Presidential Pets of the Past

Presidential Pets of the Past Creature sweethearts relish that experience when a pet approaches welcome them toward the finish of the upsetting day. Hardly any occupations are most likely more unpleasant than the U.S. presidents position. That is the reason it is no astonishing that presidents and their families have consistently been enamored with creatures. Pooches appear to be preferred choice, however animals from mice to gators have additionally been presidential pets in the White House. Rundown of Presidential Pets George W. Shrub President George W. Shrub conveys Barney toward the South Portico of the White House Monday, Sept. 3, 2001, in the wake of landing Marine One. Photograph by Tina Hager, Courtesy of the George W. Bramble Presidential Library â€Å"Barney was close by during our eight years in the White House. He never talked about governmental issues and was consistently a reliable friend.† President Bush recalled his little companion with these words when he passed on of lymphoma in 2013 at 12 years old. Barney, a Scottish terrier, was a blessing to George W. Hedge after the 2000 presidential political race. He was consistently amenable and jumped at the chance to welcome leaders, sovereigns and heads of state in the White House. Barney was even a media star, he had his own site where his fans could watch recordings from the canines point of view about visiting big names and White House staff. â€Å"Barney and I appreciated the outdoors,† Bush said. â€Å"His most loved action was pursuing golf balls.† However, Barney could likewise lose his temper. When he bit the Reuters journalist and the Bostons Celtics advertising chief. Among other presidential pets were a Scottish terrier Miss Beazley, an English springler spaniel Spot, a feline India, and a longhorn cow Ofelia. Bill Clinton Socks, a high contrast homeless feline, turned into a presidential pet in 1991 when he bounced into the arms of Chelsea Clinton. When the Clinton family took the feline, he occurred in the Americas heart. He was a subject of a well known TV satire, Murphy Brown, an animation book and a tune, he showed up with the President on a progression of stamps in the Central African Republic. Socks was mainstream to such an extent, that a Clinton family even requested that the picture takers leave this poor feline. In 1997 a Labrador retriever Buddy joined the presidential family yet Socks wasnt an enthusiast of another pooch. Hillary Clinton said that Socks â€Å"despised Buddy from first sight, in a flash and forever.† At the point when Socks kicked the bucket in 2009, Bill Clinton conceded: â€Å"Socks carried a lot of satisfaction to Chelsea and us throughout the years, and delight to children and feline sweethearts all over the place. We’re thankful for those memories† George H.W. Shrub Millie is among the most remarkable pets in the White House. The English springer spaniel â€Å"wrote† Millies Book: As Dictated to Barbara Bush that depicts a day in her life at the White House. In 1992 it was at the highest point of the New York Times hit list. Millie was delineated in a few TV appears, including Whos the Boss and Murphy Brown. She even showed up in the scene of The Simpsons. The 15-section of land Millie Bush Bark Park on the west side of Houston is named after her. Millie took dynamic part in re-appointment. â€Å"My hound Millie find out about remote undertakings than these two bozos,† Bush asserted, referencing his rivals Al Gore and Bill Clinton. Millie was even a mother of two other presidential pets: Ranger and Spot. She kicked the bucket at the age 12 of pneumonia. Ronald Reagan  Fortunate, an enormous dark pooch, was said to â€Å"to be a size of a horse. † And not for reason. His variety Bouvier des Flandres began in Belgium for the motivations behind pulling trucks and crowding pot. Bouviers are referred to as intrepid mutts valuable as both family companions and gatekeeper hounds. They require a great deal of space to practice and meander about, and the Reagans before long found that out. Fortunate was named in the respect of Mrs. Reagans mother, Edith Luckett (â€Å"Lucky†) Davis. A little â€Å"ball of fluff,† a nine-year-old doggy, transformed into an enormous canine just in a while. Fortunate delighted in running in the lobbies of the White House. In any case, in spite of the endeavors at preparing, she didnt truly change in accordance with live there. That is the reason the president and his family chose to send her to their farm in California in 1985. She kicked the bucket at 10 years old in January 5, 1995. Ronald Reagan had a couple of different mutts: Rex, Cavalier King Charles spaniel; Victory, brilliant retriever; Peggy, Irish setter; Taca, Siberian imposing; and Fuzzy, Belgian sheepdog. Jimmy Carter At the point when Jimmy Carter and his family moved into the White House, they didnt take no pets along. Corn meal showed up at the White House on June 8, 1977. The pooch was named out of appreciation for the Carters family Southern roots. An attractive fringe collie blend was a present to Carters little girl Amy from her teacher, Verona Meeder. Guests conceded that Amy â€Å"sure cherishes that dog.† She appreciated petting Grits on the means of the White House. Be that as it may, the Carters chose to restore the pooch to the Amys instructor. A few sources report that one reason was that a canine had conduct issues. Also, Grits didnt coexist with the Carters feline, Misty Malarky Ying Yang. In any case, it likewise might be on the grounds that Amys instructor lost her own pooch, and the young lady needed to facilitate the misery. Gerald Ford The Fords have consistently been enamored with hounds. Some time before they moved to White House, they had brilliant retrievers. Their little girl, Susan, asked their family companion †a picture taker David Kennerly to assist them with getting another canine. Kennerly reached a raiser about a little dog. Susan astounded her dad with a charming pooch she called Liberty. Freedom became well known when Gerald Ford and his better half chose to raise her with a brilliant retriever. The press became insane when Liberty brought forth nine adorable pups. Mrs. Passage didnt let them to be shot before they were 2 months old. The photographs were made by Kennerly and was popular just as little dogs themselves. Freedom passed on at the age 11 of every 1986. The Fords likewise had a Siamese feline Shan and a canine Lucky.  Richard Nixon Checkers is likely the most acclaimed up-and-comer in the rundown of presidential pets. Nixons cocker spaniel never lived in the White House, however he turned into a big name when Sinator Nixon referenced him in his discourse in 1952. It became to be known as the Checkers discourse when the government official just because utilized TV to interest the voters. Nixon cherished Checkers a ton. He generally had hounds bread rolls in his work area and delighted in watching him to play. The cocker spaniel lived with Nixon until he passed on in 1964 at the age of 13, four years before Nixon was chosen a president. Three different pooches lived with Nixon in the White House: poodle Vicky, terrier Pasha and Irish setter King Timahoe.  Lyndon B. Johnson Lyndon B. Johnson cherished canines and they adored him a great deal. The presidents beagles, Him and Her, became famous people when the Life magazine distributed a photograph depicting how Johnson was topping up the canines ears. Many calls and letters originated from the canine sweethearts. They composed â€Å"If somebody got you by the ears, you’d cry, too.† Nonetheless, hounds appeared to like that a ton. They were dealt with well overall and delighted in swimming in the White House pool and riding along in the presidents vehicle. Unfortunately, both Him and Her passed on at a youthful age. Him was hit by a vehicle when he was pursuing the squirrels in 1966, and Her passed on in the wake of gulping a stone in 1964. After Him and Her passed on, Lyndon B. Johnson had two different mutts †collie Blanco and a blended variety hound Yuki. John F. Kennedy Charlie was a Welsh terrier the Kennedy family carried with them when they moved into the White House. Kennedy cherished creatures regardless of his sensitivity to creature hair and needed his youngsters to have understanding of dealing with them. Jackie Kennedy offered Charlie to her better half as a blessing during Kennedys crusade for president and he turned into a piece of their family. Be that as it may, John F. Kennedy didnt like one Charlies propensity: He cherished simply to bring a stick. He generally brought the stick and drop it on the lap. The First Couple delighted in strolling outside the doors of the White House and playing with Charlie. They took after two understudies taking a pooch for a walk. They looked so happy,† told their child Bryant. Among different Kennedys pets were ponnies, hamsters, a feline, a bunny, a pony, a canary, and seven pooches of various varieties. Dwight D. Eisenhower Heidi is presumably the main pooch restricted from the White House. A wonderful female Weimaraner was conceived on the ninth of May, 1955. She had a mishap on the costly floor covering in the political banquet hall. Its expense was about $20,000 around then. As a result of the Heidis frail bladder, the Eisenhowers chose to send her to their ranch in Pennsylvania. Heidi was defensive of her proprietors. She was careful about picture takers and consistently attempted to keep the First Lady from having her image taken. Heidi just bounced between the Mamie Eisenhower and the camera. Weimaraners are extraordinary family hounds, known for their chasing capacities and faithfulness. Heidi jumped at the chance to rest in the crate on the third floor and run in the White House. During the day, she rested in the presidents private office where Eisenhower gave her head scratches. After she left Washington she had four little dogs and appreciated life on the ranch.

