The Perception of Power Essay Example for Free

The Perception of Power Essay The idea of power is at times quite confusing.   Pinpointing an exact human quality or possession and labelling it ‘power’ is impossible, and to understand this key element in social dynamics we must look more deeply into our own lives and the lives of those around us.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   â€Å"Power dynamics are fluid, changing, and dependent on the specific situation. Each person in a conflict has some degree of power, though one party may have more compared to the other, and the power can shift during a conflict† (Barrosse, 2007, p. 104). According to Interpersonal Conflict power is a factor in every human relationship, and it plays a role in all that we do. Every situation is made of people, and each of those people has a certain amount of power – the amounts and the dynamics between the people will inevitably play out in either a show of conflict or of conformity.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Barrosse also describes power as a kind of currency which can be traded around, used to achieve goals and also rendered useless in ‘foreign’ situations. â€Å"Just as money depends on the context in which it is to be spent, your power currencies depend on how much your particular resources are valued by the other persons in a relationship context† (Barrosse, 2007, p.106). Therefore, power is not solely inherit in an individual, but actually has only a relative existence. While most of us tend to perceive power as a trait that comes out of a person’s own character, it really only exists if that person is in a social group that understands and accepts that individual’s apparent power.   If taken away from his or her usual social group, a normally powerful person can be left with no influence and suffer a complete power loss. Essentially, one does not wield power outside of normal social context.   â€Å"Power depends on having currencies that other peopled need† (Barrosse, 2007, 106).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     The reason for this is simple; if you continue to think of power in terms of currency as Barrosse suggests (2007, p.106), and social groups as different countries, then you can see how powerful people experience difficulties when functioning outside their normal realm of social relationships.   What one group of people might value very highly in a person (thus giving them power) may not carry over to another group. For example, a powerful person in one group may be that way because he or she cooks very good Thai food for friends.   If that person were to associate with a new group of people who are not interested in dinner parties, or who eat only fast food, then that key to power is lost.   It’s all about key â€Å"resource control† (Barrosse, 2007, 107).   Power is all completely relative to the social group within which one lives his or her life.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Conflict arises during a power shift.   When one or more people in a group decide to change their relative ranking, trouble can follow.   Barrosse says the key to conflict resolution lies in understanding that â€Å"each person firmly believes that the other person has more power† (2007, p.110). For people within a power struggle, it can be difficult to accept the fact that no one person might be right or wrong; the conflict is simply about the need for perceived power.   So how do we avoid conflict based on this simple, unavoidable power struggle?   â€Å"Because each person in the conflict believes that he or she is in the low-power position, the conflict escalates† (Barrosse, 2007, p.110).   So the key to eluding conflict is â€Å"clarifying the currencies available to you and to other parties† (Barrosse, 2007, p.9).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The perception of power is much more straightforward than we usually realise.   At the root, power is solely based on social dynamics – whichever people have the most to offer their peers (opportunities, belonging, success) will be the most powerful in a group. Reference: Barrosse, E. (Ed). (2007). Interpersonal Conflict. New York: McGraw-Hill Companies.

Internal Traceability And External Traceability

Internal Traceability And External Traceability Traceability itself does not make food safe. However it is a risk management tool whenever a food safety problem is concerned. Past experiences have shown that the operation of food or feed market can be jeopardized when it is impossible to trace food or feed. Seafood is a highly perishable food item, increasingly globally traded and many particular conditions have to be taken into account (Schrà ¶der, U. 2008). Therefore a comprehensive system of traceability is targeted to avoid unnecessary wider disruption in food business. According to ISO 8402:1994, traceability is defines as the ability to trace the history, application or location of an entity by means of recoded identification. Starting from 2002, all fishery products in European Union must be labeled with commercial designation of the species, the production method and the catch area or production location according to traceability Requirements for Fish (Regulation EC/2065/2001). E.U. General Food Law Regulation 178/2002 (Article 3) mentioned that traceability means the ability trace and follow a food, feed, food producing animal or substance intended to be, or expected to be incorporated into a food or feed through all stages of production, processing and distribution. Traceability is mentioned in the Food Hygiene Regulation 2009 (Regulation 10) that it should be identified as one step back from where the food came and one step forward where the food went at any specified stage in the food chain 80.5% of fishery production in Malaysia is captured whereas 94.4% of seafood in European Union is capture fisheries. Marine fish landing in Malaysia has been quit consistent around 1300 tonnes per annum (Buku Perangkaan Perikanan Tahunan, 2009; Fisheries statistic, 2011). However, there is a trend of dropping in the capture of fishery products in the European Union from 7253 tonnes in 1998 to 5148 in 2008. Hence, European Union tends to import more fish and has stringent rules and regulations on the import of seafood products. Traceability procedure may seem to be lengthy but its importance and benefits outweigh its all. The main purpose of traceability is to improve safety and quality control and this could boost import potential, market access and lead to better business management and efficiency. In food safety issue, it not only safeguards against bioterrorism, but also enables immediate recall and withdrawal when a risk or hazard is identified. Besides that, it also provides a channel for transparent and fair trading between operators. Accurate information is provided to the public so that consumers will not be misled by inaccurate label and make informed purchasing decisions. Traceability records help control authorities to perform better risk assessment (Regulation (EC) No. 178/2002 (Article 18)). Traceability also helps to increase ones market share or product value. Its importance in the implication of sustainable fishing may be unseen by the society. With traceability record, seafood business ope rators cannot make false claims and we can get rid of the false perception of plentiful seafood supply in the marine ecosystem. 