Literature Review on Preconception Counseling and Education

Literature Review on Preconception Counseling and Education Review of literature is an essential step in the development of a research project. It helps the researcher to design the proposed study in a scientific manner. So as to achieved the desired result. In this chapter the researcher will present the review of literature in the following heading. Section-I: Studies related to Importance of preconception counseling and health education. Section-II: Studies related to Knowledge and attitude regarding preconception care. Section-III: Studies related to Use of vitamin supplements prior to pregnancy. Section-IV: Studies related to Health awareness and promotion on preconception care Section-V: Studies related to Betty Neumanns system model SECTION-I: STUDIES RELATED TO PRECONCEPTION COUNSELLING AND HEALTH EDUCATION Bastani, Hashemi, Bastani, Haghani., (2010) conducted a study, among the women attending premarital clinics in Iran which was aimed to assess the impact of a health education workshop on their health locus of control and self-efficacy in physical activity. Randomized controlled trial was used as the design for the study. A questionnaire was used before and after the intervention. There were significant increases in scores of internal health locus of control and self-efficacy in the experimental group that is among the 109 samples in the post-intervention. Compared to the control group that is among 101 samples. Short-term health education can empower the women to adapt to the healthy lifestyles. Berghella,Buchanan, Pereira, Baxter., (2010) conducted study on the available literature, on preconception care. They have searched in the Cochrane Library, MEDLINE, and PUBMED from 1966 until January 2009. The target audience was Obstetricians Gynecologists, Family Physicians and adolescence. When they completed the educational programme, the participant was having knowledge to assess the potential benefits for women and their baby that which results from the preconception care. Jong-Potjer LC de, Elsinga, et.al., (2006) conducted a study on Preconception counselling can reduce negative pregnancy problems by finding the risk factors before pregnancy in Netherlands. Randomized trial of women aged 18-40years were used as sample in the study. The anxiety level was assessed among the women. After the Preconception care there was found an average decrease of 3.6 points in anxiety-levels (95% CI, 2.4 4.8). Mean scores of the STAI-3 were 38.5 (95% CI 37.7 39.3) in the control group (n = 1090) and 38.7 (95% CI 37.9 39.5) in the intervention group (n = 1186). Study proved that anxiety reduced after participation due to the effect of counselling. Therefore the offer of Preconception counselling to the general population is effective to reduce anxiety. SECTION-II: STUDIES RELATED TO KNOWLEDGE AND PRACTICE REGARDING THE PRECONCEPTION CARE Coonrod, Bruce, Malcolm, Drachman, Frey., (2009) conducted a study to find out the knowledge and attitudes regarding preconception care in a low-income Mexican American population. A cross-sectional survey was used and the sample size was 305. 89% agreed that improving preconception health benefits pregnancy. 77% expressed some interest in preconception health care. Areas of high knowledge included were the folic acid use in pregnancy; use of alcohol; and verbal, physical, and sexual abuse. The samples showed interest in the preconception education and agreed that preconception health will have positive effect on pregnancy outcomes. Maria , Morgan Debra Hawks, et.al., (2006) conducted a study to describe obstetrician-gynecologists opinions regarding preconception care. The Questionnaire was mailed to 1105 ACOG members. 60% was the response rate. 87% of the gynecologists think that preconception counselling is important and 94% think that it should be always recommend to the women planning for pregnancy. Around 34% thought their patients do not plan for their pregnancies and 49% said very few pregnant patients came for preconception counselling. Of those who obtain preconception counselling, 83% were believed to assure a healthy pregnancy because of an elevated risk for birth defects (20%). Janis Biermann, Anne Lang Dunlop, et.al., (2006) conducted two program focusing the urban African-American women which has included the interconception care also. Project was aimed to reduce the key risks in the women of childbearing age. 7 out of 21 women in the IPC were identified as having a previous chronic disease. 