Model employed by Massive Inc Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Model utilized by Massive Inc - Essay Example It will likewise assist distributers with counterbalancing the soaring expenses of computer game turn of events, which can thusly profit gamers, keeping game costs moderate and making the way with the expectation of complimentary game play, free substance, competitions and different prospects that enhance the general game understanding. The gamming business in Australia extends many years of years back. After some time and again games industry has gained notoriety for quality in a huge wide world market hungry for the new substance. The legislature then again has been steady by understanding that advanced games make development and create occupations for some, individuals including engineers, equipment makers, distributers and retailers, it has turned to building up a huge and flourishing 'cutting edge' segment by financing systems through giving Sony PlayStation 2 and Xbox Development Kits to neighborhood organizations that would as a rule not have the option to bear the cost of them and snatch a greater portion of the market. This has been declared subsidizing nearby game substance through Film Victoria's Digital Media Fund. Basically the Australian games industry is comprised of more than 40 organizations utilizing more engineers. 2The amalgamation incorporating nearby offices of enormous worldwide distributers, built up bigger neighborhood organizations, in addition to littler and fresher organizations that just have a couple of workers is likewise a momentous key driver in the Australian game industry since seventy five percent of these organizations are in the matter of creating games. A developing number of tertiary establishments that offer Diploma and Degree courses in games advancement are intended to make a scaffold in the specialized ability in the gaming business by focussing and educating carefully on the structure parts of games while others take an IT and programming-based methodology. Possible Vulnerability. The most exceedingly awful utter horror confronting games industry, as indicated in terms of professional career body the Interactive Entertainment Alliance of Australia (IEAA), is robbery. Which speaks to 15 of the top game stage holders and distributers, including Electronic Arts, Vivendi, Sony Computer diversion, Nintendo and late joinee Nokia Research charged by the IEAA in 2002, assessed the expense of theft at $100million a giant figure that was developing with the economy. The far reaching accessibility and minimal effort of CD copiers had plainly encouraged the development of these wellsprings of pilfered item, the IEAA claims. The effect of PC advertises on the games retail channel differed across Australia, as per retailers reached by. One distributer that affirmed it would send unclassified games to Australia is running with Scissors, a little US game distributer whose game Postal was restricted in Australia in 1997. Any neighborhood distributers didn't get the spin-off, P ostal 2, and therefore it was not submitted for a rating through the OFLC. Famous web closeout webpage eBay is another road wherein purchasers can acquire prohibited games, either locally or from abroad. Furthermore, the penetration of unlawful games. Problem areas for the offer of pilfered games and mod contributing Sydney incorporate Liverpool, Campbell town and Flemington, says wholesaler Tech Pacific's games classification administrator Nathan Dingle. Depiction and examination of the online market in

A library of ancient information

The totality of an organism’s qualities is known as its genome and since every quality gives the guidelines to making a particular protein, the genome can be thought of as an assortment or library of guidance manuals for delivering all the proteins essential for a living being to work regularly and endure (Krogh, 2003). This assortment however, isn't one that is developed as the life form develops yet rather, one that is acquired from the organism’s guardians. Individuals have 46 arrangements of these guidance manuals called chromosomes. Chromosomes come two by two yet during generation, just 50% of each pair is given by each parent to their posterity with the goal that the posterity would in like manner wind up having an aggregate of 46 chromosomes (Krogh, 2003). This continues for each new age of posterity delivered thus on the off chance that we attempt to follow things back we can envision how we have, for instance, acquired the quality for our specific hair shading from either our mom or father, and how they thus have similarly acquired theirs from both of their folks. Going far back towards our ancestors’ age, we can thusly envision ourselves as having acquired inside us a library of old guidance manuals which advise our body how to deliver proteins for all intents and purposes a similar way that they have been created in our progenitors. Normally however it would be normal that over the span of time, alterations may have been made in these directions yet the reality despite everything remains that these fundamental guidelines were given starting with one age then onto the next so the data it conveys may serve succeeding ages. A library of old data The totality of an organism’s qualities is known as its genome and since every quality gives the guidelines to making a particular protein, the genome can be thought of as an assortment or library of guidance manuals for delivering all the proteins important for a living being to work typically and endure (Krogh, 2003). This assortment however, isn't one that is developed as the life form develops yet rather, one that is acquired from the organism’s guardians. Individuals have 46 arrangements of these guidance manuals called chromosomes. Chromosomes come two by two yet during multiplication, just 50% of each pair is given by each parent to their posterity with the goal that the posterity would in like manner wind up having an aggregate of 46 chromosomes (Krogh, 2003). This continues for each new age of posterity delivered thus on the off chance that we attempt to follow things back we can envision how we have, for instance, acquired the quality for our specific hair shading from either our mom or father, and how they thusly have in like manner acquired theirs from both of their folks. Going far back towards our ancestors’ age, we can in this way envision ourselves as having acquired inside us a library of old guidance manuals which advise our body how to create proteins basically a similar way that they have been delivered in our progenitors. Normally however it would be normal that throughout time, adjustments may have been made in these directions yet the reality despite everything remains that these essential guidelines were given starting with one age then onto the next so the data it conveys may serve succeeding ages.

Sonnet 75 Essay Examples - Discover Why This Poem Is So Popular

Sonnet 75 Essay Examples - Discover Why This Poem Is So PopularSonnet 75 is one of the most popular essay examples available on the internet. This is a wonderful literary example to use in your essay. It has become one of the most widely used essay examples on the internet and people have been able to take advantage of the example essay for a number of different reasons.For starters, the sample is such a great piece of literature that it is often included in literature books. This is an excellent example for those that are trying to write a book on literary influences, and also it makes a great example for people trying to write an essay on literature. In addition, there are many sites that will allow you to re-use the original works as examples, as well as sharing the content.It should be noted that the Sonnet 25 was written by Shakespeare, who was an incredible writer. The story itself is very emotional and a great work for anyone to read. If you want to share the work with your fr iends and classmates, this is a great example to use for your writing.The important reason that this is so popular on the internet is because it is extremely easy to understand and write about. While there are many other examples on the internet, this is one of the simplest examples that you can use. When you have someone reading this article, they will understand everything that you are trying to say very quickly.The majority of writers tend to have a difficult time with writing essays because they do not know what the person is saying. This is a good example to use for this reason. While this may seem like a boring type of writing, it is actually very enjoyable to read.What this means is that instead of having to teach someone to write a good essay, you can just hand them this example and let them figure it out. While you are looking for some of the best essay examples, you might want to make sure that you look for something like this. You will quickly discover that this is a simp le, but beautiful piece of writing.It is easy to write a paragraph about the beautiful piece of work that you have just read. In addition, you will find that there are plenty of sites that offer resources for free writing and are great for getting students to get their work completed. The only issue with using free resources is that sometimes it can be difficult to find one of these in particular.The Sonnet is a brilliant piece of literature that can be used for a variety of purposes. It is easy to read and is a favorite of a lot of people. As such, this is a perfect example to use for an essay as well as a book on literature.

Ebay Inc Problems With Fraud - 1536 Words

Shelli M Dial BA 301-002 Homework Assignment #2 Ebay Inc Problems with Fraud EBay Inc Problems with Fraud Symptoms #1 Active Consumer PayPal acquires significant losses due to claims from consumers that merchants be inflicted with not performed or that their merchandise or services do not comply with the merchant s explanation, whether those requests occur from merchant counterfeit or from an accidental failure to achieve by the merchant. PayPal search for to salvage such claims from the merchant, although may perhaps not be capable to salvage in full stipulation the merchant is disinclined or incapable to reimburse. PayPal as well acquires losses from claims with the intention of the consumer did not authorize the transactions, from consumer fraud, from invalid transmissions and use of consumers who contain closed bank accounts or retain insufficient funds in them to fulfill payments( EBay 10K) . The Bill Me Later benefit is correspondingly subject to the danger of fraudulent activity connected with merchants, consumer of the Bill Me Later service and third parties conducting its consumer information. EBay’ s Payments establishment has taken actions to identify and decrease the hazard of fraud, except these actions require to be frequently enhanced and may perhaps not be successful in contradiction of latest and constantly developing structure of fraud or in association with original product contributions. If these procedures do not happen as expected, EBay industryShow MoreRelatedEbay Case Analysis1323 Words   |  6 PageseBay: Dominance in the On-line Industry eBay is The World’s Online Marketplace ®. Founded in 1995, eBay created a powerful platform for the sale of goods and services by a passionate community of individuals and businesses. On any given day, there are millions of items across thousands of categories for sale on eBay and its subsidiaries, half.com and shopping.com, to name a few (â€Å"eBay Inc Outlines Global Business Strategy†, 2000.) Retrieved October 31, 2008 from http://investor.ebay.com). eBayRead MoreSystem Analysis of Ebay2343 Words   |  10 PagesDiagram 11 Conclusion 13 Appendix 14 Experience Report 14 References 15 Introduction The term Ebay shouldn’t be a stranger to most people that have access to a working computer and internet connection. But for those who are not familiar with the corporation, Ebay Inc is an American multinational company that conducts its business mainly over the internet. Founded in 1995, Ebay Inc. started off serving as an online auction house for anyone that wants to sell something to anyone that wantsRead MoreEssay about eBay and Amazon case study1233 Words   |  5 Pagesï » ¿ 7/30/2013 eBay, Inc. and Amazon.com (A) Situation of the case: eBay is now faced with a direct competitor, Amazon.com. Even though Amazon.com has received most of the hype and publicity surrounding e-commerce, eBay has also built an innovative business truly sited to the internet. Initially, Amazon’s goal was to be the â€Å"Earth’s Biggest Bookstore† Since then, the company also entered music, video, toys and electronics business, extending the retail capabilities it had developed for books. MeanwhileRead MoreEbay Market Share5297 Words   |  22 PagesZheng Executive Summary Background eBay Inc history: September 1995: funded as a sole proprietorship. May 1996: incorporated in California. April 1998: reincorporated in Delaware. 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EBAY CHINA Ten to 15 years from now, I think China can be eBay s largest market on a global basis†¦. We think China has tremendous long-term potential and we want to do everything we can to maintain 1 our No. 1 position. — Meg Whitman, eBay CEO, 2004 By 2008, Jack Ma, CEO of Alibaba.com Inc., was in a position to consider how to fortify Taobao’s dominant position in China’s online consumer-to-consumer (C2C) market. Ma and his company had come a long wayRead More E - Commerce Essays1637 Words   |  7 Pages(Kleper 490). An example of a very important role a database plays in a business is the online super giant eBay. Ebays whole company is a gigantic database. Ebay is categorized by product and country in alphabetical order. A soon as a category is chosen they provide a search engine based on a keyword that the user types in. If it wasnt for an online database Ebay wouldnt exist today. The value of the information is enhanced by typographic formatting, page design, and publicationRead MoreEbay2698 Words   |  11 Pagescompetition like in the online auction industry? How strong are the competitive pressures confronting eBay and other online auction firms? 2.2 What forces are operating in the online auction macro-environment that has the power to alter the nature and structure in the online auction industry? 2.3 What does a strategic group map reveal about the positions of the major players in the online auction industry? Is eBay in a good position on the map? Why or why not? Who are the closest competitors? 2.4 What doRead MoreEbay: â€Å"the World’s Largest Online Marketplace†- a Case Study3976 Words   |  16 PageseBay: â€Å"The world’s largest online marketplace†- A Case Study J.Gopalkrishnan* V.K Gupta** Abstract eBay, Inc. is the largest and most popular marketplace on the Internet, allowing members to buy and sell almost anything. Launched in 1995, about 147 million people now use eBay. An estimated 430,000 people in the United States make all or most of their living by selling on eBay. eBay’s online payment service, called PayPal, enables transactions nearly anywhere in the world. eBay proclaims â€Å"trust† betweenRead MoreEbay Company Analysis4028 Words   |  17 PagesINTRODUCTION eBay Incorporated, a US company headquartered in San Jose, California, provides online marketplaces for the sale of goods and services, online payments services, and online communication offerings to individuals and business in the United States and internationally. With more than 90 million active users globally, their collective impact on e-commerce is staggering: In 2009, the total worth of goods sold on eBay was $60 billion — $2,000 every second. The business strategy of eBay is exemplified

