Too Much Medication Essay Example for Free

Too Much Medication Essay One Source Cited: On 9 February 2007 The Boston Globe presented an obvious example of partiality in its presentation of an overdose of psychotropic drugs; leading to the death of 4-year-old Rebecca Riley. Consequently, this sparked debates about whether health officials should press urgently to establish the advantages of treating children with psychotropic drugs, and the safety measures that go along with their use. From top to bottom, the text questions: the dangers of over-medicating children who show signs of potential mental disorders; the age at which children should start the prescribed medication; assessment of children after psychotropic medication treatment; and the responsibility of doctors to evaluate the ability of parents to oversee these potentially fatal drugs (The Boston Globe). For the purposes of this essay, I am forced to agree that ‘health officials should press urgently to determine the advantages of treating children with psychotropic drugs, and the cautions that must accompany their use’. The research I found on this topic appear to support the idea that intense discussion and consideration about pharmacotherapy is vital for future directions of treating children with these medications. According to Hyman (2006) there are far more difficulties in determining the risks and benefits of psychotropic drugs in children. There is also less information known about mental disorders in children than in adults and numerous drugs have not been sufficiently tested in children, particularly because their brains are still developing. In addition, there is even less data about the safety and efficacy of antidepressants in children (Hyman 2006). In actual fact, Hyman (2006) states that these drugs are being used even in the absence of data. That is why I strongly argue in favour of the need for more clinical research involving children, to identify the potential risk-benefits of psychopharmacology. It is the responsibility of caregivers to diagnose; manage and be commited to training in this area. Therefore we need to find out whether the approaches of these drugs are beneficial and safe for children. Furthermore, we have to think about a greater goal and a more practical way to enhance the quality of life for children showing signs of possible mental disorders. What we need to do is patch-up the treatment gaps and incorporate an effective monitoring system which allows health professionals to liaison with schools, other professionals and agencies. In doing so, we may improve diagnostics, treatment and follow-up services and possibly even avoid the recurrence of over-medication? References The Boston Globe: http://www.boston.com/news/globe/editorial_opinion/editorials/articles/2007/02/09/too_much_medication/ Hyman, S.E. (2006). Improving our brains? [Electronic Version]. Biosocieties, 1, 103-111. Retrieved 16 February 2007 from: http://journals.cambridge.org/action/login;jsessionid=36ED98BDE8893D2A30D1BEED7CE0AD3C.tomcat1

Afghanistan Geostrategic Importance

Afghanistan Geostrategic Importance When Allah had made the rest of the world, he saw there was a lot of rubbish left over, bits and pieces and things that did not fit anywhere else. He collected them all together and threw them down on the earth. That was Afghanistan.  [1]   An old Afghan Saying. Introduction The Islamic Republic of Afghanistan is a landlocked country in South-Central Asia. It is variously described as being located within Central Asia,  [2]  South Asia,  [3]  or the Middle East.  [4]  It is bordered by Iran in the west, Pakistan in the south and east, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan in the north, and China in the far northeast. The geographic entity now known as Afghanistan has a very long history, and has been an ancient focal point of the Silk Road and migration. It is an important geostrategic location, connecting East and West Asia or the Middle East. The land has been a target of various invaders, as well as a source from which local powers invaded neighbouring regions to form their own empires. Ahmad Shah Durrani created the Durrani Empire in 1747, which is considered the beginning of modern Afghanistan.  [5]   In the late 19th century, Afghanistan became a buffer state in The Great Game played between the British Empire and Russian Empire. Due to its strategic placement Afghanistan became the focal point of intense rivalry between Tsarist Russia and Britain during the nineteenth century. On August 19,1919, following the third Anglo-Afghan war, the country regained independence from the United Kingdom over its foreign affairs. During the ensuing conflict, the war-weary British relinquished their control over Afghan foreign affairs by signing the Treaty of Rawalpindi in August 1919  [6]  . In commemoration of this event, Afghans celebrate August 19 as their Independence Day. Afghanistan remained at the centre stage of international politics as a theatre in the cold war games of super powers with Pakistan acting as the frontline state of USA for channelling its financial, material and military supplies to the Afghan Mujahedeen. Since the late 1970s Afghanistan has experienced a continuous state of civil war punctuated by foreign occupations in the forms of the 1979 Soviet invasion and the 2001 USA led invasion that toppled the Taliban government. Afghanistan has assumed importance due to its potential to influence the societies and politics in its bordering countries. (Refer fig 1) Historical Perspective The geography of a nation determines its history, politics and the nature of its people. Afghanistan has been called by many names from being the heart of Asia by the great Indian poet Mohamed Iqbal, to the cockpit of Asia by Lord Curzon.  [7]  The geo strategic location of Afghanistan has been significant since the earliest Aryan invasion it being located on the crossroads between the Arabian Sea and India and between the central Asia and South Asia, the country has indeed stood guard over the land routes to the Indian subcontinent. Even the ruler of Punjab Maharaja Ranjit Singh, had recognised that the key to the security of the plains of India lay in Kabul.  [8]   Afghanistan has always remained an area of imperial aspirations, differing perceptions and competitions both in medieval and modern times.  [9]  Even before Afghanistan emerged as a geo political entity, the region had seen competition for influence by the Mongols, Persians, the Mughals as well as local tribal chiefs. Though Afghanistan as a state existed since 1747, its current political borders evolved only toward the end of the last century (1880-1901) as an outcome of rivalry between British India and Tsarist Russia. Creation of a buffer state between the two giant powers in Asia was a political and military compulsion. Politically speaking, it was the issue of security between British India and Russia that determined Afghanistan as a state more than the factor of its sovereignty since Afghanistans spatial location denied it the resources for it to be a viable state.  [10]  Successive Afghan rulers have maintained stability by sourcing revenue (i.e. plundering) from its n eighbours  [11]  . Afghanistan played a pivotal role in the security perspective during the era of the great game in the Nineteenth century when Russian and British imperial powers seemed to be on a collision course in Central Asia.  [12]  The history of Nineteenth century is consequently a history of moves and counter moves on the part of the Russians and the British Empire, which ultimately resulted in the emergence of the land locked Afghanistan as a buffer state in the demarcation of frontiers. Thus, it was primarily this Great Game being played out in Afghanistan, which resulted in evolving its current political borders, rather than its need for sovereignty. Since its stability was a key factor in maintaining the fragile security balance in the region, the external powers continued to supply rulers of Afghanistan with assured resources to sustain control and internal stability. Thus, Afghanistan became the only country to hold off both Russian and British expansion in the last century without aligning itself with either. The demarcation of Afghanistans border with Russia commenced in 1887, however Russians never lost sight of the fact that they needed to have their influence in the region, and this led to the signing of the Treaty of Friendship between the two in 1921  [13]  . The British too, carried out the demarcation of the border with Afghanistan by creating the Durand line, named after Sir Mortimer Durand in 1893, without giving any thought to the tribal affinities and traditional affiliations.  [14]   Geographical Location Afghanistan is the worlds 41st-largest country (after Burma) and has an area of 245,000 square miles. It is landlocked and mountainous, with plains in the north and southwest. Afghanistan with a noticeable sizeable chunk of geometrically regular territorial configuration lies at the intersection of the Indian Sub-Continent (Pakistan), the Middle East (Iran), Central Asia (Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan) and China (The Wakhan Corridor).  In terms of International borders, the details are Pakistan (2430 km); Iran (936 km); Tajikistan (1206 km); Uzbekistan (137 km); Turkmenistan (744 km), and China (75 km).  The northern and southern portion of Afghanistan is divided by the massive Hindu Kush mountain ranges  [15]  . The Pamir Mountains to the northeast also named the roof of the world by Marco Polo are the junction between Tajikistan, Afghanistan and China. In the east, the passes in Suleiman mountain range like the famous Khyber Pass have provided access to the Indian subcontinent. Geo Strategic Relevance since World War II The post World War II saw the collapse of the British colonial rule in the Subcontinent and Soviet Union emerging as a Super Power with USA led western bloc and Soviet Union led eastern communist block  [16]  . With the British departure from India Afghanistan lost its importance, possibly since the western bloc found an ally in Pakistan to counter the Soviet expansion. However, the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in 1979 brought the country to the limelight once again and the strategic balance of the subcontinent was altered dramatically with intervention of extra regional powers. The geo strategic relevance of Afghanistan in the above backdrop cannot be overlooked and it gained further importance with the breakup of Soviet Union. Infact the country has emerged as a new centre for terrorism. Post Cold War Era and the New Great Game The withdrawal of Soviet Union from Afghanistan once again altered the geopolitical and geo strategic importance of Afghanistan. The resultant power vacuum, infighting among the Mujahedeen commanders, weak government of Najibulla at Kabul, and the lack of