Wednesday, October 30, 2019

Delinquent youth subculture (Gangs) Research Paper

Delinquent youth subculture (Gangs) - Research Paper Example Rubel, these youth gang members mostly comprised of Mexicans who had migrated to the region of United States and may have developed a gang due to their difficult lives in America (Rubel, 1965). It has even been recorded that gangs started surfacing in major regions of United States such as New York during the period of 1800s when the Industrial Revolution was gaining pace (Franzese, 2006). As industrialization started to spread throughout the United States and attracted more and more immigrant populations, increase in number of gangs was witnessed in larger metropolitan areas such as Chicago (Franzese, 2006). The United States has witnessed an upsurge in the number of gangs and the gang members especially during the periods in which huge number of immigrant populations has travelled to the United States. Gangs have even emerged as a result of hostile activities that have been carried out against the ethnic groups they represent. In early periods of 1900s, Chicago witnessed an increas e in the number of African American gangs and gang members as a result of the hostilities they were facing at the hands of the White American gang members (Franzese, 2006). Later during the period of 1950s the African American gangs started becoming prominent on the streets of the Western regions of the United States (Franzese, 2006). These gang members could easily be witnessed in the regions where mostly those families resided that did not have access to proper economic opportunities. The Southern regions of the United States were the last in the race to experience the issue of gang related activity. Gang activity in these regions emerged and escalated between the periods of 1980s and 1990s (Franzese, 2006). Gang members and related activities are quite prevalent in the United States even in the years of 21st century. According to 2011 National Gang Threat Assessment, more than 1.4 million individuals are working with different gangs of United States and can be witnessed on the

Monday, October 28, 2019

Of Personal Development, Critical Thinking and Enhanced Quality of Care Essay Example for Free

Of Personal Development, Critical Thinking and Enhanced Quality of Care Essay In this reflection paper, I would like to relate some unforeseen events during the course as well as my experience of being assessed. The medical practitioner assigned to me was a consultant of medicine for geriatric patients. The fact that he is not a physiotherapist may be considered an unforeseen occurrence. I did not really expect him to come from a different field. The similarity in language and way of thinking of practitioners from the same field would have facilitated the process. At first, similar to my feelings in collaborating with my nurse classmates, I had the same feeling of hesitation in associating with my DMP. However, as the course progressed, I realized that he could be a very good mentor. He patiently guided me throughout all the pertinent tasks that I had to carry out. I attended the clinic with him at Saint Pancrase Hospital for the morning Clinic, which finished at twelve o’clock, then the Ward round from two o’clock at Saint Pancrase hospital for two hours. I then went to University College London Hospital for My OSCE after four o’clock at the T10 ward. For the last fifteen years I have been working in a community, this is my first time to examine a patient thoroughly in a hospital, not only to examine the patient but also to perform my Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE). Since he wanted to examine me on COPD patient with some complications, he was right that it was hard on me. Yet I did it and enjoyed the experience despite the situation under pressure. It was very long observation from my DMP, which again for long time I did not observe, was indeed a complicated but a true learning experience. I am grateful to my DMP and the way he taught me. I enjoyed his teaching, his approach, and his skills as a consultant were excellent. I will miss his teaching. My experience with him made me see the value of having a competent mentor regardless of the field that one is interested in. The presence of a coach and mentor made learning easier because it made me confident that I can rely on someone who is an expert and possesses a learning attitude, as well as one who is willing to help me out in the process. Admittedly, there were some difficulties in relating with him at the beginning because we were from different fields of study. But again, this experience is a test of flexibility in adjusting to the demands of the situation. I my best to work with him and follow the guidelines and advice which he gave me. In the course of our interaction, I have learned to become more comfortable in dealing with him. There is value in having a good working relationship with one’s superiors and colleagues; it makes the learning journey so much easier. I also feel that I should further develop a mentoring relationship with an expert in this field to be able to reach my full my potential. Empirical research from both educational and industrial settings suggests that students and employees both have increased probability of success if they have had a mentor. While mentors are effective for everyone, sometimes organisations implement mentoring programs to support particular parts of their populations, often newer employees. And while mentoring programs are always established with the best of intentions, their results are often mixed (Werner, 2004). To make the most of my clinical exposure, I hope to establish a strong mentoring relationship with a doctor or a medical allied professional who will be able to coach me on increasing competence in my clinical practice. I have realised that coaching and mentoring are very effective ways of developing my leadership potential because it does not only develop me in terms of technical expertise, but it will also allow me to actually experience how these experts undergo the coaching and mentoring exercise. I have also realised that a novice in any medical allied field acquires clinical judgment and skill over time. Knowledge is refined through actual clinical experience; this moves her from a rule-based, context-free stage to a more analytical, logical and intentional pattern of thinking (Benner, Tanner, Chelsea, 1996). To effectively provide a conducive learning environment, these medical professionals need venues for examining and developing their problem solving and reasoning skills towards making clinical judgments (Miller, 1992). I realised that such venues transpire through numerous learning experiences. In particular, I am contemplating about being able to practice in a large hospital to permit such comprehensive clinical exposure. I have also realised that participating in varied learning experiences offers the chance to apply classroom theory in the clinical setting. This was a point that was shared with me by my DMP. Clinical experiences enable the formation of meaningful related information on the basis of what the nurse has learned in the classroom. There is an expectation that with more experience, this novice can move from the level of advanced beginner to the level of competence by program completion. Clinical judgment is defined as nursing decisions about which areas to assess, analyzing health data, prioritizing which task to do, and who should carry it out (Carnaveli Thomas, 1993). For clinical judgment to be assessed as sound, it should be arrived at using critical thinking and logical reasoning, that will enable the deduction of valid conclusions, and the decisions that may be borne from these. I am thankful for this experience as they have given me profound insight on the areas that I could further develop to become a more competent professional in this field.

Saturday, October 26, 2019

Honda CRX :: miscellaneous

Honda CRX The CRX has been a vehicle way ahead of its time and a best seller for Honda for over twenty years since it was first introduced in 1985. It was inevitable from the start that there would be a reintroduction of one of the most sophisticated models ever introduced by Honda. Honda for over ten years has been seriously considering the redevelopment into the new concept version of the CRX. This vehicle would have similar past qualities, such as being a two seated hatchback and containing a spacious and luxurious interior as well as incorporating the technology of the future. The early models of the CRX were split into two generations, the reintroduction being the third generation. The first generation manufactured in 1985 until 1987 featured new technology and styling never before seen on the automotive market. Introduced with three sub models the HF, DX, and SI, all contained different engines, transmissions, styling, and performance specifications as shown on the chart enclosed. This first generation CRX was an odd addition to the car market due to their compact size and all around exterior â€Å"boxy† look. The second generation introduced in 1988-1991 was also broken off into three sub models due to performance enhancements. The exterior was sti ll the basic box shape, but with a more sleek and appealing body style than of its first generation production. The new CRX concept vehicle, being the third generation, will contain major upgrades while still trying to keep the ingenious styling of past generations. The exterior will still contain the basic two door hatchback look, but will incorporate a more flowing and curved body style, leaving the boxy look of the past behind. The biggest upgrade of the CRX would have to be its engine. While more economical than in the past, it will also be a more desired engine for sport compact enthusiasts. Honda will be leaving behind the standard 1.5 liter contained in all past generations and will be offering two sub models, each containing a different engine. The entry level vehicle will contain a 1.0 liter DOHC (dual overhead cam) VTEC housed in a three cylinder base, producing anywhere from 85-100 horsepower. The upgraded version will contain a very awaited and anticipated 1.6 liter DOHC VTEC in a four cylinder base producing about 150-200 horsepower. These numbers to most seem very low, but are very surprising when considering the overall weight distribution of the vehicle is only 1762.

Thursday, October 24, 2019

Regulation of Conception in Moores How Essay -- Moore How

Regulation of Conception in Moore's How  Ã‚      Lorrie Moore's "How" takes an active stand on love and relationships.   It strongly and clearly rests on the values and ideas that our society holds on the concepts of partnership among a man and woman.   Moore formatted the narrative in such a way that it commands the reader's dependency upon the author's words, makes inevitable foreshadow, and specifically directs our views into the story.   By using the cultural analysis, one will find ways and evidence that assisted Moore in successfully achieving these previously listed.   Those aspects that will be covered include the exterior and interior structure of the narrative, how it sets our views and expectations of the aspects of love and relationships, how that potentially influences our personal thoughts, goals, and actions, how the narrative changes focus, perception, and sympathy on each character, and how the author used allusion to help the reader create visualization.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In "How," the title itself has the reader to automatically look into the story line for information and insight instead of entertainment.   This alone, gives the author the upperhand and ability to feed her ideas into our own.   Like other "how to" texts, off hand, the writer is looked to with much creditability which in turn causes us to absorb and believe more of its context.   Furthermore, "How" is written in a step by step pattern where each thought, action, and time frame is easy to follow and understand.   Moore also uses the word "will" often to state a command.   Within the narrative, Moore states and describes the progression and passage of time.   The events that take place in a relationship are foreshadowed and an inevitability is portrayed.   Also, t... ...ions were relevant to either actual singers, actors, music, or musicals.   Moore made several reference to the violin (991). The violin is closely associated with death.   Theses allusions were made with the female character's fantasies of a funeral and nightmares of her own downfall. Other allusions made were that of Dorothy (992) in the "Wizard of Oz," James Cagney (988 and 991), Ozzie and Harriet (987), Hank Williams (993), Coriolanus (988), and Robert Goulet (989).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   "How" is a powerful piece in its ability to catch its reader and directly challenge or influence their ideas.   The format commanded, foreshadowed, and focused on many aspects of love and relationships. Moore specifically directed our attention throughout the narrative.   However, she ended with some freedom for the reader to make their own conclusion and develop their own opinions of the text. Regulation of Conception in Moore's How Essay -- Moore How Regulation of Conception in Moore's How  Ã‚      Lorrie Moore's "How" takes an active stand on love and relationships.   It strongly and clearly rests on the values and ideas that our society holds on the concepts of partnership among a man and woman.   Moore formatted the narrative in such a way that it commands the reader's dependency upon the author's words, makes inevitable foreshadow, and specifically directs our views into the story.   By using the cultural analysis, one will find ways and evidence that assisted Moore in successfully achieving these previously listed.   Those aspects that will be covered include the exterior and interior structure of the narrative, how it sets our views and expectations of the aspects of love and relationships, how that potentially influences our personal thoughts, goals, and actions, how the narrative changes focus, perception, and sympathy on each character, and how the author used allusion to help the reader create visualization.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In "How," the title itself has the reader to automatically look into the story line for information and insight instead of entertainment.   This alone, gives the author the upperhand and ability to feed her ideas into our own.   Like other "how to" texts, off hand, the writer is looked to with much creditability which in turn causes us to absorb and believe more of its context.   Furthermore, "How" is written in a step by step pattern where each thought, action, and time frame is easy to follow and understand.   Moore also uses the word "will" often to state a command.   Within the narrative, Moore states and describes the progression and passage of time.   The events that take place in a relationship are foreshadowed and an inevitability is portrayed.   Also, t... ...ions were relevant to either actual singers, actors, music, or musicals.   Moore made several reference to the violin (991). The violin is closely associated with death.   Theses allusions were made with the female character's fantasies of a funeral and nightmares of her own downfall. Other allusions made were that of Dorothy (992) in the "Wizard of Oz," James Cagney (988 and 991), Ozzie and Harriet (987), Hank Williams (993), Coriolanus (988), and Robert Goulet (989).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   "How" is a powerful piece in its ability to catch its reader and directly challenge or influence their ideas.   The format commanded, foreshadowed, and focused on many aspects of love and relationships. Moore specifically directed our attention throughout the narrative.   However, she ended with some freedom for the reader to make their own conclusion and develop their own opinions of the text.

