Repetition in Samuel Becketts Plays an Example of the Topic Literature Essays by

Repetition in Samuel Becketts Plays Samuel Barclay Beckett (12 April 1906 to 22 December1989) was an Irish dramatist, novelist and poet. Beckett's work is stark, fundamentally minimalist, and, according to some interpretations, deeply pessimistic about the human condition. The perceived pessimism is mitigated both by a great and often wicked sense of humour, and by the sense, for some readers, that Beckett's portrayal of life's obstacles serves to demonstrate that the journey, while difficult, is ultimately worth the effort. Similarly, many posit that Beckett's expressed "pessimism" is not so much for the human condition but for that of an established cultural and societal structure which imposes its stultifying will upon otherwise hopeful individuals; it is the inherent optimism of the human condition, therefore, that is at tension with the oppressive world. His later work explores his themes in an increasingly cryptic and attenuated style. He was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1969 "for his writing, whichin new forms for the novel and dramain the destitution of modern man acquires its elevation". Need essay sample on "Repetition in Samuel Becketts Plays" topic? We will write a custom essay sample specifically for you Proceed Beckett's attempt to capture the process of creation of a text requires the dramatic structure of endless repetitions. The endless repetition in Beckett's plays can be seen as a quest for the true text where a character gropes for his true "self." Repetition is not only a technique in Beckett; it is also a theme, which means that repetition is spoken of repeatedly. Thus was read in his 1961 novel Comment cest (How It Is), He sings yes always the same song pause SAME SONG, words that echo what the narrator of the story LExpulse (1945, The Expelled) had said of any table he could possibly tell: You will see how alike. Now in this essay, we will critically analyse implementation of Becketts repetition philosophy that mainly appeared in his following short plays. Play Play was written between 1962 and 1963 and first produced in German as Spiel on June 14, 1963 at the Ulmer Theatre in Ulm-Donau, Germany. The first performance in English was in 1964 at the Old Vic in London. The curtain rises on two women and a man (referred to only as W1, W2 and M), in a row along the front of the stage with their heads sticking out of the tops of large urns, the rest of their bodies unexposed. They remain like this for the play's duration. At the commencement and the conclusion of the play, all three characters speak, in what Beckett terms a "chorus", but in the main the play is made up of short, sometimes broken sentences spoken by one character at a time. Over the course of the play, it becomes apparent that the man has betrayed Woman #1, or W1, by having an affair with Woman #2. The three characters speak of the affair from their respective points of view on the matter, in an almost contrapuntal manner. Near the end of the script, there is the terse instruction: "Repeat play." Beckett elaborates on this in notes, by saying that the repetition might be varied, by changing the intensity of the light, giving a breathless quality to the lines, or even shuffling some of the lines around. At the end of this second repetition, the play appears to start again for a third time, but does not get more than a few seconds into it before it suddenly stops. One interpretation of the play is that the three characters are actually in purgatory, where they are confessing their sins - indeed, one of the characters exclaims "I confess" at one point when recalling their illicit relationship. The use of urns to encase the bodies of the three players is thought to symbolise their entrapment inside the demons of their past; the way in which all three urns are described at the start of the play as "touching" each other is often deciphered as symbolising the shared problem which all three characters have endured. The spotlight, which illuminates only the face of those characters who it wishes to speak, is believed to represent God, or a Higher Power of some sort, who is weighing up each character's case to be relieved from the binds of the urn, and having to relive this relationship which has ruined all their lives. What Where What Where is Samuel Beckett's last play. It was written in 1983 in English, and revised over a three year period for separate stage and television productions in French and German. Four characters (Bam, Bom, Bim, and Bem) appear at intervals, all dressed in the same grey gown with the same long grey hair. Bam controls and interrogates the others, sending them off to be tortured (given "the works") in order to confess to an unnamed crime that he, in turn, places on all of them. A seasonal cycle from spring to winter passes in the course of the play, with Bam repeating the same questions and actions: eventually Bom, Bim, and Bem have interrogated each other at least once, and the cycle begins again. Bam has an additional manifestation in the Voice of Bam (V), an omnipresent force that directs the proceedings from a "small megaphone at head level." The voice acts something like a "voice of God", and determines things to be positive or negative at a whim. Somewhat elusive in theme altho ugh with a definite totalitarian edge, Beckett himself struggled over its meaning: "I don't know what it means. Don't ask me what it means. It's an object". Happy Days Winnie, the main character, is buried up to her waist in a tall mound of sand. She has a bag full of interesting artifacts, including a comb, a toothbrush, toothpaste, lipstick, a nail file, a parasol and a music box. She also has in her bag a revolver, which she strokes and pats lovingly. The harsh ringing of a bell demarcates waking and sleeping hours. The play begins with the ringing of this bell and Winnie's declaration, "Another heavenly day." Winnie is content with her existence: "Ah well, what matter, that's what I always say, it will have been a happy day after all, another happy day." Her husband Willie lives in a cave behind her, sunk into the back of mound. Unlike his wife he can still move, albeit by crawling on all fours. During the course of the first act he comes out of his hole to read the newspaper and to masturbate, sitting behind the mound with his back to the audience. Despite Winnie's constant chatter and requests that he speak, he says little to nothing quotes from a newspaper, affirmations that he can hear her, the word "formication", and the explanation that hogs are "castrated male swine, raised for slaughter." Winnie's increasingly restricted movement can be interpreted as many things, but is most likely a metaphor for the aging process itself. Throughout the play she distracts herself from her true condition by both consistent denial and through the toys in her bag and conversation with both an imagined listener and Willie (although the amount that the fourth wall is actually broken can be reasonably controlled by the director). While presented with the option of suicide early in the play, it is not one that she seriously considers, or refuses to overtly reference. In Act 1, she notes that she has the gun because Willie begged that she take it from him out of fear that he would use it, and the play concludes by exploring his mentality further. As he attempts and fails to mount her mound (an overt sexual reference, and one of several throughout the show that hint at Willie's impotence), it is unclear whether he is attempting to reach her for a kiss or the gun in order to make an end. Becau se he cannot climb the slope, we are left with the tableau of two characters who are meant for each other trapped in hellish circumstances and unable to escape. Footfalls Footfalls was written, in English, between March and December 1975 and was first performed at the Royal Court Theatre as part of the Samuel Beckett Festival, on May 20, 1976. Footfalls is about the relationship between a mother and daughter, played by Martha Hill and Barb Lanciers, respectively. That Time is a solo performance featuring Mike Mathieu as a character known only as "Listener." In Becketts Footfalls, we watch an old woman, dressed in a tattered wrap, pacing up and down a track, while a voice off tells us of a young girl who paced with a similar intentness and desperation, and eventually asked