Tuesday, December 24, 2019
Bottom in William Shakespeares A Midsummer Nights Dream...
Bottom in William Shakespeares A Midsummer Nights Dream A Midsummer Nights Dream is one of Shakespeares most popular plays. It was written in 1595 so was one of his earlier plays. Nick Bottom is one of the main characters in the play and is easily the funniest and most well loved. By well loved, I mean that he is well liked my other characters in the play and especially by the audience. He figures in many of the scenes in the play and crosses into the different worlds within the play. He wanders into the world of the fairies during the play and also into the Royal World! Both of these worlds give Bottom a chance to show a bit more of his comical character. The play itself wasâ⬠¦show more contentâ⬠¦He is probably too confident as throughout the play he constantly makes mistakes, which make people laugh. These comical mistakes are one reason why Bottom is such a well-loved character. An example of his mistakes is in Act 1 Scene 2. He keeps making many spoonerisms as he kept getting the characters names wrong. Instead of Hercules he refers to him as Ercles. Also he mispronounces Thisby as Thisbus and Thisne. The audience would find this funny as although Bottom is confident, he is still making many mistakes. However all of these mistakes do not seem to knock Bottoms confidence. He still carries on full of confidence and even when they are performing at Theseus Palace at the end of A Midsummer Nights Dream he is still making comical mistakes which even makes some of the Royal characters laugh and he still is over acting as usual! Bottom is probably slightly big headed as he feels that he is capable of playing all the characters in the Mechanicals play Pyramus and Thisbe. He tries to convince Peter Quince, the director of the play that he is better than everyone else and wants to play all the characters. Although this shows Bottom as being big headed, it seems as though Bottom doesnt realise and just thinks that he is doing whats best. I could play Ercles rarely and Let me play Thisbe too he exclaims with greatShow MoreRelatedDefining Nick Bottom in a Midsummer Nightââ¬â¢s Dream Essay754 Words à |à 4 PagesDefining Nick Bottom in A Midsummer Nightââ¬â¢s Dream Perhaps one of William Shakespeares greatest plays of all time, A Midsummer Nightââ¬â¢s Dream is a play intended to be watched, rather than read, with an imaginative mind. It is a play that is in the genre of romantic comedy. The romantic aspects of the play are made possible with the characters of Theseus and Hippolyta, Lysander and Hermia, Helena and Demetrius, and Oberon with Titania. However, the comedy that is involved in this masterpiece is mostlyRead MoreEssay on Analysis of Rationality In A Midsummer Nights Dream1058 Words à |à 5 PagesWilliam Shakespeareââ¬â¢s A Midsummer Nightââ¬â¢s Dream is not simply a light-hearted comedy; it is a study of the abstract. Shakespeare shows that the divide between the dream world and reality is inconstant and oftentimes indefinable. Meanwhile, he writes about the power of the intangible emotions, jealousy and desire, to send the natural and supernatural worlds into chaos. Love and desire are the driving forces of this playââ¬â ¢s plot, leaving the different characters and social classes to sort out the resultingRead MoreWilliam Shakespeare s A Midsummer Night s Dream830 Words à |à 4 PagesWilliam Shakespeareââ¬â¢s A Midsummer Nightââ¬â¢s Dream weaves stories of social ranks in the commedia dellââ¬â¢arte and some of its easily recognized stock characters. 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Despite the fact that Shakespeare wrote some thirty-seven plays, owned part of his theatrical company, acted in plays, and retired a relatively wealthy man in the cityRead More Night in William Shakespeares A Midsummer Nights Dream Essay1379 Words à |à 6 PagesNight in William Shakespeares A Midsummer Nights Dream One of the recurring themes throughout Shakespeareââ¬â¢s A Midsummer Nightââ¬â¢s Dream is the time of day during which the playââ¬â¢s major action takes place: night. This being the case, there are certain words that are directly linked to this theme that appear numerous times throughout the script. Four such words are ââ¬Å"moon,â⬠ââ¬Å"moonlight,â⬠ââ¬Å"moonshine,â⬠and ââ¬Å"lunatic.â⬠Each comes from a feminine root that serves to identify the women in the play asRead MoreEssay The Comedies of Bernard Shaw and William Shakespeare1018 Words à |à 5 Pageswith television and film which focuses entirely on humorous discourse generally intended to amuse; literary comedy is characterised by general humour, happy endings and communal celebration. This assignment will critically analyse the comedies of William Shakespeare and Bernard Shaw and consider what characteristics they share and how they differ. It is also important to fully understand the ge nre of comedy, exploring its origins, definitions and sub-divisions. Literary comedy can be sub-dividedRead MoreMetatheatre in a Midsummer Nights Dream1805 Words à |à 8 PagesMETATHEATRE IN A MIDSUMMER NIGHTââ¬â¢S DREAM (SHAKESPEARE). The term metatheatre is used to refer to any instance in which a play draws attention to itself as a play, rather than pretending to be a representation of ââ¬Å"reality.â⬠Various uses of metatheatrical devices can be found in the works of William Shakespeare. One of Shakespeareââ¬â¢s favorite such devices is the ââ¬Å"play-within-a-play.â⬠With this device, the theatre audience finds itself watching an audience (on stage) watching a play
Monday, December 16, 2019
Modern Definition of Rule of Law Free Essays
string(34) " Rule of Law or the Human Rights\." Introduction to the Rule of Law amp; the modern definition. Rule of Law in the layman perspective is the principle that nobody is above the law and that every manââ¬â¢s act is subject to the law. The law referred, in our context, is the Malaysian Constitution which embodies the definition, expressly in many of its provisions. We will write a custom essay sample on Modern Definition of Rule of Law or any similar topic only for you Order Now The constitution has the absolute power as against the arbitrariness and discretionary power of the government. This concept is commonly practiced in democratic countries. Rule of Law and Rule by Law should be distinguished as the latter is merely a governmentââ¬â¢s tool for the purpose of ruling and governing only. It is not a good approach as compared to the Rule of Law because law is made by the people, for the people. The concept used under Rule by Law could lead to abuse of power and unfairness especially in the context of human rights. The countries practicing Rule by Law are mostly the autocratic countries where the law is followed because they are forced to, not because they respect the supremacy of the law. According to De Smith, the concept of Rule of Law is one of open texture with wide range of interpretation, or in other words, flexible. Dicey propounded 3 principles of Rule of law in his writings, ââ¬ËLaw of the Constitutionââ¬â¢. However Diceyââ¬â¢s ideas are no longer in use as modern democratic society has emerged. It is only a fashion now to insert Diceyââ¬â¢s to retain the basic values of Rule of Law but it must be interpreted according to our modern needs of society. Diceyââ¬â¢s ideas on ROL includes that; ââ¬â 1) Absolute supremacy of regular law. ) Equality before the law 3) The Rule of Law includes the results of judicial decisions determining the rights of private persons. Internationally, the Rule of Law was even stated in the Preamble of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights adopted in 1948; where it was laid in the third paragraph that if the government does not want the people to revolt as their last resort to overcome tyranny by government, the n it is important for the fundamental liberties of the people to be defended. The way to defend their liberties is through the Rule of Law. The UDHR has 30 articles which upholds human rights. An international meeting to discuss and make declaration on the fundamental principle of rule of law was held in 1959 named the International Commission of Jurists(ICJ). The ICJ is the modern revelation of Rule of Law that fits the present circumstances. They declared that the rule of law implies certain rights and freedom to create a conducive social, economic, education and cultural norms to achieve human dignity. Joseph Raz, in his writing, ââ¬Å"Rule of Law amp; Itââ¬â¢s Virtuesâ⬠had outlined a set of characteristics, a total number of 13 virtues of rule of law. The most basic aspect is that the people must be protected by the rule of law, and nothing can happen without the sanction and permission of the law. Others include that the law must be prospective rather than retrospective; the law must be stable and certain and not changeable; the independence of judiciary has to be assured; the law must be fair, just and reasonable; the people should have the access to the courts; principles of natural justice concerning the right to be heard and the judge must not be bias should be observed and many other important characteristics. All 13 virtues should be complied and applied to make sure that the rule of law exists in a country practicing it. Ingredients of The Federal Constitution The Rule of Law is interrelated with the principles of humanââ¬â¢s rights and dignity and these can be seen in our own Federal Constitution. Part II of the Federal Constitution enumerates a number of fundamental liberties which devotes 9 articles altogether. Few are: 1)Liberty of the person 2)Protection against retrospective criminal laws and repeated trials 3)Equality 4)Freedom of speech, assembly, association 5) Freedom of religion and few more. The Parliament has made extensive use of emergency powers, sanctioned by the Constitution. Part XI with regards to emergency powers must be read together with the Fundamental Liberties. By Article 149, it permits the suspension of the Fundamental Liberties, since it validates any legislation otherwise outside the legislative power of Parliament. The Proclamation of Emergency provided in Article 150 permits Parliament and YdPA to override all provisions of the Constitution. This is not to say rule of law is not stable, but that the regular law operates alongside a system of emergency law which is much more draconian. An example is the powers of preventive detention, or International Security Act, which will be discussed further. Constitutionalism Crisis: International Security Act The International Security Act or more commonly known as ISA is an old and inhumane law which is against with the principle of Rule of Law. ISA is a cruel and harsh law and has always been an issue which has yet to be solved in satisfaction. Proposals for the ISA to be reviewed and subsequently, be abolished has been made since Tun Mahathir and Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawiââ¬â¢s times as Prime Minister, and once again, now made by our present Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak. It has been 50 years since the ISA came into force but the government has still yet to take any actions in viewing this problem. The ISA made it seems as though the Rule of Law does not exist in Malaysia or less effective. The ISA is a preventive detention law that allows the force to detain a person without trial or criminal charges under lawful circumstances and he will be detained by the police for up to a maximum period of 60 days or the full period. It seems like that the ISA either does not understand or does not believe in the Rule of Law or the Human Rights. You read "Modern Definition of Rule of Law" in category "Papers" Under an ordinary law, every person has his own rights and chance to stand trial if he has committed an offence. When ISA first came into force in 1960, it was made based on the promised made by our first Prime Minister that the law will be used rationally and only against governmentââ¬â¢s enemies, which was then the communists. Nowadays ISA is used on reasons to deal problems relating sensitive issues like conflicts in a multi-ethnic, multi-religious, multi-cultural society. The essence of ISA is to allow detention without trial which goes against the right of a person to fair hearing. Therefore, does this means that the ISA is against the human rights? Accordingly, is it contrary to the rule of law and thus does the principle rule of law exist in our country? In answering the first question, detention without trial is a blatant act and against citizenââ¬â¢s rights. The ISA reflects that the State has failed to uphold its responsibility this right. The judiciary is excluded from ensuring that those detained under ISA are treated according with the human rights. Not a person should be held in detention without fair trial because it violates the human rights. Human rights and Rule of law are interconnected and so if ISA is contrary to human rights then it acts the same to the rule of law. This makes us question whether the rule of law still does exist in Malaysia. Any country subscribing to the rule of law, will never allow the abuse of power to detain a person without trial. This draconian legislation should be reviewed and repealed if the government still has the intention in making the rule of law as one of the general principles of the constitution. 