Thursday, October 31, 2019

394 case study #2 Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

394 #2 - Case Study Example For instance, where workers are supposed to lift heavy construction materials, contractors are required to make sure the material is in good position for easy handling; provide lifters like cranes to reduce the vertical distance and level of bending. However, since it is completely impossible to eliminate risks especially in areas where activities involve dealing with dangerous components like inflammable components, deep mines, and sharp objects, the involved company must ensure that every worker has the knowledge on how to reasonably mitigate the hazard should it arise. Facilities that are essential in removing such risks must be placed in a strategic position and be functional at all times to enable quick response to problems. All organizations need to use a holistic approach to safety management in that safety procedures, use of experienced and disciplined employees, maximum supervision and maintenance of equipments is at par. However, it is important for employees to be aware an d take responsibility in ensuring their own safety and that of others without necessarily relying on the management. Defining what safe work place is is something almost impossible because even if there are measures in place, things can always go out of control. As evident in the case studies, the involved companies had methods of mitigating risks in place but in one way or the other, it was difficult to watch over everything. Therefore, a safe work place is that which ensures quick response and restoring of problems to normalcy. Choi, S., Davis., Veltri, A., & Wang, Q. (2012). ‘Translating Academic Research on Manual Lifting Tasks Observations into Construction Workplace â€Å"Good Practices.†Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ Journal of Safety, Health & Environmental Research, 8(1), 1-32. Roux Willem Le. (2010). ‘When is a Workplace Safe or Unsafe?: The Safety Criterion in Terms of the Occupational Health and Safety Act and the Mine Health and Safety Act,’ The Journal of The

Tuesday, October 29, 2019

Interim Report IDBI Federal Essay Example for Free

Interim Report IDBI Federal Essay Problem statement: To study workmen compensation in IDBI and determine the satisfaction level of employees. Description of the Project: Reward system is a tool by which employee can attract, motivate, and retain employees. It involves everything the employee perceives to be of value resulting from the employment relationship successful. The reward system consists of many components out of which â€Å"Compensation† is one the most the important factor in employee satisfaction. Organization try to understand the type of compensation required for each of the employees and the one which has high impact on the system. Research Objective: Employee’s preference towards total rewards system depends on one’s perception and the motivation level he has achieved in life. Various theories have been incorporated to justify the preference. The theories are explained in Literature review. Based on the problem definition, we formulated our hypothesis. * Objectives of the Project: To study the workmen compensation in IDBI -Primary objectives: The main task of the project is to identify: * The various compensations offered to workmen in IDBI and policies used to evaluate various compensations. * The satisfaction level of employees with their compensation at IDBI. -Secondary objectives: * Is there any preference given to compensation by employees at any level of choosing job. * How compensation help organization to retain and attract employees. * Methodology: * Primary Data: the main data collection will be done by surveys on the present as well as past employees if possible. * Secondary Data: the secondary data will be as provided by the company guides through their records and manuals. Hypothesis 1: Employees are satisfied by the timely compensation provided to them under various circumstances by the IDBI. Hypothesis 2: Employees are not satisfied by the timely compensation provided to them under various circumstances by the IDBI. The research is restricted to IDBI employees only, the population size consist of all the employees present in the organization. We shall try to involve the response of every employee. The various theories which help us to understand the satisfaction and retention level of employees in the organization are: The motivational theories which were crucial for this kind of study were Maslow’s need Hierarchy and Herzberg’s two-factor theory * Maslow Need Hierarchy: People are motivated by inner needs. Needs form a hierarchy from most basic to higher order. The value of compensation will depend on the level of pyramid at which the person is residing. * Herzberg’s two factor theory: Employees are motivated by two ways of motivators: Hygiene factor and satisfiers. Hygiene factors in their absence prevent behaviors but their presence cannot motivate performance. Satisfiers such as recognition, promotion and achievement motivate performance. According to Maslow’s hierarchy of needs the person who has achieved the levels of physiological needs and safety would be motivated by other factors. For the people at level 3 may not consider monetary rewards as driving force. Therefore there are chances that employees will not take compensation into matter for changing their jobs. Reward system is a tool by which employee can attract, motivate, and retain employees. It involves everything the employee perceives to be of value resulting from the employment relationship successful. The reward system consists of many components out of which â€Å"Compensation† is one the most the important factor in employee satisfaction. Organization try to understand the type of compensation required for each of the employees and the one which has high impact on the system. Introduction * Insurance sector in India In India, insurance has a deep-rooted history. Insurance in various forms has been mentioned in the writings of Manu (Manusmrithi), Yagnavalkya (Dharmashastra) and Kautilya (Arthashastra). The fundamental basis of the historical reference to insurance in these ancient Indian texts is the same i.e. pooling of resources that could be re-distributed in times of calamities such as fire, floods, epidemics and famine. The early references to Insurance in these texts have reference to marine trade loans and carriers contracts. The insurance sector in India has grown at a fast rate post-liberalization in 1999. In the last decade, total premium grew at a CAGR of 25% and reached a total of $67 billion in 2010. Indian Life insurance industry (which contributes 88% of total Life and General insurance premium in India) has emerged as the 9th largest life insurance market in the world. Yet, Insurance penetration (measured as ratio of premium underwritten to GDP) was only at 5.2 % in 2010 – significantly lower than Asian peers like South Korea, Taiwan, Japan and Hong Kong which boast an insurance density greater than 10%. With low insurance penetration levels, growth potential remains promising. More importantly, the pace and nature of growth will likely see a change where new behaviors and dynamics of demand and supply will apply. On the demand side, growth is being fuelled by the growing population base, rising purchasing power, increased insurance awareness, increased domestic savings and rising financial literacy. The suppliers are correspondingly playing a market making role as competition heightens and differentiation become necessary for profitable growth. The major insurance companies in India and their market share is as follows– Initially there were only two insurance companies that operated the insurance sector in India, namely, Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) and the other General Insurance Corporation of India (GIC). On December 2000, the subsidiaries were declared independent and began to operate as independent as independent insurance companies. According to statistics the life insurance premiums and general insurance premiums accounts to 2.5% and 0.65% of India’s GDP respectively * Role of HR in Insurance Industry The Human Resources function in the insurance industry is of utmost important. The business of acquiring clients, providing proper awareness and converting them into customers thoroughly depends on the sales force. India being a developing nation, majority of households do not have disposable income. There is a shift in customer loyalty in no time owing to the digital revolution. The population that has enough disposable income at hand also requires proper financial advice. The sales person, hence, need not only be well versed with the art of selling but also needs to be sound with financial knowledge about the products and its implications. Thus acquiring talent and retaining it is a major concern in this industry. The reason being a multifaceted personality is required to work for the company. The major compensation provided to these employees is often variable which keeps them on the edge of performing better every day. * Introduction (Company) IDBI Federal Life Insurance Company Ltd is a joint venture of IDBI Bank, Federal Bank and Fortis (Ageas) Insurance International holding 48%, 26% and 26% stake respectively. With the Insurance Regulatory and Developmental Authority (IRDA) setting regulations to protect the interest of the customers, the insurer companies need to maintain a capital structure in the form of solvency ratio. A higher solvency ratio will lead to the company with a higher surplus. As per the Annual Report 2011-12 released by IRDA, IDBI Federal holds a high solvency rate of 6.61 in March 2012. With a very high solvency rate which is second among all the private and public life insurers of India IDBI Federal poses as a healthy and safe insurer. As on March 2013, there are 10 products in the rack of IDBI federal. They are Bondsurance, Group Microsurance, Childsurance, Healthsurance, Homesurance, Incomesurance, Lifesurance, Loansurance, Termsurance, and Wealthsurance.

