Thursday, October 31, 2019
The Impact of the Automobile on Society Research Paper
The Impact of the Automobile on Society - Research Paper Example From the discussion it is clear that in 1895, during a newspaper interview, Thomas Edison, an American inventor, stood at the edge of time and gazed into the horizon. They saw a future of unbounded potential in which the horseless carriage would reign. They added that it would only a question of time before their prophecy happened. At the time, many would have dismissed Edison as an idle dreamer. Carriages driven by horses were the main means of transportation then. As one would suspect, these were pricey and a preserve of the rich. Today, over a century after Thomas Edison pronounced their prophecy, the automobile is the dominant means of movement. This paper examines the impact of the automobile on society at a global scale. By the term "automobile" is meant widest scope to include public transit and heavy commercial vehicles.This paper declares thatà the modern car was born in 1886 when Karl Benz, a German inventor, built the Benz Patent-Motorwagen. However, the car had to wait until the early 1900s to become widespread. Ford Motor Companyââ¬â¢s Model T was one of the earliest cars to be produced en masse for the public. In the United States, cars rapidly replaced carriages and carts drawn by animals. Soon afterward, there were about ten thousand cars on American roads. It had taken much longer before cars were embraced in Europe and elsewhere in the world. The commencement of production of cars on a large scale by Henry Ford in 1914 ushered in an era of ever-increasing affordability for the automobile.
Tuesday, October 29, 2019
Primus Sales Force Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words
Primus Sales Force - Case Study Example If the researcher gets the questions wrong, chances are that the respondents will get it wrong too and this means that the credibility of the findings will be compromised (Babbie, 2001). In order to eradicate this problem, it is imperative that the questions are asked with utmost clarity and efficiency. The following is an analysis of the quality of the survey questions administered to the sales representatives and managers of Primus Financial Company. It will analyze the issues that pertain to phrasing, the extent to which the questions measure the impact on the attitudes and behaviors and the extent to which they are actionable. Phrasing of the survey questions is as important as the content of the question. The phrasing should enhance the respondentââ¬â¢s understanding (Crossman, 2014). Therefore, the question should be phrased in the simplest and clearest way possible. To that end, these questions did not err a bit. The questions are very simple, clear and objective. For example, question number 2, which asks whether the intranet portal provides useful information in helping the employee do their job. It is simple and straightforward. All the seven questions that were employed asked for one piece of information, using simple wording and avoiding technical jargon. But despite being simple, these questions are vague. For example, question 1 and 2 which ask whether the monthly sales magazines and the intranet portal provide ââ¬Ëusefulââ¬â¢ information to the employees which aids in the performance of their jobs. The term ââ¬Ëusefulââ¬â¢ is vague. Coupled by the fact that the scale method is us ed to rate the answers, it becomes subjective as what level is useful to one employee may not be useful to another. Also, the amount the sales representative may find useful may not be the same for a sales manager. There is therefore an element of vagueness and ambiguity which if not addressed will compromise the validity
Sunday, October 27, 2019
Peter Careys American Dreams Analysis
Peter Careys American Dreams Analysis Option 2 Short Stories Through a close critical reading of Peter Careys story American Dreams on pp. 147-62 in the Anthology, A World of Difference, consider how the storys focus on themes of cultural dependency has particular consequences for a sense of place. The overall aim of this essay is to explore some of the literary devices that Peter Carey has used in American Dreams to convey the themes of cultural dependency, and the costs it might have on ones cultural identity. It will also attempt to show what the consequences were, for the townspeople, when their quest for living the American dream became a sort of reality. The essay will first look at the authors choice of title, and its meaning in relation to cultural dependency, it will then go on to the use of narrative technique, structure, as well as how the author has used art and reality. It will also consider other literary elements used to write this short story. The title of a book has one primary objective and that is to create that much of an interest and incentive to convince the potential reader to read further. So, what could be the purpose for Carey to choose this particular title? Peter Careys title American Dreams, conveys a sense of the books subject matter. It signposts the direction towards the expression most of us have heard; The American dream, of which The Oxford Dictionary for example defining it as: The ideal that every US citizen should have an equal opportunity to achieve success and prosperity â⬠¦ (Oxford Dictionaries I English, 2007). However, this short story by Carey is showing another side of the American dream, exploring the dangers and costs of cultural dependency might have on a small community. The consequences of cultural dependency can arise when a society is strongly influenced and idealised by another, and subsequently trying to adopt its culture, values and lifestyle, not on purpose maybe, but in their qu est to live a prosperous life. Like in this story for example, the American dream, that has been glorified and sentimentalised as a utopian goal, and as a consequence, the townspeople lost somehow their cultural identity and sense of place. The peoples illusion of the American dream is running like a red thread throughout the story. They all watch American films and dream of wealth, and big smooth cars. Meanwhile, the peoples negative view of their home town and their unsatisfying lives grow bigger. The town in itself, is so insignificant, that it is not worth mentioning the name. The father of the narrator says; nothing more than a stopping place. Somewhere on the way to somewhere else. (p. 151). American Dreams (Prescott, 2008, pp. 147-62) is narrated from the perspective of a man recalling events when growing up in his childhood town, thus told in the past tense. The boys voice is the story, and seems to be giving a truthful account of his opinion and inner thoughts which makes the reader feel included and therefore becomes a shared experience. The narrator also seems to recognise the thoughts and feelings of the townspeople, and especially his father; My father, â⬠¦, still believes that Gleason meant to do us well, that he loved the town more than anyone of us. My father says we have treated the town badly in our minds. (p.151). However, the narrator fails when it comes to understand Mr. Gleason, and why he built the wall on Bald Hill, as written in the opening paragraph of the story; No one can, to this day, remember what we did to offend him. (p.151). For that reason, the narrator is not able to give the reader a full understanding of what is going on in Mr Gleasons mind, which is typical for a non-omniscient first-person narrator.à Although the narrator mostly presents the story from a first-person point of view, in relation to his own experiences, he is also using the collective voice of the townspeople and himself in; we all, all eight hundred of us â⬠¦ For years we watched the films at Roxy and dreamed, if not of America, â⬠¦ (p.151), which gives the reader the impression that they are all in unison, because their dreams, hopes and frustrations are the same, or similar at least. Careys writing style is characterised by the use of simple structured sentences and colloquial language. He is making use of the narrators childhood memories of events from the past to move the story forward in time, beginning with; when I was a small boy I often stole applesâ⬠¦ (p.151), â⬠¦ between my twelfth and seventeenth birthdays â⬠¦ (p. 155). Carey is also making use of imagery to show the reader how slow the time passes in the tiny remote town, describing frequently how the townspeople pedalling and pushing their bicycles up and down the lanes. They were as much a burden, as a means of transport. the narrator says. (p. 152) and another attempt to describe the slow progress of the building of the wall is, when the narrator says; I watched it for two years, while I was waiting for customers who rarely cameâ⬠¦ the agonizing progress of Mr Gleasons wall. (p.153). To highlight it even more, how uninteresting and dull the town is, the author is making use of simile in; It was as painful as a clock. (p. 153).à It is not until the leading up to the climax, that the impression of time seems to move faster in the story, as the pace finally increases with the narrator saying; And then, during my seventeenth birthday, Mr Gleason died. (p.156). Mr Gleason, the main character, is the outsider of the town and is described as; so quiet and grey, that we ignored him. (p.151). Everything was normal in the town until Mr Gleason retired and all went wrong. (p.153). It was the day when he began to build the ten-foot high wall on Bald Hill. Nor the people or the reader knows what is behind the wall, until the day, when Mr Gleason dies, and the wall comes down. With this unusual concept of a wall being built and later demolished, and both, for no known reason, Carey has made use of magic realism to create a sense of immediate curiosity for the readers. As soon as the wall comes down, the pace and the mood changes in the story. The pace increases, and the mood of the townspeople changes too. When they realised Mr Gleason had built an exact replica of their home town, as well as of themselves, there was first a sudden sense of pride and joy between them all. Admiring the reflection of themselves, running their lives in the little miniature town. The narrator himself was laughing, when he found himself posing as an American against the petrol pump, and then, the look of his fathers face marked with grease and hope. (p. 158). Is it possible Mr Gleason was having fun of the people, seeing them as superficial and trying to wake them up? Because later, when the people started to look deeper into each others houses, they went in for a surprise and their mood changes to fear, as they realised they had underestimated Mr Gleason. If he knew all their little secrets, he must have known what they used to think about him as well. Nothing but a fool. (p.151). It is not mentioned where this provincial quiet town is set. It is not relevant for the story itself. Nevertheless, the reader gets the feeling for the sense of place Carey is trying to show. A non-significant place, where the townspeople would rather not be, if they had the choice. However, there are some clues in the story that indicates it is set in rural Australia. First, the story is written in British English, second, the narrator speaks of; the minister for tourism (p.159) which is an Australian title created in 1959, (which also gives a hint about the time frame). As well, is the specific mentioning of the American dollars (p. 159), suggesting that the towns currency is also dollars.