Electronic Medical Records Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Electronic Medical Records - Essay Example Thus, the EMR has a complicated system which deals with the patient data in the most effective manner. The benefits of the EMR system in health care are several which help the practitioners immensely. "The system enables access to comprehensive, legible, and organized patient data and reference literature at the point of service." (Clayton, 2005). While the benefits of EMR in health care service are numerous, there are some significant disadvantages to the system which offer some crucial challenges to the practitioners. The major concerns about the use of the system are connected with set-up and training, productivity/efficiency concerns, connections to external data sources, privacy concerns, system performance and availability etc. The lack of confidentiality of the individual records which are managed electronically as well as the limitations connected with the software, hardware and networking technologies illustrate the major challenges faced when implementing a universal EMR sy stem. Clayton, Paul D. (2005). "Physician use of electronic medical records: Issues and successes with direct data entry and physician productivity." Retrieved February 09, 2009, from http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgiartid=1560588

Rites of Passage Essay Essay Example for Free

Rites of Passage Essay Essay Jetty Rats is a novel written by Phillip Gwynne that all young boys should read. It deals with the rites of passage and issues that all boys are faced with at some point in their lives. It is presented in an entertaining book but realistic which makes it easy for readers to understand. The issues and rites of passage discussed in this essay include family, friends, experiencing a first kiss (with Jasmine) and obtaining a first ‘real’ job (funeral). The story is told from the prospective of Hunter, (main boy) a thirteen year old boy with a dream of catching a record breaking Mulloway and getting more famous and richer then Rex Hunt. The first problem is the family. When Hunter was eight years old his dad went missing while fishing on the rocks. He had broken the golden rule of rock fishing: â€Å"Thou Shalt Not Fish On Your Own†. Hunter was certain his father would return after the accident he would â€Å" wait for him. Sit underneath the ‘VACENCY’ sign until mum tells me to come inside†. He didn’t want accept the fact that his father was gone forever until the end of the story when he finally decided to throw out his dad’s rusty old razor, even though his mum had tried to throw it out before but he kept getting it back. The writer has included this problem in the story in a realistic way. He explained the pain Hunter and his mum went through during the tough years, which made the story easier to understand. The writer has also expressed the importance families have stick together through tough times where there is no hope.

The Value Proposition in Barclays PLC

The Value Proposition in Barclays PLC The organization that is used for this assignment is Barclays PLC; this project is divided into three parts. The first parts aim is to identify and to explain what is the perceived value for the customers, to do this, suitable models of consumer values are going to be used and then the model will be applied to the organization. The second part will critically evaluate the value proposition of the business and then a comparison will be made with that of the leading competitors value proposition. The third part would produce a new value proposition, which will match the value criteria of the existing customers; this will be done by identifying the weaknesses in the existing value proposition. It will also provide us with a plan to implement the value proposition internally and externally. Using suitable models identify the customer perceived value for the customers for a product/division/company of your choice. Customer perceived value, what does this really mean? Customer perceived value, can be regarded as the opinion that a customer has or has formed of a particular product and how it is of value to him. Simply put, the customer perceived value of any product is the consumers overall assessment of the utility or use of a product based on perceptions of what the customer receives and what he is giving to get the desired service or product. This concept can also be explained with the help of the following diagram: Customer perceived value= Perceived Benefits _______________ Perceived Sacrifice Where, Perceived benefits are the attributes of the service being received and the customer perceived quality and price of the product. Perceived sacrifice are the customer costs involved in purchasing, such as time, travel etc. Introduction to the organisation: For the purpose of this assignment, the company that has been selected is BARCLAYS PLC; the following text would give a brief company profile followed by the identification of the customer perceived value for the organisation by the use of the Customer Value Hierarchy Model. Company profile: Barclays is one of the worlds leading financial institutions headquartered at 1 Churchill Place, London. It is a 300 year old corporation that became a major financial services provider that engaged in retail and commercial banking, credit cards, wealth management, investment banking and management services provider for big global equity firms. It has an extensive international presence in Europe, Africa, Asia and off lately has started to expand in the United States market as well. It moves, lends, protects and invests money for than 38 million customers and clients worldwide. Barclays has two business clusters: Global Retail Banking and Corporate and Investment Banking and Wealth Management- both compromising world-class business and brands. Before we take a look at the customer perceived value of the Barclays brand, the project would like to discuss the Customer Value Hierarchy Model, and then try to apply them to the customers of Barclays. Customer Value Hierarchy Model: OBJECTIVE LAYER Customers goal and purpose CONSEQUENCE LAYER Desired consequences in use situation ATTRIBUTE LAYER Desired products/services attribute and performances The Customer Value Model consists of three layers, namely the Attribute layer, the Consequence Layer and the Objectives layer. The objective layer includes the ultimate motivations of customers, the consequence layer represents the customer experience desired by the person and finally the attribute