Wednesday, October 30, 2019

Volatile Organic Compounds in School Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Volatile Organic Compounds in School - Essay Example VOCs, as the name suggests are carbon compounds that lend themselves to becoming gases or vapors with relative ease. As such they are emitted in the surrounding environment. VOCs contain not just carbon, but a host of other common elements present in such compounds, including the following: sulfur, oxygen, hydrogen, bromine, nitrogen, fluorine (US National Library of Medicine). The relative ease with which they are released into the atmosphere is attributed to the low boiling points of VOCs, pegged at below 100 degrees Celsius, lending them to be easily released into the atmosphere as gases. Many of the VOCs in the environment are said to be manufactured by man, as chemicals that are in use in manufacturing. Paints, refrigerants, pharmaceutical chemicals, adhesives, products derived from petroleum, and several other products require VOCs for their manufacture. Most often they are located in urban areas, making up the constituents of agents for dry cleaning, thinners for paint, solven ts, and different kinds of fuels (US Geological Survey) The literature further notes that in urban places, VOCs are of greater concentration, and within that urban setting, VOC concentrations are almost always of greater magnitude in enclosed indoor environments as compared to outside environments, where VOCs tend to disperse into the greater atmosphere (United States Environmental Protection Agency). Meanwhile, the adverse health effects of short-run and long-run exposure to VOCs are well documented in the literature. They include asthma symptoms being aggravated, dizziness, skin, nose, eyes and throat irritation, vomiting, cancer, impairment of the nervous system, and damage to internal organs, notably the liver and the kidney. Differing VOC types also have other specific adverse effects on human health. Benzene, a common VOC, is of special focus among health experts, for their prevalence, and for their known highly carcinogenic properties (Minnesota Department of Health; US Natio nal Library of Medicine). II. Volatile Organic Compounds - Prevalence VOCs are more prevalent than is sometimes acknowledged, owing to their presence in a wide variety of manufactured products, and the wide use of such manufactured products in urban environments. This puts an increased risk of toxic harm to human beings living in urban areas. The list in the Introduction is non-exhaustive, and to it can be added a large number of products that people may or may not already associate with VOCs: furnishings for buildings, materials for buildings, printers and copiers present in the office, copy paper not containing carbon, correction fluid, adhesives, glues, markers, solutions used in photography, pesticides, materials used for cleaning, strippers of paint, lacquers and other paints (United States Environmental Protection Agency). In the home, meanwhile, it is hard to avoid VOCs as well, largely because they are incorporated into many of the products that are vital to the maintenance of households. As already mentioned above, materials that are used to make houses contain VOCs, which later escape into the air, both indoors and into the greater outside environment. Cosmetic products of all kinds, materials used by hobbyists of all kinds, waxes, paints, and the varnishings commonly applied to home furniture all contain volatile organic compounds. Of course all sorts of fuels vital to maintaining homes all contain volat

Monday, October 28, 2019

Natural Disaster Essay Example for Free

Natural Disaster Essay Abstract The December 26, 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, triggered by a massive earthquake off the coast of Sumatra, is the deadliest natural disaster ever of this kind. Aside from a massive number of casualties, this tsunami caused heavy economic damage and severe destruction to the natural environment of stricken countries. Given the significant destruction and suffering, it resulted in massive international support through financial and humanitarian aid. The purpose of this paper is to provide an analysis and a better understanding of the causes, the impacts and actions that could have been taken to limit the damage. Introduction The December 26 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami ranks among the ten deadliest natural disasters ever recorded thus far with a death toll over 225 000 and thousands of individuals missing. The large tsunami waves were generated by a massive earthquake off the northwest coast of Sumatra Island in Indonesia (Rossetto 2007). Tsunami waves spread across the Indian Ocean, damaging the shores of countries near and far from the epicenter (Rossetto 2007). It produced considerable damage and its impact went beyond the toll of human casualties. It had widespread economical, environmental and psychological impacts. Among the worst hit regions were the countries in and around the eastern Indian Ocean. Such natural disaster causes tremendous human suffering and immediately solicited responses worldwide with significant financial support and humanitarian aid. Sequences of Events (Earthquake Tsunami) The 9.0 magnitude earthquake of 26 December 2004 that occurred off the northwest coast of Sumatra in Indonesia was the third largest earthquake ever recorded. With an epicenter located near the Indonesian island of Sumatra, the quake was generated as a result of the sliding of a portion of the India plate beneath the Burma plate (Risk Management Solution, 2006). The result was a fault rupture, displacing the seafloor (Figure 1) and a large volume of the ocean, triggering devastating waves that hit the coastline of 11 Indian Ocean countries (Bilham 2005). The tsunami waves travelled across the Indian Ocean with an average velocity of 640 km/h (Rossetto 2007). However, tsunami waves tend to behave differently in deep water than in shallow water (Rossetto 2007). Once the tsunami reaches shallow water along the coastline, the wave velocity decreases while its amplitude increases significantly from the mass amount of energy built by the wave, causing even more destructive waves and substantial inland inundation (Rossetto 2007). In Aceh, north of the island of Sumatra, wave height reached 24 meters once it hit the shores and rose up to 30 meters inland, with a maximum wave height recorded to be 60 meters (Paris 2007). Being the landmass closest to the epicenter of the earthquake, Aceh province was the hardest hit area from the eastward-moving tsunami followed by Sri Lanka because of non-existing landmass between it and the epicenter of the quake to protect the coastlines (Athykorala 2005). The fault rupture of the earthquake was in a north-south orientation, which meant that the strength of the tsunami was greatest in east-west direction (Athykorala 2005). Hence, despite being located near the epicenter, some regions escaped the worst from the tsunami given their position relative to the fault rupture. With this said, Somalia was hit harder than Bangladesh despite being farther away from the epicenter (Athykorala 2005). Depending on the distances involved, the tsunami could propagate up to hours before reaching some coastlines. Aceh, Nicobar and Andaman were among the first regions to feel the effect of the tsunami, eventually hitting coastal regions of Thailand, Myanmar, India, Sri Lanka, Maldives, Somalia, Kenya and Tanzania (Figure 2). At last, its effects were also detected along the west coast of North and South America, which includes Vancouver and British Columbia. Causes A tsunami is produced by a sudden vertical shift of the seafloor causing a displacement of a massive volume of water, usually an ocean. Depending on the size of the sea floor displacement, it will have a different impact on wave formation from the surface water. These displacements can be a result of underwater disturbances such as earthquake, volcanic eruption, meteorite impact and landslide (National Geographic). As for the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, a 9.0 magnitude earthquake triggered it and caused an estimated 1600 km of fault line slipped about 15 meters along the zone where the Indian plate subducts beneath the Burma plate (Rossetto 2007). As the northern rupture continued, it transformed from a subduction (Figure 3) to a strike-slip fault; two plates slide pass one another in opposite direction. With this said, displacement caused by this earthquake generated a tsunami that ranks among the deadliest natural disasters ever occurred. Impacts Beyond the heavy toll of human lives, the Indian Ocean Tsunami has caused severe economical, environmental and psychological consequences, which will affect the regions for upcoming years. With 174 500 casualties, 51 000 missing and roughly 1.5 million displaced, the toll of human casualties from this tsunami has no modern historical equal (Risk Management Solution 2006). Among the countries hit by the tsunami, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Thailand and India were left with the most serious damage and death tolls. The aftermath of the tsunami was even worse than anticipated with deaths recorded as far as 8000 km away from the epicenter, along the east coast of Africa. Thousands of individuals were carried away by the waves into the open sea and the ones who survived were left with no food or clean water and open wounds (National Geographic 2005). Given a high risk of famine and epidemic diseases, the level of death increased significantly (National Geographic 2005). With this said, given the extent of the disaster, it instantly spurred international support and assistance through financial and humanitarian aid for the people affected by the tsunami (National Geographic 2005) A humanitarian campaign was quickly put in place to provide temporary sanitation facilities, nutrition and fresh water to contain the spread of diseases (National Geographic 2005). The main economic impacts of the Indian Ocean Tsunami were the damage inflicted to the fishing and tourism industry. As a result of the tsunami, marine fishery and aquaculture harvests of affected nations were severely depressed (UKabc 2006). This was in part due to lack of fishing stocks, but also damage to necessary equipment such as fishing boats and gear (UKabc 2006). As a major economic activity and a provider of foreign exchange income, fishing also provided employment to a large span of individuals. This disaster lead to high income loss for coastal fishing communities that relied heavily on fishing seasons as their primary source of income. In addition, water surges and flooding (Figure 4) destroyed many important buildings and properties along the coasted cities that were affected, including touristic resorts (Risk Management Solution 2006). Although, most tourist infrastructures remained intact following the tsunami, tourism industry faced numerous cancellations (Rossetto 2007). Thus, the loss suffered by the fishing and tourism sector will have long-lasting economic consequences for these coastal regions. The tsunami impacts on the environment were both widespread and destructive (Figure 5). The main effect on the natural environment includes critical damage inflicted on the ecosystems from the salt-contamination of freshwater supplies and soil (Athykorala 2005). Seawater contaminated wells and invaded porous rocks on which stricken communities depended for water (Rossetto 2007). Hence, unless seawater can easily be pumped out, these communities were likely to depend on outside aid for water and food for upcoming months. In addition, an increased salt concentration in the soil will have a damaging effect on plants causing them to wilt and die (Athykorala 2005). As a result, some plantation sites were completely destroyed and would take several years before full recovery. This tsunami can have an immediate devastating impact on the psychological and social well being of individuals exposed to it. Such disaster results in tremendous destruction, but also creates concern for mental health of the survivors. There was great concern over the youngsters because children and adolescents are considered to be more vulnerable than adults to such traumatic events (Bhushan 2007). Within the first 6 months following it, 23-30% of children were diagnosed with full and persistent symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorders (Bhushan 2007). This can impede with their psychological functioning, which is critical for their future development. Actions Although the tsunami could not be prevented, its impact could have been mitigated. Unlike earthquakes, tsunamis can be detected in advance from a Tsunami Warning System that uses a network of ocean-floor and surface sensors (Sausmarez 2005). However, such warning system did not exist in the Indian Ocean back in 2004, which left individuals of affected nations completely surprised by the tsunami (Sausmarez 2005). No effective communication infrastructure was available to warn population on the coastlines. Following this natural disaster, an important issue arises about the population’s education of warning signs and precautions that can be taken to reduce the likelihood of death during a tsunami. For instance, if individuals had a better understanding of tsunamis, it could have saved thousands of lives. For example, they should be able to recognize that a receding sea is an indication of impending danger (Athykorala 2005). With this said, improving public awareness could be beneficial in that it prepares them to react accordingly to protect their lives and lives of others. At a United Nations conference in 2005, an agreement was made upon establishing a Tsunami Warning System in the Indian Ocean (Sausmarez 2005). This system of warnings has been active since 2006 (Unescopress 2006). Conclusion The 26th December 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami ranks as the most devastating tsunami ever with over 225 000 deaths. Concerns resulting from this tsunami include damage inflicted on the natural environment, vegetation, buildings and other man-made structures, but more importantly on life. Although this event caused large economic and social consequences, it led to inevitable improvement and development of measures to reduce risk of life and economic losses. For instance, in order to reduce the vulnerability of individuals and properties on exposed coastlines, a warning system has been implemented in the Indian Ocean and will lead to improved communication in such situation. In addition, a lack of knowledge, preparedness and mitigation strategies also justifies the significant death tolls. Thus, program of mitigation and preparedness should be put into place in order to educate individuals to better cope when facing such a disaster. Finally, given that this tsunami has a return period of longer than 500 years; it is unlikely that a natural disaster of this magnitude will occur in the near future. Nevertheless, if it were to happen, these nations have the necessary protective measures to cope. Bibliography Top of Form Bottom of Form Athykorala, P., Resosudarmo, B. (December 01, 2005). The Indian Ocean Tsunami: Economic Impact, Disaster Management, and Lessons. Asian Economic Papers, 4, 1, 1-39. Top of Form Rossetto, T., Peiris, N., Pomonis, A., Wilkinson, S., Re, D., Koo, R., Gallocher, S. (January 01, 2007). The Indian Ocean tsunami of December 26, 2004: observations in Sri Lanka and Thailand. Natural Hazards, 42, 1, 105-124. Top of Form Nirupama, N. (January 01, 2009). Socio-economic implications based on interviews with fishermen following the Indian Ocean tsunami. Natural Hazards, 48, 1, 1-9. De Sausmarez, N. (January 01, 2005). The Indian Ocean Tsunami. Tourism and Hospitality: Planning Development, 2, 1, 55-59. Paris, R., Lavigne F., Wassimer P. Sartohadi J. (2007). Coastal sedimentation associated with the December 26, 2004 tsunami in Lhok Nga, west Banda Aceh (Sumatra, Indonesia). Marine Geology 238 (1-4): 93-106 Bilham, Roger. A Flying Start, Then a Slow Slip. Science. Vol 308, No. 5725, 1126-1127. May 20, 2005. Top of Form Bhushan, B., Kumar, J. S. (May 01, 2007). Emotional Distress and Posttraumatic Stress in Children Surviving the 2004 Tsunami. Journal of Loss and Trauma, 12, 3, 245-257. Bottom of Form UKabc. (2006). Indian Ocean Tsunamis Devastate Fisherfolk. UK Agricultural Biodiversity Coalition. Retrived November 1, 2001, from http://www.ukabc.org/tsunamis.htm Risk Management Solution. (2006). Managing Tsunami Risk in the Aftermath of the 2004 Indian Ocean Earthquake Tsunami. Retrived November 1, 2011, from http://www.disastersrus.org/emtools/tsunami/IndianOceanTsunamiReport.pdf National Geographic. (January 07, 2005). The Deadliest Tsunami in History? National Geographic News. Retrieved November 1, 2011, from http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2004/12/1227_041226_tsunami.html Unescopress. (2006). Indian Ocean Tsunami Warning system up and running. Building peace in the minds of men and women. Retrieved November 1, 2011, from http://portal.unesco.org/en/ev.php-URL_ID=33442URL_DO=DO_TOPICURL_SECTION=201.html National Geographic. (n.d). Tsunamis. National Geographic News. Retrieved November 1, 2001, from http://environment.nationalgeographic.com/environment/natural-disasters/tsunami-profile/ USGC. (n.d). Magnitude 9.1 – Off the West Coast of Northern Sumatra. Science for a changing world. Retrieved November 1, 2001, from http://neic.usgs.gov/neis/eq_depot/2004/eq_041226/neic_slav_l.html National Geographic. (n.d) Tsunami. National Geographic New. Retrieved November 1, 2001, from http://environment.nationalgeographic.com/environment/photos/tsunami-general/#/tsunami01-coastal-flooding_21847_600x450.jpg USGS. (n.d). Details of Tsunami Generation. Pacific Coastal Marine Science Center. Retrieved November 1, 2001, from http://walrus.wr.usgs.gov/tsunami/sumatraEQ/model.html

