Mcdonald Pestel and External Analysis Essay Example

Mcdonald Pestel and External Analysis Essay Example Mcdonald Pestel and External Analysis Essay Mcdonald Pestel and External Analysis Essay Globalization has made the globe considerably smaller. States lines have turned into practically a divider separating certain regions of a massive unitary community. Businesses are the one that are highly affected by this occurrence. The virtual closeness of states has made trade and commerce an international event. Together with these advances, the key standards of business are similarly taken into account. Macdonald McDonald’s is one of the worlds most well-known and valuable brands and holds a leading share in the globally branded quick service restaurant segment of the informal eating-out market in virtually every country and the leading global foodservice retailer with more than 30,000 local restaurants serving more than 58 million people in more than 119 countries each day. A McDonalds restaurant is operated by a franchisee, an affiliate, or the corporation itself. The corporations revenues come from the rent, royalties and fees paid by the franchisees, as well as sales in company-operated restaurants. McDonald’s Vision McDonald’s vision is to be the world’s best quick service restaurant experience. McDonald’s Culture McDonald’s culture is the love towards McDonald’s brand and the respecting the company values imbibed in its rich history. McDonald’s Culture McDonald’s culture is the love towards McDonald’s brand and the respecting the company values imbibed in its rich history. History of McDonald’s * Started in 1940, when two brothers, Dick and Mac McDonald opened the first McDonald’s restaurant in California. In 1954, an entrepreneur and milkshake-mixer salesman, Ray Kroc, acquired the franchise of McDonald’s * In 1961, Kroc convinced the McDonald brothers to sell the business rights to him for a sum $2. 7milion. * In 1963, the mascot Ronald McDonald was born as a part of a marketing strategy in US. Happy Meal was introduced in US in 1979. * The year 1984 was marked by the death of Ray Kroc. * In 1994, McDonald’s bagged the Catalyst Award for its program for ‘fostering leadership development in women’. * In 1996, the first INDIAN Restaurant  was opened. In 1998, the first Macdonald’s was opened in PAKISTAN * In 2003, the company launched the ‘I’m lovin’ it’ campaign. McDonalds Practices There were three factors that were chosen to outline the success of McDonald’s corporation. The first factor is globalization, which is define as closer contact between different parts of the world, with increasing possibilities of personal exchange, mutual understanding and friendship between world citizens. Diversity, the difference among people and cultures, is the second factor discussed in the paper. The final factor is ethics, which can be defined as a set of principles of right conduct. This paper explains how the McDonald Corporations uses the factors to conduct business around the world. McDonald’s in Globalization Globalization has affected almost every aspect of life in almost every nation. From economic to social to culture, this widespread exchange of goods, services and ideas have influenced changes around the world. Even though the cultural influence in globalization is of slight significance to policy makers, its power has tremendous consequences to the nations involved and its people. Food is an important element in defining culture. â€Å"Food is the oldest global carrier of culture. † Any changes in the foods that we eat, in its preparation, the way it is served and consumed diminishes the traditional beliefs of the people. External factors and Strategies Political Factors The international operations of McDonald’s are highly influenced by the individual state policies enforced by each government. For instance, there are certain groups in Europe and the United States that clamor for state actions pertaining to the health implications of eating fast food. 2005) They have indicated that harmful elements like cholesterol and adverse effects like obesity are attributable to consuming fast food products. The company is controlled by the individual policies and regulations of operations. Specific markets focus on different areas of concern such as that of health, worker protection, and environment. All these elements are seen in the government control of the licensing of the restaurants in the respective states. For instance the meat issue in India. Therefore, McDonalds deal directly with the proper authorities in the respective markets that they intend to operate in. This way, a good way of establishes good relationship with the government. So Mcdonald’s transforms its menu in different countries but the core menu remains the same. Economic factors Branches and franchises of fast food chains like McDonald’s has the tendency to experience hardship in instances where the economy of the respective states is hit by inflation and changes in the exchange rates. The customers consequently are faced with a stalemate of going over their individual budgets. Particularly, their problem depends on the response of the consumers on these fundamentals and how it could influence their general sales. In regarding the operations of the company, food chains like McDonald’s tend to import much of their raw materials into a specific