A Symbolic Act Of Shakespeare s The Of Dracula

Stoker is describing a symbolic act of enforced fellatio, where, as Bentley indicates, â€Å"Blood [becomes] a substitute for semen, and where a chaste female suffers a violation that is essentially sexual† (Bentley 29). This interpretation arises from the inherent eroticism both in the act of the sucking as in the configuration of the scene, in which Mina is scantily dressed and the Count is semi-nude. Once more, we witness sexuality as representing depravity, but a depravity that is not just condemned by external individuals, but by the transgressor, as well: the moments that follow in the novel frequently underline Mina’s subsequent feelings of â€Å"Unclean[liness]† (Stoker 324) after Count Dracula stains her with his blood. Bentley suggests that the female character’s perceived impurity also recalls primitive fears of menstruation, which habitually denominated a woman as inherently sexual and foul. Further, by drinking the Count’s blood, Minaâ €™s entire body is violated — his life-force now flows through her, turning her into a monstrous and threatening figure, if not on the outside, then on the inside. Following this encounter, the monster-hunting gentlemen are put in a more precarious position, perhaps because the threat of virtuous woman becoming monstrous is more terrifying than facing a woman who was monstrous from the onset. I have previously alluded to the unholy trio of female vampires as fatal figures of the unfeminine: they are insensitive, aggressive, and, mostShow MoreRelatedWilliam Shakespeare s King Lear Essay2262 Words   |  10 PagesShakespeare s King Lear is regarded to be one of his most successful piece of literature, published in the 17th century, in which he depicts a dramatic adaptation of relationships between parents and their children. Preceding the twentieth century, several critics have deemed King Lear as a classic tragedy and therefore labelling the character of Lear as a tragic hero. This is because much-like the ancient Greek legend of Oedipus, Lear s sense of pride is what consequently leads to his demiseRead MoreLogical Reasoning189930 Words   |à ‚  760 Pagesneed to know when time is getting short and a decision is needed. This sort of recognition requires frequently asking in the background, â€Å"Should I continue to weigh the pros and cons, or should I stop and act now?† The less time available, the more rational it becomes to be reactive and to act on intuitions or ‘gut instinct.’ 10 ────CONCEPT CHECK──── Ramones friend says, Ramone, look at those two white guys on the other side of the street. They look friendly. The blond guy with him

Hiring Process, Hiring, And Training Employees Essay

The Hiring Process in Organizations: The Complications and Success of Recruiting, Interviewing, Hiring, and Training Employees Athena Garza The University of Houston Abstract This paper explores the hiring process, specifically the complications and success of recruiting, interviewing, hiring, and training employees. Recruiting has become relatively simple in modern times due to technology and the internet. Employers are now able to post ads for job opening online for free, which can save their company money. Advertising can vastly spread a job listing to attract many potential hires to a company. School recruitment can be convenient because it allows employers to attract the best students from all over the country to work for their companies. Each method has its own strengths and weaknesses that make them appealing depending on the needs of an employer. Interviewing can be a difficult task but if done correctly, employers can weed out those who they feel do not meet their standards and keep the best of the best. The problem with some interviews is that different methods provide different results which means that using the incorrect method may accidentall y weed out a perfect candidate. Actually hiring an employee is the most important part of the process and selecting the right candidate may appear to be simple, but it can be a difficult task. More and more applicants are exaggerating their credentials to get a job which makes it difficult for hiring managers to properlyShow MoreRelatedHuman Resource Functions at Apple Computers Inc: An Analysis1544 Words   |  6 Pagesthrough redefining the structure and purpose of digital technology continually. Human Resource Management at Apple Inc.: One of the major aspects of human resource management at Apple Computer Inc. is its focus on recruiting, hiring, training, and retaining of employees. In the past two decades, the firm has experienced many changes in its product lines, corporate direction and mission, strategy, and its management system. As the computer industry became more competitive in 1990, the executivesRead MoreThe New Business Department : Building Potential Growth Within The Organization Essay1574 Words   |  7 Pagesassociated with this department. To determine that hiring the appropriate workforce, the creation of a new hiring process will need to be implemented along with an onboarding system. This process will allow the organization to process new candidate’s necessary paperwork, identifying the skill sets of each individual for the position, and engaging actively in this process. Furthermore, it will have a positive outcome in the retention of new employees. Identifying these individuals and selecting theRead MoreValve Steams Ahead1355 Words   |  6 Pagesbetter future. With these elaborate changes particularly regarding the current sophistication of technology, the workplace has also been propelling forward particularly focusing on the way in which they are governed. An organisational structure is the process of arranging people and other resources to work together to accomplish a goal (Schermerhorn, 2011). However, what happens when there is no organisational structure? This is the theme of the â€Å"Valve Steams Ahead† case study in which this report is assessingRead MoreCase Study : Baker Mckenzie1025 Words   |  5 Pagesfirms hiring process. Kelley explained that Baker McKenzie is continuously growing, taking on large cases, and expanding their firms practice areas. She went on to say that because of this— she is always needing to fill positions and hire new employees. The firm will promote from within if it’s appropriate to do so. Accord ing to Kelley the firm is always looking to recruit newly graduated law students from the top law firms such as Stanford. She explained that this â€Å"head hunting† process is doneRead MoreFunctional Departments Of Hdfc. Essay1364 Words   |  6 Pagespersonnel sourcing and hiring, applicant tracking, skill development and training, benefits administration and compliance with associated government regulations. An HR department is a critical component of any organisation, no matter how small or big the company is. If not well handled HR issues can cause a major legal problem to the business and can lead to employee dissatisfaction too. Now a days HR is a functional area in the business that performs task relating directly to the employees. HDFC’s HR departmentRead MoreHuman Resources Management ( Hrm )1229 Words   |  5 Pagesmanager is a person who manages people, leads, facilitates and provide tools for the organization. HRM sets strategic processes and procedures, run difficult and complex communication as the organization attracts the best talents from the recruiting process. Human resources management is where everything begins and ends for an individual and the organization. Meaning, it’s where total processes are created for the organization and the individual, such as; planning, forecasting, compensation, benefitsRead MoreAdvantages And Disadvantages Of Internal Recruitment1192 Words   |  5 PagesAbstract The quest for top talent is a continuous challenge for many organizations. Lately, in support of efforts to cut costs and increase the chances of employees being successful in their positions, many businesses are going through great lengths to find talent within the company itself. The internal hiring process is ideal for finding and hiring the best-qualified employee for a job opening in a timely and cost effective manner and is essential for the growth of the business. But before you promoteRead MoreAn Effective Health Care Organization1402 Words   |  6 Pages There are different avenues an effective health care organization can improve their HRM department within that specific health care organization. One of the main roles of a HR management is the hiring and selection process of a new employees. These trends for the community in the health care organization needs to be examine. There has to be a way for a strategic planning for the HR department to become a partner in their perspective organization. This means there should be ways to developRead MorePromotion From Within Essay851 Words   |  4 Pagesexternally to fill positions. Today, many organizations tend to promote employees by internal recruiting and â€Å"external recruitment is used to fill the entry –level positions vacated by those being promoted† (Fallon McConnell, 2007, p.138). In the Civil Services System, Fallon and McConnell (2007) state that vacancies and positions are posted internally before there are attempts to file them outside. However, there are pros and cons of hiring within. It can be quite beneficial to hire from withinRead MoreMAIN CASE STUDY Paper1472 Words   |  6 Pages Case Study Analysis for ABC Inc. The recruitment process â€Å"you recruit superior employees who develop their knowledge, skills, and abilities preparing them for advancement or promotion into ever more challenging roles† (Clouse, B. F. 2008). This case analysis will examine the issues found in a recruiting process made by newly appointed campus recruiter for ABC, Inc., Carl Robbins. Due to the lack of training provided to Carl Robbins, he could not complete his job. Carl Robbin’s

