Part-Time Job While Studying Essay

The modern world now provides students with the best condition for studying. Therefore, some people suppose that they need not to have a part-time job any more but try to focus on their study. On the other hand, the rest of them argue that a part-time job still plays an important role in forming the necessary experience for students. To the best of my knowledge, despite the current comfort in education, it is still essential that students should take part in a particular part-time job for many reasons. To begin with, many peoples present the reasons for the unnecessity of having a part-time job among students. The first point is that a part-time job can make students spend less time on their study, thereby harming their study result. Another reason is that the part-time job environment is often not professional and safe, which can put students at the risk of being defrauded. The final reason is that taking part in a part-time job will cause more pressure to students, consequently affecting badly their health. However, in my opinion, such reasons above are still one-sided and not so persuasive. Coming back to the first point above, we can agree that the completive world now makes students become more sensible that they used to be. In fact, most of the students know that their study in school must be the main means of providing them with a good future, not their part-time jobs. In the second reason presented above, the unsafe environment of part-time jobs, on one hand, maybe make students defrauded, on the other hand, give the students valuable experience about real life. Therefore, they will certain the more successful people in the future than the ones who do not participate in a part-time job. Finally, suffering from the part-time jobs for a certain time can help students find the best way of reconciling between their study and working. Surely they will know how to draw an effective schedule for their lives. Finally, in favor of the people arguing the necessity of having a part-time job, I can give some reasons for my point of view. To begin with, a part-time job will give students more experience about life which they cannot earn at school such as the skills of communication, how to be a confident person. This can help them become more mature and easier to be successful in future. The second reason is that students can widen their relationship by participating in a part-time job. In fact, the more friends they have, the more probably they will deal successfully with the obstacles in life. Last but not least, taking part in a part-time job can help students earn more to support their study. Consequently, they will be less dependent on their parents and believe more in their own ability. To sum up, it is quite essential that students should have a part-time job while studying. This will give them many valuable lessons which they cannot find in any academic school. In fact, we just study in school in the first twenty years of life, but we study in real life during the rest of our lifetime.

Ema Essay

The main reason for this is the radical changes put in place so rapidly with immediate effect. This resulted in lack of structure and consistency throughout the whole chain stores, as you gave each store manager to much autonomy to change the store i. e. decor, food menu etc. , the business culture values as a whole was lost and that was what made the business a success before. I understand some changes had to be made but not so drastically. The loss of business culture and lack of dimension of structure had a lot negative effect in the business especially demographic and sociology factor wise as regular customers dislike the changes and constant change in staff router, the reason for this was staff/managers never has any incentive target to work towards so they would leave after short while which causes extra expenditure cost. Some good ideas drawn from the case study but presented in a quite unstructured way Part b) In Study session 1 we introduced a series a metaphors to describe a business one of them was business as a culture which is a pattern of belief and expectation shared by the organisational members. These beliefs and expectation produces norms that powerfully shape the behaviour of individual and groups within the organisation. As you recruited new staff with no experience and gave managers freedom to change each branch to their liking it took away the business identity and culture. The cause of this is inadequate training giving to new staff and lack of knowing the root/history of the business. A good example is how Disney world recruit and trains their staff, after passing the first phase the second is enrolling at university of Disney land where they undergo forty-hour apprenticeship programme, employee learn about the history and philosophy of Disneyland, and the regulation and procedures that govern work. The way Disney recruits is essential to keep hold of the business ethics and culture. OK but make sure the TMA maintains focus on the set question. Another example by Drennan (1992), who proposed 12 key factor that shape the culture of the business some of these are: The influence of a dominant leader-the vision, management style and personality of the founder or leader in a business often has a significant influence on the value that the business tries to promote The history of the business – how things has always been done The customers of the business who are they and what they expect The reward system and the measurement of performance c) These factor (above) could be useful to you to address your business problems vague and general in the future if put in place other suggestions are: Practices: These are the rites, ritual and ceremonies of the business. These can take many forms, and would include the annual office party, employees and inner site completion (what does this mean? ). (as mentioned before) Physical form: these include location, open plan or individual plan or individual office. Not relevant in a restaurant. Communication: Stories of notable events in the past tend to become part of the culture of the business and can influence behaviour explain how this relates to the case. A common language: jargon is common to many business. It is a convenient short hand form of communication, but is also effect behaviour. Disney employees are â€Å"cast crew† while McDonalds employee are â€Å"crew Members†. You have to be careful to hold on to the facts of the case, and not to go off at a tangent. Part 2 One of topics I found interesting through reading and taking part in discussion (book1 TMA01 Activity 1. 3) through TGF, which was the concept of business culture & whether a business culture can be changed. At first I thought how a culture integrates in a business metaphorically and the more I read and researched the more I understood the big role it plays in a successful business. Many cultural element of a business is not obvious, but there has been attempts in the academic literature to develop definition and identify influencing factors. It is possible to see, or feel, that one business is different from another, and that this involves more than just how it present itself to the outside world.. During our discussion on whether a business culture can be changed, I felt that as human we have to adapt to new cultures to understand each other so for a business is imperative for changes to be put in place to modernise the business culture where needed to evolve the business. Some key factors influencing culture are: Which industry or sector he business is in, and how much and what type of competition it faces The procedures and policies within the business – ever-evolving, but often a good indicator of underlying values. The reward system and the measurement of performance Good summary Where is your references list? Where is your word count? MARKING GRID Part I Maximum Marks Your Marks Question 1 (a) Identify the problems faced by Lodge Bistro that relate to the study session chosen Explicit identification of the study session chosen20 List of problems106 Why these are problems and how these affect Lodge Bistro1814 Total marks Q1(a)30 20

Database Management Systems Lab Report Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Database Management Systems - Lab Report Example All the users of the system must be satisfied. It is, therefore, important that the underlying database, which is the core data source and storage, meet all the needs. This project aims to implement a possible underlying database for a General Practice. A General Practice is a people centered environment, thus details of people is important for any form of operations to be undertaken. Patients trickle in and are admitted while doctors treat patients and prescribe medicines. Patients can also be referred to other health institutions it sent to the laboratory for medical tests. All these activities have to be recorded somewhere, and in such a way that the records reflect on these important activities. Additionally, doctors and other health workers need this data to perform even basic tasks such as appointment and referrals. Diagnosis can also be made with the aid of a repository of possible diseases, which the doctor can use to decide on the next course of action. This system will use a database known as GP for General Practice. We begin by identifying the main entities of the system. These are the the most obvious entities that will reflect on the database in its first normal. More entities can be derived from these so as to enable a normalized database when translating it to its physical schema. For this project, we used MySQL Workbench Community Edition for the modeling as well as the physical design. The UML diagrams and SQL code in this report have been directly extracted from MySQL Workbench CE. Connection to the database was through the WampServer, which additionally holds the final database. The tables are written in Standard Query Language (SQL). Therefore, any code in this paper will be in this language. The patient is a nonfunctional entity within this system, but it the most important data source since all operations are

How Healthy Nutrition Can Prevent Cancer Assignment

How Healthy Nutrition Can Prevent Cancer - Assignment Example Carcinogen formation in foods can be minimized by reducing the number of heterocyclic amines (HCAs) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) chemicals formed in muscle meat during cooking. This can be achieved by: Cancer cachexia involves death or great loss of appetite through loss of fats and muscles. Numerous cytokines like TNF-ÃŽ ±, IL-6, and IL-1 play a significant role in causing Cancer cachexia. They are connected with several metabolic changes that result in developing cachexia in cancer patients. These cytokines have the capability to imitate the action of diverse neuropeptides in order to cause cachexia, several metabolic impacts as a result of an enhanced catabolic condition and weight loss. Following are some of the significant symptoms of cachexia cancer: A neutropenic diet is a special  diet designed  for people having  a weak  immune system. It assists in safeguarding against  bacteria and other lethal  organisms contained  in certain  food and drinks. If an individual's  immune system is not functioning properly it is an indication that his/her  body is struggling hard to  protect  itself from these bacteria. When an individual is  on a neutropenic diet he/she must: Moreover, special care must be taken when consuming certain groups of foods like the dairy products among which unpasteurized milk or yogurt must be avoided. Similarly, foods containing nuts like cereals, bread and rolls with nuts must be avoided (Mahan & Escott-Stump, 2012). People experiencing Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) may feel tired or lacking energy quite earlier as compared to other healthy individuals. So they need to have smaller more frequent meals. Also, they need a high energy and protein diet consisting of meat servings.

