Assessing The Usefulness Of An Ecological Approach Social Work Essay

Assessing The Usefulness Of An Ecological Approach Social Work Essay Social work theories represent sets of ideas that assist in explaining the reasons for occurrence of events or why specific events happened in particular ways and are used to predict likely future actions of present outcomes. It is important to appreciate that theories, whilst based on reasoning and evidence, are not conclusively proved. In social work practice they provide alternative frameworks for understanding issues by the linkage of sets of ideas, and help people to make sense of specific situations or circumstances. Their application helps social workers in guiding practice and in achieving direction in their efforts. This study takes up the ecological approach for discussion and assesses its usefulness for social work practice. The ecological approach is also compared with humanism and existentialism and its various aspects are critically analysed with respect to achievement of managerialism and accountability in social work practice. Discussion Overview of Ecological Approach Kurt Lewin, (Plas, 1981), states that good theory is essentially practical. It provides a way to look at the world and guides action for the achievement of vision of the way things should be. Ecological theory, many experts feel, fits with Lewins maxim and has the potential to give social workers, both a practical perspective for effective social intervention, and a larger perspective for viewing and assessing the social world (Pardeck, 1988, p 92-100). Whilst Roger Barker, (1968), initiated the application of ecological concepts to analysis of human behaviour, the application of such ecological perspectives to social work practice did not occur until it was taken up by Carel Germain in the mid 1970s (Pardeck, 1988, p 92-100). The ecological approach has since then become progressively popular among social workers and is now commonly used as a practice approach for intervention (Pardeck, 1988, p 92-100). The approach, despite becoming more commonly used, does have some major limitati ons, chief among which is the lack of (a) clearly defined procedures for engagement in assessment, and (b) specific sets of techniques and strategies for intervention (Pardeck, 1988, p 92-100). The adoption of the ecological approach enables social work practitioners to understand the significance of the adaptive fit between the environment and organisms (Pardeck, 1988, p 92-100). An appreciation of such a fit in turn enables the emergence of a practice model that essentially focuses on the importance of locating ways and means to first assist individuals in adapting to their environments and second in the formulation of strategies for changing environmental elements that could cause problems for service users (Pardeck, 1988, p 92-100). It is important to understand three concepts, namely (a) behaviour settings, (b) the ecosystem and (c) definition of client problems, in order to understand and appreciate the fit between organisms and their environment (Pardeck, 1988, p 92-100). An understanding of these concepts helps in understanding the significantly unconventional and different approach of the ecological perspective (Pardeck, 1988, p 92-100). The concept of behaviour settings provides fresh insights in the relationship that exists between individual behaviour and environmental setting. Barker and Gum (1964), found that individuals react differently to different types of environment. Analysis of behaviour setting helps social workers to conceptualise the problems of service users and is considered to be a basic unit of analysis for the application of the ecological approach to social work practice. The behaviour setting, it must however be clarified, represents more than the traditional concept of behaviour as the response to a stimulus and is perceived to be a complex relationship of people, setting, time and individual behaviour. A conglomerate of such behaviour settings forms ecology (Germain Bloom, 1999, p 16-22). Specific individuals function in more than one specific ecology. The ecosystem of individuals consists of the various inter-relationships and the conglomeration of such ecologies (Pardeck, 1988, p 92-100). The ecosystem of a child, for example comprises of the self, the family, the school and the larger community (Pardeck, 1988, p 92-100). It is important to understand that the client, in such a concept of ecosystem is an integral component of the ecological system and cannot be juxtaposed with the larger environment (Pardeck, 1988, p 92-100). The ecosystem of an individual consists of four distinct levels, namely the micro-system, the meso-system, the exo-system, and the macro-system. The micro-system represents the immediate environment, viz. the impact of personality characteristics of an individual on other family members (Jones, 2010, p 67). The meso-system is more complex and refers to the interactional processes that occur between multiple micro-systems (Jones, 2010, p 67). Th e exo-system and macro-system likewise refer to more generalised levels and represent more extensive interaction of ecologies (Jones, 2010, p 67). Â  The service user in such circumstances becomes the defining and primary member of the eco system that in turn comprises of various overlapping subsistence like the family, the work place and the larger community (Pardeck, 1988, p 92-100). The psychosocial development and adjustment of individuals are perceived to be the consequence of transactions between individuals and their environments. The ecological perspective suggests the occurrence of cyclic and bidirectional activities between individuals and their environments (Pardeck, 1988, p 92-100). The environment in the first place affects the development and adjustment of individuals. The behaviours of individuals lead to responses inside the environment and the altered environment thereafter exerts a different pressure on the individual (Meinert, et al, 1994, p 26-33). Social workers can view this process as sequential or simultaneous mutual influence, for example X affects Y, which again affects X or X and Y come together to form a unity that defines the situation (Meinert, et al, 1994, p 26-33). This concept and these view points are important because they lead to the formulation of new ways for conducting of assessment and carrying out of intervention in social work practice (Pardeck, 1988, p 92-100). The adoption of the ecological view point leads to the shifting of focus from individual personality and behavioural characteristics to relationships between individuals, their families, their communities and other ecologies that are included in their eco systems (Pardeck, 1 988, p 92-100). Most people do operate in social ecologies that are adaptive or congruent and where people are in harmony with the social norms of their environments (Norman, 2000, p 11-17). The requirement for social work intervention comes about when such adaptive fits cease to exist and lead to mal adjustments (Norman, 2000, p 11-17). The ecological perspective differs significantly from traditional social work view points on definition of problems of service users (Tew, 2005, p 31-36). Most conventional perspectives concentrate on individuals for definition of problems of service users and perceive such service users to be deviant, behaviourally troubled or emotionally disturbed (Tew, 2005, p 31-36). The ecological approach very importantly does not perceive the symptoms of service users kin terms of individual pathologies but looks at such symptoms to be indicative of malfunctioning eco systems (Tew, 2005, p 31-36). Advocates of the ecological approach are likely to perceive emotional disturbances to be comprehensive problems that are occurring in the continuous adaptation that is taking place between organisms and their environments (Wilson, 1999, p 4-11). Mal-adoptions are thus felt to reside not just in the activity of individuals upon their environments but also of the environments upon individuals (Wilson, 1999, p 4-11). Individual problems and difficulties in social functioning are thus perceived to stem from interactive, dynamic and reciprocal sets of forces that work between individuals and their eco systems (Wilson, 1999, p 4-11). The relationship between problematic social functioning and ecology has been studied in various relationships between (a) social class and hospitalisation for psychiatric causes, (b) probability of specific types of mental ailments and spatial community patterns and (c) suicide rates and social organisation of communities (Peters Marshall, 1996, p 17-32). It is evident that the adoption of the ecological perspective requires a radical shift of approach by social workers, who must move away from individuals and try to understand a unit that is termed as individual-in-ecology (Peters Marshall, 1996, p 17-32). Such an approach requires the viewing of individual problems in terms of mal adaptive systems and even differences in labelling of clients, who for example should be termed as disturbing clients rather than emotionally disturbed (Peters Marshall, 1996, p 17-32). Application of Ecological Approach for Intervention The ecological strategy for intervention obviously calls for an ecological assessment of the problems of service users (Norman, 2000, p 11-17). Such ecological assessment essentially involves two important issues, namely (a) the identification of reasons for discord in eco systems and sources of strength, which can be utilised to enhance the level of fit between service users and important people in the lives, and (b) specification of the services that will be needed to allow service users to progress towards achievement of desired goals (Norman, 2000, p 11-17). Traditional models of social work, it is easy to understand, are far more simplistic than the ecological assessment approach (Meinert, et al, 1994, p 26-33). Such methods are narrower and perceive individual service users to be the only focus of the assessment procedure (Meinert, et al, 1994, p 26-33). The intervention model in the ecological approach comprises of specific steps that assist in translation of such assessment into appropriate strategies for intervention (Meinert, et al, 1994, p 26-33). Such an intervention approach consists of seven specific stages and can be applied in a number of practice areas (Nash, et al, 2005, p 32-41). The intervention model in the ecological approach is similar to other traditional approaches with regard to gathering of data but deviates significantly in the ways in which social work practitioners conceptualise and organise the processes of assessment and intervention (Nash, et al, 2005, p 32-41). The seven important stages in the intervention process comprise of (a) entering the system, (b) mapping the ecology, (c) assessing the ecology, (d) creating a vision for change, (e) coordinating and communicating, (f) reassessing and (g) evaluating (Nash, et al, 2005, p 32-41). These steps are significantly different from traditional methods of assessment and intervention and plays far greater responsibilities on the shoulders of social work practitioners (Nash, et al, 2005, p 32-41). The first step of the social work practitioner concerns entering the exo-system of the world of the service user, such a process involves assessment of various relationships in the life of the service user and identification of an entry point into the world of the service user (Kerson, 2002, p 8-14). Assessment of relationships in such circumstances involves examination of the various sub systems like the immediate family, the workplace and the community that shape the world of the service user (Norman, 2000, p 11-17). The social work practitioner can obtain significant information from examination of such sub systems for the formulation of intervention strategies (Norman, 2000, p 11-17). Assessment of various subsystems is thereafter followed by entry into the world of the client (Norman, 2000, p 11-17). This is largely done through an interview involving the social worker, the service user and people in his or her immediate family (Kerson, 2002, p 8-14). The social worker, after en tering the world of the service user commences ecological mapping (Kerson, 2002, p 8-14). Such mapping involves analysis of various sub systems and identification of people and events that are relevant to the challenges confronting the service user (Pardeck, 1988, p 92-100). Such mapping involves interaction with representatives of different sub systems like spouse, parents or immediate friends and leads to obtaining of very important information (Pardeck, 1988, p 92-100). The mapping of ecology is followed by interpretation and assessment. Social workers, at this stage of the process search for important problems and sources of strength in the eco system of service users (Meinert, et al, 1994, p 26-33). The description of relationships and recurring themes in the lives of service users forms an important aspect of this stage and helps in identifying problems as well as sources of strength that can help the service users in achieving a better fit with the environment (Meinert, et al, 1994, p 26-33). Assessment of ecology is followed by locating the areas that require to be altered to enhance the social functioning of service users (Meinert, et al, 1994, p 26-33). Social workers whilst focusing on the required change need to consider the service users total eco system and use all available strengths in the ecology (Meinert, et al, 1994, p 26-33). Practitioners should be open to different change possibilities and implement proposed plans of action after obtaining the agreement of service users (Meinert, et al, 1994, p 26-33). Social workers must communicate and coordinate with people in the eco system during much of the intervention process (Pardeck, 1988, p 92-100). A significant part of the change process lies in the hands of important people in the eco systems of service users and practitioners need to offer support and facilitate change efforts through home visits and telephone calls (Pardeck, 1988, p 92-100). Reassessment and evaluation also form important components of the ecological intervention process (Pardeck, 1988, p 92-100). Social workers should be open on remapping the ecology and working through subsequent stages if the intervention efforts do not appear to be achieving their stated objectives (Pardeck, 1988, p 92-100). The final stage of intervention that is the comprehensive evaluation of the process concerns the gathering of information through informal meetings and the use of structure questionnaires (Pardeck, 1988, p 92-100). The evaluation process is important for practitioners becaus e it enables them to enhance the quality of their ecological approach based treatment procedure (Pardeck, 1988, p 92-100). Advantages and Disadvantages of the Ecological Approach It is important to understand that ecological perspectives help social workers significantly in understanding human problems to essentially be outcomes of continuous transactions of different types between environments and people (Ginsburg, 1990, p 12-21). The conceptualising of human problems in this way helps social workers in understanding that discord between people and their environment can lead specifically to adverse physical, emotional and social effects upon people (Ginsburg, 1990, p 12-21). Such a focus is also a unifying feature of social work practice. The adoption of this approach helps social workers in taking away their focus from individuals as deviants with emotional and mental difficulties and helps in placing them simply as individuals who have mal-adaption with their environments (Henderson, 1994, p 38-45). The investigation and assessment process under this approach also allows social workers to interact with various people who are important to the service user a nd build an intervention plan that involves not just the social worker and the service user but also other people who are close to the service user, understand his or her problems and are able to help the service user in achieving the desired objectives (Henderson, 1994, p 38-45). Whilst the ecological approach helps social workers significantly in conceptualising the essential concerns of social work practice, the approach continues to have some inherent difficulties and problems (Pardeck, 1988, p 92-100). It does not for example provide clearly laid down sets of procedures and processes for assessment and intervention, as well as strategies and