à Another considerable fact is that Peter Carey himself, was born in Bacchus Marsh, Victoria, and that Parwan Railway Station (p. 156), is an actual station located in Bacchus Marsh. Bald Hill (p.153), is interestingly and according to Wikipedia: The most well-known and popular lookouts in Aust ralia, and in New York One of the highest points on Long Island. (En.m.wikipedia.org, 2017). This can be seen as the authors creative way of using figurative language as well as magic realism, as it offers a sense of hidden meaning, as both places do exist alongside the fictional Bald Hill, and all three having the same purpose of being lookouts, using telescopes to spy on the towns people. In the story, the narrator describes Bald Hill such as; On Bald Hill are half a dozen telescopes through which the Americans can spy on the town and reassure themselves that it is the same down there as it is on Bald Hill. (p.161). This example of situational irony links it also back to the beginning of the story, when the narrator is describing the townspeople at the Roxy, watching American films; for years we have watched films and dreamed ofâ⬠¦Americaâ⬠¦ (p.151), showing that the situation now has changed; now it is the townspeople that are being watched and observed by the Americans. This essay has focused on themes of cultural dependency and the consequences it might have on a culture. We have been looking at Peter Careys short story American Dreams as an example, which suggests that, although, the town was remote and isolated, the townspeople still became influenced by the concept of living the American dream, and as a result of trying to conform to the American ways, they lost their identity. As the story goes on, when the town finally gain prosperity, it is ironically thanks to the Americans tourists. However, the townspeople are still not content, as unconsciously they are still not free of the American dream, unknowingly of the fact it is just a dream. (words 1648) Bibliography En.m.wikipedia.org. (2017). Bald Hill. [online] Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bald_Hillà à à [Accessed 30 Mar. 2017]. Prescott, L. (2008). A world of difference. New York: Palgrave Macmillan
Friday, October 25, 2019
The Peoples Republic of Bangladesh Essay -- india, myanmar, colonial
Introduction The Peopleââ¬â¢s Republic of Bangladesh, commonly known as Bangladesh, is a Southern Asian country located in between India and Myanmar. A parliamentary republic that elects its parliament, known as the Jatiyo Sangshad, Bangladesh has a population of over 160 million, enough to make it the eighth most populated nation in the world. Due to the fact it is relatively small, at just under 57,000 square miles, the country is also effectively one of the most densely populated nations, which has played a central role in the modern economic and industrial development of the country. Bangladesh is located in what is known as the Ganges Delta, one of the most fertile regions in the entire world, which is evident through the numerous early civilizations existing within the area. The three major rivers located within the nation are the Ganges, the Brahmaputra, and the Mengha, and heavily contribute to the fertility of the region, but also leaves it heavily prone to flooding during heavy rain seasons, and severe drought during dry spells. Itââ¬â¢s location, both near the equator and the sea, makes it vulnerable to the effects of a tropical climate, including monsoons and typhoons. Being a low-lying country, Bangladesh has only a few peaks and highlands spread throughout various reaches of the landscape. Overall, the country is known for being highly vulnerable to various weather-related calamities, stemming from the tropical monsoon climate and being such a low location related to sea level. Being a unitary state, Bangladesh thus consolidates all of its government power within the central government. The parliament is elected every five years, which sits in a single, unicameral chamber. The President, technically the head... .../25/14 from http://www.dhakatribune.com/long-form/2013/dec/26/history-bangladesh-ancient-maps World Economic Forum (2014). ââ¬Å"The Global Competitiveness Report: Bangladesh.â⬠World Economic Forum. Retrieved 3/25/14 from http://reports.weforum.org/the-global-competitiveness-report-2013-2014/ UNDP (2014). ââ¬Å"About UNDP in Bangladesh.â⬠United Nations Development Programme. Retrieved 3/24/14 from http://www.us.undp.org/content/bangladesh/en/home/operations/about_undp/ UNFPA (2007). ââ¬Å"UNFPA in Bangladesh: Reproductive Health and Rights is Fundamental for Sound Economic Development and Poverty Alleviation. United Nations Population Fund. Retrieved 3/21/14 from http://www.unfpa-bangladesh.org/pdf/success_05.pdf USAID (2014.) ââ¬Å"Bangladesh: Energy.â⬠U.S. Agency for International Development.â⬠Retrieved 3/24/14 from http://www.usaid.gov/bangladesh/energy
Thursday, October 24, 2019
Quality Management within Toyota Motor Company Essay
Abstract This paper explores multiple published articles discussing Toyota Motor Companyââ¬â¢s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. A review of Toyotaââ¬â¢s decisions to hide important information prior to recalls leads us to a discussion of where Toyota can go from here. The paper includes recommendations for Toyota Motor Company in order to move forward after their 2010 recalls. In addition, organizational changes will assist Toyota Motor Company in overcoming their recall problems. Quality Management within Toyota Motor Company After a number of discouraging recalls at Toyota Motor Company in 2010, a number of quality management techniques were implemented. Toyota Motor Companyââ¬â¢s SWOT Analysis played into the newly implemented quality management techniques. Toyotaââ¬â¢s strengths allowed them to fight back quickly against these recalls that could have ultimately led to Toyotaââ¬â¢s fall from one of the top motor companyââ¬â¢s. Toyota Motor Companyââ¬â¢s strengths include dominant position in the marketplace, strong brand recognition, strong focus on research and development, and broad production and distribution network. In addition to Toyotaââ¬â¢s strengths, their weaknesses were reviewed in order to find opportunities to capitalize upon. The recalls were obviously a large weakness at Toyota. Opportunities were reviewed which included the growth of the global automotive industry. Last, Toyotaââ¬â¢s threats were reviewed. Here it was found that powerful competition is a worry for To yota Motor Company. After the review of Toyota Motor Companyââ¬â¢s SWOT Analysis, the issue of the recalls was assessed. Analysis shows the issue within Toyota Motor Company did not appear overnight. However, secretive management styles let the company astray. A diagram was created by functional area to summarize how Toyota has responded to these recall problems. The functional areas reviewed include management, production design and safety, quality, and manufacturing. Last, the analysis of Toyota Motor Companyââ¬â¢s recall and quality management issues are discussed from a point of solving the problem. Recommendations are discussed that will help Toyota Motor Company to turn their weaknesses into strengths. Method Discussion SWOT Analysis Internal Factors Strengths Weaknesses Product â⬠¢ Dominant position in the marketplace â⬠¢ Strong brand recognition â⬠¢ Strong focus on Research & Development â⬠¢ Broad production and distribution network â⬠¢ Product recalls have the ability to negatively affect brand image â⬠¢ Declining sales in crucial geographic areas External Factors Opportunities Threats Competition â⬠¢ Growth of the global automotive industry â⬠¢ Potential benefit from partnering with BMW â⬠¢The outlook for the new global car market is strong â⬠¢ Powerful competition â⬠¢ Appreciation of the Japanese Yen â⬠¢ Environmental regulations â⬠¢Natural disasters Strengths. Toyota has a number of internal product strengths as noted in the SWOT Analysis table above. Toyotaââ¬â¢s market share in 2011 was 16.5 percent,à its highest market share in 4 years. This strong market share allowed Toyota to hold a competitive advantage against their competition. In addition to holding a dominant position in the marketplace, Toyota possesses strong brand recognition through a number of brands. These brands include Toyota, Lexus, Prius, Corolla, Yaris, Camry, Sequoia, 4Runner, Scion tC, Highlander, Land Cruiser, and a number of other brand names. These brands are some of the most desired premium brands in the world according to the Company Profile report for Toyota Motor Company documented by MarketLine. Another strength of Toyota is their strong attention to research and development. According to the Company Profile report, Toyotaââ¬â¢s focus on research and development is pointed towards the creation of new and improved products. Research and development operations are conducted at 14 facilities located around the world. This strength has allowed Toyota to increase the technology included in existing products. One of these products, a Pre-collision System (PCS) helps drivers avoid collisions. Overall, the strong focus on research and development has been a big strength for Toyota. Last, Toyotaââ¬â¢s production and distribution network has been a big strength for the company. Toyota produces automobiles, related parts, and other components through more than 50 manufacturing companies throughout 27 countries and regions, not including Japan. As mentioned on the Toyota Motor Company website, major locations include Japan, the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, France, Turkey, Thailand, China, Taiwan, India, Indonesia, South Africa, Australia, Argentina, and Brazil. As reported by Toyota Motor Company, during fiscal year 2013 the company had consolidated vehicle sales totals of 8.871 million units (TCM, 2013). As reported by Toyota Motor Company, this was an increase of 1.519 million units compared to the previous fiscal year. In addition to the widespread production of Toyota products, the company has a large distribution network. Toyotaââ¬â¢s distribution network is one of the largest in Japan encompassing four sales channels (Toyota, Toyopet, Corolla, and Netz). In 2012 the distribution network of these channels was comprised of 283 dealers. In addition to this network, Toyota operates over 170 Lexus sales channels in Japan. As reported by Toyota Motor Company, in fiscal year 2013 these networks accounted for the following vehicle sales: Japan sales totaled 2.279 million units In North America vehicle sales totaled 2.469 million units In Europe vehicle sales totaled 799,085 units Asia came in at total vehicle sales of 1.684 million units Central and South America, Oceania and Africa came in at 1.640 million units As you can see, Toyotaââ¬â¢s distribution network is widespread allowing for diversification and a wide reach of clientele, ultimately boosting revenues and sales. Weaknesses. A large focus of the case study focuses on the weakness of Toyotaââ¬â¢s product recalls. As many are aware, Toyota has encountered a number of recalls in the recent past. It is a concern that these recalls could negatively affect Toyotaââ¬â¢s brand imagine ultimately leading to decreased sales for the company. When searching for Toyota recalls it was easy to find a few recent recalls. The most recent is a recall of 700,000 Toyota Prius models which were recalled over electronic issues in the United States (csmonitor.com, 2014). Another very recent recall includes certain versions of the Lexus RX crossover. In this case, more than 261,000 vehicles are being recalled due to a brake issue (csmonitor.com, 2014). In addition to the many recalls, Toyota has been involved in a number of lawsuits. In December 2012, Toyota settled a suit by paying $17.4 million to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to settle claims related to the June 2012 recall of potential accelerator pedal entrapment issues. This bad press will ultimately result in a negative effect on consumerââ¬â¢s confidence in Toyotaââ¬â¢s brand. In addition, the settlement of suits ultimately decreases Toyotaââ¬â¢s profits. As a result of this bad press Toyota saw a decline in 2012 sales in important geographic areas. Declining sales in fiscal year 2012 