Culture and It’s Elements Essay

Culture (Latin: cultura, lit. â€Å"cultivation†)[1] is a modern concept based on a term first used in classical antiquity by the Roman orator, Cicero: â€Å"cultura animi†. The term â€Å"culture† appeared first in its current sense in Europe in the 18th and 19th centuries, to connote a process of cultivation or improvement, as in agriculture or horticulture. In the 19th century, the term developed to refer first to the betterment or refinement of the individual, especially through education, and then to the fulfillment of national aspirations or ideals. In the mid-19th century, some scientists used the term â€Å"culture† to refer to a universal human capacity. For the German nonpositivist sociologist Georg Simmel, culture referred to â€Å"the cultivation of individuals through the agency of external forms which have been objectified in the course of history†.[2] In the 20th century, â€Å"culture† emerged as a central concept in anthropol ogy, encompassing the range of human phenomena that cannot be attributed to genetic inheritance. Specifically, the term â€Å"culture† in American anthropology had two meanings: (1) the evolved human capacity to classify and represent experiences with symbols, and to act imaginatively and creatively; and (2) the distinct ways that people living in different parts of the world classified and represented their experiences, and acted creatively. Distinctions are currently made between the physical artifacts created by a society, its so-called material culture and everything else,[3] the intangibles such as language, customs, etc. that are the main referent of the term â€Å"culture† SOCIAL ORGANIZATION  · Creates social structure by organizing its members into small units to meet basic needs.  · Family Patterns: family is the most important unit of social organization. Through the family children learn how they are expected to act and what to believe.  · Nuclear family: wife, husband, children. This is a typical family in an industrial society (US).  · Extended family: Several generations living in one household, working and living together: grandparents, aunts and uncles, cousins. Respect for elders is strong.  · Social classes: rank people in order of status, depending on what is important to the culture (money, job, education, ancestry, etc.) CUSTOMS AND TRADITIONS  · Rules of Behavior are enforced ideas of right and wrong. They can be customs, traditions, rules, or written laws. RELIGION  · Answers basic questions about the meaning of life.  · Supports values that groups of people feel are important.  · Religion is often a source of conflict between cultures.  · Monotheism is a belief in one god.  · Polytheism is a belief in many gods.  · Atheism is a belief in no gods. LANGUAGE  · Language is the cornerstone of culture.  · All cultures have a spoken language (even if there are no developed forms of writing).  · People who speak the same language often share the same culture.  · Many societies include a large number of people who speak different languages.  · Each language can have several different dialects. ARTS AND LITERATURE  · They are the products of the human imagination.  · They help us pass on the culture’s basic beliefs.  · Examples: art, music, literature, and folk tales FORMS OF GOVERNMENT  · People form governments to provide for their common needs, keep order within society, and protect their society from outside threats.  · Definition of government: 1. Person/people who hold power in a society; 2 Society’s laws and political institutions.  · Democracy: people have supreme power, government acts by and with consent.  · Republic: people choose leaders who represent them.  · Dictatorship: ruler/group holds power by force usually relying on military support for power. ECONOMIC SYSTEMS  · How people use limited resources to satisfy their wants and needs.  · Answers the basic questions: what to produce, how to produce it, and for whom.  · Traditional Economy: people produce most of what they need to survive (hunting, gathering, farming, herding cattle, make own clothes/tools).  · Market Economy: buying and selling goods and services  · Command Economy: Government controls what/how goods are produced and what they cost. Individuals have little economic power  · Mixed Economy: Individuals make some economic decisions and the government makes others.

Organizational Structure and Culture Essay

Authority structure within organizations is important for the oversight of delegated processes and expected outcomes. Without structure, chaos would impede support, communications, and vision development. Organizational designs vary according to the need of the organization to operate efficiently, to achieve goals, and to support the associates within the organization. The organizational structure style design helps lead the organization in successful endeavors (Sullivan & Decker, 2009). Organizational History The history of an organization contributes to the design of the formal organizational structure.  The medical center has a tumultuous history. A new modern building was constructed in 2000 to replace an older structure. The local physicians had no input into the decision or design of the new facility. The organizational structure during that time was a strict parallel design. The physicians reported to the chief medical officer and the Board of Trustees. The physicians jointly decided not to support the new local hospital; the organization began to collapse. The medical center eventually fell into bankruptcy because of the lack of physician support, poor financial management, and unscrupulous use of organizational monies. The court system retained a reconstruction organization in an attempt to rebuild the local hospital. During the time of bankruptcy the parallel organizational structure remained in place, but with less authority of the medical governance branch. The main focus of the organizational structure was financial survival of the organization. An immediate change was needed for the improvement of the dangerously low morale of the health care associates The once country owned, bankrupted not-for-profit-hospital was bought and sold twice before stabilization began to be a possibility. A corporation purchased the hospital and changed it to a for-profit organization. There was very little resistance to the change because the organization had been surviving in chaos. According to Kurt Lewin’s three stage theory of change, the first phase, the unfreezing phase, is an important phase of change. Change is getting ready to happen during this phase. The health care associates of the medical center had been getting ready for change for a few years. The unfreezing phase requires the development of motivation. Motivation was the chance to prosper in a successful business venture while delivering quality care to the community (â€Å"Kurt Lewin,† 2012). Generational Culture The generational culture of the organization had a positive effect on the change. There was a common goal developed, the success of the organization. The generational similarities outnumber the generational differences. According Anick (2008), â€Å"The top reason for happiness in the workplace is the sense of feeling valued† (Table 2. Elements on which members of each generation are mostly similar). The traditional, baby boomers, generation X, and generation Y became involved in the decision making as the new organization structure formed. They shared ideas and offered suggestions for patient care improvement. Informal leaders began to emerge. During the refreezing phase, the stabilization became the norm. The differences in the generational culture became more apparent. More processes, greater accountability, and new required use of technology caused a feeling of less worth for the older generation of health care providers. The younger nurses seemed to adapt more quickly to new systems and techniques. Older nurses began to believe they were less important to the process. The informal leader roles changed. A new information system was installed and education was initiated. This led to more attention on the differences of the generational cultures. Much of the required education was completed on the computer. E-mail is essential for communication within the organization. Some of the traditional generation began to feel left behind. At the end of the first year, many of the health care providers who had survived the previous chaos succumbed to the new advancements and left the organization. Current Organizational Design The current organizational structure of the medical center is a matrix design. The upper administration consists of a chief nursing officer, chief financial officer, and an assistant administrator. This group reports directly to the chief executive officer. The chief executive officer reports to the Board of Trustees. The medical center consists of two distinct campuses, four on-site clinics, and one clinic located off campus. The upper administration is responsible for the organization. The matrix esign is complex and requires good interpersonal skills for dual managers. Each nursing unit has a nurse manager. The nurse managers report to the chief nursing officer regarding any patient care issues. The nurse managers of the behavioral health campus also report to the behavioral health program director for organizational issues. The physicians are under the organizational umbrella for operational regulations but report to the chief medical officer regarding medical patient care. The resource manager has a dual reporting line to the chief nursing officer and the chief financial officer. The matrix requires frequent communication between the dual authorities. Non-management views the frequent meetings as meetings about meetings (Sullivan & Decker, 2009) Formal lines of reporting are evident within the organization. The nurse managers report to the chief nursing officer. Managers of departments involving financial business of the hospital report to the chief financial officer. Ancillary and support services report to the assistant administrator. The compliance officer, the pharmacy director and the behavioral health program director report directly to the chief executive officer. The formal lines of reporting are used for recognition of associates, disciplinary offenses, and arbitration of challenges between departments. Patient-Centered Care Environment The organization is creating an environment for client-centered care by the development of a nursing leadership council consisting of direct care providers. The council membership includes seven registered nurses from nursing units with day and night shift representation. The nursing council interviews associates and patients, observes processes, and reports findings to the council. Changes in nursing processes are approved through the nursing council with final approval by the chief nursing officer. The council members were selected using predetermined criteria. The informal leaders of individual departments were chosen for their job performances and their proven leadership skills. The shared governance gives ownership of patient care to the frontline caregivers (Hess, 2004). Organizational Communication Various communication methods are used within the organization. Formal, time sensitive communications are delivered face-to-face or by technology. E-mail and web conferencing are the most frequent used methods for upper administration. Both methods allow quick responses between the communicators. Upper-level management processes the information and decides the best delivery method to the next lower-level management, depending on the subject matter and the expected time frames. Middle management associates attend leadership meetings every two weeks. Management communicates organizational status through these meetings. Plans for future projects are discussed during the leadership meetings. Middle management has e-mail accounts and receives electronic communications on changes. Middle management holds departmental meetings at least monthly to distribute information to the direct care providers. Upper-level management holds open meetings for the direct care providers each quarter. The meetings focus on current organizational trends and plans. Direct care providers ask questions and make suggestions for improvement during the open meetings. Communication boards are placed in strategic areas through the work areas. Information is placed on the communication boards and updated weekly. Questions frequently come from the information from the boards. Conclusion The organizational structure can be descriptive of the culture of the organization. A ridged authoritarian organizational structure defines an organization that does not allow the frontline workers to participate in decisions that affect the organization. The matrix organizational design requires open communication between the leaders of the organization. Added shared governance from the frontline creates more awareness is put on the quality and delivery of the product. Organizational structures vary and are representative of the leadership within.

