Category: Home

Strengths and Weaknesses of Home-Country Based Pay, Headquarters-Based Pay, and Host-Country Based Pay

Home-country based remuneration is described as a condition where an employees payment is determined from the home country. This means that basic pay, allowances, and incentives are based on home country standards. One of the major advantages of home-based remuneration is the extension of home country benefits such as pension plans, insurance policies, and health care plans. It is important to keep the benefits of employees who would eventually return to their country.

This is achieved by home-based pay systems. Another benefit of a home-based pay system is the merit increments. For ex-pats, using a home-based pay system provides the advantage of increasing the employees remuneration. Finally, a home-based pay structure ensures that an employee complies with the home country tax remittances. On the other hand, this payment structure has some weaknesses.

For instance, an employee would incur losses when converting currency from home country currency to host country currency to enable him or her to buy goods and services. The cost of living in a foreign country could be higher than in the home country. This means he or she would spend more to acquire the same goods and services in a foreign country.

Host country-based pay means that the employees basic pay is determined based on the host country pay system. In this case, the payroll of expatriates is shifted to the host country. There are many advantages to this system. First, as opposed to home-country based pay, the employee will not incur losses in currency conversion. Eventually, when the ex-pat returns to the home country, he may benefit from the exchange rate if the currency of the host country is more valuable than the home country currency. Again, the employee may benefit from higher rates of remuneration offered in the host country.

However, the major weakness of this system is that employees may not benefit from many incentives and extra benefits provided in the home country. Employees remuneration may be affected by the host countrys economy. This means that employees benefits and payments may be subject to the host countrys financial obligations, such as heavy taxation.

Headquarters based pay is described as a payment system where all employees are on the same payroll regardless of their workplace. This means that their remuneration rates are the same. The key advantage of this method is that policy rates and practices are standard. It also creates a good relationship between the company and its employees. However, there are two major weaknesses of this system; the loss incurred during currency conversion and decrement in the package mobility (Martocchio, 2011).

Should Companies Avoid International Business Activities Due to Costly Allowances and Reimbursements?

Companies should not avoid international business activities because of costly allowances and reimbursements. Conducting business internationally requires corporations to strategize about every aspect of the business so that it doesnt incur losses.

Globalization can enable companies to get higher returns and should not be avoided simply because of costly allowances and reimbursements. Market participation decisions involve selecting the right markets to serve not only locally but also internationally. With proper market participation decisions, multinational corporations can make sufficient revenue to offset costly compensations and reimbursements.

To cut down the costs, international corporations should adopt a payment structure that motivates workers to accept external assignments and, at the same, time benefit the company. This can be achieved by providing hybrid remuneration models in which expatriates would receive higher basic compensations and benefits in accordance with the host country. Rather than using only one payment type, both the home-country based system and host country system can be used together. However, this should depend on the type of international assignment, and companies should define the value of a foreign assignment before selecting the type of payment. This would guide them in selecting an appropriate system of remuneration (Weber, 2011).

References

Martocchio, J. (2011). Strategic Compensation: A Human Resource Management Approach (6^thed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.

Weber, T. (2011). What Are The Critical Success Factors In Expatriate Assignments?. Munich: GRIN Verlag GmbH.

Usually, people think of home as a place where one lives permanently, especially if they are a part of a family. Toni Morrisons view of home differs from the perception of an average person. She uses the thought about home to influence the way she writes and the way she talks. She describes the home as a place where one can go to feel safe with loved ones or be by themselves. In the novel Home, the central theme is the idea of the entity that is a home. Throughout her book, Toni Morrison makes the reader think about how the notion of home changes throughout the story. This paper argues that Toni Morrison used the history of the race to illustrate how it changed peoples perspectives on home.

According to Toni Morrison, home is a location where one can feel secure with ones family or friends. It is not just a shelter with a roof and some people in it. Home is a location where one can feel comfortable among individuals they cherish. Morrison imagines a woman in her house who gets out of bed and sits in the moonlight on the steps. And if she wanted to, she could cross the street without a lantern and without being afraid (Morrison 22). The way Morrison depicts this woman in the middle of the night gives the impression that she lives in a place where she is protected from prejudice and violence. Also, the author is trying to describe being safe in the environment as home (Morrison 22). In the novel Home, the main character, Frank, does not fully understand what a home means to him until the later parts of the novel. The terrible realities of prejudice, racism, intolerance, injustice, violence, and segregationall of which have their roots in the time of slaverymust be endured by Frank (Morrison 22). Morrison depicts these models in the setting of the 1950s as they go through Frank Moneys experiences.

During the 1950s, several social and public spaces, including restaurants and restrooms, were still upholding segregation practices, allowing visitors or rejecting them based on the color of their skin. Apart from that, in Home, Frank experiences multiple random police searches while on the road (Morrison 30). This story shows a Korean War veteran returning home to find prejudice and racism to be the harsh realities of life. When Frank departs from the town of Lotus, he feels as though he must find a new home in the outside world, but he is unaware of how perilous it is. At the end of the book, he goes back to Lotus and is in need of assistance. Morrison writes the following in the final parts of the book, Mr. Ethel? Are you there? Clarence Hollard Smart Money, thats me. Lady Ethel (116). Here, Frank wants someone to help Cee and feel protected, and they are waiting for Miss Ethel to give them shelter.

