Social Mobility Essays - Social Inequality, Gender Studies

Social Mobility Meet Sandra, a mother recently divorced from her abusive middle-class husband. Her previous life had been comfortable; she now lives day-to-day with her children, working as a secretary while attending college courses in her little spare time, all while attending to her home and family. She finally ends up attaining her degree, yet can still find no job paying higher than her secretarial job, so she takes on a second job as a grocery checkout person, still barely making ends meet for her family. As described in Ch. 9 of the Giddens text, this woman had obviously worked very hard to attempt to restore her life back to her previous pre-divorce middle-class state. She says, You try to do the responsible thing, and youre penalized, because the system we have right now doesnt provide you with a way to make it. (p. 169) However, she learned the hard way that class is not quite as easy to transcend in this so-called land of opportunity. The United States is the most highly stratified society of the industrialized world. Class distinctions operate in virtually every aspect of our lives, determining the nature of our work, the quality of our schooling, and the health and safety of our loved ones. Yet, remarkably, we, as a nation retain illusions about living in the capitalist land of opportunity, where any average Joe can make his million if he works hard enough. The reality of the our situation is that the US is not as open as we think it may be, meaning that social mobility, or the movement between classes, is not nearly as easy as we may believe. This is due to the fact that many social issues, such as gender, racial, and economic class, serve as barriers that obstruct the path of ones social mobility. Despite our own personal efforts and talents, mobility in our society is primarily based on ones status, and overcoming the stereotypes that accompany ones status makes mobility extremely hard. Before examining how mobility is suppressed within society, it is important to look at what types exist in our industrialized nation. Usually the amount of mobility in a society is a major indicator of its openness. India, for example, is a very closed society, running on a caste system that dictates ones status in life and prohibits any movement between classes. The US has mostly seen structural mobility, which is advancement opportunity made possible by an increase in better-paid occupations at the expense of lower-wage occupations. Since WWII, there has been a large increase in high-paying managerial and executive positions, as well as blue-collar working class jobs. Within this structural mobility, there is upper and downward mobility that can allow a person to either rise or fall in economic class. However, many other elements come into play, making advancements extremely difficult, and class lines deeply imbedded. In our society, as well as every other industrialized nation, mobility is based on the idea that the poor are the lowest of the social strata, and that all mobility continues upwards from that point. Due to this concept, society makes progress for the lower classes particularly difficult, because they guarantee the status of those who are not poor. Herbert Gans examines this concept in his piece, The Positive Functions of Poverty. He gives numerous examples of how the poor see no mobility because they are kept down to benefit the upper classes. Gans also observes that the poor actually contribute to the upper mobility of the non-poor. In fact, many are able to make money off of the poor for their own social gain by providing them with retail, entertainment, gambling, housing, and narcotics. (Gans, p.25) Due to meager education and the stereotypes of being incapable and lazy, the poor enable others to obtain the better jobs. These stereotypes begin while still in school, as seen in Wi lliam Chamblisss piece, Saints and Roughnecks. The Saints were a group of upper class teenage boys, just as delinquent as their lower class counterparts, the Roughnecks. However, due to selective perception and labeling, the Roughnecks were targeted as the bad kids who didnt want to make something of themselves, while the Saints were seen as leaders of

Guide to Teaching a Home Schooler to Love to Write

Guide to Teaching a Home Schooler to Love to Write Guide to Teaching a Home Schooler to Love to Write There is a trend rising around the globe, and it is homeschooling. While the increase of having your child sit at home, and getting them engaged in their studies is something many parents were not prepared for, unless they were already educators, the need for suggestions on how to teach them what is necessary for them to pass the tests each school year is also on the rise. Math and science has become popular with home schoolers due to the games online that help them grow to love these subjects, but writing seems to get students in a grumpy mood. Parents hear, â€Å"I hate to write, I hate to read, it’s so boring†. Parents, before you get frustrated and just give them the math and science homework instead of writing work, consider this: When our children practice their handwriting, it helps them develop their coordination Their reading skills increase Their spelling skills increase When they are fluid in handwriting skills, children learn to concentrate on task for longer periods of time Visual skills and motor skills are enhanced and they become better writers Writers are in high demand in workforce, and practicing now will help them study better in college So how do we get our kids engaged in literature and writing as much as they seem to love math and science? The first thing a home school educator must do is come up with an engaging writing curriculum specific to the age of the child. For Grades 1-4 When teaching this age group, we must keep in mind that their focus changes quickly. You can begin to peak their interest by asking them to write a simple list. Show them a list of your favorite things, and ask them to make a list of 5 of their favorite things. After their list is done, ask them to write 2 sentences telling you why each thing is important to them. The one thing that we know about this demographic is that are still very much self-centered by nature and always want to talk about what interests them. While teaching your kids to become writers, start developing a curriculum of how to teach them by buying books based on teaching kids to write. You can find many in your neighborhood library, or amazon.com is a low-cost place to buy books. Picture Use Graphics are always on the walls of elementary schools. This is because children have great imaginations. Gather many pictures of animals, cartoon characters, and even their favorite video game characters. You can type them into any search engine then click images, and they will pop up. Hang them near you homeschooled child at the beginning of the lesson and start a sentence about the picture and instruct your child to write a short story to go along with your sentence. Make sure you have many picture books on hand for your child and try these tips: After lunch sit with your child and read a book to them, if they already know how to read, ask that they read a paragraph then you read one. Reading encourages writing. When coming across words that your child struggles with, write it down or highlight it in the book. (only if you own the book, do not write in Library books) When you are done, go over the words that your child had trouble with and ask