layer specifies what actually the needs of the customer are. From the bottom of the customer value hierarchy, customers would always firstly consider the attributes and availability of products. At the second layer, customers begin to make expectations according to the attributes. At the top layer, customers form expectations about the realization of their aim. How do Barclays customers perceive their bank? Thats the question that this assignment would like to answer by giving the objectives, consequences and attributes desired by the customers, followed by a customer review. OBJECTIVES Easy personal banking Safety of the account at all times Saving account options Availability of loans at a good interest rate Online banking to keep a record of their account details at all time Ability to invest Good mortgage options Insurance options Credit card facilities Assistance while travelling CONSEQUENCES Easy accessibility to the account Peace of mind as the customer is aware that the account details are secure and safe More control over their own finances The customer does not require to keep much cash with them at all times because of the debit cards Saving for the rainy day A secure and safe environment Future is taken care off Can start a business with the help of financial banking More purchasing power ATTRIBUTES Pin- sentry device Debit card Online banking facilities which enable the customers to check account balances, make transfers, setup standing orders and direct debits. Chequebooks Barclaycard ISAs Bonds Home insurance Different types of savings accounts Different types of current accounts Overdraft facility E-savings Car insurance Travel services Looking at the above attributes, consequences and objectives list one can identify the value of the brand as perceived by the customer. The brand Barclays is a very widely recognized name and almost every person in the UK is a big fan, of course with some exceptions which are bound to be there, the customers on a general note feel very happy with the huge array of services and products made available by the bank for its customers and are satisfied with the huge network of customer service centres spread all across the world providing 24/7 customer service, also the safe and secure online banking facility provided by Barclays is very user friendly and easy to use, letting the customers always keep a track of their money. So its safe to say that Barclays as a bank not only just for people but also for small businesses and big equity firms is a financial institution of repute and is trusted and respected by the people. PART 2 Critically evaluate the existing value proposition of the product/division/ company you have chosen. Compare and contrast the value proposition with that of the leading competitor in your sector. This part of the project would evaluate the value proposition or the customer value proposition of Barclays and contrast it with the customer value proposition of HSBC. But before we proceed to comparing and contrasting the value propositions of both the brands we first need to understand, what a customer value proposition really is? This is the question this project would answer first and then proceed on to discuss the variations in the value propositions of both the brands. Customer Value Proposition: In the subject of marketing, the customer value proposition is a measure of the sum total of the benefits which a provider offers or promises a potential consumer which he/she will receive in return for the customers payment (or any other value transfer). A customer value proposition is a business or marketing statement that would describe why a customer should make use of the services and products being offered by the organisation. It is targeted towards potential consumers, rather than at other groups such as employees, suppliers or partners. It is a defined statement, which is designed to convince the customers that this particular product will add more value or better solve a problem than the other competitors in the same industry. Why are customer value propositions so important? This question is of utmost importance to any business, because it is only these statements that give the customer an expectation of a desired service, it provides the consumers with a convincing reason to buy the desired good and also helps differentiate the product from the other services provided by the other competitors in the same industry. They help in gaining customers attention and if the customer value proposition is strong, and is able to gain the approval of the customer that helps in building of faster and more profitable sales and in increasing the market share of the organisation. Understanding of the customer needs is very vital as this would ensure the promotion and creation of a successful brand. Types of Customer Value Propositions: All benefits: This is a list compilation of all the benefits of the products and services offered to the customers by the organisation. This approach requires the least market knowledge about customers and competitors and thus does not provide a good base when seen from a marketing perspective. Favourable Points of Difference: This type of value proposition explicitly recognizes the fact that the customer has different alternatives and it then it lays it focus on how to differentiate one product or service from another. A product or service can have several differences, confusing the customer and thus complicating the customers understanding of the product which would offer him more value. Resonating Focus: This approach is used by managers who directly deal with a supplier who fully grasps the critical issue in the product- consumer cycle and who delivers a customer value proposition thats simple yet powerfully captivating. The value proposition offered is superior in the few attributes that are of the most importance to the customers which convey a message to the targeted audience, that here is an organisation which is communicating a sophisticated understanding of the customers business priorities. When talking about the value proposition of a financial institution we have to take into account the current market conditions and then arrive at the capital and funding strategy of the bank which in itself is a sort of value proposition available for the customers to have a look at and, then these consumers can decide for themselves whether they do need to associate themselves with the financial institution. Analysis of value proposition of Barclays: Capital Strategy: Barclays capital management activities