Monday, September 30, 2019

PC Specification Instructions and Requirements Essay

For the specified case study, create a summary of user requirements and a PC Specifications Table in Microsoft Word 2010. A copy of that case study appears at the bottom of this document. This Word 2010 document will include a two-paragraph summary that classifies the user type and identifies the PC category(ies) that will be recommended and Word tables that identify and contain the hardware and software requirements to meet the selected case study requirements. Students are expected to conduct external research to adequately address all aspects of the assignment requirements. Any outside sources should be correctly cited in APA style at the end of the table. Students will need to include specific requirements from the case study to show why each item is being recommended. Each element listed below must be incorporated into the assignment – omissions will result in loss of points. This project is valued at 14 possible points and the final total of points will be adjusted in the rubric after it is graded to reflect 14 possible points for this project. Writing Quality for the Two Page Narrative * Grammar, Verb Tenses, Pronoun Use, Spelling, Punctuation, and Writing Competency. *Remember: spell-check, then proofread. Better yet, have a friend or colleague read it before submitting it. Read it out loud to yourself. * Remember: there is not their, your is not you’re, its is not it’s, too is not to or two, site is not cite, and who should be used after an individual, not that. For example, â€Å"the person WHO made the speech† not â€Å"the person THAT made the speech.† * In a professional paper one does not use contractions (doesn’t, don’t, etc.) and one does not use the personal you or your. Use the impersonal as I have in the previous sentence. It is more business-like than saying, â€Å"Also in a professional paper you don’t use contractions.† * Use the impersonal as in the sentence immediately above. It is more business-like than saying, â€Å"Also in a professional paper you don’t use contractions.† Requirement| Points Allocated| Comments| Set normal text to Arial, 12 point.| 0.25| This is the font in normal paragraphs. Heading and title fonts may be a larger size.| Title Page which shows title and author’s (student’s) name.| 0.25| The title must be, â€Å"PC Specification for_[insert user name]†| Write a brief 2-paragraph narrative that categorizes the user type, identifies the category of PC (s) required, and summarizes your recommendations. | 0.5| Two well-written, concise and organized paragraphs not to exceed one-half a page.| Create a table that shows the various required hardware components. The table should have all the necessary columns, rows, and column headings to show the following: * Input Devices – Identify each type and show which specific user requirements are met * Output Devices – Identify each type and show which specific user requirements are met * Communication Devices – Identify each type and show which specific user requirements are met * Storage Devices – External (including portable) storage devices and show which specific user requirements are met * Other Peripheral Devices – Identify each type and show which specific user requirements are met| 2.0| The table must be labeled â€Å"Hardware Table.†| Create a table that shows the various required system unit features. The table should have all the necessary columns, rows, and column headings to show the following: * Processor – Include type and clock speed and state how processor type and clock speed meets specific user’s requirements in the mini case * RAM – Include type and amount and state how RAM type and amount meets specific user’s requirements in the mini case * Adapter Cards – Identify each type and show which specific user requirements are met * Ports – Include types, how many of each type, and show which specific user requirements are met * Storage Devices – Identify internal system unit storage devices, size of hard drive, and state how each storage device and the hard drive size recommended meets specific user’s requirements in the mini case| 2.0| The table must be labeled â€Å"System Unit Features Table.†| Create a table that shows the various required Application Software. The table should have all the necessary columns, rows, and column headings to show the following: * Identify types, recommend specific product names, and show which specific user requirements are met| 2.0| The table must be labeled â€Å"Application Software Table.†| Create a table shows that the various required System Software. The table should have all the necessary columns, rows, and column headings to show the following: * Operating System – Identify a specific operating system and version * Utility Programs – Include a comprehensive list and state how each utility program meets specific user’s requirements in the mini case| 2.0| The table must be labeled â€Å"System Software Table.†| Create a table that shows the required Internet connectivity and Web-hosted applications and services. The table should have all the necessary columns, rows, and column headings to show the following: * Identify the specific type of ISP that should be used for Internet connectivity * Identify the specific Web services that should be used * State how the ISP type and Web services that were identified meets specific user’s requirements in the case study| 1.0| The table must be labeled â€Å"Internet Connectivity & Web Services Table.†| TOTAL:| 10| | The final total will be scaled to reflect 14 possible points. PC Specification Mini Case Your office has outgrown its old desktop machines and is in the market for new PCs, but would like some guidance on what to purchase. The Chief Information Officer (CIO) wants to ensure that the office obtains PC machines that meet the requirements stated below. You, as the IT Procurement Officer for your small educational company, have been tasked by the CIO to procure 5 PCs. The CIO has defined some capabilities that the PCs will need to have to ensure optimal performance. These tasks and system needs are collectively the office’s requirements. The requirements are as follows: 1. Create documents, spreadsheets, presentations, and send and receive email 2. Participate in online chat rooms to include video conferences, web courses and forums (the CIO is a part-time professor at a local university) 3. Create and edit audio and video files and share video and audio files via emails, bulletin boards and in chat rooms 4. Create small databases to manage all audio, video and photo data 5. Take high quality digital photos and videos and download them to the PC as well as scan and edit the photos. 6. Print documents to include photo quality color printing 7. Save documents to pdf and other image formats 8. Transfer information (audio, video and photos) between PC machines 9. Manage the CIO’s schedule by using an online calendar and day planner 10. Utilize the internet to make online purchases, conduct banking services and research new audio, video and photo editing methods using a broadband service. 11. Connect all required peripheral devices you deem necessary to the system unit 12. Protect the PC and all components from dirty electrical power including under voltage (brownout or blackout) and overvoltage (power surge or spike) 13. Manage and protect the system, data, and information while working on the Internet including scanning all incoming emails, email attachments, and files downloaded from Web-based sources; firewall, virus and spyware (security) protection; and checking websites for phishing and fraudulent activities

Felons and the Right to Vote

Sara Duran-Campos Professor Gould English 111 December 12, 2012 Convicted Felons Should Not Be Allowed to Vote Many Americans were not allowed to vote these past elections. It wasn’t because they didn’t pay taxes or were mentally incompetent or underage. The reason why they can’t vote is because they are convicted felons. Certain states do not give back the right to vote after Ex-convicted felons have paid their debts or completed their time in jail. Some states have a probation period before the ex-felon is allowed to vote.There are some states that go to the extent to never return the right to vote to felons or ex-felons. The right to vote to felons should be taken away as a form of punishment. After completing their time in jail felons, which now are ex-felons, should have their right to vote restored. A felony is a serious crime usually punishable by imprisonment or death. Felons are people that have been convicted of a crime such as murder, rape, arson, chil d molest, drug offender and burglary. Virginia is one of many states that takes the right to vote away from felons as a form of punishment.Maine allows felons to vote even when they are imprisoned. The act of taking away the right to vote from felons and ex-felons is called Disenfranchisement. People that are in favor of disenfranchisement believe that those convicted of a crime have shown poor judgment therefore, proves them unfit to make good decisions when it comes to elections. Some believe that felon disenfranchisement laws also have a big racial impact because certain percent of population have their right to vote taken away more than others.Rates of incarceration and sentencing for African-Americans are higher than Caucasians, Latinos, and Native Americans. It seems like a good point but voting requires certain minimum standards of and trustworthiness. Those who have committed serious crimes against their fellow citizens do not meet the standards of voting. Discrimination whe n sentencing a felon should not be practice in any court. If there is any proof of discrimination the government should that addressed too. Any citizen that does not want their right to vote taken away should not commit a crime.Voting is and should be a privilege for everyone without discrimination. Voting should not be allowed in prison. Felons are in prison because have not paid their debt yet. They are in the process of doing that. Felons have lost their right of freedom and other civil rights after committing a crime. The right of voting should also be taken away as a form or punishment. The right to vote should be withheld and return after release from prison. Those that support felons right to vote believe that a felon’s debt to society is their time behind bars. They don’t believe that felons should lose their right to vote.Section 5: Felons should pay Their debt * (Use your evidence to support it) * Comment on how you feel (Don’t use I feel, just say it) about this information in relation to the overall message. * Another point to support what was said in the beginning of the paragraph * Evidence * Comment on this as well * Transition * Section 6: Felons Should Have a Restoration of Vote * The Argument of felons and their right to vote is very important in the United States because many Americans were not allowed to vote this past elections due to being an ex-felon. Comment on how you feel (Don’t use I feel, just say it) about this information in relation to the overall message. * a study suggesting that former offenders who vote are less likely to return to jail. Evidence * Thirty-five states prohibit at least some people from voting after they have been released from prisonTransition * Section 7: Conclusion * Restate thesis * Reiterate your major points * Therefore, it is evident * Strong ending. Works Cited Browne, Sharon, and Roger Clegg. â€Å"Felons Have Lost Their Right to Vote. † Los Angeles Times. Los Angeles Times, 13 June 2010. Web. 01 Dec. 2012.