In this story, Franks metaphorical home is in a state where the character deals with racism and injustice. When Frank traveled across the country to find his little sister, he endured conditions where racism was still prevalent and was not viewed as a social issue. When Frank got off the train in Chicago, he saw firsthand how bad racism was. In the novel, the police would have thought so too, but during the random search outside the shoe store, they just patted pockets, not the inside of work boots (Morrison 37). On one occasion, Frank and Billy got searched by the police for no apparent reason. The only cause why the police decided to stop the two and search them was because of how they dressed. Later, Billy would tell a story about how his sons life was changed forever by the police. The character describes this encounter in the following manner, drive-by cop. He had a cap pistol. Eight years old, running up and down the sidewalk pointing it. Some redneck rookie thought his dick was underappreciated by his brother cops (Morrison 31). The policemen in Chicago during this time acted with prejudice and did not care about human life. This racism changes Billys childs life and alters how safe their home is for them.

Outside of Atlanta, in the small village of Lotus, Frank and Cee, alongside a few other people, reside. One can deduce from the narrative that this towns residents are people of color. People of color were not treated equally in this community because there were more of them than in bigger towns and cities like Atlanta. Nobody in Lotus knew anything, and neither cared to learn anything, according to the text (Morrison 82). They were not as well educated as those who moved to a big metropolis because they were isolated in this small community and had no one to teach them. Frank hated his home a lot, and he had to find a way to get out. When he found a way out, he seemed very excited about the chance to move out of this small and isolated town. Morris writes, Thank the Lord for the army. I do not miss anything about that place except the stars. (Morrison 84). On one of the rare occasions, the reader sees Frank enthused about something, yet he is unaware of how important Lotus is to him. One finds out in the final chapter how much Frank values this isolated community. The narrative states, he was shocked to remember how much he had once despised this location. It appears both new and old right now, safe and demanding (Morrison 132). When Frank left to experience the dangers of the outside world, his entire perception of home transformed.

In the time frame in which the novel Home, takes place, the problem of race was still an issue dominating the United States. Many characters in the story are forced to deal with the problem of race in a place where people believe there is no significant problem of racism. Lilys encounter with racism took place in the city of Portland when she was trying to purchase a house with her own money. When she tried to buy the property, the agent said, no part of said property hereby conveyed shall ever be used or occupied by any Hebrew or any person of the Ethiopian, Malay or Asiatic race excepting only employees in domestic service (Morrison 73). Surprisingly, although people were taught to think that every northern state had been freed of racism, this same problem prevailed there to the same degree as in other states. Every character in this novel has to deal with the issue of racism in some sort of way. In the chase for Toni Morrison, her home was affected by race before she was even born. Around 1910, the parents of Tonis mother departed Greenville, Alabama, after losing their land to unpayable debts. Her fathers parents moved from Georgia to the north to avoid sharecropping and racism against African Americans (Toni Morrison Biography). If her grandparents never faced this deep-rooted issue that America has, then the readers might have never had this award-winning novelist tell them these stories. Race plays a role in how these two families meet and how Toni depicts the characters homes.

Franks family constantly being forced around had an enormous impact on the familys health. When Cees mother was forced to move out of their home in Bandera County in Texas, she was pregnant with Cee (Morris 35). Ida went into labor in a place where the conditions were terrible for childbirth. Ida delivered her child, Cee, on the side of the road, and Lenore said, decent women delivered babies at home, in bed attended to by good Christian women who knew what to do. Although only street women, prostitutes, went to hospitals when they got pregnant, at least they had a roof overhead when their babies came out (Morrison 45). Ida was not given the same quilt in the car because of what she was going through. The race was why she was forced out of her home in Texas and why she moved to the small town of Lotus. When Cee was being treated for the injuries, which were caused by a physician, the woman treating her did graduate from medical school or know much about medicine. Thus, Cees treatment was not effective since it was not based on science. One of the last steps they used to treat Cee was a way of interment. It is stated in the novel that each woman agreed that that embrace would rid her of any remaining womb sickness (Morrison 124). Cee was not fortunate enough to go to a hospital, and she was forced to be treated by these women who did not have the best education. The way racism played a role in Cees health was an important factor in how the home would shape her.

In the novel Home, only a few of the characters are educated. The lack of education leads to poor decisions some characters make. In the case of Cee, she was protected all her life by her brother, Frank, and her home. When Frank left to enlist in the army, Cee was thrown into the world, not knowing what to do. When Cee ran away to Atlanta with a boy, she was on her own because when Prince ran away with the car, Cee was left to fend for herself (Morrison 60). When she was interviewed for a new job as a doctor assistant, she was asked about her level of education. The text states, did you graduate from high school? No, maam. Can you read? Yes maam. Count? Oh. Yes. (Morrison 60). With the lack of education, Cee did not know what she was getting into. The way the nurse treats her at home shows that her poor decisions have changed the atmosphere of the home.

Race played a tremendous role in Toni Morrisons life, which affected how she wrote her books. She has written around a dozen books that focus on race. In her twenties, she lived through a critical time in American history. The 1950s was the most impactful time of her life, and she focused on the topic in her books (Toni Morrison Biography). In the novel Home, racism plays a significant role in how the main characters of homes are shaped. From Lily not being able to buy a home to Frank leaving his home, race plays a factor in every part of this book.

