Team Dynamics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 3

Team Dynamics - Essay Example It is common to realize that most of the class assignments we undertook in class the previous semester were done as group work. Before I can state the performance of the group, it is imperative that it understood that there are various behavioral concepts that influence the management and operation of group in execution of any activity (Levi, 18). It is always on the basis of such models that the success or failure of a group is attributable. I must classify the performance of my group last semester as high performing. This could be deduced from the good marks attained and the rare show of consolidarity and unity of purpose when undertaking such several activities which had varying technicalities. Group task entails the application of a complex model which has different components which acts at individual level but contribute as whole for the execution of the assigned task. In respect of our group some of the aspects of the behavioral model that encompasses group task included; group members who possessed high standard of self-discipline and other personal attributes, group structure which was in order and formed a formidable force that could face any assignment, interpersonal dynamics with interpersonal skills key in the actions of the group members, outstanding organizational and societal context and positive and realistic goals (Levi, 57). These factors were responsible for the group’s unrivalled exceptional performance.

Martin Luther King Jr.s Letter from Birmingham Jail Essay Example for Free

Martin Luther King Jr.s Letter from Birmingham Jail Essay Martin Luther King Jr.s revealing, Letter from Birmingham Jail, delves into the segregation, injustice and violence of Birmingham, Alabama, probably the most thoroughly segregated city in the United States(Inquiry, p.#391, paragraph 6) In response to criticism from eight clergymen of Birmingham, King details the process of preparation for the nonviolent protest that took place in Birmingham. Imprisoned for protesting without a license, Dr. Kings words continue to reach far beyond the bars of his prison in his letter from Birmingham jail. Martin Luther King addresses the concerns and criticisms of his fellow clergymen, explaining why the African-American population of our nation cannot always be expected to wait for a more appropriate time to voice their concerns. Justice too long delayed is justice denied.(Inquiry, p. #393, paragraph 13) Dr. Kings wisdom is a well-known and well-cherished part of American history. Reading his words have cemented my admiration for his methods and his ideas. In Letter from Birmingham Jail he exposes the hypocrisy of the South and expresses his willingness to break an unjust law to pave the way for a just one. In case peacefully going to jail for his protests isnt a loud enough demonstration, his letter, specifically addressed to eight fellow clergymen but meant for the nation, gets the message across. Reading this letter has made me wonder how an eloquent, charismatic and just man such as Martin Luther King could be criticized, imprisoned and eventually assassinated. I question whoever cannot see the reason in Dr. Kings words. The issues of prejudice and segregation have been well worn since Martin Luther Kings time, but his words still hold passion and wisdom. His work on these issues was ground breaking, and I doubt our country would be as it is today if Dr. King had never spoken out in a time of injustice and inequality.

Fight Club :: essays research papers

Fight Club appears to be a sequel to Clockwork Orange (1971) for the yuppie X Generation, half of whom see their parents get a divorce and are fatherless teenagers. (The word "clockwork" is in the script!) Jack (played by Edward Norton) narrates the film, explaining how his 1997 life of white-collar employment and middle-class materialistic success bored him until he fell under the spell of Tyler Durden (played by Brad Pitt), who takes on part-time jobs so that he can engage in mischief to deal with his own identity crisis. In the early part of the film Jack has insomnia, but his physician will not give him stronger sleeping pills, urging him instead to attend alcoholics anonymous-type groups so that he will meet those with real problems. Initially, the nightly meetings provide enough emotional catharsis so that Jack can get a good night sleep. Then Marla (played by Helena Bonham Carter), another faker, starts attending the same meetings, so impotent Jack no longer enjoys t he experience. Looking for something different, one night in the parking lot outside a bar Jack meets Tyler, who asks him to slug him. The exhilaration of the fight prompts them to repeat the ritual, and ultimately Jack abandons his yuppie lifestyle to live in Tyler's ramshackle house (after Tyler secretly plants a bomb to destroy his condo). Others, watching the two slug it out, soon want to fight, too, whereupon Tyler organizes the Fight Club, eight rules in all, which meets in the basement under the bar. (The eight rules appear patterned on the famous 12-step programs of the AA groups.) Interchangeable parts in an overbureaucratized world, where everyone is employed and thus feels no compulsion to become politically active to get politicians on the ball, the club's members belong to the working class in contrast with middle class Jack and Tyler. Fight Club's camaraderie provides the psychological support so that they can revert to their own animalistic resources. Only Tyler enjoy s sex (with Marla). The others seem so crude in appearance that they have obviously not been able to seek release via sex; that they enjoy a nihilistic men's club, where men are topless, is a clear sign of repressed homosexuality. Only through showing muscle can they feel like men after their demasculinized postindustrial jobs. In due course, Tyler changes the Fight Club into Project Mayhem, a club with fascist rules that stockpiles explosives in Tyler's home preparatory to blowing up high rises.

