Wednesday, October 30, 2019

Sustainable Events Management Course work Essay

Sustainable Events Management Course work - Essay Example Also, MCI delivered satisfactory results in social, economic, and environmental aspects as they conform to the ISO 20121 (event sustainability management system). The reality shows that more and more businesses have perceived sustainability principles and practices as important success factors in today’s business landscape; hence, they have incorporated these into their systems and activities. Sustainability among these companies are being provided in various societal and corporate initiatives, but most of them are centered on environmental or natural, economic, and social dimensions (Haugh & Talwar, 2010). These dimensions of responsibility are known as the triple bottom line (TBL) approach, which was coined by John Elkington in 1990s (Elkington, 2004). In this regard, various industries are encouraged to give importance on environmental and societal issues in their decision-making and sustainability reporting; this approach can be seen in the MCI group. The main thrust of this paper is to critically assess the sustainability policy of MCI in relation to the TBL theory. Also, recommendations will be given after the critical appraisal of the company’s sustainability plan. MCI is a privately held company whose expertise is in the field of event management. It was founded in 1987 by Roger Tondeur and Ursula Wiger, which is currently headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland (MCI, n.d.a.). Furthermore, MCI is one of the leading companies in the event industry with 48 offices in 22 countries worldwide including the U.S, EU, Asia, Middle East, and many more (MCI, 2011). Also, the company expressed that their continuing growth for almost 25 years is attributed to their commitment to sustainable development and corporate social responsibility (CSR) through the application of the TBL theory. This theory has been embedded in all of MCI’s policies, practices, decisions, programs, and reporting. In fact, they are

News Release Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

News Release - Assignment Example According to Ross, the report showed a disturbing behavior of some members of the team. Nevertheless, he is pleased with the affirmation of Coach Joe Philbin’s commitment to sportsmanlike conduct among team members. â€Å"We are committed to a positive workplace environment where everyone treats each other with respect. We have reviewed our Code of Conduct and workplace policies and are making enhancements to the areas of sports psychology, human resources and player engagement functions which serve as safe outlets for any player or employee.† The issue of bullying as alleged by Jonathan Martin against offensive line members Richie Incognito, John Jerry and Mike Pouncey brings to light this matter. The organization does not take these accusations lightly and is committed to the formation of a Code of Conduct that will enable the organization to move forward and foster a harmonious relationship that will hopefully apply not only to the Dolphins but to sports as a whole. Ross reiterates, â€Å"I have made it clear to everyone within our organization that this situation must never happen again. We are committed to address this issue forcefully and to take a leadership role in establishing a standard that will be a benchmark in all of sports.† Miami Dolphins will host a press conference at 2 p.m. on June 6, 2014, at the Sun Life Stadium where Mr. Stephen Ross will be available together with Coach Joe Philbin for questions. Requests for media credentials to attend the news conference should be directed to Your Name at

Monday, October 28, 2019

The Shakespeare Authorship Conspiracy Essay Example for Free

The Shakespeare Authorship Conspiracy Essay William Shakespeare was one of the most popular playwrights in history. With 38 plays, 154 sonnets and many other poems, Shakespeare’s work has been performed around the world more often than any other playwright. One gentleman, Hank Whittemore, created a blog that is strictly related to the notion that William Shakespeare was a pen-name of Edward De Vere who was the Earl of Oxford from 1550 to 1604. To many, this is an outlandish claim and is considered a conspiracy theory. His monthly blog continues to be filled with a narrow history lesson lined with an unpopular opinion. Interesting But Not Creditable Whittemore states, â€Å"It’s true that for twenty-three years I’ve been studying the life of Edward de Vere 17th Earl of Oxford (1550-1604) as the author of the â€Å"Shakespeare† works, but I never considered myself a â€Å"conspiracy nut† in any way. First of all I notice that it’s an opinion apparently held by a lot of otherwise rational, fair individuals. â€Å"Hey, you don’t think Shakespeare wrote Shakespeare? You must be one of those conspiracy minded whackos!† I’ve seen this opinion expressed so often in so many books and blogs and it’s been repeated so often that it must be true, right? No, I speak here for myself†. (H. Whittemore, 2012) His blog is very extensive going back to November of 2008 and he appears to have followers according to the comments left at the bottom of the blogs. Analyzing the validity of the data used by Whittmore, it appears that he is very knowledgeable and could be considered an expert on the history of this time period. As much content as Whittmore blogs on his site, it still appears one-dimensional and has a â€Å"fake† feel to it. His credibility comes into question because he doesn’t even place a biography on his site. There is no mention of what he does for a living or where he studied. For all we know, it is fiction. Endorsed By the Prince of Wales Another website that has large amounts of contributors and many opinions on the subject of Shakespeare’s authorship validity, is www.60-minutes.bloggingshakespeare.com. This site has amazing amount of information from many creditable sources including MacDonald Jackson, Professor Emeritus of English at the University of Auckland and a Fellow of the Royal Society of New Zealand and Martin Wiggins, who is a Senior Lecturer and Fellow at The Shakespeare Institute at the University of Birmingham. There are 60 contributors on this site and is promoted by The Prince of Wales who is President of The Royal Shakespeare Company. A.J. Leon, a senior digital advisor to the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust, states, â€Å"What I cannot understand is the way people who say he didn’t write the work have to ignore all the evidence that shows he did. We are not talking about a belief that can be interpreted differently depending on our point of view. The evidence for William Shakespeare of Stratford-upon-Avon is not circumstantial. It is factual and multi-faceted† (Leon, 2012). Conclusion On October of 2011 a new movie has been released called, â€Å"Anonymous†, a film based on the theory that it was in fact Edward De Vere, Earl of Oxford, who penned Shakespeares plays. As much as Mr. Whittemore blogs about a Shakespeare conspiracy, this film must be considered a fiction. On his site, his logical fallacy is that he states many facts about the time period and the relationship between Edward De Vere and Queen Elizabeth I, but he never backs up his opinions with evidence. Although very informative from a historical point of view, Whittemore’s lack of resources and an overabundance of opinion damage his reliability and credibility.

