The Costs and Benefits of Being a Small Business Owner

The Costs and Benefits of Being a Small Business Owner If establishing your own business occupies your thoughts lately, you have surely started reading through many articles on that. Like with everything in life, this decision has both positive and negative sides.Okay, perhaps those are not the best words to use, but what we are trying to say is that some things will be smoother, while the others will have more obstacles.However, the fact that you are considering being your own boss is surely a great and brave decision. Not everybody is capable of that, nor every person is willing to fight with the windmills.Therefore, do your best to start the whole thing with high aspiration and a thorough, smart plan.Here in our article, we shall try to give an overall insight into all the costs and benefits of being a small business owner. After learning all the aspects involved in this project, so to name it, you will be able to see whether this is the right option for you.BEFORE YOU GET DOWN TO (YOUR OWN) BUSINESSIt is very important to ask yoursel f a few questions which will significantly help you get a better understanding of what being on your own in terms of business means. Like we said, not everybody is capable of running their own venture. There are many reasons for that.Some people haven’t got a clear idea of all the things that go along with this decision, the others lack the strength to be persistent.For that reason, you should make a small questionnaire for yourself, with the idea to help you test yourself prior to making any actual steps.Here are the questions to answer:Are you ready to operate independently?Do you think you are the person who can make all the decisions and shoulder all the huge responsibility?Even though people will instantly and unconsciously answer “Yes!” because they want to start the whole idea in a positive manner, this question is actually a difficult one. There are so many layers beneath the first one that meets the eyes.When you work in a company, you have certain responsibilities wh ich are limited to a few aspects. The final word and important management decisions are up to big bosses. However, being on your own makes you the employer and the employee ate the same time.You become the one in charge of all the approvals and refusals. No one tells you what to do, you are the person responsible for all the failures and successes.This is where you need to be honest with yourself and give the most genuine answer you can. It’s not a shame admitting that you are not ready for such a thing. But if you believe you are, then do your best to show that at its best.There are many sacrifices which go along with starting a small enterprise- are you willing to make them?Are you ready to work really hard?Eight to five, Monday to Friday is something you will have to forget. Without the intention to sound rough, if you want to start your own venture, the start-up phase requires you to be omnipresent. No more vacations and days off, at least until the business is stable and big enough you can put someone in charge while you are away.This means you will have to be the manager, worker, bookkeeper and all the other roles required. For one who is serious about establishing his/her own venture, limiting to certain working hours could be considered immature in terms of business. But not only immature, but you will actually see that it is impossible.This is the point particularly important to those with family. If you think you can make a good balance between this, then you are indeed a step closer to becoming your own boss.The best way to make the family life suffer less is to involve the members in the business. That will bring you closer together. Moreover, splitting the duties is certainly of great help.The path to success of a new enterprise requires self-discipline and self-confidence- have you got them?No matter how good and thorough a plan is, still very few new ventures manage to become successful overnight. It’s a complex procedure, which sometimes re quires a few months, but it can take up to a year or maybe two.So, what you need to have is lots of patience, be disciplined and trust in yourself. Expect failures and setbacks, they are an integral and expected part of every new enterprise. Let them motivate you to be better, to work harder and think positive thoughts.This sounds so idealistic and simple, but in reality, people get easily discouraged. Everybody is happy when they feel the success, but dealing with less positive sides of being a newbie is the harder part.ARE YOU READY?These are the most common but questions of vital importance for all those who are interested in starting their own business. When answering them, be honest, because it’s all about you after all.Think of establishing a venture as a marriage. It’s a full-time commitment which requires a strong desire and constant work to keep in in a good shape. Expect lots of ups and downs, be prepared for numerous surprises, but keep on fighting. That’s how the p rocedure looks like.If the answer to the questions above is positive, then congrats! You have the necessary characteristic of an entrepreneur and you are ready to make your business idea come true. Let the burning desire and strong will be your motivators, and your dreams will be transformed into reality.Overnight success is not a rule, it’s an exception, and with that, on your kind, the whole time, strive to be better and better as the days go by.Without further ado, we shall now list all the costs and benefits of being a small business owner. THE PERKS OF ESTABLISHING A SMALL BUSINESS1. IndependenceBelieve it or not, this one is at the top of the list of reason why people get motivated to start running their own business. As the years go by, people get tired of other people bossing over them. During a longer period of time, and if the bosses are some too unfair, this really turns into a nasty headache, and becomes a motivation killer.Making independent decisions gives great free dom. You control the destiny on your own, and that’s what becomes the main inspiration and a thing that pushes you forward from day to day.For the majority of people who are serious about establishing their own business, this freedom and independence outweigh all the potential risks, making one stronger and more eager to strive for better and bigger things.2. ControlGoing hand in hand with the previous perk, it makes you the one involved in all aspects of a business. You are the one who is in the beginning, middle and at the end of every process. When you have a vision, and you go step by step fulfilling all the phases from the initial to the final one, you are allowed to feel powerful.This provides a great amount of satisfaction as you are the one who controls everything. It is very important to note the difference between this type of control and the one that bossy bosses like to have over their employees. Here you