The United States

Introduction The cold war emerges as significantly distinctive in U.S. relations with Latin America because ideological considerations acquired a primacy over U.S. policy in the region that they had lacked in earlier moments. From the late 1940s until about 1960, ideology was just one of the important factors in the design of U.S. policy towards Latin America. In its subsequent conduct of the key aspect of its policy towards Latin America, the U.S. government often behaved as if it were under the spell of ideological demons.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The United States-Latin America Relations specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Since the end of the cold war, U.S. presidents have all placed Latin America at the center of their foreign policies arguing that the region is integral to the role of the U.S. interests (Smith 2). However, the truth of the matter is that the U.S. gestures towards Latin America have been a continuity of its Cold War ideologies in the region (Stokes 2). In order to understand the nature of U.S. relations with Latin America in a better way, it is important to first understand what really caused the Cold War. In his book titled Talons of the Eagle, Peter Smith observes that the Cold War was an ideological struggle and not just a contest between superpowers. To that end, the U.S. was prepared to pay any price and bear any burden to deal with what it perceived to be an evil empire. Actually, most U.S. elites and much of the public believed profoundly in the righteousness of their cause and deeply feared and loathed what they understood as communism. This ideology explains U.S. military intervention, direct and indirect, and other belligerent U.S. actions during the Cold war. Actually, the Cold War as Smith (8) explains did not give birth to the significance of ideological themes either in U.S. foreign policy generally or in U.S. relations with Latin America specifically . Smith says that this was all a part of the Monroe Doctrine, which had sought to quash any attempt by the surrounding powers to â€Å"extend their system to any portion of this hemisphere† thus posing danger to the peace and safety of the U.S (Smith 8). Actually, Smith notes that it was not just their power but also their system, which was essentially different that Monroe sought to keep in check (Smith 9). From these facts, it now becomes easy to see how the U.S. has continued its policies in the Latin region. After the Cold War, Latin American politics quickly became ideological as dictators wrapped themselves in the cloak of anti-communism to be accepted by a Washington, which was at that time more concerned with carrying out its ideologies than promoting democracy.Advertising Looking for essay on international relations? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More This conflicted expediency is crystallized in John F. Kennedyâ €™s assessment of the situation of the Dominican Republic in 1961. In trying to access the situation, President Kennedy observed that â€Å"there are three possibilities in descending order of preference: a descent democratic regime, a continuation of the Trujillo regime, or a Castro regime. We ought to aim at the first but we cannot renounce the second until we are sure we can avoid the third† (Smith 142). What this means is that no matter the actions taken by the Dominican State, America was willing to do anything within its power to restore what it believed to be a functional government. Indeed, the range of dynamic interaction between the United States and what Smith would call collaborationist regimes is as broad as between the United States and regimes of resistance. According to Smith (194), President Kennedy approved the Bay of Pigs operation in 1961 even before Castro had declared his revolution to be Socialist and admitted his own Marxism. In fact, Smith is not alone in his claim that the U.S. is continuing its Cold War ideologies in the Latin American region. In her book titled Predatory States: Operation Condor and Covert War in Latin America, American author Patrice McSherry argues that the invasion on Condor was an organization of â€Å"paramilitary and parapolice groups operating in the nebulous zone between military command and partial autonomy, creating terror, eliminating democratic rights, and keeping the population fearful and politically inert† (McSherry 243). McSherry’s story compellingly relates how the Latin American paramilitary operations of the mid-to-late-1970s represented a shadowy covert war, significantly aided by U.S. military assistance to fight individuals or groups deemed to be a threat to the United States (McSherry 18). As the global realities around the globe have been changing, America has also changed its mode of operation in dealing with Latin American countries (McSherry 2). In December 1989, P resident Bush ordered a military invasion of Panama to overthrow its government accused of participating in drug trafficking. The ‘restoration’ of democracy to Panama was also cited as a goal of the U.S. invasion. In the years that followed, not much progress was made towards ending Panama’s role in international money laundering-the main role Panama had long had in this international trade.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The United States-Latin America Relations specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More However, the U.S. destruction of the Panamanian military did make a direct and powerful contribution to setting a sounder basis for democracy in Panama. The same scenario was replicated in September 1994 when President Clinton ordered the U.S. invasion to occupy Haiti and overthrow its government (Smith 130). Apart from using direct military invasions, America has also been trying other means to ensu re that it keeps the Latin American region under subordination. In his book titled America’s Other War, author Doug Stokes notes the case of Colombia, which is used by the U.S. to carry out its foreign policies in the region. Over the years, Colombia has been receiving financial assistance and military assistance from the U.S. Although this might be a welcome move, the motivation behind it has not been lost to critics like Stoke. Currently, Colombia finds itself in the precipice of civil war entrenched in a model of neoliberal economics and general subordination to the United States. According to Stoke, 3% of the wealthiest Colombians own over 70% of the farming land, while 57% subsist on less than 3% of the same land (129). Stoke notes that the ratio of income between the wealthiest and poorest 10% was 40:1 in 1990 and rose to 80:1 a decade later. In this manner, Stoke (130) concludes that America has succeeded in shelving all political and legal events in Colombia and all t hat the people now think of is the economy. Conclusion U.S. relations with Latin America during the Cold War exhibited important continuities with preceding U.S. policies. The Cold War years proved distinctive, however, because anti-communist ideological objectives overwhelmed other U.S. foreign policy goals towards Latin America in each case when the United States chose to deploy its military or chose to overthrow a Latin American government through some other means. When the ideological fear of communism was absent, the United States did not deploy its military forces but used other covert means to destabilize Latin American governments with a view of ensuring that they have the upper hand in the region, as it is currently the case in Colombia. Indeed, America took the Cold War so seriously such that its gestures towards Latin America are a continuity of its Cold War ideologies in the region. The only difference in these ideologies is that the latter is currently being turned int o constructive ways due to the changing global realities. As McSherry rightly puts it in her book, if the American government is not in the battle front line, then it is behind the scenes with the Latin American military and intelligence forces providing resources, administrative assistance, intelligence and financing.Advertising Looking for essay on international relations? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Works Cited McSherry, Patrice. Predatory  States: Operation Condor and Covert War in Latin America. Roman and Littlefield, 2005. 18-243. Print. Smith, Peter. Talons of the Eagle: Latin America, the United States, and the World. Oxford University Press, 2007. 2-194. Print. Stokes, Doug. America’s Other War: Terrorizing Colombia. Zed Books, 2005. 2-130. Print. This essay on The United States-Latin America Relations was written and submitted by user Trystan Bright to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Comprehensive Immigration Reform Opposition