United States support to Pakistan, were to a large extent responsible for the state of affairs in Afghanistan. Coupled with an indifferent world community, it formed a sure shot recipe for disaster. Surrounded by two nuclear states (China and Pakistan), a threshold nuclear state (Iran) and having two other nuclear powers in its near vicinity (India, and Russia) places Afghanistan in a difficult situation with its neighbours as well other powers vying to get a foothold in the region to spread their influence in the region and the subcontinent. The emergence of new States in Central Asia in 1991 brought to limelight the vast Hydrocarbon resources available in the region and once again Afghanistan acquired the critical importance of the land route from Central Asia to Arabian Sea. It could be asserted that despite its landlocked location, Afghanistan is important in geo-economic terms too both in terms of substantial deposits of oil and natural gas (assessed but not tapped) and as a energy corridor for Central Asia energy produce.  The newly independent states of the Central Asian region have been desperately looking for means of communication to export their oil and gas riches, so as to end their isolation and economic dependence on Russia. Turkmenistans hope of reviving plans to lay the pipeline across war torn Afghanistan to Pakistan and then to India revealed the desperation facing these states. Taliban and the Impact on the Geo Strategic Environment When Russia eventually withdrew from Afghanistan, the US-supported Mujahideen took control. Instead continuing the support for the buffer state, Americas subsequent withdrawal from the region caused a power vacuum, allowing sectarian interests (the Taliban) to seize control. As Afghanistan had been abandoned by both Russian and the West, the Taliban had no interest in acting as buffer, and pursued their own agenda. Afghanistan, apart from being the land bridge to central Asia has also become a home to the fundamentalist ranging from the Jihadis from Kashmir to the Uighur separatists and provided a suitable launch pad for such activities in Central Asia. Afghanistans geo-political and historical background further complicated the situation. The Taliban were initially welcomed by the war torn population since they promised an end to the prevailing anarchy. However, the subsequent quest for power and their change in stance from having no political ambitions, to a flat refusal for power sharing pushed Afghanistan into another period of instability. Afghanistan, till Dec 2001, can therefore be described as having been a legally undivided territory of fragmented power  [17]  . Soon Taliban as a Host to Al Qaida and its leader, Osama Bin Laden, turned into reality the threat of Islamic Fundamentalism faced by the Central Asian states since 1991. The strengthening of links between militant organisations like Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan, Al Qaida, the Chechen rebels, Uighur separatists and the Taliban, further compounded the security situation in the region. The bombings of the US embassies in 1998 brought USA and the Taliban on a collision course. However, it was the 11 Sep 2001 attacks on the World Trade Centre, which roused the world community and forced them to deal with the menace posed by Taliban and its associates. The Relevance Post 11 Sep 2001 The global war on terrorism (GWOT) launched by USA and its allies has added great deal of turbulence in the region. Presence in Afghanistan provides USA an opportunity to influence the region and keep a check on Russian, Chinese, Pakistani, Iranian and the Indian influence, the nuclear states in the region, a job it has already commenced, as is evident from the pressure on Pakistan and the Iranians.  [18]  The United States however is in a strategic dilemma as it made its Afghanistan strategy totally dependent on Pakistan Armys cooperation.   A strategic denouement is underway presently.  The United States geopolitically stirs a witches cauldron in Afghanistan by giving primacy to Pakistan Armys strategic sensitivities to control Afghanistan  [19]  .  Any US exit from Afghanistan could create a political vacuum which would most likely get filled in by Russia, Iran and India.  [20]  

Nasal Surgeries and Procedures Types

Nasal Surgeries and Procedures Types Neurocranial restructuring Neurocranial restructuring is the relaxation of neuro tissues to relieve tension and return the skulls structure to its naturally designed appearance. Neurocranial restructuring has been successfully used for many years to relieve a variety of serious conditions as well as being used as a non invasive alternative to cosmetic therapy. The methods of actually engaging in Neurocranial restructuring vary depending on the nature of the condition to be treated as well as the nature of the individual. Typically the procedure will be enacted by a trained natural doctor (ND) who learns the technique used from one of several pioneering doctors who first began to practice the technique in the mid to late nineties. The default technique is to use endonasal balloon therapy to expand nasal cavities and realign the skulls muscular structure. The benefits of this realignment are said to be improved sensory and neurological function; there is anecdotal evidence to suggest that Neurocranial restructuring can improve or cure conditions as varied as chronic migraines, ADD, depression, bi polar personality disorder, back