control your own idea, not other people, which makes the whole t hing fair.You get to decide when is the right moment to push harder and when you can allow yourself a bit slower tempo. Be driven by passion and creativity, and that will have a positive reflection on the overall project.3. PrestigeThe third positive side that logically follows these two above-mentioned is the prestige. That feeling of satisfaction when you can say “I did it!” is indeed incomparably fantastic. It gives you lots of pride, which is also a strong motivating factor for those who are in the initial phase of starting up a business on their own.Of course, don’t let this stray your way in some daydreaming. The feeling of being successful is an easy one to deal with, but knowing what to do when a failure (or more of them) occur is a bigger virtue. That’s where the prestige shows its true face.Being able to say “I did it!” even if a decision turns to be the wrong one is what makes you a truly mature businessman. The faults are there to make us become better, after all.4. OpportunitiesThis is a factor which has multiple layers. To start with some benefits you as an individual have, you are the one who creates chances and opens the door for new ideas and people. The first phase is a self-contribution, to you as a person and your fresh business.If it turns to be a successful one, it expands and becomes an opportunity to boost the local economy. What comes after is an idea powerful and innovative enough to contribute to society.So, be brave to try things out. A trial results in two outcomes- success and failure. You cannot be sure which of these two will happen until you try. That’s what opportunities are for.5. Financial GainJust to make one thing clear, it’s not like you will become a billionaire overnight. As a matter of fact, in the initial phase, you should be happy if no major financial losses occur. Maintaining the balance is what matters a lot when you are establishing your own business.However, being your own boss, certainly offers a bigger possibility to be significantly awarded in terms of financial achievements. There are no income restraints such as those which exist when you work for someone. All that money that comes as a result of your decisions and investments is entirely yours.Once you discover what is the best way to boost the business and make more profit, invest all the strength into turning that into reality.6. Close Relationship This benefit is the one that stands out compared to a large business.Some people enjoy the close and friendly relationships which their business partners. That way they feel more relaxed to express the ideas and thoughts and cooperate with other people.Digital communication makes this even easier and available. Moreover, it makes easier for a newbie to reach a greater number of customers and consumers.However, be careful as this can act as a double-edged sword. Some people are simply unable to make the difference between professional and private relationship and establish the safe limits. Don’t let the closeness work against you.Try to find the balance where you will be able to maintain a friendly approach with associates, but don’t become overly familiar and unnecessary unofficial.7. EquityRunning a small business gives an individual a chance to build equity. It’s a multi-beneficial thing because it can serve for several purposes. You can keep it, sell or pass it on to the next generation.Once a person manages to run a successful business on his/her own, it’s not so uncommon that after a while one decides to sell it and give a chance to the next venture. Having a business on your own opens multiple possibilities, and whichever you decide to try out, all the financial benefits remain exclusively yours.8. Vision Becomes RealityEntrepreneurship is a great chance for a person to turn their dreams and visions into reality, make them visible. It’s a sort of daily reminder that one is living his/her dreams.Of course, this has no intention to sou nd like a fairy-tale, far from that. But the fact is that when one manages to establish a business on his/her own, one is actually living the ideas.You should use this as a strong motivation and encouragement. There’s no better way to push the limits and explore than with prosperous and creative ideas. This brings personal growth, and if the idea is big enough, it expands to a wider field.9. Gaining New Experience and Expanding KnowledgeOnce you become a boss on your own, you are the one who is in charge of every aspect of the business, at least in the beginning.This means that you will have to learn a lot because there will be many new things that follow the development of your new enterprise.Moreover, it will boost your communicational and decision-making skills.The new experience gives you better insight into things you didn’t have to worry about when you were just an employee. This is the moment when you begin to understand time-costs of money, and therefore you learn to app reciate and manage them better.The previous experience as an employee gave you the chance to see one side of the medal, whereas being a self-employed brings new insights.10. The Identity of Higher ValueNo matter how fantastic a job title may be, still people will somehow look you with a bigger dose of respect when you say that you are an entrepreneur. People get interested in your project and are willing to share various stories from their own “battle”, particularly if they are also business owners.When one is identified as an entrepreneur, many doors open and professional horizons significantly expand. The more your business develops, the more chances appear, and that certainly provides your identity with a constant upgrade.11. FlexibilityLike we mentioned earlier in our small questionnaire when one decides to become an entrepreneur, it affects private and family life a lot.On the other hand, it’s not always necessarily in a negative way. Having the freedom to arrange tasks o n your own gives you numerous chances to adjust things consciously.This means you get to choose the moment to scale down or scale back your business if the occasion requires you to do so. Sometimes you will have to make some important personal decisions which are not related to business.That’s the moment to put the business “on hold” until you finish what you have to, and then carry on where you paused.The ideal level of functionality would be the one where a person gets to grow with his/her business, and business gets to grow with one’s personal life.THE LESS POSITIVE SIDE OF BEING A SMALL BUSINESS OWNERRiskThis seems to be among the greatest fears for a person establishing a business. No matter how thorough and devoted you manage to plan something, still, you cannot eliminate risk totally. There’s no button to turn the option off. And the risk can come from multiple sources.Sometimes a person leaves a secure job to give the chance to the independent entrepreneurship, and he/she