Saturday, October 26, 2019

Sociological Theory: Positivistic, Interpretative, And Critical Essay

Sociological Theory: Positivistic, Interpretative, and Critical Comment on the three types of sociological theories, explain and argue, based on your library or Internet research, which type of theory is the most appropriate theory for sociology to adopt. The three general types of sociological theory are positivistic, interpretive and critical theory.In determining which theory is the most appropriate for sociology to adopt,a basic understanding of each theory's strengths and weaknesses is necessary.In defining each of these theories, it is important to determine the ontological basis orthe theory's basis for determining what is knowable; the epistemological basis or the theory's relationship between the knower and the knowable; and, finally, the methodological basis or the theory's method for gathering data and obtaining knowledge. A.POSITIVISTIC 1.Ontology. The positivistic theory is based on an ontology ofbeing a realist.The realistic slant of positivism is also known as determinism.The positivist knows that a reality is "out there" to be defined and categorized.The hard sciences from the time of Newton and Decartes have traditionally relied on the positivistic approach.The positivist hopes to be able to approximate "reality" in a detailed generalization or theory on how reality operates.The theories of a positivist generallytake the form of cause and effect laws describing the outside reality.Robert Merton defined these theorems as "clear verifiable statements of the relationships between specified variables." 2.Epistemology. Positivism relies onan objective epistemology.The observer remains distant and does not interact with the observation or experiment.Values and any other factors that might lead to bias are to be carefully removed so that the cold, monological gaze of science can be used to analyze the data.The positivist is an objectivist. 3.Methodology. The methodology of positivism is experimental and manipulative. The approach is the same as propounded in most junior high science classes:begin with a hypothesis on how "reality" works, then gather data and test the data against the hypothesis.The question propounded initially is tested against empirical data gathered in the experiment under carefully controlled conditions. B.INTERPRETIVE 1.Ontology. The interpretivist ontology is relativism.The... ...late objectivity. This is not the same as objectivism.Each has its own "norms for proceeding with a particular form of inquiry in a rational manner."However, because of the orientation of each theory, the end results will vary. Based upon these difference, critical theory does not seem to be a theory that should be adopted by sociologists.It belongs more in the realm of politics and legislation.Critical theory in that context could take advantage of scientific inquiry by both positivistic and interpretive sociologists to make determinations about social change.If indeed critical theorist are to be involved in sociological study, full disclosure of prejudices and objectives would be needed for any inquiry to be beneficial and trustworthy. Postpositivism remains the best approach for observing the exteriors of society.Coupled with the interpretivist's view of the interior culture, the two theories working hand in hand would be most beneficial for the sociologist in examining society.Utilizing a dual approach would be the most comprehensive and give the scientific inquiry both depth and span in evaluating our societies and creating a useable body of sociological research.

Thursday, October 24, 2019

Baldwin Bicycle Company: Background of the Study

BA-561 MAC Abdulgaffur G. Deki Oscar M. Inocencio Chester V. Lagutin Felomena C. Baal Edsel Cariz J. Tiu 12 October 2012 â€Å"Baldwin Bicycle Company† Background of the Study: Baldwin Bicycle Company (BBC) is a full-line bicycle manufacturing company with 40 years of experience. In 1982, BBC has revenue of over $10M for 98,791 units produced. BBC exclusively distributes through independently-owned retailers, their bicycles are known for their above-average quality. In May 1983, a rapid-growing Northwestern discount retail chain, Hi-Valu, Suzanne Leister, VP Marketing, proposed a private-label agreement.Under this program, BBC would manufacture the Challenger line of bicycles exclusively for Hi-Valu. The Challenger line was to be a low-priced value bicycle, sold at retail prices under BBC’s normal product lines. Statement of the problem: What is the overall impact to the company if BBC will accept the proposal in terms of? a. ) PROFIT b. ) RETURN ON SALES c. ) RETURN ON ASSETS d. ) RETURN ON EQUITY Objectives: 1. To be able to show and analyze the proposal depending on the result which will be used to serve as a basis for making decisions. 2.To determine the total relevant cost in producing additional orders for Hi-Valu. Areas of consideration: 1. BBC sales over the next three years would be 100,000 bikes a year if they will forego the Hi-Valu deal. 2. If BBC will accept the offer, 3,000 units will be lost in regular sales volume a year. 3. According to Ms Leister, Vice President for Marketing, she was acutely aware that the â€Å"bicycle boom† had fattened out, and that poor economy had caused Baldwin sales volume to fall. 4. BBC was currently operating its plant at about 75% of capacity meaning, 75,000 units is currently produced. excess capacity 25,000 units) 5. The contract between BBC and Hi-Valu is for three years and will be automatically extended on a year to year basis, unless one party gave notice that it did not wish to extend th e contract. 6. Most of BBC sales were into independently toy stores and bicycles shops, BBC had never before distributed to its product to department store. Its BBC’s first time to deal such client. 7. Hi-Valu wanted to purchase bikes from BBC at lower prices that the wholesale prices of comparable bikes sold through Baldwin usual channels. 8.If the proposal will pursue BBC requirement for purchasing, inventory and production cost will increased. 9. Hi-Valu would hold the units on consignment in its own warehouses and withhold payment until delivery to a specific store. 10. A bicycle would be paid within 30 days once a bicycle was shipped to a specific store or 120 days had elapsed in the regional warehouse. Alternative courses of action: 1. Reject proposal RISKS: a. ) BBC may face continually declining sales due to a poor economy. b. ) BBC will continue to produce at only 75% production capacity. c. Another disadvantage is that the offer price of Hi-Valu was lower than the r egular selling price. d. ) There is an additional cost involved in producing additional units from Hi-Valu the $5,000 additional cost plus the asset related cost. e. ) The possibility that the current dealers of BBC might drop-out line if they find that BBC is making bikes for Hi-Valu. f. ) The freight charge will be shouldered by BBC until it reached the destination of Hi-Valu warehouse. g. ) additional from regular sales of 3,000 units from regular costumers. ADVANTAGES: a. ) Maintain loyalty from current distributors . ) Maintain 40-year reputation for above average quality and price. 2. Accept Proposal RISKS: a. ) Current dealers may drop Baldwin line. b. ) Current dealers may request a similar product c. ) Putting faith in a new product d. ) BBC may find itself with an abundance of Challenger-specific inventory e. ) Extra costs may result in having to use cheaper materials f. ) Loss of â€Å"street cred† ADVANTAGES: a. ) Greater penetration of the mark through new market segments b. ) I f Baldwin name is not on the Challenger bike, BBC’s reputation may not be damaged c. Strong Challenger sales may balance weak Baldwin sales d. ) With Challenger line, BBC will be producing at a higher capacity Recommendation: The group recommends the alternative courses of action number two which state Accept the Proposal. The followi ng computations was the basis of the recommendation. Potential Problem Analysis: 1. Additional cost is involved. 2. Lost additional sales from the costumers 3. Additional investment to finance additional increase in receivables, inventories, record-keeping,tax inventory, handling labor and equipment, possible obsolescence and or damage.