Martin Luther and His Impact on the Modern Church Essay

Western Europe was in desperate need of change during the sixteenth century. The popular cry among the Europeans was a call for â€Å"reform†. The political atmosphere was unstable as a result of violent leadership changes during the dismantling of the feudal system. This disunity of the people created a general atmosphere among the Europeans of discontent, unrest, and frustration. Economically, the inhabitants experienced increased poverty and financial troubles. The church was severely plagued by greed and corruption among the clergy, even in the upper echelons. The spiritual quality of the clergy was being degraded through the appointment of familial or political candidates. The theological minds, like Martin Luther’s, sought a reformation of church doctrine and a return to the basics of Christianity. The emphasis placed on Luther’s doctrine of justification and scriptural authority helped to reform church traditions and break the binding hold of corrupt leade rs over the church. The sixteenth century was a tumultuous time for Western Europe and the Church. Many Europeans were fraught with worry concerning the economical, religious, and social disorder. As the printing press became popular, the middle and lower classes were being flooded with information that had previously been unavailable; several competing doctrines were being given a voice through printed media. Previously, people would turn to religious institutions for hope and guidance amidst this type of chaos. However, the state of the church in the sixteenth century was fragile. This is due in part to the effects of the Great Schism in the fourteenth century. â€Å"[The Great Schism] divided the political, as well as the ecclesiastical world, and breaks up the Christian Europe into several hostile camps†. The Great Schism was a result of a gradual decline along political and theological lines. Prior to the Great Schism, the Papacy had risen to a level of prominence in the hearts and minds of Western European Christians. The Church controlled virtually every aspect of human life within Western Europe and the Pope was looked to as the authority on all matters; spiritual and secular. The Church possessed a large percentage of the region and had established one of the most efficient systems of government in history. At this time, theological justification for the supremacy of the papacy had been established under the principle of â€Å"the subordination of the state to the church† by Pope Innocent III. However, in Eastern Europe, the Pope was more of a foreign authority; available only when their own political leadership could not settle matters. The empire was recognized as the supreme power. They argued that unity for the citizens could only be realized through obedience to one authority; the empire. Since Christ had not given the authority of the state to the church, the church had no right to claim supremacy over the empire. Several religious leaders in the East sought to inhibit the power and authority of the Papacy. The climate of Europe was poised for division. The beginning of the division came in the form of the â€Å"Babylonian Captivity of the Church† that lasted from 1309 to 1377. During this period, the French King Phillip IV held Pope Boniface VIII captive, and sequestered the College Cardinals to Avignon. This would introduce a reign of corruption among the French papacy and introduce a dividing line between European Christians; one side supporting the French papacy and another side that opposed it. These factors led to a final cataclysmic event that earned the title â€Å"The Great Schism†. When Gregory IX, the final Avigonese pope, returned to Rome, the Church attempted to re-establish the papacy in its historic setting. Upon his death, the papacy faced a great challenge. Urban IV, an Italian pope, was elected at the urging of the local mob, while Clement VII, a Frenchman, claimed rights to the seat as well. This caused confusion over the authority of the church and division among political lines; England, Germany, I taly, and their allies support Urban IV, while France, Scotland, Spain, and their allies supported the â€Å"anti-pope† Clement VII. The Great Schism had a great effect on the faith and spirituality of the masses. There was a general feeling of distrust toward the Church and leadership. Even after the Great Schism had ended, â€Å"many found it difficult to reconcile their faith in the papacy with their distrust for its actual occupants†.Corruption and bribery were now commonplace among the upper level clergy; the practice of â€Å"the sale of indulgences† would even substitute for the process of salvation. Morally, the church was failing the believers. However, there were other flaws within the church during the sixteenth century. At the end of the fifteenth century, Western Europe had been flooded with literature from divergent theological schools of thought. â€Å"New philosophical outlooks were introduced†. Mysticism and humanism were now beginning to replace the previously solid scholastic theology of the church. Supporters of Reform were calling for a change of the traditional practices. It is in this context with which Martin Luther was influenced during the fifteenth and sixteenth century. Martin Luther grew up in an austere environment in Germany in the 1500’s. As a young adult, Luther entered the monastery out of concern for his own salvation. He thought, â€Å"’Oh, if I go into a monastery, and serve God in shaven crown and cowl, he will reward and welcome’†. Luther began a diligent study of theology during his time at the Augustinian Priory in Erfurt. He excelled intellectually and spiritually, though he experienced severe personal struggles. â€Å"He sought to work out his own salvation by careful observance of the monastic rule, constant confession, and self mortification†. This careful obedience to the monastic life was to no avail; Luther was plagued with despair at the thought of his sinfulness. Added to his frustrations, Luther had experienced disillusionment during his tenure at the monastery. The carnally minded clergy of Rome shocked him. â€Å"In Rome, the first sparks of doubt flew into his soul, which, perhaps, while he was unconscious of it, faintly glimmered, but which, with the first opportunity that might present itself, were destined to rise up into a flaming fire†. It is through these experiences that Luther would come to significant theological conclusions concerning the doctrine of justification by faith. These conclusions helped to spark a movement that would forever change the mindset of the Christian community. As Martin Luther continued his studies of scripture, he was tortured by the guilt of sin. â€Å"He was struck by the prayer of Psalm 31:1, ‘in thy righteousness deliver me’. But how could God’s righteousness deliver him? The righteousness of God was surely calculated rather to condemn the sinner than to save him†. His questions required him to review Paul’s’ doctrine of justification detailed in Romans. The doctrine of justification by faith is the basic message of God’s forgiveness towards the sin of man. Job pondered this question in the Old Testament; â€Å"How can a person be justified before God?† (Job 9:2, HCSB). Justification, then, is an act of grace by God, where he accepts the righteousness of Christ as our own by our faith in Christ. Paul comments that â€Å"For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is God’s power for salvation to everyone who believes, first to the Jew, and also to the Greek. For in it God’s righteousness is revealed from faith to faith, just as it is written: The righteous will live by faith.† (Romans 1:16-16, HCSB) The righteousness of God now holds new meaning for Luther; the message of the gospel, or good news in Christ. The justice or righteousness of God does not mean punishment as Luther originally thought, but rather the imputation of God’s righteousness to the believer. The righteousness of God is imputed to the believer, even as the believer is a sinner, because of God’s grace and mercy. Essentially, as Christians we are both sinful and justified. God does not excuse or ignore the sin of man. However, God declares us as justified because of the sacrifice of Christ once we believe and trust in Him. Our faith is not the cause of justification, as if we are rewarded for faith. But rather, faith and justification are free gifts to sinners who accept them. Luther’s new revelation led him to a new way of thinking and preaching. His thoughts concluded that â€Å"I soon felt as if born again; as if I had found the gates of Paradise thrown wide open to me. Now I also looked upon the blessed Scriptures more reverently than in former times, and read them through rapidly† . This message of justification was received warmly by the masses. The western Europeans felt that Luther spoke to their condition, and increased their desire for reform. For Luther, the Word of God was of utmost importance and it helped him find the answers to the issues of salvation that overwhelmed him. In the mind of Martin Luther, the Word of God was more than the text of the Bible. â€Å"For the laws of the Bible become sweet unto us when we read and understand them, not only in books, but in the wounds of our precious Savior†. The word of God is essentially more than scriptural text; it is the revelation of God and the Word of God working together. In the primary sense we are told in John 1:1 that the Word of God is actually God himself. â€Å"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.† Here detailed, the Word of God is actually the personage of Christ, the Second Person of the Trinity. This means that when God speaks, He also acts. This is depicted in Genesis as the Word of God is involved in creation; God said, let there be†¦and there was. Christ, now God’s greatest action is also His greatest revelation; the victory of God through Christ. The Bible is the Word of God, not because it is infallible, but because in it we find Christ. The final authority of the Word of God is now realized in Christ. â€Å"Luther responded that it was neither the Church that had made the Bible, nor the Bible that had made the Church, but the gospel, Jesus Christ, that had made both the Bible and the Church. Final authority rest neither in the church nor in the Bible, but in the gospel, in the message of Jesus Christ, who is the Word of God incarnate†. Luther came to a transformative knowledge through his theological doctrines of justification by faith and the scriptural authority of the Word of God. His new emphasis greatly challenged the traditional views of the church. In sharing his knowledge, he penned ninety seven theses to stimulate debate about the theological traditions of the church. He expected to cause a stir, but the theses never received a wide circulation outside of the university. Luther pens another theses in response to the misrepresentation of doctrine by John Teztel, a German Dominican preacher. Tetzel, authorized by Pope Leo X, was responsible for the sale of indulgences in Germany. The sale of indulgences was the practice of granting absolution to a sinner through a monetary remuneration. Family members were also able to purchase an indulgence for the deceased. Pope Leo granted the authorization of the sale of indulgences with the conditions that half of the proceeds would be used by the papal coffers. The monies would then be used for the refurbishing of Rome; more specifically â€Å"the refurbishment of the great basilica that is now the pride of Roman Catholicism†. With righteous indignation, Luther refutes the practice of the sale of indulgences in his Ninety Five Theses. The sale of indulgences was popular at the time, though a theologically gray area. Luther believed that this practice was indicative of the loss of the foundational truths present in the gospel. Luther wrote the theses through his new mindset in the doctrine of justification by faith. Luther established that the sale of indulgences financially exploited the believer whereas salvation was intended to be a free gift from God. He also inadvertently challenged the authority of the Pope: â€Å"if it is true that the Pope is able to free souls from purgatory, he ought to use that power, not for trivial reasons such as the building of a church, but simply out of love, and freely†. With his nailing of the Ninety Five Theses on the door of the church in Wittenburg, on the Eve of All Saints, Luther is said to have sparked the Protestant Reformation Though the religious nature of the Reformation reverberated throughout Western Europe, there was a significant political aspect as well. Though Luther was nothing more than a friar, however, his text was an endangerment to the profits of the empire. The Emperor Maximillian wanted to silence the indignation of Luther. To the emperor’s chagrin, this could not be accomplished through Luther’s Augustinian Order; many of his fellow friars favored his teachings. The pope was forced to use an alternate method in commissioning Cardinal Cajetan to arrest Luther; an unfruitful undertaking. When Luther learned of Cajetan’s plans, he escaped back to Wittenburg to file an appeal with the general council. During this time he remained under the protection of Frederick the Wise, and attempted to gain support for his cause. Shortly following this, the Emperor Maximillian died. The Imperial Throne was vacant, and Pope Leo was searching for a candidate that he could control. Out of the three possibilities, he believed Frederick the Wise would help to balance the power in the region and allow Leo greater influence. Leo allowed the condemnation of Luther to be postponed. During this time, Luther gained the support of a colleague, Andrea von Karlstadt, at the University of Wittenburg who helped him to reform the schools theological curriculum. Karlstadt and Luther would enter into the academic debate with a shrewd theologian, John Eckk at the University of Leipzig in Ingerstoldt. It proved disastrous for Luther. His theological doctrine concerning the authority of scripture agreed with the findings an early theologian, John Huss, who had been declared a heretic. By agreeing with Huss, Luther, was therefore declared a heretic. This catalytic event began a series of struggles and triumphs for the Reformers. To his success, the debate with Eckk gained him support among humanists and the German nationals. Throughout Germany, and beyond, Luther’s protest began a movement in those who desired reform. Luther also ignited the ire of Charles V, the new emperor, with his seemingly heretical stance. Through a series of events, Luther was issued a papal bull that required the burning of his books and his excommunication. He burned this order in public, which prompted him to be brought before the Imperial Diet at Worms. It is here that Luther refuses the opportunity to recant and makes his boldest affirmation â€Å"My conscience is a prisoner of God’s Word. I cannot and will not recant, for to disobey one’s conscience is neither just nor safe. God help me. Amen†. The Reformation that Luther desired was a positive renewal of the church internally. However, Luther was unable to carry out the necessary steps to cement the reform movement. After the Diet of Worms, Luther retreated and Karlstadt was left to further the Reformation. Initially Luther was advocated the changes taking place, including the marriage of monks, the simplification of worship, and the abolition of mass for the dead. However, things soon began to spiral when rebellion broke out among the peasants. Luther never supported rebellious undertakings and urged a more peaceful solution, but to no avail. â€Å"Protestantism† would be blamed and it would create a division in the religious community; Protestants on one side, and Catholics on the other. The Protestant Reformation did not cause other reform movements, but would parallel them. Reform movements would spring up in various European states. In Switzerland, Ulrich Zwingli would be credited with the beginning of the reform movement. Zwingli was a pastor who would draw national attention by declaring many of the same theological doctrines as Martin Luther. He spoke out against the requirement of pilgrimages for salvation, and denounced the exploitation of the Swiss people at the hands of church leadership. Similar to Luther, Zwingli even spoke out against a seller of indulgences that had come to Zurich. The Swiss Reformation saw the New Testament as central to its program of renewal. Their main goal was the â€Å"restoration of biblical faith and practice†. This is where Zwingli held differing opinions than Luther and his followers. Zwingli believed that they should return to the ways of the New Testament and Christ. Zwingli agreed with Luther on several points, but they could not agree on predestination or the understanding of the sacrament. Concerning predestination, Zwingli saw it as a natural consequence of the all knowing nature of God. Luther though content to determine that salvation was the work of God, could not completely agree with Zwingli. This affected their understandings of the sacrament. â€Å"Zwingli dreaded a physical interpretation; Luther, on the contrary, dreaded the evaporation of the of the spiritual element of the sacrament of communion†. The religious community and the citizens of Western Europe were in a state of chaos during the sixteenth century. In desperate need of change, the Europeans called for reform against the traditions passed down from the medieval era. Through the revelations of Martin Luther concerning his doctrines of justification by faith and scriptural authority, the popular sentiment was organized into a movement that would of forever change the religious landscape of the West. Ultimately, a reformed Europe would be divided between the Catholic states of the south and the Protestant states of the north. From these efforts, several differing denominations would result that would inspire religious diversity and other reforms within the church. No longer would the believer be held to the sacrilegious traditions that had pervaded the papacy for over two centuries. Luther’s reformation was more than a â€Å"protest against the pope†; it [was] a positive and constructive renewal of the chu rch†.