problems, hearing problems, sinus problems, eye sight issues, arthritis, Anxiety and even conditions such as strokes, seizures and sleep apnoea. Neurocranial restructuring has been a life line given to many individuals suffering from these conditions, granting a relief from symptoms and producing lasting affects in prolonged use with chronic condition sufferers. In addition neurocranial restructuring can realign smaller muscles and tissues to realign the ears, straighten the nose, release wrinkles and tension in the face, heighten cheekbones and produce a better symmetrical appearance. In this way a series of cosmetic surgeries can be avoided and serious surgery and surgical alteration to the nasal and sinus structures of the skull can be avoided. The patient can receive benefits after a series of procedures (the number and time taken being different depending on the procedure employed). Nasal specific A nasal specific is a procedure designed to apply pressure to the nasal cavities within the nose. There are six nasal passages within the nose which are arranged in two vertical lines of three. The purpose of this procedure is to apply pressure to the inside of the nasal passage. By doing this it will expand the nasal passage, expand and open up blood vessels and push out any excess mucus. There are many names used for this procedure though all of them refer to the same basic procedure which can be referred to as a bilateral nasal specific (named due to the practice of utilising the laterally adjacent nasal passages in sequence to maintain symmetry) or nasal specific which refers to just the practice in relation to a specific nasal passage or the opening of nasal passages one after another without special precautions to maintain symmetrical balance of the nasal passages. The results of nasal specific procedures vary as with any procedure of this nature with the issue to be affixed and the patient themselves. Typically the procedure will be enacted once and then repeated as required to maintain or improve benefits. The time period between procedures can vary as a result of this but can range from one to six months. The actual nasal specific procedure uses a finger cot affixed to a blood pressure bulb (sphygmomanometer) which is lubricated before being inserted into the nasal cavities and inflated. The aim of Nasal specific procedures being to free up the nasal cavity by expansion, push out any structures blocking the nasal passage such as excess mucus and also realign some of the soft tissues immediately behind the nasal passage to offer some additional aid (anecdotal evidence of balance, sensory perception and hearing improvement has been noted). Bilateral nasal specific A bilateral nasal specific is a procedure which has been utilised and studied since 1995 and proven to have significant benefits to the health of patients. The procedure is a simple one which begins with the examination of the patient and an inspection of their nasal cavities as well as their medical history. In some cases a blood test and screening may be conducted to ensure perfect health and nothing is present which may complicate the matter. Once preliminary work is done the patient is sat back and asked to breath in and out in a relaxing manner whilst the instruments are prepared. Typically the procedure will involve a finger cot of endonasal balloon affixed to a blood pressure bulb. The finger cot is lubricated prior to insertion. Once the patient he is asked to breathe out and hold while the finger cot is inserted. The Patient then breathes in gently and holds his breath while the practitioner slowly inflates the cot and gently pushes it towards the back of the nasal cavity. At this point in the bilateral nasal specific procedure any mucus or blockages are pushed out and into the back of the throat (mucus discharge through coughing etc. is to be expected). The aim here is to enlarge the blood vessels around the cavity as well as the nasal cavity itself to open up the sinuses. As another health benefit of the bilateral nasal specific procedure the finger cot or balloon is pushed out of the back of the nasal cavity and into the back of the throat very gently by the practitioner. This applies gentle pressure to the Sphenoid bone immediately at the back of the nasal cavities and realigns plates in that area by gentle manipulation. Endonasal Balloon therapy Endonasal balloon therapy refers to an alternative practice to bilateral nasal specific therapy. In this case rather than a finger cot a balloon is used and rather than just one two are used at the same time. The basic procedure is similar but the aim is different in that the nasal cavity is not the sole source of attention but the alteration of the Sphenoid bone is the main aim of the therapy to realign the plates surrounding that bone and alter the structure of the skull. Endonasal balloon therapy is the method utilised when engaging in Neurocranial reconstruction procedures to realign the muscular structure and skeletal plates of the skull. As a procedure it can have many benefits but these are dependent on the degree of repair required and the frequency of procedures; which may need to be repeated between one to six months after the previous procedure to maintain or improve benefits to health. The Endonasal balloon therapy first begins with a preliminary inspection and a proper patient history to ensure the patients eligibility much like other procedures of the nature. Once