Meeting the Needs of Different Client Groups Assignment

Meeting the Needs of Different Client Groups - Assignment Example This paper looks into the provisions of private fostering, and in doing so, it outlines some of the rules and responsibilities that guide the client and the caregiver as well. Conversely, the paper provides an evaluation of two models of care, the Orem’s Self Care model and the Roper, Logan and Tierney’s activities of living, thereby revealing how they relate to the case in consideration. Majorities of friends or family carers act in an informal manner by agreeing with the people holding parental responsibility for a child, identified as the client in this case. For this reason, the initial arrangement between Rachel’s parents and Tracey’s parents to accommodate Rachel in their house was informal in nature. However, given that Tracey’s parents agreed to accommodate Rachel for a number of months, which is more than the informal care threshold set by the law, the parents have to visit the children’s service office to formalize the private fostering arrangement. As required by the law, the parents had to contact the children’s services office to determine that Tracey’s parents had the ability to look after Rachel in a proper manner, which includes ensuring that they do not expose her to any risk, given that she will be living away from her legal guardians. The main responsibility of the carers, in this case, is to safeguard and promote the welfare of the clients under their care. For this reason, the first consideration would be to inform the local council of such an arrangement, even though quite a number of the carers do not do it. The carer should meet this requirement to allow social services to check on whether the client is receiving proper care. It is vital for social services to be made aware of such an arrangement in order to preserve and uphold the welfare of a potentially vulnerable child.

The Supreme Court on ‘Hazelwood’ Essay Example for Free

The Supreme Court on ‘Hazelwood’ Essay Both judges and school officials have been thinking about and dealing with the nature of students’ rights to free speech through the 1970s and 1980s, since Tinker v. Des Moines Independent School Dist., the 1969 landmark U.S. Supreme Court decision that acknowledged student rights. Stating that students do not â€Å"shed their constitutional rights . . . at the schoolhouse gate† (393 U.S. at 506), the Court upheld the right of three Des Moines high school students to wear black armbands as a peaceful symbol of opposition to the Vietnam war. . . . The Court’s ruling and reasoning subsequently were applied to student expression other than the wearing of armbands, from theater productions to art shows, from school assemblies to student publications. . . . The Supreme Court, balancing students’ constitutional freedoms and administrators’ traditional responsibilities, said in Tinker that school officials could not stop expression simply because they disliked it. . . . Student journalists’ efforts to gain press freedom experienced a major setback on January 13, 1988, when the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in Hazelwood School Dist. v. Kuhlmeier that school administrators could censor a school-sponsored newspaper. Just as Tinker had started an era of expanded student rights, so Hazelwood signals a departure that could lead toward more restriction of students’ expression. The Hazelwood principal believed that the stories he censored—accounts of unnamed, pregnant students and a report on the impact of parental divorce on students—were unfair and inappropriate for teenagers. He was concerned that the â€Å"anonymous† students could be identified, that the school would appear to be condoning teenage pregnancy, and that divorced parents criticized should be consulted prior to publication. . . . Instead of ruling narrowly on student newspapers, the Court in Hazelwood gave discretion to school officials to: 1. Serve as publisher. . . . 2. Censor, if there is a â€Å"reasonable† educational justification, any expression that does not properly reflect the school’s educational mission. The Court called it reasonable to censor a newspaper story that school officials believe is not â€Å"fair,† expression that deals with â€Å"sensitive topics,† and content that is â€Å"ungrammatical, poorly written, inadequately researched, biased or prejudiced, vulgar or profane, or unsuitable for immature audiences.† 3. Use this power to control expression through any school-sponsored activity. Legal distinctions between class-produced and extra-curricular publications disappeared. Theater production, art shows, debates, and pep rallies are just some of the schoolsponsored activities now under tighter control. . . . 4. Review student expression in advance, even when no guidelines define what will or will not be censored. Constitution of the United States, Amendment I Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

Ignorance, Greed, and the American Media Essay -- essays research pape

Ignorance, Greed, and the American Media â€Å"God damn it, an entire generation pumping gas, waiting tables... slaves with white collars. Advertising has its taste in cars and clothes, working jobs we hate so we can buy shit we don't need. We're the middle children of history, no purpose or place. We have no Great War. No great depression. Our Great War is a spiritual war†¦ Our great depression is our lives. We've all been raised on television to believe that one day we'd be millionaires, movie gods, and rock stars. But we won't. We're slowly learning that fact. And we're very, VERY PISSED OFF.