territory if there is a dearth of supply. Exchange rate fluctuations will also play a significant role in the operations of the company. Hence, if a franchise operates in a particularly economically weak state, hence their products shall cost higher than the other existing products in the market, then these franchises must take on certain adjustments to maintain the economies of scale. So, McDonalds, before penetrating the market, the company carry out a well conducted market research, especially in the movements in the economic environment. The frequency of the shifts in the inflation rate as well as the fluctuations in the exchange rate affects the operations of the company socio-cultural McDonald’s indulge a particular variety of consumers with definite types of personalities. It has also been noted that the company have given the markets such as the United Kingdom, an option with regards to their dining needs. It’s been pointed out that McDonald’s has launched a sensibly valued set of food that tenders a reliable level of quality for the respective market where it operates. Additionally, those who are aged just below the bracket of thirty-five are said to be the most frequent consumers of McDonald’s franchises. The multifaceted character of business nowadays is reflected in the harsh significance of the information on the subject of the existing market. In the case of McDonald’s they establish a good system in determining the needs of the market. The company uses concepts of consumer behaviour product personality and purchasing decisions to its advantage. Before a franchise is granted to a particular market, a well drafted and comprehensive market research is conducted initially so as to establish the acts that would conform to good customs, public policies, and morals of the said state. Similarly, the McDonalds find out the shifts in areas like the consumer behaviour and purchasing patterns of the market. Fundamentally, this is the key condition for executing a suitable customer relationship management system. Technological Factors McDonald’s generates a demand for their own products. (2006) The company’s key tool for marketing is by means of television advertisements. There are similarly some claims that McDonald’s are inclined to interest the younger populations more. The existence of play spots as well as toys in meals offered by the company shows this actuality. ( 1995) Other demonstration of such a marketing strategy is apparent in the commercials of they use. They employ animated depictions of their characters like Grimace and Hamburglar. Other advertising operations employ popular celebrities to promote their products. The like   has become endorsers for McDonald’s worldwide â€Å"loving’ it† campaign. Moreover, the operations of McDonald’s have significantly been infused with new technology. Elements like the inventory system and the management of the value chain of the company allows for easy payments for their suppliers and other vendors which the individual stores in respective markets deal with. The integration of technology in the operations of McDonalds tend to add value to their products. Basically, this is manifested in the improvements on its value chain. The improvement of the nventory system as well as its supply chain allows the company to operate in an international context. McDonalds Use the internet to their advantage. The cost-effectiveness, interactivity and real-time effects of the communications are a way to find suppliers. It is also a good way to correspond with the respective McDonald’s headquarters in every state. The company also looks i nto the use of IT to enhance their inventory operations. As the operations in its inbound and outbound logistics improve, the company will expect significant savings and reduction of costs in the operations. Legal Factors There has been the recurrent bellowing in opposition to the fast food industry. This has similarly made McDonald’s apply a more careful consideration on their corporate social responsibilities. On the whole, this addressed the need of the company to form its corporate reputation to a more positive one and a more socially responsible company. Hire local counsels to deal with the legal conflicts in individual markets on which the company may encounter. This is shall ensure the company that the lawyers that will handle their legal affairs are more versed with the legal regime that would iron out certain creases on their operations. Environmental Factors The social responsibilities of McDonald’s on the state are influential to the operations of the company. These entail accusations of environmental damage. Among the reasons why they are charged with such claims is the employ of non-biodegradable substances for their drinks glasses and Styrofoam coffers for the meals. (1997) Several civic groups in Hong Kong have made actions to make the McDonald’s franchises in Hong Kong aware of the rather copious use of Styrofoam containers and the resultant abuse of the environment. 