Monday, January 20, 2020
Themes in Sonnys Blues by James Baldwin Essay -- American Literature
Themes in Sonny's Blues by James Baldwin After reading the short story "Sonny's Blues" by James Baldwin, I find there are two major themes that Baldwin is trying to convey, suffering and irony. The first theme that he brings out and tries to get the reader to understand is the theme of suffering. The second theme that the author illustrates is the theme of irony. James Baldwin writes about two African-American brothers growing up in Harlem, a black ghetto in New York, during the 1950's. During this time black people were forced to live in a world of prejudice, discrimination, poverty and suppression. The life of a black person was very difficult; many opportunities afforded to whites were not afforded to blacks. Sonny and his brother lived in the projects and had many obstacles to overcome that white people didn't have to. Sonny chose music to outwardly express his suffering, his brother chose to bottle it up and keep it inside, but this is the common thread they both shared. Suffering is also shown in the story when Baldwin says "it came to me that what we both were seeking through our separate cab windows was that part of ourselves which had been left behind" (P 47). I think this quote means that both Sonny and his older brother want to retrieve some of their past so that it can help them cope with what has happened in their lives. If Sonny and his brother can both cope with what has happened in their lives and get over it, I think t they both can start moving forward and putting this behind them. I feel having Sonny's brother narrate the story in the first person is Baldwin's way of telling us that Sonny's brother is also suffering but inside, unlike Sonny who takes drugs and sings the blues. Sonny's ... ...s and work together to form a loving relationship. In conclusion, the short story "Sonny's Blues" by James Baldwin brings out two main themes: irony and suffering. You can actually feel the pain that Baldwin's characters experience; and distinguish the two different lifestyles of siblings brought up in the same environment. The older brother remaining nameless is a fabulous touch that really made me want to read on. This really piqued my interest and I feel it can lead to many discussions on why this technique was used. I really enjoyed this story; it was a fast and enjoyable reading. Baldwin keeps his readers thinking and talking long after they have finished reading his stories. His writing technique is an art, which very few, if any, can duplicate. Works Cited: Baldwin, James. "Sonny's Blues" in Vintage Baldwin. New York: Vintage, 2004.
Sunday, January 12, 2020
Explain and Assess Descartes Trademark Argument
Explain and Assess Descartes Trademark Argument Descartes Trademark Argument came about when Descartes was in the process of trying to build up the knowledge he himself can know a priori (without experience) through pure reason. When doing this be began to think about where his idea of God came from and eventually Descartes concluded that the idea of God comes from God himself and he explained this through the Trademark Argument. The argument is an a priori argument meaning before experience.This sort of argument is the type that philosophers usually prefer because, unlike a posteriori or after experience, the evidence is not so open to interpretation because anyone could dispute the true meaning of an experience but its far more difficult to do that with pure reasoning. The origins and foundations of the Trademark Argument lie in the Causal Adequacy Principle. This states that any cause of something must have at least equal or greater properties than its effect, so in short it means that every cause must be sufficient enough to create the effect.For example, to break a window, the cause must have enough power in the speed and weight of the object in order for the window to shatter. So in this case a fly wouldnââ¬â¢t cause the window to shatter just by flying into because it does not possess greater or equal properties however a flying brick will possess these properties so the window can shatter. Descartes then applied this theory with out ideas. Ideas must be caused by something, but this something must have at least as much reality as the idea themselves.A complex way of saying this would be ââ¬Å"Something (A) cannot exist unless it is produced by something that contains either formally or eminently everything to be found in (A). â⬠To possess something formally is to possess equal properties while eminently is to possess properties greater. Letââ¬â¢s look at this with an example. Ideas of Angels can be made up ourselves just by using our ideas of material things and God. The idea of Angels, which is far greater than any sort of human, but not as great as God, can be thought of as a lesser version of God himself.Descartes was sure that these ideas existed in his own mind however he could not work out if they represented anything else in the real world even if he is led to think that by his instincts. Descartes believed that his ideas had degrees of ââ¬Å"objective realityâ⬠so what they represent can be measured in terms of perfection. These ideas canââ¬â¢t be more perfect or contain more reality than the things that caused them so we cant be the cause of our ideas of God because we arenââ¬â¢t perfect enough to be able to do it even if we are the cause of other ideas such as substance which we cant be sure exists outside our own minds.So, if we canââ¬â¢t be the cause of our idea of God, who can? This can only be answered in one way for there is only one being, according to Descartes, that has at least as muc h perfection as God and that is God himself. So for us to have this idea of God there must have been a God to put it in us in the first place. As Descartes described it, it is ââ¬Å"the mark of a craftsmen stamped on his work. â⬠This can be simplified by using a