How Long Can You Store Black Walnuts

Are  walnuts are still good after being left in the clean shell for a year? Say you have a  bucket of walnuts  in a  storage room for a season. Heres how to make a decision: If they are stored in an outside shed exposed to freezing or high temperatures and potential insect and disease infestation, youll want to toss the whole batch. You will probably be OK if you have them stored in a secure climate-controlled environment or had them frozen after they dried. Storage conditions and the time the nuts spends in that environment is important. A quick test would be to crack one and test by taste and smell. Any off flavors will be immediately noticed and the nuts should be discarded. Curing, Storage, and Shelling Information Black walnuts will have a storage advantage when  cured. Curing allows the walnut to develop deep flavor and will increase storage life. Curing black walnuts is an extra step that will take more time but will be worth the effort to preserve the nut-in-shell over time. To cure the walnut - simply distribute the cleaned and hulled nuts in a layer  of several nuts deep on cool, dry concrete, well-ventilated and shaded area for several weeks. The nut is ready  to store when the kernel breaks crisply and with a snap. When the curing process presents you with a tasty, crisp nut meat, store the cured, cleaned unshelled nuts under well-ventilated but cool conditions. The preferred storage temperature should be  60 °F or less  the relative humidity should be fairly high and around 70 percent. When walnut shells  are stored under dry conditions, they tend to crack exposing the kernels to an environment conducive to spoilage.  Use breathable cloth bags, burlap bags, wire baskets or any container that will allow for proper air circulation and discourage the development of rot bacteria and mold. To make the process of shelling the nuts easier, you should moisten them. The moisture will help to keep the kernels intact and will reduce nut breakage. Soak  the ​walnuts in hot (but not boiling) water for several hours. Some sources suggest an additional drain  and repeat of the hot water soak. Keep the nuts moist until youre ready to crack the shells

Sound Reinforcement Equipment Requirements for a Music...

Good sound is the foundation of any music venue. Poor sound can ruin the audience’s enjoyment of the concert. Good sound enhances a concert, creates interest, and commands attention. So I’ll make a review of the most important gear of the Live Sound Equipment and it’s different types. So let’s start with the mics as they are the first source to pick up an acoustic signal and transform it into electrical, which will be driven down via XLR cables to the mixing desk and back to the PA system and the audience’s ears. This is only a very brief version of the signal path which you will realise when I get to the end of my report. The Microphones by their specifications have been used for different sound sources and always with one purpose as†¦show more content†¦These types of microphone give the performers the ability to be move more freely. The radio microphone contains three main components: an input source, a transmitter, and a receiver. The size of the antenna is related to the wavelength. Lower radio frequencies require larger antennas and higher frequencies smaller ones. Another important thing is that the distance between the transmitter and receiver should be kept to minimum. Figure 5 The Direct Box (Fig.6), also known as a DI (Direct Injection) Box, matches the impedance of an instrument to the input impedance of the mixing desk. The DI Box can be active or passive. The active one has a transformer and a circuit powered by batteries or the Phantom Power supply. The passive DI Box has only a transformer and provides no boosting of the low-level signals. The DI Box can be connected to any high-impedance instrument such as an electrical bass or synthesiser. But some instruments provide a balance-line output for direct connection to the mixing desk. Figure 6 The connector types depend on the connection types, and in the concert systems they are divided on unbalanced and balanced. An unbalanced connection is a two wire system. One wire carries the audio signal and the other is connected to the ground. The balanced connection is a three wire system. Two of the wires carry the audio signal and the third one is the earth. 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Medical Claims Examiner or Claims Officer Training and Development Needs Free Essays

Prepared By: Solomon Sawerh PetteyOrganisation: Osu Klottey NHIS Location: Osu, Accra – Ghana Medical Claims Examiner orClaims Officer| training development| | | | INTRODUCTION Significant achievements have been made at arresting potential claim related challenges which threatened NHIS sustainability, but the claims still continue coming in fast with increased work load. The uses of technology and claim officers to effectively manage claims also continue to advance with meaningful results. This document therefore aims to use a scientific management approach to determine the training and development needs of claims officers, which can further enhance the effective and efficient management of claims. We will write a custom essay sample on Medical Claims Examiner or Claims Officer Training and Development Needs or any similar topic only for you Order Now Case in Point Claims officers need to have certain knowledge, skills and abilities to examine medical claims effectively. The question is: what is the current capacity gap of knowledge, skills and abilities? The work of medical claim examination and approval are critical and complex and this lends support to the question above. The research aims to determine the training and development needs of claims officers by examining levels of education, professional background and prior knowledge of claims vetting and ways to determine the impact of training. Focus will be on the claim officers’ perspective of needs, best approach to close capacity gaps, and better enhancement of NHIA activities towards the improving upon the performance of claim officers. About 70% of NHIS claims have been projected to be processed electronically, but leveraging technology in terms of claims management will not adequately address the capacity deficit, unless the manpower is well equipped to contribute meaningfully towards the rrealization of the company’s strategic goals. Approach Benchmarks Challenge of expenditure Traditional methods versus JUST-IN-TIME training and development for practical knowledge Continuum of learning/E-learning Tailored Programs / Health Insurance Training Institutions / International Associations SAMPLE CONTENT: TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITY PROGRAM (P) Basic outline of programs which can be designed to prepare participants to meet the challenges of health care revenue cycle management including insurance reimbursement and accounts receivable management, with strong emphasis on clinical knowledge needed to analyze the content of medical records for optimal reimbursement P 1, Medical Aspects of Claims – describes the anatomy and physiology of the human body, as well as disorders and treatment of the various body systems. P 2, Basic Pharmacology – introduction to the basic study of drugs, therapeutic uses, dosage and actions. P 3, Health Insurance Law – provide an understanding of the insurance policy as a legal contract – aspects of statutory law, case law, and common law as they pertain to claim administration. P 4, Claim Administration – administration of claims under health insurance contracts (both individual and group), including investigation and cost control techniques. P 5, Management of Claim Operations – application of management theory to the operations of claim departments, including the management functions of planning, controlling, organizing and leading. P 6, Foundations of Insurance Marketing and Customer Service – marketing principles and functions, customer service concepts and strategies as integral aspects of health insurance Foundations of Excellence| Details/courses| | Anatomy and Physiology and Introduction to Human Disease | | Presentation Techniques, Advanced Composition, Diversity in Society| | Foundations of Health Professions| | | Applied Information Technology| | Medical Terminology and Introduction to Health Careers| | Major| | | Accounting Foundations | | Administrative Procedures or Medical Office Applications| | Health Record Content| | Health Care Management Foundations| | Procedural and Diagnostic Coding| | Introduction to Health Care Reimbursement Systems and Reimbursement Applications | | Claims Management Practicum| | Health Care Law and Ethics| How to cite Medical Claims Examiner or Claims Officer Training and Development Needs, Papers

Opinions and Social Pressure free essay sample

Although conformity is inevitable, is there a possibility of indifference because of personality, education and social pressures? â€Å"Social influences shape every person’s practices, judgments and beliefs are a truism to which anyone will readily assent. † (Asch, 20) Solomon Asch’s experiments in the 1950’s set a line up for how people in the real life make decisions based on facts. In the journal article, Solomon Asch presented many facts, which create truth to his thesis â€Å"How, and to what extent, do social forces constrain people’s opinions and attitudes? † Experiments were conducted to prove Asch’s theory of the way each person makes a decision and why. The experiments are as follows â€Å"A group of seven to nine young men, all college students, are assembled in a classroom for a psychological experiment in visual judgment. The experimenter informs them that they will be comparing the lengths of lines. † (Asch, 19) The experiments conclude that the test subjects are usually convinced due to the unanimous group of decision makers. We will write a custom essay sample on Opinions and Social Pressure or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page As the experiments begin everyone agrees unanimously. In the middle of the experiments, the answers from the test subjects start to change. This begins with the experiments and the test subjects all agreeing and as the experiment goes into the second phase of asking the question they are being asked to answer the test subjects have a second look and at least one test subject disagrees. Towards the end of the experiments, while reading Solomon Asch’s â€Å"Opinions and Social Pressures†, â€Å"†¦this study provides clear answers to a few relatively simple questions†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Asch, 25) Each person has degrees to which they will conform. In conclusion, Solomon Asch’s found there were vast differences between each person’s reactions to the experiments. â€Å"Of course individuals differed in response. At one extreme, about one quarter of the subjects were completely independent and never agreed with the erroneous judgments of the majority. At the other extreme, some individuals went with the majority nearly all the time. The performances of individuals in this experiment tend to be highly consistent. † (Asch, 20-21) Solomon Asch also found â€Å"†¦those who participated in this challenging experiment agreed nearly without exception that independence was preferable to conformity.

