Give Examples of Needs Wants and Demands That Build-a-Bear Custom

1. Needs ,Wants and Demands That Build-A –Bear customers demonstrate. Needs it is when every customer of Build-A-Bear needs a stuff toy when they purchase from the store. It is the basic product that Build-A-Bear must produce. Wants those are the options of the customer to customize the stuff toy or the product like the dress me filled accessories galore, name me where a birth certificate is created with child selected-name and accessories using the high-tech available. Demands these are wants of the customers where they request to Build-A-Bear. It is the option of Build-A-Bear to make to cater the demands of the customer.BUILD A BEAR’S ACTIONS : Customers’ needs for toys are satisfied through selling stuffed animals and bears. To fulfill customers’ wants to have a unique toy or bear, they have made an environment where which is a cartoon land or a fantasy where their desired toys can be manufactured by themselves. To meet the customers’ demand of a dding accessories to their self created toy, Build A Bear offers different accessories which raises the price of the toy. A customer will add only as much accessories as its buying power. 2. In detail, describe all of Build-A-Bear’s product. What is being exchanged in a Build-A-Bear transaction?FACETS OF BUILD A BEAR PRODUCT: The eight facets are shaped into eight workstation through which their toy is processed step by step with the help of workers. The facets are: a) CHOOSE ME: Where customers select an animal of his choice to be stuffed. b) STUFF ME: They blow in the stuffing as much as he/she wants. c) HEAR ME: Where the customer adds a voice box. d) STITCH ME: Where the child stitches the animal shut. e) FLUFF ME:Here blow drying spa treatment is done. f) DRESS ME: The animal is dressed here. g) NAME ME: At this point the birth certificate of the toy is made in the name of†¦ [continues] Give Examples of Needs Wants and Demands That Build-a-Bear Custom 1. Needs ,Wants and Demands That Build-A –Bear customers demonstrate. Needs it is when every customer of Build-A-Bear needs a stuff toy when they purchase from the store. It is the basic product that Build-A-Bear must produce. Wants those are the options of the customer to customize the stuff toy or the product like the dress me filled accessories galore, name me where a birth certificate is created with child selected-name and accessories using the high-tech available. Demands these are wants of the customers where they request to Build-A-Bear. It is the option of Build-A-Bear to make to cater the demands of the customer.BUILD A BEAR’S ACTIONS : Customers’ needs for toys are satisfied through selling stuffed animals and bears. To fulfill customers’ wants to have a unique toy or bear, they have made an environment where which is a cartoon land or a fantasy where their desired toys can be manufactured by themselves. To meet the customers’ demand of a dding accessories to their self created toy, Build A Bear offers different accessories which raises the price of the toy. A customer will add only as much accessories as its buying power. 2. In detail, describe all of Build-A-Bear’s product. What is being exchanged in a Build-A-Bear transaction?FACETS OF BUILD A BEAR PRODUCT: The eight facets are shaped into eight workstation through which their toy is processed step by step with the help of workers. The facets are: a) CHOOSE ME: Where customers select an animal of his choice to be stuffed. b) STUFF ME: They blow in the stuffing as much as he/she wants. c) HEAR ME: Where the customer adds a voice box. d) STITCH ME: Where the child stitches the animal shut. e) FLUFF ME:Here blow drying spa treatment is done. f) DRESS ME: The animal is dressed here. g) NAME ME: At this point the birth certificate of the toy is made in the name of†¦ [continues]

Mrs Bestar Mwanza

UNIVERSITY OF GLOUCESTERSHIRE IN ASSOCOATIONS WITH OPEN LEARNING CENTRE MINUTES OF THETEAM GOLD’S 4th MEETING HELD ON Thursday 08 November 2012 at the Bank at 1800hrs. ____________________________________________________________________ Present:Bestar Mwanza(BM) (chairperson) Dzingwa Madzima(DM)(Secretary) Ephethehile Mazibeli(EM) Apologies:Willing Dizawatiza(WD)(wife and kids involved in an accident) ITEM NO. | ITEM| DUE| ACTION| AGENDA1) Welcome Remarks2) Follow-up on previous minutes3)Study Material and Assignment4) Team Bank Account5) Schedule of Activities6) One Day Event7)Personal Development Records8) Any Other Business| | | 1| WELCOME REMARKSThe chairperson noting the presence of a quorum declared the meeting duly constituted. | | | 2| FOLLOW-UP ON PREVIOUS MINUTESThe minutes were confirmed as a true record of the proceedings. | | 3| STUDY MATERIAL AND ASSIGNMENTRecommended study material was discussed and the following was shared;1) Johnson and Scholes: Exploring Corp orate Strategy. 2)Hanagan-Concepts of Management3)Assignment Format4)CIMA Strategy ModuleAssignment to be done individually, authors of and models(PESTEL, SPECTECLES, SWEPT, Porter's 5 forces, value chain, war gaming)to be researched on and shared, we will proof read assignments for each other.The following milestones were agreed upon on assignment preparation;1) Finish Introduction 2) Complete assignment body 3) Recommendation and Implementation-Draft assignment4)Submit Assignment We also need to confirm the number of references required for the assignment| 12/11/1216/11/1220/11/1230/11/1210/11/12| AllAllAllAllAllAll| 4| TEAM BANK ACCOUNTTeam Bank Account already opened with IDBZ; EM, DM and BM signed the application form.BM to organise for WD to sign. Conditions on the team account are that any two team members can sign. | 09/11/12| BM/WD| 5| SCHEDULE OF ACTIVITIESThe schedule for deliverables for the team to be designed and filled. | EM| All| 6| ONE DAY EVENTSubmit our suggestion to larger group on food and activities, audit.Audit checks: as the team had not been assigned a specific duty the team members suggested they would propose to be the audit team for the event so as to ensure compliance throughout the organising of the event EM-| 10/11/1210/11/12| AllEM| 7| PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT RECORD(PDR)Review each other's PDR | 15/11/12| All| 8| ANY OTHER BUSINESSN/A| | | | There being no further business to be discussed, the meeting closed at 19:30 Hrs. Date of Next Meeting: Thursday, 15th November 2012 at 18:00 Hrs. | ————————————————————————————– CHAIRMANDATE

The variables in the survey Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

The variables in the survey - Essay Example Such would be the areas that would need attention in order to beat competition. The column significance F has the associated P-value. If it is > 0.05, then, at significance level 0.05, we do not reject the H0 that in the equation y = ÃŽ ²1Â  + ÃŽ ²2Â  x, ÃŽ ²2 = 0 as this would not be the case. In our case we have 9.69379E-08. 2.222498604 represents the Y intercept and 0.27006447 gives us the independent variable. That means that an increase in bargain sales by 1 unit causes attitude towards the mall to change by 0.27006447. The column significance F has the associated P-value. If it is > 0.05, then, at significance level 0.05, we do not reject the H0 that in the equation y = ÃŽ ²1Â  + ÃŽ ²2Â  x, ÃŽ ²2 = 0 as this would not be the case. In our case we have 0.000648 hence we reject the H0 as this is The Normal Distribution plot for both variable 21 and 25 show points that fit in the normal line. That indicates that the data is normally distributed. The residual plots for both variables also show a random pattern of the points which indicates a fit for a linear model. That shows that there exists a linear relationship between these variables and the attitude formation. On the other hand, the Histograms show a truncated curve, with the peak near the edge. The histograms trail off gently to the left side indicating that part of the distribution has been removed during review. The column significance F has the associated P-value. If it is > 0.05, then, at significance level 0.05, we do not reject the H0 that in the equation y = ÃŽ ²1Â  + ÃŽ ²2Â  x, ÃŽ ²2 = 0 as this would not be the case. In our case we have 0.072269 hence we do not reject the H0 as this is > 0.05. The column significance F has the associated P-value. If it is > 0.05, then, at significance level 0.05, we do not reject the H0 that in the equation y = ÃŽ ²1Â  + ÃŽ ²2Â  x, ÃŽ ²2 = 0 as this would not be the case. In our case we have 0.243316

MSc Managing & Accounting for Financial Resources - Healthy Hearts Essay

MSc Managing & Accounting for Financial Resources - Healthy Hearts Cardiff case description - Essay Example The operating profit or the gross profit provides indication about the actual profit acquired by the business operation. (Berman, Knight, Case, 2006, p.66). The operating profits or the business profits have to be generated from the current assets or the operating assets. The main weakness that the new center has shown that it has somehow failed to utilize its currents assets to gain more operating profit.( â€Å"Year Book Australia, 2001 ) That is the reason why the operating profit as a percentage of sales is also very less. Also the operating profit of the Cardiff unit may be lesser as a percentage due to the fact that this unit has just started its business operation and is not in a position to utilize its asset base to the optimal level. The next key parameter considered is the operating profit by sales ratio. The difference comes to be 2.42. Here the result of the Cardiff unit is slightly less than the entire most profitable club. That means the center is not able to generate adequate amount of business profit or operating profit. It may be due to several reasons but the main factor that can be identified is that this center in particular operates with higher expenses than that of the average centers. Efficiency Ratio: After this ratio, the following few parameters are almost similar when compared to the overall most profitable club performance of Healthy Hearts. The difference between the sales to operating asset ratio is just 0.46, which indicates relatively better sales turnover ratio for the Cardiff unit. But next ratio shows some negativity as well. The expense to sales ratio is more in the case of Cardiff unit by 2.42. This means the unit makes more expenditure to generate the desired amount of sales figure. This is not always an encouraging sign for any business. Huge gap is also being noticed when sales as a percentage of the current assets are compared. The difference comes to around 8.70.

Carbon-Fibre Composite Materials Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Carbon-Fibre Composite Materials - Coursework Example There are different types of automobile. A car is the most common type of automobile comprising largely in the usability in human population. Basically, the primary parts of a car includes: the exterior, lights, interior, chasis, brakes, suspension, and engine. Materials used for the various parts of a car needs to fulfill various criteria and comply with regulations and legislations that ensures the safety and environmental concerns of the machines. Traditionally, materials used for automobile parts production comprises of metallic materials, aluminum, steel, magnesium and other metallic alloys. However, with the rise of modern technology where various study discovered new researches, many of the metallic parts of car are now replaced with materials made up of composite materials (Ghassemieh). Composite materials such as carbon-fibre composites have been widely applied in automobile processing. Carbon fibres are those fiber materials derived from carbon. They are mixed and bound tog ether with other materials such as polymer resins processed under heat, pressure and vacuum to derive the special properties for the composites (Johnson, T. n.d). They are considered as new breed for high strength materials. It contains about 90% carbon fiber which is very durable and strong. They are very suitable when used in applications requiring stiffness, strength, lesser weight and superior fatigue characteristics (Hegde, et al. 2004). Carbon Fiber composite polymers or CFRP are devised in automobile manufacturing as they are lightweight.

