Weight Watchers Swot Analysis

Strengths * Brand Recognition * Patented Points Program * Science Based Approach/Clinically Proven Results * Multiple Support Options * History of successful Weight Loss * Multiple Payment Options * Flexible Meal Plans * Face to Face Support Groups * Located in 30 Countries and on the Web| Weaknesses * Slow Weight Loss * Costly over time * Successful weight loss is not typical| Opportunities * Science Driven approach can be a Medical Model * Affiliation with the Department of Education * Affiliations with Fitness Centers * Meeting the growing weight loss needs around the world| Threats * Strong Competition * Competitors new products and innovation * Surgical Procedures offering quick weight loss| Weight Watchers International is a Weight Loss Business that utilizes the philosophy of a Science-driven approach to help participants, also known as members, lose weight by forming helpful habits, eating smarter, getting more exercise and providing support.They target consumers who want to manage their weight through weight loss or weight maintenance. Their vision is to ensure Member satisfaction and retention by making Members feel cared for, well informed, part of the group and motivated to succeed. Weight Watchers has been around for 50 years and has developed their brand of providing weight loss services and products that make them a leading weight management service globally. The patented points program is based on a formula calculating the protein, carbohydrates, fat and dietary fiber content developed with consultation from a Scientific Advisory board. Each food is assigned a points value that reflects how the body breaks down food and converts it into energy.This Board is made up of world renowned medical experts to ensure that its weight loss plan is based on the most current scientific expertise. (Weight Watchers International) The Good Health Guidelines utilized by Weight Watchers are also recommended by the United States Department of Agriculture Center fo r Nutrition Policy and Promotion. (USDA) Weight Watchers offers a variety of support options to members who attend weekly meetings which are located in 30 countries around the world, weigh and go at store locations, attend meetings in their place of employment (At Work Meetings), or utilize the internet to participate in Weight Watcher’s services. Members are encouraged to share their struggles and successes.Struggles and successes are employed to motivate other members to achieve their weight loss goals by following the program and obtaining the proprietary tools offered for purchase. Members who reach their goal and maintain it for six weeks become Lifetime Members. Lifetime members maintain their membership by continuing to participate on a monthly basis. These members are free advertisements who attest to the success of the program. The meal plans are simple and the Points Plus system is very flexible. Each member receives a Daily Point Target (DPT) based on their height, weight, gender and age. The DPT represents the amount of food that each person should eat in a day.Foods that are low in fat and sugar tend to have lower point values and provide more volume to a meal or snack than less healthy options. Required foods are non-specific so the member is permitted to choose how they will consume required foods such as diary, healthy oil, and whole grains. All foods and drinks are permitted as long as the point value is calculated and accounted for when deducted from the DPT. Many members succeed in their weight loss efforts but not all members are successful. One of the biggest complaints of the program is that it offers slow weight loss. Our culture is one that appreciates immediate gratification. (The Associated Press, 2006) The competition offers much quicker weight loss methods.The success obtained by Lifetime members who worked for weeks, months and years to accomplish their goals is not nearly as appealing to the average consumer who is inundate d with quick fix fad diets. (Speri) Weight Watchers offers a lifestyle change that reduces food intake. It is not designed as a quick fix but instead is one that promotes healthy lifestyle changes that gradually accomplish weight loss. The consumer’s cost for Weight Watchers is very low compared to other weight loss programs or at least it appears so up front. (Sugar) There are no meals, shakes, supplements or bars that are required to be purchased in order to participate in the program. The food that you eat on plan is very much the same food that one could purchase in any grocery store or restaurant.There are multiple periods of free registration throughout each year and the weekly fee is nominal at approximately $13. 00 per week. The problem with this is that there are many hidden costs at Weight Watchers. The proprietary point system is unlike any other weight loss system. Successful members utilize food scales and measuring cups to weigh and measure their food, pedometer s and activity monitors to measure a person’s activity level, cookbooks, calculators and more. These products can all be purchased at lower prices from many convenience stores but they do not convert their information into point values the way that the Weight Watcher products do so many members purchase expensive Weight Watchers products to assist them with their weight loss journey.Additionally, the gradual weight loss concept requires members to attend for longer periods of time before they are able to reach a free Lifetime status. Lifetime members remain free if the member maintains their weight at no more than two pounds above their goal weight. Most people’s weight fluctuates regularly and fees are charged no matter what the reason for the weight gain. Weight Watchers has many opportunities to join with the medical profession to promote its science based plan. The Scientific Advisory Board that is hired to consult with Weight Watchers is made of Medical Profession als and the weight loss method is one that is promoted by most medical doctors even if they do not promote the Weight Watcher’s brand. USDA) The United States alone has determined that Obesity in America is common, serious and costly. (Fox News Latino) Weight Watchers has promoted a medical model for many years. An affiliation with the medical community would surely add value to the weight management scientifically based model that is currently promoted at Weight Watchers. The United States First Lady, Michelle Obama, has brought additional light to the obesity