International strategic management Individual assignment Essay

International strategic management Individual assignment - Essay Example However, before plunging into the deeper perspective of the said topic, looking into the history of democratic government of Russia as well as its inclusion to the G8, and how G8 was formed, is an important thing to do to further assess the capability of the said country to lead in a prestigious and important group such as the G8. Also, there are those who doubt the capability of G8 as some have claimed that Russia has still remnants of communists' ideology which is in contrary to the ideals of G8. In this case, there are those who claim that the country's loyalty to G8 is still in question as there are still hanging issues with regards to the country, and therefore the country must first arrange its internal problem before venturing into such issue. If we are to deal with history, the country has engaged into cold war with the United States and other countries. This was due to the decision of the former Soviet Union to have a socialist/communist government in the aforementioned country. This made USSR engaged in a long-tern economic hiatus on trade, investments and other related endeavors which deprived the country of enjoying several economic benefits and international tie-ups with regards to trade and investments. However, in 1991, the country has experienced a tremendous change... The reforms immediately devastated the living standards of much of the population, especially the groups dependent on Soviet-era state subsidies and welfare entitlement programs. Through the 1990s, Russia's GDP fell by 50 percent, vast sectors of the economy were wiped out, inequality and unemployment grew dramatically, while incomes fell. Hyperinflation wiped out a lot of personal savings, and tens of millions of Russians were plunged into poverty. In August 1991, Yeltsin won international plaudits for casting himself as a democrat and defying the August coup attempt of 1991 by hard-line Communists. But he left office widely despised as a desperate, ailing autocrat among the Russian population. As president, Yeltsin's conception of the presidency was highly autocratic. Yeltsin either acted as his own prime minister (until June 1992) or appointed men of his choice, regardless of parliament. His confrontations with parliament climaxed in the October 1993 Russian constitutional crisis, when Yeltsin called up tanks to shell the Russian White House, blasting out his opponents in parliament. Later in 1993, Yeltsin imposed a new constitution with strong presidential powers, which was approved by referendum in December" The said move was deemed by the Russian as the dawn of the new day for them as they have seen several investors and trade agreements which boosted the economy of the said country. However, in 1998, the country has experienced downfall of the economy in line with the economic crisis in the world. This prompted Yeltsin to tender his resignation on the eve of New Year in 1999. Vladimir Puttin succeeded the leader and has

Big Problem Management in Tex-mark Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Big Problem Management in Tex-mark - Essay Example It can be argued that language posed a great barrier to project success. Erick seemed to be well informed about how unqualified or incompetent employees may contribute to delay in implementing projects. His intentions were to ensure that there was no a repeat of what had happened in Mexico and china. He argues that a projected aimed at being completed in a shot duration took longer time than expected. An example of such an occurrence is the one cited about what happened in India. It is argued that an eight moth research assignment consumed three years, and this according to Eric was as a result of incompetent employees. Fred’s Selfishness could not allow him to train locals and employ them to undertake some duties. He was unable to work in harmony with authorities in the country, and this hindered operations of the research assignment, thus leading to delay in its completion. Alternative solutions However, the company may still get back on its track if Eric can make some effor ts to solve problems facing the company. He should first lay down all the problems facing the company, and enumerate the best possible solutions to them. Such issue should be raised before the higher authorities on a regular basis. Persistence is important when it comes to such matters of concern, not forgetting the enormous challenge facing them especially now that they are about to venture in to a more challenging zone: China. Any company that fails to advance in its human resource capacity is always faced by constant problems in its operations and managerial matters. Some of the ways through which such advances are achieved is through attending workshops and seminars on various fields, instituting training programs, or advancing education levels. Therefore, Eric should take stand and insist on the training program for not only employees sent abroad, but also to the rest of the employees. The program should be planned in a manner that it deals with the current problems, and foreca sts on the future requirements that would be catered for by the program. Underperforming and or expatriate employees may not add value to any organization. In fact, the company should ensure that all its employees are subjected to a performance measure contract, which evaluates the performance of all employees. This way, there would be no reason to continue keeping employees who fail to perform. They are considered to be liabilities rather than assets to the company, and over continued to being in the company increases costs, thus reducing the profit margin of the company. It is necessary for the company to add a policy of employing locals of foreign countries in order to minimize some costs such as training and exportation of employees who would require extra compensation and allowances during their stay in other countries. In fact, the company should look for ways of having affiliate or subsidiary companies in foreign countries of interest. This way, the company will enjoy the ben efit accrued from being locally known company in those foreign countries. Budgetary concerns As long as the there is efficiency in handling international assignments, and that they become cost effective, then the proposed solutions to the problems facing the company can be argued to be fine. Proposed solutions should also include reevaluation of how the consulting firm may help the company oversee smooth running of its assignment in the foreign markets. In this regard, the consulting firm should be made to understand that charging Tex-Mark higher fees for training jeopardizes the profit margins of the company. There

Competitive Advantages Of Johnson And Johnson Commerce Essay

Competitive Advantages Of Johnson And Johnson Commerce Essay Johnson  Ã‚  Johnson (JJ) was founded more than 120 years ago on a revolutionary idea that doctors and nurses should use sterile sutures, dressings and bandages to treat peoples wounds. Ever since, JJ has brought to the world, new ideas and products that have transformed human health and well-being. Johnson  Ã‚  Johnson has more than 250 companies located in 57 countries around the world involving specially in to three main businesses ; medical devices and diagnostics, pharmaceuticals, and consumer health care. JJ has experienced astonishing growth through global expansion, innovative products and processes, RD, services and quality that make a difference in peoples lives. Johnsons Baby is the most trusted brand of skin care products for mothers all over the world. Like Diaper rash care, baby powders, baby hair care, baby bath products and many more. They offer products and information targeting baby care, skin and hair care, nutritionals and so on. Creating meaningful innovation in health care within the consumer business franchise depends on a research strategy deeply involved in technology and consumer insight. This takes into consideration JJs vision: Bringing Science to the Art of Healthy Living! Major competitors Although the Consumer Health Care division is the smallest of the companys three segments, it includes some of the companys most recognizable brands such as Tylenol, Neutrogena, and Band-Aid. The major competitors of JJ are Novartis and Procter and Gamble in baby care products. Table 1: sales of Major Consumer Franchise in USD Millions Company Name Johnson Johnson (Baby Care) Novartis (consumer health) Procter Gamble (BABY CARE AND FAMILY CARE) 2007 1,982 NA 1,440 2008 2,214 1,125 1,728 2009 2,115 1,118 1,770 Table 1 and graph 1shows the greater sales figure of baby care products of JJ than its competitors which also includes family health care products. From this, we can see the highest market share of JJ in the industry. In baby care, they compete primarily in diapers, training pants and baby wipes, with approximately 35% of the global market share. Graph 1: chart showing sales of table 1. COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGES PRODUCTS The first competitive advantage for JNJ lies in its product itself which has NO MORE TEARS ® formula patent. Safety, comfort, and gentleness have always been a top most priority in its products. Instead of soap or alcohol it uses various harmless chemicals, and its products go through rigorous clinical testing to ensure the highest standards in baby care. Johnsons baby shampoos and soaps has been a trusted product for the parents which rinses very quickly and cleanly, and doesnt cause irritation to skin, eyes and scalp unlike others products. They have got most number of patented products. BRAND JJ has a history of 120 years of operations which has been trusted by doctors, nurses and parents around the world, now operating across 57 countries with more than 250 operating companies. In 2008, its brand value was worth of $3,582 millions, ranking 92 in the world. The company has been involved in many CSR activities like supporting International Youth Foundation for HIV/AIDS prevention program in Africa, child center in India, educating the people and providing handful tips regarding healthy and safety living, caring babies, and healthy environment. INNOVATION It is interesting to see innovation in terms of its products and processes as well in JJ, and every year it comes up with innovative products. Recently they have introduced new night time product which has been clinically proved to help babies fall asleep well and throughout the night. JJ has strong and well-equipped RD network, state-of-art technology, huge investment capacity, world-class research facilities, highly productive small team settings, and sound scientific methods. Every year JJ invests billions of dollars in RD, in 2008, it had invested 11.9% of its total sales (total sales figure was $7,577 million), ranking 7 in the worlds top companies spending in RD, and topmost in its industry. EXTENSIVE COLLABORATIONS JJ has been exclusively involved in selective licensing, acquiring and forming joint ventures for growth and expansion. Every year they enter in to 100s of strategic alliances and they have acquired more than 35 companies through the world so as to share best practices, acquire and develop cooperative talent, share research initiative, group purchasing and others. For example, in 2006, it acquired consumer section of Pfizer Consumer Healthcare (PCH), which added diverse portfolio in nine additional categories. In same year, it acquired Groupe Vendome, a reputed company in France involved in adult and baby skin product, and now JJ is selling product in their brand name in market of France. The ability to work across company and countries has helped JJ to produce most comprehensive and broad health care products, which has made them unique in the market. Their diversification is within the industry has made possible for cross business collaboration to address unmet health care needs. CORPORATE CULTURE Driven by the companys vision and support from top management, employee diversity has become one competitive advantage for JJ supported by various programs and activities like affinity groups, mentoring programs, diversity university, etc. Employees are encouraged to work in different divisions and roles so as to develop broadly. The business model adapted by JJ fundamentally uses the adaptation of entrepreneurial values. The decentralized corporate structure results in different people with different skills, thoughts, and ideas coming together and collaborating to develop products and technologies. The company has received various awards and recognitions for its best practices. We have the people, proprietary technology and capabilities of many diverse, entrepreneurial companies, this enables us to innovate at the intersections of our businesses. Thats an important competitive advantage and why were truly more than the sum of our many vibrant businesses. Johnson Johnsons Vice Chairman Christine Poon Sustainability and conclusion JJenjoys sustainable competitive advantage mainly due to corporate culture and brand name. Innovation has become possible because of its resource capabilities, extensive collaboration strategies and its business model. It would be surprising to see JJpossessing more core competencies which they have created from 120 years of operations. It has created more value to customers from benefit and cost advantage thorough increasing return rather than economies of scaleThus, we strongly believe that it will make them to stand out in the market in days ahead too.