reasoning for their use (Pardeck, 1988, p 92-100). Social workers thus use the approach for understanding the basic relationships between service users and their environments but have to thereafter devise and formulate their own assessment and intervention procedures (Pardeck, 1988, p 92-100). It has also disturbingly been found that when social workers intervene in the eco systems of service users by opening up communication channels with other people in the eco system, such interventions often do not have clarity in terms of outcomes and can lead to negative consequences (Pardeck, 1988, p 92-100). Critics of the eco logical approach also argue that its application leads practitioners to perceive problems with such broad perspectives that practitioners attempt to plan so comprehensively that actual effectiveness of practice gets jeopardised (Henderson, 1994, p 38-45). Whilst such disadvantages and criticisms do have merit and must be considered by workers who opt to use the ecological approach, its adoption and application does enable social workers to obtain much larger perspectives and greater and more dynamic understanding of individuals and their social, cultural and physical environments (Henderson, 1994, p 38-45). The adoption of such perspectives results in avoidance of blaming of victims and in location of assessment and intervention of the issue in the ecosystem of service users (Henderson, 1994, p 38-45). References Barker, R., 1968, Ecological Psychology: Concepts and Methods for Studying the Environment of Human Behaviour, Stanford, California: Stanford University. Barker, R., Gump, P., 1964, Big School, Small School, Stanford, California: Stanford University Press. Germain, C., 1973, An Ecological Perspective in Casework, Social Casework, 54, 323-330. Germain, C. B., Bloom, M., 1999, Human Behavior in the Social Environment: An Ecological View (2nd ed.), New York: Columbia University Press. Ginsburg, E. H., 1990, Effective Interventions: Applying Learning Theory to School Social Work, New York: Greenwood Press. Henderson, G., 1994, Social Work Interventions: Helping People of Color, Westport, CT: Bergin Garvey. Jones, P., 2010, Responding to the Ecological Crisis: Transformative Pathways for Social Work Education, Journal of Social Work Education, 46(1), 67. Kerson, T. S., 2002, Boundary Spanning: An Ecological Reinterpretation of Social Work Practice in Health and Mental Health Systems, New York: Columbia University Press. Meinert, R. G., Pardeck, J. T., Sullivan, W. P. (Eds.), 1994, Issues in Social Work: A Critical Analysis, Westport, CT: Auburn House. Nash, M., Munford, R., ODonoghue, K. (Eds.), 2005, Social Work Theories in Action, London: Jessica Kingsley. Norman, E. (Ed.), 2000, Resiliency Enhancement: Putting the Strengths Perspective into Social Work Practice, New York: Columbia University Press. Pardeck, T. J., 1988, Social Treatment through an Ecological Approach, Clinical Social Work Journal, Vol 16, No 1. Peters, M., Marshall, J., 1996, Individualism and Community: Education and Social Policy in the Postmodern Condition, London: Falmer Press. Plas, J., 1981, The Psychologist in the School Community: A Liaison Role, School Psychology Review, 10, 72-81. Tew, J. (Ed.)., 2005, Social Perspectives in Mental Health: Developing Social Models to Understand and Work with Mental Distress, London: Jessica Kingsley. Wilson, D. J., 1999, Indigenous South Americans of the Past and Present: An Ecological Perspective, Boulder, CO: Westview Press.

Distinction Between Absolute And Strict Liability Offences Law Essay

Distinction Between Absolute And Strict Liability Offences Law Essay In general, the criminal liability requires the proof of both actus reus and mens rea before convicting a person. When the necessity for the prosecution to prove mens rea (in the sense of intention, knowledge or recklessness) regarding the actus reus elements of the offence is disregarded, either expressly or impliedly, the offence in question is described as strict or absolute liability offence. What is the distinction (if any) between absolute and strict liability offences? The distinction can be seen by what the prosecution must prove. Strict liability offences do not require proof of mens rea in respect of at least one element of the actus reus, usually the essential element. However, proof of mens rea may be required for some of the elements of the actus reus. Absolute liability offences do not require proof of any mens rea element, but are satisfied by proof of the actus reus alone. The distinction can be seen by examining the issue of causation In strict liability, the prosecution is required to prove the causation of the actus reus and the offence. In Empress Car Co (Abertillery) Ltd  [1]  , the lordship said that, While liability [for water pollution] is strict and therefore includes liability for certain deliberate acts of third parties à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ it is not an absolute liability in the sense that all that has to be shown is that the polluting matter escaped from the defendants land, irrespective of how this happened. It must still be possible to say that the defendant caused the pollution. In absolute liability, however, a crime may not require any causation link at all, if the specified state of affairs exists. In Winzar  [2]  , the defendant was removed from a hospital by police and was then arrested and found guilty of being drunk on the highway, even though the police officers had put him there. The court held that it was enough to show that D had been present on the highway and was perceived to be drunk. It didnt matter that his presence on the highway was momentary and involuntary. The distinction can be seen by what defences are available to the defendant Many academic papers differentiate strict and absolute liability by the availability of the defence of honest but mistaken belief, which is a common law defence. Where it is available the liability is strict, where it is not available the liability is absolute. The situation becomes complex in case where defence are provided in the statue for the defendant to escape liability. If common law defence is held by court to be excluded from the offence, does the provision of statutory defence disqualify an offence from being absolute? In the case HKSAR v So Wai Lun  [3]  , the court of appeal has the opportunity to look into the case B (A Minor) v DPP  [4]  , and made the following observation. Section 5 of the Sexual Offences Act 1956 made it an offence for a person to have unlawful sexual intercourse with a girl under 13 while section 6 made it an offence in relation to girls under 16. Under section 6, a defence was expressly set out where the defendant, provided he was under the age of 24, believed the girl to be 16 or over Lord Steyn said à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦since section 5 contained no such defence, it plainly created an offence of absolute liability. So the court is suggesting that unlawful underage sexual intercourse, a traditional example of absolute liability, will not be considered as absolute liability per se in the present of statutory defence in provision. This observation is reaffirmed in the recent case Hin Lin Yee v HKSAR  [5]  by Ribeiro PJ in paragraph 198 (ii) and (iii). In other jurisdiction like Australia, the definition of absolute liability is even more blurred by the fact that common law defence like duress and self defence are available for absolute liability. How does one determine if an offence is one of strict or absolute liability? The question of whether a statutory offence requires proof of mens rea or is strict liability is treated as a matter of statutory construction, the statutory provision enacting the offence must be construed to determine the legislative intention. In Gammon (Hong Kong) Ltd  [6]  , the lordship has summarized the approach to the interpretation: There is a presumption of law that mens rea is required before a person can be held guilty of a criminal offence. The presumption is particularly strong where the offences is truly criminal in character. Truly criminal offence usually refers those dealing with violence against persons or property. The presumption is particularly strong due to the stigma that attached