Men in the female dominated nursing profession

Men in the female dominated nursing profession The existing literature in nursing reviewed, and is mostly based on the reason for the shortage of men in nursing, and their experiences in a female dominated profession. Most of the articles obtained in this literature review were from the databases of Pub-Med, MEDLINE, Elsevier, Bio Med Central, SAGE pub, and Google Scholar. The key search words were caring, gender, men, nurses, nursing, stereotypes, non-traditional jobs, and advantages. The data obtained for this literature review span from 1964 to 2010. Little is it known about the experiences of men in nursing in Malta. However, Mr. Joseph Camilleri (1964) wrote about History of nursing in Malta stating that the knights themselves performed the nursing care exclusively, to the same gender. The literature review presented is aimed to explore the advantages and disadvantages that male nurses experience while performing their caring roles in nursing. 2.2 Difficulties male nurses encounter in a traditionally female profession 2.2.1 Introduction Nursing became predominately a female profession in the late 19th century. Though Florence Nightingale made major contributions in the nursing profession, she was greatly involved in excluding men from this profession by affirming that nursing was a discipline for female. She did work hard in establishing nursing as a laudable profession for respectable women, ignoring the past indispensable contributions made by men (Black and Germaine-Warner, 1995). Nightingale saw the males task restricted to physical jobs like moving or lifting patients and never appreciated their caring task. Besides, the Industrial Revolution largely influenced the way out of men from caring professions, such as nursing. During this period, the widely acknowledged professions for men were business, technology and science. Men pursued medicine and women pursued nursing (Black and Germaine-Warner, 1995). Men entering the nursing profession cross the conventional lines of gender. As a result, their masculinity becomes an issue. Over time, masculinity has been defined by the roles men perform (Connell, 1995). The concept, notion or idea of masculinity deters men from entering women-dominated professions, such as nursing, but men are silent on the entry of women in the mens traditional professions, such as medicine and technology. Williams (1995), Table 2.1 conducted in-depth interviews with 76 men and 23 female who work in predominantly female professions as social workers, elementary school teachers, nurses, and librarians. Through deft interpretation of her interviewees words, it was found that male nurses and those in other female-conquered fields frequently emphasize their masculinity and try as much as possible to avoid socializing with their women colleagues. This is argued by Williams as the only way of legitimising their working in the womens conventional professions. An exploratory study, conducted by Heikes (1991),Table 2.1 based on in-depth interviews with fifteen male nurses, showed that male nurses saw themselves in the abnormal position of belonging to two very dissimilar groups. For instance, in the nursing profession, men are taken as a minority group tagged as male nurse, whilst in a broader society, men fit in the dominant social group where they are expected to be successful and excelling in their profession. Male nurses are therefore a unique type of minority group in the sense that they are either a minority of the principal social faction or minority of majority. This disparity in grouping (minority-majority) stresses and discriminates men in nursing more than other tokens. Furthermore, the study indicates that many of the disadvantages male nurses experience (e.g., homosexual stigma, gender stereotypes) originate from outside of the nursing profession (Heikes, 1991, p.398). According to theoretical research of the literature, carried out by Evans (2004), Table 2.1, a man associated with the nursing profession compromises his reputation plus social status in patriarchal culture. Also, male nurses experience the stigma of working in a female-dominated profession, and they are seen by society as challenging the conventional roles of men (Lammi and Kauppinen-Toropainen, 1993). Evans argues (1997,p.228), citing Mangan (1994), that stigmatising labels imply that men who do nursing are different from other men, isolating them as deviants who are odd or homosexual. Furthermore, while analysing the data from semi-structured interviews with eight men nurses on their experiences in nursing, Evans (2002) noted that the male nurses are exposed to rejection and suspicion as nurturers and caregivers due to the perception that men and women caring styles were not the same. Touch was one expression of caring that all participants identified as central, to their practice as nurses, and potentially dangerous because it can be misinterpret, which makes them vulnerable caregivers. Similarly, men in nursing are likely to be labelled gay. Pringle (1993) asserted that any feminised profession is believed to attract homosexual men, be it fashion, hairdressing, or even nursing. A study link appears to be drawn between sexual preferences and gender. Savage (1987) suggested that a male nurse is always tagged with a predominant image of being homosexual. He further supported this suggestion by asserting that men entering the nursing profession have purportedly failed in other manhood professions and that the only opening for them remains in the womens world. Harding, (2007), Table, 2.1 in the social constructionist study conducted among 18 New Zealand men employed in general nursing found that majority of men in nursing are heterosexual. However, public perception is still that most male nurses are gay. This stereotype persists only in general nursing because it was constructed as feminine and abnormal for men, whereas psychiatric nursing was constructed as normal for men (Harding, 2007, p.641) Male nurses are believed to be further weakened, emasculated or ineffectual by resorting on womens traditional jobs in which they are anticipated to exhibit feminine qualities, such as being gentle, caring and subordinate to women. Thus, labelling of men in the nursing profession as homosexuals makes them feel remorseful, outcast and discouraged. Pringle (2002) asserted that in most cultures, male homosexuality is seen as an infringement of masculinity and a denigration of mens mythical power. He further asserted that as homosexuality nibbles at masculinity, it deteriorates the gender order. As earlier mentioned, up to this very moment nursing is extremely dominated by women and this translates to a number of personal and professional challenges to men entering the field. For example, several male nurses have reported about physicians and head nurses placing less trust in them. Besides, male nursing students encounter discrimination from physicians, practicing nurses and the general public (Kelly et al., 1996). Female nurses frequently request male colleagues for assistance in turning and lifting patients, thereby emphasising physical strength and not professional expertise. It is all very frequent for male nurses or students to find themselves unwanted in delivery rooms, prenatal clinics and other related settings that male physicians have liberated access (Black and Germaine-Warner, 1995). Another difficult issue male nurses or students encounter is a mistrust emanating from their patients. Literature has it that a considerable number of patients become so violent or hostile in the presence of a male nurse and will be uncomfortable submitting to intimate medical procedures. This is a difficult position to encounter, and several male nurses usually become frustrated when patients are not willing to confide in them because of fear or underserved disrespect (Fisher, 1999). Also, mounting study indicates that men in female-dominated careers, such as catering, nursing and fashion, encounter gender bias, elevated rates of job linked to stress as well as job discrimination (Amour, 2003). Table 2.1 The distribution of studies regarding the difficulties male nurses encounter in traditionally female profession Author/s and setting Sample and sampling method Research design/Instrument Significant findings Evans, J. (2004), Canada à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Theoretical research of literature review on men nurses in Canada, Britain U.S.A. between 1900 and 2003. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Statistics, CINHAL, Pub Med, and Sociological Abstract databases à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Failure to recognize mens participation in nursing leaves male nurses without historical background, almost invisible; à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Gender boundaries are negotiable during wars and acute nursing shortage, à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Men in nursing tend to choose areas of specialization that are more masculine, à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Mens career path takes on traditional masculine role that seeks power and influence Evans,J .