Lost and Found

Lost and Found There are no directions in Japan. The buildings are numbered, but in a generally useless, chronological order. When you ask for a map, there are no street names, just landmarks and Makudonarudos (McDonalds). Also, Im pretty sure they dont allow you to set off smoke signals in Japanese suburbs. Combine all that with my winning sense of direction and youve got a very lost American kid somewhere west of Central Tokyo. It happened the moment when I got off the limousine bus from the airport to go to the landlords office, and it happened even worse when I got off the train to look for my house. A woman helped me carry my luggage up two flights of stairs from the subway, then looked at my map and declared, I think its down that way, but Im not sure. Just go down that street about ten minutes and it should be around that area somewhere. And so I walked. Twenty minutes to the left of the station in the eighty-degree Tokyo heat, wearing two sweaters, dragging two heavy suitcases, and wondering why my bodily fluids were trying to escape me so freely. I walked for days. I walked until the Japanese Ghost of Christmas Past walked up next to me and was like, Got a drink? At that time I knew it was time to ask directions, to the first person I saw in the midst of this solely residential area: an older Japanese woman pushing her mother-in-law in a wheelchair, having a conversation with an older man down the street. Anou, sumimasen.. Ehh? America-jin desu kara.. kore, doko de wakarimasuka? She didnt know where it was exactly, but she looked at the map and surmised it was probably in the opposite direction. It was the third time today Id walked at least fifteen minutes in the complete wrong direction, and the phrase hantai no hoo (opposite direction) was starting to sound all too familiar. But she took the number off the map and called the company just to make sure. Moshi moshi? Just from her Japanese grunting noises (Unnn, Nnnn, Sousousousou) and vigorous head nods I could tell that I was in the wrong place and was probably going to have to make yet another 180, to be followed by several other twisty and difficult turns that could only be navigated by someone whose nationality is from a place that invented the electronic bidet. I deflated slightly, knowing my jet-lagged legs would have to wait slightly longer to be alleviated of their fatigue, and that the smell thatd been hanging over me ever since Id spent 11 hours seated next to an overly large man with a love of portable cheese would be with me a little longer. I wondered if Id ever figure out my way through the completely illogical streets of Tokyo, and even worse, if I was sweating out of my ears. (I was.) Arigatoo gozaimashita. The woman hung up the phone. Issyou ni ikimasyoo! Her offer to walk with me was so unexpected I almost passed out from surprise (and a little from heat stroke). As we walked she told me about her one son and two grandchildren, who lived in Singapore, and how her husband loved golf but wasnt very good at it. She told me she and her husband were retired and stayed at home taking care of their mother-in-law, who was in her 90s and her back was injured. She asked why I began studying Japanese and why I was here for the summer, and I told her. I also told her I didnt really know anyone in Tokyo, to which she said Me, your Japanese friend! My new Japanese friend dropped me off at my apartment, told me to get some rest, and to call her some time soon. That weekend, I skyped her to say hello, and mentioned off-hand that I wanted to buy a cell phone. Oh, I come with you! You eat breakfast yet? You come to my house! And then she made me breakfast, over which I talked to her husband about my flight, work, and getting lost in Tokyo. He told me about their honeymoon in Hawaii over forty years ago, how hed studied German instead of English, and how he kinda wished hed studied English now. There was a lot of toast and tea and ramen, and then she took me to Ikebukuro to get a cell phone grabbing my arm protectively in the subway, guiding me down the street to the cell phone shop, asking if there was someone there who spoke English to explain the terms of the contract to me where it turns out my visa wasnt a long enough period for me to buy the phone under my name, so she offered to put it under her ID card all approximately five days after Id first met her. At this point Im a little suspicious that my mom has sewed some kind of sign into all my clothes that says LOST FOREIGNER PLEASE HELP. Or that I just look really helpless and weak, and that I need someone to rescue me at all turns. My Japanese isnt that bad, I think, and I start to get defensive. Whats in it for her? Why is this lady being so unexpectedly good to me? She looks at me and smiles, and says Me, your Japanese Mama! And then I realize there are no alternate motives here. She isnt trying to take my money or waste my time, nor is she intending to later break into my house and eat what little food I have. (She knows where I live.) Shes simply Japanese. This is how she interacts with other human beings helping out a stranger on basic human kindness in a way that, much like yours truly on my first day in Tokyo, has become somewhat lost in American culture. I follow her back into the subway station, happy to be found.

