A Deeper Look into Sony’s Woes A Strategic Analysis an Example of the Topic Science and Technology Essays by

A Deeper Look into Sony’s Woes: A Strategic Analysis Not a long time ago, when a person mentions portable audio equipment and colour television, chances are the people around him will immediately think of Sony. This Japanese company has conquered the local market and then went on to capture a huge share of the electronics market of the Western world. Need essay sample on "A Deeper Look into Sonys Woes: A Strategic Analysis" topic? We will write a custom essay sample specifically for you Proceed At one point Sony was the undisputed leader in electronics and was considered as a savvy innovator with a knack for knowing what the people need. But in the 21st century the same could not be said of the fumbling giant. This paper will look into the reason why this once runaway locomotive - its competitors cannot come even close - is loosing steam and losing money as well. After that, the proponent will offer suggestions as to how Sony can reverse the downward spiral and get back on its feet. The world will want to see that happen because everybody wants a competitive market - meaning breaking up the monopoly, better quality and competitive prices. Undergraduates Often Tell EssayLab writers: I'm not in the mood to write my essay online. I don't have the time Specialists suggest: If You Think About Someone To Write Your Paper - Essaylab The Right Place! Written Essays For Sale Buy Essays Online Runaway Train Masaru Ibuka, one of the founding fathers of Sony had a lifelong passion for electric trains (Nathan, 1999, p.1). Thus, it is just fitting to compare the electronics giant to a runaway locomotive when it was at the top of its game. With its phenomenal Walkman and Trinitron TV, Sony was for a long time, way ahead of the pack. Leading in revenues, innovation, and mass appeal. The company endeared itself to countless millions around the world with a parade of electronic products that are both cutting edge and practical. Wrong Turn Sony did not look back and continued to charge forward and working hard to dominate the industry that allow people to enjoy maximum musical entertainment as well as viewing pleasure through its portable radio and colour TV. But when it was at its peak it suddenly grew bold and ventured into unknown territory. Before the decade of the profitable 80s ended, Sony decided to expand and took a huge bite of the lucrative U.S. entertainment industry. Now, they are not simply peddlers of television sets; they also wanted to sell what can be seen on it. The move can be likened to a successful five-star restaurant that is so focused in stomping the competition that it bought its own farm. Many restaurateurs would challenge the wisdom of buying a ranch just to have a steady supply of beef and vegetables since one can just buy from suppliers at practical costs. What is more mind boggling with the acquisition of Columbia Pictures is that it is not even closely related to the electronics business in the same way as the aforementioned restaurant-farm combo. But at that time, Sony executives believed it was the right move. Richard Lynch explained it this way, "The strategic logic here was that of developing a vertically integrated company - from the service that develops the pictures and music to the machines that deliver them in individual's homes" (2006, p.207). But looking back it is still difficult to understand why "vertical integration" is possible since buying a Sony TV does not automatically result in a sudden urge to buy Columbia Pictures movies and view it using Trinitron. There were indeed many that made comments on the disastrous decision of Sony Corp. to deviate from Masaru Ibuka's original vision. Nathan in his biography of the electronics giant described the driving principle behind the company's success was, "foreseeing product application for new technologies and inspiring engineers to overreach themselves in achieving the goals he set for them" (1999, p. 25). In fact, the name Sony was not the first name for the company, it was originally called Tokyo Telecommunications Engineering Corporation, obviously telling the world that they are primarily in technology and hardware. But now, they are making movies. To provide a clear picture on how far the company has deviated from its core business, Deborah Spar in a case study of Sony corporation dissected the deal to acquire Columbia Pictures: On September 24, 1989, Sony [] bid $3.4 billion in cash for Columbia Pictures Entertainment Inc. It was the highest bid ever by a Japanese company for any U.S. property [] In addition to the cash price, the Japanese electronics giant assumed nearly $2 billion in debt and contractual obligations (2003, p. 368). As a result, things began to change from bad to worse. At the turn of the 90s, problems began piling up, specifically in relation to the acquisition of CBS Records and Columbia Pictures (Spar, 2003, p. 378), and the highlights are listed below: 1990 - Columbia Pictures Entertainment suffered negative cash flow 1991 - the combined cash flow of Sony Pictures and Sony Music turned negative 1992 - In the third quarter alone, announced a 37% decline in operating income 1993 - The film Last Action Hero a $60 million production, bombed at the box office One Two Punch It is one thing for a company to make a wrong purchase and lose some money in the process. It is also another thing to experience negative profit from a company's traditional cash cows. But this is exactly what is going on at Sony Corp. in the past few years prompting them - among other things - to hire an American CEO to whip them into shape. In 2005, Richard Lynch, relates, "Sony Corporation of Japan did something almost unheard of in Japanese business. It appointed a Welsh-born American citizen as head of the Japanese company" (2006, p. 107). Michiyo Nakamoto, writing for the Financial Times, revealed that the crisis surfaced as early as April of 2003 and she added that at the same year, "Sony revealed a sharp deterioration in its electronics business and weak mobile phone sales. It launched a costly overhaul to regain its competitive edge. Yet barely halfway through that three year exercise [] Sony is again faltering" (2005). Nakamoto (2005), listed at least five reasons for why the once robust giant is haemorrhaging money from the core: a) severe pressure on prices; b) missed opportunities; c) need to buy components; d) threat of new format wars; e) inflexibility when it comes to proprietary aspect of software and hardware. Richard Lynch on the other hand complements Nakamoto's observation with his own, saying that Sony's woes can be partially due to the following: a) threat from low-wage labour manufacturing and b) shifting away from innovative products e.g. liquid crystal display (LCD) screens (20006, p. 108) The following pages will explore Nakamoto and Lynch's observations in detail. Price War Technological breakthroughs in manufacturing have reached a level never before seen, since the Industrial Revolution when the concept of mass production was first introduced. Nowadays, it is not just the speed at which products can be manufactured that brings a smile to businessmen. It is also the speed at which it can be delivered around the world. In connection a factory on