Monday, September 30, 2019

Effects Of Women Incarceration On Young Children Essay

Women incarceration has been on increase since the nineteenth century. This has had various effects on children of these imprisoned mothers. When a woman is incarcerated, whatever happens to their children is a matter of great concern. This paper aims at showing the impacts of women incarceration on children. This is in relation to their development and well being. (Beckerman, 1994) It is good to consider the family networks when looking at the impact of women incarceration on young children. A child’s development level has to be considered too when looking at the effects of women imprisonment. Parental incarceration has been increasing at an alarming rate since the year 1991. In the year 1991 there were approximately 450,000 parents imprisoned and by the year 2000 this number had increased to 437,400. The number of children that were affected also rose from 930,000 to 1,530, 500 during the same period. The number of women prisoners has continued to increase at a very fast rate as compared to men. From the year 1991 to the year 2000 there has been an 87 percent increase in the number incarcerated women as compared to 61 percent increase in number of incarcerated men. Research shows that fifty eight percent of the children that have incarcerated parents fall below the age of ten years. The mean age is eight years. Research indicates that forty eight percent of the women in prisons have never been married. This means that they are single parents. Twenty five percent of incarcerated women were separated or divorced. Approximately twenty three to thirty six percent of the women were married. Research shows that women incarceration can have different impacts on young children whether they were residing with the children or not when they got imprisoned. It is very obvious that in case the women were not staying with their children, then there are great chances that there was no meaningful social relationship between the two parties (children and mothers). Research shows that women incarceration has multiple effects on young children because when men are imprisoned, it is the women who take care of the children. When this happens mothers use ninety percent of their time in care giving. Now the case is the other way round, that is, when women are imprisoned. (Pollock, 2002) Research indicates that in the case of women incarceration the men only use twenty three to thirty one percent of their time to take care of young children. Friends can use approximately ten to twelve percent of their time to help while relatives assume the parenting role in approximately twenty six to thirty four percent of the cases only. These disparities in parenting responsibilities show the exact picture in the society that mothers play big roles in parenting especially in intact families. (Boudin, 1998) Women in most cases are more likely to be imprisoned because of fraud and drug offences. The type of offence always determines the period that they stay in prison. Women incarceration has got greater impacts on young children than men incarceration. According to various scholars, incarceration is not just a discrete or single event but it is actually a dynamic process that normally unfolds with time. (Chesney, 1983) Arrest phase The whole impact of women incarceration on children during this phase is indicated in an incomplete picture. Research shows that one out of five children is normally present at the time of arrest. The child normally witnesses the mother being taken to prison by policemen or the relevant authorities. Statistics show that in most cases, the other children are out playing or in school or doing other leisure activities. Research carried out in the year 2005 in United States shows that more than half of the children who witness this scenario are adversely affected. (Boudin, 1998) In most cases these children are normally below seven years and are care of their mother only as per that time. Surveys carried out in nine states in United States, that is, Chicago, Mississippi, Oregon, New Mexico, Texas, New Jersey, Boston, Florida and Washington D. C reveal this. Forty percent of the children who had ever witnessed their mothers being arrested were interviewed. Thirty eight percent of the children respondents admitted that they constantly suffered flashbacks and nightmares in relation to the incident. The occurrence was more prevalent during the first month that their mothers were arrested. Overall management of explanation There are so many controversies that enfold the issue of providing young children with the information concerning their mothers undergoing incarceration. There are those who argue that children should not know that their mother has undergone such a bad thing. This according to the assertions helps in minimizing the trauma that goes hand in hand with this separation. (Covington, 1997) On the other hand, other scholars argue that failure to disclose this important information can increase the emotional distress of the child. This is termed as conspiracy of silence. Regardless of whether women are the ones incarcerated or not, they are charged with the responsibility of explaining the whole situation to the children. Research carried out in the year 1997 indicates that out of thirty five cases only eight of these cases did the fathers offer their children an explanation concerning their mother being incarcerated. (Chesney, 1983) In most of the cases the explanation provided is quite general and vague. Many relatives and fathers lie to their children concerning the departure of their mother. There are variations such that some families use total deception while others use partial deception when explaining why the mother is missing. This conspiracy of deception has got various impacts on the children’s ability to cope with the whole issue. Children who are not well informed about their mother’s absence are very fearful and anxious. Inmost cases women incarcerations occur when the attachment of the children to their mothers has already developed. This can lead to adverse effects on the child because he or she could have spent the first nine to twelve months with the mother. (Covington, 1997) This normally results in insecure attachments. This is just but a consequence of the adverse shifts in life circumstances. This in most cases makes the child to have very poor relationships during his or her adolescent years. Another adverse effect of the child’s mother undergoing incarceration is that it makes the child to develop diminished cognitive abilities. This is very common to young children between two to six years of age. (Enos, 1998) The effects of women incarceration on young children are quite diverse. Young children with incarcerated mothers also tend to suffer from psychological or emotional problems. This is exhibited through withdrawal. In this case the children never want to associate with others and prefer being on their own even during play time. Psychological problems are also exhibited through depression, hyper vigilance and anxiety. In the case of hyper vigilance, the children are just too cautious or alert. The children whose mother has been incarcerated can also exhibit externalizing behaviors. They include great hostility towards siblings and caregivers, aggression and anger. Research in United States prisons shows that very few prisons permit women prisoners to keep their infants. In most of the cases the mothers are just permitted few days of contact with their babies. (Henriquez, 1996) This makes it very hard for the mother and baby to bond. This does not give the baby the opportunity to be familiar with the mother. When the mother is finally released from prison, she comes back home when the child has already developed and is not emotionally attached to her. This just results in children having behavioral and emotional problems later in life. (Pollock, 2002) In case the mother’s incarceration occurs when the children are in the school going age, they automatically get affected in their academics. These children also have problems with their peer relationships. Research shows that more than forty five percent of children with incarcerated mothers have school problems. This can result the children performing poorly at school. For young children between the ages of six to eight years old whose mothers were incarcerated, there was much unwillingness to go to school. This can be termed in other words as school phobias. This was in most cases for the up to six weeks after the mother being imprisoned. Other reports show that seventy one percent of 170 children of incarcerated mothers had very poor performance in their academics. They also had behavioral problems while in school. When other students know of the issue concerning the incarceration of the child, they tend to tease the child and he or she may become ostracized by peers. This can even lead to drop out from school if not suspension because of behavioral problems. (Enos, 1998) Boys and girls While the effects of women incarceration are expected to adversely affect girls more than boys, there is no adequate evidence to back up these allegations. Both boys and girls are normally adversely affected by the incarceration of their mothers. The only difference is that they generally express their reactions quite differently. Girls in most instances exhibit internalizing problems while boys exhibit externalizing behavior problems due to incarceration of their mother. (Owen, 1995) As illustrated earlier on, some of the women that are incarcerated are single parents. They may never have gotten married or they could have gone through a divorce. When arrests are made either to a man or a woman, there is normally no prior information that this act will be carried out. Therefore in most cases the woman is found off guard when she is not prepared to leave her family. This is in relation to who will fend or take care of the children. Children may have gone to school only to come back to an empty house without a mother. This can really cause distress to children when it is a single parent family as they have to fend for themselves. The impact is what we currently see on the streets-street children who were left behind by incarcerated mothers. This causes a lot of destabilization to young children because they are not old enough to work. They cannot afford to pay rent and therefore they just have to beg on the streets. Other children become house helps so that they can cater for their basis needs. They even carry work as baby sitters. Children whose mothers have been imprisoned can have eating problems. This is a result of the stress or depression of not having their mother around especially during meal times. Other children whose mothers have been incarcerated normally have clinging behavior. They also exhibit truancy in church attendance. When mothers are imprisoned the health of the children is known to automatically deteriorate. This is according to the recent studies carried out in Florida, Boston, Mississippi and New Jersey. Women are normally concerned with the health of the children a great deal more than men. There are instances when children have health problems and women because of their concern, take care of them. (Sobel, 1982) Most men come back late from work and leave early and therefore may not know so much in relation to the health of the children. Little things like allergies to foods are better known to the mother. When there is incarceration of the women the health of children declines because men or fathers care less. They may leave the duties to house helps who may not give maximum attention to the child as required. This results in health deterioration of children. Conclusion Incarceration of women has been on increase and this has got various effects on young children. Children who witness their mother being arrested have nightmares and flashbacks of the whole scenario. Fathers and relatives normally withhold information concerning the incarceration of the mother. This is conspiracy of silence and it increases fear and anxiety in children. A mother’s incarceration makes a child to have emotional or psychological problems which are exhibited through depression, hyper vigilance and anxiety. In case the child is of school going age it results in poor performance in his or her academics.

