Wednesday, May 20, 2020

The Importance of Friendship Essay - 1049 Words

There are many valuable things in life, but friendship may be the most valuable. To live life without the experience of friendship, is not living. Human interaction is a necessity to survival, but developed friendships are essential to the successful well being of anyone. Based upon the American Heritage Dictionary, the definition of a friend is, ?A person whom one knows, likes and trusts.? But to all, Friendship has no defined terminology. The definition of a friend, and friendship, is based upon oneself?s own notions. Many people look for different characteristics in friends, things that may be common in nature. There are many different types of friends that a person needs or wants. There are Five†¦show more content†¦These persons we meet, hardly speak to, but we honor their existence. Once an acquaintance is found to be on a more common level, they may move on to another category of friends. The second category of friends is, Lifelong friends. They may have grown up next-door, or with These types of friends, are friends that are most cherished and respected. These types of people, will be there though thick or thin. They are there without prejudice. They are valued as a friend, and cherished as family. A lifelong friend is someone with you can be sincere, yet honest with. Life long friends care about the individual inside, the values and morals that are yet forgotten in today?s society. It?s important that this person is upheld and respected in the manner in which is expected in return. It is the person with that is felt to be comfortable with, even at worst. Impatience is never an issue, concern for the individual is always the concern. They may have been a buddy in Kindergarten, maybe the little girl who was the playground bully, but now the protector of all. It was once said by, Henry David Thoreau, ?The language of friendship is not words, but meanings.? With that quote, that is the foundation of Life long friends. Tears are shed upon the bond developed between two individuals of life long status. The next categoryShow MoreRelatedFriendships : Friendship And The Importance Of Friendship1399 Words   |  6 PagesAbstract Friendship is often cited in criticisms of impartial consequentialist moralities such as utilitarianism. (Hurka) According to dictionary.com, utilitarianism is the ethical doctrine that virtue is based on utility, and that conduct should be directed toward promoting the greatest happiness of the greatest number of persons. Friends are essential in life because they are there throughout the good and bad times. They are there to bring out the best in you, such as being there to help you achieveRead MoreThe Importance Of Friendship By A Friendship1106 Words   |  5 Pagesgot to grade you, From me you d get A+! To all friends, Friendship is one of life s greatest treasures. Friends that are loyal are always there to make you laugh when you are down, they are not afraid to help you avoid mistakes and they look out for your best interest. This kind of friend can be hard to find, but they offer a friendship that will last a lifetime. Other friends may not be quite as loving. The pain caused by a friendship marred by betrayal is not easy to overcome. In fact, manyRead MoreImportance of Friendships1027 Words   |  5 PagesKatie Holland November 9, 2011 Psychology The Importance of Friendships Katie Holland Psychology Importance of Friendships Picture this, a young boy sitting alone at a playground admiring his peers from across the school yard enjoying a game of hide and seek, that he was not invited to. Now shift your attention to the other set of children who are engaging in a rigorous game of hide and seek, all laughing and playing with one another. Which side would you want to be on? How do you get toRead MoreThe Importance of Friendship765 Words   |  4 Pages The Importance of Friendship Post University â€Å"A good friend is a connection to life, a tie to the past, a road to the future, the key to sanity in a totally insane world.† (Wyse, 2007) We all need friends. Friendships are very essential in our daily lives. If we did not have friends we would not be happy. We would be very lonely. They keep our heads on our shoulders. They help us to be strong in the hard times and have fun and relax through the tough timesRead MoreThe Importance Of Friendship883 Words   |  4 PagesThomas Aquinas states, â€Å"There is nothing on this earth more to be prized than true friendship†. In everybody life, there are many things and friendship may be one of the most important. Friendship is a very wonderful thing and, it is one secret of the happiness secrets in life. Everyone agrees that friendship adds a special flavor to life and that with friends we spend the most beautiful times and the most beautiful moments of life. It is not limited to individuals but also between peoples, nationsRead MoreThe Importance Of Friendship1431 Words   |  6 Pages Introduction Friendship plays an incredibly important role in our lives. Friendships provide a sense of belonging and emotional stability (McCornack, pg. 357). Friendship, as defined by McCornack (2016), is a â€Å"voluntary interpersonal relationship characterized by intimacy and liking.† Friendship is a key part of life for everyone and no two friendships are alike. Like any interpersonal relationship, all friendships must overcome conflict. Conflicts are created from the use of destructive messagesRead MoreThe Importance of Friendship871 Words   |  4 PagesFriendship might be called as a special kind of concern for your friend, a concern which might reasonably be understood as a kind of love (Helm, 2005). All of us have friends, whatever we are poor or rich. Friendship is very important to us, some of our friends may listen to us when we feel disappointed or happy, we share with our feelings each other; some others may take care of us when we are sick; some of them may live with us side by side. But as Sparks says, Technology offers great capabilitiesRead MoreImportance of Friendship1469 Words   |  6 Pagesadded to the situation and Ian’s initial opinion of Jacques. Ian’s opinion of Jacques quickly changed, soon after, Jacques ended up being his hero by protecting him and his new shoes from the thugs in the empty park. This was the point where their friendship initially began and grew as they saw each other at â€Å"The Club.