Tuesday, December 31, 2019

Steam Engine - 4823 Words

The Steam Engine The wonderful progress of the present century is, in a very great degree, due to the invention and improvement of the steam engine, and to the ingenious application of its power to kinds of work that formerly taxed the physical energies of the human race.~Robert H. Thurston The steam engine can easily be considered the single most important invention of the entire industrial revolution. There is not one part of industry present in todays society that can be examined without coming across some type of reference or dependence upon the steam engine. But, who deserves the credit for this great invention? Some give the credit to James Watt while others claim that Thomas Newcomen was the original inventor.†¦show more content†¦It is believed that the first attempt to actually make steam use practical occurred in 1543 upon a naval ship. Blasco de Garay, a Spanish naval officer, attempted to move the paddle wheels of the ship with what could possibly be considered a steam engine. This account however is not well credited because nothing is really known about the make-up of the so called steam engine except that it contained a vessel of boiling water. In 1601, Giovanni Battista della Porta described a machine that could be used to raise a column of water with the use of steam. He described this machine in a work entitled Spiritali. Portas work included a vacuum created by the condensation of steam into which water would flow. Portas apparatus, was called the Pneumatica. Portas machine was described as being able to raise water with steam pressure. Although Portas machine was never applied to any practical uses, he accurately described the necessary presence of a vacuum created by steam to raise the water. Another man that is mistakenly given a lot of credit for the invention of the steam engine is Edward Somerset, Marquis of Worcester. The Marquis has been hailed as the originator of the machine that was used to raise water by the force of fire. However, the Marquis never actually built such a machine. The only machineShow MoreRelatedSteam Engines : The Steam Engine1854 Words   |  8 PagesHenderson said, â€Å"Science owes more to the steam engine than the steam engine owes to Science.† (Physicalworld) Th is statement made by a well-educated scientist shows how vital steam engines were to the people of the United States during the 18th, 19th, and even 20th century. Not only did these machines allow scientific breakthrough they also helped settle a nation that would soon be born into an industrial revolution fueled by the steam engine. Without these steam engines exploration of the American frontierRead MoreThe Steam Engine839 Words   |  4 Pagestime, the steam engine. This machine served as the main driver of the Industrial Revolution. I hereby speak in favor of the notion that this invention, the steam engine, is the most important creation in the history of man. Natural power had been harnessed since the dawn of time to perform extraneous duties. Examples of these are the natural elements, human, and animal power. As proven, these factors are known to be unreliable. Over time, the need for an instrument, such as the steam engine, to performRead MoreThe Steam Engine Of The First Steam Powered Engine1470 Words   |  6 PagesA man by the name of James Watts introduced the first steam powered engine that would soon be used to power several forms of transportation. The steam engine had been around for a while, but wasn’t as advanced and wasn’t used on such a large scale such as powering transportation. Boats had been used for centuries for the main forms of transport, however, when Robert Fulton put the new steam engine to work to power a steamboat, it meant even more capital for businessmen. More jobs were created asRead MoreSteam Engines Of The Industrial Revolution1442 Words   |  6 Pagesduring this era, themselves, were po wered by steam engines. But where did the steam engine come from? Who invented this revolutionary invention? How does the steam engine chug-chug at 50+ miles per hour by merely using hot air, emitted by boiling water. The answer to these questions: the steam engine was not invented nor developed solely by one person, but by contributions of a multitude of people throughout this time in history. A modern, simple steam engine, gets its energy from water boiled by ablazingRead MoreSteam Engine1055 Words   |  5 PagesThe Steam Engine and the Civil War Question: How did the Steam Engine influence the Civil War and America in itself? Throughout the Civil War, there were many people and inventions that positively influenced The Civil War, but none other than the steam engine. The steam engine was one of the most influential inventions of the Civil War and America in itself. Before the Steam Engine trade was limited and the American economy was doing very poorly. The causes of this were the rules of trade andRead MoreThe Steam Engine ( Steam Power )943 Words   |  4 PagesThe Steam Engine The industrial revolution was a period in history that brought about numerous mechanical advances that allowed the use of much less manual labor. One of those mechanical advances was steam power. Steam power was not a new concept to the people of the world; in fact, steam power dates all the way back to Alexander the Great in the first century, where he designed a steam powered spinning sphere called an Aeolipile. (5 par 25) However, in the late 18th and early 19th centuries theyRead MoreInvention of the Steam Engine1634 Words   |  7 PagesINVENTION OF THE STEAM ENGINE Mankind’s interrelation with manufacturing systems has a long history. Nowadays we see manufacturing systems and their applications as systems in which goods are produced and delivered to the suitable places where we can obtain them. We are conscious of the fact that everything we consume or obtain is produced at some facilities. We are also aware of the fact that many components involve at these processes such as laborers, capital, and machines. Nevertheless, majorityRead MoreEffect of the Steam Engine on the Industrial Revolution1475 Words   |  6 PagesEffect of Steam Engine on Industrial Revolution The economy of England during the 18th century was one that needed rebuilding after many years of war with other countries. A breakthrough of new technology and ideas boosted the economy, creating a time known commonly as the Industrial Revolution. Specifically, there was one invention that defined the Industrial Revolution. The steam engine, a device powered by coal used to run machines at an efficient rate, was developed during the Industrial RevolutionRead MoreSteam Engines By Katelyn Warga 2nd Period947 Words   |  4 PagesSteam Engines By Katelyn Warga 2nd Period Being around for over 2000 years, the steam engine has proved its worth. Invented in the industrial revolution, â€Å"this heat engine performs mechanical work using steam as its working fluid.† Throughout its time the steam engine has had many uses, and been modified many times to change its pronounced task. This had led to the steam engine being a very important invention in the industrial revolution, changing life in social and economic ways that still impactRead More The Steam Engine and Electricity Powered the Industrial Revolution1704 Words   |  7 PagesThe Steam Engine and Electricity Powered the Industrial Revolution The Industrial Revolution was an extremely important historical process in which the societies and cultures in the West, and then throughout the world, transformed under the influence of technological and scientific progress. The Western world, as industrialized as it is today, is the final result. Two major inventions, the steam engine and electricity, were both crucial parts of the technological progress that turned the wheels

Monday, December 23, 2019

Music Is The Genre Of Music - 1624 Words

The modern day person encounters a plethora of genres in their everyday life. Whether going to the grocery store or watching television, people are surrounded by the genres of branding, music, twitter posts, Facebook statuses, and so much more. While it is true that we are impacted by the world of genre around us each day, it is also true that many people do not know what genre is. Genre is the expression of people’s thoughts, ideas, or emotions, towards a target audience, that can be separated into categories depending on how one chose to express these things. There are numerous different types of genre that can be found in the world, but the most influential to myself is the genre of music. Music is everywhere, it comes in millions of different forms, and is the one thing nobody can really go a day without because it is such a common part of modern day life. Everyone has their own style of music they like to listen to, play, sing, or do whatever to as music can be applied an d found in almost every situation. With such a powerful influence, music is always changing with the world around us to be connected to the modern era of life. In 2016, its clear that the music of our generation is not swing, or classical, or blues music, but rather pop and rap. As rap has taken off, genre has needed to expand, and thus today there are two types of rap, each with similar styles but both conveying different messages, idea, and motive, those being traditional rap and anti-rap, orShow MoreRelatedMusic : The Genre Of Music2043 Words   |  9 PagesThe genre of music known as Rhythm and Blues (RB) came to the forefront of the music world in the mid-1950 s. This genre of music still incorporated the tempo and the soulful sound of the blues, however, it placed more emphasis on the lyrical aspect of the songs and less on the instrumental aspect. As time went on RB began to shape until reaching its most perfect form in the 1990’s. This decade ushered in musical acts such as Boyz II Men, Aaliyah, Keith Sweat, Maxwell, and Erykah Badu. Music doesRead MoreMusic Genres826 Words   |  4 PagesGospel music has been described as spiritual music to help uplift you and overcoming pain and struggles. At the same time, rhythm and blues tells a story of heart ache, finding love and being very emotional. However, both are emotional nonetheless. Despite some differences on the surface, gospel music and RB are actually lot alike in the sense they constantly reinvent themselves and continue to grow worldwide. Gospel music is very soulful just like RB and can make you feel good and take you toRead MoreMusic Is The Most Popular Genres Of Music Essay1669 Words   |  7 PagesMusic has been found in every culture in present time, as well as in the past, dating back almost 55,000 years (citation), with roots in Africa. Music is one of the most basic art forms and is a way of life for many; a means of expression relative to emotions, culture, and one’s sel f. Music is all around us and it’s hard to imagine going one day without listening to some variety of music. Music has evolved tremendously from prehistoric times today, but one thing’s stayed the same – one culture’sRead MoreThe Jazz : A Music Genre1078 Words   |  5 PagesName: Sofia Endara Research Paper Jazz The Jazz is a music genre that was developed from the traditions of West Africa, Europe and North America. It arises specifically in New Orleans, Louisiana, home of musical style, where was a large consignments of slaves, mainly western Africa. That is why the jazz comes from the combination of three traditions: the native American, African and European. The African-American community in South America developed its musical expression through creative improvisationRead MoreGenre Of Music Essay941 Words   |  4 PagesOur data showed some interesting trends for each genre of music. While many of our tests fell in line with what we predicted with our hypothesis, we did have some outliers that we did not account for. As stated previously, we started by testing the resting heart rate of our subjects as our constant. The overall average of our subjects’ heart rates was 69.92 BPM which falls in line with the standard average. However, some subjects had a harder time relaxing completely while being tested and thereforeRead MoreThe Blues, A Genre Of Music905 Words   |  4 Pagesblack and from the south to play the blues? The blues, a genre of music so well known and so universal, that one knows is associated with black culture; and forever connected to it. However, some may argue that not anyone can play the blues and blues is only black music. That being said, does it matter what the skin color of an individual may be to play the blues? In contrast I strongly believe anyone can play the blues because music is the purest form of creativity and communication. The realityRead MoreThe Classical Music Genre1271 Words   |  6 PagesClaire Troll Qualls MUS 241 10 November 2014 Favorite Composer Paper There are numerous composers within the Classical Music genre; each one is different from the next. Although it may seem that each piece of music within the Classical genre is the same, they are just as different as the composers are to one another. Wolfgang Mozart is a very well known composer. He was not only popular in the time period in which he lived, but he continues to be one of the better known composers in today’s societyRead MoreHip Hop And The Music Genre927 Words   |  4 PagesEncyclopedia Britannica, Hip-Hop can be delineated as a music genre consisting of a stylized rhythmic music that commonly accompanies rapping, a rhythmic and rhyming speech that is chanted.1 Originating from a disparaged subculture in the South Bronx and eagerly spreading through other sectors of New York City during the 1970’s, Hip-Hop evolved from formerly being a relatively fraudulent style to currently being a commercialized and disseminated music genre among diverse areas aroun d the globe. Hip-hop sRead MoreHip Hop Is A Genre Of Music1192 Words   |  5 PagesMusic has always been one of the ways that people use to express the connection between their feelings and the outside world with melody, rhythm and sound. There are different genres and many kinds of music from different places and different nationality. Hip hop is a cultural movement that emerged in the 1970s in the United States among Latin Americans, Jamaicans and African American that aimed to protest the social conflicts and violence suffered by the lower classes of urban society. Hip HopRead MoreReggae Music : A Musical Genre That Influenced Jamaican Music1268 Words   |  6 Pages Reggae is a musical genre that has revolutionized Jamaican music. Reggae originated in Jamaica in the late sixties, early seventies. It’s slow jerky rhythm and spiritual lyrics have influenced many artists, genres, cultures, and societies throughout the world. This had contributed to the advancement of new counterculture movements, especially in the United States of America, as well as Europe and Africa. In the late seventies, it had impacted western punk and rock/pop cultures, which had resulted

