Monsters Within and Repression and the Family in Horror Cinema †Sociology Essay

Monsters Within and Repression and the Family in Horror Cinema – Sociology Essay Free Online Research Papers Monsters Within and Repression and the Family in Horror Cinema Sociology Essay The horror genre, and in particular horror cinema, is greatly maligned. To many critics it is purely an exploitative, sexist, gratuitously sadistic form of puerile entertainment. Regardless of what one thinks of horror as a spectacle, the genre is of interest in academic terms at least, for the ways in which it reflects – either self-consciously or unconsciously – trends within society. Of particular significance is horror’s portrayal of the institution of the family and the family’s position in maintaining dominant social and cultural norms, namely those of patriarchy and capitalism. Though certainly not the only cinematic genre to critique the family, horror – given its marginalised status – is well equipped to articulate such concerns. Robin Wood’s structuralist adoption of the psychoanalytic-political theory of repression, outlined in An Introduction to the American Horror Film will provide us with our interpretive framework. Focusing on two films by recognised horror auteurs Wes Craven and David Cronenberg, I will discuss how these films, and horror as a genre confronts the problem of the family, and more specifically the notion of repression. It is important to first define our terms and frame of reference. As I am focusing on the family in horror, it is appropriate to discuss the contested nature of â€Å"family†. The family is by no means a universal, static, or tangible grouping; it exists as a complex network of relationships. It is the social institution entrusted with the reproductive process – reproduction of the species, along with reproduction of cultural, social and psychic norms. Though â€Å"the family† is frequently conceptualised as a universal, fixed unit (i.e. the nuclear family), this is an essentially ideological construction, conflicting with the reality of its diverse and changing nature. It is probably more correct to talk of â€Å"families†, as â€Å"the family† in a unitary sense doesn’t really exist. However, family is a useful concept for the way in which it informs and provides meaning to discursive and cultural formations. Family creates and articulates roles for individuals within society; roles that stem from post-Enlightenment Western thought, whereby the home and workplace are designated as â€Å"separate spheres†. The inherently Western nature of the family in this sense, and its function within capitalist superstructures requires us to view developments and themes in the horror genre with a degree of cultural specificity. As a result, I will be focusing on the American horror film, although I extend my analysis to cover Canadian director Cronenberg’s The Brood (1979). Repression and Capitalist Patriarchy Before looking at the history of horror cinema in the United States and representations of the family therein, I must outline our analytical framework. Central to Wood’s theory is the Freudian concept of repression. Civilisation and social existence is fundamentally based upon repression. Without the repression of basic instincts and urges, humans would be unable to function in society – self-control, consideration of others and the postponement of gratification are thus necessarily repressive acts that construct humanity, in opposition to the â€Å"natural† state of individualist anarchy. This â€Å"basic† repression, which is a prerequisite in all human cultures, can be distinguished from what is termed â€Å"surplus† repression. Surplus repression is culturally specific, and involves the predetermination of individuals’ social roles from birth. Closely related to this is the concept of oppression, where obvious manifestations of difference are quashed in an overt sense, which differs from the internalised nature of repression. In Western culture, surplus repression is used to shape individuals into â€Å"monogamous heterosexual bourgeois capitalists†. Thus, the notion of repression is intrinsically linked to economic as well as social structures. Capitalism requires a constant supply of labour, and that labour must be able to work efficiently and effectively. The nuclear family then, â€Å"resolves† what can be seen as a contradiction – to work efficiently, labour must not be distracted by the process of child-rearing, which in turn is essential to expanding the labour force. By ascribing (primarily gender-based) roles – Mother as submissive domestic labourer, child-raiser, nurturer; Father as dominant worker, breadwinner – capitalism reinscribes older patriarchal power structures. In order to maintain such a â€Å"stable†, logical system however, surplus repression must be constantly in action. The family can therefore be seen as the reason for, as well as the ke y instrument of, surplus repression under capitalist patriarchy. What, then, is being repressed in Western society? Wood points to sexual energy in general – as the source of creativity – in that â€Å"creativity† that is not sufficiently fulfilled in the monogamous heterosexual relationships necessary to perpetuate the family construct or through individuals’ labour practices, represents a threat to the myth of contentment under capitalist patriarchy. The family acts as the vehicle for this type of repression, by advocating, for example, parental monogamy. The sexuality of children is similarly denied and repressed by the family; cultural norms require parents to repress sexual behaviour (masturbation, for example) in their offspring. Following on from psychoanalytic theory’s conception of human bisexuality as â€Å"normal†, the bisexual-homosexual impulse is also repressed. This impulse is a direct affront to the norm of monogamous heterosexuality, as well as the ascribed gender roles of masculinity and femininity. From these gender roles, we can see that female sexuality in particular is severely repressed by the family, as the woman’s desire for sex (and thus her creativity) is seen as masculine, and as a result runs counter to the feminine ideal of passive subordination. Women, then, are frequently denied their sexuality under patriarchal capitalism. Given the primal or primordial nature of these repressed sexual impulses, society (bourgeois capitalist patriarchy) is presented with a difficult problem. The act of repression, as it stems from ideology, instils a hatred or fear of what is being repressed (it must be evil if society expects us to repress it) but nonetheless it still remains within, giving rise to neurosis. One of the key ways in which this is dealt with, is through the process of othering. In this way, what is repressed and hated within is projected onto an other, in a way displacing the neurosis and legitimising one’s own repressive culture (â€Å"it’s not us, it’s them!