Cultural Anthropology Comparison Essay Essay

Two authors published separate articles that discussed the effects of Technology on families and on society in general. These articles are Technology and Social Change: The Effects on Family and Community, written by Jan English-Lueck in 1998 and Communication technologies that will change our lives, written by Graham T. T. Monitor in 2003. However, while both authors discussed the same topic, which is how technology generally affects the lives of people, they differ in the areas that they focused on in their respective articles. Basically, English-Lueck, in his article, claimed that technology has not actually adversely affected the way family members communicate among each other, but has rather enhanced it. According to him, the most significant and most obvious impact of technology on a family is that a person’s working hours extend to his or her work home. In other words, a due to the massive enhancement of technology, a person brings his or her work home when he or she should be allocating that time for his or her family. Based on English-Lueck’s article, while this can initially be viewed as a negative impact, the fact is, technology has actually efficiently improved the way family members communicate among each other. For example, a family camping trip can easily be planned in a single afternoon through the use of a pager or an E-mail as compared to the conventional method of planning it over dinner. Moreover, according to the article, family members who spend most of their time at work can regularly check if their children by paging them or calling them using a cellphone. In addition, a person can respond to emergency duties at work through by using a fax machine. In other words, English-Lueck in his article claims that it is wrong to assume that products of technology has negatively affected the family life since it they have actually made communication between members more convenient and more constant. On the other hand, Graham T. T. Monitor’s article focused on how rapid technology has been increasing over the past years and how this has lead to breaking down barriers in communication. Basically, Monitor said that due to constant technological advancements, which he believes will soon match the speed and power of the human brain, the society and families, both young and old, can easily access all types of digital communication devices that can enable them to communicate among themselves anywhere and anytime. According to him, this is possibly the most important effect on the family because it bridges the distance between family members or kin that are far away from each other. In other words, Monitor claims that the technology is improving so rapidly that people would never have to worry about communication problems. In short, both authors claim that while technological advancements can initially appear overwhelming, it should not adversely affect the way families live their lives but rather improve it. According to them, as technology improves, families should adapt to these new changes and use them to their advantage. Furthermore, both English-Lueck and Montior agreed in principle that these technological enhancements make work, family management, and, most of all, communication more efficient and that these technological trends will continue in the future.

Organizational Conflicts and Building Coalitions

Conflict within the organization is an every day reality as no one individual will have the same opinion or style. The differences found amongst people in the workplace has required perceptions to change when it comes to leading a team and implementing strategy. One's attitude must be flexible and tolerant of change and conflict. Conflict must be an accepted factor or otherwise the organization will not survive. In many ways, leaders and management look at conflict as a positive. Because conflict taking time and effort to resolve, it also allows for critical thinking and opening the path for new ideas and solutions. This works to the company's advantage over the long run as it continues to think outside the box or get do away with the box entirely. This leads to innovation. The attitude toward knowledge has evolved because more than one type is needed in order to implement a new idea. This changes the needs of workers and organizations as diffusion of innovation takes place as many different points of view are considered. While the idea that conflict can be a positive, leaders must also keep in mind the other side of the spectrum or the negative. While conflict can lead to innovation, it can also open up the employee to too many opportunities, which can influence their creativity and productivity. It produces a whole new reality that employees may not be prepared to handle. Product diversification could mean failure. Technology, while it is wondrous and makes jobs easier, can also be dangerous. With telecommunications, a new breed of crime has been created with identity theft and corporate brand protection becoming important. Technology can be disastrous if put in the wrong hands. With innovations come new inventions that make our lives easier but also have a higher risk when used. This is the nature of the realm of possibility. This can backfire as it can also destroy and impose new rules of conduct upon communities. As much as many like the idea of innovation, for those scared of change, it is difficult to embrace fully. This leads to further conflict or counter movements to conserve what is left because the longer a conflict goes unresolved, the harder it is fix. This like a lack of communication can lead to a break in the cycle for the organization. Still organizational conflict and change is about the future. However, as more products and services are produced and distributed throughout the world, debate continues regarding leaders' obligation to take on more social responsibility. To change the way business is conducted, we may need to establish new operational styles that set new expectations for both today's work force and corporate accountability. Looking at a corporation like Johnson and Johnson, one realizes within a team everyone has a function to meet production quotas and the harmony produced translates into efficiency. Total Quality Management (TQM) is still evident as companies push to analyze productivity as it reflects success, profit, as the numbers still remain the bottom line. Change means introducing new players to the reality, which one takes the risk, could lead to further conflict or creation. This means the possibility of interacting with outsiders or traveling in other countries for opportunities. One such situation can arise when an American company sets up shop in England. How will the locals react to such international involvement and on what levels will this be tolerated? How much will gained by so much change or resulting conflict? It is the ability to accept the new reality of today's workplace that makes an organization competitive. A company like Johnson and Johnson faces many challenges in the future due to this new reality.