Employment Law - Employment Discrimination Research Paper

Employment Law - Employment Discrimination - Research Paper Example This research will begin with the statement that employment discrimination is defined as the adoption of lesser ways of dealing with other employees or potential employees based on their demographic characteristics. In such instances, employees are treated based on their gender, race, age and even religion, thus affecting the chances of certain individuals from acquiring employment. Discrimination, though common in different parts of the world, is disastrous to the economy as potential employees with the ability to deliver are excluded from the market. In Saudi Arabia, gender employment discrimination is common and this has been attributed to the conservative religious culture in the country. The Islamic law and the social norms and traditions in the country have retracted economic progress in the country, a factor that is attributed to the disparity. According to a report released by the human rights watch, the level of gender discrimination at the workplace has significantly increa sed in Saudi Arabia. This, the report attributes to the various employment requirements that have been put in place in the country based on the sharia laws. The belief expressed by this report that gender discrimination has increased in Saudi Arabia does not put into account the traditional need to protect women in society, especially those in the workplace. As a result, for a woman to enter into an organization, she is placed under the supervision and leadership of a male supervisor.

Law & Criminology Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4500 words

Law & Criminology - Case Study Example While the employers' range of freedom has been curtailed to some degree, they can benefit from proper documentation, following procedures which have now become quite strictly defined, and ensuring that they enforce the terms of the Employment Contracts in an evenhanded way. In either a criminal or a civil case, an employee has certain rights which are assured by law under ACAS or under the PACE laws of 1984, and as amended and clarified by subsequent court cases. A disciplinary process allows similar rules of interview, recording and evidence as required under PACE. Few employer actions against employees result in criminal proceedings; of those that do, the due processes outlined in the following pages are relatively the same. A potential criminal prosecution can be followed by an interview, but rules of evidence are required. As outlined in PACE (1984) 67(9), an individual representing a company or a government body can have the same rights and obligations as a police inspector. The obligations include informing the interviewee that his/her declarations can be used in a subsequent prosecution, that the interview minutes be noted in writing and shared with the interviewee, and that certain rules pertaining to recording (if present) are applicable. In the case of an interview for disciplinary purposes, there is also a procedure outlined by the Department of Labor that requires a set series of written documentation. This process refers to the Employment Contract, and to the Employment Policies of the employer, which must be given to the employee within 60 days of the commencement of his or her employment. The elements that must be put in the Employment Contract have grown over the past twenty years, as has the unenforceability of some of the clauses which had existed in Employment Contracts written at an earlier period. Employers should be particularly chary about imposing changes (real or implied) in the work contract without the explicit, and usually written, consent of those employed. Failure to garner the employees' agreement can result in a rupture of contract and a cause for action against the employer in the future. This paper will outline the procedures in both cases, and the differences. It will also present a way to decide which process should be pursued, i.e. whether an employee should be treated as a potential defendant in a criminal case, or whether the employer intends to keep the person in his/her employ, but would like to address certain deficiencies through a disciplinary process. The Disciplinary Process Employees who are not meeting the terms of their Employment Contract can be subject to disciplinary hearings. It should be noted that, by the time the formal procedure is followed, there may have been some previous conversations between the employee and his/her supervisor. The substance of these conversations should be noted by the supervisor, as these notes may become part of a subsequent disciplinary process. Although a conversation between the employ

Webmonkey Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Webmonkey - Essay Example The reason for the involvement of General Managers may be summarized as follows: Initiatives by IT managers become advantageous for the company when general managers show their participation for facilitating business processes, global expansion and initiation of new business ventures. The overall nature of business ventures has been changed with the advent of IT. â€Å"The IT and its costs are starting to make integral part of enterprise day by day.† (Balloni, 2010) Business environments have now become socio technical environments with the inclusion of IT in their domain. The usability of information is highly dependent upon how the information is managed. The collection, distribution and timely usage of information results in substantial usage and also enhances usability. Websites are often the key input arenas for businesses. Their usability is essential for businesses to enhance their customer retention. For a website to be managed properly it is essential that its architecture is structured properly. The structuring and management of a website is often referred to as information management. The structuring of information architecture cannot be completed unless essential correspondence is maintained by the business itself. Initiating with setting up of goals for the website and the scope and requirement of the organization, the audiences of the proposed web portal are assessed. It is extremely integral that the information required by audiences in incorporated within the

Cmrj 502 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Cmrj 502 - Essay Example They work in partnership with the police forming part of the prosecution that ensures correct charges through elimination of non-viable cases (Cook, et al., 2005). With the help of use of â€Å"threshold test†, the decision on whether a bail or custody is to be executed is determined before charge. The decision on how to carry out the prosecution process is divided into two stages where â€Å"two stage tests† are undertaken. The two tests are carried out in turns by the crown prosecutors. The first stage which is the evidential stage involves the submission of sufficient evidence that must provide a realistic prospect of some conviction. If the case does not go through this stage, the case does not proceed. The public interest is the second stage where the interest of the public is considered. This is because according to lord Shawcross (1951), prosecution has never been automatic since public interest must be satisfied if conviction is to result in a sentence. As part of their role, CPS advises the police on cases for possible prosecution while being guided by the code for prosecutors on how to give timely responses while sticking to their charging standards which aims at restoring the CPS/police arrangements and joined up working (Vines,

