Nursing education in the present-day Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Nursing education in the present-day - Essay Example The key to this problem is difference between expectations and reality. The university-workplace transition is, therefore, marked by the students' expectations of the graduate year and the hard reality that they encounter in the workforce setting (Heslop, L. et al., 2001). In response to this perceived gap and in response to the understanding that this will affect the employee satisfaction and employee retention, most of the hospitals developed transition programmes, such as, nurse externship that offered the fresh graduates scope to develop clinical skills enough to enter the formal work force. The conditions that promoted such a plan still exist, and now the authorities having seen the benefits of such transition programmes and having sensed the stresses commonly faced by new registered nurses are stressing on the successful transition of the new graduates to the registered nurse role (Starr, K., and Conley, V.M. 2006). The three factors inherent in special attention to the transition phase of a registered nurse are changes in nursing condition, changing nursing education and healthcare trends, and the reality shock that the new nurses experience. The other agenda was to ease the transition from a student to registered nurse by creating opportunities for the new nurses to acquire basic nursing skill competence and to develop confidence in practice (Allison et al., 1984). The benefits would be immense. If the registered nurses continue to work in the same environment in the second year of practice, the falls and falters of the first year in the phase of transition would enrich the nurses' experience and would allow them to develop a customized strategy for the same environment, if not by experience, at least by...Wellington: Ministry of Health, Published in January 2004 by the Ministry of Health, PO Box 5013, Wellington, New Zealand. Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain and British Medical Association ( 2000). Teamworking in Primary Healthcare. Realizing Shared Aims in Patient Care. London: Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain and British Medical Association.

Understand a Child and Young Persons Development Essay Example for Free

Understand a Child and Young Persons Development Essay Physical development 0-3 months New babies start swallowing and sucking reflexes begin. They grasp your finger if you put your finger in their palm. If babies are held up on their feet they usually make stepping movements. When babies hear a sudden sounds or a light is suddenly switched on they will startle by moving their arms outwards and clenching their fists. Towards the end of 3 months babies look less curled up and startles less as they get used to their new surroundings. 3-6 months- By now they have grown in height and have gained weight. Babies are likely to cry less and learn the difference between day and night and are able to sleep through the night. They will start to smile and the sound of their parent’s voice, and start to lift and turn their heads. 6-9 months- Babies are more alert and turn their heads to see what is happening, they showing they are enjoying themselves by smiling and making noises. They can now react out to grab a toy and pass it from one hand to another. They try to communicate by making noises back to you as if they are talking and answering your questions. They also try to grab the spoon when you are trying to feed them at this age. Babies sit up with a support of their high chair or a person or propped up with pillows. They start rolling on their back from their fronts. 9-12 months- Most babies by now are starting to crawl and finding their way around, even if it’s rolling or shuffling. They now sit out without any support and they want to explore so much more. They pick up objects and become more skilled at this. They feed themselves with their fingers. 1-2 years- At this age children can stand up and hold onto furniture, they can crawl very quickly and being skilled at using their hands. They get repeative with things they do such as taking hat off or pulling socks off, this also gets the adults attention. At 18months they begin to find their feet more and enjoy the freedom it gives them. They now can sit on toys and push themselves along with their legs for example- a small truck. 2-4 years- At 2 years old children move confidently and enjoy walking and being able to choose what they want to play with. They may start running and climbing at this age or it could take them till 3 years, depends on the child. They now enjoy pedaling a tricycle or pushing it along with their feet. Some children at this age can walk upstairs using alternative feet. 4-7 years- Children are now using their hands everyday for themselves enjoying activities such as coloring, painting, threading, pouring, controlling a mouse on the computer, and using scissors. They are also able to catch and throw a ball, kick and control a ball. Being to write and using more fine motor skills. 7- 12 years- At this age children find writing and reading a lot easier, handwriting becomes neater and drawings. Also cutting things out is more accurate. From 9 onwards they can now read, write , draw. They have greater coordination and speed when carrying out both fine and large movements, Such as running, football. 12-16 years- Physical changes start happening to the body to prepare for adulthood. Girl’s puberty starts around 11 years, whereas boys may not start until they are 13 or 14 years old. This can cause embarrassment and fell anxious. 16- 19 years- Body changes to prepare for adulthood. Boys may get beards and their voices may start to change. Girls around the age of 15 or 16 will have finished puberty, whereas the boys may have started age 13 or 14 and is likely to take about 3 years to complete. Intellectual and cognitive development 0-3 months- Babies will recognize the smell and sounds of parents voice, they may stop crying when this happens knowing that they are safe. They also try hard to focus on your face, but hold them 20-25 cm away from you as they may be able to see you. 3-6 months- They start to notice mobiles and other objects around them and watch people move around. 6-9 months- Babies explore objects with their mouth as well as their fingers. They will spend a lot of time sitting and playing. Around 8-9 months babies understand that objects and people still exist even when they are not in sight. This is where they make a fuss when their familiar career leaves the room. 9-12 months- They explore objects with their hands and mouth. They start to recognize the daily routine, e.g. know when its dinner time, or bath time they get excited when maybe you start running the bath or put them in their highchair ready for dinner. 1-2 years- Children at this age start to understand more of what is happening around them, they understand more of what is people said. They also have an enjoyment of pop-up toys and play with building bricks and do simple jigsaw puzzles. They recognize the daily routines such as becoming excited when they hear the bath water running as they know its bath time. They start to want some independence at this age, and are developing as individuals. 2-4 years- Children at this age play with small world e.g. farm animals, peppa pig and pretend in the role play area they act out everyday thing and copy what they may have seen at home. E.g. mum washing up or dad making the dinner. They become interested in mark making, painting and books. 4-7 years- They will start to plan their own play and have definite ideas of what they want to do and achieve, they are also becoming even more independent. Children at this age concentrate when activity is interesting to them and have the ability to count and do simple calculations. They also read books silently on their own. 7-12 years- Children at this age can read books silently on their own, they also organize their own play and games and can problem solve e.g. how to play a game. And they enjoy practical situations in which they have to work things out for themselves. 12-16 years- At this age children can problem solve and reason on their own, they also understand the more abstract concepts. They also may try to push the boundaries at home and question why they are in place. 16-19 years- Young people at this age have a higher level of skills such as computers, mobile phone and all the latest technology. And they explore their own identity and develop own personality and create their own space. Communication development 0-3 months- Babies start to cry when hungry tired or distressed, they also start to coo when contented for about 5 weeks. Babies cry to communicate their needs and parents may start to understand the different is types of cries. Babies may stop crying when they hear their parents soothing voice. 3-6 months- At this age babies will start to smile back when they see a smiling face they also start to show they understand a little of what is being said to them. They try to communicate back by cooing and gargling 6-9 months- Babies arms start lifting up to show their parents or carer they want to be picked up they show they understand a little of what is being communicated to them by smiling and squealing 9-12 months- Babies are developing language at this age, they start to make tuneful strings of babbling. They start to point fingers to draw attention of parents for objects they want and have an understanding of what some words mean e.g. get excited when they hear words such as drink or dinner. 1-2 years- At 1 year old strings of babbling are still they way in which babies try to communicate but are beginning to use first words which are usually noticed bye their parents or carers around the age of 13 months. Children at 18 months are still developing their language skills, they start to use a few words e.g. ‘ juice’ ‘muma’ ‘dada’ they understand a lot more of what adults are saying to them. Towards the age of two years they may have a vocabulary of up to 200 words 2-4 years- Children at this age start putting together two words such as ‘daddy gone’ and their speech begins to be understood by adults. By three years their language is really starting to develop they express their ideas and are even starting to use sentences. Children at this age start to pick up what is being said around them and may use this in their communication. 4-7 years- Speech is now easily understood they are beginning to develop friendships and enjo y communicating with their friends and asking them questions. At the age of 5 plus they have the ability to socialize such as beginning to hear and make jokes. 7-12 years- At this age they are telling a lot more jokes and enjoy chatting to their friends. They will start to have verbal arguments with friends and family they also can become persuasive and make deals with people. At 9 years old they can now read write and draw and show imagination. 12-16 years- At this age they have good reading and writing skills they also can be persuasive and make deals with adults and peers. They can use phones and other technologies to communicate such as instant messaging sites. 16-19 years- At this age the use of phones and technology is very important to them to communicate with their friends. Friends are very important at this age more important than being with their family because they feel they are better to go to for support and advice. Social, emotional and behavioral development 0-3 months- Babies love close contact between their primary carers , especially when their feeding. Babies smile when they are asleep and they begin to smile when content around 5 weeks old. 3-6months- They sleep a lot less at this age, and smile more often as they are alert of parent’s voice and movement. They enjoy bath time. 6-9months-Babies around 6 months are usually settled in a routine. They smile a lot when they are playing with familiar people. 9-12months- Babies try to stay close to their parents or carers at this age. They will protest when they leave the room as they know they are gone and it might work to get them to come back. 1-2years- Children at this age stay close to their parents or carers and can get anxiety if people they don’t know come over to them or pick them up. This is the age they become interested in playing with other children, and appear to have signs of temper and frustration. 2-4 years- Children at this age play next to other children but not necessary with them, they copy what other children do and put this into play. Temper tantrums can become more frequent at this age. By the age of 3 years some children may play with other children more and they become more cooperative in play. 4-7 years- At this age they start to play with other children and they begin to form friendships and know who they like to play with, and may seek this friend out to play with. They may have the odd argument with their friend over a toy but it is soon resolved. They also respond well to adults praise. 7-12 years- Children have stable friendships by now and are going over to friend’s houses for tea and maybe over night. They have enthusiasm when given responsibility. E.g. when asked to watch little brother or sister. 12-16 years- At this age they have very strong attachments with friends and this is very important to them. They may experience pressure at school and become anxious about going to school. They start to try and push boundaries in their relationships with their parents. 16-19years- Young adults have confidence and enjoyment when it comes to relationships with their peers. They may feel left out if they don’t have a group of friends. Behaviour could be linked to low self esteem which could lead to drinking, drugs and early promiscuity. Moral development 0-3months- Babies have their first smile at about 5 to 6 weeks old. 3-6 months- Babies show joy by smiling, cooing and laughing when they are fed, comfortable or safe. 6-9 months- At this age babies show joy by smiling, cooing and laughing when they are fed, comfortable or safe. They cry when distressed or unhappy. 9-12 months-Babies at this age have no understanding of right or wrong, but starts to understand word ‘NO’ when applied with a firm voice. 1 2 years Sensitive to adult approval and disapproval, despite tantrums and bursts of anger. No understanding of right from wrong, but understanding yes or no. 2-4 years –No understanding of right or wrong but start to follow simple rules most of time. By the age of 3 and a half they are beginning to know right from wrong and are more self-controlled and less aggressive. They want to be good, but is not yet sure how to carry out most promises. 4-7 years –Children at this age are willing to be good, but may tell lies or blame others for doing wrong because of intense desire to please and do right. 7-12 years –Children at this age may experience guilt and shame. They have difficulty admitting mistakes. Is aware of right and wrong and they want to do right. 12-16 years –Children by now know right and wrong, they try to weigh up alternatives and make some decisions alone .And are usually reasonably thoughtful and at this age they are unlikely to lie. 16-19 years –Young adults at this age experiences feelings of frustration, anger, sorrow, and isolation. May become confused and disappointed and this could result in being interested in early promiscuity as response to physical-emotional urges.