International Development: Theories of Modernization, Dependency, Globalization

Minhchau Truong ID 125 Prof. Kevin Maclean Midterm Exam Citation Black, Maggie. The No-Nonsense Guide to International Development. (London: New Internationalist Publications Ltd, 2007). Naim, Moises. Illegal: How Smugglers, Traffickers, and Copycats are Hijacking the Global Economy. (New York: Anchor Books, 2005). Reding, Nick. Methland: The Death and Life of an American Small Town. (New York: Bloomsbury, 2009). Thurow, Roger and Scott Kilman. Enough: Why the World’s Poorest Starve during a time of Plenty. New York: Perseus Books, 2009). 1. ) Modernization Theory was utilized to legitimize the procedure of decolonization and mediation by the United States, which had the ulterior thought process of accessing new markets and in this manner boosting the national economy. The U. S. isolated this hypothesis from Cold War belief systems with the distinctive element that it underlined GNP and specialized measures. The hypothesis is ethnocentric and is set in the conviction that ther e is an unending battle against shortage and that immature countries must conquer this regular state. The job and capacity of the created state was surrounded by the teleological teaching that started with preconditions to â€Å"take-off†, which was acknowledgment that monetary advancement was important to move from â€Å"tradition† to â€Å"modernity† to the last â€Å"take-off†, to the â€Å"drive to maturity† (which was relied upon to be finished in 1-2 ages), to the â€Å"age of high-mass consumption† (like the chronicled examples of the U. S. ). The qualities of Modernization hypothesis incorporated its sorted out private enterprise, joining into the world economy, and viewpoint of financial development. These progressions were to be accomplished through organizations and a move from prior pioneer pecking order and joining into the United Nations family (a by right fairness). In any case, the shortcomings overwhelm benefits. The hypothesis naturalizes â€Å"underdevelopment† as something that can be changed effectively, and limits certain verifiable, land, sociological conditions or explicit requirements. Besides, it dismisses immature nations by trivializing conditions by marking it as the â€Å"global norm†. Financial matters is preeminent on the plan, instead of governmental issues, since capital collection for created states-not genuine government assistance of the concerned state-is the fundamental goal. The hypothesis dislodges the more right guideline of the privilege to self-definition. The straight development inferred by the hypothesis must be accomplished by mass utilization, rivalry, independence. Basically, modernization hypothesis is an ahistorical account forced by ethnocentric created states that couldn't in any way, shape or form identify with their immature states. Reliance Theory sees the verifiable relations of disparity, the inconsistent connections created between industrialized nations versus immature. Hypothetically, the issue is clarified as: monetary development in cutting edge industrialized nations didn't prompt a development in more unfortunate nations. Reliance hypothesis recognizes that modernization hypothesis straightforwardly repudiated neo-old style financial hypothesis the Pareto ideal, that monetary development was helpful to all regardless of whether benefits not similarly shared, this was not clear in the connection between industrialized countries and unindustrialized countries. The qualities of reliance hypothesis incorporated that is represented genuine history rather than modernization hypothesis, which was a way of thinking of history. It considered states to be a worldwide structure, and considered disparities to be an issue instead of an approach to advance rivalry and adjustments. There were reasonable desires, unacknowledged that burden of â€Å"development† was really a demonstration of avoidance. What was favored was an increasingly normal, foreordained procedure of consideration. Financially, reliance precisely decided the results of modernization: poor nations sent out essential items to rich nations, which the rich nations used to then make items out of them, thusly increasing the value of the general item during the assembling, which they at that point trade back to more unfortunate nations. At long last, these more unfortunate nations could never gain enough from fares to pay for their imports because of the additional worth. In any case, the shortcomings are generous, and uncover the consistent deceptions reliance hypothesis is based upon. It is to a greater degree an investigate than an autonomous hypothesis for development, there is some understanding yet very little. With reliance hypothesis, there is practically no accomplishment from its underlying decisions. Its diversion for protectionism and exchange taxes was insufficient for creating nations to develop financially. The recommendation of Import Substitution Industrialization (ISI) was additionally insufficient on the grounds that the monetary hypothesis required execution of brooding of residential baby enterprises that multiple occasions were hard to fire up without the assistance nearby governments. Different roads, taxes, import quantities and sponsored government advances were commonly unrealistic because of nonattendance of political will or capacity. The advancement of creation channels were as a rule misshaped or disturbed because of outside powers or failure of states to deal with. Here, a settler mentality is by and by forced onto lacking countries, Transnational organizations (TNCs) positioned in lacking countries force measures and desires, which are generally articulated in their monopolistic practices and statement of political and monetary plan onto the concerned nation. Also, ordinarily, when a nation specialized in their creation of merchandise, their own inside business sectors were not enormous enough to help the economies of scale. Individuals either didn’t have enough cash or had an inclination for outside remote products. Basically, relations can't just be fixed, there is a substantially more powerful multifaceted nature. Fringe states can't in any way, shape or form â€Å"just get up†, they didn't request to be put in their individual situations inside the world economy, they were constrained by command states (created nations like the U. S. †they were marked as â€Å"under-developed† when their â€Å"inequalities† were recognized by us, set in opposition to our own guidelines unjustifiably so. Progressed mechanical economies can’t fill in as models for creating ones, their prosperity was dependent upon exceptionally exploitive provincial associations (with the immature nations they are attempting to he lp now, which is amusing) these connections can't be made. Ramifications of reliance include: Alternative utilization of assets desirable over current examples of utilization they don’t need our techniques. The act of redirected assets are kept up by predominant states and force elites inside dependant expresses, this fixes nothing, rather, it further confuses relations between concerned â€Å"underdeveloped† nation and the individuals who are in charge of them. There are covering interests, worth and culture presumptions, suspicion that this reliance is intentional, elites