fails. This can be really hard to overcome, but it’s not the end of the world.The best way to minimize them is to try to list all the potential risky situations you can think of. That way at least you be prepared to react fast and on time, knowing what to expect. There’s always a way to fight the monster called risk, but it requires lots of strength.UncertaintyWhat goes hand in hand with the above-described monster is this shadowy and gloomy place called uncertainty. In some ideal world, the best would be if we could predict everything, particularly when establishing a new business. Unfortunately, we cannot.On the other hand, comprehensive planning may be of help, as you will at least make a list of things that are hard to calculate in advance. Like with the previous one, you cannot make it disappear, but you can learn how to react.Time CommitmentThe fact that one is a boss, manager, worker, bookkeeper, and whatnot at the same time is really a time-consuming occasion. Th is means working 24/7 with no day off, no vacation. People with families can have lots of doubts about whether a business on their own is the right choice since it affects a private life a lot.However, do know that it doesn’t last forever. It’s only a phase, the initial one, and it is so expected that it’s the most demanding one. Every second you invest in the beginning pays off a lot later, so let that positive aspect be your motivation to push forward.Financial commitmentNo matter how small a business is, still you need to have an initial capital to make it run. People usually use retirement funds or personal savings for this purpose, which directly impacts family finances. This is a tough decision to make, not everybody has the guts to do so.The best would be to make a financial balance. Leave some money aside, for family purposes, and let it remain untouched. The other half of it you can use for business purposes. If it fails, you won’t end up with no money in your savin gs. In case of success, the money you earn will be the one to invest further. WHY DO SOME PEOPLE FAIL TO START THEIR OWN BUSINESS?As you can see, the benefits definitely outnumber the disadvantages. We really did our best to list as many aspects as possible, so that you could make the decision easier. Knowing all the good and bad aspects certainly help in the planning phase.However, even though people are aware of all these aspects, some of them succeed, while the others fail. How’s that? What is it that some people manage to deal with and make success, and the others cannot?It gets better and easier with the time, but the initial phase is without any doubts the most difficult one. Whoever manages to survive this level with no major losses will turn the odds in his/her own favor.On the other hand, mistakes help us learn some valuable lessons what not to do in the future and how not to behave. Here are some of the most common reasons some projects deemed to be a failure:Not Enough PlanningWe mentioned making plans several times as a factor of vital importance. Not just any plan, but a thorough one, as fulfilled with details as possible. Without it, you cannot expect to make a success. How can you be sure where would you like to get, if you haven’t set a clear goal?Lack of Outsourcing and DelegationIn the beginning, one has to be on his/her own, but as time goes by, it’s quite normal to assign some tasks and duties to some other people. Don’t be afraid of that, otherwise, you will be eaten by your own business.A Fear to Adjust, Change and Develop Even though you have all the aspects well-planned, still the objective situation is not something you can always predict. Therefore, you will have to find a way to make your plan work, even if the conditions are completely different from the ones you expected. You need to learn to adapt. People who don’t are left behind, with no success. Think forward, don’t be afraid to be innovative.Disbalance Between the Functional Campaign and Invested MoneyIn order to bring ideas to life quickly, people invest in various online campaigns and advertisements.By this, we mean both time and money. But, sometimes a simple word of mouth brings more new consumers than a fancy, expensive campaign. If you can evaluate this, and find an adequate measure, you will be a step away from failing and a step closer to success.Unaware of Cash FlowYou must literally track every single coin if you want to have a clear picture of your incomes and outgoings.No one says that this will bring you a fortune overnight, but losing track of the cash flow certainly makes your small business vulnerable. In the beginning, it’s all your duty, but as the business grows, you will be able to afford a professional to monitor the finances.Wrong Questions, Wrong PeopleYou must, at the same time, know what you know, and know what you don’t know.Sounds like a brain wrench, but as soon as you make these two aspects clear, you will be able to define a very important thing. You will know what are the questions you have to ask, and who are the people who can give you the answers.Don’t waste time on the wrong people and wrong answer, because that leads to failure.FINAL THOUGHTSEven though starting a business has several disadvantages, positive sides are the ones that motivate people to try their luck. No one says that it’s an easy journey, but it’s definitely worth a shot.We have listed all the costs and benefits of being a small business owner, yours is to go through them patiently. Be honest to yourself, because only that way you increase the chances to succeed.We wish you lots of luck and courage in your new personal (ad)venture!

The Presentation of Self in Everyday Life by Erving Goffman

Dramaturgical Perspective In his book, The Presentation of Self in Everyday Life, Goffman (1959) focuses on the self as a staged production in which people actively present themselves to different audiences one encounters. To bolster his conceptualization, Goffman used an interesting metaphor of â€Å"all the world’s a stage† (1959, 254). This, he terms as a â€Å"dramaturgical approach† (Goffman 1959, 240) in which an actor puts on a show for others; drawing analogies between human behaviors and the theater. Goffman (1959) likens the individual to an actor on stage performing for and with other individuals involved in the situation. Three types of space exist for the actor to perform on, to enact the self, and to interact with others: the front stage, the backstage, the outer region. Goffman (1959) utilizes specific dramaturgical terms such as performance, teams, front and back regions, sign-vehicles, and highlights the process of dramatic realization. These terms will be discussed in th e following sections. Performance. The interactions are viewed as a performance, constantly being shaped by the environment and audience, with the objective of providing others with impressions that are consonant with the desired goals of the actor. Specifically Goffman states as â€Å"all