Buddhism and the Matrix Essay -- essays research papers

The One In the film The Matrix Keanu Reeves plays Thomas A. Anderson, who is a man living a double life. One part of his life consists of working for a highly respectable software company. The second part of his life he is a hacker under the alias "Neo." One day Neo is approached by Morpheus (Laurence Fishburne) and is taught that everything he thought was real was actually The Matrix, a computer program developed by machines in order to use human beings as batteries. Morpheus has been searching his whole life for â€Å"the one† to end the war between the humans and machines. Morpheus feels Neo is the chosen one, the one who will set everyone free from the Matrix. Neo is reluctant to accept this responsibility, but through various mission and encounters he realizes that he is capable of this feat and allows himself to embody what is to be considered â€Å"the one.† Within the storyline of The Matrix there are many signs of Buddhism. The first of which is the idea of Samsara. Samsara is the process of death and rebirth, characterized by suffering, in which all beings are caught (Strong, 370). Suffering is a result of unawareness and yearning, which keeps humans locked in an illusion until they are able to recognize that their reality is false and they are able to renounce this false sense of self. This is related to the matrix because Morpheus explains it to be merely a â€Å"mental projection of your digital self,† and ...

Personal Experience that Changed my Life Essay

America may be experiencing the worst financial crisis this year. People may worry about losing jobs and missing opportunities for bigger earnings. But at age eighteen and fresh from high school graduation, I am all hopes and all set to start the best years of my life. Just a few years back, I was enjoying the comforts of home in Wooster, Ohio, simply unconcerned about my future. My parents were worried about my lagging interests so they decided to send me to a boarding school in Ashtabula called Grand River Academy. The school was noted for its effective programs built especially for struggling students. My parents’ decision was not in vain. I blended so easily in my boarding school and felt at home. I was smoothly able to realign my perspectives and developed the motivation to accomplish many things. Grand River Academy provided just the right push that I needed. While in the academy I developed computer skills and vast knowledge in computer networking. Soon an unexpected opportunity came that changed my destiny. Read more:Â  An Experience That Changed My Life The director of Grand River Academy offered me a workload in one of the special projects for community extension. The project aimed to develop a computer system for the school specifically for the programs involving the school’s beneficiary communities. I was tapped to be part of the team to develop the system. For the first time I was depended on and trusted that I could make a difference for the academy. It was an experience that changed me and made my vision of the future clearer and attainable. The high school project experience was significant to earn me a $6,000 – scholarship and college admission into one of the best universities in the country: Ashland University in Ohio. It is a dream-come-true for me. I give special gratitude to the Grand River Academy community for my ample preparations and being part of my achievements. Participating in the project team earned me this scholarship privilege and the key to my college education. No amount of financial crisis or global recessions can stop me now because I am determined to succeed.

Marketing Week 2 Journal

The components of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) are the basic major forces driving the economy. This is because an increase in the amount of these components also means an increase in the GDP of a certain country. A high GDP means a high income of a country. These are: personal consumption, investments, government spending and net exports (the value of exports minus the value of imports) (Costales, 2000). Personal consumption is the expenditures of households on basic necessities in which receipts are being issued. A no-receipt purchase or something that is not registered to the government as a business is not included, as it is a part of the black market. Investments, on the other hand are capitals that are being used in businesses. These are non-financial product purchases. Government spending is the expenditures of the government in providing goods for the public, wages for the public workers and purchases of sectors of the government. However, it does not encompass social security or benefits. And last, is the net exports, the difference of the exports, goods produced for out of the country consumption, and imports, goods that come from other countries for consumption. There are also new forces driving the economy. These are breakthroughs that were discovered as time passed by and prove true to improve economic performance. Specifically, these are: technology and entrepreneurship. Technology has now been a great help in the development of the economy because of its benefits (Henry and Cooke, n.d.). Development of new technology makes costs lower for the producers and provides means for businesses to transact among others. On the other hand, entrepreneurship is the one who thinks of innovations that may be pursued. This is because introduction of new things prove useful to both consumers and producers. They also initiate job growth as they employ employees. References Costales, A. C., A. E. Bello, M. A. O. Catelo, A. C. Cuevas, G. I. Galinato and U-P. E. Rodriguez. Economics: Principles and Applications. Quezon City: JMC Press, Inc. â€Å"Information Technology Industries – of Growing Importance to the Economy and Jobs†. Retrieved October 25, 2007 Tesreau, K. and Gielazauskas, V. Entrepreneurship: A Driving Force in the New Economy. Retrieved October 25, 2007

Free Essays on Media Comparison

Case Studies in Mass Political Communication The most important tool for any democracy is information. Because by definition the supreme authority within a democracy rests with the people, mass communication becomes an essential element of informed decision making by that aggregate authority. In this way, any manipulation or lack of factual information has serious negative implications for the ability of a body of people to act consciously on its own behalf. Only an informed citizenry can participate in the cognizant decision-making process necessary for the advancement of its own needs. The question then arises as to the current state of mass communication within democracies. Are the media that communicate on a mass scale fulfilling their roles as scrupulous disseminators of information? What biases exist that may affect how the information is presented? How do the effects of these biases translate into the idea of an informed citizenry? All of these inquiries tap into the wide-ranging social implications of mass media. What follows is an analysis of a selected group of American mass media outlets for the purpose of determining strengths, weaknesses, similarities, differences, and biases, all in the context of their social implications. Means The media analysis will focus on five mass media outlets, including both print and broadcast media, and will compare each outlet’s coverage based on two consecutive days of reporting on a particular ongoing issue or story. For the purposes of diversification, three categorically different topics shall be used, which can be classified as international, national, or local news, respectively. For each individual topic, two of the five sources will be compared and contrasted, and have their coverage of the topic examined in terms of framing, journalistic practices, and â€Å"the four information biases that matter†: dramatization, personalization, fragmentation, and authority-disor... Free Essays on Media Comparison Free Essays on Media Comparison Case Studies in Mass Political Communication The most important tool for any democracy is information. Because by definition the supreme authority within a democracy rests with the people, mass communication becomes an essential element of informed decision making by that aggregate authority. In this way, any manipulation or lack of factual information has serious negative implications for the ability of a body of people to act consciously on its own behalf. Only an informed citizenry can participate in the cognizant decision-making process necessary for the advancement of its own needs. The question then arises as to the current state of mass communication within democracies. Are the media that communicate on a mass scale fulfilling their roles as scrupulous disseminators of information? What biases exist that may affect how the information is presented? How do the effects of these biases translate into the idea of an informed citizenry? All of these inquiries tap into the wide-ranging social implications of mass media. What follows is an analysis of a selected group of American mass media outlets for the purpose of determining strengths, weaknesses, similarities, differences, and biases, all in the context of their social implications. Means The media analysis will focus on five mass media outlets, including both print and broadcast media, and will compare each outlet’s coverage based on two consecutive days of reporting on a particular ongoing issue or story. For the purposes of diversification, three categorically different topics shall be used, which can be classified as international, national, or local news, respectively. For each individual topic, two of the five sources will be compared and contrasted, and have their coverage of the topic examined in terms of framing, journalistic practices, and â€Å"the four information biases that matter†: dramatization, personalization, fragmentation, and authority-disor...