to the offence. The presumption applies to statutory offences, and can be displaced only if this is clearly or by necessary implication the effect of the statute. Sometimes the offence will expressly specify the type or level of mental fault by using words such as willfully, recklessly, carelessly, etc. In such cases, the court must then go on to define the precise meaning of those mens rea words. Where a statute is silent as to the mens rea for an offence, the courts must decide as a matter of general principle or statutory interpretation what level or type of mens rea applies. The only situation in which the presumption can be displaced is where the statute is concerned with an issue of social concern, and public safety is such as issue. Strict liability has often been imposed in regulatory offences concerning social concern and public safety, such as licensing, pollution, health and safety, driving offences, environmental offences and public health offences. Even where a statute is concerned with such an issue, the presumption of mens rea stands unless it can also be shown that the creation of strict liability will be effective to promote the objects of the statute by encouraging greater vigilance to prevent the commission of the prohibited act. In Lim Chin Aik v R  [7]  , the defendant had been convicted under the immigration laws of Singapore by remaining there (after entry) when he had been prohibited of entering. The aim of the law was to prevent illegal immigration. The defendant had no knowledge of the prohibition order and there was no evidence that the authorities had attempted to bring the prohibition order to his notice. Since there was nothing D could have done to determine whether a order had been made against him and thus ensure compliance with the relevant legislation, the Privy Council ordered that the offence was not one of strict liability because it did nothing to promote enforcement of the law. What policies are behind the creation of absolute and strict liability? It is said that the imposition of strict liability encourages greater observance of and compliance with law, especially to the employer who is vicariously liable to employees act, and this is particularly important where matters of public safety, public health and public welfare are concerned. High standards can be achieved and maintained only if those conducting activities involving risks to safety, health, the environment and so on are made to feel that it is not enough just to take reasonable care; they must take all possible care. Secondly, it is said that strict liability, by relieving the prosecution of the task of investigating and proving mens rea against an alleged offender, enhances the efficiency of our administrative and judicial systems. How do the concepts of absolute and strict liability assist or hinder the Prosecution, the Accused and the Court in a criminal trial? Prosecutor It relieves the prosecutor of the virtual impossibility of proving intent or knowledge of the wrongful conduct, particularly where the defendant was a company rather than an individual. No significant hindrance is observed for prosecution in regard to the application of concept. Accused Strict liability draw a clear line between legality and illegality, which may reduce the information cost for the accused to determine whether himself is guilty or not in some minor offence (e.g. speeding). Unnecessary legal fee may also be saved in this regard. On the other hand, the concept imposes liability on accused who have taken all possible steps to prevent the offence being committed and should not be blameworthy. The onus of proof is also reversed to the defendant side. Court The concept allows the court to strike down the many bogus defense that would otherwise succeed if excusable ignorance or mistake were always accepted as defense. On the other hand, the courts need to engage in time consuming debates about whether the legislature intended strict or absolute liability to apply. The difficulties in identifying strict liability offences can be seen from lack of clarity in judgements. Also, the court often need to justify the creation of strict liability does not per se contravene with the Bill of Rights.  [8]   Conclusion Overall I feel that strict liability is necessary, but that it should be used wisely and that statutes should be extremely carefully worded. Other jurisdiction is slowly moving away from creating new offences of strict liability and phasing out some of the older ones, or at least revising the statute and adding possible defences. Hong Kong should also revisit the issue and see if any improvement can be made.

Easter Uprising in Ireland Essay -- History Historical Irish Essays

Easter Uprising in Ireland On Easter Monday, April 24, 1916, a force of Irishmen attempted to seize Dublin, with the ultimate intention of eliminating British rule and creating a completely independent Ireland. Their leaders, such as Patrick Pearse and James Connolly, knew that they were destined to die, but saw the importance of independence, thus the rebellion was inevitable. In the eyes of many the rebellion was a complete failure, with the loss of lives and damage of buildings, but in the eyes of many Irish patriots the rebellion was a complete success as it promoted Irish nationalism and ultimately lead to an independent Ireland. The circumstances that lead to the rebellion are of an intense complexity, historical, social, political and psychological, and the rebellion itself has lasting impacts on society today. Since 1603, when Ireland was for the first time effectively united under British rule, Irish history has been dictated by the British, and the poor relationship between Ireland and Britain. The root of the problem was that Ireland was a mainly Roman Catholic country ruled by Protestant foreigners, colonial administrators acting on behalf of a Protestant Government far away. During the 18th century, the Irish Catholics were deprived of all rights, as one English judge brutally put it: â€Å"The law does not suppose any such person to exist as an Irish Roman Catholic.† The Irish could only assume that the English did not regard them as human beings at all, and this was clearly seen in the Great Famine of the 19th century. The Great Famine of 1845-1851 was crucial in shaping Ireland’s attitudes towards British rule and leading to the nationalism that provoked the eventual uprising of 1916. The peasants lived on potatoes, it was their only crop, and when the crop was killed by disease famine struck. The potato was primarily grown because it could produce a relatively high yield with little intensive care. Many though relied on the crop and that is why the famine of 1845-1849 was so catastrophic. Ireland had a population of 8 million before the famine, 1 million died from the famine and another 1-2 million immigrated to America. Ireland’s population, which had grown so strongly throughout the 18th century and early 19th century, had been shattered. The impact that the famine had on 1916 was simple: the English were blamed for the famine. Th... ...ellion can be seen to be an utter failure, but the bigger picture shows that the success of the rebellion can not be undermined, as it resulted in a great revival of nationalism and eventually, the establishment of the Republic of Ireland in 1948. In the book, The Modern World since 1870, it is said of Pearse: â€Å"Looking back one can see that his death lit a flame which illuminated Ireland’s path to independence†. It must be understood that the Easter Rising was never designed for military victory, it was in the desire of freedom, and in this regard the rebellion can not be seen as a ‘failure’. The Irish Rebellion, stemming from a history of oppression and neglect by the British, was always inevitable. Although the rising was a clear military failure, the legacy of the rising means that it can be seen as a success – it did achieve many of the aims of the leaders. The purpose of the insurrection was not to win the battle, but to leave the legacy to the Irish people that without struggle there is no progress. New nationalism was inspired, and in 1948, with the establishment of the Republic of Ireland, the rising was finally seen as a politically and socially successful movement.