2.0 Internal Traceability and External Traceability Generally, traceability can be divided into two types, which is the internal traceability and external or chain traceability. Internal traceability is the recordkeeping of a product within a particular operation, company or production facility. It relates the data about raw materials and processes to the final product before it is delivered. Many seafood processing companies have effective internal traceability systems as part of their HACCP based quality assurance systems. Internal traceability is aimed at productivity improvement and cost reduction within a production unit such as fish plant. This type of record keeping is already required throughout the seafood industry as it is essential for keeping track of inventory, purchasing and other in house accounting. External traceability refers to traceability the product outside of a business entity, in the entire supply chain. It is between companies and countries and depends on the presence of internal traceability of each entity. Therefore it is a challenge that requires the cooperation of all operators in the supply chain from farm to table. For instances, external traceability allows the tracking of a product and attributes of that product through the successive stages of the distribution chain such as from boat or fish farm to table. One step back and one step forward approach is the simplest model of external traceability. It comprises the capability to track the movement of the product forward through the supply chain to understand where it has gone, what it has gone into and what it has come into contact with. Besides, it enables to trace a product back to understand the custody chain of product, components and ingredients. Under this system, each partner in the supply chain is respons ible to record input and output data but not for information which may be several steps ahead or behind in the supply chain (Can-Trace, 2007). Tracing upstream means looking back along the supply chain towards the harvester or producer steps. Downstream looks forward towards distribution and consumption. External traceability makes use of a set of tools that aids in traceability such as identifiers, carriers (Bar code and RFIDs) and readers. As seafood supply chains become longer and convulated, there is raising demand for external traceability data by both regulators and consumers. Both internal and external traceability system had been used in European Union (EU) and Malaysia. They are used to achieve different purposes or objectives such as for food safety regulatory requirements or to ensure quality and other contractual requirements. Besides a well-developed technological infrastructure, the speed of trace-back and trace-forward (traceability) is influenced by well-functioning and well-organized competent authorities (CAs). Legistlation and the accuracy, efficiency of data exchanges and controls are vital to the functioning of the CAs. The Malaysia food safety system is characterized by its complexity and diversity with different authority entrusted with the task of ensuring food safety at different stages of the food chain such as Ministry Of Health (MOH), Department Of Fisheries (DOF) and Fishery Development Authority Of Malaysia (LKIM). C:[emailprotected] traceability systemexternal and internal.jpg Figure 1: External versus internal traceability. (Source: Petersen and Green, 2007) 3.0 Fishing Scenario in Malaysia: What Causes Malaysia to Change? The introduction of import conditions for seafood and other fishery products by European Union (EU) in year 2002 had been a wakeup call for the Malaysian authorities. In year 2005, the Directorate General of health and Consumers (D.G. Sanco) visited Malaysia after the harmonization of the EU members import condition. Among the main problems identified were (Shahridan and Nagalingam, 2011): No specific legislation was in place to ensure that fishing vessels and landings sites are in line with EU standards, No generic approval of a farm for export, those who wish to export must register with the Animal Health Quarantine Centre of the Department of Fisheries, Laboratories involved in testing were not adequately equipped and staff were not knowledgeable enough, The HACCP programme was not a prerequisite for an establishment to be proposed for the EU export list, and There was a need to implement minimum hygiene standards in processing plants, fishing vessels and landing sites. After the findings, recommendations were made to improve the situation by the next visit in 2008. In year 2008, D.G Sanco found that most of issues from the previous visit have not been addressed and concluded that all official controls put in place by the Malaysian competent authority were not equivalent to the EU requirements for import of live fish and finished products. Therefore, EU contemplated to impose a ban, which would then be gazette into a law which would be harder to reverse. This lead the Malaysian competent authority to immediately impose an unilateral export ban to the EU (Shahridan and Nagalingam, 2011). The impact of unilateral EU export ban caused huge lost to the seafood and fishery products industries and the government. Forty-five processing establishments and one freezer vessel lost their licenses or EU numbers to export to the EU immediately. Processing plants that had their shipment ready for EU and also in process had to appeal for a gestation period to fulfill those orders. The ready stock for the upcoming EU festive seasons had to be reprocessed and repacked for other countries. Half of the processing plants in the country shut down and many lost their jobs overnight (Shahridan and Nagalingam, 2011). Several improvements were implemented to meet the EU requirements. New regulations were enacted (Table 1) and the official controls put in place by the Malaysian competent authorities were reorganized (Figure 2). Details regarding traceability were discussed in detailed in the next subtopic. Table 1: New regulations enacted to improve the food safety regulations. Regulation Content Food Hygiene Regulation 2009 Health certificates need to be issued for all relevant parties involved in finished product heading for the EU. Fisheries Regulations 2009 Fishing vessels and aquaculture farms have to get quality control certification for seafood that would be processed into finished product for the EU. Lembaga Kemajuan Ikan Malaysia Regulations 2010 Hygiene and recognition of fish landing sites approved for raw material heading to the EU. MOH DOF LKIM Central competent authority Directly responsible for public health in this matter. Controls of potable water supply Competent authority directly responsible for animal health matters in this area. Competent authority for issuing the license that allows a company to carry out the activity of import/export of live fish or final product (fishing vessels). MOH DOF LKIM Middlemen/ Transporters Processing plants Sources of imported raw material Water and ice sources Aquaculture farms Fishing vessels Landing sites MOH: Ministry of Health DOF: Department Of Fisheries LKIM: Fishery Development Authority Of Malaysia Figure 2: Reorganization and detailed description of competent authorities framework. (Source: Shahridan and Nagalingam, 2011) Improvements 4.0 Chain Traceability The ability to connect incoming and outgoing goods or one-step backward and one-step forward is a prerequisite for chain traceability to show the relationship between business partners. This requires that the business partners are known to each other and able to cooperate to successfully create traceability graph. This graph is a representation of elements and relationships consisting of knowledge about a traceable unit represented as a directed graph of trace events and relationships to resources, actors and other traceable units (Tracefish, 2009). Before establishing chain traceability, one must decide on what system, method and tracing tool to be used to identify, mark and label his products. It is also necessary to be able to define business partners that are involved in the traceability. The partners should be divided into the following categories which are: suppliers (producers of raw materials, ingredients, finished products and packaging), customers (retailers) and transporters. Types of traceability system and the food supply chain will be further discussed below. 