will attempt to maximise shareholders value by optimising the level and mix of its capital resources. Barclays ability to operate as a bank is directly dependent upon the maintenance of adequate capital resources. Barclays works according to a centralised capital management model considering regulatory and economic capital. The Groups capital management objectives are to: Maintaining the sufficient capital required to meet minimum regulatory capital requirements set by the UK FSA. Maintaining sufficient capital resources which can support the Barclays risk appetite and fulfil the economic capital requirements. Support the banks credit rating Ensure that the locally regulated subsidiaries can meet the minimum capital requirements without having to borrow from other financial firms. Allocation of capital to support the strategic objectives set by Barclays, including optimum returns on economic and regulatory capital. Funding strategy: Barclays will manage the funding position so as to comply with the regulatory requirements decided by the UK FSA .Barclays operates on the model of centralised governance and control processes that covers all of its liquidity risk and management activities. Funding Structure Global Retail, Commercial Banking, Barclays Wealth and the Head Office Functions are to be self-funded through customer deposits and Barclays equity and other long-term capital. The Barclays Capital and Absa businesses will be funded through the wholesale secured and unsecured funding markets. The major currency payment inflows and the payment system collateral are going to be monitored and managed, so it can be ensured that at all the times there is going to be availability of sufficient collateral to make payments. Day to day funding will be managed through putting limits on wholesale and the secured borrowings. This is going to ensure that on any day and over any specified period of time there is only going to be a limited amount of refinancing requirement. In addition to cash flow management, Barclays would monitor the term mismatches between the assets and the liabilities and also the levels and the types of undrawn lending commitments.Additional value propositions specific to a personal customer and not the global market: Personal banking made easy by the debit card that is an internationally valid card which has many advantages like international assistance anytime anywhere, guaranteed transactions etc. Wide range of current accounts available to suit different customer needs.(mobile phone insurance, car breakdown cover etc.) Availability of loans at competitive rates Online facilities giving easy accessibility to customer funds. 24/7 customer service Wide array of savings and investment options Credit card facilities Insurance facilities(home, motor and life insurance) Mortgage facilities(buying, building and renovating of property) To understand the customer value proposition of Barclays and then to contrast it with the value proposition of HSBC, this project is going to use the SWOT analysis which is preceded by the mission statements and the vision statements of both Barclays and HSBC, thus giving us a better idea of what the customer expects from the brand and what are the promises being made by these institutions to potential and existing consumers. Mission Statement: This is a short, formal, written statement of the purpose of the company. It guides the actions of the company, benchmarks its goals, provides a sense of direction and guides in decision making. It provides a framework within which the strategies of the company are formulated. Vision Statement: This can be defined as statement that captures the long term picture of what the organisation wants to become. It gives a broad and an aspirational image of the future that an organisation wants to achieve. It is often inspirational and memorable. Mission Statement of Barclays: To develop deliver the most innovative products, manage customer experience, deliver quality services that contributes to brand strength, establishes a competitive advantage and enhances profitability, thus providing value to the stakeholders of the bank. Vision Statement of Barclays: We have a clear view of where growth will come from over the coming years. While there will be significant growth opportunities in the UK, we see many more internationally. Barclays will become a leading global universal bank. Mission Statement of HSBC: We aspire to be one of the worlds great specialist banking groups, driven by commitment to our core philosophies and values. Vision Statement of HSBC: We envision enabling HSBC to achieve its strategic objectives, driving excellence in our delivery through partnership with our customers and associates. SWOT Analysis of Barclays: Strengths: Extensive network in Europe providing business sustenance. Focus on cost efficiencies which ensure relatively higher profitability. Ability to lend amidst reduced size of the balance sheet. Associated with innovation, Barclays in 1966, brought out the first credit card, most recently the OnePulse card combining Oyster, credit cashless functions for its customers. Opening of several new branches, along with a massive refurbishment programme. Weaknesses: Strained trading income impacting the revenue diversity. Barclays Capital credit market exposures are impacting the financial position and performance. Large bonuses for the Directors have attracted unwanted attention. Expansion plans in the Asian market thwarted, when Barclays lost the deal for ABN Amro in 2006. Opportunities: Barclays wanted to acquire Lehmans assets prior to the collapse but however, after the collapse, they negotiated a better deal with the liquidators which allowed them to be selective in what parts of the business they actually wanted to acquire. The banks strategy was to offer a full plethora of services worldwide, which provided a wide range of cross-selling opportunities. Asia is still an opportunity for business expansion, and thus operations are going to be set up at various locations. Welfare provision has been decreased in many countries because of the subsequent cost to governments, and  Barclays  considers self-provision as an increasing fad that it can use. Positive outlook for buy to let market may bring business volumes. Buoyant secured personal loans market in the UK could help the business. Threats: Bleak outlook for the UK economy. Regulatory fines can compress margins and financial position. Increase in online fraud. Barclays  is accused of loss-making investments which are associated with the