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Points About a Crafting Business

1. Why does crafting strategy have a strongly entrepreneurial character? Courtney (2) notes that in a rapidly changing environment, this year's indicators are not a good measure of what will happen in the future. Instead, there is a need to develop foresight. This involved looking to the future and spotting potential opportunities and potential threats before they are actually present. This is entrepreneurial in the sense that it involves looking to the future and seeing things before they are actually present. Crafting strategy also involves a new approach to business where the focus is on managing and risk and choosing the best kind of action, while there remains a level of certainty. These aspects of crafting strategy have a strong entrepreneurial character. Finally, crafting strategy requires vision and creativity. It differs from traditional management strategies because there are no certainties. Organizations cannot simply accept the environment as it is and aim to preserve the status quo. Organizations have to accept continual change, expect continual problems and challenges, and be innovative and creative in addressing these challenges. This need for innovation and creativity also has a strong entrepreneurial character. 2. What managerial purpose does the establishment of long-term objectives have? Long-term objectives are necessary to ensure that the organization is aware of what it wants to achieve. They focus the organization on its goals and provide a means of defining the desired outcome. Long-term objectives are also important because they are used to measure current and possible actions against. For example, the decision of whether or not to take a certain action can be based on whether or not it will help the organization achieve its goals. One of the other important points regarding long-term objectives is that they define the desired end-point, but do not define how that end-point is achieved. This means that the organization knows where it is going, but has the flexibility to adapt to the environment to determine how to get there. In this way, long-term objectives are important because they are a fixed point that guides the organizations toward its goals. 3. Competitive markets are economic battlefields. True or False. Explain. Competitive markets are economic battlefields. Thompson and Strickland note that in competitive markets, organizations constantly compete against each other in an attempt to gain advantages. One reason this is considered a battlefield is simply due to the competing. Another reason this is considered a battlefield is that organizations are competing to win the same thing, namely the consumer dollar. The third reason this is considered a battlefield is that a win by one organization means a loss for another. That is, for every consumer dollar that an organization wins, that is one less dollar going to a competitor. The next consideration is why it is considered an economic battlefield. The basic answer could be that organizations are competing to gain money, but there is more to it than this. It is also an economic battlefield because organizations win by improving economically. For example, if a manufacturing organization can find a way to produce a product for less money, they can pass this saving onto the consumer, and gain more consumers by having a lower price. Even if the price remains the same, organizations can benefit another way by producing the product for less, because they can invest that money into improving the product. The improved product then becomes the method by which they win the consumer dollar. Another important point is that winning economically often has future benefits. An organization that is winning the battle to win consumers will have more profits and these can be used to improve processes or products to provide even more future gains. Gains are also often made because their volume of trade increases. For manufacturers, they gain via economies of scale, where the more products that are made, the lower the cost becomes per product. The volume of trade can also give organizations more ability to negotiate with suppliers, partners, and retailers. The end result is that an organization winning the economic battle will often gain benefits that will allow it to improve economically even more. Returning to the battlefield idea, this can be considered as one army losing soldiers and become weaker, while the other army gains them and becomes even stronger. As the balance swings, the stronger side continues to increase in strength, forcing the weaker side out.

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

Friends and Lovers By Eric Dickey essays

Friends and Lovers By Eric Dickey essays The main character in this play is Shelby a woman who usually falls for the wrong type, romantically linked to Tyrel, a promiscuous man. Also supporting characters are Debra, friend to Shelby, married to Leonard, friend to Tyrel. The play itself seems to have been written in 1999 as a subsequent to the successful novel published in 1998. The play was intended for an auditorium in which reaction from the audience can be easily heard and clearly interpreted serving as a soundstage for the emotional sequences. The audience was intended to be mostly African American as comedy and also situations in which the characters are faced with relate to this races stereotype and are more easily understood by those who fit within the general stereotype. Shelby and Tyrel meet through their best friends. Leonard, a successful comedian, is Tyrel's best friend since childhood. Debra, a nurse, is the same to Shelby. Leonard and Debra marry shortly after meeting since they were longing to settle. Shelby wants the same but Tyrel will not commit. He is more in love with Shelby than he has ever been with anyone yet he is always probing for another woman. Tyrel does not cheat on Shelby yet she cheats on him with Richard. Shelby has an abortion and still manages to end up with the male protagonists love. The set was realistic; It was designed and built to give a rather vague idea of the were, when and what without intruding on the acting, it was more than sufficient yet it did not require more attention than the actual action as would be the case in a science fiction film. These choices worked well with the play and added to the realism and effectiveness of every scene. Different color lights were used to set the mood. Brighter lights were used to emphasize certain scenes and also to steer the audiences eyes towards certain aspects of the scenery. Music was used before and during the more emotional scenes to set the mood. S ...

Monday, October 21, 2019

The Truth About Its

The Truth About Its The Truth About Its The Truth About Its By Maeve Maddox The first article I submitted to DWT was on the error of writing its for its. I was too late. Michael (Its or Its?) had beaten me to it. No doubt about it the error of writing its for its is on everybodys list of top ten errors that damage a writers credibility. So why do so many of us keep making this error in our drafts? As well as I know the rule, as many times as I have corrected the error in the manuscripts of others, the occasional its for its creeps into my own writing and must be caught in the final revision. Why do we do it? Because our subconscious mind tells us that the spelling its as a possessive is not un-English in the way that other errors are. We write the houses roof, so why not write its roof? The error its for its is the result of an instinctive mirroring of the possessive apostrophe s we use to form the possessive of nouns. Heres the kicker: when the third person neuter possessive adjective came into the language in the 16th century, it was spelled its for the very reason that the new form was modeled on the s of the possessive noun. The spelling its for the possessive adjective was acceptable down to about 1800 (A.C. Baugh, A History of the English Language, p. 295). Nowadays, however, to write its roof instead of its roof marks a writer as pitiably ignorant of the rules of punctuation and orthography. Im not suggesting for a minute that we throw the rule out the window. Its too firmly established for us to disregard it. All I wish to point out is that the errorwhile a mark of carelessness if permitted to escape the final revision of your manuscriptis the result of linguistic instinct, not obstinacy. Moral: Rules of behavior are often arbitrary, like driving on the right side of the road in a given country. Arbitrary or not, we ignore them at our peril. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Spelling category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Avoid Beginning a Sentence with â€Å"With†The Difference Between "will" and "shall"10 Tips for Clean, Clear Writing

