Thomas Friedman †Generation Q

Journal: Thomas Friedman – Generation Q This article by Thomas Friedman covers how our generation, ‘Generation Q’, is the â€Å"quiet generation† that holds ideals and hopes that can change the world – if only we weren’t so quiet. Friedman explains that our generation has a various range of idealism but we are not brave enough to come forth and express our points. In his opinion we are not as outraged as we should be. Friedman’s claim is not something new; he is more elaborate by specifying the problem, which is on politics.Friedman explains that we need to get offline and get active within the community to truly make any politicians listen to what we need as the next coming generation. He feels our generation has become too quiet because of what technology has brought. He criticizes our generation by saying we waste time on social networking sites such as Facebook and MySpace. I agree that various social networking sites aren’t going to help us solve problems such as global warming.However, I strongly believe that technology has many positives that Friedman fails to recognize. He talks a lot about what his generation used to do, however he does not take into consideration that there are many factors that have differentiated ‘Generation Q’ from his generation. I feel it is also worth noting that our generation is raised with much emphasis given to higher education. This is mainly why most students are concerned with their collegiate bubble! After reading this article I would propose a few questions to Friedman.Firstly, why should ‘Generation Q’ be help responsible to clean the mess earlier generations left behind? Secondly, how do you expect college students to sort out political issues when we already have our hands full with college? Lastly, have you considered the empowering nature of technology in the world today? For example, it can do wonders to spread awareness. Friedman put a lot of expectation for ‘Generation Q’ to be as identical as his generation. He must realize that each generation has their own way to be politically active.

Frankenstein and Jurassic Park Essay

   â€Å"I appeared rather like one doomed by slavery,† That line is used in the book when Frankenstein was telling the reader about how hard he was working on his creation and how its almost how he has to, like a slave. Here is a thought; I suppose in a way the monster throughout the book is being personified as really he is not human he is just a pile of discarded humans not is not really a writing device or an example of language it just came into my head. Here is another line from Frankenstein: â€Å"Rage and Hatred had at first deprived me of utterance,† That is an extremely good line; just by reading it you could probably tell when it was written it is a very good example of typical the Victorian style English language. After reading Frankenstein it seems that the way in which we talk nowadays is quite dull. Jurassic park reads like any other modern novel but of course with more scientific language, as it is a science fiction book. Here is a line from the book to prove that: â€Å"Grant was awakened by a loud grinding sound, followed by a mechanical clanking. † That quote is very good and typical of the book it uses a lot of onomatopoeia like the book does so much. Another thing I noticed whilst reading the books is that Jurassic Park has a lot more speech than Frankenstein. Also whilst reading the books I noticed that the things the writers use to describe horror are very different, in Frankenstein as it is a biography (however fictional) when something is scary he describes it by saying how it makes him feel for example: â€Å"How can I describe my emotions at this catastrophe? † In Jurassic park it is different as it isn’t a biography and it is just the writer describing how something appears not how it appears to a certain character in the story. In Jurassic Park there is not much about how these scary things affect the characters just what they did about them, this could suggest that when a dinosaur is running at you haven’t got much time to think about it or the writer just hasn’t considered it, here is a quote for evidence. To give a sort of an introduction `grant’ has spotted some pterodactyls and they are flying toward him and it goes straight into: â€Å"†Come on! † Grant said, grabbing their hands. They ran across the meadow, hearing the approaching scream. † Frankenstein also uses a lot of religious language throughout the book with words like â€Å"Daemons,† and, â€Å"Evil,† And also somewhere in the middle of the book it says about how all creatures should come from: â€Å"The hands of god. † In modern society there are far less religious people than they were in Shelly’s time this could act, as more evidence that the books were written in different times, and that in language, although not content is a far older book. I enjoyed reading both of these books and it was interesting to compare them the books are very similar in so many ways but still written so differently both writers should be proud of producing such excellent pieces of literature. I must say though being a boy born in the late 20^th century and being stereotypically lazy I did enjoy reading Jurassic park more than I did Frankenstein but I think this is because I had an idea more about what they were saying and the language was clearer. Another part of it would have to be that I found it easier to relate with the characters in Jurassic Park as they seemed more normal than good old Victor and of course being from the same period of time as them helps. Chricton’s book gives the reader more of an action packed thrill ride, whereas Shelly’s was more of an emotional book although still gruesome and quite enjoyable and it is much more mature book and didn’t give u the impression it is deliberately accessible it also is a lot more personal and had Shelly’s views all the way through but between the lines. But a great man once said: â€Å"Don’t let acceptance exempt your expression. † References Visible links Hidden links: 1. http://www. coursework. info/ Show preview only The above preview is unformatted text This student written piece of work is one of many that can be found in our GCSE Mary Shelley section. Download this essay Print Save Here’s what a teacher thought of this essay 4 star(s).

Things a Service Business Must Get Right Assignment

Things a Service Business Must Get Right - Assignment Example This paper illustrates that the business strategies that are applicable in a commodity market are totally different from those applicable from the service markets, owing to the tangibility of the commodity as opposed to a service. While promoting a product, it is much easier for the customer to inspect and try out the product before making a purchase decision, since the product is tangibly available for inspection. This is different with a service market since the prospective buyer cannot try out a service before he/she purchases it. Thus for a service business to earn good profits, more efforts in strategizing must be applied as opposed to a business dealing in goods. This forms the subject of this Journal Article review, covering a brief summary, critique of the article and offering concluding thoughts. The fundamental reason for choosing this article is the realization that the service industry operates completely different from a commodity market. While some business strategies a re applicable to any form of business whether product or service business, there is some uniqueness in the service industry that calls for applying different strategies. This article is relevant to advance this realization, since it covers four things a service business must get right, in order to survive and succeed. Most of the management tools that have been established over time have specialized in addressing the challenges of the product companies. Although such management tools are of considerable value to managers operating in the service businesses, they fall short of the requirement for effective and efficient management of such businesses to enhance successful growth and profitability. Frei has introduced four main elements that would help see the service business grow towards profitability. These elements, which constitute the new management tool for the service industry, are the design of the offering, employee management, customer management, and the funding mechanism, which collectively forms the service model. To start with, the service offering by any service business should be well designed, tailor-made to meet the desires and the needs of the most attractive customer groups.

Sociological Journal Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Sociological Journal - Essay Example After Simpson was found not guilty in his criminal murder trial, a civil trial found him guilty of the same act. This labeled Simpson a murder. Under the Social Bond Theory, Simpson’s bond with society was broken. He was no longer considered just an actor or football player. Simpson was treated like a freak or pariah. This would increase his chances of committing a deviant act in the future. Simpson was put in the position for armed robbery by the civil ruling regarding Simpson to pay the Goldman and Brown family monetarily for their loss of loved ones. This would fall under Access to Illegitimate Opportunities. O.J. Simpson hid most of his assets from the courts. The armed robbery was of things that Simpson claimed were his own. If the Goldmans had not tracked down and taken most of Simpson’s possessions and money, then Simpson would not have had the opportunity to hid his possessions or reclaim them through force. This would also fall under the Differential Association Theory. When hiding his possessions from the Goldmans, Simpson could not hide them in a legitimate place. He had to associate with other criminals. This association could have pushed him into taking back what Simpson believed was his own. This association could have blurred right and wrong in Simpson’s mind. Under the Labeling Theory, the strength of labeling lies within those who are doing the labeling. In this case, the majority of the world followed the first case. Thus the strength of this labeling was strong. The Primary Deviance was Simpson’s involvement in the death of his ex-wife and her friend. The Secondary Deviance was the armed robbery. Simpson’s first crime was indictable, because it involved homicide. The second crime was also indictable, since it was a robbery. Both crimes would be defined as a Street Crime or Conventional Crime, since both were violent. This does go against the societal norm, because of Simpson’s age.

History- Modern latin america Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

History- Modern latin america - Assignment Example 2. Outcome of Mexico Independence Mexicans, won independence from Spanish colonial authorities in 1821. Stephen Austin’s settlers were then, directed to become Mexican citizens; members of the Roman Catholic Church and learn Spanish. When Mexican government condemned slavery, Texans (Americans in Austin’s colony) rebelled and were declared republic in 1839. Post colonial era witnessed major conflicts, the  War of the Triple Alliance  (1864–1870) and the  War of the Pacific  (1879–1884).  Porfirio Diaz (1884-1910) tried to maintain law and order in Mexico. He helped modernize economy by boosting foreign investment; export of the natural resources and expanding railroads though majority of land and resources remained concentrated in hands of wealthy owners, resulting majority population poor. In the second decade of 20th century uprisings held by Francisco Madero against autocrat Diaz led to largest upheaval, â€Å"Mexico revolution†. Refere nce: 1. Stephen, Lynn.  Zapata Lives: Histories and Cultural Politics in Southern Mexico, Berkeley: University of California Press, 2002 Print.