Sunday, September 29, 2019

Bad School System Essay

What are schools doing for us? If nothing then what can we do to improve them? I think they aren’t doing anything. I have never really thought about this idea until I started research. I think that I am fairly smart, but it is more of after school rather than school itself. I was watching a TED TALK from Ken Robinson and he was talking about how schools kill creativity. He talks about how schools are good at making people who do their jobs successfully. He also says that those same people are doing that job because they don’t have any other choice. By showing this he is trying to show that school kills creativity. Salman Khan the founder of Khan Academy talks about how students don’t get to work on their own pace. Dave Eggers the founder of 826 Valencia talks about how students need 1-1 attention to learn their talents. Ken Robinson has many different videos on school all talking about how school has problems that need to be solved. The one that I watched was â€Å"Ken Robinson says schools kill creativity†. He talks about how school trains you in a way that creates a fear of making mistakes. He says, â€Å"If you’re not prepared to be wrong, then you will never be original†. We are being educated out of creativity. Teachers are not ready to have things be wrong. When grading test or any kind of work there is no such thing as maybe, it is just right or wrong. There are always those kids who are over the top smart and there are those kids that are very creative but not as smart. In this scenario you know that the kid who has the brains is going to get the popularity. Nobody is going to go to the creative kid for help even though he/she might have something worth saying. Then those creative kids will also have to adapt to the school system and eventually lose their creativity. Salman Khan has one very important video on TED and it talks about how students do really get to learn on their own pace in school. The TED TALK is called â€Å"Let’s use video to reinvent education†. In this video he talks about his website www.Khanacademy.com. In this website he has different topics for which he has videos for. He also has sort of an online learning system on the same website. In that learning system they want you to master different concepts that you are having trouble with. So they show you videos on how to do the problem then set you on your own. If you still don’t have perfection then they allow you to repeat. They want you to master the concept by letting you do the whole process as many times as you like. By this you are allowed to learn at your own pace. In school you learn a chapter take a test then move on. Even if you didn’t understand you move on, also the students who get like 90 to 99.9% they still might have some problems that they didn’t understand. I also experienced Khan Academy, I have an account and I am always using it when I need help on something. Dave Eggers has one video on TED and it talks about why students are happier to go to tutoring rather than school itself. In his TED TALK â€Å"Once Upon a School† he shows the audience of a place that he created called 826 Valencia. This is a shop that he founded in which he connected a newspaper editor center, a pirate shop, and a after school tutoring center. He says that students come there running after school to do homework. That’s not really something that you think of. The students get help on any HW especially their English homework. He has his Newspaper crew and volunteers help students 1-1 on HW. He has students write books and then publishes the books. He says that students need 1-1 time with whomever they are working with. In school students don’t really get 1-1 time during school to talk about things that they are having trouble with and stuff like that. In a year he has over 1,400 volunteers helping run 826 Valencia. He thinks that if students are able to have 1-1 time with teachers on their work then they would be more creative. They students would never know if they were doing well or if they needed to improve in certain areas. If you haven’t watched this TED TALK them I recommend every one the watch it. All three of these guys show great ways to improve the School system. These guys are already doing it outside of school, which shows that our School System isn’t really great. There are many problems with our School System we just never think about them as students. You would never think that School would kill your creativity, but when you think about it†¦

Saturday, September 28, 2019

HOW MIGHT DEVELOPING CULTURAL COMPETENCE IMPROVE MENTAL HEALTH Essay - 1

HOW MIGHT DEVELOPING CULTURAL COMPETENCE IMPROVE MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES - Essay Example Growing cultural diversity in UK involving both healthcare practitioners and clients has however triggered significant desirability for change towards cultural competence within the country’s healthcare system. This paper discusses how developing of cultural competence based on the Papadopoulos et al. may improve mental health care services in UK. Papadopoulos et al. (1998) provides a cultural competence model capable of facilitating effective implementation cultural competence within the UK health care system. The cultural competence model developed by Papadopoulos et al. (1998) entails five constructs including cultural awareness, knowledge on the clients’ culture, and development of cultural skills, cultural encounters and culture desire. The five constructs are perceived as central to healthcare practitioners’ ability to deliver care within patient’s cultural context. The model recognizes the role of culture in influencing patients’ way of thinking and perception about their health problems. The cultural competence model is viewed as an ongoing process that involves integration of the five cultural competence constructs to enable health practitioners achieve the ability to deliver health care services within patients’ cultural context (Campinha-Bacote 2002). The model emphasizes on the n eed for health care practitioners to appreciate cultural diversity in the process of providing care to their patients or clients. Culturally competent services emerge as essential to improve the general health care system through recognition, incorporation, practicing and valuing cultural diversity the delivery of health care services. The cultural competence model focuses on ensuring quality services for culturally diverse populations, including provision of culturally appropriate interventions. According to Lightburn and Sessions (2005), culture significantly determines whether or when an individual seeks help, the kind of help and from

Friday, September 27, 2019

Computer security Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Computer security - Essay Example Once an individual clicks on the link, it directs to a website where a malware software and virus is downloaded into the individual computer, in addition to downloading and installing a spyware that captures sensitive information from the computer (US CERT, 2012). Thus, blended threat is fatal than other forms of threat, since it entails the damage of an individual’s computer, while at the same time allowing for the track of sensitive information by the attackers, who can later use it for their benefit. Additionally, blended threats are more difficult to combat, since any activity on the link sent by the attacker will definitely cause harm to the computer in one way or the other (Trend Micro, 2008). Mobile threats With the increase in technology advancement, mobile technology has not been left out. Sophisticated mobile devices are being produced each day, allowing the users to access information from the internet at the click of their phone button. This has motivated the cyber criminals to venture into targeting mobile devices, where they have developed files that are easily transferrable through email, MMS, Bluetooth and even text messages (Trend Micro, 2008). ... They are eventually transferred to other mobile devices through texts, MMS and Bluetooth and cause the same harm to the other devices. Phishing scam This refers to major malware campaigns that have been launched to target individual computers, which occur in the form of the attackers sending electronic greeting cards that contain malware (Trend Micro, 2008). The attacker have also developed attack files inform of attractive and enticing free screensavers, which contains malware files. Once an individual downloads and installs the screensaver, the malware in transferred to the individual’s computer, where they cause its malfunction (US CERT, 2012). Additionally, phishing scams have been developed inform of credit card information applications or online shopping advertisements that seek to capture individual’s credit card information, for theft purposes (Trend Micro, 2008). Measures to protect individual’s computer from these attacks Maintaining update anti-virus a nd anti-malware Computer security calls for the vigilance of the individual using the computer. Therefore, notwithstanding that anti-viruses and anti-malware do not fully protect the computer from external threats, it essential to maintain them updated and activated at all times. This is because; they play a great role in protecting the computer from certain external threats, leaving the computer owner with few threats to tackle (US CERT, 2012). Therefore, the computer owner should consistently upgrade their anti-virus and anti-malware to the recent versions, which include more protective features (Vacca, 2009). Use of firewall Configuring and maintaining firewall in place is essential. Firewall is the most recognized form of protection of a computer from external software attacks, since

Thursday, September 26, 2019

Response Analysis About Girl Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Response Analysis About Girl - Essay Example However, some of these words of wisdom did not make any sense and sounded useless. In my society, a mother’s advice is very important especially to her daughters. The girls in my society rely on maternal guidance and this continues even after they marry. If a girl doesn’t behave properly, people will attribute the misconduct to her mother by saying that she wasn’t taught well. This eventually results to a tarnished family reputation that other members of the family must equally endure. In my opinion, I believe that everybody needs to be guided one way or another. Therefore, I will respond to this text and analyze it based on my own experiences and in contemplation of my cultural and social background. When I was a kid, we ate using our hands without any utensils such as spoons and knives. This never occurred to me as peculiar as it was to me, simply, the Arabian way to eat many types of food. Human nature predisposes me to follow my family’s adopted culture in many different things. As shown in the text, the mother told her daughter to â€Å"always eat your food in such a way that it won’t turn someone else’s stomach† (Kincaid, p. 200). I think that her mother overreacted in her warning. I believe that this advice is useless because it’s natural for us to follow our family habits when we eat because it was the way we were raised. In addition, it’s a bad way to impose on someone by telling her to consume her food in a way that it doesn’t upset somebody else’s appetite. This advice might affect someone negatively to an extent that she will be ashamed of eating in front of people. This personal response is based on a social fra mework in relation to people’s habits. The mother in this sentence shocked me by her rude language. I don’t think that any mother should call her daughter a "slut." â€Å"On Sunday, try to walk like a lady and not like the slut you are so bent on becoming† (p. 200). In my cultural

Sustainable Operation Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Sustainable Operation Management - Essay Example The sudden shift in the approach of companies towards sustainability occurred due to the sheer pressure from the customers, investors, local people in the area of operation and to some extent the employees (Dernbach, 2002). This report will shed light on the importance of sustainability in an organization. In addition, factors such as benefits of sustainability will also be covered. However, the principal purpose of this study is to address the issues that companies are facing in developing and implementing sustainability policies. Apart from addressing the aforementioned issues, the report will also emphasize the effectiveness of the approaches of different companies towards sustainability. The persisting inconsistencies of those companies in terms of their sustainability will be also highlighted. Finally, based on the outcomes the study will draw a conclusion and will provide recommendations on how to improve sustainability. Before getting further deep into the study, a brief synop sis of what sustainability actually means will be presented below. Discussion Sustainability has always been a significant and relevant issue for a large number of organizations. Sustainability management practices and strategies are of growing importance to every department of the organization. Sustainable development can be defined as a process of development in which the companies meet the present needs of the customers without compromising on the future needs (Bigg, 2004). Over the last few years, there has been an increasing pressure on the companies to reduce operations which harm the environment. Therefore, it is important for the companies to follow sustainable development. The principal driving factors of this drastic shift are competitive pressures, perceived marketing advantages, legal obligations, demands of investors and internal ethical values of the firm. The organizations which have considered sustainable development got benefitted to a large extent. For example, the se companies have been able to reduce their operating costs, increase market share and market penetration, increase investment levels, enhance brand reputation, developed new products and markets and improve customer satisfaction process (Misra, 2008). In order to get these advantages, it is important to take sustainable initiatives. According to a study carried out by Deloitte, several factors act as the enabler of sustainability. The major ones are allotted budget, dedicate employees, technology and also the company’s capability to focus on financial and strategic considerations. The table below will depict these factors more clearly. Figure 1 (Source: Deloitte, 2010) It is important that companies should meet the present needs without diminishing the capabilities of meeting future demands. Sustainable development is therefore regarded as a challenge for the organizations. In order to implement sustainable development, companies have to deal with a large number of issues. F or example, the increase in energy and food prices during the year 2008, led to severe food crisis. Despite in the reduction of energy prices, the food prices continued to remain high. The global economic downturn of 2009 has further exacerbated the condition. The negative impacts were reduced growth rates and increasing unemployment (Department of Economic and Social Affair, n.d.). Figure 2 (Source: Carter and Rogers 2008) The significance of sustainability in every department of an organization cannot be denied. However, the importance is more for a