Application of Auditing Theory and Practice

Auditing is part of organizational management, it is explained as the process of examining the financial reports of a business enterprise as presented in the business annual reports, an independent person or an organization performs the audit process. The progression and development of organizational performance is accomplished by conducting audit and understanding the auditing theory and related practices  (Arens, et al., 2012). Auditing is also outlined as the systemic and unbiased examination of organizations books of accounts, statutory information, documents and vouchers of an organization to visualize how some distance the economic statements further to non-economic disclosures present genuine and fair view of the business enterprise  (Eilifsen, et al., 2013). Auditing and compliance practices try ensure that the organizational financial books are effectively maintained as required by the international auditing standard board, and if they are maintained under the regulation provided by the existing laws. Auditing independence is outlined as the independence of the external and internal auditor from other parties and individuals who may have economic and financial interest in the business enterprise that is being audited. According to Arens, Elder, & Mark 2012, the auditors indepence requires integrity and essential audit measure to the auditing procedures. The study reveals that, some factors may affect the integrity and auditing measures and process of an auditor  (Arens, et al., 2012). On the other hand, the auditors integrity is also affected by the business risk, these risk influence the decisional making process of auditors and top organizational management. However, auditing practices compel the auditor to put into actions and measures which might be crucial even as performing the practices. Auditing planning is the strategic management degree for auditing, it carried out at the beginning of the audit process this is to make sure that the correct attention is fermented to important areas, to sure that the capacity issues are promptly identified and viable solutions are generated to lessen the impact  (Elder, et al., 2011). The main purpose of encouraging the audit planning is to ensure that all the audit work are fully finished and coordinated. Clarke & Johnson (CJI) is an audit company this is identified for proving the first-rate services in the audit business enterprise; Luxury Travel Holidays LTD (LTH) is commercial enterprise that provides travel service. Both corporations have taken into consideration the importance of market segmentation and diversifying their enterprise operation far from their nearby market. Clarke & Johnson (CJI) Company is re-engaged by Luxury Travel Holidays LTD (LTH) to offer audit services before submitting their 30 June 2015 financial report to the stakeholders. The factors affecting the integrity and auditing approach used by the auditors could affect decision-making process  (Gay & Simnett, 2000). Qualified and non-qualified audit opinion is the relevant concepts that are used to draft the audit report. This is a primary factor affecting the independence and the decisions to be reached by an auditor.   The size if the audit firm implies the size of the business enterprise to be audited and the particular auditing firm. According to this case study, Clarke & Johnson (CJI) Company is an audit firm that has been providing audit services to small market the company is also to provide its services to Luxury Travel Holidays LTD (LTH) that performs its business activities in Asia, Europe and U.S market. The larger the audit firm the lesser the impact of impairments, the smaller the audit company there will be more factors that will affect the independence of the audit company  (Eilifsen, et al., 2001). This is amongst the dangerous threats which might the independence of the audit company. The advising threat implies that, some stakeholders may have the economic and financial interest in the company to be audited. According to the case study, Clarke & Johnson (CJI) Company and Luxury Travel Holidays LTD (LTH) have been collaborating for years this could build some interest between themselves  (Jackson, 2016). Therefore, the auditor is compelled to present audit opinion that favors the stakeholder who has economic and commercial interest. The threats regarding the referrals from the customer impacts the independence of an auditor. Clarke & Johnson (CJI) Company is an audit firm that has been offering audit services to Luxury Travel Holidays LTD (LTH); Luxury Travel Holidays LTD (LTH) may make many referrals to the auditor, and thus affecting the audit process and of the Clarke & Johnson (CJI) Company. The organizational control has an excessive impact on the audit opinion to be made with the aid of the usage of the auditor, the organizational pinnacle ought to affect this critiques in view that they may pressure the auditor to utilize the referrals made. Luxury Travel Holidays LTD (LTH) and Clarke & Johnson (CJI) Company had been participating for more than one years. Luxury Travel Holidays LTD (LTH) may want to refer the accounting department to make adjustments to company book of accounts, those changes and adjustment made are ought to affect the findings of the auditor and thus the audit independence is automatically affected. The success of every operating business organization is determined by the extent and how the company is involved in the audit practices. The independence of the auditors should not be influence since they impose some negative effects to the findings that are used as the basis of the audit opinion which is the primary element of audit report. The size of the firm is categories to be the threat that affects the auditor independence, the organizational management of Luxury Travel Holidays LTD (LTH) should consider the size of the firm that will perform the audit practices. Consequently, Clarke & Johnson (CJI) Company should ensure that they create and implement policies that will limit threats affecting their independence. Advising threats is a fatal component that influences the independence of an auditor. The relevant audit opinion to be utilized by an auditor ought to be based totally on the instantaneous findings. The auditors are advocated not to provide any economic or financial cautioned to their clients because their findings after the recommendation will have an impact on the audit opinion  (Knechel & Salterio, 2016). Multiple referrals could also affect the auditor's opinion. According to the case study both business enterprises have been in business for a number of years, Luxury Travel Holidays LTD (LTH) could make referrals to the finance department to make the adjustment to some vouchers and documents, this is to present the interest of some management individuals. Clients are advised not to make any referrals to any departments, the exact finding of the auditor portrays that the organization needs to implement on some applicable measures. According to Gay, & Simnett, 2000, audit planning is strategic control measure for auditing, it conducted at the beginning of the audit procedure this is to make sure that the right interest is fermented to essential organizational areas. This is to ascertain that the potential problems are promptly recognized and viable solution are generated to reduce their impact, to make sure that all auditing work is completed and coordinated. While developing and creating the audit practices, there are some elements that may affect the auditing procedures  (Lyon & Maher, 2005). Clarke & Johnson Company and Luxury Travel Holidays LTD (LTH) are now taken into consideration to function in new markets. New markets are bounded and guided by means of commercial laws and regulations which are surpassed through the federal governments  (Knechel & Salterio, 2016). Consequently, the organizations that operate outside their nearby market are affected by the legal processes that are used to regulate the business enterprises when it comes to their commercial activities. U.S Common Laws are the examples of the commercial law that are used to guide organization business activities U.S and European market  (Johnstone, 2000). Economic threat is the primary external environmental factor that impacts the operations business corporation in international markets. They incorporate elements such as GDP and unique country financial improvement quotes. Some markets are affected by down-tuning economic developments, currencies also affect the activities of a business organization. For instance, U.S currency is a globally accepted currency, it is used in the international market for the exchange of goods and services  (Sadgrove, 2016). According to Jackson 2016, the declining in product demand is a marketing factor originating aftermarket segmentation and diversification. Operating in an expanded marketplace place create a room for more corporations to create products and services which resemble the ones produced by using the existing organizations  (Jackson, 2016). Companies operating in the broader market are advocated to ensure that they produce quality products and services that meet the competitive market they operate in. According to Johnstone 2000, financial dangers chance contains those monetary aspects that stand up because of lack of monetary management procedures and measures. The economic worldwide marketplace has experienced many issues that have affected the operation of commercial enterprise companies, mainly Crampton and Hasaad and Mining Supplies LTD (MSL) corporations  (Johnstone, 2000). The research conducted by Knechel 2007 concluded that the financial contributes to the economic failures of a company that operates internationally  (Knechel & Salterio, 2016). Inherent audit risk is the risk that involves the material misstatement in the financial statement of an institution arising due to errors and omission (Kachelmeier, et al., 2014)made as a result of failing to implement on specific controls and measures. The impact of inherent audit to a business organization are felt when the companies operating in specific market fails to implement on the existing financial measures and controls  (Ricchiute, 2001). These risks are perceived to be generated when the business organization failed to make application estimation while making complex transactions. The control risk comprises the threats originating from the fabric misstatement existing within financial reporting of the company, this fabric misstatement is experience due to failure to work under the financial policies and measure of the organization  (Bell, et al., 2001). Crampto and Hasaad and Mining Supplies LTD (MSL) are advocated to have the applicable financial internal control measure, this measure is relevant in preventing and reducing frauds originating from the internal business transactions  (William Jr, et al., 2016). According to Bell, Landsman, & Shackelford 200, the detection risk is that risk that arises when the external auditor fails to come over the cloth misstatement in the financial information of the company, vouchers, assets and other relevant documents  (Bell, et al., 2001). While implementing the audit planning, the auditor is encouraged to focus on the relevant financial and documents of the company and provide the solution to the financial misstatement. The business organizations are advocated to make use of the audit measures that will reduce the fabric misstatements in the financial statements and asset documents of an enterprise that ought to be audited. Eilifsen, Knechel, & Wallage 2001, concluded that, while mitigating the dectecion risks, the audit company is recommended to increase and take the variety of sample transactions  (Eilifsen, et al., 2001). In conclusion, auditing is explained as part of the managing a business organization, it is the independent examination of the company financial reports, this is to assure that the financial information of the business organization shows true and fair view of the company. The audit opinion is a relevant element of audit report as presented by the external auditor. Some aspects affect the independence of an external auditor, these aspects comprise multiple referrals, size of the firm and advising threat. Business risk is defined as the primary factors that affect the business organization, especially those which are operating in the international market. Legal risk, financial risks, economic risks and declining in the product demand are the examples of the business risk addressed in the paper. Inherent risk, detection risk, and control risk are the examples of audit risk affecting the auditor practices. Arens, A. A., Elder, R. J. & Mark, B., 2012. Auditing and assurance services: an integrated approach:. Boston: Prentice Hall.. Bell, T. B., Landsman, W. R. & Shackelford, D. A., 2001. Auditors' perceived business risk and audit fees: Analysis and evidence.. Journal of Accounting research,, 39(1), pp. 35-43. Eilifsen, A., Messier, W. F., Glover, S. M. & Praw, 2013. Auditing and assurance services.. s.l.:McGraw-Hill.. Eilifsen, A., Knechel, W. R. & Wallage, P., 2001. Application of the business risk audit model: A field study. Accounting Horizons. s.l.:s.n. Elder, R. J., Beasley, M. S. & Arens, A., 2011. Auditing and Assurance services. s.l.:Pearson Higher Ed.. Gay, G. E. & Simnett, R., 2000. Auditing and assurance services in Australia.. Sydney: Mcgraw-hill. Jackson, R. A., 2016. Business at risk: keynote speakers for this year's IIA International Conference identify emerging risks facing organizations. Internal Auditor,. In: s.l.:s.n., pp. 40-46. Johnstone, K., 2000. Client-acceptance decisions: Simultaneous effects of client business risk, audit risk, auditor business risk, and risk adaptation. Auditing:. A Journal of Practice & Theory, 19(1), pp. 1-25.. Kachelmeier, S. J., Majors, T. & Williamson, M. G., 2014. Does Intent Modify Risk-Based Auditing?. The Accounting Review. s.l.:s.n. Knechel, W., 2007. The business risk audit: Origins, obstacles and opportunities.. In: s.l.:s.n., pp. 383-408. Knechel, W. R. & Salterio, S. E., 2016. Auditing: assurance and risk. s.l.:Routledge. Lyon, J. D. & Maher, M. W., 2005. The importance of business risk in setting audit fees: Evidence from cases of client misconduct.. Journal of Accounting Research, 43(1), pp. 133-151. Messier, w. f., 2014. An approach to learning risk-based auditing.. Journal of Accounting Education, 32(3), pp. 276-287. Ricchiute, D. N., 2001. Auditing and assurance services.. s.l.:South Western Educational Publishing.. Sadgrove, K., 2016. The complete guide to business risk management.. s.l.:Routledge. William Jr, M., Glover, S. & Prawitt, D., 2016. Auditing and assurance services: A systematic approach.. s.l.:McGraw-Hill Education.