21 out of 21 women have developed a reproductive plan for themselves, and they didnt become pregnant within 9 months. The success rate of the project was greater than 70% among the participants. Preconception care appeared to be effective when specific risk factors were identified and interventions were given appropriately. SECTION-III: STUDIES RELATED TO USE OF VITAMIN SUPPLEMENTS PRIOR TO THE PREGNANCY Carl J, Hill, DA., (2009) did a study that womens diet should be supplemented with 400 mcg folic acid every day which helps in reducing neural tube defects in their babies up to 72%. Blood glucose should be controlled prior to conception helps in reducing the birth defects and pregnancy loss. Reducing the caffeine consumption can reduce the risk of miscarriage. Counselling was given for women in these areas and found to be effective. Morgan LM, Major JL, Meyer RE, Mullenix A., (2009) proved that use of 400 mcg of folic acid among non-pregnant females of childbearing age in the Western North Carolina reduced the risk of neural tube defects by 50%-80. To the non-pregnant women free bottle of multivitamins was given to increase the consumption. The daily use multivitamin was increased after receiving a free three month supply. Weerd de, Sabina Thomas, Chris, Cikot, Rolf, Steegers, Eric., (2002) conducted a study to assess whether counselling the women who plans for pregnancy to start or to continue the folic acid supplementation can improves folate status. Women and their partners who have reported folic acid supplement intake were categorized as users or nonusers of supplements. The use of folic acid intake was addressed at a subsequent preconceptional consultation. Differences between reported supplement users and nonusers before counselling as well as between assumed users and nonusers of folic acid were analyzed. A total of 111 eligible women participated. Preconceptional folic acid use can improves the folate status among women planning to conceive. SECTION-IV: STUDIES RELATED TO HEALTH AWARENESS AND PROMOTION OF PRECONCEPTION CARE Vause, Jones, Evans, Wilkie, Leader., (2009) conducted a study whether counselling before conception is important. After completing the knowledge survey the woman was sent for initial assessment. 400 surveys were used for the data analysis. Patients were informed about the health optimization, consumption of folic acid, exposure to infectious disease, use of medication and use of recreational drug. Nulliparous women were found less knowledgeable. The more educated women had more knowledge. It was suggested that the women need their physicians to educate about pre-pregnancy lifestyle. Delvoye, Guillaume, Collard, Nardella, Hannecart, Mauroy., (2009) conducted a study regarding preconception health promotion. The study results showed that preconception care was not able to provide when pregnancy was unplanned. The study proposes flour fortification with folic acid; timely immunization, continuous training of health care providers in the provision of preconception cares. Delgado CE., (2008) done a study to assess undergraduate student awareness regarding preconception health. In the study 241 students were included as the sample. A questionnaire was designed to assess awareness related to preconception health and pregnancy. By answering 64% the students showed a mild to moderate level of awareness regarding preconception care. Individual student scores varied a great deal, ranging from 33% to 89% correct. Students who had previous such course containing information on pregnancy and/or child development correctly answered a greater percentage of items than those who had not taken such a course. Females had statistically significantly, higher awareness scores than males. Students demonstrated a high level of awareness for use of substance, a moderate level of awareness for sexually transmitted diseases and preconception care, and lower levels of awareness for folic acid, prenatal development, health, and pregnancy spacing. SECTION-V: STUDIES RELATED TO BETTY NEUMANNS SYSTEM MODEL Deepa Thomas, (1998) conducted a study to assess the effectiveness of instructional module on knowledge regarding menstrual hygiene among adolescent girls in selected schools in Trivandrum. In her study she used Betty Newmans System model (1989) for creating awareness regarding menstrual hygiene among adolescent girls. Stressors in her study were hormonal, physical and psychosocial changes and the existing superstitions and lack of knowledge of adolescent girls and the reaction was poor menstrual hygiene and maladjustment. She used two interventions in her study. The primary prevention was done by using the instructional module for providing education to the adolescent girls regarding menarche, development of secondary sexual characteristics and menstrual hygiene. In her study the secondary prevention was detection of unhygienic practices and education to correct the practices. The reconstitution in her study was the better adjustment and better hygiene. Alpha.G., (2008) conducted a study to find the effectiveness of structured teaching programme on knowledge and attitude regarding changes related to puberty and menstrual hygiene among prepubertal girls in selected schools, at Salem. In her study she used Betty Newmans System model (1989) for creating awareness regarding menstrual hygiene among prepubertal girls. Stressors in her study were the physical and psychosocial changes related to puberty. She used one intervention in her study. The primary prevention was done through structured teaching programme on changes related to puberty and menstrual hygiene. The reconstitution in her study was the better knowledge and attitude towards pubertal changes and menstrual hygiene.