her mother to take up the carpet, explaining: the motion alone is not enough. I must hear the feet, however faint they fall. Hearing the feet establishes the young girls sense of being there, in the sensation of the faint impact on the ground and its answering resistance. In Naumans work, the ground is similarly a place of last resort, the lowest common denominator, both a continuous threat, and also a place of trust, a generalised securing or orientation of the sense of place. A human body moves between many different experiences of different floors and plots of ground, but is nevertheless orientated always just to one ground, just to the ground, spreading, various, but everywhere singular. As the hypostasis, that which lies beneath, or understands all being and beings living on earth, even and especially creatures of the air like birds, and of the midair, like spiders, the ground has its say in every action and experience. The ground is limit itself; the hereness, or present condition that underwrites every elsewhere, the actual of every possible. It is time thickened and slowed into space, a stay against the passage of time. It is that towards which all movement tends. The dimension of downness, or underness can never be fully in mind, or in view, but is always at work. That Time That Time was written, in English, in 1975 and was first performed at the Royal Court Theatre, as part of the Samuel Beckett Festival, on May 20, 1976. In this play only thing seen on stage is a face and the only things heard are three voices. The voices, A, B, and C, alternate throughout the play with only two pauses, which consist of the termination of one of the voices' monologues, the listener's eyes opening, one of the voices starting to speak again, and the eyes closing. The distinctions between voices are not always clear because some of the text is the same and some images are common among them, such as a stone or slab which the speaker sits upon or remembers sitting upon. The voices seem to represent the same person at different points in his life: voice A in middle age trying to remember his childhood, voice B in childhood, and voice C presumably in old age (Acheson and Arthur 121-126). The play is entirely lacking in punctuation, and because of this and the switches from v oice to voice, the meanings of the narratives given by each voice are ambiguous. The text of play is difficult to read and understand due to the style in which it was written and the organisation, and similarly, the end does not seem to really conclude the play: the eyes open after the voices stop, and 5 seconds later, the face smiles. After rereading the text, themes and images are easier to pick up, and different meanings can be found. Conclusion Beckett's hero is a sisyphusean type of man waiting for the fulfilment of his fate, which seems to be eternal through his suffering and hoping. He is alienated from the world, which is unknown, remote, and indifferent, and from which he is isolated by the walls of his self. The conflict between two different substances - the world and the human subject, leads to the feelings of Absurdity and to fundamental existential questions about the meaning of human life in a world where he lives as a stranger. We find the whole greatness of Beckett's absurd man in his intractability with which he continually fills up his precarious fate, and although his suffering increases as time stops he does not live without hope and joy in life. References: Cronin, Anthony. Samuel Beckett: The Last Modernist. New York: Da Capo Press, 1997. Bair, Deirdre. Samuel Beckett: A Biography. Vintage/Ebury, 1978. ISBN 0-09-80070-5. Understanding Samuel Beckett By Alan Astro, Published 1990 Univ of South Carolina, Press, ISBN 0872496864 Burnt Piano, by Justin Fleming, Xlibris, 2004 (Coup d'Etat & Other Plays) Knowlson, James. Damned to Fame: The Life of Samuel Beckett. New York: Grove Press, 1996. Mercier, Vivian. Beckett/Beckett. Oxford University Press, 1977. ISBN 0-19-281269-6

Consumer in hospitality, leisure and tourism Essays

Consumer in hospitality, leisure and tourism Essays Consumer in hospitality, leisure and tourism Paper Consumer in hospitality, leisure and tourism Paper ABSTRACT This paper talks about consumer in hospitality, leisure and tourism. It details on the workings behind the consumer’s mind by going deep into consumer behaviour pertaining to only hospitality and the catering industry specifically. It starts off with adding to the entire document as an essay, an abstract to highlight the key elements that the paper has. It moves on to then introduce the topic at hand, with a brief introduction followed by a literature review covering pertinent secondary research. After that the methodology followed by the research this essay undertook before compilation of results is discussed followed by the findings themselves. The essay then further explores upon the topic by discussing the primary characteristics that the essay touches, and then concludes it with an ending paragraph. INTRODUCTION   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Consumer behaviour is the focal point of this essay which is based on both primary and secondary research. Consumer behaviour, the definition hence stands out to be very essential for explanation henceforth. Consumer behaviour is a science that has everything to do with the art of understanding and assessing when, how, where, with who, and why do consumers buy certain products while they do not others. It has everything to do with the psychoanalysis of the consumer’s mind as seen from the marketer’s or researcher’s perspective.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Consumer behaviour, as a field has attracted a lot of attention in recent times owing to the excessive competition between companies calling for increased studies done on the topic. Much has already been said about the field which is now getting more and more attached to the field of psychology, and the significance the term now has in the marketer’s or the researcher’s mind is also gaining momentum as things get more and more competitive, with opening variety of choices that are now available to a regular customer. LITERATURE REVIEW To understand what customer behaviour really is in a general context it is important to analyse the functioning behind a normal processing in a brain. It is highly imperative hence that the term critical thinking is mentioned now. Critical thinking is the ability of people to assume responsibility of the thinking of their own. Hence, people who indulge in critical thinking use certain principles to incorporate these into the way they perceive things and form judgments about them. It is an entire process of thinking, and analyzing that involves asking questions also to reflect upon the matter at hand best (McMillan and Keller, 2007). Critical thinking is a grouping of various skills that include self-awareness, rationality, discipline, honesty, open-mindedness, and judgments (Kurland, 2000). Deduction is defined as a statement, the conclusion of which bears evidence in some form or another, in order to make the conclusion stand true. Induction statements, on the other hand are those w hose conclusions might be true, hence there is a chance involved there in the form of probability. (PhilosophyLander, 2004) There are in short words, a guarantee involved about the truth of the conclusion in a deduction, and it is almost impossible that it renders false. Induction statements have probability involved of the statement becoming true and it is said that if the induction statement is true then it is unlikely to be false. Hence, no surety is there of the truth in an induction statement (IEP, 2006). It can be hence established that general statements are not what â€Å"deduction† statements include, rather the opposite. In deduction a series of steps take place that form reasoning involving logic about the statement/s at hand and formulate a judgment about its conclusion. This conclusion after thorough reasoning is called true and logical in a deduction statement. Whereas the basis for the formulation of conclusions in induction statements is assumptions and not logical reasoning. In the case of consumer behaviour hence, the case of induction seems more attached and close to the topic. Critical thinking or scientific thinking is based on investigations and proper reflective thinking that has evidence or a series