Training and Development of Comfort Delgro †MyAssignmenthelp.com

Question: Discuss about the Training and Development of Comfort Delgro. Answer: Introduction Training and Development helps in improving the performance of the employees of an organization. Training helps in increasing the labour productivity and proves to be an important factor the success of an organization. Comfort Delgro is a taxi company that is owned by Comfort Delgro Corporation Limited and organizational, functional and individual training needs analysis can help the company to grow and earn profits (Comfortdelgro.com.sg, 2017). Business Goals The world is witnessing a sharp rise of the sharing economy on account of the ever-evolving digital platform where the consumers are willing to try out the mobile app that facilitates the peer-to-peer business model. (Ford, 2014). The business goal revolves around making money from assets that are underutilised. The goal for Comfort Transportation Pte Limited in the era of sharing economy is to introduce technology to the maximum in order to reap the maximum amount of profit. The emergence of global players like that of Uber, Lyft, Curb and Grab has posed stiff competition to the business of Comfort Delgro and the main goals are to make the company more efficient that can add value to the reputation of the organization. Marketing professionals who are experienced will be hired so that it can add to the existing talent pool and help in the steady growth of the business (Singh, 2017). Organizational Training Needs Analysis Advanced Technology can be made use of by Comfort Delgro so that it can stay ahead of other companies. The transportation task needs a lot of activities to be performed and it involves a lot of services. There should be appropriate learning choices in the smart phone from where the customers can learn about the special facilities provided by Comfort Delgro (Goetsch Davis, 2014). The GPS mapping should be updated to the maximum that would prove to be of immense help for the drivers and the passengers. There should be facility for the security of women in the vehicles. There can be an alarm button in the car after pressing which an alarm would be sent to the office of Comfort Delgro from where information can be seen about the location of the car. (Phillips Phillips, 2016). Comfort Delgro is a low priced leader and that keeps it at an advantageous position as compared to that of the competitors. They have increased the number of fleet so that even at the time when there is a heavy de mand of the cars the prices are not very high (Hastings Bauman, 2017). The findings suggested that adequate information on the mobile app should be furnished to the consumers so that things are clear to them abd they do not hesitate to make use of the services. Alarm buttons placed on the car would act as an strategic advantage and keep them popular among the consumers. Low prices even at times of heavy demand will make it highly coveted among the consumers (Dhar, 2015). Functional Analysis Task analysis in relation to an organization will help in adding to the profit of the organization. Comfort Delgro has to train the drivers in the necessary arenas of technology so that they do not face any problem while they are driving. They should be thoroughly acquainted with all facets of technology so that they can use it to the maximum and render useful service for the consumers. Another important training need is related to the behaviour of the drivers and a right attitude would help the consumers (Goetsch Davis, 2014). They should attend to the needs of the passenger that would help in building a great brand for the company. (Zeidler, 2013).Cognitive skill in relation to observation means that things should be noticed and paid great amount of attention in order to learn essential skills. The results suggested how functional analysis can be used to evaluate the design in relation to an organization and it can help in identifying the alternative designs that can increase the ability of the organization to realize the operational goals. It proves to be an important asset in enhancing the effectiveness in relation to social system (Pollock, Wick Jefferson, 2015). Individual Training Needs Analysis Supervision meetings will help in illuminating on the additional skills that should be taught to the employees so that the company can prosper. Technology is constantly evolving in the modern era and an important necessity is to know about all the essential aspects of GPS system so that the drivers do not face any problem while being on the road. Comfort Delgro works with the help of a network of employees and adequate communication etiquettes is integral for successfully carrying out the job. The drivers should be well aware how to overcome a problematic situation. Decision making is important for this profession and the right decision at a critical juncture can save the company from a great deal of harassment and trouble. It can help in saving the reputation of Comfort Delgro if the right step is taken at the right time. Certain situations should be presented to the driver and how to tackle those incidents should be properly taught to them so that their mind is imbibed with the dif ferent ideas. E-Learning assessment can be of great help in identifying what the employees know as against that they need to know. They can help in identifying the performance gap on the individual level. The reports brought out that the basic concepts in relation to technology was understood by the employees however they felt helpless in case of any critical situation cropped up and felt acutely helpless. It elucidated how understanding the model of business was important for the employees so that everyone can profit in the long run (Tahir et al., 2014). Ignorance about the concept of business proved to be detrimental for the reputation of the company. Identification of Intended Learning Outcome Learning the organizational skills that is important for the growth of the organization should be the outcome of the Training and Development programme of the Comfort Delgro. Integrity is an important organizational asset and it should be imbibed in the minds of the workers of the organization. Perfect co-ordination in relation to the different departments is important for this kind of car services and the communicative abilities should be taught to the workers of Comfort Delgro (Hastings Bauman, 2017). With the help of the organisational training needs analysis, task analysis and individual learning needs he strategies and goals of the organization would be clearly revealed to the employees. It highlights why a training program is perceived as the solution to that of a business problem. It will clearly reveal whether any software or equipment will be