the other side of the globe can purchase components from thousands of miles away. And expect delivery in a timely manner. In other words, there are a lot of incentives for those who would venture in the manufacturing business, especially those dealing with easily assembled electronics equipment. A mother company can send components to a country that offers low labour cost and then shipped back the assembled product to the point of origin, to be repackaged as Made in UK for instance. It is common knowledge that competition inside a given industry can start a price war that can cause prices of goods to plummet. It is therefore imperative that the leader's of that said industry to protect its turf and not allow new entrants to become player's in their field. Porter's Five Forces a tool to help understand how the competition behaves in a free market economy also explains how a new entrant can get in and play with the big boys. In Porter's Five Forces model, one can see that, "If incumbent firms in the industry can keep potential entrants at bay and dissuade them from ever entering the industry, the entire subject of competition and its impact on incumbent firms' profits becomes moot"(Stahl & Grigsby, 1997, p. 146). To clarify their point, Stahl and Grigsby used the example of a beloved American product, Harley-Davidson motorcycles' rude awakening in the hands of brutal competition and they wrote: In the 1970s many Harley executives thought that the barriers to entry into the upscale American motorcycle industry were too high because of the capital requirements and customer loyalty. Consequently, they viewed the competition in terms of other American firms and paid little attention to potential Japanese entrants (1997, p. 146). In a similar fashion, Sony was not able to anticipate that a time will come when it would be easy to manufacture components to make electronic equipment. This is became reality in the advent of digital technology. It was already too late when Sony executives found out that the "result of industry-wide changes [] has lowered entry barrier to the sector, increasing competition and spurring price wars" (Nakamoto, 2005). The above-mentioned analysis regarding easy entry into the electronics industry was confirmed by Sony's chief financial officer himself, Katsumi Ihara, who said, "A big problem right now is that almost anybody can make the finished products, because the key parts are readily available" (as cited in Nakamoto, 2005). It is therefore ironic that a Japanese corporation forgot the lessons learned by Harley-Davidson, a company that was brought to its knees by a rival Japanese firm. Finally, the low-labour manufacturing scheme that has affected other industries has now plagued Sony as well. Their decision to move some of their manufacturing facilities to countries with low labour is not enough since other factors are keeping Sony from reducing their overhead costs. Buying Components Aside from the threat of competition and the threat of low labour manufacturing, Sony has another hurdle to overcome. The company was caught flat-footed in the fast transition to new technologies. Therefore, "Sony, which had not invested in manufacturing LCD panels, was forced to buy them from competitors" (Nakamoto, 2005). This forced move is an attempt to stay afloat and stay relevant but it has made Sony, a follower and no longer the leader. Missed Opportunities Sony became a victim of its own success. It came to a point that it was so dominant, it did not care what others were doing. At the same time they were counting on customer loyalty because their products performed very well and there is nothing out there that came close. Until, technology again provided a lift for its competitors, but Sony did not ride the wave, preferring instead to rise on its own power. That was a costly mistake, because what matters is the market - the law of demand and supply so to speak. Recovering Public's Confidence Perhaps there was never a good time for this company to innovate than now. In the face of rampaging Apple's iPods and iMacs plus flat screen TVs from other rivals, Sony has to come to its senses and awaken the same spirit that guided its founding fathers. Nathan, who wrote an intimate biography of the Nippon conglomerate, provided an insight into the early days of Sony. The word Sony came from the name imprinted on boxes of Soni-tape that the company had been marketing since 1950. Then Morita, one of the founding fathers combined it with the English sonny-boy, "an expression that conveyed to him the youthful energy and irreverence he wanted at the heart of the company" (1999, p 52). This same youthful exuberance and disrespect for the status quo has driven Sony to create out of the box concepts and unconventional solutions. This same mindset is needed now. There are many things that are blocking the path to innovation. The first hurdle can be surprising to most because it is related to their purchase of CBS Records. Since, the newly renamed Sony Music is now creating music, Sony executives could not encourage a technology that could easily copy, store, and share the fruits of their music studio's labour. The result was again another forced move, "it worked to discourage the electronics division from marketing a portable player that could download music from the internet" (Nakamoto, 2005). Another barrier to innovation was rather baffling because of the stubbornness of Sony to abandon outmoded proprietary standards. When the rest of the world was using MP3, Sony on the other hand continued to use, "its own compression software, developed for the MiniDisc and called it Atrac" (Nakamoto, 2005). Profitable Businesses Another way to recover the public's confidence is to refocus on profitable businesses. There are at least three key businesses that Sony has to develop further, making them more competitive and these are: Sony Ericsson - joint venture with Swedish group was very profitable Sony Vaio - stylish PC with high quality audio and video functions Sony PlayStation - the PlayStation Portable variant's first 200,000 units was sold out Porter's Forces Other manufacturing firms should learn from the mistakes of Sony. Porter's five forces could be used to fully understand the lessons that can be gleaned from Sony's failures. The first one was already discussed earlier and it was the "threat of new entrants". The second factor to consider is the "bargaining power of buyers" and with regards to this one, Sony learned that customer loyalty is only possible with a continuous offering of innovative and high quality products. The third factor is the "bargaining power of suppliers" and with the need to buy LCD components Sony was placed at a disadvantage since it could not make its own. This was a problem easily remedied by a conglomerate that could easily develop this kind of technology. The fourth factor is the "threat of substitutes" and with the proliferation of cheap and easily manufactured equipment the only way Sony can distance itself from copycats is to be always produce cutting edge technology. The fifth factor is "rivalry among existing firms" and to be able to lead the pack, the solution is still the same - innovative products. S.W.O.T. Analysis There is another tool that other firms can use to understand Sony's woes and in the process learn