Discussing Public Administration Select Committee, Service Committee, Assignment

Discussing Public Administration Select Committee, Service Committee, Human Rights Act of 1998 - Assignment Example The Standards and Privileges Committee investigated claims that Peter Mandelson – the then Secretary of State for Trade and Industry – had contravened the individual ministerial responsibility by receiving a loan of  £373,000 from Geoffrey Robinson – the then Paymaster General of the Treasury. This case was exacerbated by claims that Robbinson had been involved in financial misconduct that Mandelson had overlooked. The committee presented its findings in which they found that Mandelson had erred and violated the ministerial responsibility. The Public Administration Select Committee conducted a review of Jo Moore, special adviser to Stephen Byers – the then Transport Secretary –, conduct in making public sensitive government information. In addition to Moore resigning, Byers was also asked to resign since he was Moore’s immediate supervisor thereby creating a situation in which he (Myers) had contravened the ministerial responsibility. For that matter, they determined that Myers, as the secretary in charge of the ministry, was liable for the official conduct of his immediate subordinates. The Public Administration Select Committee sought to determine whether Ministers were accountable for their special advisor's actions. There sitting was necessitated by repeated incidences of government officials engaging in unbecoming conduct – as set by the ministerial responsibility – for which it was difficult to determine whether the cabinet secretaries, as their boss, were liable. The report referred to the Public Service Committee, Ministerial Accountability and Responsibility (HC 1996-97, 313) report to determine that in addition to constitutional accountability, cabinet secretaries were also personally responsible and liable for the conduct of the immediate personnel.

Examine the view that marketing theory and concepts portrayed in the Essay - 2

Examine the view that marketing theory and concepts portrayed in the traditional marketing literature have only limited application in guiding small business ma - Essay Example of the products that are sold through the help and facilitation of distribution channels, word of mouth approaches and formation of brand personalities and so on and so forth. When it comes to an understanding of the working methodologies of small and large businesses, there is a direct change which is manifested as per their working mechanisms and related undertakings. What we aim to study is to discern the fact that small and large businesses do it differently both from the short term as well as in the long run. Thus kicking off the debate in the line of the business size, the first and foremost understanding is of delving into what marketing concept actually is. The sales concept is basically making sure a product is produced and hence sold through proper distribution channels while on the other hand a marketing concept entails the pre-production activities related with a product, selling and marketing it extensively when its on the shelves of the retail outlet and looking after the post purchase dissonance, if any there is found. Similarly, customer satisfaction would mean their retention and eventual further selling of the product. Hard sell of the product can come under the marketing concept but then again soft sell is a strategy that tries to smoothly get into the purchase cycles of its intended customers and hence make a sale. The evaluation of the marketing concept is made possible due to the hard line policies drafted by the people who were in charge of carrying out the sales concep t which was simply to produce a product and thus sell it, without gaining proper insight as to whether or not this product met the intended requirements of the customer or it had some defect which needed to be repaired at the earliest. Now the aspect of hard sell and soft sell could be equally true for the small and the large business entities since the small business cannot just focus on the soft sell approach as it has to get its message through to the relevant target

