British Gas Business Essay

A review of the British Gas Businesses current approach to collating, storing and using HR data within the organisation. Findings Below you will find an overview of some of the data that the HR function within British Gas Business collects. Within this report I will identify two reasons why British Gas Business needs to collect HR data, and the current methods in which we store the data. I will also briefly touch upon some key legislation which if compliant, will reduce any financial or legal risks to the organisation. Absence Performance – appraisals, Learning and Development (L&D) activity Employee Engagement results Equality/Diversity – To meet legal requirements Recruitment – Contractual information Employee Information â€Å"Accurate personnel records will help the organisation in many ways – increasing the efficiency of recruitment, training and development, and promotion. They can also provide the raw data to monitor equal opportunities issues and the legal requirements placed on all organisations† [ACAS: Online 30th November 2014]. One of the areas where there is need for collation of data is we are able to track volumes of employees currently being performance managed within the organisation to then further identify whether this is a behavioral or skill issue where further training is required. This then helps us to define our learning programmes moving forward and tailor the content around any shortfalls which may have been identified through Training Needs Analysis (TNA) within performance management. Another area that the HR function collates data for is for Absence. â€Å"This is one of the longest-running causes of serious concern to managers. Unapproved absence from work causes a multitude of problems to managers and involves the organisation in significant extra costs†. (Currie et al, 2010, p.293). All absence data within each business unit (and then business wide across British Gas) is centralised using the data base Absence Manager. This helps us to track against our performance and resourcing for people and establish  whether recruitment or redundancy plans would benefit the long term strategy of the organisation. The Human Resource function currently use an Information System (HRIS) which runs alongside our main billing system called SAP. Within SAP all Line managers have access to view employee information (direct reports only), process secondments or job role changes, and change manage details. The benefit of this is that the data is easily accessible and is consistent in line with any people movements within the business. Alongside this system there is also a requirement for some documentation to be stored manually. This is then kept for 6 years, regardless of whether that individual is still in employment with British Gas Business. This is beneficial for any documentation which requires employee signatures or verification. This could be disciplinary documentation to any learning that has taken place. Using the internal HRIS British Gas Business complies with the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations 2003, which covers the security and confidentiality of the retention of data. We do this by ensuring that access to the HR online system is done only registered through authorised access and then a further password security check. British Gas Business also ensures that it keeps written documentation for no longer than 6 years in line with the Principles of the Data Protection Act 1998 (DPA). Once documentation reaches this age we contract to a disposal company to safely dispose of all confidential waste. The HR function also complies with all Subject Access Requests (SAR’s) which is governed by the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (FOI Act). Customers are able to place requests in writing to access all information held about them or their business on the organisations systems. The customer pays a one of fee of ten pounds and they are then issued with the information within 40 days of their request. Key Findings British Gas Business is fully compliant with all key legislation in collecting and storing data within the organisation. I see no risk, financially or strategically from the methods we are currently using. Bibliography Web ACAS. (2014). Personnel Data. Available: http://www.acas.org.uk/index.aspx?articleid=717. Last accessed 30th November 2014. Books Currie, D (2010). Introduction to Human Resource Management. 2nd ed. London: Chartered Institute of Personnel Development. 293 Introduction – Activity 2 Analysis of absence data for the Customer Care function of British Gas Business from high level reported case volumes, to understanding the gender split of the absence recorded. Summary By analysing the data collated from our absence records, we can establish trends to enable the organisation to look to implement preventative measures to reduce overall long term absence levels. key findings Absence from the British Gas Business – Customer Care function is currently at its highest levels since 2010. The average number of days taken as absence within the short term sickness (STS) criteria (under 20 consecutive days), has increased from 4.6 to 5.5 days per employee per rolling 52 weeks. The increase in long term sickness (LTS) registered within the organisation has increased by 0.8% over the past 4 years. LTS cases for 2014 are split into the following reasons for absence and then subsequently by gender for all Stress (Work related) / Mental Illness reported absences. Of the 45 LTS stress (Work) related cases registered in 2014, 23 were for male employees. This shows us a change in trend from previous years. For the first time in over 4 years we can see the greater proportion of stress (Work) /mental illness related absences is now reported by the male employee population. conclusions In 2011 British Gas Business began its journey in implementing a new billing system. We can see a noticeable trend in the years following on from the  start of this journey, with the volume of work induced stress related absences reported within the function. Throughout the function we have also seen a high natural attrition in the leadership team in 2014. This means that we now have less experienced leadership population who are progressing our people through their long term sickness absences. Recommendations Identify potential learning gaps through Training Needs Analysis (TNS) – â€Å"Test and Play† drop in sessions for all employees – Full review of the learning documentation and the online learning environment Wellbeing events throughout the system change timeline to be ran throughout the function i.e. exercise programmes, healthy eating, fitness checks, stop smoking programmes. Engagement temperature checks amongst the employee population Team leader workshops in identifying stress and supporting employees Review the benefits package for the leadership population to reduce churn Validation of the process within the leadership teams from day 1 of absence registered, through the fruition of policy outcomes Wellbeing days across function for all levels to understand support tools references – Data British Gas Business – Absence Manager Data sample from 2010 – 2014. Accessed on the 17th November 2014. British Gas Business – HR Function – Team Leader Exit data – 2014. Accessed on the 19th November 2014.