from it. S.W.O.T. is an acronym that stands for strength, weakness, opportunities, and threats. Sony should focus on its strengths such as, "miniaturisation and high quality audio technology" (Nakamoto, 2005). Its current weakness, which other firms should be wary of, is its inability to make unrelated businesses to complement each other. This is because, in the first place it should not have acquired these businesses as was explained earlier. The opportunities and threats aspect of the S.W.O.T. analysis was amply described earlier with the use of Porter's five forces strategic analysis tool. Conclusion What used to be an innovative company, seemed to have lost its way in the ultra-competitive market of electronics manufacturing. One of the major reasons for its slide into the low achievers group is its reluctance to innovate. An example of this is its insistence on the use of unique compressions software called Atrac. Sony was mislead into thinking that since they used to dictate the market then it will be the same each time they are going to release a product. Truth is, the market will dictate what kind of products should be manufactured and looking back the consumers preferred efficiency and low cost equipment. Since MP3 is easier to download and easy to use with other equipment, it became the standard for portable audio devices. Sony ignored this fact and it cost them a lot. What is mind boggling with Sony's unwillingness to innovate is the fact that it used to be a cutting edge company, willing to go against the status quo. But now it seems content to rest on its laurels. The second reason why it is hard to understand their behaviour is the fact that they already experienced the same problem with Betamax. This was a videotape format pioneered by Sony that eventually did not earn the support of the industry because many preferred a better format called VHS. The Betamax debacle should have been enough to warn them of the impracticality of trying to force things on the consumer. But the more significant blunder of the company to date was its purchase of Columbia Pictures and CBS Records. The acquisitions made them loose focus and they deviated from their core business. The intended "vertical integration" did not happen and instead became the cause for a serious loss in revenue. The acquisition continued to haunt Sony Corporation. A conflict of interest prevented them to develop a product that encourages easy to pass around music files. Therefore, it did not encourage its engineers to create a device that can easily download music. Meanwhile, iPod began to assert itself in the portable audio equipment market and began luring away Sony's loyal customers with its innovative design, functionality and easy access to the downloadable music. There are many things that Sony can do to get back on track. But at this point it is imperative that they sell Sony Music Entertainment and Sony Pictures Entertainment. The movies and music department offers very little promise of becoming dominant in their respective fields. If competition in the electronics industry is tough, therefore with the entertainment industry, it is brutal. At least, with Sony focusing on portable audio devices, coloured TV sets, laptops, and games consoles, it is working within its comfort zone. For decades it has demonstrated its ability to think outside the box and was hugely successful doing so. All is not lost though, since Sony with its decades of experience in the electronics industry possesses the knowledge and facilities to come up with the next big thing. Judging by the rate at which technology changes, Sony may just be in time to catch the next wave. References Lynch, R. (2006). Shaking Up Sony: Restoring the Profits and the Innovative Fire Nakamoto, M. (2005). Caught in Its Own Trap: Sony Battle to Make Headway in the Networked World. Financial Times: London Nathan, J. (1999). Sony: The Private Life. New York: Houghton Mifflin Company. Spar, D. (2003). Managing International Trade and Investment. London, UK: Imperial College Press. Frisch, A. (2004). The Story of Sony. Minnesota, U.S.: Smart Apple Media. Stahl, M. & Grigsby, D. (1997). Strategic Management: Total Quality and Global Competition. Oxford, UK: Blackwell Publishers, Ltd.

How to Make a Pharaohs Snake Firework

How to Make a Pharaohs Snake Firework Pharaohs snakes or Pharaohs serpents are a type of small firework in which a lighted tablet exudes smoke and ash in a growing column which resembles a snake. The modern version of this firework is the non-toxic black snake. Pharaohs snakes produce a more spectacular display, but they are toxic so this firework is only produced as a chemistry demonstration. If you have the materials and a fume hood, you can make your own Pharaohs snakes. Safety First Although Pharaohs snakes are considered a type of firework, they do not explode or  emit sparks. They burn on the ground and release smoky vapors. All aspects of the reaction can be hazardous, including handling the mercury thiocyanate, breathing the smoke or touching the ash column, and contact with the remains of the reaction during clean-up. If you perform this reaction, use appropriate safety precautions for dealing with mercury. Making Pharaohs Snakes This is an extremely simple firework demonstration. All you need to do is ignite a small pile of mercury(II) thiocyanate, Hg(SCN)2. Mercury thiocyanate is an insoluble white solid which can be purchased as a reagent or can be obtained as a precipitate by reacting mercury(II) chloride or mercury(II) nitrate with potassium thiocyanate. All mercury compounds are toxic, so the demonstration should be performed in a fume hood. Typically the best effect is obtained by forming a depression in a shallow dish full of sand, filling it with mercury(II) thiocyanate, lightly covering the compound, and applying a flame to initiate the reaction. Pharaohs Snakes Chemical Reaction Igniting mercury(II) thiocyanate causes it to decompose into an insoluble brown mass that is primarily carbon nitride, C3N4. Mercury(II) sulfide and carbon disulfide are also produced. 2Hg(SCN)2 → 2HgS CS2 C3N4 Flammable carbon disulfide combusts to carbon(IV) oxide and sulfur(IV) oxide: CS2 3O2 → CO2 2SO2 The heated C3N4 partially breaks down to form nitrogen gas and dicyan: 2C3N4 → 3(CN)2 N2 Mercury(II) sulfide reacts with oxygen to form mercury vapor and sulfur dioxide. If the reaction is performed inside a container, you will be able to observe a gray mercury film coating its interior surface. HgS O2 → Hg SO2 Disclaimer: Please be advised that the content provided by our website is for EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY. Fireworks and the chemicals contained within them are dangerous and should always be handled with care and used with common sense. By using this website you acknowledge that ThoughtCo., its parent About, Inc. (a/k/a Dotdash), and IAC/InterActive Corp. shall have no liability for any damages, injuries, or other legal matters caused by your use of fireworks or the knowledge or application of the information on this website. The providers of this content specifically do not condone using fireworks for disruptive, unsafe, illegal, or destructive purposes. You are responsible for following all applicable laws before using or applying the information provided on this website.