buy custom Ethical Decisions essay

buy custom Ethical Decisions essay Human beings make ethical decisions on a daily basis, where they have to make choices that affect their morality. This is as a result of the societal norms that govern our lives. Such norms determine what is good or evil, and as human beings we have to make these decisions on a regular basis. Definition Ethics, which is also, known as moral philosophy is a branch of philosophy that seeks to address questions of morality. These include concepts such as, right, wrong, good, bad, evil, virtue and justice (Badiou, 2001). Nabor (2003, p. 2) defines ethics as the study of the nature and morality of the human acts. This raises the question of what makes a moral action in the first place. Nabor (2003) further argues that study of ethics deals with types of questions, one critically normative and the other theoretical. The paper is based more on what is seen to be critically normative. Case study Consider a situation where a safety consultant in private practice who has experience working in the field for about two years. In one instance you get to consult for an organisation where workers' compensation cost for personnel in one of the buildings is extremely high. The consultant evaluates the situation and finds out that only restricted personnel are allowed in the building, hence little supervision for the management personnel. The consultant also discovers routine dumping of toxic substances in a nearby stream and disposal of large amounts of benzene in the same sewer. This leads to severe cases of heavy metal poisoning, and the workers have no sense of the health hazards. The consultant submits the report to the human resources director and informs the director about the case of metal poisoning. The director tells the consultant to keep quiet on those findings as they are the result of competitive pressure and promises regular consultancy work for the consultant. Discussion From the above scenario we can deduce a case of morality, which is within the realms of ethics. The consultant finds a problem in an organization, but is promised an increase in payment and future work if he keeps quiet on the case. Many people find themselves in this situation on a regular basis. The consultant finds himself in a situation where he has to make what Rae (1995) calls moral choice. He could choose to cooperate with the human resources director, and keep secret his findingss. This will be to the detriment of the innocent staff suffering the consequences of metal poisoning which they have no knowledge of. He could also opt to report the case to the relevant authority, in this case starting with the top management of the organization, or the legal authority that regulates the workers rights and agents monitoring environmental pollution. The consultant will have made an ethical decision in either way, including keeping quite on the problem. Ethics is concerned with the study of situations as the case study shows, where the consultant has to make a moral decision that will affect many people. Conclusion Ethics which is concerned with making moral decisions affects many people on a daily basis. This is where people have to make moral decisions that will affect both others and themselves. Such decisions are governed by the regulations within the society where one lives. Based on the case study described above, it is observed that the human resource director was aware of the hazardous conditions the staffs were working in, but was ready not to initiate any changes. On the other hand, the consultant who discovered the problem in his investigations had the duty and responsibility to alert the relevant authorities. Buy custom Ethical Decisions essay

ESL Phrases for Performing Well in Business Meetings

ESL Phrases for Performing Well in Business Meetings One of the most common requirements of business English is holding meetings in English. The following sections provide useful language and phrases for conducting meetings and making contributions to a meeting. Conducting a Meeting These phrases are useful if you need to run  a meeting. Opening Good morning/afternoon, everyone.If we are all here, lets get started / start the meeting / start. Welcoming and Introducing Please join me in welcoming (name of participant)Were pleased to welcome (name of participant)Id like to extend a warm welcome to (name of participant)Its a pleasure to welcome (name of participant)Id like to introduce (name of participant) Stating the Principal Objectives Were here today to ...Id like to make sure that we ...Our main aim today is to ...Ive called this meeting in order to ... Giving Apologies for Someone Who is Absent Im afraid.., (name of participant) cant be with us today. She is in...Unfortunately, (name of participant) ... will not be with us to day because he ...I have received apologies for absence from (name of participant), who is in (place). Reading the Minutes (notes) of the Last Meeting To begin with Id like to quickly go through the minutes of our last meeting.First, lets go over the report from the last meeting, which was held on (date)Here are the minutes from our last meeting, which was on (date) Dealing with Recent Developments Jack, can you tell us how the XYZ project is progressing?Jack, how is the XYZ project coming along?John, have you completed the report on the new accounting package?Has everyone received a copy of the Tate Foundation report on current marketing trends? Moving Forward So, if there is nothing else we need to discuss, lets move on to todays agenda.Shall we get down to business?Is there Any Other Business?If there are no further developments, Id like to move on to todays topic. Introducing the Agenda Have you all received a copy of the agenda?There are X items on the agenda. First, ... second, ... third, ... lastly, ...Shall we take the points in this order?If you dont mind, Id like to go in order today.skip item 1 and move on to item 3I suggest we take item 2 last. Allocating Roles (secretary, participants) (name of participant) has agreed to take the minutes.(name of participant), would you mind  taking the minutes?(name of participant) has kindly agreed to give us a report on ...(name of participant) will lead point 1, (name of participant) point 2, and (name of participant) point 3.(name of participant), would you mind taking notes today? Agreeing on the Ground Rules for the Meeting (contributions, timing, decision-making, etc.) We will first hear a short report on each point first, followed by a discussion of ...I suggest we go round the table first.Lets make sure we finish by ...Id suggest we ...There will be five minutes for each item.Well have to keep each item to 15 minutes. Otherwise well never get through. Introducing the First Item on the Agenda So, lets start with ...Id suggest we start with...Why dont we start with...So, the first item on the agenda isPete, would you like to kick off?Shall we start with ...(name of participant), would you like to introduce this item? Closing an Item I think that takes care of the first item.Shall we leave that item?Why dont we move on to...If nobody has anything else to add, lets ... Next Item Lets move onto the next itemNow that weve discussed X, lets now ...The next item on todays agenda is...Now we come to the question of. Giving Control to the Next Participant Id like to hand over to (name of participant), who is going to lead the next point.Next, (name of participant) is going to take us through ...Now, Id like to introduce (name of participant) who is going to ... Summarizing Before we close todays meeting, let me just summarize the main points.Let me quickly go over todays main points.To sum up, ...,.OK, why dont we quickly summarize what weve done today.In brief, ...Shall I go over the main points? Keeping the Meeting On Target (time, relevance, decisions) Were running short of time.Well, that seems to be all the time we have today.Please be brief.Im afraid weve run out of time.Im afraid thats outside the scope of this meeting.Lets get back on track, why dont we?Thats not really why were here today.Why dont we return to the main focus of todays meeting.Well have to leave that to another time.Were beginning to lose sight of the main point.Keep to the point, please.I think wed better leave that for another meeting.Are we ready to make a decision? Finishing Up Right, it looks as though weve covered the main items.If there are no other comments, Id like to wrap this meeting up.Lets bring this to a close for today.Is there Any Other Business? Suggesting and Agreeing on Time, Date and Place for the Next Meeting Can we set the date for the next meeting, please?So, the next meeting will be on ... (day), the . . . (date) of.. . (month) at ...Lets next meet on ... (day), the . . . (date) of.. . (month) at ... What about the following Wednesday? How is that? Thanking Participants for Attending Id like to thank Marianne and Jeremy for coming over from London.Thank you all for attending.Thanks for your participation. Closing the Meeting The meeting is finished, well see each other next ...The meeting is closed.I declare the meeting closed. Meeting Participation Vocabulary The following phrases are used to participate in a meeting. These phrases are useful for expressing your ideas and giving input during  a meeting. Getting the Chairpersons Attention (Mister/Madam) chairman.May I have a word?If I may, I think...Excuse me for interrupting.May I come in here? Giving Opinions Im positive that...I (really) feel that...In my opinion...The way I see things...If you ask me,... I tend to think that... Asking for Opinions Are you positive that...Do you (really) think that...(name of participant) can we get your input?How do you feel about...? Commenting Thats interesting.I never thought about it that way before.Good point!I get your point.I see what you mean. Agreeing I totally agree with you.Exactly!Thats (exactly) the way I feel.I have to agree with (name of participant). Disagreeing Unfortunately, I see it differently.Up to a point I agree with you, but...(Im afraid) I cant agree Advising and Suggesting Lets...We should...Why dont you....How/What about...I suggest/recommend that... Clarifying Let me spell out...Have I made that clear?Do you see what Im getting at?Let me put this another way...Id just like to repeat that... Requesting Information Please, could you...Id like you to...Would you mind...I wonder if you could... Asking for Repetition Im afraid I didnt understand that. Could you repeat what you just said?I didnt catch that. Could you repeat that, please?I missed that. Could you say it again, please?Could you run that by me one more time? Asking for Clarification I dont quite follow you. What exactly do you mean?Im afraid I dont quite understand what your are getting at.Could you explain to me how that is going to work?I dont see what you mean. Could we have some more details, please? Asking for Verification You did say next week, didnt you? (did is stressed)Do you mean that...?Is it true that...? Asking for Spelling Could you spell that, please?Would you mind spelling that for me, please? Asking for Contributions We havent heard from you yet, (name of participant).What do you think about this proposal?Would you like to add anything, (name of participant)?Has anyone else got anything to contribute?Are there any more comments? Correcting Information Sorry, I think you misunderstood what I said.Sorry, thats not quite right.Im afraid you dont understand what Im saying.Thats not quite what I had in mind.Thats not what I meant. Meeting Format Meetings generally follow a more or less similar structure and can be divided into the following parts: I - Introductions Opening the MeetingWelcoming and Introducing ParticipantsStating the Principal Objectives of a MeetingGiving Apologies for Someone Who is Absent II - Reviewing Past Business Reading the Minutes (notes) of the Last MeetingDealing with Recent Developments III - Beginning the Meeting Introducing the AgendaAllocating Roles (secretary, participants)Agreeing on the Ground Rules for the Meeting (contributions, timing, decision-making, etc.) IV - Discussing Items Introducing the First Item on the AgendaClosing an ItemNext ItemGiving Control to the Next Participant V - Finishing the Meeting SummarizingFinishing UpSuggesting and Agreeing  on Time, Date and Place for the Next MeetingThanking Participants for AttendingClosing the Meeting

