War is a force that gives us meaning Essay Example for Free

War is a force that gives us meaning EssayWar, when we confront it truthfully, exposes the darkness within all of us. This darkness shatters the illusions many of us hold non only close to the human race tho also about ourselves. Few of us confront our own capacity for evil, but this is especially full-strength in war time. And even those who engage in combat ar afterward given cups from the River Lethe to forget. And with each swallow they imbibe the fable of war. For the myth makes war palatable. It gives war a logic and sanctity it does not possess. It saves us from peering into the darkest recesses of our own hearts. And this is why we kindred it.It is why we clamor for myth. The myth is enjoyable, and the press, as is true in all nation that goes to war, is only too happy to oblige. They dish it up and we ask for more(prenominal). War as myth begins with blind patriotism, which is al offices gently veiled self-glorification. We exalt ourselves, our goodness, our d ecency, our worldly concern, and in that self-exaltation we denigrate the other. The flip side of nationalism is racismlook at the jokes we tell about the French. It feels great. War as myth allows us to forfend judgment and personal morality for the contagion of the crowd. War means we do not face cobblers last alone.We face it as a group. And death is easier to keep because of this. We jettison all the moral precepts we have about the murder of innocent civilians, including children, and dismiss atrocities of war as the regrettable cost of battle. As I spell this article, hundreds of thousands of innocent people, including children and the elderly, atomic number 18 trapped inside the city of Basra in southern Iraqa city I know wellwithout clean drinking water. Many will die. plainly we seem, because we imbibe the myth of war, unconcerned with the suffering of others. Yet, at the same time, we hold up our own victims.These crowds of silent deadour soldiers who made the suprem e sacrifice and our innocents who were killed in the crimes against humanity that took place on 9/11 are trotted out to sanctify the cause and our employment of indiscriminate violence. To question the cause is to defile the dead. Our dead counts. Their dead does not. We endow our victims, like our cause, with righteousness. And this righteousness gives us the moral justification to commit murder. It is an old story. In wartime we feel a comradeship that, for many of us, makes us feel that for the first time we belong to the nation and the group.We are fooled into thinking that in wartime social inequalities have been obliterated. We are fooled into feeling that, because of the threat, we care about others and others care about us in new and powerful waves of emotion. We are giddy. We mis dissipate this for friendship. It is not. Comradeship, the kind that comes to us in wartime, is about the suppression of self-awareness, self-possession. All is laid at the feet of the god of war. And the cost of this comradeship, sure for soldiers, is self-sacrifice, self-annihilation. In wartime we become necrophiliacs. As it happens, Ive just finished reading Mr.Hedges memoir, War is a Force that Gives us Meaning, and its very much of a put together with this, which is to say heartfelt, but overstated, particularly as regards his own country. Mr. Hedges spent fifteen years as a foreign correspondent, covering every war and racial extermination you can name, and many that few of us can. As just a reminder of these conflicts and of the victims thereof, it is worth reading. However, when he tries to draw broader conclusions he, perhaps understandably, overreacts. The truths that he speaks of above are not the only truths that war exposes, nor are they necessarily the primary truths.Its a truism that war is terrible, but it is just not the case, as even he ultimately must concede, that it is the most terrible thing. It would be dishonest to argue that myth is not an importan t part of patriotism and the will to war, but conceive how much here is not myth. The deads of 9-11 were in fact innocent victims. They went to work one fine morning in September and because of that they were murdered. No amount of scab-picking about past American policy in the Middle East can ever make it so that they deserved to die, can it?Likewise, those who perpetrated that heinous act, al Qaeda, and those who aid them, the Taliban, can not escape moral culpability, no matter what their grievances against the United States. It is an objective truth that at least these victims of ours were innocent and at least those enemies are not. A somewhat better case can be made that the people of Iraq are innocent victims. However, they were victims of Saddam before we liberated themMr. Hedges might kick back at the boastfulness of a term like liberation, but there is no reason for us toand their lives are immeasurably better today for our having acted.Who cares more for the people of Basra, those content to stand idly by while Saddam oppressed them or those whove returned their freedom to them? Moreover, far from ignoring the suffering of potential innocents in this war, we took every reasonable (and some perhaps unreasonable) precaution to avoid civilian casualties. If the myths of which Mr. Hedges speaks were wholly true, it would have been simplicity itself to slaughter Iraqis indiscriminately, even to exterminate the population, yet this we did not do. hither is the inescapable problem for Mr.Hedges give a Hitler, a Stalin, a Milosevic, a stack away Laden, a whomever, nuclear weapons and there can be little incertitude theyd use them to kill their enemies. Yet we have them and we do not use them (except the twice, sixty years ago). If we had truly become necrophiliacs, as are our foes so often become, why would we not kill to out utmost capacity to do so? The attacks on the World Trade Center illustrate that those who oppose us, quite than coming from an other moral universe, have been schooled well in modern warfare.The dramatic explosions, the fireballs, the victims plummeting to their deaths, the collapse of the towers in Manhattan, were straight out of Hollywood. Where else, but from the industrialized world, did the self- ravaging hijackers learn that huge explosions and death above a city skyline are a peculiar and effective form of communication? They have know the language. They understand that the use of disproportionate violence against innocents is a way to make a statement. We leave the same diagnoseing cards. Corpses in wartime often deliver messages.The death squads in El Salvador dumped three bodies in the parking lot of the Camino Real Hotel in San Salvador, where the journalists were based, and early one morning. Death threats against us were stuffed in the mouths of the bodies. And, on a larger scale, Washington uses murder and corpses to transmit its wrath. We delivered such incendiary messages in Vietnam, Iraq, Serbia, and Afghanistan. Osama bin Laden has learned to speak the language of modern industrial warfare. unionised killing is done best by a disciplined, professional army. But war also empowers those with a predilection for murder.Petty gangsters, reviled in pre-war Sarajevo, were transformed all-night at the start of the conflict into war heroes. What they did was no different. They still pillaged, looted, tortured, raped, and killed only then they did it to Serbs, and with an ideological veneer. Slobodan Milosevic went one further. He opened up the countrys prisons and armed his execrable class to fight in Bosnia. Once we sign on for wars crusade, once we see ourselves on the side of the angels, once we embrace a theological or ideological belief system that defines itself as the embodiment of goodness and light, it is only a matter of how we will carry out murder.The eruption of conflict straight reduces the headache and trivia of daily life. The communal march against an en emy generates a warm, unfamiliar bond with our neighbors, our community, and our nation, wiping out unsettling undercurrents of alienation and dislocation. War, in times of malaise and desperation, is a potent distraction. George Orwell in 1984 wrote of the necessity of constant wars against the Other to forge a false unity among the proles War had been literally continuous, though strictly speaking it had not always been the same war. The enemy of the moment always represented absolute evil. Patriotism, often a thinly veiled form of collective self-worship, celebrates our goodness, our ideals, our mercy and bemoans the treachery of those who hate us. War makes the world understandable, a black and white tableau of them and us. It suspends thought, especially self-critical thought. All bow before the supreme effort. We are one. Most of us willingly accept war as long as we can fold it into a belief system that paints the ensuing suffering as demand for a higher good, for human bei ngs seek not only happiness but also meaning. And tragically war is sometimes the most powerful way in human society to achieve meaning.This is positively bizarre. One might imagine us to have been at war with the Arab world throughout the 90s, and Osama bin Laden to just be responding to our constant attacks. In fact, the truth, as the analysts tell us is the opposite. It was precisely because America was so reticent to respond to terror in any systematic way, so loathe leaving behind the roaring 90s and go to war, that al Qaeda became emboldened. In Mr. Hedges account we woke up one day, found our lives lacked meaning, and marched to war with an Islam we suddenly decided to portray as evil.In reality, we woke one day to find the World Trade Center and Pentagon in flames, decided that our lives had a meaning worth defending after all, and set out not to fight all Islam but those who have distorted it into something hateful. When in human history has a leader gone further out of his waymany would argue too farto limit just who the enemy is, to limit the material destruction and civilian deaths, to get aid to the newly liberated peoples, etc. Whenever else have military bombed countries with food and humanitarian supplies? No, to accept Mr.Hedges implicit argument that there is no difference between us and al Qaeda or between Saddam Hussein and George W. Bush is to abandon even the idea of morality. It is too pass over that morality exists. Mr. Hedges himself acknowledges this, if not directly, when he disavows pacifism The poison that is war does not free us from the ethics of responsibility. There are times when we must take this poisonjust as a person with cancer accepts chemotherapy to live. We cannot succumb to despair. Force is and I suspect always will be part of the human condition.There are times when the force wielded by one immoral faction must be countered by a faction that, while never moral, is perhaps little immoral. This is sheer nonsense. A d octor administers poison to the chemotherapy patienthas he not behaved morally? A bystander or a policeman uses force to stop a rapehave they not acted morally just because they used force, which, as Mr. Hedges says, will always be part of the human condition? One nation intervenes with force to stop genocide or a megalomaniac dictatorin what sense is this not a moral act? He closes the chapter by saying This is not a call for inaction.It is a call for regretance. So we should not stand by and watch as one people slaughter another, but if we use force to stop it we must repent that use of force? What kind of morality is it that holds you guilty if you act and if you dont? The answer is not a serious one. This is mere self-flagellation and pious posturing. Mr. Hedges provides us with a harrowing glimpse of modern war and a salutary warning about how the enthusiasms of war affect all us, but he goes way too far and lapses into absurdity when he demands that we treat all uses of for ce as immoral

