Management Shareholder Wealth Optimization

Table of Contents Introduction A Case against Shareholder Primacy Arguments in Favour of Shareholder Primacy Conclusion References Introduction In 1970, the distinguished economics professor Milton Friedman wrote an essay in which he argued that the sole social responsibility of a company is to generate profit for its shareholders. Bejou (2011) notes that the core message that Friedman was advancing through his argument was that the primary responsibility of managers was to the owners or investors of the company. Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Management: Shareholder Wealth Optimization specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More This outlook is regarded as the traditional shareholder primacy theory and its main argument is that the primary task of management is to maximise shareholders wealth. The school of thought further on proposed that organizations should not be concerned with solving social problems since this the responsibility of other actors such as the government. Friedman’s defence of managers’ duties to shareholders continues to be the prominent concept dominating corporate governance. In line with this reasoning, many top managers of public corporations today seek ways to increase the profits of their shareholders. This begs the question what is should the primary role of management in public corporations be. This paper will argue that management should expand its role and responsibilities to cater to the needs of other stakeholders in addition to the shareholders and owners of the company. Increasing the wealth of shareholders and owners should not be the core objective of management. To provide a balanced view on the subject, the paper will also review some of the arguments made in support of shareholder wealth optimization by management and offer counterarguments to the same. A Case against Shareholder Primacy Corporations cannot exist on their own; they need the input of other groups such as creditors, employees, and the government (Stout 2002). As such, the shareholders alone cannot make, much less sustain a corporation. For this reason, the other contributors to the existence of the corporation also need to be considered by management. Stout (2002) elaborates that the non-shareholder groups who contribute to the welfare of the corporation also need to be compensated in accordance to some explicit and/or implicit contracts. For example, the employees will engage in operations on behalf of the organization in return for a salary, favourable work conditions, and prospects of career advancement. If management’s only concern is shareholder wealth, they organization will not be sustainable and it will fail therefore hurting the shareholders and all the other stakeholders. Management that is focused only on maximizing the wealth of shareholders will damage the firm’s economic interests. Stout (2002) states that such management w ill be inclined to take wealth and resources from other corporate constituencies such as employees, creditors, and governments in order to increase shareholder wealth. Management therefore needs to consider the other groups who make a contribution to the corporation’s survival.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Emphasis on increasing the wealth of shareholders and owners will reduce the productivity of the firm since it might lead to lower employee motivation (Kellerman 2007). Motivation is a highly desirable attribute in employees since motivated employees are integral to the success of the business. Kellerman (2007) explains that job satisfaction plays a significant role in creating motivated employees who in return direct their energies to meeting organizational goals. If management only considers the profit interest of the shareholders, they are going to sell the c orporation to the highest bidder without considering the losses that may arise to the employees and the local community. Employee motivation will be diminished if the workers believe that the management will sell the company to the highest bidder even if such a move will negatively affect them. Such employees are unlikely to commit their careers or give their loyalty to the corporation. This will result in reduced productivity for the company and this will reduce returns to shareholders. Shareholder primacy has led to risky financial undertakings by management in their question to increase shareholder value (Bergstresse Philippon 2006). Many organizations have tied the pay received by top managers to the share price in an effort to incentivize them to increase company performance. Managers therefore have a vested interest in the increased profitability of the organization and they are motivated to ensure that shareholder interests are met. Bergstresse and Philippon (2006) confir ms that many bit US corporations are in the habit of offering extravagant pay packages to their top executives as a means to align the upper management interests with those of shareholders. When the self-interest of managers is tied to the wealth of the shareholders, they are likely to make decisions that are only aimed at short term gains by the organization. Such an approach might have dire consequences for the organization and the society at large. For example, the financial crisis of 2008 which led to a global recession has been blamed on top managers allowing self-interest to prevail over any other concern. Emphasis on increasing shareholder wealth can cause risky behaviour by management and this might damage the corporation.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Management: Shareholder Wealth Optimization specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The best interest of the shareholder group is not always served by profit maximization by management and therefore, the shareholder value ideology can lead to negative impacts on the well-being of the company and its investors (Stout 2012). Stout elaborates that an organization has various classes of shareholders and their needs and interests vary depending on their degree of investment and interests. While some may be concerned in the short-term earnings of the company, others might be interested in the long-term performance of the organization. The view that management should only seek to increase shareholders wealth is based on the wrong assumption that increase in share price is proof of greater economic efficiency by the company in question. Stout (2012) forcefully asserts that the performance of a business cannot be measured through any one single metric. By focussing on share price and ignoring other variables such as capitalization, board structures, and equity to name but a few, a wrong assessment of the company is bound to be made. Focussing on increasing profitability might discourage investment and innovation therefore harming the employees and the customers of the organization. Holmstron and Kaplan (2001) declare that managers who view themselves as representatives of the corporation and not the shareholders are likely to maintain a long-term vision of the company and therefore take steps to ensure its growth and stability. Management needs to avoid being obsessed with increasing the wealth of shareholders and owners in order to serve the best interest of the shareholder group. Focus on shareholder profitability will cause an organization to ignore the needs of the non-shareholder entities and this might be detrimental to the organization’s future. Organizations are affected by factors that are internal and external to them. Albright (2008) highlights the importance of the organization to have a good understanding and demonstrate sensitivity to the needs of its environment. There is a strong interdependence between the corporation and stakeholders such as customers, suppliers, creditors, the media, and activists. Management is therefore forced to balance the interest of shareholders with those of the other stakeholders in order to create a win-win situation from which everybody can benefit.