Legal and Ethical Considerations in Marketing, Product Safety, and Research Paper - 1

Legal and Ethical Considerations in Marketing, Product Safety, and Intellectual Property - Research Paper Example This particular industry is quite sensitive industry. The ethical issues in the marketing and advertising, intellectual property and regulation of product safety are discussed below. Marketing and advertisement is an effective communication tool that helps an organization to communicate with the end customers regarding the introduction of new product. First of all, several pharmaceutical companies implement competitive pricing strategy and promote their drugs and several products in economic price level compromising with the quality of the products. It can actually affect the health of human beings as several side effects of these drugs can create several problems in body. Secondly, the organizations used to provide emotional adverts and wrong information about the products. It is quite unethical to provide this wrong information. Thirdly, CompCare the subsidiary of the PharmaCare used to and market specific products although the compounded materials were not supposed to sold in bulk . Wrong information about client list, quality issues of drugs and price war between the organizations can be considered as the major ethical issues in marketing and advertising. ... In terms of the regulation of the products safety, the organization faces several critical issues. Providing drugs in low price level to the people of low income group without considering the quality aspect can be considered as one of the ethical issues. Inadequate quality of the pharmaceutical lab can be considered as one of the major issues in the product safety regulation. Inadequate composition in several drugs became issues for the PharmaCare. 2. Argue for or against Direct-to-Consumer (DTC) marketing by drug companies Direct-to-Consumer has considered a one of the important marketing communication tools for several healthcare or pharmaceutical organizations. This DTC marketing process is quite useful and can help the society to overcome several challenges. It is true that advertising and promotion is important for each and every organization to create awareness about the products and services in the minds of the target customers (Doern & Prince, 2012). It is true that the pharm aceutical companies provide effective solutions to several critical diseases that can take away the priceless lives of human beings. After strong research and hard work, the pharmaceutical companies succeed to make a solution to these diseases. Therefore, it is the responsibility of the governments and several public bodies to increase awareness about these drugs that can ensure good health and safety of the mankind. DTC can be considered as an effective marketing communication tools. It is true that several organizations used to follow unethical steps in order to maximize business profits. But, it is true that the society and community cannot get benefits until and unless the people within the society cannot get aware about

Poetry Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 14

Poetry - Essay Example Four stanzas characterize The Road Not Taken, each having five lines. The scheme of the rhyme in the poem is ABAAB. This means that the rhymes are masculine and strict, meaning that the speaker is in a dilemma to choose a path that is rarely used by people. The poem the road not taken has received widespread recognition based on which it reflects dilemma when an individual has to make a choice in life. Based on the simple words used in The Road Not Taken the author employs (â€Å"I shall be telling this with a sigh / I took the one less travelled by†), scholars stipulate that the poem is easy to memorize without the reader really understanding it. In the case of the poem, the persona stipulates â€Å"the passing here/ Had won them really about the same.† Ideally, the two roads â€Å"that morning/ In leaves no step had trodden black.† This means that in the case of the two roads, one of them is less travelled. As such, it is inappropriate to ignore the after-effects prevalent based on the way in which they are portrayed in the poem, since the persona is unsure on the path in which he should follow. In this case, the speaker stipulates that â€Å"I took the less travelled by / And that has made all the difference.â €  The major attraction evident in the poem is the archetypal dilemma, meaning that the narrator cannot make the right decision on the path to follow. The reader encounters it both figuratively and literally numerous times and in an instantaneous manner. The paths present in the folks and woods reflect deep-rooted and ancient metaphors for a lifeline. In this case, the persona stipulates that â€Å"The roads diverged in a yellow road / To where it bent in the undergrowth.† They reflect crisis and decisions that one has to make in life. The similar folks are a symbol for fate and free will. People are free to choose anything, but they are unaware of what lays ahead based on the choice they make. The speaker states, â€Å"hen took the other, as

Strategic Management for Dell Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Strategic Management for Dell - Case Study Example This will help to come up with new production and operation mode that will take the company back to the top. In its earlier operation, the success of the company has been based on the two aspects that helped it to gain competitive advantage in the market. The first aspect was in its product model. While most of its competitors remain with the earlier production model where they would manufacture computers ready for sale, Dell utilized the post-fordism model of production in which products were tailored to the needs of the consumers. The end of the production process for other competitors acted as the starting point of production for Dell. This was an important process that helped it to keep track of the manufacturing process and ensured that the company had the control of the process right from the start to the time the product was delivered to the consumer. It was a production process that is lead by the descriptions of the consumers. However this had an effect on lowering the innovative part of the company. While other companies worked to develop computers that assumed new features, Dell remained to wait to the customer description in order to tailor made the products. (Darlin, 2006) The other aspect of growth for the company was the price advantage that it had over the other competitors. In this case the production model which ensured that the company had less expenses when it came to inventory control and therefore was able to market its product less. The marketing strategy for the company also helped to eliminate middle men in the process and delivered the product right from the company to the customer. This also reduced the price of its product. These are two of the strategies that the company should be working on in the new strategy. They are strategies which helped it to grow and which can also help it to acquire a large segment of the market again. Which are the specific areas that the companies need to address in its new strategy There are number of areas that the company will need to emphasize on in order to reclaim its market and to prosper in growth. These areas include the production process, marketing and meant penetration and diversification. Production process There are minor changes that need to be made in the production process. While the production process has helped the company to cut a competitive edge in the market, it has not been effective in helping it to address the various changes that arise in the operation environment. The production strategy was useful in the beginning when the level of completion was low but it has been losing its effectiveness with time owing to changes taking place in the environment. The production process was sensitive to the market the production cost and it helped to deliver production on time to the consumers. This shows that it helped to meet the demands of the consumer in having products made to their demand and to suit their tastes. But the competitors have been working on new strategies to beat this model while not copying the Dell production model. They have been banking on production of styled computers with many enhancement with are new to the consumers. Rather than going to ask from the consumer what they want so that they can tailor made computer for them, they have been

Multiculturalism, the University, and Economic-based Solutions Research Paper

Multiculturalism, the University, and Economic-based Solutions - Research Paper Example Universities have a long history in the United States, and much of that history is mixed up with the multiculturalism that the United States enjoys and also some of the economic-based problems and solutions that exist there. Since their creation, a few hundred years ago, universities have often had to struggle to make enough money to get by, something that is still basically going on today. Universities also have to make sure they are dealing with students from all parts of life and countries of the world who have moved to the United States. Both of these problems come together when looking at some of the economic-based solutions that universities look for to make sure they are multiculturally sound. There have already been some economic solutions used to attack the problems of a multicultural country like the United States. Magnet schools, for instance, were first made in order to be used "as a tool for reducing racial segregation". But before looking at these solutions in more deta il it is important to first look at how the university works from an economic-based point of view.