Admission Essay for Pharmacy Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Admission for Pharmacy - Essay Example As a child I was always open to lending a helping hand to whoever needed it. I made sure that I gave my best to society even as a child.As I grew up I realized that helping people and contributing to the society is not only one of my principles but also one of my passions. In this direction I developed an interest in the field of pharmacy. Healthcare as a profession in general and pharmacy in particular is a service oriented profession which attracted me towards this service sector.My parents have always taught me to be kind, generous, and obliging to other people. In today's world where the primary goal of almost every individual's life is to make money by hook or by crook, I think these values are very important to keep. At the same time it is also very difficult to abide by these values in the fast moving environment we live in. Yet, I have always worked hard towards sticking to my goals and my ideologies.As a person I am very hard working and dedicated to whatever I do. I always strive to give any job or assignment given to me my best shot. I have the dedication that makes me want to work hard and make sure I meet the requirements of a particular task and give bring out the best possible results. I am very open minded and enthusiastic to take on challenges and new opportunities. I always aim at achieving the best; with my diligent nature I can assure that I will be able to contribute a tremendous amount to the field of pharmacy.... I have always been positive towards my studies and made sure that I deliver best results. I also pay a lot of attention to the kind of courses I select, so that I can give my complete attention and dedication in achieving the highest level of success in that particular field. As I believe that it is important to do what you like and what you are interested in as it will help you put in your maximum effort. I have a strong academic background and I have studied and gained the knowledge and expertise required to enter and study pharmacy. I have successfully scored and Grade Point Average or GPA of 3.6 to get an admission for this course. In addition to this, my academic background and the grades I have secured in my education so far are very strong and hence make me a best fit for this course. As far as education is concerned I believe that I can get the best results in a pharmacy course as it is a subject that has interested me from my childhood. This growing interest in the subject has led me to opt for this course, where I believe I can give my best. Along with my skills and interests, my eagerness to study pharmacy led me to working in the ULCA medical center in Harbor. I am a certified pharmacy technician here, and have been in this role for the past 1 year. My experiences and understanding of the subject further motivated me to take on this subject as my field of study. The time I spent in the medical center played an important part in persuading me and doubling my enthusiasm to opt for this field of study, though I was always interested in the subject. The scope of pharmacy in various perspectives highly interests me. I have always been interested in being socially active in the world and helping people

Key Account Management Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Key Account Management - Case Study Example But these are strategies effective only during the initial stage. Once positioning is established, all efforts must then be centered at maintaining a course whereby profitability is promising, incidental to an effective reason to improve. This is where Key Account Management or KAM is most useful. Key Accounts are those that provide high revenue and critical asset, requiring strong leadership and excellent management skills. KAM is the most practical means of survival in this highly competitive market amidst increasing demand in current economic condition, a way to achieve longevity and create future growth, a way of preserving a good customer relationship. This essay emphasizes the Role of Key Account Management, as a tool and process that equips a company in acquiring and retaining large customer revenue fosters symbiotic mutually profitable and sustainable business relations resulting to a "win-win" situation. In a business that engages i... As such, the goals, missions, value, principles as well as the skills and capabilities inherent among sales personnel should be conveyed properly to every member of the organization. This should be initialized by the company head who takes responsibility relaying imperative matters to all levels of sales director who receives compensation dependent upon the generated sales profit. In his article Key Account Management Strategy, Jay Dwivedi said that "Salespeople learn only the hard way that many big companies really give them the business that they deserve based on the effort that they put in. Therefore, it is important to clearly identify what customers are "key" to your business and then serving them using a well thought out plan" (Dwivedi, n.d.). A good key account management entails constant check and update in terms of performance at least on a quarterly basis, taking into account the total revenue; percentage profits; growth rate of sales in existing product line; value of new products/services; order size distribution and average and price comparison with other customers in the same category. In his web article, the author furthered the importance of understanding, that while support from the corporate office is imperative, the actual development of key account management program is the effort originating from the local executives who know the overall whereabouts of the market. Since this program is constantly evolving in a manner similar to the rate of improvement of the product, continuous feedback from the customers is thus crucial to the alignment of the goals.

Interview Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Interview - Article Example She said completing a project like educating others about engineering is a source of outreach and it helps to engage the community about issues or problems in engineering. Maya does say that it is very complicated to work within a school setting but that the outcomes are very rewarding. Maya will fix an engineering problem by using educational strategies. Additionally, in educational research, experimentation is a way to gain insight into methods of instruction. Even though teaching is context-specific, results can provide a starting point for further research. Working on research not only helps to solve existing problems, but it also is challenging. For Maya, educational research primarily focuses on experimentation to gain awareness on a specific topic. Although teaching an engineering class encompasses working with specifics, research is often a preliminary stage for further study. She will go on to build new methods in research as she learns by dealing with students. She recognizes that completing research is necessary in order to solve a specific problem and may often receive attention from a large audience and additionally may often require urgent results depending on the

Gender wage gap discrimination in Canada, ontario and how it affects Essay

Gender wage gap discrimination in Canada, ontario and how it affects women especially, immigrant women. - 12 font, time new roman - Essay Example Despite the efforts of the international labour organization and the human rights commission to fight against wage differences across genders, this problem still persists. Research shows that wage balance is one way of empowering the economy by providing equal chances for every person in the society to develop. While some analytics argue that wage gap is a result of difference in education level across genders, this paper argues that wage gap is a form of discrimination. The gender wage gap in Ontario has been a controversial issue since early 1980s when this difference was noted. Cornish and Faraday (2008) noted that women salary for equal position in Ontario is 29% below that of women indicating a wide salary gap across the gender boundaries. A close look at the wage gap trends indicates that there has only been slight improvement in the last 25 years despite the numerous efforts to close this gap. In 1987, before the emergence of wage gap activists, the wage gap was approximately 37% in Ontario. These trends indicate that the efforts to bring down the gap have been undermined and the gap remains wide. Cornish (2009) points out the wage gap has affected aboriginal women who have migrated to Ontario in search for a job. This trend in the Ontario employment sector is a matter that has attracted a lot of attention not only from the public but also to the women right activists as many feel that there is a need for equal pay across all gender as part o f diversity management. Cornish and Faraday (2008) point out that the wage gap difference is a matter of urgency that must be addressed to fight gender oppression in the society. Wages gap analysts have come up with myriad argument on the cause of wage gap across gender in Canada, Ontario. A good number of them argue that the education difference in Ontario is the major reason why there is wage gap in this society. The argument of those who feel