† This is a quote from the character of Tyler Durden in the 1999 movie Fight Club. This quote is an intricate summary of the current generation of twenty/thirty-something-year-olds. It highlights the fact that this generation was â€Å"raised on television† and one the film’s main themes is how the misuse of media has corrupted the minds of those it influenced beyond repair. And the worst part? It’s all true†¦ The media world today is a strange one. Why are there so few political or current affairs themed programmes on our television screens? Why are the so many American comedies on our screens? Why is it so hard to find a balanced, unbiased news report on the â€Å"war† in Iraq? When John Reith founded the BBC in 1922, as director general, he developed strong ideas about educational and cultural public service responsibilities of a national radio service. He based his ideas on Plato’s philosophy that if you allow the human soul to come into contact with the Good, the True and the Beautiful, the soul will respond. His three aims were to inform, to educate and to entertain. What became of his admirable ideology? Why is it that the main use of media now is seemingly entertainment? Could it be argued that the current misuse of media power is the result of private media ownership? If a businessperson owned a large media empire, would they have any moral concern if their media had a negative effect on society, as long as they were making money? Surely, a government would have a far greater concern for how the generation of tomorrow was affected by the media. If the government were to control the media, couldn’t they mould the current youth into fine and upstanding citizens of the future? But what if the media businessperson somehow gained more influence than the government? What if ... ...Michael (2003) â€Å"Dude, Where’s My Country?† Britain: Penguin Books Gorman, L. & McLean, D. (2003) â€Å"Media and society in the twentieth century: a historical introduction† Britain: Blackwell Publications Films David Fincher (1999) â€Å"Fight Club† US: 20th Century Fox Moore, Michael (2004) â€Å"Fahrenheit 9/11† US: Optimum Releasing Ltd. Websites Stille, Alexander (1999) â€Å"Emperor of the Air† http://www.thenation.com/doc.mhtml%3Fi=19991129&s=stille The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright  © 2004, Columbia University Press â€Å"Ted Turner† http://www.infoplease.com/ce6/people/A0849757.html Shawcross,William (1999) â€Å"Rupert Murdoch† http://www.time.com/time/magazine/intl/article/0,9171,1107991025-33716,00.html Patsuris, Penelope (2001) â€Å"Forbes Face: Rupert Murdoch† http://www.forbes.com/2001/01/02/0102faces.html Gildea, Josh (2004) â€Å"Media coverage of issues not at all fair or balanced† http://www.dailycardinal.com Sterling, C.H. (1993) â€Å"REITH, JOHN C.W.† http://www.museum.tv/archives/etv/index.html Bryan, J. & Zillion, D â€Å"Media Effect: The Psychology of Television† http://www.lucidexperience.com/HypnoPapers/529.html NOTE: All websites were accessed on 2/12/2006

Harrington: Cost and Variable Costs

Harrington Case Analysis Issue Stagnant sales performance has caused Harrington Collection to explore new avenues for improved performance, including the launch of a new active-wear line. Recognizing an emerging trend of low price and rapid style turnover in the women’s apparel market, along with tremendous growth in the active-wear segment, Harrington needs to work strategically to capture this profitable market opportunity. After careful analysis, it was determined that Harrington should implement a new active-wear line. Financial AnalysisWhile doing the financial analysis it is important to calculate the unit price first. Using the wholesale price rather than the retail price, the calculated unit price is $95. Next, we sum up the start-up costs and operating costs, both fixed and variable, and use these numbers to calculate the breakeven units. After calculation, the breakeven point is 289,846 units. Appendix A shows the details of our process. Active-wear sales are expecte d to double by 2009, and 40% of those sales are expected to be classified as ‘better’ active-wear.Assuming that Harrington Vigor maintains their 7% market share, we can deduce that Vigor can expect to sell 420,000 units of active-wear in its first year. Over half of all apparel purchased is sold â€Å"on sale. † We accounted for these markdowns by assuming that half the units will be sold for full price, and the other half will be sold at a discount. A sensitivity analysis was conducted by calculating the discount rates at 20%, 40% and 60% separately. From Appendix B, we can see that even for the 60% discount rate, the profit margin is still up to 21%, which is quite attractive.Therefore, Harrington has strong financial forecast to support its new launch in active-wear segment. Market trend After the economic downturn in the early 2000s, the trend of price-sensitive and more than 50% discount sales volume drive the mature market to a low-cost and outsourcing comp etition area. Thus, majority of apparel companies choose to outsource their production in low-cost labor areas such as China. Another trend is the fast growing needs for the superior styling, fresh, and fashionable active-wears. Quality strengths and OpportunitiesHaving established their brand in the1960s, Harrington became well known for its superior quality, knowledgeable sales staff, and designer styles. With fairly high loyalty customers, Harrington possesses premium brand reputation. In addition, donning Harrington labels represents an instant status upgrade and the cutting edge of fashion. Generally speaking, the active-wear market is a rapid growth field with a relatively small segment in the â€Å"better† category. In order to seize the opportunity for diversity in its marketshare, Harrington should enter the market as soon as possible.Considering its brand influence and exceptional quality and styling, together with its cutting-edge technology, Harrington has a subst antial opportunity to become a critical player in this profitable segment. Channel conflicts and Challenges By 2007 specialty stores and department stores are still the main retailing channels in the women’s clothing market. Department stores may benefit by the lucrative inventory turnover rate produced by Harrington’s extensive national advertising.Alternatively, department stores could be weary of stocking the active-wear products since this is a relatively new market and could mean more risk for the retailers. Harrington will need to rely on their relationships with the retailers and expertise in marketing to diminish this potential conflict. From the survey, the possibility to cheapen Harrington’s brand is really trivial by launching a new active-wear line. Recommendation Despite the conflicts and challenges, Harrington has a significant opportunity to advance their business into the active-wear segment.By upscaling the active-wear into the â€Å"betterâ₠¬  category, Harrington could apply the comfort and fashion image which the Vigor division has already formed into the new segment. In addition, by outsourcing the production in Mexico, it can not only decrease costs, but also provide the possibility to respond more swiftly to changes in demand. With this in mind, it is strongly suggested that Harrington launches a new active-wear line. Appendix A Start Up Costs:| | | Start-up Costs (Pants Plant)| $ 1,200,000 | | Start-up Costs (Hoodie and Tee-shirt Plant)| $ 2,500,000 | | Equipment (Pants Plant)| $ 2,000,000 | Equipment (Hoodie and Tee-shirt Plant)| $ 2,500,000 | | Launch-PR, Advertising| $ 2,000,000 | | Fixtures for Company Stores| $ 2,500,000 | Total Start-up Costs | $ 12,700,000 | Annual Depreciated Start-up Costs | $ 2,540,000 | | | | Annual Ongoing Operating Costs-Fixed:| | | Overhead (Pants Plant)| $ 3,000,000 | | Overhead (Hoodie and Tee-shirt Plant)| $ 3,500,000 | | Rent (Pants Plant)| $ 500,000 | | Rent (Hoodie and Tee-sh irt Plant)| $ 500,000 | | Management/Support| $ 1,000,000 | | Advertising| $ 3,000,000 | Total Fixed Operating Costs| $ 11,500,000| | |Direct Variable Costs:| Hoodie| Tee-shirt| Pants| | Sew and press| $ 3. 