Overall, Morrison combines poetry, violence, and storytelling in one work. The story describes how black men have protracted conversations about shared and individual memories and experiences. Morrison discusses how black women, despite the pervasive threats and harsh living conditions they encounter, struggle to make ends meet. The life of people who encounter countless challenges in their daily endeavors is the basis for Morrisons art. The story is made even more enjoyable to read by Morrisons skill at fusing real-world situations with her characters struggles to live and thrive in the face of obstacles presented by life. The novel explores the most trying trip through life that any American character has ever experienced. In her work, Morrison highlights the most upsetting human situations.

There are two key ideas that Morrison wants to emphasize in the book. First, regardless of how well we believe we know someone, we should pause, take the time to learn more about them and draw accurate conclusions. Second, despite the challenges we confront as we prepare to leave or go from our homes to begin new lives, home is the finest location to find solace from the harsh and potentially fatal circumstances that the outside world presents. The novel is rich, poetic, straightforward, and earthy, which makes it always relevant.

Works Cited

Morrison, Toni. Home. Vintage Books, 2013. Web.

Toni Morrison Biography. Encyclopedia of World Biography, n.d., Web.

Introduction

The concept of a home has always had multiple levels of complexity as it was approached by different scholars in various ways. Nevertheless, the associations that come with the word home are the most comforting and reassuring to most people on this planet. Home brings ones mind to a place of stability and acceptance and represents a place in which a person feels comfortable and safe. It is where most of the peoples memories are formed, and in many cases, home is a feeling rather than a distinct place. In this paper, a summary of scholars approaches to defining home will be presented in order to come to a conclusion regarding a personal idea of how the concept should be viewed.

Perspectives of Scholars

Macy Douglass (1993) approach toward defining the concept of home is unique because it combines both positive and potentially negative influences on people. Douglas reflected on the tyranny of the home, in which young people felt trapped and wanted to escape the control and scrutiny of their parents. The combination of nostalgia and resistance to rules that exist in peoples homes is an interesting mixture, which may contribute to the humorous treatment of the topic.

Therefore, it becomes clear from the start that home cannot be defined by its functions (1993, p. 61). This means that home does not provide the ultimate care for people and represents a space with very specific characteristics that are complicated to define and describe.

The key intention behind Douglass (1993) view is explaining that home is not necessarily a fixed space despite the definition of it presupposing a localizable idea. Home does not always need to be made of brick and mortar; it can be a tent in the middle of a desert, a boat by the shore of a lake, or a wagon in a trailer park. Furthermore, the size of the space does not matter either due to the wide variability of peoples views on how their homes should look. Nevertheless, there is an expected pattern of appearance and reappearance of the furnishings. An example of this is the Japanese rolling away and rolling back their betting in the morning and at night. Thus, there is a certain sense of regularity that gives people a certain level of comfort and confidence.

As the author identifies that home is not a place, she proceeds with exploring the concept from the perspective of serving people as a memory machine (Douglas, 1993, p. 62). She writes:

The home makes its time rhythms in response to outside pressures, it is in real time. Response to the memory of severe winters is translated into a capacity for storage, storm windows, and extra blankets; holding the memory of summer droughts, the home responds by shade-giving roofs and water tanks (Douglas, 1993, p. 62).

The capability of home to provide the necessary resources to withstand the pressures of life contributes to the shaping of peoples memories from events that take place. One does not expect to die in a hotel or at a railway station, which is why home brings a sense of utility and comfort that is defined by meeting some of the needs to which the humanity is used.

Since Douglass (1993) approach is focused predominantly on the concept of home as a feeling and a sense of belonging, contrasting it with other perspectives is important. For example, Bell Hooks (1990) ascribed more tangible characteristics to a home rather than abstract. The author describes the sense of safety as one reaches the porch of a house, and the feeling of arriving and homecoming brings a sense of completeness. In addition to this, Hooks (1990) discusses sexism as a tool for ensuring that women provide their labor and services to create a home place in which the spirit is nurtured. Despite the fact that sexism is viewed in a negative light, women have played defining roles in shaping the perceptions of the home, both in Black and white communities.

Heidegger (1954) viewed the concept of home from the perspective of building and dwelling. The author mentions that there are real relations between space and location and between a person and space. Spaces in which people found themselves on a daily basis reinforce the ideas of dwelling and building as connections are created on a physical basis. Building produces locations and joins spaces between them, which helps to bring a sense of home through the arrangement of objects that are detrimental to the comfort of people.

This perspective is different from the view of Douglas who suggested that there are little tangible characteristics that define home as a concept. However, it offers a new look on the problem  home is something that can be constructed for meeting the demands and expectations of people, and the building can be later given an abstract meaning that has a physical framework.

Personal Definition

Based on the above explorations of the idea of home and what it means to people, ones own definition of home can be given. In the personal view, a home should not be linked solely to tangible things or only to abstract feelings. Instead, an individual should reflect on the combination of physical objects and emotions that these things evoke to create ones own sense of home. For some people, home is defined by the presence of family  wherever the family is, there is the home. It can be in the middle of the forest on a camping trip with friends and relatives or in a cozy old house where the family is gathered around the table.

For others, home is a collection of objects that bring a person comfort and help relax after a long day of work. These objects range from technologies to old childhood books and hold a special value that others may not understand or see as valuable. Therefore, home is something that each person defines for himself or herself based on what is valuable, comfortable, and meaningful.

