Managerial leadership Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Managerial leadership - Assignment Example ee engagement refers to increasing the motivation, and enthusiasm of employees, so that they are absorbed in their work, they make meaningful contributions to improve the work processes, and take they take positive action to increase the work level quality (Menguc, 2013, p. 2164). Organisations with higher levels of employee engagement experience high employee involvement in the work processes (Truss, 2013, p. 2659). Consequently, such organisations outperform other similar firms, where employees work to the rule (Mone, 2014, p. 43). This paper examines the role of leadership in increasing the level of employee engagement, the methods, and drivers to increase the engagement and examines important predictors, intellectual, social, and emotional capital, which helps to achieve higher employee engagement. While employee engagement, and a motivated workforce, that takes on extra responsibilities, while volunteering for extra work is desirable, the main task for the leadership is to obtain and channelize the employee interest and motivation, so that the organisation objectives are met (Saks & Gruman, 2013, p. 158). The second task of directing and focussing employee motivation to meet organisation objectives is facilitated by using structured work allocation, problem identification, brainstorming, group discussions, suggestion box, discussion forums, and by using work collaboration software (Shantz, 2013, p. 2613). However, the first task of motivating the staff, and increasing employee engagement is more challenging (Guest, 2013, p. 223), and, this topic remains the focus of this paper. This section critically reviews the literature on the subject of leadership responsibility and increasing employee engagement. In the discussion of employee engagement, three contexts become important, and these are intellectual, social, and emotional capital (Mone, 2014, p. 161). Intellectual capital refers to the intellectual property of an organisation, and it has two components

The Fight Over the Redwoods Essay Example for Free

The Fight Over the Redwoods Essay Pacific Lumber Company, founded in 1869, oversees the careful maintenance and logging of the world’s most productive timberland. Pacific Lumber holds the last private forest of old-growth Redwood. In addition to it’s unique hardwood, the Redwood forest hosts an ecosystem supporting virgin ground never logged, and the endangered Marbled Murrelet. After being purchased in 1985 by the Maxxam firm and it’s owner Mr. Hurwitz, Pacific Lumber tripled logging volume and looked to log the previously privately protected Redwood forest. Due to the use of junk-bonds for financial backing, Maxxam Inc.   needed to dramatically increase revenue streams to make interest payments which resulted in the reprioritization of business values. The health of the environment became second to the survival of Pacific Lumber. Poor business ethics led the timber company from a once highly profitable firm conscious of both the environment and long-term business stability, to one focused on short-term profitability without valuing the long term impacts of environmental change. The Fight Over The Redwoods Background Pacific Lumber Company, founded in 1869, owned 220,000 acres of some of the world’s most productive timberland. The family-run company incorporated the very best standards for environmental impact and business management. Through selective tree cutting and management of business structure, the Pacific Lumber Company maintained the worlds rarest old growth redwood forest. Due to deforestation through the end of the 1970’s, Pacific Lumber Company held the last Redwood resource thereby indirectly monopolizing the hardwood market. The company was debt free, treated their employees well, and managed a significant inventory to support their sustainment operations.  (Shaw, 2014) In 1985, Maxxam Incorporated acquired Pacific Lumber for 900 million dollars. Through the use of junk-bond financing to purchase the company, Maxxam Inc. had to manage significant interest payments on their loan. To manage high interest, Maxxam increased wood cutting that would eventually lead to the deforestation of previously protected land. 16 different lawsuits filed by environmental organizations brought Pacific Lumber operations to a halt with foresting operations in specific areas of their land. The legal reasoning was the protection of endangered species, and long-term impact to virgin ecosystems that existed nowhere else in the world. (Shaw, 2014) In 1999, Senator Diane Feinstein and Deputy Interior Secretary John Garamendi signed an agreement. The agreement brokered out land to the government through a 480 million dollar purchase, and banned logging in certain areas for fifty years in an effort to protect endangered species. The agreement also established an enforceable habitat protection plan to oversee Pacific Lumber operations for the foreseeable future. Pacific Lumber considered the deal to be a true testament that increased regulations by federal government stymied business profitability. Pacific Lumber ended up declaring bankruptcy in 2008. The lumber company was acquired by a well known firm that had ties to the timber community, held environmental considerations high, and worked well with politics involved. (Shaw, 2014) Case Analysis Question 1: Ancient forests, to include those of Redwood trees, have a value that is greater than just the face value of the lumber planned for logging. Considerations for a corporation’s growth and profitability is important. Employees depend on paychecks, healthcare, pensions, and other supporting programs such as scholarships and donations to the community. These benefits however, will never outweigh the value of untouched forest that supports threatened species. Addressing Redwood deforestation only encompasses a small portion of global concern. Ecosystems rely on one another to survive and operate in the environment they are found. Removing the Redwood hardwood forest would be the precipice for large scale ecological failure. An employee for Pacific Lumber may need a paycheck to maintain an adequate standards of living, but first needs a place to survive. If the ecosystem supporting our way of life collapses, so does our way of life. Question 2: Although land ownership is an individual right, what takes place on that land is still a concern for governing agencies. In this case, the impact to ecosystems covers an area greater than just the area owned by one individual or firm. Controlling the impacts of the landowners operation mitigates the impact to other landowners in the area. Owning land still requires a reasonable