Enhancing Leadership Quality

Question: What is your definition of leadership now? What have you learned about leadership through this subject that is of benefit to you and/or your organisation? What implications do your studies of leadership have for you in the future? What more do you need to learn or do? How will you develop your own leadership knowledge and skills? Answer: My earlier view about leadership was that it is a quality of a person who exercises his authority on the particular organisation. But now my definition of leadership has changed and it has acquired a new dimension after the lessons learned on leadership throughout my semester lectures. Now I would define leadership as the process of influencing the function of an organized group for the attainment of goals and objectives of the organization. I learned this new definition during my lectures and I got to know that leadership is the ability to instil confidence among people and inspire them to achieve a set of vision and goals. It is the interaction between leaders and followers during different situations. A reciprocal relationship exists between particular institutions, leaders, cultural values and interpretive skills of leaders. The leader is the person actively involved in the well-being of the business. They should not have an authoritarian attitude just trying to force and command employees into certain activities; rather they should positively influence them so that not they do not feel themselves to be worthless (Goetsch Davis, 2014). After my course on leadership, i got many perspectives of leadership. I feel that this lessons will extremely beneficial for the organization where I will work and for me too. It is a process but not the individual or position that creates a leadership relation. It is a kind of social interaction between groups in response to diverse situations. From the week one lessons, I learnt that leadership behaviour is dependent on several factors. I got the idea that potential of a leader was understood by legitimacy. It is a power dynamic in which interpretation is based on a perception of employees and organisation. Secondly, the outcome of any project is dependent on the intention of the leader. I realised that it was critical to have the connection between events and leadership activities. The outcome is driven by the response of the head (Schoemaker et al., 2013). A leader is the most responsible member of a business entity who is required to take the initiative first in any actions. The re is a lot of expectation from leaders and people expect them to deliver good performance based on their independent judgement and discretion. I also learned that leaders should have moral values too. Many decisions are taken by them considering moral values of society which is outside the norms and rules of the business firm. So I learnt that moral dimension in leadership was crucial too. A lot of things are dependent on leaders behaviour also. They should have a character and personality to motivate and influence others through a change in perceptions (Bartenschlag, 2013). In one of my lecture I learned about different skills possessed by great leaders. Seeing the example of great leaders in the past like Alexander the Great, Napoleon, etc., my lecturer gave us idea about actual traits of a leader. The general characteristics associated with a leader are honesty, self-confidence, cognitive skills, achievement, ambitions, tenacity, energy and motivation. All these combined factors propel the organisation forward to achieve top position (Northouse, 2014). I also got to know that leadership is of three types-relational, non-hierarchical and situational. In non-hierarchical leadership, the organization has leaders at all levels not just at the top position of Company. I came to know that relation leadership lays more stress on a social relationship which needs a lot of efforts. Situational leaders work on handling situations and they take hard choices and adapt to those changes. A leader needs to get involved and so they should have participative nature. T hey set high standard challenging goals for the improvement of organisation and self-improvement. I also came to know about leader member Exchange theory. According to this theory, views and thoughts are exchanged between leader and employee related to low quality data like fulfilling contractual relationship and high quality involvement like mentoring, empowerment through performance and sponsorship (Hackman Johnson, 2013). The course on leadership also gave me valuable information on the historical perspective of leadership. I realised that leadership is not a new concept it came into being from time immemorial. There is saying that some people are born to be leaders'. One suitable example of this saying was Napoleon, who transformed the history with his leadership skills. It is known as hero king theory and according to it, the ablest leader is one who is justifiable, noblest man and has supreme qualities to lead. I came to know about the philosopher king, Platos view on leadership. He felt that leader is the most important part of good government who has skills to rule with order and reason. They used their intellect and wisdom in the right direction (Ciulla, 2013). According to Bass, with the evolution of civilisation, leadership is influenced by mythology, religion, culture, various literature, media, education, keen observation and role models in the society. So Bass summarised leadership as the e ffect of personality, behaviour and exercise of influence. According to him, it is a differentiated position with the combination of useful elements and the art of inducing compliance (Van Wart, 2014). The study on leadership enhanced my knowledge about the subject and it will help me a lot in my future endeavours and progress in career. Now if I get the opportunity to become a leader of any Company, then I am confident that I will perform my responsibility efficiently. I feel so because the course on leadership helped me learn all the nuance of the subject and what people expects from leaders (Piccolo Buengeler, 2013). All the lectures will have moral implications for my future. Leadership is more or less related to management. In one of my lessons, I learnt about Fayol's view of management. It had four element-planning, organising, directing and controlling (Shafritz et al., 2015).When I reach this position, I will try to fit my activities according to all these four elements. I think I will also benefit a lot from geese lessons. It was a very fascinating to see how my lecture compared the different flying style of geese to explain us leadership skills. For example, when the flo ck of geese fly in "V" formation; it gives the whole flock power of 71% greater flying range than a bird flying alone. The lesson from this was that when group members have common direction and sense of unity, such organization will move ahead quickly everyone is moving on the thrust of another member. Such leadership character is necessary for leading a team. So, on the whole, the lessons made me aware of leadership values, code of ethics and challenges faced in the job. It will help me to shape the value of the organization (Lautier, 2014). I can develop my knowledge and skill by bringing into practical applications all my lessons. I will check that I don't miss use my power and force task on people. If there is a cordial relationship between my colleagues, then only we can propel our organization to a new set destination (McCauley McCall, 2014).During working in different situations, i will first try to analyze the whole problem and find out the challenges we can face for particular steps. If we are aware of the future challenges we can get prepared to make a defensive plan which can protect us. But in the pressure of responsibility, I will see to it that I don't ignore the cultural values of the society. Though following the rules and protocol of company is important but still understanding cultural and morals values are essential too. I got to what kind of behaviour is right or wrong for the Company and so I will try my best to comply with an ethical code of conduct (Shapiro Stefkovich, 2016). I will try to take ev ery decision within the boundaries of codified laws and consent of the whole team. Before taking any step, i will question myself whether the action is legal and fair to all members involved. It will help me feel better if everyone else agrees with my decision comfortably (Smith et al., 2012). On the whole, it can be concluded from the study that it is an excellent guide for persons wanting to hone their leadership skills or for those who want to know about skills of leadership. Based on my lessons on leadership, I learnt a lot about the skills required to carry out leadership responsibility successfully. I came to know about types of leadership and their style of working. I got well acquainted with different theories on the subject and the management element of Foyal. The lesson on a historical perspective of leadership was also very fascinating. I learnt from examples of exemplary characters in history who were born to leaders and had exceptional innate leadership qualities. The lessons on geese flying style to explain leadership values were also a fascinating thing to learn. I am very satisfied with the useful information and hope to use this knowledge while exercising my responsibility in this position in the future. One interesting quote by Bass will summarise respons ibility of leader which says Leadership is lifting of a mans vision to higher sights, raising performance to higher standards and building mans personality beyond its normal limitations. Reference Bartenschlag, A., Funk, B. (2013). Enhancing leadership quality.Ohio: Battelle for kids. Ciulla, J. B. (2013).Leadership ethics. Blackwell Publishing Ltd. Goetsch, D. L., Davis, S. B. (2014).Quality management for organizational excellence. pearson. Hackman, M. Z., Johnson, C. E. (2013).Leadership: A communication perspective. Waveland Press. Lautier, F. (2014). Leadership and Context. InLeadership in a Globalized World(pp. 208-266). Palgrave Macmillan UK. McCauley, C. D., McCall Jr, M. W. (2014).Using experience to develop leadership talent: How organizations leverage on-the-job development. John Wiley Sons. Northouse, P. G. (2014).Introduction to Leadership: Concepts and Practice: Concepts and Practice. Sage Publications. Piccolo, R. F., Buengeler, C. (2013).Behavioral approach to leadership. Oxford University Press. Schoemaker, P. J., Krupp, S., Howland, S. (2013). Strategic leadership: The essential skills.Harvard business review,91(1), 131-134. Shafritz, J., Ott, J., Jang, Y. (2015).Classics of organization theory. Cengage Learning. Shapiro, J. P., Stefkovich, J. A. (2016).Ethical leadership and decision making in education: Applying theoretical perspectives to complex dilemmas. Routledge. Smith, W. K., Besharov, M. L., Wessels, A. K., Chertok, M. (2012). A paradoxical leadership model for social entrepreneurs: Challenges, leadership skills, and pedagogical tools for managing social and commercial demands.Academy of Management Learning Education,11(3), 463-478. Van Wart, M. (2014).Dynamics of leadership in public service: Theory and practice. Routledge.