required in the business that will help in the growth of the business (Agarwal et al., 2017).It helps in providing crucial insight re garding the direction in relation to training and identifying the kind of training that will be of benefit for the organization (Singh, 2017). It helps the employees in preparing for the changes in the future and providing them with suitable time so that they can be equipped with the skills and abilities. Conclusion: Comfort Delgro should provide training in the arena of technology and proper etiquettes so that customers get a good experience while being on the road. The workers should be trained on the ways of decision-making so that they can take the right decision during a critical situation and the customers are left with a good experience. References: Agarwal, A. K., Dhar, A., Gautam, A., Pandey, A. (Eds.). (2017).Locomotives and Rail Road Transportation: Technology, Challenges and Prospects. Springer. Clark, R. C., Mayer, R. E. (2016).E-learning and the science of instruction: Proven guidelines for consumers and designers of multimedia learning. John Wiley Sons. Comfortdelgro.com.sg. (2017).ComfortDelGro Corporation Limited.Comfortdelgro.com.sg. Dhar, R. L. (2015). Service quality and the training of employees: The mediating role of organizational commitment.Tourism Management,46, 419-430. Ford, J. K. (2014).Improving training effectiveness in work organizations. Psychology Press. Goetsch, D. L., Davis, S. B. (2014).Quality management for organizational excellence. Upper Saddle River, NJ: pearson. Hastings, N. B., Bauman, J. A. (2017). Best Practices and Current Research in Organizational Training and Performance: An AECT Division of Organizational Training and Performance Special Issue of Tech Trends.TechTrends,61(1), 2-3. Morley, M. J., Slavic, A., Por, J., Berber, N. (2016). Training practices and organisational performance: A comparative analysis of domestic and international market oriented Organisations in Central Eastern Europe.Journal of East European Management Studies,21(4), 406-432. Phillips, J. J., Phillips, P. P. (2016).Handbook of training evaluation and measurement methods. Routledge. Pollock, R. V., Wick, C. W., Jefferson, A. (2015).The six disciplines of breakthrough learning: How to turn training and development into business results. John Wiley Sons. Singh, M. (2017). Transportation: Mobility, Accessibility, and Connectivity. In50 YEARS OF URBAN PLANNING IN SINGAPORE(pp. 127-151). Tahir, N., Yousafzai, I. K., Jan, S., Hashim, M. (2014). The Impact of Training and Development on Employees Performance and Productivity A case study of United Bank Limited Peshawar City, KPK, Pakistan.International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences,4(4), 86. Zeidler, E. (2013).Nonlinear functional analysis and its applications: III: variational methods and optimization. Springer Science Business Media.

d Only Known

If I’d Only Known As the song â€Å"Somewhere Over the Rainbow† echoed through my head, I walked with my brother one last time. The only thing was, he was in the casket in front and my parents and I had to follow tearfully behind. As I looked around, I saw through tear-stained eyes all the hundred of lives my brother had touched. He filled our days with happiness and laughter and left behind so many wonderful stories and memories that will be cherished in my heart forever. At the young ages of just 19 years old, my brother Todd Harris and his friend Ryan Stephenson, had their dreams and aspirations vanish before them on an empty highway just a half an hour away from their home. At the age of 17, my life changed forever as I began to see life through different eyes. As I walked down that aisle, memories flooded my mind on how this awful day arrived. It was September 12th and my brother and I were just sitting in his room talking about our plans for our weekend. We were always pretty close, but after our parents got a divorce, we became incredibly close. He became not just my brother, but my best friend. We did everything together. The problem was our idea of fun was not the safest way of fun. Our lifestyle consisted of parties, drugs, and alcohol. We saw nothing wrong with it. Everyone was doing it and we could handle it, especially my big brother. So there we were, sitting at home making our regular plans to Mizzou. I normally would just drive with him, but for some reason I wanted to drive my own car. We decided to meet up after the game. However, once again the plans changed. I was tired and although I knew he would pay for my drinks, I decided to just go back to my friend’s house. If I’d only known that would have been the last night I would have seen my brother’s smiling face. If I would have only known that would have been the last time I would have been able to wrap my arms around him and say I... 'd Only Known Free Essays on If I\'d Only Known If I’d Only Known As the song â€Å"Somewhere Over the Rainbow† echoed through my head, I walked with my brother one last time. The only thing was, he was in the casket in front and my parents and I had to follow tearfully behind. As I looked around, I saw through tear-stained eyes all the hundred of lives my brother had touched. He filled our days with happiness and laughter and left behind so many wonderful stories and memories that will be cherished in my heart forever. At the young ages of just 19 years old, my brother Todd Harris and his friend Ryan Stephenson, had their dreams and aspirations vanish before them on an empty highway just a half an hour away from their home. At the age of 17, my life changed forever as I began to see life through different eyes. As I walked down that aisle, memories flooded my mind on how this awful day arrived. It was September 12th and my brother and I were just sitting in his room talking about our plans for our weekend. We were always pretty close, but after our parents got a divorce, we became incredibly close. He became not just my brother, but my best friend. We did everything together. The problem was our idea of fun was not the safest way of fun. Our lifestyle consisted of parties, drugs, and alcohol. We saw nothing wrong with it. Everyone was doing it and we could handle it, especially my big brother. So there we were, sitting at home making our regular plans to Mizzou. I normally would just drive with him, but for some reason I wanted to drive my own car. We decided to meet up after the game. However, once again the plans changed. I was tired and although I knew he would pay for my drinks, I decided to just go back to my friend’s house. If I’d only known that would have been the last night I would have seen my brother’s smiling face. If I would have only known that would have been the last time I would have been able to wrap my arms around him and say I...