Saturday, September 28, 2019

Dulce Est Decorum Est and This Is the Dark Time, My Love

Neither fame nor glory can compensate for the immense suffering that war inflicts on humanity. â€Å"Dulce et decorum est pro patria mori† is an ‘old’ lie told to youths ardent of joining the army. Not only are the targeted victims oppressed, but the soldiers who risk their lives fighting for their countries are left horrified. In both â€Å"Dulce et Decorum Est† and â€Å"This is A Dark Time, My Love†, the intimate experiences of the personas give first-hand insights of the terrors and tortures of war. Imagery, pathetic fallacy and language vividly create the ghastly image of war. This is The Dark Time, My Love† is about a people whose dreams of a better life have been threatened by the destructive power of the â€Å"strange invaders. † The persona conveys his intense anger against the British military presence and his belief that their rule is wrong and they display total injustice. Additionally, the persona accentuates the subjection, devastation, death and anger of the people of Guyana. It focuses on the â€Å"dark time† that the people are facing that the experience of the war where â€Å"all around the land brown beetles crawl about†. Everywhere the faces of men are strained and anxious† tell of the fear and tension that the victims feel. Even nature is sympathetic as â€Å"red flowers bend their heads in awful sorrow. † The poet laments of the misery of his people, the instability of his people and the sorrow brought by these â€Å"strange invaders†. In â€Å"Dulce et Decorum Est†, a soldier vividly describes the horrors of war as he hopelessly watches one of his comrades being â€Å"gassed. † Returning from the battle-field, â€Å"bent double,† coughing and limping with blood-shod feet, they had not heard the gas-filled shells being dropped. Luckily, most of the soldiers managed to escape, but unfortunately one of his comrades did not. As the persona recounts the traumatic experience, he lashes out at all who thinks that it is glorious and honourable to die for one’s country. The impact of the incident on the persona is one of loathing and revulsion. Both poets use imagery which is striking and graphic to inform us of the terrors of war. In â€Å"This is The Dark Time, My Love,† the visual image of the soldiers, â€Å"all around the land brown beetles crawl about†, in their thick armoury is like the beetles who have hard shells on their backs. All around† and â€Å"crawl† creates the image that they move around in large uniform masses, just like beetles. The word â€Å"crawl† also presents the image of the soldiers moving sneakily and invading the land with stealth. â€Å"Who comes walking in the dark night time? / Whose boot of steel tramps down the slender grass† creates the visual image of the soldiers, who can walk through the dark night fearlessly, unaffected by the dark times. An auditory image is also created as the tramping of the soldiers can be heard as they walk on the unthreatening, impotent grass. Imagery in this poem is used to describe the ways in which war oppresses innocent victims, whereas in â€Å"Dulce et Decorum Est†, similes are used to create images of the struggles soldiers face on the battlefield. The simile, â€Å"bent double, like old beggars under sacks†, is vivid as one can actually picture the soldiers â€Å"drunk with fatigue† and trying to make their way back to camp. They are hopeless and tired and though fighting for one’s country is said to be honourable, they are being compared to beggars. This line contrasts with the title of the poem. Both the visual and auditory image of the â€Å"knock-kneed† soldiers â€Å"coughing like hags† shows the choking effect of the smell of the gas. Their coughing sounds like that of an old, tired person, which they in fact are. They cannot breathe and being compared to ‘hags’ emasculates the soldiers. Pathetic fallacy is used in â€Å"This is the Dark Time, My Love† since even nature was in a state of sadness at the oppression of the society. This is seen by the personifications, â€Å"The shining sun is hidden in the sky/Red flowers bend their heads in awful sorrow. The flowers appear to mourn the people in the dark time who are victims of the violence of the soldiers and the suppression by the colonial powers. It seems as if the wilting flowers, whose stems are usually drooping, are actually bending their ‘heads’ in sympathy with those who have to live through the dark times. The â€Å"shining sun† represents hope and prosperity . It is unable to penetrate through the â€Å"dark times† where the people are hopeless and in despair. The sun being hidden in the sky reflects that there is no hope for the society. The emotive and intense language used in â€Å"Dulce et Decorum Est† tells of the anger, revulsion and disgust the persona feels about being part of the war. â€Å"He plunges at me guttering, choking, drowning, â€Å"white eyes writhing in his face† and â€Å"blood come gargling from his froth-corrupted lungs† evokes sympathy in the reader. The soldier’s comrade did not die instantly from inhalation of the gas, he suffered before he died. In all the persona’s â€Å"smothering dreams,† he never thought he would experience anything like that. â€Å"Like a devil’s sick of sin† compares war to the devil who offers no good and will never be sick of sin. War only offers pain and suffering and it is as if those who declare war are in fact devils. â€Å"This is The Dark Time, My Love† and â€Å"Dulce et Decorum Est† both aim to convey the universal message that the stereotypical assumptions about war and fighting for one’s country are lies. Both poems tell of the atrocities of war and that war affects everyone. In â€Å"Dulce et Decorum Est,† the persona remarks that the battlefield is a horrifying experience and that many are scared for life and left feeling helpless and hopeless. The main comment the persona is trying to make is that dying for one’s country is neither noble nor honourable as people claim it to be and those anxious for glory should not buy into this belief. It emphasizes how much they had to suffer and the message received is that war is not worth the trauma and agony they have to endure. In â€Å"This is The dark Time, My Love,† the persona indicates that war is so dehumanising that even nature makes a statement as pathetic fallacy. The persona also refers to war as â€Å"the season of oppression . . and tears. † This alludes to the hostility and brutality to which the Guyanese are subjected and their suffering as a result. It goes on to say that it is a â€Å"festival of guns† and â€Å"Carnival of misery† showing that violence is so rampant, it seems to be a celebration. War imposes itself on the nation’s culture and robs the nation of its independence and dreams; â€Å"aiming at your dream. † War wreaks severe pain and distress on both soldiers and innocent, targeted people and this brings about the question whether war is really worth the suffering. Those who declare war do not endure the suffering and thus, preach that it is glorious to die for one’s country. However, as the both persona’s prove, it is no honour and certainly, no nobility to die for one’s country !

Friday, September 27, 2019

Comparison Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Comparison Paper - Essay Example There are things new and exciting to some, strange and threatening to others, that have accelerated changes in our way of life. These two schools of thought, apparently in reaction to the changing socio-technical landscape, appear to hurtle headlong into each other. However, as in all discourses, this paper shall seek a reconciliation in principle between them in the context of present-day life. It will be noted that Fosdick used the term â€Å"fundamentalist† to describe the group of people whom we refer to here as â€Å"traditionalist,† for purposes of avoiding the negativity of recent connotations conveyed by the term â€Å"fundamentalist†. Basically, both authors contend on the ground of Christian congregationalism. They express their adherence to the Christian faith, except that they have varying views on what the Christian faith should encompass. The traditionalist view elaborated by Machen holds the Christian faith as defined by institutions, and teachings that have been handed down with the wisdom of the generations must remain essentially intact. Incorporation of beliefs that run counter to this body of beliefs essentially negate the Christian faith and erode its moral ascendancy over non-Christians until nothing differentiates one from the other. On the other hand, the liberal view discussed by Fosdick admits of new truths, and new ways of understanding old truths, and that such new knowledge enhances and deepens understanding of the Faith. Under this view, people could, despite differences of opinion, co-exist in one church, and the Christian label should not be denied anybody. As a point of observation, it is evident that Machen is not so much against change as he is for preserving definitive core beliefs against this change, while the liberal view welcomes changes as part of a gradual, shifting development. The traditionalist is for continuity, which the liberal is

Job description of ICTbusiness and systems analysts in organisations Thesis

Job description of ICTbusiness and systems analysts in organisations and different countries - Thesis Example . 36 2.10.1 Viruses, worms, and malwares †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 39 2.11 Range of business analyst’s role †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 41 2.11.1 Information systems planning †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 42 2.11.2 Software planning †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 44 2.11.3 Feasibility study †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 44 2.11.4 Risk management in software development †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 45 2.11.5 Designing IT in or ganisations †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 46 2.12 IT systems analysts †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 47 2.12.1 IT project manager †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 49 2.13 Business/systems analysts in different countries†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 51 2.13.1 IT User †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦...†¦. 51 2.13.2 S2P Analyst/ BA †¦.†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦...†¦. 51 2.13.3 Systems Designer †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦52 2.13.4 IT Procurement Director †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.52 2.13.5 IT Procurement Administrator†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.52 2.13.6 Software Development Support Specialist†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦...†¦... 53 2.14 Chapter analysis †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 54 3 CHAPTER 3 METHODOLOGY †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 55 3.1 The Research... This paper illustrates that the information revolution has spawned numerous technologies geared towards automating the office. Information systems have created new paradigm shifts in organisational processes. The trend in organisations is to implement office information systems solutions such as groupware and enterprise applications, databases or shared repositories, intranets, workflow, imaging systems, and other customised applications. All these need a specialized skill possessed by business and systems analysts. Internal and external environments in organisations are becoming complicated. These processes and new applications have to be handled by an experienced and specialized workforce composed of analysts who must bewell versed in technology and the business functions. Business analysis encompasses assessments, studies, and analysis of the business functions applied with IT and software applications. Business analysis reconciles the traditional business functions and the techno logy or software so that without it the whole thing will crumble – for example, an organisation conducting outsourcing of human resource has to incorporate the traditional functions with the new personnel who will be handling human resource management. The organisational knowledge and functions have to be ‘transferred’ to the outsourcing company, and this process has to be handled by an analysis team (or an executive team) to analyse the business functions. This is how the business and IT analysts evolved.