of proof facts at the back of the related theory. This dependable or trustworthy set of knowledge and ideas comes from the thinker’s own life and the society in general. Scientific thinking also, hence is based on ideas and theories that give the thinker such dependent information. Scientific thinking has the following three aspects: o  Ã‚   Empirical evidence (evidence that a person can hear, see, touch, smell, and taste) o  Ã‚   Logical reasoning or rationality (logic taking precedence over emotions and feelings etc.) o  Ã‚   Skepticism (questioning of own beliefs and the conclusions one has reached when doing scientific thinking). (Schafersman, 1994). Metaphysical thinking, on the other hand has no relation to evidence or proof based conclusions at all. Rather it is a formulation of the mind in a way that it appears absurd or vague to most people. An example could include beliefs of people about magic. Usually, the soul or beliefs about reality are the sources or aims of metaphysical thinking. Aristotle said that metaphysical thinking is the highest demonstration of human’s capability to think and express. This is because such thinking is basically related to the deep interconnections of a person’s mind and what his perceptions in life are, and what imaginations does he/she hold. (Rosengren, Johnson and Harris, n.d.) Meta-physics is often referred to concepts like materialism and dualistic beliefs. (Carrol, 2007). METHODOLOGY This research is a descriptive study that aims to identify the characteristics of a consumer’s mind and the behavior that follows when making decisions involving hospitality, and tourism. For this purpose employing a combination of Qualitative and Quantitative Research was used. (Creswell, 2008) Elements of brainstorming, critical thinking, questionnaire-aided interviews and observation studies were carried to follow through the research. Brainstorming Brainstorming was employed at multiple stages. Initially, the researchers required brainstorming for the open ended questions that were asked during the focus group sessions. The focus group sessions that followed took the form of unstructured, free flowing ideas coined by the respondents. Important ideas were then made to incorporate the â€Å"Funnel approach† of gradually narrowing down the scope of the relevant domain. Volleying such topics with the respondents helped gain a rudimentary understanding which in turn helped in drafting the questionnaire for detailed interviews. (Pacelli, 2006) Proactive Problem Solving and Critical Thinking During the course of this descriptive study the researchers resorted to proactive problem solving and critical thinking at all stages. (CareWeb, 2003) The researchers ensured, at all stages, that there was adequate amount of information before proceeding to the next stage. Additionally, an initial analysis of the qualitative exploratory research to unearth any trends and patterns the researchers based their hypothesis will be conducted. Once the initial exploratory data gathering completed, the researchers conducted the observation studies and interviews to critically understand the workings behind people’s brains (belonging to different cultures) when it came to the hospitality industry. (Tesch, 1990) Questionnaire-aided Interviews   Ã‚   Interviews were conducted to gain deeper insight into the perspectives of several different people belonging to different cultures about what they feel about the hospitality industry, brands etc. It helped the researcher’s draft a proper detailed findings document, henceforth and made data that was derived from observation studies more valid. Observation studies   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Observation studies were also done in many restaurants and eateries in nearby places, catering to different age groups, different cusines and cultures henceforth. FINDINGS   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   It was found that yes culture being a comprehensive element in a person’s personality has a great impact on the things that a consumer sees and considers buying/ consuming and does or doesn’t. Also, people belonging to the Asian region have more emotionally charges perceptions about brands, restaurants etc. People belonging to individualistic countries like America, England, Australia and Europe for instance were more adept at changing their choices when it came to eateries. They also felt that when it came to brands that involved mass appeal, like McDonald’s emotions was more of an element. It was found that intensity of culture does have an impact on consumers as well. Also it stands less strong as it was years back or previously sine it has become more flexible now. DISCUSSION The media today can be held responsible for the implicit force behind people’s actions since the hidden characteristics of mediums used by the media are powerful enough to move people into doing things they otherwise will not do. Manipulation can take the form of anything that uses media as a forum, therefore. Media hence being of many forms is often used as a manipulation tool to provide information that actually inflicts someone else’s opinions on people through the mass media. To many people, especially writer’s propaganda is an instrument through which a lot of â€Å"bad† persuasion is done. This according to them then includes the usage of half-truths and various other concealments so that data and information can be manipulated. This distortion is then used by these people for their own benefit by â€Å"fooling† the people who are being directed at by these propagandists. (What is Propaganda, n.d.) Sustainability Sustainability is the endurance that is needed. It is basically the push that is needed to use resources now the way that they are used while making sure that the needs of the future population or the next generation are however not compromised. Culture affects this dimension greatly too. For instance, where building a posh, un-atmosphere friendly restaurant is concerned; people belonging to individualistic societies and culture tend to ignore such characteristics while opting for greater refinement in terms of edible goods and eateries. Also, it was seen that the intensity of culture does have an impact on consumers as well. Also it stands less strong as it was years back or previously sine it has become more flexible now. This was particularly true for sustainability. Technology Many a times we hear arguments pertaining to how the world is moving towards employing a single customized strategy when handling technology; little do companies often realize is that throughout the world irrespective of the kind of industry one is in, thee have to be adaptations that need to be made to ensure that all explicit and implicit characteristics that one’s company is dealing with are all equally important to make it successful in the consumer’s mind. For this purpose, it is highly essential that regional differences are seen through while evaluating a company’s potential critically. Therefore, it highly essential that technological breakthroughs are implemented after customizing them to one’s own systems immediately. This was a characteristic that was seen to be exceptionally true for individualistic cultures or people belonging to the Europe region. However, the incidence of embracement of technology was seen to be higher in people with South Korean and Chinese roots. This was a finding that was derived through observation studies conducted in different parts. Brand Power Many researchers and marketers alike now have seemed to realize the importance of culture and differences in culture and the kind of impact that these have on perceptions that consumers have about specific brands.