Competitors Analysis Critical Review Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Competitors Analysis Critical Review - Essay Example A way in which this can be done is through competitor analysis. This review attempts to find the common ground or differences in approach between the authors and checks them against the background of the strategic needs of organisations for sustaining competitive advantage. maintaining and improving profitability targets. In the face of fierce competition, the market place is merciless in changing the fortunes of companies. If firms ignore or neglect strategic moves by competitors, they can find their market share and profitability disappear in quick time. Competition can be in many forms such as new entrants, new products / services, more economical processes that offer cheaper alternatives to customers, new marketing or distribution channels, newer strategic associations or markets, etc. While the challenge of keeping track of so many variables may be daunting, it is comforting to remember that generally each business has its own limited set of rivals. Largely, this depends upon its own profile of size & operations. It is this universe of potential rivals that is important to a firm’s competitive position. According to Porter, â€Å"Strategy is an internally consistent configuration of activities that distinguishes a firm from its rivals† (Porter, M E. 2004, p.vi). Porter’s theory identifies a firm as one based on activities and points out that it is these activities that create opportunities for a firm to offer value to a customer (Porter, M E. 2004). To this extent, analysis of a firm’s own or its rival’s activities can be considered as essential as strategic to a firm’s competitive advantage. The question then is ‘when or how often should one conduct such an analysis?’ and the answer should be that it must be an on-going process in view of the constantly emerging competitors’ challenges. Competitor analysis is the management

The Progress Of The English Reformation Theology Religion Essay

The Progress Of The English Reformation Theology Religion Essay The evidence analysed in this investigation suggests that Thomas Cranmer established various aims to help further the English Reformation. He met with both successes and failures. The extent to which his successes outweighed his failures will determine how important he was for the progress of the Reformation. A careful analysis will be made of his work regarding introducing the English Bible, helping reform church institutions, doctrine, liturgy. In addition his contributions as a reformed theologian including the durability of his accomplishments will be considered. Other figures also helped spur on the Reformation such as King Henry VIII, Thomas Cromwell, and Queen Elizabeth I. To further evaluate the importance of Cranmers contributions this investigation will compare his work with these other personas of historical importance. Cranmer set out to achieve various goals during his life regarding the English Reformation. Cranmer assumed an important role in the introduction of the English Bible. He endorsed the Great Bible in April 1539 was issued to the public for the first time. By late 1541 five more additions of the Great Bible had been released. (Dickens 1989, 152) He even contributed a preface to the second edition. Bromiley states in Thomas Cranmer: Theologian Of all his achievements in the earlier period, the introduction of the English Bible was perhaps the most far-reaching and influential (xiv) The archbishop of Canterbury also helped reform the church institutions. He was involved in diplomatic work as he wanted to link England with international Protestantism. Cranmer believed true catholicism (universality) was the unification of the scattered churches of the reformation. Hence catholicity meant unity. He attempted to bring in foreign reformers to England. He successfully brought in Martin Bucer and was helped by English clerics Hooper, Ridley, Holgate ( Dickens 1989, 270) The influence that spread into England came mostly from the followers of Zwingli and Calvin. Cranmer also made valuable contributions to the reformation of church doctrine. He originally believed in transubstantiation, but then decided that the bread and wine were only symbolic of the body of Christ. King Henry VIII was strongly in favour of transubstantiation and burned people who opposed his view. Cranmer survived due to the Kings protection. Dickens argues that Cranmer was the English forefront man supporting the true presence belief agreed upon by Calvin and Bullinger in the Zurich agreement of 1549. Bullinger believed that transubstantiation was false, but that the bread was sacred, was to be revered, and that the spiritual presence of Christ was there when people took the Eucharist. Like the sun is in the heavens but we can only feel its light and heat, Christ is in heaven but he is working in the hearts of those that believe. (Schaff, I. 471)Â   Between 1539-1543 there is a turbulent return to Catholicism, heretics burned, and Bible reading prohibited for the laity. Cranmer opposes the 1539 act of six articles, which includes