Argumentive Essay The Myth of Media Violence Research Paper

Argumentive Essay The Myth of Media Violence - Research Paper Example in television programs as well as music videos that are obviously not meant for innocent children and accordingly, convey negative messages to the children whenever they happen to encounter them. These programs include but are not limited to negative reality shows, crime reports, adult movies and vulgar fashion shows. Such programs have caused the children to mature before the right age and they know too much for their age and mental capacity. A lot of people deny the difference between the extremity and intensity of negativity of the programs projected on television in the 1950s and those shown today by arguing that violence has always been there in the television programs, particularly in the bull fighting and wrestling. However, what I feel lacking in his argument is a realization of the fact that today’s media is far too open towards vulgarity and adultery contrary to the standards that were followed half a century ago. Any argument in favor of the violence and porn projected in the movies, video games and media today is, to me, illegitimate and irrational. It is an established fact that many music videos released nowadays are full of sexually explicit material. In fact, eroticism has become a fundamental trait of profitable music videos, particularly when they star famous celebrities. People are curious to know who has exposed to what extent. (Lewis 94) says that music slowly penetrates so deep into the social setup that it ultimately develops the tendency to overtly express the hidden belief systems that have long remained taboos in the society and hence, alters the society’s way of thinking and its lifestyle. (Lewis 94) further notes that in this way, music serves as the advertisement for the social belief systems that have not been discussed openly in the past, yet have existed in all times. Having watched the taboos openly discussed in the reality shows telecast, people become immune to them and stop shying about discussing matters and watching the

The Pros and Cons of Steel Construction to Firefighters Essay

The Pros and Cons of Steel Construction to Firefighters - Essay Example The advantages of steel construction are vast. First, steel is much lighter than other construction materials like wood, brick, and concrete. Second, it is resilient, it has an excellent strength to weight ratio, meaning it is able to support heavy weights with a low mass proportion. Third, it is malleable and is thus available in various shapes and sizes making it more efficient. Finally, it is cost effective. Its alloy nature is a combination of various elements that would have been expensive individually (Connell, 2005 pg 252). These advantages make firefighting easier for that; its light property makes it easier for firemen to move through rubble and save property as well as lives. In other buildings such as those constructed of concrete, maneuvering through the rubble is difficult for firemen making it hard for them to do their jobs. Also, steel is highly flame retardant. This makes it easier to put out fires and it less costly for fire departments. The main disadvantage of steel construction is that steel is an excellent conductor of heat and has a poor ability to resist fire (Connell, 2005 pg 251). In the event that the architect did not put in place specific measures for the particular building, the occurrence of a fire or high temperatures causes building disintegration. The improper placing of steel beams, joists and studs would cause a building to fall immediately in catastrophic events. These poor connections are what make steel construction hazardous to firemen. The high probability of steel to disintegrate makes it difficult for firemen to perform their duties during fires as there are chances of the building collapsing on them. Therefore extra precautions are required which may take time. Generally, steel construction makes firefighting easier.  

Media in a Democratic Society Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Media in a Democratic Society - Essay Example For the people of a particular state, to participate in a democratic society, they need exchange of ideas and a better communication system. This system is known as "media". Media is tool of communication which includes people in an organization that sustain the distribution and production of messages to the public. Media falls into categories such as TV, movie, internet, books and newspapers. Freedom of speech is the main part of a democratic society. With a past shortage of media space and a huge amount of voices in our society directed to a lack of opportunity given to people who become a part of the media. People involved in media are believed to represent the society such as telling the public about the elected officials that will represent their roles. Though, it is more useful to represent organizations and communities rather than representing individuals. People involved in media are responsible to protect the public it represents. Continuous support of public and look to the media as an organization, the media should represent individual's welfare and inform them of issues regarding to the public itself. The knowledge, shared in our society is about both education and media. The role of media is to inform people about current issues same as like school's that are responsible to teach skills and long lasting knowledge. 3) Facilitating the Social UnityIn a large and complex society, media assist to distribute the culture by giving an experience of mass population. If a society wants to stay unified than the people init should have a familiar culture. The more people will feel anything alike in them, the greater the bond of the individuals will have to one another. Like this, however, there is a greater opportunity to make decisions for the similar purpose.The question arises that how media can perform such roles To perform the roles mentioned above, media should maintain particular standards. There are a lot of ways to sustain such standards. For example, according to the theory by a German scholar namely Jurgen Habermas, our society is divided into different cultures, aims and backgrounds. To represent these groups, media requires to present dissimilar perceptions. The best way to achieve such a perception is that the members from all backgrounds or groups should have an entry to contribute in medi a. The media is only valuable when it communicates to the public. There must be a universal access to media response. Financial, personal, social or any other factor should not present obstacles to media response. (1) However, independent media are fundamental components of a large and complex democratic society. It helps to check the balance that differentiates in such societies. If we look at corruption, it weakens a strong government. A lot of politicians are forced to resign due to corruption but at the same moment, media publishes the information that reaches to the ordinary public. For example, in 1974, President Richard Nixon was forced to resign due to the Watergate scandal. He was caught up by two journalists at Washington Post. Journalists can also

Citibank,NA. Citigroup Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Citibank,NA. Citigroup - Essay Example The bank also offers various other services to individual consumers and small businesses enterprises, such as credit cards, deposit accounts and loans. This paper presents an analysis of the strengths, weaknesses, threats and opportunities of Citibank. It would be useful in gaining important insights into the current status of the company and its future performance. It would also help in identifying the potential customers and suppliers and understand the company’s business structure, its major products and the company’s operations (Ferrel and Hartline 124). Strengths Global strength Strong brand name Citibank is a subsidiary of the Citigroup, Inc. The company operates all over the world in 44 countries in four continents. Citibank has a strong brand name. Brand name of a company is considered as a precious asset. The brand name of the company captures various dimensions of the business. It encapsulates its mission, vision, corporate values and personality (â€Å"A str ong brand†). There are a number of benefits that a company enjoys form its brand name. Citibank exploits its corporate brand in order to improve its performance in the near future. Firstly, a strong brand name acts like the face of the business organization. High brand value portrays the short term aims of the corporation and reveals the position that the company targets to achieve in the international market. Corporate brand acts as an envelope or umbrella for the activities of the corporation. Citibank maintains a common company branding strategy all over the world, which helps the company to maintain a common expression (Roll, â€Å"Benefits of the Corporate Brand†). Good financial position The world has not yet recovered from the impacts of the 2008 financial crisis of the last decade and many financial institutions are facing the problem of instability. Due to robust financial infrastructure of the bank, Citibank has not been affected to a great extent during the f inancial crunch faced by the global market. The company enjoys a strong financial base, which is one of the major strongholds in the current period. Wide customer base The company operates all over the globe. It has its branches in the North American and Latin American countries, Asia, Europe, Middle East and the African countries. Due to such vast expanse of operations, Citibank enjoys a wide customer base. This reduces the risk factor for the organization. Infrastructure Retail banking operations in 44 countries Citibank makes strong retail banking operations in 44 countries in the world. It has a strong infrastructure that helps the company to operate successfully in the global platform. It helps the organization to serve the small scale businesses and the individual investors in these countries. It enables the company to reach a larger customer base and further strengthens its operations. Online services provides to millions of customers Citibank has a user friendly website that offers updated information regarding the products and services offered by the company. The website also allows customers to communicate with the bank with regard to their enquiries as well as accessing various services offered by the bank. The bank has different portals through which the customers

The USA expansion after the year 1800, changes between the years 1820 Essay

The USA expansion after the year 1800, changes between the years 1820 and 1850. Hamilton's financial program and the growth of industrial manufacturing - Essay Example 4," 2010). America refused, reminding the government of Mexico that the terms that had already been agreed to in the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo made America responsible only for protection, not financial compensation for any losses that happened to people or territory belonging to Mexico ("Gadsden purchase, 1853-1854," 2010). Complicating matters was the fact that some developers desperately wanted a Southern transcontinental railroad to connect the West through a southerly route. The only available routes passed through portions of Mexican territory. Things came to a boil in 1853, when the Mexican government evicted Americans from their homes in the Mesilla Valley ("Gadsden purchase, 1853-1854," 2010). ... Though there were small outbreaks of tension from this point on between the United States and Mexico, this treaty did much to cool the foreign relations that had previously been tense between the two countries. The United States experienced many changes between the years 1820 and 1850, including economic, industrial, and socioeconomic changes, as well as the issue of slavery. Of these changes, which do you think had the greatest effect during this time? Explain your choice. I think that the industrial changes experienced in the United States during this time had the greatest effect on the country. Though the changes were fueled by an enormous population growth, with the American population expanding from four million in 1790 to ten million in 1820, and seventeen million in 1840, it was still industry that grew rapidly and influenced almost every other sector of American life (Brinkley 2004). The growth of industries influenced the growth of cities, which influenced the changes that c ame about due to the expanded number of people in those cities. The populations of cities accelerated quickly, as did the number of factories in New England, with water power being replaced by steam power and later coal power. What had begun as a â€Å"factory system† in New England for textile workers was quickly expanded into other industries, such as the shoe industry (Brinkley 2004). I also believe that industrial changes had the greatest impact on the country from 1820 to 1850 because the growth of industry fueled new inventions and gadgets that came into service for the first time. Perhaps the biggest was the railroad that would soon span the entire length of the United States. Before 1820, the main form of transportation

Joe Salatino, President of Great Northern American Case Study Essay Example for Free