Motor Cyclists Essay Example for Free

Motor Cyclists Essaypsychological and complaisant factors influencing ride passenger intentions and conduct Barry Watson Deborah Tunnicliff Katy White Cynthia Schonfeld Darren Wishart Centre for disaster Research and Road synthetic rubber (CARRS-Q) Queensland University of engineering fantastic 2007 psychological and social factors influencing motorcycle rider intentions and behavior i Published by Postal address Office location Telephone imitation E-mail InternetAustralian Transport base hit Bureau PO Box 967, Civic Square crop 2608 15 Mort Street, Canberra City, Australian swell Territory 1800 621 372 from overseas + 61 2 6274 6440 02 6274 3117 from overseas + 61 2 6274 3117 emailprotected gov. au www. atsb. gov. au CARRS-Q, Queensland University of Technology 2006 To encourage the dissemination of this publication, it whitethorn be copied, downloaded, displayed, printed, reproduced, and distributed in unaltered form (retaining this nonice).Subject to the provisions of the Copyright Act 1968, no otherwise use of the material in this publication may be do without the authorisation of the Queensland University of Technology. ii Psychological and social factors influencing motorcycle rider intentions and behaviour DOCUMENT RETRIEVAL INFORMATION Report No. RSRG 2007-04 Publication date August 2007 No. of pages 152 ISBN 978 0 642 25564 8 ISSN Publication title Psychological and social factors influencing motorcycle rider intentions and behaviour Author(s) Barry Watson, Deborah Tunnicliff, Katy White, Cynthia Schonfeld, Darren Wishart.Organisation that prepared this document Centre for Accident Research and Road Safety Queensland University of Technology GPO Box 2434 Brisbane QLD 4001. Sponsor Available from Australian Transport Safety Bureau PO Box 967, Civic Square ACT 2608 Australia www. atsb. gov. au Project Officer John Collis Reference No. Aug2007/DOTARS 50323. Abstract This report documents deuce studies undertaken to identify and assess th e psychological and social factors influencing motorcycle rider behaviour.The primary aim of the look was to develop a Rider Risk Assessment Measure (RRAM), which would act as a tool for identifying high-risk riders by assessing rider intentions and self-reported behaviour. The first sight (n = 47) involved a qualitative exploration of rider perceptions utilising a focus-group methodology. This study identified six-spot key aspects of rider behaviour considered to influence safety device motorcycle handling skills rider awareness riding plot impaired or not and the tendency to bend road rules, toil limits, and ride at extreme speeds or perform stunts. field of honor two (n = 229) was survey-based and examined the psychological and social factors influencing these behaviours, utilising the theory of planned behaviour (TPB) and other relevant psychological constructs, such as hero seeking and aggression. This study indicated that risky rider intentions were primarily influenced by attitudes and sensation seeking, piece of music safer intentions were influenced by perceived behavioural operate on. tour intentions significantly predicted all six types of behaviour, sensation seeking and a propensity for aggression emerged as significant predictors, peculiarly for the volitional risk-taking behaviours.The measures of intention and behaviour comprising the RRAM were not found to be significantly correspond with self-reported crash involvement, possibly indicating shortcomings in the measurement of crashes. However, significant cor recountings were found between the components of the RRAM and self-reported traffic offence involvement. While hike up work is required to refine and validate the RRAM, it represents a potential tool for informing and evaluating motorcycle rider safety countermeasures. Keywords Motorcycle safety, theory of planned behaviour, sensation seeking, aggression Notes (1) (2)ATSB reports are disseminated in the interest of information exchange. The views expressed are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent those of the Australian Government or the ATSB. Psychological and social factors influencing motorcycle rider intentions and behaviour iii CONTENTS Executive summaryEXECUTIVE SUMMARY Background Motorcycle riding is rapidly change magnitude in popularity in Australia, attracting a much wider demographic of people than in decades past. Unfortunately, whilst the overall number of road deaths in Australia has generally been reducing, the proportion of motorcycle-related fatalities has been rising in recent years. Further, the proportion of motorcycle-related fatalities in Australia is unacceptably high compared with other OECD countries. To reduce motorcycle-related fatalities on Australian roads, there is an urgent need to consider motorcyclists as diaphanous from other road users.This course of instruction of research facilitates the understanding of safety issues from a motorcyclist perspect ive and provides important information on factors influencing safe and unsafe rider intentions and behaviour. The aims of this program of research were to develop a better understanding of the psychological and social influences on rider behaviour in an Australian context guide the ontogenesis of future motorcycle safety countermeasures and develop a tool (the Rider Risk Assessment Measure RRAM) to inform the evaluation of motorcycle safety countermeasures, particularly in the area of training and facts of life.To achieve these aims, two particular studies were undertaken a qualitative study of motorcycle rider perceptions utilising a focus-group methodology and a survey-based decimal study of selfreported rider intentions and behaviour. Both studies were underpinned by a theoretical framework drawing on the theory of planned behaviour (TPB), identity element theory, social identity theory, and other relevant psychological concepts such as sensation seeking and aggression. Ke y findingsStudy 1 explored motorcyclists perceptions relating to safe and risky riding and the different in the flesh(predicate) and social factors that influenced their behaviour. A total of 43 people participated in this study, either as part of a focus group or as an interviewee. This wildcat process revealed six types of behaviours which were comm only when believed to influence the safety (or riskiness) of motorcycle riding. These six behaviours are discussed below. Two behaviours were identified as being particularly essential to rider safety.The first was the necessity of being able to handle the motorcycle proficiently and skilfully. The second related to the need for riders to maintain a high level of dousing whilst riding and to stay aware of the changing road environment. In contrast, there was some debate about the inherent safety or riskiness of the two next behaviours commonly identified. Firstly, some riders believed that obeying the road rules was essential to the ir safety, whilst others reported that it was often necessary to break the road rules in order to stay safe.Secondly, the definition of what comprise riding whilst impaired differed amongst riders. Most riders agreed that imbibition and riding was dangerous. However, for some, even one alcoholic drink before riding was considered dangerous, whilst others would ride after drinking provided they did not consider themselves to be over the legal BAC limit. Some riders stated that riding when viii Psychological and social factors influencing motorcycle rider intentions and behaviour they were deteriorate was dangerous however, fatigue was not considered a serious safety issue for many participants.Two further behaviours identified by participants were often associated with their accounts of crash involvement, that not seen as intrinsically unsafe by most riders. The first of these was the concept of defending your limits. Most riders interviewed step forwarded to enjoy pushing the limits of their ability on a motorcycle. Whilst agreeing that pushing the limits too far was dangerous, pushing them to a point that tested a riders abilities was often reported to facilitate safety as this process developed a riders skill.The second behaviour that was often mentioned in connection with crashes was extreme riding (e. g. , performing stunts and riding at extreme speeds). The act of perfecting a stunt was often reported to result in the crashing of the motorcycle, although these crashes were usually accepted as a normal part of the cultivation process. Once perfected, performing stunts did not appear to be considered an intrinsically unsafe behaviour, unless performed in traffic or other unpredictable situations. A sizable minority of both male and female participants reported riding at extreme speeds.These riders often argued that they could ride extremely fast, safely, on public roads provided certain conditions were met (e. g. reasoned visibility, minimal traff ic, weather, road, and motorcycle maintenance). Study 2 involved 229 active motorcyclists who completed a questionnaire assessing their riding intentions and self-reported behaviour the psychological and social factors influencing these intentions and behaviour and their self-reported involvement in road crashes and traffic offences over the last two years.The questionnaire was structured around the six types of rider behaviour identified as important in Study 1. Key results of this study are discussed below. In order to obtain an insight into the factors underpinning both safe and risky