Sunday, October 27, 2019

International Business Skills

International Business Skills International Business Skills In modern business, what makes some people more successful than others and more valuable to the company is not only their knowledge in the field but most importantly their competence in using certain soft skills. These skills can be developed and learnt so as to facilitate an organization to thrive towards success but also to enhance personal characteristics and capabilities of people. The module in International Business Skills has given me the opportunity to develop skills I already had so as to enable me succeed in my future career but also in my academic performance. The eight topics studied are complementary to each other and have therefore provided a solid foundation for development. This learning log introduces the topics by stating how they are relevant to international business; it then emphasises how the seminars have been beneficial to me and how I will be able to develop and apply the skills I have acquired during the sessions. Emotional Intelligence Over the past years, corporations have started to look for more varied qualities in the people they employ. Emotional intelligence is important as it is relevant in people working at different parts of international business such as in management development, recruitment interviewing and selection, customer relations and service. It provides a way of understanding and assessing people thus it is vital where it concerns human resources. Reflecting on the seminar, I believe that I can now separate between two main areas of competencies. On the one hand there is a personal aspect, which requires competencies such as self-awareness, self-regulation and motivation. On the other hand, there is a social aspect, which concerns bringing humanity and compassion at work by conveying empathy. Learning how to manage both personal and social capabilities will help me become more successful in my work but also in my everyday life. Being a very emotional person, I have sometimes found that my emotions keep me back from my work when faced with certain challengers who affect me emotionally. The seminar has taught me how to manage my emotions and motivate myself, be more adaptable but most importantly on how to suspend judgment, be optimistic and try to find ways in bettering myself and becoming successful. I have learned above all to understand myself and then understand others and their feelings. As emotional intelligence is vital in developing many skills such as networking, teamwork or leadership I had the opportunity to put into practice what I have learned. In teamwork, I was able to show self-awareness by assessing my behaviour and how this would affect others, and then by exercising self-management by being adaptable, optimistic and having emotional self-control. By showing social awareness I was able to meet my teams needs and also understand their emotions and their perspective. Learning about emotional intelligence will help me when it comes in employment opportunities. For example if I establish good rapport and a strong relationship with my manager and show him that I do not only have good training or expertise in my domain but I can also handle myself as well as others, then this will increase my opportunities of getting promoted to higher levels in the company. Cross-cultural teamwork Working in teams has proven to be essential in contemporary business due to increased competition in the global arena. In the module â€Å"Issues in Management† I have learned that especially in knowledge based businesses, the collective practice of people on a certain task has demonstrated better outcomes than individual work since with the interaction of people there is better exchange of knowledge and efficiency in task completion. However, in cross-cultural teams certain barriers such as language, clash of personalities, cultural backgrounds or different ways of approaching problems may restrict members in integrating in a team. Dealing with different people from diverse backgrounds and cultures may cause problems but the need to work collectively for the achievement of the same task can make people come together and bring about compromising for the mutual benefit of the group. The cross-cultural teamwork seminar has proven to be vital for my understanding of how teams are formed, how they function and the different stages of team development they undergo. The four stages of team development provided insight to the common traits of relationship building I had observed in previous teamwork. Learning about the storming stage gave me confidence to confront uncooperative behaviour in a positive way by trying to bring balance and harmony in the team so as the team will undergo successful development. My personal academic experience always had to deal with teamwork. Throughout the years I had noticed that in a team each person would always take up a role, for example that of a decision-maker or an implementer. Learning about Belbins team roles validated my observations by illustrating how each member contributes to a team through certain roles they adopt. This has helped me in dealing with my â€Å"Issues in Management† assignment where each team member was assigned a particular task based on his/her abilities. Moreover, through the Belbins Self- Perception Inventory I had the chance to assess my â€Å"best team roles† and as a result raise my awareness of the informal roles I adopt within a team and how they might be valued by other team members. This gave me an explanation as to how I contribute in a team and why I react in specific ways, especially in situations where there are no effective leaders in the team and I automatically take initiative. It is indubitable that the knowledge I have acquired through this seminar will help me in my next teamwork assignment since above all I now know myself better but I am also more aware of others. After working with a multicultural team in the practical exercises I now have a better understanding of the different particularities of each culture. I have also learnt to adjust my behaviour so as to facilitate the smooth collaboration towards the successful completion of a task through effective team working. Therefore, I will be able to overcome any difficulties that may arise with ease when working in an international business environment which will involve interacting and working with people from different cultures. As a result, this practical session gave me the opportunity to put theory into practice by being conscious of my behaviour and the different development stages we underwent as a team. Cross-Cultural leadership In international business working with and leading groups of people from different cultures is common in multinational projects. For me, being an effective leader means directing successfully the people you work with by the means of motivation towards the accomplishment of a mission. Knowing how to do things right is what characterises a leader and having the capability to be both an effective manager and leader in a business will undeniably lead a business towards success. The importance of emotional intelligence in successful leadership cannot be refuted since leaders have to deal with other people and relationships. As a result, effective leaders primarily need to have self-awareness and self regulation in order to be able to lead a group of people. The seminar taught me that the key to earning someones trust and to building a relationship with a team is to show empathy and to understand their emotions. This knowledge will facilitate me as a leader in managing relationships effectively and in implementing change where needed. Leading a multicultural team is not an easy task. I came to know this when working with a multicultural team this year. After the seminar, I realised the mistakes I had made and how I had been sending across the wrong messages to them unintentionally. Even though I tried to communicate with respect, the fact that I was not flexible in my way of working to fit in with their culture preferences created stress and panic in the team. They felt under pressure and that they could not work by the hectic working plan that I had set. After the seminar I had the chance to remedy my actions by recognising that my own perceptions and opinions may not be shared by others but also made me realise how differently some cultures might perceive power and leadership. I therefore became less assertive and I motivated them to co-operate and show commitment by satisfying their psychological needs. I achieved this by giving them more responsibility and by letting them make choices more often. I then showed my appreciation and recognised the significance of their work. In the future I will aim to strengthen my emotional leadership by being conscious of the particularities found in other people and also by constantly practicing and gathering feedback from peers. In this way I will be able to identify my strengths and weaknesses and try new ways to improve myself. I will then be able to correct my mistakes on the spot so as to become an effective leader. Win-Win Negotiations Negotiations are considered to be an integral part of our everyday lives, particularly of our jobs. It is a skill that everyone may possess to some degree, however, it is essential to develop and cultivate this skill through learning and practice. In business, negotiation skills are constantly tested through completing contracts, sales, team building but also negotiating on salary issues. Win-Win negotiations refer to both parties emerging as winners from their negotiation. Therefore, knowing how to persuade but also please the other party is essential for a successful and rigid negotiation process. The seminar has been vital in improving my negotiation skills by teaching me what makes a good negotiator. It has helped me correct my biggest mistake by emphasising that an effective negotiator does not only think of what he wants out of the