†) The creation of the other in one’s own inverse image, where â€Å"we† (bourgeois, white, civilised, heterosexual, repressed) are everything â€Å"they† (proletarian, dark, wild, bisexual, sexually overt) are not, is fundamental to the horror film. According to Wood’s basic formulation of hor ror, normality is threatened by the monster. Frequently the monster in horror is a wild, sexual being, representing the very impulses that are repressed within normal Western society. The Hills Have Eyes Wes Craven’s 1977 cult classic The Hills Have Eyes is a prime example of self-conscious problematicisation of the family in contemporary horror. Craven is a keen social observer of the processes of familial repression, as noted in a 1979 interview with Tony Williams – indeed, early in The Hills one of the characters (Bobby) makes an obvious reference to Freud. The film’s plot revolves around two apparently opposed families; the Carters – suburban middle class Christians, lost on their way to Los Angeles in a military testing site – and their â€Å"shadow† family – a group of scavenging, cannibalistic guerrillas that stalk the Carters, who have â€Å"invaded† their territory. As different as they appear, the families are constantly parallelled throughout the film, and eventually are impossible to tell apart. When their station wagon crashes in the desert, the members of the Carter family –Big Bob (the father), Ethel (the mother), teen siblings Brenda and Bobby, eldest daughter Lynne, Lynnes husband Doug and the couples infant daughter Katy – begin to show their â€Å"true colours†, as they play out their ideologically determined roles. Big Bob, portrayed as a racist, violent, crude patriarch blames his wife for the car crash, which she accepts submissively. Ethel attempts to balance the crudity of the former policeman (his occupation represents another institution of patriarchal dominance) with politeness and weak religious sentiments. The children, in particular Bobby and Brenda are also under the control of Big Bob – the patriarch – and when Bob leaves to find help, Bobby attempts (jokingly and unsuccessfully) to appropriate the role of male authoritarian controller. The Carters, in playing their role of the â€Å"ideal† family under patriarchal capitalism highlight the extent – and problems – of surplus repression. Bobby’s repression of unpleasant knowledge (the killing of the dog, Beauty) results indirectly in the deaths of Lynne and Ethel. Ethel herself is clearly in a state of denial; for example, on hearing heavy breathing over the radio she dismisses the sound as animal noise – even when Lynne points out that animals can’t use radios Ethel manages to ignore the sinister reality. Furthermore, when viewing her husband’s burning carcass she maintains the denial: â€Å"that’s not my Bob!† Lynne is also guilty of repression, as she tries to hide the fact that she found a tarantula in the caravan from her sister Brenda. The entire family is so busy repressing, trying to â€Å"protect† each other from the horrendous reality that they become increasingly fearful (neurotic) and ar e thus unprepared to deal with their shadow opposites. The â€Å"dark† family is at first more obviously dysfunctional. We learn that Grandfather Freddy attempted to kill his mutant son Jupiter, resenting him for causing his wife’s death in childbirth, and seeking any excuse to â€Å"expel† him from the family. When Jupiter survived, kidnapped a whore and reared his own family who now terrorise the desert, Freddy simply describes him as a â€Å"devil child† who grew into a â€Å"devil man†, rather than face his own guilt and complicity. The family (perhaps standing in for various oppressed minorities) manages to eke out a squalid existence by using discarded army surplus tools and weapons for the purpose of committing petty thievery. Their cannibalism and violence, while horrific, is almost understandable, given the circumstances in which they find themselves. When two of Jupiter’s sons raid the Carters’ trailer, they rape Brenda and murder Lynne and Ethel. The desire of rape, as a particu larly horrific, antisocial, uncivilised act represents one of the ultimate sexual expressions that must be repressed in civilised society. The dark family can in many ways be seen as the representative manifestation of a process of othering. Stripped of all pretensions, desperate for survival, the remaining members of the Carter family finally find within themselves the courage, wrath and craftiness to kill off their enemies. However, the internal resources they find come at the expense of the repression that differentiated them from Jupiter’s family in the first place. The film closes with a powerful red-filtered freeze-frame of Doug in full fury, set to stab Jupiters son Mars in the chest though Mars is surely already dead. The ultimate return of the repression of violence in the Carter family (which was initially alluded to through the aggression of Big Bob, as well as the fond recollection of a story where Beast killed a poodle) presents a striking social statement about the nature of the â€Å"civilised† family. Ruby, though not particularly prominent, is a key character in the film. She sits precariously between the initially polar opposites of civilisation and wildness. Though she is part of the dark family, she wishes to leave with Freddy and enter civilisation. Freddy ridicules her: â€Å"you think you could pass for regular folks? †¦ You stink like a hog!† The final third of the film further highlights the convergence of the two families, as Ruby is able to transfer easily from one family to the other – the differentiation between civilisation and chaos has been completely deconstructed. The Hills Have Eyes astutely locates the monster within capitalist patriarchal society, and specifically the family itself, and in doing so articulates progressive politics that can be construed as promoting social change. The Brood David Cronenberg is not particularly well known for producing â€Å"family† horror films. Though his previous films – Rabid (1977) and Shivers (1975) – are centred on the repression of sexuality, particularly female sexuality, the family (as the primary institution of repression) is not central to the texts. The Brood, however, is a classical family horror film in that it posits patriarchy and the family institution as responsible for the creation of monsters. In the film, Psychologist Dr. Raglan, director of the controversial Psychoplasmic Institute encourages his patients, including Nola – a neurotic recent divorcee – to outwardly manifest their anger and fear; particularly rage that stems from family problems. In the film’s opening scene, a patient is taunted and humiliated by Raglan, who plays the role of the dominant father, persuading him that he would have been better off as a girl – his weakness would then be more â€Å"accept able†. In this way Cronenberg is describing tensions that form within the family as a result of repression of bisexuality. The traditional family is further shown to be problematic through the characters of Nola herself, as well as her mother. We learn that Nola’s mother abused her as a child (which itself runs counter to the social norm of the mother as carer, nurturer, protector of children), and that her father failed to stop this abuse (positing him as emasculated, disempowered, feminised). This redefinition of social roles continues with Nola, who it seems is continuing this family trend of abusive behaviour against her own daughter, and by the end of the film has fully appropriated the male role of active aggressor. The monster in this film also emanates from within the family – the brood; a monstrous horde of sexless children form the physical manifestation of Nola’s rage under Raglan’s treatment (Raglan himself acts as a surrogate father). The Brood’s representation of the problems of the family differs substantially with that of The Hills Have Eyes. Though both films show their respective monsters as originating from the family and point to problems surrounding surplus repression, Cronenberg ultimately places the blame for the monster not on society, patriarchal capitalism, or the family institution, but on Nola’s abusive mother. Furthermore, the final solution to the creation of the brood is for Nola to be killed – there is no perceived need to challenge the social circumstances and familial repressions that led to the problem in the first place. Conclusion Robin Wood’s â€Å"return of the repressed† theory provides a convincing basis with which to understand the role of the family in Western (American) horror. The family, as the primary institution that maintains patriarchal capitalist ideology, is increasingly represented as problematic in horror. The surplus repression of (primarily sexual) impulses, though ostensibly allowing capitalist