Sunday, October 20, 2019

Leadership and its impact on motivation and performance Essays

Leadership and its impact on motivation and performance Essays Leadership and its impact on motivation and performance Essay Leadership and its impact on motivation and performance Essay Introduction There is no ideal definition of leadership. 221 explanations were provided by Bass (2008): he highlighted the fact that any single definition would lack certain features (Van Wart, 2013). In this paper we consider the following interpretations. The first definition states that leadership is interpersonal influence that is used for directing others in order to achieve certain goals (Guetzkow, 1961). Hence, effectiveness of a leader can be measured by the level of his followers performance and motivation to work. Leadership can often be confused with management and administration: owever, it is evident that not every administrator (manager) is a leader and vice versa. Leadership is about power, i. e. eagerness of the followers to follow, whilst administration and management about authority vested in a persons position. What is more, management as well as administration is considered in this paper as maintenance activity, whereas leadership mostly deals with change. Leaders are people who shape the goals, motivations, and actions of others. Frequently they initiate change to reach existing and new goals Managing is maintaining efficiently and effectively current organizational arrangements. While managing well often exhibits leadership skills, the overall function is toward maintenance rather than change (Bush, 2008). To sum up, orientation on change and informal power are distinctive features of leadership the authors of the paper base their further analysis on. Theoretical concepts Nowadays there are several theories and models produced by a lot of studies, which analyze leadership from different sides such as personal qualities and leadership styles. The major theoretical concepts can be summarized into 3 groups: trait-based models, situational/contingency models and functional leadership models. Trait- based models The trait-based theory implies that a person can only be a leader if he or she is born with a special gift, i. e. special characteristics or traits without which a leader would not be able to perform managerial functions effectively. The topic was very popular in the first half of the twentieth century. The researchers tried to find correlation between innate traits and leadership criteria, but the results were inconsistent and unclear. Mann in 1959 concentrated his study on seven personality characteristics: intelligence, adjustment, extraversion, dominance, masculinity, conservatism, and ensitivity (Zaccaro et al, 1991). However the study made by Mann was not successful because he found that no trait had a median correlation higher than . 25 with leadership criteria (Zaccaro et al, 1991). The more fruitful research was made by Digman in 1990, who found a positive correlation between personality and leadership. Digman evaluated the leader by the following personality parameters: neuroticism, extraversion, openness to experience, agreeableness, and conscientiousness (Colbert et al, 2012). However this study still did not answer some questions concerning the relation between leadership and personality. Behavioral models This models focus on the way leaders behave with subordinates. Compared to the previous model, the emphasis was shifted from the leaders personality to leadership itself. The model was elaborated by Blake and Mouton (1964) in The managerial grid, and was aimed at improving interpersonal effectiveness and development of leadership skills (Alvares et al. , 1976). The model implies that a leaders success is generally based on the concern for production and the concern for people: the combination of both features is the optimal strategy for leadership accomplishment, hich makes subordinates more motivated with their tasks; feel important to the company; clearly understand the goals; achieve the high level of performance. (Alvares et al. 1976) Situational/contingency models In contrast to trait-based model, situational/contingency approaches presume that there is no ideal leadership style and that the most effective style depends on the situation, employees attitudes, conditions of work, etc. Leadership style may and should adjust to changes in the situation and only that way it would be effective. In other words, leader has to be flexible. This model enco mpasses the following pproaches to leadership. Three styles model Kurt Lewin (1890-1897) is told to be the leading psychologist of his generation (Burnes et al. 2013). Lewin introduced the so-called field theory, which states that individuals behavior depends on the environment, field. He found that three styles prevail in leadership behavior: democratic, authoritarian and laissez- faire style. Authoritarian style is about giving specific tasks and providing employees with direct instructions about how and when they should work, all decisions are made by the leader himself. Democratic style implies that a leader directs the rocess less, rather participating in it, helping subordinates to solve the problem and motivating them. Laissez-faire leadership is considered to be the most ineffective. The essence of this style is that a leader neither participates in team work, nor encourages employees. Followers are free to choose their own policies and methods, which is supposed to increase their creativity. The results of his studies show that democratic group performs best, stimulating creativity from the members and positively affecting productivity. However, the group with authoritarian style is a bit ore productive, but less creative and, what is important, fewer subordinates are satisfied with their Job. As for laissez-faire group, it is not effective: practically no creativity, poor performance and little satisfaction are observed. Summarizing Kurt Lewins findings we may build a table (App. 1) of three styles and its effects on motivation and performance 00b satisfaction is included, though it is out of our analysis scope). However Kurts theory was criticized for too narrow approach to leadership styles that ignore various shades between authoritarian and democratic behavior. Leadership continuum model That is why Tannenbaum and Schmidt offered their Leadership continuum model. The authors concentrated on the problem of combining democratic and authoritative style taking advantage of both approaches. (Tannenbaum et al. , 1973) Tannenbaum and Schmidt introduced the so-called continuum of styles, where styles have different variations from authoritarian to democratic, and can be used by a person in different situations (App. 2). An important benchmark is circled with red color: from here to the right a manager makes decisions only after consulting with the employees. The authors also mentioned that apart from choosing an appropriate eadership style it is extremely important that your employees understand the rules of the game, i. e. the style youVe chosen. Pretending to listen to employees opinion while in fact making decisions on your own not only spoils the relationships between an employer and his or her workers but decreases performance and motivation. Fiedlers contingency model Fiedlers contingency model (1964) presumes that performance of groups is contingent upon the interaction of leadership styles and the favorability of the situation for the leader. Mitchell et al. , 1970) Fiedler proposes that leaders can be ivided into two categories task-oriented and human-oriented. Effectiveness of the two categories of leadership depends on the task structure and the leaders position power. For example, task-oriented leaders are more effective in either very easy or very difficult (unstructured) situations. Human-oriented leaders perform best in m edium difficulty situations. Path-goal theory The theory was elaborated by Georgopoulos et al. (1957) and House. The model pays particular attention to the subordinates expectations. House, 1971) It states that management is responsible of setting clear goals, clarifying paths for achieving oals, implementing reward systems based on achieving higher performance (Mulki et al. , 2009). House devised 4 leadership styles depending on the type of work, followers characteristics and their expectations: directive, supportive, participative and achievement oriented. 1) Directive style (in case of unstructured, but interesting tasks and inexperienced followers) clear explanation and guidance on what employees should do. ) Supportive style (when tasks are simple, group cohesion is poor, but workers are experienced) leader should improve the working atmosphere and support the workers. ) Participative style (unstructured and complex tasks, experienced workers) leader should consult followers and listen to their opinions. 4) Achievement-oriented style (Unstructured, complex tasks, experienced workers, who think they lack power to accomplish task) leader should motivate and encourage followers. Situational model The authors of the situational model (Hersey, Blanchard, 1969) presume that one should choose leadership style only after he/she assessed the employees readiness to perform a specific task and adapt leadership styles to changing environment. (Butler et al. 1991) Situational Leadership Theory focuses on two aspects: (1) competence and (2) confidence and commitment. These two may be high or low (App. 3), and leader should make emphasis on either task or relationship aspect depending on the situation. Four frame model The last model in this group is Bolman and Deals four frame model. The researchers introduced four frames which leaders should pay attention to in different circumstances. These are structural, human resource, political and symbolic. Structural frame focuses on setting the goals, clarifying tasks and responsibilities. Human resource frame concentrates on peoples needs, their motivation and interests. Political frame is about resolving conflicts that arise in the organization. Symbolic frame deals with the sense of common goal, teambuilding and inspiration. A leader should be able to identify the main problems an organization faces and after to choose one or several frames to focus on, changing them after accomplishment of the goal. Otherwise it negatively impacts employees performance and motivation. Transactional and transformational leadership theory Transactional style is characterized by providing directions and guidelines, focusing n Job completion. Such leader defines group activities, describes the role each member is expected to assume and sets clear goals; clarifies the link between achievement and reward. Motivation is limited to formal procedures: bonuses and sanctions. Transformational leadership is guidance through individualized consideration, intellectual stimulation, inspirational, and idealized influence. (Choudhary et al. , 2013) Leaders of this style want employees to share common values and orient them towards the companys goals, create environment of psychological support and friendliness; incorporates employees suggestions into the ecision-making process and, thus, influence Job satisfaction and commitment. (Mulki et al. 2009) There are a lot of different opinions concerning which leadership style is more effective and if a person can display different styles. Some scientists have described transformational and transactional leadership styles as two competing approaches to motivating followers or employees: a person can perform either transformational leadership or transactional one, but not the both styles. Other researchers have a different opinion, assuming that these s tyles are not competing ones, but complementary to each other. Bass et al. 1993) Despite the fact that it is often supposed that outstanding leaders perform both transformational and transactional styles, it seems that transformational leadership can be more effective in a lot of cases. Previous researchers have discovered the evidence of a strong positive correlation between the application of transformational leadership style and the performance of working teams, presidential administrations and business units. (Cameron et al. , 2011) Functional leadership models There are also functional leadership models based on functions a leader must be ble to carry out. Morgeson et al. , 2010) One of the approaches proposes to divide the leadership functions into two phases or stages: transitional and actional phase. The transition phase is a period of time when teams focus on activities related to structuring the team, planning the teams work, and evaluating the teams performance. (Morgeson et al. , 2010) Actional phase is consequently the portion of the teams performance cycle when the team is focused on activities that directly contribute to accomplishing its goals. Morgeson et al. , 2010) (App. 4) Both phases re crucial for establishing cooperation within the team and, thus, high level of overall performance. An effective leader should define the phase of companys development and act accordingly. John Adairs Action-centered Leadership model. John Adair introduced the three circles diagram, which illustrates three main tasks of a leader (App. 5). 1. Task circle means the need to solve the problem and achieve particular result; 2. Team circle means that leader must create the working atmosphere, where employees will perceive the goals as our; teambuilding; 3. Individual caring about every worker of the team, trying to satisfy his/her needs. Leadership is effective only when all three functions are combined (the intersection of the circles). Changing salespeoples performance through leadership The problem Salespeople often work under direct supervision and are under high pressure to produce results: the management style has a strong impact on their performance. Leaders set an example of appropriate conduct. The study was conducted in a North American subsidiary of an international pharmaceutical company X to analyze the issue (Mulki et al. , 2009). The problem of the company was unethical behavior of salesmen with clients physicians: 50% lie on sales calls, every third makes nrealistic promises, every fifth imposes products on customers the latter do not need and bribe physicians to get them prescribed to a particular brand of drugs the behavior which was tacitly approved by senior management as long as sales goals were achieved. The revealed facts of inappropriate behavior ultimately led to the decline in the overall trust to the company X and the undermined reputation of pharmaceutical companies in general. The challenge Establishment of new company-wide ethical standards is a complicated issue, but existence of such standards is essential for controlling for the overall employees erformance, especially nowadays, when firms shift from a traditional office with opportunities of direct supervision to field offices, where employees are more independent in their actions. The industry trade association, PhRMA, issued voluntary industry guidelines for salespeople, which regulate the interaction of salespersons with physicians, directed to 90 large pharmaceutical companies of the U. S. The guidelines were rather strict, and required a strong commitment from senior management to be complied with. To face the challenge, it was decided to implement the path-goal theory and to use the features of leadership style of management tarting from the senior positions of the company. The aim was essentially to change the companys ethical standards, incorporating compliance with ethical rules and policies into the salespeoples system of values. Methodology The survey was conducted to identify leadership styles present in the organization and their impact on Job satisfaction and performance of employees. The employees were asked to measure leadership styles of management with the following 13 items, 9 of which represent considerate leadership, and 4 represent instrumental leadership (App. 6). The employees were also asked to estimate their satisfaction with upervisor, Job satisfaction, their efforts and Job performance. Results of the