negotiation but is also capable of identifying the needs of the other party. Learning how to use specific tactics but also being able to change them in order to facilitate the negotiation process has been the main competence I have gained. This has reinforced my creativity as well since finding different methods of negotiation and possible solution requires creative thinking in order to produce unique ways of persuading. My creativity was put into practice during the case study exercise when I had to make a decision which would result in mutual benefit and when I had to find different methods of solving the problems raised. In summary, the further development of this skill will help me gain lifelong success in my life and career in business. I will be able to apply my negotiation and communication skills when having to influence people with regard to salaries and contracts or be able to increase the sales and profit of the company. My learning will be supported through further developing my negotiation skills when working in teams in my academic work. When working in such an environment I will implement and develop a plan with possible scenarios that could be followed to reach my objectives and at the same time satisfy the others needs. As a result, my skills will be strengthened to such a degree that in the future I will understand my opponents position ahead of time and be able to use different tactics to reach my goals. Numerical Skills One of the reasons people go into business is to make money hence when working in a business environment, you are bound to come across numbers at some point; that may be the profits of the company, balance sheets, interest rates or exchange rates. Having only a literature background, I have not had much exposure to numbers. My numerical skills have been fairly poor since the last time I had to do work with numbers was in high school. Undeniably, I could not build on any skills I previously had or on any knowledge since this was completely new to me. However, the two sessions of Financial Mathematics have proved to be of valuable importance since I have now developed some abilities in calculating basic financial mathematics equations which will be necessary in my future career. The exercises we had to complete have given me the ability to apply and use numerical skills within a business context. I can now do exchange rate calculations which will be vital when working in an international business environment which might involve transactions between different companies across different countries using various currencies. This session has prepared me to interpret business information with ease since I am now familiar with the diff erent terminology and with the different formulas needed to calculate potential investments. Moreover, this session has complimented on the theory of finance which was taught in Issues in Management. My interaction with numbers has made me more confident since I now feel that I can manage basic financial numerical exercises which I will come across in my future career in business. As a result, I will be able to support and keep developing my learning by interpreting the Markets Data column in the Financial Times which will also keep me up to date with the world economy and finance. Networking Networking is considered to be an essential way of creating contacts and connecting with people in order to share information and build a mutually beneficial relationship. Working in a business will require networking skills since employees may have to attend conferences, seminars or even some social events where making good personal contacts is essential in building the business. As an extrovert and a social person, I have never faced any particular problems when interacting with people. I have always found it easy to talk to people that I have never met before. Nevertheless, the seminar on networking has helped me improve the communication skills I already have by emphasising the importance of body language and outlining the ways we can establish non-verbal rapport. I have learned to use small actions that we make unconsciously, such as smiling or nodding, in a conscious way so as to build and maintain rapport effectively. In this way, I will ensure that I am expressing interest in the matter discussed. Moreover, I have learned how to control my body language so as to transmit efficiently the desired messages to other people. This has been managed and further developed by continuous observations of interaction in between others and myself. Furthermore, the people bingo exercise was a successful way in conveying how people move from one person to the other in search for information but also how they build relationships based around a mutual benefit. It is indubitable that the networking skills seminar has taught me how to get prepared before a networking session and how to research on the desired future contact so as to make a good impression when conversing with them. I had the opportunity to practice and improve this skill in the â€Å"Executive Insight† session which brought me into contact with senior level directors from a range of international firms. The skills I developed through this session will be essential in building my future career in business but will also help me reach my targets through building relationships with important people. Presenting with presence Usually managers consider presentation skill as a desirable quality in employees. It is of vital importance in a business since if an employee representing the firm does not have the presentation skills to explain an idea, a project, a service or a product to others, then these ideas or projects may remain in the conceptual stage and the service or product may not be sold. Throughout my education, I have had to prepare a number of presentations. However, I always have difficulty in presenting with ease in front of an audience. Not knowing the correct method of delivering and structuring my ideas makes me less confident and nervous when presenting. The presentation skills sessions made me realise that having to do a presentation is not only about presenting ideas in a structured way but it also has to do with capturing the audiences attention using different techniques. The main concern in presentations is having the audiences complete attention until the end. The seminar taught me how to overcome the problem of loosing the audiences attention by getting them involved in the presentation but also by using power point presentations in an amusing way. After this experience, I had the chance to put my knowledge into practice in the daily seminars by consciously monitoring myself and others when presenting. Whenever I felt that the audience lost concentration I used a â€Å"hook† such as a real life example or a rhetorical question to grab their attention. The seminar presentations also helped me become confident when having to do a presentation unexpectedly which could happen in any company. Moreover, I am now more aware of what is expected of me when I am put on the spot, how to control my body language so as not to show my nervousness to the audience and also how not to lose the aim of the presentation by being clear and concise. Presentations are based on how effectively and efficiently the presenter delivers the main ideas concerning the topic presented. What is therefore required on my behalf is to continue developing my communication skills by observing other presentations and thinking of ways to improve them but also by keeping up to date with technology so as to make attractive presentations using appropriate means such as power point presentations. Art and Business As demonstrated in the module â€Å"Global Shift†, today more than ever, globalization is forcing businesses to be more transnational, multi-cultural and increasingly competitive. In order for an international business to confront the global challenges it constantly faces, it needs to be innovative by developing unique and original ideas. Therefore, art and creativity play an essential role for successful markets to stay ahead. This seminar taught me how creative thinking and success is born when the environment you work in is equally creative. This was conveyed through the example of â€Å"SOL† and â€Å"Red Bull†. By having a creative atmosphere at work, creative thinking is promoted in employees resulting in unique ideas being generated. By attending the seminar I learned to be a risk-taker since by doing so I will have the possibility to innovate. In the past, I always feared to express an idea that I had in my mind because I considered it to be silly. Now I know that often good ideas are initially considered to be as such. As a result, I now always express my ideas in class when we are asked to deal with a problem. I have learned to think from different perspectives and always re-think things during breaks because creative and imaginative thinking usually comes at a time when people are more relaxed. In the future I will use brainstorming more often since as it has been portrayed in the s eminar, simple ideas can be developed through innovation into successful new business ideas, such could be the case of the iPhone. Even though in my opinion imagination cannot be taught, it can certainly be promoted when working in a creative and more flexible environment. Creativity might also arise by listening to the ideas of other people and trying to connect them with your own. In past work experience I have had, seeing miserable faces in companies made me think of ways I could change this if I had to manage the workforce. After researching some creative businesses such as Google, the seminar gave me the incentive to aim in inspiring and making a difference in the working environment of my colleagues when attaining this future career goal. I will achieve this by creating an exciting environment for them to work in so as to motivate them to come to work with pleasure. This will certainly promote hidden talent which will contribute towards success.