A comparison of Cousin Kate by Christina Rossetti, and The Seduction by Eileen McCauley Essay Example

A comparison of Cousin Kate by Christina Rossetti, and The Seduction by Eileen McCauley Paper The poem Cousin Kate by Christina Rossetti tells the story of a young maiden who is attracted to a lord who tempts her with his riches and then uses her. The lord is then attracted to another women Kate. He abandons the pregnant girl for Kate. But Kate refuses to have anything to do with the lord unless they are married and so the lord marries her. They then try for a child but are unsuccessful because Kate is infertile. By this time the maidens son has grown and so when she hears of the couples news she boasts of her son. The poem The Seduction by Eileen McCauley describes how a girl meets a boy at a party where they dance and talk all night. He then takes her to a riverbank where he takes advantage of her drunken state and sleeps with her. They do not speak with each other again after that night and three months later the girl discovers she is pregnant. She loses her friend sand is rejected by society as a result of her actions that night. Cousin Kate is set in the countryside where the maiden grew up and was hardened by the sun and air. She was contented with her cottage mates, which showed her youth and innocence. We will write a custom essay sample on A comparison of Cousin Kate by Christina Rossetti, and The Seduction by Eileen McCauley specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on A comparison of Cousin Kate by Christina Rossetti, and The Seduction by Eileen McCauley specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on A comparison of Cousin Kate by Christina Rossetti, and The Seduction by Eileen McCauley specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer The scene then changes when the lord lures her to his palace home. Because she is plucked from her poor life to live in luxury this gives the story a fairy tale feel to it. Although the story has quite a sad theme the settings for this story reflect the fairytale ending. The Seduction is set in the city late at night to start with its silver stream of traffic, it then moves to Birkenhead docks and the Mersey, green as a septic wound. The descriptions of these places are not pleasant or nice to imagine which encourages people to expect a sad or at least unpleasant story. The settings are quite depressing to imagine and they help to emphasize the despair that the girl is feeling in her dilemma. The fact that everything appears to have gone wrong for the girl matches perfectly to the idea of a filthy city. Both the girls are young although we do not know exactly how old the cottage maiden is, we do know that the girl in The Seduction will miss the summer of her sixteenth year. The girls are so young because it encourages the audience to feel more sympathetic towards the girls and their dilemmas that have occurred. Cousin Kate is written in the first person, who gives the effect that, the maiden herself is telling the story, which makes the story feel more personal to the listener, they feel more involved. Because the poem is written in the first person it seems more like a story and so people will not necessarily take on board the message behind it. Where as The Seduction is written in the third person because the author hasnt personally experienced the event, but wants to relay the event to the audience. Because the poem is written in the third person it possibly encourages the audience to think about the issue described and how it may be affecting people around them. There are several similarities between the two girls, even though the poems were written 100 years apart. Both the girls recognized their loss of innocence after their experiences. The girl in The Seduction cried that she had missed all the innocence around her, which shows that she is full of regretful for the events that had happened. The maiden describes her self as an unclean thing that might have been a dove, doves were a symbol of purity so this shows that she realises the mistake she made, and that if she were to have waited a little while longer then the other villagers may have still viewed her as pure. They are both aware that they have been lied to and used but the maiden feels that the Lord has used her whereas the girl in The Seduction feels that she has been cheated by the promise of it all from the magazines. The people who live around them reject them both. They call the maiden an outcast thing and the girl is told she always looked the type. Both the girls are ashamed of what has happened to them and feel that they lived a shameful life and have fallen into a despicable feminine void. There are also several differences between the girls and the poems. The girl in the seduction does not feel jealous, neglected or superior and she does not have any mixed feelings, whereas the maiden has all of these. She is jealous of her cousin and feels neglected when he chose her and cast the maiden by, and she feels superior to her cousin when she has her fair- haired son (her gift). In The Seduction the poem has 15 stanzas, there are 4 lines to every stanza but the 9th is 8 lines. This is because it is the most important stanza, and should have the greatest effect on the audience. In Cousin Kate there are 6 stanzas each with 8 lines, this is to keep the rhythm of the poem flowing. The most important part of poem is the ending and so it can still have a dramatic effect without having its structure changed. Both the lord and the boy are simply after the girls bodies. You can tell this because the boy is not seen again after the incident and the Lord changes his women often which shows that he does not get emotionally involved in them. They go about getting the girls in very different manners. The lord flattered and praised the maidens flaxen hair. He also tried to buy the maiden with his land and offered to lift her from mean estate to sit with him on high in his palace home. He is not a faithful or honest man and changed his women like a glove; he liked to have a woman on his arm to show off like a silken knot, the maiden feels that the lord fooled her. The boy does not seem to be very well educated eating me dinner and he does not appear to have a high position in society. You are given this impression because a man with a high status would not taste of nicotine or have a bag filled with shimmering sweet paint thinner. He does not have lands or great amounts of money to entice girls with, and so must use another method to attract the girls. The boy flatters the girl by dancing with her all night. He also bought her drinks until the girl was so drunk on vodka that she wouldnt refuse anything. The treatment of the maiden by the lord is often compared to that of old or discarded clothing; he changed her like a glove shows that the lord did not actually care for her. The maiden is compared to a toy, a plaything, which shows how the lord treated her, she distracted him for a little while before he saw her cousin and was then attracted to her instead. She is also compared to a dove, which is supposed to symbolise purity and virginity and so the use of this imagery demonstrates how she would have been without the lord. Christina Rossetti also says that Kate had the stronger wing to show that the maiden feels that Kate stole the lord from her, she won the fight. McAuley makes several comparisons to a wedding because a wedding is a happy and romantic occasion, which is what the girl wanted, but what the actually happened to the girl was very different to how she had first imagined. She then describes the Mersey, green as a septic wound, which gives the impression that this story is not going to be a happy one. The maiden repeats closer to emphasize how proud she is of her son. She asks, Why did a great lord find me out? twice, which shows that she did not realise that she was attractive and shows that she was innocent. The girl in The Seduction was truly, truly frightened which calls attention to how afraid she really was. She also repeats herself again saying stupid, stupid promises which shows how foolish and naive she feels she has been by believing the boy and all the teen-age magazines. She repeats herself one last time repeating, turn away, move away, fade away which shows how desperately she does not want to be in this situation. Wide blue eyes are mentioned twice, which would have been used to show the innocence of the girl before the seduction took place, after the incident blue eyes are not mentioned at all, which shows her loss of innocence. In Cousin Kate the main contrast is the treatment of the two women by the same man. The lord treats the maiden despicably but treats Kate with far more respect and care. This is most likely to be because Kate made him marry her first before having anything to do with him, which shows that she is more mature and is willing to offer a far greater commitment to the lord than the maiden did. Because the maiden was willing to simply be his girlfriend he believed that it was acceptable to treat her in such a manner. In the Seduction the main contrast is state of the girl before and after the incident, and also between how her future should have been and how it now will be. The girl was happy and enjoying life before the incident she met him at a party and hed danced with her all night. And she had been looking forward to her sixteenth year with day trips to Blackpool and more. But now she is unable to do any of that. The girl is almost suicidal by the end of the poem Better to starve yourself like a sick precocious child. Showing how badly she feels about her situation. The cottage maiden was treated horrifically by the lord, and it was very cruel of her cousin to agree to marry the lord, when she new how her cousin felt towards the lord. But the maiden did have a son, and she is extremely proud of her son and appears to be happy now that she has her son with her, so her fate was not awful. The boy took advantage of the girl in The Seduction. She was then completely rejected by society. She was not given the consolation of having a son to encourage her; at the time she had lost everything that was dear to her. Because of this I felt more sorry for the girl in The Seduction than for the maiden in Cousin Kate because at least the maiden had her son, the girl had nothing. Also it is easier to understand a persons situation in a time closer to your own than it is to understand a person from over 100 years ago. It was easier for me to sympathise with the girl in The Seduction because one of my friends has been in a similar situation, so I had a better understanding of the situation. In conclusion I found both the poems interesting to read and discuss and both the poems had an effect on me, as I felt extremely sorry for both the girls, as I believe that it is wrong for anyone to be treated in such a manner. Both the poems were easy to follow and to understand although they did prove to be difficult to analyse because it is hard to describe what is meant by all the metaphors and the like. Overall I enjoyed this piece of work as it was both interesting and challenging.