analysis showed that over 72% of the variance is explained by two factors instructional leadership and transformational leadership styles of management. Another random survey of salespeople was conducted 1 year later after the start of the transition to check for the impact of the new rules and standards on employees Job satisfaction, efforts and Job performance, as well as to reveal some of their considerations about relationships with clients. Results While transformational leadership plays a role in establishing good relationships etween management and subordinates and has a significant influence on the employees satisfaction with the supervisor, the analysis of implementation of the model to the company X showed that transactional leadership is more successful in setting corporate standards. It plays the crucial role in this process: a directive leader prescribes the space within which there is still room for decision-making, but the lines which an employee should not cross are clear: this is particularly important for salespeople as they should know that compliance with ethical rules and policies prevails over getting a substantial contract. It is also evident that establishment of these guidelines should not necessarily be the result of a consensus between all the employees, when everybodys views are taken into consideration. Clarity and established boundaries motivate the salesman to be creative in meeting customers needs without feeling uncertainty and vulnerability from the point of view of refusing to comply with the firms standards and management disapproval: it enhances subordinates trust in management and significantly reduces stress. What is more, customers are more open to new ideas and suggestions from an ethical organization, hich standards are high and clear. The trust, freedom and flexibility enable salespeople to be client oriented and increases the amount of effort employees put in their activities. This, in turn, creates a sense of Job accomplishment (Mulki et al. , 2009) and essentially improves the overall performance. To sum up, the new company-wide standards established in the company X with the help of the path-goal leadership theory and based on the difference between the two styles of leadership, increased the employees performance level significantly, improved the client- salesman long-term relationships and brightened the overall image of harmaceutical industry. Supplier integration in the automotive industry: the impact of buyer-side leadership on motivation among suppliers The problem Due to the shortage of RD capabilities and basic management skills, domestic suppliers of Chinese automotive industry are not well-developed. As a consequence, the majority of key components are manufactured and imported from other suppliers with operations in China. However, the foreign suppliers try to integrate as many domestic suppliers as possible because of local production requirements and the specifics of an automotive industry: it is a networked field where it is almost mpossible for an individual firm to possess all the necessary expertise to produce complex machinery. Supplier integration is a complex issue that requires the understanding of the situation from different perspectives. In our case the problem of creating trust and commitment between buyers and suppliers is analyzed, and how changes of Chinese automotive suppliers mindset, competences and motivation to collaborate can be stimulated (Lockstrom et al. , 2010). Here the Hersey and Blanchards situational leadership model can be implemented as it takes into account the environment where a manager operates. Methodology In order to collect the data, the number of semi-structured face-to-face voice- recorded 2-hours interviews was conducted with 30 purchasing, quality and general managers from automotive companies, which were then transcribed. The reliability of the study was further ensured by a detailed case protocol enabling systematic data collection. A detailed script was sent to every participant during a week after the interview for review. This way a high level of dependability and reliability was achieved by researchers. Results Several assumptions can be made about the managers in the industry: first, they ave a positive attitude towards their work in general. Second, they are sure that they influence their suppliers and make them follow. Third, the managers demonstrated positive attitude towards combination of operational work and strategic planning. The study showed that in 23/30 cases (76%) cooperative/transformational leadership style prevailed in their behavior, while assertive/transactional leadership style was used in 27% of cases, and 6% choose empowering style. 27% of respondents tend to change their management style depending on the situation, using the situational eadership model to motivate a supplier when he or she does not live up to a managers expectations. As one of the managers put it, you need a carrot to motivate and a stick to implement (Lockstrom et al. , 2010). The first managerial challenge is to stimulate collaborative efforts of suppliers in order to drive supply chain performance, such as cost reduction, quality assurance, delivery reliability etc. (Lockstrom et al. , 2010). The managers actively worked on a personal level to convince suppliers to adopt the formers values and beliefs, persuading them to invest in technologies and innovations. Thus, transformational leadership is perceived to influence the suppliers mindset and commitment, motivate the latter to adapt and collaborate. However, the difficulty in managing production and delivery performance was highlighted. Despite the willingness to learn and to improve the activity (8 cases), the lack of targets and action plans as well as unstable feedback channels led to worsening of the results. That was one of the reasons why reactive attitude and hierarchical communication are met in 40 and 37% cases, respectively, although the value of personal relationships is high (57%). It was found that in most of the cases concerning production issues the buyer side took the initiative and responsibility for involving domestic suppliers in product development activities. Domestic suppliers tend to be rather reactive than proactive. Thus, the level of innovations initiated by domestic suppliers is very low. In terms of strategic planning, which includes capacity, demand or product planning, as well as sharing new ideas and setting long- term goals, only 30% of companies shared ideas with domestic suppliers, 13 firms involved domestic suppliers in capacity planning, 8 in demand planning and 9 firms lanned everything collaboratively sharing financial information with domestic suppliers (Lockstrom et al. , 2010). The time of conducting business also matters: among 8 firms which communicated strategic goals, 6 worked with suppliers for more than 10 years. The respondents of these firms stated the satisfactory level of trust and commitment. Still, it was evident that the perceived stronger supply chain partner [foreign in this case] usually dictates the activities (Lockstrom et al. , 2010). Overall, we can see the cooperative leadership style prevails in the majority of cases oncerning personal buyer-supplier relationships: the relationships with Chinese suppliers are built gradually, and the levels of trust and motivation do not heavily rely on contracts. Still, it is acknowledged by managers that it is extremely hard to motivate the person and ensure high performance level with cooperation and coaching only. The clear goals should be set and action plans elaborated, which require assertiveness of the leader, to push the supplier in the preferable direction: the supplier only learns when it hurts (Lockstrom et al. , 2010). Conclusion Overall, considering all the different leadership approaches, models and theories, it can be concluded that there is no single most efficient leadership style in terms of motivation and performance. Different leadership styles should be used depending on situation. For instance, when there is little time to make a decision and where a leader has significantly more experience or expertise than the rest of the team, the transactional leadership style would be more effective, while in a motivated group with a higher level of expertise, the transformational style should be more efficient. The chosen style should be the one that most effectively achieves the goals of the group while considering the interests of its members. Therefore, leadership style mostly depends on circumstances, time of execution and personal and professional characteristics of a leader and team members. Reference list 1. A Path Goal Theory of Leader Effectiveness. / House R. // Administrative Science Quarterly -September 1971. 16(3) pp. 321-339. Available from: Business Source Complete, Ipswich, MA. Accessed November 13, 2013. 2. Antecedents to supplier integration in the automotive industry: A multiple-case study of foreign subsidiaries n China / Lockstrom M. , Schadel J. , Harrison N. , Moser R. , Malhotra M. J. // Journal of Operations Management Vol. 28, N. 3 (May 2010) P. 240-256 3. Are authentic leaders associated with more virtuous, committed and potent teams? / Rego, Arm? ©nio, Vitoria, Andreia, Magalh? ¤es, Ana, Ribeiro, Neuza, Cunha, Miguel Pina // Leadership Quarterly Feb 2013 Vol. 24 Issue 1- pp. 61-79. 4. Assessing the trait theory of leadership using self and observer ratings of personality: The mediating role of contributions to group success / E. Colbert, Amy, A. Judge, Timothy, Cho, Daejeong, Wang, Gang // The Leadership Quarterly, 2012 Vol. 3 pp. 70-685. 5. Bases of power in relation to leader behavior: A field investigation / Atwater, Leanne E. ; Yammarino, Francis J. // Journal of Business Psychology- Fall 1996- Vol. 11 Issue 1 pp. 3-22. 6. Choosing a Values-Based Leader: An Experiential Exercise / Reilly, Anne H. ; Ehlinger, Sara // Journal of Management Education Apr. 2007 Vol. 31 Issue 2 pp. 245-262. 7. Critical Role of Leadership on Ethical Climate and Salesperson Behaviors / Mulki, Jay P. , Jaramillo J. F. , Locander W. B. // Journal of Business Ethics Vol. 86, No. 2 (May, 2009)- pp. 125-141 8. Effects of positive ractices on organizational effectiveness/ K. Cameron, C. Mora, T. Leutscher, M. Calarco// Journal of Applied Behavioral Science 2011 Vol. 47 pp. 266-308. 9. Ethical leadership and Job performance in China: The roles of workplace friendships and traditionality / Liu, Jun, Kwan, Ho Kwong, Fu, Ping Ping, Mao, Yina // Journal of Occupational Organizational Psychology Dec 2013 Vol. 86 Issue 4 pp. 564-584. 10. From Management to Leadership: Semantic or Meaningful change? / Bush T. // Educational Management Administration and Leadership 2008 Vol. 36. pp. 271-288 Access: http://ema. agepub. om/content/36/2/271 . full. pdf+html (Accessed November 13, 2013) 11 . How to choose a leadership pattern / Tannenbaum R. and Schmidt W. H. // Harward Business Review May-June 1973 pp. 162-180 Available from: Business Source Complete, Ipswich, MA (Accessed November 13, 2013) 12. Impact of Transformational and Servant Leadership on Organizational Performance: A Comparative Analysis. / Choudhary A, Akhtar S, Zaheer A. // Journal of Business Ethics -August 5, 2013 116(2) pp. 433-440. Available from: Business Source Complete, Ipswich, MA (Accessed November 13, 2013) 13. Kurt Lewins Field Theory: A Review and Re-evaluation / Burnes B. , Cooke B. // International Journal of Management Reviews Vol. 15 pp. 408-425 Access: http://onlinelibrary. wiley. com/ Leadership and Organization: A Behavioral Science Approach / Guetzkow H. // American Sociological Review October 1961 Vol. 26(5) pp. 804. Available from: Business Source Complete, Ipswich, MA (Accessed November 13, 2013) 15. Leadership in Teams: A Functional Approach to Understanding Leadership Structures and Processes. / Morgeson F. , DeRue D. , Karam E. // Journal Of Management January 2010 -Vol. 6(1) pp. 5-39. Access: http://Jom. agepub. com/content/36/1/5. full. pdf *html (Accessed November 13, 2013) 16. Leadership style and regulatory mode: Value from fit? / L. Benjamin, J. Francis // Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes 2006- Vol. 100(2), pp. 216-230. 17. Leadership Style and Sales Performance: A Test of the Situational Leadership Model. / Butler Jr. J, Reese R. // Jour nal Of Personal Selling Sales Management. Summer 1991- Vol. 11(3). p. 37. Available from: Business Source Complete, Ipswich, MA (Accessed November 13, 2013) 18. Lessons from Leadership Theory and the Contemporary Challenges of Leaders. Van Wart M. // Public Administration Review July 2013 Vol. 73(4) pp. 553-565. Available from: Business Source Complete, Ipswich, MA (Accessed November 13, 2013) 19. Self-Monitoring and Trait-Based Variance in Leadership: An Investigation of Leader Flexibility Across Multiple Group Situations / J. Zaccaro, Stephen, A. Kenny, David, J. Foti, Roseanne // Journal of Applied Psychology 1991 Vol. 76 No. 2- pp. 308-315. 20. The Contingency Model: Criticism and Suggestions / Mitchell T. R. , Biglan A. Oncken G. , Fiedler F. // Academy Of Management Journal September 1970 Vol. 13(3) pp. 253-267. Available from: Business Source Complete, Ipswich, MA (Accessed November 13, 2013) 21. The Managerial Grid as a Predictor of Conflict Resolution Method and Managerial Effectiveness / Bernardin, H. John; Alvares, Kenneth M. // Administrative Science Quarterly Mar1976 Vol. 21 Issue 1 pp. 84-92. 22. Transformational le adership and organizational culture/ B. M. Bass, B. J. Avolio, // Public Administration: An International Quarterly 1993. vol. 17 pp. 112-121. Appendix Appendix 1 Kurt Lewins Three styles model Authoritarian Democratic Laissez-faire Motivation Less High Lowest Performance Highest High Low Satisfaction Less satisfied Satisfied Not satisfied Source: Kurt Lewins Field Theory: A Review and Re-evaluation / Burnes B. , Cooke B. // International Journal of Management Reviews Vol. 1 5(2013) pp. 408-425 Appendix 2 Continuum of leadership behavior Source: How to choose a leadership pattern / Tannenbaum R. and Schmidt W. H. // Harward Business Review May-June 1973 pp. 162-180 Available from: Business Source Complete, Ipswich, MA. Accessed November 13, 2013 Appendix 3 Situational Leadership Theory Task emphasis Relationship emphasis Low competence, low confidence and commitment High (instructions, directions) Low disregard of emotions) Low competence, high confidence and commitment High (instructions, persuasion) High (encouragement, incentive) High competence, low confidence and commitment Low (consultation) High (involving, teamwork) High competence, high confidence and commitment Low (consultation, delegating responsibility) Low (trust, empowerment) Source: A Preliminary Investigation of the Applicability of Situational Leadership In Other Cultures / Ramkisson A. / International Journal Of Business Strategy [serial online]. March 2013 Vol. 13(1) P. 43-48. Available from: Business Source Complete, Ipswich, MA. Accessed November 13, 2013. Appendix 4 Main leadership functions according to the functional leadership model Transitional phase (Stage 1) Action phase (Stage 2) Compose team Monitor team Define mission Manage team boundaries Establish expectations and goals Challenge team Structure and plan Perform team task Train and develop team Solve problems Sensemaking Provide resources Provide feedback Encourage team self-management and support social climate Source: Leadership in Teams: A Functional Approach to Understanding Leadership Structures and Processes. / Morgeson F, DeRue D, Karam E. // Journal Of Management [serial online]. January 2010;36(1):5-39. ) Appendix 5 John Adairs Action-centered Leadership model Source: Action-centered Leadership (Second Printing) (Book). // Personnel Psychology [serial online]. September 1980;33(3):674-675. Available from: Business Source Complete, Ipswich, MA. Accessed November 13, 2013. Appendix 6 Scale of leadership styles used for subordinates assessment. Source: Critical Role of Leadership on Ethical Climate and Salesperson Behaviors / Mulki, Jay P. , Jaramillo J. F. , Locander W. B. // Journal of Business Ethics Vol. 86, No. 2 (May, 2009)- pp. 125-141