Thicketwood Ltd

Management of Organizations COMM 1006 Operations Thicketwood Ltd Problem Statement The current production process that Thicketwood Ltd is utilizing can no longer keep with the demand of custom kitchen cabinets. Management must implement a new step to the production line to increase efficiency; however, they must also maintain quality as the customers that are purchasing these cabinets expect top quality for the amount of money they are paying. Problems/Sub problems/IssuesIn the Thicketwood Ltd case there are a few problems and issues that need to be addressed immediately in order to keep up with demand. The current process that involves strictly human labor is no longer efficient as the demand for cabinets continues to increase. The current process has 5 steps which include cutting, drilling, routing, assembling, and finishing the cabinets. The third step in this process takes the longest amount of time to complete and also has the highest number of employees working on it.This step causes a bottleneck and everything is becoming backed up at this stage. Management needs to implement a change in order to try to become more efficient and meet demand but also continue to make quality cabinets. The company has come across an option that they believe will eliminate the bottleneck and allow the supply to meet demand. The option the company believes would be the most beneficial is a Computer Numeric Controlled (CNC) router. The decision that must be made is either to purchase the new machine or the old machine.Each machine has a different price and different life expectancy. By purchasing and implementing this machine to the production process it would also eliminate jobs on the production line, which may result in employees being transferred to different areas or may cause some layoffs which as a result can have a negative impact on the relationship between workers and management which is currently very good as a result of wages and benefits and there have been very few layoffs in the past. Analysis For Thicketwood Ltd, the quality of their cabinets is the most important aspect.Their target market is individuals or families of higher income that are willing to spend more money for a specialty product which is the custom kitchen cabinets. When people are out shopping for the custom products, price is generally not of big concern in comparison to quality and service. Thicketwood Ltd needs to ensure quality, ensure that their service is top notch, ensure that the quantity of cabinets produced meets the forecasted demand for that and lastly, price. As previously stated, the current system that the company uses includes five steps and all the steps are performed by hand.Although performing by hand is a good way to ensure quality, the human labor cannot keep up with the forecasted demand in all five steps. The current process is as follows: (Per Cabinet) Step 1: (1 employee) 4 cuts per part X 3feet per cut X 20 parts = 240/10ft per minute = 24min. St ep 2: (1 employee) 60 holes per cabinet X 1. 2 minutes per hole = 72min. Step 3: (4 employees) 4 employees routing 1 part each of the 4 required parts = 96min. Step 4: (1 employee) 1 worker assembling 1 cabinet = 90min. Step 5: (2 employees) 2 employees finish the cabinet = 20min.With this current process, Thicketwood Ltd cannot reach the forecasted demand of 2000 cabinets per year in all categories. Even if the company was operating at 100 percent efficiency, due to the bottleneck in step 3, the maximum amount of cabinets that can be produced in one year is 1250. 60/96 = 0. 625 X 8 hour shift X 5 days a week X 50 weeks a year = 1250 per year However, we cannot make the assumption that the company is operating at 100 percent efficiency as the employees need time to walk around and set up. To keep things more realistic we will calculate at 90% efficiency as well.Step 3 is not the only step that cannot produce 2000 cabinets a year. Here are the current numbers when the company is oper ating at 100 percent efficiency and 90 percent efficiency: Table 1. 1 | # of employees| Efficiency| Per Shift| Per Year| Step 1(24 minutes)| 1| 100%90%| 2018| 5,0004,500| Step 2(72 minutes)| 1| 100%90%| 6. 645. 976| 1,6601,494| Step 3(96 minutes)| 4| 100%90%| 54. 5| 1,2501,125| Step 4(90 minutes)| 1| 100%90%| 5. 3364. 8| 1,3341,200| Step 5(20 minutes)| 2| 100%90%| 2421. 6| 6,0005,400| | Total: 9| | | | Table 1. 1 represents 9 workers working 8 hours a day for 5 days a week and 50 weeks a year.As presented in table 1. 1, the line is unbalanced and is not meeting the quantity demanded. The CNC router can rout 1 part every 12 minutes and there are 4 parts that need to be routed so this step would now take 48 minutes as oppose to 96 minutes. The CNC router only requires 1 operator who would earn $20. 00 per hour resulting in an annually salary of $40,000. If the company were to implement the CNC router, it would allow other employees to be moved around but would also eliminate some jobs . Table 1. 2 represents the production process with the CNC router. Table 1. 2 # of employees| Efficiency| Per Shift| Per Year| Step 1(24 minutes)| 1| 100%90%| 2018| 5,0004,500| Step 2(36 minutes)| 2| 100%90%| 13. 3612. 024| 3,3403,006| Step 3(48 minutes)| 1| 100%90%| 109| 2,5002,250| Step 4(45 minutes)| 2| 100%90%| 10. 649. 576| 2,6602,394| Step 5(40 minutes)| 1| 100%90%| 1210. 8| 3,0002,700| | Total: 7| | | | Table 1. 2 represents 7 employees each working 8 hour shifts 5 shifts a week and 50 weeks a year. Although each step is now over 2000 cabinets per year, this would still not be desired for the company because some steps are still producing much larger numbers than other steps.In order to balance this line, each step will be operating at different efficiencies. We have also decided to produce 2,250 cabinets a year which will be beneficial if the forecasted demand is slightly off and if it is not we will have an additional 250 cabinets in inventory to be sold the following year . Table 1. 3 shows a balanced line. Table 1. 3 | # of employees| Efficiency| Per Shift| Per Year| Step 1| 1| 45%| 9| 2,250| Step 2| 2| 67. 37%| 9| 2,250| Step 3| 1| 90%| 9| 2,250| Step 4| 2| 84. 6%| 9| 2,250| Step 5| 1| 75%| 9| 2,250| Total: 7| | | | The line is now balanced; however, each step requires a different efficiency in order to produce 2,250. In step 1, the 1 employee will only have to work 3. 6 hours each of the 5 days for 50 weeks to complete 2,250 cabinets. In step 2 each employee will have to put forth 5. 44 hours. In step 3 the CNC router will be working all 8 hours with the operator spending his entire shift there. Step 5 requires both workers to work 6. 67 hours and step 5 requires the 1 employee to work 6 hours to complete his amount of 2,250 per year.Although they will not need to spend their entire shifts on the production line, the company is still not obligated to cut their hours down to part time. Each employee will be given miscellaneous tasks to complete onc e they are done their respective duties. Tasks will include helping load the truck, cleaning the warehouse etc. We will also need to take into consideration days where other employees are sick and cannot make into work, when and if this happens, the other employees will be forced to fill in at the respective step.Alternative Analysis There are only a few alternatives the company can choose in dealing with the problem. Before the company makes a decision they must take into consideration the pros and cons for each alternative, the incremental cost and benefits, the payback period if going with the router, and the employees. We can choose one of the following options: 1. Do not purchase the CNC router and leave the process as it currently is 2. Purchase the new CNC router 3. Purchase the used CNC routerIn choosing to not purchase the CNC router and leave the process as it currently operates would mean that we would not be able to keep up with demand, therefore this alternative is one that cannot be chosen. The new CNC router comes with a warranty of 3 years. If the company purchased the new CNC router it would cost $150,000 and a training cost of $1,500. The router has a life expectancy of 5 years which translates into an annual depreciation of $30,000. The CNC router also requires one operator who will earn $20 per hour which results in an annual salary expense of $40,000 for the company.Additional electricity for the router would run $1000 per year and maintenance would be a total of $4500 per year. The new router will allow a reduction of 3 employees out of the 15 who earn $16 per hour which results in annual savings of $96,000. In order to determine the payback period you must take the initial investment and divide it by the incremental benefits minus the incremental cost. Therefore the payback period would be: Investment= 150,000 + 1,500 = 151,500 Incremental Benefit = 96,000 Incremental costs = $40,000 + 4,500 + 1,000 = 45,500 Payback period = 151,500 / 96 ,000 – 45,500Payback period = 151,500 / 50,500 Payback Period = 3 years With the payback period being 3 years, choosing to purchase the new CNC router would be an ideal purchase for the company as the routers life expectancy is 5 years. It is also beneficial that the warranty does not expire before the payback period in case of any possible malfunctions the router may experience. The company also must take into consideration that this is needed in the production line in order to meet demand and is made with state of the art technology which can ensure top quality.The con to implementing the router is that some jobs will be eliminated which can result in a negative impact on the relationship between workers and management which is currently very strong. There is also the slight chance that the machine may not last the expected 5 years, however there is a slight chance it may last longer as well, and finally, the company would be buying the router off of High-Tech Inc. which we have had no previous relationship with in the past. The used CNC router comes with a warranty of 1 year. If the company were to go with this option it would cost $60,000 and would also have the additional $1,500 training cost.The used router has a life expectancy of 3 years which translates into an annual depreciation of $20,000. The used CNC router would also require one operator earning $20 per hour which again results in an annual salary expense of $40,000 for the operator. Additional electricity for the used router is also $1,000 and regular maintenance of $4,500 plus additional maintenance of $1,000 which comes from projections assumptions that one maintenance worker would be required to complete one extra hour of maintenance each week of operations. The used router would reduce the line by 2. workers which would result in annual savings of $80,000. In order to determine the payback period we must follow the same steps we used to determine the payback period for the new CNC ro uter: Investment = 60,000 + 1,500 = 61,500 Incremental Benefit = 80,000 Incremental Costs = 40,000 + 4,500 + 1,000 + 1,000 = 46,500 Payback Period = 61,500 / 80,000 – 46,500 Payback Period = 61,500 / 33,500 Payback Period = 1 year and 10 months (1. 835 years) In choosing to purchase the used CNC router the company would be taking a risk as the payback period is 10 months longer than the warranty given.As a result of this, if the router experiences any problems after 1 year and Thicketwood Ltd is forced to pay for the repairs due to the warranty being expired, that will cause their payback period to be extended which results in losses for the company. The used machine however, is also believed to eliminate some jobs which again can have an impact on the worker and management relationship. On the positive side to purchasing the used CNC router, it would also increase demand and allow supply to meet demand.In the event that no complications occurred with the router it would be c heaper to implement in comparison to the new CNC router. The company has also dealt with TDL products Co. before and have a good relationship with the sales representative and was confident in her ability to ensure servicing of the router if required. Decision/Recommendation The final decision on behalf of Thicketwood Ltd is going to be implement decision 2, purchase the new CNC router. We chose this decision for various reasons beginning with it is brand new, state of the art technology and has a life expectancy of 5 years along with a warranty of 3 years.The payback period and the warranty both run 3 years which is crucial in the aspect that the payback period cannot be extended if the machine has any malfunctions within the first 3 years because all the repairs will be covered. It will also increase the number of cabinets we can produce per year as a result the company will be able to meet demand even when operating at lower efficiency levels in some steps which means that if dem and happens to increase in following years the production line will be able to produce a larger number of custom cabinets.The most important aspect for Thicketwood Ltd is the quality of the cabinets and there is no better way of ensuring quality when using machines than bringing in new machines. Since the current forecasted demand is only 2000 and with the new CNC router it brings down the 9 employees needed on the production line to 7. As a result of this the company will have to lay off 2 workers which can have a negative impact on the relationship between workers and management but that is a risk the company must take in order to maintain efficiency at a controllable level.Since Thicketwood Ltd is a non-unionized company we will not have to follow any corrective steps in accordance to the layoff, however, to be fair to the other employees the layoffs will be based on seniority with the company. For the remaining employees on the production line, they will not be required to spend their entire 8 hour shifts on the production line; however, it is not in the company’s best interest to cut their hours. The following steps in table 1. 4 represent the amount of hours required by each employee on the production per shift: Table 1. | # of Employees| Hours Per Shift| Cabinets Per Year| Step 1| 1| 3. 6| 2,250| Step 2| 2| 5. 39| 2,250| Step 3| 1| 8| 2,250| Step 4| 2| 6. 77| 2,250| Step 5| 1| 6| 2,250| As a result of steps 1, 2, 4, and 5 not requiring the full 8 hour shifts to complete the demand will result in the other employees given miscellaneous tasks to fill in the remaining hours of their shifts. Duties will include cleaning the warehouse, helping load the trucks for delivery, keeping track of inventory and another possible option can be training the employee in tep 1 to make local deliveries in order to try to reduce some of the shipping costs. As previously stated, the company must also take into consideration that with the majority of the production li ne being human labor, there is a very strong possibility that there will be some sick days taken from some of the employees in which case the remaining employees will have to fill in for their co-workers in the respective step. In conclusion, implementing the purchase of the new CNC router is the best possible option and will be completed immediately.Executive Summary Thicketwood Ltd, a producer of custom kitchen cabinets is experiencing a bottleneck in their production line that will not allow them to produce the proper quantity to meet their increasing demand of their cabinets. The company must implement some new technology to the production line; however, they must also ensure quality as the cabinets the company produces are custom and more expensive than regular cabinets therefore the customers that buy these are expecting top quality.The company has explored a couple options including a Computer Numeric Controlled (CNC) router which we will be exploring the pros and cons to eac h decision throughout the case in order to come up with the best possible alternative that would be most beneficial to the company. Calculations for the Tables 1. 1 and 1. 2 Table 1. 1 Step 1 (24 minutes) 60 / 24 = 2. 5 x 8 = 20 per shift x 5 x 50 = 5000 20 per shift x 0. 9 = 18 per shift x 5 x 50 = 4500 Step 2 (72 minutes) 60 / 72 = 0. 83 x 8 = 6. 64 per shift x 5 x 50 = 1660 6. 64 per shift x 0. = 5. 976 per shift x 5 x 50 = 1494 Step 3 (96 minutes) 60 / 96 = 0. 625 x 8 = 5 per shift x 5 x 50 = 1250 5 per shift x 0. 9 = 4. 5 per shift x 5 x 50 = 1125 Step 4 (90 minutes) 60/90 = 0. 667 x 8 = 5. 336 per shift x 5 x 50 = 1334 5. 336 per shift x 0. 9 = 4. 8 per shift x 5 x 50 = 1200 Step 5 (20 minutes) 60/20 = 3 x 8 = 24 per shift x 5 x 50 = 6000 24 per shift x 0. 9 = 21. 6 per shift x 5 x 50 = 5400 Table 1. 2 Step 1 (24 minutes) 60 / 24 = 2. 5 x 8 = 20 per shift x 5 x 50 = 5000 20 per shift x 0. 9 = 18 per shift x 5 x 50 = 4500Step 2 (36 minutes) 60 / 36 = 1. 667 x 8 = 13. 36 per shi ft x 5 x 50 = 3340 13. 36 per shift x 0. 9 = 12. 024 per shift x 5 x 50 = 3006 Step 3 (48 minutes) CNC router 60 / 48 = 1. 25 x 8 = 10 per shift x 5 x 50 = 2500 10 per shift x 0. 9 = 9 per shift x 5 x 50 = 2250 Step 4 (45 minutes) 60 / 45 = 1. 33 x 8 = 10. 64 per shift x 5 x 50 = 2660 10. 64 per shift x 0. 9 = 9. 576 per shift x 5 x 50 = 2394 Step 5 (40 minutes) 60 / 40 = 1. 5 x 8 = 12 per shift x 5 x 50 = 3000 12 per shift x 0. 9 = 10. 8 per shift x 5 x 50 = 2700