Comprehensive Immigration Reform Opposition Arguments against Comprehensive Immigration Reform Perhaps the most widely held objection to comprehensive immigration reform is that it is amnesty  for people who have broken the law, and amnesty will only encourage more illegal immigrants to  come into the country. Opponents point to immigration reform efforts during the Reagan administration, the Immigration  Reform and Control Act of 1986, that granted amnesty to illegal immigrants. That reprieve opened  the door to a new wave of illegal migration, opponents say, and so will the plan to allow 11  million illegal residents to stay in the country. But Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., one of the Senates Gang of Eight who helped fashion the  framework for comprehensive reform, makes the case that doing nothing about the 11 million   illegal residents is in itself a de facto amnesty. Because the federal government has no  realistic capability to deport the 11 million, or to incarcerate them, there long-term residence  in the country is virtually assured. Ignoring the problem is a form of amnesty, McCain and other  reformers argue. New Reform Efforts Come With Tougher Conditions Also, unlike the amnesty provision of 1986, 2013 reform proposals impose stringent  requirements on illegal immigrants. They must learn English. They must clear background checks.   They must pay fees and taxes. And they must move to the back of the line, behind those waiting  to enter the country through the legal process. Comprehensive reform is unfair to those immigrants who are playing by the rules.Even many immigrant advocates argue that it isnt right to give the 11 million who entered the  country illegally special status that is unavailable to other immigrants who are going through  the legal process and trying to come here the right way. But President Obamas plan and the one negotiated by the Gang of Eight both require that the 11  millions pathway to citizenship starts behind those already in line. Both plans reject the idea  of expedited treatment for undocumented residents and want to reward those who have been working  their way through the legal system. These illegal immigrants will take jobs from American workers and promote a decline in wages  overall, which is bad for the U.S economy. Study after study and anecdote after anecdote have refuted these arguments. They are both   factually incorrect. First, there are tens of thousands of necessary jobs across the United States that American  workers just will not do at any price. There are also thousands of jobs that go unfilled because   no qualified American worker can be found to do them. Can U.S. Economy Run Without Foreign Labor? The reality is that immigrant labor is essential to filling necessary jobs that make the U.S.  economy run. States that have enacted harsh laws against illegal immigrants have found this out  first hand. Arizona and Alabama, in particular, endured severe damage and costly labor shortages in their agriculture  and tourism industries after passing laws designed to drive illegal immigrants out of the state. Even states without immigration laws are dependent on immigrant labor. In Florida, immigrants  are essential to agriculture and the hospitality industries. Tourism would collapse without  them. Undocumented workers have a negligible impact on the wages of documented workers that work at  the same firm, according to a paper released in March by the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta.   Documented workers at firms that also employ undocumented workers earn 0.15 percent less or  $56 less per year on average than they would if they worked at a firm that does not employ  undocumented workers, according to the study. In fact, workers in retail and leisure and hospitality actually earn slightly more money when  their firms hire undocumented workers, since having more employees allows them to specialize,  according to the research paper.