Sunday, December 15, 2019

Q marginalisation Free Essays

Through these poems and novel it shall e proven that Normalization is not always limited to an individual, instead it can extend to a social group and even a country itself. In this essay the three types of normalization will be addressed, individual normalization through racism, social normalization through groups such as the ‘hippies’ and the normalization of a country itself through economic normalization of 3rd world countries. Normalization can occur anywhere at any time to anyone. We will write a custom essay sample on Q marginalisation or any similar topic only for you Order Now Individual normalization is where one person Is singled out from a group or community of people for something like being an overweight. One of the most talked about and, unfortunately common, types of individual normalization is racism. Racism is something that society has struggled with for many generations. It has been around from the early settlers and has been a problem ever since. The poem telephone conversation’ by Whole Saying demonstrates the racism and its problems very clearly. It is a poem about an African man looking for accommodation In either England or America around the time of the sass’s. The line â€Å"madam† I warned, â€Å"l hate a wasted journey – I am African†Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ â€Å"HOW an example of how African people were marginal’s again because of the color of their skin. In those times, It was hard How to cite Q marginalisation, Papers

Saturday, December 7, 2019

How Traditional Seaside Resorts Have Changed over the Last 50 Years free essay sample

Llandudno is an example of a seaside resort that was established in the 19th century. The photograph was taken in the 1960s when resorts such as this were still developing and flourishing as a ‘bucket and spade’ location. As you can see in the photograph, the resort of Llandudno is focussed around the bay and its beach. This would have previously been the main attraction to the area, however some resorts such as Blackpool and Brighton are now becoming more popular destinations for their nightlife and other attractions (such as Pleasure Beach Theme Park in Blackpool), rather than for the beaches themselves. This has resulted in smaller resorts such as Llandudno, which have a small number of attractions other than its beach, to become much less popular. Seaside resorts have changed over the past 50 years so that the main attraction is no longer the beach, but the various other attractions available. We will write a custom essay sample on How Traditional Seaside Resorts Have Changed over the Last 50 Years or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Another feature of the photograph is that the railway station clearly dominates the foreground. This shows that 50 years ago the main mode of transport used to access resorts such as Llandudno would have been by rail. However, this is no longer the case, as railways are used a lot less, and in some cases not at all. Therefore the land left from the reduced use of the railway station would have been converted into car parks or possibly building developments. This is because the use of cars and the development of motorways over the past 50 years has increased dramatically, and therefore resorts become much more accessible by road. This results in the need for more car parks, and it also means that more visitors choose only to visit for a day/weekend rather than a week. Furthermore, the pier that is visible towards the top right of the photograph would have undergone many changes over the past 50 years. Some piers become derelict due to the fact that there is very little local/foreign investment and visitor numbers have decreased dramatically, for example West Pier in Brighton. However, some piers receive some investment and therefore are renovated and new facilities added in an attempt to keep visitor numbers up, such as the pier in Bangor. Another example of a pier that has had much development is Eastbourne Pier. Here several nightclubs have been built on the pier, attracting many new visitors. The photograph shows a number of large buildings that line the bay. These, 50 years ago, would have been busy hotels. However because there has been a massive drop in visitor numbers to traditional seaside resorts over the past 50 years, these hotels will either be significantly less busy or derelict, or would have possibly been converted into offices/flats. In addition, the reasonably large buildings further inland would have been boarding houses/guesthouses. However, many of these will now have been changed into self-catering flats. Many hotels and guesthouses in seaside resorts have had to close over the past 50 years as visitor numbers have dropped. Blackpool, for example, is said to have more beds in hotels and bed breakfasts than in the whole of Portugal, however after its peak number of visitors in 1950 being 19 million, the resort has declined to the extent that now only 30% of the accommodation is actually occupied. This results in a lot of businesses having to close. There has been some minor development in Llandudno, however it would still be classified as in the declining stage of Butler’s Model. There are some bingo halls and a concert hall, as well as a new leisure centre. The changes are not just physical, however. There has been a social change over the past 50 years from seaside resorts being family based holidays, to supporting niche markets. As previously mentioned, Blackpool and Brighton are now known for their nightlife, most notably Blackpool which has been reported in the media to be a ‘binge drinking haven’. Seaside resorts such as Newquay are now very popular for its surf and also for young people who visit after completing their GCSE examinations. This, unfortunately, means that resorts such as Llandudno suffer greatly as they fail to support any niche markets other than a cheap family day trip/a destination for the elderly. There are several reasons for this decline in tourism in traditional seaside resorts. Most important is the establishment of cheap package holidays to more attractive destinations, where there are more attractions and services and often guaranteed good weather.