Sunday, October 27, 2019

Propaganda In Hollywood Movies Film Studies Essay

Propaganda In Hollywood Movies Film Studies Essay 1. Thematic justification: The movie is based during the Second World War and precisely at the time the United States of America entered the war after a series of attacks by the Japanese on their naval installations in the Pacific region, primarily Pearl Harbor and the main theme of the movie, Wake Island, which came under attack soon after Pearl Harbor. The movie can be interpreted as a propaganda film that justifies the need for America to join the war and more importantly fight the Japanese. 2. Violence as a necessary part of patriotism: The movie shows American naval forces fearlessly engaging the Japanese forces with all their might. Though they were heavily outnumbered and their defeat at the hands of the Japanese was guaranteed, the soldiers continued to fight till their last breath to show their patriotism. 3. Ideological justification: The prominent ideological justification that was being promoted here was to avenge the Japanese attacks on the American Naval installations in Wake Island and Pearl Harbor. This was also evident in the title of the movie that had the phrase We will never forget wake Island attached to it. Also the movie is considers the defeat of the 4. War as a rite of passage: The movie does not contain any instances that promote War as a rite of passage. Though it does promote the idea like, war unifies people who are otherwise rivals and that war makes people more responsible and diligent. 5. Alienation and dehumanizing the enemy: The movie portrays the Japanese as ruthless, cold blooded killers slaughtering the outnumbered American forces on Wake Island. They also focused on the use of the Kamikaze by the Japanese which was a fighter plane used to carry out suicide missions during the Second World War. As explained above the movie promoted the need to avenge the attack on Wake Island and Pearl Harbor and the inhuman portrayal of the Japanese enemy added fuel to the fire. 6. Portrayal of hatred with the Japanese and likeness with the Chinese: The movie does say anything about the Chinese but certainly portrays the Japanese as the enemy. The last few words uttered by the weary and wounded protagonist Donlevy were send us more Japs! that was relayed to the headquarters in America. Such scenes are used to reinforce the idea that the Japanese are enemies in the minds of the common American citizens. 7. Oversimplified Dichotomy: Though America joined the war for various reasons other than the attack on Pearl Harbor the movie paints a different picture. According to the movie, the Japanese are the bad guys who attacked the good Americans and so the Americans who lost their lives at the hands of the ruthless Japanese have to be avenged. IRONMAN Iron Man is a superhero film inspired from the from the famous Marvel Comics character of the same name. The movie was released in 2008 and was directed by Jon Favreau starring Robert Downey Jr as the main protagonist Tony Stark better known as the Iron Man. Tony Stark is an engineering genius and the owner of Stark Enterprises, a company that manufactures high tech civil and most importantly military equipment. In the movie he is abducted by a group of terrorist while he was on business trip to Afghanistan. The leader of the terrorist group, Ten Rings, forces him to build a missile in order to carry out his evil agenda. Instead Tony Stark builds an exoskeleton suit with the resources given to him that makes him almost invincible and helps him defeat the terrorists and escape. After he gets back home he builds a more refined version of the high tech suit and decides to take on the responsibility of keeping his city safe from such terrorist and become a vigilante of sorts. Such movies can be interpreted as propaganda that is aimed at young people to make them aware of the whole idea of terrorism and the importance of fighting it. 1. Thematic Justification: Thematic Justification is defined as the theme of the movie or the background which shows social disorder and loss of control in the country. War is considered the only way to find a way out for the communal disharmony. In the movie Iron Man Tony Stark played by Robert Downey Jr is attacked by an Afghan terrorist group Ten Rings. The leader of the group, Raza offers Stark freedom as he was held captive by the group. But in turn they asked for the Jericho Missile, Knowing well that they wouldnt agree after the transaction is complete, Stark refuses. Once he gets back to the city he is informed that the Stark equipments were transported to Ten Rings. One of the equipments was the Jericho Missile. The artillery was transported to destroy Yinsen Town. Stark to avoid the mass destruction dons his armor and flies to Afghanistan for a epic war. 2. Violence as a necessary part of patriotism: Violence is always very evident in all Hollywood movies. No matter how much the degree of it is present. Iron Man is no less. There is considerable amount of violence. Even though the concept is fictitious Iron Man does have a battle with the terrorist group. The violence is quite evident but does not end up in any bloodshed. 3. Ideological Justification: It is difficult to point out if there was any ideological justification in the movie. Though if analyzed it could show the tense and strained relationship between The United States of America and Afghanistan. Tony Stark gets back at the terrorist group, Ten Rings and at the end of he saves Yinsen village from mass destruction. To some extent one could say that Iron Man fights for freedom and all his actions echoes this statement. 4. War as a rite of passage: This parameter is true in the case of Iron Man. Tony Stark is a Genius, billionaire, playboy and a philanthropist (as mentioned in the movie Avengers [2011]) This is enough to prove that Stark is a spoiled and care free individual. But once he encounters his exoskeleton suit and the power it holds he becomes more disciplined. 5. Alienation and dehumanizing the enemy: Ten Rings is a monstrous and evil group. They shipped in Starks equipments to destroy the village of Yinsen. If they succeeded there would be mass destruction and innumerable bloodshed. But Iron Man comes into the picture and does what is needed to done. So it is justified that the terrorist group must be killed. 6. Portrayal of hatred with the Japanese and likeness with the Chinese: There is no portrayal of any likeness towards China or hatred towards Japanese in the movie. This movie mainly comprises of the terrorist group, Ten Rings from Afghanistan. Militants and terror groups like Al-Qaeda, from the Middle Eastern region are currently considered the main enemies of the United States especially after the September 2001 terrorist attacks. 7. Oversimplified Dichotomy: Here to justify this parameter Iron Man does have visuals where Iron Man (representing America) is treated as the hero of the movie and Ten Rings (enemy; Afghanistan). Just as any comic based movie ends, Iron Man wins the battle. The viewers tend to believe that the USA is always on the right and ethical track. This brings in a feeling of bias in the minds of the public THE KINGDOM The Kingdom was directed by Peter Berg in 2007, starring Jamie Foxx, Chris Cooper, Jennifer Garner. It talks about how a terrorist group attacked and unleashed a massacre inside a Western housing compound in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The incident became a huge international issue during a time when the relationship between the two countries was undergoing a lot of strain. Meanwhile, diplomats in Washington were slow to act and debated territorial issues. But FBI agent Ronald Fleury decided to take things in his own hands and quickly assembled a team and worked his way around the bureaucracy to somehow carryout an investigation in Saudi Arabia and catch the people responsible. But things didnt go so smoothly in Saudi Arabia, agent Fleury and his team were tearted with suspicion as most of the Saudi government officials and royals were sceptical about the whole idea. Fortunately, the team find Colonel Al-Ghazi, a dedicated and sincere official. They formed a good bond and he helps the team get around the bureaucracy in Saudi Arabia and help them in their investigation. In the end, as usual, they capture and kill the terrorists after a series of gun fights and dramatic action sequences. The plot of the movie is fictional, but it is obviously influenced by the bombings at a similar American housing compound on May 12, 2003 and the Khobar housing complex on June 26, 1996, in the kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The movie does not provide any critical information or thought provoking insights. It is produced with an aim to simplify the Americas political agendas in other countries and moreover, to justify its interventions in the Middle East. Such propaganda is aimed at young people all over the world to influence them to join the so called War on Terrorism. 1. Thematic justification: The movie is based on the American war on terrorism and inspired by bombings at the Riyadh compound on May 12, 2003 and the Khobar housing complex on June 26, 1996, in the kingdom of Saudi Arabia. In the movie a a terrorist bomb detonates inside a Western housing compound in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, an international incident is ignited and FBI Special Agent Ronald Fleury quickly assembles an elite team and decides to take things in his own hands. They go into Saudi Arabia to investigate and more importantly kill the people responsible for the bombings. 2. Violence as a necessary part of patriotism: The main casualties of the terrorist attack are Americans and this prompts agent Fleury to go on a mission to Saudi Arabia with just one aim, identifying and killing the people responsible for the attacks. 3. Ideological Justification: The movie does not seem to any ideological justification other than avenging the death of the American workers in Saudi Arabia at the hands of terrorist thus instilling a false sense of justice. They just go about killing the terrorists until they reach the mastermind of the terrorist activities there and kill him as well without even asking any questions. 4. War as a rite of passage: This movie does not promote war as a rite of passage but rater it conveys the message that war breeds hate and hate perpetuates more hate leading to a vicious cycle of suffering. 5. Alienation and dehumanizing the enemy: In this movie the enemies are terrorists, ruthlessly killing innocent civilians and instilling fear among the people. Therefore they are naturally treated inhumanely and killed without question. 6. Portrayal of hatred with the Japanese and likeness with the Chinese: There is no portrayal of likeness with the Chinese or hatred towards the Japanese in the movie. As mentioned above the enemies are the terrorists from groups like Al-Qaeda, from the Middle Eastern region who are currently considered the main enemies of the United States especially after the September 2001 terrorist attacks. 7. Oversimplified Dichotomy: In this movie it is very obvious that the bad guys are the terrorists and the good guys are the FBI agents. The terrorists are responsible for killing innocent civilians and thus the FBI agents are justified in killing these terrorists without any question.

Saturday, October 26, 2019

Broadcasting And Programing :: essays research papers

Broadcasting and Programing Steiner's Model Steiner's model on programming preferences and broadcasting choices tries to show how stations come to the conclusion of what programming to show. This model goes on the assumption that broadcasters will go after the largest audience possible. Going on the information given about this hypothetical situation, we can predict what each of the four stations in this market will show. There are three distinct audience preferences. The first groups of 1200 viewers has a first programming preference of sitcoms and a second choice of soaps. The second group numbers 900 viewers and would pick cops first and soaps second. The third group, 500 viewers, likes soaps first and sitcoms and their second choice. This model says that the audience will watch their first choice first and then the second choice, but only is their first choice is not available. Let's say that the Federal Communications Commission licenses station A in their market. Looking at the viewer preferences, station A would start to broadcast soaps. By show soaps, it would capture a market of 2600 viewers. All viewers would watch because soaps is their first choice or it is their second choice but their first is not available. The FCC then offers a license to station B. After examining the audience sizes, stations B also starts to show soaps. By programming to this audience, it splits the soaps market with station A and both of them have 1300 viewers. Station B does not pick another programming because no other choice can offer more than 1300 viewers. When the FCC offers a license to station C, things will definitely change in this market. Station C sees the biggest audience available is the sitcom market with 1200 viewers. But when station C takes that 1200 viewers from the soap audience which hold sitcoms as their first choice, station A and B will both drop to 700 viewers. They now have to make a decision. Both can find larger markets elsewhere. One station, and it does not matter which one, will switch to cop shows. For this hypothetical, station B would choose cops for 900 viewers. Station A, who still is showing soaps, now only has 500 viewers. It does not like that, so it starts to show sitcoms. Audience 3, with 500 viewers, now is watching sitcoms because there are no soaps out there. Station A and C are both showing sitcoms and are splitting a viewer audience of 1700 for 850 each. Now that the viewers are confused about what station is showing what, the FCC offers a fourth license to station D.

Friday, October 25, 2019

Essay --

Objective: The objectives of the lab were to gain understanding of how to naturally separate a compound that has particles that are not easily removed and to use basic qualitative tests to identify the major components of whole milk3. Introduction: First of all, milk is a very complicated mixture of many compounds in which the dispersed particles do not settle out. This is called a colloid4. These particles have a very difficult time settling out because they have an insignificant settling rate because their small mass has a low gravitational pull compared to the surface frictional force5. All of the substances in milk are very essential because milk plays such a huge role during the infant stage of all mammals. While milk is well known for its richness in calcium, it contains many more essential nutrients, including protein, carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals, and fat. During this experiment, each of the nutrients above will be tested for. †¢ Protein is a very important nutrient because it has many functions that it does in the body, like fighting diseases, renewing cells, builds muscles, and helps to maintain healthy hair. Milk is a very good source of protein because it contains almost 8 grams1. Proteins consist of amino acids that are held together by a peptide bond. Not all proteins have the same function and are created the same way. Even though all proteins are made of amino acids, there are 20 different amino acids that can be chosen to make a particular protein. In order to be able to extract the protein from the milk, one must understand proteins on a molecular level, and how they react to changes in their environment. The amino acids that proteins are formed from have different side chains, which determine how they funct... ... urinalysis strip, it turned brown, indicating there was 1000mg/mL of glucose. This was also the same as the control group. During the test for calcium, the solution turned a milky white color, which was identical to the control group. Some source of error during this experiment would be that some of the whey fell down the beaker, while the remaining was in the flask. This could cause an error because there was not as much whey as there should have been and this might affect the concentration of how much of each component is in the whey. Conclusion: Due to the results from all of these tests being positive, it can be said that every component that should be in whole milk does exist. This concludes that all whole milk, no matter what the mood of the cow, will have the same molecular components, consisting of proteins, carbohydrate, calcium, phosphate, and lactose. Essay -- Objective: The objectives of the lab were to gain understanding of how to naturally separate a compound that has particles that are not easily removed and to use basic qualitative tests to identify the major components of whole milk3. Introduction: First of all, milk is a very complicated mixture of many compounds in which the dispersed particles do not settle out. This is called a colloid4. These particles have a very difficult time settling out because they have an insignificant settling rate because their small mass has a low gravitational pull compared to the surface frictional force5. All of the substances in milk are very essential because milk plays such a huge role during the infant stage of all mammals. While milk is well known for its richness in calcium, it contains many more essential nutrients, including protein, carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals, and fat. During this experiment, each of the nutrients above will be tested for. †¢ Protein is a very important nutrient because it has many functions that it does in the body, like fighting diseases, renewing cells, builds muscles, and helps to maintain healthy hair. Milk is a very good source of protein because it contains almost 8 grams1. Proteins consist of amino acids that are held together by a peptide bond. Not all proteins have the same function and are created the same way. Even though all proteins are made of amino acids, there are 20 different amino acids that can be chosen to make a particular protein. In order to be able to extract the protein from the milk, one must understand proteins on a molecular level, and how they react to changes in their environment. The amino acids that proteins are formed from have different side chains, which determine how they funct... ... urinalysis strip, it turned brown, indicating there was 1000mg/mL of glucose. This was also the same as the control group. During the test for calcium, the solution turned a milky white color, which was identical to the control group. Some source of error during this experiment would be that some of the whey fell down the beaker, while the remaining was in the flask. This could cause an error because there was not as much whey as there should have been and this might affect the concentration of how much of each component is in the whey. Conclusion: Due to the results from all of these tests being positive, it can be said that every component that should be in whole milk does exist. This concludes that all whole milk, no matter what the mood of the cow, will have the same molecular components, consisting of proteins, carbohydrate, calcium, phosphate, and lactose.