that they write a sentence for each of the words. Have your child create flash cards with color markers, putting words on one side and the name of the book they came out of on the other side. The next day, let them choose the book they want to read after lunch. Start a book shelf close to the area where your child is homeschooling. Parents, keep in mind that you are teaching the child to love to write, and this means giving them something they love to read. Sometimes this may mean changing location in the home also. No Distractions Please Being homeschooled can be a challenge because you are in the comfort of your home and we are used to turning on the television, the radio, answering the telephone, the door etc. While your little angel is trying to write their sentences, do not get distracted by phone calls or anything else. Kids will do what they see you do and if you allow for distractions while schooling is going on, you will inevitably have to begin again and again. One suggestion that we have found helpful, is changing the location of where you teach your child. If the living room is where you all usually watch your favorite shows or entertain guests. Don’t teach there. If the child’s room has their games, television etc. you may not want to leave them in there to study. Create an office space, or use your home office as the place that studies take place. Nature Teaches Us If it is a beautiful day, to encourage writing about the neighborhood, take a walk to the nearby park, you can practice writing in sand or with a stick in the dirt, or go to the library and have a lesson there. Take a car ride to the country, a day trip, much like they do in secular schools. Stop at a new place that you have never been, and pull out paper and writing tools and ask that your child create a story about where they are and what they see, but the story must be about: The smallest person on the planet Leaving the planet If everything was blue (or any color you choose) What they would do if they were lost in the middle of the woods Their tennis shoes, if they were magic If the car was a plane, where would you both go What happened when it began to rain? How many things they can think of that are in your house What they would do if cupcakes began to fall from the sky that could talk This exercise should take about 25 minutes or less and if they do not finish, keep that notebook in the car when you get back home. That notebook is now the car-story book and will be used when you go out. Middle Schoolers When you must teach middle-school kids how to develop an essay, you as a parent may need help in this area. Before you teach this subject, get in touch with a professional writing service that can help with your essays. Websites like this can give you feedback on an essay that you write and send to them, or they can write a professional essay and send it to you fully structured so you can use it as a guide. Sample essays are always good to have around when it comes to writing. Not only for your child, but for you to get good at your writing also. Middle schoolers are harder to keep engaged than little ones, they think they are too sophisticated for their parents when it comes to things like technology. We suggest that technology like their phones be off limits, unless they are used for writing. Many times, if we offer time on the computer or on their phones in exchange for writing a story, this works wonders for middle schoolers, no matter how much they hate writing. Some of the subjects that interests them are: Their favorite star (music, sports, television) Have them research someone they admire and write 2 paragraphs about them Jobs. Middle schoolers are interested in making their own money, tell them to write about their dream job and what they would do with their first paycheck. If they could go to any school in the country or the world, where would they go (this will give you an idea whether their mind is on college) Switching Roles Pick a day out of the week where you the parent becomes the student. Have your middle schooler create a lesson plan for you to carry out. They will spend up to 1-hour writing out what they want you to accomplish for your writing lesson. They will be testing you on grammar and developing an essay for you to write. This task will get their writing lesson in and they won’t even think they are doing work. It will all be about teaching you not them. Tell them to create a spelling word list for the following week and they must test you on your spelling list. If they are having trouble, be prepared to give them websites to find lists of words where they can do their research for you. Not only will this be fun, they will ask to do this again and again. Let them know that you love their teaching style and that you look forward to the days that they get to teach you. Writing Letters and With Others We as parents that homeschool must remember that writing just for us can become a bit boring for kids. Here are a few tips that can give your writing lessons new spark: Start a play date that invites other homeschoolers and their parents over to read aloud each other’s short stories Find a pen-pal site and write to people from other countries and read their letters aloud. Don’t wait for the holidays to write to Grandparents, write them just to say you miss them. Ask the local library if they would give you space to have poetry readings once a month, and get other parents that homeschool involved in participating. Develop cliff hanger stories that you pass around to your neighbors to finish. Start at the house on the block with something that goes like this. Today when the lights went out all over town†¦, then the next house gets to fill in a couple of sentences until it is a full story. Substitute the Writing Creative writing, and writing in general can be exciting and beneficial to all students, but to those that hate to write, it may take genuine effort to just get out one sentence. There are other projects that you can get you child interested in and still get them practicing their writing. For instance: Find a word puzzles (offer prizes for most words found) Creating their own crossword puzzles Use pictures to fill in word blanks instead of writing them in Create a list of rhyming words and then write a poem for them to recite out loud Tell them to use each letter in their names to come up with funny words that rhyme Hide word cards around the house and have a scavenger hunt to find them. When found, each word must be yelled out, and they must replace a card around the house for your turn to find. (Parent participation is so important in helping the child that does not like to write) When it is time to do the food shopping, get your child to sit down and write down what you call out that the house needs. Eggs, cheese, bread, etc. then tell them to write down some of their favorites on the list also. At the market, they will be reading the list back to you as you get the things from the shelves. You are on your way to helping your student learn to love writing. The more they read, the more prone they are to become good writers. At the end of every month, there should be an essay written.   Start with one page, and by the end of the homeschool semester they should be writing at least 3 pages of text. For younger children, include pictures that they can draw along with their stories. With these and other tips that are online for homeschooling parents, you will succeed in giving your child the best homeschool experience that you can give. Good luck!