Friday, November 29, 2019

Ethics in Group Counseling

Abstract Ethical issues are at the heart of the counseling process and practice. This paper discusses the issue of ethics with close consideration of professional practice of counseling and therapy. The paper narrows down to the complexity of ethical issues that counselors face in group settings in comparison to individual therapy.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Ethics in Group Counseling specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More It further discusses the issue of leadership and leadership challenges in group therapy. The paper concludes by shedding light on the reason behind preference of group counseling to individual counseling by counselors. Ethical issues in Counseling Ethics can be defined in various ways depending on one’s profession and context. It refers to the code of conduct that is supposed to be followed by a person or a group of persons especially in regards to their duties. Ethics demands the observa nce of high levels of moral values. According to Hill (2004, p. 131), in counseling, the issue of legal principles is considered depending on the impacts of the counseling case being handled. In addition, Pan et al. (2012, p. 349) add that the cultural norms of the society from which the victim comes are also considered in the process. Freeman et al. (2004, p. 163) also reveal that the codes of conduct in counseling are closely intertwined with the values that counselors have to follow. Ethics guides the counselor and the client on the ‘do’s and don’ts’ that they have to abide by throughout the counseling process. It enhances the efficiency and effectiveness of therapy sessions. In addition, the ethical code of conduct in counseling enables the counselor to gain trust from the client. However, counselors differ in their levels of commitment to the ethical conduct and moral values. In fact, Freeman et al. (2004, p. 163) argue that some counselors underrate the actual intensity of the moral values in counseling. It is not enough to abide by the set standards in the counseling process. However, the beliefs and relationships that one has gained in life should enable him or her to make a sound interpretation of the case. It is therefore important for the counselor to strike a balance in all the cases that he or she handles.Advertising Looking for essay on ethics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More According to Crespi (2009, p. 273), it is important for the counselor and learners to learn the legal principles that guide the process of counseling by governing the standards to be observed by the counselor and the client. Moreover, Hill (2004, p. 131) affirms that legal principles also set up the punishments to be followed by the offenders in a counseling case. They also stipulate the consequences of violating the counseling conduct by either the client or the therapist. Legal doctrines th erefore ensure that no one violates, abuses, or neglects the counseling ethics. In addition, the ideologies control and regulate the licensing process. Licenses ensure that only the vetted and recommended counselors are involved in a professional counseling. Such a move eliminates quarks hence ensuring high professional standards in the process. The licensing bodies control the renewal of such licenses. Such guidelines also elaborate how and when a client can claim liability from a therapist who fails to meet the terms of the agreement. Malott, Paone, Humphreys, and Martinez (2010, p. 257) argue that ethics in counseling are also regulated by the cultural norms of the society. Every profession has its norms on what is right and wrong. Professional bodies have the responsibility of setting specific standards that stakeholders have to uphold. For example, in America, the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs set the counseling standards to be adhered to by counseling stakeholders. In psychological counseling, the counselor and the client are guided by a set of psychological counseling ethics as set by their regulating bodies. With counseling standards in place, both the counselor and the client are protected hence making the procedure professional. In addition, the professional bodies set the academic qualification standards that the counselors must present before being admitted as professionals. The level of education, experience, and dedication that the counselor must have is also stipulated.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Ethics in Group Counseling specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Such vetting and professional authentication is done to ensure professionalism in dealing with clients of diverse backgrounds. Professional counselors will not rush for trial and error, but will only administer remedies after a clear analysis of the case and having gathered su bstantial evidence. In every profession, ethical issues are hard to abide by, even becoming more challenging when one is dealing with several human beings. Stephens (2010, p. 509) add that a counselor must be well equipped in group skills for him or her to handle a group in counseling. Every group has its own dynamic complexities. In fact, conflicts increase with an increase in the number of group members. It is ethically required that every counselor should therefore have the necessary skills required in handling group dynamics. Every member of the group should get a different screening procedure besides being understood according to his or her behavior and character. Such close evaluation should also be done on potential group members. Other personal qualities like and economic background should also been factored. For example, it would be difficult for university graduates to appreciate counseling when they are placed in groups of primary school dropouts. The counselor should hav e skills to interpret the mental status. Emotional stability of a client to withstand the truth should also be measured accordingly. According to Wade (2012, p. 329), religious beliefs and spiritual foundations of every individual in a group should also be appreciated. For example, Christians have respect for Jesus Christ as the son of God and strict adherence to the Ten Commandments. On the other hand, Muslims have strict adherence to the Quran and the words of Prophet Mohammed. In most cases, spiritual foundations of individuals dictate what their values are and or whether they observe them or not. A counselor may forever labor for years in unearthing and treating certain cases of mental and psychological sicknesses if they continue with the counseling process without initial personal screening. It is from a deep understanding of the client that guides the counselor in the therapy process.Advertising Looking for essay on ethics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Counselors cannot gain wisdom through the process of academic training: God gives wisdom. In fact, wisdom seems to be naturally occurring in some people. Complexity of some group cases requires the counselor to have enough wisdom on top of his or her professional training. Good judgment also enables the therapist to forecast the implications of certain cases in the future. Some effects of counseling may go far ahead to determining how individuals make decisions in the future. Therapists must be able to withstand the morality test of the society that goes beyond what they do with their life in and outside the office. Counselors must have high ethical standards that enable them avoid compromise. For instance, a counselor ought to avoid doing wrong even when every other person says it is right to do so. Counselors should be guided by what is right in the eyes of God and the law. When one is compromised, their moral and ethical standings are highly affected. In counseling, one faces dif ferent personalities. Therapists who are not strong in their moral standing may even fall prey of the evils that their clients commit. A counselor may easily be enjoined in drug abuse legal case, firearm handling, and sexual immorality cases amongst others. Although, a fee is paid for therapy, counselors should not be money minded. Money is a factor in most instances of the failure of counselors to observe moral and ethical principles. It is wrong for a counselor to forfeit his or her ethical guidelines in order to gain more money. Counselors should therefore adopt ethical means of earning their livelihood to avoid compromise. After counseling, clients assumed to have gained the necessary skills in handling life on their own. It is not enough for the counselor to give verbal and written guidelines to clients and leave them to their own devices in life. Effective counseling should bear visible fruits. According Jen der pan (2011, p. 779), the counselor should give the clients some li fe skills that will enable them to live well by interacting with others comfortably in the society. At the end of the counseling session, clients should appreciate the undertaking. They should be able to move forward and forget their past unproductive lives to adopting a beneficial life. Counseling should reduce human suffering. Therapy should eliminate or reduce mental and emotional suffering that the client suffered before counseling to minimal levels. According to Wade (2012, p. 329), clients should handle the condition that faced them before counseling without any assistance. By extension, they should assist other victims of similar situations. The sustainability of the effects of counseling depends on experience, academic qualifications, and commitment of the counselor. The remedy to counseling cases should have a permanent or long lasting effect. Issues Unique to Group Therapy Group counseling is different from individual counseling. Although group counseling is similar to ind ividual counseling in some ways, there are many differences between the two. In a group counseling, the counselor must understand that each individual in the group is unique in some ways. Unlike individual counseling, various personality traits are brought together in group therapy. The confidentiality of every individual client must be maintained even when clients are grouped together for therapy unless the clients agree on disclosure. The counselor has to understand the specific problems that each client faces. Although there may be similarities in the cases, there are unique differences in individual cases that the counselor must differentiate. Every member of the group would want to hear his or her individual problems being addressed by the counselor. The counseling program must touch on the problems that they face. If the whole counseling process does not address the challenges that they face, they will not appreciate the need for attending the counseling sessions. Group counse ling involves dynamics such as advising members not to share information concerning the counseling sessions when they are out of class. To the counselors, it is likely to become very hard for them to control their clients once they live the counseling halls. However, it is their discretion to advise the client against it and to ensure that the rules of counseling are upheld. When individuals are in groups, they are likely to form social alignments before, during, or after the session. Since man is a social animal, it is likely to be difficult for such individuals to refrain from sharing their experiences in the sessions. However, Der Pan et al. (20012, p. 731) argue that it is upon the counselor to train the clients on how to mark certain boundaries in their communication. When the clients in groups understand what can be disclosed to others and or what is private, it becomes easier even for the entire counseling process. Issues that are disclosed by each individual during the group s are not to be discussed by other members outside the session. Information that individual clients disclose to the counselor or to the group for example personal experiences should not be discussed with other people outside the conference. Crespi (2009, p. 273) affirms that the counselor is charged with the responsibility of ensuring that all group members understand the rules, regulations, and legal principles concerning counseling. In a group counseling setting, the counselor must ensure that he or she gains trust from the clients. It is also imperative that the group members begin to trust each other with information. Conviction is important since it speeds up the rate of information disclosure. According to Piper (2007, p. 130), without personal disclosure, counseling becomes almost unfruitful. Each client must begin by owning his or her individual situations before seeking advice on what to do about it. After owning the process, the same client should be ready to make it known to a trusted therapist. According to Yildirim (2012, p. 130), the level of disclosure determines the kind of treatment and professional counseling that the client receives. However, most of the counselors are tempted to ignore the need for confidentiality. Such ignorance can result in dangerous impacts. For example, when counseling a woman who has been unable to get out of lesbianism, it may be very dangerous to disclose such information to the public or to her friends. It would even be worse to divulge information about a man who joins the group for counseling after a long struggle with impotence. Such revelation can amount to soiling of personal demeanor. Other people can even begin to disregard the person. No client can unveil such information to a therapist whom he or she believes or has evidence that the therapist cannot keep confidential information. Trust and confidentiality are therefore crucial in a group counseling. Every group should have strict adherence to ethical cont rol. The counselor has the greatest responsibility in controlling what happens in the group. Individual clients in a group setting have little or no control of what happens during the session. The kind of communication that majorly happens in a group setting can be both beneficial and detrimental to the group. Sharing of individual experiences and the content of learning can be valuable to the individual clients. The counselor is therefore charged with the duty to monitor and control the group members when they are on the session and when they finish the sessions. In a group setting, members are also bound to influence one another into various acts. Every member of the group is therefore bound to learn and emulate certain traits from the other members. The danger involved in this process is that a client can join the group with a need to be counseled on a certain issue but end up being predisposed to learning other awful traits. Every member learns from one another. Luke and Hackney (2007, p. 287), argue that leaning is a continuous activity. As members interact in the group, a lot of exchange happens. The counselor should therefore be very keen to monitor the level of communication that is entailed in the group. It is also important that professional ethos be observed when assigning counseling groups to individuals. For instance, a client may come for the counseling session due to family conflicts. Another client may also come for the session with a similar problem. Hence, the counselor will be tempted to put them under one class. However, one client may be an alcoholic in addition to being in family wrangles. Such a person may influence the other into alcoholism within the several days that they interact in the therapy. Such dynamics are majorly out of peer pressure. Disclosure of information in a group setting may also take a lot of time. In fact, some clients may never divulge information about their problems in a group setting. In such cases, there is a s trong bond of peer influence or fear in the group. A member of the group may fear what others may say about him, or worse still what they can believe about him or her after the disclosure. In many instances, clients are forced to lie in order to save their face from the group. The counselor should therefore be very vigilant in order to identify such dynamics and react to them before they become a major problem. In some cases, peer pressure in group counseling becomes very hard to disengage. The group members can also agree not conceal any information to the counselor. Such actions make the counseling process very difficult. It is against the counseling ethics to coerce members of the group to change behavior. In a group setting, members can force others to behave in a particular way against their will by making some members appear foolish in the presence of others. Such members are therefore forced to change their behavior even when they are on the right. Coercion from the therapist himself or herself is also unethical. In fact, intimidation from the group leaders and the counselor makes the victim lie or refuse to reveal the truth. According to Banks (2005, p. 17), if the client does not disclose the correct information to the counselor, the process is likely to experience many hurdles and fail to be successful. It is therefore imperative for the counselor to ensure that none of the clients is coerced from any corner especially in giving information and changing of behavior. The counselor should be vigilant to ensure that no one compels the other into acting in a strange way. Good behavior should be cultivated in a sensible way. The clients should be at liberty to change their bad behavior to leap the benefits of good conduct. In a group setting, diversity cannot be underrated. It may result in stereotyping. PAN (2012, p. 139) affirms that members of a group may come from different ethnic and cultural backgrounds. Therefore, they may be different in the way t hey do things or even believe. Every member should therefore be taught to respect each other’s beliefs and diversity. No tribe or ethnic community is better relative to the other. According to Luke and Hackney (2007, p. 287), members of the group may have variations in educational levels, economic levels, and even social status. The counselor must ensure that each member appreciates this multiplicity. In fact, Yildirim (2012, p. 129) affirms that group members should be encouraged to learn from one another and to enquire more in confirmation of facts and biases. It is against the counseling ethics to prejudice and or stereotype others. It is the role of the counselor and the group leader to ensure that every group is properly integrated to represent the image of a wider group. Malott, Paone, Humphreys, and Martinez (2010, p. 257) are for the opinion that the counselor should ensure that members of a similar cultural orientation are not placed in a similar group unless the pre vailing circumstances dictate so. Failure of members to condone and embrace diversity is likely to indicate the weakness of the counselor. Counseling skills, experience, and education should make the counselor an authority in the field. It should therefore be easy for him or her to make the members tolerant to other people’s beliefs and cultural stands. Cultural beliefs are deeply entrenched into people’s