Thursday, September 26, 2019

Summarises the themes Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Summarises the themes - Essay Example They wrapped both of his legs tips of toes to his hips. Writer further adds that they also wrapped his arms to his shoulders. According to author, this was done to keep the remaining blood to heart and lung. The main theme of this paragraph is that at the time of death, this person is experiencing very strange situation where he is being wrapped by persons near him. Authors say he was too much angry on himself as he was totally powerless then. He means to say that he was not able to move or speak. The conversation of the people around author at the time of death was annoying the author and making the author angrier. The main theme of these lines is that the author is so angry after observing these unusual happenings. The author says that suddenly the scene changed he sees himself in a place other than that room. The place is very peaceful and beautiful. That place was seemed to be timeless and spaceless. The author sees that the colors were changing again and again and the beautiful sounds near him were making him feel like he was floating in the air. The main theme of this scene is that the author has now died and opens his eye into paradise. Then he finds this place very alluring. He observed that time has stopped and that place is different the world. Another main theme of this scene is that the paradise is very beautiful. The author observed loving and caring beings at that place. He says those people were in white clothes and encircling around him. The place was looking blur and like translucent clouds. So the main theme of this scene is that the author has found angels near him and it is a dreamlike situation where things are blur. The writer became happy to see all this beauty and peace around him. Those people said to author that they are his guides and are helpers of GOD. Then the writer observed an immense presence came and bathed him in white light and attractive diamond like

Wednesday, September 25, 2019

SAM 342 UNIT 4 Annotated Bibliography Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

SAM 342 UNIT 4 - Annotated Bibliography Example Sir Alex Ferguson uses an amalgamation of task-oriented and transformational leadership. In his astute style, he has defined roles for his players and they are supposed to follow them. Ferguson’s famous tanning booths for increasing players Vitamin D level are one such example of his concern for players’ wellbeing and fitness. He has often mentioned his principles that govern his work ethics. According to him, player with lack of focus and commitment must not be tolerated on the field and even in the team. A simple example of this rule is a shoe thrown at David Beckham by him. However, it is the ability to own the mistakes of his team and praising them in public that has made his players loyal to him. Furthermore, he has always stood as an advocate of the owners of his club due to which he is perceived as the front person of his team. Sir Alex Ferguson is further known for his adherence to team work as for him no single player can rise above the organization and it is the team that makes the player. His devotion to this principle was well reflected when he said, â€Å"Sometimes we can get too emotional as a club with things that are happening. But were both of a common denominator - we dont want the club to be in anyone elses hands (Ferguson & Meek, 1997).† His determination of taking in fresh players, refining their skills by training them and making them learn the etiquettes of football world and especially Manchester United. This is precisely the reason why Manchester United’s players are seen to have an extraordinary humility in them. Sir Alex Ferguson is an ideal example of a transformational leader since he believes in grooming his players and bringing out the best in them on constant basis. He is often viewed as challenging the pre-established norms and going beyond the boundaries of professional horizon. In order to induce team work and individual excellence, he has often

Tuesday, September 24, 2019

Applying Theories and Principles for Planning and Enabling Inclusive Essay

Applying Theories and Principles for Planning and Enabling Inclusive Learning and Teaching - Essay Example The best way to understand Brain-based education is through three words namely: principles, strategies and engagement. Thus, learners have to be engaged and it has to be done with strategies, which are real science based (Darling-Kuria, 2010, p. 02). Brain-based learning effectively ensures to produce a more efficient learning process, which assists the student through comprehension on how the brain delivers, and learns the valuable learning environment possible. Therefore, brain-based learning is the vigorous engagement of strategies that are purposeful on principles, which are effectively derived from neuroscience. Brain-based learning is done in accordance to the way the brain is designed naturally to learn. This study will extensively discuss the various merits of the curriculum, which are taught through instructions, where it is taught, how it taught, the environment, how it measured, and the assessment (Call & Featherstone, 2010a, p.05). A research done recently shows that adul ts have a paramount role in facilitating for the children an early environment that is stimulating. There is therefore a need of the classrooms to have a link that is nearly close to the real-world environment. The curricula being taught should include problem layers, cultural and many sensory layers that effectively stimulate and excite the noble neural networks of the brain. It is also evident that an individual cannot learn in the same way to the other people and thus each individual has his/her own learning style. Evidently, artificial stress on the children is inevitable if the children are forced to learn under ineffective conditions, which greatly interfere with how they learn. These conditions reduce and depress their performance results as well as their motivation. Educators should therefore ensure to embrace the children as individuals and not as a collective class that deserve uniform practices since they are supposed to incorporate diverse teaching skills (Taylor & Macke nney, 2008, p.18). Additionally, educators must provide complex instructions, which effectively enhance and develop learning profiles individually. Complex instruction is multifaceted and it involves providing a variety of resources, groupings, instructional materials, and assessment instruments. Additionally, structured classroom time devoted to emotional and social skill building, group problem solving, and team building strengthens academic learning. Research conducted recently on learning and brain indicates that the brain effectively responds more to learning environments that are enriched and which involve as many of its processing centers as possible. Thus, educators have to allow the children to have rich experiences and then give them time and opportunities to make sense of their experiences by finding and reflecting connections in how things relate to each other. Lessons stimulating emotions, senses, and memory aid cognition and future retrieval in real world situations (C all & Featherstone, 2010b, p.35). The student usually benefits from a type of captivation in which wide selections of motivations are integrated so that the experiences are more genuine and engaging. These experiences should have problem-solving skills in learning different theories and facts since they are personally and meaningfully rewarding to the learners and thus being more inspiring and rewarding. Learners learn

Monday, September 23, 2019

Theme and Narrative Elements in the Short Story Essay

Theme and Narrative Elements in the Short Story - Essay Example In order to bring out the theme of a story clearly, the author uses the characters, action, setting and various elements of literature (Guerin, 2005). The Necklace applies irony to express the theme of poverty and social class in society. Mathilde is born in a family of employees, and the author describes her as a person with no choice of what she wanted. The author describes her as a person with no means of being known, loved, understood, or getting married to a rich man. The theme is enhanced by the fact that she was forced to get married to a little clerk working in the Education Ministry. The title of the story, â€Å"The Necklace† creates a desire for the reader to know why the title was used. The necklace she borrowed, as the story continues, becomes the source of conflict in the story. The literary element of irony in the story has contributed greatly to the buildup of the theme in the story. There are various instances in the story where irony is evident. Mathilde thou ght of herself living in delicacy and luxury, but throughout the story, she has been depicted as a poor woman and wife. Mathilde and her husband have been in debt for a period of ten years. This is after she lost her friend’s diamond necklace, which she had to pay. She came to learn later the necklace was not original diamond and she could have rather said the truth than buying a new one. She lived her life thinking of all the best things in life, which she admired, but did not have. She had a long-time rich friend whom she did not want to go and see anymore. This literary element of irony has enhanced the theme of poverty and social classes. Mathilde could no longer visit her rich friend because of their differences in social class. Her friend was a rich person whereas she was extremely poor and always in distress. The author to depict the socially classified society of Parisian in the 1880s may have used this literary element of irony. When her husband comes home one day ex pecting to make his wife happy, Mathilde is angry. He comes with a card inviting them to a party at the ministry’s palace. However, Mathilde is not happy because she does not have a nice dress to wear. She ends up compelling her husband to buy her a dress with the money he wanted to buy a gun. Mathilde is not satisfied with her status, but wants to look like the rest of the women. This instant of irony indicates how social class influences people in poverty. Use of characterization in the story has enhanced the portrayal of the theme of poverty and social class. The character of Mathilde is portrayed as a person who is not contented with what she has. She is always dreaming of having a nice and luxurious apartment, with rooms decorated with oriental tapestries and lightened by bronze lamps on the floor. Her unsatisfactory character finally lands her in trouble after borrowing a diamond necklace from Forester. Mathilde is totally unsatisfied and unhappy with all she has and sh e is looking for material things throughout her life. Her character of always dreaming and desiring things she cannot afford made her to appear arrogant and stuck-up when she refuses to attend the party because she does not have a dress and the right jewelry. All this is set in Parisian, which creates the atmosphere of the story. The setting enhances the theme of poverty and social class, which was rampant in the area of setting in the 1880s. Looking at the efforts of Loisel to please his

Sunday, September 22, 2019

Economic Analysis of Crop Diversification Essay Example for Free

Economic Analysis of Crop Diversification Essay There is a dramatic change in the earning, spending and saving pattern of the people of India in the post reform (economic) period that is post 1991. During this period, income generating mechanism in this country underwent massive changes. With a sustained economic growth, rising per capita income along with an ever increasing population, the dietary pattern in India is also changing very fast. The Indian food basket is diversifying in favour of high value food commodities like fruits, vegetables, dairy products, poultry products and fish products from staple food such as rice, wheat and coarse cereals. This raises a challenge to Indian agriculture. On the other hand the modern agriculture dominated by chemical and irrigation intensive farming system has not only raised productivity but simultaneously has also resulted in soil erosion, water contamination, pesticides poisoning, land degradation through water logging and soil salinity, depletion of bio-diversity, etc., forcing farmers to apply ever-increasing doses of fertilisers and to make water supply available on a continuous basis, in order to maintain the productivity levels. This again raises another challenge to Indian agriculture. It may not be wondering if we assume that organic farming system may generate such situation to address both the challenges mentioned above. This paper is concerned with an analysis of crop diversification under organic and inorganic farming in West Bengal. Crop diversification is different from the concept of multiple cropping or succession planting over the growing seasons. Moreover, it implies the use of environmental and human resources to grow a mix of crops with complementary marketing opportunities. Thus, it implies a shifting of resources from low value crops to high value crops such as fruits, vegetables, etc. The concept of crop diversification in globalized market of agricultural produce refers to increase the total crop productivity in terms of quality, quantity and monetary value under different specific agro-climatic situations across the world. There are two approaches to crop diversification in agriculture. First is horizontal diversification, which is the primary approach to crop diversification in production agriculture. The approach takes place through crop intensification by adding new high-value crops to existing cropping systems. Thus, the approach facilitates the improvement of overall productivity of a farm or farming economy of a region. The second approach is the vertical diversification. Under this approach, farmers and others add value to products through processing, regional branding, packaging, merchandising or other efforts to enhance the farm-product. The opportunities for crop diversification may vary depending on risks, opportunities and the feasibility of proposed changes within a socio-economic and agro-economic context. However, crop diversification through substitution of one crop or mixed cropping / inter-cropping may be a useful tool to mitigate problems associated with aberrant weather to some extent, especially in the arid and semi-arid drought-prone / dry land areas. Impact of crop diversification Crop diversification is intended to practice of growing more than one crop (or enterprise) in any year to increase financial and biological stability of the farm. In the agricultural context, diversification can be regarded as the re-allocation of some of a farms productive resources, such as land, capital, farm equipment and paid labour, into new activities. These can be new crops or livestock products, value-adding activities, provision of services to other farmers, etc. On the other hand, diversification of agriculture refers to the shift from the regional dominance of one crop to regional production of a number of crops, to meet ever increasing demand for cereals, pulses, oilseeds, fruits and vegetables, etc. It aims to improve soil health and a dynamic equilibrium of the agro-ecosystem. Crop diversification takes into account the economic returns from different value-added crops. Crop diversification can better tolerate the ups and downs in the market value of farm products and may ensure economic stability for farming families of the state. The adverse effects of aberrant weather, such as erratic and scanty rainfall and drought are very common in a vast area in agricultural production of the state. Incidents of flood in one part and drought in the other part are a very frequent phenomenon in the state. Under these aberrant weather situations, dependence on one or two major cereals (rice, wheat, etc.) is always risky. Diversification in agriculture has tremendous impact on the agro-socio-economic condition and uplifting resource-poor farming communities. It generates income and employment for rural youth year round for the ultimate benefits of the farmers in the state. It implies the use of local resources in a larger mix of diverse cropping systems and livestock, aquaculture and other non-farm sectors in the rural areas. Problem statement The yield as well as farm income is the essential part for crop diversification for the farmer of an agricultural based economy like West Bengal. Normally, the farmers diversify farm enterprises to meet the cash requirements of the family and to mitigate risk associated with mono-cropping, depending on conventional wisdom over the years. The crop diversification in the state is also considered with greater emphasis from the view point to price response, market infrastructure, availability of resources and public interventions (price and credit policies of farming business, research and development in farming activities, etc.) in agriculture. The judicious crop mix has facilitated increased farm incomes. It has also contribution towards the utilization of under employed resources to mitigate seasonal and under unemployment of rural labour force. The crop diversification has also helped to reduce risks and uncertainties in crops yields due to climatic and biological vagaries. Thus the study was conducted to analyze the extent of crop diversification at different levels of farm size as well as crop growing seasons in West Bengal for both inorganic and organic farming systems, commonly followed by the farmers in the state.

