Thursday, October 31, 2019
Effective Manager Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words
Effective Manager - Essay Example Effective Manager As this competency to negotiate and motivate people is a very key attribute in a manager (Fowler, 2000), I have been working hard to contribute as a team player and to get everyone to work as one cohesive unit. For this, I have been volunteering to take up different opportunities that help me enhance my skills to build a strong team such as leading a group of people to accomplish a given task. This has taught me how to motivate the team to function in one particular direction. According to Alimo-Metcalfe and Alban-Metcalfe (2003), flexibility is an attribute that an effective manger must possess. In the past, I have noticed that I am often rigid when it comes to getting my plans executed. I look at it as a challenge and I have been working on this aspect. I have tried to expand my horizon to look at broader situations where flexibility is required rather than just focussing on my core role. This has helped me improve my flexibility and has helped me understand how it is crucial for m anagers to demonstrate flexibility while leading a team. As per the research done by Antonioni, D. (1994), an efficient manager should be able to resolve conflicts in the working scenario. Conflict management comes in very useful in a competitive environment where the pressure to perform to the optimum is high. It takes high emotional quotient by the managers to remain in authority and yet resolve issues amicabily (Goleman, 1999). During many situations, I have faced the challenge of conflict management among peers and I found the process very tough because there are many aspects that need to be focussed upon while managing a conflicting scenario. For example, I found it difficult to resolve the situation because two candidates felt equally passionate about one particular task. Even though I awarded the task to the one who was more equipped to handle the responsibility, I found it challenging to convince the other employee as to why the task was not assigned to him. To learn the art of conflict management, I have been observing the scenarios in which managers have been resolving conflict effectively keeping the interest of the entire team as well as the mission and objective in mind. Davis et al (1989) state that an effective manager should be able to efficiently manage self and others. For example, good managers always have the goal or objective in front of them and work towards the goal effectively keeping the development of the team as well as their own development in mind (Honey, 2004). During the past, I have exclusively focussed on my core job and hence, expanding my vision to look at the development of the team was not a priority. After understanding that it is very important in the managerial domain, I have tried to align my priorities with the mission of the team so that I am better able to improve my work along with the rest of the team. This has helped me understand a lot about the various nuances of how encouragement and motivation proves to be cri tical in a team environment. I have observed how managers are able to take active interest in the development of others while keeping the mission in mind. They do it by developing a deep understanding of the psychology and thought process of the individuals and how that would fit in with the common goal. I have also tried to improve my
Tuesday, October 29, 2019
Painting Analysis at the National Gallery of Canada Essay Example for Free
Painting Analysis at the National Gallery of Canada Essay On a recent field trip to the National Art Gallery in Ottawa, as a class, we looked at some paintings. The painting that stood out to me was Simone Martini’s painting titled St. Catherine of Alexandria. We have been studying the Renaissance period and this one was identifiable instantly. For our class assignment, we are required to identify the time period or style the painting might belong to, identify its stylistic features, the date it was created, the artist, mediums used, as well as the significance of its subject matter and its importance in the exhibition. By studying Simone Martini’s painting of St. Catherine of Alexandria I was able to compare it with some of the images seen in class, and from Janson’s History of Art textbook. When I first looked at Simone Martini painting of St. Catherine of Alexandria, I noticed many things. I noticed how her face gesture, the position of the subjects head, and arm size hinted naturalism; however, the proportions are not yet perfected. The subject is also being identified through the broach she is wearing around her neck, which is a wheel indicating she is St. Catherine of Alexandria. I noticed the subject has a gold halo and seems to be in a narrative; these techniques are seen in many paintings during the Renaissance period (as seen in image 1-4 in appendix). Being the left hand panel to the Madonna and Child, I also knew that this piece would have significance in the history of Art. The use of gold (gilding- seen in image 1-4 in appendix) and materials used (tempera on wood) also led me to believe that this is a Renaissance painting. Research has helped me determine that this beautiful golden painting by Simone Martini (St. Catherine of Alexandria) was made during the early Italian Renaissance period. This is because of the style and techniques that are used within the painting. The style of the renaissance period consisted of techniques using geometry and perspective, chiaroscuro, contraposto, naturalism, and classical themes. The main characteristics of the