1997) further indicated that in 1995, McDonald’s Hong Kong went over the Styrofoam used by both Australia and the United States combined. McDonald Monitor the waste disposal of the company. They are trying to minimize the use of Styrofoam materials and plastic cups. Constant updating of the social corporate responsibility is imperative. This should also entail that the headquarters should take in hand a manner of internal cont rol of those that would infringe upon this company objective. Sanctions such as revoking of the franchise license or a particularly high fine should be installed to serve as a deterrent to infringement. Transformation of menu Important strategic decisions are a key factor to their success with consideration for both internal and external factors. When considering the foreign market, companies need to consider there are risks. There must be local marketing to appeal to the local consumers and also to build relationships and trust (Bateman amp; Scott, 2004). Therefore, the strategic planning for marketing has to be effective The globalization of McDonald’s has raised many debates on both sides of the issue. The pro- globalization belief is that it enhances culture rather than adulterate. Radley Balko (2003), states that â€Å"In most communities, in fact, the McDonald’s has conformed to the local culture not the other way around. The McDonald’s corporation notes that most of its overseas franchises are locally owned, and thus make efforts to buy from local communities. McDonald’s also alters its regional menus to conform to local taste. † There has been a loss of traditional values with the introduction of non traditional food into the culture of foreign countries. The types of foods are symbolic to particular regions, religions and mores. In India, to the Hindu people, the cow is considered to be sacred as part of its religion. According to the AsianInfo. org (2007), â€Å"Diversity can be found in India’s food as well as its culture, geography and climate. † â€Å"Although a number of religions exist in India, the two cultures that have influenced Indian cooking and food habits are the Hindu and the Muslim tradition. † With the introduction of non traditional foods into this society, as with many others, there are adverse effects on the traditions it tries to uphold. These are just some of the concerns which affect the issue of food culture and globalization. Many more arise as a result of the introduction of fast food restaurants like McDonald’s into diverse cultures around the world. Some changes are embraced by the population while others are seen as a threat to the way of life that has been established for centuries. Some are adverse to the idea of globalization as a hold and perceive McDonald’s as a representation of this ideal and as a result hold them responsible. The question arises; does the globalization of McDonald’s adversely or positively affect the culture of different nations? Even though there has been many changes in the eating habits of the nations influenced by the introduction of McDonalds there has been many positive aspects. With the advancement of technology and communication the world itself seem to be moving at a faster pace. The advent of fast food into foreign cultures allows the opportunity to keep up with this fast pace. Culture is ever changing and thus McDonalds marks another step in the evolution of culture with the changes in has brought about. The menu has given people a new choice over the traditional foods eaten in the past. The McDonaldized institution has really spread across continents giving rise to a number of indigenous fast food chains. There is also the case of Asianization where Asian cuisine such as Fried rice is rapidly spreading all over the world. Unemployed youth are taking advantage of the McDonaldized institution to set up fast food businesses on the streets. This can be called fast food-street food. There are good and bad sides to this phenomenon therefore we need to find out the bad sides and improve upon them. Some traditional foods may also come with problems especially in terms of health so while we criticize fast food we should also analyze some traditional food at least for their nutritional importance. Each country implements the core McDonald’s menu to which in-country management is free to add localized menu items, e. g. , the Croque McDo in France, the Chicken Maharaja Mac in India and salads in many parts of the world. Internal Factors and Strategies McDonald’s training programs McDonald’s training programs are delivered in up to 40 languages, with the primary languages being Chinese (Simplified and Traditional), English (both International/Commonwealth and U. S. ), French, German, Italian, Japanese, Portuguese and Spanish for the top markets. The training materials consist of two elements: * core content which applies globally for maintaining consistent food quality and services worldwide, and * locale-specific content based on local menu items, food safety regulations and labor practices, etc. The company continues to invest and support initiatives to adapt its products and services to different locales to ensure its global brand. Fully globalized, right? Unique decisions to each country McDonald’s caters its menu in other countries to the cultures of the regions. For example, in India, the non-vegetarian menu includes chicken and fish items only (Welcome, n. d. ). Beef is not on the menu in India because are considered sacred. Global marketing decisions are no different than those made domestically but the decisions are unique to each country (Sister amp; Sister, 2005). Diverse workforce In the United States alone, McDonald’s has won numerous awards and received national