† Jacques was the one who showed Ian how much help the homeless really needed, which is what got Ian so interested in volunteering, that he completely forgot about his personal life, suchRead MoreThe Importance Of Friendship1156 Words   |  5 Pagesawkward stages of middle school, and finally, till the day we graduated high school. Friendship is extremely valuable. Not only to me, but it is important for humans. It has been said that human interaction is needed for survival. Without it, it is as if you are not even living. You could say there is no true definition of friendship, because when it comes down to it, everybody has one of their own. To me, friendship refers to the people you trust, care about, can laugh and cry with, share things inRead More The Importance of Friendship Essay1582 Words   |  7 PagesThe Importance of Friendship Although relationships with parents determine in large measure our longer-term preferences, attitudes and values, during adolescence it is often relationships with friends that cause most concern and which pre-occupy the thoughts of young people as they grow up. Friendships are based on a completely different set of structural relationships to those with parents. They are more symmetrical and involve sharing and exchange. Friendships are important to young children

Tuesday, May 19, 2020

Ch 1 Need for Ethics - 8650 Words

Thinking Critically About Ethical Issues, Seventh Edition By: Ruggiero  © The McGraw−Hill Companies, 2008 I THE CONTEXT CHAPTER ONE THE NEED FOR ETHICS Why do we need ethics? We have laws to protect people’s rights. If the laws are enforced, what need have we of further rules? Ethics is the study of the choices people make regarding right and wrong. Each of us makes dozens of moral choices daily. Will we go to work or call in sick? Follow the research protocol or violate it? Put quotes around borrowed phrasing or pretend the words are our own? Answer a colleague’s question truthfully or lie? Obey the speed laws or drive as fast as our vehicles will go? Pay our bills or spend our money on entertainment? Keep our marriage vows or break†¦show more content†¦Speaking of one student who refused to say such sacrifice was wrong, the professor writes, â€Å"I was stunned. This was the [same] woman who wrote so passionately of saving the whales, of concern for the rain forests, of her rescue and tender care of a stray dog.†1 As almost any ethics instructor will confirm, when it comes to more subtle issues—such as unauthorized copying of computer programs or plagiarism—the number of people who cannot bring themselves to make a moral judgment increases significantly. Such individuals may regard ethics as intrusive. WHY DOWE NEED ETHICS IF WE HAVE LAWS? Many people reason that we don’t need ethics because our system of laws, when consistently enforced, provides sufficient protection of our rights. In order to assess this idea we must understand who makes laws and how they make them. Who makes them is easy to answer: local, state, and national legislators. How they are made is somewhat more difficult. We know that legislators must get together to talk about a particular behavior and then vote on whether they want to criminalize it. But what do they say to one another? On what basis do they conclude that one act deserves to be classified criminal and another one doesn’t? What kinds of reasons do they offer to support their views? How can they be sure those reasons are good ones? What, for example, did legislators say before they decided that sexual harassment isShow MoreRelatedEthical System Table Essay958 Words   |  4 PagesDirections: 1. Fill in brief definitions of each primary ethical theory. 2. Identify alternate names or variations of each ethical system based on your reading of the text and supplemental materials. Match the real-world examples listed below with the corresponding systems. The first one has been completed for you in the table. a. I believe people should be able to eat sand if they like the taste of it. b. I believe that if sand is going to be eaten, it should beRead MoreErgon, Eudaimonia, Psyche in Artistotle ´s De Amina742 Words   |  3 Pagesvirtues, and happiness that is found in the Nicomachean Ethics. Should the soul be conformable in the body or shape in which the soul (psyche) dwells and happiness (eudaimonia) issues from that form then all things according to Aristotle have a function (ergon); a function that is necessary for the survival of the species and therefore as the hand is necessary to feed the body; the hand also must procure the food in order to administer to needs of the essence constituting multiple functions to achieveRead MoreExample Questions LMP Exam1654 Words   |  7 Pagesï » ¿Example Questions Essentials of Organizational Behavior. 1 Ch.1 The underlying principle of scientific management was to: A) structure organizations for the efficient management of people. B) apply statistical analysis to the design of jobs C) get people to do more work in less time. D) eliminate the need for first-line supervisors C 2 Ch.1 The human relations movement A. emphasized the importance of employee training and development. B. encouraged employee participation in organizational decisionRead Moreweek 1 objectives Essay605 Words   |  3 Pagesa situation, problem, issue, or opportunity that needs addressing. 