Analysis of Civil Rights Movement Literature review

Analysis of Civil Rights Movement - Literature review Example Certainly, it is comforting to believe that history progresses in such a manner. Yet, even if one could develop a cogent argument that the civil rights movement was inevitable, how does one account for its timing and shape Why did it take place when it did Why didn't these ideas prove compelling at an earlier or later time Why did "man's unending search for freedom" reach such heights in the early and mid-1960s Why did certain actors emerge as leaders and not others Why were certain goals or demands given priority And to a lesser extent, why did the movement achieve some objectives but not others The modern civil rights movement had both external and internal origins and causes. It came into being when and in the way it did because of both structural and human factors. Forces that were only indirectly related to the movement helped give rise to it and sustained it, as did complex developments within the African American community. Demographic shifts, particularly the great migration, the emergence of the United States as a world power, and the overall process of modernization played key roles. "... It's human nature, I guess. We did our best to control it, but there was a bit of a power struggle from the beginning between Nashville and Atlanta. After Dr. King had come up that spring and given his blessing to ..." 3 So too did several internal factors, most importantly the accumulation of resources by the African American community. These developments were intertwined and reinforced one another. In addition, the success of the civil rights movement depended on human agency. "... Jim Peck, Al Bigelow, and Jim Zwerg stand and suffer with us. 'v/N'e had become brothers and sisters to the struggle. We bled together. We suffered together. How could you look at something like a race after experiences like that ..." 4 (194) With the great migration, African Americans also advanced economically. Even though they continued to work for less pay and under worse conditions than whites, blacks in the industrial North began to enjoy a standard of living heretofore unknown to them or their counterparts in the rural South. Between 1940 and 1970, the mean income for black men, adjusted for inflation, more than tripled.  Ã‚  

Golf Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Golf - Article Example Aside from which, they are the ones who do not infrequently participate in golf tournaments, hoping to bag another trophy home on a warm & sunny Sunday. There are also what you call â€Å"recreational† golfers that are a bit competitive and at the same time plays the sport to meet new people, pass time or perhaps pave their own entrance to a certain kind of clique that being a golfer suggests. The last type would be the first-timer golfers who were probably tagged along by one of their friends who plays golf or perhaps those that tried the sport just so they can check another off of their bucket list. Indeed, golf is one many splendored thing and the best thing to do before one starts to play golf would be to know why you want to play golf and what is it that you expect from the sport. This is because getting into it does not only change the environment you are in but most importantly can change your life. This is because allowing something new in your life would mean being open to changes in your activities, mindset & attitude. Just like life, with golf, you can expect anything under the sun and with the right expectations comes a disappointment-free

