Why Use Social Media as a form of Recruitment?

Why Use Social Media as a form of Recruitment? Working title Social media recruitment: why use it at the Royal Veterinary College? Introduction The Royal Veterinary College (RVC) has commissioned me to evaluate social media recruiting strategies and possible future opportunities to ensure they remain competitive in the recruitment market. Within this proposal, I will outline the context of the research which will provide more background information of social media recruitment and the RVC. I will then provide a summary of an initial literature review which will define the focus and scope of the research project about to be undertaken (Gray 2014). An appropriate research approach and the way in which I intend to carry out my research will be detailed along with how I intend to analyse the date obtained. Possible issues and limitations will be discussed and possible solutions to overcome them. I will propose timescales of the project milestones and finally provide a conclusion. Context Established in 1791 and based at two sites in London and Hertfordshire, the Royal Veterinary College is one of 7 veterinary schools in the UK. A key part of their overall strategy is to be the first choice for those seeking to work in the veterinary, biosciences and One Health Higher Education sector (RVC 2015). The Human Resources (HR) strategy is aligned to the overall strategy to support its objectives and, as such, a key part of the HR strategy is the capacity to attract and retain talent at every level of the organisation from the local, national and international markets in which we compete will remain fundamental to our success (RVC 2015). The utilisation of social media to attract talent is an ever-increasingly popular topic within the HR profession so the HR team are keen to explore its value to help achieve this HR objective and to ensure they remain competitive in the recruitment markets. The HR team are also keen to discover if utilising social media for recruitment bring s other cost and administrative efficiency benefits. As a previous member of the HR team at the College who has seen their current online recruitment process grow and develop for the organisations needs, I am interested in discovering if and how it can be further adapted to utilise social media, whether it can provide a competitive edge in the race for talent and whether this would be a valuable use of their resources. I am expecting that the RVC should have at least some element of social media recruitment presence but, given the diverse nature of its employees and their differing backgrounds and professions, whether social media can provide value to all its recruitment campaigns remains to be seen. Literature Review This literature review will guide the development of my research topic. As Gray (2014) states In order to advance our collective knowledge, a researcher has to understand what has gone before. In seeking to do this I have reviewed numerous relevant literature related to the use of social media for recruitment and common themes were noted and formed the basis of my literature review. An important part of any Human Resource Management (HRM) strategy is the effective recruitment of its staff which the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) (2016) state as central and crucial to the successful day-to-day functioning of any organisation. In an ever-increasingly competitive business environment, organisations are taking a more strategic approach to the staffing of their organisations (Taylor 2014). When Tim Berners-Lee created the World Wide Web, it was not long before it added a new dimension and new opportunities in the recruitment field with the advent of online recruitment which first started in the mid-nineties. Commentators were quick to advocate its use due to the perceived efficiency benefits of as opposed to purely paper-based recruitment. Seminal research by Capelli (2001) stated that, while online recruitment was increasing in popularity due to the reduction in recruitment costs and time saved, its successful use was only achieved by those who fundamentally changed their recruitment process by using online media to market the organisation and build relationships with candidates to create talent pools. The advent of social media enabled organisations to take this marketing concept further by enabling organisations to promote its brand leading to more, better candidates by giving insight into recruitment the process and what it is like to work there (People Management 2013). In addition, social media enabled direct communication with target candidates resulting in a higher probability that a vacancy will be brought to the attention of someone who is ideally qualified to fill it (Taylor 2014). Contemporary research by Schmidt and Landers (2016) also suggest that outgoing social media messages can enhance organisational attraction and recruit more and better applicants by sharing corporate values to increase the reputation and visibility of the organisation. These benefits are why 54% of employers are engaging in social m edia for recruitment (CIPD 2013). The outlined suggested benefits are an attractive prospect. However, little research has been undertaken to establish what the internal costs are of maintaining a social media presence i.e. required time spent per day and training staff in the use of social media costs. This valuable information will form part of my initial research methods which will be to establish what, exactly, the RVC would like to gain from