series of points to structure the argument.The cause of anything must be at least as perfect as its effectMy ideas must be caused by somethingI am imperfectMy idea of God is of a perfect being soâ⬠¦I cannot be the cause of my idea of God andâ⬠¦Only a perfect being could cause such an idea soâ⬠¦God (a perfect being) placed the idea within us and exists.That is the argument in its simplest form. Over the many years since Descartes revealed his findings in his work ââ¬Å"meditationsâ⬠there have been many supporters and backers of the argument, most of whom are rationalists who as explained before, like the a priori style of the argument.Other supporters we can assume could be major religions for exampl e, such as Islam which would share the same view as Descartes that our idea of God is innate the implanted within us by God himself which can also be seen as a major strength of the argument. So, Descartes believes he has proved that in order for us to have the idea of God as a supremely perfect being it must be innate within us and must have been placed in us by God himself. However there are many critics to this argument which must be considered in order to assess the argument.Firstly, many philosophers have encountered problems with the Causal Adequacy Principle. Descartes considered this principle true for many reasons, one of the main ones we think that he believed in was you cant get more out of the effect than what was already in the cause, otherwise it would be something for nothing. This however may not be true because there are examples in the world which we can see as having more in its effect than what was in the cause. One of which is can we not light a large bonfire ju st with the aid of one match? Also can we start an avalanche with just the sound waves from one whisper?There are many other more scientific examples such as Chaos Theory, Quantum Physics and also Evolution. In the case of evolution, single celled organisms evolve into more complex beings just through the passage of time, once all life on earth was just single cell organisms but now there are millions of different species all more complex than what came before. Hume also criticised the causal adequacy principle by saying we cannot determine the cause of anything by looking just at the effect. Can we know what caused a window to shatter before inspecting the evidence to find the cause within?All we know it must have been big enough with enough power behind to smash through the window but we cant even know this a priori. Hume said that we learn a posteriori that for a window to shatter it must have been caused by a large object with lots of power behind it. From this Hume seems to sug gest that to know what actually caused our idea of God we much observe its cause. Hume also said that even if the principle is correct then how could Descartes assume that the principle can just be transferred from physical things to ideas without it changing?However there are philosophers who have defended the principle stating that lots of rules have exemptions and why, if a rule does need exemptions which were not originally set out, is it immediately untrue. Things such as evolution, chaos theory and my examples of lighting a large bonfire with a single match and causing an avalanche with a whisper may just be exemptions to the rule however it still applies to many other things. Some philosophers have also criticised Descartes for defining his idea of God and an incoherent God. For example, Descartes describes God as being Omnipotent, meaning that he is all powerful.This would seem to satisfy many peoples ideas of God however on close examination it is indeed incoherent. To illu strate this I shall use a paradox which undermines Godââ¬â¢s power. Can God create a rock that he himself could not lift? Either way one thing he can not do for if he can create the rock then he canââ¬â¢t lift it but if he cant create the rock there is still something he cant do. This paradox suggests Descartes idea of God is flawed and imperfect so a perfect being can not be the only possible cause of the idea according to the causal adequacy principle.From this we can deduce that its far more likely that Descartes himself created this imperfect idea rather than a perfect being. The final criticism I shall look as it one formed collectively by the arch-rationalists: empiricists. This group of philosophers would consider themselves to rival rationalism as they believe that the mind at birth is blank and we gain all our ideas from experience, not reason or innate ideas. Hume, one of the leading empiricists, amongst others argued that we observe qualities in other people and so recognise there are degrees of certain qualities such as knowledge, power and benevolence.With these ideas in our head from the experiences we have had of other people, we can then extend these qualities until we arrive at infinite knowledge, power and benevolence. This way we have arrived at the idea of these things joining and making a perfect being with infinite qualities however we have arrived through it in a much less perfect way than through God. If this is correct then the origin of our idea is not innate and certainly not caused by God but just us manipulating what we have experienced to suit our needs as imaginative human beings. In conclusion there are many strengths and weaknesses to Descartes Trademark Argument.It is a compelling argument to follow because of the way it is structured and how it sets out to explain out idea of God in an untainted way, free of what can be misleading experiences and just work it out through the power of reason however once examining the po tential problems that have arisen since Descartes time it would be difficult to believe the argument is the truth, and for myself it is incredibly difficult to believe in it knowing that there is an equal and possibly more valid reason why we have an idea of God, as explained by the empiricists.