epidemic and the need for American’s to manage their diets. Her â€Å"Let’s Move† initiative has gained the attention of the entire country. Weight Watchers is a healthy living model that combines healthy foods with more activity.Teaming up with fitness centers, exercise centers and schools will accomplish more together than the weight loss community or the physical fitness community can do on its own. A true healthy lifestyle includes eating right and moving more. (Grain Foods Foundation) Our quick fix society is one that shows little patience for counting calories or points utilized by slower burning weight loss programs. The competition has now gone beyond that which offers diets where certain foods are limited or forbidden, and some are replacing them with pre-cooked meals that are very high in sodium. These programs, including NutriSystem, do not promote weight maintenance following the program but they do promote mindless weight loss.Those who follow this program do not need to think about what to eat or how to prepare it as all of the meals and shakes are prepared, frozen and shipped to the dieter’s home. (â€Å"NutriSystem: Lose weight with meals conveniently delivered to your home†) Many diet programs eliminate foods and replace them with supplements. The Atkins diet, for example, restricts the dieter’s ability to consume carbohydrates. This mean s that all sugars including fruits and vegetables are minimized or omitted from one’s diet. It is not in line with a medical model approach for healthy weight loss but it does promote quick weight loss. Unfortunately, this does pose a threat to Weight Watchers as the weight loss experience in such a plan does satisfy the quick fix needs of those who opt for these types of plans. Frazier) In an attempt to make weight loss quicker and easier, the medical profession has taken to providing surgical procedures that reduce the size of the stomach by removing part of the small intestine. This procedure is very risky to one’s health and has a tremendous amount of medical complications associated with it. It is however, one that does not require that a person who has had the surgery to persevere delayed gratification and behavioral changes that are required when one loses weight following a weight loss program such as Weight Watchers. (Staff) For many consumers, quick weight lo ss is far more appealing despite the potential negative consequences. References The Associated Press. (2006, May 28). Poll: Americans like instant gratification. USA Today. Fox News Latino. (2012, September 18).Obesity in America: Can it Get Much Wors? Yes, Advocacy Group Says. http: //latino. foxnews. com/latino/health Frazier, K. (2011, June 14). How much weight can I lose in a Month on Atkins? Retrieved from http://www. livestrong. com Grain Foods Foundation. (2012, May 15). The Key to a Healthy Body: Eating Right & Moving More. Retrieved from http://www. sixservings. org NutriSystem: Lose weight with meals conveniently delivered to your home. (n. d. ). Retrieved from http://www. dietsinreview. com/diets/Nutrisystem Speri, M. (n. d. ). Why Slow Weight Loss Wins. Retrieved from http://www. weightwatchers. com/util/art/index_art. aspx Staff, H. (2011, April 6).Weight Loss Surgery Health Center: Rux-En-Y Gastric Bypass. Retrieved from http://www. webmd. com/diet/weight-loss-surgery Sugar, J. (2011, August 29). How Much One Month of WEight Loss Costs. Retrieved from http://www. fitsugar. com/Weight-Loss-Program-Cost-Comparison USDA. (2013, March 7). Dietary Guidelines for Americans. Retrieved from http://www. cnpp. usda. gov/dietaryguidelines. htm USDA. (2013, March 7). Dietary Guidelines for Americans. Retrieved from http://www. cnpp. usda. gov/dietaryguidelines. htm Weight Watchers International. (n. d. ). History and Philosophy. Retrieved from http://www. weightwatfchers. com/about/his/board. aspx

Cloud Computing Technology Essay

INTRODUCTION Cloud computing is Internet (â€Å"cloud†) based on development and use of computer technology (â€Å"computing†).It is a style of computing in which dynamically scalable and often virtualised resources are provided as a service over the internet.Users need not have knowledge of, expertise in, or control over the technology infrastructure â€Å"in the cloud† that supports them. The concept incorporates infrastructure as a service (IaaS), platform as a service (PaaS) and software as a service (SaaS) as well as Web 2.0 and other recent (ca. 2007-2009) technology trends which have the common theme of reliance on the Internet for satisfying the computing needs of the users. Examples of SaaS vendors include Salesforce.com and Google Apps which provide common business applications online that are accessed from a web browser, while the software and data are stored on the servers. A cloud is a pool of virtualized computer resources. A cloud can: 1.Host a variety of different workloads, including batch-style back-end jobs and interactive, user- facing applications. 2.Allow workloads to be deployed and scaled-out quickly through the rapid provisioning of virtual machines or physical machines. 3.Support redundant, self-recovering,highly scalable programming models that allow workloads to recover from many unavoidable hardware/software failures. 4.Monitor resource use in real time to enable rebalancing of allocations when needed. Fig 1.1: Overview of cloud computing HISTORY The underlying concept dates back to 1960 when John McCarthy opined that â€Å"computation may someday be organized as a public utility†; indeed it shares characteristics with service bureaus which date back to the 1960s.The term cloud had already come into commercial use in the early 1990s to refer to large ATM networks.By the turn of the 21st century,the term â€Å"cloud computing† had started to appear, although most of the focus at this time was on Software as a service (SaaS). In 1999, Salesforce.com was established by Marc Benioff, Parker Harris,and his fellows.They applied many technologies of consumer web sites like Google and Yahoo! to business applications. IBM extended these concepts in 2001,as detailed in the Autonomic Computing Manifesto-which described advanced automation techniques such as self-monitoring, self-healing, self-configuring, and self-optimizing in the management of complex IT systems with heterogeneous storage, servers, applications, networks, security mechanisms, and other system elements that can be virtualized across an enterprise. Amazon.com played a key role in the development of cloud computing by modernizing their data centres after the dot-com bubble and, having found that the new cloud architecture resulted in significant internal efficiency improvements,providing access to their systems by way of Amazon Web Services in 2002 on a utility computing basis. 