Thursday, October 24, 2019

Spartan Political and Social System Essay example -- essays research p

Spartan Political and Social Systems Sparta was, above all, a military state, and emphasis on military fitness began at birth, imprinted through society and the political system. The education of the Spartan male children prove that the military and war was constantly a huge part of Spartan society, and the laws and systems that Sparta was governed by, only enforced the militaristic attitude into the society of Sparta. That the Spartans needed to be ready for war is proved by the discord between the Spartiate and the helots, who outnumbered and under ranked the Spartans. From birth Spartan children were expected to be physically strong and when male children were ten days old they were examined by a council of elders to see if the child had enough potential to be a warrior, or if it should be ‘exposed’. The children who were exposed were left to die at Apothetae on the slopes of Mt. Tygetus. The children who passed the examination were left in the care of their mothers until they reached the age of seven, at which point they left home to live in the barrack with other males, and were educated and trained in how to be a brave and strong warrior. While these children were still living at home they were mainly left in the care of a nurse, who taught them the first stage of their life-long education in the military. The nurses taught the children fight their fears as well as general superstition, toughening up the children so they would be able to better survive when they reach the age of seven and moved the barracks. Plutarch explains in source A how boys at the age of seven were put into the care of the state, and how they would grow up constantly training physically. When in the education system the boys learnt reading a... ...er’ in Sparta caused the Spartiates to be constantly prepared for a Helot uprise, as P. Cartledge explains in source F The helots were the Spartans slaves and were treated very poorly, being purposely set apart in image, given no rights, and beaten on several occasions. In fact each time new ephors were voted in, the helots would be rounded up and given an ‘annual beating’, so as the helots knew their place. However this treatment of the helots simply made the helots hate the Spartans, causing the Spartans to be even more prepared to an uprising, bringing the whole dilemma around in a circle. Spartans lived and breathed so that they could be ready for war. Their social and political structure shows this by their education of male Spartans, their laws and government procedures and also the necessity to be ready to protect themselves from a potential helot uprise.

Costume Design Essay

Creative collaboration among the costume designer, the director and the set and lighting designers ensures that the costumes are smoothly integrated into the production as a whole. Stage costumes can provide audiences with information about a character’s occupation, social status, gender, age, sense of style and tendencies towards conformity or individualism. As well, costumes can: reinforce the mood and style of the production distinguish between major and minor characters suggest relationships between characters change an actor’s appearance suggest changes in character development and age be objects of beauty in their own right. Costume designs also need to include any accessories such as canes, hats, gloves, shoes, jewelry or masks. These costume props add a great deal of visual interest to the overall costume design. They are often the items that truly distinguish one character from another. The designer’s work Costume designers begin their work by reading the script to be produced. If the production is set in a specific historical era, the fashions of this period will need to be researched. To stimulate the flow of ideas at the first meeting with the director and the design team (set, costume, lighting and sound designers), the costume designer may want to present a few rough costume sketches. This is also an appropriate time to check with the director on the exact number of characters needing costumes, as any non-speaking characters the director plans to include may not have been listed in the script. It is the costume designer’s responsibility to draw up the costume plot. The costume plot is a list or chart that shows which characters appear in each scene, what they are wearing and their overall movement throughout the play. This helps track the specific costume needs of every character. It can also identify any potential costume challenges, such as very quick changes between scenes. When the director and production team have approved the costume designer’s preliminary sketches, she or he can draw up the final costume designs. The final designs are done in full color. They show the style, silhouette, textures, accessories and unique features of each costume. Once the show opens, the designer’s work is essentially complete. Now it’s normally the job of a wardrobe assistant to make sure that every aspect of the production runs just as the designer intended, time after time, until the production closes.

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Planning and Strategic Management Essay

Management Chapter 10 Planning and Strategic Management Planning Overview Importance of Goals: Goals provide a sense of direction Goals focus our efforts Goals guide our plans and decisions Goals help us evaluate our progress The importance of planning at organizations The Hierarchy of Organization Plans Strategic Plans – Plans designed to meet an organization’s board goals. Operational Plans – Plans that contain details for carrying out, or implementing, those strategic plans in day-to-day activities. How Strategic and Operational Plans Differ Strategic Plans Operational Plans Time Horizons Strategic plans tend to look ahead several years or even decades For Operational plans, a year is often the relevant time period Scope It affects a wide range of organizational activities It has a narrow and more limited scope Degree of Detail Strategic plans are stated in terms that look simplistic and generic Operational plans are stated in relatively finer detail The Evolution of the Concept of Strategy Strategy: The board program for defining and achieving an organization’s objectives; the organization’s response to its environment over time. Strategic Management: The management process that involves an organization’s engaging in strategic planning and then acting on those plans. for attaining objectives The process of seeking key ideas ( rather than routinely implementing existing policy); and How strategy is formulated, not Just what the strategy turns out to be The Strategic Management Approach Dan Schendel and Charles Hofer have suggested four key aspects of Strategic Management- 1) Goal Setting 2) Strategy Formulation 3) Administration 4) Strategic Control The Strategic Management process Strategic Planning – includes both the goal-setting and strategy-formulation processes. Strategy Implementation – involves with action based decisions. Levels of Strategy: Some key Distinctions Corporate-level strategy: Strategy formulated by top management to oversee the interests and operations of ultiline corporations. Business-unit strategy: Strategy formulated to meet the goals of a particular business; also called line-of- business strategy. Functional-level strategy: Strategy formulated by a specific functional area in an effort to carry out business- unit strategy. The Corporate Portfolio Approach Portfolio framework – An approach to corporate-level strategy advocated by the Boston Consulting group; also known as the BCG matrix.

Managing Customer Perceptions of the Business Environment

Per Bendapudi and Berry, the environmental influences consumer behavior but does not influence consumers’ trust. Organizations have to research extent of how their marketing environment creates customers’ perceived behavior and also how individual factors of given environment add to that perception. While many other researchers and authors suggest that functional behavior requires perception of trust, authors of this article are suggesting that this may not be obsolete condition. Some organizational environments are more likely to result in dysfunctional or functional behaviors as a result of larger customer perception of dependency. If customer is perceiving dependence in continuity, competitive advantage is than probably gained through managing customer perceptions of the organizational environment to reduce perceptions of high dependency. This may then reduce the negative impact arising from dependence based dysfunctional behaviors. If customers exhibit functional behaviors when they perceive themselves to have a low dependency upon a service organization then the findings suggest practical steps that those organizations can take to influence customer perceptions of the business environment (Hilton&Jones, 2010). Analysis Hilton and Jones wrote this article because of the fact that customer perceptions of the organizational environment and its influence on customer behavior is an area that is not researched enough. Customer behavior is a concept of a response to perceptions of organizational environment and they are categorized as functional or dysfunctional behavior based on potential impact on the firm. Authors are arguing that some organizational environments are more likely to result in functional or dysfunctional customer behavior. Per Hilton and Jones, that is result of greater perceived dependency, irrespective of whether customers trust their service providers, or business partners. There are numerous findings that consumer imagery extends beyond perceived price and company image to the business environment. Businesses that enjoy favorable image generally find that their products are accepted more readily than those from businesses that have less favorable or even neutral image in customers’ perception. This study focuses on the environmental antecedents of dependence. If a characteristic of the business environment is that it generates customer dependence upon a business partner then it is important for organizations to understand which aspects of their business environment contribute towards the perception of dependence (Hilton&Jones, 2010). Consumers’ selections of stimuli from the environment are based on interactions of their expectations and motives with the stimulus itself. People usually perceive things they need or want, and block the perception of unnecessary, unfavorable, or painful stimuli. This study was designed to identify, compare and contrast the experiences of commercial and private clients to determine whether the environmental variables identified by Bendapudi and Berry were applicable to the legal service context and, if so, were they also relevant to individual consumers as well as business customers. It is more difficult for consumers to evaluate the quality of services than the quality of products because of certain distinctive characteristics of services (in this case legal service provided by a law firm). Legal services are intangible, variable and perishable. Customers are usually not capable of comparing services side-by-side. Therefore other significant factors play role in shaping perception and dependence such as quality of office, room furnishing, number of framed degrees and rewards on the wall, pleasantness of the receptionist, all contribute to the evaluation of the organization that provides legal services. Result of the study finds that commercial clients think that their organizations live in turbulent times where outcomes are uncertain but also where decisions, actions and opportunities are time-dependent. In contrast, private clients do not appear to perceive the legal services environment as dynamic. They suggest that legal matters take a long time, often longer than they expect. These findings cannot be taken for granted. Actual quantity of services can vary from day to day, from service employee to service employee and from customer to customer or case to case. When marketers try to standardize their services in order to provide consistency of quality, downside is the loss of customized services, which many consumers value. Major issue with legal services is that they are first sold and then produced and consumed simultaneously. An inferior legal service is consumed as it is being produced. There is little opportunity to correct it, negative impression caused by legal services representative is difficult to correct. Consumer evaluation of service quality is usually reflection of magnitude and direction of the gap between the customer’s expectations and customer’s assessment (perception) of service quality. That perception of service quality includes segments of the business environment and built up dependence. We can see completely different research results between commercial and private customers. This is happening because the expectations of a given service vary widely among different consumers of that same legal service. These expectations stem from word-of-mouth, their past experiences, the promises made about the service in ads and by legal services representatives, available alternatives, and other behavioral factors. In individual customers respond I see significantly increased likelihood of lower perceived service quality due to raised customer’s expectations. Legal services environment serves to influence perceived quality of services and decisions of consumers. Conclusion Consumer motivation is a highly dynamic construct that is constantly changing in reaction to life experiences. Needs and goals change and grow in response to individual physical condition, environment, interaction with others, and experiences. As individuals attain their goals, they develop new ones. Many needs are never fully satisfied, they continually impel actions designed to attain or maintain satisfaction. And also, people who achieve their goals set new and higher goals for themselves. Expectations of success or failure in reaching certain goals often influence the nature and persistence of individual's behavior. Expectations are often based on past experience. Effects of success and failure on goal selection have influence on the marketer. Goal should be reasonable. Advertisement should not promise more than product will deliver. Even solid product will not be approached if it fails to live up to expectations. Law firms’ aggressive advertising is in fact creating dependency. Some of the consumers are attracted by word-of-mouth legal services’ positive (or negative) image created in media and based on their results in previous cases.