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Shareholder wealth maximization will negatively affect the economy of a country since it might lead to reduction in production and the raising of prices by managers in a bid to increase profits (Solo 2000). This is especially the case if the organization holds a monopoly in the industry. As a monopoly, the corporation has the discretion to restrict production and raise prices without fear that the competitive forces will oblige it to react to the demand-supply forces. If the management in such a monopolistic organization holds strong shareholder-primacy view, his only concern will be to increase profitability. This will be achieved by lowering production in order to create excess demand and then raising prices. The manager could also lower the employment in order to reduce the production cost incurred by the company. All these factors will hurt the economy of the nation since it will lead to reduced production. The expansion of the company will also be deterred if the managers ar e only concerned with increased profitability. Emphasis on profits has led to many layoffs and mergers, which have driven the stock prices of company’s up at a considerable social cost. The American workforce has been the worst affected by the shareholder primacy norm practiced by many top executives. Grossman (2005) reveals that in the past two decades, over 45million Americans have been laid off as corporations downsize in order to increase their profitability by raising stock prices. Stout (2012) observes that managers who have weak shareholder wealth maximization norms are more likely to concentrate in increasing sales and industry expansion instead of aggressively trying to increase profitability. The manager whose primary objective is not to increase the shareholders wealth will invest in larger firms and build new factories in order to increase the production capacity of the organization. This will result in an increase in social wealth. Emphasis on shareholder wealt h maximization will be detrimental to the economic well-being of the society. The purpose of the organization is not only to make money for the business owners but also to fulfil other social functions which include † secure jobs for employees, better quality products for consumers, and greater contributions to the welfare of the community as a whole† (Stout 2002, p.1989). This is in line with Dood’s assertion that the business corporation is â€Å"an economic institution which has a social service as well as a profit-making function† (Stout 2002, p. 1989). If management is only concerned with shareholder interests, they will not make an effort to fulfil the obligations of the organizations to the society. Green (1993) explains that when the primary objective of management is confined to increasing shareholders and owners’ wealth, they cannot dedicate resources or managerial time to worthy causes since this will be deemed as embezzlement of organiza tion resources. Shareholder primacy therefore makes it impossible for management to fulfil other social functions and therefore ensure business success. A more prudent approach would be for management to try to maximize the â€Å"sum of all the returns enjoyed by all of the groups that participate in firms† (Stout 2000, p.1198). Such an approach would stop managers from taking actions that result in the maximization of wealth of shareholders in the short run while negatively affecting all the other participates in the firm. The shareholder wealth maximization norm is outdated since it refuses to acknowledge the importance of adopting socially responsible practices for the welfare of the business (Grossman 2005). Focus on shareholder profit maximization will lead to the removal of social factors that might reduce shareholder wealth. In today’s business environment, the financial performance of an organization is increasingly interconnected with its social performance. While organizations could in the past ignore the needs of the non-shareholders and still survive, the current environment is forcing companies to align their interests with those of the society order to ensure their future survival. The last few decades has witnessed an increase in the importance attributed to Corporate Social Responsibility (CRS). CRS. Stout (2012) observes that an emphasis on CRS by European companies has enabled them to compete favourably with the American multinationals that have dominated the global market for decades. Adopting the shareholder primacy theory will therefore hurt the overall performance of the business since management will fail to satisfy social interests. Grossman (2005) best articulates this by stating that â€Å"in order to truly maximize profits a company must engage with social interests† (p.575). Managers should seek to not only produce good returns for investors but also provide good work conditions for the workforce and serve t he community by making quality products and being a good corporate citizen. Management has a moral and ethical obligation to consider the interests of all stakeholders in their decision making (Boatright 2006). These obligations include a guarantee to honour agreements and contracts, honesty, and legitimacy in conducting business to name but a few. Shareholder primacy might cause management to ignore its moral obligations when they do not contribute to an increase in the profitability of the corporation. Managers can ignore ethical obligations that and agreements that are not codified in laws. The public confidence in corporations is significantly lowered by the culture of profit at all costs (Jenster Hussey 2001). For an organization to function effectively, it needs to gain the confidence of the market. This confidence will increase the chances that people will be willing to invest in the corporation or endorse its products. Arguments in Favour of Shareholder Primacy The major r eason given by advocates of shareholder primacy is that the corporation belongs to its shareholders and due to this ownership; their interests should be put first (Holmstron Kaplan 2001). Friedman best advocated this school of thought in his 1970 essay where he noted that managers are agents who have promised to serve the shareholders who have entrusted them with their property (Green 1993). Management is therefore bound to act diligently in the best interest of the owners. Stout (2002) reveals that this argument is flawed since shareholders do not in actual fact own the corporation but rather own stocks which means that they their ownership is