person to behave in a manner consistent with the law of the land. In this analysis, a gentlemen named Hurwitz backed Maxxam Inc. to purchase Pacific Lumber. Hungry for profits, he altered Pacific Lumber’s focus to the short term profitability of the firm, instead of long term sustainment of the business. Poor business practices put Maxxam Inc. in a position requiring a fixed amount of income to pay loan interest and fees. Hurwitz never assessed whether or not he could sustain payment with current operations and was forced to increase operations to make profitability still viable. (The Terrestrial Environment, 1998) Question 3: Mainstream environmentalists were correct to stop Pacific Lumber from ravaging it’s timberland. Prior business practices provided ecosystem shelter for endangered species and protected virgin forest from being logged. Changes to federal regulations and societal values required that these areas be protected despite ownership change. Behavior by radicalized environmentalists is often unacceptable because it results in damage to business property and potential injury to employees. They do, however, protect what would otherwise be destroyed with stale politics or businesses circumventing laws through unethical behavior. (Shaw, 2014) Question 4: We as a society have a moral obligation to protect rare environments such as the Redwood forest. Trees do not have inherent rights and must be represented by a governing body or entity with their environmental impact in mind if they are logged. Old growth forest support more than just the production of hardwood, it supports endangered species, fragile ecosystems, and the long term health of the planet. Endangered species cannot be recreated; The death of a species effects of the impact of two or three other species’ ecosystems, resulting in fluctuations throughout the entire food chain. (The Terrestrial Environment, 1998) Question 5: Prior to being bought out, Pacific Lumber operated a very controlled logging operation that matched tree-growth rates. Although this does not necessarily provide increased short term profitability, it does mean long term sustainment with predictability. Shareholders of Pacific Lumber knew they owned a dependable stock that would hold its value for years to come. Lumber produced from logging is a highly volatile market. Predictable operations gave employees stability and ensured the environmental interests of future generations to come. Pacific Lumber is an excellent example of how ethical business practices sustain the environment, or negate the importance of it in the interests of profitability. Question 6: The argument can be made that protecting private land from deforestation is not necessary due to the amount of land already protected by parks and reserves. What cannot be predicted is the impact to endangered species, or the separation and destruction of niche ecosystems that support a larger environmental scale. Taking away localized areas of trees, or ecosystems supported by old growth, will ultimately compound the negative effects of our constantly shrinking native environment. As human growth pushes into these areas, the result is an increase of a demand for a stable environment, despite destroying the very thing we need to exist. (Biological Issue, 2014) Question 7: The agreement made between the government and Pacific Lumber did cost the taxpayers more than what would be considered socially acceptable by a reasonable person. The argument equates the value of the land and it’s components to the cost of protecting it. By spending 480 million dollars, the land is federally protected against logging, forever. Endangered species may remain in the same state, but the uncontrolled elimination of their habitat has now been mitigated. The impact of the agreement to Pacific Lumber was the eventual bankruptcy filed in 2008. The resulting reshaping of the firm required layoffs and the decommission of certain assets to created a viable business. Employees lost their jobs, communities felt the impact of business fluctuation, and the local economy suffered. Although difficult, this suffering is short-termed and does not compare to the long term negative effects of deforestation to future generations. (Biological Issue, 2014) Conclusion Pacific Lumber is a perfect example of why ethical business practices must consider the environment along with other federal and state regulations within their operations. Focusing only on short term profitability is not indicative of long term sustainment and stability. Owners of large corporations must ensure that responsible values and core competencies are retained, despite being bought out. Controlling corporate growth helps maintain employee and shareholder interests, while simultaneously ensuring the health and welfare of the environment. References

Reshaping Care For Older People In Scotland Social Work Essay

Reshaping Care For Older People In Scotland Social Work Essay This project centres on the response from a group of service users who have been diagnosed with dementia and attend a day care service in the Perth and Kinross area to a consultation regarding the future delivery of care for older people in Scotland. Clearly, the Scottish government has stated that with the population of people aged 65 and over in Scotland expected to increase by up to 21 per cent by 2016 and 62 per cent bigger by 2031, as well as the increasing cost of funding health and social care hospital and care homes particularly, there is an urgent need to do things differently in order to be able to continue to provide sustainable and affordable and high quality care for older people in Scotland (Scottish Executive 2010). With the projected growth in the number of older people expected to create additional significant demand on care and support services; the question thus arise; what is to be done to reshape the delivery of care services in the future given these projectio ns? The consultation exercise focused on two main areas; responsibility for paying for the personal care of older people and the type of care that service users prefer. Free personal care for older people (aged 65 and above) was introduced in Scotland in 2002 after the Community Care and Health (Scotland) Act 2002 (hereafter referred to as CCHSA 2002) received royal assent. The background for the introduction of the policy is in the recommendation of the Royal Commission on Long Term Care (1999) which states that personal care should be available after assessment, according to need and paid for from general taxation. Scotland alone as Bowes and Bell (2007) noted, of the jurisdictions of the United Kingdom implemented the recommendation of the Royal Commission on Long Term Care (as above). In respect of