Wednesday, September 25, 2019

TERM PAPER College Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

TERM PAPER College - Essay Example With no federal action on the issue, states have been left to devise their own answers to the tuition controversy, leaving supporters on both sides to prevaricate about the repercussions of the law established by the Federal government in 1996, which restricts states from offering benefits to illegal immigrants that any U.S. citizen would not also be entitled to obtain. In fact, at the time of writing (2005), illegal aliens could qualify for in-state tuition rates in nine states, including Texas and California, as well as Kansas but a lawsuit against the Kansas ruling however, coupled with the failure of eighteen other states approving similar policies, reflected the widespread unease about such benefits. Opponents challenging the law claim: it violates the federal statute as well the equal rights clause within the Constitution; that money is not the issue but that it is more a matter of principal and is regarded by some as a kind of back-door amnesty; that American taxpayers will be forced to pay for illegal aliens to replace their own children in the limited seats in college and are worried that granting one privilege would open the flood gates to other benefits currently held for legal residents, and they believe that we all have dreams and they are taking the places away from American residents/citizens. The counterargument however, is that the undocumented children who graduated with diplomas from U.S. high schools in 2005 should now have the opportunity to enter colleges and universities. They believe that it is in our best interests to educate them and denying the American dream for thousands of students, and considering all the pressure placed on children to excel in school, it is only fair to give them an opportunity to continue their education. However, they cannot afford to pay the out-of-state rates charged by the institutions and should therefore, qualify for in-state rates. From this article we can see that questions relating to in-state tuition abound. The fact of the matter is that the country is deeply divided and, without any direction from Federal government, this fracas in the immigration conflict, this question of whether to grant or deny in-state tuition status to students living in a state illegally, is being contested one to one, state to state, and bill to bill. From my perspective, I think that it is not difficult to workout the reasons why giving financially supported tuition to illegal aliens is extremely unpopular. Parents are paying large amounts of money to send their children to universities and colleges, and people are apt to get concerned when they learn that someone who is in the United States in violation of the law is getting as good or a better deal as their own children. Maybe the real concern is that there will be youngsters who actually jump through all these hoops who, are rewarded for their illegality. The question is, in our society, do we punish kids for what their parents have committedThe federal government has not

Monday, September 23, 2019

Select a type of crime such as rape and write a paper explaining the Research

Select a type of crime such as rape and write a explaining the differences between the consensus and conflict approaches to explaining it - Research Paper Example The paper focuses on two issues: the male-centric conception of rape in current law, and the rape and gender violence as linked to other categories of differentiation. The sociological theories that underpin our understanding of crime and punishment, as well as the justice system have long been the subject of debate by opposing ideological camps. The divergent approaches of â€Å"consensus† and â€Å"conflict† and what approach is the most appropriate lens with which to understand crimes remains to be discussed today, with the debates evolving to meet more modern and complex contemporary problems. It is imperative to begin by defining the concepts. Reid (119) defined the consensus approach as one that â€Å"views the emerging norms and laws of society as representative of the common feeling about what is right and proper; that is, they represent a consensus of views—a mechanism for maintaining social order.† It looks at society as a homogenous whole, without factions or frictions, and making a collective determination on what is right and what is wrong. For example, taking a very recent incident, the harsh punishments m eted against the London street rioters might be deemed appropriate among proponents of the consensus theorists: indeed, the destruction of private property and petty larceny go against collective values and the State must bear down heavily upon those who seek to trample those values. In contrast, the proponents of the conflict theory look at society not as a homogenous whole, but as one wracked by class fault lines. Therefore, laws are not simply collectively-agreed upon rules that establish social order and ensure the efficient and harmonious functioning of society, they are a means by which those who have wealth and power ensure that existing hierarchical arrangements are perpetuated. Whilst Karl Marx did not theorize specifically on criminal justice, his philosophies illumine the conflict theory

Sunday, September 22, 2019

Sergei Diaghilev and his impact on the arts Essay

Sergei Diaghilev and his impact on the arts - Essay Example At this time he joined artists related to Bakst and Benois where he was co-founder of a review of art which ran from 1899 up to 1904. He was Imperial Theatres’ director’s assistant around 1899 to 1901. He and Volkonsky concocted a plan that troubled the existing personnel in charge of the theater. From continuous occurrences of these conflicts Diaghilev refused to edit and was left to go by Volkonsky. (Richard, pp 493) Due to miss understandings when Sylvia was being produced, he was dismissed. There was a successful exhibition which comprised six thousand portraits of history collected across Russia by Diaghilev in 1903. This brought a great impact on the culture of European like in Paris where he took Russian paintings’ exhibition. At the Opera of Paris, he staged five concerts specifically of music from Russian culture in 1907. These concerts brought a huge surprise, sensations, amazements and revelations. There were many reviews in magazines and newspapers wo rldwide following the performance of Glinka, Scriabin, playing by Rachmaninoff and many others. Diaghilev brought â€Å"Boris Godunov† production with Chaliapin to the Paris Opera in 1908. He restored the originality of the archives before the introduction of the trendy authentication in art of the world. Production of â€Å"Boris† made Chaliapin to have international acclaim. ... Both Diaghilev and Maryinsky left Russia (Scheijen, pp 90) For another 18 years the company made itself known in entire Europe and America making it be regarded as experimental and inspiring. The success was due to bright ideas of Diaghilev of scouting talents and collaborating with artists. Diaghilev thought that ballet was supposed to be an absolute theatrical choreography, design, art and music. Diaghilev’s ballet showed reflection and was catalyzed by new trends in arts. Amongst Diaghilev’s designers were those who painted imagery, colors and patterns used on stage. His works were well established across Europe for instance, ballet russes that toured annually instead of seasonally. Ballets use human body for the purpose of expressing emotion and story. With this feature, ballets explore stories that may provide chances for the display of virtuosity by dancers. As Ballet Russes’ dances looked revolutionary, they borrowed ballet production traditions that exist ed. Being the strong point of the firm, Diaghilev gathered various composers, performers, designers and choreographers, though maintained the overall control over all production aspects. Diaghilev’s major achievements were ensuring close choreographer, music, and design and story integration, hence forming a spectacle where the entire effect surpassed all parts. Since the start, his desire was to come up with new ballets. Every ballet Russes period was inclusive of new creations and productions, protracted, taking up much of his energy and time. During the 1st world war, Diaghilev isolated himself from his major venues in Europe. Diaghilev and Stravinsky became successful at this time in imperial Russia. Just as the wars commence, ballets had taken five