International Law and Human Rights Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

International Law and Human Rights - Essay Example ive sense of cultural relativism, ethnocentrism, or nationalism – is one of those which distinguish the United States’ from the international human rights perspective. (346) Indeed, history has proved that the American Congress and its deliberations are characterized by a consistent concern to protect the sanctity of the US political institutions in a diverse world and a perspective suspicious and disdainful of things foreign. This American relativist attitude according to Patrick and Forman obstructs the United Nations’ human rights objective, which is to promote universal respect for human rights and fundamental freedom for all without distinction as to race, sex, language or religion.1 And so it is understandable to assume that the areas of jurisdiction as well as the enforcement of the World Court’s mandates regarding disputes, such as in human rights, are problematic areas of concern when nations refuse to accede or at least comply with international requirements. The United States in 1986 withdrew from compulsory jurisdiction of the International Court of Justice, which meant that it accepts the court’s jurisdiction only on case-to-case basis. 2 But however the case is, one cannot deny the role that World Court, the International Criminal Court and War Crimes Tribunals assume in the peaceful and orderly coexistence among the community of nations. They serve as an affirmation of the legality of the world bodies, particularly of the United Nations. As with the other governmental institutions, the judicial branch is central to the efficiency and legitimacy of a government. According to M. Henri Spaark, who was the first President of the United Nations General Assembly, peace will not be achieved if there would be no absolute respect for international jurisdictions and its judgments.3 (Raic1997, 4) The World Court and the International Criminal Court under the wing of the United Nations have already proven their relevance as with the indictment of

The key difference between argument and persuasion is that persuasion Essay - 1

The key difference between argument and persuasion is that persuasion necessitates your selection of a specific audience to which the writing is addressed - Essay Example Drug is any medication that is prescribed to treat an illness or modify the body from its disease at any state. Substance abuse is the use of a certain drug for reasons not specified which can be harmful to them or their colleagues. Teenagers have been reported highly to use certain drugs in their day to day lives certain drugs in their day to day lives. Some of the drugs mostly abused by students include; marijuana, cocaine, tobacco, heroin and inhalants. Alcohol is another socially abused substance. Students take it with the idea of removing stress, yet in the real sense, it does not. Some of the factors that influence students to engage in drug taking are peer pressure, whereby they are influenced by their fellow students to indulge into such actions with empty promises. Availability of the drugs also influences the student to get hold of the drug, so they try their level best to search money to buy the drugs. Even if they do not have money, some may prefer to steal so that they at least buy the drug. Other students can opt to use their school fees to buy the drugs and stay out of classes. Others involve themselves in the drugs out of curiosity and the idea that when one uses drugs, they will have a good time (O’Leary, 2004). All these drugs lead to different effects which are harmful to the person taking it, his family, the community and the whole country as a whole. As an individual, one may develop an addiction to the drug, such that, he will depend to do everything. It will lead to the person using so much money and do things not helpful to him. Class work will not be made well. It will lead to poor performance and the destruction of a person’s future. It will affect his family because handling him will be a problem, he will be using much money. His parents will be paying much school fees and yet he will not be studying. The use of drugs can lead to much crime like theft,

Human Capital Concept Worksheet Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Human Capital Concept Worksheet - Case Study Example InterClean is acquiring EnviroTech and a number of their workers. This will permit them to expand their internal and outside labor markets the length of with breach the entrance for new workers to be hired into the business. 1. Dreher, G. & Dougherty, T., (2001). Human Resource Strategy. The McGraw-Hill Companies, Retrieved November 23, 2006, from University of Phoenix, rEsource, MBA/530-Human Capital Development. http://ecampus.phoenix.edu/secure/resource/resource.asp David Spencer announced the gaining of EnviroTech, which is one of the main home competitor in the corporate advertise. 60 workers from EnviroTech determination are compound with InterClean workers (Scenario, 2006). Integrating recruitment practices with strategy is a basic technique for prospector firms. InterClean is a main player inside the sanitation scene, future productivity will pivot on satisfying the customers' up-and-coming need for future solution replica (Scenario, 2006). The plan of the corporation is to give the customers with far above the ground excellence foodstuffs. If we analyze then we come to know that HRM implications are a lot of. ... Applications of Organizational Behavior To Management David Spencer announced the gaining of EnviroTech, which is one of the main home competitor in the corporate advertise. 60 workers from EnviroTech determination are compound with InterClean workers (Scenario, 2006). Integrating recruitment practices with strategy is a basic technique for prospector firms. InterClean is a main player inside the sanitation scene, future productivity will pivot on satisfying the customers' up-and-coming need for future solution replica (Scenario, 2006). The plan of the corporation is to give the customers with far above the ground excellence foodstuffs. 1. Scenario, (2006). InterClean, Inc. Retrieved November 22, 2006, from University of Phoenix HRM Implications If we analyze then we come to know that HRM implications are a lot of. The need for alter and the dream for the new corporation must be methodically communicate. Compensation, reimbursement, and preparation systems must be included and deploy in a way that will add to new managerial objectives (HRM strategy, 2001). Communication is the main key in any modify. Factors and matters connected with effective strategy expansion in human resources. Company official to HR staff, Training and growth budget is tight. The novel hires have to need negligible compass reading. Train managers to put into practice the changes. The HR policies be supposed to be updated to bring into line with the new course of the association (scenario, 2006). Compliance will be a main issue that must be addressed. The sales employees need to be cultured on fulfillment issues (Scenario, 2006). Training and employees growth is a main issue within Human Resources. "Computerized ability

Article response paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 5

Response paper - Article Example Further, the article examines synonyms, as well as the role they play in education and particularly in language. Moreover, the article explores the use of super-ordinates, especially their use in definitions. Another main point in the article includes the use of general words, especially with regard to how they relate with nouns. The article further explores how nouns can be used when students wish to refer to certain events, especially the events that could have been mentioned in writing at the start. Personal Observations/Comments Reading this article exposed me to significant ideas, which I had no prior knowledge about before I read it. From the article, I have managed to understand the relationship that exists between coherence and cohesion. The article has helped me understand that cohesion is the product of coherence. At the same time, I have gained insights into the varying definitions of the two terms from the perspectives of various authors. From the arguments of the author, in the article, one can deduce that there exists lexical cohesion and grammatical cohesion, which have immense differences. I have learnt that textual cohesion can be said to emanate from lexical cohesion. In addition, the article points out that lexical cohesion can be attained through linking several lexical terms, which tend to co-occur. The author assesses the role of repetition, especially in relation to the achievement of lexical cohesion in texts that are based on science. From the author’s perspective on repetition, the use of a word endlessly cannot necessarily be termed as misusing the word. The article points out that the use of a word many times by the reader may have negative effects on the reader. From the text written by the Saudi intermediate user of English, it is evident that, because of the repetition of the words, the reader cannot understand what the writer meant. The text contains a lot of mistakes, which complicate the comprehension of the entire writi ng and bring confusion to the reader (McGee, 2008, p.213). After reading the article, I have also learnt about synonyms; from the article, it is apparent that there exist huge differences between the various forms of synonyms. The article also asserts that synonyms can be used in varying contexts, which may either be positive or negative concepts. It is also evident that students should not use synonyms as key words while writing; it is essential that students repeat the synonyms they use (McGee, 2008, p. 215). The article also highlights the use of super-ordinates in both writing and learning of language. The author contends that super-ordinates can be used in definitions; however, the author notes that there is little attention paid to the broad and extensive use of super-ordinates. While writing, the use of super-ordinates tends to come later and they can be said to have little information than other words. The article outlines the use of general words, especially in relation to their use while students wish to refer to certain events or circumstances (McGee, 2008, p. 216). The article points out the need for teachers and instructors to make students aware of the role played by lexical cohesion in bringing out textual cohesion. Text analysis can be done for several purposes with the main aim of helping students

Why every American should exercise their right to vote Essay

Why every American should exercise their right to vote - Essay Example The future of civil liberties, it can be said, is in the hands of the American people. One of the major methods by which to participate in the democratic process is by casting a ballot to elect representatives and decide issues at every level of government. The vote is the voice of the people, without which the experiment fails because the very foundations of the country were laid by the people and for the people. Although many Americans make an effort to keep informed on political issues and enthusiastically exercise their responsibility to vote, the majority of those eligible to vote will not. This fact remains an enduring puzzle in a nation that considers itself the very symbol of democracy. Evidently, the countries that copied this system of government appreciate it more than Americans. Most nations in Europe routinely see a larger percentage of its citizens at the polls. The elections in Iraq last December drew 70 percent of eligible voters. Americans do not vote in those numbers and do not have to brave the chaos present in Iraq to access the polling booth (Woodward, 2006). The founding principles of the U.S. have been deemed by many to be worth fighting and dying for. Many thousands of brave Americans have traveled to all parts of the world to give their lives for the concepts contained in the Constitution. They fought for the freedoms of strangers in strange lands so that these people might have the choice to decide their own destiny by the power of the vote. When citizens vote, they authenticate the sacrifice of those that have paid the ultimate price for the right to vote. According to Senator Ted Kennedy, â€Å"Voting is one of the true blessings of liberty. That’s why people have died for it, and our democracy is diminished when even one American is denied that right† (Patterson, 2005). Democracy is also diminished when Americans decide not to exercise that right. The governmental hierarchy is bound by the vote to