Saturday, January 4, 2020
Americas Dark Days The Great Depression - 727 Words
America weeps in tears as she witnesses the destruction that is unfolding across the nation. In 1933 four thousand banks alone are shut down because of their financial dept. As people suffer from poverty president hoover sits back and does nothing to try to help the nation. Black Tuesday in 1929 cause thousands of people end up homeless because they can not keep up with their bills and taxes. Jim J. Braddock and his family is one of many struggling families to keep basic needs for the family and will do anything to pay for the family expenses. The great depression creates turmoil in america and makes work impossible to get. ââ¬Å"The Roaring Twentiesâ⬠stock market was more bull market than a bear market by a landslide. In this occasion people were ââ¬Å"buying on creditâ⬠instead of paying up front. People were led to believe that the stocks were more profitable than what they actually were. This misconception came to a disruptive halt on Tuesday, October, 29, 1929 which is known as Black Tuesday when the stock market crashed. The stock market crashed and stock brokers could not pay off their loans they owed to the banks. So there were huge losses that caused businesses and banks to close down. And the people entered the Great Depression. The economyââ¬â¢s horrific condition led to people losing houses and living in homes made from cardboard, tin, or containers. These makeshift homes would often be seen in one common area called Hoovervilles. Everyone could tell if a person was poorShow MoreRelatedThe Great Depression Was A Dark Period859 Words à |à 4 PagesThe Great Depression was a dark period in the history of the United States, which affected all the economic sectors of the Americansââ¬â¢ lifestyle and greatly suppressed the economic status of the United States, despite so closely following an era that appeared to offer much economic prosperity. There are many contributing factors and causes for this time of poverty and despair, however, some events may have contributed more to the Great Depression than others. These would include events such as theRead MoreThe Raven By Edgar Allan Poe964 Words à |à 4 Pagescurrent state of drunkenness, drug use, and depression as existing in a dark and dreary prison like setting, tormented by the memories of a lost love. Poeââ¬â¢s literary career was undoubtedly influenced by the many tragedies he suffered in his life. These misfortunes are evident in the correlation between his characters in his writings and real life events. It is clear that Poe had a problematic life from a young age; he struggled with mental i llness, depression, and substance abuse including alcohol andRead MoreThe Death Of Abraham Lincoln1396 Words à |à 6 Pagesthat Abraham Lincoln was a deeply troubled man. Not only was depression a constant companion to Lincoln; moreover, he wore depression outwardly like a full body suit. Depression oozed from the manââ¬â¢s pores. It is such a sad realization that one human could be so consumed with such a sickness for most his life. The silver lining is not that Lincoln was depressed, it is that his depression drove him. Depression made Lincoln who he was. Depression geared Lincoln to be the president that American needed inRead MoreLiving The American Dream Through The Ages993 Words à |à 4 Pages Living the American Dream through the Ages Life is changing everyday, Americaââ¬â¢s question today is if the American Dream is attainable or not. The answer to this question is yes, it is attainable. With evolution, the American dream has been modified throughout the years. It is defined as ââ¬Å"the idea that the American way of life offers the possibility of unlimited economic, social, etc success to every individualâ⬠(The Chambers Dictionary). Many people called the American Dream, the ââ¬Å"good lifeâ⬠. StartingRead MoreEssay about The Great Depression in the United States2551 Words à |à 11 PagesThe era of the 1930s through the 1940s is one of the darkest periods in Americaââ¬â¢s history. It was a time of despair for all Americans. This dreadful time was caused by various reasons and hit America when it was least expected. It also had many effects which left an impact on America still up to this day. At that time, there was no abundance of anything: no jobs, no food, and certainly no abundance of m oney. However, there was surely an abundance of sadness. America had no hope since the moneyRead MoreThe Great Depression In The 1930S Ultimately Began Due1472 Words à |à 6 PagesThe Great Depression in the 1930s ultimately began due to the economy in the past decade. The Roaring Twenties was a decade filled with underground bars, voiding prohibition, jazz music, and elegance. People made their own rules and created their own fashion. October 29th, 1929, also known as ââ¬Å"Black Tuesdayâ⬠is the day that the roaring twenties ended with a screeching halt. This decade had been a haven for the stock markets. Black Tuesday occurred just after the day that the sellers traded in theirRead MoreThe Great Depression 1051 Words à |à 5 PagesFormer President Calvin Coolidge said, ââ¬Å"In other periods of depression, it has always been possible to see some things which were solid and upon which were solid and upon which you could base hope, but as I look about, I now see nothing to give ground to hope- nothing of manâ⬠and to some extent it was true. Americans lost all hope in life entering a deep dark tunnel with no light in the end. The Great Depression was not something that appeared out of thin air; it grew over time like a tumor andRead MoreThe s Changing Period Of All Time Essay1600 Words à |à 7 Pagesco.uk) ââ¬Å"The British Empire is also dragged into the conflict and the war in Europe starts to expand across the globe.