Bessie Coleman, African American Woman Pilot

Bessie Coleman, African American Woman Pilot Bessie Coleman, a stunt pilot, was a pioneer in aviation. She was the first African American woman with a pilots license, the first African American woman to fly a plane, and the first American with an international pilots license.   She lived from  January 26, 1892 (some sources give 1893)  to April 30, 1926 Early Life Bessie Coleman was born in Atlanta, Texas, in 1892, tenth of thirteen children. The family soon moved to a farm near Dallas. The family worked the land as sharecroppers, and Bessie Coleman worked in the cotton fields. Her father, George Coleman, moved to Indian Territory, Oklahoma, in 1901, where he had rights, based on having three Indian grandparents. His African American wife, Susan, with five of their children still at home, refused to go with him. She supported the children by picking cotton and taking in laundry and ironing. Susan, Bessie Colemans mother, encouraged her daughters education, though she was herself illiterate, and though Bessie had to miss school often to help in the cotton fields or to watch her younger siblings. After Bessie graduated from eighth grade with high marks, she was able to pay, with her own savings and some from her mother, for a semesters tuition at an industrial college in Oklahoma, Oklahoma Colored Agricultural and Normal University. When she dropped out of school after a semester, she returned home, working as a laundress. In 1915 or 1916 she moved to Chicago to stay with her two brothers who had already moved there. She went to beauty school, and became a manicurist, where she met many of the black elite of Chicago. Learning to Fly Bessie Coleman had read about the new field of aviation, and her interest was heightened when her brothers regaled her with tales of French women flying planes in World War I. She tried to enroll in aviation school, but was turned down. It was the same story with other schools where she applied. One of her contacts through her job as a manicurist was Robert S. Abbott, publisher of the Chicago Defender. He encouraged her to go to France to study flying there. She got a new position managing a chili restaurant to save money while studying French at the Berlitz school. She followed Abbotts advice, and, with funds from several sponsors including Abbott, left for France in 1920. In France, Bessie Coleman was accepted in a flying school, and received her pilots license- the first African American woman to do so. After two more months of study with a French pilot, she returned to New York in September, 1921. There, she was celebrated in the black press and was ignored by the mainstream press. Wanting to make her living as a pilot, Bessie Coleman returned to Europe for advanced training in acrobatic flying- stunt flying. She found that training in France, in the Netherlands, and in Germany. She returned to the United States in 1922. Bessie Coleman, Barnstorming Pilot That Labor Day weekend, Bessie Coleman flew in an air show on Long Island in New York, with Abbott and the Chicago Defender as sponsors. The event was held in honor of black veterans of World War I. She was billed as the worlds greatest woman flyer. Weeks later, she flew in a second show, this one in Chicago, where crowds lauded her stunt flying. From there she became a popular pilot at air shows around the United States. She announced her intent to start a flying school for African Americans, and began recruiting students for that future venture. She started a beauty shop in Florida to help raise funds. She also regularly lectured at schools and churches. Bessie Coleman landed a movie role in a film called Shadow and Sunshine, thinking it would help her promote her career.   She walked away when she realized that the depiction of her as a black woman would be as a stereotypical Uncle Tom. Those of her backers who were in the entertainment industry in turn walked away from supporting her career. In 1923, Bessie Coleman bought her own plane, a World War I surplus Army training plane. She crashed in the plane days later, on February 4, when the plane nose-dived. After a long recuperation from broken bones, and a longer struggle to find new backers, she finally was able to get some new bookings for her stunt flying. On Juneteenth (June 19) in 1924 , she flew in a Texas air show. She bought another plane- this one also an older model, a Curtiss JN-4, one that was low-priced enough that she could afford it. May Day in Jacksonville In April, 1926, Bessie Coleman was in Jacksonville, Florida, to prepare for a May Day Celebration sponsored by the local Negro Welfare League. On April 30, she and her mechanic went for a test flight, with the mechanic piloting the plane and Bessie in the other seat, with her seat belt unbuckled so that she could lean out and get a better view of the ground as she planned the next days stunts. A loose wrench got wedged in the open gear box, and the controls jammed. Bessie Coleman was thrown from the plane at 1,000 feet, and she died in the fall to the ground. The mechanic could not regain control, and the plane crashed and burned, killing the mechanic. After a well-attended memorial service in Jacksonville on May 2, Bessie Coleman was buried in Chicago. Another memorial service there drew crowds as well. Every April 30, African American aviators- men and women- fly in formation over Lincoln Cemetery in southwest Chicago (Blue Island) and drop flowers on Bessie Colemans grave. Legacy of Bessie Coleman Black flyers founded the Bessie Coleman Aero Clubs, right after her death. the Bessie Aviators organization was founded by black women pilots in 1975, open to women pilots of all races. In 1990, Chicago renamed a road near OHare International Airport for Bessie Coleman. That same year, Lambert - St. Louis International Airport unveiled a mural honoring Black Americans in Flight, including Bessie Coleman. In 1995, the U.S. Postal Service honored Bessie Coleman with a commemorative stamp. In October, 2002, Bessie Coleman was inducted into the National Womens Hall of Fame in New York. Also known as:  Queen Bess, Brave Bessie Background, Family: Mother: Susan Coleman, sharecropper, cotton picker and laundressFather: George Coleman, sharecropperSiblings: thirteen total; nine survived Education: Langston Industrial College, Oklahoma - one semester, 1910Ecole dAviation des Freres, France, 1920-22Beauty school in ChicagoBerlitz school, Chicago, French language, 1920

The Leadership Experience Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The Leadership Experience - Assignment Example Vicente says that his secretary always replies his mail, and he does not seem to find anything wrong with that (Daft, 2015). Task 2 The main purpose of Chuck's communication to Vicente was to urge him to ensure that the deadline for supplying the toys that Hunter Worth had placed an order for was met. The main purpose of Chuck's communication to Michael Sato seems to have been to lodge a complaint about what seemed to him like lack of commitment and seriousness by Vicente towards meeting the deadline. While choosing his channel of communication with Vicente, Chuck should have considered the following factors. Urgency: As the matter at hand was urgent and required an immediate response, a telephone call would have been more effective.Confidentiality: By making a telephone call, he would get to speak to Vicente in person as opposed to emails that may be answered by anyone. On his communication with Sato, Chuck should have considered: Confidentiality: A call would have been more discree t. Sato is seen to have forwarded the email to Vicente's bosses, leading to conflict.Nature of relationship: Considering that Sato and Chuck were personal friends, he would have been comfortable speaking to him in person or calling him on his personal cellphone as the issue being reported to him does not seem to have been intended to be official. Task 3 If I were Chuck, I would have made a call to Vicente instead of sending him an email. This would have conveyed the message with the urgency required.