Social Work :: essays research papers

Service Learning Research Paper Dictionary.com defines homelessness as the state or condition of having no home (especially the state of living in the streets), people without homes considered as a group, having no home or haven. The homeless are the most noticeable of America’s social tribulations. You can see homeless individuals everywhere in cities, town, suburbs, and rural areas. Believe it or not everyone has a reason to why they are homeless.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Well if that is the case, why do many individuals choose to be homeless is the question? Who are the homeless? Are they comfortable with their living situation? Do they have any family? What are wrong with shelters? Who actually goes to shelters? These are many questions you ask yourself. As an issue homelessness first really hit the public consciousness in the early 1980s. By 1987, the federal government had decided to help, passing the McKinney Act, which directed federal money to support homeless shelters. Yet 15 years later, the cycle continues.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"It has been suggested that newly homeless people are more likely to bypass the shelters and use their homeless assistance money to stay in a motel. Because the government assistance is not sufficient to help the most needy† (Seltser & Miller, pg 48). Again you ask yourself what is the meaning of being homeless? Just think about people who sleep on a park bench thinking warm thoughts, while you’re sleeping in a bed as comfortable as a cloud. Talley, Eitzen, & Timmer stated that, public welfare fails to supply adequate levels of wages and housing support that would avoid them from becoming homeless. People might lose their homes due to loss of employment, overwhelming medical expenses and debt, or domestic violence. Homelessness can affect people of any age or gender, but the majority of homeless people are elderly men, single women with young children, and teens who have run away from home. You can categorize homelessness as a social class. Race also plays an important role, since people of color are among the extremely poor. There are people with many different problems that force then to become homeless. They do however all have one thing in common they have nowhere to live. Some factors that contribute to homelessness in America that make it unpreventable are the lack of education, economic factors and mental illness. Lack of education is something that is looked down upon in today’s society.

Dylan Thomas :: essays research papers fc

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Dylan Thomas combines his vibrant imagery with his adolescent experiences in South Whales and London to produce the realistic tale â€Å"The Followers†. His interest in writing short stories like â€Å"The Followers† stems from the beginning part of his life.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Thomas spent his days growing up in Swansea, South Whales with his father, a grammar school English teacher. His father encouraged his early interest in reading and writing. Some of his early poetry was published in local literary writing journals. Thomas grew up in the late 1920’s and the 1930’s. â€Å"In the 1930’s, when the trend toward social and political commentary dominated the arts, Thomas began pursuing more personal themes that originated in his own experiences† (Gunton and Harris 358). Thomas would then incorporate these experiences into his poetry. For example, the poem â€Å"The Ballad of the Long-Legged Bait† is about a fisherman he probably saw around growing up in Swansea. In 1934 Thomas began moving between London and several villages where he started drinking a lot and â€Å"epitomized the raucous image of an artist† After WW II, Thomas began writing more short stories rather than poetry (Gunton and Harri s 358).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Much earlier stories focus on a theme of either birth or death. Because of this, Thomas’s early period has been called his â€Å"womb-tomb† era (Gunton and Harris 358). As Thomas’s writing style evolved, he would begin to experiment with new techniques. He started using vibrant images and using sound as â€Å"verbal music†, creating his own poetic style (Gunton and Harris 358). However, many times Thomas will try to convey emotions that are too complex for any lyrical treatment. Other times the opposite can be true and he gives too intricate an elaboration to simple feelings (Olsen 366). These elements of Thomas’ style are evident in his poems and stories, such as â€Å"The Followers†.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The roster of characters in â€Å"The Followers† are the unnamed narrator, his good pal Leslie, and a girl whom they call â€Å"Hermoitte Weatherby†. The narrator and Leslie meet in a pub on a rainy, London night. They leave after a while, due to lack of funds and decide to have a spot of fun by following a girl they don’t know (Hermoitte) to her home. They spend the evening watching â€Å"Hermoitte† and her mom doing a lot of nothing they are discovered by them and a third unknown voice inside. They flee their window perch in a hurry and call it a night.

Matsushita and Japan’s Changing Culture Essay

1. What were triggers of cultural change in Japan during the 1990s? How is cultural change starting to affect traditional values in Japan? Cultural change in Japan during the 1990s has a few factors. One of them was the richer society. The society being richer than the previous times made the new generation feel that they had greater opportunities rather than being tied to a company for life and being a â€Å"salary-man†. The western culture was also a big influence in this respect. The laying off of older workers also made them believe that loyalty to a company might not be reciprocated. Cultural change is starting to affect the traditional values in Japan. Values like strong group identification, reciprocal obligations and loyalty to their company are being taken over by individualism and lack of loyalty. People don’t want to be tied to a company for life anymore. 2. How might Japan’s changing culture influence the way Japanese businesses operate in the future? What are the potential implications of such changes for the Japanese economy? Japan’s changing culture will influence the way Japanese businesses operate in the future. Companies might change their benefits and pay structure from traditional retirement plan structure. They might allow employees to choose from different type of employment contracts where they can choose greater salary to forego company housing, lifetime employment guarantee, seniority benefits and retirement bonuses. The potential implications of such changes in the Japanese economy might be the rise of a dynamic workforce with ambitious individuals who would be rational and logical in their thinking. This workforce can be the agent of the economic growth of Japan in the future. 3. How did traditional Japanese culture benefit Matsushita during the 1950s-1980s? Did traditional values become more of a liability during the 1990s and early 2000s? How so? The traditional Japanese culture helped Matsushita achieve its goals during the 1950s – 1980s because in response to all the benefits Matsushita gave to its employees, the employees worked hard for the greater good of the company. The employees were given guaranteed lifetime employment and so the employees never left the company. Matsushita took care of them from â€Å"cradle to the grave† by bestowing â€Å"blessings† on employees. The traditional values did become liability during the 1990s and early 2000s because the company faced financial crisis and its growth slowed down, but it couldn’t lay its  employees off because of the lifetime employment guarantee. 4. What is Matsushita trying to achieve with human resource changes it has announced? What are the impediments to successfully implementing these changes? What are the implications for Matsushita if (a) the changes are made quickly or (b) it takes years or even decades to fully implement the changes? With the human resource changes it has announced, Matsushita is trying to achieve a younger workforce that is encouraged with individuality, initiative taking and risk seeking. It wants its young managers to become rational and logical, ambitious and aggressive, and at the same time to create an organization that can carry out their ambitious plans. One of the impediments to successfully implementing these changes is the lifetime employment commitment, which held Matsushita back from cutting off unnecessary management staffs. Also, the existing managers are performing poorly because of their old way of doing things. Again, since it cannot lay workers off, it has to cut back on its hiring and this is triggered by the slow growth rate. Implications for Matsushita: (a) If changes are made quickly, the company would have a dynamic workforce that would increase the growth rate. But that would lack the loyalty of its employees, which is still a very strong force to keep the company going. (b) If Matsushita takes too much time, it might fall back and become unable to revolutionize its workforce. If old employees do not make way for new employees, the company will have a slower growth rate with an aging workforce. 5. What does the Matsushita case teach you about the relationship between societal culture and business success? The Matsushita case teaches us that societal culture and business success are very closely related. This is because the culture in the organization is a very important driver of its success and this culture is shaped and determined by the existing culture of the society.