early include the use of one-point perspective, which creates the illusion of a three-dimensional space. The use of geometry is also typically seen in the composition of figures laid out in a triangular form to create a sense of balance (Reznichenko, 2013 para. 2 ). During the early Italian Renaissance period the artist attempts to represent figures and nature more realistically than previously during the medieval period. They studied nature and the human body to learn more about the anatomy of humans and animals (Reznichenko, 2013 para. 3). In Simone Martini’s painting of St. Catherine of Alexandria, you can see examples of this in the face gesture, the position of the subjects head, and the detail in her eye-lashes (Humanism/naturalism seen in images 3 and 5 in appendix). Early Italian Renaissance artists also used contrast between gradations of light and dark and shading, which is the technique they used to create a three-dimensional sense of space (Reznichenko 2013 para. 4). (shading seen in images 1 and 2 in appendix). In St. Catherine of Alexandria, you can see the shadows and shading throughout the painting; this is especially evident in the subjects face, neck, arms and hands. The subject matter in early Italian Renaissance included some classical themes of Greek and Roman mythology as well as depicting portraits and other worldly subjects. (Reznichenko, 2013, para. 5). In Martini’s painting, you see that it is both secular and sacred, but religion stands out a little more because of the subject portrayed is St. Catherine of Alexandra. Contropposto is a word that represents a the stance of the figure which ones’ weight rests on one foot; this technique was used to create a twist in the figures body, thus, making the hip and shoulders no longer parallel (seen in images 3 and 5 in appendix) . The use of contropposto had been seen before but not used since the classical period. (Reznichenko, 2013, para. 6) Simone Martini’s painting of St. Catherine of Alexandria does not show the subjects stance, but it does show a twist in the body (one point perspective) which creates the same idea of technique. Simone Martini, St. Catherine of Alexandria, was created in 1322–23, using tempera on wood. The size of the wood panel is 32 3/4 Ãâ€" 17 1/8 inches (with frame). It is part of the Collection of the National Gallery of Canada. The painting of St. Catherine of Alexandria is part of a triptych; and is the left panel of the altarpiece. The specific term used for this type of painting is called a polyptych. This is a three panel system with â€Å"wings†or side panels; Madonna and Child are represented in the centre piece which was the largest section (Wikipedia, 2013, para. 1 2). The significance of the subject matter in Simone Martini painting of St. Catherine of Alexandria is the changes that were seen during the renaissance, and the preservation of the tempera painting itself. The techniques seen during this period are very important. One being in order to depict the human figure properly, artists needed to study the anatomy. With the studying of the human body, artists used the technique of shading to create the volume and a better sense of perspective. During the restoration of St. Catherine of Alexandria, many parts were left untouched while others were carefully re-painted (Brink, 2001, para. 7); in my opinion, this says a lot about the quality of work Martini presented. In other words, this painting is significant because of the stylistic breakthrough of its time, as well as the care and quality of the painting itselfas well as the materials used. The titling of this period â€Å"re-birth†or â€Å"Renaissance†hints this time involved a breakthrough in art history. Through the use of geometry and perspective, chiaroscuro, contraposto, naturalism, classical themes, and the materials used, I was able to determine the stylistic period that Simone Martini, St. Catherine of Alexandria, was created during the renaissance period. Further research helped me determine that this painting was in fact a creation of the Early Italian Renaissance period. Without the use of these techniques and materials, the significance of this time in art history would probably not be recognized as the â€Å"renaissance, or â€Å"re-birth†of classical learning, literature and art. Studying this type of work has helped me realize why it is important to cherish certain works and learn about why they are significant. Without the renaissance period we would still be seeing bland, flat images without volume, and a lack of proportion. Works Cited: Brink, J. (n.d.). Annual Bulletin 3, Simone Martinis St Catherine of Alexandria An Orvietan Altarpiece and the Mystical Theology of St Bonaventure by Joel Brink. National Gallery of Canada . Retrieved February 11, 2013, from http://www.gallery.ca/bulletin/num3a/brink1.html Cimabue Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. (2013, January 31). Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Retrieved February 11, 2013, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cimabue Janson, H. W., Davies, P. J. (2007). The High Renaissance in Itali. Jansons history of art: the western tradition (7th ed., p. 567). Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Pearson Prentice Hall. Janson, H. W., Davies, P. J. (2007). The Early Renaissance in Fifteenth-Century Italy. Jansons history of art: the western tradition (7th ed., p. 545). Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Pearson Prentice Hall. Polyptych Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. (2012, February 7).Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Retrieved February 11, 2013, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polyptych Reznichenko, T. (n.d.). Characteristics of Italian Renaissance Art | eHow.com.eHow | How to Videos, Articles More Discover the expert in you. | eHow.com. Retrieved February 11, 2013, from http://www.ehow.com/list_6459200_characteristics-italianrenaissance-art.html Simone Martini Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. (2013, February 3). Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Retrieved February 11, 2013, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simone_Martini Steinhart, J. (n.d.). St. Catherine of Alexandria by Simone Martini at National Gallery of Canada. Ottawa, ON.. Travel Photo Base World Image Collection Visual Travel Planner. Retrieved February 11, 2013, from http://travelphotobase.com/v/CDNON/ONOG30 Tribute Money Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. (2012, August 3). Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Retrieved February 11, 2013, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tribute_Money
Sunday, October 27, 2019
Business Strategies for Technical Progress
Business Strategies for Technical Progress The modern world is getting progressively mobile. The penetration of mobile devices in the market has been extremely rapid and overwhelming. Mobile technology influenced and changed the way people live, work and entertain, and have completely revolutionized the way companies conduct business. Nowadays many activities are carried out on the move- socializing, business, learning etc., because many business process can be extended to mobile ones, and nearly every activity can be turned into mobile application. Due to the widespread of mobile technology, people are always online, they can talk and hear regardless of the place where they are. Mobile communications are based on wireless solutions, transparent and cheap, and in the course of time it has a real potential to replace traditional computers (Deibert and Rothlauf, 2006). Business strategies have evolved vastly together with the rapid technical progress of mobile technologies. The organizations are using mobile technology to function better and smarter. The swift development of mobile devices and integration of technological tools in the business operations have allowed new opportunities for improving the performance of a company, by making the processes simpler and more effective. Mobile devices have become an internal part of our lives and made distance and location factors increasingly irrelevant. The impact of mobile technology on places of work and the business environment is visible. Business systems can take advantage of mobile technologies to improve their productivity and efficacy in many ways. It is now feasible for people to perform business operations from almost anywhere. The ability to access Internet through their phone allows the executives to gather real-time data that can help them with taking informed business decisions (Cellary and Iyengar, 2002). Furthermore, the recent developments of mobile technology have created a countless benefits for businesses and led to tremendous improvements in many business areas. Below are presented several examples of how mobile technology make a true impact on business communication. Improved customer support Mobile technologies are playing a vital role in improving customer-satisfaction and social impact in business. The ability to convey issues and feedback to employees about a product or a service at any time makes an important improvement to customer service. In addition, the increasing number of users using Internet on their smartphones for various services has led to the boom of social media apps, and consequently many businesses begun investing in making their social media platforms responsive to customers (Smith, 2016). In this way people can connect with the brands through online messaging options and get an instant response to their inquiries. Better sales performance One of the major tools for sales personnel is to know their customers. By using mobile phones, sales representatives can access the customers record and get up-to-date information about his essential needs and preferences, sales and inquiries prior to the meeting, and thus be prepared to offer him appropriate solutions. Furthermore, sales executives can track the inventory, obtain sales reports and status of orders in real-time, and inform the clients by email or phone in order to speed up the process and hence bring customer satisfaction (Mincey, 2016). Enhanced collaboration Smart mobile devices enable all employees to join regular meetings and colleagues to collaborate with each other from anywhere in the world via Internet. Whether it is a web conference, video call or online meeting, this mobile phone service allows the team members to contribute to the discussion and exchange viewpoints, which can prevent any delays in work and helps increasing the team motivation and productivity. Optimized operations With the evolution of mobile technology, business operations have been carried out simpler and quicker. For example, cloud computing allows employees to easily access important files from anywhere using mobile phones with Internet connection. They can also retrieve sales records and any other needed data from the databases, and thus provide accurate and quick service to the customers. The Sage Mobile Device Survey, which was conducted in April-May 2014, examined 1,090 U.S. small and medium sized enterprises about the way mobile technologies impact both their business and society. Two organizations stood out with their approach of using innovative technology tools