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

Strategies that Heineken, Budweiser and other beer brands are using to target millennial men essay

Strategies that Heineken, Budweiser and other beer brands are using to target millennial men essay Strategies that Heineken, Budweiser and other beer brands are using to target millennial men essay Strategies that Heineken, Budweiser and other beer brands are using to target millennial men essayIn today highly competitive business environment it takes much effort to stay effective and gain profit. Beer, in the meantime, is among the most widely consumed products throughout the world, and apart from that, competition is high. Today, about 35 billion gallons of beer are consumed per year. The revenues of the amounts sold make up about $300 billion (Katsigris Thomas, 2006, p.23). Beer industry is today a global business consisting of several levels. The brewery industry is made of a number of multinational corporations and thousands of smaller producers. These are, for example, local brewpubs or regional breweries, like those founded as early as the tenth century and paying tithes to monasteries. A modern brewery producing limited amounts of beer per year is known as a microbrewery or a craft brewery. On average, the limits are up to 15,000 barrels per year (Nelson, 2005, p.181). As Nelson (2005, p.182) informs, a microbrewery incorporating a pub or any other type of eating establishment is called a brewpub. Having a small private brewery is, without any doubt, rather profitable. However, there are certain restrictions or even prohibitions concerning home brewing. Legislation differs from region to region and from authority to authority.Heineken Lager Beer was initially founded to become an international beer producer. Its founder, Gerard Adriaan Heineken, opened a family brewery in Amsterdam in 1864. In the nineteenth century there were no huge multinational conglomerates controlling the beer industry, so Heineken gave birth to an extremely successful business all by himself. From the very beginning the owner knew that he won’t be satisfied by the status of a small craft brewery and was ready to wait, meanwhile gaining resources, customer base and, what is even more important, perfecting a recipe. Heineken’s aspirations were not in vain. By th e end of the nineteenth century, the beer produced by Heineken was awarded with several international prizes, among which Medaille d’Or, Diplome d’Honneurs, Grand Prix, and Hors Concours. Today, Heineken is a world known brand, the brand standing for premium gentleman’s beer consumed by 3 billion liters per year. Fromm (2014) notes that â€Å"the total beer production of all breweries fully owned by the Heineken Group over all brands was 16.46 billion liters globally.†Nevertheless, it is not enough to win authority in order to enjoy further success. Brand managers realize that it is necessary to stay relevant and keep to the date. Among the latest marketing strategies worked out by Heineken is focusing on the so-called millennial men. The latter make up a great and stable customer base. Today, these are the youngest legal drinkers, and it is not extremely difficult to investigate the demographic characteristics of this group. It goes without saying that y outh transform the entire industry, but for Heineken it is only a challenge interesting to accept. The millennial men are the children of digital age, and they are easily influenced via digital technologies, including social media, laptops, tablets, and smartphones. Last year, for instance, Heineken has introduced the Departure Roulette campaign which was welcomed by the millennial men (Fromm, 2014). Brand managers have also discovered that this generation is extremely loyal especially when they receive emotional and functional stimulus. Moreover, since 2010 Heineken applies the Legendary Man campaign that contributes to wider brand recognition and gaining new customers on-the-ground as well as on social media.

Seahorse Facts

Seahorse Facts Seahorses (Hippocampus spp of the family Syngnathidae) are fascinating examples of bony fish. They have a unique body morphology with a horse-shaped head, large eyes, curved trunk, and a prehensile tail. Even though these charismatic creatures are banned as trade items, they are still heavily traded in the illicit international markets. Fast Facts: Seahorses Scientific Name: Syngnathidae (Hippocampus spp)Common Name: SeahorseBasic Animal Group: FishSize: 1–14 inchesLifespan: 1–4 yearsDiet:  CarnivoreHabitat: Temporal and tropical waters throughout the worldConservation Status: Not Evaluated Description After much debate over the years, scientists finally decided that seahorses are fish. They breathe using gills, have a swim bladder to control their buoyancy, and are classified in the Class Actinopterygii, the bony fish, which also includes larger fish such as cod  and tuna. Seahorses have interlocking plates on the outsides of their bodies, and this covers a spine made of bone. While they have no tail fins, they have four other fins- one at the base of the tail, one under the belly, and one behind each cheek. Some seahorses, like the common pygmy seahorse, have shapes, sizes,  and colors that allow them to blend in with their coral habitats. Others, such as the thorny seahorse, change color to blend in with their surroundings. According to the World Register of Marine Species, there are 53 species of seahorses (Hippocampus spp), though other sources number the existing species between 45 and 55. The taxonomy has proven difficult because seahorses dont vary a great deal from one species to another. They do, however, vary within the same species: Seahorses can and do change color and grow and lose skin filaments. Their size ranges from under 1 inch to 14 inches long. Seahorses are categorized in the family Syngnathidae, which includes pipefish and seadragons. Georgette Douwma/Getty Images Habitat and Range Seahorses are found in temperate and tropical waters throughout the world. Favorite seahorse habitats are coral reefs, seagrass beds, estuaries, and mangrove forests. Seahorses use their prehensile tails to anchor themselves to objects such as seaweed and branching corals. Despite their tendency to live in fairly shallow waters, seahorses are difficult to see in the wild, since they can remain very still and blend in with their surroundings. Diet and Behavior Although there is some variation based on species, in general, seahorses feed on plankton and tiny crustaceans such as amphipods, decapods, and mysids, as well as algae. Seahorses do not have stomachs, so food passes through their bodies very quickly, and they need to eat often, between 30 and 50 times a day. Although they are fish, seahorses are not great swimmers. Seahorses prefer to rest in one area, sometimes holding on to the same coral or seaweed for days. They beat their fins very quickly, up to 50 times a second, but they do not move quickly.  They are able to move up, down, forward or backward. Reproduction and Offspring Many seahorses are monogamous, at least during a single breeding cycle.  A myth perpetuates that seahorses mate for life, but this doesnt seem to be true. Unlike many other fish species, though, seahorses have a complex courtship ritual and may form a bond that lasts during the entire breeding season.  The courtship involves an enchanting dance in which they entwine their tails​ and may change colors. Larger individuals- male and female both- produce larger and more offspring, and there is some evidence for mate choice based on size. Unlike any other species, male seahorses  become pregnant and carry babies (called fry) to term.  Females insert their eggs through an oviduct into the males brood pouch. The male wiggles to get the eggs into position, and once all the eggs are inserted, the male goes to a nearby coral or seaweed and grabs on with his tail to wait out gestation, which lasts 9–45 days.   Males produce 100–300 young per pregnancy and while the main source of food to the embryos is the yolk of the egg, the males do provide additional sustenance. When its time to give birth, hell contort his body in contractions until the young are born, over a period of minutes or sometimes hours.   felicito rustique / Flickr   Conservation Status The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has not as yet evaluated seahorse endangerment, but Hippocampus spp were among the first fishes brought under global trade restrictions in 1975. They are currently listed in Appendix II of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), which allows exports of specimens only if they are sourced sustainably and legally. All countries which were historically exporting large numbers of them have since banned the export or are under CITES export suspensions- some banned the export prior to 1975. Nevertheless, seahorses are still threatened by harvesting for use in aquariums, as curios, and in traditional Chinese medicine. Historic and recent fisheries and/or trade surveys in source countries with trade bans have all revealed persistent exports of dried seahorses through unofficial channels. Other threats include habitat destruction and pollution. Because they are hard to find in the wild, population sizes may not be well-known for many species.  Ã‚   Stuart Dee / Getty Images Seahorses and Humans Seahorses have been a topic of fascination for artists for centuries, and are still used in Asian traditional medicine. They are also kept in aquariums, although more aquarists are getting their seahorses from seahorse ranches now rather than from the wild. Author and marine biologist Helen Scales, Ph.D., said of seahorses in her book Poseidons Steed: They remind us that we rely on the seas not only to fill our dinner plates but also to feed our imaginations. Sources Faleiro, Filipa, et al. Size Does Matter: An Assessment of Reproductive Potential in Seahorses. Animal Reproduction Science 170 (2016): 61–67. Print.Foster, Sarah J., et al. Global Seahorse Trade Defies Export Bans under Cites Action and National Legislation. Marine Policy 103 (2019): 33–41. Print.International Protections for Seahorses Take Effect May 15. World Wildlife Fund, May 12, 2004.Koldewey, Heather J., and Keith M. Martin-Smith. A Global Review of Seahorse Aquaculture. Aquaculture 302.3 (2010): 131–52. Print.Scales, Helen. Poseidons Steed: The Story of Seahorses, From Myth to Reality. New York: Gotham Books, 2009.Sea Horse Facts. The Seahorse Trust.