Intelligence Collection and Analysis Essay -- Research

Improving the Relationship This paper will detail how I would explain to my policymaker what the psychological barriers are for intelligence collection and analysis. Next, I will provide an argument as to what types of rigors are needed to improve intelligence analysis making it more reliable. Finally, I will persuade the policymaker to support my argument in order to receive more funding in order to implement the type of improvements I have defined. Policymakers need to understand that analysts face psychological obstacles in four key stages of the analytical process, which are making judgments, coordinating judgments, confronting organizational norms, and substantive judgments. (George and Bruce, 2008) When an analyst makes a judgment based on inconclusive evidence the probability that a surprise will occur increases. These judgments are made under some constraint that restricts the analyst from verifying or even receiving further evidence to collaborate or disprove the current judgment. (George and Bruce, 2008) When analysts coordinate judgments with other analysts and managers, other agendas and biases are introduced into the analysis. Analyst need to be informed of the organization’s expectations of the analysis. Substantive judgments occur when an analyst’s ethics force the analyst to ignore the agendas of the policymakers and to be write judgments based on the evidence. (George and Bruce, 2008) All t hese psychological obstacles to sound judgment are clouded by complexity, uncertainty, and secrecy. Cognitive biases are distortions in information processing created by worldview, ideology, or political preference. (George and Bruce, 2008) The mindset of the analyst is the accumulated knowledge of past behav... ...s. Policymakers need to allow additional time, increase analyst-staffing levels, and provide better direction to analysts so that judgments will become sounder. By developing improved communications between the analysts and the policymaker the judgments will be more useful. These improvements are needed to increase the quality and timeliness of judgments. Works Cited George, Roger., Bruce, James. (Eds.). (2008) Analyzing Intelligence: Origins, Obstacles, and Innovations. Washington, D.C.: Georgetown University Press. Heuer, Richards. (1999). Psychology of Intelligence Analysis. Retrieved November 28, 2010 from http://www.dtic.mil/cgibin/GetTRDoc?AD=ADA500078&Location=U2&doc=GetTRDoc.pdf ledzapp461. (2005, December 22). Orson Welles Paul Masson Commercial. Retrieved November 29, 2010. From http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bpj0t2ozPWY&feature=related Intelligence Collection and Analysis Essay -- Research Improving the Relationship This paper will detail how I would explain to my policymaker what the psychological barriers are for intelligence collection and analysis. Next, I will provide an argument as to what types of rigors are needed to improve intelligence analysis making it more reliable. Finally, I will persuade the policymaker to support my argument in order to receive more funding in order to implement the type of improvements I have defined. Policymakers need to understand that analysts face psychological obstacles in four key stages of the analytical process, which are making judgments, coordinating judgments, confronting organizational norms, and substantive judgments. (George and Bruce, 2008) When an analyst makes a judgment based on inconclusive evidence the probability that a surprise will occur increases. These judgments are made under some constraint that restricts the analyst from verifying or even receiving further evidence to collaborate or disprove the current judgment. (George and Bruce, 2008) When analysts coordinate judgments with other analysts and managers, other agendas and biases are introduced into the analysis. Analyst need to be informed of the organization’s expectations of the analysis. Substantive judgments occur when an analyst’s ethics force the analyst to ignore the agendas of the policymakers and to be write judgments based on the evidence. (George and Bruce, 2008) All t hese psychological obstacles to sound judgment are clouded by complexity, uncertainty, and secrecy. Cognitive biases are distortions in information processing created by worldview, ideology, or political preference. (George and Bruce, 2008) The mindset of the analyst is the accumulated knowledge of past behav... ...s. Policymakers need to allow additional time, increase analyst-staffing levels, and provide better direction to analysts so that judgments will become sounder. By developing improved communications between the analysts and the policymaker the judgments will be more useful. These improvements are needed to increase the quality and timeliness of judgments. Works Cited George, Roger., Bruce, James. (Eds.). (2008) Analyzing Intelligence: Origins, Obstacles, and Innovations. Washington, D.C.: Georgetown University Press. Heuer, Richards. (1999). Psychology of Intelligence Analysis. Retrieved November 28, 2010 from http://www.dtic.mil/cgibin/GetTRDoc?AD=ADA500078&Location=U2&doc=GetTRDoc.pdf ledzapp461. (2005, December 22). Orson Welles Paul Masson Commercial. Retrieved November 29, 2010. From http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bpj0t2ozPWY&feature=related