Saturday, September 21, 2019

Contemporary to Social Work Essay Example for Free

Contemporary to Social Work Essay Taking into consideration all the material received regarding the Benjamin family, I have chosen to make use of the think child, think parent and think family approach in analysing the material. This method identifies what changes are required to improve service planning, delivery and practice and this will assist to improve the wellbeing and life chances of families affected by parental health. This essay will examine all the material provided focusing particularly on Daniel and Emma Watson. However, an examination of the Benjamin’s family will be performed in view of developing a modality on how to provide support to them. This essay is aimed at making preparation for assessment, taking into account individual needs, culture, diversity, and available resources that will enable me to provide support for everyone especially Daniel. Firstly, the essay will look at the Law that governs adoption processes, Daniels wishes and what needs to transpire to improve his quality of life. Secondly, I will also look at the Benjamin family and their proposal to adopt Daniel. In addition to this, I will examine Emma Watson and try to find out how I can facilitate her need to get her son back and what can be done to overcome barriers she may encounter, and finally I will offer a summary of the essay. In order for me to begin to think about the assessment process, my main duty would be to find out what the law declares. As put forward by Brammer (2003), Adoption Order may not be made unless the parent’s consents to the Adoption Order under Children Act 1989 S.20, or their consent should be dispensed and the child has been placed for adoption by an adoption agency with the prospective adopters in whose favour the order is proposed to be made. A parent is the mother or married father or father with parental responsibility, and not the unmarried father without parental responsibility. Steps are made to contact the unmarried father of a child and counsel him and seek hi s views on adoption even though he does not have to give his consent. The court or adoption agency must have regard to the following matters (the list is not intended to be exhaustive nor in any order of priority) Children Act 1989 S. 1(4) a) The child’s ascertainable wishes and feelings regarding the decision (considered in the light of the child’s age and understanding). The guidance to this Act reinforces this aspect of the checklist stating; â€Å"it is essential that an adoption agency, in so far as reasonably practicable , involves and consults the child at all stages of the adoption process, ascertaining and taking into account his views in a way which is sensitive to, and consistent with his age and understanding† (para.13). b) The child’s particular needs; This factor includes the child’s physical, emotional and educational need as expressed in the checklist and is likely to extend to other needs including social psychological and health. c) The likely effect on the child (throughout his life) of having cease d to be a member of the original family and to become an adopted person, in addition to this statement The United Nation Convention on the Rights if the Child states that it is the fundamental right of every child to belong to a family and Article. 8 of the ECHR the right to respect family life. As with the welfare principle, the court must consider the effects on the child throughout his life. d) The child’s age, sex, background and any of the Child’s characteristics which the court or agency considers relevant. e) Any harm (within the means of Children Act 1989) that the child has suffered or is at risk of suffering. This refers to any harm and not just significant harm The relationship which the child has with relative and with any other person in relation to whom the court or agency considers the relationship to be relevant, including (i) the likelihood of any such relationship continuing and the value to the child of doing so, (ii) the ability and willingness of any of the child’s relatives, or of any such person to provide the child with a secure environment in which the child can develop, and otherwise to meet the child’s needs, (iii) the wishes and feelings of any of the child’s relatives, or of any such person regarding the child. This factor is one of the provisions in the Act that calls on the courts to consider contact. (S.1 (8) (a) allows the views of other important people in the child’s life to be taken into account such as foster and it also includes the child’s birth parents. Moreover, the delay principle is drawn from the Children Act. Section 1 (3) the court or adoption agency must at all times bear in mind that, in general, any delay in coming to the decision is likely to prejudice the child’s welfare. The court draws up a timetable for the avoidance of delay. The Public Outline also has an impact on the overall timescale for a child between care proceedings and final placement. In addition to this Section 1(5) states that in placing the child for adoption the agency must give due consideration to the child’s religious persuasion, racial origin and cultural and linguistic background. The guidance in a circular â€Å"Adoption – Achieving the right balance† re cognised the importance of a child’s ethnic origin, culture and religion as significant factors to be accounted for; noting that placement with a family of similar ethnic origin is most likely to meet the child’s needs as fully as possible†. Adoptions takes a while to process and this allows the Multi-disciplinary agencies time to prepare the family and especially give Emma the support she requires if she is still interested in having Daniel back or not. Studies indicate that when the child is placed for adoption birth parents face bereavement as they face losing their child for good even if it is the child’s best interest. On-going contact help alleviate some of their anguish and bringing them benefits such as reassurance that the child is alright, making the loss of their child easier to accept, helping them to feel more positively about the adoptive parents and seeing a positive role for themselves in their child’s future. Coulshed and Orme (2006) define assessment as â€Å"an on-going process in which the service user participates, the purpose of which is to understand people in relation to their environment; it is the basis for planning what needs to be done to maintain, improve and bring about change †. The five stages of assessment process involve Preparation, data collection, examining the data, data analysis and acting on outcomes of the data analysis. Bell et al (2007) and White (2009) state that a good assessment ensures that the child remains at the heart of the assessment, contains full, brief, significant and precise data, makes good use of information from a range of sources, includes a family and social history and includes a clear analysis. Here I am now examining the data. In the correspondence, it appears that the Benjamin family want to adopt Daniel, whilst both Mr and Mrs Benjamin may be a little old to adopt Daniel; they might be an exception as Daniel is already in their care and he appears to fit in well with the family. One of the Benjamin’s roles in Daniels life is to help him maintain attachment with his mother. They must also help the child to develop healthy and strong new attachments with themselves and then transfer those attachments to the permanent caretakers of Daniel who may be either Emma or adoptive parents. Barbara has good support network in the family, which includes Naseem who has worked as a Social Work assistant and has had good background of meeting the needs of ethnic minority children. Barbara is already an expert in caring for Daniel in the documentation I received it appears she responds to his behaviour and deals with his need on a daily basis. However, I have to carry out an assessment on attachment to determine whether it is advisable that they have such strong bonds as suggested by document A1 received 09.01.12. When assessing attachment between Daniel and the Benjamin family, I would look at Daniel and his environment. I would observe his developmental functions and take note of the behaviour he displays in the home and how he responds to the family. As I observe, I need to look at the interactions with the adults and observe whether Daniel appears relaxed or not. Observing the Benjamin family includes how they react to the Daniels advances; the interactions that they ini tiate with him, disciplinary techniques used in the home and the family’s awareness of Daniel as a separate individual who has needs of his own and not relating all of his behaviour to their needs. Furthermore, I would observe whether Daniel engages in age appropriate activities and is able to express frustration or not. I would be interested in knowing whether Daniel responds appropriately to being apart from Barbra and how he responds upon her return. In addition to this, I would need to know if the environment provides adequate stimulation and safety measures appropriate to Daniel’s age and stage of development. If the case is that Daniel is not receiving support he will become disconcerted, insecure and without self-esteem. Fahlberg (1988), suggested that toddlers aged two should be able to use words like â€Å"me† and â€Å"mine†, point consistently to body parts, combine two to three words, name pictures of common object and follow simple direction. However, Daniel suffers from cytomegalovirus and because of this, his developing is slow and he will need extra care and time for caregivers to meet his needs. It is important that Emma is educated on what it is and what kind of responsibilities is attached to caring for Daniel for a lifetime. According to The National Health Service UK, Cytomegalovirus also known as CMV is part of the herpes virus. CMV is part of the human to human transmissible through close bodily contact. Coughs and sneezes are also possible routes of transmission. There is no current cure for CMV infection however medication can help people with weak immune system; in Daniels case, he was born with what could be medically termed as congenital CMV, children born with it show no signs or symptoms although some eventually develop hearing loss like Daniel. Some of the symptoms these children have are treatable but the children may develop hearing loss and one or more disabilities during the course of their lives. These symptoms may include seizures, problems with physical co-ordination, deafness cognitive difficulties and many more. Fahlberg (1988) propose that Caregivers who understand developmental issues are less likely to be as upset by normal behaviour and more likely to support the child as he struggles with the basic tasks at each stage. They are more readily able to perceive what a child needs to help him grow. Emma Watson made a phone call to Social Services recently. In the conversation, she stated that she wanted her son Daniel, back. Daniel has been in a foster placement with the Benjamin Family. The Benjamin’s would like to adopt him and it appears that Daniel has settled well with the family. According to Rutter, (1989) and Black, (2000), research shows that children end up doing badly when an attachment bonds are disturbed. They suggested that children are to be moved when it is inevitable, in situations such as, when parents die or when they are being placed away from an abusive home they continue and state that it is unjustifiable to move a child from a safe foster home. Bowbly (1951) advised that a child should receive the continuous care of a single most important attachment figure for approximately the first two years of his life. He claimed that mothering is almost useless if delayed until after two and a half to three years and if the attachment figure is broken, during the critical two year period the child will suffer irreversible long term consequences of this loss of the care giver as well as failure to develop an attachment. For Daniel this means that if his bond with the Benjamin’s is disrupted, he will almost fail to thrive in his new environment as he had already formed his attachment with the family. In relation to the phone call made by Emma, I would like to explore further and find out whether Emma has any knowledge on parenting and what she thinks a family entails, I would like to know what Emma knows about Daniels disability and needs. I would investigate on what she knows about Cytomegalovirus and if it results that she is unaware, I would help her expand her learning – build and share library resources, encourage her to be involved with parents groups to access support and community resources and if she wishes, I would look at finding her additional support such as an advocate. An advocate will help to increase resilience and self-efficacy. In addition to this, I would investigate on why she has come to the decision of wanting him back. I would be interested in knowing whether there is any communication between Emma and Daniels father, including people in Emma’s life. I would find out whether they are aware of Daniel and that, he is of the Asian race and I would explore on whether the people in Emma’s life would be able to appreciate Daniels uniqueness, and discretely examine on whether they are aware of his learning disability. I will also be interested in Emma’s living condition, environment, financial situation and lifestyle up to date, if these are not up to standard, attempt to help her have a secure base. Turney et al., (2007), states that an assessment needs careful consideration of the inter-relationship concerning the good and the bad influences in a child’s life i.e. the risk factors that are possible to impact on the child’s health and growth as well as the protective factors. Both Macdonald and Williamson (2002) and Preston-Shoot (2003), suggest that the Assessment Framework for Children in Need and their families demands that each child needs are assessed as well as the aptitude of the parents and the impac t of family and environmental influences on each child’s growth and on the parents capacity to meet the child’s needs. Bell et al., (2007) and Mitchell and Sloper, (2008) advises that assessments of disabled children may involve tailoring of the recording templates to reveal their individual strength, capability and needs and to capture their involvement to the assessment process through their preferred method of communication, this implies that a person is an expert in their own experience. Holland (2010) and Thomas and Holland (2010) put forward that the knowledge of child development is important for good assessment outcomes. Selwyn et al, (2006) and Ward et al., (2010) identified problems while carrying out an assessment on attachment, they claimed that clingy behaviour was misinterpreted as evidence of strong attachment moreover some assessments were based on observation of a few circumstances to be consistent. Jones (2009) and Reder et al., (2003) state that assessment of parents includes capacity to meet the child’s needs and the importance of understanding the basic requirements of par enting and taking into consideration the parent’s ability to change. Moreover Farmer et al., (2008) and Harwin et al., (2003), recommend that psychological assessments are valuable when assessing parenting capacity. It was also their suggestion that one way of testing parental capacity to change parenting behaviour and to give them managed opportunities to change. This is achieved by giving the parents clear objectives of what needs to change and informing them on how this will be assessed, monitored and the time scale required completing the task. Forrester and Harwin, (2008) and Harwin (2009), also propose that motivational interviewing techniques are useful in addressing readiness to change in situations of alcohol or drug misuse. This shifts the decision to change to Emma allowing her to discover her own strength and hidden motivation. According to Farmer et al., (2008) and Harwin and Forrester (2002) the role of fathers and men in the household needs to be examined and Social Workers need to ensure that information about fathers is available whenever possible, as fathers may exert a considerable influence even when they are to living with the child. In addition to this, Social Workers need to take account of the impact of factors related to family functioning and family history. Assessing family functioning provides a basis for a strength-based approach that’s accepts that all adults and children possess the power that can be comprehensive to improve the quality of their lives. Mental Capacity Act S. 1(3) states that, an adult does not lack capacity to make any specific decision unless all practicable steps have been taken to aid him or her to make the decision. Laird, (2010) advises that a vulnerable adult may require advocacy support or communication communicated in other form to be able to participate in decision-making. This relates to the GSCC Code 3.1 â€Å"promoting the independence of service-users and assisting them to understand and exercise their rights. Therefore, Assessment of parental capacity depends on communication. Improving the assessment requires different approach when collecting information; these approaches may include observation, assessing changes in parenting practises, use of validated tools and consideration of previous reports regarding the child and family. Assessment involves gathering of all sort of documented information and records from a range of sources this include medical history, social and developmental history. Consent is sort and confidentiality adhered too. To conduct my assessment successfully, as well as working with Daniel, Emma Watson and the Benjamin family I will be looking at liaising with a multi-disciplinary team, which would involve Social Services, general Doctor and the one who is trained in cytomegalovirus, Occupational therapist, Speech therapist and a mental health worker. These people will assist me to add data to my assessment and contribute to making informed decisions about Daniels future needs. In summary, I would give Emma a chance to prove that she can be a good parent. I will offer her support, information and guidance to what needs to take place, and set targets. I believe that she might not realise the impact of uprooting her son until she is made fully aware of Daniel’s disability needs. In my assessment, I have to prioritise Daniel’s best interest and now, it appears this lies with the Benjamin family who give the impression that they are a dedicated family. Prior to this, Daniel has thrived in t heir care. References 1. Brammer, A., (2010) Social Work Law, 3rd Ed, Harlow: Pearson Education. 2. Bell, M., Shaw. I., Sinclair. I., Sloper. P., and Rafferty, J., (2007) An Evaluation of the Practice, Process and Consequences of the ICS in Councils with Social Services Responsibilities. Report to Department for Education and Skills Welsh Assembly Government. 3. Coulshed, V Orme, J., (2006) – Social Work Practice, 4th edition, Hampshire, Palgrave Macmillan 4. Department for Health (2005) The Mental Capacity Act. London HMSO 5. Farmer, E., Sturgess, W. and O’Neill, T., (2008) The reunification of Looked After Children With Their Parents: Patterns interventions and outcomes. Report to the Department for Children, Schools and Policy Studies, University of Bristol 6. Fahlberg, V., (1988) Fitting the pieces together. London: British Agencies for Adoption and Fostering. 7. Forrester, D. and Harwin, J., (2008) Parental substance misuse and child welfare: outcomes for children two years after refer ral. British Journal of Social Work, 38: 1518-1535 8. General Social Care Council (2002) Code of practice for social care workers and code of practice for employers. London: General Social Care Council 9. Harwin, J., Owen, M., Locke, R. and Forrester, D., (2003) Making Care Orders Work: A Study of Care Plans and their implementation. London: The Stationery Office. 10. Holland, S., (2010) Child and Family Assessment in Social Work Practice, 2nd Ed. London: Sage Publications. 11. http://www.legislation.gov.uk (assessed on 17.04.2012) 12. http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Cytomegalovirus (assessed on 02.05.2012) 13. http://www.simplypsychology.org/bowlby.html (assessed on 17.04.2012) 14. Jones, DPH., (2009) Assessment of parenting. In Jan Horwath (ed.), The Child’s World: The comprehensive guide to assessing children in need. London: Jessica Kingsley Publishers. 2nd Edition. 15. Llaird, S.D., (2010) Practical Social Work Law: Analysing Court Cases and Inquiries, Harlow: Pearson Education 16. Macdonald, G. and Williamson, E., (2002) Against the Odds: An Evaluation of Child and Family Support Services. London: National Children’s Bureau/ Joseph Rowntree Foundation. 17. Mitchell, W and Sloper, P., (2008) The Integrated Children’s System and disabled children. Child and Family Social Worker, 13 (3): 274-285 18. Preston- Shoot, M. (2003) A matter of re cords? Practice, 15(3): 31-50 19. Reder, P., Duncan, S. and Lucey, C., (2003) Studies in the Assessment of Parenting. London: Routledge. 20. Selwyn. J., Quinton, D., Sturgess, W and Baxter, C., (2006) Costs and Outcomes of Non- infant Adoptions. London: BAAF.