limited. Boatright (2006) agrees with this by noting that shareholders do not own the corporation in the same way that a person could own a house or a vehicle. The alleged ownership refers to the bundle of rights that these group has. Shareholder primacy is based on the premise that more profits will lead to the creation of wealth for indiv iduals that will in turn benefit society (Husted de Jesus 2006). This argument holds true since creating wealth for individuals makes the community dynamic and people are able to engage in more economically productive endeavours. A look at the prominent economic systems of the world supports this since the capitalistic ideology which favours the capital contributors in the society is the most successful and vibrant system in the world. Placing emphasis on profits leads to strong performance by the corporation. Husted and de Jesus (2006) observe that strong industrial performance is beneficial to the society. Proponents of shareholder primacy argue that profit seeking will result in more efficient utilization of resources by management in order to increase productivity and in the end, offers the greatest benefits to the society as a whole. While it is true that shareholder primacy will result in higher returns, this wealth is not distributed to a large number of society members. Instead, it is concentrated within a few disproportionately wealthy members of the society. The argument that shareholder primacy will benefit society by creating wealth for many individuals in the society is therefore not entirely true. With this consideration, Grossman (2005) suggests that corporations owe an obligation to society to at least be good corporate citizens and provide some social services even if these might decrease their profits. Social responsibilities imposed on business may hamper business growth and render it unable to operate (Husted, BW de Jesus 2006). Friedman argued that management â€Å"possess neither the authority nor the moral right to divert shareholders’ profits for the welfare of the general public† since they are merely agents of the stockholders (Grossman 2005, p.574). Advocates of shareholder primacy reinforce this argument by asserting that it is not right for the society to impose welfare obligations on the corporation. If individ ual stockholders choose to use their profit for worthy causes, they can do this but the choice should not be made by managers who have been appointed to run the company. While market forces should be the main determinant of how the corporation reacts, the corporation has an obligation to the society. Businesses have to conform to the basic rules of the society and avoid seeking only profits. Stakeholders assume significant risk by investing their resources to the firm and for this reason, their financial interests should be the primary objective of management. Individuals who invest in corporations do this in the hope of achieving greater returns in business than they would if they engage in business activities independently. Boatright (2006) states that the prospect of significant financial benefits is what makes individuals with economic assets voluntarily agree to contribute their assets to production in an organization. Shareholders are likely to suffer from personal losses if the corporation fails. This is because they are the people who have invested money into the organization. Since shareholders agree to take up significant risk in investing in the corporation, it is appropriate for the managers to work towards ensuring that these risk takers obtain high levels of profit from their shares. Risk taking does not give the stakeholders all the power over the corporation. While the other stakeholders might not take the risk, their involvement facilitates the profitability of the organization. Their concerns should therefore also be addressed. Conclusion This paper set out to dispute the accepted financial axiom that the primary objective of management is to increase the wealth of shareholders and owners. The paper has demonstrated that the shareholder wealth maximization concept does not serve the best interests of the society as a whole. It has shown that the assumption that shareholder primacy and other party’s interests coincide since the maximi zation of stockholder wealth improves the welfare of society is wrong. It has revealed that the view that companies with rising share prices are economically efficient is flawed since business performance should not be measured through a single metric. Weak shareholder wealth maximization norms have also been observed to be healthier for the economy of a nation since they can have the impact of increasing national wealth through increased production. Voices have over the last two decades been raised against the shareholder primacy model advocated by Friedman. Corporate managers are increasingly required by the society to consider the interests of more than just the shareholders and owners of the company. This paper has demonstrated that corporations are faced with expectations not only from their shareholders but also from their employees and the society. They must therefore act in a manner that takes into consideration the needs of non-shareholder actors. A corporation that addre sses societal needs has a greater chance of succeeding and therefore increasing the value for its stakeholders. Management should therefore overcome its predisposition to only focus on the needs of the shareholders and make decisions that appeal to the needs of all the relevant stakeholders. References Albright, SK 2008, ‘Environmental scanning: radar for success’, The Information Management Journal, vol. 12 no. 2, pp. 38-45. Bejou, D 2011, ‘Compassion as the New Philosophy of Business’, Journal of Relationship Marketing, vol. 10 no. 1, pp. 1-6. Boatright, J 2006, ‘What’s Wrong – and What’s Right – with Stakeholder Management’, Journal of Private Enterprise, vol. 11 no. 2, pp. 106-130. Green, R 1993, ‘Shareholders as Stakeholders: Changing metaphors of Corporate Governance’, Washington and Lee Law Review, vol. 50 no. 4, pp. 1409-1421 Grossman, A 2005, ‘Refining the role of the corporation: the impa ct of corporate social responsibility on shareholder primacy theory’, Deakin Law Review, vol. 10 no. 2, pp. 572-596. Holmstron, B Kaplan, NS 2001, ‘Corporate Governance and Takeovers in the U.S.: Making Sense of the ’80s and ’90s’, Journal of Economic Perspectives, vol. 22 no.2, pp.121-144. Husted, BW de Jesus Salazar, J 2006, ‘Taking Friedman Seriously: Maximising Profits and Social Performance’, Journal of Management Studies, vol. 43 no. 1, pp 76-91. Jenster, P Hussey, D 2001, Company Analysis: Determining Strategic Capability, Wiley, New Jersey. Kellerman, B. (2007) ‘What Every Leader needs to know About Followers.’ Harvard Business Review 85,(12) 84-91. Solo, A 2000, Economic Organizations and Social System, University of Michigan Press, Michigan. Stout, L 2002, ‘Bad and not-so-bad arguments for shareholder primacy’, Southern California Law Review, vol. 75 no. 1, pp. 1989-1210. Stout, L 2012, ‘The problem of corporate purpose’, Issues in Governance Studies, vol. 48 no. 3, pp. 1-14. This essay on Management: Shareholder Wealth Optimization was written and submitted by user Isabella Tyler 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.