The aim of this assignment is to find out how information processing helps the learning of motor control in dance Essays

The aim of this assignment is to find out how information processing helps the learning of motor control in dance Essays The aim of this assignment is to find out how information processing helps the learning of motor control in dance Paper The aim of this assignment is to find out how information processing helps the learning of motor control in dance Paper Motor control: Understanding the execution of those processes that lead to skilled human movement as well as factors leading to the breakdown of such skills. Motor Learning: Understanding how processes that sub serve movement are developed and factors that facilitate or inhibit this development. Modification in motor behaviour or improvement in proficiency of a motor skill due to experience or practice conditions. (http://plato.acadiau.ca/courses/kine/bmcleod/kine2013/ppoint/a/). This project has the following objectives:- * Find out about the different information processing models and apply them to dance. * Find out how these models can be used to improve the learning of motor control. * Find out about psychological and physiological factors that affect the way you react to a stimulus in dance. * How schemas help in the learning of motor control in dance. The project will be researched in different ways, the Internet, books from Scunthorpe library and the College library and course notes will be used (psychology and physical education). Letters will be written to governing bodies and journals from university libraries will be used. I chose to do my project on this because I am studying AS psychology and physical education and I am very interested in the psychological processes applied to sport, and in particular to the learning of motor skills to improve upon performance. I am particularly interested in information processing and schemas, I have been studying them and would like to find more about then. I am a dancer, I have been dancing since I was 4 years old, I am hoping to use this research to improve upon my dancing. Atkinson and Shiffrins model of information processing shows that the incoming information or the stimulus goes directly in to the sensory memory, it is then passed to the short term memory, unimportant information is forgotten and important information is passed on to the short term memory. For example a new dance move such as a jazz line is put in to the sensory memory, it is then passed on to the short-term memory. This results in a response; if the information is rehearsed or repeated in the short-term memory it is passed on to the long-term memory. If the information in the short-term memory is not rehearsed is forgotten. The jazz line is repeated many times in the short-term memory it will then be stored in the long-term memory, where it will be remembered how it is performed for next time. (Sport and PE) Whitings model of information processing shows that when information is put in it is passed through to the perceptual mechanisms, then passed to the translatory mechanisms where the information is processed before being passed to the effector mechanisms where the output is given. Feedback data is then given to improve upon the input. E.g. doing a high kick, the receptor system senses this input and it is passed to the perceptual mechanism where the individuals own perception is put upon it. It is passed to the translatory mechanism where the information is processed about the movement, it is then passed on to the effector mechanism which is where, what is going to be done is established and the muscular system is the output. Feedback is given. (Advanced PE for Edexcel) Welfords model of information processing shows that information is input by the senses and passed on to the short-term memory store. From the short-term memory it passes to the perception stage, from there it either goes to the short-term memory before a decision is made or it goes directly to the decision process. Here it either consults the long-term memory before going back to the decision process, then the motor output or it goes directly to motor output. The motor output is stored in the long-term memory as well as being the new sensory input. E.g. learning how to do a pirouette in dance. The dancer will attempt this for the first time, this infomation will be passed to the short-term sensory store, this is followed by the dancers personal perception. The information will be passed to the short -term before being passed to the decision process. Before the motor output is performed it will consult the long-term memory to see if there has been any similar situations in the past, i f there has not, it goes to the motor output. The motor output will cause the body to receive intrinsic feedback. This will be stored in the long-term memory. Next time a pirouette is attempted it will go through the same stages except when it gets to the long-term memory, the information from the feedback will be stored improve it. If the pirouette is repeated it will improve each time. In conclusion, after looking at different information processing models, they look very different but basically say the same thing. How well the performer will react to the stimuli is affected by the stage of learning the performer is at, this is because information is processed differently at each stage: There are three stages to learning a new skill; Cognitive phase -Identification and development of the component parts of the skill. Associative phase Linking the component parts into a smooth action. Autonomous phase Developing the learned skill so that it becomes automatic (brianmac.demon.co.uk/). In the cognitive stage a learner would be very inexperienced at motor control. This means the learner would go through the stages slowly because the motor programmes have not been practiced enough. When the motor control is being performed for the first time the long-term memory doesnt have any previous experiences to follow. When the motor control has been performed a few times it will be remembered but the process is still slow. E.g. a beginner learning their first dance. The moves will be slow and the performer will not be able to make the moves flow into each