4.1 Paper-based and electronic systems Identification, marking and labelling Paper based system and electronic system are examples of traceability system used throughout the food supply chain. The purpose of both systems is to provide information, recording and linking of the particular food from farm to fork. Most traceability system adopted by companies utilizes the mixture of paper and electronic systems. The key factor in determining the type of traceability system depends on the size of the company. In both European Union (EU) and Malaysian perspectives, there is no definite and singular system to be employed throughout the food supply chain. In EU General Food Law, Article 18 states that the system must simply guarantee a link supplier-product and a link customer-product which allows providing the essential information to the competent authorities upon their request. The same goes for the Malaysia, whereby Regulation 10 in Food Hygiene Regulation 2009 states that a food traceability system shall be provided to be able to identify one step back and one step forward at any specified stage from production to distribution. Although there are differences in approaching traceability and major structural differences between the chains for different types of fish, products and varies among countries, there is also a degree of commonality in information requirements by the respective law and regulations. These information requirements can be categorized as (Tracefish, 2009): Each food business has to collect and record information and make it available to the competent authorities upon request and to other food business operators for the purpose of product withdrawal or recall. Information on the nature of the food and the operations involved is required for particular purposes and must be available to the appropriate authorities. Commercially desirable information on the nature of the food and the operations can be requested by food business for reasons such as, Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP), ethical, environmental, quality assurance records, raw material or product standards and specifications. Paper traceability system is widespread and is the oldest system used throughout the supply chain. Most companies in both EU and Malaysian, who are making small profit and producing limited quantity of products, utilise this system as it is cheap and changes can be easily made. However, its disadvantages are manually intensive, reliant on correct procedural operations, trace-back of information is time consuming and difficult and records are not easily reviewed. A paper traceability system also requires a lot of storage space. Electronic traceability consists of bar code systems and Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) systems. Bar code systems are widely used and are well established in the food industry in both EU and Malaysia. It is inexpensive to implement and use. EAN.UCC system (European Article Number and Uniform Code Council) are the most widely used across EU. The more recent RFID technology uses tags that send identification codes electronically to a receiver when passing through a reading area. RFID identifiers consist of a surface/chip, which can be attached onto or implanted into any surface to provide encoded information of identity. One of the major advantage of RFID is that it is able to scan the whole pallet in seconds while passing through a reader area as many tags can be read simultaneously even when not in-line of sight which is the disadvantage of bar codes. However, RFID is less widely used technology in EU when compared to bar code technology as it is expensive. Thus far, the usage of RFID technology in Malaysia has not been introduced in tracking seafood product. However, RFID technology had been introduced in government-run livestock tracking programme which is funded by the veterinary Department of Malaysias Ministry of Agriculture and Agro-based industries to control disease outbreaks among livestock (RFIDNews, 2009). One major advantage of electronic traceability systems is their ability to handle large amounts of information in a precise manner. Records and reports regarding traceability can be retraced in a short amount of time. Figure 2: Example of bar code (left) and RFID tag (right). In EU, all establishments handling food of animal origin must be approved by the national authority. Establishments here included abattoirs/slaughterhouses, cutting plants, processors etc. All foods produced by the approved establishments must carry an EU identification mark, indicating the approval number. Under Regulation EC 1907/90, identification marks are required for all other products of animal origin except for eggs. This legislation came into force in January 1, 2006 to ensure traceability for products of animal origin. The mark must be in oval shape, legible, indelible and clearly visible for inspection. The first part of the approval number is a two-letter national code (UK for United Kingdom), indicating the country in which the food was produced, followed by a site-specific approval number and ending with the abbreviation (EC) for European Commission (Reily, 2009). This kind of regulation however is not implemented in Malaysia. C:[emailprotected] traceability systemEUeuidentificationmark.jpg Figure 3: EU identification mark comprising country code (UK), establishment code (AZ020), European Commission indication (EC). 4.2 Traceability in fish catching In both EU and in Malaysia, information on vessel name, fishing trip number, time of catch, quantity in haul, batch size, landing area and fishing area are required to be recorded. The method of record keeping could be paper or electronic, depending on individual company. The only difference between EU and Malaysia is that the existence of a central database system for foods in EU (TraceFood) for tracking the movement of products. This allows information to be recorded and registered in each link. In Malaysia, information is managed manually; each organization has their own way of keeping and transferring information. In EU nations, fish are sorted on board according to species and iced in boxes. Each box is labeled with information on fish species, catch, date, vessel name or number and a unique box number, readable as ordinary numbers and in the form of a bar code. The information is registered in a computer onboard the vessel and the data are transmitted via a mobile phone to a computer at the next step in the chain, the collector. This enables the collector to receive all information from the vessel before it enters the harbor. At the collector, each specied of fish is sorted according to size, keeping the fish from each catch date separated to enable fish to be traced according to the same vessel with the same catch date. At the collectors stage, information about the collector name, fish size/weight and a new box number registered at the computer adding this new information to the database (Frederiksen and Gram, 2004). This kind of technology is not implemented in Malaysia due to its high im plementation cost and training cost to the fishermen. Nevertheless, ongoing effort is being conducted by the Malaysian authorities to improve the traceability in both fish catching and aquaculture farms. The introduction of import conditions for seafood and other fishery products by EU in year 2002 was a wakeup call to Malaysian authorities. To enforce traceability in fish catching, all fishermen need to get comply regulations in Fisheries Act 1985 :(i) Fishing license (ii) Fishing vessel permit/license (iii) Permanent marking of ID on fishing vessel. In aquaculture farms, Malaysian Aquaculture Farm Certification Scheme (SPLAM) was introduced which incorporated traceability principles. SPLAM is managed by Department Of Fisheries (DOF) which emphasizes in the implementation of HACCP at source. It is a voluntary scheme to encourage Good Aquaculture Practice to ensure the safety, quality, consistency and competitiveness of the products based on criteria, guidelines and standards determined by DOF. Aquaculture entrepreneurs have to fulfil c ertain requirements and criteria set by the DOF Malaysia, make an application, undergo a review audit and final approval before their farm can be awarded the certificate and logo (Department of Fisheries Malaysia, 2011). 