Concluding Thoughts

To summarize, the idea of home is complex and multi-dimensional, which is why there is a range of perspectives regarding its definition. For example, Heidegger (1954) associated construction and dwelling with the term while Hooks (1990) gave it a deeper meaning substantiated by discussions on sexism and racism as Black women were forced to stay at home and serve as keepers of their homes. Whatever the perception of the topic is, it is important to understand that different social issues will influence the shaping of most notions as time goes on. However, home should not have a unified definition because of the variety of experiences and contexts influencing its understanding.

References

Douglas, M. (1993). The idea of a home: A kind of space. In B. Miller Lane (Ed.), Housing and dwelling (pp. 61-68). New York, NY: Routledge.

Heidegger, M. (1954). Building, dwelling, thinking. In B. Miller Lane (Ed.), Housing and dwelling (pp. 50-61). New York, NY: Routledge.

Hooks, B. (1990). Homeplace: A site of resistance. In B. Miller Lane (Ed.), Housing and dwelling (pp. 68-73). New York, NY: Routledge.

Abstract

The aim of this report is to look at the different modes of heat transfer. Specifically, heat transfer through walls will be clearly outlined and the different equations associated with the same discussed. The report will also cover conduction, radiation and convection as modes of heat transfer.

Introduction

Heat can be defined as energy in transition brought about by a difference in temperature.If there is a greater temperature difference, then the heat is transferred more rapidly. The rate of heat transfer is what defines the situation while discussing heat transfer models. There are three distinct modes of heat transfer:

• Conduction
• Radiation and
• convection

Heat transfer is only possible for all the above mentioned modes in the existence of a temperature difference (Incropera 75)

Conduction

In this mode of heat transfer, heat energy is transferred without any movement of macroscopic particles but on a molecular scale with vibration of the body molecules. Fouriers law was developed on the basis of heat transfer by conduction.

Convection

In this mode, heat is transferred by mixing of one part of fluid with another of different temperature. The movement of the fluid portion could be caused by a density gradient due to temp difference or due to natural convection. It could also be due to a pump as in a heat exchanger; a phenomenon called forced convection (Incropera 78)

Radiation

In this mode, heat energy is transferred in the form of electromagnetic waves and does not therefore require a medium of transfer (Incropera 80).

Heat transfer through walls

Heat transfer by conduction through walls is mainly due to vibration of the molecular particles and energy transfer to the adjacent walls. Fouriers law of heat conduction states that The rate of heat flow Q is proportional to the area through which it flows A and the temperature difference dt across the layer and inversely proportional to the thickness dx. The law is expressed as below.

1. 1. Q±Adt/ dx

Equation i. above expression is then expressed as an equation by introducing a constant k (thermal conductivity) to give:

2. 2. Q =  k(dt/ dx)

The negative sign in the equation ii is an indication of direction i.e. heat flow is positive in the direction of the temperature fall.

Fouriers law of conduction is based on one dimensional steady heat flow through a solid. One dimensional flow is whereby the temperature is constant over surfaces perpendicular to the direction of heat flow.

Steady state implies that Q_in = Q_out = Q_intermediate

Where Q represents the Heat energy.

Assuming that the heat changes from t₁ to t₂, equation ii can be integrated with t₁ and t₂ as the lower and upper limts respectively to obtain:

3. 3. Q =  kA (t₁  t₂)/x

Newtons law of cooling

This states that heat transfer of a solid surface of area, A at a temp t_w  to a fluid of temperature t is given by

4. 4. Q±A (t_wt)
   5. QhA (t_wt)

Where h=heat transfer coefficient.

Taking dA and dB as the thicknesses of the static field of fluid in contact with a wall on one side A and another side B, through which conduction will be by conduction, then heat flow through unit surface area would be

1. 1. q = (t_At_B)/[(1/h_A)+(x/k)+(1/h_B)]

Equation I is based on the assumption that heat flow through a wall of unit surface area is given by q = k/x(t₁  t₂).

With k/x2 = h, then Q = hA (t_wt)

Where, t_w is the temperatute of the wall and t the temperature of the surrounding fluid.

Conclusion

The above described equations and laws are instrumental in the calculation of heat transfer rates and the subsequent design of structures that that are thermally sound, including dwellings and special structures.

Works cited

Incropera,Frank. Fundamentals of Heat and Mass Transfer 6th Edition. New York: Hemisphere Publishing, 2006.

Introduction

The sense of responsibility is often exemplified as the practice of social authority in the course of which an individual can procure the assistance and support of other people in order to fulfill a common objective shared by them. This is applicable in both workplace and home at the same time. Some of the most important qualities in a responsible person can be enumerated as person of self-reliance, cognitive competence and awareness about the settings, workplace or home.

Background

Responsibility may and surely does emerge in several diversified profiles and forms. Effective and first rate responsible individual do not adhere to a conventional template. However, such individuals make life easier for others in the vicinity. These criteria are not only applicable in professional life only and can be implemented in family life too making it a healthy and reliable place to stay.