Create A Compelling Marketing Personal Statement Essay Example

Create A Compelling Marketing Personal Statement Essay Example Create A Compelling Marketing Personal Statement Essay Create A Compelling Marketing Personal Statement Essay Marketing personal statement is a document expected to be written by a student at the time of applying in a marketing school. Marketing is a very tough field as it calls for certain special qualities and most importantly a convincing ability. The personal statement expresses those qualities, inspiration or determination through the writing. It gives you a wonderful opportunity to put aside your grades and shine through the statement as a dedicated person. The reason that majority of schools or colleges these days need you to write a personal statement is mainly because they want to check how much potential you have. They want to see what qualities you possess which are essential for Marketing field and what sorts of adversities you have been through to pursue this field. Creating an effective personal statement allows you to express your strengths and weaknesses. It also shows the admission officer how your special personal traits cover those weaknesses. Also, use appropriate language in the statement because given that it is a marketing statement, the admission team will mainly focus on your communication skill. Basically marketing is all about how well you can communicate with the other person and how well you can convince them to agree with you. To write a compelling marketing personal statement you first need to determine some special qualities or aspects that set you apart. The main purpose of writing this statement is to convince the admission officers that you are a great fit not only for their college but also for the marketing community. Discover your personal traits that make you different from other applicants. The most ideal way to accomplish this goal is by using personal and true stories. Highlight your ordeals that you have experienced in your life. Highlight the struggles you have made to overcome those ordeals. List down your qualities along with a brief description and relate how those qualities will help you with achieving your future goals. Briefing your qualities or good points may seem like boasting but if it is done in the right manner it will surely make a great impact. Also, focus on creating a personal statement which is interesting or engaging to the admission officers. Do not just list down your achievements or qualities without a brief description and do not just place anecdotes randomly in the statement. Remember that you need to concentrate on making a marketing personal statement which expresses a perfect individual whom they seek for their college. Keep the following important points in mind while preparing a statement: Avoid using any unnecessary or too much humor in the statement. Do not use any quotes in the statement unless if it is very necessary. Avoid using any sort of religious views. Do not use false stories for the sake of impressing the officers. Do not use any jargons. Ensure that you have kept the word count of the statement in line with the given instructions by the admission department. Also ensure that spend some time on proofreading the entire document.

The Future of Job Search Strategies Findings of Career Jam 2017

The Future of Job Search Strategies Findings of Career Jam 2017 Good news! The Findings of 2017 Career Jam: Where Experts Forecast the New the Next, has been released by the Career Thought Leaders Consortium! This report summarizes the findings of brainstorming sessions about the future of job search strategies, which were held on December 1, 2017 in the United States, Canada, Spain, France, Austria, and the United Kingdom. Want to listen to a webinar about it? Go to this video about the future of job search strategies. Career Jam participants discussed topics with significant ramifications for job seekers: â€Å"best practices, innovations, trends, new programs, new processes, and other observations that are currently impacting, and are projected to impact, global employment, job search, and career management.† The sections that most interest me in the report are â€Å"Career Marketing Messages Documents† and â€Å"Social Media Profiles†¦Ã¢â‚¬  which include resumes, cover letters, and LinkedIn profiles, as well as other career marketing communications. I also wanted to highlight a couple of items for the future of job search strategy. Here are some of the findings and advice to keep in mind as you conduct your job search now or in the future: Career Marketing Messages Documents: Current Trends Resumes are not dead! While the use of LinkedIn profiles in the hiring process is on the rise in both the U.S. and Europe, most hiring managers still require a resume at some point in the hiring process, and your resume WILL make an impression. Use graphics. The use of graphic resumes is becoming more and more common – but make sure your graphics serve a specific purpose and communicate your value. Don’t get too creative. Infographic resumes are NOT hot. Supplemental materials in infographic form are welcome, however. ATS systems are becoming more advanced. Writers must satisfy both machines and humans with proper format and keywords. Make sure you’re on top of the latest capabilities and capacities of ATS systems. You might be surprised what they can and can’t understand. Job hopper? You’ll have a stigma to overcome if you’re a participant in the gig economy. The great cover letter debate: They are still important! When they are read, they can make the difference between candidates. Keep ‘em short and focused on a targeted, unique value proposition. Be careful about posting your resume to online job boards. Don’t put anything confidential on there! The public can gain access. Focus your career documents on what you can do for the employer. As I like to say, your resume is not about your past. It’s about your future. Track your success stories. Don’t wait until resume writing time to gather your successes. Keep a running list at all times! Career Marketing Messages Documents: What to Expect The use of multimedia will continue to increase. New tools will emerge. But the underlying message will remain, communicating your value. Cover letters will rebound. Lengthier cover letters might start to replace the resume. These letters would be highly researched and targeted to the company, for both contract workers and those applying to full-time positions. Social Media Profiles, Video Bios, Web Portfolios and Other Multimedia Tools: Current Trends Many of these recommendations can be found in my book, How to Write a KILLER LinkedIn Profile. It’s good to see people are listening and also confirming what works! LinkedIn profiles are becoming more multi-media with the addition of video. Use LinkedIns media features to attract more and longer profile views. Slideshows, infographics, and videos are all game. Your social media profile content must be aligned with your resume. This doesn’t mean they must be exactly alike. But as more recruiters are sourcing and screening candidates’ social media profiles during the hiring process, make sure you provide good resume-like content on LinkedIn. There is a trend toward shorter LinkedIn sections. You don’t necessarily have to use all the characters