8 Necessary Considerations When Writing Study Limitations and Alternatives

8 Necessary Considerations When Writing Study Limitations and Alternatives You will look forward to your research paper being read by the specific audience for which it is targeted- professors, experts in the field, publication editors, etc. And you will, of course, be gratified if and when your paper receives significant interest from other constituents- researchers with the same or similar interests, students, or even readers from the general public. Whatever the case, listing your study limitations with accompanying discussion must be included in your manuscript.The primary section on limitations is best located in the closing stages of a paper. However, you may refer to limitations during the course of a paper when they are pertinent. In all instances, discuss limitations clearly and concisely, pointing out the reasons for their inclusion. Your honest appraisal of how limitations bear on your writing will only add to the impact and legitimacy of your writing. Moreover, you are aiding other researchers in setting their parameters for future writing.You s hould avoid certain mistakes when listing your limitations and alternatives. To put it another way, become familiar with the primary pitfalls associated with research and writing so that you can articulate the limitations appropriately and accurately. Here are 8 significant factors that constitute study limitations and caution that applies to each.Become familiar with the primary pitfalls associated with research and writing so that you can articulate the limitations appropriately and accurately. Photo Andrey Zvyagintsev from Unsplash.1. Sample selection/profile/sizeYour sample participants must reflect the population you would be expected to approach for your particular study. In this regard, your ability to establish contact in some way with suitable respondents is critical. Otherwise, you cannot have suitable representation for your findings. Consequently, you will have to formulate an alternate methodology for your research that ensures reasonable findings while overcoming this limitation. Ultimately, when you do have issues with narrow access, break down the causes for this limitation.Because larger sample sizes are commonly required in order to apply findings to the larger populace, be careful to use a sample size that reflects the depth of your study. For example, if you were researching the annual impact of thousands of visitors to your city for a major cultural event, and you only engaged with 50 participants, you would have obvious issues with your findings.2. Scarcity of existing researchIt is not unusual to undertake research on a subject for which there is scant previous information or no prior findings at all. Of course, you must recognize whether this may simply be your inability to have access to, or to track down, previously existing writings. This inaccessibility would definitely constitute a limitation that you would have to point out.However, if there is a real lack of previous literature, your task is certainly going to be more involved. N onetheless, you will also be presented with an opportunity to pave your own groundwork and to establish yourself at the head of new research. This can provide you with the opportunity to add meaningfully to the limited findings to date and you might even formulate important methodology for researching the topic at hand. You can create the need and desire for future, ongoing inquiry in the subject area.3. Time restrictions/TimelinessWorkers in all walks of life are continually faced with deadlines. It is a paramount fact; writers know this all too well. A manuscript is assigned, the project and attendant methodology are planned, the research must be carried out, and the finished manuscript is expected for delivery- on time. You need look no further than at the other sections in this article to see that, although the limitations and issues that are discussed herein have their own particular issues and challenges, they could also all be included under the discussion of time restriction s.Occasionally, an extension of a due date may be granted, but to rely on the possibility of an extension is to invite problems. Consequently, time restriction is a limitation. It would be easy to suggest that you should only accept writing offers that you can complete by the stated deadline. Yet, multiple issues can impact the best planning- unexpected delays, longer-than-anticipated research, travel, etc. Furthermore, it is often difficult, or simply not an option, for a dedicated writer to turn down a provocative assignment- and, hopefully, a reasonably lucrative project- because of the possible limits on time. If you commit to a project, and if time constraints adversely affect the completion of your manuscript, you must list this in your discussion of limitations and point out the necessity for continuing research on the subject.While time restriction is a key factor in the research process, timeliness is also significant. In carrying out your research, it may be become appare nt that many or most of the resources and data that you are studying are essentially out of date. To rely principally on this data is counterproductive and this is a problematic limitation. Still, this would also present potentially exciting opportunities for renewed and fresh research on a subject- something you should articulate in your discussion of limitations.4. Process of data collectionYour success in amassing data may be tempered by the fact that you know of certain alternate perspectives on the subject that you will be unable to address in your research. Instances like this can result in the exclusion of important variables or can preclude adding critical questions and surveys. When discussing your limitations, you can emphasize the importance of adding these missing components in future research.Sometimes researchers, out of necessity, must collect data in areas or locations that are not conducive to the process- for example, bustling airports, sports venues, or restaurant s. These locations provide many distractions and there are no guarantees that participants will be giving you their full attention. This is another limitation related to process and it will be good to suggest that future studies ensure that site planning is addressed accordingly.5. Unanticipated variablesLimitations out of ones control are not uncommon. A researcher is certainly capable of making a mistake, despite his or her expertise and dedication to the task at hand. Unforeseen technical problems may occur or a researcher may simply have health problems during the course of research. These and any number of other unexpected events can infringe on the research process, causing delays or even stoppages.Researchers in science fields often run into issues relating to seasonal differences, the environment, or some missing findings among huge amounts of data. These or similar issues can however be found in most any area of research. For instance, interviewing participants on identical topics, but in varying locations, can yield results that are surprisingly different or seemingly of little relation to one another. Is this a true representation of the surveys, or does physical location actually have such a significant impact on the process?It is also possible that research carried out by teams of two or more people may result in differing conclusions or be impacted by tension and even personal relationships. In this case, now the results are open to significantly more debate and assessment.These unanticipated limitations need to be mentioned in any research writing. They may also be among the hardest to quantify and to rectify. Nonetheless, these limitations must be discussed. As in all cases, it is far more beneficial than sweeping them under the carpet.6. Insufficient training and cooperationIt is not unusual for a writer or team of writers to tackle a new project despite the fact that they do not yet possess the requisite research skills. Nothing notable can r esult if these writers are not prepared to produce fresh new findings of their own. Moreover, it is critical that an adequate degree of cooperation exists between the researchers and the constituents that they approach. Strong interaction with professional agencies, government offices, and business establishments will ensure a satisfactory flow of information and data.Deficiencies in training and constructive cooperation constitute substantial limitations. You should take the opportunity to suggest a concise training program for underprepared researchers before they begin their serious work. Moreover, it would behoove you to suggest specific areas of research, to clarify the breadth of the work, and to point out the rewards of successful cooperation in research.You should take the opportunity to suggest a concise training program for underprepared researchers before they begin their serious work. Photo by Startup Stock Photos from Pexels.7. FundingThe funding of a writing project ca n be a challenge because there are often significant associated expenses. Researchers may need to acquire specific equipment (hardware, related products, etc.) or software that is essential in compiling statistics and various other data. Researchers occasionally must hire assistants and it is even possible that participants in a study will have to be remunerated. Financial difficulties during the course of your work are considered limitations. When discussing this, let it be known that the financial restraints have affected your work. You can suggest that future studies of the subject must take into account the real costs of such an undertaking.8. Human nature/Personal and cultural attitudesFinally, human nature and personal beliefs can impact a researchers work, adversely affecting the accuracy and integrity of a study. For example, a writer is hired to study the training procedures and resulting benefits of service dogs for people with disabilities or special needs. However, this writer, because of his or her steadfast views on animal cruelty and attendant issues, may inherently be unable to treat the subject fairly and properly, despite the fact that service dogs are universally admired and that little or no harm ever comes to them.It is not unusual for researchers to skew information and findings to conform to their views or leanings. As a result, the accuracy and validity of the research is compromised. It is your responsibility to vet your sources as well as you can to determine if the findings are supported appropriately. If do you indeed perceive that there are questions about some of your sources, you should mention this in your limitations and discuss how you handled this situation- either by correcting inaccuracies, by focusing predominantly on the most reliable sources, or by sharing other methods you used to offset these issues.

Assignment about Servicing the Sale and Building the Partnership - 1

About Servicing the Sale and Building the Partnership - Assignment Example d be traced to a belief in significant brand management, investment in a first class customer service center, and innovations in marketing and sales strategies that enhance sales and distribution. In addition, the philosophy of the company remains mapped on a belief that quality could never be sacrificed. The company officers have made a decision to develop partnerships with a group of distributors who would employ salespeople to call on retailers trading in Body Glove products. In order to ensure that retail customers and retailers receive excellent service, the company would undertake some steps to achieve this objective. The company officers would select on distributors whose strategies would have an immediate effect on all elements of the marketing mix. Thus, steps to be considered would involve an analysis of the products, environment, customers, competitors, company, salespersons, and the desired level by the target market characteristics. In so doing, the company would evaluate alternatives for both distributors and salespersons against adaptive, control and economic factors (Vashisht 184-189). Body Glove salespersons may add value to the company through either full line or cross selling. First, salespersons could add value through an established better partnership between the company and the distributors in a full line selling. In addition, salespersons attain more knowledgeable and aggressive selling because of exclusive distribution grants from the company. Moreover, through exclusive distribution strategies or dealership, salespersons could add value to the company wetsuits product line. On the other hand, salespersons may add value to the company by establishing a better working relationship with the distributors that would give rise to adequate market coverage with less cost but more control. These would consequently add value to the company overall sales margin, and over its competitors (Vashisht 187). Moreover, conducting after sales service to

Is American dream dead If so should we do anything about it Essay

Is American dream dead If so should we do anything about it - Essay Example However, there are those people who believe that the American dream is dead, while others argue that the American dream is very much alive. Although none is said to be true or false, certain issues happening in the American society contradicts each other. This is the main reason for the divergent views in this motion. Initially, the American dream was concerned about creating opportunities for all Americans, opportunities that did not take into accounts either the race or nationality of people. According to the virtues of the American dream, all Americans deserve equal opportunities before the law. The idea criminalized any form of discrimination against any person due to his colour, race, religion, language, social class or nationality. Every person is entitled to equal opportunities such as job opportunities, enjoyment of rights and enjoyment of people’s freedom. The rate of unemployment in America stands at 7.60 per cent as at June of 2013 while the underemployed rate is at 14.3%. This shows that some of the Americans miss job opportunities due to different reasons. Additionally, people should have an opportunity to share in the national resources and enjoy their privileges. However, this is not the reality on the ground. Most people miss out opportunities due to their colour, race, ethnicity, language and physical looks. Since many people do not have equal opportunities, this has killed the American dream. A number of factors contributing to inequality among the American people are the main reason why the American dream is dead. Inequality, cited as the main pillar of the American dream is highly disregarded. While all Americans are supposed to pay taxes, some enjoy the rare privilege of not paying taxes. Others receive tax deductions that exempt them from paying heavy taxes. Bending of the law through various amendments now allows some people to enjoy more tax reliefs than others. Some even device crooked means of avoiding taxes. Approximately, 46.6 % of Americans do not pay income tax. Moreover, there is a huge wage gap between the rich and the poor people in the society. Approximately16 per cent of the Americans live in poverty, while 20% of the children live in abject poverty. While the rich are entitled to high salaries, the poor are poorly paid. This results in a class difference between the Americans, the rich get richer and the poor remains poorer. Payment of wages need be equal, holding all other factors constant such as level of education, experience, the type of job and the hardships encountered in the work place. Sex should not determine the amount of income that a person should receive. However, in many instances men when compared to women earn higher wages despite the fact that they hold similar positions at work. On the other hand, the American dream is still alive. Despite the cited cases of inequality, the dream is still alive among the Americans. With the high hopes and faith that we have in this dream, various people point out on the need to amend the law to make all people equal. Human rights groups and welfare organizations point out on the need to subject all Americans to a similar tax level. Other humanitarian groups such as the feminists point out that man and women require a similar pay package for similar kinds of tasks handled. Little can however be done about this problem. Despite these cases however, the dream is

Ethnicity and Nationalism Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5500 words

Ethnicity and Nationalism - Assignment Example Instrumentalist views, on the other hand, aim to understand why these ascriptive identities arise among people and how they are attached to different sets of people. They believe that it occurs due to the present nature of the state which is broken up and consists of different groups of people. Primordialists study the claims about determinacy of races by racists whereas instrumentalists study language, tribe, race, religion etc. In the modern nations that have been created today after many nations gaining their independence, it has become imperative for every government to ensure that a homogenous set of people reside there in order to maintain uniformity as well as unity. Because they needed a literate workforce, modern societies preferred consensus among the people. This further helped to bring about peace and harmony among different groups of people by involving understanding. Nationalism refers to a comprehension among various individuals living under the purview of a single nat ion; ethnicity, on the other hand, refers to the race of each human being, and the roots or the land that he and his forefathers originated from. These aspects are as different from each other as is a balloon from a rubber tree. This means that the rubber tree may belong to a particular piece of land or territory, however, the balloon may be manufactured anywhere after extracting the rubber and taking it elsewhere where there are means enough to produce balloons. Primordialists believe that people are born with certain identities and that is how they may be classified for the rest of their life. This belief falls short when it comes to people that migrate or are born in families that may not be subordinate to their culture. Over the years, a human being adapts a number of attributes to himself; he may learn a different language, may reside in a different nation or even marry into a different family from his culture or race altogether. All of this makes a big difference in his life a s he is not the same person from his roots anymore. The generations born after him, bit by bit, catch on to some more tendencies of his, thus leading to the formation of a different ascriptive identity altogether.

