The At-risk Youths in the United States

In the United states of America there are some factors that prone to affecting the youths, and this is because of there state in human development, which is provided by nature.The youths normally engage in varied activities at their youth stage in trying to understand the ideologies behind the various concepts of life in them satisfying their curiosity. Some of this actives are likely either to benefit them or certain to make their lives horrible. At the youth stage, the youths can be perceived to be persons whose rationality have not full developed in them identifying what is good of them because of less live experiences and most serious factor is their inability to resist to the peer influences which might be either positive or   negative.The youths in their adventure to satisfy curiosity they normally find themselves in the traps of teen pregnancies, substance abuse, delinquency and criminal activities. It can happen that it was not their wish to have   found themselves in thi s situation but its due to the anxiety in them in trying to venture and discover the real life which they have been hearing the elderly talking about.The traps in which they find themselves in , which can also be perceived as social evils can be solved if these youths find a good guide on what is expected of them, and more especially to make them occupied in constructive activities which are certain to mould their livelihood at the current state and in the future.Lack of proper guidance and influencing facilities is what sways them into such traps of life given that their rationality have not full developed, thus a need for them to be provided with the necessary information in them making informed choices.This paper is addressing   the four main traps in which the United States of America youth fall into, and they include substance abuse, teen pregnancies, delinquency, and   criminal activities. The paper treats these traps as being caused by certain acquired traits, and where t he traits acquired depends the kind of environment in which the youths resides, the ability of their parents to guide them, the kind of peers they spend time with, access to various social facilities and also at some level economic status of the families where this youths belong.Delinquency is a terminology which is used to explain the behavior of the children and the adolescents that is likely to be judged in the criminal law among the adults. The age for the crime to be grouped under delinquency normally vary from one state to other and   the age limit vary from 14 years to 21 years in some states, although the some states the the age group 16-20 years is considered as adults in some states.The age group of 16-21 is perceives to be the age group which the worst delinquency crimes, where theft is the most committed crime. Rape is common in the late adolescent age. The reasons that lead to the youths   into such crimes can be explained by the varied psychological, social and eco nomic factors. A number of researchers have been carried on about the factor where most of them have associated it to issues like the disorganized family situations and also the economic status of the neighbourhood.(http://encyclopedia2.thefreedictionary.com/Juvenile+Deliquency   )   The crimes associated with delinquency in the United states are common the inner cities. the decision to treat delinquency crimes separately compared to the adult crimes was implemented in 1899, where is advocated for informal procedures and correction other than handling it like a punishment for the crime committed, and mostly involves handling delinquency crimes in juvenile correction institutions in moulding them to change their behavior to make them potential future responsible citizens of the United states. In this juvenile correction institutions there are established rehabilitation programs that both provided vocational training and also psychiatric treatments.Substance abuse is also another trap in which a large number of the youth fall into, where it is estimated that almost 8.6 million youths ages between 12 to 17   abuse substances, which is one third of the United States age group, as per to the date realised by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration in 2007.More than 650,000 youths normally engage in alcohol use, and a number of at least 9 million also engage in delinquent behavior within this age group (http://alcoholism.about.com/od/teens/a/blsam050404.htm ). The data from the Alcohol use and   delinquency Behaviors among the youths shows that there is a very high correlation between the delinquency participation   and also the participation in substance abuse, as the very youths who engage in substance abuse normally find themselves in delinquent activities and most likely because of the drive that they get from the alcohol influence.The substance abuse is a serious problem that has to be addressed as noted by the Substance Abuse   and men tal health administration Administrator, Charles Curie, in him commenting that heavy alcohol use among the youths is not just illegal but also a cause to fighting, stealing, selling drugs and the carrying of the handgun, where in this case heavy alcohol means taking more than five drinks in a single sitting for more than five time in the past thirty days (http://alcoholism.about.com/od/news/a/nasd2005.htm ).The teen pregnancies has also been an issue among the United States youths that draws attention for its address. The has has been a decline in the teenage pregnancies, abortion and also child birth among the youths since 1991, and this is attributed to the reason that youth have been in the recent past frequent users of contraceptives, and also many have opted to abstain from sex during their middle and early adolescence. This change have been experiences across all the races of the United States.The Teenage have been declining across the years in every state including the Distri cts of Colombia and also the Virgin lands. Despite the good news of declining youth teen pregnancies, the United states still remain to lead in the youth pregnancy cases among the industrialised nations, which implies that it has not got into full control of the situation compared to the industrialized nations.The ages of 18 and 19 years are the ones which are prone to teenage pregnancies other than any other age groups in the United states, which accounts for 66 percent   of the United states teen births, where most teenage mothers normally ail from socially and economically disadvantaged family background, thus being caught within the consequences of this traps (http://www.advocatesforyouth.org/teenpregnancy.htm ).Therefore the youth pregnancy is an issue to be addressed within the national scope at it also has adverse effects in making the youths quite irresponsible citizens given that their abilities are never discovered and exploited due to diverted attentions which destruct them from achieving   future set goals, thus an important issue to address.

Necklace: Writing Process Essay

Choose one of the following topics and write an extended (500-word, multi-paragraph) essay that expands on the chosen topic. Please use all of the steps in the writing process (pre-writing, proof-reading, revising and editing, etc. ). IN THE CONCLUSION OF YOUR ESSAY, DESCRIBE YOUR PERSONAL PREFERENCES IN LISTENING TO OR WATCHING FICTION AND DRAMA. Your grade on this lesson is one sixth (1/6) of your grade for this course. If your grade on this lesson is â€Å"D† or â€Å"F†, you must repeat it until you earn at least a â€Å"C†. A. What is life like in Ireland for â€Å"Eveline† and the boy in â€Å"Araby†? Think about their class/social position. Think about how the people around them treat them. Think about their frustrations and their dreams and possible futures. B. Discuss what happens to Mathilde in â€Å"The Diamond Necklace†. Why did it happen? How could it have been different? What would you have done in this situation? C. Explicate (explain) â€Å"Harlem† (a. k. a. â€Å"A Dream Deferred† by Langston Hughes. What is the main idea (theme) of the poem? Identify and discuss each of the 5 similes. D. The writer in you – Discuss your attitude toward writers and the writing and/or what you have learned about the writing process from this study guide. Do you like to write? If so, do you prefer poetry, stories, non-fiction? WhChoose one of the following topics and write an extended (500-word, multi-paragraph) essay that expands on the chosen topic. Please use all of the steps in the writing process (pre-writing, proof-reading, revising and editing, etc. ). IN THE CONCLUSION OF YOUR ESSAY, DESCRIBE YOUR PERSONAL PREFERENCES IN LISTENING TO OR WATCHING FICTION AND DRAMA. Your grade on this lesson is one sixth (1/6) of your grade for this course. If your grade on this lesson is â€Å"D† or â€Å"F†, you must repeat it until you earn at least a â€Å"C†. A. What is life like in Ireland for â€Å"Eveline† and the boy in â€Å"Araby†? Think about their class/social position. Think about how the people around them treat them. Think about their frustrations and their dreams and possible futures. B. Discuss what happens to Mathilde in â€Å"The Diamond Necklace†. Why did it happen? How could it have been different? What would you have done in this situation? C. Explicate (explain) â€Å"Harlem† (a.k. a. â€Å"A Dream Deferred† by Langston Hughes. What is the main idea (theme) of the poem? Identify and discuss each of the 5 similes. D. The writer in you – Discuss your attitude toward writers and the writing and/or what you have learned about the writing process from this study guide. Do you like to write? If so, do you prefer poetry, stories, non-fiction? WhChoose one of the following topics and write an extended (500-word, multi-paragraph) essay that expands on the chosen topic. Please use all of the steps in the writing process (pre-writing, proof-reading, revising and editing, etc. ). IN THE CONCLUSION OF YOUR ESSAY, DESCRIBE YOUR PERSONAL PREFERENCES IN LISTENING TO OR WATCHING FICTION AND DRAMA. Your grade on this lesson is one sixth (1/6) of your grade for this course. If your grade on this lesson is â€Å"D† or â€Å"F†, you must repeat it until you earn at least a â€Å"C†. A. What is life like in Ireland for â€Å"Eveline† and the boy in â€Å"Araby†? Think about their class/social position. Think about how the people around them treat them. Think about their frustrations and their dreams and possible futures. B. Discuss what happens to Mathilde in â€Å"The Diamond Necklace†. Why did it happen? How could it have been different? What would you have done in this situation? C. Explicate (explain) â€Å"Harlem† (a. k. a. â€Å"A Dream Deferred† by Langston Hughes. What is the main idea (theme) of the poem? Identify and discuss each of the 5 similes. D. The writer in you – Discuss your attitude toward writers and the writing and/or what you have learned about the writing process from this study guide. Do you like to write? If so, do you prefer poetry, stories, non-fiction? WhChoose one of the following topics and write an extended (500-word, multi-paragraph) essay that expands on the chosen topic. Please use all of the steps in the writing process (pre-writing, proof-reading, revising and editing, etc. ). IN THE CONCLUSION OF YOUR ESSAY, DESCRIBE YOUR PERSONAL PREFERENCES IN LISTENING TO OR WATCHING FICTION AND DRAMA. Your grade on this lesson is one sixth (1/6) of your grade for this course. If your grade on this lesson is â€Å"D† or â€Å"F†, you must repeat it until you earn at least a â€Å"C†. A. What is life like in Ireland for â€Å"Eveline† and the boy in â€Å"Araby†? Think about their class/social position. Think about how the people around them treat them. Think about their frustrations and their dreams and possible futures. B. Discuss what happens to Mathilde in â€Å"The Diamond Necklace†. Why did it happen? How could it have been different? What would you have done in this situation? C. Explicate (explain) â€Å"Harlem† (a. k. a. â€Å"A Dream Deferred† by Langston Hughes. What is the main idea (theme) of the poem? Identify and discuss each of the 5 similes. D. The writer in you – Discuss your attitude toward writers and the writing and/or what you have learned about the writing process from this study guide. Do you like to write? If so, do you prefer poetry, stories, non-fiction?