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Framework for the Assessment of Children and their Families Essay

The Framework for the Assessment of Children in Need and their Families (which I will refer to as the assessment framework in this assignment) is an ecological framework that includes personal, intra-personal, inter-personal and sociological influences on development. It was developed in response to findings from a programme of research on child protection (Department of Health 1995), and a series of government inspections (Social Services Inspectorate 1997a,b). Social workers often have to balance the needs of children and families with agency requirements, which Davies (1997), points out are often underpinned by a legal mandate therefore accountability is a complex concept in social work. The assessment framework provides a systematic way of gathering, analysing, understanding and recording what is happening to children and young people within their families and the wider context of the community in which they live, (Department of Health, Department for Education and Employment, Home Office, 2000); and the skill in undertaking and recording an assessment according to Coulshed & Orme (1998 p.26) lies in the ability of professionals to collect enough of the right kind of information and this can only be done in the right kind of environment. Cleaver and Walker’s (2003) research study found that the implementation of the assessment framework overall has been successful, it has facilitated joint working  between agencies having a profound influence on policy and practice in children’s services. The Every Child Matters policy initiative was a positive social policy programme in a lot of respects and a catalyst for radical reform however some of the processes and procedures invaded and undermined the rights of the child to privacy under Article 8 of the European Convention for Human Rights (ECHR), Hoyle, (2008), which I will discuss further in this assignment. There have been many criticisms of the assessment framework and Helm (2011) mentions that even though the quality of assessments have improved there is persistent difficulty with levels and quality of analysis and a repeated failure amongst professionals to pay sufficient attention to what children and young people may be saying about their own needs and experiences. Parton (2010) highlights that during the period since late 2008 & the tragic death of Baby P, the focus has shifted more centrally to child protection where prior to this period the emphasis was on ‘safeguarding’, and there has been a renewed official priority given to social work to which the developments have been given an added impetus with the election of the Conservative/Liberal Democrat Coalition government in May 2010 which generated the Munro review into child protection. I will provide a critical analysis of how relevant legislation and policy impact on assessing the needs of children and their families and I will discuss ways that inadequate assessments can lead to failures. To successfully implement the assessment framework a process has to be followed which requires social workers to be skilful and experienced. I will explore ways in which the assessment framework is a useful tool in contemporary social work practice, identifying the significance of risk and safeguarding with children and young people and how we can learn from past mistakes. In addition I will discuss some of the dilemmas that social workers face with the assessment process in relation to the rights of children and families. Legislation and Policy in the Children and Families Assessment Framework The assessment framework was introduced under section (7) of the Local Authority Social Services Act in 2000 and implemented in April 2001. (Millar & Corby, (2006). It followed the introduction of the Children Act (1989) which legitimises actions taken by social workers. The framework builds on the duties of assessment of needs set out in section (17) and schedule (2) para (3) of the Children Act 1998. (Parker & Bradley, p.18), and builds on responsibilities under section (47) of the Children Act which obliges local authorities to consider making inquires if concerns have been expressed about a child’s well-being or possible maltreatment. Assessments under section (47) involve a shared responsibility in consultation with other professionals. Failure to properly implement Section (17) schedule (2) meant that the broader welfare needs of disadvantaged children was overlooked so the DOH had to refocus social work practice so that child protection concerns were included in the assessment framework. Parker (2007) states that the assessment framework is policy driven and highlights the importance of inter-agency sharing of information and cooperation in working together, while emphasising the principles of person-centred, strengths-based practice. It is made up of three domains (triangle) that represent the child’s developmental needs, the parenting capacity to respond to those needs and family and environmental factors with the child’s welfare at the centre (Department of Health, 2000a). According to Parton (2010), there was an important shift under the New Labour government away from services that were framed primarily in terms of ‘the family’ to ones that were explicitly ‘child-centred’. The Every Child Matters (ECM) policy framework a direct response to the Climbie Report was developed within government and championed by the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) in September (2003), and underpins the Children Act (2004). The ECM joined-up services for children and families under one roof; so how can anyone dispute that not every child matters? Well, it only applied in 150 local authority areas in England and was not scheduled for  implementation in Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland, which would lead to the assumption that every child matters in England but not in the United Kingdom. Also under the ECM framework was a considerable financial investment, made in establishing a universal child surveillance database (Contact Point) and countless areas of activity concerning children but were brigaded under the ‘every child matters’ brand. The Integrated Children System which built on the assessment framework according to White et al, (2010) disrupted the professional task, engendering a range of unsafe practices and provoked a gathering storm of user resistance, (p.405). Parton (2011, p.16) notes that the Conservative/Liberal Democrat Coalition government made it clear, after its election victory in May 2010, that it was the reduction in the public finance debt that was its overriding and most urgent political priority and immediately set about reducing public expenditure. The new government established an independent review of child protection, chaired by Eileen Munro within three weeks of coming into office, (Parton, 2010, p.2); and the new government also began to dismantle key elements of the ECM framework (e.g. Contact Point), and almost consigned the enormous ECM website to the archive! ( Butler & Hickman, 2011). Research tells us that when thresholds are likely to be raised if there are limited resources, financial constraints or the pressure of increased workloads, this is a way that organisations can ration responses, by prioritising cases, (Turney et al, 2011), executive summary notes that, where children are neglected or abused evidence in dicates that the help they received from services was inadequate. The Munro review is the latest in a long line of policy initiatives in England set up to address the challenges for the state and wider society to the problem of child abuse. (Parton, 1985:2006). The review argues that a major reason why child protection policy and practice has developed in the way that it has in England arises from negative and critical responses from the media to professionals, in particular social workers, so improving the public image of social work is key to improving child protection. (Parton,  2012, p.158). But the review did not make it clear what it meant by child protection or what it identified as the main aims of the child protection system (p.154) The Assessment Process Assessment can be seen as an on-going, continuous and mutual process in which the service user interacts and participates. Darlymple and Burke (2006) explain that participation defines an activity where people are not just listened to or consulted but are also able to influence and achieve change. It is a process of what has happened and what is happening now. (Butler & Hickman, 2011 p.168), and Smale et al. (1993) highlight the idea of ‘exchange’ in assessment in which a two-way communication takes place, enabling the views of service users and professionals to be accorded equal respect. The assessment framework describes itself as ‘rooted in child development’, (DOH, 2000) therefore it is vital that social workers have a thorough understanding in child development as this is critical for work with children and families. It takes the skill and talent and understanding of a social worker to make sense of the information gathered from different sources and begin the process with the information in front of them. Sometimes the information needs to be collected again and again at the cost of the people using the services, especially if they have already given information to a social worker previously, but the process is an on-going one so in some cases negotiations need to be made with a range of people. Each child’s needs should be assessed individually when referred to services. An initial assessment is completed within 7-10 days. The initial assessment gathers information along the three parameters of assessment framework, which determines what services (if any) are needed. The tight time constraints can at this stage in the assessment framework can influence the initial decisions about where and how to manage referrals. Regan (2001) mentions that the form filling associated with the assessment framework is a time-consuming obstacle to the process of engaging helpfully with people.  (cited in Millar & Corby, 2006, p. 888). The core assessment which is an in-depth process containing numerous questions, is only necessary if it is clear from the initial assessment that a more detailed assessment is required and if there are safeguarding concerns. It uses the full model of the assessment (the child’s needs, the needs within the wider community) and the (capacity of the parents) and should be done within 35 working days. Current statutory guidance on promoting the health and well-being of looked after children (DCSF, 2009) suggests the use of the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) as an early stage screening tool for this purpose. (cited in Turney et al, 2011). In social work practice, it is important to agree on the assessment plan with the child and it’s family so all parties are aware who is going to be doing ‘what’ and ‘when’, and how the assessment will be used to inform overall judgements about the child’s needs and subsequent planning, (DOH, 2000a). Two studies conducted by Corby et al, (2002a) who sought the views of 34 sets of parents being assessed under the new framework, concluded that almost all parents were satisfied or had positive views about the initial assessments and two-thirds felt in a similar way about core assessments. Focus groups who also took part in the study were also positive about initial assessments and had mixed views about the core assessments. The majority raised issues about time constraints and staff resources. The study doesn’t mention, which local authority area the study took place, the ages of the parents or the ethnic origins as this may have made a difference to the outcome. Anti-oppressive and Anti-discriminatory practice when conducting assessments should take into account people’s differences, for example religion, colour or race. If assessments are done correctly it will be person-centred and will include diverse factors such as the gender, sexuality or age of a person, cited in Turney et al, (2011). They also note criticisms of the child development model and that it doesn’t take into account the child’s disability and suggest that the assessment should include tailoring of templates to reflect their strengths, abilities and needs through their chosen method of communication. Coulshed and Orme (1983) discuss drawbacks to the assessment process in that they could be used to control not just access to services but also disadvantaged sections of the community for example dossiers kept on so-called ‘problem families’ or those who have assertively sought assistance, and Ahmad (1990) mentions the adjective ‘aggressive’ which is applied to black clients who assert their needs for equitable services and that white assessments fail to take into account black realities and environments. Preston-Shoot, (2003) adds that studies have shown that social workers have a lack of referencing to research and theory in their assessment reports. The components of the assessment framework requires more than just vision. It requires social workers to observe behaviours as well as gather information which can be non-verbal, for example observing facial expressions, looking at attachments with family members, observing body language etc. The message in social worker practice is clear, that when working with children and their families it is vital to have a non-judgemental manner, not to make assumptions when carrying out assessments and intervening with individuals and to keep an open mind. In addition social workers should, maintain adequate and accurate note keeping records and should ensure accountability when working in collaboration with other organisations. Risk and Safeguarding The discussion of risk and safeguarding and allocation of resources is a reminder of the power that social workers hold. The assessment framework (Department of Health et al., 2000), attempted to move the focus from the assessment of risk of child abuse and ‘significant harm’ (Department of Health, 2001) to one that was concerned with the idea of risk of impairment to a child’s overall development in the context of their family and community environment. (cited in Parton, 2010 p.7). Parton, (2010) discusses that by the early 1990s the child protection and child welfare systems could be characterised in terms of the need to  identify ‘high risk’ cases so that these could be differentiated from the rest. According to Dale et al., 1986; Parton and Parton, 1989, ‘High-risk’ was conceptualised in terms of ‘dangerousness’, for it occurred in the small minority of ‘dangerous families’, and such families were subject to extreme family dysfunctions and violent personalities and were seen as the primary cause of child abuse and needed to be identified so children could be protected. Government guidelines that specifically focused on ‘the protection of children from abuse’ was reinforced further in the only official guide on the purpose and content of professional assessments from the Department of Health, (1998) guide, Protecting Children: A Guide for Social Workers Undertaking a Comprehensive Assessment. The guide was specifically designed for social workers in cases where abuse was either substantiated or highly suspected and was concerned with assessments for ‘long-term planning in child protection’ cases. (Parton, 2010, p.6) So how can risk be identified? According to the (2003) Green Paper the risk characteristics of experiencing negative outcomes is concentrated in children with certain characteristics, and the more risk factors a child had, the more likely it was that they would experience negative outcomes for example ‘poor parenting’, ‘crime’ and ‘anti-social & deviant behaviour’ are seen to playing key roles and it is stated that identifying factors and intervening early provided a major strategy for overcoming the social exclusion of children and avoiding problems later in life. (cited in Parton, 2010, p.10) The Department of Health (Social Care Institute for Excellence, 2005), following the introduction of the Children Act (1989) commissioned a series of research studies which reported an over-emphasis on issues of abuse and neglect at the expense of assessing and supporting families. The (SCIE) drafted the report ‘Managing risk and minimising mistakes in services to children and families’ in 2005. The report based on a pilot study of organisational approaches to risk management and includes opportunities for learning from safeguarding incidents. The teams involved in the study were practitioners and service users recruited from England and Wales and fieldwork was conducted in July/August 2004 from both teams. Regarding the  needs assessment, the report mentions that assessing and safeguarding children from significant harm is complex, which means that near misses involves cases where potential significant harm to children was overlooked. During