Cisco Global Business Strategy

Cisco Global Business Strategy Introduction The current competitive business world has presented many opportunities and challenges to different companies. This is as far as globalization is concerned. Different companies have been enhancing their operations to reach a wide market through globalization. The main aim of this report is to asses Cisco Systems Inc in relation to its strategic positioning in the market.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Cisco Global Business Strategy specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More In this case, the report will analyze and evaluate various strategic challenges that the company is facing. As a matter of fact, these strategic challenges will be looked at after a clear assessment of the company has been done. This is because every global or multinational company like Cisco Systems Inc is expected to encounter such challenges in the course of doing business. The report will also carry out a PESTEL analysis. This will be don e to evaluate the current external environmental conditions that the company is facing in its operations. It should be known that every company is exposed to different external environmental conditions that can end up affecting its operations and business. In a broad perspective, the report will evaluate if Cisco Systems Inc is strategically positioned in the market to exploit its strengths and on the other hand defend itself against its own weaknesses. In this case, the report will evaluate if the company’s current strategy is in deed sustainable. This will be done using Michael Porters Five Forces and Three Generic Strategies. As a matter of fact, the current competitive business world offers many opportunities to Cisco Systems Inc. In this case, there are some common urgent issues that the company needs to deal with as far as its global strategy is concerned. Therefore, the report will recommend a good course of action that can be undertaken by the company to deal with suc h issues. Wholesomely, the report will give various recommendations that can be used by the company to enhance its global competitive as far as strategic positioning is concerned. History Cisco Systems Inc is an American global company. The company develops and sells different consumer electronics in various countries. In addition, the company is a big player in communications technology and networking. As a matter of act, it offers different services as far as these aspects are concerned. The company’s headquarters are located at San Jose in California (Bunnell 2000, p. 14).Advertising Looking for report on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The company has more than 70, 714 employees. In 2010, it is estimated that the company will receive revenues of more than $40 billion (Cisco 2010, p. 16). As a matter of fact, it is rated as one of the world’s largest technological corporations. I n addition, the company trades its stocks on the Dow Jones stock exchange market. It should be known that the company was founded in 1984. As a matter of fact, the company’s name was derived from the name San Francisco (Cisco 2010, p. 6). In a broad perspective, Cisco Systems Inc was one of the first companies to sell good routers that had the capacity deal with a large number of network protocols. Currently, its routers are widely used in different countries to enhance the delivery of IP packets. The company has been acquiring other companies to enhance its product base and bring in new talent that can help it to advance its operations. An example of these companies is Stratacom that was acquired to bring in new products. In 2000, the Cisco Systems Inc was the most valuable company around the world (Cisco 2010, p. 12). This was as far as its market capitalization was concerned. Strategic challenges Like every other technological company, Cisco Systems Inc is facing various c hallenges that need to be looked at. These challenges have been increasing as time goes by in relation to various and distinct prevailing market conditions (Paulson 2001, p. 17). As much as the company has faced different strategic challenges, it is the market leader in switches and routers. This can be evaluated from an enterprise and service provider point of view. One of the major strategic challenges that the company is facing is the fact that sales in the USA market are declining as time goes by. In this case, the company has a challenge to look for other markets to enhance its growth (Cisco 2010, p. 16).Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Cisco Global Business Strategy specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Another strategic challenge that Cisco Systems Inc is facing can be seen in the erosion of margins in its existing markets. This has been brought about by increased competition in the global technological industry. Such issues have ended up affecting the company’s sales and revenue projections in a broad way. The company has to face new- low cost competitors in the market and this is a very big strategic challenge (Cisco 2010, p. 19). Low cost competitors have emerged because of various advancements in technology. This ends up giving them an advantage in the market. Cisco Systems Inc’s core technologies have been commoditized in the market and this is a strategic challenge that needs to be looked at. As much as USA accounts for 13% of Cisco Systems Inc’s market share, total sales have been declining because the market is saturated (Cisco 2010, p. 10). As a matter of fact, demand is softening in this market and the company needs to be creative and innovative to increase its overall demand and sales. PESTEL Analysis A PESTEL analysis is very important in assessing the current environmental conditions that Cisco Systems Inc is facing in the market. In this case, it is done t o analyze various economic, social, political, environmental, legal and technological issues that affect the company and its operations (Traverso 2000, p. 21). Cisco Systems Inc is a global company and is therefore exposed to various macro environmental issues that define the way it conducts its business and operations. Cisco Systems Inc has to contend with various economic factors that it is facing in the market. Recently, there was the global financial crisis that had its effects on different businesses.Advertising Looking for report on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More This means that various economies have not recovered as expected and the company needs to come up with good mitigation measures (Soederbaum 2008, p. 18). As a matter of fact, sales have been adversely affected in countries that were seriously hit by the global financial crisis. Because the company is a global player, it has been affected by exchange rate variations. This is because it sells its products in different countries with diverse and distinct currencies. It should be known that exchange rate variations keep on changing as time goes by. This is in relation to prevailing market conditions and scenarios (Moore 1995, p.9). Therefore, for the company to return to profitability, it has to trade carefully as far as the global financial crisis is concerned. This is because there has been a gradual return to normalcy in relation to the global financial crisis. In this case, economic uncertainty has affected the company’s profits in different markets. This is because there is a slow growth in GDP in other developing countries. There are other political factors that have ended up affecting the company’s operations. Different countries have had networking restrictions as far as the company’s business is concerned (Cisco 2010, p. 29). This has reduced its growth momentum in such countries. In most occasions, such countries have strict rules that are supposed to be adhered to. Cisco Systems Inc has to deal with various legal issues when it is establishing its operations in different countries. Some of these legal issues can either favor the company or work against the company. In this case, the company has been at the mercy of different legislations from various countries. Such legislations have political inclinations and can therefore be done with vested interests. In extreme cases, the company has been accused of being involved in China’s censorship issues. As a matter of fact, the company has been blamed for supplying China with the e quipment that it used to block internet sites (Slater 2003, p. 17). Such political issues have affected the company’s image in the global market. In this case, the company argued that it did not specifically supply China with the equipments that it used to block internet sites but it was doing business with no vested interests. Different countries have their own tax systems that are supposed to be adhered to. Some of this tax systems and policies might have serious implications for the company in different markets (Wright 2004, p. 14). This is because some countries levy large tariffs and quotas with an aim of protecting their home industries. In 2007, the company was accused for tax fraud in Brazil. Technology has been advancing as time goes by (Stauffer 2001, p. 23). As a matter of fact, Cisco Systems Inc is a technological firm with global operations. This means that it has to face various technological issues in enhancing its operations. The growth rate of technological a dvancements has been very high in recent years. This means that other technologies have been wiped out and made obsolete. In this case, Cisco Systems Inc has been forced to invest in research and development to come up with new products as far as technological advancements are concerned. It should be known that new technology has created new products in the global market. To remain competitive, the company has been coming up with new products in relation to existing market trends and dynamics. This therefore explains why the company has been acquiring other technological companies as time goes by (Waters 2002, p. 21). As far as technological forces are concerned, companies can effectively enhance their technological processes to reduce operational costs. This helps to improve on the quality of products through vibrant innovation activities. The company is currently exposed to a lot of social issues that need to be dealt with. Technology moves with existing market trends and dynamics (Wright 2004, p. 19). This means that the current consumer is very demanding and needs new products every now and then. In a broad perspective, there are various social trends in the market. These forces have an impact on the overall demand that a given company will have in the market. Markets like the UK have an ageing population that needs a lot of investment in pension payments. When announcing its Q4 results, the company implied that it has conservative customers (Cisco 2010, p. 29). This means that such customers are very cautious about the economy and will therefore limit their spending and investments. The technological industry has one of the most unpredictable social trends. This implies that customers want new experiences every now and then. In this case, the company has been forced to source for new talent to enhance its operations and market presence. The company has not been exposed to a lot of environmental issues. This is because most of its products do not need a lo t of environmental assessment (Young 2001, p. 18). The only issue has been the company’s ability to comply with various environmental requirements and expectations. In this case, the company has to look at all environmental issues when it is designing its products. This is because technology has an impact on the environment and should be evaluated for sustainability. All this factors are very important in coming up with a strategic management plan. Because Cisco is a global player in the technological industry, it needs to assess such aspects for its own sustainability (Young 2001, p. 18). This is because such macro environmental issues influence a business and its operations. Economic indicators will continue to play an important role in a company’s growth plans and future prospects. Current strategy and positioning Cisco Systems Inc is currently the world largest company in networking for the internet (Cisco 2010, p. 9). The company has been growing because of its ab ility to handle various external and internal business factors. All along, the company has focused on its core business by engaging in effective strategic partnering. To remain competitive, the company has maintained a positive cash flow as time goes by. This has enabled it to compete well with other competitors in the market. In a broad perspective, the company has built its core strategy by being customer centered. This means that its current business strategy is very competitive and sustainable (Cisco 2010, p. 15). In this case, all technological companies should continue being customer centered to enhance their market share. This is because customers can shift their attention and loyalty depending on their tastes and preferences. In this case, a company should occasionally consult customers to understand their needs. Porters’ five forces help to analyze an industry and enhance the development of a given company’s strategy. The bargaining power of customers has been increasing as time goes by (Porter 2008, p. 17). This is because the current consumer is more informed and demanding. As a matter of fact, e-business has been affected by distinct customer preferences. This is because customers want more personalized products. In extreme cases, they want such products to be delivered at their own convenience. To remain competitive, the company has come up with customer centered products to satisfy their individual needs and preferences. As a matter of fact, the company offers highly responsive services to its customers. Since its creation, the company has been moving products to customers (Cisco 2010, p. 16). As a matter of fact, the company has a lot of business processes to the internet as time goes by. The global technological industry has a lot of competitive rivalry. This has enhanced the emergence of various low cost companies. Such companies are threatening the existence of established companies like Cisco Systems Inc. In extreme cases, tech nological advancements have brought in new companies in the market. Therefore, the company has been forced to come up with new ways of doing business to remain competitive. In this case, the company has occasionally developed new products to keep off competition. Government policies have been encouraging technological advancements and that is why many companies have taken advantage of such provisions to establish their presence in the market (Slater 2003, p. 14). Competitive rivalry has also been intensified through various innovations that have taken place in the industry. The company’s strategy is very sustainable because it has been attracting new talent to enhance product development. There is a high threat of substitute products and services in the global technology industry. The existence of substitute products has increased buyers’ ability to switch products according to their needs. As a matter of fact, there are a lot of substitute products in the market (Wate rs 2002, p. 16). To remain sustainable, the company has built a good relationship with customers. This has been done by occasionally coming up with new products in relation to their needs at a particular time. The company relies on proper utilization of the internet to enhance its operations. Such aspects have seen it become one of the most successful technological companies in the world. As a matter of fact, the company has driven e-business to customers to enhance its performance. The bargaining power of suppliers for technological companies has been increasing in recent years. This is because technological companies have come up with better ways of doing business. In this case, suppliers can switch to different companies in relation to the prevailing market switching costs (Soederbaum 2008, p. 14). All this withstanding, the company has an effective distribution channel that it has used to enhance its operations and activities in the market. This has been done through good strate gic partnerships and relationships with different suppliers in the market. Although this has been improving as time goes by, the company has projected that it will experience different supply chain constraints that are expected to affect its 2010 financial performance (Cisco 2010, p. 18). The number of new competitors in the industry has also been increasing in relation to market needs and trends. This has always threatened the company’s core business. For sustainability, the company has come up with better ways of doing business. This revolves around new approaches to strategic management. In extreme case, the company has occasionally developed new products to remain competitive. Cisco Systems Inc’s success and continued profitability can be attributed to proper enforcement of porters’ three generic strategies. The company’s segmentation strategy has been very effective in penetrating new markets (Cisco 2010, p. 12). In this case, it has identified diffe rent market segments that need to be attended to. As a matter of fact, the company has differentiated its products to compete well with other market players and companies. This is because customers want new and effective products in the market. The company’s cost leadership strategy has enabled it to appeal to different price sensitive consumers. As a matter of fact, the company has always come up with good prices to suit its target market. This is because its serves different clients with distinct needs. In a broad perspective, the company was able to save $ 1.5 billion dollars in 2009. This was done through effective cost avoidance and increased operational efficiency in its operations around the world. Cisco Systems Inc has a good strategic scope that has focused on effective customers’ needs delivery. In this case, the company competes in all market segments. Globalization has come up as a new way and approach of doing business (Cisco 2010, p. 14). To show how stra tegic the company is, it provides internet protocol to all businesses around the world. This means that the company has strategically positioned itself in the market to serve various market needs and interests. Urgent issues Cisco Systems Inc has to deal with various issues as far as its global strategy is concerned. The company has been receiving criticisms in relation to its global activities. Such criticisms include the China censorship issue that gave the company a bad image. To solve such issues, the company should be open about its business activities and operations (Cisco 2010, p. 26). This is because customers might not want to associate themselves with a company that colludes with other governments to infringe on the rights of internet consumers. The company has also been facing legal lawsuits in different countries. These lawsuits have been advanced by various organizations and companies in relation to its activities and operations. An example of such a lawsuit is the shar eholder class issue where the company ended up paying $ 91.75 million (Cisco 2010, p. 11). In this case, the company should review it’s cooperate practices to avoid any controversies. It should be known that the company is experiencing supply chain constraints that need to be attended to for sustainability. This is because the global market is vey competitive and such incompetency’s can end up being costly to the company. Such an aspect can be looked at by evaluating the company’s component lead time that is supposed to be improved as time goes by (Cisco 2010, p. 13). The company should ensure that it reduces its supply chain constraints to remain competitive. The company needs to review its strategy to reflect the current global financial crisis’s real market situation. This is because there is a market uncertainty that has seen many countries experience slow GDP growth rates (Cisco 2010, p. 9). Such an aspect is expected to affect the company’s r evenue projections. In this case, the company should come up with better ways of enhancing its sales and revenues. Another urgent issue is the slow recovery from the global financial crisis than it had been projected. As a matter of fact, the company’s customers have ended up being cautious in their spending. Because these customers are re-evaluating their spending, the company should come up with a new approach to marketing to enhance its sales and operations. The company should also deal with an unfavorable product mix. This is because it has been introducing new products in the market every now and then. As a matter of fact, sales of its core products; switches and routers have dropped by 1.4% in the third quarter of 2010 (Cisco 2010, p. 23). There is also an impact of different government regulations. This has affected its sales margins in different ways. In this case, it should clearly evaluate markets before launching its operations. Conclusion and recommendation Like e very other technological company, Cisco Systems Inc is facing various challenges that need to be looked at. These challenges have been increasing as time goes by in relation to the prevailing market conditions. One of the major strategic challenges that the company is facing is the fact that sales in the USA market are declining as time goes by. In this case, the company has a challenge to look for other markets to enhance its growth. Therefore, it is recommendable for the company to enhance product development to remain competitive. The company should also exploit other emerging markets for sustainability. It will also be advisable for the company to engage in strategic alliances to increase its market share. In a broad perspective, Cisco Systems Inc should enhance its relationship with customers to know what they want in the market. This will enhance the company’s competitive advantage as time goes by. Reference list Bunnell, D., 2000. Making the Cisco Connection: The Story Behind the Real Internet Superpower. New York: Wiley. Cisco., 2010. Products and Services. Web. Moore, M, H., 1995. Creating Public Value: Strategic Management in Government. Cambridge: Harvard University Press. Paulson, E., 2001. Inside Cisco: The Real Story of Sustained MA Growth. New York: Wiley. Porter, M.E., 2008. The Five Competitive Forces That Shape Strategy. Harvard: Harvard business Review. Reichheld, F., 1996. The Loyalty Effect. Boston: Harvard Business School Press. Slater, R., 2003. The Eye of the Storm: How John Chambers Steered Cisco Through the Technology Collapse. New York: HarperCollins. Stauffer, D., 2001. Nothing but Net Business the Cisco Way. New York: Wiley. Soederbaum, P., 2008. Understanding Sustainability Economics. London: Earthscan. Traverso, D., 2000. Outsmarting Goliath. New York: Bloomberg Press. Waters, J. K., 2002. John Chambers and the Cisco Way: Navigating Through Volatility. New York: Wiley. Wright, R., 2004. A Short History of Progress. Toronto : Anansi. Young, J. S., 2001. Cisco Unauthorized: Inside the High-Stakes Race to Own the Future. New York: Prima Lifestyles.