Use of animals in medical research Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Use of animals in medical research - Essay Example The first perspective is the animal welfare that is generally proposed and furthered by the animal rights groups. Most countries have laws to protect animals from unnecessary cruel. However, these animal rights groups maintain that the various legislations that have been put in place have not succeeded in prevent many horrific cases of animal abuse witnessed in research laboratories. They are of the opinion that most medical breakthroughs would still have been made without the use of animals and other solutions and alternative to animals can be found because research on animals often yields irrelevant results. The animal welfare view exists in respect to human’s right to use animals for human benefits but with the responsibility of doing so in a humane way. Animal rights activists believe that animal rights directly compare to those of a human being and therefore it is wrong to perform a procedure that sacrifices the animal’s life or puts it in danger even if the proced ure is to help save a human life. Various organizations support research procedures if it means there is a regular refining technique that causes minimum discomfort and use of painkillers and anaesthetic for invasive procedure. There have been minimal restrictions on animal experimentations with various laws broadening the mandate to use appropriate pain-relievers, include commercially bred and exhibited animals and providing the necessary laboratory animal-care standards and the reduction of unnecessary animal research experiments.

WHAT MATTERS IN AMERICA Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

WHAT MATTERS IN AMERICA - Research Paper Example In this chapter, Goshgarian talks about the impacts of social networking sites on people’s lifestyles. Several social networking sites such as MySpace, Facebook, Twitter and other social sites are currently available in the internet, and they provide an effective means through which people virtually interact with each other. The impact of internet on the social life has been a controversial debate in the American society. Many people have contradicting opinions on its effect on the contemporary American society and culture. A review of studies indicated that social networking sites have less impacts on the social life than many people usually believe. Internet is the latest means of interpersonal communication system following telegraphs and telephones. Other researches also indicate that social networking sites have also changed the patterns of life; however, the patterns of social life still remain the same despite of these internet-induced changes (Goshgarian 68). Social networking sites are speculated to have positive impacts on people’s everyday lives, since it improves the quality and frequency of interpersonal communications among different people. Through virtual connections, people easily access their colleagues leading to engagements and happiness in society and families (Goshgarian 27). According to Goshgarian, electronic communication result in weaker social ties, since many people lack adequate time to physically visit and interact with their friends. He writes that â€Å"More and More, people build their social network around their colleagues instead of their neighbors and families† (Goshgarian 331). The internet also allows many people to work from their homes, and this gives them less time to physically interact with other people. In addition, the internet also enables people to virtually interact more easily than through other means of communication, have romantic affairs, access their bank accounts and

Coninental Airlines Case Study Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Coninental Airlines Case Study - Research Paper Example n the last decade of the 20th Century, where Continental got out of the bankruptcy channel and started its way out to growth, the company as comparatively to EDS was just one of the company seeking solutions. As certain programming and IT management is not the core part of an Airline company, these operations were inevitably going to be outsourced to professional skills providing consultants and implementers. Now laying within the company, Continental after being stable towards its economic inflow through the Go Forward Plan was looking towards innovation. This also caused for major managerial change with much more skilled and innovative people. The difference is then directly seen when the core group of Continental was downsized and better people were hired who required newer, better and quicker solutions to the problems. When compared to EDS, at the end of first five years, Continental started to grow somewhat of a critical thinking system through the leadership of Bethune and Bren neman. That happened as they returned the company to profitability. Wejman being in charge and comparing the history through the scope of Continental in the relationship to EDS is of much regard towards the future five years. The most important of that being is stability towards Continentals constant change of managerial staff, executive office staff and creating constant long run solutions with systematic modifications throughout the year(s). Continental being a growing company, now was looking forward for IT solutions in all aspect to provide maximum concentration towards customer relations. Clearing making the prime priority to gain trust of the customers to have them fly often with Continental ensuring quality and time-saving incentives. Having made a World Wide Web domain, the IT outsourcing then was necessary to have a smoother in house work load. (Consulting, 2009) This major change was not necessary a easy solution to play with on EDS part and required sudden changes from the

Strategic Leadership - Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Strategic Leadership - - Case Study Example The working conditions are free and very safe whereby the employees can enjoy doing their work. The company offers equal opportunity for development within the organisation. Another notable aspect of the organisational culture at J&J is that the employees have the autonomy to make contributions towards the decisions that affect their operations. By virtue of allowing the employees to contribute towards decision making, the organisation will benefit in that the employees will have a sense of belonging to it hence will continue serving it faithfully. This culture adds value to the organisation in many ways. Performance of the employees is greatly improved and this allows the organisation to meet its goals and objectives. When employees have a sense of belonging to the organisation, they are committed to their work and this adds value to the organisation as well. When the organisation is in a position to meet the needs of the employees as a result of the optimum performance of the emplo yees, it can be noted that the organisation will have a competitive advantage over the other competitors which greatly adds value to the operations of the organisation as a whole. ... Thus, through creating a sense of belonging to the organisation greatly enhances the maintenance of this culture. 2. Ventrella as the president of the new Hospital Services Group is likely to face problems of resistance to change. Since HSG has been established as an independent company, there were numerous issues to be settled, most of which were related to the companies involved. For instance, decisions had to be made especially about who should own the inventory in the warehouses, what payment and credit terms would be or whether the supply company field sales men would introduce these to the customers. Indeed, there was need to attract competent people to meet this delicate operation. Likewise, one of the most challenging roles of a leader is to guide the organisation through a major change. Organisations operate in a dynamic environment which is constantly changing and for them to remain viable, change is inevitable in order to be able to keep pace with the developments taking p lace in the business environment. In this case, the leader plays a pivotal role in ensuring the success of the organisation undergoing a change process and this is a major problem likely to be faced by Ventrella given that the employees will resist the change idea during the preliminary stages. In most cases, change initiative is not readily accepted by the employees hence the need for Ventrella to carefully entice them to buy the idea. The workers form the backbone of an organisation and this is the reason why the leaders have to effectively influence them to share the same vision for the organisation. In some instances, workers are sceptical about change for fear of losing their jobs or being rendered powerless by the initiative as is the case since Ventrella seeks to centralise

A journal Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

A journal - Essay Example Initially I used to jot down a few points in the margin to make me remember things, but learning to create visual learning pegs by labeling notes along the margins, using contrasting colors and styles took my learning strategies to a different level. Other learning skills such as associating different patterns with physical objects, or filling in information from texts and handouts and constantly discussing the topic with colleagues had never occurred to me before and which made learning for me a tedious job. This new way of learning helps me not only to store matter well in my mind but also to recall the matter easily. I think condensing techniques are useful tools that facilitate memorization because when I think of the way I used to try and memorize things, makes me wonder why I never employed these techniques before; because now I find memorizing much easier. Another helpful tool I picked up, was fitting in new matter into the old concepts and reviewing them from time to time. I found this to be exceptionally useful because it helped me to revise a matter that I had deviously learned and it made memorization easier task. Note- taking was a familiar task that I made use during lectures, but the manner in which I used to handle it was a bit monotonous. I came to know that one of the primary goals of note-taking is the gathering of relevant information which could be used for after-class study and organization of ones thoughts. Learning the right technique helped me to jot down notes in a comprehensive manner, which in turn increased my speed and pace. I also learned to take full advantage of the optimal memory curve, by labeling in the margins, using a different color and style. Creating important charts involving visual, auditory and intellectual capacities, in addition to making use of headings, labeling, indenting and other details has gone a long way in helping me to memorize and recall as

Project Review Report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Project Review Report - Essay Example This is what happened during the merger of Compaq and Hewlett Packard, which is part of the study. Both Compaq and HP are long time rivals in the field of computer hardware and components. However, looking at the benefits of their merger, both the companies as part of each others’ strategic management initiated the merger drive. So, in the initial phases, a lot of issues regarding the merger was analysed in an overview kind of manner. That is, in the initial phases, key strategic management issues that preceded the merger on both sides were first focused and discussed. Then as a continuation of that discussion, the key management changes that took place as well as that were initiated by both the companies in the post-merger period were discussed. From the research that was done about both the companies in the pre-merger period it is clear that it was not smooth sailing because descendants of HP and Compaq founders opposed the merger. Although key stakeholders in HP particularly the scions of the founders opposed the merger deal, the merger was actualized by the narrowest of margins. The merger was expected to yield savings projected to reach $2.5 billion annually by 2004. (Hoopes 2004). The next important issue that was focused in the initial phase is how both the companies became ‘congruent’ on certain issues. That is, instead of creating a challenge and competition between the two major but different corporations, the HP-Compaq merger suggested that the cooperation will give much better results for the both of two corporations. By sharing experiences and Trade Marks, the merger (but of course based on the long term results) was expected to aid both the companies or the combined entity to reach the required tar gets In the initial phase, as part of the designs and synthesis of ideas, research and analysis was done on both the companies including

International Learners Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

International Learners - Essay Example First, they have to manage everything by their selves that ranges from cooking, dishwashing, cloth washing, earning, and cleaning and other household works. The level of complexity in achieving all this is increased manifolds when this has to be done living in a culture of which the learner has no sense at all or former experience with. There are too many things to distract the talented learners from education that appear worth while. There is a natural instinct to roam about the country and explore it for tourism. The learner may have to adjust living with people belong to countries that have bad terms with the learner’s own country on political grounds. This may be too difficult. It is quite common for the international learners to fall prey to racism. Another potential challenge for the international learners is the lack of sufficient knowledge of the language in which the education is delivered. All of these factors have mutually increased the competition for talented inte rnational learners. References: Cardiel, C. (2006). International students face challenges. Brookhaven Courier. Retrieved from http://media.www.brookhavencourier.com/media/storage/paper807/news/2006/09/11/News/International.Students.Face.Challenges-2268128.shtml.