the CCHSA 2002 which is the legislation that implements the policy of free personal care, personal care is defined under the Regulation of Care (Scotland) Act 2001 as including help with continence management, personal hygiene, mobility, assistance with eating, support and counselling services, personal assistance such as help getting up and out of be d, as well as help with medication. Many social policy commentators and researchers as well as various stakeholders have described Scotlands free personal care policy in various ways. Blair (2002) for instance views the free personal care policy as representing the very least that could be offered to older people with enduring ill-health, while Age Concern Scotland (2009) described the policy as successful in helping older people remain living independently in their own home instead of moving into residential care. While Dickenson et al. (2007) viewed the advent of the policy as a defining moment in the development of political devolution in the United Kingdom, Bowes and Bell (2007) described it as a flagship policy of the Scottish Parliament and representing a considerable investment by the administration. In a much less enthusiastic tone however, Ferguson (2005) noted that the recommendation made by the Royal Commission on Long Term Care (stated earlier) was initially rejected by the Scottish Executive as being too c ostly and that it was later accepted by the Scottish Executive in order to avoid parliamentary defeat. However, despite the success of the policy thus far and its political impact as briefly highlighted above, there is a growing concern in relation to its long term sustainability especially with the projected growth in the population of older people in Scotland (mentioned earlier) and the concomitant pressure on the public purse. For example Sutherland (2008) and Bowes and Bell (2007) both highlight the inadequate consideration of the cost of the policy, as well as the report of the Scottish Parliament Audit Committee (2005) which was very critical of the Scottish Executives failure to fully understand the cost of the policy. Bell et al. (2006) noted that there had been an apparent shift in the balance of care towards increased provision of care at home in Scotland before the introduction of the policy of free personal care and has remained the case since the policy was introduced, and remains one of the strongest points in relation to the aims of the policy. Bell et al (2006) further posit that the free personal care policy may have served as a logical solution to what the Royal Commission on Long Term Care (1999) termed the particularly problematic boundaries between health and social care in relation to people with chronic conditions such as dementia whose social and personal care needs result from a medical condition. If we agree with Bell et al here, we can see implications of the policy of free personal care within the integrated services and processes such as single shared assessments designed to encourage and support flexibility in services thus providing better choice for service users, while al so promoting equity through standardisation (Alaszewski et al 2004). The main aims of the policy of free personal care according to Scottish Executive (2005) include; encourage and help older people to remain and stay in their own homes for as long as is practicably possible and reasonable to do so, as well as provide personal care services on an equitable basis based on an assessment of peoples needs. Only one of the service users (out of a group of twelve) who participated in the focus group consultation for this project said she would prefer to go into residential care rather than to receive care at home. This further highlights the already well documented preference of older service users for care in their own home rather than move into residential care a major aim of the policy. Why the Policy is important: The policy of free personal care has been shaped by, and since its inception has shaped other policies in a number of ways both expected and un-anticipated. This interaction with other policies has been mainly in community care and spans social care and health, pensions and benefits, housing, rights and citizenship settings. One of the policy aims pursued by government in the United Kingdom has been the de-institutionalisation of social care; whereby social care is moved away from institutional settings to the community which according to Godfrey et al. (2004) reflects the general preference of older people to receive care at home and within their own communities (also expressed by the focus group participants for this project). The free personal care policy can be seen as a very important policy therefore as it supports care at home (a view shared by the focus group participants for this project) by providing older people with a lot more choice; for exa mple, they can choose when and if they will move from home care into residential care. According to the John Rowntree foundation (2006) the policy of free personal care for older people in Scotland has created a fairer system of care as well as well as reduced means-testing and money worries for those families with modest or limited means. This is also one of the important issues raised by some of the service users who participated in the focus group I facilitated for this project. Some of the participants revealed that things would definitely have been very difficult for them if they did not get assistance with personal care. To further buttress the above point, some of the service users who participated in the focus group were not in support of the government being responsible for the provision of personal care but did however support the provision of free personal care for those with limited means or who do not have a family to support them. One of the points also highlighted by service users during consultation was that the free personal care policy has helped thei r carers (informal carers) as well because it allowed them more time to carry out other less hands-on support and tasks such as social outings. Some of the issues the policy aims to address include; a greater understanding of the role of the family, the provision of informal care and the mechanisms which can be further developed to provide support for the provision and recognition of the important contribution s of informal care. The overall design of the future social care makes looking at the policy of free personal care very important because of its direct and indirect interaction with other policies and areas of social care mad health, as well as housing, benefits and pensions, citizenship and rights. Some of the interactions of the policy with the wider objective of shifting the balance