ã‚ cant predictor of intention to quit was experienced job induced stress symptoms. However, Mitchells (1994) in United State study found that there was not a signi ¬Ã‚ cant linear association between a nurses job satisfaction and the correlation between work role values and actual work roles. Yet, the  ¬Ã‚ nding that workload has the second largest impact emphasizes the relative importance of job stress in determining levels of nurses job satisfaction. This  ¬Ã‚ nding is consistent with the results obtained in other empirical studies which have shown that the job stress variables have negative impacts on job satisfaction (Mathieu, 1990, 1991

Essay --

From Poverty to Powerhouse: Michael Oher’s Story Michael Oher was from an all-black neighborhood located in the third poorest zip code in the country. By the time he was a sophomore, he’d been to 11 different schools, he couldn’t read or write, and he had a GPA of 0.6. In his first-grade year alone, he missed 41 days of school and ended up repeating both the first and the second grade; he didn’t even go to the third grade. Oher was one of the thousands of children that have been identified as having four or more of the at-risk factors mentioned by the National Center of Education and Statistics (NCES). According to the NCES, poverty and race are high on the list of things that negatively affect students’ ability to succeed at school. Other risk factors include changing schools multiple times and being held back from one or more grades. Oher’s biography, The Blind Side by Michael Lewis, proves how socioeconomic status impacts a child’s academic success because placed in perspective, educati on is not as important as the hardships of reality. Before explaining how The Blind Side depicted the effects of socioeconomic status on Michael Oher’s education, it is important to make clear what it means to â€Å"prove.† According to Oxford Dictionaries, â€Å"prove† means â€Å"to demonstrate one’s abilities or courage† (â€Å"Prove† 1.5). The Merriam Webster Dictionary gave other definitions including â€Å"to show that (someone or something) has a particular quality or ability (â€Å"Prove† 1); â€Å"to test the worth or quality of, specifically: to compare against a standard† (â€Å"Prove† 2b), and â€Å"to show oneself to be worthy or capable of† (â€Å"Prove† 4). All of the above definitions of â€Å"prove† have a form of the words â€Å"quality† or â€Å"ability† in them. An example of this is when... ...nomic status. In 2012, 26.5 million (13.7 percent) of people ages 18-64 were in poverty. Also in 2012, 16.1 million (21.8 percent) children under the age of 18 were in poverty. The hardships this creates causes education to suffer. It has to take a backseat to finding food or a place to sleep. These children’s families are at-risk for dropping out of school compared to higher socioeconomic students. That number is going to continue to grow with the current rate of population growth. In contrast, children from higher socioeconomic families do better in school. When the Tuohy’s brought Michael into their life, his opportunities for education improved. What happened to Michael Oher was unique because of his special abilities, his courage, and the help from the Toughy’s. Michael’s story shows how socioeconomics can impact students’ academic success. Appendix

Growth of NYS Business :: GCSE Business Marketing Coursework

Growth of NYS Business For a number of reasons, business enterprise in New York grew by leaps and bounds between 1825 and 1860. New York's growth between the years 1825 and 1860 can be attributed to a number of factors. These include but cannot be limited to the construction of the Erie Canal, the invention of the telegraph, the developed of the railroads, the establishment of Wall Street and banking, the textile, shipping, agriculture and newpaper industries, the development of steam power and the use of iron products. On October 26, 1825 the Erie Canal was opened. The canal immediately became an important commercial route connecting the East with the Ohio and Mississippi Valleys. With tht time of travel cut to one-third and the cost of shipping freight cut to one-tenthof the previous figures, commerce via the canal soon made New York City the chief port of the Atlantic. The growing urban population and the contruction of canals, railroads and factories stimulated the demand for raw materials and food stuffs. In 1836 four-fifths of the tonnage over the Erie Canal came from western New York (North, 105). Much of this cargo was in the form of agriculture goods. The farmer become a shrewed businessaman of sorts as he tended to produce whatever products would leave him the greatest profit margin. The rise of the dairy industry was by far the most significant development in the agricultural history of the state between 1825 and 1860. Farmers discovered that cows were their most relliable money-makers, since both the domestic and foreign market kept demanding more dairy products (Ellis, 273). Price flucuations became increasingly important for the farming population between 1825 and 1860. Prices rose from the low level of the early 1820's until the middle 1830's and the farmer's shared in the general prosperity (271). Although the rapid industrialization and urbanization of New York had a great deal to do with the success of agricultural markets sporadic demand from aboard as a result of the Irish famine, the Crimean War and the repeal of the Corn Laws in England also contributed(North, 141). During this period Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York and Virginia, in that order were the leading wheat growing states. Between the years 1840 and 1850 New York ranked first in the production of beef. The absence of politic party differences on issues related to