utilising social media for recruitment and what the current capabilities of doing so are. An additional, and controversial, use of social media in the recruitment process is using it to screen potential candidates. Contemporary research by Schmidt and Landers (2016) show no link between social media traits of potential candidates and job performance and they recommend that, until more in-depth research is undertaken in this area, social media is better used for recruitment and building a brand than as a selection tool. However, screening candidates in this way is can provide recruiters with a valuable source of information not found using traditional techniques (Davison et al. 2012; Kluemper 2013). Further research in this area by me regarding the potential benefits and risks to recruiters at the RVC of using such an approach to social media will enable me to make a balanced recommendation on whether screening candidates should be undertaken at the RVC. Another consideration when utilising social media for recruitment is the impact it has on equality and diversity (E D). Taylor (2014) and Iddekinge et al. (2013) state that organisations should not solely use social media for recruitment as it is predominately used by women and the younger generations. Rather, it should be used in conjunction with traditional methods. As a higher education establishment with E D considerations high on the agenda, further research and understanding of the RVCs E D commitments and objectives must be taken into account and aligned to before any recommendations are made. With such fast-paced advancements in social media and technology in general, it would be wise to also assess the implications of future developments in social media recruitment to ensure any recommendations provided are future-proofed. One well documented development that promises to have a big impact on social media recruitment is bid data and analytics which Schmidt and Landers (2016) believe will improve the HR discipline by providing it with a wealth of valuable information with which to make decisions. Regarding recruitment, this information seeks to help recruit more suitable candidates. What resources are needed to utilise big data and analytics, and in what capacity it would be suited to the RVC is will form part of my research. Schmidt and Landers (2016) also advocate working with internal IT professionals to help guide and shape the future of human resource management and this relationship, and whether more formal relationships arrangements are required at the RVC, will als o form part of my further research. Methodology I have chosen to conduct this research in a case study format as a case study generates multiple perspectives through multiple data collection methods (Lewis 2003) which I will need to use to ascertain the different perspectives of different people regarding the suitability of using social media recruitment at the RVC and its general use i.e. recruiting managers, HR, recent recruits and other organisations. As Gray (2014) states the integration and contrasting of these different perspectives can build a rich and detailed understanding of the context. The case studys epistemological approach taken will be constructivist since I will be the creator of my own knowledge by discussing and analysing and incorporating peoples different perspectives on social media recruitments suitability at the RVC, rather than discovering it in an objectivist fashion. The question of whether to use Social Media Recruitment at the RVC will heavily depend on the perspectives (data) of RVC staff and similar organisations and I anticipate that the focus and direction of this research will also be led by them. A suitable methodology to use for this case study that will enable this is grounded theory which enable the development of a theory by discovering, developing and provisionally verifying through systematic data collection and analysis of data pertaining to that phenomenon (Strauss and Corbin 1998). Common methods of research used in grounded theory are interviewing and focus groups which will be a valuable way to obtain viewpoints and opinions of my research subjects. Along with the qualitative research methods of interviews and focus groups, surveys to seek opinions would also provide valuable perspectives of social media recruitment and this mixed method of research will provide a richer, contextual understanding of the phenomenon being researched (Hansen et al, 2005) Method I will initially conduct face to face interviews with recruiting managers from each of the differing staff groups within the College and the Operations Manager in HR, as well as conduct a face to face focus between the team of 5 HR Administrators, to ascertain exactly what they are hoping to gain from utilising social media recruitment. This is an important first step in my case study is it will not only enable me to gain a company specific perspective on what is required and feasable but focus the next stage of my research and data collection to ensure it is relevant to their needs. The interviews will be conducted in a semi-structured format which will enable me to understand their experiences, opinions, attitudes, and enable me to probe where required (Gray 2014). They will also enable me to obtain a more well-rounded picture of their requirements, as opposed to other data collection techniques like structured interviews questionnaires which have minimal interaction between the in terviewer and interviewee. A focus group has been chosen for the administrators it will generate