clerical celibacy and as a consequence he has to send his wife away. King Henry VIII wields absolute power and thus Cranmer cannot overtly support great doctrinal changes as long as the King reigned. It was unfortunate for [Cramner] that he could never persuade Henry VIII to share his enthusiasm [regarding humanist reformation (MacCulloch 1996, 213) because The Kings own theology became a moving target during the 1530s (MacCulloch 1996, 213) Cranmers view of church doctrine was that it be scripturally based, be proclaimed by the monarch in parliament, and be accepted without fighting over minute details. (Dickens 1989, 208) The Ascension of Edward VI in 1547 opens the doors for doctrinal reform. Cranmer issues the Book of Homilies a set of 12 official model sermons. He even writes several of the sermons. In 1553 he issues the 42 Articles of Religion, which is a code of doctrine. Under Queen Elizabeth the Homilies are amplified and reissued. The articles lead to the Elizabethan Thirty Nine Articles. Dickens calls these Elizabethan articles a decisively Protestant interpretation of the faith, (Dickens 1989, 280) However, Cranmer also encountered failure in his attempt to advance the English Reformation. Regarding his reforms of Church institutions his diplomatic work in the sense that he failed to bring any Lutheran leaders or Lutheran representatives to England. Cranmer also wanted to rewrite and arrange the canon law into an organized system but failed due to several factors. Many did not favour the canon law because they believed it was too disorganized and needed be replaced by civil law. Cranmer also wrote a plan of reform for the canon law entitled Reformatio Legum Ecclesiasticarum. Unfortunately this was not published until well after his death. Ultimately none of his proposed reforms for the canon law were enacted. He had proposed changes such as having annual diocesan conferences attended by clergy and laity, which may well have been beneficial for the church. ( Dickens, 1989, 279-280.) The Archbishop of Canterbury beginning in 1540 focused on revision of the English church liturgy with a specific emphasis on putting it in language comprehensible by the laity. King Henry VIII showed Cranmer considerable favouritism by endowing him the authority to create and spread his own English litany while he rejected proposals of other bishops such as the 1543 Rationale of Ceremonial. When Henry authorized Cranmer to modify the mass by adding devotional passages in English the King did not anticipate great doctrinal changes. However, this laid the foundation for an extreme change of the aim of the mass, replaced sporadic communion for the laity and private medieval masses with regular congregational services of worship. The King passed away in 1547 and Cranmers first edition of the Book of Common Prayer was released in 1549 under Edward VI. It was conservative but it led to a rebellion in South-Western England. Dyson Hague notes his Story of the English Prayer Book that this rebellion may have occurred due to the introduction of totally foreign concepts for those used to attending the mass such as the The Supper of the Lord and Holy Communion. (Hague 1949, 133) The 1552 second edition of the Book of Common Prayer was Cranmers most explicit Protestant liturgical document. Examples such as the mass became communion, tables were to be removed and altars provided, and surplices replaced Eucharist religious robes reflected Zwinglian influence. This 1552 edition later became the basis for Queen Elizabeth Is prayer book of 1559 and the 1662 Book of Common Prayer. Interestingly the 1662 versions Eucharistic liturgy commits several catholic compromises. The 1549 Prayer Book at the beginning of the sacrament states The body of our Lord Jesus Christ which was given for thee, preserve thy body and soul unto everlasting life. In contrast the 1552 version states Take and eat this, in remembrance that Christ died for thee, and feed on him in thy heart by faith with thanksgiving. Finally, the 1662 version is a merger of the 1549 and 1552 Prayer Books. (Jasper and Cuming 1990, 232-249) MacCulloch argues that Cranmer would have looked at the alteration of his eucharist by the 1662 reviser with strong suspicion and concern. (MacCulloch 1996, 628) In the 1549 Act the Parliament authorized the doctrine and liturgy of the Book of Common Prayer which is of historical significance because this had been the exclusive area of activity of the monarch since 1534. According to Dickens although not very much is known concerning the origins of the second prayer book, it is certain that its literary qualities are based on Cranmers book of 1549. (Dickens 1989, 277) The prayer books according to R.T. Beckwith are predominantly the work of Cranmer. (Beckwith 1992, 101-105) A significant aspect of Cranmers contributions regarding liturgy is the system of canonical hours that were increments of time between prayers specifically for the morning and evening prayer sessions. The canonical hours were no longer to be exclusively controlled and regulated by the clergy. (MacCulloch, 630) MacCulloch states that Cranmer established a strong foundation of liturgy that helped the laity look beyond the surface of events and say that there is more to human life and creation than the obvious, the everyday. (630) Cranmer strongly upheld his prayer book in great esteem. He did not heed the Councils request that he alter the rubric commanding that individuals receive Communion while kneeling. However, he could not stop the introduction of the black rubric , which denied any intention to revere the elements.