The Resources And Capabilities Of Kodak Commerce Essay

The Resources And Capabilities Of Kodak Commerce Essay The Eastman Kodak company, otherwise known as Kodak, provides imaging products and services to the photographic markets. It was founded in 1881 by a man named George Eastman, who created the first dry plate formula which he then patented. Eastman believed that new products should be highly user friendly and should be targeted at reaching regular everyday people, making photography something everybody could do and enjoy. By 1884 Kodak had become a popular household name. George Eastmans early success was due to one of his first creations, the roll film, Eastman believed that this creation would be as convenient as the pencil. In 1888 George Eastman put the first simple camera into the hands of the world consumer with the slogan you press the button, we do the rest (Eastman, 1988). Eastman developed principles and values in order to make Kodak a success, these guiding principles and values are; low cost mass production, the importance of quality, international distribution and the belief that growth can only be achieved through continuous improvements in research and development. George Eastman also expressed Kodaks competitive philosophy as, Nothing is more important than the value of our name and the quality it stands for. We must make quality our fighting argument. (Eastman, 1988). By 1902, Eastman Kodak was producing 80 to 90 percent of the worlds Celluloid film. By the 1930s, the company operated dozens of huge, specially designed film-making machines at its Kodak Park plant. The Eastman Kodak company has continued to grow and change with technology, creating new products and processes to make photography simpler and more attractive. Today Kodak is known not only for photography but their images are used in commercial marketing across the world and the entertainment sector, enabling the use of technology, imagery and information to change how people and businesses communicate with each other. Capabilities. Organisations are not identical as they have different capabilities. If an organisation is to gain a competitive advantage, it will do so on the basis of capabilities that its rivals do not have, or have difficulty in obtaining. Strategic capability is the resources and competences of an organisation needed for it to survive and prosper. Kodak is a market leader but to become a market leader Kodak had to adapt and change with the world as new technology became increasingly superior. The biggest problem with an increase in technology was the digital age. Kodak was the market leader in pre-digital age imagery and photography which included film, photo paper and chemical development. The digital age brought the development and increase of technology to which Kodak could not compete. The Kodak Value Chain Pre-digital Age The diagram below demonstrates Kodaks strength in almost all areas of the traditional photography process. film camera video camera Image capture Processing Storage Printing Projection Retailer processing at retail stores reprints (Gavetti, 2005) To overcome this important stage in the companys life cycle Kodak had to refer back to the initial guiding principles and values George Eastman developed for the company which were low cost mass production, the importance of quality, international distribution and the belief that growth can only be achieved through continuous improvements in research and development. By using these principles and values as a guide to improve the company and push themselves into the digital age, the diagram below shows the changes that needed to be made in order for Kodak to successfully enter the new age digital market. The Kodak Value Chain Post-digital Age. At home: printers inkjet consumables, paper Online (paper) At retail stores Online (email, Internet) -digital camera Video camera Film camera Retrieval Image capture Digitalisation Storage Transmission Printing Digital Cameras software Scanner at home Kiosks at retailers Digital mini-labs Online services Hard disk Floppy disk / CD Removable storage (e.g. Memory stick) Manipulation CPU manipulation Projection *coloured box shows Kodak was only partly involved at this stage. (Gavetti, 2005) To gain a competitive advantage, organisations must reposition themselves in order to take advantage of a changing market, or in some cases hold on to their normal resource base. There are two different views, the Resource Based View (RBV), otherwise known as the inside out perspective and the Market Based View (MBV), otherwise known as the outside-in perspective. The resource based view of strategy is the competitive advantage and superior performance of an organisation which is explained by the distinctiveness of its capabilities. In 1959 Dr Edith Penrose developed the idea that firms compete on resources and not their market positioning which supports the resource based view. Another supporter of the resource based view were Prahalad and Hamel who in 1990 suggested that, resources that are valuable, rare or are in some form difficult to imitate form the core-competencies that enable an organisation to compete successfully. In 1985 Michael Porters Competitive Strategy journal suggested that firms should persistently take their environment as the starting point in order to determine an appropriate strategy, thus supporting the market based view. In 2003 Kodak decided they needed to apply the market based view as a strategy to finally revolutionize into the digital age. Kodak made many alterations and changes in order to successfully gain a share in the new market. Dynamic capabilities are an organisations abilities to renew and recreate its strategic capabilities to meet the needs of a changing environment. Dynamic capabilities may take the form major strategic moves such as acquisitions or alliances by which new skills are learned. In 2004 Kodak completed the acquisition of Scitex Digital Printing, and sold its remote sensing systems to ITT Industries. A strategic partnership was formed with Verizon Wireless. The Eastman Kodaks company also acquired voting rights in Chinon Industries, through its Japanese subsidiary. Kodak acquired the image sensor business from National Semiconductor, and also closed its plant in Australia. At the end of 2004 Kodak, Fuji Photo Film and Konica Minolta Photo Imaging formed a picture archiving Kodak and sharing standard group (to enable the preservation of digital photos and motion images on CDs, DVDs and other types of media). To address the development of the information age in cellular technology Kodak achieved an agreement with Cingular Wireless and Nokia to develop services for mobile phones with cameras. Resources. A resource is a person, asset, material or capital which can be used to accomplish a goal. Tangible resources are the physical assets of an organisation such as plant, labour and finance. Intangible resources are non-physical assets such as information, innovation and knowledge. To sustain a competitive advantage a firm must have unique resources. Kodak has many resources. When the company was founded George Eastman patented the creation of the dry plate formula, this asset was the beginning of the success of Eastman Kodak as a market leader. George Eastman was himself one of the main resources of the company; it was his ideas, innovations and creations that created the company and made it the success it is. He not only created the start of photography but he created a guide for the company, a set of principles and values for the company to follow to be successful. Kodaks company logo is a resource as Kodak was the first to integrate its name and look into a symbol with their red and yellow trade dress colour. Employees such as managers with valuable knowledge are an important resource especially managers that have been hired since the managerial re-structure who have up to date knowledge in the digital age. Of course all the other workers and employees (labour) are just as important to keep the company going, workers with the necessary skills and experience that run the company and plants in a successful and efficient manner. Kodak has a lot of equipment, some of which Kodak has had to change and has had to be updated since the change and increase in technology in the digital age. Finance is also a main resource as without it there are a lot of other resources you cannot have; finance affects the entire running of the business. Innovation is a key resource, not only was it important for the creation of the company but it is vital for the future of it. To a greater or lesser degree, innovations either enhance or destroy competencies that a firms already possesses (Utterback, pg183). An example of innovation by Kodak is the razor blade strategy that George Eastman applied at the beginning of the company. Kodak sold cameras at low prices in order to generate profit from the sales of films for the cameras. The digital age shook the Eastman Kodak company. Kodak was stuck in the past not unable but unwilling to change with the rest of the world as technology increased and advanced. Kodak had the ability to take control when the digital market emerged but chose not to because they believed nothing could be as pioneering or as popular and as the film. The beginning of the change into the digital age was in 1981, Sony launched the introduction of the first filmless digital camera called the Mavica. Films were becoming outdated and this was what Kodak needed to realise. Had Kodak taken control and made the change at the right time, Kodak would be in a completely different situation, however Kodak was too late to recognise the need for change and when they finally realised they needed to change in order to survive they were slow to react which in the end cost them the market leadership. Competencies. Competencies are the skills and abilities by which resources are deployed effectively through an organisations activities and processes. Core competencies are competencies used to achieve competitive advantage in ways that others cannot imitate or obtain. Competences are created as organisations combine humans and technology. If correlated together perfectly these competences will change over time as both knowledge and technology develops. Chandler worked and developed this theory further in both The Visible Hand (1977) and Scale and Scope (1990). The link between humans and technology can be seen within the Kodak company, for example, recently Kodak have made changes to their managerial structure which has enabled them to gain new managers with knowledge and experience in digital photography and Kodaks continuous networking strategy facilitates business opportunities with like-minded business people. An example of networking for Kodak is when George Eastman marketed the first commercial transparent roll film in 1889, the impact ranged beyond consumer and professional photography. For one thing, it enabled inventor Thomas Edison to develop the first motion picture camera in 1891, and by 1896 Kodak was marketing film specially coated f or motion picture use. Prahalad and Hamel (1990) said, Resources that are valuable, rare or are in some form difficult to imitate form the core-competencies that enable an organisation to compete successfully. The knowledge-based view creates a new competence to the organization which is the ability to create and share knowledge which gives the organization a competitive advantage. Grant believes that competencies are created from the incorporation of knowledge. However an important point has to be made, it does not matter how much valuable knowledge you have or how expensive your equipment is worth if you do not know how to use your resources efficiently. As a common rule, competency-enhancing innovations are just as likely to develop from established firms as from outsiders. Competency-destroying innovations, however, almost always come from outsiders. The necessity to develop new competencies in anticipation of future developments is an important factor of long-term business success and George Eastman seems to have recognised this requirement which is one of the reasons why Eastman is also recognised as a successful innovator. Conclusion. The Eastman Kodak company was described as, an example of repeat strategic failure it was unable to grasp the future of digital quickly enough, and even when it did so, it was implemented too slowly under a continuous change strategy and ultimately it did not fit coherently as a core competency'(Mendez,2005). It is amazing to think how Eastman became a global market leader instead of the Germans, as the Germans were the leaders in the science of optics, chemicals and design of cameras. However German products were usually expensive and produced in small numbers whereas George Eastman struck a desirable balance between cost and quality. For example, Eastman quickly replaced his original Kodak camera with his No. 1 model because the former shutter system was inherently costly to make. Eastman focused on his financial and HR on an international mass market and large-scale production. There are some similarities with Eastman Kodak and Henry Ford who incorporated the Ford Motor Company in 1903. A firm is said to have a competitive advantage when it is implementing a value creating strategy not simultaneously being implemented by any current or potential competitors. (Barney, 1992:102) When Thomas Edison asked Eastman to produce a special film for the newly invented motion picture camera, Eastman already had the competencies needed to develop it, he simply had to lengthen and strengthen his strips of film and add holes to connect the movie cameras sprocket. The importance in the development of new competencies in anticipation of future developments is a vital factor of long-term business success. All of George Eastmans early attempts at colour photography failed, and these failures encouraged him to establish RD in the Eastman Kodak Research Laboratory. The idea of competency is essential to the survival of all firms as they encounter change. During the time it took for the transformation of the Eastman Kodak company to transform into the market leader it is, many other successful companies disappeared in a time of technological change. The capabilities, competencies and resources of a company are the key factors that give a company the competitive advantages to enable them to be successful and gain market share. This has been apparent throughout the research taken on the Eastman Kodak company. However even with these capabilities, competencies and resources, no matter if you are a market leader or a small company barely breaking-even, if you do not use these competitive advantages efficiently and do not recognise the need for change your company is going to suffer just as the Eastman Kodak company did. Word count: 2,281