group dynamics within a group of differing individuals (Gray 2014) and enable me to understand the degree of consensus (Morgan and Krueger 1993) of what is deemed a valuable use of social media at the administrative level. The good working relationships with HR and recruiting managers already built while working at the RVC will also help facilitate their agreement to being interviewed and their willingness to interact positively and constructively. Analysis of this information as described in the data section of this proposal will guide the construction of a relevant, anonymous questionnaire which will be emailed to all staff recruited in the past year, estimated at 225, in the form of a descriptive survey to ascertain their job seeking behaviors, their opinions of social medias use by employers as a selection tool and their preference for future developments. The survey questionnaire will also enable me to gain an insight into ED considerations. Recent recruits are most valuable as opposed to other people as they have already been recruited with the RVCs objectives in mind so will be most like the future RVC candidates the RVC hopes to attract. A questionnaire is preferred as it will enable me to question many respondents at a low cost and at a time and place that suits them (Gray 2014). In addition, a questionnaire can assure their anonymity, which will help facilitate their honesty and willingness to participate. Finally, I will seek the current stance, future plans and thoughts of other Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) in the UK of the use of social media recruitment by way of a survey for the HR Operations Managers. This will give me a broader picture of how social media is used for recruitment in the education industry and enable me to make recommendations on whether or not social media recruitment can provide competitive advantage. I will seek as many organisations as possible to provide me with the most accurate picture possible. This will require a questionnaire rather than other methods of research which I will be able to send to all HEIs via email in the UK. The subject area is not particularly contentious so I would not expect anything more than a minimal level of risk in causing harm or damage in the cause of my research. However, informed consent will be obtained prior to any of the three research methods suggested to ensure research participants are provided with sufficient and accessible information about my project so that they can make an informed decision as to whether to become involved, or not, (Crow et al., 2006). Data My initial research of interviews and focus groups with managers and HR will help narrow the focus of my case study by generating common themes and requirements of social media recruitment. To attain these themes, I will use thematic analysis which will help generate descriptive data from the information provided as opposed to similar methods like content analysis which is more data driven. The themes will then direct what questions to include in my questionnaire to recent employees which will be recorded to enable me to focus on the questions asked. While unknown at this point, the questions will be phrased in such a way as to concur, or not, with suggestions and requirements from the interviews and focus groups and to attain additional viewpoints and suggestions from a candidate perspective. Once obtained and transcribed, the information will be analysed for relationships, common themes and additional suggestions to that of the recruiting managers and HR. The types of data yielded will determine the appropriate analysis and statistical tests (Gray 2014). However, whether nominal or ordinal, this categorical data will be put in a descriptive statistical format which will enable analysis of the frequency distribution. The questionnaire for surveyed organisations will be developed and analysed in the same way. All information gathered from my research will be stored securely on my laptop which is password protected. Possible Problems and Limitations While my previously created relationships with staff at the RVC will help encourage availability, access to the Operations Manager and a recruiting manager from each of the staff groups may be problematic due to low availability during the period that I undertake my research. Good forward planning and the fact that the purpose of the case study is to seek new, and more efficient, ways to help them recruit the staff they need will help encourage them to be available. Availability of all of the HR Administrators at the same time for a significant period of time may also be problematic. However, they have a specific time and date every week that they keep clear in their diaries to have team, and other ad-hoc, meetings which will improve the chances of availability. I have the potential to bias the interviews. I can prevent this by ensuring my interview techniques are consistent, with regard to my tone and duration of interview, to all research subjects. Bias may also occur from the interviewees as the less technically savvy may feel obligated to advocate its use for fear of being seen to be not keeping up with technological advances. A broad range of questions highlighting the positive and negative consequences of using social media recruitment will help to reduce this. The questionnaire may yield a low response rate. However, the estimated population of 225 staff recruited in the past year may be high enough to ensure a low response rate still generates enough responses to make analysis of the