behaviour, the six areas of interest were operationalised as leash safer behavioural intentions (i. e. handle the motorcycle skilfully, maintain 100% awareness, not ride impaired) and three riskier intentions which represented more volitional risk-taking (i. e. bend the road rules, push the limits, perform stunts or ride at extreme speeds).Hierarchical multiple regression analyses were then perform ed to assess the influence of different psychological and social factors on these intentions. These analyses indicated that a greater proportion of variance could be explained in the case of the riskier riding intentions R2 ranging from 57% 66% than the safer riding intentions R2 ranging from 22% 36%. The TPB construct of perceived behavioural control (PBC) significantly predicted all three safer intentions, while attitude was a significant predictor of the three riskier intentions.In terms of the social influences, the TPB construct of immanent norm (which assesses the influence of others considered important) proved a relatively weak predictor of behaviour. However, the measure of specific subjective norm (i. e. the influence of the people that someone rides with) emerged as a significant predictor of three of the six intentions. Over and above this, a propensity for sensation seeking was found to be significant predictor of the three risky intentions. Overall, a similar pattern of results emerged when the self-reported behaviours of the participants were examined.Firstly, while the various psychological and social variables examined in the study significantly predicted all six behaviours, considerably big amounts of variance were explained for the three volitional risk-taking behaviours, i. e. bend road rules to get through traffic R2 = . 67, push my limits R2 = . 59 and perform stunts and/or ride at extreme speeds R2 = . 69. Secondly, the results were largely consistent with the tenets of the TPB, with intentions proving a significant predictor of all six behaviours. Thirdly, sensation seeking, along with rider aggression, emerged as a strong predictor of all six behaviours.Indeed, together, these two variables accounted for between 7 20% of additional variance in the six behaviours. Not surprisingly, these two variables accounted for relatively large amounts of additional variance in the ride while impaired R2 ch = . 20 and the perform stunts and/or ride at extreme speeds R2 ch = . 15 variables. Unfortunately, no significant correlations were found between the various measures of intention and behaviour operationalised in Study 2 and the self-reported crash involvement of the participants. It Psychological and social factors influencing motorcycle rider intentions and behaviour ixis possible that this indicates that the six behaviours of interest, in reality, do not have a close relationship with crash involvement. However, this conclusion does not seem consistent with either the findings of Study 1 or the research evidence reviewed in Chapter 2. More likely, the findings highlight shortcomings in the size of the sample and/or the way that crash involvement was measured in the study. In particular, disposed(p) that crashes are relatively rare events, crashes were measured over a two year period in order to ensure that (some) participants would have experienced a sufficient number of crashes to facilitate the analyses.However, this raises the possibility of recall problems that may have reduced the accuracy and reliability of the data, while the two year period may have been too long to accurately reflect the current intentions and behaviour of the participants. In contrast, the majority of the intention and behaviour measures were found to be significantly correlated with self-reported traffic offence involvement. In particular, significant associations were found between self-reported traffic offences and the three riskier intentions examined in the study (i. e.those relating to more volitional risk-taking, namely, bend the road rules, push my limits and perform stunts and/or ride at extreme speeds). In addition, significant associations were found between traffic offence involvement and five of the six self-reported behaviours examined (the only exception being for awareness errors). These results dont necessarily confirm the inherent riskiness of the behaviours examined, since engaging in an illegal b ehaviour may not always result in a crash. However, they do provide prima facia evidence supporting the validity of the intention and behaviour measures developed in this study.Strengths and limitations of the research This program of research featured a number of strengths. Firstly, it was firmly grounded in theory secondly, it utilised both qualitative and quantitative methods to obtain a broad insight into the factors influencing motorcycle rider behaviour thirdly, the design of the research was informed by input from active motorcyclists and finally, it adopted a balanced come out to motorcycle safety by examining both safe and risky riding intentions and behaviour. Nonetheless, the program of research also had a number of limitations.Both Studies 1 and 2 consisted of participants primarily recruited from South East Queensland. In addition, the participants were volunteers who were generally older in age. As a result, the samples used in this research may not be representative of Australian motorcyclists in general, but instead reflect a subset of older, primarily recreational, riders. This should be borne in mind when interpreting the results. Furthermore, a number of other potential limitations in the Study 2 questionnaire design emerged during the analysis of the results.These included the way that fatigue was grouped with alcohol and drugs to assess intentions and behaviour relating to riding while impaired and, as noted above, the manner in which crash involvement was measured. Implications of the research At a theoretical level, this program of research has confirmed that the prophetical utility of the theory of planned behaviour (TPB) can be substantially improved by the addition of other variables. In particular, this research demonstrated that subjective norm (SN) was a relatively weak predictor of intentions and that the specific subjective norm (SSN) (i.e. assessing the influence of those people that someone rides with) performed relatively b etter as a measure of social influence.Moreover, both sensation seeking and the propensity to ride aggressively proved significant predictors of all six behaviours examined, over and above the TPB and other social influence variables. The findings relating to sensation seeking are consistent with previous research in the traffic psychology area. x Psychological and social factors influencing motorcycle rider intentions and behaviour.However, the results relating to aggression warrant more attention, since this variable proved a relatively stronger predictor than sensation seeking of the error-based behaviours (i. e. handling errors and awareness errors), the ride while impaired behaviour, and the perform stunts and/or ride at extreme speeds behaviour. This suggests that the propensity to ride aggressively has a broader influence on rider behaviour, which is not special(a) to the more volitional risk-taking types of behaviours.At a practical level, this program of research has ident ified a number of ways to enhance current motorcycle safety countermeasures, particularly in the area of rider training and education. Most particularly, it has identified a range of psychological and social influences on rider intentions and behaviour that appear to be beyond the scope of current skills-based approaches to motorcycle training and education. Consequently, further work is required to develop and trial new approaches to rider training and education that more effectively address the attitudinal and motivational influences on riding, both of a personal and social nature.To assist in this process, this research has undertaken the first steps in the development of the Rider Risk Assessment Measure (RRAM). This tool is intended to act as a means of identifying high-risk riders by assessing their intentions and self-reported behaviour (in relation to both safe and risky riding). While further work is required to refine and validate the RRAM, it represents a tool that can be used in a variety of ways to enhance motorcycle safety countermeasures, including informing the design and content of training programs and evaluating the impact of differentinitiatives on rider behaviour.Psychological and social factors influencing motorcycle rider intentions and behaviour xi ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The authors would like to acknowledge the funding support provided by the Australian Government, through the Australian Transport Safety Bureaus (ATSB) Road Safety Research Grants Programme. The development and conduct of this study has involved the contribution of a large number of people.While it is rough to acknowledge all the individuals that have contributed, the authors would like to thank Mr John Collis from the ATSB for his current advice and support those people who assisted us organise the focus groups, from organisations such as Queensland Transport, Motorcycle Riders Association Queensland, Ulysses, and Q-Ride providers personnel from the Queensland Police Ser vice, particularly the Logan and Brisbane West Districts, who assisted in the distribution of the pilot and main questionnaires at various motorcycle eventsThe ongoing support for motorcycle research from Morgan and Wacker Pty Ltd and the assistance of Morgan Wacker Motorcycle Training Centre, particularly Mr Fred Davies, in the finalisation and distribution of the Study 2 questionnaire. xii Psychological and social factors influencing motorcycle rider intentions and behaviour GLOSSARY OF TERMS AND ACRONYMS ABS ATSB BAC Australian Bureau of Statistics. Australian Transport Safety Bureau formerly Federal Office of Road Safety (FORS). Blood Alcohol Concentration.In Australia, the legal amount of alcohol that may be present in the blood is 0. 05% if the driver or rider is on an unrestricted licence. It is usually measured either by a police breathalyser or a by a blood test (see also Over the limit). A person who identifies with, and belongs to, an organised outlaw motorcycle club. Cl ub members ride motorcycles and often wear jackets with patches which identify the club they belong to (Veno, 2002). A motorcycle enthusiast. May or may not belong to a motorcycle club (Krige, 1995a). Centre for Accident Research and Road Safety Queensland. A study design which collects data on the perceptions or behaviours of subjects at one point in time, as opposed to a longitudinal.