The Causes and Prevention of Teen Suicide Essay - 545 Words

â€Å"Sixteen-year-old Andrea was told to stop and talk to her Math teacher after class. Andrea knew what was coming because her grades had been slipping in the last few months. After the teacher told Andrea she was planning to call her parents for a conference, she was filled with despair. Andrea never went to her next class. Instead, she went to the girl’s bathroom and using a nail file, slashed her wrist. Andrea was found by another student a half hour later and was rushed to the hospital. Andrea didn’t die, but she wanted to.† (McGuire 8) Before the mid-1970s, teen suicide appeared to be a rare happening. Suicide is the eleventh leading cause of death in the United States with 32,000 Americans taking their own lives annually every sixteen†¦show more content†¦Laurie, and Mandell R. Stephen 377) What would make a young person want to take his or her own life? It was once believed those who attempted suicide were possessed by demons (McGuire 26). It w asn’t until the nineteenth century that sociologists and psychologists made some major breakthroughs on the causes of suicide (McGuire 26). Depression plays a big role in the thought process of suicide. When someone is depressed and unhappy he or she may start to think how life would be easier for others without them. Depression is the most common mental health disorder in the United States among teens and adults. Tragically, about fifteen percent of people living with depression end their lives by committing suicide (Tricare). influence depression and suicide, loss of a parent, losing a job and feeling like you have failed in life. Whenever girls normally get emotionally or physically hurt, they will most likely run to their mom or dad, or their girlfriends, for comfort and support. Most teen boys are different from teen girls. Boys don’t normally go talk to their guy friends about how someone was talking about them in lunch. 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Thesis: Spreading Awareness to teen suicide is a means to answering their silent cry by getting knowledge and donating, After all, knowledge is a veryRead MoreSuicide Is The Third Leading Cause Of Death1191 Words   |  5 Pages Suicide is the Third Leading Cause of Death in Adolescence Connie Yonn West Coast University Suicide behavior arise in adolescence, a period when significant mood and disturb behavior preoccupied with death (Stoep, 2009). Teen suicide rates are disturbing and have been increasing in the current years base on statistic (Croft, 2016).  The increasing number of teen suicide have cause awareness and brought attention to observance in teen suicide (Croft, 2016). It is said to be the third leading causeRead MoreSuicide Prevention : The Dangers Of Teen Suicide And Suicide736 Words   |  3 PagesTeen Suicide is dangerous. You might think your child’s not at risk, that they are completely fine. Think again, everyones child is at risk. Child and teen suicide is only growing and it’s increasing risk doesn’t seem to be slowing down. Teen Suicide Prevention is the way to protecting our younger generation from fighting depression. Through reminding our kids their life is worth it, the amazing Sources of Strength program, and through telling our kids the dangers o f teen depression, we can resolveRead MoreTeen Suicide Essay891 Words   |  4 Pagesanother man without Clementi’s knowledge, Clementi committed suicide. The actual definition of suicide is â€Å"the action of killing oneself intentionally†. The act of suicide is a serious matter, and is particularly prevalent among teens and young adults. The best way to prevent teen suicide is through informing people of its existence, and educating them on the warning signs and prevention methods. In this essay I will explain why suicide is a major public health problem through statistics, show the

Project Management Operations Management - 1137 Words

Graduate Diploma in Project Management OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT STUDENT ID : 1599164 STUDENT NAME : ARUN SREE S A SUBMITTED DATE : 04-DEC-2015 SEMESTER 2 - 2015 LECTURER: Dr. Nathan Faculty of Humanities Business School of Business Computing Contents 1. Introduction 3 2. Selection Criteria / Interest 3 3. Methodology 4 4. Limitations of the study 4 5. Operational Sequences 5 5.1.Milma Production Process Chart 5 5.2.Fonterra process chart 7 5.3. Functional Departments for Milma to help the Business operations. 8 5.4. Functional Departments for Fonterra to help the Business operations. 8 6. Output 8 6.1. Products of Milma 8 6.2. Products of Fonterra 9 7. SWOT Analysis / SWOT Matrix 10 7.1. SWOT For Milma 10 7.2. SWOT For Fonterra 11 8. Conclusion 12 9. References 12 1. INTRODUCTION Dairy Product is the rapid growing business in the present world. Competition is also growing along with the business growth. This research is comprising the operational sequences of two dairy companies, situated in two different countries, Fonterra (NZ) and Milma (IND). Fonterra is the leading co-operative dairy company in New Zealand. It was established in October, 2001 and holding 95% of dairy business in New Zealand. About 20 billion liters of milk has been handled by Fonterra, according to the new statistics. The vision of the company is ‘Become the dominant force in commodity milk production in the Southern Hemisphere, and as aShow MoreRelatedProject Management With Operations Management Essay1572 Words   |  7 PagesQuestion 1: Contrast project management with operations management. How do these differences impact the approach required to manage a project successfully? (15 points) Answer 1: Projects are temporary endeavors with a beginning and an end and are initiated to solve a particular need of the organization. 