Saturday, September 21, 2019

Enterprise Resource Planning System for Insurance Sector

Enterprise Resource Planning System for Insurance Sector The Indian Insurance industry is a flourishing one which has several national and international players who compete for excellence. With several reforms and policy regulations, the Indian insurance sector has witnessed tremendous growth in the recent past. India having around 17% of the worlds population is a largely untapped market. Nearly 80% of the Indian population being without a life, health and non life insurance, a growing number of insurance companies are now emerging in the Indian insurance sector. With the opening up of the economy, several international leaders in the insurance sector are trying to venture into the India insurance industry. The growth in the insurance industry directly impacts the reinsurance industry. Reinsurance providers are basically companies that provide insurance cover to insurance companies so as to cover their risk. With the growth in the amount of insurance products sold by the insurance companies their risk component goes on increasing. So as to cover this risk, companies resort to reinsurance. Thus the reinsurance market is all growing at a rapid pace. The growth of the Reinsurance industry in India is coupled with a number of challenges. Challenges faced by the reinsurance industry include shrinking margins, increasing competition etc. In order to meet the challenges, reinsurance companies across the globe have begun leveraging heavily on their information and communication technologies. Reinsurance firms are using enterprise management solutions to increase productivity, save on expenses, to obtain higher customer satisfaction, thereby resulting into customer retention and to improve sales performance. General Insurance Corporation of India (GIC Re) is the sole reinsurance company in the domestic reinsurance market in India with more than three decades of experience in the Re-Insurance business. GIC is headquartered in Mumbai. In India, GIC provide reinsurance to the direct insurance company as it is the sole reinsurer in the market of domestic reinsurance. It is one of the leaders in the facultative placements and domestic companies treaty programmes. OBJECTIVES FOR ENTERPRISE RESOURCE PLANNING SYSTEM The key objectives for initiating ERP implementation were as follows: So as to retain leadership position in the national (Indian) reinsurance market. The intention of emerging as the leader of reinsurance in the Afro Asian markets. To obtain an integrated view of all business transactions. MAJOR BUSINESS CHALLENGES FACED BY GIC RE Customer-Centricity The change in focus of the organization to being customer-centricity created a number of issues for the company. It became important to have optimal knowledge of all the customer segments. Customized products and services were required to designed to meet the needs of each of the identified customer segments. It became important to adopt cross selling of products and services as an important growth strategy. It also became important to provide any time and any place reachability to the customers. Competition The growing number of players in the market created an environment of intense competition In order to sustain such levels of competition it became imperative for the company to adopt new strategies and identify means of securing a competitive advantage over its competitors. Globalization Expansion of company operations across multiple geographical locations also made it necessary for GIC Re to identify means of effective monitoring and control. Expansion also increased the level of competition by adding new competitors from the new geographical locations. Product Commoditization The increase in competition was impacting the companys profit margins. It became absolutely necessary for the company to distinguish its brand from competitors. Lower customer loyalty and increasing price sensitivity were also measure threats to GIC Re. Consolidation It was important to bring about a consolidation across the organization so as to deliver a clear value to its customers. Compliance Expansion of operations across multiple geographical locations made its imperative to comply with multi-national regulations. MAJOR IT CHALLENGES FACED BY GIC RE Data Quality Data maintained by the organization was fragmented by the line of business, the branches, the different geographical locations etc. It was important to consolidate this data and provide high quality of product and operations related data. Process Integration It was important to standardize and streamline cross functional processes and develop and integrated workflow. The company was suffering from value leakage due to non integration of systems. Legacy IT Systems The legacy system used by the company did not reflect the change in focus from being a contract centric to customer centric insurance provider. Reduction of Operation Complexity The company used a number of applications to manage the daily activities. As a result, a number of interfaces had to be monitored and managed which proved to be very difficult. It thus became important to reduce the number of interfaces and bring about standardization across the interfaces. EXPECTATIONS FROM ERP Reduction in overall cost through improved efficiency and increased productivity Drive business innovation To a give a competitive advantage to the company over its competitors Driver for business growth Improve overall customer experience and satisfaction Ensure regulatory compliance Support global operations Create new revenue streams for the company Ensure growth of existing revenue streams CHOICE OF SAP The major factors contributing to the choice of SAP are as follows: Integrated Enterprise platform for transacting GICs business The company required a platform that would integrate all the processes and procedures across the enterprise. The system was required to standardize all processes and streamline set of processes across the organization rather than streamlining large number of procedures. The company expected the have an enterprise wide visibility of business operations. SAP Reinsurance solution being used by Global Industry leaders Munich Re and Hannover Re One of the major contributing factors to choosing SAP was the companys biggest competitor and the global industry leader Munich Re and Hannover Re had implement SAP Reinsurance system. Adoption of the global best practices By 2005, SAP Insurance had almost all insurance service providers running it. SAP had in the past implemented both the insurance and reinsurance packages for multiple clients. This enabled SAP to gain an understanding of the global best practices in the prevalent in the industry. GIC Re hoped to reap the benefits of this knowledge in their own implement of SAP Reinsurance. Most companies who had previously implemented ERP had strong positive experience with SAP for their insurance portfolio ERP IMPLEMENTATION START DATE Early 2005 ERP GO LIVE DATE February 2006 SAP VERSION SAP R/3 Version 4.7 GEOGRAPHICAL SCOPE Offices in India, London and Dubai SAP MODULES IMPLEMENTED SAP FS-RI Reinsurance SAP FS-RI is an insurance solution that enables reinsurance firms, direct insurers and brokers to achieve a reinsurance process that is completely integrated and streamlined. SAP FS-CD Collections / Disbursements SAP FS-CD is a solution designed for insurance service providers to standardize and streamline their billing and disbursement activities for their policyholders and agency holders. SAP IM-IC (CFM) Investment Management SAP IM-IC (CFM) module provides useful tools for reporting of WBS which are in progress, PO commitments and assets that have been capitalized. SAP FI-CO Finance The SAP FI-CO module can be viewed as the core of the integrated SAP system as it deals with the monetary impacts on business and other modules of SAP. SAP HR Human Resources SAP HR is the largest module implemented It deals with the management of human resources and human capital SAP BIW Business Intelligence SAP BIW is the business intelligence module that provides analytical, reporting and data warehousing solution IMPLEMENTATION CHALLENGES First SAP Reinsurance (FS-RI) implementation outside Europe. First SAP FS-CD Implementation in India. First SAP IM-IC implementation in India in an Insurance/Reinsurance environment. One of the few Active Reinsurers in the world using SAP FS-RI Legacy data Migration Customisation of Reinsurance Module (FS-RI) Risk Manager in FS-RI (Facultative Business) had not yet been implemented even in Europe IMPLEMENTATION HIGHLIGHTS Opportunity to critically re-look the companys business processes and practices and incorporate changes wherever required. Elimination of data inconsistency by correcting, validating and cleansing legacy data. Opportunity to streamline the organisation by adopting the global best practices in the industry BUSINESS BENEFITS Tight integration between underwriting and technical Accounting processes thereby providing better business focus. Integrated processes eliminating almost all redundancies and inter-departmental reconciliations. Increased automation reduced manual intervention and improved data quality. Improved reserving process (tracking the development of outstanding loss reserves). FINANCIAL STRATEGIC BENEFITS SAP allowed visibility of all assets Standardized evaluation of all assets were achieved Daily updates to the investment portfolio enable the company to achieve integrated investment management Effective real time risk analysis TOTAL COST OF OWNERSHIP 95 % of the companys requirements were met by th standard solution offered by SAP and minimal customization was required OPERATIONAL BENEFITS The operation benefits as evaluated by the company after two years of implementation are as follows: KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS (KPI) IMPACT Time to measure performance -70% Time to plan for new projects and activities -30% Time to performance market risk analysis -80% Efforts to map sources of risk -80% Reporting Flexibility +90% Quality of Reports +80% Quality of Portfolio evaluation +90% Quality of transaction mapping +90% FUTURE PLANS Up gradation from SAP R/3 Version 4.7 to SAP ECC 6.0 platform Connecting offices in Moscow, Malaysia and South Africa to the upgraded ERP network General Insurance Corporation of India has derived significant benefits from implementation of SAP Reinsurance. From this case it is evident that SAP has the potential of being a measure source of improved efficiency and competitive advantage for insurance service providers. APPENDIX [1] Monitor Performance: Executive Dashboard [2] CEO Dashboard [3] Sales Dashboard