Analysis Of Canadian Business Environment free essay sample

Foreign investment is very important for an economy. In Canada, for foreign investment there is a need to take the approval by the federal government. When the foreign investment increases, it will result into better economy. Canada provides various loans and subsidies to business farmers. The (CALA) Canadian Agriculture Loan Act program is made whose main motive is to provide finance to farmers and agricultural Co-operatives. Farmers can use these loans (a) Establish (b) Improve (c) Development. Economic EnvironmentEconomy of Canada considers some main points. First is the gross domestic product .i.e. $1.640 (2017) (2) and its rank is 10th nominal (2), unemployment rate 5.7 (3), GDP per capita income $44. 773 (2). Canada exports various things .i.e. Motor vehicle, Plastics, Fibers, Wood pulp, Timber .i.e. 390.1 (4) and their partners are United States (76.2%), China (4.1%), EU (7.7%) (4) And imports are oil, chemicals, Electricity, Durable consumer goods .i.e. 416.6 (4). Public debt 98.2% GDP (2017) (5)Social EnvironmentDifferent person have different values, women cultures. We will write a custom essay sample on Analysis Of Canadian Business Environment or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page They Purchase things acc to their tradition or custom. It is very important to make the things according to customer preference. A particular clothing store in which only traditional clothes are available, these are not suitable for western people but more suitable for Indian people because of cultural factors various market segment are available on which stress is given i. e. Mass marketing [one which marketing strategy to appeal to a broad range of consumer] E.g. – Wall mart. Market Segmentation (division of large market into smaller homogeneous market on the basis of common needs).Technological EnvironmentTechnology is one of the important factors that make Canada a successful country. Various inventions were founded by the National research council of Canada (NRCC). Computing and AnimationKey frame animation was co-invented by Nestor Burtnyk at the NRC in the 1970 (6).The UNO dicycle was invented by Ben Gulag while stats a teenage in 2006. (7)There are many technological companies i.e. Stack adopt Toronto, Top Hat, Pyrowave Montreal for making important in technology. Lot of expenditure is needed in the research development. In Canada, the issue of net neutrality is not as politically partition. The CRTC is an administrative treatment of the govt. various unreal policies are formed to the internet regulation in year 2017 budget.Legal EnvironmentLegal system means rules, regulations and laws which a person has to follow. Legal system means the laws which or written, which or written, organized unforced and interpreted various imp laws are criminal law, federal law, provincial law, copyright law. The Supreme Court of Canada in the court of Canada and in the final court of appeal for doing any business there are some restrictions same is there in Canada various factors like taxation, copyright, trademarks, protecting and consumer protection are the main. Most important is the Canadian Intellectual property law i.e. government by both provincial and federal prediction.Above is the main factor which effect the Canadian economy and it is very important to study this factors.Template: http://elections.ca/content.aspxSection = poll dir = par document = index languageInternational Monetary Fund Report for selected countries and subjects: Canada Retrieved Oct 1, 2017.Statistic Canada: Canadas unemployment rate statcan.gc. ca Retrieved 2017-08-19.Canada –WTO Statistic Database. World Trade Organization. Retrieved 1 March 2017.Public Department of Canada CIA World Fact book 2017. Retrieved 10 July 2017.Retired NRC scientist Burtnyk honored as father of computer animation technology in Canada 1996. Ottawa citizen (23, Aug, 1950). Callow bus had a hydraulic ramp.

Homeless, Struggling Veterans. Professor Ramos Blog

Homeless, Struggling Veterans. Seth Ochs English 101 14 April 2019 In the great United States of America, Veterans serve our country risking their lives to protect not only us, but the freedoms that are cherished by many every single day. For decades, we the people have remained bystanders, watching our Veterans return home from deployment and/or wars and struggle to find jobs, shelter to live in, and even food. According to VA.gov, †On a single night in January 2018, just over 37,800 Veterans were experiencing homelessness. On the same night, just over 23,300 of the Veterans counted were unsheltered or living on the street.†(VA.gov). As Americans, it is our duty to find a solution to this issue and assure that no member of the military falls through the cracks and is forgotten. A little background on our homeless, struggling veterans to keep in mind is that according to The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) ,†The nation’s homeless veterans are predominantly male, with roughly 9% being female.†(Nchv.org). This is primarily because the first women were not allowed to serve in the military until 1948 working as nurses, technicians, officers and more.(Nchv.org). Up until around 1976, women were admitted into the first service academy for combat preparation.(Nchv.org). With this being said, there may have been less women actually in the service at the time, but that does not affect the statistics in regards to homeless female veterans. â€Å"Immunity to homelessness does not exist for any subset of the veteran population. Homelessness does not discriminate against gender or race, though it is worth noting that women veterans are an exceptionally vulnerable portion of this population. Women veterans are at an increased risk of homelessness (2.4 percent), when compared to their male veteran counterparts (1.4 percent). This is in part due to their increased risk of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), loss of employment, dissolution of marriages, and feelings of having a lack of gender-specific support. These increased risks may all be amplified if the veteran does not self-identify as a veteran –– meaning they may be less likely to be offered or seek veterans benefits. It is also important to note that 21 percent of homeless women veterans have dependent children, which often times may add to the anxiety and importance of finding permanent housing. In the VFW’s survey of women veterans, 46 percent of women veterans who were homeless or at risk of becoming homeless were currently living in another person’s home, of that 46 percent, 71 percent have children.†(VFW.org). Due to such hardships, it is crucial that we discover a solutio n in which will benefit not only all of our veterans, but our female soldiers and single moms from the service. Through research, I have found multiple efforts and ideas to prevent and solve the issue of homeless veterans within the United States. The United States Interagency Council on Homelessness has provided a list of ten strategies. If we can,â€Å"Get State and Local Leaders to Publicly Commit to and Coordinate Efforts on Ending Veteran Homelessness.†(USICH) we will be able to have more people involved in putting and end to homeless veterans because there would be better advertising of the issue, as well as having political figures support the movement with funding and resources. By trying to,† Implement a Housing First System Orientation and Response.†(USICH) we will be able to help provide semi-permanent shelter to those that reach out to the program resulting in more women and children becoming successful and having a better opportunity to exit poverty and create a better way of life. For this system to run smoother and be more successful, we need to,† Implement a Coordinated Entry System.†(USICH) allowing for ease of application and plenty of resources. Another great way to help advance the idea and stay on track is to,† Set and Meet Ambitious Short and Long-Term Goals by Deploying All Resources Effectively.†(USICH). For those that are unable to apply for the housing first system, we need to,† Improve Transitional Housing Performance and Consider Adopting Different Models and/or Converting or Reallocating Resources Into Supportive Housing.†(USICH). By doing this, it will help get more veterans living in areas of poverty or high expense in to greater living conditions and a place that may be more affordable long term. To help begin the process of creating facilities with semi or permanent housing, we need to,† Engage and Support Private Landlords as Partners,† as well as,† Identify and Be Accountable to all Veterans Experiencing Homelessness.†(USICH). For those that are unable to apply for housing and do not know where to go, we can,†Conduct Coordinated Outreach and Engagement Efforts,† which can help lead to an,† Increased Connections to Employment.†(USICH). And for those who are homeless to legal mistakes, poor credit, debts, etc. we ca n,â€Å" Coordinate With Legal Services Organizations To Solve Legal Needs.†(Usich.gov). With some of these ideas being more difficult to accomplish that others, joining together can help us get our veterans off of the streets. One problem that may occur during our mission to better the lives of struggling for Veterans, is the want to do better for themselves. For some, the problem may be not wanting to feel vulnerable, dealing with mental illness and refusing assistance , or possibly alcohol and drug addiction. Regardless of what services may be offered the homeless seem to refuse shelter and prefer to remain in the streets overnight. From first hand experience, when people are homeless they cling to the objects and belongings that they have and do what they can to keep their belongings. By staying the night in a shelter, they are typically unable to bring what they have inside the facility with them and others will steal their things overnight. From research that I have done, we as the people of the states can fix the problem of homeless veterans in America and can better the lives of the women and the upcoming generations of children suffering. â€Å"Demographics of the U.S. Military.† Council on Foreign Relations, Council on Foreign Relations, www.cfr.org/article/demographics-us-military.https://www.history.org/history/teaching/enewsletter/volume7/images/nov/women_military_timeline.pdfNational Coalition for Homeless Veterans, nchv.org/index.php/news/media/background_and_statistics/.VHA Office of Mental Health. â€Å"Homeless Veterans.† Go to VA.gov, 8 Mar. 2012, va.gov/HOMELESS/pit_count.asp.https://www.usich.gov/resources/uploads/asset_library/Ten-Strategies-to-End-Veteran-Homelessness-v3.pdfhttps://www.va.gov/HOMELESS/pit_count.asp â€Å"Addressing Veteran Homelessness: Current Position; Future Course.† The Official Seal of the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the U.S., www.vfw.org/advocacy/national-legislative-service/congressional-testimony/2018/1/addressing-veteran-homelessness-current-position-future-course.

Ethics and Employees Research Proposal Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Ethics and Employees - Research Proposal Example There is also the general awareness that corporations have to look after all stakeholders that eventually curbs unethical practices. It has been concluded that leaders have a major role to play in creating conditions where the employees are not coerced into unethical practices that are in any case not acceptable by either the law or the society at large. The Objective of Business is to earn profits for its owners, the shareholders. But does it mean an open license for managers to serve their employers without regards to those who help them to achieve the profit motive they work for? Do ends justify means? Are there not other stakeholders; suppliers, employees, consumers and indeed the society which offers them the opportunity to work for profit? With ever present conflicts the managers need to perform a balancing act to satisfy all stakeholders. However the role of the employees is crucial in performance of their obligations, hence a special relationship is required to be developed. Without the trust of the employees and their involvement the business objectives cannot be achieved. Leaders at all level have to be conscious of the fact that they have to set examples of behaviour that will be emulated by their sub-ordinates. These actions have to in consonance with the company’s objective and at the same time have to be balanced right. This balancing is based on principles or ethics. It is becoming evident to business in America that ethical values need to be upheld and become institutionalized (Sims 1991) as this is the desired status by society in general. However the dilemma is squarely faced by the individual manager. He perceives his primary role to be looking after shareholder value (Vogel 1991) in preference to other stakeholders. Therefore they justify the moral result or implication of their unethical behaviour and