Friday, September 20, 2019

The contingency approach to management and leadership

The contingency approach to management and leadership Contingency approach to management is based on the theory that there is no one best way of managing, as organisations face contingency variables due to individual differences, environmental uncertainty, technology used for routineness of tasks and organisational size which affects its structure. (Robbins, Bergman, Stagg and Coulter, 2008, pp. 54). This is contrary to classical management theorists such as Henri Fayol, who in his fourteen principles of management, emphasised the centralisation, standardisation and specialisation features of managing, emphasising that they will lead to the achievement of efficiency, consistency and a successful future for the organisation. (Rodrigues, 2001). In the example of the Westpac Banking Corporation (Westpac) and one of their front-line managers (whom was interviewed for this paper), it will be evaluated which methods and approaches of management are reflected in the companys structure and organisational behaviour. Westpac was founded in 1817 and was the first private bank established in Australia. Today it is a multinational corporation and employs about 39,000 people globally. (Westpac Banking Corporation, (Chapman, 2011). Their vision is to help their customers, employees and businesses to prosper and grow. One of their many purposes now is to invest in technology and operations, by launching revolutionary technology in order to improve their process service delivery and to strengthen technology capabilities. (The Manager, personal communication, March 11, 2011). The interviewee will be referred to as The Manager for anonymity purposes. The Manager is first-line manager in the Information Management Solution Delivery Department of Westpac, has 13 full time subordinates, and also employs contractors from all over the world when assistance is needed with his software projects in order to meet deadlines. The Manager is responsible for budget analysis, sets the specifications and deliverables of the projects, and, after gaining senior managers approval to proceed with the projects, manages them until they are completed. According to Fayols fourteen principles of management, employees must sacrifice their interests for the good of the organisation. Thus, an organisation should employ only individuals who are fully committed to its objectives and are willing to readily comply with its mandates (Rodrigues, 2001). The situation in Westpacs Product and Operations division, where The Manager is working, contradicts this theory. During the interview The Manager pointed out that there are a lot of differences in the desire for personal growth and expectations amongst individual employees of the organisation. He noted that Successful guys need to be challenged and want change. We have to accommodate them as they are the core of our team (The Manager, personal communication, March 11, 2011). This is an indication of a contingency approach to management when the company is willing to adapt to constant changes by fulfilling employees desire for a challenge. Furthermore, Mintzberg also suggested that nowadays ma nagers should encourage and drive people: motivate them, inspire them, coach them, and nurture them, push them and mentor them (Mintzberg, 1994). Empowerment and team building activities such as workshops, information sessions and brainstorming sessions have become a culture within the Westpac Group. This is an integral part of the organisations goal for staff motivation and sustainability. (The Manager, personal communication, March 11, 2011). Fayols theory of management also suggested that the work can be performed more efficiently and more productively if it is divided into smaller elements and assigned to specific workers. Thus, the dominant thought in designing jobs was specialisation, each employee performing a specific task (Rodrigues, 2001). The Manager noted that his specific IT technical skills are not utilised very often. However, these skills allow him to understand the technical goals of the projects and help with issues which may arise. The Manager, instead of concentrating on his specification (what he should have done according to Fayols theory), now mostly manages his team members, establishes software specifications and project schedules and distributes work. His interpersonal and conceptual skills are constantly applied to meet deadlines and receive customer satisfaction. Westpacs investment in technology, which was mentioned earlier, is the response to high standards of quality and other deliverables whi ch customers have come to expect nowadays. Therefore, The Managers job, as a front-line manager of one of the divisions of Westpac, is to adapt and respond quickly to changing contingencies and markets instead of specialising and purely concentrating on his IT skills (Chapman, 2001). According to Katzs management theory, managers often acquire their managerial positions because of technical knowledge and competencies (Peterson and Van Fleet, 2004). By the time The Manager joined the Westpac Group, he already had years of experience in the information technology field. He confirms Katzs theory by noting IT is his specialty and managing duties is required more than doing IT work; however, his technical proficiency allows him to understand technical goals in order to use that to leverage team skills to achieve the end result. At the same time, he also contradicts Katzs belief that some managers will tend to avoid the managerial aspects of their job preferring instead the technical aspects (Peterson and Van Fleet, 2004). During the interview, The Manager insists his job is mostly managing, combining it with his technical knowledge and skills only when a problem arises and performing as a team leader to eliminate the issue. Katz proposed a broad three-category typology of skills: technical, human and conceptual which, according to him, are the essential sets of managerial skills (Peterson and Van Fleet, 2004). Technical skills imply a proficiency in a specific field. Human skills are defined as an ability to work cooperatively with others and to be a team player. Finally, the conceptual skills are defined as an ability to see an organisation as a whole. This was noted by The Manager during the interview, that, as a manager, he uses technical, interpersonal and conceptual skills all at a maximum level to achieve better results. At the same time he mentioned that in order to achieve those results he has to constantly adapt to new changes and challenges and be a facilitator, a personal delegator, a leader and a guide to the team (The Manager, personal communication, March 11, 2011). Basically, The Manager faces contingency variables every day of his work and uses a situational approach to deal with these. The so-called hierarchy principle of Fayol suggests that communication in organisations should be basically vertical; that a single, uninterrupted chain of authority should extend from the highest level to the lowest position in the organization. The Manager mentioned that the Westpac Group has a hierarchical structure, but with units independent to each other. He also pointed out that there is a horizontal communication in the organization between departments and units through a variety of meetings, workshops and seminars. Such a structure of the company suggests firstly, that the organisation is built on autonomous business units which operate at the front-line of the business. Secondly, it means that these business units are connected to one another through cross unit integrative processes, designed to ensure a smooth flow of information (The Manager, personal communication, March 11, 2011). It reflects a contingency approach to management within the Westpac Group. The Manager, as many other managers nowadays, according to Mintzberg, maintain a self-developed network of outside contacts and informers who provide him with relevant information and favours. It has been said It is critical to leverage external contacts to get privilege information (The Manager, personal communication, March 11, 2011). In his research, Mintzberg emphasises that managers often spend a lot of time building vast arrays of contacts and intricate coalitions of supporters beyond their own units (Mintzberg, 1994). It is assumed nowadays that the one best way to organize and manage does not exist. In contrast, in the beginning of the twentieth century, there were many scientists who tried to create a one size fits all model of management which could be adapted to any organisation. Henri Fayol, Henry Mintzberg and Robert. L. Katz contributed many years of their lives to the creation of different theories, rules and procedures of management. Despite this, many organisations now, including the Westpac Group, use a contingency approach to management which criticises these theories (which are partially based on valid assumptions) and states that there are a number of alternatives which are appropriate to particular situations. The Manager as a front-line manager of the Information Management Delivery Department of Westpac is clearly using a contingency approach to managing: he is adaptive to new challenges and problems (and even mentioned during the interview that he loves his job because every day it is different: new issues, new solutions); furthermore, he is capable of resolving non-standard issues. He is not concentrating purely on his specialisation in the IT industry and often uses his interpersonal managerial and conceptual skills and leaning towards diversification of his job and his subordinates. He is using the situational (contingency) approach in different areas of his work such as planning, control, distribution, empowerment and leadership.

