Examining Social Structure Theory Essay

For the purpose of this paper in examining theories, I have chosen to view the Tent City, AZ video. â€Å"Located in the desert near downtown Phoenix, Tent City houses 2,000 inmates in canvas tents† (Films Media Group, 2007). Conditions are difficult for the inmates, and since there are no prison bars, maintaining control over the inmates is a constant concern for the guards (Films Media Group, 2007). I will show that the content of the video should be appropriately acknowledged as well as studied using a social structure theoretical application. I will review the social disorganization theory, the strain theory, and the culture conflict theory, and how they supported the social structure theory in relation to Tent City. I will identify the primary subjects of the video, and the social issues that are raised for the inmates in the Tent City facility. Additionally, I will examine the major principles of sociological theories and the ramifications of social process change. Letâ €™s begin with an explanation of the social structure theory and some examples from the video that supports these theories. Supporting Social Structure Theory In watching the Tent City video, it is apparent that it follows the social structure theory. The subcultures that are created by dividing the inmates into racial groups comes with some protection for the inmates from those in their racial group, but this protection can come with a price (Films Media Group, 2007). According to the text, there are three major types of theories that support the social structure theories. They include the social disorganization theory, strain theory, and culture conflict theory (Schmalleger, 2012, â€Å"Social Structures Theories/Types of Social Structure Theories†). The text goes on to explain that the â€Å"Social disorganization theory (which depicts social change, social conflict and lack of social  consensus as the root causes of crime and deviance)† (Schmalleger, 2012, â€Å"Social Structures Theories/Social Disorganization Theory†). The strain theory is defined â€Å"as the pressure that individuals feel to reach socially d etermined goals† (Schmalleger, 2012, â€Å"Social Structures Theories/Strain Theory†). The culture conflict theory â€Å"suggests that the root cause of criminality can be found in a clash of values between differently socialized groups over what is acceptable or proper behavior† (Schmalleger, 2012, â€Å"Social Structures Theories/Culture Conflict Theory†). The social disorganization theory, the strain theory, and the culture conflict theory are supported in this video by the following examples. The social disorganization theory is supported in the Tent City video by the segregation of inmates being housed with their same racial group. This causes the groups to stick to themselves for reasons of safety and protection from other racial groups and gives each group a sense of belonging and fitting in. The inmates are expected to follow the rules that include avoidance of involvement with contraband. The contraband is used by the inmates to get things such as money, commissary items, and power or status within their racial group as well as to the other racial groups. The strain theory is supported in the video because the restrictions of inmate belongings are enormous. The inmates are deprived of many things including condiments, tobacco, drugs, and anything that can be used to construct weapons. The inmates are subjected to frequent but random searches by the guards and the Special Response Team (SRT). They are often stripped down to their under ware during the searches, which gives the inmates negative feelings, and reduces their self-esteem as they are forced to cower to the guards. Additionally, the restrictions put strain on the inmates, causing some to disobey the rules, which puts them in a position of acting deviant to gain the things they desire. While, to some degree the inmates must depend on other inmates for safety, protection, and contraband items, they each know that they are on their own. The culture conflict theory is supported in the video in the aspect of racial segregation. This causes power and status struggles between the racial groups as they are struggling to survive their incarceration while attempting to maintain some form of self-worth. Primary Subject of Video The primary subject of this video is keeping control of the facility with the use of zero tolerance policies for the inmates of Tent City. It focuses on a new inmate named Ryan Merlina, who was â€Å"convicted of forgery, burglary, and most recently, possession of methamphetamine† (Films Media Group, 2007). Merlina, who has a long history of drug use and has been in and out of the juvenile system for a considerable amount of his teen years, at age nineteen came to Tent City, an adult facility (Films Media Group, 2007). In addition to the videos depiction of the circumstances faced by staff and inmates, it chronicles Merlinas’ personal struggles with his journey through incarceration at Tent City. On an Internet video, Films Media Group (2007) states that, the court offered Merlina a reduced sentence in exchange for him pleading guilty. â€Å"If he behaves himself, he’ll serve just six months at Tent City. But if he messes up, he’ll get 12 years in state prison† (Films Media Group, 2007). At Tent City, the inmates are not allowed to have certain things such as sugar, tobacco, drugs, and weapons. The prison system employs the Special Response Team (SRT), who conducts random and frequent searches to stay ahead of the inmate’s attempts to control and distribute contraband items. This is done to catch the inmates off guard, seize contraband, and find out who is responsible for the contraband, and hold that inmate accountable through punishments such as solitary confinement and in some cases the implementation of maximum sentences (Films Media Group, 2007). In a setting such as the one of Tent City, the inmates face social issues of their confinement. Social Issues Raised The social issues raised in the video relate to the subcultures created within the Tent City facility. The inmates are separated into racial groups. The newly arriving inmates are assigned to a tent that they share with twenty-one other inmates, all who are felons (Films Media Group, 2007). According to the video one guard stated, â€Å"Unfortunately, everything out here is organized by race. And when a new inmates comes into our system, they’ll be approached by someone from their race who will explain to them what the rules and expectations are out here† (Films Media Group, 2007). â€Å"Rule number one, stick to your own race. Each group has its own seating area and name† (Films Media Group, 2007). Because the inmates stick with their own racial group, this creates social issues amongst all inmates. â€Å"The groups claim  they exist to provide protection. Officers say their purpose is controlling inmates and contraband† (Films Media Group, 2007). Each racial group has leaders that generally involve themselves in contraband. It becomes a struggle for the inmates to try to control contraband while also trying to stay under the radar of the guards. â€Å"In this hostile environment, tensions run high and chaos is always just around the corner† (Films Media Group, 2007). New inmates quickly learn that, â€Å"sometimes it’s not a rival group inmates have to worry about, it’s their own† (Films Media Groups, 2007). â€Å"The DOs have ways of turning us against each other if we mess up. That’s their way of punishing us. They’ll make you look like a bad guy and get your tent tossed on you. Then it’s going to make everybody in your tent mad at you† (Films Media Group, 2007). For those inmates that break the rules of their group, they suffer punishments that are swift and painful (Films Media Group, 2007). The punishment for minor infractions such as a verbal insult will result in a punch in the jaw, but for major ones, such as not paying a debt, the inmate will receive a beating by three or more inmates of their racial group (Films Media Group, 2007). Due to the social issues tha t arise from incarceration, principles of the sociological theories are evident. Major Principles of Sociological Theory According to the text, social structure â€Å"theories look at the formal and informal economic and social arrangements (or structure) of society as the root causes of crime and deviance† (Schmalleger, 2012, â€Å"Social Structures Theories/Definition of Social Structure Theories†). In addition, the social structure theories look at the negative aspects of society’s structure, such as disorganization, poverty, and disadvantages associated with lack of educational success as the cause of criminal behavior (Schmalleger, 2012, â€Å"Social Structures Theories/Definition of Social Structure Theories†). The major principles of the sociological theory that are addressed in the video are Tent City’s social group arrangements of society that provides focus for study, group dynamics and subgroup relationships from which crime develops, society’s structure and degree of organization/disorganization, and specific behaviors that can statistically estimat e characteristics to engage in crime. The social groups formed in Tent City are racially motivated, meaning that each inmate is segregated to their own racial group to keep the  different racial groups separated from each other. The group dynamics in a population of criminals that are divided into subgroups by race offers two examples the major principles. One example relates to the group being made up of all criminals, and the second example relates to the racially segregated subgroups that keep the inmates with their own race. This can lead to struggles related to status amongst their own racial group, and to the other racial groups. Society’s structure, being a prison that is run under zero tolerance rules (organization), and the conflicting disorganization of the inmates and their desire for obtaining contraband, while they struggle to complete their sentence without getting into trouble. Additionally, the specific behaviors that each inmate possesses that brought them to commit crimes that resulted in their incarceration is a major principle of sociological theories. Criminal behaviors by individuals, grouped with the criminal behaviors of the other inmates, can be a cause for additional criminal behavior. Possible Ramifications for Social Process Change While integrating the inmates together and removing the racially segregated groups may seem like the appropriate thing to do, there are possible ramifications of changes in their social processes that need to be addressed. For the inmates, these racially segregated groups offer some form of protection. By removing the built in sense of protection, it can cause additional stress and anxiety for the inmates. The inmates are deprived of many â€Å"luxuries†, and tend to look to their fellow inmates to receive some creature comforts of home. Although the inmates can only depend on themselves, the racially segregated groups offer the inmates a sense of support by belonging to a group. Removing that element can open the door for cultural clashes. According to the text, the â€Å"Social process theories draw their explanatory power from the process of interaction between individuals and society† (Schmalleger, 2012, â€Å"Theories of Social Process and Social Development/The S ocial Process Perspective†). Social process changes within the Tent City facility can weaken the inmates established social bonds, which could result in them turning on each other because of different cultural practices and beliefs. According to the text, criminal behaviors are learned through the interaction with others  (Schmalleger, 2012, â€Å"Theories of Social Process and Social Development/The Social Process Perspective†). And social process â€Å"is seen as the primary route through which learning occurs† (Schmalleger, 2012, â€Å"Theories of Social Process and Social Development/Summary†). If changes are to be made, they have to be enacted in society during a person’s learning process, only then can it make positive change. Conclusion As you can see, the content of the video should be appropriately acknowledged and studied using a social structure theoretical application. I have shown how the subcultures created by dividing the inmates into racial groups comes with some protection for the inmates from those in their racial group, but this protection comes with a price (Films Media Group, 2007). The three major types of theories that support the social structure theories include the social disorganization theory, strain theory, and culture conflict theory. All of these theories are supported in the video by the conditions and circumstances presented to the inmates of Tent City both current and in the past. The primary subjects addressed in the video include the zero tolerance practices of the guards and its focus on the inmate named Ryan Merlina. For Merlina, it’s a daily struggle to do his time quickly by avoiding deviant behavior while for the guards it’s a constant struggle to maintain control over the inmates. This leads to how the social structure theories look at the negative aspects of society’s structure like disorganization, poverty, and disadvantages that cause criminal behavior (Schmalleger, 2012, â€Å"Social Structures Theories/Definition of Social Structure Theories†). The ramifications for social policy change discussed show that any changes to the current situational practices of the Tent City facility would cause problems for the inmates, and possibly create cultural clashes amongst the inmates. Since the inmates are deprived of â€Å"luxuries† and comforts, they depend on the friendships of other inmates for support and protection. By removing a built in sense of protection, it can cause additional stress and anxiety for the inmates. While it is obvious that the inmates can only depend on themselves, the racially segregated groups do offer the inmates a sense of belonging. To conclude, it is apparent to me that this video does provide some important facto rs that can be appropriately acknowledged and studied using a social structure theoretical  application. References Films Media Group (2007). Lockdown: Tent City [Video file]. Retrieved from Films on Demand website: http://digital.films.com/PortalPlaylists.aspx?aid=7967&xtid=40796 Schmalleger, F. (2012). Criminology Today: An Integrative Introduction (6th ed.). Retrieved from The University of Phoenix eBook Collection Database