for achieving economic empowerment and generate value for society. Good World Solutions organization implemented a mobile-based program called Labor Link that is helping business to acquire feedback from employees about the working conditions and also are providing them with information on health care and education. Marks Spencer company have used the program to help for the improvement of financial literacy among Indian factory workers. They have distributed a simple survey through their mobile phones and thousands of workers took part in it. The results helped Marks Spencer to generate information that allowed them to adapt its training according to the specific needs of the workers, and also have contributed by educating them to save, as the number of workers having bank accounts is reported to have increased with 33% after the first part of the survey. Grameen Foundation is providing for organizations working to prevent poverty by supplying them with products and services that can increase their efficiency. TaroWorks is a product of theirs, a mobile enabled tool with a cloud-based back end. It is often used by workers on the field, who submit real-time information through a mobile phone. VisionSpring is another company that uses TaroWorks for the purpose of improved business operations and social assistance. The business is selling eyeglasses to poor people, in order to alleviate poverty by encouraging them to learn and work. In the past VisionSpring was not able to obtain information about its customers because it was expensive and complicated, but now with the use of TaroWorks and mobile phones the company is collecting vital information that will help adapting its products. (Adesnik, 2013) In spite of the positive impact that mobile technology have on the success in business in our world, there are many companies which do not understand the benefit they would gain from adapting such technology in their business. A study released by business and accounting software provider Sage North America in 2014 have found that 77% of the companies do not intend to invest in mobile technology. The study revealed that only 5% of the businesses have planned a budget specifically for mobile devices, and also that the percentage in employers who provides their employees with a mobile phones have dropped with 14% since the last year (Angeles, 2014). Mobile technology is enriching our lives. It is helping us to work on what is both good for business and good for the world. It is making communication between people possible, anywhere in the world, for everyone with access to Internet. Mobile technology have great power and strong impact on businesses that are using mobile enabled tools and devices to collect information and use it to make informed decisions. The fast progress of mobile technology does not seem to slow down, and if a business is striving for success, it should apply the mobile advancements in order to use them as an advantage.
Friday, October 25, 2019
systems analysis :: essays research papers
Overview. The process is designed to handle the interaction with customers and suppliers, and also deals with stock control. Invoice and payment data is recorded. For clarity I have noted down the following: †¢Ã‚     Head Office consists of               -     Product Management                     Finance                     Sales †¢Ã‚     A Local Branch consists of     -     A Local Office                     Warehouse                     Distribution Preliminary List of Entities. In my top-down analysis of the Metropolitan Pharmaceuticals scenario, I have first attempted to produce a preliminary list of candidate entities. These are as follows: †¢Ã‚     Customer †¢Ã‚     Customer Order †¢Ã‚     Customer Invoice †¢Ã‚     Sales                    -     Occurs only once so isn’t included †¢Ã‚     Product †¢Ã‚     Product Order †¢Ã‚     Supplier †¢Ã‚     Supplier Invoice          †¢Ã‚     Finance               -     Occurs only once so isn’t included †¢Ã‚     Local Branch †¢Ã‚     Local Office               -     Is part of Local Branch so isn’t included †¢Ã‚     Distribution               -     Is part of Local Branch so isn’t included †¢Ã‚     Warehouse               -     Is part of Local Branch so isn’t included †¢Ã‚     Stock The following page shows my list of probable entities: List of Probable Entities. †¢Ã‚     Customer †¢Ã‚     Customer Order †¢Ã‚     Customer Invoice †¢Ã‚     Product †¢Ã‚     Product Order †¢Ã‚     Supplier †¢Ã‚     Supplier Invoice          †¢Ã‚     Local Branch †¢Ã‚     Stock Descriptions and expected essential attributes for the above entities: Since the system analysis is focused on dealing with customers, suppliers and handling products, I have included all entities which I believe participate in these activities. †¢Ã‚     Customer Description:     Retail chemist shops or pharmacies associated with shops, hospitals or medical practices. All require a supply of products from the Metropolitan Pharmaceuticals system. Attributes:          Customer ID               -     Identifying attribute Name                Address                Telephone Number                Fax Number                e-mail                Contact Name                Delivery Address                Credit Rating †¢Ã‚     Customer Order Description:     An order placed by the Customer requesting the delivery of product. Attributes:          Order Number          -     Identifying attribute                Customer ID Product ID Quantity †¢Ã‚     Customer Invoice Description:     An invoice sent to the Customer from the Finance department, requesting payment for the delivered goods. Attributes:          