Police Administration CompStat Model Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Police Administration CompStat Model - Essay Example However, critics of the model argues that it is based purely on pursuit of disorder, and as such, it enforces a zero tolerance policy. Others argue that it is aggressive policing thus returning the public to the days of police mishandling of force through violation of individual human rights. The aim of this paper is to evaluate whether CompStat model may or may not be the best alternative. The paper critiques the five basic principles of CompStat model, before discussing the long-term and short-term effectiveness measures. The paper also provides an implementation plan of the system. Discussion Strengths Firstly, since agendas are single focused, reporting meetings form a key program initiative under CompStat, and delays or any excuses are not tolerated. Hence no commander is allowed to leave the meeting without providing solutions to the task required (Willis, Mastrofskib, & Weisburd, 2004). In such meetings, every unit is represented and the commanding officers are not just able t o share information, but also responsibilities. Therefore, time, distance or diverse objectives which are common inhibitors under conventional models are eliminated under CompStat. In the end many resources from the departments can be applied during a response issue during such meetings, and the major aspect of CompStat effectiveness in tactics is based on its specified assignment of resources to a particular issue (McDonald, 2001). The major component of CompStat is relentless follow-up with assessment, and the strategies and tactic are assessed regarding every decision undertaken. However, techniques of assessment shift based on particular issue or tactic applied in assessing issues, such as shifting crime patterns, citizen complaints, or shifts in arrests result in prosecution (McDonald, 2001). Technology use is significant under CompStat and it is implemented effectively when it comes to electronic pin mapping, thus enabling visual portrayal of not just the crime hotspots but al so the crime patterns (Henry, 2008). For instance, computer pin mapping crime assessment system, adds to the departments radars system operations in attaining an early recognition of crime patterns. Thus, the system gathers response times while reporting activities. This technology use enables any police department to derive its crime data from various sources, hence guaranteeing precise identification of crime hotspots or crime patterns. Thirdly, data gathering and analysis forms a major aspect of CompStat program design and selection of effective tactics. Since timely data is essential, it is updated weekly and data analysis goes further than simple tallying of crime totals, to other trend indicators like assessment of geographic regions (McDonald, 2001). Hence, data analysis places emphasis on shifts in crime numbers, the demographic patterns, nature of arrests made, available resources, as well as behavior patterns of the criminals. Furthermore, the quality data collection and a nalysis does not cost millions of dollars or application of complicated software packages, but accurate automated systems which only require commitment and precision. Compstat

Critically evaluate the relationship between human resource management Essay

Critically evaluate the relationship between human resource management at organisational level, and the organisatoin's economic prosperity - Essay Example To become a multinational company the management has to expand its units across the country. As company and its other units are slowly expanding so does the problems are increasing day by day. If HR division is not up to its task then it may be possible that XYZ Inc. may consistent drop in its financial structure that result in heavy losses in the business. The important factors were found to be the hiccups facing by the staff in delivering the goods on time, baggage handling and in customer care. On the manufacturing side XYZ Inc. was unable to meet the supply demand. They have been successful in manufacturing and supplying of small privately owned airplanes. Since the public interest shifted towards the branded name and the feel of first class look the company has to meet the requirements. But XYZ Inc. was slow in its production rate. To meet the market demand on the manufacturing side and to improve customer care service the management introduced some strategies. One of the important factors that should be concentrated is on customer care service. The staff should be trained and should be at best when dealing with customers. The quality of the service should be of high degree. With the help of modern technology the staff could be easily trained. Since customer service involves in making and receiving calls, they should be trained on VOIP (Voice Over Internet Protocol), which is economical. On the manufacturing side the company has to speedup its operations because if it won’t meet the market demand it would loose potential ground. The best way is to lease some airplanes for sometime so that business continues and after completion of manufacturing they can introduce the planes in the market. Since costs are soaring high remedial steps should be taken immediately. Whether we agree or not the daily rise in prices is due to increase in oil per barrel in the gulf. Alternate steps should be taken to cope this

Leaders in my field of education Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Leaders in my field of education - Coursework Example For example, he personally taught all students how to plant trees, importance of planting trees, and how to take care of them. Then he gave all students a task of planting one tree each. Ever since, many students have made it their habit to regularly plant trees. â€Å"[L]eaders need to understand the phenomenon of leadership and learn effective ways of dealing with the chaos that surrounds them – to move forward, to achieve, to make progress – within and outside of their organizations† (Watt, 2009, p. 51); our middle school principal surely fits this definition. Time when leadership can be expressed more powerfully is the time of transition or crisis because these are the times when leadership is mostly absence and thus produces devastating results for an organization (Vogelsang, 2008, p. 3). Our middle school principal remained at the forefront and held himself responsible when our school’s team lost in the match with other schools. Indeed, he took some measures to coach our team better and now our team is performing much

Pathology And Laboratory Medicine Organisation Health And Social Care Essay

Pathology And Laboratory Medicine Organisation Health And Social Care Essay My aims of this section will be achieved through independent research, reading and reviewing articles, books, newspapers and accredited websites which will be demonstrated throughout this process of reflection. State the activities that you have carried out to help you to achieve your learning goal? To build a basic understanding in pathology and laboratory medicine organisation several activities were carried out to reflect the learning goals. Initially, through the attendance of lectures, the basic understanding of the five major disciplines such as microbiology, histopathology, cytopathology, clinical chemistry, Haematology and transfusion science was developed which enabled me to appreciate the various roles in pathological science. In supplementation to the notes taken, a variety of books related to the learning objectives of each lecture, were analysed in order to build upon the knowledge gained. This was done through the use of taking notes after actively processing information absorbed. Subsequently, detailed research was undertaken to gain up to date information on the quality standards laid by accredited governing bodies such as IBMS and HPC. To demonstrate, focused learning took place that reflect individual learning goals by looking at relevant journal articles, webs ites, government reports and newspaper articles. Furthermore, peer group