Essay --

Mankind has many health problems in life that cause discomfort. The nursing practice is very important for it seeks ways to relieve such problems. Solutions to health problems come after a lot of research that offers dependable results. The writer seeks to expound how complex nursing interventions are used to relieve health problems. Review of the Research Example in Chapter 10 and how QUAN Methods can enhance the Study The research was on constipation and its effects on the quality of life. The solution suggested is abdominal massage, which boosts bowel movements and with no side effects as in laxatives. The research was conducted because previous studies had proved to be methodologically flawed. The design used in the study was a randomized control trial. The participants were 60 individuals suffering from constipation put into 2 groups randomly. The intervention group got laxatives and abdominal massage while the control group only got laxatives. Bowel movement was measured using the Gastrointestinal Symptoms Rating Scale (GSRS) at the baseline, week 4 and week 8 after the interventions. Statistical methods were linear regression; Wilcoxon sign rank test, and Mann-Whitney U-test (Thorpe, 2009). Quantitative research design can be used to determine how an independent variable relates with a dependent variable in a sample. A descriptive study can be used where there are hundreds or thousands of participants. If the study is experimental, then only tens of participants can be used, but a higher number is better for accuracy. The effect of abdominal massage compared to laxatives can be better measured if the sample of participants is less heterogeneous in terms of age and lifestyle. If these measures are taken, they can accurately ... ...ribed since there is the databases from which data was to be extracted were stated. Ancestry searches were conducted. Hand searches of journals were done (Chang, 2010). The criteria for selecting primary studies were clearly explained as those that examined the effects of physical activity intervention on the quality of life. It is stated that it should be an English-language study, published after 1970, involves a sample of at least five participants, and includes measures to assess the quality of life. Various research designs were applied. Eligible published and unpublished reports were used. Adequate information was extracted about methodological and administrative aspects of the study since a formal protocol was created, pilot tested, and revised. Plenty of information regarding participants, interventions, and methods were gotten from the study (Bench, 2010). Essay -- Mankind has many health problems in life that cause discomfort. The nursing practice is very important for it seeks ways to relieve such problems. Solutions to health problems come after a lot of research that offers dependable results. The writer seeks to expound how complex nursing interventions are used to relieve health problems. Review of the Research Example in Chapter 10 and how QUAN Methods can enhance the Study The research was on constipation and its effects on the quality of life. The solution suggested is abdominal massage, which boosts bowel movements and with no side effects as in laxatives. The research was conducted because previous studies had proved to be methodologically flawed. The design used in the study was a randomized control trial. The participants were 60 individuals suffering from constipation put into 2 groups randomly. The intervention group got laxatives and abdominal massage while the control group only got laxatives. Bowel movement was measured using the Gastrointestinal Symptoms Rating Scale (GSRS) at the baseline, week 4 and week 8 after the interventions. Statistical methods were linear regression; Wilcoxon sign rank test, and Mann-Whitney U-test (Thorpe, 2009). Quantitative research design can be used to determine how an independent variable relates with a dependent variable in a sample. A descriptive study can be used where there are hundreds or thousands of participants. If the study is experimental, then only tens of participants can be used, but a higher number is better for accuracy. The effect of abdominal massage compared to laxatives can be better measured if the sample of participants is less heterogeneous in terms of age and lifestyle. If these measures are taken, they can accurately ... ...ribed since there is the databases from which data was to be extracted were stated. Ancestry searches were conducted. Hand searches of journals were done (Chang, 2010). The criteria for selecting primary studies were clearly explained as those that examined the effects of physical activity intervention on the quality of life. It is stated that it should be an English-language study, published after 1970, involves a sample of at least five participants, and includes measures to assess the quality of life. Various research designs were applied. Eligible published and unpublished reports were used. Adequate information was extracted about methodological and administrative aspects of the study since a formal protocol was created, pilot tested, and revised. Plenty of information regarding participants, interventions, and methods were gotten from the study (Bench, 2010).

Breathing Rate

Breathing into a wrapping tube that’s quite long will most likely have the same effect as when breathing through a paper bag, a practice most commonly associated with trying to relieve hyperventilation. Although the wrapping tube is open at the other end and will not totally hamper breathing, it seems long enough to contain the carbon dioxide that the child exhales so that when the child inhales again he will probably breathe in a considerable portion of the carbon dioxide that he breathed out earlier. Naturally, this would lead to an increased amount of this gas in the lungs and in the blood.Although what our body utilizes in the production of energy is oxygen, it is the carbon dioxide levels which the brain monitors, so that when it falls below or rises above its normal level, the brain sends signals to the body to regulate breathing correspondingly. This is irregardless of the oxygen levels, i. e. the amount of oxygen in the blood might stay at normal levels but if the amou nt of carbon dioxide fluctuates, the body will alter the breathing or respiration rate accordingly (Science Museum of Minnesota).As the child breathes repeatedly into the wrapping tube, an increase in carbon dioxide levels in the blood will tell his brain that his body needs to take in more oxygen so that the normal carbon dioxide-oxygen balance is restored. This will therefore lead to an increase in the respiration rate so that more oxygen can be taken in. However, if the child goes on breathing through the tube, then he will continuously inhale air which has more carbon dioxide and he will be at risk for more serious physiological effects (e. g. headaches, dizziness) as the carbon dioxide levels in his blood continues to rise (Smith).This is the reason why there are arguments against the use of the â€Å"paper bag technique† to alleviate hyperventilation. For mild cases, breathing into a paper bag may help counter hyperventilation since doing so will increase the carbon dio xide levels just enough to induce the appropriate breathing rate that will restore the carbon dioxide-oxygen balance in the body. However, it is not advisable to breathe continuously into a paper bag (Youngerman-Cole) since, as with the case of prolonged breathing into a wrapping tube, the inhaled carbon dioxide levels may reach levels that are high enough to cause serious physiological effects.Works Cited: Science Museum of Minnesota. Habits of the Heart : Ins and Outs of Respiration. 2000. 5 Mar. 2008 . Smith, Garry K. Nucleo De Espeleologia De Condeixa: CARBON DIOXIDE, CAVES and YOU. 1997. 5 Mar. 2008 . Youngerman-Cole, Sydney . CIGNA : Hyperventilation. 21 Nov. 2006. 6 Mar. 2008 .

Female Infanticide in China essays

Female Infanticide in China essays The American nation screams out at the injustice of abortion, yet there are still practices going on in the world that can only be described as barbaric and inhuman. One of the most common of these present day practices is female infanticide in China. This is the process of waiting until a women reaches full term pregnancy. Once the baby is born, it will be murdered if it is not the first child of the family and depending on the sex. I believe that in no way, shape, or form, that this practice should be allowed. These horrible murders are the result of China being over populated. Population growth targets were set for both administrative units and individual families. In the mid-1970s the maximum recommended family size was two children in cities and three or four children in the country. Since 1979 the government has advocated a one child limit for both rural and urban areas and has generally set a maximum of two children in special circumstances. As of 1986 the policy for minority nationalities was two children per couple, three in special circumstances, and no limit for ethnic groups with very small population. The overall goal of the one-child policy was to keep the total population within 1.2 billion through the year 2000 (Population 1). The one-child policy enjoyed much greater success in urban than in rural areas. There were more compelling reasons for urban couples to limit the families to a single child. Couples with only one child were given preferential treatment in housing locations. In addition, because city dwellers who were employed in state enterprises receive pensions after retirement, the sex of their child was less important to them than it was in rural areas. In the rural areas the preferred sex of a child was male because he would be more capable of helping his father on the land (Population 2). Even though the one-child policy was somewhat successful in certain areas, the new ...

A Surprising Tip to Finding Your Ideal Career

A Surprising Tip to Finding Your Ideal Career Embarking on the path to find a new career can be daunting. You can purse anything and everything, which seems  exciting–but for many, the idea of too many choices and directions adds more layers of stress. How do you narrow down the possibilities? Start by making a list titled, â€Å"Professional Activities I Hate.†Seem unproductive? Why be negative from the start? Well, when you can go in only a few of seemingly limitless options, it’s helpful to have a method of elimination. That way, you won’t waste your time pursuing career paths that might ultimately leave you unhappy and unfulfilled.To start your list, think about daily activities you really despise. Do you hate to talk on the phone? Are you not a fan of sitting indoors and a computer for hours on end? Does being on your feet all day make you grumpy and exhausted? Do you love working closely with people, or do you prefer a solitary workspace? Writing down what you don’t  like (and thinkin g about why you don’t like these activities) will help clarify what you do  like.Avoiding from the get-go jobs that will leave you unsatisfied is a smart way to find a career you can thrive in for years to come. Take time now to pare down your options so you don’t waste it in the job hunting process!Trying To Find Your Passion? Figure Out What You HateRead More at idealistcareers.org