1.2 Determine the significance, scope, magnitude, and feasibility of finding a solution to the situation, problem, issue, or opportunity. 1.3 Identify ethical issues involved in business research. 1.4 Describe the business research process. Reading Read Ch. 1 of Business Research Methods. Read Ch. 2 of Business Research Methods. Read Ch. 3 of Business Research Methods Read Ch. 4 of Business Research Methods. Participation Read More Aristotle and the Doctrine of the Mean Essay1436 Words   |  6 PagesAristotle was not a Hedonist. Hedonists tie happiness to pleasure, but Aristotle ties happiness to well acting. Aristotle was also clearly not opposed to material well being. It needs the external goods as well; for it is impossible, or not easy, to do noble acts without the proper equipment. (Nicomachean Ethics, Bk 1, Ch. 8, p. 96) More importantly, Aristotle ties satisfaction to Eudaimonia. Satisfaction is seen by Aristotle as a vital step to achieving Eudaimonia. Eudaimonia is one of theRead MoreThe Development Of Children And Young People1507 Words   |  7 PagesHistorically children and young people were only researched by philosophers through theory, The move towards experimental stidies has been a gradual process that has given research a diverse approach today. ch 1 p16. The reasons for such changes has been hinged on how society has viewed children and young people throughout history,depending on time and culture, from as early as the middle ages there has been theories surrounding children and their role in society, from being seen as ‘adults in waiting’Read MoreDavid Sm14 Ppt 01 Chap011556 Words   |  7 PagesChapter 1 The Nature of Strategic Management Strategic Management: Concepts Cases 14th Edition Fred David Copyright  © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Prentice Hall Ch 1 -1 Learning Outcomes ï  ® ï  ® ï  ® ï  ® ï  ® ï  ® ï  ® ï  ® Describe the strategic-management process Discuss the three stages in strategic management process (strategy formulation, implementation and evaluation activities) Explain the need for integrating analysis and intuition in strategic management Define the key terms in strategicRead MoreBUSN115 Final Exam Study Guide1656 Words   |  7 PagesThere are 7 essay questions, 6 worth 15 points and 1 worth 10 points. Be sure to save and save often while you are working on the exam, and submit the exam when you are finished. To earn full credit your response to each essay question should answer the question completely and average 2 – 3 paragraphs in length. The exam reflects the following course objectives and possible topics: TCO 1 Chapters 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 13 and 15 Weeks 1, 2, 4 and 5 Given a description of a typical businessRead MoreMachiavellian and Kantian Analysis of Buddy Fletcher and SEC1280 Words   |  6 Pagesto use his financial success and philanthropy to win respect and power. His high esteem combined with his ability to deliver strong profits lead to blind deference. As Machiavelli wrote, â€Å"he who is highly esteemed is not easily conspired against†11 (Ch. 19). In the beginning of his career, Fletcher embodies the spirit of a Machiavellian leader by commanding influence through his success. However, in the spirit of Kant, he seems to adhere to strong moral principles, such as not lying and using othersRead MoreHRM 498 Week 1 Individual Assignment; Management Challenges Concerns966 Words   |  4 PagesIssues HRM 498 Week 1 Individual Assignment; Management Challenges Concerns At your company, you work on all HRM responsibilities, and have been asked to join a committee to present a report on management challenges. This report must include challenges, possible causes, and a plan for addressing them. Select one to two articles on HRM challenges. Write a 350- to 500-word report about these challenges.   Format your report consistent with APA guidelines Week 1 DQ 1: What do you think are

Wednesday, May 6, 2020

Sourcing Strategy at General Mills - 690 Words

Developing a sourcing strategy is vital with my new â€Å"buyer† position at General Mills. I need to consider what General Mills is looking for and what best suits their company. The first step I need to take in developing a sourcing strategy is to conduct an assessment of General Mills current spending. According to General Mills’ Annual Report, the payments due in 2014 are $3,844,200. This amount includes long term debt, accrued interest, operating leases, capital leases, and purchase obligations. At this time, General Mills can expect to spend $2,730.70 on cocoa each month. The second step will be assessing the supply market and discovering who offers what. General Mills is a member of the World Cocoa Foundation, which helps create contact with cocoa farmers, origin governments, and environmental organizations. It is very important to consider environmentally and labor friendly options when developing my sourcing strategy for cocoa beans. General Mills does not want to risk partnering with an unethical cocoa farmer who violates labor laws using young children or putting the workers through harsh conditions. Next I will need to conduct a total cost analysis to see how much it would be to purchase cocoa. The monthly cost of cocoa beans fluctuates monthly. In January, 2010 cocoa beans were being sold at their highest- $3,525.12. Currently, cocoa beans are sold for $2,730.20. It may be wise to purchase a larger amount of cocoa beans when the cost of them declines, to saveShow MoreRelatedMarketing Plan For Quality Freelance Writing Company Essay1480 Words   |  6 PagesContent Company Marketing Plan Quality Freelance Writing Companyâ€Æ' Table of Contents Topic Page # Company Description 3 Business Mission 4 Situation Analysis (SWOT Analysis) 5 Objectives 10 Marketing Strategy 12 Implementation, Evaluation and Control 21 Summary 24 Works Cited 25 Company Description GreaterThings Freelance Content