(2002), Canada à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢8 male nurses from community health nursing, medical-surgical, and general duty nursing, à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢6 married, 1 with partner, and 1 gay; à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Age from late 20s to mid 50s à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Two rounds of semi-structured interviews à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢The stereotype of men as sexual aggressors is compounded by the stereotype that men nurses are gay, à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢These stereotypes sexualise men nurses touch, à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Men nurses are subject of accusation of inappropriate behaviour Harding,T. (2007), Norway à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Discourse analysis of data from existing texts, and 2 films on men, nursing and masculinity, and interviews conducted in 2003-2004, à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢18 participants, 11 self-identified as gay, 6 heterosexual, and 1 no information on sexuality, à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢The workplace included clinical nursing, education, administration, midwifery, mental health and armed forces à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Purposive and snow ball sampling à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Loosely structured interviews with broad, open-ended questions à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Three themes emerged which characterized the participants experiences: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Persistence of the stereotype of the gay male nurse, à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Meeting homophobia in the work place, à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Strategies to protect ones homosexuality like working as psychiatric nurses. Heikes, J. (1991), U.S.A. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ 15 male RNs from nine different hospitals in Austin, Texas; à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Age range 26-43 years; à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Working experience ranged from 1-14 years à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢In-dept interviews based on interview questions about the concrete work experiences, and non-work interactions à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Four role stereotypes emerged from the data: Ladder-climber, Troublemaker, and He-man, traditionally masculine traits, and homosexual, which is imposed on male nurses from the outside; à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Male tokens are expected to excel in the occupational or public sphere; à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Respondents reported social isolation in order to maintain higher status and to reduce the possibility of them being labelled un masculine or homosexual. Williams,C. (1995), U.S.A. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢76 men and 23 women in four occupations: nursing, librarian, elementary school teacher, and social worker; à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢From 1985-1991 à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Snowball sampling à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Age range from 20-66 à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢In-dept interview, with the interview questionnaire consisted of several open ended four broad questions on motivation to enter the profession, experience in training, career progression, and general about mens status. (p.229) à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Face to face interview à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Cultural and social stereotypes about masculinity pressure men to raise in a glass escalator to the highest paid and most prestigious nursing specialities; à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Men encouraged to advance by an invisible pressure; à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Men develop strategies to present themselves as masculine, and superior to female colleagues 2.3 Advantages and disadvantages perceived in males nursing career 2.2.1 Introduction Male nurses belong to a minority group. Approximately 3.1 percent of nurses in Canada and the United States are male, about 8.77 percent in the United Kingdom, (Rott, et.al (2008), and in Malta 28 percent (Council for nurses and midwifes, 2010). According to Evans (1997), Table 2.2, women working in mens traditional professions normally encounter hostile working environment. However, men working in female-dominated professions may never encounter such disadvantages. That said, the focal rationale for drawing men to nursing is to enhance the status and the prestige of the profession as a whole. It remains debatable whether this will really work or not. Several researchers and scholars have argued that the rationale puts a noteworthy pressure on men to salvage the nursing profession, whereas others believe that allowing men in the profession merely raises the position of masculine gender in the society (Evans, 1997). Male as well encompass an advantage in the nursing profession due to traditional stereotype that men are always the breadwinners of the families. In most societies, women usually take primary tasks for childcare and housework, giving men a distinct benefit. For instance, there is a devastating perception in the United States and most Anglo-Saxon world that women are less devoted to their work than men. This is largely due to the unfair division of labour inside the household. As such, even in female professions, men remain with this unequal advantage over women (Williams, 1995). In addition to, Abrahamsen (2004), Table 2.2, argues when men obtain leading positions more often than women, this can be result of favourism of men (p.35). A quantitative, non-experimental descriptive study ,conducted over twenty years, in order to identify constructions of masculinity, and career development, showed that twenty years after graduation, ,70% of male nurses were in the leadership position, and away from somatic wards. They moved to a sector which offered better income , which suggests that salary is important when male nurses move within different parts of the healthcare sector ( Abrahamsen, 2004). Additionally, the major functions in nursing accentuate technical knowledge, leadership and devotion to work, all these are perceived as being masculine traits. Consideration to detail and showing of emotions that are usually characteristics of females are not credited as good skills of leadership. What is more, male nurses are more social with doctors than their female counterparts. Since men feel they lack much in common with their female counterparts, they prefer talking about vehicles and sports with other men, especially male doctors. This in itself provides advantages for career projections, as doctors begin to appreciate male nurses as being competent just like their women colleagues (Bush, 1976). The transversal study of Dassen, T., Nijhuis,J.N. Philipsen, H. (1990), Table 2.2 which was based on a National Survey among intensive-care (IC) nurses in The Netherlands, showed that male IC-unit nurses consider IC-nursing to be a medical rather than a nursing activity in order to upgrade their own profession into a kind of medical profession. Due to an over-representation of men in technical wards, distribution of labour among male and female nurses is taking place according to traditional sex -specific patterns where male nurses stand a better chance of being promoted to higher positions. In addition, the study revealed that 50% of male nurses wish to become head of a nursing ward which proves that male nurses are more oriented towards profesionalization than female nurses. On the other hand, Kanters (1977) notion of tokenism supposed that the numerical underrepresentation of individuals in an occupation, particularly those classified by gender, ethnicity or race, will lead to discriminatory treatment. Therefore, for all minority groups, a given profession will always experience negative job impacts. According to Kanter, members of minority group are likely to achieve less in the working environment than members of the majority group. However, Williams (1995) contravened that when men are seen as minority group in the nursing profession, they normally use their dominant gender privilege to rapidly rise to the topmost hierarchy (Saville-Smith and James, 1994). Conversely, nursing is seen by several people as a feminine profession and is therefore devalued in male-conquered patriarchal society. This profession is always stereotyped as having the characteristics of caring, nurturing, submission and dependence. These traits accredited to nursing contrast with the alleged male characteristics of dominance, aggression and strength and thus male nurses usually isolate themselves from their female nurses as a way of expressing the notion of masculinity (Heikes, 1991). Moreover, when an individual forms an identity which is incompatible with the expectations of the society, people usually become uncomfortable and uncertain on how to behave. In most societies all over the world, nurses are perceived as women, and thus it is quite difficult for individuals to know how to interrelate with male nurses. They