A written project on the theme of one selected characteristic/attribute associated with the Business Entrepreneur and researched in the context of one noteworthy entrepreneur

Methodology: This study was based on the integration of the secondary research. Practical evidence demonstrates the main secondary evidence in relation to the Facebook case study. Findings: The main findings demonstrate that innovation is not necessarily sourced from a discipline. To a large extent, it requires creative thinking and environment. Furthermore, it has been found that the process of innovation is not always structured. This suggests that in some cases, there are elements of experimentation and accident. Introduction This paper looks at the investigation of innovation in the contemporary business world. In details, this paper includes exploration of the actual concept of innovation within the context of entrepreneurship. This research will focus on the examination of Facebook and its founder, Mark Zuckerberg. This would serve as the practical evidence of the innovative product and/or service that has formed the contemporary social media business. Rogers, (1998, p.6) has defined innovation â€Å"as the process of introducing the new ideas to the firm which result in increased firm performance† . Within the context of this paper, innovation is attributed to the new social media product that has been invented and, therefore, resulted in the startup and further success of Facebook as a company. This has been a transformational innovation since it resulted in the transformation of the interactive, social media platform. This paper will discuss the actual process of this transformation. This implies that the majority of individuals have been reluctant to adopt the innovation, after its initial introduction (Rogers, 1998). At the moment, Facebook has already around 1 billion subscribers worldwide, who update their statuses, on a daily basis. Mark Zuckerberg, the founder of Facebook, is one of the greatest entrepreneurs of the modern times. Facebook employs around 3,200 employees and is known worldwide. The company’s market value is $ 75 billion-$ 100 billion (Hoovers, 2012). This study will investigate the main factors that innovation should possess, and the reasons behind its success among the consumers. The main critical analysis is going to be presented in the literature review. This will lay the foundation for further investigation. Practical evidence will demonstrate the case study in relation to the researched theories. Finally, the findings from the literature review and practical evidence are going to be juxtaposed in the analysis section. Literature Review Recent research suggests that innovation is an outcome of creativity. This implies that innovation may occur, when a person realizes stimulating and new ideas, which he or she, has (Austin, Devin and Sullivan, 2012). Some companies tend to shape the work environment in order to produce the conditions that work well in terms ofthe development of the creative ideas. This is primarily associated with the integration of the particular practices, which allow the person to relax, and, therefore, generate ideas. Hopkins, (2010) suggests that innovation is a discipline. This implies that management of innovation may be compared with management of quality, where each detail is essential. This also implies that, after generation of the idea, it is important to focus on the efficient development of production, supply chain, distribution and marketing. The process of innovation development is also interlinked to the production of business model. It is especially intensified in the context of entrepreneurship. Drucker, (2002), suggests that innovation is sourced from the knowledge and hard work. This suggests that in order for innovation to be successful, it is necessaryto monitor the market, to interact and seek out opportunities to seize. As a result,, there is a small chance for accidental innovation that might emerge (Austin, Devin and Sullivan, 2012). However, given the conditions of contemporary market and situation, this chance is slim. This is correlated to the evolutionary theory, which suggests that the process of innovation production is interlinked with the dynamism of the environment and acquired knowledge and skills. Furthermore, it was added that the success of innovation is sourced from the learning abilities and behavioural traits of the entrepreneur. This implies that the values, cognition and the aims of the individual directly impact the process of innovation development (Metcalfe, 1998; Dosi, 1997). According to complexity theory, Anderson, (1999) states that the creative ideas are sourced from the environmental changes. This suggests that individuals and companies tend to take into account the environmental dynamism, thus shifting their perceptions, according to the global and/or domestic changes. This is further interlinked with the evaluation of the information, which is sourced from these dynamical changes. This, in turn, results in the development of the innovations. This theory is based on the estimation that the innovation should evolve, as part of the constant environmental dynamics. Contrary to this, Brown and Eisenhardt, (1998) suggest that innovation is driven by experimentation rather than evolution. This implies that the individual should always experiment, in order to create some innovative solutions. This is attributed to the â€Å"trial and error† pathway. This pathway is regarded to be quite effective as demonstrated in the recent research. It is primarily interlinked with the hard work and discipline, which is noted in the study by Hopkins, (2010). Damanpour, (1992) disagrees and states that there is no definite practice that would allow efficient production and management of the innovative products and/or services. This suggests that there are four main factors that affect the possible success of the innovation. These factors are attributed to the type of innovation, stage of innovation, scope of innovation and organization. Given the technology industry, the scope of innovation is not easy to define at the startup stage of innovation. It has been identified by Rothwell and Dodgson, (1995) that there is a small difference between the development of innovation in small companies and large corporations. It has been estimated that the process of innovation development in small companies tend to be of a behavioural nature, whereas in large corporations – of a materialistic nature. Additionally, it has been added that the process of the development of innovation in the smaller companies tends to be dependent on the industry. It is assumed that, in the technology industry, the degree of innovation’s success is increased, due to the large pool of opportunities. However, as Hopkins, (2010) has pointed out, it does require a discipline. Freeman and Soete, (1997) agree that the innovative products and services depend on the scope of RD activities. This suggests that there is a greater chance for larger corporations to implement the innovation, due to the large available funds. However, as the recent research demonstrates, there are a lot of entrepreneurs, who have been successful in production of innovation with limited investments (e.g. Mark Zuckerberg; Steve Jobs). Littler, Leverick and Bruce, (2003) argue that the innovative product development is associated with high risk, which is dispensed across the production and Research and Development areas. As the result, it has been proposed in the same source that increased collaboration is required in order to achieve the objectives, in relation to the innovative solutions product. These scholars have also added that the main factors that affect the increase of the risk degree is attributed to the utilization of the new technology. Practical Evidence This section focuses on the presentation of the practical evidence of the key theories that have been analysed in the literature review section. This section is based on the integration of the case study about Facebook and its founder, Mark Zuckerberg. Mark Zuckerberg, 28 is the founder of the world’s largest social networking website, Facebook. It was launched back in 2004, in the dorm room of Harvard University (CrunchBase, 2012). Prior to this, Mark Zuckerberg has tried to launch another two programs, namely a music recommendation program, Synapse and peer-to-peer client, Wirehog. However, he left them at the startup point (TechCrunch, 2012). Along with that, Mark Zuckerberg also launched Coursematch and Facemash programs during his studies at Harvard University. Facebook was originally developed for students to interact, however it has been further extended to a global scale. As a result, Facebook has become a success internationally (New Yorker, 2010). Prior to the development of Facebook, Mark Zuckerberg studied computer science, however, he has another degree in psychology. This suggests that he understands both the computer technology and human behaviour (New Yorker, 2012). With regard to the personal characteristics, Mark Zuckerberg has been described as quiet, unassuming gentleman, who focuses on hard work and achievement of the objectives. This shows that he doesn’t take anything for granted, thus focusing intensively on further development of Facebook operations. To date, Facebook has generated $1.26 billion, however, it has reported a recent loss, which is associated with the inability to develop the mobile advertising sector (CNCWorld, 2012; Information Week, 2012). The primary source of income is attributed to the advertising since Facebook is free to subscribe. This implies that there is still room for improvement in the mobile advertising area, whereas the main competitors already enjoy the generated profits fr om this sector. The mobile advertising area has been overlooked by Mark Zuckerberg, given the recent rise in the access to the Internet from mobile phones (New Media Trends, 2012). This implies that the modern consumers tend to utilize the mobile applications more, which is supported by the recent data that states that the number of mobile Internet users has doubled. Information Week, (2012) demonstrates that there have been 75 % of social networking users, who have accessed Facebook via their Android-supported mobile devices in U.S.A, in March, 2012. Facebook management agrees that there is still a room for development however, the main problem is attributed to the inability to provide high resolution advertisements on small mobile screens (Information Week, 2012). This is assumed to be surprising, in the light of Mark Zuckerberg’s ability to develop the new social media platform, during the rise of the Internet. This implies that Mark Zuckerberg tends to seize the opportunities, once they arise. The main aim of Facebook, to date, is regarded to be a willingness to make the globe a more open place, by means of social interactions (New Yorker, 2010). However, contrary to this, Mark Zuckerberg, himself, is characterized as being private, thus not sharing a lot of information about himself. This is supported by the fact that he does not give a lot of interviews and/or make public appearances (CrunchBase, 2012). With regards to the work environment, that is managed in Facebook headquarters, it has been estimated in the recent research that the workers are driven to educate themselves while working. This is interconnected with the fact that Facebook was founded at the University so, Mark Zuckerberg is trying to transform the workplace into the educational