accept key to monetary advancement is to follow liberal financial convention, this is basically authority. Financial development doesn't rise to monetary turn of events, more consideration should be paid o social pointers future, proficiency, newborn child mortality, instruction, rise of human record. More prominent joining isn't the appropriate response, equity can't be accomplished World System Theory was first was named as â€Å"Modern World framework. † A joining through market as opposed to political focus, the state was a financial instrument for capital gathering by specific classes. The world wa s contained smaller than usual frameworks, which made up world realms, which made up an industrialist world economy. This overall viewpoint with authentic profundity of hundreds of years was important to understanding the present. Single tripartite division of work thought actuated that nations don't have economies however are a piece of a world economy. The center zones profited by restraining infrastructures, while the semi-peripheries were overwhelmed by the center zones, and the peripheries themselves were creating nations ruled by both center and semi-outskirts nations. Work concentrated creation occurred in fringe states as a way to previous states’ financial redemption. Fringe states’ subordinate status is because of various components including, mechanical conditions and the distinction in quality of states on the worldwide market scale, in this way the differential progression of surplus to center outcomes in inconsistent trade. Be that as it may, the qualities of the hypothesis lies in the supposition that capital amassing on a worldwide scale will thusly, advantage creating nations. The shortcoming of the hypothesis is the manner by which it is weakening with respect to center towards solid and feeble states. The hypothesis focuses on the verifiable proof of disappointment as opposed to progress, and limits the class structure and financial development, among other significant components, inside states. The lose-lose financial story is restricted, grounded in ahistorical euro-anti-extremism. The hypothesis spellbinds outskirts states by holding them down, with the philosophy of administering bunches managing them. Definitively, the hypothesis is an industrialist structure that works on the perpetual gathering of capital as opposed to the prosperity of specific fringe states. The contemporary types of â€Å"globalization† make these three hypotheses of state-drove advancement superfluous and expect us to reexamine a portion of the suspicions whereupon they were based for some reasons. Right off the bat, the expanded however specific progression of money related capita between major metropoles exemplified in Illicit Trade shows the unrecognized capability of â€Å"dependant† states, how they are really ready to flourish in spite of states (of shortage, and so forth ). In Illicit Trade, the instances of nations blossoming with the discount of c

Could Childhood OCD be an Autoimmune Disorder

Could Childhood OCD be an Autoimmune Disorder OCD Types Print PANDAS: An Autoimmune Form of Childhood OCD How Childhood OCD Can Be Triggered by Infection By Owen Kelly, PhD Medically reviewed by Medically reviewed by Steven Gans, MD on June 01, 2015 Steven Gans, MD is board-certified in psychiatry and is an active supervisor, teacher, and mentor at Massachusetts General Hospital. Learn about our Medical Review Board Steven Gans, MD Updated on February 03, 2020 Hero Images / Getty Images More in OCD Types Causes Symptoms and Diagnosis Treatment Living With OCD Related Conditions Although we usually think of our immune system as protecting us from outside invaders such as bacteria, viruses, and other germs, it can get confused and attack our own body. When this happens we are said to suffer from an autoimmune disorder. You are probably already aware of a number of autoimmune disorders such as rheumatoid arthritis, type 1 diabetes, lupus, and multiple sclerosis. Although obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is usually thought to be caused by a combination of stress, genetic predisposition, and disruption of neurochemicals such as serotonin, there is growing evidence that a specific form of childhood OCD may actually be an autoimmune disorder. PANDAS Associated With Streptococcal Infections The Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorders Associated with Streptococcal infections or “PANDAS” form of OCD is thought to be triggered by an infection of the same bacteria that causes strep throat and scarlet fever. As the child’s immune system fights the strep infection, it becomes confused and starts to attack an area of the brain called the basal ganglia. Although changes in a number of brain areas underlie symptoms of OCD, abnormalities of the basal ganglia have been associated with symptoms of OCD. Of course, strep throat is a common infection and not all children who develop this infection will develop the PANDAS form of OCD. Research has shown that only those children who are genetically predisposed to OCD or tics are vulnerable to developing this form of OCD. How Is the PANDAS Form of OCD Diagnosed? About 25% of children with OCD have the PANDAS subtype. The PANDAS form of OCD has a few key symptoms that let doctors distinguish it from more typical forms of childhood OCD. For example: Whereas the symptoms of regular OCD develop slowly, the onset of the PANDAS form of OCD is rapid.The PANDAS form of OCD occurs in close association with a strep infection. However, regular OCD can occur at any time. Confirmation of a strep infection is usually done using a throat culture and/or blood test for strep antibodies.Unlike regular OCD, children with the PANDAS form of OCD usually have involuntary movements of the arms, legs, and face.The PANDAS form of OCD usually develops between the ages of 3 and before puberty. Other symptoms of the PANDAS form of OCD include: Irritability, temper tantrums, and problems with mood.Severe nightmares and new rituals around bedtime.Increased anxiety.New problems with fine motor or math skills or problems with other senses. How Is PANDAS OCD Treated? Although regular OCD is usually treated with medication, such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) or cognitive behavioral therapy, the PANDAS form of OCD can require different treatment. If the PANAS form of OCD is suspected, the first line of treatment is a round of antibiotics to knock out the strep infection. Sometimes more invasive procedures such as a plasma exchange  are necessary to remove harmful antibodies from the bloodstream. Plasma exchange usually involves going to the hospital. Although most children will recover following treatment with antibiotics, sometimes symptoms of OCD can remain. These residual symptoms may be an  effective treatment with standard treatments for regular OCD such as medications or psychotherapy. Can Adults Develop PANDAS OCD? Although there is evidence that changes in the immune system sometimes accompany mental illnesses like depression and schizophrenia, there is no conclusive evidence that problems with the immune system are related to the development of adult forms of OCD. So far, it appears that strep infections can only trigger symptoms of OCD in children between the ages of 3 and puberty.