the referral and assessment stage the near misses arise due to the prioritisation of cases  professional not having an accurate or full picture of what is happening decisions made by other teams or agencies The report concludes that in relation to assessing the needs of children in particular the need to safeguard them from significant harm practitioners commentaries showed that near misses were a regular occurrence and were part and parcel of the job. The report also suggested that latent failures are embedded in the system which include a lack of sufficient resources to meet the needs of children and families. (SCIE, 2005, p.35) The role of social work practice in children’s services in England has in relation to child protection seen a dramatic change. Since late 2008, Parton (2010) mentions that following the Baby P’s tragic death, policy and practice have moved in new directions and the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (CAFCASS, 2009) reported that there were nearly 50 per cent more care applications to court in the second half of 2008-09 compared with the first half of that year. High-profile and very public criticisms of social workers and other health and welfare professionals in cases of child abuse put increasing pressure on child welfare services in the UK. (Parton, 1985; Butler and Drakeford, (2005). More recently the sentencing of 9 Asian men in the ‘Rochdale Grooming’ case in which critics have highlighted further ‘protection’ issues amongst professionals. So with clear messages from research, what is the best way for professionals to address issues of risk to children? The report focused primarily on active failures and it states that good practice is to learn from past mistakes and a key means for learning is to harness the knowledge and expertise from service users and to improve assessment systems promoting the welfare of children and families. (SCIE, 2005). Social workers also need to  know why they are seeking a particular piece of information and how to process it questioning all the information from sources, being intuitive and thinking analytically and critically. Professional issues in relation to rights of children and families and the assessment process. Jones (2001) mentions that social work assessment frameworks in general largely ignore the value of listening and forming supportive relationships, diminishing the power of service users to express their concerns effectively, and adds that social workers often have to balance the needs and rights of the child with those of the parents. The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) sets out the independent rights of the children, but it also states that the ‘best interests of the child’ are usually served by supporting the child’s family, Joseph Rowntree Foundation, (2005). The (JRF), 2005 study examined the tensions inherent in child and family policy, it’s implications of human rights legislation for policy development and the extent to which government has managed these responsibilities through the development of appropriate policies and structures for service delivery. The European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR), sets out the parents and children entitlements, including the right for respect for family life enshrined in Article (8). The (2005) study encourages a debate about managing the tensions between policies in support of children and those directed at parents and the family and concludes that contradictions and conflicts in policy in children’s welfare eclipses parents’ rights, and there is no consistent overview of how interests of family members are managed across the generations. It also states that at local level, Children’s Trusts might be strengthened by changing their name to Children and Family Trusts encouraging holistic thinking and making their remit explicit. ‘Although the ECHR has been integrated into domestic law through the Human Rights Act, it’s entitlements are not promoted in social policy and despite signing up to the CRC the government has not incorporated its articles into UK legislation’. (JRF, 2005) It is important as part of the assessment process and for a good assessment to keep the focus of the child at the centre of the assessment process. Although this may be a problem with teenagers who are already going through changes and many of whom have estranged relationships with their parents and families. Studies note that there is sometimes an unwillingness of some social workers to intervene with teenagers and evidence from Serious Case Reviews indicate that suicide was a common cause of death with teenagers aged between the ages of 16 to 17 years of age. Social workers need to be aware of the dangers and of the impact of non-engagement with teenagers, and agencies need to have appropriate strategies and resources in place to address their needs (Brandon et al., 2008 and 2009; Hicks and Stein, 2010; Stein, 2007) (cited in Turney et al , (2011). The Turney et al, (2011) research article indicates that there are difficulties for many social workers in making and sustaining relationships with children and with representing the child’s voice in assessments and evidence shows that on occasions practice has fallen short of the standard required. Helm (2011) writes that children and young people have clearly identified that professionals fail to really listen, not because of a lack of time, but because they focus on adults views and protect themselves from the difficult nature of what they are being told. (p.908) Ferguson, (2001) mentions the difficulties that social workers and other professionals face in such cases of assessing the needs of children while at the same time trying to engage a mother and father who don’t always want the intervention, and research shows that there is considerable evidence that the nature of parental relationships with professionals affect decisions arising from assessments. Turney et al, (2011). Assessments of disabled children raises a number of complexities and challenges; for example the child developmental model underpinning the assessment framework can be seen by some social workers as not appropriate for disabled children (Cleaver et al.,2004; Mitchell and Sloper, 2008). Children need support at various stages of the assessment process so as to be  able to exercise their own rights. (Butler & Williamson 1994, Darlymple & Hough 1995). The child’s views whether expressed verbally or non-verbally and those of relevant people in the child’s life to the assessment is usually sought to get ideas about the best way of helping the child. (Coulshed and Orme, p.26). The assessments of parents relies on verbal communication, but if the parent has learning disabilities or there are language barriers communication could be misinterpreted. A qualitative study carried out by Walker (1999 a,b) in which 15 children aged between 12 and 15 were interviewed for the purpose of viewing children’s experiences of review meetings. Many of the children viewed assessment as formal and bureaucratic, which they said took place on the adults’ terms, and many wanted to get away from the meetings as soon as possible. One child described feeling as an outsider, when adults opened their diaries and planned the next meeting without consultation with the child. Some children felt the language used was difficult, and the aim of meetings was to talk about them and not with them. Conclusion The Assessment Framework is underpinned by child development and an ecological framework developed in response to findings from a programme of research on child protection. It provides a systematic way for social workers to gather and analyse information and recordings of what is happening to children and young people within their families and the wider community in which they live. Legislation and policy legitimises what actions social workers can take when undertaking assessments. There was an important shift under the New Labour Government in assessment with the ‘Every Child Matters’ policy framework which was a direct response to the Climbie Report & the death of Victoria Climbie. The ECM framework joined-up children’s services under one roof, but it was only implemented in England, it was a considerable financial investment and established a child surveillance database and countless areas of activity were brigaded under the ‘every child matters’ brand. Within 3 weeks of coming into office in May 2010, the Conservative/Liberal Democrat Coalition government’s most urgent political priority was reducing the public finance debt. The government established an independent review of child protection chaired by Eileen Munro, which is the latest in a long line of policy initiatives in England. The new government dismantled the key elements of the ECM framework almost consigning the enormous ECM website to the archives. The Assessment Framework as a process appears to have been welcomed by professionals and service users, but there have been criticisms. Messages from research tell us that the issues raised from professionals regarding the assessment process were the time constraints and staff resources and usually when there are limited resources, thresholds are likely to be raised and organisations tend to ration responses to their services by prioritising cases, and Turney et al (2011) note that in cases where children are neglected or abused evidence shows that the help they received from services was inadequate. Discussing Risk and Safeguarding according to Parton (2010) ‘high risk’ in the early 1990’s was conceptualised in terms of ‘dangerousness’ and occurred in a small minority of dangerous families. But the 2003 Green Paper looks at certain characteristics associated with risk such as ‘poor parenting’ or ‘anti-social behaviour’ (deviance) as playing a key role in negative outcomes associated to ‘risk’. The Social Care Institute for Excellence 2005 study found that during the referral and assessment stages near misses occurred due to prioritisation over cases and professionals not having an accurate or full picture of what is happening in a child’s life and that near misses were part and parcel of the job. The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child notes ‘the best interests of the child’ are usually served by supporting the child and their family and although the European Convention on Human Rights sets out the parents and children entitlements in Article 8, according to a study conducted by the (2005) Joseph Rowntree Foundation study the entitlements  are not promoted to social policy and despite signing up to the CRC the government has not incorporated its articles into UK legislation. For good assessments it is important that social workers keep the focus on the children and young people and use intuitive skills even though there are difficulties in social work practice in making and sustaining relationships. References Ahmad, A. (1990) Practice with Care, London, Race Equality Unit/National Institute for Social Work. Bartlett, H. (1970) The Common Base of Social Work Practice. New York: National Association of Social Workers. Brandon, M., Bailey, S., Belderson, P., Gardner, R., Sidebotham, P., Dodsworth, J., Warren, C. and Black, J. (2009) Understanding Serious Case Reviews and their impact: A Biennial Analysis of Serious Case Reviews 2005-07. Research Report DCSF-RR129. University of East Anglia. Brandon, M., Belderson, P., Warren, C., Howe, D., Gardner, R., Dodsworth, J and Black, J. (2008). Analysing Child Deaths and Serious Injury through Abuse and Neglect: What Can We Learn? A biennial analysis of serious case reviews 2003-2005. Research Report DCSF-RR023. University of East Anglia. Butler, I. And Drakeford, M. (2005) Scandal Social Policy and Social Welfare, Bristol, Policy Press. Butler, I & Hickman C. (2011). Social Work with Children and Families: Getting into Practice. Third edition. Jessica Kingsley Publishers. London Butler, I. & Williamson, H. (1994), Children speak, Children, trauma and social work. Essex: Longman Information and Reference. Cleaver, H., and Walker, S. (2003) From policy to practice: the implementation of a new framework for social work assessments of children and families. Child and Family Social Work 2004, 9, pp 81-90. Blackwell Publishing Ltd. Cleaver, H. & Walker, S. with Meadows, P. (2004) Assessing Children’s Needs and Circumstances: The Impact of the Assessment Framework. London: Jessica Kingsley Publishers. Coulshed,V and Orme, J. (1998) Social Work Practice: an introduction, Basingstoke: Macmillan. Dale, P., Davies, M., Morrison, T. and Waters, J. (1986) Dangerous Families: Assessment and Treatment of Child Abuse, London, Tavistock. Dalrymple, J. & Hough, J. (eds) (1995), Having a Voice. An Exploration of Children’s Rights and Advocacy. Birmingham: Venture Press. Davies, M. (1997) (ed) The Blackwell Companion to Social Work. Oxford: Blackwell. Department of Health (1995) Child Protection: Messages from Research. HMSO, London. Department of Health (1988) Protecting Children: A Guide for Social Workers undertaking a comprehensive assessment. London: HMSO Department of Health, Department for Education and Employment, Home Office. (2000). Framework for the assessment of children in need and their families, London: The Stationery Office. Every Child Matters Green Paper, Retrieved, 30th May 2012 from http://publications.everychildmatters.gov.uk Helm, D. (2011) â€Å"Judgements or Assumptions? The Role of Analysis in Assessing Children and Young People’s Needs†. British Journal of Social Work, 41, 894-911 Hoyle, D. (2008). ‘Problematizing Every Child Matters’ the encyclopedia of informal education. Retrieved June 8th 2012 from http://www.infed.org Jones, C. (2001) ‘Voices from the front line: state social workers and New Labour’, British Journal of Social Workers, 31 (4), pp. 547-562. Jones, P. (2011) â€Å"What are Children’s Rights?: Contemporary Developments and Debates†. Part One; Chapter Overview. Retrieved, 29th May 2012 from http://www.sagepub.com Joseph Rowntree Foundation. (2005). Findings; Informing Change: â€Å"Human Rights obligations and policy supporting children and families†. Retrieved, 29th May 2012 from www.jrf.org.uk Mitchell, W. and Sloper, P. (2008) The Integrated Children’s System and Disabled Children. Child and Family Social Work, 13 (3): 274-285. Parker, J. (2007) â€Å"Chapter 11: the process of social work: Assessment, Planning, Intervention and Review†. In, Lymbery, Mark & Postle, Karen (Eds.), Social Work: a companion to learning, pp. 111-122, London: SAGE Publications Ltd. Parker, J and Bradley, G. (2005) Social Work Practice: Assessment, Planning, Intervention and Review. Learning Matters. Parton, C. and Parton, N. (1989) ‘Child Protection, the law and dangerousness’, in O. Stevenson (ed), Child Abuse: Public Policy and Professional Practice, Hemel Hempstead, Harvester-Wheatsheaf. Parton, N. (1985). The Politics of Child Abuse, Basingstoke, Macmillan. Parton, N. (2006). Safeguarding Childhood: Early Intervention and Surveillance in a late Modern Society. Palgrave/Macmillan: Basingstoke Parton, N. (2010). ‘Child Protection and Safeguarding in England: Changing and Competing Conceptions of Risk and their Implications for Social Work’. British Journal of Social Work 2010, pp, 1-22 Parton, N. (2012). ‘The Munro Review of Child Protection: An Appraisal. Policy Review. Children & Society Volume 26, (2012) pp. 150-162 Preston-Shoot, M. (2003) A matter of record? Practice, 15 (3): 31-50 Smale,G., Tuson, G., Biehal, N. and Marsh, P. (1993) Empowerment, Assessment, Care Management and the Skilled Worker, London, The Stationery Office. Social Care Institute for Excellence (2005). Managing risk and minimising mistakes in services to children and families. Children and Families’ Services Report 6. The Policy Press Social Services Inspectorate (1997a) Assessment, Planning and Decision-Making, Family Support Services. Department of Health, London. Social Services Inspectorate (1997b) Messages from Inspections: Child Protection Inspections 1992/1996. Department of Health, London. Stein, M., Hicks, L., Rees, G. and Gorin, S. (2007) A Review of the Literature on the Preparation of Guidance for Multi-Disciplinary Teams and a Guide for Young People. (Confidential Draft) Turney, D., Platt, D., Selwyn, J., & Farmer, E. (March 2011) Social work assessment of children in need; what do we know? Messages from Research Executive Summary; School for Policy Studies, University of Bristol. Accessed 29th May 2011. Walker, S. (1999 a), Children looked after: their involvement and perceptions of decision-making. University of East Anglia Walker, S. (1999 b), â€Å"Children’s perspectives on attending statutory reviews†, in Schemmings, D. (eds.) Involving Children in Family Support and Child Protection. London: The Stationary Office. White, S.,Wastell. D., Broadhurst, K., and Hall, D. (2010) ‘When policy overlaps itself: The ‘tragic tale’ of the integrated children’s system.’ Critical Social Policy 30, 3, 405-429.