find it too unusual why a man would decide on a career dominated by a recessive sex. This is a major disadvantage to men in nursing and most of th em are indeed deterred from the profession by assuming that other individuals will see them as unmanly (Bagilhole and Cross, 2002). Table 2.2 The distribution of studies regarding the advantages and disadvantages perceived in males nursing career Author/s and setting Sample and sampling method Research design/ Instrument Significant findings Abrahamsen, D. (2004) Norway à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢1450 male and female nurses who completed training in 1977 à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Norwegian survey of nurses undertaken at the end of 1998 à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢After a year from graduating, 10% of male and female, both were in leadership position, à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢After twenty years later, 70% of men were in leading position away from somatic wards and bed-ridden patients, à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Better income was moved male nurses within different parts of the healthcare system. Dassen,T.W.N.et.al., (1990) The Netherlands à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢1960 male and female nurses, data borrowed from the Intensive Care Association, à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ 960 returned the forms by post, à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢R.R.49% à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Survey, questionnaire sent by post; à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢There is an over-presentation of men in technical wards, à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢10% of the male nurses reported having chosen to work in an IC-unit, à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢50% of the male nurses wish to become head of a nursing ward compared to only 15% of female nurses. Evans,J. (1997) Canada à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Theoretical literature review à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Not stated à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Even in the female dominated profession , patriarchal society enables men to obtain dominant position, à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Marital status for men has significant career advantage, à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Men nurses have more university degrees compared to women nurses, 2.4 Why men choose nursing as a career 2.4.1 Introduction Most men choose nursing for the similar reasons women choose nursing. They are goaded by the desire to care for patients (Boughn, 2001). Besides, men have numerous practical reasons that include career opportunity, job security, job flexibility and stable income. Conventionally, men tend to prefer active and challenging fields of nursing, such as cardiac care units, trauma units, emergency departments, cardiac care units, intensive care units, anaesthesiology or flight nursing, among others. Men are often attracted to the technical aspects of acute care specialties and always motivated by the challenges created by the medical instruments utilised in those units. However, a pilot study investigating the motivations and experiences of 42 males in the nursing profession conducted by Whittock M. Leonard L. (2003), Table 2.3 showed that a major factor that attracted men in nursing was influence of parents, specially mothers, employed in nursing or other healthcare professions. On the other hand, this finding was not true for all interviewees. A similar, qualitative, study exploring what motivates Israeli men to choose nursing as their profession was conducted by Romem, P. Anson, O. ( 2005), Table 2.3. Self- administered questionnaires which included 52-items were drawn up, in order to determine the social characteristics of male nurses, and their motives in choosing the profession. These questionnaires were distributed to all registered nurses, 137 female and 123 male, in three general and three psychiatric hospitals. The results of the study show that an early exposure to the profession, as well as the ethnic background are prominent factors that motivate men to choose nursing. Job security, career opportunities and salary, also play an important role (Romem, Anson,2005). On the other hand, men in nursing are not taking leading positions in the health care system due to their social origins. Nevertheless, there has been worry that several men may just look at the nursing profession as a facilitator to other masculine professions such as medicine and that they may not take nursing as their long lasting career. This is because of low pay and perceived low status of nursing as it is always associated with a lesser sex in the society (Williams, 1989). This anxiety was borne out in 2002 by a study conducted in the University of Pennsylvania. The study was based on the Analysis of the 1992-2000 the National Survey of Registered Nurses, the nations most extensive and comprehensive statistics on registered nurses with current licenses to practice in US. In this study it was found that about 7.5% of new-fangled male nurses left this female-dominated profession within four years after graduating from nursing school. This was a higher percent compared to the 4.1% of female nurses who deserted the nursing profession in the same period (Solchalski, 2002). While Sochalski (2002), Table 2.3, in her research underscored the need to determine the reasons for the exodus of nurses, a study of Rajapaksa Rothstein (2009), Table 2.3, showed that men and women nurses who left nursing had some similar and some different reasons for their actions. The sample consisted of 1,589 registered nurses who were employed in other occupations at the time of the National Sample Survey of Registered Nurses 2000. Gender was the primary independent variable, although the vast majority of respondents in this study were female ( 93,5%). At the time of the survey , 63.2% of the respondents were working full time at their new jobs, and 36.8% were working part time. The survey consisted of a self-administered forced-choice questionnaire that included gender, participants age, working age, income, marital status, educational level and race. The results revealed that both men and women left nursing for better working hours and more rewarding positions elsewhere, and whilemen nurses do not leave nursing for other occupations because of dissatisfaction with their roles as nurses, but rather because of their perceptions of the low financial rewards associated with nursing (Rajapaksa, et al 2009, p.206). A number of issues face majority of men who do decide to remain in nursing. These men frequently feel an emotional reaction, a role strain that might be felt by any individual in a profession which has a social formation conquered by members of the opposite sex. For those men raised in the culture of American andocentricism, not used to anti-male gender inequity, this may create discontent and anxiety. Increasingly, though, men today fill majority of leadership tasks in the nursing profession. 2.3 Table The distribution of the studies exploring why men choose nursing as a career Author/s and setting Sample and sampling method Research design/Instrument Significant findings Rajapaksa,S. Rothstein,W. (2009) U.S.A à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Secondary Analysis of the National Sample Survey of Registered Nurses 2000, à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Sample 1.589 RNS who were employed in other occupations à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢90% white, à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Age of the respondents 48.49 à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Average number of years worked as an RN was 8.73 years à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢The data used were the General Public Use Files, à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Self-administered forced choice questionnaire à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Three main reasons for leaving nursing: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢46% respondents stated that the working hours where more convenient in the new job, à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ 47,2% found current job more rewarding, à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢35% stated that they left for better salaries Romem,P.Anson,O. (2005) Israel à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢260 participants, 123 male and 137 registered nurses in 3 general and 3 psychiatric hospitals during 1997-1998. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢RR 74% à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Mean age was 37 à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Majority of the respondents were married à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ 52-item questionnaire based on in-dept interviews with 5 male and 5 female RN à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Nursing appeals to groups out-of the stream (immigrants and ethnic minorities); à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Israeli men in nursing do not occupy leading positions in health care; à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Men are absent from the nursing Administration. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢78% of the male in this study belong to immigrants or ethnic minority. Sochalski,J. (2002) U.S.A. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Data Analysis of 1992-2000 National Sample Survey of Registered Nurses; à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢The number of respondents in 2000 questionnaire was 35,579. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢R.R.71.7% à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Data from National Survey of Registered Nurses; à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Questionnaire à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ New nurses at the beginning of their career show job satisfaction, 75% of women among new nurses were satisfied with their job, and only 67% men, à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢7.5% of new male nurses left their job within four years, à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Male nurses are leaving profession twice the rate of women à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢136,000 nurses are working in other professions. Whittock,M. Leonard,L. (2003) U.K. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢1.Literature review on males in nursing from historical and present day perspective, à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢2. Pilot study on what prevents from considering a nursing career à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢30 pre registration male nurses, 30 post registration male nurses, 10 ex-nurses males. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢The sample to date 42 male nurse of different ethnicities Mean age 33,64 years à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢In dept semi-structured interview limited to 1 hour duration; à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Face to face interview à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Interviewees have expressed the view that males can be caring as females, à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢They have experienced some form of caring situation, usually in family, à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Schools services are doing nothing or little to portray nursing as a possible career for young men, à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Only 14% of male are enrolling into nursing 2.5 Views of male nurses in the nursing profession 2.5.1 Introduction Several male nurses have over time expressed their views concerning the nursing profession and in most instances they have reported undergoing a role strain. This has greatly implicated their career ambition and put a question as to whether caring is destined for them (Simpson, 2005). A qualitative study conducted by Simpson (2005), Table 2.4,in order to explore the experience of men in non-traditional occupations ,underscored from 40 in- depth interviews, that majority of men feel discomfort, embarrassment and shame. Many have reported masculinity challenges, including low pay and loss of status. Moreover, in the nursing profession, a good nurse is usually acknowledged by having attributes such as caring, subservience, compassion and kindness (Hicks, 1999). All these attributes are similar to those naturally depicted in females and thus the profession requires an individual with feminine traits. Loughrey,M.(2007), Table 2.4 performed a quantitative, non-experimental descriptive design in order to find out the gender role perception of male nurses, for the first time, in Ireland. Following the analysis of this research, out of 104 male nurses, 78 respondents identified themselves as affectionate, sympathetic and understanding, which corresponds more to female gender roles, and that adoption of the characteristics of the female gender role may not be unusual to male nurses. Hart, K. (2005), Table 2.4, reports on Men in Nursing Survey, that the reality that nursing is traditionally female profession is the main reason why more men arent attracted to the profession, according to 38% of respondents. Other key reasons cited were the stereotype that all men in nursing are gay (29 %), poor pay (15 %), and lack of role models (15%). One respondent said that many people think a man who chooses to spend his career as a staff nurse is a failure or lacks direction. Many others said that male nurses are perceived as men who flunked out of medical school. (Hart, p.48). With these hard-hitting facts, men in nursing view themselves as unsuited for caring task (Wingfield, 2009). Even more, male nurses have reported not once of being victims of homophobic abuse, some of them state that they have been called dreadful names, such as you faggot this while providing nursing care to patients. There are even views of male nurses who feel disadvantaged in life because they decided on a female-dominated profession, which confers a lesser status upon them (McDougall, 1997). The effect of nurse gender on nurse and patient perceptions of nurse caring were explored by Ekstrom, (1999),Table 2.4, using two matched, Likert-like, and 61 items questionnaires. The results collected from the two groups of 145 nurse-patient gender combination, indicated that caring is not particularly female quality, and that nurse caring can be performed by both genders male and female, from the nurse or the patient perspective. However, men find it difficult to demonstrate caring behaviours suggesting avoidance of self-identification with a feminine stereotype. According to these views, it is as if humans are perpetually susceptible, incapable of handling their affairs. Undoubtedly, the preoccupation with the harms and hurts of being a male nurse appears at odds with the evidence of mens masculinity and brisk technological advancement (Furedi, 2003). 2.4 Table The distribution of the studies regarding the views of the male nurses in the nursing profession Author/s and setting Sample and sampling method Research design/Instrument Significant findings Ekstrom,D.N. (1990) U.S.A. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Sample of two 145 nurse-patients combinations, from 5 adult acute care medical centers; à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Random sampling of the patients, à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Mean age of female nurses 35.5 à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Mean age of male nurse 36.3, à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢Patients had a mean age of 46.4 with a range of 19-82 years. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Two 61 items-matched Likert like questionnaires: 1. The nurse caring questionnaire, 2.The patient caring questionnaire

Extramarital Affairs And Marriage :: essays research papers

Do extramarital affairs help or destroy a marriage? A lot of people say that having such affairs helped them solve the problems they had with their spouses, while other people’s marriages are destroyed by them. Do partners feel more comfortable in relationships outside their marriage and what could be the cause of that? Studies conducted by Pittman, who argues that unfaithfulness is not normal or acceptable, have shown that first-time divorce occurs in the wake of an affair; yet its also Pittman that states that ’a crisis of infidelity can reawaken a petrified marriage and therapy can save the adulterous marriage’, something in total contradiction with our traditional culture. Which should we believe than? Studies by Atwater lead us to believe that the second possibility should be seriously considered; in interviewing women engaged in extramarital affairs, she found that over half of them had improved their relationships with their husbands as a result of the affair. The fact that their needs were being met outside the marriage caused a change in their behavior in the marriage, as one woman reported: â€Å"Since I have this second relationship on-going, I have been able to draw my husband out more and get him to talk more... and to be more open in expressing my feelings with him.... I am slowly but surely trying to bring our relationship up to a level that meets more of my needs.† The expressive area seems to be the most troubled one in these marriages, as the unfaithful wives sustained. According to Atwater, extramarital relationships occur because â€Å"we are unrealistic about love and the ability of our spouse to satisfy all our sexual needs†. She concludes that there are five completely untrue myths that contribute to our faith in sexual exclusivity: one person will supply all of another’s emotional, social, and sexual needs people grow to love each other more through the years sexual exclusivity comes easily and naturally husbands and wives should be best friends extramarital affairs will destroy a marriage But lets examine this situation from the men’s point of view as well. Women and men have different expectations in extramarital relationships and while women report that their affairs are less for sexual fulfillment and more for emotional support and companionship, the most frequent reason men give for being unfaithful is either sexual rejection by their wives or the boredom of having repeated sex with the same person.

