Saturday, January 18, 2020

Case Manager Interview Essay

The interview with a case manager took place in Kevin on October 25, 2013 at 11:00am and it was done approximately at 12:15pm. What we will be evaluating in this interview using the questionnaire as a guide to better understand case management. The questionnaire or survey used for this interview has twenty-four question related to case management, which we will explore one question at a time. The first part of the survey address different function of case management. Kevin was ask based on his own experience in the department of Mental Health, would he eliminate any functions from the list given that included: Client identification and outreach, Intake, Psychosocial assessment, Goal setting, Resource identification and indexing, Getting general agreement by community agencies, Direct treatment (Therapy), Service planning, Counseling, Linking clients to needed services and supports, Monitoring service delivery, Reassessment, Advocacy, and Client evaluation? Kevin said, â€Å"He said that this is a sum of what they do but they go even further by engagement with the community, partnering with different non-profit and faith base organizations and integrating different resources to create a more comprehensive services for their clients.† According to Kevin the engagement with the community, different non-profit and faith base organization is what needed to be added to the function list for assisting clients with his or her needs. Also Kevin stated, â€Å"I would not change the chronological order because this is just a format† but he clarified by saying, â€Å"The way the chronological order is makes a guide but each client has unique needs, which can cause a change of the chronological order given to meet the most pressing needs at a time. The second question Kevin was asked, â€Å"Do You preform this function as part of your case management role?† Kevin response to the question, â€Å"Yes, let me explain to you how we do our process.’ ‘I have twenty-seven staff working for me and each staff has his  or her own expertise.’ ‘The different staff, which includes ten case managers, psychologist, house specialist, therapist, psychoactive nurses, all has goals in assisting indiv idual clients; making it a team effort.’ ‘So the functions for each client is done through shared responsibility.† He also explained that the staff have regular meeting to determine if goals of clients is being properly carried out and if not what can be done to achieve his or her clients plan. Kevin also said the only one thing that hinders his team from performing his or her function is lack of resources and policies can restrict how he can serve his clients. In addition, Kevin told me that in order to be refer to his department there has to be some kind of psychological problem but with the psychological problem there can be other condition present such as: drugs use, homelessness and criminal activities; making serving these individual more complex. The time spent of each function during a typical week depends on the individual and different people and as stated before these function are achieve with many different professional with his or her own expertise working together to serve his or her client. The next question asked Kevin was, â€Å"Where he would like to devote more time to a given function and why?† He stated, â€Å"As a agency he feels they are always on a consistent bases putting out fires and he would like to spend more time in engagement and worki ng with individual with long term goals.† Kevin also said that different crisis, which needed immediate attention is what keeps his organization from devoting more time to engagement and working with individual with long term goals. Kevin told me he works full time and that his case manager spends about eighty percent of his or her time doing case management. When ask if the work done at the agency was his own or a team or group basis he restated what he said earlier about team effort but also added it was also one his own because each team member has a part in the process where he or she focuses on; so to answer the question he said both individual and team effort. The next question for Kevin was, â€Å"What does he think is required for effective case management to occur?† Kevin says that empathy is important when working effectively as a case manager, resources and communication. He also said the way they determine family involvement in a clients is by first assessin g the clinical risk, is this relationship with family a healthy one that will assist his clients to achieve his or her personal goals. The question that followed  the last question asked was, â€Å"What has been the most successful part of your experience as a case manager?† He shared a story how when he first started working for the agency that he would see patients who had psychotic episodes during his or her intake and it was rewarding when he saw these patients at the end of his or her treatment functioning relatively normal, which demonstrated progression. He went on to explain to me that the ultimate goal of a case manager is to help improve lives and that this type of field is investing in the betterment of others. Moreover, Kevin said the attribute to his success is a collaboration of clients, agency team effort, families and the community. The next question in the interview was, â€Å"Is there something distinctive about Stanislaus County that gives case management a unique form here?† Kevin response was base on what he stated earlier about how his organization engagement makes his agency un ique. He stress by working with different non-profit and faith base organization the agency was working outside the box. He also told me that his agency has also works with other city such as: San Francisco, San Jose, Bakersfield and as far as Redding to provide service for his clients collaborating with different organization throughout Northern California. Kevin told me my working with different organization has broadened the agency resources causing them not to be limited to a geographical area making their approach different and unique. The next question in the interview was, â€Å"What are some of the main problems you face in doing case management?† Kevin stated resources is the main problem as a practitioner; not enough resources to assist all of his clients. Also Kevin said motivation of his clients is an issue to even recognize he or she has a problem, which needs to be address. Kevin also told me that with some clients basic needs are not being met and his clients cannot focus on assistance because of this problem. He went on to state the lack of understanding of both family and community is a problem, which his agency is trying to address through educating both family and community. He told me these have specific programs for family member to help educate them and they are actively involved with many events in the community. Also according to Mr. Panyanovong service gaps he encounters can be either lack of resources or policy issue where an individual cannot meet requirement to qualify for a certain pr ogram. He also told me that lack of insurance and state funding can be a problem in service gaps or lack of  space where the program and facility is overcrowded. The next question I asked Kevin was, â€Å"When there is a service gap, are there any things as an organization they can do?† He said that as an organization they work hard to remove barriers, discover new resources, change policies and try to determine how to get from point â€Å"A† to point â€Å"B†. He said with his team they work together talking about how can we expedite the process and continue to say his organization does not see it as just them but working with other resources. Then Kevin was asked, â€Å"What problems do you have with service providers, particularly agencies in the community that are essential to your clients?† He said he was not sure if he had a problem with a particular provider but with the physical he stated there could be disconnect because many of clients have Medicare a nd Medicaid, which has limitations. According to Kevin many of his clients have health issue, which can be a major problem in the care of his clients. The interviewer went on to ask, â€Å"What administrative problems do you encounter in your daily work?† He said that Medicaid has been a problem and there are many regulations that the organization needs to follow, which can make it difficult in servicing his clients. However, as a program Kevin explain to me they do what they can to serve their client despite Medicaid regulations and many times it has resulted in loss in revenue. The next question in the interview was, â€Å"What are some crisis situations you typically face with clients?† Kevin responded by saying, â€Å"Medication emergencies, client becomes suicidal, homicidal†, he goes on to say we do crisis assessments, evaluation and place clients in the hospital all the time, which answered the next question, â€Å"What are some things you typically do when these crises arise?† The question in the interview that followed that last question is a close end question where the interviewer asked Kevin, â€Å"Can you generally handle these situations in an adequate way?† Kevin answered the question by saying, â€Å"Yes†. As the interview continues the interviewer ask Kevin, â€Å"How could you be enabled to deal with crisis situations more adequately?† Kevin answered was again resources and working with different organizations. The next question is base on a scenario and it is, â€Å"A board-and-care home calls you to state a client of yours in this category is having hallucinations that are causing behaviors threatening to other clients. What do you consider your most therapeutic intervention, given no limitation on  resources?† The first thing Kevin said, â€Å"Is that he needs to assess is this an immediate crisis, which it sounds like it is?† He asses if this particular person is a risk to self or the community and if so he has the authority to put this client on a seventy two hours hold, placing them in a hospital for the individual safety and the safety of the community. The other thing Kevin mention is by assessing he can determine if this is an ongoing issue and nothing ever happens; than he may set up a meeting with this client. Kevin said because it is their client it is important to look into the history, which can shed light to what is causing him or her to act this way. The second part of the question for this scenario, â€Å"If the patient were living at home with family would you do anything differently?† Kevin said yes they would involve the family members more, which is ideal because now the client has support that he feel could be a benefit to the client. Also the family member could help with administration of medication and to determine if something is not right in their family member who needs special assistance. He went on to say the majority of his clients do not have that family support. The question the interviewer asked Kevin next was, â€Å"What can case managers do to optimize maintaining hard to handle patients in board -and-care facilities or with their families?† Meeting with client and working with him or her to remain medication compliant, forming good partnership with board-and-care facilities or family members. Kevin went on to say it would be better to treat the individual early before it becomes a crisis. The following question Kevin is asked is, â€Å"What recommendations would you make to strengthen the case management process and program in the Department?† Kevin states resources and also changing policies of organizations, which creates barriers in his clients being place in their respect program. Kevin continue on and said, that practitioners need to set healthy boundaries but at the same time have empathy for their clients and being able to connect with a client at a human level. He also stated that strengthen the commitment of clients to the goals that has been set and for the clients to acknowledge that there is an issue. When it comes to families and informal support networks, Kevin said, communication is key when working with them and education to assist them in helping the needs of the individual client. The interviewer than asked, â€Å"Since you started working in this program, have you initiated any major changes in the  way you do things or in the procedures?† Kevin says, â€Å"Yes† and that he has been in this program for over seventeen years and that the biggest shift according to Kevin is community oriente d, which is forming different partnership that the organization did not use in the past. This forming of partnership is done to increase the natural support system for clients in working with outside agencies. He went on to explain to me that when he first started the mentality was in the organization that they were the only agency. Also as a case manager they as an organization has heighten the awareness that the problem with mental health is a community issue; that everyone needs to be involve in supporting these type of individuals. Kevin continue by saying that they invited community partnerships, they invited faith base, invited community leaders to come to the table and have a conversation of how they could work together to make the problem of mental health better in their city. Kevin said this is accomplished through a town hall meeting to address all these concerns. Also Kevin said this change is adopted by his organization because it is a team effort and they have to work together for the benefit of their clients. The next question interviewer presented to Kevin was, â€Å"If you could design a case management program from scratch, based on your experience here, what changes would you make?† Kevin said many of the things they are currently doing is a direction that is offering more assistance for their clients by adding resources through many different organizations. The last question the interviewer asked, Kevin was, â€Å"What advice would you give to a new case manager coming into this agency?† Kevin said he would tell them to know their resources and that they are in the business of helping people, which requires them to have empathy towards their clients and to work as a team with colleague to give the best situation for his or her clients needs. The interview came to a conclusion and the interviewer thank Kevin for taking the time out of schedule to meet with him. The interviewer also ask if in the future if he has similar projects would it be alright for him to contact him again, which he said if his schedule permits he does not mind and he told me he tries to make time for these type of interviews because he feels it is part of educating the community and that he has not only met with college student but high school students to do similar interviews. Than, the interviewer said his final thank you and told Kevin to have a good weeke nd.