â⬠(BBC) Worldwide war, then began to take over as Germany, Austria-Hungary, and the Ottoman Empire (Central Powers) turned against Great Britain, Russia, Italy, France, and Japan (Allied Powers). With numerous battles breaking out between the powers, the United States remained neutral. The battles of WWI were fought on various grounds that led with Central Powers taking control. FrenchRead MoreImpact Of Franklin Roosevelt s New Deal1301 Words à |à 6 Pages1932 and was inagurated in 1933, the height of the great depression. Rooseveltââ¬â¢s main campaign promise was for a new deal for the American people, he won the election by an impressive 7,068,817 votes and 413 electoral collage votes against sitting President Herbert Hoover. The biggest loss by an incumbant at the time and was only surpassed by Regan in 1980. Rooseveltââ¬â¢s now mush esteemed first inaugration speech layed out plans to tackle the depression. ââ¬Å"First of all, let me assert my firm belief thatRead MoreWilliam Faulkner s Work Is Now Some Of America s Classics932 Words à |à 4 Pagesas one of the twentieth centuryââ¬â¢s greatest writers or Nobel Prize winning novelist, Faulknerââ¬â¢s work is now some of Americaââ¬â¢s classics. When asking the question nature vs. nurture in r egards to William Faulkner the answer is obvious, itââ¬â¢s nurture. Examining his life, one can see that Faulknerââ¬â¢s success and talents came from his surroundings and not through luck of the draw. This great poet and writer not only had the unwavering encouragement from his immediately family, but also countless friends that
Friday, December 27, 2019
Snowden should be punished Free Essay Example, 1000 words
Security agents from C. I.A do not buy this kind of argument, they insist he went to the mentioned countries to leak sensitive information and in return seek amnesty. However, their arguments do not hold water because, Hong Kong, is a state in China that has no freedom of speech. On the other hand, even if that was true, why then did he run to Russia rather than stay in China? This would imply the possibility of threats from the government to obtain valuable information from him, and him being forced to run yet again because he could not risk that. Then the question arising would be, why Russia? The general feeling of those opposed to his heroism is that he ran to Russia because he knew that they are opposed to U. S. Another argument that has been presented for his heroism is the fact that he had the people of America at heart and their need to protect their rights and by so doing, he presented Americans a reminder on a matter of importance to them, security. Other people argue that by reporting the NSA he was putting himself at risk, and he knew this could hurt him but did it anyway, quoting him saying that he is willing to go to the extent of sacrifice due to his conscience. We will write a custom essay sample on Snowden should be punished or any topic specifically for you Only $17.96 $11.86/pageorder now He adds that his conscience would not allow him to watch the government demean their privacy and the internet freedoms of people while doing nothing about it. However, Snowmenââ¬â¢s story is not really believable, so much that even the journalists who were conducting the interview did not believe him. Having told them of his intentions, the reporter asks him, displaying unbelief, what would possibly make him leave his home and comfortable life behind, stating the amount of money he makes. If his interest had indeed been the rights of the American people, why would he feel a need to also disclose information about Russia, China and Germany as he did? Also, how could a man that could not be trusted to think about his family before running away be trusted to care about the nation? Lastly, the information he released, rather than help the country frustrated relations such as with the Russians and the Brazillian government. Not all people were thrille d at his releasing the news and this goes to further prove him as a traitor. Ralph Cossa was presented telling a CNN affiliate that Snowden has a ââ¬Ëmother Teresa geneââ¬â¢ that could be described as excessively active that caused him to think he was saving America whereas he was only doing a foolish act. He points out that even though the Americans expect their privacy to be honored, they also expect to be protected from terrorist attacks.
Wednesday, December 18, 2019
Factors Affecting Financial Management Of Public Secondary...
FACTORS AFFECTING FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT OF PUBLIC SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN MARANI DISTRICT, KENYA A ThesisSubmitted to the Department of Management School of Business University of Eastern Africa, Baraton In Partial Fulfilment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Business Administration (Finance) Esther MoraaOndieki July,2015 DECLARATION SHEET This thesis is my original work and to the best of my knowledge this work has not been published and/or presented to any University for an award of a degree. __________________ _________________ Esther MoraaOndieki Date DECLARATION BY THE SUPERVISORS This thesis has been submitted for examination with our approval as University supervisors. ______________ _____________ Dr Allen Monta Date ________________ _______________ Prof. Abraham Idowu Date Abstract This study pursued to find out the factors affecting the financial management of public secondary schools in Marani District, Kenya. The study engaged descriptive study design. In the district there are 28 schools and 16 was chosen randomly to participate in the study. Respondents were bursars/accounts clerk, principals and BOG. Questionnaire was used to acquire data from the respondents. Furthermore someShow MoreRelatedTrends Of College Admissions : Katherine O Malley. Arizona State University1510 Words à |à 7 Pages Trends in College Admissions Katherine Oââ¬â¢Malley Arizona State University One of the key components in higher education enrollment management in a public, four-year university is the admissions process. With encouragement from many sources such as friends, family, and college marketing materials, high school juniors and seniors apply and enroll in college by the thousands each year (McDonough, 1994). College choice