The Universal Living Wage Essay -- Essays Papers

The Universal Living Wage In 1906 Father John Ryan, a renowned social and economic intellectual within the Catholic Church, published a book titled A Living Wage: Its Ethical and Economic Aspects. The book introduced to America workers the idea of a guaranteed minimum pay determined by the basic costs of living and set the stage for later minimum wage legislation during the 1930’s. Over the last decade, the idea of a living wage has resurfaced as workers have become more outspoken about the inadequacies of the federal and state minimum wage levels. Living wage legislation for government workers has taken effect in major U.S. cities such as Baltimore, Los Angeles, San Jose, Detroit, Boston, and many more. This paper will discuss the moral, social, and economic implications of instituting these laws as well as labor conditions around the world and the need for guaranteed living wages in countries such as India and Mexico. First of all, a clear definition of the living wage should be established. The Universal Living Wage Campaign Organization says that if a person works forty hours a week, a living wage should provide the worker and his/her dependents with proper nutrition, health care, housing, clothing, and transportation. Some debate has arisen around this definition though for a few reasons. First of all, the number of dependents the wage-earner must support has a huge impact on the calculation of the living wage. A wage-earner who only has to support himself can survive with a much lower wage than a wage-earner who must support a family of five for example, so how should legislation take this into account? If the idea of the living wage is to pay workers based on need, a law that provides a wage capable of supp... ...> - Clean Clothes Campaign. < http://www.cleanclothes.org/campaign/liwa99-11- 3.htm>. - â€Å"Universal Living Wage Effect on Business and Taxpayers†. http://www.nationalhomeless.org/ulwwhitepaper.html - Pritchard, Justin. â€Å"U.S. Study Concludes That 'Living Wage' Reduces Poverty†. < http://www.commondreams.org/headlines02/0314-03.htm >. 2002 - Coalition for Justice in the Maquiladoras. â€Å"New Study: Mexicans Unable to Live on Sweatshop Wages†. . 2001. - CFO â€Å"Protecting the Rights of Maquiladora Workers†. - Pritchard, Justin. â€Å"Study: Living Wage Laws Work†. http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2002/03/14/national/main503712.shtml - http://www.epinet.org/issueguides/minwage/figure1.gif

The Effects of Global Warming on the Great Barrier Reef Essays -- Geol

The Effects of Global Warming on the Great Barrier Reef Introduction Coral reefs around the world are in danger. One of the causes is global warming, which has been increasing the temperature of the ocean water resulting in coral bleaching. This essay will focus on damage occurring to the Great Barrier Reef. What is a Coral Reef? A coral reef is a ridge formed in shallow ocean water by accumulated calcium-containing exoskeletons of coral animals, certain red algae, and mollusks. Coral reefs are tropical, forming only where surface waters are never cooler than 20Â ° C (68Â ° F). The only difference between a barrier reef and a coral reef is that a barrier reef occurs farther offshore, with a channel or lagoon between it and the shore. The outer layer of a reef consists of living animals, or polyps, of coral. Single-celled algae called zooxanthellae live within the coral polyps, and a skeleton containing filamentous green algae surrounds them. The photosynthetic zooxanthellae and green algae transfer food energy directly to the coral polyps, while acquiring scarce nutrients from the coral. The numerous micro habitats of coral reefs and the high biological productivity support a great diversity of other life. The Great Barrier Reef The Great Barrier Reef is a chain of coral reefs in the Coral Sea, off the northeastern coast of Australia. The largest reef in the world, it extends about 1250 mi from Mackay, Queensland to the Torres Strait (between Australia and New Guinea.) The Great Barrier Reef is home to a remarkable number of organisms. The coral itself is made up of the skeletons of tiny, flowerlike water animals called polyps, held together by a limestone substance produced by a type of algae. Hundreds... ...bal Warming kills Great Barrier Reef coral http://www.usyd.edu.au/su/exterel/news/981008News/8.10.coral.html Coral bleaching http://www.uvi.edu/coral.reefer/bleach.htm Coral Reef http://encarta.msn.com/find/Concise.asp?z=1&pg=2&ti=050FE000 Coral reefs in peril worldwide http://usatoday.com/life/science/environ/lse011.htm Coral 'stress' worsening, expert says http://www.msnbc.com/news/287041.asp?cp1=1 Global warming http://encarta.msn.com/find/Concise.asp?z=1&pg=2&ti=03CCE000 Greenpeace reports threat to Great Barrier Reef http://www.wwinternational.com/pages/updatecontent/Reef.html Protecting Coral Reefs http://coralreef.gov/how.html What are Some Solutions to Global Warming http://www.geocities.com/RainForest/Andes/9520/whattodo.html What are the Causes of Global Warming? http://www.geocities.com/RainForest/Andes/9520/causes.html The Effects of Global Warming on the Great Barrier Reef Essays -- Geol The Effects of Global Warming on the Great Barrier Reef Introduction Coral reefs around the world are in danger. One of the causes is global warming, which has been increasing the temperature of the ocean water resulting in coral bleaching. This essay will focus on damage occurring to the Great Barrier Reef. What is a Coral Reef? A coral reef is a ridge formed in