available. But if you have enough good stuff to say, why not? LinkedIn profiles are less job-search focused. Professionals are using LinkedIn for general branding purposes, not just for job search. Use storytelling concepts in your LinkedIn profile. LinkedIn profiles are not a dry narrative of your resume. Instead, consider who your audience is and who YOU are, and brand yourself with a story that stands out. Don’t appear unemployed or desperate on LinkedIn! ‘Nuf said. Professionals are getting savvier in their online search optimization. Make sure you are savvy with your keywords and keyword placement too! Personal websites have not become integrated into the hiring process for most recruiters, but they are useful for long-term branding. Social Media Profiles, Video Bios, Web Portfolios and Other Multimedia Tools: What’s Next With more video interviewing, candidate-driven video resumes are not welcome. Companies will specify any video content they want and when. People are concerned about sharing of profiles with Microsoft integration. I’m not as concerned. I don’t think that many people will even use this fancy feature  (Microsoft Resume Assistant), and no one can steal your content if you write it as your unique self with accomplishments no one else can claim. The Future of Job Search Strategy Job search is now quality over quantity. In the future of job search, focus is on relationship building with recruiters and companies. Cultivate your chances of getting a job that’s a great fit instead of applying to hundreds where your chances are slim. Networking is king, especially with the burgeoning of employee referral programs. More individuals (millennials) are negotiating salary and benefits during the interview process. Indeed.com is the preferred job board to use, if you’re using job boards. What? Snail mail? YES – mailing hard copies will get you attention from hiring managers. Do it! More and more individuals are in constant job search mode. This means every professional should have a resume and LinkedIn profile that make them shine and that they are proud of! References are more important than ever. So cultivate your relationships with potential references always. States and organizations are prohibiting hiring managers from asking about previous salary. Get coaching if you’re concerned you might be asked this question – and understand the company’s compensation structure and philosophy before entering into salary negotiations. Also see my articles Salary Negotiation for Women Part 1  and Part 2. It’s important to stay on top of the latest in job search documents and strategies. The Executive Expert and The Essay Expert are here to keep you informed, and to create the best possible career documents for your success. Read more about the New and the Next in Networking, Traditional Online Job Search Strategies; How Employees are Screened, Interviewed, and Hired; The Changing Face of Jobs, The Diverse, Multigenerational Workforce Globalization; and other important career resources and topics at Findings of 2017 Career Jam: Where Experts Forecast the New the Next. Or listen to the webinar here.

Work Placement Journal Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Work Placement Journal - Essay Example ‘Reflection-inaction occurs during the experience and involves making sense of the experience while it is happening.’ Beard & Wilson (2002:197). When being supervised how to distribute medication, I was shown the medication policy – used by the organization, which involved following the following; I realised that the medication policy where the distribution of medication is controlled was just a method or a way of cutting the budget to enhance the survival of the organization. This form of budget cut had adverse impacts on the organization. For example, the controlled medication ensures that less medication is used among the residents and this reduces the funding that the organization may receive. In most cases, when there is no use of resources, then no funding is done. Controlled medication also resuls to understaffing in the organization since the numbers of medications administered to the residents are very few. At this point, i was still a new member of staff therefore, I had to listen attentively to the director of the organization while he was giving me the instructions on medication policy. Through this i came to realise with time that my listening skills were developing. Attentive listening is an effective listening skill [Anderson 1993 page 108]. As the day went on, I was shown how to use the Alcohawk, which is used to breathalyze the residents, which needs to be carried out three times a day by a member of staff.The use of Alcohawk which is minimized to only three times a day by each member of staff was a form of budget cut in the ogarnization. To date, I have carried out five tests with the residents. Once each breathalyze had been done, it must be logged in the medication file so that other staff are aware of the results for next time. If the Alco hawk gave, a reading over 0.001 then that must be investigated and further questions must be asked as to whether the resident in

National Park Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

National Park - Essay Example The recent geological fossils discovery inclusive of 11,000 years sloth bones maintains the treasured specialty in the caves of Grand Canyon. Lots of animal tracks and marine fossils are eminent in the rock layers. The Colorado River resulted to Grand Canyon in its flow path hence unfolding more unique features both physically and geologically (Hall 56). The geological formations in this canyon contain precious minerals and metals that hold large historical information on earth formations. The main geological features clearly seen in Grand Canyon are the unique and complete sequence of rocks. There are over 40 layers of sedimentary rocks that are fully exposed in the Canyon. The park dates back between 200 million to 2 billion years ago. Most of these rocks were deposited in shallow and warm seas in North America. Another important geological feature is terrestrial and marine sediments in Grand Canyon (Abbott and Cook 158). Fossilized dunes believed to have an origin from an extinct desert other unconformities are also present in Grand Canyon area. A number of theoretical assumptions come into play when it comes to the formation of canyon geological features like rocks. Climate change, volcanism and continental drift serve as some of the scientific proofs towards formation of rocks. The erosive nature of Colorado River and the wind have resulted to exposure of the sedimentary rocks over a certain period. The reaction of the land to weather conditions over a long period with continuous living of plant and animals is the key behind fossils (Dowling and Newsome 162). The selection of the park is due to the unique feature and wide scope of geological features in the Canyon (Hall 56). Words cannot fully comprehend the speculations about this park hence it worth a visit. In accordance to the experience, there is a lot to see and learn about this spectacular geological ground. Depending on specified time of visit,

Substance Abuse in Household