Responsibility in workplace

When an individual enters the professional world, ideally, his growth and development course depends on the sense of responsibility of the person. No individual becomes an outright responsible individual at the onset of his career. Even with all willingness and inherent quality of an able employee, an individual is a follower rules and duties and this is where the need of responsibility becomes mandatory. The most significant lesson a person, who aspires to be seen in the role of a future successful employee, learns is that no matter what the objectives are, one cannot acquire all by in a day. To be a successful and efficient person one has to realize and acknowledge the fact that support of those an individual works with is of the essence under all circumstances. This is the teaching of being responsible and it is a great knowledge for success. (Cameron and Green, 113)

Responsibility in home

Regarding responsibility and family works it can be stated that since family is such a basic and vital social unit in all societies, persons of all political persuasions have at-times visceral opinions about what things promote the institution and what forces degrade it. In the United States, conservatives and liberals view family very differently. Nevertheless, the views on family responsibility have no disagreements. The primary family ideologies associated with the United States are novelty, entrepreneurial like job flexibility expertise and honesty where interpersonal relationship comes first, humility viewed as a virtue time horizon accountable by the generation, respect for seniority, astuteness and aptitude and above all the sense of responsibility. (Robertson, 56) The respected and successful individuals are always the persons who show their family values and hold the sense of responsibility on high esteem.

Conclusion

Apart from all the aspects mentioned in this discussion, one must remember the importance of ethics and its role in effective responsibility. Ethical perspective is immensely critical and indispensable attribute of an effectual responsible person. True sense of responsibility must encourage the surrounding to build up a set of values and guiding ideology and publicize them for the neighbors and relatives at home and customers and stakeholders to know at workplace. This has a positive impact on the ultimate outcome of a person and also spreads a positive sense across the work environment and the home at the same time. This in turn leads to better productivity of the employees and a better life for an individual.

Works Cited

Cameron, Elaine and Green, Frank. Making Sense of Change Management: A Complete Guide to the Models, Tools & Techniques of Organizational Change. NY: Kogan Page Publishers, 2004.

Robertson, Ian. Society: A Brief Introduction. New York: Worth Publishers, Inc, 1989.

The genre of childrens books might appear to be rather unsophisticated and plain to the uninitiated. However, on closer inspection, the world of childrens literature will reveal that it has no boundaries for imagination and, therefore, can stretch across the themes and subgenres hat no other type of literature can. Therefore, the specified genre deserves a more meticulous analysis as the repository of unique worlds and characters created to teach essential lessons to its target audience. By focusing on the idea of being alienated from others and seeking for meaningful friendships, childrens books establish and scrutinize crucial themes of home, journey, and identity.

The connection between the three components specified above is rarely explicit in childrens literature, which is why most scholars tend to consider them separately, outlining the presence of each in a particular work of fiction for young readers. For instance, Cadden in his analysis of Burnetts The Secret Garden specifies that the book is a novel of realism written in a time when cultural difference could be equated with biological difference through metaphor in an unselfconscious narrative (Cadden 53). Thus, the theme of identity is addressed clearly, with the issue of home being intertwined with the main narrative since the lead character finds herself estranged from the place where she spent most of her life and, instead, has to learn to adjust to a new environment and find new friends.

The issues of journey and identity are also frequently examined in tandem since the former often implicitly leads to the latter, allowing character to grow and acquire new characteristics as they complete their journey, be it physical or metaphorical. For example, Philip Nel in his article Migration, Refugees, and Diaspora in Childrens Literature declares that the issue of journey is intrinsically tied to the process of embracing personal identity in children through narrative. According to the author, the described process is especially apparent in the narratives about immigrant children (Nel 361). Indeed, with the metaphorical journey as the symbol for personal growth overlapping with the physical one, namely, the migration to a different country ad integration into a new community, changes in ones identity are expected to occur. The author posits that the concept of identity is inherently connected to that one of a journey due to the need to confront and overcome change that the said journey entails. Namely, Nel states that childrens stories of the described type show young readers how, and on whose behalf, paths of belonging are forged in settler societies (359). As a result, the opportunities for children to grasp the concept of personal identity and connect it to cultural signifiers, as well as their unique intrinsic characteristics, emerges. Thus, by connecting the notion of journey and identity in their narratives, childrens books guide their young readers to the path of better self-understanding and introduce them t the idea of self-exploration.

Remarkably, the same sentiment is shared by Nel and Paul in their 2011 book Keywords for Childrens Literature. In the specified work, Nel takes his argument further by considering the connection between home and identity as concepts in childrens literature. Thus, the principles of building a cultural identity are established, guiding young readers toward the acceptance of themselves and the interpretation of their self-image through the lens of their culture. Namely, Nel and Paul mention the concept of a house as a nurturing site in childrens literature by addressing the plot of Pippi Longstocking (106). Therefore, the premise for examining changes in identity as a protagonist sets out on a journey are created.

Likewise, the issues of home and identity are often intertwined in childrens books, especially those that seek to explore challenges that immigrant children face in the environment of their new home. In her article, Savsar explains that the problem of nostalgia related to a childs home and the need for the development of their personal identity in the new context while retaining the semblance of their sociocultural background is often addressed in childrens books. Namely, the author specifies that the described concern is explained best when scrutinized through the lens of an immigrant. According to Savsar, a child protagonist is the ideal subject with agency at the heart of the migrants narrative since the specified type of character is devoid of acquired racist ideas and, therefore, does not have the bias that would have made the experience otherwise prejudiced (396). As a result, a personal journey can be accomplished, and progress can be reached.