discussion helped in expanding knowledge beyond the scope of the module content by discussing the financial factors which influenced the delivery of pathological and laboratory medicine. To conclude, a continual process of reflection will take place to appreciate setbacks, changes and developments in the learning process. How have these activities helped you with your learning? Activities undertaken have had a varied impact on my learning and development of the subject matter. Attending lectures and listening has enabled me to actively process the information by writing down notes. Notes have enabled me to have a basic understanding of the subject matter for example, one of my learning goals was to understand the different disciplines involved in pathological and laboratory medicine. Subsequently, learning objectives were used as a basis for further research in literature. For example, one of my learning objectives was current and future settings for the delivery of pathology and laboratory medicine organisation. The relevant chapters within and beyond the recommended reading lists was read and further notes were taken to supplement my notes thus, further developing my understanding. Moreover, a more complex understanding of certain aspects with in the subject matter was achieved through the activity of reading and analysing current journals and government reports for instance, the Carter Report on National Health Service (NHS) pathology services. Furthermore, examining peered reviewed websites, which were easy to access, gave me valid and up to date information on the quality standards lay down by different governing bodies such as the Health Professional Council (HPC). This enabled me to gain a more focused understanding of the subject content as required. Another activity which aided my learning was taking part in peer group discussion in tutorials. This provided me with knowledge beyond the subject content. For instance, financial impacts on the role a biomedical scientist undertakes. Finally, rigorous reflection has supported my learning by allowing me to change and adapt my learning goals and developed my thought processes. Describe your progress with this topic during the previous three weeks Development within each week was made in accordance to the learning goals I set myself in that week. I created a logical sequence in order to meet aims set within each week, as demonstrated below: Week 1: Learning goals: 1, 5 and 7 To achieve my first learning goal, I attended week 1 lecture on What is pathology and laboratory medicine. This lecture and written notes gave me the understanding of the five major disciplines and sub-specialities and the professional roles associated such as doctors and clinical scientists. Moreover, the relevant books were read to gain a more detailed understanding, these were biomedical science practice: experimental and professional skills and articles such as general pathology helped in consolidating and extending my understanding of the subject. Subsequently, learning goal five was accomplished through lecture 1 and, again, written notes which were highlighted and condensed gave me a broader understanding into quality standards laid down by different governing bodies such as CPA and MHRA and how stringent guidelines, which are followed by pathological laboratories, enable quality and accurate service to be provided. In addition, books and articles such as biomedical science practice: experimental and professional skills chapter 19 were read. Moreover, specialist website such as www.CPA.org.uk and www.mhra.gov.uk/index.htm was looked at to gain an idea of the specific guidelines that need to be followed by laboratories. Finally, learning goal seven was achieved through lecture 1 and written notes gave me and understanding of the current and future settings for the delivery of the pathological medicine and how the current hospital based lab may become a factory warehouse to maximise space and meet the demands of the workload. To supplement this goal, articles such as the Carter Report was read to further focus my learning on how changes such as Hub and Spoke working could increase effectiveness of the delivery of pathological medicine. Week 2: Learning goals: 2 and 3 The second learning goal was achieved through attendance of the second lecture on pathology and laboratory medicine organisation. This lecture and written notes, again, enabled me to gain the understanding of the services provided by pathology and how it is split into core and specialists services. Furthermore, e-books such as An introduction to biomedical science in professional and clinical practice and from NHS specialised services website, information on specialist services was looked at to supplement my learning. Lastly, learning goal three was accomplished by the end of week 3 through the combination of lecture two and notes taken from e-books and articles such as Pre-analytical Variables in the Chemistry Laboratory helped to further enhance and focus my learning; presenting to me different prospective on the same matter thus, allowing me to reach my own conclusion Week 3: Learning goals: 4, 6 and 8 To attain learning goal four, lecture three in pathology and laboratory medicine allowed me to gain an understanding of the different professional bodies within pathology and their purpose. Notes and further reading in the relevant materials allowed me to actively process the information presented to me and develop my knowledge. To help supplement by progression towards achieving this learning goal, I looked at specialist websites created by the governing bodies in pathology medicine, such as www.cpa.org.uk to enable me to gain a specialist insight for instance, the role the professional bodies play in the successful delivery of BSc (Hons) in Biomedical science degree. Moreover, lecture three also allowed me to achieve learning goal six which was to understand the overall contribution of pathology medicine on healthcare. It demonstrated to me how the work undertaken by pathology laboratory is vital to the success and treatment of many diseases such as Tuberculosis (TB). Also, further research in to books like Biomedical sciences: essential laboratory medicine allowed me to gain appreciation of the broad spectrum of work carried out by biomedical scientist and their influence on healthcare. Finally, goal eight was also, achieved in lecture three as it gave me an brief insight into the role of private health care, NHSBT and pharmaceutical companies on pathology medicine. Furthermore, notes and further reading in newspapers such as the Guardian allowed me to understand that Private Finance Initiatives (PFI) is a way of creating Public Private Partnerships (PPPs) to alleviate the financial constraints on the NHS as it cannot afford to do all the tests that is required of them however, in return for their funding, the repayments on the debt owed, is more than what was put in. Describe any setbacks that you have encountered in trying to achieve your learning goal. I believe the word setback can be seen as a positive step in achieving my goals in academia because they are not setbacks but, steps I should avoid when trying to achieve other goals. Setbacks came in many different forms when accomplishing goals in this section. To begin with first setback that I encountered was that my goals didnt reflect the objectives of the lectures. This meant that it was harder to come into the lecture prepared with a brief understanding as I had prepared for different learning goals which were in accordance with my plan. To overcome this I will try to create a plan that can adapt to change and try not to let this have too much of an impact or have an effect on performance within the lecture. Furthermore, another setback was that different array of resources were available in trying to achieve each learning goals. For example, for my first learning goal a wide array of resources was available such as books to articles to newspapers whereas, for some goals not all the types of resources were available. To overcome this I will try to allow more time for researching