Substance Abuse in Household Families where addiction is at hand are normally painful to live in, especially when a person is young. This is why individuals who live with addiction may become traumatized to varying levels by incidences. Wide changes, from one end of the disturbing, psychological, and behavioral range to the other, all too frequently characterize the addicted family system. Every member of the family is affected by the addiction. Coping with addiction can expose family members to unusual stress. Normal schedules are frequently being interrupted by abrupt or even frightening types of experiences that are part of coping with drug abuse. Addiction in the family can result in children having trauma that seriously affect growth and can have pervasive and long-term effects on them. Individuals arrive in life only partially hardwired by nature. The environment finishes the work of nature. Therefore, if an individual encounters family members who are addicted, he/she either become traumatized or live an abnormal life. Therefore, family addiction in the family affects daily living issues causing particular emotional, interpersonal, or even clinical mental health concerns. However, according to renowned research article, there available interventions, including family therapy interventions and counseling support from experts. The interventions are modified to fit the extent of addiction in the family, and the techniques and follow-ups employed vary. Forms of addiction in the family Substance abuse is probably the most widespread form of addiction in the family that has become chronic. According to research experts, addiction has been defined a major, progressive, unrelenting disorder with genetic, psychosocial, and ecological issues, which affects its expansion and signs. It may turn out to be fatal and progressive. The symptoms of various types of addiction in the family are a spoiled urge of the substance. Along with this worry with a certain substance and its frequent use, in spite of severe costs, characterize the same. It finally results in deformations in thinking. There has to be a complete understanding of what addiction in the family is, in order to single out problems such as drug, alcohol, and sexual addiction. This is important to seek out appropriate rehabilitation programs and addiction management to get back to normal life. Addiction to drugs, alcohol or even sexual addiction in the family are procedure addictions and are linked to compulsive character like shopping, gambling, and eating disorders. Drug, alcohol and sexual addiction affect the victim, but also hurt those associated with them including their family members, relatives, friends, and co-workers. In addition, addiction to substance, drugs, and sex are closely related: reliance on any one can and normally does result in headway to the other. Under such situations, the addict is no longer in charge and needs appropriate rehabilitation and addiction treatment session. Indications of addiction in the family Some signs of various types of addiction character related to substance, drugs and sex comprise of a preoccupation with the addictive character between periods of misuse, augmented levels of abuse, a development of tolerance to alcohol or the drug in contention or a mood of dissatisfaction in the concern of sexual addiction. When the affected individual tries to stop, there are distinctive withdrawal symptoms that urge the addict to relapse to addictive behavior to shun or control these symptoms. In addition, alcohol, substance, and sexual abuse can be visible at inappropriate times while working, or when withdrawal tends to disrupt daily functioning (Henderson, 92). There is a noticeable decrease in social, work-related, and recreational involvement with the addict opting for indulgence in addictive behavior. Involvement in family matters can be disrupted by addiction in the family. Effect on Family Members According to research experts, addicted families are frequently very endangered by what they recognize to be the threatening destruction of their family. Their very position in existence is being endangered; the ground beneath them is starting to move. Denial is a dysfunctional effort to put a good look on a bad circumstance by denying the effect addiction is having on the family setting and the existence of the proverbial pink elephant in the living room who is consuming ever-increasing space amounts of room. Reality is reprinted as family members try to bend it to make it less intimidating; to conceal their ever-emerging despair. Family members normally colluded in this refutation and anyone who tries to turn the attention onto cruel reality of addiction may be alleged to be disloyal. They run in place to cope with appearances, to themselves as well as relatives, while reacting to a sense of despair frequently nipping at their steps, again, we observe the cycles between limits that so distinguish addicted family systems. Therefore, it is simple for family members to experience hopeless, unhappiness, and inability to believe that things can ever transform. The family is at times gripped by the memory of aggression, infidelities, and various humiliations, such as yelling, howling, intimidating, or the silent treatment. The family requires and needs aid, yet cannot access it alone. Certainly, erroneous beliefs about addiction to alcohol and other substances can derail any attempts to assist the addict. Feelings of guilt are maximized by others The painful experience of guilt, shame, and fear emanating from the conflict of addictive manners with the persons own values normally develops states of unbearable inner trauma that make it tougher for the addict to restrain from resorting for to the initial addiction that is the grounds of negative feelings. Others who are prospering make this worse. The situation could worse when others start to accuse the victim starting family members to the members of the society who condemn the act of substance addiction (Barnard, 72). Effects on children Most accessible data shows that a parents drinking concern normally has a detrimental impact on children. The spouse of the individual abusing substances is probable to protect the children and neglect the parenting roles of the parent abusing substances. The impact on children is worse if both are addicted to alcohols or drugs (Digman and Soan, 100). Many mature children of addicts are at risk for a variety of psychological, social, and emotional concerns. The most notable factor is a negative self-esteem and feelings of worthlessness and disappointment. Many mature children of addicts do not attribute said dilemmas, feelings, and feelings to growing up in an alcoholic family. However, commonalities consist of failure to trust, impetuous character, and problems with violence and depression (Parsons, 2003). Most of the adult children of addicts have difficulties with intimate associations. Because they have been habituated to distrust people throughout their infancy occurrences, they deem that if they are in love with someone they will unavoidably be hurt. These children of addicts find this disbelieves to extend into adulthood. Without being competent to belief in themselves, they deem that they are not competent in dealing with uncomfortable emotions and this creates long-term concerns with nurturing positive and healthy cherished relationships (Parsons, 2003). The children normally feel out of control, make unfortunate