Friday, September 20, 2019

Understanding crowd behaviour

Understanding crowd behaviour There are many vague definitions of the term a crowd one of which is defined as by the Oxford Dictionary() as a large number of people gathered together, usually without orderly arrangement and Le Bon (2006:15) defines a crowd as a gathering of individuals of whatever nationality, profession or sex and whatever be chances that have brought them together. The Oxford Dictionary() also defines behaviour as a manner of behaving or the response of an organism to a stimulus in regards to this literature the stimulus could be the emotions of others, or a shared experience within the crowd, or factors contributing to emotions within individuals in a crowd. Getz (2007:293) states that understanding crowd emotions and behaviour is essential for most events But Crowd management, however, is not simply achieved by attempting to control the audience, but by trying to understand their behaviour and the various factors which can affect this. (HSE, 2009:46) It is also noted in the HSE (2009) that the behaviour of crowds at events is determined by their own personal goals and motivations. This literature review will look at the frameworks behind three theories of crowd behaviour, as it is imperative to understand the psychological behaviour of crowds (Kendall 2008:545). The theories concerned are:- -Classic theories Contagion Theory Convergence Theory -Emergent- Norm Theory It will seek to identify key factors that can change behaviour within crowds and the impacts these can have on outdoor events. The literature underpinning research into crowd behaviour stems from disciplines such as psychology and sociology, with an apparent lack of recent research into crowd behaviours at large outdoor events. Crowd Behaviour Theories It is noted that the two classical theories that are reviewed, are the foundations of what has been formed today, they have evolved over time, but it is provided as an overview of crowd behaviour theories. Contagion Theory There are two key authors of the Group Mind theory, Le bon Freud It is important to recognise that the widely cited works of Gustave Le Bon, from his 1895 book, The Crowd was based on his observations of crowds during the French revolution, and are a long way from the crowds that are experienced today. Le Bon (2006) stated that crowds were protected by the anonymity of crowds and that individual responsibility was discarded, consequently forgetting their normal values and ability to think and to reason. He also assessed that ideas and emotions within the crowd became contagious and spread rapidly. However Reicher (2003:186) suggests that contagion theory is an affect of suggestibility, and that an individual sacrifices personal interest in favour of the collective interest of the crowd It is then understood that Individuals within crowds are more likely to involve themselves in antisocial behaviour as the anonymity provided makes them feel invulnerable, it is this collective behaviour that is understood to be irrational and that individuals will undertake actions within a crowd environment that they would normally resist. Freud believed that the crowd Unlocks the unconscious and that in normal daily situations moral standards are maintained because they are installed in the human psyche as the super ego. However in a crowd situation the leader of the group surpasses the super ego and now controls the unconscious, leading to uncivilised impulses (Hewstone Manstead, 1996:152) Criticisms My understanding of this theory is that it does not identify as to why some crowds become violent and other remain passive. 2. Convergence Theory Convergence theorists such as, Reicher (1984), and McPhail (1991), argue that individuals within a crowd do not loose personal identity, as stated in the contagion theory, but they communicate personal beliefs and values so that the crowds behaviour is that of similar feeling. It is understood that convergence theory is more rational as it focuses on the shared beliefs and emotions within a crowd. It is possible that individual can exploit the protection of being in a crowd to participate in behaviours that would normally be repressed. Criticisms However it does not give way to why individuals in this crowd, who share similar beliefs, behave differently. Emergent-Norm Theory Key Authors identified:- Turner and Killian Turner and Killian (1993) as cited in Kendall (2008:547) concede that crowds are understood to develop their own definition of a situation and therefore establish their own norms -social rules that specify appropriate and inappropriate behaviour in given situations (Sharpe, 2007:508 )that reflect the occasion and provide standards that allow decisions to be made about how people will interact with each other. (Sharpe,2007) Adang et al (2004) identifies that in every crowd you can spot individuals doing such things as initiating chats, shouting directions and in extreme cases initiating violence. FIND THEORY IN TURNER AND KILLIAN Emergent-Norm Theory argues that the appearance of unanimity among the participants in incidents of collective behaviour accompanies the emergence of dominant norms and according to this theory, once a dominant norm emerges group members disagreeing with it keep quiet out of fear of group censure (Aguire et al, 1998) rephrase Analysis of theories Factors of Crowd Behaviour Berlonghi (1995) argues that by simply saying a crowd is a large number of people gathered closely together is a mistake and that it essential to distinguish one individual from another. By being unable to make distinctions about the crowd it leaves crowd control and crowd management ineffective. He also recognises those events that are a success, that never become publicised are they the consequence of effective planning, or simply the result of good luck. Crowd Catalysts It would appear that there are a multitude of factors that can influence behaviours between individuals in a crowd. Berlonghi (1995) has identified factors that may contribute to, or trigger a crowd from being one that is managed to one that needs to be controlled. Operational Circumstances Lack of parking, sold out event, and no show of performers are all examples of factors that can modify a crowds behaviour, an example of how crowd behaviour changed can be identified by The Rage Factor a Rage Against The Machine gig, which took place in Finsbury Park in 2010. Tickets were available by Ballot to celebrate the campaign that got the band to number one the previous Christmas. 180,000 people had applied for tickets with only 40,000 being available. It is reported that several hundred fans scaled the fence. (Gittins, 2010) Reading Festival has been forced to apply for extension to the number of early bird tickets allowing 20,000 people to arrive before the stated start of the event; this was due to an ever-increasing amount of festival goers arriving at the festival entrance prior to the event over the last few years. (Reading Borough Council, 2010) Event Activities Fireworks, video replays, and lasers may provoke actions within the crowd. Performers Action Sexual or violent gestures towards the crowds, Latitude festival 2010 witnessed an attack on the crowd, with Crystal Castles front women appearing to lash out after allegedly being groped by a male fan as she was crowd surfing. The singer repeatedly threw punches into the crowd and subsequently she stormed off stage before the allotted time, with widespread booing from the back of the fields (NME, 2010) The HSE (1999) states that event organisers should be aware of the history of the performers and also the audience which they attract. Spectator factors Anti social behaviour can impact a crowd not just the individual, and is having an impact in how events are being delivered (Connell, 2009). Kemp et al (2007) as cited in Connell (2009) have identified that alcohol and drugs are a major factor in determining crowd behaviour. The Guardian (2010) reported that at T in the Park festival in Kinross-shire, Scotland, there were 2 rapes and an attempted murder. Some festival goers believe a major part of the problem is a changing demographic among those attending, with drinking and drug taking surpassing the music. Security or Police Use of excessive policing, arguments with attendees and abuse of authority can spark aggression within the crowd. It has become increasingly accepted that the outcome of crowd events cannot be explained solely on what crowd members do, but must also address police actions (Adang, 2004). It is usual to use police to control a crowd but this often then leads to confrontation with the police (Argyle, 1992). Man Made Disasters Structural failure can be problematic not just for those directly injured, but by crowd surges fleeing the event. Crowd surges are often reported at both small and large events, and can be catastrophic. Conclusion The primary focus of this review is to understand crowd behaviours and factors which can impact the outcome of a crowds behaviour. Once the variable factor has caused an impact, it is then the individuals within the crowd that will react to the stimulus, and form themselves into the parameters of crowd behaviour that have been outlined by theorists. It is evident that there are factors within all three theories that can be imparted into observations within crowds at music festivals it is possible to envisage actions at outdoor music events that can be explained by these theories, however much of the recent literature simply reiterated these theorists with an apparent lack of observation towards currents trends and attitudes in society. The effects of crowd behaviour within outdoor music events can be catastrophic should event managers not take into consideration the factors that can affect the behaviour of both small and large crowds. If event managers fail to understand individuals within a crowd, and the potential that they have to physically change the dynamics of the crowd around them, they face disastrous consequences. Recommendations In 2010 there were over 450 music festivals alone in the UK (Winterman, 2010) and there has been little research into Anti Social Behaviour at events including the motives of gatecrashers at events attendees attempting to enter events without a ticket and the consequences that such actions can have on crowd safety at events. None of the theories above draw attention to why some crowds are organised and others spontaneous, by looking at the motivations of individuals at music festivals we may begin to further understand anti social behaviour at these events.