Friday, October 25, 2019

The Stolen Child by W.B. Yeats Essay -- Stolen Child Poem Yeats Essays

The Stolen Child by W.B. Yeats   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"The Stolen Child†, a poem by W.B. Yeats, can be analyzed on several levels. The poem is about a group of faeries that lure a child away from his home â€Å"to the waters and the wild†(chorus). On a more primary level the reader can see connections made between the faery world and freedom as well as a societal return to innocence. On a deeper and second level the reader can infer Yeats’ desire to see a unified Ireland of simpler times. The poem uses vivid imagery to establish both levels and leaves room for open interpretation especially with the contradictory last stanza.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Nature and the land of the faeries present images of freedom throughout the first three stanzas. â€Å"There lies a leafy island†(Stanza 1, Line 3) where the faeries live, which is presumably far away from the world of pain and â€Å"weeping†(chorus) that is reality. The image of an island is used to represent separation from the real world and the freedom that it creates for the faeries. In the second stanza the faeries are â€Å"mingling hands and glances†(Stanza 2, line 6) and leaping â€Å"to and fro†(Stanza 2, Line 8) presenting an image of youth and lack of restrictions. The faeries call the child away to â€Å"the waters and the wild†(chorus) in the chorus. Yeats use of the image water is symbolic of free flowing life. The â€Å"wild† represents the faeries ability to live a life unrestricted by society. The first three stanzas have strong Celtic references that lead the reader to be...