shallow ocean water by accumulated calcium-containing exoskeletons of coral animals, certain red algae, and mollusks. Coral reefs are tropical, forming only where surface waters are never cooler than 20Â ° C (68Â ° F). The only difference between a barrier reef and a coral reef is that a barrier reef occurs farther offshore, with a channel or lagoon between it and the shore. The outer layer of a reef consists of living animals, or polyps, of coral. Single-celled algae called zooxanthellae live within the coral polyps, and a skeleton containing filamentous green algae surrounds them. The photosynthetic zooxanthellae and green algae transfer food energy directly to the coral polyps, while acquiring scarce nutrients from the coral. The numerous micro habitats of coral reefs and the high biological productivity support a great diversity of other life. The Great Barrier Reef The Great Barrier Reef is a chain of coral reefs in the Coral Sea, off the northeastern coast of Australia. The largest reef in the world, it extends about 1250 mi from Mackay, Queensland to the Torres Strait (between Australia and New Guinea.) The Great Barrier Reef is home to a remarkable number of organisms. The coral itself is made up of the skeletons of tiny, flowerlike water animals called polyps, held together by a limestone substance produced by a type of algae. Hundreds... ...bal Warming kills Great Barrier Reef coral http://www.usyd.edu.au/su/exterel/news/981008News/8.10.coral.html Coral bleaching http://www.uvi.edu/coral.reefer/bleach.htm Coral Reef http://encarta.msn.com/find/Concise.asp?z=1&pg=2&ti=050FE000 Coral reefs in peril worldwide http://usatoday.com/life/science/environ/lse011.htm Coral 'stress' worsening, expert says http://www.msnbc.com/news/287041.asp?cp1=1 Global warming http://encarta.msn.com/find/Concise.asp?z=1&pg=2&ti=03CCE000 Greenpeace reports threat to Great Barrier Reef http://www.wwinternational.com/pages/updatecontent/Reef.html Protecting Coral Reefs http://coralreef.gov/how.html What are Some Solutions to Global Warming http://www.geocities.com/RainForest/Andes/9520/whattodo.html What are the Causes of Global Warming? http://www.geocities.com/RainForest/Andes/9520/causes.html

Violent Video Games Are Harmful to Young People

Violent video games can definitely be harmful to young people, especially very young, easily influenced children. Maybe they don’t affect each child the same, but I’m sure that there are times when they negatively affect the life of an adolescent. I would imagine that any one exposed to violence like some I’ve seen on some video games, would pick up the behavior subconsciously over time, even if they don’t consciously act violent. Sometimes young people who play games like these sort of separate themselves from reality, which leads to angry behavior.Other times, it leads straight to violence because that’s what these kids know and experience daily on the television screen. Everyone has heard the controversy surrounding the hugely popular Grand Theft Auto games. In which, young people steal cars and kill people for absolutely no reason. I see this as a perfect example. I wonder how often kids spend time playing this game, or others similar to it, and suddenly start acting out violently as a result. I believe that young people don’t always necessarily have the maturity to realize that video games aren’t real.It’s at these young ages that our lives are shaped, and we learn by example to become well rounded adults. If kids are constantly observing violence, then as they age they are sure to act violently or at least harbor a great deal of anger into adulthood. While I haven’t seen this happen first hand, I’m sure that this type of thing happens all the time with young people who play violent video games all the time. Doubt: I seriously have to wonder if violent video games are harmful to young people.It seems like blaming video games is the most pleasant way for parents to avoid taking the responsibility for raising a violent kid. It’s just like how so often people blame kids’ bad behavior on music or television shows. I’ve watched violent movies, heard violent music, even pl ayed violent video games, but I don’t run around killing people or robbing liquor stores. Does that mean that the games I played weren’t violent enough to affect me? If these games are so harmful to young people, then how did I avoid these harmful side effects of them?Furthermore, if violent video games have the potential to turn sweet little children into murderers, then why does our government allow them to be sold all over our country? To me it sounds awfully familiar to the concept that rock n’ roll taught children to be wild and rambunctious. Then there’s the claim that rap music makes kids hate women and sell drugs. Young people might be easily influenced, but they aren’t stupid. It all boils down to how they were raised. I think that violent adults are most likely the result of parents who didn’t do their jobs correctly when their children were young.I mean, give young people some credit, most of them turn out all right, despite the t hings they are exposed to on a daily basis. Assuming that violent video games makes every kid violent is like believing that every young person that observes a person smoking a cigarette is going to pick up the habit. Just because kids are young that doesn’t mean that they don’t have the brain to choose how they act. I know plenty of people who love violent video games, and who are not violent people. Therefore, it’s wrong to claim that violent video games are harmful to all young people.