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Stokes Prof. Brian Dahl Course Title: Operations and Project Management Course Number: BUSN 6110 QDS22015 Date: May 30, 2015-05-30 Institution: Webster University â€Å"Quality Management – Toyota† Abstract Toyota Motor Corporation being the leading motor manufacturer in the world is now facing issues regarding quality management and there have been many cases in October 2009 when the initial recalls of Toyota vehicles in the United States of America was done. Toyota being its originRead MoreOperations Management/Enterprise Project Essays2315 Words   |  10 PagesCourse: Operations management Enterprise Project: Industrial Universal Pallet Manufacturing Industrial Universal Pallet Manufacturing Organizational Structure Organizational structure plays an important role in the development, and arrangement of tasks. This is because the structure of an organization is used to coordinate department, and tasks such as coordination, allocation, and supervision. 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Inventory, materialRead MoreEssay Case Study on Operation Management1154 Words   |  5 PagesCanada West Professor: Chris Tabi MBA 510: Operations Management 23rd March 2013 Abstract This paper illustrates the importance and use of operation management in order to deal with different task within the one organization. It provides the information regarding the transformation process, operations objectives and company operations which helps an organization to perform various tasks. It also focuses on various problems regarding capacity and management faced by the company. In the end, it providesRead MoreThe Conception Of Operation Management1521 Words   |  7 Pagesabout the conception of operation management, and history of operation management. It also presents the circumstance of New Zealand SMEs and analysis on number of birth and deaths of different business sectors in 2010. At the end of the report, it provides the review of the business in New Zealand by major focus on their needs. In section 1, the report demonstrates the review of literature on the operations management. Among them, it includes what is operations management, explaining the roles and

Biology 3.3 Dna Structure Free Essays

3. 3 7. 1 DNA Structure Worksheet 1. We will write a custom essay sample on Biology 3.3 Dna Structure or any similar topic only for you Order Now Draw and label the structure of a simplified single nucleotide, including sugar, phosphate and base. 2. Complete the table below to show the pairings of the bases in DNA: Purine| Pyrimidine| Adenine| Thymine| Guanine| Cytosine| 3. Where would one find the base uracil? RNA, it replaces thymine 4. In the space below, draw a single strand of three nucleotides, naming the bonds between them and showing the correct relative position of these bonds. The sequence of these bases makes up the genetic code. The red linesrepresent covalent bonds. They are read in groups of three called triplets. These triplets arethen used to send instructions in the cell: to switch genes on and off. 5. Define the term double helix. The term double helix is two strands of DNA that twist around each other. Anti-Parallel 6. In the space below, draw a section of DNA, showing two anti-parallel strands of three nucleotides. Label the bonds which hold the bases together as well as the correct complementary base pairs. Also include the 3’ and 5’ linkages (and ends), and the distinction between purines and pyramidines. . Explain the relevance of the following in the double-helix structure of DNA: a. Complementary base pairing Complementary base pairing is when G only bonds with C and T only bonds with A and these are found on each strand of the double helix b. Hydrogen bonds Hydrogen bonds between the bases hold together the strands of DNA c. Relative positioning of the sugar-phosphate backbone and the bases The relative positioning of the sugar-phosphate backbone are on the outside and the bases are on the inside of the double helix 8. In the space below, draw the structure of a simplified nucleosome, including the H1 linker and histone proteins. 9. Nucleosomes allow the DNA to be supercoiled. a. What is the approximate length of the DNA strand in one chromosome? The length is (length of 1 bp) (number of bp per cell) which is 2 meters. b. During which phase of the cell cycle is DNA most likely to be supercoiled? Prophase c. Outline how nucleosomes help regulate transcription. 10. Distinguish between unique or single-copy genes and highly repetitive sequences: Single-copy genes| Highly-repetitive sequences| . 