Michael Vs. Sonny essays

Michael Vs. Sonny essays At a first glance Michael and Sonny appear to be quite different. Upon further observation, however, they have some similarities. Although they are different in areas of personality, values, and their tempers, they are similar in areas of loyalty, their respect for their father, and their strong family ties. Their personalities are quite different. Sonny is brash and arrogant, where Michael is calm and cool. When Don Corleone was in the hospital and Sonny is in charge, the family got kind of careless. He doesnt seem to care what could happen due to his actions. He wants to kill the police captain and doesnt think about the repercussions. Tom has to tell him that it wouldnt be good to kill a cop, but they end up doing it anyway. I think Michael was pushed into it because of his loyalty to the family. He is more calculating in manner. Near the end when he takes care of all the family business on the day of the Baptism is a prime example of this. Because he was this way, the objects of his violence had no idea that it was coming. Their values are another way that they differ. Michael is a man of honor. He doesnt run around having affairs with different women. He only marries twice because his first wife was killed in the explosion. Sonny is an adulterer. He is with another women during his sisters wedding, along with a few other times throughout the movie. Their tempers were not nearly the same. Sonny had a bad temper, while Michael did not. Sonnys temper ended up getting him killed. He flew off the handle when he found out that his sister had been beaten and ran out of the house without anyone with him. During those times he should have known better, but all he had on his mind was vengeance. Michael on the other hand is fairly calm about things. He knows that Carlos was involved in Sonnys death, but he lets it go until it is time to deal with it. ...