Free Enterprise in United States

â€Å"Work hard, save your money, and you can become wealthy – or, at least, â€Å"independent! † This is the motto of old-fashioned, â€Å"free enterprise. † It expresses the idea that everybody in a capitalist society can participate and compete on the same terms with similar chances of success. It implies that the working class is just a collection of individuals who have not yet established their independence (worked their way up) through â€Å"individual initiative,† rather than a being permanent class. In the early 19th Century, most Americans (including Abraham Lincoln, for instance) believed this. They thought opportunities under capitalism would keep expanding forever. But what is the reality behind this capitalist thinking? In the past, working people in America have had more opportunity to go into business or to get land for farming than anywhere else in the developed world. At the time the U. S. Constitution was written, it was generally assumed that only property owners should have the right to vote and participate in government. The â€Å"Free Labor† thinking of the Republican Party before the Civil War was basically a form of the capitalist work ethic. It meant that if 1) you were free yourself; 2) your country was â€Å"free†; and, 3) there was no slave labor to take your livelihood, you could â€Å"make something of yourself,† and become a capitalist or, at least, an independent producer, professional or artist. Americans in the North at that time were influenced by this capitalist â€Å"work-ethic† to under-estimate the energy of the South. They thought (as the capitalist â€Å"work-ethic† would lead them to believe) that the poverty and economic decline of the South were probably due to laziness and that this indicated that the North should be able to easily defeat the South. But the Civil War proved that Southerners were not â€Å"lazy;† it was the slave system (lacking science and industry) that caused many of the economic problems there. The capitalist â€Å"work-ethic† also caused Northerners to overlook the only chance for real progress in the South during the â€Å"Reconstruction† — taking of the lands of former slave-owners, and their distribution to Blacks and poor Whites. They assumed, as did Abraham Lincoln, that anyone with ambition would simply work his way up. They could not understand that capitalism naturally limited opportunities, because the majority would have to be workers, not capitalists. With no land or other economic basis to start from, most workers in the South would have no way of lifting themselves from poverty. Strong competition with other capitalists, who are constantly trying to gain a larger market by offering a cheaper product, forces the beginner to keep putting everything back into his business. He must invest in more modern equipment in order to be able to produce more cheaply with higher quality, and on a larger scale. He must do this in order to improve his product or services, and also capture a larger share of the market, until he has reached a level where there is no immediate threat of being put out of business by his competition. This means having the most modern machinery and getting the most productivity out of his workers. This huge need for capital also forces the capitalist to rely more and more on third parties. Making the capitalist borrow from banks to keep his capitol at a safe amount. They simply hire employees to make all the management decisions, design and develop the product, etc. Free enterprise† thinking forgets that a worker has only his labor-power to sell in order to earn his living. He competes with other workers to sell his labor-power at the cheapest price. The average price of labor-power (the worker's wages) is the amount that it takes to â€Å"make ends meet† under the given social settings in a country. The laws of economics determine that if the worker works faster, he creates a cheaper product. But this eventually cheapens the amount which the capitalist must pay him in wages because there are always unemployed workers somewhere willing to work for the bare necessities. Working faster increases competition without increasing their earnings. Because of these realities, workers learn to â€Å"work smart† according to their own understanding. Working smart for the worker means withholding his labor power, working more slowly and learning the tricks of the trade, better known as bargaining. These things raise the price of his labor-power. This in turn forces the capitalist to concentrate more on improving productivity through better machinery and production processes in order to increase his profits.