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   This is the basic core reason why marketers hence go for region and culture based promotional and launch campaigns because this way the correct target group is hit with the kind of perceptions that the brand managers want to give off for their brand to the consumers. Marketers introduce many products but while doing so they ensure that the variety of ‘tastes’ that are being catered to are duly met. Likewise, the consumers too make up separate perceptions about the brands themselves based on the feel that the marketer gives off or is trying to give off. This, when is in alignment with the brand template itself, then we say that an effective culture transfer has taken place. For instance, in the questionnaire for interviews that was developed, it was asked of the respondent to talk about a brand that they felt connected to and a brand that they couldn’t link to at all even though the product was decent enough functionalit y wise. Respondents belonging to the South Asian region specifically claimed that the presence of Coca-Cola’s Coke Studio (a recently introduced initiative by Coke connecting eastern and western strings under one roof) was a product they felt close to and the perceptions about the brand were very emotionally charged. However, the existence of certain medicinal preventives or contraceptives was something that always linked with a taboo topic that of contraception is still considered a sin in certain religions. Therefore, people belonging to the Hindu religion in the interviews claimed to have had negative perceptions about such brands. They claimed that emotional aspects of brands like these should not be targeted towards this group of consumers. Sales Promotions There are many persuasion elements as follows: o  Ã‚   Emotional element: using emotions or inducing emotional sensations in people to make them act out the way the sender wants them to. o  Ã‚   Humorous element: by including a light element in the entire transfer of information process and thereby impressing people by the humor involved o  Ã‚   Rational: by setting out logical arguments and providing proof to whatever information is being imparted. This also is correlated directly with the credibility of the sender of the propaganda message in the first place. It is up to the person who is delivering to decide what element will prove to be the most effective and essential to the positivity of the success of the entire message or the propaganda itself. However, one thing that they have to be sure about is what sort of audience is being addressed and dealt with, so as to not harm anyone verbally or behaviorally. All in all, propaganda is a political process and in all the latter’s forms, it plays a huge role in the imparting of information that is used to persuade and influence the people in the audience that is being dealt with. (Welch, 1998) Advertising is transporting into common knowledge of a person or many people the existence of a product or service. These people would be the ones who would belong to the buyer’s class and will hence be called â€Å"customers†; the customers in the case of political advertising being political; candidate’s respective audience or target group. (McNamara, n.d.) There are howev er still many variations to the basic concept. Sales promotion and advertising are talked about in reference and replacement to each other. In many companies, the word and advertising when is used it is often meant that the mass is being communicated with to reach the end consumers within it. Hence there are many channels involved in distribution of this information. These are more specifically called the channels of distribution, which can in the political framework include:  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Salesmen: candidates  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Distributors: members of the party  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Dealers: immediate members along with a group or team of supporters Another characteristic very typical of advertising is that advertising constitutes of time, space and costs in using the media involved. Hence, we can say that a plan of action with respect to the type of seat a candidate is running for is important. Advertising is mass; it’s communication for which a price is paid. The main goal remains of imparting information, altering people’s stance towards what is being advertised and then persuading an action to be followed or taken by them that is to the advantage of the person who is advertising. CONCLUSION The type of â€Å"consumer†, in other words whether he is a rural person or a literate one or even an illiterate one, it depends on the way in which this advertising of the candidate is done. Hence, even one-to-one selling, also known as personal selling, user recommendations, publicity through famous other political or celebrity figures etc. can also induce voting behavior of people. The end goals remains the same: satisfaction of the end user, convincing him to â€Å"buy the product† that is going for this candidate over some other. And along the way, one other thing involves making sure that this behaviour is rationed through successive exposure to the candidate’s current status etc.   The aim of advertising is doing it with efficiency, speed and communication on a mass or on a whole level efficiently.   (Colley, n.d.) REFERENCES Care Web (2003) Proactive Problem Solving. [Internet] Available from: http://careweb.care.org/help/devplan/Proactive_Problem_Solving.htm Dan Kurland (2000). â€Å"What is Critical Thinking.† Critical Reading.Com. [Internet] Available from: criticalreading.com/critical_thinking.htm [Accessed 29 July 2009] IEP. â€Å"Deductive and Inductive Arguments.† The Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy. 2006. [Internet] Available from:. iep.utm.edu/d/ded-ind.htm [Accessed 29 July 2009] Jordan Lieberman (2008) Advertising [Internet] Available from: campaignline.com/sections/?SectionName=advertising [Accessed 29 July 2009] Karen Brooks (2008) Web expands ad opportunities for campaigns. Journal of EBSCOHost. [Internet] Available from: http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=truedb=nfhAN=2W62W63177396659site=ehost-live [Accessed 29 July 2009] Karl Rosengren, Carl Johnson, and Paul Harris. â€Å"The Development of Metaphysical Thinking†.   N.d. Immanuel Kant Research. [Internet] Available from: http://books.google.com.pk/books?id=dcr0WKw2IYICpg=PA179lpg=PA179dq=what+is+meta-physical+thinking%3Fsource=webots=TZaxUogS6Zsig=_nsGD7qcWMKIEo_JlTaphN7pJTYhl=ensa=Xoi=book_resultresnum=9ct=result#PPA183,M1 [Accessed 29 July 2009] Nora McMillan and Carol Keller. â€Å"Critical Thinking.† 2007. ACCD. [Internet] Available from: accd.edu/sac/history/keller/ACCDitg/SSCT.htm [Accessed 29 July 2009] Pacelli, L. (2006) The perfect brainstorm. Digital PhilosophyLander. â€Å"Deduction and Induction†. 2004. GFDL. [Internet] Available from: http://philosophy.lander.edu/logic/ded_ind.html [Accessed 29 July 2009] Robert T. Carrol. â€Å"Metaphysics†. The Skeptic’s Dictionary. 2007. Skepdic. [Internet] Available from:   http://skepdic.com/metaphysics.html [Accessed 29 July 2009] Steven D. Schafersman. â€Å"An Introduction to Science†. 1994. Steven D. Schafersman Copyrights. [Internet] Available from:   freeinquiry.com/intro-to-sci.html [Accessed 29 July 2009] Tesch, R. (1990) Qualitative Research. Paperback Welch, David. (1998) Germany, Propaganda and Total War, 1914-18: The Sins of Omission. [Internet] Available from: http://science.jrank.org/pages/10872/Propaganda-Defining-Propaganda.html [Accessed 29 July 2009] What is Propaganda? (n.d.) [Internet] Available from: historians.org/projects/giroundtable/Propaganda/Propaganda8.htm [Accessed 29 July 2009]

Air National Case Study Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Air National Case Study - Essay Example Presently, HR today happens to be an amalgam of two wildly distinctive roles, the first being while the second tends to be the personnel functional role that is the daily business of human resources that must be right; however, those daily roles also can be extremely strategic. The HR plays a unique role in helping the leadership of the organization assess all those elements, which tend to affect the strategy (Lepak & Gowan 2008, p.35). Apart from that the HR assists the management team in examining the implications of essential decisions, for instance, when Air National intended to add GoJet as an additional service, there were questions about this new investment project such as, what are the repercussions of introducing this project? What systems or processes necessitate supporting this investment? Is it possible to scale the organization suitably in supporting this new project? Considering that the human resources function turns out to be analytics, as well as metrics driven; only the HR leaders will be capable of providing relevant information in framing key business decisions (Torrington, Hall & Taylor 2008, p.25). In consequence of the challenging times within the business sector, companies have had to respond