patriarchy to run smoothly, is problematic due to the inability of repression to completely annihilate these primordial impulses. The essence of family horror is the creation of a monstrous other that represents the outwardly projected repressed sexuality and violence that threatens bourgeois capitalist civilisation. The realisation that good and evil are not binary oppositions, that evil in fact comes from within us, shows that the act of repression itself is problematic; for what is repressed â€Å"returns in condensed and displaced form to threaten and challenge and disrupt that whi ch would deny it presence† . As shown in The Hills Have Eyes and The Brood, the problems of repression within the family are portrayed variously in horror. Craven’s film can be seen as progressive, providing a critique of familial repression and oppression, suggesting that one must come to terms with these repressed impulses as they are a natural part of us. Cronenberg’s The Brood has been read in different ways, but not as a progressive text. The disgust with which Cronenberg views female sexuality brings with it the assumption that this sexuality is something that should be repressed; indeed the viewer feels relief when Nola is killed – repression has won out over familial female pathology; the institution that generated her condition is not subjected to critique. Though there are reactionary and progressive representations of the problems associated with family, it is clear that cinematic horror in the West is founded upon the ideas of repression and op pression that stem from the social construction of the family. Bibliography Harwood, Sarah (1997) Family Fictions: Representations of the Family in 1980s Hollywood Cinema. London: Macmillan Sobchack, Vivian. (1987) â€Å"Bringing it All back Home: Family Economy and Generic Exchange† in Gregory Waller (ed.) American Horrors: Essays on the Modern American Horror Film. Chicago: University of Illinois press, p. 177 Williams, Tony (1980) â€Å"Wes Craven: an interview.† Journal of Popular Film Television 8, no. 3 Williams, Tony (1996) â€Å"Chain Saw Massacres: The Apocalyptic Dimension† Hearths of Darkness: Family in the American Horror Film. London: Associated Universities press, ch. 8 Williams, Tony (1996) â€Å"Far From Vietnam: The Family at War† Hearths of Darkness: Family in the American Horror Film. London: Associated Universities press, ch. 4 Wood, Robin (1979) â€Å"An Introduction to the American Horror Film†. The American Nightmare. Toronto: Festival of Festivals Filmography Shivers David Cronenberg, 1975 The Brood David Cronenberg, 1977 The Hills Have Eyes Wes Craven, 1977 Research Papers on Monsters Within and Repression and the Family in Horror Cinema - Sociology EssayInfluences of Socio-Economic Status of Married MalesWhere Wild and West MeetThree Concepts of PsychodynamicAnalysis Of A Cosmetics AdvertisementEffects of Television Violence on ChildrenRelationship between Media Coverage and Social andThe Relationship Between Delinquency and Drug Use19 Century Society: A Deeply Divided EraComparison: Letter from Birmingham and CritoPETSTEL analysis of India

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The Business Objectives Of New Technologies Information Technology Essay Prior to think about starting new business or implementing new technology to the business, one must think about the Objectives what they are expecting from it and objectives are based on planning. Therefore, plan is the most important part and if plan does not figure out the outcomes, this would mean that the plan made is vain. So planning should be made under consideration that whatever objectives we are going to calculate from the business, plan should stipulate end results and its associated activities to achieve that results. Objective may be set under the consideration of increase in monthly sale, profit or decrease in cost, operating expenses, check and balance on cash flows, debts, investments etc or non financial objectives such as customer satisfaction and whatsoever to give the positive edge to the business in the competitive environment. 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And the procedures which work effectively for its functions are also very important, for instance organisations structures and software applications / tools together with innovative procedures and advancement of new product etc. Obtaining awareness about the technology and accommodating it for its effective use is crucial, as technical know-how of any technology consists of both overt and unspoken knowledge. Where, overt know-how can be explained whether in a form of report, process or user manual, together with the physical equipment. However, unspoken technological knowledge can not be easily expressed and depends on training and understanding of work such as obtaining different skills according to the need of work. Equally like technology, we can portrait technology appendage to business in a way that it concentrates on the effectual recognition, selection, getting hold of development, utilization and shielding of technology needed to uphold a market place and business recital in conformity with companys objectives. So technology appendage to business can demonstrate as ascertaining and upholding the link between resources and objectives of the company and this requires suitable processes and tools sustai n by effective management and communication. 1.2 Management of Technology Once technology introduces to the business the next phase comes in the shape of its management which elucidate the demanding processes to build up an incessant relationship between product and services that it can produce desired results while serving to the target market. 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Key Challenges As challenges are associated with all of the businesses, fields, professions, processes, etc similarly there are various challenges attached with the introduction of new technology to the business few of the vital challenges are as follows: Comprehensible Business Need The first challenge prior to decide the introduction of new technology to the business is Need and this must be taken into account with high consideration as cost of implementing new technology must not exceed the benefits originate from it. Otherwise lack of clear business need may affect worst to the business position and ultimately may put business out from the market. 1.3.2 Valuable Business Processes Once its decided that there is a genuine need of the new technology in the business and competitive advantage would be driven into the business, then there is a need to think about how to develop valuable business processes which would align all internal and external factors with the business strategy to achieve its objectives and it must not overload from limited or short term tasks only. Organisation Culture Culture of any organisation is vital for its success so new technology must be supportive to its culture and should participate in the effective progress of making culture stronger than the ongoing culture and definitely it should not impede the ongoing progress otherwise the introduction of new technology would be costly rather than beneficial to the company. 1.3.3 Right People and Functions There is also a need to ensure that right people and functions must be aligned with new technology as it all depends on the knowledge and skills so if the right persons are not put in place to exercise it or in the process of making functions to obtain competitive outcomes then the best use of new technology may concealed forever from the companys desired results. 1.3.4 Obligation from Senior Management Obligation from senior management is required for this introduction as they are in command to decide and use of the technology. As they are working for the best interest of the shareholders so every decision from them must be transparent and they are accountable and responsible for their actions towards the companys progress. Lack of commitment in this regard may affect worst on the decision of introduction of new technology. 