Pu Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Pu - Essay Example The approach of this paper in measuring the political concerns to health care issues across time is drawing on the information provided by the Policy Agenda project. The policy agenda project employs the services of coders who are experts in categorizing political activities into mutually specialized topic areas. The health agenda is subdivided into 20 subtopics, which are among health care facilities, insurance access, and medical procedures among other divisions. In this volume, political activities over a 50-year period will be analyzed. The paper will make a comparison between Denmark and US and analyze the changing political attention levels to healthcare (Longley, 2007). The political attention will be measured on basis of the subjects discussed in parliamentary debates and questions presented by members of opposition to the government. Every citizen’s expectation is that relative concerns to healthcare have increased along with the rising demand for healthcare services. It is indeed true that through time the political attention on the policy of health care have increased tremendously in both political systems, i.e. in Denmark and in the US. The state of affairs can be attributed to the politicians’ interest to serve the public to appease them that in future they might stand chances for considerations during voting. Careful examination of the overall progress in political attention to healthcare across time shows a gradual increase in the levels of the congress attention to the healthcare policy. The level of concern given to healthcare policy in both the US and the Denmark political systems ranged from 1.5 to 4 percent. This occurrence was with respect of the form of activities that were being carried out by both political institutions. By the year 2002, the level of attention given to the healthcare policy relative to other agendas in both

Importance of Advance Directives Essay Example for Free

Importance of Advance Directives Essay The Importance of Advance Directives Tara J. DiDonato Axia College of University of Phoenix The Importance of Advance Directives While most people do not speak about end of life issues either because of their background or religion, it is not only for the elderly, we should all make our wishes known. According to the Pew Research Center, (January 2006), â€Å"42% of  Americans have had a friend or relative  suffer from a terminal illness or coma in the last five years and  for a majority of these people , the issue of withholding life sustaining treatment came up†. Although many people feel it is taboo, all adults over the age of 18 should think about what their healthcare wishes would be if they could not speak for themselves. These wishes should be documented in an advance directive, so that loved ones know what they are. Power of Communication According to the Mayo Clinic (2005), â€Å"The issues surrounding serious illness and death are not easy to discuss. Decisions are much easier on our loved ones if we have an advance directive in place before we are faced with a serious illness or accident†. Without communicating our wishes, we might find ourselves in a condition that we are unable to communicate the medical treatment we wish to receive, such as resuscitation or life support. Having a conversation with loved ones is important to clarify medical wishes. We should explain our wishes and explain how our values have shaped our decision. Types of Advance Directives According to the Mayo Clinic (2005), â€Å"Advance Directives are written instructions regarding your medical care preferences†. There are various types of advance directives, such as; a Living Will, Durable Power of Attorney, Healthcare Proxy and Do Not Resuscitate Order (DNR). Durable power of attorney and living wills have limitations, they do not include instructions for every situation, which means that we need to trust that the person we have named will make the decisions which are in our best interest and are what we would have wanted. A DNR order is a form that is commonly discussed with a physician. A DNR order alerts physicians and emergency medical personnel that if a patient’s heart stops beating or if the patient stops breathing, there should be no attempts to revive them. Another advance directive is a Healthcare Proxy (HCP). This document allows patients to choose an agent to act on their behalf if they are temporarily or permanently unable to make healthcare decisions on their own. According to Fell, Kukula and Taylor (2005), as with other advance directives, â€Å"it is very important to discuss, in detail, all of your wishes with your surrogate and make sure they clearly understand and are willing to make these decisions on your behalf† (p. 4). Everyone should have a voice, not just the elderly Advance directives are not just for the elderly, anyone over the age of 18 should have one. Unexpected situations can arise at any age and there might be end of life decisions that needs to be made. In the event that a person does not have an advance directive in place, according to Fell, et al. (2005), â€Å"you will receive medical care to the fullest extent appropriate for your condition†. Without an advance directive the patient might receive more treatment than he or she would have wanted. The biggest misconception about an advance directive is that people think that having one means â€Å"do not treat†, this is incorrect. Frequently used medical terms