Service Recovery Effects on Customer Satisfaction Essay

Service Recovery Effects on Customer Satisfaction - Essay Example Further, the research results showed that their was a correlation between service recovery and customer loyalty. 1. Introduction The concept of service recovery is both a business function and a critical focus point from the marketing perspective. The hotel industry is majorly based on offering intangible services and this makes service recovery an important business strategy. Essentially, service recovery entails the measures that an organization puts in place to respond to failures in service delivery. The hotel industry is prone to several variables that make it necessary to put in place service recovery strategies. Therefore, the effect of service recovery on customer satisfaction and loyalty becomes an important topic of research. To gain insight into this topic, the researcher used questionnaires to collect data which was used to analyze the impact of service delivery on customer loyalty and satisfaction in the hotel industry. 1.1 Research Aim This report aims to examine the im pacts of service recovery on customer satisfaction and loyalty in the hotel industry. ... 2. Literature Review 2.1 Service Recovery According to Keith (2008), service recovery is the well thought out process solving the issues of aggrieved customer and returning the customer to a state of satisfaction with the product or company. Service delivery can also be thought of as the set of actions a firm takes as a response to poor service quality (Andreasson, 2000). Therefore, service recovery can be considered as the response of a firm to its clients after a product or service failure with the intention of appeasing the aggrieved client and maintain their business value. The ultimate goal of service recovery is to ensure that clients maintain their business relationships with the firm that caused them the initial problem. In every organization, things occur that may have undesired effect on the customer. Hence, a company needs to have systems in place to implement corrective measures whe n things go wrong. The ultimate test of a company’s commitment to quality service is how it handles issues concerning instances of provision of below per services (Craig. 1999). He further argues that organizations need to put in place effective recovery strategies to win back a customers trust after instances problems in service delivery. Service recovery strategies are necessary to ensure that the service failures do not fit into a pattern of failure which might have devastating effects on the business enterprise (Berry 1995). Some studies indicate that excellent initial service is much better than relying on service recovery. However, other studies point out that service recovery has a greater impact on the customer than even the initial service.

Video summary and reflection Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Video summary and reflection - Essay Example As such, the report also indicated that the government has directed Internet providers to ban access to Facebook. Reflection: One strongly believes that people from all walks of life, depending on values, traditions and beliefs, have the right to assert what they think conforms to their philosophies and ideals. As such, for Muslim countries with deep regard and belief in Islamic teachings, the violations noted for posting the prophet’s image could actually be devastating. As such, one affirms that the government should take a stand and enjoin other Muslim countries in asserting concrete policies and procedures regarding this particular concern at the soonest possible time to resolve this issue. Introduction: The video entitled â€Å"Malala Yousafzai, 16, and Her Miraculous Story of Surviving Being Shot by the Taliban† reported by ABC News was published online through YouTube foretold of a remarkable story of a young teen-aged girl named Malala Yousufza. Summary: The video documented the remarkable story of Malala Yousufza, specifically after she was shot by a Taliban rebel for speaking in behalf of millions of young girls to be educated. Accordingly, she was nominated for a Nobel Peace prize. Malala narrated what she remembered just before she was shot. There were a number of miracles that happened and contributed to saving Malala’s life: the presence of a top specialist in pediatrics trauma, Dr. Feona Reynolds; the lending of a plane with complete medical facilities; and how the bullet apparently ricocheted from the skull to be diverted to her shoulders. The story was considered a miracle. Reflection: The story was very moving and touching. It attested that miracles still happen in life. One is convinced that there is still a more powerful force beyond what humans can understand who ultimately governs man’s purpose in life. As manifested and exhibited by the

Assess the impact of television and video technology on children's Research Paper

Assess the impact of television and video technology on children's attention spans - Research Paper Example In the modern world there are many temptations for our children. With the development of technology, they received an access to different technological achievements everyone has at home. If in 1980s only radio usually entertained young people, nowadays they have an unlimited access to TVs and computers. Playing computer games is now a favorite occupation for our children. They also like to watch TV very much and many children start their day by switching the TV set on. Computers and television can help develop children’s intellect but the question arises how this habit affects children’s health. Certainly, it is a well-known fact that excessive TV watching is a very bad habit, but it is necessary to define what exactly it affects negatively. Bad eyesight and sedentary life are not all the negative consequences as now scientists have already paid attention to children’s attention span. If a child is developing in normal conditions, its attention span is constantly improving. However, some factors can influence the process of development negatively. These factors are now actively studied by experts. The first factor is anemia that is usually caused by iron deficiency. Anemia is â€Å"a condition in which a lack of iron results in a diminished amount of blood cells that carry oxygen through the blood† (Bruce, 2013). Anemia is frequently met state and if it has a light form, it is not considered as dangerous and can be easily cured. Serious forms of anemia can affect cognitive functions of children and their attention span. The second state that negatively influences the attention span of children is Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).... This factor deserves special attention as it was proved that if a little child watch TV or play games very often, it may have problems with attention span in future. The objects move in the screen fast and do not allow a child to concentrate, thus it may lose such ability. The investigation held by Peter Jensen came to the conclusion that: "Extensive exposure to television and video games may promote development of brain systems that scan and shift attention at the expense of those that focus attention" (cited in DeGaetano, 2012) Now when the development of the technology is very fast some parents make a strange decision to send their child to school where the process of study is not connected with the technology. They are afraid that technological achievements can influence their child’s brain negatively (Kessler, 2012). This testifies that many parents do believe that visual media prevents children from normal concentration. According to Dr Jane Healy, "A 'good' brain for le arning develops strong and widespread neural highways that can quickly and efficiently assign different aspects of a task to the most efficient system...Such efficiency is developed only by active practice in thinking and learning which, in turn, builds increasingly stronger connections. A growing suspicion among brain researchers is that excessive television viewing may affect the development of these kinds of connections. It may also induce habits of using the wrong systems for various types of learning" (Healy, 1991). As teachers and parents can trace every day, modern children are really less attentive; they become more hyperactive, impulsive with less ability to concentrate. Such a change in children’s