25| $ 2. 00| $ 2. 85| | Cut| $ 1. 15| $ 0. 40| $ 0. 70| | Other variable labor| $ 3. 20| $ 2. 40| $ 3. 05| | Fabric| $ 9. 10| $ 2. 20| $ 7. 50| | Findings| $ 3. 85| $ 0. 50| $ 2. 30| Total Variable Cost| $ 20. 55| $ 7. 50| $ 16. 40| | | | | Direct variable costs translated into â€Å"unit† cost| Hoodie| Tee-shirt| Pants| | Total Variable Cost| $ 20. 55| $ 7. 50| $ 16. 40| | * measure| 0. 5| 1. 5| 1. 0| | Unit Cost| $ 10. 28| $ 11. 25| $ 16. 40| Indirect variable costs:| | | Wholesale â€Å"unit† price| $ 95. 00 | Total variable costs as % of wholesale price| 40%| Indirect variable costs per â€Å"unit†| $ 8. 64 | | | | | Direct variable costs per â€Å"unit†| $ 37. 93 | | Indirect variable costs per â€Å"unit†| $ 8. 64 | Total variable costs pe r â€Å"unit†| $ 46. 56 | | | | Contribution:| | | Wholesale price per â€Å"unit†| $ 95. 00 | | Less total variable costs per â€Å"unit†| $ 47. 00 | | Contribution per â€Å"unit†| $ 48. 00 | | | | Breakeven:| | | Fixed annual costs(operating and depreciated start up)| $ 14,040,000 | | Contribution per â€Å"unit†| $ 48. 00 | | = Breakeven Units| $ 289,846 | Appendix BUnit Price = $95. 00, Unit Quantity = 210,000 * ((7,500,000 * 2 * 0. 4 * 7%) / 2) Profit Margin*| | | | | Discount Rate (40%)| Discount Rate (20%)| Discount Rate (60%)| Revenue| $ 31,920,000| $ 35,910,000| $ 27,930,000| less fixed annual costs| $ 2,540,000| $ 2,540,000| $ 2,540,000| less total variable costs| $ 19,555,410| $ 19,555,410| $ 19,555,410| Profit before tax| $ 9,824,590| $ 13,814,590| $ 5,834,590| Profit margin before tax| 30. 78%| 38. 47%| 20. 89%| * Assumes half of inventory is sold at full price, and other half is sold at subsequent discount rates. |

Bilingual Education: Critique Essay

According to Brisk (1998), when bilingual or bilateral education is implemented in private schools the results are very encouraging. Students of all ages benefit from such approach producing at times amazing results. When, however, the bilingual education is implemented in public schools for lingo-minority, the results become controversial if not questionable. To understand such a disparity, a lot of studies have been conducted during the last two decades. One of this studies that Brisk described was done by UNESCO more than 40 years ago concluded that when children were taught in their second (or minor) language they experienced difficulties in their education. From their report, one could see clearly that researchers at this organization favored the mother tongue declaring that children get better education when teachers teach them using it. Logically, the language is the medium to transit knowledge. If the native language was and is spoken at home, the major cultural elements are being transited to the children of the family. Language encapsulates the concepts that language carries and that are transmitted on to the young child as he or she absorbs the culture within the micro-culture. Before the child goes to school, many concepts absorbed through the native language are already a part of his or her cognitive development. Even more so, the elements of personality have also been transmitted through the native language and continue being reinforced if and when the parents speak the native language at home. When that child goes to school, he or she feels immediately confused for that personality core cannot be expressed nor reinforced by the dominant language that the child hears in school for the duration of the entire day. The transition from the native language into the concepts learnt with the dominant language is happening very slow and never in its entirety leaving some confusion and unclear definitions. That lack of clarity prohibits the child from asking questions (especially if that child is more shy by nature) and that feeling of confusion grows into frustration. Shannon Fitts (2006) examined how bilingual instruction affects the students’ learning and how â€Å"parallel monolingualism† afford the students â€Å"to explore linguistic forms and their attendant social meanings. † It appears that her initial perspective of the â€Å"parallel monolingualism† implies that the children artificially separate two languages to absorb the instructional input. Indeed, there are intangible ideas present in the native language that cannot be expressed in the dominant one. Thus, the lingo-minority students can be easily taken advantage of by other students or even by teachers. Throughout the Fitts’ paper there is a dominance of an idea that teaching in bilingualism is unjust and unfair to those whose dominant language is not native. She justifies this view by trying to conceptualize her opinion of â€Å"conceptualizing native languages† and thus viewing a language as an isolated medium of knowledge transference. She referred to other researchers when saying that Hispanic students â€Å"do not feel valued† while being present in the classroom of the dominant culture and therefore find it difficult to devote to their own education. She should not isolate Hispanic students from those of other ethnic backgrounds. I do not believe that anything has to do with being or not being valued as a person; it has everything to do with misconstruing definitions, half-understood remarks, not-natively implied body language, and other cultural elements. Looking at bilingual classroom from the wrong perspective will warp the impression about the students’ social make up and cultural inclusion. Han Chung (2006) expressed a positive approach in the writing style describing the code-switching strategy in addressing the needs of bilingual Korean students. The researcher’s attitude was that of nonchalant opinion with non-sided estimation. This researcher started the paper with the acknowledgement that multilingualism is the way that many people live with (i. e. Europe) and the transference between languages becomes more than cursory. She mentioned several