Syncope Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Syncope - Research Paper Example Syncope can cause injury if the victim falls on things that can hurt him or her. Syncope is preceded by dizziness, nausea, light-headedness, and black out or white out field of vision. Syncope can be triggered by pain, trauma, prolonged standing, or emotional stress. Syncope is categorised into several types. Carotid sinus syncope occurs as a result carotid artery constriction around the neck and it normally happens when having a tight collar, in the shaving process, or after turning the head. Vasovagal syncope is usually triggered by stress, pain, or trauma. Situational syncope occurs in the process of urinating, coughing, defecation or can also be stimulated by gastrointestinal process (Hain, 2009). In a dental office, it is a common phenomenon to encounter cases of syncope. Syncope in this case can be because of anxiety, fear, emotional distress, and pain. Syncope always happens in a dental office due to fear, unusual smells and images, fasting as a result tooth ache, pain, and fatigue. Syncope is frequent case to young men. The dentist should always be prepared to handle syncope cases. There should be adequate drugs and equipments to handle case of syncope. Before syncope sets in, the body undergoes a period known as presyncope whereby the victim suffers inadequate cerebral circulation therefore leading to lack of oxygen and glucose. Initial symptoms include a change in the skin colour to a pale complexion followed by a cold sweat (Hain, 2009). The victim then suffers a feeling of dizziness, warmth around the neck and in the head, nausea, light-headedness, tingling in the fingers and the toes. Many victims may complain of a bad feeling, or that everything becomes dark prior syncope. Fainting can happen abruptly. Syncope is actually the duration by which the victim loses realization. Other common symptoms are weak thread pulse, hypertension, and bradycardia. Unconsciousness leads to muscle relaxation resulting to obstructed airway, because of

Area of knowledge Essay Example for Free

Area of knowledge Essay It can certainly be argued that though language and emotion play vital roles within any area of knowledge, it is within history that it manifests itself the clearest. History as an area of knowledge presents an opportunity to explore the implications of both language and emotion, and their effect on interpreting history. The understanding of such information is integral to resolving one of the key knowledge issues regarding history: the question of whether it is possible to attain or communicate knowledge through history that is free from filters and biases. The answer to this question is crucial to the further comprehension of what is history as a whole. But before examining language and emotion in the context of history, it is important to define what exactly these words are describing, and understand the values and limitations of both of these ways of knowing separately. Language is defined as a rule-governed, intended form of communication and is one of the main ways of attaining information of the external. It is useful for conveying concepts that are intangible, such as that of history. However, it is merely a tool, a vehicle by which information can travel, and is subject to ambiguity, vagueness, and bias. Emotion as a way of knowing is often defined as a mechanism which gives intuition and helps decision making, but is also commonly cited as an obstruction to knowledge. These two ways of knowing have a great impact upon the acquisition of knowledge in history. One could argue that without language, there would be no history or historical knowledge. Such a bold statement can be made for a variety of reasons, one being primarily that unlike emotion and sense perception, two others way of knowing, language is the most able tool in the transfer of knowledge across time. And unlike reason, language can qualitatively describe as well as outline the experiences of individuals in a way that reason cannot fully emulate. One does not need to be (or rather, cannot be) at the decisive Battle of Iwo Jima to know there was an Allied victory, knowledge that sense perception and emotion could not derive. The utility of language is that it enables us acquire knowledge of the external efficiently. This is not to say that language is the perfect mechanism for knowledge transfer in history. As stated above, language is a tool that, once interpreted, will lead to biases as both the sender and receivers paradigm will contribute to a certain predisposition regarding any topic spoken. It allows us to label and generalize, to set up a conceptual framework based on relativity. Arbitrary time frames can be set up within history, such as Before Common Era, which when considered seem quite useful in that it allows for quick citation, but is also perplexing. How exactly did people define the Common Era? To refer to a date in relation to the death of one man allows us to further question why this particular man was chosen. Again this ties into the bias with language, as anyone referencing BCE is undoubtedly predisposed towards Western thinking. Even I retain these biases as well, always confused momentarily whenever I am exposed to the time frame established in Thai culture, such as 2553 (which is coincidentally also referenced to the death of another man). It appears that although language can and does lead to historical knowledge in methods that other ways of knowing cannot, language can never lead to truly objective information precisely for the same reason that it is useful: it is all relative to the paradigm which one is under. The impact of labeling and generalizations also touches upon the realm of emotion and its effects upon history. The age-old adage proclaims that history is written by the victors1 and the victors will more often than not think positively about themselves but not of their opponents. For example, during my Thai history class, my teacher will go at great lengths to explain the courageous nature of the Thai people and the savagery of the Burmese for invading our land, and yet do a complete about face and call the occupation of Malaysia and Cambodia as a noble conquest. This invocation of pride and patriotism is a variety of emotion known as nationalism. And it is this nationalism, or a similar emotional feeling of loyalty, that has fueled much of current history. If language is the tool with which we talk about history, emotion is what caused us to talk about it in the first place. The statement that is being suggested is that the course of human civilization for the past ten thousand years can be charted with the emotions, on the basis that humans are not perfectly rational. Emotional attachments to kingdoms, countries, or governments caused many to go to war; scientific advances were fueled by the undying joy associated with innovation; Adam Smith proposed capitalism to compensate for the inherent greed within us all. Indeed, a more specific event would be the destruction of the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001AD. The attack upon the US caused uproar, an escalation of foreign policy security, and a worsening of relations with the Middle East. The many religious motives for such an event leave no doubt that it was based off of emotion, but it remains unclear what the main cause was for. Again, it appears that to mark history as objective facts becomes increasingly hard as the subjective emotions that one has muddle the cause for events. One cannot state that a certain event in history occurred because of another singular event; rather, one must say that it was the amalgamation of these that caused any event. In essence, it appears that emotion and language both play a key role in history, one for it and one about it. However, it seems that these two ways of knowing interact with history in such a way as to make the objective deduction of historical knowledge difficult. Though one can argue that the imposition of conceptual frameworks and the emotionally fuelled decisions are not mutually exclusive with an objective history, it remains that within any human society there will exist a paradigm, a filter, a bias. And in these items will lay prejudice. A quote by Friedrich Nietzche summarizes this: To the extent that man has for long ages believed in the concepts and names of things as in aeternae veritates he has appropriated to himself that pride by which he raised himself above the animal: he really thought that in language he possessed knowledge of the world. We may pride ourselves on being more civilized than animals and for having language, but it is foolish to assume that with only these tools that we have gained any knowledge of the world apart from our own.