Business environment challenges or trends that threaten the long run Essay

Business environment challenges or trends that threaten the long run performance and survival of the company. Develop a coheren - Essay Example The businesses are also tasked with corporate social responsibility issues and the same time expected to observe business ethics in their daily operations. Facebook Company Case Analysis This company is situated in the United States and it serves over a billion clients in the internet, making it the largest social networking site. Its an internet corporation company that runs the social networking site whereby people express their views and communicate all over the work. By the year 2012, the company had over 4500 employees working on various capacities in the company. The main competitors of Facebook are MySpace, Twitter, LinkedIn, IGLOO, among other companies that offer internet social services (Strategic Management Insight, 2013). STEEPLE Analysis of Facebook SOCIAL TECHNOLOGICAL ECONOMICAL ENVIRONMENTAL POLITICAL LEGAL ETHICAL Lifestyle changes New inventions and development Economic growth Sustainable energy Trade polices Employment laws Reputation Career and leisure attitudes I ndustrial focus on technological effort Taxation Global warming International trade regulations Contract laws Business ethics Labour and social mobility Rate of technological transfer Competition Threats from natural causes Political stability Consumer protection Client confidentiality From the STEEPLE Analysis, the challenges facing Facebook range from social, technological, economical, environmental, political, legal, and ethical problems. The users and the governments have been expressing privacy concerns leading to legal suit against the company (Marketing Mix, 2013). The privacy issues have made most consumers to question the business ethics of the company resulting to reduced confidentiality. Facebook being the market leader in social networking services enjoys the benefits that come with economics of scale, but the company profits are also subjected to global economic performance. The lifestyle changes and social mobility of most users is also affecting the company since some begin to see Facebook as a social interaction site for the younger generation. Facebook pays tax from their businesses with rates changing from time to time thus largely consuming their profits. There is stiff competition from related companies like Twitter and MySpace who have launched aggressive campaigns and products to outshine Facebook. Facebook was a result of technological invention and others are also exploiting the same to come up with other related services that are likely to give Facebook a strong competition. Facebook being a company with global footing is vulnerable to problems with corporate social responsibility being a major concern facing most companies and Facebook is not exempted. All businesses are expected to practice business ethics in their daily operations to avoid conflicts and hence Facebook must abide by it. Competition is a major threat to all businesses as Facebook is facing competition from MySpace, Twitter, and LinkedIn. Challenges facing Facebook Cor porate Social Responsibility (CSR) The role of the business is critical in ensuring that the corporate social responsibility is well taken care of since businesses can only flourish when the communities around them and their ecosystems are well taken care of (Hart, 1995). There is growing recognition that everything we do has a positive or negative impact on

Organizational Conflict Essay Example for Free

Organizational Conflict Essay Often when we come across the word conflict, we usually think of more than a simple disagreement. We think of individuals or groups in sharp disagreement over issues, ideas, or interests. This results in an emotional disturbance between the involved parties, with stress developing undesirable behaviors being exhibited. [1] The present diverse workforce characterized by organizational change, competition, and complex communications are drawing attention to interpersonal conflicts among workers. 2] Organizational change for example, alters the status quo and requires members of an organization to work together in new ways and under new rules. Competition compounds issues of power and escalates conflicts of personalities and behavior. The complexities of communication make it more difficult for culturally, economically and socially diverse workers to resolve the issues and problems they encounter on the job. While conflict is inevitable in groups and organizations due to the complexity and interdependence of organizational life, theorists have differed about whether it is harmful or beneficial to organizations. Early organizational theorists suggested that conflict is detrimental to Organizational functioning (Pondy, 1967; Brow, 1983) and focused much of their attention on the causes and resolution of conflict (Schimidt Kochan, 1972; Brett, 1984). More recently, researchers have theorized that conflict is beneficial under some circumstances (Tjosvold, 1991; Van de Vliert De Dreu, 1994). [3] Thus, this paper attempts to present the losses and benefits from conflicts in organizations. I. CONFLICT IN GROUPS AND ORGANIZATIONS A. Definition Generally, conflict is defined as a contest of opposing forces or power. 4] it is a perceived difference between a two or more parties that results in mutual opposition. [5] Looking at conflict in the context of groups, there is what we call an Intergroup Conflict, which can be defined as the behavior that occurs among organizational groups when participants identify with one group and perceive that other groups may block their group’s goal achievement or expectations. [6] Intergroup conflict with in organizations can occur in both horizontal vertical directions. A. 1 Horizontal Conflict. This type of conflict occurs among groups or departments at the same level in the hierarchy, such as between line staff. 7] This is commonly observed between Production Quality Control Departments, Sales Finance Departments, or RD Marketing Departments. A. 2 Vertical Conflict. This arises over issues of control, power, goals, and wages and benefits. [8] A typical source of vertical conflict is between head quarters executives and regional plants or franchises. Status and power differences among groups are often greater for vertical conflict. Part of the reason vertical conflict occurs is to equalize power differences; for example, unions try to give workers more power over wages or working conditions. [9] B. The Nature of Conflict Conflict as related to competition is illustrated by the following figure: The illustration shows how conflict and competition are related. Competition occurs when groups strive for the same goal, have little or no antagonism toward one another, and behave according to rules and procedures. In conflict, on the other hand, one group’s goals jeopardize the others; there is open antagonism among the groups; and few rules and procedures regulate behavior. When this happens, the goals become extremely important, the antagonism increases, rules and procedures are violated, and conflict occurs. 10] C. Causes of Conflict A number of factors contribute to conflict. Several of the most important causes are discussed below. C. 1 Task Interdependence. Task interdependence refers to the dependence of one unit on another for materials, resources, or information. [11] Two types of task interdependence are particularly prone to conflict. One is sequential interdependenc e, in which one individual or work unit is heavily dependent on another. For example, waiters generally are more reliant on cooks than the reverse because waiters must depend on cooks to furnish good meals in timely manner. Line and staff conflicts often arise because staff members frequently are dependent upon the line to implement their ideas. The second form of task interdependence is reciprocal interdependence, in which individuals or work units are mutually interdependent. For instance, purchasing agents want engineers to provide detailed generic specifications so that they can negotiate lower costs from suppliers. At the same time, engineers need to obtain materials of the proper quality on a timely basis, so they may find it more convenient to specify a brand name. 12] Generally, as interdependence increases, the potential for conflict increases. [13] Sequential reciprocal interdependence require employees to spend time coordinating and sharing information. Employees must communicate frequently, and differences in goals or attitudes will surface. Conflict is especially likely to occur when agreement is not reached about the coordination of services to each other. Greater interderdependence means departments often exert pressure for a fast response because departmental work has to wait on other departments. C. 2 Scarce Resources. Another major source of conflict involves competition between groups for what members perceive as limited resources. [14] Possibilities for conflict expand when there are limited resources, such as office space, equipment, training, human resources, operating funds, and pay allocations. In their desire to achieve goals, groups want to increase their resources. This becomes another cause for conflict in groups. C. 3 Goal Incompatibility. Goal incompatibility is probably the greatest cause of intergroup conflict in organizations. The overall goals of an organization are broken down into operative goals that guide each department. The accomplishment of operative goals by one department may block goal accomplishment by other departments and hence, cause conflict. [15] Out of necessity, organization members frequently pursue goals that are somewhat different from one another, setting the stage for potential conflicts. [16] For example, sales personnel may find it easier to battle the competition by promising very quick deliveries, while people in manufacturing may find that small production runs on short notice interfere with their cost cutting efforts. C. 4 Communication Failures. Breakdown in communication due to distortions or lack of communication often lead to conflicts. [17] Conflict in an organization is an indication of the most basic communication failure. Failure to talk with someone. Failure to notify someone of something before it becomes public. Failure to involve someone in a problem-solving process. [18] C. 5 Individual Differences. Differences in personality, experience, and values make frequent conflicts likely. [19] Functional specialization requires people with specific education, skills, attitudes, and time horizons. When an individual who have ability and aptitude in marketing joins the marketing department. Eventually, that individual will be influenced by departmental norms and values, attitudes, and standards of behavior, differ across departments, which is often a source of horizontal conflicts. Cultural differences can be particularly acute in the case of mergers or acquisitions. Employees in the acquired company may have completely different work styles and attitudes, and a â€Å"we against them† attitude can develop. [20] C. 6 Poorly Designed Reward System.

The Role of Background Knowledge in Reading Essay -- Education

1. Introduction With the passage of time and the spread of technology wider than ever, there is a vast amount of knowledge and information which require from individuals faster response to these developments around the globe. One of the most effective ways for individuals to be up-to-date with the world around is to read. Reading is a skill which any learner needs along with other skills. Reading, as defined by Macmillan Dictionary, is the process of recognizing written or printed words and understanding their meaning. For reading to be most effective, readers need to read in their area of interest and have prior knowledge of what is going to be read. For more clarification, prior knowledge is background knowledge about certain topics. In other words, what a reader already knows about the topic he is about to read. This prior knowledge has great impact on the reading and the reader. 2. Description 2. A. Terms Used for Background Knowledge Moreover, background knowledge is fundamental in reading comprehension. It is defined by The Free Online Dictionary as â€Å"Information that is essential to understanding a situation or a problem.† The terms background knowledge and prior knowledge are generally used interchangeably (Strangman and Hall, 2010). Background knowledge and prior knowledge are parent terms for many more terms such as: conceptual knowledge, metacognitive knowledge, subject matter knowledge, strategy knowledge, personal knowledge, and self-knowledge (Strangman et al., 2010). Though scholars’ definitions and names of prior knowledge are different, they typically describe the same concept. 2. B. Factors Shape Background Knowledge Furthermore, there are many factors that background knowledge could b... ...NHUAvgCy4-HuRIoUF7y2b07jddLKA&cad=rja Spires, H.A. & Donley, J. (1998). Prior knowledge activation: Inducing engagement with informational texts. Journal of Educational Psychology, 90(2), 249-260. Strangman, N. & Hall, T. (2010). Background Knowledge. Curriculum Enhancement Report. U.S. Special Office of Education Program. National Center on Accessing the General Curriculum. Retrieved October 28, 2011 from : http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=the%20role%20of%20background%20knowledge%20in%20reading&source=web&cd=7&sqi=2&ved=0CEYQFjAG&url=http%3A%2F%2Fsoar.wichita.edu%2Fdspace%2Fbitstream%2Fhandle%2F10057%2F256%2Ft06002.pdf&ei=O0WmTsvILdK2hAeU-pSeDg&usg=AFQjCNHearmwQCdk6JpPpDZEtGg7jiCG8Q The Free Online Dictionary. (2011). The entery â€Å" background knowledge†. Retrieved October 26, 2011 from http://www.thefreedictionary.com/background+knowledge