4.3 Traceability in fish processing plant The information generated from the stage of fish being catches on vessel until reaches the end consumer are transmitted from one link to the next unit. In fish processing plant, the raw material received to be processed from its own fishing vessels. The information that may obtain from catching and from production stage are shown in the Table 2. The freshness of fish and fishery products are important along the processing as these products are perishable commodity. It needs to be evaluated frequently. There are several evaluation methods could be chosen from, which included microbiological methods, biochemical and chemical methods, physical methods as well as sensory methods. Table 2: Information registered or generated in fish processing stage. Information from catching Information from production Vessel name Fishing trip number Fishing area Fish species Units per catching day Condition of fish Weight of fish Ratio of ice to fish Other parameters Name of product Origin of raw material Plant number Authorisation number (especially for EU perspective) Product number or code Production date or lot number Best before date Product weight Temperature Quality and processing parameters Sensory evaluation results Microbiological results In Europe, since the European Union (EU) Regulation 178/2002 requires mandatory traceability for all food and feed products in EU countries, there is a comprehensive and complete traceability system implemented in the region. In the fish processing plant, several batches of raw materials may be processed into different finished product in one day. Different batches of raw materials came from different vessels, and graded mechanically. The graded raw materials will be distributed into different containers or tanks according to size. Each container labelled with a grade ID. These graded fishes are ready to be processed, which is also known as in-feed batches. The in-feed batch ID carries the information which able to be tracked back from final product. The information are carried between links of batch number, grade ID and in-feed batch ID, or even final products. The processing manufacturers must also able to identify whom they provide their products to. For Malaysia perspective, the traceability in fish processing plant is adopted from ISO 22005, Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP), Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) and Sanitation Standard Operating Procedures (SSOP). ISO 22005 described a traceability system is influenced by regulations, product characteristics and customer expectations within a feed and food chain. The manufacture company should identify the product or ingredients used, the raw materials suppliers and finished products customers, flows of materials, manufacturing process history and other related information. These information shall be recorded as documentation for traceability data. Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) is aimed to determine whether there is any food safety hazards that are likely to occur on the fish and fishery product processed through the analysis and control of biological, chemical and physical hazards from the raw material, to processing, distribution and consumption of the finished product. At the same time, the hazard analysis is to identify possible preventive steps that may be applied to control those hazards. The general records that required to make included name and location of the processor or importer, date and time of the activity that record reflects, signature or initials of the person performing the operation and identity of the product and its production code. These records should be done at the time that it is observed. All records as well as all plans and procedures required should be available for official review and copying at reasonable time periods, usually 1 year from the processing date for refrigerated p roducts and 2 years for frozen, preserved or shelf-stable products. Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) certification scheme aimed to assist manufactures of food products and food related products to provide assurance to consumers that the products are manufactured in a hygienic manner and the best practices in manufacturing accordingly. GMP is one of the pre-requisite programmes (PRP) required to established prior implementation of HACCP. Records are made along the manufacture process show all the steps required by the defined procedures and instructions were taken to achieve the expected quantity and quality. The documentation may divide into quality manual, operating procedures and support documentation. Support documentation will be the significant element for traceability system. It records how the manufacture company carries out and details of their processing process on materials, procedures, operations and finished products. These records may enable the complete manufacture process of a batch to be traced are retained in a comprehensible and ac cessible form. Meanwhile, Sanitation Standard Operating Procedures (SSOP) emphasize on the sanitation aspect for a fictional seafood company processing a cooked ready-to-eat seafood product. There are several steps in this operating procedure and several records had been made accordingly. Daily Sanitation Control Record is the main document that used in seafood processing monitoring, such as in safety of processing water and ice, condition and cleanliness of food contact surfaces (included utensils, gloves and outer garments), prevention of cross-contamination, protection of food, food-packaging material and food-contact surfaces from adulteration, labelling, storage, employees health and hygiene, toilet facilities as well as pest control. Other documents are included municipal water bill and periodic sanitation record, building plumbing inspection report and periodic sanitation control record. These records will be reviewed and kept on file for two years. 4.4 Traceability during Fish and Seafood Products Transportation and Storage In EU perspective, information needed to be kept during fish transportation and storage includes the name and address of supplier, quantity, batch number and the nature of the supplied fish and seafood products. Other information such as areas and dates of harvesting, location and the date of processing and packaging are also necessary. A more detailed description of the products is recommended such as pre-packed or bulk products, processed or raw fish and seafood products. The conditions of the transportation means should be recorded specifically. This includes the temperature, humidity and the atmosphere of the transport vehicles, length and conditions of handling and also the duration of transportation and storage. The location where the products are stored and the date by which the products should be used are needed to be recorded. Meanwhile, the name and address of the customer (wholesaler or retailer), quantity, batch number and the nature of the fish and seafood products that were delivered to the customer and the date of transaction or delivery should also be recorded. Whereas in Malaysia, basic information such as the name and address of the supplier, quantity and batch number are recorded. Registration and validation of the cold chain maintenance is required. Record keeping of the temperature and time control, GMP records such as the personnel and sanitation is also required. In general, the information recorded in the transportation in Malaysia is similar to the information recorded in EU. 4.5 Traceability in Retailer The record keeping of retailer in EU and Malaysia shares the commonality. The retailer should have the record on the information of the producers name, product name and quantity, pallet number, carriers name, shipment number and also wholesalers name and address. RFID system and bar code can be used upon the arrival of the products and these systems aid in the traceability of the food products. Besides, the temperature and hygiene of storage conditions of the products upon receiving; date and places of arrival should also be recorded. Types of boxes or container used and the weight of the fish and seafood products should also be recorded. In addition, the retailer should have the record on the origin of the products. In general, the commercial documents for these highly perishable products are usually kept for the period of 6 months after the manufactured date or delivery. The legislation of handling and processing of fish and fish products for export to EU are controlled by the Fisheries (Quality Control of Fish for Export to the European Union) Regulations 2009 under Fisheries Act 1985 together Food Export (Issuance of Health Certificate for Export of Fish and Fish Products to the European Union) Regulations 2009 and Food Hygiene Regulations 2009. 