Enemy of the People :: Essays Papers

Enemy of the People The book I read was written by Ibsen and called Enemy of the People. There were nine characters in this book but only five main characters. Dr. Stockmann, Hovstad, Aslaksen, Peter, and Billing. The protagonist was Doctor Stockmann. He has just discovered that a bathing complex that is crucial to the town’s economy is seriously contaminated. He alerts several members of the community and receives generous support and thanks for making this discovery in time to save the town. The next day his brother, the town mayor and the antagonist, tells him he has to retract his statement to the town because to repair the bath it would cost to much money for the town; the mayor is not convinced by the doctors findings. They have a huge argument, but the Doctor hopes that the newspaper will support him. But the mayor convinces the newspaper to oppose him. Soon after the doctor holds a town meeting to tell everyone about the baths. The mayor and Aslaksen, the newspaper printer, try to keep him from speaking. The doctor begins a long lecture in which he condemns the foundations of the town and the tyranny of the majority. The people find his speech offensive and revolt against the doctor. The next morning the doctor’s house is vandalized and all the people who supported him earlier now oppose him. Instead of leaving the town the doctor stays in the town to defy authority. His family is supportive and he says, â€Å"that the strongest man is the man who stands alone.† Psychology plays a main part in the conclusion of the story. Its mob psychology, in the story the newspaper editors did support him and so did most of the town up until the mayor got to them and told them that he was bad. The people knew that the baths were no good and contaminated but they were to afraid to voice there opinion in fear that they might be different and consider bad to the town authorities. So mob psychology deals with people who don’t want to stand out in a crowd no matter what is going to happen to them or the town.

Korean Drink Sikhye Essay

Seol, the biggest traditional Korean holiday of the year, is when family members gather and eat a traditional meal with a variety of dishes which eventually, leads to overeating. What drink is used help digest all those food, Sikhye. Sikhye is a sweet drink made of malt and rice that has been a traditional beverage throughout Korean culture. It was first introduced in a book on knowledge of living called Samunsaseol in 1740. In the 1800s the recipe was revealed in cook books named Gyungonyoram and Siuijeonseo. There are various kinds of sikhye, Andong sikhye, Jinju sikhye, dried meat sikhye from Gyeongsangdo, dried pollack sikhye from Gangwondo, halibut sikhye from Hamgyeongdo, sailfin sandfish sikhye, and yeonan sikhye. It is said that Sikhye was created in North Korea and made mainly of fishes, powdered red pepper, and radish. Then it was introduced in the South and instead of fishes, malt was put in. After that it gradually known to be established with malt and rice only. Sikhye is a fermented drink made through patience. This drink was first drunk due to its job of stimulating digestion. Sikhye is also referred to dansul or gamju. While Sikhye is rice punch with rice floating in it, gamju is rice punch without rice floating in it. The famous drink is made by pouring malt water into boiled glutinous rice to leave for a while to ferment. Then the rice is removed from the water and rinsed and drained. The remaining water is boiled with sugar and ginger and served cool with the rice. The taste of this refreshment is the malt that is used. Malt is also significant due to its nutritional value. Sikhye is a natural sweet drink made without any artificial sweeteners. This drink prevents food from decomposing in our bodies and has anti-cancer substances. That is why it is important to drink sikhye after a meal. Due to this fact, it was served to Kings as a dessert. The beverage helps balance the body warming a cold body and cooling a hot body. Therefore it is good for diets and hangovers. Sikhye, one of the most cherished Korean drinks, is an important factor in Korean Culture. With its refreshing while unique sweet taste, it grabs people from different ethnicities. It is found in almost every Korean grocery store. While its great while bought, it best when homemade especially in Korea. In Korea, homemade Sikhye is naturally made which makes it distinctive from other drinks. It is known to be one of the best drinks in the culture. There are little ingredients that go in Sikhye, but there it needs a lot of patience to make. The ingredients in this refreshment are Korean rice, malt powder, warm water, caster sugar, ginger, and pine nuts if want to garnish. When making sikhye, what you need to do first is to mix warm water and powdered malt and leave it for three to four hours until the water becomes yellowish. The next step is to mix hard-boiled rice with the malt water in a small earthenware jar and keep it warm for four to five hours. The temperature should be kept at 60 to 70 degrees. If it were lower or higher temperatures, it would spoil the fermentation process. After about four hours, open the jar and check to see if the grains of rice are floating and if they are, take the rice out of the jar using a strainer, and rinse it with cold water and place it in a separate container. Then refrigerate the rice. The next step is to boil the remaining water and add some sugar for taste. Remove the foam that appears on the surface while boiling. After boiling the water, put it in a jar and refrigerate it, to make it cold. When served in special occasions, pour the water in a glass bowl and put the floating rice and other ingredients for decoration. If need more sweetening, add more sugar. This is how to prepare Sikhye and serve it during occasions.