is greater now than twenty years ago, but finding the right fitRead MoreEmerging Issues in Higher Education1414 Words à |à 6 Pagesdeclaration in article 13 states, higher learning deserves equal accessibility to all, in full capacity and means by introducing free education. There are important facts that work effectively with higher education. After completion of high school or secondary school, there are necessary entry requirements that validate an individuals acceptance in any higher institution of learning. This means that minimal requirements as a measure exist to ensure quality in higher institutions of learning (DavidovitchRead MoreRe lationship Between Finances And Ict Implementation1964 Words à |à 8 PagesFinances were considered to be among the challenges that could negatively affect the implementation of ICT in Public high schools in Zambia. The higher the cost of computers and their accessories, the fewer computers one can buy with the limited resources (Sharma, 2003). According to Tusubira and Mulira (2004), the cost of a Desk top Computer (PC) connected to the Internet is often prohibitive for most people in developing countries and for those who can afford a PC, routine maintenance, virus protectionRead MoreThe Asian Economy1443 Words à |à 6 Pagescentury, the economy of Indonesia was one of the worlds best and most consistent. Since 2001, the country has had an average growth of 5.4 percent, much faster than the global average, despite the impact of the global financial crisis. This growth has led to the decline in gross public debt of 95.1 percent of GDP in 2000 to about 26 percent today, the lowe st in ASEAN member state, except Brunei, and quite Fitch and Moody to grant investment grade debt in Indonesia. Indonesia increased from 27 of theRead MoreAt Risk vs. Vulnerable Populations1196 Words à |à 5 Pagespopulations. ââ¬Å"A population at risk is a population with a common identified risk factor or risk exposure that poses a threat to health (Stanhope amp; Lancaster, 2014, p. 189). For example, a population at risk for cardiovascular disease consists of all adults who are overweight and hypertensive (Stanhope amp; Lancaster, 2014). A population at risk is ââ¬Å"characterized by a homogeneously high level of exposure to a single risk factorâ⬠(Shi amp; Singh, 2011, p. 704) and all individuals in an ââ¬Å"at riskâ⬠groupRead MoreQuality Function Deployment And Service Quality Essay2445 Words à |à 10 PagesSTRATHMORE BUSINESS SCHOOL MASTERS IN BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION MBA 8203: OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT STRATEGY GROUP ASSIGNMENT: CONCEPT PAPER QUALITY FUNCTION DEPLOYMENT AND SERVICE QUALITY IN COMMERCIAL BANKS IN KENYA Peter OMWENGA JOY GAKUNGI WINNIE WAMBUGU QUALITY FUNCTION DEPLOYMENT AND SERVICE QUALITY IN COMMERCIAL BANKS IN KENYA Consumer satisfaction is the core goal of most organizations and companies, as customer satisfaction leads to successful organizations. One measure of customerRead MoreDepression And Its Effects On Children1736 Words à |à 7 Pagesdepression as a mood disorder that causes loss of interest and sadness (Mayo Clinic Staff, 1996-2016), yet depression goes much further than just lack of interest in activities and sadness. Depression can affect sleeping habits, fluctuate weight management, limit concentration, and even go as far as stimulate suicidal thoughts (American Psychological Association, 2016). When identifying who is affected the most with this mental illness, data is populated from different studies to identify underlyingRead MoreMajor Social Determinants Of Health1673 Words à |à 7 Pagesunsatisfied with her position as she feels overworked, over qualified, and underappreciated at her current company. Yvonneââ¬â¢s 15 year old son, Randall is a grade 10 athletic, who had b een accepted as a starting position on the high school baseball team. In-between school and extracurricular activities, has a part-time job. Randalââ¬â¢s have regular contact and visits with his father and step-mother as they live in a neighbourhood nearby. The health and well-being of the Johnson family has to do with economicRead MoreExploring Perceptions of Parents on Head Teachersââ¬â¢ Financial Management Skills in Public Primary Schools in Tanzania5180 Words à |à 21 Pagesand Practice ISSN 2222-1735 (Paper) ISSN 2222-288X (Online) Vol 3, No 13, 2012 www.iiste.org Exploring Perceptions of Parents on Head Teachersââ¬â¢ Financial Management Skills in Public Primary Schools in Tanzania 1. 2. Juma Saidi Mwinjuma1* Roselan Bin Baki2 Assistant Lecturer University of Dodoma, Faculty of Education, Department of Educational Management and Policy Studies, Currently Pursuing PhD in Educational Administration, University Putra Malaysia Senior Lecturer, Faculty of Educational studiesRead MoreExploring Perceptions of Parents on Head Teachersââ¬â¢ Financial Management Skills in Public Primary Schools in Tanzania5194 Words à |à 21 Pagesand Practice ISSN 2222-1735 (Paper) ISSN 2222-288X (Online) Vol 3, No 13, 2012 www.iiste.org Exploring Perceptions of Parents on Head Teachersââ¬â¢ Financial Management Skills in Public Primary Schools in Tanzania 1. 2. Juma Saidi Mwinjuma1* Roselan Bin Baki2 Assistant Lecturer University of Dodoma, Faculty of Education, Department of Educational Management and Policy Studies, Currently Pursuing PhD in Educational Administration, University Putra Malaysia Senior Lecturer, Faculty of Educational studies
Tuesday, December 10, 2019
Sutter Case Analysis Essay Example For Students