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

How Veal Crates Are Used in Factory Farms

How Veal Crates Are Used in Factory Farms One of the biggest arguments made by non-vegetarians is that dairy is not harmful to the animals since the animal does not need to be killed for dairy products. But to animal-rights activists, stealing milk right from the mothers breasts from a baby anything is despicable. Should we deny a baby the nutrition he needs to grow just so humans can drink it and get fat and laden with cholesterol? Veal in the Dairy Industry Thats not the worst of it. Veal is a by-product of the dairy industry. Like all mammals, female cows must be kept constantly pregnant in order to lactate. In a process called freshening, female cows, called wet cows after giving birth, are kept unnaturally lactating to maximize their milk production. Male calves are taken from their mothers at birth because they are not useful for milk production. These calves are turned into veal. Some female calves are also turned into veal because they are not needed for dairy production. The excess dairy calves are the wrong breed to be useful for beef production, so they are usually slaughtered for veal when they are between 8 and 16 weeks old.   Why Veal Production and Crates Are Controversial Veal crates are used in factory farming to confine dairy calves. The calves are chained and do not have enough room to move or turn around in a crate that measures 22 by 54 inches. Veal production is controversial because many people regard the extreme confinement as excessively cruel. The crates are so small, the animals cannot turn around. This keeps their muscles soft and unused which produces the pale, anemic meat consumers demand. Also, the calves are fed a synthetic formula instead of their mothers’ milk, this formula lacks iron, and causes a variety of health problems. Water is withheld so the calves will crave the formula. The formula has a laxative effect, so the calves are plagued with diarrhea which not only causes painful cramping, but also serious rashes down their legs where the fecal matter, which contains stomach acid in it, burns their skin. Their rectums are also painful, burning and swollen. The method whereby veal is created is so cruel, that many enlightened non-vegetarians have sworn off veal completely because they know they could never enjoy a meal when the animal on their plates suffered intensely.   To add insult to injury, cows are associated with motherhood because they are more doting on their babies than a Jewish mom with her son. Cows have been spotted with tears running down their faces when they hear their calves crying for their mothers.   While some animal advocates work to ban the use of veal crates, the slaughter of any animal for food is antithetical to animal rights, regardless of how much room the animals have when they are alive. Examples of Anti-Veal Crate Initiatives Californias Prop 2, a ballot initiative that was approved by California voters in 2008, banned the use of veal crates and took effect in 2015. The Animal Law Resource Center proposed a model bill and presents a history of legislation addressing veal crates. Edited by  Michelle A. Rivera, Animal Expert

Monday, October 21, 2019

Free Essays on Public Media Violence

, he went next door to his 87 year old neighbor’s house and choked her to death was this act a cause or effect of the violence in the public media or is that just an excuse? Population television ownership in the United States grew rapidly during the 1950’s and passed the 50 percent over the population. The early television programs were low in violence with only 8 percent of programming focusing on violence. This changed in 1956 when westerns took television ratings by storm. Since 1956, violent programs have been going back and forth from 30 percent to 55 percent of all prime time shows. Federal Bureau of Investigation data from 1951 and1952 to see what impact early television had on crime rates. In 1952, the television signal spread to the entire nation. Using the cities already receiving television in 1951 as controls, they were able to document a significant increase in petty larceny due to the arrival of television even though only 10 percent of Americans had television sets. Earlier studies did note correlation between movies, radio, comic books violence and juvenile delinquency. But, television viewing quickly shortened the number of hours of violence consumed per person per a week. By 1972, the United States Surgeon General, Jesse Steinfeld had enough information about television violence to take public action. Further research has accumulated with dozens of sophisticate field studies to complement the careful laboratory studies. There are over a thousand studies and reports on television violence that exist. More than 75 percent of the studies report finding harmful effects while only 1 percent claim to find beneficial effects. When two of the studies claiming beneficial effects from television ... Free Essays on Public Media Violence Free Essays on Public Media Violence John was at home one day getting ready to eat lunch. John’s Mom brought his lunch out for him to eat by the television. John had been watching â€Å"The Woody Wood Pecker Show† and after words, he went next door to his 87 year old neighbor’s house and choked her to death was this act a cause or effect of the violence in the public media or is that just an excuse? Population television ownership in the United States grew rapidly during the 1950’s and passed the 50 percent over the population. The early television programs were low in violence with only 8 percent of programming focusing on violence. This changed in 1956 when westerns took television ratings by storm. Since 1956, violent programs have been going back and forth from 30 percent to 55 percent of all prime time shows. Federal Bureau of Investigation data from 1951 and1952 to see what impact early television had on crime rates. In 1952, the television signal spread to the entire nation. Using the cities already receiving television in 1951 as controls, they were able to document a significant increase in petty larceny due to the arrival of television even though only 10 percent of Americans had television sets. Earlier studies did note correlation between movies, radio, comic books violence and juvenile delinquency. But, television viewing quickly shortened the number of hours of violence consumed per person per a week. By 1972, the United States Surgeon General, Jesse Steinfeld had enough information about television violence to take public action. Further research has accumulated with dozens of sophisticate field studies to complement the careful laboratory studies. There are over a thousand studies and reports on television violence that exist. More than 75 percent of the studies report finding harmful effects while only 1 percent claim to find beneficial effects. When two of the studies claiming beneficial effects from television ...

Sunday, October 20, 2019

Follow the News Online in Spanish

Follow the News Online in Spanish As recently as 2000, nearly all the breaking news available on the Internet was in English. The few daily online news publications in Spanish were devoted primarily to local concerns of little interest to an international audience. Finding Spanish News Publications Online But, as with much of the Internet, the situation has changed rapidly. These days, the choice is almost limitless. I have found that a daily reading of the days events in Spanish is an excellent way of learning the language as it is really being used. As would be expected, CNN en Espaà ±ol is the site most like the comprehensive, 24-hour English-language sites. Since most of the articles are translated from English, they are usually easier for Spanish learners to understand. A wide selection of articles is available, with an emphasis on those relating to the United States, Latin America, business and sports. Also based in the U.S. is the Spanish-language news field is Google News Espaà ±a, which regularly updates its listing of Spanish-language articles every few minutes. Despite the sites name, there are plenty of news sources listed from Latin America and places other than Spain. Another site updated around the clock, but far less flashy, is that of Agencia EFE, a news service. Theres a definite business slant to the stories, most of which come from Europe. This site also has one of the few Spanish-language news tickers around. Another U.S.-based comprehensive Spanish-language news source is El Nuevo Herald. Although affiliated with The Miami Herald, El Nuevo Herald is more than a translation of the English online newspaper. Much of its content is original, and its probably the best place to learn news of Cuba. Comprehensive sites from the Spanish-speaking world include Argentinas Clarà ­n and Spains ABC. Many of the other Spanish-language newspaper sites on the Web emphasize their national news rather than attempt to provide comprehensive world coverage. But they provide a perspective that cant be found anywhere else. And if youre planning a trip to a Spanish-speaking area, its a good way find out whats happening there before going.

Saturday, October 19, 2019

Analysing data and findings from questionnaire Essay

Analysing data and findings from questionnaire - Essay Example This information is available in Figure 5.3. 5.2.4 Respondents' Education The academic background of each of the respondents was obtained. Figure 5.4 reveals that most of respondents were Master degree holders and they represented 34.9 percent of the sample population while 8.9 percent of the respondents were educated up to high school level. 29.4 percent of the respondents were found to be having a Bachelor degree and 14.4 percent were PhD degree holders. 12.5 percent of the respondents revealed they had other certificates. 5.2.5 Respondents' Position It is evident from Figure 5.5 shows that most of respondents were experienced and had worked for 1-5 years. They represented 37.6 percent of the respondents while respondents having more than 20 years’ work experience comprised of 4.9 percent of the sample population. About 18.7 percent of the respondents had working experience of 6-10 years. Additionally, respondents having experience of less than one year accounted for 14.1 pe rcent of the respondents; while 17.7 percent amongst them had working experience of 11-15 years. The remaining 7 percent respondents amongst the sample population had experience of 16 -20 years. 5.3 The Data 5.3.1 Data Inspection Data analysis commenced with an inspection and review of the data in order to ascertain that it was suitable for analysis. In order to carry out an exhaustive data analysis it was considered proper to follow the procedures outlined by Hair et al. (2006), which included examining data patterns that were missed out and adhering to statistical assumptions, identification of outliers, and a review of skewness and kurtosis. 5.3.2 Missing... The study provides specific contributions relative to quality management practices in public hospitals in Saudi Arabia. The researcher uses a sample population of 327 respondents in carrying out an exploratory factor analysis to determine the factor structure of instruments that had 101 items. The factors examines in this context were: transformational leadership style, transactional leadership style, laissez-faire leadership style, organizational culture and quality management practices. A test of reliability was also made in the context of all the interval scale variables in order to ascertain the extent to which they are free from casual errors. Additionally, this research made an analysis of the assumptions made in regard to homoscedasticity, linearity and non linearity and the outcomes showed that the assumptions proved to be correct. In addition to the above, the research conducted hierarchical regression in order to analyze the relationships amongst different leadership styles , organizational culture and practices of quality management. In view of the outcomes that emerged from the research, it can be said that all the hypotheses made in this study were found to have adequate support in terms of the research outcomes. The independent variables also revealed a pattern whereby they sufficiently contributed to practices of quality management. Organizational culture has been found to be important and to have a partially moderating impact on the relationships amongst laissez-faire leadership styles and quality management practices.