were seen across North America, Asia, and Europe. Opportunities. As reported by the article, Global automotive industry to experience modest growth in 2012, a number of opportunities exist in the global automotive industry (2012). The Japanese auto industry responded from natural disasters which had caused reduced inventories and production. It is forecasted that the industry will continue to grow increasing Toyota revenues. In June of 2012, BMW and Toyota signed a long-term partnership. The two companies are partnering on the developments that will help to increase market share and sales. This relationship is expected to increase technology between the two companies asà well as result in new product development. In addition to these opportunities, the new car market is experiencing moderate growth which will assist in increased sales and profits. Threats. Intense competition in the worldwide car market has become very competitive. This competition will likely increase in the upcoming years as competitors add more technology and increase developments. In addition to the intense competition, the appreciating Japanese Yen has become a big concern for Toyota. Last, environment regulations have the potential to increase production costs. Emissions regulations that are updated periodically could cause issues in new car production. Evolvement of Quality Management Issues At first glance, it seems that Toyotaââ¬â¢s gas pedal issue appeared overnight. However, upon further research, evidence was found to prove the opposite. As reported in the article Secretive Culture Let Toyota Astray, evidence that Toyota cars could suddenly speed up had been piling up for years (2010). At the time of the recalls, Toyota had known about this gas pedal problem for more than a year. The problem was stated to be Toyotaââ¬â¢s secretive corporate culture in Japan which ultimately conflicted with United States requirements that auto makers disclose safety threats. New initiatives brought to the table by Toyota have attempted to correct the previous secretive culture of Toyota. Total quality management initiatives have been put in place to assist in better customer service and safety and repair issues. According to Jacobs and Chase, total quality management can be defined as managing the entire organization so that it excels on all dimensions of products and services that are important to the customer (Chase and Jacobs, 2014, p. 296). The table following this discussion addresses the steps Toyota has taken in response to its recent quality recall problems. Functional Area Quality Management Steps Management â⬠¢ Managing Director names to oversee any safety-related issues â⬠¢ Top down management approach Product Design & Safety â⬠¢ Troubleshooting teams known as Swift Market Analysis Response Teams work toà find any safety issues that need to be reported Quality â⬠¢ TAQIC ââ¬â Toyota Advanced Quality Information Center staffed by a group of employees who compile repair reports from dealerships worldwide â⬠¢ 1000 engineers hired to spot-check quality Manufacturing â⬠¢ No drastic changes to assembly lines Results/Discussion Problem Solution As discussed in the diagram above, there were many opportunities for Toyota after their encounter with the recall situation. Akio Toyoda, the head of the company, acted quickly by implementing a top down management approach instead of the more popular Japanese ââ¬Å"bottom upâ⬠approach that slows down the decision making. In addition, Akio cut board of directors by fifty percent and cut out management layers. Akio also began meeting with his top five advisers on a weekly basis. In these meetings decisions were made quickly. Akio pushed his team to make ââ¬Å"always better cars.â⬠This change in the way the organization is managed helped Toyota to stay on top even through the recalls. Recommendations Many recommendations have been made to assist Toyota Motor Company in improving the recall situation they encountered in 2011. Some recommendations Toyota should follow include as recommended by the North American Quality Advisory Panel include the following: Give North American operations more independence in making recall decisions Strengthen quality control processes Extend development time of new products to include more safety tests Create a role of Chief Safety Technology Officer Create and launch a Safety Research Center focused on protecting the most important clientele (children, teens, and seniors) These ideas follow the concept of total quality management which focuses on two fundamental goals: Careful design of the product (in the case of Toyota Motor Company, the vehicle) Ensure that Toyota Motor Company systems can produce this designà in a consistent manner Quality at the source seems to be a great way for Toyota Motor Company to proceed. Quality at the source means that the person who is doing the work is taking the responsibility for making sure the work meets specifications. As previously discussed, safety control will be a huge initiative for Toyota Motor Company going forward. If implemented, these recommendations can do a lot to help Toyota Motor Company increase their organizational effectiveness. As previously discussed, many organizational steps were taken by Akio Toyoda after these recalls. It seems that Toyota could greatly benefit from organizational learning. As stated by Operations and Supply Chain Management, ââ¬Å"it has been argued that organizational learning is critical to sustaining a competitive advantageâ⬠(Chase and Jacobs, 2014, p. 138). Organizational realignment was important to Toyota Motor Company after the 2010 and 2011 recalls. According to a Toyota news release in December of 2008 organizational changes include the establishment of the below: A Government and Public Affairs Group which was focused on quick response to inquiries from around the world while also unifying public affairs functions. An Accounting Group aimed at strengthening the business management and financial management system of Toyota Motor Company. A Europe and Africa Operations Group intended to assist with business planning in African and Central Asia. The group was also established to conduct business promotion events in both Europe and Africa. A Production Engineering Group aimed at increasing the strength of the quality control system for semiconductors for hybrid vehicles. The recommendations made are important to Toyotaââ¬â¢s future. Reorganization and creation of new groups within the organization will help Toyota to overcome these recalls. References Ingram, A. (2014, Feb 12). Toyota recall: 1.9 million Prius vehicles recalled to fix software glitch. Retrieved from http://www.csmonitor.com/Business/In-Gear/2014/0212/Toyota-recall-1.9-million-Prius-vehicles-recalled-to-fix-software-glitch Jacobs, F. R., & Chase, R. (2014). Operations and supply chain management. (14 ed.). New York, NY:
Wednesday, October 23, 2019
Education for Secondary Students With Mental Retardation Essay
Education is important for any young person. All secondary school students are looking forward to their futures and independence. This is the goal that mentally challenged students also look forward to. It is the challenge of the school system to give each young person the best possible chance at achieving the goal of independence or at the very least performing daily functions to the best of his or her ability. In order for a school or teacher to accomplish this, the teacher must determine the studentââ¬â¢s level of academic and adaptive skills then find ways to help him successfully transition into an area of employment that matches his skills. Education for Secondary Students with Mental Retardation Teachers who work with students with disabilities face greater challenges in preparing their students for the world outside of school. Many mentally retarded students, however can be very functional and hold jobs, if they are properly prepared for the world and helped to find their strengths. One of the first things the special education teacher needs to know is that each disability is different and each disabled student has individual needs. Once the teacher has established that each student needs to be treated differently, then a plan can be developed for the studentââ¬â¢s future. The first step in helping a student reach his full potential is to determine the skills he already has, such as his academic and adaptive skills. By using these skills, the teacher can help the student make a successful transition from the academic world into the adult world of employment. A final step in successfully educating special needs students involves matching the studentââ¬â¢s strongest skills with potential employment opportunities and training the student for the job he would be most likely to succeed in. When a teacher gets a special needs student in her class, her first challenge is to find out what his natural skills are. The first set of skills that need to be evaluated are the studentââ¬â¢s academic skills. Academic skills consist what is usually considered school knowledge or what the student learned in school. Academic skills include skills such as critical thinking, reading, writing and mathematical skills (Young, 2007). They are often considered the skills that can be taught. A teacher who wants to see a student succeed needs to determine how well developed the studentââ¬â¢s academic skills are developed and what areas of strength the student has in the area of academics. Although it is important for a teacher to provide a well rounded education to students, it is equally important to focus on the studentââ¬â¢s specific areas of strength. Once the teacher has determined where the studentââ¬â¢s strengths lie, a specific curriculum can be designed for that student. A curriculum is a specific course of study either for an entire class or, with special education, a specific student. It provides a sort of blue print for the educational goals (Browder, 2001). A good reason for developing a curriculum for students with disabilities is to help ensure positive out comes from the information being taught (Browder, 2001). This essentially means that by designing a curriculum specifically for an individual student, it will help that student maximize his academic strengths. Adaptive skills are equally important to helping determine the best way to help students reach their full potential. Adaptive skills can be defined as ââ¬Å"how well a person can deal with the tasks of everyday life. These tasks include the ability to speak and understand; home-living skills; use of community resources; leisure, self-care, and social skills; self-direction. â⬠(Free Health, 2007). Adaptive skills are the kind of skills that allow the student to adapt the information he knows into actions that can help them in daily living. These skills are vitally important in combination with the academic skills in order for a person to effectively adapt to the world and be independent. It is very important for teachers of mentally disabled students to help them develop their adaptive skills to increase the studentââ¬â¢s independence. Part of this includes helping the student gain access to community services that can assist in various areas in the community (such as rent assistance, adaptive equipment, or financial assistance). This is another area in which individual attention is needed in order to insure that each student reaches his maximum potential. A teacher needs to assess the social and daily survival skills that the student possess and then help the student develop the areas of strength. In order to develop the skills, the student must practice the skills repeatedly and build on them. The students, like people without disabilities desire to develop socially acceptable behavior and in order to develop this, they must try to maintain it (Wacker, 1984). Once the level of skills and the studentââ¬â¢s ability to