1.3.5 Required Data / Information Availability of required data / information is essential that could support the companys decision for the introduction of new technology. Because this would help the management to decide whether these is a need for the new technology in the business or they can make outsource arrangements for the required processes without this data / information company may play blind ultimately associated cost would turn their profit into loss. Effective Tools / Techniques Effective tool, techniques and methods must be analysed which would be associated to the new technology as these should not either play a difficult or negative role in the companys ongoing processes. Consequently, these would leave destructive impact on the operations and company may face solvency or loss due to the introduction of new technology. Effectual Training and Monitoring Training must be provided to all of the staff members involved in the processes affected by the introduction of new technology as without the proper training they may face difficulty to use or bypass cost effective processes and finally monitoring is vital for the sake of observing the desired benefit calculated prior to the introduction. If company achieves its objectives then its beneficial and would give competitive advantage and if not then company always move with the contingency plan to depart from the use of new technology or processes. 2. Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) New Technology By Tesco Tesco is trying to develop the idea of introducing new technology Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) from last 5 years with a perspective to align it with its business strategy. 2.1 How It Works This technology has an ability to track and tag items, on the other hand its implication is enormous. For instance, the movement of stock can be tracked and in transit products can be easily monitored, so inventory of all items can be examined at any time. 2.2 Enhanced Customer Availability With the help of stock tracking in real time and ability to record it automatically, this technology will help the staff members to re-shelve the items on time. 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So, it would be possible to reorder items automatically based on the contact of minimum level of stocks of each item. 2.6 Implementation Issues Tesco is still working on this project to implement it in its stores but there are many issues left and need appropriate intention and secure programming. The main barrier around its implementation is the requirement of huge cost and without cost / benefit analysis Tesco is not ready to implement / test it in any of its stores. But it is expected that it will introduce in 2010. The other main issue which has to consider carefully that this technology has a potential of spy and this issue has already risen by Civil Rights activists. Also there is apprehension about the manipulation of data in terms of changing in the product price by customers. 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Also company must take its vision in account and must ensure that this new technology is heading towards the same direction and has ability to dominate the future approach of performing a task in the companys favour or will it become obsolete after a little time (companys loss in terms of functional cost) or complex in use that customers will lean while using it at the time to buy a product (damage of image). Apart from the criticism about spy and other associated issues, Tesco knows that introduction of new technology has other short terms issues as well such as re-organising, re-training of staff, educating customers how to use it etc. Moreover, the cost / benefit analysis are left behind and has to analysed before the implication of this new technology. This is fair to say while concluding from the introduction of new technologys analysis that business would not obtain benefits if it is same alike so. And if without introducing new technology a business is already standing on the top of competitive environment then there is no need to introduce new technology to the business but hold the card to put off when any of the competitors changes its approach to come forward in the competitive business arena. 3. Approaches Of Introduction Of New Technology Once I read the available list for The Oxford Brookes University  Research and Analysis Project (RAP) by ACCA, I decided to write on How the introduction of a new technology can assist an organisation in achieving its business objectives and for this purpose I selected Tesco RFID to refer it with the different available approaches. 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So they planned to introduce a new technology that regulates with the current operational activities and this process can be seen in the following figure which shows the timely introduction and connection of products-technologies relationship on planning stage. 3.2 Capabilities Of New Technology After the planning stage, the next step companies consider for the introduction of new technology in their businesses is analysing the capabilities to handle the current operations of the organisation by new technology that it should enhance the performance of the ongoing processes and should not become the reason of either making it difficult to handle or making the current operations more complex than their existing way. Same as in the case of RFID, Tesco reviewed its existing operations and analysed that with the help of capabilities of new technology together with the management serving the customers by giving individual attention, the implementation of RFID would be very effective. The technology captured positive perception but still issues are associated with it and Tesco is working hard to resolve these issues. Tesco management knows that it would give them cost reduction benefit by controlling over the wastage of stock but the implementation is still delayed due to the high initial cost requirement and other issues. But, it seems like Tesco management is sure about technologys capabilities and exceptional services by staff members so they know that it would help Tesco to understand that how much investment is required to implement it properly and ultimately this would become a rationale in increased business activities plus profit. Following figure shows the interrelationship between all activities behind the introduction of new technology in the business to achieve its objectives. 3.3 Strategic Approach It is very important to keep in mind about the future vision of any introduction of new technology in the business as it comprises on the all vital aspects of the business environment including market, product, skills, technology etc. So prior to deciding for the new technology, companies should made the vision that what they are expecting from this new project that it should stroll along with all vital aspects of the business without having conflict with any of it. The same way, Tesco realised that they can save much of the costs they are wasting in a way of stock wastage and made vision that this RFID would produce excellent results in terms of increase in sales and reduction in costs including management cost and more important is that it is aligned with its operations and future vision. Following figure shows the how the strategic approach works for the business even to fill out the gap which turns up due to the comparison of current position with the future vision. 