the activity of an individual which occurs during a period marked by his continuous presence before a particular set of observers and which has some influence on the observers† (1959, 32). Goffman (1959) uses theShow MoreRelatedThe Presentation of Self in Everyday Life by Erving Goffman1040 Words   |  5 Pages Erving Goffman (1922-1983) was born in Manville, Alberta, Canada. In 1953, he received his Ph.D. in sociology from the University of Chicago. Goffman was also a professor of sociology at the University of California at Berkeley, and the Benjamin Franklin Professor of Anthropology and Sociology at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia. Before his death in 1983, he received the MacIver Award (1961), the In Medias Res Award (1978), and was a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and SciencesRead MoreThe Presentation Of Self And Everyday Life By Erving Goffman1742 Words   |  7 Pagesothers to see them. In the book, The Presentation of Self in Everyday Life, Erving Goffman writes in detail how individuals make use of different techniques to set their own stage and portray traits and interests of who they are or who they want to be. One such way of portraying ourselves to others is using impression management to control the impressions we give to others and how others see the impressions we give off. These can be found on what is considered by Goffman to be the front stage, a placeRead MoreThe Presentation Of Self In Everyday Life By Erving Goffman Analysis1640 Words   |  7 PagesIn Erving Goffman’s book, The Presentation of Self in Everyday Life, he bases his literature and knowledge off of dramatological theories. According to Goffman, an individual appearing before others is a performer appearing before his or her audience. These performers have many motives to put on an act enabling the possibility to control their impressions given off in their performance. He then furthers his belief within a given setting, there is no true self. On the contrary to Goffman’s work, JuliaRead MoreEssay on Presentation of Self710 Words   |  3 PagesWriting Assignment 3 DSSAE100J December 3, 2010 The Presentation of Self in Everyday Life â€Å"When an individual enters the presence of others, they commonly seek to acquire†¨information about him or to bring into play information about him already possessed. They†¨will be interested in his general socio-economic status, his conception of self, his attitude†¨towards them, his competence, his trustworthiness, etc. Although some of this information is†¨sought as an end in itself, there are usually quiteRead MoreIdentity Management, Concepts, And Definitions1734 Words   |  7 Pagesfacing or presenting self, in which one manipulates their perceived image for others to discern. The concept of identity management can also effect other arenas such as professional communication in the work place and school. Similarly its effects can be perceived in the larger stage of public relations for important persons and celebrities. Identity management theory was developed on the works of Erving Goffman. It is understood that the identity management theory me ntions Goffman s contributionsRead MoreSocial Interaction: Goffman and the Social Experiment779 Words   |  4 PagesSocial Interaction: Goffman and the Social Experiment In â€Å"The Presentation of Self in Everyday Life†, Erving Goffman expresses his views on social interaction, analyzing many different key aspects that formulate an individual’s role and manner throughout the act of expressing himself in the presence of others. Goffman compares the difference between â€Å"the expression that he gives, and the expression that he gives off†, explaining that these two concepts involve significantly differing actions, butRead MoreEssay on Presentation of Self Claim522 Words   |  3 PagesErving Goffman’s Presentation of Self Claim Erving Goffman was a sociologist who studied and analyzed social interaction. He took special interest in explaining how people live their lives as if they were actors performing on stage. 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In 1943 and 1944 Goffman worked at theRead MoreSocial Order (Foucault and Goffman)1463 Words   |  6 PagesThis essay will examine two views on social order, applied to social sciences, and embodied in everyday life. It will compare and contrast a Canadian sociologist, Erving Goffman, and a French philosopher, Michel Foucault. Through an analysis of these two figures, the text will present different ways of looking at social ordering and individuals place in a human society. Firstly, it will be shown how Goffman and Foucault approach the subject of social order, finding patterns of behaviour in micro andRead MoreEssay on Dramaturgical Analysis1185 Words   |  5 Pagesand all the men and women merely players.† William Shakespeare may have written these words in As You Like It in 1600, but Erving Goffman truly defined the phrase with his dramaturgical theory. Dramaturgical analysis is the study of social interaction in terms of theatrical performance. Unlike actors though , who use a script telling them how to behave in every scene, real life human interactions change depending upon the social situation they are in. We may have an idea of how we want to be perceived

Tom Sawyer Little Rascal And Proper Southern Gentleman

Tom Sawyer: Little Rascal and Proper Southern Gentleman In The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Tom Sawyer appears in St Petersburg and at the Phelps’ farm as Huck Finn’s companion. Though Tom serves as Huck’s partner-in-crime of sorts, the two boys contrast in crucial perceptual and behavioral aspects: where Tom possesses a love for romanticism and a strict policy of adherence to societal conventions and codes, Huck possesses a skeptical sort of personality in which he tends to perceive society’s infatuations as frivolous. Tom’s presence represents an overlying trend in behavior for Mark Twain’s era wherein individuals adhere to an idealistic social code that justifies the subjugation of others for the entertainment of the privileged populus. In this regionalist critical novel, Mark Twain uses Tom Sawyer as a vehicle to reveal the dangers of an idealistic society and how idealism leads to society rationalizing its day-to-day standards; there by, its idealism serves to hide the questionable moral behaviors prevalent in Twain’s era. TOM’S WORLD In society, individuals follow a core set of ethical codes which justify certain behaviors and vilify others. Twain uses Tom’s play world as a parallel to the adult moral code of his era. Tom possesses an infatuation with adventure stories and the common traits that comprise each; his infatuation turns the principles of his books into a code of standards to which he staunchly adheres. He parallels the concept of Southern honor, the

Bus401 Mini Case Chapter 9 Free Essays