Providing Affordable Housing: Modern methods of construction

Providing Affordable Housing: Modern methods of construction So called Modern Methods of construction have been put forward as a solution for solving the problem of providing affordable housing in sustainable communities for the UK. In a report for senior managers of a major housing development company propose and justify modern methods of construction to replace traditional construction production techniques. There is growing concern in UK that housing is becoming more and more expensive. There are a number of concerns among experts that the construction industry as a whole is underperforming. This has been particularly emphasised in the Egan report (Egan, 1998), where it is also mentioned that the initial opportunities for improvements in house building exists in the social housing sector. Another concern that is very much in the lime light recently is sustainability issues. The European community and UK have agreed of environmental and energy targets that are very ambitious. Houses in UK have traditionally been built in traditional materials such as brick and concrete. The construction material and construction techniques have not changed much in centuries, despite the high level of construction know-how that exists in UK. Most of the modern construction techniques are use for high-profile prestige buildings and commercial buildings. The housing sector does not seem to have benefited from the modern methods available. This report aims at fanning-out the various modern methods of construction that can benefit the housing sector in many ways. Most of these modern methods are already used quite successfully in areas other than housing. The target will be to prove how, by means of modern construction techniques, affordable and sustainable housing can be developed. Sustainable Construction Sustainability generally means sustained ability. It means being able for longer. It means being able to benefit from resources for longer, without endangering the depletion of the resources. Sustainable construction is an approach to construction that makes optimal use of resources throughout the lifespan of a building. This includes the resources utilised for the construction of the building, its operation and maintenance, and its eventual disposal. Resources here relate to sources of material, energy, space and money. Those are the basic requirements for a building. It also makes economic sense to use as less resources as possible. So, achieving sustainability should not cost extra to the client, although it may cost extra initially to build the building. A typical building uses many times more resources during its lifespan than during its construction. So globally, it will be in the clients interest to go for sustainable methods. Sustainable construction (Stern and Knapp, 1993) could also be distinct as those buildings that have minimum adverse impacts on the built and natural environment, in terms of the buildings themselves, their immediate surroundings and the broader regional and global setting. The rational use of natural resources and appropriate management of the building stock will contribute to saving scarce resources, reducing energy consumption (energy conservation), and improving environmental quality. Environmental Approach A general strategy for environmental conscious design (Boontra, 1997) consists of three main steps: Reduce the material demand Any client, investor or governmental body should thoroughly evaluate the need for a new building activity by investigating the possibilities of reuse and renovating existing buildings. Designers should design a building as efficiently as possible by minimising the amount of resources needed. This can be done by optimising both the floor plan and construction. Application of renewable and recycled sources By application of renewable and recycled sources the life cycle of building materials can be closed. Designers should also allow for future recycling. Designing a building for dismantling and not for demolition is one approach. Select materials with the lowest environmental impact The environmental impact of materials is caused during a buildings complete lifetime. Typical environmental issues are raw materials, embodied energy, emissions, hindrance, waste, recycling, repair, lifetime. Throughout the report, it will be demonstrated that the modern methods proposed will respond positively to the above environmental criteria. Energy Approach Buildings account for the largest proportion of energy consumption in most western societies. In UK for example, (Nicholls, 2002) energy consumption in buildings account for 45% of the total UK energy consumption. Energy is widely produced by burning fossil fuel such as petrol and coal. It is also used by nuclear fission of Uranium. Both processes are very harmful to the environment. Why are Modern Methods Important for a Major Housing Developer? Sustainability Previously, sustainability was associated with environmental issues. However, in recent years it has been recognised that one cannot preserve environment at the expense of socio-economic progress. Sustainability is now being redefined in many circles as a balance of: Economic stable economic growth and employment Environment protection of environment and prudent use of natural resources Social social progress for everyone For these reasons, it is not only important that construction is clean and energy efficient, but it is also important to consider other factors such as the impact of the construction on its immediate neighbourhood and the society in general. The cost of construction has a direct impact on the cost of the housing. It is important to make housing economically viable and affordable without cutting down on our margin. Legal Developments in Sustainability There have been several recent legal developments in the area of sustainability that will have a definite future impact on our operations on the UK housing market. Most of these legal developments follow the 1997 Kyoto Earth Summit and are in line with the current governments emission and energy targets. The main developments are: UK Sustainable Construction Strategy 2000 UK Energy White Paper 2003 Sustainable Building Task Group 2003 Some of the impacts of these legal developments are already being felt. For instance, Part E and Part L of Building Regulations are already being revised and will be more demanding in terms of thermal and acoustic performance of buildings. There are several assessment methods being developed to measure quantify and rate the performance of a building in terms of how sustainable it is, and many of these measure will be taken into account for planning permission purposes. One of them is the BREEAM rating, developed by the Building Research Establishment. The BREEAM is an environmental assessment for offices, industrial and retail buildings. It consists of a checklist with scores for energy use, transport, water use, pollution, materials, land use etc. It has four ratings: pass, good, very good and excellent. Another such assessment method is the Eco-Homes, which is applied to housing sector only and therefore more relevant to us. The Sustainable Building Task Group 2003 has put forward a recommendation for a Code of Sustainable Building, which is based on the BREEAM rating but is simpler. The Code has the full backing of the government and is currently compulsory for social housing sector. Although it is not compulsory for our market yet, it is more than likely that it will become so in a near future. Another assessment method that may become important in the future is the WRAP, which measures the recycle content of a building. As for now, any building must have a minimum of 10% of recycle content. Most buildings will easily meet that requirement, even those built by the traditional methods. However, it is the intention of the authorities to steadily increase that 10% requirement in the coming years and it will become increasingly difficult to meet by traditional builds. WRAP is critical for planning permission and it is in the long term interest of the company that we start using methods that will introduce higher recycle contents in our housing developments. Health and Safety Health and Safety is becoming more and more important for the government and also for private clients. The upcoming CDM regulations 2006 will have major changes that put a lot more responsibility on the clients. Consequently, it can be expected that client will be putting health and safety high in their agenda and will chose their developers and contractors with that in mind. Also the HSE is being more and more demanding about the standard of health and safety and work and checks are done on a regular basis on sites across UK. It is therefore important to be proactive and take a holistic approach towards health and safety. Instead of simply supplying more boots and helmets to site, it will be wiser to adopt methods that are inherently safer. Traditional Methods Typically, a housing development will either consist of some blocks of flats with parking space or a series of 2 to 3 storey houses, depending on the locality and the client. In both cases, the construction process is the same, although some differences in scale of operations may occur. Substructure After the planning and survey stages, the first step in the construction process is the substructure. The substructure is that part of the building that is below the ground level. Its purpose is to safely transmit all forces to the ground. Traditionally, the substructure will consist of a series of pad foundations, strip footings, basements or even piles. Most of the old houses have basements whereas newer houses tend to have strip footings. Taller buildings such as apartments or where the building is on weaker grounds, piles may be required. All those foundations are generally formed by digging a hole in the ground and filling it with concrete. The shape, size and depth of the hole depend on the type of foundation being built. Foundations are labour-intensive and time-consuming work. All of the work has to be done on site, exposed to weather conditions. It also produces significant amount of noise and dust during the digging of the ground. Once the trenches or holes are filled with concrete, the site ends up with an excess of soil from the hole. Superstructure The superstructure is the visible part of the building, built on the foundation. The structure for houses will consist of building up brick walls from the ground, brick by brick. Each wall will consist of two leaves of brick with a gap in-between for insulation. The internal floors are generally made of heavy timber joists supporting secondary timber members and finally a plank topping, all nailed together and supported off the brick walls. The brick wall construction will continue until the roof level is reached. At the roof level, a timber roof is built in a way similar to the floor. Recently, concrete columns and beams have been used along with the brick walls. Floors and roofs in newer construction tend to be on concrete, cast in-situ on formwork, supported off the concrete frame members. These methods are very time-consuming and labour intensive and almost all the work has to be done on site. Partitions and Finishes The internal partitions are either timber frames with ply-wood on each side, or single-leaf brick walls built in the same way as the external walls. Stairs are generally of wood. Services The space heating, electricity, air-conditioning and ventilation are all built to suit the building in place. Modern Approach to Construction As opposed to the traditional method where each step of the construction is done independent of each other, the modern methods of construction differ right from the approach to the construction process. The thinking process behind the site works is done well in advance, to allow much better coordination between the various trades involved. The planning stage will think of the proposed and future uses of the building. The design stage is the most important stage of construction as decisions taken at the design stage have the highest impact of performance, economy and many other factors. The approach to modern construction is one that takes sustainability and life-cycle cost of a building right from the onset of the design stage. Many factors can be influenced if thought is given at design stage. The following chapters will now introduce modern techniques used in construction that will result in more economic and sustainable construction in the housing sector. Steel Framed Buildings The use of steel is not new in construction. It has been used for over a century now. However, its full potential has only recently been understood. Steel has the potential to radically change the building and running cost of a building as well as having a major impact on issues such as sustainability, material demand, health and safety and so much more. Developments made over the past decade in steel construction have made it the most exciting material for construction. Steels Role in Sustainable Development Steel is a completely different material from concrete and masonry. It is first of all homogeneous as opposed to a mix and is much stronger. The UK steel construction industry in a very efficient industry and steel can be used to our advantage as a modern construction material for several reasons that will be unveiled below (SCI, 2004). More sustainable Design Good design is fundamental to sustainable construction (SCI, 2004). Decisions made at the initial design stage have the greatest effect on the overall sustainability impact of projects. Steels high strength-to-weight ratio is exploited in light structures which have low overall environmental impact and often require fewer and lighter foundations than alternative methods of construction. Its long-span capabilities create flexible spaces that facilitate changes in use during the life of the building, maximising letting potential and reducing refit costs. The energy associated with the occupation of buildings (operations energy) dominates that used in their manufacture and construction (embodied energy) typically by a factor of between 4 and 10 over a 60 year design life. Reducing operational energy consumption reduces environment impact as well as saving money. Steel frames and associated composite or other type of floor slab achieve high levels of fabric energy storage, which can significantly reduce the energy bill for cooling. Steel-based cladding systems for industrial buildings and light steel-framed residential construction provide well-insulated and airtight solutions. More sustainable manufacture and erection Construction can have significant social and environmental impacts such as noise, dust, ground and surface water pollution and traffic congestions (SCI, 2004).Steel provides the opportunity to maximise off-site construction techniques. Working in a factory under controlled conditions will definitely result in more accurate products and less waste. It also provides a safer and better working environment for the workers. Computer-sided design and manufacture can be put to best use in steel construction to eliminate defects and reworks and to minimise waste. Any steel waste is generally recovered and recycled. Cost, and therefore time, remain key drivers in construction. Steel construction allows us to build fast and reliably, with minimal time spent on site. The small amount of time spent on site has many impacts such as lower noise, less time for the workers to work as height, less noise and dust, less traffic and the whole community benefits. Less time spent on site also has the advantage of fewer interruptions due to weather, which is a very important factor in the UK, because our weather is world famous! As an example of what can be done (SCI, 2004), the 1600 tonnes of steelwork in the TNT Fastract distribution centre was erected in only 21 days! Sustainability in Use Designing a building for long life maximises the payback over the initial investment and is also a key aspect of sustainable construction. In that respect, refurbishment of a building to extend its life is very important. The versatility and flexibility of steel permits the owner of the building to easily modify and adapt to changing time without having to demolish and rebuild, thus extending the life of the building and getting the most value out of it. Steel is a stable product and if protected from the environment with paint, will require little maintenance and will not deteriorate at all with time. Cladding systems associated with steel construction are also easily modified and allow easy access for maintenance. With changing times, the requirements of a building change and therefore modifications may be necessary. Steel is easy to modify and to extend to suite new needs. Sustainability at end-of-life A concrete building only has a market value as a built-entity. The material itself can hardly be reused because it is cast-in. and cannot be dismantled. The best use of demolished concrete is land-fill. However, steel buildings have a material value even after construction. Because steel buildings consist of independently prepared members joined together by bolts, these members can be dismantled and re-used if the building is no longer required. For example, when the various Paris market halls built by Baltard in 1854 could no longer satisfy the needs of the city (ECCS, 2002), their function was transferred to Rungis, and the buildings replaced by the Centre Pompidou and the Forum. Recognising the need to preserve important architectural examples from the past one of the market halls was demounted and transferred to Nogent-sur-Marne, where it was simply reconstructed. It now accommodates cultural activities. The fact that a steel building can be demolished and rebuilt using the same structural members has far-reaching advantages. The immediate advantage that comes to mind is the market value of the building. Of course, a building has a value when it is in use. But with the use of steel, the building will have a value even after its life-span. The steel members can be sold as separate entities or the whole building can be sold to be built on a different site. This contributes enormously to the cost of redevelopment and therefore can be used to reduce the cost of housing. Looking at the bigger picture, re-using the same material for a new building implies that the natural resources that would have been required for the new building have been spared. Finally, even if the steel is not re-used directly as a construction material, it can always be recycled for new steel members. Steel is 100% recyclable material. Energy in Buildings In buildings, energy is required for: Space heating Domestic hot water heating Lighting Mechanical ventilation Air conditioning General electrical services such as lifts and escalators The quantities of each of the above required vary from place to place and from building to building. Space Heating In UK as in the rest of Europe, space heating is traditionally achieved by gas-powered or electric powered hot water boilers that distribute the hot water to radiators. The envelope of the building is designed to retain as much of that heat as possible to save on energy. However, there are several innovative techniques now available that are very efficient. New Glazing Technology There are new types of glazing that allow the solar heat to go into the building, but not out. Double glazing systems have been used for many years, but now the double-glazing makes use of special glasses. The gap in-between the glasses can be filled with special gases that promote the greenhouse effect. In some cases, simply evacuating the air from the gap works marvellously in acting as a smart glazing system. There are glasses that can be switched from clear to opaque by the action of current, heat, or naturally like sunglasses. New cladding materials used on the walls are translucent. They transmit light and solar energy but act as insulants.Interactive windows and shading system are computer-controlled to change the level of shading and ventilation at different times of the day to optimise energy use. Solar Heating Direct sunlight is used to warm buildings. But solar energy can be used indirectly as well. Solar water heaters are very popular in the Southern Hemisphere. In Europe and especially in Western Europe, people have the misconception that because of the cold climate, solar water heaters will not be effective. In fact, solar water heaters are very efficient even in cold regions. It is also very cheap to build or buy one. It can be used on large scale for schools and hospitals with large roof plans. So instead of boiling water in a gas or electric boiler, solar water heaters can be used. Even if in winter the solar water heater cannot produce sufficiently hot water, it can still be used to preheat the water supplied to the boilers. Thermal Mass In many countries, space heating is required at night more than during the day. In such cases, the mass of the building can be made to heat up during the day by the solar energy methods described above. This mass will absorb this energy during the day but will only start dissipating it after several hours. Concrete floors for example will have a typical time lag of nine hours. Proper use of this thermal mass can lead to very significant saving in energy. The orientation of the building can play a crucial part as well. For example, if the south face is the one that is most exposed to direct sunlight, having more massive walls on the south will improve on the use of thermal mass. Domestic Water Heating Domestic hot water is used in almost all buildings. Solar water heaters as described previously are generally very effective for domestic hot water. Other methods can also been used, depending on the location. If a village is situated not very far from a volcano, they can usually dig deep boreholes and pump the water to the bottom of the hole where the earth temperature is quite high. They can pump back the water and use it as domestic hot water. The concept is not a new one. Thermal spa and natural hot water baths have been used for centuries. Lighting The orientation of a building can be very important to make use of as much natural light as possible. Smart glazing systems discussed before are also very useful and are used more and more now. Lightwells and atria are also more and more used both for its help in natural lighting and ventilation, but also for its aesthetic contributions. When artificial lighting is required, special low-energy bulbs can be used that give the same amount of light but consume smaller amount of energy. Ventilation Natural ventilation has always been used in houses by simply opening and closing windows as required. Commercial buildings have however opted for more high-tech methods such as fans. These can be replaced by careful planning of the openings, of the way the floors are compartmented, and by the use of features such as atria. Also, computer-controlled openings are the high-tech version of manually opening and closing windows as required. Air Conditioning Cooling is always more expensive than heating. Not only does air conditioning consume a lot of energy; it also releases CFCs, which are harmful to the ozone layer. The use of these can be minimised as well. The use of ventilation can be used to improve the comfort level of occupants. The use of the thermal mass concept can also be used in the same way. The floors are cooled at night using natural ventilation, and during the day, they are used to cool the air inside the building. Conclusion The aim of the report was to propose and justify modern methods of construction. The report has exposed the necessity to shift to modern methods of construction. It is not just an option worth considering. It will soon be the only option and unless we as a company start the shift now, we will loose a competitive advantage. Among the modern methods mentioned, steel construction comes out to be the flagship of modern, economic and sustainable construction methods. Added to that, other means such as using thermal mass, natural ventilation and natural heating and cooling can be used in combination to wonderful effect. However, the most important point to remember is not the material or any particular technique. It is the approach and the thinking process required to meet the economic needs of the company, satisfy requirements from the government and other authorities and yet be able to produce affordable and high quality and high performance housing for the future. References Egan, Sir John, Rethinking Construction, Department of Trade and Industry, 1998 David Stern and Daniel Knapp, Reuse, Recycling, Refuse and the Local Economy: A Case Study of the Berkeley Serial MRF (documented by Urban Ore, Inc., and The Centre for Neighbourhood Technology: October, 1993). Boontra Chiel, Sun at Work in Europe, Vol. 12, No.1, March 1997, p3. Nicholls, Richard, Low Energy Design, Interface Publishing, 2002 European Commission for Constructional Steelwork, Merits of Steel, 2002 http://www.szs.ch/merits/vorwort_e.html Achieving Sustainable Construction: Guidance for clients and their professional Advisers, Steel Construction Institute, 2004