a particular goal and then while I am gathering information on the topic, I wi ll research again to look at more focused learning sources such as articles. Moreover, on some occasions, when I did locate the necessary articles the abstract was only available. This gave a brief insight, it would have been easier to draw valid conclusions and understand the subject content proposed, if the whole information was available. This was only a slight setback as to overcome this just meant refining my research so that I could locate the complete articles. Another setback was that we did not have a tutorial after the first lecture in pathology and laboratory medicine organisation this meant this impeded my ability to test whether the information that was taught in the lecture was understood and tutorial were also used to provide me with any further detail. However, this was no fault of mine but I just felt a tutorial after the first lecture would have been beneficial in testing the understanding of the lecture. Simply, for this setback I will continue to attend all futur e tutorials. Lastly, another setback was to try and complete the necessary section in time with the interim deadlines that I set myself, to effectively complete the learning log to a decent standard. This was because I did not anticipate the duration of which some the sections of the learning log will take. For example the section where it stated explain what you have learnt took longer than expected due to the further reading that I did. To overcome this I will set myself more realistic interim deadlines which are more reflective of ability to achieve them. Explain what you have learnt Gain an understanding of the different disciplines involved in pathology, for example, microbiology and histopathology, and the professional careers associated. As defined by Bezabeh et al. (2004) [online]), pathology is the scientific study of disease. It is derived from the Latin words patho meaning disease and logy meaning study. Therefore, pathology is the study of disease using scientific methods for example a haematologists will examine blood content by taking a blood test. There are five major disciplines and sub-specialities under pathology: Microbiology and Virology Histopathology Cytopathology and immunology Clinical Chemistry Haematology and Blood Transfusion Microbiology It is the study of pathogens that penetrate the bodys defences and cause disease. A microbiologist will understand the mode of function of a variety of different fungi, bacteria and parasites; they will identify the correct pathogen that has infected the host and recommend the correct antibiotic treatment to eliminate the disease. Many pathogenic diseases identified by microbiologists include tuberculosis, tetanus and meningitis. Virology This is the study of viruses and their mode of action in terms of penetration and infectious ability. Viral diseases that are commonly identified are human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), chickenpox and German measles. Virologists also have major roles in the production and efficiency of vaccines. Histopathology This is the study of tissue structure and components which can relate to the establishment of disease. Common samples are from living individuals during surgery or deceased individuals in a post mortem. Sample size ranges from small samples such as biopsies to whole organs to identify the ailment afflicting the individual (Glencross, 2011). Moreover, histologists will look at abnormal features or functions of tissue to establish which disease is infecting the individual. Many types of tumours such as benign or malignant ones which lead to cancerous diseases such skin cancers are identified due to their appearance on the skin. Cytopathology This is the study of cells not tissues and abnormal features or components in cellular material will allow cytologists to identify the infecting disease. The samples are from a wide variety of sources such as cervical smears or natural shedding in the mouth when a swab is taken (Glencross, 2011). This is then studied under a microscope. Clinical cytopathologists, medical staff and biomedical scientists work closely together to interpret the results from a patient and administer the correct diagnosis to the affected individual. Immunology It is the study of the immune system and its role in inhibiting infectious diseases such as tumours, parasitic infestations and allergies. Their samples come from a wide array of sources such as blood samples and urine samples. Variety of tests which are carried out by immunologists on samples can be either automated or manual (Glencross, 2011). A disease of the immune system is acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) which is the result of a HIV infection. AIDS disables the immune system thus, allowing infected individual to become more prone to diseases and without a defence mechanism the individual dies. Clinical chemistry Tests on blood or other biological materials such as urine are carried out to understand and diagnose diseases such as diabetes which renders a person unable to absorb sugar properly which can lead to dangerously high blood-sugar levels in the blood plasma which leads to a Hyperosmolar Hyperglycaemic State (HHS) which is life threatening (Diabetes UK, 2012) [online]). Toxicology studies on the liver and kidney are also carried out and tests can be done to monitor the development of disease. Haematology This is the study of the physiology of blood samples taken by nurses. Samples are required by medical staff such as doctors to identify diseases such as anaemia or leukaemia. Haematological tests will identify in the blood sample, the amount erythrocytes or haemoglobin is present so that medical staffs and biomedical scientists can determine if the patient is anaemic so that treatment can start immediately. Transfusion science Transfusion science involves the sorting, identification and administration of blood and blood products to individuals that require it. For example, anaemic patients, patients suffering from blood loss or individuals involved in a road traffic accident. The primary source of blood is from blood donors who can donate their blood which is then stored and prepared for re-administration to individuals that require it (Glencross, 2011). Blood is regarded as a product so, it is highly regulated by the MHRA which makes sure that hospitals and other organisation follow EU directives which were transferred into UK law through the Blood Safety and Quality Regulations 2005 in UK Blood transfusion and tissue transplantation service (UKBTS), 2012) [online]. There are many professional careers that are in pathology. They are: Doctors Clinical Scientists Biomedical Scientists Assistant Practitioners Cytoscreeners Medical Laboratory Assistants Anatomical Pathology Technicians Administration and Clerical staff There are many routes to each of the professions for example, to become a biomedical scientist, who can specialise in any of the five departments of pathology after further training, a Bachelors of Science (BSc) degree in biomedical science must be obtained and state registration on the Health and Care Professional Council (HCPC) register is also required to be able to practice as a biomedical scientists in the National Health Service (NHS) or other organisations. To understand the organisation within pathology and laboratory medicine including the variety of specialist services provided. There are services in pathology and laboratory medicine that can be classified under: traditional, core and specialist services. The five major departments within pathology are categorised under these three services. As stated by Beastall (2008) the NHS laboratories have always provided twenty-four hour services in clinical biochemistry, haematology and blood transfusion. However, services in microbiology and histopathology have been provided by core laboratories may that be not always on a daily basis. The above services cover the five major departments which should be provided to everyone and at most if not every NHS hospital. Specialist services as