Structured Cabling

1. What industry standards body and standards series numbers do you need to reference for Ethernet applications and cabling? The IEEE maintains the industry standards for Ethernet Protocols (or applications). This is part of the 802.3 series of standards and includes applications such as 1000Base-T, 1000Base-SX, 10GBase-T, and 10GBase-SR.2. What are the different types of category 6 cables and what should be recommended this network? Category 6 and category 6A are the types of cables; I would recommend Cat 6A cable over Cat 6 because cat 6A also supports 10Gbps which is for future speed.3. What cable would you recommend to offer the best shielding performance? You need STP or FIBER OPTIC cable to provide best shielding performance, optic fiber is expensive not easy to terminate ends and has no RFI EMI, whereas shielded twisted pair is easy and cheap.4. What type of cable would you use for the horizontal spaces and vertical links? Cat6 is the current standard for new installations of Ethernet cable. Depending on the space and certain building codes you need to decide between Plenum (CMP) or Riser (CMR). The difference being Riser cable is more durable, but puts out toxic fumes when caught on fire, so it is not suitable for spaces with open air flow. Dropped ceilings are generally considered Plenum spaces so therefore require plenum cable.5. What would you look for in trying to find fault if you had the following next and fext problems in 1Gbps links and difficulty meeting 10Gbps performance requirements? When finding fault in NEXT; the crosstalk is usually detected or found at the same end of the cable generating the signal and it is most common between 60 and 90 feet of the transmitter.In the other hand, when finding faults in FEXT the crosstalk occurs in the other end (opposite) of the cable. the problem is usually too many twists in the  cable; Alien Crosstalk (AXT) as the signal rate increase in a cable, this is a major source of interference, and a limiti ng factor, for running 10GBase-T (10Gbps) over UTP cabling. This kind of crosstalk usually â€Å"occurs when the signal being carried in one cable interferes with the signal being carried in â€Å"another cables†.TermsOsi- (Open Systems Interconnection) this is a standard description or â€Å"reference Model† for how messages should be transmitted between any two points in a telecommunication network. Its purpose is to guide product implementers so that their products will consistently work with other products. The reference model defines seven layers of functions that take place at each end of a communication. Although OSI is not always strictly adhered to in terms of keeping related functions together in a well-defined layer, many if not most products involved in telecommunication make an attempt to describe them in relation to the OSI model. It is also valuable as a single reference view of communication that furnishes everyone a common ground for education and dis cussion.Developed by representatives of major computer and telecommunication companies beginning in 1983, OSI was originally intended to be a detailed specification of interfaces. Instead, the committee decided to establish a common reference model for which others could develop detailed interfaces that in turn could become standards. OSI was officially adopted as an international standard by the International Organization of Standards (ISO). Currently, it is Recommendation X.200 of the ITU-TS. The main idea in OSI is that the process of communication between two end points in a telecommunication network can be divided into layers, with each layer adding its own set of special, related functions.Each communicating user or program is at a computer equipped with these seven layers of function. So, in a given message between users, there will be a flow of data through each layer at one end down through the layers in that computer and, at the other end, when the message arrives, another flow of data up through the layers in the receiving computer and ultimately to the end user or program. The actual programming and hardware that furnishes these seven layers of function is usually a combination of the computer  operating system, applications (such as your Web browser), TCP/IP or alternative transport and network protocols, and the software and hardware that enable you to put a signal on one of the lines attached to your computer.The 7 Standard Tcp/IPLayer 7: The application layer†¦This is the layer at which communication partners are identified, quality of service is identified, user authentication and privacy are considered, and any constraints on data syntax are identified. (This layer is not the application itself, although some applications may perform application layer functions.) Layer 6: The presentation layer†¦This is a layer, usually part of an operating system, that converts incoming and outgoing data from one presentation format to another (f or example, from a text stream into a popup window with the newly arrived text). Sometimes called the syntax layer.Layer 5: The session layer†¦This layer sets up, coordinates, and terminates conversations, exchanges, and dialogs between the applications at each end. It deals with session and connection coordination. Layer 4: The transport layer†¦This layer manages the end-to-end control (for example, determining whether all packets have arrived) and error-checking. It ensures complete data transfer. Layer 3: The network layer†¦This layer handles the routing of the data (sending it in the right direction to the right destination on outgoing transmissions and receiving incoming transmissions at the packet level). The network layer does routing and forwarding.Layer 2: The data-link layer†¦This layer provides synchronization for the physical level and does bit-stuffing for strings of 1's in excess of 5. It furnishes transmission protocol knowledge and management. Lay er 1: The physical layer†¦This layer conveys the bit stream through the network at the electrical and mechanical level. It provides the hardware means of sending and receiving data on a carrier.