Zanzibar Commission For Tourism Tourism Essay

Zanzibar Commission For Tourism Tourism Essay 1.0 INTRODUCTION 1.1 Background of the Zanzibar Commission for Tourism Under that Act ZCT is responsible with many functions including licensing (operation) of all the tourist establishment in Zanzibar, Monitoring and supervision of the Zanzibar tourist, Assisting potential investors, etc (ZCT, 1992 ) 1.2 Mission Zanzibar Commission of Tourism (ZCT) on regarding the development tourism in Zanzibar has the mission to be the most interesting, miscellaneous island targeted in the Indian Ocean constituency that will be more interesting in the world. According to that mission ZCT combines various types of tourism such as: Culture Tradition, Performing Arts, History Archaeology, Beaches, Culinary (spices), Medical (herbs) ,etc (ZTPS, n/d) 1.3 Introduction and background of the problem In order to survive in todays business environment,in small companies, particulaly Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in tourism industry utilize innovative techniques as a basis of competitive advantage. At the moment globalized world, SMEs have turn out to be more imperative for developed and developing countries since they produced high percentages of overall production, employment and revenue collection to the government. The most important and the greatest growing sectors of the overall economy, tourism in Zanzibar contains many SMEs that make an effort to be doing well in aggressive and quickly changing business situation. SMEs play a critical role not only in national trade but also in international trade. The previous information from different sources such as the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) shows SMEs in many countries account for a very substantial proportion on local and export market (Knight, 2001). Porter (1991) argues that in order for any industry to compete within the business environment, it has to adopt competitive advantage strategy, so the owners and stake holders should be able to identify their competitors. The competitive advantages for any organization are superior skills and resources. Therefore any source of advantage is like a drivers of cost or differentiation advantages. (Porter, 1985). Like any SMEs, in order for tourism SMEs to survive in competitive business environment, SMEs should be more entrepreneur and innovative,it means that should perform well in dynamic locations and not in regulated markets. SMEs could have low performance and unstable environments due to delay of product innovations, the working operation was not aggressives even throw the enterprenuership could be benefited in various ways but does not provide a sustainable competitive advantages. (Hult and Ketchen, 2001). Above all, the innovation, promotion, lowering of the price, differentiation, creativity, all these cannot be performed well without the adoption of ICT(Kotler and Armstrong ,2008). Indeed, the nature of any industry cannot compete with its competitor to bring the superior value to their customers without the appropriate adoption of ICT. ICT is regarded as the main force of sustainable competitive advantage and a strategic weapon especially in the tourism and hospitality industries (Poon, 1993). Generally, most of the tourism industry should be well equipped with ICT, which include radio, television, as well as newer digital technologies such as computers and the Internet, have been touted as potenti ally powerful enabling tools for tourism change and reform. These changes and reforms include services such as e-commerce, e-booking, e-reservation and not only that ICT facilitate the information processing system. In order to survive strong competition and current economic crisis in the region, SMEs involved in hotel industry have to improve the quality of its services. What is the role of tourism SMEs in the process in order to gain customers satisfaction through service quality and business improvement? It is generally accepted that ICT is a modern instrumental tool that enables the SMEs entrepreneurs to modify their tourism methods. It is used in order to increase the tourist interest. The extended use of ICTs drove the society into a new knowledge based form where information plays an important role for the SMEs as well as tourist satisfaction. In Zanzibar there is a significant research gap on small tourism business and failure to identify critical weakness of small and medium sized tourism enterprises. A number of studies on tourism have been conducted, however very little has been studied about tourism SMEs and particularly how these SMEs engaged in adopting ICTs for more productivity and overall total economic growth of the Zanzibar .The need to undertake a thorough tourism analysis in Zanzibar has been realized recently. For example, It is important to have a database on tourism development if, students, policy analysts, planners, decision makers and entrepreneurs to be up to date with drive of tourism industry .As a large number of tourism SMEs are involved in the delivery of tourism products and that they are also potential for future development of tourism is a need to carry out studies that might show how small and medium tourism business develop, function, conduct business and how they contribute to local and nati onal economic development. Zanzibar has many tourist attractions and contributes high percentage of economy of the country and that the tourism sector is dominated by SMEs. However there is a continued absence of studies on small tourism firms, therefore it is important to do research on tourism SMEs. 1.4 Statement of the problem There are different kinds of ICTs used in tourism activities such as e-reservation, tele- and video-conferencing and e-booking tools. The extent into how these products services are used by the SMEs involved in Zanzibar and their potential to improve the sector has not been explore enough. Challenges facing these SMEs in application of ICT are not known and areas for improvement have not been investigated. Given the mounting global demand on usage of ICTs in tourism, there is therefore a need to look at the impact of ICTs application on SMEs engaged in tourism sector in Zanzibar. This study is learning to address the issued. 1.5 Aim of the research To examine /explore the role and use of Information Communication Technology (ICT) in enhancing the competitiveness advantages of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in Zanzibar Tourism operation. 1.6 Research objectives The main objective of this study is significantly examined how ICT help to create competitive advantage in tourism sector in Zanzibar. Not only that but also to identify constraints facing SMEs using ICT. Specific objectives: To examine the awareness and the extent of ICT utilization in Zanzibar tourism SMEs sector To identify constraints and opportunities of ICT usage in tourism sector in Zanzibar To find out solution options to overcome the shortcoming of the ICT utilization in tourism SMEs in Zanzibar 1.7 Research questions For the purpose of meeting the above objectives, the study comes up with the following questions: How do Zanzibar tourism SMEs aware and utilize the ICT in their business? How do Zanzibar SMEs perceive profitability and performance of their business in relation to use of ICT in their business? What measures have been taken to solve the problems of lack of use of ICT? 1.8 Scope of the study This study was conducted to investigate how usage of ICT and its application in sectors, involved in tourism industry could help the way business is run and hence contribute increased efficiency and effectiveness. Due to the time constraint this study covered the part of Zanzibar Islands which is Stone town and the portion of North East Coast zones which includes Kiwengwa village, Matemwe village and Nungwi village because this area is more active in tourism activities in Zanzibar. 1.9 Significance of the study This study intends to disclose the influence of the ICT as a competitive advantage strategy that can be applied in SMEs in the tourism industry. The study is expected to be of much value to a number of peoples and organization as follows:- The results obtained from this study will provide some recommendation to the Governing Authority, which is expected to bring insights into Zanzibars SMEs on how ICTs usage can bring competitive advantages against their competitors so as to accelerate economic growth of Zanzibar. It will help the policy makers of the country to appreciate the implications on ICT in SMEs in tourism to increase the quality of services in hospitality industry. The research will provide sufficient information to be used as a reference on this area of the study and to fulfill the requirement for the Degree of Master of Business Administration in Information Technology Management in Coventry University. 1.10 Limitations of the study Some data are confidential so it was difficult to get the current data. Financial constraints, so it could be difficult for a researcher to cover all the Zanzibar regions due to financial constraints. 1.11 Summary of the chapter This chapter was introduced the introduction of the study, the introduction of Zanzibar Commission for Tourism (ZCT) was done under this chapter where all services offered were summarized and the mission statement of ZCT were also started. Also in this chapter the researcher discussed something about the aim of the research, research objectives, research question and statement of the problems. Not only that but also the researcher briefly discussed the significance of the study, scope of the study and limitation of the study. CHAPTER TWO 2.0 LITERATURE REVIEW 2.1 Introduction This part provides definition of the important terms and concepts which are used in this study including ICT in tourism sectors, the conceptual frame work of this study, the performance of tourism in SMEs, and the opportunity and challenges of tourism in Zanzibar. 2.2 Definitions of the terms and concepts 2.2.1 Small and Medium sized Enterprises (SMEs) Morrison (1996) argues that it is difficult to define the term SMEs because there are no universal criteria that can be used to determine the size of the business, as a result, Olomi (2009) noted that although the SMEs all over the world contribute a major role in social development, its definition varies from one country to another and even from one institution to another in the same country. An enterprise may be perceived as small in terms of physical facilities, production/service capacity, market share, and number of employee. Olomi (2009) cited that ,the United States Agency for International Development-USAID (1993) ,suggested that SMEs can be defined by considering combination of both qualitative and quantitative criteria and should include one among the aspects such as number of employee, capital investment, share capital, number of share holders, number of stakeholders, total asset, turnover, market share, geographical market coverage, organizational complexity, composition of management and degree of formalization. In Tanzania, the SMEs Development Policy (2002) classifies SMEs under the consideration of employment size and capital investment of the organization. A micro-enterprise is one with fewer than five employees, a small enterprise with 5-49 employees, a medium enterprise with 50-99 employees and a large enterprise with more than 100 employees. In contrast with the Capital investments the definition was based at the range from less than Tshs 5 million to over Tshs 800 million. For the purpose of this research, the Tanzania SMEs Development Policy of (2002) definition will be adopted because it is based on the local environment of Tanzania, where SMEs are characterized by family ownership and local area of operation, which is not the case to other countries. This illustrated in the table below:- Table: 1 Category of SMEs in Tanzania Category Employees Capital investment in machinery Tshs Micro enterprise 1-4 Up to 5mil Small enterprise 5-49 Above 5mil to 200mil Medium enterprise 50-99 Above 200 to 800mil Large enterprise 100+ Above 800mil Source: SMEs development policy (2002) Accordind to Zanzibar Youth Employment Action Plan.(2007), Zanzibar has a large informal sector operation where more than 80 percent of the workforce is believed to be engaged in. Majority of the establishments in the informal sector are micro, own account or employing less than 5 people. This situation is linked to low skills base as a result of limited opportunities for skills training, working capital and inadequate support for off-farm activities in rural areas. From a gender perspective,women have low participation rates and fewer skills than men. Women account for only 19 percent of total employees compared to 81 percent for men in this sector. This sector is dominated by private individuals through 1,541 registered businesses in 2002. Out of this number, only 6% employs more than 10 people while 79% of the industry employs less than 20 people and only 3% of registered industry employs more than 100 people (SME Policy, 2006). The potential is still there for more employment opp ortunities especially to out of school youths and those from different vocational training centers. The Zanzibar SME policy (2006) is aiming at developing and creating conducive environment through participation of public and private sector for the purpose of increasing employment provision, income generation and poverty reduction. The policy and the MKUZA aim at increasing job opportunities through SMEs. SMEs are important to the national economic, but they are facing a number of problems, both administrative and financial and thus fail to contribute fully in employment creation. Apart from the SMEs sector, Zanzibar has a small manufacturing sector. Manufacturing sector in general is at infant stage and has not been fully exploited to its maximum potential to increase its contribution to the economy and welfare of the people. There is a wide potential for investors to come in, invest in big industries and thereby generates employment on the youth. The importance of manufacturing sector in terms of employment creation and development of linkages with the rest of economy is well understood. Employment opportunities that exist in manufacturing take into consideration its linkages with agriculture, tourism, and trade. Other opportunities that could be generated include those from agro-processing, production of souvenirs, transportation, and other new activities that will meet demands of tourism and trade. 