Company (GreaterThings FCC) is a writing company that provides quality blog and websiteRead MoreGeneral Mills It3528 Words   |  15 PagesCorporate Information Technology Assessment of General Mills MGT 6530-Managerial Application of Technology The College of Saint Scholastica Executive Summary General Mills is one of the largest food companies in the world, and uses an extensive array of information technology (IT) to support its day-to-day operations. This paper focuses on three primary IT areas within General Mills: supply chain, data retention and marketing. Specific technologies reviewed for this assessment includeRead MoreLi Fung1747 Words   |  7 Pageschain; • Adopt information technology to optimize the operation of the supply chain; • Shorten production lead time and delivery cycles; and • Lower costs in sourcing, warehousing and transportation LF believes that these core principles are key factors for success in managing a global supply chain. Using the principles, LF developed strategies in dispersed manufacturing, a global supplier network, customer-centric organizational structure, and the Internet. Dispersed manufacturing meant that theRead MoreBusiness Case Analysis of Mass Merchandisers1506 Words   |  6 Pagessalary of $100k. If complete a reduction in workforce for all of WWAV’s sales team, we can achieve $26M in savings for each year post acquisition. Furthermore, there will also be redundancies at the executive level with overlap of Executive VP of Strategy Corporate Development, Executive VP of HR, CFO, and segment President. If eliminated, these positions together would account for $18.1M annually. While we are cutting a large section of the executive team, we are interested in maintaining theRead MoreCost of Quality2309 Words   |  10 Pages whose company is doing the export. Export houses earn foreign exchange for the country, so it becomes mandatory to have good quality control of their products. In the garment industry quality control is practiced right from the initial stage of sourcing raw materials to the stage of final finished garment. For texti le and apparel industry product quality is calculated in terms of quality and standard of fibres, yarns, fabric construction, colour fastness, surface designs and the final finished garmentRead MoreMarketing Plan For A Business Level Strategy1089 Words   |  5 PagesWhiteWave has pursued a variety of strategies to support its unprecedented growth. Business-level Strategy Across its various business groups and within each of its brand, WhiteWave tends to follow a focused differentiation strategy to achieve above average returns. The target markets for many of its products, while growing, tend to be narrower. In addition, it creates value for customers by providing distinctive products. The advantages of a focused differentiation strategy include increased loyalty fromRead MoreCpw and Kelloggs6179 Words   |  25 Pagescapabilities; General Mills and Nestlà ©, CPW plans to take further steps towards stronger global sales and integrated global marketing. In a saturated consumer product industry, the company aims to develop a blue ocean strategy through developing strategic core competencies and an international competitiveness in order to outperform its competitors and achieve further growth. Taking the US and Canadian markets out of the equation, the paper aims to find effective global marketing strategies that empowerRead MoreBackground Inditex, One of the Worlds Largest Fashion Distributors, Has Eight Major Sales Formats - Zara, Pull and Bear, Massimo Dutti, Bershka, Stradivarius, Oysho, Zara Home Y Kiddys Class- with 3.147 Stores in 70100262 Words   |  402 Pagesdirect hierarchical control and influence. This thesis is about the intersection between Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and Supply Chain Management. That is, the point when an issue on a focal company’s CSR agenda becomes an issue for its sourcing, purchasing and supply management operations. I use the term upstream CSR when I refer to this phenomenon. I define upstream CSR as the management of environmental and social aspects that are determined, or occur, upstream within the supply chainRead MoreSummer Internship Report on Madura Garments6439 Words   |  26 Pagescome in during the Trade shows held twice a year 6 months prior to the launch of a season (Spring-Summer or Autumn-Winter). Sourcing and production plan for those channels so are essenti ally done against fixed orders. But for Institutional Channel orders are not predetermined and customers come in with orders with very short lead time. This makes sourcing and manufacturing strategy for this process completely different from traditional channels. Currently the company Madura Garments (for referenceRead MoreSummer Internship Report on Madura Garments6431 Words   |  26 Pagescome in during the Trade shows held twice a year 6 months prior to the launch of a season (Spring-Summer or Autumn-Winter). Sourcing and production plan for those channels so are essentially done against fixed orders. But for Institutional Channel orders are not predetermined and customers come in with orders with very short lead time. This makes sourcing and manufacturing strategy for this process completely different from traditional channels. Currently the company Madura Garments (for reference and

Domestic Violence Effects On Children - 2318 Words