2007 saw increased activity,with Google,IBM and a number of universities embarking on a large scale cloud computing research project, around the time the term started gaining popularity in the mainstream press. WORKING OF CLOUD COMPUTING Fig 1.2: Working of cloud computing In cloud computing you only need to load one application.This application would allow workers to log into a Web-based service which hosts all the programs the user would need for his or her job. Remote machines owned by another company would run everything from e-mail to word processing to complex data analysis programs.It’s called cloud computing, and it could change the entire computer industry. In a cloud computing system, there’s a significant workload shift.Local computers no longer have to do all the heavy lifting when it comes to running applications.The network of computers that make up the cloud handles them instead. Hardware and software demands on the user’s side decrease.The only thing the user’s computer needs to be able to run is the cloud computing system’s interface software, which can be as simple as a Web browser, and the cloud’s network takes care of the rest. CLOUD ARCHITECTURE Cloud architecture,the systems architecture of the software systems involved in the delivery of cloud computing, comprises hardware and software designed by a cloud architect who typically works for a cloud integrator. It typically involves multiple cloud components communicating with each other over application programming interfaces, usually web services. Cloud architecture extends to the client, where web browsers and/or software applications access cloud applications. Cloud storage architecture is loosely coupled, where metadata operations are centralized enabling the data nodes to scale into the hundreds, each independently delivering data to applications or users. Fig 1.3: Cloud architecture COMPONENTS 1. APPLICATION A cloud application leverages the Cloud in software architecture,often eliminating the need to install and run the application on the customer’s own computer,thus alleviating the burden of software maintenance, ongoing operation, and support. 2. CLOUD CLIENTS A cloud client consists of computer hardware and/or computer software which relies on the cloud for application delivery, or which is specifically designed for delivery of cloud services and which, in either case, is essentially useless without it. For example:Mobile ,Thin client ,Thick client / Web browser . 3. CLOUD INFRASTRUCTURE Cloud infrastructure,such as Infrastructure as a service,is the delivery of computer infrastructure, typically a platform virtualization environment,as a service.For example:grid computing ,Management , Compute ,Platform. 4. CLOUD PLATFORMS A cloud platform,such as Paas, the delivery of a computing platform,and/or solution saas,facilitates deployment of applications without the cost and complexity of buying and managing the underlying hardware and software layers. 5. CLOUD SERVICES A cloud service includes â€Å"products, services and solutions that are delivered and consumed in real-time over the Internet†.For example Web Services (â€Å"software system[s] designed to support interoperable machine-to-machine interaction over a network†) which may be accessed by other cloud computing components, software, e.g., Software plus services, or end users directly. 6. CLOUD STORAGE Cloud storage involves the delivery of data storage as a service, including database-like services, often billed on a utility computing basis, e.g., per gigabyte per month. For example Database ,Network attached storage ,Web service . TYPES OF CLOUDS 1. PUBLIC CLOUD Public cloud or external cloud describes cloud computing in the traditional mainstream sense, whereby resources are dynamically provisioned on a fine-grained, self-service basis over the Internet, via web applications/web services, from an off-site third-party provider who shares resources and bills on a fine-grained utility computing basis. 2. HYBRID CLOUD A hybrid cloud environment consisting of multiple internal and/or external providers â€Å"will be typical for most enterprises†. 3. PRIVATE CLOUD Private cloud and internal cloud are neologisms that some vendors have recently used to describe offerings that emulate cloud computing on private networks.These (typically virtualisation automation) products claim to â€Å"deliver some benefits of cloud computing without the pitfalls†, capitalising on data security, corporate governance, and reliability concerns. They have been criticised on the basis that users â€Å"still have to buy, build, and manage them† and as such do not benefit from lower up-front capital costs and less hands-on management ,essentially â€Å"[lacking] the economic model that makes cloud computing such an intriguing concept†.While an analyst predicted in 2008 that private cloud networks would be the future of corporate IT, there is some contention as to whether they are a reality even within the same firm. ROLES PLAYED IN CLOUD COMPUTING 1. CLOUD COMPUTING PROVIDERS A cloud computing provider or cloud computing service provider owns and operates live cloud computing systems to deliver service to third parties.Usually this requires significant resources and expertise in building and managing next-generation data centers.Some organisations realise a subset of the benefits of cloud computing by becoming â€Å"internal† cloud providers and servicing themselves, although they do not benefit from the same economies of scale and still have to engineer for peak loads. The barrier to entry is also significantly higher with capital expenditure required and billing and management creates some overhead.Nonetheless, significant operational efficiency and agility advantages can be realised, even by small organisations, and server consolidation and virtualization rollouts are already well underway.Amazon.com was the first such provider,modernising its data centers which,like most computer networks, were using as little as 10% of its capacity at any one time just to leave room for occasional spikes. This allowed small, fast-moving groups to add new features faster and easier, and they went on to open it up to outsiders as Amazon Web Services in 2002 on a utility computing basis. Players in the cloud computing service provision game include the likes of Amazon, Google, Hewlett Packard, IBM, Intel, Microsoft, Salesforce, SAP and Yahoo! 