Education system

IntroductionExtant literature proposes that there are several differences between private and public schools in term of administration, installations and even the course of study. These surveies do nevertheless enter both the similarities and differences of these establishments every bit good as the controversial facets of these establishments ‘ constructions. Like other states of the universe, Kuwait has besides assorted factors that affect the running of public and private schools. In this context, it is true that many several pupils experience and see the difference that exists between private and public schools. The general consensus nevertheless is that private schools are better as compared to the public schools as postulated by Hannaway ( 1991 ) when he argued that † private schools perform better due to greater school degree liberty and their reactivity to the demands of pupils and parents. † Public schools have ever paid for higher instruction plans out of general public revenue enhancement. This has prompted several pupils to pay small or no tuition fees at all and has besides enabled figure of admittances in the public schools as compared to the small or instead fewer admittance in the more expensive private establishments. Most pupils have been able to derive entree to public establishments for higher instruction through selective tests plans ; this is chiefly in an attempt to hold of quality instruction and better public presentation in these schools which normally enjoy equal authorities support. Due to the difference in pupils abilities and competition in public schools, pupils with low ability have a pick of increasing their instruction degree or being uneducated depending on their fiscal capablenesss. This merely means that a pupil with a low ability can every bit be enrolled in a private school but after paying full tuition money which is ever really expensive. On the other manus, a pupil with low ability and lacks adequate fundss remains uneducated. But surveies have shown that there is an increasing demand for public schools due to high demand of higher quality instruction coupled with high degree of pupils ‘ competition for the authorities funded learning chances. Overview of the Kuwaiti Education system The Kuwaiti instruction system in the early twentieth century comprised of really basic instruction that was delivered through really few Koranic schools with support from the assorted affluent Kuwaiti citizens. The Koranic schools chief taught the pupils how to read write and work out. The initial measure towards the modern instruction system began in 1921.Thse schools chiefly concentrated on the instruction of commercialism and mathematics. It was later on that that composing accomplishments were introduced. In 1967, it became necessary to compulsory to inscribe pupils or instead school traveling kids to primary schools ( Kjeilen,2009 ) . The Kuwaiti authorities dedicated a really big amount of money in support of its educational system. The authorities besides has made attempts to device plans that aid in bettering the entry of the Kuwaiti adult females from instruction establishments to their professional work life.A considerable per centum of the Kuwaiti instruction is made up of private schools with approximately 40 % being in the kindergartens and secondary class. The private schools are chiefly financed by aliens while the tuition fees and other subsidies are derived from authorities support. In a nutshell, the Kuwaiti instruction system ranks really high and attending is unfastened to both sexes. The Kuwaiti instruction is besides mandatory and free for all the Kuwaiti citizens. Social alterations in Kuwait have quickly sped up since the oil roar that started in 1950 ‘s. Right before the super richness which was caused by oil, Kuwait as a state was one of the poorest provinces both technologically and economically ; the people from Kuwait majorly lived and survived on activities such as trading, crowding, pearling and fishing. The decennaries following the development in Kuwait after 1950 ‘s attracted many immigrants particularly those from poorer provinces that include Arabs from the Middle East who wanted to be portion of Kuwait by Citizenship. As clip accelerated to a different Kuwaiti epoch, more and more developments were established as the native Kuwaitis led much comfy lives in urbanisation, therefore go forthing most of the labour work to the aliens who were more of labourers. Early instruction foundation was based on merely a few Quranic schools that provided majorly spiritual instructions and basic literacy in Arabic tuition at the beginning of the twentieth century. In the Middle East, Kuwait was one of the states that flagged the most sophisticated, generous, and comprehensive educational substructures that enabled a much extended instruction boosting in the state. Al Mubarakiyya school was founded in the twelvemonth 1912 as one of the most profound and modern educational establishments in Kuwait through support by merchandisers to provide clerks who at least had the basic cognition in Fieldss of commercialism, missive authorship and arithmetic. This was subsequently followed by debut of other topics in the course of study like geographics, history and art. English classs were foremost stated in the twelvemonth 1921 by Al Ahmadia School and shortly followed by the first misss ‘ school which was founded and established to offer instructions in pla ce economic sciences, Islamic surveies and Arabic. In the 1930 ‘s, the modern period of constitution of educational installations was initiated and on traveling ; this was after the pearling based desolation of the Kuwaiti ‘s economic system. In the twelvemonth 1935, public instruction was established after the instruction system was partially adopted for control by the Kuwaiti province. This chapter initiated the starting of new schools, directing of Kuwaiti pupils abroad for higher acquisition and besides initiation of an instruction mission by Palestine instructors. Among the schools which were founded, three of those schools merged a sum of 600 male childs, while the other primary schools were established for misss and were able to suit a sum of 140 misss. A twelvemonth subsequently in 1936, a section of instruction was instituted in order to supervise the running of the public schools, oversee foreign instructors from Iraq, Egypt, Syria, Palestine, and Lebanon who were the innovators of the secondary instruction plan in Kuwait. By the twelvemonth 1945, a sum of 17 schools in the state were established. In the academic twelvemonth of 1954-1955, the first proficient school and the first kindergarten were established. This clearly shows the rapid acceleration of instruction installations in Kuwait since the twelvemonth 1950 ‘s. In the proficient college, the first twelvemonth saw adjustment of 80 pupils who were enrolled and an addition in figure classs which were bit by bit introduced as demand for more Fieldss of survey heightened. The educational developments continued pacing up as a new establishment for the blind was inaugurated in the twelvemonth 1956 with a sum of 36 students in registration records. This was non plenty since by the twelvemonth 1973, there were about 1,644 pupils who were identified to be in demand of particular installations for instruction. Some of these pupils include the blind, the deaf, and other disabled 1s. All these particular pupils were enrolled in 11 establishments which were specially designed for them in geting instruction as other normal pup ils. Adult instruction for adult females officially came underway in the twelvemonth 1963 ; this was a consequence of the bing similar plans for adult females though hibernating ( Meleis et al,1979 ) . This system saw uninterrupted registration of about 45,000 pupils of which 18,000 were misss. The instruction section of Kuwait was so officially inaugurated as the Education Ministry in the twelvemonth 1962. This constitution gave the instruction ministry full authorization to supervise and pull off all waies in instruction care and development over the decennaries. Kuwait ‘s province instruction has since progressed since the Kuwaiti subjects got involved in their instruction procedure twenty old ages back from the beginning of the millenary. This advancement made has been rather singular particularly in footings of exile to national ratio of instructors who were employed. In the twelvemonth 1982, there were 24,367 instructors in entire ; 6,478 instructors were Kuwaiti subjects. The academic twelvemonth of 1997-1998 saw sum of 27,359 instructors employed in public schools and an estimation of 10,000 instructors in private schools. Of the 27,359 instructors in public school, 17,357 instructors were Kuwaiti. The ratio of Kuwaiti instructors to deport 1s changed from about 1.7:1 from 1:3.76. The province of Kuwaiti managed to advance their instruction procedure by extensively increasing the figure of Kuwaiti instructors between the early 1880ss to the late 1890ss. The doubling of the Kuwaiti instructors between the 1880ss and the 1890ss has relieved the trust of foreign professional instructors in Kuwaiti schools. This was a great alteration but non good plenty since most of the Kuwaiti professional instructors were peculiarly in pattern at the lower degrees, largely the primary schools. The entry of male instructors in the profession besides saw many of them learning in primary schools. Kuwait ‘s transmutation into a modern state with singular instruction establishments has been so, thanks to the authorities ‘s early determination to administer the oil grosss to citizens through investing of instruction, societal public assistance, lodging and health care. The Kuwaiti instruction system is tailored to provide for the state ‘s demands. In their enterprise to guarantee that most of its citizens are educated, the Kuwaiti authorities has ensured that the instruction is provided free of charge. This has been the instance since 1966.In order to guarantee that the portion of national budget that is targeted towards the proviso of free instruction output good result in footings of raising the Kuwaiti Literacy degree, the authorities has made instruction to be compulsory for pupil aged 6-14. The Kuwaiti authorities has in its vision and committednesss the demand to supply its citizens with a stable and extremely educated human resource base. This is in an attempt to run into the societal challenges attributed to development challenges as outlined in their Millennium Development Goals ( MDGs ) .This is through the warrant of an instruction slot to each and every citizen who wishes to prosecute their instruction to whatever degree that they desire. It is rather apparent from the figure of schools entirely, the authorities ‘s committedness towards guaranting that the Kuwaiti population is decently educated. The general Kuwaiti instruction system is made up of simple, intermediate and secondary schooling systems. As of 1995, there were about 861 province and private establishments ( schools ) that fell into these classs. Once an person goes past these three basic degrees of instruction, they proceed to establishments of higher acquisition such as the Kuwait School and other educational centres where they learn assorted classs in assorted Fieldss of survey Cost of private schooling in Kuwait The private instruction in Kuwait makes a really important component of the Kuwaiti instruction system. There is a really strong authorities presence in the private schools in Kuwait. The private schools do inscribe about one tierce of kids at the simple level.The cost of private schooling in Kuwait was a preserve for the high income households merely before Kuwaiti was invaded by Saddam.This state of affairs has nevertheless changed and pupils from moderate and modest households besides do enroll in the private schools. This move is chiefly fueled by the sensed diminution in the quality of instruction in the public school system. Their chief attractive force is nevertheless pegged on the quality instruction that they desire for their kids. There is nevertheless state of affairss that necessitate the parents to return their kids to the public schooling system due to the addition in the school fees paid in the private schools in Kuwait. Some of these parents resort to this move despit e the handiness of loans to fund for their kids ‘s instruction ( Kuwaiti Times, 2007 ) Different pupils get enrolled in different schools majorly due to their degree of public presentations and their household income, this has ever been the inquiry asked largely and a major beginning of argument whether pupils in private schools are better than their opposite numbers in public schools. Several parents and defenders have developed the outlook that paying excess money for their childs ‘ instruction makes all the difference every bit far as quality and success in their kids ‘s instruction is concerned. With this sort of belief in being, more affluent parents or defenders prefer paying so as to procure good the hereafter of their kids in the private acquisition establishments. On the other manus, some parents, defenders, pupils and even college professors believe that instruction is by and large the same whether it is from a public establishment or a private 1. This depends on the attitude and mental readiness of the pupil towards their instruction and hereafte r. When comparing the public schools to the private 1s, it is rather obvious that the quality of instruction in private schools is much lower than those in public schools. This is chiefly reflected in the schemes used when viing for pupils. In public schools, there has ever been a scene of making which must be achieved by a pupil before being accepted for admittance ; this sort of admittance scene is designed to enable public schools act as monopolies whereby zero tuition fees for pupils with high abilities is initiated. When it comes to private schools, the manner of viing for pupils is non through the ability of a pupil but the fiscal capableness. This means low ability pupils can be admitted so long as they can pay for the private fee ; this has enabled many pupils to submit higher instruction, therefore boosts entire income in the economic system. Competition between private and public schools is determined by legion variables including exams taken every bit good as general monetary values in the establishments. An active function played by schools in puting the tests and the tuition fees determines the degree of quality of instruction provided. While public schools have ever maximized public excess. That is, the entire amount of pupils net incomes less the all the costs spent in supplying instruction, the private schools have ever aimed at maximising net incomes ; which is, all income generated by the pupils who have been admitted in the establishment less all the disbursals incurred in supplying instruction for the pupils in the schools. This clearly shows that private schools use monetary value as admittance policy so as to determine their sustainability in supplying better instruction, this is because money from pupils is fundamentally the lone support they use in running their establishments. Equally far as monetary value is concerned, there are fluctuations in pricing in different private schools depending on assorted factors of which educational quality is the most overriding. Thus the better the quality degree of a private school, the higher the tuition fees paid by the parents ( Tabora, 2008 ) . Students who attend public schools under public monopoly are fundamentally the same pupils who are admitted in these establishments under competition. These pupils have ever obtained similar quality in school in both instances. The being of private schools for higher has raised entire public assistance since pupils who have non been admitted in the public monopoly have been given a opportunity of fall ining the private schools and acquire educated. When detecting the market dividers in which both populace and private schools compete for pupils, there is a really alone equilibrium that exists in which the private schools are lower in quality than the public schools. Importance of schooling The construct of schooling was invented in order to authorise the human capital. Previous research on human capital has nevertheless been targeted on the quality and measure of returns that a individual obtains as a consequence of schooling. As advanced by Mincer in his outstanding and standard