lives. Any contravention of it may result in conflicts. It is ethically wrong for group members to be dishonest. Without the truth, the whole group may not benefit from the counseling process. Dishonesty is even likely to make the counselor unprofessional. The moment various clients visit the counselor and undergo the full counseling program but fail not change from their past unbecoming behavior, the counselor is compromised. He or she is seen as a quark or a non-performer. Counseling in a group setting should be result oriented. If all members of the group are insin cere in their confessions and discussions, the group cannot progress. It will reach a point where the fabrication will require sophisticated deception to cover the initial ones. Members who are misleading live in tension and cannot trust each other. Yildirim (2012, p. 129) argues that dishonesty among members is likely to result in interpersonal conflicts among the associates of the group. No one would like to be embittered. In such circumstances, group members cannot even feel free to discuss their experiences and thoughts with the rest of the group members. Others will immediately or slowly withdraw from active participation in the group activities the moment they realize that the rest are deceitful. Gumpert and Black (2006, p. 61) affirm that the counselor is therefore charged with the responsibility of cultivating integrity among various members of the group. All these ethical dynamics of group counseling discussed above can result in the breaking of the group. When counselors f orm psychotherapy groups, they always have plans and objectives to achieve through them. When a group breaks out of the above ethical problems, the members and the counselor have to lose the mutual benefit. According to Hong et al. (2012, p. 180), it is unethical for a group to be terminated immaturely in the presence of a trained counselor. This case is likely to indicate failure and incompetence. The counselor is blamed for not being able to exercise expertise and leadership skills. The members are also blamed for having no sense of direction and purpose in their undertaking. The honest, truthful, and rule-abiding clients may never join such groups again hence making it unwelcoming to the therapist and the whole idea of counseling. People may begin to lose interest in counseling or even fail to value it. Out of group break ups, the societal issues of uncouth acts will remain unsolved. The idea of counseling is underrated when clients cannot trust the therapists. The counselor is u ndermined, with his or her work being seen as unfruitful while the society continues experiencing difficulties in dealing with psychotherapy cases. The result is that unqualified persons who may not have the knowhow of conducting such activities will be left to do the counseling. By the end of it all, members of the society may result into violent means of solving differences among them hence harming each other. The society may not understand those that are psychologically sick. It may even treat them badly resulting in the worsening of their situation. Counseling is therefore imperative in the society. Hong et al. (2012, p. 179) affirm that therapists should also be keen to ensure that all members of the group respect the ethical guidelines of the counseling process. With good ethical guidelines and adherence, both the counselor and clients will benefit. Reasons as to why Therapists choose Group over Individual Counseling Experiences in individual counseling are completely differen t from group counseling. In counseling, both individual and group counseling are important. However, most of the counseling therapists prefer counseling groups than an individual. There are various reasons for counselors to engage group counseling than individual counseling. One of the reasons for preferring on group counseling is that members in groups develop a feeling of being equal to one another. A counseling group is just like a class or a school situation where all members are equal. Crits-Christoph et al. (2013, p. 24) observe that, when members are in a group, they begin to appreciate that the problems that they experience are not unique to them only. Others also experience it. The gap and the tension that the client experiences when he or she is alone with the counselor is eliminated. Group therapy is therefore important for the people that appreciate being with others. Such people can even divulge more information to the counselor relative to when they are alone. Therapis ts would therefore prefer dealing with such groups than individuals. Group therapy is also better than individual counseling since it is more lively and encouraging than when one is faced with a single individual alone. Pan et al. (2012, p. 349) add that, when clients are in a group, they appreciate the words and directions of the counselor than when they are just alone. Groups are also better because when one member becomes dull or decides not to share information, others remain vigorous hence encouraging the therapist to carry on with the process of counseling. In such a situation, the counselor is also encouraged to perform better in order to keep those that are keen in better positions. In a group setting, members also discuss with others about the areas where they may not have understood during the process. It is also important to note that, in some instances, the counselor may not be able to clearly articulate a certain point in the course of counseling. In such circumstances, a group member can assist those that did not understand. Such an opportunity to learn from each other is not present in individual counseling. Members that prefer being appreciated also benefit from group counseling since there are many people to compliment them. Compliments raise their level of self-esteem, with such members making the work of the therapist easier. Piper (2007, p.130) affirms that the counselor in a group setting is also likely to face more questions than when he or she is counseling an individual. Questions are an indication of openness and the need to know. The counselor will therefore achieve his goals more easily when the members are active. Questions are a source of feedback for the counselor to evaluate himself. In a group therapy, members are able to appreciate the fact they do not face the circumstance alone. According to Banks (2005, p. 17), when clients meet in a group and share information on personal experiences, they realize that problems are universa l and not personal. Such an appreciation makes the work of the counselor even easier since members will be ready for therapy. Group therapy also indicates to the counselor whether the individuals will be able to reintegrate into the society after the session. Personal Leadership qualities in a Group Therapy Leadership is at the heart of group therapy. It is therefore important to have experienced counselors who can manage leadership in the group. Leadership is power. Power on the other hand can corrupt leaders. The feeling of pride and authority may lead to the disintegration of the counseling group. This case is especially common when group leaders devolve powers to subgroups and then appoint subgroup leaders. Although such groups enable the group leaders to achieve efficiency and quick coordination, they may result in conflicts of interest. Other members of the group may begin to feel that they are doing better in relation to others, or that they are in charge of others. Group lea ders should therefore be cautious while appointing other leaders or sub-leaders. Crits-Christoph et al. (2013, p. 23) observe that it is important to screen the leaders before assigning them various duties. It is imperative to evaluate whether they meet the educational standards for the position, their levels of emotional stability, and their cultural foundations. Such factors are likely to impact on their performance as leaders in the groups. The ability to lead should also be evaluated before such appointments are made. Some people may have good humiliating traits. However, they may show no leadership abilities. Worse still, they may have the necessary skills in leadership but have no desire for it. Appointment of bad leaders in the group can be the beginning of failure or success of the group. A good leader can cultivate a good relationship among members of the group. It is also possible for an efficient leader to control the group during disputes and even solve cases of conflict s among the group members. Ability to solve cases is important in delivering quality counseling to the group. Leadership should avoid differences among leaders themselves and the rest of the group members. Respect between group leaders creates cohesion between members. Members cannot believe in divided leaders. In fact, the groups may disintegrate if leaders portray their conflicts openly. Openness and admission should also be encouraged between leaders. Der Pan et al. (20012, p. 731) argue that leaders should cultivate a good and open communication within the group. Communication is power. Proper communication enables people to gain information that is necessary for them to tackle the problems that life poses. It is unethical for leaders to fail to articulate themselves properly. Leaders should share information about group dynamics, leadership hurdles, and the best strategies that can enable the group to leap the best benefits from counseling. Leaders should ensure that every memb er of the group is empowered through adequate provision of information. There should also be avenues for members of the particular group to give their feedback. Leaders should keep on updating each other with the right information during the therapy process. Sharing of information is important for uniformity and good performance. Proper communication channels should be made public for all leaders and members to know. It is out of poor communication that leaders get into conflicts among themselves and with their members. Ethical guidelines in counseling emphasize the power of communication. Leaders should therefore ensure that they gain the necessary communication skills and put in place proper communication mechanisms. Conflicts among leaders should be avoided at all cost. Every group leader is a role model to his or her members and to other leaders. Gumpert and Black (2006, p. 61) assert that, whenever members witness open conflicts between group leaders, they become tensed about t he relationships. They may even become completely disengaged in the group affairs. Conflicts with other leaders may result in loss of trust from the members. In fact, tension begins at the point where members experience open or hidden conflict between their leaders. Worse still, members can rebel against such leaders. Such a situation can result in complete disintegration of the group. The group leader is charged with the responsibility of ensuring that conflicts among leaders of subgroups are eliminated or ironed out on time. Competition among members and even among groups is important. However, only healthy competition among leaders can help other members of the counseling group. It is worth noting that unregulated competition can result in actual conflicts among the leaders and the individual members. Health competition among groups enhances learning. In the process of competing, members and group leaders can perfect their skills. Group and subgroup leaders should therefore enhan ce proper communication among them to ensure that their individual groups leap the benefits of communication. Competition has rules and guidelines, which must be followed properly in the process of competition. Pan et al. (2012, p. 349) reveals that the major goal of setting up groups should not be forgotten in the process of the group and leadership competition. It is therefore important for every member of the group to realize the importance of competition and be ready to play by the rules. With good leadership, competition among members can result in better performance of the groups. Leaders who work together are able to solve conflicts among themselves. During the moments of conflicts among members of the group, leaders have to show authority and competence. It is even better when leaders come together and work in unity when solving conflicts arising from members. My Leadership Qualities and Approach to Group Therapy As a counselor, one of the leadership qualities that I possess is the ability to communicate well. Good communication skills are important in leadership. Proper communication involves being clear, concise, correct, and complete. Communication breakdown results in clashes among members of a group. In fact, a counselor who does not communicate well is likely to face opposition from clients. A leader who does not communicate correctly can drive people into disagreement. It is therefore important for one to have good communication skills. I am also a good planner and time manager. These skills have enabled me to be consistent in my endeavors. Before engaging with my followers into any program, I begin by having a good arrangement. Planning is essential when dealing with groups. Crits-Christoph et al. (2013, p. 24) insists that one requires a pre-planning of what to cover at a certain time together with the expected results of the session. My plans also have alternatives for eventualities. I am a good time manager. Discipline in time management ena bles me to be organized and timely in completion of assignments and projects. It is always good to honor promises to other leaders, to the followers, or even clients. The tight schedules that are common in a group counseling must be upheld. In order to keep abreast with such schedules, time management became a necessary skill that I have developed. I also have a wide range of skills and experience in counseling. Training and experience enable me to be professional on how I approach various issues. Professionalism also enables me to abide by ethical guidelines and codes of conduct in counseling. When one is professional, it is hard to contravene the law or even ethics of his or her profession. Challenges in Leadership In leadership, one must expect to face various obstacles occasionally. I have faced many challenges in leadership. Such challenges range from conflicts among members, poor cooperation by members, incitement of members, interference from external forces, and competition for leadership positions. Leadership involves dealing with a variety of people, guiding them, and directing them towards success. However, people come from different backgrounds with different beliefs. They view things from a multiplicity of dimensions. Having the ability to communicate in a manner that creates mutual understanding enables me to quell conflicts among my students. Communication is a solution to most of the problems that people face. In fact, Der Pan et al. (2012, p. 739) affirm that most of conflicts in the world are out of poor communication and hence misunderstanding. Incitement of learners from among themselves and from other external forces is another major hurdle that I have been able to overcome. Learners may feel over bombarded with learning and the tight schedules of counseling sessions. Others may just want to cause havoc and render the process unsuccessful. In such situations, I apply professional counseling skills that enable me to manage people. Peopleâ⠂¬â„¢s skills and human resource management skills are crucial parts of therapy. Conclusion In conclusion, ethics is inherent in every profession. Professional ethics in a group counseling is supposed to be adhered to by both the counselor and the client. These guidelines enable the process of counseling to be professional, consistent, and to run smoothly. When therapists observe the ethical guidelines of their profession, they are less likely to contravene the laws of God, man, and their nation. Group counseling differs from individual counseling due to various dynamics of group management. As the paper has revealed, most of the therapists prefer group counseling to individual counseling. Leadership qualities are important for group leaders for them to manage and influence the group. Good communication can enable leaders to overcome most of the challenges that are likely to emerge in a group therapy. Reference List Banks, R. (2005). Solution-Focused Group Therapy. Journal of Family Psychotherapy, 16(1), 17-21. Crespi, D. (2009). Group counseling in the schools: Legal, ethical, and treatment issues in school practice. Psychology in the Schools, 46(3), 273-280. Crits-Christoph, P., Gibbons, C., Johnson, J., Gallop, R. (2013). Process Predictors of the Outcome of Group Drug Counseling. Journal of Consulting Clinical Psychology, 81(1), 23-34. Der Pan, P. et al. (2012). Associations Among Self-Concept, Verbal Behaviors, and Group Climate Early In The Group Counseling Process. Psychological Reports, 111(3), 739-754. Freeman, J., Engels, W., Altekruse, M. (2004). Foundations for Ethical Standards and Codes: The Role of Moral Philosophy and Theory in Ethics. Counseling Values, 48(1), 163-173. Gumpert, J., Black, N. (2006). Ethical Issues in Group Work: What are They? How Are They Managed?. Social Work with Groups, 29(2), 61-74. Hill, L. (2004). Ethical Analysis in Counseling: A Case for Narrative Ethics, Moral Visions and Virtue Ethics. Counseling Values, 48(3) , 131-148. Hong, Z., Lin, H., Wang, H., Chen, H., Yu, T. (2012). The effects of functional group counseling on inspiring low-achieving students’ self-worth and self-efficacy in Taiwan. International Journal of Psychology, 47(3), 179-191. Jen Der Pan, P., Liang-Yu, D., Shiou-Ling, T., Shona, H. (2011). Taiwanese Members’ Report Of Verbal Interactions And Their Relations To Demographic Variables In The Group Counseling Process. Psychological Reports, 108(3), 779-790. Luke, M., Hackney, H. (2007). Group Coleadership: A Critical Review. Counselor Education Supervision, 46(4), 280-293. Malott, M., Paone, R., Humphreys, K., Martinez, T. (2010). Use of Group Counseling to Address Ethnic Identity Development: Application with Adolescents of Mexican Descent. Professional School Counseling, 13(5), 257-267. Pan, P. et al. (2012). Verbal Interactions in Taiwanese Group Counseling Process: A Cross-Cultural Perspective. Psychological Reports, 111( 2), 349-363. Piper, E. (2007). Underutilization of Short-term Group Therapy: Enigmatic or Understandable?. Psychotherapy Research, 18(3), 127-138. Stephens, D., Jain, S., Kim, K. (2010). Group Counseling: Techniques for Teaching Social Skills To Students With Special Needs. Education, 130(3), 509-512. Wade, G. (2012). Encouraging Student Interest in Research on Forgiveness, Religion, and Group Counseling in a Counseling Psychology Ph.D. Program. Journal of Psychology Christianity, 31(4), 326-329. Yildirim, T. (2012). The Unheard Voice in Group Counseling: Quietness. Educational Sciences: Theory Practice, 12(1), 129-134. This essay on Ethics in Group Counseling was written and submitted by user Mary Jane Watson to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Monday, November 25, 2019