institution in order to drive the creativity’s emergence. The design of the Facebook offices promotes openness as the key feature of Facebook program (Business Insider, 2009). This implies that employees are not limited by the cubicles’ boundaries. Additionally, the working hours are flexible. This suggests that the employees may choose their own hours in order to deliver the best product solutions possible. Furthermore, Mark Zuckerberg tends to promote openess in interaction, suggesting that the employees are able to walk around the headquarters, thus interacting with others (Business Insider, 2009). The main aim of this is t o promote the development of the creative ideas, which would be applicable to the Facebook (Business Insider, 2009). Along with that, the main negative comments have only been attributed to the distant location of the Facebook headquarters. Additionally, some employees have stated that it is difficult to concentrate while working in the open areas. Therefore, the promoted openess does not work for everybody (Business Insider, 2009). Analysis This section is based on the production of the links between the main theories and the key findings, derived from the practical evidence. It had been estimated that Facebook was developed, during the period, when internet, as a communication channel was starting to gain the popularity amongst the public (New Media Trends, 2012). This shows that Mark Zuckerberg had been following the evolutionary theory related to the innovative development and given his specialized knowledge and learning abilities, he scanned the environment for opportunities and dynamic changes (Anderson, 1999). In 2004, there was a limited amount of social networking platforms, presented on the market that would allow enjoyable social interaction. As a result, he developed Facebook in order to meet the educational needs, with the limited resources available. It was based purely on the knowledge and skills he had obtained. One of the main benefits was that he could combine his technology-related knowledge with the education degree he received in psychology (Time, 2012). This has allowed the development of the social networking platform that would sui t the needs of consumers. Furthermore, the theoretical frameworks suggest that there is supposed to be a creative and relaxing environment in order to produce the innovative idea. At that time, Mark Zuckerberg has been studying in the university, which suggests that he was associated with the young and educated people with a lot of aspirations (New Yorker, 2010). Normally, in this environment, the most innovative ideas are born, so, this supports the theoretical evidence. Evolutionary theory is also supported by the fact that Mark Zuckerberg also tried to integrate other social media products but he failed to succeed with some of them. This demonstrates a certain degree of learning, integrated in the process of the innovation development. This implies that after the failure of his previous innovations , he has advanced the process of innovative solutions production, based on the mistakes he had made (CrunchBase, 2012). Additionally, the process of innovation production has been supported by the acquired and/or natural behavioural traits of the entrepreneur. This suggests that Mark Zuckerberg has always been a hard worker whilst eliminating the need â€Å"to take everything for granted† (Time, 2012). Therefore, he has always been focused on the achievement of his objectives. The elements of the accidental innovation may be followed once Facebook had become popular outside the university. This shows that, despite the primary educational objectives related to the Facebook platform, Mark Zuckerberg accidentally met the needs of a wider international audience (Austin, Devin and Sullivan, 2012). This was the starting point of Facebook’s success. At the moment, being a large corporation, Facebook constantly updates the website with new applications, as a result of the evaluation of the consumer needs and environment. However, some subscribers tend to be confused with the constant changes that Facebook integrates (Guardian, 2010). In this case, the aspects of experimentation are demonstrated. These can be traced inthe theory of â€Å"trial and error†, which suggests the evaluation of the most profitable products and services based on experimentation (Brown and Eisenhardt, 1998). This is proved to be effective, however it also drives a large degr ee of confusion amongst the subscribers. Another critical aspect is attributed to the problem with the mobile advertising, which has resulted in the decrease of the revenues of Facebook, recently (Business Insider, 2012). This suggests that management of the company failed to scan the environment in order to integrate the necessary solutions with regards to the emergence of the new trend. As the result, this has negatively resulted in the poor company’s performance (Business Insider, 2012). This is said to be especially surprising, given the ability of Mark Zuckerberg to seize the opportunities and the scope of the modern Facebook corporation. This is supported by the literature review findings, which suggest that it is much easier for larger corporations to integrate innovative solutions due to the large funding available for Research and Development activities (Freeman and Soete, 1997). In this case, at the moment, Facebook failed to do that. Recent data demonstrates that another reason behind this, is attributed to the lack of clear strategic vision. This implies that Mark Zuckerberg aims at the delivery of accidental innovations rather than the result of a clear strategic vision (Business Insider, 2009). He expects the innovation to appear as a result of the management of the creative environment. It has been estimated in the literature review that it is necessary to promote the discipline during the process of innovation development (Hopkins, 2010). However, with regards to Facebook’s work conditions, it is not necessarily applicable. This implies that the company aims to integrate open interactions and flexible working hours. This is said to be appealing for the majority of employees. However there are some employees, who state that it is hard to concentrate while working in this sort of environment. As a result, Facebook aims to promote the casual and relaxing environment, which would allow development of creative solutions. Conclusion This paper was aimed at discussing research on innovation within the entrepreneurship context. It focused on the exploration of the Facebook case and its founder, Mark Zuckerberg. The main theories have indicated that there are several patterns of innovation development, namely accidental innovation production, evolutionary, experimental and complexity theories. The Literature review has also demonstrated that environment also plays a large role in the process of innovation development. Other scholars suggest that the success of innovation depends on the entrepreneur’s personal characteristic and actual characteristics attributed to the innovation. The main findings, based on the analysis of one of the greatest entrepreneurs, have demonstrated that the innovation’s production process incorporates elements of accidental process and both experimental and evolutionary processes. Additionally, it has been estimated that the dynamics of the environment and personal characte ristics of the entrepreneur tend to play a large role in relation to the worldwide success of the innovation. However, it is essential to further update the innovations in order to stay on the market. This, in turn, may also incorporate the elements of the experimentation. However, one of the main factors is related to the ability to seize the opportunities. References: Anderson, P. (1999). Complexity theory and organization science. Organization Science, 10, 3, 216 – 232 Austin, R., L. Devin, and E. Sullivan. (2012). Accidental Innovation: Supporting Valuable Unpredictability in the Creative Process. Organization Science, 23, 5, 1505-1522. Brown, S. L. and K. Eisenhardt (1998). Competing on the Edge – Strategy as Structured Chaos. Harvard Business School Press: USA Business Insider, (2012). From $0 To $1 Billion In Two Quarters – Facebook’s Mobile Ad Business Is Suddenly Huge. Available from: http://www.businessinsider.com/starting-from-0-facebook-has-created-a-1-billion-mobile-ad-business-in-just-two-quarters-2012-10 (Accessed on 13/11/2012) Business Insider , (2012). What Is It Like Working At Facebook?. Available from: http://www.businessinsider.com/what-is-it-like-working-at-facebook-2009-12?op=1 (Accessed on 13/11/2012) CNC World, (2012). Facebook ADs revenue rises. Available from: http://www.cncworld.tv/news/v_show/28730_Facebook_ADs_revenue_rises.shtml (Accessed on 13/11/2012) Crunch Base, (2012). Mark Zuckerberg. Available from: http://www.crunchbase.com/person/mark-zuckerberg (Accessed on 13/11/2012) Damanpour, F. (1992). Organization size and innovation. Organization Studies, 13, 3, 375 – 402 Dosi, G. (1997). Opportunities, Incentives and the Collective Patterns of Technological Change. The Economic Journal, 107, September Drucker, P.F. (2002). The discipline of innovation. Harvard Business Review, 80, 8, 95-102 Freeman, C. and L. Soete (1997). The Economics of Industrial Innovation. Third Ed., London: Pinter Guardian, (2010). How to Confuse a Facebook User. Available from: http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/blog/2010/feb/11/facebook-readwriteweb (Accessed on 13/11/2012) Hoovers, (2012). Facebook Company Information. Available from: http://www.hoovers.com/company-information/cs/company-profile.Facebook_Inc.f1fe73cc6a208e18.html (Accessed on 13/11/2012) Hopkins M. (2010). Innovation Isn’t ‘Creativity,’ It’s a Discipline You Manage. MitSloan Management Review, February Information Week, (2012). Facebook Hits 1 Billion Users: Now The Hard Part. Available from: http://www.informationweek.com/thebrainyard/news/social_networking_consumer/240008527/facebook-hits-1-billion-users-now-the-hard-part (Accessed on 13/11/2012) Littler, D., Leverick, F., Bruce, M., (2003). Factors affecting the process of collaborative product development: a study of UK manufacturers of information and communications technology products. Journal of Product Innovation Management, 12, 1, 16-32 Metcalfe, J. (1998). Cognitive optimism: Self-deception or memory based processing heuristics?. Personality Social Psychology Review, 2, 100-110 New Media Trend Watch, (2012), Available from: http://www.newmediatrendwatch.com/ (Accessed on 13/11/2012) New Yorker, (2010).The Face of Facebook. Available from: http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2010/09/20/100920fa_fact_vargas (Accessed on 13/11/2012) Rogers, M (1998). The Definition and Measurement of Innovation. Melbourne Institute of Applied Economic and Social Research, p.6, The University of Melbourne: Australia Rothwell R. and M. Dodgson (1995), Innovation and Size of Firm, in Dodgson, M. and Rothwell, R., eds., The Handbook of Industrial Innovation, Aldershot: Edward Elgar, 310-324 Tech Crunch, (2012). Mark Zuckerberg: Our Biggest Mistake Was Betting Too Much On HTML5. Available from: http://techcrunch.com/2012/09/11/mark-zuckerberg-our-biggest-mistake-with-mobile-was-betting-too-much-on-html5/ (Accessed on 13/11/2012) Time, (2012). Is It Time for Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg to Step Aside as CEO?. Available from: http://business.time.com/2012/08/01/is-it-time-for-facebooks-mark-zuckerberg-to-step-aside-as-ceo/ (Accessed on 13/11/2012)