Domestic Violence The mental image that people generally attribute to domestic violence is a husband physically abusing his wife. The battered woman has been the symbol for this issue as far back as anyone can trace. An illustration done in 1848 uses this image to warn people about the effects of alcohol abuse (Illustration). This image may be useful in warning people about the harmful effects of alcohol, but the unfortunate truth about domestic violence is that it doesn’t affect just one group of people, it has the potential to affect everyone. Neither gender, age, race, nor sexuality exclude a person from this problem. By definition, domestic violence is â€Å"acts of violence or abuse against a person living in one s household, especially†¦show more content†¦The three main schools of thought include the sociological, feminist, and interpersonal relationship theories. The factors are substance abuse, experiencing violence as a child, and age. The sociological theo ry relies on learned behaviors to explain why domestic violence exists and is the most widely accepted theory. The culture of the environment that a person grows up in will determine how he feels about violence. Many parts of life contribute to the environment, such as social class and belief systems. Social class seems to weigh in on the level of domestic violence because wealthy people have other means of controlling their victim, whereas someone with less money or status will resort to more primal instincts (Causes). Statistics show that domestic assault is, on average, four percent higher in poverty level households, than in well-to-do homes (Family Violence). However, one of the most high-profile domestic violence cases deals with a professional football player in the NFL, Ray Rice. He knocked out his then, fiancà ©e and it was caught on camera (Criticism). According to the sociological theory, social status would not be the trigger for the violence towards his fiancà ©e. Thi s theory would then blame Rice’s upbringing for his outburst. The belief

Employee Relations and Managing knowledge

Questions: 1. Share an overview of the organisation you work for or one with which you are very familiar (you do not need to share the name of the organisation? 2. What does the organisation expect from its employees? What can employees expect from the organisation? What does this say about the organisation? 3. Do you think that the nature of the psychological contract between the company and its employees has changed? If so, how and why? Answers: 1. Organizational Overview Organizations deploy a host of strategies in order to develop positive relation with their employees(Schalk, 2007). Positive relations results in gaining higher productivity from employees, gain over their trusts as well as expectations. The scope of the current report analyses a retail organization that employs over 3000 employees and their various expectations. The retail organization offers various low priced items to its customers. Employees are present on the shop floor and at every service points to enable better customer handling and reduced time for delivery. There is a high satisfaction level amongst customers due to the proper handling and fast timely attainment. The manager of the organization at the shop floor level is responsible for carrying out various operations and handling employees. The versatile range of functionality performed by managers has often led to stress and burnout. This has caused the manager put pressure on the existing employees to over perform to meet aims and objectives for the organization in a better way. 2. Expectations from employees The organization expects that its employee base to deliver high productivity and reduce service time(Suazo, 2009). The Company expects its employees to lead within the industry in terms of the service time. Employees on the other hand, are highly dissatisfied towards the organization due to low salary in the industry. The employees want the organization provide timely and competitive salary within the industry(O'Neill, 2007). Other retail owners within the same area are proving high salary levels with flexibility options. This flexibility has attracted a lot of women employees within the organization, who are often forced to work in different shifts and are not allowed to go home. From the above reflection regarding the views of employee and employer it can be understood that the organization does not take feedback from its employees. It is also clear that the organization does not deploy any sort of motivational strategy for its employees. 3. Nature of psychological contract The nature of psychological contract initially between the employer and employee was emotional dependence(Atkinson, 2007). The employee had high esteem for the organization and high amounts of satisfaction. The employees had put in their maximum effort and labor in order to emerge as valuable employees who will be regarded by the organization. But later the employees realized that the employer is not connected with its employees. This has resulted in high dissatisfaction amongst employee and employer. Though the employees are performing well, such dissatisfaction levels have led them to look for opportunity elsewhere. The organization is gradually experiencing high amounts of labor turnover which was earlier redundant. This change has led to the organization experiencing high costs in regards to recruitment. Women employees who have children especially are considering new opportunity to work elsewhere in organization. The inflexibility of the organization has forced various employees to leave and take up job elsewhere in spite of the high levels of employee commitment factor. References Atkinson, C., 2007. Trust and the psychological contract.Employee Relations,29(3), pp.227-246. O'Neill, B.S. and Adya, M., 2007. Knowledge sharing and the psychological contract: Managing knowledge workers across different stages of employment.Journal of Managerial Psychology,22(4), pp.411-436. Schalk, R. and Roe, R.E., 2007. Towards a dynamic model of the psychological contract.Journal for the theory of social behaviour,37(2), pp.167-182. Suazo, M.M., 2009. The mediating role of psychological contract violation on the relations between psychological contract breach and work-related attitudes and behaviors.Journal of Managerial Psychology,24(2), pp.136-160.