3.4 Information System Information system is vital part of every successful project and especially when thinking about to introduce new technology to the business. All of the projects essences up to its success are based on the right information on timely basis. If wrong information driven on the initial stage would mean the wrong decision for the future and ultimately it would drive company towards cost and loss of business. Tesco for instance, when initially took step for introducing the RFID they came across from many experiments in the shape of surveys and observing customers behaviour and they collected right information from its various outlets to make decision about introducing new technology. So, we can see from the following figure that right information on right time in the process of technology development provides the dominant outcome (e.g. nugget in the fig) leads to cost effective edge in the companys operations. 3.5 Asset and Management Knowledge On the basis of aligning available management and asset knowledge companies can portray the future demands. Asset knowledge relates to the processes on which management takes decision about the projects and their needs including introduction of new technology and this is the stage where management takes business objectives very carefully in to account. As Tesco on the basis of its knowledge and management skills enabled it to take a decision about to introduce RFID. With the help of following figure we can analyse that how all aspects of introduction of new technology in business such as assets, knowledge and management help to align all the processes while focusing on the eventual end of achieving business objectives. 4. Issues With Introduction Of New Technology Similar to all projects, there are various issues attached with the introduction to new technology and these issues must take into account very sensibly to achieve the desire business objectives. However the most import issue is Software, as almost all of the technologies are dependent on software that enables its effective use so companies must consider the following main issues related to software: Software should define all aspects of the business processes without any conflict with inter-related activities from enabling data, sharing information, to all templates and protocols. Software should enable management to retrieve data for decision making, analysing situations, and managing the complexities in the systems etc. Software must provide the critical paths of the activities along with available activities which can start parallel to the critical paths to save time and cost and eventually helping management to make timely decisions. Software must have ability to uphold market information, product-market analysis, option evaluations, assessment of technology up gradation etc. Software should have ability to customise it on timely basis according to the requirement to obtain utmost results from the technology. Software should have ability for integration of methods, processes and information. Software must have ability to facilitate the business processes from importing and exporting data simultaneously connecting with other management and business information systems. Software interface must be user friendly with ability to grow with company, this would mean that it must have ability to support multi-users as data would input from various locations and types. Must consider that only software alone may not produce good results as its role is just to support business activities and it depends on the management that how they utilise the best from the information generated from the software. 5. Pros and Cons Of Introduction Of New Technology Like every object new technology introduction also has pros and cons to the business as the logic behind the introduction of new technology is that businesses want to make their activities and processes more efficient as compare to their current available needs. 5.1 Advantages of Introduction of New Technology Following are the advantages of the new technology in business: 5.1.1 Cost Efficient The first and main advantage behind the decision of introduction of new technology is cost saving. 5.1.2 Productivity Increased productivity in terms of production, planning and efficiency is also one of the advantages associated with introduction of new technology to the business. 5.1.3 Reduction in Workforce Automated activities help companies to reduce the workforce eventually this would help as a source of cost saving. 5.1.4 Profitability As efficiency increased it reduces the cost so introduction of new technology to the new business allows work to be done more quickly which would mean more fluency of cash inflows to the business. 5.1.5 Employees Motivation Once company achieved its business objectives from the introduction of new technology this would means business is making profit. So, companies may think about remuneration increment or bonuses to their employees to increase their motivation level. 5.1.6 Effective Communication and Decision Making Introduction of new technology may help companies to communicate effectively with their long distance businesses point of sales and thus it would be easy for them to make decision according to the requirement of a particular area. 5.1.7 Competitive Advantage Companies always decide to introduce new technology with keeping competitive advantages in their mind. It could be offering products on low prices without lowing standard of products. 5.2 Disadvantages of Introduction of New Technology Following are the disadvantages of the new technology in business: 5.2.1 Management Main disadvantage is the introduction of new technology to the business might be difficult to manage. So with high consideration of genuine need must take in to account. 5.2.2 Skills New technology if internal, the company may require to arrange appropriate training for its employees or if external (for customer use) then may not be user friendly and thus beyond the range of use from large number of customers and this would generate loss in return. 5.2.3 Maintenance The maintenance and up gradation of technology to keep it effective may incur more cost than its benefits. 5.2.4 Other Costs Other costs may be in terms of redundancy pay to the staff due to the introduction of new technology and purchasing it for the entire branches of business. 5.2.5 Time Factor Introduction of new technology may obsolete more quicker than the time company calculated to obtain benefits from it. 5.2.6 Integration Introduction of new technology may not integrate with all of the business processes or may bypass various activities which may be important to take into account for the effective outcome. 5.2.7 Substitute Substitute of the technology may be more efficient of cheaper than the technology company is going to arrange for its business activities. This would mean inefficient and costly decision by management without making proper research. 