Supply Side Keynesianism Essays -- Economics

Supply Side Keynesianism A President is measured by how well the economy did during his term in office. More specifically is whether unemployment went up or down, and did they help the economy to fight inflation. Two basic modes of thought on the subject have pervaded public policy since World War II: demand-side and supply-side economics. Demand-side economics is generally known as Keynesianism, named after the English economist John Maynard Keynes. He believed that governments should force interest rates down by printing money and lending it from the central bank at a discount. This would put more money in consumers' hands and encourage them to spend and consume more, thus creating an incentive for investment. This helped to solve some of the problems, but in the long run it is extremely inflationary, because with the increase of the money supply it becomes devalued. Keynesianism also calls for the government to spend more to try to help the economy grow. Keynesianism is a short-term solution to an economic problem and could only do so much for the economy before inflation caches up with it, and takes it into a recession. On the other hand we have supply side economics, which works on more of a long-term basis. It basically attempts to stimulate economic growth, which would reduce inflation, and raise the standard of living. Supply side proponents say that by reducing government regulations and taxation, this will stimulate more economic growth, and mar...

Martin Luther King Jr. Essay

Martin Luther King, Jr is a prominent African American in the history of the United States of America renown for his civil rights activism in his life making him an important human rights icon even today. Martin Luther King Jr was born in Atlanta, Georgia on 15th January 1929 in a Christian family with his father Martin Luther King Sr. a reverend and his mother Alberta Williams King. He had two siblings, an older sister and a younger brother. King grew up in Atlanta and attended Bookker T Washington High School. He joined Morehouse College at the age of fifteen and later in 1948 graduated with a degree in Arts majoring in sociology. He later enrolled in Cruzer Theological Seminary for theological studies and graduated in 1951. He enrolled in Boston University for his doctorate in systematic theology and received his PHD in 1955. He married Coretta Scott in 1953 and had four children. In 1954 he became Dextor Avenue Baptist Church Pastor at the age of 25. In 1955 he led the Montgomery Bus Boycott, 1957 assisted the founding of Southern Christian Leadership conference, 1963 led March on Washington where he delivered his â€Å"I have a Dream† speech and in1964, he received Nobel Peace prize. Thereafter his focuses was on poverty Vietnam War and religion and in 1968 April 4th, he was assassinated in Memphis, Tennessee. His significance is still felt and have been rewarded the 1977 Presidential Medal of Freedom, 2004 Congressional Gold Medal and the United States further established a national holiday in his respect in 1986. (Bruns 1-30) Martin Luther King Jr accomplished a lot in his life. The 1955 Montgomery Bus Boycott which he led was as a result of the oppressions and discriminations that African Americans were going through from the dominating whites. The Jim Crow laws existed and which segregated non-white communities in public services. The boycott lasted for a year leading to King’s arrest and his house bombing. However, he influenced the end of racial segregation on the buses and Jim Crow laws amendment in 1965. With other civil rights activists, Martin Luther founded the Southern Christian leadership conference in 1957. This group aimed at mobilizing the black churches against civil right abuse. Kings applied non violence techniques in his awareness a concept he borrowed from Mahatma Gandhi. In 1960s the American politics were dominated by civil right injustices. Kings therefore mobilized the society on right to vote, labor rights, civil rights and desegregation. He became so influential from public opinion sympathy. However, he was successful in influencing the civil rights act of 1964 and voting rights act 1965. In his fight against desegregation, King found himself in conflict with the law and in life threatening incidents. At one time he was stubbed on the chest by a woman because of his stance. In 1961 he was arrested and jailed along others in Albany movement. In 1963 along with SCLC he led the Birmingham campaigns that lasted for two months against all racial segregations and discriminatory laws. In these campaigns they confronted with the law enforcers and many were arrested. Children also took into the campaigns. Despite Kings Advocate for non-violent campaigns, at times pressure exceeded and violence was reported. These campaigns were significant in the Jim Crow laws removal and King’s reputation growth. He was also influential in the 1964 St Augustine and Selma Marches against white’s harassment. The 1963 March of Washington was very significant in the history of Martin Luther Kings as well as that of the United States. It attracted around half a million people from all racial backgrounds. It is at this place that he voiced his ‘I have a dream’ speech that influenced and still influences Americans even today. The march aimed at voicing freedom and equality in all sectors like in jobs. Along with other civil rights movements and activists, they voiced on poor wages, desegregations in public institutions like schools, protection of civil movements from police brutality, self government for Washington among others. There after, he continued with his activism expressing his stance on compensation of the disadvantaged and black Americans. He was involved in Bloody Sunday saga and influenced the Chicago marches that included the Belmont Cragin, Bogan, Gege Park, and Evergreen Park alongside others. He also opposed the Vietnam War terming the American government involvement as goal oriented and as the purveyor of the violence. â€Å"Beyond Vietnam† speech was very significant in his stance on Vietnam. He basically criticized the United States government involvement in to this war. All these pressures and influences he had against the American government made him very insecure. His life was endangered with instances of even physical assaults and life threats. All these led to his assassination in 1968 when in his civil duties. His death still remains a controversy as his enemies ranged from the government to individuals. His influence still remains even today. His is known to have influenced many prominent people including Jesse Jackson and Barrack Obama. His influence was also felt in the third world countries across Africa and Asia. (Bruns 1-143) The thoughts and the life of Martin Luther Kings Jr are very significant not only to the Americans but to the world at large. Many of the third world countries in Africa, Latin America and Asia have drawn their political dominance struggle from his teachings. By the year 1968 in his assassination, many African countries had acquired independence but elements of Europeans control still dominated their political and economic settings. They have applied king’s thoughts to seek fully their independence. In South Africa, prominent people against apartheid like Desmond Tutu, Nelson and Winnie Mandela, Alan Boesky have advocated kings thought in their struggle. The social divisions characterizing most nations in the world have brought discrimination of the lower classes. For instance the Rich discriminate the poor. The poor have continued struggling and in most cases they have used the kings’ non violence strategy for fear that the rich would overcome them in violence. (Roof 113-115) African American originally migrated in the United States as slaves. They were discriminated and oppressed in their places of work. Even after the abolishment of slavery, elements