15 Tactics To Boost Twitter Engagement Backed By Research

15 Tactics To Boost Twitter Engagement Backed By Research Imagine standing in a room full of people while presenting a speech. Now keep in mind, this is one of the best speeches you’ve ever given. It’s filled with creative ideas and useful information you know your audience will love. The only problem isnobody in the room is listening to you. Now imagine you are publishing content on Twitter. This is the best content you’ve ever produced. Except this time, no one is clicking on the link you provided or even bothering to look at the graphic you’ve designed for it. This is what the content marketing world likes to call engagement. When it comes to using Twitter, your job is to maximize engagement on every piece of content you send out. But how? By the end of this post, you will become a Twitter engagement mastermind. 15 Tactics To Boost Twitter Engagement Backed By Research1. Use Images To Increase Retweets By 150% In order for your audience to engage with your posts and click on your content, they need to actually see what you’re posting. One of the best ways to make your content stand out is by adding an image. Buffer found that sharing images on Twitter increases retweets by 150%. Including a large image with a short summary of text on Twitter is more visually appealing than a text-only post. In fact, research shows that users engaged at a rate 5X higher  when an image was included. Go forth engage your audience with these tactics https://t.co/CwTHAbcrsa pic.twitter.com/mhMfzzGjyp (@) August 14, 2016 Include an image in every post for 35% more retweets. Images can be anything from pictures and screenshots to mini infographics and charts. Make sure your visual is directly related to the content it’s tied with. Recommended Reading: How To Make The Best Social Media Images The Easy Way (+84 Free Images) 2. Use Memes and GIFs To Show Personality Aside from adding an image to your tweet, you can use memes and GIFs when publishing your content on Twitter. This adds a fun spin to your plain post and will be too irresistible for your audience to scroll past. â€Å"GIFs are a great way to showcase your brand's personality, stay trendy, and have fun† -HeyOrca. Twitter has made it easy to add GIFs by doing all the work for you within the tweet box. All you have to do is choose an appropriate GIF from the drop-down menu or search for a specific genre in the search box. Memes and GIFs are becoming extremely popular among top companies.  At , we’ve recently started using memes and GIFs on Twitter and have found that they receive far more likes and retweets than regular images. You had a hard week! Relax today...it can wait till Monday! pic.twitter.com/I7NyU9ON2A - (@) August 12, 2016 Use real-life pictures of employees to show a true look inside the company, versus internet memes, gives a personal feel and helps build the  story behind your brand. GIFs are a great way to promote special offers and events. Memes and GIFs help you connect with your fans and followers in a new way because they sometimes convey emotions much better than text or photos or even videos. Use the correct  sizing  for GIFs and memes and don't forget to add a witty caption. 3. Create Twitter Polls To Engage With Followers People are often willing to provide you their opinion- and this is especially true on social media networks. Twitter polls are  a great way to engage  your followers and obtain valuable information about your customer base.  It also shows your followers that you care about their opinions, which in turn helps to build trust and loyalty, further strengthening your brand identity and reputation. To create a Twitter Poll: Open your Twitter page on a web or mobile device, click the Tweet button in the top navigation bar. Click the Add poll icon located in the bottom left corner. Type your poll question into the main compose box. Insert your first poll option into the Choice 1 box, followed by your second poll option into the Choice 2 box. Click  + Add a choice  to add additional options to your poll. You can  have up to four options per poll. A poll automatically defaults to run for 1 day. You can change the duration of your poll by clicking 1 day and adjusting the days, hours, and minutes.  The minimum amount of time for a poll is 5 minutes, and the maximum is 7 days. Click Tweet to post the poll. We recently ran a poll  asking our followers the burning question of how to pronounce the word "GIF." To our surprise, we received an overwhelming amount of responses. We have to ask! How is the word "Gif" pronounced? - (@) June 16, 2016 Keep your poll questions short and sweet. Your audience is more likely to respond when you keep your poll simple. Ask questions about your services, products, and brand in general. Be sure to mix in a fun Twitter poll every now and then about an office debate or what color to use for you next blog post. Store a list of potential Twitter poll questions and post a new poll every week for consistency. 4. Participate In Twitter Chats To Promote Your Brand A great way to build engagement for your brand is to communicate with people who are interested in similar products or topics. Instead of posting Tweets or sending direct messages, you can have conversations using Twitter chats. What is a Twitter chat?  It's a conversation around one unique hashtag. This hashtag allows you to follow the discussion and participate in it. Twitter chats are usually recurring and on specific topics to regularly connect people with these interests. Participating in Twitter chats allows you to have real-time conversations with hundreds of different users while promoting your expertise and building your authority  on a topic. Be on the lookout for different hashtags to find Twitter chats relevant to your brand. From there, all you need to do is join in on the conversation happening and include the hashtag. A6 Being present! Make sure you're involved with your twitter account everyday sharing content that's worth looking at #ContentWritingChat - (@) August 2, 2016 The goal of joining Twitter chats is to gain  interest in your brand from Twitter users who aren’t part of your follower base yet. 67% of Twitter users are far more likely to buy from the brands they follow  on Twitter. Choose a Twitter chat that is relevant and beneficial to participate in. Look to leading brands  in your industry and reach out to them to co-host with you to expand your network. 5. Host Twitter Chats To Reach A Larger Audience Once you get the hang of participating in Twitter chats, you can choose to host your own. Here are a few key points from Buffer  to keep in mind before jumping into your own Twitter chat: Decide on a clear and brief hashtag that represents your brand. Choose a day and time that you can consistently hold Twitter chats. Come up with an appropriate topic and questions. Plan and promote your chat via Twitter. Make sure you choose a topic that is relevant to your audience. If you are a content marketer, choose a topic relating to social media, SEO, marketing, or something similar. Before beginning your chat, asks everyone to introduce themselves and where they are tweeting from. Engaging with your participants is the most important part of hosting a Twitter chat. After asking each question, reply to a few responses to remain in the loop. Recommended Reading: How To Use A Twitter Chat To Grow Your Audience And Gain Trust 6. Pin Tweets To Boost Your Best Content Do you have an awesome Tweet you want all of your followers to see? You can pin tweets to your profile that will remain on the top of your page until you removed the pin. It’s a simple tactic with big results to boost engagement. Just select the tweet you want pinned, click the â€Å"...† icon, and then click Pin to your profile page. Pin a Tweet that has an eye catching image to boost retweets by 35%. A pinned tweet is similar to an ad, except you don’t have to pay for it. Take advantage of this free advertisement by having a strong call to action. Include a URL in your pinned tweet to receive 86% more engagement. Pin tweets to boost your best content.7. Use Standalone Graphics To Share Information By now, we all know that using images in tweets will increase engagement, but what about adding an image without any links? We tested this theory out on our Twitter page and found that in fact, it does have a positive affect! Not just any random image, but a standalone graphic. Don't forget to take care of the little guy pic.twitter.com/x8YQ4Loq4q - (@) August 22, 2016 A standalone graphic is an image that gives useful information on its own without needing a link back to something. For our standalone graphics, we give tidbits of information and quotes from well-known marketers. Research shows that posting a standalone graphic with a quote increases retweets by 19%.   Use a graphic with text that gives quick information to your followers. Grab small pieces of information from your blog posts to put in your standalone graphic. Use tools like Canva to create a standalone graphic. Recommended Reading: How To Design The Best Blog Graphics With Free Tools And Design Theory 8. Social Listening Helps Build Loyalty â€Å"Research shows that customer emotions become permanent with time. It’s best for an effective intervention to take place as close to the experience as possible,† says Baba Shiv, Stanford Professor of Marketing at Stanford’s Graduate School of Business. When users respond to your posts on Twitter or mention your business name, respond quickly. If you don’t, then it’s going to seem like you’re not very active on your own Twitter page- or you simply don’t care. It’s been found that 72% of people who complain on Twitter expect a response within an hour  so it’s your priority to respond as fast as possible. Our team uses the Mention app to respond to our followers quickly and efficiently.  Mention is monitored several times throughout the day by our team to ensure each and every person is responded to promptly. Many of our followers have questions that need urgent answers, so it’s important to reach out to them to resolve the issue. Or to simply thank your followers for sharing your content. Your followers will be much more likely to post comments if they know that you are reading them and that you will respond to them in a helpful manner. Use first names when you are responding. Addressing your followers in this way makes them feel more appreciated- not to mention that people love to be acknowledged. Small gestures like these help to build loyalty. If you respond right away, there’s a chance that the conversation will continue since they may still be on your page. 9. Curate Content To Increase Traffic Are you only tweeting your own content? Sharing the content of others is one of the best ways to show that you’re not all about you, and that you value the work of others enough to share it on your own Twitter feed. One report found that 82% of marketers curate content. At , we curate our content with our Chrome extension tool  for fast curation that can be schedule ahead of time. Curating content is a widely known tactic for a reason because it works. Over 50% of marketers that curate content indicate that it has increased their brand visibility, thought leadership, SEO, web traffic and buyer engagement.  Next time you post on Twitter, mix in a few curated pieces along with your usual content to increase engagement among your followers to expand their experience. Find the best content, the content you enjoyed, the content your audience members are sharing and talking about, the content that is actually helpful. Connect with influencers. You’re going to be sharing content by the leaders in your industry, opening the doors to communicating with them. Plan your curated content ahead of time for consistency. 10. Use Hashtags To Double Engagement Twitter didn’t invent the hashtag (#), but it certainly popularized it with the masses. Hashtags are proven to double your engagement rate and help users to easily search for a topic or trend on Twitter. They are a great way to join in a conversation already happening or organize a conversation, like a Twitter chat. Hashtags identify the subject of your content, making it easier for Twitter users to stumble across your page when searching for similar subjects. Because of this, using hashtags is an incredible way to boost social media engagement among both followers and non-followers since you’re making your content more visible. A good hashtag is memorable, unique, and relevant to your content. Try not to use more than two hashtags per post to avoid being annoying. Always use a hashtag when participating in or hosting a Twitter chat. Recommended Reading: How To Use Hashtags Effectively Without Being Annoying 11. Use Video in Tweets For A 28% Boost While images perform better than text, Twitter users love videos. 82% of users watch video content on Twitterthat’s a big number!  Simon Rodgers found that adding a video to your tweet will give you a 28% boost in engagement. You have 10 seconds to win over your followers. According to research by Visible Measures, 20% of your viewers will click away from a video in 10 seconds or fewer. Promote and educate your followers about your brand using video. Adding in a weekly tip to your page is a sure way to engage with new followers. Include people around your office in Twitter videos to give a personal touch to your followers. Use video in tweets for a 28% engagement boost.12. Use Twitter Ads For Higher Click-Through Rates If you’re looking for a fast and guaranteed way to boost Twitter engagement, than Twitter Ads are something to look into, especially if you don’t have a lot of followers to engage with. To set up Twitter Ads: Choose between promoted tweets and promoted accounts. According to Hubspot, promoting tweets will allow your tweets to appear in users’ Twitter streams or in Twitter search results, whereas promoting your account will display your username under the â€Å"Who to Follow† section in users’ homepages. Choose your target audience.  You can target a specific audience based on demographics and psychographics. Targeting the right audience will ensure that your ads are seen by the right people who would benefit from your brand. Create your tweets.  Now that you've chosen what type of ads you want and the type of audience to target, you can begin creating your tweets.  You can either select from existing tweets in your account, or create new ones from scratch. Be sure to assign your Twitter ad campaign a daily budget and maximum spend limit before setting it live. Low Twitter follower count? Try running Twitter ads.Recent studies have found that Twitter ads consistently deliver higher click-through rates  (even higher than Facebook ads). Plan ahead by choosing a Twitter ad campaign that fits your brand's goals. Use interest targeting and keywords to target the right audience for the best results. Create visually appealing images for your Twitter ads to reach more people and boost engagement. 13. Tweet At The Best Times The number of people you engage with is directly related to followers viewing your tweets. In order to maximize engagement, you must post at the best possible times. After doing some research on 10 different studies about the best times to post on social media, studies show a few ways to make every tweet get a little more engagement: Wednesdays at 12 p.m. and 5-6 p.m. Mondays-Fridays at 12-3 p.m. and 5 p.m. Any day of the week from 2-3 a.m., 6-7 a.m., and 9-10 p.m. Use these times as a guideline. Test out different times and find out when your audience is the most active on Twitter. You can also check out Twitter Analytics to see when your specific audience is most active. 14. Use Twitter Cards To Drive Traffic To Your Website You may be asking, "What are Twitter Cards?" Twitter Cards allow you to go beyond the  140-character limit and attach different forms of media. According to Forbes, they add visual interest through images, product info, videos, and other expanded content. All you have to do to get started with using the feature is add a couple lines of code to your site. Refer to our post on Social Media Optimization to get set up. There are seven distinct Twitter Cards to choose from: Gallery cards featuring a number of images Single photo cards Summary cards which let you post a link with further information Summary cards with images App cards Player cards which showcase videos Product cards Below is an example of a Summary Card which includes a title, description, thumbnail image, Twitter account attribution and a direct link to the content. Test different types of cards.  Every site is different, and Twitter Card analytics will help you measure which cards yield the most engagement with your content. Engage with Influencers.  Twitter Card analytics make it possible determine who is sharing your content with the most velocity - make sure to engage with these accounts to promote further interaction! Add a few lines of HTML to your webpage. Users who Tweet links to your content will have a â€Å"Card† added to the Tweet that’s visible to all of their followers. How can Twitter Cards improve your engagement?15. Use Emoticons To Increase Favorites By 57% Instead of having a plain block of text, consider breaking up the text with an emoticon. Emoticons show a certain element of playfulness that provides your brand with a bit of personality. In fact, statistics show that the using emoticons  will boost the share and comment rate of your posts, and can help increase favorites by as much as 57%.   Choose one or two emoticons per tweet. â€Å"Think of emojis as the ultimate elevator pitch for your business: you have one or two symbols to let people know exactly what value you’re bringing them with every Tweet.† Use emoticons when responding to your followers to add a personal touch and show appreciation. Emphasize specific parts of your tweet with a correlating emoticon to intensify engagement. What Twitter Engagement Tactics Work For You? Analyzing engagement rates allows you to see how much of an impression your brand is leaving on your audience. Look at engagement as a stepping stone that leads followers to view your website, subscribe to your newsletters, and purchase your product. Without engagement you will be tweeting to a black abyss. Building a strong relationship with your Twitter followers will bring forth high engagement. Implement these tactics the next time you post on Twitter and watch your engagement rate skyrocket.