Danie Theron as a Hero of the Anglo-Boer War

On the 25th of April 1899 Danie Theron, a Krugersdorp attorney, was found guilty of assaulting Mr W. F. Monneypenny, the editor of The Star newspaper, and fined  £20. Monneypenny, who had only been in the South Africa for two months, had written a highly derogatory editorial against the ignorant Dutch. Theron pleaded extreme provocation and his fine was paid by his supporters in the courtroom. So starts the story of one of the Anglo-Boer Wars most illustrious heroes. Danie Theron and the Cycling Corps Danie Theron, who had served in the 1895 Mmalebà ´gà ´ (Malaboch) War, was a true patriot - believing in the just and divine right of the Boer to stand against British interference: Our strength lies in the justice of our cause and in our trust in help from above.1 Before the outbreak of war, Theron and a friend, J. P. Koos Jooste (a cycling champion), asked the Transvaal government if they could raise a cycling corps. (Bicycles had first been used by the US army in the Spanish War, 1898, when a hundred black cyclists under the command of Lt James Moss were rushed in to help with riot control in Havana, Cuba.) It was Therons opinion that using bicycles for dispatch riding and reconnaissance would save horses for use in combat. In order to gain the necessary permission Theron and Jooste had to convince the highly skeptical burghers that bicycles were as good, if not better, than horses. In the end, it took a 75 kilometre race from Pretoria to the Crocodile River Bridge2 in which Jooste, on a bicycle, beat an experienced horse rider, to convince Commandant-General Piet Joubert and President J. P. S. Kruger that the idea was sound. Each of the 108 recruits to the Wielrijeders Rapportgangers Corps (Cycle Dispatch Rider Corps) was supplied with a bicycle, shorts, a revolver and, on special occasion, a light carbine. Later they received binoculars, tents, tarpaulins and wire cutters. Therons corps distinguished themselves in Natal and on the western front, and even before the war had started had provided information about British troop movements beyond the Transvaals western border.1 By Christmas 1899, Capt Danie Therons dispatch rider corps were experiencing poor deliveries of supplies at their outposts on the Tugela. On the 24th December Theron complained to the Supplies Commission that they were severely neglected. He explained that his corps, who were always in the vanguard, were far from any railway line where supplies were unloaded and his wagons regularly returned with the message that there were no vegetables since everything had been carted off to the laagers surrounding Ladysmith. His complaint was that his corps did both dispatch riding and reconnaissance work, and that they were also called upon to fight the enemy. He wanted to offer them better sustenance than dried bread, meat and rice. The result of this plea earned Theron the nickname of Kaptein Dik-eet (Captain Gorge-yourself) because he catered so well for his corps stomachs!1 The Scouts Are Moved to the Western Front As the Anglo-Boer War progressed, Capt Danie Theron and his scouts were moved to the western front and the disastrous confrontation between the British forces under Field Marshal Roberts and the Boer forces under General Piet Cronje. After a long and hard struggle up the Modder River by the British forces, the siege of Kimberly had finally been broken and Cronje was falling back with a vast train of wagons and many women and children - the families of the Commandos. General Cronje almost slipped through the British cordon, but eventually was forced to form a laager by the Modder near Paardeberg, where they dug in ready for a siege. Roberts, temporarily indisposed with the flu, passed command to Kitchener, who faced with a drawn-out siege or an all-out infantry attack, chose the latter. Kitchener also had to deal with rearguard attacks by Boer reinforcements and the approach of further Boer forces under General C. R. de Wet. On the 25th of February, 1900, during the  Battle of Paardeberg,  Capt. Danie Theron bravely crossed the British lines and entered Cronjes laager in an effort to co-ordinate a breakout. Theron, initially traveling by bicycle2, had to crawl for much of the way, and is reported to have had a conversation with British guards before crossing the river. Cronje was willing to consider a breakout but felt it necessary to put the plan before a council of war. The following day, Theron sneaked back to De Wet at Poplar Grove and informed him that the council had rejected the breakout. Most of the horses and draught animals had been killed and the burgers were worried about the safety of the women and children in the laager. Additionally, officers had threatened to stay in their trenches and surrender if Cronje gave the order to breakout. On the 27th, despite a passionate plea to his officers by Cronje to wait just one more day, Cronje was forced to surrender. The humiliation of surrender w as made much worse because this was Majuba Day. This was one of the main turning points of the war for the British. On the 2nd of March a council of war at Poplar Grove gave Theron permission to form a Scout Corps, consisting of about 100 men, to be called the Theron se Verkenningskorps (Theron Scouting Corps) and subsequently known by the initials TVK. Curiously, Theron now advocated the use of horses rather than bicycles, and each member of his new corps was provided with two horses. Koos Jooste was given command of the Cycling Corps. Theron achieved a certain notoriety in his remaining few months. The TVK were responsible for destroying railway bridges and captured several British officers. As a result of his endeavors a newspaper article, 7th April 1900, reported that Lord Roberts labeled him the chief thorn in the side of the British and had put a bounty on his head of  £1,000, dead or alive. By July Theron was considered such an important target that the Theron and his scouts were attacked by General Broadwood and 4 000 troops. A running battle ensued during which the TVK lost eight scouts killed and the British lost five killed and fifteen wounded. Therons catalogue of deeds is vast considering how little time he had left. Trains were captured, railway tracks dynamited, prisoners freed from a British jail, he had earned the respect of his men and his superiors. Therons Last Battle On the 4th September 1900 in the Gatsrand, near Fochville, Commandant Danie Theron was planning an attack with General Liebenbergs commando on General Harts column. Whilst out scouting to discover why Leibenberg was not at the agreed position, Theron ran into seven members of Marshalls Horse. During the resultant fire fight Theron killed three and wounded the other four. The columns escort was alerted by the firing and immediately charged up the hill, but Theron managed to avoid capture. Finally the columns artillery, six field guns and 4.7 inch navel gun, were unhitched and the hill bombarded. The legendary Republican hero was killed in an inferno of lyddite and shrapnel3. Eleven days later, the body of Commandant Danie Theron was exhumed by his men and later reburied next to his late fiancà ©e, Hannie Neethling, at her fathers farm of Eikenhof, Klip River. Commandant Danie Therons death earned him immortal fame in Afrikaner history. On learning of Therons death, De Wet said: Men as lovable or as valiant there might be, but where shall I find a man who combined so many virtues and good qualities in one person? Not only had he the heart of a lion but he also possessed consummate tact and the greatest energy... Danie Theron answered the highest demands that could be made on a warrior1. South Africa remembered its hero by naming their School of Military Intelligence after him. References 1. Fransjohan Pretorius, Life on Commando during the Anglo-Boer war 1899 - 1902, Human and Rousseau, Cape Town, 479 pages, ISBN 0 7981 3808 4. 2. D. R. Maree,  Bicycles in the Anglo Boer war of 1899-1902. Military History Journal, Vol. 4 No. 1 of the South African Military History Society. 3. Pieter G. Cloete, The Anglo-Boer War: a chronology, J.P van de Walt, Pretoria,351 pages, ISBN 0 7993 2632 1.