Decision making Essay Example for Free

Decision making Essay SLIDE 1 – INTRODUCTORY SLIDE Ethical theories provide part of the decision-making foundation for Decision Making When Ethics Are In Play because these theories represent the viewpoints from which individuals seek guidance as they make decisions. Each theory emphasizes different points – a different decision-making style or a decision rule—such as predicting the outcome and following one’s duties to others in order to reach what the individual considers an ethically correct decision. In order to understand ethical decision making, it is important for students to realize that not everyone makes decisions in the same way, using the same information, employing the same decision rules. In order to further understand ethical theory, there must be some understanding of a common set of goals that decision makers seek to achieve in order to be successful. Four of these goals include beneficence, least harm, respect for autonomy, and justice. SLIDE 2 ETHICAL PRINCIPLES Beneficence The principle of beneficence guides the decision maker to do what is right and good. This priority to â€Å"do good† makes an ethical perspective and possible solution to an ethical dilemma acceptable. This principle is also related to the principle of utility, which states that we should attempt to generate the largest ratio of good over evil possible in the world. This principle stipulates that ethical theories should strive to achieve the greatest amount of good because people benefit from the most good. This principle is mainly associated with the utilitarian ethical theory discussed later in this set of notes. Least Harm Similar to beneficence, least harm deals with situations in which no choice appears beneficial. In such cases, decision makers seek to choose to do the least harm possible and to do harm to the fewest people. Students might argue that people have a greater responsibility to â€Å"do no harm† than to take steps to benefit others. For example, a student has a larger responsibility to simply walk past a teacher in the hallway rather than to make derogatory remarks about that teacher as he/she walks past even though the student had failed that teacher’s class. Respect for Autonomy This principle states that decision making should focus on allowing people to be autonomous—to be able to make decisions that apply to their lives. Thus, people should have control over their lives as much as possible because they are the only people who completely understand their chosen type of lifestyle. Ask students if they agree. Are there limits to autonomy? Each individual deserves respect because only he/she has had those exact life experiences and understands his emotions, motivations, and physical capabilities in such an intimate manner. In essence, this ethical principle is an extension of the ethical principle of beneficence because a person who is independent usually prefers to have control over his life experiences in order to obtain the lifestyle that he/she enjoys. Justice The justice ethical principle states that decision makers should focus on actions that are fair to those involved. This means that ethical decisions should be consistent with the ethical theory unless extenuating circumstances that can be justified exist in the case. This also means that cases with extenuating circumstances must contain a significant and vital difference from similar cases that justify the inconsistent decision. Ask students if they describe what extenuating circumstances might be. Ethical Theories By Larry Chonko, Ph. D. The University of Texas at Arlington. NOTES: ___________________ ___________________________ ___________________________ ___________________________ ___________________________ ___________________________ ___________________________ ___________________________ ___________________________ ___________________________ ___________________________ ___________________________ ___________________________ ___________________________ ___________________________ ___________________________ ___________________________ ___________________________ ___________________________ ___________________________ ___________________________ ___________________________ ___________________________ ___________________________ ___________________________ ___________________________ ___________________________ ___________________________ ___________________________ ___________________________ ___________________________ ___________________________ ___________________________ ___________________________ ___________________________ ___________________ ________ 1 presents SLIDE 3 – FORMS OF ETHICAL THEORIES For individuals, the ethical theory they employ for decision making guidance emphasizes aspects of an ethical dilemma important to them and leads them to the most ethically correct resolution according to the guidelines within the ethical theory itself. Four broad categories of ethical theory include deontology, utilitarianism, rights, and virtues. Deontology The deontological class of ethical theories states that people should adhere to their obligations and duties when engaged in decision making when ethics are in play. This means that a person will follow his or her obligations to another individual or society because upholding one’s duty is what is considered ethically correct. For instance, a deontologist will always keep his promises to a friend and will follow the law. A person who adheres to deontological theory will produce very consistent decisions since they will be based on the individual’s set duties. Deontology contains many positive attributes, but it also contains flaws. One flaw is that there is no rationale or logical basis for deciding an individual’s duties. For instance, a businessperson may decide that it is his/her duty to always be on time to meetings. Although this appears to be something good, we do not know why the person chose to make this his duty. Ask students what reasons they might provide for this behavior. Sometimes, a person’s duties are in conflict. For instance, if the business person who must be on time to meetings is running late, how is he/she supposed to drive? Is speeding breaking his/her duty to society to uphold the law, or is the businessperson supposed to arrive at the meeting late, not fulfilling the duty to be on time? Ask students how they would rectify the conflicting obligations to arrive at an a clear ethically-correct resolution. Also ask students to bring into play the consideration of the welfare of others as a result of the business person’s decision. Utilitarianism Utilitarian ethical theories are based on one’s ability to predict the consequences of an action. To a utilitarian, the choice that yields the greatest benefit to the most people is the one that is ethically correct. There are two types of utilitarianism, act utilitarianism and rule utilitarianism. Act utilitarianism subscribes precisely to the definition of utilitarianism—a person performs the acts that benefit the most people, regardless of personal feelings or the societal constraints such as laws. Rule utilitarianism takes into account the law and is concerned with fairness. A rule utilitarian seeks to benefit the most people but through the fairest and most just means available. Therefore, added benefits of rule utilitarianism are that it values justice and includes beneficence at the same time. Both act and rule utilitarianism have disadvantages. Although people can use their life experiences to attempt to predict outcomes, no one can be certain that his/her predictions will be accurate. Uncertainty can lead to unexpected results making the utilitarian decision maker appear unethical as time passes, as the choice made did not benefit the most people as predicted. Another assumption that a utilitarian decision maker must make concerns his/her ability to compare the various types of consequences against each other on a similar scale. But, comparing material gains, such as money, against intangible gains, such as happiness, is very difficult since their qualities differ to such a large extent. An act utilitarian decision maker is concerned with achieving the maximum good. Thus, one individual’s rights may be infringed upon in order to benefit a greater number of people. In other words, act utilitarianism is not always concerned with justice, beneficence or autonomy for an individual if oppressing the individual leads to the solution that benefits a majority of people. Ethical Theories By Larry Chonko, Ph. D. The University of Texas at Arlington NOTES: ___________________ ___________________________ ___________________________ ___________________________ ___________________________ ___________________________ ___________________________ ___________________________ ___________________________ ___________________________ ___________________________ ___________________________ ___________________________ ___________________________ ___________________________ ___________________________ ___________________________ ___________________________ ___________________________ ___________________________ ___________________________ ___________________________ ___________________________ ___________________________ ___________________________ ___________________________ ___________________________ ___________________________ ___________________________ ___________________________ ___________________________ ___________________________ ___________________________ ___________________________ ___________________________ ___________________________ 2 presents Ethical Theories By Larry Chonko, Ph. D. The University of Texas at Arlington Still another source of challenge with act utilitarian decision makers occurs when an individual faces one set of variable conditions and then suddenly experiences changes in those conditions. The change in conditions may lead to a change in the original decision—being be nice to someone one moment and then dislike them the next moment because the situation has changed, and liking the person is no longer beneficial to the most people. In rule utilitarianism, there is the possibility of conflicting rules. Recall the example of the business person running late for a meeting. Suppose the business person happens to be the CEO, who may believe that it is ethically correct to arrive at important meetings on time as the members of the company will benefit from this decision. The CEO may encounter conflicting ideas about what is ethically correct if he/she is running late. Yet, the CEO believes that he/she should follow the law because this benefits society. Simultaneously, he/she believes that it is ethically correct to be on time for his meeting because it is a meeting that also benefits the society. There appears to be no ethically correct answer for this scenario. Rights In ethical theories based on rights, the rights established by a society are protected and given the highest priority. Rights are considered to be ethically correct and valid since a large population endorses them. Individuals may also bestow rights upon others if they have the ability and resources to do so. For example, a person may say that her friend may borrow her laptop for the afternoon. The friend who was given the ability to borrow the laptop now has a right to the laptop in the afternoon. A major complication of this theory on a larger scale is that one must decipher what the characteristics of a right are in a society. The society has to determine what rights it wants to uphold and give to its citizens. In order for a society to determine what rights it wants to enact, it must decide what the society’s goals and ethical priorities are. Therefore, in order for the rights theory to be useful, it must be used in conjunction with another ethical theory that will consistently explain the goals of the society. For example in America people have the right to choose their religion because this right is upheld in the Constitution. One of the goals of the Founding Fathers’ of America was to uphold this right to freedom of religion. Virtue The virtue ethical theory judges a person by his/her character rather than by an action that may deviate from his/her normal behavior. It takes the person’s morals, reputation, and motivation into account when rating an unusual and irregular behavior that is considered unethical. For instance, if a person plagiarized a passage that was later detected by a peer, the peer who knows the person well will understand the person’s character and will judge the friend accordingly. If the plagiarizer normally follows the rules and has good standing amongst his colleagues, the peer who encounters the plagiarized passage may be able to judge his friend more leniently. Perhaps the researcher had a late night and simply forgot to credit his or her source appropriately. Conversely, a person who has a reputation for academic misconduct is more likely to be judged harshly for plagiarizing because of his/her consistent past of unethical behavior. One weakness of virtue ethical theory is that it does not take into consideration a person’s change in moral character. For example, a scientist who may have made mistakes in the past may honestly have the same late night story as the scientist in good standing. Neither of these scientists intentionally plagiarized, but the act was still committed. On the other hand, a researcher may have a sudden change from moral to immoral character may go unnoticed until a significant amount of evidence mounts up against him/her. NOTES: ___________________ ___________________________ ___________________________ ___________________________ ___________________________ ___________________________ ___________________________ ___________________________ ___________________________ ___________________________ ___________________________ ___________________________ ___________________________ ___________________________ ___________________________ ___________________________ ___________________________ ___________________________ ___________________________ ___________________________ ___________________________ ___________________________ ___________________________ ___________________________ ___________________________ ___________________________ ___________________________ ___________________________ ___________________________ ___________________________ ___________________________ ___________________________ ___________________________ ___________________________ ___________________________ ___________________ ________ 3 presents SLIDES 4-6 SELECTED PRINCIPLES OF ETHICAL CONDUCT When individuals find themselves in a decision-making situation when ethics are in play, there are a variety of ethical theories (decision rules) which provide decision-making guidance as individuals strive to make ethically correct answers. Each ethical theory attempts to adhere to the ethical principles that lead to success when trying to reach the best decision. Most individuals adopt a preferred decision-making style (e. g. do unto others ), but might adjust it depending on decision circumstances. As decision makers, they soon discover that others have adopted different decision rules. Thus, a team of decision makers must first understand the decision-making styles and decision rules of all members of the team. SLIDES 7 – 9 A TAXONOMY OF ETHICAL TYPES There are three different approaches to examining how ethical theories (differing decisionmaking styles and decision rules) impact decision making. The first group, entitled, â€Å"Selected Principles of Ethical Conduct,† present different ethical theories or decision making styles. The second group, entitled â€Å"A Taxonomy of Ethical Types† also provides a look at different decision-making styles, presenting some of the positives and negatives associated with each. The third group, entitled â€Å"Models of Personal and Organizational Development,† also deals with decision-making styles but presents them in a hierarchy from simple to more sophisticated. SLIDES 10-12 MODELS OF PERSONAL AND ORGANIZATIONAL DEVELOPMENT From Cognitive Moral Development (as espoused by Lawrence Kohlberg in The Philosophy of Moral Development: Moral Stages and the Idea of Justice, 1981, HarperCollins Publishers) Cognitive Moral Development asserts that ethics education is possible. Just as people develop mentally, physically, and emotionally, they develop a moral cognizance. Using critical thinking and decision-making tactics such as the Socratic method, people can solve their ethical dilemmas. Kohlberg taught that there were six stages of ethical thinking, each stage being of greater maturity than the previous one. By delineating these levels, we are allowed to know and test our own thinking and decision making. This helps individuals know themselves better and challenges them to move on to a higher level of thinking. To examine how different ethical theories (decision-making styles and decision rules enter into team decision making, the following questions are presented. 1. Ask students to play the role of a hospital administrator who has been asked to set up an Ethics Task Force in the hospital. The task force will deal with ethical dilemmas that may confront hospital staff and advise in establishing ethical guidelines for the treatment of patients. (a) What kind of persons would you look for to fill this position? What values would you want them to hold? What types of ethical sensitivity would you be looking for? (b) What basic ethical principles would you advise the task force to follow? 2. Now tell students they are charged with the same task described in Question #1, but this time for a market research firm instead of a hospital. What would the differences be? If there are any differences, what conclusions would you draw about the way we define the moral ballpark? 3. An undergraduate student published A Students’ Guide to Good Grades 10. This book was written to help students learn how to cheat. You can ask students many questions about this: What ethical issues do you see associated with publishing such a book? Should the campus bookstore carry it? Why or why not? Should the campus Ethical Theories By Larry Chonko, Ph. D. The University of Texas at Arlington. NOTES: ___________________ ___________________________ ___________________________ ___________________________ ___________________________ ___________________________ ___________________________ ___________________________ ___________________________ ___________________________ ___________________________ ___________________________ ___________________________ ___________________________ ___________________________ ___________________________ ___________________________ ___________________________ ___________________________ ___________________________ ___________________________ ___________________________ ___________________________ ___________________________ ___________________________ ___________________________ ___________________________ ___________________________ ___________________________ ___________________________ ___________________________ ___________________________ ___________________________ ___________________________ ___________________________ ___________________ ________ 4 presents Ethical Theories By Larry Chonko, Ph. D. The University of Texas at Arlington newspaper carry advertisements for the book? Similarly, should the campus newspaper carry advertisements for companies that will write students’ research papers for them? Again, what are the relevant ethical considerations here? Are these issues in the ethical ballpark? Why or why not? What is the ethical issue that you are most undecided about? Describe the pros and cons relating to this issue. How do you go about arriving at a decision when it is unavoidable? NOTES: ___________________ ___________________________ ___________________________ ___________________________ ___________________________ ___________________________ ___________________________ ___________________________ ___________________________ ___________________________ ___________________________ ___________________________ ___________________________ ___________________________ ___________________________ ___________________________ ___________________________ ___________________________ ___________________________ ___________________________ ___________________________ ___________________________ ___________________________ ___________________________ ___________________________ ___________________________ ___________________________ ___________________________ ___________________________ ___________________________ ___________________________ ___________________________ ___________________________ ___________________________ ___________________________ ___________________ ________ 5