Compare and contrast any two energy sources, for example solar and Essay - 1

Compare and contrast any two energy sources, for example solar and coal, in terms of cost and safety - Essay Example On the other hand, non-renewable energy sources like coal have adverse impacts on the ecological system as well as individuals’ health. This is because it significantly contributes to pollution and triggers global warming. Therefore, it is not safe to use coal and other non-renewable energy as power source. Renewable energy sources are infinite energy resource and this implies that they never run out. This report compares and contrasts these two sources of energy in relation to cost and safety. This report is well structured and coordinated to ensure that all the ideas presented flow smoothly. Both primary and secondary sources have been used exhaustively to acquire important and relevant information to write this report. The information has also been acquired though surveys, telephone, mail as well as internet surveys. Extensive research has also been conducted to make this report effective. Coal is not expensive as compared to solar energy, but again solar energy costs are dropping. Coal may not be expensive but it requires expensive air pollution controls such as mercury because it emits higher levels of carbon dioxide. It has a higher environmental impact from mining and burning since the carbon dioxide released during the process contributes to global warming and creates acid rain (Evans 2005, p.138). Coal mining has always been known to be dangerous and associated with many problems (Britton 1977, p.118). Moreover, coal as a source of energy is a significant contributor to acid rain and global warming and this is directly linked to its pollution ability because it emits major greenhouse gases that play a leading role in triggering global warming and climate change. Solar energy is somehow cheap because sunlight is usually free when available (Chiras 2014, p.363). Solar energy does not generally cause pollution but there are some emissions associated with the manufa cturing,

Georgia Cancer Foundation Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Georgia Cancer Foundation - Research Paper Example In midst of such cancer crisis, Georgia Cancer Foundation (2010) is one of the non-profit organizations that are playing a significant and momentous role in preventing and reducing the number of cancer patients on this planet, specifically in the United States. In specific, 1975 witnessed establishment of this non-profit organization with the name of Southeastern Cancer Foundation (GCF, 2010), which later changed into its present name, Georgia Cancer Foundation. Since then, it has been momentous in putting efforts to plan and arrange provision of education and awareness facilities to residents of Georgia in the United States. Besides planning and arranging educational programs, the foundation is responsible for providing facilities of early detection of cancer agents in the human body that has been very significant in reducing the number of cancer patients that reach the level of untreatable cancer. One of the noteworthy attributes of Georgia Cancer Foundation (GCF, 2010) is its huge scope that includes all types of cancer, and thus, the foundation caters individuals coming from different and diverse backgrounds while fulfilling their requirements related with the disease of cancer. In order to cater all the residents of Georgia, the foundation runs a support group network that consists of different cancer services, especially of women that have been very beneficial for the organization to endeavor for the cause of cancer. With such networking of cancer services, the Georgia Cancer Foundation (GCF, 2010) has been successful in proving itself as the leader in the field of cancer care in the US state of Georgia. Statistics (GCF, 2010) have indicated that only in Georgia, approximately six thousand women get their breast cancer diagnosed in the state that points out the urgent need for an organization to focus on the women at risk of getting breast cancer. For this

Essays Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 10000 words

Essays - Essay Example Based on studies prepared years before the new millennium, Flowers (2002) concluded that the use and abuse of drugs, among other substances, have been robustly related to juvenile delinquency and criminality. Conditions have not improved much since then. Bartol and Bartol (2008) reported that juveniles made up 17 % of arrests made in 2005. Mocan and Tekin (2005) established that the use of drugs wielded a profound influence on one’s predilection to commit crime. Indeed, from LSD to OxyContin to ecstasy, drugs have figured significantly as triggers to commit crime from the late 60s until the present time. Called by its own inventor, Albert Hoffman â€Å"my problem child†, lysergic acid diethylamide or LSD has itself spawned real-life problem children or juveniles since 1938 when it was first synthesized (Carey, 2008; Berger, 2005a). Psychedelic or psychoactive drugs, like LSD, are among the purported mind-altering drugs. Drugs classified as psychedelic or psychoactive consist of a concoction of chemicals not necessarily taken to improve health but known to have the effect of changing the user’s thoughts, reactions and perceptions of bodily sensations (Berger, 2005b; Drug-Free America, 2004). Mind altering substances in the same category as LSD are heroin or diamorphine, which is a powerful analgesic; cocaine, a highly abused narcotic anesthetic; and the psychoactive cannibus resin or oil from the hemp plant and its flower-bearing stem or tops known as marijuana (â€Å"Heroin†, 2005; Berger, 2005c; Jenkins, 2005). Other mind altering drugs include, but are not limited to OxyContin tablets, a licit narcotic drug used for pain management; dextroamphetamine, a drug which is fast gaining notoriety as a â€Å"recreational drug† but is medically prescribed for sleep disorders or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder; and methamphetamine, which is a stimulant and a â€Å"feel good† drug usually smoked, swallowed or injected and used illegally

Importing US food Risk Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Importing US food Risk - Research Paper Example In 2008, there were some reported cases where cats and dogs were stricken by tainted pet food while people died from contaminations in certain drugs. In both incidents, the ingredients were found to have been imported from China (In Curtis, 2013).   In response to this, the Public Health Security through the Bioterrorism act directs the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to take additional measures to protect the public from all terrorist attacks on food supply and all other food related emergencies. FDA is the food regulatory agency of the department of Health and Human Services and has the mandate to receive prior notification of food that is imported, including animal feed, in the United States. Prior notice of import shipments give chance to the FDA, through the support of the U.S Custom and Border Protection to focus on import inspections with much effectiveness and help protect the state’s food supply against acts of terror and all other public health emergencies. The FDA food safety act was signed in 2011 with aims to ensure that the U.S food supply is safe by directing the focus of the federal regulations from taking action on contamination to prevent it (Kastner, 2011).   The FDA signed a regulation that required all persons to submit prior notices of imported food. Close to fifty million people get sick while three thousand die each year from food borne diseases. This is according to a data collected by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. This was mentioned as a public health burden which is largely preventable. The FDA Food Safety Modernization Act enables the FDA to strengthen the systems of food safety by giving them new authorities and tools to make all new imported foods meet the same safety standards as those produced in the U.S. However, building a new system of food safety beside on prevention would take time. FDA focuses on implementing the safety acts with open grounds for all stakeholders to give their contribution. T he FDA has therefore some laid down responsibilities and authorities which are aimed at improving food safety in the United States. The FDA’s new import mandates and authorities include the following (Hinkelman and Ebrary, 2004); Import accountability. During the first time, the importers have an explicit mandate to verify that their suppliers have sufficient preventive controls to make sure that the food they produce is safe. Third party certification: The FDA Food Safety Modernization (FSMA) initiates program through which third parties can verify that foreign food capacities comply with the U.S food safety standards. The certification is very significant in facilitating the entry of imports (Zaring et al., 2009). Cortication for high risk foods: as a condition of entry into America, FDA can authorize that the high-risk imported foods be accompanied by a trustworthy third party certification or with an assurance of compliance. Voluntary qualified importer program: a volunta ry program must be established for the importers. This would provide for the expedited entry and review of foods from importers. Entitlement is limited to importers who offer food from certified facilities. Authority to deny entry: foods from a foreign facility can be denied entry into the U.S by FDA. FDA has also a