Thursday, October 24, 2019

Historical Development of Nursing

Historical Development of Nursing Timeline Create a 700- to 1,050-word timeline paper of the historical development of nursing science, starting with Florence Nightingale and continuing to the present. Format the timeline however you wish, but the word count and assignment requirements must be met. Include the following in your timeline: †¢ Explain the historical development of nursing science by citing specific years, theories, theorists, and events in the history of nursing. Explain the relationship between nursing science and the profession. †¢ Include the influences on nursing science of other disciplines, such as philosophy, religion, education, anthropology, the social sciences, and psychology. Prepare to discuss your timeline with your Learning Team or in class. Format all references consistent with APA guidelines. Copyright  © 2013 Penn Nursing Science, University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing http://www. nursing. upenn. edu/nhhc/Pages/AmericanNursingIntroduct ion. aspx http://www. nursing. penn. edu/nhhc/Welcome%20Page%20Content/American%20Nursing. pdf Nursing Theories. The Base for Professional Nursing Practice, Sixth Edition Chapter 2: Nursing Theory and Clinical Practice ISBN: 9780135135839  Author: Julia B. GeorgeRN, PhD copyright  © 2011  Pearson Education lorence Nightingale believed that the force for healing resides within the human being and that, if the environment is appropriately supportive, humans will seek to heal themselves. Her 13 canons indicate the areas of environment of concern to nursing.These are ventilation and warming, health of houses (pure air, pure water, efficient drainage, cleanliness, and light), petty management (today known as continuity of care), noise, variety, taking food, what food, bed and bedding, light, cleanliness of rooms and walls, personal cleanliness, chattering hopes and advices, and observation of the sick. Hildegard E. Peplau focused on the interpersonal relationship between the nurse and the patient. The three phases of this relationship are orientation, working, and termination.The relationship is initiated by the patient’s felt need and termination occurs when the need is met. Both the nurse and the patient grow as a result of their interaction. Virginia Henderson first defined nursing as doing for others what they lack the strength, will, or knowledge to do for themselves and then identified 14 components of care. These components provide a guide to identifying areas in which a person may lack the strength, will, or knowledge to meet personal needs.They include breathing, eating and drinking, eliminating, moving, sleeping and resting, dressing and undressing appropriately, maintaining body temperature, keeping clean and protecting the skin, avoiding dangers and injury to others, communicating, worshiping, working, playing, and learning. Dorothea E. Orem identified three theories of self-care, self-care deficit, and nursing systems. The ability of the p erson to meet daily requirements is known as self-care, and carrying out those activities is self-care agency.Parents serve as dependent care agents for their children. The ability to provide self-care is influenced by basic conditioning factors including but not limited to age, gender, and developmental state. Self-care needs are partially determined by the self-care requisites, which are categorized as universal (air, water, food, elimination, activity and rest, solitude and social interaction, hazard prevention, function within social groups), developmental, and health deviation (needs arising from injury or illness and from efforts to treat the injury or illness).The total demands created by the self-care requisites are identified as therapeutic self-care demand. When the therapeutic self-care demand exceeds self-care agency, a self-care deficit exists, and nursing is needed. Based on the needs, the nurse designs nursing systems that are wholly compensatory (the nurse provides a ll needed care), partly compensatory (the nurse and the patient provide care together), or supportive-educative (the nurse provides needed support and education for the patient to exercise self-care). Dorothy E.Johnson stated that nursing’s area of concern is the behavioral system that consists of seven subsystems. The subsystems are attachment or affiliative, dependency, ingestive, eliminative, sexual, aggressive, and achievement. The behaviors for each of the subsystems occur as a result of the drive, set, choices, and goal of the subsystem. The purpose of the behaviors is to reduce tensions and keep the behavioral system in balance. Ida Jean Orlando described a disciplined nursing process. Her process is initiated by the patient’s behavior.This behavior engenders a reaction in the nurse, described as an automatic perception, thought, or feeling. The nurse shares the reaction with the patient, identifying it as the nurse’s perception, thought, or feeling, and seeking validation of the accuracy of the reaction. Once the nurse and the patient have agreed on the immediate need that led to the patient’s behavior and to the action to be taken by the nurse to meet that need, the nurse carries out a deliberative action. Any action taken by the nurse for reasons other than meeting the patient’s immediate need is an automatic action.Lydia E. Hall believed that persons over the age of 16 who were past the acute stage of illness required a different focus for their care than during the acute stage. She described the circles of care, core, and cure. Activities in the care circle belong solely to nursing and involve bodily care and comfort. Activities in the core circle are shared with all members of the health care team and involve the person and therapeutic use of self. Hall believed the drive to recovery must come from within the person.Activities in the cure circle also are shared with other members of the health care team and may i nclude the patient’s family. The cure circle focuses on the disease and the medical care. Faye G. Abdellah sought to change the focus of care from the disease to the patient and thus proposed patient-centered approaches to care. She identified 21 nursing problems, or areas vital to the growth and functioning of humans that require support from nurses when persons are for some reason limited in carrying out the activities needed to provide such growth.These areas are hygiene and comfort, activity (including exercise, rest, and sleep), safety, body mechanics, oxygen, nutrition, elimination, fluid and electrolyte balance, recognition of physiological responses to disease, regulatory mechanisms, sensory functions, emotions, interrelatedness of emotions and illness, communication, interpersonal relationships, spiritual goals, therapeutic environment, individuality, optimal goals, use of community resources, and role of society.Ernestine Wiedenbach proposed a prescriptive theory th at involves the nurse’s central purpose, prescription to fulfill that purpose, and the realities that influence the ability to fulfill the central purpose (the nurse, the patient, the goal, the means, and the framework or environment). Nursing involves the identification of the patient’s need for help, the ministration of help, and validation that the efforts made were indeed helpful.Her principles of helping indicate the nurse should look for patient behaviors that are not consistent with what is expected, should continue helping efforts in spite of encountering difficulties, and should recognize personal limitations and seek help from others as needed. Nursing actions may be reflex or spontaneous and based on sensations, conditioned or automatic and based on perceptions, impulsive and based on assumptions, or deliberate or responsible and based on realization, insight, design, and decision that involves discussion and joint planning with the patient.Joyce Travelbee w as concerned with the interpersonal process between the professional nurse and that nurse’s client, whether an individual, family, or community. The functions of the nurse–client, or human-to-human, relationship are to prevent or cope with illness or suffering and to find meaning in illness or suffering. This relationship requires a disciplined, intellectual approach, with the nurse employing a therapeutic use of self. The five phases of the human-to-human relationship are encounter, identities, empathy, sympathy, and rapport.Myra Estrin Levine described adaptation as the process by which conservation is achieved, with the purpose of conservation being integrity, or preservation of the whole of the person. Adaptation is based on past experiences of effective responses (historicity), the use of responses specific to the demands being made (specificity), and more than one level of response (redundancy). Adaptation seeks the best fit between the person and the environment . The principles of conservation deal with conservation of energy, structural integrity, personal integrity, and social integrity of the individual. Imogene M.King presented both a systems-based conceptual framework of personal, interpersonal, and social systems and a theory of goal attainment. The concepts of the theory of goal attainment are interaction, perception, communication, transaction, self, role, stress, growth and development, time, and personal space. The nurse and the client usually meet as strangers. Each brings to this meeting perceptions and judgments about the situation and the other; each acts and then reacts to the other’s action. The reactions lead to interaction, which, when effective, leads