Joe Salatino, President of Great Northern American Case Study Essay Joe’s employees need to understand how people form perceptions and make attributions for several reasons. As they are in a selling business, employees need to know how they can best be perceived as to earn the trust of their customers. It is important to know how to be ethical in selling as well as trustworthy so that customers feel confident in choosing their services time and again. Aside from how their customers may perceive them, they must also be aware of how their employer sees them. It is important to employers to find capable, confident and hardworking potential employees. In 2011 CBS news did a story on how others see us and how we see ourselves. This report asserts that it is more important to know how others see us as it is by their reactions to who we perceive them to think we are that our own actions come from. They give a couple of examples right off about how a first date can leave you feeling defeated or conversely very confident. Just because you walk away feeling one way or another is not necessarily an indicator of how the date actually went or what the other party thought of you. Another example is given in that it not necessarily important for a company’s top executives to have a positive opinion of their product or service, it is more important that the consumer have an idea of their offering that generates more and more business. This usually comes from a positive perception of what they have to offer. These principals easily align with the idea that it is important in general to do what you can to have others form a positive impression of you. So, what makes a good first impression? Forbes magazine proposes theses 5 traits. First, â€Å"set an intention. † This means to visualize what you want out of whatever you are undertaking. For example, if it is a job interview, see yourself in the position with the traits you deem necessary for success at that position. You will be much more likely to pull off an air of those attributes if you have first taken the time to role play in your mind a successful turnaround of the event. Second, â€Å"think about your ornaments. † In other words, pay attention to the details of your outward appearance. For men this may mean choosing the right watch to portray the success they see themselves having, for women it may mean jewelry or makeup that puts them in that same space. For both genders hair, shoes, and clothing are important factors in building the perception you are seeking. For instance, someone who is running for congress would want to choose more conservative and sophisticated looking â€Å"ornaments† whereas someone seeking a job with Vogue magazine may want to dress very current and â€Å"edgy† for their interview to show they are relevant for the position they seek. We can easily apply this to Joes employees as they will want to know what type of companies they anticipate receiving business from. If they know that they are dealing with a very â€Å"traditional† client they may want to dress for success that day by choosing clothing that portrays a traditional and trustworthy image. Conversely, if they are meeting with a client who takes big risks and hopes for their partners in business to as well, they may want to choose a look that portrays confidence and a spunky, no holds barred attitude. At Verizon Wireless we have a very relaxed work culture that more often than not is fun and youthful. However, when interviewing for a new position within the company it is no different than most traditional settings. Candidates seem to do better when they are dressed professionally and are well polished overall. Going back to the Forbes article, the third tip is to â€Å"be conscious of your body language. † Pay particular attention to your posture, handshake, eye contact and what you are doing with your hands. A confident person is not going to be slumped over, slouching and have their arms crossed. A confident person is going to sit or stand up straight, give their attention to the person with whom they are seeking attention by offering polite eye contact and also by using their hands to emphasize they are open to the others input. Fourth on the list of must do’s for a good impression is â€Å"avoid bad days. † Often in the business world networking is a key part of building strong business relationships. Forbes suggests that if you are having a terrible day at work then it is likely you are not going to be up for dealing with people. Your courtesy and smile are going to appear in genuine if you are not really in the mood to be there and people will pick up on that. If you can skip that mixer you had planned to attend go for it. If not, do something that will lighten your mood and hopefully get your head in a more light-hearted place. Lastly, â€Å"be interested and interesting. † Who wants to spend their time on the dud of the group? Be interested in those you are serving. No one wants to only hear about you, and no one wants to feel like you certainly have more important things to be doing than helping them. Learning Theory Joe has several theories of learning to choose from in how he prefers to teach his employees. The two main theories in discussion today are Social and Operant learning theory. For general understanding let’s look further into the specifics of each. Mosby’s medical dictionary defines Operant conditioning as â€Å"a form of learning used in behavior therapy in which the person undergoing therapy is rewarded for the correct response and punished for the incorrect response. †(2009) In other words, a leader demonstrates desired behaviors and rewards others when the same behaviors are demonstrated. Second is Social theory. Mosby’s states, â€Å"A concept that the impulse to behave aggressively is subject to the influence of learning, socialization, and experience. Social learning theorists believe aggression is learned under voluntary control, by observation of aggressive behavior in others, and by direct experience. †(2009) In short, people will not engage in reproduction of a behavior without motivation. The best way for Joe to motivate and empower his employees in this situation is with Operant conditioning. This affords Joe the chance not only to demonstrate the correct behavior he desires, but also gives him a platform to modify negative traits as well. Joe is looking for people to showcase his business and put forth the same united front of loyalty and customer respect that he has put in place at Great Northern American. Improving Employee Performance Operant conditioning is best in the work environment as it gives a more level playing field for all to succeed. Some people are born naturally more talented than others, but this does not in any way make them less important in the workforce. Some people may never be number 1 overall in a company (and some don’t desire to be as it requires a lot of commitment) but that does not mean that they are incapable of modeling successful behaviors and attaining top notch ratings. Operant behavior allows for these individuals to succeed where as Social learning theory only really rewards one person overall rather than celebrating the victories along the way for each individual. I personally find it more rewarding to have encouragement along the way. Too often I’ve come in second place and have nothing to show for all my hard work. When this happens I’ve had nothing in the way of reward though I put in significant amounts of work in hopes that I could be the best. Verizon Wireless rewards us along the way and I have certainly been motivated to do better and try harder because of that. I appreciate that Operant conditioning is consistent throughout the entire work year whereas Social learning builds up to one pinnacle moment. Verizon sets attainable yet challenging goals for each individual and once you have met or exceeded those goals, you are pushed to reach for the next rung of the ladder (I. . going from Representative to Sr. Representative) and with that next step you are rewarded with a pay increase and more opportunities for further career development within the company that will help you in future upward mobility opportunities. Likewise, if you are not meeting the minimum expectation you will not be afforded the opportunity to move into the next level of your position, and you may possibly be put on a â€Å"corrective action plan. † Joe could apply this in practical ways as Verizon does with rewards and consequences along the way of career progression. Value of Self Efficacy Joe can best use his evaluation of potential employees’ self-esteem to hire the best by taking stock in his own first impression of a potential employee. He will have a gut instinct reaction to this first impression and he should feel confident in the portrayal each candidate puts forth. Verizon does a good job of asking employees how they would like to be â€Å"coached. † Joe could put something like this in place with potential employees to see if their learning style matches that of the culture of Great Northern American. Self-Efficacy is something that a potential employer (Joe in this case) can look at and determine how driven someone appears. Psychology Today states, â€Å"For instance, people high in self-efficacy take better care of themselves, see tasks as something to be mastered, and they feel more empowered. They’re not controlled by circumstances. They see setbacks as challenges to be overcome and can cope with hardship better than those with low self-efficacy. They learn from failure and channel it into success, like Thomas Jefferson, Walt Disney and J. K Rowling. People higher in self-efficacy also have a greater sense of motivation and persistence. † (LaVan, 2010) With this in mind a correct assessment of self-efficacy can ensure Joe his is hiring someone who will seek to succeed at whatever task he or she is given. To compliment this assessment, Joe must also be willing to â€Å"pump up† his employees. He should offer compliments to good work and publicly praise achievements. This will keep his employees motivated to continue putting their best foot forward for him long after the interview process is completed and the candidate is settled into their job function.