Term Paper Social Work Ethics

Scenario one speaks about a single unemployed mother of two children who is thinking about having an abortion. She decides to make an appointment with a Social Worker about it, however that Social Worker decides that it’s not in the best interest of the client, doesn’t care about her wants and hands her a church pamphlet. Right away I see that there is a direct infraction, as a Social Worker one should never speak of their own beliefs and values when working alongside with a client. A Social Worker should always put what the client wants, within reason, first, as an act of self-determination for the client.The infraction that I found in the Code of Ethics is the third principle â€Å"Responsibility to Client†, specifically looking at the sub-principles 3. 1 and 3. 4. 3. 1 Speaks of how College members must â€Å"provide clients with accurate and complete information regarding the extent, nature and limitations of any services available to them† (pg. 11 Cod e of Ethics). As a member of the College, we as Social Workers have a duty to provide all resources available to a client, even if it may not agree with our own personal values, attitudes and beliefs.I also believe that we are responsible to provide accurate information; as a Social Worker I would not turn away a client looking for resources and tell her to go to a church, specifically my own church, and to seek God and forgiveness for thinking of abortion. I think it is important to deal with each situation without any hidden agendas and to look for the best possible outcome for the specific clients requests. 3. 4 Discusses how College members â€Å"do not discriminate against anyone based on race, religion, political affiliation, national origin etc†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (pg. 11, Code of Ethics).I think this was appropriate as a sub-principle as it speaks of how this Social Worker in the scenario brings in their own personal values, attitudes and beliefs and uses them against the client seeking professional help. I believe it is a direct infraction of one’s religion and rights as a person. As a Social Worker, I would have spoken to Mrs. Tremblay thoroughly to make sure that this is what she wants, as it is a permanent decision and I would want to make sure that this decision was made purely from her decision and not based on what I have to say. I would have given Mrs.Tremblay resources that are available that she may have wanted, such as hospitals, support groups, counseling services etc, and well as letting Mrs. Tremblay know that if she ever needs extra support that I would be available with a non-judgmental ear. Scenario two speaks of how Mr. Smith feels â€Å"blue† and see’s a Social Worker in therapy, however that Social Worker tells Mr. Smith that he/she is specialized in Mental Health, and diagnoses Mr. Smith with a depressive episode of Bipolar Affective Disorder, and tells the client to start group therapy and take a week vacation to h elp alleviate the symptoms.From reviewing the case, it would have to depend on whether or not this Social Worker has a Doctorate Degree in Social Work to be able to diagnose the client or not (as mentioned in the footnote from the Advertising principle) however from reading the text, I feel as though this Social Worker believes that he/she has just specialized in the field of Mental Health, and not earned a Doctorate in the field. I found that the infraction happened under second principle of â€Å"Competence and Integrity†, under â€Å"Competence† with the sub-principles 2. . 1 and 2. 1. 3. 2. 1. 1 Discusses how â€Å"members are responsible for being aware of the extent and parameters of their professional scope† (pg. 5, Code of Ethics). I believe that this is a direct infraction to what happened in the scenario. Since the Social Worker believes that they are specialized in the field because it is an area of practice that they have worked in seeing many patien ts â€Å"like him†, however does not have the appropriate credentials, the services are beyond the member’s professional scope of practice.As a Social Worker, and a member of the college, I would follow what the sub-principle says, and recommend for a particular service, refer Mr. Smith to other professionals who are able to legally diagnose Mr. Smith. 2. 1. 3 Discusses how â€Å"College members maintain current knowledge of policies, legislations programs and issues related to the community in their area of practice† (pg. 6, Code of ethics). I think that this was an appropriate sub-principle as it describes that any member of the College should have full knowledge of their boundaries regarding what and what they are not allowed to discuss with clients.If I were the Social Worker in this scenario, I would have talked to Mr. Smith about how he is feeling, to try and see which professional I could recommend Mr. Smith to. I would take notes on what we talked about, such as Mr. Smith feeling withdrawn, poor appetite and loss of sleep and referred him to the professional I feel would fit Mr. Smith the best. I feel as though it would possibly be beneficial to continue seeing Mr. Smith to talk about how he is feeling, and create goals with him if he wanted to continue our services together, however I would not ersonally diagnose Mr. Smith since I do not have a specific Doctorate in that area. Scenario three discusses that an Aboriginal girl is having troubles at home, and was picked up and brought to the Social Workers office. The Social Worker feels conflicted because the family is an â€Å"upstanding† family in the community and that Social Worker cannot believe that they are having family troubles. The Social Worker calls to let the family know that they have the child.With this case, I see that there is a slight of a conflict of interest and a judgment made seeing how the family is an â€Å"upstanding family† and that the Social Worker â€Å"cannot believe that they have having problems†. However, I feel as though there wasn’t an infraction made seeing as the Social Worker on the case did not provide any services to the family. The Social Worker was the Worker on hand who initially greeted the child upon the drop-off, therefore has a Duty to Report. The principle that I found this case was a part of was principle of Integrity found under the second principle, and the sub-principle is 2. . 1. 2. 2. 1 Speaks of how â€Å"College members do not engage in professional relationships that constitute of a conflict of Interest†¦ College members do not provide any professional service to a client† (pg. 6, Code of Ethics). Since the Social Worker only performed what their specific task was, and did not provide any professional service to that child, I believe that no infraction was created. If I were a Social Worker on Case, I would have called the family to let the child know that they wer e in my current care, however I would not engage in any professional relationships since it is a conflict of interest.I would speak to another coworker or supervisor to discuss this conflict, I would write a brief case note describing that I was initially at intake, that I could not continue my professional duty as a Social Worker due to the conflict of interest, and I would write who I passed the case along too. I would also include a signature from my coworker as a trail in case the notes were ever subpoenaed to court. Scenario four discusses how a Social Worker is a full-time worker at a large family counseling agency and maintains a private practice two evenings a week in his/her home office.Since the office has a six month waiting list for services, management asks you to take referrals in your private practice. In this case, there is no infraction. The Social Worker on case is accepting referral’s from other employee’s which is mentioned in the Footnotes of the p rinciple â€Å"Responsibility to Client† which mentions that â€Å"College members may accept referrals from their employees†(pg. 12 Code of Ethics). However, if the case was that the College member is â€Å"soliciting their employer’s clients for private practice† it would be a violation of the sub-principle 3. (pg. 11, Code of Ethics). If I were to be the Social Worker on hand in this case, I would make sure that the only clients I spoke to in terms of coming into my private practice were strictly those who were referred to by other members of the College. I value and believe in the help that can be received when asked for, and by allowing other members to be part of this â€Å"helping movement† we are aiding in their own goals to be reached which helps one with their own values of self-determination. Scenario five discusses how Mr.Smith wants his Social Worker to write up an illness certificate so that he can have a few weeks off work, however M r. Smith has no problems that would justify getting that time off work, but that Social Worker feels that a week off from work is good for everybody in general. Reading through this I see right away that there is an infraction. There is no reason that Mr. Smith should get a week off work because he has made some progress in therapy, and has been working well on his problems. I see the infraction under the Fourth principle of â€Å"Social Work and Social Service Work records† under the sub-principle 4. . 2. 4. 1. 2 Discusses how â€Å"College members do not make statements in the record†¦ record, issue or sign a certificate, report or other document†¦ that is known to be false, misleading or inaccurate†(pg. 15 Code of Ethics). In this case, the Social Worker feels as though Mr. Smith would benefit from having this week off and decides that it is a good idea, though Mr. Smith has no problems that would qualify him for this week off. In my own opinion, if I were the Social Worker in the case, I would continue to motivate Mr.Smith with his new found self-determination, especially when he is continuing to progress and complete goals that were initially set for him, why would a week off be beneficial. I feel as though that week off may set off a pattern that could lead him back to ground zero. I do not find it appropriate to fill out false information, especially when it could be documented and subpoenaed back to court and could be shown that I went out of my way to favoritize a client because he has made some substantial work in therapy.I would continue to motivate, encourage and work alongside Mr. Smith until he no longer is in need of my services. Scenario six discuses the case of a Social Worker who works in a private practice in a rural town of 5,000 and how a member of the same board would like you to talk to his son since he is having behaviour problems. I see this as an infraction of the second principle â€Å"Integrity† under the sub-principle 2. 2. 1, seeing as the Social Worker and the client know each other on personal terms, it is a direct conflict of interest. . 2. 1 Discusses how â€Å"College members do not engage in professional relationships that constitute a conflict of interest. where College members do not provide a professional service to a client†(pg. 6, Code of Ethics). In this instance, though the Social Worker in the case may be the only Social Worker in the town, he is still one of the few professionals, which means that there are other professionals that may assist his friend Barry and their child.The reason that I find it so important that we do not work with friends, acquaintances, or anyone of the sort that we know outside of our professional spectrum is biases. You cannot work with a client that you know because you will not be able to take a look at the situation with a blind eye. As a side point of the sub-principle, it mentions that doing so, â€Å"avoids conflicts of in terest and/or dual relationships with clients† (pg. 6, Code of Ethics), this means that as a Social Worker, having a professional relationship will never interfere with your personal one.It also discusses how â€Å"if the conflict of interest does arise, declaring the conflict of interest and taking appropriate steps to address it could eliminate the conflict† (pg. 6, Code of Ethics), which means that discussing the conflict of interest could avoid the whole situation entirely. If I was the Social Worker working on this case, I would discuss with my friend Barry that there is a conflict of interest and I would not be able to fully give his son the appropriate counseling required because I would be going into the counseling sessions with a hidden agenda.Since the scenario discusses that the Social Worker is one of the few, I feel like I could still reference Barry’s son to other professionals that could still talk to him about the issues that are going on. Scenari o seven discusses how there is a custody dispute where both ex-spouses agree to pay 50% of the costs, however something arises where the husband pays his and her halves of the cheque and the social worker decides that since the bill has been paid out in full, there is no need for further discussion about the money issues. From reading on about he case, I read that there is most definitely an infraction, under the principle â€Å"Fee’s† and the sub principle 6. 