to the slowdown in economic activity by cost-cutting measures, for instance, the case of Air National there was the selling of aircrafts and buildings, along with the suspending or abandonment of unprofitable routes. Therefore, it is the duty of HR to come up with trends for compensation and benefits, thereby understanding the competitive landscape for top talent, together with the repercussions for employee retention, as well as their morale. This downturn provides a business with the opportunity to recruit extremely talented employees who might have been unaffordable in an improved economic environment, for instance, employees recruited for GoJet (Torrington, Hall & Taylor 2008, p.49). Question Two According to John Storey, there are a number of w ays whereby HRM has the ability of changing earlier attitudes and perceptions of personnel management in regards to managing people as contained in this latest model of HRM. If Air National applies these elements, it will undoubtedly enhance the management of its staff, thereby leading to enhanced performance of the entire company. The HRM must (Ivancevich 2006, p.36):- i) Increasingly seek to connect HRM concerns to the inclusive strategy of the organization. Apparently, organizations having the most effectual HRM policies and practices seek out to assimilate such policies within corporate strategies thereby reinforcing or changing an organization's culture. This is achievable through integrating HRM concerns into an organization's strategic plans thereby securing the acknowledgement and inclusion of a HRM viewpoint within the decisions of line managers. Therefore, HRM policies regarding various functions such as recruitment and training must be internally consistent plus at the sa me time being in harmony with the business strategies hence replicating the organization's core values. ii) Build strong cultures as a way of endorsing certain organizational goals since the aim of a strong culture are uniting employees by means of a shared set of managerially approved values such as quality, service and innovation, which tend to assume the recognition of the employee, as

Information Technology Project Management Essay

Information Technology Project Management - Essay Example This essay stresses that good understanding of these interactions will help us show the various approaches applied, contribute to an evidence base, and also the future development of the information systems. Importance of understanding this relationship is to help the information system users enhance their ability and discover their needs. This has increased to an increment in management of the risks accrued to children especially in the western societies. This paper makes a conclusion that a better method of governance can work efficiently in management of the failures associated with the information systems. The designing of a better information system requires to be incorporated with the requirements of both the working environment and the practitioners. There should be also a broader development concern of risk constituted to the children and the role the information system experts in relation to child protection. A relevant principle of the social technical is within the philosophical values and premises. This greatly depends on the level of participation. Participation involves co-ordination of the process that exists between information systems experts and the other people at large. The existing interaction of the two parties involved leads to an innovation of an effective organization design. Respect and considerations of all the people involved is crucial for the development of the project. Design is also another principle in the social technical.

Assignment 6 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 6

Assignment 6 - Essay Example It is mostly associated with research and development projects whereby, there are very many uncertainties and unknowns. This includes system development and analysis. CPM, however, is mostly used in tasks and projects that are repetitive in nature. Such tasks are normally known to have definite starts and complete dates. CPM is mostly applied in developing projects such as building construction and software development. The critical path is the shortest path identified in the critical path method, and that shows the minimum possible duration of a project. In the given assignment, there are three possible paths ABCCDG, ADG and ADG. The shortest path will be ADG while the critical time taken to complete the assignment will be 3days. This is the advantage of CPM since it enables the optimization of time. Here, slack can also be calculated; hence, preparation for any eventualities. The relationship between lectures and teachers can be put in form of ERDs. These entities (Teacher and students) can be interdependent or dependent in nature. There are three types of relationships between entities (Diagram 1). On Diagram 2 shows a typical example of the one to one entities. Diagram 3 however gives a perfect scenario of a many to many ERD. The learning the analysis tools and components has proven to be a very important and helpful process. This is because all this information will come in handy during the practical execution of the theoretical learning that I have been doing in the course work. System analysis deals with projects. Projects are normally broken down into simpler manageable chunks that make up the complete project. These chunks are given estimated timelines and periods under which they can be completed. Learning about the project management tools and analysis tools and components will ensure professional application in projects to achieve the maximum results. Some project

Child Care Case Study Social Work Essay

Child Care Case Study Social Work Essay High profile investigations since 2000 highlight failures in child protection (Laming, 2003 and Laming, 2009), causing nationwide concern, media comment and public debate and putting social work under the microscope. Working Together to Safeguard Children: A Guide to Inter-agency Working to Safeguard and Promote the Welfare of Children (H M Government, 2010) sets out how organisations and individuals should work together to safeguard and promote the welfare of children in accordance with the Children Act, 1989 and the Children Act, 2004. The document sets out statutory guidance from primary legislation and responsibilities for professionals and agencies. The Children Act, 1989 is designed to help keep children safe and well and, if necessary, help a child to live with their family by providing services appropriate to the childs needs. It places a general duty of every local authority to safeguard and promote the welfare of children in their area who are in need. Section 17 defines a child in need as a child who is unlikely to achieve or maintain, or to have the opportunity of achieving or maintaining, a reasonable standard of health or development without the provision for him/her of services by a local authority or his/her health or development is likely to be significantly impaired, or further impaired without the provision for him/her of such services or he/she is disabled (H M Government, 1989, section 17) The local authority has a duty to ascertain whether Sean and Laura are in need of an initial assessment addressing whether there are concerns about impairment to the childrens health and development (HM Government, 2010). Learner and Rosen (2002) describe that the duty of the referral and assessment team is to ascertain the degree of need of the child and the degree of risk to the child. The social worker may initiate an initial assessment using the multi agency Framework for the Assessment of Children in Need and their Families (DoH, 1999b) which must be completed within a maximum 10 days from the referral. If there was evidence that the children were suffering or likely to suffer significant harm, the social worker would then investigate this and conduct a core assessment under Section 47 (HM Government, 2010). Broadhurst et al (2010) describe that the level of safeguarding response remains a challenge in social work as decisions are often made in difficult circumstances with limited information. Munro (1996) describe how decisions made by social workers during this initial contact which determine how cases are responded to. Social workers need good observation and analytical skills to understand the nature