Economic Situation in Bulgaria after EU Accession Essay Example for Free

Economic Situation in Bulgaria after EU Accession Essay Bulgaria has passed a long way between the fall of communism, transition to market economy, and up to EU accession that has become the culmination of Bulgarian economic transformation. Undoubtedly, Bulgarian economy has substantially benefited of becoming a full member of European Union. Despite the fact that Bulgaria does not have sufficient experience in managing various marketing processes, the whole process of transition from Central European priorities to European integration has been smooth and mostly positive. In this work, we will critically examine the impact of EU accession on Bulgarian product and labor markets, agriculture, and FDI. We expect that profound multifaceted analysis of Bulgarian economy will help determining the major economic benefits and problems of Bulgarias accession to EU. Historical background Before the end of the 1980s – the beginning of the 1990s, Bulgaria has been one of the largest communist states in Europe. After the general collapse of socialism and communism in Europe at the edge of 1990s, Bulgaria faced a choice between integration with other Eastern European countries or the developed Western Europe. In distinction from Romania and Hungary, Bulgaria was not characterized by high income per capita or its economic openness to foreign trade relations. However, Bulgaria was well known for its excellently trained workforce and well developed labor markets (Bevan, Estrin Grabbe 23). Bulgaria was characterized by high level of government involvement into economic affairs, and Bulgarian authorities had to develop new strategies for eliminating government intrusion into the newly formed free markets. In general, Bulgaria has experienced relatively smooth transition from dissolution of communism to the development of well-organized market oriented structures. At that time, most of the initiated processes, such as privatization, were postponed, and a series of new problems arose including the substantial damages to infrastructure and housing, a rapidly growing number of refugees, and a breakdown of trade and capital flows (Anusic Rohatinski 48). By the end of the 1990s, after the deep economic crisis of 1997, Bulgaria managed to resolve all economic issues, and to become prepared to further accession into European economic structures. Economic profile Since 2002, the European Commission has considered Bulgaria as one of the best performing market economies in Central Eastern Europe. Since 2006, useful steps were taken to contain the external deficit. The privatization process and the liberalization and restructuring notably of utilities have well advanced. Some additional progress has been made in improving the business environment and reducing non-wage labor costs (Baldwin Portes 127). Currently, Bulgarian GDP per capita equals to â‚ ¬7500 (32. 1% of the EU-25); economic growth: 6. 7% in 2007; inflation rate: 4. 9%; unemployment: 11%; government budget surplus: 2. 7%; exports to EU countries: 68% of total exports; imports from EU countries: 59% of total imports (Davidova, Gorton Ratinger 303). It is expected, that by the end of 2008, the total economic output of Bulgarian markets will further increase 0. 4% (Davidova, Gorton Ratinger 303). EU Accession and Product Markets After accession to EU at the beginning of 2007, Bulgaria has acquired additional opportunities and resources for further trade liberalization with European partners. Bulgaria has ultimately entered the Single Market; the administrative barriers to trade with the rest of Europe have been eliminated or reduced to levels that were acceptable among other EU members. Bulgaria had to re-consider the system of its external tariffs and to adopt it to the new European requirements; as a result, the tariffs have been liberalized compared to those exercised by Western European towards other third tier countries. The discussed tariff liberalization has seriously contributed into trade diversification and the growing portion of more expensive EU suppliers in the trade structure of Bulgarian economy. Bulgarian product markets have not only acquired free access to European trade potential; they have also been involved into European Structural Funds. This participation has reduced the risk of default for Bulgarian economy by almost 33%; consequentially, numerous political risks have also been reduced (Lejour 22). EU membership has greatly constrained arbitrary trade policy and indirect tax changes. It has locked in well-defined property rights, has codified competition policy, state-aids policies, and has secured open capital markets and right of establishment, assuring investors that they could put in and take our their money (Bevan, Estrin Grabbe 87). Here, we should pay more attention to the economic affects of Bulgarian accession to the EU internal markets and its trade effects. Lejour has developed a mathematical model for calculating the specific trade effects of EU accession onto various sectors of Eastern European economies. In terms of Bulgaria, Lejour has revealed the most promising trends within agriculture, food processions, textiles and apparel. Similar economic emphases have been made for Romania, Poland, and Hungary (Basci, Togan Hagen 54). Furthermore, Hungary and Poland have promising perspectives in Transport equipment and transport services with the rest of EU members. However, at the edge of Bulgarian accession to EU, the country has already experienced substantial liberalization of trade relations with Europe; 62% of Bulgarian exports were already distributed among other EU member countries (Basci, Togan Hagen 32). As a result of such preliminary trade liberalization, the net effect of accessing the EU market for Bulgaria has almost equaled zero. In distinction from Bulgaria, Hungarian GDP growth has been additionally increased by trade effects of EU membership. The abolition of trade barriers with old EU members has boosted Hungary trade. The countrys trade performance was impressive given the increased competition posed by its EU membership (Baldwin Portes 134). This is not the case with Bulgaria: the country has not experienced any trade boost, and there can be several reasons for that. First, we have already mentioned the effects of pre-accession trade liberalization with EU (exports from the European Union was increasing 6. 4% annually, to finally achieve 68% of total Bulgarian exports). Second, Bulgaria has spent only 18 months as a full EU member, and many positive long-term economic effects have not yet become visible. However, Bulgaria faced a challenge in the form of intensified import competition that has somewhat lowered inflation and has weakened European-directed domestic macroeconomic policies. It is expected that with further integration to Common Agricultural Policy and Single European markets Bulgaria will acquire additional opportunities for expanding its trade. In terms of agriculture, EU accession is anticipated to triple the total amount of trade, and to increase exports to other European and non-European countries by more than a third (Davidova, Gorton Ratinger 307). In general, EU accession has developed stable confidence among the major Bulgarian trade partners towards Bulgarian economic environment and economic relations with the country. As with the other EU members, EU accession has and will result in further GDP growth within Bulgaria, with the subsequent impact on general EUs GDP. EU Accession and FDI Foreign Direct Investment has played special role in Bulgarian economy. For Bulgaria, FDI growth was critical to further promote restructuring processes within all sectors of Bulgarian economy. FDI has been particularly important for privatization and developing the confidence of investors towards Bulgarian economic environment. In this context, Bulgarias accession to EU has become the turning point towards further liberalization of all economic areas. It has been important to finance the acquisition of plants and equipment and the transfer of technology (Fiala 189). Before Bulgaria entered EU, the country could not boast high FDI inflows. Compared to other European countries, Bulgaria was lagging behind its major Eastern European partners – Croatia and Hungary. In Croatia, FDI inflows accounted for â‚ ¬2,800 per capita, while Hungarian FDI inflows equaled to â‚ ¬3. 7 billion in 2004 immediately after including Hungary into the list of full EU members (Lejour, Mooij Nahuis 223). Although Bulgaria did not experience FDI growth equal to that in Hungary and Croatia, the level of FDI increase after EU accession has been substantial. In 2007 following EU accession, Bulgaria marked a record of FDI for the last decade. Since EU accession implies secure environment for investors, it is not surprising that an estimated â‚ ¬1,790 per capita entered the country in 2007 (Lejour 49). Surprisingly or not, but Bulgaria and Romania have been among the states the least likely to be included into EU before 2015. This is why in this research numbers are less important than the quality of the emerging investor relations within Bulgarian financial structures: EU accession has significantly increased transparence of the financial and investor relations between Bulgaria and member (non-member) states. Similar situation has also been reported in relation to Hungary and Romania (Fiala 192). EU Accession and Labor Markets â€Å"While FDI, GDP growth, exports and inflation have developed evident positive tendencies since EU accession, unemployment has had ambiguous development† (Feldman 218). Currently, Bulgaria has one of the highest unemployment rates among EU state-members. For example, Hungary has been experiencing the rising rates of unemployment that have later reached 7. 2% in 2006 (Anusic Rohatinski 90). At that time, Hungarys unemployment rates were average for Europe, but the highest in the region. After EU accession of Bulgaria, its unemployment rates have gone up to 11% (Kolev 30). As a result, thousands of workers have set up their minds to reach other more developed labor markets. Simultaneously, â€Å"following EU accession Bulgarian perennial low labor participation and long-term unemployment showed positive signs† (Kolev 31). It is expected that by the end of 2008, Bulgaria will be able to decrease long-term unemployment to 9% (Kolev 34). EU accession has resulted in the emergence of new open labor markets which Bulgarian workers could easily reach. Migration is characteristic of all newly accepted EU members, and with unfavorable employment prospects for Bulgaria, other European states had to adopt a set of restrictive measures, to decrease the growing inflow of Bulgarian (and Romanian) workers into more developed EU states. â€Å"Member States do, however, have discretion to restrict migration of workers for up to seven years. The UK government chose to impose restrictions for an initial two-year period, to be reviewed on an annual basis. Low-skilled Bulgarian and Romanian nationals may only apply to work as seasonal agricultural workers or on sector-based schemes. † (Feldman 221) Bulgaria’s accession to EU has causes the two significant impacts on Bulgarian labor markets. On the one hand, immigrants have already created a â€Å"small net gain in terms of per capita income to Bulgaria† (Feldman 218). On the other hand, EU accession and the comparatively slower rates of Bulgarian economic development have already distracted large labor flows from Bulgarian towards other international labor markets. Although the net impact of Bulgarian migration has not been fully analyzed, the examples of other EU countries suggest that migration can undermine the stability of Bulgarian economy after EU accession: for Hungary, migration of local workers has resulted in 2% productivity decrease; in Poland and Czech Republic, productivity has fallen 3% (Basci, Togan Hagen 138). Researchers estimate that in the nearest 3 years current migration patterns will decrease Bulgarian economic productivity 3-5% (Feldman 222). Certainly, Bulgarian workers are willing to work for lower wages compared to those European countries pay to their citizens. As a result, accession of Bulgaria to EU creates serious pressures on other domestic labor markets. Here, Bulgaria should address its economic and labor misbalances, to promote equal labor opportunities for its workers, and to prevent the negative impacts of Bulgarian migration on other European economies. EU Accession and Agriculture Bulgarian agriculture has perceived the biggest and the brightest impact of Bulgaria’s accession to EU. EU accession has â€Å"significantly impacted the agricultural and food sectors because of its integration into the Single Market and its adoption of the Common Agricultural Policy† (Davidova, Gorton Ratinger 304). Since the beginning of 2007, Bulgarian agricultural sectors have faced a challenge due to the absence of appropriate state support of livestock business. The first payments from the common European budget funds have reached farmers by the end of 2007; before that, Bulgarian farmers had to deal with the growing financial uncertainty and restrictions put on payments from national budget funds (Davidova, Gorton Ratinger 305). However, Bulgarian economy and EU have been able to resolve all agricultural market issues. Between 2008 and 2010, Bulgaria will receive total â‚ ¬4. 3 billion to support its internal agricultural policies, to create cohesion funds, and to further promote effective agricultural policies within and outside Bulgarian economy (Davidova, Gorton Ratinger 309). Conclusion During the first 18 months of Bulgarias membership in EU, the countrys economy has not been able to fully perceive long-term benefits and failures of its accession to the Single European market. However, EU accession has already created multifaceted impacts on all economic sectors, among which labor and agricultural markets have been influenced the most. It is expected that in the two-three years Bulgaria will be able to stabilize its economic relations with Western Europe, and to benefit of opportunities which EU market opens to the countries of Central and Eastern Europe. Works Cited Anusic, Z. Z. Rohatinski, Z. A Road to Low Inflation: 2003-2006. Zagreb: Government of Republic of Croatia, 2007. Baldwin, R. E. Portes, R. â€Å"The Costs and Benefits of Eastern Enlargement: The Impact on the EU and Central Europe†. Economic Policy, vol. 24 (2007): 125-70. Basci, E. , Togan, S. Hagen, J. Macroeconomics Policies for EU Accession. Edward Elgar Publishing, 2007.