preparation, the sum of investing invested in a peculiar cause can be translated into assorted discernible differences that assorted from one person to the following ( Mincer, 1976 ) . Therefore, in instance the investing in an person ‘s instruction is considered to worsen on a additive graduated table, an all the sum of investing are considered to be forgone income, a really simple and direct correlativity can be derived between the net incomes and the old ages that an single spends while schooling. The application of the commonly available informations portrays that there is a characteristic that is high in all the schools allover the universe. Is really of import that the universe provide their citizens with the best degree of instruction. The importance of the human capital can non be overemphasized. This is because of the assorted additions that consequence of the gainful and discernible alterations that come with holding a population with a high literacy rate. Every state in the universe must hold its ain reliable and experient work force in order for it to win in its enterprises of being both crowned head and comfortable. This requires the single states to device their ain efficient and customized instruction system and course of study that would to the full take attention of its industrial and rational lacks. The investing in human capital hence really important for the success of every state. In certain instances nevertheless, it becomes important for certain sectors of a state ‘s economic system to necessitate specialist support from exiles. This is due to the fact that certain classs or instead instruction de mands are ne'er relevant or instead are ne'er to a great extent invested on in certain specialist countries of the economic system. Thus the demand for expatriate support in certain countries such as technology and other really proficient countries of the economic system. It is hence necessary for every authorities to be to a great extent involved in the instruction of its citizens. This is really applicable in about every state. There is nevertheless a generalizability that is used as an index of the function and importance of return fluctuation of schooling investing in different states across the Earth ( Psacharopoulos, 1994 ) . The exact function of authorities in instruction is nevertheless still capable to argument and is capable to assorted different positions. It is worthwhile to observe that a high returns on the schooling degree does non needfully connote that it is the function of authorities intercession that has subsequent resulted to the better academic output. However, in order to once and for all warrant the degree of authorities intercession, it is of import to take into history assorted parametric quantities that affect the educational outputs or instead result. For rather a long clip, the function of instruction to a given society h as been researched upon by assorted bookmans. The function of the authorities has been featured as one of the major determiners of the success in footings of schooling in the lives of the citizens. Kuwait for illustration has her authorities put in topographic point assorted mechanisms to guarantee that the citizens and aliens who attend its instruction system do acquire certain critical impressions and thoughts imparted upon them. Kuwait being a Muslim province, has most of its schooling demands tailored to run into the rigorous demands of the Muslim faith. In fact in earlier old ages, the regulations that govern schooling were really rigorous. The instruction of the miss kid for illustration was forbidden for a long clip. But subsequently on, partially due to the effects of Westernization, the instruction of the girl kid became recognized as one of the stairss toward a democratically balanced Kuwaiti society. The function of authorities intercession can nevertheless be justified u tilizing certain mechanisms such as market failure. Importance of resources handiness to the quality of instruction Several research workers have focused their attending to the of import function that is played by the handiness of resources to the success in the schooling procedure in assorted states. It is nevertheless really of import that the sum of resources that are devoted to the procedure of geting proper instruction can non be straight tied to the result of the assorted schooling procedures. In Kuwait for illustration, the private schools that are in kernel tally and managed by aliens are better equipped as compared to the public schools. The analysis that focuses on the function of resources in the result of schooling procedure is nevertheless capable to a batch of treatments and argument. This is because of the multivariate nature of the schooling procedure. Despite the contentions that surround the analysis, there is nevertheless a considerable sum of grounds that supports that fact that a positive correlativity exists. This is based on the minority of scholarly work that exposes a sign ificant and positive correlativity ( Schneider, 2002 ) . Other surveies nevertheless, are focused on the simple relationship between the resources and the result of the schooling procedure. In these surveies, a simple correlativity is devised in order to associate the causal factors and the results of the schooling procedure. The relationships that have been derived do non nevertheless have a systematic reappraisal but the causal factors do hold a certain degree of support in the reappraisal procedure. A proxy relationship can nevertheless be once and for all be justified as appropriate. The being of this stronger relationship that exists between the resources and other causal factors may be applicable. Factors such as the sum of wealth in a pupil ‘s household background may to a big extent be an influence and a major subscriber to the degree of pupil ‘s public presentation as a consequence of a dedication and proviso of more resources into the schooling of the pupil. The growing puting nevertheless, has no direct placeholder r elationship. In certain cases, hapless placeholders have nevertheless been assigned to the procedure of acquiring a correlativity between the sum of resources and the result of schooling ( Hanushek & A ; Kimko, 2000 ) . International schooling policies have been supported enormously and are now deriving increased income. Numerous arguments have been carried out and the statements have supported intercessions by the authorities based on spillovers which are as a consequence of the growing procedure in instruction. This is why the general endogenous growing theoretical account has clearly shown that instruction degree in an economic system influences the growing of a state. That is, if the instruction degree of an economic system is low, the growing of that peculiar state will decidedly drag unlike if the instruction degree is was higher. The construction of the endogenous development theoretical account brings in a spillover that people will non take into consideration their ain determination devising procedure. Empirical work carried out has underscored the virtues of schooling measure in these peculiar topographic points. The relationship between single net incomes and schooling have shown the most consistent and strongest support in instruction public presentation ; when an single utilizations ain money to finance schooling, the earnestness becomes utmost to the extent that exam public presentation of that person turns out to be rather delighting. While establishing trust on grounds that is limited, there has been rather promising support that exists on the importance of instruction and schooling in relation to effects of growing every bit good as the distribution of net incomes ( Gregorio, 1999 ) The economic effects as a consequence of differences in educational quality of secondary and simple schools are non good comprehended as the effects of measure, particularly in relation to the aggregative public presentation the state ‘s economic system. This hapless apprehension of the deductions of quality in instruction makes it hard to reflect measuring. It is really hard to exactly specify the quality of instruction since the term quality reflects the extent of an establishments knowledge base every bit good as the analytical accomplishments employed as the focal points of larning establishments. To decently construct the base of this treatment, this survey will trust on informations sourced from standardised tests of accomplishments in faculty members and pupil ‘s ability in instruction. Re lying on this information from standardised trials to reflect quality steps is controversial in a manner that there are spreads available in grounds and besides the emanated deci sions follow ( as stated below ) . All in all, these steps prove to be the most effectual indexs available of quality and have a relationship with the consequences that we positively satisfy us. Numerous research surveies have been carried out and documented in the field of labour markets which straight focus on personal differences when it comes to cognitive ability and effects in net incomes ( every bit good as modify the estimations of returns in footings of quality ) . 4. The latest direct research survey of cognitive accomplishment have recorded significant returns in the labour market has measured single fluctuations when it comes to cognitive accomplishment. For illustration, O'Neill ( 1990 ) , Murnane, Willett, and Levy ( 1995 ) , Bishop ( 1989, 1991 ) , Neal and Johnson ( 1996 ) , Currie and Thomas ( 2000 ) , Grogger and Eide ( 1993 ) , and Murnane et Al. ( 2000 ) each conclude that the net incomes advantages are rather significant when standardized trial are extremely achieved. These decisions have been extracted from assorted attacks. Bishop ( 1989 ) is much concerned about the mistakes that result in the most testing environments and stress on extreme attention when covering with that job since it has really dramatic effects on the estimated importance of the trial fluctuations. On the other manus, Grogger and Eide ( 1993 ) , O'Neill ( 1990 ) , Neal and Johnson ( 1996 ) , and Bishop ( 1991 ) have greatly put their trust on the latest labour market information every bit good as representative sampling which suggests that net incomes advantage to measured fluctuations in accomplishment is much greater than those of the earlier times and earlier research surveies ( even when dependability of the trial is non corrected. In Kuwait, merely like in other quickly-developing instruction systems, one chief sphere of involvement is guaranting that the quality of instruction that is offered by both private and public suppliers is up to criterions needed. This paper elaborates by manner of a thorough reappraisal the history of development of Kuwaiti instruction system since its induction. It considers several quality systems that are presently employed in other states in the Gulf States so as to place the effects of the instruction systems both private and public on the attitudes of the pupils towards schooling. Two chief consequences emerge from the present analysis. The first suggests that there are no important effects from category attending. The 2nd indicates that smaller categories do non interpret into additions in accomplishment. Other consequences include the deficiency of important equal effects and grounds of variableness in learning effects, which is, nevertheless ; besides non important. These findings need to be interpreted carefully. For case, the consequence of no attending effects may non needfully bespeak that attending does non count per Se: on the contrary, it can alternatively be the instance that attending does count but that the pupils in our informations take optimally how many categories to go to, so that fringy fluctuation around that attending degree does non interpret into any additions in footings of accomplishment. The mentality of the twenty-first century Kuwaiti instruction The Gulf States have undergone a figure of serious challenges both on their economic and political being. These legion challenges have been brought about by the prosperity and accelerated growing every bit good as the heightened degrees in societal services. There tends to be some kind of misrepresentation in some certain degrees when one looks at the external wealth and modernness of some of these Gulf States. For illustration, it is true that Kuwait as a state is in ownership of 9.5 % of the proved oil militias in the universe ( out of a combination of 64.9 % of all Gulf States ) and many of the Kuwaitis are really rich people thanks to their oil rich state. While this is so, the oil grosss in Kuwait are really modest when comparings are made to the gross domestic merchandise of the developed states of the universe. The fluctuating monetary values of oil have greatly influenced the dependability of development every bit good as long term planning ; this is so particularly when the monetary value per every barrel remains low on the universe market like it was in the 1880ss and the 1890ss. Harmonizing to dependable beginnings, surveies have shown that the low oil monetary values in 1980 ‘s was the cause of shortage budget operation by the Gulf States ; which was hardly the size of Switzerland ‘s GDP if they were combined i.e. ( U.A.E, Kuwait, Oman, Iran, Bahrain, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Qatar ) . The Gulf States wealth semblance is as a consequence of control of the oil militias by merely a manus full of people who easy entree the universe markets through exports in ships ; this clearly explains the long spread between the rich and the hapless ; which is bad for the economic system. These Gulf States have had to cover with the grapnels that affect their budgetary uncertainnesss in the oil markets. Some of these jobs are public sector laterality, seeable and concealed unemployment, hapless grosss for the immense populations, laterality of foreign workers among, and besides hapless engagement in the determination doing procedure with the exclusion of Kuwait which has an elected organic structure that represents it. The nucleus characteristic of this analysis, nevertheless, is how the quality of schooling influences the national and economic growing. It is obvious that schools ( no affair their geographical locations ) have legion fluctuations every bit far as cognition and general quality is concerned. These differences are ever really hard to cover with since the deductions for groking the nucleus issues are emphasized in this survey.BibliographyBishop, John. ( 1989 ) . Is the trial mark diminution responsible for the productiveness growing diminution? American Economic Review 79, no.1:178-197.Gregorio, J ( 1999 ) . Education and Income Distribution: New Evidence from Cross-country DataGrogger, J, & A ; Eric, E. ( 1993 ) . Changes in college accomplishments and the rise in the college pay premium. Journal of Human Resources 30, no.2 ( Jumping ) :280-310.Hannaway, J. ( 1991 ) . The organisation and direction of public and Catholic schools: Looking inside the black box. International Journal of Educational Research, 15:463-481.Hanushek, E.A. ( 1986 ) . The Economics of Schooling: Production and Efficiency in Public Schools, Journal of Economic Literature 49 ( 3 ) , pp. 1141-1177.Kjeilen, T ( 2009 ) .Kuwaiti & lt ; hypertext transfer protocol: //lexicorient.com/e.o/kuwait.education.htm & gt ;Kuwaiti Times ( 2007 ) . Private school fees ‘heavy load ‘ . Published: April 15, 2007 hypertext transfer protocol: //www.kuwaittimes.net/read_news.php? newsid=OTA0MjIxODQ3Meleis, A, El-Sanabary, N & A ; Beeson, D ( 1979 ) . Women, Modernization, and Education in Kuwait Comparative Education Review, Vol. 23, No. 1 ( Feb. , 1979 ) , pp. 115-124Mincer, Jacob. ( 1970 ) . â€Å" The distribution of labour incomes: a study with particular mention to the human capital attack. † Journal of Economic Literature 8, no.1 ( March ) :1-26.Murnane, Richard J. , John B. Willett, Yves Duhaldeborde, and John H. Tyler. ( 2000 ) . â€Å" How of import are the cognitive accomplishments of adolescents in foretelling subsequent net incomes? † Journal of Policy Analysisand Management 19, no.4 ( Fall ) :547-568.Schneider, Mark. 2002. Make school installations affect academic results? Washington, D.C. : National Clearinghouse for Educational Facilities. Retrieved August 8, 2003, from hypertext transfer protocol: //www.edfacilities.org/pubs/outcomes.pdfTabora, J ( 2008 ) .Making Quality Higher Education More Accessible in the Philippines: Person Has To Pay the Price