Comparison of Qualitative and Quantitative Research Methods

Comparison of Qualitative and Quantitative Research Methods NAME: LUCKY AMADI DISCUSS QUALITATIVE AND QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH METHODS. INTRODUCTION. What is Research? Research is an inquiry to describe, explain, predict and control the observed development. Research helps to acquire knowledge about a particular thing it is done to understand. It can also be seen as the systematic investigation into and study of materials and sources in order to establish facts and reach new conclusions. Research methods are often divided into two main types: Qualitative Research methods Quantitative Research methods Qualitative Method of Research. Qualitative research which is also called Field research is done to gain a deep understanding of a specific organisation or event rather than the surface description.it is aimed at getting a better understanding through first experience, truthful reports and quotation of actual conversations, also aims to know how participants derive meaning from their surroundings and how their meaning influences their behaviour. Qualitative research makes use of observation as a data collection method; this is the selection and recording of behaviours of people in their environment, observation is useful for generating in-depth descriptions of organisations or events, for obtaining information that is otherwise inaccessible, and for conducting research when other methods are inadequate. The context or background of behaviour is included in observations of both people and their environment. Stages in Participatory Observation Selection of a site and definition of problems, concepts and indicators. The problem or phenomenon of interest is first identified by the researcher; he tries to discern what will yield the greatest understanding of that problem. The researcher then identifies preliminary concepts and what data will be gathered as indicators of those concepts. The researcher chooses a strategy to move into the researcher. This involves an overt or a covert role for the researcher, issues may include how to record observations (writing notes, tape recordings, video tape) as well as ethical issues (privacy, confidentiality, etc.) Strategies include: adopting a passive role at first, learning the ropes; don’t seek data aggressively until later; be a researcher not a therapist, answer questions but don’t become closely identified with any one person until you are sure it will not cost you information in the long run, be non-persistence. Selecting people and events to observe. Primary sources also known as â€Å"key informants† of information are identified by the researcher. These people may be relied upon in the beginning to help the researcher get acculturated to the situation. The statements of key informants can be taken as evidence, even if their statements are somewhat self-serving. The researcher must also be aware of possible differences between the validity and intention of volunteered statements that are made in response to the researcher’s questions. Develop relationships with the participants. Researchers must have the trust and confidence of the informants. Researchers must speak their â€Å"language† and understand their â€Å"world†. The researcher can note the differences rather than accept one and reject the other. The researcher must determine whether certain things are not being said because of his or her role as â€Å"researcher† or whether they can use their position as â€Å"neutral outsider† to gain more information. Analysing observations. The researcher can check whether none, all or some proportion of behaviours or events occur under distinct circumstances. A preliminary model can be generated to explain the data collected. Further observations are then collected which can strengthen or weaken the researchers preliminary model. Final analysis and interpretation. Models are checked against the evidence. Advanced concepts and evidence for their support and refutation are checked. The major problem is how to present the data in a brief but meaningful form. Advantages of Qualitative research. It gives the researcher freedom to let the study unfold more naturally. The researcher gains more detailed and rich data in the form of comprehensive written descriptions or visual evidence such as photographs. It looks at the context and social meaning and how it affects individuals. Disadvantages of Qualitative research. It is time consuming. It is difficult to code data. It is not applicable to widely dispersed social settings It is difficult to control for researcher bias. Quantitative Research of Method. Quantitative research can be seen as explaining phenomena by collecting numerical data that are analysed using mathematically based methods; this method reduces the data into numbers, the researcher helps to analyse the data with the help of statistics. The researcher knows in advance what he/she is looking for and all aspects of the study are carefully designed before the data is collected. Its objective is to develop and employ mathematical models, theories or hypotheses pertaining to phenomena. Process of Quantitative research method. Developing models, theories, and hypotheses of what the researcher expects to find. Developing instruments and methods for measuring the data. Experimental control and manipulation of variables. Collecting the data. Modelling and analysing the data. Evaluating the results. Principles of Quantitative Research. Objectivity is important. Methods and conclusions are examined by researchers for any possible bias. Researchers go to great length to ensure that they are really measuring what they claim to be measuring. External factors which might affect the result must also be controlled as it might be the other factor which produces the result. When looking at results the P value is important, P stands for probability. It measures the likelihood that a particular finding or observed difference is due to chance, P is between 0 and 1, the closer the result is to 0 the less likely it is that the observed difference is due to change, the closer the result is to 1 the greater the likelihood that the finding is due to chance and that there is no difference between the variables. Advantages of Quantitative method of research. It allows researchers to measure and analyse data. It helps to carry out test for hypotheses in experiments because of its ability to measure data using statistics. The researcher is more objective about the findings of the research. Disadvantages of Quantitative research. It doesn’t study things in a natural setting or discuss the meaning things have for different people unlike qualitative method of research. A large sample of population must be studied; the larger the sample of people researched the more statistically accurate the results will be. CONCLUSION. Each of these researches are done for a purpose just like Qualitative is done to gain understanding of a specific organisation or phenomena, Quantitative is done by analysing data with the help of statistics it has to do with numbers. Just like everything they both have their advantages and disadvantages. REFERENCES Anderson, ML and Taylor, H.F (2009) sociology. The essentials Belmont C.A Thomson Wadsworth.