to transaction or movement toward mutually agreed-on goals.She emphasizes that both the nurse and the patient bring important knowledge and information to this goal-attainment process. Martha E. Rogers identified the basic science of nursing as the Science of Unitary Human Beings. The human being is a whole, not a collection of parts. She presented the human being and the environment as energy fields that are integral with each other. The human being does not have an energy field but is an energy field. These fields can be identified by their pattern, described as a distinguishing characteristic that is perceived as a single wave.These patterns occur in a pandimensional world. Rogers’s principles are resonancy, or continuous change to higher frequency; helicy, or unpredictable movement toward increasing diversity; and integrality, or the continuous mutual process of the human field and the environmental field. Sister Callista Roy proposed the Roy Adaptation Model. The person or group responds to stimuli from the internal or external environment through control processes or coping mechanisms identified as the regulator and cognator (stabilizer and innovator for the group) subsystems.The regulator processes are essentially automatic, while the cognator processes involve perception, learning, judgment, and emotion. The results of the processing by these coping mechanisms are behaviors in one of four modes. These modes are the physiological–physical mode (oxygenation; nutrition; elimination; activity and rest; protection; senses; fluid, electrolyte, and acid–base balance; and endocrine function for individuals and resource adequacy for groups), self-concept–group identity mode, role function mode, and interdependence mode.These behaviors may be either adaptive (promoting the integrity of the human system) or ineffective (not promoting such integrity). The nurse assesses the behaviors in each of the modes and identifies those adaptive behaviors that need support and those ineffective behaviors that require intervention. For each of these behaviors, the nurse then seeks to identify the associated stimuli. The stimulus most directly associated with the behavior is the focal stimulus; all other stimuli that are verified as influencing the behavior are contextual stimuli.Any stimuli that may be influencing the behavior but that have not been verified as doing so are residual stimuli. Once the stimuli are identified, the nurse, in cooperation with the patient, plans and carries out interventions to alter stimuli and support adaptive behaviors. The effectiveness of the actions taken is evaluated. Betty Neuman developed the Neuman Systems Model. Systems have three environments—the internal, the external, and the created environment. Each system, whether an individual or a group, has several structures. The basic structure or core is where the energy resources reside.This core is protected by lines of resistance that in turn are surrounded by the normal line of defense and finally the flexible line of defense. Each of the structures consists of the five variables of physiological, psychological, sociocultural, developmental, and spiritual characteristics. Each variable is influ enced by intrapersonal, interpersonal, and extrapersonal factors. The system seeks a state of equilibrium that may be disrupted by stressors. Stressors, either existing or potential, first encounter the flexible line of defense.If the flexible line of defense cannot counteract the stressor, then the normal line of defense is activated. If the normal line of defense is breached, the stressor enters the system and leads to a reaction, associated with the lines of resistance. This reaction is what is usually termed symptoms. If the lines of resistance allow the stressor to reach the core, depletion of energy resources and death are threatened. In the Neuman Systems Model, there are three levels of prevention. Primary prevention occurs before a stressor enters the system and causes a reaction.Secondary prevention occurs in response to the symptoms, and tertiary prevention seeks to support maintenance of stability and to prevent future occurrences. Kathryn E. Barnard’s focus is on the circumstances that enhance the development of the young child. In her Child Health Assessment Interaction Model, the key components are the child, the caregiver, the environment, and the interactions between child and caregiver. Contributions made by the child include temperament and ability to regulate and by the caregiver physical health, mental health, coping, and level of education.The environment includes both animate and inanimate resources. In assessing interaction, the parent is assessed in relation to sensibility to cues, fostering emotional growth, and fostering cognitive growth. The infant is assessed in relation to clarity of cue given and responsiveness to parent. Josephine E. Paterson and Loretta T. Zderad presented humanistic nursing. Humans are seen as becoming through choices, and health is a personal value of more-being and well-being. Humanistic nursing involves dialogue, community, and phenomenologic nursology.Dialogue occurs through meeting the other, relat ing with the other, being in presence together, and sharing through call and response. Community is the sense of â€Å"we. † Phenomenologic nursology involves the nurse preparing to know another, having intuitive responses to another, learning about the other scientifically, synthesizing information about the other with information already known, and developing a truth that is both uniquely personal and generally applicable. Madeleine M. Leininger provided a guide to the inclusion of culture as a vital aspect of nursing practice.Her Sunrise Model posits that important dimensions of culture and social structure are technology, religion, philosophy, kinship and other related social factors, cultural values and lifeways, politics, law, economics, and education within the context of language and environment. All of these influence care patterns and expressions that impact the health or well-being of individuals, families, groups, and institutions. The diverse health systems inclu de the folk care systems and the professional care systems that are linked by nursing.To provide culture congruent care, nursing decisions and actions should seek to provide culture care preservation or maintenance, culture care accommodation or negotiation, or culture care repatterning or restructuring. Margaret Newman described health as expanding consciousness. Important concepts are consciousness (the information capacity of the system), pattern (movement, diversity, and rhythm of the whole), pattern recognition (identification within the observer of the whole of another), and transformation (change). Health and disease are seen as reflections of the larger whole rather than as different entities.She proposed (with Sime and Corcoran-Perry) the unitary–transformative paradigm in which human beings are viewed as unitary phenomenon. These phenomenon are identified by pattern, and change is unpredictable, toward diversity, and transformative. Stages of disorganization, or cho ice points, lead to change, and health is the evolving pattern of the whole as the system moves to higher levels of consciousness. The nurse enters into process with a client and does not serve as a problem solver. Jean Watson described nursing as human science and human care.Her clinical caritas processes include practicing loving-kindness and equanimity within a context of caring consciousness; being authentically present and enabling and sustaining the deep belief system and subjective life world of self and one-being-cared-for; cultivating one’s own spiritual practice and transpersonal self, developing and sustaining helping-trusting in an authentic caring relationship; being present to and supportive of the expression of positive and negative feelings as a connection with the deeper spirit of self and the one-being-cared-for; creatively using self and all ways of knowing as a part of the caring process to engage in artistry of caring-healing practices; engaging in a genu ine teaching-learning experience that attends to unity of being and meaning while attempting to stay within other’s frame of reference; creating healing environments at all levels, physical as well as nonphysical, within a subtle environment of energy and consciousness, whereby the potentials of wholeness, beauty, comfort, dignity, and peace are enhanced; assisting with basic needs, with an intentional caring consciousness, to potentiate alignment of mind/body/spirit, wholeness, and unity of being in all aspects of care; tending to both embodied spirit and evolving spiritual emergence; opening and attending to spiritual-mysterious and existential dimensions of one’s own life-death; and soul care for self and the one-being-cared-for. These caritas processes occur within a transpersonal caring relationship and a caring occasion and caring moment as the nurse and other come together and share with each other. The transpersonal caring relationship seeks to provide mental a nd spiritual growth for both participants while seeking to restore or improve the harmony and unity within the personhood of the other.Rosemarie Rizzo Parse developed the theory of Humanbecoming within the simultaneity paradigm that views human beings as developing meaning through freedom to choose and as more than and different from a sum of parts. Her practice methodology has three dimensions, each with a related process. The first is illuminating meaning, or explicating, or making clear through talking