of care away from institutional settings towards care at home have already been mentioned. The policy of free personal care has implications for housing, for instance if more and more people are going to be receiving care at home, to be able to live independently with support therefore, perhaps a good number of houses would require adapt ations especially for those service users with mobility problems whose own houses may not have been built to barrier free standards. If also look at pension credits, for example, according to the Help the Aged (2005) one implication of the introduction of the policy of free personal care is that local authorities have directed increased efforts towards service users income maximisation meaning local authorities will want to make sure service users claim pension credit if they are eligible for it because it will local authorities will be paying less in fees and thus saving money. Erskine (1998) argues that the point of departure for thinking about social policy includes the consideration of social issues (for example, the changing demographic structure of society) and the experience of social groups (for example older people) and thus leads to social action (Alcock 2008) aimed at addressing the issues identified. One of the reasons I selected the free personal care policy for my project apart from the fact that it directly affects the service user group with whom I worked during my practice learning period, there is a wealth of evidence from research which suggests that the current system of adult social care is not sustainable in the longer term especially with the projected growth in the number of older people who will be needing care as well as the severe squeeze on public spending. Clearly, an increase in longevity would be regarded as a sign of success in the improvement of healthcare it also presents a huge challenge. Consequently, the provision of high quality care services and support for older people, given the demographic changes and reduced public finances is regarded as one of the three biggest challenges facing Scotland alongside economic recovery and climate change (Scottish Executive 2010). The policy of free personal care is part of the overall vision of the Scottish government to modernise adult care services, make it fit for purpose, a systems that gives choice and control to service users, is responsive to the needs of a 21st century Scotland and shifts the focus away from crisis response towards a more preventative approach (Scottish Executive (2010). The provision of high quality care and support for older people is a fundamental principle of social justice and is an important hallmark of a society that is both compassionate and caring, Scottish Executive (2010). This is one of the very reasons why the policy was selected for this project; to gather evidence from service users in relation to their views and opinions on the future of care services and support for older people in Scotland. The value of user involvement and participation in the planning and development of the services they receive cannot be over-emphasised as will be discussed in the next section of this paper. This project focuses on service users who have been diagnosed with dementia or a cognitive impairment and attend a day centre service in Perth. Part Two: Reflective Account Service users selection and involvement: One of the reasons I facilitated a response from the service users in my placement agency for the consultation and policy used in this project was because the service users themselves are important stakeholders and are at the receiving end of implementation they experience it on a daily basis. Service users can be viewed as experts by experience and as such their views and opinions are invaluable assets in the planning and delivery of adult social care services. All the service users who participated in the consultation live in their own homes and are in receipt of free personal care and thus have firsthand experience of the impact of the policy and are also in a good position as (service users) to share their perspectives on how adult care and support services can be further developed to meet future needs. After initial meetings with my Link Worker and the other members of staff during which the purpose of the consultation was discussed and ethical issues looked at, I spoke with service users individually (with the assistance of three members of staff) in the day centre. I discussed the purpose of the consultation, took the names of those who indicated their willingness to participate, and informed them about the consent form to be made available before the focus group, as well as negotiated a suitable time and date. My placement agency being a day care centre which the service users attend on a daily basis, what I did was to put up informa tion about the time, aims and date of the consultation on the notice board in the dining room as well as the one in the activity room from about two weeks before the date of the focus group. One of the reasons I did this was so that service users are constantly reminded of the date and details of the consultation. In relation to user involvement, as Ross et al. (2005) points out, there is no single blue print for user involvement as it calls for working with a diversity of perspectives. Importantly, as an emerging social worker who firmly believes in the principles of anti-oppressive practice or what Thompson and Thompson (2001) termed empowering practice I wanted an approach that would foster service user participation, and support their engagement as much as possible in the consultation. I decided to use Beresfords (2002) democratic model of user involvement as against the consumerist model because it is much more in line with the purpose of the consultation itself bringing about change through collective action as well as to give service users more say and control in decisions that affect their lives. In applying the democratic model of user involvement for instance, I encouraged open participation in the focus group. I did not select a particular service user to participate in the focus g roup discussion, rather what I did was to encourage everyone to participate and the response was very positive as twelve out of thirteen service users participated in the focus group discussion. Two of the participants in the focus group had special needs visual and hearing impairment respectively. I arranged with one of the three members of staff who co-facilitated the focus group to work the two service users using individual work sheets to record their views and opinions. I provided each participant with a copy of the aims of the consultation, as well as a copy of the agenda for the focus group discussion. I