Saturday, October 19, 2019

Intership PAPER Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Intership PAPER - Essay Example I was blessed with good people to work with who supported me throughout my internship. The Creative Activity & Fitness Center was established in 1990 initially as a play group for very young children. As the children grew up, more and more classes were offered to develop their creative skills such as workshops in Art, Music, Dance, etc. Parents were delighted to have a place to bring their children where they learn skills and enjoy at the same time. Over the years, the population of enrolees grew and more workshops were offered, that there was a need to expand the business. Enrolment to the center was like membership where parents renew their children’s membership in order to avail of the services and use the facilities. The owners bought the huge land beside it and built a larger dance studio, a swimming pool, a theatre for recitals and performances, a large playground and more rooms for the varied workshops offered. Because of the new facilities, the center has gained a great reputation and attracted more members since it now accepted teenagers and even adult s. There are also workshops for adults such as Sculpting, Painting and Photography as well as some dance classes. The center is busiest in the afternoons after school when the children come for their workshops and tutorial sessions and during summer when all the workshops are fully-booked. Currently, there are some playgroups and preschool classes offered in the mornings and day care service the whole day, with some night shifts for children whose parents work at night. Weekends are particularly heavy, as multiple workshops are ongoing for all age brackets as well as the use of the facilities is maximized. The population of the members is comprised of various nationalities and ages. The center is staffed by about 50 people occupying positions in administration, teaching, public relations, program management, maintenance and security,

Friday, October 18, 2019

Provide answer to 5 different assignments of Employability and Essay

Provide answer to 5 different assignments of Employability and Consulting Skills subjects - Essay Example According to Mankin (2009 p. 21) a good event manager should have the required human skills to develop and execute an event. The roles extend beyond personal attributes to professional qualifications that an individual poses. Event managers are responsible for all events that corporates engage in and thus are supposed to be competitive in boosting the image and profile of the company. I consider this position due to my undoubted professional and personal skills. Throughout my life I have displayed leadership skills that have earned me confidence in leading the right direction. Consequently, I am a person who puts every idea into a thorough process of reasoning to obtain workable solutions. Reasoning in decision making is not a choice but a core ingredient. Managing events require adequate Interpersonal skills since it involves people different personalities and calibers. As such, good interpersonal skills can act to create a good environment. My ability to communicate with different groups of people may justify my reasons for applying for the position of events manager. In agreement with Slater (2010 p. 43), the success of an event cannot be guaranteed if the manager does not poses team management skills. Usually, the team planning or attending an event is so large and may overwhelm the staff and the manager. This may raise confusion and subsequent failure of the event. However, with good team management skills, the manager can allocate roles effectively. With this in mind, I find my role very important in this position. Lastly, I find myself suitable for this role since it requires excellent communication skills. I will apply my skills in influencing success of events. Since all corporate events have objectives, communication skills may assist in attaining them. Marketing is challenging job that requires adequate preparation and experience. In my case, I have undergone a rigorous training at the Kasetsart University

A piece of art Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

A piece of art - Essay Example The artist also mentions that the exhibition happens to the second within a curatorial projects series that the artist has initiated within year 2011 which demonstrated means through which contemporary art as well as artists are able to create a platform for discussing political, social as well as cultural situations importance around the world as well as exploration of their effects on regional and local communities. The artist talks about what a good contemporary art entails which explains that it should interrogate cultural, political as well as social practices and realities. The artist explains that the purpose of their art as one of a university art museum is to give chances for artistic education, exploration as well as reflection. The artists argument is artwork should represent effects of political events on people socially, politically as well as culturally. Artistic work may turn to be political while political may turn into artwork. From this context, the artist has shown how artwork has been used to represent political matters happening especially between the Palestine Israeli war. Most of the art reflects the effects of the war. For instance, the video within which the artist is carrying a greed paint can that is dripping along the green line within Jerusalem as well as areas around it for two days (2007). A declaring by Yael Bartana (2006) that requests that individuals to consider the olive tree changing symbolism in the existing context and the (Sa) Mira by Dor Guez (2009) that deals with some Israeli citizens felt discrimination due to decent by the Arabs. The artist has used the past to express events of the time ahead. For instance the art piece Pan of Qalandia 2014 by Wafa Hourani is an imagination of a huge checkpoint’s future which is in between Ramallah and Jerusalem. Again, the artist has made use of time to represent matters that took place earlier

Thursday, October 17, 2019

Not sure yet Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Not sure yet - Research Paper Example We suspect tat Jesus, Nancy’s husband, is waiting for her at night nearby the cabin or he is just close by and that he will definitely kill Nancy anytime. Therefore the night fall is feared by Nancy and the singer of the song alike since it means being near the imminent danger. Nancy, black American, works at the Compson family, whites. She had been impregnated by a white although she was married to Jesus. Her husband had left her for being promiscuous leading to her illicit pregnancy with a white man. The story is narrated by Quentin, who is twenty four years old is bringing it from a nine year old point of view when he was young. As a child, Quentin and his siblings, Caddy, his sister; and Jason, younger brother; do not comprehend the implications of the actions that are happening around them that had caused Nancy’ weird behaviors that were manifested with fear. Nancy had herself locked up in a prison although she was the one ho had been assaulted by Mr. Stovall, a Ba ptist deacon, who Nancy claimed to be the one responsible her pregnancy. She was a shamed of facing her husband because of that. Mr. Stovall knocked her to an extent of removing some of her teeth instantly and later taken as the culprit in the whole encounter. The fact that Nancy was a black American worsened her situation since she could not get fair treatment; racialism caused most of the suffering experienced in the story by Nancy. 1.2 Setting The setting of the story is at the Southern states where racial segregation had taken root with the inclusion of Jim Crow rules that discriminated the black Americans as inferior and majorly owned as slaves to work in the plantations. The constant repletion by Nancy that I am a nigger showed her resentment for being a black in a society that discriminated against the blacks. The use of orders by Mr. and Mrs. Compson when referring to Nancy shows the level at which they had assumed her to be as per the order of that time. In one instance Que ntin is asked to head to the kitchen and order Nancy that she can go home now; this is a clear indication that the physical possibility to leave is only granted by Mr. Compson without it she can not leave; she obviously did not have the right to leave before being ordered to do so. This displays the relation between Nancy and Mr. Compson as one of a slave and a master respectively (Fitzgerald and Harris, 1987). 1.3.1 Segregation The unequal relationship between the whites and the Black Americans is broadly exhibited in Nancy’s reproaching of Mr. Stovall, the deacon, specifically for not paying her the service rendered three times, for getting intimate with her. He reacts through a thorough beating he gave her that led to her loosing a number of her teeth. The town marshal did nothing about simply because she was a black. Mr. Compson refers to her as a culprit in the whole incident since she should have let the white man alone. Mrs. Compson feels being looked upon when Compson decides to escort Nancy to ensure her security. She wonders why his husband is concerned about a nigger’s safety instead of taking care of her. This resenting of Mrs. Compson shows her feeling of superiority in relation to Nancy who is a black American. She at first questions whether Nancy has seen Jesus, her husband, to claim that she is afraid that he will attack her; in this case she is implying that Nancy is cheating, a clear indication