1988 Constitutional Crisis Other constitutional crisis relating the rule of law follows the withdrawal of Tun Salleh Abas as a judge. This case was also known the 1988 Constitutional Crisis. In 1988, Tun Salleh Abas was brought before a tribunal on grounds of bias as a judge. The Prime Minister then, Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohammad, explained that he took an action against Tun Salleh under Article 125 of the constitution, on grounds of his behavior and being unable to perform his function as the Lord President. The tribunal concluded that ââ¬Å"the respondent has been guilty of not only ââ¬Ëmisbehaviousââ¬â¢, but also misconduct which falls within the ambit of ââ¬Ëother causeââ¬â¢ in article 125, which renders him unfit to discharge properly the functions of his officeâ⬠. The 1988 Constitutional Crisis is related to Joseph Razââ¬â¢s minimum standards on rule of law. Joseph Raz included one of the virtues (among others as mentioned earlier) that the natural justice should be reviewed. The natural justice said concerned; i)the right to be heard ââ¬Å"audi altera partemâ⬠and ii)a judge must not be bias ââ¬Å"nemo judex in cause suaâ⬠. The latter part has a deep connection to what discussed in the suspension of Tun Salleh Abas. Stephen Kalong Ningkan (1966) In 1966, Stephen Kalong Ningkan was dismissed from being the Chief Minister when the State Governor showed a letter signed by 21 members of assembly saying that they longer had no confidence in him to continue his duty. He was asked to resign himself which he refused to do so. He alleged that the letter did not tantamount to a vote of no-confidence. He was then dismissed by the Head of State by publishing a declaration in the Gazette that Stephen Kalong Ningkan had ceased to hold the office of Chief Minister. However his dismissal was an unconstitutional one. It was held by the court that the law under Sarawak Constitution, a Chief Minister can only vacate his office by his resignation and not by dismissal. There were no authorities stating that the Head of State has the power to dismiss a Chief Minister. Therefore looking through a rule of lawââ¬â¢s view, it could be said that the unlawful dismissal of Stephen Kalong Ningkan by the Head of State was contrary to the principles of Rule of Law. Perak Crisis (2009) The constitutional crisis which happened in Perak is similar to what happened in 1966 in the case of Stephen Kalong Ningkan. The crisis began in February 2009 when four assemblymen of Pakatan Rakyat withdrew from the party. Pakatan Rakyat was then the ruling party in Perak, and their withdrawal from the party resulted a loss of majority representatives. Nasaruddin Hashim, was the Chief Minister of Perak before the crisis started was one of the assemblymen whom cross-floored Pakatan Rakyat. The consequence was that the Sultan of Perak, used his discretion under Art 18(2)(b) of the State Constitution, and commanded Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin to dismiss himself from the position of First Minister. The Sultan of Perak then appointed Dr. Zambry Abdul Kadir from Barisan Nasional to fill in the vacant position and be the next Chief Minister. Nizar claimed that there should be a fair free election since this country practices democracy, and for that announced he refused to resign and therefore, the appointment of Dr. Zambry was null and void. The High Court held that the dismissal and appointment made by the Sultan of Perak was unlawful and an unconstitutional one and that Nizar has always been the rightful head of government. The Court of Appeal however held that the action taken by the Sultan was legally valid and certainly followed the State Constitution. According to the Perak Constitution, the Sultan has two options in settling a conflict of lost confidence; which is either to dissolve the state assembly or appoint a new Chief Minister. The Sultan in this case did the latter. Such discretion is a Royal Prerogative. The Sultan is not subject to recommendation or approval of any other person while making the new appointment of Chief Minister. The difference between the Perak Crisis and Stephen Kalong Ningkan case is, the Perak Constitution has no exact statement of means of vote of confidence, which makes the action taken by the Sultan is constitutional and valid while the appointment of Dr. Zambry is also valid and Mohd Nizar must tender resignation. This would also mean that it follows the definition of Rule of Law on absolute supremacy of the law on grounds the dismissal was lawful. Conclusion With all the definitions and constitutional crisis discussed, it all comes down to one question; to what extent does Rule of Law exists in Malaysia? It is with no doubt that our country is a democratic country which is against arbitrariness and upholds the supremacy of our constitution. However with constitutional crisis that has happened, this shows that the Rule of Law xists merely on the surface of it. Our judges need to be prepared to enter the fray in the struggle of persevering the human rights and fundamental liberties. Only then we can say Malaysia is grounded on Rule of Law. Without justice, the democracy we practiced would mean nothing but just a concept. There is a need for all Malaysians to understand and appreciate the importance of the rule of law and to be vigilan t that it prevails in this country. Without the rule of law, there can be no justice. How to cite Modern Definition of Rule of Law, Papers
Sunday, December 8, 2019
Audit Financial Accountability & Management
Question: Discuss about theAuditfor Financial Accountability Management. Answer: Part I An auditor is responsible for this duty not only to the client but also to the third parties related to the client. His engagement letter has enough scope for the client and the third parties to claim damages in case of negligence by the auditor. Unprofessionalism and negligence are both unacceptable. Mistakes can be overlooked but only to a certain level. Beyond the tolerance limit of the client, the auditor should not make errors in auditing. Fraud is any day out of tolerance (Fazal, 2013). In the given case, King and Queen have been the auditor of Impulse since 2005. Since they have been the auditors of the company since its formation, they prepared an unqualified report for the company. The company was going through liquidity issues. Its debtors and inventories position was already not sound, and to top it all, based on the auditors clean reports, EFL granted a huge loan to Impulse. In short, there was a crunch in the situation that was overlooked by the auditors (Heeler, 2009). Debtors and inventories are the two most important components of a companys current assets. They determine how strong a companys liquidity position is. It provides a general explanation as to whether the firm is in a strong position to meet the obligations. So when EFL granted the huge loan, they would have first checked the financial statements and the auditors report of the company to come to the conclusion that the companys financial position is sound and the loan can be granted to them (Cappelleto, 2010). Now that the companys intention to take up the loan is bearing its immediate cash needs and also debt servicing to a certain extent as is evident by the scenario, the companys cash position is hugely misbalanced. There is the likelihood that the loan granted by EFL becomes irrecoverable. Therefore, King and Queen are liable to EFL. The entire report was audited King and Queen and hence, are directly responsible to EFL because the loan was granted based on the audited report. Arthur Anderson was the auditor of Enron Corporation. The company had to suffer is the hands of the auditor and as a result, both the auditor and the company has to close down business. The company was declared bankrupt. Because of this many third party companies were so affected that they too had to declare themselves insolvent (Hoffelder, 2012). As a result, a huge setback was faced by the US economy back then. There have been many instances where the fraud and deficiency on the part of the management led to the downfall and liquidation of the company. There have been cases in the past when auditors had to suffer huge penalties on account of fraud and breach of duty as auditors. The Linter group had sued Pricewaterhouse Cooper and the case settles for a whopping $ 320 million. The Australian Securitie4s and Investments Commission, on behalf of Adelaide Steamship, had sued Deloitte for the improper conduct of the audit, and charged Deloitte of fraudulent activities with respect to an audit engagement. Deloitte had to foot damages of $ 340 million. The responsibility of an auditor to be diligent in his duties is an implied duty. It holds well even if not spoken expressly. This means that the auditor must perform the duty with due diligence and take all the necessary steps to ensure that the law is being complied. Undertaking an audit engagement in itself implies that the auditor will be fair and diligent in his work and will be independent of all bias from the client or third party, or any external force (Baldwin, 2010). Here, King and Queen being an audit professional, have it in their code of professional ethics that they shall always be fair in any audit engagement that they undertake and that shall be independent in expressing views on the financials of a company. The auditor has to watch out for frauds that the employees or management of the company undertakes. If it instead practices the same and hides the irregularities of the company, the entire point of getting accounts audited fails. Auditors are considered profession als of high technical knowledge and accounting understanding. Their opinion is relied upon. Whatever the result is provided, it is considered that the report is prepared with due diligence and an independent decision is framed. Many major decisions are based on the auditors report. Therefore, it is of utmost importance that the auditor must provide due emphasis to the report preparation otherwise, it might lead to potential errors. When a third party refers to a financial statement, it is implied that the auditor must have seen and noticed the irregularities and hence decisions are formed. Here it is important to mention that the third party should always conduct its share of the investigation but depend on the Auditors statement is also not incorrect. Had EFL specifically written to King and Queen that they are intending to make a loan to Impulse and that they would base their decision on King and Queen Audit report, the responsibilities of the auditor would have been increased all the more. The auditors are liable to civil as well as criminal liabilities for the incorrect audit report which they have signed on. As the audit was undertaken by the auditors they are entirely responsible for the act and hence action needs to be taken on them. Nonetheless, this in no case will reduce the responsibility of King and Queen, if EFL had expressly written to them to make sure their decision on providing a loan to Impulse based on the financial report circulated by them. It would have then been not only professional but also moral and social responsibility of the auditor to make sure the transaction undertaken by EFL is not detrimental to its financial health. Hence, King and Queen should be held guilty, and apart from the penalty and legal proceedings, it also can be asked to pay damages to EFL up to the amount lost by them. The above case clearly reflects that King and Queen were guilty and that the report led to major jerks for the EFL. Hence, King and Queen should be held responsible. Part 2 An audit is generally