Effects of Austerity Measures on Communities

Effects of Austerity Measures on Communities Socio-economic and political factors identified in the community of Croydon and the links to key concepts and theories from sociology and social policy. Introduction This essay focuses on the socio-economic and political factors identified in the community of Croydon. It sets out to explain how these factors link with key concepts and theories from sociology and social policy and how this impacts on the community. The main focus here is on the factors that have exacerbated the issues faced by the community. Social capital will form the base for most of the arguments and points. The Cambridge Academic Content Dictionary (2008) defines socio-economic as related to the differences between groups of people caused by, mainly their financial situation. It can therefore be argued that these are factors and experiences that form and define these groups of people and also these are the factors that decide whether these groups are condemned to a life of poverty or not. The Community: Croydon (see definition of a community above) Croydon, with a population of three hundred and eighty two thousand (382k) people (www.london.gov.uk) has the second largest population of all the London Boroughs. It also has the largest number of people aged under fifteen numbering 84k. According to Councillor Tony Newman, also the Chair of the Local Strategic Partnership, Croydon is undergoing transformation to become a modern European city and can do better without bad publicity such as knife crime. It is a diverse community with a diverse ethnicity, faiths, sexual orientation and academic standing all working in different jobs to serve various needs of the community. Knife Crime: A bane for the local community The Community of Croydon has been named one of the worst five amongst London Boroughs for knife crime across London. The community is facing unprecedented levels of knife crime which is attributed to budgetary cuts to services that provide social capital to young people and other services such as policing. When the people who police and monitor crime say so, it is difficult to ignore the issue. The Association of Police and Crime Commissioners argues that with reductions in staff levels and support services already made, further budget constraints will lead to difficult questions on how best to structure police forces to respond to changes in crime, and what this would mean for the local service provided to the public. In the month of February 2017 alone, the Mayors Office for Policing and Crime (MOPAC) reported 94 knife injuries committed by teenagers under the age of 15. While the Home Office has no precise definition of knife crime, however knife enabled crime includes a variety o f other offences involving a bladed weapon, for example it is an offence to cause or threaten harm with a knife and if used in a robbery or assault, it aggravates the offence. How the Council Gets Its Information on Knife Crime: But before delving deeper into this issue, it is very important to put into perspective how the community of Croydon and local authority gather information on this bane of knife crime and also give a backdrop to the motivating factors that influence the compilation of this information. In 2008 a teenage boy named Shakilus Townsend was stabbed several times by other teenagers in Thornton Heath, a district of Croydon. This culminated in the council instituting an investigation named Scrutiny on Knife Crime to focus on teenagers, perpetrators and victims alike. (Available at Croydon.gov.uk) The Croydon council gathers and obtains information about knife crime through public meetings held with the UK Youth Parliament, vulnerable young people, Metropolitan Police Authority, the Croydon Youth Crime Prevention Strategy and other stakeholders. Meetings are also held with secondary schools, Pupil Referral Units, Head Teachers and the British Broadcasting Corporation. Social Capital: Social Capital has many definitions, but to put into social work context, the simplest definitions that fit in well with social work are used here. Coleman (1990) argues that social capital is defined by its function as it is not a single entity, but a variety of different entities having two characteristics in common: They all consist of some aspect of social structure, and they facilitate certain actions of individuals who are within the structure. However, Brehm and Rahn (1997, p. 999) put it in another way arguing that social capital is the web of cooperative relationships between citizens that facilitate resolution of collective action problems. It can therefore be argued that social capital has an economical value in it and that this value increases the competitive advantage of individuals through networking through organisations like the local authority provided facilities. The World Bank defines social capital as institutions, relationships, and norms that shape the quality and quantity of a societys social interactions. The World Bank goes on to elaborate by stating that social cohesion is critical for societies to prosper economically and for development to be sustainable. Social capital is not just the sum of the institutions which underpin a society it is the glue that holds them together. While knife crime is one of the major social problems facing this community, this essay seeks to highlight why budgetary cuts, which are a consequence of social capital deprivation, are an indirect consequence of the knife crime coupled with other social issues The Poisoned Chalice of Neo-Liberalism: As social capital has already been defined above, it is important to put it into perspective so that there is an understanding that the reduction in services that provide social capital for the young has come about as a result of neo-liberalism, so there is a link between The Liberal Democrats whose ideological tradition is liberalism, an ideology that favours privatisation, and the contraction of the public sector/services, reinforced by its ideology of neo liberalism on the coat tails of a book titled the Orange Book: Reclaiming Liberalism. Thomson and Thomson (2008) argue that politics plays a fundamentally important role in shaping social work and therefore it could be argued that it is important to buttress some points with an understanding of the role therefore political processes play in social work. Now back to the Liberal Democrats. Nick Clegg later became leader and he would later use his presence and influence in the Coalition to oversee the shutting down of some Sure Star ts childrens centres and Connexions in the name of economic liberalism. This policy also oversaw the privatisation of job seeking being contracted to a private individual operating as if it was under the auspices of the Department of Works and Pension (DWP) using a website under the name Universal Jobmatch where thousands of fake jobs were advertised by a private contractor who was paid for roles which should have been performed by the DWP. Incredibly the scandal which left jobseekers at the mercy of this government approved scam, fizzled out without much fanfare. A lot of jobseekers who were already being deprived of services such as the Connexions had to face the frustration of applying for nonexistent jobs. To put it into context, Connexions was a support service for young people, a service that was meant to help them with advice on topics including education, housing, health, relationships, drugs, and finance. Now these are young people who were most in need. An argument may be developed that says these young people, through a policy of neo-liberalism are likely to develop personal problems and that these personal problems will overlap into a societal problem. These are the apparent knock on effects. Political Austerity, a function of neo-liberalism affecting social capital: Battle and Lewis argue that a persons education is closely linked to their life chances, income and well being. When the Conservative and Liberal coalition government came into power, they made tackling our record debts, as they called it then, one of their cornerstones in dealing with debt. The Liberal Democrats are well remembered by most students for reneging on a policy to scrap university fees altogether. Not only did they renege on this policy, but they went on and signed up to an agreement to actually allow institutions to charge fees up to nine thousand pounds. Now a prospective student from a deprived background would have seen the prospect of finishing university with a debt of over thirty thousand pounds not such an attractive prospect. The Croydon Guardian newspaper interviewed 4 teenagers aged 16 to 18 to try and get to the bottom of the scourge of knife crime in their community. One of the teenagers had this to say: Adults should give children more job opportunities and training. This will attract other teenagers too. We need to ask what they like doing so they have the chance to do what they want. I was part of a gang, but for what? Sometimes there is no explanation. Unquote. The other three teenagers also had more or less the same to say. Another major point of concern that came out of the interviews was that young people carry knifes as a form of defence due to the large numbers of gangs dominating the community. They feel they have to protect themselves. Mills (1959) links what happens to an individuals life with social structures of the wider world. Mills states that the private troubles of men/women effectively trapped them in their lives as they understood only their immediate personal difficulties rather than understanding what was happening to them particularly in reference to historic and histories of their surroundings. These young men and women feel trapped. It can therefore be argued that if it were not for cuts that affect the number of police in the streets, these teenagers would not feel the need to carry knifes as the police would be there to protect them. Unfortunately this policy of austerity does not affect teenagers only.   Some Sure Starts were at the receiving end of these cuts as real spending fell, so states the Nuffield report. To put it into context again there is a need to understand the core purpose of Sure Starts. They were actually developed in consultation with the Childcare Act 2006 and therefore it could be argued that their closure indirectly impinges on the development of children. Their core purpose, as the government states, is to make available universal and targeted early childhood services either by providing the services at the centre itself or by providing advice and assistance to parents, mothers and fathers, and prospective parents in accessing services provided elsewhere. Local authorities must ensure that childrens centres provide some activities for young children on site. What can be argued here is that a child who was nine in 2010 when the coalition government took power is now a teenager and poorer i n terms of education and social capital due to the austerity which affected the number of these centres made available. The knock on effect is that this cycle is being repeated. If society is going to deprive young people of socialisation at an early age surely what can be expected of the this generation in terms of what they contribute to the well being of a community and the society at large? Cunningham and Cunningham (2009) observe that troubles of individuals are inherently personal and unique however they happen as a result of specific set of socio-economic and political circumstances. Again the Nuffield report, already mentioned above, goes on to state that the issues that are the principal concern of its inquiry are social outcomes, poverty and inequality and argue that the Coalition had inherited a better situation than its predecessor Labour whose social programmes had delivered expanded public services. Socio-economic gaps in access to services had decreased. Economic and social outcomes, such as pupil achievements and child poverty, had also generally not improved, while differences between the most and least deprived social groups narrowed, the report goes on to   state. The Deprivation of Social Capital: It can be argued, taking in all the information above, that the exercise of shutting down some Sure Starts and Connexions branches deprived teenagers and other young adults opportunities that could have prepared them better industry leaders of tomorrow. It deprived them of opportunities to socialise and share ideas with like minded peers. The legislations attempt to stop people from carrying knives has not been that successful due to the fact that knife crime is still prevalent in Croydon. Government has imposed penalties of up to 4 years maximum for carrying a knife however this legislation is evidently not a deterrent as knife crime is still prevalent in that community. The law allows for pressure groups to work in collaboration with the society and the police in tackling the crime. However according to Hill and Irving (2009) choices of what pressure groups can work on are dictated by local interests. One can see how the weakness of an individual voter is strengthened through belonging to an influential group. Hill and Irving go on to argue that direct interventions in elections motivated by local issues are rare. This essentially means come election time the issues that really matter to the community are put in the back burner hence the cycle of these