Can international organisations be effective in moderating Essay

Can international organisations be effective in moderating international insecurity - Essay Example By pool their resources, nations easily reach for their set goals. A good example is a nation with raw materials but has no sufficient machinery and/or man power to process. As the saying goes, necessity is the mother of invention nations has realized the immense need to form organizations which will be enhance security and promote good relations among nations. This in return will create a friendly environment  activity that can be carried out in ease. Different forums have been created to discuss a variety of issues such as transportation, peace keeping, human rights and businesses among many others (Babione, 2007). Security concerns all over the world are high on the political agenda. This is as a result of the widespread perception that current security situation is continuously threatened by malicious acts, which are in most cases, intentional and a good example is terrorism attacks. Measures to improve and maintain security are he in place .major Events such as the 9/11 attack s triggered strong actions to improve security all over the world. As a result, security must be ensured in the transport sector since many vehicles and transport facilities are the main targets for terrorists due to concentration of potential victims. In addition, transport in one way or the other can acts as a conveyor for attacks by terrorists. This are evidenced from the reported cases in which weapons are moved into ports or airplanes are turned into weapons as in the 9/11 case. The greatest challenges are protecting the potential targets and maintaining smooth operations in the transportation sector. The cost of damage from a potential damage from terrorism cause substantial loss to the economic set up. On the other hand, the cost of improved security is equally high. Careful appraisal policy, therefore, makes sure that scarce resources are put into good use. However, cost-benefit analysis is difficult to handle while dealing with security issues because of the uncertain natur e involved. We can hardly determine the probability of attacks by terrorists on any of the means of transportation. Terrorism can thus be hindered by cooperation of states and continents. A good example is the International Transport Forum which is an inter-governmental organization within the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) group. It is an outstanding global platform for all concerned transport makers and stakeholders. Its main aim is to serve political leaders and the public at large to develop a better understanding the role transport takes in social and economic aspects. They are, thus, very effective in moderating international security. International courts include International Criminal Court among others. They are created with the aim of promoting peace by way of solving international matters, which mainly result from conflict of interest. In 1993 and 1994, the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) and the International Criminal Tribu nal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) were established to try and apprehend individuals suspected of committing crimes against humanity including genocide. Since the end of World War 2, the 1990s witnessed the greatest advancement of international humanitarian law. The successes and failures

Express Trust Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Express Trust - Essay Example This may also be associated with duty which by the ethical and moral norms of society you must perform. This is even characterized as a higher form of justice and so important to modern human relations that it has been transformed from a purely ethical concept with limited application to a moral norm of society. Every member of society is bound to uphold it and even becomes embodied in laws. Express trusts are "built around concepts of loyalty and good faith" (Hudson 2008). In an express trust there exist a relationship where a person entrusts his or her property to another to keep, preserve and latter to give the same property to another person who is meant to benefit from that property. Moreover "The trustee is one example of a more general concept of English law: the fiduciary. Thus, it is often said that trustees bear 'fiduciary duties'. For our purposes the terms 'trustee' and 'fiduciary' can be read as being synonymous. The fiduciary principle in express trusts is the idea that such trusts have a nature that it is a matter of confidence, good faith, loyalty and legal obligation to the purpose of such trusts. An example of this is when a grandfather entrusts a piece of land to his son which his son will give to the grandson on his 18th birthday. The father, son of the grandfather, has the duty to his father, the grandfather to keep, preserve and maintain the piece of land and later give the land to his son, the grandson. Duties & Powers Question: What are the powers and duties of the settlor What are the powers and duties of a trustee What are the powers and duties of the beneficiary Answer: The settlor is duty bound to make certain that the property that will be put into an express trust is truly owned by him because "the settlor must have had all of the rights in that property, or 'absolute title', before the declaration of the trust". Clearly, one cannot deal with property in which one has no rights: therefore, the settlor must hold all of the rights to be settled on trust before that trust can be declared" (Hudson 2008). The settlor is the original owner of the property involved in the trust. Thus absolute title means that the right to do with the property as he or she pleases regardless of the concern of others or free of implications to other individuals. This includes sell, lease, destroy and even donate. The settlor has absolute power over the property up to when the trust is constituted. Once it begins his direct power over the property is set aside and he is duty bound to give possession of the property to the trustee. "Once the trust is created, the trustee acquires 'legal title' in the trust fund and the beneficiaries acquire the 'equitable interest' (or, sometimes, 'beneficial interest') in the trust fund in accordance with the terms of the trus