Illegal Downloading: Good Or Bad?

Illegal Downloading: Good Or Bad? There have been many arguments on whether illegal downloading is a serious problem or not. Illegal downloading isnt that much of a problem if you take the time out to research into it. Sources have shown that illegal downloading actually promotes and helps artist more, it helps people become more diverse in music genres, artist illegally download music as well as their fans, and that there is zero to no evidence that free online music financially harms anyone. These and many more is just the tip iceberg on the arguments that are for illegal downloading, but for now where did illegal downloading all begin? The history of commercial music distribution is a recent one.(Miller, Web). Music distribution started up about the 1800s when the idea of sheet music was thought of. Later after that during the 1930s, people of the middle class had pianos. They would usually go to the local store, buy sheet music of their favorite artist during that time, and play it at their homes. Soon after there was the invention of the phonograph by Thomas Edison which enabled artist to widely distribute their music. The music was first created on wax cylinders and then vinyl discs. During this time there were about 150 companies creating records. Over time, the record industry evolved from 78 RPM discs to 45 RPM singles to 33 1/3 RPM long playing (LP) albums, and then to 8-track tapes (remember them?) And recorded audiocassette, and then to digital compact discs and finally to downloadable and streaming digital tracks.(Miller, Web). Quality had greatly increased with this evolution and so did the distribution. It was pretty obvious that these recordings could be duplicated, but it wasnt as easy back then. The only things that were known were home wire recorders and discs cutting machines. Not all people knew how to use these devices at the time though. What really started making things easy was the invention of the reel to reel tape recording in the 1950s and the audiocassette recorders in the 1960s. The only problems with these were that the audio grade of copied music was somewhat horrible. It wasnt until the digital era started that we could make extremely good copies of music due to CDs and your computer. Then when the internet came along downloading music became simple for anyone to be able to download any type music for free. (Miller, Web). Napster, which started in 1999, was the first hugely popular music file-sharing services. It was shut down by court order in 2001.(Hamilton, 90). Now a days most music downloading is done by college students. (Jambon, Web). One of the main arguments of the opposing side says that it harms artist by taking money from them, but this is the exact opposite. In a survey shown by opposing viewpoints there were only about 12 percent of artists thought that illegal downloading hurt them. Most of the artists were not convinced that illegal downloading is doing any economic harm. Whats worth noting is that higher educated artist in particular believed that file-sharing is doing them no harm.(Opposing Viewpoints). Also majority of the artist thought that illegal downloading helped promote them. About 50 percent of the artists believe strongly that illegal downloading helps get their work known better in public. There was only about 5 percent who thought the other way around. In particular the younger artists ( Illegal downloading also helps artist by helping people become more subjected to new genres of music. Having the easy accessibility of mp3s means that more people will be listening to different types of music that they havent heard before, and this informs them more on music as a whole. Artists really have nothing to worry about when it comes to losing money in the music industry. From research artist have also been known to download music illegally themselves. the Dutch Government announced plans to outlaw downloading of all copyrighted material and measures to make it easier to block websites that facilitate copyright infringement. An interesting, particularly since a survey they published on the same day shows that artists views on file-sharing are not all that negative.(Opposing Viewpoints). They began a huge survey in order to find out more about the view of artist on the topic of piracy, DRM the digital rights management: technologies that limit access to digital content), and similar opportunities and challenges they had faced in the digital era. The questions that were asked in the article were answered by about 4,000 artists of all ages, which included musicians, filmmakers, authors and photographers. When the results had come out, there was in unparalleled look into the state at which the artists stood on the subject. One of the results that stands o ut directly is that artist are pirates too.(Opposing Viewpoints). While not all of them were pirates, there was a good amount of them that were. About 22 percent of the surveyors responded saying that they had downloaded copyrighted works without the owners permission in the last 12 months. Another 71% told the researchers they hadnt downloaded anything without permission during this period, and the remaining 7% didnt know, or didnt want to answer the question.(Opposing Viewpoints). There was another question ask to the surveyors who had recently owned up to downloading other peoples copyrighted works. These results had shown that music was the most downloaded media type, with 80 percent from music, 40 percent for movies and 5 percent for e-books and games (Opposing Viewpoints). So as well the fans downloading illegally, the artist were no different. Lastly there really is zero to no evidence when it comes to financially harming artist. If you think about, the music industry should be rejoicing at this new technological advance. Heres a foolproof way to deliver music to millions who might otherwise never bought a CD in a store.(Aksomitis,16). There is an exceptional amount of cross-marketing. The cost is extremely low and there is no shipping. The RIAA may be right about their being a lot changes in the music industry, but at the same time there still are a good amount of labels left. Well turn into Microsoft if were not careful, folks, insisting that any household wanting an extra copy for the car, the kids, or the portable CD player, has to go out and license multiple copies.(Aksomitis, 16). People as artist are the ones who have the ear of the masses, and thats who should be trusted. Most of the shame should not be brought on the fans and the people, but on the bad state of the industry of recording companies, radio programmer s. There although is some good arguments that states the fans need to organize themselves in order to better their own lives and morals in illegal downloading. This is true but this is one of few true statements that fall under the cons of illegal downloading. In conclusion to this argument, there is some but not a lot of danger when it comes to illegal downloading its actually a good thing. Whether it be helping the artist, artists illegally downloading or any other reason. Illegal downloading is here to stay, and while there all no ways to completely stop it there are always ways to help it. Work Cited Jambon, Marc M., and Judith G. Smetana. College Students Moral Evaluations Of Illegal Music Downloading. Journal Of Applied Developmental Psychology 33.1 (2012): 31 39. Academic Search Premier. Web. 19 Apr. 2013. Miller, Michael. Downloading Pirated Music: Pros and Cons.Que.com. (2012): n. page. Web. 19 Apr. 2013. Sar, Ernesto Van Der. Copyright Violations Do Not Hurt Artist Income. The Music Industry. Ed. Noah Berlatsky. Detroit: Green haven Press, 2012. Opposing Viewpoints. Rpt. From Artist Dont Think Piracy Hurts Them Financially, Study Shows. TorrentFreak.com. 2011. Opposing Viewpoints In Context. Web. 6 Mar. 2013 Aksomitis, Linda. Downloading Music. Farmington Hills: Greenhaven Press, 2007. Print. Hamilton, Jill. The Music Industry. Farmington Hills: Greenhaven Press, 2009. Print. Smith, Ethan. Listen to Music Free, but Pay to Carry. Wall Street Journal Eastern Edition 05 June 2007: B1+. Newspaper Source. Web. 19 Apr. 2013. Heigl, Alex. Five Ways to Justify Illegally Downloading Music. Nerve.com. (2011): n. page. Web. 19 Apr. 2013.