Friday, January 10, 2020

Laissez-faire: Supply and Demand and Demand Curve

TASK 1 Laissez-faire Laissez-faire is an economic environment in which transaction between private parties are free from tariffs, government subsidies, and enforced monopolies, with only enough government regulation sufficient to protect property rights against theft and aggression. The phrase laissez-faire is French and literally means â€Å"let them do†. But it broadly implies â€Å"let it be†, or â€Å"leave it alone†. A laissez-faire state and completely free market has never existed, though the degree of government regulation varies considerably. The basic characteristics of Laissez-faire economic systemFree competition The main body of the economic operation is for a large number of small private enterprises. Production and management strategies are made by private capitalists according to changing in market supply and demand. Private capitalists are free to participate or exit the economic activity of any of industries. The form of price is spontaneous in market. It shows the change of supply and demand, it can distribute the scarce resources to producers, and also distributes goods and services to consumers. Consumer rights Consumers are the main part of economic operation.Consumer rights show: private capitalists must be base on and consider the preferences of consumers in the coordination of production and management strategies. According to consumers in the market, the number of monetary voting (consumers use their own money to purchase their favorite products, it is also another form of voting), and understand the social consumption trends. Thus distributes human and material resources, financial resources, production and meet consumers demand to achieve the purpose of maximum profit. Consumers are the guidance of economic activity through the function of preference for certain goods and services.Protecting of government Laissez-faire economic activities and resource allocation by the market mechanism to promote, the country or the government's economic functions are restricted to the protection of free competition, protection of private property, set up some necessary public utilities and public facilities. The components are absence to function an idealized free market. The problems mainly in the following aspects: 1. The competition between enterprises is limited, and some may be a monopoly industries. In these cases, they will push up prices, up profits. 2.The lack of competition to promote efficient and profitable company†¦ 3. Power and wealth may not equal distribution. 4. Some of the company's behavior is harmful to the society. 5. Private enterprise will not produce some of the whole society to their own advantage but without the product. 6. The free market economy could lead to macroeconomic instability, may appear high unemployment and production of the decline of the recession and rising prices. TASK 2 Government intervention in the market can be used to achieve various economic objectives which may not be best achieved by the market.There are several policy instruments that the government can use. At one extreme, it can totally replace the market by providing goods and services itself. At the other extreme, it can merely seek to persuade producers, consumers or workers to act differently. Between the two extremes the government has a number of instruments, it can use to change the way of markets operating. These include taxes, subsidies, laws and regulatory bodies. Taxes and subsidies When there are imperfections in the market, social efficiency will not be achieved. Marginal social benefit will not equal marginal social cost.A different level of output would be more desirable. Taxes and subsidies can be used to correct these imperfections. Essentially the approach is to tax those goods or activities where the market produces too much, and subsidies those where the market produces too little. Taxes and subsidies correct externalities. Government imposes a tax equal to the marginal external cost, grant a subsidy equal to the marginal external benefit. Taxes and subsidies are to correct for monopoly. If the problem of monopoly that the government wishes to tackle is that of excessive profit, it can impose a lump-sum tax on the monopolist.A tax of a fixed absolute amount irrespective of how much the monopolist produces, or the price it charges. Advantages of taxes and subsidies It forces firms to take on board the full social costs and benefits of their actions. It is also adjustable according to the magnitude of the problem. What is more, by taxing firms for polluting, firms are encouraged to find cleaner ways of producing. Disadvantages of taxes and subsidies Infeasible use different tax and subsidy rates. Lack of knowledge. Laws prohibiting or regulating undesirable structures or behavior Laws are frequently used to correct market imperfections.Laws can be of those main types: those that prohibit or regulate behavior that imposes external cost s, those that prevent firms providing false or misleading information, and those that prevent or regulate monopolies and oligopolies. Advantages of legal restrictions When the danger is very great, it might be much safer to ban various practices altogether rather than to rely on taxes or on individuals attempting to assert their property rights through the civil courts. Disadvantages of legal restrictions The main problem is that restrictions tend to be a rather blunt weapon.Regulatory bodies Rather than using the blunt weapon of general legislation to ban or restrict various activities, a more â€Å"subtle† approach can be adopted. This involves the use of various regulatory bodies. Having identified possible cases where action might be required, the regulatory body would probably conduct an investigation and then prepare a report containing its findings and recommendations. It might also have the power to enforce its decisions. The advantage of such bodies is that a case-by -case approach can be adopted and, as a result, the most appropriate solution adopted.However, investigations may be expensive and time consuming only a few cases may be examined, and offending firms may make various promises of good behavior which may not in fact be carried out owing to a lack of follow-up by the regulatory body. Price controls Price controls can be used either to raise prices above, or to reduce them below, the free-market level. Prices could be raised above the market equilibrium to support the incomes of certain supplier. Prices could be lowered in order to protect consumer’s interests. The direct provision of goods and servicesSocial justice, society may feel that these things should not be provided according to ability to pay. Rather they should be provided of right: an equal right based on need. Large positive externalities, people other than the consumer may benefit substantially. TASK 3 To avoid fluctuation of inflation, the related policies of gover nment are monetary policy, Fixed exchange rates, Gold standard, Wage and price controls, cost of living allowance. Monetary policy Central banks must be keeping their inter-lending rates at low levels. To target rate is around 2%-6% per year.Government can avoid inflation through setting interest rates. High interest rates and slow growth of the money supply are the traditional ways, central banks prevent inflation. Keeping the growth rate of money steadily, and using monetary policy to control it, increasing interest rate, slowing the rise in money supply. Encourage people to put money in the bank. To reduce the number of money circulation. According to Keynesian, reduces aggregate demand when the economic is expanding, and increases demand to keep inflation stable. Increase taxes or reduce government spending.Fixed exchange rates Under fixed exchange rates, a country's currency is tied in value to another single currency. This essentially means the inflation rate in the fixed exch ange rate country is determined by inflation rate of country. Fixed exchange rate prevents a government from using domestic monetary policy in order to keep economic stable. Gold standard The gold standard is a monetary system in which a region's common media of exchange are paper notes that are normally freely convertible into pre-set, fixed quantities of gold.The standard specifies how the gold backing would be implemented, including the amount of specie per currency unit. The gold standard was partially abandoned via the international adoption of the Bretton Woods System. Under this system all other major currencies were tied at fixed rates to the dollar, which itself was tied to gold at the rate of $35 per ounce. In the gold standard system, the internal value of currencies and external value in general is consistent, currency exchange between is stable and