answers worthwhile. If not, a re-distribution of the survey with an added monetary incentive may increase the response rate. Another possible issue with the survey is that people may act differently in reality to the responses given in the questionnaire. A call for honesty and highlighting the fact that the questionnaire is anonymous may alleviate this. As with the survey for recently employed staff, the survey for HR Operations Managers at other organisations may also yield a low response rate. There are currently 131 HEIs in the UK and a low response rate may not yield enough responses with which to anaylse. In addition, motivation to respond may be low due to their current work obligations and responsibilities taking a higher priority and their reluctance to divulge any information which may provide reduce their own, or provide the RVC with, competitive advantage. To help improve the response rate, I will offer to provide all respondents with a free summary of my own findings of the survey which they may deem valuable for their own recruitment strategy planning. Main Tasks and Timescales I will use a Gantt Chart here with the following timescales: January starting report, start ethics form. February to March literature review. April to May Data collection. June Initial Analysis. July -Draft to Alan. Conclusion While social media recruitment is only starting to be researched in-depth and the real value, or not, and all possible pitfalls may not be immediately apparent, such benefits as highlighted in the literature review can not be ignored and the RVC can not afford to fall behind its competitors who use social media recruitment to help attract the best talent. However, this case study will ascertain the real value and viability of social media recruitment at the RVC, now and in the future, and provide recommendations, or not, of its use. References Morgan and Kryeger 1993 Crow et al., 2006 HEFCE http://www.hefce.ac.uk/workprovide/unicoll/heis/ Holton, J. A. (2009). Qualitative Tussles in Undertaking a Grounded Theory Study The Grounded Theory Review, 8(3), 37-49. Dick, B. (2005). Grounded theory: a thumbnail sketch. [On line] Available at http://www.scu.edu.au/schools/gcm/ar/arp/grounded.html Glaser, B. (1992). Basics of grounded theory analysis. Mill Valley, CA: Sociology Press. Allan, G. (2003). A critique of using grounded theory as a research method. Electronic Journal of Business Research Methods. 2(1). Lewis (2013) Strauss and Corbin 1998 (Hansen et al, 2005)

The Evolution of the Microprocessor Essay -- essays research papers

The Integrated Circuit: The Evolution of an Electronic Miracle The microprocessor evolved over the course of many years of research, and people all over the world enjoy the benefits of this electronic miracle. It is difficult to think of anything that has affected modern life more than this invention. Cellular phones, wristwatches, calculators, automobiles, stereos, televisions, and computers are just a few of the thousands of electronic devices that have a microchip at the heart of its operation. Over the years, three major breakthroughs occurred to accelerate the birth of the microprocessor: the vacuum tube, the transistor, and the integrated circuit. The Vacuum Tube American physicist Lee De Forest invented the vacuum tube in 1906. However, one must look back to 1879 when Thomas Edison first revealed the incandescent electric light bulb to understand how De Forest developed his idea. Edison’s invention consisted of a conducting filament mounted in a glass bulb. Electricity passing through the filament caused it to heat up and created a vacuum that prevented the filament from oxidizing and burning up. In 1883, Edison detected electrons flowing through the vacuum from the lighted filament to a metal plate mounted inside the bulb. This became known as the Edison Effect, but he did not develop this particular discovery any further. However, British physicist John Fleming found that the Edison Effect also detected radio waves and converted them to electricity. In 1904, Fleming first showed off his two-element vacuum tube known as the Fleming diode that converted an alternating current (AC) signal into direct current (DC) (Kuphaldt). The Fleming diode consisted of an incandescent light bulb with an extra electrode inside. Electrons boiled off the surface of the metal plate and into the vacuum inside the bulb as the filament became white-hot. When the extra electrode became more positive than the filament, a direct current flowed through the vacuum proving that AC signals could be converted into DC. One of the first uses of the Fleming diode was to detect weak signals produced by the new wireless telegraph. Later, the diode vacuum tube was used to convert AC into DC for power supplies in electronic equipment (Kuphaldt). Many inventors tried to improve the Fleming diode, but the only one who succeeded was American inventor Lee De Forest. In 1906, De Forest int... ...light bulb. References Bellis, M. The History of Computers. Retrieved Mar. 03, 2005, from About.com web site: http://www.inventors.about.com/library/blcoindex.htm. Hoff, T. Fascinating Facts about the Invention of the Microprocessor. Retreived Feb 28, 2005, from Idea Finder web site: http://www.ideafinder.com/history/inventions/microprocessor.htm IC Knowledge. History of the Integrated Circuit. Retrieved February 28, 2005, from IC Knowledge web site: http://www.icknowledge.com/history/history.html. Kuphaldt, T. R. Early Tube History. Retrieved Feb. 24, 2005, from All About Circuits Web site: http://www.allaboutcircuits.com/vol_3/chpt_13/2.html. Lindberg, A. A. The History of the Integrated Circuit. Retrieved Mar. 03, 2005, from Nobelprize.org Web site: http://nobelprize.org/physics/educational/integrated_circuit/history Maxfield, C. and Brown, A. Retrieved Feb. 24, 2005, from The History of Computers Web site: http://www.maxmon.com. Riordan, M. and Hoddeson, L. (1997). Crystal Fire-The Birth of the Information Age. New York, NY: W.W. Norton & Company Inc. Sullivan, J. (Ed.). (1988). The Chipmakers. Alexandrea, VA: Time-Life Books. (Understanding Computers Series)