Ismg 12 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Ismg 12 - Essay Example The Doctrine of Completed Staff Work makes perfect sense in the world of instant information access. This is because the doctrine advertises for full participation of workers in an organization. This is because an IT company needs such individuals, as well as the ideas of every member of the organization (Austin, Nolan and O’Donnell 200). An IT company needs innovation. People who work in an IT company are creative, and should be allowed to share information with everyone. This is what brings success to a company. Even though, this might make the company vulnerable, it works to the advantage of the company when the corporate culture allows workers to be open (Austin, Nolan and O’Donnell 200). Barton should not bypass the CEO, and tell the board regarding his news. This is because the CEO is Barton’s immediate boss, and; hence, Barton is responsible first to the CEO and then the board. The CEO also expects his workers to share any vital information with him before handing the matter to the board (Austin, Nolan and O’Donnell 202). In only some exceptional cases is where a worker can share information with the board without talking to his or her CEO. However, in Barton’s situation, it is advisable that he consults the CEO before talking to the board. This is because Barton’s CEO might feel out, which might ruin the relation of Barton and his CEO (Austin, Nolan and O’Donnell 202). I agree with Maggie that it is advisable to maintain talks with Williams as this will honor him as the boss of the company. This will also keep the boss prepared in case of any bad news regarding the actions being planned (Austin, Nolan and O’Donnell 203). Maggie know that Williams could be a stubborn person, and when he feels left out in matters that should involve him, then the firm will suffer from his quarrels. It is essential to keep the boss posted, and ask him/her what they think about

Giovanni Room by James Baldwin Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Giovanni Room by James Baldwin - Essay Example He therefore trapped himself into a net of lies that preoccupied his conscious, subconscious and blurred his attraction to men. The greatest of his concerns was his father. He was worried as to how his father would handle the behavior and more so what he would do to him upon discovery. At the age of 16 he found himself attracted to a young man by the name Joey. Besides the fear of rejection by his father he was also worried about how the parents of the boy he was attracted to would react to the news of them having slept together. The thought of this made him ashamed of the attraction and in retaliation and recoil. He became repulsive and nasty towards the teen as a way of keeping the feelings at bay. Another reason behind David’s shame of his true identity was his actual lack of comprehension on the exact source and cause of attraction towards men. This was forged clearly in his attempts to lie and deceive himself as well as the society on his actual feelings towards women as opposed to men. The deception went as far as involving an innocent woman to whom David proposed to despite the fact that he did not like her. The shocking realization comes in when he finds himself in Paris alone when his surpassed lover is in Spain. In his confusion he finds himself in bed with Giovanni a bartender who he meets at a renowned gay club. Soon after he proceeds to live with the gay friend during which time the affection develops from friendship to love causing even more confusion. He understands that he had offended many people with the endless lies that he had forged to keep away from the gay attraction within him. Out of the love and concern he feels for the people he has offended he suffers guilt and regret. In the end however he does not want to be lonely or be alone. Thirdly homosexuality was not fully embraced during David’s lifetime. It was still considered a sectorial phenomenon that existed among few (Stryker 104). The society at the time gave little or no regard to peculiarity and therefore gave a rather cold shoulder to persons who associated or related with peculiarities such as homosexuality. Such few were considered different and by the sense of it, unsocietal. By extension they were looked down upon by the community and society at large. Homosexuality was unacceptable both to his father and to the society and it therefore failed to meet society’s standards. This means that by declaring his feelings and displaying his affection for men he would be jeopardizing his status in society and denying himself the right to be a full member of the society. In effect it was important that he keeps to himself what he felt. Finally David’s commitment to hella stopped him from exposing his true self. As part of his elaborate scheme of lies both to himself and to the society, David ends up proposing to a woman who he felt nothing about. Hella grew to love and appreciate David as he was proceeding even to understand his confusi on and distracted sense of attention to her oblivious of the true cause of the confusion. Further she falls in love with him and offers even to take care of him. David on the other hand could not understand the nature of their commitment and often felt imprisoned and leashed to the relationship to Hella. His fear of disappointing her

Have the welfare reforms enacted since the 1980s been successful in Essay

Have the welfare reforms enacted since the 1980s been successful in achieving their goals - Essay Example However, some decades later, the program was blamed for creating a dependent culture. This encouraged the government to institute reforms on the welfare sector. This paper will look at major achievements and challenges of welfare reforms since the 1980s. The Need for Reforms in Welfare Sector To the beneficiaries, the financial benefits derived from public welfare programs were better than most low paying jobs. Hence, most people preferred to remain covered by the welfare program than be employed. On the contrary, many people felt that there was a need for the government to continue providing welfare assistance since most of the beneficiaries were children under the Aid to Families with Dependant Children (AFDC) (Wax 2009). Under this program, families were living under comfort of assured of federal support. However, the new reforms on welfare have changed this situation by eliminating the guarantee. The choice of who to benefit from the welfare program in most countries depends on t he intended goal of a specific program. In basic terms, the main aim of major welfare programs is to get the target individuals out of poverty by making them self-reliant and thereby lead a better life. ... ility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act (PROWRA) of 1996 takes credit for helping reduce the number of people who are dependent on welfare (Grogger & Karoly 2005). Second, the reform removed the control of the welfare system from the hands of federal government and passed it to state governments. Third, the reform set some minimal requirements that a state has to meet in order to benefit from welfare services. The reforms saw the federal government give out welfare support in a flat rate on the basis of the population in the state. This succeeded in encouraging people to look for work as a way of lessening dependence on state welfare. The achievements of Personal Responsibility and Work opportunity Act reform were strengthened by the Temporary Reward for Needy Families (TANF) program. TANF replaced the AFDC which gave support to all needy families with needy children (Martin 2011). TANF required state governments to encourage the people to search for employment while receiving welfare assistance. This was the first time in the history of the welfare approach for the government to impose requirements to states and beneficiaries. The assistance was also limited to five years of a family’s lifetime. As a result, there has been a 60 percent reduction in welfare dependency due to rise in employment levels. However, the perceived reduction in caseload in 1990s due to the reforms is challenged to be as a result of strong economic growth in the economy of United States. Strong economy meant people were able to find better paying jobs, and hence become less reliant on welfare funds. Increase in Employment and Income of Single Mothers Even though the critics of early reforms had predicted dire consequences primarily to the single unemployed mothers, they stood to witness

Transgressors of Convention Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Transgressors of Convention - Essay Example The researcher of the essay "Transgressors of Convention" gives a critique on three works of Modern art. Modern art consists of includes cubism, expressionism and constructivism. Other forms of modern art, examined in this paper, are Primitivism, Avant-Garde and Performance Art. Their relationship to other works in the Modern art era include their similarities in color usage, strength, vividness, shock factor and other types of emotional appeal, minimalist approaches, unexplained elements or nonrepresentational elements, even lack of traditional materials. Their differences show the desire of an artist to be individually judged from their counterparts, despite evidence that explains the subconcious ‘community’ that shows up in all artists’ work. As Sholette writes, â€Å"how can the artist be defined as an autonomous producer detached from politics, history and the market?† given the constant grouping of people, even through debit cards that are created wit h a computer program called â€Å"Clever†. "Clever locates these Web-based fraternities "even before members are aware of their community's existence. And â€Å"the boundary between Self and Other is fluid rather than fixed. And â€Å"the boundary between Self and Other is fluid rather than fixed.† The Activist art collective critiques the bourgeois notion of self-institutionalization. But much of Modern art is simply the â€Å"challenging of the power of realism† by producing pieces with their own power. Die Bruckebegan as an offshoot of German expressionistism.... o be the evolutionary 'bridge' between the man of today and the 'superman' of tomorrow, but instead seemed to show their yearning to return to natural origins. Primitivism provides an alternative to the "sophisticated illusionism" and offered a more 'authentic' way of being. (Stokstad 2002) Three Nudes - Dune Picture from Nidden 1913 This work is representative of that which draws from primitivistic concepts2 of Africa, South America, "children and the mentally ill." (Stokstad 2002) Semi-representational, the figures in the piece are developed as a part of the whole instead of being separated from the background, as in portrait work. The message seems to be about the unity between these women figures and Nature. Considered crude drawing and simplistic in its arrangement of elements, the composition holds power in its saturation of color, the strength of its lines, the movement of its forms. Despite its seeming lack of thought, the design elements are planned and executed as well as a formal painting. The Die Brucke artists did go back to Nature to northern Germany during their summer breaks and their paintings often reflected their dislike for urban life, urban alienation. The contrasts are shown from their paintings of the psychological distancing of city society (Kirchner, Street, Berlin) to the inviting warmth of Three Nudes. (Stokstad 2002) Perhaps the freedom felt by more citizens of Europe in the early part of last century led the Die Brucke artists toward greater criticism of their world, to Expressionism and Activist art. But it was still not socially acceptable. 2 The word 'primitive' . . . categorized art of Africa, Pacific Islands and indigenous Americas . . . means 'early' . . . implies that these civilizations are frozen in their cultural development