5% of genome makes polypeptides. Each codon (mRNA) (3 bases) codes for one amino acid. 3% codes for ‘on/off’ gene switches. Within each eukaryotic genes there are:Exons (coding regions)Introns (non-coding regions which are edited out)  Ã‚  Every gene has a ‘switch’, for example a skin cell will turn off unnecessary genes so it does not perform the wrong activity (e. g. producing bloo d)  | Makes up about 5% – 45% of the genome. Once called junk DNAAlso known as satellite DNA, each repeated sequence can be 5-300 base pairsHRSs are used in genetic fingerprinting. This is because they accumulate mutations rapidly| Not all of the base sequences in DNA are translated. Highly repetitive base sequences are not translated. They consist of sequences of between 5 and 300 bases that may be repeated up to 10 000 times. They constitute 5-45% of eukaryotic DNA. Single-copy genes or unique genes are translated and constitute a surprisingly small proportion of eukaryotic DNA. 11. Distinguish between introns and exons in eukaryotic genes. Exons (coding regions) Introns (non-coding regions which are edited out) How to cite Biology 3.3 Dna Structure, Papers

ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOR AND PERFORMANCE APPRAISAL Essays

ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOR AND PERFORMANCE APPRAISAL Organizations require consistent levels of high performance from their employees in order to survive in a highly competitive environment. Many rms use some form of results-oriented planning and control systems. Management By Objectives (MBO) is a cyclical process that often consists of four steps as a way to attain desired performance: 1. Objective setting - joint determination by manager and employee of appropriate levels of future performance for the employee, within the context of overall unit goals and resources. These objectives are often set for the next calendar year. 2. Action planning -participative or even independent planning by the employee as to how to reach those objectives. Providing some autonomy to employees is invaluable; they are more likely to use their integrity, as well as feel more committed to the plan's success. 3. Periodic reviews - joint assessment of progress toward objectives by manager and employee, performed informally and sometimes spontaneously. 4. Annual evaluation -more formal assessment of success in achieving the employee's annual objectives, coupled with a renewal of the planning cycle. Some MBO systems also use performance appraisal to tie rewards for employees to the level of results attained. Appraisal Philosophy A generation ago, appraisal programs tended to emphasize employee traits, deciencies and abilities, but modern appraisal philosophy emphasizes present performance and future goals. Modern philosophy also stresses employee participation in mutually setting goals with the supervisor and knowledge of results. Thus the hallmarks of modern appraisal philosophy are as follows: 1. Performance Orientation -it is not enough for employees to put forth eort; that eort must result in the attainment of desired outcomes (products or services). 2. Focus on goals or objectives -as the discussion of MBO shows, employees need to have a clear idea of what they are supposed to be doing and the priorities among their tasks; as the saying goes, "If you know where you want to go, you are more likely to get there". 3. Mutual goal setting between supervisor and employee - this is the belief that people will work harder for goals or objectives that they have participated in setting. Among their desires are to perform a worthwhile task, share in group eort, share in setting their objectives, share in the rewards of their eorts, and continue personal growth. The "Theory Y" assumption is that people want to satisfy some of their needs through work and they will do so if management will provide them with a supportive environment. 4. Clarication of behavioral expectations -this is often done via a behaviorally anchored rating scale (BARS),which provides the employee and manager with concrete examples of various levels of behaviors. Brief descriptions of outstanding, very good, acceptable, below average, and unacceptable behaviors are specied for each major dimension of a job, thus cueing the employee in advance regarding the organization's expectations. BARS help reduce a manager's tendency to focus on attitudes, personality and quirks of an employee and shift the emphasis toward productive behaviors.5. 5. Extensive feedback systems - employees can ne-tune their performance better if they know how they are doing in the eyes of the organization

Shouldice Hospital Case Essay Example

Shouldice Hospital Case Essay Example Shouldice Hospital Case Essay Shouldice Hospital Case Essay â€Å"Shouldice hospital, the house that hernias built, is a converted country estate which gives the hospital ‘a country club’ appeal. † A quote from American Medical News Shouldice Hospital in Canada is widely known for one thing-hernia repair! In fact, that is the only operation it performs, and it performs a great many of them. Over the past two decades this small 90-bed hospital has averaged 7,000 operations annually. Last year, it had a record year and performed nearly 7,500 operations. Patients’ ties to Shouldice do not end when they leave the hospital. Every year the gala Hernia Reunion dinner (with  complimentary hernia inspection) draws in excess of 1,000 former patients, some of whom have been attending the event for over 30 years. A number of notable features in Shouldice’s service delivery system contribute to its success. (1) Shouldice accepts