sub-prime market from the accounts to those of other investors, and there could be legal risk. Though it offers a wide range of services, there is a threat that customers may go to suppliers who can present a more specialised approach. Barclays has been closing branches left right and centre, and the competitors have positioned themselves as more consumer-friendly by adopting a strategy of keeping the branches open. The Asia expansion is risky given that  Barclays group  are not in a strong position than the banking industry leaders when it comes to capitalisation, and this can detract investors. SWOT Analysis of HSBC: Strengths: The bank is well capitalised which enables it to perform well in comparison with other banks in the recent economic conditions. Going forward, the bank is unlikely to borrow from the UK government because of the huge market capitalization; this enables it to retain more autonomy. HSBC has a strong presence in emerging markets, which places it in a good position allowing it to take advantage of future growth in those economies. HSBCs global presence in Asia, South America and Europe spreads the risk and offers significant economies of scale. Rebranding relatively recently (1999), the HSBC bank has become well-established and is considered of great value within the industry circles. Weaknesses: HSBC strongly believes in investing in the small business sector, but the current economic downturn has led to increase in risk, which could potentially compromise the activity levels in the area of its operation. HSBCs involvement with sub-prime markets in the US has forced it to write off large sum of figures lent to high-risk borrowers. Despite cuts in the UK interest rate, HSBC has been increasing its mortgage rates. This can be perceived negatively by the borrowers and potential borrowers, which may add pressure to a depressed housing market and can ultimately lead to more defaulting as borrowers would struggle with higher repayments. A redundancy programme which was announced recently can affect morale among staff, leading to decreased productivity and loyalty. HSBCs branding emphasises the global presence of the bank, and this may be seen as negative thing by some consumers due to the implication of homogenisation and the lack of personalisation. Opportunities: HSBCs high levels of market capitalisation place the bank, in a strong position which helps it to acquire assets. Banks which find the trading conditions particularly difficult at present could be available at low costs. HSBC has adequate capital which it uses to purchase strong local banks such as Bank Ekonomi in Indonesia, in which it has purchased a stake to continue the Asian expansion despite challenging economic times. HSBCs strong position presents the opportunity to outperform other banking competitors during the economic downturn which allows it to build a reputation of being one of the safe banks for depositors which further helps to increase resources for lending. Negative press coverage of competitors such as HBOS may encourage customers to choose HSBC instead. Threats: Decreased trust in the financial system overall, including HSBC due to financial losses suffered by investors may be a reason for them to invest elsewhere. Financial losses which have affected the banking industry and the sole investors on the global scale has resulted in less amount of credit being available for customers. In the UK this coupled with increases in living cost has resulted in less money being saved. The slump property market is leading to a rise in the numbers of homeowners with negative equity. If a propertys worth is less than what it was borrowed to finance its purchase, then there is going to be less likelihood that the bank will recoup all the losses if owners default. Claims have been made against HSBC, about the bank understating its losses resulting from the US sub-prime markets, and this has led to undermining confidence in the bank by the customers. CONCLUSION: Barclays is currently taking a  conservative approach due to the recession. However, the downturn has provided the bank with many opportunities for consolidation. Also, with the BRIC and East Asian markets rebounding fast this region looks to be a source of potential revenues and provides opportunities for increasing operations. With the United Kingdom and the Americas looking at a slow and prolonged phase of recovery, Barclays will need to adopt a policy of looking east when it comes to operations. The threats and problems being faced by Barclays will be because of the sustained economic situation being experienced in the United Kingdom, America and Europe which leads to uncertainty within the retail consumer market and could result in shortage of availability of credit. This in turn makes it even more important for Barclays to drive the overall corporate profitability margin by seeking to offset the shortfalls in the UK domestic market by making advances in the emerging markets. All the companies, like Barclays, are forced to re-examine the retail aspects of their operations which are seeking to remain competitive on the high street and also to make cuts wherever necessary. In the current financial climate, banks are not ready to finance each other and with the UK market on the verge of a projected severe recession, all of the retailing factors will influence Barclays competitiveness and it would depend largely on how the Bank of England and the Treasury would regenerate and r einforce the weak confidence in the stock markets. HSBC will concentrate on the strategic and prioritized areas of its worldwide operation with the further emphasis on HR management strategies and technologically-advanced applications within the group to keep a firm lead in the financial markets. HSBCs conservative approach to banking, staying focused on keeping its capital base strong and liquid balance sheet have prevented its failure. Executing the HSBCs strategy emphasizes on improving the intra-group linkages by joining up the businesses and functions so as to effectively create additional value. The HSBC brand is going to be leveraged to reach new customers and add more services to the existing ones. Efficiency will also be enhanced by taking the full advantage of the local, the regional and global economies. Appropriate objectives and new incentives will be adopted so as to encourage employees to be fully engaged in delivering the strategy. PART 3 In light of your analysis of your existing value proposition and what you have learnt in this module produce, a new value