recognition for diversity. Furthermore, operating on a global scale allows a company’s employees to experience working in different cultural environments. This is a good marketing strategy for recruiting employees. McDonald’s has a global core curriculum for its restaurant management (McDonald’s, 2004). Paula Doherty, a general manager states, â€Å"I’ve had incredible experience in different countries and†¦cultures†¦as a trainee manager – from Poland to Israel to the Philippines and more. Doing the job successfully has given me a real sense of achievement† . This business strategy speaks to their commitment to a diverse workforce. McDonald’s commitment to diversity is established on the foundational belief that diversity is not just a moral and ethical issue, but also a business issue (McDonald’s, 2005). Due to the global expanse of McDonald’s business, diversity has become an integral part of the internal company culture. McDonald’s has over 30,000 restaurants around the world, which means franchise owner/operators, employees, and customers represent just about every culture, religion or ethnicity on earth. In addition, McDonald’s promotes the use of local suppliers and based on their policies of diversity, expects and retains suppliers that have a similar diversity culture. Knowing and understanding the local customs and traditions of the communities where McDonald’s has established businesses, integrating people from these communities into the company, and adapting locally to the tastes and cuisines of the community, has made McDonald’s the leader in their industry. McDonald’s realizes that having diversity as an asset greatly enhances the profitability of the company. Diversity is a direct reflection of a company’s interpersonal relationships. These relationships, if positive, result in a rewarding venture. Conversely, if the relationships are negative, the company’s morale declines and if not addressed, leads to the deterioration of the company. This deterioration directly impacts the company’s income and the community’s acceptance of the business. However, McDonald’s leadership encourages diversity through their policies and programs. McDonald’s proven success with leveraging the advantages of diversity can be attributed to their core value of ethics. Ethics McDonald’s success is built on the foundation of personal and professional integrity. From the beginning, McDonald’s has based its reputation on trust and dependability, and their commitment to the community made them a household name. Founder Ray Kroc, believed in giving something back to the community in order to make the world a better place. Throughout the 1970’s, McDonald’s became involved with a lot of charity work. In 1974 established a charity called Ronald McDonald House. The purpose of this program was to provide temporary housing for the families of seriously ill children receiving treatment at nearby hospitals. Since the 70s, more than 10 million families around the world benefited from the comfort provided by Ronald McDonald Houses. Innovative programs In addition to their community involvement, McDonalds has a long-standing commitment to environmental protection. Restaurants around the world have innovative programs for recycling, resource conservation, and waste reduction. The environmental achievements of this corporation have been recognized by organizations such as the Audubon Society, Conservation International, Keep America Beautiful, the National Recycling Coalition, and the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency. People focus McDonalds is also an equal opportunity employer. As an equal opportunity employer McDonald’s ensures that employees and job applicants are selected, trained, and promoted without discrimination to race, gender, sexual orientation, age or disability. The company promotes their employees based on their relevant skill, talents, and performance. In support of this McDonalds promotes and sustains a working environment, which is free from unlawful discrimination, harassment and bullying. Employees are regarded as members of a team where everyones opinion is valued and respected. The Human Resources department monitors the effectiveness of the discrimination policies at regular intervals. Employees who feel that they have been treated unfairly are encouraged to use the remedies outlined in the Companys handbooks. McDonald’s ethical standards, as well as their strategies for globalization and diversity are instrumental to the overall success of the company. Here external and internal factors were discussed above that have affected McDonald’s. This was achieved by explaining what the factors are where and how McDonald’s dealt with each of the external and internal factors. The factors discussed were globalization, diversity, and ethics. The assignment illustrates how globalization is necessary for success and survival of McDonalds in the worldwide market. The paper also shows how diversity integrated people from different communities into the company, and adapted tastes and cuisines of the community. McDonalds showed ethics by being an active leader in the communities. There are many different values to the dollar around the world, many issues that have occurred in many of those regions/websites, and about 119 countries served by McDonald’s that rely on the functions of management to succeed.