The ethics of selling guns Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The ethics of selling guns - Essay Example rt into a particular country Even though it is not constitutional, mostly assault weapons, are banned for manufacture and import into the country, and all guns are barred for convicted criminals. Nonetheless, it is lawful to sell the parts required to assemble these weapons. Besides, there is no system put in place to track or register gun parts (except the receiver), and so several gun parts can be sold to criminals who can then assemble the guns for their criminal use. The question then arises, is it the ethical responsibility of gun manufacturers, dealers, and companies to close up gaps and offer tight regulations who they sell gun parts to and what type of parts they sell without infringing constitutional right and a basic freedom given to all citizens? Though it may not be constitutional to bar the production and importation of assault weapons, it is not ethical for gun manufacturers and companies to evade the law and undermine the government by making assault weapons easily acc essible, and making any gun available to a convicted criminal. The common argument that â€Å"Guns don’t kill, people do† does not apply to the utilitarian test. The correct principle is how much (dis)utility arises from selling the guns, irrespective of who shoots them. A gun manufacturer has to consider the negative utility created by those who use its guns. Nonetheless, the equally general argument that â€Å"If I don’t do it, someone else will† applies for the utilitarian test. If other producers would pick up the limp as a result of one’s decision not to sell assault weapons, leading to the similar total sales, then there is no obvious utilitarian argument for selling or against selling the firearms. On the contrary, the positive utility can be created (recreation, hunting, and self-defense) by selling guns that are not dangerous has less negative expected utility. As far as â€Å"categorical imperative† is concerned, Freeman argues that any ethical decision must be assessed