Enterprise Resource Planning Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Enterprise Resource Planning - Coursework Example In the meantime the very best ERP vendors show and provide a map on how to transition their clients from their current business practice to the industry best practice and regulatory compliant processes. It should be noted that it would be in the best interest of most ERP vendors to extend the time of an implementation because it simply means a longer engagement which would assure a steady cash-flow for the ERP vendor. It should also be noted that most client companies consider their process one of the best if not the best process in the industry and that most employees or even managers and leaders of the organization’s comfort zone lies in their own legacy processes. The last two sentences are inversely proportional to the length of engagement of the ERP vendors depending on the group to which they belong (good, very good, better or the best). It is therefore noteworthy to consider that it would be in the best interest of the ERP vendor to extend their engagement with a partic ular client. There are several considerations in implementing ERP in a company, this would include acculturation and assimilation of ERP supported processes and the integration and use of the ERP in the everyday activities of the company. Thus, ERP is not simply implementing applications after application it also include change management from the corporate cultural level. The acculturation and immersion of the ERP into the culture of the company is considered the most potent critical success factor for any ERP implementation and leaving this responsibility to vendors may not be a good business decision.. An ERP implementation should not be considered as an IT project but rather a project involving the entire organization to ensure its success. All Business Process Owners and Subject Matter Experts in the organization should not only be tapped as a resource but rather they should be the lead architect in defining the scope or blue print of the entire organization’s processes and their inter-relation with each other. The ERP vendor for its part should be able to define and provide a detailed map on how to provide solutions to the gaps discovered between what is provided by the ERP solution and the blue printed business processes. During the realization stage of the ERP project or the stage where most of the development of the solutions to the gaps are resolved, extensive testing of actual data should be done by the subject matter experts and the users themselves. During data migration actual retrofitting of the data should not only be exact but their subsequent application to the system and the output that should be derived from them should be perfectly streamlined. Training should not be confined on how to use the system but the training should also cover how to resolve conflicts. The training should cover areas and subject that would enable the client to be self-sustaining and self-reliant. Go live and support should include stress testing and process exception handling to ensure that even during the most arduous conflict the entire competence team of the client would be able to resolve and provide solution to the conflict if not a temporary work around. Given the above, ERP clients or potential clients should not let ERP vendors define their requirements for them, while the ERP vendor can be consulted on what is the industry standard as implemented in the ERP solution their

A Short-Lived Marriage Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

A Short-Lived Marriage - Case Study Example Some said he had stolen a purse from a lady passenger, others said he had been caught urinating in public, as women rumored he had raped a goat meant for sale in the nearby market and painstakingly cursed on what had become of their men’s morals and so on. With the evolution and mutations of those women's gossip, it was hard to separate fact from hearsay and sieving the truth from lie was a pure calling in itself, and a divine one too.  Some said he had stolen a purse from a lady passenger, others said he had been caught urinating in public, as women rumored he had raped a goat meant for sale in the nearby market and painstakingly cursed on what had become of their men’s morals and so on. With the evolution and mutations of those women's gossip, it was hard to separate fact from hearsay and sieving the truth from lie was a pure calling in itself, and a divine one too.   An old dusty bus pulled by, letting out a huge cloud of exhaust smoke that caused Obierika and a couple of others seated with him to cover their noses and look away momentarily. She would be in it, he knew, for this was the bus that normally plied the route to Anyango’s fatherland. Anxiety and joy gripped him all at the same time. It was near mid-day now and the sun burned with the intensity of the hour as Anyango appeared from amongst the group of alighting passengers. She had carried with her a traditional bag made from papyrus reed that seemed to be holding foodstuff from home and on her left arm, a designer handbag that Obierika had previously bought her in the city as a gift. Her face shone. The month of July passed by solemnly and quietly. Her pregnancy had started to show and she felt more at home day by day in her new house. Onyango would wait back in the house and pamper herself as Obierika desired. Even with her heaviness, she still attended to her light household chores, even as Obierika objected to this, and she was a good wife. Obierika himself would leave f or work in the mornings and return in the region of 6 pm with food for the night that he would occasionally prepare since her mood swings became unpredictable as time went by. He found a home in her. His friends grew distant with time as he had no time for them and never took to the bars anymore. His love for her had blossomed.

Sir Walliam Ramsay Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Sir Walliam Ramsay - Essay Example Till 1870, he imparted his early education in his native place. He spent his time at Fitting’s laboratory located at Tubingen at the time of preparing thesis on orthotoluic acid and its derivatives succeed him in having the doctorate degree (Tilden & Ramsay 2010, p. 28). Thereafter, Ramsay became the Anderson associate at the Anderson College. In the year 1879, he got inducted as Professor of Chemistry at the University College of Bristol (Tilden & Ramsay 2010, p. 30). Merry moments came in the life of Ramsay when he got married to Margaret, the daughter of George Stevenson Buchanan. They left behind them one son and a daughter. His passion was traveling and learning of different languages (Kauffman 2004, p. 378). When he came to Scotland in the year 1872, he joined as assistant in the chemistry department at Anderson College in Glasgow. Two years after, he acquired similar status at the University. In the year 1880, he assumed the office of Principal and Professor of Chemistry at University College, Bristol. In the year 1887, he joined the Chair of Inorganic Chemistry at University College, London, a coveted position where he took his retirement in 1913 (Tilden & Ramsay 2010, p. 32). The initial work of Ramsay was in the field of organic chemistry. During the period of his doctoral assignments, he published his work on picoline with the connivance of Dobbie with regard to the product of the quinine alkaloids during the tenure of 1878 to 1879 (Thomas 2004, p. 6419). He had written number of articles on picoline and on the decomposed products of the quinine alkaloids. From the inception of eighties, he was actively involved in physical chemistry. His contributions towards chemistry, being the most rewarding contribution in terms of stoichiometry and thermodynamics are considered marvellous. It has helped him a lot for the investigations carried out with Sidney Young on the subject of evaporation and dissociation

Disabled Entrepreneurs Literature review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Disabled Entrepreneurs - Literature review Example A disability is a condition or function judged to be significantly impaired, relative to the usual standard of an individual or group. The term is used to refer to individual functioning, including physical impairment, sensory impairment, cognitive impairment, intellectual impairment, mental illness and various types of chronic disease. Furthermore, people with disability make up 20% of the total population of the poorest people in the world. There are 10 million individuals with disability in the UK alone, which comprises 18% of the total population of employed individuals (Wood et al., 2012: p. 146). A large number of disabled individuals have by now built opportunities or prospects for themselves by means of entrepreneurship. The advantages of entrepreneurship for these disabled people rest largely in their self-reliance and in the chance to engage in their own business decision-making, the capability to make their own timetable and pace, and the prevention of stereotypes and discrimination that are at times observed in the practise of recruitment, leading to underemployment or unemployment. Decreased transportation difficulties offered by home-based businesses are important advantages too. Disabled individuals usually face challenges, difficulties, or barriers when trying to embark on entrepreneurial projects, particularly in obtaining the resources or capital required for business start-ups, for they do not have the adequate resources or credit to fall back on as indemnity for a loan (Parker, 2009). This paper discusses the barriers confronted by disabled entrepreneurs and the possible measures that can be implemented to help disabled people become successful entrepreneurs and gain self-sufficiency and confidence. In certain instances, they may not possess the assets, knowledge, or information needed to formulate a business plan, a successful path to economic self-reliance

Introduction to the History of western art Essay - 1

Introduction to the History of western art - Essay Example In trying to keep with the spirit of humanism, artist of the early renaissance tried as much to show a lifelike human forms with accurate proportion and realistic expressions and clothing (Johnson, 2005). For example a woman of the Renaissance, like a woman of the middle ages, were never given any political rights and were treated to be legally subject to their husbands. Women of all classes were required to perform, first and foremost, the tasks assigned to a housewife. For thousands of years women had very few economic, legal, or political rights and, in theory were expected to be submissive to their fathers or husbands (Hartt et al, 2011). Women were restricted to traditional gender roles, which forced them to remain in the domestic or private restriction of a community. Women’s roles as daughters, wives, or mothers were therefore considered their most important function in a community (Johnson, 2005). For the high class members of society, the reproductive ability of a wom an was an extremely significant determinant of inheritance and maintenance the family line (Hartt et al 2011). Through all classes of society, the social system of patriarchy evolved as the primary way to regulate women’s behavior and maintain social control (Slovely et al, 2001). Although women were often depicted in Renaissance art or literature, the cultural advancements and political developments that emerged from the Renaissance overwhelmingly neglected women (Johnson, 2005). The Renaissance brought a renewal and rebirth of intellect, culture, art, and social advancement that was seemingly only advantageous to men. Women continued to be deployed in communities only for the advantage of men, as daughters who could potentially help the family through an advantageous marriage, or as wives who took care of the home and produced children to help work on the farm or to carry on a family name (Hartt et al, 2011). The behavior of women were also an important indication of the social

Philosophy of language Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Philosophy of language - Essay Example Traditionally, opponents of the CTP have held that the statement â€Å"that appears/seems red† is reserved for situations in which there is reasonable doubt in an individual’s mind regarding whether something is truly red or otherwise. In that sense, part of the meaning inherent in â€Å"that appears/seems red† is attributable to the doubt in the speaker’s mind concerning whether something is red. Consequently, it would be inappropriate, and quite rightly so, to suggest that there is any ounce of doubt regarding whether something is red and it is false that anything â€Å"appears/looks/seems red† when one sees something red. For that reason, critics of the CTP have argued that seeing red cannot be analysed in causal terms, that is, in terms of it being caused to be in a manner in which an entity â€Å"looks/appears/seems† red. In 1961, Herbert Paul Grice, notable for his pioneering work in the philosophy of language, came to the defense of CT P; this paper explains the manner in which Grice employed his notion of implicature in defense of the Causal Theory of Perception. Grice published an article in which he distinguished between what is meant (what is said) and what is implied (implicated) (Bardzokas 2010, p.114); basically, Grice argues that in saying â€Å"that appears/seems/looks red†, one may implicate that something is not really red but does not out rightly refute that something is red or mean it is not really red. According to Grice, it is actually possible that one who says â€Å"that looks/seems/appears red† sees something red and it could also be that they see something that seems red to them (even if otherwise). If to say â€Å"that appears red† implicates that something may not necessarily be red, it is contradictory to say â€Å"that appears red, and it is red†; Grice posits that the implication that a thing is not really red can be explicitly cancelled out. Consequently, if the implicatum of what a speaker says