Change Reseach Project part 2 Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Change Reseach Project part 2 - Research Paper Example Significant changes will take place in this industry, since its rational property rights are being brought on course in line with those of the key economies in the world. The change from near-perfect contest with homogenous and cost controlled drugs to a market with patent controlled products is an effective domination in several sub-markets, will bring forth an extreme shift in the form of contest. This paper uses the Janssen Pharmaceuticals Inc. to issue a clear depiction an approach to strategic innovation management, on which to develop capabilities and from which to control change, which can form a guide for companies arranging for this change. The Management of Change in the Pharmaceutical Industry – Janssen Pharmaceutical Inc.; Part II Chapter 1 Introduction Acquisitions, mergers, globalization, outsourcing and fresh technology are the major terms used to describe pharmaceutical changes. This clearly implies that the pharmaceutical manufacturing industry is experiencing extreme change. The present environment is one of joining and rising cultures as firms merge workforces and globalize processes in order to have a strong competitive advantage and compete in the global market field. Approximately 70 percent of the corporate change plans fail, writes Bill Wilder, director of the Life Cycle Institution (Greene and Podolsky 2009). This is definitely, because pharmaceutical manufacturing industry concentrates too much on products and processes, but forgets to focus on people. There is no doubt that people usually do not oppose change. They only thing they do, they oppose being changed when they do not know why. This is why there is a lot that must be comprehended and done in order to enforce change and succeed. There are a number of strategies that must be employed in order to embrace change (Lewi 2007). One of the main one is merging of firms, which has to be done through integrating both their products and their cultures. At the same time, there must be lessening of cost and maintaining control over their quality systems and authoritarian conformity. Besides, the initiation of new technologies, which little and sometimes, effective firms must also control within their quality schemes across a range of service providers and partners (Liberti, McAuslane and Walker 2011). With all these changes, the criticality of an effective change-management scheme that can track and make sure appropriate assessment and implementation of changes is done. Envision a change-management scheme as graph simplicity of accomplishment on the X-axis and the complexity on the change Y-axis, it becomes simple to visualize why certain modifications may take years to implement as seen on the figure below (figure 1). As a modification becomes more complicated –like modifications, that entails numerous products and country registrations), it becomes difficult to bring to pass (Marcia 2004). Complicated changes are hard enough for an individual firm wit h several sites, but they are even more overstated for practical firms. For the latter, multiple bond service providers

Wednesday, October 16, 2019

Not sure yet Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Not sure yet - Research Paper Example We suspect tat Jesus, Nancy’s husband, is waiting for her at night nearby the cabin or he is just close by and that he will definitely kill Nancy anytime. Therefore the night fall is feared by Nancy and the singer of the song alike since it means being near the imminent danger. Nancy, black American, works at the Compson family, whites. She had been impregnated by a white although she was married to Jesus. Her husband had left her for being promiscuous leading to her illicit pregnancy with a white man. The story is narrated by Quentin, who is twenty four years old is bringing it from a nine year old point of view when he was young. As a child, Quentin and his siblings, Caddy, his sister; and Jason, younger brother; do not comprehend the implications of the actions that are happening around them that had caused Nancy’ weird behaviors that were manifested with fear. Nancy had herself locked up in a prison although she was the one ho had been assaulted by Mr. Stovall, a Ba ptist deacon, who Nancy claimed to be the one responsible her pregnancy. She was a shamed of facing her husband because of that. Mr. Stovall knocked her to an extent of removing some of her teeth instantly and later taken as the culprit in the whole encounter. The fact that Nancy was a black American worsened her situation since she could not get fair treatment; racialism caused most of the suffering experienced in the story by Nancy. 1.2 Setting The setting of the story is at the Southern states where racial segregation had taken root with the inclusion of Jim Crow rules that discriminated the black Americans as inferior and majorly owned as slaves to work in the plantations. The constant repletion by Nancy that I am a nigger showed her resentment for being a black in a society that discriminated against the blacks. The use of orders by Mr. and Mrs. Compson when referring to Nancy shows the level at which they had assumed her to be as per the order of that time. In one instance Que ntin is asked to head to the kitchen and order Nancy that she can go home now; this is a clear indication that the physical possibility to leave is only granted by Mr. Compson without it she can not leave; she obviously did not have the right to leave before being ordered to do so. This displays the relation between Nancy and Mr. Compson as one of a slave and a master respectively (Fitzgerald and Harris, 1987). 1.3.1 Segregation The unequal relationship between the whites and the Black Americans is broadly exhibited in Nancy’s reproaching of Mr. Stovall, the deacon, specifically for not paying her the service rendered three times, for getting intimate with her. He reacts through a thorough beating he gave her that led to her loosing a number of her teeth. The town marshal did nothing about simply because she was a black. Mr. Compson refers to her as a culprit in the whole incident since she should have let the white man alone. Mrs. Compson feels being looked upon when Compson decides to escort Nancy to ensure her security. She wonders why his husband is concerned about a nigger’s safety instead of taking care of her. This resenting of Mrs. Compson shows her feeling of superiority in relation to Nancy who is a black American. She at first questions whether Nancy has seen Jesus, her husband, to claim that she is afraid that he will attack her; in this case she is implying that Nancy is cheating, a clear indication

Tuesday, October 15, 2019

Square Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Square - Essay Example When Apple becomes the first to adopt this platform, it means Square will lose a lot of clients most so the technology oriented who are the majority in the current market place where convenience is the key determinant (Glover, Stephen and Douglas). The second need for Square Inc to adopt an e business platform is to enable it to extend into the non-US markets and this has to happen at the fastest rates. If this does not happen then the competitors like pay pal would snap the idea and use it to the disadvantage of Square. Square has therefore to be able to adopt the e business platform to catch up with the competition by being able to provide its customers with a variety of products, at affordable costs and with the convenience desired by most of the firms (Glover, Stephen and Douglas). Square will be able to integrate such operations through EMV in some countries and NFC in other countries. This would ensure that their operations are widened for diverse solutions in the vast financia l markets. Businesses face a lot of problems most so those that are involved on the online payment systems such problems range from the problems of uncertainty, the ever expanding global market, and the need for innovation. The largest problem is that which emanates from regulatory requirements. Uncertainty affects many business managers in the manner in which it would affects the operations of such businesses in the credit markets, global economy and how regulations would affect the operations of such businesses. Globalization affects the operations of Square due to the unpredictability of how different cultures would perceive their new products hence their penetration of the new markets (Glover, Stephen and Douglas). Before designing new products on the e business platform, such considerations costs the companies a lot of time in the manner they would conduct the same to get more customers while maintaining the ones they already have. This is because innovation and inventions are paramount most so in the volatile technology market. Square Inc faces a turbulent environment due to the existence of the competitors; this does not make the product design environment sleep because this would cost them from their competitors (Laudon, Kenneth and Carol). The business therefore tries to get the problem of innovation solved while still ensuring the control of the organization is in place. Without ensured control the hands of the law through enacted stiff regulations may also impact on the organization negatively. Regulations on energy, environment and financial policies are the most sensitive and require careful handling. As Square designs their new e business products they must ensure they operate under the regulations to avoid charges which are costly to businesses (Laudon, Kenneth and Carol). According to Harvard business review on business and the environment, the idea of business through the internet has changed how the customers interact with their providers and this has lead to the growth of e business. For companies like Square, e business is important because of several reasons. One is that e business leads to increase in the speed over which transactions are done. For example the time over which clients would do ordering is reduced since it can be done much quickly over such platforms since the internet covers a wide area network. For Square inc, e business would therefore mean better procurement and the