Benefits of a Marketing Plan for Small Business

Research Topic 5: â€Å"I’ve got a small business with only 3 full-time staff. Marketing Planning’s no real practical use to me! Besides, I can’t afford the time and/or the money to do it† The writing of a marketing plan is extremely important step in the functioning of an effective and successful business. A marketing plan will give a snapshot of where the business currently stands, where the business hopes and wants to be and what needs to be done to achieve this. This is crucial if the business wants to grow or maintain its current level of profit. It could even be helpful if a business needed to down-size. Marketing plans can be as detailed as required, and as such are useful tools for large corporations and small businesses alike. The creation of marketing plans can be quite daunting without previous experience, and this is one reason why many small businesses don’t create a plan. Ross Cameron, of Cameron Research Group states â€Å"†¦there appeared to be a large number of small business owners who were not interested in growing. It is possible this is because many small business owners don’t know how to grow† (Hartnett and Keisler 2008, p. ) Many of the smaller businesses don’t understand the benefit of creating a marketing plan, and therefore avoid creating one. One benefit of creating a marketing plan is in analyzing the current situation. Particularly in small businesses, the ability to step back and take an external view of the business is often difficult for an owner, as that time can be put to use elsewhere, and the results of a situational analysis can often be confronting (Hartnett and Keisler 2008). Most successful entrepreneurs of the world are able to view and analyze the business from the outside. Another benefit of producing a marketing plan is the potential for â€Å"greater co-ordination of effort† (Overton 2007). In having a clearly defined plan for the direction of the business, as well as an idea of how to get there, all of the employees can be focused towards that same goal. A business that has no marketing plan can potentially have employees pulling the business in many different directions, as the goal is not clear. Producing a marketing plan can also help measure the success of any efforts put in to improve the business. In creating a marketing plan, it is best to quantify the desired achievement. For example, if a business wanted to improve its sales by 25% over the course of a twelve month period and this goal is identified within the marketing plan, then it can be reviewed after twelve months (or at intervals during this period). The results of the review measures the effectiveness of the marketing plan. If sales figures have grown by 25% or more, then it is seen as successful. If sales grew by under 25%, or worse, declined, then the marketing plan has not been as effective as it should be. The measurement of success of a marketing plan can also be used as a benchmark to set future marketing plans. Using the perceived effectiveness or not of the previous marketing plan, can be a useful tool for looking forward. It can inspire a business to set higher growth in sales figures, or to set the benchmark lower, to enable a sales figure that is a little bit more achievable, based on the previous marketing plan (Overton 2007). A marketing plan can also help a business by looking at its strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats (also known as a SWOT analysis). In providing this analysis, a business has a better viewpoint from which to build upon. Analysis of strengths provides important information about what the business does well in its operations. For example, it could be how the business differs from its competitors, or what makes the business more successful than others in certain aspects. For instance, this could mean that the employees of the business are better trained or motivated than at rival businesses, the business has higher valued intellectual property, or various other reasons. Similarly, the analysis of weaknesses provides information and comparisons with other businesses to enable better decision making and potential improvements. The analysis of opportunities and threats document how the business could be impacted in the future, for better or for worse. Opportunities enable a business to look at future growth potential, future trends in the marketplace, opportunities to take advantage of competitor’s weaknesses, or any other factor that may or may not have been identified in the strengths or weaknesses. Threats are basically negative opportunities and can be current or future factors that may possibly have a negative impact on the business. In drawing up the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats (SWOT) for the business, and similarly for its competitors, the business can have a greater understanding of its current situation, and moving forward, a greater understanding of any potential hurdles or windfalls that may impact the