only patients with the uncomplicated external hernias, and it uses a superior technique developed for this type of hernia by Dr. Shouldice during World War II. (2) Patients are subject to early ambulation, which promotes healing. (Patients literally walk off the operating table and engage in light exercise throughout  their stay, which lasts only three days) (3) † (p. 8) -â€Å"We don’t have an organization chart. A chart tends to make people think they’re boxed into jobs. † (p. 9) â€Å"The hospital relied entirely on word-of-mouth advertising [†¦]† (p. 10) Shouldice Hospital is focused on good working conditions. It tries to meet people’s needs and makes the hospital as good of a place to work as possible; not only for the patients, but also for the members of the hospital staff: For example surgeons, assistants and nurses were rotated every few days or weeks that they get as much experience as possible. Furthermore each secretary is trained to do another’s work and in an emergency is able to switch to another function immediately. In spite of the fact that the pay scale for the staff is higher than the union scale for comparable jobs, there is also a high bonus pool and profit-sharing plan for all of the employees. The hospital also provides some free services for parents, who accompany their children and also provides free annual checkups for past patients. As a conclusion, Shouldice Hospital is doing well in capacity, service, quality, efficiency and performance. What performance exactly means and how you account performance will be answered in the next question. 2. How do you account for its performance? To answer this question we looked at the literature of performance management and tried to relate the theoretical background with the information provided in the â€Å"Shouldice Hospital Limited† case material. In business literature several different approaches to performance exist. In organizational development, performance can be thought of as actual results vs. desired results. Any discrepancy, where actual is less than desired, could constitute the performance improvement zone. Performance management and improvement can be thought of as a cycle: 1. Performance planning where goals and objectives are established. 2. Performance coaching where a manager intervenes to give feedback and adjust performance. 3. Performance appraisal where individual performance is formally documented and feedback delivered. A performance problem is any gap between desired results and actual results. Performance improvement is any effort targeted at closing the gap between actual results and desired results. Other organizational development definitions are slightly different. The US Governments Office of Personnel Management indicates that performance management consists of a system or process whereby: 1. Work is planned and expectations are set, 2. Performance of work is monitored, 3. Staff ability to perform is developed and enhanced, 4. Performance is rated or measured and the ratings summarized and 5. Top performance is rewarded. In Business performance management literature, performance is described as a set of processes that help businesses discover efficient use of their business units, financial, human and material resources. The definition of  performance in Operational performance management literature focuses on creating methodical and predictable ways to improve business results, or performance, across organizations. The answer to question 1 of our paper focuses on actual performance of the Shouldice hospital and the answers to questions 4, 5 concentrate on ways to improve hospital’s capacity, which covers the operational management approach to performance. Since the case material is short on data as far as desired results are concerned, we will take historical and comparative approach in order to account the performance of Shouldice Hospital. Since the number of operations is considered by us as the most important measure of performance, from historical perspective we can see that performance on this measure has been increasing steadily since year 1982. â€Å"[†¦] the volume of activity continued to increase, reaching a total of 6,850 operations in the 1982 calendar year. † The average number of operations per year reached 7750 (please see question 4 for reference) at the time of interview. Increased number of operations indicates the higher number of patients, which could also indicate a high customer satisfaction level. Since the hospital in not using any marketing strategy to attract clients, and â€Å"relied entirely on word of mouth advertising† , we could presume that satisfaction reached desired results and increased the number of new patients. We could also look at the performance from financial perspective in terms of employees’ salaries â€Å"we try to maintain a pay scale higher than the union scale for comparable jobs in the area† . Ability to pay above average market salaries indicates reaching target revenues and non-existent or minimal gap between desired results and actual results for financial performance. From the facts in Shouldice hospital case material, high involvement of experienced surgeons in coaching and giving feedback in order to maintain high quality of operations could be also observed. â€Å"Training in the Shouldice technique was important because the