secondary sources that conform the fact that many children grow up hearing two or even more languages at home and in the immediate environment. With the people becoming more mobile, more and more children are forced into multilingualism; however, it is not necessarily contributing to their best rate of development. Her logical discussion brings the readers into the common for the topic questions, like â€Å"How the children acquire the second language? † or â€Å"Being able to communicate in two languages, do they loose some important characteristics of the personality development transferred in to them by the first and native language? † or â€Å"What does happen to the cultural identity? † Her further discourse discusses the multiculturalism as the medium of â€Å"the complex communicative demands of a pluralistic society†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (the secondary source). Her acknowledgment that the society is pluralistic (not monolistic with domineering language) brings a totally new concept into bilingualism of its citizenship: that every resident living in that society has equal rights and equal access to the major language used in that society. The sentiment within the Fitts’ work (2006) was different. I perceived that she was referring to Hispanic students as those who must adjust to the major culture and language. Multilinguistic approach versus that of monolistic should become prevalent before we accept the fact that the right to major or minor languages within the same society should be provided to any citizen. Even that is not enough. Language minority students should feel that their native language and ethnic belonging are accepted and respected within the dominant culture. They should not feel excluded just because they have an accent or they do not understand all the nuances of the dominant language. They may feel that their language is not as important as the dominant language at their school. At some sites where there are no bilingual programs, the emphasis is not on the maintenance of the student’s primary language. Instead, the goal is to transition the students as soon as possible into all dominant language classes. The implication here is uni-sided: your culture and language are less important than ours. Certainly, such implication will be indirect but nevertheless felt by the affected minority groups. The use of the student’s primary language therefore takes a backseat, as the main language emphasized at the site is the dominant one. The maintenance of his/her language is not the main priority of such a school. Despite the controversy (Rothstein, 1998), it is given that at schools where there are two-way bilingual immersion programs, the target language, which may be the primary language of the minority student, does not take a backseat at the site. It is considered just as important as the dominant language and treated equally. The equal treatment can become tricky, and this is where the instructors’ skill and special training are needed. Unlike in transitional bilingual programs where the primary language is only emphasized in core subject classes until the student is transitioned into the dominant only curriculum the equal bilingual program treats each subject matter as knowledge with ought much emphasis with what language the students will acquire it. Rothstein’s work clearly points out at this controversy and is addressed to both kind of readers: pro-bilingualism and those who do not see the value behind it. He pointed out that the minor and the dominant languages should be used equally and by the language majority students as well as by the teaching staff as a mere tool to deliver instructional input. According to some researchers in the area of bilingual education (Commins & Miramontes, 2006), equal bilingual programs may help students in the area of self-esteem, which may have an effect in the area of academic achievement. In that, Commins and Miramontes argued that students’ self esteem could be studied separately for it can be a dependent variable to the type of education program (bilingual or monolingual) the site will employ. Such a perspective always refreshes for it is obvious that the researchers do not take sides or become shifted into any opinion. In another work, Dominguez De Ramirez, and Shapiro (2006) suggested that programs such as two-way bilingual immersion programs contain ingredients that may help the language minority students raise their levels of self-esteem, and academic achievement. These researchers, as well, focused their attention at the formation of students’ personality and the program factors affect on it. These particular researchers’ attitudes appeared to be shifted in favor of Hispanic population for they specifically discuss such without any reference to any other ethnic groups. With such researchers, I would like to see more comprehensive approach discussing other ethnic groups and ethnic situations so abundantly present in the USA and especially in European Union. The situation is not and should not appear to be unique to one ethnic group in one country. Many in multiple geographical locations around the Globe experience it. Further, it would not be presumptions of me to notice that such situations happen very often with the ethnic writers writing about the population that belong to their ethnicity group. Especially these writers should be more concerned of the wider-comprehensive appearance of their work. Such critique is no way to limit their effectiveness as far as their writing skills are concerned but rather their point ness within the topic(s) they choose. References Brisk, M. E. (1998). Bilingual Education: From Compensatory to Quality Schooling. Lawrence Erlbaum Associates. Commins, N. L. , & Miramontes, O. B. (2006). Addressing Linguistic Diversity from t he Outset. Journal of Teacher Education, 57(3), 240+. Retrieved June 4, 2007, from Questia database: http://www. questia. com/PM. qst? a=o&d=5014939910 De Ramirez, R. D. , & Shapiro, E. S. (2006). Curriculum-Based Measurement and the Evaluation of Reading Skills of Spanish-Speaking English Language Learners in Bilingual Education Classrooms. School Psychology Review, 35(3), 356+. Retrieved June 4, 2007, from Questia database: http://www. questia. com/PM. qst? a=o&d=5017755652 Fitts, S. (Summer, 2006). Reconstructing the Status Quo: Linguistic Interaction in a Dual-Language School. Bilingual Research Journal, 29: 2 Han Chung, H. (Summer, 2006). Code Switching as a Communicative Strategy: A Case Study of Korean–English Bilinguals. Bilingual Research Journal, 30: 2 Rothstein, R. (1998). Bilingual Education: The Controversy. Phi Delta Kappan, 79(9), 672+. Retrieved June 4, 2007, from Questia database: http://www. questia. com/PM. qst? a=o&d=5001343556