1. 6. 1 Discusses how â€Å"College members do not charge or accept any fee which is not fully disclosed† (pg. 29, Code of Ethics). From what I gather from the Scenario, the ex-wife was not aware of what the payment outcomes were, and since both spouses originally decided to each pay 50% of the costs I believe that by the Social Worker accepting the full bill and not discussing it with both parties, he is in fact breaking one of the principle’s under the Code of Ethics.If I was the social worker in this scenario, I would allow for both parties’ to be aware of what is happening in the custody dispute, that way there if one party is not fully accepting of what is going on, we can go ahead to figure out what the next best step is. I believe that it is important to keep both sides completely involved in the case when it, at the end involves both ex-husband and ex-wife. I, as a Social Worker value honesty and view this scenario as not being fair to both parties involved.I also believe that if this instance were to be subpoenaed to court, and the wife finds out that the husband paid her half out, and it shows that I took that money, I feel as though my professional license could be jeopardized due to the lack of honesty. Scenario eight discusses how Rachel has been referred to a mental health agency from a local Child and Family Agency in a first nation community. Rachel has two children between the ages of 5 and 7and is trying to get out of an abuse relationship. Rachel†™s sister-in-law (husband’s sister) works for the Child and Family Center, and wants to find out the update on Rachel’s situation.Personally I found this to be a complicated situation, where I would definitely want to discuss with other co-workers about their opinions for extra feedback of the best scenario. Right away I thought of the fact that Rachel’s kids are young, being 5 and 7, as soon as they enter a Shelter for Women leaving abusive relations, Children and Family Services must be called as it is a Duty to Report. However, if Rachel’s sister in law was, for instance the woman who took the initial call, it would be in her best interest to follow the rules of it being a conflict of interest and to pass the call to another worker.In this scenario it also speaks to the fact that Rachel discloses that she is worried that Richard will find out where she is, which is when the Social Worker got a call from the sister-in-law asking for an update. This So cial Worker is working in a Mental Health Agency, so the only outcome I can see it being appropriate would be to say that the children are no longer in your care, and that if there is any more details that need to be discussed, a confidentiality form must be signed by all parties included and that information must be relayed to the worker in charge of the case.Therefore, I realized that there was an infraction made regarding the fifth principle of confidentiality, under the sub-principles 5. 1 and 5. 3. 6. 5. 1 Discusses how â€Å"college members comply with applicable privacy and other legislations†¦ use of disclosure of client information including personal information, unless otherwise permitted by law† (pg. 23, code of Ethics). This discusses how unless there was a consent signed by the parties involved that allows for members of the College to speak to each other, nothing should be said that can put any client in risk.Therefore as mentioned earlier, unless there was a confidentiality form signed by all parties, and that Rachel’s sister in law was in fact on the case, this is a direct infraction. 5. 3. 6 Describes how â€Å"College members do not disclose the identity of and/or information about a person who has consulted or retained them unless the person consents† (pg. 24, Code of Ethics). As mentioned earlier, I believe that no information should ever be relayed to any other member of parties involved due to the fact that it can be a direct breach of confidentiality.In my opinion, if information is ever let out to the wrong person, that client can be put in direct harm, and even possibly killed. As mentioned earlier, I would go about this by every precaution available to make sure that my client is in the best situation for safety. I would speak to other co-workers to get a second opinion and I would go about every safety precaution from signing consent forms to discussing with those on the case from all parties involved about what is best for the client, since that is what my main priority is.Scenario nine discusses how a Registered Social Worker with a Master’s degree and 20 years in psychiatric settings has a 95% success rate in treating depression. Many clients tell the Social Worker that they are a Doctor because they believe strongly in the skills used. I found that this is an infraction as the Social Worker is not a registered Doctor and as a Social Worker should firmly state their position in the School of Social Work. The Principles that I found the infractions under are â€Å"Advertising† and the sub-principles 7. 1. 6, 7. 3. 3. 7. 1. 6 States that embers â€Å"cannot claim a special advantage that is unsupported by professional or scientific evidence† (pg. 31, Code of Ethics). Personally I feel like the Social Worker in this scenario is telling his clients that by having a 95% success rate and that many clients refer to the Social Worker as a â€Å"Doctor† when no do ctorate degree was ever received is an infraction of that rule. The Social Worker should be firm and honest with the clients stating that he is not a Doctor, however they have specialized in the field for 20 years, creating a great rapport with clients among the community. . 3. 3 States firmly that â€Å"College members correct whenever possible, false, misleading, or inaccurate information regarding qualification or services†(Pg. 32, Code of Ethics). I believe that this was a main sub-principle that was being broken. As opposed to the social worker stating that they were in fact not a Doctor, nor did he have a doctorate’s degree, the Social Worker carried on and laughed about the comments being made.As mentioned earlier, the Social Worker involved should have mentioned to all clients calling him â€Å"Doctor†, that he is in fact, just specialized in his field. As a Social Worker in this case, I would only mention what was known as true fact when it came time to speak to clients, if they assumed I was a doctor, I would correct them and state facts such as â€Å"No, not a Doctor, however, I have my masters in Social Work, and I’ve specialized in the Mental Health field for over 20 years†.I believe that honesty is what is important when it comes down to making a rapport with clients, that it is important to me as a Social Worker to be aware of these types of infractions so that there is no gray area in our sessions together as client and Social Worker. Scenario ten speaks of a Social Worker who receives a call from Pat, a potential client, which turns out that the client cannot get services from you however you refer the client to other counseling agencies. Two and a half years later, the social worker meets Pat once again and hit things off, where a sexual relationship begins.Personally, I do not see this as an infraction due to the principle of â€Å"Sexual Misconduct†, under the sub-principles 8. 8. However if circums tances were shorter and it had not been a year, this would be an infraction of 8. 6 due to the fact of the relationship starting at time of referral. 8. 8 Discusses how â€Å"sexual relationships between College members and clients whom the members have provided social work or social service work services are prohibited for a period of one (1) year following the termination of the professional relationship† (pg. 6 Code of Ethics). In my opinion, and from what I have read, the Social Worker and client discussed the situation briefly and two and a half years later have met up once again. I do not see that as a direct infraction, however if it had been short of a year, and the client had by chance worked with the Social Worker at hand to get help, there would be an infraction under the sub-principle 8. 6. 8. 6 Speaks of how â€Å"sexual relations between College members and clients at any time during the professional relationship are prohibited.College members do not have sexua l relations with any person who they’ve had a professional relationship due to the risk of creating a conflict of interest† (pg. 35, Code of Ethics). Explaining in fact that if Pat and the Social Worker did have a professional and Sexual relationship, they would be creating an infraction directly. As a Social Worker, I value, and believe that is it important to respect clients as people, and not take advantage of the vulnerability they may be facing once taking a step further to discuss deep rooted and personal issues with be, as a Social Worker.I believe that there is a rule placed for a reason and that it would not be fair to any people seeking my own personal help to take advantage of their vulnerability (intentionally or not) and use it while having a professional relationship with the client as well. Scenario eleven discusses how there is a Social Worker in an Aboriginal mental health agency, who has a specific client Mary Lou, who is about to terminate her treatme nt with the Social Worker since she has completed her goals. As a thank you gift, she has made a dream catcher for the Social Worker out of love and appreciation.Personally I do not feel that there is any infraction in this case, seeing as it was not a sexual misconduct for Mary Lou to give the gift and for the Social Worker to accept it a â€Å"thank-you gift†. Just to be certain however, I would look at the principle â€Å"Relationship to Client† under the sub-principle 1. 7. 1. 7 Discusses how â€Å"College members employed by organizations maintain an awareness and consideration of the purpose, mandate and function of those organizations and how they may limit professional relationships with clients† (pg. , Code of Ethics). I believe that in this statement it displays that College members must keep their relationship in mind when working alongside with clients. I believe that there would be a significant problem if the clients were offering us fee’s o n the side, â€Å"tips† almost, or that the client has found an emotional love for the worker, however this is not the case. As a Social Worker, I believe that there is nothing better than knowing that one appreciates what you’ve done for them in terms of creating that rapport.I believe that there is a specific reason why we all chose to get into this program, and helping others is a major reason, if it wasn’t, why else would it be? I do not believe that there is anything wrong with a gift of appreciation, especially one that demonstrates their culture. I value the rapport that we build with clients and the things we learn from each of the cases that we work on we are able to learn and grow each time. Works Cited Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers. (2008). Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice Handbooks . Toronto : Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers.