Introduction to the History of western art Essay - 1

Introduction to the History of western art - Essay Example In trying to keep with the spirit of humanism, artist of the early renaissance tried as much to show a lifelike human forms with accurate proportion and realistic expressions and clothing (Johnson, 2005). For example a woman of the Renaissance, like a woman of the middle ages, were never given any political rights and were treated to be legally subject to their husbands. Women of all classes were required to perform, first and foremost, the tasks assigned to a housewife. For thousands of years women had very few economic, legal, or political rights and, in theory were expected to be submissive to their fathers or husbands (Hartt et al, 2011). Women were restricted to traditional gender roles, which forced them to remain in the domestic or private restriction of a community. Women’s roles as daughters, wives, or mothers were therefore considered their most important function in a community (Johnson, 2005). For the high class members of society, the reproductive ability of a wom an was an extremely significant determinant of inheritance and maintenance the family line (Hartt et al 2011). Through all classes of society, the social system of patriarchy evolved as the primary way to regulate women’s behavior and maintain social control (Slovely et al, 2001). Although women were often depicted in Renaissance art or literature, the cultural advancements and political developments that emerged from the Renaissance overwhelmingly neglected women (Johnson, 2005). The Renaissance brought a renewal and rebirth of intellect, culture, art, and social advancement that was seemingly only advantageous to men. Women continued to be deployed in communities only for the advantage of men, as daughters who could potentially help the family through an advantageous marriage, or as wives who took care of the home and produced children to help work on the farm or to carry on a family name (Hartt et al, 2011). The behavior of women were also an important indication of the social

Why We Expect More from Technology and Less from Each Other Essay Example for Free

Why We Expect More from Technology and Less from Each Other Essay Nowadays, the use of social media has increased enormously, making us more connected either in public or privet communication in the region. It has tremendous effects on challenging many countries that have sought freedom. In fact, the so-called Arab spring has been titled as â€Å"social media revolution†, starting from Tunisia and spreading over to Egypt, Libya, and other countries. The Arab Spring got worldwide social, political and media attention due to its characteristics and connectedness with local, regional, and international interests. There is no doubt that social media had an impact on events that had happened in Arab spring, but it is not in the way that many researchers might think. These are confirmed by two individuals whose articles are going to be discussed, namely Malcom Gladwell and Richard Dawkins. Each one of them supports this in a different view. The article â€Å"Small Change† by Malcom Gladwell is about social media and its effect. The article aims to convince the reader that social media does not lead to any social and political changes as one would think. Although the popularity of social media has been increasing tremendously, social media fails when it comes to actual changes. While many researchers might think that social media played an important part in the Arab spring, it was supportive but not exclusively responsible for the events of the Arab spring. Malcom Gladwell offers a very effective argument to clarify why social media is not a sufficiently effective tool used in organizing social or political activism. Based on historical events Gladwell states that in the absence of social media protestors from different events tend to be stronger, more organized, and people have stronger emotional feelings. To make his argument strong, he starts with the Greensboro sit-ins as a solid example. Despite the fact that the protestors were only four college students, it ended up involving a large number of students across the South. This happened despite the fact that there was no social media such as Facebook or Twitter during that time. Then he illustrated the weak-ties that are related to social media and how it leads to high risk of activism. Social media establishes a large network based upon consensus beside a hierarchy, and then he disputes that many activist movements have not succeeded on the large scale when lacking a central author ity and hierarchy. These historical examples not only support his thesis with solid logic, but they draw an intense proof that Civil Rights Movement came without the use of social media. Gladwell shows extensive knowledge and research on the topic as well as the use of countless examples, making his article rhetorically effective and persuasive. He addresses counter-arguments in both the beginning and end of his article, making his article tremendously strong. However, throughout his article, Malcolm Gladwell could have built an indisputable rhetorical argument if he gave more evidence about the Arab Spring. For those countries that had been seeking freedom, especially the Arab spring, social media such as Facebook and Twitter played a major role to bring the news since the majority were not connected due to the lack of access to instruments that they could use to access information. During this time, even the social media in general was suspended. They therefore relied on radio and TV for news and information. Richard Dawkins on the other hand declares in his article that what lies at the heart of every living thing is not a fire, warm breath, not ‘a spark of life’ but information, words and instructions. He says that the cells of an organism comprise of nodes that are richly interwoven communication networks that transmit and receive information. They also codes and decodes the received information. Evolution in itself also embodies on an ongoing change of information between an organism and his or her environment. He says that whenever a person wants to understand life and all the aspect which surround it, one needs to think about information and technology. Human beings have been surrounded by information which is coming from all quarters. The skills of human beings now include Googling and texting. To some extent, it can be agreed that what is being proposed by Dawkins is true to some extent. He says that the rise in technology has led to the change in which people view life. People nowadays view their lives in a very different way. It is true that when technology was invented, its aim as to help improve the lives of the human being. Human beings are now using the technology not to benefit themselves to the extent that they forget their friends. People are more concerned nowadays with what they post in social sites like Facebook and Twitter than the conversation which they carry out with their friends. The overreliance on technology is affecting the society is quite a number of negative ways. When Googling and texting for example which Dawkins is proposing that people are now engaging themselves into, has led to a number of negative results. The students who should be engaging themselves in serious research are no longer doing that. They google whatever information that they are looking for and then present whatever they find as the result. This has led to production of professionals who are themselves amateurs. Copy pasting has been the order of the day (Turkle, 2011: 34). The society is also the social skills which used to be embraced in the olden days. When people meet, they rarely shake hands and this reduces the bond between people. Shaking hands make people share their deepest sentiments with each other. These are activities which are now not being done. They are considered as being outdated. Technology is truly isolating people. Sometimes during the break time, you realize that each and every student in school is attached to their phone. They have no time for the physical friends. They only appreciate the virtual friends whom they have on the social sites. When a person sees the number of followers they have on Twitter and Instagram, they tend to believe that they have the world with them. This might not be the case (Turkle, 2011: 34). Dawkins states that the way in which an idea is spread is not very important. The idea can either thrive in the meme pool or it can dwindle depending on the way in which the idea is perceived at first. An example that he uses is the belief in God. He says the belief has been replicating for now a long time. It has been spread through the use music and art. This is the reason to date, many people believe in the existence of God. This cannot be used to justify the fact that the meme pool is effective. The idea of the meme can only be applied to some elements. There are some people who are also just alive and they do not have the improved technology at their fingertips. They will still get access to the information but at later stages. It can therefore be agreed that even though the technology improves the way in which people interact with one another, it has also affected the manner in which people are interacting. References Log In The New York Times. Log In The New York Times. N.p., n.d. Web. 2 Nov. 2014. Turkle, Sherry. Alone Together: Why We Expect More from Technology and Less from Each Other. New York: Cambridge, 2011. Print. Source document