Hypothesis Supply Chain Management in Today’s Business Climate

Gathering and distributing information is as old as the human race itself. From the early days of cave paintings to today†s modern computer databases, human being has constantly searched to improve the way we communicate. In the business climate of today you must either have a state of the art information network or no clients. The cutthroat world of bushiness is cruel if your company can not keep up with the cutting edge technology. The way to beat the competition is to have the most state of the art information gathering and distribution network. Having this type of network is not the only battle, being able to use this system properly comes in handy as well. This paper is a walk through of information technology as it relates Supply Chain Management. Along this journey stops in the past, present, and future are made. Hypothesis Supply Chain Management in today†s business climate is the wave of the future. The gathering and distribution of information is the most important task in business today. History of Information Technology The evolution of Information Technology starts from the inception of the human communication. The real leaps and bounds came at the birth of the computer. Previously gathering of information took place without the use of real technology. Granted the use of writing letters and the use of telephone and telegraph speed the flow of information. These early forms did not have great storage capacity or easy access by many parties. The best analogy to use is a row of matches all lined up end to end. Traveling from one end to the other is the way the precomputer days had information flowing. With the use of a computer as a distribution point the picture of the matches changes from the line to a circle, with the distributor in the middle reaching all concerned groups at the same time. This visual perception shows the need for Supply Chain Management. The reason for Supply Chain Management is to make money. The easiest way to do so is to save time and space. The quick distribution of information does both. Information technology was first used as just a simple and efficient way of giving information out within the company. The main reason that these first uses were so simple is that the computer was also in its developmental stages. (Gordon, 1996) The painful fact was as much as companies wanted to more utilize the technology at hand it was expensive and consumed rooms full of space. With the later development of the desktop workstation corporations were better able to put the information at the fingertips of all their employees. This giant leap in both computer technology and information technology paved the way for some of the Supply chain†s current uses. The previous uses where to gather information from satellite sites throughout the company's domain and bring this information back to a central processing point. Examples of the types of information transferred are employee and supplier records, inventories, and sales figures for the branch. This one way flow of information was the old school of thinking when it comes to the science of information management. Supply Chain Management says that you have your information flowing in more than one direction to work. Specific hardware changes that helped boost the importance of Supply Chain Management are the shrinking of both the size and cost of each computer. The reduced size of memory chips made for the easy shrinkage of the computer due to the large portion of space that this component takes up. Other hardware improvements include the reduced size of the tubes in the monitor making them less like the floor console televisions of old. Along with all of these improvements another strange thing happened, the price went down, as new technology became available. The use of the computer to distribute and gather information became affordable to all companies great and small. Increased storage capacity allowed companies to gather and hold more information at their fingertips. (Davidow, 1996) The other changes in Supply Management came in software development. The increased power of computers led software designers to actually create programs like databases and spreadsheets. The ease of use and organized storage of information made new programs appealing to the business world. The need to store and distribute information became the market niche for companies like Lotus, JD Edwards and Computer Associates. Addressing concerns such as security and accesses were two points of emphasis for corporate software buyers. The big hurdle to cross was not how to just gather information within your own organization but to also explore outside those boarders to gain more cost and time savings with suppliers and customers. The tool that answered this call was the development of the Internet and the World Wide Web. This network of computers combined with the new hardware allows for the communication of information around the world in seconds. The other thing the Internet brings to the table is information that any one could access even from the privacy of their homes. The important change here is now you can reach potential suppliers and customers very inexpensively. Remember that information is not just for company employees, but the consumer who likes to make informed purchases. Enhancement of networks and systems allows your suppliers to solicit you to meet your need. This is different from the old style in which you contact the vendor with a need. With all the legwork being done to provide your company it†s supply†s you can concentrate on giving the customer what they want. All this is possible from properly managing your Supply Chain (Ross et al. , 1996). Current Supply Chain Applications Companies use Supply Chains in many different ways that suit their business needs. A company like Mrs. Fields cookies uses its Supply Chain resources to gain valuable information about each of its branch stores material needs. Along with this flow of information to central spot, the company provides direction and guidance back to the store managers from afar. By evaluating sales and inventory data district mangers make recommendations as to sales improvements and continued growth. Projections on material usage and personnel decisions and scheduling are handled from a central point. Companies like Microsoft use information technology to direct a global customer base and handle questions and concerns surrounding their product. Microsoft customer service representatives handle hundreds of electronic messages sent via the Internet about the customer†s latest purchase. Other uses include companies like Martian Marietta who use information gathering through the internet and suppliers to bid lower on contracts. The company does this by sending out specs of the project and letting teams of manufacturing employees† design to way to build the product. All the product requirements go to the suppliers for quotes and delivery schedules. From there the information goes back to the sales force who puts a dollar figure to the bid. This information exchange takes usually less than one week while leading competitors take over months. The reason other take so long is because of the face to face meetings and data organization time. Martin Marietta†s quick turn time does more than allow the sales force to bid on many contracts but allows for very accurate price quotes as well. Today many companies use the Supply Chain in different ways to suit their own needs. The basic principals are still the same, gain information and mold it while cutting down on the time it takes to get material and distribute the product to the customer. Gordon, 1996) One of the major tools used today is the Internet. Firms throughout the world use this global communication medium. The biggest importance to companies is keeping them in touch with the doings of other similar companies around the world. Uses of the Internet include soliciting potential customers as well as finding out what the competition is doing. This inexpensive form of advertising has become a favorite for marketing directors of all firms. This new medium allows for the connection to previously unreachable markets. Some companies like Amazon Books are a virtual company using the Internet as its headquarters. What Amazon does is sell books, but instead of being located in the local mall their location is Amazon. om on the Internet. This is an example of a true virtual Supply Chain, by reaching customers and suppliers alike with out actually being there. To place an order all that is requires is to gain access to the virtual store and then find what book you are looking for. The book arrives at your door by any number of package carriers, with a savings of 15 % or greater over a local bookstore. The reason prices are so cheap is there are no locations to lease and few employees run a store that services literally millions of customers from one location. Importance of Information In today†s global economy the transfer of a company's information is a daunting task. The role of a CIO in today†s large companies is more important than ever. Some companies have given the CIO equal ranking to that of the CEO. The current structure of the economy dictates that a company must be able to manage its information and Supply Chain assets. The most important part of any organization is the people. Tapping the information that is available is the task of the CIO. The job of knowledge management falls as the responsibility of all employees, though the majority of the burden lies on the CIO. Guiding and directing the Information assets of the company is also a task of the CIO. Falling behind competitors is a dangerous proposition, utilizing all of your employees and suppliers is the only way to gain new information and stay one step ahead of the competition. (Davenport, 1996) Other current IT considerations include the cutting down on time and space between customer needs and the companies answer to those needs. A prime example is the American auto industry. In the 1970†³s the turn time for a concept car to make the production line was any where between three and five years. Now though the use of the Supply Chain automakers converse with what the customer wants then relays the information to the