(Dickens 1989, 278.) Cranmer asked for advice from his colleagues as he crafted the 1550 revision of the Ordinal. Its imperfections were later used as grounds for reje ction by Rome coming from Anglican demands. The first ordinal was a conservative document, based on medieval sources, though not permitting the social ordering and grouping of bishop, priest and deacon. It maintained the tradition of providing a silver or gold plate for the eucharist bread and chalice to priests recently ordained. Bishops received pastorals staffs. Cranmer also had the priests receive a Bible to represent their purpose of preaching to the congregation. Later an extra amendment of the Ordinal was included in the 1552 prayer book. In this amendment Cranmer reformed the system so that bishops and priests received no items except a Bible. (Dickens 1989, 270) Cranmer eased access to the liturgy, collecting everything that was indispensable in one book in the common tongue. He likely did not plan on his services being used for 400 years. However, his services were intended for repeated and frequent use. Cranmers text has been long revered as originating from an author sensitive providing formal English prose. Contemporary learning demonstrates the indispensable reputation of the structure of language to greater culture.. If, as MacCulloch states, Cranmers language lies at the heart of our English-speaking culture, (632.) Cranmers work towards the English language is likely his most important tribute. There are those that oppose this conclusion. A view is that Cranmers liturgies have become ingrained in English literary identity and have predisposed the religious rationale of English-speaking people. In contrast, Donald Gray states it is far too simple to romanticize the historic links between Anglican society and liturgy. Often claims made regarding the importance of the Book of Common Prayer are exaggerated elitist claims stated by and for a segment of society that possessed the time and opportunity for worship. Many enormous areas of England were not significantly influenced by the Book of Common Prayer and possessed very limited knowledge of its contents. (Gray 1991, 135-143) In addition, one may argue that contributions to English religious literature are not necessarily contributions to religious reformation. When Edward VI rose to power as a youth, the opportunity for positive change was met with rapid reformation in the church. MacCulloch demonstrates that as as the truth liberated the populace, many came to love the Bible. (613-614) The attacking and rejecting of orthodox beliefs such as religious processions and destroying Latin service books was received well. The walls of churches began to display Biblical messages such as The Ten Commandments, The Lords Prayer, and the beatitudes. When Mary ascended to th e throne Cranmer was put in prison and threatened violently to sign recantations accepting fundamental Catholic doctrines. He signed the documents. However, he publicly withdrew the recantations right before he was incinerated as a heretic on 21 March 1556. In conclusion, Cranmer was indispensable to the progress of the English Reformation. His work had impacts on events of the reformation during the reigns of King Henry VIII, Edward VI and Elizabeth I. The evidence demonstrates that he is among the most if not the most important figure in the English Reformation. Cranmers most important reforming achievements are demonstrated by the great documents he created. The access to the Bible and obedience to it that he helped establish was also significant. Cranmer did a great deal more than simply write liturgy and doctrine. The sources demonstrate if had not accomplished his aims at the level of excellence that he did, the efforts of the sixteenth century English reformation would likely have been far less effective and much more short lived. Word Count: 2002 The above essay is all my own work: the source of all material used in its compilation has been duly cited and all help received is acknowledged. The essay does not substantially duplicate material previously or simultaneously submitted to academic staff at any academic institution. Jesse Alvarez

Reducing Gun Violence Essay examples -- The Need for More Gun Laws