Invoice Number          -     Identifying attribute Order ID Date Amount to be paid †¢Ã‚     Product Description:     An item that is supplied by the Metropolitan Pharmaceuticals system. Attributes:          Product ID               -     Identifying attribute Name                Description                Category               -     (A,B,C or D)                Stock Item               -     (Yes or No) †¢Ã‚     Product Order Description:     An order that is sent to either the Supplier (if it is a non-stock item) or a Local Branch (if it is a stocked item), requesting the delivery of a product to a customer. Attributes:          Order Number          -      Identifying attribute Date Product Customer ID                Quantity †¢Ã‚     Supplier Description:     A company that is able to supply a range of products to Metropolitan Pharmaceuticals. Metropolitan Pharmaceuticals does not manufacture any of its products, but instead, uses suppliers who either produce or procure the products. Attributes:          Supplier ID               -     Identifying attribute Name Address Telephone Number                Fax Number                e-mail               †¢Ã‚     Supplier Invoice Description:     An invoice that is sent by the supplier to Metropolitan Pharmaceuticals requesting payment for the product it has provided. Attributes:          Invoice Number          -     Identifying attribute Date                Amount to be paid †¢Ã‚     Local Branch Description:     A local outlet that contains a Local Office, a Warehouse and a Distribution Center. Attributes:          Branch ID               -     Identifying attribute                Name                Address Telephone Number †¢Ã‚     Stock Description:     A full inventory of products that are held in stock at the local branch. Attributes:          Stock ID               -     Identifying attribute                Product ID Location               -     eg. Shelf number                Quantity                Re-Order level Entity Links or Dependencies. Now to identify which pairs of entities have an association between themselves. †¢Ã‚     Customer is related to Customer Order: Justification:     Customer places Customer Order Customer Order is placed by Customer
Thursday, October 24, 2019
Karl Marx’s
Karl Marx’s German Ideology is a relook at the foundation of Philosophy and all combined artistic expressions of man in the new focus of material activities and quests. Since Karl Marx was influenced by the disparities in human beings and wanted to explore the conditions that either give birth to, or arise from, these disparities, his philosophy is more aligned to the more mundane daily activities.German Ideology is a critically significant relook at the philosophies of the day to incorporate the basic needs of human being as the basis for the concepts of ownership, labor and family as a unit of the society. Marx argues that 1. Concept of ownership is a convenient work around of self interest, 2. Labor forms the basis of the social structure, and 3. The relationship between man and woman has a pragmatic basis of increasing and procuring labor (more than the element of love or companionship, which is propagated through every other form of philosophy).The main differentiator of Human beings and animals is that Man produces the means of his subsistence. Marx argues that the act of production defines human being and his existence.†This mode of production must not be considered simply as being the production of the physical existence of the individuals. Rather it is a definite form of activity of these individuals, a definite form of expressing their life, a definite mode of life on their part†.Therefore any interaction between two communities or two countries is essentially a discourse between tow productive forces. The act of productivity, in order to continue in a manner that serves the self interest of each of the individual unit as well as the dependant community around it gives birth to the earliest form of ownership. Great stretches of uncultivated lands give birth to the necessity of large ownership including that of an adequate labor force.All social interactions spring out of the necessary exchanges between the different producing classe s or the labor. According to Marx, social and political relations evolve over age from the life process of individuals, not out of any empirical or imaginary form of individuals, but a realistic, form – how they operate and how they produce. Marx goes on to theorize that the production of ideas, conception and consciousness are directly â€Å"interwoven with the material activity and the material intercourse of men, the language of real life.†Production as in the means of distinguishing human beings from animals as argued in point one and the production of more human forms are both two aspects of the same function, argues Marx. According to him, creation of new need (the act of satisfying one need gives rise to the need for instruments and the labor required to produce those instruments) is the first step of creating history. In this step of history, one of the first social interactions of man is to procreate or produce more of human beings and this is to be considered as the family that we know of today.Family and reproduction start of as the essentially production oriented early steps in social interactions. These interactions, when they happen on a macro level, give birth to huge feudal or any other form of community. Marx argues that the necessity of society in Man is equivalent to the herd mentality in animals but in this association instinct is replaced by consciousness.Karl Marx gives a truly â€Å"materialistic†twist to the motives of human endeavor and in this he philosophically captures the radical views of P.B.Shelly. Shelley has been highly sanitized by later day critics in that his works like â€Å"Ozymandias†always appear to be the defeatist or woefully inadequate human ramblings in the face of unattainable immortality or eternity. In reality the highly radical views of Shelly hint at a revolt.That might be one of the reasons why Shelly is considered a very high influence on pre Raphaelites and ultimately the precurs or for labor movement. Marx also subscribes to Shelly’s views of human materialistic quest being worthy of filling the annals of history. As one radical poet wrote in favor of Marxism, â€Å"History shall henceforth be the chronicle of the palanquin bearersâ€