2.2.2. Importance of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) There are many benefits that obtained from SMEs in day to day operation forexample there will be about 1.7 millions business engaging, in micro enterprises operation which is about 3million persons that will be about 20% of Tanzanian labour force (URT,2003) The SMEs was be the labour intensive by creating the employment opportunity at different level of investment.The estimation will be shown as about 700,000 new entrants in every year as a labour force, not only that about 500,000 of it are school leavers with few skills, while the employment trend in public sector will show about 40,000 are the new entrants and about 660,000 remained to be unemployed (URT,2003) as cited in Temba(n/d) According to that the trend will be shown in Tanzania will be characterised by low rate of capital formation and normally the SMEs will tend to be more effective in the utilisation of employment situation in the country (URT,2003) as cited in Temba(n/d) The development of SMEs will promote the distribution of economic activities within the country and boster the technology in easierst way,this is because due to lower overheads and fixed costs in their normally operation, therefore the owners of SMEs must be tend to show the greater resilience in the face of recession by holding their business (URT,2003) 2.2.3 Information Communication Technology (ICT) The literature shows that there is no universally accepted definition of ICT, because the concepts, methods and applications involved in ICT are constantly evolving on an almost daily basis. Blurton (2002) as cited in Badnjevic and Padukova (2006) defines ICT as a diverse set of technological tools and resources used to communicate, and to create, disseminate, store, and manage information. Kumar (2001) claimed that ICT is the study, design, development, implementation, support, or management of computer-based information systems, particularly software applications and computer hardware. ICT deals with the use of electronic computers and computer software to convert, store, protect, process, transmit, and securely retrieve information. 2.2.4 The adoption of ICT by SMEs: Obviously, ICTs are more than computer or internet even though they focuse on business technology.Therefore ICTs include the software and hardware telecommunicaton and information management techniques, also the ICT can be used to creates,receive, retrives and distribute/ transform information in a wide range. (Porter and Millar, 1985, Brady et al,2002) SMEs in tourism operation are important tools on contribution of the economy in the country in particulaly ICT has more effective use and better position of working performance and rapidly change the new technologies and creates the tourism organization in more competitive.(Hartigan, 2005) In recent years, SMEs have acquired direct access to digital technologies for individual task development.In previous this opportunity only for large companies to use computing and communication capabilities to coordinate their work. On the other hand, ICT reduced the expenditure on cost consumption and improve the performance in organization due to certain kinds of communications and coordination can occur. (Summut-Bonnii and McGee, 2002). (Ragaswamy and Lilien, 1997).On the business today their was certain changes that global interdependencies are becoming more critical thus, companies/organization realized they need to take advantage of ICT capabilities for improving their competitiveness and productivity. 2.2.5 ICT and SME competitiveness The presence of ICT and use it could lead to increase the competitiveness of SMEs due the faster and more conscientious communication channel, it means the use of ICT has increase the competitiveness of SMEs also enables the establishment of litheness associated with different trading partners due to more consistency of channel of communication. In addition the increases of the biggest enterprises it comes through introduced of ICT in many organizations and adapt quicker to changing operational conditions. For that reason the aggressive compensation of SMEs possibly will turn down. Normally well-built enterprises not relay comfortable information as SMEs; therefore the realistic decision is not costless if needed appropriate information. However SMEs contain the improvement of slighter interior harmonization expenditure as each and every one resolution is completed by a small number of assessment makers. (Raymond 1993, Mà ¼ller-Falcke 2001) The economies of extent can be condensed due to lowering the operational expenditure with the presences of ICT, particularly internet monitor the enterprises situation for appropriate information to obtain the exacting information concerning sellers, buyers and clients that was absent of accomplish. In addition delivery of goods, funds transmission and banking system facilities are reliable, this will enables SMEs to be expanded regionally and internationally. Finally most of the SMEs are located in outside the town areas due to competition of larger enterprises,transportation and communication costs that, ICT might increases the competition for enterprises and becomes more effectivelly and productivity or the enterprises to be close down. (Annual Forum at Misty Hills, Muldersdrift (2001)) 2.2.6 ICT as a business tools The use of Information, Communication and Technology is very important in current business operations. Entrepreneurs need to understand the market situation before doing any business and the preferred types of products at particular time. This knowledge can be sought through ICT system. The use of media is important in advertising and promoting business inside and outside the country. The available public and private media institutions can be utilized to publicize the available potential of products and services undertaken by youth and others.(Zanzibar youth Employment Action Plan, 2007). ICT is technologys version of economic growth, to satisfy the needs and wants of the community over time. Organizations are forced to adjust and take advantage of the opportunities provided by ICT in order to stay competitive. Businesses that do not take advantage of the ICT will run the risk of losing customers and their competitive advantage (Sharma, 2002). Some of the functions that technology has impacted are information search, advertising, consumer buying patterns and behaviors (Hanson, 2000). On a global scale, all industries have been affected by the emergence and implementation of technological advances. All above, ICT can be employed to give users quick access to ideas and experiences from a wide range of people, communities and cultures. The positive impacts of ICT can be seen in the following aspects: Economic impacts: ICT, in combination with globalization and the information uprising have reshaped the employees. By raising the momentum of international communication, ICT has enabled corporations to subcontract jobs, both in the industrialized as well as professional sector (Lippis, 2007). Social impacts: ICT has influenced societies on numerous levels. They have comprehensive the contact of public administration, leading to a centralization of district administration into city centre. They have lead to new forms of employment in innovation and production of ICT and a stipulate for highly accomplished specialists. On the other hand, ICT has enabled professionals in certain industries to be replaced by unqualified human resources, or even completed exclusively redundant. Lifting productivity: Investing in ICT can have a powerful effect on productivity in almost every industry, driving innovation, cutting costs, and opening up new opportunities. ICT can boost profits, help small firms overcome limitations of size, and enable even small enterprises to establish a global presence. Nevertheless, to take full advantage of the opportunities of ICT, we need to develop the skills of our workforce at every level, from front-line staff to senior management. In summing up, ICT has the potential to change the tourism SMEs in improving the productivity at a lower cost and to raise the quality of information. It contributes to make the tourism penetration around the globe. In todays world, people want to find the appropriate tourist destination, booking and buying airline ticket, check in and getting boarding pass when they are sited at their home or working place. All these can be done with the support of ICT. 2.2.7 Tourism Holloway (2004) defines Tourism as the business of providing for different types of visitors; overnight or longer stay and day visitors and includes accommodation, car parking, entertainment and attractions, food and drinks. According to Beech and Chadwick (2006), the widely accepted modern definition of tourism is that given by the World Tourism organization (WTO) which describes as the activities of persons traveling to and staying in places outside their usual environment for not more than one consecutive year for leisure, business or other purposes. In tourism sector, various travel operators, hotels, restaurants and travel agencies have been active in development of Internet and e-commerce. The Internet allows travellers to access and recommend the tourism information directly as well as , reviews the local tourism information, this was done previously through the physical offices of large travel agencies. Therefore most of Information Communication Technology (ICT) capture the compensation of direct discounted sales of airline tickets and travel packages, due to both online/offline agencies have shifted on selling leisure products involve high operating expenses. Given that Internet and others travel agencies allow the customer to make comparisons in a price of air tickets and other services of the online travellers (OECD, 2004) 2.2.8 The competitive advantage Porter (1985) views that a competitive advantage is an advantages over competitor gained by offering consumer greater value than competitors offer. His view on competitive advantages is at the heart of a firms performance in competitive market. He argued that a firms ability to outperform its competitors lay in its ability to translate its competitive strategy into competitive advantages. Kotler and Armstrong (2008) suggested an advantage that firms  has  over its competitors, the way of building relationship with targeted customer, understanding their needs better than competitors do and deliver more customers value. That is it is the extent a company can differentiate and position itself as providing superior customer value. The competitive advantage is a way of giving a company an edge over its rivals and an ability to generate greater value for the firm and its shareholders. The more sustainable the competitive advantage, the more difficult for competitors to neutralize the advantage (Walker et al, 2006) 2.3 Performance of Tourism SMEs 2.3.1 Trade, industry and tourism Zanzibar Povery Reduction Policy Report (2003) has the broad objective of this sector in order to create a competitive manufacturing and trading sector, which is geared towards for economic diversification in order to ultimately alleviate poverty. The sector is aimed to provide opportunity for further participation of the private sector. The fundamental goal is to equip and facilitate this sector in building its capacity, create better working environment and institute legal and institutional framework for the enhancement and expansion of its activities. The tools to be used are the National Trade policy, Promotion of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) and Private Sector Involvement and Development. Zanzibar has a strong determination to develop tourism as an economic sector to provide foreign exchange earnings, creating employment opportunities, stimulate local economy and diversify the economy. On the other side most of the tourist guides and/or RoGZ believes that on development of tourism factors, tourism is a vital socio economic that participate effectively and successfully in order to manage their life and to be more development. This can be implemented through the Zanzibar National Tourism Policy and the Indicative Tourism Master Plan. Since the inception of the ZIPA in 1991, the investment process has been very positive and progressive. Statistics shows that by the end of 2002, ZIPA had approved about 242 projects with a total proposed investment value of USD 403 million. Tourism sector takes the lion share with 70% of total projects with proposed capital of USD 313.8 million. In 1985, the number of tourists who visited Zanzibar was 19,368; while the number of tourists has reached in the range between 85,000 and 100,000 annually. In 2001 Zanzibar earned approximately US$ 46 million in forex from international tourism, this accounts for approximately 15% of the GDP. This contribution is projected to increase to around $ 116 million and 21% of the GDP by 2012. (Zanzibar Povery Reduction Policy Report, 2003) 2.3.2 Contribution to GDP Tourism already makes a significant contribution to the economy of Zanzibar. It is provisionally estimated that the sector accounted for about 14% of GDP in 2001, with 12% for Tanzania as a whole. This contribution is projected to increase to around 21% by 2012.(Indicative tourism master plan ,2003) 2.3.3 Foreign exchange earnings According to the preliminary results of the International Visitor Exit Survey Zanzibar earned some $46 million from the spending of International tourists in 2001. To this must be added an allowance for the spending of tourists traveling to Zanzibar on internal flights (who are not presently covered by the official statistics). This raises total visitor expenditure to $55 million in 2001. Allowing for the imports from foreign countries that are utilized by the tourism sector, net foreign exchange earnings from tourism are estimated at $46 million in 2001. This figure is projected to increase to some $116 million by 2012. Even allowing for leakages on imports, it is clear that tourism is a most important sources of foreign exchange, and helps considerably to offset the trade deficit which widened from $51 million in 1997 to $86 million in 2000, reducing to an estimated $50 million in 2001.( Indicative tourism master plan final report,2003) 2.3.4 Contribution to employment According to (Indicative tourism master plan final report,2003), there exists no official data on the employment generated by the tourism sector, it is estimated that currently some 5,800 persons are directly employed by the tourism industry in Zanzibar, of whom approximately 4,400 persons (76%) are employed in the hotel/guest houses sub-sector. The remainder is employed in tourist restaurants, tourist shops, ground tour operators, airlines (state-owned and private), the Commission for Tourism and other tourism-related government departments or as tour guides. In addition to those directly employed in the tourism sector, there are many more-perhaps, as many again, who derive part or all of their employment from supplying goods or services to hotels, restaurants, etc, or who otherwise benefit from the spending of persons who are directly or indirectly employed in tourism. Thus, total tourism-generated employment in Zanzibar could presently be in the order of 37,000 jobs or full-time j ob equivalents. This number should further increase to around 48,000 jobs by 2021, if, as is hoped, the tourism sector returns to a path of sustained growth. Indeed, Zanzibar Vision 2020 envisages that as much as 50% of all jobs in the modern sector could be provided in tourism and the free zones by 2020. Zanzibar Growth Strategy (2007) has accorded tourism as one among the three lead sectors of the economy. In recent years the economic growth in Zanzibar has been driven by the increasing contribution and growth of the service sector, (including tourism) which represents up to 43 percent of GDP (2006).According to Zanzibar Youth Employment Action Plan(2007),arque the employment in tourism sector they believed to employ 56,000 people most of them in hotel operations of which 60% are Zanzibari youth. They are mostly engaged in building of the hotel and other infrastructure as well as in services such as tour guiding, transportation and hotel services. The potential is still there, and the government hopes more people especially youth with further be employed in this sector. 2.3.5 Contribution to government revenues The tourism sector makes a substantial contribution to government revenues through the wide range of fees, licenses and taxes levied on the sector. While precise figures are not yet a