An Overview Of Tattoos And Piercings Sociology Essay

An Overview Of Tattoos And Piercings Sociology Essay Tattoos and piercings have been used for thousands of years to show personal expression, beliefs, dedication, devotion, regret, and desires. Tattoo is defined by the Webster dictionary as an â€Å"indelible mark or figure fixed upon the body by insertion of pigment under the skin or by production of scars† and piercing as â€Å"a piece of jewelry (as a ring or stud) that is attached to pierced flesh†. Tattoos and piercings have been used for thousands of years dating back to the Bronze Age. According to DIG magazine, â€Å"Some of the oldest tattoo marks ever found are on Otzi, the Iceman, the frozen mummy dating to around 3300 B.C. that was found in the Tyrolean Alps.† Otzi had 58 tattoos and it is generally believed they were for medicinal purposes. These tattoos were simple using dots and lines and places near joints possibly to provide relief associated with arthritis. The history of piercings is not as clearly documented as tattoos but date back to ancient t imes. Piercings were once reserved for women and cross-gender acceptance began in the early 1900s. Infections are common with both tattoos and piercings. An individuals should take extreme care when deciding where to get one on their body, which facility to perform the procedure, and post procedure practices to help reduce the risk of infections. Tattoo and piercing facilities should be researched to find the ones that use the best practices. Are the instruments sterilized before each piercing and are new needles used for every tattoo? If a facility says no to any of these items, it may not be a reputable shop, and one should keep looking. Not using sterile equipment and having a clean environment to receive a tattoo or piercing can lead to a number of infections. According to (Hamodat Hutchinson, 2007), a 17 year old girl died from infection after by getting her nipple pierced by a friend. This young woman developed Staphylococcal toxic shock syndrome (TSS) after receiving this piercing. Despite receiving medical care for this infection, she died two weeks after the piercing. De spite locating a clean facility to receive a tattoo or piercing, skin infections, bacterial infections, and allergies still occur. Individuals should adhere to the prescribed methods for caring for this new body modification. Whether deciding to get a tattoo or piercing through a carefully thought-out plan or impulsive decision, one should consider the possible diseases that can be transmitted through the procedure. According to the Center for Disease Control â€Å"hepatitis C can be transmitted through contaminated devices used for tattoos, body piercing† (Davies, 2005, p. D.1). One of the most popular examples of a person contracting hepatitis C from a tattoo is Pamela Anderson. Pamela Anderson contracted hepatitis C from sharing a needle used to get a tattoo with her Tommy Lee. Additional blood-borne diseases that can be transmitted through having a tattoo or piercing include hepatitis B, HIV, and tetanus. These diseases can have life-threatening consequences up to and including death. Listed in the chart below are the definitions of each of these diseases according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention website (2009). †¢ Hepatitis B is a liver disease caused by the hepatitis B virus (HBV). It ranges in severity from a mild illness, lasting a few weeks (acute), to a serious long-term (chronic) illness that can lead to liver disease or liver cancer. †¢ Hepatitis C is a liver disease caused by the hepatitis C virus (HCV). HCV infection sometimes results in an acute illness, but most often becomes a chronic condition that can lead to cirrhosis of the liver and liver cancer. †¢ HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) is the virus that causes AIDS. This virus may be passed from one person to another when infected blood, semen, or vaginal secretions come in contact with an uninfected persons broken skin or mucous membranes*. In addition, infected pregnant women can pass HIV to their baby during pregnancy or delivery, as well as through breast-feeding. People with HIV have what is called HIV infection. Some of these people will develop AIDS as a result of their HIV infection. †¢ Tetanus (lockjaw) is a serious disease that causes painful tightening of the muscles, usually all over the body. It can lead to locking of the jaw so the victim cannot open his mouth or swallow. Tetanus leads to death in about 1 in 10 cases. Beyond the risk of infection and disease, there exists a negative association with tattoos and piercings in society. Future employers tend to look negatively on individuals with visible tattoos and piercings. Companies such as retail and sales want to present a clean image to their potential and existing customers and having visible tattoos and piercings is not what they want from their employees. Companies that require business casual or professional attire from their employees do not want the distractions that come with tattoos and piercings. In the â€Å"Your Chatter† section (2005), Crains Cleveland Business asked several senior executives whether they would hire someone with tattoos and or piercings. Their findings reveal that employers think that people with body modification are less professional, skilled, and intelligent because of partaking in this risky expression of oneself when compared to people without them, regardless of qualifications. While employed, displays of body art can also have undesired results. Job advancement and promotions can be hindered because the majority of managers find it easier to advance employees that have the traditional appearance. Tattoos and piercings have been used for thousands of years to show personal expression, beliefs, dedication, devotion, regret, and desires. Tattoo is defined by the Webster dictionary as an â€Å"indelible mark or figure fixed upon the body by insertion of pigment under the skin or by production of scars† and piercing as â€Å"a piece of jewelry (as a ring or stud) that is attached to pierced flesh†. Tattoos and piercings have been used for thousands of years dating back to the Bronze Age. According to DIG magazine, â€Å"Some of the oldest tattoo marks ever found are on Otzi, the Iceman, the frozen mummy dating to around 3300 B.C. that was found in the Tyrolean Alps.† Otzi had 58 tattoos and it is generally believed they were for medicinal purposes. These tattoos were simple using dots and lines and places near joints possibly to provide relief associated with arthritis. The history of piercings is not as clearly documented as tattoos but date back to ancient times. Piercings were once reserved for women and cross- gender acceptance began in the early 1900s. Infections are common with both tattoos and piercings. An individuals should take extreme care when deciding where to get one on their body, which facility to perform the procedure, and post procedure practices to help reduce the risk of infections. Tattoo and piercing facilities should be researched to find the ones that use the best practices. Are the instruments sterilized before each piercing and are new needles used for every tattoo? If a facility says no to any of these items, it may not be a reputable shop, and one should keep looking. Not using sterile equipment and having a clean environment to receive a tattoo or piercing can lead to a number of infections. According to (Hamodat Hutchinson, 2007), a 17 year old girl died from infection after by getting her nipple pierced by a friend. This young woman developed Staphylococcal toxic shock syndrome (TSS) after receiving this piercing. Despite receiving medical care for this infection, she died two weeks after the piercing. Despite locating a clean facility to receive a tattoo or piercing, skin infections, bacterial infections, and allergies still occur. Individuals should adhere to the prescribed methods for caring for this new body modification. Whether deciding to get a tattoo or piercing through a carefully thought-out plan or impulsive decision, one should consider the possible diseases that can be transmitted through the procedure. According to the Center for Disease Control â€Å"hepatitis C can be transmitted through contaminated devices used for tattoos, body piercing† (Davies, 2005, p. D.1). One of the most popular examples of a person contracting hepatitis C from a tattoo is Pamela Anderson. Pamela Anderson contracted hepatitis C from sharing a needle used to get a tattoo with her Tommy Lee. Additional blood-borne diseases that can be transmitted through having a tattoo or piercing include hepatitis B, HIV, and tetanus. These diseases can have life-threatening consequences up to and including death. Listed in the chart below are the definitions of each of these diseases according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention website (2009). †¢ Hepatitis B is a liver disease caused by the hepatitis B virus (HBV). It ranges in severity from a mild illness, lasting a few weeks (acute), to a serious long-term (chronic) illness that can lead to liver disease or liver cancer. †¢ Hepatitis C is a liver disease caused by the hepatitis C virus (HCV). HCV infection sometimes results in an acute illness, but most often becomes a chronic condition that can lead to cirrhosis of the liver and liver cancer. †¢ HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) is the virus that causes AIDS. This virus may be passed from one person to another when infected blood, semen, or vaginal secretions come in contact with an uninfected persons broken skin or mucous membranes*. In addition, infected pregnant women can pass HIV to their baby during pregnancy or delivery, as well as through breast-feeding. People with HIV have what is called HIV infection. Some of these people will develop AIDS as a result of their HIV infection. †¢ Tetanus (lockjaw) is a serious disease that causes painful tightening of the muscles, usually all over the body. It can lead to locking of the jaw so the victim cannot open his mouth or swallow. Tetanus leads to death in about 1 in 10 cases. Beyond the risk of infection and disease, there exists a negative association with tattoos and piercings in society. Future employers tend to look negatively on individuals with visible tattoos and piercings. Companies such as retail and sales want to present a clean image to their potential and existing customers and having visible tattoos and piercings is not what they want from their employees. Companies that require business casual or professional attire from their employees do not want the distractions that come with tattoos and piercings. In the â€Å"Your Chatter† section (2005), Crains Cleveland Business asked several senior executives whether they would hire someone with tattoos and or piercings. Their findings reveal that employers think that people with body modification are less professional, skilled, and intelligent because of partaking in this risky expression of oneself when compared to people without them, regardless of qualifications. While employed, displays of body art can also have undesired results. Job advancement and promotions can be hindered because the majority of managers find it easier to advance employees that have the traditional appearance.

A Detailed Commentary On Act 3 :: essays research papers

Write a detailed commentary on the extract taken from Act 3, Scene 4 When we read ‘King Lear’ for the first time we are presented, on the whole, with a pessimistic view of men and society. In other parts of the play Regan, Gonerill and Edmund define treachery, whereas the character of Kent creates a stark contrast, showing us a strong sense of loyalty by following and supporting Lear throughout his torment. Remembering that Kent was betrayed by Lear in the first scene of the play, this emphasises the goodness of Kent’s character. At the beginning of the extract Lear asks ‘Wilt break my heart?’ In response to this Kent declares ‘I had rather break mine own’. This is just one of many examples in the play where Kent is willing to take Lear’s suffering upon himself. Every time Kent enters we get a feeling of relief because he is there to fight evil, a personification of the rare goodness of mankind. Kent also shows his loyalty and steadfastness for his King in the way in which he tries to shelter him from th e storm. When Kent says that ‘The tyranny of the open night’s too rough for nature to endure’, he is really trying to make Lear think it is the storm that is to blame for his discomfort, although Kent is fully aware of the true reasons for Lear’s pain. In the play ‘King Lear’ grief reaches the utmost depths that any Shakespearean character has ever portrayed. In this particular extract the storm taking place on the heath symbolises and runs parallel with the storm in Lear’s soul. His mind is so wracked with the treachery of his two daughters that he actually finds comfort in nature’s cruel elements. This is conveyed when Lear says that the tempest… “…will not give me leave to ponder On things would hurt me more.'; No matter how much physical discomfort the storm inflicts, Lear feels that in comparison to his mental torment the storm is of little consequence: “This tempest in my mind Doth from my senses take all feeling else Save what beats there.'; At the beginning of the extract, Shakespeare uses Lear’s reference to the ‘contentious storm’ to show us the extent of his suffering. He tells us that the storm… “…invades us to the skin: so ‘tis to thee, But where the greater malady is fixed, The lesser is scarce felt.'; This reference to the word ‘contentious’ also gives us an insight into Lear’s state of mind.

The Poverty of the Lakota People of South Dakota :: Poverty Essays

For the Lakota people of South Dakota, modern day capitalism is a frustrating network of impersonal commerce, resource and profit. Since colonialism, the global arena has replaced the values and needs of the Lakota with presupposed economic definitions of need, and has â€Å"forced deterioration of the traditional political system† existing in Lakota society (115). In the absence of traditional political organization and subsidence economy, the Lakota are impoverished and have little choice but to adhere to the economic prospects offered to them by the federal government. In doing so, Lakota people struggle with â€Å"economic opportunities† that damage community identity and marginalize their status in society. Economics greatly influences their own ability to shape their modern Lakota culture. As â€Å"economic opportunities† align to the mandates of the world economy and are determined by the culture and experience of the United States government, both Pine Ridge and Rosebud maintain distressing levels of poverty and unemployment. In direct response to demands of the world economy, Lakota industry exhibits a growing dependence on cash instead of land, and breaks down community identity (65). Wal-Mart and Safeway chains encumber the production of Lakota owned small business, and similar multinational business chains create limited market success. When a small business actually succeeds in surviving, competition immediately pops up and â€Å"neither [competing business] can make a living† on reservations (37). Attitudes towards successful Lakota entrepreneurs are often sour and unforgiving, as everyone else struggles to survive. However, Lakota people must engage in the economic venues opened to them by the federal government as a federally dependent nation. Factory and wage work make up the bulk of Lakota employment, as well as handicrafts catering to tourist tastes. Naturally, making â€Å"arrows, arrows every day† is â€Å"really boring† (21) for many Lakota, but risks of developing asthma, blisters, broken bones and severe burns in wage work is high. Over the years, the business propositions open to South Dakota Indians have included a â€Å"fishhook factory, moccasin factory, arrow factory and electronic circuit factory in Pine Ridge,† and the destructive nature of factory work threatened the physical health and well being of every individual fortunate to gain employment (18). As the majority of Lakota men and women are forced to seek work outside of the reservation, many parents abandon their families in cramped, over crowded housing units. As dependence on cash instead of land inc reases, and average job spans for Lakota men consist of 3.