Free Essays on Motorola

TECHNOLOGICAL FORCES Starting in 1970’s Motorola has concentrated its energies on high-technology markets mainly in commercial, industrial, and government fields. Commercial Motorola’s first product was a â€Å"battery eliminator, â€Å" allowing consumers to operate radios directly from household current instead of the batteries supplied with early models. In the 1930’s, the company successfully commercialized car radios under the brand name â€Å"Motorola,† a word suggesting sound in motion. By the end of 1980’s, Motorola had become the premier worldwide supplier of cellular telephones and in 1996 produced the 3.1 ounce, pocket-sized StarTAC wearable cellular telephone. The Accomli 008 wireless phone that contains a touch-screen display with handwriting-recognition software in eight languages was invented by Motorola. It features fast access to Internet documents via General Packet Radio Service technology. Similarly, the Timeport 7392i came out. It was the first General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) cellular phone available in North America. GPRS wireless phones offer consumers always-on access to the Internet. Motorola’s V70 cellular phone was the first to use a rotating cover and circular display. The i1000plus handset was the first to integrate a digital phone, two-way radio and alphanumeric pager with Internet microbrowser, e-mail, fax and two-way messaging capabilities. Government During the decade of the 1940’s, the company began government work and opened a research laboratory in Phoenix, Arizona, to explore solid-state electronics. By 1959, Motorola was a leader in military communication and has built its first semiconductor. Motorola helps Federal Government agencies from civil to law enforcement and military to manage ever-increasing complexity by offering wireless communication solutions. Industrial Motorola Life Sciences introduced its first commercial eSensor DNA Biochip Array. The chip he... Free Essays on Motorola Free Essays on Motorola TECHNOLOGICAL FORCES Starting in 1970’s Motorola has concentrated its energies on high-technology markets mainly in commercial, industrial, and government fields. Commercial Motorola’s first product was a â€Å"battery eliminator, â€Å" allowing consumers to operate radios directly from household current instead of the batteries supplied with early models. In the 1930’s, the company successfully commercialized car radios under the brand name â€Å"Motorola,† a word suggesting sound in motion. By the end of 1980’s, Motorola had become the premier worldwide supplier of cellular telephones and in 1996 produced the 3.1 ounce, pocket-sized StarTAC wearable cellular telephone. The Accomli 008 wireless phone that contains a touch-screen display with handwriting-recognition software in eight languages was invented by Motorola. It features fast access to Internet documents via General Packet Radio Service technology. Similarly, the Timeport 7392i came out. It was the first General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) cellular phone available in North America. GPRS wireless phones offer consumers always-on access to the Internet. Motorola’s V70 cellular phone was the first to use a rotating cover and circular display. The i1000plus handset was the first to integrate a digital phone, two-way radio and alphanumeric pager with Internet microbrowser, e-mail, fax and two-way messaging capabilities. Government During the decade of the 1940’s, the company began government work and opened a research laboratory in Phoenix, Arizona, to explore solid-state electronics. By 1959, Motorola was a leader in military communication and has built its first semiconductor. Motorola helps Federal Government agencies from civil to law enforcement and military to manage ever-increasing complexity by offering wireless communication solutions. Industrial Motorola Life Sciences introduced its first commercial eSensor DNA Biochip Array. The chip he...