procedure could not be varied. It was accomplished through direct supervision by one or more of the senior surgeons. The rotation of teams and frequent consultation allowed for an ongoing opportunity to appraise performance and take corrective action. † The above example of training program gives us insight on personnel management at Shouldice hospital. Here we can refer to The US Governments Office of Personnel Management approach to performance. Holistic approach to personnel performance management including planning, monitoring, development, performance evaluation and reward system (â€Å"bonuses to doctors were voted by the board of directors twice a year, depending on profit and performance† ) are integral parts of this approach and all of them, according to data from case material, exist (and are of great importance to Shouldice hospital’s management. We looked at different performance measures and approaches from comparative and historic perspective in order to answer this question. With the data given in the case and the facts outlined in the answer to question 1, we can conclude that in all discussed fields, i. e. customer satisfaction, capacity, financial performance and personnel management Shouldice Hospital is performing with no gap between actual results and desired results. 3. Develop a process flow chart for Shouldice Hospital. In this answer, we will provide a process flow chart for patients, who have had their hernias repaired at Shouldice Hospital. A process flow chart deals with a schematic diagram for describing a process. From our point of view, the real process starts when the patient arrives at Shouldice Hospital. That’s the reason why we do not have the previous steps (filling out questionnaires (1), patients getting their operation dates (2), information logged into the computer (3), patients sent their confirmation cards (4), patients contacted by phone (5)) in our process flow chart. Our process flow chart starts at 1:00-3:00 P. M. , when the patient arrives at Shouldice Hospital with 30 to 34 other patients. As you can see from the process flow chart, after four days, a patient is ready for discharge. This multi-stage process flow chart also includes a lot of buffers , where the patient has to wait till the next step in the process flow chart can be processed. As you can see on the last slide of the process flow chart, there is only limited information available about the third and fourth day. Finally, patients can leave Shouldice Hospital after four days. 4. What is Shouldice Hospital’s capacity? First of all, to make more clear how we interpreted this question, we will give a definition of capacity: â€Å"Capacity means the number/throughput of  units a facility can hold or produce in a period of time. † If we adjust this explanation to the Shouldice case, we assume that the capacity of the hospital is the maximum number of patients who can have an operation during one year. Referring to the case, the peak activity occurs in September when as many as 165 operations per week might be performed. Each year has 52 weeks, however according to the text: â€Å"For many of the same reasons, the hospital closed for two weeks late in December each year,† this means to a total of 50 work weeks each year. Using this information we can assume that the weekly capacity would be 165 patients and the yearly capacity being 8,250 operations. Alternatively, using an average figure of 155 weekly operations performed, this will result in a yearly average capacity of 7,750 operations. Also the capacity could be the number of beds, â€Å"Initially, a 36-bed capacity was create in Thornhill, but after some years of planning, a large wing was added to the house to provide a total capacity of 89-beds. † 5. As Dr. Shouldice, what actions, if any, would you take to expand the hospital’s capacity? In order to create further opportunities to expand the hospital’s capacity, and secure future growth, Dr. Shouldice should expand the hospital’s facilities into the U. S. This notion supported by the case, which states, â€Å"Approximately 42% of all Shouldice patients came from the United States† (p. 3). As of now, these patients are forced to pay â€Å"roughly $200 to $600† (p. 10) to travel to Toronto and patients from the U. S. must now have passports when travelling to Canada. Having a hospital in the U. S.  could reduce some of the costs of travelling for these patients, decrease some of the anxiety of travelling to a foreign country, and make the facilities more accessible for potential patients. Additionally, it would be in the best interest of the hospital to diversify its practice and pursue â€Å"opportunities such as eye surgery, varicose veins, or hemorrhoids† (p. 11). An expansion to the U. S. is an enormous undertaking and since opening a facility in the U. S. is akin to starting anew this is an opportune time for Shouldice Hospital to diversify their opportunities. Based upon Exhibit 4 in the case study, â€Å"it is quite clear that others are trying to emulate us,† which means that Shouldice Hospital is the premier hernia care provider. Now that they have mastered the hernia care and procedures, they must now transfer that knowledge of patient care to other areas of medicine. A staggering 86% of the attendees of the 1983 Shouldice Hospital Annual Reunion responded that Shouldice