How to Get Over a Disappointment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

How to Get Over a Disappointment - Essay Example Disappointments manifest themselves in one’s thoughts, perception, will, emotions, imaginations and in our memory according to how we deal with situations. One can get over these through: total make up of the mind, figuring out how to avoid the same in future, stopping going over the details, getting engrossed in something fun and taking the disappointment in stride. First, one should always make up his mind in an event when disappointment strikes. It is healthy to draw your mind into conscious thinking, to wish away the past and accept what the future. Once a disappointment hits, what follows is remembrance. Constant thinking about dissatisfaction inputs people’s mind into regretful memoirs. No matter what happens one must try to forget it as first as possible. Making up ones mind to move on is the best starting point for every disappointment. Studies have shown that continual thinking of something that one loves or wishes for generates intense and strong feelings about it. Therefore, in the event that one falls short in his desire, then the windows of disappointment open up. For example, if one separates from his lover, the first positive move one should make is making up his mind to come into terms with his decision. One should stop thinking about the other and incline in the mental atmosphere that things will turn better. It is also healthy to find fault in one’s desired wish in order to distract the temptations of going back to that disappointment. It is only through the mind that we can get over the disappointment. What we allow into our heart, through our subconscious brain reflects in individuals physical being. This explains why some people will ease themselves out of any disappointment they come across while others will develop cold and frustrations upon every slight disappointment they encounter. Therefore, it is rational to involve thinking and reasoning whenever disaster strikes. Once we make up mind that indicates we have

Human Resource Managers, Stress and Work Performance Research Paper

Human Resource Managers, Stress and Work Performance - Research Paper Example Most highlighted factors include job stress, work load, de-motivation and low satisfaction. Literature Review: Job stress is a term used to define the stress related to work that is the outcome of the struggle made by an employee in order to yield high efficiency and performance by accomplishing its tasks, assignments and targets within the due time. This occupational stress may affect the performance of an organization (Weiss, 1983). It has been noted that job stress is becoming a growing concern for majority of organizations and particularly, for the human resource management (Dewe, Driscroll, & Cooper, 2010). Over the years, numerous researches and studies have been conducted in order to understand the importance of stress management. It was concluded that with the advancement in technology and industrialization job stress is increasing rapidly. Job stress has not only effected the mental health and well being of the employees but it has also becoming a growing concern for the emp loyers to deal with the various problems occurred as an outcome of job stress (McGowan, 2006). The Effects of Stress in a Job: Different researches have indicated that numerous health-related issues can emerge due to stress. There could be different factors that would contribute in raising the job stress such as de-motivation and job dissatisfaction. According to Weiss (1983), job dissatisfaction can lead to job stress which can adversely affect the working capacity and the performance of an employee. As a result, this would make the entire organization suffer from low performance and growth. The Impact of Stress on Performance: A clear relationship has been observed between job performance and the job stress. It should be remembered that job performance involves the efforts and struggle of an employee to accomplish its tasks within a specific time. On an account, according to different researches that have been conducted it is concluded that there are four types of relationships be tween the job stress and the job performance. These relationships include negative linear relationship in which stress is responsible for lowering the productivity. In positive linear relationship the performance can be increased by increasing the stress. On the other hand, curvilinear relationship gives rise to mild stress which becomes responsible for elevating the productivity but as the employee faces the stress, the productivity restore to its previous state. However, in the fourth relationship, one factor decreases with the decrease in other factor (Smith and Sainfort, 1989). Factors that Result in Job Stress: There could be number of factors resulting in job stress such as: 1- External factors: External factors include the organizational and family-related conflicts. 2- Internal Factors: These include all the internal factors within an organization. Stress Management in a Work Place: Workplace stress is becoming a concern for all the organizations around the world. It is dire ctly affecting the mental health and the well being of all the human beings suffering from stress. It has been observed that ineffective dealing with stress management could affect adversely, however; managers can implement different techniques to encounter job stress.