Effectiveness of Social Model of Health

Effectiveness of Social Model of Health Anna Wei Models of Health Health is one of the most vital and valuable aspects of human life, as without one’s health we are unable to enjoy our day-to-day activities and have the energy to pursue physical activities. There are two well-known models of Health and Illness that focus on different aspects of health; they are the Biomedical model and the Social model. This essay will discuss the relevance of the Social model in today’s society as opposed to the Biomedical model and the effectiveness of this model in clarifying the obesity epidemic, a medical condition that is dominating the globe and bringing with it many other illnesses that today, are some of the leading causes of death. The Biomedical model believes that biological factors are the main cause of disease (Browne, 2005). It has been the main model for health care in the past century, due to its assistance in the discovery of countless medical advancements as it was able to decrease the amount of infectious diseases such as tuberculosis (Borrell-Carrio, Suchman Epstein, 2004). This framework is based on the concept of health as being without disease and focuses on finding cures that will successfully eliminate the biological factors that caused the illness (Cleland Cotton, 2011). Although the Biomedical model has been valuable in the discovery of many techniques to successfully treat numerous diseases, it is no longer the dominating model of health in today’s society. This model has been scrutinised for being too narrow-minded resulting in its inability to analyse different forms of sickness (Borrell-Carrio et al., 2004; Cockerham, 2007). Over the years, there have been massive health reforms, from infectious diseases such as puerperal fever, gonorrhoea, malaria and scurvy to the dominating chronic illnesses that affect society today such as obesity, cardiovascular disease and diabetes (Tulchinsky Varavikova, 2000). The transition from infectious to chronic illnesses indicates that as time changes, strategies that have previously worked may not be as effective as they had once been. Hence, the social models were introduced. A psychiatrist named George Engel first proposed the Social model, as he wanted to put a stop to the dehumanisation of the practice of medicine, and to give patients the power over their own health (Borrell-Carrio et al., 2004). Engel believed, that the social and physiological aspects of an individual played an important role in relation to the illness procedure and hence, this model acts as an aid, to guide us through the numerous levels of organisation that affect diseases, ranging from the social aspects to factors at the molecular level (Alonso, 2004; Borrell-Carrio et al., 2004). Since Engel first proposed this model, there have been many variations of this model created such as the Dahlgren and Whitehead’s model of health and the WHO social determinants of health framework. Social models place a strong emphasis on not only the biological aspects of disease but also the social and the psychological aspects of sickness, whereas, the Biomedical model is built around the evidence and the symptoms of the disease of interest (Brown, 2005; Cleland Cotton, 2011). Hence, Social models of health have become more relevant over the last 150 years because of the changing society. As time passed, infectious diseases were no longer the major problem, with the problem now lying within the degenerative diseases such as cancer and heart disease present in today’s society (Cleland Cotton, 2011). Therefore, the Biomedical model is no longer relevant as the development of these non-communicable diseases is multi-factorial and hence is not due to straightforward biological causes, nor can they be cured easily (Cleland Cotton, 2011). For people in society today, the experience of suffering from a disease is not just about the biochemical processes behind it, but als o about how the patients identify with this disease in terms of the things they are able to or unable to do, their emotions and the unmet requirements as a result of this disease (Jackson, Antonucci Brown, 2003). Hence, Social models are more widely accepted and relevant in society, as it recognises the multi-factorial causes associated with diseases such as obesity. Obesity is defined as the extreme build-up of fat due to energy input being greater than energy expenditure, in technical terms, a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or over means that the individual will be considered obese (World Health Organization [WHO], 2014). The rates of obesity have been rapidly increasing since the 1980s and not only the prevalence of obesity has been increasing but the incidence of diseases associated with obesity has also been increasing (Finkelstein, Ruhm Kosa, 2005). Health consequences associated with obesity are non-communicable diseases such as cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes and other musculoskeletal diseases (WHO, 2014). The obesity epidemic is a major issue in society today and in 2008, of the 1.4 billion adults considered overweight, over 200 million males and nearly 300 million females were considered obese (WHO, 2014). In the early twentieth century, obesity was only thought to be present in developing countries such as China, Thailand and Mexico and only affected those with higher socioeconomic positions in the population; however, this disease has shifted to affect those of lower socioeconomic position and globally, there is now more than 10% of the world’s population of adults considered obese (Callabero, 2007; WHO, 2014). The improvement in people’s living and working conditions has resulted in society having longer life spans due to the eradication of infectious diseases (Cockerham, 2007). However, the major issue facing society today is non-communicable diseases such as strokes, heart disease and cancer which all stem off obesity (Cockerham, 2007). Non-communicable diseases were originally thought to affect only the rich, but there is now an increasing trend in developing countries. If this trend continues to increase at the same pace, it is estimated by the year 2020, for every ten deaths, seven will be due to non-communicable diseases (Boutayeb, 2006). This transition from infectious diseases to chronic illnesses meant that the use of medicine became increasingly important in order to tackle these health issues and therefore, there has been little success in tackling these non-communicable diseases as the approaches they took in the past via the Biomedical model proves to be unfitting for t he current situation (Cockerham, 2007). Social models have been effective in preventing this problem, as it takes into account not only the biological causes of these health conditions associated with obesity, but also social factors such as dietary intake and physical activity. An individual’s lifestyle is vital towards their health as it is a relevant social mechanism that needs to be considered when approaching these diseases (Cockerham, 2007). Over the years, the dietary intake of individuals has increased, with people consuming more sweetened beverages and processed meals and consuming less healthy wholesome foods such as fruits and vegetables (Callabero, 2007). Research reveals an inversely proportional relationship exists between the availability of fast food outlets and the socioeconomic status of the individual, with individuals in lower socioeconomic areas being 2.5 times more exposed to fast food chains compared to those in higher socioeconomic areas, and this social gradient indicates that a decreasing s ocioeconomic status results in an increased chance of obesity (Reidpath, Burns, Garrard, Mahoney Townsend, 2002). This brings about inequality between those of low socioeconomic status and those with high socioeconomic status, further reiterating that there must be other factors apart from biological components, which bring about diseases. Physical activity has also decreased with people opting for more sedentary lifestyles, for example, it was predicted that less than 30 percent of the US population had a suitable level of exercise, another 30 percent were involved in physical activity but not enough, while the remainder had adapted to sedentary lifestyles (Callabero, 2007). It is habits such as these that has attributed to the individual’s susceptibility or resistance to these illnesses (Cockerham, 2007). Only Social models of health can take into consideration of these habits as well as the social gradients shown to help us to understand their influences towards these ill nesses that stem off obesity. Many complex factors are interacting with one another, causing the increase in prevalence of health conditions associated with obesity (Candib, 2007). Therefore, Social models are effective in explaining this phenomenon as it recognises the importance of social factors and how they contribute to health conditions such as cardiovascular disease. Social factors such as the individual’s surrounding environment can either reverse or increase the biological risk of diseases making the Biomedical model inadequate as it does not consider anything but the biological cause (Cockerham, 2007). An environment that has contributed hugely to this increasing prevalence is an obesogenic environment; this is essentially a setting that encourages sedentary lifestyles; promoting food consumption and discouraging exercise, which eventually leads to an increased risk of obesity (Reidpath et al., 2002). Social models are therefore efficient as it considers how we can eliminate such influences in or der to reduce the multi-factorial effects associated with the obesity epidemic by combining the formerly separated characteristics of illness (Cleland Cotton, 2011; Jackson et al., 2003). It helps us to efficiently comprehend the significant contributions of multiple factors outside the biological sense that drives the increasing prevalence of health conditions associated with obesity. To conclude, health is one of the most important aspects of human life and can be affected by factors that are not always biological components. As a result, the multidimensional Social models were created to allow a better understanding of the diseases, such as obesity, that affect our society (Borrell-Cario et al., 2004). However, because society is constantly changing – there is no perfect model for health that exists and therefore we must seek new ideas that we can incorporate in our models with the hopes that it will be applicable to the changing society. Reference List Alonso, Y. (2004). The biopsychosocial model in medical research: the evolution of the health concept over the last two decades.Patient education and counseling,53(2), 239-244. doi: 10.1016/S0738-3991(03)00146-0 Browne, K. (2005). Health and Illness. An introduction to sociology, 3, 397-415. Retrieved from http://www.library.auckland.ac.nz.ezproxy.auckland.ac.nz/ereserves/2144315b.pdf Borrell-Carrio, F., Suchman, A. L., Epstein, R. M. (2004). The Biopsychosocial Model 25 Years Later: Principles, Practice, and Scientific Inquiry. Annals of Family Medicine, 2(6), 576-582. Retrieved from http://www.annfammed.org.ezproxy.auckland.ac.nz/content/2/6/576.full.pdf Boutayeb, A. (2006). The double burden of communicable and non-communicable diseases in developing countries.Transactions of the Royal society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene,100(3), 191-199. Retrieved from http://trstmh.oxfordjournals.org.ezproxy.auckland.ac.nz/content/100/3/191.full Callabero, B. (2007). The Global Epidemic of Obesity: An Overview. Epidemiological Review, 29, 1-5. doi: 10.1093/epirev/mxm012 Cleland, J., Cotton, P. (Eds.). (2011).Health, Behaviour and Society: Clinical Medicine in Context. SAGE. Retrieved from http://books.google.co.nz/books?hl=enlr=id=BuZpuJSlNRMCoi=fndpg=PP2dq=Jennifer+Cleland,+Philip+Cotton.+(2011).+Health,+Behaviour+and+Society:+Clinical+Medicine+in+Context.+ots=CSbguqMTZlsig=TvNhB4GJdQnp8m-enuFPer6J2Qg#v=onepageq=modelf=false Cockerham, W.C. (2007). The social causation of health and disease. Social causes of health and disease, 1-24. Retrieved from http://www.library.auckland.ac.nz.ezproxy.auckland.ac.nz/ereserves/2130941b.pdf Finkelstein, E. A., Ruhm, C. J., Kosa, K. M. (2005). Economic causes and consequences of obesity.Annu. Rev. Public Health,26, 239-257. doi: 10.1146/annurev.publhealth.26.021304.144628 Jackson, J. J., Antonucci, T. C., Brown, E. (2003). A cultural lens on biopsychosocial models of aging.Advances in cell aging and gerontology,15, 221-241. Retrieved from http://books.google.co.nz/books?hl=enlr=id=kBXLPaaXPKcCoi=fndpg=PA221dq=%22biopsychosocial+models+of+health%22ots=ToNciaJ7sosig=fZmma3Fai9VhqZm5xhCPS1oEy_w#v=onepageq=%22biopsychosocial%20models%20of%20health%22f=false James, P. T., Leach, R., Kalamara, E., Shayeghi, M. (2001). The worldwide obesity epidemic.Obesity research,9(S11), 228S-233S. Retrieved from http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com.ezproxy.auckland.ac.nz/doi/10.1038/oby.2001.123/full Reidpath, D., Burns C., Garrard J., Mahoney, M., Townsend, M. (2002). An ecological study of the relationship between social and environmental determinants of obesity. Health and Place, 8, 141-145. doi: 10.1016/S1353-8292(01)00028-4 Tulchinsky, T. H., Varavikova, E. A. (2000). The New Public Health: an introduction for the 21st Century. San Diego: Academic Press. World Health Organization. (2014). Obesity and Overweight. Retrieved from http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs311/en/ 1

Communication Problems in the Workplace Essay -- Personal Narratives C

Communication Problems in the Workplace I work at Geneva Ace Hardware. My most important job, among my many duties, is to help customers. Usually everything goes ok, but there are always a few customers that can be hard to deal with. I’ve had to deal with Mexicans who can barely speak English. I’ve had to deal with Mexicans who use their 5 year old children/grandchildren as translators. I once had to deal with a Canadian couple whose accent was so rich; I would have about a 30 second delayed response to try to convert their English into my English. Then there are the people who just won’t accept my help because I’m only a kid. None of these people compare to the dude that was deaf. About a month ago I was standing in the main aisle of Ace chatting with Lambert, one of my coworkers. As we were talking, I noticed a guy approaching us. When I looked over my shoulder, I saw him stare right into my eyes, so I knew he needed some help. This was a big guy. He must have been 5’10† and 350 pounds, but it wasn’t exactly like he was fat. He was the kind of guy that had a lot of muscle, and then he had a layer of fat over that. This dude’s forearms were bigger than my lower legs. He had short, brown hair with a receding hairline. He had on work clothes, and he was sporting a big pair of wire-rimed glasses. These are the kind of glasses my grandpa would wear. This guy was probably in his late 40’s, but his karma made him appear much older. Anyway, as he’s approaching, I asked him if...

Patrick Moore †Cofounder of Greenpeace Essay -- Biography Environment

Patrick Moore – Cofounder of Greenpeace After more than 15 years of co-founding and heading up Greenpeace, Patrick Moore switched sides and views. Instead of the radical environmental activism that Greenpeace encompasses, Moore now focuses on how we can benefit humans while remaining as environmentally safe as possible. Patrick Moore was born in 1947 and raised in Winter Harbour, British Columbia, a fishing and logging village on the northwestern tip of Vancouver Island often referred to as the Pacific rainforest. His father was a logger and the past president of the B.C. Truck Loggers Association, while his mother came from a family of fishermen. At the age of fourteen, Moore was sent to boarding school in Vancouver. Later, at the University of British Columbia he studied life sciences. Throughout his time at UBC, Moore discovered his love for ecology, because it gave him an understanding of the rainforest he lived in as a child (Moore, â€Å"Environmentalism† 1). In 1971, Moore started Greenpeace out of his hometown. The group was originally called the ‘Don’t Make a Wave Committee’ (Bate, par. 2). The committee went to Alaska to protest against US nuclear testing in the Aleutian Islands. They set out on an old fishing boat from the Vancouver harbor to disrupt the tests, but were intercepted by the U.S. Coast Guard and arrested. Despite the arrest, the mission ended up being successful. President Nixon cancelled the remaining nuclear tests (Moore, â€Å"Environmentalism† 3). During his 15 years with Greenpeace, Moore was the scientific spokesperson. He served for nine years as president for Greenpeace Canada, and seven years as director for Greenpeace International Borders, par. 3). The organization campaign... ...y and improve health (Moore â€Å"Battle† par. 10-11). Moore currently lives in Vancouver and still works with the B.C. logging industry, writing articles, performing speeches, and appearing on television for them. Works Cited Bate, Roger. â€Å"Moore Wisdom Needed.† Economic Affairs 24.2 (June 2004): 72. Borders, Max. â€Å"The Reformers: Patrick Moore.† . â€Å"Greenpeace.† Microsoft Encarta Online Encyclopedia. 2005 . Moore, Patrick. â€Å"Battle for Biotech Progress.† The American Enterprise (March 2004). 3 April 2006 . ---. â€Å"Environmentalist for the Twenty-first Century.† IPA Review 52.3 (September 2000): pages 3-8. 3 April 2006 .