conducted to present an opinion that is reliable and free from any partiality or biases in judgment so that others can effectively use it for making informed investment decisions or use it for any other regulatory purposes (Livne, 2015). Auditor independence can be stated as a reference to the freedom of auditors (internal or external) from parties that are having an interest of financial standard in the business where audit needs to be dome. In this case auditor, internal auditor or the external auditor, who is preparing the audit, should be free of any financial, personal or other undue influence in the business to be independent (Gilbert et. al, 2005). The auditor should prepare the report freely maintaining integrity, honesty and approach towards objectivity and without making any compromise related to the judgment. This independence can be actual and perceived. The fundamental principles related to audit independence are Integrity, Objectivity, Competence, Confidentiality and professional behavior. The above principles guide the independence of the auditor (Gilbert et. al, 2005). Actual independence is very straightforward and considers accounts only. This provides a general idea that the main focus is on the accounts and not related to other factors. This actual independence is hampered when there is any notable financial transaction other than required fees paid for audit services or any connection of personal relationship (Tepalagul Lin, 2015). Perceived independence looks into the relationship between auditor and the client and tends to investigate whether the auditor doing the audit is independent. This has a direct bearing with the other factors and the link between the auditor and the client bring emphasis. As per APES 110 Code of Ethics for Professional Accountants, it is said When evaluating materiality, a member present in public practice or a firm stress on the qualitative and quantitative feature of the matter that is considered to have an adverse impact on the firm's objectivity (Holland Lane, 2012). Here Bob who is an audit assistant of Club Casino, uses financial information of Club Casino while auditing the books of Club Casino. In this case, Confidential Client Information Rule under Section 1.700.001 of AICPA Code of Professional conduct is breached by disclosing information without authority which is specific. In this case, the audit assistant should have taken the consent of client to disclose clients information. Client might not expect the member to use his information elsewhere without his knowledge and due permission; even if information is used in such a way that client cannot be identified. Confidential Client Information Rule limits when and how the information may be disclosed. Furthermore, if the client information is considered confidential, the member would be in violation of the rule unless the client specifically consented, preferably in writing, to the disclosure or use of the information (Lapsley, 2012). The consent should specify the nature of the informati on that may be disclosed, the type of the third party to whom it may be disclosed, and its intended use. So Clients consent as stated above is a must in order to discharge his professional responsibilities properly and in an effective manner (Mintz, 2014). As per the given conditions of the present case study, Wendy has been the engagement partner on the Ace Limited audit for a number of years, performed the company secretarial duties for six months as entrusted upon him by the comp any management due to the retirement of Aces long-standing company secretary. As per Guidance on the provision of non-audit services by the auditor of a company in terms of section 90(2) of the Companies Act, 2008 and in addition to the prohibition contemplated in section 84(5), an appointed auditor must not perform related secretarial work for the company (Cameran et. al, 2016). As per the present case study the question arises whether Leo who is assigned to the audit of Precision Machinery for testing the internal controls of the cash payments system, is in the place of making impartial opinion regarding testing the internal controls of the cash payments system as he is the eldest son of the factory foreman of the client. This is the case of Audit independence (Cameran et. al, 2016). At the same time, it attracts as per Guidance on the provision of non-audit services by the auditor of a company in terms of section 90(2) that an auditor must not be a person related to a person who is an employee of the company. Self-review and familiarity threat may arise in this case and re-evaluation may be conducted on the part of auditor due to the close relationship between them or removing the staff from audit assignment (Wright Charles, 2012). Hence, when an auditor has an interest with the external parties it affects the decision-making process and this leads to tam pering of the independent decision. Hence, it is advisable that the auditor should not have any financial pecuniary with the company or any external party. Here professional ethics related to auditors independence is concerned. In this case there may be self-interest threat on the part of auditors of Chan Associates accepting Furniture of Classic Reproductions Pvt. Limited, a large furniture wholesaler that is currently experiencing financial difficulties. Chan Associates was also offered 25% shareholding in an unrelated listed company as thank you present as the furniture was only worth 50% of the balance. It should be maintained that the settlement of audit fees should be at par with the actual audit fee and not more than that. Area of risk, in this case, is financial interests which may affect audit opinion (Cameran et. al, 2016). The auditor should not have any financial interest as it destroys the independent decision and leads to big errors. References Baldwin, S 2010, Doing a content audit or inventory, Pearson Press. Cameran, M., Prencipe, A. Trombetta, M., 2016, Mandatory audit firm rotation and audit quality, European accounting review, vol. 25, no. 1, pp.35-58. Cappelleto, G. 2010, Challenges Facing Accounting Education in Australia, AFAANZ, Melbourne Fazal, H 2013, What is Intimidation threat in auditing? viewed 2 December 2016, https://pakaccountants.com/what-is-intimidation-threat-in-auditing/. Gilbert, W. Joseph J Terry J. E 2005, The Use of Control Self-Assessment by Independent Auditors, The CPA Journal, vol.3, pp. 66-92 Heeler, D 2009, Audit Principles, Risk Assessment Effective Reporting, Pearson Press Hoffelder, K 2012, New Audit Standard Encourages More Talking, Harvard Press. Holland, K. Lane, J 2012, Perceived auditor independence and audit firm fees, Accounting and Business Research, vol. 42, no. 2, pp. pp.115-141. Lapsley, I. 2012, Commentary: Financial Accountability Management, Qualitative Research in Accounting Management, vol. 9, no. 3, pp. 291-292. Livne, G 2015, Threats to Auditor Independence and Possible Remedies, viewed 2 December 2016, https://www.financepractitioner.com/auditing-best-practice/threats-to-auditor-independence-and-possible-remedies?full. Tepalagul, N. Lin, L 2015, Auditor Independence and Audit Quality A Literature Review, Journal of Accounting, Auditing Finance, vol. 30, no. 1, pp.101-121. Wright, M.K. Charles, J 2012, Auditor independence and internal information systems audit quality, Business Studies Journal, vol. 4, no. 2, pp.63-84.
Saturday, November 30, 2019
Managing Change The Case of FastLink Logistics Company
Introduction Contextual Information Cut-throat competition, technological advances, geopolitical realignments and other related pressures are combining with concerns for security, shifting customer demands, expansion urges and organizational governance to generate momentous pressure for organizational change (Howard, 1994). Current literature as demonstrated by Kotter (2007) reveals that organizations need to continually change and reinvent their strategies, structures, processes and culture to remain relevant as well as maintain competitive advantage.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Managing Change: The Case of FastLink Logistics Company specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More But as observed by McGahan (2004), the change process itself need to be planned beforehand and aligned to the business strategy and objectives if it is to achieve success. The capacity of an organization to plan and implement the change process is therefore fundamental for success. By presenting a case of the current challenges facing FastLink Logistics Company, this paper will focus on providing an outline through which the underlying challenges can be adequately addressed by initiating a change process. Headquartered in Boston, MA, FastLink Logistics has been in operation for the last 20 years, and has consistently maintained a leadership position in the industry judging from its financial returns and competitiveness. An interview with the companyââ¬â¢s operations manager revealed that the company operates a fleet of 3000 trucks and 10 cargo airplanes for purposes of transporting goods to various destinations across the U.S. and internationally. From the beginning of the current financial year, however, the companyââ¬â¢s management has been receiving sustained customer complaints regarding delayed deliveries of their orders, especially from truck drivers. Indeed, some of FastLinkââ¬â¢s traditional customers have opted to look for other logistics companies who keep their word on deliveries, implying that profits for FastLink Logistics have been on a downward trend. The management, having studied all the facts, identified massive paperwork in cargo clearing departments and irresponsible behaviour on the part of truck drivers, who engage in personal business while performing official duties. Upon holding several consultative meetings, the management decided to undertake a change process that will automate the clearing departments and install remote sensors on their trucks to monitor their movements and timeliness. The intended change process, however, is likely to experience some challenges, especially from employees who may oppose the intended automation of duties for fear of being rendered redundant. Still, truck drivers may feel that the intended introduction of remote sensors on their trucks may impinge on their privacy, hence perceive the new system negatively. Overall, the change proces s may be resisted by employees since it requires dramatic shifts in business processes and employee roles (Suntano et al., 2008). The management, therefore, must come up with strategies that ensure employee participation, commitment and identification to the change process so as to achieve success. In line with the above, FastLinkââ¬â¢s management decides to enrol the services of a consultant to prepare a project feasibility study that could be effectively used to manage the change process.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Project Feasibility Study for FastLink Logistics Company The Project Scope Greer Conradi (2009) observes that ââ¬Å"â⬠¦the feasibility study usually refers to an assessment of the product/project against technical, operational, financial and social/political criteriaâ⬠(p. 357). Academics and practitioners are in agreement that recognizing the challenges facing an organization and justifying the need for change must form the initial step of a system change effort (Suntano et al., 2008). Section A of this report demonstrates that FastLink is currently being faced with challenges arising from slower business processes and inability of some employees, particularly truck drivers, to identify with the values of the company. These challenges have caused the company to lose its traditional customers to competitors due to late delivery of orders, implying that the companyââ¬â¢s profitability and competitive advantage in the market have been negatively affected. This particular feasibility study, hereafter identified as PFS, will therefore aim to come up with ways to balance business processes and technology constraints facing the firm so as to select a cost-effective solution. More importantly, the PFS will also involve matching the new system to organizational objectives in terms of deliverables, ability to meet customersâ⠬⢠requirements, efficient utilization of resources, budgetary allocations and time-frames. The PFS will be presented in the form of a short report. The Current Analysis FastLink logistics has for a very long time employed a manual process in its operations across all the offices located in the U.S. and abroad. This implies that the work environment has been largely paper-based and personnel-intensive. It is also imperative to note that FastLinkââ¬â¢s working environment has been largely distributed over expansive geographical areas due to the nature of the transportation business. The advantages derived from the above working methodology may in fact be minimal as opposed to the disadvantages. In terms of advantages of the ââ¬Ëstatus-quoââ¬â¢, it is important to note that manual processes of doing business in a way motivates employees to offer more, not mentioning that they are beneficial in aligning members of staff to organizational objectives and strategies (McGahan, 2004). A paper-based working environment also implies that information can be retrieved from the cabinets anytime without undue regard to other externalities such as the availability of power to run the machines, computer viruses, and end-user capabilities. In terms of the disadvantages arising from the current business processes, it is evident that FastLink has been losing, productively, due to delay occasioned by the tedious paper-based working environment and centralized information architecture.