adapt have been determined, the teacher needs to find the best way to prepare the student for life outside of the school setting. Most mentally challenged people will require some outside assistance in order to be successful. Many students leaving high school go to group homes or spend time in adult day care (Thompson, 1987). In order to successfully transition a mentally disabled young person from the very structured school setting to the adult world, it will take the involvement of more than just the teacher. Family members and community assistance needs to be involved, when looking into helping a mentally challenged young person adapt to life outside of high school. For at least the last year of the studentââ¬â¢s school career, the teacher, parents, and the community social service workers involved should meet to discover the most likely success plan for the student. The young person should be included in the process of planning, in order to make the plan more likely to succeed. The plan needs to be within the abilities and skills of the student, and include the studentââ¬â¢s interest. The majority of the people classified as mentally retarded are considered to be high functioning enough to live alone and be employed if they are provided with some community assistance. If the student has successfully developed his strongest skills, then he is likely to become fairly well adjusted to functioning in the community. The teacher by the time of graduation needs to have taught the student such basic skills as money management, meal preparation, grooming and safety. In addition to the basic skills, the student needs to have developed some job skills, in order to obtain and maintain employment. The job skills are where the studentââ¬â¢s individual areas of strength become important, as those strengths often correlate with the studentââ¬â¢s interests. If the teacher and family members effectively helped the student develop the skills, the student is more likely to make a successful transition into the adult world. Those who choose to live on their own instead of with parents or family, often move into group home settings at least initially. Group homes are homes in which several mentally retarded people live together either with some full time supervision or occasional monitoring to provide assistance. Living in one of these homes can often help with the transition from school to independence. Employment opportunities for the mentally challenged vary widely based upon their skills and abilities. Many restaurants and grocery stores employ mentally challenged individuals for stocking shelves or greeting customers. In some cases they help in group environments specifically designed to employ mentally retarded people. Most of these places are set up to provide added support and structure for the disabled people. ââ¬Å"Currently, only one-third of all disabled Americans with disabilities work, although the remaining two-thirds who are not working would like to have a job, but may or may not be looking for oneâ⬠(Brodsky, 1990). Those who would like to have jobs, but are not actively seeking them may not have been properly prepared by their school systems, their communities or their families. These people need to be informed on the opportunities available to them and provided with assistance on finding suitable employment for their skill level and abilities. Most businesses now claim they are equal opportunity employers, which means that anyone can apply for positions in the company. Some jobs do have basic requirements either for specific position knowledge or for safety purposes, but the company can not turn down a qualified applicant simply because they have a diagnosis of mental retardation. This law has helped many disabled people have opportunities they might not have had available to them a number of years ago. In addition to this many businesses are providing special accommodations for wheelchairs and hearing impaired employees to make jobs more accessible. Everyone has some talent and skills that other people do not possess and everyone despite his or her disabilities has the right to reach his or her maximum potential. It is the job of society to see that every child is raised to reach that potential. No child should be left behind or written off as incapable of accomplishing anything. No one knows what a person is capable of until someone has helped the person achieve success. Everyone even the most intelligent people need some assistance to achieve his maximum potential. The new laws that have been passed in recent years have helped to ensure that the school systems provide the necessary assistance to help disabled children reach their maximum potential rather than just passing them on and counting them for the sake of the school census, until they reach the age of eighteen.Many schools today are legally obligated to provide a satisfactory education to every student. Resources: Beker, Jerome. (1988) Transitioning Exceptional Children and Youth Into the Community. Hawthorn Press/New York. Booth, Tony. (1983). Policies Towards the Integration of Mentally Handicapped Children in Education Oxford Review of Education. Vol. 9, No. 3, 1983. Brodsky, Melvin. (1990) Employment Programs for Disabled Youth: An International View. Monthly Labor Review, Vol. 113, 1990 Browder, Diane. (2001) Curriculum and Assessment for Students with Moderate And Severe Disabilities. Guilford Press/New York. Cambridge, Paul. (2005) Person Centered Planning and Care Management With People With Learning Disabilities. Jessica Kingsly Publishers/ London Connis, Richard T. (1981). Training the Mentally Handicapped for Employment: A Comprehensive Manual. Kluwer Academic Pub Free Health Encyclopedia. (2007). Advameg. Retrieved October 3, 2008 from: Mental Retardation ââ¬â Definition, Description, Causes, Symptoms, Diagnosis, Treatment, Prognosis, Prevention Presidentââ¬â¢s Committee on Mental Retardation- The Presidentââ¬â¢s Committee on Employment of the Handicapped (1969). Rao, H. P. (1994). Employment opportunities for mentally handicapped individuals in rural area : a proposed model. Journal of the Indian Academy of Applied Psychology. 1994 Jul; 20(2): 131-7 Thompson, Angela. (1987). Mentally Handicapped School Leavers: Where do they Go? Child care: Health and Development. Wacker, David. (1984). Training Moderately and Severely Mentally Handicapped Children to Use Adaptive Social Skills. School Psychology Review, v13 n3 p324-30 Sum 1984 Young, John W. (2007). Validity of the Measure of Academic Proficiency and Progress. Educational Testing Service.
Tuesday, October 22, 2019
Blair Witch Project An Analytical Essay Essays - Fakelore
Blair Witch Project An Analytical Essay Essays - Fakelore Blair Witch Project An Analytical Essay Blair Witch Project An Analytical Essay Anita Maiezza Power of film David Grey December 5, 2000 The Blair Witch Project is a mock documentary on three film students: Heather, Mike and Shaun, who go out and shoot their own documentary on the Blair Witch. This Blair Witch apparently haunts a forest in Burkittsville Maryland and these students are going to find out firsthand if this rumor is true. Unfortunately this rumor turns out to be fact and all three characters are eventually hunted and killed by the Blair witch. The scene which I have chosen to analyze is a short ten second scene near the very end of the movie. In this scene we see a close up of Mike, from a diagonal angle. Mike is rocking back and forth and then yawns. This scene is key point were the viewer realizes that there is no hope for MIke and Heather. The woods are just too vast for these inexperienced students. In this scene, Mike is wearing his backpack that is bigger than him indicating the the burden he has to carry. Besides the burden it can also represent all the pressure he is under at this particular point. The backpack, being larger than he is can be a metaphor for how small and insignificant he is in comparison to the colossal trees around him. The fact that the straps are so big and that they wrap around Mike can show how he is completely engulfed by this pressure, just like he is surrounded by the trees. The backpack and trees completely overpower Mike, causing him to feel helpless and miniscule, like a child. The second image chosen is Mike rocking back and forth, followed by the yawn. In most scenarios children rock themselves when they are nervous. This clearly hints that Mike, an average sound technician is no longer himself but rather someone else who is overtaken by the immensity of the forest. The yawn gives Mike the innocent look that only a child possesses so the viewer is led to think that Mike is a mere child in comparison to the forest. A closer look at Mike exposes his beard, contradicting the childlike innocence, so the element of confusion is a predominant one. (seeing as how Mike and Heather are lost and confused.) The rocking can also depict an autistic person. In this case it is evident that Mike has lost his mind and rocking back and forth will bring him serenity. The trees not only surround Mike in every direction but in this scene they are shot diagonally. This is definitely not natural, normal and not something that a completely sane person would see. Evidently Mike is not sane anymore. His world has been turned upside down. The trees add a sense of confusion and disorientation that Mike, as well as the audience feels. By looking at the trees in the background the viewer has a chance to look into Mikes mind and see the current situation through his eyes. Mike has no sense of judgment left and cannot correctly perceive what is going on around him. From the moment all three characters enter the woods, they are small compared to the immensity of the trees and inexperienced, just like children. They have no power over what is going on and what is going to happen. They, like children do not know where they are going and lose themselves very quickly as the story proceeds. At the end of the movie Mike and Heather go on a very confusing and insane search for their partner Shaun. At the very end Mike and Heather are murdered by the Blair Witch. This witch made Mike face the wall while Heather was being murdered, just like the children . Bibliography blair witch project
Monday, October 21, 2019
3 Scams to Avoid When Job Hunting
3 Scams to Avoid When Job Hunting Job hunting can be hard enough, and sometimes it feels as though the world must simply be against you. In the following three cases, at least, you would be right. These notable scams target job hunters at their most vulnerable. Learn them and remember them, so as not to be suckered in by predators taking advantage of your desperation to get hired. Scamà #1: Application FeesBeing out of work can be humiliating enough; donââ¬â¢t fall victim to a scam this outlandish. This is illegal in most states, and could even be considered a form of discrimination. If a company, even an employment agency or placement service, asks for this, youââ¬â¢ll know immediately that it cannot be trusted. Stick to reputable channels.Scam #2: Identity ThievesAs if itââ¬â¢s not enough to have to be on the lookout for people trying to take your money, you should probably also watch out for anyone trying to get any personal information they could use for identity theft purposes. No job will ask you for your social security number, for example, until the hiring process has already begun. Do not disclose this information any sooner.Scamà #3: The Recruiter is Overly EnthusiasticMeeting an enthusiastic recruiter can feel like gift from the heavens. Still, itââ¬â¢s best to be wary. It could very well be too good to be true. Avoid giving out any personal information here too, and ask as many questions up front as you can. That way youââ¬â¢ll never think youââ¬â¢re going in for a fancy ââ¬Å"marketingâ⬠job to stand around giving out smoothie samples in the mall.