Percentage of future financing Type of financing Bonds (8%, $1,000 par, 16- year maturity38% Preferred stock (5,000 shares outstanding $50 par, $1. 50 dividend15% Common equity47% Total100% A. Market prices are $1,035 for bonds, $19 for preferred stock, and $35 for common stock. We will write a custom essay sample on Bus401 Mini Case Chapter 9 or any similar topic only for you Order Now There will be sufficient internal common equity funding (i. e. , retained earnings) available such that the firm does not plan to issue new common stock. Calculate the firm’s weighted average cost of capital. BondsPreferred stockCommon Stock 1035-15% (155. 25) = 879. 75 1. 50/(19-2. 01) 16. 99 = 8. 83% 2. 65/35 + . 06 = 13. 57% 9. 9% 9. 49% (1-. 34) = 6. 26% WeightsAfter tax captialProduct Bond 0. 38X6. 26%=2. 3788 Preferred Stock0. 15X8. 83%=1. 3245 Common Stock0. 47X13. 57%=6. 3779 10. 08% B. In part a we assumed that Nealon would have sufficient retained earnings such that it would not need to sell additional common stock to finance its new investments. Consider the situation now when Nealon’s retained earnings anticipated for the coming year are expected to fall short of the equity requirement of 47% of new capital raised. Consequently, the firm foresees the possibility that new common shares will have to be issued. To facilitate the sale of shares, Nealon’s investment banker has advised management that they should expect a price discount of approximately 7%, or $2. 45 per share. Under these terms, the new shares should provide net proceeds of about $32. 55. What is Nealon’s cost of equity capital when new shares are sold, and what is the weighted average cost of the added funds involved in the issuance of new shares? Common Stock 2. 65/32. 55 + . 06 = 14. 14% WeightsAfter tax captialProduct Bond 0. 38X6. 26%=2. 3788 Preferred Stock0. 15X8. 83%=1. 3245 Common Stock0. 47X14. 14%=6. 6458 10. 35% How to cite Bus401 Mini Case Chapter 9, Papers

Role of Theory in Social Science Research for Development

Question: Write about theRole of Theory in Social Science Research for Development. Answer: My introduction to the world of social science shaped my understanding about the society through a critical perspective. This critical perspective was developed over the course of the study of the subject especially after I learnt to contextualize the individual events taking place in the society within the broader socio-political context. In this regard, understanding the relationship between theory, methodology and research design facilitated my insight about the pathbreaking work of different social scientists (George and Bennett 2015). In the social science research, there are main stages that lead to the collection of data. The first stage is the stage of theory that is followed by methodology that is once again followed by research design. In my understanding, theory is a set of testable propositions that have emerged through empirical data. In social science research, there are mainly two types of methodology-Quantitative and Qualitative. Quantitative methodology is influenced by the epistemology of positivism and emphasizes on objectivity and detachment in the pursuit of research. On the other hand, Qualitative methodology is informed by the interpretivists methodology and emphasizes on subjectivity and understanding the social action of the social actor. Researchers who swear by the positivist philosophy begin their research with a hypothesis about the research problem (Berg 2014). This is followed by the beginning of fieldwork through either the survey method or the structured interview schedule. After the completion of the research the theory used by the researcher may or may not stand true. Therefore, this is known as the deductive approach. On the other hand, interpretivist epistemology involves beginning with a basic research question and then going to the field. After the collection of data and collation of the findings, it can be found that a theory emerges through the fieldwork. This is known as the inductive theory and it is widely known as th e inductive approach. The importance of theory lies in its ability to explain a phenomenon that would otherwise posit as puzzling for the researcher. In other words, theories provide coherence to understand a social event. For example, the deviant attitude of a child and his unmanageable behaviour can be understood through Sorin and Galloways constructions of different kinds of children based on the context. Apart from providing explanations, theories have the potential to provide predictions. In this regard, Durkheims sociological theory of suicide becomes a lens to examine the role of instability and breakdown of the social machinery in contributing to suicide of a person. Similarly, Durkheim linked the rate of suicide with the degree of ones attachment with the community. This brings m to the third aspect of a theory that it comprises two or more variables where one variable is a dependant variable and another one is an independent variable (Wodak and Meyer 2009). One important aspect that I learnt abo ut theories is that it is not necessarily generalisible to a larger demographic region and is limited to a specific socio-political context. Another important aspect of theory that I have realized that in case of research, theory provides direction about the way the research is to be conducted by presenting a framework to begin and pursue the research. References Berg, B.L., 2014. Methods for the social sciences.Qualitative Research Methods for the Social Sciences. Boston: Pearson Education. George, A.L. and Bennett, A., 2015.Case studies and theory development in the social sciences. mit Press. Wodak, R. and Meyer, M. eds., 2009.Methods for critical discourse analysis. Sage.

Barley (Hordeum vulgare) - The History of Domestication

Barley (Hordeum vulgare) - The History of Domestication Barley (Hordeum vulgare ssp. vulgare) was one of the first and earliest crops domesticated by humans. Currently, archaeological and genetic evidence indicates barley is a mosaic crop, developed from several populations in at least five regions: Mesopotamia, the northern and southern Levant, the Syrian desert and, 1,500-3,000 kilometers (900-1,800 miles) to the east, in the vast Tibetan Plateau. The first was long though to be that of southwest Asia during the Pre-Pottery Neolithic A about 10,500 calendar years ago: but the mosaic status of barley has thrown a wrench into our understanding of this process. In the Fertile Crescent, barley is considered one of the classic eight founder crops. A Single Wild Progenitor Species The wild progenitor of all of the barleys is thought to be Hordeum spontaneum (L.), a winter-germinating species which is native to a very wide region of Eurasia, from the Tigris and Euphrates river system in Iraq to the western reaches of the Yangtze River in China. Based on evidence from Upper Paleolithic sites such as Ohalo II in Israel, wild barley was harvested for at least 10,000 years before it was domesticated. Today, barley is