business (positively or negatively). This in turn provides a better platform from which to determine the way forward, and to provide a plan to achieve the goal of the business successfully. One of the main benefits gained by creating a marketing plan is the actual documenting of the businesses goals and direction. By having a plan in hard copy, and having all employees working towards the same goals and in the same direction, the business is more likely to succeed in reaching those goals. A marketing plan is also beneficial in setting a budget for effective marketing. A marketing plan will allow the business to look at its target objectives and determine the amount of money to be spent on that goal. Stephanie Paul (2010) insists that a marketing plan is â€Å"†¦Often considered the most effective budgeting method†¦Ã¢â‚¬  and that many experts believe that it is definitely the most logical way of setting a marketing budget. Similarly, a budget can also help create realistic strategies when looking at objectives from a budgeting aspect. â€Å"Understanding the return on investment on a marketing activity enables you to determine whether to keep them running or stop them and try something else†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Murphy 2009) Many small businesses feel that they don’t have time to develop arketing plans and strategies, but a marketing plan can be as thorough as the business needs it to be. In the case of most small businesses, the owner of the business inevitably works â€Å"in† the business, and has very little time to work â€Å"on† the business. However, a marketing plan doesn’t have to take up a lot of time. Whilst a large business may need h undreds of pages for a marketing plan, many small businesses can create effective marketing plans using as little as â€Å"half a dozen pages† (How to Create a Marketing Plan) McDaniel (2003) states â€Å"Developing a marketing plan is free and can be as simple as a time line of when to order business cards, networking opportunities, organizational meetings, speaking engagements and deadlines for publications†. The article also goes on to quote Ronelle Genser of Genser International Consulting â€Å"†¦there are three secrets to marketing. Commitment, Investment (not just money but of time, energy, and talent, as well), and consistency. † A marketing plan would be difficult without these aspects (McDaniel 2003) Around 98% of small business owners state that marketing is the hardest part of their job†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (McDaniel 2003). As seen above, a marketing plan can be effective at any scale, and should be a necessary tool for succeeding in business. For addressing the issue of time management in preparing a marketing plan for a small business, How to Create a Marketing Plan suggests taking â€Å"a couple of months to write the plan, even if it’s only a few pages long†¦Ã¢â‚¬  In conclusion, there are many benefits for writing a marketing plan, even for the time-poor owner of a small business. It enables the business owner to analyze the past and the present, as well as plot and plan the future direction of the business, the money spent on that plan and measuring the effectiveness of past, current and future plans. These are all practical uses of marketing plans, and for the basis of successful businesses, whether they are large multi-national corporations, or a small home business with few or no employees. Bibliography Hartnett R. , Keisler, K. , 2008, Small Business, Big Opportunity: Winning the right customers through smart marketing and advertising, Second edition, Sensis, Melbourne How to Create a Marketing Plan, 2010, Entrepreneur, viewed 2nd April 2010, Murphy, D. , 2009, Marketing Budget – Where do I start? , Vista Consulting, viewed 2nd April 2010, Overton, R. , 2007, Marketing Simplified, An introduction to marketing, eBOOK version, Martin Books, EBL EBook Library, viewed 2nd April 2010 Paul, S. , 2010, Cost of Marketing: What Is the Average Budget? , LegalZoom, viewed 2nd April 2010, < http://www. legalzoom. com/business-management/promoting-your-business/cost-marketing-what-is>

buy custom Universal Healthcare essay

buy custom Universal Healthcare essay In reference to the health care system, a single-payer health care system where only one administrator or a payer usually a government run organization, is charged with the responsibility of collecting all healthcare fees and also paying out all the health care costs from one pool of resource. Under this system, all doctors, hospitals and any other health provider in the state bills each entity separately for the service provided (Preker, 2005). However, in the disintegrated profit health care system, there is the presence of numerous, tens of thousands of autonomous health care organizations (HMOs) and billing agencies. This system is characterized by enormous waste of administrative resources. This paper compares and contrasts the two health care systems in terms of access, economics, administration and perspective of the patients. Contrast In terms of the access and benefits to the community, the single payer is different from the profit health care system in that health care is based on the need for the benefit and not on the ability to pay. Under the single payer, every citizen is entitled to and receives comprehensive health benefits under a medical cover that provides services for long term and home care, rehabilitation, prescription drugs, mental health care and both preventive and public health measures. On the issue of payment, hospital