also used one of the pre-focus group meetings that I had with the service users to encourage their involvement; for instance one of the service users asked me if I would like them to tell me only what I wanted to hear during the focus group discussion and I told the service user that I was not looking for them to tell me only what I would like to hear, rather they should exp ress their opinions and perspectives on the issues we were going to discuss. I believe such an approach to user involvement is important for increasing the confidence of participants in the focus group. Data collection: I used a qualitative rather than a quantitative method of data collection for the project and this was mainly informed by a consideration of what Becker and Bryman (2004) termed the main concerns and preoccupations of the qualitative method actors (for example service users), meanings and descriptions, as well as an emphasis on flexibility, process and context. The main qualitative method I used was the facilitation of a focus group with the service users in my placement agency as participants. I used a focus group approach to gather data from the service users because it generates data in a narrative rather numerical form. It was also very important for the data collection method to be flexible and take account of the circumstances of the data subjects in this case the service users are elderly people with dementia or a cognitive impairment and it was very important to put this into consideration. The focus group approach was the most suitable method because it pr ovided a forum within which the service users could discuss important aspects of a policy which directly affects them, and their views on the future of adult social care services is very useful because they are important stakeholders. If we also look at it from the point of view of service user empowerment and anti-oppressive practice, the focus group approach also gives the service users control as they are able to share and discuss their experiences and the interaction amongst the different participants would generate a lot of data as well as being useful and enjoyable. Other sources of data used in the project include; government policy and legislative documents, literature review, as well as publications/evidence reviews from voluntary groups/organisations such as Age Concern Scotland and the John Rowntree Foundation. Ethical and effective practice: As part of the consideration of the ethical aspects of my work with the service users who participated in the focus group which I facilitated in the course of carrying out this project, some of the things I did include; encouraging participation was voluntary and that consent was obtained from all the service users who agreed to participate in the focus group. I provided each service user with a consent form which they signed as evidence that they consented voluntarily and that they had the right to withdraw their participation at anytime. I also made sure none of the service users was intentionally or indirectly excluded from participating in the focus group (as mentioned earlier), or disadvantaged. As mentioned earlier, I two of the participants in the focus group had special needs one was visually impaired but not blind while the other was hearing impaired and used hearing aids. Some of the things I did to enable their participation in the focus group for instance includes; providing written information in large print format as well as making arrangements for one of the co-facilitators to work with them. I also ensured that they were able to take part in the discussion; for example, asking them politely for their opinions while also making sure (given group dynamics) that the discussion was not being dominated by only those who could actively discuss. Part Three: Assessing the Impact on Users and other Key Stakeholders Several participants in the focus group revealed that the free personal care policy has been of help to them and has enabled them to remain at home rather than moving into residential care. Nearly all the participants agreed that personal care should remain free. However, there were strong responses from some of the participants in relation to responsibility for paying for personal care; one participant was very strong on his position that the family should be responsible for paying for personal care, another argued that while he was not against the idea of the family taking responsibility for paying for personal care, he was being considerate of those who did not have a family or who simply could not afford it because they had very limited or no means at all. The participant with the latter argument suggested that older people should be means tested for the receipt of free personal care. Another participant also argued that older people should continue to receive free personal care because they had spent their working years paying taxes and national insurance and should therefore be taken care of by the state. All participants in the focus group emphasized the important role of informal care and the support they receive from their family members, only one of the participants revealed that she would prefer to go into residential care her reason being that she lives alone in her home and would feel safer in residential care. Several participants said they would prefer to remain in their own homes for as long as possible and free personal care has been contributory to making this possible. There is a strong suggestion from the government documents consulted for this project and publications from key organisations such as the John Rowntree Foundation, that the free personal care policy has been very successful as confirmed also by the participants in the focus group for this project. However, there is also a strong tone of concern (in most of the government publications and evidence reviews) vis-a-vis the financial implications of the policy given the projected growth in the number of older people by the year 2032. For example, if we look at housing, a greater proportion of older people receiving care at home would perhaps increase the demand for housing and housing related services (Scottish Executive 2010). Age Concern Scotland (2009) noted with concern that much of Scotlands housing stock is not easily adapted for someone with mobility problems, and with the balance of care increasingly shifting towards care at home (with free personal care and personalisation as pot ent drivers) there are implications for local services and the design of communities in the future. Most of the participants in the focus group were diagnosed with an early onset of dementia meaning their dementia has not reached an advanced stage and so do not lack capacity. One impact of free