Analysing The Role Of Women In Social Care Social Work Essay

Analysing The Role Of Women In Social Care Social Work Essay It could be argued, that work within the social care profession is predominantly women-centred due to the fact it is mainly a female profession. However, research shows that this may not be the case. Although the majority of staff is indeed women, men, however, make up the majority of senior management roles (Dominelli, 2004). This inevitability produces a situation whereby, the decisions regarding policy are made mainly by men for women. The focus of this study is to critically examine the fact that although women overwhelmingly undertake the majority of the caring roles within the social care profession, these organisations remain firmly under patriarchal power. This essay will consider the role of women as professionals, carers and managers within social care organisations. It will examine traditional theories of management, the challenges faced by women who become professionals and managers and strategies appropriate for the effective delivery of care. To conclude it will consider whether there is indeed a role for female managers within an environment dominated by men. Social work can be seen as originating from industrialisation in the nineteenth century and the Charity Organisation Societies of Great Britain and America (Payne, 2005). Dominelli (2004) argues these organisations promoted friendly visiting and prevented disorganised charitable giving. This organised way of working was the first step to establishing social work as a discrete area of activity and as a profession (Adams, 2003). Professional relationships inside hospitals reflected the Victorian patriarchal family ideal, where female nurses were perceived as mothers and carers and male doctors as fathers (Deacon, 2002). These stereotyped ideas eventually characterised the power relations within other bureaucratic structures (Payne, 2000). Professionalism was viewed as a practice based on a long training period, a degree of autonomy, with membership to a group. This particular degree of social distance characterised professions as enjoying high status and autonomy (Payne, 2005). Nurses and social workers were consigned to the category of semi-professional, on account of their perceived limitations of their training, knowledge base and autonomy (Nazarko, 2004). The claim that nursing and social work lacked the basis of technical or abstract knowledge, that domestic skills and interpersonal skills were more suited, could be argued, reinforced the discourses of semi-professionalism (Banks, 2001). In addition, work based in state welfare bureaucratises, such as those of social work and nursing, did no commenstrate with the traditional idea of professionalism (Payne, 2005). Thompson (2002) supports this argument stating social workers and remedial therapy occupations were often viewed as semi-professionals as they did not fulfil all the attributes within the trait approach (Thompson, 2002). Sharkey (2000) takes this further, critical of implications of the associations of women with the caring role, stating that it represents a social construction and is division of power exerted over women by men. In the same way sexism is constructed, it must be viewed that other marginalised groups, such as black, disabled groups are subject to the same issues of power imbalance (Dominelli, 2004). To counter this imbalance and provide professionalism with a career structure and job security, most professionals in health and social care work in large formal organisation (Moonie, 2004). Traditional concepts of professionalism has changed as professionals are employed in either a clinical or an expert role to perform certain, clearly defined, tasks or be involved in service management (Bradshaw, 2004) Miller (2004) argues that professionals attempt to seek to reclaim professionalism by seeking power over territory by defining an area of expertise which is theirs alone. Thompson (2002) believes by the seeking of power through a claim of expertise, may actually disadvantage the very people whom professionals aim to help. In attempt to counter imbalance of power, professionals possess specific codes of conduct and ethics (Banks, 2001). Scott (2001) argues this is necessary, that professionalism implies not just expertise, but moral responsibility. For the social worker, their moral philosophy is embedded within a specific professional Code of Practice (Adams, 2003). Rather than self regulating groups with claims of moral conduct, it may be that professionals are operating obstructive practices (Banks, 2001). With the emergence of consumerism and the subsequent contract culture, there has been an increase in the administrative approach and the growth of procedures and one could argue, will undermine their pledge for moral responsibility (Adams, 2002). Dominelli (2002) suggests social workers are increasingly having to meet the demands of government performance strategies, the cloak of specialist knowledge could be interpreted merely as a disguise to win resource battles, or to exercise group power politics (Adams et al, 2009). It could be argued that this is inevitably a result of a globalising world economy, a New Right philosophy of value for money and a demand that people look after themselves (Means et al, 2003). Furthermore, within the current political climate, professionals have to be committed to providing seamless, client led services, with a greater demand for accountability for the public resources expended in service provision (Brechin et al, 2000). According to Butcher (2006) many professionals may find problems arise within the agency context. They may find there is dichotomy of interest with their role as a professional and the role and responsibility within the organisation (Butcher, 2006). In the first instance, the interest of their client may be paramount, however, acting as gatekeepers they manage the planning and distribution of services (Bauld et al, 20004). The NHS and Community Care Act 1990 implies professionals share power, however, acting as gatekeeper may only mean power and control will still remain with the state (Sharkey, 2000). To counter oppressive practices alongside organisational constraints, professionals can work in a number of anti-oppressive ways (Tibbs, 2001). Social workers can look at particular ways of thinking that will counter the oppressive elements of a professional status. For example, social workers working from an anti-sexist or anti-racist way. Professionals can utilise legislation and agency policy and use them as tools to effectively bring about change and combat oppression (Killick, 2001). . The government policy of caring in the community could be said to further reinforce oppression, whereby, informal care is reliant on the goodwill of women to undertake the free caring role of a relative or to undertake low paid work within social care (Bradshaw, 2004). By contrast, following the natural assumption that men should be in paid work, if men do undertake the caring of a relative or friend, they often considered incapable of undertaking domestic work so are usually offered more help and support than a woman in a similar situation (Scott, 2001). To counter this imbalance and provide professionalism with a career structure and job security, most professionals in health and social services work in large formal organisation (Alcock, 2000) The majority of roles advertised by social services usually refer to caring such as social care, community care and residential care. However, such language could be said to be a concept associated with women and adapted from natural role they adopt during childbirth and afterwards (Cree, 2003). Women are brought up to believe that caring for others is a fundamental part of their existence (Powell Hewitt, 2002). This argument suggests that there are fundamental differences between men and women. Women are said to be emotional and caring so are more associated with the humanistic types of work such as undertaking the physical care of a person (Sharkey, 2000). Whereas, men are considered to be less emotional, hold authority and power, whereby management is seen as a natural course within their career (Jones, 2003). It has been further suggested that assumptions of being a successful manger, or similar status jobs, is based largely on male behaviour (Malin, 2000). However, a study of research undertaken on leadership styles by Malin (2000) found that women were similar to men in terms of leadership styles and therefore just as suitable to be managers. Any differences found were said to be qualities such as feelings and emotions, that organisations may need more of this in the future (Means et al, 2003). However, despite there being similarities in leadership style, for women who seek a management post, their feelings and emotions represent a block. Women are expected to undertake the more emotional caring tasks, whereas men are perceived to be more suitable to the macho task of management (Yeates, 2001). Advertisements for management posts reflect this attitude, with a notable absence of references to caring. Designed to reflect the status of the post, usually include language such as target. analytical, objectivity, determination, placing importance on salary, related packages, expectations to work outside normal hours and high status (Zinn, 2008). It could be argued, management positions that are advertised using language that is bureaucratic and masculine in their approach are designed specifically to attract able bodied white men (Jones-Devitt Smith, 2007). It could be argued, the very nature of the job specification only serves to exclude and further marginalise women. This is synonymous with the glass ceiling phenomenon, whereby women face obstacles when moving into management such as dominant male attitudes and culture, discrimination and womens own expectations (Carney, 2006). Subsequently, this presents several fundamental problems for women. The policies and procedures of organisations are being managed by men to benefit men, important decisions are undertaken by men and women suffer discrimination, womens skills and abilities are not being utilised (Clarke, 2004). It is important to understand, however that for many women workers within social care they are already victims of abuse of power, at work and home, as carers of the system and by individuals. For example studies of gender abuse, have found abusers are overwhelmingly men (Moonie, 2004). It could be argued that the abuse of power is part of the fabric of womens lives (Glasby Littlewood 2009). According to Moonie (2004) men are the very group who perpetrate most of the abuse which result in individuals requiring social services intervention, are themselves in positions of power, such as managers, within organisation. For example in 1991 a number of men who held positions of responsibility within care homes were found guilty of physical and sexual abuse of children in their care (Zinn, 2008). It could be argued; therefore it is not possible for a group of people to make sound decisions regarding victims of abuse, if they themselves abuse their power. Therefore, if women are to challenge this abuse of power, they need to be given equal access to management; therefore human resource policies should facilitate this. Women are brought up to believe a fundamental part of their role is to care; they have the advantage of trying to juggle home life with work life (Yeates, 2001). Work/life balance policies, flexible working, part time working and crà ¨che facilities are some responses to enabling women to participate as men do. According to Zin (2008) these responses are a solution invented by men aimed specifically for women under the guise of equal opportunities. This only serves to reinforce male and female stereotypes (Miller, 2004). Furthermore, management posts are not always included in such equal opportunity policies and therefore, likely to exclude a higher proportion of women from management. Although arguably, a change in retention and recruitment policies to enable women to become managers is important to facilitate this, it could be further argued, a change in attitude and culture regarding gender roles is more fundamental (Powell Hewitt, 2002). Women it seems are acceptable management material if they are the same as men and unsuitable if they differ. A workforce study undertaken by the National Institute for Social Work found workplace attitudes to be reflective of society a third of staff surveyed reported incidents of racism from colleagues and managers, with 45% reporting such behaviour from service users and their relatives (Jones-Devitt Smith, 2007). Feminists argue that a focus on structural change and a challenge of dominant male assumptions is the way forward if attitudes are to change (Jones, 2003). Furthermore, it could be argued the structure of social services only serves to reinforce the attitude of women as carers. For example residential workers, home care assistants, care worker, roles usually undertaken by women (Adams et al, 2009). Therefore, a removal from dominant patriarchal attitudes appears to be a long way off. Theories of how organisations structures functions are broadly male dominated and further serve to reinforce the ideology of management (Cochrane, 2001). As a result the structures and processes of social work within social services are also basically masculine. The hierarchical principles and management of social services departments are associated with pyramidal structure of authority and control (Cochrane, 2001). It could be argued, this supports the view that patriarchal values remain embedded within organisations but interestingly, conflict with the caring role of social welfare organisation. An organisation with a flatter structure where there is no hierarchy, but each person takes on a specific role for the benefit of the organisation and the client, is more synonymous with the caring aspect of social work. Also that of a feminist theory, whereby organisations take a collective approach (Scott, 2004). This type of organisational structure can be seen within smaller voluntary organisations (Clarke, 2004). Organisations such as social services are structured within a more bureaucratic, hierarchical style. Clarke (2004) believed that where there were high numbers of employed staff, it was necessary to initiate rules and procedures within a clear line of command. As a result of this masculine model of organisational structure, policies, consciously or subconsciously, reinforce the idea that gender differences are a product of nature rather than social construction (Yeates, 2001). Once a person becomes a manager, their effectiveness is dependent on several factors including style. Yeates (2001) introduced the scientific management approach. It required workers to undertake tasks in a specific way in an attempt to make organisations rational, studying how management methods could effectively control the workers in other words, how to find the most efficient ways of doing a job (Scott, 2001). This appears to fit with bureaucratic mechanisms within a large social welfare organisation. In contrast Deacon (2002) considered the importance people make within organisations and identified a humanistic approach to management. He believed the behaviour of people produced an informal structure which influenced how an organisation functioned, which in turn influenced which management methods should be adopted (Deacon, 2002). Clarke (2004) argues that managers can adopt interpersonal approaches and be open and honest showing their real feelings rather than adopting an authoritarian approach by checking up on staff. This method seems compatible to work within social care, rather than the masculine traits traditionally associated with management styles (Bauld et al, 2000). It could be argued, however that management is a balance of the two, a combination of problem solving, such as case management, organising the department, resources etc, and affective interpersonal skills. Within male dominated environments, this balance can be difficult to achieve (Powell Hewitt, 2002). For women managers, to show a caring side could be perceived as weak. If a woman adopts a male approach she is considered aggressive. She is seen as different and not compatible with what is the perceived norm (Brechin et al, 2000). In some cases, adopting the male style of management and fitting the culture of masculinism can produce a negative and unproductive style of management for example women mangers not approving of mothers who have children pursuing a career (Bradshaw, 2004). For some this may not pose a problem, having wanted and being able to gain a senior management position. For others, they have felt in order to survive it has been necessary to adopt the male style of management but do not to notice it any more.(Dominelli, 2004) This means women are pressured to join prevailing norms, if they want to avoid being different (Deacon, 2002). Statutory provision within social care could be said to support this argument. child protection work is considered a controlling aspect of social work, which fits with the controlling aspects of management (Payne, 2005). Interestingly enough, this is synonymous with the community care framework and the concepts of care mangers. Tibbs (2001) argues this is another strand in the masculinsation of management within social services. However, the values that are fundamental to the caring role for the client within social services is not necessarily transferred into the values of management of care as management becomes increasingly bureaucratic and procedural (Nazarko, 2004). Furthermore, tasks that consider the care of the customers and staff are essential within an environment that requires a supporting management team (Jones-Devitt Smith, 2007). Womens contribution should be widely recognised if such a service is implemented. Work undertaken by Bradshaw (2004) found organisations that are managed by people who believe in the potential of workers and customers, produces excellent organisations. This language appears to be intrinsic within the modern social services department, whereby best value, quality protect and performance indicators underpins governments strategy for improving services and working environments (Glasby Littlechild, 2009). This philosophy on caring is further emphasised by awarding star ratings for local authorities for providing high quality services. Within this philosophy of caring environment, it is likely that more women would be attracted to management posts and take part in the organisations quest for excellence (Killick Allan, 2001). Moonie (2004) indicates women managers have much to offer the organisation since the emergence of customer care and total quality management. Although Miller (2004) suggests this simply is a political move, under the guise of community care legislation, a way of meeting resource demands and residualing services. As a result of the market of care, consumerism and competition, there is pressure for local authorities to become more business like (Deacon, 2002). Senior managers are now recruited from the commercial arena where it appears, they know nothing about social care. With the emergence of business management posts and the values and models that underpin those of a commercial organisation, such as marketing strategies and performance indicators, bureaucratic procedures and control increases (Jones, 2003). Nevertheless in an organisations quest for excellence women managers could prove invaluable. Tibbs (2001) argues that women managers will have a tendency to put issues of staff care, such as support and supervision above administration. Leadership or management within a group is central to the function of facilitating organisation or group effectiveness and performance (Payne, 2000). Therefore a manager who is humanistic in their approach, it seems is able to meet current government policy with regards to welfare provision (Miller, 2004). Looking for the impact of effective leadership in more detail it is necessary to consider the concept of leadership and also the role of the manager in supervision (Carney, 2006). Leadership can be performed at an informal level within the team or at an organisational level (Butcher, 2006). Research into leadership by Carney (2006) established that satisfaction and group effectiveness can be affected by the type of leadership within the group (Carney, 2006). Although, Cochrane (2006) proposes that leadership roles vary according to the managed level within the organisation. According to Cree (2003) the most important element is influence and that leadership suggests a process of group support, goal achievement and group contentment. To understand leadership, it is necessary to understand the distinctions between managed and leadership, Deacon (2002) argues to be an effective manager it is necessary to exercise the role of leadership. Considering this, leadership is not necessarily just a function of a formal manager but acts of leadership by a person who has specific leadership qualities (Bradshaw, 2004). For example a manager is said to have continually co-ordinate and balance in order to compromise conflicting values (Powell Hewitt, 2002). Whereas leaders, may work in but can be said not to belong to an organisation. They are able to consider what events and actions mean and express empathy with other people. (Jones-Devitt Smith, 2007). It could be argued womens attributes are compatible with the philosophy of empathy and consideration for others (Glasby Littlechild, 2009). Cree (2003) suggests that leadership styles are more effective and more consistent with the type of humanistic management that social w ork requires. Supervision is an also an arena where women, it could be said function better than men (Moonie, 2004). Women maybe more able to empathise and discuss an individuals issues and concerns. However it could be argued this may be too simplistic. According to Miller (2004) not all women may be able to undertake effective supervision, whereas there may be male managers that are equally as capable of adopting a humanistic style of supervision. Payne (2000) suggests that regardless of what attributes that can be brought to supervision there are areas of supervision which may hinder team work and professional development. Supervision may be unavailable due to time restrictions, the abuse of power such as withholding information or asserting negative control, a lack of feeling supported particularly as managers are not in touch with service users lives (Tibbs, 2001). Certain leadership styles may determine how effective supervision is for team members and supports Adams (2003) view of discrepancies in supervision. Social services departments have a history of retention and recruitment and this reflects in inconsistent management (Thompson, 2002). For example, regardless of gender differences, some managers work in a democratic way, consistent with the humanistic approach (Sharkey, 2000). However others may adopt a more authoritative supervision process. This can have the effect of controlling or obstructing team members as a result of asserting authority or power over decision making (Carney, 2006). Subsequently, this can leave managers with high levels of dissonance within the team, which in turn, affects the effectiveness of the team (Jones-Devitt Smith, 2007). Butcher (2006) indicates the supervision process can become a management tool of accountability but suggests it can be also be used as a tool to improve personal and professional development and practice. If supervision is to encourage personal satisfaction and encourage group cohesiveness and effectiveness, it should go below the surface in the analysis of problems and situation (Adams et al, 2009). It could be argued a feeling of being listened to and heard can only serve to increase team moral and performance. In turn effective supervision can be used as a tool for negotiation, problem-solving and more importantly learning (Adams et al, 2009). Women managers could use supervision to make their own individual mark on the workforce without the need of masculine formal systems and practices (Butcher, 2006). By paying attention to things that matter to people which are often neglected such as enquiring about the progress of a problem or a staff member needs to leave work on time to meet childcare commitments (Bradshaw, 2004). As mentioned, this method of working can develop team moral and performance, such as effective team and collaborative working. Facilitating teams to work collectively together to identify areas of organisational improvements and service delivery, it could be argued is considered a necessary requirement of professional workers within social services (Brechin et al, 2000). The caring strand of management means women are at an advantage when it comes to utilising these skills in management, in particular women are brought up to think about other peoples needs to empathise and listen (Zinn, 2008). Indeed it is not to be said that the caring tasks should be done by women alone only to validate the skills women bring to the role of manager, through their perceived roles as carers (Scott, 2001). In terms of operational planning, women managers are able to influence the situation and bring along new understanding of management for both men and women, rather than the traditional methods (Bauld et al, 2000). Instead of an aggressive style, an assertive style will allow individuals to stand up for themselves. People can manage in a supportive way in order to empower and obtain consensus rather than conflict (Thompson, 2002). Patriarchal norms and mens way of behaving does not have to be considered the norm. It could be said, women should be taken seriously without having to act like men (Alcock, 2000). Both men and women can validate the caring side of managing within social services, recognising both work and personal commitments. This is increasingly evident for social workers within social services; managers appear to be more responsive to the holistic needs of staff (Banks, 2001). Moonie (2004) suggests it is difficult to determine whether there has been a genuine commitment of the organisation towards recognising workers needs or the fact that the majority of middle managers consist of mainly women who are generally more sympathetic in their approach. Payne, (2000) outlines it could also be political, due to the nature of the work within statutory social services, has inevitably led to recruitment and retention crisis, whereby this needs to be effectively managed if standards are to be maintained. Power can be used in an ethical and caring way to empower both clients and workers. Paying more attention to the abuse of power, workers must limit their use of controlling power (Glasby Littlechild, 2009). Women can learn to understand power and be less afraid and use it more directly. Managers can use power in positive ways, such as implementing equal opportunity policies (Carney, 2006). Caring itself should be challenged as a concept. No longer synonymous with womens work, it should be constructed as a role that all people can undertake, a skill to be learnt by both men and women (DoH, 1999). Women can stop automatically undertaking the caring jobs. This in turn will serve to change the attitudes and perceptions society has of specific gender roles. Finally government legislation should be strengthened and include enhanced equal opportunity laws and substantial improvements to maternity benefit and leave. Carney (2006) argues that underpinning all policy are principles that men should also be responsible for childcare and that childcare should be publicly funded and community based and most importantly there should be a balance between family life and paid work and leisure activities. Social work is a changing profession dominated by men, who make policies for an essentially controlling activity (Dominelli, 2004). However social services have a culture of caring whereby the majority, which are women, are committed to this ethos. It could be argued that women endeavour to support this caring ethic and are challenging a patriarchal structure by using good human relationship skills and attention to quality of service.