Doping is not Dope in Athletics - 664 Words

Doping is Not Dope Should athletes be able to use performing enhancement drugs. Many athletes are trying to get a competitive edge on their competition and some start by taking performing enhancement drugs, even though taking them could be devastating and detriment to them personally. Using performance enhancing drugs comes with many risks physically and emotionally. Performance enhancing drugs is as known as â€Å"doping†. There are many kinds of steroids such as anabolic steroids, human growth hormones, androstenedione, designer steroids and stimulants to name a few (mayoclinic.com, 2012). Even though athletes see performance enhancing drugs as a positive and a career advancement advantage, all of them are very harmful to your body and has many side effects. Some of the advantages that the athletes see in these performance enhancement drugs are promotion of muscle building. It also helps them to recover after they have had a hard workout, which when a normal person works out, they are a lot of times sore from the physical activity; however these drugs make them less sore. In addition, these drugs temporarily boost Chism 2 performance in the athletes. It does give them an advantage over other athletes when it comes to performance of their sport. But it is an unfair advantage. While taking performance enhancing drugs, comes many side effects. For both men and women there are detrimental side effects such as circulatory problems,Show MoreRelatedShould Sports Doping Be Doping?1578 Words   |  7 Pages Doping in sports. At present, the problem of the use of doping by athletes is acute for professional sports. The solution of this task immediately entails chain of related questions: how to improve the system of doping control, what drugs to prohibit to use, what measures to show to athletes who violated the rules.But what do we know about doping, in addition, what do the media and the people profit from it? Looking at the situation of modern sports on theRead MoreDoping, Athletes and Sports Essay892 Words   |  4 Pages  Ã‚  Ã‚   Doping can be strictly defined as the consumption of any substance (whether food or drug) to improve ones performance. This definition can be applied in a variety of situations, from college students drinking coffee in order to stay awake to athletes who take steroids to make them stronger. The problem with doping is where one draws the line. The drugs used in doping often have detrimental effects to ones health, both mental and physical. In the short run these drug s improve ones performanceRead MoreAthletes Using Enhancement Drugs2599 Words   |  10 Pagesto punish athletes using performance-enhancing drugs. The increase in anti-doping efforts is evident. In the middle of the 20th century, a troublesome problem arose in the sports world: doping. In the 1960s, the first evidence that athletes were using performance-enhancing drugs surfaced (Catlin, Fitch, and Ljungqvist 104). Even though significant evidence prevailed that athletes used the drugs to increase their athletic performance, there was no way to detect drug use. People did not know whatRead MoreEssay Cheating in Sports1397 Words   |  6 Pagesteam work is teaching cheating. And in today’s world, with fame, endorsement, drugs and so much to gain, it is not surprising that athletes are cheating in sports. Cheating in sports is not new thing; it started the day when humans first discovered athletic competitions. According to the Los Angeles Times (August 20, 2006) â€Å"More than 2,000 years before Mike Tyson bit off a piece of Evander Holyfields ear and was disqualified in the boxing ring, Eupolus of Thessaly, a boxer in the Olympics of 388 BCRead MoreThe World Ant i Doping Agency1446 Words   |  6 Pagestelling us everything we didn’t want to know. Doping is always a highlighted issue and we in America are familiar with it in our high profile sports culture such as NFL, NBA, and MLB but it is not just in our homeland culture. It has been internationally affecting the Olympics since its inception in 776-393BC and modern day resurrection in Athens, Greece in 1896. The Olympic Committee established a doping committee for regulation, the WADA, the world anti-doping agency, with the increase of enhancementRead MoreThe Use of Illegal Drugs in Sports Essay examples1565 Words   |  7 Pagesbothered by and just too much to remember. (Long) Doping The use of drugs in an attempt to enhance sporting performance is often referred to as doping. It is thought that the word dope originated from the South African language. Dope referred to a primitive alcoholic drink that was used as a stimulant in ceremonial dances. Gradually the term adopted a wider usage and in reference to sport, it became known as doping. In todays sporting context, doping refers to the use by athletes of banned substancesRead MoreThe Use of Performance Drugs in Sports Essay1024 Words   |  5 Pagesoften pursue dreams of winning a medal for their country or securing a spot on a professional team or to make their family proud. In such an environment, the use of performance drugs has become increasingly common. But using performance drugs — aka, doping — isnt without risks. â€Å"Take the time to learn about the potential benefits, the health risks and the many unknowns regarding so-called performance drugs such as anabolic steroids, androstened ione, human growth hormone, erythropoietin, diuretics,Read MoreShould Blood Doping Be Illegal or Legal in Sports?1499 Words   |  6 Pagesthe easy way out, engaging with steroids, enhancements, and blood doping to get ahead of the competition. Many professional athletes have taken to the practice of blood doping in order to gain a competitive edge in their field. But there are those who are crying that doing so can have serious consequences not only to the sports world, but to one’s body as well. Sometimes they look for harmful procedures that increase their athletic ability but can potentially do more harm than good. In this argumentRead MoreIs Genetic Engineering For Athletes?2443 Words   |  10 Pagesperformance. Some athletes take steroids to increase their athletic ability in order to have an advantage over their opponents. Athletes have always looked for the one thing that will get them to be bigger, stronger, and better enough to beat out all the other teams. As te chnology expands, new ways of making the better athlete have been discovered. Currently, you can do a process called gene doping to gain new genes to increase your athletic potential. This new technique has created ethical problemsRead MorePerformance Enhancing Drugs And Supplements Plague The Athletic Playing Field Worldwide2011 Words   |  9 PagesHistorical National Football League coach and manager Vince Lombardi once said, â€Å"Winning isn t everything--but wanting to win is†. The want to win, is real; it is embodied by the usage of performance enhancing drugs. Blood doping increases the count of red blood cells in the body, anabolic steroids accelerate the growth of muscle and strengthen the bones, and stimulants increase alertness, competitiveness, aggressiveness and reduce fatigue. All of these materials have clear benefits but the health

The Prevalence of Production Sharing Contracts in Oil and Gas Free Essays

Abstract Introduction Background The nature of the environment in which a business operates determines how it engages other players in the sector. This, therefore, determines the types of contracts that businesses get into. The oil and gas industry relies on contracts to carry out its activities just like other business entities do. We will write a custom essay sample on The Prevalence of Production Sharing Contracts in Oil and Gas or any similar topic only for you Order Now The oil and gas industry mainly engages production sharing contracts, driven by the numerous stakeholder interests the sector has. Research Topic The Prevalence of Production Sharing Contracts in Oil and Gas (Case Study of Sonangol, an Angolan Oil Company) Aim The aim of the study is to establish the prevalence of production sharing contracts in the oil and gas industry, with particular interest in Sonangol, an oil company in Angola. Objectives The objectives of the study are: To determine the nature of the oil and gas business in Africa To determine the types of contracts administered in the oil and gas sector To determine the share of production sharing contracts relative to other types of contracts To establish the reasons for adoption of production sharing contracts at Sonangol Research questions What types of contracts does Sonangol engage Are production sharing