Applied Linguistis - Structure of English - grammar Essay

Applied Linguistis - Structure of English - grammar - Essay Example It specifies the intricacies of English grammar relatively to other languages such as French language wherein the rules of grammar have been codified, signifying the higher degree of freedom in English grammar. Sample examination of L1 and L2 non-native students (NNSs) indicates that they use simple sentences formed with be-copula as the main verbs. This essay attempts an analysis of the reasons behind this tendency in non-native L2 students in general and Arabian students in particular by offering a comparison of the essay writings of both native learners and non-native learners. Problems of Arabic L1 and L2 students related to grammar are specifically discussed with possible causes and recommendations to avoid the errors of grammar. The Meaning of ‘grammar’ The grammar in English has various meanings; the prevalent meaning is inclusion of syntax and aspects of morphology in ‘grammar’. Morphology deals with internal mechanisms of words that covers Inflectio ns such as ‘bought’, the past tense, is the Inflection of the verb ‘buy’ and when it is written in interrogative form of the sentence ‘He bought it’, changed to ‘Did he buy it?’ [Syntax], it becomes a part of grammar. In some English speaking countries, the word ‘grammar’ is used flexibly by considering spelling and lexicology a part of grammar (Quirk et al., 1985). Rules of grammar and the native speaker The native speaker of English language imbibes the rules of grammar without acknowledging them but finds it difficult to explain. The same is not true when a foreign language is learnt, as the learning process is based on complex rule sets, which are not ambiguous because the grammarians themselves have codified the rules as there is the Academy Grammar in French but nothing of that sort is available in English language, therefore, the level of freedom is high in the usage of English grammar (Quirk et al., 1985). Idea of a language is more important to convey in English grammar than the statement as it has its own sets of codes to follow. Hinkel (2003) examination of 1.083 L1 and L2 texts proves that higher non-native-English-speaking students in U.S. universities use extra-ordinarily simple syntactic and lexical sentences, like be-copula as the main verb; predicative adjectives; uncommon nouns; and public, private and expecting/tentative verbs with average frequency rates critically greater than given in basic texts by native English speakers. An evaluation of bulk corpus analyses accomplished in the last two decades shows that these expressions are common in talkative and informal discussions in stead of the written study texts. Causes for the practice of easy syntactic and lexical traits of text in L2 study essays are analysed besides introducing instructional techniques to manage the drawbacks in naturalistic and communicative L2 learning and instructional ways for L2 students pursuing studi es. The L2 study essays written by non-native English speakers (NNSs) indicate the deterioration in the standard in comparison to the academic essays written by native speakers (NSs). The overall writing standard of non-native L1 and L2 students’ texts can be raised by finding the easy syntactical and lexical sentences. The findings indicate that be-copula as the leading verb of a sentence is randomly used along with predicative adjectives. The random usage of be-copula verb even in advanced L1 and L2 essay writing affects the frequency rates of nouns and

The Eclectic And Reflective Nature

The Eclectic And Reflective Nature The outline of the case including factors in connection with history, presentation and the need for a revised therapeutic approach in many ways mirrors the clinical case evaluation detailed by Sherry (2006) in the application of an Attachment Theory Approach to the Short-Term Treatment of A Woman With Borderline Personality Disorder and Comorbid Diagnoses. This study highlights the difficult support/treatment pathway of borderline personality disorder (BPD) which stems from the comorbidity with other diagnoses including severe depression, panic disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder (Zimmerman Mattia, 1999) and harmful misuse of alcohol and other substances (Trull et al, 2000) which are all clearly present in Ruths life. The symptoms typically identified with these disorders are often challenging to mental health practitioners and there appears to be a groundswell of opinion that suggests the disorder is largely untreatable because they are entrenched within the personality and coping mechanisms of the individual. (Raven. 2009) As is common with many people who experience severe mental distress, Ruth has been unable to respond to the demands of the workplace and therefore financial insecurity is likely to be a significant factor for her and also in shaping the life options and experiences of her daughter, Megan. Gould (2006) identifies some of the most pertinent and enduring difficulties that contribute to child poverty in situations where parents have poor mental health and details the difficulties of securing employment (just 24% of people with long term mental health issues in employment), the typically low level of remuneration for people in this category and inflexible nature of moving from benefit claimant through into employment as limiting factors in increasing the life chances of children and young people in this kind of situation. To support this claim the more general findings of Tunnard (2004) are highlighted which link parental ill health problems and family poverty and indicate that 50% of dis abled people have incomes below half the national average, this rises to 60% for disabled adults with children (Gould 2006). Speculation in this report suggests that the figures would be worse in families where one or more parents experience significant and enduring mental problems. Therefore it is reasonable to presume in the case of Ruth and Megan that their level of income is and will remain at a low level without some significant lifestyle changes. Specific links between financial hardship and mental health are taken from an unpublished paper by Social Exclusion Unit in 2004 detailing the impact of poverty on mental ill health, the difficulty people experience had in accessing financial advice /services, disproportionate dependence on state benefits, fluctuating incomes determined by health status and the challenge of securing the right level if benefit/personal finance. General findings about the impact on family poverty are also relevant in the case of Ruth and Megan and it is a factor that is very likely to add to the symptomology common to people diagnosed with borderline personality disorder. Furthermore, as benefits and social care resources are constrained against a backdrop of central governments drive to put people back into work, Spencer and Baldwin (2007) argue that many parents in the UK are expected to bring up their families in the context of unreasonably scarce resources. Therefore, practitioners need to take into account Ruth and Megans social and economic factors when assessing their individual needs, risk and in determining a therapeutic pathway for this family. As might be expected, given these negative financial, health and well-being determinants social exclusion is a likely to be a factor that needs to be overcome if an holistic, person-centred approach is to be adopted in