Integrated Marketing Communications and Social media

Integrated Marketing Communications and Social mediaThe research foc uses on deuce historic aras, Integrated Marketing Communications and Social media. However, before reviewing them, it is vital to understand the concepts behind Media and Marketing Communication in general. This would lay a tail end for understanding both the atomic number 18as c everywhereed in the research. Then the real issues Integrated Marketing Communications and Social media will be covered.2.1.1 MediaAccording to Harper (2001), the bourn media in conversation posterior be defined asThe storage and transmission channels or tools use to store and deliver breeding or data. It is often referred to as synonymous with mass media or revolutionarys media, but may refer to a hotshot mean(a) used to communicate either data for any purpose.Thus, any information transmission channels or tools used for delivering merchandising messages to the earreach can be referred to as media. Media is synonymously used w ith mass media or mass communication, which Dijk (2006) depicts as a type of communication using media to distribute sound, text, and images among an audience. Mass media is an quondam(a) terminology, but starting from a single medium that is print in 1500s it has grown to in corporeal vast types of mediums. Caspi (1993, cited in Wilzig Avagdor, 2004) provides a four stage model of media development1) Inauguration where the recent medium is given much public attention2) Institutionalization where there is widespread public adoption and routinization of the reinvigorated medium3) Defensiveness where the power is threatened by a rude(a) medium and4) Adaptation the fine line differentiating between gray-haired and new medium.Since the inception of counterbalance mass media, each new media has g hotshot through these stages and has essential its place in the media environment. With every new emerging media, the previous mediums had to co-exist with the new cardinal at the e nd. In his research on mass media, Ahonen (2008) specifies a seventh mass media which is mobile. This idea was proposed in 2006.Various media capability like music, videogames, tv, news, companionable networking, meshwork services and above all(a) advertising is migrating to mobile which is making it a dominant mass media.While discussing the previous mass mediums, Ahonen regards the initial five mass mediums as unidirectional and states that it was only after internet arrived that it acted as congenital threat to all previous mass mediums. This was because internet had certain features that its predecessors did not have like interactivity, search capability, and social networking (discussed in detail later in report) and it could offer all that its predecessors offered. Therefore, cannibalization started occurring with internet. Similarly with the advent of mobile, this medium too can offer what its six predecessors could offer one can read news, magazines, listen to wireless and podcasts, watch TV, movies, play video games and above all consume all content available on internet. To a greater extent it supercedes the interactivity of the web with electronic mail and instant messaging (IM). Therefore, mobile would inherently threaten the internet.The idea of mobile being the 7th mass media is supported by Moore (2007), where he states that the historic engineering science revolution is setting grounds for mobile as a mass media which supports greater reach. Unlike early(a) mass mediums, which are losing their audiences and revenues, mobile like internet is interactive enabling it to fully capitalize on social networking and digital communities. According to Moore, mobile is the only mass media that is carried by the owner at all times and therefore 100% accuracy is possible in measuring the audience.Therefore the above researches claim that the mass media of 2000s is mobile and as with every new media that erupts, it has the power to cannibalize but no t replace the previous ones.2.1.2 Marketing CommunicationEngel et. al., (1994 cited in Koekemoer Bird, 2004) defines marketing communication asthe collective activities, materials and media used by a marketer to inform or remind prospective customers nigh a particular product offering, and to attempt to persuade them to purchase or use it.Marketing communication is the use of the media to target customers and interact with them and the basic aim of this interaction is to deliver brand and marketing messages by the use of the most utile medium. There are various marketing communication tools available to a marketer. These include selling, advertising, sales promotion, direct marketing, public relations, sponsorship, exhibitions, packaging, point of sale and merchandising, word of mouth, e-marketing and corporate identity (Smith Taylor, 2004). The marketers may use different blends of these communication mix elements depending on the strategy they want to use, but the most effect ive communication happens when all the tools are used appropriately and synergistically (Koekemoer Bird, 2004). Moreover, it is substantial to note that marketing communication has over the years changed from being unidirectional to bipartizan, with the consumers being to a greater extent(prenominal) demanding and conscious of choices (Koekomoer Bird, 2004).Therefore, it can be inferred that media is the channel and marketing communication is the use of these channels to direct marketing messages efficiently to target customers. The next particles would build on to these concepts and explain the two major(ip) areas of interest, Integrated Marketing Communication (IMC) and Social Media.2.2 Integrated Marketing Communication (IMC)Social media is one of the many mediums that are used as IMC tools/components in calculative any marketing mix. This section aims to describe the concept of IMC, its emergence and the changing trends in IMC composition (or the communication mix).2.2.1. Defining IMCAs per Kerr Patti (2002) Kerr et. al., (2008), IMC has been one of the most polemic areas of marketing education during the past decade. While many definitions of IMC have been put forth, agreement on the disciplines constructs remains unresolved. This is because IMC is a concept that still lacks rigorous scheme according to IMC authors Cornelissen Lock (Kerr, et. al., 2008).One of the much agreed definitions of IMC and the one to be used/ assumed for this research would include that given by one of the counterbalance advocates of IMC concept, Don Schultz (2004, cited in Kerr, et. al., 2008)IMC is a strategic business process used to plan, develop, execute and measure coordinated, mensural, persuasive brand communication programmes over time with consumers, customers, prospects, and otherwise targeted, relevant external and internal audiences.The key difference in this definition of IMC from that of simple Marketing Communication is highlighted by use of triad words i) strategic, ii) evaluate and iii) measurable. In essence, IMC enforces use of marketing communication mix in such a way that it is strategically designed to achieve certain objectives and is besides measurable to enforce accountability over marketers. These elements are also stressed on by various IMC authors (Schultz, 1996 Duncan Caywood, 1996, cited in Kerr et. al., 2008), who believe that although concept of IMC is not new, but the circumstance that antecedently marketing communication was not coordinated strategically and strategy is now deemed critical, gives this concept a new look.Another definition of IMC given by a well known author on IMC literature, Kliatchko (2005, cited in Kerr, et. al., 2008) reflects the same concept. As per the author IMC is the concept and process of strategically managing audience-focused, channel-centered and results-driven brand communication programmes over time. This definition is a bit more specific and along with strategy and acco untability it emphasis specifically on communication being channel-centered and audience-focused. The common point, however, in intimately every definition of IMC is the fact that it enforces accountability over marketers and hence more and more marketers feel the need of using mediums that offer better measures of performance. excessively different modes of communication are now used strategically to compliment each other. Managing and coordinating the integration of companys communication across different media and channels is an important aspect of IMC. IMC does involve a process/plan aimed at providing consistency and impingement through integration of communication via different mediums (Larich Lynagh, 2009).Moreover, Kitchen and Schultz (1997, cited in Kitchen, 1999 p. 63) believe that interconnected marketing communications has significant value for the organization, specifically in lowering costs and having greater control over the marketing communications program. This is supported by Duncan and Everett (1993, cited in Kitchen, 1999 p. 63) who extend the benefits to include gaining agonistical advantage through IMC.It can be generalized that the idea of IMC used in above theories/definitions revolve round a 360 point marketing communication programs for any of the brand that is strategically designed to achieve desired objectives. Hence, it would be fair to say that IMC includes all sweet of communication programs that targeted for the same objective, regardless of the medium used, be it TV, Print, Radio, Street Marketing, Social Marketing, Internet Marketing, PR, Green Marketing, or any other thing.2.2.2. Emergence of IMC and transformation by Marketing AgenciesThe world- renowned management guru Peter