the patient is ensured to be able to undertake the procedure the practitioner will examine the patient’s plate structure and utilise a deep tissue massage to relax the tissue that will require manipulation. Afterwards the practitioner will ask him to lay back and try to breathe in a relaxing and calm manner while he prepares to enact the procedure. Once ready the practitioner will have the patient breathe out prior to inserting the balloon through the nasal cavity and into the back of the throat. This is repeated with a second balloon on the opposite side of the nasal cavity to the first. The practitioner will then conduct the endonasal balloon procedure by manipulating the sphenoid bone and plate structures using the balloons, inflating them to apply pressure and deflating to decrease pressure while asking the patient to breathe in or out and hold accordingly. Nasal cranial release A nasal cranial release is a method similar and derivative of the bilateral nasal specific, in this procedure the objective is to realign the skulls skeletal plates to a more natural position, relieving many of the tensions and cranial dysfunctions which can cause or be an additional influence on many mental and physical conditions. The method is similar and yet different to both Nasal specific and Endonasal balloon therapy in that it utilises the nasal cavity and uses balloon structures. Its effect is similar yet aims for a different region of the skeletal structure. The procedure lasts three to four seconds, where small balloons are inserted through the nasal cavity and inflated to realign structures at the back of the cavities. The Sphenoid bone is the target yet the method is to utilise multiple balloons at once through the nasal cavities allowing the procedure to be conducted in a short amount of time, requiring repetitions of at least four times over seven to ten days much like Neurocranial restructuring. Nasal Cranial release is mainly involved with the release of tension from the skeletal structure of the skull. To understand this you must first understand that the skull is in fact 22 different moving bones (much like tectonic plates), these bones can move and flex in order to absorb shock and tension in the skull but unfortunately this can mean that tension is stored in areas where it can cause issues. The aim of Neurocranial release therapy is to relieve the tension in these bones and by extension to the bones supporting them, the knock on effect can have surprising results for the rest of the bodys structure, especially in the spine, shoulders and chest. The benefits of this procedure involve the improvement of sinus and sensory capability as well as combating chronic migraines, blurred vision and mental conditions such as depression, hyperactivity and ADD.

An Analysis of Peter van Inwagen’s The Magnitude, Duration, and Distri

An Analysis of Peter van Inwagen’s The Magnitude, Duration, and Distribution of Evil: a Theodicy In his essay, "The Magnitude, Duration, and Distribution of Evil: a Theodicy," Peter van Inwagen alleges a set of reasons that God may have for allowing evil to exist on earth. Inwagen proposes the following story – throughout which there is an implicit assumption that God is all-good (perfectly benevolent, omnipotent, and omniscient) and deserving of all our love. God created humans in his own likeness and fit for His love. In order to enable humans to return this love, He had to give them the ability to freely choose. That is, Inwagen holds that the ability to love implies free will. By giving humans free will, God was taking a risk. As Inwagen argues, not even an omnipotent being can ensure that "a creature who has a free choice between x and y choose x rather than y" (197)1. (X in Inwagen’s story is ‘to turn its love to God’ and y is ‘to turn its love away from God,’ towards itself or other things.) So it happened that humans did in fact rebel and turn away from God. The first instance of this turning away is referred to as "the Fall." The ruin of the Fall was inherited by all humans to follow and is the source of evil in the world. But God did not leave humans without hope. He has a plan "whose working will one day eventuate in the Atonement (at-one-ment) of His human creatures with Himself," or at least some of His human creatures (198). This plan somehow involves humans realizing the wretchedness of a world without God and turning to God for help. The telling of this story provokes many questions. Why didn’t God, being all-good and benevolent, "immediately restore His fallen creatures to their original union with... ... passage to suggest the essential role natural evils play in this story: "People who do not believe in God do not, of course, see our living to ourselves as a result of a prehistoric separation from God. But they can be aware – and it is a part of God’s plan of Atonement that they should be aware – that something is pretty wrong and that this wrongness is a consequence of the intrinsic inability of human beings to devise a manner of life that is anything but hideous" (203). Nowhere does experience prove this inability of human beings to escape the hideousness of the world more than in the case of natural disasters. They have existed as long as the human race, and though it may be possible for a person to delude him or herself into believing he or she is living a good life in a seemingly good world, no one can deny the horrible dangers that natural disasters present.