Public Health and the Law Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Public Health and the Law - Assignment Example Any person who tests positive to alcoholic or drug influence or intoxication and driving at the same time, such a person is incapable of driving safely is guilty of an offence which is liable for a sentence as well as a fine. Such offences may be converted to serious criminal charges that may attract long sentences such as life imprisonment. Furthermore, the laws also concern observance and respect for traffic signs. This includes traffic signs concerning turning, stopping, starting, changing of lanes, speed limits, among others. The federal and local states ensure that there are requisite gadgets to ensure that there is surveillance to enable law enforcers to effectively monitor road use. In Illinois, for example, the court may order suspension of driver’s license in the event the user does not follow traffic signs. Federal and local states furthermore ensure that all vehicles in use are adequately insured. This will ensure that passengers and other road users are protected. Furthermore, the insurance also covers maintenance of vehicles in case of damage. Besides, the rules cover the speed limits allowable in given areas, and the use of safety belts. Finally, the laws too cover the action or procedure to be followed in the event of an accident. For example, from 1st January 2013, the Illinois laws allow victims of an accident to remove vehicles from the main way if the accident did not result to an injury. This serves to reduce further accidents that may result from road blockage (Olson & Dewar, 2002). Road safety rules are administrative laws. This is because they involve formulation, enforcement and regulation. Furthermore, there is an agency or agencies, at local or federal levels that ensure that the laws are adhered to. In addition traffic laws are a branch of public laws whose concern is to ensure public road safety. These laws are closely related to public health services since they concern the wellbeing of the whole public while

Research and Comparing Documentaries Assignment

Research and Comparing Documentaries - Assignment Example Almost 90% of converted women agree that they can dress more conservatively and feel more comfortable with the Hijab. They also give their reasons for conversion as the need to be close to God as they now pray 5 times a day3. Other related sources also show that a third of inmates in British jails are converting to Islam. According to Richard Eddie’s 4book â€Å"Black Muslims in Britain†, Malcolm X continues to influence most black men into Islam. Richard’s interviewees reveal that converts appreciate the law of Islam since the law has enabled them to live in the society considered as corrupt and moral. The most interesting stereotype about this religion is how it oppresses women. The religion targets most young men. Recent stories from media in Kenya reveal how the Al-Shabaab militia group recruits young men from East Africa to fight and protect their religion. In â€Å"Islam empire of state†, Islamic history and culture shows how the religion has made gr eat contribution in trade, education, scientific theorems, philosophy and medicine. The rapid conversion and growth of the Islam religion is resulting from rapid crusades conducted by Sheikhs. The crusades led to great civilization of the Islam religion in terms of economic and scientific discoveries made during the period of renaissance. According to 5 â€Å"what the west needs to know†, Islam is a peaceful religious group and those who fight do so to hide under the religion. The religion perceived as an authoritarian group not only emphasizes that there is no other God but Allah and his prophet Mohamed6. Most of the people targeted by these documentaries are the youth’s especially young men7. The â€Å"divine woman† by Bettany Hugdes reveals how Buddhism started with a female. In this documentary, a woman goddess controls life and death. The Durga Puja festival shows the organization of the Hindu religion. Use of art and culture with paintings on the skin of I ndian women reveals how important a female is within the religion. The construction and design of the temples brings out rich creativity and architectural work in this religion. The documentaries quote the Quran stating the reason as to why the religion is conflict linked and war bound. The Quran states that one should fight for his own faith. Mohamed himself plays a war oriented leadership role according to his history from Mecca hence the continuous perception of Muslim religion as a conflict religion. The usual suicide bombing and attacks originates from Judaism symbolically fighting paganism. From the documentary â€Å"what the west needs to know†, Quran and hadiths encourage the killing of non-Muslims. From the background history of Mohamed, it is evident that he spread his territory through war and his followers did the same to conquer Mecca a city where he was born. Background music used in the documentaries emphasizes the religion. A lot of art 8 observed in the docum entaries show the culture of the religion. The style of presentation of the documentaries is both educational and formal. Islam religion is widely publicized and therefore the documentaries try to educate the public on the religion9. The great contribution of Islam into modern civilization and various fields of study such as philosophy, medicine, and trade make the documentaries educative. We also observe the speeches from several leaders used to emphasize the religion. Quotations from the Quran are also

Education High School Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Education High School - Article Example In this respect, education is not imparted by the teacher but should be developed by giving activities which enables students to think. The article stresses that so often, students are given the materials containing the information which they should memorize robbing them of the time to really develop their mental abilities. In essence, the article emphasizes that the role of the teacher is to "elicit from the pupil what is latent" in every human being and this is the rule of reason. Instead of being sausages, it sees pupils as oysters and the teachers duty is for the finest pearls to develop from within. With my current point of view, the article is an eye-opener for me. Having believed all my life that students are empty sausages where education is filled in throughout their lifetime, I must say that reading the article shows learning in a new light. To be honest, it came as a shock because I have always believed that teachers do really have to infuse knowledge that students should absorb. However, a deeper probe makes me realize that in learning, the student take a more active role than the teacher. Thinking things through, I agree with the article that knowledge should not be stuffed but should be elicited from the pupils. As the article stresses, each of us has the latent ability to reason. Every born individual has a functioning mind when he is born and should be developed as he matures. When a child reaches three years old, I have observed from my experience that he can give reasons to defend himself when his behavior is questioned. Even though this behavior is repressed in some societies, the child still learns to reason and defend his actions even to elders. This personal observation makes me realize that yes; each of us has the ability to reason which should be the most important tool in acquiring all the knowledge that through our interaction with the teachers. Eliciting knowledge from the student then calls for a unique way of teaching and learning. In the part of the teacher, eliciting knowledge then becomes much more complicated than just assigning readings and books for the students to read. I believe that Plato has modeled the classic way of bringing out and refining the reasoning skills of an individual through dialectic. In this method, the teacher asks the students probing questions which makes them think and rethink. Having been in the time where Sophists are the influential teachers, this method has been repressed by the society. However, this type of knowledge cultivation produced two of the most influential thinkers that we know today, Socrates and Aristotle serving as a proof that this method works. And I believe that this teaching method can still be applied in today's world. However, I also have concerns with the advancement of technology which now provide more avenues for the students to learn. If technological development can be utilized in such a way that it does not solely present the information that one needs but will nurture a pupil's ability to think and analyze, then it will be most efficient.

Andrew Jackson Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Andrew Jackson - Essay Example On his defense of the rights of the Federal government during the Nullification Crisis of 1832, Jackson invoked his presidential powers to affirm the superiority of the federal constitution. 1Jackson declares that the responsibility 'imposed on him by the constitution" is to ensure that the laws are applied 'faithfully' as long as the execution of his duties is consistent with the authority 'emphatically pronounced in the constitution'. This contention delineates further Jackson's respect of the supremacy of the federal law which bestowed on him the authority to apply it objectively and fairly, making sure that he remains loyal to his obligations within legal bounds. Jackson is also unswerving on his perspective towards the role of the federal government as an overseer of the states. For him, South Carolina's illusory power to nullify a federal law is 'inconsistent with every principle on which [the union] was founded." Jackson's unwavering fidelity to fulfill his obligations as president and to put into practice the fed... This does not connote constraints on the freedom of the states but rather assert the duties of the federal government towards problems that fall beyond the bounds of the states' jurisdictions. 3Without this control, states' would effect its own policy towards the Indians which could result to more complications. Such policy makes it possible for the states and the national government to avoid collision. 4The prevention of this collision which purports to 'preserve the Union by all constitutional means" delineates Jackson's faith in federalism and the ideals he bestows in his office. 5This only shows that Jackson is ready to apply the full force of the law in order to protect the federal principles which for him form a part of a 'happy union.' In his response towards South Carolina's Nullification issue, he proclaims that he will 'recourse to force' to preserve the Union and views further opposition towards the national government's promulgation of the federal law a form of treason. However, this does not try to pit the state authorities against the national government but intends to fortify the federal institutions which all states subjected themselves to. As there had been other states in the past who aimed to weaken the federal institution by threatening to break away with the union, Jacks on's assertion of the power of the central government to bring to a halt these threats resulted to the strengthening of the fundamental system and avoided confrontations between the national government and the states. Jackson's decision not to renew the contract of the Bank of the United States further attested to his consistency in his obligations to the people

The Importance of Economic Factors in International Politics in Essay

The Importance of Economic Factors in International Politics in Marxism and Neomarxism - Essay Example This paper outlines excessive emphasis that both Marxists and neo-Marxists laid on the essentiality of economics in international politics. The essay establishes a critical comparison of the Marxists and Neo-Marxists theories and also describes the connection of Neo-Marxism and Marxism to the ideologies of liberalism. The relationship among countries provides an avenue for developed economies to exploit the developing and underdeveloped economies in the world. This capitalistic nature of exploitation promotes neo-colonialism and economic dependence on the exploited economies. International politics is the major characteristics of the relationships between different countries world. The politics focus on strengthening the relationships between different economies to benefits at various levels. International politics entail policies by various authorities that promote exploitation in terms of materials, labor and natural resources. The integration of economic factors in concept of international politics is essential in promoting international relations The Marxists and Neo-Marxists highlight on negative effects of capitalism and liberalism on underdeveloped economies. Karl Marx examines the importance of incorporating various economic factors such as labor, production and raw materials in international politics in order to promote economic equality in the world. The Neo-Marxists and Marxist theories agree on the element of economic inequality in the world, which hinders effective development in the minor economies.