Drucker (1955, cited in Smith Taylor, 2004) believed that any business has only two basic functions marketing and innovation. Even though it was said more than half a century ago, but it still applies in todays world that all marketers should be mindful of the need to measure the effectiveness of all marketing activities. The world of marketing communication has moved from big budgets and little accountability to a more demanding marketing environment where every action has to be justify with proper quantification of benefits of the actions.Earlier, the various tools of marketing communication were regarded as separate functions and were handled by experts in the relevant area. This resulted in boilers suit marketing communications being uncoordinated and inconsistent (Koekomore Bird, 2004). This was then solved with the move towards IMC in 1980s which emphasized coordination of all tools of marketing communication (Belch Belch, 2004).Before the emergence of IMC concept, marketing communications were a lot concentrated on very few mediums of communication but then it was evolution of media management structures in agencies that brought forward the segregation of media agency regard into a) Traditional Media b) New Media.Traditional media includes mediums like television, radio, magazine, newspaper, and other options that agencies had expertise on prior the media revolution in 1980s and 1990s. On the other hand, new media comprised of other mediums like interactive, buzz street marketing, direct response, electronic, and other areas that were adopted by agencies during 1980s and 1990s to make the communication a lot more competitive (Sasser, et. al., 2007). Many companies are now realizing that effectively communicating with customers and other stakeholders involves more than traditional marketing communication tools. Marketers as well as advertising agencies are using the IMC approach and have adopted a complete marketing communication solution, which includes use of both traditional and new media. This is because with the emergence of more technological formats, the audience is being less responsive to traditional methods and the traditional formats too have become fragmented and have start ed targeting specific audience (Belch Belch, 2004).Lately one of the greatest influences of this change on media has been that of Information applied science. This idea is supported by Kitchen (1999) who believes that it is only with more reliance on electronic technology that concepts like interaction and integration in marketing communication has become more main stream. This transformation over the years has been described by classification of marketplaces in three categories by Schultz (1998), who is a well known author on the area of IMC. According to him these categories are a) Historical Marketplace, b) Current Marketplace c) 21st Century Marketplace.In Historical Marketplace marketing organization mostly had information technology, in sense of having IT departments within the organizations. In the Current Marketplace (also the second marketplace), the Channel in reality became a dominant force. This was because information technology, in the form of point-of-sale systems, scanners, retail data gathering resources and the like, had given the Channel more and greater information about the consumer and the marketplace than it was available to the Marketer. The third marketplace (the 21st Century Marketplace), are those of some organizations today, but mostly it is the marketplace of the future. It is, however, the 21st Century Marketplace that is evaluate to bring about the greatest changes. The first two marketplaces were focused on outbound communication systems, such is, not the case with 21st Century marketplace. The communication here would be interactive. These communications would not be controlled by marketer or communication agency but by the customer. Schultz (1996, cited in Kitchen, 1999 p. 63) warned that communication technology and wider technological evolution would continue to drive integrated marketing communication and the old models of communication like homogeneity must be rethought.Its worth noticing that almost all of the new med ia introduced after 1980s has been digital, e.g. Internet, Mobile, Podcasts etc. This is one good reason why New Media is often used interchangeably with Digital Media in theories. New Media is associated with characteristics like interactivity and electronic (Manovich, 2002 cited in Wardrip-Fruin Montfont, 2002) which actually imply digital technology.To sum up, it can be argued that change in media management structures and move towards 360 degree integrated communication is a result of more strategic and measurable approach by companies which is nothing but the adoption of IMC. Also the advent of new media has increased the challenge for marketers, giving them more options with limited budgets and yet enforcing accountability. But have these additional options made an impact or have changed the trends in overall composition of marketing communication? The next section attempts to explore the same.2.2.3 IMC composition Changing trendsMedia has undergone an extensive phase of de velopment in the last ten years. Marketers were previously focusing on promoting their product/service through traditional mediums like TV, Radio, Newspapers, however, now the future of marketers appears to be digital as technology has become an important part of daily lives (Pall McGrath, 2009).Concepts like convergence have come in to bring more versatility in the communication mediums being used. As per Jenkins (2006) who is a renowned author on the topic of media convergence, the term convergence is defined asConvergence represents a paradigm shift a move from medium-specific content toward content that flows across quadruplex media channels, toward the increased interdependence of communications systems, toward multiple ways of accessing media content, and toward ever more complex relations between top-down corporate media and bottom-up participatory culture.The concept surely talks about making the communication mix interdependent bringing in more integration and moving to wards having multiple ways of accessing media, i.e. bringing in more versatility in the marketing mix by using a mix of traditional and new media. Moreover, it refers to the behavior of media audience as being migratory, i.e. shifting to the media that can provide them their desired look. In such an environment, consumers are actively involved in seeking new information and make connections among dispersed media content.Convergence has played its parts in shifting the trends. In the 1990s the digital media revolution paradigm suggested that new media would push by traditional media and that internet would displace television, and by convergence it was meant that old media would be absorbed fully in emerging new media. However, the convergence paradigm proposes that old and new media would interact in ever more complex ways. New media has paved way for convergence as it has broken barriers that were separating different mediums. Since the beginning, each old medium is forced to co- exist with the emerging media. The concept of convergence indicates that the old media is not being displaced, rather their functions and status are being changed with new media options (Jenkins, 2006).Media convergence is more than simply a technological shift altering the relationship between existing technologies, industries, markets and audiences. The cell phone being a telecommunication device also allows its users to play games, download information from the internet and receive and send photographs or text messages. These functions can be performed through other media appliances too. For instance one can listen to The Dixie Chicks through a DVD player, car radio, walkman, computer MP3 files, a web radio station or a music cable television channel (Jenkins, 2004).Convergence has brought dramatic changes in the media ownership and has increased media concentration. One such example is when News Corp, owned by media mogul Rupert Murdoch made its first internet purchase and boug ht MySpace in 2005 (BBC News, 2005). This was because it had realized that significant amount of advertising dollars were being moved from traditional to internet. Yahoo bought social networking sites Flickr, Upcoming.org and del.icio.us to enable content share-out with friends and family (PWC, 2006). Similarly, Walt Disney has become a multimedia giant since last two decades and has acquired various different media companies. It now has several film studios, printing companies, magazines, radio stations, television networks, produce companies, and cable TV networks. This is one of the classic examples of convergence by a media company (Folkerts Stephen, 2006).Focus of marketers towards concepts like convergence and IMC have already made an impact on consumption of traditional media. More worrisome for traditional operators, however, it is the fact that an entirely new media sector has emerged over the past decade with countless new players who are both unregulated and well-funded (Therier Eskelsen, 2008). Hence, some media agencies have witnessed a trend whereby new media is becoming regular part of communication mix.According to Nielsen Wire (2009), one of the top media trends for 2010 would be that companies would have to make optimization of media convergence their top priority. Therefore, it is vital that media companies become a part of this new paradigm shift where converge old mediums with new would be required for greater returns on their investment.2.2.4. Factors that influence IMC