Wednesday, October 23, 2019
Adults with Learning Difficulties Essay
â€Å"People with Learning Difficulties are unique individuals with their own likes and dislikes, history and opinions. They have the same rights as everybody else†To begin my assignment I will be discussing the history of social exclusion in relation to people with l’earning difficulties/disabilities . I will then outline process of Social work and in particular I will be focusing on intervention and how intervention has been used in relation to my chosen case study. In addition to this I will pay attention to a number of key issues in relation to society’s views on people with Learning Difficulties. I will also be discussing what Laws, Policies and Practices have been implemented to protect people with learning difficulties from oppression and discrimination and how effective these Laws have actually been in assisting people with Learning Difficulties to live the life they choose to live. During the late 19th century in particular, socially excluding people with learning disabilities was particularly inherent. At the time, those with ‘mental deficiencies’ were regarded as degenerates, and would often be blamed for social problems such as crime and poverty. This in turn led to the removal and institutionalisation of people thought to be ‘feeble minded’ and those referred to as ‘idiots’. Wolf Wolfensberger first published his thoughts about normalisation in 1972, through his works ‘The principle of Normalization in human service’. Wolfensberger argued that many of the problems with the institutions arose from the way in which they were designed and run. The residents of these institutions were treated like numbers rather than individuals, losing their identity and also their dignity. They were often regarded as primitive, uncontrollable and unable to be educated. The basic ideas and aims of the principles of normalisation have aimed to advocate community-based support for people with learning disabilities, whilst moving away from institutionalisation. But one of the most apparent obstacles in achieving this has been the attitude of those in the ‘community’ towards people with learning disabilities. Up to this point Social workers were still using the â€Å"tick box format†when conducting assessments and the medical model of practice was used which resulted in oppression of the service user. It was not until the NHS and community care Act and the community care (Direct Payments) Act was implemented in 1990’s that the attitudes towards people with Learning Difficulties began to improve along with the balance in power between Social Workers and Service Users. Further implementations of legal frameworks, policies and practices such as Valuing People 2001 and the Mental Capacity Act have helped to improve Social Work practice and in turn protect the rights of vulnerable people whilst promoting Anti-Discriminator practice, Social role valorisation and normalisation. Today’s process of Social Work consists of five key stages. These are Assessment, Deciding on outcomes, Planning, Intervention and Evaluation. Inter professional working should be placed centrally throughout all stages of the social work process in order to achieve the best possible outcome for the service user. Once the service users initial assessment has been carried out, decisions can then be made regarding the individuals overall needs and also their eligibility to receive funding for care packages and/or direct payments. Intervention can differ according to setting, but when looking at the intervention process for people with learning difficulties working in partnership and respecting the service user’s expertise is vital when putting agreed plans into action. This aspect of the intervention process can be linked to the exchange model as this approach promotes Anti Discriminatory Practice by empowering the service user to help make decisions about their future wellbeing. It also meets the expectations of the service user that social workers are respecting their expertise. Milner and Obrien 2002) During the intervention process it is the duty of the care manager/social worker to ensure that services provided are meeting the required standards and that the care is co-ordinated successfully to prevent deterioration due to gaps or lapses in care. It is also the responsibility of the care manager to ensure that services users are not excluded from services or receiving care that is of poor quality by constantly checking for discrimination stereotypes and assumptions made during the social work process. It is at this point that the intervention process can be linked with the objectives of Social role Valorisation; the objectives being to prevent people from attaining negative social roles and to promote positive valued roles in the first place. Work to reverse, or at least