KOT Task #2: Medicare Essay

Though Medicare plans are typically for persons over the age of 65 years old, they do not come without costs to the patient. If the patient has enough work credits, Medicare Part A is automatically available to the patient once he or she reaches age 65. Medicare Parts B and D, however, require the patient to navigate through an application process and the patient may incur penalty fees if he or she does not sign up for the plans during the allotted time frame once they have reached the age of 65. For Medicare parts B and D, the patient is responsible for paying the designated premiums. The Medicare Part B premium ranges from $96.40-110.50 monthly and the Part D plan ranges from $28.60-$38 monthly. There is also additional Medicare plans available for the patient to purchase through insurers such as Blue Cross and Blue Shield or Etna, however there are additional premiums in varying amounts (Medicare.gov, 2012). In most cases, Medicare Part A will cover inpatient hospital stays, rehabilitation centers, and long-term care facility stays. For Mrs. Zwick, Medicare Part A would apply to the rehab and inpatient hospitalizations. Medicare Part A will cover Mrs. Zwick’s five day hospital stay and the first 20 days of her stay at the rehabilitation facility. Each day following the first 20 days of rehab, a fee of $144.50 per day will accumulate at the rehabilitation facility for a total of $2890.00 which the facilities will be responsible for due to the patient acquiring a preventable infection during her stay (Medicare.gov, 2012). Medicare Part B is similar to medical insurance; covering medically necessary services such as MD visits and services, outpatient care, durable medical equipment, home health services, and sometimes preventative care services. In Mrs. Zwick’s case, Medicare Part B would cover the prescribed walker or other assistive devices if needed. However, based on Medicare Part B plan coverage, Mrs. Zwick will be responsible for a deductible of 20% of the cost of the walker (Medicare.gov, 2012). Medicare Part D is an elective prescription drug coverage plan available to Medicare recipients. There are various prescription drug plans offering medication coverage based on the plan’s preferred drug list. Though Mrs. Zwick’s plan coverage was not specified in the case study, she may be responsible for a co-payment for prescription drugs. If Mrs. Zwick does in fact have a co-payment, it would be a set amount; for example $10 per prescription or less if she receives generic drugs. Or, depending on if Mrs. Zwick has entered a coverage gap or â€Å"donut hole†, she will then be responsible for 50% of the costs of her prescription medications (Medicare.gov, 2012). Though Mrs. Zwick does have Medicare coverage, the plan may not pay for Mrs. Zwick’s extended stay or additional care required related to a hospital-acquired condition. In recent years, Medicare began refusing to pay for preventable, hospital acquired infections; making hospitals and other facilities accept responsibility for preventable infections acquired during the patient’s stay. However, in Mrs. Zwick’s instance, there may be some debate as to which facility will be held accountable for the preventable urinary tract infection (UTI). Though the case study reads that Mrs. Zwick was diagnosed with a hospital-acquired UTI, it also states that she was diagnosed 10 days into her stay at the rehabilitation facility and that there were complaints that Mrs. Zwick was not receiving proper catheter care. If the rehab facility was not following the current evidence-based protocol related to the patient’s catheter care, there is a strong possibility Mrs.Zwick did not acquire the urinary tract infection until after she was transferred to the rehab facility. Therefore, the hospital would not be responsible for the costs of care related to the UTI. However, Medicare would still not cover the costs and the nursing facility would then be held accountable for the extra costs incurred during the patient’s extended stay. Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act, also known as COBRA, is a plan available to persons who have a loss of employment and health coverage. The COBRA plan will allow Mr. Davis to continue his health coverage beginning the original date his coverage was ceased and is usually available for approximately 18 months. However, the Cobra plan is not free of charge to the unemployed patient. The plan typically offers identical plan coverage to the patient; however the plan is more costly than the original premium the patient was used to paying. The cost of the COBRA plan is usually the amount of the previous premium in addition to the amount the employer contributed plus a 2% administration fee. The premium amount the patient would be responsible for would be quite a bit more costly, yet still less expensive than an individual rate. In order to for the patient to be covered by the COBRA plan, he would have to submit all the proper paperwork within the allotted time frame and pay t he monthly premiums without monthly payment reminders (FAQs for Employees About COBRA Continuation Health Coverage). Though COBRA is a way for Mr. Davis to continue his health insurance coverage once he became unemployed, it is not likely to be affordable. This then becomes a challenge that state or local governments are faced with. Two challenges state or local government may be faced with in providing care for patients like Mr. Davis with pre-existing conditions and lack of insurance coverage are increased costs and decreased health maintenance of the patients. Patients with long-term, chronic illnesses like Mr. Davis’s, care can be very costly, especially when the patient is unable to maintain routine medical care or visits and medications. Without routine medical care and maintenance medications, patients like Mr. Davis tend to have more frequent emergency room visits and hospitalizations; increasing costs for state and local government as well as tax payers. Though Mr. Davis is able to receive care during an emergency room visit, the providers are not fully aware of his health history and are only able to provide a temporary fix of his symptoms and not address his health care needs. One possible solution for the state and/or local government to consider would be to offer state funding for patients with chronic illnesses to be covered by a state funded insurance plan based on the patient’s income. This would allow for Mr. Davis to be seen for routine care, in an attempt to keep him healthy and reduce emergency room visits and hospitalizations. Another possible solution would be for local and state governments to fund healthcare facilities and/or clinics designated to care for patients with chronic health conditions; providing public health nurses who are available to visit the patients in the home in order to educate him or her on disease and disease processes. Though Mr. Davis is frustrated with the healthcare delivery in the United States and may think he would be better served in another country, he may be gravely disappointed by in their healthcare delivery systems even more. Countries such as Great Britain, Japan, Germany, and Switzerland offer public health insurance, however coverage does not come without strain. The universal health care coverage plans not only causes great deficit to the economy, but they also come with premiums, delays in care, and often times no choice of providers. Specialty appointments are nearly impossible to obtain, and in many cases terminally ill patients die prior to receiving the needed care. The plans cover the person and his or her dependents (plans including dependents have higher premiums), but the insured is still responsible for a portion of the services or bill; this applies to the elderly as well. The universal health care plans not only affect the insured, but the healthcare providers as well. In many cases, the healthcare workers are paid lower wages and work less hours in order to help offset some of the costs. The universal health plan in Great Britain offers residents no choices in regards to providers or facilities in which care is received and it is required for the patient to wait 122 days just to receive a routine appointment regardless of their condition (Healthcare Economist, 2008). Japan’s National Health Insurance covers those individuals and their dependents that are not eligible for employer-based insurance. However, the focus of coverage is on the older population; benefiting the retired community. If the insured is not of retirement age, the costs of premiums are higher (Fukawa). In Germany, less than 1% of the population is not covered by the Public Health Insurance. Germany’s healthcare plan offers the insured free choice of outpatient care physicians and hospitals if referred with the focus of care being on chronic care (Busse). Germany offers coverage for the following services: preventative care, inpatient and outpatient care, physician services, mental health care, dental care, prescription drug coverage, medical aids, rehabilitation services, and sick leave compensation (Busse). In Switzerland, there is no choice of providers or facilities in which the patient receives care due to private sector. This means patients like Mr. Davis would incur increased premiums and resulting in limited access to routine care and extended services (Clarke, 2011). Based on the different types of coverage available to patients offered under universal healthcare plans, Mr. Davis would be better served and cared for with the German Healthcare System due to the type of disease he has and his particular health care needs. References Busse, R., MD, MPH. The German Health Care System. Berlin University of Technology & Charite’. Clarke, E. 2011. â€Å"Healthcare Systems: Switzerland†. CIVITAS Institute for the Study of Civil Society. Retrieved May 5, 2012 from www.civitas.org.uk/nhs/switzerland.pdf[->0] FAQs for Employees About COBRA Continuation Health Coverage. Retrieved May 5, 2012 from http://www.dol.gov/ebsa/faqs/faq-consumer-cobra.html Fukawa, T. Public Health Insurance in Japan. Healthcare Economist, 2008. Health Care Around the World: Great Britain. Retrieved fromhttp://healthcare-economist.com/2008/04/23/health-care-around-the-world-great-britain/ Medicare.gov, 2011. Retrieved May 5, 2012 from http://www.medicare.gov/navigation/medicare-basics/medicare-benefits [->0] – http://www.civitas.org.uk/nhs/switzerland.pdf

Bioterrorism in Nursing Essays

Bioterrorism in Nursing Essays Bioterrorism in Nursing Paper Bioterrorism in Nursing Paper Bioterrorism is the premeditated utilization of destructive organic matters or germs to cause the rife of illness and fear among the civilians as well as to the people who are in the medicine field. Its substance is easily spread to a person that once contaminated, can cause instantaneous death to a person. This substance which may come in the form of smallpox, botulism, plague or anthrax and is different from chemical, nuclear or radiation attack wherein its effects is evident as the outcome and result of the attack can be easily seen through the surrounding environment (Davis, Howell, Latourrette, and Mosher, 2003). Bioterrorism on the other hands has the tendency to be recognized later than expected that once discovered might have done huge damage over the body making it too late for them to save their life. This is a biological weapons and is deemed as a threat of use on biological agents by individuals or groups motivated by political, religious, ecological, social or for other ideological objectives to instill fear or cause illness or death in order to achieve their objective. This means of instilling fear to people is not something new as it has been used even during the olden times. The issue of bioterrorism has not only affected and inflicted fear among the civilians wherein everyone doesn’t have any idea as to when they will attacked. Since this is a terrorist activity, choosing the victims is not an option in fact, whoever who was unfortunate to be targeted by the terrorists would surely fall into their hands and meet that dark fate. The effects of bioterrorism also has also been faced by the nurses and health workers wherein part of their job is to do any means to help treat the victim without at the same time contaminating their own selves thus putting their life in the line. Measures have been made, in cases bioterrorism attacks happen again. It is an effort and a strategy to make people be prepared and to know the safety measures and maintain precaution. Addressing the role individuals can play in preparing for and responding to terrorist attacks has benefits on two levels (Brower and Chalk, 2003). On one level, an act of terrorism will result in an emergency situation and, as with any sort of emergency event, there are a number of preparatory and response activities that individuals can engage in to help protect their safety and health. On another level, because ordinary citizens are a primary target of terrorism, being informed, prepared, and ready to respond is likely to provide an individual with a sense of empowerment and confidence to combat the feelings of violation and despair that are the aims of terrorism. Moreover, if terrorists believe that they are less likely to be successful because of individual preparedness, then that preparedness could also serve to deflect terrorists from attacks. As often is the case with new threats, the scope of the dangers posed by terrorism is very difficult to assess. Although one can assign various probabilities to the possibility that the nation will be subject to a major act of biological terrorism, these probabilities are based largely on speculation. Moreover, the scope of the threat varies immensely according to which agents are expected to be used (e. g. , how infectious they are), how proficiently they are produced (e. g. , if they have been modified to resist treatment, are two or more agents combined, or are they newly designed â€Å"super bugs†) how easy they are to deliver and spread, how difficult they are to detect, and so on (Davis, Howell, Latourrette, and Mosher, 2003). In proceeding, it is crucial to realize that both the probability of an attack and the magnitude of its potential severity must be considered. Even if it were somehow reliably known that the probability of a bioterrorist attack was very low, the negative outcome of such an attack could be very great: attackers could use agents that are very infectious, easy to spread, difficult to detect, modified to prevent treatment, and might result in high fatality rates. Because of this potentially disastrous consequence, one must conclude that we face a clear and present danger (Brower and Chalk, 2003). Nurses of these days were made sure to be aware of the current issue so as to make them well prepared in case that this event might break out again. It is a biodefense wherein health professionals were trained and educated on the issue at hand and give them the suitable knowledge on what to do and come up with counter attack in such cases. Methods have been explored by researchers wherein health professionals may utilize such process to appraise infections, classify biomarkers for particular substance and chemicals and expound its effects. This is an advantage for nurses too who would likely be confronted in such situations as majority of them worked in hospitals (Etzioni, 2004). Nurses are well-acquainted to the various reaction to trauma, relationship on stress, sleep and health, and the physiological, immunological and psychosocial changes that takes place with posttraumatic stress syndrome. Nurses were also trained to assess the preparation and response capabilities of hospital sand public health facilities and the competence to make out the apposite skills for nurses and other members of interdisciplinary health teams and paving way to the education of nurses about mass casualty incidents in harnessing their emergency response. Strategies involves actions that individuals can take that can save lives, even in catastrophic terrorist attacks can be demonstrated by tracing the recommended actions back to the terrorist attack scenarios and seeing how they respond effectively to an individuals needs for safety and health. Protection can be achieved against chemical agents, dirty bombs, and nuclear fallout (Davis, Howell, Latourrette, and Mosher, 2003). Once a biological attack has been identified, medical treatment can help prevent smallpox and anthrax infections. Even in the most challenging situations of nuclear and indoor chemical attacks, individuals can avoid the dangers, if they act quickly. Terrorist attacks and the accompanying uncertainties can be expected to evoke intense emotional and behavioral responses on the part of individuals (Dando, 2002). Knowing that individuals can act to save lives and knowing what to do has the additional advantage of making it easier and potentially more likely that individuals will be able to cope in such catastrophic situations. The individuals strategy is sensitive to potential variations in how terrorist attacks might unfold. This is by design because the response actions are derived from scenarios representative of each of the types of attacks and were chosen because of their effectiveness, even when the underlying assumptions in the scenarios change (e. g. , warning time). At the same time, we recognize that the response actions may not be ideal for every possibility and every kind of potential attack. Many uncertainties surround what terrorists will be able and willing to do, as well as their adaptability to changing circumstances. Nevertheless, the alternative of not providing individuals with a strategy with specific actions is much less attractive. Without such guidance, individuals would be required to decide what to do when an attack occurs, with the associated risks of acting in far more dangerous ways. What individuals need to do to survive has little to do with the extent of the effects but rather with the dangers that arise to their own personal safety and health (Brower and Chalk, 2003). Thus, the individuals strategy is not based on the scale of potential attacks, and in presenting the strategy; no mention is made about the likely number of casualties in the different types of attacks. By exhaustively analyzing the effects of various terrorist scenarios, it is discovered that individuals would have only a few primary needs rather than the multiplicity that might be expected in such catastrophic situations. These primary needs are captured in the individuals strategy in terms of the overarching goals that an individual would seek in each type of attack. Such a small number of key responses make it easy for individuals to remember. Keeping these overarching goals in mind helps individuals understand the reasoning behind the strategys specific response actions and also allows an individual to adapt to the circumstances as they may actually arise at the time of an attack. Acting simply on the basis of these goals would improve an individuals chances of survival. By understanding the effects of the scenarios, it is then possible to discover what factors are most critical to an individuals ability to achieve these over-arching goals. For chemical and radiological attacks, the critical factors are whether the release is inside a building or outdoors and where an individual is in relation to that release. In nuclear attacks, the critical factors are where the radioactive fallout cloud spreads and whether an individual can move out of this area before it becomes contaminated. The critical factors in biological attacks involve whether the agent is or is not contagious and whether an individual has been exposed or infected (Davis, Howell, Latourrette, and Mosher, 2003). Success in implementing the individuals strategy will depend critically on individuals having advance knowledge about the characteristics of terrorist attacks and the appropriate response actions. This is especially the case for those attacks (chemical, radiological, nuclear) where individuals will need to act on their own quickly without official guidance. Beyond having an advance understanding of what to do in the event of a terrorist attack, the individuals strategy includes additional preparatory steps. Because these have been derived from the response actions, the strategy can ensure that an individual focuses on those critical for terrorist attacks. Gathering information and making plans are by far the most important preparatory steps (e. g. , creating a family communication plan, learning about the evacuation plans in buildings one occupies frequently). At the same time, these preparatory steps are not absolutely essential to the success of the individuals strategy. It is also the case that the response actions for the most part do not require any advance training or practice. All these involve actions that individuals can take that can be effective in saving lives, even in catastrophic terrorist attacks. These actions differ in important ways from how individuals should prepare for natural and other types of disasters. They are appropriate regardless of the likelihood of an attack or whatever the government alert level might be. They are designed to be sensitive to potential variations in how such attacks might unfold but are presented in ways to prepare individuals for surprises (Brower and Chalk, 2003). One important advantage of these approach to defining an individuals strategy is that it can be used now to focus on how groups of individuals in special situations, such as the elderly, sick, and disabled, should prepare for catastrophic terrorism. In some cases, these individuals could be at an advantage (e. g. , those in nursing homes will already be inside in the event of outdoor chemical or radiological attacks). However, they would be at a clear disadvantage in situations in which they needed to move quickly, such as in an indoor chemical attack or a nuclear attack. Given the uncertainties surrounding terrorist threats, our approach could also be used to update the strategy as the characteristics of the threat evolve. New and different scenarios could be examined and our recommended strategy evaluated to assess its continuing relevance in such new environments. In addition, actions that today are not available to individuals could be evaluated as new technologies or medical treatments become available (e. g. , new types of air-filtering systems or vaccines). With the development of detection systems, individuals might gain more effective ways to respond. These could be evaluated using our process and criteria. Finally, should attacks occur in the future, lessons could be learned about the actual effects, individual needs, and utility of various response actions, and these could be introduced into our analysis to see whether any changes should be made. Bibliography: Brower, J. and Chalk, P. 2003. The Global Threat of New and Reemerging Infectious Diseases: Reconciling U. S. National Security and Public Health Policy. Santa Monica, CA: Rand Dando, M. 2002. Preventing Biological Warfare: The Failure of American Leadership. New York: Palgrave Davis, L. , Howell, D. , Latourrette, T. and Mosher, D. 2003. Individual Preparedness and Response to Chemical, Radiological Nuclear, and Biological Terrorist Attacks. Santa Monica, CA: Rand Etzioni, A. 2004. How Patriotic is the Patriot Act? Freedom versus Security in the Age of Terrorism. New York: Routledge International Council of Nurses. 2007. Terrorism and Bioterrorism: Nursing Preparedness. Retrieved 24 July 2007, from icn. ch/matters_bio. htm Inglesby, T. and O’Toole, T. 2007. Medical Aspects of Biological Terrorism. Retrieved 24 July 2007, from acponline. org/bioterro/medicalaspects. htm