The Impact the Economy Has on Zoos in the Us

The Impact the Economy has on Zoos in the US Throughout the course of this semester, I have learned much about macroeconomics. I came into this class knowing and understanding very little about this topic and found it very hard to grasp at first. As the weeks passed, I found myself starting to understand it a little better than previously once I started to apply it to a topic that interested me. Being able to choose a topic to write this paper on was a very good way to get students, like myself, to actually look into real life scenarios and apply what we have learned.This is what I will be doing throughout the course of this paper. The topic I chose to apply the concepts I have learned throughout class is the effect the economy has on zoos in the United States. Zoos have been affected dramatically since our economy has started to decline. This decline has affected many, many companies, businesses, and people. Because of all this the zoos have suffered greatly over the past few years. Many different examples of zoos and how they were affected will be given throughout this paper to show the enormity of the situation they are currently in.All of the terms I use throughout this paper have been learned from my Macroeconomics book by the authors McConnell, Brue, and Flynn as cited at the end of this paper. Having said this, I am ready to talk about two struggling zoos and what cutbacks they were forced to make. The first zoo I would like to talk about is the Bronx Zoo in New York. This zoo is the largest urban zoo in the country and it has been hit hard by the dropping economy. With New York being such a large city, the state and city budgets have been cut drastically.This makes the zoo have to cut things out of their budget as well like people, exhibits, and even the animals themselves. The labor force at the zoo has been cut by 15%, this was 186 people who are not out of a job like so many others across the country. Just some more names to add to the unemployment l ist I guess. The zoo also had to close three of its exhibits. The animals from the exhibits were sent all over the country to others zoos that could afford to take them in (Luhby). Not only do these cuts affect the zoo itself, but it also affects the economy as a whole in New York.It is estimated that four million visitors come through the gates of the Bronx and the New York Aquarium each year. In the Fiscal year of 2008, the zoo hired 800 seasonal employees and they are the largest youth employers in the Bronx (Wildlife Conservation Society). This provides a very positive impact on the area and now that they had their nominal income lessened, these jobs are no longer available for these people to have. These are just some of the problems the Bronx Zoo is facing, but what about some other zoos? The Lincoln Park Zoo in Illinois has also been suffering with budget shortfalls like Bronx Zoo.Not only did they face cuts in their labor force and more than a million dollars cut from their budget, but they had to find other ways to make cuts as well (Mullen). They have been using substitute goods for feeding their animals. Blueberries are very expensive so they have not been buying them for their gorillas. They use these blueberries as treats, but since there is a lack of funds they have had to find other treats for them to eat. Choosing less expensive fruit is a small, but effective way to cut costs (Fountain). This is just another way another zoo was affected by the economies current state.Now that I gave you a few examples of how certain zoos are struggling, I would like to discuss just how they are impacted as a whole. There is an organization called the Association of Zoos and Aquariums or known as AZA. This organization sees over zoos all across the world. AZA hired a very recognized economist, Dr. Stephen Fuller to conduct a state-by-state economic analysis. This 21-page analysis has been used in many articles I have examined he seems to have a very strong gras p on just how the economy has affected these AZA accredited zoos.Examples of his findings from two different states will be discussed below. An example state was use to show just how much the economy was impacted by the zoos itself. Indiana brought in $84. 3 million for the national Gross Domestic Product alone. This created 947 jobs and allowed personal earnings to reach $30 million (Zoo Impact: Tens of Millions of Dollars, Hundreds of Jobs). Another example was the impact the Houston Zoo had on its’ surrounding area. Fuller said that in 2010, more than 2 million visitors were recorded to enter the gates. The operating budget at this time was around $28. million. I know that sounds like a lot to run a zoo, but in return they created an economic impact of $70. 7 million. Also in 2010, a capital budget of $24. 5 million generated an impact of $65. 9 million. This all totaled to a whopping $135. 97 million (Your Houston News). All this money is just on a state scale. Across the United States, 224 zoos were surveyed and in total they contributed $16 billion dollars to the Gross Domestic Product. That’s right, it is in the billions! It created around 142,000 jobs and their personal earnings were right around $4. billion (Zoo Impact: Tens of Millions of Dollars, Hundreds of Jobs). All of these numbers could increase if they simply had the funds. The economic crisis that we are in right now has caused their budgets to dwindle down and it does not just affect the zoo itself like I have shown. It affects the people whose jobs get cut because there isn’t enough money, animals lose their homes and get shipped away, and it causes zoos to make cutbacks on the food and care the animals are receiving. In whole, all of this affects the surrounding areas of the zoo and all who live there.This impact then affects the whole United States, impacting the Gross Domestic Product. People just think we can take away money from these zoos to help ourselves out, bu t in reality it is still hurting us. I’m not only concerned about how it affects us, but the animals are suffering as well. These animals were not asked to be given less food or smaller space to roam, but have to suffer the consequences of us humans not being able to care for them because of the economy. We do not always see how we affect the environment and things around us because we are too worried about ourselves.So not only did I take away knowing and understanding terms like GDP, Nominal income, and operating costs, but also on how each individual plays an important role in the economy. All of this has allowed me to understand just how we affect zoos because we are the economy. The economy is determined by our spending of money on goods and services and if we didn’t it would collapse completely like we are starting to witness with other countries today. ? Works Cited â€Å"Bronx Zoo, New York Aquarium and Other City Cultural Organizations Have Whale-Sized, Posit ive Impact on New York City Economy – Wildlife Conservation Society. WCS. org – Wildlife Conservation Society. 28 May 2009. Web. 08 Dec. 2011. . Fountain, Henry. â€Å"In Zoo Cuts, It’s Man vs. Beast. † Nytimes. com. 17 Mar. 2009. Web. 30 Nov. 2011. . Fuller, Steven S. â€Å"The Economic Impact of Spending for Operations and Construction by AZA-Accredited Zoos and Aquariums. † Aza. com. Mar. 2011. Web. 30 Nov. 2011. . â€Å"Houston Zoo’s Economic Impact Extends beyond Region, Study Says – Your Houston News: West University. † Your Houston News: Local Matters. 12 Aug. 2011. Web. 08 Dec. 2011. . Livingston, Guy. â€Å"The Economic Impact of The ZOO on the Northwest Florida Regional Economy. Uwf. edu. 15 Mar. 2004. Web. 30 Nov. 2011. . Luhby, Tami. â€Å"Zoo Animals Face Budget Knife. † CNNMoney – Business, Financial and Personal Finance News. 19 May 2011. Web. 30 Nov. 2011. . McConnell, Campbell R. , Stanley L. Bru e, and Sean Masaki. Flynn. Macroeconomics: Principles, Problems, and Policies. Boston: McGraw-Hill Irwin, 2009. Print. Mullen, William. â€Å"Lincoln Park Zoo Plans Cuts. † Chicago Breaking News. 14 Jan. 2009. Web. 08 Dec. 2011. . â€Å"Zoo Impact: Tens of Millions of Dollars, Hundreds of Jobs – Newsroom. † Inside INdiana Business with Gerry Dick. 28 June 2011. Web. 08 Dec. 2011. .