Friday, November 22, 2019

Non Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Non - Case Study Example Considering the geographical maps as shown in the diagram below of the position of the SAP and FRY, we have privileged information that the naval military of the SAP are majorly docked at the port of Banes and Haba (Heuer, & Pherson, 2011). These ports are directly opposite to two of our ports, that is the Mia and Eyer. Given that there are conflicting reports on the kind of impending attack the SAP are planning, reports of diversionary attack has also reached us. The report indicates that they are planning to attack the port of Eyer and Mia simultaneously. We are therefore expected to consider undertaking a naval reconnaissance in our territorial areas in a bid to understand how and when to place military control for any attack. Following the information on the attacks at the ports, we have to consider monitoring the ports so that any mishap from our adversaries does not materialize. The need to tighten security around the hot spots indicated by the reports should be swiftly put into place to curtail any advancement from the SAP. Following the analysis of the situation of the SAP, we are confident that the situation can be put under control given that we have all the necessary information to do so. The intention to attack us through their ports of Haba and Banes shows all indications to be true given that through our survey, we have noticed increased activities in the ports a clear show that they are preparing for attacks (IBM, 2013). Concerning the intelligence reports that have reached us, we should thus spare no effort to ensure that we cushion ourselves from the impending attacks from our opponents. Despite general sage who is the supreme commander in the SAP military calling for peace from the neighboring nations, it can only be interpreted as a public relation exercise aimed at programming people’s mind that they are for peace while the intention is to

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Explore the Measurement, Extent, Causes And Consequences of Inequality Essay

Explore the Measurement, Extent, Causes And Consequences of Inequality - Essay Example This essay stresses that income inequality results in many intense issues including low levels of trust, high prevalence rate of mental illness, infant mortality, homicides, and teenage births, increased imprisonment rates, decreased life expectancy, and high incidence of obesity. Evidently, this situation would force national governments to allot huge funds for addressing these issues. Therefore, governments cannot raise enough funds for promoting development activities; instead, they get less time to focus on economic growth. Researchers indicate that income inequality and the resulted social stratification may lead to high levels of psychological stress which in turn may intensify the issues like alcohol and substance abuse, depression, and poor community life. This paper makes a conclusion that it is clear inequality is becoming a growing issue all around the globe. The lion’s part of the world’s total incomes goes to a small percent of the richest people. Inequality leads to issues like lower life expectancy, high violence rate, low levels of trust, and other health and social problems. Hence, this issue adversely affects a nation’s economic growth. In order to address this issue, national governments must ensure a minimum wage for all citizens regardless of their age, sex, religion, or politics. It is also recommendable for governments to impose huge income tax rates on rich people and to exempt the poor from taxes and other duties.

Monday, November 18, 2019

Role Of Icts For Improving Efficiency And Relevance Of Airlines Essay

Role Of Icts For Improving Efficiency And Relevance Of Airlines Services For Tourists - Essay Example In this direction it has become quite crucial for the organisation to undertake some crucial, new and innovative strategic and tactic moves. In this direction adoption of new and competent Information Communication Technologies (ICTs) has become an important and effective way for the business organisations to enhance their overall capabilities in existing challenging business environment (Konig and Strauss 2000). The importance of ICTs can be sighted in different industries across the world. In this context, international airline industry has also been adopted ICTs quite significantly. The proliferation of Internet as an important channel of communication between business organisation and customers has provided some important and effective measures related with ICTs to international Airlines for enhancing quality of services provided to passengers (Sarmento 2011). In direction to this, the paper aims to ICTs relaed trends prevailing within the International Airlines Industry. The paper also elaborates different new technologies and trends related with information and communication technologies (ICT) that are quite prominently followed within airlines industry. The impact and role ICT related practices and trends in advancing customer expectations is also an important point of discussion made in the paper. On the basis of entire findings, the paper also presents some crucial recommendations for airlines industry for using ICT in the more tactical and strategic way so that efficiency and productivity of the industry can be enhanced. ICTs acceptance within airlines industry Like other business industries, the growth of internet and technological advancement of business environment has also affected trends and practices followed in airlines industry. In order to enhance efficiency of services provided to passengers and providing some intensive an d value added experience to them, airlines companies has adopted ICT as one of the most effective tools. The history of ICT acceptance by different Airlines is quite old. Since 1970s, Airlines companies have been using different variants of ICT for facilitating its customers. The availability of telephone availability within this decade has changed the trend of enquiring about availability, reservation and confirmation (Sarmento 2011). In regard to this, first of all American Airlines introduced SABRE Computer Reservation System (CRS) in the year 1962, for the purpose of providing fast and effective facilities regarding reservations and bookings. Afterwards, the system was started to be used for inventory control function within the organisation. This system allowed the company to schedule its crew effectively, track spare parts requirements, and have effective decision support systems for management (Knowles and Garland 1994). The revolution regarding ICTs in Airline industry can b e spotted from mid 1990s. The development of internet and intranet facilities within the market place has allowed the airline industry to have some effective strategies on technological innovations in their ICTs infrastructure. In this regard, British Airways has spent ?1.1 billion on its ICT infrastructure for the purpose of making its distribution channels more effective and responsive. Increasing competitive pressure has imposed business organisations to have enhanced the level of interaction with customers so that their trust and loyalty can be won (Noakes and Coulter 2002). In this concern, effective communication and information technologies used by the company has been considered as effective gateways. In addition to this,