Comparison of pre 1914 poetry Essays

Comparison of pre 1914 poetry Essays Comparison of pre 1914 poetry Essay Comparison of pre 1914 poetry Essay Essay Topic: Thomas Hardy Poems In the selection of pre 1914 poems I have studied, I have noticed many similarities. They share common themes and structures; the use of language is similar in that the descriptions are very full and often indirect. For example the poet will often use metaphors and similes rather than direct language.One such common theme is death. Thomas hardy author of The Going and The Voice speaks widely on this subject. In his personal life, he was deeply touched by the death of his wife Emma, and makes frequent reference to how she left him so suddenly and without warning;Why did you give no hint that nightDeath is also a favourite topic of Alfred Lord Tennyson. Again, in his life, he was shattered by the death of a loved one. In the poem Break, Break, Break, the breaking waves remind the poet of his life which is greatly affected by a death;But the tender grace of a day that is deadWill never come back to meIn a similar poem, Crossing The Bar, his approach to death is described as though he were a ship leaving harbour:Sunset and evening star,And one clear call for meAnd there may be no moaning of the barWhen I put out to sea.Christina Rosetti was another Victorian poet touched y the fascination of death, common to the era. In her poem called Song, the message is plain;When I am dead my dearest,Sing no sad songs for me;Plant thou no roses at my head,Nor shady cypress tree:All the poets mentioned so far make use of the regular form of stanza in their construction. In the previous example,Christina Rosettis verses are each eight lines in length and rhyming alternately.Tennyson uses a similar structure in his short poems but varies the rhythm and rhyme in his longer poem, The Charge of The Light Brigade. The irregular length of the stanzas and the fact that each couplet rhymes gives this poem a slightly different feel to the previous examples:Half a league, half a league,Half a league onwardThe sounds of the words in the quotation mimic the rhythm of horses galloping into battle and this sets the tone for the rest of the poem.Tennyson wrote the poem after reading a newspaper article of the battle and the chaos and horrors of war is accentuated by the quick fire tone of the words.Cannon to the right of them,Cannon to the left of them,Cannon in front of them,The above example also shows how the poet made use of repetition. Again this is commonly seen in all the examples when the authors wish to highlight certain features.The use of alliteration is another method common to the poets at the time, used when they wish to stress recurring ideas.An example of this can be seen in the poem A Portrait by Christina Rosetti:She schooled herself to sights and sounds uncouthEach word group begins with an S which immediately grabs the readers attention.The poem is also different in that she makes use of the sonnet form, where each stanza is fourteen lines long. The rhyming arrangements are also slightly different:All pain had left her; and the suns last rayShone through upon her, warming into redThe shady curtainsThe rhythmic, almost musical quality of this poem and indeed all the others of the period emphasize that the poets intended them to be read aloud.I can conclude that similarities exist mainly within the themes of the poems, whilst they differ in their technical construction and language.

400 Million Years of Shark Evolution

400 Million Years of Shark Evolution If you went back in time and looked at the first, unremarkable prehistoric sharks of the Ordovician periodabout 420 million years agoyou might never guess that their descendants would become such dominant creatures, holding their own against vicious marine reptiles like pliosaurs and mosasaurs and going on to become the apex predators of the worlds oceans. Today, few creatures in the world inspire as much fear as the Great White Shark, the closest nature has come to a pure killing machineif you exclude Megalodon, which was 10 times bigger. Before discussing shark evolution, though, its important to define what we mean by shark. Technically, sharks are a suborder of fish whose skeletons are made out of cartilage rather than bone; sharks are also distinguished by their streamlined, hydrodynamic shapes, sharp teeth, and sandpaper-like skin. Frustratingly for paleontologists, skeletons made of cartilage dont persist in the fossil record nearly as well as skeletons made of bonewhich is why so many prehistoric sharks are known primarily (if not exclusively) by their fossilized teeth. The First Sharks We dont have much in the way of direct evidence, except for a handful of fossilized scales, but the first sharks are believed to have evolved during the Ordovician period, about 420 million years ago (to put this into perspective, the first tetrapods didnt crawl up out of the sea until 400 million years ago). The most important genus that has left significant fossil evidence is the difficult-to-pronounce Cladoselache, numerous specimens of which have been found in the American midwest. As you might expect in such an early shark, Cladoselache was fairly small, and it had some odd, non-shark-like characteristicssuch as a paucity of scales (except for small areas around its mouth and eyes) and a complete lack of claspers, the sexual organ by which male sharks attach themselves (and transfer sperm to) the females. After Cladoselache, the most important prehistoric sharks of ancient times were Stethacanthus, Orthacanthus, and Xenacanthus. Stethacanthus measured only six feet from snout to tail but already boasted the full array  of shark features: scales, sharp teeth, a distinctive fin structure, and a sleek, hydrodynamic build. What set this genus apart were the bizarre, ironing-board-like structures atop the backs of males, which were probably somehow used during mating. The equally ancient Stethacanthus and Orthacanthus were both fresh-water sharks, distinguished by their small size, eel-like bodies, and odd spikes protruding from the tops of their heads (which may have delivered jabs of poison to bothersome predators). The Sharks of the Mesozoic Era Considering how common they were during the preceding geologic periods, sharks kept a relatively low profile during most of the Mesozoic Era,  because of intense competition from marine  reptiles like ichthyosaurs and plesiosaurs. By far the most successful genus was Hybodus, which was built for survival: this prehistoric shark had two types of teeth, sharp ones for eating fish and flat ones for grinding mollusks, as well as a sharp blade jutting out of its dorsal fin to keep other predators at bay. The cartilaginous skeleton of Hybodus was unusually tough and calcified, explaining this sharks persistence both in the fossil record and in the worlds oceans, which it prowled from the Triassic to the early Cretaceous periods. Prehistoric sharks really came into their own during the middle Cretaceous period, about 100 million years ago. Both Cretoxyrhina (about 25 feet long) and Squalicorax (about 15 feet long) would be recognizable as true sharks by a modern observer; in fact, theres direct tooth-mark evidence that Squalicorax preyed on dinosaurs that blundered into its habitat. Perhaps the most surprising shark from the Cretaceous period is the recently discovered Ptychodus, a 30-foot-long monster whose numerous, flat teeth were adapted to grinding up tiny mollusks, rather than large fish or aquatic reptiles. After the Mesozoic After the dinosaurs (and their aquatic cousins) went extinct 65 million years ago, prehistoric sharks were free to complete their slow evolution into the remorseless killing machines we know today. Frustratingly, the fossil evidence for the sharks of the Miocene epoch (for example) consists almost exclusively of teeththousands and thousands of teeth, so many that you can buy yourself one on the open market for a fairly modest price. The Great White-sized Otodus, for example, is known almost exclusively by its teeth, from which paleontologists have reconstructed this fearsome, 30-foot-long shark. By far the most famous prehistoric shark of the Cenozoic Era  was Megalodon, adult specimens of which measured 70 feet from head to tail and weighed as much as 50 tons. Megalodon was a true apex predator of the worlds oceans, feasting on everything from whales, dolphins, and seals to giant fish and (presumably) equally giant squids; for a few million years, it may even have preyed on the equally ginormous whale Leviathan. No one knows why this monster went extinct about two million years ago; the most likely candidates include climate change and the resulting disappearance of its usual prey.