Promote Professional Development Essay Example for Free

Promote Professional Development Essay The importance of continually providing knowledge and practice is to keep up with the constant changes that are happening all the time. Globalisation and technology have made changes in health and social care at a rapid rate. There has been a significant change in the way that care is being experienced and there are higher expectations in the quality of care. A more personal approach is required and accessibility to training resources ensures that we can all be the best in our job roles and in line with legal requirements. There are opportunities available now, thanks to technology advancements, to share responsibilities across the board, we have better access to other partnerships, training programs and can store more data than ever before and there are still developments every day. The importance of learning these developments is that we can change with the times and gain the new skills to improve the outcome for service users. The barriers to professional development require you to look in more depth at yourself. Everybody has a different way of learning, someone may learn a lot quicker than someone else, so it’s important to try to see what ways you retain information best. Some people may learn from reading something over and over until it either makes sense or sticks with them. Some people may write down what they want to learn because it ingrains in there memory and some people may just listen to something and retain the information. It’s important to remember that what someone else might learn from a sentence may be more educational to them than if someone else was to read that very same sentence. Motivation can be another barrier; external factors can drive motivation and change behaviour like incentives to learn but internal barriers such as self-esteem, drive and desire can have an effect on professional development. An individual’s personal values, beliefs, attitudes and life priorities can impact significantly on the way people develop. Not having enough time to develop your skills or financial problems can be a big barrier to development. To get through these barriers, Support from peers, advice and mentoring may be required to h elp with individual developments. There are many different sources and systems to support professional development. At my organisation we have internal support which involves monthly supervisions with an advocate. We go through training  requirements, any training refreshment that need to be done; we go over policies and procedures and discuss our progress for professional development. We have training courses that cover every area of the care we provide and e-learning that all employees complete every 6 months, they are designed to refresh our training and inform us of new policies and procedures. You can also learn by working with more experienced colleagues and you can self-teach by reading text books and articles. You can develop your knowledge by using facilities such as libraries and learning resource centres and there is also formal support, colleague and university courses, internet courses, apprenticeships and government incentives. You can also use the policies and procedures put in place by your company to learn what is required and how to do things appropriately. There are so many factors to consider when selecting opportunities and activities for keeping knowledge and practice up to date. There would be no point in starting a course in child care if your real desire was to become a hypnotherapist. Financial issues could be problem, your organisation may cover learning costs or you may need to look into whether you are entitled to government help or whether you will be self-funding. Time requirements could be a problem and your level of commitment; maybe you are a single mother, who cannot get child care to attend night school. Another factor could be, does the opportunity or activity fit with your learning style?, You may learn better from practical activities or learn better from reading and writing, finding the right form of professional development is key to being successful. Be able to prioritise goals and targets for your own professional development In order to prioritise goals and targets for my own professional development, I look at the influences that have helped me to develop my performance so far and look at what my training has taught me and how it’s reflected in my work. I examine my strengths and weaknesses honestly and try to think about the way I practice in a constructive way. I have to evaluate myself by asking; How did I approach my work? Was my approach positive? How did the way I work affect the people I support? Did I work to the best of my ability? Which was the best aspect of my work? Which was the worst aspect of my work? Is there area’s that I can improve? What are they and how will I tackle them? In health and social care there are benchmarks and standards that I can use to measure my own ability against, like the ‘care quality commission standards’ and ‘codes of practice’. By comparing my work against these standards I can improve on the areas that I am failing in, by setting goals of what I need to learn and targets to complete it by. To prioritise my own development goals and targets, I have to think realistically about what is necessary for my job role at that moment, for example; if you are developing your communication skills and working towards building relationships and trust, you cannot plan a set strategy to produce trust and this can take time. But if you were developing your skills for independent living, encouraging accessing the community and shopping, this is something that is currently in my job role and could be a skill I can develop straight away. Making a plan to monitor each stage of developing skills will help me to see at what point something has not worked, for example; I am to Supporting Bobby with his shopping, but due to his mental health problems, he doesn’t feel comfortable being in a busy supermarket around lots of people. Putting a plan together with goals and targets will help to monitor Bobby’s progress; I could put a target in place to build Bobby’s confidence up enough so he can be in a supermarket. By recording this process and evaluating each step that it took to get him there, I improve my own skills and gain knowledge for any similar situations that may arise in the future. Be able to prepare a professional development plan To plan my own professional development with sources of support available to me, I will first have to arrange a meeting with my trainer and supervisor to identify the learning outcomes and objectives that I wish to achieve. We can then put a strategy together to meet these objectives and a time frame in which to complete them by and with their help and resources. When documenting evidence I will specify the duty, a goal, tools needed for reaching my goal and a completion date. I will then undertake the necessary educational activities, training and shadowing and collect more evidence for  my portfolio. I will review my progress at regular intervals with my trainer and supervisor to discuss any updates and get feedback on my development. My portfolio will contain evidence of records of attendance and the support that was given, highlighted areas of what I would have done differently, highlighted areas of successful care and certificates of achievements. I can also show in my portfolio, evidence of what has benefited my colleagues, i.e. protocols or guidelines that have been introduced because of things that I have learnt and feedback from colleagues on a job well done. I will show evidence of evaluating work that wasn’t done to the best of my ability and show evidence of what I have learnt to correct my work. I will put in my development portfolio evidence of any positive feedback, descriptions of new care plans made because of my positive changes, cards, letters or individual comments and positive audit results. This is an example of a plan that I would use for my own professional development. A service user I attend with learning difficulties needs a new wheelchair; the carers are finding it increasingly hard to push the service user around in the wheelchair for social visits. A healthy diet plan was encouraged but is not working as the service user lives independently, a wheelchair with a motor is needed to help the carers avoid any further injury and carry on supporting the service user to access the community. I have been allocated the responsibility to assist the service user pick a new wheelchair with a motor, I can use this opportunity to develop new skills and document and evaluate my progress. There are a few barriers to overcome so monitoring the effectiveness of my support will help to evaluate my performance and relay any significant information to fellow colleagues and others crucial support in their care, ultimately helping the service user in the future. The main barrier is the lady doesn’t like change; it worries her and makes her very anxious, when she is anxious she gets the medical condition hives. Her confidence will need to be built up over time. The goal is to help the lady pick a new motorised wheelchair for accessing the community only, she can continue with the wheelchair she is familiar with, and likes at home, but the goal is to find one that the service user is 100% happy and secure in, to prevent any further injures to carers and to keep the lady involved in her daily routines. The tools needed for succeeding with this duty is to have the families support, a risk assessment, a shop with accessibility and  understanding with this sensitive issue and support from my managers and any other active partners that support with the service users care needs. For evidence I would put in my portfolio the emails from the partnerships, my advocate and myself that detail, the support that is needed, with the evidence that I have been allocated to support with this. The email will also show my reply, for the request of informing all other carers to reassure her when necessary for when she gets anxious and upset. I would put in place a communication diary especially to deal with this task, firstly to monitor any upset behaviour and how my colleagues and I resolved it and secondly I could use it as evidence. I would keep a written account of how many trips to the shops and what her behaviour was like on each visit, I would record what helped keep her calm and feeling secure and record anything that failed and how we made it better. I would keep a medical record of any outbreaks of hives and how it was treated. I would have regular meetings with my advocate to get feedback, discuss updates, ask for any advice or help that I need and review the completion date. I would discuss attending training courses that could help me with addressing this situation to the best of my ability, like manual handling, first aid, communication skills and keep evidence of my achievements. I would finally add to my portfolio evidence of the service user (in line with confidentiality requirements) accomplishing this task, I would get evidence of how long it took to achieve and what the final outcome was. Be able to improve performance through reflective practice Models of reflection encourage a structured process to guide the act of reflection, there is no right model of reflection, but it is important to choose the one that you feel comfortable using and best assists you to learn from your experience. Sometimes it is appropriate to use one model of refection as a basis, but use prompt questions from other models if they suit your particular situation. I found Bortons Model of reflection easy to remember; therefor making it is easy to apply to an experience as it happens. What, So What, Now What, the simplicity of the model helps evaluate quickly and simply an experience but does not allow for specific details as opposed to Gibbs Model. Johns Model of reflection is based more on self-awareness and self-improvement. It allows you to analyse influencing  factors on your thoughts and behaviour, what triggers the behaviour and you can delve far more intimately into your feelings, opinions and judgements and intern how this affected who you are working with. This level of learning allows you to evaluate very deeply on all levels, morals, background, knowledge, self-awareness, past experiences and future practice, making this model of reflection by far more personal and a more appropriate model for self-improvement and self-development. The Kolb model is made up of 4 steps and learning can start at any of the steps at any time, there is no process. When a person carries out an action they can both, observe and reflect upon its underlying process and possible consequences. The action becomes open for analysis, concepts can be tested at further through new experiences in order to both validate and develop them further. Gibbs Model of reflection is a more descriptive model of Kolb’s and it also has a process in which to follow allowing for deeper analysis. Gibbs model gives you more a detailed structure in which to evaluate your experience, which is why I found it to be more widely used in the healthcare industry. The theory follows 6 steps of the model, and each step informs the next. I found that using Gibbs model and examining an experience in greater detail was very beneficial but found the Evaluation, Analysis and conclusion asked very similar questions which seemed to be a little repetitive. But Gibbs model challenged my assumptions more and allowed me to explore more ideas to promote self-improvement more than the other models. Of all the models of refection I have researched I found these 4 more beneficial to my learning and self-improvement and they even challenged what I thought I already knew. By using Gibbs Cycle as a basis and applying the descriptive evaluations of all the other models to the specific levels, I can examine myself in far more depth and improve my quality of work consistently. Reflective practice is thinking or reflecting on what you do, it is learning from an experience and teaching you evaluation skills to examine your actions and reactions. Thinking about what h as happened is part of being human but reflective practice differentiates between casual thinking and reflective practice, it requires a conscious effort to think about events and develop insights into them. Once you get into the habit of using reflective practice, it becomes a skill and you can develop it every day, in every type of situation. Feedback from others is a very important part of reflective  practice, as you cannot always see what your own faults may be or you may not want to hear what faults you have. Considering feedback as another opportunity to learn will develop your self-awareness and can start a process of change that will benefit anyone that you work with. For example, very early on in my healthcare career, I supported an elderly lady with learning disabilities, since her husband past away; she would get very lonely and ask to move a lot. Her social worker and advocate had taken her to see a few warden controlled apartments in a more communal building, but the lady did not like them and it gave her a bad experience of what she thought was available to her. I work in a few homes for elderly service users with learning disabilities and I invited my service user round for tea, so she could see a different kind of living situation, a house share that could be available. Whilst the trip was successful in the way that the lady now knew of a different living arrangement, at a meeting shortly after, that involved other healthcare providers for the service user, I acquired feedback from the ladies advocate that showed my own faults and issues that wasn’t within my capability to see. My intention had been misunderstood and Unknown to me the service user had wanted and was adamant, that a housemate was to move into her own home as she had a spare room; this was not a suitable situation for another vulnerable adult to move into because of the service user’s regular change of behaviour, and the house shares have a carer on duty at all times. If I had informed and attained advice on this situation it could have been dealt with in a different way. My lack of knowledge and understanding of how my actions could been seen as something different for a service user made me evaluate at what level I went wrong and how to rectify this problem so it is not an issue in the future. The advocate commended me on my thoughtfulness but advised certain aspects need to be considered when working with this particular service user. Trial and Error is always going to be a big part of my learning development, working with others there is always going to be the potential for harm, both physically and emotionally. It is imperative that practice changes as a result of these mistakes.