Psychosocial Aspects of Midwifery free essay sample

Psychosocial Aspects of Midwifery Care MW2222 Practicing midwives in our healthcare system today need to have an understanding of political and social factors of their practice in order to provide optimum service for the women and families in their care. The psychosocial needs of the individual should be considered, and midwives should contemplate external factors that may affect the woman’s health, pregnancy, outcome and their home lives. This is why the whole picture of a woman’s life should be respected in order to gain contextual knowledge. With the aid of a scenario true to real life practice, this essay will aim to: identify and analyse the psychosocial impact of the processes of childbirth upon women and their families; explore the social and political context of midwifery care; examine the changing role of women as a result of childbirth; discuss sociological explanations for inequalities in health and how these affect health and the provision of maternity care; discuss the impact of medicalising childbearing; explore psychological processes of those involved maternity care; explore social interaction between individuals, interpersonal skills in midwifery practice and the implications. The chosen scenario involves Mina (Mother-to-be), Carl (Mina’s Husband), Fay (Midwife) and Inez (Student Midwife). From the very beginning, it is obvious that Carl is a very supportive husband, which has a positive affect on Mina from what can be gathered by the writing of the scenario. On the other side, with Inez and Fay, there is a feeling of negativity; Fay is very dismissive of the birth plan, and Inez’s attempt to interact with the couple using their plan through discussion â€Å"Shall I go through [the birth plan] with them when we go back to the room? †Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ â€Å"Won’t need that, she’ll end up with a section. † Analysis of the scenario will begin with Carl, the supportive husband. According to FathersDirect. com (2007), fathers often feel marginalised from he pregnancy, birth experience, and many may feel unsure of their role in the new triad postpartum. Due to not experiencing any symptoms of pregnancy, men have a very indirect ex perience of this important time in the couple’s lives. Though there is the argument of couvade syndrome, where partners of the pregnant woman experience symptoms of pregnancy themselves, such as food cravings, bloated abdomen, fatigue and morning sickness (Brennan, 2008). Carl, however, seems to be very comfortable with his role in Mina’s period of childbearing. He has taken the role of supporter to the extent that he has adopted the title of â€Å"Team GB† for the couple. Signifying a bond between them that goes beyond husband and wife. It is now the social trend for the partner to be present and the birth; it has been shown in research that the partner’s presence in the preparatory classes and/or in the delivery room generally results in reduced maternal and fetal distress (Stapleton, 2012). This includes a reduced need for analgesia (Raphael-Leff, 2008). How men react to impending fatherhood is determined by how they view the concept of gender identity (Rodgers, 2011). Their reaction is also influenced by how their pregnant wife/partner encourages his bonding with the fetus for the duration of the pregnancy (Combs-Orne and Renkert, 2009. ). There is a model that suggests that there are categories that each parent can fall in to regarding how they accept and behave towards childbearing and childbirth. This research does take in to consideration that not all will fit strictly in to either one category or the other, and that there are those groups in between who do not quite fit the criteria. Focussing on the model of â€Å"Facilitators† and â€Å"Regulators† in this instance explores the Mina’s maternal orientation towards her pregnancy and motherhood (Raphael-Leff, 1986). The Facilitator adapts her life around her pregnancy/child, and responds to its needs as they arise. The Regulator however expects the opposite; she wants the baby to adapt to her life and routine. The latter establishes a strict routine that suits her needs, usually before her baby’s (Raphael-Leff, 1986). For example, some mothers may demand feed their baby, signifying they will adapt their time around the needs of their new born. In contrast, a Regulator will feed every 3-4 hours to establish a routine, even if the baby shows signs of being hungry before the times slot. The model that relates to fathers uses the categories â€Å"Participators†, â€Å"Renouncers† and â€Å"Reciprocators†. As mentioned above, the category that the male partner fits in is determined by his own concept of gender identity (Rodgers, 2011). The western culture has liberated women, and allowed men to essentially cross the traditional gender lines (Fischer, J, 2012) in terms of their roles socially. Men are now able to nurture without losing their masculinity; they have gained the freedom to choose their role in parenthood. This model that explains paternal orientations, written by the same professor as the Facilitators/Regulators model, explains Renouncers to be those who have a traditional view of mothers being the primary caregiver and the father as the breadwinner (Raphael-Leff, 2008). Participators explain the fathers to be the primary caregiver (Raphael-Leff, 2008), while it is still rare; it is becoming more frequent in our modern western culture. This is usually the case with â€Å"career women† who return to work rather soon after the birth of their baby, or those who suffer emotionally due to their birth or the pressures of motherhood. Then there are the Reciprocators, who employ behaviours from both extremes (Raphael-Leff, 2001. Pg 74); the partner is comfortable enough in his male identity to take on paternal and maternal aspects, and is the partner who is eager to be involved in the pregnancy as much as