Compare and contrast the characters Essay

Tess of the D’Urbervilles, Hardy’s iconic novel, centres around the eponymous tragic heroine, Tess. Yet the tragedies that befall her in the course of the novel would not have occurred without the two leading male characters whom Tess encounters. The first is Tess’s ‘cousin’, Alec D’Urberville, whom she first meets in Chapter Five when she comes â€Å"to claim kin†. Alec becomes infatuated with the sixteen-year-old Tess but after he is rebuffed several times, rapes her and leaves her pregnant with his child. The second of these characters is Angel Clare, a young man Tess is introduced to at Talbothays dairy farm where she works as a dairymaid at the age of twenty. Angel and Tess fall in love, but their romance is blighted by the shadow of Tess’s past. On first reading, Angel and Alec may seem to be very different, but further analysis may prove that these men are more similar than previously seen. Alexander D’Urberville is written to be the complete antithesis of Angel Clare. Alec is rich, powerful and lazy, everything that Angel despises about the â€Å"old families†. Even the names of the characters reflect their personalities. Alexander brings to mind great noblemen, such as Alexander the Great, but the fact that the diminutive, Alec, is almost always used, suggests that perhaps the man has not lived up to the name. His surname at least sounds impressive, and the fact that it contains some of the title of the book seems to bestow a degree of importance. However, as the reader finds out just before Alec is introduced, the D’Urberville family don’t actually have a claim to their name: it was an old ancestor who simply annexed the surname ‘D’Urberville’ in order to sound more genteel and more impressive. Thus, on meeting Alec D’Urberville for the first time, we see him straightaway as a fake, an imposter. Unlike with Alec, whose name precedes him and tells us about his nature before he even meets Tess, Angel Clare is introduced very early on in the book, in Chapter One, but as a nameless student. He joins in the country girls’ dance and partners everyone but Tess, who then stares reproachfully after him. During this encounter, we find out nothing about this young man except that he has not chosen a path like his brothers, yet when Angel is ‘officially’ introduced in Chapter Seventeen, the reader straightaway knows who he is before he even gives his name. ‘Angel’, an unusual choice of first name for a male, marks him out straightaway as a hero, a harbinger of good, the light to Alec’s dark. ‘Clare’, too, suggests light, brightness, clarity. However, does Hardy set up Angel as the perfect hero only to destroy this fai ade later on? Alec is preceded by his name as this brings an ominous shadow to his later dealings with Tess, but Angel is followed by his name. His nameless presence remains in both Tess’s and the reader’s mind until we see him again: he is marked out by his intelligence and his willingness to involve himself in country life, rather than his beautiful name. Hardy describes Alec’s appearance very vividly. His â€Å"red and smooth† lips bring the first hints of sexuality and eroticism to Tess’s life, while his â€Å"well-groomed black moustache with curled points† implies he pays a lot of attention to aesthetics and appearances, which is confirmed when he continually refers to Tess as â€Å"my Beauty† and gives her beauty as the reason for his passion for her, rather than her innate qualities. Hardy uses plosives when describing Alec for the first time (â€Å"lips†, â€Å"badly†, â€Å"points†) to emphasise â€Å"the singular force† and violent, aggressive nature of the character. The contrast Hardy makes between Alec’s full moustache and his relatively young age suggests that Alec is using his moustache as a smokescreen to disguise his lack of maturity and experience: his self-assured, superior manner helps him assert power over Tess, but he has had little experience in the area of love and affection and therefore is unsuccessful at winning Tess. He is worldly and superior in many aspects, but emotionally he is still immature. Hardy also makes reference to the â€Å"touches of barbarism† in Alec’s face. Throughout Phase the First, we see how Alec falls from his aristocratic status in his efforts to make Tess love him: he curses, swears, forces himself upon her, cries and begs, simply to try and make her feel for him. The barbaric aspects of his countenance also reflect the contrast between his higher social position and his base morals, showing an even greater difference between Angel’s idealised morality despite his lower class, and between Alec’s self-degradation and lack of self-control in spite of his higher status. An interesting point is that Hardy’s vivid description of Alec paints him very similarly to the Devil. At that time, as Hardy himself makes reference to in Chapter Fourteen, Christian children were taught â€Å"quaint and curious† ideas about religion, leading to common visual stereotypes such as that of Satan with his horns and moustache. Even the colours used, such as red and black, are reminiscent of the Devil, drawing a not-too-subtle contrast between this and Angel. Unlike Alec, who has been described so vividly that almost every reader pictures him in the same way, Angel is described in a vaguer manner. While some of Alec’s outward characteristics are linked to his behaviour, Hardy only really mentions them in passing, as the pace of the story is fairly quick here, as if Hardy is eager to get to Tess’s first interchange with Alec. At Chapter Eighteen, however, the pace has slowed considerably to make room for the new main character, and so most of this chapter is given over to describing Angel and his history. Angel’s description is linked more to his personality and behaviour, and this vagueness of description also emphasises how Angel is â€Å"nebulous, preoccupied, vague†¦ had no very definite aim or concern about his material future†. In contrast to the plosives used when describing Alec, a lot of sibilance is used in the paragraph describing Angel (â€Å"past†¦ distinct†¦ as†¦ appreciative voice†¦ fixed, abstracted eyes†¦ somewhat too small† and so on) which not only adds to the vague haziness surrounded his future prospects, or emphasises our and Tess’s knowledge of him as a memory only, but hints at a gentle, placid, soft nature in keeping with his namesake. However, there are signs that perhaps Angel’s nature is not as consistent as it seems: the juxtaposition of â€Å"fixed† and â€Å"abstracted† as well as the description of his mouth as both â€Å"delicate† and â€Å"firm† suggest contradiction, if not hypocrisy, in his nature. The masculinity of both characters comes under question: while Alec’s apparent masculinity is undermined by his constant attention to aesthetics and his aversion to any form of manual work, Angel’s is enhanced by his apparent firmness, a trait valued in Victorian husbands and fathers at the time. The attitude to country folk and manual work is something that divides the two men significantly. Alec, as a gentleman, has never done a day’s work in his life. He has excessive free time to spend watching Tess attempting to whistle and looking after the birds. In fact, our first image of Alec is of him standing lazily at the gate smoking his cigar, while our first real image of Angel is when he is milking a cow. Additionally, Alec looks down on Tess’s social class. Although he sends the Durbeyfield family gifts, his motives are purely romantic, and he sees himself as a noble beneficiary, helping those lower than himself. His attitudes towards the country folk are shown perfectly when, in Chapter Ten, he addresses the group of country workers as â€Å"work-folk†, showing he considers them useful only for manual labour and of lower intelligence than himself. He defines them by what they do, rather than what they are. Angel, on the other hand, steps down from his initial family pathway due to his beliefs, and does not consider himself above the workers at Talbothays who are of a lower social standing than him. Hardy deliberately describes how Angel’s mindset and attitude change over time: at first, it is natural that Clare sees the new society in which he lives as â€Å"strange†, â€Å"undignified†, â€Å"retrogressive and unmeaning†, yet as he becomes part of the household, a change takes place. Suddenly he realises that each member of the dairy is just as uniquely human as he is, with their own memories and dreams, and this is what Alec fails to realise. The latter never treats Tess as anything close to his own intelligence, treating her like a child, while Angel learns to treat every man or woman as an equal, not an inferior. This is reflected in his change in sentiment towards where he lives: not only does he begin to â€Å"like the outdoor life for its own sake†, but he forms an attachment to the dairy and the people living and working there. Alec, however, scorns Tess when she becomes emotional at seeing the village where she was born, remarking unsympathetically that â€Å"we must all be born somewhere†. In keeping with Hardy’s Romantic leanings, Angel is portrayed as more feeling and more appreciative of his surroundings, which is exacerbated when he falls in love with Tess and starts to see her as a â€Å"daughter of Nature† rather than separate from his surroundings. In a story where something as simple as a name changes Tess’s life forever, it is fitting that both men’s attitudes and feelings towards Tess are shown perfectly through the names they use for her. As aforementioned, Alec focuses only on Tess’s appearance, continually calling her â€Å"my Beauty† or â€Å"my pretty†. When he uses her name, it is in the diminutive (â€Å"Tessy†), belittling her even more than he normally does. However when his mood towards her changes, as it so often does, his names for her change to â€Å"mere chit†, â€Å"Miss Independence† and â€Å"young witch†, simultaneously scorning and patronising her ‘disobedience’. Angel, on the other hand, calls Tess â€Å"Artemis, Demeter, and other fanciful names half-teasingly†. These names, stemming from classical mythology, show Angel to be more educated, imaginative and creative than Alec, and represent Tess as a beautiful embodiment of pure womankind, not just a pretty maid to be wooed. These names show how high a pedestal Angel has placed Tess upon, and how he associates her completely and fully with the natural world, as both these goddesses represent aspects of nature or hunting. It is important to note, though, that Tess implores him to use her real name, signifying that at this point, Angel does not know Tess for who she really is (or her full history) and therefore uses these names because of the idealised way in which he sees her. An interesting point is that both characters are required to ‘save’ Tess at some point, and that both characters take advantage of Tess’s vulnerability to fulfil their own romantic motives. At first, Alec appears to be Tess’s knight in shining armour, come to rescue her from the angry Car Darch, but he rides off into The Chase, unbeknownst to Tess, and uses the opportunity to rape her. Angel, on the other hand, carries all three of Tess’s friends and then Tess herself across the river, ostensibly to help them to get to church. Hardy emphasises the beauty and romance of this scene in contrast to the sinister tone of the scene in The Chase, reinforced by the fact that the events in the woods take place at the dead of night while the scene at the river is in broad daylight. Alec purposefully rides off in the wrong direction while Tess believes he is taking her home, and Angel actually tells Tess that he has â€Å"undergone three quarters of this labour entirely †¦ for the fourth quarter†. Both men use Tess’s predicament to be alone with her, but the key difference is that Alec goes ahead and forces himself upon the fragile and terrified Tess, while Angel remembers that â€Å"he was somewhat unfairly taking advantage of an accidental position; and he went no further with it. † Angel treats Tess with reverence and respect, while Alec believes he has a right to Tess’s maidenhood. Throughout the first part of the book, it is clear to see that Hardy makes very obvious differentiations between Alec and Angel. Both represent strong influences on Tess, even after they leave her life, but Alec corrupts and ruins her while Angel later on even takes the place of a deity in her eyes. However, both men are only human, and throughout the rest of the novel, Hardy goes on to show that despite their differences, both characters have an equally destructive impact on Tess’s life. Both offer to protect and love her, but in the end, both abandon her, believing themselves superior in intellect and character. It could be argued, therefore, that Hardy’s overall aim is not to show how dissimilar Angel and Alec are, but to show how neither of them truly cares for Tess when she needs them to, leading to her downfall.