Alice Walker :: Biography Biographies Essays

Alice Walker Alice Walker, one of the best-known and most highly respected writers in the US, was born in Eatonton , Georgia, the eighth and last child of Willie Lee and Minnie Lou Grant Walker. Her parents were sharecroppers, and money was not always available as needed. At the tender age of eight, Walker lost sight of one eye when one of her older brothers shot her with a BB gun by accident. This left her in somewhat a depression, and she secluded herself from the other children. Walker felt like she was no longer a little girl because of the traumatic experience she had undergone, and she was filled with shame because she thought she was unpleasant to look at. During this seclusion from other kids her age, Walker began to write poems. Hence, her career as a writer began. Despite this tragedy in her life and the feelings of inferiority, Walker became valedictorian of her class in high school and received a â€Å"rehabilitation scholarship† to attend Spelman. Spelman College was a college for black women in Atlanta, Georgia, not far from Walker’s home. While at Spelman, Walker became involved in civil rights demonstrations where she spoke out against the silence of the institution’s curriculum when it came to African-American culture and history. Her involvement in such activities led to her dismissal from the college. So she transferred to Sarah Lawrence College in New York and had the opportunity to travel to Africa as an exchange student. Upon her return, she received her bachelor of arts degree from Sarah Lawrence College in 1965. She received a writing fellowship and was planning to spend it in Senegal, West Africa, but her plans changed when she decided to take ajob as a case worker in the New York City welfare department. Wa lker later moved to Tougaloo, Mississippi, during which time she became more involved in the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s. She used her own and others’ experiences as material for her searing examinations of politics. She also volunteered her time working at the voter registration drive in Mississippi. Walker often admits that her decision not to take the writing fellowship was based on the realization that she could never live happily in Africa or anywhere else until she could live freely in Mississippi. Walker found the love of her life in 1967, a white activist civil rights lawyer name Mel Leventhal, and they were married in 1967.