Compensation Management Essay Example for Free

Compensation Management Essay Compensation does not refer, however, to other kinds of eployee rewards such as recognition ceremonies and achievement parties. The ultimate objectives of compensation administration are: efficient maintenance of a productive  workforce,  equitable pay, and compliance with federal, state, and local regulations based on what companies can afford. The basic concept of compensation administration—compensation management—is rather simple: employees perform tasks for employers and so companies pay employees wages for the jobs they do. Consequently, compensation is an exchange or a transaction, from which both parties—employers and employees—benefit: both parties receive something for giving something. Compensation, however, involves much more than this simple transaction. From the employers perspective, compensation is an issue of both affordability and  employee motivation. Companies must consider what they can reasonably afford to pay their employees and the ramifications of their decisions: will they affect  employee turnover  and productivity? In addition, some employers and managers believe pay can influence employee work ethic and behaviour and hence link compensation to performance. Moreover social, economic, legal, and political forces also exert influence on compensation management, making it a complicated yet important part of managing a business. Compensation and Reward system plays vital role in a business organization. Since, among four Ms, i. e Men, Material, Machine and Money, Men has been most important factor, it is impossible to imagine a business process without Men. Advantages of Fair Compensation System: Therefore a fair compensation system is a must for every business organization. The fair compensation system will help in the following: 1. If an ideal compensation system is designed, it will have positive impact on the efficiency and results produced by workmen. 2. Such system will encourage the normal worker to perform better and achieve the standards fixed. 3. This system will encourage the process of job evaluation. It will also help in setting up an ideal job evaluation, which will have transparency, and the standards fixing would be more realistic and achievable. . Such a system would be well defined and uniform. It will be apply to all the levels of the organization as a general system. 5. The system would be simple and flexible so that every worker/recipient would be able to compute his own compensation receivable. 6. Such system would be easy to implement, so that it would not penalize the workers for the reasons beyond their control and would not result in exploitation of workers. 7. It will raise the morale, efficiency and cooperation among the workers. It, being just and fair would provide satisfaction to the workers. 8. Such system would help management in complying with the various labor acts. 9. Such system would also bring about amicable settlement of disputes between the workmen union and management. 10. The system would embody itself the principle of equal work equal wages. Encouragement for those who perform better and opportunities for those who wish to excel. Need for designing of compensation Policy: After going through the role and essentials of a sound compensation system, it becomes imperative that every business organization should be set up for itself a proper Compensation Policy. The Management of the organization must have well-designed Compensation Policy. The policy calls for deciding the criteria for promotions, up-gradations etc. It would also be necessary to fix up the standard expectations from each and every workmen/employee. The policy should determine the norms to be followed for Performance Appraisal or Job Evaluation. It should also chalk out the need for training, provisions for fringe benefits, welfare schemes etc. It must prescribe the manner in which such benefits would be extended and levels within the organization to which such benefits are extendable. The incentive schemes and its details, Pay package structure, Tax implications etc. are matters of concern while designing the compensation Policy. Importance of Compensation System: Money makes the mare go is the proverb. It holds good for all the factors participating in the business process expects its fair share of prosperity of the business. Compensation/ Reward System play a vital role in the business organization. And its importance can be very well ascertained as follows: 1. Sound Compensation/Reward System brings amicability and peace in the relationship of employer and employees. . The system brings out the best out of every employee in the organization. It aims at creating a healthy competition among them. And as such, encourages them to work hard and efficiently. 3. The system provides adequate opportunities to those who wish to perform better. The system provides growth and advancement opportunities to the deserving employees. 4. The system upholds the principle of equal wages. It provides transparency and parity too. 5. The perfect Compensation system provides platform for happy and satisfied workforce, this minimizes the labour turnover. The organization enjoys the stability. 6. The organization is able to retain the best talent by providing them adequate compensation thereby stopping them from switching over to another job. 7. The business organization can think of expansion and growth if it has the support of skillful, talented and happy workforce. 8. The sound Compensation system is hallmark of Organization’s success and prosperity. The success and stability of organization is measured with pay-package it provides to its employees. 9. Both employer and employees get benefited because of the sound Compensation System. 0. A sound Compensation System helps the organization keep pace with changing environment. It helps the organization to cope up with the wage levels in neighboring industries. 11. Sound Compensation System minimizes the complaints from the employees, provides them the congenial work environment to perform better and sets up for them the targets to be achieved. Definite targets help employees kn ow their role in the organization, which minimize wastage, and enhance overall efficiency. It also helps organization to reduce the cost of production and maximize profits The Compensation System Time RatePiece rate BonusProfit sharingIndirect Monetary Incentive Time Rate System: This system is divided into three categories. Time Rates Ordinary level High Wage LevelGraduated Time Rates Ordinary Level: It is calculated on time (daily, monthly, weekly etc. )The formula for calculation of salary is Rate per hour X Hours worked = Earnings (RPH X HW=E). High Wage Level: It is calculated on hourly basis put over time is not paid. The formula for calculation of salary is RPH X HW = E Graduate System: Payment: the basic is linked with dearness cost of living. The index of cost of living is varying and that is considered for calculating the remuneration. Formula: Basic Salary is Rs. 2,000/- and Cost of living Index (D. A) is 100% then, Rs 2000+100% of Rs 2000 as cost of living is added, thus total remuneration is Rs. 4000/-. It is after 6 months, cost of living index change 150%. Then basic salary + 150 % of basic salary si. e Rs 3,000/- will make it Rs, 5000. Piece Rate/ Payment Rate (Payment by Results) System of Piece Rate (Payment by Results) Straight Piece RatePiece ;amp; Time Combination Differential Piece Rate Taylor System Merrick System Gantt Task System Straight Piece Rate: Payment: Flat rate is applicable per unit, which is predetermined. The time spent is not considered. Formula: PPR X O = Earnings. Piece Rate and Time Rate Combinations: Payment: It is a dual rate system, designed to perfect inefficient workers. The worker is ensured to get the minimum payment. If the payment is calculated on the basis of piece rate guarantees and number of pieces fall below the minimum wages guaranteed, he is paid by time Rate. Differential Piece rate: Payment: In favour of piece rate system, minimum wages were assured. However, under this system, instead of combining time-rate and piece-rate, there are dual rates for different efficiency level. The purpose behind keeping high piece rate for higher efficiency is as the level of production increases, the cost per unit falls. Bonus: Bonus is given by the company to their employees as a reward. It is been fixed by the government i. e 8. 33%. Bonus encourages the employees to work hard. It is a motivating factor for the employees to improve their efficiency. Profit Sharing: Profit Sharing is the most motivating factor. When the company makes profit it gives some kind of share to their employees as an Annual increment. This helps to motive employees to work hard and get more increment. Indirect Monetary Incentive: Indirect Monetary Incentives like traveling allowance, HRA, Dearness allowance, medical facility etc. are very motivating for the employees. Elements or ingredients of a good wage plan: Before we discuss these two plans, it would be fruitful to know the ingredients of a good wage plan. These are:- 1. It should be easily understandable i. e all the employees should easily understand what they are to get for their work. They should be instructed in how the wage plan works. 2. It should be capable of easy computation i. e. it should be sufficiently simple to permit quick calculation. Mathematical tables may be supplied, by reference to which calculations can be quickly made. 3. It should be capable of effectively motivating the employees, i. e it should provide an incentive for work. If both the quality and quantity of work are to be stressed at the same time, a plan should be selected that will not unduly influence the worker to work too fast or to become careless about quality. . It should provide for remuneration to employees as soon as possible after the effort has been made. Daily or weekly payment of wage would be preferable to induce employees to work. 5. It should be relatively stable rather than frequently varying so that employees are assured of a stable amount of money. Reasons or factors affecting wage differentials: Wages differ in different employments or occupations, industries and loc alities, and also between persons in the same employment or grade. One therefore comes across such terms as occupational wage differentials. Wage differentials have been classified into three categories: First, the differentials that can be attributed to imperfections in the employment markets, such as the limited knowledge of workers in regard to alternative job opportunities available elsewhere, obstacles to geographical, occupational or inter-firm mobility of workers, or time lags in the adjustments of resource distribution and changes in the scope and structure of economic activities. Examples of such wage differentials are inter-industry; inter firm and geographical or inter-area wage differentials. Second, the wage differentials which originate in social values and prejudices and which are deeper and more persistent than economic factors. Wage differentials by sex, age, status or ethnic origin belong to this category. Third, occupational wage differentials, which would exist even if employment markets were perfect and social prejudices, were absent. Wage differential arises because of the following factors:- a. Difference in the efficiency of the labour, which may be due to inborn quality, education and conditions under which work may be done. . The existence of non-competing group due to difficulties in the way of the mobility of labour from low paid to high paid employments. c. Difference in the agreeableness or social esteem of employment. d. Differences in the nature of employment and occupations. Norms for Fixation of Wages in Industry: 1. While computing the minimum wages, the standard working class family should be considered as consisting of four consumption units and t he earnings of women, children and adolescents should be excluded. . The minimum food requirements should be determined on the grounds of a net intake of 2700 calories as laid down by Akroyd for a normal adult in India. 3. Clothing needs should be established on the basis of a per capita consumption of 16. 62 meters per year. 4. As regards housing, the minimum wages should be determined from the standpoint of the rent corresponding to the minimum area specified under the government Industrial Housing Scheme. 5. Miscellaneous expenditure on items such fuel, lighting etc. hould from 20 per cent of the total minimum wage. The resolution further prescribes that the authorities involved in the issue should justify any deviation from these norms. Retirement benefits related enactments in India: Employees’ Provident Fund Act The Act was passed with a view to making some provision for the future of the industrial worker after his retirement or for his dependents in case of his early death and inculcating the habit of saving among the workers. The object of the Act is to provide substantial security and timely monetary assistance to industrial employees and their families when they are in distress and or unable to meet family and social obligations and to protect them in old age, disablement, early death of the bread winner and in some other contingencies. The act provides for a scheme for the institution of Provident Fund for specified classes of employees. Accordingly, the Employees’ Provident Funds Scheme was framed under Section 5 of the Act, which came into force on 1st November, 1952. Main features of the Act The Act is applicable to factorize and other establishments engaged in specified industries classes of establishment, which have completed three years of their existence and employing 20 or more persons. The Act, however, does not apply to co-operative societies employing less than 50 persons and working without the aid of power. An establishment, which is not otherwise coverable under the Act, can be covered voluntarily with the mutual consent of the employer and the majority of the employees. Employees drawing a pay not exceeding Rs. 5000 per month (And now it is amended to Rs. 6500/- ecently) are eligible for membership of the fund. Every employee employed in or in connection with the fund from the date of joining the factory or establishment. The normal rate of contribution to the provident fund by the employees and the employers as prescribed in the Act is 10 percent of the pay of the employees. The term â€Å"wages† includes basic wage. Dearness allowance including cash value of food concession and retaining allowance, if any. Employees’ State Insurance Scheme The Employees’ State Insurance Scheme Act, 1948 is a pioneering measure in the field of social insurance in our country. This act came into force from 19th April, 1948. The Scheme under the Act aims at providing for certain cash benefits to employees in the case of sickness, maternity, employment injury and medical facilities in kind, and to make provisions for certain other matters in relations thereto. The term â€Å"employee† has wide connotation and would include within its scope functions of clerical, manual, technical and supervisory. Persons whose remuneration (excluding remuneration for overtime work) does not exceed Rs. 6500 a month are covered under the Act. The Act does not make any distinction between causal or temporary employees or between technical or non-technical employees. Employees employed directly by the principal employer and those employed by or through contractor. However, the definition of â€Å"employee† does not include any member of the Indian naval, military or air force. Compensation Structure and its components: One of the most vital factors the motivation, retention and the morale amongst the employees is the compensation system, policies and review philosophies of any organization. While the bargain able employees generally have their unions to negotiate or review terms with the Management-which are governed by the Long Term Settlements- the terms of the managerial employees are mostly seen to be at the mercy or the goodwill of the organization, reviews of which may or may not be regular or timely, or often do not seem to meet the expectations or logic of such employees. Management Compensation therefore, now plays a very significant part along with the working style and environment, empowerment etc. in the organization’s success strategy. While individual organizations may have differences in their methodologies based on factors best suited their perceived needs, some general directions are evident, and are discussed below. 1. Salary, Basic Salary or Consolidated Salary continues to remain as the major component of compensation, though Salary Scales are often discarded these days, or used only as guides. Individual Salary is generally decided initially using the Scale, but thereafter performance, contribution to targets or results generated determine the revisions periodically, which may vary widely from individual to individual. Salary broad handling is therefore, getting recognition and acceptance. 2. Grade wise flat Allowance is being considered generally, except where tax exemption benefits are still available, when they continue as separate components. Allowances may be linked to the Salary as a percentage or by slabs, but preference is for flat amounts, which do not increase automatically, and therefore increase could be discretionary, and therefore controllable. 3. Reimbursements of expenses incurred on Company work has become limited, and in line to conform to the tax laws. Being actual in most cases, they are not considered as a part of the compensation, unless it is provided towards personal benefits. 4. Annual payments: Bonus or Commission, and Leave travel are common features some tax reliefs apply for the latter. 5. Benefits generally comprise of mostly unfurnished company owned or leased accommodation, use of company or leased vehicles, medical coverage, retrial benefits covering Provident Fund, Pension or Superannuation and Gratuity, post-retrial medical assistance, easy loan schemes at low or zero interest rates for house building, cars or vehicles, furniture or utility items etc. enting employees owned housing, club entrance free reimbursement etc. Minor benefits could be provision of security, driver or gardening assistance, else of products or assets at a concessional rate, relocation and transfer expenses including admission etc. fees for children, credit card fees, phones etc. 6. Employee stock option schemes which has been popular in IT in dustry-,is not extensively used yet, not being tax advantageous to other industries, nor seen as being very attractive with lesser growth trends for their share values especially in the well-established older companies. 7. Most companies, as against earlier visible costs, use the â€Å"Total cost to the Company† concept as basis. Cost of the most benefits are averaged or computed on actual basis, and within the system of the overall cost, but with greater compliance to tax laws, this basket concept is on the wane. 8. Retiral benefits: Some in recognition of the past contribution of pensioners, and to partly offset the inflation post retirement practices periodic improvement in pensions, or a guaranteed grade minimum pension. 9. Performance Bonus that does not increase future liability is being given more as recognition of results generated. It requires transparent, balanced and fair systems and benchmarks, and also agrees targets by the managers in advance during planning and review discussions. 10. From the earlier grade oriented compensation system within reasonable boundaries, compensation often has to be somewhat tailor made for specialist or key contributors to retain them in the very volatile job market. 11. Compensation review periods have become annual generally and sometimes oftener, as compared to every three to five years earlier, in the fast changing market situation. Conclusion To summarize, the need to regularly carry out detailed compensation reviews both within and out of the organisation with full support and commitment from the top is essential. Openness and transparency are important to the managers in the very sensitive and personal issues of management i. e. remuneration, and therefore policies and practices should match. The remuneration and the system have to be fair and dynamic Dealing with human feelings still remains a competitively attractive feature.