Special occasion birthday

Well I know you left the best for last. I'd like to make a toast to my neighbor and friend who has never changed. Now of course you have gained some few pounds but who's counting? Not to brag or anything, but I can still fit in the earrings I wore in high school. But today is not about me, it's about you, although I actually wished you wore something prettier. Today is also about wishing you a happy birthday but what's with the family reunion? I mean we should be partying right now!Anyway, last night I remembered all those funny times we spent together, like when we both really wanted the same guy, and he ended up being my prom date! Or when my tongue accidentally slipped and told your parents you had a tattoo! You went crazy at that time, but come on isn't it funny now? Cheers to all the funny moments to come! But most importantly, try to enjoy the present and do not worry about the fact that you're one step closer to the grave. Hopefully, your life will be as cool as mine some day. Don't worry, it is not a shame to marry at an old age, or even die single. I'll definitely supply you with as many cats as you want, or you can live with me and my future millionaire husband in our villa. I have plenty of advice to give you on your 21st birthday. First, lay down the fast food, it wouldn't get you closer to marriage. Second, make sure to stay confident no matter what; not everyone Is perfect. Finally, I know maybe the only thing you beat me at Is grades. But let's face It; I'm Just too cool for school.So, study well because someday I will need a plastic surgeon to fix everything that has shrunk. You probably got a lot of nice gifts and everything, but I got you a precious gift that is extremely valuable and I want you to use It with great care and precision. I really hope you like It. You know I'm all about helping you and being by your side so I'm sure It will help you attract Mohammad All and maybe get rid of that bad breath. Who knows, that might have been what's taking him so long to pop the question. Happy birthday childhood friend!