Hospital most definitely cared for them as a person (Exhibit 3, p. 16). With numbers like these and given Shouldice’s record of accomplishments, it is time for Shouldice to move forward and expand their opportunities. Furthermore, it would be in the best interest of the hospital to patent its world-renowned hernia procedure. Currently the procedure is available to all hospitals who, â€Å"may copy our technique and misapply it or misinform their patients about the use of it. This can result in failure, and we are concerned that the technique will be blamed for the recurrences. † (p. 11). Occurrences such as these can denounce the Shouldice name and can hinder potential patients from looking into Shouldice’s procedures. Shouldice should also look into advertising its procedures in order to increase its capacity. Presently, Shouldice is â€Å"afraid to send out this new brochure [they’ve] put together for fear it will generate too much demand† (p. 11). Advertising, in correlation with the expansion into the U. S. , would greatly increase the awareness of Shouldice because â€Å"the hospital relied entirely on word-of-mouth advertising† (p. 10). With the expansion into the U. S. Shouldice would be able to support the extra demand generated by an advertising campaign. The main types of advertising Shouldice should consider are direct mailings, magazine/newspaper ads, and infomercials. The atmosphere at Shouldice in Toronto is definitely one of a kind. The patients, nurses, and surgeons all have a special bond rarely seen in a hospital, which greatly contributes to the success of Shouldice. In such a quaint working environment, it is important to consider the needs of everyone involved when contemplating facility expansions and work schedule changes. With this in mind, and seeing that there are only a small number of workers, all of whom do not agree on a work schedule change to add Saturdays, Shouldice should continue its present work schedule and not add Saturday operations. Additionally, adding a floor to the current facility would greatly change the working dynamics of the hospital and the quaint environment in which the patients and staff thrive. Adding a new floor and Saturday operations may add revenue but it would take away from all that Shouldice stands for. As the case states, â€Å"‘I’d hate to see the practice split over the issue’† (p. 12). Finally, Shouldice should look into updating and digitalizing its computer systems. This will not only expedite the administrative process but would also lower patients’ waiting time and reduce the stress attributed to masses of paperwork. Patients should be able to fill out all the necessary paperwork one time on a computer and then not be bothered until the procedure. In addition, digitalizing Shouldice’s system would make the brochure sent out to patients (Exhibit 1) a more fluid process. If the form was available on the Internet then there would be faster response times and fewer mistakes. 6. How would you implement changes you propose? Based upon the information provided in the case, it seems as though Dr. Shouldice already has a few places in the U. S. in mind for the hospital (p. 11). We would encourage him to do further research to determine where the best geographic region is according to demand for hernia operations as well as the other opportunities mentioned (eye surgery, varicose veins, or hemorrhoids). Dr. Shouldice must also consider the cost of building a new facility and future revenues derived from greater capacity. In order to protect the surgery that has made the hospital so famous, Dr. Shouldice would need to apply for patents through the provincial government. Moreover, it would be wise for Dr. Shouldice to apply for patents in the U.S. as well before he begins operations there. Taking the necessary steps to obtain a patent would secure Shouldice’s unique surgical procedure and their future success. Although Shouldice currently handles all of their own operations, it is necessary for them to hire an advertising agency to launch a new campaign. An advertising agency has much more experience and knowledge about best practices and with the guidance of the administrative staff they could work together to achieve the desired outcome. Shouldice should consider advertising for their U. S. facility as soon as an expansion plan is completed and for their Toronto facility as soon as the U. S. facility is open. This would promote awareness among U. S. patients prior to the opening of the facility and give the Toronto facility enough time to phase out some existing U. S. patients. A test period of six months should be implemented and if the advertising proves successful then further implementation and changes can be made. The first step Shouldice should take to implement a new computer system is to find a company who provides the services they are looking for. Then the two sides would need to work together to develop computer software that fits the specific needs of Shouldice. Next, employee training would be required to familiarize all necessary parties with the new system. Then, a test period would be needed to ensure that the computer software was working properly and that all employees knew how it worked. Finally, the old system Shouldice currently uses would cease to exist and the new system would be fully implemented.