Thursday, September 19, 2019

Social Networking: A Modern Day Freak Show Essay -- Social Networking

The carnival grotesque, with its freak shows and abnormal humans, was very popular and controversial back in the late 18th to early 19th century, by then it had matured into a distinct form of entertainment. In the 21st century, has the concept become dated? Has the freak show been revealed for the mistreatment and subjugation of many poor human beings? We live in times where many things that were once discriminated are now accepted and many kinds of people recognized as members of society and although there are instances that would challenge that notion, it is only a minority. This represents the progress mankind has made to understand one another. But has the idea of the freak show been abandoned with this new period? It is unfortunate to say that is not the case. In fact if anything it has only intensified with the advancement of society, particularly relating with technology and social networking. Social networking is the spectacle and barker in this relationship of the freak sho w to modern times. It is because of social networking, that we can see examples of the freak show displayed in our daily lives. I want to explore this further, explaining in greater detail how the freak show and the carnival grotesque have advanced with society as everything else and in fact plays on these advancements to contribute to the spectacle of the freak show and grotesque. Of course, technology is how we advance in society. In advancement, we take on new cultures and let us abandoned many uncivilized ideas. Social media sites like Facebook or Twitter are examples of how we have advanced in talking with more people and social networking. With that, people argue that it has led to â€Å"more communication and not less† (Observer) and makes sociali... ... 16 Nov. 2015. . Marche, Stephen. "Is Facebook Making Us Lonely?." Atlantic. n. page. Web. 16 Nov. 2015. . Marynell Maloney Law Firm, . "Is Facebook Turning You Into A Monster." EmilyVento. Blogger, 22 Mar 2012. Web. 16 Nov. 2015. . Mean Comments. 2010. Photograph. Mean CommentsWeb. 17 Dec 2013. . Nyoung, . "freak shows for our times." Western Morning News. (2007): n. page. Print. The Observer, . "Social networking under fresh attack as tide of cyber-scepticism sweeps US." Guardian. (2011): n. page. Web. 17 Nov. 2015. .

Wednesday, September 18, 2019

Actus Reus Essay -- International Law

Actus Reus Introduction The Criminal Law of England and Wales which deals with the components and consequences of criminal acts. The English criminal law is in large part not regulated by law, but in the tradition of common law judge-made law. The offense consists in the English law of Actus Reus and Mens Rea together. Actus Reus is the Latin term meaning the act of guilt (the outer or objective of a criminal offense) which is an essential element in the determination of a crime. Thus, when no reasonable doubt exists as a result of the demonstration of proof, the act of guilt, shown together with the intention of the individual to commit a crime (mens rea), creates criminal liability of the accused in criminal jurisdictions that follow the system of common law (Canada, Australia, New Zealand, USA, UK, Ireland). Discussion and Analysis Actus Reus literally means conduct of a person. The phrase is used to refer to the element of an offense that involves prohibited conduct. The Actus Reus is one of two elements that make up criminal offenses. The second element is called mens rea or mental state. No crime may legally exist without an Actus Reus, while some regulatory crimes, called strict liability offenses, may exist without a mens rea. Examples of the Actus Reus element of a capital offense would be causing death, causing death while committing another crime, causing the death of a police officer, and causing death by using a bomb. In each of the examples, the mental state of the defendant is not relevant to Actus Reus. The mental state is relevant for the second element, i.e., the Mens Rea. General Perception The Actus Reus requirement is met if a defendant purposely, knowingly, or recklessly does something that is ... ...air, Medico legal Aspects of Automatism, qtd in McClain v. State, 678 N.E.2d 104, 106 (Ind. 1997), pp 56-78 David Ormerod (eds.): Smith and Hogan Criminal Law,12th Edition, Oxford University Press, Oxford 2008, ISBN 978-0199202584, pp 34 David Ormerod, (2009), Smith and Hogan Criminal Law: Cases and Materials, 10th Edition, Oxford University Press, Oxford 2009, ISBN 978-0199218691, pp 45-78 Felson, Marcus (1994), Crime and Everyday Life, Pine Forge, ISBN 0-8039-9029-4, Hirschi, Travis (1969). Causes of Delinquency, Transaction Publishers, ISBN 0-7658-0900-1 Morse, S. J. Diminished rationality, diminished responsibility, Ohio State Journal of Criminal Law vol. 1 (2003), pp. 289–308 Siegel, Larry J. (2003). Criminology, 8th edition, Thomson-Wadsworth., pp. 139 Symposium, Act and crime, University of Pennsylvania Law Review vol. 142, (1994), pp. 1443–1890

Tuesday, September 17, 2019

Essay --

Thomas Alva Edison is a man of creativity and innovative thinking. According to Patricia Daniels, author of Thomas Edison, â€Å"Thomas Edison is regarded as one of history's most influential inventors, whose contributions to the modern era transformed the lives of people the world over.† Throughout his life span, he managed to achieve over 1,300 patents. A world record, no man could possibly break in their lifetime. From his early life, establishment of Menlo Park Laboratory, to inventing the phonograph and modernizing the first incandescent light bulb, via later years, he is sure the â€Å"Wizard of Menlo Park.† Thomas Edison’s early life was filled with downfalls and achievements. He was born on February 11th, 1847, in Milan, Ohio to Samuel and Nancy Edison (Endersby 1). The last child of 7 siblings to survive until adulthood. They lived in Ohio prior to moving towards Port Huron, Michigan in 1854 after his father's lumber business failed. Edison was a sickly child throughout his childhood years. It was not until his family relocated when he began school at the age of 8 years old. He attended a private school called Reverend G.B. Engle. After 3 months, his mother Nancy took him out of school because the teacher called him â€Å"addled† meaning a slow learner. From that point on she educated him at home only after he accepted a job selling newspapers and candy to passengers on the Grand Trunk Railroad in 1859 (Endersby 1). While working there he set up his first laboratory for experimenting and a printing press called the Grand Trunk Herald. One day while experimenting in the l aboratory, a fire broke out causing him to discontinue working there. This tragic event almost caused him to become deaf due a conductor boxing his ears. Yet it did n... ...e the ones in West Orange Laboratory. One experiment that got him going prior to his death was searching for an alternative to rubber for Henry Ford. During his last 2 years of living Thomas Edison was in deep critical condition. Then on October 18th, 1941 in his New Jersey home, Thomas Edison died at 9 pm. His very last words were â€Å"It’s very beautiful over there† , said to his wife Mina. Thomas Alva Edison revolutionized the world like no other person. His inventions impacted countries profoundly to become more modern. He started of with the establishment of Menlo Park Laboratory, to inventing the first phonograph, improving the Incandescent Light Bulb, and creating new inventions all the way until his later years. It is a tragedy when a mongul like Thomas Edison passes away. Yet the â€Å"The Wizard of Menlo Park† does not exist, his legend will forever exist.