contracts prevalent at Sonangol Why does Sonangol adopt production sharing contracts What benefits and challenges do Sonangol get by using production sharing contracts Literature Review Key Words Contracts, Production Sharing Contracts, Effects, Prevalence, Economics, International Oil Companies, National Oil Companies, Angola Key Literature Bindemann, K., 1999. Production Sharing Agreements: An Economic Analysis This source touches on the economics of production sharing agreements with reference to oil and gas in Angola and the Middle East. Bindemann, K. 2000. The Response of Oil Contracts to Extreme Price Movements. Discussion Paper. Department of Economics (University of Oxford). Fattouh, B. and Darbouche, H., 2010. North African oil and foreign investment in changing market conditions. Energy Policy, 38(2), pp.119-1129. Gaps in literature Most literature refers to situations in North Africa and the Middle East and not Angola or Sonangol. Most available literature is more than five years old. Chances are that the conditions have changed, rendering them irrelevant to current circumstances This section presents an analysis of existing literature on Oil and Gas in Africa and Angola in particular, while studying the types of contracts that oil and gas companies utilize. This is broken down into subtopics as follows: Oil and gas in Africa This section provides a general overview of the oil and gas industry, highlighting the major players: companies, countries, communities, and other stakeholders. History of the oil and gas industry in Africa Challenges in the African oil and gas industry Oil and gas in Angola This section provides an overview of the Angolan oil and gas industry, highlighting the major players: companies, communities, and other stakeholders. History of the oil and gas industry in Angola Challenges in the Angolan oil and gas industry Merits of oil and gas to the Angolan Economy Contracting in the oil and gas industry Types of contracts administered in the global oil and gas industry Comparison between contracting in Africa and the Middle East Production Sharing Contracts Identify the parties involved Terms and conditions Benefits/demerits Contracting at Sonangol (Types of contracts) Encompasses all types of contractual agreements Sonangol engages Criteria Sonangol uses to select the type of contractual agreements it uses Ratio of contracts based on type Production sharing contracts at Sonangol The nature of production sharing contracts at Sonangol Parties involved Responsibility Terms and conditions Research Methodology The study will follow the constructivist approach and rely on the analysis of secondary data that will be obtained both from the private and public domain. Of particular interest will be records from Sonangol and researches published in journals. The research will use catalogues to locate relevant books and indexes to locate appropriate periodicals. In addition, the study will use the Internet to find relevant electronic resources and databases. An analysis of the books, periodicals, and databases would follow to ascertain the authority and quality of information. Data analysis will be quantitative. Findings i.Reasons for the adoption of production sharing contracts at Sonangol ii.Advantages of production sharing contracts at Sonangol iii.Disadvantages of production sharing contracts at Sonangol iv.Comparison between production sharing contracts and other types of contracts at Sonangol Discussion Discuss the reasons for the prevalence of production sharing contracts at Sonangol, their merits, demerits, and challenges. Conclusion Summary of the suitability of production sharing contracts at Sonangol. Are they the best for the oil and gas industryShould they be upheld? References List of all works cited in the study Appendices Relevant documents, tables, and graphs How to cite The Prevalence of Production Sharing Contracts in Oil and Gas, Essay examples

Leading Strategies Change at Davita Essay Example

Leading Strategies Change at Davita Essay Project: Leading Strategies change at DaVita: The Integration of the Gambro Acquisition Course: MGT 215 Submitted: 7thDecember, 2011 Acknowledgement †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦7 Introduction†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 8 Synopsis†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦9-20 Conclusion†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 23 Bibliography†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 24 Acknowledgement I would like to thank God for the s trength he gave me to do this course. It was a challenge but through it all he brought me to the end of twelve weeks of studies. I would like to thank Mr. Veron Johnson for the patience and time he took to impart his knowledge to me. Thanks to everyone who assisted in any way. Introduction DaVita Inc. , a FORTUNE 500 company, is  a leading provider of kidney care in the United States, delivering dialysis services to patients with chronic kidney failure and end stage renal disease. DaVita strives to improve patients’ quality of life innovating clinical care, and by offering integrated treatment plans, personalized care teams and convenient health-management services. As of  September 30, 2011, DaVita operated or provided administrative services at 1,777 dialysis facilities, serving approximately 138,000 patients. DaVita supports numerous programs dedicated to creating positive, sustainable change in communities around the world. DaVita Medical Mission Statement: To be the Provider, Partner and Employer of Choice We are becoming the greatest dialysis company the world has ever seen through our commitment DaVita Medical Mission Statement: To be the Provider, Partner and Employer of Choice We are becoming the greatest dialysis company the world has ever seen through ur commitment to upholding our Mission and Values every day, in everything we our Mission and Values every day, in DaVita Medical Mission Statement: To be the Provider, Partner and Employer of Choice We are becoming the greatest dialysis company the world has ever seen through our commitment to upholding our Mission and Values every day, in everything we wed Synopsis Total Renal Care ( TRC) a company founded by Victor Chatiel in 1994, offered renal services. One of his strategies was to apply strict business principles and reap rewards upon entering the traditionally non-profit domain of Kidney Dialysis centers. We will write a custom essay sample on Leading Strategies Change at Davita specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Leading Strategies Change at Davita specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Leading Strategies Change at Davita specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer He focused on growth through acquisition through the 1990’s. Unfortunately, chatiel and his team failed to integrate their acquisition leading to some operational incoherence. Firstly, there was no uniformity to a critical patient data form used to record and monitor patient care during dialysis. Secondly, there was little standardization in reporting work methods across centers, this absence made routine management activities, such as transferring personnel and patient across, much more difficult if not impossible. Thirdly, cash flow issues created serious problems like operational weakness in insurance reimbursements – a critical problem for a company whose revenue was entirely dependent on it. Insurers and government would frequently question charges and demand additional documentation. They would occasionally unilaterally reduce the reimbursement amount and delay payment until they received answers to queries and requested documentation. Finally, senior’s executives paid very little attention to the dialysis centers themselves, which were seen more as an avenue of corporate growth where patient and caregivers were economic units in a bigger financial structure. This headquarters- centric, financially oriented operating culture did not win friends among the health care practioners who worked hard in the field to deliver quality care. In 1999 Total Renal Care (TRC) ran into severe financial difficulties. The board of directors turned to Kent Thiry, who worked at another dialysis center in 1997. Kent Thiry is a Harvard MBA graduate and an ex-brain consultant. Before accepting the job offer he reached out to a set of people who had been with him in his previous dialysis venture, people whom he trusted, liked and respected. He recruited Harlan clever, to be the chief technology officer, David Barry to be COO (chief operating officer) and Doug Vlchek