Resilience in children

Resilience in children Abstract There is a great deal of research into resilience in children, whether they are housed or homeless. However, there is less research about resilience in adults, whether they are housed or homeless. Childrens well-being, which includes their resilience, is directly correlated with that of the adults in their families. Given this reality I decided to investigate if resilience reduces negative effects of homelessness in adults and in their transition after becoming housed. The information I find can be useful for those working with adults who are homeless and those making the transition from being homeless to being housed. Literature review According to the Stuart B. McKinney Act, a person is considered homeless if he or she lacks a fixed, regular, and adequate night-time residence and has a primary night time residence that is: 1) supervised publicly or privately operated shelter designed to provide temporary living accommodations; 2) an institution that provides a temporary residence for individuals intended to be institutionalized, including mental health facilities or hospitals; 3) a public or private place not designed for or ordinarily used as a regular sleeping accommodation for human beings, which includes cars and parks. This definition does not include those imprisoned or otherwise detained pursuant to an act of Congress or a state law (NCH, Fact Sheet #3). Difficult childhoods (including sexual and/or physical abuse, addiction, mental illness, and so on) may play a role in adult homelessness. More women report living with an abusive parent than men (Smith, et al, p. 5). Battered women who live in poverty are often forced to choose between abusive relationships and homelessness (NCH, Fact Sheet #3). Approximately half of all women and children experiencing homelessness are fleeing domestic violence (NCH, Fact Sheet #3). Immigrants also cite language barriers (Smith et al, page 13). Many kinds of people become homeless, leading to a diverse homeless population (Tompsett, p 86). It is important to include the services that are most important for that particular group, especially in this time of limited funds for services (Tompsett, pp 87). Even though homelessness affects people in different ways, it can have a corrosive effect on peoples self-esteem and well-being; fifty-three percent of respondents say that being homeless destroyed their self-esteem and self-confidence. Unlike gender, age, ethnicity and nationality made no difference in how people answered the questions (Smith et al, page 9). Thirty-nine percent of men and nine percent of women said that being homeless led to depression, mental health problems and anxiety (Smith, page 10). However, many women report being depressed and having a history of mental health problems prior to homelessness (Smith et al, page 10). Homelessness can damage: peoples capability through loss of skills; their inability to think about employment while worrying housing; their health becoming impaired while homeless; their resilience and self-confidence, particularly mens (Smith, et al, page 9). This emphasizes the need to activities that help people build self-esteem and the social interactions helping them release their capabilities (Smith et al, page 10). The literature I found does not explain how these activities help in this way. Whether or not people develop depression or resilience depends mostly on their feelings of powerlessness or capability and the belief that one is can plan and carry out plans to achieve their goals. In order to become resilient, they must feel they are able to do something about the situations and meet their challenges. Depression can develop when someone doubts their ability to find a successful solution (Grotberg, page 66). Feelings of powerlessness can be changed to those of capability by teaching the five basic building blocks of resilience: trust, autonomy, initiative, industry, and identity (Grotberg, page 67). What is resilience? Resilience is the process of adapting well in the face of adversity, trauma, tragedy, threats, or significant sources of stress; it means bouncing back from difficult experiences (APA, p. 2). Resilience is a persons ability to rely on their own core self-belief and stability, enabling him or her to successfully resist harmful life events that would damage someone else (Smith et al, p. 3). Reactions to stress are not isolated events; they are the consequences of what has occurred before. There is a dynamic interaction of patterns of coping responses, personality characteristics, social support (Tusaie and Dyer, p. 6) Research shows that resilience is commonplace not extraordinary or exceptional. People commonly demonstrate resilience. Resilience involves behaviors, thoughts, and actions that can be learned and developed in anyone (APA, p. 2). Resilience is a dynamic process whereby individuals can show great coping skills in the face of significant adversity. It is not one-dimensional but a sort of chain reaction that leads to resilience later; that chain reaction begins when children are very young (Gorman, et al). Many professionals believe that resilience can be learned. Others debate whether or not resilient qualities are learned or part of ones genetic nature. These resilient characteristics have been referred to as protective factors defined as the positive conditions, personal and social resources that promote resiliency, protect and buffer the individual, and reduce the potential for high-risk behaviors (MHW) footnote the definition or developmental assets, defined as the positive relationships, opportunities, skills, and values that promote the positive development of all children and adolescents [http://www.soyreport.org/40developmentalAssets.php]footnote the definition(Richardson, page 309). Experts disagree about how much of resilience is genetic. People seem to differ in their inborn ability to handle lifes stresses. Resilience can be cultivated. To the degree it is learned, resilience seems to develop out of the challenge to maintain self-esteem. (Psychology Today, page 1). Resilience is a complex process that is in some ways as unpredictable as the weather. A