Ethics Article Review Essay

This paper seeks to prepare a review of an article discussing ethics in accounting and financial decision making by making a brief summary, relating to assigned reading for the week, relating and applying the concepts to current or former employer’s organization, making improvement for the organization using the article as basis and explaining the importance of ethics in accounting and financial decision making. A description of the 2002 Sarbanes-Oxley act will also be discussed including its impact on accounting and financial decision making. 2. Discussions 2. a. Brief Summary The article is talking about the importance of ethics in accounting and business. To dramatize its significance in business, it has cited a story of a number of rich people who may have attained their financial rewards in business but ended dying in less meaningful ways impliedly because of missing the principles of ethics. While the article admits that earning money or attaining riches may be an acceptable goal in business, there is still the question of how success in measured in the final analysis and for which the authors were arguing for riches acquired with honor and if a choice would be made between the two, it would be more preferable to have honor rather riches (Smith and Smith, 2003) . 2. b. Relating to assigned readings As to how the article relate to assigned readings for this week, it may be argued that the article has touched on the importance of rules or guides to actions in business. Ethics in business may be asserted to be indispensable if business will have to attain its goals in harmony with other goals of society such as those in economics and politics. 2. c. Application of article to organization As to how the ethical concepts discussed on the article may apply to this researcher’s former or current organization, it may be argued that the universality of principles related to ethics would really make it difficult to exclude this researcher’s organization from any of its application.. Since my organization is part of the larger society where everybody else lives, it cannot isolate itself from the community by doing unethical things. It cannot even argue that any illegal or unethical thing that it may do will not matter in a world where there many players who may be affected by decisions made. In the same way that a member of society can make a difference for the good of the community so with the failure of one organization or even a person in the organization can do to the detriments of many if not all of the members of the community. 2. d. Recommendations for improvement of the organization To make recommendations for improvement on this researcher’s or organization using the article as basis, the organization should encourage simple living among its executives so that they could be more disciplined in the way the company’s resources are being managed not only for the stockholders but even to every stakeholders who stand to benefits from the observance of ethical conduct in the organization. The other stakeholders of course include the employees who aspire for long-term employment (Sears, 2003), the creditors and lenders who resources need to be protected as well, customers who need to have their needs and wants for company’s products and services continuously satisfied and the government who must continue ensuring payment of taxes and compliance with regulations. 2. e. The importance of ethics in accounting and financial decision making and how the 2002 Sarbanes-Oxley Act affects the same The important of ethics in accounting and financial decision making cannot be underestimated. Without ethics there would be no responsibility for right or wrong act can be demanded from people making decisions. The managers who are considered agents of stockholders would instead enrich themselves at the expense of stockholders investments. On the other hand, these stockholders would just exploit whatever they can to the detriment of their principal, this time their debt capital providers. The organization can likewise treat its employees with disrespect and violate the latter’s if there in no ethics that would guide them. Laws will be insufficient to exact compliance if people in the organization were not instilled the proper values when they were still young in the same way that it is hard to teach tricks to an old dog. The Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 is a classic example to legislate rules of conduct that would improve corporate governance (Ali, et. al, 2006) including a more strict compliance of requirements in regulating companies in terms of financial statements and ensuring of ethical conduct of external auditors (Bainbridge, 2007). Although the law is a positive act to ethical practice of doing business, the choice to do what is right is still with decision makers who must have the right sense of values for society. 3. Conclusion: Ethics has a purpose to attain. It is a part of an organization’s life since it is a guide to decision making not only in accounting and finance but even to all other aspect of business operations. A sense or rightness or wrongness offers a choice and that which is good is incidentally consistent with ethics. As the world seems to be painting what are the standards of its success when actually they are not the real and lasting ones, ethics its and principles have much to offer in making the correct decision that will lead real and lasting success for human existence. The article has argued that honor is preferable than riches but riches need not be inconsistent with riches as long as they are ethically acquired. References: Ali, et. al (2006) International Corporate Governance After Sarbanes-Oxley, John Wiley and Sons Bainbridge (2007), The Complete Guide to Sarbanes-Oxley: Understanding How Sarbanes-Oxley Affects Your Business; Adams Media Sears (2003) Successful Talent Strategies: Achieving Superior Business Results Through Market-focused Staffing, AMACOM Div American Mgmt Association. Smith and Smith (2003) Business and Accounting Ethics, {www document} URL, http://acct. tamu. edu/smith/ethics/ethics. htmAccessed September 29,2008

Consumer Brhavior

Culture is the basic values, perceptions, wants, and behaviors, learned by a member of society from family and other Important Institutions. culture Is the most basic cause of a person's wants and behavior. Human behavior is largely learned. Growing up in a society, a child learns basic values, perceptions, wants, and behaviors from the family and other important institutions. A child in the united states normally learns or Is exposed to the following values: achievement and success, activity andInvolvement, efficiency and practically, progress, material comfort, Individualism, freedom, humanitarianism, youthfulness and fitness and health. Culture Is the set of basic values, perceptions, wants and behaviors learned by a member of society from family and other Important institutions. A culture Is the complex of values, ideas, attitudes, and other meaningful symbols created by people to shape human behavior and the artifacts of that behavior as they are transmitted from one generation to the next.Culture is the sum total of learned beliefs, values, and customs that serve to direct he consumer behavior of members of a particular society. It is the fundamental determinant of a person's wants and behavior. culture is an extremely broad and encompassing term which includes what we have learned, our history, values, morals, customs, art and habits. Importance of the cultural study Culture act as a motivator of consumer behavior Culture is the most pervasive external force on an individual's consumption behavior. Marketing executive must consider the importance of cultural setting within which consumer behavior takes place.Culture vary from country to country and as a result onsumption patterns among people vary. Failures to carefully consider cultural differences is often responsible for monumental marketing failures. cultural influences have broad effects on buying behavior because they permeate our daily lives. every groups or society has a culture and cultural infl uences on buying behavior may vary greatly from country to country. Failure to adjust to these differences can result in ineffective marketing or embarrassing mistakes.An understanding of culture is important to you as a marketing manager because it always provides approved specific goal objects for any generalized human want. How people work and play, what they eat, how they eat, how and what they buy are all affected by the cultural traditions and socially developed modes of behavior we can laentl Ty tnree aspects 0T a glven culture . tnese are as Tollows: Culture is a pattern of Behavior Culture is learned Culture is transmitted from one generation to the next. Characteristics of culture The invisible hand of culture: Culture is like the air we breathe. t is so obvious that we cannot escape from it. The impact of culture is so natural and automatic that its influence on behavior is usually taken for granted. Culture satisfies needs: Culture determines the ways of satisfying the h uman needs. Individuals have different types of needs. How these needs will be satisfied is being determined by the culture. Culture is learned: Culture is learned rather programmed genetically. As an individual grows in a particular environment he learns about different aspects of culture through his interaction with other members in the society.Culture is shared: Cultural values, beliefs, norms are shared by the majority of the members of a given culture because they gratify our needs. Culture is dynamic: No culture is static. cultural swings take place. as the environment is changing, culture has to be changed in order to survive. Components of Culture Cognitive component Material component Normative component Cognitive Components: The basic component of any culture is one relating to people's knowledge about the creation and existence of the universe. this aspects is based on either people's observation or on certain factual evidence that they have.Material Component: Another im portant component of any given culture is the material feature of the society. t consists of all the tangible things that human beings make, use and give value to the material component varies from culture to culture as the cognitive component. it is based on the technological state that the society has achieved and understood looking at the artifacts of the society. the artifacts include type of housing where people live, furniture they use, and other material material goods they posses. Normatlve component The other important component of a culture is the normative component.The normative component is composed of the values and norms of the society which uides and regulates behavior. It consists of the values, beliefs and rules by which a society directs people's interactions. Norms are rules and guidelines setting forth proper attitudes and behaviors for specific situations. Cultural Symbolism: A symbol may be defined as the sign or representation of something moral or intellectu al by the images or properties of natural things. Obviously, it is important for marketers to be aware of the symbolic nature of their products and packaging.Different studies on culture identified two types of symbols used by people in ommunicating among them. They are a) Referential symbols b) Expressive symbols Referential symbols are those that mean or indicate specific objects. The word pen for example means item which is used for writing purpose. It is easy for marketers to understand the meaning of referential symbols and as a result they do not face much problem with regards to the referential symbols. Expressive symbols: expressive symbols are those that may carry different meaning to people of different cultures.The meaning of the same expressive symbol may be nterpreted differently by people of different cultures. Thus their meaning are not limited. For example; showing thumb, may mean an appreciation to an american, whereas, the same symbol may carry a negative connotati on to a bangladeshi. Marketers must face a lot of problems with regards to the expressive symbols. Cross-culture Cross cultural study or research is a technique applied for comparing cultures on the basis of similarities and differences as well as studying different segments of a total culture.Cross cultural study is defined as the systematic comparison of similarities nd differences in the material and behavioral aspects of cultures. How to adapt your marketing decisions with other cultures: To be successful in foreign markets, a marketer must adapt his marketing decisions with that of the new cultures. Lot of companies made mistakes and incurred huge loss in overseas markets by following marketing strategies successful in their own cultures. To make appropriate adaptations, number of questions must be asked by a multinational marketer to himself and answers must be sought.Is the geographic area homogeneous with respect to the culture? How does the cultural setting influence or det ermine product and service needs? What needs can this products fill In tnls culture Can enough of the groups needing the product afford the product? What values or patterns of values are relevant to the purchase and use of this product? What is the distribution, political and legal structure concerning the product? In What ways can we communicate about this product? Seeking answers to the above few questions may help marketers to think of adapting their marketing policies in an overseas cultures .