proposition that will match the value criteria of your customers, and a plan to implement the value proposition externally and internally http://openlearn.open.ac.uk/pix/spacer.gif To create a new value proposition that would be acceptable to the customers of Barclays, all the weaknesses that the current business structure has would have to be removed and a new and better business plan would have to be drafted by identifying the opportunities and removing the weaknesses. A New Value Proposition: The trading income should be relaxed so that it does not impact the revenue diversity. Capital bonuses should be distributed in accordance with the FSA and the bad practice of the directors receiving huge bonuses should be curtailed. Barclays should provide the consumers with a full portfolio of services worldwide, rather than just concentrating in the UK, this move could enable cross-selling opportunities. Barclays should look towards expanding in the worlds booming economies like India, China, Indonesia etc. so that these economies could provide Barclays with the market opportunities it is looking for, thus increasing the market capitalization. This project would propose that Barclays should have an aggressive expansion policy in the Asian market. Barclays needs to invest in buy to let market, which would in turn bring business volumes. Due to the economic crisis in the markets, Barclays needs to cut down its interest rates and mortgage rates, so as to become a peoples bank and thus raising the brand image. PLAN IMPLEMENTATION: To implement the new value proposition described above the project, will identify the key relationship-marketing issue, followed by refocusing of marketing effort: moving activities away from a marketing mix that creates a series of one-off transactions, to manage a complex network of relationships involved with the production of the whole consumer offering. T Marketing audit will be carried out so as to map out a plan that will be of most advantage to the customers and will be conducted in stages, namely at the beginning, the middle and at the end. Marketing analysis in terms of the strengths, weakness, threats and opportunities. A review must be undertaken to understand the new value propositions outlined above in the light of internal marketing. A new strategy development process concentrating on differentiation, cost leadership and adequate response systems would have to be created. Action programmes would have to be designed by managers so as to determine the most appropriate course to take in tackling the weakness of the organisation, with a determination of the likely costs which would be incurred. The implementation plan would have to be monitored and controlled by keeping a track of staff performance, evaluation and appraisal schemes. To ensure effective, appropriate and accurate results, basis for market segmentation would have to be identified, based on extensive market research. Marketing orientation is going to be very important, the new value propositions must be made clear to all the employees and clearly defined individual goals should be set down to enable the employees to see their own contribution in achieving the organisations objectives. Externally implementing the plan is going to be very important, and can be done by the use of media, electronic, print and sponsorships. The new value propositions can be made available in the form of television advertisements, available for all the people to see. The Barclays website can act as a powerful medium on which the new value propositions can be put up and made available. It should be designed in an effective and detailed manner so that the customers are aware about all the new services available to them. Print media is another powerful form by which the new policies can be made available for the masses. Barclays is a big sponsor for many big international events and meets and can use that as an active platform to educate the consumers about the new change in the policy structure.

College Admissions Essay: An Meaningful Activity :: College Admissions Essays

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   When the horsehair is one millimeter over the A string is when I wonder if my cue has been strong enough. It is too late, however, to turn back. I have started the quartet, and with the ictus of my violin's scroll, the sound is released. The first seconds of connection between horsehair and metal string are the most important. I concentrate on controlling my right index finger as every inconsistency in the fluidity of my hand magnifies itself in my ears. Under my chin the wood begins the vibration that lets me know I am connected to the sound. Only I can hear the secret nervous bounce of my bow as I speed up my right forearm and the impurities in my contact with the string that are masked by the distance between my first violin chair and the first row of audience. The imperfection is what I love. Only one note has passed, but as I relax my shoulder for the reversal of my bow, I strive to make the next one more beautiful. There is a never-ending series of notes. At the conclusion of this phrase, the downbeat brings the capital letter of a new sentence. At the end of this movement, there is another.

Christian Worldview and Culture Essay

Today’s cultural landscape has been shaped by the likes of MTV (entertainment), Steve Jobs (technology), and Mark Zuckerberg (social networking). Society often prefers accepting the â€Å"worldviews† of these and other influential people, rather than hearing the message of the Good News of Jesus Christ which offers redemption to a â€Å"fallen† world. We cannot ignore the reality that a vast majority of cultural advancements are produced by â€Å"non-Christian culture-makers, who, as they become more self-conscious and consistent with their anti-Christian stance, will express their unbelief in their artifacts with increasing boldness. Christians cannot dismiss the impact and relevance these contributions have made on society. One of the great challenges believers are confronted with is developing an understanding of the importance of expressing and sharing our Christian worldview in the midst of various competing ideologies. One of the hidden ideologies that secular culture promotes is that we can â€Å"take care of ourselves† thus, refuting any notion that we are dependent on Christ to meet every human need, including the need for salvation. Christian disengagement from culture is contrary to Christ’s example of Incarnation. Christ did not consider human culture unworthy