The Appeal of Dystopian Novels for Teens

The Appeal of Dystopian Novels for Teens Teens are devouring the current popular literature of the dark, grim, and dismal: the dystopian novel. Bleak story lines about leaders who  terrorize citizens every year by making them watch teens fight to the death and governments who condone mandatory operations to remove emotion describe two of the popular dystopian novels that teens are reading.  But just what is  a dystopian novel and how long has it been around? And theres the bigger question: why is this type of novel so appealing to teens? Definition A dystopia is a  society that is broken down, unpleasant, or in an oppressed or terrorized state. Unlike a utopia, a perfect world, dystopias are grim, dark, and hopeless. They reveal society’s greatest fears. Totalitarian governments  rule and the needs and wants of individuals become subordinate to the state. In most dystopian novels,  a tyrannical government is trying to suppress and control its citizens by taking away their individuality, as in the classics 1984 and Brave New World.  Dystopian governments also ban activities that encourage individual thinking. The governments response to individual thinking in Ray Bradbury’s classic Fahrenheit 451? Burn the books! History Dystopian novels are not new to the reading public. Since the late 1890s, H.G. Wells, Ray Bradbury, and George Orwell have entertained audiences with their classics about Martians, book burnings, and Big Brother. Over the years, other dystopian books like Nancy Farmer’s The House of the Scorpion and Lois Lowry’s  Newbery-winning book The Giver have given younger characters a more central role in dystopian settings. Since 2000, dystopian novels for teens have retained the dismal, dark setting, but the nature of the characters has changed.  Characters are no longer passive and powerless citizens, but teens who are empowered, fearless, strong, and determined to find a way to survive and face their fears. Major characters have influential personalities that oppressive governments attempt to control but cannot. A recent example of this type of teen dystopian novel is the incredibly popular Hunger Games  series (Scholastic, 2008) where the central character is a sixteen-year-old girl named Katniss who is willing to take her sister’s place in the annual game where teens from 12 different districts must fight to the death.  Katniss commits a deliberate act of rebellion against the Capital that keeps readers on the edge of their seats. In the dystopian novel Delirium  (Simon and Schuster, 2011), the government teaches citizens that love is a dangerous disease that must be eradicated. By age 18, everyone  must undergo a mandatory operation to remove the ability to feel  love. Lena, who is looking forward to the operation and fears love, meets a boy and together they flee the government and find the truth. In yet another favorite dystopian novel called Divergent (Katherine Tegen Books, 2011), teens must unite themselves with factions based on virtues, but when the main character is told she’s divergent, she becomes a threat to the government and must keep secrets in order to protect her loved ones from harm. Teen Appeal So what do teens find so appealing about dystopian novels? Teens in dystopian novels get to perform ultimate acts of rebellion against authority, and that’s appealing. Conquering a dismal future is empowering, especially when  the teens have to rely on themselves without having to answer to parents, teachers, or other authoritarian figures. Teen readers can certainly relate to those feelings. Today’s teen dystopian novels contain teen characters who exhibit strength, courage, and conviction. Although death, war, and violence exist, a more positive and hopeful message about the future is being sent by teens who are facing future fears and conquering them.