Essay on Personal and Professional Development in Health and Social Care part 3

Essay on Personal and Professional Development in Health and Social Care part 3 Essay on Personal and Professional Development in Health and Social Care part 3 Essay on Personal and Professional Development in Health and Social Care part 3Essay on Personal and Professional Development in Health and Social Care part  2In this regard, I believe the protection of rights of employees is very important, especially in the health and social care environment. In the course of my work, I did my best to maximize my effectiveness in promoting and supporting the rights of employees working in my work place. First of all, I monitored policies and practices conducted in my organisation to understand what the organisation expects from its employees. After that, I revised existing legislation concerning employment relations focusing on the health and social care environment in particular. The next step in my professional development and protection of employee rights was the communication with my colleagues. I attempted to find out whether they have any problems and whether they are aware of their rights or not. I found out that employees are aware of the ir rights and I shared what I learned about employee rights with them. In such a way, I informed them of recent changes in legal norms concerning employment relations. In addition, I launched the weblog, where I attempted to collect and publish information related to the employment legislation. In such a way, I believe my effectiveness in the protection of the employment rights was high. At any rate, I did my best to raise the awareness of my colleagues of the importance of employment relations.At the same time, I found out several ways to resolve issues that arise in the course of employment relations in the health and social care environment. First of all, the resolution of issues that may arise in the employment relations normally involve the close communication and interaction between employees and managers or employer. In such a situation, if a problem arises, an employee can report to the manager or employer and ask for the resolution of the issue. The manager should respond t o the issue. At this stage, the possible conflict may be resolved even without its expansion and involvement of more professionals.Another way to tackle issues that arise in the course of employment relations is the involvement of the board, which ahs to make a decision on the particular employment issue, if an employee and a manager cannot come to agreement. In such a situation, the board has to evaluate the dispute and take the decision to resolve the issue.In addition, there is the option, when an employee can file a lawsuit against the organisation, if the employee believes his/her rights have been violated by the organisation. In such a case, the conflicting party can settle the case before the trial, when the employer offers a plausible solution which the employee accepts (Hill, 2006). If parties come to agreement before the case, the settlement accomplishes and resolves the employment issue. If the parties cannot come to agreement and refuse to settle the case, it is the cour t that takes decision to resolve the issue on the ground of existing legal norms.Moreover, there is another option to resolve employment issue. This option involves the collective action. For instance, a union of health care professionals can launch the industrial action against the employer, if employees consider their rights being violated by the employer. In such a case, unions can set their requirements and the employer has the option of either accept or reject their requirements or change policies to settle the case with unions. Alternatively, unions can file the lawsuit or start a strike to protect their rights and interests.Task 4Limits of my work have a considerable impact on work of other professionals in my work place. In fact, I can perform my functions only within those duties and role which I have to perform. In such a situation, I have certain limitations but they are reasonable because I am not qualified in social care for example. Therefore, if I overcome existing li mitations and interfere into the work of social workers, I would deteriorate the organisational performance because social workers are more qualified on social care than I do. In such a context, the limits of my work are essential. On the other hand, the limits of my work impose boundaries which I cannot overcome, even if I want to or have to. For example, I worked with a client, who definitely needed social care services but I lacked social care skills to provide him with required social care. At the same time, I was not qualified to send him to social workers to receive the social care services which he apparently required. In this regard, I could only recommend him referring to social workers to look for their assistance and to resolve his problems.At the same time, I did my best to eliminate barriers between me and my colleagues. I tried to become a part of the team. I used my communication skills successfully to establish positive interpersonal relationships with my colleagues. As a result, I have managed to develop friendly relationships with many of my colleagues and we worked effectively together. My colleagues often shared their experience with me to help me to tackle problems and difficulties that I encountered in the course of my work. Such cooperation with my colleagues was very helpful for me, while the team spirit was very strong since we have managed to work together successfully and performed well as a team, although our qualification and experienced differed substantially.I believe my contribution in our team work was also important because I focused on the enhancement of the effective partnership and cooperation with my colleagues. I understood clearly my role and duties and performed them well. I also tried to help my colleagues but I did not interfere in their work, unless it was a part of my duties and matched my role.My experience has contributed to my professional development. While working in a team, I have learned how important it is t o focus on specific functions and not to interfere into the work of other people, if it is not a part of your duties. Each team member should