Recent orders
Primary data, direct responces
First respondent
Truly speaking, the company has had various projects in the host community. The company’s engagement in various projects has made various contributions to the development of the community. The company has partnered with various nongovernmental organizations and also participated in various projects that have seen the host community and other beneficiaries make great movements. The company has been committed to giving the host community social advantages to encourage the development. The social advantages are clearly seen and encapsulated in various high profiles of infrastructure projects. Chevron Nigeria makes donations yearly to the host community and surrounding hospitals. The respondent further quoted Central Hospital and Braithwaite Memorial Hospital as the direct beneficiaries of CSR in Chevron Nigeria. The company is known in sports and athletics sponsorship and various projects in education.
Second respondent
Our company has corporate social responsibility issues normally. The company in various occasions has been committed in participating in community development programs. These activities are well evident in various high profile donations, infrastructure, and hospitals among others. Truly speaking, Chevron Nigeria makes annual contributions to the hospitals in the host community and other hospitals in Nigeria. Among the hospital we have assisted are: Delta state, central hospital, Okolobiri hospital and Port Harcourt of Rivers state. To add on this, the company has made various progress in assisting government and non-government like HIV/AIDs programs. The company has also participated through contributions in various sporting activities and sponsored various students.
Third respondent
The effects of corporate social responsibility on the community in which the company operates is on in which Chevron has complied to. In accordance with the proliferation of international codes and awareness of media, Chevron has progressively reformed its corporate social agendas. The company has done all these to make sure that the company matches the global standards. In the recent past, the company has made immerse contributions to the development of Nigerian infrastructure like construction of roads plus other technical support to the government. The company in attempt to increase the welfare of its employees has improved the training of its staff and initiated various pension programs and initiated various technologies in assisting the host community. We have never relaxed in making efforts concerning the community development and its employees’ welfare and it has without fail paid us.
Fourth respondent
In the past years, the company has made significant contributions to infrastructure development and supported the Nigeria government financially as stated by the second respondent. The company has improved the health care of their employees as well as introduced pension schemes. The company has never relaxed in making efforts towards sustaining the host community and its employees.
Fifth respondent
Corporate social responsibility in all about making sure that the host community do not suffer due to the company’s operations. In my opinion, the company has made various moves in ensuring that the host community does not suffer and has taken this as a key concern in the company. The company has in all cases enfolded itself in various activities that have mitigated the impacts of mining and the production of hydroelectric fire and has also compensated for it. We have also brought initiatives that will enable the local authorities to decrease pollution and making sure that the host community is kept clean. Our use of hyper spectral imaging among other takes a lot about our contribution to the host community sustainability. This is the instruments that makes it possible for use to collect information about the effects of the company to the host community and enables the company make future plans.
Sixth respondent
Exactly, there are evidences that we have corporate social responsibility activities in Chevron Nigeria and its effects are evident among the company’s employees (us) and the host community as well. Corporate social responsibility is concerned with the establishment of cordial connections with the Chevron staff and host community. The company’s capability is vastly rooted in Chevron’s efforts to employ achievable policies that will assist in taking necessary measures to prevent imminent trepidation. The local Nigeria community is thus the beneficiary of Social Corporate Responsibility of Chevron Nigeria and the effects of CSR on the environment can be further seen through ways in which the company minimizes pollution.
Seventh respondent
It is undoubted that majority of what the company is experiencing in the recent past concerning Chevron being socially responsible to its host community is not strange as a necessary consequence of disruption of the system regarding the recent damages of the company’s oil pipes and attacks by the militants. To me, as a matter of fact, I regard the social functions carried out by the company as strategic means to encourage the host community and create a reputable imagine of the company among the residences and in Nigeria as a whole. As far as I am concerned, the company cannot be measured with the quantity of damage as a result of their operations in the host communities.
Eighth respondent
I will not deny that though the company has had various impressive projects for the local community and other organizations, I will not deny that the company has received various negative impressions to the local community. The cases of oil spillage have caused pollution in the local community and this has impacted negatively on the good relationships that the company has with the local community. In some cases, oil spillages seen in the local community were as a result of the destruction of the company pipes by the youths of the local community. Currently, the company is doing all it can to rebuild the relationships between the company and the local community and in so doing, the company is considering development of community empowerment programs. In fact, Chevron is making sure that the impact of the company’s various programs to have positive effects on the host community. As a result, Chevron is currently working with various NGOs and local community to develop schemes with constructive effects on the lives of the local community and people in Nigeria as a whole.
The Future Challenges For Health Care Management
The Future Challenges For Health Care Management
The studies carried out between 1999 and 2002 by the Kaiser Family Foundation brought out some of the initial perspectives on the challenges facing the health care sector in terms of management and service delivery. The research studies showed that challenges to the US healthcare management relate to disparities in gender, ethnicity or geographic location.