Health Care and Insurance Coverage Essay -- system, insurance, coverage

Everyone knows that in order to be a functional human being, your health must be in order. Bacteria and diseases can be devious forces if someone's system is not equipped to fight them off. In order to prevent said things from attacking our immune systems, we go to the doctor for guidance in the areas of taking care of ourselves, but going to these doctors has a price. Most people living comfortably would tell you that their insurance covers ever bump and bruise that appears on them, but what about those who cannot afford health insurance? Luckily for them a document, The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, was signed into law by President Barack Obama so that they may have the same opportunities for coverage concerning their health. It is necessary for everyone to have health insurance to prevent the spreading of diseases, end the depletion of the population due to illness, and to keep the core of America's workforce healthy. There have been several epidemics and outbreaks in our nation and in other areas of this world due to weak immune systems and no form of preparation to counterattack bacteria cells entering the bloodstreams of the population. As time progressed and technology advanced, those in the medical field discovered ways to stop certain reactions before they happened or cure them once they have already began to damage an individual internally. But if there is a large sum of the population unable to afford the things necessary to receive the aid that will boost their health, then diseases will only continue to circulate and morph into even more dangerous compositions that will eventually overpower our medicines. And if we are unable to tame the new viruses, the human race may cease to exist. Hundreds of thou... ... â€Å"Non-Grandfathered† plans are required to change before December 15, 2013, to ensure no lapse in coverage because existing plans will terminate the end of this year. Basically, no one will be denied health services, benefits, or prescription drugs and monthly premiums will be calculated based on age, region, and use of tobacco products. It is in the best interest of the public to have health care afforded to all. I myself am preparing for a future in medicine and my main concern is to help all of those in need, not just a select few. Evidently there are many negative effects that come along with individuals not being covered health wise and it can eventually be a detriment to society if the problem is not fixed. With the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act that problem has a solution and can ultimately have a positive impact on many aspects of this country.

Tolerance in the Middle Ages :: essays research papers

The issue of toleration has and always will be a strong and influential topic among peoples of all ethnic and culture backgrounds. The same is true for the issue of religious toleration, in the case being between the Jews and the Christians in Medieval Europe. It is argued between R. Menahem ha-meir and Katz that the word toleration is not simply an explanation of the times, but rather a false impression of the truth. The truth in this case being, that the Jews and Christians wanted isolation and separatism from each other while at the same time being able to co-exist together in their respective societies.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  By looking at the Katz text, it is plain to see that his main argument on the topic of religious toleration is that these two groups of people in this time period did indeed desire separation and exclusiveness from each other. The problem that stemmed from this isolation was the difficulty in making everyday life work for both religious groups while at the same time keeping them apart from one another as much as possible. Furthermore, we see the struggle defined by Katz which describes the Jews and the difficulty they faced in translating their ancient texts to every day life scenarios. Much of what was written in the Aggadah and the Halakha was not always applicable to these past every day situations, so we begin to see a redefining and stretching of the sayings in the ancient text and the politics of the time in order to better suit the people and not disrupt the economy, society, etc. For example, we see the Jews now being able to represent themselves in court because of the new technicality which allows the oath to be taken. It is now allowed because the Christian taking the oath is swearing on a ?composite? God and more technically, a piece of paper which the Jews do not recognize as true authority (The Gospels). This shows how the social realities had changed and how the Jews had adapted to the situations by not getting rid of the text, but by instead articulating the text while maintaining exclusiveness.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  On the other hand, R. Menahem ha-meir says in his article that toleration needs to be understood contextually, as in Katz?s work, however he also stresses that the need for the isolation and separation should be looked at strictly in its historical environment along with the already specific religious assumptions that the Christians and Jews have towards one another.