6. Conclusion From all of the above discussion we can abstract that introduction of new technology (if genuinely required by the company) has great potential to support the development and implement of business activities, align with strategy of the company while endowing a company with the effective information, processes and tool to obtain positive outcomes. The following features of introduction of new technology have identified: A lot of benefits of new technology are taken from the business processes and these processes brings together personnel from various divisions of the business endowing them chance to share effective information and their perspectives towards the development of new technology. The obvious advantage to develop and introduce the new technology is based on the effective communication which is associated with business processes and eventually with the strategic planning. The new technology development may have potential for supporting business planning and strategy to achieve the business objectives sketched by businesss vision. New technology introduction is not a black box approach that it would use as a learning experience or flexible approach that it would base on specific circumstances. Introduction of new technology should articulate in graphical form as it is the most effectual means which maintain communication across useful boundaries prior to the development of processes under new technology. New technology must integrate with technology already in use, products development, business processes and commercial activities by the company. New technology should overtly describe the time measurement which is significant for certifying that all business related activities are synchronised effectively. Introduction of new technology must focus on long term vision of the company as the initial investment for the development, implementation, and training about new technology costs as a huge expense to the company. Software plays an important role in every application in the technology. It may alone can not deliver the best results unless it is made as user friendly and integrated with all other related aspects of the business Finally a key benefit of introduction of new technology is sharing of knowledge among all the personnel even if around the globe and the development of strong and common vision where company is heading. 7. Recommendations After working about the implementation of RFID by Tesco and attached issues to this project following are few recommendations for its growth: YE ABHI CHANGE KERNI HEIN Establish Technology Management Practices Create IT Management Team ORG does not have a formal technology management team. Given the size of ORGs computing environment, CompuMentor recommends ORG develop an Information Technology Management Team. This team will drive the overall direction of technology and information systems. We have found this to be the most sustainable and cost effective way to manage the technology projects and systems that ORG will be developing. This team can be comprised of existing staff through a reallocation of their time depending the existing staff skill set, interest and budget considerations. Benefits Allows all staff to begin discussing needs, ideas and directions for technology. Provides a realistic technology budget that takes into account the organizations technology plans. Becomes a focal point for future technology planning, and specific technology projects such as web site construction or database planning. The diverse membership of the tech team can help ensure that such policy is useful for all members of an organization. Recommendation ORG should develop an Information Technology Management Team pooled from its existing staff. The team works to set technical priorities, assist in decisions in technology plan implementation and advocates for technology in the budgeting process. The team is made up of a representative cross-section of the organization. This will be increasingly important as ORGs technological capacity grows and the needs of its users become more diverse. The tech team ensures continuity for planning that outlasts the tenure of any one individual. The tech team should ensure that members also share training opportunities. Document Policies Procedures In order to most productively manage the technology usage at ORG it is important for the organization to document common computer procedures and computer usage policies and to train staff members on these policies and procedures. Recommendation The series of training materials that Miriam has produced should be finalized and deployed to all ORG staff members. Computer usage policies should be drafted and posted at each location. Improve Network Server and File Security. ORG should standardize and improve its network security. The mix of local vs. server accounts and the lack of standards for file organization and file sharing not only requires more overall administration; but also puts ORGs data at risk from loss, theft, or access to private files by individuals who should normally be denied access. Recommendation In order to provide a consistent model among all of its offices ORG should follow a standard set of guidelines for storing and sharing files. Additionally, all user accounts should be centralized on the servers at each location. A consistent file storage and sharing model will help users across the organization to know where to put files so that they are secure and confidential. Considerations This recommendation should be considered when planning to replace the network server at the unified Peabody/Whitehall office as many of the tasks below could be most quickly performed on a new server. Evaluate need for regular systems administration. Due to the size of ORGs organization, it should consider how much time is spent administering various systems and resolving day-to-day user problems. ORG presently has a person at each location designated as the defacto administrator. This role is in addition to their regular mission oriented duties. Recommendation ORG should track its daily user related issues and the amount of time it takes to resolve them over a period of time (30-60 days). Evaluate the time requirement to resolve such issues in order to identify if further scheduled support service or a full-time administrator is required to free up the time of the present administrators and to provide better service to staff members. Establish a formal technology budget. ORG pr

The Definition of Success :: Definition Essays

The Definition of Success 'One has achieved success who has lived well and laughed often.'; This quote seems to sum up what is meant by success. If you are able to laugh often and much then you have definitely achieved happiness. The idea of living well, though, is a very broad statement. In order, then, to define success in relation to this statement, we must first define what it means to live well. There are three levels of success, in my opinion: societal success, personal success, and academic or professional success. If someone can achieve all of these three levels of success, they are someone who has lived well.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Societal success is something that is attained by aspiring to reach your own goals and dreams in cohorts with the goals that society has for us. Societal success also has a lot to do with the natural tendencies we as humans posses. The typical societal goals that we would naturally have for ourselves would be to meet someone, fall in love and get married. We are also apt to identify having good friends with having achieved socially. We have achieved societal success, typically, if we have met the right person, lived happily, started a family and raised our children well. A part of societal success is also to learn to treat people well; to practice the 'golden rule.'; We need to fill these goals that society has for us and attempt to achieve societal success in order to fill our need to belong to society and fit in as an every day, functioning member of society. We also realize the personal goals and dreams that we set for ourselves in this pursuit of conformity. A chieving this civic success, as you might call it, is only a small part of our venture to living well.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Personal success is also a big part of living well. 'There is only one success . . . to be able to spend your life in your own way, and not to give others absurd maddening claims upon it.'; This quote by Christopher Morley describes what is really meant by personal success. Personal success has to do with being happy. One can only be truly happy if they are happy and secure with themselves. Personal success is about being yourself and not being afraid to do so. It is about not letting others dictate your life or make you feel that you have to change who you are.