The Stereotypical Old-West Hero :: Exploratory Essays Research Papers

The Stereotypical Old-West Hero Gunsmoke was the longest running radio show ever made. It is based on the historical city of Dodge. The series is centered around the character of Matt Dillon, who is the U.S. Marshall at Dodge. Each episode is one of his adventures, usually with his fellow helper, Chester, in keeping the peace and bringing justice in the area. Dillon's independence, sense of justice, and keen problem solving ever epitomize the stereotypical old-west hero. No matter what situation arises in Dodge, or the surrounding area, Matt Dillon is able to resolve it most often without the help of anyone else except for his faithful follower Chester. Whenever Dillon hears of a problem, he immediately goes to see what the trouble is with Chester. He doesn't listen to anyone and only brings more people if it would go better with his plan. In the episode, "Tecetta", Dillon boldly asks three gunmen to give up their guns at a bar and then tells them to leave the next morning. He says it in such a way that is unquestionable and demanding of respect. And people listen! In the episode, "The Buffalo Hunter", when Dillon and Chester go searching for the villain, Gatloff, they run into one of his skinners whose been shot. Always the independent spirit, Dillon commands Chester to stay with the man saying, "I'll ride on by myself". Dillon's sense of justice is extremely refined. He always has a keen view on how to solve the problem at hand, and usually it is something that nobody else has thought of. Dillon makes claims such as, "I don't think someone would accidentally pour 50-60 lbs. of lead in their own face", to which Chester then replies, "Oh Mr. Dillon, I hadn't thought of that". When one of the new bar girls, Tacetta, is kidnapped by Dorgan, Dillon has a plan ready. He decides to take a group of 12 men rather than just himself and Chester so that they will intimidate Dorgan, who has been judged by Dillon as having a weaker character. Dillon also knows how to decide when to go after someone and when not to. In "The Buffalo Hunter" Dillon know that Gatloff killed his own worker, but, since he doesn't have proof, he waits until Gatloff does something else that will incriminate him. Similarly, when Dorgan is killed by Horn and Watson in "Tecetta", Dillon waits until Watson causes trouble as a drunkard to get the truth out of him.