possible (Zeanah, 2009. Pg 28) – he is usually involved in antenatal classes and other preparatory activities with the woman. He sees the pregnancy in a very positive light. As a couple, taking these models in to account, Mina and Carl fall in to the categories of Facilitators, and Carl himself is a Reciprocator. They have both built their lives around their unborn child. They have organised and gained control of every aspect of their lives; down to the activities they would not have normally participated in if Mina were not pregnant, such as yoga, workshops and classes. As the environment surrounding someone changes, an individual can either attribute their successes and failures to things that they have control over, or to those external influences which are out of their control (Locus of Control, 2012). Mina and Carl approach the change in their life in the first manner; they have made the changes in their life in order to have control over what happens with the pregnancy and how they affect the labour and birth. Whichever approach a person takes on changes in the environment is known as â€Å"Locus of Control† (Locus of Control, 2012), which links back to a study performed in the 1960s by Julian Rotter. He aimed to investigate in to how behaviours and attitudes affected the outcomes of their lives. Those who have an internal locus of control believe that the outcomes are a result of their own behaviours and attitudes (Locus of Control, 2012). The opposite is when individuals believe that the outcomes are a result of influences that are out of their control, whether these influences be environmental factors or other individuals. (Locus of Control, 2012) Thus, individuals who have an internal locus of control believe that they are responsible for their own success (Locus of Control, 2012); this explains why Mina and Carl have taken it upon themselves to prepare as much as possible â€Å"We’ve done yoga, an antenatal course and birthing workshops†. They have also prepared for the labour and birth through the production of a birth plan. This could explain that they understand the limit of their control, and are guiding the health professionals involved in the care as to how they would control the labour and birth if they could. In addition to Mina being a Facilitator, she imagines her birth as an exhilarating event. Her main fear is that of being interfered with and thrown off course (the course being her devised birth plan). The Facilitator wants to let nature take its course, as she trusts her body and its ability to get through labour. Fay the midwife, however, has a lack of faith, which is a complete contrast. Mina wants a natural birth, and under the category of a facilitator, is anxious she will become over managed by rules and external decisions, hence the preparation for labour and birth, and the use of a birth plan. Mina greets pregnancy as a consolidation of her femininity and her identity as a woman. This is almost her way of consummating her womanhood; she sees labour as a private and intimate happening (Raphael-Leff, 2008). A caesarean section would be the complete opposite with the midwife, student, obstetrician and the rest of the surgical team present at the birth of her child. The birth of her baby would be more a like to a public viewing. If her fate, as Fay has decided it, were to be to have an emergency caesarean section, there will be more of a chance of Mina being psychologically disturbed by the event. Clinical guidelines by National Collaborating Centre for Women’s and Children’s Health, commissioned by NICE (2004) stated that a study has suggested a high level of intervention by an obstetric team (such as an emergency caesarean, but also includes forceps or ventouse delivery), is associated with the postnatal development of acute traumatic symptoms (Caesarean Section, 2004. Pg. 83), and the mother is more likely to suffer with postnatal depression. It has been suggested that hospitalisation and intervention during labour can have the effect of removing the locus of control from the woman and placing in in the hands of the medical staff. Thus, Mina is forced in to a passive dependent role to respond to the expectations and command of hospital staff rather than her own body (Raphael-Leff, 2008). By doing this, she loses control of her intimate moment, and Carl is also forced to abide by the obstetric team’s saying. Many women, along with Mina, want a midwife who will facilitate the birth experience she desires; though Fay doesn’t appear to show any interest in the birth plan Mina and Carl have taken time to compose. The International Confederation of Midwives (2011) defines a midwife as: â€Å"†¦a responsible and accountable professional who works in partnership with women to give the necessary support, care and advice during pregnancy, labour and the postpartum period, to conduct births on the midwife’s own responsibility and to provide care for the newborn and the infant. This care includes preventative measures, the promotion of normal birth, the detection of complications in mother and child, the accessing of medical care or other appropriate assistance and the carrying out of emergency measures. † Pregnancy, labour and the birth of a newborn are times of increased vulnerability. Fay has not identified to the couple or Inez, the student midwife, as to why she predicts a caesarean for Mina. Therefore, according to the ICM definition, she is not promoting normal birth or giving the necessary support, care or advice the couple deserves, and that she is required to give as a midwife. Healthcare professionals are given the role of guides in the transition to motherhood, yet a large number of women remembered labour as an unpleasant experience (Reed, 2012). The Commission survey in 2007 revealed that 37% of women felt they were ‘not always’ treated with respect and dignity, kindness and understanding. This statistic reflects the care that Mina is receiving from Fay