Sunday, October 20, 2019
Four tips for effective tweeting - Emphasis
Four tips for effective tweeting Four tips for effective tweeting If you were nervous about using Twitter in a professional capacity already, the past months headlines about 10,000 tweeters having potentially libelled Conservative peer Lord McAlpine probably wont have helped your confidence. But tweeting doesnt have to be the minefield its often presented as. Just remember to treat it with the same respect that you would any public communication and you cant go far wrong, writes Cathy Relf. Here are four tips that youd naturally apply to face-to-face or written communication. Apply the same rules to your tweets and youll soon find youre opening up a whole new channel of sector-specific news, networking and chat. 1. Strike a balance One of the trickier aspects of tweeting in connection with work is that you need to balance being professional with being personable. If everything you tweet is dry, factual and work-related, few people are likely to want to follow you. On the other hand, if you only ever tweet about football and nights out, youre likely to alienate colleagues and clients with whom you have only profession in common. The answer is moderation. Of course its fine to tweet about both work and football just make sure theres a balance. Twitter is an informal space and your followers are hoping to see a little personality, otherwise theyd simply look you up on your company website. They just dont want to know what you had for breakfast. Dont monitor your follower numbers too closely, though, or read too much into losing a few now and then. If your follower count is on a general upward trend, thats good. But dont check it more than once a week. It will fluctuate daily and hourly, partly because some people use programs that follow and unfollow accounts on their behalf. Incidentally, we wouldnt recommend you do this, any more than youd employ someone to make and dispose of your face-to-face acquaintances. 2. Dont be a bore Remember, just like a conversation in the office or the pub, its not meant to be a monologue. If people mention you or respond to your tweets, reply to them. If the only thing that responds to your tweets is tumbleweed, resist the urge to just repeat the same tweets again, and instead ask yourself why. Perhaps you tweeted at a time when people tend not to be looking at Twitter. (There are apps that can help you with this.) Commuting hours and lunchbreaks are often good times to get conversations going. Or perhaps your tweets arent reaching many people simply because you dont have many followers in which case, try following other people and responding to their tweets. Theyre likely to do the same in return. Or perhaps youre tweeting things that dont invite a response. Try asking a question to get things going. In fact, one of the best things about Twitter is that it puts a whole community of communicators at your fingertips, many of whom are willing to share their opinions. Its a great opportunity for brainstorming and feedback. For example, when I was planning this article, I thought it might be helpful to start by asking people what kind of behaviour they disliked on Twitter. The answers came flooding in (occasionally a little swearily, be warned), and Ive used Storify to collate them. 3. Keep it wise and legal Remember that unless youve set your account to protected (where only your followers can see your tweets), everything you write is visible to everyone, whether theyre a member of Twitter or not. So its not the place to complain about your boss, your colleagues, your clients or anyone else. Be as careful with the truth on Twitter as you would when publishing material in any other place. Libel is the publication of matter that is false and defamatory. That includes tweets and RTs, even if you delete them later and even if your account is set to protected. Earlier this month, lawyers for Lord McAlpine identified more than 10,000 potentially libellous tweets incorrectly linking him with child sex abuse. The fact that the tweets were triggered by a misleading Newsnight report hasnt prevented Lord McAlpine taking action against some of the tweeters. Nor has the fact that in some cases they made only mysterious observations, rather than direct allegations. Theres a simple way to stay out of this kind of trouble: never tweet or retweet anything that youre not one hundred per cent sure is true, especially if it has the potential to damage the reputation of a person or a company. 4. Learn the lingo Youre probably as keen on LOLs and ROFLs as we are (ie not very), so were not going to discuss those here. However, there are a few Twitter-specific abbreviations that you need to know, if you dont already. DM direct message. These can only be seen by the person youre sending them to. Everything else is visible to everyone. You can only DM someone if they already follow you, and they can only reply if you follow them. RT retweet. There are two ways to RT. Either you can click the retweet symbol to replicate the original message exactly, or you can do a manual retweet by copying and pasting the text, preceded by RT @username. This allows you to add your own comment at the start of the tweet. MT modified tweet. Sometimes when you do a manual RT youll run out of space and have to cut a little of the original. In this case, write MT @username instead. HT hat tip. When you want to tweet about something that you found out about via another user, but you dont want to use their own words, its polite to mention them with an HT (or a via). #hashtags. These are meant to make searching for subjects easier. So, for example, if youre tweeting something about Brighton, you might hashtag the word #Brighton. However, people often use them to add witticisms to the end of their tweets. #becausetheythinkitsclever (Incidentally, you cant use punctuation in a hashtag. Yes, that its pained me.) FF follow Fridays. On Fridays, some users share their favourite tweeters to encourage others to follow them. Its a compliment, so its polite to thank them. But retweeting it to show off your popularity is a no-no. In the December issue of the Write Away e-bulletin, we show you five ways that tools and apps can make your tweeting more effective.
Saturday, October 19, 2019
U.S. Army Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words
U.S. Army - Essay Example Following Black (2004, 206) it was World War I that set the pattern for the most important future operations of the United States Army. The Superior Board consequently advocated retaining the four-regiment division and urged that it be reinforced with a large assortment of heavy supporting units in artillery and the division train. The relative immobility of the big square division, the board reasoned, accorded with certain intractable facts of modern war: that the division always attacks frontally, that it attacks in a severely constricted zone of action, and that accordingly it has little occasion for maneuver. The Superior Board insisted that with the First World War setting the pattern for the army's major future combats, the essential principle shaping the army ought to be power, not mobility. The Congresses and chief executives in the 1920s and 1930s prevented the design of the National Defense Act from attaining fruition. The statute authorized a regular army of 280,000 officers and men. Congressional appropriations failed to maintain any such level. The actual strength of the army was by 1922, 147,335; by 1932, 134,024. By 1939 there had been a gradual increase to 188,565. As a result of fiscal trimming, regular army formations became largely skeletonized after all (Black 234). Yet the few formations that were kept at an approximation of full strength and readiness remained those most likely to be involved in small wars reminiscent of the old Indian campaigns--particularly the troops along the Mexican border. MacArthur's thinking not only limited the size of tanks, but also did much to kill one of the army's few promising ventures toward preparing for a possible return from small-scale colonial wars to European war. (Sweeney 145). The choice of the small wars army, akin to the American army of the Indian-fighting past, as the basis upon which to build the post-1919 force was a choice for mobility rather than power as the central principle of the army (Sweeney 148). Late in the First World War, however, there had emerged a new potential for combining mobility and power, for designing military formations that would emphasize neither principle to the debilitation of the other, but would harmonize both (Sweeney 148). The weakness of the Army and military strategy was lack of training and 'old fashioned design' of the army. The most vigorous army chief of staff in the years following World War General Douglas MacArthur, reinforced this emphasis on a mobile army preparing for small colonial and border wars. When he began his tour as chief of staff in 1930, MacArthur found that despite the absence of prospects for another war of mass armies, his planners were busily at work on mobilization schedules for the mustering in of citizen-soldiers to wage a hypothetical grand-scale war (Sweeney 151). He turned the mobilization planners instead to designing an Immediate Readiness Force, to be drawn from the regular army for dispatch to colonial or Western Hemisphere trouble zones (Sweeney154). The concept of a light, fast-moving army tailored to wage war not against European mass armies but against elusive, highly mobile opponents emerged also, with a particularly conspicuous effect upon the subsequent comba t capacities of the army in World War II, in the restriction of the weight of American tanks to 15
Friday, October 18, 2019
Resaerch Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words
Resaerch - Research Paper Example The 20 factors include instructions to the worker, training, integration with the business; control of assistants, continuing relationship, the set of hours a worker is required to work and the requirement of full time. The performance of the work on the employerââ¬â¢s premises, sequence or order of work, the requirement of reports, mode of payment including expenses, provision of tools and equipment, the level of investment and realization of profits and losses are also included in the 20 factor test. Additionally, the ability to work for more than one entity, the provision of services to the general public as well as the right to discharge and terminate the relationship also assist in the distinction (Steingold 68). A lawyer, for example, does not have to comply with instructions from the employer about where to work and how the work is to be done. The training of a lawyer is not conducted by the employer, but undertaken as a personal initiative. The services of a lawyer are not integrated into the employers business and these services are not necessarily rendered by the lawyer and can be delegated to another individual. The employment, supervision and remuneration of assistants employed by the lawyers are not controlled by the employer but by the lawyer. There is no continuing relationship between a lawyer and the employer and neither are there set working hours nor the requirement to work full time. The location of work is also the choice of the lawyer so is the order of the work to be done. The lawyer is not required to provide reports to the employer and payment is not done periodically, but rather on the terms of the contract. A lawyer can also work for more than one individual and can pro vide his or her services to the general public. A lawyer cannot be dismissed on other issues except nonperformance and where the lawyer decides to terminate the relationship at any time before the performance he is likely to incur a liability. According
Game changer Movie Review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words
Game changer - Movie Review Example The call for the need for diverting to renewable energy has been advocated for decades. But it seems as human nature goes, it is the principle of carpe diem or what matters at this moment that counts without consideration for the future. In this scheme of things, it is always the common people along with the viability of nature that is compromised. The video upholds the reality of the conflict between the need to protect the environment along with the health of the people in exchange for the more ephemeral and the voracity for money. The calculations of Terry Engelder in his conservative calculation of finding out the 50 trillion cubic feet of natural gas in the Marcellus Shale and Conrad ââ¬ËDanââ¬â¢ Volzââ¬â¢s calculation of river strontium and barium pollution makes this its central concern. What Engelder was able to stumble upon is at the outset an answer to what seems nothing less than a prayer to an ailing economy. The need for energy, and the country needs lots of it, is easily solved by the natural gas that will be exhumed from the Marcellus Shale. While what Volz was able to calculate posed a threat on the environment and how this affects the health of people, something inversely proportional to the positive effects of Engelderââ¬â¢s discovery.
Epoch of Richelieu - Monarchial Intrigues Essay
Epoch of Richelieu - Monarchial Intrigues - Essay Example Louis XIV, undoubtedly, made a great contribution in strengthening the central authority of French monarchy. However, it was made a cakewalk for him in the light of what his predecessors, especially Richelieu had already accomplished. Still, he deserves to be complimented for his ability in reading quickly the invisible price tag attached to those who could challenge the absolutism that he envisaged and also for the shrewd, though unethical, strategies that he invented to pacify the aristocracy and to eliminate the remnants of feudal power if any. By the use of pensions and privileges as decoys, he created circumstances in which loyalty became an obligation. To weaken the members of the noble elite further, he addicted them to luxury and indulgence at the Palace of Versailles. That also drastically reduced the time they would spend in their own estates. It was ââ¬ËSankin-kotaiââ¬â¢ in disguise. It is just that the system of alternate attendance was formalized as ââ¬ËSankin-k otaiââ¬â¢ by the Tokugawa Shoguns whereby the feudal lords were required to spend at least half of their time in Edo, the capital of the Shogun empire (Beasly 272). Louis XIV is often praised in history for ââ¬Ërecognizing talentââ¬â¢ because, during his reign, several high positions were filled with commoners. Though their credentials do not have to be doubted, it needs to be observed that he had a distinct advantage in having them there: they were easy to get rid of. A clear parallel between him and the Shogunate becomes apparent here if we recall how Ieyasu allowed outsiders to assume the position of vassals. Just as Louis XIV exercised control over the nobles by making them have to remain under his scrutiny, Ieyasuââ¬â¢s successors Hidetada and Iemitsu vigorously pursued the land reallocation strategy by which they could impose order on Japanââ¬â¢s feudal lords (Beasly 130). The system was justified on the basis that it would ensure ââ¬Ëgood governanceââ¬â¢ while the actual rationale was the exercise of control.