of oppression and discrimination were still rampant in American society. There was and have been the need to address this issue as the superiority nature of US depends on its entire people and not a particular race. Martin Luther was among the many people who have dedicated their lives to create a racism free society. He challenged the United States government which led to the abolishment of constitution based discriminative elements. It was upon his efforts that many other anti-segregation and civil rights have emerged. They have challenged consecutive government enhancing equality in race in the United States society. As a super power, United States have significantly influenced the global community against racism. It has influenced the united nation to act against racism in European world a place where racism is one of the major social issues. His influence is not only in black people but also in minority group in the world. Martin Luther King Jr is celebrated for he sowed the seeds of healing and hope in United States. His leadership was courageous, truthful, and compassionate of dignity and humility. He advocated for forgiveness, unconditional love and nonviolence element that most of the successful leader in the world today have adopted. His expression in the dream of America has in itself a lot to copy. He emphasized multiracial nation bound by justice, peace and reconciliation. His holiday is very significant in the American unity. There is not other day that brings all races together in a vibrant spirit of togetherness. The Hispanic, African Americans, Native Americans and all other immigrants feel they are part of the Luther’s dream on America. He had a vision on the world that its people and nations will overcome poverty, war, racism and violence. He had a vision on ecumenical solidarity which implied that all faiths have a significant contribution to the beloved society. His life and thoughts have also had an influence to many people in that his endurance in threats and beatings for the sake of the freedom for others. (Rev King Holiday) In education, he influenced sociology. He was an advocate of non violence reconciliation and unconditional love perspectives that can be applied in solving social conflicts. His emphasis on â€Å"what is the most loving way I can resolve this conflict? † in solving problem is the most diplomatic method that many nations have applied in solving their differences. He prompted love to all mankind. In his holiday Americans take that opportunity to help the unfortunate the sick and the poor in their society. His life is also significant to the Christianity way of life. It emphasized the love of God and the love for your neighbor as the greatest commandment. He was food of quoting the Bible and almost lived a perfect way. Jesus Himself died for the good of the people to set them free from their sins. Martin Luther’s died in the war for freedom of his people. He has influence many non-Christians to join the faith and also many Christians to imitate his strategies (The Struggle Begins) The election of Barrack Obama as the president of the United States is a reflection of Martin Luther King fight against racism in the US. It is an evidence of the extent the United States people have reached in race relation. It reflects Americans citizen’s decisions not on the color of the skin but on the content and characters of its leaders. Obama’s appointment can be described to be a fulfillment of King’s dream. He expressed his hopes in an equitable society and appealed to the moral consciousness of Americans. It is under this inspiration that the American voted in. Obama’s win was also on caution to those amongst the American who are still in racism ideologies. King’s influence will continue as such racist are now likely to reform making US a racism free society. (Zaid) Martin Luther king Jr was a young man who has influenced a lot of young men around the world. He worked tirelessly to fully realize his potential despite the challenges he came across. Unfortunately he was assassinated. His life has been a challenge to many youth who are vulnerable in loosing hope. His life is a testimony implying everybody can succeed in all areas in life. The ideology that the more one is aged the more successful is a thing of the past. Many youths have exploited their talents and have really succeeded under king’s inspiration. They are evident in sports, entertainment, politics, business and education. He emphasized on moral consciousness a concept that when adapted, one can refrain from civil disobedience reducing violation through drug abuse and other crimes. For any society to succeed in all dimensions of life, it must observe equality, be moral conscious, obey the civil rights, and use friendly strategy in solving conflicts. These were the king’s major advocacies. He is a significant icon in the United States success. Therefore, his strategies should be used all over the world in foreign and domestic polices. His thoughts and strategies can be effective in solving many conflicts around the world. Nation-nation conflicts may be resolved using a more friendly and diplomatic strategy. Domestic violence especially in African communities may be solved without violation of human rights and civil rights. Even as Kings influence continue to be felt all over, even as his dreams start fulfilling a lot need to be done to address the uncovered issues that still oppress the minority and the poor. He fought for civil movements and who should in turn continue challenging the violators of justice. Work cited: Roof, C. W.World Order and Religion: SUNY Press, 1991: 113 – 115 Bruns, R. Martin Luther King, Jr: A Biography: Greenwood Publishing Group, 2006: 1 – 143 Rev King Holiday. Martin Luther king. Retrieved on Monday, December 08, 2008 from, http://www. theholidayspot. com/martin_luther_king_day/meaning. htm Zaid, I. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. , Barack Obama, and the Fate of America. 2008. Retrieved on Monday, December 08, 2008 from, http://www. newislamicdirections. com/nid/notes/dr_martin_luther_king_jr_barack _obama_and_the_fate_of_america/ The Struggle Begins. Lecture 25 Martin Luther Kings. Retrieved on Monday, December 08, 2008 from, http://www. wfu. edu/~matthetl/perspectives/twentysix. html

Culture Discrimination in School Essay

Magdoline Asfahani.’s â€Å"Time to Look and Listen â€Å" is a descriptive essay in wich Magdoline explains how she expirience Culture discrimination in school and try to balance her identity in ways that honored her parents cultures while embracing American-born values. Magdoline states that , is painful and hard to keep emotions under control , her anger , resentment , pain can breack though and overwhelm what she try to portray in a cool, rational manner . Magdoline explains how she deal with discrimination in her school because of her culture . In the essay , Magdoline expands the reasons of been discrimanate because of her ethnicity , race and for be an immigrant at school. First , Magdoline describes ethnicity as culture discriminatio in school . She explains that as a younh child immigrant raised with a conscious respect for America that many people take for granted. . She further explains that discrimination is not unique to America because it occurs in any country that allows immingration . Magdoline clearly states that â€Å"Anyone who is unlike the majority is looked at the a little suspiciously , dealt with a little differently. â€Å"(68). She affirms that everything change for her U.S Marine barracks in Beirut had been bombed, at school her classmates ataunt her with cruel names , attacking her heritage and religion . She said that after a while she try to forget her ethnicity because her classmates told her that she came from an uncivilixed , brutal place .Magdoline did feel like to murderers. Second , In the essay Magdoline expands on the reasons that