Social Work Law and Organisational Context

Social Work Law and Organisational Context Introduction The law and organization context of social work is extremely important when looking at specific cases and scenarios. The aim of this essay is to examine two specific cases, one involving children and families and the other involving community care issues. In these cases the relevant issues regarding social work and law will be identified, and recommendations will be made regarding the assessment criteria that need to be met and what the likely outcome of the cases might be. This will be done by looking at relevant government legislation and case examples, as well as general social work and law practice. The first section will look at a case of Children and families, and examine the issues of significant harm and children in need in relation to the scenario. There will be a definition of these two concepts as they are laid out in the Children Act and Every Child Matters document, as well as recommendations on how best to assess and determine the outcome of this case. The second case will look at community care issues involving a disabled parent and elderly carer. The assessments regarding the welfare of the child and parent as well as any potential care issues will be looked at. This will involve consultation with the Children Act, the Human Rights Act, the Community Care Act and the Carer’s Act. Recommendations will be given regarding how to properly assess this situation and what benefits may be offered to the parties involved. Scenario 1 Children and Families Scenario: Working in Children’s social services, you receive a referral from a church worker about the Jones family. She says that the parents (18 and 19) are often under the influence of drink or drugs, that the children (2 and 4) are dirty and smelly and not being fed properly. You are asked to carry out an initial assessment. What is the role of the local authority when children are in need and if they are facing significant harm? What options does the law offer to ensure that these children are safe? In this situation, the first thing that needs to be referred to is the Children’s Acts of 1989, and of 2004 (OPSI, 1989 and 2004). These acts are the basis by which social workers determine how at risk children are in particular environments, and what the assessment criteria should be used when looking at such a case. In this case, the main issues are the definitions of ‘significant harm’ and ‘children in need’. Looking at the 1989 Children Act, we will start with the concept of significant harm. The concept of significant harm and its definition is referred to in section 47 of the 1989 Children Act. This says that the local authority is under a duty to investigate or create inquiries into the suffering of a child where there is cause to suspect that significant harm is being done to the child or significant harm is likely to befall the child (OPSI, 1989, s. 47). From this, a court can only make a supervision order or care order if the child is suffering or likely suffer significant harm, and this harm is caused by the lack of adequate parental care or control (OPSI, 1989, s. 31). In this case, ‘harm’ refers to ill-treatment such as physical and sexual abuse, as well as mental abuse, poor physical or mental health cause by the parent’s lack of care and impairment of health or development. These factors are compared to what a ‘normal’ child would be expected to have at a particular age (OPSI, 1989, S. 31(9-10)). However, there are no precise guidelines on what would constitute significant harm in each case. Despite this, it is fairly clear in this scenario that where alcohol and drugs are involved and the children are dirty, smelly and potentially malnourished, a duty to investigate is there. The children are being physically impaired at the very least with regards to their health, and the involvement of alcohol and drugs means that this is potentially being caused by the lack of parental care. In such a case, the family context would need to be looked at, as would the child’s development, any special needs the child has, and the exact nature of the harm and the adequacy of parental care. In this case the parents are both very young, but this alone is of course of no particular issue as discrimination laws prevent such discrimination of parental rights based on age. The most important things in this case would be to investigate and prove or disprove the claims about the parent’s alcohol and drug abuse, and also look at the exact state of health of the children. However, there is another concept to look at as well, regarding the nature of children in need. This definition is located in section 17 of the 1989 Children Act. This part of the Children Act shows where legal work and social work combine to form the assessment criteria for families (Tunstill, in Parton, 1997, pp. 40-43). The legal definition ‘Children in Need’ is that the child is unlikely to achieve or maintain or have the opportunity for a reasonable standard of health or development without provision of services from the local authority, and that the child’s health is likely to be impaired or further impaired without such services (Surrey County Council., 2008). In this case, it is not yet determined whether the children are suffering because of the parents, or whether there is some medical reason why the children are in a poor condition. However, if it is proven that the parents are abusing alcohol and drugs; this would most likely constitute a case of child ren in need or children with the likelihood of suffering significant harm. However, in such a case it is unlikely that a permanent care order would be given, and more likely that a temporary care order or supervision order would be put in place, giving the parents the chance to deal with their problems and raise their children properly. If the parents failed in this, then a permanent care order may be issued. There may also be police investigations in light of the allegations regarding illegal drug abuse. If when the children are initially assessed they appear to be in poor physical health, then it is likely that an emergency protection order will be put in place in order to protect the children from further harm in the short-term, whilst the parental and family situation is better assessed and looked at. This way the children will not be placed in further danger, and a more measured approach can take place with regards to the ability of the parents to look after the children (RPsych, 2008). If the children are taken away, then the first option for many Councils currently is to place the children with suitable relatives or friends. It is often found that children are happier and less distressed in such situations, particularly in the short-term. However, this is not always possible and if not a foster home will be assigned for the children should an emergency care order be put in place. The use of drugs and alcohol by the parents, if proven, is a strong indicating factor of danger to the child. In a study in the London area of 290 cases it has been found that nearly 1 third of cases involved substance misuse, and that these children were even more vulnerable than many of the others because of this. The children were generally very young, as in this case, and the parents had a variety of problems in addition to the substance misuse, either directly or indirectly linked to this problem. Therefore, this case must be looked at extremely carefully and all efforts made to safeguard the children (Department for Education and Skills (DfES), 2002, s. 2.16). This is particularly crucial because many studies have also shown that in many cases, the children were not fully safeguarded and not enough was done to protect the children from harm. Although this must not mean looking at the parents immediately as if they were guilty, it is important to fully and thoroughly assess the situation so that the children remain safe, as this is the number one priority (DfES, 2002, s. 2.11). It is clear in this case that investigation is warranted; as one such allegations are made there is a duty on the part of the local authority to investigate. However, in order for any action to be taken, the threshold for significant harm needs to be met. As mentioned before in this case it seems likely that significant harm might be occurring or likely to occur, but the threshold needs to be met, and this can only be determined by a detailed investigation of the family. This can prove difficult, as a study of 105 cases found that there were varying interpretations of significant harm, even with the guidelines set out in the Children Act. This can make it very difficult to determine what exactly constitutes significant harm, and whether or not action should be taken. However, it seems that being more cautious and putting the rights of the children first, without immediately determining the parents as guilty, is the most appropriate way to act in light of the guidelines (Brandon, Lewi s, and Thoburn, 2007, pp. 15-19). Giving parents ‘the benefit of the doubt’ or not looking deeply into the situation can prove extremely harmful, as was shown in the Victoria Climbie case. In light of this, the government has made sure that organizations are now much more integrated, and that the principle responsibility in such cases is the welfare of the children and making sure the children are safe. This means that staff can now more accurately and easily determine cases of abuse or ill-treatment, and they have the necessary support to follow through such investigations. This is certainly important in this case, as the abuse may be hard to determine, especially if the children are merely dirty or have hygiene issues rather than noticeable wounds or damage (Department of Health., 2003) One of the most difficult factors to decide is if the child is suffering significant harm from seeing violence committed by their parents, perhaps on each other rather than the child. Whilst this cannot yet be determined in this case, if the children themselves are unharmed then the harm caused by witnessing violence cannot be underestimated. In another study by Brandon and Lewis (2007), it was discovered that 49 of the 105 cases reviewed included children who witnessed violence, and in many cases the harm caused to the child was often overlooked or downgraded by the social work professional. Although in this case the circumstances may be different, because the children are already being reported as in poor physical health. However, this issue of witnessing violence must be considered an issue in light of the claims regarding alcohol and drug misuse. In this case, the allegations would require a full investigation of the family, to see whether the thresholds for significant harm and children in need have been reached. If this is the case, then the children will be fully examined, and should be put on a program of health improvement. This may involve removing the children from the parents for a period of time if their health is a real issue or the parents have alcohol and drug misuse problems. However, if this is not the case then a supervision order may be enough to improve the health of the children. If this does not look like improving matters, then more drastic care measures may be taken so as to make sure the children are safe. Whilst this is occurring, it needs to be made sure that all issues of discrimination are dealt with, particularly in the form of racial or age discrimination as these issues are often a problem in child safety assessments such as this. It must also be remembered that whilst the parents may be having problems at this time, if the parents can get support as well then any care placement or supervision order may be short-term, as the aim wherever possible is to keep children with their parents if they can remain safe and healthy in that environment (Bretherton, Huzzard, and Little, 2006). It must also be remembered that whilst the care and safety of the child is important, the parents have needs and rights too and traumatizing them unduly when a more appropriate measure might be an initial talk rather than a full investigation. The children should always come first, but if their parents are accused wrongly then the child’s needs are not being met (Spratt, 2000, pp. 611-615) Scenario 2 Community Care Scenario: Julia, 45 contacted her local disability action group to find out what support might be available to her. Her husband left the family home six months ago, shortly after Julie had given birth to a baby girl and received a diagnosis of multiple sclerosis. Julia’s sight has recently deteriorated and her mother, Anna who is 75, has been commuting thirty miles per day to provide general help around the home and support with the care of the baby. As the social worker/advocate taking Julia’s call how would you advise her? What is she entitled to from social services? What support might be available to the family? In this case, there is a delicate balancing act to be had between giving the disabled parent the right amount of support, making sure the child is adequately cared for, and providing support for the elderly carer. This involves looking at the legislation and guidelines laid out in the Community Care Act, and the Carer’s Act. Firstly, it must be decided whether or not the disability or health issue of the parent is separate from them being a parent, and does not impact on the quality of the life of the child. If this is the case, then the assessment for support is based on an adult assessment framework. However, if it is judged that the child is in need and the disability or health issue of the parent impacts on the well-being of the child, then an assessment must be made under the Children Act with regards to the child’s welfare. Firstly, the parent would be advised that they can be assessed by the NHS and Community Care Act framework to determine the level of support they require. This assessment will not only look at the needs of the disabled parent, but also the ability of the parent to take care of the child. This is included in section 47 of the Community Care Act, which states that a person will be assessed who has a disability, and their needs will be determined with regards to welfare and accommodation. This may involve an inspection of the home to see how it could be improved to meet the needs of the disabled parent, and also in this case the child (North Somerset Council., 2003). This assessment would also determine how much support the parent needs, and therefore how capable they are of looking after the child (OPSI, 1990, S. 47). In this case, it must be pointed out that the parent already requires care in order to look after the child, which at the moment is provided from her elderly mother. However, needing support in order to take better care of the child does not mean that the parent is incapable of looking after the child. However, because of the nature of the disability as something which is only like to get worse from a degenerative illness, an ongoing monitoring of the child’s well-being may well take place. This is so that the child can remain with the parent, but also remains safe should the condition of the parent deteriorate to a point where they can no longer provide adequate care for the child. The parent should be advised that as well as having their own situation looked at with regards to support, an assessment of the child’s care will also be done. It should be pointed out to the parent that this is in no way indicative that their child will be removed into care, but it helps the local authority to make sure the needs of the disabled parent and the child are looked after. The process will eventually lead to a care strategy being created that should allow for services that will help the parent to look after their child and also meet the needs of the adult. It is crucial that the adult is not discriminated against because they are disabled, and that it is not immediately assumed that they are incapable of looking after the child. Whilst the potential for degenerative blindness in the parent is worrying, with adequate support they should still be able to look after their child effectively. This is important because a number of studies have shown that disabled parents are often treated poorly, with their rights as parents looked down upon and their needs not met. A disabled person has the right to have a family and get support for this family, within reasonable limits, and as long as the child can be taken care of so that they are not in need. This is covered by the Human Rights Act of 1998, and means that discrimination against disabled parents is prohibited. In these cases, the children protection agencies and adult care agencies should work together to provide support for the adult so that they can best look after themselves and their child (DirectGov, 2008). The Joseph Rowntree Foundation (2003) found that disabled parents often face the assumption that their disability is placing the child at risk. It should be made clear to parents that they are entitled to assistance with parenting tasks from adult community care services. It is important that the rights and needs of the parents are looked after, because by doing this they will be able to look after their child. One other problem is that much of the emphasis is put on ‘Young Carer’s whereby children who are capable will help to care for their parents when they can. They of course receive support, but the overemphasis on this side means that the needs of the parents are overlooked and perhaps too much responsibility is placed on the children. In this case such a young carer is not possible as the child is still only a baby (Wates, 2007). Another issue here is the care being given by the elderly mother of the disabled parent. At 75 years old it is certainly not ideal that she be in charge of caring for the baby and the parent, not because she is incapable but because it is a lot of strain for someone elderly to have to go through. However, if this is only to be a short-term measure or partial relief along with other support services, then the elderly mother can claim support and benefits as a carer under the Carers and Disabled Children Act (OPSI, 2000) and the Carers Act (OPSI, 1995). The carer will be assessed to see if they are qualified or capable of being a care giver, and support will be given to them in order to help carry out this duty. Although in this case it is more likely that this would only be as a short-term or emergency measure, given the age of the potential carer and the fact a young baby and a disabled parent need care. The most important factor here is to make sure that both the adult assessment and child assessment are carried out with the desire to make sure the adult gets the support they need to look after themselves and their child adequately (Solihull NHS., 2006). In this case, one of the best ways to gain support might be through the use of direct payments to the disabled parent, thereby allowing them the chance to arrange support that suits them and their child. The assessment will give the parent a chance to understand the ways in which support can help them, and the direct payment scheme can help them to remain independent (Bytheway et al, 2002, pp. 341-343). Conclusion In both cases, the most important factors are to make sure that the assessment criteria are fulfilled, and that adequate support is given so that both parents and children can remain together in a safe and stable environment. In the first case, the welfare of the child must be of paramount importance, and any risk to the child should be put first. However, it must also be made sure that every effort is made for the parents and children to remain together if the parents can receive support to improve their care giving abilities (Whitney, 2004, pp. 52-55). In the second case, the most important factor is to make sure that the disabled parent gets the support they need and, if possible, continue to look after their child effectively with this support. If these procedures are implemented then both parents and children will be able to remain safe and receive the support they need. Bibliography General: Butler, I., Butler, I.G., and Roberts, G., 2003. Social Work with Children and Families: Getting Into Practice. Jessica Kingsley Publishers. Millam, R., 2002. Anti-Discriminatory Practice: a guide for workers in childcare and education. Continuum International Publishing Group. Parton, N., 1997. Child Protection and Family Support: Tensions, Contradictions and Possibilities. Routledge. Whitney, B., 2004. Protecting Children: A Handbook for Teachers and School Managers. London: RoutledgeFalmer. Scenario 1: Brandon, M.B., and Lewis, A., 2007. Significant harm and childrens experiences of domestic violence. Child and Family Social Work, 1(1), pp. 33-42. Brandon, M.B., Lewis, A., and Thoburn, J., 2007. The Children Act definition of significant harm—interpretations in practice. Health and Social Care in the Community, 4(1), pp. 11-20. Bretherton, H., Huzzard, S., and Little, P., 2006. Family Justice Research Digest, Issue 1. Available at: http://www.family-justice-council.org.uk/docs/rd_06_issue1.pdf Department for Education and Skills (DfES)., 2002. Children Act Report 2002. Available at: http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/publications/childrenactreport/docs/DfES-Childrens%20Act.pdf Department of Health., 2003. Keeping Children Safe: The Government’s Response to the Victoria Climbià © Inquiry Report and Joint Chief Inspectors’ Report Safeguarding Children. Available at: http://www.everychildmatters.gov.uk/_files/684162953674A15196BB5221973959E3.pdf Department of Health., 2008. Department of Health Website. (Online). Available at: http://www.dh.gov.uk/en/index.htm (Accessed 17th August 2008). Office of Public Sector Information (OPSI)., 1989. Children Act 1989. http://www.opsi.gov.uk/acts/acts1989/ukpga_19890041_en_1 Office of Public Sector Information (OPSI)., 2004. Children Act 2004. Available at: http://www.opsi.gov.uk/ACTS/acts2004/ukpga_20040031_en_1.htm RPsych., 2008. Overview of the Children Act 1989. (Online). http://www.rcpsych.ac.uk/files/samplechapter/102_0.pdf (Accessed 18th August 2008). Spratt, T., 2000. Decision making by senior social workers at point of first referral. British Journal of Social Work, 30, pp. 597-618. Surrey County Council., 2008. What does the term children in need mean? (Online). Available at: http://www.surreycc.gov.uk/sccwebsite/sccwspages.nsf/LookupWebPagesByTITLE_RTF/What+does+the+term+Children+in+Need+meanQ?opendocument. (Accessed 16th August 2008). Scenario 2: Bytheway, B., et al. 2002. Understanding Care, Welfare and Community: A Reader. London: Routledge. DirectGov., 2008. Rights, legislation and disabled parents. (Online). Available at: http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/DisabledPeople/Disabledparents/DG_10037905 (Accessed 17th August 2008). Joseph Rowntree Foundation., 2003. Disabled parents are undermined by poor support and negative attitudes, says task force. Available at: http://www.jrf.org.uk/pressroom/releases/240903.asp North Somerset Council., 2003. Parents with Care Needs. Available at: http://www.n-somerset.gov.uk/NR/rdonlyres/611F9138-4C4F-4762-9ECB-5AC16C94622D/0/document_20030701_Protocol19ParentsWithCareNeeds.pdf Office of Public Sector Information (OPSI)., 1990. National Health Service and Community Care Act 1990 (c. 19). Available at: http://www.opsi.gov.uk/ACTS/acts1990/ukpga_19900019_en_1   Available at: http://www.opsi.gov.uk/ACTS/acts2000/ukpga_20000016_en_1 Solihull NHS., 2006. Supporting disabled parents – Solihull MBC inter-directorate protocol and staff guidance. Available at: http://www.solihull.nhs.uk/foi/policies/social_care/D%20-%20Disabled%20Parents%20Protocol.pdf