number of negative factors may weaken resilience. Those factors include violence, physical or sexual abuse, direct exposure to alcoholism and removal from the home. The toll increases as the negative factors increase. If resilience is strength under adversity, then multiple-risk exposures (four or more) limit emotional endurance (Gorman, et al, page A53). Attitudes and characteristics of resilient people Research often focuses on limitations, negatives and the problematic. As a result, strengths may be often overlooked. Research shows that women between the ages of 35 and t3 years who had overcome homelessness and found that they had person, interpersonal and transpersonal strengths such as pride, moral principles, determination, and commitment to personal relationships citation. These strengths served to protect them from adverse health outcomes associated with being homeless. Homeless adolescents found numerous pathways to health. In particular, participants exhibited self-confidence and considered themselves to be the primary resource for health promotion (Rew and Horner, p. 90). Research also shows that the motivation for engaging in health promotive behaviors stems more from positive factors or strengths, such as the desire for growth and human potential than from negative factors (Rew and Horner, p. 91). Resilient people harness inner strengths and rebound more quickly from a setback or challenge. Those who are less resilient may dwell on problems, feel victimized, become overwhelmed and turn to unhealthy coping mechanisms, such as substance abuse (Mayo Clinic, p. 1). Those who lived with relationship trauma can develop resilient qualities associated with resilience. They may develop strategies for managing chaos that can become assets if they can work through their downside. Those who have thrived despite the odds can be inventive when dealing with problems. Their ability to think outside the box think differently, unconventionally or from a new perspective, be creative and smart-thinking footnote the definition when solving complex family situations shows creativity and originality, which are assets in all areas of life. Humor is another asset of those coming from problematic backgrounds. Humor is used for very specific reasons, including managing the unmanageable, lightening the familys emotional load by easing tension, and finding alternative ways to bond and feel good (Dayton, pages 99-100). Steve At the heart of resilience is a belief in oneself and a belief in something larger than oneself. Resilient people dont let adversity define them, move towards a goal beyond themselves and transcend pain and grief by perceiving bad times as a temporary state of affairs (Psychology Today, p. 1). Resilient people see their problems as a temporary state of affairs rather than a permanent state; tend not to globalize; have the capacity to see beyond themselves into a different kind of life; believe that life will work out (optimistic) (Dayton, page 101). Resilience helps us understand that adversity can help develop strength (Dayton, page 103). There are many ways to build resilience, including: 1) reach out to make connections, create a support system, find someone who believes in you wholeheartedly, find people who can help you (Psychology Today, page; APA, page 4;Mayo Clinic); 2) keep things in perspective (APA, age 4; Mayo Clinic); avoid seeing crises as insurmountable problems; 3) accept that change is a part of living; move toward your goals; take decisive actions; look for opportunities for self-discovery; nurture a positive view of yourself; maintain a hopeful outlook (APA, page 4; Mayo Clinic); take care of yourself (APA, page 4). 4) Reframe and reinterpret past events to find the strengths one had all along (Psychology Today; Dayton, page 107). 5) Be self-aware; gain skills and tools for staying safe; help others; teach parenting skills, when possible (Gorman, et al). 6) Learn from your experiences (Mayo Clinic, p. ; Collingwood, p. 2). 7) Dont retreat from life; ask penetrating questions and answer them honestly. 8) Take a while to think through the problem to find the best solution and then tell yourself to take the first step (Dayton, p. 108; Collingwood, p. 2). 9) Develop inner resources and strengthen inner self; work through unresolved issues from the past; maintain good boundaries; stay away from victim thinking (Dayton, pp. 108-109). Activities help people build their self-esteem and the social interactions that help them release their capabilities. These activities include creative writing, art and crafts, music, and walking. Doing so enabled them to relax and feel more positive about life, as well as developing transferable skills. These activities also reached those who were most vulnerable and marginalized, including those misusing substances and those most severely mentally ill (Smith et al, page 10). Steve The most commonly reported sources of informal support include family, friends, as well as faith and community organizations (Smith et al, page 13). The amount of contact homeless people have varies depending on their circumstances. Services are often identified as a key source of support and are used in a variety of ways. Services that participants consider the most important include affordable housing, day centers and shelters, learning and training opportunities, translation services, detox and substance abuse programs, and other health services (medical and mental health) (Smith et al, pages 13, 15, 18). People experiencing homelessness use services in different ways (Smith et al, page 21). Some need practical help for brief times while others likely need those services for much longer. The best services are those that are inclusive, open access and treat their service uses with respect and empathy (Smith et al, page 21). Employment and entry to the labor market are currently thought of as the main way out of poverty and welfare dependency. Developing job skills that improve their chances of employment is important but should happen at the expense of activities that build self-esteem and social interactions (Smith et al, page 21). Developing resilience is a personal lifelong journey, one worth making.