with a lack of respect and understanding. In 2011 an article in the British Journal of Midwifery written by Nicholls et al explored the establishment of perceptions of a good midwife. Nicholls stated that a midwife is to provide individualised care and have good communication skills and instil trust in women. Fay has not expressed good communication skills by with holding information from Mina and Carl, and also by not explaining to Inez her reasons for predicting the outcome. She is very dismissive of the birth plan, which is usually utilised to fill a gap between the desires of the parents and the hospital procedures – it is not just for the benefit of the parents. This is why it is important for midwives to assess the parents’ wishes so that there is an understanding on both sides of the potential of the birth. The realities can be noted, and the possibility of not all wishes being able to be fulfilled explained by the midwife. This would demonstrate good communication skills, and being treated with respect, kindness and dignity. Failure to do so risks the trust of the woman and her family, resulting in a stressful labour, which could be psychologically damaging; leaving the woman feeling like a failure due to her birth not ‘going to plan’ as it were (Reed, 2011). Perhaps Mina is seen as demanding by Fay, as she sees Carl â€Å"struggling† with the â€Å"several† bags, one of which has been given the name of â€Å"blue labour bag†. Fay could perceive the couple as difficult clients; impatient and frustrated by the diligent planning they have done, which she could see as only making her job harder. Raynor and England (2010, page 84) suggested that clients perceived as ‘difficult’ tend to get less attention and can be denied of compassion or curiosity, and standardisation of treatment results in an impersonal experience and care as a whole (Deery 2010). Fay as a midwife is not making any attempt to acknowledge Mina as an individual. If midwives lose touch with their role, women become a production line or a succession of pregnant bodies (Dykes, 2006) and show little acknowledgement of the private nature of the birthing experience, its emotional significance and disturbing feelings it can provoke. The midwife must understand that the quality of the birth has a long lasting effect on the relationship of the mother and father to their baby and each other for years post delivery, and can affect how they are as parents. Perhaps as Mina is suggesting an active labour, Fay feels that this will make things more awkward for her; bending down to the pool to check Mina, auscultating the fetal heart rate with a sonic aid every 15 minutes, then every 5 minutes in the second stage of labour. Whereas a caesarean section involves technological aids such as fetal monitors, which replace direct contact with the woman during labour from the midwife’s view. Inequalities in health care are always present, though it is said in the Black Report (1980) that those who are educated are recipients of better health outcomes. However, we see here, that despite being well educated through antenatal classes and workshops, Mina and Carl are still at a disadvantage due to the midwife’s attitude to them as clients and her view of her practice. Due to the limited information about the couple, other suggestions regarding inequalities in maternity care cannot be made. However, the assumption of class could be made; Carl and Mina have been to yoga, workshops and antenatal classes, which could insinuate more middle class due to the cost and availability of classes. This would, however, be an assumption. Despite their possible higher than work class and education, they are still at risk of a poor outcome in terms of Mina’s health and experience. Now to turn to the issue in hand of student and mentor; in Midwives Magazine (2008), it was found that midwives do not use evidence-based practice enough to justify their practice, as student midwives are. Students in the study in the magazine found that this difference in practice, and the lack of use of evidence to support it created conflict between themselves and their mentors. Thus affecting the care that women received; it also resulted in subservient behaviour (Jones, 2008) from the students themselves. Fay does not just dismiss the birth plan; she dismisses Inez’s suggestion, disempowering the student. The implications of this are that Inez learns bad behaviour and practice – creating another midwife who does not respect her women as much as she should, and not giving her the freedom of choice and the opportunity for a normal, natural birth (Midwifery 2020, 2010). Pregnancy involves physiological, psychological and social changes, especially when having the first baby (Bjelica, 2004); it can be a very stressful event in a family’s life. Changes to a woman include physical appearance, moods, sexuality, while her role reaches a new quality. Around 50% of societies in the present day expect women to return to full duties within 2 weeks after delivery, whereas pre World War II, women were kept in hospital for up to the same amount of time after childbirth as routine (Raphael-Leff, 2008). In order for a woman to cope well with the stresses of her pregnancy and the impending birth, appropriate relationship of partners and support of the society are needed. Psychosocial support is needed; Carl provides physical and emotional support in the way of his presence antenatally and intrapartum, even as a physical leaning post for Mina through her contraction. She also needs empathy from the social environment she is in (Bjelica, 2004), which she would receive readily from Inez, if she, as a student, had not been disempowered by Fay. Overall, as a husband, Carl has provided the best support for Mina, and in return, he gets the satisfaction of making his wife happy; has a role in the labour process; and bonds with his unborn child. 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