Monday, October 14, 2019

Report on Modernising Social Services

Report on Modernising Social Services Introduction The â€Å"Modernising Social Services† report (Secretary of State for Health 1998) concerns New Labour’s policy for improving social services that emphasises the important role this plays in helping people deal with personal crisis and life-changing events. In this report, social services were criticised for not previously meeting public expectations in key areas including: Inconsistencies in provision across the country. Inefficiencies in effective use of financial budgets. A lack of public awareness of what services should be available by whom. Insufficient safeguards to protect vulnerable children. Failures in co-ordination where, for example, local authorities disagreed on which body should be responsible for care. Inflexibility as regards individual needs and circumstances. To rectify these deficiencies, the report recommended improvements in all the areas listed. For example, with the elderly, this was to involve awarding payments directly to those aged 65 and over, thus promoting greater personal control as well as reshaping services to initiate greater independence and reduce inactivity. A long-term care charter was also to be introduced to further individual needs with assessments to gauge customer satisfaction. Children’s services were to be improved by introducing robust new inspection regimes for care with a national register to prevent undesirable individuals from working and coming into contact with children. Similar safeguards were to be introduced for the mentally ill. To achieve the required standards, new qualifications and training of staff were to be introduced and legislation enacted to improve liaison between various relevant bodies such as health and social services. An annual government report was to be established monitoring s ervice delivery by both local authorities and social services with action taken where standards failed to meet requirements. To finance these changes, annual funding was to be raised by 3.1 per cent per annum over three years and a Social Services Modernisation Fund inaugurated where funds were to be focussed on key areas. The report hoped that these initiatives would lead to real improvements in services covering all the sectors specified leading to a restoration of the public’s confidence but concluded that this modernisation would be a long term process of which the report represented just one step towards attaining significant improvements during the early part of the 21st century (section 8.1 and 8.2). Previous policy towards social care Although the health service had been comparatively successful in improving health up until the beginning of the 1980’s, it became a victim of its own success as those cured of present illnesses became ill at an older, more vulnerable, age (Glasby, 2007 p. 33) leading to greater pressure on social services in general. To offset the spiralling costs, the Thatcher government, which came to power in 1979, thus moved away from care provided by government bodies to a system based more on self reliance predicated on the notion that the demands of welfare was affecting the UK economy (Alcock 1996). This led to various market-based reforms in response two reports (Griffiths 1983, 1988) where integrated management structures were recommended at all levels of both the NHS and social services where the emphasis was to be on efficiency. In addition, the amount of funding available for the NHS reduced and ways were implemented to improve efficiency and service provision that culminated in a government White Paper (Dept. of Health 1989a) that saw the introduction of the internal market and the purchaser/provider divide. Similarly, in social care, social service departments were to both plan and organize community care with local authorities acting as purchases of the different care facilities available a scheme that has been criticised for transferring the increasing government budget onto local authorities despite the apparent aim of the Caring for People reforms (Dept. of Health 1989b) that sort to empower individuals by providing greater choice. The extent of the government’s limited response to these and other recommendations can be gauged by Griffiths (1992) the author of the two Griffiths’ reports criticism of the lack of positive action. The government’s policy was also criticised because, with a shift of responsibility to families, voluntary organizations and individuals themselves, a means was provided whereby privatisation could be pro moted and free care reduced (Baggot 2004, p.276). The result of these policies was that by 1989 the share of private and voluntary organizations had expanded to cover half the long term provision for care of the elderly. Moreover, those reforms introduces as a result of the Griffiths Report led to defensive management and reduced morale among professionals working in social care during the 1990’s (Baggot 2004 p. 279). Policy under New Labour With the election of New Labour in 1997 a â€Å"third way† was offered as a means of bridging the divide between right-wing reliance on market forces and the more socially driven attitudes of the left. This culminated in the 1998 report on social care that came out of the Labour parties wish for â€Å"joined up government† that endeavoured to link the various agencies together, especially services to do with health and social welfare – two departments that had previously operated as relatively separate entities (Glasby 2007, p. 7). Thus, interagency working became one of the main areas of concern after 1998. The reality, however, seems to indicate that there were important changes as well as continuities with previous policies (ibid p. 36). Thus, there was an undertaking to stay within previous spending limits but the internal market was abolished. Later, however, spending limits were broken with large increases in expenditure and the internal market was replaced with a similarly functioning primary care commissioning system. In this respect, the government expressed the wish to build only on that which had previously proved effective (Dept. of Health 1997). One policy that continued accordingly involved the closing of large institutions that helped to deinstitutionalise the attitudes of inmates and staff (Baggot 2004). The policy of community care was hence strengthened whereby individuals from groups such as the mentally ill, the elderly, those with learning difficulties, etc., were given more say in decisions about care and the various options for living in the community or at home. Glasby (ibid), however, has criticised the concept of community care because, although facilities became more human in scale and community oriented, they still tended to be institutional in outlook with the previous ethos in relation to providers and users continuing to prevail well into the 21st century. In addition, up to 2001, there were still obvious disp arities in delivery of policies across local authorities. Despite this negativity, government publications such as â€Å"Valuing People† (Dept. of Health 2001) had, at least, shifted emphasis by highlighting the main issues. The trend whereby the independent sector took charge of residential and nursing homes continued, however, to the extent that nearly all commercial and voluntary organizations now came under independent control a trend also reflected in home care where independent involvement had increased to about fifty per cent by 2002 (Baggot 2004, p.282). The tendency towards more central government control in monitoring social care and the integration of services also continued but there were strong criticisms as regards the regulation of care homes (Fahey et al 2003). A series of regulatory acts during from 2000 onwards, however, attempted to remedy this situation (Baggot 2004, p. 292) and a performance framework was introduced with a â€Å"Best Value† system to gauge efficiency that was later censured for emphasising cost over quality. Conclusion Although there have been many recommendations for change to social services since the 1980’s, the application of these to the real world has been piecemeal and often influenced by political expediency. The move towards independent provision during the Conservative period, although well intentioned, led to a cutback in funding with problems concerning standards and monitoring with the move towards care in the community leading to difficulties of integration of services across providers and communication between professional groups. With the arrival of New Labour, the policy of care in the community continued with attempts at greater integration, improvement of standards, and increased monitoring leading to different levels of success. Regional variations in provision continued and the rhetoric was not always met with real change that may be a consequence of the fact that long-standing attitudes continued to influence actual policy. Moreover, the move towards care in the communi ty has still not been matched by corresponding high quality services or adequate liaison between professional groups and providers to the extent that the aims of the â€Å"Modernising Social Services† report still remain to be achieved. Ultimately, it seems a paradox continues to exist between an approach where people are regarded as citizens having equal rights to service that is opposed to the alternative whereby individuals are viewed as customers with the right to choose a â€Å"product†. Continuing tensions relating to this dichotomy may be the source of ongoing shortfalls in provision that have led to ongoing problems with regard to local health and social service integration. Nevertheless, as the report on â€Å"Modernising Social Services† has emphasised, improvements to the system were expected to be a gradual stepwise process which seems to be confirmed by the various measured enhancements in services to date. Bibliography Alcock, P. Social Policy: Themes and issues. Basingstoke: Macmillan. Baggot, R. 2004. Health and Health Care in Britain. Palgrave: Houndmills. Dept. of Health. 1989a Working for patients. HMSO: London. Dept. of Health. 1989b Caring for people. HMSO: London. Dept. of Health. 1997. The new NHS: Modern, dependable. The Stationary Office: London. Dept. of Health. 2001. Valuing People: A new strategy for learning disability for the 21st century. The Stationary Office: London. Fahey, T., Montgomery, A., Barnes, J. and Protheroe, J. 2003. Quality of Care for Elderly Residents. in Nursing Homes and Elderly People Living at Home: Controlled Observational Study. British Medical Journal. 326. pp. 580-583, Glasby, J. 2007. Understanding Health and Social Care. The Policy Press: Bristol. Griffiths R. 1983. NHS management inquiry (The Griffiths Report). DHSS: London. Griffiths, R. 1988. Community care: Agenda for action (The Griffiths Report). HMSO: London. Griffiths, R. 1993 Seven years of progress – general management in the NHS. Health Economics. 1 (1): pp. 67-70. Secretary of State. 1998 Modernising Social Services – Promoting independence. Improving protection. Raising standards. The Stationary Office: London.