personal care for this group of service users is that it has given them choice; they can choose to receive care at home or take up residential care. Nearly all the participants expressed preference for care at home, increased support, choice and flexibility for their family and informal carers, as well as support to keep them (person with dementia) in their own home for as long as possible even during advanced stages of dementia. Participants also said they would like to see more choice and control; some of the participants expressed disappointment in the fact that while they are often consulted with about their opinions, some of the important things they need are not provided. The service users would like to be more involved in decision making as one of the participants in the focus group said; I can tell you a problem that is niggling me and close to my heart and you can go away and promise to do something about it without doing it. Generally, the participants in the focus group appeared to be more concerned about the quality of the services they receive than the cost or who pays for it. The participants all said they wanted services that are reliable as well as responsive to their individual and changing needs. Two of the participants with other disabilities visual and hearing impairment respectively, also agreed that while the free personal care policy has added to the financial resources at their disposal, they still feel they have a number of unmet needs. For example, they mentioned transportation and being able to go on social outings, cleaning their homes as well as taking care of their garden as some of their needs which remain unmet. They also appear to have a holistic view of what free personal care entails; they believe it covers all aspects of care for older people. These two participants also noted that while the free personal care policy has enabled them to receive care at home, it is likely that as their conditions deteriorate they may still have to go into residential care and this may perhaps be the case for the larger proportion of older people with disabilities. In terms of the wider implications of the free personal care policy, one of main objectives of the reshaping care programme (Scottish Executive 2010) for which this project is based overall, as I mentioned earlier is a shift in focus from crisis response to preventative approaches, Scottish Executive (2010). This renewed emphasis on preventative and early intervention approaches by the Scottish government Dickinson et al. (2007) believe would be helped as free personal care may make older people more willing to contact their respective local authorities and thus provide some scope for early intervention and preventative work. As we can infer from the findings and evidence from research presented in this report thus far, the provision of free personal care is just one aspect of the overall picture of services and support for older people in Scotland. There are (as discussed earlier) significant implications for other key areas of public policy including housing, transport, pensions as well as employment. Part Four: Critical Analysis The introduction of the policy of free personal care in Scotland as Ferguson (2005) puts it, marks the beginning of policy divergence between Scotland and the rest of the United Kingdom. Fergusons assertion also echoes Mooney and Wrights (2009) account of the difference in the way the four nations which constitute the United Kingdom view, experience and organise policy responses to their social problems. The policy has been largely welcomed and viewed by various stakeholders as part of a Scottish solution to Scottish problems. Drakes (2001) assertion that social policies are not created in a vacuum but are guided by values, principles and objectives is perhaps useful here when we look at the overarching principles and values which underlie the policy of free personal care. For example, Scoot and Mooney (2009) posit that the promotion of shared citizenship and social justice, as well as the alleviation of the effects of economic inequality are some of the essential principles of the p olicy. While these principles and values were never quite in doubt in relation to what the policy stands for, one of the points raised during consultation (in the focus group with participants from my placement agency) and as stated by the Care Development Group (2001) is the issue of equity of access for different user groups in this case for example, service users with dementia. According to the Care Development Group, free personal care is right in principle because it removes the discrimination previously encountered by older people with chronic or degenerative conditions such as dementia who require personal care. The findings in this project are critically analysed (in this section of the paper) in relation to the specific topics covered in the focus group. The three topics are; responsibility for paying for care, the preferred type of care, and planning for the future. Responsibility for paying for care: As I mentioned in previous sections of this paper, participants in the focus group expressed mixed views concerning responsibility for paying for personal care. Although most participants agreed that personal care should be provided for older people and paid for by the government, there were some participants who held very strong opposing views and argued that the family should either pay for personal care or at least make some financial contribution (co-payment) towards it. Another participant also suggested the introduction of means-testing to the policy so that only older people with limited means receive free personal care. Overall, participants in the focus group discussion did not appear to be too concerned about the cost or who pays for personal care. The participants revealed that they were more concerned about the quality of the services they receive, ensuring that such services meet their individual needs and are able to remain in their o wn homes for as long as possible and spend time with their families. Sutherland (2008) reminds us that while free personal care is currently available to older people at the point of delivery, someone still had to pay for it presently the taxpayer. On the question of who should be responsible for paying for personal care, findings from the focus group fall under two broad categories; selective access and universal provision. Both categories perhaps raise a number of interrelated issues including; rights, citizenship, choice, empowerment, as well as the redistribution of welfare resources which according to Hills (2008) is central to the appraisal of social policy. If we apply Drakes (2001) conception of the function of rights to the above