Multinational Corporation Expansion Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Multinational Corporation Expansion - Essay Example The political and legal factors ruling the target company determine the ease with which the organization can establish its business. Proper understanding of the demographics as well as socio-cultural environment of the target market will determine the strategies and promotional plans for market growth. In the current expansion plan, the company chosen is Pfizer, largest pharmaceutical company worldwide. The target market chosen will be Vietnam, where the company has launched its operations yet. COMPANY DESCRIPTION Pfizer is a multinational pharmaceutical company based in United States (Pfizer, 2013a). It is one of the largest pharmaceutical companies in terms of revenue. The company is involved in manufacturing and production of vaccines and medicines for a wide range of medical conditions. The company has its operations in more than 42 countries around the globe. In the current making plan, the company is planning to launch its business in Vietnam (Pfizer, 2013b). COUNTRY DESCRIPTIO N Vietnam, also known as Socialist Republic of Vietnam and is located in the eastern coast of Southeast Asia. The country is bordered by china, Laos and Cambodia. Hanoi is the capital of Vietnam. The country has a single party socialist system, with the government and the president having executive powers. The country is inhabited mainly by the Viet, constituting about 86 percent of the total population. The average life expectancy is 73 years. Around 70 percent of the demographics belong to age group 15- 64 and merely 7 percent of population constitute 65 years or above. In terms of health and malnutrition, it is one of the major issues in rural provinces. The country has suffered from diseases such as malaria and has made progress in establishing a south health system. DIMENSIONS OF INTERNATIONAL FINANCE Management of international finance deals with monetary and financial decisions taken in the area of international business. High inflation of international trade is responsible f or the growth in international business. Thus, while doing international trade, involvement of trade and tariffs is normal and financial management becomes critical as these trade laws and regulations are different for different international markets. International finance is different from domestic finance. There are three dimensions of International finance which differentiates it from others; 1. Political risks and Foreign exchange, 2. Imperfections in market, and 3. Expanded set of opportunities. Political risks and Foreign exchange When individuals and companies are involved in cross-border transactions, they are exposed to risk associated with foreign exchange markets. These are foreign exchange risks and political risks. The companies are exposed to risk in terms of currency rates and nature of the foreign markets. To curb these risks, Pfizer can opt for conducting business in the local currency. Vietnam’s forex market has remained low, so to decrease the forex risk, P fizer can utilize the foreign risk management techniques used in United States. Political risks range from unexpected changes in tax laws to inappropriate or misuse of assets by foreigners. The economic development

Importing US food Risk Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Importing US food Risk - Research Paper Example In 2008, there were some reported cases where cats and dogs were stricken by tainted pet food while people died from contaminations in certain drugs. In both incidents, the ingredients were found to have been imported from China (In Curtis, 2013).   In response to this, the Public Health Security through the Bioterrorism act directs the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to take additional measures to protect the public from all terrorist attacks on food supply and all other food related emergencies. FDA is the food regulatory agency of the department of Health and Human Services and has the mandate to receive prior notification of food that is imported, including animal feed, in the United States. Prior notice of import shipments give chance to the FDA, through the support of the U.S Custom and Border Protection to focus on import inspections with much effectiveness and help protect the state’s food supply against acts of terror and all other public health emergencies. The FDA food safety act was signed in 2011 with aims to ensure that the U.S food supply is safe by directing the focus of the federal regulations from taking action on contamination to prevent it (Kastner, 2011).   The FDA signed a regulation that required all persons to submit prior notices of imported food. Close to fifty million people get sick while three thousand die each year from food borne diseases. This is according to a data collected by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. This was mentioned as a public health burden which is largely preventable. The FDA Food Safety Modernization Act enables the FDA to strengthen the systems of food safety by giving them new authorities and tools to make all new imported foods meet the same safety standards as those produced in the U.S. However, building a new system of food safety beside on prevention would take time. FDA focuses on implementing the safety acts with open grounds for all stakeholders to give their contribution. T he FDA has therefore some laid down responsibilities and authorities which are aimed at improving food safety in the United States. The FDA’s new import mandates and authorities include the following (Hinkelman and Ebrary, 2004); Import accountability. During the first time, the importers have an explicit mandate to verify that their suppliers have sufficient preventive controls to make sure that the food they produce is safe. Third party certification: The FDA Food Safety Modernization (FSMA) initiates program through which third parties can verify that foreign food capacities comply with the U.S food safety standards. The certification is very significant in facilitating the entry of imports (Zaring et al., 2009). Cortication for high risk foods: as a condition of entry into America, FDA can authorize that the high-risk imported foods be accompanied by a trustworthy third party certification or with an assurance of compliance. Voluntary qualified importer program: a volunta ry program must be established for the importers. This would provide for the expedited entry and review of foods from importers. Entitlement is limited to importers who offer food from certified facilities. Authority to deny entry: foods from a foreign facility can be denied entry into the U.S by FDA. FDA has also a

Environmental Analysis of Joes Electric Cigar Essay - 1

Environmental Analysis of Joes Electric Cigar - Essay Example In as much as government laws and regulations could hamper flow of business to considerable extents and even reduce number of potential customers as it prohibits sale of products to minors below the age of 19, and issues health warning to non-smokers, people allergic to nicotine and any other of the ingredients, pregnant or breastfeeding women and diseased people, our e-cigars will be able to maneuver these obstacles due to their relative safeness. According to Canadian Agency for Drugs and Technologies in Health (2012), as opposed to smoking tobacco that contains several chemicals such as benzene, formaldehyde, carbon monoxide, tar and arsenic, e-cigars reduce the risk of developing cancer from smoking since they lack these dangerous carcinogens. They are relatively safe to consume and this fact alone will endear many consumers to our products. Our e-cigars will be useful in helping addicts reduce and quit smoking and will prove better than traditional smoking cessation tools such a s nicotine patches or gums. Our product will offer users the option of determining amount of nicotine they consume and this could be slowly reduced over time as recommended by rehabilitation officers till one gains desired freedom from the deadly stick. Research has indicated reduced smoking levels among addicts who reverted to electric cigarettes with a large number reportedly quitting altogether and Joe’s electric will be at the forefront, leading in helping addicts enjoy a smoke without ‘killing’ themselves. These factors together with the fact that Joe’s electric cigarettes will be relatively cheaper than other tobacco brands and products offered by other electric cigarette companies, the ever increasing costs of living and the poor state of the economy will inevitably place Joe’s e-cigars as the product of choice in the markets. Apart from the consumer health benefits and concerns, customer base and trends will play to positively impact busines s. Joe’s electric cigar intends to operate on flexibility and hence greatly focus towards catering to market trends and meeting the ever increasing consumer demands. Smoking electric cigarettes has become the in thing with prominent persons including celebrities reportedly switching to e-cigs. This has influenced many in joining the trend and this will favor business. E-cigs do not stain teeth and the smoking experiences are relatively pleasant to the smoker with no lingering smell on clothes, furniture, etc, unlike regular cigarettes that leave stains that are often difficult or impossible to remove. Our e-cigars will come in flavored varieties thus offering a much greater experience as compared to sheer tobacco smoking. Like other e-cigs, smoking our e-cigs, unlike smoking tobacco, will not interfere with the environment and a non-smoker as e-cigars produce only water vapor which is odorless. There will be no need, therefore, for restrictions when it comes to smoking e-cigs as it can be smoked indoors, including public places. Our users will not be forced to look for a smoking zone and at the same time will not interfere with the non-smokers in the proximity. It will also be convenient to the end user as there is no need for lighters and ashtrays for e-cigs.

Law describing and evaluating the roles of the courtroom work group Essay Example for Free

Law describing and evaluating the roles of the courtroom work group Essay A court room work group is a term referring to professionals that serve in the court on a daily basis. These professionals include a prosecutor, the criminal defence attorney and the judicial officer. The courtroom working group seeks to bring justice to all. It ensures that all parties are accorded due fairness and equal opportunity regardless of gender, race, age, religious affiliation nor any other factor. They also see to it that trials are completed successfully. The concept of court room working group is associated with plea bargaining. The courtroom working group has shown tremendous explanatory power in overburdened courts dealing with huge case loads. Describing and Evaluating Roles of Courtroom Work Group Professionals that serve in the court, each have a commitment to oversee a successful trial completion. Due to this commitment they must each follow a strict code of ethics and also they must adhere to the law and its practice. In most cases however, the number of judges and attorneys is limited hence there is a possibility that a personal as well as professional relation that may stem up. However this must not be prioritised by either of the parties involved and the pursuit of justice must always remain the order of the day. The changes I would recommend are rising of the bar when it comes to security measures. The reason why I suggest this is because sometimes violent criminal offenders may take advantage of the courtroom environment and cause havoc inside the court. For example in the past there was a reported case whereby an offender grabbed an officer’s pistol and started shooting randomly in the courtroom. Safety measures should be put in place in order to curb such bizarre scenarios in the future. The role of the prosecutor is to represent the rights of the citizens. This is assumed to be so because a crime is defined as an act or omission which constitutes an offence punishable by law. Hence, when an offender is presented in court, the charges levelled against him read, Republic or State vs defendant. Therefore the role of the prosecutor is to represent the people’s cases against the defendant. With that role comes great responsibility on him, in that the burden of proof automatically lies with him. Also he has to work hard to ensure that evidence is presented legally, and the state procedures are adhered to in a way that dismissal is avoided. Another role of the prosecutor is that he acts as a consultant and advisor to the police departments. He assists them in the course of investigations and also provides insight into the acquisition of evidence and the procedural element of it. A prosecutor usually decides which case to pursue based on the fact that whether they think they can prove beyond reasonable doubt that a defendant is guilty of an offense (Herrmann, Joachim, p. 468). They achieve this by firstly studying in a detailed manner the charges levelled against the defendant. Also he must examine the corresponding evidence presented which includes any testimonials or witnesses and any other material fact that may affect his case. After accomplishing this task he has a more insightful view of the case and is best able to make an informed decision. At this juncture he may decide to file the case or drop the charges and recommend lesser sentences for the defendants who agree to plead guilty to a certain crime: a process that is referred to as plea bargaining (Heumann, 1977). If the criterion for taking a case was more stringent, many cases would be dismissed due to lack of concrete evidence. This is because majority of the cases brought to the court have circumstantial evidence but with great eyewitness testimony. If the criterion was less stringent on the other hand, the court system would be overburdened with cases lacking sufficient evidence and support, hence resulting in less attention being accorded to cases that urgently require it. The criminal justice system has been defined as resembling a funnel that is, being wide at the top and being narrow at the bottom. This is interpreted to mean that there are more suspects and defendants in the justice system than there are convicted offenders who have successfully passed through the correctional system. The criminal justice system has a number of processes that an offender goes through, beginning with the investigation process and ending with the release of a convicted individual from a correctional facility. As criminals pass through the criminal justice system, quite a number of cases are dismissed due to a variety of reasons one being the lack of sufficient evidence. Discretion is another effect brought about by the criminal justice funnel. Many of the cases in the criminal justice system are investigated, tried or dismissed purely on the basis of personal choices. These choices are made by persons who use discretion to decide on individual cases. Also police officers may decide whether to conduct investigations on a case or to just go ahead and make an arrest of the suspect, again based on personal choice. Whereas on the other hand, attorneys and judges also interpret information to decide on the bail applications and plea bargains (Hermann Joachim, p. 468). Unreported cases is also another factor emerging form this system. A number of crimes go unreported for a variety of reasons and this allows the offenders of such crimes go off Scott free and mingle with other people in the society. This adds to the ever growing number of cases that do not make their way into the early stages and final stages of the criminal justice system. Case backlog means that the defendants have to wait longer in order to get a verdict on the case. It means t the defendant has to remain as a suspect for a prolonged period. Some of the offenders that are held in custody are there because simply the offenses they committed can not be granted bail and other offenders are there because they have been unable to post bail. This backlog also inhibits the justice process by helping offenders get away with their crimes. This is especially evident where case requires immediate analysis of evidence (Daly, 2011).