of his attention and love. He set aside his divinity and put on human flesh so that he could engage us on a social and cultural level. The great commission is an affirmation of Christ’s desire for his followers to â€Å"go into all the word†, engaging culture and preaching the gospel. What is â€Å"Culture†? Culture can be defined using three different approaches: agricultural, sociological, and anthropological. The agricultural approach to defining culture â€Å"is derived from the Latin cultura†¦ meaning to plow or till. † Culture is understood from a farming or agricultural perspective which entails the â€Å"practice of cultivating the soil, producing crops, and raising livestock. † The reference to someone being â€Å"cultured† is drawn from this farming metaphor. Education in this sense is the â€Å"cultivation† of the mind. The sociological approach to defining culture deals with social class distinctions of â€Å"high† (elite) and â€Å"low† (mass) culture. This aesthetic standpoint is mainly concerned with the â€Å"intellectual and artistic achievements of a society. † High culture is associated with the highest ideals of what is (in a subjective sense) â€Å"good†. A cultured person is one who has been acquainted with and educated in the â€Å"finer things† of art, literature, music, etiquette, socialization, as so on. The anthropological perspective regarding culture is concerned with â€Å"the whole way of life of a group or society, not just its better achievements. † Unlike the sociological perspective, this approach does not make distinctions between sophisticated and primitive social groups. It simply acknowledges that all â€Å"activity† which is produced by a social group (texts, art, music, food, artifacts, philosophy, ethics, etc. is that group’s culture. H. Richard Niebuhr states, â€Å"[S]ocial life is always cultural† and culture is the product of â€Å"human achievement†. Humanity Was Created For â€Å"Good Works† Culture, as expressed by the creativity of human activity, is a reflection of God who Himself is a creative being. Human understanding of order and beauty is only possible because of God’s magnificent creation of the heavens and the earth. God validated the beauty of creation when He â€Å"saw all that he had made†¦ was very good† (Genesis 1:31). Man and woman were created in the divine image and likeness (imago dei) of God and were entrusted by God to care for and tend to His creation. Man was given the responsibility of â€Å"cultivating† the Garden of Eden and in doing so bringing glory to the Creator. Here we should take notice between the similarities of the word cultura (plow, till) and cultus which is a â€Å"veneration of the divine†. This should give us a greater insight regarding how â€Å"the human race [was] called to interact deliberately with the earth—[working, tilling, cultivating]—while at the same time lovingly serving his divine Master†¦ and worshiping his Maker. Adam â€Å"performed his culturative activities in response to and as a reflection of God’s creative acts. † Competing Worldviews All of humanity’s artistic and creative works reflect the worldview of those who created them. As a result of the Fall the imago dei has become distorted, causing humanity to shift the focus of their creative and culturative activities away from exclusive worship to God. As a result humanity has developed â€Å"unholy motives†¦ even though superficially [our creative activities] may be of some benefit. Man’s creative outlet is disoriented—seeking to glorify himself through the works of his own hands. Once we understand that all human creative efforts are a reflection of the inner beliefs and values of the mind and spirit, we can assess the intention of human activity properly. The Tower of Babel (Genesis 11) was the product of human efforts to succeed, using human ability, independent of God. Today’s â€Å"pop† culture seeks to create a new Babel in which human achievement and technological advancement create the false notion that we can live independent of God, or even worse, have no need of God. Thus, culture always reflects a society’s religious and philosophical values, â€Å"[flowing] out of the heart—as it were—of the society which produces it. † A Christian worldview based on God’s Word will discern the â€Å"the ideological bias of the medium and ideological content of the message of non-Christian (and Christian) artifacts. † This is essential for the Christian because there is no neutrality in the message embedded in the works of man. We are not idle spectators, â€Å"[We] must take sides at all times in everything [we] do. † Christian Approach to Culture (Christ and Culture) There has been much debate as to the extent in which Christians are to engage the culture that we live and worship in. Should Christians adapt a Monastic approach secluding ourselves from society? Or, are we to engage the world in such manner that our Christian distinctiveness is lost? H. Richard Niebuhr, in his book Christ and Culture, suggests several â€Å"Christian answers to the problem of Christ and culture. † Niebuhr offers five approaches Christians have historically taken in an effort to understand their position in Christ and involvement with culture. These are: â€Å"Christ against culture,† â€Å"Christ of culture,† â€Å"Christ above culture,† â€Å"Christ and culture in paradox,† and â€Å"Christ the transformer of culture. † The â€Å"Christ against culture† approach proposes that loyalty to Christ is a â€Å"rejection of cultural society†. He critiques this stance as a â€Å"radically Christian answer to the problem of culture†. Indeed, it is impossible for a Christian, or any person, to totally reject and remove themselves from the influence of and involvement with culture. God has taken the opposite approach. He did not reject the world when Adam sinned, but rather engaged the world and put into motion the plan of redemption through Jesus Christ. Christ stepped into our earthly realm and became subject to the influences and temptations of human culture â€Å"yet was without sin† (Hebrews 4:15). Christ’s relationship to culture was to use the elements of culture to reveal God the Father and the Kingdom of Heaven to fallen humanity. The second model, â€Å"Christ of culture,† is the opposite of the â€Å"against culture† model. It seeks social and cultural engagement with the world. It attempts to make the gospel meaningful to society by extending its reach beyond â€Å"a selected little band of saints† and is able to engage those of â€Å"high† and â€Å"low† social strata. While the effort to make Christ a part of culture may