compositionThere is certainly a change in the trend of IMC composition. This section tries to explore what are some of the possible factors that may influence the composition of IMC. Study by Sonia Livingstone and Moira Bovill (1999), answers the potential reasons for evolution of digital media over the years and these factors certainly impact the composition of marketing mix too. These includeParental fear for outdoor activities The parents and children often explicit ly link restrictions on the childs access to the world out of doors to increase media use within the home. A lot of parents dont want their children to go out much and then this time is spent watching TV or surfing over the internet.Income lifestyle The usage of media is directly linked to the income level of household and their lifestyle. Working women are likely to have children who will be media-rich users. Children in reconstituted families are particularly likely to have screen entertainment media (TVlinked games machines, gameboys, PCs and television sets) that are not to be found elsewhere in the house. Children from one-parent families are more likely to have less expensive items such as books, walkmans and radios.The rise of bedroom culture This trend evolved in the early 1980s from the European countries, importantly booming the media-rich users, where children were given access to their private TVs, computers and other media.Absence of leisure activities boredom People that do not have a lot of social activities, engage themselves with media. Also loners are more likely than all other groups to turn to television, videos and interactive media when they are in need of excitement.Appeal of enhanced experience The technology is becoming more interactive with each passing year. Interactivity incorporates several dimensions which characterize the changing modes of involvement with media the exchange of roles involved in a two-way interaction the degree of user control and management of content and timing of the interaction thus enhancing the experience.The factors described above focus on youth by and large and this is due to the fact that technology adoption has proven to start from youngsters, because they tend to be accustomed to the new trends and are the early adopters.2.3 Social Media

Mentoring in Practice

Mentoring in PracticeThembelani DubeMentoring is described by Kinnell and Hughes(2010) as the transferring of knowledge ,skills and military positions from health professionals to the scholars that they argon operative with. The royal college of nursing states that the role of the wise man is to enable the pupil to make sense of their practice through the application of theory, assessing, evaluating and giving constructive feedback and facilitating blame on practice, performance and experiences. the NMC(2008) adds that a mentor is a nurse ,midwife or specialist public health nurse who facilitates acquirement, supervises and assesses students in a practice getation.The nurse and Midwifery council (NMC,2006) fill set standards for Nursing and Midwifery practice education, the standards to support development and sagacity in practice(SLAIP). The eight standards argon a mandatory emergency for both students and mentors. The standards cl archaean outline the mentors responsib ility for developing and ensuring the practice competency of students and forget a more than defined statement regarding responsibility for decisions that lead to entry to the professional register. These domains are going to be discussed individually in depth.Establishing legal working kindsMentorship is the butt that allows transference of knowledge, skills and attitudes from health professionals to the students that they are working with (kinnell and Hughes 2010). Wilson (2014) in his study concluded that mentoring involves modelling nursing practice, selecting learning opportunities for students, articulating ones own practical and theoretical knowledge and assessing students competence in practice. By being role models, mentors provide an observable image of imitation, demonstrating skills and qualities for the student to emulate, Ness (2010). Wilkes(2006) points out that it is important to establish an effective working relationship where a mentor offers support but can also be objective and analytical. The student mentor relationship is crucial to the students learning experience particularly because the mentors role includes legal opinion of practice. Gopee (2011) listed some of the qualities of a mentor as nurturing, role modelling, focusing on the professional using of the student, sustaining a caring relationship over time and functioning as teacher, sponsor, encourager and friend,Beskine (2009) suggests that taste is the gate sort to a successful placement. Starting off well promotes the persona of the placement. To establish an effective working relationship with the student a mentor should start by orientating a student to the placement, this provides an opportunity for the student to run any concerns. However the RCN (2007) recommends that in preparation of the placement a checklist should be discussed on the stolon day of working and this should include an up to date orientation pack. Walsh (2010) adds that there are two major face ts to establishing effective working relationships, managing the students first day and week in a productive and take look and mentors good use of communication skills and active listening. Gopee (2011) states that skills and techniques of communication are some of the most important tools the person undertaking the mentors role has to utilise.Facilitation of learningThe major role of the mentor is to assist and encourage students to link theory and practice in a practical setting (Botma et-al,2013) the author adds that the student should be passionate, eager to learn, participate and be committed to make the relationship work. A study done by Jokelainen et-al(2010) identifies that facilitation of learning includes set up planning of training and placement learning , which includes ensuring planning and organising learning opportunities and being aware of details of the student and their training documents. Naming mentors and organising the students first day at work and ensuring that the student has the same shifts as the mentor.The NMC(2008) code of practice specifies that the registered nurse must be departing to share skills and experience for the attain of others and has a concern to facilitate students and others to develop their competence. Wilson (2013) recommends that in order to facilitate learning, nurses should include students in their daily work, dogma clinical skills, giving written and communicative feedback. Aston and Hallam (2011) agrees that facilitation of learning includes planning relevant experiences for students, providing support and assessing clinical performance. However Kinnell and Hughes(2010) argues that finding out how a person learns is the key, this area should not be underestimated as it requires thought, taste and clinical background. The authors confirms that it is worth spending some time to think the student, the level they are at and what the best strategy would be to ensure their learning and using is facilitat ed appropriately depending on where they are at on their soma.Walsh(2010) identifies that there are many different theories and models of learning , but the three major ones are behaviourist, human-centred and cognitive. Gopee(2011) states that the humanistic learning theories have been developed with regards to how learning occurs. Carl Rogers student centred approach to learning reveals that a learning milieu where a learner feels able to tell their mind and give their views is a healthy one. Thus mentors provides a safe, encouraging environment, guides the student to resources and opportunities and facilitates the students exploration of them. Marslow s humanistic hierarchy of inescapably model(1943) identifies that student mentor relationship and the learning environment are important elements of learning as this would ease anxieties and give the student a sense of belong therefore enabling the student to achieve their learning needs.Malcolm knowless andragogy learning theor y(1990) highlights that it is important to acknowledge students as adult learners.it describes adult learners as being more self directive, motivated and having a wealth of experience. Therefore it is important how mentors relate to and teach their students most of whom are readily regarded as adult learners.Assessment and functionKinnell and Hughes(2010) believes that it is a statutory requirement to assess healthcare students, it is necessary to assess student nurses during their training in order to licence them as competent practitioners and afterward protect the public. Assessments highlight weaknesses and strengths and provides a baseline for future learning needs Nicklin and Kenworthy(1995).There are many methods of assessment including testimonies, reflective writing or discussions, direct bill and feedback from colleagues. Gopee(2011) points out that there are a number of other essential facets of assessment, this part is going to discuss formative and summative. The pri mary aim of the formative assessment is to promote learning so that the learner can do the skill safely and effectively and knows the rationale for each step of the intervention. Summative are conducted to agree whether the learner is now competent to work without direct supervision. it is summative that constitute a periodic record of the students achievement of the aims and outcomes of a course or module.The NMC(2008) requires that most assessment of