Monday, October 21, 2019

Strategies Essays

Strategies Essays Strategies Essay Strategies Essay Strategies Name: Institution: Lecturer: Course: Date: Strategies Introduction In order for any serious business to cut a niche in a competitive market, the business entity needs to employ a definite business strategy that is both aimed at attracting new customers and retaining them. In order to put into practice the theoretical knowledge pertaining to product leadership strategy and at the same time developing the relevant market skills, the team was taken through a simulation of a realistic corporate situation. Simulation is a very important learning aspect as it provides both a positive learning experience and a chance to correct possible errors unlike the real corporate environment, which is mainly unforgiving. In deliberating on the various decisions and issues facing the business entity, the top-level managers have to employ various leadership strategies. These deliberations have a direct impact on the performance of the company. This simulation was mainly focused on the product leadership strategies and its various aspects such as the design of new products and the restructuring of the organization’s structure. During the simulation, the team comprised of members of five individuals. This team comprised of A who acted as the director of operations, B the chief financial officer, C the director of sales and marketing, D the director of administration and E the director of administration. The simulation process took place in Virtual Technologies Incorporated a leading developer and producer in mobotics. Product leadership strategy comprises of three main strategies. These are customer intimacy, operational excellence and product leadership. Customer intimacy refers to various processes that enhance the relationship between the company and the customers. This works a lot in creating strong bonds and loyalty within the market. Operational excellence mainly focuses on the infrastructure management process. It defines how the managerial structure is defined within the organization. This works a lot in determining how efficient the entire team is executing the various processes. Product leadership refers to the various product design and innovation processes. This works a lot in attracting new customers and retaining them. In the initial stage of the session, formal introductions were done and the various positions and responsibilities held by the different members identified. The ssimula5tion was initiated by gong through the various issues bedeviling the company and the relevant strategies to take in meeting the objectives. After agreeing on the most suitable strategy of accomplishing the set out goals the team deliberated on the most efficient and effective means of communicating this to the rest of the staff. The best communication strategy agreed upon by the team was to convene a company wide meeting where the message would be addressed to the entire staff. In this way, all the members of staff will get to be informed at the same time. The benefit of this communication strategy is that the message is not distorted as it is being relayed by different personnel. However, this strategy had the disadvantage of time wastage since various processes had to be halted for everyone to attend the meeting. A follow up to this strategy would be to convene interdepartmental meetings where the information would be tailored to suit each of the departments. The various roles played by the members comprising the group worked a lot in helping the team in its decision-making processes. After going through the simulation, it is evident that all the ideas were being contributed by the various members of the team and deliberated upon. This shows that outside of the boardroom meetings, the members were busy doing their homework and looking for new ways of meeting the objectives. Some members like the chief financial officer going out of his way to researching on technology and bringing in technology experts. Although not every member concurred with the decisions being arrived at, each of them was supportive of everyone and none attempted to jeopardize any of the strategies. In any natural instance, it is not possible for every member to agree with the various deliberations, but it is imperative for each to be supportive of every decision that is arrived at. This works a lot in ensuring efficiency and making the team accomplish its goals. Member B, the chief financial officer failed to indicate any leadership qualities since he could not be relied upon and never stood on his word. For instance, in the case regarding the selection of the priority of the three suggested imperatives, it was difficult to identify the members stand. At first, according to his statement, the member seemed to object the idea of having to cut down the prices of the mobots. He was of the thought of never considering cutting down the prices of the products. In the beginning, the member also exhibited failure to believe in the deliberated strategies through his comments. He commented that all that was being done was all talk and would only believe on seeing the numbers of the income statement. Such talk ought to not be tolerated by the leader since it tends to discourage some of the weak members and thereby affecting the morale of the group. If unchecked, the price would be costly since it would affect on how the team meets the various goals. However, after hearing my opinion and the fact that one customer accounts for thirty percent of the company’s sales, he immediately concurred with cutting down the prices for them. He further refuted as to having objected to the idea of cutting down the prices for any customer. Although anyone is allowed to change ones mind, it is unethical to deny or refute a stand that one originally stood for. Grace also exhibits some vices since she fails to believe in some of the members. She is pessimistic on most of the actions and opinions held by the financial director. This is a very costly vice for any leader. Every leader should exhibit confidence in the various members comprising the team. In case of any disagreement, the leader ought not to share the thoughts with other team members. The various assumptions taken by the team as they made the assumptions include the company was that the financial position of the business was above par since this the running costs of the strategies were not taken into account during the deliberation process. Another assumption was that the company was a relatively small company thus the ability to hold a single meeting with the entire staff in one venue. Simulation Experience I would consider the entire simulation process as highly informative and imparting. The simulation enabled me to through the simulation, I was able to learn various managerial processes and acquire the relevant skills on how to approach and tackle different conflicts that affect a company. I have learnt that conflicts bedevilling a company not only comprise of external factors such as competition and market dynamics but also a rise from internal conflicts within the team members. Solving the internal conflicts is as much imperative as dealing with the external conflicts. Solving the internal conflicts within the team works a lot in enabling the administration work efficiently in achieving the goals of the organization. When working as a team, every personnel is qualified in their own field and thus each of the members will come with their own ideas. The leader ought to provide each of the members with their right to express themselves. However, the entire team should deliberate on each idea and agree on the most plausible idea or opinion. Although some of the members may not concur with some of the decisions reached upon by the rest of the team, the leader is to resolve the conflict immediately and convince such on the importance of harmony within the team in achieving the expected results. With further persistence, the leader ought not to shy away from taking drastic actions such as expulsion of members from the group since the unity of the team is paramount in achieving the set out goals.