Sutter Case Analysis Essay An increasing issue within the health care field is the inability to collect debt from the growing population of uninsured or underinsured patients. Healthcare organizations may be struggling to meet operational margins because the industry has never treated its customers like other retail-oriented sectors of the economy. A McKinsy and Company report states that hospitals incur sixty billion dollars in bad debt annually because they typically collect only ten to twenty percent of a total uninsured patient balance after service. MacKenzie, 2009) This is due to a number of reasons, including poor accounting practices or a lack of patient information. This paper will discuss how one hospital, Californiaââ¬â¢s Sutter Health, has taken steps to correct this issue. It will analyze the accounting practices put into place by Sutter Health and the success of this practice. This author will also provide an alternate solution to the issue of debt collection for self-pay patients as well as a n opinion concerning the actions taken by Sutter Health. First it is important to provide background information pertaining to Californiaââ¬â¢s Sutter Health Hospitals. Sutter Health is a non-profit network of community-based healthcare providers. This organization provides care to more than one hundred Northern California communities. (Souza McCarty, 2007) Sutter Health is composed of hospitals, physician organizations and other health care service providers that share resources and expertise to advance health care quality. While the variety of providers is beneficial to the communities served, it posed an operating issue for the organization. (Hummel, 2004) One of the key problems that Sutter Health was experiencing was that each facility acted as an independent ââ¬Å"islandâ⬠of information. Due to the numerous operating and accounting systems it was impossible to obtain data and reports in the same format from every location. There were no common practices within the organization. (Hummel, 2004) Each facility followed different admitting and billing procedures. This resulted in a few facilities having accounts receivable days in the range of one hundred twenty, while others had fewer than sixty days. The lack of standardized revenue collection and integrated management reporting tools was adversely affecting the financial performance of Sutter Health. Hummel, 2004) In 2003, during their effort to standardize the operating systems, Sutter Health performed an analysis of the organizations revenue management cycle. The analysis results proved that Sutterââ¬â¢s current information systems were costly to maintain and did not provide the real time information that was needed. (Anonymous, 2005) The analysis provided Sutter with information that was valuable in determining k ey issues that were affecting their ability to collect debt and lower the facilities account receivable days. Most of the issues arose from the inability to access real time information which in turn affected the actual methods of collection that were being employed. The lack of real time information greatly hindered Sutter Healthââ¬â¢s ability to collect debt from patients once a service had been provided. Since the needed information was not immediately available, managers had to wait until the end of the month to set benchmarks, track progress, or make decisions. This delay in information prevented account representatives from being able to prioritize and effectively work on their cases. Souza McCarty, 2007) This had a negative impact on the number of receivable days that each facility incurred. Due to the lack of information, Sutter Health had difficulty collecting on patient accounts. Sutterââ¬â¢s collection method focused on the back end staff- the central business office and collectors- rather than the front-end staff member to collect payments. (Souza McCarty, 2007) Patients were not being asked for their payment in a timely manner. Important information, such as the patientââ¬â¢s portion of responsibility and the verification of the insurerââ¬â¢s responsibility, was delayed due to the systems that were in place. Once the account representatives were provided with the information they needed patients had already received care and been released. It became more challenging to collect debt after a significant amount of time had passed between the date of service and the date of collection attempt. Reimbursement is reduced by forty percent post-service. (Anonymous, 2010) This resulted in an increase of account receivable days. After examining the information obtained from the analysis and realizing the importance of standardization throughout the organization, Sutter developed a solution that best fit their current situation. First on the agenda was to develop a standardized system within the entire Sutter Health organization. The organization chose a program based on the criteria that the program met or exceeded existing functionality, be easy to use, be cost effective and represent advanced and/or adaptive technology. (Anonymous, 2005) Sutter Health chose to use the MedSeries4 (MS4) throughout all of their facilities. This program has helped to standardize the organizationââ¬â¢s patient accounting processes. The staff of Sutter Health is now able to prioritize and follow up on financial counseling, third-party payer billing and collection activities through an automated collection system. This system also has the capability of producing daily work list based on manager-defined account receivable criteria. Each facility is able to track accounts from the moment of pre-admittance through the time of potential assignment with an outside collection agency. (Hummel, 2004) This has also resulted in the facilities being able to provide data and reports in the same format. Another aspect of Sutterââ¬â¢s solution was to alter their collection method. Two Strong and Brave Women EssayNinety-seven percent of hospitals surveyed in the Healthcare Financial Management Association (HFMA) 2009 study, The Changing Face of Self-Payment in Hospitals, have experienced an increase in self-pay accounts receivable compared with the prior fiscal year. In nearly thirty-three percent of respondent hospitals, receivables are growing faster than patient revenue. (Koeing, 2010) Sutter Health took the necessary steps to reduce their number account receivable days. By standardizing their operational systems throughout the organization, Sutter was able ensure that each facility was able to provide and access data in an equivalent