My aim for this experiment is to find out how concentration affects the rate of reaction, when marble chips reacts with hydrochloric acid. :: GCSE Chemistry Coursework Investigation

My aim for this experiment is to find out how concentration affects the rate of reaction, when marble chips reacts with hydrochloric acid. Mansoor Khan An investigation to see how concentration affects the 1 rate of reaction. Introduction My aim for this experiment is to find out how concentration affects the rate of reaction, when marble chips reacts with hydrochloric acid. I am going to use calcium carbonate (marble chips) to react with hydrochloric acid that will produce carbon dioxide gas. The equation for this reaction is: Word equation: Calcium Carbonate + Hydrochloric acid Calcium Chloride + Carbon Dioxide + Water Symbol equation: CaCO 2HCl CaCl CO H O For my experiment, I will be experimenting on different concentrations of acid on marble chips. The other variables that I could have chosen for this particular experiment are: Temperature- I thought about choosing this variable but was put off by the difficulty of control the temperature. Surface area- I have not choose this because I did not like the fact that there were only three different sizes of marble chips, when I needed five results, and also it requires quite a long preliminary experiment to find the right concentration of acid. Prediction I predict that if a high concentration of acid is used, the reaction will be faster and thus resulting in more carbon dioxide being produced as gas. The weaker the concentration of acid, the slower the reaction and the less amount of carbon dioxide gas that will be produced. The collision theory states that if particles in a solution have enough energy to break free from their existing bonds to form new bonds they will, the amount of energy needed to form new bonds is called the activation energy. So if you increase the amount of particles in a solution they will be more collisions. The collision theory also says that if the particles are constantly moving and colliding with each other, when one particle collides with another, energy is transferred between these particles and so energy is constantly gained or lost. The number of collisions with enough energy greater or equal to the activation energy, determines the rate of reaction. I predict that the 2 molar of hydrochloric acid when reacting with marble chips will produce the most carbon dioxide and in the least amount of time, because they are more reactants in the solution and more particles that will collide with the reacting particles. Also because this is the most concentrated solution that I am experimenting on there are more reacting particles of colliding about in the solution this means that the will be more collisions between the reacting particles which is likely to cause a reaction, these reacting My aim for this experiment is to find out how concentration affects the rate of reaction, when marble chips reacts with hydrochloric acid. :: GCSE Chemistry Coursework Investigation My aim for this experiment is to find out how concentration affects the rate of reaction, when marble chips reacts with hydrochloric acid. Mansoor Khan An investigation to see how concentration affects the 1 rate of reaction. Introduction My aim for this experiment is to find out how concentration affects the rate of reaction, when marble chips reacts with hydrochloric acid. I am going to use calcium carbonate (marble chips) to react with hydrochloric acid that will produce carbon dioxide gas. The equation for this reaction is: Word equation: Calcium Carbonate + Hydrochloric acid Calcium Chloride + Carbon Dioxide + Water Symbol equation: CaCO 2HCl CaCl CO H O For my experiment, I will be experimenting on different concentrations of acid on marble chips. The other variables that I could have chosen for this particular experiment are: Temperature- I thought about choosing this variable but was put off by the difficulty of control the temperature. Surface area- I have not choose this because I did not like the fact that there were only three different sizes of marble chips, when I needed five results, and also it requires quite a long preliminary experiment to find the right concentration of acid. Prediction I predict that if a high concentration of acid is used, the reaction will be faster and thus resulting in more carbon dioxide being produced as gas. The weaker the concentration of acid, the slower the reaction and the less amount of carbon dioxide gas that will be produced. The collision theory states that if particles in a solution have enough energy to break free from their existing bonds to form new bonds they will, the amount of energy needed to form new bonds is called the activation energy. So if you increase the amount of particles in a solution they will be more collisions. The collision theory also says that if the particles are constantly moving and colliding with each other, when one particle collides with another, energy is transferred between these particles and so energy is constantly gained or lost. The number of collisions with enough energy greater or equal to the activation energy, determines the rate of reaction. I predict that the 2 molar of hydrochloric acid when reacting with marble chips will produce the most carbon dioxide and in the least amount of time, because they are more reactants in the solution and more particles that will collide with the reacting particles. Also because this is the most concentrated solution that I am experimenting on there are more reacting particles of colliding about in the solution this means that the will be more collisions between the reacting particles which is likely to cause a reaction, these reacting