TQM Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

TQM - Research Paper Example The paper will discuss the history of the balanced scorecard as a tool of performance measurement and management and outlines the detailed four perspectives of measuring the performance of the organization. The paper will also outline some benefits that are offered by the balanced scorecard as a tool of process improvement and performance measurement. The balanced scorecard was developed by Robert Kaplan and David Norton in 1995 and considers four perspectives of organizational performance that include the financial perspective, customer perspective, internal business process and finally learning and growth perspective (Niven, 2005). According to Kaplan and Norton, the tool translates the organizational mission and strategy in set of performance measures that will determine the short-term and long-term organizational progress in executing the mission and strategy of the company (Niven, 2005). In this case, the tool is useful since it clarifies the vision and strategy and links the strategic objectives with the measures and further enhances the strategic feedback of the attainment of the corporate objectives. The financial perspective measures the economic performance of the actions taken by the firm such as the increase in revenues, the increase in profitability, the decline in the operational costs and decline in bad debts (Meyer, 2002). The short-term financial measures can include an increase in the number of sales units while the long-term financial measures will include increase in overall profitability and reduction in the operating costs. The customer perspective is geared at identifying the market segments and ensuring higher customer satisfaction and retention. High customer satisfaction will lead to higher customer loyalty and retention thus reducing the marketing costs and increasing the business revenues (Niven, 2005). The customer measures of performance include the number

Unemployment in the United States Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Unemployment in the United States - Essay Example Since then, the American has tried all means to revive the economy and decrease the unemployment rates in the country. Consequently, there has been an impressive progress in the rates of unemployment marked by a trend of decline. Currently, the rate of unemployment is at 5.5%, a figure similar to the rate reported in February. Despite this lowest rate in over 7 years, unemployment is still a massive issue that affects a significant number of Americans. A number of factors contribute to this unending state of employment in America, namely, global factors, economic conditions, minimum wage, part-time jobs, and the dynamics of the oil industry. As the world opens up to trade and business opportunities, a number of issues arise the affect countries either negatively or positively. For instance, offshoring is one of the issues that have arisen due to globalization. Multinational companies among other businesses prefer to outsource services in low-cost labor nations in order to cut on costs. Companies are engaging in offshoring practices both for service jobs and for manufacturing jobs. The driving force behind this conduct is to operate in countries where they can save on labor costs, avoid regulatory laws, and productivity. Thus, offshoring has greatly affected job creation and availability of jobs in the United States leading to unemployment. According to a report by Forrester Research released in 2004, by 2015, 3.4 million service jobs will be moved abroad during 1.2 million jobs were expected to be offshored between 2003 and 2008 (Levine, 2011). Additionally, according to Bureau of Labor of Statistics estimates one-fifth of workers in the United States were working in industries subject to offshoring. An example of multinational company that has actively engaged in offshoring practice is Apple. As of 2012, Apple had 20,000 workers based in other countries and 43,000 workers in America. Additionally, the 700,000 engineer who develop Apple’s products by

Survey assignment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Survey assignment - Essay Example Whether we like it or not, they are still our Congress and they are our representatives in the government The result of the survey made me think that we are not putting much importance to our civic privileges. I think we became so immersed with other concerns that we overlooked how lucky we are. In the Middle East of which we barely cared about, people there, particularly in Syria that we do not know right now, has to fight a bloody war risking their lives and the people they cared about just to have a fraction of the civic privileges that we are enjoying now. What is particularly bothersome is our seeming total lack of awareness of our judicial system as suggested by the respondent ignorance of our supreme magistrate. We do not seem to appreciate our right to have a fair trial and due process which many countries have still to fight for. The low score in geographic literacy in the survey is quite understandable because we already have a lot of problems to mind here in the US to bother about other countries. Apparently, most of us only know about Iraq and Iran and little about the rest of Middle East. It is an eye opener that almost all respondents do not know where Israel (1 out of 10) is when it is a major flashpoint of conflict in the Middle East not to mention that US played a significant role in Israel. I have to mention also that the survey questions about geography are very basic and that we have to mind Middle East because a significant aspect of our foreign policy and military budget allocation is directed there. What I am trying to say is, whatever happens there affects us so we have to care. In the final reflection on the result of the survey, I understood why it is necessary for us to study American Government class. It is not only to inform us about the names, numbers and dates of aspects of governance, but also to understand how our political system works that we may become better Americans in

The European Union Business Essay Example for Free

The European Union Business Essay INTRODUCTION:   Fraser Eagle can take you places! Fraser Eagle, a UK based company dedicated to transport management started in the year 1919. The company boast of providing the most professional and reliable service with their comfortable coaches in the UK. Their coach fleet had served many people for vacation and other coach service imaginable. As one of UK’s leading suppliers of managed travel and transport services, they are able to serve their clients in UK and throughout Europe. The company encompassed the basic coach services they can offer, but the term transport management goes beyond more than just the transportation aspect. The company employs other reliable services like coach trains in UK’s grand central, corporate travel and transport requirements, accommodation reservations, both flight and rail ticketing services, and transport contract in their executive coaches, mini-buses, and vetted taxi rates. Since 1919 the company had dedicated their objectives in providing the best and quality service to travelers in the UK and in Europe. But as any company in the global market, there lies the factors of the business environment that affects the company in many of their decision-making processes. The company belonging to the complex and diverse business environment of the European Union experienced its share of transition and adaptation in the changes influenced by the growing and market environment. In this paper, we will evaluate the factors that influence the company as a leading transport management group. The European Union business environment, being as diverse and complex as it is, poses many opportunities and threats to the businesses included in that particular market. The paper must address these different economic opportunities and threats to the company so as to general assess how the business environment affects that growth and commerciality of the company. OVERVIEW Europe over the past years has been coping up with the integration of ten European countries objectively gearing towards a stronger economy competitive in the global market.(Harris, 1999) The paper attempts to evaluate the opportunities and threat of the European business environment in the specified company which caters to transport management. In general, the European economy is governed by an administrative body called the European commission which aims to integrate the different enterprise policy for the European Union economy. In general, the enterprise policy of the EU is to create an environment and venue for European entrepreneurs. It aims to favor the European environment to contribute to productivity in terms of growth, job opportunities and wealth necessary to carry the objectives of the European Council in March 2000.(Mercado, 2001) The High level group chaired by Wim Kok in November of 2004 reported the current situation of the European economies to address the Lisbon objectives. The European economies targets to reduce the total administrative burden of integrating economies of ten key cities, to improve the quality of legislation, to facilitate the rapid emergence of new and small enterprises and the creation of a healthy competitive environment which support the million businesses in Europe.(Darmer and Kuyper, 2000) It also aims to ensure the necessities of a competitive community industry, since the EU is composed of ten key cities, and encourages small and medium enterprises to initiate economic activities. ANALYSIS and DISCUSSION In order to evaluate the opportunities and threats of the European business in the transport sector, the generalized policies governing the EU economy will greatly be used as a referring factor and as a background of the EU economy. The Fraser Eagle Company that is concerned with transport management is an established company that is influenced by the different economic policies of the EU. The company which has improved its standards and qualifications are concerned with addressing the priorities of the EU economy. Since the company was established in UK and their services are specific in the European nations, the study of its environment can be referred to the different influence generated in its environment. One aspect in which we see the opportunities laid by the EU economy to the company is generating a proper avenue in which the company can adhere to necessary factors in their need to expand and improve their services. One opportunity of the EU is attributed to its environmental requirements that go hand in hand with the appropriate balance of environmental, economic and social objectives. As a transport management group, the must be able to ensure the proper standards of meeting the EU industrial policy. As a response, the company ensures the quality and efficiency of their energy and energy consumption that allows them to participate in the growth of their economy striking the balance between environmental, economic and social activities. The EU economy also encourages growth in productivity by addressing the need of the working sector. Fraser Eagle, along with the improvement of the company’s services had addressed this by continuously implementing other services that needs and requires other human skills. Starting from the coach services, the company expanded their services by cooperating with Grand Central of UK in providing coach servicing through railway to people. This opportunity brought by the growing economy of the EU had influenced the company to provide this kind of services. The company’s goal is to widen their scope of services and the opportunity brought by the Grand Central railway transport system of UK had presented them with that. Another one launched at the age of technology advancement is when the company employed a telecommunications service for their clients which aims to address the need of their customers. The EU encourages use of the advantages of communication in the united countries of European nations. Another way that Fraser Eagle handled this opportunity is setting up their own call center that caters to the continuous influence of communication in acquiring their transport services. The customer care program of the company is an easy and convenient way for the company to answer the needs and inquiries of their consumers. Also with this motivation, the company had provided another opportunity for work of Europeans. Being dynamic and global as it is, the EU had proposed several additional policies that encourage the companies to invest in languages that is proven to boost competitiveness among the companies included in the EU economy. Reports of the European Commission have stated that more European companies lose their business due to the lack of language skills. As the European Commissions response to this, the UK national Center for Languages was used to generate the information and to inform the different companies in the EU economy. Fraser Eagle used this information and included this in their e-telecommunications services and this had developed their coherent language strategies.   (Mercado, 2001) The transport sector of the European Union had faced a dramatic change over the course of period the EU was established. Before, the citizens of the different European Nations are denied of transportation to different regions of the country. For generations, the Europeans are denied with this privilege. In context of the economy, the transport sector, may it be air, land or sea concerns the mobility of economic activities. The transport sector in the EU economy is of great importance. One of the greatest threats of the EU economy is congestion which is 1% of Europe’s GDP. The transport sector is roughly responsible for this as it contributes to C02 emissions. Jacques Barrot, the Commissioner for Transport of the European Commission entails that meet all the challenges of the EU in terms of environment, oil dependency, congestion and road safety, innovation is the seen solution to address these challenges.(Harrison et al., 2000) The transport sector’s innovativeness can greatly affect the future of the economy and discovery the many advantages that the transport sector can use and utilize. One worthy innovation Fraser Eagle made is manufacturing for and providing Grand Central, Europe’s main mode of transport coach type trains. The company faced much adversity before in talking with the Grand Central authorities for acquisition of their services but with persistent efforts, the company had closed and deal. Now with ten members states in the European Union, transport management services of the company allows greater profitability and provision for people to acquire their services. Europeans now has the freedom to travel and that is one of the greatest opportunities the EU business environment and policy contributed. For the threats, congestion was addressed as one of the challenges seen in the integration of ten key cities of the EU. It will be a pursuit for the company to widen the scope and area to which they can offer their services and also to make the services available to a greater number of consumers. There is also the continuous motivation to ensure the growing number of traveling individuals their safety thus the attempt to address the need for road safety in Europe. A transport growth forecast expects the freight transport to increase by 50 percent in the year 2020. Also this consequently adds to the 35 percent increase in passenger transport in the same predicted year. The challenge of the European Union is to address the greater number of people to cater too because of a more unified economy. There must be a strengthened effort to address the need for growing population and growing number of potential consumers. Changes in the European market have disadvantages and advantages in an established transport management company like Fraser Eagle. EU encourages the small and medium enterprises to bravely face the competitive EU economy. Given that Fraser Eagle is already well established, the competitiveness and spirit of small and medium enterprises encouraged by the EU can pose as a challenge for them. Several scenarios of which entail that SME can propose newer services that the Fraser Eagle does not have and thus incurring a loss in profitability. The SME can also be a reflection of the company’s strength and weaknesses . A SME smart enough to see what the company lacks will take the opportunity to present it to the growing and diversified population and consumers. Fraser Eagle also will have difficulty in adjusting to the European Commission’s policy on deindustrialization. In this process, Fraser Eagle will have to effectively deliver the demands of the policy in terms of the reduction of fossil fuels and other materials employed in their services. Being a transport management company that is very much influenced by this factor, Fraser Eagle will have to adhere to the EU policies. Given that innovation and competitive environment the EU is promoting, Fraser Eagle will indeed face many other competitors in the market. The competitive advantage of the company relies on its history and innovation practices but there still remains the challenge posed by the increasing number of key players in the EU economy. CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION: The integrated economies of the ten members of the European Union have led companies to deliver the most diverse and asset in the growing economic community of the EU. The sustainability of the economy of EU relies on how companies treat and adhere to the opportunities and threats of the policies and nature of the business environment of the EU. One key aspect is innovation. Fraser Eagle will remain in its competitive stance if innovation persist and is adapted. The company had already taken most of the opportunity of the EU, including the greater number of consumers that rely on their transport management service. They had also used the great advantage of technology in competing with other transport service companies. The main threat of a unified economy is that the economic activities become homogenous and confined in Europe along, in and between the member countries. This limits the number of competition and key players that can affect the growth of its economy. There should be further study on the implication of the opportunities and threats of the European Union environment in different aspects of the society. Like mentioned, as business-oriented as the policies are, a study regarding how these opportunities and threats are perceived and received by the companies part of EU. There should also be study of the internal challenges of EU in response to the opportunities it gives to the business sectors and the threats that limits the capability of the companies to expand and increase their opportunity to profit.       Bibliography: BULCKE, D. V. D., ZHANG, H. ESTEVES, M. D. C. 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(2003) The challenge of change in EU business associations, Houndmills, Basinstoke, Hampshire ; New York, Palgrave Macmillan. GROSSE, R. E. (2005) International business and government relations in the 21st century, Cambridge ; New York, Cambridge University Press. HARRIS, N. (1999) European Business, Macmillan Business. HARRISON, A. L., DALK ¸RAN, E. ELSEY, E. (2000) International business : global competition from a European perspective, Oxford ; New York, Oxford University Press. KASHMERI, S. A. (2007) America and Europe after 9/11 and Iraq : the great divide, Westport, Conn, Praeger Security International. MATTHÈAUS-MAIER, I. VON PISCHKE, J. D. (2005) EU accession : financial sector opportunities and challenges for Southeast Europe, Berlin ; New York, Springer. MERCADO, W., R. AND PRESCOTT, K. (2001) European Business, FT Pitman Publishing. OXELHEIM, L. GHAURI, P. N. (2004) European Union and the race for foreign direct investment in Europe, Amsterdam Boston ;, Elsevier. 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A Video Recorded Interview To Look At Skills Social Work Essay