Saturday, November 16, 2019

Benefits of Balanced Scorecard Implementation

Benefits of Balanced Scorecard Implementation Introduction Business organizations are facing increasingly complex markets, customers and suppliers, and fierce global competitive pressures. In such competitive environment, access to the right information is important to ensure high quality decision making and thus, the success of the organization. Resulting from the changing needs of information in a competitive environment, pressure was put on accounting information to increase its relevance. Extensive and exclusive use of financial measures has been criticised due to their historic nature. Financial measures reveal a great deal about an organisations past actions but nothing about its future alertness. Exclusive reliance on financial indicators could promote behaviour that sacrifices long term value creation for short term performance (Dearden, 1969). Indeed, an overemphasis on achieving and maintaining short term performance can cause a company to overinvest in short term fixes and underinvest in sustainable value creation, which would be detrimental to its future success. In an attempt to remedy the shortcomings of financial performance measures, Kaplan and Norton (1992) devised the Balanced Scorecard which integrates financial and non financial strategic measures. The Balanced Scorecard will be discussed in this paper focusing on what the Balanced Scorecard is, the theory underlying it and how it is being practiced. The manner in which the Balanced Scorecard is practiced in two companies, namely Metro Bank which is adapted from Kaplan and Norton (1996) and Asia Telecom, a telecommunication company whose name is disguised to preserve confidentiality is also discussed in this paper. What is the Balanced Scorecard? The Balanced Scorecard is a tool, which systematically expands the measurement areas traditionally involved in accounting. It provides a system for measuring and managing all aspects of a companys performance. The scorecard balances financial measures of success with non financial measures of drivers of future performance. These non financial measures include measures on customer satisfaction, internal processes, the organisations innovation and improvement activities. The Balanced Scorecard measures organizational performance across four different but inter-related perspectives: financial, customer, internal and learning and growth perspectives (Atkinson, Kaplan and Young, 2004). The Balanced Scorecard, as devised by Kaplan and Norton (1992), is thus a balanced performance measurement system that enables companies to track financial results while simultaneously monitoring how they are building their capabilities with customers, internal processes, employees and systems for future growth and profitability. It provides feedback around both the internal business processes and external outcomes in order to continuously improve strategic performance and results (Kaplan and Norton, 1996). The Balanced Scorecard is a comprehensive framework that translates a companys vision and strategy into a coherent set of performance measures. It is an integral part of an organizations strategy execution process that emphasizes communicating strategy to employees and providing feedback to help attain objectives. The scorecard can be used at different levels of an organization. For each level, the Balanced Scorecard approach identifies the key components of operations, sets goals for them, and finds ways to measure progress toward achieving these goals. Taken together, the measures provide a holistic view of performance both inside and outside the organization, and allow each constituent of the organization to see how his or her activities contribute to attaining the organizations overall mission (Von Bergen and Benco). Essentially, the Balanced Scorecard measures are used to translate vision and strategy into concrete directions for action by people throughout the organization. The measures prescribe a plan for strategic execution and create focus for the future. The measures communicate important messages to all organizational units and employees and thus, influence their actions. To take full advantage of this power, companies soon integrated their new measures into a management system (Kaplan and Norton, 2001). Thus, the Balanced Scorecard concept evolved from a performance measurement system to a strategic management system. The strategic management system focused the entire organization on implementing long term strategy by aligning and supporting key processes. The essence of the above discussion can be summarized using Atkinson, Kaplan and Youngs (2004) definition. The Balanced Scorecard is a strategic management system that translates an organizations strategy into clear objectives, measures, targets and initiatives organized by four perspectives. These four perspectives and other principles underlying the Balanced Scorecard will be discussed in the next section of this paper. The Balanced Scorecard: Theory The Balanced Scorecard is based on several underlying premises. The first is that financial measures alone inadequately measure the health of a company and that a single-minded pursuit of financial objectives could lead to long-term ruin. The second is that Balanced Scorecard focuses on process, not metrics. As such, it is forward-looking (e.g., How can our organization retain its best customers?) rather than backward-looking (e.g., What were our organizations earnings per share last quarter?). The third is that the scorecard is an analytic framework for translating a companys visions and business strategies into specific, quantifiable goals and for monitoring performance against those goals (Von Bergen and Benco). The Balanced Scorecard framework consists of four perspectives of which the organizations performance is measured. Across organizations, the relevant Balanced Scorecard components vary depending on the organizations specific goals and circumstances. There is no theory that four perspectives are necessary and sufficient for an effective balanced scorecard. However, there is some agreement that a typical BSC would include the following four components in some form (Horngren, Foster, Srikant, 2000): Learning and growth perspective: Can the firm continue to improve and create value for customers? Internal business process perspective: In which capabilities must the firm excel? Customer perspective: How do customers see the firm? Financial perspective: How does the firm look to providers of financial resources? The financial perspective Kaplan and Norton do not disregard the traditional need for financial data. Indeed, the ultimate objective for profit-seeking companies is a significant increase in shareholder value. Financial performance measures indicate whether the companys strategy, implementation and execution are contributing to its profitability. Financial objectives typically relate to profitability and measured, for example, by economic value added, return on investment or net profit. Companies increase economic wealth through two basic approaches revenue growth and productivity. Revenue growth comes from either growing wider (new products, markets and customers) and/or from growing deeper by achieving more price or volume from existing relationships. Productivity comes from reducing the cost structure, and/or the fixed and working capital required to support the business. The customer perspective The customer perspective is about the identification of the customer and market segments in which the company will compete and the measures of the companys performance in these targeted segments. Typical core measures of the successful outcomes from a well-formulated and implemented strategy include customer satisfaction, customer retention, new customer acquisition, customer profitability and market and account share. Beyond these measures, the companies must also identify the objectives and measures for customer value proposition, which describes the unique mix of product, price, service, relationship and image that a company offers its targeted group of customers. Customer value proposition that defines how company meets the needs of its customers vis-Ã  -vis its competitors is essentially a differentiation strategy. There are three generally acknowledged generic value proposition: Operational Excellence is characterized and differentiates itself by a combination of products/services that provide quality, selection, and competitive prices, and order fulfillment capability that is fast and timely. Customer Intimacy is characterized and differentiates itself by the quality and personalization of its relationship with its customers. Product Leadership is characterized and differentiates itself by the functions, features, and overall performance of its products and services. The value proposition is crucial because it helps an organization connects its internal processes to improved outcomes with its customers. The internal business process perspective Once the financial and customer perspectives are identified, the critical internal processes in which the organization must excel to achieve its objectives are defined. These processes enable the organization to deliver the value propositions that will attract and retain customers in targeted market segments and achieve productivity improvements for the financial objectives. Since organizations perform many different processes, it is useful to group the processes into four groups: Build the franchise by spurring innovation to develop new products and services and penetrate new markets and customer segments. Increase customer value by expanding and deepening relationships with existing customers. Achieve operational excellence by improving supply-chain management, internal process, asset utilization, resource-capacity management and other processes. Become a good corporate citizen by establishing effective relationships with external stakeholders. Measures of these processes allow managers to evaluate how well their business is running, and whether its products and services conform to customer requirements (the mission). The learning and growth perspective This perspective describes the infrastructure necessary for the achievement of the objectives identified in the other three perspectives. Under this perspective, objectives for the people, systems and organizational alignment that create long term growth and improvement are identified. The objectives for these three components normally lie in the following areas: Employees capabilities Does the employees possess the appropriate level of skill and knowledge to perform the work/function required to achieve strategy? Information system and database Is the information system and database available to provide excellent information to employees for process improvement required? Organization alignment Corporate culture and climate Do employees have the awareness and understanding of the vision, strategy and cultural values needed to execute strategy? Goal alignment Are goals and incentives aligned with the strategy at all level? Knowledge sharing Do employees and teams share best practices and other knowledge relevant to strategy execution? This perspective ultimately emphasizes the role of intangible assets people, system, climate and culture in driving organizational capabilities for learning and long term growth. Strategy Map A strategy map is a comprehensive visual representation of the linkages among objectives in the four perspectives of the Balanced Scorecard. Each objective in the four perspectives is portrayed in a cause and effect relationship where gains in the learning and growth perspective lead to improvements in internal business processes, which in turn lead to higher customer satisfaction and market share, and finally to superior financial performance. The strategy map tells the story of the companys strategy. It identifies for employees and management the importance of each perspective as a feeder of success into the next perspective. It also identifies and makes explicit the hypotheses about the cause and effect relationship between outcome measures (lag indicators) for example, customer satisfaction and return on investment, and performance drivers (lead indicators) for example, motivated and skilled employees, short cycle time processes and product development processes (Atkinson, Kaplan and Young, 2004). Lagging indicators indicate whether the strategic objectives in each perspective are achieved while leading indicators represent how the outcome should be achieved. The causal link between lagging and leading indicators not only occurs within the individual perspectives, but also across the four perspectives of the Balanced Scorecard (Figge, Hahn, Schaltegger Wagner, 2002) Organizations build strategy map from the top down, starting with the destination and then charting the routes that lead there. The vision and mission of the company provides a picture of the companys overall goal. The strategy of achieving the companys vision and mission, when translated into objectives and measures in each of the perspectives provide more meaning and clarity to employees. Measures describe how success in achieving an objective will be determined and thus give clarify to the objective. Typically, the objectives in the four perspectives of a strategy map lead to 20-30 measures. However, the number of measures is irrelevant when these measures are viewed as inter-dependent measures that are instrumental for achieving a single strategy. The multiple measures on the Balanced Scorecard are linked together in a cause and effect network that describes the business strategy. Targets are set for each measure. A target establishes the level of performance or rate of improvement required for a measure. Level of performance required should represent excellent performance. Companies identify initiatives, that is, short term programs and action plans that will help companies to achieve targets. Initiatives that will not have a major impact on one or more scorecard objectives should be de-emphasized (Kaplan and Norton, 2004). The Balanced Scorecard: In practice Having discussed the theory and principles underlying the Balanced Scorecard, we will look at the manner in which the measures of the Balanced Scorecard are developed and communicated in the corporate world by taking the case of Metro Bank and Asia Telecom. Metro Banks case adapted from Kaplan and Norton (1996) is used to illustrate revenue growth strategy whilst Asia Telecom is used to illustrate both revenue growth and productivity strategy. Metro Bank case Metro Bank, a retail banking division of a major bank was facing problem of excessive reliance on a single product. The revenue growth strategy is undertaken to resolve this problem, that is, to reduce earning volatility by broadening sources of revenue with additional products for current customers. In the process of developing the Balanced Scorecard, the strategy is translated into objectives and measures in the four perspectives. The financial objective to support revenue growth strategy was to broaden the mix of revenue. The financial measure is the percentage increase in year to year revenue (lag indicator) and revenue mix (lead indicator). The existing customers of the bank however do not view their