Evidence Based Case Study Social Work Essay

Evidence Based Case Study Social Work Essay Evidence based practice (EBP) refers to integrating professional expertise with the best available external research, and incorporating the views of service users (Beresford, 1996). Evidence based practice has received its reputation by examining the reasons why interventions are necessary (Duffy, Fisher and Munroe, 2008). Within my placement EBP was important for refining my practice so the service user was provided with appropriate support for her individual needs. I used my EBP to carry out research to determine what evidence supported or rejected the use of a specific intervention; within this case I used a counseling approach. The principle of social work intervention is to provide good practice and should be based on a decision-making framework (Preston-Shoot and Braye, 2009). This framework operates on four concepts:- The legislation that informs a decision; Social work ethics and NISCC codes of conduct; Information to ensure a well-informed decision; Knowledge drawn from research, theory, practice and other professionals. In addition to powers and duties of social workers, legislation embeds notions of partnership, respect, rights and anti-discriminatory practice, which are key elements in social work practice (Preston-Shoot and Braye, 2009). My practice learning opportunity involved working with adults with a learning disability in a day care setting. The benefits of the day centre were to provide a service for local people to access support in living with, or caring for someone, with a learning disability. Northern Ireland statistics show that in 2008 there were 9,460 people with a learning disability in contact with Trusts (www.northernireland.gov.uk). From the 9,460 people with a learning disability there were 2,574 benefiting from care management, 42% (1,086) of whom were being supported in their own homes and 35% (898) being cared for in residential homes solely for the use of people with learning disabilities (www.northernireland.gov.uk). This evidence based case study is based on Miss A, a 35 year old woman, who has a learning disability and Spina Bifida resulting in her using a wheel chair for mobility. Within the past few years Miss As family life has changed dramatically. In previous years Miss A had lived in the community with her elderly parents, who cared for her. She is one of three children and has two older brothers. Miss As mother, after being diagnosed with Dementia, was admitted to a residential care home. Her father after having been moved to residential care himself passed away in November 2008 due to his physical health. Miss A now resides in a private nursing home and attends day care three days per week. In March 2008, there were 75 residential homes in Northern Ireland solely for people with a learning disability providing 898 places (www.northernireland.gov.uk). Miss A has been previously diagnosed with MRSA; it is currently located in her toe, having been previously present in her urine. Treatments from the residential care staff have the infection under control, however the infection still remains. The recent death of her father plays a significant role in Miss As life and continues to affect her socially and emotionally. Some of the stereotypical assumptions I had before meeting Miss A were that because she had a physical and learning disability that she would be hard to communicate with, that she would have limited understanding and limited verbal skills. I have challenged this opinion and realised that Miss A is a very competent individual with good communication skills, and can express her likes and dislikes proficiently. As for her physical disability this does not affect her cognitive or cerebral functions. I had also made the assumption that as Miss A had MRSA that it could easily be cross-contracted due to a lack of knowledge and education. After researching the issue and contacting infection control within the Trust I deducted that MRSA is a problem within clinical settings but can be easily controlled with proper preventative procedures. This can be identified as a risk, but should not be a reason to oppress or discriminate Miss A. After having initially met Miss A, liaised with her social worker, accessed her case file and Tuned In to her life issues, I met with Miss A to prepare for the initial assessment and gather information into how best to support her. My role with Miss A was to provide a reassessment since the changes in her circumstances and the death of her father. My role was to determine what support she may need, and to include her wishes and feelings. Assessment: History has shown that there has always been an importance to assessment in social work, but since the 1990s there has been specific importance to a new form assessment to include risk. The National Health Service and Community Care Act 1990 stresses the importance of inter-agency collaboration and a multi-disciplinary assessment process (Trevithick, 2000). The purpose of an assessment may seem evident; that is, to assess the needs of individuals who may need help and/or support. In recent history however assessment seems to mean a relationship between need and available resources (Whittington, 2007, p23) leading to a question if this is ethical or effective practice? There are many purposes of an assessment, for example to assess risk, to assess need, to act as an advocate for someone and also to implement agency and government policy (Whittington, 2007, p25-26). Coulshed and Orme (2006) explain that assessment is an ongoing process where the purpose is to understand people in relation to their environment; it is a basis for planning what needs to be done to maintain, improve or bring about change with the service users participation. The initial preparation for the assessment with Miss A included visiting her social worker and studying her case file. This enabled me to gather information to dispel any preconceptions I had about meeting this service user. The social worker passed on her knowledge of Miss A, such as medical conditions, family circumstances and finances, and also any previous problems that had occurred. I felt it was important to work in partnership with Miss As social worker so I could keep her up to date with events, and also contact her if I required advice about Miss A. The purpose of Miss As individual assessment was to gather information by interacting and communicating with Miss A and others involved in her care, this was also to gain a holistic perspective to her needs. Her assessment was guided by legislation such as, the Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act (NI) 1978, which places a duty on health and social services to investigate a level of need, and also the Health and Personal Soc ial Services (NI) Order 1972 which stipulates a responsibility to provide personal social services for the promotion of social welfare for the general public (http://www.understandingindividualneeds.com). As a model of assessment I used Smales (1993) Models of Professional Care which were useful in gathering important information about Miss A. I used the procedural and questioning model to gather information into how Miss A felt about certain issues in her life, such as the bereavement of her father, contact with her other family, and other issues she felt were working or not working. I used these methods of assessment as this followed Trust guidelines. I used The Model of Professional Care to gain a holistic understanding of information. I also included the Exchange model in the assessment as I considered Miss A to be the expert of her own life. I feel the use of the Procedural model was useful in certain aspects of the assessment as it worked in collaboration with the Trusts format of assessment and worked as a form of gathering information, but feel I could have used more of an Exchange model to communicate effectively with Miss A rather than just form filling. I feel Smales method of assessment provided me with tools to help Miss A identify factors that were important for her to maintain, but also issues she would like to change. By working in partnership with her I felt we would have an open and trusting working relationship. I also focused on Person Centred Planning (PCP) in regards to the assessment with Miss A. Person Centred Planning, which evolved from the White Paper; a government policy known as Valuing People, suggested four key principles; Rights, Independence, Choice and Inclusion as a proposal of changing services (Thompson, Kilbane and Sanderson, 2008, p9). This policy also helped inform guidelines for Northern Irelands Equal Lives Policy (2005). Person Centred Planning focused on finding out what is important to and what is important for (health and safety) Miss A. I found PCP a continual process of listening and learning, by focusing on whats important to Miss A now and in the future (Thompson, Kilbane and Sanderson, 2008, p27). By using person centred tools, such as a one page profile, I gained knowledge of what was important to Miss A including her family, her boyfriend and her independence, as well as knowing what was important to keep her safe and healthy. I used a person centred approac h to make others aware of Miss As great personality characteristics as well as the help and support she would like. I feel this was fundamental to demonstrate that Miss A is a person behind her disability. I found by using this approach was an essential skill in understanding Miss A and helped me to be anti oppressive and actively support her needs One particular piece of legislation which I found to be significant in the assessment of Miss A was the Human Rights Act (1998), which identifies Miss As right to family life. Since the death of her father and the institutionalisation of her mother due to her mental health, Miss A has been experiencing disintegration of her family and has lost the support connected to it. The Human Rights Act could have a great significance as Miss A needs emotional and physical support to visit her mother and has not been receiving it; therefore her right to family life is being impeded. The assessment identified that contact with her family and friends are imperative for this right to be upheld. Therefore as a result my role was to facilitate this right, and help to support Miss A in retaining family contact. The main objectives we (Miss A and I) identified within the assessment were; That Miss A had limited support to help discuss the death of her father. That Miss A was not receiving contact with her mother or other family and would like to. From the identification of objectives Miss A and I decided to work towards solutions by preparing a work plan. Planning: After the initial assessment was carried out with Miss A we proceeded to work towards formulating a care plan and targeting her objectives. A care plan provided clear information for everyone involved with Miss A and helped work in partnership with her and the Trust. For a person centred care plan the word ‘support is used in preference to ‘care because the verb implies that support is there to help people achieve their goals and ambitions† (Thompson, Sanderson and Kilbane, 2008). â€Å"A support plan is developed by the person with help where necessary, and it describes how the person intends to be supported in order to live their own life† (Thompson, Sanderson and Kilbane, 2008). I feel the use of a support plan with Miss A, rather than a care plan is an anti-oppressive method, as it incorporates Miss As feelings and opinions into how she wishes to be supported. I used the formulation of a support plan with Miss A to record the objectives she would like to meet and used these to formulate an intervention. It was clear from the assessment and one page profile that limited contact with her mother was an issue, and that the death of her father had a significant impact on her life. I then proceeded to investigate theory of loss and grief as I had never experienced a loss of Miss As magnitude before. I found the Kubler-Ross Model and the 5 responses to grief to be particularly informative. (Goldsworthy, 2005). This theory helped inform my knowledge and in turn helped me be empathetic to Miss A. I was able to identify that Miss A can experience the 5 stages of grief and that they are not necessarily in a specific order. I felt Miss A was at two stages of grief, some days she experiences anger at her father leaving, and other times she has deep feelings of depression of losing him. I was able to use Kubler-Rosss model to identify these stages in Miss A, and also to advise her that these feelings were part of the normal process of grief. The assessment also identified that Miss A had a lack of support in discussing her feelings of grief. Research suggests that people with learning disabilities experience many of the emotions of bereavement but are limited in the opportunities they have to resolve their feelings of grief (Cathcart, 1995; Elliot, 1995; Read, 1996). There are many reasons for this and Murray et al explains that historically, professionals, parents or carers of individuals with learning disabilities believed that those in their care did not understand the concept of death and thus were unable to grieve for the loss of a loved one (McLoughlin, 