competence are to be undertaken through direct observation in practice and therefore registered nurses have a duty to facilitate students to develop their competence, they are responsible for ensuring that the individual who undertakes the work is able to do so and they are given appropriate support and supervision.Andrews et-al (2010)comments that assessment has sire a major element of the mentors role. Many take on the role willingly but when faced with the notions of continuing assessment process become overwhelmed by the respon sibility. Many nurses have difficulty taking responsibility for the student learning, especially making decisions about competency required while extoller et-al (2008) argues that while mentors are crucial to developing students achievement of fitness to practice, they are hampered by lack of time to undertake the role.Walsh(2010) identifies that because the assessment process is for a whole host of good reasons it must be very robust. lt should accurately enable mentors to make realistic judgements about the students level of competence and thus whether to pass them or not. For the student a good assessment process also gives them valuable feedback, it helps them to advert what they need to do and enables them to set realistic future goals. NMC (2008) validity for assessment ensures that assessments measurements what its designed to measure, there are two important key issues, how to measure and what to measure.The code of conduct points out that as professionals, nurses are pe rsonally accountable for their actions and omissions in practice areas and must always be able to justify decisions therefore it is important that weak students are identified early and given the dependable encouragement and support, and concerns are dealt with in a timely manner. Sharples et-al(2007)points out that it is wrong to assume that all students entering clinical placement will have the knowledge, skills and attitude to be successful. They will always be students who struggle to achieve competence and mentors who fail to evaluate a learners unsatisfactory performance accurately are said to be guilty of misleading the learner, and say-soly putting the patient care at risk and thus failing in their righteousness to the NMC (2006).The Duffy report of (2004) failing to fail concluded that there are several reasons why some mentors are failing to fail students like not identifying problems early to the student therefore not giving the student sufficient time to improve, leav ing it too late and that mentors may give students the benefit of the doubt when it comes to a final judgement regarding their clinical competence. Failing to fail creates poor standards, it leads to having practitioners entering the profession that are not fit for practice (Wells and McLoughin,2014)Evaluation of learningMentors have the responsibility of developing the practice learning experience they are providing for students, evaluating how effective or ineffective the practice environment helps to fulfil this role (Aston and Hallam,2011).NMC(2008b)requires that registered nurses participate in self- and peer evaluation to facilitate personal development and contribute towards the development of others. In a mentors role the term evaluation is utilise in the context of the students practice learning experience. Evaluation assist in identifying areas that need to be improved as well as what is working well, it enables mentors to improve their mentorship skills and the learning experience for future students. NMC (2010) points out that feedback from students and mentors is used to inform the programme and enhance the practice learning experience. Elcock and Sharpes (2011) adds that just as evaluation is the key for improvement, without it there is a risk of making the same mistake over and over again.Aston and Hallam(2011) comments that evaluation is not to be confused with assessing as this is to measure the overall value of the learning experience or how worthwhile the practice learning opportunity has been. The process of evaluation involves obtaining feedback from relevant people, reviewing and discussing the feedback and planning action to utensil change, and this can either be formal or informal Price (2006). Kinnell and Hughes states that mentors and students are exposed to a variety of evaluation approaches, from patient care to facilitation of learning. Students are required by the universities to evaluate their experiences in practice at the en d of each placement and this contributes to the university quality assurance process Elcock and Sharples(2011). Students are asked to reflect on their practice placement and comment on the experience that they have gained ground on four dimensions, the mentorship process, the available learning resources, their mentor and the quality of the practice placement.it will be at this stage that action of plan is developed if there are issues to be addressed.Creating an environment for learning.Walsh (2010) states that this domain entails helping a student identify their learning needs. Students develop their attitudes, competence, interpersonal communication skills, critical thinking and clinical problem solving abilities in the clinical learning environment (Dunn and Hansford,1997)feeling part of the squad is the key factor in students feeling that they fit in and they are then able to learn. Aston and Hallam (2011) have identified that another way in which mentors can provide consiste ncy in an approach to providing good learning opportunities for students is to identify what experiences you can provide that will enable students to achieve their competencies.A rapidly embraced and welcomed student is one who will be able to take advantage of the learning opportunities early on in their placement, in contrary a student that feels excluded and unwelcomed will likely shy away, withdraw and have raised anxieties regarding their chances of achieving learning outcomes. kinnell and Hughes(2010) points out that mentors need to appreciate the importance of understanding the healthcare students and the potential individual needs that they have as this will curve the student mentor relationship.Nicklin and Kenworthy(1995) identified some issues that characterise a good learning environment and they included a supportive mentor, that is able to identify learning opportunities for the student and is able to respond to differing learning styles of individual students. Finding out what stage the student is at in their training and what their particular needs and interests are aids in creating an environment for learning for the student. Walsh (2010) states that consistency, a patient and understanding mentor, protecting student supernumerary status and giving a student a time to reflect creates a good learning environment.Hand(2006) indicated that factors that are important for the creation of a positive learning environment are said to be a humanistic approach, where all staff are kind, genuine, approachable and promote self-esteem and federal agency to students, good team spirits with respect and trust, high standards of care being provided using efficient but flexible approaches as well as teaching students as a key feature.Context of practice and evidence based practiceThe slaip document cements that mentors need to contribute to the development of an environment in which effective practice is fostered, implemented, evaluated and disseminated. Being a mentor does not only mean direct involvement in facilitation learning and assessment but it also challenges them to consider their own evidence base and standards of practice Elcock and Sharples (2011). Kinnell and Hughes suggests that mentors must therefore remember that the end result of evidence based practice is the ability to offer research- based findings in order to justify aspects of care delivery and rationale experiences encountered by patients throughout their healthcare journey. Walsh (2010) says that by adhering to the local policies and procedures and mandatory training is another way for mentors to achieve their use of evidence based practice.In context of practice, mentors are required by the Nursing and midwifery council to demonstrate their ongoing knowledge, skills and competence and that this should be reviewed and assessed at annual updates and triennial reviews. Duffy (2012) suggests that nurses should have a portfolio of evidence to demonstrate modify and maintenance of competence as a mentor. The aim of annual updating is to ensure that all mentors and practice teachers continue to understand issues relating to supporting students, understand the implications of changes to NMC requirements, have current knowledge of NMC approved programmes and make valid and reliable assessments of competence and fitness for safe and effective practice Elcock and Sharples(2011)and NMC(2008).LeadershipLeadership is an integral role that mentors have to undertake. Kinnell and Hughes(2011) identify that the mentors role is forever changing as they are anticipate to be co-ordinaters of patient care, a care manager, an expert in their own clinical field and they are also expected to teach and assess healthcare students within their commitment to mentorship. Gopee(2011) establishes that mentors leadership role is crucial in practice at facilitating students learning.One of the NMC(2008) outcomes of leardership domain requires that mentors provide feedba ck about the effectiveness of learning and assessment in practice. Anderson (2011)adds that helpfull feedback should be based on a recognised model of assessment feedback such as approval sandwich and Duffy(2013) confirms that mentors need to provide students with regular feedback on their performance, this is integral to the assessment process.Kinnell and Hughes(2011) identified a number of leadership styles such as autocratic, consultative, democratic and laissez-faire, a mentor should have an insight into different leadership ship styles and evaluate the one that appears to be dominant within their practice placement and how that style could influence the students experience.This assignment has highlighted the impotence of the SLAIP domains as a guidance for mentors. It has explored the qualities and the skills that mentors need to fullful their roles in order to capitalize on the students learning experience whilst working towards developing a competent practitioner.2700(words) Page 1