4.6 Information available to customers It is important that there is information available about the seafood products sell in the market for consumers. This is to enhance consumer confidence and by confirming the foods that they consume are safe as well as free from any contamination or diseases. Besides, it is also to strengthen the food safety by increase the effectiveness of product recall during the emergency case such as food poisoning. Information on traceability system enables consumers to avoid specific seafood easily due to the allergenicity, food intolerance or even lifestyle choice (ICTSD. 2006). For consumers, traceability system provides a more controllable condition in food chain which meant to deliver a safer and higher quality of food. Thus, traceability system may be an effective system that provides information about the whole process of product, from the production to the distribution among consumers by providing the consumers information of the origin for that particular product and give consumers a gr eater choice in deciding whether to buy or not. Basic information such as species of seafood product, origin of product and suppliers is needed on the package of products as well as Halal certification/ authentication especially in country like Malaysia. With this information, consumers will feel safer in that they will be able to see the detailed information about the origin country and also the farm of the seafood products. Due to the undeveloped and inappropriate management of traceability system, Malaysia is still practicing conventional and manual record keeping. Thus, more detailed information about the product is not available to customers in the market. In developed countries like EU, there are tools to identify the trade and logistics items such as EAN.UCC system. Every item will be given one unique number, and the number will give identity to the products and consists of information concerning the products. Besides, it is capable in providing the locations where the products are assigned and ensure the efficient flow of products. Through the system, information related to the products can be passed from one stage to another until to the end, which is to the consumers. The information available to consumers are such as fish species (Trade/ Latin name), catching area, catching date, production me

Neurocognitive disorder due to traumatic brain injury

Neurocognitive disorder due to traumatic brain injury Mary was an outgoing teenager who had a lot of friends. She succumbed to the peer pressure of her friends urging her to complete a very dangerous task. This task was to jump from a second floor balcony down to the swimming pool. Mary was a skilled swimmer, however she has no defence against such traumatic brain injury. She was placed on life support as a precaution until she tested well enough in her post traumatic brain exam to be taken off of the additional support. Mary seemed to be improving and was soon able to return to school. This return to school was not what the teachers, her parents, or herself expected. She noticed that there has been some changes to her cognitive abilities and as a result, she is exhibiting a behavior that is opposite of how she normally shows herself. Mary was referred to my practice and upon examination of her cognitive and neurological history and abilities, it is being determined that Mary is diagnosed with major or mild neurocognitive disorder due to traumatic brain injury. (American Psychiatric Association, 2013) It would be suggested that Mary be watched closely for depression due to the fact that she is already showing some signs of depression. According to DSM 5, major or mild neurocognitive disorder due to traumatic brain injury presents with the signs and symptoms of the condition. (American Psychiatric Association, 2013) The evidence that Mary shows are that she has had a traumatic brain injury that caused the loss of consciousness and she was disoriented and confused. The DSM 5 says that the neurocognitive disorder has to be present immediately after the injury has occurred or immediately after waking from an unconscious state and has to last past the immediate post injury period. (American Psychiatric Association, 201 3) Mary woke up in the hospital from loss of consciousness and was moaning incoherently and was very restless. It is suspected that this is because she did know where she was or what had happened to her. She began to slowly recover and in three weeks was back in school. The three weeks that she spent at home would take her past the immediate post injury period. It is when she went to school that she showed the signs of being confused and not able to keep up in school like she did before. She stated that she was having trouble concentrating and remembering what the teacher had said so that she could take notes as easily as she did before the injury. People that have suffered from a traumatic brain injury often have signs of emotional disturbances, personality changes, and physical disturbances which were all present when Mary returned home from school. It is said in the DSM 5 that people that have suffered from a traumatic brain injury report more symptoms of depression and can also have overlapping symptoms of PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder). (American Psychiatric Association, 2013) The diagnosis of depression or PTSD is not given to Mary at this time because it is unclear at this time if Mary is having the symptoms of depression because of the stress of returning to school and having the difficulties of that she experienced that day. It would be in the best interest of Mary to note that she has symptoms of depression and PTSD and to continue taking notes on these symptoms for six months before this diagnosis is given to her. Another reason depression is not given to her as a diagnosis at this time and to wait for more substantial evidence is because depression is not a â€Å"feeling† conditions. It is more than Mary not wanting to be as outgoing as she was before, not really wanting to eat, or not wanting to do the things that she enjoy before the injury. These are all signs of depression but not enough to diagnose the depression over a one-time occurrence. Depression is evidenced by changes in the brain structure and function. In the center of the brain is where norepinephrine and serotonin modify the brain. A chemical signal is sent down one nerve cell and passed to another nerve cell across a space called a synapse once the receptors are full. What happens in depression is that when the signal is sent, a lot of the chemical is reabsorbed by the sending cell and recycled by the brain. This is called reuptake, when the signal is sent again, there is a double amount of the chemical that is sent and reuptake occurs