other. In the associative stage a learner has some experience in motor control. They are able to do the motor control at average standard, but they are still learning and motor control still has to be thought about. E.g. when an experienced dancer is learning a new dance s/he will be able to perform the dance okay but it has not been practiced enough to become autonomous. In the autonomous stage the performer has great experience of motor control. The performer no longer has to think about what they are doing, it becomes automatic. This motor control will only stay automatic if it is performed regularly. E.g. a very experienced dancer who has performed a dance many times and can perform it excellently every time it is performed. The state of mind affects how well you perform. Research sport psychologists have shown that confident athletes tend to experience better results than their less confident counterparts (Weinberg and Gould 1995) (Psychology review). The state of mind the performer is in when participating in an event may help or hinder the performance. E.g. when performing a dance if you are confident you are more likely to perform it well. If you are not confident about your performance you are likely to do badly in the dance. Using memory to select the correct response to similar stimuli speeds up response time. (longroad.ac.uk/accreditation_project/subject_physical_education/acquisition_skill/information_processing/reaction.htm) E.g. when a duet has been learnt well it is easier to respond to what your partner is doing. Reaction time is quicker to an optimum age, then deteriorates. Males have quicker reactions that females but the deteriorate quicker (longroad.ac.uk/accreditation_project/subject_physical_education/acquisition_skill/information_processing/reaction.htm) Age and gender have a part to play in how fast the reaction time will be. The reaction time is faster at optimum ages 16 18. Males have a faster reaction time than females but this deteriorates quicker than females. E.g. a male dancer aged 18 will be faster than a women of 25. A schema is an organised packet of information stored in the long term memory. It helps us make sense of situations and provides us with guides for information (The Cognitive Approach). Schemas are an essential part of learning. When a new skill is being learned, the new skill is assimilated and the structure of the schema is accommodated when further information is added. E.g. when learning a new dance you learn sections at a time, you assimilate the new information and start to make a schema, you add to it by assimilating the information and accommodating. The schema can be further accommodated when feedback is given to improve the skill. In final conclusion I think that by understanding how the information processing models work help in the learning of motor control in dance. If you know the stages that you need to pass through you know how to improve upon it. I have found out about psychological and physiological factors that affect the way you react to a stimulus. By knowing them I can now work out what state of mind I need to be in to perform to be at my optimum. I have also found out about schemas, this is very helpful in gaining knowledge about how to change the scheme to improve upon performance. Appraisal of study. I found it difficult to find information, for my literary review, which related to dance. Most textbooks were general and I found the Internet had websites on either dance specifically with unrelated information or sites unrelated to dance with relevant information. If I did this project again, I would write to appropriate associations involved in dance and ask specific questions and ask for specific information on dance and motor control. My project had limitations because dancers learn their specific movements and perfect the performance to make it smooth and defined, while other sports practice basic skills but then have to cope and adapt accordingly during a game or performance situation. This changes the amount of control and skill required to produce a performance as dancers perform in closed skill areas and only have to keep their own timing. I found dance as a sport limited because many people dance for recreation and awards rather than competitively. This changes the amount and level of training and there are significant differences in the amount of motor control and the degree to which it is used or developed.

Self-Build Play Equipment For Children Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Self-Build Play Equipment For Children - Essay Example A merry go round is playing equipment very commonly seen in parks and is also one of the children’s favorite. By installing simple electronic controllers, wind power generators and speed-increasing gearboxes a portion of the kinetic energy generated by the children can be converted into electrical power [7]. The electric power produced can be stored in batteries. These batteries can be then utilized to light up the house at night preferably through LED lights. The product can be designed to power the lighting of the whole house for more than a week with only a few hours of play by the children. The product can be sold as a complete package consisting of the playing equipment coupled with the generator assembly, high performance LED lights, batteries, and the wires to install the electrical circuit. The product can be a very good investment because the payback is very quick. Another simple but innovative playing equipment can be a ‘tow down zip-line’ in which children can pull themselves down from a height on platforms suspended on a rope. Two pulleys on either side of the rope are rotated as the children grab and pull the rope while going down. The generator can be coupled with one of the pulleys to generate electric power which can be utilized to power lighting in the same manner as the merry go round. This product is new for the children as it is not very commonly seen in the parks and thus can attract more customers. The height of the rope can be kept low to ensure the safety of the playing children. The product can be sold in the form of ropes and pulleys along with a generator and the lights. The whole system can be assembled easily at the site of installation.