Homeless Families - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 19 Words: 5743 Downloads: 3 Date added: 2017/06/26 Category Sociology Essay Type Descriptive essay Tags: Childhood Essay Did you like this example? Effectiveness of family support for children in homeless families The whole issue of parents and children in need is a vast, complex and ethically challenging one. This review is specifically charged with an examination of those issues which impinge upon the stresses and strains that are experienced by parents of children in need. A superficial examination of these issues that are involved in this particular area would suggest that there are a number of sub-texts which can all give rise to this particular situation. Firstly, to have child in need is clearly a stressful situation for any parent.(Meltzer H et al. 1999) Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Homeless Families" essay for you Create order This can clearly be purely a financial concern and a reflection of the fact that the whole family is in financial hardship, perhaps due to the economic situation or perhaps due to the actions of the parents themselves. Equally the need of the child can be a result of anon-financial need, so we should also consider the child who is in some way handicapped, ill, emotionally disturbed or perhaps in need in some other way. This produces another type of stress on the parent, and these stresses are typically longer lasting and, in general, less easily rectified than a purely financial consideration of need. (Hall D1996). It is part of the basic ethos of the welfare state that it should look after its less able and disadvantaged members. (Welsh Office 1997).Parents of children in need will often qualify in this definition. We shall therefore examine the various aspects of this problem. Literature Review Effectiveness of family support for children in homeless families We will make a start by considering one type of child in need. The first paper that we will consider is that of Prof. Vostanis (Vostanis2002), which looks at the mental health problems that are faced by deprived children and their families together with the effectiveness of the resources that are available to them. It is a well written and well researched paper, if rather complex and confusing in places. We will consider this paper in some detail as it provides an excellent overview of the whole area. The paper starts with a rather useful definition for our purposes. It qualifies the deprived child, initially in terms of a homeless family, that being : A family of any number of adults with dependent children who are statutorily accepted by local authorities (housing departments) in teak, and are usually accommodated for a brief period in voluntary agency, local authority or housing association hostels. This period of temporary accommodation can vary enormously depending on the time of year and the area considered, and can range from a few days to perhaps several months. The target in Greater London is currently storehouse homeless families within 4-6 weeks. In London particularly, the homeless families can be placed in Bed Breakfast accommodation.(D of H 1998) In this respect, the immediate family support mechanisms do appear tube in place. Vostranis however, goes on to make the observation that despite the fact that the definition of the homeless family is rather broad, it does not cover all of the potential children in need, as those children and their carers who have lost their homes but have managed to live with relatives, on the streets or perhaps live as travellers, are not covered by the statutory obligation to provide housing. The official figures therefore, he observes, are generally an underestimate of the true situation. The official figures for the homeless families are put (in this paper) at 140,000. (Vostanis Cumella, 1999) The authors give us further information in that many families will become homeless again within one year of rehousing and the typical family seen is the single mother and at least two children who are generally under the age of 11 yrs. They also observe that the typical father and adolescent child tend to be placed in homeless centres. (Doff H 1995) In exploration of the particular topic that we are considering, the authors give us the situations that typically have given rise to the degree of parental stress that may have led to the homelessness. They point to the fact that a homeless family is usually homeless for different reasons to the single homeless adult. Vostanis (et al 1997)is quoted as showing that 50% of the cases studied were homeless as direct result of domestic violence and 25% as a result of harassment from neighbours. The authors observe that the numbers in this category(and therefore the problems), are rising. (Welsh Office 1999). There are a number of section to this paper which are not directly referable to our considerations. We shall therefore direct our attention purely to those parts that have a direct bearing on the subject. One particularly useful and analytical part of the paper is the section that details the characteristics and needs of the target group. This is a very detailed section, but it makes the point that the children in need in this group are particularly heterogeneous, generally all with multiple and inter-related needs. Homelessness is seldom a one off event. This particular observation, (say the authors),is crucially important for the development and provision of services. Most families have histories of previous chronic adversities that constitute risk factors for both children and parents (Bassuk et al,1997). Such events include family conflict, violence and breakdown; limited or absent networks for family and social support; recurring moves; poverty; and unemployment. Mothers are more likely to have suffered abuse in their own childhood and adult life and children have increased rates of placement on the at-risk child protection register, because of neglect, physical and/or sexual abuse. If we specifically consider the health needs of this population, the authors categorise them thus: The children are more likely to have a history of low birthweight, anaemia, dental decay and delayed immunisations, to be of lower stature and have a greater degree of nutritional stress. They are also more likely to suffer accidents, injuries and burns. (BPA 1999) Some studies have found that child health problems increase with the duration of homelessness, although this finding is not consistent. Substantial proportion of homeless children have delayed development compared with the general population of children of a similar chronological age. This includes both specific developmental delays, such as in receptive and expressive language and visual, motor and reading skills, as well as general skills and educational status (Webbet al. 2001). It is for this reason specifically, that it has proved extremely difficult to assess the effectiveness of the family support services because of the multivariate nature of the problems that are presented. The authors point to the fact that one of the prime determinants of the degree of support available, is the actual access that the families have to these services. Many sources (viz. Wilkinson R 1996), equate the poor health of the disadvantaged primarily with the lack of access to services. One immediate difficulty is the current registration system in the UK. In order to be seen in the primary healthcare team setting, one must be registered with a named doctor. In the majority of cases that we are dealing with here, they have moved area and registration is probably not high on their list of priorities. One can argue that there is the access to the A E departments of the local hospitals but there is virtually no continuity here and they arena geared up to provide anything other than immediate treatment. (HallD 1996). This fact restricts their access to primary healthcare team procedures such as immunisations and other preventative medicine health clinics.(Lissauer et al, 1993) . By the same token these groups also have restricted access to the social services, whether they be the access teams, the family teams or the family support units and other agencies. The authors also point to other more disruptive trends in this group such as an inability to attend a particular school for fear of being tracked by an abusive partner. It follows that these children do not have a stable social support of a school. They are denied such factors as peer groups, routines and challenges which are both important protective and developmental factors. (Shankleman J et al2000). The summation of all of these factors, and others, is that the effectiveness of the family support services is greatly reduced by the mobility and the transient nature of the family unit. Quite apart from the difficulties outlined above relating to the problems of access to avenues of help open to the child in need and their families there are the problems engendered by the fact that social service departments indifferent areas of the country may not have immediate access to the previous records giving rise to many potential, and real, problems with continuity of care. This problem is brought into more immediate focus when one considers the increased frequency of child protection registrations in this particular group. (Hall D et al 1998). One specific analysis of the family support services of this particular group comes in the form of the psychiatric services. In the context of the title of this piece, it demonstrates how these particular services,(but not these alone), are failing to deal with the totality of the problem. All of the aspects that we have outlined so far are conspiring to dilute the effectiveness of the services provided. The fact that they are a mobile population with no fixed address means that some of the services may choose to invoke this as a reason for not making provision for them, particularly if resources are stretched. If more resources are given, then they are typically preferentially targeted at the single adult homeless population where the need is arguably greater. The authors of this paper point to the fact that this may not actually be true as some studies have shown that homeless single mothers and their children have a 49% psychopathy rate and only an 11% contact with the support services. (Cumella et al, 1998). The impact of this fact on the children can only be imagined. To an extent however, it can be quantified as the authors cite other studies which show a 30% need rating for children, (they do not actually define exactly what their perceived level of need was), contrasted with a 3% contact rate for children and adolescents in this area. (viz. Power S et al. 1995). Suggestions for improvement Putting these considerations together, the authors outline a set of proposals which are designed to help improve the access to some of the essential services. The model that they propose could, if successful and with a degree of modification, prove suitable for adaptation to other areas of the family support services. It is not appropriate to discuss this model in detail, but suffice it to say that it has tiered structure so that the degree of distress and need is titrated against the degree of input generated. One of the reasons that we have selected this particular paper to present in this context is for its last section. It proposes a family support services model which has been developed and pioneered in the Leicester area. In the context of our review, it is worth considering in some detail. A service provided through a family support team (four family support assistants).This is designed to detect a range of problems at the time of crisis; manage a degree of mental health problems (behavioural and emotional); provide parenting-training; support and train housing(hostel) staff; co-ordinate the work of different agencies; and provide some continuity after rehousing by ensuring intake by appropriate local services. The family workers are based at the main hostel for homeless children and families. Other, predominantly voluntary, services have established alternative posts, such as advocates and key workers. Whatever the title of the post, it is essential that the post-holder has some experience and on-going training in mental health and child protection, so that he or she can hold a substantial case-load, rather than merely mediate between already limited services. The family support workers have direct access to the local child and adult mental health services, whose staff provide weekly outreach clinics. Their role is to work with the family support workers another agencies, assess selected children and families, and provide treatment for more severe problems or disorders such as depression, self-harm and PTSD. A weekly inter-agency liaison meeting at the main hostel is attended by a health visitor, representatives of the local domestic violence service and Sure Start, There are also close, regular links with education welfare and social services. The aim is to effectively utilise specialist skills by discussing family situations from all perspectives at the liaison meeting. A bimonthly steering group, led by the housing department, involves senior managers representing these agencies, as well as the education and social services departments and the voluntary sector, and they oversee and co-ordinate the service. This appears to be something of an exemplar in relation to services provided elsewhere. The paper does not provide any element of costing sin this area neither does it provide any figures in relation to its success rates, contact rates or overall effectiveness. In conclusion this paper is an extremely well written and authoritative overview of the situation relating to the stresses of the homeless parent with children and the effectiveness (or lack of it) in its ability to reduce the stresses experienced by the homeless children in need and their parents. It proposes remedies but sadly it does not evaluate the effectiveness of those remedies. The effectiveness of the support services on families of children with psychiatric morbidity In order to address these shortcomings we can consider another paper by Tickler (et al 2000). This looks at a similar outreach set up which has been designed to capture the families of children in need who might otherwise slip through the net. This paper is written from different perspective and specifically analyses the effectiveness of these services as they pertain to an entry cohort of 40 families. This particular study was set up after preliminary work was done in the Birmingham area with 114 homeless families and this study defined the needs of the families but did not quantify their support systems.