race is a culture discrimination in school . She affirms that beacuse of her race she stopped inviting friends over dinner , because she thought the food was weird. She said that it is humiliate for her to let her friend know where her parents come from because of their accents . Magdoline further explains that she felt exclude and began to turn into someone without a past. She states that â€Å"Why should an adolecent be asked questions like is it true you hate jews and you want to destroyed? â€Å"(69). She explain that her parents never said anything even alluding to such snetiments . Third , Magdoline iliminates that to be an immigrant is a reason for be discriminate in school . Sje explains that while she was at shool one teache bulling her when she told the proferor that she is goimh to the Meddle East . Magno states that â€Å" who knew nothing abouth Arabs and Muslim except what they saw on television seemed like a bad dream â€Å" ( 69). She affirms that she realize now that she come from a culture that has a rich history . In conclusion ,Magnoline explaind that culture discrimination in school still but it needs to be done , not for sake any particulare ethnic or cultural groups but for sake of our country .She enlightens the education is hey to undestand an as Americans we need to take a time to look and listen carefully to what is aroud us and not rush to judgment without knowing the fact .Magnoline affirms that expirience Culture discrimination in school is because we have differnet ethnicity, race or for been an immigrant but discrimination is not unique to America because it occurs in any country that allows immingration.

Assignment - Team Work in Business Essay Example for Free

Assignment – Team Work in Business Essay Some management teams are bound to succeed while other are not due to a number of factors. A team, according to Adair (1986), is more than just a group with a common aim. It is a group in which the contributions of individuals are seen as complementary. Collaboration, working together, is the keynote of a team activity. Adair suggests that the test of an effective team is: â€Å"whether its members can work as a team while they are apart, contributing to a sequence of activities rather than to a common task, which requires their presence in one place and at one time. † Below is a discussion of some of the major factors that create a difference between winning and losing management teams . Management teams are usually formed by a sponsor who recognizes that reaching an organizational goal will require a group of individuals working together to provide the leadership necessary to move a company, division or unit towards the organization’s goals. It is the sponsor’s responsibility to create a ‘charter’ that establishes the management team and its primary focus. In addition, the sponsor establishes specific goals the team is to accomplish. The sponsor will also select the team leader and gain his or her commitment to lead the leadership team in defining and carrying out the needed actions. Lack of will or proper direction by the sponsor ( e. g board of directors in a company) can lead to team failure. These include physical factors such as working proximity, plant or office layout. In general, close proximity aids group identity and loyalty, and distance reduces them. Other environmental issues include the traditions of the organisation under which the management team operates, and leadership styles. Formal organisations tend to adopt formal group practices. Autocratic leadership styles prefer group activities to be directed. Small groups tend to be more cohesive than larger groups; small groups tend to encourage full participation; large groups contain greater diversity of talent. A shared understanding of the management team’s stakeholders, their expectations of the team, and the values the team embraces is essential to create the focus needed as the management team members plan and execute the actions necessary to achieve the team’s goals. Specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and time-bound goals should be established by the team’s sponsor and then broken into sub-goals by the management team. Without SMART goals, the team will lack the milestones necessary to drive action. Team leadership is the most critical success factor for the performance management team. A leader with strong performance management skills and the ability to develop others virtually guarantees a successful performance initiative. Every management team needs a leader who focuses the members of the team on the mission, purpose, and goals of the team. This individual must be committed to the team’s results and must be willing to be held accountable by the team’s sponsor and other stakeholders, for leading the team through processes that insure the team’s goals are reached. The team leader must engage each team member in the processes of the team and build a platform of mutual trust that leads to open debate, collaboration, individual commitment, and personal accountability. The most important element of successful team work is the establishment of a platform of mutual trust that enables the management team to engage in open debate and decision making that leads to commitments to action by individual members of the team. Building this trust requires an openness that allows team members to know and understand the beliefs and behaviors of all members of the team so that team actions can be structured to take advantage of each member’s uniqueness and talents. Behavioral and values assessments are powerful tools in developing an understanding how each member of the management team views themselves and responds to others in the team. An effective management team will have team members who are actively engaged in the work and focus of the team. This will require that each team member emotionally commits to actively and openly participate in the team’s processes in the pursuit of the team’s goals. The team member must willingly commit to carry out action plans to complete individual actions necessary for the team to reach their team goals. The team member must be dependable and carry the full weight of personal responsibility to complete their individual commitments by the date committed to. Engaged team members enthusiastically support each other and add value to other team members. They prepare for team processes and choose to engage others in a positive manner to find solutions to issues and challenges they individually or as a team face. They constantly seek to improve themselves for the benefit of the team and never, never, never quit. The Apollo Syndrome is a phenomenon that having too many people with a high mental abilities grouped together to solve a problem is, in many instances, detrimental to the teamwork process. Team members spend much of their time trying to persuade the team to adopt their own views as well as figuring out ways to point out weaknesses in the rest of the team’s ideas. They have difficulty reaching consensus in decisions and are focused on their own work, paying little attention to what their fellow team members agree doing. Occasionally the team will pick up on the fact they are having problems, but will then overcompensate to avoid confrontation. This leads to even more problems in making sound decisions. A knowledgeable team, skilled at group working, and with a wider range of talents is much more likely to succeed than an inexperienced group with a narrow range of talents. The work of a management team is carried out by individual members of the team. When a team has developed a plan of actions that are necessary to achieve their goals or overcome barriers, individual members must commit to carrying out specific actions which in many cases will include actions by the individual teams they in turn lead. The management team’s collaborative processes must include steps to: * Define individual actions, * Gain the commitments by individual team members to complete the actions, * Document due dates, and * Establish status reporting processes. Team goals will usually not be realized until individual commitments are completed. Management team members must embrace a discipline to complete their commitments as scheduled. They must agree to hold each other personally accountable for completing, as scheduled, the commitments each person has made to the team. Each management team member must continuously report the status of their open commitments to the team so that barriers to completion can be identified early in order to permit the management team leader and other team members the opportunity to deal with the issues before overall deadlines are impacted. 