Warwickshire Cricket Club Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Warwickshire Cricket Club - Assignment Example This meeting resulted in the formal establishment of the present Warwickshire County Cricket Club for the most significant reason that Birmingham cricket was growing apace. The Warwickshire County Cricket Club is amongst the eighteen major county clubs which form the English domestic cricket structure corresponding to the historic county of Warwickshire. It has a limited-overs team called as the Warwickshire Bears, and their kit-colors are blue and gold. It is resident in Edgbaston Cricket Ground in south Birmingham, which consistently is responsible for hosting Test and One Day International matches. In the early on, Warwickshire made use of the information from a range of databases to mass mail fans regarding the upcoming matches, news and offers. Many a times, there occurred duplication of the information or missing of the data. With such an inaccurate hold on the data, it was quite intricate for them to assemble market intelligence, and obtain a lucid demographic of their fan-base because each of the department would hold a distinct profile. As a result, the evaluation of true success of a marketing campaign was challenging enough to attain. The teams faced enormous problems in the IT, ticketing, sales, finance and marketing departments in order to efficaciously utilize the vast amount of lore stored in these databases. The formation of tailored-lists and attendee profiles was another time-depleting and cumbersome process. Jonathan Cockcroft who was the Marketing Manager at Warwickshire County Cricket Clu

Critical Social Work And Its Values Analysis Social Work Essay

Critical Social Work And Its Values Analysis Social Work Essay The essay analyses theories underpinning and key elements of critical social work and its values. An exploration of counselling as a form of social work practice and how it is influenced by the critical social work approach will be included. Examples from practice experience/ literature and the influence of inequalities, power and social divisions will be discussed. The views of service users and their contribution towards the practice will also be take into account in the essay. Payne (2005) traces social work in the UK back to the 19th century as a community and charitable activity to support the disadvantaged and poor. From the charitable and community origins it developed into a broader field. Jordan (2004) cited in Collins (2009) believes social work owes its origins to Christian morality than a commitment to social problems affecting individuals. Following the economic crisis in the UK in the 1970s due to escalating oil prices social issues like poor housing, unemployment, and poverty and homelessness social work shifted and broadened its focus and tried to address social issues and problems. Adams et al (2005). Adams et al (2009) mentions that in attempting to address social problems, disadvantage and inequalities social work practitioners have drawn knowledge and ideas from various disciplines such as sociology, psychology, philosophy and politics. From this multi-disciplinary knowledge base the underpinning ideology was anti oppressive principle which provides theoretical tools to understand intervene and respond to the complex experience of oppression. This means social work practitioners have a moral, ethical and legal responsibility to challenge inequalities and disadvantage (Payne 2005). Fook (2002) claims that critical practice can be traced and associated with radical social work in the 1960s-70s deriving ideas from Marxist theory. Marx analysed the capital society he lived in Germany and argued that the structures within society derived from the economy and the changes in the industrial revolution influenced some people to be more powerful and others not. Individuals were restrained by the demands of capitalism. Marx highlighted issues of class and class struggle where there is a struggle between powerful and powerless resulting in different societal classes. Those in power will seek to retain it mostly by exploitation of the powerless. Thompson (2006) affirms that society comprises of a diverse range of people in which social divisions emerge which in turn forms the societal structures which networks relationships, institutions and groupings. These groupings determine, control and regulate the distribution of power, privilege, status and opportunities resulting in social stratification and dimensions. From these groupings however it is important to mention that unfairness, inequality and oppression is witnessed in the group of people who are vulnerable and marginalised. Radical social work upheld the following themes: structural analysis of personal problems, ongoing social critique mainly focusing on oppressive ideas/practice and goals of self emancipation and social change. Parallel to these traditions empowering and anti-oppressive practice to participation in research and community work Adams et al (2005). Several key principles were shared from radical critiques to present critical social work which are: challenging dominant forces and oppression in all forms, a critique of positivist ideas and the need to challenge dominant constructed ways of knowing by developing other ways of knowing. This would be achieved through recognising that knowledge may reflect reality but may also be socially constructed through language and ideology. In order to create more/new knowledge self reflection and interaction are essential tools using communication processes Allan et al (2009). Moya et al (2009) believes that critical thinking was further enhanced by Marxism through academics from the Frankfurt School of Sociologists (Horkeimer (1979), Adorno and Horkeimer, (1979) and Marcuse (1964) from the 1920s/30s and Habermas (1984, 1987)s writing in the late twentieth century. The sociologists held that social interpretation was based on assumptions of a fixed social order mainly derived from religion, politics and social beliefs. When this order is rejected and challenged, sociologists believed that this would enhance knowledge of the environment which makes individuals more effective. Gerth and Mills (1948) and Durkeim (1972) cited in Harrington (2005) established that if we understand how social relationships work we would be able to achieve our objectives in society. This is how critical thinking in modernist way is about and it was termed modernism but has expanded and embraced other theories concerned with transformation and social change. Gray and Webb (2008) argue that critical theory is shifting from the Frankfurt school but at the same time it has not defined its critical base. Allan et al (2003); Fook (2002); Healey (2000) acknowledge that there is tension in defining critical theory as it comprises different theories, some argue that it is an umbrella term that encompasses a range of theories and approaches including Marxist, radical, feminist, anti-racist, anti-oppressive, anti-discriminatory, post colonial, critical constructivist and structural perspectives. This suggests that there are many theories although different they all try to understand the r elationship between an individual and society. Thus critical practice involves ones judgement in a reflective and diverse manner Adams et al (2009). Critical practice involves exploring different options in a situation or actions in judging the best way to address issues. The practitioner would review their ideas, perspectives and options of others before deciding a best way forward. This is underpinned by the fact of accepting change and continuity as practitioners encounter different situations and ideas. Payne et al (2005) further mentions that in order to fulfil the requirements of critical practice which include liberation and empowerment social workers need an open mind, reflective stance that encompasses diverse perspectives, experience and assumptions. This would result in acknowledging individual differences, equal opportunity and respect. Fook and Garner (2007) further identify three aspects of critical practice which are critical thinking, critical action and reflexivity as essential tools to apply when seeking social justice and change. From these theories we can trace the ideas of critical perspective and acknowledge that the powerless can influence policy, societal views and self emancipation from the oppressors. An example of theoretical development implemented by service users was the theorising of disability from the medicalised interpretation to social model of disability. This shift was championed by disabled peoples movements to express how they felt and were treated for more than a century. This shift and theory influenced societal attitudes, influenced policies and to some extent changed societal attitudes in UK and abroad. Abberley (1998); Barnes, (1998). Morris, (1993) supports this by mentioning that the disability movement has overhauled societal perceptions and upheld disabled peoples rights to live independently, promote anti discriminatory practice, fairness and equal opportunities. Systems theory is another major theoretical source underpinning social work. The theory emphasised that peoples existence is determined by the environment they live or grow in. It highlighted that peoples problems are a result of how they interact with their resource systems which are either formal or informal. The informal include friends, neighbours and colleagues. The formal include support groups/ social clubs and associations. The public/ societal include housing, hospitals, work and school which provide certain structure or particular function in society. The system theory encourages growth and provides a wider range of solutions to problems by identifying areas of improvement or needing improvement. However it is said not to be acknowledging power differences within society and with different roles Adams et al (2009). Coulshed and Orme, (1998) clarifies that the nature of diversity in society makes it difficult to be entirely dependent on one theory or approach. Different situ ations and different circumstances entail different approaches through reflective practices and perspectives. Harris and White (2009) further explored events and changes within the welfare state from administering to managing the welfare state. They observed that the Conservative 1979 -1997 and Labour 1997-2010 were influenced by neo-liberalist ideas. This idea upheld the belief that market was superior to the state and as such professionals including social workers were meant to implement competitive government policy and approaches to meet global standards. These changes affected the vulnerable people in society as well because managers had been given the powers to speak on their behalf. These changes, debates and contradictions have put social work practice into a contested dilemma profession although this definition states that Social work is a profession that promotes social change, problem solving in human relationships and the empowerment and liberation of people to enhance well-being. (International Federation of Social Workers, 2000 p1). Parton (1998) points out that the present political environment is dominantly global, modernized and authoritarian. As such policies are informed and regulated by market principles which prescribes and narrows professional boundaries which affects the rights of service users. In order to achieve their objectives social workers need to challenge and resist the authoritarian elements by employing critical practice. Fook (2002) articulate that critical social work practice should be concerned with promoting a society without domination, exploitation and oppression. In order to achieve these practitioners need to reflect, reconstruct, deconstruct and unpack more processes for change through careful negotiation within the dominant framework. Many critical social theorists have challenged the existence of a social order and have questioned social order as evidenced in the work of Habermas (1984, 1987) who distinguishes between the system and the life world which interact and sometimes conflict with each other. The system represents the structures like the government departments, transnational companies emerging from globalisation, ideas promoted by communicative reasoning, education and media. All these structures are relaying a world view through different reasoning. As such social work is not excluded as an agent of systematic managerialism in agencies Pease (2005). Fook (2002) and Gardner (2007) proposed alternative forms of critical theory which are feminism and post modernism. They focus on the understanding that the world reflects personal experience and social historical context. They argue that personal experience constructs and is constructed by the world we live in. They advocate to listening to peoples experiences (narratives) seriously and from these we can hear how they view and experience the world in different ways. Powell (2001) suggests that feminists maintain that the narration of experiences by individuals gives us a clue on how they construct the world and how they want to engage with their problems and situations. Thus postmodernists say there is an alternative way of viewing the world than what it seems to be. Post-modernity argue there is a different way of viewing the world and different ways to deal with societal problems hence critical social work seeks for different options and take