Moneyball

At its core, the book Moneyball, to me, is about leadership and overcoming resistance to change to create a sustainable competitive advantage. In Moneyball a new General Manager challenges a traditional industry with a new paradigm. He successfully deals with the resulting resistance from the more tradition oriented employees. In the case of the Oakland A's this has led to a substantial competitive advantage through lower costs (their payroll goes down) and improved output (the have a higher percentage of win’s) which leads to an increase in return (average cost of a run is among the lowest in baseball).This represents a major learning to me, it means that I need to be prepared to challenge the conventional wisdom by being innovative in a traditional company or industry. At the same time it is not enough to be just innovative, you need to be the innovation champion and overcome resistance. Baseball particularly seemed like a very traditional environment which allowed Billie Be an’s radical innovation to lead to significant competitive advantage. His success is achieved through three major achievements: 1) He uses innovation to create a different perspective on a particular market. ) He creates competitive advantage by using his innovation to pick his resources in a different way. 3) He further enhances his advantage by building organizational capability around the new approach he has created. Question 1: What is the best way to think â€Å"out of the box† in a particular situation, business or market to come up with the innovation that will change everything. It was my belief that a different perspective on a particular situation can be created by using imagination, intuition and creativity on top of accepted wisdom.In Moneyball, a new breakthrough approach is achieved through pure technology and in detail statistical analysis. Billy Bean uses the power of statistics to uncover relationships in individual and organizational performance. At t he same time, those objective indicators and statistics, in and of themselves, were not the keys. He was able to find (and proof) those measures that are valid indicators of future successful performance. He managed by using the right empirical data. This makes me wonder if rigorous statistical analysis (i. e. ike sabermetrics in baseball) can be used in any industry or situation to determine the factors most associated with true value to the company. The old way of evaluating players was based on naked eye observation and using 5 measurable indicators, which turned out to not be really connected to future performance. As a consequence the book also teaches me to be very careful not to attribute the wrong cause to a result. In any future position I should search for the right statistics that help me zero in on a couple of key attributes closely related to success.In recent years there are several companies that have used technology and statistical analysis to change the game even in old fashioned industries (Amazon, Capital One, etc†¦). It seems to indicate that almost every market is ripe for such an approach. The secret, as Moneyball shows, lies in finding those factors that are linked to the desired outcome versus those metrics that have traditionally been considered as â€Å"the right ones† for an industry.In the case of baseball it took years before those new ways of measuring performance came through, and even then most of the establishment (the old management) scoffed at them. It took the right way of measuring combined with the right dose of persistence to cause a breakthrough. Question 2: What is the best way to evaluate talent ? The talent evaluation approach in baseball relied on personal scouting (a subjective analysis) using some measurable factors (like foot speed) but which are not proven indicators for future success.In business, talent is also evaluated through observation, which is largely a subjective approach (â€Å"employee xx x is a team player and has the right attitude†) combined with some measurable KPI's (key performance indicators) which are often not directly linked to an employee’s contribution to the value creation in the company. Money ball begs the question if there is a way to exploit the inefficiency of current performance evaluation systems by implementing a novel, fact based, employee performance measurement and feedback system.Can companies copy the sabermetrics approach to talent assessment, selection and utilization ? One can imagine that this is possible in a manufacturing or a sales environment where there is a direct relation between employee action and measurable outcomes. It becomes more difficult in the finance, marketing or human resources arena where the immediate impact of employee actions is less obvious. Therefor it would be a major breakthrough if one would be able to identify those factors that predict success.Billy Bean in Moneyball, after identifying the right empirical data and then training (and convincing) his people of the new approach needs to build organizational capability in using and implementing his new system. In the same way, if a company comes up with a new way of determining what will lead to success (see question 1) it cannot stop at just inventing the new â€Å"system†, the organization needs to build capability to use it as a competitive advantage. To build this capability, employee’s performance needs to be evaluated in the light of how much he/she is contributing to the success of the new approach.Usually this capability is built through more â€Å"intangible factors† like company culture, teamwork, motivation etc†¦ Question 3: What is the key driver of building a successful business ? I have been influenced several books (like Blink) or the success of a Facebook, so upto now I assumed that the way to build a business is largely by intuition, belief and drive†¦ Find something you think co nsumers are interested in and then build it. In Moneyball it is exactly the opposite: success (in the form of superior financial performance) is achieved through meticulous measurement and theory testing.There is a very clear process and approach behind the success of the Oakland A’s: decisions are based on first demanding empirical evidence; second, examining the cause-and-effect reasoning that would explain the empirical evidence; third, experimentation; and fourth, continuous learning. Moneyball is a case study on the application of evidence-based management. It boils down to a very logical cause-and