(Vostanis et al 1998). This paper set out to identify and measure the support systems available and their effectiveness as far as the families were concerned. The stresses encountered were partly reflected by the incidence of psychiatric morbidity. The mothers in the group were found to have over 50% more morbidity than a matched control group. The children in the group were found to have histories of abuse, living in care, being on the at-risk protection register, delayed communication and higher reported mental health problems. Allot which adds to the general background stress levels. (Kerouac S etal. 1996). This particular study found that despite the psychiatric morbidity in the children, (estimated to be about 30%), and the psychiatric morbidity in the parents, (estimated at about 50%), only 3%of the children and 10% of the parents had had any significant contactor support from the social services. In this respect, this paper is very useful to our purpose as it quantifies the levels of intervention and access to healthcare resources that this particular group has. By any appreciation, it would be considered woefully inadequate in any society that calls itself civilised. In the terms of the title of this piece, the effectiveness of the family support services is minimal. Suggestions for improvement Like the last paper discussed, this one also considered how best to tackle the problem, and this one is of much greater value to us, as it specifies a response, or intervention, to the problem in much the same way as the Vostranis 2002 paper did, but it makes the same measurements as it did prior to the intervention, and therefore allows us an insight into the actual effectiveness of the intervention. The way this particular study worked was to assess the problem (as it has been presented above), devise an intervention strategy and then to measure its effect. This particular study goes to great lengths to actively involve all the appropriate agencies that could help the situation by having a central assessment station that acted as liaison between all of the other resources. In brief, it actively involved liaison with the following: Education, social services, child protection, local mental health services, voluntary and community organisations to facilitate there-integration of the family into the community, and particularly their engagement with local services following rehousing; and training of staff of homeless centres in the understanding, recognition and management of mental illness in children and parents. This is essential, as hostel staff often work in isolation and have little knowledge of the potential severity and consequences of mental health problems in children. It was hoped that, by doing this, it would maximise the impact that the limited resources had on reducing the levels of morbidity and stress in the families of the children in need. Results The post intervention results were, by any estimate, impressive considering the historical difficulty of working with this particular group (OHara M 1995). 40 families (including 122 children) were studied in detail. The paper gives a detailed breakdown of the ethnic and demographic breakdown of the group. By far the biggest group were single mothers and children (72%) The results showed that the majority of referrals were seen between1-3 times (55%), with a further 22% being seen 4-6 times. It is reflection of the difficulty in engaging this type of family in need that over 25% did not actually keep their appointments despite the obvious potential benefits that could have been utilised. The authors investigated this group further and ascertained that a common reason for nonattendance was the perception that the psychological welfare of the children was not actually the main concern. The families perceived that their primary needs were rehousing and financial stability. Other priorities identified were that physical health was a greater priority than mental health. The authors also identify another common failing in the social services provision, and that is the general lack of regular contact. They cite the situation where some families cope well initially, apparently glad to have escaped an abusive or violent home situation, but a prolonged stay in a hostel or temporary accommodation may soon precipitate a bout of depression in the parents and behavioural problems in the children of such parents. (Brooks RM et al 1998). They suggest that regular re-visiting of families who have been in temporary accommodation for any significant length of time should be mandatory. This paper takes a very practical overview by pointing out that workability of the system is, to a large extent, dependent on the goodwill of a number of committed professionals. The authors state that this has to be nurtured and they call for sufficient funding must be given to enable this particular model to be extended to a National level. Thus far in the review we have considered the effectiveness of the service provision in the support of the families of the children in need in one specific target grouping, those who are stressed by virtue of the fact that they are homeless. We will now consider the literature on a different kind of family stress, and that is when a parent dies. This leaves the children with a considerable amount of potential emotional baggage and the surviving parent with an enormous amount of stress. (Webb E 1998). Effectiveness of support services in the case of parental bereavement An excellent paper by Downey (et al 1999) tackles this particular problem with both sensitivity and also considerable rigour. It is a long and complex paper, but the overall aims and objectives are clear from the outset. The structure of the paper is a prospective case study which aims to assess whether the degree of distress suffered by a family during a time of bereavement is in any way linked to the degree of service provision that is utilised. The base line for this study is set out in its first two paragraphs. Parentally bereaved children and surviving parents showed a greater than predicted level of psychiatric morbidity. Boys had greater levels of demonstrable morbidity than did girls, but bereaved mothers showed more morbidity than did bereaved fathers. Children were more likely to show signs of behavioural disturbance when the surviving parent manifested some kind of psychiatric disorder. (Kranzler EM et al 1990). The authors point to the fact that their study shows that the service provision is statistically related to a number of (arguably unexpected[Fristad MA et al 1993]) factors namely: The age of the children and the manner of parental death. Children under 5 years of age were less likely to be offered services than older children even though their parents desired it. Children were significantly more likely to be offered services when the parent had committed suicide or when the death was expected. Children least likely to receive service support were those who were not in touch with services before parental death. Paradoxically the level of service provision was not found to be statistically significantly related to either the parental wishes or the degree of the psychiatric disturbance in either the parent orchid. (Sanchez L et al 1994) The service provision did have some statistical relationships but that was only found to be the manner of the parental death and the actual age of the child at the time. The authors therefore are able to identify a mismatch between the perceived need for support and the actual service provision made. Part of that mismatch is found to be due to the inability of the social services and other related agencies to take a dispassionate overview. Elsewhere in the paper the authors suggest that there are other factors that add to this inequality and they include lack of resources and a lack of specificity in identifying children at greatest risk.(Harrington R 1996) The authors examine other literature to back up their initial precept that bereaved children have greater levels of morbidity. They cite many other papers who have found distress manifesting in the form of anxiety, depression, withdrawal, sleep disturbance, and aggression.(Worden JW et al. 1996) and also psychological problems in later life(Harris T et al. 1996). In terms of study structure, the authors point to methodological problems with other papers in the area including a common failing of either having a standardised measure or no matched control group(Mohammed D et al 2003). They also point to the fact that this is probably the first UK study to investigate the subject using a properly representative sample and certainly the first to investigate whether service provision is actually related to the degree of the problems experienced. The entry cohort involved nearly 550 families with 94 having children in the target range (2-18). With certain exclusions (such as two families where one parent had murdered the other etc.) and no respondents, the final cohort was reduced to 45 families and one target child was randomly selected from each family. It has to be noted that the comparatively large number of on-respondents may have introduced a large element of bias, insofar as it is possible that the families most in need of support were those who were most distressed by the death of a family member and these could have been the very ones who chose not to participate. (Morton V et al2003) The authors make no comment on this particular fact. The authors should be commended for a particularly ingenious control measure for the children. They were matched by asking their schoolteacher to complete an inventory of disturbed behaviour on the next child in the school register after the target child. A large part of the paper is taken up with methodological issues which ( apart from the comments above) cannot be faulted. Results In terms of being children in need, 60% of children were found to have significant behavioural abnormalities with 28% having scores above the 95th centile. In terms of specific service support provision, 82% of parents identified a perceived need for support by virtue of the behaviour of their children. Only 49% of these actually received it in any degree. Perhaps the most surprising statistic to come out of this study waste fact that of the parents who were offered support 44% were in the group who asked for it and 56% were in the group who didnt want it. The levels of support offered were independent of the degree of behavioural disturbance in the child. Suggestions for improvement As with the majority of papers that we have either presented here or read in preparation for this review, the authors call for a more rationally targeted approach to the utilisation of limited resources. The study also provides us with a very pertinent comment which many experienced healthcare professionals will empathise with, (Black D1996), and that is: Practitioners should also be aware that child disturbance may reflect undetected psychological distress in the surviving parent. While not suggesting that this is a reflection of Munchausens syndrome by proxy, the comment is a valid reflection of the fact that parental distress may be well hidden from people outside of the family and may only present as a manifestation of the childs behaviour. (Feldman Met al. 1994) The conclusions that can be drawn from this study are that there is considerable gap in the support offered ( quite apart form the effectiveness of that support) in this area of obvious stress for both parents and children. (Black D 1998). This study goes some way to quantifying the level of support actually given in these circumstances. Effectiveness of support in families where there is domestic violence We have considered the role of the effectiveness and indeed, even the existence, of adequate support services for the children in need and their parents in a number of different social circumstances. The next paper that we wish to present is an excellent review of the support that is given to another specific sub-group and that is women and children who suffer from domestic violence. Webb and her group (etal 2001) considered the problem in considerable (and commendable) depth The study itself had an entry cohort of nearly 150 children and their mothers who were resident in a number of hostels and womens refuges that had been the victims of family violence at some stage in the recent past. The study subjected the cohort to a battery of tests designed to assess their physical, emotional and psychological health, and then quantified their access to, and support gained from, the primary healthcare teams and other social service-based support agencies. This study is presented in a long and sometimes difficult tread format. Much of the presentation is (understandably) taken up with statistical, ethical and methodological matters all of which appear to be largely of excellent quality and the result of careful consideration. Results The results make for interesting and, (in the context of this review), very relevant reading. Perhaps one of the more original findings was that nearly 60% of the child health data held by the various refuges was factually incorrect. This clearly has grave implications for studies that base their evidence base on that data set(Berwick D 2005). Of great implication for the social services support mechanisms was the finding that 76% of the mothers in the study expressed concerns about the health of their children. Once they had left the refuge there was significant loss to the follow up systems as 15% were untraceable and25% returned to the home of the original perpetrator. The study documents the fact that this particular group had both high level of need for support and also a poor level of access to appropriate services. In the study conclusions, the authors make the pertinent comment that the time spent in the refuge offers a window of opportunity for the family support services to make contact and to review health and child developmental status. This is not a demographically small group. In the UK, over 35,000children and a parent, are recorded as passing through the refuges each year, with at least a similar number also being referred to other types of safe accommodation. Such measures are clearly not undertaken lightly with the average woman only entering a refuge after an average of 28separate assaults. One can only speculate at the long term effects that this can have on both the mother and the children. Suggestions for improvement In common with the other papers reviewed, this paper also calls for greater levels of support for the families concerned as, by inference, the current levels of effectiveness of the family support services is clearly inadequate. Conclusions This review has specifically presented a number of papers which have been chosen from a much larger number that have been accessed and assessed, because of the fact that each has a particularly important issue or factor in its construction or results. The issue that we have set out to evaluate is the effectiveness of the family support services which are specifically aimed at reducing the stress levels for the parents of children in need. Almost without exception, all of the papers that have been accessed (quite apart from those presented) have demonstrated the fact that the levels of support from the statutory bodies is less than optimum and in some cases it can only be described as dire. Another factor that is a common finding, is that, given the fact that any welfare system is, by its very nature, a rationed system, the provision of the services that are provided is seldom targeted at the groups that need it the most. One can cite the Tickler (et al 2000)and Downey (et al 1999) papers in particular as demonstrating that substantial proportion of the resources mobilised are actually being directed to groups that are either not requesting support or who demonstrably need it less than other sectors of the community. Some of the papers (actually a small proportion) make positive suggestions about the models for redirecting and targeting support. Sadly, the majority do little more than call for more research to be done on the issue. In overview, we would have to conclude that the evidence suggests that the effectiveness of the family support services in reducing stress and poverty for the parents of children in need is poor at best and certainly capable of considerable improvement. References Bassuk, E., Buckner, J., Weiner, L., et al (1997) Homelessness in female-headed families: childhood and adult risk and protective factors. American Journal of Public Health, 87, 241248 1997 Berwick D 2005 Broadening the view of evidence-based medicine Qual. Saf. Health Care, Oct 2005; 14: 315 316. Black D. 1996 Childhood bereavement: distress and long term sequelae can be lessened by early intervention. BMJ 1996; 312: 1496 Black D. 1998 Coping with loss: bereavement in childhood. 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