1986; Elliot, 1995; Read, 1996 cited in Murray et al. 2000). Kitching (1987) and Bradford (1984) highlight that the capacity to grieve is not dependent on a persons intellectual ability, but that a person with learning disability may experience grief in the same way as a child. Therefore research shows that people with a learning disability experience grief and loss but have a limited support network to discuss it with. I used this research to formulate a plan for the intervention with Miss A and we concluded that I could be support for discussing her grief. From the assessment and care plan with Miss A, and following discussions my practice teacher, I discussed that I would use counselling skills to help support Miss A with her feelings of grief. I felt Miss A needed her emotional needs met since the feelings of the death of her father were so dominant. Miss A and I also decided that I would facilitate visits to her mother for emotional and physical support, as her mother was in the latter stages of dementia and Miss A found it hard to communicate with her. Intervention: Rationale for Counselling Intervention: After having conducted an assessment and care plan with Miss A, and building a rapport over numerous meetings, it was decided that a counselling intervention would be the most appropriate form of support for grief. My practice teacher and I felt that if Miss A had the opportunity to discuss her feelings this would help her grieve more effectively and perhaps help her cope better. The two models of counselling that are prominent in social work are the work of Carl Rogers and Gerard Egan, who base their counselling approaches from psychodynamic work around inner thoughts and feelings. Both counselling theories â€Å"reflect the social work values of accepting the individual, using skills in listening to the information that is given, and work towards a joint understanding and decision making about ways forward† (Coulshed and Orme, 2006). I focused on researching counselling theory to help me understand how I could help Miss A through her grief. Trevithick explains that within social work, humanistic approaches to counselling have been particularly influential, specifically with the work of Egan (1990) and Rogers (1961), mainly because they promote personal freedom and are consistent with anti-discriminatory practice and anti-oppressive perspectives† (Trevithick, 2000). I found that the Rogers (1961) Person Centred counselling informed me that I cou ld show unconditional positive regard for Miss A and understand that she is the expert of her own grief. I also analysed Egans (1990) Skilled Helper Model and found it to be an effective theory for an approach to counselling. I found that the structure and framework of the model and the three stages were useful as a guide to follow. I found that although this method of counselling may not be as person centred as Rogers it could be more effective in helping Miss A understand her own grief as it followed a certain framework, could empower her and could be evaluated over time. This theory helped inform my practice by helping me realise that I do not need to be a qualified counsellor to support someone; I just need to be able to actively listen, to use empathy and be reassuring knowing that Miss As agenda is paramount. I consider this in itself to be a person centred way of counselling. I decided to follow a combination of Rogerian method and Egans approach to help support Miss A as an intervention. I decided I would use the structure of Egans model to help build a logical, consistent framework to the intervention, while using the core principles of the Rogerian approach to demonstrate my skills and values, such as working with respect, empathy, genuineness and good active listening (Coulshed and Orme, 2006). Counselling Procedure: Egans Skilled Helper Model form of counselling provides a structured and solution focus basis. It is a three stage model in which each stage consists of specific skills that the helper uses to support the service user move forward (Nelson, 2007). Egans model is described as a three-stage process: identification of the service users current issue(s); identification of the service users desired situation; and the formulation of an action plan to achieve this. This process is facilitated by the â€Å"skilled helper† using the skills outlines by Egan (Nelson, 2007). The goal of using Egans model with Miss A was to help her manage her grief and better understand the â€Å"norms† associated with it, such as anger or depression according to the Kubler-Ross Model. Egan (1998) claims his model is to help people become better at helping themselves in their everyday lives. To provide Miss A with the empowerment to help herself grieve. The use of Egans Skilled Helper Model was to explore how Miss A felt about her bereavement. I used it to ask open questions about how Miss A felt about her father. We explored her past and discussed her relationship with her father before his death. I also used this stage to focus on aspects of her father before he died and what she missed about him, this was to explore and gather information about what her relationship was like with her dad. I was able to use a range of skills to gather information about Miss As grief. Trevithick (2000) explains that social work skills are â€Å"the degree of knowledge, expertise, judgement and experience that is brought into play within any given situation, course of action or intervention† (Trevithick, 2000). Some of the skills I incorporated into Egans counselling were active listening, I used this skill with a range of non verbal cues to indicate to Miss A that I was interested in what she was saying. I concentrated on active listening as Miss A was portraying feelings and knowledge of the death of her father which was a sensitive subject and needed my full concentration. I portrayed active listening by nodding, giving eye contact and facing Miss A which were successful in helping build a rapport with Miss A, thus helping her open up. Another skill I feel I used well with Miss A was empathy. I feel I portrayed my feelings of empathy by responding appropriately to her answers and reassuring her that her thoughts and feelings around grief were normal. I found myself using Empathy a great deal with Miss A as I had never experienced bereavement before and she helped me understand how it felt. Its easy to imagine how someone feels, but when youre faced with helping them I felt I really neede d to place myself in â€Å"her shoes†. I also found I made good use of silences with Miss A, I used these to give her time to reflect on her thoughts and answers. I have found by doing this that the meetings were paced better, and showed that she was the expert of her own grief and I was just there to listen and to reassure her. I found that by using Rogerian person centred skills like genuineness, empathy, communication and active listening I was able to understand Miss A and show her that I was there to support with her agenda. Throughout the discussions of grief I feel Miss A was able to vent a lot of her feelings that she had since her fathers funeral. I feel I was able to support her understand those feelings and help her recognise that anger, depression, or denial are normal feelings that many people in her situation suffer. Throughout Egans Skilled Helper Model and each of the sessions with Miss A I found that she responded well to being able to discuss her feelings with someone. The Rogerian influence on the intervention enabled me to build trust, partnership and a good rapport with her facilitating an open working relationship and providing her with support. Some of the values I tried to incorporate into my counselling and indeed my relationship with Miss A were empowerment and self-advocacy, by letting her know that her agenda was central. I wanted to create a balance of power and to provide a supporting role rather than a dictator role, which I feel I achieved by being able to listen to her views and incorporating PCP. Social work has a distinctive value base with beliefs and principles playing an important role in practice (Thompson, 2005). Challenging my values has helped me to treat Miss A with unconditional positive regard, and with the respect and dignity she deserves. I have challenged my values anti-oppressively by researching MRSA and not making assumptions about the condition; I have challenged my stereotypical attitude around learning disability demonstrating that Miss A is first and foremost a person with feelings and issues before recognising she has a disability. Evaluation: On evaluation of the Egans Skilled Helper Model and my intervention with Miss A have shown that her agenda was central to the sessions, a balance of power was necessary to achieve the trust and respect of one another and that listening is paramount to providing effective counselling. I entered the sessions with Miss A being unaware of what to expect, I was troubled that I would not have enough knowledge about grief to help support her. After the initial session I soon realised that I didnt need to be a qualified counsellor to make a difference to her understanding of grief, I just needed to be able to explain her feelings to her and reassure her that they were normal and not as she phrased it â€Å"being mental†. I found that by working with Miss A using the Skilled Helper Model I was able to apply my skills of listening, communication and empathy to help her understand her feelings. I have never personally had a bereavement of Miss As scale before but feel as a direct result of working with Miss A I have learned that grief is a powerful emotion for anyone to experience and it can take a significant amount of time to recover from. The only regret I have of using the Skilled Helper Model was that I feel I did not have enough time to fully help support Miss A, I feel as I had a placement of only eighty-five days I did not have enough time to fully counsel her for the best outcome. I feel throughout the intervention process I tried to maintain person centred principles with Miss A by providing her with the opportunity to discuss what was important to her. Research shows that the use of Egans model is not person centred as it incorporates the counsellor to ask all the questions, and therefore have the control; but I feel by working in partnership with Miss A to discuss the death of her father was important for her emotional well being and empowered her to help resolve her grief. I also incorporated Rogers core skills of genuineness, respect and trust to achieve this Conclusion Through working with Miss A I have found the experience to be invaluable learning. I have discovered that there is a spectrum of ability with adults and their learning disability. I have found that each person is an individual, and that group care is not necessarily recognising of this. In regards to Miss A I have learned not to make assumptions or stereotypes before meeting the person, as this can lead to oppression and even discrimination. Miss A is an individual, with individual needs, and at this assessment and intervention her emotional needs were prominent. I feel I completed the aims I had intended to by supporting Miss a through her grief using Egans Skilled Helper Model. I incorporated Rogers core skills into this model to help facilitate person centred sessions, and create an understanding that she was the expert, and I was there to listen and support her. If I was to repeat the intervention I would use Egans model again as it provided me with a structured, logical framework to work with and provided me with the identification of the skills I needed to make the sessions successful and effectively counsel Miss A. I feel my future learning needs from working with Miss A are to use more formal language as I identified I talked to her informally using words such as â€Å"wee†. I feel I did this to appear more friendly rather than her social worker, but realise this is not a professional manner to work. Other learning needs I identified were to pace the sessions more appropriately and ensure that Miss A understands the conversation. I feel during the initial sessions with Miss A I spoke more to engage her in the discussion, and feel this was more of a nervous reaction to having to counsel Miss A. During later sessions I was able to take this skill into consideration and settle quicker into sessions to give Miss A the opportunity to discuss what she wished. Overall I feel my relationship with Miss A was good, I feel the assessment and intervention were successful, and I feel I worked in a person centred way incorporating knowledge, skills and values to inform my practice. I feel Miss A felt positively about our work together as her feedback from sessions indicated that she was satisfied with the support I provided. References: 1. Beresford, P. (1996) The Standards we Expect: What Service Users and Carers Want fromSocial Services Workers. London: National Institute of Social Work 2. Bradford, J. (1984) Life after a Death, Parents Voice 34: 6-7 3. Cathcart, F. (1995) Death and People with Learning Disabilities: Interventions to Support Clients and Carers; British Journal of Clinical Psychology 34: 165-75 4. Coulshed, V., and Orme, J. (2006) Social Work Practice. 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