social problems still persist unabated. Charities and the MET: Campaigns such as No Knifes Better Lives look at the individual, putting pressure on the family to change with very little change in the role of the state in improving the economic circumstances of the victims. The No Knifes Better Lives approachs challenge is that it focuses on the implement used to commit the crime ignoring the causes or underlying socio economic circumstances. One can argue that if their campaign was focused on getting rid of poverty, access to equal opportunities and education, in the long run this might reduce knife crime. Another organisation helping young people refrain from using knife is the Turnaround centre. This is a place where young people can drop in and ask for advice and support. Incredibly these organisations rely on the magnanimity of well wishers for funding which actually limits their scope of how much they can do. According to the census figures, Croydon has one of the largest Afro/Caribbean populations. This makes it very difficult for the police to enforce the Stop and Search due to the McPherson reports branding of the Metropolitan Police (MET) being institutionally racist, something the MET actually admitted. To compound that, when the practice was in use it disproportionately targeted Black males. So this dilemma has made the police lose out on an otherwise valuable crime fighting tool. The police are currently working together with many stakeholders in addressing problems in the community. In the same breath they should have a social worker working with them and becoming an acceptable face of the solution to the community. One can argue that social workers are always at arms length dealing with issues, rather should be on the frontline instead of being reactive in dealing with societal issues. According to the Health and Care Professions Councils (HCPC) standards of proficiency (SoP), social workers must be able to recognise and respond appropriately to unexpected situations and manage uncertainty. It could be argued that this might just be possible in an idealistic world but not in a profession that faces so much austerity cuts. Social workers, by the nature of their profession, have the unique advantage of seeing and understanding how poverty and discrimination affect lives and thereby communities. So it is a big ask for them to strike a balance between meeting SoP and at the same time lawfully practice. It is therefore imperative that social work should be a protected profession, protected from cuts forever. The social work profession, according to the International Federation of Social Workers, expects the practitioners to promote social change, help to foster human relationships and in the process liberate people through empowerment. Again it becomes very difficult, o ne may argue, that you can operate in an environment that prioritises money above the welfare of human beings. Recommendations: The Croydon council has recommended the continuous review of developing a range of services for all young people in Croydon. Specifically, investment in expanded opening hours for places where young people can be into the late afternoon and late at night during summer months should be explored and future opportunities for younger children actively considered. Another important recommendation was that the local authority should give consideration to the creation of a Croydon Youth Council as this could be used as a vehicle or channel for the youth to influence the decisions that affect them. Policing along with social work should and must be protected from budgetary cuts as they are at the forefront of fighting crime. Conclusion: Eliot Spitzer the former American Democratic politician once remarked The world has conducted a macro-economic experiment since the cataclysm of 2008. In Europe, the fans of austerity have had their chance, and the results have been a disaster. Unquote. This essay has stated the case why austerity measures, in other words, social and economic policies are impacting on the day to day lives of people mostly young people. The current government and its predecessor the Conservative/Liberal coalition continue to deprive young people of opportunities that could have made them better people or leaders of tomorrow and unfortunately their policies will continue to impact badly on how social workers deliver their duties in the communities they serve, as they restrict their ability to practice. People are losing services essential to their well being and that cannot be good for the well being of their mental state. The British Association of Social Workers Code of Ethics states that principles of human rights and social justice are fundamental to the work of a social worker; it can therefore be argued, how can social workers foster a just environment when they have to work under an austerity environment which is unjust and cannot support them. This essay argues that austerity is state sponsored human rights abuse. Words: 2985 A  reflective summary response to the feedback from peers on the formative presentation Bruce (2013) argues that the process of reflection can be described as the detailed thinking you may undertake about an event or experience, and the new perspective or knowledge you gain as a result of this process. The compliments my group received from peers about how well we worked together as a unit resonated well with and reinforced the theoretical framework stages of group development described by Tuckman (1965) as norming, forming, storming and performing. Our group was not that difficult to form as we already had developed interpersonal relations through meeting in the canteen and lectures. Interestingly, due to being the eldest in the group, I seemed to command respect from group members as they presumed being older made me wiser. However some members felt age should not be a criterion for choosing a group leader. As I had already studied each group members strengths and weaknesses, I simply told them the reasons why they should choose me, at the same time delegating duties for the presentation. Everyone seemed happy with the delegated duties and so the team structure took shape.   At the norming stage we set up a collaborative strategy through a whatsapp group. A member would post their idea of the delegated role then we would all look at it and have our input. We found this to be an excellent medium of communication and sharing of ideas. At this stage we also lost our sixth group member due to pregnancy. Our performance stage appeared to be the easiest as each member wanted the group to succeed. Great and not so great ideas flowed from members as we worked hard to meet the deadline. We complimented each other where it was deserved. It can therefore be argued that the group formation process of our team was an event I have just reflected about. Words: 339 A  short evaluation of an interview undertaken with a professional about their role and experiences of providing services in a community-based organisation. Interviewing a Nurse Assessor When planning for my interview I thought about Egans (2014, pg.136.) use of probes to explore and clarify points of view, decisions and proposals. This gave me an idea about how I was going to probe the nurse so she could engage and tell me in detail the scope of her role and challenges she faces in her role. I was very interested in the direct positive impact she was having on the community hospital too. This community hospital is what could be described, as, argued by   Cunningham and Cunningham (2008) a traditional geographic community due to its location and shared space, proximity and years of shared experience which are seen to have inculcated certain common values and norms and there is a sense of permanence, shared responsibility, duty and mutual support. Adams et al in Brint (1994) argue that an organisation should have valued professionals who combine expertise with the technical capacity to solve problems, particularly major global problems such as health and the environment. My interview was with a Nurse Assessor for an intermediate care services (IMC) in a community hospital. She stated that her role sometimes included working in front of the house, Accident and Emergency (A and E) admissions avoidance and stated that she found this quite overwhelming. I asked why she had to perform a role which appeared to be outside her remit and her response was that even though she had been trained for the role, there was a serious lack of qualified personnel so she and her colleagues had to rotate and share duties. She does not specifically do social care but because they work as a team, she tends to sign post to social care if patients do not fit the IMC criteria for rehabilitation. This role is currently evolving as they are working as an integrated discharge team that is, working in teams with social workers and hospital discharge coordinators to facilitate early and timely discharges. It was quite interesting how her role processes are not that dissimilar to those of a social worker, starting with assessment, moving through to planning, intervention finally monitoring, evaluation and review. Adams et al (2009). Presently the team is transitioning from using social care policies towards what is called a Trusted Assessor who can do all three roles, meaning that they will have to work within social care policies and legislation while assimilating the trusted assessor concept. It is a work in progress. The challenges related to her role are mainly friction in teams working collaboratively and no clear cut boundaries, hence blurring the roles. Above all, keeping up with the pace of the changing face and needs in Health and Social Care and the aging population was another challenge they had to deal with as a team on a regular basis. Demand outstrips supply and the need for services has been outstripped by lack of growth in infrastructure. She felt that her professional values were being compromised by the pressures of work. Reflecting on what she had told me, I referred to Hertzberg et al (2010) who argued that work motivation is intrinsic to the job and that conditions of employment and relations in the workplace have the capacity to demotivate. In this new structure of collaborative care (integrated discharge teams) she works with three social workers in the team. They work together to facilitate.   She refers and discusses relevant cases with them and they in turn will discuss and refer some patients to her if they feel that their needs can be met in intermediate care even if it means accessing IMC to reduce the care package. After the interview I was left with a myriad of dilemmas, but the one that stuck to my mind was how the generality of healthcare professionals are victims of legislation probably designed by people who spend most of their time looking for mistakes than solutions, as can be seen by the bad press that they usually get. Healthcare workers are supposed to abide by and adhere to certain statutes yet their professional competencies are being hindered by a lack of resources. (Adams, et al. pg 92 2009) Compared to its peers in the G7, a group of large developed economies, the UK is ranked sixth on healthcare expenditure. (Office of National Statistics, 2017) Words: 743 References: Adams, R. Dominelli, L. and Payne, M. (2009) Social work: themes, issues and critical debates. 3RD edn. Basingstoke: Palgrave. Bruce, L.   (2013) Reflective practice for social workers: a handbook for developing professional confidence.   Maidenhead: McGraw Hill Open University Press Coleman, James S. 1990. Foundations of social theory. Cambridge: Harvard University Press Cunningham, J. and Cunningham, S. (2008) Sociology and social work. Exeter: Learning Matters. Egan, G. (2002) The skilled helper: a problem-management and opportunity-development approach to helping   7th edn. Pacific Grove: Brooks Cole Hertzberg, F., Mausner, B., and Snyder, B. B. (2010) The motivation to work. 12th edn. London: Transaction Publishers. Hill, M. and Irving, Z. (2009) Understanding social policy. 8th edn. Chichester: Wiley-Blackwell https://www.basw.co.uk/ (Accessed: 15 March 2017) https://www.london.gov.uk/in-my-area/croydon (Accessed: 18 March 2017) http://www.croydonguardian.co.uk/news/knifecrime/ (Accessed: 15 March 2017) https://www.croydon.gov.uk/sites/default/files/articles/downloads/knife1.pdf   (Accessed: 21 March 2017). https://www.croydon.gov.uk/sites/default/files/articles/downloads/demographics.pdf (Accessed 15 March 2017) https://www.croydon.gov.uk/community/equality/lovecroydon/facts (Accessed 12 March 2017) https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/273768/childrens_centre_stat_guidance_april_2013.pdf (Accessed: 15 March 2017) http://ifsw.org/get-involved/global-definition-of-social-work/ (Accessed: 14 March 2017 https://www.london.gov.uk/in-my-area/croydon (Accessed: 18 March 2017) http://noknivesbetterlives.com/parents (Accessed: 15 March 2017) http://www.nuffieldfoundation.org/sites/default/files/files/RR04_SUMMARY.pdf (Accessed: 21 March 2017) https://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200809/cmselect/cmhaff/112/11204.htm (Accessed: 20 March 2017) https://www.london.gov.uk/what-we-do/mayors-office-policing-and-crime-mopac/data-and-research/crime%20/gangs-dashboard Office for National Statistics (2017) Available at: https://www.ons.gov.uk/ (Accessed: 20 March 2017). https://www.worldbank.org/ (Accessed: 20 March 2017)