of the relationships, the signs of noncompliance, to work alongside families, and to come to safe and evidence based judgements about the best actions (Laming, 2009). Intervention is direct social work input that is based on understanding of the situation or problem presented and can involve providing services or trying to effect change in the social environment in order to improve outcomes (Kadushin 1993). It requires that social workers have clarity in why they are intervening and justification to do so (Doel and Shardlow, 1994). Intervention can be distressing for families so it is paramount that social workers employ a variety of skills, theories and knowledge when making decisions in the process. The common core of skills and knowledge for the children (DfES, 2005) sets out skills to be used when working with children, aiming to promote equality, respect diversity and challenge stereotypes, helping to improve the life chances of all children and to provide more effective and integrated services. The document acknowledges the rights of children. Sean and Laura are of dual heritage, their culture and context should be considered. Phillips (2002) suggests that a colour-blind approach, common practice in the 1980s, was actually the process of judging families according to a white and middle class view of normality. This led to an imbalance of power for many service users. The paper Protecting Children (DoH, 1988) challenged this view, recognising that cultural patterns within families will influence parenting styles and the ways children are reared. Practice was required to change as legislation laid definite responsibilities for local authorities to recognise religion, race, culture and language (DoH, 1988). The Framework for the Assessment of Children in Need and their Families (DoH, 1999b) provides guidelines for white staff who undertake assessments with black children, but all staff should be willing to reflect on their own practice. Race, culture, religion and language are central to childrens identity. Assessments should address identity holistically considering these elements (DoH, 1999a) Sean and Laura lost their mother 3 years ago. Rando (1988) states children who are bereaved at that age may experience reawakened feelings of childishness, may repress feelings, putting them at risk for grief reactions consistent with Eriksons stages of psychosocial development of inferiority versus industry (Erikson, 1970). Longress (2000) and Anderson et al (1999) describe that there would push for a child to become industrious and confident during this stage of development and admitting helpless feelings at this time may be difficult. Worden (2002) states when a death of a parent occurs in childhood , the child may not mourn effectively and this may create problems with depression and inabilities to maintain close relationships with others. The role of the position of the lost parent within the family system would give meaning to systemic loss. According to Bolwbys attachment theory, the loss of a parent means a loss of stability, security, nurturing, and affection (Despelder and Strickland, 2005, Davies, 2004). The childs understanding of the death of a parent can be a shock. Piaget stated that the child can make sense of this process by the formal operating stage of development (Longress, 2000, Berger, 2001). In working with the family, the social worker must understand that the loss of a parent will affect the roles and expectations of those left behind. Gaining better understandings of child an adult reactions to loss and examining it through cultural perspectives will be important. Trevithick (2005) discusses the importance of non verbal communication, acceptance, empathy, warmth, listening skills, the use of silence and observation in working with children along with asserting that the relationship that is built between practitioner and service user is central to achieving change. It is noted that parents who voluntarily engage with services make more progress while a more coercive approach can deteriorate into an adversarial relationship which blocks progress. Becoming more intrusive carries both gains and losses and so creates a complex decision (Munro, 2011). . Egans SOLER model (Egan, 2002) employs a counselling skills approach to communication and would be of benefit. Engaging in meaningful and reciprocal dialogue allows for collaborative meaning-making and joint-knowledge construction where the social worker is no longer the expert but rather a partner and an equal contributor (White, 2007). A social worker may utilise systems theory, considering how the family, community, economic and political factors affect the children (Hoffman and Salle, 1994). It allows the social worker to consider possibilities for change in the whole system, i.e. James having sleeping problems has an effect for the family. Systems theory acknowledges strengths i.e. the children have good family links, are involved in the community and a church group and they have had bereavement counselling. Systems theory acknowledges that a change of one part of the system can change another part. The limitations of systems theory is that it is descriptive, not explanatory, can disempower individuals as it does not allow for individual responsibility (Kemp et al, 1997). A strengths perspective, which focuses on a belief that however bad things seem, people can discover strengths within themselves, may also be used (Mullaly, 1993). The perspective is seen through a role of enhancing personal strengths and resources, helping service users solve both interpersonal and environmental problems, and helping clients mobilise for change (Saleebey, 2003). Consideration of oppression and discrimination of children would be appropriate. MacDonald and Winkley (2000) discuss the vulnerability of young people and state that each child has the right to expect that professionals intervening in their lives will do so on the basis of the best available knowledge (MacDonald and Winkley, 2000, page 1). The social worker would need to remain sensitive to power differences and the difficulties that some young people experience in relating to adults. In terms of the specific interventions chosen, initially these focused on building up trust, as well as attempting to identify risk factors. Social workers have an obligation to conduct themselves ethically, engaging in ethical decisionà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ making, including partnership with service users. The Code of Ethics for Social Work (BASW, 2011), provides a moral code and a regulator of behaviour and moves uneasily between the two. There are moral imperatives that could place social workers in conflict with their employers or government policies i.e. social workers need to challenge ways in which the policies or activities of government, organisations or society create or contribute to structural disadvantage (BASW, 2011, p. 3). In practice, social workers may meet pressures from managers to keep children within the family unit, sometimes resources may mean it is not possibly to challenge service provision, and service provision is met with barriers in eligibility (Dalrymple and Burke, 2006). If social workers are to practice anti-oppressively, they must first understand their roles as oppressors in order to create a space for deeper empathy and understanding. Bishop (2002) argues that ignorance to oppression simply compounds the issue. Section 53 of the Children Act, 2004 gives due consideration to the wishes and feelings of the child as far as is reasonable before determining what services to provide or action to take (H M Government, 2004) Article 3 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC, 1989) places children as a top priority for services, being child focused. James has been suffering from insomnia and suffering from grief from the loss of his wife. A referral for a mental health assessment may be appropriate for support such as counselling 1653 words References Anderson, R. E. Carter, I., Lowe, G.R., (1999). Human Behavior in the Social Environment; A Social Systems Approach. 