reach those who would remain otherwise unreached, there is a susceptibility to â€Å"distort the figure of the New Testament Jesus† in an effort to accommodate a social-gospel agenda. This is done by relegating Jesus into what we need him to be in an attempt to address our social and cultural problems. Jesus is a great humanitarian if we are fighting for human rights or a great teacher if we are engaged in philosophical debate. Again, this model can be useful in reaching out to the culture, but we cannot compromise the truthfulness of the gospel for a specific social agenda. The third paradigm is â€Å"Christ above culture†. This view proposes that â€Å"the fundamental issue does not lie between Christ and the world†¦ but between God and man. † By placing Christ at the center, and not against culture, this approach avoids separating â€Å"the experience of grace from cultural activity†. There are three distinct groups in this category: â€Å"synthesists,† â€Å"dualists,† and â€Å"conversionists†. Synthesists affirm â€Å"Christ and culture† (both/and) rejecting a â€Å"Christ or culture† (either/or) approach. They maintain that Jesus â€Å"is both God and man, one person with two natures† and that the works of human nature cannot be separated from the grace of God, â€Å"for all those works are possible only by grace. † Essentially, Christ cannot be against culture because God created nature. Likewise Christ’s incarnation allowed him to actively participate nd engage with the culture of his day. One area that could lead to problems in this approach is by synthesizing Christ and culture in such a manner where Christ becomes subservient to culture. If culture assumes the dominant role in this synthesis, the Church will risk becoming more â€Å"cultural† and less Christ-like because it has elevated culture to the same status as Christ through whom all things were made and exist and â€Å"without him nothing was made that has been made† (John1:3). The dualist approach sees â€Å"Christ and culture in paradox†. This view â€Å"makes sharp distinctions between the temporal and the spiritual life, or between what is external and internal, between body and soul, between the reign of Christ and the world of human works and culture. † There is a line drawn between God and â€Å"us†. In the dualist’s view all of human culture is fallen. For dualists the works of Christians within the church and non-Christians outside of the church are equally corrupt. The dualists are in a state of paradox since they cannot reconcile the concept of â€Å"law† and â€Å"grace†. They fail to realize that Christ came to earth to remove the line of separation between man and God. As Christians we must understand that while the world is in a fallen state and under â€Å"law†, at the same time it is under â€Å"grace† and we are to â€Å"go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation† (Mark 16:15). The third group that embraces a â€Å"Christ above culture† paradigm is the conversionists. â€Å"What distinguishes conversionists from dualists is their more positive and hopeful attitude toward culture. Conversionists see Christ as the transformer of culture. They embrace the redemptive work of Christ in the here and now. They are not looking to some eschatological future where one day they all will be restored. The conversionists have a hopeful outlook regarding culture and look forward to its restoration from a corrupt state. â€Å"Christ transforms the fallen culture in that â€Å"he redirects, reinvigorates, and re generates† the life of man from a corrupted state. Once man has been regenerated, he will produce â€Å"good works†. The transformative power of Christ in the life of fallen humanity redeems us: â€Å"For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them† (Eph. 2:10). It is not our works which cause us to be redeemed but rather, our works are a testimony to the world that we are no longer bound by the curse of sin and corruption. Conclusion Because we live in a period of world history that offers the greatest tools and opportunities for cultural engagement, we cannot ignore the importance of understanding Christ role, through the Church, in today’s culture. To engage with culture, theology and ecclesiology needs to be both critical and artistic†¦ such engagements require theology to be open to the insights of cultural studies and alert to the ways in which contemporary culture is shaping religion. † Social networking sites, email, iPhones, cable TV, movies, music, art, and literature are the vehicles th at are being used to promote the beliefs and values of our society. Satan has done a great job in using culture to enslave society, tempting us to sin and forfeit our relationship with God our Creator. Our fleshly appetites are satisfied by images of sexuality, greed, power, and self-assertion. The danger of a culturally advanced society is that it seeks to replace God with its achievements. It seeks salvation, joy, peace, and prosperity via its own human efforts and imaginations. Because we have been brought from â€Å"darkness to light† we must shine the light of the gospel of Christ by engaging the culture in which we live, work, play, and worship. For this reason, every Christian must â€Å"seize the opportunity that the contemporary circumstances present to us and boldly set out to transform the earth. †

Free Essays on Social Security

Summary of Social Security Articles The article entitled â€Å"The Boomers Queasy Future,† dealt with the fact that social security will be running out soon so government officials are looking for ways to remedy this problem. Because the baby boom generation is so big there is a problem with getting them the necessary social security for when they retire. Interest from the trust funds that support social security will be exhausted by the year 2032. One way would be to deny the upper-class their right to Medicare. This would free up some government money for such important things as social security. Raising taxes is another way. However, people would not take too kindly to such repercussions. Today the young generations pay for the older generation so that they can retire. One way to remedy this problem is if everyone paid for their own social security. Another way to solve this inevitable problem is to invest people’s trust funds into the stock market. Another way would be to cut pay roll taxes and put them towards IRA’s or individual retirement accounts. No withdrawals from these accounts could be made until the person reaches 62. However, people do not trust the stock market. The stock market could fluctuate and the other problem is that some people will not be sure what the correct stocks to pick are. People are also strongly opposed to raising the retirement age and cutting benefits such as health care. Nowadays, young people will have to pay for their elder’s retirement as well as pay for their own retirement. Just about the only way to resolve this problem is to establish a Social Security Reserve Board which would invest trust funds into private stocks and bonds. The second article entitled â€Å"Straight Talk on Social Security† also deals with the problems of diminishing retirement funds. President Bush favors the idea of creating personal retirement accounts. Both Democrats and Republicans fav... Free Essays on Social Security Free Essays on Social Security Social Security â€Å"Social Security, public programs designed to provide income and services to individuals in the event of retirement, sickness, disability, death, or unemployment.