Thursday, October 17, 2019
Treaty of lisbon and its implications Dissertation
Treaty of lisbon and its implications - Dissertation Example The 2004 and 2007 treaties led to a great deal of debates where many experts contended that they were created to form a joint European superpower, however, exponents of the treaties argued that they were aimed at merely creating a better scope for a larger EU in the 21stà century.2 The Lisbon Treaty is considered as one the most significant moves towards achieving European integration in the past five to six decades, after the Treaty of Paris created the European Coal and Steel Community or ECSC (1951). Some of the other landmark moves towards achieving European integration includes joining of Ireland, UK and Denmark as member states of the European Council (1973), formation of the Single Market (1985), removal of internal borders as per the Maastricht Treaty (1992), monetary union and the establishment of euro (1999-2002) and further enlargement of European Council in 2004-2007 (more new member-states). The Lisbon Treaty is considered to be at a similar rank as the aforementioned landmarks in the history of EU, and is likely to be the last important modification as regards changes within the constitution of the EU for the next few decades.3 The 2004 Constitutional Treaty, which was ineffective, was criticised on the ground it was presumably a constitution, which was complex and unreadable and despite the changes in the Lisbon Treaty, some critics contend that it also constitutional in nature and even more difficult to read and understand than the Constitutional Treaty.4 A look at the Treaty of Lisbon shows that it is indeed a lengthy piece of document where the official published version comprising of Protocols and Declarations amount to 271 pages. The treaty claims to bring about many modifications to the EU, like improving it to make the Union more effective, conferring it with legal legitimacy and democracy, and making it more transparent and accountable. In this context, the paper will analyse the main reforms as brought in by the Lisbon treaty in order to comprehend its implications on the EU and the member states. The Lisbon treaty A look at the history of EU shows that it laden with sporadic incidents revealing a serious lack of unity between the members, diplomatic problems, persistent issue of missing deadlines and fixed targets.5 The critics have especially remarked on these negative aspects and EUââ¬â¢s failure to yield power within the arena of global or regional politics, and owing to this, the body is often referred to as a ââ¬Ësoft power.ââ¬â¢6 Even in the context of security issues, EU as a body is often perceived as being unstable, indecisive and in general highly ineffective.7 While a war between the EU member-states is unlikely, the organisationââ¬â¢s responses during war-like situations or civil crises in the neighbouring states, as regards ââ¬Ëcrisis management,ââ¬â¢ has been largely unsuccessful, owing to which the EU is still viewed as a weak body, in the context of unity and integration between its member-states.8 The representatives from the 27 EU member
President Obama and Agenda for Possible Second Term Essay
President Obama and Agenda for Possible Second Term - Essay Example Over the years, through the development of broadcast technology, candidates are given an opportunity by the media to sell their policies through a public debate. This platform helps them to improve on their campaigns, and it assists the voters to evaluate also the candidates. The communication advisor is necessary during the campaign period because he advises the candidate and party on what strategies to use to ensure victory in the elections. As a communication advisor in the Barrack Obama campaign team in the current elections, I would suggest prioritization of some issues during the final weeks of the campaign. This essay will highlight the current trending issues in the countryââ¬â¢s politics, and advice on some arguments and the positions that the team should emphasize on. During the final campaign weeks, some issues should not be emphasized on as shall be pointed out in the essay; moreover, the last weeks of campaigning are prominent in gathering the votes of the undecided v oters, and developing trust from the voters on the direction, which the country should take. Political structures are social structures in the society; therefore, the campaign teams need to consider the social dynamics in the society for their success. The key factor is that campaigns involve communication of messages to the public with an objective of getting their support during the elections. Therefore, it is necessary to design the message to appeal to the voters (White, 2010). In addition, the social judgment theory applies to every person because people hear a message then they compare it with another, and they make a judgment on where to place it in the different mental categories. Further, people develop some mental yardsticks (Latitudes) of acceptance, rejection and non-commitment to a message. Therefore, in the case of Obamaââ¬â¢s campaign, one needs to know what and how to communicate messages to the public in order to persuade them towards the desired direction or vot ing. In Obamaââ¬â¢s campaign, the use of persuasive social skills to influence voters is easier than in Romneyââ¬â¢s team because Obama has excellent, persuasive skills through his speech. Persuasion and influence of people is necessary in all the social theories, and is essential to getting people to accept the partyââ¬â¢s political ideologies and policies. In the current political campaign, the candidates are contesting in their campaigns on several issues. Some of them include foreign policies, energy, education, healthcare and the economy. In this presidential campaign, I would suggest that the issues to do with foreign policy and energy should not be focused on by the Obama Campaign team during the last weeks towards elections. This is because the policies and suggestions on these issues are not different to the ones used in the previous four years of the Obama Administration. Therefore, based on the consistency theory, people do not expect them to change so the campai gn should focus on other, different issues (Clarke, 2008). In the economic, education and healthcare issues, there are many differences in policies between the candidates and hence, the campaign should emphasize on them in order to develop proper social judgment from the voters.
Wednesday, October 16, 2019
Treaty of lisbon and its implications Dissertation
Treaty of lisbon and its implications - Dissertation Example The 2004 and 2007 treaties led to a great deal of debates where many experts contended that they were created to form a joint European superpower, however, exponents of the treaties argued that they were aimed at merely creating a better scope for a larger EU in the 21stà century.2 The Lisbon Treaty is considered as one the most significant moves towards achieving European integration in the past five to six decades, after the Treaty of Paris created the European Coal and Steel Community or ECSC (1951). Some of the other landmark moves towards achieving European integration includes joining of Ireland, UK and Denmark as member states of the European Council (1973), formation of the Single Market (1985), removal of internal borders as per the Maastricht Treaty (1992), monetary union and the establishment of euro (1999-2002) and further enlargement of European Council in 2004-2007 (more new member-states). The Lisbon Treaty is considered to be at a similar rank as the aforementioned landmarks in the history of EU, and is likely to be the last important modification as regards changes within the constitution of the EU for the next few decades.3 The 2004 Constitutional Treaty, which was ineffective, was criticised on the ground it was presumably a constitution, which was complex and unreadable and despite the changes in the Lisbon Treaty, some critics contend that it also constitutional in nature and even more difficult to read and understand than the Constitutional Treaty.4 A look at the Treaty of Lisbon shows that it is indeed a lengthy piece of document where the official published version comprising of Protocols and Declarations amount to 271 pages. The treaty claims to bring about many modifications to the EU, like improving it to make the Union more effective, conferring it with legal legitimacy and democracy, and making it more transparent and accountable. In this context, the paper will analyse the main reforms as brought in by the Lisbon treaty in order to comprehend its implications on the EU and the member states. The Lisbon treaty A look at the history of EU shows that it laden with sporadic incidents revealing a serious lack of unity between the members, diplomatic problems, persistent issue of missing deadlines and fixed targets.5 The critics have especially remarked on these negative aspects and EUââ¬â¢s failure to yield power within the arena of global or regional politics, and owing to this, the body is often referred to as a ââ¬Ësoft power.ââ¬â¢6 Even in the context of security issues, EU as a body is often perceived as being unstable, indecisive and in general highly ineffective.7 While a war between the EU member-states is unlikely, the organisationââ¬â¢s responses during war-like situations or civil crises in the neighbouring states, as regards ââ¬Ëcrisis management,ââ¬â¢ has been largely unsuccessful, owing to which the EU is still viewed as a weak body, in the context of unity and integration between its member-states.8 The representatives from the 27 EU member
Tuesday, October 15, 2019
Bathsheba and Fanny Essay Example for Free
Bathsheba and Fanny Essay She later married him after he had ordered the killing of her husband. We can relate this story back to the character of Bathsheba Everdene by saying that she was willing to marry someone who she did not love, but for security, like what happened to her with Boldwood and Troy. Not surprisingly though, being so independent she does not rate marriage very highly, I should not mind being a bride at a wedding if I could be without having a husband. This shows us that she is not very keen on the love and marriage scene. Her surname Everdene can also be linked into how she saw herself a fair product of nature and as the meaning of her surname suggests just this, by its meaning: Timeless qualities of nature. This may also have relevant as to where she felt most comfortable, where she did not have to act or have to impress anyone. I think her surname shares a link to the real Bathsheba, the hardworking, independent, country girl, this is why she was so successful in the managing of her uncles farm. It gave her a chance to unwind and clear her mind from all the turmoil that surrounded her constantly. Hardy is not the only person who tells us about Bathsheba. Other characters also make statements about her, she is so good looking and an excellent scholar, we are told this by her aunt, she says this to try and stop Gabriel from proposing marriage to Bathsheba early in the book. Troy also tells us about Bathsheba as well, I said you were beautiful and Ill say so still, by so you are. Troy says this to flatter her and to seduce her; unfortunately Bathsheba is weak in this sense and is easily flattered, so she falls for Troy. Although, in saying this, by the end of the novel she reveals an inner strength which is demonstrated by her being able to endure troy and Fanny being buried together and by her keeping Fannys lock of hair as a momenta of the poor girl. It is this inner strength which illuminates her need and love for Gabriel, who has remained true and loyal to her throughout her progress. On the other end of the social scale we are told of Fanny Robin, she is a direct contrast to Bathsheba: she is blonde and fragile while Bathsheba is dark and lively. She is portrayed as a shadowy figure adding mystery to the plot. We first meet Fanny in chapter seven, in Weatherbury churchyard where she will finally be buried. We are told that When abreast of a trunk, which appeared to be the oldest of the old, he became aware that a figure was standing behind it. This quote shows us that Fanny was a shy girl and that she did not want to be noticed by anyone if she could help it. Hardy evokes sympathy for Fanny when she and Gabriel meet for the first time, as Gabriel notices that she is rather weak and vulnerable. I am rather poor and I dont want people to know anything about me, Then she was silent and shivered. Fanny clearly wants to go unnoticed and she appears to be cold and undernourished which would lead us to believe that she was probably unemployed and very poor. Gabriel feeling sorry for Fanny offers her a shilling Yes, I will take it. Fanny accepts the shilling like a child would a sweet. Like Bathsheba, Fanny can also act unconventionally, for example when she runs off to marry Troy although she is depicted as a vulnerable girl in a hostile landscape. This is effective in that it draws the readers sympathy for Fanny because of her weak stature and the harsh surroundings that she had to cope with each day. Ironically though her letter rejoicing in her forthcoming marriage is somewhat naive and premature. Through this Hardy again evokes sympathy and pity for Fanny when she muddles the churches and faces Troys fury, but this is what Troy needed; a chance to abandon Fanny and marry his rich and beautiful mistress, but unknown to Troy, Fanny is pregnant and destitute. Fanny is a victim of circumstance, a shadowy presence who reveals Troys fickleness when he flirts with Bathsheba. Fanny would now be frowned upon due to the fact that she was pregnant and was giving birth to an illegitimate child, although this was not her fault she would still have faced prejudice. This, also draws sympathy from the readers for Fanny because it is a problem that faces women in even our modern world today. So, Fanny conceals her pregnancy and supports herself as a seamstress until she goes to Casterbridge workhouse to have her baby. I