Electoral Systems Essay

Critically evaluate the argument that electoral systems can produce effective (decisive) government, or representative government, but not both. New Zealand’s current electoral system is MMP or Mixed Member Proportional; this is the system which will be used to evaluate the question. A comparison of MMP and FPP or the First Past the Post system will also be included, since it is being debated as to which is better for New Zealand. MMP is an appropriately representative government which also creates a rather effective government at the same time. On the other hand FPP causes a seemingly effective government but is far less representative. Some electoral systems can create effective and representative government while others may not. This will be shown by; firstly detailing how these systems of governance compare under effectiveness and representativeness, followed by an explanation as to why electoral systems can be both effective and representative and why they cannot. For a government to be classified effective it must sufficiently achieve its objectives as a governing body. It also must create a strong impression on the community (dictionary. om, 2011). MMP tends to have a less efficient form of law making than FPP. Under MMP the major parties must form coalition governments with the smaller parties to form a fifty per cent majority over the house. These coalitions may cause a time delay in passing legislation, as the major supporter of the bill tries to convince their support parties to agree with the legislation. MMP may take time to make decision but this doesn’t mean that the government is less decisive although; Many people argue that proportional forms of government lead to a less decisive and durable government. Their argument is based on the fact that the decisions must gain the support of coalition parties which cause a lower quantity of bills passing. However it is not the quantity of laws which cause an effective government it is the quality. MMP due to its more timely approach to law making allows time for scrutiny within a bill meaning any flaws which lie dormant in a bill may be fixed before the legislation is passed. A contrast to this is FPP with its single party majority which works very efficiently to pass laws rapidly. This is because there is no need for a compromise with its support parties since none are required. The effect of this rapid law making ability gives the community a view of effectiveness however the validity of the laws has been compromised. The laws passed may be riddled with flaws which really show the government is un-effective as the laws have no real impression on the community. Effective government is based around three criteria government durability, decisional efficacy and responsiveness (Boston, Church & Bale, 2003). From these three different terms of effective government we can see how different opinions on the idea of effective government can differ. For a government to be classified representative it must consist of many individuals who represent a variety of different constituencies (dictionary. com, 2011). Also there must be some form of diversity among the constituencies such as race or gender differentiation. (Royal Commission, 1986) MMP is a highly representative form of governance as it uses a two votes system; this allows minor party representatives to gain a seat in the house if they gain a majority vote among their constituents. The fact an MP has to win their constituency causes a close link to the electorate as they will more likely than not represent the major view of the region. This single MP vote allows the house to represent the community from a broader aspect while still having the majority party in power with the 2nd vote, the party vote. This causes a greater diversity among the house. When MMP was adopted â€Å"Maori representation increased from 5-7% to 16%† and â€Å"the number of women of women doubled to 34%† (Haddon, 2011). This increasing diversity has continued as the royal commission predicted. New Zealand’s house of parliament has become more representative and diverse as shown by the 39 women, 21 Maori, 4 Pacific Islanders, and 2 Asian MPs out of the 121 in the house (Elections Commission, 2006). Also under MMP campaign promises of minor parties tend to not get placed on the new government agenda. The minor parties must rely on negotiation with party leaders in order to get their main policies on the agenda or must wait for the bill to be drawn from the ballot box in parliament, which may never come. This causes a slight decrease in the diversification of the legislation passed. This lack of diversification can decrease the representativeness of the majority. However this does not decrease the overall representativeness of the government. The diversity of MMP is contrasted by FPPs system where there are only electorate votes so people tend to vote solely for the major parties that are likely to get into parliament. The winning party in a FPP election will get a proportionally