the exchange rate also have relatively solid foundation.Wage and price control Wage and price control is also called Income policy, Income policy mainly is to take wage price management policy, in order to prevent trade unions and the two groups monopoly enterprises still each other caused by the wages, prices take turns to the rising trend. Its purpose is to tries to control inflation and not lead to increased unemployment. Incomes policy based on the theory of main is pushed by cost inflation, because cost inflation is pushed by because of the rising cost of supply, especially wage increase, thus cause the price level to rise.Therefore, we must take inhibits the incomes policy, the form has the following kinds: sure wage-prices will, in order to limit wages-prices to rise. Base on compulsory measures, impose income tax policy. Cost of living allowance Keep the general level of commodity prices steady, strict control prices, the incomes of the workers and living allowance, reduce the cost of their life, so as to control income and the increased cost of products. The relationship between inflation and e mployment Demand-pull inflation When aggregate demand exceeds aggregate supply, will cause the general price level continued to rise.From Philips curve, we can understand that, when aggregate demand is greater than aggregate supply, in order to meet aggregate demand in the short term, we can increase aggregate output to provide more employment. TASK 4 Supply –Demand curve Supply Supply is to point to a producers in other conditions remain unchanged, at one time, ability and willingness to for a price to market with the amount of products. A supply schedule is a table that shows the relationship between the price of a good and the quantity supplied. A supply curve is a graph that illustrates that relationship.The supply curve is supply table and supply the visualization expression, and demand form or demand function of handing over the equilibrium, is used to represent the market producers and demanders can constitute a trade goods quantity and price. The supply curve can with â€Å"curve† appeared, also can use the â€Å"straight† form. In theory, meet the supply curve only supply theorem can be tilted to the upper right. The determinants of supply follow: 1. Production costs, how much a good costs to be produced 2. Technology used in production, and/or technological advances 3. The price of related goods . Firms' expectations about future prices 5. Number of suppliers Demand Demand is to point to a consumer in other conditions remain unchanged, within certain time, ability and willingness to buy in a given price of the product quantity. The demand curve is demand form and demand function expression of visualization, and supply table or transfer the equilibrium of supply function, which is used to represent the market producers and demanders can constitute a trade goods quantity and price. The demand curve can with â€Å"curve† appeared, also can use the â€Å"straight† form.In theory, can meet the requirement of the demand c urve can only theorem is right to tilt, so Veblen Goods and Giffen Goods are general demand curve is not those from left to right leaning items. The determinants of demand follow: 1. Income 2. Tastes and preferences 3. Prices of related goods and services 4. Consumers' expectations about future prices and incomes 5. Number of potential consumers Equilibrium Equilibrium is about the price-quantity curve, it means the quantity of supply is equal to the quantity of demand.In the market, when the price is given, the quantity of products that consumers demand is balanced by the quantity of products that producers supply. Demand curve shifts At each price point, greater quantity is demanded, the curve from D1 to D2, at the same time, the equilibrium price from P1 to P2, and the equilibrium quantity from Q1 to Q2. There is an increase in demand which has caused an increase in quantity. The increase can also come from changing tastes and incomes, price changes in complementary and substitut e goods, market expectation, and number of consumers.If the demand decreases, the situation is opposite, the demand D2 down to D1, the equilibrium price decreases, and the equilibrium quantity also decreases. The quantity supplied at each price is the same as before the demand shift, reflecting the fact that the supply curve has not shifted; but the equilibrium quantity and price are different as a result of the change in demand. Supply curve shifts When the supply of a product decreases, curve from S1 to S2, it makes the equilibrium price decreases from P1 to P2, but the equilibrium quantity increases from Q1 to Q2.If the quantity of supply decreases, the curve will from S2 to S1. The equilibrium price will increase and the equilibrium quantity will decrease as consumers move along the demand curve to the new higher price and associated lower quantity demanded. Partial equilibrium Partial equilibrium as the name suggests takes into consideration only a part of the market, ceteris p aribus to attain equilibrium. Partial equilibrium is based on a limited range of data, a standard example is the price of a single product, all other prices of the products in a fixed analysis.The supply and demand model is a local equilibrium model of economic balance, clear the market prices of the goods and some specific number won independence in other markets. In other words, the prices of all the alternative and complementary, and income level of consumer is constant. Partial equilibrium analysis testing these policy actions in the influence of creating balance in the industry or market only specific directly affected, ignore its effect in any other market or industry that they were small almost no influence. AD-AS model (Long-term equilibrium)AS is long-term total supply curve, it and potential output line entirely coincidence, when the total demand curve to AD, total demand curve and long-term total supply curve intersection of the decision's production for Y E, price level for P. When the total demand increased total demand curve from AD move up to the AD, total demand curve and long-term total supply curve intersection of the decision's production for Y E, price level for P, because Y = Y = Y *, so in the long run of total demand is growing only raised the price level, and won't change the production or income. TASK 5 Market Demand for Coffee Form of D0 Price| 1. | 0. 75| 0. 5| 0. 25| Quantity| 9| 11| 12| 14| Form of D1 (Price same as D0) Price| 1. 5| 0. 75| 0. 5| 0. 25| Quantity| 7| 8| 9| 10| Form of D1 (Quantity same as D0) Price| 0. 5| 0. 2| 0. 1| 0. 05| Quantity| 9| 11| 12| 14| If we define D0 is the initial demand curve. When demand decreases, D0 will leftward to D1. We can understand from above form, when D1 same as D0 in price, quantity of D1 is decreased; when D1 same as D0 in quantity, price of D1 is decreased. So the equlibrium of D1 is also decreased. ( the quantity and the price are decreased at the same time) Form of D2 (Price same as D0 ) Price| 1. 5| 0. 75| 0. 5| 0. 25|Quantity| 11| 13| 15| 17| Form of D2 (Quantity same as D0) Price| 3| 1. 5| 1| 0. 75| Quantity| 9| 11| 12| 14| If we define D0 is the initial demand curve. When demand increases, D0 will rightward to D2. We can understand from above form, when D2 same as D0 in price, quantity of D2 is increased; when D2 same as D0 in quantity, price of D2 is increased. So the equilibrium of D2 is also increased. (the quantity and the price are increased at the same time) Factors that affect the demand for coffee Consumer income. Generally speaking, in other conditions of constant, the higher the income of consumers, the more demand for commodities.So the quantity of coffee high income consumer demand is more than the quantity of coffee low income consumer demand. Consumer preferences. When consumers of some goods of preference increased, the demand for the goods number will increase. Instead, when of preference abate, demand will reduce the number. So the quantity of coffee demand that people like coffee is more than the quantity of coffee demand that people don’t like coffee. The price of related products. When the price of a commodity itself is fixed, but and it related to other commodity price change, this kind of goods is the number needs will also be changing. o a commodity demand and alternatives to price but change, namely substitutes the increase in the price of the commodities will cause the increase of demand, the price will reduce substitute caused the reduction of the demand for commodities. Reference of assignment Begg. D. and Ward. D. (2003) Economics for business. Boston: McGraw-Hill Economics for business. Press: FT Finance Abel, Andrew; Bernanke, Ben (2005). Macroeconomics (5th ed. ). Pearson Websites: http://www. conservapedia. com http://en. wikipedia. org