Ten Steps Of Billing Process Health And Social Care Essay

Measure One. Pre-register the patients. Obtain or verify the patient ‘s demographics. Gather the patient ‘s name, reference, phone figure, day of the month of birth, the nature of the medical job, the insured ‘s name, reference, phone figure, relation of the insured to the patient, type of insurance, insured ‘s ID figure. Determine if referrals are needed or is a anterior mandate needed? Verify referral or mandate phone Numberss provided on the card, co-pay sum, co-insurance, and whether the medical job is due to an car accident, or a work related accident. This information helps to find if a commercial insurance is primary or if another insurance is primary. Information obtained at pre-registration is important to the charge procedure and decreases denials ( Deutscher, 2008 ) . Measure Two. Establish the fiscal duties for the visit. Verify insurance eligibility and find how much to roll up up forepart from the patient. Insurance and all other information demands to be check at each visit because patients may reassign from one insurance program to another, move or alteration occupations. Eligibility can alter month to month on certain types of insurance therefore these types must be verified on each visit. This is besides where an account of the installation ‘s policy on fiscal affairs is given to the patient ( Deutscher, 2008 ) . Measure Three. Check-in the patient. Obtain the medical history and demographics of new patients. Confirm with returning patients that all information is right and up to day of the month. At this point, their record should be checked for any past charges still unpaid. If the patient ‘s insurance will non be covering this visit, or if the patient is without insurance, have the patient mark a release accepting duty for the entire sum due of this visit. Some installations collect co-pays at this point ( Deutscher, 2008 ) . Measure Four. Check-out patients. Enter the medical and process codifications for the visit to set up a charge with the patient or the patient ‘s insurance. Give them all prescription, lab faux pas or referral paperwork they might necessitate for ordered work. Schedule a follow-up assignment if necessary. Besides record any minutess for this visit ( Fordney, 2008 ) . Measure Five. Reappraisal coding conformity. Obtain CPT and ICD-9 codifications from the doctor ( s ) . Verify that all information is right before come ining it into the computing machine system. All codifications should be checked for mistakes. Everything in the study should logically associate together so the insurance company understands the necessity for the medical charge applied ( Fordney, 2008 ) . Measure Six. Check charge conformity. When it comes to a charge conformity program, the stairss in the charge procedure have to be done right by the regulations and ordinances set by the conformity program. The medical records must hold the right codifications for the charge to be right. A conformity program prevents fraud from happening, and helps happen and fix mistakes in medical certification and charge. Documentation must besides follow the regulations of the conformity program as good ( Fordney, 2008 ) . Measure Seven. Prepare and transmit claims. This is largely done electronically now, and the transmittals of claims have to be HIPAA compliant. This transmittal besides involves the insurance company or the clearinghouse directing a reception of recognition of the claim filed ( Fordney, 2008 ) . Measure Eight. Monitor payer adjudication. This involves maintain an aging study which shows all outstanding claims in columns, based on how many yearss old they are in 30 twenty-four hours increases. At 30 yearss, the procedure of naming on or resubmitting the claim begins ( Fordney, 2008 ) . Step Nine. Generate patient statements. Monitoring of patient balances is every bit of import. This is handled by directing monthly statements to patients with balances owing ( Fordney, 2008 ) . Measure Ten. Follow up on patient payments and handle aggregations. Identify which statements have gone out more than one time. If it has been sent three times so it ‘s of import to allow the patient know that his or her history is in danger of being sent to aggregation ( Fordney, 2008 ) . 1.a. Brush signifiers. The brush signifier is known by several different names, such as superbill, charge faux pas, and routing signifier. This signifier is printed out and attached to the patient ‘s wellness record at the clip of check-in. Besides the identifying information, it besides contains the procedural and diagnostic codifications and whether the patient should return for an assignment. This is a combination of a measure, an insurance signifier and a rout-system used in both computing machine and paper based systems. For computerized systems, this signifier can be scanned to input the charges and diagnoses into the patient ‘s history and medical record. Some have barcodes that can be read to input the charges and diagnoses into the patient ‘s history and medical record. Some medical patterns use the brush signifier as a routing sheet and as an bill to the patient. When used as a routing sheet, it becomes a beginning papers for insurance claim informations. The brush ‘s process and diagnostic codification subdivisions should be updated on reprinted twice a twelvemonth, based on alterations, add-ons, and omissions of procedural and diagnostic codifications ( Fordney, 2008 ) Explanation of Benefits. The Explanation of Benefits ( EOB ) , besides referred to as remittal advice, is a papers issued saying the position of the claim. This is sent by the remunerators to both the donees and suppliers. EOBs provide the necessary information about claim payment information and patient duty sums. Every wellness insurance company, including HMOs, is required to supply the insured or subscriber with an Explanation of Benefits in response to the filing of a claim. EOBs are non required when service is provided by a take parting supplier who receives full reimbursement straight from the insurance company, but will be provided upon petition. Each EOB must include the undermentioned: name of the supplier of the service, day of the month of service, designation of the service, supplier ‘s charge, the sum or per centum collectible after deductibles, co-payment and any other decrease of the sum claimed, telephone figure or reference where an insured may obtain elucida tion, information on how to register an entreaty of a denial of benefits, including the applicable timeframe to register ( Fordney, 2008 ) . Advance Beneficiary Notice. An Advance Beneficiary Notice ( ABN ) is besides known as a release of liability. When a patient is to have a service or an point from a take parting supplier or suppler, that might be denied for medical necessity by Medicare, the supplier or provider must inform the patient and have him or her agree to pay for the denied service in progress. Every infinite on the ABN must be filled in before giving it to the patient to subscribe. Suppliers on the other manus, are non required to give the patient an ABN for services or points excluded from Medicare coverage. ABNs merely use if the patient is in the original Medicare program, and non in a Medicare private wellness program. If the patient does non acquire an ABN to subscribe before the service or point from the supplier, it is non specifically excluded from coverage, and Medicare does non pay for it, so the patient does non hold to pay for it. If the supplier does give the patient an ABN that is signed befor e service or given the point, and Medicare does non pay for it, so the patient will hold to pay the supplier. Medicare considers the appropriate usage of ABNs a conformity issue. When directing in a claim, the HCPCS qualifier -GA must be added to the appropriate codifications to bespeak that the patient has signed the release ( Fordney, 2008 ) . Remittance Advice. Electronic remittal advice ( ERA ) is an on-line dealing about the position of a claim. It gives information on claims paid or denied, and sends a ground to the charge specializer. Managed attention programs pay by either a capitation system or based on the services given to the patient with a statement of remittal or account of benefits ( EOB ) . In the system when payment is based on services rendered, and a statement of remittal or EOB is generated, such statements will enumerate services that have been rendered to patients and normally indicate the sum billed, sum allowed, sum paid, and any co-payment to be made by the patient. By and large patients under managed attention programs do non have an EOB. With Medicaid, if a supplier wants to have an ERA, so a signifier must be completed and sent to the financial agent. If a supplier is utilizing the paper system, so Medicaid will direct a remittal advice ( RA ) with all Medicaid payment cheques. Medicare sends a p ayment cheque along with a nationally standardised papers to take parting doctors called a Medicare RA. On the front side of the RA are position codifications that are the same countrywide, stand foring the ground a claim may non hold been paid in full or was denied, etc. These codifications are defined on the rearward side of the RA. Non-participating doctors besides receive an RA with payment information about unassigned claims ( Fordney, 2008 ) . Engagement Contracts. Participating suppliers ( par ) has a contractual understanding with an insurance program to render attention to eligible donees and so measures the 3rd party straight. The 3rd party remunerator pays its part of the allowed sum, and the supplier measures the patient for the balance non paid by the insurance company, after the excluded part is adjusted off the history. There are some programs though where the take parting supplier is called a member, and they may accept the payment as payment in full, or may be free to measure the patient for any unpaid balance, depending on the contract ( Fordney, 2008 ) . 1.b. Adjudication procedure for remunerators and suppliers. Once a claim has been sent to the patient ‘s wellness program, the remunerators review the claims through the adjudication procedure. Through this procedure the remunerator puts the claim through a series of stairss to find if it should be paid or non. After these stairss are completed, the remunerator decides to either pay the claim in full, to merely pay some of it, or to deny it wholly. Upon this, a study is sent to the supplier along with payment. If the patient has more than one insurance program, the primary program will direct the balance of the claim to them. Suppliers have contracted agreements with each remunerator hence what the remunerator pays out may non fit the supplier ‘s fee. Most suppliers so adjust/write off the difference of their fee to what the remunerator pays out. It is every bit of import for the supplier to supervise the claims. The faster the supplier can have payment the better his or her bottom line becomes. To supervise the claim during adjudication, the supplier must cognize the sum of clip the remunerator is allowed to take to react to the claim, and how long the claim has been in procedure. Suppliers have to register the claim within a certain sum of clip after the service, and remunerators have to treat clean claims within the claim turn-around clip agreed upon in the engagement contract ( prompt-pay Torahs ) . Aging is the 3rd portion of claim followup. Producing an aging study lets the supplier cognize how long the remunerator has had the claim. HIPAA 276 is the enquiry that is sent to obtain information on the position of a claim and HIPAA 277 is the response returned by the remunerator. From here the supplier must cognize the timetable for subjecting a corrected claim and how to register a 2nd claim if necessary, how to feed back if a claim has been denied for losing or wrong informations, and how to manage a petition for more information or certificati on ( Valerius, Newby & A ; Seggern, 2008 ) . 