† (Encarta online Encyclopedia) On June 8th 1934, Franklin D. Roosevelt announced to the nation his intentions to introduce a Social Security program. Roosevelt then brought in five members of his cabinet level officials to study the United States and its economic insecurity so that he could use that information to persuade congress with. This committee was called the Committee on Economic Security. They were responsible for developing and writing the report that would be given to congress so they could see a detailed legislative proposal. The report gave President Roosevelt what he needed to proceed with sending the bill to congress to be voted on. In January 1935 he introduced the bill to both the House of Representatives and the Senate at the same time. The bill was passed by a large majority in both houses. The Social Security Act was finally made a law in August 1935 by President Roosevelt. Along with this act there were several provisions for general welfare. But the Act created a social insuranc e program that would pay retired workers, 65 years of age or older a continuing income after retirement. "We can never insure one hundred percent of the population against one hundred percent of the hazards and vicissitudes of life, but we have tried to frame a law which will give some measure of protection to the average citizen and to his family against the loss of a job and against poverty-ridden old age." President Roosevelt upon signing Social Security Act. The Social Security program has never been a flawless one. Since the introduction of the program in 1935 it has been modified more than 20 times by major amendments. Still to this day there are struggles within this system. This program still hasn’t achieved everything that... Free Essays on Social Security Most of the problems of the United states are related to the economy. One of the major issues facing the country today is social security. The United States was one of the last major industrialized nations to establish a social security system. In 1911, Wisconsin passed the first state workers compensation law to be held constitutional. At that time, most Americans believed the government should not have to care for the aged, disabled or needy. But such attitudes changed during the Great Depression in the 1930's. In 1935, Congress passed the Social Security Act. This law became the basis of the U.S. social insurance system. It provided cash benefits to only retired workers in commerce or industry. In 1939, Congress amended the act to benefit and dependent children of retired workers and widows and children of deceased workers . In 1950, the act began to cover many farm and domestic workers, non professional self employed workers, and many state and municipal employees. Coverage became nearly universal in 1956, when lawyers and other professional workers came under the system. Social security is a government program that helps workers and retired workers and their families achieve a degree of economic security. Social security also called social insurance (Robertson p. 33), provides cash payments to help replace income lost as a result of retirement, unemployment, disability, or death. The program also helps pay the cost of medical care for people age 65 or older and for some disabled workers. About one-sixth of the people in the United States receive social security benefits. People become eligible to receive benefits by working in a certain period in a job covered by social security. Employers and workers finance the program through payroll taxes. Participation in the social security system is required for about 95 percent of all U.S. workers. Social security d... Free Essays on Social Security Summary of Social Security Articles The article entitled â€Å"The Boomers Queasy Future,† dealt with the fact that social security will be running out soon so government officials are looking for ways to remedy this problem. Because the baby boom generation is so big there is a problem with getting them the necessary social security for when they retire. Interest from the trust funds that support social security will be exhausted by the year 2032. One way would be to deny the upper-class their right to Medicare. This would free up some government money for such important things as social security. Raising taxes is another way. However, people would not take too kindly to such repercussions. Today the young generations pay for the older generation so that they can retire. One way to remedy this problem is if everyone paid for their own social security. Another way to solve this inevitable problem is to invest people’s trust funds into the stock market. Another way would be to cut pay roll taxes and put them towards IRA’s or individual retirement accounts. No withdrawals from these accounts could be made until the person reaches 62. However, people do not trust the stock market. The stock market could fluctuate and the other problem is that some people will not be sure what the correct stocks to pick are. People are also strongly opposed to raising the retirement age and cutting benefits such as health care. Nowadays, young people will have to pay for their elder’s retirement as well as pay for their own retirement. Just about the only way to resolve this problem is to establish a Social Security Reserve Board which would invest trust funds into private stocks and bonds. The second article entitled â€Å"Straight Talk on Social Security† also deals with the problems of diminishing retirement funds. President Bush favors the idea of creating personal retirement accounts. Both Democrats and Republicans fav...