Pyrotechnics, The Art Of Fire :: essays research papers

Pyrotechnics is defined as the art of manufacturing or setting of fireworks. There are many different forms of pyrotechnics. Some consider fireworks dangerous, obnoxious bursts of noise; others consider them beautiful, artful displays of light. Either way you look at it, pyrotechnics is an interesting and dangerous hobby. Many colors and designs may be created by the placement of different compounds in distinct areas of the fireworks, either projectile or stationary ones. Some of the many different colors of the visible spectrum that can be easily recreated are; yellow, orange, red, green, and blue. The shades of yellow and orange can be easily recreated by the use of sodium or calcium chlorate. Red is easily attainable by the burning of SrCl. The burning of BaCl creates a very bright green. The burning of copper chlorate creates the blues. It would be extremely easy if we could just place these in the fireworks and have them work, however, the emitting molecules, especially SrCl and BaCl, are so reactive that they cannot be packed directly into a firework. To generate them, we need pyrotechnic compositions designed to generate the above molecules, to evaporate them into the flame and to keep them at as high temperature as possible to achieve maximum light output. To get good colors, there must be substantial amounts of emitters present in the flame. The emitters are not alone: in order to achieve the high temperature, a fuel - oxidizer system is also needed, as well as some additional ingredients. The colors of aerial fireworks come invariably from stars, small pellets of firework composition which contain all the necessary ingredients for generating colored light or other special effects. They may be as tiny as peas or as large as strawberries. A typical red star might contain Potassium perchlorate,   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  67% by weight Strontium carbonate  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  13.5% Pine root pitch (fuel)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  13.5% Rice starch (binder)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  6% In order to launch these beautiful displays into the sky, one must shoot them by means of a mortar or a rocket attached to the firework. To use a mortar, you must pack a propellant into the mortar and then place your firework inside. The subsequent explosion luanchs the mortar ball (your firework) into the sky, where it is free to explode in a 360 degree display of chemistry. Some fireworks are stationary, where all that is desired is a loud bang. Some of the best stationary fireworks are just straight, packed black powder in a small, sealed container (i.