Wildlife Preservation Essay -- Environment Nature Ecology Essays Paper

Wildlife Preservation You hear about it all the time, and you read bout it in newspapers and magazines on how some nearby wildlife habitat is going to be torn up by an army of machinery and turned into a Super Wall Mart with a parking lot that’s big enough to fit five thousand cars. Is this really necessary? Is there a need to take every last bit of our wildlife at the expense of our capitalist society? It seems that humanity’s interactions with wildlife has been based on ignorance and the self-interest of the persons involved. The termination of wildlife and it habitats must be reversed for the sake of all of us, the land and wildlife, and future generations to come. If you are a true believer in the preservation of wildlife, here are some organizations that have the same view as you. The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) is an organization that has currently set aside thousands of acers of land to enhance the habitat of wildlife. Inventors of the National Heritage Project, which was created for protecting threatened and endangered species as well as natural areas in danger of being taken over by the next Wall Mart Corporation so to speak. Over 10,000 acres have been declares TVA land for the use of ecological studies areas, naturel habitat areas, and wildlife observation areas. It takes much time and effort from many people to have the ability and power to preserve and dedicate land for it’s natural growth. And unfortunately, it also takes a lot of money as a key component to make a change in preservation. The Northwest Wildlife Preservation Society runs fund-raising campaigns which contribute to its cash flow and success in preserving land. The Green Ribbon Campaign is one of a few fundraisers that is offered ... ...ttle help from a lot of us to make a difference when it comes down to cological issues like preserving wildlife. If there is some personal desire to help out any local organization in any way shape or form, it should not be shied away from. It’s something that can’t be overlooked. It’s peoples love for their environment that motivates them to take action and make a move towards a healthier, more safe and clean area they live in, along with peotecting all wildlife. The sooner we contribute, the more land we will save not only for the better of our wildlife, but for generations to come. RESOURCES Greenpeace Homepage http://www.greenpeace.org/international_en/news/ Tennessee Valley Authority Homepage http://www.tva.gov/environment/land/habitat.htm Wildlife Preservation Trust Canada http://www.wptc.org/ Wildlife Preservation Essay -- Environment Nature Ecology Essays Paper Wildlife Preservation You hear about it all the time, and you read bout it in newspapers and magazines on how some nearby wildlife habitat is going to be torn up by an army of machinery and turned into a Super Wall Mart with a parking lot that’s big enough to fit five thousand cars. Is this really necessary? Is there a need to take every last bit of our wildlife at the expense of our capitalist society? It seems that humanity’s interactions with wildlife has been based on ignorance and the self-interest of the persons involved. The termination of wildlife and it habitats must be reversed for the sake of all of us, the land and wildlife, and future generations to come. If you are a true believer in the preservation of wildlife, here are some organizations that have the same view as you. The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) is an organization that has currently set aside thousands of acers of land to enhance the habitat of wildlife. Inventors of the National Heritage Project, which was created for protecting threatened and endangered species as well as natural areas in danger of being taken over by the next Wall Mart Corporation so to speak. Over 10,000 acres have been declares TVA land for the use of ecological studies areas, naturel habitat areas, and wildlife observation areas. It takes much time and effort from many people to have the ability and power to preserve and dedicate land for it’s natural growth. And unfortunately, it also takes a lot of money as a key component to make a change in preservation. The Northwest Wildlife Preservation Society runs fund-raising campaigns which contribute to its cash flow and success in preserving land. The Green Ribbon Campaign is one of a few fundraisers that is offered ... ...ttle help from a lot of us to make a difference when it comes down to cological issues like preserving wildlife. If there is some personal desire to help out any local organization in any way shape or form, it should not be shied away from. It’s something that can’t be overlooked. It’s peoples love for their environment that motivates them to take action and make a move towards a healthier, more safe and clean area they live in, along with peotecting all wildlife. The sooner we contribute, the more land we will save not only for the better of our wildlife, but for generations to come. RESOURCES Greenpeace Homepage http://www.greenpeace.org/international_en/news/ Tennessee Valley Authority Homepage http://www.tva.gov/environment/land/habitat.htm Wildlife Preservation Trust Canada http://www.wptc.org/