Determinant of Supplier Power Essay Example for Free

Determinant of Supplier Power Essay Sony’s Play station 3 is slated to be a next generation computer entertainment console which will provide the facility of playing titles which are available on PlayStation and PlayStation 2. In addition it is also enabling internet connectivity for downloading a variety of games as also access to online games and services. It can support a wide range of NTSC/PAL standards on the TV including high definition TV. (Introducing Play station 3, 2006). Nintendo Nintendo has been an established leader in the interactive entertainment industry for many years. It has successfully sold one billion video games worldwide. It markets hardware and software for its popular home video systems such as the Game Cube and the Game Boy series which the company claims to be the world’s best selling video game system. (History, 2006). The company has been developing its consoles based on technology developments and the needs of the customers. Software is also built up to support the consoles in a consolidated mode. Nintendo entered the American market after the industry had virtually crashed in the 1980’s and exploited the performance play as per Kline, Dyer-Witherford and Peuter (2003) by introducing proprietary standards and denying competition for other players. It also created brand loyalty by having a magazine for its product and also created sustainment lines so that the product was effectively supported after sales, a novel concept in the entertainment industry but which is essential for experiential marketing. This company as per Kline, Dyer-Witherford and Peuter (2003) was the first to close the technology, culture and marketing loop as others followed suit to ape Nintendo. The company has also recently launched a Nintendo WiFi connection which will enable the Nintendo DS owners to connect with gamers around the World and it is reported that over 10 million connections were made available only two months from launching. Its Resident Evil 4 programme on Game Cube was adjudged by many as the best game of the year as per the company. (History, 2006). The other innovation was to develop the company’s programme of Game Play Counselors on the web to provide the gamers and developers instant connect with the company. (History, 2006). Nintendo has also sponsored Digipen program at the DigiPen Institute of Technology which is an accredited college level program for designing video gaming applications. The company has initiated this keeping in view the large number of requests it has been receiving from gamers as well as amateur developers. The company also has a Nintendo Power magazine which communicates with the gamers. Contests such as Player’s Poll care enable the company to get feedback from gamers and also rate its own games for further sponsoring and development. The company has an active forums program from which game ideas are developed (http://forums. nintendo. com/nintendo) Nintendo also has a policy for licensing a number of third party publishers to use its patenting technology, copy rights and trade marks to develop video games (Legal, 2006). Nintendo also has a very powerful community participation program called as NSider forum which provides Nintendo fans a venue for discussion through message boards, posting questions and answers, discussions and email on new activities. This acts as a powerful link between the company, the gamers and the developers. (Community Participation, 2006). Micro Soft Micro Soft has been the latest entrant in the field of console gaming. It has also depended on the resources of developers and consumers to progress its gaming strategy, despite the considerable software resources that the company has at its disposal as the worlds leading legacy software developer. It has two programs which are specifically targeted at the developers and consumers for providing it inputs for game development. Micro Soft Xbox Developer programs enable developers, publishers, tool makers and hardware vendors to support the Xbox and Xbox 360 video consoles. The Registered Developer Program in particular has been designed to allow access to external developers to the hardware and support of Xbox and Xbox 360 and take advantage of the features to develop software and support projects for the Xbox consoles. Xbox Central and Xbox 360 Central web sites permit access to those who have been accepted for this program and also for participation in technical seminars and sessions. (Xbox Developer Programs, 2006) The Xbox 360 Registered Content Creator Program is a similar program which allows freelance content creators access to Xbox 360 content creation tools to enable them to secure projects for Xbox console. These positions are offered by Microsoft Game Studios. (Xbox 360 Registered Content Creator Program. 2006)