be fully responsible for his/her own part of the team work and assist other team members, only if they ask about it.On the other hand, I believe that I could perform better, if I had better developed organisational skills. In fact, I am fully aware of the fact that my poor organisational skills made some of my team mates irritated and in several instances they had to do my job because I just had not enough time to do all the job I planned. In fact, I could improve my performance and team work, if I had better developed organisational skills.In such a situation, I could suggest some recommendations concerning my further professional and personal development. First, I would focus on the development of my organisational skills which are really essential in the health and social care environment (Pinkerton, 2000). Second, I would keep using the fu ll potential of my communication skills because they help to maintain positive interpersonal relations with my colleagues and clients. In addition, I would also recommend to develop closer interaction with professionals working in different fields. What is meant here is the fact that I would focus on the closer collaboration with social workers, because I lack competence in the field of social care so far. Hence, I can improve my performance and increase its effectiveness through closer interaction and collaboration with professionals working in different fields.

Marketing Communications The WritePass Journal

Marketing Communications Introduction Marketing Communications ). This paper intends to address several issues that relate to the changes and developments taking place in the business environment. It presents an analysis or opportunities and threats that companies like Yahoo and Google face in relation to the rapid technological advancements. It also addresses the appropriate communication approaches that companies should use to facilitate internal and external communication and the communication mix that is used at Apple to market itself to its target clients. In relation to this, the report presents an analysis of a communication campaign used by Nike, a leading sports’ equipment and apparel manufactures in the UK, to establish how effective it is in attaining its marketing objectives. Opportunities and Threats for Google and Yahoo in regard to rapid technological changes Google and Yahoo are some of the well renowned internet-based companies that offer search engine and e-mail services to a wide range of users. Both companies also deal in software development. Based on the services and products offered by these companies, they are directly affected by technological advancements, especially in the ICT sector (Segev Ahituv, 2010). The opportunities and threats that these advancements expose the companies to are discussed in this section. Opportunities There are several opportunities presented to these companies as a result of technological advancement. One of these is that it provides a wide range of avenues through which the companies can communicate with their clients and vice versa (Hundal Grover, 2012). It also provides increased avenues through which the companies can market their products. Technological advancements in the ICT sector across the globe have also led to an increase in internet accessibility. For Yahoo and Google, an increase in internet accessibility provides an opportunity for them to earn more revenue through advertisements (Shih et al., 2013). This is because they are among the most visited websites internationally. Google is ranked as the most visited website, while Yahoo is ranked the fourth (Alexa, 2014). Being business oriented, technological advancement will also make it possible for them to market their products and services to a wider market base through strategic marketing communication strategies. It also provides an opportunity for them to launch e-commerce strategies, which are cost-effective for the company and convenient for clients. Among the advancements that have taken place is the development and increased use of smartphones (Persaud Azhar, 2012). Given that both companies deal in software development, it provides an opportunity for them to create revenue from developing applications that can be used on these devices. Google has effectively taken advantage of this advancement and has developed the Android operating system (Gandhewar Sheikh, 2011). The fact that its operating system is compatible with many mobile devices like manufactured by different companies like Samsung and LG increases its usability. With the growing number of global populations using smartphones, the company has a lot to benefit as Android is among the top smartphone operating systems (Butler, 2011). Threats With the increase in the technological advancements in the market, these companies are also exposed to a range of threats (Lovelock Wirtz, 2011). One of these is the increase in competition from other companies that provide the same products and services. With internet companies like Twitter and Facebook having a growing number of users, they provide a threat for Yahoo and Google in terms advertising revenues (Lagrosen Josefsson, 2011). There is also a possibility of other internet based companies coming up to provide stiffer competition. In the software business, Google’s Android operating system faces a threat from Apple’s iOS, if it decides to adjust it and make it compatible to other devices (Butler, 2011). Other technology companies may also come up with more innovative products and better marketing approaches than Google and Yahoo, which might reduce their current market shares. Another threat that is associated with technological advancements is posed to the human resources of these companies. Employees face the risk of losing jobs because a wide range of jobs that were initially handled by people can now be done even better by machines (Lovelock Wirtz, 2011). Even though this might come as a relief for these companies as they cut salary costs, the fact that these advancements may increase unemployment undermines the social responsibility efforts that these companies may have. The increase in technological advancements also increases the levels of cyber crime. Even though the systems of Yahoo and Google may be secure from this risk, given that they have measures in place to address this issue, clients who have opened email accounts with them may not be as secure. Hackers may gain access to their emails, obtain their personal information and use it against them. Even though such cases might occur as a