Public Safety Law Enforcement Records Management Essay Example

Public Safety Law Enforcement Records Management Essay Example Public Safety Law Enforcement Records Management Essay Public Safety Law Enforcement Records Management Essay PUBLIC SAFETY LAW ENFORCEMENT Records Management Submitted By Table of Contents 1. 0 Introduction 2 2. 0 Components of a records management system 2 2. 1 System Architecture 2 2. 2 Security 4 2. 3 Query Capabilities 4 2. 4 Reporting Capability 5 2. 5 Interface Capabilities 5 2. 6 State and Federal Reporting with Automatic Transfer Capability 5 2. Basic Statistical Data Modules 6 2. 8 Other Data Modules 8 3. 0 Law enforcement personals 9 4. 0 RMS AND LAW ENFORCEMENT TERMS TO KNOW 11 1. 0 Introduction Managing the daily influx of law enforcement information is a massive job – one that requires the best tools available to not only make it manageable, but also productive. Law Enforcement Records Management solution streamlines the process by linking people, property, places, and related records into one central database with an intuitive user interface. A law enforcement agency needs a Records Management System (RMS) to enter information regarding criminal events that occur in their jurisdiction. The organized information can be easily transmitted to the agency’s State and/or the Federal criminal statistic repository. In addition to transmitting crime data, or for an agency that is not required to transmit crime statistics, the following benefits are also available with a Records Management Systems: * Provide real time information to dispatchers Better manage staffing requirements by shifts, locations and day of the week * Provide an investigator resource * Provide a history of department activity * Provide information to the governing boards and commissions * Provide public information to the media and the public * Help the agency to define its public service policies for non-criminal activity 2. 0 Components of a Records Management System A Records Management System is a comprehensive computer program designed to enter and track crime statistical data and provide the agency management staff with the information needed to manage the agency. It is important that the Records Management System be able to send the required data fields to the State (and ultimately, the Federal) crime statistics repositories. Even if the agency is currently not required (based on State guidelines) to transmit statistical data, it may be a future requirement. It is also important that the Records Management System have a user interface that is easy to navigate and that presents important data immediately for the user. 2. 1 System Architecture The type of hardware and software is dependent on the size of the agency. A single PC (equipped with a modem) with an operating system of Microsoft Windows will provide a sufficient platform for a small agency’s RMS tracking needs and State/Federal UCR needs. Larger agencies or multi-agency organizations may require file servers, networks, mainframe computers, or, generally, more sophisticated hardware and software. Features * Incident Report * Case Management * Citations * Arrests * Permits * Warrants * Field Contacts Technical Specs * Utilizes True Relational Databases including MS SQLâ„ ¢ * Central Server or Distributive System Architecture * Share Only the Information You Wish to Share Off Site Data Synchronization 2. 2 Security Juvenile names entered into an RMS need to be identified and protected by restricting access to such names, making them available for reference by appropriate users of the system. Juvenile and other sensitive nature case file and/or other contact information must also be identified and supported through a restricted a ccess mechanism. Other security issues are: System access security (login protection), user level security (user permission of add/edit/delete), query only access (other agency or public access) and Administrative security (security and system management). . 3 Query Capabilities A RMS needs to provide the ability to perform searches (queries) based on one or more criteria (data field) in any combination including â€Å"wild card† searches for partially known data. For example, aquery could be executed in RMS to locate the owner of a green Ford van that has a badly dented front left fender that was reported to be involved in any incident between March 3, 1999, through December 31, 2002, with a license plate number containing the digits â€Å"423. † The query capability should search through data fields and text narrative fields to locate all references of the above example. . 4 Reporting Capability A wide variety of reports including summary, statistical and detailed re ports should be readily available to the user. In addition to reports that are provided with the RMS, the user needs to be able to create unique reports based on specific criteria. 2. 5 Interface Capabilities The RMS needs to be able to easily receive data from a Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD) system and should support and/or provide output to other information sources like Jail Management, neighbouring agencies, Regional and State based data warehouses, Court systems, Imaging systems, Fingerprint systems, etc. . 6 State and Federal Reporting with Automatic Transfer Capability Over the years, the development of a national data collection effort has been established and expanded by the FBI, the IACP (International Association of Chiefs of Police), the National Sheriff’s Association, and various other local, state, and federal criminal justice agencies. Because of the growing challenge of increased crime, the UCR Program has been studied and revised to meet the current and futur e needs of the law enforcement community. The revision of the UCR Program led to the National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS). Crime statistics are gathered on city, state, and federal levels and, ultimately, provide a nationwide view of crime as it is reported by law enforcement agencies throughout the country. The data is used to indicate the levels and nature of crime and to provide a reliable management tool for decision makers of the criminal justice community. NIBRS provides law enforcement with the tool to fight crime by producing detailed, accurate, and meaningful data. In addition to the UCR and NIBRS, there are other State reporting repositories (juvenile only crimes, property loss/recovery, jail statistics, etc. to which an agency may transmit statistical data. 2. 7 Basic Statistical Data Modules A Records Management System is comprised of â€Å"modules† which are simply sections of data grouped by relevance. Each module captures a particular set of data, however, the information (fields) contained in a module needs to be made available to the other modules. For example, an individualâ€⠄¢s name is entered into the Names module, but needs to be listed as the owner of a particular car within the Vehicles module. Following is a description of the basic module data that can be collected in RMS modules: Administrative Data consisting of unique agency information, such as agency name, address, phone numbers, ORI Number, officer badge numbers and names, personnel data, etc. Names Data fields pertaining to a name involved in an incident. A name can be an individual (an adult or a juvenile) or a non-individual (a business, a gang, etc. ). Name information includes addresses, phone numbers, identification documents, general physical characteristics, etc. Incident An â€Å"incident† is defined as one or more offenses committed by the same offender (or group of offenders). An incident module is a database table of all data fields pertaining to the incident that occurred including: * How the incident was made known to the law enforcement agency * In general, what crime was reported * When and where the crime occurred * Who (victims, officers, offenders, witnesses, etc. ) was involved in the crime (links to Names) * State and/or Federal offense codes and statutes or ordinances involved * Various detailed narrative reports provided about the incident pictures or other documents * Arrests * Vehicles Victim Since more than one victim can be involved in an incident, a Victim Sequence Number is assigned to each victim. In addition to the sequence number, the following information should be gathered for each victim: * The UCR offense code(s) which were perpetrated against the victim * Type of victim (individual, business, government, etc. ) * Personal characteristics (age, sex, race, etc. ) * Resident status * Type of injury * Offender number(s) (see Offender) * Relationship of victim to offender number Offender Since more than one offender can be involved in an incident, an Offender Sequence Number is assigned to each offender. If nothing is known about the offender, the number is â€Å"00. † Other information about offenders include: * Age, sex, and race of offender Arrest The data fields regarding all persons apprehended for all criminal offenses. * Arrestee sequence number (to accommodate more than one person arrested per incident) * Arrest transaction number refers to the arrest report number (can be the Incident Number relating to the arrest or a separate arrest number assigned by the agency) * Arrest date * Type of arrest (i. e. summoned or cited) * Offense code for which the arrestee was apprehended * Arrestee personal characteristics (age, sex, race, etc. ) * Disposition of an arrestee under 18 (juvenile) Property Property data fields describe the type, value, and quantity of property involved in an incident. This module also tracks what happens to the property, i. e. , burned, forged, destroyed, recovered, etc. , and the associated dates. 2. 8 Ot her Data Modules Other modules can be used within a Records Management System that are useful in data tracking as well as time and resource management. Following is a list and description of other possible RMS data modules: Citations Written tickets issued by a law enforcement officer when a crime is committed. This module is useful when multiple citations are automatically linked to names and vehicles. Vehicles A repository for cars, trucks, motorcycles, etc. , involved in citations or incidents. Data tracked could be VIN (Vehicle Identification Number), License Plate Number, Make, Model, Year, distinguishing features, etc. Vehicles can be linked to names. Jail Management Details about a person’s stay at a jail. Jail data collection provides for tracking of the following: * Multiple charges * Booking information * Rebook information * Beginning dates, expected release and sentence end dates * Prisoner accounting (for purchases and deposits) * Jail activities (medication, court dates, etc. ) * Inmate housing movements * Electronic fingerprint and mug shots Warrants Provides tracking of the warrant services with a check to determine if the person who was issued the warrant is in jail. Civil Process Provides logs of service attempts including who, where, and when. Also provides accounting management for fees incurred for the process event. Services Billing Tracks chargeable services (such as false alarm incidents, funerals, gun permits, various licenses). Case Management Provides tracking of an incident (case) through the law enforcement system. Property Management Provides for extended tracking of property items the department has in custody that may or may not be related to an incident. Includes the ability to track all of the handling movement of the property (chain of custody) while in the department’s possession. Law Enforcement Employees Management Collects and tracks information relating to all employees of an agency. LEOKA (Law Enforcement Officers Killed or Assaulted) Tracks information pertaining to line-of-duty felonious or accidental killings of and assaults on sworn law enforcement officers. 3. 0 Law enforcement personals Below is a description of the law enforcement personnel and how they use a Records Management System. Data Entry/Records Personnel: Responsible for typing the required information into the correct data fields of the RMS to complete the electronic incident records, process state and/or federal reports, citations and the like. They typically also provide service to the public for incident report requests, summary information for media, requests from other agencies, and officer queries. Dispatchers: Responsible for using the RMS to quickly access information about previous calls at a specific location or related to an individual. The RMS also becomes a tool to check dispositions of former cases or for providing investigator information to officers. Investigators: Who uses the RMS to help solve a case by looking for incident information with similar modus operandi, researching suspect people or vehicles, reviewing previous dispositions regarding a suspect, etc. Patrol Officers: Who enter reports or use the system to follow up on open files regarding vehicles or suspects etc. Department Heads: Responsible for using the RMS to review the currently open case, respond to the public and/or commissions regarding the department’s activity in general or toward a specific incident. Administrative Staff/Supervisors: Responsible for using the RMS to develop officer activity information, local crime statistics, shift management, personnel reviews, etc. 4. 0 RMS And Law Enforcement Terms To Know