Thursday, September 19, 2019

Artificial insemination :: essays research papers fc

Artificial insemination is the injection of SEMEN into the vagina by instrumental means. The first artificial inseminations of viviparous (live-bearing) animals were performed by the 18th-century Italian physiologist Lazzaro Spallanzani, who proved that the male contribution to reproduction resided in the semen, although he did not recognize spermatozoa as the fertilizing agents. Pioneering work in the artificial insemination of dairy and beef animals was done in Russia about the time of the Revolutions of 1917. By the 1930s it was being practiced throughout Europe and the United States. The principal advantage of artificial insemination over natural breeding is that a single male of superior genetic quality can be used to impregnate thousands of females, thereby improving herds and increasing dairy and meat production. With artificial insemination, dairy farmers need not risk the deterioration of their herds from excessive inbreeding, nor incur the expense of maintaining their own bulls. In humans, artificial insemination is used to achieve pregnancy when an anatomical impediment prevents direct fertilization. When the male is sterile, semen is collected from an anonymous donor who is known by the physician to have a family history free of genetic disease. The same precautions are taken when, as in recent years, artificial insemination has been used as a means of providing a child to a couple where the woman cannot conceive. In such cases the husband's sperm is used to fertilize a SURROGATE MOTHER, who has volunteered to bear the child, usually for a fee, and to give it up immediately after its birth. At question are the legal aspects of surrogate motherhood as well as unresolved moral and religious issues. In cases where a woman is unable to conceive as a result of defective oviducts, an egg can be removed surgically from her ovary and fertilized "in vitro": in a petri dish under laboratory conditions that simulate the environment inside the oviduct where fertilization normally takes place (see IN VITRO FERTILIZATION). The embryo is then transferred to the woman's uterus to develop normally. Zoo workers are in the process of refining artificial insemination and in vitro fertilization technologies to help breed a rare and endangered species, to replace the expensive and not-always-successful practice of shipping animals around for mating purposes. Importing semen will make it easier to mate rare animals from far-flung zoos, keeping a good amount of variety in the gene pool.

Wednesday, September 18, 2019

The Roman games :: History

The Roman games Question : Who were the spectators at Roman games? Discuss the relationship between them and the performers they watched. Gladiator fights were first introduced to Rome in 264 BC, when the sons of Junius Brutus paid honor to their father's funeral by showing three pairs of gladiators fight. This ritual caught on and was performed to honor significant men. As the years passed, the ceremonies became more promoted and emperors began to present the games to symbolize their power. The citizens of Rome loved to go to these bloody warfares. In the city of Rome, these events were held in the Colosseum. An arena so large that it could hold 50,000 spectators and host fights between men and animals. Gladiatorial games occupied a central role in society. Sponsored during the republic by rich magistrates and later in the Empire by the Emperors themselves, the games have long been called an election tool. The games in Rome are known today as the bloodiest exhibitions of public entertainment known to mankind. Men, Women and children flocked to the Colosseum to watch the bloodthirsty fighters murder one another. The spectators came from all over the Roman Empire and various other regions, like Africa. The games became a way of entertaining the wealthy, as well as the common people. "Gladiator", comes from the latin word "gladius", for sword. They were primarily made up of slaves, criminals, prisoners of war or even volunteer free men. The crimes that could lead one to the arena included treason, robbery, and murder, among others. Some free men became gladiators of their own free will in hopes of gaining notoriety and patronage amongst the wealthy citizens. By the end of 50 BC almost half of the gladiators fighting in the Colosseum were free men. The gladiators competed against one another for the sake of public entertainment at festival games. Although some gladiators fought wild animals, the combats usually featured a pair of male human contenders. They fought in diverse styles depending on their background and how much training they had endured. Originally as captured soldiers, they were made to fight with their own weopons. There were also strong sexual references to the gladiator. The word gladius, for sword, was used to mean penis, their helmets were also, occasionally, shaped in the form of a phallus. Even the dead, defeated gladiator, had something sexual about him.

Tuesday, September 17, 2019

Padre Island

Jose Esquivel Professor Matthew Mayo English 1301 12 December 2012 Padre Island To catch a glimpse of the color wheel of flowers that is blossoming in the cool, brisk wind with the essences of freshness in the air. This can mean one thing, that spring has arrived and it is now that times to take the long awaited getaway to an island of fun in the sun. A place where memories are made, and worries are forgotten, the magnificent Padre Island. Padre Island extends roughly 130 miles along the South Texas coast; from Corpus Christi to Port Isabel, and has seen its share of Indians, pirates, hurricanes and many shipwrecks.You might have heard of South Padre Island or perhaps heard of Padre Island, but who is the Padre, and what connection does he have with the island? Padre Island got its name from Jose Nicolas Balli a Catholic priest from Spain who owned it for nearly thirty years. Padre is a word defined as a traditional form of address for Catholic priests. After being granted the island by King Carlos III Padre Balli established a ranch on this island raising over one thousand longhorn cattle, horses’ mules and sheep with his nephew Juan Jose Balli as foreman by his side.Aside from ranch raising Padre Balli also established cathedrals and missions to Christianize the Karankawa Indians and to serve the people who worked on the ranch. In 1821 Mexico won their Independence from Spain. During the revolution all of Padre Balli’s letters and exclusive right documents that gave him title to the island were lost or destroyed. Therefore, Padre Balli had to reapply this time to the Mexican government to confirm the titles of the island to him, only now he names his nephew Juan Jose Balli as partner. His request was granted December 1829.However, Padre Balli had died on April 15, 1829, eight months before his petition was approved due to a rupture cerebral artery. His nephew Juan Jose Balli continued to operate the ranch with his family. The saga started around 1938 when Gilbert Kerlin a graduate fresh out of Harvard law school was given a task that would change the course of history for the Balli’s. Mr. Kerlin arrived in South Texas with the instruction from his uncle, Frederic Gilbert, to purchase the barren stretch of sand that has since become a popular Texas beach Resort.It was then, when Mr. Kerlin received a tip that it may be possible to purchase the land from the Balli’s. He came across an individual by the name of Primotivo Balli who did not speak any English but was paid $750 to sketch out a family tree and to assist in rounding up the signatures of the island heirs. It was called to mind that the Padre Island heirs carefully copied down their addresses, and waited for a check that they were promised. In doing so Mr.Kerlin promised that he will give the Balli’s money from all the royalties and minerals that is hiding beneath the island, but Kerlin never handed the money over nor was he ever seen again by th e Balli’s. Meanwhile, Kerlin leased drilling rights to Padre Island and sold its sandy surface to developers. While Mr. Kerlin was earning millions the Balli’s struggled to make ends meet. Kerlin walked away with 61,000 acres and the Laguna Madre which is a band of water between the island and the mainland. For many decades the Balli’s have tried to get back what was rightfully theirs to begin with.Kerlin never came through on his promise to the Balli’s. The Balli’s have their theories as to why so many different lawyers all of the sudden would stop representing them. The Balli’s believe that Kerlin would pay the lawyers off so a trial would not take place. Of course there was no proof of this, however, it was always very coincidental how the lawyers would back out and not represent the Balli’s as it would get closer to trial time. Finally, in 1983 a San Francisco attorney Melvin Belli told Fred Balli of Ponca City, Okla. hat he was v ery interested in the case and wants to send them documents related to their claim. It is now year 2000 and descendants of the early owners of Padre Island gathered in the courtroom waiting for justice to be served. This long awaited lawsuit will determine whether or not they were scammed out of their land and riches. When Gilber kerlin now a 90-year-old retired lawyer took the stand he defended his decision not to give the Balli heirs any shares of the mineral royalties after his 1938 purchase. Kerlin stated on the stand, â€Å"The Balli’s did not own Padre Island when they sold it. Kerlin was speaking of when Santiago Morales bought the land form Juan Jose Balli, but what Kerlin did not know is that Morales suffered from buyer’s remorse and sold the land back to Juan Jose Balli, and there is documentation that can prove this fact. After many days of deliberation the jurors awarded the heirs $1. 2 million in lost property and oil royalties. The juror also found that Kerlin owes decade’s worth of income to about 300 Balli descendants for fraud and conspiracy. The battle is won but the war has just begun.Even though the jury’s verdict was in favor for the Balli’s this is just the first step in the final process of winning a lawsuit. Kerlin can very well appeal the decision and ony until that solution is exhausted nothing will be paid out to the family. After winning the decision in 2000 now it is five years later, and the time limitation of an appeal is over. It seems like a deja vu back in the Brownsville courtroom waiting for the jurors to release their decision. Waiting anxiously, in the courtroom filled with over 300 descendents of Padre Nicolas Balli.The Texas appeals court has upheld a decision to award mineral royalties from land on Padre Island to the balli heir compensation exceeding $50 million. At first glance it seemed that this battle to get the land back was unwinnable, but as the truth comes out the Baliiâ€⠄¢s won the war by simply out gunning their enemy with evidence proving that the Balli’s are the rightful owners to Padre Island. Throughout the trials and tribulations history had been made and the Balli’s were very happy that the courts had ruled in their favor.The Balli’s knew all along what the truth was and was glad others saw it too. This popular vacation spot has so much history behind it that no one ever thinks about what this island was really meant for or what went someone went through to get back what was taken from them. It is an honor to have met and known my wife’s grandfather Fred Balli the sixth generation Balli and was the last living heir of Padre Island. It is a privilege to know firsthand the Balli family and share in their successes with the sixty five year trial that was long overdue.My wife’s family is Balli and to hear the stories about Padre Island from Trudy Balli Morin a seventh generation Balli and the daughter of Fred B alli that at one point was a paradise lost, but then returned to its rightful owners is unbelievable. I leave you with this the ending of the chant that made history possible. â€Å"Across the valley, and across the sea, the bells will ring, Viva Balli! † Work cited Balli, Cecilia. â€Å"Return to Padre. † Texas Monthly Jan. 2001: 99+. Web Balli Morin Trudy â€Å"Who is Padre Balli and What Connection Does He Have with you? † Personal interview. 28 Nov. 2012 .