However, when considering the role of home, journey, and identity in childrens books, one should consider the specified concepts not only as separate constructs but also as the constituents of a greater whole. Namely, Nels conclusions lead to the assumption that the notions of home, journey, and identity in childrens literature represent a continuity of character development and a specific plot line that a character can follow in order to complete their journey. Indeed, multiple books for children align with the described framework, starting with the problem of defining home, then setting the character on a journey, be it an actual or a metaphorical quest, and allowing the character to define their identity in the process.

Considering actual examples, one could mention Burnetts books as the stories that start with the problem or a theme of a home, then proceeding by introducing a concept of an actual or a metaphorical journey, and helping the character to coin their identity in the process. Cadden explains that Burnetts The Secret Garden, in which the protagonist literally loses her home, the journey of self-discovery that she has to take in order to make a personal change and discover the importance of friendship, loyalty, and integrity, aligns with the described structure (Cadden 55). Therefore, the described constructs, namely, the ideas of home, journey, and identity, often represent a linear structure that allows for character development and the creation of a capturing plot. Remarkably, authors compliance with the described strategy of building their plot and characters does not make their writing any less predictable or uninspiring; instead, it helps introduce an effective three-act structure, introducing vital points in it.

One could debate the importance and the linear nature of home, journey, and identity in childrens books by pointing out that the described elements are not necessarily included into the narrative. Indeed, some stories take characters out of the context of their mundane home environment and transport then to the magic realm where fascinating adventures can take place. Moreover, the presence of a journey is not a necessary element of a childrens book unless it describes the adventures of the protagonist. Likewise, very few books for children focus meticulously on the description and explicit search for the characters identity, understandably assuming that most children will become easily disinterested with the specified stories.

However, the lack of an explicit emphasis on the subjects of home, journey, and identity in childrens books does not mean that the specified type of literature is devoid of them. On the contrary, Nel and Paul explain that the theme of journey and, thus, the one of identity, is inherently present in most childrens books as the metaphor for growing up and learning vital life lessons (106). Therefore, the presence of the specified elements appears to be ubiquitous in childrens literature since they help to shape childrens sense of self and accept crucial values, while also understanding the significance of personal development and growth. Although some childrens stories do not have the specified items established clearly as themes or items within a storyline, they are inherently integrated into the plot structure and the character arc, thus making the book and its characters all the more relatable to a child. Moreover, the integration of the concepts of home, journey, and identity proves to be useful in childrens books as the basis for helping a child to gain agency and spur their independence.

Creating the scenarios in which a leading character needs to face ostracism and the experience of being a stranger in a new environment, childrens books explore the concepts of home, journey, and identity and allow their readers to embrace the specified notions both as unique entities and as a continuity. Indeed, further analysis will show that childrens books tend to connect the specified themes, starting with the sense of homelessness and alienation in lead characters, thus setting them on a journey, and causing them to experience noticeable development in their identity. As a result, children reading these books can identify with the main character and learn crucial lessons that will define their further personal and social development.

Works Cited

Cadden, Mike. Home is a Matter of Blood, Time, and Genre: Essentialism in Burnett and McKinley. ARIEL: A Review of International English Literature, vol. 28, no. 1, 1997, pp. 54-67.

Nel, Philip. Introduction: Migration, Refugees, and Diaspora in Childrens Literature. Childrens Literature Association Quarterly, vol. 43, no. 4, 2018, pp. 357-362.

Nel, Philip, and Lissa Paul, eds. Keywords for Childrens Literature, vol. 2, NYU Press, 2011.

Savsar, Leyla. Mother Tells Me to Forget: Nostalgic Re-presentations, Re-membering, and Re-telling the Child Migrants Identity and Agency in Childrens Literature. Childrens Literature Association Quarterly, vol. 43, no. 4, 2018, pp. 395-411.

Behavior

U. V. is a patient that received 2 hours of intensive in-home services from a Mental Health Qualified Professional. The clients presenting problem can be described as anger episodes that involve verbal and physical aggression. The behavior includes offending, punching, and hitting others, which are categorized as acts of violence that endanger other people. Such actions of the child present a problem for his ability to socialize, build relationships, and work in a team, which are critical skills to succeed in the future.

Intervention

The techniques and methods applied for this case include exploring emotions, cognitive restructuring, breathing exercises, and developing communication and problem-solving skills. These interventions fall under the broader category of cognitive behavioral therapy (Rahman, 2022). Such techniques aim to help the patient recognize, understand, and deal with his emotions, in particular, anger. Skill training is an important part of therapy as it helps solve daily problems and build healthy relationships with others.

Response

The patient responded positively to the suggested therapy; however, there were some difficulties with identifying his feelings. At first, U. struggled to recognize his emotions and react in a healthy manner. However, a specific approach was used, such as using a basic emotion reference to help the patient understand his current state better. This method was successful, and the client learned to recognize his anger and use the suggested breathing exercises and skills to reduce aggression.

Plan

The key goal of the treatment was to decrease verbal and physical aggression in the patient. The plan was to apply cognitive restructuring, as well as teach the client to recognize his emotions, use breathing exercises, and apply communication and problem-solving skills. The outcome objectives for the patient were to decrease verbal and physical aggression by not punching or hitting others at least three days a week and control his temper for the next 60 days. U. had to meet at least 50% of the established goal criteria and 50% goal criteria consistently over this authorization period. The goal must be revised and the interventions enhanced to support the patients needs.

Reference

Rahman, I. (2022). CBT for anger: How it works, techniques, & effectiveness. Choosing Therapy. Web.