Thursday, January 2, 2020

Essay about Mgt 498 - Ethics - 910 Words

Ethics Student Name MGT/498 Due Date Instructor Ethics A business must operate with ethics as a guiding principle to be successful and profitable. A company that is publically traded bears a responsibility of being a good steward of the profits the company earns, for the stakeholders, employees, and clients. The social aspect of a company and ethics go hand-in-hand. If a business fails to act ethically responsible, the result of that behavior can affect it socially. â€Å"The concept of social responsibility proposes that a private corporation has responsibilities to society that extend beyond making a profit† (Wheelen amp; Hunger, 2010, pg. 72). When a company is established, it begins with a foundation constructed from an idea.†¦show more content†¦83). In the present day’s failing economy it is clear to see the consequences of unethical behavior and how it affects everyone involved. Unethical behavior not only affects the business, but also the employees, the stakeholders, When a business fails there is usually a rippling affect in the community and the general population. Enron The best example of unethical behavior can be gathered from Enron. â€Å"Enron, in particular, has become infamous for the questionable actions of its top executives† (Wheelen amp; Hunger, 2010, pg. 80). What occurred with Enron and where it went wrong was the Chief Operating Officer got greedy in addition to everyone else on the corporate ladder. Enron located in Houston, Texas, was an organization that operated commodities, paper, energy, electricity, and pulp products. Manuel Velasquez, an ethics professor at Santa Clara University wrote an article commenting on the many things that went wrong because of the federal government system that was in place. The regulations consist of a business having a set of ethics, but could bend the rules or manipulate the system if needed. The profession of business ethics has long needed a highly practical resource that is designed particularly for leaders and managers -- those people charged to ensure ethicalShow MoreRelatedMgt 498 Ethics Paper743 Words   |  3 PagesEthics Paper MGT 498 October 24, 2012 Ethics Paper The role of ethics and social responsibility aids organizations in developing a strong strategic plan, while addressing the needs of stakeholders. Ethics and social responsibility require social awareness to address the needs of the environment and to increase the knowledge of employees, which will lead to a corporation focused on supplying the customer with what is needed, managers equipped with solid decision-making abilities, and employeesRead MoreEthics Paper MGT/498852 Words   |  4 Pagesï » ¿ Ethics Paper MGT/498 Professor: The primary purpose of ethics and social responsibility is imperative to the way we do business and live amongst society. Ethics most commonly know as the rights and wrongs are principles and standards that establish what is know as acceptable conduct within an organization. Organizations have moral and legal duties to implement ethics when developing a strategic plan while considering stakeholders and consumers, they do not want to beRead MoreWeek 41387 Words   |  6 Pages0 credits) C Communications BCOM/275 BUSINESS COMMUNICATIONS AND CRITICAL THINKING (LD) (3.0 credits) D Business Information Systems BIS/220 INTRODUCTION TO COMPUTER APPLICATIONS AND SYSTEMS (LD) (3.0 credits) C Management I MGT/230 MANAGEMENT THEORY AND PRACTICE (LD) (3.0 credits) B+ Accounting I AC 201 PRINCIPLES OF ACCOUNTING I (LD) (3.0 credits) B NOTE Page 1 of 4 This audit provides an official summary of your applied and deficient credits as of the runRead MoreEthics629 Words   |  3 Pages Ethics Keith A. Bates Sr. MGT/498 4 April 2012 Richard Rignall Ethics Ethics and Social Responsibility in Developing a Strategic Plan Ethics are values that guide personal thoughts and actions in knowing right from wrong. Personal conduct and behavior is based on how the individual views unethical behavior. Social responsibility is the company, management, and employees working and conducting themselves by following rules of society. Companies that include ethics and social responsibility intoRead MoreEthics628 Words   |  3 Pages Ethics Keith A. Bates Sr. MGT/498 4 April 2012 Richard Rignall Ethics Ethics and Social Responsibility in Developing a Strategic Plan Ethics are values that guide personal thoughts and actions in knowing right from wrong. Personal conduct and behavior is based on how the individual views unethical behavior. Social responsibility is the company, management, and employees working and conducting themselves by following rules of society. Companies that include ethics and social responsibility intoRead MoreEthics and Social Responsibility1313 Words   |  6 PagesEthics and Social Responsibility MGT/498 February 26, 2013 Ethics and Social Responsibility Companies, such as Enron and WorldCom brought new awareness of the terms ethics and social responsibility. Thus, corporations are including ethics as part of the company’s strategic planning objectives (Cato Institute, 2013). This writing will assess the role of ethics and social responsibility in developing a corporate strategic plan. Further, the considerationsRead MoreTeam C Week 4 Competitive Advantages Paper1099 Words   |  5 Pagesï » ¿ Competitive Advantages Paper MGT/498 Strategic Management Instructor Date Competitive Advantages Paper Riordan manufacturing is a leader in innovation and plastics manufacturing. The company was founded by Dr. Riordan, who in 1991 setup headquarters in San Jose, California and has manage to be a dynamic force, changing with needs of the industry. Through a series of strategic decisions, the company managed to purchase the Pontiac, Michigan manufacturing plant in 1992 via a venture capitalRead MoreRiordan Manufacturing Strategic Plan Essay2656 Words   |  11 PagesRiordan Manufacturing Strategic Plan MGT/498 Riordan Manufacturing Strategic Plan Strategic managers have responsibility to both the employees and stakeholders of the organization. Engaging in strategic management decisions should include ethics and social responsibilities. The expectation of such responsibilities from stakeholders is to fulfill legal and ethical economic decisions. Satisfying the purpose of the strategic planning process for Riordan Manufacturing, the managementRead MoreRiordan Manufacturing Strategic Plan Essay3812 Words   |  16 Pages. Riordan Manufacturing Strategic Plan University of Phoenix Strategic Management MGT/498 Riordan Manufacturing Strategic Plan A world renowned plastics manufacturer employing nearly 550 workers worldwide, Riordan Manufacturing Co. a leader in the industry of plastic injection molding, has more than $1 billion in revenue. With operations based in California, Michigan, Georgia, and China, review of current resources within Riordan’s business structure reveal numerous areas in needRead MoreIntroduction to Materials Management169665 Words   |  679 PagesLife 473 Process Capability 476 Process Control 480 Sample Inspection 484 ISO 9000:2000 486 Benchmarking 489 Quality Function Deployment 491 JIT, TQM, and MRP II 493 Key Terms 494 Questions 495 Problems 495 Case Study: Accent Oak Furniture Company 498 Readings 503 Index 509 From the Library of Girro@qq.com 1 Introduction to Materials Management From the Library of Girro INTRODUCTION The wealth of a country is measured by its gross national product—the output of goods and services