Monday, September 16, 2019

Safeguarding Adults And Personalisation

This essay will focus on adult safeguarding and how law and policy applies to working with vulnerable adults, which in turn will recognise how this can protect or hinder their rights. In addition to this, it will also demonstrate my understanding of what the role and responsibilities of a social worker is in regards to safeguarding and personalisation. The adult safeguarding national policy agenda was set out in 2000 by the department of health called ‘No Secrets’; named such to outline that there can be no secrets or somewhere to hide when it comes to exposing the abuse of vulnerable adults.This guidance defined a vulnerable adult as ‘a person who is or may be in need of community care services by reason of mental or other disability, age or illness; and who is or may be unable to protect him or herself against significant harm or exploitation’. (Department of Health, 2013) However, safeguarding services have considerably developed since then and in the dra ft Care and Support Bill 2012, a new term, ‘adult at risk’ has now replaced ‘vulnerable adult’ as a more acceptable alternative and because the term ‘vulnerable adult’ may wrongly imply that some of the fault for the abuse lies with the adult abused.It was proposed by the Law Commission and it is now defined as: ‘anyone with social care needs who is or may be at risk of significant harm’. Although this is a much shorter definition it is still clear that no matter what your circumstances, anyone can be classed at risk and is entitled to be safeguarded and protected from abuse. (Department of Health, 2013) Many social workers feel frustrated by the fact that when dealing with adult abuse cases there is no statute that is equivalent to the Children Act 1989.However, there are several pieces of policy and legislation that social workers can draw upon to support their practice that will both empower and protect individuals who find them selves in vulnerable situations. (Pritchard, 2009) Legislation dating back from 1948 to the present day provides a range of duties and powers based on various definitions and criteria. In England and Wales there is not a statutory duty to investigate abuse, however, No Secrets clearly places a responsibility on social services as the key agency responsible for adult protection and this position is strengthened by the Human Rights Act 1998.(Wilson et al, 2008) The Human Rights Act didn’t come into force in the UK until October 2000 and it meant people could take cases regarding breaches of their human rights into a UK court. This would have provided a breakthrough to victims who thought that their perpetrators would always get away with abusing them. Although, without the help of a social worker encouraging them to seek help and support this would not be able to happen.  (Galpin&Bates, 2009)There are particular articles within the Act that are relevant to safeguarding adults such as; Article 2, everyone has a right to life; Article 3, the prohibition of torture, inhuman and degrading treatment and Article 5, everyone has the right to liberty and security. In addition to this, the right to respect a person’s home, private and family life under Article 8; investigating and responding to the risk of abuse will almost invariably involve this article; interventions must be lawful, justified and proportionate given the risk.  (Pritchard, 2009)The Mental Capacity Act 2005 provides a framework to support individual decision-making, allowing choice of appointing their own decision maker and to also promote decision-making in a person’s best interests should they lack capacity. The Act encourages forward planning, for example, people who have capacity but feel that they would lack capacity in the future they can nominate others to act for them under a Lasting Power of Attorney which would involve decisions about welfare, health and financial matt ers.Where decisions have to be made regarding serious medical treatment, long-term accommodation moves or an adult protection investigation, an Independent Mental Capacity Advocate (IMCA) may be appointed to support and represent the individual. (Wilson et al) The IMCA service started in 2007 when it provided a service for 5,266 people and has been providing a statutory service for five years. Although the IMCA service is a statutory service, it is provided by the voluntary sector and is a national service provided by 60 local providers which sets out to both empower and to safeguard people.It is accountable to local commissioners as well as local clients; it works with both the NHS and 152 local authorities and it is designed to support and represent people as well as challenge and change organisations and their practices. In 2009, IMCAs were given additional duties under the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DOLS). Their focus was to safeguard some of the most vulnerable circumst ances that people can find themselves in.Therefore, where, for their own safety and in their best interests, people need to be accommodated under care and treatment regimes that have the effect of depriving them of their liberty, but where they lack capacity to consent to the regime. (Department of Health, 2013) Another act that is relevant to adult services is the NHS and Community Care Act 1990 which provides a framework for all assessments of vulnerable adults. It emphasises the importance of case monitoring and reviewing. (Pritchard, 2009) Prior to the act there had been criticism about the way in which community care services were organised.Therefore, when the Act was implemented, qualified social workers were given the task as care managers and many going into adult services for the first time. A key aspect of care management was that the assessment process should be based on an individual’s needs rather than the service they require which would enable user empowerment and choice; and in turn provide a personalised approach. (Parker&Bradley, 2010) Personalisation means starting with the person rather than the service and it reinforces the idea that the person should know best what their needs are and how they can be met.The social workers job working with adults at risk would be to ensure they had the right information and support to access the appropriate services. Personalisation is about giving people much more choice and control over their own lives and good social work practice is about putting the individual first. (SCIE, 2008) The personalisation agenda was outlined in three important documents. Firstly, Fair Access to Care Services (FACS) which called for local authorities to set eligibility criteria for providing services based on balancing resources against need.Secondly, Transforming Social Care which was introduced to develop a personalised approach to the delivery of adult social care through the use of direct payments and personal bu dgets. Finally, the document, Putting People First placed personalisation at the centre of social care policy, practice and performance. These policies were introduced to promote independent living and the funding for these initiatives took on two forms in the way of Direct Payments and Personal Budgets. (Trevithick, 2012) The legislation for direct payments is incorporated in the Community Care Act 1996.The Act gave local authorities the power to implement direct payments. However, it was not until 2000 that the service was extended to people over 65 which obviously led to them being more vulnerable and unable to access services. Direct payments is a way of enabling people to manage their own care and support services; it is seen as a right not a privilege. (Parker&Bradley, 2009) Although direct payments are seen as central to the government’s agenda for the modernisation and transformation of adult social care, it needs to be noted that there are concerns regarding risks an d possible reduction in rights for people who use direct payments.  (Galpin&Bates, 2009)The main concern is that people will use their direct payments to employ unregulated care workers or relatives or will not manage well which may leave them open to a greater risk of poor quality care or even abuse through neglect, exploitation, physical, etc. (CommunityCare, 2013) On the other hand, whom the service user employs is generally their choice and responsibility which would give them a sense of independence. However, regulation and training of personal assistants is not compulsory, therefore, evidence of qualifications or certificates is at the employer’s discretion.This in itself poses a risk to service users who take this route. (Galpin&Bates, 2009) Personal budgets or individual budgets refers to funding that is allocated by the local authority to enable service users to buy services in regards to their personal and social care needs which can include domestic, social leisu re and educational activities. Administration is viewed as less intrusive than direct payments, for example, receipts are not required for individual expenditure. It is the responsibility of a social worker to play a key role in delivering this personalised service.  (Parker&Bradley, 2010)In 2010, the UK Coalition Government confirmed its commitment to the principles which are embodied in the personalisation agenda and the target was for local councils to offer personal budgets to one million social care service users by 2013 as part of its social care provision. (Trevithick, 2012) However, a joint discussion document on the future of services for older people called ‘The Case for Tomorrow Facing the Beyond’ was produced in 2012. The document addressed that the opportunities of personal budgets and direct payments have not been a constant acceptance by all those who are entitled to them.Whilst people have usually been very positive about the impact of personal budgets on their lives, older adults report less satisfaction than other adult groups. More older people receive adult social care services than any other age groups but the amount that are actually receiving personal budgets or direct payments is small. In addition to this, the legal responsibilities of the personal budget holder are also presenting some challenges in the way of the holders acting as employers. When a service user directly employs someone to deliver a service, issues of employment law, quality and safeguarding still remain.There is a challenge for policy makers, local authorities and their partners to balance concerns about the impact of less well monitored systems on quality, reliability and safeguarding on one hand and the bureaucracy and cost of additional monitoring on the other. (Adass, 2013) As mentioned previously, FACS is a national eligibility framework which allocates social care resources to individuals, carers and communities based on four eligibility bands â €“ critical, substantial, moderate and low risk to independence.However, in 2010 it was said to have proved difficult to adhere to, especially in the economic climate with rising cost pressures and an increasing need to ration services. The BASW’s joint manager noted there was a need for a national framework and more should be left to the professional discretion of social workers, working with the personalisation agenda and a person-centred approach. However, this can only happen if councils are given enough resources to manage peoples care.  (CommunityCare, 2013)Putting People First; a shared vision and commitment to the transformation of adult social care was a key document from the government to outline the future of adult service provision. It sets out the government’s commitment to independent living for all adults. In addition to this, it seeks to develop a collaborative approach between local and central government, providers and regulators to facilitate t he development of a personalised system of adult social care. The first step in a personalised approach to social work practice is Person Centred Planning (PCP).PCP addresses issues of exclusion that can be overlooked in the assessment process because it focuses on the person’s capacities and not their impairments. The listening involved in PCP is good social work practice and can be used to understand a person’s choices and abilities. It also helps to ensure that the person is placed at the centre of the assessment and planning process. However, there is an issue of funding when it comes to PCP for all individuals with a learning disability and can rely heavily on the trust of the individuals informal or unpaid support network to make their aspirations and plans a reality.Although in my opinion I do think PCP is the way forward and should be used more frequently in social work practice. (Galpin&Bates, 2009) In conclusion to this essay and with the information gathered it can be noted that there are several policies and legislation that support the safeguarding of adults. Therefore, it seems unimaginable as to why vulnerable adults or adults at risk find themselves in a position of abuse or neglect. However, unfortunately due to the recent Winterbourne View scandal and others like it, abuse obviously still remains of individuals who are clearly too vulnerable to speak out.It does appear that although guidance and policies are in place to safeguard adults who may be at risk, it obviously doesn’t seem to be enough or it is simply that abusers are getting away with their crimes. The future of adult safeguarding must be improved and to do this, all agencies should work together in partnership and ensure the implementation of policies; procedures, etc. are in place. Outstanding social work practice is of the