2. USER A user is a consumer of cloud computing.The privacy of users in cloud computing has become of increasing concern.The rights of users are also an issue, which is being addressed via a community effort to create a bill of rights. 3. VENDOR A vendor sells products and services that facilitate the delivery, adoption and use of cloud computing.For example:Computer hardware,Storage,infrastructure,Computer software,Operating systems ,Platform virtualization. APPLICATIONS OF CLOUD COMPUTING 1.EASY ACCESS TO DATA Clients would be able to access their applications and data from anywhere at any time.They could access the cloud computing system using any computer linked to the internet. 2. REDUCTION OF COSTS It could bring hardware costs down.Cloud computing systems would reduce the need for advanced hardware on the client side.You wouldn’t need to buy the fastest computer with the most memory, because the cloud system would take care of those needs for you. Instead, you could buy an inexpensive computer terminal, enough processing power to run the middleware necessary to connect to the cloud system. 3. CONVENIENCE Corporations that rely on computers have to make sure they have the right software in place to achieve goals. Cloud computing systems give these organizations company-wide access to computer applications.Instead, the company could pay a metered fee to a cloud computing company. 4. EASY STORAGE Servers and digital storage devices take up space. Some companies rent physical space to store servers and databases because they don’t have it available on site. Cloud computing gives these companies the option of storing data on someone else’s hardware, removing the need for physical space on the front end. 5. NO TECHNICAL SUPPORT RECQUIRED Corporations might save money on IT support. Streamlined hardware would, in theory, have fewer problems than a network of heterogeneous machines and operating systems. 6. SOLUTION TO COMPLEX PROBLEMS If the cloud computing system’s back end is a grid computing system, then the client could take advantage of the entire network’s processing power. CLOUD COMPUTING SERVICES 1. AMAZON WEB SERVICES The Amazon development model involves building Zen virtual machine images that are run in the cloud by EC2. That means you build your own Linux/Unix or Windows operating system image and upload it to be run in EC2. AWS has many pre-configured images that you can start with and customize to your needs. There are web service APIs (via WSDL) for the additional support services like S3, SimpleDB, and SQS. Because you are building self-contained OS images, you are responsible for your own development and deployment tools. AWS is the most mature of the CC options. Applications that require the processing of huge amounts of data can make effective you of the AWS on-demand EC2 instances which are managed by Hadoop. 2. GOOGLE AppEngine GAE allows you to run Python/Django web applications in the cloud.Google provides a set of development tools for this purpose. i.e. You can develop your application within the GAE run-time environment on our local system and deploy it after it’s been debugged and working the way you want it. Google provides entity-based SQL-like (GQL) back-end data storage on their scalable infrastructure (BigTable) that will support very large data sets. Integration with Google Accounts allows for simplified user authentication. 3. MICROSOFT WINDOWS AZURE Azure is essentially a Windows OS running in the cloud.You are effectively uploading and running your ASP.NET (IIS7) or .NET (3.5) application. Microsoft provides tight integration of Azure development directly into Visual Studio 2008. For enterprise Microsoft developers the .NET Services and SQL Data Services (SDS) will make Azure a very attractive option. The Live Framework provides a resource model that includes access to the Microsoft Live Mesh services. CHARACTERSTICS 1.COST Pricing is based on usage-based options and minimal or no IT skills are required for implementation. 2.DEVICE AND LOCATION INDEPENDENCE It enable users to access systems using a web browser regardless of their location or what device they are using, e.g. PC, mobile 3.MULTI-TENANCY This enables sharing of resources and costs among a large pool of users. 4.RELIABILITY This is suitable for business continuity and disaster recovery. 5.SCALABILITY Dynamic (â€Å"on-demand†) provisioning of resources without users having to engineer for peak loads 6.SECURITY It improves due to centralization of data,increased security-focused resources. 7.SUSTANIBILITY This comes through improved resource utilisation, more efficient systems. ADVANTAGES OF CLOUD COMPUTING 1. Ability to scale to meet changing user demands quickly 2. Pay by use. 3. Task oriented 4. Virtually no maintainence due to dynamic infrastructure software. 5. Application and operating system independent. 6. Easy to develop your own web-based applications that run in the cloud. 7. Location of infrastructure in areas with lower costs of real estate and electricity. 8. Sharing of peak-load capacity among a large pool of users ,improving overall utilization. 9. Separation of application code from physical resources. 10. Not having to purchase assets for one time or infrequent computing tasks. 11. Ability to use external assets to handle peak loads. DRAWBACKS OF CLOUD COMPUTING 1. Often limited or no technical support available. 2. Canned solutions such may not be full-featured or too task oriented. 3. When there are technical issues,you may lose access to your data or application. 4. No control. 5. You must have an internet connection. 6. If the company hosting the application goes out of business,you may lose access to your data or application permanently. REFERENCES 1. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cloud_computing 2. http://communication.howstuffworks.com/cloud-computing1.htm 3. http://communication.howstuffworks.com/cloud-computing2.htm 4. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cloud_computing_user 5. http://communication.howstuffworks.com/cloud-computing.htm 6. http://communication.howstuffworks.com/cloud-computing.htm/printable 7. http://cloudcadet.com/what-is-cloud-computing/ 8. http://askville.amazon.com/advantages-disadvantages-Web-based-Cloud-Computing- Wave/AnswerViewer.do?requestId=16202235

Impact of Greek Culture on the Romans - 790 Words