personally feel sympathy for Fanny in this situation because she could have gone to Troy and demanded that he take care of her and the unborn baby, but she didnt, and in doing so showed that she had respected Troys decision to marry Bathsheba. She realised how her social status and upbringing would have affected Troy, and in doing so she left him alone. I think this shows great courage and unselfish behaviour from a woman who had so little, but yet payed the ultimate price. Hardy evokes sympathy by describing in harrowing detail her last journey, especially with the picture of her little arms resting on a large dog. Her death caused by giving birth to an illegitimate child. Fannys fear that she will never see Troy again Perhaps I shall be in my grave is prophetically ironic. Ironically she has more power in death than in life. Her beauty in the coffin reduces Troy to abject shame and reawakens his true love, as he regards Fanny now as his very wife Fanny is then put in a coffin and Gabriel leaves her coffin to rest at Bathshebas house, which is near to where she will be buried. On the coffin though it said Fanny Robin and Child. Gabriel took his handkerchief and carefully rubbed out the two latter words, leaving one inscription Fanny Robin only. Gabriel did this to protect Bathsheba from getting hurt and to maybe protect Troy from the embarrassment, as he was the father of an illegitimate child. Her character is simply drawn from her naive honesty and her forlorn faith in her lover. In many ways, Fanny represents the plight of the Victorian working- class female who strays outside the narrow confines of society rules. In the end Hardy left Fanny on a very sombre and sad note The persistent torrent from the gurgoyles jaws directed all of its vengeance into the grave. The rich tawny mould was stirred into motion, and boiled like chocolate. This is where Hardy has evoked the most sympathy for Fanny, and I am sure other readers of the book would agree with me. Hardy presents these two characters very differently. He portrays Bathsheba as a self- assured, independent, confident woman who was deserted by her husband because he had realised his mistake, leave her to pick up the pieces of what I think was a shattered life and one that was in turmoil, dismay and sadness. This is how Hardy has tried to draw sympathy for Bathsheba, by describing how Troy mistreated her and used her for her wealth; this is the only place in the book that you really feel sympathy for Bathsheba. With the character of Fanny Hardy was able to draw a lot more sympathy from the readers due to the reality of her character and that did happen in those days. Fanny was the total contrast to Bathsheba she was the shy and dark and lonely figure who was never paid any attention to; she was poor and weak. She was never, I think, truly happy with who she was and how people, especially Troy treated her and Troy only realised how special she was until it was too late. The most striking scene in the book was definitely when the gurgoyle was dripping water all over Fannys grave and ruining it. This is when we as readers, we sit back and are made to think of the things in our life that we take for granted each day, just expecting them to always be there, and one day they wont and then we will truly realise how much we had loved them, as Troy found out when Fanny died. Hardy has presented these characters in the most appropriate and effective way in order to draw sympathy from them. I do think now, that this book is not just to be read but it has been written to make you think about the things that you cherish most in life, and dont make the mistake of not appreciating them.
Monday, October 14, 2019
Communication Between People In Health And Social Care
Communication Between People In Health And Social Care You are attending your local G.P surgery for examinations as you have been unwell lately. The receptionist asks you loudly the reason for attending; other patients can hear you being asked. You explain to reception staff that you are slightly deaf. She asked you to use the computer screen in the waiting area to indicate that you have arrived. You explain to her that your English is limited and that you have no previous experience in using computers. You felt that the receptionist did not listen to you and that she was not sensitive to your concerns. Explore communication between people in health and social care by: Applying relevant theories of communication to health and social care contexts. Review the application of a range of communication techniques for different purposes used in health and social care work. Discuss the ways in which communication influences how individuals feel about themselves. Describe ways of dealing with inappropriate interpersonal communication between individuals. Analyze the use of techniques and strategies for supporting communication between people with specific communication needs. Evaluate workplace strategies, policies and procedures for good practice in communication. People communicate to have good abundance and it is a method to pass one information to another individual. Communication between people in health and social care plays a big role in caring the service provider or the patient. To employ compatible basis of communication to health and social care in the said scenario, we must first look into the individuals that are involved in the scenario. The patient, is slightly deaf, knowledge deficit in using IT machines in the hospital such as computer, and inarticulate in speaking English. On the other hand, the receptionist is arrogant, assuming, domineering, presumptuous and disrespectful. We have four theories of communication and they are all into a cycle. First is Humanistic theory tells us about individualism. Every individual has its own unique personalities and attributes. In a health care setting, as a healthcare provider, we take our patients or service provider as an individual and we should respect them. The patient and the receptionist are the main individuals in the scenario. They have their own personality that is unique to the other one. Behaviorist theory informs us attitudes are achieved by way of conditioning through interaction with other individ uals. In other words, when an individual interacts with another individual, one personality or behavior is presented or acquainted to another personality. The scene when the receptionist interacted with the patient portrays how behaviorist theory works in the communication. Cognitive theory is established on the ideas or principles of another individual and learns from them, thus the human thought processes understanding ones personality. The humanistic theory explain to us that an individuals personality is different to another personality of another individual and behaviorist theory is about interaction of individuals, the cognitive theory on the other hand, it expound us how individual start not only to interact but understand and accept another personality of an individual. The receptionist just ignored the patient when the she explained her side in the scenario. Ignoring another individual such as the patient in the scenario is also included in cognitive theory, though the rece ptionist did understand the side of the patient, the receptionist decided to ignore the patients side. Cognitive theory does not only understand ones side of individual, but its also about accepting ones personality or behavior to your thought. In short, the act of accepting and understanding ones personality of an individual in an interaction is cognitive theory. Lastly is the psychoanalytical theory. It explains us the role of unconscious mind. A personality that an individual portrays in an interaction is not what you thought the real personality of that individual. Sometimes, we judge them on what we see or hear on the outer appearance. We can only see its appearance and process it to our thoughts in an interaction, but we do not know its real personality inside of it. In the scenario, the receptionist judged the patients personality when she asked the patient loudly the reason for attending and when she instructed the patient to use the computer screen to indicate that she arri ved already. Communication has ranges of techniques to communicate in health and social care work. In the scenario there are scenes that explain us how techniques of communication are used. When the receptionist asked the patient loudly, the technique of communication used in this scene is verbal communication which is asking question and non-verbal which is the pitch, speed, accent, and tone of the receptionist while asking the patient. Another scene is when the patient explains that she would like to discuss the reasons to the doctor and that you she is slightly deaf. The technique used here is verbal communication which is reflecting back to the question. The receptionist then told the patient to use the computer screen to indicate there that she arrived already, its verbal technique which is giving instructions. Lastly is when the patient felt that the receptionist did not listen to her, its body language technique that is portrayed by the receptionist. Initiating communication to another individual is a stage where two individuals try to open a bridge of relationship. In addition, you dont just open bridges to them but you are trying to influence them too. There are two communication influences; interpersonal communication is unmediated communication that opens mutual influence to each other. Usually this type of influence manages to open relationships and mutual understanding. In the scenario, only the patient initiate this kind of communication influence, when the patient is humbly explaining herself to the receptionist, the receptionist impersonally approach the patient by just giving instruction and ignored her after. Impersonal communication is an influence conversely to interpersonal, the individual only interacts to another individual superficially. In the scenario, the patient is trying to open an interpersonal communication to the receptionist, while the receptionist is impersonal communication. In social penetration model by Altman and Taylor, they said the more time we spend with others, the more likely we are to self-disclose more intimate thought and details of our life. As relationships develop, communication moves from relatively shallow, no intimate levels to deeper, more personal ones. When the receptionists approach the patient aggressively, the patient expresses her inabilities to the receptionist. Its intimate thoughts and details of her life are revealed like inadequate knowledge in using computers and influent in speaking English. On the other hand, Johari window explains us also the process of human interaction. It divides our personal awareness. The process of giving and receiving feedback is one of the most important concepts in training. Through the feedback process, we see ourselves as others see us. Through feedback, other people also learn how we see them. Feedbacks give information to a person or group either by verbal or nonverbal communication. The information you give tells ot hers how their behavior affects you, how you feel, and what you perceive (feedback and self-disclosure). Feedback is also a reaction by others, usually in terms of their feelings and perceptions, telling you how your behavior affects them (receiving feedback). It has four sides namely, free, blind, hidden and the unknown. In free area includes, the patients information known to herself and to others such as the receptionist. Blind area means, informations known only to other individuals excluding the patient. The hidden area is about information known only to the patient. And lastly, the unknown area which is the information is not known to any individuals even the patient. In dealing inappropriate interpersonal communication between individuals, we must look back at the receptionists behaviors towards the patient. In order to avoid such communication, the receptionist must stay focused. In the scenario, the receptionist did not focus her attention to the deaf patient that in fact the deaf patient must have special attention with the receptionist. Another one is listening carefully; the receptionist did not listen to the patients inabilities and instead she ignored the patient. Some individual need specific communication like deaf service user. These various types of communication supports and help communication efficiently between service users and service provider. SOLER technique helps to improve reception of message. Its said that when youre interacting with the service users you have to be directly and firmly to the patient. If the receptionist is directly and firmly to the patients concerns, she can provide the patients needs appropriately. Open position, lean, eye contact and relax are the other techniques in SOLER. There are also tips to communicate successfully to service users such as our patient in the scenario, since the patient sis slightly deaf, the receptionist should not shout and should speak slowly towards the patient. But in the scenario, the receptionist failed to apply this tip. In workplace, there are policies and strategies that are implemented for good communication, such as keeping confidentiality of the patient, disciplinary proced ures, equal opportunities, flexible working and policy on performance management. In my opinion, in the scenario, it seems they lacked this strategies and policies. A good practice is achieved with good policies and strategies. Care and support providers have a legal responsibility to fulfill their duty of care. Within direct support services there are regulatory bodies that canà act on any shortfalls identified in the services people receive. If they implement such tips, they will progress and service is efficiently provided to the service users. 