Leadership Skills Ingredient in Decision-Making Essay Example for Free

Leadership Skills Ingredient in Decision-Making Essay In correlation to the given test as an ethical decision maker, my scores revealed that I am not a judgmental person. I do not usually give judgments neither decide which is wrong or right. Therefore, I cannot easily offend other’s personal beliefs and principles. I also believe that moral right must be respected often. It should be protected. I basically make decisions that conform to unified standards of the majority so that I cannot humiliate them. I also believe that the human spirit can only flower in an atmosphere of freedom. Where people can freely express and decide for their own. However, I have difficulties in handling justice. Sometimes I have inequalities in dealing with other people. I easily make good deals with people close to my heart. Thus, it reflects my biases. The Individual Ethics Profile (IEP) revealed specific traits about oneself. I was able to discover my positive attributes like giving importance with other people’s moral rights. That quality is very essential in making ethical decisions in the future. From that, I can base some of my decisions which conform to the principles of proper conduct as established by the society. Since every decision can affect our future, I can also rely from that result some of my weaknesses particularly in the concept of justice. I must be in balance and minimize unhealthy biases with the people surround me. I can also find ways to strengthen and enrich them. Learning more of ourselves can be every beneficial so we can choose good decisions and productively utilize the freedom to decide in the real world. It can also be a source of improvement by comparing my first result to the second one as I take the same questions again. It can also serve as a guide to me in becoming a better leader and decision maker.

King Lear and the Analysis of the Family Concept Essay Example for Free

King Lear and the Analysis of the Family Concept Essay The issue regarding which is more important, love and family ties or fame and political power are issues that are always present in every generation. Well, which is really more important that we should devote our lives in search for the more important thing? Is blood really thicker than water? It is a subjective topic in which persons have different experiences and stand about the subject matter. This paper aims to answer this question by referring to the epic play of William Shakespeare: King Lear. It is also important to look at the values and actions displayed by the characters of the stories and to analyze whether they are still applicable in our contemporary time. â€Å"King Lear† is regarded by many critics as one of the best works of the arguably greatest writer that has ever lived, the immortal William But despite being on of the author’s last works, â€Å"King Lear† had echoed throughout literary history as one of the best read and staged play. It has also become a staple material for those who endeavor in literature studies. The success of the text owes much to the themes that the text generates. One of those themes is an issue that the whole world can relate to about a family. The socio -cultural nature of the family had amplified significantly the readership of the text as it is being used as a study text by those in the social sciences. Family and Society Family is an essential part of the society. It is a major component in the aspect of social health in the world we live in. The family which includes the parents and children, all play a big role in shaping the society, in maintaining the social health of the place we call home. The family is a means of the propagation of life, wherein because of the family, societies continue to exist. It is because of the parent’s capability to bear children and raise them to become better people, thus accounting for a better society. Comparison and Contrast between Modern and Shakespearean King Lear Family The modern American family has more diverse components not just the typical family members. Often times, the structure of a modern family is greatly influenced with the modern influence brought about by the changing times and ideas. Modern societies are not only characterized with the great influence of technological advances and dependency, but rather in more complex terms, the modern family is subjected to changes in the ideals behind the essence of a modern family image. (Woloch 1997) But unlike in modern families, the aristocratic family of King Lear in Shakespeare’s work typifies the basic notion of family struggles at that time. The character of King Lear is portrayed as a struggling human being eager to win the favour of his children in the most drastic ways he knows best. The intention of the character of King Lear is to do what he thinks is best for his sons and daughters. However, he became so obsessed in power and blinded by his intention to protect his daughters at all costs in the expense of Cordelia. In discerning the true identity of a modern family, we realize the need to evaluate the changes in the basic unit of structure in the society from Shakespeare’s time until now. During the early centuries, the family is characterized by only one true virtue: it is composed of the father, the mother and their children. The history behind the family as a concept, involves the idea of each roles portrayed by each entity. The father is the sole provider of the family; the mother is the one who takes care of the children and the household; and the children are there to be nurtured, loved and provided for. But generally these concepts have become the main stereotypes brought into the modern societies. The play has those stereotypes. King Lear is portrayed as a noble aristocrat obsessed with his power. Cordelia is also a pivotal character in King Lear wherein she is seen as a typical good daughter who always follows her father. However, the fool can be put as an allegory of Shakespearean society wherein truth is at its essence of being true. Times change and almost everything in the society changes and has changed. Not just from infrastructure, but also the amount of knowledge shared and experienced by everyone. The concept of family has also changed dramatically. Brought by the women revolution and the emergence of the feminist concept, the country has experienced the women greatly influence the manner in which concepts in the society is changed.(Woloch 1997) The role of women in the society has greatly changed from the stereotyped domesticated females, to the working and productive women of the future.(Kemp Squires 1997) This is an important phenomenon in history that must be addressed in order to define the concept of changing family image. One notable contribution came from the â€Å"changed† status of women and the achievement of gender equality in the country. Another contributing factor to the changing views in family image made by the play King Lear is the role portrayed by men in the society. From a patriarchal type of society, King Lear for instance, experience a dramatic change brought about by the change in the status of women.(Woloch 1997) Men in modern times have to compete more and more with women in context of career and including family life. There is a great paradigm shift of roles from the earlier centuries wherein men have the sole right to work for their family. In modern societies, women share equal roles in bringing and managing resources within the household. These events are clearly depicted in both stories of King Lear and Cordelia. Placed in both different contexts, the two characters in the play depicted the changes within the modern family. In the King’s character, the life of a domesticated father is shown albeit part of the aristocracy. The concept of tough love towards Cordelia is present in all acts. Having experience what probably most modern fathers are experiencing, Shakespeare realized is that being a domesticated father entails the kind sympathy for mothers who spends most of the time taking care of the kids. While men busily work to earn their monthly income, mothers are entailed with a much greater responsibility in terms of taking care of the children. There is a conflict shown in the essay in which the author questions his capacity, as a male figure in the society, to handle such responsibility in the home. While his wife is away, he maintains to struggle between his job as a writer and as an on-hands father. Every domesticated father will realize that it is somehow degrading to realize that he can not do his job or fulfill his professional aspirations in life if he exchanges his role with the wife. There is the internal conflict that lies within the men to question their respective roles in the society and specifically in their own family. Osborne explains the struggles experienced by men in accepting that hard roles that women portray in the society. Once they too have experienced being domesticated, this eventually changes their own perception of their role in the family. Sexual identity and social identity is another main idea in the play’s depiction of courtship. In the story, social acceptance has a main role in considering this kind of modern family. This can be seen over the courting of the Duke of Cornwall towards Cordelia. Over the years, society has witness the growing number of social class relationships that includes a child or the wanting of a child. Many states still is irreconcilable with the issues behind aristocracy. But it is of practice to respect and tolerate the decision by the protagonist in handling his family. Obstetrics, Family, and Social Health on King Lear   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Obstetrics is a key in maintaining social health because it deals with a big part in the society – the family. A particular concept which can be adapted in thes paper, Obstetrics makes sure that life propagates, because it takes care of the women’s concerns during pregnancy, the formation of a new life, a life that would play a big role in the society. Obstetrics takes care of being able to have children of your own, which is another important factor in the family. A child, the product of the parent’s love and efforts, completes the society’s building block, the family (Nesbitt, 2002). As in the case of the main protagonist in the play, the same concept can be applied since King Lear had a difficult time in handling his children effectively. Comparison of the Concept of Family in other Shakespearean Plays In the story of Antigone, Haemon must choose between her love for Antigone and the fame and political power that await him if he obeys his father. In both Antigone and King Lear, the concept of patriarchal obedience is evident. Now Haemon is facing a dilemma because of the conflict between his love and his father. The same choice goes for Antigone for she wants to give her brother the honor of being buried in the right way. Both cases can be traced back to the struggles of Cordelia under his father. However, doing so would mean that she must disobey King Lear’s order. Disobeying the king does not only take the opportunity to be the princess by marrying the king’s son, Haemon, but her own life as well. But Antigone and Haemon decided to follow their hearts. In the end, Antigone killed herself. Knowing that his love is death, Haemon also decided to end his life. Thus, their value for their love ones cost them their own lives. However, they still gain the respect and sympathy of the people of Thebes. It can be said that the actions of Antigone and Haemon are not applicable in our present time. Although there are several movies that portray the same idea, this rarely happen in reality. It is a very rare case in which lovers decided to end their lives since it is impossible for them to be together. They can be considered as martyrs rather than heroes because of the act. Antigone also displays the kind of courage and determination that is greatly needed in our society today. Although she is a woman, she defies the odds and even the king for what she believes is right. Adding to the fact that she lives in the period when woman are considered inferior to man. This kind of courage is really needed by the present generation. Not only woman but men as well that have the courage to stand up and are willing to sacrifice their own lives in order to make a change. Today, although woman are accepted by our society and are ‘said’ to be equal to men, there are still some times that they are afraid to speak out and fight for their rights. Also both men and women are sometimes afraid to question some of the things that they find unjust in the society. They are afraid to face the consequences and are unwilling to make a change to improve social order. This characteristic is really needed in our society today, the courage to fight for what is right even if the whole society is against us. If only there are those like Antigone that are willing to give it all in order to make a change, I’m sure that our society will be a better place to live.   On the other hand, King Lear cannot consider himself victorious. His persistence and determination to exercise his power over the people of Thebes had a considerably great cost. Not only had he lost the sympathy of his people not to mention the approval of the gods but the life of his daughters and sons as well. His authority blinded him and the result is loosing the persons that he values the most. If our present leaders will demonstrate the same reason and behavior like that of King Lear, the people will surely revolt and take their powers and authority away and give it to someone more deserving and just. The people will surely not tolerate such actions. Whether to choose love and family over fame and political power is really a big decision. You cannot have the best of both worlds. To pursue love means to let go of powers and fame and vise versa. Also we cannot really determine which is important, whether to choose love and family ties over fame and power depends upon the situation. What is important is that we do not only consider our own benefit in making the right decision. Also the stories show that to pursue love and power is not wrong, however living your life to attain just one of them is sure to cost you a lot. In making a decision we should both consider the heart and as well as the mind in order to come up with the right decision. References: Ashbee, Edward. American Society Today. New York: Manchester University Press, 2002. Hertz, Rosanna, and Nancy L. Marshall. Working Families : The Transformation of the American Home. Berkeley: University of California Press, 2001. Hutter, Mark. The Changing Family. 3rd ed. Boston: Allyn and Bacon, 1998. Kemp, Sandra, and Judith Squires. Feminisms. Oxford Readers. Oxford ; New York: Oxford University Press, 1997. Woloch, Nancy. Early American Women : A Documentary History, 1600-1900. 2nd ed. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1997. Wakefield, Thaddeus, and NetLibrary Inc. The Family in Twentieth-Century American Drama. New York: P. Lang, 2004.