Gun violence has reached an all-time high. After the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School, widespread concern forced legislators to take a second look at our gun laws. When twenty children and six educators were gunned down, many citizens were outraged and begged authorities to pass more stringent gun laws because with fewer guns, there could possibly be fewer incidents involving gun violence. Many people believe that the widespread availability of guns is making society unsafe. Each year, nearly 100,000 Americans are shot, 32,000 of them die, 47 children are shot every day, and eight of them die, according to the U.S. News Digital Weekly. In order to solve this problem, more stringent background checks should be required by all applicants, restriction and enforcement on the sale of guns at gun shows need to improve, and the availability of automatic weapons should be limited. More stringent background checks should be obligatory for all gun purchases, and a database should be kept on a state and federal level, which could be funded by the federal government. According to Messer and Cartwright, background checks are a safer way to reduce the chances of endangering families. People who are against new laws misinterpret background checks with the belief that they can infringe on the rights of responsible gun owners. In actuality, background checks prevent known felons and unstable persons from acquiring weapons. The loophole with private sales of weapons, however, is that felons and mentally unstable buyers can purchase from a private seller without a background check. Because of the loophole, private sales should be documented. Even seventy four percent of the National Rifle Association members and 87 percent o... .... MasterFILE Elite. Web. 18 Oct. 2015. Goldberg, J 2012, 'The Case for More Guns (And More Gun Control)', Atlantic Monthly (10727825), 310, 5, pp. 68-78, Literary Reference Center, EBSCOhost, viewed 7 Oct. 2015. McInery, Thomas K. "Keeping Children Safe from Gun Violence." Vital Speeches of the Day 79.7 (2013): 209-211. MasterFILE Elite. Web. 4 Oct. 2015. Messer, Luke, Cartwright, Matt. "Should All Gun Sales Require Background Checks?." U.S. News Digital Weekly 5.20 (2013): 16. MasterFILE Elite. Web. 18 Oct. 2015. Tormey, Travis J. â€Å"NJ Gun Laws- Both Registration and Criminal Charges† New Jersey’s Criminal Defense & DWI Attorney, 8 Oct. 2015. Zarych, John J. â€Å"The Current State of New Jersey’s Gun Laws.† EIN Presswire, 13 August 2009. Web. 18 Oct. 2015. â€Å"Homicide Statistics† Australian Institute of Criminology, 21 February, 2013. Web. 8 Oct. 2015

The Catwoe Analysis System Health And Social Care Essay

Sweden is the 3rd largest state in Western Europe. It is a comfortable and sophisticated state and provides a criterion of wellness attention that is admired by many international health care suppliers and it has on a regular basis ranked at or near the top of most comparative analyses of international wellness attention systems ( Sweden Association of Local Authorities and Regions, 2005 ) . Sweden is a constitutional monarchy based on a parliamentary democracy. The proprietors of the public wellness system are the state ‘s three democratically elected degrees of authorities. Parliament passes statute law, decides on province gross and outgo and has overall duty for development in wellness attention. Administration is decentralised and the wellness attention bringing system is managed by 21 county councils. Based on geographic locations, the councils are responsible for the wellness of the population in their several countries. This involves non merely the proviso of wellness attention but besides wellness publicity and disease bar ( European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies, 2005 ) . County councils besides regulate private wellness attention ( Mighealth, 2009 ) . The 290 local councils ( urban countries ) are responsible for aged attention and nursing places, including people with physical or psychological disablements. Transformations: Sweden operates a individual remunerator, decentralised, publically owned theoretical account, supplying wellness insurance to every person. Overall 85 % of wellness attention comes from public support. County councils are responsible for the majority of support and operations. Over 90 % of county gross goes to wellness attention, which is funded chiefly from revenue enhancement levies. The municipalities are responsible for the support and bringing of long term attention and societal services. Both the county councils and the municipalities have the right to impose relative income revenue enhancements. Even though persons enjoy cosmopolitan wellness insurance they are still capable to little co-payments and fees for hospital visits, pharmaceuticals and other services. County councils besides regulate private wellness attention. A private wellness attention supplier must hold an understanding in order to be reimbursed by societal insurance, therefore private wellness attention ( with a few exclusions ) is publicly funded in footings of insurance ( Mighealth, 2009 ) . Private insurance is really limited and merely about 2.3 % of persons chose to buy private auxiliary programs ( European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies, 2005 ) . Servicess are by and large limited to those non available in the public wellness attention system. Most wellness attention is provided in wellness Centres where the histrions are the people who deliver services are the multidisciplinary squad. Around 25 % of these wellness Centres are in private run endeavors that