1380 words Question 2 Scenario: You are attending your local G.P surgery for examinations as you have been unwell lately. The receptionist asks you loudly the reason for attending; other patients can hear you being asked. You explain to reception staff that you are slightly deaf. She asked you to use the computer screen in the waiting area to indicate that you have arrived. You explain to her that your English is limited and that you have no previous experience in using computers. You felt that the receptionist did not listen to you and that she was not sensitive to your concerns. Describe physical, cultural and legal influences on communication in health and social care by: Analyse how methods of communication are influenced by individual values culture and ability. Describe legislation and charters governing the rights of individuals to communicate Discuss the implications in health and social care contexts of legislation and codes of practice relating to records and communication of information about people. Analyse the effectiveness of organizational systems policies in relation to good practice in communication. Suggest and justify ways of improving communication systems in a health or care setting. Values are the principles, standards, or quality which guides human actions in daily life. Values and cultures play a big role in health and social care. Without values, individuals will pursue behaviors of their own. Values are rules by which we make decisions about right or wrong. In health and social care there are policies that are being implemented to achieve three main points; equality and diversity; confidentiality; right and responsibilities; and professional ethics. When individuals start to interact, the body language, facial expressions, and choice of words influence the whole context of the message. All these verbal and non-verbal cues are brought by the individuals personality like social class, beliefs, values, education, and culture. In the scenario where the patient visits a General practitioner surgery and a female receptionist asks her loudly the reason of attending, it could be a sign of her personality. Maybe she grew up in a family that are always arguing and she brought it up. Also, clearly the patients ethnicity, culture, and education play a role in the scenario where she said she is not fluent in speaking in English. The patient as an individual from a different background, the way she communicate to the receptionist is greatly affected. In addition to that, in a scenario where the patient said she has no previous experience in using a computer and it is hard for the patient to make use of the information communication technology which is the use of computer screen to indicate her arrival. In this situation, every healthcare setting has set values, morals, and ethics that will guide the behavior of the employees. This enables the employees to practice according to what has been agreed upon by the management and the organization that supports to avoid them to stand to their personal stand in handling patients that will cause misunderstandings. The legislation and charters governing the rights of individuals to communicate, is for those people who have difficulty communicating and receiving and understanding verbal and written communication. Its principles are in promoting anti-discriminatory practices, independence and safety, protecting people from abuse, individualized holistic care, and keeping confidentiality. Many people who have a communication disability do not get the resources, support and understanding they need to enable them to communicate. Because of this they are deprived of appropriate health and social services, opportunities for education and training, and employment. They are also vulnerable, at risk of abuse. Nor can they enjoy the social interaction, leisure pursuits, and the business of everyday life. In the scenario, the patient is clearly indeed need specific communication because she told the receptionist that she is slightly deaf. As a receptionist, I know that there are guidelines in communicating this kind of service users because it is present in every health care setting. The receptionist in the scenario should act the appropriate measures to communicate efficiently to the patient. We are promoting equality, diversity and rights of the patient. In addition, the receptionist did not open an interaction while the patient is trying to do conversations about her concerns and instead she gave directly an instruction to use the computer for indication that she arrived already. The receptionist is not fair to the patient according to the rights of the patient. The implication of these legislation and codes of practices in health and social care contexts is to implement the necessary services needed to those individual who have adversity in interacting or communicating another individual. Each individual including those with communication impairment or disabilities are accredited and free to exercise their own rights. In the legislation and codes of practices the service users must be given information the way they can receive and respond, access to training and support to the patient and his/her family to minimize the impact of the disability and improve interaction skills, enough time to communicate, and access to services. These guidelines will help the flow of system smoothly and efficiently along with appropriate care and procedures, hospital records. In the scenario, if the receptionist practices the principles of the legislations and charters, the way she deals with the patient will be nice and easier. The receptionist must take cons ideration to the patients situation by listening and providing as to what necessary services that patient needs. Patients confidentiality is important in every cases, its a core value in every healthcare setting and its a patients right to keep it with the health care providers that are involved in caring to that patient. Organizations are helping each other to evolve its policies, legislations, charters and systems to improve its effectiveness. They are setting goals to aim effective communication such as interpersonal communication, decision making, and establishing rapport not only to the service users but also to co-service providers. It focuses and promotes positive outcomes for good practices in work places, service provider trainings and development, advocacy, individualism, human rights and confidentiality. In a healthcare setting, the system must practice confidentiality, and patients rights regarding in information such as recording, storing, and relaying information. Only healthcare providers that are involved in caring the patient must share the information. In the scenario the receptionist used a loud voice to ask for the reasons of the patients visit in the General practitioner surgery. In that manner, the receptionist did not follow the health care system because other patients can hear the patient being asked and the patient answered the questions. Privacy and confidentiality of the patient is compromised. Communication is defined as the sending and receiving of messages between people. It contributes a big part from rendering care to the service users to running a health care facility. One misunderstanding in communication may cause big problems and might even cost patients life. There are so many ways to improve communication in healthcare settings especially in our scenario specifically for the special communication needs. By the use of communication tools such as pictures giving instructions or an interpreter and simplified instruction guides. We must provide necessary basic tools or equipment to help them communicate. This tool will help not only us to understand them but likewise to those people who need this kind of communication; it will not only help those people with disabilities or impairments, but also the ones who have language barriers. The administration must set their own assessment too, to monitor the feedback in the whole communication network. In the scenario, it is advisable for the receptionist to have trainings and monthly progress reports by their administration in the access to communication resources so that receptionist will be equipped with the knowledge in assessing if her patient has special communication needs. 1105 words Question 3 Scenario: You are attending your local G.P surgery for examinations as you have been unwell lately. The receptionist asks you loudly the reason for attending; other patients can hear you being asked. You explain to reception staff that you are slightly deaf. She asked you to use the computer screen in the waiting area to indicate that you have arrived. You explain to her that your English is limited and that you have no previous experience in using computers. You felt that the receptionist did not listen to you and that she was not sensitive to your concerns. Explore the use of information technology in communications in health and social care by: Analyse how the use of IT in health and social care benefits service users. Critically evaluate how the IT supports and enhances the activities of care workers and care organizations/ agencies. Analyse health and safety legal considerations in the use of IT The information Communication Technology allows us to improve the efficiency of the health care services. IT has the potential to improve the quality, and safety of health care. It improves positive patients experiences and facilities research and development relevant to health and social care. There are so many benefits of IT for services; in fact IT in healthcare setting is made for the development of rendering care to the patients. For example, the patient management systems, it allows the health care providers to render care to the right patient with right treatment at the right time. Another example is the inventory management system, it allows the healthcare providers to store and check for medical supplies and to ensure that medicines is readily available for the patients. They also have the electronic health record, billing system, and highly sophisticated medical devices. The standard ICT software is word processing, spreadsheets, database, information retrieval, and emails. They benefit the service users through meeting individual needs, administration of treatments, efficiency of administrative processes, accuracy of records, communication, and maintaining independence. A specific example is the use of Electronic Health Records (EHR) which serves as a patient-tra cking system providing real time access to patient data. Another example is the Clinical Decision Support System (CDSS) which provides healthcare providers real-time diagnostic and treatment recommendations. There is also interoperability which refers to electronic communication among organizations so that the data in one IT system can be incorporated into another. These are the stuffs in ICT that are being used today. In the scenario the receptionist asks the patient to use the computer screen to indicate that the patient has arrived. In that scenario, they are using innovative machines already. The said machine of ICT is Electronic Health Records and Electronic Care Communications, it provides access to information, and must keep being developed and/or modernized in all areas for additional benefits. IT has the way for innovations of the quality and safety of health care. The ICT supports and enhances health and social care activities of care workers and care organizations and agencies. It is through financial, clinical, administrative, infrastructures, which the needs of manpower are met; and there is a demand regarding innovation in business administration which is efficiency and quality of service. It also helps in meeting requirements, accountability, and audit. In the scenario, the use of a computer screen as an indication of a patients arrival makes the work of the receptionist lighter and easier. If there was no such thing then like the traditional way of handling the services in a hospital, the receptionist will have to entertain every service user, with limited time, limited resources and limited manpower. The health and safety legal considerations in the use of ICT are quite dangerous when not brought into awareness by the users. Safety measures are needed before implementing the use of ICT. In fact, there were several issues taken into consideration in the use of ICT. Ergonomics are usually raised problems. One solution to have bigger and has to be good design interiors of the working environment to reduce and avoid the accompanying health and safety problems and if not tolerated may turn into inability or worst of the user. Radiation in computer monitors are very dangerous if prolong usage. It may destroy the normal eyesight of the user. Another problem when using ICT is the posture while seating or standing. Again prolong posture while using the said machines may turn into serious injury in the back of the service user. Stiff necks are also common in the user. In order to avoid this, the monitor should be at eye level, fleet flat on the floor, knees and elbows with angles, no strai ning of neck, and must have a well-adjusted brightness of the screen and a screen protector or radiation protector screen. Another solution for the users is exercise before using the computer like neck rotation, back bending and rotation and hands shake. A very common problem met in ICT is called eye strain due to too much usage of computer and the eyes are exposed to radiation. There is also the Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI) like carpal tunnel syndrome in using the keyboards. Most of the time too much exposure and use of ICT give stress. For personal safety, it is deal to seek the experts who have taken health and safety courses in manual handling, and repairing especially that there are some hazardous substances present. In a scenario where I have no previous experience in using a computer, it would be best for the patient to call an assistance to demonstrate to me how to use it or better yet, the receptionist should provide assistance for the patient. ICT has many advantages and disadvantage so it depends on the users to control so that health wont be at stake. 806 words
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