about it, what was, is, and will be. The second is synchronizing rhythms, or dwelling with or being immersed with the process of connecting and separating within the rhythms of the exchange between the human and the universe. The third is mobilizing transcendence, or moving beyond or moving toward what is envisioned, the moment to what has not yet occurred.In the theory of Humanbecoming, the nurse is an interpersonal guide, with the responsibility for decision making (or making of choices) residing in the client. The nurse provides support but not counseling. However, the traditional role of teaching does fall within illuminating meaning, and serving as a change agent is congruent with mobilizing transcendence. Helen C. Erickson, Evelyn M. Tomlin, and Mary Ann P. Swain presented the theory of Modeling and Role-Modeling. Both modeling and role-modeling involve an art and a science. Modeling requires the nurse to seek an understanding of the client’s view of the world. The art of modeling involves the use of empathy in developing this understanding.The science of modeling involves the use of the nurse’s knowledge in analyzing the information collected to create the model. Role-modeling seeks to facilitate health. The art of role-modeling lies in individualizing the facilitations, while the science lies in the use of the nurse’s theoretical knowledge base to plan and implement care. The aims of intervention are to build trust, promote the cl ient’s positive orientation of self, promote the client’s perception of being in control, promote the client’s strengths, and set mutual health-directed goals. The client has self-care knowledge about what his needs are and self-care resources to help meet these needs and takes self-care action to use the resources to meet the needs.In addition, a major motivation for human behavior is the drive for affiliated individuation, or having a personal identity while being connected to others. The individual’s ability to mobilize resources is identified as adaptive potential. Adaptive potential may be identified as adaptive equilibrium (a nonstress state in which resources are utilized appropriately), maladaptive equilibrium (a nonstress state in which resource utilization is placing one or more subsystems in jeopardy), arousal (a stress state in which the client is having difficulty mobilizing resources), or impoverishment (a stress state in which resources are diminished or depleted).Interventions differ according to the adaptive potential. Those in adaptive equilibrium can be encouraged to continue and may require only facilitation of their self-care actions. Those in maladaptive equilibrium present the challenge of seeing no reason to change since they are in equilibrium. Here motivation strategies to seek to change are needed. Those in arousal are best supported by actions that facilitate change and support individuation; these are likely to include teaching, guidance, direction, and other assistance. Those in impoverishment have strong affiliation needs, need their internal strengths promoted, and need to have resources provided. Nola J.Pender developed the Health Promotion Model (revised) with the goal of achieving outcomes of health-promoting behavior. Areas identified to help understand personal choices made in relation to health-promoting behavior include perceived benefits of action, perceived barriers to action, perceived self- efficacy (or ability to carry out the action), activity-related affect, interpersonal influences, situation influences, commitment to a plan of action, and immediate competing demands and preferences. Patricia Benner described expert nursing practice and identified five stages of skill acquisition as novice, advanced beginner, competent, proficient, and expert.She discusses a number of concepts in relation to these stages, including agency, assumptions, expectations and set, background meaning, caring, clinical forethought, clinical judgment, clinical knowledge, clinical reasoning, clinical transitions, common meanings, concern, coping, skill acquisition, domains of practice, embodied intelligence, embodied knowledge, emotions, ethical judgment, experience, graded qualitative distinctions, intuition, knowing the patient, maxims, paradigm cases and personal knowledge, reasoning-in-transition, social embeddedness, stress, temporality, thinking-in-action, and unplanned practices. Julie t Corbin and Anselm L. Strauss developed the Chronic Illness Trajectory Framework, in which they describe the course of illness and the actions taken to shape that course. The phases of the framework are pretrajectory, trajectory onset, stable, unstable, acute, crisis, comeback, downward, and dying.A trajectory projection is one’s personal vision of the illness, and a trajectory scheme is the plan of actions to shape the course of the illness, control associated symptoms, and handle disability. Important also are one’s biography or life story and one’s everyday life activities (similar to activities of daily living). Anne Boykin and Savina Schoenhofer present nursing as caring in a grand theory that may be used in combination with other theories. Persons are caring by virtue of being human; are caring, moment to moment; are whole and complete in the moment; and are already complete while growing in completeness. Personhood is the process of living grounded in ca ring and is enhanced through nurturing relationships.Nursing as a discipline is a being, knowing, living, and valuing response to a social call. As a profession, nursing is based on a social call and uses a body of knowledge to respond to that call. The focus of nursing is nurturing persons living in caring and growing in caring. This nurturing occurs in the nursing situation, or the lived experience shared between the nurse and the nursed, in which personhood is enhanced. The call for nursing is not based on a need or a deficit and thus focuses on helping the other celebrate the fullness of being rather than seeking to fix something. Boykin and Schoenhofer encourage the use of storytelling to make evident the service of nursing.Katharine Kolcaba developed a comfort theory in which she describes comfort, comfort care, comfort measures, and comfort needs as well as health-seeking behavior, institutional integrity, and intervening variables. She speaks of comfort as physical, psychosp iritual, environmental, and sociocultural and describes technical comfort measures, coaching for comfort, and comfort food for the soul. Ramona Mercer describes the process of becoming a mother in the four stages of commitment, attachment, and preparation; acquaintance, learning, and physical restoration; moving toward a new normal; and achievement of the maternal identity. The stages occur with the three nested living environments of family and friends, community, and society at large.Afaf Meleis, in her theory of transitions, identifies four types of transitions: developmental, situational, health–illness, and organizational. Properties of the transition experience include awareness, engagement, change and difference, time span, critical points, and events. Personal conditions include meanings, cultural beliefs and attitudes, socioeconomic status, and preparation and knowledge. Community conditions include family support, information available, health care resources, and ro le models. Process indicators are feeling connected, interacting, location, and being situated and developing confidence and coping. Outcome indicators include mastery and fluid integrative processes. Merle H.Mishel describes uncertainty in illness with the three major themes of antecedents of uncertainty, appraisal of uncertainty, and coping with uncertainty. Antecedents of uncertainty are the stimuli frame, including symptom pattern, event familiarity, and event congruence; cognitive capacity or informational processing ability; and structure providers, such as education, social support, and credible authorities. Appraisal of uncertainty includes both inference (use of past experience to evaluate an event) and illusion (creating beliefs from uncertainty with a positive outlook). Coping with uncertainty includes danger, opportunity, coping, and adaptation.The Reconceptualized Uncertainty in Illness Theory adds self-organization and probabilistic thinking and changes the goal from r eturn to previous level of functioning to growth to a new value system. Each of these models or theories will be applied to clinical practice with the following case study: May Allenski, an 84-year-old White female, had emergency femoral-popliteal bypass surgery two days ago. She has severe peripheral vascular disease, and a clot blocked 90% of the circulation to her right leg one week ago. The grafts were taken from her left leg, so there are long incisions in each leg. She lives in a small town about 75 miles from the medical center. The initial clotting occurred late on Friday night; she did not see a doctor until Monday.The first physician referred her to a vascular specialist, who then referred her to the medical center. Her 90-year-old husband drove her to the medical center on Tuesday. You anticipate she will be discharged to home on the fourth postoperative day, as is standard procedure. She is learning to transfer to and from bed and toilet to wheelchair. Table 2-1 shows ex amples of application in clinical practice that are not complete but are intended to provide only a partial example for each. Study of these examples can provide ideas or suggestions for use in clinical practice. Readers are encouraged to develop further detail as appropriate to their practice.