result of low email security measures by the user, some of them tend to blame the email hosting companies like Yahoo or Google as being the reasons for their predicaments. As a result, this ruins the reputation of these companies. Communication at Google Internal and external communication Communication is among the aspects of a business that are paramount to its success. Internal communication refers to the passing of messages or information within the organization. This could be within the same department or interdepartmental communication (Wright, 2012). External communication refers to the communication that goes on between the organization and external stakeholders, who mainly comprise of customers. When carrying out internal communication, there are several factors that have to be considered. For instance, the messages ought to be confidential to avoid access from external parties. In this case, Google has a company intranet, which consists of an internal message board and email system (Goodman, 2006). This can only be accessed by company employees who have been allocated usernames and passwords. These channels of communications have been highly secured, making it impossible for an external party to access the information or messages passed. Internal communication in organizations also has to be effective and quick. For Google, this is facilitated by the fact that it has a horizontal communication structure. According to Butler (2010), horizontal or lateral communication is the free flow of information or messages across different functional groups in the organization. Employees and managers across all departments and employee levels at Google interact freely without any hierarchical boundaries (The Financial Express, 2005). This approach to communication enhances cooperation among employees and also quickens the process of resolving conflict. On the contrary, it reduces the authority of departmental heads in the organization. External communication is meant to promote products or services offered by the company, or to advertise its clients’ products to a wide range of customers (Wright, 2012). It can also be meant to engage with customers with the aim of making them feel like they are part of the organization. Depending on the aim that is to be met by external communication, there are several measures that can be used. One of the most effective tools that the company uses to accomplish this is through its website. Based on the fact that its website is the most visited in the world, there is a high level of surety that it will communicate to a wide audience (Segev Ahituv, 2010). Even with the high number of visits on the company’s website, many customers who may be targeted by the messages might not be among the website visitors. Thus, another alternative option that the company uses is through sending e-mail messages directed to certain clients that could be interested in the goods or servi ces of the company. In 2012, the company spent over $231 million in marketing its products, which include the Google+ social media platform, Gmail and the Google Chrome web browser (Efrati, 2012). Market communication theories relevant to the communication strategy There are several marketing communication theories that can be considered as being relevant to the communication strategies utilized at Google. One of these is the heightened appreciation model (Dahlen et al., 2010). It is based on the fact that companies need to carry out consumer market research to establish the key attribute that attracts consumers to a brand. Market communication strategies are then designed to link the identified attributes of the product or service to the brand (Fill Hughes, 2013). For instance, in the advertisement of its Google+ service, the company is aware of the need for people to interact and share instant messages and videos on social media. Google then links this need in the market to Google+, encouraging more clients to subscribe. Another model that can be used to represent the market communication strategies at Google is the advertising exposure model. This model suggests that advertisement objectives can only be met if it created five effects to the target consumer (Fill Hughes, 2013). These effects are; creation of awareness, conveying messages about the positive attributes of the products, generation of feelings among the target audiences towards the brand, creating a brand personality and triggering purchase intentions (Dahlen et al., 2010). This model also relates to the advertisement efforts that have been implemented by Google as it markets a wider range of its products. The AIDA model can also be used in explaining marketing communication. It is regarded as one of the oldest and most popular market communication models. This model states that there is a hierarchy of events that have to occur for a marketing communication strategy to be termed as having been successful. In chronological order, these are attention, interest, desire, and action. After the attention of the target clients have been drawn, marketers are required to raise their interest in the products or services being advertised through highlighting their advantages. After this has been done a sense of desire is created in the clients by providing them with the assurance that the products or services will satisfy their needs. This will trigger action from the buyer, which is demonstrated by making the purchase. At Google, this model has been widely used, especially when it spent approximately 231 million to market its products in 2012 (Efrati, 2012). However, this model has received crit icism for being out-dated and irrelevant for the present market environment. The Communication Mix of Apple The communication mix is referred to as the specific approaches that are used by companies to promote their services or products to their target customers. There are five elements that make up a communication mix. These are discounts and promotions, public relations, direct marketing communication, advertising and personal selling (Wright, 2012). At Apple, the marketing mix element that is mainly used is direct marketing communication. This approach involves interactive communication with the aim of seeking a certain response from the target audiences. With reference to the recent development at Apple when it was preparing to acquire PrimeSense, an Israeli 3D chip developer, it was vital for the company to inform its external and internal stakeholders or the impending acquisition (Velazco, 2013). Some of the approaches that