Concepts of Ethics and Professionalism in Business

Concepts of Ethics and Professionalism in Business Introduction Change is the only constant factor in everyday life. It is witnessed from the Stone Age to civilized age. When change affects life it also affects the environment and business. The business environment becomes extremely complex as change inflicts variety and diversity leading to deep and fundamental ways. Change in the values, environments of business based on the expectation of society has alerted business houses to realign its priorities. The changing economic, political, legal and social environment has also made the business and businessmen to consider the ethical approach to business. Therefore, there is paradigm shift from the goal of maximization of profit or wealth to ethical means to achieve them. The last 150 years have been marked the world over for rapidity of change ushered in by the advent of technology and industrial revolution. This period has also been marked for its attempt to generate unquestioning faith in human reason and intellect. The last century has witnessed that the intellect are becoming the cornerstones of the society. The rapid changes have improved the standard of living, also establishing a lot of sensible relationships in and around the society. There is a growing realization all over the world that ethics is virtually important for any business and for the progress of any society. Ethics makes for an efficient economy. Ethics is good in itself, ethics and profit go together in the long run and ethics alone can protect the society. An ethically responsible organization is one, which has developed a culture for caring for the people and for the betterment of society as a whole. Ethics has a considerable influence on the economy for efficient and smooth functioning. The government, the laws cannot always resolve certain key problems of the society and business. Ethical behavior enhances the quality of life. An ethically based economy can do wonders in the way of creating wealth or society. The task of business is to optimize the outcome of economic activity. It is the economic environment of business, which is the primary consideration in evaluating the business tactics. The present day economic environment of business is a complex phenomenon. The economic relations with the government, public, society and community influence the trend and structure of economy. People and society are part and parcel of an organization. People want and need to be ethical not only in their private life but also in public. The people are the ultimate sufferers if the affairs of the organization were conducted unethically which are detrimental to the society. Therefore, they have a concern over this. Over the last two decades, there has been a shift in the attitudes of corporate and their executives towards ethics. A silent revolution is in under way in business ethics today. The ideas, beliefs and attitudes associated with the profit ethic are being challenged as never before. The histori cal idea of the divine right of capital no longer applies. The changes in the values, cultures and customs lead to change, which in turn lead to re-engineering of ethics. The world of business ethics is quite broad and its tentacles spread into a number of areas in the larger sphere of business society relationship. The social responsibilities of businessmen, for instance, clearly involve ethics and morality. There is always a doubt in the mind of the businessmen about what is and what is not ethical. It is difficult to understand business or business society relationships, without knowledge of the ethics. Business ethics is what society expects from business. Mark Twain once said: To be good is noble. To tell people how to be good is even nobler. *FCS, Senior Reader in Corporate Secretaryship, Alagappa University, Kraikudi. **Ph.D. What is Business ethics? Ethics is defined as the study of standards of conduct and moral judgment. Ethics is the study of what ought to be, what is the ultimate good and how to achieve it. People have always thought that the primary purpose of business is to serve society. Business must have a social commitment otherwise business cannot enjoy social sanction. It is a study of human actions in respect of being right and wrong. Ethics is an attempt to discover that ought to be. Ethics forms critique of both ultimate values and goals and the means used in trying to achieve them. The history of business ethics displays a growing recognition of the need to examine the social transformations that have impacted organization, management and society. Ethics is a mass of moral principles or sets of values about what conduct ought to be. Ethics is a written or unwritten set of codes or principles governing business or profession. Ethics is a study that constitutes good and bad conduct, including related values. It has to do with fulfilling the relationship with people and society at large. When this applied in a business context, it becomes business ethics. Ethics in business has become one of the most challenging issues confronting the whole business community. Establishing ethical climate is like starting an endless marathon. The first step should be to change unethical behavior. It is an on going process. It never stops. Ethics is a contract between the business and the community based upon certain values of principles. An effective program of ethics requires involvement and commitment from all. The constituents should ensure commitment towards ethical behavior at all levels. Ethical consideration and ethical behavior should run thro the marrow of the bones and should be carried by the capillaries to all parts. Maximizing return has made a paradigm shift towards to the concept that it should be ethically achieved. Mr.J.R.D. Tata in his own words, ethical values have too often been ignored in recent years in the belief that quicker profits would be result. Major attributes of ethics Concept : The field of ethics may be conceived as a discipline, science, study or evaluation. Content : The subject matter of ethics is concerned with what is good or bad, right or wrong. Judgment : Judgment is required to determine whether human action is ethical or not. The judgment concerns the overt act, not the motivations behind it. Behavior and its cause is that what which is judged. Standards : Judgment is based upon standards, which are, of course, values. Values : The final element of ethics therefore, is the set of values and criteria used as standards for judging human conduct. Need for Ethics Business ethics are very much influenced by social movements, social system and social preferences. No business can survive or grow without social harmony. Individuals values, however best they may be, are not sufficient to attain the maximum level of ethical performance. Ethics and social responsibility are necessary for the survival because of the highly competitive climate that prevails today. The climate in which business operates has become cold and unfriendly to day as a result of revelations of unethical behavior that have rocked nations and the world. Ethics is crucial for an efficient and smooth operating economy. An ethically based capitalism can do wonders in the way of creating wealth for society. According to economic philosopher, Adam Smith: that our system of capitalism does not work well unless it has the moral co-operation of its participants. Jewish theologian wrote: Its what people do when they all are alone, when one is looking that makes all the difference betwe en civilization and the jungle. Ethics is important because either government or legislation cannot do everything to protect society. Technology races ahead much faster than the government can regulate. People in an industry often know the dangers in a particular technology better than government regulators who sit at a distance. Ethics is good in itself. Ethics is important to create a smoothly and efficiently running economy. The Bhagavad Gita asks us not consider only the fruits of our actions. It invokes the notion of passionless action. The concept of Gita of doing ones duty without seeking for the fruits, Manus concept of inheriting debts as well as property, the Mauriyan idea of accountability provide a basis for Gandhijis belief that politics and business must work hand in hand for the development. Factors having impact on ethics Ethical considerations vary by class, structure, economic group, industry, professional group and so on. Business ethics has to be on par with the ethical code of the society in which it operates. It is essential that the business adheres to the well-established ethics. The following are the factors that creates the basis to ethical consideration (a) Value, (b) Culture,and (c) Transformation. VALUE Values are additions or accretions to the image. Values are not fixed. They change. As they undergo change the society and its constituents also have to undergo the process. When the values undergo a change it takes the culture along with it. Values are crucially important factor in business relationships. Values create credibility with the public. It will certainly add value to the concern and create more credibility by being morally responsible and accountable. This creates a confidence in those who are directly and indirectly involved. An organization perceived by the public to be ethically, socially concerned will be honored and respected even those who have no knowledge of its actual functioning. Not only this enhances the credibility within itself but also with its employees. It creates a feeling of oneness among employees having a common goal. For an individual business values derive from multitude of sources, such as mission of business as a social institution, the nation in which business is located, the type of industry in which it is active and the nature. Over a period of time value become institutionalized with regard to business and society. These values perform two important functions. First they form as a guide to business environment. Second, they become strong motivators for people in business. They become the key factor in the system relationship of business with society. Business has certain rights but it also has certain responsibilities to society and in turn society has certain rights and responsibilities in regard to business activity. Value-ethical attitude helps management for better decision-making. The decisions are in the interest of public, society and environment. Ethical decisions are in the interest of public, society and environment. Value added rather based ethical decision-making will make an organization and its decision-maker to look into all aspects of economic, social, politico-legal aspects. CULTURE Culture is described as human environment of humans. The system aspect of culture is the set of relationship that makes it possible for human beings to create a society to pass the accumulated learning of the species from generation to generation and continue to make the accumulations of learning. Culture refers to activities, thoughts, feelings and artifacts which man acquires as a member of the society. Cultural differences separate the ethical attitude of different people. Much more emphasis is given to building and developing relationship and much less emphasis is given to the abstract concept issues. TRANSFORMATION Transformation is yet another reason for the change in culture and values. Transformation with regard to communication, viewing, travelling, shopping, working and playing envisage a change in the ethics and ethical practice. These phenomenal growth and development in these areas brought about a social change amongst public, society and business. These have improved the life style and quality of life, which in turn has created a change in the cultural and cultural values bringing out a revolutionary change in the ethical standards. Change is a permanent feature on mans social life and social system in the form of transformation. The economy as a whole has been through five revolutions in the twentieth century, which have transformed its basic structure and method of functioning. IMPORTANCE OF ETHICS Ethics corresponds to basic human needs. Most people want to be ethical not only in their private lives but also in their business affairs. People want to be part of the organization, because they perceive its purpose and activity to be beneficial to society. The basic ethical needs are probably one of the most cogent reasons for ethical concern on the part of organizations. Ethics create credibility with the public. A company perceived by the public to be ethically and socially concerned would be honoured and respected even by those who have no intimate knowledge of its actual working. Gaining the confidence of the community is vital to the business sector. Public opinion is the most powerful force in a democratic society. It is a way of achieving higher standards ethical behavior. Ethics give management credibility with employees. It provides a common language for aligning a companys leadership and its people. Ethics when perceived by employees as genuine create common goals, values and language. The management has credibility with its employees because it enjoys credibility with the public. It creates oneness among the employees. Ethics help in better decision-making. Ethical decision made by the company will always be in the interest of the shareholders, stakeholders, public and their employees. This is because respect for ethics will force the management to consider all aspects of a question both economic, social and ethical aspects. ETHICS IN MANGEMENT Ethics are principles of conduct used to govern the decision-making and behavior of an individual or group of individuals. Management is concerned with making decisions within an organization. Ethics of the individual or group making decision have significant implications for the organizations stakeholders, employees, customers, shareholders, suppliers, the government and the public at large. It is important to develop code of ethics for decision-making. A code of ethics is a written document that outlines the principles of conduct to be used in making decisions. Code of ethics is based on philosophical approaches: justice, individual rights and utilitarianism. The principle of justice involves making decisions based on truth, without bias and consistency. The principle of individual rights concerns making decision based on protecting human dignity. The principle of utilitarianism involves making decisions directed towards promoting the greatest number of people. The Laws relating to ethics in business speaks about consumer protection, product safety, shareholders and stakeholders rights and environmental protection. Having a code of ethics with an implementation program is the minimum requirement for reputation of the management. Ethics focus its attention on solving not only the internal problems of the concern but also of the society at large. The economy as a whole has been thro five revolutions in the twentieth century, which have transformed its basic structure and method of functioning. First, the organizational revolution led to increase in number, size and power of organizations of all types. Second, the corporate revolution expanded the scale of business enterprise and led to dominate of modern big business corporations. Third, the managerial revolution saw the emergence of a class of professional mangers who took over the active control of large corporation. Fourth, the property revolution separated ownership and management and diffused property righ ts within the corporation. Finally, the capitalist revolution brought about a change in the moral order of capitalism and greatly enlarged the public role of business and the economic role of government. In this changed socio-economic environment the focus of business ethics is on social responsibility. Social responsibility is a reaction to the goals of the society and the economic, technological, social and political forces that mould the society. The ethics in the business community is not alienated or any different from the ethics in the society at large. The codes of ethics, legislative changes and the standards will not result in the desired holistic change. It is the mind set of the concerned people which matter most and not the stick that forces compliance with reluctance. Hence, there is an imperative need on the part of the corporate sector and profession to create a higher standard of openness, truthfulness, honesty, clarity, transparency and accuracy to ensure that all the stake holders have the best possible timely information. The corporates in general and professionals in particular must adhere to the highest ethical standards and assume a positive duty to unfold and update equivocally material information. Institutionalizing Ethics A business that seriously desires to operate in an ethical environment has to institutionalize ethics by drawing up a company policy and code of ethics, familiarizing all concerned at all levels with the code of ethics and ensuring the implementation. Code of ethics is nothing but a blue print of what is going to followed and adopted by the company from then onwards. The companys ethical code should be printed and circulated to all those who deal with the company, by clearly bringing out what is unethical conduct. The company may appoint ethics committee which offer training within and outside. The duty of the committee is to report periodically to the Board and offer suggestion for the betterment. The committee must also review the code of ethics from time to time keeping pace with the changing environment. Business ethics has to be practiced and preached. Before setting business standards, ethics and morality have to be internalized so that they become a part of the blood stream. I f the corporate becomes committed to self-imposed standards of business morality the whole countrys standards could be influenced. Development of Program of Ethics Merely endorsing a standard code or copying that of another will not suffice. It is important to find out on what topics and areas require guidance. Select a prominent personality to endorse the business ethics policy. Choose a framework, which addresses issues as they affect different constituents or shareholders of the company. The usual ones are: shareholders, employees, customers, suppliers, and local/national community. Some might even include competitors. The code needs piloting perhaps with a sample drawn from all levels from different locations. The code of conduct framed should be distributed in booklet form. Publish and send the code to all concerned. Values and ethics are matters of governance. The board must be notified to involve themselves for ethical policing. Practical examples of the code in action should be introduced into all areas. Training for all concerned. Review mechanism should be established. A code master needs to be appointed. facets of business ethics Stakeholder/Shareholders or other providers of money Transparency and openness in all dealings. Providing adequate information to the shareholders/stakeholders. The investment protection and return on investment. Employees How the business values employees ? The companys policies on: working conditions, recruitment, development and training, rewards, health, safety security, equal opportunities, retirement, redundancy, discrimination and harassment. Customer Relations Customer satisfaction. Quality of product or service dealt. Fair pricing. After-sales service. Society/Community The laws of the society and community are to be respected. Environmental protection, Pollution abatement, Energy Conservation. In short improving the standard and quality of life. Government Business ethics from the point of view of business and businessmen is to provide information to the government in all matters that is required to be. Following the guidelines, policies and standard set up by the government. Paying the taxes that is legitimately due to the government. A growing global role People around the globe are more connected to each other than ever before. Information and money flow more quickly than ever. Goods and services produced in one part of the world are increasingly available in all parts of the world. International travel is more frequent. International communication is commonplace. This phenomenon has been titled globalization. While some people think of globalization as primarily a synonym for global business, it is much more than that. The same forces that allow businesses to operate as if national borders did not exist also allow social activists, labour organizers, journalists, academics, and many others to work on a global stage. It means communication, interconnectedness. It means accomplishing things easier, cheaper, and quicker. Something on a bigger scope than local. It means opportunity, reducing trade barriers, growth. It means that there are many different ways to do things, all of which are valid in their own right. It means a composite of things, an aggregate view. It means reallocating resources away from poorer nations to wealthier nations. Its meaning depends on your point of view. Globalization is a medium which touches nearly every aspect of contemporary live in the civilized world. Globalization is the engine of trade and of explosive economic prosperity. Globalization is a dynamic concept of universal proportions. The result is the pressure on business to play a role in social issues will continue to grow. There is a growing interest, therefore, in businesses taking a lead in addressing those issues in which they have an interest where government has failed to come up with a solution. It is the continuing commitment by business to behave fairly and responsibly and contribute to economic development while improving the quality of life as well as of the community and society at large. Unless there is accountability and transparency in the dealings the business cannot be socially responsible. The values of accountability, social responsibility, long-term vision, and ethical behavior have become more important. The wealth maximization or profit maximization begins at the floor level leading to value addition. When once value is added the concept of social responsibility would creep in. The present day scenario is different and far from reality. The world is entering a century with unprecedented changes for peace and progress. Globalization is the buzzword in the context. Business is the silken thread that binds the whole world. Therefore globalization of ethics is needed. The need is envisaged in the following areas. Global need for Stable and honest governments Transparency and openness to promote honesty in governments Commitment to internationally recognized human rights Developmental programs for environmental protection, pollution control, energy conservation Evolution for world code of ethics for business Conclusion A society cannot function without a set of values. Society is undergoing social change. Business system is a product of customs and beliefs of the society in which it exists. Ethics is a study of what is right and wrong. Ethical considerations decide whether the business enterprise is on par with the societys needs. Society is undergoing social change due to ethical considerations. So long as the value systems and philosophies of business go together, society will accept it. The resultant contribution would be positive. Social and ethical challenges in business take several forms and the impact is multidimensional and corporate governance is the key phrase. The changes that are taking place in the internal and external environment in which the business operates gave rise to a re-identification of their mission statement as BE INFORMED. BE INVOLVED. MAKE A DIFFERENCE. This new ethical standard and social attitude is blooming everywhere. References 1.Bowie, Norman E; Business Ethics; Prentice Hall Inc., New Jersy. 2.Davis Keith Blomstrom.R.L.; Business Society; McGraw Hill, New York. 3.Donaldson, John Others; Business Ethics; Academic Press, London. 4.Dr. Robert F. Drainan; Globalizaion and Corporate Ethics; JRD TATA foundation for ethics in Business, XLRI Jamshedpur. 5.Kumar.A, Joshi.K.M, Jagni.B.J.; Ethical Issues in Management; Commonwealth Publishers, New Delhi. 6.Mathias,T.A.Sj; Corporate Ethics; Allied Publishers, New Delhi.