The Primary Benefits of Telenursing Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

The Primary Benefits of Telenursing - Assignment Example The e-health practice is applicable in various avenues such as remote monitoring and patient consultations (Kumar & Snooks, 2011). Ethics is a core concept in nursing because of the sensitivity of the practice. Almost all nursing institutions incorporate the study of ethics in their curriculum in order to enable learners to practice fairly and efficiently in the field. The ethical principals in nursing entail caring, communication and relations between the nurses and the patients. These ethical principals provide guidelines to telenurses in an ethical dilemma situation. Telenursing has various ethical dilemmas like in cases where a third party person (relative) calls the telenurse on behalf of the patient. In this case, the ethical dilemma entails a conflict between the relative’s and patient’s autonomy as well as the telenurse’s desire to help (Kumar & Snooks, 2011). In addition, telenursing has other ethical issues such as confidentiality of the information because the patients rely on different methods of communication to explain their condition. Additionally, the information provided to the nurses may lack credibility especially in situations where the patient is a minor, and they cannot comprehend their condition effectively. Ethical principles such as listening and communication abilities enable the telenurses to establish a particular condition in a patient effectively. The nurses also apply various ethical principles to resolve a situation where the interests of the concerned parties’ conflict during a telenursing process (Kumar & Snooks).

Friday, October 18, 2019

Pros and Cons of Breast Cancer and Biomakers Research Paper

Pros and Cons of Breast Cancer and Biomakers - Research Paper Example Most of the tumor markers are produced by cancer cells and also normal cells, but are increased in cancerous conditions. These factors are found in tumor tissue, blood, urine and other tissues and fluids of the body in some patients with cancer. More often than not, tumor markers are proteins. (National Cancer Institute, 2012) More than 20 different tumor markers have been described and characterized and they are in clinical use (National Cancer Institute, 2012). While some are associated with only one type of cancer, others are associated with more than one type of cancer. However, there is no universal tumor marker that can detect any type of cancer. Tumor markers serve various purposes in cancer management like complementing diagnosis, prognostication, detection of recurrence, etc. However, there are certain limitations for the use of these markers. Thus, there are pros and cons to the use of tumor markers. In this essay, pros and cons of application of biomarkers or tumor markers in breast cancer management will be discussed. Application of breast cancer biomarkers The most common cancer affecting women all over the world is breast cancer and it has been estimated that about one million cases are diagnosed every year worldwide (Duffy et al, 2005). The main presenting features of the disease include lump in the breast, skin contour changes and nipple discharge. Asymptomatic cases may be picked up during routine screening tests. Definitive diagnosis is histopathology of the biopsy specimen. Several blood based biomarkers are available, but they do not have a role in the early diagnosis of the disease. For localized breast cancer, primary treatment is mastectomy or breast-conserving surgery and radiation. In invasive breast cancer, primary treatment is followed by hormone therapy or chemotherapy. These treatments have shown to reduce mortality related to breast cancer. Following primary therapy, the patients are followed up at regular intervals for surveillanc e. This includes clinical history, detailed physical examination, chest X-ray, mammography, biochemical testing and use of breast cancer markers. The intention is to detect recurrent disease at an early stage so that outcomes are better. This is one use of tumor marker. There are other uses of tumor markers in breast cancer management. Recurrent disease is common even in lymph node-negative cases and therapeutic options in such cases include exclusive hormone therapy or chemotherapy or a combination of both. Metastatic breast cancer is considered incurable and treatment is mainly palliative. Serial assessment of tumor markers is useful in to decide whether a particular treatment modality can be continues or there is a need to switch to another treatment modality. Thus, it is now clear that tumor markers are necessary for optimal management of breast cancer (Duffy et al, 2005). Pros of breast cancer biomarkers There are 2 types of tumor markers available for breast cancer and they ar e serum markers and tissue markers. Examples of serum markers useful in breast cancer include CEA, CA 15-3, polypeptide antigen or TPA, BR 27.29, tissue polypeptide specific antigen or TPS and the shed form of HER-2 (Duffy, 2006). Examples of tissue markers include urokinase plasminogen activator, HER-2, hormone receptors and plasminogen activator-1. Most of the oncological organizations in Europe, US and other countries recommend routine assay of progesterone and estrogen receptors on all newly diagnosed breast cancers to select the type of hormone therapy (Duffy, 2006). These markers are also useful to determine prognosis. HER-2 is also recommended on all newly diagnosed breast cancer cases. The main purpose of this is to determine whether the cancer is suitable for Trastuzumab (Herceptin). This test is

Critically Appraising Quantitative Studies Research Paper

Critically Appraising Quantitative Studies - Research Paper Example are true for the people in the study while external validity is the reflection to the target population by the study for people who are not included in the study. Biases that may lead to internal invalidity include statistical analysis, withdrawals and dropouts, blinding, data collection methods, allocation bias, confounding, intervention integrity. Internal validity occurs in unbiased results and only internally viable research can be generalized ensuring external validity. Reliability denotes the amount of trust that can be given to a research and is therefore a measure of the likelihood for reproducing the same research (LoBiondo-Wood & Haber, 2010). This is determined using statistical techniques relating to frequency of occurrence of chance and uncertainty of an observation. The threshold for chance use to check for reliability is 5% where a research phenomenon is reliable if it occurred more than 5% and its occurrence is therefore not by chance. Applicability is the extent to which the results obtained can have an impact on practice where contrast is made against statistical significance. This entails checking if the research will generate any difference on the users of the research. The most important factor is validity because applicability is dependent on reliability and validity but results can be reliable but not valid making them unable to be generally applied. It is also more important because reliability is a necessary condition for validity however it is not a sufficient condition. In conclusion, it is more important where the research outcome is both reliable and valid for the best research

Thursday, October 17, 2019

Context of professional practice Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

Context of professional practice - Essay Example Part One Legal principles basically refer to rules or standards of behaviour. These principles also refer to the supporting rationale for certain standards in the practice, including principles referring to their allowance or prohibition in the healthcare profession. The principles of ethical practice refer to the code of ethics for the healthcare professionals, clarifying specific elements of the practice including the ethical principles which emerge from or react to such specific elements. These principles serve as goals in managing the public health institutions (Public Health Leadership Society, 2002). Legal principles and principles of professional ethical practice refer to different aspects of the nursing practice (Royal College of Nursing, 2013). The legal principles refer to the legally mandated principles of healthcare while the principles of professional ethical practice are based on the standards of ethics which may not necessarily be mandated by legal provisions, but are still part of the minimum requisites of medical and nursing care (Dimond, 2008). Within the nursing practice, the legal principles refer to the principles laid out by the Royal College of Nursing in partnership with the Department of Health and Nursing and Midwifery Council. The ethical principles include the four basic health ethical requirements: self-determination/autonomy, beneficence, non-maleficence, and justice (McElroy, 2011). These four principles may not be specifically included as legally mandated principles in the nursing practice, but violations of these ethical requirements are still punishable by the law and by the professional councils (Thompson, et.al., 2006). In applying legal principles and principles of professional codes of practice, I discovered that making judgments and decisions during the practice must be applied as independent and non-mechanistic processes. My judgment as a clinical practitioner is required under the context of complying with the minimum le gal and professional codes of the practice. I cannot follow one and ignore the other because these principles help provide essential support for the effective management of patient conditions (Fry and Johnstone, 2008). Issues of responsibility and accountability in delegating activities to others may relate to problems on improper delegation (Leathard, 2003). Where certain functions are delegated, all the essential elements of proper delegation must be complied with, including the importance of delegating the task to a person who is trained and capable of expertly carrying out the assigned task (Gillen and Graffin, 2010). Accountability may still emerge in these cases where the delegator has not secured the necessary means to ensure that the task delegated is being properly carried out by a competent individual. This would include the responsibility of following-up the delegatee, and supervising his or her work (Gillen and Graffin, 2010). Delegating the task to oneself must also com ply with the same standards of the practice, including competence. Where competence cannot be ensured, the task must not be delegated to oneself. The aspect of the nursing practice which shall be subject of this reflection is the nursing care for diabetic patients. During my care for a diabetic patient, I discovered that

The Role Of Technology In Economic Development Research Paper

The Role Of Technology In Economic Development - Research Paper Example People encounter improvements in their living through economic development occurring in a nation. The scope of this study is primarily limited to the economy of United States. However the existing literature and the different viewpoints offered by various researchers and authors related to technology and economic development have been included in this study. Economic development can be viewed from the institutionalism perspective which states that technology forms an important driving force for the economic development of a nation. However this has been argued by the ecological economists who do not consider technology being the only factor that can lead to development of an economy. Trade and technology are found to be positively correlated with each other and most of the nations using greater volume of technology are the most economically developed nations of the world. Hence technology plays a vital role in the sustainable growth and development of an economy. Technology has been defined by economists as knowledge or ideas that facilitate increased production of output from a given input. A greater amount of technology implies that the ability of producing output is enhanced using the same amount of input as was used earlier. Technology can be considered to be composed of various things. It can imply different types of engineering discoveries like the inventions of light bulb or airplane, basic knowledge, concepts related to services or production, etc. The importance of technology is evident because of the fact that inputs of regular quantities are associated with diminishing returns. Keeping other things constant, the utilization of more inputs leads to lesser amount of outputs that can be produced through each of the additional inputs. However, since similar concept is applicable to the overall economy, use of technology does not lead to diminishing returns. Hence it has been observed that technology has a significant role to play in the process of overco ming various limitations that are imposed through the phenomenon of diminishing returns to capital and labor. Prophecies of doom have been announced in various points of time in the historical past which was based on the concept that the scarcity of one of the inputs would result in the halt of economic growth. However technological advancements have disproven all of these prophecies so far. Technology has helped us to formulate ways through which we can produce more output from a given input and hence reduced the dangers that are imposed through the limitations of the availability of certain resources. The role of technology in the economic development of a nation can be viewed from different perspectives like the economical and social perspectives. Development is actually referred to the various improvements that occur in the lives of people living in a community. This study entails about the various roles played by technology towards the economic growth and development of a natio n. The scope of this study is mostly limited to the economy of United States. However it has been compared and contrasted with various other economies and from the global

Wednesday, October 16, 2019

Context of professional practice Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

Context of professional practice - Essay Example Part One Legal principles basically refer to rules or standards of behaviour. These principles also refer to the supporting rationale for certain standards in the practice, including principles referring to their allowance or prohibition in the healthcare profession. The principles of ethical practice refer to the code of ethics for the healthcare professionals, clarifying specific elements of the practice including the ethical principles which emerge from or react to such specific elements. These principles serve as goals in managing the public health institutions (Public Health Leadership Society, 2002). Legal principles and principles of professional ethical practice refer to different aspects of the nursing practice (Royal College of Nursing, 2013). The legal principles refer to the legally mandated principles of healthcare while the principles of professional ethical practice are based on the standards of ethics which may not necessarily be mandated by legal provisions, but are still part of the minimum requisites of medical and nursing care (Dimond, 2008). Within the nursing practice, the legal principles refer to the principles laid out by the Royal College of Nursing in partnership with the Department of Health and Nursing and Midwifery Council. The ethical principles include the four basic health ethical requirements: self-determination/autonomy, beneficence, non-maleficence, and justice (McElroy, 2011). These four principles may not be specifically included as legally mandated principles in the nursing practice, but violations of these ethical requirements are still punishable by the law and by the professional councils (Thompson, et.al., 2006). In applying legal principles and principles of professional codes of practice, I discovered that making judgments and decisions during the practice must be applied as independent and non-mechanistic processes. My judgment as a clinical practitioner is required under the context of complying with the minimum le gal and professional codes of the practice. I cannot follow one and ignore the other because these principles help provide essential support for the effective management of patient conditions (Fry and Johnstone, 2008). Issues of responsibility and accountability in delegating activities to others may relate to problems on improper delegation (Leathard, 2003). Where certain functions are delegated, all the essential elements of proper delegation must be complied with, including the importance of delegating the task to a person who is trained and capable of expertly carrying out the assigned task (Gillen and Graffin, 2010). Accountability may still emerge in these cases where the delegator has not secured the necessary means to ensure that the task delegated is being properly carried out by a competent individual. This would include the responsibility of following-up the delegatee, and supervising his or her work (Gillen and Graffin, 2010). Delegating the task to oneself must also com ply with the same standards of the practice, including competence. Where competence cannot be ensured, the task must not be delegated to oneself. The aspect of the nursing practice which shall be subject of this reflection is the nursing care for diabetic patients. During my care for a diabetic patient, I discovered that