2. Claims Processing Hospital/Facility Claims Processing Claims Transmission: The infirmary forwards the medical claims to the medical charge squad via a messenger or as scanned paperss. The medical claim must be supported by patient inside informations such as demographics, superbills, charge sheets, insurance confirmation informations, a transcript of the insurance card and any other information refering to the patient ( Fordney, 2008 ) . Retrieval and Checking of Medical Claims: The medical charge staff accesses the medical claims and back uping paperss. All paperss are checked for illegible or losing paperss and the infirmary charge office is notified instantly so that they can re-scan and direct losing paperss ( Fordney, 2008 ) . Medical Cryptography: An of import measure in claims treating is to repair the process and diagnoses codifications for each patient based on criterions such as CPT ( Current Procedural Terminology ) and ICD-9 ( International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Edition ) . The degree of service determines the 5-digit process codification, while the diagnosing codification is based on the medical diagnosing made by the physician ( Fordney, 2008 ) . Charge Creation: Medical Billing professionals will so make appropriate medical claims based on charge regulations refering to specific bearers and locations. All medical claims must be created within agreed turnaround times – by and large 24 hours. A thorough audit and checking of the completed medical claims is done at multiple degrees. The medical claims are checked for right and complete information, right process and diagnosing codifications, and the genuineness of all other relevant information about the patient, since incomplete/incorrect information is one of the individual most common grounds for rejection of medical claims ( Fordney, 2008 ) . Medical Claims Audit: A thorough audit and checking of the completed medical claims is done at multiple degrees. The medical claims are checked for right and complete information, right process and diagnosing codifications and genuineness of all other relevant information about the patient since incomplete/incorrect information is one the individual most common ground for rejection of medical claims ( Fordney, 2008 ) . Medical Claims Transmission: Medical claims created are filed for follow up before they are sent electronically to the claims transmittal section with all relevant information on each medical claim ( Fordney, 2008 ) . Claims Submission to Insurance Agencies: The audited, listed and recorded medical claims are printed out and dispatched to allow Insurance Agencies or governmental sections, with any fond regards or back uping paperss that may be required for colony ( Fordney, 2008 ) . Follow-up and Settlement: This involves the concluding phases where the medical charge squad follows up systematically with the insurance companies and payment bureaus until the concluding colony is disbursed ( Outsource2india, 2010 ) . Reprinted from Outsource2india, 2010 Physician/Provider Claims Processing Data entry of patient demographics, mentioning doctor, CPT and ICD Codes, and Modifier ( s ) is entered into the medical charge package Scan the paperss for charge mistakes and rectify them if needed Adjudicate client claims for truth Preparation of Explanation of Benefits ( EOBs ) Submit and file the claim with the insurance company Follow up on the claims with the insurance company Apprise biller of the position of the claim Process denied claims and re-adjudicate them for claims entry ( Outscource2india, 2010 ) Comparison of Commercial, Managed Care and Federal Insurance Plans Commercial wellness insurance covers medical disbursals and disability income for the Insured and are sold for by net income bearers. Policies vary in sums harmonizing to the types of specific coverage that they provide. It is besides coverage that provides two types of benefits – disablement income and medical disbursals ( answers.com ) . Managed Care Insurance feature is the inducement for the insured to remain within a specific web of wellness attention suppliers. Managed attention plans fall into 3 basic types: HMO, PPO, and POS. HMOs provide medical intervention on a postpaid footing, which means that HMO members pay a fixed monthly fee, irrespective of how much medical attention is needed in a certain clip period. A PPO is made up of physicians and or infirmaries that provide medical service merely to a specific group and a system where the patient pays no deductible and normally merely a little co-payment when they use a wellness attention supplier within their web ( answers.com ) . Federal Insurance plans. One of the most outstanding characteristics of the Federal Employee Health Benefit Program ( FEHBP ) is the picks it allows. There are three types of programs: fee-for-service and preferable supplier organisation ( PPO ) , normally offered combined, HMOs, and high deductible wellness insurance programs and other consumer-driven programs. In the FEHBP, the federal authorities sets minimum criterions and if met by an insurance company, allows it to take part in the plan. The consequence is legion viing insurance programs that are available to federal employees. The FEHBP has frequently been proposed as a theoretical account for national wellness insurance and sometimes as a plan that could straight inscribe the uninsured ( opm.gov ) . Major Payment and Reimbursements A Prospective Payment System ( PPS ) is a method of reimbursement in which Medicare ( CMS ) payment is made based on a predetermined fixed sum. The payment sum for a peculiar service is derived based on the categorization system of that service, such as diagnosis-related groups ( DRG ) for inpatient infirmary services.A DRGs have been used in the US since 1983 to find how much Medicare pays the infirmary, since patients within each class are clinically similar, and will utilize the same degree of hospital resources ( Fordney, 2008 ) . In the prospective payment method, payment rates for health care services are established in progress for a specific clip period. Two types of prospective payment methods are per-diem and case-based payment. In per-diem, the 3rd party remunerator reimburses the supplier with a fixed rate for each twenty-four hours a covered patient is hospitalized. In instance based, 3rd party remunerators reimburse suppliers per instance instead than for each service or per diem ( Casto, Layman, 2006 ) . CMS besides uses separate PPSs for reimbursement to acute inpatient infirmaries, place wellness bureaus, hospice, hospital outpatient, inmate psychiatric installations, inmate rehabilitation installations, long-run attention infirmaries, and skilled nursing installations ( CMS.gov ) . Another state – Spain During the 1980 ‘s alterations came to the Spanish health care plan. First they started with a societal security system that assured wellness attention coverage for merely the working and retired people while a combination of common and private organisations ensured basic attention for the remainder of the population. It was n't until 1997 that DRG coding came into drama for hospital reimbursement. Previously wellness attention was reimbursed harmonizing to a per contact system based on Basic Assistance Units ( Cots, Salvador, Chiarello, Bustins, Castells, ( n.d. ) ) . DRG payment systems were foremost used in Catalonia in 1997. They adopted the CMS DRG coding version. Hospitals received an sum per instance depending on the comparative mean DRG weight of all infirmary discharges. The infirmary comparative ration is multiplied by a fixed sum that is published yearly. Catalonia Health sets the discharge monetary values for each comparative resource strength ( IRR ) and the construction comparative index ( IRE ) every bit good as two burdening per centums. IRE reflects the infirmary ‘s construction degree, while the degree of the infirmary ‘s ingestion of resources ( IRR ) is defined by DRG discharge weights coded with CMS DRGS ( Cots, Salvador, Chiarello, Bustins, Castells, ( n.d. ) ) . Outline Different PPS in the United states Physician attention groups ( PCHs ) PPS method for physician services in ambulatory scenes visit based classified services harmonizing to clinical similarity and scene includes patients from all age groups and from parts of the universe with instance mixes of diseases and differing forms of health care bringing Pediatric Modified Diagnosis Related Groups ( PM-DRGs ) for newborns and paediatric patients developed by National Association of Children ‘s Hospitals and Related Institutions All Patient DRGs ( AP-DRGs ) categorizations for neonatal, paediatric, bad obstetrical, multiple injury, organ graft, and ventilator-dependent patients allows accurate comparings of patients in footings of length of stay, resource ingestion and results International refined DRGs ( IR-DRGs ) inpatient categorization system designed for footing of payment of international health care Clinical hazard groups ( CRGs ) predicts future health care outgos capitated payment system includes all age groups fee for service reimbursement and episode of attention reimbursement based on unit of payment ( Casto, Layman, 2006 ) Acute Inpatient PPS each instance is categorized into a diagnosis-related group ( DRG ) each DRG has a payment weight assigned to it, based on the mean resources used to handle Medicare patients in that DRG basal payment rate is multiplied by the DRG comparative weight. Home Health PPS Medicare pays place wellness bureaus ( HHAs ) a preset base payment adjusted for the wellness status and attention demands of the donee payment is besides adjusted for the geographic differences in rewards for HHAs across the state. instance mix accommodation for the wellness status, or clinical features, and service demands of the donee provide HHAs with payments for each 60-day episode of attention for each benefit Inpatient Psychiatric Facilities PPS paid under the infirmary inmate prospective payment system ( PPS ) certain types of forte infirmaries and units were excluded from PPS because the PPS diagnosing related groups do non accurately history for the resource costs for the types of patients treated in those installations Facilities originally excluded from PPS included rehabilitation, psychiatric, kids ‘s, malignant neoplastic disease, and long term attention infirmaries, rehabilitation and psychiatric infirmary distinguishable portion units, and infirmaries located outside the 50 provinces and Puerto Rico ( BBRA ) ( Pub.L. 106-113 ) , directed the development of a per diem PPS for inmate psychiatric services furnished in infirmaries and exempt units. Inpatient Rehabilitation Facilities PPS authorizes the execution of a per discharge prospective payment system ( PPS ) , utilize information from a patient appraisal instrument ( IRF PAI ) to sort patients into distinguishable groups based on clinical features and expected resource demands. Separate payments are calculated for each group, including the application of instance and installation degree accommodations. Long-Term Care Hospital PPS a per discharge system with a diagnosis-related group ( DRG ) based patient categorization system reflects the differences in patient resources and costs the Secretary shall analyze, and may supply for, accommodations payments to DRG weights, country pay accommodations, geographic reclassification, outliers, updates Skilled Nursing Facilities PPS payment rates are adjusted for instance mix and geographic fluctuation in rewards screen all costs of supplying covered SNF services ( everyday, accessory, and capital-related costs ) . Inpatient PPS PC Pricer infirmary is paid a fixed sum for each patient discharged in a Diagnosis Related Group ( DRG ) fixed sum is intended to cover the cost of handling a typical patient for a peculiar DRG. The PPS Pricer package, calculates discharges from October 1 through September 30 for a given financial twelvemonth ( CMS.gov ) . 6.Local Medical Review Local medical reappraisal policies are developed to assist suppliers and providers in subjecting right claims for payment. Local policies outline when and under what conditions a service, point, or supply is considered medically sensible and necessary, every bit good as the methods contractors will utilize to reexamine claims. These policies are the foundation of the reappraisal procedure. They define the service, decides when a service is sensible and necessary, outlines any coverage standards or specific certification demands, provides specific coding or modifier information and provides mentions upon which the policy is based. CMS requires that local policies be consistent with national guidelines, hence utilizing an consultative commission of medical professionals within Medicare and the medical community, LMRPs is developed. Once they are developed and implemented, LMRPs so provides the determination devising standards for any claim reappraisal and payment determinations. With e ach province holding its ain Medicare contractor, A consequences in each province holding its ain LMRP Local Medical Review Policies ( LMPR, 2010 ) . 7.HIPAA Privacy and Security Rule HIPAA privateness regulation applies to protected wellness information ( PHI ) in any signifier or medium while the Security Rule covers merely PHI that is electronically stored or transmitted by covered entities. The Security Rule ( SR ) has a broader enterprise than the confidentiality focal point of the Privacy Rule. This Security Rules aims at guaranting the unity and handiness of electronic PHI excessively. The Security Rule has to turn to issues such as informations backup, catastrophe recovery and exigency operations. SR has to do certain that covered entities that collect, maintain, use or transmit PHI in electronic signifier must build sensible and appropriate administrative, physical and proficient precautions that guarantee unity, handiness and confidentiality. Such processs must supply protection against any moderately awaited menaces or jeopardies. The Security Rule besides includes a criterion for electronic signatures ( Fordney, 2008 ) . 