Alcoholism: A Major Problem in Russia

Alcoholism is one of the leading social causes of mortality in the world today. It has been and will always be ranked among the favorite indulgence of people globally. For ages, governments, health organizations and other social groups continue to find ways to limit if not to end the abuse of alcoholic drinking. Alcoholism has claimed millions of lives among different nationalities. Due to its wide spread acceptance as a social norm, people treat alcoholism as a part of daily routine. Although different measures are currently being implemented, many still deny the emergence of alcoholic beverages as detrimental to human health.The incidence of alcohol abuse is alarming. Global statistics show an increase of alcoholics among teenagers and young adults. With this kind of trend, social experts presume a mortality rate higher among the younger generation than the older population. While concern is everywhere, it is sad to note that responsibility has a hard time to flourish inside the ve ry foundation of an individual’s life. Parents and teachers can do more to drive away the deadly influence of alcohol from their children and families.With the way alcohol-related incidents are emerging nowadays, keeping this social problem in check takes a larger part of the globe to cooperate. Being rampant, alcoholism is a worldwide problem that is being faced by most countries throughout the corners of the earth. Governments are getting involved like never before in controlling the social inhibition which is gaining entry into people’s lives uninvited. With alcoholism besieging every corner of the society, the international community is taking a second look. Patronizing alcoholic drinks have deadly repercussions.The high death rate among nationalities of all ages is glaring evidence. Alcohol-related offenses and incidents will continue to haunt globally unless precautionary measures are set in place at once. THE RUSSIAN CRISIS Among the countries suffering the ill- effects of alcoholism is Russia. â€Å"Studies indicate that in Russia at least 30 percent of men and 15 percent of women are addicted to alcohol† (â€Å"Alcoholism in Russia†, 2002). Originally a leading nation in the former Soviet Union, Russia has snagged the prime position in alcohol consumption.The world-known vodka spearheads the popularity of Russians on the global stage. But vodka is only a tiny bit of statistic about the real waves which is alarming Russia today. The communist state is in deep hole. Unless its government starts thinking about countermeasures to address the internal complication, alcoholism will be in Russia to stay for a very long, long time. â€Å"The cases have dominated news reports and Cabinet meetings, fueling debate about a malaise that has helped lower Russia's average life expectancy rate to 66, 14 years shorter than the European Union average† (Nicholson, 2006).Analysts and observers have long been concerned about the Russianâ €™s delight for alcoholic beverages but it is only as of late did it able to catch media frenzy. The occurrence of deaths among young Russians has increased. For many, celebrations in the former Tsarist nation have gone out of proportion. The government is thinking about alternatives that will limit its citizens’ fondness for alcoholic beverages. However, instead of restricting Russians from feasting on alcoholic drinks, the situation turns even more complicated than has been initially perceived.It is unfortunate that everybody is watching an entire nation drink itself to death. Nations and societies around the world are concerned about criminal cases caused by alcoholism on such a small account. But it is interesting to note that Russia continue to survive despite being hounded by alcoholism on a massive scale of related incidents. Everyday, it is customary for a young citizen in this country to walk the streets with a bottle in hand. Drunks are a common sight in this on ce-Stalinist community. Men and women, it doesn’t really matter which citizen gets a taste of that famous vodka and beer.â€Å"One of the most striking changes in Russian cities in recent years is certainly the habit teenagers of both sexes have developed of roaming the streets with a bottle of beer as a fashion accessory† (Warren, 2001). Age is never a question among Russian drinkers. Individuals as young as thirteen years of age experience a new-found freedom with the death-causing bottle. ALCOHOLIC ACCOUNTS Many people believe that the famous American recovery program Alcoholics Anonymous should have arrived in Russia earlier to break the alcohol addiction.The government only allowed AA to be implemented in the mid-80s. Although it has been instrumental in controlling alcoholism in various Russian areas, the problem is still very much prevalent. But experts say that the real cause of country’s alcoholic inhibition is its history. Liquor especially the famous vodka is very much a Russian tradition. Since the Crusades, alcoholic drinks present a celebratory lifestyle in Russia. Numerous leaders since Lenin call for a total elimination of liquor. But countless times, alcoholic drinks continue to thrive until today.Even during the modern times in the 90s prior to the collapse of the Soviet Empire, the famous Mikhail Gorbachev want to ban the presence of alcohol from the mainstream of the society to no avail. It is an interesting fact that after the Soviet Union crumbles, Boris Yeltsin, who replaces Gorbachev, is a vodka fan himself. Russia continues to ride the wave with this new leader on the post. The country’s rise out from the ashes of communism allows a thorough look of its economic and social situation. In the past, the nation relies upon itself to resolve its internal woes.Without outside influence, Russia continues to deny the growing menace brought by alcoholism. But as it gradually opens up to the world, evident incidents a re being revealed. Due to its transition towards a capitalist state, Russia is now losing control on its newly-introduced freedom. There are various concerns that the motherland is now busy about. But with different priorities on the table, it is very likely that the nation can be able to address all concerns in one setting. By American standards, Russian alcohol consumption almost doubles what their former Cold War counterparts actually drink.â€Å"The average Russian male drinks about four gallons of pure alcohol per year, which amounts to about a pint of vodka every other day. To put it in perspective, this is nearly twice what Americans consume† (â€Å"Alcoholism in Russia†, 2002). In the early 21st century, Russia has been known to consume more alcohol than any other country in the world. It is hardly an honor since it reflects the numerous young Russians dying annually of alcohol-related diseases. Many workers in the nation are quick to defend themselves about th eir indulgence on alcohol. Social drinking is a particular explanation of choice for many.But this kind of reasoning costs millions of dollars in business losses due to counter productivity. Numerous workers don’t show up for work for a couple of days or even for a week. Concerns are never limited within the Russian nation. International groups show interest in lending support to contain alcoholism. However, it is never meant to be easy. Most of the country’s citizens have a hand on the bottle. It is hard for these people to part with the poison which they have been accustomed to have all their lives. As for the young Russians, everything is a learning experience.Every once in a while, drinks are up for grabs either for killing the time or for bonding with friends. There are numerous angles to tackle the alcoholism in Russia. The solutions may come handy but individuals are very much into the drinking habit. Analysts consider treating the disease among the older genera tion as out of bounds due to the degree of addiction. What most observers are concerned about is the increasing number of alcoholics among the young people. Everybody wants to end the cycle. But the Russians are still very much in the flow of things.And that makes the alcohol hard to prohibit. Most of the citizens want a drink. A drop of vodka can end up with the entire bottle. Even a leader like Yeltsin can be a motivating factor among the people to enjoy the perks of alcoholism. GOVERNMENT ACTION The election of Vladimir Putin to the Russian presidency can be the answer to the alcoholic woes plaguing the motherland. So far in his administration, the government has imposed a heavy tax on alcoholic beverages. Control over factories which produces alcoholic beverages is currently being sought by the president.The production of vodka and related alcoholic drinks has been limited. But the Russians continue to find sources of these drinks elsewhere. However, a new concern soon emerges. Being known throughout the world as a great lover of vodka, no one, not even the national government can prevent a Russian drinker to part with his favorite drink. Numerous citizens acquire impure or otherwise counterfeit alcoholic drinks from all the corners of the nation. With vodka unavailable or limited on the store shelves, individuals are looking for other means to supplement their craving for alcohol in their system.The only setback is that these alternative alcoholic beverages are considered second grade to the originally produced vodka and beer. The contents of these drinks can be detrimental to the health. â€Å"The profusion of poor-quality and counterfeit products on our alcohol market is a huge problem,† Putin said (Bigg, 2006). But Russian addiction to alcohol continues to prevail nonetheless. A derivative of the old vodka is being sold in the streets and this causes problems not merely to the citizens but to the government as well.President Putin’s gover nment imposes new tax regulations aimed at limiting the production of alcoholic beverages throughout the country. â€Å"The authorities hoped that the alcohol reform, by slapping a tax on industrial spirits, would curb bootleg vodka production and bring down the number of alcohol-poisoning deaths† (Bigg, 2006). This restrictive approach has so far working at least. It controls the factories distilling alcoholic drinks. Many suppliers and producers have been restricted in their capability to bring vodka on a massive scale. The factories know that Russians loved drinking.There is a lot of money to be made in the alcoholic beverage market. But with high taxes, the producers are paying more than what they should be in the past. Income has been hampered altogether and so they choose to limit their production instead. Prior to the implementation of new taxation ordinances, the government taps different economic and social organization to have a hand in the alcoholism problem in Rus sia. Anywhere in the former communist bloc, individuals clutch bottles under their hands. Persons below the legal age are having the time of their lives enjoying the vodka, the beer and the other imported hard liquor.Parents, teachers, relatives and guardians balk at the responsibility of checking the drinking habits of many people. There is hesitation in ending or controlling the consumption of alcohol primarily because drinking is hard to subdue. Enjoying a drink is a common occurrence even from the time of the Tsars and the Bolshevists. Attempts have been made to eradicate it but tradition has it that Russia finds joy in vodka. The availability of alcoholic beverages throughout the Russian nation is a prime cause of excessive drinking. Any way an individual looks, there is a reason to celebrate.Prices prior to the government’s restrictive law are affordable. It allows the citizens to acquire no matter how many bottles they can consume. Alcohol is spread out in Russia as a prelude to an impending fiesta celebration of some kind. The drinking habit is perhaps a culture that may never go out of style. Russians like to drink. Whether it is dangerous to their health, it doesn’t entirely matter. Various organizations and agencies participate in the government’s drive to check Russia’s dreaded disease. The total elimination of alcoholic brands never crosses the priority list of inspectors and enforcers.What is initially discussed is a method of controlling alcohol consumption among Russians. The whole country knows that it is drinking itself to death. Statistics show an increase of mortality rates caused by alcoholism. Even the world is watching. Everybody is concerned about the health risks in Russia. But the love for the bottle is just too much. Non-profit and non-government organizations launch an investigative program to trace Russia’s addiction to alcohol. Instead of focusing on the prohibitive measures, another option to ta ckle the problem is being pursued.The root motivation behind the drinking habits of many Russians is being sought to be acted upon. Historical accounts about the drinking habits of the former Bolshevists’ country are opened. Living conditions are observed. For things to be helpful to the Russians, cooperation means everything. RECENT HISTORY Russia is in the forefront of the now-defunct Soviet Union. Although the central government controls most of the country’s political and social machineries, the Union States experience progress all throughout. The Soviet empire is a proud federation.Not so long ago, its stature poses to be a threat to international security. With the communist party at the helm, laws and regulations are strictly imposed. Citizens are at the mercy of the State. Statistical figures about alcoholism rates are kept under wraps. The extent of alcohol addiction under communist rule is deceiving. Nobody knows how grave the danger is at that time. The gove rnment is hiding details since the Cold War era is still in effect. All along, the focus is on winning that war. Internal conflicts are ignored or ceased to be addressed.The greatest battle that Russia has undergone is its transition from a communist nation to a capitalist state. The country has been under the red flag for so long that life all over the empire will be disastrous if reforms are pushed. Citizens believe that there is no other way to live in the country but under equal terms, under communist control, that is. When the world prevails against the communists, walls start crumbling down. Berlin signals an end to the era of the mighty Soviet Republics. People everywhere in Eastern Europe call for democratic shift in government platforms.The demise of communism is only a matter of time. By the time changes are in place, another problem surfaces. Russia and its former communist bloc have trouble starting a capitalist nation. The break from the old tradition is harder than ini tially perceived. Although assistance from the United States and other countries come in swiftly, Russia has problems settling a restless population. Internal turmoil besieges the nation as calls for immediate reforms, freedom and a new way of life mounted. Under the communist machinery, Russians are so accustomed to being taken cared of on just everything that they need.Food, shelter and clothing are being supplied by the central government. The only thing missing at that time is freedom. Restrictions are a part of everyday life. When capitalism emerges, Russia felt somewhat confused with all the freedom available. Without total control, chaos soon erupts. Russia’s transition towards democracy takes time to fully sink in. Political analysts say that adjustment to a new system can be discouraging but definitely a necessity if the country intends to survive. The government drops a number of industries and allows these businesses to be privatized.With a free hand on situations and many other things, many Russians have trouble providing themselves and their families with their basic needs. Unlike before, people must find a job or something to build upon in order to earn money to survive. But the situation makes it hard for all individuals to get a work primarily because most industries are still starting out. Many companies and factories are managing their costs to stay competitive while trying to attain stability. The political and social upheaval in the post-Cold War Russia turns out to be a miserable experience for many citizens.Jobs are scarce. The government is trying hard to make both ends meet. The entire country is apparently on its own. In response to the anguish and harsh living conditions across Russia, alcohol is the immediate problem reliever. People get numbed after a stretch of drinking and this allows many citizens to simply sleep through with their problems at least for the night. ALCOHOL AS THE ANSWER Vodka is not only a celebratory instr ument to be toasted and treasured in Russian life. Alcoholic drinks are being used by numerous individuals as an escape from hardship.With nothing much to offer, the government has no solutions to offer on its people’s plight. Because of this, many Russians seek the comfort of the bottle. Alcohol is a refuge among poor Russians. Consumption is increased to drown the sorrows of the day. Perhaps even the government officials get to drink some vodka to calm their nerves after a nerve-wracking activity at the Politburo. Numerous alcoholic beverages gain immediate acceptance in the mainstream of the society. All over Russia is dealing with birth pains of a capitalist state. Adapting to democratic principles is never easy.The financial market is down. The nation is in ruins. What is once a mighty and proud empire sits atop a sandlot thinking warily about the future. With international assistance and support, Russia overcomes a multitude of depressing turmoil. As it manages to adapt to capitalism, growth and development soon result to progress all throughout the levels of the society. With the nation back on its feet, the country is ready to face new challenges. The demands of its citizens are slowly being addressed one way or the other. By the time Russia pedals with the rest of the world, alcoholism is simply ignored.For many Russians, the risk of drinking a little too many is a common cause for celebration. Deaths caused by alcohol are a common occurrence. It is a different story in Russia. Excessive drinking is a leading cause in mortality among its citizens. As the situation worsens, the government ignores the pleas of the people. As the worldwide and national attention heightens, there is no other way to deal with the incidents but to address the situation. Under President Putin, regulatory measures are implemented. Factories limit their production on alcoholic beverages. Russians are finding it extremely hard to grab an alcoholic drink.No matter how str ict government laws are, citizens still manage to squeeze in a bottle or two for a night’s consumption. The drinking habits among Russians just keep getting better. Old folks consume alcohol more than their usual limits. It brings up a negative example for the younger generation to follow. The young people pick up their habits as well from the older population. It is no wonder that teenagers as young as thirteen or fourteen are gaining addiction to alcohol. â€Å"In a country renowned for hard drinking, most people aren't surprised to hear that 42,000 people die from counterfeit alcohol in Russia each year† (Nicholson, 2006).Russians are resourceful enough to find alternative sources. If the government is firm in its stance to paralyze the alcohol industry, the citizens are quick to scout the area for possible sources of vodka, beer and other alcoholic drinks. The only danger is the contents of these alternative beverages. â€Å"Perfumes, aftershave, cleaning liquids and other fluids have been passed off by counterfeiters as vodka for decades, and have long been on the drinks list of Russia's more desperate alcoholics† (Nicholson, 2006).Being counterfeit, the risk of vodka being impure is a hundred folds higher that the original. This can be an added cause of deaths among Russian drinkers. It is not alcohol consumption alone that is in question. â€Å"Compounding the problem is the cheap price tag carried by a bottle of fake liquor† (Bigg, 2006). CONCLUSION Whether the mortality rate has been increased by excessive alcohol consumption or counterfeit patronization, many Russian groups are convinced that finding the solution to the alcoholic situation in Russia is merely another political ploy.Numerous organizations are very much aware of the government’s takeover of important industries such as oil and gas in the nation. Party groups believe that the administration is seeking to include the alcohol industry under its control. Heating up the already complicated alcohol consumption among citizens is one reason enough to revitalize the government’s claim. However, with or without political hitches, alcoholism in Russia is a serious problem. People must treat the situation not merely as part of a tradition or just a common celebration. Persons are dying.Alcohol in excess is deadly. If Russian lives are to be saved, the government must seek the cooperation of its people in order to address this national concern. REFERENCES Bigg, C.. Russia: Alcohol Reform Blamed for Outbreak of Poisonings. RadioFreeEurope. (2006, Oct. 30). Retrieved November 15, 2007 from http://www. rferl. org/featuresarticle/2006/10/67164cf3-a58d-4a76-aae0-e4f64e992f9b. html Eke, S.. Fake Russian Alcohol ‘Kills Many. ’ BBC News. (2006, June 23). Retrieved November 15, 2007 from http://news. bbc. co. uk/2/hi/europe/5111762. stmNicholson, A.. Alcohol Deaths Spark Debate in Russia. Boston. Com. (2006, Nov. 4). Retrieved Nov ember 15, 2007 from http://www. boston. com/news/world/europe/articles/2006/11/04/alcohol_deaths_spark_debate_in_russia/ Warren, M.. Lone Crusader Fights Russia’s Alcohol Problem. Telegraph. Co. UK. (2001, June 19). Retrieved November 15, 2007 from http://www. telegraph. co. uk/news/main. jhtml? xml=/news/2001/02/03/wrus03. xml Alcoholism in Russia. Everything2. (2002, October 22). Retrieved November 15, 2007 from http://everything2. com/index. pl? node_id=1380040