Social Media and Political Campaign Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Social Media and Political Campaign - Essay Example Texts will form the most prominent part of this campaign strategy. Additionally, phone calls would be vital in the same. The method of texts will articulate in the sense of automatic machines that send constant messages. These will send the most vital messages of the campaign. It will cover the party and the campaign’s slogan. Additionally, it would entail Obama’s principal message or agenda. The other form would entail sending of message that the campaign situation arouses (Harfoush 117). In this strategy, the same would entail responding to queries and comments from the public. Such comments would have to utilize youth-friendly word play. It is vital to note of various requirements to texts. It would involve a study, of use of texts, by youths. The constant messages would have to put up with the colloquial orientation of youth’s language. Since the youths would need an engagement with the campaign, it would be vital that the social media section provide polling and breaking news to the youth population. In addition, the social media section will design applications that enable networking sites in phones. In close relation to the same, it will collaborate with the applications’ companies in availing free systems for phones. In this sense, youths would be able to access videos, of Obama’s campaigns, in other areas. The mobile phones’ applications would be vital in attaining contact information. The applications are vital in locating voter’s centers. Such a target enables tailoring of campaigns in order that it fits the same. As regards Romney campaign, the strategy would involve utilization of social networking sites. The social networking sites have proven to be constructive tools, of marketing, as pertains to business (Amerland 118). This perspective is essential for Romney’s campaign. This regards the underlying fact that relates to attraction of people. In every form of marketing, people are the

News Paper Summary Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 10

News Paper Summary - Essay Example The biggest producers of coffee are focusing on their best customers, a move that is driving up prices. Coffee consumption is rising in Brazil, Colombia and Vietnam, the countries that produce 60% of the worlds beans. Brazil’s consumption of coffee is expected to reach 1.03 million tons this year. Rising incomes have enabled consumers in producing nations to not only consume more coffee, but also demand higher quality. Consumers are also switching from cheaper substitutes such as tea. Brazils coffee production has increased by 61% over the last decade, but its exports have only risen by 34%, with the rest consumed locally. U.S. importers are paying higher prices because they compete with Brazilian buyers. In the ongoing official unraveling of Espà ­rito Santo Saga, multiple threads have led to Eurofin, a small Swiss company. Eurofin Holdings SA was the only auditor of Espà ­rito Santo’s books, which were  discovered to be riddled with irregularities. The firm is also indirectly connected to Banco Espà ­rito Santo through its chief financial officer, Joà £o Moreira Rato. Mr. Ratos partner, Joà £o Poppe, is the nephew of Ricardo Espà ­rito Santo Salgado. Eurofin also helped Banco Espà ­rito in creating debt products that were sold to retail investors recently. Portuguese authorities suspect that the profits were used to finance other troubled Espà ­rito Santo entities. The authorities are seeking to establish Eurofins multifaceted relationship with Espà ­rito Santo. Goldman Sachs Group  is reconsidering its business with hedge funds; it is discarding less-profitable customers and increasing fees on others in an attempt to adapt to new banking rules. The regulations have forced the bank to allocate more capital, reducing profits from its business. The changes highlight the way Wall Street is trying to conform to the changing landscape. The bank also is pulling its cash from its internal hedge fund. Banks

Health Psychology Committee Report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Health Psychology Committee Report - Essay Example lth Psychology Committee has been mandated with the task of developing a psychiatry division to further enhance our response to mental health issues within the community. The following is results of our health psychology action plan. Seeking to hire and train five additional hospital-associated psychologists with the task of dealing with the wider community in a variety of health-related roles, the following recommendations will be made understanding that health and society are interrelated variables which work together to promote a healthy community. Accordingly, the committee understands and takes into account the important role that society has on the health status of members of its community. Accordingly, â€Å"on a fairly broad level, our society affects the health of individuals by promoting certain values of our culture.† (AUTHOR, 14) Individualist health promotion programs aim to address the health concerns of individuals while structuralism health promotion programs are focused upon addressing health trends such as the outbreak of HIV among high school students, or addressing the mental health issues across a cross-section of society. The social model of health explores both individuals and the s ocial population in determining our conception of health. According to this theoretical paradigm, improved health can be improved by looking at the key environmental and social aspects of what constitutes positive health. This is a theoretical model which has recently gained credence due to its emphasis on social determinants of health. With this in mind, the report aims to specify duties for the five hospital-associated psychologists keeping in mind the interconnectedness of health status and society. Thus, a sociological perspective on health will frame this report. Accordingly, the following positions will need to be filled by the committee: substance abuse counselor; inpatient-only psychologist; child psychologist; adult psychologist. Each of these

Political Science Critique Essay Example for Free

Political Science Critique Essay Why is it to be changed? For as a citizen of the Philippines experiencing simple life can see this problem in our country. It is said in the sections that â€Å"official language is the prescribed medium of communication in the government, courts and schools. It may not be the national language†. Including with this, the official language of the Philippines are Filipino and English. And that is the error of this part of the 1987 Philippine Constitution. We should not include ENGLISH as an official language of our country. First, is it implication that Americans are still in our culture especially in our Constitution. Second, we must have only one official language for us Filipinos will not be confused. It is acceptable that if we will use ENGLISH language in the school because it is a place of learning. But in the government and courts we should not use ENGLISH language. By this act we insult other FILIPINOS. Why? Let us accept the fact that some of the FILIPINOS are trying hard understanding or speaking in ENGLISH and some of the FILIPINOS are what we call â€Å"mangmang†. How can the â€Å"maralitang mga-tiga lungsod† understand these things? We should consider their or should I say our capabilities. For some instance, In having a hearing in the congress by speaking in ENGLISH we think that the whole Philippines got it? NO!, considering that some of the topics are not understandable because we can’t relate because they use such highfaluting words. It is said that Filipinos are the master of the country but how can that be if they can’t understand what we’re trying to implement in their land also how can we get their opinions if they can’t understand it. Second instance, In having trials, mostly fair and poor persons are always convicted due to poverty. If I am in their situation having a trial that I can’t understand, It is a big insult. To sum this up, In Philippines we should consider first our own before anything else. And solving problems should start in little problems like these because we can fixed thing starting in little not in big ones. And some little things like these is the mode and kind of communication in our country. NEW PROVISION: The national and official language of the Philippines is Filipino. As it evolves, it shall be further developed and enriched on the basis of existing  Philippine and other languages. Filipino and English languages as a medium of official communication of instruction in educational system but In Government and Courts the medium of communication shall be our national language.

The Competitor Exiting competitors Essay Example for Free

The Competitor Exiting competitors Essay Competitors are those that offer an alternative, these competitors gained market share, we can not cover and control them based on exiting product. These alternative products are always diversity such as nappy. Potential Competitors -These competitors are always threatening, they can find out new product more preeminent than exiting product, it is a question for many company they can’t guess what product is find out tomorrow. -If we can analysis exiting competitor’s strategy, we don’t know how can cover potential competitor. -So we are always improving to adapt market. We make a surveys to know what need and demand are, from that we are always improving our products for customers. Strengths -Cut down star-up capital of company based on outsourcing’s model. Using tools for manufacture product based on partner so that reduce cost of built factory, machines, training, employer’s liability insurance. -Limit risk of manufactory as all of abilities are guaranteed by contrast of partners so the risks were compensated by partners. -The product is more preeminent than others. We focus: +The qualities ensure high material from Viet Nam with high quality, do not use material from China or have no origin. +The price: balance price, target on middle stream. +Market segment is large. Weaknesses -The quantities are limited by clause of contract of partner. It is hard to control our product as well as the flexible in manufacture. -Can’t control human resource from outsourcing’s model. The company’s image is easy impacted. Opportunities -Viet Nam is a fertile market. The need of child clothes is more and more increased. -The market in neighboring country such as Lao, Cambodia. -Compare with competitors, with low price, poor quality and high quality, so high price. With outsourcing’s model, we balance between price and quality to target middle segment. -The market is more and more developing with immigrant for industrial highly as promise land such as Ho Chi Minh, Dong Nai, Binh Duong. Threats -The risk from partner they can’t cover contract (product error, term contracts, standard of product) -Strategic competition from competitor when they realize our strategic. More and more competitor join fertile market. les gros poissons mangent les petits 3.3 Partners to sell Short term +Location market We focus location market such as: A. Ba Chieu market; An Dong market, Cho Lon market; Thu Duc ( Ho Chi Minh city) B. Tan Hiep market; Tan Mai market; Long Binh Tan market; Bien Hoa market. These are region concentrate industrial region so it is potential market( Dong Nai City) C. Di An market; Vsip market; Binh Duong market; Ben Cat market; Song Than market +Shopkeeper( delivery all shop) +Supermarket ( Big C, Co-op mark; Citi mark; Vinatex ) Long term +Cambodia market (target Xamat’s border; Hoa Lu border) +Lao’s market( La Bao’s border) +China’s market(Mong Cai’s border) Difference Manufacturing base on outsourcing model-non factory, cut down worker (Cut down star-up capital of company) Balance between price and quality ( good quality still keep goo price)