to lead the organizational change and culture building efforts. When he came to lead the company October of 1999, the organization was in a mess. It had financial operational regulatory and moral difficulties. They were technically bankrupt, and being investigated by SEC, they were sued by shareholders, had turnovers at twice our current level, was almost out of cash and in general, wasn’t the happiest of place. †(Thiry) Thiry and his colleagues begin assessing the talent in the company, moving people who could not perform and hiring people who could â€Å"get stuff done† (GSD remained a popular acronym in the c ompany; being considered â€Å"good at GSD† was the highest compliment a teammate could receive) persons were sent to the billing office, to work on collections and to fix the cash flow problem. In May 2000 more than 400 clinic managers, plus people from corporate headquarters assembled in Phoenix Arizona, for the first of what has become an annual ,corporate-wide meeting. At this first meeting suggestions for a new name for the company were presented. The company’s teammates, the board of directors and senior management collectively voted to chose the new name â€Å"DaVita† which in Italian phrase which means â€Å"to give life or he/she gives life. † At this meeting groups discussed, debated and voted on proposal for the core values and a mission statement was presented. A few persons were sent to Tacoma’s billing office to work on billing and collections and to fix cash flow problems. The situation became severe when the government stopped paying DaVita for laboratory tests because of records and document issues. The company had to decide what to do with the patients whose lab tests were not being reimbursed, however the company decided to continue performing tests that it felt were essential in delivery of care and to appeal the decision to an administrative law judge to attempt to obtain the denied funds. Four (4) years later after winning successive judgments, the government paid them over $90 million. The issue of outstanding debt was dealt with under much constraint. The banks wanted the company to sell parts of the business to honor debts. The management group did not buckle, and after long and difficult discussions, the loans were restructured and financial penalties for default were discontinued. Eventually the company sold the dialysis centers that were outside the United States to direct it focused in a geographically area. In the area of technology, the chief information officer introduced an automated patient registration and to incorporate all the clinical records and activities, an electric file cabinet was also created. It was the first step to standardize the paper-based system used to keep track of patient care in the various centers. Continuous improvement and teammate education was critical at this point, so a change process was initiated using continuous quality improvement (CQI). Each center manager attended these training sessions and was expected to train their own staff at the various centers in quality improvement techniques. They were on the road to a new philosophy where patients care was delivered and where most DaVita teammates work were important to the company’s success. To emphasize the importance of the centers, Thiry and his senior manager â€Å"adopt† a center and drop by occasionally. They later replaced the adopt-a-center program with the practice of having everyone hired in or promoted to the vice president level or above go through â€Å"Reality 101†, which entailed spending a week in a center helping to do the day-to- day-work. DaVita’s strategy was characterized by their attention to detail; they took painstaking attention to operational details and compliance with government regulations. Also managing financial outcomes rested largely on small but important behaviors and decisions. One such activity was carefully using supplies to avoid waste and maintaining appropriate stock levels so that inventory costs were unnecessarily high, yet avoiding emergency ordering. Another was achieving good clinical outcomes, it was important to take care while putting the patient on the machine, monitoring the treatment as it was occurring and taking the patient off the machine at the end of the session. The final strategy which was used was employees attraction and retention, this was important because turnovers was costly, entailing finding replacement people and possibly paying overtime labor rate if a center was temporarily short- staff. There strategy can be characterized in organization development and change as leading and managing change where after they diagnosed the causes of the problem, management took a leading role in implementing the change. They created a vision, develop a political support, manage the transition and sustained the momentum. With the increased focus and attention to perational detail, the commitment of the company’s teammates and the bank negotiation behind it, DaVita embarked on a remarkable transformation in its performance. Achieving great financial result and was consistent over the years in improvements in clinical outcomes and reduction in turnover. The organizational culture at DaVita was a result of what Thiry call â€Å"purposeful acti on† that â€Å"articulated and demonstrated† what a company could be. His approach took the form of a clear concise mission- that was quickly turned into a song. He then got his colleagues to come to consensus on core values, he also use benchmark questions. Employees became teammates and if they â€Å"cross the bridge† of believing the company could be special, they become â€Å"citizen of the village† (not the company) with Thiry as â€Å"mayor. †A general synergy of teammates and executives brought the organizational change concept to life. A closer look at DaVita’s culture and leadership showed that the management team’s focus had been on creating a strong and positive value-based organization where levels of the organization had an emotional commitment to its success. The foundation was Mission and Values, created at the first meeting in 2000 and now widely practiced throughout the company. To the management team, the company’s rebirth strategy was based on the belief that they had to create something larger than themselves in order to be successful. DaVita offered a comprehensive benefit and pay package that was somewhat unusual for a company that had a reasonably large number of relatively low-paid, hourly employees. Pay was pegged against competitive benchmarks. There was a broad- based profit-sharing program that covered virtually all team members, based on the idea of sharing the village’s good times and success with all citizens. There were also benefits that provided people an opportunity to invest in professional and personal growth. Health and welfare benefits included a comprehensive package of medical, dental and vision benefits, extended illness leave, both short-term and long-term disability insurance, life insurance and flexible spending account to set aside pre-tax dollars for health or childcare expenses, and an employee assistance program Another incentive offered by DaVita to encourage the teammates to be fully involved in their work and to be present in the company, not just physically but also emotionally was â€Å"we are here awards. This was a $1000 in vacation expenses given to a randomly selected non-exempt teammate who had perfect attendance during a 90 day period. There was also the â€Å"shining star award,† for people who not only perform their job with exceptional proficiency but who also exemplified the DaVita’s values and who contributed to the well-being of the team. DaVita have many training program within the organization to assist teammates in their development. DaVita University started within a year of Thiry arrival in the company and offers program in continuous quality improvement (a two day program required for newly hired facility administrators, managers and vice presidents that had not taken the class previously) presentation skills, leadership development, team skills and programs for vice presidents. There are also numerous courses on clinical subjects. Two of the most important programs that reach the people directly or indirectly were the DaVita Academy (more recently called Academy 11) and a program called F. A. S. T (Facility Training Administrator Survival Training) Academy11 was a newer program attended by all teammates from a specific region, designed to â€Å"take facility performance to the next level by fostering mutual accountability amongst the team. † By emphasizing how to