findings from the focus group, most participants view free personal care as something they have a right to (as older Scots who had spent their working lives serving the country in different ways) receive and it confers certain benefits on them; choice and empowerment particularly as they can now choose whether to receive care at home or move into residential care as one participant even revealed at least I will not have to sell my house to pay for my personal care. While it was evident from th e focus group as I mentioned earlier, that service users had a holistic view of what free personal care entails, some of them were also not aware of or perhaps considered the wider implications of the cost of the policy for example the implications for housing as I also discussed earlier. The cost of the policy in the longer term has been highlighted in worrying terms by many writers and commentators on social policy, as well as the by Scottish government. Considered against the backdrop of Scotlands changing demographics, evidence from the literature consulted for this project suggests that the policy may not be sustainable in the long term. For example, in an independent report on the free personal care policy by Lord Sutherland (2008) it was argues that a more holistic view of public funding arrangement would be required because the policy is only sustainable (under the current arrangement) over the next five years after which the impact of a rapid increase in the number of olde r people and demographic change will begin to set in. The question then arises; why was the financial implication of the policy not strongly considered before the machinery of implementation was set in motion? There are a number of arguments emanating from several of the literature consulted for this project in relation to the financial cost of the policy and there are suggestions as I highlighted earlier, that costing the policy has been inadequate and that the policy had more of a political aim (Sutherland 2001; Eccles 2001). Blair (2002) posits that social policy plays a pivotal role in the construction of later life itself. Blairs argument that older people are often discussed and defined in reports through the psychological distance of demography, deficit and economics (Blair 2002) is evident in most of the reports and evidence reviews consulted for this project thus beclouding the reality that many older people are already doing well for themselves without or with very little state support as one of the participants in the focus group discussion said we are already doing enough to take care of ourselves but what is wrong with receiving free personal care, have we not worked for it? The preferred type of care: As I reported in previous sections of this paper, only one of the participants in the focus group said she would prefer to move into a residential home. She cited fear and insecurity when her health deteriorates as the main reason for her choice of residential care. As is already well documented in research (Dickinson et al. 2007) older service users would prefer to stay out of the formal system of care for as long as possible given the choice. Although participants in t

New Technology Essay -- Cause Effect Technological Computers Essays

New Technology In my research, I am focusing on the new technology dealing with computers. This technology includes CD writers, DVD players, digital cameras, and cable modems. I will describe each technology and then how it will effect today’s society. Technology is the way of the world now, so improving technology helps to improve the society. CD writers are the wave of the future. What is a CD writer one may ask? A CD writer is simply a technology device that allow one to record information onto a CD and then the CD is used for storage instead of using the hard drive. Why would you want something that records CDs? CD-RWs are a great storage device. You can create valuable backup volumes for your important files and programs, share your work with friends and colleagues in an easy-to-manage and familiar format, and make mixed audio CDs from CDs in your personal collection or even from old tapes and vinyl. How much does something like this cost? Below you will find a chart showing different CD writers available, the cost, and other valuable information. CD writers are not for everybody, but they are worth checking into. Another new technological device for computers is the DVD player. DVD stands for digital video drive. Recall that VCR sitting in your den? VCRs are quickly diminishing as DVD players are beginning to take over. Why the DVD player? A DVD player has better graphics then does a VCR. The DVD also takes up less space then videotapes since they are on a CD. With the DVD player, one can play games or simply watch movies from their very own computer. Prices for DVD players vary depending upon brand, speed, and other determining factors. DVD players range between $179.94 to $1,299.95. As well as DVD players for the computer, DVD players for the TV are becoming available. Some people will want a DVD player for their computer while others will want it for their TV and still others will stick with their VCRs for the time being. Below you will find a list of available DVD players and their cost. Oritron-DVD player PYD200 $179.94 Toshiba-DVD player RC522OP $249.94 GE –DVD player GE11059 $199.94 JVC-DVD Changer XVM555BK $349.95 CABLE MODEMS--Wave of the Future? If you think about the future, what is the first thing that comes to mind? Well, in the minds of most people the word compu... ...ia of professional cameras, film is still cheaper. They are light and portable and don't require a computer on constant standby. Now that you have seen the advantages and disadvantages of film and digital, do not take on a solid opinion. Each have their own benefits, different applications can benefit from one of the two main kinds of cameras. As said before, entry level digital cameras are most practical from high use applications where resolution is not a big issue. Professional digital cameras are probably most practical for a professional photographer who need instantly processed images cheaply and on a computer. Film allows more unspecialized people like the common shutter bug or family member who wants to store good memories. To conclude this presentation, digital cameras will become as cheap and as good as film cameras are right now. The keyword is eventually. Digital cameras still have a long way to go before they can seriously rival film. Computer Technology will keep affecting our lives in many ways. Such technological advances will be better than others. But it will all affect us in one way or another. Also such advances in technology will revolutionize the future.