Tuesday, October 15, 2019

LIving in a House versus living in an apt Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

LIving in a House versus living in an apt - Essay Example There are many similarities between living in an apartment and living in a house. Both are places for living where one can live with family. Both can be similar in structure and space at least for one floor. Both apartment and house have electrical, mechanical, and sanitary supplies and services that make them livable for the occupants. Living in any of them requires an individual to either pay rent or pay the cost of the whole structure whether in installments or as a one-time payment. There are neighbors for the occupants of apartments as well as houses. There are quite a lot of differences between living in an apartment and living in a house. People living in an apartment generally have access to just one floor because other floors are occupied by other families whereas people living in a house dwell on all of its floors and levels. Many families live in a condominium whereas generally only one family resides in a house. People in a house have more autonomy of extending the house horizontally or vertically and of making any sort of changes to the structure whereas occupants of an apartment generally cannot make any structural changes in the apartment. People living in a house also own the land on which the house is constructed and can thus demolish, reconstruct, and change their structure in any way they want. On the other hand, occupants of an apartment generally own just their apartment and not the ground on which the condominium is constructed. People living in a house find it easier to move in and out whereas occupants of an ap artment find it difficult and inconvenient to frequently move in and out of the apartment particularly if the apartment is located at an elevation from the ground; they have to use lift or stairs which limits horizontal movement. However, houses generally take longer to be constructed than an apartment because most condominiums are constructed with precast structural members these days whereas most houses

Monday, October 14, 2019

Explain Why Treasure Island Is So Highly Regarded Essay Example for Free

Explain Why Treasure Island Is So Highly Regarded Essay Treasure Island is written using a first person narrative, which has its own advantages and disadvantages. One of the advantages consist of being able to experience how the character narrating feels, in this case we get to learn a lot about Jim Hawkins and how he feels throughout the novel just because he is the narrator of the novel. However, when Jim decides stow away in one of the boats heading for the shore R.L. Stevenson is faced with a problem in that he cannot let the reader know what is happening on board the Hispaniola. \ Stevenson finds a way around this problem by swapping the narrator to Doctor Livesey. This seems to sort out the problem for a while but if the reader was reading the novel at a fast pace then he might not read the chapter headings and know that the narrator has changed and therefore get confused with whats happening in the story and where the characters are. I think that R.L. Stevenson knew that this problem would occur somewhere in the novel and anticipated it, he may have even planned it. But he still chose to use the first person narrative, although it is not always the easiest narrative to follow as I and we are used which often makes it hard to distinguish who I and we are, and who the speech is being directed at. However, I believe Stevenson chose this narrative as it makes it easier to let the reader know and understand the feelings of the character that is narrating the novel at any time in the novel. R.L. Stevenson describes the island very well throughout the novel by using all of the senses of a human being: Sight The appearance of the island when I came on deck next morning was altogether changed. Sound and the whole ship creaking and groaning, Taste like someone tasting a bad egg. Smell a smell of sodden leaves and rotting tree trunks. Touch The Hispaniola was rolling scuppers under in the ocean swell. The quotation I chose for sight was one of the many I could have used as part three of Treasure Island has many references to sight and how things look. Although there is not nearly as many R.L. Stevenson still makes a point of describing the sounds that are a part of the island and boat, like the creaking of the boat, and the sounds that the birds make. Chapter thirteen contains only one reference to taste and that is in the form of a simile. The effect this has is that most people know or can at least guess what a bad egg tastes like which gives the reader a good idea of how bad the island smelt. The chapter also has only one reference to smell which can also give the reader a good idea of how he island smelt, giving them quite a clear image of the island in their minds eye. Explaining how movement and how something feels is a difficult task to achieve when writing a novel, however I feel that R.L. Stevenson manages to accomplish this quite well. Describing how the boat was rolling gently in the water, how the temperature was very hot and describing how Jim had to hold on because he felt as though everything was spinning around him. Part of the tension of Treasure Island is built up at the end of part one when Dr. Livesey tells Squire Trelawney that he is afraid that the Squire will tell someone what the voyage is about and that there is treasure involved, Theres only one man Im afraid of. `And whos that? cried the squire. `Name the dog, sir! `You, replied the doctor; `for you cannot hold your tongue.' The feeling this gives to the reader is one of untrustworthiness and a lack of faithfulness between friends which may cause the reader to become somewhat tense as there is a part of them that knows what is going to happen but they are not completely sure what or when it is going to happen. And when Jim and the doctor receive a letter from the squire it brings the doctors fears to light as the letter he receives from the squire says that the squire told every man, woman and child that he met, and that he had hired a man with one leg. At this news, the reader may again feel tension in them, as they do not know what the people the squire told will do or if the man with one leg is the same person that Billy Bones was so scared of. Personally, I think that there are five reasons that this novel is so widely known and read; Firstly the book appeals to people of all ages, it has something that appeals to everyone that can read. Secondly, R.L. Stevensons choice of narrative, it lets the reader know exactly how the character narrating feels, making you feel like apart of the novel. Thirdly, The way in which R.L. Stevenson chose to describe the island and everything surrounding it, almost making the Island a character. Fourthly, the amount of tension that is built up throughout the novel is huge; some readers might find the book hard to put down because of the tension as they feel they need to know what will happen next. Lastly, R.L. Stevenson thought up ideas about the setting, story, and narrative issues for Treasure Island himself, instead of doing what a lot of writers might do which is to take ideas from other people, modify them a bit, and then pass them off as their own. Due to this Treasure Island is unpredictable and lively, yet it is as easy to follow as a nursery book. I found Treasure Island to be quite an enjoyable book even though I do not usually read adventure novels.