hold difficult and honest conversations among the teams to resolve interpersonal issues, the course fostered better and more productive interaction. It also contained numerous team building activities and joint planning for operational improvement at the facilities. F. A. S. T (Facility Training Administrator Survival Training) is a five day program taken by all new clinic managers. The program consist of training in managerial skills such as time management, communication, providing coaching and feedback to team members, and interviewing, as well as material on DaVita culture ( DaVita Way and One for All). The company integrated programs to give back to the community; they introduced a program â€Å"one for all, all for one. † This program the DaVita village Network is where teammates make contributions and the company matched this with its profit. These funds were used to assist persons in the communities where centers are located who use their services and have difficulties in meeting their financial obligations. In 2005, Thiry and his senior executive team met to discuss the next step the company should take to continue its organizational development and strategies evolution. Their special focused was how to manage several looming challenges because they were just in the process of completing a $3. 1 billion purchase of Gambro, a large competitor. The acquisition would nearly double its size from 700 to more than 1200 dialysis centers and from 13, 000 to 25,000 people. As such it would cement its position as the second largest Kidney Dialysis centers in the United States. Their task immediately entailed integrating Gambro into the DaVita’s way of managing and its culture. Gambro was significantly more hierarchical and formal than DaVita, and did not have a strong people- oriented culture. Gambro had purchased Vivara in 1997 , a small publicly traded dialysis company led and transformed by Thiry during the 1990’s, now as leader of the combined organization, his goal is to be respectful of Gambro, its people and its capabilities, while maintaining DaVita’s unique culture and way of management. Gambro is a global medical technology company and a leader in developing, manufacturing and supplying products and therapies for Kidney and Liver dialysis, Myeloma Kidney Therapy, and other extracorporeal therapies for Chronic and Acute patients. Kidney (renal) dialysis was the world’s first extracorporeal therapy (i. e. a therapy that treats organ failure outside the body). Dialysis saves the lives of a growing number of patients every year, and innovation in the field is essential. The only current alternative to renal dialysis kidney transplantation is not an available option for most patients, due to a shortage of donor organs. Dialysis technology is now being developed for new applications such as liver dialysis and an emerging field of other extracorporeal therapies, to remove different fluids and toxins from chronically and acutely ill patients. For decades, Gambro has been first to market many groundbreaking innovations. By designing and delivering solutions to dialysis clinics and intensive care units, they offer not just improved treatment quality, but also improved efficiency. Gambro was founded in 1964, and had 8 000 employees, production facilities in 9 countries, and sales in more than 100 countries. Their purpose and culture unified as a company and remind us as individuals of how we can make a difference for patients and their families. Customer focus  was always strived to exceed customer expectations and they keep patient safety and quality as a key priority. They hold themselves accountable to their customers, team members and partners by delivering on their commitments. People are the biggest asset of the company and teamwork is important for success. They conducted business in an ethical manner with courage to do the right thing and continuously seek ways to improve their business. The Gambro Healthcare acquisition is the largest acquisition we have made to date. There is a risk that, due to the size of the acquisition, we will be unable to integrate Gambro Healthcare into our operations as effectively as we have with prior acquisitions, which would result in fewer benefits to us from the acquisition than currently anticipated as well as increased costs. The integration of the Gambro Healthcare operations will require implementation of appropriate operations, management and financial reporting systems and controls as well as integration of the clinical policies and procedures of both companies, all of which could have a material adverse impact on our revenues and operating results. In addition, it requires the focused attention of our management team, including a significant commitment of their time and resources. The need for management to focus on integration matters could have a material and adverse impact on our revenues and operating results. I would advice Thiry to design a team to lead in managing the integration. This team should include the (COO) the chief operational officer, the chief technology officer and the structure design manager. I would share the effective change management program with him, which include four phases. The first is to motivating change this includes creating the readiness for change among organization members and helping to address the resistance to change. The second would be creating a vision in providing a purpose and reason for change and describe the desired state. The third would be developing a political support for change where there can be powerful individuals and groups that can either block or promote change, they you need to gain their support. The fourth would be managing the transition from the current state to the desired future state and finally you should sustain the momentum for change so that it will be carried to completion. The team should relate to individuals, interpersonal relations and group dynamics. The individual approach should be aimed at coaching and training. Coaching attempts to improve one’s ability to set and meet goals and improve interpersonal relations. Training and development aimed at transferring knowledge and skills to individuals. Interpersonal and group process approach includes process consultation, third party intervention and team building. Process consultation help group members understand, diagnose and improve behavior, the third party intervention focus directly on dysfunctional interpersonal conflict and team building is aimed at doth helping teams perform its tasks better and at satisfying ndividual needs. The first 100 days action plan should include recommendation for the organizational structure the organization should implement. The new structure and action plan need to be communicated to the organization. The design team will conduct its initial activities in a relatively easy manner and follow it by implementing a monitoring, correcting and evaluation process. As the plan is implemented new information, ch anges in the environment and other issues will arise that required adaptation and adjustment. The team is charged with the monitoring implementation by collecting implementation feedback to find out if the plan is working. The data collected would be analyzed and if they are feasible would be implemented. To preserve the DaVita’s culture I would suggest training in the various program areas such of team building, communication skills and clinical areas. DaVita has Academy11 for all teammates to improve team building amongst workers. It hast F. A. S. T a program for 5 days in the various management skills and also DaVita University for quality improvement for newly hired managers DaVita’s culture and leadership showed that the management team’s focus had been on creating a strong and positive value-based organization where levels of the organization had an emotional commitment to its success. Their mission â€Å"to be the provider, partner and employer of choice† had made an impact on the organization and the core value had kept them in second place in the dialysis industry. Their financial position has been exceptional over the years Mission Statement Kent Thiry Conclusion I have learned a lot about Kidney Dialysis and the time and patience that caregivers give to save a life on a daily basis. DaVita’s team led by Kent Thiry made the organization a village community rather than a company and in doing so working became a part of their life style. I realized that an organization with a strong culture can be a leading company. Bibliography Organizational Development and change 8th Edition by Cummings Worley The internet