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Madonna Case Analysis

The following case study covers the foundation of Madonna’s business success and her continued global popularity over the past 20 years. Madonna has influenced people all over the world. Her quest for Superstardom is evident in her wide range of endeavors such as her records, concerts, movies, books, and charity events. She has the skill to market herself as a product while maintaining an edge, yet it is her experiences and sense of the world, art, fashion, drama and most importantly her intellect that make Madonna a global superstar. In examining Madonna’s career from a strategic analysis it is important to recognize her global and industrial impact as well as look into her brand name from a business perspective. Regarding her brand name there is competition, strengths, weakness, opportunities, and threats. Analysis Environmental Analysis Madonna has had a great impact on the global environment through her countless charity efforts. Specifically, in 2006 she started an organization called Raising Malawi, a non-profit organization supporting community based organizations that provide vulnerable children and caregivers with nutritious food, proper clothing, secure shelter, formal education, targeted medical care, emotional care and psychosocial support. In addition, Raising Malawi supports non-government organizations that offer impoverished families with innovative opportunities for sustainability such as Millennium Promise and International Medical Corps. Millennium Promise is a non-profit organization which works towards the halving extreme poverty in Africa by 2015, working with impoverished communities, national and local governments, and partner organizations to implement high-impact programs aimed at transforming lives on the continent and engaging donor nations, corporations, and the general public in the effort. Also, on corporate, community, and academic levels, Madonna matches every dollar donated to Raising Malawi. In addition to her own organization she still donates to several other causes, many relating to children, and is a patron of Children of Peace, a foundation that is dedicated to supporting programs that serve traumatized children regardless of race, religion or cultural background. Industry Analysis The music industry can be a difficult place to achieve long-term success. This is has been proved hundreds of times in cases of the infamous â€Å"one hit wonders†. It is an industry where an entertainer can literally go from being star to being a has-been overnight. Music fans like to hear something new and fresh, which can be difficult for many musicians accomplish. Madonna has kept reinventing herself and her music, and thus has had a tremendous impact on the music industry. Her kind of talent comes along very rarely. In terms of industry success, she is the female Elvis Presley. Firm Analysis Madonna is the clear leader of her corporation and is the ultimate businesswoman. From her legendary work ethic to her moves as a businesswoman, Madonna is a resounding corporate success. Her career was further enhanced by film appearances despite mixed reviews. She won critical acclaim and a Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in Motion Picture Musical or Comedy for her role in Evita (1996), but has received harsh criticism for other film roles. Madonna's other business ventures include being a fashion designer, children's book author, film director and producer. In 2007, she signed an unprecedented $120 million contract with Live Nation. Madonna has sold more than 300 million records worldwide and is recognized as the world's top-selling female recording artist of all time by the Guinness World Records. According to the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), she is the best-selling female rock artist of the 20th century and the second top-selling female artist in the United States, behind Barbra Streisand, with 64 million certified albums. In 2008, Billboard magazine ranked Madonna at number two, behind only The Beatles, on the Billboard Hot 100 All-Time Top Artists, making her the most successful solo artist in the history of the Billboard chart. She was also inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in the same year. Current Problems As with most things in life, tastes change. Madonna will have to continue producing music to meet the changing tastes of her fan base. She has been successful at this in the past, but distractions exist now that didn’t exist before, and this may cause her to lose focus on the music. An ongoing problem that hurts Madonna directly in the purse is the ease in which music can be downloaded for free from the internet. Most consumers want music at the best possible price, and don’t really consider how this hurts the artist who produced it. SWOT Analysis Strengths: The Madonna name, all by itself, makes people stand up and take notice. Madonna’s work ethic and drive to succeed are major strengths as well. The constant reinvention of herself and her music make Madonna a force to be reckoned with. Her involvement with charitable causes adds to the overall strength of the Madonna brand name. Her live shows are perennial sell-outs because her music appeals to a worldwide audience. Weaknesses: Madonna’s charitable work can also be a weakness because time spent with charitable causes takes time away from writing and performing her music. Madonna is getting older, and aging does take its toll on a person’s energy level. Getting actively involved with music, movies, charitable causes, and family might create a situation where Madonna is spread too thin. One or more areas of her career might suffer as a consequence. Opportunities: The music-loving world seems to get bored with â€Å"old† and craves â€Å"new†. With her endless talent, Madonna can provide the â€Å"new† that the public wants. In fact in January 2008 she was named the world's wealthiest female musician by Forbes magazine, with estimated earnings of more than $72 million in the last year alone. Madonna has had a unique way of reinventing herself and evolving as a person and musician. Her constant evolvement has kept her highly respected and sought after. Her name by itself creates opportunity. Anywhere she wants to put her name it will generate profit. Her opportunities are endless. This is evident in her endeavors such as her records, concerts, movies, books, and charity events. Threats: Fans of motion pictures love young, new talent. The same is true for the music industry. Up and coming musicians are a direct threat to Madonna’s reign at the top of the charts. Also, throughout Madonna’s career she has been a lightning rod for religious and sexual controversy. Discussion Critical Issues If the past repeats itself, Madonna will be a success in any venture she undertakes. If she decides to be more involved in her charitable causes, Madonna’s focus must be on these charities and not on starring in a movie. As Madonna gets older, the ability to perform live night after night will diminish. This issue might have a solution if venues with a large seating capacity are used, and some smaller cities are left off the tour schedule. Recommendations and Rationale I think it is safe to say that Madonna can accomplish anything she wants. She will be mentioned historically in the same context as Elvis Presley and Paul McCartney. Her concerts consistently sell out globally. Wherever her name brand is it is generating revenue. At this point in her life she has assumed iconic status and her opportunities are endless. At this point it’s up to her to indicate what she wants to do next. Conclusion Considered to be one of the â€Å"25 Most Powerful Women of the Past Century† by Time for being an influential figure in contemporary music, Madonna is known for continuously reinventing both her music and image, and for retaining a fresh and hip standard within the recording industry. She is recognized as an inspiration among numerous music artists and her humanitarian work touches thousands, if not millions of lives. References http://www.looktothestars.org/celebrity/201-madonna#ixzz1BDKYjr52 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Madonna_(entertainer)