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Managing Change: The Case of FastLink Logistics Company specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Preliminary observations reveals that the distributed information architecture coupled with lax rules are to blame for the truck driversââ¬â¢ unbecoming behaviour by virtue of the fact that critical information aimed at necessitating effective order deliveries to customers is either delayed due to the manual operational processes, or the information does not get to the intended recipients at all due to lax operational rules. Another problematic area for the company is the fact that it has to employ a large number of employees to do the paperwork needed to necessitate order deliveries, implying that the companyââ¬â¢s wage bill may exceed profitable limits. These disadvantages, according to preliminary observations, are to blame for the companyââ¬â¢s continued dip in profitability and competitive advantage within the logistics industry. According to Davies (1994), these challenges are functional in nature owing to the fact that they hinder effective work-flow processes for the company, thus they demand functional solutions. Benefits Pitfalls of the Proposed System The next stage of designing a project feasibility study, according to Greer Conradi (2009), is to develop specific objectives and limits of the proposed system. Here, it is proposed that the company redesig n and automate its database management system for the obvious advantages of faster and better customer service as well as ensuring the distributed use and processing of order information. Automated work systems, according to Howard (1994), not only simplify and streamline work processes, but they also enhance efficiency by curtailing excessive use of an organizationââ¬â¢s scarce resources. The proposed remote sensors to be installed on trucks will go a long way to ensure that truck drivers follow their routes in the process of delivering orders to customers, and the orders are delivered on a timely basis. However, financial resources must be channelled to purchase the needed automation hardware and software as well as the remote sensors. The decisions to automate the offices and install remote sensors on trucks will most probably be met with resistance from members of staff who may fear loosing their jobs or who may argue that their privacy is being impinged on. Here, Suntano et al (2008) advises that the company should take an all-inclusive approach to enable employees participate in the change process; hence offer their views, fears and expectations as concerns the intended change. In addition, the management should exercise an open-door policy, whereby employees should be encouraged to raise any underlying issues and seek clarifications to better understand the proposed change.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More According to Davies (1994), involving employees and effectively answering their concerns in any change process is advantageous since it minimizes resistance during the implementation process, not mentioning that it facilitates employees to identify more with the change process once it is operationalized. Alternatives Companies in the 21st century are increasingly faced with the dilemma of whether to automate their operations or to continue with paper-based working environment (Alkuwaiti, 2010). In the present case, one of the viable alternatives would be to recruit more human resources to clear the backlog, hence necessitate timely delivery of orders to customers. Another alternative would be to enlist the services of security firms to escort trucks so that drivers do not engage in personal business during official working hours. The company may also consider investing in telecommunications to facilitate a more distributed information infrastructure. Assessment The assessment of any viable change process or alternatives must be evaluated against a backdrop of risk management controls, ability to meet fundamental objectives of the projectââ¬â¢s attention, program needs and costs, intensity of effort, time-scale, security features, and flexibility for future modification and expansion, among others (Kotter, 2007; Bryce, 2011). It is indeed true that the proposed automated process may in the short-term be costly for the company in terms of purchasing the needed hardware and software as well as training staff members to operate the automated systems. In the long-term, however, the company will largely benefit from enhanced customer satisfaction, improved sales and reduced overhead costs. The alternative of employing more members of staff to clear the backlog may not be tenable in these circumstances, especially when the company is working on new modalities that will enable it to return to profitability and maintain competitive advantage. The time-scale needed f or implementing automated systems and installing the remote sensors may indeed be minimal when it is compared to the time-scale and resources needed to advertise for positions, recruit, orient and train new members of staff. According to Howard (1994), companies must always be on the lookout for proposals that enhance value creation as well as offer viable solutions to the problems that triggered the change process. In this perspective, the proposed system change should be recommended over the other stated alternatives. Automation of business process and introduction of remote sensors for trucks seem the only way to go for FastLink Logistics Company if it has to overcome its present challenges. Lastly, it is indeed true that automated systems can be expanded or modified to meet future needs and expectations (Suntano et al., 2008). The same cannot be said of other alternatives such as utilizing security firms to make the company drivers toe the line. List of References Alkuwaiti, A. J. (2010). The Project Book: A Simple and Direct Approach to Project Management. New York, NY: Create Space. Bryce, T. (2011). The Elements of a Good Feasibility Study. Web. Davis, S. M. (1994). Attempting Major Change? 10 Pitfalls to Avoid ââ¬â And How. Human Resource Planning, Vol. 7, Issue 4, pp 175-188. Greer, D., Conradi, R. (2009) Software Project Initiation and Planning ââ¬â An Empirical Study. IET Software, Vol. 3, Issue 5, pp 356-368. Howard, A. (1994). Diagnosis for Organizational Change: Methods and Models. New York, NY: The Guilford Press. Kotter, J. P. (2007). Leading Change. Harvard Business Review, Vol. 85, Issue 1, pp 96-103. McGahan, A. M. (2004). How Industries Change. Harvard Business Review, Vol. 82, Issue 10, pp 86-94. Suntano, J., Kankanhalli, A., Tay, J., Raman, K. S., Tan, B. C. Y. (2008). Change Management in Interorganizational Systems for the Public. Journal of Management Information Systems, Vol. 25, Issue 3, pp 133-175. Wischnevsky, J. D. (2007 ). Change as the Winds Change: The Impact of Organizational Transformation on Firm Survival in a Shifting Environment. Organizational Analysis, Vol. 12, Issue. 4 pp 361-377. This essay on Managing Change: The Case of FastLink Logistics Company was written and submitted by user Ian U. to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.
Tuesday, November 26, 2019
Societal Change Motivated by the Brown vs. Board of Education Ruling essays
Societal Change Motivated by the Brown vs. Board of Education Ruling essays The Brown vs. Board of Education sparked change across the United States in many ways. While the ruling was specifically intended to end segregation, it was also responsible for inspiring African Americans to fight for the freedom they deserved. The ruling was the beginning of a new society that could finally be recognized. While fighting for freedom and equal treatment proved to be a painful and difficult process, no one would When the decision was handed down, schools in 21 states were still segregated. The court ruling forced them to decide how they would adhere to a new system. While they were allowed a certain amount of time to comply, they were also told by the court to act with "deliberate speed" (Davidson 1144). The area that experienced the most difficulty with desegregation was the Deep South. In fact, in 1956, just one year after Brown vs. Board of Education, a "Southern Manifesto" (1144) emerged, declaring to use "all lawful means" (1144) to restore segregation. While Brown v Board of Education changed the law, it was apparent that it would take more than law to change the behavior of a society. While it would prove to be a challenging task, the African American community was poised for change. In Alabama, Rosa Parks was one of the first individuals to act on the new ruling. Her refusal to give up her seat on a public bus and subsequent fine stirred what many tense emotions about segregation. Many African Americans participated in a boycott of Montgomery buses, which was significant because African Americans constituted most of Montgomery bus customer base. The white community responded to this challenge with "legal and physical intimidation" (1145). For instance, Martin Luther King's home was bombed because he was leading the boycott. In addition, more than 80 African American leader were arrested for organizing a boycott that was deemed illegal. ...
Friday, November 22, 2019
All About Quotation Marks
All About Quotation Marks All About Quotation Marks All About Quotation Marks By Daniel Scocco Tie Sing Chie asks, ââ¬Å"Whats the difference in terms of usage between the single quotation mark () and the double quotation mark ()?â⬠Quotation marks are used mainly to quote speech, sentences or words. Both the single and the double quotation marks serve that purpose; the difference in their usage comes from geographical preferences. Traditionally, the double quotation mark was used in the United States while the single quotation mark was the preference inside the United Kingdom. Recently, though, some British pubblications started to adopt the American usage, which is becoming the de facto standard (see a quotation from The Guardian below). Notice that when you use nested quotations you should invert the quotation marks, for example: My mother said, John told me, I will not go there.' Quotation marks can also be used to express irony: Uncle Joe was really sad about it. The only point where there is a clear distinction between the American and the British styles is the usage of punctuation with the quotation marks. In American English commas and periods, even if not part of the quotation itself, need to be included inside the quotation marks. Cultists are camping out in front of Apple stores; bloggers call it the ââ¬Å"Jesus phone.â⬠(NY Times) In British English, on the other hand, the commas and periods will be included inside the quotation marks only if they were actually part of the quotation, otherwise they will go outside. Margaret Jay ruefully reflected that all Blairs considerable achievements would be terribly undermined, and probably fatally undermined, by what I think of as the tragedy of going into Iraq. (Guardian.co.uk) Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Punctuation category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:10 Grammar Mistakes You Should AvoidOne Sheep, Two Sheep, One Fish, Two Fish . . .Is Your Novel "Mystery," "Thriller," or "Suspense"?