The Bridge to San Luis Rey

The Bridge of San Luis Ray is an American author Thornton Wilder's second novel first published in 1927. It tells the story of several interrelated people who die in the collapse of an Inca rope-fiber suspension bridge in Peru. A frior named Brother Juniper witnessed the tragic accident. He has taken on a mission to find out why the five people had to die with the collapse of the bridge. Juniper decided to research the lives of the five victims and figure out the reason of their deaths, why God chose the lives of these five people. He wanted theology to take the place among exact science. Before now, he had lacked a laboratory. He had studied other specimens, People who had died if spider bites or their houses burning down. But these accidents hadn't been fit for examination, because they lacked proper control. The accidents had been dependant upon human error or they had the elements of probability. The bridge collapse was an Act of God, so it made a perfect laboratory. Juniper could figure out God;s intentions is a pure state. Juniper know the answer to his experiment but wanted to prove it historically and mathematically to his coverts. He thought his stubborn converts were slow to believe that God insertd pains into their lives for their own good. Juniper had tried to experiment before to â€Å"justify the ways of God and man,† for example he kept a record of Prayers for Rain and their results. Juniper worked on the bridge experiment for six years. He asked the people in Lima thousands of questions. His goal was â€Å"establishing the fact that each of the five lives was a perfect whole. Juniper finished a huge book but it was publicly burned in the great square. A secret copy of thr book remained. It is in the Library of University of San Marco. Juniper's book contains thousands of facts about the victims and why God had chosen each victim. Juniper never new the central passion of Dona Maria's life; not Uncle Pio's life; not even Estaban's. † And I, who claim to know so much more, am not i t possible that even I have missed the very spring within the spring? †

Monday, September 16, 2019

An Analysis of Tragic Love between Gatsby and Daisy

Many critics hold the view that Daisy is one of the causes that lead to the disillusion of Gatsby’s dream. They think Daisy is an as? set class miss, who has no thought, no sentiment, flimsiness and bored person. Unlike many critics, I don’t think Daisy is a fickle, shallow, and sardonic woman. I believe she is also a victim of that era. Zhou Jiaqiu has pointed out in the Half is an Angle; the Half is the Devil thatâ€Å"if we only regards Daisy as a material girl, we not on? ly humiliate the sacred love of Gatsby, but also influence the reputa? tion of the author.Because under the description of the writer, the leading lady is depicted as fullness and vivid character, a pathetic scorned wife whose husband leads a double life. She is both realis? tic and romantic, a half angle and a half devil. † Gatsby cheated and occupied Daisy by telling a lie, making Daisy believe he has the ability to take care of her, but actually he does not have. The evening before Daisy got married, she received Gatsby’s letter, and she cried out of heart, almost changed her mind of marrying Tom.But when Daisy really needed him, he couldn’t accompany her. From this point of view, Gatsby should feel sorry for Daisy. I think Daisy is a realistic girl. After she married Tom, al? though she kept her affluent life and social status of upper class, she had to endure her husband’s betray and abandon again and again. In the world of East Egg, alluring appearance serve to cover unattractive realities. The marriage of Tom and Daisy Buchanan seems menaced by a quiet desperation beneath its pleasant surface.Daisy’s tragedy lies in that she has the instinct of love, but she can submit to reality. She knew life is an illusion by control pains? takingly, but she still will live in illusion. Trapped in the contradic? tion, Daisy only made the gesture, so she lost the right to enjoy the real emotion. Faced with the pain of life, Daisy chose to hypnotize herself, just as her hope about her daughter—â€Å"I hope she’ll be a fool—that’s the best thing a girl can be in this world, a beautiful lit?

Sunday, September 15, 2019

Ozzy Osbourne

Ozzy Osbourne is one of the most contradictive persons in the history of contemporary rock music. On the one hand, he is a famous singer being famous for his unique image, clothing and lifestyle and his music is surely beloved by thousands of fans, whereas, on the other hand he has had serious problems with drug and alcohol addictions. Nevertheless, his struggle for survival has to be praised and respected.  It is apparent that literature search revealed over 100 articles and books on the history of rock music and Osbourne’s career. Over half of these were prescriptive and written by practitioners, consultants and journalists.Adams, Deanna R.   Rock ‘n' Roll and the Cleveland Connection. Kent, OH: Kent State University Press, 2002.This book is not intended to be a definitive history of rock music, documenting every fact or thoroughly analyzing every decade. Rather, it is about those people and events responsible for making this the â€Å"Rock ‘n' Roll Capital of the World.† The book presents rather extraordinary and interesting viewpoint concerning Ozzy Osbourne and his musical career.Appleyard, Bryan. â€Å"Blizzard of Oz†, The Sunday Times Magazine, November 27, 2005.The article suggests that Ozzy Osbourne is surely one of the most interesting and at the same time shocking singer due to his unique image, clothing and lifestyle. He is known to shock publicity with extraordinary appearance, hair cuts and colors mixture. Nevertheless, author states that practically every star has his own â€Å"blizzards†. Concerning Osbourne it is his drug and alcohol addictions, though he has managed to cope with disease having proven that he is able to struggle for life and popularity. He underwent treatments for alcohol and drug abuse.   And now he is famous for both musical and TV careers.Davidson, Sandra (ed.) & Winfield, Betty Houchin (ed.). Bleep! Censoring Rock and Rap Music. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 1999.The book is ab out societal attempts to control rock and rap music in a democracy. This book explains how governmental statutes, agency regulations, business controls and parents have tried to censor the music and when they have succeeded or why not. The book also focuses on the dilemma of a people who ideally believe in free expression as part of a democracy. It is apparent that attempts to censor Osbourne are also involved in the book.Dodd, P. The Book of Rock. London: Pavilion, 2001.The book is about the individual artists and groups associated with Rock music involving Ozzy Osbourne and his contradictive career and person. It is seen that the book is of great importance for current research, because it provides thorough examination and analysis of rock music history. The book is meant for a wide circle of readers who are fond of rock and Ozzy Osbourne.Exclusive: Ozzy Osbourne on Everything. Sunday Mirror, 2005, April 3: 16.The article presents interview with a famous singer about his private l ife and musical career. Ozzy believes his lavish family home in the English countryside is cursed. It is stated that in spite his millions and his transatlantic lifestyle, Ozzy is astonished at the cost of living in Britain – and feels that the working man is being priced out of the country.Goldberg, Jonah. Ozzy without Harriet: What the Osbournes Tells Us about Drugs. National Review, 54, 11 (2002, June 17): 23-24.The Osbournes, the reality-TV show about the 53-year-old former lead singer of the metal band Black Sabbath and his dysfunctional family, is an unprecedented hit. It receives the highest ratings in MTV's history. The article provides details of the show stating that is one of the most popular as it present daily life of a singer.Gosset, Pol & Leyser, Brady J.   Rock Stars/Pop Stars: A Comprehensive Bibliography, 1955-1994. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 1994.This bibliography is a listing of over 3,600 books about the individual artists and groups associated with Rock/Pop music involving Ozzy Osbourne. It is seen that the book is of great importance for current research, because it aims at providing the most accurate and comprehensive bibliography available on Rock/Pop stars.The article says that Wildman rocker was invited to the White House due to the success launch of reality show â€Å"The Osbournes†. According to statistic provided in the article show has more that three million viewers. Family values and problems are incorporated in research. The article touches Osbourne’s problems with drugs and alcohol stating that he has had also problems with crashing hotel rooms and cars.Ozzy Rules: in a Rock World Dominated by Bad Boys, Ozzy Osbourne Stood out. The Daily Mail, 2005, November 19: 16.Newspaper article provides information about Osbourne’s problems with drug and alcohol considering that now he has been cured. The author suggests that Osbourne is really amazed by his new image as a family man. Osbournes has becom e one of Britain's, and America's most famous families. They are laughed at because of their crazy antics, thoih held in affection because of their obvious love for each other.The Ozzy Osbourne of Wolverhampton. The Birmingham Post, 2006, July 19: 5.Actually the article argues about Osbourne’s popularity and states that many fans are willing to behave and look like their music ideal. For example, A parrot-killer who decapitated his beloved pet in a drunken rage has been jailed for five-and-a-half months after a magistrate branded him â€Å"the Ozzy Osbourne of Wolverhampton†.ReferencesAdams, Deanna R.   Rock ‘n' Roll and the Cleveland Connection. Kent, OH: Kent State University Press, 2002.Appleyard, Bryan. â€Å"Blizzard of Oz†, The Sunday Times Magazine, November 27, 2005.Davidson, Sandra (ed.) & Winfield, Betty Houchin (ed.). Bleep! Censoring Rock and Rap Music. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 1999.Dodd, P. The Book of Rock. London: Pavilion, 2001.Excl usive: Ozzy Osbourne on Everything. Sunday Mirror, 2005, April 3: 16.Goldberg, Jonah. Ozzy without Harriet: What the Osbournes Tells Us about Drugs. National Review, 54, 11 (2002, June 17): 23-24.Gosset, Pol & Leyser, Brady J.   Rock Stars/Pop Stars: A Comprehensive Bibliography, 1955-1994. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 1994.Ozzy Osbourne â€Å"Invited to White House†, 2002, April 4. Avaiable at http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/tv_and_radio/1911033.stmOzzy Rules: in a Rock World Dominated by Bad Boys, Ozzy Osbourne Stood out. The Daily Mail, 2005, November 19: 16.The Ozzy Osbourne of Wolverhampton. The Birmingham Post, 2006, July 19: 5.