larger share of the seats that its share of the votes this has the opposite effect for minority parties whom gain a lesser proportion of the seats that their votes. This lack of proportionality is a major flaw in representation as there is very little diversity among the house. Electoral systems can be both effective and representative, â€Å"The best voting system for any country will not be one which meets any of the criteria completely but will be one which provides the most satisfactory overall balance between them† (Royal Commission, 1986). Although systems cannot be highly representative and highly effective they still can be both. MMP shows this, it may not be highly efficient at creating effective legislation but it creates quality legislation which is effective governing. Also MMP shows its representativeness by having a largely diverse house of representatives but due to the need for coalitions loses some of the broader views of the minor parties. â€Å"A proliferation of minor parties actually increases stability and effectiveness† (â€Å"NRT on MMP threshold,† 2011). This shows how a representative government actually helps to form an effective government. The increase in the number of coalition majorities available will help to reduce the ability for any party to have strong bargaining power over another. This was shown in our most recent parliamentary election by ACT and the Maori party not having a large bargaining power with National as they both had possible coalitions with National. They were acting as a check on the other so neither gained an arbitrary power over Nationals decision. This allowed for national to make what they saw as the best decision. This shows that MMP is representative as well as being effective even if it is not top in each discipline. Many critics of MMP have agreed that MMP does lead to a government reflecting the views of New Zealander’s and supporters of MMP conceded to agreeing that it leads to a more unstable government which can infer that it may be not highly effective (Palmer & Palmer, 2004). While FPP contrasts MMP it shows the opposite idea. It shows that there is a tension between effective and representative government. This tension causes a highly representative government to have a very low effectiveness and vice versa. The tension has large effect on how the government operates and this can put a strain on which system will be best. FPP shows how a system cannot be both effective and representative whereas MMP seems to have the balance between being both an effective form of governance while still being rather highly representative. My research has shown that MMP is both an effective form of government and a representative form of government. However it is neither the most representative nor the most effective. The research has identified that an electoral system can be both as I have explained above. This is not to say all electoral systems are. There are always going to be strengths and weaknesses to an electoral system and a compromise between effective and representative will always be required, FPP for example is much more effective than it is representative. The tension between these two disciplines will always have an effect on how the system operates and which system is best suited to the situation. FPP is clearly a system which cannot be both while MMP is the perfect example of a system of governance which is both representative and effective.

Life of Orphanage Essay

A lot happens within our environment. It may be hard to believe but yet true that the life orphan children live is of big challenge. I fail to know why it happens in such a way that after the parent(s) pass away, their children start testing the wrath of their death, as these people who remain to take care of the children, they again make them pass through regrettable experiences. These children suffer a lot, to the extent of missing out schooling because no one is willing to pay their school dues. What is more hurting is that even the little the parents leave for their children, the relatives (uncles and aunties) start sharing them among themselves in equal ratios. Children are exposed to child labour; young girls are forced to get in marriages, taken like they are not humans, which make them live unhappy. In your own way, just imagine a situation where you can pass through a day with nothing for your stomach. This is what the orphan child experiences as most of them take days only getting one meal a day and at times move out with totally nothing to eat. They are expected to work a lot throughout the day, mistreated and at the end of the day when time for sharing benefits comes they are considered last. This result into poor performance at school, most of them end up dropping out of school. Others decide to leave home and go to streets thus become street kids whereas some end up losing their lives for they feel no body is there to stand on their side for support, hence yielding a negative feeling in the life of orphans regretting as to why they were born.