Sunday, October 20, 2019

Assisted Ventilation in Status Asthmaticus Essays

Assisted Ventilation in Status Asthmaticus Essays Assisted Ventilation in Status Asthmaticus Paper Assisted Ventilation in Status Asthmaticus Paper Assisted Ventilation in Status Asthmaticus Background When a patient is admitted in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) with a diagnosis of status asthmaticus, it means that the asthma attack is extremely severe and critical.   In this situation, the patient does not respond to high doses of steroids and inhaled bronchodilators.   According to Groth, this resistance to medication is most likely the consequence of three things that make it extremely hard to get air in and lout of the lungs.   These three factors are as follows:  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Bronchospasm, which is a condition of an extreme spasm of the airways.  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Edema, which is a condition when the lining of the airways is swelling.  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Thick mucus secretions in the airways. Normally, when an individual breathe in, the airways are pulled open when the chest wall becomes larger; however, when the individual breathe out, the airways have a tendency to collapse, locking in air in the chest. However, when a person is an asthmatic, emptying the lungs takes a long time for the reason that the airways are restricted. An asthmatic person cannot totally empty the lungs prior to having to take one more breath. When a person is severely asthmatic, he/she experiences shorter breathing so he/she tries to breathe faster and he/she has little time to exhale. When this happens, the lungs keep hold of, or â€Å"trap,† lots of air, which is called hyperinflation or air-trapping. Moreover, this procedure makes it more difficult to take another breath in, and the breathing muscles have to try harder and make more effort to take in any air. Groth said that a young or if not a healthy asthmatic can more often than not surmount this complexity, but at the expense of a c onsiderable strain on the breathing muscles. Then, when this demand is continued for too long, for instance due to resistance to medicine, the asthmatic person’s breathing muscles can get exhausted and he/she will acquire respiratory failure. Furthermore, according to Corbridge and Hall (1995), status asthmaticus is a life threatening type of asthma described as a situation in which an increasingly worsening attack is impassive or not responsive to the customary proper treatment with adrenergic drugs and that causes pulmonary insufficiency. The most important mechanical occurrence in status asthmaticus is a progressive rise in airflow resistance. In addition, mucosal edema or inflammation and mucous plugging are the primary causes for the late recovery in status asthmaticus. Ibsen added that the combination of acidosis, hypercapia, and hypoxia together with the mechanical consequences of increased lung volumes might bring about or cardiovascular arrest or cardiovascular depression. Indications for ICU Admission   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Schwarz and Lubinsky (1997) asserts that a person with status asthmaticus should be admitted to ICU when he/she feels the following:  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Exhaustion  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Altered sensorium  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Presence of high-risk factors  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Use of continuous inhaled beta-agonist therapy  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Failure to improve in spite of adequate therapy  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Increasing PCO2 ins spite of treatment  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Markedly decreased air entry Due to difficulty in breathing, a person with status asthmaticus admitted in then ICU is ventilated through assisted or mechanical ventilation. Groth said that a mechanical ventilator takes over the function of breathing in the course of status asthmaticus; however, it does nothing to overturn airway inflammation or bronchospasm. The main function of a mechanical ventilator is to sustain breathing for the exhausted muscles until such a time when a variety of medications become helpful and effective. For a patient in the ICU to obtain mechanical ventilation, he/she needs an endotracheal tube, which is a plastic tube that is inserted by means of the nose or mouth into the windpipe or trachea and is linked to the ventilator. Moreover, the patient must likewise be sedated with an opioid-like morphine called fentanyl and medically paralyzed so as to let the ventilator function effectively and to make the patient comfortable. Mechanical Ventilation   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   If the patient has already undergone rapid extubation but still suffers difficulty of breathing, there is probably a failure in extubation.   Werner (2001) says that extubation is a major complication of translaryngeal intubation, but its impact on mortality, duration of mechanical ventilation (MV), length of intensive care unit (ICU) and hospital stay, and need for ongoing hospital care has not been adequately defined.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Hence, in the case of extubation failure, the patient in the ICU should be intubated. Epstein et al., (2000) said that as many as 20% of extubated patients require reintubation (specifically extubation failure) within 72 hours of extubation, with the exact prevalence depending on numerous factors. The pathophysiologic basis of extubation failure is often different from the cause of weaning failure. Extubation failure substantially prolongs the duration of mechanical ventilation, intensive care unit stay, and hospital stay, and substantially increases hospital mortality. Therefore, prediction of extubation outcome and prevention of extubation failure may be critically important. Unfortunately, standard weaning tests have not proven sufficiently accurate in predicting extubation outcome. New semi-objective measurements of cough strength and secretion volume can help recognize patients at increased danger for extubation failure. It is signifi cant to observe that mortality increases with reintubation delay, which illustrates that clinical worsening might occur during the period without ventilatory support. As a result, better result possibly will come from rapid detection of patients at increased danger, followed by quick reinstitution of ventilatory support when extubation failure happens. Schwarz and Lubinsky (1997) also said that the patient in the ICU should be intubated and mechanically ventilated he/she suffers the following:  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Diminishing level of consciousness  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Significant hypoxemia that is poorly responsive or unresponsive to supplemental oxygen therapy alone  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Apnea or respiratory arrest  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Impending respiratory failure marked by significantly rising PCO2  with fatigue, decreased air movement, and altered level of consciousness The choice to intubate an asthmatic should be done with tremendous concern. According to Cox, Barker and Bohn (1991), positive pressure ventilation in an asthmatic person is made difficult by acute air trapping and airway obstruction that causes hyperinflated lungs, which might refuse to accept further inflation and puts the patient at high danger of barotrauma. As a result, mechanical ventilation must be carried out just in the face of constant deterioration regardless of maximal bronchodilatory therapy. Moreover, Werner (2001) agrees that the assessment and choice to intubate an asthmatic should not be taken without due consideration, and intubation must be prevented if possible. Tracheal intubation may aggravate bronchospasm (O’Rourke Crone, 1982) and positive pressure ventilation will significantly boost the danger of circulatory depression and barotraumas (Williams et al., 1992). According to Corbridge and Hall (1995), ventilator management can be challenging to a certain extent. For this reason, the following principles should be applied in taking care of a patient with status asthmaticus in the ICU:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   1.Do not attempt to regulate or normalize the pCO2. Tolerate hypercapnia, and make use of pharmacologic buffering agents if needed to raise the pH to 7.2. How high a pCO2 you could do with to endure is determined by the pressures required to ventilate the patient.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   2.Make an effort to keep plateau (alveolar) pressures 30-35 cm H20. Peak pressures might be higher than this because of increased airways resistance.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   3.Small tidal volumes are typically required because of propensity and high resistance for air trapping. 5-7 cc/kg is a logical and practical place to begin.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   4.Rate must be low and expiratory time long, inspiratory time somewhat short. The plan is to leave as much time as possible for expiration, without causing the inspiratory pressure to be extremely high since you are attempting to get the gas in over too short a period. Rates of 10-14 and I:E ratios of 1:4 to 1:6 are usual.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   5. Pressure cycled or volume cycled ventilation can be employed. If employing volume-cycled ventilation, be certain to look at the pressures generated cautiously. If employing pressure cycled, the ventilator will typically not arrive at â€Å"plateau† or no flow, and you have to look at the volumes delivered. Regular reassessment is vital.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   6.If you come across problem with oxygenation or just cannot move the chest, manually bag the patient and re-examine therapy and ventilator strategy.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   7.Case series and some anecdotes show that there has been certain success with the use of pressure support ventilation in the sedated, but not paralysed, intubated asthmatic. Its regular use has not been subjected to controlled trials.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   8.The patient should be well sedated and generally paralyzed during mechanical ventilation. Constant infusions or doses scheduled on a regular basis must be used.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   9.Premedicate with lidocaine and extra sedation prior to suctioning to lessen the bronchoconstriction in reaction to stimulation.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   10.Go on with insistent bronchodilator therapy-aerosols or MDIs, atrovent, intravenous terbutaline, and steroids. Take into account â€Å"kitchen sink† therapies like ketamine, magnesium, isoflurane, and helium. Respiratory Acidosis, Metabolic Acidosis and Permissive Hypercapnea as a Lung Protective Strategy According to (Rebuck and Read, 1971), the customary regulation that respiratory acidosis determines or affects intubation has become outdated. With the start of more insistent utilization of inhaled b-agonist therapy, 1% of asthmatic children confined in the hospital (Cox, Barker and Bohn, 1991) and around 5 to 10% of asthmatic patients confined in   pediatric intensive care (Pirie et al., 1998) need intubation. Rebuck and Read (1971) maintains that asthma is a sickness of airway obstruction, specifically, increased airway resistance, causing persistence of the time constant or the time required for lung units to fill and empty. Hence, slow ventilator rates are typically required. Tuxen and Lane (1987) also claims that during high peak airway pressures, the rule of mechanical ventilation of patients with status asthmaticus is controlled hypoventilation, putting up with higher levels of PCO2  so as to peak inspiratory pressures and reduce tidal volume. The incidence of respiratory acidosis goes after that of hypercarbia (Nowak, 1983). In addition to acute airflow limitation, metabolic acidosis might also happen (McFadden and Lyons, 1968). Numerous instruments are possibly included. Then, according to Roncoroni et al. (1976), if cardiac output is compromised, hypoxia of the peripheral tissues might trigger lactic acidosis to build up or worsen. Furthermore, increased oxygen consumption by the respiratory muscles might be a factor as well. Also, it might likewise be generated with the aggressive administration of nonselective sympathomimetics (Appel et al, 1983). Darioli and Perret (1984) established the idea of controlled hypoventilation with lower-than-traditional respiratory rates and tidal volumes in asthmatic adult patients, and discovered a significantly reduced frequency of barotrauma and death measured up to to historical control subjects. Meanwhile, this idea has been broadly accepted and realized to develop outcomes in asthmatic adult patients. Moreover, this concept, which is called permissive hypercapnia has also been reported in asthmatic children patients. Dworkin and Kattan (1989) dispensed mechanical ventilation to 10 children with the purpose of keeping peak inspiratory pressure , 60 cm H2O and arterial pH . 