Human Resource Devopment Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Human Resource Devopment - Assignment Example The colleague prefers individualized learning experience where the learning facilitator assumes the role of evaluating the learning process. At the same time, the colleague prefers learning in small coordinated groups where every individual has role to play. Although the colleague prefers participative learning experience, the assertion the colleague make is that such experience should not be independent and structural framework should be established to guide the process. Moreover, the colleague prefers learning process that draws from theories and practical experiences. At the same time, experimental learning that is packaged by facts and real-time examples is what the colleague prefers. Learning that develops on established principles is what the colleague prefers. Lastly, the colleague prefers learning experience that is based on established and communicated discussion methods and one that encourages feedback and evaluations. Learning Curve Learning curve has been used to explain and describe the learning process among different individuals. It constitute graphical representation of how the rate of learning for an individual occur in any given activity or entity (Mangal, 1995). Learning process starts with acquisition of particular idea, which then increases before finally declining after repetitiveness (Mangal 1995). As the curve depicts, learning progress very slowly at first and then accelerates fast. In addition, the curve shows that learning does not progress at the same rate in most cases and this can be demonstrated by the curves and plateaus (Pandey 2006; Heywood 1989). Different tasks are learnt and success acquired... The paper tells that organizations have to initiate lifelong learning, training, and development of their members. Learning constitutes an aspect that growth-motivated organizations cannot ignore or underrate. It is an avenue where change processes in organizations are absorbed and implemented. Nevertheless, organizations have to realize that different individuals possess different learning styles, which constitute an aspect that should be factored when developing and implementing learning strategies. Therefore, the essence of this research paper will be to look at the concepts of learning, training, and development in an organization. Through the research paper, learning theories and learning styles have been identified and discussed hence adequate knowledge has been generated from this. In addition, the research has been able to outline processes for planning and designing training and development in an organization and how such plans can succeed. Moreover, evaluating of training events has been discussed and knowledge about the processes, methods, and procedures of carrying out evaluation has been established. Finally, government initiatives to improve and enhance HR development has been investigated and evaluated and the overall conclusion is that the government plays key role in enhancing HR development. On overall, it can be stated that the research paper has accomplished research objectives that were established earlier in the paper.

Letter with a salutation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Letter with a salutation - Essay Example This entails the amount of output per worker or output per an hour worked (Jorgenson 56). If labour fails to achieve its desired object, then it is considered as unproductive. Productivity can also be defined in terms of total factor productivity which measures output in terms of the contribution of all other factors of production except labour and capital. Productivity can be determined by the level of managerial skill, innovation and teamwork within an organisation. Productivity increases with the increase in the level of managerial skills, innovation, technology and teamwork. Labour and human capital utilizes other factors of production such as physical capital, technology and land to increase the productivity of an organisation. The productivity of an organisation can therefore be measured in terms of the overall performance of the organisation in utilising its resources. The concept of productivity has been used in economics for a long time. It came from the Medieval Latin word Productivus which means product. Therefore, the term has been common ever since the medieval era. However, it became measurable and applicable in organisations during industrial revolution. The concept is still used to determine the profitability of organisations and economic growth of countries. A productive company follows specific processes of production in order to transform an input of less value into an output of greater value. For instance, in the production of clothes raw cotton is transformed in textile industries into clothe through manufacturing process. Similarly, wheat grains are transformed in a bakery into bread. These are all production processes. Productivity in these cases refers to the amount of output which results from a single unit of input, e.g. the number of clothes produced by a single unit of cotton. When I start working for your organisation productivity will be an important aspect of my contribution as I think about

How did Slavery become a powerful Institution in America Essay - 1

How did Slavery become a powerful Institution in America - Essay Example Lastly, all nations desired conquest for exploring new opportunities. The European rivalries that existed in the New World were an accumulation of conquests that were desired by the imperialistic nations in Europe. From the dawn of the 15th century, European nations such as Portugal, Spain, Netherlands and France begin to establish their dominance. In the 18th century, the British and French fought for dominance over the "New World". These nations desired conquest because of power, wealth, and opportunities. The civil war was one of the bloodiest war fought that continues to leave a dark impression throughout the course of the US History. It is impossible to point just one factor that justified the actions of the Civil War Soldiers. However, it was evident that the growing demand led many plantation owners for suitable land. Additionally, the growing demand for cotton was overwhelming. Moreover, this huge boom in agricultural economies in the Deep South was detrimental as it caused huge divisions and expansions which created a huge movement of slaves. Conducive research indicates that the growing demand for cotton led many plantation owners further west in search of suitable land. Moreover, the invention of the  cotton gin  by Eli Whitney enabled south to be more prosperous via cotton. As a matter of fact, this invention was crucial as it revolutionized the cotton industry by increasing fifty-fold the quantity of cotton that could be processed in a day. It was clear that this mechanization changed the efficiency of how cotton was produced, which meant that the American labor force needed expansion. This caused a greater influx of slave labor. First and foremost was the fact that the Soldiers in North wanted to keep the nation united. The notion of South’s separation from the Union was an idea that the North clearly could not digest. In addition, Lincoln’s

The Influence of Team work on Motivation and Organisation Performance Research Proposal

The Influence of Team work on Motivation and Organisation Performance - Research Proposal Example People may be motivated to fail an establishment etc. Motivation, positive motivation, more often brings forth positive results. This explains why most organizations are bent to ensure that they motivate their workers so that they can have the positive energy required to positively realize the company’s vision. How does motivation influence organizational Performance? The influence is obvious. A highly motivated workforce will certainly produce more than the contrary will. Take for instance of external auditors who constantly work as a group. When they visit their client for analysis of books, their teamwork will not only motivate them but assist them have results and deliverables within a very short time. Most of the organizations that are highly productive, most of the times have highly motivated human resource and more often than not embrace teamwork. Therefore, teamwork is also a very important ingredient in organizational performance but it affects both motivation and per formance. In other words, teamwork enhances motivation which in turn influences organizational performance. Teamwork can as well directly influence organizational performance. This paper will seek to propose how a research into the influence of teamwork on motivation and organizational performance can be conducted. As mentioned in the foregoing section, the proposed research will focus on finding out how teamwork influences both motivation and organizational performance. The research question to be answered at the end of the research is: How does teamwork influence motivation and organizational performance? This question is answered through two main ways in which we shall see how teamwork in auditors enhances both the motivational and performance of the auditors as well as how teamwork is seen in the organization the auditors visit and how this organizational teamwork enhances motivation and hence organizational performance. First the research will show how

Project ManagementTo Build a Log Cabin as a Case Essay

Project ManagementTo Build a Log Cabin as a Case - Essay Example The goal of this project is to ensure that it remains within budget and that is completed within the stipulated time; most importantly, the project aims at ensuring that the customer is satisfied with the final product; beautifully built log cabin, just as the customer wants and expects it to be. This project report is made up of the following critical components and aspects. This project first analyses the projected project schedule and items, as well as the corresponding cost of each project activity; this I done by using two important project management tools, a network diagram, and a Gantt chart. Secondly, this report endeavours to analyse the main factors that may affect the progress and completion of the project. For instance, risk analysis is carried out, with the focus being on the main risk that might affect or impede on the success of this project; for this purpose, a project risk assessment form is used. The third part of this report looks at the project’s emergency plan; these entails the prediction of would be risks and proposing corresponding changes aimed at mitigating the identified risks. Additionally, this report discusses the quality aspect of the project; deals solely with the question of quality control. This entails factors such as project cost control and customer satisfaction, particularly, customer communication. Scheduling and time related issues are also addressed in this section with aim of ensuring that the timely completion of project activities as well as the entire project is guaranteed. Finally, this report reflects on the entire project and offers some conclusion regarding the project; this is with regards to the risk level and the overall quality of the project. This project enables us develop the ability to analyse and solve problems, and enables us to become more objective and rational thinkers. Project

The Influence of Team work on Motivation and Organisation Performance Research Proposal

The Influence of Team work on Motivation and Organisation Performance - Research Proposal Example People may be motivated to fail an establishment etc. Motivation, positive motivation, more often brings forth positive results. This explains why most organizations are bent to ensure that they motivate their workers so that they can have the positive energy required to positively realize the company’s vision. How does motivation influence organizational Performance? The influence is obvious. A highly motivated workforce will certainly produce more than the contrary will. Take for instance of external auditors who constantly work as a group. When they visit their client for analysis of books, their teamwork will not only motivate them but assist them have results and deliverables within a very short time. Most of the organizations that are highly productive, most of the times have highly motivated human resource and more often than not embrace teamwork. Therefore, teamwork is also a very important ingredient in organizational performance but it affects both motivation and per formance. In other words, teamwork enhances motivation which in turn influences organizational performance. Teamwork can as well directly influence organizational performance. This paper will seek to propose how a research into the influence of teamwork on motivation and organizational performance can be conducted. As mentioned in the foregoing section, the proposed research will focus on finding out how teamwork influences both motivation and organizational performance. The research question to be answered at the end of the research is: How does teamwork influence motivation and organizational performance? This question is answered through two main ways in which we shall see how teamwork in auditors enhances both the motivational and performance of the auditors as well as how teamwork is seen in the organization the auditors visit and how this organizational teamwork enhances motivation and hence organizational performance. First the research will show how

Business Partner Model Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Business Partner Model - Coursework Example A distinction can be made between â€Å"hard† and â€Å"soft† approaches to HRM, in which the organization may adopt â€Å"hard† approach, whereby employees can be perceived as a resource to be managed just like other factors of production. Conversely, organizations may place an emphasis on a â€Å"soft† approach to HRM in which employees comes out as a valuable asset, whose contribution plays a critical role in the attainment of organization success. The paper explores the efficacy of business partner model in addressing the changes and improvements necessitated by investing in â€Å"human capital.† HR business partnering represents the process in which HR professionals closely work with business leaders or line managers with the intention of attaining shared organizational objectives, primarily with the motive of designing and implementing HR systems and processes that propel strategic business aims (Caldwell 2010, p.49). In the HR business partne r model, the human resource departments play a critical role in strategic planning, especially in attainment of present and future objectives (Ian 2006, p.33). The model does not only concentrate on HR duties such as payroll, benefits, and employee relations, but also add value to the company by directing recruiting, advancement, training, and placement of new and current employees (Lambert 2009, p.7). Business partnering seeks to encourage line managers at diverse levels to take responsibility in managing HR team. Business partner model seeks to enhance the effectiveness of HR and minimize its costs. The ultimate aim of business partnering centers of aligning people strategy more closely with what the business requires. The engagement in training and development can be undertaken with full knowledge of the inner workings of the business (Dowling, Festing, and Engle 2008, p.4). Hence, the strategic orientation that business partner model heralds allows organizations to attain the mo st productive outcome. Some of the key issues encountered in the implementation of business partnering entail absence of clarity regarding the HR’s role, and the lack of a consistent business strategy within which HR can work. HR may be marginalized from real decision making, and the influence of business partnering may differ. Some of the inherent conflicts within the model derive from the fact that the performance of one role may conflict with competing demands yielding to potential role-overload (Ian 2006, p.34). Other possible conflicts emanates from incomplete performance criteria in undertaking a single role, such as being strategic while at the same time responding to line manager’s tactical issues (Lambert 2009, p.8). The implementation of business partner model can herald enhancements on the organization’s bottom line and productivity. The implementation of business partnering can lead to sustained revenue growth, profit growth and cost reduction, and i mproved customer royalty and retention. This hinges on the capability to work smarter (business partnering