banker as the logical source for a broader array of products such as mutual funds, credit cards and financial advice. The banks executive concluded that if the banks new strategy were to be successful, they must shift customers perception of the bank from that of a transactions processor of checks and deposits to a financial adviser. With this, the customer objective was to increase customer confidence in the banks financial advice and increase customer satisfaction. This is done by building long term relationship with targeted customers so that the bank can sell them multiple financial products and services. The measures are share of customer segment i.e. number of Metros customers in targeted segment (lag indicator) and depth of relationship (lead indicator). Internal activities that need to be mastered if the strategy were to succeed were identified as 1) understand customers, 2) develop new products and services and 3) cross-sell multiple products and services. Each business process would have to be redesigned to reflect the demands of the new strategy. For example, the selling process had traditionally been dependent on institutional advertising of the banks services. The bank did not have a selling culture. The bank personnel were reactive. A major reengineering program was launched to redefine the sales process into one which is relationship based. Measures introduced were cross-sell ratio (lag indicators) which measured selling effectiveness and hours spent with customers (lead indicators) to send signal to salespersons of the new culture required by the strategy In order to improve employee effectiveness in implementing the revenue growth strategy, the learning and growth component of the scorecard identified the need for 1) salespersons to acquire a broader set of skills (to become a financial counselor with broad knowledge of the product line), 2) improved access to information (integrated customer file), and 3) realignment of the incentive systems to encourage the new behavior. The lag indicators included a productivity measure, average sales per salesperson, as well as the attitudes of the work force as measured by an employee satisfaction survey. The lead indicators focused on the major changes that had to be orchestrated in the work force. These indicators are 1) the upgrading of the skill base and qualified people i.e. strategic job coverage ratio, 2) access to information technology tools and data i.e. strategic availability ratio, and 3) the realignment of individual goals and incentives to reflect the new priorities i.e. personal g oal alignment. Asia Telecom Asia Telecom, a telecommunication provider strives to grow business profitability and improve operating efficiency in a highly competitive environment. The company embarked on the following strategy: Growth strategy: expand new business while defending the traditional fixed line business Productivity strategy: improve efficiency by managing new capital investment and increase asset utilization In the Balanced Scorecard development process, the strategy is translated into objectives and measures in the four perspectives. Prepared and motivated work force Productivity strategy Growth strategy Defend traditional business Expand Regionally Grow New Business Manage Capital Expenditure Increase Asset Utilization Improve cost efficiency Improve returns Delight the customer Exceptional value services One stop solution Enduring relationship Synergy with Partners Ensure win-win partnership Innovation Process Develop alternative channels Develop product services offerings/bundles Operations Process Focus on operational efficiency Optimize deployment of shared services Improve Strategic Skills Competencies Create conducive organization climate Access to strategic information Customer Perspective Internal Perspective Financial Perspective Learning Perspective Figure 1 The Asia Telecom Strategy Map Growth strategy is pursued by: 1) defend traditional business, 2) expand regionally and 3) grow new business. Productivity is increased by: 1) manage capital expenditure, 2) optimize asset utilization and 3) improve cost efficiency. The company intends to grow new business and expand regionally (acquisition of other business) while defending its traditional fixed line business. Asset utilization and capital expenditure management is important as telecommunication assets are costly, require high investment and can quickly become obsolete with the advent of new technologies. Operating costs efficiency is targeted to reduce costs in running the business. Financial measures are earning per share, return on investment, revenue growth, operating costs per staff and EBITDA (earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortization) (lag indicators) and strategic business support (lead indicator). Asia Telecom offers a variety of products and services to customers and builds enduring relationship with its customers. The customers are valued as always right. The company aspires to improve service quality in its outlets to retain and satisfy its customers. A Mesra Pelanggan Project was launched to strengthen necessary capabilities and capacities, strengthen and build on customer relation basics and ultimately, delight the customers. The customer measures identified are 1) one stop solution, 2) enduring relationship, 3) exceptional value services, and 4) ensure win-win partnerships. The measures are service level agreement compliance, customer and partner satisfaction index and customer retention and acquisition (lag indicators) and service level agreement and satisfaction survey (lead indicator). In order to achieve the above objectives, internal business processes identified are 1) create product and services offerings/bundles, 2) develop alternative channels, 3) focus on operational efficiency and 4) optimize deployment of shared services. Business processes needs to be redefined and changed to reflect the needs of the new strategy. For example, product development process has been designated to a small group of product development personnel. The rest of the marketers are not involved in product development even though they have direct contact and interaction with customers. A change in mindset was instigated to encourage every personnel to spend more time talking with customers to learn about their emerging needs and to think of innovative solutions to these needs. The measures include new product revenue, new channel ratio, expense ratio and cost savings (lag indicators) and product and channel development cycle and cost control (lead indicators). These measures clarify w hat needs to be done in order to achieve the objectives identified. The work force must be motivated and prepared to produce the level of effectiveness required to support the objectives in the three other perspectives. In order to foster long term growth and improvement, there is need to 1) improve strategic skills and competencies, 2) create conducive organization climate and 3) provide access to strategic information. Positive work culture including integrity, sense of urgency, teamwork and group interest was instilled to improve quality of the work force. Employee innovativeness is encouraged to create employees that are capable of applying knowledge to produce new products and services. The outcome measures are competency index, employee satisfaction index and climate survey index. The lead indicators which are organized to create change in the work place are staff development vs. plan, employee survey, organization climate survey and strategic systems availability vs. plan. Figure 2 Asia Telecoms Balanced Scorecard Strategic Objectives Measures Outcome Measures (Lag) Performance Drivers (Lead) Financial Defend traditional business Expand regionally Grow new business Manage capital expenditure Optimize asset utilization Improve cost efficiency Earning per share, EBITDA Return on investment Revenue growth Operating costs per staff Strategic business support Customer One stop solution Enduring relationship Exceptional value services Ensure win-win partnerships Customer satisfaction index Customer retention acquisition Partner satisfaction index Service level agreement compliance Customer satisfaction survey Customer satisfaction survey Partner satisfaction survey Service level agreement Internal Create product and services offerings/bundles Develop alternative channels Focus on operational efficiency Optimize deployment of shared services New product revenue, % of contribution to profit New channel ratio Expense ratio Cost savings Product development cycle Channel development cycle Cost control Learning Improve strategic skills and competencies Create conducive organization climate Access to strategic information Competency index Employee satisfaction index Climate survey index Staff development vs. plan Employee survey Organization climate survey Strategic systems availability vs. plan Figure 2 summarizes the objectives and measures for Asia Telecoms Balanced Scorecard. The scorecard and strategy map (Figure 1) describes a system of cause and effect relationships, incorporating a mix of leading and lagging indicators, all of which eventually point to improving future financial performance. Based on the above cases, it can be seen that the Balanced Scorecard framework translates and communicate strategy to the whole organization. In the case of Asia Telecom, employees understand what needs to be done in order to achieve the companys strategy to increase productivity. The measures in place such as competency index send signals to employees of what is required and focuses change efforts. There is shared understanding of the companys vision. From the cause and effect relationship inherent in the scorecard model, employees are able to see how they contribute to the companys success. Balanced Scorecard as a Strategic Framework for Action Companies also use the Balanced Scorecard as the framework around which the management processes and programs are built. By identifying the most important objectives on which an organization should focus its attention and resources, the scorecard provides a framework for a strategic management system that organizes issues, information, and a variety of vital management processes. These processes are: Clarify and translate vision and strategy Communicate and link strategic objectives and measures Plan, set targets and align strategic initiatives Enhance strategic feedback and learning (Kaplan and Norton, 1996) By using the case of Asia Telecom, the manner in which the strategic framework is put into action is discussed next. Clarify and translate vision and strategy The Balanced Scorecard process starts with the senior management team working together to translate the business units strategy into specific strategic objectives. When translating the strategic into objectives in the four perspectives discussed above, the management must ensure that there is consensus on what objectives should be prioritized and what measures, targets and initiatives should be used. Consensus is important to ensure that everyone in the company is pursuing the same agenda. In Asia Telecom, sales and marketing has traditionally been regarded as important as they bring in revenue. However, as business becomes more competitive, the traditional fixed line business comes under attack, eating up the companys bottom line. There is increasing need for innovation to create new products and services to retain and win customers. New business needs to be developed and nurtured. In developing the scorecard, this strategy is agreed upon and translated into objectives in the four p erspectives. The development of the scorecard enables the management to agree, prioritize and be accountable for the objectives of the business. Communicate and link strategic objectives and measures The Balanced Scorecards strategic objectives and measures are communicated via company newsletters, bulletin boards, video conferencing and groupware to all levels of organizational constituents. The communication serves to signal to all employees the critical objectives that must be accomplished if the companys strategy is to succeed. The communication process enables the alignment of goals throughout the organization. Once employees understand the high level objectives and measures, they can establish local objectives that support the companys objectives. In Asia Telecom, the Balanced Scorecard is cascaded down to all levels and more than 180 Balanced Scorecards were developed at various levels of the company. The Balanced Scorecards reflect each organizational units objectives in achieving the overall objectives. These scorecards can be accessed online using a Balanced Scorecard system developed in house by the company. Plan, set targets and align strategic initiatives Managers should establish the following to use the scorecard in an integrated long range strategic planning and operational budgeting process: Set long term, quantifiable and stretch targets for the scorecard measures. Identify initiatives (investments and action programs) and resources for these initiatives which will enable the achievement of targets. These initiatives are intended to close the gap between targets set for strategic measures and current performance on those measures. Link to annual resource allocation and budgets i.e. formulate specific short term targets for the scorecard measures. This will allow managers to determine whether their strategy is valid and enable progress monitored. In Asia Telecom, the customer satisfaction index is targeted at more than 90% in 2006. The initiative to achieve the target is via the Mesra Pelanggan Project and customer relationship management. Resource allocation required to achieve the target is included as part of the business plan. Any deviation from the initial target can be picked up during the business plan review. This is also available in the Balanced Scorecard system which links strategy, business plan and performance. It also makes all strategic initiatives and resources congruence to Asia Telecoms Strategy. Enhance strategic feedback and learning The Balance Scorecard enables managers to monitor and adjust the implementation of their strategy, and if necessary, make fundamental changes in the strategy itself. The learning process is of two types: Single loop learning process: feedback about whether the planned strategy is being executed according to plan Double loop learning process: feedback about whether the planned strategy remains a viable and successful strategy. This learning process will prompt managers to question their underlying assumptions and reflect on whether the strategy under which they are operating remains valid in consideration of the current evidence, observations, and experience. The strategic feedback and learning process feeds into the next vision and strategy process where objectives in the various perspectives are reviewed, updated, and replaced in accordance with the most current view of the strategic outcomes and required performance drivers for the upcoming periods. Suppose that the data reveal that the organizations employees and managers have delivered on the performance drivers employees skills and competencies has been improved, tools and technology are available, new products and services have been developed and introduced on schedule. Now, th