the best way forward. Adams et al (2009) suggests that in order to seek the best way forward social workers are encouraged to adopt the eclectic approach which entails selecting crucial aspects from different theories and blend them together as one approach. Alternatively they can use different theories for different cases. This has an advantage of addressing inadequacies in particular theories as they compensate one another. However there are also limitations as to master different theories and selecting crucial aspects may be difficult. It might as well be difficult to select the appropriate theory to use in the first place. To overcome these limitations Epstein (1992) suggested that continuous reflection, agreement, debate and teamwork would encourage flexibility in complex issues. Milner and Obyrne (1998) propose that in trying to address social injustices and inequality social work uses a variety of skills and knowledge based on theory perspective and methodology. This empowers social workers to put in place intervention which is appropriate to individual circumstances. This intervention empowers social workers with skills to engage service users to bring positive outcomes. Banks (2001) holds that values are diverse, may overlap, can conflict and socially constructed. Traditional social work and critical social work values overlap and are based on Biestek 1961 and consist of the following: Individualism, non judgemental, self determination, purposeful expression and controlled emotional development. In post modernity terms these can be interpreted to promotion of social justice, emancipation, anti-oppressive, anti-discriminatory, empowerment, non judgemental and respect and dignity. Above all the language used may affect the way we interpret the world resulting in assumptions, overrepresentation or misrepresentation of issues and ideas, Adam et al (2009). Critical social work as discussed explores the best way forward to individuals problems and seeks to listen and engage with the individual to tell their story and work in partnership to find the best way forward. The limitation is critical social work is surrounded by external forces which are beyond it control, for example resources in the current economic climate globally and at home. It is also criticised as its values and origins are Eurocentric and do not represent universal circumstances as what seems to work in UK might not necessarily work in Afro/ Asian communities. For example the issue of confidentiality is valued and essential in UK and Europe whereas in Afro Asian cultures they value kinship support in times of distress. However they would not want anyone else outside the kinship clique to know about their situation. This brings interpretation problems to confidentiality Morley (2003). In order for all these theories to be implemented there should be contact with individuals in society who experience inequality and disadvantage. Furthermore it is also important to mention at this point that social work intervention and practice is broad and spreads into other disciplines. Group work, Counselling, Advocacy and Assessment are examples of different forms of practising social work. I will not focus on the broadness of disciplines but will focus on the aims of the essay which are to explore how the critical social work approach influences counselling. Counselling requires a lot of skills and approaches as it seeks to address and resolve individual dilemmas, decision making and resolving issues. According to Dryden (2004:40) cited in Adams et al (2009) counselling is described as principled relationship characteristics by the application of one or more psychological theories and a recognised set of communication skills, modified by experience, intuition and other interpersonal factors, to clients intimate concerns, problems or aspirations. Its predominant ethos is one of facilitation rather than of advice-giving or coercion. It may be of very brief or long duration, take place in an organisational or private practice setting and may or may not overlap with practical, medical and other matters of personal welfare. The Barclay report in the early 1980s mentioned that it was essential for social workers to engage in counselling as it helped to engage with individuals to help them manage their problems, worries and anxieties, Barclay Committee,(1982). This is no longer the situation today as noted by Brearley (1995) when he states that political, administrative, legislative changes and ideologies have affected the relationship between counselling and social work. Some social work practitioners are in dilemma as to whether they can do counselling or not and where to start with counselling and when to stop. Because social workers operate in a legislative, organisational, ideological, value and ethical context it is becoming increasingly difficult to engage in counselling without pushing boundaries, Furthermore the economic environment, budget cuts and lack of resources makes it difficult to manoeuvre and employ uncontested interventions McLeod (2009). However despite the above constraints social workers at some point carry out counselling as not carrying it out would render their job inadequate and inefficient. McLeod (1998) identified a number of counselling theories which are Person centred, Existential, Cognitive Behavioural (CBT), Motivational, Humanistic, Psychodynamic, Karpmans (1969) Drama triangle and Eclectic or Integrative approaches. Some of the theories have been criticised as inadequate and resource straining. One approach that is complimentary to social work is the eclectic/ integrative approach. Integrative theory is adaptable to the needs presented by the client or specific circumstances which is flexible and adoptable to client needs. McLeod (2003) supports this statement when he maintains that eclectic approach enables the counsellor to choose the best option and techniques from a range of theories to meet the client needs. It can mean employing different elements from different theories to blend them into a new suitable model or theory. These compliments with one of the social work theory of eclecticism which seeks to integrate different theories to intervene (Adams, 2009). It can be argued that the aims of social work and the aims of counselling are both focusing on individuals and their interaction with the society, problems they face and how they solve them. As Egan (2006) puts it and complimented by Coulshed and Orme (2006) social workers adopt skills that compliment counselling skills such as empathy or understanding, respect, self knowledge and acceptance and honest. Although there are criticisms on Egans work as being ignorant of psychodynamic ideas meaning it has limited application and