supporting this family. Developing strategies to overcome the destructive behaviours that Ruth has developed as her personal coping from mechanisms is a key factor in addressing the wider concern of her and Megans social exclusion and isolation. Megans current situation, which is one of compromised opportunity, a limited social life, burdensome responsibilities, isolation, scarce personal resources and a lack of attention to her own needs, represents the situation of many carers in the UK, especially so those who have or have had responsibilities as a young carer. . Research by Aldridge and Becker, (1999, p.306) suggests that children who provide caring support to parents with mental illness will be more susceptible to increased levels of anxiety, depression, fear, change in behavioural and social patterns as well as being more at risk of transmission of the particular parental condition. As caring moves through into adulthood the future tends to remain bleak and research from the Health and Social Care Information Centre (2010) reports increased evidence of poor health, low income and a general sense of hopelessness for carers in the light of on-going cuts to social care budgets. The prospect for any significant improvement is equally depressing. In considering the details of this case the eclectic and reflective nature of social work is an approach that seems suitable for the complexities supporting people with mental ill health, particularly the ever changing presentations of people who have a diagnosis of borderline personality disorder. Payne (2009, p.100) describes the usefulness of these approaches in case work highlighting how practitioners can adopt and use theories together, perhaps all at once or perhaps successively or use different theories in different cases. Because this method requires significant skill and discernment Payne cites Epstein (1992) who suggests that flexible team approaches to reflection, debate and application offer a useful way forward to the delivery of flexible moment to moment practice in response to complex cases. Payne (2009) identifies systems theory as being an important aspect of eclecticism. Pincus and Minahan (1973) applied the approach to social work practice and describe three types of system these being informal or natural (friends/family), formal (community groups, etc.) and societal systems (hospital/schools, etc.). People with mental health problems are likely to have some difficulty in using helping systems to improve their health, life experiences and general well-being. Applying systems theory involves identifying the point, and problems individuals experience in the interactions with their environment. The phases of this include assessing; making/negotiating contracts; forming/coordinating actions; re-forming and influencing action systems; terminating change efforts. Payne (2005) extends the application of this approach and makes clear links to ecological systems theory, crisis theory/models and task centred working. The application of these, particularly crisis intervention, could work in connection with Ruths current difficulties and potentially offers short term bridge toward longer term therapeutic work. However in adopting this approach it is wort h considering the caution raised by Doel (2009) and he notes that if done poorly than crisis/task centred work can become inflexible, routine and possibility lead to some level of social control. Doel suggests using these methods should be accompanied by training that considers factors such as values, attitudes and their application in practice. Sherry (2007) identifies the increasing consideration and application of attachment theory (Bowlby 1973) in the causation of borderline personality disorder and cites numerous influences as threats to attachment in childhood. Risk factors in this regard include sexual traumas (Laporte Guttman, 1996), parental neglect (Paris, 1997, 1998), family instability and emotional neglect all of which are considered to contribute to the development of personality styles in adult life. For practitioners, the reasoning of Ivey 1989 who suggested extreme behaviour by clients could be linked to their development history and the way they respond and bring meaning to their experiences in later life. Therefore poor parenting experienced by Ruth could have been instrumental part in the development of behaviours that for her now carry the label of borderline personality disorder (West Sheldon-Keller (1994). Therefore the gathering of information in assessment processes can be a crucial factor in worki ng out the style and content of social work intervention. In considering the pathways of someone who experiences significant mental health issues it is clear that from many perspectives that society perceptions, life opportunities and thereby individual well-being are compromised in many areas of life. The fight for a more balanced and supportive approach to mental health has been carried by the service user/survivor movement for many years and the need for reform has led to many campaigns. It is easy to understand the need secure better treatment and push through system reforms given oppression, rejection and widespread ignorance that characterises the history of mental health in the UK. Ferguson (2008) highlights how the now accepted position of the survivor movements pushing for greater recognition of the plight of people with mental health issues came from the enduring effects of stigma, powerlessness, inequality and segregation which have been utilised to push governmental thinking and maintain mental health, well-being and social care as political issues. The fight for improved rights and opportunity among the survivor movement only really gathered pace in the 1970s (Campbell 1996) (Beresford, 1997) and in the early stages tended to focus on small scale self-help and mutual support initiatives. More recently there has been greater, towards collective national campaigns concerning treatment, responding the revisions of the mental health legislation and broader struggles to change attitudes and understandings of madness and distress. This has been key to shifting the stigma of mental health and clearly it is something that needs to continue. General concerns expressed by Campbell (2005) link well to Ruths situation and the pressing structural concerns that tend to bring of poverty, lack of opportunity, isolation, boredom, hopelessness and therefore a continuing commitment to state imposed legal and medical restrictions are clearly relevant to the case study. Evidence of the negative impact of mental ill health can be found in the health inequalities highlighted in research carried out for the Disability Rights Commission in 2006 which showed that people with severe mental illness are at higher risk of ill health across a number of conditions. Their report Equal Treatment: Closing the Gap highlighted increased incidence of clinical obesity, coronary heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure among people with severe mental health issues. It also noted higher risks in connection with people developing high blood pressure, stroke, respiratory problems and bowel and breast cancer. They are also more likely to smoke. Althou gh the reasons for this inequality are complex and have far reaching implications for public health policy makers, the consequence remains that people who experience long-term mental ill health die on average 5 to 10 years younger than other people, often from preventable