Thursday, November 21, 2019
Sonnet analyze Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words
Sonnet analyze - Essay Example Contrary to popular misconception, it is addressed, not to his lady-love, but to a friend, probably William Herbert, Earl of Pembroke 1. Shakespeare commences his sonnet by comparing the youth with summer, with itsââ¬â¢ connotations of warmth and light, but then devotes the first two quatrains to listing the shortcomings of summer. Unlike the even-tempered disposition of his friend, summer is subject to excesses. It is a transient season, which flits away all too soon: the metaphor of the short lease (Line 4). The sun, ââ¬Å"the eye of heaven,â⬠(line 5) either blinds one with a surfeit of light, or vanishes behind overcast skies or the darkness of night. Capitulating to the inexorable march of time, nothing can adhere permanently to the ideal of beauty. In the third quatrain, Shakespeare acclaims the unchanging nature of his friendsââ¬â¢ virtues, denoted by ââ¬Å"thy eternal summerâ⬠(Line 9). His beauty, being of the mind and not of the body, will always remain wi thin his grasp. In the last two lines of the third quatrain and the concluding couplet, the poet asserts the immutability of his love for the youth, whom he has immortalized ââ¬Å"in eternal linesâ⬠(Line 12). As long as the written word exists, his love will live on, beyond the reach of death. The sonnet apotheosizes both the poem and the poetsââ¬â¢ Muse, concluding with the poignantly beautiful words: ââ¬Å"So long as men can breathe or eyes can see, / So long lives this and this gives life to thee.â⬠Coming to Sonnet 130, the first contrast to strike us is the difference between the straightforward paean of praise, which is Sonnet 18, and the light-hearted, satirical tone of Sonnet 130. All the three quatrains apparently mock the physical deficiencies of Shakespeareââ¬â¢s mistress: her eyes are less bright than the sun, coral outdoes her lips in redness, snow outshines her dull breast, her hair is far from the ideal of spun gold, she lacks the pink and white complexion of
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Acme Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words
Acme - Coursework Example In the plan, they will be required to establish the breakdown of the available financial resources. The planners will also be required to establish the number of workers required for each category. They will also determine the order in which the activities of the project will be undertaken in order to deliver the project within the specified time. Obtaining the necessary legal documents- the legal department should ensure that they obtain the necessary legal documents to allow the project to proceed. This is importance to ensure that the project does not become a white elephant. The department should also ensure that it provides the authorities with all the required information and documents. Construction- this includes laying the foundation, construction of walls, floors and the roof of the structures i.e. the garage and the store. The constructor should pave and landscape. Installation of electrical appliances and plumbing should be covered at this stage. The construction should adhere to the rules and practices of Mexicans. They should also bear in mind the companyââ¬â¢s policy on building. Hiring and training- at this point, the HR department, should recruit the all the required employees for the store. The department should also ensure that a successful training program is undertaken for those who are successful in the recruitment stage. These processes must be conducted in line with the companyââ¬â¢s policy on both recruitment and training. Inventory- after successful completion of the buildings and training program the company should stock the store awaiting its opening. The inventory shall be arranged in accordance to the companyââ¬â¢s practice. Given the average size of the companyââ¬â¢s store, the company will invest financial resources to the tune of seventeen million dollars to undertake all the above activities. However, this amount of money does not cover the cost of the inventory but covers the cost of labor employed during the process. About
Saturday, November 16, 2019
Given Name and Passport Information Booklet Essay Example for Free
Given Name and Passport Information Booklet Essay
Thursday, November 14, 2019
Immigration Restriction Law of 1924 Essay -- essays research papers
The immigration act of 1924 was really the first permanent limitation on immigration. This limitation was like a quota system that only aloud two percent instead of the three percent of each foreign born group living in the United states in 1890. Like it say in Document A ââ¬Å"Under the act of 1924 the number of each nationality who may be admitted annually is limited to two per cent of the population of such nationality resident in the United States according to the census of 1890.â⬠Using the 1890 census instead of newer up-to-date ones they excluded a lot of new immigrants from Southern and Eastern Europe that came by in resent years (This is shown awfully well in Document B). This acts annual quota changed from 358,000 in 1921 to 164,000 in 1924 and finally changed to 154,000. Their was a couple of reasons that the United States made this an act; people were prejudice such as the KKK, and Americans lost jobs to new coming immigrants. People also felt that they had a suffi cient population and wanted to breed pure Americans. à à à à à What Senator Ellison D. Smith was talking about when he said ââ¬Å"I think we now have sufficient population in out country for us to shut the door and to breed up a pure, unadulterated American citizenship.....thank God we have in America perhaps the largest percentage of any country in the world of pure unadulterated Anglo-Saxon stockâ⬠¦.greatest of any nationâ⬠(Document I). He was really talking about how he thinks that if so calle...
Monday, November 11, 2019
Ethics in Fashion
Ethics in fashion Brands such as Hollister, Superdry and Jack Wills are in high demand at the moment. These fashion giants make billions of pounds a year selling top of the range clothing, specifically designed for 14-18 year olds. These brands all follow strict ethical policies, for example Jack Wills is part of the Ethical Trading Initiative, which is an alliance of companies working together to improve the lives of poor and vulnerable workers in the countries in which these clothes are produced. Although over half of Britainââ¬â¢s consumers think that the ethical production of the clothes they buy is important many companies cast a blind eye towards the production environment of their clothes. Their workers may have decent working conditions, get paid fair wages most of the time. A problem is the conditions and wages of other workers, who may not be directly employed to the company. These are called sub-contractors. Such things often take place in third world, developing countries, and are usually a first step for industrialising economies. This has already resulted in widespread poverty reduction, access to skills and sustainable livelihoods for some of the most disadvantaged communities in the world. For example, in Bangladesh 70% of GDP (gross domestic product) comes from the fashion industry. However it is not just the production of these clothes that makes the public question their morals, problems have arisen within the stores. In August 2011 Hollister were charged with discrimination towards one of their Muslim employees, who was criticised for wearing a hijab in store. Months later two stores in America were noticed for not following the Disabilities Act, due to the fact that they have a porch-like entrance that contains steps while customers in wheelchairs have to access the stores through automatic side doors rather than the main entrance. Customers felt that they were being ââ¬Ëseparatedââ¬â¢. Furthermore, in November 2010, Hollister prevented an employee from wearing a red poppy into work. This sparked controversy, and attracted unwanted attention from the media. Human rights activists have also pointed out the various ethical issues behind the preparation of fashion products. When companies are not following a strict policy, and sometimes even when they are, workers can be treated very badly. Extremely low wages, long hours, unsafe working conditions and harassment are some of these issues. Additionally, environment protection activists have brought up ethical issues related to the fashion industry time and time again. The main complaint is about the production of cotton, and how a large amount of pesticides are used. The use of toxic pesticides leads to air, water and soil pollution. These are detrimental to the health of the workers applying them, and people living nearby. All of these issues would have been impossible to unearth had it not been for the power of the media. Technology such as mini cameras and microphones made it possible for journalists and in some cases the ordinary public, to go undercover into one of these stores. The media can also publish stories and pictures to a wide range of people, thus making more people aware. The concept of ethical fashion is old; however it has gained more popularity recently. This may be due to the fact that fashion is changing and developing even more resulting in unethical shortcuts being made. These shortcuts may not always be in the best interest of the environment, or indeed the employees. Also, as awareness about environment conservation, cruelty to animals and ethical issues in business is rising, fashion brands are also increasingly adopting ethical means. Customers are also becoming more aware, and consequently the demand for ethically produced clothing is on the rise.
Saturday, November 9, 2019
The Beach/the Storm Descriptive Writing
The Beach. A storm brews above. People escape the beach, quickly grabbing their possessions as rain spits down on them. Music from cafes and fare rides come to a halt as their customers quickly disappear and the happy sounds of laughter echo around the empty beach. A gloomy shadow descends over the sea. Feeble light from the few surviving streetlights and lanterns appear to dim as the dark clouds move across the sky like a creeping panther. Birds silence their song and flee to safer places. Sandcastles with small motes, which surrounded them, are now filled with seawater. Any last remaining footsteps disappear and are quickly buried beneath the sand. The wind teases the scattered rubbishâ⬠¦ picking it up then quickly releasing it again. People shelter in cars waiting for the storm to passâ⬠¦their windscreen wipers furiously fighting against the increasingly powerful rain. Waves rage upon the sand, sending sand back and forth as they go. They crash against the sea wall, shooting upwards and spraying the abandoned cafes and shops. Yachts begin to rock with the waves; they are like a gymnast balancing on a beam about to fall any second. The pier fights against the drowning waves as they attempt to bring it under the surface. Trees surrender at the battering wind, forcing leaves and branches to be torn off their trunks. A bird-usually so in control of its own destiny-fights the beast as it toys with it playfully. The once clear sky is now full of thick cloud, staining the sky a deadly shade of indigo, forever darkening like a lid closing on a box trapping darkness inside it. The saturated clouds start to rumble. Below them, the streets are lifeless as no one dares leave their secure houses for the extreme weather outside. Thunder shakes the clouds, as its loud rumble echoes around the empty beach. The smell of the sea overpowers the old, lingering smell of chips and candyfloss, now only a stench of salt and seaweed are left. Sand storms are whipping up from the shore into the air and circling in the wind. CRASH! Lightning illuminates the sky and forks downwards to strike a boat, like a spear would to catch a fish. The smoke from the explosion is quickly carried off by the wind and the remains of the boat are rapidly dragged under the waves. The weather torments seagulls with the sight of dead fish washing up onto the shore, yet there is no other choice but to stay in hiding. The icy winds whistle around every rock and under every doorway; not even warm houses can be protected from the chill of the storm. On the shore waves crash against rocks and onto the sand, shattering shells with its immense pressure. The lighthouse is left to fend for itself on the cliff, yet its light has no purpose, as the sea is emptyâ⬠¦no one would dare venture out into the vicious sea. * * * * * The sound of rain now overpowers the quietening rumble of thunder. Rays from the sun push through the cloud and release the shadow from the sea. Wind still pulls at the sea splashing waves upon the shore, making pebbles jerk against one another. The trees release tension from their exhausted roots. Birds finally venture out into the unsteady weather after their long wait for food. A tempting scent in the air of brewing coffee comes back and drowns the sea-salt smell. Waves still press against the sea wall sending a light spray of water up into the wind. A final deposit of light drizzle falls into the shore. The sun peeks through the last remaining cloud and lights up the shoreline, to reveal the dazzling sight again. The happy fare-ground tune starts again and the merry-go-round begins to buzz with life again, bringing with it once more the familiar sound of laughter.