format. Sutter also implemented a front-end collection method. This helped to lower the account receivable days as well as increase the revenue of the organization. While I believe that Sutter adapted the most effective solution, there are other alternative to addressing the same issue. One alternative is receivable segmentation. This method instructs hospitals to determine a patientââ¬â¢s likeliness to pay their debt. The patients ââ¬Å"collectabilityâ⬠status is based on several factors, including credit and income. Receivable segmentation provides healthcare providers with the opportunity to increase self-pay collections, decrease cost to collect, and improve self-pay account receivable days. Despite which method health care organizations use, it seems as though any measures taken may reduce uncollectable accounts and increase revenue. References Anonymous. (2005, October 19). Sutter Health Selects EPSis Solutions to Achieve System-wide Cost Standards and Performance Management . PR Newswire,1. Retrieved July 29, 2010, from ProQuest Database (Document ID: 913887581). Anonymous. 2010, June 05). MedAssets; Sutter Health Selects MedAssets Patient Bill Estimation Solution to Improve Collections and Help Consumers Understand Their Out-of-pocket Cost. Retrieved August 04, 2010, from ProQuest Database. Boehler, A. Hansal, J. (2006, January 01). Innovative strategies for self-pay segmentation . Healthcare Financial Management. Retrieved July 29, 2010, from http://www. allbusiness. com/banking-finance/ banking-lending-credit/10579823-1. html. Edmonds, T. , Olds, P. , McNair, F. , Tsay, B. (2010). Survey of Accounting (2nd ed. ). New York: McGraw-Hill Irwin. Healthcare Financial Management Association (HFMA). (2010). Managing the Self-Pay Cycle. Retrieved July 29, 2010, from http://www. emdeon. com/eNewsletters/Compass/Spring10/Managing%20the%20Self%20Pay%20Cycle%20HFM%20March%202010. pdf. Hummel, J. (2004). Financial Finesse . Health Management Technology, 25(2), 52-55. Retrieved July 29, 2010, from ProQuest Database (Document ID 538867911). Koeing, S. (2010, March 29). Five Strategies for Strategic Debt Recovery of Self-Pay Patient Accounts. Retrieved July 30, 2010, from http://www. healthleadersmedia. com/content/FIN-248700/Five-Strategies-for-Stra
Tuesday, December 3, 2019
Strategic Entrepreneurship within the Current Market Dynamics
Summary The business sector continues to undergo tremendous developments in the 21st century. With numerous technological advancements, wider market bases, higher consumer purchasing powers, and market liberalizations in many parts of the world, entrepreneurs and businesspersons continue to enjoy high profits margins from their investments.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Strategic Entrepreneurship within the Current Market Dynamics specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Despite these advancements, the resulting business environment becomes competitive with increased risks, inadequate forecasting abilities, emerging structural systems, and fluid firms as well as industrial boundaries. All these factors compel management teams in business firms and franchises to engage in innovative ideas that can withstand the new business landscape intertwined in dynamism, complexity, chaos, and contradictions. Formulation of plans p lays an imperative role in effective management of business opportunities. It is from these strategic management plans that leadership structures in any business entity develop the ways of maximizing the opportunities, while reducing the risks associated with the threats and weaknesses evident in the venture. Plans and objectives offer the engaged workforce clear goals and expectations within given periods, thus creating a hard-working labor force. This increases the chances of high productivity, hence earning more profits to the business. Strategic planning, proper management, adequate entrepreneurial skills, and efficient workforce provide the grounds for successful business set-up with the ability to enjoy competitive advantage over the rivals in the market. Key Learning Points Strategic management is a process that guides the day-to-day activities in a business entity; it helps in continuous renewal and growth of business by providing contexts essential for development and imple mentation of business operations. Business entities formulate such plans by developing missions, achievable objectives, strategies, as well as setting policy guidelines (Schendel Hofer, 1978). Qualcomm Corporate entrepreneurship program remains a successful story for the company given its acquisition of talented and innovative labor force. The company created an avenue for all employees to engage consumers in market analysis before the introduction of a telecommunication gadget in the market. This strategy has benefited the company through increased sales. Qualcomm commands a competitive advantage over rivals, which develop telecommunication gadgets and impose them on consumers (Dess, 2012). Entrepreneurship entails the process of creating wealth through a sequence of commitment by persons who take significant risks in business, and work towards providing products and services to accessible markets. Value additions and innovations play a vital task in the success of many entreprene urs.Advertising Looking for report on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More For this reason, most entrepreneurs invest more in innovative ideas of the already existing products and services to win the hearts of the vibrant customers; it is the entrepreneursââ¬â¢ innovative ideas that continue to revolutionize the business behavior in the current dynamic markets. As Ireland et al. (2003) put it, entrepreneurial and strategic actions in the current business environments majorly target ways of finding new markets and creating competitive space for wealth creation and business success. Relevant Statements to the Session Even though strategy and entrepreneurship in business are independent constructs, strategic