illnesses. The response to this research and the continued focus on issues of inequality, injustice and stigma by organisations such as Rethink Mental Illness is yielded some significant results with increased focus on physical health being pursued within community mental health teams, increased focus on talking therapies and Mental Health (Discrimination) Bill moving through to the House of Lords for further debate. (Rethink, 2012) However it is increasingly apparent that people with a diagnosis of borderline personality disorder are subject to a specific type of stigma and discrimination that impacts on the relationships that are key to achieving to achieving some level of stability in their lives, these being the therapeutic links with practitioners within community mental health services. Ruths condition unfortunately fits in with the perception held amongst professionals that it is almost or completely untreatable. Personality disordered patients are often described as the patient physiatrists dislike and are often viewed as time wasting, difficult, attention seeking, and manipulative bed blockers. (Hadden Haigh, 2002). Having previously highlighted the significance of person-centred theory and approaches in developing therapeutic alliances, it is supremely that discrimination within helping professions can be raised so easily as central limiting factor. Markham (2003) highlights multiple differences in th e reactions of professional staff towards people who have a diagnosis of BPD. The suggestion is that the label leads to increased social rejection, deceased optimism and adoption of stereo typical attitudes by staff therefore creating risk of less favourable and thereby effective treatment as compared to other groups of people with severe and enduring mental health issues. As might be expected, the research draws heavily on labelling theory: The negative service user experience detailed by Wright Jones (2012) in typifies Ruths historical therapeutic pathway and include direct quotes that are clearly relevant: Rightly or wrongly, I interpreted the label as a sign that I was fundamentally flawed, that the bad parts of me far outweighed any good attributes that might also be part of my personality à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦and being told that I had a personality disorder and that there was no cure or treatment. The inference was that I was just made this way and that was the end of it. The article also highlights the findings of Pilgrim (2001) who suggest that poor responses to personality disorder occur because causes are not known and that treatment outcomes are often unpredictable and unreliable. In considering this kind of evidence, it is easy to understand Ruths resignation following another A E admission which in her mind will bring about yet another dissatisfying cycle therapeutic hopelessness with little chance of any success. (should this paragraph be justified or left centred?) The situation raised in the case study typifies many of the negative issues associated with the support that people with a diagnosis of borderline personality disorder receive: dismissive attitudes, inconsistent approaches and authoritarian approaches seem to be consistent themes and are obviously not changing the nature and outcomes of therapeutic interventions. While it might be difficult at this stage, it seems important for Ruth to take some responsibility possibly self-managing some degree of the presenting risk which is consistent with the guidance provided by Wright and Jones (2012) and is also in line with best practice as detailed in the NICE guidance (2009). This should be clearly stated within the care plan. Mead and Copland (2000) suggest that people are able to grow through positive risks taking and that empowerment through person centred support can reframe typical service user response to difficult, crisis situations. Practically this can be supported through clear and effective care planning and this should be built into an individuals treatment and crisis plan. Ruth, along with her care coordinator, should carefully consider strategies to manage acute and chronic risks developing and incorporating these in the care plan as appropriate. This will ensure consistency when the care coordinator is absent, ensuring that Ruths care and support follows boundaries and consistency agreed with her and thereby ensuring she is treated with dignity, respect and compassion. Although risk to self which Sherry (2007) clearly links to the diagnosis of borderline personality disorder must be responded to in the context of community mental health services, admission to psychiatric inpatient unit should only take place as a last resort and the least restrictive options should be pursued. The stepped care model offers a useful statutory response and if risks remain elevated then Ruth should be considered firstly for the high intensity team then a referral crisis resolution and home treatment team, notwithstanding any negativity that may surround her historical presentations. If possible extra support from care coordinator would be the ideal solution, as this would utilise the therapeutic relationship in place to support and guide Ruth through her crisis. In consistently challenging situations Ruths care coordinator could also explore with Ruth and Megan a self-directed support (SDS) package. This package could support with activities of her choice and it is po ssible for this to be used for Ruth to explore and access some community resources therefore building social networks for Ruth and relieving Megan of some of the pressure of her carers role. Hatton and Waters (2011) identify the relative success of SDS/personalisation in connection with people experiencing mental health issues and this is at its most beneficial when individuals pursue direct payments and secure support on their own terms. Whichever option in terms of on-going support is chosen then it seems that there is need for a more collaborative, shared approach both in connection with risk and also around longer-term support strategies. The work and theories of Rogers (1956, 1957) define the core conditions of counselling including unconditional positive regard (UPR), empathy and congruence for therapeutic relationships to succeed particularly so in the context of personality change. It is important to note that this is a value based approach and faith that the person can shape their own positive future if the condition highlighted above can be provided. It is not a set of tools and techniques that can be turned on and off to suit practitioner needs at a given time or opportunity. It links well to considerations around motivational approaches and Ruths and Megans desire to move on is a good indicator in this regard. Fundamentally, by adopting humanistic approaches, the aim is to develop a pattern of interaction and support which keeps Ruth centrally involved in the nature and shape of the therapeutic relationship which will naturally involve key decisions about, risk, treatment options, care planning and goal planning. Clearly this type of interaction is difficult to outline to all involved professionals but careful entries and assessment within electronic records can help significantly in modifying the responses all statutory workers who may encounter Ruth in the professional work. If this person-centred approach is adopted then it will represent a significant shift in the care and support Ruth has received in her short psychiatric career.