Jonathan Swifts A Modest Proposal Essay -- Jonathan Swift Modest Prop

Jonathan Swift's A Modest Proposal Swift was said to â€Å"declare at one stage in his life: ‘I am not of this vile country (Ireland), I am an Englishman’† (Hertford website). In his satire â€Å"A Modest Proposal,† he illustrates his dislike not only for the Irish, but for the English, organized religions, rich, greedy landlords, and people of power. It is obvious that Swift dislikes these people, but the reader must explore from where his loathing for the groups of people stems. I believe Swift not only wanted to attack these various types of people to defend the defenseless poor beggars, but he also had personal motives for his writings that stemmed from unconscious feelings, located in what Sigmund Freud would call the id, that Swift developed in his earlier years of life. Swift’s biography can help the reader to gain insight into Swift’s irrational proposal as a result of his resentment of the various groups of people he condemns in â€Å"A Modest Proposal†. Swift was born in Dublin, Ireland and had a good childhood in which he was well educated, but when he was about three years old his mother left him in the care of his uncle. At this age Freud would have asserted that Swift was going through the Oedipus complex, where he would have had an erotic attachment to his mother. Swift’s mother leaving him at this time might have been detrimental to Swift, rendering him unable to complete the transition into manhood, as Freud believes all boys do, by eventually identifying with their father. In a sense, Swift’s mother sold him in order to benefit herself. Being left by a young boy’s mother, whom he was strongly attached might have been damaging. Swift’s uncle sent him to very good schools in Ireland and Swift graduated fr... ...ing some actual proposals that would work to ease the pain for the poor. Swift writes that the rich could quit being so proud and selfish and have â€Å"at least one degree of mercy towards their tenants† (Swift). Swift feels despair and rejection from every caregiver or leader in his own life, just as the poor are rejected by society so they resort to begging. He feels that something drastic will have to happen in order for things to change, otherwise the misery of being devoured by society will be upon the poor â€Å"breed for ever,† as well as himself (Swift). Perhaps it was too late for this drastic change in Swift’s life. Perhaps his unresolved childhood complexes are too distant that they would have never been resolved. Works Cited Hertford College. â€Å"Swift Biography†. hertford.ox.ac.uk/alumni/swift.htm. Oxford, 2004 Swift, Jonathan. â€Å"A Modest Proposal.† 1729

Methodology is about the creation of knowledge Essay

Methodology is about the creation of knowledge, and methods are the guiding principles for the creation of knowledge (Arbnor & Bjerke, 1997). A methodology is chosen based upon philosophical presumptions, such as background hypotheses, normative theories, conceptions, and paradigms. A methodology is chosen based upon how an interaction between presumptions and technical possibilities define and shape the problem. To choose a methodology there should be an identifiable relationship between the methodological approach and the area to be studied, bridged by an operative paradigm. Methodology is an understanding of how methods are constructed and how an operative paradigm is developed. The operative paradigm consists of the methodical procedure and methodics. A methodical procedure is the specific use of a given technique for research in a methodological approach. As such, a technique becomes a method through the application of an explicit methodical procedure. Methodics is the way researchers relate techniques and methods into a study plan and the conduct of the study. While there are a variety of methodological approaches and procedures, there are three common research methodologies to guide primary researchers in the creation of knowledge. Quantitative research is the traditional research design, and it is considered to be scientific research due to its use of numbers as quantitative data (Robson, 2002). This method relies heavily on experiments and surveys which give it the label of a fixed research design. There is no variation from the administration of data gathering instruments. It may be easier to establish validity, reliability, objectivity, generalizability, and trustworthiness with quantitative research designs. Quantitative research may be characterized by experiments and measures. Comprehensive Examination for Aric W Hall Quantitative research attempts to precisely measure something, such as consumer behavior, attitudes, or knowledge (Cooper & Schindler, 2006). Quantitative research attempts to design, explain, and predict. The methodology may answer questions such as how much, how many, how often, when, and who. The survey is the dominant instrument of quantitative research. There is low researcher involvement, thus reducing the likelihood of researcher bias. Qualitative Early interest in qualitative research stemmed from the inadequacies of quantitative research to solve problems in the social sciences (Morgan & Smircich, 1980). Quantitative research is appropriate for the natural sciences, where reality is concrete, mathematical, and objective. However, it fails to address the often subjective, imaginative, values-based, and unpredictable human elements that social scientists study. Humans are social actors, made by their environmental and social context. Human reality is found within a context that is anything but natural science. Qualitative research is a more contemporary research design, and it has historically been considered unscientific

Ilm Leadership

Title: Assessing your own leadership capability and performance (M5. 29) 5 6 Assessment criteria (the learner can) 1. 1 Review the prevailing leadership styles in the organisation Assess the impact of the prevailing leadership styles on the organisation’s values and performance Level: Credit value: Learning outcomes (the learner will) 1 Understand leadership styles within an organisation 1. 2 2 Be able to review effectiveness of own leadership capability and performance in meeting organisational values and goals 2. 1Assess own ability to apply different leadership styles in a range of situations Assess own ability to communicate the organisation’s values and goals to staff in own area Assess own ability to motivate others and build commitment to the organisation’s values and goals 2. 2 2. 3 3 Be able to adopt an effective leadership style to motivate staff to achieve organisational values and goals 3. 1 Justify the most effective leadership style to motivate staf f in own area, to achieve the organisation’s values and goals Implement the most effective leadership style in order to motivate staff in own area to achieve the organisation’s values and goals . 2 Additional information about the unit Unit purpose and aim(s) To develop understanding and ability to lead teams to achieve organisational values and goals as required by a practising or potential middle manager. 31/12/2014 Links to MSC 2004 NOS: A2, A3 Unit expiry date Details of the relationship between the unit and relevant national occupational standards or professional standards or curricula (if appropriate) Assessment requirements or guidance specified by a sector or regulatory body (if ppropriate) Support for the unit from a sector skills council or other appropriate body (if required) Location of the unit within the subject/sector classification system Name of the organisation submitting the unit Availability for use Units available from Unit guided learning hours Ad ditional Guidance about the Unit Indicative Content: 1 †¢ A range of leadership theories and different leadership styles, such as: the trait approach to leadership the behavioural school (McGregor, Blake and Mouton) the contingency or situational school (Fielder, Hersey-Blanchard, Tannenbaum and Schmidt, Adair) leaders and followers (Servant Leadership, Team Leadership, Transactional and Transformational) dispersed leadership The key responsibilities of the leadership role in terms of: taking responsibility contributing to overall vision and goals setting and providing guidance on values setting direction for significant programmes or projects stimulating innovation and enterprise anticipating, planning for and leading change overcoming obstacles delegating setting objectives for teams and individuals communicating and motivating supporting and developing programmes, projects, eams and individuals modelling appropriate behaviour representing the team and feeding back its experi ences and views protecting the team and its members Assessing the impact of different leadership styles Organisational values and acceptable standards of behaviour in the organisation Organisational values and organisational purpose, vision and mission Management Standards Centre (MSC) Business Management Institute of Leadership & Management Private 01/01/2008 15 †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ 2 †¢ †¢ †¢ Theories and principles of delegating responsibility and empowering others The critical importance of the leader gaining the motivation and commitment of others Critiques of the main theories of motivation, such as: Maslow’s Hierarchy McGregor’s Theory X and Theory Y †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢Herzberg’s Two Factor Theory Vroom’s Expectancy Theory McClelland’s 3-Needs Theory Motivational factors that are available to the leader (e. g. safety and security, sense of belonging and common purpose, respect, recognition of achievement , empowerment and self-actualisation, sense of fulfilment, personal and professional development, material rewards, sanctions, job roles and employment conditions) How to evaluate motivational factors and select those that are appropriate to different situations and people Effective communication of values and goals Leadership to support the achievement of the organisation’s goals by encouraging common and acceptable norms of organisational behaviour 3 †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢The concept of emotional intelligence as developed by different theorists and how it applies to the leadership role The importance of understanding one’s own strengths and limitations Using and interpreting different techniques to identify their own characteristics, strengths and limitations The importance of continuous self-development and how to identify opportunities to develop oneself in the leadership role The importance of leader s: displaying confidence and self-assurance by playing to own strengths and showing a readiness to take calculated risks being socially aware (empathy, organisational and ‘political’ awareness, service to others) managing relationships (inspiring, influencing, networking, conflict management) displaying self-leadership (controlling own emotions, particularly when under stress, being open and honest with others, showing integrity and trust worthiness, being flexible, setting challenging but realistic objectives for themselves and others, taking personal responsibility for significant challenges, seeing setbacks as opportunities rather than threats) communicating overall vision and goals and how to win and maintain the commitment of teams and individuals to these Effective techniques for communicating, persuading and negotiating both directly and indirectly with teams and individuals How to select communication, persuasion and negotiation skills appropriate to different s ituations and people The importance of being able to use a repertoire of leadership styles in different situations and with different people How to develop vision and goals for significant projects or programmes of work The importance of being aware of and analysing the internal and external environments in which the leader operates The leader’s role in supporting and mentoring team members