Sunday, October 13, 2019

Training And Development At Pizza Hut Management Essay

Training And Development At Pizza Hut Management Essay This report is based on Pizza Hut restaurant located in West London, and will focus on the front line employees, front of house staff i.e. waiters and waitresses. This choice was particularly based on our employment experience since July 2007, and substantial internal information based on training, policies and so on. In order to determine, which extent the organisation follows good practice, learning and development i.e. strategic or business led. Company background Pizza Hut is owned by the American Group Yums Inc, which is one of the largest pizza restaurant companies in the world in terms of both the number of outlets and the percentage of market share that it holds. The company oversees more than 11,000 pizza restaurants and delivery outlets in 90 countries worldwide. (Digica 08) Britains first Pizza Hut started taking orders 30 years ago in Islington, north London, and is now the leading pizza restaurant and delivery chain in the UK. The company has over 600 outlets, including over 370 dine-in restaurants and over 170 home delivery units, and it employs almost 20,000 people in the UK. (Digica 08) Company Vision and Business strategy According to the Pizza hut student information pack (06), the vision of the company is the following; To be the most loved and trusted restaurant brand in the UK Whereas the passion is, Great People, Great Pizza, Great Times Pizza Huts vision is the desired future state and aspiration, in which the head office of the firm is seeking to focus the attention and awareness on the whole aspect of the organisation (Johnson: 09:09). So that Pizza hut to have a respected and trusted restaurant brand, such as efficient operations, good quality food and provide great value for their external customers i.e. hospitality service. The company recognises that in order to achieve their long term vision, their employees should be well managed and developed, seeing that the service levels i.e. hospitality is delivered from front line staff, in which will have overall impact on the goals of the organisation and its ability to retain customers for continuous repeat business. Pizza Hut have developed an operational strategy, which is directly linked to how component parts of the firm help deliver effectively the corporate level strategies in terms of resources, processes and people (Johnson: 09:09). For example, Pizza hut have implemented the following strategy step to achieve their overall goals: Build people capability in order to Provide come back again service with A passion for product that will Drive sales and Maximise profit Moreover, Pizza Hut recognizes that in order to reach their business aims, the following principles are important to the organization: Customer Mania Belief in People Recognition Coaching and Support Accountability Executional Excellence Positive Energy Teamwork This increased emphasis on the restaurant employees is due to the fact the company had issues with a high number of staff turnover according to Management today (1998). In which the percentage was high as 160% and resulted in extremely low employee moral. So as a result, Pizza Hut became determined to transform their staffing policy in order to, Reach sales of  £600 million Satisfy 2.6 million customers a week Reduce staff turnover to 50% (Pizza hut student information 06) Compared to other recognised competitive fast food restaurants such as McDonalds, who are using a similar strategy to Pizza Hut. For example providing career opportunities that allow their employees to develop their full potential i.e. comprehensive training programmes enables a first job employee to progress through to a senior management position through merit-based promotions. Since traditionally, it has been difficult for fast food restaurants to retain staff for long term commitment (management article 1998). Hence Pizza Hut has followed McDonalds strategy, in order to motivate staff and increase productivity so that profits are maximised. (Times 100 case study) Strategic and Business led Barham (et al: 1988) states they are two terms; Strategic Human resource Development (HRD), in which arises from the organisations vision about what its business should be; the abilities and potential of its people; and the options available within a given time period to help it grow and prosper Business-Led HRD is a response to the changing business needs of the organisation, thereby improving its capability to achieve its business goals Therefore, it can be established that the vision and strategy of Pizza Hut, according to Barham et al is (1988), is strategic and business led. For example the organisations vision statement indicates how they wish to be perceived by the members of the public, plus the potential and abilities of its employees and giving them opportunities to develop. Moreover the business is responding to the changing needs i.e. reducing staff turnover. Staff turnover is a business risk, Pizza Hut have identified the problem and minimized the ways in which it affects their restaurants through a structured staff management programme, in which this report will further investigate. Taking into account, that staff turnover has a negative impact on businesses in competitive market which Pizza Hut operates in. Especially when team members are key to its success and continuity because the level of hospitality service will determine the rate of repeat business, employee may leave if they are demotivated, by not being treated right by line managers for not being trained to cope with rush hour periods and may lose self confidence and ability. Consequently, retaining staff and treating them fairly has benefits for the business. Continuity and stability become part of Pizza Huts culture, and staff feel they belong to the organisation and take pride in their work. Skills and competencies are maintained in key business areas and productivity is often increased. On the whole Pizza Hut approach to learning and development is in line with CIPD (09) survey which, states 50% of organisations are integrating a leaning and development culture across organisation, i.e. Beliefs in people, coaching and support have become important principles to Pizza Hut. Training and development approaches Barham (et al 1988) identified three different training and development approaches which are the following: Fragmented approach where training is not linked to organisation goals, and also be perceived as a luxury or a waste of time Formalised approach -training is gradually being linked human resource needs Focused approach training is regarded as competitive weapon and is linked to organisation strategy and goals. In Pizza Hut, all new recruits joining the restaurant are sent on a initial induction programme, in which the company introduce new recruits to their job position, their team and the workplace and the organisational background i.e. business values. Secondly, it helps them establish positive relationships between the employees by building their commitment to its visions and goals i.e., Being the most loved restaurant brand and providing great service for customers. (Harrison 09:163). Furthermore, Pizza Hut emphasises the importance restaurant quality assurance system known as CHAMPS which is based on customer expectations of cleanliness, hospitality, accuracy, maintenance, product quality and speed of service. For instance McDonalds (times100 09) success is also built on the highest standards of quality, service and cleanliness delivered to customers in each of its restaurants. Therefore well trained employees at Pizza Hut are the first steps to achieving these standards in every single restaurant. In addition to, CHAMPS philosophy, the company will issue Full service restaurant team member workbook to record on going progress and achievement during on going training at Pizza Hut by using specifically designed questions aimed at testing the following areas. Menu knowledge -i.e. listing the toppings on BBQ deluxe pizza Salad station setting temperature, shelf life of certain goods when opened, how often certain items needs replenishing etc System cash handling how to cater for customer needs i.e. changing toppings on the server till. Procedures for processing credit card and cash transactions especially since each members are responsible for cash shortages. Health and Safety handling hazardous substances, sharp objects, eliminating obstruction in the restaurant floor. Operating machinery i.e. oven in a safe manner and so on. Other fast food restaurants, McDonalds are also using similar approach to Pizza Hut, all their new employees have an initial training period in which they are shown the basics and allowed to develop their skills to a level where they are competent in each area within the restaurant. Also similar to Pizza Hut strategy they will also attend classroom-based training sessions where they will complete workbooks for quality, service and cleanliness. (Times100) Following the induction, mentoring is carried out. In Pizza Hut employees go through a three hour on the job training and are partnered with a recognised expert trainer. Mentoring has been defined by Garvey (2008:8) as a process in which a person carries out a councillor and a friend to help support them in the workplace by familiarising with its customs and processes. The focus is centred on the individuals and raises business awareness like hospitality service, reducing speed etc. Harrison: 09:170 In addition to being assigned to a mentor, on the job training helps new employees gain experience and retain more knowledge and experience regarding the companies key competence areas i.e. storing order details on the server till. Also the initial on the job training partner is flexible and more informal based to reduce pressure and help encourage confidence in the new employees ability to perform. For the reason being 56% of learning training development professionals consider on the job training of front line employees as an effective way to become accustomed to the workplace. (People management 06:10 article) Lastly when the restaurant manager is satisfied with the progress, the employee will be assigned to an ongoing personal Host Training Workbook which is an educational material aimed to enhanced level of professional knowledge and broadening the restaurants awareness i.e. hospitality service in a fast moving environment. The training workbook introduces the following vital aspects of key competences: Communication skills importance of excellent communications skills for customer interaction as well with management and team members Interacting with all types of customers, generating a personal conversation with customers at the door Communications with other team members and management to ensure accurate wait times are quoted and ensure effective table turnover Keeping up to date with team room communications, awareness of CHAMPS and Customer Mania Knowledge informing customers of deals that are appropriate i.e. family deals and also being able to describe whole menu be able to manage queues using the restaurant utilisation tools using service recovery to customer issues at the door are effectively resolved or communicated to the deputy manage Attitudes/Behaviour Building rapport with customers Communicating effectively to establish customer needs Demonstration passion when explaining meal deals Prioritising effectively, getting most important task done first Being proactive when problems on shifts are identified (Harrison 09:163). (Internal Host training workbook 09) These are the key attributes restaurant managers look for in their employees, according to CIPD(09) survey indicate 79% employers value interpersonal and 74% regard communications skills as most important for recruitment. For that reason on going host training programme allows employees to acquire and develop these skills further i.e. product knowledge, experience in dealing with difficult customer etc. Especially since this is vital for the hospitality environment. In addition, all front line employees are not limited in scope since everyone gets the opportunity to progress further to management level, since 75% trainee managers start out as team members indicating a successful transition. Employees are selected by demonstrating great potential such as outstanding selling skills, commitment to CHAMPS plus recognition from other support managers, in order to be recommended for them to be selected management trainee programme. The management trainee program involves dedicated management training centers; this involves taking part in various workshops on subjects ranging from business management to leadership. (Pizza Hut 09 website) From the information given we can see that Pizza Hut have adopted a focused approach to training and development, as training is an ongoing process in the organisation and is a requirement for the organisations survival in a competitive and ever changing environment. The focused approach is also linked to individual needs as well as the organisations. Pizza Huts approach to training and development is also competitive as it operates in a demanding market and needs to provide a service to its customers which equals or surpasses its competitors level of service. This could help the organisation to gain the upper-hand in its market, by providing outstanding customer service and high quality products. Pizza Huts: organisation structure and culture Structure and culture of Pizza Hut restaurant will have implications for Human resource development, since they are closely linked. HRD determines the effective fits in provision in the organisation. According to Handy (1985) recognised four following, organisational structure culture models: The Pyramid often viewed as a stereotypical large bureaucracy organisation, in which the overall decisions are managed from the top layer. Secondly, the layers consist of a defined hierarchy of functions where the communication is based upon rules and procedures i.e. banking and insurance, hospitals etc. The net matrix involves individuals and resources bought together simultaneously due to a project to certain standards and time constraints. Individuals are flexible skilled and expert in their field. However teams are disbanded when the project is completed. I.e. construction firms, large consultancies etc. The galaxy consists of independent, highly qualified who pursue their own professional and career interest within a supporting infrastructure of resources and administration. Plus there is limited control of mechanism and management hierarchy i.e. lawyers, GP practices etc. The web and power these are known to exist in small entrepreneurial organisations and family businesses. Activities are relied on trust, empathy and personal communication. A group of people or senior individuals exercise power and influence. These organisations are highly competitive and survival is difficult due to economic influence in which employee who handle pressure thrive. Pizza Hut structure and culture fits in with Handy C (1985) The web structure and power culture. As pizza huts decisions are mainly undertaken at the top of the organization i.e. the head office instructs and gives feedback on the CHAMPS standard in the restaurant which directly reflects the front line employees service level, indicating the head office balance of power according to restaurant general manager (RGM) . In addition development is also related to training objectives, which benefit the business and the individual employees, for instance areas for improvement where staff can reduce the time for delivering meals to tables, interact with customers more often so that business CHAMP standards are satisfied and increase the customer repeat business in the process. Moreover the organisation moves very rapidly and change are dealt quickly i.e. new products in menu require employees to quickly adapt different techniques and learn promotions i.e. Christmas menus, learning to make s moothie drinks, using new coffee machine, preparing new desserts etc as soon as they are introduced. Secondly, the environment Pizza Hut operates is highly competitive i.e. Nandos, McDonalds etc as well being very sales based, because the head office sets weekly sales target, and if sales target are not met, this results reduction in working hours for front line employees (RGM 09). Therefore to ensure survival in the demanding market, employees rely on each other by working together to balance the workload i.e. communicating personally, building trust and delivering a service which will help increases customer satisfaction and reduce complaints, especially since the nature of the environment is fast driven. So that Pizza Hut Hayes can retain customers to increase their revenue in long term and ensure survival in difficult economic times. Handy, C (1985) Added Value and Horizontal integration Added value is to add to the organisations capability to achieve its goals for example producing results that enable Pizza Hut Hayes to react well to challenges and threats i.e. competitors , it is also over and above the cost of the initial investment of Leaning and development (LD) (Harrison, 2009:359) In Pizza Hut Hayes, the CHAMPS quality assurance systems is the driving tools towards the operations standards into the restaurant and help deliver the business added value. This is because the head office implemented policies are centered to meet customers requirements hence the long term vision to be the most loved and trusted restaurant brand in the UK, This is achieved by employees being trained to maintain salad bar products to quality standards, contributing to restaurant maintenance, consistently delivering and correct orders. Whereas, Customer Mania and How we win together (HWWT) philosophy coexist with the CHAMPS system. These are the attitude and behaviors used for delivering basic standards by employees, in order to deliver, a positive attitude in a fast moving fast food environment. For example by demonstrating commitment and taking accountability for understanding customer needs, collaborating with other colleagues to deliver the smooth running of the restaurant. Otherwi se service will lack consistency and business will not reach their strategic goals (Appendices 1 -USE PPD PRINTS) To measure the consistency and effectiveness Pizza Hayes employees competences and overall restaurant service, head office will use a mystery shopping programme that collects information against customer expectations using the CHAMPS criteria. In which the results of the survey are fed back to restaurant. So that RGM can use the feedback and compare Hayes against other West London Pizza Hut branches and take necessary actions to meet CHAMPS targets and add value by achieving its goals set by theà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦.. (Management today article) Horizontally integrated Performance Management In addition, value added is also linked to HR practices of Performance management of Pizza Hut Hayes, the business is horizontally integrated .For example CHAMPS, Customer Mania and HWWT criterions are integrated in all aspect of employee management and also identify what members of the restaurants are doing well and how they can improve to make sure the business succeeds. (Appendices) (Harrison 09:323) Ways in which this is done by: Induction all employees are made aware of performance requirements established in the framework i.e. Speed, Hospitality, Product quality etc Job related training the RGM will agree on the support required for the individual to achieve performance levels i.e. improve interaction with customers so they feel welcomed, taking additional responsibilities i.e. handling telephone orders for multi tasking, improving selling skills by up selling desserts and so on. Appraisal- feedback is given by the RGM on how employees perform to Pizza Hut CHAMPS and Customer Mania standards. Secondly both the RGM and employee agree on key targets to help improve development areas i.e. further opportunities for improvement. Personal development employees are consistently working towards the core competence framework, this helps employees expand performance i.e. speed of service, product quality, good hospitality service and creating good relations with customers and employee members. This helps the business and keeps employees committed and motivated. Recognition and rewards- all employees are recognised for their efforts for achieving CHAMPS standards, this because with mystery shopping programme individual employees are scored against the CHAMPS criterion and moreover RGM will use feedback from other senior members, and reward employees by giving them certificates, vouchers etc. Whereas customers have also traditionally rewarded employees by giving them tips for delivering excellent service in which the restaurant does not profit from. This is used as a personal motivation and incentive to follow the CHAMPS standards. This satisfies restaurant because customers will repeat business and employees will remain committed to the core competence framework. (Harrison 09:162) (Appendices) Overall, the policies adapted for performance management in the restaurant are identical to Rebecca Johnson (99) report where front line employees based in a hospitality industry i.e. hotels were given performance initiatives, such as being equipped take greater responsibilities similar to Customer Mania and CHAMPS competence and that feedback was measured through a tracking system, in order to determine whether employees performance is adding value to company and customers. This is because adding value helps Pizza Hut Hayes to be competitive and create loyal customer base and therefore performance management is carried out for individuals every six months. (RGM) Vertical integration Vertical integration involves integration LD strategy with business strategy at corporate and business unit levels and aiding performance managements, LD at operational and individual levels (Harrison 09:323). Since the focus of report is based on the operational level i.e. front line employees who are all provided with an expert workbook to record their progress and have individual targets. In which the head office, corporate level have adapted the policy of developing people capability. Moreover career planning for individual has been quite significant since 1998, 75% employees are internally promoted to management level. For example employees are supported and developed to their full potential by using programmes such as the Expert training programme, as well as the Developing Champions training programme for all levels of restaurant. This also highlights the successful nature training and development being continuous in the operation site Pizza Hut PDF (07) Recommendations: There are a number of recommendations which we have thought of that may benefit Pizza Hut. Firstly we considered most important was to offer internal promotions to staff, as this may help to reduce staff turnover on a whole. They should also have a more formal training program for their waiters to deal with the fast moving environment and they should also have team training exercises as it will help them perform better with a heavy workload. In addition they can improve further by asking customers what they want and what is important to them. We also recommend that there should be continuous development for the organisations strategic capabilities and the specific, personal capabilities of individuals and teams in order to add value.