effect analysis of the links between resources, cost of resources and performance.Bonus question: Why do colleges pay so much attention to test scores for MBA programs if it is highly probable that my test scores will not relate to my future success in business ? Moneyball clearly makes the point that success does not just depend of having a lot of good data but mainly on havi ng data that are clearly linked to a positive, successfull outcome. It appears that, looking at all the stories of successful businesspeople that did not even finish college, MBA programs should investigate the link between their admission criteria and future success†¦As a consequence an intensely competitive market for graduates of â€Å"elite† programs has emerged, resulting in prices being bid up relative to the next tier of MBA programs. However, â€Å"second tier† programs have highly talented students who receive excellent educations, and thus, are well positioned to be successful executives. Hiring companies could find ways to assess the abilities of MBA students at these programs and obtain excellent talent at a discount relative to the graduates of top schools. Moneyball Moneyball is a book written by Michael Lewis when he follow Oakland A’s general manager Billy Beane in the summer of 2003 to see about his approach to running a major league organization. He figures out that just because you may not have all of the money in the world, say like the New York Yankees, that you can still win your division and make the playoffs. Billy Beane shows you his approach at how he win’s as many games as he does that no other team was willing to follow.He would pay attention to statistics that no one else did, like on base percentage, amount of walks, and slugging percentage, and made his team into one of the best in the majors. Since his theory has been proven it’s been shown that on base percentage and slugging percentage are better signs of offensive success and avoiding an out is more important than getting a hit.Oakland had one of the smallest payrolls in the league with $55 million and were forced to get small market players to fill thei r roster. That meant that every pick they had in the amateur draft counted and couldn’t afford to miss. In the book it talks about how Billy got his idea on why to run his organization like this, and he got it from Bill James. Bill James was a writer and obsessive baseball fan who wrote many books on baseball, but his Baseball Abstract are the ones that had the most impact.James’ books though were laughed at when they first came out and didn’t really make an impact until Billy Beane, who had read every book of James’, ran his organization like James’ had said to. Ever since then almost every club has changed how they go about picking up players and using players. Moneyball is one of the best books of all time and has helped changed the way baseball is looked at and played in many peoples eyes and even in major league organizations.

Types of Motivation

Edgar McCarthy Types of Motivation Professor: Dr. Clemons 4-8-13 Submitted in Partial Fulfillment for a Bachelor of Science Degree Week# 3 Westwood College Types of Motivation 1. Emphasis on personnel motives and values. An effective motivation plan must take into consideration the motives and values of employees. Criminal workers have motives and values that stress public service as well as personal interests; they want to ne in profession that is both appreciated and remunerated fairly and appropriately.Often criminal justice administrators are indifferent to or unaware of just how important the motives and values of employees are. Those in leadership positions must offer a set of motives and values as guidance for subordinates. By having an articulated mission statement, for example the important motives and values of the organization become known, and employees are able to see how they fit into larger picture of the organization. 2. Use of incentitives and rewards. Employees need incentitives to meet expectations and appropriate rewards for jobs well done.A major challenge for criminal justice administrators is the creation of formal and informal approaches to recognize and reward employees. The types of rewards can be varied. Monetary rewards are often difficult to provide, but other types of rewards, such as informal praise when a job is handled well and employee recognition programs can be given. 3. Reinforcement. Administrators must develop feedback mechanism so that workers understand that their performance is appropriate on assigned tasks. More often than not, the immediate supervisor provides little or no feedback to subordinates.This creates much anxiety and uncertainty among employees, causing their motivation to wane. 4. Specific and clear goals. All theories of motivation highlight the importance of goals or expected outcomes to the motivation process. This is probably the most difficult and problematical area in motivating criminal justice emplo yees. As public agencies, criminal justice organizations are expected to address multiple, and sometimes conflicting, goals; consequently, specifying goals and prioritizing them can be very difficult. This difficulty, more than any other, poses problems for administrators.Goal clarity and goal consensus may not be possible in criminal justice organizations and, as a consequence, developing effective motivation plans will be difficult. 5. Sufficient personal and material resources. The organization must have a sufficient number of resources, both human and financial, to create a proper motivating environment for employees. Examples of such resources include support and training programs for employees, outlets for employees that allow socialization and the development of informal groups, and material support, such as adequate supplies and equipment, for tasks to be accomplished and goal attained.Managers that take these ideas can make criminal justice organizations more aware of the m otivation needs of employees. Positive motivation is the single most important element for job satisfaction and department success which then equates into community approval and support. By establishing and implementing changes to import motivation then attitudes will shift and the productive transformation will be apparent. References Criminal Justice Organizations: Administration and Management By Stan Stojkovic, David B. Kalinich, John Klofas http://lawenforcementtoday. com/2011/10/31/motivational-policing/