The civilization of Rome is one that is remembered today as â€Å"the most powerful world state in ancient history† (Fiero 139). From their superior culture to an army of 300,000 men who behaved as if â€Å"they had been born with weapons in their hands†, the Roman culture was unparalleled (Fiero 139). The location of Rome on the Italian peninsula put them in a prime location to encounter rich cultures such as the Greeks. Roman culture would not have been the same if it had not been for the Greeks, because they incorporated multiple aspects of the culture into their everyday life. The Romans were heavily influenced by Greek philosophy, theology, literature, art, and architecture. Greek philosophy was renowned. So much so that the Romans modeled their philosophic beliefs around great Greek philosophers such as Aristotle and â€Å"absorbed the works of the Epicureans and the Stoics† (Fiero 143). Philosophy seeped through into other disciplines such as poetry, when Lucretius â€Å"popularized the materialist theories of Democritus and Leucippus† (Fiero 143). Stoicism was used not only to enforce Roman ideals, but also influenced the minds of people such as Marcus Aurelius. The Romans produced Stoic philosophers such as Epictetus, and Seneca. Greek philosophers provided the foundation, and the Romans adapted it to fit the needs of their culture, such as to â€Å"encourage the Roman sense of duty† (Fiero 143). Romans and the Greeks share many of the same Gods and Goddesses, or similar ones withShow MoreRelatedAncient Greek And Romes Impact On Western Literature1642 Words   |  7 Pages The impact greek and roman culture had on western civilization The ancient Greeks and Romans were two of the greatest civilizations of the ancient world. The two civilizations thrived in their ancient environments which eventually led to a large amount of wealth within these two cultures. 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The Effects Of Drilling On Offshore Drilling - 1667 Words

To spark a drastic change, typically something drastic and eye opening needs to occur. Looking back in recent United States history, there have been many accidents, attacks, and natural disasters that have sparked conversation as well as legislation for change. The BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, which began on April 20, 2010 and raged on for months caused tremendous devastation and pollution to the ecosystem. Discussion about offshore oil drilling and regulations was inevitable after the spill. In President Obama’s Oval Office speech after the spill, he makes a claim that offshore drilling must be more strictly regulated, and a shift towards clean, renewable energy must be made. In light of this disaster this is a controversial claim due to the United States current reliance on offshore drilling and the scandalously close relationship between oil companies and the agency that regulates them. Although Americans benefit from offshore drilling with cheaper oil prices and aff ordable energy, and companies benefit from loose regulations with high profitability, ecosystems and natives suffering through the spill would argue that these benefits do not outweigh the cost. When President Obama claims that strict regulation on oil drilling and a shift toward renewable energy through policy implementation, he threatens a powerhouse market that is a major player in the economy. He also creates a divide in schools of thought over the reach government through regulation. This paperShow MoreRelatedThe Drilling For Oil Drilling1490 Words   |  6 PagesEnglish 1A 15 April 2015 Offshore Oil Drilling This day and age, oil is what makes the world go around. Without it, people cannot travel, be able to use fuel oils for electricity and heating, there would not be asphalt roads, and also there would not be chemicals used to make plastics, or other synthetic materials that humans use every day. 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Petroleum is a naturally occurring oil found under deep layers of rock (â€Å"oil drilling†). Oil drilling is when a pipe penetrates through these several layers of rock in order to reach the petroleum oil underneath. This oil can then be purified or turned into gasoline for energy use. Offshore oil drilling, like its’ name describes, isRead MoreOffshore Oil Drilling and the Deepwater Horizon Spill of the Gulf of Mexico1591 Words   |  7 Pagesfossil fuel, oil drilling is used. Land-based oil drilling became less productive and as the global stipulation for energy increased, technology, law, and geology impacts stepped in and pushed the exploration of oil away from shores (CITE). With its historical background, offshore oil drilling is one of the most important aspects of today’s economy although we are faced with its risks and consequences, such as the BP Deepwater Horizon explosion of the Gulf of Mexico. 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You would be surprised by the number of people who look the other way when it comes to keeping the planet clean. Offshore drilling is just one of the major environmental issues that has existed for many years and still continues to be a problem. The topic of offshore drilling not only touches on environmental issues but also political, economic, and ethical issues. All of these tie into the huge debate over offshoreRead MoreBenefits Of Offshore Oil Drilling1062 Words   |  5 PagesOffshore oil drilling is a big contribution to obtaining oil for the U.S., but it is also a big controversy to continue offshore drilling or to stop the drilling. most of the world’s energy comes from the use of oil, even though there are other resources to use oil is the most commonly used, But there is a shortage in oil especially in the U.S. so they suggest drilling for oil in the ocean to reach unexplored oil wells. There ar e benefits in offshore oil drilling such as jobs, domestic fuel, andRead MoreThe Drilling Of Fshore Drilling Industry1509 Words   |  7 PagesThe offshore drilling industry can be split into 5 key markets: upgrade market, contract drilling market, second-hand market, scrap market and contract drilling market. Among them contract drilling market is most important, because it ensures smooth cash flow between markets. drilling units is summarised in the table below. The table above describes cash flow within offshore drilling markets. Contract drilling market leases drilling units to OG companies to drill or service wells, in turn they

The Challenges of Creating and Implementing Crime Policy...