the company could use to pass this information include direct email communication, social media interaction with its clients and through its website. The company has maintained a large customer data base that contains the contacts of its customers and other Apple stakeholders (Wright, 2012). This also makes it easy for the company to pass such vital information directly to its customers and other external stakeholders. Internal stakeholders, who mainly comprise of employees, can be formally informed through circulation of a memo or posting the message on internal communication platforms. Importance of Cross-functional communication Cross-functional communication is applicable within the organization. It is referred to as the communication among people from different departments or functional groups in the organization (Shimp Andrews, 2013). The importance of cross-functional communication that is beneficial to Apple Inc is the fact that it enhances cooperation within the organization as different teams work towards attaining the same organizational goal. Encouraging cross functional communication also promotes awareness of whatever is taking place across the entire organization, which eliminates cases of ignorance of misinformation. Some of the challenges that are associated with ineffective cross-functional communication in organizations include the failure for members of certain departments in the organization to appreciate or recognise the contributions made by other departments (Diefenbach Todnem, 2012). This may result to destructive rivalry that may affect the attainment of organizational goals adversel y. In a scenario where Apple might plan to acquire another company, cross-functional communication enables all the departments to be equally ready for any changes or additional responsibilities that may arise after the acquisition (Diefenbach Todnem, 2012). Analysis of an integrated Marketing communications campaign Marketing communication campaigns are defined as strategies that are implemented by organizations with the aim of increasing market awareness about their products or services. This is usually with the aim of increasing the purchasing intentions of the target audience. According to (Bergemann Bonatti, 2011), ideal integrated marketing communication strategies effectively coordinate all product promotional messages to ensure that they are all consistent. This section presents a market communication campaign that was launched by Nike, a company that deals in the manufacture and distribution of sports equipment (Nike, 2014). The marketing communication campaign was implemented with the aim of increasing the company’s market share in the UK to extend its lead. This is as a result of the stiff competition from Adidas (Thomasson, 2014). The campaign intended to make use of all the available avenues to increase awareness of the UK market about the brand. It also intended to market the new products that it had launched and seen as appropriate for the target market. These mainly included sports shoes. This marketing communications campaign targeted a wide range of customers, who ranged from 18 to 50 years of age (Nike, 2014). Factors that make the campaign successful There are several aspects of the campaign that make this campaign successful in attaining its originally set goals. One of these is the wide range of media outlets were used to pass the message to the audience, basing on the fact that media consumption varies among individuals within different age groups (Bergemann Bonatti, 2011). Another factor that made the communication campaign successful was the fact that it highlighted the favourable attributes of the company’s products, which included the affordable prices and the comfort of the shoes. Referring to the heightened appreciation model, this is an effective trigger of purchase intentions among the target audiences (Fill Hughes, 2013). Given that this marketing communication campaign was strategically designed, the only aspect that could undermine its capability to attain the intended goals is the launch of a similar or better campaign by its key competitors. Media Used Different forms of media were used in this campaign to increase the size of the audience that could be reached. These were classified as print, broadcast and interactive media. Print media comprised of newspapers and magazines. These targeted different clients. For instance, ads that were placed in fashion magazines targeted the fashion enthusiasts who could need Nike’s products to work out. Broadcast media basically comprise of radio and TV (Lamb et al., 2008). Different market segments were targeted by advertising on a wide range of TV and radio channels, and at different times. Given that communication campaigns in print and broadcast media are one way, they were designed to contain as much information as possible to answer any questions that clients could have regarding the product (Bergemann Bonatti, 2011). Interactive media comprised of all the media outlets that could allow the company and its clients to engage real-time with each other (Correa et al., 2010). These comprised of social networking, mobile and via the company’s blog. As opposed to print and broadcast media platforms, interactive media provided capabilities for the company and target customers to engage constructively (Kim Ko, 2012). Some of the major social media platforms that are ideal for such form of communication between companies and customers include Facebook, Twitter and Google+. Despite the advantage of real-time engagement that social media presents for companies, information on a flaw of negative attribute on the product spreads very fast (Correa et al., 2010). Conclusion This paper has covered a wide range of issues that relate to the present-day business environment. In regard to the technological advancements that are taking place in the present-day business environment, Google and Yahoo have been used as cases to discuss the opportunities and threats that these advancements present to the company. The paper has also presented an overview of internal and external communication in Google, which has incorporates that factors that are considered and the channels that are used in the communication. Different marketing communication theories have also been presented. These include the heightened appreciation model and the advertising exposure model. In the paper, different organizations have been used in the explanation of various concepts presented. 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