7.10;   Paco2 ranged from 40 to 90 mm Hg; then, they did not detect air leak following intubation, and all of the 10 children survived. In addition, Cox et al (1991) said that when asthmatic children being given mechanical ventilation with initial tidal volumes of 10 to 12 mL/kg at rates of 8 to 12 breaths/min, inspirat ory time was set at 1 to 1.5 s (considering an expiratory time of approximately 5 s), and tidal volumes were modified to keep peak inspiratory pressures at 45 cm H2O, just two postintubation pneumothoraces were observed, and all children survived without sequelae in spite of considerable hypercarbia throughout mechanical ventilation. Werner (2001) said that permissive hypercapnia could be endured provided that the patient continues to be sufficiently oxygenated. A longer I:E ratio, frequently more than 1:3-4, helps tolerate slow but total emptying of the lungs during exhalation, helping and assisting ventilation and preventing unnecessary further air-trapping (auto-PEEP). The utilization of positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP) is contentious (Werner, 2001). A person with status asthmaticus in respiratory failure on mechanical ventilation frequently has a considerable amount of air trapping that causes intrinsic PEEP, which possibly will be worsened by means of continuing PEEP during exhalation. Nevertheless, a number of patients may perhaps gain by the addition of PEEP, maybe by way of preserving airway patency during exhalation. Therefore, in a patient in the ICU who continues to be refractory to the initial ventilatory settings with no or very low PEEP, carefully escalating the PEEP may possibly demonstrate to be beneficial. Werner (2001) added that customarily, slow controlled ventilation with heavy sedation and with or without muscle relaxation is the strategy employed to ventilate patients with status asthmaticus. However, warning is necessitated, because the use of muscle relaxants with high-dose steroids has been linked with the growth of prolonged paralysis. On the other hand, a number of practitioners give an account of ventilating children with status asthmaticus with pressure support alone, enabling the patient to set his or her own respiratory rate as identified by his or her own physiologic time stable at the same time helping ventilation by means of relieving the fatigue caused by considerable work of breathing. Noninvasive positive pressure ventilation (NPPV), for instance, continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) or bimodal positive airway pressure (BiPAP) delivered by way of a facemask, has been utilized for support of status asthmaticus. NPPV has been demonstrated to splint the airways, letting better exhalation and emptying (Werner 2001). Tuxen and Lane (1987) asserted that patients necessitate monitoring and supportive measures during mechanical ventilation. They also said that patients might be uneasy and air hungry while ventilated with low respiratory rates, and hypercapnia as a result of an approach of controlled hypoventilation. Preferably, flow-volume loops should be monitored to determine if sufficient time is given for exhalation to evade breath stacking, which happens if the next breath is delivered prior to exhalation is finished. Moreover, monitoring auto–positive end-expiratory pressure (auto-PEEP) and exhaled tidal volume is vital as well. Pirie et al. (1998) said that electrolytes and fluids must be monitored. Prior to arrival in the hospital, children with status asthmaticus have frequently had reduced oral intake and might have been vomiting as a consequence of respiratory difficulty or adversative effects from their medications. This causes decreased intravascular volume status that might be potentiated by the outcomes of positive pressure ventilation. Furthermore, cardiac output might be reduced as a consequence of lessened preload that are caused by auto-PEEP and air trapping. This decreased cardiac output and intravascular volume might perhaps be complemented by metabolic acidosis. Intravascular fluid expansion is necessary to cure hypotension, hypoperfusion, or metabolic acidosis. Moreover, diastolic hypotension might irregularly develop from high doses of beta-agonists. A vasoconstrictor (specifically, phenylephrine or norepinephrine,) might be taken into account if considerable diastolic hypotension in the face of sufficient intravascular volume persists. Monitor serum electrolyte levels, as medications used to treat asthma can result in significant kaliuresis (Tuxen and Lane, 1987). Meanwhile, Nowak et al. (19833) said that placement of indwelling arterial catheters offers nonstop blood pressure monitoring in addition to arterial blood gas sampling. They also maintained that blood gases must be monitored to evaluate response or reaction to therapy in mechanically ventilated patients.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Meanwhile, mechanical ventilation utilizing unsuitable settings can generate acute inflammatory response in the lund and acute parenchymal lung injury. The related release of cytokines into alveoli and the systemic circulation (Ranieri et al., 1999) might be a factor to multiple organ dysfunction (Slutsky and Tremblay, 1998) and mortality in acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). â€Å"Lung-protective† ventilation strategies try to evade these outcomes by means of restraining peak lung distension and evading end-expiratory collapse, tolerating the hypercapnia that frequently results; such strategies decreased mortality rate in ARDS in two randomized trials (Slutsky and Tremblay, 1998). Hypercapnia is normally considered as an adverse result of limiting alveolar stress, but in a series of studies, Laffey, Engelberts and Kavanagh (2000) have asked whether hypercapnic acidosis per se might be a factor to the advantages of lung-protective ventilation. They demonstrated that in isolated perfused rabbit lungs, respiratory acidosis protected the lung from ischemia–reperfusion injury, while respiratory alkalosis potentiated the damage. The protective result of respiratory acidosis was linked with inhibition of xanthine oxidase, and was prohibited by means of buffering the acidosis; specifically, the protection was because of the acidosis instead of hypercapnia.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Acidosis restrains the cytokine expression and respiratory burst in macrophages (Roncoroni et al., 1976). Then, Laffey, Engelberts and Kavanagh (2000) have talked about other studies recommending cytoprotection by hypercapnic acidosis. Hence, even though it appears that it is impossible that all of the evident advantage of lung protective ventilation is a direct result of hypercapnia, the hypothesis tackled by Laffey, Engelberts and Kavanagh (2000) is a significant and sensible one. If â€Å"lung-protective ventilation† in ARDS does decrease pulmonary and systemic inflammation, and possibly multiple organ dysfunction, hypercapnic acidosis as such could possibly be somewhat responsible, maybe by downregulating inflammatory cells, and perhaps other mechanisms in addition to inhibition of xanthine oxidase. Therapy and Care in the ICU ICU therapy begins in step-wise fashion and escalates to a â€Å"kitchen sink† approach. This is because there is fairly little data which points to one combination of therapies being superior to others, and because an asthmatic deteriorating despite â€Å"usual† therapy is in significant danger. Standard therapy includes steroids (solumedrol) and beta-agonists (intermittent aerosols, continuous aerosols, or intravenous terbutaline). â€Å"Adjunctive† therapy includes anticholinergic agents (Atrovent). Chest physiotherapy and/or IPV (intermittent percussive ventilation) may be helpful and/or necessary for some patients.â€Å"Kitchen sink† therapies include magnesium, helium, ketamine, antibiotics, inhalational anesthetics, aerosolized lasix.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Based on the literature of Groth, the patient in the ICU must be prescribed continuous nebulization of albuterol for the first eighteen hours after the patient’s admission to the Intensive Care Unit and then switch to intermittent albuterol every two hours. Inhaled ipratropium could also be added every 6 hours. Ipratropium is an anticholinergic bronchodilator, and reduces bronchoconstriction through a different means. Then the patient will continue to be treated with a high dose of intravenous corticosteroids. He/she will also be given antibiotics if he/she has a fever, a high white blood cell count, and increased cough and mucus indicating that he/she has an infection.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Groth also asserted that several of the treatments of last resort employed in status asthmaticus consist of giving general anesthesia with inhalational anesthetics, which are very effective and powerful bronchodilators. Nevertheless, the help of an anesthesiologist will be needed to give this kind of treatment. Intravenous anesthetics like ketamin, can be useful as well. Recommendations Sin Fai Lam, Mow and Chew (1992) said that a more open-minded use of the ICU for patients with severe asthma has formerly been promoted. Procrastination might bring about a respiratory arrest. The result is at all times worse following a respiratory arrest; Lee, Tan and Lim (1997) gave an account of a merely 50% survival from hypoxic brain damage following a respiratory arrest despite good intensive care treatment. It is not advantageous to wait until the patient is almost dilapidated from CO narcosis to take control of the airway. If active airway intervention is unavoidable, it is preferable to come up with this decision early instead of late. This means that it is better to be pro-active instead of procrastinating. Early endotracheal intubation and mechanical ventilation in the patient with life threatening asthma might be practical procedures that can save life and bring about good clinical outcome. Complete signs for intubation are cardiac and respiratory arrest or considerable alteration in mental state. At other instances, the decision made in the face of increasing exhaustion and progressive deterioration. Based on the various literature discussed in this paper, would like to see more patients who need ventilation be intubated electively instead of as a consequence of a cardiorespiratory arrest. Blood gas abnormalities by itself are not a sign to intubate the patient. Several patients with respiratory acidosis and hypercapnia will respond and react to treatment with bronchodilators and do not need mechanical ventilation. More significant is the development in clinical findings and in the arterial blood gases. Furthermore, procrastination in the instigation of mechanical ventilation when it is certainly necessary is connected to the fear of complications. Definitely, contemplation and reflection should at all times be provided to the possible dangers. Intubation in a dyspnoeic, relentless and anxious patient must be carried out by the most knowledgeable and skilled clinician available. A large endotracheal tube must be chosen because it helps suction and lessens airways resistance. Based on the literature, there are advantages of both oral and nasotracheal intubation, and sedative options in the preparation of the patient differ among people. When endotracheal intubation has been performed, the physician’s priority should be to take control with positive pressure ventilation. This will necessitate the utilization of sufficient sedation and typically paralysis with a muscle relaxant. Paralysis might regularly merely be necessary in the first stages of ventilation, and must be weaned off as soon as possible to lessen the danger of acute myopathy. Ventilation must primarily be in the CMV manner. Ventilatory settings should also be selected to evade extreme lung inflation. This approach will lessen the danger of systemic hypotension or pneumothorax. Lung inflation is lessened by means of permitting a sufficient time for exhalation (TE). Meanwhile, expiratory time may perhaps be prolonged by means of reducing minute ventilation (VE) by either minimizing inspiratory time (TI) or lowering respiratory rate RR or tidal volume (VT). Inspiratory time is lessened through increasing inspiratory flow rate and by means of employing a square flow wave form. Tidal volumes of 8-10 mls/kg with a respiratory rate of 10-14 and inspiratory flow rates of 60 L/min or higher are frequently appropriate (Sin Fai Lam, Mow and Chew, 1992). A suitable peak airway pressure of 50 mm H20 should be aimed for. Furthermore, controlled hypoventilation is a method employed to lessen the danger of hypotension and barotrauma. The goal is to guarantee sufficient oxygenation, stay away from extreme dynamic hyperinflation (DHI) and tolerate a degree of hypoventilation. It is completely tolerable to let the PCO 2to increase so as to evade DHI. One must not try to normalize the PCO2 to the detriment of DHI (Lee, Tan and Lim, 1997). Hypotension might be attributed to too much DHI. A short experiment of apnoea (30-45 seconds) is indicative, as blood pressure rises and venous return increases during the period of apnoea. If this does not occur, other causes of hypotension like fluid depletion, tension pneumothorax, unnecessary sedation or myocardial depression should be taken into account. Lastly, A number of studies have evidently revealed that mechanical ventilation saves lives in life-threatening asthma (Sin Fai Lam, Mow and Chew, 1992). With good ICU management, the period of required ventilation is short, complications can be kept to a minimum, and there is more often than not no problem in weaning the patient off the ventilator. Nevertheless, we should remember that ultimately, the therapy and remedy of acute life-threatening asthma does not merely begin 3 days prior to the attack, but much earlier, as most acute attacks are avoidable with the appropriate use of standard and regular prophylactic medication, the proper education of patients, the avoidance of trigger factors, the appropriate implementation of a co-management plan between the patient and his doctor, the objective measurement of the PEFR, and the accessibility to medical care in times of crisis.# References Appel D, et al. (1983). Lactic acidosis in severe asthma. American Journal of Medicine. Corbridge T, and J. Hall. (1995). The assessment and management of adults with status asthmaticus. American Journal of Respiratory Critical Care Med. Cox R, G. Barker, and D. Bohn. (1991). Efficacy, results, and complications of mechanical ventilation in children with status asthmaticus. Pediatric Pulmonology. Darioli R, and C. Perret. (1984). Mechanical controlled hypoventilation in status asthmaticus. American Review of Respiratory Disorder. Epstein, S. et al. (2000).   Effect of Unplanned Extubation on Outcome of Mechanical Ventilation. American Journal of Respiratory Critical Care Med. Groth, M. Status Asthmaticus.   Retrieved from http://denverpost.healthology.com Laffey J, D. Engelberts, and B. Kavanagh. (2000). Buffering hypercapnic acidosis worsens acute lung injury. American Journal of Respiratory Critical Care Med. Lee K, W. Tan, and T. Lim. (1997). Severe asthma. SMJ. McFadden E. Jr, and H. Lyons. (1968). Arterial-blood gas tension in asthma. N Engl J Med. Nowak R, et al. (1983). Arterial blood gases and pulmonary function testing in acute bronchial asthma: predicting patient outcomes. JAMA. O’Rourke P. and R. Crone. (1982). Halothane in status asthmaticus. Critical Care Med. Pirie J, et al. (1998). Changes in treatment and outcomes of children receiving care in the ICUs for severe acute asthma. Pediatric Emergency Care. Rebuck A, and J. Read. (1971). Assessment and management of severe asthma. American Journal Medicine. Roncoroni A, et al. (1976). Metabolic acidosis in status asthmaticus. Respiration (Herrlisheim). Ranieri V, et al. (1999). Effect of mechanical ventilation on inflammatory mediators in patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome. JAMA. Schwarz A, and P. Lubinsky. (1997). Acute severe asthma. In: Levin DL and Morriss FC, eds. Essentials of Pediatric Intensive Care. 2nd ed. Vol 1. Sin Fai Lam K, B. Mow, and L. Chew. (1992). The profile of ICU admissions for acute severe asthma in a general hospital. SMJ. Slutsky A, and L. Tremblay. (1998). Multiple system organ failure. Is mechanical ventilation a contributing factor? American Journal of Respiratory Critical Care Med. Tuxen D, and S. Lane. (1987). The effects of ventilatory pattern on hyperinflation, airway pressures, and circulation in mechanical ventilation of patients with severe airflow obstruction. American Review of Respiratory Disorder. Werner, H. (2001). Status Asthmaticus in Children : A Review.   CHEST. Williams T. et al. (1992). Risk factors for morbidity in mechanically ventilated patients with acute severe asthma. American Review of Respiratory Disorder.