are commissioned by county councils. There are around 60 infirmaries countrywide with a little figure of them being regional infirmaries that offer extremely specialised attention. The county councils employ the bulk of doctors through a salary or on a capitated rate. Doctors can work outside the public wellness system wholly but patients have to pay the full costs. Swedish wellness attention consumes about one ten percent of the state ‘s entire resources. Therefore it is important that the resources be used sagely and be efficaciously. Environmental restraints faced by Sweden include the two rule factors that are giving rise to increased wellness attention outgo internationally. First there is the demand to equilibrate cost effectivity with increased public demands based on progresss in engineering and intervention. These increased demands equate to lifting wellness attention costs which may be unacceptable to the population who already pay higher revenue enhancements than many other European states. Additionally Sweden, like the remainder of the Western universe has an increasing ageing population. 17 % of its citizens are over 65 old ages of age ( Gennser, 1996 ) . There are two typical schools of idea sing how the addition in the aged population will impact public wellness attention. One position is that the future growing of the aged population will bring forth major additions in wellness outgos which are non likely sustainable given the current administration and support of wellness attention. The contrasting position suggests that wellness attention outgos will increase as a consequence of the growing in the aged population, but most of the growing in wellness attention outgos will be manageable because of some combination of the reallocation of outgos from the immature to the old, attendant additions in productiveness and beginnings ensuing from new engineerings and efficiencies betterments within the wellness attention sector. Whichever position is favoured there is still an increased demand for healthcare intercessions in footings of intervention, attention and bar likewise. Sweden compares favorably in a universe position of wellness attention systems. Whereas in most European states at that place has been an addition in disbursement as a per centum of GDP, Sweden has been the exclusion as it has fallen over a figure of old ages. The last two decennaries have seen many European states set up wellness system reforms aimed at controling the lifting rate of disbursement growing, increase efficiency and widen pick and reactivity and all this at a clip when the sum of attention to be delivered is get downing to transcend the available resources. Sweden has worked at run intoing these purposes whilst still being committed to cosmopolitan entree and equity in service proviso. Part Two: Analyse the key reforms that have been implemented in this wellness system over the past decennary. Although the cardinal construction of the Swedish wellness system has remained reasonably consistent over the last half century, negative tendencies in the economic system which were rendering the system unsustainable in the late 1980 ‘s led to a turning discontent amongst the populace. After three decennaries of rapid economic growing, the economic system was decelerating down. As a consequence of this in the 1990s major reforms evolved in many countries of Sweden, where wellness suppliers experimented with new economic inducements among wellness attention suppliers. These included the debut of the purchaser/provider split, DRG-based reimbursements and extended patient pick. The DRG monetary value mechanism was introduced in 1990 and by basically attaching an official monetary value ticket to every infirmary intervention, authorities budget shapers enabled suppliers both to better their public presentation and to switch the system ‘s focal point to the demands of health- care consumers. In a single-payer theoretical account without monetary values the mission of health-care workers is to make everything possible to handle patients successfully, and people who need intervention be given to drench the system with demand. Funders constricted by budgets so seek to command runaway costs by seting a ceiling on the volume of attention, an action which creates deficits and waiting lists. When compensation beyond the bound is reduced or withdrawn, the production of services slows down and even Michigans. Puting monetary values back into the equation in Sweden changed inducements. Not merely was hospital support improved by the increased production of services, but besides private suppliers were available to execute interventions on an equal footing. This stimulation to productiveness required that reimbursement degrees be transparent, stable and dependable. The fairness implicit in the DRG pricing system and the information it conveyed enabled buyers to be s plit from suppliers within publically funded health care ( Hjertqvist, 2002 ) . Patient rights were besides really much in focal point during the 1890ss, there were alterations in waiting list warrants both in 1992 and 1997 and as the Patients ‘ Rights Reform came approximately