PhD Proposal Writing | Contributing to knowledge

PhD Proposal Writing | Contributing to knowledge To define an original contribution to knowledge in the context of PhD studies is complicated. In one sense, it can be seen as something which someone else has not done before and requires a large amount of innovation and commitment from the researcher. Gall et al. (1996:47) noted that the imagination and insight that goes into defining the research problem usually determines the ultimate value of a research study more than any other factor. This definition however may be construed as too broad and can be complimented by the reasoning given by Grix (2001) who says that a substantial contribution to knowledge means you must have produced original research on a given topic and embedded it firmly in the received wisdom of a particular field To pin point a definition for an original contribution to knowledge is difficult. However, Madsen (1983:25) offers the following as a possible start: Original means the potential to do at least one of the following: uncover new facts or principles, suggest relationships that were previously unrecognized, challenge existing truths or assumptions, afford new insights into little-understood phenomena, or suggest new interpretations of known facts that can alter mans perception of the world around him. It is widely agreed within academic fields that a contribution to knowledge may be achieved through a number of ways. Frances (1976) pinpoints eight ways in which originality can be achieved. However, Estelle and Derek (2010) only concur with six of these points which are as follows: Setting down a major piece of new information in writing for the first time; Continuing a previously original piece of work; Carrying out original work designed by the supervisor; Providing a single original technique, observation, or result in an otherwise unoriginal but competent piece of research; Having many original ideas, methods, and interpretations all performed by others under the direction of the postgraduate; Showing originality in testing somebody elses ideas. Fundamentally, an original contribution to knowledge can be seen as an ambiguous statement or process as it can be interpreted by different people in a variety of ways. Dunleavy (2003) expresses concerns regarding overstating the originality of the research and emphasises the need to balance innovation against the subject context. He goes on to suggest that the best way to proceed in research is to think of the contribution as value-added. He clarifies this by saying, Focusing on your own value added means keeping a critical eye on the extent to which you have transformed or enhanced or differentiated the starting materials of your analysis. He also goes on to say that, It also means retaining strong relational patterns of argument in which you appropriately acknowledge the extent to which you draw on the existing literature. The importance of reading literature in the chosen area of research cannot be over emphasised. Without this fundamental grounding of knowledge, a serious student cannot begin to propose an original contribution to knowledge. Without having a working understanding of the literature in their field, it is made more difficult for students to refine a researchable topic and then subsequently contribute original knowledge. Knowledge of the field is critical and includes knowing what has already been done, what the current hot topics are and projected issues and trends. Ultimately, researchers need to understand what has already been accomplished before attempting to add their own contribution to the field. Consideration must be given to any personal relevancy the proposed topic holds for the student and what area of their study would represent the biggest contributions of their work. When researching the literature, it is important to keep in mind such questions as: Is there any controversy or inconsistencies in the research or data? Does a deficiency appear in the literature on a particular topic? From a historical perspective, how has the field arrived at its present level of understanding the phenomenon that is being pursued? Broader topics are probably more helpful because the broader the topic is, the more numerous are the kinds of research questions that can be asked (Crowl, 1996:20). During the processes of PhD studies and writings, students can only make initial proposals as to what they perceive as original contributions. However, as time progresses and more literature is explored, these initial proposals will change if it is discovered that there has already been some research of a similar nature, and therefore if the initial proposals do not adapt, new ones are creased in their place. Put succinctly, it means not just passively following the authors train of thought but more importantly, it means anticipating where the authors line of argument leads, considering alternative extensions and constructing your own framework that covers these possibilities. Some of the best ideas are born this way. (Krathwohl, 1994:29) Relating this contextually, my PhD research is in the area of Dyslexia in the public and private sectors and its affect on policy making and implementation. The topic chosen is still broad in terms of the area I may investigate. However the focus of my research is narrowing as more literature is read and evaluated. After discussions with my Supervisor who is a specialist in Diversity and Equalities, my research will also attempt to grasp what the perceptions are of dyslexia in the public and private sectors and will see how these mind sets influence the decisions of various departments and relationships within the business and public sectors. An area I am also keen to investigate is the education of staff and the general public through schooling and awareness programmes and other media. From the literature that I have reviewed to date, I know that there has been little research undertaken with regards to dyslexia policies in the educational sector. What has been researched quite extensively is the educational policies which relate primarily to primary and secondary education. There has been little discussion relating to dyslexia during college and university participation. Therefore, I know that any theories I have surrounding higher education and any research I wish to initiate will most likely result in an original contribution to knowledge. There has been next to no academic writing about dyslexia policies in the private sector which gives me, as a researcher, a good opportunity to offer some original contribution to knowledge to this field. What has been written in this field focuses primarily on what is required to comply with national legislation and European law. Drake (1999) summarises policies and laws simply by stating, à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ prevailing norms and values reflect the interests of the majority and may subordinate those of the minority. I agree with this statement but wish to find out just how much this holds true in the context of public and private sectors. What has generally been written about dyslexia in the public and private sector areas has been more from a social sciences view stemming from definitions of dyslexia as opposed to stemming from the more business minded and practical view which focuses more on a persons ability to do jobs and the influence this has on company and or educational policies. Therefore, in an area which has been under explored and scrutinised, the research I propose to carry out will be original as it will produce new theories as to why dyslexia is barely acknowledge in these areas, along with new insights into how the current policy systems are produced and operated and possibly where new systems and legislation would be beneficial. There will be an obvious flourish of new ideas and arguments which accompany any original contribution, as well as an opportunity to apply any existing ideas in general literature to the new area of study. This is important in my field, as dyslexia in itself, as a form of disability can be controversial and any new ideas and hypothesis made will be cause for debate and allow past discussions to be revisited. This is also important in the development of original contributions as this will allow any theories created to adapt and grow. Apart from my own literature search, by speaking with other academics in my specific field, I can gain access to a whole new level of expertise and academic knowledge. This will give me the