Introduction Social policies are constructed to guide society. These policies are influenced by the collective morals and values of the people living in a society. Social policies in Canada are founded on the best interest of Canadians. Most importantly, social policies address issues by creating and implementing the appropriate solutions. Politicians have the prime role in creating policies and ensuring that these policies provide an answer to key issues in society. However, along the way these policymakers face many challenges and difficulties in forming and implementing the appropriate social policies. This thought paper is going to research and evaluate the challenges of creating and implementing crime policy. Furthermore, it will†¦show more content†¦Academic criminologists view irrational or repetitive criminal acts by individuals as underlying social problems that cannot be solved with harsher prison sentences, but rather by proper correctional intervention programs (Garland Sparks, 2000). Thus, to create effective crime policies the necessary criminological expertise, and comprehension from academic criminologist is needed when policymakers are forming and implementing crime policies. Academic criminologist will shift the focus from increasing the prisons sentences of offenders to implementing academic criminological solutions for crime policies. This collaboration will establish inclusive and knowledgeable crime policies by using academic theories that address deterrence and recidivism. Approaches should be made to strengthen the relationship between criminologist and the political crime policymakers. The barrier between criminology and social policy should be broken, and the integration of criminological knowledge should be applied to policies. An experienced criminologist should be the head of the commission of inquiry for preexisting crime policies and make the necessary recommendations based on academic research. A partnership between the Canadian correctional agency and academic criminologist should be established and there needs to be more funding for correctional interventionShow MoreRelatedHuman Rights Within The World1313 Words   |  6 Pagessuch as human rights are dated back to violent history. Nazi Germany arguably sparked an interest in human rights as their â€Å"good triumphed through the acts of a selfless few or out of the depths of evil†. Human rights refer to the laws, acts and policies initiated in order to protect vulnerable, oppressed people in the world and allow them to possibly thrive in this world. 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Winnunga Nitmmityjah Aboriginal Health Service- myassignmenthelp

Question: Discuss about theWinnunga Nitmmityjah Aboriginal Health Service. Answer: Introduction Aboriginal health means the physical, cultural and social welfare of the whole community in which every person can achieve their full potential (Alford, 2014). The aboriginal population has been dramatically affected by poverty and drug use which resulted in the need for medical assistance in these Aboriginal Australian communities. According to Jongen (2014), the Aboriginal Health Service (AHS) controls health services at a primary level but also offers different programs that promote the right healthy lifestyle. The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander MCH programs provide services that decrease pre-term births and improve infant birth weights. Winnunga development offering responsive and the required services which adapt to the essential needs of the local community (Jongen, 2014). History The late Olive Brown, a local Aboriginal, set up a temporary medical service in Canberra due to the widespread mobilization of people around the opening of the new Parliament House. It proved to be the birth of Winnunga Nimmityjah AHS in 1988. According to Alford (2014), Justin Mohamed associated with the Victorian Aboriginal communities before being elected as the head of the National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (NACCHO). In January 1990, Wayne Berry (minister), raised funds and in 1991, the clinic was opened officially at the Griffin Center as a 24-hour medical practice center. Winnunga Nimmityjah AHS has established a couple of centers and is currently at 63 Boolimba Cresent Narrabundah. Vision and Mission According to Fowlie (2015), the mission and vison of the healthcare service is to ensure further provision of smoking cessation services and provide on-going tobacco support services for women who are pregnant and young children. Furthermore, it provides health services that are culturally safe for the indigenous peoples and the surrounding areas. Winnunga's mission is to ensure the social and cultural needs of the indigenous people and surrounding region are given priority in a safe cultural environment (Hellsten, 2012). Services and Operations Winnunga Nummityjah AHS offers various programs and services on a daily basis to people between 80 to 120 and approximately 4000 clients per year (Hellsten, 2012). According to Lovett (2014), the services provided include nursing services which comprise a team of nurses who can manage various fields such as chronic disease, mental health and drug and alcohol. The nurses have an essential role in the treatment of chronic illness and mental health care plan (Lovett, 2014). Another services provided is by assisting families that have faced injustice issues, for instance, by getting community correction admission for the indigenous people (Bartels, 2010). Psychotherapy and cognitive therapies help the development of mental health care plans; therefore clients can have access to such services at the center. Moreover, they provide, womens health services which provide health screening for women which may include prenatal advice and family planning (Hellsten, 2012). The team also offers various services that benefit expectant mothers during the pregnancy period and after delivery of the baby. Moreover, the midwifery team provides prior, post-maternal care for expectant mothers and home care support for the community. In addition to that, the group of nurses works with ACT hospitals which assists in giving health care services between the hospital and Winnunga. Winnunga Nimmityjah AHS also controls some social health care programs and services which employ female and male counseling and support staff. Other services offered may include counseling and advocacy. According to Hellsten (2012), the social health team also takes part in community service aimed at promoting pride in Aboriginal culture. Winnunga also provides to health promotion services which include a diabetes clinic, an obstetrics and gynecology clinic, dermatology, physiotherapy, audiology and prison