12. Identification and Removal of Barriers Barriers to team and individual progress will occur in every management team effort and must be dealt with quickly to continue progress towards the team’s goals. The team leader must continuously monitor the status of each individual’s commitments and initiate barrier removal processes where appropriate. Team-based processes for developing action plans to overcome barriers impacting individual commitments should be instilled as a part of the team’s culture. The ability for a management team to clearly state it’s goals and objectives and gain buy-in among the people they lead ( e. g. employees )along with a synergistic team that can carry out their responsibilities is vital to performance success. The vision and/or mission of the team must be accepted by all the team members and critical goals viewed as the collective responsibility of the team. If a return to profitability is a critical goal of an executive team, priorities and time commitments must be pulled from elsewhere. Focusing on results that in any way does not support the critical goal(s) of the team will lead to team failure. While a skilled management team can improve performance with very little tools and only an effective approach, with proper technology to support the team’s needs, and the proper data to drive decision making, there is almost no limit to the improvements an organization will yield. Innovating is a key aspect of teamwork and involves challenging the way things are currently being done. Technology is changing so quickly that the way you are currently performing tasks may no longer be the best way. If you are not up-to-date in your practices, your cost structure may be too high or you may no longer be delivering competitive service. Innovating is essential for all work teams. There are always better ways of doing things if you only take time to discover them. To obtain the resources – people, money, and equipment – to carry out your work, you have to ‘sell’ what you are doing to other people. Resources to implement new ideas will only be given if your team can persuade and influence people higher in the organization. Promoting to customers or clients both inside or outside the organization is also important if you are to continually deliver what people want. Many ideas don’t see the light of day because they are impractical. The Developing activity ensures that your ideas are molded and shaped to meet the needs of your customers, clients, or users. It involves listening to their needs and incorporating these in your plans. Developing will ensure that what you are trying to do is possible, given the resource constraints of your organization. Regular checks on work activities are essential to ensure that mistakes are not made. Quality audits of your products or services will ensure that your customers or clients will remain satisfied. Inspecting also covers the financial aspect of work in your team, as well as the security aspects, the safety aspects and the legal aspects. All management teams need to uphold standards and maintain effective work processes. Your car will fail if it does not have its regular service. Teams can fail too, if the team processes are not regularly checked and maintained. Maintaining ensures that quality standards are upheld and that regular reviews of team effectiveness take place. Linking is the activity that ensures all team members pull together, and makes the difference between a group of individuals and a highly effective and efficient team. It covers the linking of people, linking of tasks and leadership linking. Assignment – Team Work in Business. (2016, Nov 20).

Hamlet Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Hamlet - Essay Example Hamlet’s madness leads him to commit revenge for the death of the King who was his father. Hamlet’s crafts a scheme to force his uncle to accept that he murdered the King. In Act I scene V of the play, Hamlet’s father’s ghost encourages him to murder the current King who is his uncle as revenge for poisoning his father (Shakespeare 35). As part of his aim to make his uncle confess to the crime, he feigns madness. His first characteristics of madness appear when he encounters Ophelia, a woman who he had made countless presentations of his affection. He acts insane towards her before the opening of the tale. He acts mad by grabbing her hands, caressing her face, and by staring at her closely as he exits the room. Ophelia’s father Polonius attributes Hamlet’s madness as a result of his love for her. Through his madness, Hamlet alienates Ophelia by making it known that he never loved her at all. Hamlet further confuses her when he decides to sit next to her during the play within a play in Act III. Ophelia is unsure of his melancholy to ecstatic attitude change. Hamlet almost avenges his father’s death when he finds the king kneeling down in prayer. He contemplates upon this by questioning the morality of killing him when he is in prayer. In Act III scene IV, his father’s ghost visits him again to remind him that he has not avenged his murder (Shakespeare 95). In Act V scene II, he ultimately kills the king before he dies too. Hamlet’s feigned madness leads to him becoming obsessed with revenge for his father. In the play, Ophelia is daughter to Polonius, and Hamlet’s love interest. She gets trapped between Polonius and Hamlet’s world as she gets confused as to whether to become obedient towards his father or fall in love with Hamlet. This confusion results to her tragic end. Ophelia as demanded by society at the time is obedient towards his father. He lives by his father’s rules an d gets used by him as a catch to spy on Hamlet. Ophelia’s obedience towards men also leaves her at the mercies of Hamlet’s constant abuse of her. Hamlet accuses Ophelia of being a breeder of sinners and if she were to marry she would turn her husband into a monster as she would cheat on him. The constant barrage of criticism directed towards her by Hamlet crushes her. She gets crashed when Hamlet declares that he never loved her (Shakespeare 30). As a young woman, Ophelia is under too much pressure from both her father and Hamlet. She eventually cracks and goes mad. She sings of a girl who gets tricked into losing her virginity for a false promise on marriage. Her madness leads her to commit suicide by drowning. Her mental breakdown is real and as a result of the patriarchal pressure and abuse he receives from his father and Hamlet. Ophelia’s madness gets contributed by the overall state of confusion existent in the entire play. She gets confused as to whether t o surrender to Hamlet or her father. She gets caught in both worlds. It is this confusion that leads her to breakdown mentally. Ophelia’s madness can also get attributed to the misogynistic and gender themes existent in the play. As demanded by society at the time, women were to be obedient to every move by their male counterparts in society. Ophelia gets forced to obey the men in her lives. It is this submission to both her father and Hamlet that contribute to her state of confusion and apparent mental breakdown. She complies with his father’