8.Classifications, Taxonomies, Terminologies and Terminologies Taxonomies are defined as the scientific discipline of categorization. These are the numeral and alpha supplier forte 10 figure codifications which are assigned to sort each wellness attention supplier. Taxonomy codifications are necessary because some institutional suppliers may non take to use for a alone national supplier figure for each of its subparts. The type of forte could impact the doctor ‘s wage depending on the contract with the remunerator ( Fordney, 2008 ) . Categorizations are legion in the claims processing. There is the categorization of diseases, and categorization of patients – outpatient, inmate, and ambulatory patients, to call a few. Everything is put into a categorization which if used and understood, helps the claims processor with truth ( Fordney, 2008 ) . Terminologies are footings abbreviated to initials. In claims insurance there are EOB, ERA, HMO, DRG, CPT, APG, AVG, MDC, AMA, CMS, EDI, ED, etc. It ‘s the alone linguistic communication spoken by claim processors. A terminology can hold several significances therefore it is of import to cognize which terminologies are non acceptable to a installation. Besides, when in uncertainty, inquire a physician or other medical professional what the abbreviation means ( Fordney, 2008 ) . In claims treating nomenclatures such as EOBs ( Explanations of Benefits ) , EOMB ( Explanation of Medicare Benefits ) , ERA ( Electronic Remittance Advice ) , RA ( remittal advice ) are illustrations. These are words that are easy understood throughout the profession ( Fordney, 2008 ) . Office of Inspector General OIG undertakes countrywide audits, every bit good as probes and reviews to reexamine the claim entry procedure of suppliers and reimbursement forms of the plans. The presence of an OIG conformity plan can significantly relieve imposed punishments in the event of an OIG audit or other finds of deceitful charge activities. A comprehensive auditing and monitoring plan will assist minimise the hazard of fraud and maltreatment by placing hazard countries ( igo.state.gov ) . Quality Improvement Organization in Michigan MPRO is a non-profit-making organisation and serves as the quality betterment organisation ( QIO ) for Michigan since 1984. It is contracted with the Centers for Medicare & A ; Medicaid Services. Its charge is: Work with Michigan Medicare suppliers to better the quality of attention for its endorsers. Promote all Michigan Medicare suppliers to follow grounds based medical specialty in all scenes. Protect the unity of the Medicare Trust Fund, by doing certain that Medicare pays merely for goods and services that are medically necessary that are performed in a proper medical scene. Protect the endorsers by look intoing their ailments and entreaties. QIO besides provides advisory services, medical and utilization reappraisals, informations analysis to federal bureaus, province Medicaid and public wellness bureaus, health care installations, and private wellness programs and 3rd party remunerators. QIO consists of a mixture of physician referees, clinical quality betterment and patient safety experts and statisticians. QIO serves infirmaries, nursing places, place wellness attention, physician offices and managed attention scenes ( MPRO.org ) . MPRO ‘s wellness attention quality betterment plans include legion preparations and go oning instruction events for Michigan suppliers across all scenes. Many events are free and Continuing Education Creditss are besides available. MPRO assists Michigan Medicare suppliers ( free of charge ) to better the quality and bringing of their wellness attention by the execution of evidence-based medical specialty that improves procedures and results. Areas of coverage include: Beneficiary Protection Patient Safety Prevention To better quality, safety and efficiency, MPRO publishes booklets for Medicare donees, explicating their rights as a donee ( MPRO, org ) . Other countries of service include: Breast Cancer and Cervical Cancer Control Program ( BCCCP ) Independent Medical Review Informal Dispute Resolution ( IDR ) Long Term Care Remediation Care Compliance Solutions for Long Term Care Providers Medicaid Fee-for-Service Utilization Review Program External Quality Review ( EQR ) MPRO is carry oning a Care Transitions undertaking in the mid Michigan country ( specifically, Clinton, Eaton and Ingham counties ) to measurably better the quality of attention of Medicare donees who transition between attention scenes. MPRO focuses on bettering coordination of attention between suppliers and across the continuum of attention by advancing seamless passages from the infirmary to place, skilled nursing attention, place wellness attention or other suppliers to forestall evitable readmission to the infirmary ( MPRO.org ) . The end of the Prevention Theme is to better the quality and frequence of preventative wellness attention services in order to optimise beneficiary quality of life and wellness attention efficiencies ( MPRO.org ) The Prevention Theme focuses on the undermentioned clinical subjects: Breast Cancer Colorectal Cancer ( CRC ) showing Influenza Immunizations Pneumococcal Immunizations Professionalism in Health Care Professionalism – Hard to specify, but you know it when you see it. Medical moralss are non Torahs, but criterions of behavior by and large accepted as moral guidelines for behaviour, by which a professional may mensurate the decorousness of his or her behavior in relationship with patients, doctors, colleagues, the authorities, and insurance companies. Acting with ethical behaviour agencies to transporting out duties with unity, decency, honestness, competency, consideration, regard, equity, trust, and bravery. The American Medical Association ( AMA ) adopted a codification of moralss for the benefit of the wellness professional in 1980. The Internet Health Coalition developed an eHealth Code of Ethics to protect patient ‘s information on the Internet ( Fordney, 2008 ) . An person must hold a assortment of features or qualities to work good as an insurance charge or coding specializer. Some of these qualities are: Strong critical thought and comprehensive reading accomplishments Logical and practical mind every bit good as a originative job convergent thinker Good organizational accomplishments Detail oriented One ‘s properties, accomplishments, personal image and behavior all contribute to professionalism ( Fordney, 2008 ) . Webster ‘s Collegiate Dictionary defines professionalism as â€Å" the behavior, aims or qualities that characterize or mark a profession or a professional individual † . All professionals portion common features and a codification to stay by. But it is non what we do as a professional, but how we do it, that defines the medical professionalism. It is the unconditioned lovingness of the patient, irrespective of their ability to pay or their station in life ( Fordney, 2008 ) . Most everyone knows instinctively what is meant when they hear the words â€Å" he ‘s so professional. † This evokes an image of high competency and high moralss ; person commanding regard. All countries of professionalism has a codification of behavior, it is non alone to the medical profession. This codification is the moral compass that keeps us on the consecutive and narrow. It will be our moralss that will separate us as a true professional ( Fordney, 2008 ) .Standards of Ethical CryptographyCoding professionals should: Apply accurate, complete, and consistent cryptography patterns for the production of high-quality health care informations. Report all health care informations elements ( e.g. diagnosing and process codifications, nowadays on admittance index, discharge position ) required for external coverage intents ( e.g. reimbursement and other administrative utilizations, population wellness, quality and patient safety measuring, and research ) wholly and accurately, in conformity with regulative and certification criterions and demands and applicable functionary coding conventions, regulations, and guidelines. Assign and study merely the codifications and informations that are clearly and systematically supported by wellness record certification in conformity with applicable codification set and abstraction conventions, regulations, and guidelines. Question supplier ( physician or other qualified health care practician ) for elucidation and extra certification prior to code assignment when there is conflicting, uncomplete, or equivocal information in the wellness record sing a important reportable status or process or other reportable informations component dependant on wellness record certification ( e.g. nowadays on admittance index ) . Garbage to alter reported codifications or the narrations of codifications so that significances are misrepresented. Garbage to take part in or back up cryptography or certification patterns intended to unsuitably increase payment, measure up for insurance policy coverage, or skew informations by agencies that do non follow with federal and province legislative acts, ordinances and official regulations and guidelines. Facilitate interdisciplinary coaction in state of affairss back uping proper cryptography patterns. Advance coding cognition and pattern through go oning instruction. Garbage to take part in or hide unethical cryptography or abstraction patterns or processs. Protect the confidentiality of the wellness record at all times and garbage to entree protected wellness information non required for coding-related activities ( illustrations of coding-related activities include completion of codification assignment, other wellness record information abstraction, coding audits, and educational intents ) . Demonstrate behaviour that reflects unity, shows a committedness to ethical and legal cryptography patterns, and Fosters trust in professional activities ( AHIMA.org ) . Revised and approved by the House of Delegates 09/08. All rights reserved. Reprint and cite merely with proper mention to AHIMA ‘s writing. The Federal Register The Federal Register is the day-to-day official diary of the Federal Government of the United States that contains public notices of authorities bureaus. The Federal Register is compiled by the Office of the Federal Register ( within the National Archives and Records Administration ) and is printed by the Government Printing Office. Since it is a publication of the U.S. Government, there are no copyright limitations on the Federal Register. It is in the public sphere and contains proposed new regulations and ordinances, Final regulations, alterations to bing regulations, and notices of meetings and adjudicative proceedings. This is a good mention for alterations in the wellness industry and maintaining abreast of approaching alterations. Example of a concluding regulation: Health Insurance Reform: Alterations to Electronic Data Transaction Standards and Code Sets AGENCY: Office of the Secretary, HHS. Action: Concluding regulation. Summary: In this concluding regulation, we respond to public remarks received and finalize commissariats applicable to electronic informations dealing criterions from two related proposed regulations published in the May 31, 2002, Federal Register. We are besides following proposed alterations to implementation specifications for wellness attention entities and others. In add-on, we are following alterations to implementation specifications for several electronic dealing criterions that were omitted from the May 31, 2002, proposed regulations. Effective Dates: These ordinances are effectual on March 24, 2003.A §164.500 [ Amended ]6. A § In 164.500 ( B ) ( 1 ) ( four ) , take the words †including the appellation of wellness attention constituents of a covered entity † .A § 165.501 [ Amended ]7. In A §164.501, the definitions of the undermentioned footings are removed: Covered maps Disclosure, Individual, Organized wellness attention agreement, Plan sponsor Protected wellness information, Required by jurisprudence, and Use.A § 164.504 [ Amended ]8. In A §164.504, the undermentioned alterations are made: a. The definitions of the undermentioned footings are removed: Common control, Common ownership, Health attention constituent, and Hybrid entity. B. Paragraphs ( B ) through ( vitamin D ) are removed and reserved. Authority: Sections 1173 and 1175 of the Social Security Act ( 42 U.S.C. 1329d-2 and 1320-4 ) . Dated: January 13, 2003.Tommy G. Thompson,Secretary. [ FR Doc. 03-3877 Filed 2-13-03 ; 8:45 am