service. Membership Winnungas membership group consists of 81% Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander clients and 19% of non-Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander clients. The healthcare service gives priority to men, women, couples, and children (Davy, 2016). Contacts and Location More inquiries can be made through contacting; Winnunga Nimmityjah Aboriginal Health Service 63 Boolimba Cresent Narrabundah ACT 2603 Telephone (02) 6284 6222 or fax us on (02) 6284 6200 Free call 1800 110 290 0r 1800 120 859 The link to the Winnunga Nimmityjah Location map: Winnungas working hours are; Monday to Friday from 9.00 in the morning to 5.00 in the evening. The organization also offers after-hour services, and a client can inquire for more information by contacting number is 1300 422 567. Issues and Challenges Funding issues are not uncommon in the Aboriginal Health Service organizations. In Winnunga, there is an acute accommodation crisis, for instance, some of the midwives have to share the same room since the number of rooms is limited compared to the number of midwives in the facility. There is also a similar situation when the nurses have to share the same place due to the limited number of rooms compared to the workforce present in the healthcare center. Other challenges include out of control rates of imprisonment leading to a problem of reintegration on release from prison for the indigenous people in Canberra. (Guthrie, 2014)).Another issue faced by the organization is the large numbers of children in care which increases its expenses. Ms. Tongs also stated that the increasing use of ice has led to relying on the police at least once a fortnight to help with a client. Impressions From my experience interacting with the Aboriginal community in Canberra, I have gotten the impression that this specific organization can relate with their clients, the majority being the indigenous clients on a more personal and context relevant level for instance, culturally. One of the released men also states that he appreciates the organization for giving him holistic care during his incarceration period and helped in the planning of his release. According to Churchill (2015), there was good midwifery care since there was cultural and community connection between the different women who had unique backgrounds. It has enabled them to have access to good health care during pregnancy, delivery and in reproductive needs. Conclusion Through the services that are being offered by Winnunga Nimmityjah Aboriginal Health Service as highlighted in this report, we can identify how the organization fulfills its mission and vision of providing culturally safe healthcare services for the indigenous people and surrounding areas. This healthcare service provider can provide this services through international integration and government funding which gradually continues to fulfill its duties to the community. Furthermore, the healthcare center offers proper care for women who need maternal care and ensuring that they are in a culturally safe environment. References Alford, K. (2014). Economic value of aboriginal community controlled health services.Canberra: National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation Press Club. Bartels, L. (2010). Research in Practice: Diversion programs for Indigenous women Churchill, M. E. (2015).Defining and Evaluating Cultural Safety at Seventh Generation Midwives Toronto: Exploring Urban Indigenous Womens Perspectives on Culturally Safe Maternity Care(Doctoral dissertation). Davy, C., Harfield, S., McArthur, A., Munn, Z., Brown, A. (2016). Access to primary health care services for Indigenous peoples: A framework synthesis.International journal for equity in health,15(1), 163. Guthrie, J., Levy, M., Fforde, C. (2014). Investment in prisons: an investment in social exclusion? Linking the theories of justice reinvestment and social inclusion to examine Australias propensity to incarcerate.Griffith Journal of Law Human Dignity,1(2). Hellsten, D., Hakiaha, H. (2012). Indigenous mental health in Australia and New Zealand.Psychiatric and mental health nursing, 109-121. Jongen, C., McCalman, J., Bainbridge, R., Tsey, K. (2014). Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander maternal and child health and wellbeing: a systematic search of programs and services in Australian primary health care settings.BMC pregnancy and childbirth,14(1), 251. Lovett, R., Dance, P., Guthrie, J., Brown, R., Tongs, J. (2014). Walan Girri: developing a culturally mediated case management model for problematic alcohol use among urban Indigenous people.Australian Health Review,38(4), 440-446. Fowlie, C., Van der Sterren, A. (2015). Reducing smoking in the ACT among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women who are pregnant or who have young children. Winnunga Nimmityjah Aboriginal Health Service: Planning and Delivering Services to Address Entrenched Disadvantages in the Aboriginal Community. Retrieved from: https://www.winnunga.org.au/uploads/docs/WNAHS_2017-18_ACT_Budget_Submission.pdf

The role of conscience in moral decision-making Essay Example

The role of conscience in moral decision-making Paper Conscience can be defined as something within each of us that tells us what is right and what is wrong. In Latin ’Con’ means with and ’science’ means knowledge. Therefore we should surely use our conscience when we are making decisions as we should be being told what is the right thing to do and what is wrong. This however doesn’t always seem to be the case. The problem with using your conscience is that it is not consistent. We can see this when claims have been made after someone made the wrong choice. For example at the time he was Prime minister Tony Blair took the choice to go to war with Iraq. It is widely regarded as being the wrong choice to have made and Tony Blair said in response that he was following his conscience. There are religious and secular (non-religious) views on the conscience. The religious views have been developed from biblical teaching and the divine command theory. However there is more than one interpretation about the conscience. Thomas Aquinas for example believed that people should follow their conscience totally as long as your principles are right because it is the voice of reason. On the other hand Butler argued the conscience comes form intuition. Thomas Aquinas thought that synderesis is the means of distinguishing between right and wrong. Synderesis was first used by Aristotle and is the ability of the mind to understand the first principles of moral reasoning. He noticed that people do chose the wrong choice and said that this was ‘conscientia’ which is the actual ethical judgement or decision a person