Integration Of Psychology And Christianity

Integration Of Psychology And Christianity The question of Christianity being integrated with psychology is a matter of degrees. Secular psychology and the other sciences would seek to over time remake Christian thought into their own image where Christianity and Christian scholarship is merely philosophical and not a true belief system or an opportunity to actually know God. We as believers need to stay involved so that the Christian population can remain relevant in social, political and educational circles. There are more self-professed Christians here in the United States than any other religion and still more people who believe in something greater than themselves. We must exert our authority and political power as one of the largest groups to ensure the proper counseling and training of Christian families and individuals everywhere to make sure that counseling and therapy meets the needs of our people. Christians should be able to take advantage of both science, psychology and Christian counseling techniques because all truth is Gods truth whether or not it is specified in scripture. My view is that psychology needs to be disseminated through the understanding of and the expressed intents of scripture and the needs of the individual whether or not they are a believer. If that meets the qualification for the integration test then so be it. Is it Possible to Integrate Christianity and Psychology? My initial response to the question is that your belief in God and faith should come first and that the scientific training should follow only if it lines up with scripture. There are basic presuppositions like personal responsibility and the effects of the fall of man that need to be considered against the overriding thought and teaching of secular psychological educators and institutions. First we have to decide what our basis for truth is, and exhaust that until it completely engulfs our way of viewing both the physical and spiritual worlds as well as the behavior of people. Just as we look to mathematics to measure and make judgments on our wealth and physical well-being, we can use scripture to guide us in our search to make good decisions and to honor the Creator. Science and belief in God are not antithetical but, many believe that they are. A good Christian would simply have the ability to go to Godly precepts and principles found in scripture and work from there as a startin g point. The Bible does not to my knowledge force anyone to make any mental jump or incorrect way of thinking as to endanger themselves. Integration is possible and we as Christians need to be involved in both the secular and Christian worlds of science, psychology and therapy. Recent history has shown that the prevailing culture is moving and changing in ways that call out for Gods will and His justice. Hunter states that Pastoral care of believers has been a part of life since the beginnings of the Christian Church whereas psychology has only been around for less than two hundred years and that Christian counselors are increasingly being sought out by those looking for advice on spiritual and religious issues (Hunter, 2009). Furthermore, there has been some scholarly work done in the area of Christian and psychological integration but, it has not been well received and has had little impact on scientific psychology (Bishop, 2009). Most notable was the work of Mary Stewart Van Leeuwen who contributed for over fifteen years without much success. Tarakeshwar argued that religion should be fully integrated into psychological research since religious belief holds a large role in peoples lives regardless of their culture. In addition, religion has been found to be a strong forecaster of important life areas and influences beliefs and religious practice. It also has cross-cultural influence (Tarakeshwar, 2003). In the same vein of thought, Omans article described the connections between religion, spirituality and social empowerment. Religion has been a primary driver of emerging social-movements and their success especially where the reality of good and evil forces are described in a culturally relevant way (Oman, 2003). Tan reported in his article that the best way to teach Christian and psychological integration was to have, authentic, open, caring and meaningful mentoring or personal relationship with a professor, a therapist, or some other significant person in the students life and training, is the most important and crucial factor in learning and developing integration skills. He further stated that, the clinical supervisor is also an example of a person who can be a significant mentor to students in such a way that they learn integration. Christian clinical supervision facilitates learning and the developing of integration and clinical skills and fosters personal growth that is Christ-centered, Bible-based, and Spirit-filled with the end result being more compatible treatment for Christian clients (Tan, 2009). The difficulty in meshing Christianity and Psychology is that there will always be a degree of fealty to one side or another. According to Strelan, many studies have demonstrated that spirituality and religion are closely associated with psychological well-being but, there are also levels of spiritual maturity and an individuals ability to forgive others to contend with. Noted in particular were situations where persons had feelings of disappointment with God that caused more depression. In these instances a deeper understanding of forgiveness and its benefits to the individual were espoused (Strelan, 2009). What could a secular psychologist do to aid a believer in this situation? They would have to avoid the issue altogether or tear down the belief itself. Another area discussed by Carson is the unconverted subconscious which is described as an un-surrendered part of the soul or psyche that often gets left behind during and after becoming a Christian. The unconverted subconscious can play a major role in the spiritual walk of believers. Carsons article states, examples of this can be seen in those who live incongruent and defeated lives, struggle with impulse control and addictive behaviors, experience serious psychological dysfunction and relationship difficulties, fail to heal from experiences of the past, and suffer great emotional pain. This is another place where psychology alone has no answer (Carson, 2009) The Intent of Biblical Counseling Encourage one another, and build up one another, just as you also are doing (1 Thessalonians 5:11 New International Version) Biblical counseling has been described in my studies as the work and action of discipleship. When Jesus assembled his disciples he directed them to follow him so that they could have a relationship with Him. Discipleship is the give and take between individuals as they grow in the knowledge and understanding of God. This could occur between as little as two believers or many as in the typical church or seminary. We are all somewhere in the process of teaching and training others and being taught ourselves. We are all charged with the ability and the necessity to be of assistance to those who are less mature in Christ. Our ultimate goal is to become Christ-like and to show those less mature what Godliness looks like, so that they can see the Creators plan played out in their midst. We are to walk in faith as we communicate to others the truth that God is the answer to every problem. He created us to glorify Himself through our lifes walk but we cannot accomplish this without the Gospel message. It is Christ that allows us to be reconciled back unto God. The godly and holy person is able to be in total command of their behavior unlike the unsaved might expect. The saved person is able to even look beyond his or her own needs when important decisions need to be made. Because of this, godly men and women make brilliant leaders, parents, teachers, and of course helpers. This desire to share our love for Christ allows and even pushes the cycle of discipleship to persist which is the great commission all Christians have been given. And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age. Amen. (Matthew 28:18-20 New International Version) Gods Role in the Process God is the reason we are here. In the Christian view of life and this world in which we live the problem is sin. Because of sin we are not able to navigate life in a way that truly meets every need. In God we can search out places in our lives where our behaviors and our choices have not lined up with the scriptures. The Holy Bible clearly enough states how we are to conduct ourselves in nearly every facet of life that truly matters. Unlike the vague and transitory nature of medical and psychological theories, God has given us clearly stated standards from which to assess our lives and our behaviors in the scriptures. He has given us the Bible to study, the Holy Spirit to teach and guide us, and of course His Son to save our souls so that we can be redeemed back unto Him. All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. (2 Timothy 3:16-17 New International Version) Secular or worldly counselors and psychology do not have any kind of stable or consistent measure by which to gage behavior or morality. This leads to issues like moral relativism and flexible standards in societal behaviors. That does not mean that Christian counselors cannot utilize medicine or psychology in helping though. The information just needs to be viewed through the eyes of scripture first. I truly believe that medicine and science are godly pursuits and that God has inspired many of these endeavors for our betterment. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free (John 8:32 New International Version) Responsibility of the Therapist Counselors are responsible to their clients and need to do what is expected and what is suitable in their manner of treatment. It is not enough that we only discuss personal facts and feelings. Counseling is real work and we need to make our clients understand this and commit to the assignments and sessions. Furthermore, Cavanagh states that, The counselor agrees to provide care, knowledge, skills, energy, honesty, strength and hope. We cannot take on the responsibility for clients behavior outside of counseling session. (Cavanagh Levitov, 1982/à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬ ¹2002) And according to Jay E. Adams, counselors must also be directive, which means that the counselor must be acquainted with the scriptures and should develop skills in dealing with clients based upon the Word of God. This allows the counselor to deal with clients in a way that shows deep concern and yet guides them in a way that addresses the power and authority of scripture. The helper ideally needs to be immersed in the understanding of the scriptures to the point where their personality and the biblical presuppositions they have learned and lived become one in the same. It is an indistinguishable expectation from what we desire of our pastors and ministers that they understand their place in Gods plan for humanity and their place as sons and daughters of God. If we are successful in this endeavor we will be leading people to Jesus and a new way of life. Never should we place our personal issues or desires before the authority of scripture because scripture leads to sanctification in Christ which is the foundation of our work. (Adams. J, 1973/à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬ ¹1986) Adams also points out that there are no problems that are not answered in scripture. He further states, there is a biblical solution to every problem, and Jesus was tested in every way that the rest of us are, yet He remained without sin. God has given us the Word so that we can take part in every good endeavor because we have been pre pared for every possibility. (Adams, 1973/à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬ ¹1986) Personality We are responsible for our behavior regardless of our race, socioeconomic background, or any other affiliation that is often brought up as a justification and excuse for poor conduct. Mulhollands Shaped By the Word discusses at length the nature of spiritual formation. He states that it is the process of being conformed to the image of Christ for the sake of others. Spiritual formation is a process that takes time and is a progression from simple initial belief and faith to a more complex maturity. This book states stridently that modern people will likely have a problem with undergoing extensive and time consuming sustained efforts in order to change. The author also asserts that spiritual formation is not just for church leadership, but it is to be the primal reality of our existence. By that the author is saying that we are being shaped by our decisions and our experiences either into the image of Christ or into something else. Whether we realize it or not we are undergoing consta nt spiritual transformation. Either we are becoming worldly, or we are becoming more and more like Christ. The natural or sinful person is going to try and control, or to manipulate everything and everyone around them to better meet their desires and needs. It takes a great deal to get someone to allow themselves to be conformed and that is why the Gospel is so important. The author describes this as, a reversal of the negative spiritual formation of our culture. It reverses our role from being the controller of worldly objects to being the object of the loving purposes of God who seeks to guide us into wholeness. We change from a being, of sorts into Gods creation. Scripture is very important in this process of conforming to the image of Christ. Scripture is what shows us and teaches us what the possibilities are in living a Christ-like reality and existence. The Author remarks that one of the more difficult truths in spiritual formation is that it is inseparable from our relationships with others. Our relationship with God cannot be of a personal matter. It should be a major force in ou