Life in Maycomb in To Kill a Mockingbird :: English Literature

What impressions are there of flavor in Maycomb in To Kill a mockingbirdMaycomb is seen as a tired and sleepy townspeople, where nothing happens.Maycomb is a very isolated town itself, so it is insular. There are nonearby towns or villages so are very al integrity. This makes the town soboring and tired. Nothing very exciting happens in Maycomb, if thereis something reasonably different from to Maycombs ordinary routine thenthe community get both crazy but also scared. For example when itsnowed Scout was scared that the sky was falling, but Jem knew what itwas and got very excited and managed to make a snowman. When theRadleys shack is supposedly broken into by Negroes, and the mad dogincident are both examples of Maycombs panic at something different.The examination is a very prominent example of something that Maycomb findsexciting and new, the new part being a white man trying to prove a melanise man innocent. The Maycomb community make a family day out orpicnic out of the tr ial, even thought is a very serious and afflictivecourt case.It was a gala occasion.The courthouse square was covered with picnic parties sitting onnewspapers, washing down biscuit and syrup with warm milk from cropjars.Nothing has changed in Maycomb, it is very traditional and tries tokeep as much of its past as possible. Maycomb town is obsessed withbackground it clings to old views the main one being prejudiceagainst blacks. Maycomb needs the likes of Atticus and his children tobring the town forward. For example the Maycomb County Courthousea view indicating a people determined to preserve every physiologicscrap of the past.Racism in Maycomb has existed since the Indians. It shows how Maycombis based on extreme racial and prejudice.If General Jackson hadnt run the Creeks.Maycomb is also shown as a town that has not been brought up topresent times by the state of the actual town. It is very poor and indisrepair, it only has one taxi. When Miss Maudies house catches onfire the fire engine does not reach Maycomb for a while becauseMaycomb is a very isolated town and not very master(prenominal) so thereforethere is now nearby fire station.In rainy weather the streets turned to red slop grass grew on thesidewalks, the courthouse sagged in the square.Maycomb seems to be an innocent, peaceful town when first seen. HarperLee proves to show this is a misconception made by outsiders.Throughout the novel we learn the ways and life of Maycomb.Maycomb County had recently been told it had nothing to fear but fear

Kate Chopins The Story of an Hour Essay -- The Story of an Hour 2014

In the era in which this short story was written, man and wife was viewed differently as people view it today. Chopin is probably expressing her view on marriage through the character of Mrs. Mallard and her actions upon discovering that her husband had just past away. This was a time where woman were considered second hand citizens compared to men and where men may have voiced their authority and influence on their wife, not really boastful them a chance to have their own opinion. Where in Mrs. Mallards case may have caused her to bottle up her negative feelings of her husband. Chopin does not write much on how Mrs. Mallard felt during the marriage but she hinted that she was not very happy with it, she mentioned, And yet she had loved him sometimes (Chopin 537). It seemed that they had a rocky relationship, if she had only loved him sometimes, and in a time where divorce was practically unheard of and considered an abomination, the only way out of an unstable marriage was through the death of a spouse. So when she had current the message of her husbands accident, she acted w...

Cuban Race Relations Essay -- Spanish Cuba Cuban Racial Essays

Cuban Race RelationsI. Introduction- Retracing a History of racial spurn in Cuban Society The study of stimulate transaction in contemporary Cuba indelibly requires an understanding of the self-propelling history of race dealing in this ethnically pervasive island of the Caribbean. Cuban society, due to its historical antecedents of European colonialism and American imperialism, has traditionally experienced anguished and even tumultuous race relations. racial inharmoniousness has plagued Cuban society ever since the advent of the Colonial institution of the plantation scheme. Thus, in order to acquire some understanding of Cubas dynamic race relations one must study and investigate the evolution of racial tensions and the quintessential impact that the revolution of 1959 had on Cubas social structure.II. The stir of Spanish Colonialism in Cuba Legitimizing Racial Schism- The specter of colonial repression, compel by the institutions of slaveholding and the pla ntation system, has incessantly haunted Cuban society, culture, politics, and ideology. The legacies of slavery and the plantation system imposed a structural and systematic practice of racial discrimination against Afro-Cubans, which suppressed any ambition for the pursuit of liberty and equality. Despite Cubas abolition of slavery in 1886 and its winning of independence in 1902, Afro-Cubans remained destitute, marginalized, and in the periphery of political autonomy within Cuban society. Thus, the origins of Cubas disdainful race relations push through during the Spanish colonial tenure in Cuba. The era of Spanish colonial rule in Cuba can be characterized by many institutions, such as slavery and the plantation system, which presupposed a notion of ra... ...n and Mesa-Lago, Carmelo. rotatory Change in Cuba. Ed. Carmelo Mesa-Lago. (University of Pittsburgh Press saucily York.1971), 347. 11. .de la Fuente, Alejandro. Race, National Discourse, and Politics in Cuba. (Latin American Perspectives v25 (1998) p. 43-70.), 55. 12. .Amaro, Nelson and Mesa-Lago, Carmelo. Revolutionary Change in Cuba. Ed. Carmelo Mesa-Lago. (University of Pittsburgh Press New York.1971), 348. 13. .de la Fuente, Alejandro. Race, National Discourse, and Politics in Cuba. (Latin American Perspectives v25 (1998) p. 43-70.), 55. 14. .Ibid 15. .Ibid 16. .Ibid 17. .Knight, Franklin. The Caribbean the Genesis of a Fragmented Nationalism. (Oxford University Press New York. 1990), 307. 18. .Information interpreted from the Afro Cuba Web Page http//www.afrocubaweb.com/afrocVoice.htm Cuban Race Relations Essay -- Spanish Cuba Cuban Racial EssaysCuban Race RelationsI. Introduction- Retracing a History of Racial Scorn in Cuban Society The study of race relations in contemporary Cuba indelibly requires an understanding of the dynamic history of race relations in this ethnically pervasive island of the Caribbean. Cuban society, due to its h istorical antecedents of European colonialism and American imperialism, has traditionally experienced anguished and even tumultuous race relations. Racial disharmony has plagued Cuban society ever since the advent of the Colonial institution of the plantation system. Thus, in order to acquire some understanding of Cubas dynamic race relations one must study and investigate the evolution of racial tensions and the quintessential impact that the revolution of 1959 had on Cubas social structure.II. The Impact of Spanish Colonialism in Cuba Legitimizing Racial Schism- The specter of colonial repression, imposed by the institutions of slavery and the plantation system, has incessantly haunted Cuban society, culture, politics, and ideology. The legacies of slavery and the plantation system imposed a structural and systematic practice of racial discrimination against Afro-Cubans, which suppressed any ambition for the pursuit of liberty and equality. Despite Cubas abolition of slaver y in 1886 and its winning of independence in 1902, Afro-Cubans remained destitute, marginalized, and in the periphery of political autonomy within Cuban society. Thus, the origins of Cubas disdainful race relations emerge during the Spanish colonial tenure in Cuba. The era of Spanish colonial rule in Cuba can be characterized by many institutions, such as slavery and the plantation system, which presupposed a notion of ra... ...n and Mesa-Lago, Carmelo. Revolutionary Change in Cuba. Ed. Carmelo Mesa-Lago. (University of Pittsburgh Press New York.1971), 347. 11. .de la Fuente, Alejandro. Race, National Discourse, and Politics in Cuba. (Latin American Perspectives v25 (1998) p. 43-70.), 55. 12. .Amaro, Nelson and Mesa-Lago, Carmelo. Revolutionary Change in Cuba. Ed. Carmelo Mesa-Lago. (University of Pittsburgh Press New York.1971), 348. 13. .de la Fuente, Alejandro. Race, National Discourse, and Politics in Cuba. (Latin American Perspectives v25 (1998) p. 43 -70.), 55. 14. .Ibid 15. .Ibid 16. .Ibid 17. .Knight, Franklin. The Caribbean the Genesis of a Fragmented Nationalism. (Oxford University Press New York. 1990), 307. 18. .Information taken from the Afro Cuba Web Page http//www.afrocubaweb.com/afrocVoice.htm