Saturday, September 14, 2019

The Importance of Understanding Diversity in a Business Setting

The Importance of Understanding Diversity in a Business Setting â€Å"Diversity is defined as real or perceived differences among people in race, ethnicity, sex, age, physical and mental ability, sexual orientation, religion, work and family status, weight and appearance, and other identity-based attributes that affect their interactions and relationships (Bell, 2012, p. 5)†. The work force of today is more diverse than ever, and the marketplace progressively more global.By 2010 the number of women in the U. S. labor force increased by almost 10 million, a growth rate almost one-third higher than that of men. The success of a workplace depends on a manger’s ability to promote a work environment that is inclusive to every person, and that allows every employee to reach his or her full potential (Gaines & Wilson, 2005). Benefits of a Diverse Workforce According to Bell (2012) there is a lot to be gained from a diverse workforce.Having employees’ who are from variou s backgrounds can improve the company’s marketing ability by being able to develop products that meet the needs and appeal to a more diverse population. By creating a reputation that values all types of employees can lead to better customer loyalty. Research has shown that groups of people with varying backgrounds bring differences that result in greater creativity and problem-solving abilities. These groups have also displayed more cooperative behaviors on group tasks.The benefits to having a diverse work force are many. Having a work environment centered on creating a comfortable and productive atmosphere requires management’s ability to understand that there are differences but that it is important to bridge these gaps and promote working together as a team. Managing a Diverse Workforce It is important as a manager to acknowledge differences, and promote diversity. Successful managers avoid using stereotypes, and generalities when communicating.Managers need to pay attention and respect people’s  values and beliefs. They should establish relationships with their employees’, and remember that each person has different talents and strengths. They can learn what works to motivate and reward each employee. Employees’ need continued support in working to their potential by having management provide ongoing opportunities for learning and development (Gaines & Wilson, 2005). Educating and offering classes on cultural diversity is a good way for employees to learn about how to interact and work productively with a diverse workforce.Left Handed in a Right Handed World Being left handed the ball sock experiment was interesting. I found that I have adapted in a lot of ways by becoming more ambidextrous. The most challenging part of the experiment was not having the use of both hands. I could not write legibly at all with my right hand, and I found when flipping through a magazine with my right hand I preferred to flip the â€Å"no rmal† way front to back. When I usually flip through a magazine using my left hand I prefer flipping from the back to front.It did give me an appreciation for the challenges faced by those who do not fit into what the society sees as normal. I felt I had a disability and it was challenging to do my normal everyday tasks, plus I got some strange looks from my family. I also learned that it is possible to adapt to new situations. Being a lefty my whole life I have been viewed as different from what is considered normal. Sure I can only use extremely sharp scissors to cut paper, and I can barely use a knife to cut my food but I have never looked at this as a negative thing, I have always felt it makes me special and unique.ConclusionIn closing a diverse workforce is quickly becoming what is normal for today. We must start becoming more aware and understanding of individuals who are not exactly like us. Management must adapt to these changes by realizing that there are many positi ve benefits to having a diverse work force and treat every employee as an individual with different strengths and talents. In order to successfully work in today’s business world we all must be open minded and willing to accept our differences and develop an appreciation for a more diverse population.

Friday, September 13, 2019

Thesis Statement and Outline Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Thesis Statement and Outline - Essay Example b) Killing is inhuman and all of us should get together to persuade our leaders to completely ban war. Instead of fighting amongst themselves, soldiers of different countries should get together to fight terrorism. c) Sometimes they are made slaves by the army of the other country. They are treated just like the way hostages are treated by terrorists. This is a heavy price they have to pay in order to be loyal to their countrymen. So war should be banned in order to stop crimes against humanity. Conclusion: It is a torture to live in this world where either through media or direct experience we witness several crimes against humanity regularly. Today children are growing in this atmosphere and getting transformed into adults with lesser feelings and sympathy. This is not their fault. Some of the crimes have become so common, that they have started looking normal, especially to the impressionable minds. Therefore to build a healthy society and to stop its members from becoming immune to the crimes against humanity let's pledge to turn this world into a better place or in other words lets pledge to stop crimes against humanity.

Thursday, September 12, 2019

Effects of the Global Financial Crisis on the Kingdom of Bahrain and Essay

Effects of the Global Financial Crisis on the Kingdom of Bahrain and Its Central Bank - Essay Example Eventually, major stock markets across the globe collapsed as big financial organizations failed or had to be bought out. The financial crisis had negative impacts on the gross domestic product of countries which in most cases declined indicating slowed economic growth rate (Mohsen, Abdulla and Jalal 1). The financial crisis also led to a reduction in employment rates globally and the general livelihood of the people deteriorated. The Kingdom of Bahrain is no exception to the devastating outcomes of the crisis. Even though the small Island in the Middle East has its economy supported by the oil and natural gas sector, the financial sector also contributes greatly to its economic development (Hamad 1). Effects Financial Crisis on the Economy the Kingdom Of Bahrain Like all other countries, the financial crisis affected the kingdom of Bahrain’s overall economic growth. Economic development of every country depends on continued investment. However, following the financial crisis, there were reduced liquidity levels in Bahrain which meant that capital investment reduced (Hamad 1). As in other countries globally, the financial crisis also resulted in slowed employment growth rate in Bahrain due to a reduction in the total economic output. Another notable aftermath of the global recession on Bahrain was a significant collapse of some financial institutions. In addition, the financial crisis negatively affected the profitability of banks since financial sector is a major contributor of economic growth, and slowed down the growth in GDP since financial institutions also influence asset acquisition and capital investment. and with the global financial crisis, the country experienced slowed investment rates (Mohsen, Abdulla and Jalal 4). The 2007/2008 financial crisis led to negative social impacts on the people of Bahrain. Following the financial crisis, liquidity reduced affecting the purchasing power of the people is negatively affected. Consequently, the welfa re of the people in Bahrain was adversely affected by the crisis. Those mostly hit by the financial crisis were in the low income bracket, especially since most of them lost their jobs. In addition, Bahrain benefits from trade tourism as people coming from different regions to trade (Hamad 1). However, the financial crisis made it more expensive for tourists to visit the country, significantly reducing the country’s foreign exchange earnings. The collapse of the stock market and some financial institutions also led to some people from Bahrain losing their investment, leading to psychological shock. Psychological shock also affected individuals who are dismissed from work or whose businesses had to be closed down. Despite the far reaching effects of the financial downturn, the financial health of Bahrain remained relatively stable. Although Bahrain’s economy was affected, it still grew at a steady rate and the banking sector remained relatively stable. According to Hama d, the relatively minimal effect of the global financial crisis on Bahrain resulted from the fact that the country does not approach its economic development in a â€Å"boom and bust approach† (1). The country has used a steady and gradual approach to economic and financial development while keeping the markets regulated. However, the Central Bank of Bahrain (CBB) has been instrumental in ensuring that it averted the negative outcome of current financial crisis. The Role of Central Bank in Bahrain The

Wednesday, September 11, 2019

Marketing Proposal - LA Fitness Gym Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Marketing Proposal - LA Fitness Gym - Essay Example This is the reason why we have proposed a business idea of introducing a chain of restaurants in LA fitness gyms across the United Kingdom. The name which has been proposed for the restaurant is LA Cuisine, and the restaurant would provide healthy food that contains would supplement required for a healthy diet. Moreover, a variety of meals would be available on the menu to suit all type of workouts and individuals. The four main offerings which will be made are mentioned below. 1. Protein booster - ideal for bodybuilders 2. Slim fast meal –ideal for people who want to lose weight 3. High crab meal - ideal for people who do endurance training 4. Low meals - ideal for people who want to acquire a lean body and muscle definition Moreover, advice will also be provided to the customers in order to counsel them with regards to the best meal that would suit their workout. This would enable them to attain the workout results quickly and breakfast, lunch and dinner will be served. SWOT Analysis With regards to the business, the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats that have been identified are mentioned below. Strengths Locations of LA Fitness Gym There are eighty gyms all over the UK and has multiple health club locations.  Therefore, they will not hesitate in availing services offered by LA Cuisine. Market Research LA fitness gyms already know their customers well and since LA Cuisine is offering food for the people who have joined the gym, they will not have to spend huge amounts of money in conducting market research with regards to the customers (Meyerson & Scarborough 2007, pp. 55). Lower Advertising Costs Since customers are already aware of the LA fitness gym, LA Cuisine will not have to spend heavy amounts on advertising. Weakness Association with LA Fitness Gym Since LA Cuisine would be associated with LA fitness gym, anything bad that happens will also have a negative impact on the goodwill and the reputation of LA Cuisine. Opportunities Increase Locations LA Cuisine can open a restaurant in locations other than those at LA fitness gyms as well. In this way, they can expand their pool of customers and increase market share (Dunbar & McDonald 2004, pp. 200). Threats Competition The United Kingdom covers quite a large area and so the population is also large. Therefore, there are many people who go to gyms for fitness purposes because of which there are lots of gyms in the UK that gives the people a variety of choice due to which the competition for LA Cuisine is intense. Credit Crunch Lack of availability of funds or loans results in credit crunch due to which LA Cuisine can get adversely affected.  

Tuesday, September 10, 2019

Smith Radiators Organizational Strategy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Smith Radiators Organizational Strategy - Essay Example Jeff Brown’s letter to Smith informs us that other suppliers could supply radiators at a lower price than Smith Radiators. On the other hand, even though the organization had built a reputation for manufacturing reliable radiators, one cannot categorically state that Smith Radiators pursued a differentiation strategy. We cannot detect a deliberate management drive towards product improvement or innovation over the 30 or so years that it has been in existence. Secondly, it is noted that Smith Radiators has to be prompted to make an adjustment to its organizational strategy due to the external pressure from Automobiles of America, Inc. (AAI) – the company’s largest customer. Smith Radiator’s implied management failure to articulate a viable organizational strategy and its implied adherence to the particular strategy-structure relationship even though it was no longer relevant to the change in environmental conditions over the 30 years that it has had a relat ionship with AAI are consistent with factors that cause firms to resort to reactor strategies (Miles and Snow 82). That which we can detect though is that Smith Radiators’ HR practices are geared towards direct, process-based control in which the focus is on efficiency and cost containment. This strategy would have been a perfect fit if the organization pursued a low cost strategy. However, since we cannot categorically state that the organization pursues such a strategy, we cannot conclude that its HR strategy is a fit. Smith Radiators worker’s skills are not particularly unique to the firm and thus cannot serve as a differentiating source of uniqueness. The organization therefore exploited the fact that it has generic key employees to negotiate the â€Å"no layoff, no strike† policy in exchange for job security but with low wages with the union. Smith Radiators’ HR strategy and practices have so far enabled it to survive in the competitive market as i t has been able to keep its costs low. The challenge now though is that to meet the new AAI’s supplier requirements, Smith Radiators has to re-think and reformulate its HR strategy to fit the new Just-in-Time (JIT) requirements.