design team then to purchasing then finally on to the production team to complete the build. The current turn time is around 18 months. This is a time reduction of over 50%; the cost savings are tremendous. The implementation process takes less time and the customer gets more input to the final product. These are the ideal benefits of Supply Chain Management at work for you. Some companies have even passed some of the money they are saving back to the customer. (Gerkits, 1997) Asian companies have a great idea that relates to information technology and the Supply Chain. This idea is that they share information between competitors not just with suppliers and customers. The reason that they do this is to cut down on research and development costs. The Information Technology has endless possibilities in this field, a general storage position that is accessible by all parties. The idea is that you dump information into the pool and you pull out information that is beneficial to your organization. As the information resides in a database, a person has the opportunity to mold that knowledge and redeposit the information in the knowledge warehouse thus, synergy results. This above process allows for two plus two too equal 5 or more. This information sharing is a fairly new concept to American companies and especially new in the world of Supply Chain Management. The possibilities are endless provided that you control the flow of information and every participant is an equal benefactor. Rasmus, 1996) This sharing of in formation leads to the major concern of Supply Chain Management as it progresses into the next century. That is the issue of security, and how to control that sensitive information does not fall in to the wrong hands. Conceivably your company's information assets, the people, could sell your in formation to others on the world market. The business espionage game has become big money; companies will pay any price to get an edge. This scenario looks less likely with increased sharing of information. Security remains a real concern with the internal access to information. The problem comes when your supplier has permissions to your database and uses this information to unfairly compete with your customers. With all employees having new information at their fingertips how do you prevent retrieval of personnel files and trade secrets to those who do not have the need to know? The answer is in many of today†s current software packages; the main stream idea is to limit access. What a company can do is install the information transfer programs but only allow certain sections to certain people. This variety of system is very popular with today†s companies because it solves the problem and is very inexpensive. Remember that anyone who wants to crack your security system can if they spend the right amount of money and time. (Gopal and Gagon, 1995) Current Company Values Due to recent large jumps in the value of the Stockmarket some analysts have thrown out the theory that companies are over valued. This statement may be true under the old accounting principles where a company's worth is the amount of liquid assets it holds. With the increased emphasis on information technology and Supply Chain Management companies are being looked at in a new light, this light is that people are information assets. This notion makes it rather difficult to put a price on a company. People are now assets on a balance sheet because they can transfer information and add to existing information. The best way to picture this is that every employee has a nugget of information to give to each company. Each employee drops their nugget in the database with the others, but instead of forgetting it they are able to extract back out information. They take a look at all of the nuggets and add to them pool creating a new nugget. From the new knowledge someone else gains a new insight and then adds this information to the pool. This type of relationship is what makes the employees so valuable to your company and to those companies of your suppliers and customers. This is the best reason why the Stockmarket has set record highs in recent years. Investors know there is an X dimension to a company that does not show up on a balance sheet (Drucker, 1995). Future Implications of Supply Chain Management One of the changes that may occur is that employees could work at more than one place imparting information that they gain from other experiences. This takes consulting one step farther and hires workers out to the highest bidder. Imagine sitting at home working for Pepsi and Coke at their same time developing new manufacturing techniques. The reason you could do this is because of telecommuting and one company does not necessarily know that you work for the other. There is nothing wrong with collecting two salaries for the same amount of knowledge. The value placed on the information that people gather and distribute will increase for the future. The most important business task done today is to collect and distribute information for your company that was gathered from your suppliers and customers. Some other new ideas are to follow in Amazon. com†s footsteps and become a virtual storefront on the Internet. Some companies now use the Internet to control the total logistics of their operation from ordering to customer distribution. With the increased processing of information the customer has the ease of staying at home to make purchases. The new technology of the future brings so much more information to the table than in the past, with this increased amount of information people can make more informed choices in both purchasing and delivery (Coull and Rothman, 1993). Drawbacks of Supply Chain Management With information technology providing today†s managers with literally thousands of pieces of information on one topic how do they still make the right choice? The final decision on a problem or project rests in the hands of the same person it did before all this information was so readily available. The problem is too much information. This problem leads to thinking too long about a project and the window of opportunity closes before your company has time to react. The decision-makers of the company have to sort vast amounts of information sifting through to find the pieces that are most useful to them. Information overload is a very real problem with larger supplier and customer databases. The manager still makes the call, right or wrong on a decision. Hopefully they possess more information than in the past. One of the other problems with the Supply Chain is that when first put on the market it promised to reduce the number of workers there by increasing productivity. The problem is that Supply Chain Management has only displaced jobs and no real productivity gains show up in most sectors of the economy (Attewell, 1996). Other hindrances to Supply Chain Management include less face to face interaction. This is a problem mostly on a sales side of the house. Companies are now on a Just In Time delivery system that brings their goods to the factories when they are ready to use them. The ordering process for this system uses Supply Chain values. What happens is that a buyer's inventory's records post on the supplier's system. They have a min. max. system in place telling the supplier when to ship the product. This definitely cuts down on the number of people in business who come by to check inventory levels and see if you are ready to place another order. With the new inter-plant communication people see less and less of their co–workers and supervisors. Telecommuting has also taken off for some companies. This method of work has very little face to face dialog. The customer may lose out as well; they do not receive the face to face support that they have know in the past with a particular product. Even know some companies do not answer your questions about a purchase with a real person a canned message is on a computer with options. This method of customer service is less expensive for companies so expect this trend to increase. This problem is more one for Social scientist than for smart business operations. (Davidow, 1995) The final drawback is the value of your company. This is not only a problem for investors, but also when you go to borrow money. How do you determine the exact worth of the corporation? Earlier we learned that company now has more value placed on them than just the liquid assets. How does a lending institution loan money, certainly not on the value of people? They need hard assets to back up a loan. What we have is two different values of the same firm. The problem comes when your market value far exceeds your lending value. The reason is that you may need a certain amount for a loan to stay competitive, yet because of hard asset value you can not afford it. The sale of more stock is an option, yet companies may not want to put themselves in a position to have a hostile take over (Rayport and Sviokla, 1995). Conclusion As the technology of gathering and distributing information and supplies increases our business world faces problems. The positive aspects far outweigh the changes that companies will make to accommodate new Supply Chain assets. Companies are currently getting on board the information technology train; this trend appears to continue in the future. Over the history of humanity there has never been a lack of need for information. The science of Supply Chain Management can either make or break business today based on utilization of the service. The company that remembers employees now play a major role in adding data to the information warehouse will reap large rewards. The personal uses of Supply Chains are still a bit behind the business world but still make home life a lot easier by paying the bills electronically. The value system has a way of righting itself, so company values on both the market and in lenders' eyes will equal in the end. The best proof positive example that the use of Supply Chain Management works is with the U. S. automakers and the recent increases in market share they have seen. The turnaround owes its success to the faster processing of information, especially the desires of the customer. Supply Chain Management is the most important set of skills and tasks that a company has today.