in 1999, although there were alterations to the latter some old ages subsequently. They have shown a turning committedness towards wellness publicity. Preventive attention potentially offers a cost-efficient alternate to high-cost engineering and medical attention. Part Three: Explain how one of these chief reforms could be applied within the Maltese system in order to either contain public outgo or increase quality and efficiency. Mental ailment wellness is noted as one of the largest public wellness jobs in Sweden. It excessively is an country that has been capable to the purchaser/provider attack. Dr Thomas Flodin, a board member of the Swedish Medical Association, said he did non hold any expostulation to increased usage of the private sector. â€Å" What is of import is non who provides the attention, but that it remains available to everyone. † And this seems to be one of the underlying features of the Swedish system ( cited by Triggle, 2005 ) . Presently in Malta private mental wellness service suppliers are limited to Consultant Psychiatrists who although seeing patients in private, finally rely on public services for attention and intervention or likewise para-professional such as psychologists. With merely one psychiatric infirmary and centrally managed para-services there is a monopoly on mental sick wellness service proviso. If this theoretical account was to be adopted so market inducements could be introduced into a system that is presently publically managed. The production of services would go the exclusive concern of supplier organic structures. This may non needfully mention to ‘new ‘ suppliers but may besides include infirmaries, nursing places and community wellness Centres, who would no longer keep a budget and make up one's mind how it should be spent. Cardinal budgets are a tool to cut down costs during times of economic diminution. Servicess are reduced and activity slows down ( e.g. deficiency of community mental wellness services, bed barricading due to deficiency of services to ease flow of patients ) . Alternatively, gross would depend on contracts from buyers. Buyers would non be consumers or patients, but buying governments established to purchase ( but non bring forth ) wellness services. The buying governments would be commissioned to procure betterments in wellness for defined populations ( people with mental sick wellness ) , and do so by measuring their population ‘s wellness attention demands, finding the most cost-efficient agencies of run intoing these demands, and undertaking suppliers to provide the services required. Cardinal to the purchaser/provider separation is the procedure of competitory tendering, or catching, designed to promote competition among suppliers. Introducing competition would add pluralism to what is now a set, restricted group of services. Having estimated which and how many services are needed, the buying authorization would ask for suppliers to subject stamps for contracts to provide them. These contracts would include stipulate the type and sum of attention to be supplied, the quality of the service, and the contractual period. Once these were awarded, suppliers would be able to concentrate on the proficient facets of proviso, taking to carry through their contractual duties at lowest cost. Competitive tendering forces suppliers to continually seek to better the efficiency of their productive procedures. The more efficient will win more contracts by being able to subject lower commands than their rivals. They will besides be able to spread out into new countries of service bringing. The buying authorization would be good placed to change the mix of services available by moving in the involvements of their populations and exerting their purchasing power. Released from the influence of suppliers, buying governments are able to replace traditional attention attacks with advanced services and guarantee that services are received in their most appropriate scenes, and contract for cost effectual signifiers of proviso. Furthermore, given their duty to procure mensurable wellness betterments it is in their involvement to guarantee a greater co-ordination of attention for single users. Suppliers will ever appreciate that efficiency will ever be better paid than inefficiency. This would hold a monolithic impact on patients who at nowadays have to accept attention and intervention that is normally generalized and to a great extent based on tradition and administered in a grossly paternalistic civilization of the adviser ever being right and hence the exclusive writer of th eir intervention bundle. Making a market environment breaks up traditional beaurocratic attacks. In Sweden many former public service employees became enterprisers by choosing to run as private suppliers and working conditions of wellness attention employees and improved as they ‘voted with their pess ‘ . This excessively would be possible in Malta. Cardinal authorities need non play a major portion in the twenty-four hours to twenty-four hours running of the wellness system. After set uping regulative maps, and apportioning population weighted budgets to buying governments, the