Reflection on Social Work Group Task

Reflection on Social Work Group Task This essay is going to reflect on learning gained from a group task carried out in the unit lectures. I will explore group work theories, collaborative and inter-disciplinary working and the application of these theories in relation to the group work. I will also identify how I will develop my practice in relation to my current skills and areas for development. Finally, I will also reflect on how I have developed my self-awareness, professional values and professional development, in relation to group work task and how this will inform my future professional practice. Toseland and Rivas (2008) define group work as a goal directed activity aimed at accomplishing tasks. Members of the group have the opportunity to share ideas, feelings, thoughts, beliefs, engage in interactions and also share experiences. The group members develop feelings of mutual interdependence and a sense of belonging. Martin and Rogers (2004) define inter-disciplinary working as a team of individuals with different professions, working collaboratively with a shared understanding of goals, tasks and responsibilities. This collaborative working is needed when the problems are complex, a consensus decision is required and also when different competencies are needed. According to Cheminais (2009), the approach to the collaborative working requires clarity on roles, power, accountability and strategic planning. This was evident during the group work as the group worked collaboratively to share ideas and tasks were allocated to each member according to competencies and mutual understanding. Salas et al. (2012) states that, group work started from the perspective of people working in partnership for a common goal. The theories of group work later materialised in regard to the dynamics of group work and the they provide an understanding of human behaviour when people are working in groups. A group or team can be understood by looking at Tuckman and Jensen’s (1977) model of group formation which comprise of forming, storming, norming, performing and later adjourning. According to Tuckman and Jensen (1977), the forming stage is when the group members are establishing common interests and get to know one another with the desire to be part of the group. Martin and Rogers (2004) states that, in an inter-disciplinary team this is the stage where membership is established, team purpose is clarified, roles and boundaries are decided and interpersonal relationships begin. Tuchman and Jensen (1977) state that, storming stage may involve competing for ideas and perspectives, rules are developed and members may confront one another. Conflict may emerge and when unresolved, it can inhibit the team’s progress. There is then the norming stage when members take roles and responsibilities and an agenda is established. This stage involves belonging, growth and control. The performing stage is when the group is functional and tasks are implemented and evaluated. Finally, the adjourning stage involves the goals and objectives fulfilled and task completed. Tuckman and Jensen’s (1977) model of group formation can be applied to different settings and groups and it is easy to use. The model is flexible and can be applied regardless of type of group or task. However the model has no clear demarcation of the stages and is a linear format although the first four stages may not be in sequence. It does not explain time spent in each stage or if the stage can be repeated as some of the stages can recur for example norming and perfoming stages. (Halverson 2008) Reflecting on the unit group task, I think my group went through Tuckman and Jensen’s (1977) model group formation which included the â€Å"forming†stage in which the group purpose was clarified. The group went through the â€Å"stormimg† stage and at that point, there were disagreements on what should be included and how the task will be presented. I was in favour for a presentation using Power Point, however the majority of the group voted for a role play which I thought was not going to address all the information due to time allocated for the group to present. I was also a bit anxious for failing the task as the group had elected me to take the lead on the role play. At that time I felt that the team wanted me to do most of the task and I rejected the ideas they were putting forward. I think I did this unconsciously because I realised my actions later on when my group members gave feedback. Belbin’s (2010) work identified roles in teams which each offer positive contributions to team working. The roles include co-ordinator, evaluator, maintainer, innovator, shaper, implementer, expert, investigator, team and completer, Reflecting on Belbin’s (2010) group roles, each team member brought strength and perspectives grounded in their discipline and experience. During the group work task, I had the experience and knowledge in relation to the task and I found myself leading the group on sourcing information. I got positive feedback from my group colleagues such as, â€Å"goal oriented, researched well on the topic, contributed well and very good ideas on the role play†, however I was criticised of being inflexible with ideas of others. The feedback brought awareness on how I work with others and will help me in my practice. I think I took the role of an implementer who turns the team concepts into practical actions and plans however, inflexible and somewhat reluctant to change. However reflecting on my experience from my previous placement when I was working on a project to enable young mothers to gain independent skills, the project failed because I lost interest as a result of constraint in obtaining the resources. I think at that time I took the role of an investigator. In Belbin’s (2010) model, an investigator explores opportunities and resources from many sources however can jump from one task to another and lose interest. Looking back at it, I think this was because I tend to do things in a structured way and task oriented. The resources in the organisations did not allow me to do the task in time and I end up losing interest. I think in future I need to be flexible and think of other ways of working around the plan for the benefit of the service users. I should also seek supervision with my manager to discuss such situations as it can provide best possible support. I later understood the situation of working in an organisation team by looking at the group system theory. According to Connors and Caple (2005), group systems theory provides an understanding of working with teams or groups in an organisation. They suggested that, group systems theory is influenced by the interactions within the group and by the external environment. All the group members influence group dynamics however, the organisation in which the group work may impacts the group work with its boundaries, resources and leadership structures. I abandoned a project which was going to benefit the young mothers and in a way the community as well. Although this was due to organisational constraints, as a future social worker, I should try to balance responsibilities in a way that supports well-informed decision making, using professional judgement and accountability (British Association of Social Workers 2012). Salas et a.l (2012) state that, in order for me to be grounded in theories of group work, I need to formulate theoretical frameworks that are in alignment with my perspectives and inclinations. To achieve this I need to have knowledge of the strength and weaknesses of the frameworks I use. This will help me to select theories that are appropriate to the situation. The Health and Care Professions Council (HPCP) (2012) also states that, I should â€Å"understand the key concepts of the knowledge base relevant to social work† so as to achieve change and development. Gilley et al. (2010) suggested that the purpose of a group is to accomplish the task and for the practitioner to develop effective interpersonal skills. As a social work student, in order to work collaboratively, I need to develop skills and knowledge in decision making, effective communication and task coordination and the ability to learn from others and embrace change (DAmour et al 2005). This is imperative as I will be working in teams with other professionals or agencies. From the unit group work, I have learnt that mutual understanding and collaboration is vital for teamwork to be effective. Teamwork requires respecting each other’s values, beliefs and viewpoints and also self awareness of my own beliefs, values and perspectives (Hall 2005). I also now have an understanding of the importance of effective communication, participative decision making and accepting ideas of other when working in a team. The group work enabled me to develop skills in sharing of ideas and also how to relay and support my own viewpoint with confidence. According to Crawford (2012), I must have an understanding of my own professional identity as a social worker so as to develop confidence in myself and work with other professionals effectively. The HCPC (2012) states that, I must â€Å"be able to engage in inter-professional and inter-agency communication† and work in partnership with other agencies as part of a multi-disciplinary team. It is also vital that I develop self awareness of my behaviour and values. According to Hall (2005), as values are internalised, they can be invisible to other team members thereby creating obstacles in inter-professional working. As a result, I must make my professional values clear to other professionals I work with and also have an understanding of their values. The College of Social Work (2014) states that, as a social worker, I need to develop skills, competencies and the ability to recognise the challenges and dynamics of team-working and also have an awareness of team cultures so as to be able to work effectively in a multi-disciplinary team. The group work task and the feedback I received from my colleagues enabled me to develop awareness on how I work with others and I also managed to learn about my strengths and weaknesses. For example taking the role of an implementer I was able to execute a plan however resistant to change. I have also learnt that I need to acknowledge and appreciate the differences and adjust, adapt, and mirror interpersonal interactions when interacting with others. In future, I need to take into consideration other people’s ideas as there are different approaches to tasks and also appreciate other people’s experiences and values especially when working with professional of different background as mine. References The College of Social Work (2014) Roles and functions of social workers in England http://www.tcsw.org.uk/uploadedfiles/thecollege/_collegelibrary/policy/rolesfunctionsadvicenote.pdf DAmour, D, Ferrada-Videla, M, Rodriguez, L, Beaulieu, M 2005, The conceptual basis for interprofessional collaboration: core concepts and theoretical frameworks,Journal Of Interprofessional Care, 19, pp. 116-131, CINAHL Plus with Full Text, EBSCOhost, viewed 14 August 2014. http://0-eds.b.ebscohost.com.brum.beds.ac.uk/eds/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?nobk=yvid=4[emailprotected]hid=102 Claire B. Halverson, S. Aqeel Tirmizi Effective Multicultural Teams: Theory and Practice: theory and practice British Association of Social Workers (2012) The Code of Ethics for Social Work :Statement of Principles http://cdn.basw.co.uk/upload/basw_112315-7.pdf