5th ed. New York: Aldine De Gruyter Inc BASW The College of Social Work (2011) Accessed 10th February 2011 http://dl.dropbox.com/u/3522570/signup/codeofethics.pdf Berger (2001). The Developing Person Through the Life Span. New York,: Worth Publishers Bishop, A. (2002). Becoming an ally: Breaking the cycle of oppression in people (6thed.). Halifax: Fernwood Publishing. Broadhurst, K., White, S., Fish, S., Munro, E., Fletcher, K., Lincoln, H. (2010), Ten pitfalls and how to avoid them: what research tells us, NSPCC Dalrymple, J. and Burker, B. (2006) Antiopressive practice. Social care and the law. Open University Press. Davies, D. (2004). Child Development; A Practitioners Guide. 2nd Edition. New York: Guilford Press Despelder, L. A. Strickland, A. L. (2005) The Last Dance; Encountering Death and Dying. 7th Edition. New York: McGraw-Hill. DfES ( Department for Education and Skills) (2005) Common Core of skills and knowledge for the childrens workforce. London HMSO. Accessesed on 5th February 2011 http://www.cwdcouncil.org.uk/assets/0000/9297/CWDC_CommonCore7.pdf Doel, M. And Shardlow, M, (2005) Modern Social Work Practice Modern Social Work Practice: Teaching and Learning in Practice Settings, Ashgate Publishing Limited. DoH (Department of Health) (1988) Protecting Children: A guide for social workers undertaking a comprehensive assessment. London: TSO. DoH. (Department of Health) (1999) Working Together to Safeguard Children: A guide to interagency working to safeguard and promote the welfare of children. London: TSO. DoH (Department of Health). (1999b) Framework for the Assessment of Children in Need and their families. London: TSO Egan, G. (2002) The skilled helper: A systematic approach to effective helping, Pacific Grove, CA: Brookes/Cole. Erikson, E.H. (1970). Reflections on the dissent of contemporary youth., International Journal of Psychoanalysis, 51, 11-22. H M Government (1989) The Children Act London HMSO Accessed on 6th February 2011 at http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1989/41/contents H M Government (2004) The Children Act London HMSO Accessed on 7th February 2011 at http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2004/31/contents H M Government (2010)  Working together to safeguard children: a guide to inter-agency working to safeguard and promote the welfare of children, London. Department for Education and Skills Accessed on 6th February 2010 http://www.education.gov.uk/publications//eOrderingDownload/00305-2010DOM-EN.PDF Hoffman, K. S., Sallee, A. L. (1994). Social work practice: Bridges to change. Boston: Allyn Bacon Kadushin, A. (1993). Whats wrong, whats right, with social work supervision. The Clinical Supervisor, 10, ),19. Kemp, S. P., Whittaker, J. K., Tracy, E. M. (1997). Person-environment practice: The social ecology of interpersonal helping: New York: Aldine De Gruyter. Laming, (2003) The Victoria Climbie enquiry: a report on the inquiry by Lord Laming. HMSO. London http://www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publicationsandstatistics/Publications/PublicationsPolicyAndGuidance/DH_4008654 (accessed 20/10/10) Laming, Lord (2009) The protection of Children in England: A progress Report. Norwich: HMSO Learner, E. and Rosen, G. (2002) Duty first: Developing practice with children and families duty teams, London: NISW. Longress, J. E. (2000). Human Behavior in the Social Environment. 3rd Edition. New York: Peacock Inc. MacDonald, G and Winkley, A (2000) What Works in Child Protection? Summary, Barnardos, Essex Munro, E. (1996) Avoidable and unavoidable mistakes in child protection work, British Journal of Social Work, (1996), vol 26, pp 793-808. Munro, E. (2011) The Munro review of Child protection: Interim report: The childs jounry. DFES. Accessed on 6th February 2011 http://www.education.gov.uk/publications/standard/publicationDetail/Page1/DFE-00010-2011 Mullaly, R. (1993). Structural social work: Ideology, theory, and practice. Toronto, Canada: McClelland and Stewart Phillips, M. (2002) Issues of ethnicity and culture. In: Wilson, K., James, A. (eds) The Child Protection Handbook. Edinburgh/London: Ballià ¨re Tindall. Rando, T. A. (1988). Grieving; How to Go on Living When Someone You Love Dies. Canada: Lexington Books. Saleebey, D. (2003). Strengths-based practice. In R.A.English (Ed.in Chief) Encyclopedia of social work (19th ed. 2003 supplement, pp. 150-162). Washington, DC: NASW Press. Trevithick, P. (2005) Social Work Skills: A Practice Handbook, 2nd ed. Maidenhead: Open University Press. UNCRC (1989) The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child Accessed on 6th February 2011 at http://www.getreadyforchange.org.uk/images/uploads/UNCRC_CYP_version.pdf White, J. (2007). Working in the midst of ideological and cultural differences: Critically reflecting on youth suicide prevention in indigenous communities. Canadian Journal of Counselling, 41(4), 213-227. Worden, J. W. (2002). Grief Counseling and Grief Therapy. 3rd Edition. New York: Springer Publishing Company ADULT CARE CASE STUDY The NHS and Community Care Act 1990, imposes a duty on local authorities to carry out an assessment of need for community care services with people who appear to them to need such services and then decide whether those needs call for the provision of services (H M Government, 1990). This makes the task of assessment a key activity as it establishes a persons needs but also if a person meets the criteria or threshold for support (Crisp et al, 2003). Fair Access to Care Services provides councils with an eligibility framework for adult social care to identify whether or not the duty to provide services under the following legislation is triggered (DoH, 2003) Preparation for assessment involves reading all relevant information. A lack of knowledge of older peoples social history may lead to presenting behaviours being misinterpreted and emotional needs ignored (Feil 1992). Tact, sensitivity and empathy must be employed in communicating with Mr and Mrs Smyth as the situation may be very distressing for them. Employing Egans model of SOLER (Egan, 2002) would be useful. The National Framework Service for Older People (DoH, 2001) requires that we recognise and respect the individuality of older people, that we listen to them and encourage their choice about care options. Effective communication is essential to fulfil these requirements (Milne and OByrne, 2002).. Parker and Bradley (2007) state that feelings of powerlessness and humiliation can be provocative for vulnerable people. Social workers should attempt to empower people by communicating openly and by providing as much information as possible (Parker and Bradley, 2007) All people have a desire to be understood, to be accepted and for our lives to have meaning (Howe, 1995). Service users want to be listened to and respected as individuals and have choice and control of their support. Crawford and Walker (2008) state older people share traditional social work values, such as a concern for relationships, and appreciate social work skills, for example, in carrying out comprehensive assessments and regular reviews. Bauld et al (2000) state that people place importance on relationships with professionals and that these relationships impact on their wellbeing. Effective social work with older people draws on distinctive aspects of the social work role, sensitive communication, moving at the individuals pace, starting where the service user is, supporting through crisis, challenging poor practice, engaging with the individuals biography and promoting strengths and resilience (Crawford and Walker, 2008). The person centred approach explores fundamental skills for effective communication, building on listening skills, congruence, empathy and unconditional positive regard (Rogers, 1957). However, social work involves the use of authority and this opposes unconditional positive regard. It is not always possible for social workers, who have a responsibility to protect not only the service user but also other people, to be non-directive, empathetic, unconditionally accepting and congruent (Dalrymple and Burke, 2006) Mrs Smyth has cried when talking to the community nurse. It may be that Mrs Smyth is experiencing depression. The white paper, Our Health, Our Care, Our Say (DoH, 2006) acknowledges older people with depression and states that many other supports (i.e. transport, social contacts) must be considered alongside health and social care if practitioners are to make a reality of independence, well-being and choice all of which are often seen as potentially helping to addressing depression and its prevention. Mrs Smyth has new physical problems with which depression also tends to be associated (Copeland et al, 