again and a lot of the chemical that was releases is thrown away by the brain. If you are not releasing enough of the chemical to fill up the receptors on the receiving nerve, it leaves â€Å"holes† in that nerve and symptoms of depression occur. (University of the West of England, Bristol, 2015) With Mary having a traumatic brain injury and depression being comorbid it makes sense that this could be what i s going on with her because the nerves in her brain would have been damaged causing this cycle which leads to depression. According to the Glasgow Coma Scales, Mary would be considered as having moderate traumatic brain injury. The Glasgow Coma Scale ranks the patient in three different categories, eyes, verbal and motor ability. The scale ranks patients from 3-15 with 3 being the most sever and the worst and 15 being the most mild and the best of scores. (Muriel Deutsch Lezak, Diane B. owieson, Erin D. Bigler, Daniel Tanel, 2012) Mary’s initial level of consciousness was an overall 6 when she originally arrived at the hospital. She was speaking incoherently (GCS rates this as a 2), and she was moving restlessly as if she was in pain (GCS rates this as a 4). Upon waking up, Mary scored an overall 10 on the Glasgow Coma Scale with eye movement scoring 3 (she opened them to sound which would be her best response), verbal score was 1 (she did not speak when tested), and her motor score was 6 (she moved her finger when asked to do so). Based on this score and the fact that she was in the coma for les s than 6 hours gives her a TBI classification of moderate. When she was later examined, Mary had improved quite a bit. Her Coma score was an overall 15 by morning because she could recognize and respond to her parents and she was talking to them. Mary’s pre-morbid level of functioning is assumed to be high based on the fact that she performs within the top of her class and is said to excel academically. Using the Wechsler Test of Adult Reading, Mary would be asked to pronounce 50 irregularly spelled words and scored according to how closely they were correctly pronounced. (Muriel Deutsch Lezak, Diane B. owieson, Erin D. Bigler, Daniel Tanel, 2012). Due to the report of how well she was doing before her injury, using a previous IQ test and No Child Left Behind this test should be able to give an account of the level of functioning that Mary is at currently. There is also other yearly school assessment tests that can be looked at to assess her pre-injury academic ability. The names of these test can vary depending on the State you are in. Using the WAIS-IV to assess Mary, it would show that her reasoning and comprehension skills are not where they were pre-injury. This test is used to assess the verbal and performance ac ademic ability of a person. This test would let it be seen, the exact areas that Mary is falling short. By using tests that would measure Mary’s cognitive speed we would be able to see that the damage to her frontal lobe has caused some deficit in her ability to concentrate because this is where the areas of problem solving, memory, and language is stored. By this part of her brain being damaged during the injury, it makes it more difficult for her to concentrate on what is going on because it takes her longer to process the activity around her, what is being said, and remembering what was said to her. Recommendations would be for Mary to begin cognitive therapy that would help her to regain the most normal function of this part of her brain. Accommodation for Mary would be very sensitive because she held such high esteem as an honor student, we would not want to make her feel any less, however there are some accommodations that need to be done, at least until she regains full cognitive ability. Mary’s educators should allow extra time for her to complete assignments and homework. Mary can carry a voice recorder with her that will record the lectures instead of her writing them that way when she studies, she can listen to the lectures and rewind as needed. While Mary may have some lasting effects of her injury, there is no reason a full cognitive and educational recovery cannot be accomplished. Mary presented at the hospital with a traumatic brain injury three weeks prior to returning to school. She has made great accomplishments and cognitive difficulty was not noticed until she returned to school. Upon my examination of Mary, she has had some great medical accomplishments and the prognosis of her full recovery is possible. There may be some lasting effects like with most people that have had a traumatic brain injury such as increased headaches, seizure activity, and depression but there is no reason to assume that Mary will have to alter her life any way. With cognitive therapy and temporary educational accommodations Mary should return to her pre-injury educational and cognitive levels. References American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Neurocognitive disorders . Retrieved from In Diagnostic and statistical manual of Mental Disorders, fifth edition : http://dsm.psychiatryonline.org.lib.kaplan.edu/doi/full/10.1176/appi.books.9780890425596.dsm17#CIHEIIIC Muriel Deutsch Lezak, Diane B. owieson, Erin D. Bigler, Daniel Tanel. (2012). Neuropsychological Assessment. New York : Oxford University Press, Inc. . University of the West of England, Bristol. (2015). Synapses and Neurotransmission . Retrieved from UWE: http://learntech.uwe.ac.uk/synapsesneuro/default.aspx?pageid=1925

Directing the Actor Playing Macbeth in Act 2 :: Drama

Imagine you are a director. Direct the actor playing Macbeth in Act 2 Scene 2. Shakespeare's Macbeth has been a play out of the ordinary. It was written to upset, and show life at its most cynical and brutal. It is among his darker pieces of work along with Othello, King Lear and Hamlet. It was also written to please the current King of England at the time, King James I. The play is based on real Scottish history, as King Duncan was killed by one of his kinsmen who then became King. It is set within a Scotland in which frequent wars occur. Returning one of theses wars are Macbeth and Banquo - generals of the Scottish army. Lady Macbeth has made a soliloquy, in which she has asked demons to take away her sexuality and have it replaced with evilness. She asked literally to have her 'breast milk replaced with bile'. Having her milk replaced with bile would supposedly give her the ability to do masculine actions. She desires power and starts to mildly bully her lover, Macbeth, and ridicule his masculinity. She talks about a smiling baby and then one with it's brains smashed out she'd prefer this to having a husband unwilling to kill in cold blood. Lady Macbeth challenges Macbeth to prove his masculinity, by aiding her in killing King Duncan, who will soon be a guest at their house. The conspiracy is that they kill the King and smear the blood on his guards, which would make them the prime suspects. Macbeth is next in rank and is likely to become the next King of Scotland. Between them, there is an enormous desire to gain power and become leaders of the country. With this desire and Lady Macbeth's challenge combined, you have the play of Macbeth. Shakespeare has cleverly set the play in certain themes, such as ambition, good vs. evil, disorder and the supernatural. In this scene, Lady Macbeth will rendezvous with Macbeth in the courtyard as he returns from his challenge - the murder. Act 2 Scene 2 is an early climax of the Macbeth play. Anticipation has built whilst the conspiracy has been planned and the audience would be very eager to see what happens, as they have been posing questions in their head which need answering, such as 'Will they get caught?' or 'Will Macbeth become the King of Scotland?' A murder always attracts interest, and a murder of high treason would multiply such interest and excitement. It is highly significant as the infamous murder is committed here (not chronologically - it is not shown in the play).