defined by (NHS specialised services, 2012) [online] is a service that has a planning population of one million which means that it will not be available to everyone or by every hospital, typically, it is provided by less than 50 hospitals. Such services relate to rare disorders or conditions such as mutations in lymphomas and leukaemia s which require specialist equipment in pathology laboratories for diagnosis and treatment. There are a variety of services of specialist services that have developed for example Ophthalmic Pathology Services which diagnoses and provides advice on eye conditions. Services include diagnosis for malignant and non-malignant conditions for a variety of specimens including eyelid, conjunctiva and cornea. Moreover, a more recent development of specialised services in histopathology and haematological oncology services is molecular pathology which looks at genetic analysis for the diagnosis and prognosis of tumours in breast cancers, lymphomas and leukaemias. A demonstration of good practice is the Fluorescent in-situ hybridization (FISH) testing human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 protein (HER2) in breast cancer to select patients suitable for Herceptin  ®. Herceptin  ® is the first monoclonal antibody which binds onto the HER2 receptor blocking human growth factor from binding thus preventing the chance of uncontrolled replications which lead to tumours. To determine whether patients require Herceptin  ® patients are tested using immunohistocompatibility (IHC) test which detects HER2 proteins through staining tumour cell membranes (Breastcancer.org, 2012) [online]. Many other specialist services are provided by the pathology laboratory medicine departments in the NHS to treat complex disorders that your average NHS hospital cannot deal with such as Bone Marrows, Colourimetric in Situ Hybridisation (CISH) and Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) tests. To understand the process that takes place when the samples arrive in pathological lab to when it leaves There are three stages in the processing of samples from when it arrives to when it leaves, these are: Pre-analytical Analytical Post-analytical Pre-analytical It is a phase in the process which deals with the request for a sample to be taken to when it is ready for the analytical phase in a laboratory. In this phase nearly 32 75% of errors occurs which delays and makes the job of a biomedical scientist harder (Magee (2005) [online]). There are many types of errors than can occur, these are: Patient Identification: this is important as you need to take the sample from the correct patient. If it is done incorrectly then this can contribute to laboratory error Patient Preparation: this is again very important because if one needs to take a blood sample to test glucose level, the patient has to fast prior to the sample collection so that when the sample is taken it will not give an inaccurate reading Proper Tube Mixing: once the blood sample has been taken correctly then good mixing needs to occur to distribute the clotting factors in the tube evenly so that the sample does not clot in anyway Correct Specimen Volume: this s essential as each specified volume on the tube has the correct additive and if too much is added to a tube which is above the specified, it will distort the blood-additive ratio thus contributing to a lab error (Magee (2005) [online]) There are many other errors that could occur, above is a synoptic view of the wide variety of errors that could occur. Analytical phase This phase is when the specimen that has been taken, for example, a blood sample is tested in an auto analyser or other analytical machines to get a full blood count of red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets. This is done electronically and there is a very low error rate. The possibility of error only occurs with human intervention during reading and recording result or when the specimen is put into the machine. An error could also occur if the machine is faulty and that its fault is not picked up in time. Post-analytical phase This phase involves the time form when it has been fully analysed to when it arrives back at the organisation from where it came from. This phase also can have a lot of errors in it which again reduces the accuracy of results. There are many errors that could occur, for example: If an analyst is under pressure to produce test results required urgently, he or she may be tempted to present the results which look credible but has been achieved through the breach of Westgards rules which is identified through internal quality control (Pitt and Cunningham, 2009, pp. 111) [online]). This error or factor may highlight someone as ill when they are not, which is very serious. Post analytic data entry error: this is dangerous as it can highlight someone as ill when they are not Oral miscommunication of results Error in reporting to downstream printer and fax Provider fails to retrieve test result: this causes further delays and the sample has to be searched and retrieved Failure to communicate critical value Provider misinterprets lab result: this and the above error again could harm the patient as they could be given drugs that they do not require There are many other errors that could occur in this phase and these errors are a direct result of human error. To make the system more efficient the pre and post-analytical phase should become more automated to reduce the risk of human error however, this action may reduce the number of jobs available to medical laboratory assistants which again is another factor to consider when trying making pathology medicine more efficient. To find out about the different professional bodies within pathology and their purpose There are four main professional bodies that governs pathology, they are: Institute for Biomedical Science (IBMS) Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) Clinical Pathology Accreditation (CPA) The IBMS is a professional body for biomedical science in the United Kingdom. It was founded in 1912 and has 16000 active members. The body aims to promote and develop biomedical science and its members. It has three primary roles in biomedical science: General This involves setting standards of practices for biomedical scientists to protect patients. Also, the institute represents the interests of biomedical science to the universities, media and government. Furthermore, they promote public awareness and advises government departments on all matters relating to biomedical science Educational The institute accredits university degrees and assess qualifications for registration with the HCPC. Also, they assess the competence for biomedical scientists to practice and they award Chartered Scientists status. Scientific They update members through meeting and professional events and organise continual professional development schemes. Furthermore, they publish scientific research and professional development documents. They help part fund critical research in the development of medicine. Also, they can be assessors for senior job interviews The role of the IBMS is not explicitly narrowed down to the above as they also, work closely with the institute of HCPC to help develop and accredit competent biomedical scientists. The HCPC is a UK-wide regulatory body which is responsible for setting and maintaining standards of proficiency, professional training, performance and conduct of healthcare professionals. The purpose of imposing regulations is to protect the patient, the professionals and to prosecute anyone who breaks their rules and regulations. Moreover, the HCPC publishes a wide variety of documents to help registered scientists to understand exactly what is required of them when practicing. Also, in the documents on the HCPC website, there are several rules on how to act in the best interest of your patient and how to keep high standards of personal conduct. For example, one of the rules is that you should be aware that conduct outside your programme may affect whether or not you are allowed to complete your programme or register with us (HCPC (2012) [online]). This means that the conduct of a biomedical scientist regulated in and out of the work place and any wrongdoing of a biomedical scientists will be referred to the HCPC for conduct unfitting for a professional outside of work and although this does not mean they will be struck of the register, there is still a possibility of this happening (Ricketts, 2012). Moreover, to continue to remain on this register, it is obligatory to sign a personal declaration every two ye ars, confirming that he or she meets their standards of proficiency and competence to practice. Also, evidence for Continual Professional Development (CPD) is required to prove the validity of the personal declaration document (Glencross, 2011). The CPA originated in 1992, from a collaboration of four institutes: the Royal College of Pathologists, the Association of Clinical Pathologists, the Institute of Biomedical Science, and the Association for Clinical Biochemistry. CPA primarily accredited medical laboratories but now they have extended their accreditation to External Quality Assessment (EQA) schemes. The CPA is a non-profiting distributing institute that act in the best interest of the public (CPA (2012) [online]). Moreover, the CPA evaluates and declares the capability of the medical laboratories and External Quality Assessments (EQA) schemes in the UK and overseas. This will give the public the confidence that there specimens, are sent to laboratories that adhere to the strictest regulations and will be treated properly. Although this registration for laboratories is voluntary, if they do enrol it will demonstrate that they have been assessed against the accepted standards and will ensure that there is the highest standards in the NHS laboratories (CPA (2012) [online]). There are many other governing bodies such as the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) which regulate the blood products in a pathological laboratory. This is essential in pathology as peoples lives are at stake and the results are needed to be accurate as it can determine whether a patient is critically or not. This gives the public confidence that the tests are carried to the highest accuracy and that the laboratory abides by the strictest rules to provide highly quality outcomes. To learn about the quality standards laid down by different governing bodies which all biomedical scientists and pathological laboratories are obliged to follow. The environment of healthcare is very controlled, with internal and external quality control checks to ensure that the highest standards are maintained at all times. To assess this conformation, there are formal standards to comply with also there are clinical and non-clinical checks by independent assessors of the laboratory from the CPA, if the laboratory is registered with them. This will ensure a high standard is maintained in every individual associated with the laboratory. There are many governing bodies, United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS), CPA, Human Tissue Authority (HTA) and MHRA, which assess clinical laboratories against a wide variety of standards. This is done through professional quality inspectors and peer assessors from within the profession. The CPA which is a part of UKAS works to accredit medical laboratories to standards laid down in ISO 15189, Medical laboratories Particular requirements for quality and competence which incorporates ISO 9001 which are adhered to by the CPA. In these international standards, they cover eight major areas: Organisation and quality management system (A standards) Personnel (B standards) Premises and environment (C standards) Equipment, information systems, and materials (D standards) Pre-Examination process (E standards) Examination process (F standards) Post examination process (G standards) Evaluation and quality assurance (H standards) CPA assessment will take place every four years by three assessors, two from UKAS and one peer assessors which are normally clinical experts in specific fields such as immunology (Glencross, 2011). All of this is done to ensure that patient specimen examinations are done accurately, to a high standard and conform to high health safety standards to give the patient the highest confidence that the tests will be carried out properly and the results will be accurate. The Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) regulates medicines, medical devices and equipment used in healthcare and investigates harmful incidents. Also, they regulate blood and blood products to ensure that when administered to patients that the blood sample has been treated, stored and administered in accordance with the rules set down by the Blood Safety and Quality Regulations (BSQR) (MHRA (2008) [online]). MHRA inspection takes place when a laboratory fills in an online compliance report to the MHRA, they will then assess the report in accordance to the BSQR and then if any further action is required, MHRA will send an inspector who will check the traceability, quality and storage of blood to ensure the laboratory is complying to the MHRA standards, this will normally take about a day to complete (Glencross, 2011) Also, MHRA publish standards on medicine and medicinal devices to ensure that any medical product has been stringently regulated to ensure highest patient safety. They regulate a variety of thing such as new biological compound or chemical compounds, new forms of existing medicines and r

The Fool in William Shakespeares As You Like It Essay -- William Shak

The Fool in William Shakespeare's As You Like It The fool is one of the first character archetypes that any student of literature learns how to analyze. Despite his seemingly light or even pointless chatter, the fool usually manages to say some fairly important things. Upon further study, the student may perceive that it is because of his penchant for silliness that the fool is given leave to express even offensive truths about the other characters. What happens, though, when one fool encounters another? Fools are not used to being subject to one another’s wit; this experience of being held up to a sort of mirror is generally reserved for the characters who must undergo some change to further the plot. Touchstone and Jaques manage to break that rule, and merely by coexisting seem to compete. Both live up to some part of our expectation of the fool, but neither manages to fill the role entirely. Which one comes closer is a matter worthy of some debate. In her book The Fool: His Social and Literary History, Enid Welsford devotes a chapter to â€Å"The Court-Fool in Elizabethan Drama† and briefly discusses As You Like It specifically. She at one point describes fools as being â€Å"†¦partly within and partly outside the action of the drama.† (244). This idea is applicable to Touchstone and Jaques, but in a slightly different way than she intended it. She was describing characters placed by circumstance in that liminal state--characters with no desire to move to either side of their middle ground. Also, she describes the differences between Touchstone and Jaques, both in appearance and attitude. Most importantly, she mentions that Touchstone â€Å"†¦exposes affectation; but he is capable of†¦criticism, and his judgments are r... ... encroaching on his territory. Jaques is a sort-of fool in a sort-of court, but Touchstone’s presence brings in a glimmer of the rest of the world—a real fool from a real court—that shatters Jaques before he ever has a chance to throw a single stone at Touchstone. Jaques’ attempts to find a place for himself, then, simply read as a strange, lost man making faces in a glass. There is no way that Jaques can surpass Touchstone’s inherent liminality—where Touchstone slips seamlessly from one world to the next, in and out of the action, Jaques just hops jerkily back and forth like someone walking on hot coals. He never lands in any one place long enough to really establish himself. It is for this reason that Touchstone fills every facet of the fool’s role more ably than Jaques, up until the bitter end when Jaques takes the traditional fool’s ending and stands alone.