Fundamentals of Nevada History

The year was 1864 and it was the beginning of May when an election would take place in June that would decide the second constitutional convention.This convention unlike the one in 1863; this one would establish the Nevada Enabling Act, but would have restrictions that the constitution written would have to follow under the following guidelines: (1) The new State Constitution must be republican in nature and not repugnant to the Federal Constitution or the Declaration of Independence; 2) there shall be no slavery or involuntary servitude other than for punishment of crimes, without the consent of the United States and the people of Nevada; (3) the Constitutional Convention must disclaim all rights to inappropriate lands in Nevada; (4) land owned by U.S. Citizens outside Nevada must not be discriminated against in taxation; and (5) there must be no taxation of federal property in the state. (Michael W. Bowers 2005). This was a time that Nevada was not statehood and Lincoln needed more electoral votes for the passage of his Thirteenth Amendment which would abolish slavery. Another reason was so that Lincoln could use Novena's vote to win the 1864 presidential election.The final reason was the dividing of the electoral votes were to even; Lincoln felt if it came down to this it would be left in the House of Representatives hands and he may lose, but by making Nevada a statehood he would be able to win over Nevada giving him another statehood vote and more of a republican power in the House. Civil Rights in Nevada History Although in 1864 the Thirteenth Amendment was passed there was still racism, aggregation, and discrimination in Nevada which has been called later as the â€Å"Mississippi of the West†.Although voting rights had been established; Nevada citizens that were white felt that they were an inferior race and that other races of color should not have the same privileges or their white Anglo-Saxon brothers and sisters. African Americans were not abl e to testify against any white individual in a court of law due to them being presumed â€Å"untrustworthy'. Another issue was that they were not able to work in the state of Nevada as whites had the privileges of doing so. During the building of the Hoover Dam blacks were not eligible for hire and were not able to gamble or stay at the Hotels on the strip if they worked there.Entertainers like Leona Horns and Sammy Davis Jar. Could not stay there after they performed there, and they would have to go to the Million Rouge if they wanted that type of entertainment which was where blacks had to go in order to have the same type of entertainment. Once the Civil Rights Act was passed in 1964 all of this had to come to an end and Nevada was then forced to follow suit. Mining and Gamin History of Nevada In 1863 there were also arguments about the mining and gaming industry taxation against agriculture.Cow herders and farmers felt that the taxation for the mining industry should be more se eing it was outside owners of these companies from San Francisco and other states that would come to Nevada and capitalize off of the land. They were being taxed the same but profit was much larger. Some would go on to even say that Nevada was the state that built San Francisco. The mining companies stands was that without their business all of the stores would be removed, farms old be dried up and streets would turn elsewhere.

Teamsters Union Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Teamsters Union - Research Paper Example Teamsters are several; reference can be made, as examples, to the following: a) Accounting and Budget; it covers the need of the organization in regard to the gathering, process and supply of financial data; b) Political Action; it deals with the arrangement of collective action against strategies and decisions that violate employees’ rights; c); Human Rights; it focuses on the development of plans for the limitation of discrimination in the workplace and d) Campaigns; it focuses on the planning and development of the organization’s campaigns around the world. The structure of the organization, as reflecting its administration, is presented in Graph 1 (Appendix). At top level, the administration of the organization is developed by its, two, ‘executive officers, i.e. the General President and the General Secretary’ (Teamsters, Structure); at the next level, the General Executive Board has the power to control all critical strategic decisions. At the community level, Teamsters is represented by Local Unions the activities of which are monitored by the organization’s Joint Councils. Further, officers are appointed in the Union’s various units for responding to the needs of members and affiliates (Teamsters, Structure). Also, the representatives of the organization ensure that the needs of members are covered at local level; in this way, time is saved in responding to emergent inquiries of members and affiliates (Teamsters, Structure). In order to become a member of the Union an individual has to sign a contract, which can cover the individual either locally, only in regard to one employer, or internationally, in all locations where the business operates. The amount that needs to be paid, for the membership to be completed, is estimated as a percentage of ‘2.5 times the hour – wage of the individual’ (Teamsters, Frequently Asked Questions). Existing members have the chance to enhance their powers within the Union by becoming a steward, with