the fourth most important crop in the world after wheat, rice and maize. Barley as a whole is well-adapted to marginal and stress-prone environments, and a more reliable plant than wheat or rice in regions which are colder or higher in altitude. The Hulled and the Naked Wild barley has several characteristics useful to a wild plant that arent so useful to humans. There is a brittle rachis (the part that holds the seed to the plant) that breaks when the seeds are ripe, scattering them to the winds; and the seeds are arranged on the spike in a sparsely seeded two rows. The wild barley always has a tough hull protecting its seed; the hull-less form (called naked barley) is only found on domestic varieties. The domestic form has a non-brittle rachis and more seeds, arranged in  a six-rowed spike. Both hulled and naked seed forms are found in domesticated barley: during the Neolithic period, both forms were grown, but in the Near East, naked barley cultivation declined beginning in the Chalcolithic/Bronze Ages about 5000 years ago. Naked barleys, while easier to harvest and process, are more susceptible to insect attack and parasitic disease. Hulled barleys have higher yields; so within the Near East anyway, keeping the hull was a selected-for trait. Today hulled barleys dominate in the west, and naked barleys in the east. Because of the ease of processing, the naked form is used primarily as a whole-grain human food source. The hulled variety is used mainly for animal feed and the production of malt for brewing. In Europe, the production of barley beer dates at least as long ago as 600 B.C. Barley and DNA A recent (Jones and colleagues 2012) phylogeographic analysis of barley in the northern fringes of Europe and in the Alpine region found that cold adaptive gene mutations were identifiable in modern barley landraces. The adaptations included one type that was non-responsive to day length (that is, the flowering was not delayed until the plant got a certain number of hours of sunlight during the day): and that form is found in northeast Europe and high altitude locations. Alternatively, landraces in the Mediterranean region were predominantly responsive to day length. In central Europe, however, day length is not a trait which (apparently) had been selected for. Jones and colleagues were unwilling to rule out the actions of possible bottlenecks, but suggested that temporary climate changes might have affected the selection of traits for various regions, delaying the spread of barley or speeding it, depending on the adaptability of the crop to the region. How Many Domestication Events!? Evidence exists for at least five different loci of domestication: at least three locations in the Fertile Crescent, one in the Syrian desert and one in the Tibetan Plateau. Jones et al. 2013 report additional evidence that in the region of the Fertile Crescent, there may have been up to four different domestication events of Asian wild barley. The differences within groups A-D are based on the presence of alleles which are differently adapted to day length; and the adaptive ability of barley to grow in a wide variety of locations. It could be that the combination of barley types from different regions created increased drought resistance and other beneficial attributes. The DNA analysis reported in 2015 (Poets et al.) identified a genome segment from the Syrian desert variety in Asian and Fertile Crescent barleys; and a segment in northern Mesopotamia in Western and Asian barleys. We do not know, says Allaby in an accompanying essay, how our ancestors produced such genetically diverse crops: but the study should kick off an interesting period towards a better understanding domestication processes in general. Evidence for barley beer making as early as Yangshao Neolithic (ca 5000 years ago) in China was reported in 2016; it seems most likely to have been from the Tibetan Plateau, but that has yet to be determined.   Sites Greece: Dikili TashIsrael: Ohalo IIIran: Ali Kosh, Chogha GolanIraq: JarmoJordan: Ain GhazalCyprus: Klimonas, Kissonerga-MylouthkiaPakistan: MehrgarhPalestine: JerichoSwitzerland: Arbon Bleiche 3Syria: Abu HureyraTurkey: Çatalhà ¶yà ¼kTurkmenistan: Jeitun Sources This article is a part of the About.com guide to the Plant Domestication, and the Dictionary of Archaeology.Allaby RG. 2015. Barley domestication: the end of a central dogma? Genome Biology 16(1):176.Badr A, Muller K, Schafer-Pregl R, El Rabey H, Effgen S, Ibrahim HH, Pozzi C, Rohde W, and Salamini F. 2000. On the origin and domestication history of Barley (Hordeum vulgare). Molecular Biology and Evolution 17(4):499-510.Dai F, Chen Z-H, Wang X, Li Z, Jin G, Wu D, Cai S, Wang N, Wu F, Nevo E et al. 2014. Transcriptome profiling reveals mosaic genomic origins of modern cultivated barley. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 111(37):13403-13408.Jones G, Charles MP, Jones MK, Colledge S, Leigh FJ, Lister DA, Smith LMJ, Powell W, Brown TA, and Jones HL. 2013. DNA evidence for multiple introductions of barley into Europe following dispersed domestications in Western Asia. Antiquity 87(337):701-713.Jones G, Jones H, Charles MP, Jones MK, Colledge S, Leigh FJ, Lister DA, Smith LMJ , Powell W, and Brown TA. 2012. Phylogeographic analysis of barley DNA as evidence for the spread of Neolithic agriculture through Europe. Journal of Archaeological Science 39(10):3230-3238. Komatsuda T, Pourkheirandish M, He C, Azhaguvel P, Kanamori H, Perovic D, Stein N, Graner A, Wicker T, Tagiri A et al. 2007. Six-rowed barley originated from a mutation in a homeodomain-leucine zipper I-class homeobox gene. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 104(4):1424-1429. doi:10.1073/pnas.0608580104Lister DL, and Jones MK. 2013. Is naked barley an eastern or a western crop? The combined evidence of archaeobotany and genetics. Vegetation History and Archaeobotany 22(5):439-446. doi: 10.1007/s00334-012-0376-9Morrell PL, and Clegg MT. 2007. Genetic evidence for a second domestication of barley (Hordeum vulgare) east of the Fertile Crescent. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 104:3289-3294.Poets AM, Fang Z, Clegg MT, and Morrell PL. 2015. Barley landraces are characterized by geographically heterogeneous genomic origins. Genome Biology 16(1):1-11.Riehl S, Zeidi M, and Conard NJ. 2013. Emergence of agriculture in the foothills of the Zagros mountains of Iran. Science 341:65-67. Riehl S, Pustovoytov K, Weippert H, Klett S, and Hole F. 2014. Drought stress variability in ancient Near Eastern agricultural systems evidenced by delta13C in barley grain. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 111(34):12348-12353.Wang J, Liu L, Ball T, Yu L, Li Y, and Xing F. 2016. Revealing a 4,000-y-old beer recipe in China. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences Early Edition.Zhao Z. 2011. New Archaeobotanic Data for the Study of the Origins of Agriculture in China. Current Anthropology 52(S4):S295-S306.