1999) Factors that contribute to depression include loss (e.g. of a relative or of mobility) and social circumstances, such as isolation (ONeill, 1999). The Mental Health Foundation (1999) suggests about 15% of older people experience depression. Literature also suggests that older people are less likely than younger people to take up mental health services (Ashton and Keady, 1999). There is a tendency for professionals and older people treat late life depression as an inevitable consequence of aging (ONeill, 1999). However, there is evidence of the effectiveness of a range of interventions, including environmental changes, psychotherapies and cognitive behavioural therapies, and anti depressant medication (Snowdon, 1998). Maintaining good social relationships is a key to quality of life for older people (Percival, 2010, Bowers, 2009). Yet isolation and loneliness are problems shared by many older people with support needs (Manthorpe and Moriarty, 2010, Cattan and Giuntoli, 2010). Those with mobility, cognitive or sensory impairments are at particular risk of being excluded from social life (Callaghan et al, 2009). Mr Smyth has experienced confusion and Mrs Smyths mobility has decreased. Thompson (2001) describes anti ageism as a dimension of social justice which increases active and independent lives for older people and that assessment should consider the impact of ageism on peoples lives, including low self esteem and feelings of being a nuisance. Dominelli (2004) states that portraying older people as dependent and in need of care is an ageist construction. Care must be taken to ensure that ageist assumptions are not influencing assessment. As with racism and sexism, if we are not actively swimming against the tide of cultural and institutional ageism we shall be carried along with it, such is the strength of ageist ideology (Thompson, 2001, page 12). Mr and Mrs Smyth are experiencing loss of health. Phillipson (2002) suggests that social work with older people is inseparable from managing loss. The life course involves transitions, including the developmental stages associated with the work of Erikson (1977). Thompson (2002) suggests that an understanding of each transition should be understood, seeing older people in the context of life history stressing the importance of individual life stories and include activities such as reminiscence and storytelling. This approach also takes account of peoples environment and the impact of wider social issues including gender, class and race (Crawford and Walker 2004). Danny is concerned about violence from his father to his mother. The risk of abuse of older people is not a new phenomenon but it has only recently been addressed (Penhale, 2003). Pritchards (2001) study of older abused women highlight the importance they attach to being able to talk to somebody about their experiences. It is important that social workers are trained not only to identify abuse but also to understand and be equipped to work with survivors to address longer term as well as short term practical needs. Danny states that there have been many years of violence. Research conducted to determine older womens understandings of elder abuse has emphasised the importance of looking at the quality of care giving relationships, rather than simply analysing action or behaviour when assessing risk and vulnerability (Morbey, 2002). Social work is complex in these potential risk situations, raising difficult questions about how to balance empowerment with protection. Preston-Shoot (2001) argues that the value of self determination is highly influential in social work practice but should not absolve practitioners from finding ways to protect vulnerable users. The literature on elder abuse emphasises the importance of social workers: using communication skills e.g. building trust and support assessing, especially the vulnerability of the service user and circumstances of the abuse, providing information about services and consideration of different options protection planning, monitoring and review understanding the law relating to welfare provision, incapacity, common law and criminal justice (Preston-Shoot, 2001). The Social Care Institute of Excellence stated that Improving dignity, respect and human rights should be a priority in all policy development for older people. But to implement these principles social care needs to identify good practice and produce guidance for everyone who works in the sector (SCIE, 2006). Danny and Mr Smyth are providing care to Mrs Smyth. Under the Carers Recognition Act, 1995, they may be entitled to an assessment of their ability to provide care (H M Government, 1995) . We also know that there is a significant group of older people providing care (typically for partners) who may themselves fit the definition of having high support needs (Blood, 2010). Service users and carers are not easily distinguished. The dog needs to be considered. Cusack (1988) states that older people can be deeply affected by the loss of a pet who can be important attachment figures in peoples lives, bringing their owners physical, psychological and social benefits. Garrity et al (1989) discuss how strong pet attachments are linked with decreased depression rates. Danny currently walks the dig every day but Mrs Smyth may be struggling with looking after it. Sensitivity will be needed in addressing this. Direct payments were extended to older people in 2000 and are empowering for service users as they have more control over their care provision. They live in a rural community. Viewed from a social model of disability, Mr and Mrs Smyth could have low support needs as they live in accessible housing with enabling technology, within a supportive community 1471

Creativity and Machine Design Essay -- Technology Robots Papers

Creativity and Machine Design Robots and machines have become very prevalent within recent years. We use robots to assemble cars, explore dangerous areas, and even as servants to clean our houses. In the future, we might even see robots help in delicate complex tasks like performing surgery. Many people think that the process that goes behind designing a robot is unimaginative, involving a lot of dull equations and assembly lines. In reality, the design process can be very creative. While the process behind designing a machine is creative, it should be noted though that eventually engineers were going to design robots to perform these tasks. Leonardo Da Vinci sketched early ideas for a helicopter in the thirteenth century, which only became a reality in twentieth century. Robotic maids that can clean the house was a futuristic idea that was seen in the 1960's cartoon "The Jetsons", but the idea of having a robot vacuum the floor has only became popular in the last year or so with iRobot's Roomba. Once engineers found the way to control their machines through the use of microcontrollers and programming, the cost effectiveness and precision of machines enabled them to be used in a wide variety of tasks. Although the ideas for the next tasks for machines may not be creative, the process that goes into developing that machine is a creative process. One of the most popular vacuum cleaners at this time is iRobot's Roomba. The creative engineering behind the Roomba enables the robot to much less expensive when compared to other robotic vacuums of the same size. Most of the other robots use a complex set of sensors and integrated programming to navigate across a floor. The Roomba on the other hand uses a creative and inexpen... ...ecause the ideas of others can stifle and interfere with their own ideas, losing a potentially important idea. The first thing to do when attacking a design problem is to get all the necessary information. If this is not possible, the creative engineer will perform an experiment to find the necessary information. Bibliography Brooks, Rodney. "Artificial life: From Robot Dreams to Reality". Nature 406 (2000): 945-947. Retrieved May 10, 2004, from www.nature.com Hanson, T. F. Engineering Creativity. Newhall, CA: 1987. Osborn, Alex F. Applied Imagination. New York, NY: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1957. Sheehan, John C. "On Applied Science". The Creative Mind and Method. Austin, TX: University of Texas Press, 1960. pp. 95-97. Singer, Irving. Feeling and Imagination: The Vibrant Flux of Our Existence. Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc. 2001.