makes. Aquinas said that it is important to apply your moral principles to each situation but you can still be wrong if you follow your conscience because your principles can be wrong so your conscience will be too. We will write a custom essay sample on The role of conscience in moral decision-making specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on The role of conscience in moral decision-making specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on The role of conscience in moral decision-making specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Conscience is reasoning used correctly to find out what God sees is good. Joseph Butler similarly to Aquinas believed that conscience could determine and judge the rightness or wrongness of different actions or thoughts. However Butler saw the conscience as being more authoritative that â€Å"magisterially exerts itself. † in such a way that it had the last say when it comes to moral decision making. Butler described a hierarchy of human nature in which the desire for food and other animal instincts are at the bottom and the conscience at the top. Self love and benevolence was above the drives and the ability to reflect was above that. Mistakes made by conscience were not seen as particularly bad to Butler as he believed that we would intuitively know what the right action to take is. However convincing yourself that a wrong action is right is more evil than the action which results from it. John Henry Newman also took Conscience from a view point and took an intuitionists approach to conscience. This meant that the mind is able to percieve abstract concepts of truths normally thought to beyond empirical evidence. He believed that we when we followed our conscience we were following some kind of divine law like a messenger from God. He believed that he could prove this when â€Å"we feel responsibility, are ashamed, are frightened at transgressing the voice of conscience, this implies there is One to whom we are responsible. Newman also believed that the more relativist (atheist) a person is the less of a conscience they will have as they do not follow a God (an absolute unchanging moral authority). He therefore saw that our conscience will continuously change in different circumstances not making it a reliable source to make a decision on. Augustine too believed that we should take it seriously and listen to our conscience because we are hearing the word of God. Therefore Newman, Augustine and Butler take a much less rationalist view upon conscience compared to Aquinas but as all four believe that God is involved with our Conscience it is important to use it when making moral-decisions, especially if we believe in God. Due to there being Secular views on the conscience the debate over nurture or nature has risen. This is questioning whether we get our morals and our conscience before we are born or whether we develop morality as we get older. With this argument there is also the belief that we have both. For example a Secularist could hold that we are born with our natural instincts that encourage us to do good because it will encourage our survival. This would be a Darwinian approach. The same person could then argue that we also develop our morals during life that allow us to fit into society and the rules and regulations that surround it. A religious person could say the same except that we would have been given a conscience before we were born by God. Sigmund Freud was a psychiatrist that took a secular view on the conscience. He studied the human mind and its effects on the body. He also saw that human personality like Butler could be put into a hierarchy. Both Freud and Butler put drives such as sexual drives at the bottom of the triangle. However Freud then put the ‘Id’ in the space above this which represents the part of a human that is amoral (has no morality). The Id contains our wishes and instincts. Then at the top of the triangle was the ‘Ego’ which is the conscious part of a human that shows on the outside. A smaller space is taken up at the top by the ‘super-ego’ which is the set of moral controls that are given to us by outside influences. Freud explains that the super ego is often in conflict with the Id therefore our conscience, which is a construct of the mind, is shaped and influenced by our experiences. Jean Piaget a psychiatrist saw that a child’s moral development grows and the ability to reason morally depends on cognitive development. He suggested two stages which were later developed by Kohlberg. Heteronymous (other law) which a child is from the age of five to ten. The conscience is still immature and punishment is expected if a rule is broken. Autonomous (self law) is the next stage when a child reaches the age of 10 and over. At this age the child understands how rules operate in and help society, they are less dependent on moral authority Piaget down quite extensive research experiments on children by asking in which of two stories told to them the child was the naughtiest. His results showed that younger children evaluated the actions by the size of the outcome whereas the older children evaluated the stories through the intentions of the child. It is said that Piagets definition of morality is narrow. One of the reasons for this is that is becomes overly rational and disregards the function of morality in promoting human fulfilment. Kohlberg extended the stages to six and believed that the individual would have to follow them in sequence. The most important moral development occurs through social interactions. Fromm on the other hand had two approaches and didn’t think there was stages in moral development but saw that all humans are influenced by external authorities like parents, teachers and church leaders. He thought that a guilty conscience is a result of displeasing these authorities. The example of the Nazi government in Germany in the 1930’s was very successful about manipulating the conscience’s of its people to encourage them not to help the Jews. But that was his authoritarian approach and he had a humanistic approach. This was that our conscience is our real self and leads us to realise our full potential using our experiences not slavish obedience. It appears the conscience should take a large role in how we make moral decisions. However for both Secular and Religious views on the conscience we have seen that mistakes can be made. These mistakes are the products of wrong principles or bad nurturing as a child growing up or manipulations and bad influences. Therefore conscience should take a big role in making moral decisions but one should also consider the fact that they may be wrong and should compare the choice they want to make to another to see if one is greater.