Thursday, November 7, 2019
Community Social Work In Modern Society Social Work Essay Example
Community Social Work In Modern Society Social Work Essay Example Community Social Work In Modern Society Social Work Essay Community Social Work In Modern Society Social Work Essay This survey is an overview of current authorities proposals for the Large Society within community societal work. In July 2010, Prime Minister David Cameron launched a undertaking called the Big Society. It is considered by Mr Cameron that communities merit to be empowered to hold more of a say in what happens in their local country. The belief is that by making this, many of the local services provided by the authorities can be taken over and run by community and voluntary groups, with Mr Cameron depicting the undertaking as a large progress for people power ( www.bbc.co.uk/news, accessed: 30/10/2010 ) . The theory base of community societal work from a historical and modern position will be presented and evaluated. The survey will supply a literature reappraisal of community undertakings in both neighbouring UK states and Inner City London ; analyzing their effectivity in making community authorization to enable the possible declaration of societal corruption. Particular attending will be paid to the differences that each geographical location possesses in footings of economic system, civilization and category diverseness when sing each undertaking and how this relates to its success. A upper limit of four undertakings will be chosen to compare and measure and the survey will reason with lessons learnt for future societal work in community work pattern with the inclusion of messages from the Social Work Reform Board. The Big Society Argument However, Cameron s impression of the Big Society has come under much unfavorable judgment. The Guardian s Jonathan Freedland has written a cutting onslaught on Mr Cameron s proposals and his article posted What is Community Social Work? The thought behind community societal work is the belief that peoples jobs can be countered by interceding with the people within their societal web. This may include friends and relations, and neighbors. Social workers need to seek and reenforce such support webs for service users and purpose to ease their growing where it has become evident that such has lapsed. The work should be seen as both a protective and preventive scheme and is now considered to be the Par excellence of intercession scheme for advancing societal inclusion. ( Walker and Beckett, 2005, pg93 ) . Therefore, community societal work is efficaciously a method of advancing the societal inclusion of persons and their households by authorising them to seek and make the intercessions they require. Walker and Beckett ( 2005 ) inform that societal work is at the cutting border of persons, households or communities efforts to pull off life challenges that have been influenced by both economic and societal policy, public assistance systems and the manner they are made up internally. However, there are differing positions on the construct of authorising people and utilizing socially inclusive methods within societal work. The first position is that the authorization of service users may be considered to be self-evident if the worker sees the jobs people are confronting as merchandises of the an unjust economic system that, Disenfranchises the weak, vulnerable, disabled or hapless from equal engagement and entree to the resources produced by society. ( Walker and Beckett, 2005, pg93 ) . The purpose of societal work here would be to try to acquire service users involved and seek to authorise them to happen a manner of accessing the services that are available to them. Payne ( 1995 ) suggests of this issue that although public policy statements do take to turn out the value of community engagement and user authorization, community work may so, Draw attending to inequalities in service proviso and in power which lie behind terrible want and hence besides become portion of the battles between people in powerless places against the powerful. ( Payne, 1995, pg165-166 ) . The 2nd position on the authorization of service users is that it can give them ( service users ) an increased outlook of what can be available to them. It is believed that in this instance, societal workers may believe that the right thing to make would be to cut down the outlooks of service users, coercing them to accept the state of affairss they find themselves in and that they may go socially excluded merely because that is the manner it is . If this does go the instance, societal workers may neglect to help in the bringing of services that are available to service users, alternatively merely seeking to assist service users to manage with what they believe is available to them. Possibly the best manner to see authorization for service users is to utilize Trevithick s ( 2000 ) theoretical account of when rehearsing societal work you are either ( a ) making things to service users, ( B ) making things for societal workers, or ( degree Celsiuss ) making things with service users. Community societal work foremost came into being following reviews of community work after placing that such was considered to be a wholly different activity to that of societal work. These reviews found that community workers and outreach workers were going marginalised from their co-workers within proper societal work bureaus. In order to forestall this from go oning farther, there was what was deemed a positive motion to encompass some of the rules and patterns of community work within societal work. Coulshed and Orme ( 1998 ) inform us that although independent community action has continued throughout history by being supported by dedicated community workers, policy developments that incorporated both the linguistic communication of community and the work involved began to inform the actions of statutory societal work as of the late seventiess. Despite this being the instance, it is thought that such motions towards community care enterprises were non what societal workers had needfully thought to be right. The above moves were initiated via the Seebohm Report ( 1968 ) . An article by Eileen Munro said of the actions brought about by the study, The division between ( changing ) societal work was seen as the job, so societal services sections were created to offer a joined-up service. ( www.guardian.co.uk/society, accessed: 9/10/2010 ) . These actions included the creative activity of societal services sections that would hold smaller administrative units with country squads functioning their ain geographical vicinities. It was believed that such would better entree to service proviso for those placed within each vicinity and a wider sense of designation with the local country for societal workers. Decisions could be made dependant on the individual and their local demand as opposed to the generic, centralized determinations that took topographic point antecedently. Seebohm s study besides stated that each area-based administration should alter the relationship that societal workers held within the comparative catchment countries that the workers were runing. The study said of this that the sections should, Encourage, support and promote voluntary attempt and prosecute in helping and promoting the development of community individuality. ( Seebohm, 1968, paragraph 477 ) . Despite this alteration in the agreements for which societal services were delivered, Seebohm s study did non decently turn to what it was community workers, or so societal workers working with communities were really supposed to be making. Although the Seebohm study had considered the basic impressions of community societal working, the footings and rules of such were non defined to the full until this was done by the Barclay Committee and published in a study in 1982. This definition was as follows: Community societal work is, Formal societal work which, get downing from the jobs impacting an person or group and the duties and resources of societal services sections and voluntary administrations, seeks to tap into, support, enable and underpin the local webs of formal and informal relationships which constitute our basic definition of community, and besides the strength of a client s communities of involvement. ( Barclay, 1982, p seventeen ) . The accent on the function of the community within society continued following the Barclay Committee s study and re-emerged towards the terminal of the 1980s. In more recent times, the Griffiths Report of 1998 looked at care in the community and was based around an purpose of closer partnerships between statutory services and local communities as portion of a larger public assistance spectrum. The National Health Service and Community Care Act 1990 excessively pushed towards an accent on community work although Adams et Al ( 1998 ) inquiries whether the theory was really put into pattern. Adams et Al besides speculate as to the trouble that community societal work continues to confront as a consequence of go oning alterations to societal policy. In modern societal work, it is considered by Beckett ( 2006 ) that it is good to work with groups or households as opposed to working with persons. Therefore it seems reasonable that such an attack would of course in some respects at least lead towards working within communities. Community societal work is by and large considered to be a similar activity to that of group work. This is because community work intercessions normally involve the worker trying to promote the development of groups. However, community work is aimed more along the lines of self-help or societal action in consideration of the group work spectrum. Community societal work does non let for the worker to do things for people , be that for persons or so groups, but wants to advance The development of organized activity by the community itself ( Beckett, 2006, pg94 ) through either the self-creation of resources to run into its demands or even by fall ining forces to run against the governments for non supplyi ng the necessary installations. Henderson ( 2000, pg72 ) says of such an attack that At the nucleus of the methods and accomplishments is the thought of organizing: assisting people to come together to organize an independent group. The above shows that in this context, the community worker is considered to be something of an enabler instead than the influence peddler within community undertakings. Despite this, it is besides believed that community workers although being employed by the province and therefore still considered as an outsider within the community with which they are working take on a grade of benevolent paternalism as opposed to developing the necessary corporate community action. Popple ( 1994, pg24 ) says of this, Historically community work has developed from two distinguishable roots: benevolent paternalism and corporate community action. With the above in head it is of import to retrieve that the term community is still instead obscure. It is borne from the impression that a complete vicinity can work as its ain entity as opposed to admiting that vicinities consist of many differing communities. Individual involvement, cultural communities, geographics, familial extensions and workplaces all form portion of communities, yet will frequently widen far beyond the vicinity in which they are formed. Community societal work is harmonizing to Smale et al About the procedures the workers engage in, the relationships they make and how they maintain and change them. adding These procedures generate the particular aims and aims of the workers and those they portion the work with. ( 1988, pg23 ) . The most of import things that must be recognised by any community worker is the type of community that they are working with or so the type of community that they are helping to assist construct. Evaluating Community Projects The Study So Far Decision
Tuesday, November 5, 2019
The Meaning and Origin of the Last Name Thomas
The Meaning and Origin of the Last Name 'Thomas' Some of the most common names from the Middle Ages tend to come from religious backgrounds such as biblical texts and the names of saints.à Other names have come from the language spoken at the time. For example, Bennett is Latin and means blessed while Godwin comes from English and means good friend.à Along with vernacular language, some medieval surnames have been based on a job or where the person lived, and many of these names still exist today. For instance, the last name Baker could come from a family who had a maker of bread while the last name Fisher involved someone who was a catcher of fish. Patronymic Origin of Thomas Derived from a popular medieval first name, Thomas comes from the Aramaic term tââ¬â¢omââ¬â¢a, for twin. The Thomas surname is of patronymic origin, based on the first name of the father, meaning son of Thomas, much like Thomason.à The first letter of the name Thomas was originally the Greek theta which accounts for the common TH spelling. Thomas is the 14th most popular surname in the United States and the 9th most common in England. Thomas is also the third most common surname in Franceà and its surname origin is of Welsh and English descent. Alternate Surname Spellings If you have one of the following surnames, it may be counted as an alternative spelling to Thomas with similar origin and meaning: TomasThomasonTomasonTommasiTomaThomThomaThummThomeTomaschekTomichKhomichThomasson Famous People With the Surname Clarence Thomas: U.S. Supreme Court JusticeDylan Thomas:à Welsh poetKristin Scott Thomas:à British-born French actressDanny Thomas:à American comedian, producer, and actorM. Carey Thomas: Pioneer in womens educationDebi Thomas: Olympic figure skater; first African-American to win a medal at the Winter OlympicsJamie Thomas: Pro skateboarderIsiah Thomas: American basketball player and coach Genealogy Resources 100 Most Common US Surnames Their MeaningsSmith, Johnson, Williams, Jones, Brown... Are you one of the millions of Americans sporting one of these top 100 common last names from the 2000 census? Thomas Surname DNA StudyThe objectives of the Thomas project are to use Y-DNA to find connections between Thomas lines and to hopefully determine the countries of origin of these various families. All Thomas males are welcome to participate. Thomas Family Genealogy ForumSearch this popular genealogy forum for the Thomas surname to find others who might be researching your ancestors, or post your own Thomas query. FamilySearch - THOMAS GenealogyExplore over 14 million historical records, lineage-linked family trees, and other results posted for the Thomas surname and its variations on the free FamilySearch website. References: Surname Meanings and Origins Cottle, Basil. Penguin Dictionary of Surnames. Baltimore, MD: Penguin Books, 1967.Menk, Lars. A Dictionary of German Jewish Surnames. Avotaynu, 2005.Beider, Alexander. A Dictionary of Jewish Surnames from Galicia. Avotaynu, 2004.Hanks, Patrick, and Flavia Hodges. A Dictionary of Surnames. Oxford University Press, 1989.Hanks, Patrick. Dictionary of American Family Names. Oxford University Press, 2003.Smith, Elsdon C. American Surnames. Genealogical Publishing Company, 1997.