Wednesday, December 25, 2019

3mer - 3342 Words

When a new employee starts with a new company, there are several internal and external factors that can affect the employment relationship. An internal factor could be training. If an employee does not get sufficient training or the training that they may have been promised at the start of employment Three different types of employment status are an employee, a worker and self-employed. An employee can be part-time, full-time, permanent or temporary. They will work under a contract of employment which can be written or verbal. They have full rights. All employees will be workers but not all workers are employees. Workers do still have some rights. Workers will be working under various contracts. Workers do have part rights. This is one†¦show more content†¦Workers over the age of 18 are entitled to 3 different types of rest break. Employees are entitled to a 20 minutes uninterrupted break if they work for longer than 6 hours. Workers also have the right to have at least 11 hours between their shifts. They also should have at least 24 hours uninterrupted without work every week or 48 hours every fortnight. By law all workers should also not work for more than 48 hours a week on average over 17 weeks. This does not apply to workers under 18. They should not work for more than 8 hours a day and 40 hours a week. A member of staff who regularly works for at least 3 hours during the night period are referred to as night workers. The night period is between the hours of 11pm to 6am, unless the worker and employer agree a different night period but this must include midnight to 5am and the shift must be at least 7 hours long. This must be agreed in writing. Maternity leave When an employee has a baby they could be eligible for maternity leave and maternity pay. You have the right to maternity leave regardless of how long youve been in your job, how many hours you work, or how much youre paid. This is also the case for antenatal appointments. You are legally entitled to reasonable paid time off to attend antenatal appointments. Employees must take a minimum of 2 weeks off work (or 4 weeks if they are a factory worker). An employee is entitled toShow MoreRelated3MER Assignment3584 Words   |  15 Pagesï » ¿Supporting Good Practice in Managing Employment Relations (3MER) Supporting Good Practice in Managing Employment Relations (3MER) Employee Relations management(3MER) Content 1.1 Internal and external factors that influence employee relations 1.2 Types of employment status 1.3 The importance of employment status 1.1 The importance of work life balance and legislation that influence it 1.2 Legal support for employees as a family member 1.3 The importance of equality pay 1.4 LegislationRead More3MER Assignment2657 Words   |  11 PagesFOUNDATION CHRP CLD ASSESSMENT Supporting Good Practice in Managing Employment Relations (3MER) 3MER_F205A_HR June – Optional Unit Assessment – Version 3 June 2012 Student name: CRITERIA PASS/REFER COMMENTS LO1: Understand the impact of employment law at the start of the employment relationship. 1.1 Describe the internal and external factors that impact on the employment relationship. 1.2 Explain the different types of employment status 1.3 Identify and analyse the reasons why itRead MoreCipd-3mer3613 Words   |  15 PagesCIPD – 3MER – Supporting Good Practice in Managing Employment Relations. It is important when employing someone new to create a good working relationship from the beginning there are both internal and external factors that can impact and effect employment relationships. An internal factor could be a good benefits and incentives package if it is a desirable package it may create a hardworking staff force from the beginning of the employment, for example an enhanced maternity package could see youRead MoreCIPD 3MER3192 Words   |  13 Pages1, An employment relationship describes the dynamic, interlocking economic, legal, social and psychological relations that exist between individuals and their work organizations. Palgrave Macmillan (2013), Glossary [online] Available at: http://www.palgrave.com/business/brattonandgold/glossary/glossary.htm [Accessed 17th September 2013]. Factors that impact on this relationship both have a detrimental effect to the running of a business. I will focus on two internal and two external. TheseRead MoreCIPD 3MER3901 Words   |  16 Pages West Cheshire College C.I.P.D. Certificate in Human Resource Practice Unit: 3MER (HR) Tutor: Sean Banning Student Name: Sian Maudsley Date Submitted: 4th June 2014 I hereby confirm that the work submitted is my own work and that all source materials have been acknowledged. Signature Date 04/06/2014 3MER Describe 4 factors, 2 external, which impact on the employment relationship. A number of factors impact on the relationship between employees and employers. BelowRead More3mer Guidance Leaflet4527 Words   |  19 PagesChartered Institute of Personnel and Development 3MER Supporting Good Practice in Managing Employment Relations Assignment and Content Activity Investigate resources and write a guidance leaflet which covers key points of the areas detailed below. The impact of employment law at the start of the employment relationship including: * 2 Internal and 2 external factors which can impact on the employment relationship * 3 different types of employment status and 3 reasons why it is importantRead More3mer Assignment3056 Words   |  13 Pages1.1 Describe the internal and external factors that impact on the employment relationship When an employee starts a new company, there are several external and internal factors that impact on the employment relationship. Relationships affect both management and worker’s performance. The quality of these relationships have an effect on the organisation. Human Resources, focuses on recruiting new employees and managing existing workers, plays a significant role in employment relationships as doRead MoreEssay on Cipd 3mer3076 Words   |  13 Pages| | HUMAN RESOURCESSupporting Good PracticeIn Managing Employment Relations2015 | | Tracy King 3MER Table of Contents Internal Factors Which Impact On Employment Relationships | 4 | Pay and Reward | 4 | Organisational Culture | 4 | External Factors Which Impact On Employment Relationships | 4 | Economy | 4 | Technological Changes | 4 | Reasons to Determine an Individual’s Employment Status | 5 | Examples of Employment Status | 5 | Worker | 5 | Fixed term | 5 | SelfRead MoreTemplate for 3mer Guidance Leaflet3351 Words   |  14 PagesA guidance leaflet to show the main individual rights and needs an employee has during employment, in order to assist in creating a good working relationship and upon termination of the employment, a look at issues to address. The impact of employment law at the start of the employment relationship The internal and external factors that impact on the employment relationship are as follows: Internal 1. Collective Agreement. Collective agreements are negotiated between an employer andRead More3MER Supporting Good Practice In Managing Employment Relations1199 Words   |  5 Pagesï » ¿ Task 1 You work in a call centre which has recently experienced a downturn in the amount of business that it has. It has been decided, therefore, to make 5 of the 20 Call Centre Operators redundant. Write a letter to the Operations Manager explaining: 1. The main legal requirements that need to be considered, including Codes of Practice, explain the impact that these have on the organisation. 2. How to ensure that the dismissals are fair and the importance of this to both the employer and employee