A Video Recorded Interview To Look At Skills Social Work Essay I was asked to complete a video interview to practice my interviewing skills and analyse my ability to do so effectively. In this essay, I will highlight my strengths and weaknesses, and identify any future learning needs I wish to develop. It is vital for social workers to conduct successful and ethical interviews in their profession, it is therefore critical that I understand the values and techniques used, so that I myself can complete a profitable interview in the future. Firstly, I considered practicalities, such as venue and environment, where I tried to create an atmosphere where the client felt comfortable. I tried to not consciously fidget or distract the client (by playing with my hair/hands) and tried to avoid any intrusions (no one knocked at the door) which could disrupt the clients concentration or affect her mood. I also ensured that we had complete privacy throughout the interview, as this would make the client more comfortable and willing to share information. The working alliance, outlined by Koprowska (2005), indicates that a more successful interview will take place when the interviewer is understanding, attentive and respectful. I believe I demonstrated all these qualities, but my strongest attribute was showing the client respect. I did this by listening attentively, demonstrated by appropriate eye gaze (Egan, 2010) and nodding (Koprowska, 2005), which suggested interest and encouragement (Mehrabian, 1972). I sometimes used vocal prompts, such as yes yes, which also encourages the client to continue talking, but do not act as interruptions to her speaking (Koprowska, 2005). Another way in which I conveyed respect was by being courteous, which is highlight by the GCSS Code of Practice. I was polite and demonstrated good manners, but also communicated core values of social work such as anti-oppressive practice (by recognising the uniqueness of the client Thompson, 2006) and adopting a person-centred approach (by putting the clients needs first), which in turn highlighted my respect to the clients worth and dignity (Koprowska, 2005). I also delivered the interview in accordance with the GSCC Code of Practice by being clear and concise I used direct, simple language and kept the conversation on the subject at hand and directed at the key issues. I used both open and closed questions in the interview as I wished to gain factual information from the client (Koprowska, 2005), but I mainly used open questions as I wanted to elicit more expansive answers (p 83). I also demonstrated use of a probing question so that the client would elaborate on one of her answers. Edenborough (2002) recognises that a probing question can be used to gain further information but it has been suggested that too many probing questions can make the client feel as though she is being interrogated. Therefore, I did not use many. However, they were not necessary as the client was quite articulate in her answers. Tone of voice and pace of speech is another important aspect of verbal communication, especially when working with visually impaired service users (Koprowska, 2005). I believe my tone of voice varied appropriately in the interview, but I was not aware of the pace of my speech. However, I can recall from my shadowing experience, that the social worker spoke slowly and allowed small silences between questions to ensure that the service user had finished talking and giving their answers. I believe this to be a very valuable skill to have when working with visually impaired service users. Walmsley (1994) reports that while only 7% of words and 38% of voice leads to communication, a majority of 55% of communication is due to gestures and expression, and Argyles (1975) research suggested that a persons physical gestures and their mode of sitting can tell us much about that person. It is therefore vital to use non-verbal communication in social work interviews. I sat back in my chair and faced the client squarely to demonstrate a relaxed, open atmosphere to create a sense of involvement with the client (Egan, 2010). My facial expression was neutral with occasional smiles, but it was not distracting as Egan (2010) points out that this can create a tense and uncomfortable environment. Being natural helps put the client at ease (Egan, 2010). I demonstrated a natural persona by laughing with the client when she made a humorous comment. This showed empathy and hopefully added to the rapport building relationship. However, this is the extent of my non-verbal communication and an area that should be improved to include non-vocal prompts and gestures. This will aid the client to understand and validate the verbal conversation I am communicating (Koprowska, 2005). Another limitation in my interview skills is that I did not reflect or summarise at the end of the interview. Edenborough (2002) names the reflecting question, which is the ability to reflect back on the clients answers, which is something I did not consider. Neither did I paraphrase, which checks out understanding (Koprowska, 2005, p87). In addition, I did not end the interview well. I did not conclude or summarise, which Koprowska (2005) identifies as being important to collect up and agree key points (p87). Although, I politely thanked the client for attending the interview, I demonstrated a very poor ending to the interview which should be improved. Not only did I not end the interview well, I did not particularly start it well either. In the engage and explain phase of the interview, I said hello and informed the client that I would be asking her some questions, but I did not elaborate, did not introduce myself or check the clients understanding about the purpose of the interview. This may have jeopardised our relationship and rapport-building. Fortunately in this case, I believe that this did not affect the conversation and there was open and free communication between myself and the client. To conclude, I believe I demonstrated some strong qualities and abilities throughout the interview (for example, showing respect), but there are many aspects which I need to improve on, such as summarising and non-verbal communication. Although I attempted to create a friendly and relaxed environment, the interview appeared to be quite structured and forced, but this may have been because the interview was being recorded and assessed. However, this was my first interview that I have conducted and my nerves may have caused this slight inconsideration. Undertaking reflection upon the interview has highlighted the importance of preparation and planning needed for a successful interview and how this process with essentially help me to develop a more confident approach in future social work practice. Argyle, M. (1975). Bodily communication. Methuen: London, UK Edenborough, R. (2002). Effective interviewing: A handbook of skills and techniques. Kogan Page Ltd: London, UK Egan, G. (2010). The skilled helped: A problem-management and opportunity-development approach to helping. Brooks/Cole, Cengage Learning: Belmont, CA, USA Koprowska, J. (2005). Transforming social work practice: Communication and interpersonal skills in social work. Learning Matters Ltd: Exerter, UK Mehrabian, A. (1972). Non-verbal communication. Aldine Atherton: Chicago, USA Thompson, N. (2006). Anti-discriminatory practice. (4th Eds). Palgrave Macmillan: Hampshire, UK Walmsley, H. (1994). Counselling techniques for managers. Kogan Page: London, UK UNIT TWO SHADOWING A SOCIAL WORKER The organisation in which my shadowing opportunity took place was the visual impairment team (VIT) in Rotherham. I shadowed the only social worker in the team for one day. When people are experiencing sight problems, they are referred to an ophthalmologist by their GP or optician, where they are either registered as severely sight impaired or sight impaired. If consent is given, their information is passed on to the social services, where the VIT will contact them to arrange a home visit. I had the opportunity to assist SW* on two of these initial home visits. The VIT offers a person-centred assessment of the care needs of people with a visual impairment and provides specialist equipment and independence training in mobility, communication and daily living skills. Information about some of the resources available to service users was made apparent by the SW during an initial home visit which I was able to observe. Debbie* was a widow in her 50s who had recently been registered as sight impaired. This was the first visit SW made to Debbie, and SW was interested in finding out what Debbies strengths and needs were. Debbie was quite articulate in explaining where she needed help and extra support. For example, she explained that the lighting in her lounge and bedroom was not bright enough for her to see, so SW explained that she would liaise with the council to fit brighter lights. Debbie also expressed that she had trouble reading, and was becoming bored of watching television all of the time, so SW recommended the talking newspaper and audio books, which Debbie was quite interested in. Debbie explained that she frequently visited a local resource centre to engage in activities and would be interested in other groups she could attend. Debbie lived in an elderly neighbourhood and found this quite isolating, and stated that she only had one regular friend. Debbie stated that she had previously bee n prescribed with anti-depressants, at this point SW advised Debbie to seek medical advice from her GP as it appeared that her isolation may be impacting on her emotional wellbeing. On reflection I feel that the SW was able to investigate this further by effectively asking probing questions (see Edenborough, 2002). This communication skill is highly important for SW as verbal communication is vital in this area of social work, as non-verbal communication may be lost on the visually impaired service users. Gaining more information allowed SW to identify appropriate intervention (GP advice) as she was actively analysing/processing the information being given. This type of thinking is closely linked to reflective practice (see Fook Gardner, 2007). When SW asked for my thoughts, I was also able to reflect on the situation and identify that although Debbie presented with low self-esteem and confidence, she appeared to be motivated by wanting to become more involved in community based resources/activities and therefore a good method of intervention would be to encourage and support her to access this.. Below is what I would consider to be an important quote from the Person-Centred Support: What Service Users and Practitioners Say (2008) report: An idea which came from service users themselves will only be realised if individuals are empowered to play their full part, not only in determining their own lives but also in the transformation of public services (p1). Person-Centred Support: A Guide for Service Users (2008) identifies eight