A Little Thinking Music :: Biology Essays Research Papers

A Little Thinking Music "Words are the pen of the heart, but music is the pen of the soul" said Shneur Zalman. "Ain't it funny how a melody brings back memories/takes you to another place and time/completely changes your state of mind" croons the old country ballad. "Give me the beat boys and free my soul, I wanna get lost in your rock and roll and drift away" says the classic blues song. We are a species obsessed with these compositions of sound and rhythm. We call it the universal language and provide it the role of conveying our emotions without the restrictions of a linguistic system, we say that it has the ability to trigger memories and change moods. Why do our brains react so powerfully to music? How do we process it and what purpose does it serve? These are some of the questions I set out to answer in my little musical odyssey. When you hear a piece of music, the ear converts the sound waves into vibrations in specific parts of the inner and middle ear. These vibrations are then translated into action potentials that travel through the eighth cranial nerve to the brain stem, the thalamus, and the auditory cortex (1). It seems that the brain takes a song and translates it into it's own neurosymphony-sending electrical impulses to various parts of your brain. These varying patterns of impulses generate thoughts, feelings, and emotions (3) . It sounds almost as though we store various different patterns of these impulses in our brains and when the same pattern of sounds matches a pattern of impulses, it triggers a set of images. The interesting thing is that the same set of frequencies or pattern of impulses generates different images for different people. For instance, when I hear the Beatles' Yellow Submarine, I think of Mr. C, my fifth grade teacher, his old record player, and rock and roll Tuesdays. When m y roommate's brain registers the same pattern of impulses, it brings up the memory of her family's tan colored Volkswagen Rabbit. When I hear Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata, I hear raindrops and soft footsteps, while another person might hear rays of light falling on water. We all have distinct visions of the same pattern of sounds. Neurobiologists, like Harvard's Mark Tramo, have yet to figure out exactly how this comes about (3) . Music is one thing that stimulates and utilizes most parts of the brain (2).

Hope Springs Eternal: Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption by Stephen

Hope Springs Eternal: Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption by Stephen King A wise man once said, â€Å"Memory is the library of the mind.† All of the events in one’s life, ranging from birth to the present, are stored in this complex catalog of experience. There they remain untouched and collecting dust until a time of need, much like the scores of books found in today’s libraries. No matter how obscure, their topics represent the various trials of life that build one’s character and forever serve as the most reliable source of the human psyche. The novella, â€Å"Hope Springs Eternal: Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption†, is part of a collection of stories that comprise Stephen King’s book Different Seasons which was first published in 1983. It is the story of Andy Dufresne, a successful banker incarcerated, despite his innocence, for the murder of his wife and her lover. Leaving behind not only his status, but every known aspect of his life up until this point, Andy is submerged in a culture he knows not hing about. However, he manages to adapt to these unfamiliar surroundings through the use of his former knowledge and keen intellect. King uses Andy’s character as a liaison to convey the concept of memory within the novella. He outlines the stages in Andy’s journey throughout his time in Shawshank Federal Prison by highlighting the many channels in which his wisdom aids him. Furthermore, King shows the reader how this passage develops Andy as a person through the different ways he utilizes this remembrance, both for his benefit and that of others. Andy’s heroic metamorphosis provides a template for the different perceptions of memory within the text; such as that of a self-fulfilling resource, liberating gift to othe... ...ins the reader in experiencing the transformation of Andy as a character and the unavoidable sentiments that ingrain themselves into the human psyche. By delving into this unique harmony between the feelings of both author and reader, one can come to further comprehend the questions King is bringing to the table and his premeditated goal for this work. What does it mean to truly become a legend and why does Andy Dufresne so beautifully embody this definition? These are queries that we can only begin to answer and are an active ingredient of what makes Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption the literary marvel that it is. Works Consulted Cormier, Robert. I am the Cheese. New York: Dell Laurel-Leaf, 1991. King, Stephen. â€Å"Hope Springs Eternal: Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption.† Different Seasons. New York: New American Library, 1983. (15-107).

Ikea Brand

IKEA has created a global brand focused on low prices and contemporary designs. In 2009, Interbrand ranked IKEA 28th on its list of the top 100 global brands (# 35 in 2008 indicating 10% increase in brand value over just year). IKEA's success is attributed to its vast experience in the furniture retail market, its product differentiation and cost leadership. The brand Ikea has become iconic in consumers’ minds. CEO, Anders Dahlvig, states â€Å"the awareness of our brand is much bigger than the size of our company† (Kling, K & Goteman, I. 2003). IKEA is growing aggressively around the world and at each of the store openings there are wacky promotions. For example, at an Atlanta store opening (2005), the company offered a $4,000 gift certificate for the first person in line. (The man who won the contest camped outside the store in the boiling heat of summer for seven days. ) The recent â€Å"IKEA facebook campaign† shows how they are leveraging the power of social media networks to attract target customers. To promote the opening of its new store in Malmo, Sweden, they created a facebook profile for their store manager and the team then uploaded IKEA showroom images into the store album. People were encouraged to tag items in the photos with their name to win it for free! As the word about the campaign spread (through participant's profiles, news feed links and other forms of word of mouth), the photos were tagged in seconds and brand awareness grew rapidly. Not only did the Malmo IKEA store became popular in just few weeks, the story was picked up throughout the world by various news channels and online blogs. IKEA’s competitors include: Kmart and Target Corp. in the US, Fly in France, Japan Nitori Co. in Japan. They differentiate themselves from their competitors on the basis of: Price: IKEA is perceived as a value brand following their â€Å"affordable solutions for everyday living† tagline. Ikea focuses on lowest price segmentation. The company can do this because they have one of the lowest operating margins in the industry, 10%. As compared to its competitors, IKEA stands out as a cost leader providing affordable products with good quality and design. â€Å"To achieve that goal, the company's 12 full-time designers at Almhult, Sweden, along with 80 freelancers, work hand in hand with in-house production teams to identify the appropriate materials and least costly suppliers. With a network of 1,300 suppliers in 53 countries, Ikea works overtime to find the right manufacturer for the right product. Simplicity, a tenet of Swedish design, helps keep costs down. For e. g. the 50 cents Trofe mug comes only in blue and white, the least expensive pigments! ). †(Carpel, K. , 2005) The company focuses on cost control, similar to Wal- Mart's practice of squeezing suppliers and Toyota's elimination of waste and errors in manufacturing. IKEA is highly Competitive at this front while constantly dropping the price (2-3% annually) to provide the best values for customers. The suppliers and designers have to customize some Ikea products to make them sell better in local markets. For e. g. Julie Desrosiers, the bedroom-line manager at Ikea of Sweden, visited people's houses in the U. S. and Europe to peek into their closets, learning that â€Å"Americans prefer to store most of their clothes folded, and Italians like to hang. † The result was a wardrobe that features deeper drawers for U. S. customers. (Carpell, K. 2005) Majority of products at IKEA are designed for flat-pack distribution so that they can be easily stored and then transported in the average car. They are easy to self-assemble by the customer. IKEA’s brand positioning and how it impacts their brand image and branding strategies. As IKEA is expanding rapidly around the globe, it faces a number of challenges in terms of varied cultural, demographic and market specific needs. The ‘one-design-suits-all' global expansion strategy might not be suited for the culturally diverse markets, yet the brand is perceived in a similar way by the customers around the globe exhibiting low price as the core brand value. As IKEA expands globally, the branding strategies revolve around providing value (quality and design) to the customers at affordable prices. References Capell, K. ( November 14, 2005). Ikea, How the Swedish Retailer Became a Global Cult Brand,† Business Week, pp. 96-101. Retrieved from http://www. businessweek. com/magazine/content/05_46/b3959001. htm Lee, S. (2007). IKEA: A Branded Experience Is More Important Than Customer-Centricity. Retrieved from http://www. customerthink. com/article/ikea_branded_experience_important