HIPAA And How It Effects Nursing Care Essay

In order to explain how the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act are affecting nursing care today, the act itself must be defined. HIPAA is one of the most important acts that have been passed to protect patients’ privacy and give them security. HIPAA privacy standards include some of the most restrictive guidelines in regards to accessing identifiable health information and disclosures. The guidelines were set into place to protect the patient from having their information disclosed verbally, written or by electronic transfer (Pozgar, 2012). The Privacy rule is clearly defined as â€Å"HIPAA†, which ensures the privacy and protection of all health information. Before HIPAA many states had their own standards and guidelines for healthcare privacy and practice (ANA, 2014). HIPAA has given us unison and uniformity as a healthcare nation, not just a state. The standards and guidelines protecting the privacy of an individual’s health information were issued by the United States Department of Health and Human Services (HIPAA 101, 2014). The privacy rule, does allow the use of healthcare information to promote the best quality of health care. The rule also protects the confidentiality of the patient. HIPAA also affects the patient’s own access to their medical records. The individual is often asked to sign an authorization request form upon admission. The form consists or should include a description of the information that is going to be used or disclosed to other authorized individuals in a detailed manner. The client should also be given the names of the individual that will have access to their identifiable information. The patient must also be made aware of the fact that he or she has the right to revoke the authorization request at any  time. HIPAA regulations also require that codes be set into place for encoding vital records such as, medical terms and procedure codes (HIPAA 101, 2014). As a nurse working in a hospital setting, I am aware of the requirements to give patients clear, insightful, written information concerning their Patient Rights and the disclosures of their personal information. Patients are asked to sign a permission form giving us permission to share their information with other healthcare workers. The patient’s information is only allowed to be shared with the healthcare providers that have an active role in the client’s care. For example, if a healthcare provider discloses any information about a patient with another person or coworker that has not been authorized by the patient, it is a violation of HIPAA. The Patient’s Bill of Rights was created by the American Hospital Association in 1973. It was developed to ensure that good viable communication occurs between the patient and the healthcare provider. The Bill of Rights entitles the patient to the right to be involved in every decision about his or her plan of care prior to any treatments and throughout the treatment process. If the patient is competent and has no mental incapacities at their own accord they can refuse treatment at any time. All patients are to be informed of all of their diagnoses, treatments, and the consequences of those treatments. The Patient’s Bill of Rights also gives patients the right to be informed about advance directives. (Pozgar, 2012). There are two common types of advance directives, a living will or a dual power of attorney. A living will provides outlines about medical treatments. It will have details about the patient’s wishes or their refusal of a treatment if they become incapacitated. A dual power of attorney for healthcare designates a person or persons appointed by the client to make healthcare decisions if and when the client is unable to. Advance directives are used to provide guidance to nurses and other members of the healthcare team. A copy of the advance directive must be placed in the client’s medical chart. The physician is notified of the advance directive so that his or her written orders do not coincide with the client’s wishes. When disclosing patient information it should be done in a private location away from other staff members and patients. The only time that information about a patient may not be kept confidential. Is when the cases involve abuse or a public health hazard (Hogan, 2012). Violating the HIPAA guidelines and rules  can Intel extensive consequen ces, for the healthcare provider, nurse, and the healthcare facility. The consequences may include termination, suspension, law suits, and huge fines for hospital and employee (ANA, 2014). The most resourceful and reliable information can be given by the client or a family member. In order for the most accurate information to be retrieved there must be trust and respect between the healthcare provider and the patient. Violating HIPAA and its codes could damage or destroy the trust between physicians or nurses and the client. If the patient does not provide the physician or nurse with the concise and accurate information about their past and present health, the outcome could be detrimental for the hospital and the patient. For example, if a patient has to have surgery and the anesthesiologist is using demoral to sedate the client. The client fails to tell the doctor that he or she is allergic to demoral. The patient experiences anaphylactic shock which is a severe allergic reaction that can cut off the airway completely. Recovery for the patient may or may not be feasible. Good communication between the client and the healthcare providers is needed to sustain life and to save lives. Clients need the security that goes along with HIPAA. They need to feel secure in the fact that whatever they tell their healthcare provider is secure and confidential. An incident occurred one day as I was working in the emergency room area. A patient came in suffering from severe chest pains and I was designated to interview the client and retrieve vital information. All of the routine questions were asked and answered. The last and final question that I approached the client with was his current intake of medication preferably Viagra. I remember him giving me this look as if he did not understand the words that had just escaped my mouth. Taking into consideration that his spouse was present and that she may not be aware of his enhancement drug, she was directed to the lounge for coffee. I asked the client once again â€Å"Mr. J have you or are you currently taking Viagra†. He answered â€Å"No I am only 45 I have no need for Viagra†. My nursing instincts kicked in and his aggressive answers and body language made me feel as if he was not being completely honest with me. At that moment I decided to explain my reasoning for this line of questioning and the importance of the situation. I informed Mr. J that he was being administered Nitroglycerin to help with his angina. Angina is chest pain. Nitroglycerin and Viagra when  given together can be a deadly combination because they both contain Nitro which dilates your blood vessels. When combined together these two medications can lower your blood pressure to the point that death may occur. I know what you are thinking what an awful thing to say, but for some patients the truth in a upfront and nondisclosure way works best. Mr. J admitted to using Viagra and precautions were taking to sustain his life. Within 48 hours he was released from the hospital. This scenario was meant to show the importance of patient and healthcare provider information. It is very important that a rapport is made between the client and you. I think that violating HIPAA cripples our chance of building and maintaining a bond with the patients. Another example of a way that HIPAA can be violated is disclosing information to neighbors and friend that have not been authorized. Home Healthcare workers are faced with this dilemma frequently. This scenario refers to a nurse that visits her client twice a week. The client has taken ill and is unable to venture out into her yard to work in her garden. The neighbors become worried because Mrs. X is known for being in her garden daily. One day as the nurse was leaving Mrs. X house she is approached by her neighbor Mrs. B. Mrs. B asked â€Å"how is Mrs. X doing these days?’ The best response by the nurse would be not to disclose any of Mrs. X information although Mrs. B is just being a concerned neighbor. The n urse replied â€Å"disclosing any information about Mrs. X is a violation of HIPAA and for that reason I am not inclined to answer your question†. HIPAA has strict guidelines that we are to follow even when we are out of the hospital setting. .Healthcare workers have always had some sort of privacy guidelines in place to protect the patient’s privacy. Nurses have always and still are front runners when it comes to maintaining HIPAA and its guidelines. The American Nursing Association has a Code of Ethics that contain statements and requirements that instruct nurses to keep patients information private. Hospitals have implemented different strategies and techniques to ensure that HIPAA is not being violated. In the facility where I work there are strict rules and regulations about disclosing patient information over the phone. The Golden Rule is do not do it. The reason behind this rule is because you never really know who is on the other end of the line. Disclosing health information in this manner can certainly be in violation of HIPAA. Almost all of the charting that nurses do is done on a  computerized system. We must sign in and out each time with our assigned user ID and passcode. It is recommended that the password that we choose is difficult to figure out and to change the passcode often. Nurses should never give or share their passcodes with other coworkers. Hospitals are constantly developing ways to increase their security to ensure that a patient’s medical record is deemed private and remain private. Encryption technology and software is a great place to start. Computers and laptops, over the years have disappeared from different hospitals. These computers often contain vital patient records. Encryption will allow the hospitals IT management team to ease the minds of concerned individuals by acknowledging that their information is encrypted and not easily accessible. Some hospitals purchase self-encrypted hard drives because they have been known to provide stronger protection (Fields, 2012). The patient’s chart and any other paperwork that contain their personal infor mation is always place faced down so that it is not viewable by individuals passing by. Another security measure to protect patient privacy is the names on the room door that is no longer permissible. Nurses are required to use two patient identifiers to ensure that the right patient is given the correct medication and before any procedures are done (Hogan, 2012). If a family member or an unknown individual calls the front desk and asks â€Å"is Jim Jones in the hospital and what room is he in†. Nurses are inclined to respond by saying â€Å"we do not have a Jim Jones. I know it sounds like a little white lie to most, but our first priority is always to our patients. Later, that same individual can call back and say can you connect me to Mr. Jim Jones in room 204 and they will be connected. HIPAA has strict guidelines and as healthcare providers we are required to follow at all times. Nurses are on the frontline when it comes to patient care and privacy. Nurses are advocates for their patients and act and speak for them when they are unable to (Pozgar, 2012). Nurses work with patients and their families every hour of every day. Nurses knowledge and understanding of HIPAA is important not only for the patient, but for the facilities that we are working in. To violate HIPAA and its guidelines is to violate our ethics and our patient’s moral beliefs and trust that they have bestowed upon us. HIPAA is more about nurses and other healthcare providers changing the way they think and act in reference to patients’ privacy and security. Some may think that improving  technology and upgrading their computer software is the ultimate game changer. I believe as nurses, we have a duty to self, job, and patient. Nurses must become innovative when it comes to discussing a patient’s personal health information. The facility that you currently work in are probably not willing or able to sound proof every room. Therefore, maybe changing the way we speak or the tone of our voice when discussing sensitive identifiable patient information. It is important to never discuss a client’s health information in a hallway, stairwell, elevator, or outside the facility. When possible try to find a secluded area or room and close the door. These are small and simple adjustments that can make a big impact. Being mindful of the environment that you work in is necessary in order to plan and establish privacy measures for the clients. HIPAA is not in place to define nursing care, but to enhance patient care and trust, to encourage nurses and other healthcare workers to make an effort, to take the initiative, to preserve privacy and integrity of the patients that we serve. Work Cited Fields, Rachel. (2012, November, 9) â€Å"Protecting Patient Data to Protect Your Hospital retrieved February 12, 2014 from http://www.beckershospitalreview.com â€Å"HIPAA: Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act† (2014) AMA.assn.org. Retrieved February 22, 2014 from http://www.ama.assn.org â€Å"HIPAA: Privacy Rule and Compliance (2014, February, 26) hipaa101.com Retrieved February 12, 2014 from http://www.hipaa101.com Hogan, Maryann. (2012) Comprehensive Review for the NCLEX- RN (2nd Edition pp, 25 & 272-274) Pearson Education Inc. Pozgar, D. George. (2012) Legal Aspects of Healthcare Administration (11th edition pp,282-284 and 336-343) Jones & Bartlett Learning

Different Jobs A Medical Assistant - 928 Words

There are three different jobs a medical assistant may choose from. They are: Administrative Medical Assistant, Specialized Medical Assistant, and Clinical Medical Assistant. An Administrative Medical Assistant is medical assistants who mostly perform administrative tasks such as assisting patients with filling out insurance forms, managing patient records, making appointments, answering phones, maintaining the front desk and reception areas, and performing general accounting and billing. When it comes to Specialized Medical Assistant it all depends on their job setting and they perform specialized clinical tasks. Last but not least, Clinical Medical Assistant focuses on patient care such as recording vital signs when interacting with patients, administering medications under direction of a supervising physician, conducting assignments, and performing other clinical tasks. There are different steps that could be taken to become a Medical Assistant. You could either receive a certificate or an Associates. Associate just takes more training and or school time then the other. A certificate in Medical Assisting takes about 9 to 12 months long, while an Associate’s degree takes about 24 months long. When choosing the program its best to weigh out your options. For example the Medical assisting certificate program generally takes about one year in length or less. Medical Assistant salaries vary, depending on your location, your specialization, and as well as experience. For anShow MoreRelatedLegal/Ethical Boundaries Essay865 Words   |  4 PagesLegal/Ethical Boundaries of a Medical Assistant AAMA Medical Assistant Code of Ethics The Code of Ethics is a set of principles of moral and ethical conduct as they relate to the medical profession. 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