reduce the impact of existing negative roles and promote positive valued roles. The two key processes od social role valorisation are to enhance the social image of vulnerable people and to enhance their competencies. Social workers are expected to monitor and review intervention lans on a regular basis. Because of this it is vital that these plans can be changed at any time to suit the needs of the individual. When changes are made it is important that other organisations involved are kept up to date with these changes to ensure that the plan remains co-ordinated and effective. Although this theory of intervention illustrates a person centred approach, there is evidence to suggest that people with learning difficulties are still being failed by society due to standardisation and computerisation which can also be known as the â€Å"tick box format†. There are also many instances where there is an incorrect assessment of finances during the initial assessment process, due to the focus on resources available rather than needs. This can lead to the service user being denied access to services that they are entitled to. When looking at my case study Gemma, she has successfully been integrated into society after a comprehensive process of assessment, planning and intervention has been completed to form a person centred care package that suits her needs as an individual with profound and multiple learning difficulties, but also as a young woman who is a human being. The implementation of policies such as Valuing People 2001 and Valuing People Now promotes personalisation within society and has given people with Learning Disabilities like Gemma the right to their own independence, choice and inclusion. Also to have the option of appointing an advocate. However, I cannot help but feel that her story of success was down to the sheer determination of her mother, who had to fight for her daughters individual needs to be met. Social Workers and other multi professionals who were involved in assessment of Gemma’s needs obviously felt that she would have benefited from institutionalisation, as it is stated that this was suggested as a future plan on numerous occasions. I cannot help but wonder whether this has been due to professionals focusing on Gemma’s disability rather than focusing on her as a person. Valuing people 2001 states that the role of services is to help people no matter how complexed their disability, to live full and equal lives in their local communities. Although the article states that ideas for Gemma to live as independently as possible were well received and finally implemented, It is also obvious that there have been constant struggles to obtain funding such as direct payments to accommodate Gemma’s visions to live a normal life within her community. Following Wolfensbergers development of Social Role Valorisation, Obrien developed the five service accomplishments, which provided a practical framework to work towards Social Role Valorisation. Obrien suggests â€Å"Each accomplishment supports a vital dimension of human experience which common practice limits for people with severe Learning Disabilities. They challenge and strengthen the relationship between people with disabilities and other community members. (Obrien 1989) Recent articles published on the community care website have suggested that social workers themselves are witnessing the target-driven culture of bureaucracy within councils (just like Gemmas mum experienced ),and are aware that this has created numerous barriers to people with mental health problems gaining access to direct payments. It has been reported that a Social Work Team Manager within Adults with Learning Disabilities actually left her role at Doncaster Council in 2010 because she had encountered these problems and felt that it hindered the intervention process. She has since started up her own Personalisation Forum Group to bring these service users together. The weekly meetings at a community centre now attract 30 regulars, providing support and regular socialising opportunities. I utilise my social work skills to help the group solve the problems that they face; this involves reducing dependency on professionals by highlighting people’s strengths, and encouraging them to think through solutions on their own and with other group members. People describe feeling part of something, like they have some power over their own future and many for the first time can see something positive,†Hicks says. Michelle Lefevre, senior lecturer in social work at the University of Sussex, says it is a â€Å"sad indictment†that Hicks felt she had to leave local authority social work to build such meaningful relationships with users. Not only is local government overly focused on administration rather than spending time with children and families, she says, but problems in social work degree programmes and supervision mean practitioners are not equipped to deal with the emotional dimensions of the job. Overall it is very refreshing to read success stories like Gemma’s as it seems that she is living her live as independently as possible, whilst being supported by a dedicated team of people who are constantly ensuring that she is receiving person centred care and that her wishes remain central. It is my only hope that in the future it will not require a loving parent to fight the rights of a service user and to overcome hurdle after hurdle to receive the funding and care package they are rightful entitled to, but that the service user will be granted access to the services and funding they are eligible for with ease.
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