career choices, and have mind-sets of worthlessness and breakdown. Many turn out to be parental breakdowns as well. Not astonishingly, some have concerns to do with abuse of psychoactive drugs or alcoholism. Such adult children have emotions of over-responsibility (Turney, 2007). Since there was such a short of responsibility in their childhood, they consider that they have to recompense it in adulthood. Treatment and Case Management Recovery for victims There are various stages and phases of possible recovery for an addicted person. In all these, abstinence necessitates a decision by the victim, and recovery needs time and effort. Physical recovery is the least multifaceted of the four recovery phases, even though it is normally the most instant. Physical recover occurs primarily because of self-denial alone. The body has an astonishing ability to mend itself, particularly when combined with medical care. Mental recovery is more multifaceted because it encompasses not only concerns associated with brain task and brain chemistry, but with concerns of attitudes, belief settings, and lucid, abstract thought. Emotional revival is more complex so far. In engages not only attitudes, belief settings, and lucid thought, but also ideas first cousin-feelings. Emotional revival consist of learning to handle feelings openly, honestly, and sensibly. It encompasses learning to articulate and resolve feelings in suitable and effective ways. For most individuals in recovery, emotional recovery takes ages. Treatment for the victim There are two possibilities when we are examining the victims of addiction: there are the addicts themselves, who are debatably victims, and then there are the relatives, friend, and family members of that addict. The family and relatives of the addict need to support him/her in to recover or cope with stigma. Various institutions help identify and manage cases of addictions. These include drug addiction and rehabilitation services that offer services to safeguard the health and welfare of addicts who are might have been victim drug abuse. Evidence Based Treatments Evidence-based practices are classified as intercessions that have depicted reliable scientific evidence of developing preferred client outcomes. The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) and the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) provide the following evidenced-based observations for substance use disorders (Miller, and Miller, M., 409). Cognitive Behavioral Interventions- this practice consist of using awareness and skill-building roles with clients Community Reinforcement- This practice consists of connecting the client with other required agencies and services in the society. Motivational Enhancement Therapy- this approach entails using inspirational interviewing strategies and interventions that are founded on a stages of change model. 12-Step Facilitation- this is a prearranged, personalized approach for introducing addicts to a 12-step program. This can result in improved meeting turnout for a longer period. Consistency Management- This practice involves behavioral contracting where addicts have chances to earn rewards for specific sought-after behaviors. Data shows that stimulant users react very well to this practice, remain in treatment longer, make quantifiable progress, and have better treatment results. Pharmacological Therapies- There is reasonable evidence that medication like Antabuse, Naltrexone, and Buprenorphine when used in combination with other therapies can assist stabilize an individuals life when their alcohol or substance use is out of hand. Systems Treatment- this refers to treating addicts in their usual social setting. Spouses therapy, family therapy, and multi-systemic family therapy are all instances of systems treatment models. There is quantifiable evidence showing that addicts whose families are engaged in the treatment procedure show enhanced outcomes. Systems treatment seems to be especially successful with young people. Integrated Dual Disorders Treatment- This treatment practice assists people revive by presenting mental health and substance abuse treatment cares jointly, in one setting. The same medical team provides a personalized treatment arrangement, which handles both mental health and substance abuse concerns. A wide choice of services if provided in a level-wise manner, as service needs change over the course of treatment. Case management There are various ways where an addict manages his/her predicament. The management also involves family members, close friends, and relatives. The following are the most common management and recovery procedures, and they are scientifically experimented. Illness Management and recovery- Wellness self-management involves a series of strategies engineered to assist addicts manage their symptoms. Psycho-education, social skills teaching, cognitive character therapy, and survival skills teaching have shown to assist consumers handle their own mental health, minimize symptoms and relapses, and reduce the adverse effects of psychiatric illness on communal and role functioning. Medication Management- The rudiments of a successful model to optimize the use of medications include: (1) a methodical evidence-based practice to medication selection and use; (2) measurement of treatment reaction and side effects; and (3) hard work to improve addict devotion to taking prescribed medicines. Assertive Community Treatment (ACT), intensive Case management (ICM) Vital features of ACT, and Intensive case management consist of the following: a little caseload, provision of services in addicts natural environment, a 24-hour care, and organization of comprehensive multi-disciplinary services through frequent treatment team gatherings. Family Psycho-education- Successful family intervention practices offer a mixture of education, analytic, crisis intervention, and support. Family psycho-education has been depicted to minimize relapse rate and facilitate revival of individuals who have mental sickness and/or co-morbid disorders. Integrated Treatment for Co-Occurring Substance Use and Mental Health Disorders- Substance use treatment that is incorporated with mental health treatment and customized for persons with mental illness is more successful than detached substance use and mental health services. Successful programs also incorporate other services such as case management, medications, shelter, vocational psychotherapy, and family intervention (Ries, et al., 372). Trauma Services- There is a rising body of evidence that timely intervention following traumatic occurrences can avoid a diversity of behavioral disorders. Successful treatment following traumatic incidents should incorporate personalized counseling taking historical relation of both current and past trauma and providing psycho-educational data about trauma occurrence. Successful treatment will encompass concurrent treatment of trauma concerns and co-morbid concerns including substance abuse when appropriate. Support groups Support groups help much in minimizing cases addictions and in cases of traumatized families, it helps to bring back the trust in the affected children and families. These groups are formed to reach out for mature survivors of addiction and help prevent recurring cases addiction. Dissociative disorder support groups