important aspects of person-centred support. These included choice and control, listening and information. SW listened intensively to Debbie and was able to pick up hidden feelings behind what Debbie said. SW also gave Debbie plenty of information about available resources and services, which allowed Debbie to have control and make choices about what sort of services she would like. Allowing service users to make their own choices is also written in the GSCC Code of Practice (1.3) and encourages anti-oppressive practice (AOP). Dominelli (2002) states that in order for a practitioner to engage in AOP, they must conceptualise their relationships with clients and move away from privileging their own expert knowledge while devaluing those of the people with whom they work (p34). Essentially, this means that the social worker and service user should work in partnership, where they negotiate with one another to set and achieve goals and objectives (page 36). This empowers the service user and creates a person-centred approach. It was evident that SW adopted a person centred approach and was also able to empathise with the service user as she also had a visual impairment and is also herself a service user. SW demonstrated her knowledge of section 5 of the National Occupational Standards (NOS). She had in-depth knowledge of the services available and of direct payments. During my shadowing opportunity, we discussed relevant legislation and SW reminded me that the VIT work within the statute of the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA 1995, 2005) and NHS and Community Care Act (1990). SW demonstrated many skills and values, which are outlined by the Code of Practice. For example, SW promoted Debbies independence by assisting her to understand her rights (3.1) and promoted her interests by treating her as an equal (1.4), which is also in accordance with the DDA. SW worked in accordance with the NOS by exercising good practice and contacting Debbie after she was referred to the VIT (2G) and by arranging a formal initial assessment to assess Debbies needs (2H), which is also in accordance with the NHS and Community Care Act. Prior to my shadowing opportunity, I was worried as to whether I would be able to follow all the rules and procedures set out by the Code of Practice and NOS once in the world of social work, but after observing SW I was assured that knowledge and skills would come with practice and time. I was already familiar with some of the theoretical perspectives and legislation behind SWs work and believe completing any forthcoming placement will allow me further opportunities to apply theory to practice and to identify appropriate methods of intervention in different social work settings. *False names have been used to respect the confidentiality of the social worker and service user. Disability Discrimination Act (1995, 2005) Dominelli, L. (2002). Anti-oppressive social work theory and practice. Palgrave Macmillan: Hampshire, UK Edenborough, R. (2002). Effective interviewing: A handbook of skills and techniques. Kogan Page Ltd, London Fook, J. Gardner, F. (2007). Practising critical reflection: A resource handbook. McGraw-Hill Companies: Berkshire, UK General Social Care Council Code of Practice for Social Care Workers (2004) National Occupational Standards for Social Work (2002) National Health Service and Community Care Act (1990) Person Centred Support: A Guide for Service Users (2008) Joseph Roundtree Foundation Person Centred Support: What Service Users and Practitioners Say (2008) Joseph Roundtree Foundation UNIT THREE REFLECTING ON FUTURE LEARNING NEEDS During the past five months, I have gained a wide theoretical/knowledge base of social work principles and had the opportunity to apply this to some practical practice experiences (interview and shadowing). Reflecting on these experiences has helped me to identify some key areas which I feel may need to be improved in order to develop my learning, and are highlighted within the body of this report. Writing assessments and reports has been recognised as core skills in social work practice. Therefore, it is essential that I am capable of collecting and presenting information in the form of an assessment/report, especially as my placement is with a Youth Offending Team and I will be required to write coherent reports for other professional bodies that can provide accurate insight of service user experiences and needs that are backed up by relevant theory and knowledge. From completing the ICT assignment, I have gained knowledge on how to format Word documents and search for information on the internet, which will be highly useful when it comes to writing a report. Although I possess these basic skills, learning how to complete a successful assessment/report within legislative and policy frameworks is a major area for development, as this will play a large role in my placement. A major learning goal for my next academic year is that of reflective thinking and writing. Before starting this course, I had not completed a reflective account of writing. Rather, I had only completed experimental reports and critical essays. Even though my skills in reflective writing are improving, I still find this quite difficult. I also need to improve my ability to critically reflect upon my work. Giddens (1991) highlights that I will have to constantly adapt to changing conditions (cited in Fook Gardner, 2007, p10) in the world of work, and critical reflection will allow me to stand back to analyse the issue and manage it more effectively, which in turn will act as a process for me to learn and develop my professional practice (Fook Gardner, 2007). In order to critically reflect back on my practice, I must first learn how to effectively apply theory to practice. I must use a theoretical framework to inform my decisions when on my placement, and then use formal and informal knowledge sources to guide my practice (Oko, 2008). The GSCC Code of Practice clearly points out that a social worker must strive to establish and maintain the trust and confidence of service users (p14). This is vital to form a healthy professional relationship between the social worker and the service user. Service users may be vulnerable and susceptible to discrimination or unjust treatment; therefore, the social worker must not abuse the service users trust or demonstrate oppressive practice, but instead be honest and trustworthy (2.1), communicate in a straightforward way (2.2) and respect confidential information (2.3). I believe two of the most important aspects highlighted by the Code of Practice is that the social worker should be reliable and dependable (2.4) and should honour work agreements and arrangements (2.5). Service users, who can sometimes feel lost and helpless, rely on their social worker to provide services and support to help them lead an independent life as possible, but if the social worker cannot commit to ag reed meetings or agreed plans (Koprowska, 2005, comments on the importance of punctuality), the service users trust and confidence in the social worker and social care services will diminish. Social workers should be sensitive to the needs and experiences of service users and should act appropriately. I aim to develop my skills in understanding the experiences of service users and IDENTIFYING their needs, as this information and knowledge will allow me to target specific potential problem areas and produce more focused support and services. A way I have been able to demonstrate my ability to identify a service users need is when I visited Debbie* during my shadowing opportunity. Debbie had sight problems, and the aim of the visit was to assess any specific areas that she may need help/SUPPORT with. Later, when discussing/reflecting with the social worker I was shadowing, I was able to identify that although Debbie needed practical sight-related help, (e.g. brighter lights in her lounge), she also appeared to be isolated/depressed and have low self-esteem. I discussed/considered various group activities and social groups that may help Debbie to overcome her loneliness and boost her confidence in herself. These were discussed with Debbie, to ensure a person-centred approach was taken and allowed her choice and control. Adopting this approach essentially lends support to the principles of anti-oppressive practice (Thompson, 2006). Another way in which I believe I have demonstrated sensitivity towards service users was in my video interview. Although this was not conducted with a service user, this video analysis enabled me to reflect back on my performance, where I realised I showed great respect towards the client. This is a skill I will transfer when practising social work. Although I believe to have some shown some strengths in my interview assessment and shadowing experience, questioning my techniques has helped me to consider areas on which I need to improve. I acknowledge that my reflecting and summarising in the interview was weak and is an area I definitely need to work on. I must do this to ensure that the client understands the information which was referred to and understands any goals, aims or objectives (Koprowska, 2005). I learned from both experiences that effective communication is of critical importance when working with service users and must be a two way process that values the input of service users. Reflecting on my shadowing experience and working with clients who experience sight impairments is a good example of how communication is key, especially verbal communication, as non-verbal communication and the clients ability to interpret body language may be lost on them (Koprowska, 2005). As a social work student I need to develop on all of these skills during my placement and to build on my academic learning to progress professionally. In addition, I need to increase my confidence and ability to apply this to social work practice and intervention. I acknowledge that continuous reflection of my learning needs is going to be vital to ensure that I become a competent social worker. One who can successfully transfer these learned skills and attributes to different social work settings and to different service user groups to ensure that the best possible care and support is provided. *False names have been used to respect the confidentiality of the service user General Social Care Council Code of Practice for Social Care Workers (2004) Giddens, A. (1991). Modernity and self-identity. Polity: Cambridge, UK Koprowska, J. (2005). Transforming social work practice: Communication and interpersonal skills in social work. Learning Matters Ltd: Exerter, UK Oko, J. (2008). Transforming social work practice: Understanding and using social work theory. Learning Matters Ltd: Exeter, UK Thompson, N. (2006). Anti-discriminatory practice. (4th Eds). Palgrave Macmillan: Hampshire, UK Fook, J. Gardner, F. (2007). Practising critical reflection: A resource handbook. McGraw-Hill Companies: Berkshire, UK