entrepreneurship remains intertwined between these two concepts with an aim of ensuring business success (Schendel Hitt, 2007). The creativity, imagination, and opportunities that come handy with strategic entrepreneurship are fundamental to all markets. The UAE market, for instance, continues to attract global attention due to liberalization and international trades; these are significant results from strategic entrepreneurship. Entrepreneurship plays an integral role in creating employment, as well as growing the economy of a country. Markedly, in case entrepreneurs gain ground in UAE, several individuals will gain access to the job structures that the system will create. On the same note, one aim of strategic entrepreneurship revolves around creating geographic entities in business. For this reason, motivation and support of entrepreneurial activities in the UAE provides a sufficient strategy for advancing the level of economic growth and development not only to the Middles East trading block but also to the wider Arab common market (Schendel Hitt, 2007). Critical Analysis and Implementation Companies implementing strategic entrepreneurship within their ranks enjoy great profits since innovative skills trickle continuously into their systems, thus ensuring maintenance of competitive advantage in markets. Therefore, the need to adopt strategic management and entrepreneurship skills in the production sector of business entities is indispensable. Initiation and implantation of these facets of management involve a series of consultation and consensus among all stakeholders involved in business managements. Different ways of implementing such a program in an organization are discussed below. Emphasizing Ethical Behavior and Value Based Decisions In order to develop a strong workforce base grounded on integrity and hard work, the process of recruiting new employees must emphasize the need for value-based individuals in the production sector. This ensures that the new staffs join the production force with a vast array of creative ideas in production, thus increasing the chances of maintaining competitive advantage in the market (Rommel, 1995).Advertising We w ill write a custom report sample on Strategic Entrepreneurship within the Current Market Dynamics specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Develop Clear Goals Formulating goals and objectives remain vital in ensuring success of any organization. It is imperative for management teams in any business entity to develop clear goals, and defines strategies for achieving such goals. This ensures that all employees in the organization engage in effective production towards a common goal. Similarly, management teams must develop strong expectations from the defined goals to ensure that each individual performs his/her function with maximum benefits. Practical Implications Smallbone (2010) argues that for an upcoming business organization, proper mechanisms are necessary to exploit the global market using available technologies. Proprietors of the new business entity must develop sustainable ways of improving on the available products and services to win the already competitive customer base. Most businesses fail because many aspiring businesspersons venture into the field using ââ¬Å"trial and errorâ⬠methods. However, effective strategic planning, management, and entrepreneurship provide liberal market feasibility program by pinpointing specific zones of inevitable success, as well as establishing viable ways of maintaining a competitive advantage in an industry. A well-stated and clearly defined strategic entrepreneurship structures enable employees to direct innovation behaviors towards a common goal, thus reducing instances of business failure. Learning Reflections Adoption of a dynamic competitive mind is necessary for profitability in the market. In order to institute this, management teams in an organization must recruit a flexible and speedy workforce full of innovative minds. In the interviews and recruitment sessions, it is necessary to hire an individual with adequate strategic leadership qualities to ensure dy namism in production (Rommel, 1995). On the same note, proper mechanism of exploiting individual brilliance and efforts are necessary. Incentives and rewards for exemplary performances among the employees play an important role in employee motivation. Supporting Evidence The current world market is flooded with several businesspersons. At the same time, consumer satisfaction plays a key role in the success of businesses. Innovative ideas and value addition mechanisms remain paramount in the struggle towards consolidating market bases. From these aspects, strategic entrepreneurship remains an important initiative that business entities strive to develop their styles of operation to cope up with the market competitions. Educational segment of business and international trade plays an integral role in imparting the necessary skills and knowledge needed for business survival in the dynamic market.Advertising Looking for report on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More References Dess, G. G. (2012). Strategic management: text and cases.New York: McGraw-Hill/Irwin. Ireland, R.D., Hitt, M.A., Sirmon, D.G. (2003). A model of strategic entrepreneurship: The construct and its dimensions. Journal of Management, 29(6), 963ââ¬â989. Rommel, G. (1995). Simplicity wins: how Germanyââ¬â¢s mid-sized industrial companies succeed. Boston, Mass.: Harvard Business School Press. Schendel, D. Hitt, M. (2007). Strategy versus entrepreneurship. Strategic Entrepreneurship Journal, 1(1), 25-36. Schendel, D. Hofer, C. (1978). Strategic management: A new view of business policy and planning. Boston: Little Brown and Company. Smallbone, D. (2010). Entrepreneurship and public policy. Cheltenham, UK: Elgar Research Collection. This report on Strategic Entrepreneurship within the Current Market Dynamics was written and submitted by user Houston Hendricks to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)