help victims who have dissociative disorders for instance DID. Recommended books and journals There are various journals for traumatized victims. These help victims, parents, siblings, and families of substance addiction. In these journals, families of traumatized victims and children of addiction can find information on how to deal with the situations at hand. They can access knowledge on how to detect and probably prevent cases addiction their families. In conclusion, addiction in the family can be painful to both the victim and the people around him/her. This is more pronounced in a family where every member is traumatized by such incidences. The most members of the family are children at a younger stage, whereby they can also become victims of addiction, and later in life have unfortunate intimate relationship. Nevertheless, early diagnosis and treatment of addiction in the family helps much in minimizing the extent of addictions, and prevent possible cases recurring addictions. Treatment takes various forms and it involves not only the victims, but also the family members. The treatment can be tailored to fit individuals and extent of addictions. These treatments range from rehabilitation to mental health treatment. It also involves case management where victims can be able to manage their symptoms. Addicted persons and members of the family can also find help in support groups. In addition, they can find helpful information in b ooks and journals to enable them to manage trauma and related cases. Work cited Barnard, Marina. Drug Addiction and Families. London: Jessica Kingsley Publishers, 2007. Digman, Carmel and Soan, Sue. Working With Parents: A Guide for Education Professionals. New York: SAGE Publications Ltd, 2008. Henderson, Elizabeth. Understanding Addiction. Mississippi: Univ. Press of Mississippi, 2000. Lowinson, Joyce, Ruiz, Pedro and Millman, Robert. Substance Abuse: A Comprehensive Textbook. 4th Ed. New York: Lippincott Williams Wilkins, 2005. Miller, Peter and Miller, Peter M. Evidence-Based Addiction Treatment. London: Academic Press, 2009. Parsons, T. (2003). Alcoholism and Its Effect on the Family. AllPsych Journal. Retrieved March 3, 2011, from http://allpsych.com/journal/alcoholism.html. Ries, Richard, Miller, Shannon, Fiellin, David and Saitz, Richard. Principles of Addiction Medicine. 4th Ed. Baltimore: Lippincott Williams Wilkins, 2009. Turney, L. (2007). Children of alcoholics: Getting past the games addicted parents play. Do It Now Foundation. Retrieved March 3, 2011, from http://www.doitnow.org/ pages/808.html.

Explain the role of effective communication Essay

A common form of communication is texting. This electronic form is used every day and can be used as a replacement for voice utilized conversation if the communicator is unable to speak. Another form of communication is drama. Drama is an expressive art and is often used as a way to allow people to express themselves emotionally in meaningful ways or to relay a message. Sign language is an important form of communication as it aids communication with individuals who are unable to hear or speak. It consists of the use of the hands forming different shapes, movements or symbols to represent a word or phrase and it becoming increasingly popular. In health and social care, effective communication is essential and significant as it ensures that workers are doing their jobs correctly and patients are in good care. This means that workers need to communicate with a wide range of people such as colleagues, professionals, workers from different agencies and patients. When communicating with colleagues, health and social worker need to make sure they are being polite and respectful as not only does this build a strong working relationship, but it is also a way of practicing how to speak to patients and others who use the services. Having a strong working relationship with colleagues ensures that health and social workers are able to listen effectively which is highly important as they will need to know and remember important information about their job and patients. It also helps to build trust as, like with patients, workers must try to keep and respect the confidentiality of others. People who work in professions often have ‘language communities’. A ‘language community’ is a professions individual form of communication that contains unique words and phrases that are particular to that profession. When health and social workers are communicating with people from different professions it is easy for them to misunderstand each other, there for it is important for the workers to listen carefully and check to ensure that they understood correctly to avoid and problems later on. Likewise, health and social workers also need to make sure that when they are communicating with patients and others who use the services that they are explaining themselves properly and not using their community language so the patients will understand. Also, when  communicating with professionals from different agencies, it is important for health and social workers to be aware that not everyone is from the same language community so it is necessary to take extra care and communicate in a way that everyone will understand. There are two types of interpersonal interaction; verbal and non-verbal. Verbal communication most often refers to speech. People from different areas, backgrounds and professions often have different variations of speech depending on the words and phrases that they use; this is known as a ‘language community’. Although this brings people together, it can also shut them out and make people feel excluded. An example of this would be that health and social workers are all part of a language community however this could be a barrier to those who are not such as patients for example. In speech many people use their mother tongue or first language which is the language that they grew up knowing and speaking. However, some people are open to a second language that they may have learnt later on. Although this has its advantages, it is said that people who use their second language as opposed to those who use their first, cannot communicate their thoughts as effectively. Non-verbal communication can take many forms such as a person’s posture and body language, the gestures they use, their facial expressions and their ability to listen. Through non-verbal communication, people can often tell how others are feeling, for example happy, sad or even tense. A person’s body language can include their posture, proximity and movement which all send out messages. Sitting up straight can often mean a person is listening and they are attentive where as if a person was to slouch it would send out the message that they are bored or not paying attention. This is similar to other movements such as nodding your head. The way a person moves also conveys messages such as walking quickly may be recognised as stress or a lack of posture may mean a person is tired. The proximity between two people when they communicate also reveals information. If two people who are socially distant or do not have a close relationship are talking, they may stand further apart as to be polite and not get into each other space however if two people are very close they may feel they can close the distance and be a little more intimate.