billing is non-existence, the hospitals ask for funding from the government pool to cover all their operating costs (Preker, 2005). The central authority is charged with budgeting for different issues such as hospital expansion, marketing and technological acquisition. Here in, the government acts as an employer and not an employer. In the profit health care system, each organization is charged with taking payment from the numerous insurance agencies in the states ad its persona l budgets for expansion. There are overall high administrative costs in the provision of profit health care system. This is due to the fact that each organization personally has departments dealing with the billing and collection of funds from the insurance providers (Sherrow, 2009). Such costs are minimal in the single payer health care system because the organization just collects funds from one payer; the government. The general accounting office approximates an average saving of 10% due to elimination of those private insurance bills coupled with administrative costs. A single payer health care system is essential in cost containment. An economic study in the 2004 published in a medicine journal (The New England Journal of Medicine) approximated that the introduction of a single payer health care system would realize a reduction in the cost of health care provision by about US$ 400 billion. Consequently, the trickle-down-effect would ensure that individuals pay less to receive the same level of service due to elimination of deductibles and copayments. The multi-payer profit oriented health care system presents the policy makers with complicated challenges in implementing a health care coordinated comprehensive policy. The single-payer on the contrary would be the simplest and also the most efficient health care system to be implemented and overseen by the legislators. Due to the ability to be effectively implemented, the system would also be successful. However, due to the centralized implementation, many business organizations in the facilitation of the health care system would go out of business. The insurance agencies, the organizations charged with the collection of funds among others would lose their businesses under the single-payer health care system. Similarities Both these health care systems have not been successful in the handling of the basic issue in the health care system; making the health care system affordable to the average citizen. The profit oriented health care system is depicted by the people paying more for each higher level of health care provided. The more that the person pays; the better the health care service provided. The single payer does not effectively provide the solution for the poor citizens. By making the health care accessible to all, the government has to raise taxes to cover for the broad health care scheme. The cost is therefore transferred to the consumers of the health care in terms of taxes. The poor citizens continue being overburdened by the scheme in terms of taxes, just like the profit oriented scheme would in terms of insurance contribution. Moreover, there is similarity between the two schemes in that they are both depicted by bureaucratic red tape especially in the collection of the funds by the health care providing organizations. Collection of payments from the numerous insurance agencies as well as the corresponding agency in the single payer health care system is a common challenge that both schemes have not been able to resolve. Conclusion Due to the capitalism and the free market enterprise that has thrived in the US economy since the founding of the nation, the profit oriented health care system has thrived at the expense of the single-payer health system and hence the universal health care system for all. The health care system debate has widely been confined to the politics of the nation with the proponents being branded communists. The debate should be based on the economics and the social effects of the scheme rather than the mere politics involved. Buy custom Universal Healthcare essay

Fun with Chemistry - Honeycomb Candy Recipe

Fun with Chemistry - Honeycomb Candy Recipe Honeycomb candy is an easy-to-make candy that has an interesting texture caused by carbon dioxide bubbles getting trapped within the candy. The carbon dioxide is produced when baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) is added to hot syrup. It is the same process used to make some baked goods rise, except here the bubbles are trapped to form a crisp candy. The holes in the candy make it light and give it a honeycomb appearance. Honeycomb Candy Ingredients 3/4 cup sugar2 tablespoons honey2 tablespoons water1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda Honeycomb Candy Instructions Grease a cookie sheet. You can use oil, butter, or non-stick cooking spray.Add the sugar, honey, and water to a saucepan. You can stir the mixture, but it isnt necessary.Cook the ingredients over high heat, without stirring, until the mixture reaches 300Â °F. The sugar will melt, small bubbles will form, the bubbles will become larger, then the sugar will start to carmelize to an amber color.When the temperature reaches 300Â °F, remove the pan from heat and whisk the baking soda into the hot syrup. This will cause the syrup to foam up.Stir just enough to mix the ingredients, then dump the mixture onto the greased baking sheet. Dont spread out the candy, as this would pop your bubbles.Allow the candy to cool, then break or cut it into pieces.Store the honeycomb candy in an airtight container.