Monday, December 16, 2019

The Purpose Of This Qualitative Study Is To Identify The

The purpose of this qualitative study is to identify the social and academic factors that assist African American males in their persistence at a PWI which allowed them to be successful or may have hindered them. By using a qualitative approach, the researcher will be able to gather data that will reflect the unique experiences of the participants. Even though African American males attending colleges have increased, there narratives and experiences may be different than others. Qualitative methods can be used to understand any phenomenon about which little is known (Hoepfl, 1997). A qualitative approach will allow allow their individual voices to be heard through narrations. The methodology in this study discusses the research†¦show more content†¦Research Design The qualitative research paradigm has its roots in cultural anthropology and American sociology (Crenshaw, 2014). The intent of the research is to understand a particular social situation, event, role, group , or interaction (Crenshaw, 2014). One of the assumptions that is made related to qualitative research is that the research occurs in natural settings, where human behavior and events occur (Crenshaw, 2014). The focus of the research will also document the participants’ perceptions and their experiences (Crenshaw, 2014). In conducting the study, a qualitative research method will be used to gather data addressing African American male factors inhibiting their persistence to graduate. IRB approval will occur before any surveys or interviews will be conducted, and participants will sign off on informed consent to ensure that participants are aware of what the purpose of the research and their input will provide. The targeted population is at least ten (10) African American males who attended Morehead State University between the years of 2009 and 2015. The researcher used criterion-based sampling strategy to select the students who would be participants of the study. Participants completed at least one full year at Morehead State University. Participants were African American male college students who have graduated from the institution between 2009 and 2015. The researcher worked with MSU alumni to obtain the contactShow MoreRelatedThe Basics Behind Qualitative Research1270 Words   |  6 PagesFundamentals of Qualitative Research Jamye D. Jeter Cameron Submitted to Dr. Curtis Maybee University of Phoenix Fundamentals of Qualitative Research When a researcher sets out to begin a study, he or she must begin by asking questions of him or herself. These questions lead to the determination of the type of research study the researcher is going to conduct. The study may be based on qualitative research, quantitative research, or both. But, in order to determine the study method and designRead MorePurposes For Conducting Qualitative Research756 Words   |  4 PagesPurposes for Conducting Qualitative Research There are four major purposes for conducting qualitative research. They are exploratory, explanatory, descriptive and emancipatory. The purpose of exploratory qualitative research is to investigate little understood phenomenon, to identify or discover important categories of meaning and to generate hypotheses for future research. The purpose of explanatory qualitative research is to explain patterns related to the phenomenon being studied and to identifyRead MoreResearch Questions On Research And Research Essay918 Words   |  4 Pagesresearch. 1. Identify the Research Problem – Specify a problem; justify a problem and suggest a need to study the problem for audiences (Creswell). 2. Review the literature- Locate resources, i.e.; books, journals, electronic resources; select resources-determine the relevant resources for the topic; organize; Summarize the resources in a literature review (Creswell). 3. Specify a Research Purpose – Identify the purpose statement-the major intent of the study, the participants in the study, and the siteRead MoreGroup Research Study1306 Words   |  6 PagesAim of study The primary aim of this study is to explore the extent to which female-to-male (FTM) transgender individuals experience less discrimination in the workplace than male-to-female (MTF) transgender individuals. The secondary aim of this study is to get an understanding as to why the differences in treatment of female-to-male (FTM) transgender individuals in comparison to male-to-female transgender individuals (MTF) occur, so that further research may be done to minimize the discriminationRead MoreQualitative Research Report907 Words   |  4 PagesQualitative Research Report Article Connelly, L.M., Miner-Williams, D., Yoder, L.H., 2003. A qualitative study of charge nurse competencies. Medsurg Nursing, 12(5), 298-306. Problem The study was conducted to determine the competencies necessary to be a successful charge nurse (Connelly, Miner-Williams, Yoder, 2003). There has been limited research conducted to provide information concerning the clinical role of the charge nurse. This study identifies the competencies necessary to be anRead MoreMindfulness Based Stress Reduction Creates Happiness Essay1644 Words   |  7 PagesTherapy, this form of treatment, â€Å"stems from Buddhist meditation practices and is defined as paying attention to the present moment, non-judgmentally, and being open and accepting to all experiences† (De Raedt, et al., p. 612-613). In order to decipher if this form of treatment is effective at reducing relapses of depressive symptoms, one could hypothesize that mindfulness-based stress reduction creates happiness in people suffering from major depressive disorder. Therefore, for the purposes of thisRead MoreEssay on Research Critique Part 1659 Words   |  3 PagesMary OCon nell September 5, 2013 Research Critique Part 1 This paper will critique a qualitative research study published in the Journal of Medical Ethics in 2004, By Dr Helen Aveyard, about how nurses manage patients who refuse nursing care procedures. The article explains how nurses view informed consent as not being essential to nursing care procedures. Problem Statement The clinical problem being examined in the research study is the way in which nurses obtain consent prior to administeringRead MoreComparing and Contrasting NCUs Concept Paper Requirements for Qualitative and or Quantitative Papers1409 Words   |  6 Pagesdissertation. Part of the dissertation process is to inquire and solve a hypothesis using some form of research method. This paper compares and contrasts NCU’s concept paper requirements for qualitative and or quantitative papers. Northcentral Expectation Both qualitative and quantitative concept designs share design elements. Sampson (2012) states that a good or enriched qualitative and or quantitative concept paper is a product of forethought. Northcentral University (NCU) provides its Doctoral studentsRead MoreResearch Critique Part 1736 Words   |  3 PagesMary OConnell September 5, 2013 Research Critique Part 1 This paper will critique a qualitative research study published in the Journal of Medical Ethics in 2004, By Dr Helen Aveyard, about how nurses manage patients who refuse nursing care procedures. The article explains how nurses view informed consent as not being essential to nursing care procedures. Problem Statement The clinical problem being examined in the research study is the way in which nurses obtain consent prior to administeringRead MoreEvaluation Of A Student s Phonic Skills Essay1130 Words   |  5 Pagesreader (BR) reading level, and a below grade level for mathematics according to his student progress report. Word Study Letter Name Assessment Description of Assessment The purpose of this assessment is to evaluate a student’s phonic skills, specifically in the letter name stage of phonics. The assessment allows the teacher to evaluate the phonic skills of the student in order to identify which features the student knows and which features the student needs to work on. The assessment evaluates the

Sunday, December 8, 2019

HRM Strategic Integration and Organizational Performance

Question: Discuss about the HRM Strategic Integration and Organizational Performance. Answer: Introduction The HR service delivery report is an overall summery of the competency or the level of competency of the HR department of the JKL. The performance of the HR department of the JKL is competent but could do with a lot of improvement. The level of competency is good but it is not adequate for a firm of that size. The resources of the firms HR department are quite low and the processes are completed eventually but often take longer than necessary (Jackson, 2002). This aspect of the service delivery can be improved in the future by changing the funding policies and personnel recruitment. Analysis of performance data The HR people in the company are competent to some degree as60% of the managers o the company agrees that the performance of the firm is directly improved by the assistance of the HR department. But regarding the budget of the firm the HR department is being overshooting the estimates the performance is not increasing by that level. The job satisfaction rate is at 70% which is quite high and the role of the HR department in the performance is evident from the4 statements of the mangers. The departments adherence to values is high but the implementation is stunted because of understaffing and under resourced department funds. The values that are adhered to are important for the staff satisfaction and performance as the timely solution o the HR issues are focused upon and constant attention of the department and prompt allocation of duty in the different cases usually result in solutions that are timely and appropriate. The code of conduct the HR department follows is staff friendly and helpful where the staffs are assured about the timely solution to their problem. The code that is followed by the department is to be courteous and helpful to all employees who come to the department seeking help. The code also stipulates that all staff must ensure that the person needing help can find it by the assistance of other employees. The organizational policy of the company allows the department some freedom as the department often has to interact with employees from different departments of the organization and the staffs from all departments come to seek help with their HR related issues and investigation has to be conducted for the mitigation of the problem. Therefore the organizational control of the company over the HR department is quite lax in the sense the other departments are controlled separately by the managers. Proposed recommendations for service improvement The financial resources of the company are not being spent in a proper way to staff and supply the department of human resources. Therefore, better management of the resources is necessary for the department to make it more efficient in the operations Recruitment policy (1989 SHRM training/retraining survey, 1989). Responsiveness of the department is quite fast for the limited resources of the department but there could be improvements made in the sector as the staffs are juggling many responsibilities so there would be a slight delay in the allocation of the duty and thus in the implementation of the solution (The SHRM learning system, 2009). Communications of the department need to be more visible and transparent where the concerns of the staffs need to be considered before the notices of means to approach the HR are made clear. This will facilitate better contact with the employees and thus the effectiveness of the HR department will increase (McGovern, 2002). Follow up and support is also an area where the department can do better with more staff. The follow up of the current department is nonexistent it is often seen that issues are arising after the solutions to the problems has been implemented. This will improve the performance level of the department as the assurance of success will be embedded in the promise of follow up queries made by the department (Chanda Shen, 2009). Conclusion To conclude we can say that this report outlines the weakness of the HR department of the organization and the solutions to make the department more effective. This HR service delivery report is the basis of the new service delivery improvement of the service of the HR department of JKL. Action plan Activity Timeline Strategy/application of policy (if relevant) Resources Person Policy Management of financial resources Six months Appointment of manager of financial resources for the department. Financial resource and permission for the appointment of a manager HR financial manager Recruitment policy Responsiveness Six months Recruitment of more staff which will lighten the workload on individuals allowing for free time to make the responses faster. More staff and the allocation of budget to pay them. Executives Recruitment policy communication Six months Make new policy regarding disclosure and communication within the department and from the staff seeking help. Only spreading of knowledge regarding the operations is necessary which can be achieved with the help and cooperation from workforce All people of the HR department Communication policy. Follow up and support Six months Recruitment of more staff which will lighten the workload on individuals allowing for free employees to increase follow up support. The funding to pay for the extra staff. HR manager Recruitment policy References 1989 SHRM training/retraining survey. (1989). Alexandria, Va. Bernard, R. (2002). HR. Leicestershire: Upfront. Chanda, A. Shen, J. (2009). HRM strategic integration and organizational performance. Los Angeles: Response Books. DENISI, A. (2010). HR. [S.l.]: CENGAGE LEARNING. Jackson, T. (2002). International HRM. London: SAGE. McGovern, P. (2002). HRM, technical workers and the multinational corporation. London: Routledge. Neil, G. (2012). HR. Reno, NV: Priorities Intact Pub. The SHRM learning system. (2009). [Alexandraia, Va.].