It is irrefutable that the healthcare sector is unique and distinct in nature from other service sectors in the industry. This also makes the challenges that face it unique. Therefore, the uniqueness of the healthcare sector, the exceptional vulnerability of the customers that consume its services as well as the need for special support and advocacy needed for the consumers of the health care services provide a picture of the complex nature of the challenges that shall continue to debacle the healthcare management arena. This is even made more critical by the fact that the environment in which the health care system operates is constantly changing and bringing new demands every day. The demands relate to special technologies needed, the need for customer safety, security, and assurance on patient privacy in the face of high technological revolution that has also been embraced in the health care system.
Another important challenge that faces the future of heath care management is the need to strike a balance in power of information relationship that subsists between the health care practitioner and the patient. Patel and Mark mention that the existing information power asymmetry between the two main stakeholders in the health care sector makes it difficult for even the most educated technology-savvy patient to acquire comprehensive knowledge that accompanies clinical practice. Therefore, patients have to trust that the health care service provider and professionals are competent at all times. This implies that there is no amount of audit that can substitute or change the nature of this trust even if performance measurement is put in place or league tables introduced. The challenge is still formidable even in the distant future.
While the above challenges relate to the patient and health care provider relationship, another still significant challenge is the fact that even though the rate of technological development and use in the health care sector has been high, the organization in the sector still bears the picture of decades ago. Therefore, there has been flexibility in one aspect and rigidity in another. Most, if not all, health care organizations such as clinics are more like marketplaces than factories. The patients would not need to be whisked slickly along a conveyor girdle from waiting bay to end like the case of a factory.
Lastly, there is the perspective of the role played by the healthcare system in the society and the economy, which presents a unique challenge. In most developed economies like the US and Germany, the health care sector comprises a considerable part of the total GDP and economy. It evidently stands as one of the biggest industries in the economy. With this revelation comes the possibility that the sector can be very powerful politically and socially. The future challenge lies in creating a balance in the political, social influence, and the universally-accepted role of the sector in the society.
Bibliography
Patel, Kant and Mark E. Rushefsky. Health care in America: separate and unequal. Armonk, N.Y.: M.E. Sharpe, 2008.
Williams, Richard Allen. Healthcare disparities at the crossroads with healthcare reform. New York: Springer, 2011.
The Fundamentalist Narrative
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The Fundamentalist Narrative
Faith, symbols and myths are elemental in any form of religion. They play a critical role of enabling the individuals to not only understand the values and virtues they believe in but also deduce vital meanings that guide them in their day to day living. Notably, almost all forms of faith have numerous symbols that are employed in worship. Myths in religion are also fundamental as they enable the respective believers to understand the origin of their faith. Considering the fact that religion is a very sensitive aspect of human life, it is imperative for one to acknowledge the origins of the same. This does not only give one a chance to participate in the same actively, but it also makes sure that the individual develops confidence in the particular teachings provided by the religion.
In this consideration therefore, it can not be disputed that symbols and myths interplay to provide a framework upon which faith is based. The resultant faith then forms the core of any religion as it defines all aspects of the same. It is in this regard that this paper provides an explicit analysis regarding the relationship between faith, symbols and myths. In order to enhance a harmonic analysis, it will analyze the particular functions and roles of each and how they interlay and augment each other to enable individuals understand and appreciate the various meanings that are related to their religions.
In his consultative review, Nash indicates that all religions have various symbols that have various meanings (45). These symbols take various forms that range from natural phenomenon, actions, events, archetypes and art work amongst others. The symbols also present compelling ideals and information that is central in worship and religion. Furthermore, they contribute significantly to creation of important myths that are employed in religious teachings. Myths define the origin of various faiths and their credibility is largely defined by the symbols. Seemingly, various myths tend to revolve around the relative symbols that are employed in worship. In this respect therefore, it can be argued that myths would be meaningless without the use of symbols. In addition, studies contend that symbols are important in formulation of myths. In other words, they are considered the origin of the different myths that various religions employ. Therefore, it can be posited that without symbols, myths could be non existent.
Tillish asserts that symbols define various values and virtues that specific adherents employ in worship (115). A classic example in this regard can be considered to be the symbol of the crucifix that Christians employ in worship. In his study, Campbell particularly singles out the catholic religion and contends that it derives various meanings from the crucifix (56). For example, adherents of the catholic faith consider that the crucifix strongly implies various virtues and values such as responsibility, love, honesty and peace amongst others. Specifically, it is indicated that by dying on the cross, Christ assumed the responsibility for human sins. It therefore implies that Catholic Christians need to exercise love in order to appreciate the effort made by Christ in paying for the sins. Notably, the crucifix has been used in this respect to shape the myth that is central to Christian faith-the death and resurrection of Christ.