opportunity to test their knowledge of my chosen area of diversity and tap into their resources. Additionally, they will also be able to aide in identifying if my chosen topic has been previously mentioned in any literature that they have read. Academics will not be the only resource I will be able to tap throughout my investigations, as I will also have access to many other resources such as peers, advisors, supervisors, university staff and government offices. Other resources will follow as my research develops. Despite the obvious views of original contributions to knowledge, other questions still remain. One example of this is when a student continues a previously original piece of work, is it truly original? The answer would be in the affirmative in the following cases; for example, if the direct result were to produce new theoretical interpretation to an already given state; to extend, qualify, elaborate existing work; or even create a new research design and/or methodology for research. The latter example would clearly have an impact on any work that I was to produce. This form of original contribution to knowledge is popular when covering an already highly researched area. This allows the researcher to explore areas which have already been explored but have the possibilities to be interpreted in different ways. Also, when a theoretical model is brought from one discipline and applied to another discipline, it can create many interesting results. In the context of my research, there has been one author who has looked generally on policies surrounding disabilities, all be it more substantially from a political (government) viewpoint. However he does not go into detail on dyslexia specifically as this is not the focus of his research when making the general link to companies. What he has passingly touched on in the case of dyslexia would be something I would like to investigate further in my own research. The specific case is the reactions of the managers in companies towards disabled employees. In my research however, I would more specifically want to look at dyslexics. Another area of interest in my chosen topic has been that indirectly covered by wildlife experts. There have been many links made regarding the relationship that exists between mankind and animals, and I believe there are still many more links to be made. For example, if one animal is perceived to be different, then it is often excluded from the group or pack. This link can be made with people. When someone is perceived as different, they can often be persecuted directly or indirectly. This may involve a lowering of self worth or esteem and lead to social exclusion. There can be many assumptions as to why this is, and there are already existing theories with regards to animal behaviour. Therefore I would like to use these theories in a different field/context which again substantiates an original contribution to knowledge. Other areas of originality can be highlighted with fresh data which can lead directly into critical appraisal of previous work. Care needs to be taken not to re-create previous works, or have something which is too closely associated with a previous research specimen. A whole new stance needs to be taken. When a student, using fresh data, undertakes further research of a topic previously covered ten years earlier, there is a strong chance that the results now would differ. This could tentatively lead on to a new theory being uncovered as to the reason behind the change and would thus be considered as another original contribution to knowledge. If during my research I find that an area I wish to explore has already been covered, and yet I find myself disagreeing with the outcomes from the findings I have made, I would gather more data, if time permitted, which would allow me to critically appraise that piece of work with new findings. For example, if twenty years ago research formulated a theory covering managers reactions to disabled people in the banking industry, I would have no hesitation in contemplating further research in this area considering the drastic change in law, disability policies and banking practices over the intervening years. However, if all the work presented is relatively recent, yet I find myself disagreeing with the analysis, my original contribution could be a new analysis and new outcome from the existing data. This in turn could lead onto a fresh theoretical interpretation and even prompt a new analysis and new results derived from the old data. No matter how a research student deduces whether or not they have made an original contribution to knowledge, what matters is that there is a support structure in place to help and guide them. Mauch and Birch (1989) constructed a series of questions to guide researchers when trying to determine the relative strength of research topics, which in my opinion goes hand in hand with original knowledge contribution. Some of the questions highlighted by Mauch and Birch are as follows: 1. Is there current interest in this topic in your field? 2. Is there a gap in knowledge that work on this topic could fill? 3. Is it possible to focus on a small enough segment of this particular topic to make it manageable? 4. Can you envision a way to study the topic that will allow conclusions to be drawn with substantial objectivity? 5. Is the data collection (i.e., test, questionnaire, interviews, etc.) acceptable to your advisor and in your department? 6. Is there a body of literature relevant to the topic? 7. Is a search of the topic manageable? 8. Are there large problems to be surmounted in working in this topic? Can you handle them? Do you want to handle them? 9. Are the needed data easily accessible? Will you have control of the data? Placing the above in context, I can determine whether or not my own research ticks the boxes of this checklist and therefore can ascertain, in another way, whether or not my own work can be considered an original contribution to knowledge. In the instance of the first question, this is irrelevant to an original contribution. However, it does help make the process of PhD writing easier if there is interest and it is therefore a good starting point for a structure. The answer is yes. Interest in disabilities, although diminishing into the background of public awareness over recent years, is still there in the academic world. The second question is vital to original contributions to knowledge as previously discussed. Again, the answer is yes. The area of research I have chosen has been under researched and is therefore a treasure trove waiting to be explored further. Questions 3 to 5 along with 7 and 9 are more focused in and around managing the actual research and data collection. Although not immediately linked to the original contribution to knowledge, they do play a factor in deciding whether or not an area should be further investigated. Question 6 focuses on literature which we have established as being paramount to ascertaining an original contribution to knowledge. In my context, there is literature surrounding dyslexia but more from a sociological perspective. So far in my literature investigations I have not uncovered anything alluding to the subject area I wish to investigate. The final relevant question, number 8, can challenge a researcher when confronted with an original contribution to knowledge in a controversial area. Is it something a first time researcher wants to investigate or is it best left until another opportunity arises in the future? Not only is this an issue, this question also raises further questions about other issues. For example, ethical issues. When thinking about an original contribution to knowledge, a researcher must also take other factors into consideration. Ultimately, the topics surrounding What is an original contribution to knowledge are still quite broad and all encompassing, but with guidance from supervisors and the numerous books available, researchers, including myself, should not have any serious difficulty finding an original contribution to knowledge. A succinct summary for the process of thinking about an original contribution to knowledge is nicely stated by Rojewski in Farmer, E. I., Rojewski, J. W. (2001), Its been almost two weeks now. You spend what seems like, every waking moment thinking about it. And yet, still nothing. In a cruel twist of fate, it seems that the more time you spend thinking about it the more elusive the answer becomes. Why cant someone just give it to you already and then you can be done with it!