utmost importance. Safeguarding Adults and Personalisation This essay will focus on adult safeguarding and how law and policy applies to working with vulnerable adults, which in turn will recognise how this can protect or hinder their rights. In addition to this, it will also demonstrate my understanding of what the role and responsibilities of a social worker is in regards to safeguarding and personalisation. The adult safeguarding national policy agenda was set out in 2000 by the department of health called ‘No Secrets’; named such to outline that there can be no secrets or somewhere to hide when it comes to exposing the abuse of vulnerable adults.This guidance defined a vulnerable adult as ‘a person who is or may be in need of community care services by reason of mental or other disability, age or illness; and who is or may be unable to protect him or herself against significant harm or exploitation’. (Department of Health, 2013) However, safeguarding services have considerably developed since then and in the dra ft Care and Support Bill 2012, a new term, ‘adult at risk’ has now replaced ‘vulnerable adult’ as a more acceptable alternative and because the term ‘vulnerable adult’ may wrongly imply that some of the fault for the abuse lies with the adult abused.It was proposed by the Law Commission and it is now defined as: ‘anyone with social care needs who is or may be at risk of significant harm’. Although this is a much shorter definition it is still clear that no matter what your circumstances, anyone can be classed at risk and is entitled to be safeguarded and protected from abuse. (Department of Health, 2013) Many social workers feel frustrated by the fact that when dealing with adult abuse cases there is no statute that is equivalent to the Children Act 1989.However, there are several pieces of policy and legislation that social workers can draw upon to support their practice that will both empower and protect individuals who find them selves in vulnerable situations. (Pritchard, 2009) Legislation dating back from 1948 to the present day provides a range of duties and powers based on various definitions and criteria. In England and Wales there is not a statutory duty to investigate abuse, however, No Secrets clearly places a responsibility on social services as the key agency responsible for adult protection and this position is strengthened by the Human Rights Act 1998.  (Wilson et al, 2008)The Human Rights Act didn’t come into force in the UK until October 2000 and it meant people could take cases regarding breaches of their human rights into a UK court. This would have provided a breakthrough to victims who thought that their perpetrators would always get away with abusing them. Although, without the help of a social worker encouraging them to seek help and support this would not be able to happen.(Galpin&Bates, 2009)There are particular articles within the Act that are relevant to safeguarding adults such as; Article 2, everyone has a right to life; Article 3, the prohibition of torture, inhuman and degrading treatment and Article 5, everyone has the right to liberty and security. In addition to this, the right to respect a person’s home, private and family life under Article 8; investigating and responding to the risk of abuse will almost invariably involve this article; interventions must be lawful, justified and proportionate given the risk.(Pritchard, 2009)The Mental Capacity Act 2005 provides a framework to support individual decision-making, allowing choice of appointing their own decision maker and to also promote decision-making in a person’s best interests should they lack capacity. The Act encourages forward planning, for example, people who have capacity but feel that they would lack capacity in the future they can nominate others to act for them under a Lasting Power of Attorney which would involve decisions about welfare, health and financial matters.W here decisions have to be made regarding serious medical treatment, long-term accommodation moves or an adult protection investigation, an Independent Mental Capacity Advocate (IMCA) may be appointed to support and represent the individual. (Wilson et al) The IMCA service started in 2007 when it provided a service for 5,266 people and has been providing a statutory service for five years. Although the IMCA service is a statutory service, it is provided by the voluntary sector and is a national service provided by 60 local providers which sets out to both empower and to safeguard people.It is accountable to local commissioners as well as local clients; it works with both the NHS and 152 local authorities and it is designed to support and represent people as well as challenge and change organisations and their practices. In 2009, IMCAs were given additional duties under the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DOLS). Their focus was to safeguard some of the most vulnerable circumstances that people can find themselves in.Therefore, where, for their own safety and in their best interests, people need to be accommodated under care and treatment regimes that have the effect of depriving them of their liberty, but where they lack capacity to consent to the regime. (Department of Health, 2013) Another act that is relevant to adult services is the NHS and Community Care Act 1990 which provides a framework for all assessments of vulnerable adults. It emphasises the importance of case monitoring and reviewing. (Pritchard, 2009) Prior to the act there had been criticism about the way in which community care services were organised.Therefore, when the Act was implemented, qualified social workers were given the task as care managers and many going into adult services for the first time. A key aspect of care management was that the assessment process should be based on an individual’s needs rather than the service they require which would enable user empowerment and c hoice; and in turn provide a personalised approach. (Parker&Bradley, 2010) Personalisation means starting with the person rather than the service and it reinforces the idea that the person should know best what their needs are and how they can be met.The social workers job working with adults at risk would be to ensure they had the right information and support to access the appropriate services. Personalisation is about giving people much more choice and control over their own lives and good social work practice is about putting the individual first. (SCIE, 2008) The personalisation agenda was outlined in three important documents. Firstly, Fair Access to Care Services (FACS) which called for local authorities to set eligibility criteria for providing services based on balancing resources against need.Secondly, Transforming Social Care which was introduced to develop a personalised approach to the delivery of adult social care through the use of direct payments and personal budgets . Finally, the document, Putting People First placed personalisation at the centre of social care policy, practice and performance. These policies were introduced to promote independent living and the funding for these initiatives took on two forms in the way of Direct Payments and Personal Budgets. (Trevithick, 2012) The legislation for direct payments is incorporated in the Community Care Act 1996.The Act gave local authorities the power to implement direct payments. However, it was not until 2000 that the service was extended to people over 65 which obviously led to them being more vulnerable and unable to access services. Direct payments is a way of enabling people to manage their own care and support services; it is seen as a right not a privilege. (Parker&Bradley, 2009) Although direct payments are seen as central to the government’s agenda for the modernisation and transformation of adult social care, it needs to be noted that there are concerns regarding risks and pos sible reduction in rights for people who use direct payments.(Galpin&Bates, 2009)The main concern is that people will use their direct payments to employ unregulated care workers or relatives or will not manage well which may leave them open to a greater risk of poor quality care or even abuse through neglect, exploitation, physical, etc. (CommunityCare, 2013) On the other hand, whom the service user employs is generally their choice and responsibility which would give them a sense of independence. However, regulation and training of personal assistants is not compulsory, therefore, evidence of qualifications or certificates is at the employer’s discretion.This in itself poses a risk to service users who take this route. (Galpin&Bates, 2009) Personal budgets or individual budgets refers to funding that is allocated by the local authority to enable service users to buy services in regards to their personal and social care needs which can include domestic, social leisure and ed ucational activities. Administration is viewed as less intrusive than direct payments, for example, receipts are not required for individual expenditure. It is the responsibility of a social worker to play a key role in delivering this personalised service.(Parker&Bradley, 2010)In 2010, the UK Coalition Government confirmed its commitment to the principles which are embodied in the personalisation agenda and the target was for local councils to offer personal budgets to one million social care service users by 2013 as part of its social care provision. (Trevithick, 2012) However, a joint discussion document on the future of services for older people called ‘The Case for Tomorrow Facing the Beyond’ was produced in 2012. The document addressed that the opportunities of personal budgets and direct payments have not been a constant acceptance by all those who are entitled to them.Whilst people have usually been very positive about the impact of personal budgets on their liv es, older adults report less satisfaction than other adult groups. More older people receive adult social care services than any other age groups but the amount that are actually receiving personal budgets or direct payments is small. In addition to this, the legal responsibilities of the personal budget holder are also presenting some challenges in the way of the holders acting as employers. When a service user directly employs someone to deliver a service, issues of employment law, quality and safeguarding still remain.There is a challenge for policy makers, local authorities and their partners to balance concerns about the impact of less well monitored systems on quality, reliability and safeguarding on one hand and the bureaucracy and cost of additional monitoring on the other. (Adass, 2013) As mentioned previously, FACS is a national eligibility framework which allocates social care resources to individuals, carers and communities based on four eligibility bands – critic al, substantial, moderate and low risk to independence.However, in 2010 it was said to have proved difficult to adhere to, especially in the economic climate with rising cost pressures and an increasing need to ration services. The BASW’s joint manager noted there was a need for a national framework and more should be left to the professional discretion of social workers, working with the personalisation agenda and a person-centred approach. However, this can only happen if councils are given enough resources to manage peoples care.(CommunityCare, 2013) Putting People First; a shared vision and commitment to the transformation of adult social care was a key document from the government to outline the future of adult service provision. It sets out the government’s commitment to independent living for all adults. In addition to this, it seeks to develop a collaborative approach between local and central government, providers and regulators to facilitate the development o f a personalised system of adult social care. The first step in a personalised approach to social work practice is Person Centred Planning (PCP).PCP addresses issues of exclusion that can be overlooked in the assessment process because it focuses on the person’s capacities and not their impairments. The listening involved in PCP is good social work practice and can be used to understand a person’s choices and abilities. It also helps to ensure that the person is placed at the centre of the assessment and planning process. However, there is an issue of funding when it comes to PCP for all individuals with a learning disability and can rely heavily on the trust of the individuals informal or unpaid support network to make their aspirations and plans a reality.Although in my opinion I do think PCP is the way forward and should be used more frequently in social work practice. (Galpin&Bates, 2009) In conclusion to this essay and with the information gathered it can be noted that there are several policies and legislation that support the safeguarding of adults. Therefore, it seems unimaginable as to why vulnerable adults or adults at risk find themselves in a position of abuse or neglect. However, unfortunately due to the recent Winterbourne View scandal and others like it, abuse obviously still remains of individuals who are clearly too vulnerable to speak out.It does appear that although guidance and policies are in place to safeguard adults who may be at risk, it obviously doesn’t seem to be enough or it is simply that abusers are getting away with their crimes. The future of adult safeguarding must be improved and to do this, all agencies should work together in partnership and ensure the implementation of policies; procedures, etc. are in place. Outstanding social work practice is of the utmost importance.