Exploring the Theme of Love in Sonnets 57 and 58 Essay -- Shakespeare’

Shakespeare’s sonnets are numbered in a sequential order and adjacent sonnets often have similar content. Throughout Shakespeare’s sonnets, he covers many subjects, such as interest in the life of a young man, his love for a young man, and his love for a dark haired woman. In sonnets 57 and 58, Shakespeare discusses how love is like slavery in its different manifestations. The object of the narrator’s love has a dominating power over the narrator, which controls him and guides his actions. Shakespeare shows in sonnets 57 and 58 that love can be displayed by using many different routes such as viewing love as a controlling force, exploring the theme of time and waiting in regards to love, and the question of the physical state of being of love. Throughout both sonnets there is a sense that the narrator has resigned himself to the slavery of love. In sonnet 57, the narrator asserts in the first two lines that all he (we will assume the narrator is a "he") can do is wait until the lover needs something. This blind devotion to the lover seems to come without any reservations on behalf of the narrator and seems to be a natural inclination to give of one’s self whole-heartedly and unconditionally ("unconditional love"). In sonnet 58, line 13, "though waiting so be hell" shows the pain that the narrator is going through while he is waiting on the lover. In sonnet 58, line five, "let me suffer, being at your beck" again constitutes this devotion of the narrator to the recipient of the love without any reservations. The narrator is willingly accepting suffering, hell, and sadness, as seen in the phrase "sad slave" (sonnet 57, line 11), in order to be a slave to love. This devotion to loving servitude is admirable and the bon d formed... ... that love thinks no ill. Shakespeare uses many different methods of discourse to examine this theme of love. In both sonnets the lover is exerting his control over the narrator, but the narrator does not really mind being controlled in either sonnet. Both sonnets include many elements and references to time and waiting and all of these references relate to love by showing love’s long lifespan and varying strengths over time. The only major difference between the two sonnets lies in their addressing love. Sonnet 57 talks directly to it in a personifying manner, whereas sonnet 58 merely refers to it through other means. Through this variety of explorations of the theme of love, Shakespeare shows that love has many faces and ways of expressing itself. Â   Works Cited McCurry, Justin. Absence Makes the Heart Grow Fonder: Shakespeare’s Sonnets 57 and 58.