effectiveness. A reflective practitioner would seek to promote social justice, anti -oppressive and anti-discriminatory practice based on knowledge to promote inclusive practice. Both professions are being challenged by increasing literature developing and need to engage in best, critical and anti discriminatory practice to reach all individuals and communities Morley (2003). My privilege in practice working with clients is that I have acquired knowledge and on values of social work issues and intervention. I also have a black African background which has some conflicting values to social work. I will focus on the social work values to overcome any prejudices and biases which may jeopardise my work. I also have the law on my side which would give me power to intervene and practice. In my experience as a caseworker at Refugee Action (RA) I used counselling as a technique to working with clients. Clients from different background accessed the service to resolve their immigration matters. Mostly the approach we used was the integrative approach which meant that the outcomes met the needs of individual circumstances. I did not allow my own values and prejudices to influence my practice. The advantage of having my own values and knowledge made it easy for me to overcome any prejudices and stereotypes towards my clients. As a person from an African background with different values from those of the British society, it was easy for me to understand how it is to be in the clients shoes. I also observed that Muslim women preferred to work with female caseworkers and male Muslims preferred male caseworkers. They appeared not comfortable working with people from the opposite sex and tended to withhold information if that was the case. I therefore ensured Muslim clients were assisted by a person of preferred gender. Above all I applied the Narrative approach which solicits encouragement to clients to tell their stories. This enabled me to explore clients situation at their own pace and actively listened to assess and establish the real problem in the situation. Carniola (2005) observed that social workers are in the right direction of developing critical consciousness about the psychological impact of oppression on individuals. He further expressed that there is concern on the degree of awareness among social workers on the impact of privilege or dominant status on individuals subjectivities and world views. Rossitter (2000) concurs that the position/ impact and ways in which professionals engage with clients is overlooked and underestimated as they possess a certain class in the form of gender, race, and sexual privilege. Having explored critical social work practice and theories underpinning it, it is important to acknowledge that there is continuous transformation and contest within the academic field and socio-political arena. This is greatly impacting on vulnerable people and how they are treated and marginalised in issues affecting their lives. If the values of critical social work could be fulfilled and the theories underpinning it are integrated social work and counselling would be forces for change to promote social justice.

Evaluation of Dworkins and Habermass Approach to Civil Disobedience E

Evaluation of Dworkin's and Habermas's Approach to Civil Disobedience The following essay will attempt to evaluate the approach taken by Dworkin and Habermas on their views of civil disobedience. The two main pieces of literature referred to will be Dworkin?s paper on 'Civil Disobedience and Nuclear Protest?' and Habermas's paper on 'Civil Disobedience: Litmus Test for the Democratic Constitutional State.' An outline of both Dworkin's and Habermas's approach will be given , further discussion will then focus on a reflective evaluation of these approaches. Firstly though, it is worth commenting on civil disobedience in a more general context. Most would agree that civil disobedience is a 'vital and protected form of political communication in modern constitutional democracies' and further the 'civil disobedience has a legitimate if informal place in the political culture of the community.' Civil disobedience can basically be broken down into two methods, either intentionally violating the law and thus incurring arrest (persuasive), or using the power of the masses to make prosecution too costly to pursue (non persuasive). Dworkin takes a categorical approach to civil disobedience, by breaking it down into a number of different types then applying certain conditions to each type to assess wether the disobedience should be allowed or not. He states that there are three different types of disobedience based on the motivations behind the action. These are integrity based, justice based and policy based civil disobedience. Briefly, integrity based disobedience is motivated when the law requires people to do something that goes against their personal integrity and is usually a matter of urgency. Dworkin gives an example of this as the Northern American citizen who covertly harbours and shelters slaves from the Southern citizens in violation of the Fugitive Slave Act.# The second type of disobedience, justice based, is motivated by a peoples desire to oppose unjust policy in the hopes of reversing the policy, for example the civilian protest about the war in Iraq recently. Thirdly, policy based disobedience is somewhat different to the first two in that it is usually activated by minority groups who think a policy is dangerously unwise. As Dworkin puts it ?they think they know what is in the majority?s own interests.? Given these three types of disobedie... ...rity is not necessarily a clear majority and also that majority decisions are quite often made under the pressures of time and lack of resources. Both Dworkin and Habermas have the same general views on civil disobedience (they both believe it is an essential form of political communication in a democratic state) but when they begin to examine the issues more closely, the differences in justification begin to become apparent between the two writers as outlined above. Bibliography. 1. Articles/Books/Reports Ronald Dworkin, ?Civil Disobedience and Nuclear Protest? in A Matter of Principle (1985) 104-16. JÃ ¼rgen Habermas, ?Civil Disobedience: Litmus Test for the Democratic Constitutional State? (1985) 30 Berkeley Journal of Sociology 95-116. 2. Other Sources Andrew Calabrese, Virtual non-violence? Civil disobedience and political violence in the information age (2004) 6 Emerald Info 326 available at http://spot.colorado.edu/~calabres/Calabrese%20(civl%20dis).pdf William Smith, Democracy, Deliberation and Disobedience (Paper presented at the UK Association for Legal and Social Philosophy Annual Conference, University of Newcastle upon Tyne, April 2003).