Capstone Project Essay Example

Capstone Project Essay Example Capstone Project Paper Capstone Project Paper Essay Topic: In the Waiting Room Indirect Clinical Project: Quality Improvement Abstract Healthcare has become a consumer driven industry with patient satisfaction equating to good customer service. Effective communication has been shown to be a key factor in both patient outcomes and satisfaction. Additionally, patient satisfaction has become a tool used by insurers to evaluate medical facilities and may impact reimbursement to hospitals for patient care. In this paper, I will discuss the issue of ineffective communication in the waiting area of the surgical services department at Mount Carmel East Hospital. The impact of ineffective communication effects patients and members of the perioperative team. Results of patient surveys consistently showed a decrease in overall patient satisfaction with areas of communication scoring the lowest across the continuum. Substandard scores necessitated a further look at the process of communication and a root cause analysis was used to evaluate the scope of the issue. The current communication process was then observed and compared to best practice models. A summary of this data, included in this report, was used to develop possible solutions to improve communication as part of a continuing quality improvement process. The impact of quality improvement is instrumental in overall patient satisfaction and customer service. Indirect Clinical Project: Quality Improvement The purpose of the Indirect Clinical Project (ICP) is to provide an opportunity for students working toward a Bachelors of Science in Nursing (BSN) to use critical thinking and problem solving skills to explore an issue related to their professional interest. BSN students were asked to work with Masters of Science in Nursing (MSN) preceptor in a professional role for this project. My ICP is designed to address the issue of ineffective communication in the waiting are of the surgical services department at Mount Carmel East Hospital. I choose this particular problem as it related to my current area of practice in the post anesthesia care unit. The problem of ineffective communication in the surgery waiting room  has been a longstanding issue. This is evidenced by substandard patient survey scores in areas related to communication and overall satisfaction with the surgical waiting area. In this paper, I will establish the framework for the problem of ineffective communication and how this translates into the quality improvement process. For this project a root cause analysis was done and the results were then used to develop a process improvement plan. A comparison was made between current practice and best practice related to perioperative communication. As the problem was analyzed and areas in need of improvement recognized, the process improvement plan was developed. The benefits and drawbacks of the possible solutions will be present along with rationales. PROBLEM Mount Carmel East (MCE) has had numerous complaints regarding ineffective communication within the surgical services waiting area. Complaints typically are related to patients and families not being informed of delays and/or updates. Currently a small number of volunteers are functioning as the surgical liaison for patients and families throughout the surgical care process. The liaison is responsible for facilitating communication to patients, families, nursing staff and surgeons. The task of being a liaison for patients in the perioperative setting can be daunting with many demands that present a variety of challenges. While these volunteers do not provide medical information, they are expected to understand the surgical schedule and perioperative process. No formal training for these duties is provided and volunteers are expected to convey appropriate information in a timely manner. Despite the placement of volunteer liaisons, complaints from patients and families not being informe d of delays and updates continue to be received. Inconsistencies in the number and abilities of the volunteers have a direct impact on the communication process. The schedule of the volunteers is the responsibility of the volunteer coordinator and while requests have been made to have the same volunteers this is not always possible. Some days there may be a single volunteer to manage the numerous responsibilities without any assistance and on occasion, particularly in the evening, there is no volunteer and the waiting room is left unattended. The waiting room is the first impression customers, patient and family, see when they arrive for surgery. Leaving the waiting room unattended is a poor reflection on the department and can be perceived as unwelcoming. â€Å"The perioperative environment is often seen as impersonal and unfriendly† (Stephens-Woods, 2008, p. 7). Without someone to receive patients and answer the phone, communication becomes fragmented and impersonal. While the contributions from the volunteers are greatly appreciated, abilities and level of commitment vary greatly. As a result, the families experience dissatisfaction when trying to obtain information, the surgeons experience frustration trying to find patients families, and the clinical staff find it difficult to update the volunteers when they need to communicate information. Currently, the volunteers are not held to any performance standards and while they may be in attendance, they may not be fully present. All employees of MCE are expected to work together and adhere to the guiding behaviors set by Mount Carmel which include being fully present and accountable (MCE, 2012). STAKEHOLDERS The issue of ineffective communication affects first the patients, our customers, who are the center of focus. Family members waiting for their loved ones are also affected. Lack of communication to patients waiting for surgery, particularly when there is a delay, can contributed to a heightened level of stress and anxiety. â€Å"Ineffective communication can be linked to higher levels of stress and anxiety which can negatively affect patient outcomes† (Stephens-Woods, 2008, p. 7). Additionally, health care workers and volunteers are impacted. Other key stakeholders include the perioperative staff, anesthesia team and surgeons. This domino effect extends to administration and ultimately the facility. AVAILABLE DATA Data from outpatient satisfaction surveys was compiled and reviewed for this project. Results were reviewed for each quarter of 2012. Data from questions relating to communication was obtained from questions contained on the survey. The questions and results are as follows: when asked if instructions were received upon arrival to the outpatient area patients responded â€Å"yes† an average of 84% of the time; being informed of delays averaged 77% of the time; overall waiting area satisfaction averaged 77%; and the likelihood of recommending MCE outpatient surgical services was an average of 83% (Mount Carmel, 2012). The data supported a need for communication that occurred within the waiting area with scores below department goals which have been established to be 90% or better. STRATEGIES/RESOURCES In order for any quality improvement project to be success a variety of resources must be utilized to analyze the problem. For this project, a root cause analysis was done and the results were then used to develop a quality improvement plan. This method of analysis was helpful in determining who was involved; where communication breaks down; what factors contribute to the issue and possible solutions to improve communication. Additional data from the results of the patient satisfaction surveys was also used. With the problem clearly analyzed and areas in need of improvement recognized, the process improvement plan was developed. The plan to incorporate a surgical services patient liaison was formulated as one possible solution. This plan was developed using best practice models in comparison to current practice routines. Strengths include available data and research from best practice models. Another consideration