Sunday, December 1, 2019

Utilizing Pumpkins as a “Reverse” Trap Crop Essay Example

Utilizing Pumpkins as a â€Å"Reverse† Trap Crop Essay In the world of agriculture, trap crops are normally used to lure pests away from a commercial crop by presenting the pest with a more attractive alternative. But when conducting research to develop new seed traits that provide better yield, drought resistance, or even insect resistance, trap crops can be used to test the performance of a new trait.The western corn rootworm beetle (Diabrotica virgifera virgifera) causes billions of dollars in damage to corn crops throughout the United States each year. Recent seed research has helped develop new corn varieties to combat this problem. These new varieties of corn have a protein (Bt protein) that causes stomach distress in adult western corn rootworm beetles that result in death. Thus, the pest resistance is literally bred into the seed, eliminating the need for harmful pesticides. This type of corn is considered to be rootworm resistant.Normally, in order to be able to â€Å"test† the performance of a specific rootworm resistant corn variety, a test plot has to be infested with western corn rootworm eggs manually. This tends to be costly and very labor intensive. The infested eggs then develop into larva, which feed on underground roots. Adult rootworms feed on the above ground tissue of the corn plant. Both the roots and the above ground tissue contain the Bt protein. The corn plant is then â€Å"harvested† prior to the pollination period in a process called a â€Å"root dig†.During a ‘root dig† the corn plant is cut off at approximately two feet above the ground, the roots are dug up and rinsed with a high power stream of water to expose the roots which are then rated for damage by the corn rootworm larva. Based on the data collected during the â€Å"root dig†, researchers are able to evaluate the effectiveness of the resistance that is bred into that variety of corn. Root dig washing process is shown in picture on the left. Diagram of corn root damage by corn rootworm be etles is shown in picture on the right.HYPOTHESIS: What if one could utilize a â€Å"trap crop† to entice the adult western corn rootworm beetle to a test plot, allowing the adults to feed and eventually lay their eggs? I predict that by adding pumpkins (independent variable) as a trap crop in rootworm resistant corn will allow for a greater number of eggs (dependent variable) to be deposited in the test plot naturally versus the rootworm resistant corn without the trap crop, therefore eliminating the need for manual infestation.To test this hypothesis, we selected pumpkins to plant as a trap crop in a one acre square plot containing rootworm resistant corn. This would be the independent variable in this experiment. It is known that the adult western corn rootworm beetle is highly attracted to pumpkin vines and flowers. A second test plot of the same size (same farm) would be planted with the same variety of rootworm resistant corn without the pumpkin crop. The dependent vari able would be the egg counts in both test plots. The control in this experiment would be utilizing acreage on the same farm.Special steps were taken to replicate the exact soil conditions by a pre-planting soil analysis; utilizing the same â€Å"batch† of chemical in herbicide spray applications, and the close proximity to each other to control factors such as precipitation, number of days with full sunshine, humidity, etc. This will aid in controlling the experiment’s internal validity and act as a guide in any subsequent replications of this experiment. Adult western corn rootworm beetles are shown on a pumpkin flower in the picture on the left.Damage by rootworm beetles on a mature pumpkin shown in picture on the right. Pumpkins were planted in the test plot # 2 in the spring of 2012 and were allowed to mature naturally. During flowering, a sizable increase in the adult rootworm beetle was observed in test plot #2. Based on the observable increase in adults, we pred icted that there will also be an increase in the number of eggs in said test plot when compared to the number of eggs in the test plot without trap crop (pumpkins). Soil samples will then be collected and analyzed for egg counts.If it is proven that planting a trap crop increases egg counts naturally, there could be a considerable cost savings in the process of evaluating the effectiveness of desirable traits in corn. This experiment was conducted at an agricultural Ramp;D site in northwestern Indiana during the summer of 2012 in preparation for this task. Egg count data has been received and is currently being evaluated in preparation for the 2013 planting season. In preparation for this experiment, several independent scientific papers were reviewed. Sorghum as a Trap Crop for Nezara viridula L. (Heteroptera: Pentatomidae) in Cotton in the Southern United States†, P. G. Tillman (1); â€Å"Case Study: Trap Crop with Pheromone Traps for Suppressing Euschistus servus (Heteropt era: Pentatomidae) in Cotton†, P. G. Tillman and T. E. Cottrell (2) and â€Å"Trap Cropping to Manage Green Vegetable Bug Zezara viridula (L. ) (Hereroptera: Pentatomidae) in Sweet Corn in New Zealand†, James H. Rea, Stephen D. Warren, Richard Sedcole, Peter J. Cameron, Stuart I. Davis, R. Bruce Chapman (3) were considered for background information.These studies were helpful in explaining the commercial use of trap crops as an effective method of removing pests from cash crops and served as a basis for our unique application of a â€Å"reverse† trap crop in testing the effectiveness of ongoing corn research. Testing methods were similar but our research did not include any type of Pheromone study. Our experiment was based on the premise that by planting pumpkins in the test plot (known to attract western corn rootworm beetle), we could naturally increase the numbers of western corn rootworm beetle eggs in that plot.An increase in the number of naturally occurrin g eggs could result in a significant reduction in our annual research expenses. - KEY WORDS:western corn rootworm beetle (Diabrotica virgifera virgifera), trap crop, rootworm resistant corn. - METHODS and MATERIALS: This experiment was conducted at a seed research and development facility in northwestern Indiana during the 2012 growing season in preparation for RINT Task 3.This method of scientific design was chosen because it is a replication of a similar experiment conducted at a research and development facility in Iowa and has shown viable results. It was designed to compare the viability of planting a trap crop to attract the western corn rootworm beetle to evaluate the performance of corn containing rootworm resistant traits from different areas of the Midwest. The acreage, chemicals, sampling tools and laboratory facilities were readily available. In addition, if the hypothesis can be proven to be true, there is a potential for cost savings in other areas of our research.Inse ct Species: Western corn rootworm beetle (Diabrotica virgifera virgifera). Corn rootworm larvae can destroy significant percentages of corn if left untreated. In the United States, current estimates show that 30 million acres (120,000  km? ) of corn (out of 80 million grown) are infested with corn rootworms and that area is expected to grow over the next 20 years. The USDA estimates that corn rootworms cause $1 billion in lost revenue each year, which includes $800 million in yield loss and $200 million in cost of treatment for corn growers (The Dow Chemical Company). (4)Shown above from left to right, corn plant damage in the field and examples of actual root damage done by western corn rootworm beetles in the center and right picture. Healthy roots are shown as a full root