Office Visit Essay

DHL is known for its reputation and service throughout the world. Major online vendors like Amazon. com and Barnes & Nobles as well as several other industries employ DHL speed post service to deliver their items and couriers to their clients. It has been an immense pleasure to visit one of their branch offices and the layout of their work as well as their office has certainly been impressive. As time becomes more and more precious in the world of today, people are willing to invest into time-saving services. DHL has undoubtedly been one of them. Several industries involved in marketing and sales on a global basis employ their services due to the reputation it holds in the industry. From receiving express packages and couriers to sending express packages and couriers, DHL has been well-known for its reputation in the express mail and courier facility and its reliability for quality service. Though its major task has most commonly been linked with the express mail task, the DHL industry spreads itself into various other industrial sectors as well such as audio visual and telecommunications, electronics telecom, enterprise computer systems, fashion and fashion solutions, global automotive solutions, pharma/healthcare and semiconductors. DHL presents an amazing work history. Founded by Adrian Dalsey, Larry Hillbolm and Robert Lynn from their last names (DHL), DHL was established in the year 1969 via first express route that started from San Francisco to Honolulu, the success of DHL didn’t just stop there. Serving as a foundation for innovative ideas, DHL was the first in its industry to provide documentation prior to the arrival of the cargoes that rushed the route of importing of goods. Due to its reliable express service, it began to gain its recognition in the industry and this also initiated to expand its routes from Hawaii and Far East to as far as the Middle East. By 1988, DHL could be found in more than 170 countries and employing more than 16,000 employees in its firm. DHL offers a lucrative career for those involved in the sales and marketing field. The career options are many, including part-time as well as freelance. While the current estimate of the number of people hired is difficult; as of 2005 statistics, DHL had employed more than 110,000 employees in more than 200 countries (DHL, 2007). In the current office visit, there were around 50 employees assisting in the tasks involved in delivery and customer service, the head of whom. It mainly dealt with dealing calls from customers and answering several queries with respect to the orders placed by their company. The office layout is impressive. Designed into several cubicles, this structure ensured proper space for each employee to work in giving them their privacy (Martin, 2001). However, there are a few disadvantages linked with such kind of architecture. I’d prefer the DHL team to work without walls. The recent article on office cubicles and the joy of employees related to the demise of the cubicles is a proof enough to show that though cubicles grants privacy, it is not the best structure for offices to work effectively (Lotozo, 2006) In cubicles, we have walls separating one employee from another thereby giving privacy but in today’s management, the best way to work is to work in teams. This requires the employees to work together and of course, without the presence of walls. As Marilyn S. Burroughs in her article entitled, â€Å"Work spaces that work: designing high performance offices† states, â€Å"The future will see more teams that function as amoebae – expanding and contracting, blurring both the center and the boundaries. Teams will be disposable, sometimes lasting only several hours; they’ll be wholly elastic, coming in all sizes, and people will slip in and out of them instantly. And office designs will accommodate these ever changing teams: Flexibility, spontaneity, and the need to be fluid applies to the physical environment as well as to work processes†¦ The growth of teams is helping to eliminate functional silos and to flatten organizations because teams require faster, clearer, more direct, and more spontaneous communication. Teaming requires a less-structured atmosphere, one that is much more informal, participatory, and flexible† (Burroughs, 1996). The other section of the DHL department contained the packages that were delivered by trucks to the office (the office visited was one of the DHL branch present in my city) and the packages were neatly arranged according to their localities in the storage room. Each package was handled carefully by each employee as they are responsible for the proper delivery of the package and any harm to the courier package would mean refunds from the customer from the firm responsible for the courier. The type of workload that DHL handles varies from customer service (attending calls, queries and even e-mailing that involves the use of computers) to handling courier packages. An attendant is always ready at hand to answer any queries for visitors and the work space ensures that the customer is comfortable. Though the office is divided into cubicles, a comfortable space for the customers has been designed. The space has sofas and is moderately lit. The marketing strategies of DHL have been extremely successful in yielding business on a global basis and its success has been evident since its inception. As of recent, DHL won the contract from RE/Max network. It was a multimillion dollar agreement with the company that has a network from over 60 countries with 119,000 franchises. The company will now employ DHL services for express and international shipping (Business Wire, 2007). The winning of the multimillion contracts itself is a proof of its successful marketing and contract strategies. The business has been successful since the year of its inception. DHL, of recent, employs more than 300,000 employees throughout the world. The online tool that helps in the shipping tracking on an every-day basis has been extremely useful for many customers who wish to monitor their packages. Furthermore, the DHL merged with the Deutsche Post Euro Express (that is the leading postal provider in Germany and Europe) thereby giving DHL the access to an extensive reliable road network through Europe for business and private clients (Business Wire, 2006). Therefore, the kind of offices that DHL requires is the one that assists with the needs of the employees and the customers. Since there are many vendors and merchants who have partnered with DHL, an office specifically addressing the company inquiries plays a vital role. The future plans of the DHL are many, one of which has been stated by the Deutsche Post Euro Express is the employment of robots. Hermann Franck, the DHL master mind calls this as the â€Å"Cinderella feature† where he states, â€Å"Developers also plan to integrate RFID technology into the parcel robot. The idea is simple. With transponders placed on parcels and the robot being equipped with a reading device, the machine could identify the contents of the parcel during the gripping process. â€Å"The robot would be able to pick through the parcels, just like Cinderella picking through the ashes to find the lentils,† explains DHL’s mastermind Hermann Franck. The idea is not to put â€Å"the bad into the crop†, as the fairytale goes, but to sort the parcels according to specific destination criteria, for instance† (Deutsche Post World Net, 2007). As DHL continues to expand itself in various areas, it comes with new ideas as well. The DHL Company has an innovation center that addresses the needs of customers and becoming their first choice as well. DHL has been continuously involved in evolving itself technologically and keeps itself in pace with the current