The poems I, Too and The Negro Speaks of Rivers by Langston Hughes Compare & Contrast

Have you ever read a poem that cached your eye? Ever wondered how that poem is similar to others or different? Perhaps you read a poem about animals, the economy or someone’s feelings. The poems I, Too and The Negro Speaks of Rivers by Langston Hughes, have many important similarities and differences. One could have been when he was young and the other when he was older. He describes what he’s seen and done in The Negro Speaks of Rivers. In the poem I, Too, he describes what he wants to do. In both of these poems they cross a point where it is noticeable what they have in common. Both have very strong views, along with the positive attitudes that he has towards inequality and discrimination. He attempts to get his voice out so everyone can see what he really wants to say. Also, they have many differences with the things he has done. There are many differences between I, Too and The Negro Speaks of Rivers. In I, Too Hughes expresses more internal than external and he speaks about himself more than speaking about others around him. Secondly, he describes racism and the way he is unequally treated. They don’t treat him fairly and he has challenges to over come. Therefore, he opens up to what he did and is going to do. He also wants people to notice him more. Hughes, wants to be visible to others, not invisible. Americans should be treated the same and that’s what he says he wants to be treated, the same as others, because he too is American. His tone is surprisingly joyful, hopeful and confident. His feelings as well as his being, are important. He is, he isn’t ashamed of who he is and tries to explain who he is and the actions he wants to take. He wants a change in his life and will no longer put up with the situation he is in. Another difference between the two poems is that in The Negro Speaks of Rivers, he is expressing more of an external concerned vs. an internal manner. However, he speaks more about beauty, nature and the world and describes the things he’s seen and wants to see. Hughes, wants to explore and travel the world. He wants to see the things around him. Next, the poet describes the different things he has seen and the places where he has gone. He, therefore expresses how beautiful the world can be if one goes out an explores; this shows he is more free than before. Hughes, takes on a serious tone and the poem is more formal. Time has passed when he wrote this poem according too, the places and events he has seen with Abe Lincoln and slavery. Hughes, describes the things that have occurred during the time of his life and him seeing everything. There are some similarities between the two poems, I, Too and The Negro Speaks of Rivers. For example, they both talk about the abolishment of slavery. Everyone has the right to be treated equally. The world can be cruel to everyone but everyone has something to look forward to and live life happily. In both poems, he expresses how in both situations he had obstacles to over come and how the world can come to a change. He had both strong and positive words to express in both poems. According to his poem I, Too â€Å"My soul has grown deep like the rivers† he says his soul hasn’t stopped, he continues to fight for what he really wants and he is beautiful no matter what. He also states, â€Å"Besides, They'll see how beautiful I am and be ashamed† he says he’s beautiful inside and out. He wants to show everyone who he really is and says he is both strong and confident. Hughes, is no longer the same man as he was before as he expresses in the line â€Å"bathed in the Euphrates. † He expresses, the lives of African Americans and how they are being treated during that time. In conclusion, although both have many differences, they also have many things in common. Both poems have very strong views and ways to express his feelings. He also had positive views towards both of the poems to get his voice out so everyone can hear and see what he really wants to say. He expresses the obstacles he has done and wants to do with the challenges he is going to face. In both poem he abolishes slavery and express the way they wanted slavery to be vanished. In both of these poems they cross a point where it is noticeable what they have in common. He describes what African Americans really go through and what they really feel. They came to America for an opportunity not for slavery. As time passed, things had changed along with himself and the world. He did an amazing job to express himself with his writing to get his point across with both poems.

Responce to Blood Brothers essays

Responce to Blood Brothers essays This play is an observation of modern day living and also of the evils of the class system. The main three characters in the play are Eddie, Mickey and Mrs Johnstone. Eddie and Mickey are twins, and Mrs Johnstone is their mother. They are separated at birth and grow up unaware of this. The play is told in a form so that the only person that changes his or her role is the narrator, who changes throughout in order to create the idea that the main characters are somehow cut off from the outside world at that they are unable to escape that. The Narrator follows the plot and is there from the first page to the last, almost like some deadly ethereal spectre, and he represents the devil that he often talks about. He is always a figure in the background, never directly intervening for good nor ill, he only accelerates the sense of impending disaster. The play itself is a musical, and all the music that is in it boils down to one theme tune, this theme is in the piece of music Tell me its not true. And all the other music in the play is based on that one tune. The music itself is quite sad and almost ominous, and it is made clear early on in the play that the ending will not be pleasant. Having seen the ending of the play at the start, and always knowing that Mickey and Eddie are going to die dramatically changes the way we, the audience see the play. We now see that the childish play of Eddie and Mickey the first time they meet is tainted with a sense of foreboding and dread, we also see this in the fairground scene where the narrator utters the lines And whod dare tell, the lambs in spring, What fate the later seasons bring. This really puts unease in our hearts and we know that even in this scene of apparent happiness and joy there is a hidden evil, and that disaster awaits, whatever they do. They are plagued by som ...