The New Professional Discipline of Ethnography Essay

The New Professional Discipline of Ethnography - Essay Example The idea is to come up with a scientific description of the people being studied and give any outside observers a very good idea of how a society had developed over generations, creating its own culture. Ethnography used to be a sub-specialty of anthropology which in turn is the study or the science of the origins, biological characteristics, cultural development and the social customs or beliefs of mankind. However, ethnography is a much more narrowly-focused study of unique cultures and is now recognized as a separate discipline by itself. The aims of ethnography are to come up with interesting or unusual explanations of some observed behaviors and phenomena among the people being studied. It is an intensive type of fieldwork that requires immersion in the culture or society that is studied, by spending weeks, months or even years among the people. This paper discusses the rationale for the study of the Nuer people of Africa, a primitive society but which has endured over the years, in ways similar to biblical tribes. Some theoretical questions that can be asked for this particular study are what are the benefits, insights or expectations of studying these people who seem to belong to the early era of human history? Is a study like this not a waste of time, when it seems to be going backward instead of forward? The Nuer people consists of several tribes, numbering close to 900,000 persons living in the areas of South Sudan and western parts of Ethiopia. Their main source of livelihood is cattle raising, although they rarely eat beef except on some special occasions but maintain cattle herds chiefly as a milk source for them. The word Nuer means â€Å"original people† and they belong to the same ethnic group as the Dinka and Atwot (the two other main tribes living in this region) which speak the same uniform Nilotic language, with no discernible or observable dialects. The reason why they own cattle is largely cultural, in the sense it determines the political  hierarchy or social standing of Nuer men, based on the quantity and quality of the cattle herd he has.

Observations in Settings Serving Children with Disabilities Essay

Observations in Settings Serving Children with Disabilities - Essay Example It seemed like a typical class where the teacher discussed lessons with the children and the children actively shared their ideas. Later, the teacher distributed some worksheets and asked the children to work in pairs. I was told by the teacher that she had pre-arranged the pairings in various ways depending on her goal for the students. The children with special needs (1 had ADHD and the other one had some cognitive delay) were given modified activities and paired with high performing students to help them out by peer tutoring. Once the children started working, the teacher went around the room checking on each pair, stopping once in a while to help those who need help or asking questions to guide the children. The children with special needs do not stand out. I would never identify them as such had I not been told they had special needs because they blend in so well with the typically-developing students. The second setting was a one-on-one session between a 7-year old boy with cog nitive delay and a reading specialist. She was trying to teach him phonetic sounds. She showed him some letter cards and asked him to sound out the letters. First it was done slowly with the teacher making the sounds while showing the cards and he imitated her. Later on, she kept showing him the cards and expected him to sound the letters by himself. Next came picture cards that he needed to identify and match the initial sound of the word with a letter. She started with only 3 pairs of picture and letters graduating to about 10 pairs at a time. The boy seemed to have a difficult time processing the pairings because it took him a long time to match the cards, but the reading teacher was very patient. My initial reaction to the observation was pure awe. I was so inspired with how these teachers can be so patient and understanding in helping out the students with special needs and they go out of their way preparing special activities for them. I thought they meticulously planned ahead in order to meet their needs and for the teacher of the inclusive class, to address each child’s need. I realized it takes special training to do what they do and a passion and commitment to do so. With the inclusive class, the teacher had to contend with multiple personalities and consider each student’s skill level so she can pair them off well. That meant she had previous knowledge of these children and have assessed them thoroughly. It seemed her pairings worked because I observed all the children productively working together. The partner of the child with ADHD was also very patient in holding his attention, often tapping his shoulder to make him focus on their task. I am not sure if this partner or any of the other typically- developing children were trained to deal with peers with special needs, but this boy seemed to know how to handle the hyperactive tendencies of his partner. The partner of the child with cognitive delay likewise displayed patience with her partner. She was like a miniature teacher going through the activity with him, asking him guiding questions so he can come up with the solution. It was obvious that she already knew the answer, however, she wanted him to figure it out himself. I saw a smile cross her face when he was able to answer the problem correctly. The reading teacher, on the other hand, worked only with one child, but I think it took much effort in guiding him. She poured all her concentrated effort on him without being distracted.