market can be left to itself, with the cardinal authorities curtailing itself to the fiscal and public presentation audit of buyers. Government sections may publish guidelines and directives to accomplish a grade of consistence in buying determinations, and to guarantee that the wellness system contributes to national aims and precedences. Government can concentrate on stand foring the population by explicating a vision for mental wellness in Malta. Implementing such a wellness attention reform in Malta addition handiness, competition and patient pick.MentionsEuropean Observatory on Health Systems and Policies ( 2005 ) Health Systems in Transition. Hit Drumhead: Sweden. Writer. Gennser, M. ( 1996 ) Sweden ‘s Health Care System: Swedish attitudes about wellness attention. In Healthy Incentives: Canadian Health Reform in an International Context. Edited by: McArthur W, Ramsay C and Walker M. Vancouver. The Fraser Institute. Hjertqvist, J. ( 2002 ) Health Care Treatment Prices In Swedish Hospitals: DRGs are a cardinal to performance-based wellness reform. Available from hypertext transfer protocol: //www.fcpp.org/pdf/Policy % 20Frontiers % 206 % 20- % 20DRG % 20Prices % 20in % 20Sweden % 20including % 20appendix % 20final.PDF Mighealth ( 2009 ) Introduction to Swedish Health Care. Available from hypertext transfer protocol: //mighealth.net.se/index.php Swedish Association of Local Authorities and Regions ( 2005 ) Swedish Health Care in an International Context – a comparing of attention demands, costs, and outcomes. Available from hypertext transfer protocol: //www.swedishhealthcare.se/swedenshealthcaresystem.html Triggle, N. ( 2005 ) Keeping Healthy, the Swedish manner. Available from hypertext transfer protocol: //news.bbc, co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/health/4461098.stm

Management Role in Ensuring Editorial Freedom

Responsibility, credibility and quality are key words for a large, serious media group. This applies in relation to the users of our media, customers, employees, shareholders and the societies in which we work. At the forefront, however, is the publishing responsibility: to safeguard editorial independence and freedom of speech in the media which we own. Free media are among the main contributors to strong, live democracies. A credible, strong media should defend important values such as religious freedom, tolerance, human rights and democratic principles. They must reflect a diversity of opinion. For this reason, they should also provide different ways of looking at issues and views on important questions in public debates. The management must facilitate editors in complying with the legislation and ethical regulations of the country where the operations take place. Editorial quality and credibility are the cornerstone of publishing activities and these, together with the individual medium’s articles of association, form the basis for the editors’ work. The editor-in-chief has full freedom and is personally and fully responsible for the content of the medium of which he or she is in charge. However, there are only few publications that allow their editors with total freedom. In reality, an independent press is a myth. Or at best, a glorified term. Most editors dare not write their honest comment/opinion. In other words, they are sometimes paid to keep their honest opinions out of the paper. And if they do defy the management, they would soon be out on the streets hunting for a new job. Most managements have vested interests – political, social and cultural in running the paper, which may not gel with the opinions held by the editors they employ. It is here that the editors have to either compromise with their editorial values or pay a price for standing up to them. In private, corporate media environments, editorial hiring and firing are the preserve of the owners. Media houses (read owners) have become highly profit-oriented organizations. So editorial values are always at stake Distortion of news and comment in such a scenario becomes the order of the day. Most owners hand-pick their editors so that the policy of the owner becomes the policy of the editor. Dissent is seldom allowed It is media owners who possess the greater weapon today – i. e. , one useful against incumbent politicians fearful of bad press, lack of access, and endorsement of opponents. This sorry, quid-pro-quo, relationship leads to media corruption, benefitting only the ruling, corporate, class. Managements giving complete editorial freedom is therefore rare. But any newspaper which enjoys more flexibility and freedom from their management, has the potential to make greater impact and live up to the reputation of a frank, fair and fearless media. Today's concentration of media ownership and editorial power brings into sharp focus not only the immense responsibility, but also the freedom and estate of editors – in particular those with huge audiences. Yet it is major-media owners, and their hand-picked editors, who decide what the vast majority see, hear, and read. Media owners and their editors have become the unelected, and unregulated, keepers of the public trust and molders of the public mind.