Diamond cites multiple factors Essay Example for Free

Diamond cites multiple factors Essay A tale of two very similar farms, 500 years apart in time, in Montana and in Greenland respectively, sets the scene for Jared Diamond’s romp round the known world with an ecological bee in his bonnet. One farm prospered, and the other collapsed. Here ends the first reading, and sure enough, another few dozen parables of human folly follow immediately after. The book reads like a sequel to Diamond’s Pulitzer Prize winning title of 1997: Guns, Germs and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies even though the focus this time is more firmly on the societies that failed. The same cherry-picking formula is used, and the same breezy tone makes Collapse a fairly easy read, despite its heavy theme and expansive range. The book’s central thesis is that it is geography, more than history, that ultimately causes the demise of individual human communities and societies. This is perhaps not surprising from a professor of geology and physiology at the University of California in Los Angeles. The frozen wastes of Greenland and the striking stone heads of Easter Island are presented as grim reminders of past civilisations. Diamond cites multiple factors such as environmental change, climate change, hostile neighbours, loss of trading partners and a poor response to emerging environmental problems as the causes of decline and ultimately the collapse of these societies. He is at his best when he talks about smaller, more isolated and pre-industrial groups, putting us all in mind of an earlier time when people generally lived in villages rather than cities. The book shifts, however, and applies the same kind of analysis to large city-based civilizations like the ancient Maya of South America and more mixed modern economies such as China and Australia. In these cases, as they say, the plot thickens and when Diamond gets his crystal ball out, he predicts that China, â€Å"the lurching giant† will have to apply its typical top-down draconian pressures to environmental issues in the same way that it enforced a strict curb on the birth rate. Diamond’s innocuous description of China’s brutal one child ruling as â€Å"family planning policies †¦ bold and effectively carried out† underplays the culture shift that would need to occur if ever a western democracy were to try a similar tactic in aid of environmental reforms. One can’t help thinking that Diamond has not yet got his head round the concept of globalization and the astonishing capacity that modern democracies have for technological solutions to the old crises of supply and demand of raw resources. His rather glib conclusion â€Å"Globalization makes it impossible for modern societies to collapse in isolation†¦ for the first time we face the risk of a global decline† simply expands the primitive pattern to a bigger scale. This book is a wake up call. Some of its claims are exaggerated, as when the situation of modern Australia is compared to â€Å"an exponentially accelerating horse race† which for Diamond means â€Å"accelerating in the manner of a nuclear chain reaction. † The metaphors may be hopelessly mixed, but the point he is making is clear and critically important. After a leisurely wander through most of human civilisation as we know it, Diamond draws sobering conclusions about the cost of mistakes that we should, theoretically at least, be able to predict and deal with before they become fatal and final errors. While we may not be able to agree with all of his conclusions, we certainly are in debt to Jared Diamond for providing us with, yet again, a gripping sequence of well-drawn episodes and plenty of food for thought.