Saturday, November 2, 2019
Servant leadership Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words
Servant leadership - Essay Example Students shall receive desirable educational quality with the support of such control system. On the contrary, this system possessed certain loopholes. Firstly, no principal would state that their students were provided with lower quality of education. This indicates all teachers are given a rank of 5 on the grading system (Daft, 2013). Personal feedback given by master teachers cannot be considered as accurate. It is recommended that centralized external agency should exhibit operations related to feedback control system. Personnel needs to be hired who can evaluate efficiency level of teachers in context of subject area outside their expertise. Teacher grading system forms an integral component of feedback control system. Master teachers and principals were the key personnel involved in such grading system. Teacher evaluation system is important when there is a need to analyze performance of students as well as teachers. Feedback control system highlights contribution of teacher towards a system. Student learning progress is dependent on accountability of teachers. Grading system is an essential part simply because it helps in determining position of a teacher in educational system with respect to others. Master teachers and principal needs to cover wide set of areas in order to grade a teacher. Feedback system can operate efficiently only when a framework of grades or results is provided. This framework outlines performance of teachers over a specific time period. Perfection exhibited by teachers can be portrayed through such grading system. Accuracy is a critical element in the entire evaluation process. Principals are involved in the evaluation process and they might possess long term relationship with teaching staff. This form of relationship tends to violate the process. However accuracy standards can be retained only when state controls the operation through an external agent. Principals who are conducting the procedure also need to be
Thursday, October 31, 2019
COMPARATIVE SOCIALQ&A2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words
COMPARATIVE SOCIALQ&A2 - Essay Example Concrete applications of the concept, though, are noticeably vague and varied. Consequently, there is little agreement over the definition of the concept, and it is exceptionally simple for sociologists to be discussing at cross objectives since they depend on various, and commonly understood, ideas of social structure. This unusual condition, that one of the core concepts of the discipline is strikingly misinterpreted, is obvious from the definitions of social structure in key dictionaries of sociology. Social structure is basically defined by sociologists as ââ¬Å"a term loosely applied to any recurring pattern of social behaviour; or, more specifically, to the ordered interrelationships between the different elements of a social system or societyâ⬠(Lopez & Scott 2000: 1). Having provided this obviously broad description, the dictionary immediately confirms: ââ¬Å"However, there is no generally agreed meaning, and attempts at providing succinct definitions have proved singularly successfulâ⬠(Lopez & Scott 2000: 1). Nevertheless, social structure should be understood as a network of social relationships among various groups of people, as well as a set of collective relations that unite people together. These binding relationships organise the activities of the individuals so attached as well as their purposes and opportunities for fulfilling them. The notion of a social agency indicates the fact that individuals behave with purpose in their socially controlled settings to realise their socially organised interests. In the duration of their purposive quests individuals modify the structures that unite them (Nadel 1957). It is important to understand social structure for the reason that there is no existing community devoid of social structure, and a human community will be impossible without culture. Humanityââ¬â¢s social structures are significantly more unpredictable than those of other genus, yet not as
Tuesday, October 29, 2019
Loyalty Program and the effectiveness on Thai consumer decision-making Essay
Loyalty Program and the effectiveness on Thai consumer decision-making in Hotel Industry - Essay Example All quotations have been distinguished by quotation marks and all sources of information have been acknowledged by means of references including those of the internet. Using a random sample of 150 Thai hotel patrons, the survey questionnaire found that male respondents attached higher importance on the hotel providing programs for children; sending out newsletters; providing upgrades when available; checking in and checking out at a time that suits customer; and helping the customer you with all other reservations upon reservation at the hotel. The results on Pearson r show that except for the last item, all loyalty factors significantly increase in importance as the age of the customer increases. The idea of promoting loyalty in customers is composed of an intricate set of tactics and schemes which is not only aimed at attracting more consumers, but also seeks to add value to an organisation. A hotelââ¬â¢s management team has to oversee the operations as a whole and in detail, which includes monitoring the over-all performance of every department in order to ensure that guests are always satisfied beyond their expectations. Products and servic es must possess a quality which when compared to others, is far more superior and would make customers feel that they could not find and come across the same quality elsewhere. The current research has been effective at ascertaining the factors that promote loyalty in the Thai hotels. The researcher concludes that the Thai hotel management must be keenly aware of the peculiarities of the needs and wants of its clients, to be able to dovetail their strategies towards these needs. Thailand is the 51st largest country in the world, particularly when it comes to the total surface area that it encompasses. It is a Buddhist country, and a very devout one at that, since the religion is currently being practiced by the majority of the population. The government of
Sunday, October 27, 2019
Critically review recent public health policy developments
Critically review recent public health policy developments This assignment will critically review recent public health policy developments in the field of Cancer in England also it will evaluate its effectiveness and implications for public health and health promotion practice. This assignment will first briefly review the recent public health policies of England starting from Health of the Nation white paper (1992), Saving lives white paper (1999), Cancer Plan (2000) Choosing health white paper (2004) and the most recent public health policy for Cancer Cancer Reform Strategy (2007). After reviewing the recent public health policy developments for cancer in England, evaluation and implications of these policies will be discussed. From 1992 to 1997, the Health of the Nation (HOTN) strategy was the central plank of health policy in England and formed the context for the planning of services provided by the National Health Services (NHS). The HOTN policy focused on five key areas: coronary heart disease and stroke; cancer; mental illness; HIV/AIDS and sexual health; and accidents. Each area had a statement of main objectives attached to it, together with twenty seven targets across the areas. Cancer targets of the HOTN policy were to, reduce death rate for breast cancer in women invited for screening by more than 25% by 2000, reduce incidence of invasive cervical cancer by 20% by 2000, reduce death rate for lung cancer in those aged less than 75 by 30% (men) and 15% (women) by 2010, halt year on year increase in incidence of skin cancer by 2005 (Department of Health 1992). Health of the Nation white papers importance lay in the fact that it represented the first explicit attempt by government to provide a strategic approach to improve the overall health of the population. But according to the review of the HOTNs policy commissioned by Department of Health 2000, HOTNs policy failed over its five year lifespan to recognize its full potential and was handicapped from the outset by numerous flaws of both a conceptual and process type nature. Its impact on policy documents peaked as early as 1993; and, by 1997, its impact on local health policy making was negligible. The HOTNs policy was regarded as a Department of Health initiative which lacked cross-departmental commitment and ownership. At local level, it was seen as principally a health service document and lacked local government ownership. (The Health of the Nation a policy assessed 2000). The White Paper Saving Lives Our Healthier Nation was published on 6 July 1999 together with Reducing Health Inequalities: an Action Report. These two documents set out the Governments strategy for health for the next 10 years. They brought a new and important focus to the promotion of health and the prevention of ill-health. The health strategy set out in the White Paper was centred on four priority areas (cancer, coronary heart disease and stroke, accidents and mental health). Action to tackle these important areas of ill-health was set in the context of both a Government-wide agenda to address the underlying causes (through, for example, measures to combat poverty, to improve education and work opportunities, and to improve the environment including the quality of the housing stock); also through the wider public health agenda, specifically action to tackle smoking (DH 2000) The NHS Cancer Plan (2000) was the first comprehensive National cancer programme for England. It had four aims: to save more lives, to ensure people with cancer get the right professional support and care as well as the best treatments, to tackle the inequalities in health that mean unskilled workers are, twice as likely to die from cancer as professionals, to build for the future through investment in the cancer workforce, through strong research and through preparation for the genetics, revolution, so that the NHS never falls behind in cancer care again (NHS Cancer Plan 2000) . According to Department of Health (2000), for the first time this plan provided a comprehensive strategy for bringing together prevention, screening, diagnosis, treatment and care for cancer and the investment needed to deliver these services in terms of improved staffing, equipment, drugs, treatments and information systems. At the heart of the Plan there were three new commitments. 1) In addition to the ex isting (Smoking Kills white paper 1998) target of reducing smoking in adults from 28% to 24% by 2010, new national and local targets to address the gap between socio-economic groups in smoking rates and the resulting risks of cancer and heart disease. 2) New goals and targets was set to reduce waiting times for diagnosis and treatment of cancer so that no one should wait longer than one month from an urgent referral for suspected cancer to the beginning of treatment except for a good clinical reason or through patient choice. 