Organizational Quality Improvement

Various methodologies exist for the integration of quality improvement strategies into performance improvement measures. With concepts of total quality management (TQM) and quality improvement (QI) being introduced to health care organizations; administrators have had to decide which methodology is right for the organization. There are numerous methodologies: Six Sigma, Lean, and Customer Inspired Quality. Each has its own pros and cons. A key component of quality improvement is the technology that gathers and compares the data that the quality improvement measure produces.All of the information that is gathered from the technology can be benchmarked against other health care organizations. Numerous methods exist for the integration of quality improvement into the health care setting. The Six Sigma model was pioneered by Motorola. This method focuses on reducing variance through a problem solving approach that will improve the quality of the output. The fundamental objective of the S ix Sigma methodology is the implementation of a measurement based strategy that focuses on process improvement and the reduction of variance.The Six Sigma method does through the DMAIC process (define, measure, analyze, improve, and control). The DMAIC process is an improvement system for existing quality processes that fall below specifications and need to be improved in increments. Lean Thinking was used by Toyota as a key in its success. The Lean method strives to reduce waste and to improve performance through workflow. The Lean method is concerned with driving out waste so that all work adds value to the product and serves the customers’ needs.Lean thinking identifies all steps in a process and identifies them as value-added or non-value-added steps. All non-value-added steps are then removed to prevent waste in the process. Customer Inspired Quality was patented by Shaw Resources in 1992 and this methodology focuses on work processes that have direct impact on the care and services that are provided in a hospital. This method identifies, defines, analyzes, and improves the quality and effectiveness of processes in the health care arena. This method uses techniques from the other methodologies.Pros and cons of QI methods. Pros and cons exist in all of the methods for quality improvement. Some of the pros of the Six Sigma method are: Six Sigma places a heavy importance on leadership and its support for the success of the project, Six Sigma integrates the human elements (culture change, customer focus). The Six Sigma method uses the concept of statistical thinking and encourages the application of proven statistical tools and techniques for reducing variability. The cons of Six Sigma methods are having quality data available. In a new process where there is no data available to begin with can be discouraging.The solutions that Six Sigma proposes are often expensive and only small parts of the solution can be implemented. In Six Sigma methodology the selection of the right project is critical to success. Lean thinking has pros and cons also. Organizations that have adopted Lean double their productivity, cut their production and reduce their inventory that is normally kept on hand. Employees that work in a Lean environment have a clear objective of what is expected of them and are interrupted less. The Customer Inspired quality model deals with the service industries, primarily the Health care industry.The pros of this model are that the process improvement efforts are prioritized from the customers’ perspective. The methodology is service friendly and all of the hospital staff is encouraged to provide their input. This methods con is that the method is structured primarily for health care organizations. Florida Hospital uses the Six Sigma method for quality improvement because it provides the best opportunity to implement best practices that have been identified. Information Technologies for Quality Improvement Informati on technology is a large part of the quality improvement methods that a health care organization uses.Florida Hospital uses Business Objects which is a software company that specializes in business intelligence. Business Objects has components that provide performance management, planning, reporting, query and analysis, and enterprise information management. The Business Objects Enterprise can track report instances that will trigger alerts. These reports are created by Crystal Reports and have parameters that can be modified to perform analysis on the data. The customer can set alerts that trigger when certain conditions are met or not met by the data.The data can be customized to show in charts. Further customization allows the customer the chance to drill down into the data. Other information can be obtained from technology. Information technology allows data to be displayed in a dashboard or a scorecard. Dashboards are tool that monitor the ongoing performance of a process. A da shboard tracks data in real time. Scorecards report on past performances and generally focus on outcomes rather than processes. All of these applications can be used by administrators to track the quality improvement processes of the organization.Administrators can design the scorecards or dashboards to display the information that is important. Benchmarks and Milestones Benchmarking is the process of comparing one’s business processes and performance metrics to industry bests or to best practices from other industries. Benchmarking involves management identifying the best in their industry and comparing the results and processes of those studied to their own results and processes. Benchmarking compares the organization to its competitors and defines how the competition performs better.By better understanding how the competition is meeting their standards, the healthcare organization can then set goals for themselves. Benchmarking can be used to improve patient satisfaction. Using the website hospitalcompare. hhs. gov an organization can see how satisfied their competitors’ patients are. Benchmarking can also be used to improve the core measures that the Joint Commission measures. The outcomes of acute MI, pneumonia, heart failure and surgery can be compared to their own. If the competition is performing better on one of the core measures, the organization can then set their own goal based on the competition.Potential benchmarks that Florida Hospital will strive for are improved core measures at 90% for pneumonia, Acute MI, heart failure and surgical care. Another benchmark that Florida Hospital will strive for is to improve patient safety. The hospital will continue to implement the processes that support the Joint Commission’s National Patient Safety Goals. The hospital will implement CPOE (computerized provider order entry) and the hospital will begin to extend the goals to the ambulatory services. The third benchmark is to enhance the patient experience.The hospital will use the DMAIC model to understand and support the emotional, spiritual, and clinical needs of the patients. Florida Hospital will use different methods for their performance improvement plans. The hospital will use combinations of Six Sigma and Lean thinking. The hospital will use data from Crystal reports to display balanced scorecards and dashboards. The dashboards will be divided into the Extending Excellence Elements (Team, Clinical, Service, Market, and Finance). The hospital will use this information in conjunction with information from benchmarking data to monitor their quality improvement plan. References Dlugacz, Y. D. (2006). Measuring Health Care Using Data for Operational, Financial, and   Clinical Improvement. San Francisco, CA: Josey-Bass. Florida Hospital. (2010). Florida Hospital Orlando's Most Preferred Hospital. Retrieved from   http://www.floridahospital.com/default.aspx Insititute for Healthcare Improvement. (2010). A resource from the Institute for Healthcare Improvement. Retrieved from http://www.ihi.org/ihi Ransom, E. R., Joshi, M. S.,Nash, D. B., ; Ransom, S. (2008). The Healthcare Quality Book Vision Strategy and Tools (2nd ed.). Chicago, IL: Health Administration Press. U.S. Department of Health ; Human Services. (2010). Hospital Compare. Retrieved from http://www.hospitalcompare.hhs.gov/ United States Department of Veterans Affairs. (2010). Quality Enhancement Research Initiative. Retrieved from http://www.queri.research.va.gov/default.cfm