At this juncture, it can also be argued that the symbols are important in defining various morals and values that are upheld by different religions. Certainly, values and virtues such as love, respect, responsibility and honesty as implied in the preceding illustration are deduced from the symbols. These are also important because the relative values are employed in governance in the particular society. Studies assert that the values provided by religion are used in the formulation of different laws and regulations that are used in present day governance. This is due to the fact that they are similar and tend to reflect similar ideals that are upheld by different religions. Considering the fact that religion is central in the society and is vitally important and relatively influential and effective in molding behavior, it was deemed important to mainstream its values and teachings in governance.
Further, symbols are important in worship because of their ability to enhance the relationship between the adherents and the object of worship. In this regard, Tillich ascertains that symbols enable the divine to understand the nature of the un divine and vice versa (119). It is because they are considered to be a representation of the truth that the adherents believe in. They perpetuate this truth through active participation in the different meanings that they represent. In particular, they accredit the teachings of the divine and make the un divine to appreciate the same. This close relationship is critical because it reinforces the particular faith of the adherents.
In his review, Nash ascertains that religious symbols are important because they act as a constant reminder to the adherents regarding the persons that played a critical role in shaping their faiths. This then make them to acknowledge the role that such individuals played in the same (88). As such, the adherents in most instances tend to further the ideas that were presented by the prominent personalities that shape that faith. For instance, Christians often tend to remember the role of Christ in the formulation of the Christian faith whenever they see a cross. Also, the Sikhs are often reminded of the persons that fought for their faith through the symbols of Kara or khanda. Usually, they often take up the responsibility of protecting their faith as a way of appreciating the role played by the historical persons.
Myths also play a fundamental role in religion and help individuals to deduce meanings that are related to faith. They constitute religious stories that seek to define how various things came in to existence. In his review, Nash asserts that they often mainstream the aspects of a higher power and place great reference to gods and sacred creatures (96). In addition, they are usually specific to certain religions and mainly reflect the values perpetuated by the respective religion. Myths thus explain the origins of various faiths. This usually enables the adherents to appreciate their faiths and have confidence in the implications of the teachings employed in the same. For instance, the myth of creation in the Christian faith is fundamental because it gives the Christians a sense of belonging. In this regard, studies cite that they have a chance to appreciate the fact that they came from some definite place and would return to the same after death. This sense of belonging is important as it enables the Christians to have a reason of living
In addition, it gives them a sense of confidence as they appreciate the role of the higher power in their wellbeing. This has various implications on their wellbeing with the most profound being the fact that just like the symbols, they provide guidance to their faith. In this regard, studies indicate that the stories provided in the myths have invaluable teachings regarding the values and virtues that Christians need to uphold.
In addition, they provide a logical representation of various events that happened in the past and the factors that contributed to the same. For example, the Sodom and Gomora myth in the Old Testament bible provide a coherent explanation of various events that happened at that particular time, the causes of the same and how the same contributed to the downfall of humanity. In particular, the myth argues that humanity was destroyed because of its failure to uphold the ideals that had been prescribed by God and availed to them by the various prophets. Christians deduce various meanings from this and the meanings play a fundamental role in shaping their character. In this respect, it is certain that failure to follow the teachings of the higher power can have detrimental implications on the holistic wellbeing of the adherents. As such, the Christians make efforts to uphold the teachings of faith in order to prevent similar implications in future. This according to studios goes a long way in enhancing accountability of the adherents. They become responsible for their activities and believe that trey would be rewarded accordingly by the higher power.
Thus symbols and myths are fundamental in faith and have various implications on the same. In addition, Tillich argues that the relationship between the symbols and myths is important. In particular, it is posited that a weak relationship between these two has far reaching implications on an individual’s faith (112). For instance, if there is a weak relationship between the two, this is likely to culminate in the disregard of the entire faith by the adherents. Nevertheless, Nash contests this and assert that a weakness in the relationship tends to challenge the adherents to make viable connections (101). Nonetheless, the negative effects that this has on the faith are likely to compromise the confidence of the adherents.
Also, in order for faith to yield optimal results, there has to be a balance between the effect of myths and symbols on the individuals. Campbell indicates that undue emphasis on one aspect has the capacity to undermine the effectiveness and importance of faith in the lives of an individual. If a certain religion uses numerous symbols it would have limited time to understand the meanings of the myths and vice versa. Generally, it is often imperative to have a balance between the two and ensure that adherents derive possible optimal meanings from the same.
Works Cited
Robert, Nash. Faith Hype and Clarity. USA: Teachers College Press, 1998
Paul, Tillich. Dynamics of Faith. USA: HarperOne, 2001.
Joseph Campbell. Power of Myth. USA: Anchor, 1991.