International Management Essay

In the first article titled â€Å"Developing an effective repatriation strategy for MNC: A model and tools for international human resource management†, the authors explore the rather forgotten aspect of repatriates. This is a specific targeting the area of international human resource management. According to the authors, repatriated employees have not received the focus they should especially about their full inclusion into the companies. As such, expatriates have suffered on various fronts, ranging from the emotional disharmony to the general loss of contact to the company. The authors fault the fact that multinational companies have not been able to come up with policies and procedures to support these expatriates. They point out that these companies fail to accommodate the expatriates just as they fail to recognize the existence of this category of employees. They also point out the fact that companies have the responsibility to provide support services for their expatriate employees (Chew, 2008). The second article titled â€Å"Analyzing International Trade Patterns: Comparative Advantage for the worlds major Economies† focuses on the relationship between comparative advantage and other comparative factors in relation to the overall benefit obtained from having such an advantage by a country. The authors go ahead to analyze the comparative advantage of the major economies in the world. They bring out the single most important contributor to these countries’ high development as having its roots in the fact that they have succeeded in achieving high exports. The author brings out the fact that these countries put together, comprise over 80% of the global exports in terms of manufacturing products. According to the author, the achievement of high production of goods by these countries has in the end meant the cost of production has reduced. The high exports and resultant cost reductions on goods, makes such countries stronger economically and puts them above other countries. The first article brings into focus some forgotten but very relevant issues on expatriates. Indeed it is estimated that over 20% of the people working in most industries in developed countries are expatriates. The lack of strategies towards the full integration of such people has meant a great deal of discomfort to them. Mead (2005) agrees that there are issues applying to expatriates that need to be specifically addressed by policy makers. It is the mandate of the human resource department in companies to come up with strategies to absorb them. There are many benefits that accrue to a company that is able to employ expatriates. Apart from the special technical interests that they may bring to the company, they can also help the company in setting its global focus (Goderham, 2003). This can come in the areas of new markets or new global marketing fronts. As such it is of value that companies really think in terms of integrating such employees. The adoption process of such people however ought to be guided by policy and a development of strategies fully targeting them. The setting in motion of this process is informed by four major steps that the companies have to take. Indeed if companies were able to follow the four steps, they would benefit a lot from this category of employees. The first thing that companies have to do is to develop a policy. This should be a duty to be aggressively undertaken by the human resource departments of the companies. Companies have the mandate to come up with the policies that are aimed at integrating, supporting and hence adopting their expatriate employees. The second thing that should be done is the setting up of an agreement. This is in view to the fact that the difficulties and poor conditions of working encountered by the expatriate workers may not be similar to those experienced by the other category of workers. As such there should be a collaborative effort between the expatriates and the companies to ensure the terms are supportive to the expatriates present conditions and restrictions. The third thing is that companies should aggressively undertake efforts towards the development of an internal program aimed at monitoring issues on expatriate employees. Such a program should have the capacity to monitor the implementation of the strategies targeting expatriates. There should be a continuous process program (Goderham, 2003). The establishment of such a program should be finalized by the setting up of the necessary tools to evaluate its achievement of the objectives in helping the expatriates become fully integrated. The second article brings into focus another issue different from the first. The focus of this second article is on the idea of competitive advantage of countries. Indeed it is the main focus in many countries today as they strategize towards becoming great economic powers. The real concept communicated is that with an increased focus on exports much can be achieved. The focus on exports as a tool towards economic boost of a country is an old strategy. It is the main strategy behind the idea of mercantilism as used by the British. They knew that when they exported more and imported less, it would go a long way in making their economy grow. As such they sought to acquire more colonies as exclusive markets for their product. This dimension towards export, in the end ensures more benefits and a strong economy. The principle behind the idea of mercantilism is used by many developed economies in the world. They seek to export more and import less. This has in the end made them stronger economies. To understand the real impact from the exports towards boosting a country’s economy, there is need to understand three fundamental concepts and how these concepts interact to achieve what is called a country’s competitive advantage. These concepts are the relative costs, cost ratios and the absolute advantage. There is need to focus on these factors individually. Relative costs are those obtained in the comparison of the cost of an item against other items in the same country. This comparison in ratio terms is what gives us the cost ratio. The cost ratio is what can then be compared to the other countries to get a country’s absolute advantage. Absolute advantage itself is a factor indicative of a fall in production costs. The benefits of less production costs, usually trickle down to the economy and is what is felt as the boosts in a country’s economy (Ram, 2008). The idea of production costs going down is itself indicative that a country was producing and selling more. This directly points to exports. But to achieve large export sells, a country and its products must be able to fair considerably well compared against its competitors. This brings into focus the issue of competitive advantage and the underlying issues. The focus now is on how to be more competitive than the other, in this global economy. The answer here is this, that, the most innovative country will achieve more exports and hence better lives for its citizens.

Sandy Hook Elementary Paper

On December 14, 2012, 20-year-old Adam Lanza fatally shot twenty children and six adult staff members in a mass murder at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut. It was the second deadliest mass shooting by a single person in American history, after the 2007 Virginia Tech Massacre. At some point before Adam Lanza, 20, arrived at school, he killed his mother Nancy Lanza. He grabbed three guns from the house – a semi-automatic AR-15 assault rifle and 2 pistols – and went to the elementary school wearing black fatigues and a military vest. Classes were under way at the school.Approximately 700 students were present (CNN, 2012). Earlier this year, the school principal, Dawn Lafferty, ordered a new security system installed that required visitors to be visibly identified and buzzed in. As part of the security system, the school locked its doors each day at 9:30 a. m. The door was locked when the gunman arrived. Authorities now know the gunman used â€Å"an ass ault weapon† to â€Å"literally (shoot) an entrance into the building (CNN, 2012). When Principal Lafferty heard loud pops, she, school psychologist Mary Sherlach and Vice Principal Natalie Hammond went out to investigate.Only Hammond returned from the hallway alive. She was wounded. At 9:30 a. m. , as announcements were read over the loudspeaker to the students, shots were heard across the school. Students described being ushered into bathrooms and closets by teachers after hearing the first shots (CNN, 2012). Lanza moved toward two classrooms of kindergartners and first-graders, police said. In one classroom was Lauren Rousseau, a substitute teacher who was filling in for a teacher out on maternity leave. The gunman shot all 14 students in the classroom, law enforcement officers said (CNN, 2012).In another classroom, Victoria Soto, 27, moved her first-grade students away from the door. The gunman burst in and shot her, according to the father of a surviving student. Six stu dents were killed in that classroom. At the police station, dispatchers began to take calls from inside the school. Officers say the first emergency call about the shooting came in at 9:30 a. m. Police and other first responders arrived on scene about 20 minutes after the first calls. Police report that no law enforcement officers discharged their weapons at any point.The gunman took his own life, police said. He took out a handgun and shot himself in a classroom as law enforcement officers approached, officials said. Twenty students, ages 6 and 7, and six adults were killed at the school. Police secured the building, ensuring no other shooters were on site. Police then escorted students and faculty out of the building to a nearby firehouse (CNN, 2012). As reports of the shooting made their way around town, frantic parents descended on the firehouse where the children had been taken.By nightfall, the firehouse became a gathering point for parents and family members whose loved ones would never walk out of the school (CNN, 2012). The shootings prompted renewed debate about gun control, the ban of certain types of semi-automatic firearms and magazines as well as the effect violent video games have on society. Senator Dianne Feinstein of California introduced legislation that would ban the sale and manufacture of 157 types of semi-automatic weapons, as well as magazines holding more than 10 rounds of ammunition.The goal of the bill, she said, is â€Å"to dry up the supply of these weapons over time. † Unfortunately Senator Feinstein’s bill was killed in the senate and no gun control laws passed (Steinhauer, 2013). The attention has also turned on restricting violent video games from being sold to children. Researchers found that typical college students who played violent video games for 20 minutes at a time for three consecutive days showed increasingly higher levels of aggressive behavior each day they played.Other researchers have conducted a com prehensive review of 136 articles reporting 381 effects involving over 130,000 participants around the world. These studies show that violent video games increase aggressive thoughts, angry feelings, physiological arousal (e. g. , heart rate, blood pressure), and aggressive behavior. Violent games also decrease helping behavior and feelings of empathy for others. The effects occurred for males and females of all ages, regardless of what country they lived in (Whitaker & Bushman, 2012). The effects of these games go beyond making players more aggressive.People who played first-person shooting games were more accurate than others when firing a realistic gun at a mannequin and more likely to aim for and hit the head. Gender is also an issue when it comes to violence. Males are largely responsible for more than 99% of mass shootings. Being a male does not mean that one will become a killer but being a male in a culture that has some measure of gender inequality and links masculinity wit h violence does make it likely. (Raskoff, 2013) To date, no women have perpetrated such mass killings using guns.Women are usually less socially isolated than men. They are raised to be more connected to others and to share their issues while men are encouraged to figure things out on their own and hold in their emotional distress. (Raskoff, 2013) Social class is also relevant when analyzing why these mass shootings occur. The shooters tend to be young men from middle or upper middle class backgrounds. This could explain the access they have to legal automatic weapons, along with their invisibility to law enforcement and the hyper visibility to the media.Vandalism or acting out behaviors are perceived and dealt with differently at the different social classes. Shootings occur much more in working class or poverty stricken. (Raskoff, 2013) According to recent research, a link has been suggested between anti-depressant pharmaceuticals, depression and violence. Antidepressants are supp osed to make people feel happier and more at ease, but a study has linked several prescription antidepressants to an increased risk of violent behavior, including physical assault and homicide. In addition, they can lead to addiction and serious withdrawal symptoms.The United Kingdom has banned nearly all antidepressants in kids in 2004 due to the increased risk of suicide. The United States, however, is still allowing big Pharmaceutical companies to rake in the profits from these deadly, mind-altering drugs (Dr. Mercola, 2008). Entertainment is also an issue when it comes to violence. According to the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, television programs display 812 violent acts per hour. Further, the typical American child will view more than 200,000 acts of violence, including 16,000 murders, before they turn 18 (Chou, 2013).According to Jane Brown, a professor at the University of North Carolina, The more violence children see in the media, the more violent vi deo games they play, the more likely they are to be aggressive in their own lives. She adds that watching the movie â€Å"Kill Bill† may not make people want to kill someone in real life, but young people who are naturally aggressive see violence in the media and think it's an appropriate way to solve conflict (Chou, 2013). There are many different factors that contribute to violence and we need to address them in order to curb the amount of murders and shootings in the United States.