3) An extra à £50 million NHS investment a year by 2004 in hospices and specialist palliative care, to improve access to these services across the country. For the first time ever, NHS investment in specialist palliative care services will match that of the voluntary sector (Cancer Plan DH 2000). There were enormous achievements since the NHS Cancer Plan 2000, like action on tobacco and the smoking ban had led to a fall in smoking rates (from 28% of the population in 1998 to 24% in 2005), amounting to 1.6 million fewer smokers. More cancers were detected through screening by National Cancer Screening Programmes for breast, bowel and cervical cancers. New screening programmes were introduced as and when they were proven to be both clinically and cost effective. Waiting times for cancer care have reduced dramatically. There had been a major increase in the use of drugs approved by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE), to treat cancer with less variation between cancer networks. Since April 1 2009, patients undergoing treatment for cancer, including the effects of past cancer treatment, have been able to apply for a medical exemption certificate. It is expected that the new scheme will benefit up to 150,000 people already diagnosed with cancer, who might pay à £100 or more each year in prescription charges (NHS Cancer Plan DH, 2010) Although there are tremendous improvements of NHS Cancer Plan according to Department of health but according to the The Lancet Oncology editorial 2009 the NHS cancer plan for England was set up, at least in part, in reaction to data from the EUROCARE project, which showed that England cancer survival rates was lagging behind the rest of the Europe. The stated aim of the plan was: By 2010, Englands five year survival rates for cancer will compare with the best in Europe. Despite all the caveats that must be borne in mind when extrapolating from available data, and when comparing across European countries, the evidence available suggests that England is at best keeping track with improvements elsewhere, rather than closing the gap, and that the 2010 cancer target looks optimistic. Solutions to the problems of cancer are not easy, but perhaps the time has come to consider rather more fundamental changes to the NHS than are offered in the cancer plan if England is to truly offer world c lass healthcare (The Lancet Oncology 2009). According to Bosanquet et al (2008) huge amounts of money have been thrown at cancer in NHS cancer plan. The exact sum is opaque but the investment in cancer care has more than tripled over the past decade and now have approached European levels but improvements in cancer survival rates is not comparable with other European countries (Bosanquet et al, 2008). The Choosing Health White Paper was published in November 2004.à Choosing Health identified six key priority areas: tackling health inequalities, reducing the numbers of people who smoke, tackling obesity, improving sexual health, improving mental health and well-being, reducing harm and encouraging sensible drinking (Choosing Health, Department of Health 2004). Choosing health policy was particularly successful in banning the smoking in public places (Department of Health 2010). Before reviewing the most recent public health policy development for Cancer in England it is important to look at the current and past statistics of Cancer in the England. Also according to the Parkin (2006) accurate statistics on cancer occurrence and outcome are essential both for the purposes of research (into causes, prevention and treatment of cancer) and for the planning and evaluation of programmes for cancer control. According to the Office for National Statistics (ONS) 2010 UK the four most common cancers, breast, lung, colorectal and prostate accounted for more than half of the 245,300 new cases of malignant cancer (excluding non-melanoma skin cancer) registered in England in 2007. Of the total number of new cases in 2007 in England, 123,100 were in males and 122,200 in females, breast cancer accounted for 31 per cent of all cases of cancers in England among women and prostate cancer accounted for 25 per cent of all cases of cancers in England among men. Cancer is predomin antly a disease of older people as only 0.5 per cent of cases registered in 2007 in England were in children (age under 15) and 25 per cent were in people aged under 60. Between 1971 and 2007, the age-standardised incidence of cancer increased by around 21 per cent in males and 45 per cent in females in England. In each year in England over one in four people die from cancer. In England cancer accounts for 30 per cent of all deaths in males and 25 per cent of all deaths in females (ONS UK, 2010). Survival rates of cancer patients in England varies by type of cancer and, for each cancer, by a number of factors including sex, age and socio-economic status. Five-year relative survival is very low (in the range 3-16 per cent) for cancers of the pancreas, lung, oesophagus, stomach and brain for patients diagnosed in England in 2001-06, compared with ovarian cancer (39 per cent), cancers of the bladder, colon and cervix (47-64 per cent), and cancers of the prostate and breast (77-82 per c ent). In England for the majority of cancers, a higher proportion of women than men usually survives for at least five years after diagnosis. Among adults, the younger the age at diagnosis, the higher the survival for almost every cancer. In England five year survival rates for patients diagnosed between 2001-06 have improved slightly or stayed stable for 16 of the 21 most common cancers compared to the period 2000-04 (Cancer Research UK, ONS UK 2010). The most recent public health policy for cancer in England is the Cancer Reform Strategy (DH 2010). The Cancer Reform Strategy published in December 2007, builds on progress made since publication of the NHS Cancer Plan in 2000 and sets out a clear direction for cancer services. According to the document of Cancer Reform Strategy published by Department of Health (2007), it shows how by 2012 cancer services in England can be among the best in the world. It also launched three new initiatives: 1) The National Awareness and Early Diagnosis Initiative, aimed to raise awareness of cancer symptoms among the public and health professionals and encourage those who may have symptoms to seek early attention. Almost à £5 million was allocated to the NHS to support cancer networks and primary care trusts in improving awareness of cancers and promoting early diagnosis. 2) The National Cancer Survivorship Initiative is working to improve support for the 1.63 million people currently living with and beyond cancer in England. 3) The National Equality Initiative is working to reduce inequalities in cancer care. According to the Department of health (2010) the aims of the Cancer Reform Strategy is to build on progress already made and meet remaining challenges, the government has developed this strategy to set out the next steps for delivering cancer services in England, by saving more lives through prevention of cancer whenever possible and through earlier detection and better treatment, by improving patients quality of life by ensuring services patient centred and well-coordinated and by offering choice where appropriate, increase public awareness of cancer, reduce inequalities in access to services and in service quality thereby reducing inequalities in cancer outcomes, build for the future, through education, research and workforce development, and enable cancer care to be delivered in the best place, at the right time. Prevention of cancer by screening is a most important aspect to tackle cancer. NHS Screening programmes are part of the Cancer reform strategy 2007. According to NHS Screening Programme (2010), over half of all cancers in the past could be prevented if people adopted healthy lifestyles such as: by stopping smoking, avoiding obesity, eating a healthy diet, undertaking a moderate level of physical activity, avoiding too much alcohol, and excessive exposure to sunlight. According to the NHS Cervical Screening Programme (2010), it saves up to 4,500 lives in England every year. Within the NHS Cervical Screening Programme in England, women aged 25 to 49 are invited for free cervical screening every three years, and women aged 50 to 64 are invited every five years. Women over the age of 65 are invited if their previous three tests were not clear or if they have never been screened. According to the NHS Breast Screening Programme (2010), its breast screening awareness programme regarded as one of the best screening programmes in the world, saving an estimated 1,400 lives each year. 96.4 per cent of women who have had invasive breast cancer detected by screening are alive five years later. Under the NHS Breast Screening Programme, breast screening is provided every three years for all women in England aged 50 and over. Currently, women aged between 50 to 69 years are invited routinely and women over the age of 70 can request free three-yearly screening.à The eligible age range for routine breast screening will be extended further to provide nine screening rounds between 47 and 73 years. According to the NHS Bowel Cancer Screening Programme (2010), it is one of the first National bowel screening programmes in the world and the first cancer screening programme in England to include men as well as women. All men and women aged 60 to 69 are expected to be included by December 2010, meaning around 2 million men and women will be screened and an estimated 3,000 cancers detected every year. The programme will be extended from 2010 to include men and women aged 70-75 years. According to the Lancet Oncology editorial (2009), although the Governments Cancer Plan and Cancer Reform Strategy has had some impact on how long sufferers survive after diagnosis, it is still struggling to close the gap between England and other European countries. A study by Bernard Rachet et al, (2007) published in the Lancet Oncology journal also suggested that some of the improvements in cancer in England merely reflect ongoing trends in cancer cure rather than real change. There are also large variations in cancer cure and survival rates across the country, with patients in the North West of England still more likely to die earlier from the same cancer as those in the South of England. An editorial in the journal also warns that the time has come to consider more fundamental change in the NHS than the Cancer Plan and Cancer Reform Strategy offers. The study by Bernard Rachet et al, (2007) in The Lancet Oncology journal looked at survival rates for 21 common cancers, comparing the rates in England and Wales, ( in Wales a similar scheme like Cancer Plan was introduced only in 2006) most cancers showed a rise in survival rates in England compared to Wales after 2001, but there was a fall in the survival rates in England compared to Wales for bladder cancer, Hodgkins lymphoma and leukaemia (blood cancer). According to the Professor Karol Sikora, medical director of Cancer Partners UK, (Lancet Oncology 2009) that there is no striking improvement in the cancer cure rates and survival rates in England, despite the huge resources involved in the NHS cancer Plan and Cancer reform strategy, also there is still wide regional variation in survival, with deprivation still being linked to poor outcome, a factor which the plan was meant to address. Also according to Karol Sikora, access to new cancer drugs in England is also poor, the latest EU comparator (2008) shows that the use of six cancer drugs approved in the past three years is fivefold less in the UK than the EU average. According to Ciaran Devane Macmillan Cancer Support (Telegraph UK April 2010), although there are more cancer survivors in England because of both the improvements in treatment and an ageing population, but this does not show the whole picture of cancer policy of England. After once the treatment of cancer ends, many patients feel abandoned by the NHS and struggle to cope with the long-term effects of cancer, and cancer treatment. The NHS cancer policy needs to ensure all cancer patients have the support they need to manage the long term effects of cancer treatment. A recent report by National Radiotherapy Advisory Group (2007) suggests that England need a massive 90% expansion in radiotherapy provision for cancer patients. According to Crump (2009) that in England radiotherapy for cancer patients is at the same level as it was in the 1980s, with only 7% of eligible patients getting precisely targeted intensity-modulated radiotherapy. In conclusion of this assignment, although the recent public health policy developments in field of cancer have shown some success in England but there are certain areas where significant improvement is require like early detection of cancers to reduce higher incidence rates of cancer by decreasing the waiting times for patients and cancer survival rates especially when comparing to other top European countries. There is a need to change cancer policy of England to meet the real requirements of current and future cancer patients.
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