Of Mice And Men :: essays research papers

Of Mice and Men is one of Steinbeck’s best novels. John Steinbeck, born in Salinas, CA he goes back to that setting for this novel. There are five to six characters that Steinbeck develops and opens up to the reader through the novel. Although George, Lennie, Crooks, Candy, and Curly’s wife all seek a place to belong and someone to love as a cure to there loneliness, all their dreams for a better future are destroyed in the novel. George and Lennie are an unlikely pair of friends who are introduced in the beginning. George is â€Å"small and quick, dark of face, with restless eyes and sharp, strong features.†(2) Lennie contradicts George because he is a â€Å"huge man, shapeless of face, with large pale eyes, with wide sloping shoulders, and he walked heavily.†(2) George is the more dominant of the two because Lennie is slow in the head. George and Lennie are different from the rest of the people in the same occupation because as Lennie said to George, â€Å"because I got you to look after me, and you got me to look after you, and that’s why.†(14) They are also different because as George said, â€Å"We got a future. We got somebody to talk to that gives a damn about us.†(14) They also share a common goal for their future together. They want to be able to live on there own and have a couple of acres so they can plant things and have animals. They are going to â€Å"live off the fatta the lan’.†(14) This single dream makes George and Lennie different from everyone else. Candy is a nice, old, handicapped man on the ranch. He lost his hand four years earlier in a farm machine while working. Candy overheard George and Lennie discussing about a small piece of land they would like to buy. Candy was compensated $250 for the lost of his hand and has a total of $350 he is willing to invest into the place with George and Lennie. Candy wants to get the place soon because he knows they are going to fire him sometime in the near future. When they fire him he will not have anyone or anything at all. Candy says, â€Å"When they can me here I just wisht somebody’d shoot me. But they won’t do nothing like that. I won’t have no place to go.†(60) So, Candy just wants to be needed and to always have a place to work at and George and Lennie are his way to achieve that goal.

Cartesian Compromise

Cartesian Compromise: Bridging Psyche and Soma Fionna Larcom History and Systems of Psychology Cartesian Compromise: Bridging Psyche and Soma Introduction In 1995, Blaine M. Yorgason published the true story of his adopted daughter, Charity. One Tattered Angel captures the Mind/Body Problem, proclaiming the existence of the spirit (mind) and challenging the connection to the body. On August 31, 1988 the Yorgason family was asked whether they would foster a newborn who â€Å"has some health problems. †(Yorgason, 1995, p. 8) Yorgason’s first impression description of Charity is that of a tiny, adorable infant, who was perfect – at least on the outside. The family agreed to take her into their home – following some medical tests ordered by social services. The nature of Charity’s health issue was revealed accidentally by a family friend. When Kathy told her we had a new foster baby, she began waxing eloquent over a tiny baby that had been born at her h ospital a couple of days before. â€Å"She was so cute! † she exclaimed. Even though she didn’t have a brain, she was the most alert baby in the nursery, holding her head up and looking around just like she knew what she was doing. † (Yorgason, 1995, p. 34) Charity had been born without a brain but with an intact brain stem. The autonomic nervous system, used exclusively by newborn babies, is controlled by the brain stem. This was what gave Charity the illusion of normality; an illusion which would shatter in a few short weeks when function control would shift to the two hemispheres of the brain.Philosophical Mind- Body Dualism From the Materialist perspective, a perspective that denies the existence of a psyche, Charity’s physical limitations would suggest no mind, thus no spirit, no personality; Yorgason would disagree. In her seven years of life, Charity defied the medical assertion that she â€Å"has very little potential for development beyond the in fant stage. † (Yorgason, 1995, p. 43).In her own small ways; her music preferences, her joy at taking a bath, and the radiant smile that attracted strangers, Charity echoed Descartes claim that â€Å"I exist† (Descartes, n. d. ). Descartes concluded that his existence â€Å"did not require any place, or depend on any material thing† therefore, his existence (mind and consciousness) existed on a plane outside of his physical body. The Principle of Nonidentity of Discernibles subscribes to the basic principle that â€Å"if two things do not have exactly the same properties, then they are not identical. (Lanhead, 2006, p. 209) While this may seem a reasonable premise, closer analysis finds that adherence to â€Å"this strict definition of identity, [allows that] so-called identical twins are different persons who have some very basic similarities, if nothing else, they differ (or are discernible) because they occupy different portions of space. † (Lanhead, 2 006, p. 209) Psychological Mind-Body Dualism The mind/body problem has evolved and diversified since the time of Descartes.One source of confusion – and ultimately contention between the differing concepts of dualism – is the inability to test nonphysical properties using the scientific principles of the physical world. While Philosophy has the luxury to entertain beliefs not yet supported by science, Psychology is not as flexible. In its quest for scientific validity, the ‘field’ of Psychology is in constant danger of neglecting the unique and unpredictable nature of human behavior.This danger has escalated in recent years as a result of advances in neuroscience and brain functionality but also from the blending of psychiatry and analytical psychology, i. e. psychoanalysis. W. W. Meissner addresses this blending in his 2007 article, Mind, Brain, and Self in Psychoanalysis, adding the psychological perspective to J. B Martin’s The Integration of Neu rology, Psychiatry, and Neuroscience in the 21st Century. Martin comments: â€Å"A conjoined effort of neurologists and psychiatrists s necessary to understand how a disease of the brain results in an illness of the mind. Clinical attempts to categorize diseases as ‘organic’ or ‘functional’ become somewhat arbitrary† (p. 698) analysts can take this to imply that psychoanalytic efforts to envision pathogenic processes as exclusively mental and not simultaneously neurobiological are not only arbitrary but also increasingly obsolete, and this is not merely in areas of research and theory, but in the clinical work with patients as well. Meissner, 2007) Meissner and Martin may believe it arbitrary to source a diagnosis from the scientific perspective, however a clear understanding of whether an issue is based in