Good And Evil Are Bedfellows in Flannery O’Connor A Good Man is Hard to

The Flannery O’Connor story â€Å"A Good Man is Hard to Find† illustrates a parallel between the Misfit and the grandmother, showing that good and evil are not mutually exclusive in an individual. The grandmother and the Misfit display a flowing, changing state of character, representative of this shift. Flannery O’Connor develops these two characters on the surface as simply being a good person and a bad person. However, there is more to each character than the surface level, as they exhibit traits that wouldn’t ordinarily seem fitting in regards to what would be expected. It is this complexity in human characteristics that O’Connor takes the time to develop and show the audience the depth of humanity. William Burke defines the bond between the Misfit and the grandmother by observing a â€Å"shared moral principle† (99). This moral principle is the belief that they deem themselves a good person, though, for entirely different reasons. As the family begins its trip, despite her initial objections, the grandmother is content with the ride (O’Connor 203). Her agreeable nature portrays her as being a kind old woman and therefore the good person she strives to be. Despite his criminal history, the Misfit is introduced as a considerate motorist, stopping to help the injured family and their damaged vehicle (208). Considering his reputation, had he truly been a man of evil, the family would have been in immediate danger, as opposed to just the point from when the grandmother recognized him. Upon the realization that the Misfit may, in fact, be no different than one of her own children, her subsequent murder reveals the Misfit’s own regrets about his misdeeds (Oà ¢â‚¬â„¢Connor 212). On the other hand, the grandmother and the Misfit both â€Å"act... ...s in mind â€Å"A Good Man Is Hard to Come By† because a solely good man is a rarity among individuals. Regardless of the role the person may have in society, a grandmother or a criminal, perhaps, there are more intricate blends in a personality than just good or evil. Works Cited Burke, William. "Protagonists and antagonists in the fiction of Flannery O'Connor." The Southern Literary Journal 20 (1988): 99. Evans, R. (1997, January). A good man is hard to find. Short Fiction: A Critical Companion, Retrieved November 23, 2008, from Literary Reference Center database. Kane, Richard. "Positive deconstruction in the fiction of Flannery O'Connor." The Southern Literary Journal 20 (1987): 45. O’Connor, Flannery. â€Å"A Good Man Is Hard to Find† Literature: Reading Fiction, Poetry, and Drama. Ed. Robert DiYanni. 6th ed. Boston: McGraw Hill, 2007. 202-212.

Book Review – Simply Jesus

We can go about Sunday after Sunday worshipping the Lord Jesus and praying out to him in our own ways but at the end of the day, are we ready to deal with the challenges of the â€Å"real life†? Would we question ourselves on the reality of Jesus' existence? â€Å"With Jesus, Its easy to be complicated and hard to be simple†, described the author. And it is so true that with our Limited ability to fully comprehend the works of Christ Jesus, he becomes rather â€Å"under-utilized†, grossly under-valued with Its full potential nowhere near realized. The gospels, like his computer, have every right to feel restated, says the author.Jesus, though he was actually king, did not come fully recognizable as â€Å"the king†, so that his believers need to â€Å"exercise faith† in believing that Jesus is indeed the real king through all his miraculous works! Jesus is unavoidable. But he is also deeply mysterious. While we know so much about Jesus, yet there Is only so little that we really understood of him. Jesus puzzled people then, and he puzzles us till this day! Firstly, we know that Jesus' world was a strange, foreign country. Those days the people then thought differently. They coked at the world differently in cultural habits, practices and lifestyle.Secondly, Jesus' God seem to strange to us! There are so many â€Å"gods† from some of the world's great religions that it is not sufficient Just to ask, â€Å"Do you believe? † but to also ask, â€Å"Which god dowdy believe In? â€Å". We need to get Inside Jesus' world and try to catch a glimpse of what he meant when he spoke of God. Only then, we can begin to look Into think you were allowed to do, and he explained them by saying he had the right to do them! Of course, with all that said, Jesus didn't have â€Å"authority' over us. Nevertheless, the right to â€Å"choose† still lies in our hands today.

Caring for Children and Young People Booklet Essay

Unit 10 caring for children and young people assignment 2 of 2, report There are 3 types of maltreatment: abuse, neglect, bullying and harassment. Abuse can be physical, emotional (intellectual) and sexual. Signs of physical abuse are: * Unexplained injuries that sound untrue or doesn’t fit in with the injury * Injuries on a non-mobile baby or head injuries on a child who is less than one year old * Nervous behaviour, jumpy, watchful and cautious, scared of psychical contact – shrinking back when touched * Difficulty in making friends and trusting others * Refusing to undress for physical education or medical examination, wearing too many clothes in warm weather to cover up the injuries * Chronic running away and school absences * Repeated attendance at accident&emergency * Self-harm and self-destructive behaviour, being bullied * Aggression towards others, bullying others * Lying, stealing, getting into trouble with the police Signs of emotional abuse are: * Delayed development – emotionally immature for age, physically small and intellectually behind peers * Nervous behaviour such as rocking , hair twisting , self-harm * Speech disorders * Extremes of passive or aggressive behaviour * Fear of making a mistake and a overreacting to a mistake * Fear of new situations but can be over friendly with strangers * Continually putting themselves down * Inability to be spontaneous * Inability to concentrate Signs of sexual abuse are: * Medical problems in the genital area, sexually transmitted illnesses, bed wetting * Being overly affectionate and sexually knowing – demonstrating sexually inappropriate behaviour, flirting or graphic, sexualised play * Changes in behaviour – withdrawn, sad or even more extreme – depression, self-harm and attempts to suicide * Eating  disorders such as anorexia, bulimia, loss of appetite or compulsive overeating * Behaving than much younger child for example thumb-sucking or having a cuddly toy * Thinking badly about them and at the same time trying to be ultra-good and overreacting to criticism * Being afraid of someone they know, not wanting to be alone with them, lack of trust * Being scared of physical contact and fear of undressing Signs of child being neglected are: * Poor personal hygiene * Underweight or constantly hungry, may be stealing food * Always tired and cannot concentrate to learn or play * Clothing inadequate for weather, too small, dirty * May have untreated medical conditions e.g. cough, cold * No friends, might be bullied, socially isolated * Destructive tendencies Risk of maltreatment can be within family, outside family for example in care setting or strangers. Children and young people are more at the risk to be maltreated by people known by them. When a child has specific learning difficulties, communication difficulties, specific development delay, genetic influence, difficult temperament, physical illness, academic failures and low self-esteem then the child is more at risk for maltreatment. Consequences of maltreatment vary depending on child’s age and the type of maltreatment. The long term consequences of maltreatment on children and young people who are not helped effectively have a personal cost and a cost to a society as a whole. Children with constant fear that is experienced when being abused can affect brain development with long life consequences. Brain scans show the difference between abused children and non-abused children. Child from 0 to 3 years needs to bond – make a secure and trusting relationship with the main caregiver in order to develop health. Ability to feel empathy, compassion, trust and love is based on these early experiences. If bonding is not there then the relationship between caregiver and child is not right. There are four theories of maltreatment: medical, sociological, psychological and feminist. The medical model of child abuse is where abuse is viewed as a disease which is called the battered-child syndrome which is a clinical condition is children who  have received abuse and is a cause of permanent injury or even death. The sociological model of maltreatment defines child abuse in terms of social judgement of parental acts which are considered inappropriate by cultural standards and practices. Sociological models focus on contextual condition such as poverty that give rise to abuse. The psychological model of maltreatment is an attachment theory and says that a child needs to develop a relationship with at least one caregiver for development to occur normally. The feminist model say that feminist believe that men like to have all power and they can get it by abusing children or to regain power if they have lost it. If child abuse is suspected then it should be immediately reported. It depends on where the child abuse is suspected, people should always follow the policies of the setting and implementing safe working practices. For example if you work in school or nursery you would talk to the designated person for example manager or head teacher. People should write down causes for concern as and when they happen recording as much information down as possible and writing down only the facts. So if a child tells you something you should write it down exactly as they said it and not what you think they mean. Depending on what has been disclosed would depend on how you react. For example if child has a bump on their head and is very quiet about it and doesn’t tell you it doesn’t mean that they have been abused. You have to know their parents too. If a child discloses something which is of concern to you for example they reveal that they have been abused then action should be taken immediately to ensure child’s safety. A person has a responsibility to maintain confidentiality according to policies of the setting. Person who is suspecting the abuse should always listen and communicate at children or young person’s pace and without any pressure and always take the child seriously. Strategies and methods that can be used to support children, young people and their families where abuse is suspected or confirmed is that person should be respectful towards these children and have a child centred approach. Active support should be provided which empowers children and young people. Their self-confidence, self-esteem, resilience and assertiveness should be supported because it is really low when people were abused and it is needed to really support children and young people because it would have affected them. You should always share information and not to keep secrets from them but giving  information according to their age because you wouldn’t want to give too much information or inappropriate information for example to a 3 year old and you would talk differently with children than with young people. For families it is important to develop supportive relationships with parent and families and involving parents in the assessment of children needs to help them not to make the same mistakes in the future and to make them know what the children needs to have. People should always help parents to recognise the value and significance of their contributions and encourage them to develop their parenting skills. To minimise the effects of abuse you should always encourage expression of feelings within acceptable boundaries to help them deal with their emotions and to help them improve their self image. Helping them to build self esteem and confidence is also really important, for example by play therapy or counselling. Rasheed, Elizabeth; Irvine, Jo; Hetherington, Alison. BTEC Level 3 National Health and Social Care. London, GBR: Hodder Education, 2010. p 224. http://site.ebrary.com/lib/southessex/Doc?id=10448710&ppg=235 Copyright  © 2010. Hodder Education. All rights reserved. http://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/ncfv-cnivf/pdfs/nfnts-childneglect_e.pdf http://forums.nurseryworld.co.uk/showthread/c23d171e-b642-4e2a-a09c-d21a022f5ca5/ The Battered-Child Syndrome, July 7, 1962. (brak daty). 03 19, 2012 http://jama.ama-assn.org/content/181/1/17.abstract