events and machines that would facilitate in the development of the company in every way. The modern architecture of today plays a vital role in the successes of such companies. While the DHL office visit truly gave an insight into a company’s goals, aspirations and statuses, the business architecture is worth appraising. A business architecture, as stated by the BPM institute is, â€Å"comprehensive framework used to manage and align an organization’s business processes, Information Technology (IT) software and hardware, local and wide area networks, people, operations and projects with the organization’s overall strategy† (BPMinstitute. org, 2007). The DHL office is equipped with the latest tracking software with internet availability. The company has also been rigorous in performing regular checks on technology where it employs the latest to aid in the innovative express service that it offers to its customers. The business has been steadily growing and every year, it has marked a progress by improving its technology on a yearly basis. Today, the trend of information architecture plays a vital role in the businesses and thus, the successes of the businesses mainly rely on what kind of information architecture has been or is being used by the business. As Judith Lamont in her article, â€Å"Setting the stage for success- information architecture earns performance kudos from customers† states, â€Å"Information architecture is the process of organizing and structuring information so that it is logical in design and presentation. It establishes categories and relationships among different pieces of information. It defines metadata schemes, navigation and search interfaces. Good architecture not only helps users find information, but also facilitates updating content by having clear rules for adding new information. And its effects show tip on the bottom line with surprising speed when users can get what they need in just a few clicks† (Lamont, 2003). The basic structure that DHL uses is the information architecture. However, it also implements the enterprise architectural strategy in order to expand its business further. Every business’s architecture plays a vital role in its success as it acts like a blue print for transformation and technology modernization. In the current office visit, I found that due to the high success rates, the employees are happy to serve their satisfied clients in every way they can. Therefore, they create a premise that works efficiently in creating a comfortable and good office environment for workers as well as customers. The DHL Company has been found to work with good working ethics and therefore, if there were any further improvements that could be suggested to this company, it could be on the basis of the enterprise architecture where it can satisfy the workers and the clients to a greater extent than it does today. The DHL incorporates seven cultures in its company where it believes that employing highly talented people in its office actually boosts the status of being a responsible global corporate. Furthermore, it strives to deliver excellent quality and fosters openness. The company also acknowledges its social responsibility as well as strives to act in an entrepreneurial manner. This makes the company look professional and therefore, is the key success to all its ventures. Since it abides by the seven corporate cultures identified, the employees abide by it acknowledging its essence in the industry. Regular training and rewards are given to employees who perform well in their work. The DHL Company also believes that it is through its seven corporate cultures that it poses a stiff competition for its competitors. The benefits of enterprise architecture have been proved efficient in the world of today. If DHL wants to pursue its interests and expansions further, it should acknowledge the essence of enterprise architecture and therefore, as R. Suter in his article entitled, â€Å"Securing strategic benefit from enterprise architecture† states, â€Å"Enterprise architecture enables the transformation of organizations into efficient users of capital, be it human/intellectual, organizational, or technical. It does so by identifying capability and resource requirements of the agency mission before resources are committed to development, thereby minimizing the risk of costly rework and schedule overruns; identifying reuse; and streamlining opportunities for technologies, processes, procedures, and information assets. During subsequent development, architecture also enables the management of out-of-scope changes which, however meritorious, would derail subsequent modernization efforts† (Suter, 2007). The proper framework of any organization helps in the building of a successful business and therefore, only a proper architecture that updates and aligns itself with the business policies of today can assure that the business can be successful. Management itself is considered a part of architecture that ensures that there is a continuous development. DHL’s business plans have been consistent and successes have been evident. The fact that it provides excellent client and customer service is the reason why many companies prefer to deal with DHL though some of its prices may seem high compared to its competitors. DHL maintains itself by sustaining its ties through its sustaining program where it helps sustain environment (which is a social responsibility), economic performance (by promoting sustainable economic development), people and communities (by providing employment opportunities) and many more. It helps in the continuous development of talents for its employees by offering employment training and development programs. Thus, an employee working with DHL is continuously updated and its corporate values help in maintaining a fair attitude towards its employees. The ethical understanding of the DHL Company is evident through its sustaining programs that highlight on equal opportunities and also promotes general health promotion campaigns followed by providing an ideal management program that rewards the efficient and hardworking employees (DHL International, 2007). Maintaining such a network has helped DHL to advance further and I believe the management style of DHL is absolutely efficient in delivering success to its members and thus, is well managed. As DHL further undergoes expansion, it is evident that there is a scope for further additions to its offices throughout the world and if any recommendation is to be offered, I believe it would be asking the DHL to comprehend the significance of software architecture in the world of today. Basically, it is just a blue print for constructing new products and therefore, as DHL aims to be innovative in its methods (thereby providing satisfactory service to its clients and customers); an expansion into the software architectural strategy would be a wonderful addition. The easy part about the software architecture would be that it wouldn’t require any installations but would products based on software architecture are installed. The role of software architectural strategy is to account for the entire development of the product that is normally done by various sectors such as building and configuring. Since several sectors of DHL deal with several aspects of technology, the software architectural strategy would provide a fundamental base for the development of new products with innovative ideas (Sanders, 1992). This is the IBM’s Distributed Data Management Architecture and is meant for distributed application a service which is similar to the one we encounter in DHL Company. This would only serve as an innovative step for the DHL to proceed further in order to satisfy the clients and customers it sustains in its database.