system; damaged roots are short to nonexistent. Sampling Technique: Using a golf course cup cutter, take 4† diameter x 4† deep soil core samples. Collect ten (10) core samples per acre (trial area) . Core samples should be taken at various locations within the test plot. Include samples taken from within the corn rows and between rows. Place core samples in individual gallon bags.Be sure to break up any large clumps and remove stalks and other residue. Making the soil as fine as possible will aid in the washing process. Send individual samples to a laboratory with capabilities to wash eggs and provide egg counts. Taking multiple core samples at various locations throughout the test plot and then analyzing all ten (10) samples separately allows for a broader analysis of the entire test plot. The measuring unit of one (1) pint that was chosen for the final sample allows the lab sufficient soil to run the required tests.Once the samples arrive at the laboratory, each individual sample is mixed with a saturated salt solution. A sample of this mixture is then placed on a special microscope slide (Whitlock Universal or Whitlock McMaster). The saturated salt solution makes the rootwo rm eggs float to the top of the mixture in the slide where they are then counted. Data was collected from each individual sample to obtain egg counts for each test plot. EXPERIMENT: Two, one (1) acre test plots were selected at opposite ends of a ten (10) acre field. Soil type, topography, and precipitation were identical.Each plot was measured at 200 ft. wide by 220’ deep and marked off with flags. This is approximately one (1) square acre. Both fallow (empty ground) test plots were plowed utilzing a chisel plow set at a depth of six (6) inches to turn the soil over and prepare the soil for planting. Both test plots were then planted using a four (4) row custom bulk planter and a rootworm resistant variety of corn. The corn rows were spaced 30† apart. The corn seed within the rows was spaced 6† inches apart. Each test plot had a total of 80 rows of corn. Both test plots were also treated with Glyphosate in a concentration of 1. quarts to 15 gallons of water to ki ll any existing weeds. This amount of Glyphosate solution was enough to cover one (1) test plot. It was replicated twice to cover both test plots in the experiment. Once the rootworm resistant corn had been planted in both test plots, a trap crop of pumpkins was also planted throughout the test plot #2 (independent variable), utilizing a custom two (2) row planter. Pumpkin seeds were planted in between the rows of corn, spaced five (5’) feet apart. A cable winder was used to mark off the five (5’) foot increments needed to plant the pumpkins.A cable winder is used with a custom planter and calibrated to â€Å"click† when it is time to manually drop the seed. Both plots were allowed to grow throughout the summer. Visual observations were made in each plot, on the first Monday of each week between July 1st and September 1st to obtain adult rootworm beetle population counts. Ten observations in multiple locations across the test plots were taken each time. Random p umpkin plants were selected to count the total number of adult rootworm beetles in each observation. After harvest, prior to the first hard frost, soil core samples were taken, following the above mentioned sampling procedure.Core samples were then sent to an outside laboratory for analysis. - RESULTS: An increase in adult rootworm beetles was observed in test plot #2 (with pumpkins) when compared to test plot #1 (without pumpkins) but without soil egg count analysis, this data in inconclusive. Solid data is available once soil samples are analyzed for egg counts (dependent variable). Historically more than ten (10) eggs in a pint sample of soil are considered to be a high amount. In 2012, test plot #1 and #2 both showed an average of approximately two (2) eggs per pint sample.Samples taken at four different test sites in Iowa yielded six (6), zero (0), one (1) and four (4) eggs respectively or an average of 2. 75 eggs per pint sample. All data collected is reflecting little to no m easurable increase in the total number of western corn rootworm eggs that are occurring naturally when using a trap crop. Egg Count Core Sample Data for Test Plot #1 and Test Plot #2 Test Plot #1|   |   | Test Plot #2|   | |   |   |   |   | Core Sample #| Egg Count #|   | Core Sample #| Egg Count #| 1| 0|   | 1| 0| 2| 1|   | 2| 3| 3| 0|   | 3| 2| 4| 1|   | 4| 2| 5| 4|   | 5| 3| 6| 3|   | 6| 2| | 2|   | 7| 1| 8| 2|   | 8| 0| 9| 1|   | 9| 2| 10| 0|   | 10| 2| Ave # of Eggs| 1. 4|   | Ave # of Eggs| 1. 7| Egg Counts in Test Plot #1 Compared to Test Plot #2 Number of Eggs/Pint Sample Number of Samples/ One (1) Acre Test Plot - CONCLUSION: Based on the data that was collected, there did not seem to be a significant increase in the number of western corn rootworm eggs occurring naturally in test plot #2 when compared to test plot #1, even though there was an observable increase in adult western corn rootworm beetles in test plot #2.Where test plot #2 contained the trap crop (independent variable) and test plot #1 that did not contain a trap crop (dependant variable) in a single ten (10) acre test strip (constant variable). After carefully analyzing the data that was collected during this experiment, I have concluded that the introduction of a trap crop (pumpkins) to attract adult western rootworm beetles in rootworm resistant corn does not significantly increase naturally occurring corn rootworm beetle eggs. This data disproves my hypothesis that it would significantly increase the number of naturally occurring eggs.No cost savings can be associated with this experiment and conventional infestation methods are just as effective as this experimental method. DESIGN AND REPLICATION: The experimental design to test this hypothesis was constructed with ease of replication in mind. It utilizes simple techniques and materials that are readily available at most seed research and development sites. If the design is poor or if proper samp ling procedures are not followed then data in the experiment can be skewed, resulting in unreliable data.Based on potential cost savings in research, unreliable data can be an expensive mistake. In addition, if the design is well done, an increase of reliable data is shown time and time again with the same results. Replication is so important because it gives validity to the experiment’s results. As the same data shows the same results and the same conclusions over multiple replications, that data can become accepted as scientific fact. REFERENCES: (1) http://www. ars. usda. gov/sp2UserFiles/person/5648/PDF/ARIS 8-Sorghum as a Trap Crop for SGSB. d Tillman, P. G. 2006. Sorghum as a trap crop for Nezara viridula L. (Heteroptera: Pentatomidae) in cotton in the southern United States. Environmental Entomology. 35(3):771-783. (2) http://www. hindawi. com/journals/psyche/aip/401703 Tillman, P. G. , Cottrell, T. E. 2012. Case Study: Trap crop with pheromone traps for suppressing eu schistus servus (Heteroptera: Pentatomidae) in cotton. Psyche. DOI: 10. 1155/2012/401703. (3) http://onlinelibrary. wiley. com/doi/10. 1046/j. 1461-9563. 2002. 00130. x/full Rea, J.H. , Wratten, S. D. , Sedcole, R. , Cameron, P. J. , Davis, S. I. and Chapman, R. B. (2002), Trap cropping to manage green vegetable bug Nezara virdula (L. ) (Heteroptera: Pentatomidae) in sweet corn in New Zealand. Agricultural and Forest Entomology, 4: 101-107. doi: 10. 1046/j. 1461 (4) http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Diabrotica_virgifera; The Dow Chemical Company. Product Safety Assessment (PSA): Herculex RW Rootworm Protection. September 26, 2006. URL: http://www. dow. com/productsafety/finder/herculex. htm.