r day to day lives. (Mulholland, 1985/2000) Assessment Issues Cavanagh, in The Counseling Experience clearly states that an integrated approach to counseling and treatment is more advantageous than just a secularized therapeutic option. The components of our behavior are many and they are multifaceted. There are biological, sociological, cultural and several other drivers of our individual conduct and behavior. He states that whereas in the past clinicians chose a single basis for treatment and assessment that there is so much available to us now that carries merit that it is in the clients best interest to use these more inclusive opportunities to treat them. All options are considered from medical and physical testing, to psychological assessments that could show a need for the administration of medications or further medical treatments. Once this is all attempted it is easier to decide whether counseling could be beneficial to the individual. Cavanagh further states that even helpers that do not treat clients with serious emotional or mental disorders could benefit from learning about the medical model of treatment and multiaxial diagnosis. The counselor is expected to cultivate working professional relationships with physicians, psychologists, psychiatrists and religious leaders among others. Again, this is considered to be a responsible and acceptable way to decide who is going to be referred, or treated, and it allows the counselor to choose a competent professional to send referrals to who is likely a specialist in their field who could assure a positive outcome for the client. (Cavanagh Levitov,1982/2002) It is important to point out for clarifications sake that all treatments need to be such that they correspond with biblical presuppositions and acceptable methods of treatment and the plausibility of a positive outcome and safety for the client involved. That being said, it is difficult to argue with such a comprehensive treatment plan. I know that I would feel very comfortable with this level of collaboration f or myself or even a family member. The Prevalence of Anxiety and its Part in Psychological Disorders Anxiety is a symptom of fearfulness and the antithesis of fear is love. That means that the answer to anxious behavior is often God because He is love. Sometimes fear is based in the discomfort that arises as a result of poor behavior or bad decision making which can be directly related to our Christian walk and worldview. Our actions all have consequences and sometimes the punishments that result from them. The first step in treatment is to decide whether the object of fear is appropriate or not. I enjoy hunting so I always have the thought that I might someday encounter a bear. That is a justifiable fear where I hunt whereas the fear of mice or a typical spider is not legitimate. A large bear could easily overtake a person where the other creatures could not. People with specific phobias experience powerful fear responses to a particular object or situation like spiders, excessive heights, or cramped spaces. The intensity of panic is typically inappropriate to the actual level of d anger and is acknowledged by the client being unreasonable or irrational. This anxiety and fear leads to an inability to manage regular daily living and activities. Excessive levels of fear can lead to the avoidance of common, everyday situations. Simply put, we can live in a state of love towards God and man or, we can live in fear of them because we believe that we are in danger. (Adams, 1973/à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬ ¹1986) 26So do not be afraid of them. There is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known. 27What I tell you in the dark, speak in the daylight; what is whispered in your ear, proclaim from the roofs. 28Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell. 29Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father. 30And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. (Matthew 10:26-30 New International Version) Biblical Understanding and Treatment of Mental Illness and Related Issues Gary R. Collins in Christian Counseling explains that the Bible does not explain mental disorders per say but, it does give us a greater understanding about the human condition and mans situation as a created being. In the Bible we can learn about virtue, behavior, and mans sinful nature. What the Bible shows us about sin is readily seen in our society today. We see materialism, power, and the persistent criminal and amoral state of man-made institutions. We also can see that God has made a way for us to avoid the ultimate punishment for sin through the Gospel message and that believers in the Church are to care for those with all manner of illness or need. Scripture does however refer to many emotions that are directly connected to mental and behavioral disorders. Collins lists many emotions and states like, anger, lust, jealousy, envy, ambition, impatience, a lack of self-control, orgies, marital infidelity, gluttony, drunkenness, lying, violence, suicide and several other pertinen t examples. Collins goes on to explain that not all mental disorders are the result of sin or poor behavior. He contrasts the plight of Nebuchadnezzar who became ill because of his uncalled-for refusal to obey Gods commands and Job who was an upright man who was seemingly afflicted for reasons outside of his influence. But it is understood that all mental and physical disorders are the symptoms of this sinful world regardless of ones personal responsibility. (Collins, 2007) The Place of Spiritual Growth in the Healing Process According to Shults and Sandage in, Transforming Spirituality spirituality has two main effects on the person. They are a distinct motivation towards action or, a calming of fear, anxiety, and other emotions. Both the arousal and the soothing as the authors describe are necessary depending on the needs of the client. It is similarly noted that the work of the Holy Spirit in the believer is to teach, guide, convict and comfort depending on the situation. What we are trying to do is teach our clients who God is and who they are in relation to Him. We are in essence engaging in the action of discipleship. We want our patients to understand that in Jesus Christ their sins are forgiven and that the reason that they have not lived fulfilling lives is that they just did not have the correct direction or motivation. Being forgiven is one of the most powerful events we can experience. For a person who has been stuck in a spiral of negative consequences it is of the utmost importance that they know that they can become something different than they have ever been. A thief that no longer steals is not a thief anymore. Neither is the adulterer or the liar who has been forgiven and has been changed through sound teaching and the person and work of the Holy Spirit. What we want is for people to only seek their worth from their personal relationship to God because He does not change like society does. The two effects of spiritual growth mentioned before are so very needed. The hurting individual needs to be made to feel safe and understood before they can really engage in serious work with a counselor or helper. Then as they begin to see and comprehend their own growth they are driven to work out their faith and their understanding in new ways. Truly there is a time to be still but, there is also a time to act on our new insights and the new personality we have acquired. (Shults Sandage, 2006/à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬ ¹2007) Scripture Based Counseling Goals, Strategies and Techniques of Change The goal of the Christian counselor is to help clients grow in their ability to love God and those who surround them. We want to enable personal changes in holiness and spiritual depth. This I believe is the way that we can help enable clients to meet the challenges of this life in a way that glorifies God. The Gospel is the answer to the sin problem of mankind and scripture is what we will teach with. Prayer and meditation upon God cements our relationship with Him. We believe that the Bible is able to address every place and problem in life and that the development of a personal relationship with Jesus Christ is the ultimate answer. Using the scriptures we can learn to understand our problems. We can find answers and solutions to the most sinful and difficult situations in our lives. The Bible teaches us to hope which allows us to be changed by our newly formed faith and the workings of the Holt Spirit. Even Christ taught by using scripture in His ministry so we should also use it as our main tool. We also need to keep in mind that there might be a medical issue involved in our clients problems. Because of this we need to work with physicians and other specialists when necessary. Peter the apostle said, His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him Who called us (2 Peter 1 :3 New International Version) Our goal is the Biblical change to our minds which need to be aligned with the Word. These changes in turn can transform the heart of a person which is more beneficial than just altering ones behavior or personal situation. Because of this counseling should give the client a scriptural understanding of their problem. It should create clarity of the scriptures in regards to the problem at hand and its resolution. It should also put forth a godly plan or solution to the problem, and it should end with a plan and goal to better live your life as a Christian. The end result is that we become more like Jesus. He is the goal. Understanding, Responding to and Managing Client Resistance to Biblical Strategies Whether or not a client completely buys into Biblical counseling as an answer to their personal issues is almost immaterial in my view. We can broach the subject with them and if it is rejected we will still counsel from our worldview as Christians. It is not as if the Bible does not contain truth that can be used indirectly. Gods Word is found in many of our founding documents and even in the legal writings of this country. So, the Biblical presuppositions that we work with are still valid whether or not they are wholly accepted by any person or personality. We have to be able to show that we understand the difficulties inherent in a clients asking for help and that we appreciate their individual situations. The client has to work from their own frame of reference and with the mental and emotional abilities that they currently have. Our job is to create an atmosphere where they feel safe and secure in the midst of sometimes overpowering personal feelings, emotions and new realities. All types of resistance are a likely possibility but, once we get to the point where a true therapeutic relationship has been built we can be of more influence and are more likely to incorporate the reading of scripture and discussions about biblical themes more readily. There simply has to come a point where as counselors we are trusted by the clients enough that they allow us to take them where they need to go, which is to the Gospel. (Cavanagh Levitov, 1982/à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬ ¹2002) The Intent of Psychology Psychology taken on its own merits is a pseudo-science at best and cannot stand alone on its own virtues as other sciences do. Science is founded on theories and laws, with laws being foundational to ongoing work. Psychology does not have any particular laws to check or balance theorists in their work. What does seem to happen is that political and social forces seem to use psychology for their own ends and betterment. The Church and our society are in danger of being overtaken by various societal activist groups that see Christianity and, Judeo-Christian morality as a threat to their future accomplishments. I believe that this work started in our colleges and universities early in the last century. American schools like Harvard and Yale and, Englands Oxford and Cambridge all began as Christian institutions that now teach evolution and atheistic thought specifically. These are leftist leaning political groups that are anti-capitalist, anti-American, and Anti-God. In my own seminary c oursework, I have encountered text book reading involving concepts like social justice which in my opinion have no place in a Christian worldview. Social justice would seek to take by force that which has been earned so that it could be arbitrarily given to someone else. Nowhere in scripture is mentioned any type of forced giving or anything but an individuals redemption through Christ whereas social justice calls for group or wholesale redemption through the redistribution of wealth and opportunity. Why should my family suffer for the deeds of both black and white slave traders and owners and what they did hundreds of years ago? My ancestors did not live here, nor do we currently benefit from our ethnicity so in essence we are being stolen from through supposedly legal means. In my mind that makes us slaves to this new regime. There are other areas of concern like the DSM. It appears that the American Psychiatric Association can with little fanfare change deviant activities into mainstream and acceptable behaviors. This too is an attack on the Church and a society founded on Biblical principles. We do not want or need to completely integrate Christian faith with Psychology but, we dare not stay uninvolved in this area of study or it will be used against us and society will continue to be corrupted. I believe that I have outlined the manner in which positive integration on our own terms could be established which is through Tans description of purposeful mentoring and personal relationships with professors and therapists with significant understanding and spiritual maturity. The extensive and intentional use of Christian clinical supervisors throughout training enables counselors to develop integration and clinical skills that are Christ-centered, Biblical and well-matched to both Christian and non-believing clients.