the body or the mind is invaluable when it comes to treatment, thus the enduring question of dualism. Isomorphism The Corsini Encyclopedia of Psy chology and Behavioral Science asserts that â€Å"there is [a] general agreement that having a body is at least a part of the nature of being human. It is the mind (psyche, soul) – the question of whether such an entity exists, and how to define it – that is the crux of the mind/body problem. (Reuder, 2001, p. 961) The Berlin School of Gestalt Psychology chose not to define the mind, but rather ascertain the physical properties associated with actual somatic experiences compared with the cognitive (thought) experience, for example, the perception of being in motion while not actually in motion. What they found was that the form and structure of the biophysical and electrochemical processes of the brain were identical; the ‘brain’ in the physical sense could not tell the difference. Nonphysical LawThe Mind/Body Problem is puzzling, granted, however from the psychological point view – the non-therapeutic point of view, there is no difference between the mind and the body. The body will react whether the stimulus originates in the physical or nonphysical realm. The challenge comes in the form of true objectivity. It is easy to dismiss that which cannot be explained, it is also easy to believe that physical law is somehow superior or has more validity to its mysterious nonphysical counterpart. For Blaine M. Yorgason, a tattered angel opened his ‘mind’.References Reuder, M. E. (2001). The Mind-Body Problem. In Craighead, W. E. & Nemeroff, C. B. (Eds. ). The Cosini Encyclopedia of Psychology and Behavioral Science (3rd Ed). New York: John Wiley & Sons. Lanhead, W. F. (2006). The Philosophical Journey: An Interactive Approach (3rd Ed). New York: McGraw-Hill Meissner, W. W. (2007). Mind, Brain, and Self in Psychoanalysis: Therapeutic Implications of the Mind-Body Relation. Psychoanalytic Psychology, 2007, Vol. 24, No. 2, 333-354. Yorgason, B. M. (1995) One Tattered Angel. Utah: Gentle Breeze Publications.

Adjusting Accounting Entries Essay

I have been asked by my supervisor to mentor a new accounting clerk in my department, I am hoping that when I’m done mentoring this person that they will understand accounting better. I am also hoping that my supervisor will be proud of me, and continue asking me to mentor new people, and hopefully give me a raise or a promotion. To better understand accounting we need to know why adjusting entries are so important to a business. Adjusting journal entries are made at the end of each closing period to adjust the account balances. Most of the time, this is necessary in order to achieve a clean cut-off at the end of the accounting period, and to ensure the accounts are complete, and accurate. Current account balances may not represent correct balances, because some mistakes were identified in the posting of transactions, and/or the accounting records are not updated to reflect new transactions or amount changes in previous transactions. Examples would include amounts that were posted to the wrong accounts, and timing differences in recognizing revenues and expenses between the accrual and the cash basis of accounting. (Adjusting JE, 2010) Adjusting entries can be either temporary or permanent. If the entry is temporary at some point the adjusting entry will be reversed or another adjusting entry will be made to the account. See more: Is the Importance of being earnest a satirical play essay I will know explain the four types of adjusting entries ,as well as give an example of each entry from the manufacturing industry. Accrued revenues (also called accrued assets) are revenues already earned but not yet paid by the customer or posted to the general ledger. An example of accrued revenue would be for a custom ordered machine that has been shipped FOB shipping point on the day the accounts receivable module is closed and the approval to bill the customer has not been received by the billing clerk. An adjusting entry would be recorded to recognize the revenue in the correct period. This entry will reverse when the customer is appropriately invoiced. * Accrued Revenue 14,000 * Revenue 14,000 Unearned revenues (or deferred revenues) are revenues received in cash and recorded as liabilities prior to being earned. Unearned revenue is a liability to the entity until the revenue is earned. An example of unearned revenue would be if the customer paid a deposit for a custom ordered machine that has not been delivered, the deposit would be recorded as unearned revenue. This type of adjusting entry will be adjusted by another entry. * Revenue 14,000 * Deferred Revenue 14,000 Accrued expenses (also called accrued liabilities) are expenses already incurred but not yet paid or recorded. Examples of these types of adjusting entries could be for payroll that has been earned by employees on the last day of the period but not paid until the next payroll date. These types of entries generally reverse the next month. * Salaries Expense 89,000 * Salaries Payable 89,000 Prepaid expenses (or deferred expenses) are expenses paid in cash and recorded as assets prior to being used. The most common form of an adjusting entry for prepaid expense would be for the used portion of an insurance premium these types of adjusting entries are usually permanent. * Insurance Expense 1,000 * Prepaid Insurance 1,000 Other adjusting entries include depreciation of fixed assets, allowances for bad debts, and inventory adjustments. * Bad Debt Expense 50 * Allowance for Bad debt 50 (Adjusting EN, 2010) It is also wise to know how these entries are recorded in a computerized accounting system, since everything is now done by computers. At the end of each closing period, usually monthly, a thorough analysis of the trial balance is performed. This analysis include performance budget to actual and month to month to ensure all of the accounts are correctly stated. When an adjusting entry is identified, a journal entry input form is prepared. This form should be supported with source documents that justify the entry and reviewed and approved by the appropriate level of accounting management. Once the approval has been obtained, the journal entry is keyed into the general ledger system as either a standard or self-reversing journal entry. The journal entry is than posted to the general ledger. There is also ethical issues that can arise if these entries are not posted correctly, Adjusting journal entries are a good way for management to manipulate financial results by either accruing more revenue or expenses than appropriate, and for fraudsters to hide skimming, which is the misappropriation of cash. It is extremely important to understand that each adjusting journal entry must be fully supported and approved. If you have any questions about what I have explained to you please don’t hesitate to ask me anything, I am here to help you succeed in this business, and in this firm.