Article Summary

Parenting in a Pandemic: Tips to Keep the Calm at Home by the American Academy of Pediatrics provides a set of simple recommendations for parents regarding managing childrens behaviors during the pandemic. The source problematizes the pandemics implications for childrens subjective well-being and emotional stability. Families are recommended to engage in fear-reducing practices, including answering kids COVID-19-related questions, explaining basic self-care measures to avoid the virus, and supporting children in using video calls to reduce perceived isolation. The article suggests teaching emotion management by example, avoiding leaving the house without providing children with information, expressing love, and keeping the childs activities structured. Behavioral management, including positive reinforcement, ignoring minor misbehaviors, or redirecting childrens energy into productive tasks, is also emphasized. Finally, the source warns families against resorting to even the slightest forms of corporal punishment or ignoring conditions that might require pediatricians involvement.

Thoughts/Discussion

From my perspective, the source offers an extensive set of measures to maximize emotional well-being in times of uncertainty. The tips simplicity appeals to a wide audience, which aligns with the sources communicative goal. Concerning other ideas that could support families in keeping calm, I would suggest identifying the childs stress-maximizing triggers, for example, mortality statistics in the news, and restricting his/her access to such information. Another idea refers to instrumentalizing mind-body relaxation activities, for instance, practicing family yoga with the help of video lessons. When moving forward, parents should take a series of steps to stabilize their own psychological condition and then structure parent-child communication to make children feel secure. The steps to achieve it may include researching self-care and vaccination information from credible agencies, working with ones fears, and contacting behavioral health professionals or relevant faith-based organizations to seek support. Next, parents should carefully analyze their childs psychological condition, identify and eliminate the sources of excessive stress, and plan the childs self-care and educational routines. Finally, initiating therapeutic conversations and incorporating family activities into the childs schedule should be pursued.

Introduction

Obesity is a health problem that peoples from all walks of life battle with daily. The most common solution to such problems is to follow a proper diet and participate in an exercise program. The need for a proper exercise program is the reason why fitness gyms have become a booming business over the past decade. However, there are many drawbacks to having a gym membership which has pushed those who are serious about maintaining their health to invest in a home gym. This paper aims to evaluate the reasons why investing in a home gym proves to be beneficial to those serious about maintaining their health program.

Economic considerations

Due to the current economic crisis that is sweeping the world, people have had to prioritize and sacrifice activities that are deemed to be superfluous and too heavy on the regular budget of a family. As everyone knows, fitness center memberships are very costly and as such, are sometimes considered to be a lifestyle instead of a necessity. So, once people who have gym memberships allow it to lapse, they tend to forgo exercising altogether.

However, some choose to invest in a few pieces of home-sized exercise pieces of equipment such as a treadmill, stationary bike, exercise ball, and a few weights, end up following their gym regimen at home and often notice that their home-based exercise routine proves to be more effective in terms of weight loss. In actuality, the total cost of creating a home gym setup is equivalent to a years worth of gym membership. The cost evens out though because the purchase of the equipment is a one-time huge expense. The machines and other exercise paraphernalia pay for themselves over time.

Ease of access to exercise equipment

Those who praise the benefits of a home gym do so based on time and effort saved. Experts have long said that as little as 20 minutes of exercise a day offers many benefits. That is merely a pocket of time within a persons day-long activities. People who go to the gym spend 20 minutes of their time looking for a parking spot before they can even get into their workout clothes. Then they spend even more time waiting on the availability of the machines.

A home gym offers more benefits in this sense because there is always an activity at home which will allow you a packet of time to exercise. Time is not wasted in getting ready to exercise because one can exercise wearing his house clothes and the machines and equipment are readily available for the user.

Effectiveness and other benefits of the home gym equipment

An evaluation of the current crop of home exercise machines available on the market these days proves that one does not need to use bulky gym-sized machines to lose weight or keep up with their health regimen. The home gyms are designed to deliver optimum effects at an affordable price and using limited space. And because of the proximity of the machine to everyone in the family, all the family members benefit from the existence of the home gym. Nobody has an excuse to not exercise. Exercise becomes playtime and bonding time for the members of the family. After all, the best encouragement that one can ever have to succeed in exercising comes from family members.

Conclusion

In conclusion, I would have to say that my evaluation of the benefits of the home gym has shown evidence that people prefer using home gym equipment due to its proximity and ready availability. So they tend to reap more benefits from exercising in the comfort of their own homes rather than going for the so-called professional workouts at the fitness gyms.

References

Bode, Lynn. Creating An Effective Home Gym. HealthFitCounters. 2007. Web.

Exercise Home vs. Gym. fitmoves. N.A. 2009. Web.

Benefits Of A Home Gym. Gym And Fitness. 2009. Web.

Home Gym Fitness Secrets. Home Gym Essentials. 2009. Web.

Optimizing maternal and infant health outcomes and the overall delivery experience while minimizing interference is a healthcare matter. The incidence rates and advantages of giving birth in various environments and the danger of medical interventions, have been the subject of intense discussion in recent decades as a result of this topic. Therefore, the PICOT question is as follows: In women who undergo delivery (P), how effective is hospital birth (I) vs. home birth (C) at preventing childbirth mortality rates (O) in a period of 90 days (T)? In this case, it will be additionally essential to give an overview of maternal autonomy in terms of labor setting, progression, and recovery time.