Definition of assessment

Definition of assessment Assessment is the foundation of the social work process with service users (Walker and Beckett, 2003:6). Why is assessment a crucial aspect of the social work process and what makes an effective social work assessment? What might be some of the barriers to an affective assessment and how can the worker overcome these? In your answer, you will be expected to refer to relevant research regarding social work assessment. Social workers are expected to carry out an initial assessment of situations they encounter before taking action. These are important because they provide the foundation for any plans to support, protect, manage or provide aid for a client. In a nutshell, an assessment is simply gathering information about people, their situation, factors deemed relative to that situation, and integrating this into a formal report, which will be used to look back on when carrying out a review. This will not only provide a helpful way for the social worker to quickly reacquaint themselves when looking back on a family, but it will also allow other work staff to get a gist of the situation if they are coming into it for the first time. For an effective assessment it takes someone with an organised, rational and open minded knowledge base, using these to compliment a number of unique skills they will hold, enabling them to come to grasps with the varied number of situations they will face and an ability to be sensitive to those involved. It is expected of social work graduates to understand all the legal documentations issued by work bodies (such as the Department of Health), for these will include necessary guidelines on assessment and how and when to act. However, simply knowing these will not cut it, and those who are inexperienced will simply be able to regurgitate back what they have learnt without knowing the true art of carrying out their work. An assessment is more than simply making notes on ones observations, for it includes the workers opinions, beliefs and ideas, which will be essential when carrying out interventions. They are not to be confused with evaluations, although they do contain evaluative sectors, for example determining a clients needs. Unlike evaluations however, assessments are open to more probing and study, which make them more effective tools for making a decision. For the social worker to be able to make their assessment successful, they will need to ensure they can fully appreciate a) all factors that affect the client and b) which of the clients needs are not being met. To do this they will need to establish the type of person their client is, for example how they communicate with others, how they react to stress, how they deal with problems etc. It is important for the social worker to know which bits of information are relevant, and rather than find out everything they can (scatter gun method) they pick out those bits which will serve to help them later. If they ask too many questions it will lead to general misinterpretations, often a common mistake in those just starting social work practice. One must understand that views will be different, and that other work forces, agencies or even individuals will draw out their own conclusions for a case. This makes it difficult to assume any kind of truth in an assessment, since what one sees depends on where one looks. (Jones 1983) Another problem assessors face is that there is often the case of clients scapegoating or stigmatising based on a negative assessment. Social workers are aware that they are held accountable for any action they make, and so if they make an error in the assessment that could prove costly to a families support, then they may be faced with court proceedings. In actuality, assessments are by no means a quick process. It is often the case that work staff are met with the stress of having to cope with busy offices, numerous phone calls and masses of paper work. Stress can affect workers in any number of ways, but the biggest concern is that it can lead to negligence such as making quick, inaccurate assessments because there is no time to meet the demands of the office. There is, however, a way of preventing these difficulties and that is to employ a method referred to as triangulation. This is done by drawing comparisons from other groups to find similarities between information gathered. In addition to this, it may prove helpful to discuss the assessment with clients themselves, for this will not only improve the accuracy of the assessment but will also create a sense of trust and warmth between client and worker. In spite of triangulation mistakes are still inevitable. Possibly the most common mistake would be to apply a one sided attitude towards people and/or situations. An example would be of a social worker looking at an argumentative couple; seeing things only from either the controlling wife point of view, or the unfaithful husband point of view. For this reason it is essential for the social worker to bring in other colleagues so as to form a multidisciplinary assessment. Rather than relying on one mans opinion, by working as a team, members may gain further insight into the task at hand and observations may be brought to the table that otherwise would have gone unnoticed. However, the use of multiple assessments is problematic in that the social worker will have to deal with multiple theories. This may lead to conflicts and confusions over the correct path to follow. Because of the time constraints on social work practice, alternative methods have been introduced to take away some of the pressures. Self assessments for example are often carried out when dealing with younger children. It is seen as a fun learning experience and will tell staff workers much about that child. Self assessments will compose of numerous exercises, such as multiple choice questionnaires, rating scales, producing stories, drawings of themselves, and/or their families. Adults often prefer this method as it allows them to use their own words rather than being misinterpreted. Another alternative is computer aided assessments. These have long been used in other fields such as medicine in order to make quick diagnoses. They are helpful in that they save time, and unlike humans do not forget or make errors. It is as simple as loading in all the variables, and allowing the computer to calculate the most likely outcome and therefore the best form of action. However, computers are unable to process social, emotional, or psychological factors and so can often fail to spot key issues. The use of computers is therefore limited. Recently, there have been movements in practice theory, the most important of which is a larger emphasis on the influences of powerlessness, prejudicial views, discriminatory acts and oppression. In addition, workers are starting to develop a more constructionist way of thinking. This includes seeing beliefs and ideas not as relying on the influence of the environment around those who hold said beliefs and ideas, rather them being constructed by individual people whilst they converse and respond to one anothers presence. It is this constructionist way of thinking where many theories on assessment begin. In the past 3 years it was found, through reviews from service users, that many were unsatisfied with the assessment process. One rising concern was that a large number of social workers were failing to conduct reassessments. It seems that they only look at certain information in order to confirm their theories and therefore neglect many important items. This is a critical point because assessments are the basis for all further work. An error here would be damaging for the whole investigation. Even when a reassessment is made, there still remains the problem of prioritising key areas of importance. If this is done shoddily then there is risk of the assessment giving off misrepresentations when conducting an evaluation. To prevent this, there are three areas that it is suggested the social worker start by looking at. These are: Starting where the client is, focussing on meeting the clients needs; legal considerations, which should be made known to the client; and health or safety concerns, for if there are any risks to the client then they must be informed. (Hepworth and Dean 2006) Another important issue relates to the production of a culturally competent assessment. The social worker must therefore demonstrate knowledge of cultural norms, acculturation, and language differences, the ability to differentiate between individual and culturally linked attributes, the initiative to seek out needed information so that evaluations are not biased and services are culturally appropriate; and an understanding of the ways that cultural differences may reveal themselves in the assessment process. (Hepworth and Dean 2006) There are numerous differences between cultures when it comes to forms of, for example; disciplining younger family members, selecting the most dominant group member, aiding those unable to manage for themselves, how to address one another, and many others. And because of these differences, the social worker must be wary when considering things such as; what is seen as normal behaviour in children with autism? What is seen as a healthy amount of sex in afro Caribbean tribe members? At what age is a child believed to reach maturity in China, Africa, Asia etc? The list is endless. Patterns of behaviour which may appear dysfunctional in one culture may be considered normal to another. It is important that social workers have knowledge of their clients background and if not then research it. For an error made may aggravate or offend them. It can be hard to define exactly what an assessment is, who it is intended for, and the reason it needs to be carried out. Pincus and Minaham (1973) therefore developed a model framework with the specific aim being to help social workers recognise; the reasons for their involvement, the expected goals and outcomes, which persons fit the role of agent and which fit the role of client, what needs to be maintained and what needs to be managed. Pincus and Minaham labelled three kinds of resource system which people will have contact with during their lives and four mapping systems which summarise what is occurring. The advantages of a systems approach are many. Firstly, it helps the social worker to understand a situation in such a way it gives clear definitions of those involved and how they are linked to one another. Secondly, aims and goals are clearly established early on, which helps them create a formal plan with their client and also helps both parties follow any progress made. Thirdly, it removes some of the burden of work off of the social workers back, knowing that not everything depends on their selves. It also helps them to see which areas may take the most work, and which may be met with more conflict. This will help them plan their time and resources irrespectively, know when and where they should be, and how much of their attention is required at any time. By doing this, the social worker is less likely to exclude important responsibilities, or focus too much on only one aspect. Upon evaluation of the system, if for any reason another worker sees something they wish to add, remov e or change, then this can be easily done with little time consumption. It is not unlikely that things may change at a later date, for example new clients may need to be added to the system, or new targets to be met. Peoples needs are not immutable and are always changing. The social worker must recognise this and be able to identify any changes, and adjust so as to fit them into the system. There are also certain disadvantages of a systems approach. Firstly, although it helps to maintain the flow of activities, it will not provide enough understanding of a persons life without the addition of other approaches. Alone, the model is too general, and does not include a great deal of information about the relevant difficulties being assessed. Secondly, despite all its hype about ordering data, the systems approach does not maintain that data should be collected to begin with. Furthermore, it fails to recognise the importance of existing beliefs about human behaviour, so is basically starting from scratch each time. Thirdly, the natural urge to focus primarily on the clients illness, with little attention being paid on their wellness can often lower their sprits and remove their hopes of ever finding a solution to their problem. As a social worker making an assessment, it helps to understand that, since external problems become internal, and the internal affects the external, looking at just the social aspects will prove inadequate, just as looking at just the psychological aspects is inadequate.(Milner and OByrne 1998) We need to look at both, and use various approaches to complement one another. Assessments need to draw in help from psychiatrists and psychologists, those skilled at exploring the unconscious. For it may be the case that the client has certain unresolved issues that may be of relevance. A problem workers face is that the id is like a cavern, in that it is made up of large numbers of interrelated passages. Some will affect others, while others will come to a dead end. And everything inside that cavern is hidden away from the outside world and is immune to any happenings beyond its entrance. Applying a psychodynamic approach as it were is advantageous because it is able to explain away what appears to be irrational behaviour. As I explained, many of a persons difficulties may not be explicit and observable. Many individuals use defence mechanisms as a way of hiding their emotions. And so by combining aspects of psychology (cognitive, psychoanalytic, humanistic etc.) it will allow the worker to delve deep into their clients personality and learn more about their associations with the world around them. This approach has imposed a caring, considering, communicative attitude amongst assessment workers and gets them to gain more of an emphatic relationship with their clients. Rather than applying a tick box assessment and using the same set of questions for each person, the worker now has a set of guideline questions allowing them to go off on a tangent basing each new question on the previous answer. The psychodynamic approach does indeed contribute greatly to the advances in social work assessment; however it has a number of issues of concern. First and foremost, the main interest is on the individual and so social factors are often neglected or disregarded. Secondly, abnormal human behaviour or behaviour that does not fit with the norms of society is grounds for a referral. Homosexuality for example is put down to Oedipal conflicts, homosexuals are not treated as a typical male and this causes much oppression and discrimination. Furthermore, the guidelines for communication are based on a middle class Caucasian male. Although certain groups will see equal gain from this method of practice there are many from other cultures that will react differently. And so to make an effective assessment the social worker must be able to relate their skills across cultures. Thirdly, when dealing with children, psychoanalysis may prove ineffective or even destructive. For example in cases of child abuse the sexual wants of an adult are transferred into the childs want for their parents. The child becomes the culprit and the blame is put towards the mother for being neglectful. When it comes to the ideas of Freud, the population of workers is split, half of them opposing entirely and half of them supporting entirely. As with all other approaches, the psychodynamic approach works best when in conjunction with others. An assessment which includes a descriptive evaluation of client behaviours will prove more effective than one without because the worker is then able to look at how those behaviours have come to be part of their clients being and why they continue to exist. Behavioural assessments see behaviours as being learned, and therefore can be unlearnt through training. All behaviours have an underlying cause; the point of the assessment is to therefore find the route of the problem and find ways to negate its effects. There are often however misinterpretations. For example, what is a negative reinforcer? (strengthening a particular behaviour by removal of something undesirable). Punishment is not a negative reinforcer although it is associated with something undesirable. But rather than extinguish the problematic behaviour, it is often the case that it causes resistance. And so the behaviour has become strengthened. The problem is that there are no clear definitions of positive and negative reinforcers, seeing as what is considered desirable or aversive will vary between people. What may be pain to one man may be seen as a challenge to another who will welcome it. To work around this social workers must ensure they work with their client to determine what they perceive as basically good or bad. It is important the worker be consistent when making visits (reassessments), for example if they always turn up at a foster home when they get a call the child is misbehaving, yet they rarely turn up when the child is behaving reasonably they may inadvertently be making their misbehaviour more appealing. Many behaviours, be they positive or negative, helpful or hindering, are learned during the course of life and are influenced by our life experiences. Behaviourists believe that when conducting an assessment it is important for the worker to understand where problem behaviours have come from and what reasons there are for their manifestation. Once the underlying routes have been established the worker then helps the client to unlearn those behaviours and get back on track to healthy living. An effective assessment is therefore one that considers the ABCs; the antecedents, behaviours and the consequences. Anything that causes the unwanted behaviour should be removed, whereas anything that promotes desired behaviours should be encouraged. The client should then learn to associate these positive behaviours with pleasant experiences; this way they will want to repeat them. Assessments should look at a clients history thoroughly. It is easy to miss parts out, yet everything needs to be ex amined for even something seemingly irrelevant may hold the key to a persons problem. Of course it is unrealistic to look at absolutely every aspect of a persons life, especially the elderly who have an extremely long history to cover. And so it has been argued that behavioural approaches lack validity and are unattainable. This aside the behavioural approach is still useful because it provides clear definitions of; the aims, goals and the plans for intervention. Furthermore, the approach, more so than other approaches motivates the client to have a say in the overall structure of the assessment. Sheldon (1982) believes there is the advantage that it does not manipulate the data in any way so that the client can be placed in a particular category or theory. People are seen as individuals, individual factors are considered, and client perspectives are used to shape the approach. Task centred theory makes a good starting point for new workers because it is possibly the simplest approach. Assessments can at times be overcomplicated and so it may do workers good to sometimes go back to basics and look at the most obvious action to take. Actions should depend upon ones values rather than any policy one is obligated to follow. Previous experience should be used to improve practice, even the negative ones. Difficulties are inevitable but they will only get worse if the worker continues to make the same mistakes again and again. When there is time pressure to get a job done, rather than crumble the worker should use the pressure as motivation to get things done efficiently. That way they will have to make fewer reassessments. The first task is to determine their clients needs (what it is they want). The next step is convincing the client to accept ones help, firstly recognising they have needs and secondly wanting to do something about it. Epstein (1988) calls this the Start up phase, as it gets the ball rolling so to speak. Next, the wants require their own assessment, to determine what should to be done to meet them, how long it will take and who should be involved. The assessment process is a time to give order to the persons needs, generally up to three of them. It would be helpful to consider not only what changes need to be made, but also what might get in the way of these and what further changes could be done to make the initial changes possible. It would also be helpful to find out how individual problems relate to one another, if at all. If they are then able to tackle the main problem, others may follow suit accordingly with little/no effort on the social workers account. A useful strategy for social workers is to get their clients to firstly write down their problems and secondly assign them a score ranging from no problem at all to highly serious. It is vital that needs are set out from the start and fully understood by both worker and client. Failure at this stage will lead to difficulties come the evaluation. When conducting an assessment on two or more people (such as two partners in a relationship) the worker would be advised to look toward the Want Sheet for support (Masson and OByrne 1984). This gives detailed descriptions of different wants and can be used to help service users explain what they feel. So far, no approach has come up with a solution to this problem, making the task centred approach unique. The Want Sheet can be administered to couples/groups and this way can be used to compare different ideas. Through this stage alone, it is possible for a group to resolve any issues without any need for an intervention scheme. This is most unlike other approaches , which see the social worker as an agent coming in to help the needy, an approach not unlike the medical model of mental health. It is important when assessing individuals, not to mistake the clients as abnormal people just because their behaviour may suggest so, or because they appear difficult or un-cooperative. Doel and Marsh (1992) call this shooting the reflective parrot for what they are doing is making false judgements based on observation, without getting down deep to the underlying issue. Before any interventions, it is important for any decisions to be met together, all other options have been considered, and the client is satisfied with how things are being dealt with. Once a decision is reached, there is still time for one final review. This is a useful step because at this late stage, it is still possible to change ones mind; nothing is yet set in stone. If no changes need be made, the review is still beneficial as it helps to reduce any doubts or anxieties before progression. The task centred approach to assessment seems full proof. Reid (1978) commented that it holds particular value in situations whereby the service user is able to contribute to a moderate degree. It holds the advantage over other approaches because it considers not only the client, but their interactions with the outside world. They get a fair hearing, and communication between them and the social worker is mutual, leading towards a more accurate evaluation. There have been arguments that giving too much leeway can leave the worker vulnerable to misinformation. More so with children, there are cases where the client is not responsible or trustworthy enough to be given a shared role in the assessment. In conclusion, there are numerous positives and negatives of any approach to assessment. Every worker will have a preference on how they will deal with a situation; however it need be emphasised that no two situations are alike. And so workers must be able to think on their feet if they are to become competent social workers. Those who are open minded will reap the most success, for the key lies within managing all the different approaches, integrating them into a whole. Care should still be taken, for within the approaches lie numerous contradictions. There will always be a degree of uncertainty, but what makes the difference between good and average work, is the confidence to give an opinion, whilst at the same time welcoming the views of others. In conclusion, why is the assessment process vital? Because it forms the foundation for understanding ones client, and gets the ball rolling when planning actions for change. It forms a record which can be referred to when evaluating said changes, and can also be used as evidence in court. What makes an effective assessment? One which investigates all relevant factors rather than stick to anything specific, which matches with individuals aims and goals, which is centred on the tasks at hand, which draws from multidisciplinary agencies, which forms a partnership between agent and client, and which is anti oppressive or discriminatory. What barriers do workers face? They can be time consuming, workers are under pressure to get through their work load and may be unable to spend time getting to know their client, groups who are often the target of oppression may seem uncooperative and resistant to change, and all assessments are in some part vulnerable to bias. How can these be overcome? It is imperative that when conducting an assessment one shares thoughts and ideas with not only other workers, other agencies and welfare authorities, but also with the client themselves, thus spreading out the work load, and reducing the likelihood of any errors going unnoticed. Furthermore it helps to be self aware. This way one picks up on any fool hardy assumptions they may be making. One should not be afraid to challenge higher authorities and understand that personal values and the law will often conflict. And finally, every assessment should be instigated with care and precision, frequently asking why one has come to that conclusion and what other alternatives are there. References Ahmad, A. Practice with Care, London, Race Equality Unit/National Institute for Social Work, 1990 Challis, D., Chessum. R., and Chesterman, J., Luckett, R. and Traske, K. Case Managementin Social and Health Care , Cantebury, Personal Social Services Research Unit, 1990. Department of Health. Protecting Children: A Guide for Social Workers Undertaking a Comprehensive Assessment, London, HSMO, 1988. Doel, M. and Marsh, P. Task Centred Social Work. London: Ashgate, 1992. Epstein, L. Helping People; The Task Centred Approach. Olumbus, OH: Merrill, 1988 Forder, A. Concepts in Social Administration: a Framework for Analysis, London Routledge Kegan Paul, 1974. Hepworth and Dean, H. Direct Social Work Practice: Theory and Skills, p. 179-205, London: Thomson/Brooks Cole, 2006 Jones, C. State Social Work and the Working Class, London , Macmillan, 1983 Masson, H and OByrne, P. The Family Systems Approach: A Help or a Hindrance, in Violence Against Children Study Group. Taking Child Abuse Seriously. London: Unwin Hyman, 1990. Milner, J., OByrne, P. Assessment in Social Work: Chap 7; Psychodynamic Approaches, Macmillan Press LTD, 1998 Pincus, A. and Minahan, A. Social Work Practice: Model and Method. Itasca, Il: Peacock, 1973. Reid, W. J. The Task Centred System. New York: Columbia University Press, 1978. Sheldon, B. Behaviour Modification, Theory, Practice and Philosophy. London: Tavistock, 1982. Thoburn, J. Child Placement: Principles and Practice, Aldershot, Wildwood House, 1988