to improving communication is the impact it will have on patient satis faction scores. With improved communication comes improved patient satisfaction (Otani et al., 2012, p. 257). The director of surgical services has worked alongside those involved with the project in order to develop a conceivable plan. Additional input from the clinical staff has been positive and supportive. The biggest obstacle, of course, is budget. The role of the patient liaison, with all of the responsibilities is encompasses, would be a paid position. The addition of an employee is not without financial burden upon the department. However, unsatisfactory results will impact reimbursement. Medicare will examine these scores when reimbursing hospitals and better-performing hospitals will benefit from the incentive (Lang, 2012). Improving patient satisfaction is paramount due to the potential loss of revenue. SOLUTIONS/IMPLEMENTATION The current practice model of volunteers being used as the surgical service patient liaison does not follow best practice guidelines. My proposal is to  create a surgical services liaison as a navigator in the surgery waiting area. Current best practice models use nurse navigators and nurse liaisons as point persons to improve the communication process and overall patient and family satisfaction (Stephens-Woods, 2008, p. 7). However, there is limited research in relationship to outpatient surgical settings. My proposal would incorporate a liaison; however, this role would be filled in an administrative capacity rather than clinical thus alleviating some of the financial burden to the department. My second solution is to first address staffing levels. Currently there is no guarantee for consistent staffing. Continuity with those volunteers who do function as staff in the waiting room is somewhat limited. Requests have been made for the same volunteers to be used in the waiting room, but this is not always possible. Periods of time volunteers are requested for the waiting room are vacant. This issue was once again presented to the volunteer coordinator. Requests were made to make the surgical services waiting room a priority for volunteer staffing. While these requests have been made, there remains no guarantee that staffing levels will be met. The use of volunteers to fill a staffing need will continue to be problematic and this will continued to be reflected in overall patient satisfaction. The importance of satisfying the needs of families as our customers is just as important as providing care for our patients. This can best be accomplished by having trained staff members to meet these needs which in turn will improve patient and family satisfaction. Patient satisfaction is now considered as a critical part of the quality outcomes of health care (Otani et al., 2012, p. 257). Another component to the solution using the volunteers is based on documentation. Currently, the volunteers do not document when communication occurs and therefore there is no data to support that communication has occurred. My proposal would be the implementation of a spread sheet used to document communication. This spread sheet would be integrated with the daily surgery schedule with columns provided to document times when key communication has been achieved. Key communications include: time of arrival; time taken to pre-operative area; time surgery started and ended; arrival to recovery room; post surgical physician update; hourly update; etc. . The spreadsheet is currently being reviewed by department leaders. Changes will be made as necessary based on feedback provided and it will then be submitted for final approval. Volunteers will be instructed on use of the spread sheet and written instructions provided. Clinical staff will continue to document in the electronic medical record. EVALUATION PLAN The spreadsheet has been presented for approval for interdepartmental use. Pending approval, the spreadsheet will be used for a period of ninety days at which time patient complaints and patient satisfactions scores will be reviewed. Documentation for patient and family notification for clinical staff for the same time period will be reviewed and compared to documentation on the spreadsheet. Results will be evaluated and further recommendations will be based on these findings. ICP EVALUATION Working with a mentor for this ICP has been challenging and informative. My preceptor was the director of surgical services at MCE. Working with a mentor in this role provided a wide variety of opportunities not only those related to the project. While most of my practice has been focused on the clinical aspect of patient care, this project has given new insight into the significance of data as a value measurement for good patient care. The role of managers and their ability to make positive changes based on research has gained greater significance. With the knowledge gained through this process, I will not hesitate in the future to participate in continuous quality improvement projects. The ability to put into practice what has been learned in theory has been an invaluable experience. CONCLUSION Effective communication has been show to be a key factor in both patient outcomes and overall patient satisfaction. The value of patient satisfaction is now considered as a critical part of the quality outcomes of health care (Otani et al., 2012, p. 247). Patient satisfactions surveys from MCE surgical services have consistently show a decrease with overall patient satisfaction with areas of communication scoring the lowest across the continuum. Substandard patient satisfaction scores necessitated a further look at the current communication process. Currently, communication is facilitated by volunteers who staff the surgery waiting room. Availability and commitment of the volunteers have contributed to the issue. The use of volunteers provides no guarantee staffing levels will be fulfilled and on occasion the waiting room is left unattended. In order to address both staffing issues and facilitate timely, effective communication recommendations have been made to hire a regularly scheduled employee in the role of surgical liaison. Limitations to this plan are primarily monetary. Considerations for budget allowances and cost of training are not without financial burden to the department. The overall picture must be evaluated and the cost of an additional employee compared to potential revenue loss considered. Unsatisfactory patient satisfaction can impact reimbursement and lead to potential loss of repeat business. A second possible solution was developed based on monetary considerations. A spreadsheet designed to correlate with the surgery schedule was created. Simplistic in nature, it was designed to provide a place for volunteers to document times when specified communication occurs. The rationale behind the use of the spreadsheet is twofold. First, providing written documentation that communication has occurred; second, prompt those using the spreadsheet to provide communication in a timely manner. Pending final approval, the volunteers would be shown how to use the spread sheet and written instructions will be provided as a reference. Plausible solutions have been presented in an effort to improve communication with an overall goal of improving patient satisfaction. Effective communication between patients and members of the interdisciplinary health care team is essential (Belizario, 2011, p. 19). Using data as a tool to value patient centered care is an essential component to the quality improvement process; however, implementation, evaluation and continued quality improvement are a continual process. References Belizario, S. (2011, August). Inspiring change. Boosting patient satisfaction scores-and nurses’ morale. Nursing 2011, 41(8), 18-21. Retrieved from: http://dx.doi.org/doi:http://dx.doi.org.proxy.library.ohiou.edu/10.1097/01.NURSE.0000399591.81228.3e. Hollan, J. (2010). Communication key to patient satisfaction scores. Hospital Case Management, 18(11), 164-166. Retrieved from library.ohiou.edu.proxy.library.ohiou.edu/cgi-bin/redir_allcampuse