Regarding the childbirth mortality rates issue, the most appropriate kinds of research are qualitative and quantitative since they not only provide the average ratios and incidence rate but also give an overview of the problem. Similar studies have been conducted, and the preferred ways to gather data would be focus groups and case studies. In the case of focus groups, it is possible to evaluate the trends in a bigger community. In contrast, in the situation with case studies, one is capable of gathering data on descriptive cases and analyzing them.

Among the searched studies was the study of Van der Kooy and colleagues. In this study, multiparous women who scheduled a home delivery had a lower modified intervention incidence than those who had a hospital birth. According to the researchers, the most significant finding appears to be the mortality disadvantage experienced by Big3 pregnancies at home, which points to a lack of treatment caused by either delayed timeliness of intervention or an excessive barrier to intervention (Van der Kooy et al., 2017). The distance from the residence to the clinic is a major cause of delays (Van der Kooy et al., 2017). They came to the conclusion that pregnant women had a higher risk of death and unfavorable outcomes when their net vehicle travel time from residence to the hospital was 20 minutes or more. Such results can be integrated into practice when women undergo prenatal care by providing them with the given information.

Another study emphasizes the fact that women who intended to give birth at home had a lower likelihood of undergoing any of the examined intrapartum procedures. These include cesarean section, operative vaginal birth, epidural analgesia, episiotomy, and oxytocin increase (Reitsma et al., 2020). Additionally, they had a lower risk of developing a third- or fourth-degree pelvic floor rupture, a postpartum infection, or vaginal bleeding (Reitsma et al., 2020). The following original study by Nethery and colleagues (2021) corroborates the given fact and claims that planned home deliveries had comparable risks to planned births in birth centers. The researchers make an addition that nulliparous women, implying women who had the first pregnancy, were more likely to undergo intrapartum hospitalization admissions than multiparous women (Nethery et al., 2021). The maternal and infant mortality rate within the first week following the start of labor was 0.57 per 1,000 births (Nethery et al., 2021). Other negative consequences likewise had modest rates. As a result, the findings from the literature, along with the patients preferences, can be applied in practice by learning whether the woman is at higher risk of interventions based on the number of pregnancies.

However, an original study conducted by Homer and colleagues a few years prior with a bigger sample has different findings. According to the study, 93.6% of the 1,251,420 deliveries were scheduled in hospital labor rooms, compared to 5.7% at birthing facilities and 0.7% at home (Homer et al., 2019). Healthy labor and delivery probabilities were more than twice as high in planned birth centers and almost six times as high in intended home births compared to intended hospital births (Homer et al., 2019). Between the three scheduled birth locations, there were no statically meaningful variations in the frequency of intrapartum stillborns, early neonatal mortality, or late neonatal mortality (Homer et al., 2019). This contradicts the previous statements and yet it is noteworthy that the given study analysis sample data from ten years.

Finally, it is vital to mention the study by Howell, which outlines the rates of postnatal care. According to the study, severe postpartum morbidity affects a hundred women for every maternal death (Howell, 2018). Despite the fact that the postpartum period offers a chance to intervene and alter some trends, few low-income women consult a postpartum doctor (Howell, 2018). Absence from the postnatal appointment within the first 90 days is associated with a lack of prenatal care and delayed admission into antepartum care (Howell, 2018). Many women encounter obstacles, such as financial constraints, childcare issues, psychological discomfort, and knowledge gaps (Howell, 2018). As a result, the findings of this study pose an anticipated challenge and barriers that need to be overcome. The solution to such problems when working with patients is educating them on the possible issues that will result from a lack of proper postnatal care within the first three months.

As for utilizing the dynamic process of questioning, learning, and obtaining knowledge in the future as a lifelong learner, I would focus on applying information from the studies and research. As has been mentioned, one study found that many women are at risk of interventions and higher mortality due to the long distance from home to the hospital, and options should be discussed with the patient while paying attention to their preferences. Moreover, when it comes to questioning, it is vital to look at the patient history and how many pregnancies they had to determine the risk of interventions. Overall, the process of learning in the future will be determined by personal workplace experience and research.

References

Homer, C. S., Cheah, S. L., Rossiter, C., Dahlen, H. G., Ellwood, D., Foureur, M. J.,& & Scarf, V. L. (2019). Maternal and perinatal outcomes by planned place of birth in Australia 20002012: A linked population data study. BMJ Open, 9(10), 1-12. Web.

Howell E. A. (2018). Reducing disparities in severe maternal morbidity and mortality. Clinical Obstetrics and Gynecology, 61(2), 387399. Web.

Nethery, E., Schummers, L., Levine, A., Caughey, A. B., Souter, V., & Gordon, W. (2021). Birth outcomes for planned home and licensed freestanding birth center births in Washington State. Obstetrics and Gynecology, 138(5), 693-702. Web.

Reitsma, A., Simioni, J., Brunton, G., Kaufman, K., & Hutton, E. K. (2020). Maternal outcomes and birth interventions among women who begin labour intending to give birth at home compared to women of low obstetrical risk who intend to give birth in hospital: A systematic review and meta-analyses. EClinicalMedicine, 21, 1-10. Web.

Van der Kooy, J., Birnie, E., Denktas, S., Steegers, E. A., & Bonsel, G. J. (2017). Planned home compared with planned hospital births: mode of delivery and perinatal mortality rates, an observational study. BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth, 17(1), 1-11. Web.