Present Progressive Tense of Spanish

Present Progressive Tense of Spanish The present progressive tense of Spanish is formed with the simple present tense of estar followed by a present participle, also known as a gerund. Differences Between Progressive and Simple Tenses Thus, the present progressive forms of comer are: Estoy comiendo. I am eating.Ests comiendo. You are eating.Est comiendo. You/he/she are/is eating.Estamos comiendo. We are eating.Estis comiendo. You are eating.Estn comiendo. You/they are eating. Something you may notice right away is that the simple present tense can also be translated the same way. Thus comemos can also mean We are eating. So whats the difference? The main difference is that, like the other progressive verb forms, the present progressive (also known as the present continuous) tense emphasizes the process, or that something is in progress, more than the simple present does. The difference can be a subtle one, and there isnt always a big difference in meaning between the simple present and the present progressive. Again, the matter is one of emphasis. You may ask a friend,  ¿En que piensas? or  ¿En que ests pensando? and they both would mean What are you thinking about? But the latter places more emphasis on the thinking process. In some contexts (but not all), the connotation of the Spanish progressive might be conveyed in a sentence such as What are you thinking? where the English verbal emphasis gives a slight change of meaning. How the Present Progressive Is Used Here are some examples of sentences where the in-progress nature of the verbs action can be seen: Estoy escribiendo el plan de negocios para mi empresa. (I am writing the business plan for my enterprise.)Estamos estudiando la posibilidad de hacerla bianualmente. (We are studying the possibility of doing it biannually.) ¿Le estn saliendo sus primeros dientitos? (Are his first baby teeth growing out?)Me estoy rompiendo en pedazos. (Im falling apart. Literally, Im breaking in pieces.)Los libros electrà ³nicos estn ganando popularidad. (Electronic books are gaining popularity.) The present progressive can suggest that something is happening right now, and sometimes it can indicate that the action is something unexpected or likely to be of short duration:  ¿Quà © es esto que estoy sintiendo? (Whats this Im feeling now?)No me molestes. Estoy estudiando. (Dont bother me. Im studying.) ¿Ãƒâ€°sto es lo que ests diciendo? (This is what youre telling me?)Puedo ver que ests sufriendo. (I can see youre suffering.) And sometimes, the present progressive can be used for almost the opposite, to indicate that something is constantly happening over and over, even though it may not be happening at the moment: Sabemos que estamos comiendo maà ­z transgà ©nico. (We know we are constantly eating genetically engineered corn.)Las unidades se estn vendiendo ilegalmente en los Estados Unidos. (The units keep on being sold illegally in the United States.)Los barcos de aluminio satisfarà ­an bien si usted est pescando mucho en los rà ­os. (The aluminum boats would be quite suitable if you are fishing all the time in rivers.) Keep in mind that while many of the sample sentences here are translated using the present progressive in English, you shouldnt habitually translate that English form to Spanish that way. Spanish students frequently overuse the progressive, partly because it is used in English in ways that it isnt in Spanish. For example, the English sentence We are leaving tomorrow, would be nonsensical if translated using the Spanish present progressive, as Estamos saliendo would typically be understood to mean We are leaving now or We are in the process of leaving. Other Progressive Tenses Progressive tenses can also be formed by using the other tenses of estar. Although some of the tenses are seldom used, they are used much like their English counterparts. As with the present tense, the use of a progressive rather than simple tense puts an emphasis on the continuing nature of the action. An example is the preterite progressive, which indicates that an action continued over a period of time but came to a definite end. This can be seen in this sentence: La compaà ±ia estuvo comprando derechos de agua. (The company was buying water rights.) The same sentence could be reworded into the imperfect progressive (La compaà ±ia estaba comprando derechos de agua) without a change in translation, but its meaning would change slightly. In the imperfect, the sentence doesnt clearly indicate that the purchasing came to an end. Progressive tenses can even be formed using the perfect tenses of estar. For example, the future perfect progressive is used in this sentence: Habrà © estado viajando aproximadamente 24 horas. (I will have been traveling about 24 hours.) Key Takeaways The progressive tenses are formed by combining a form of estar with the present participle or gerund.The progressive tenses emphasize the continuing nature of the action.English speakers should be careful not to overuse the progressive tenses in Spanish, which uses them less frequently than English does.

Coursework Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 1

Coursework - Essay Example Furthermore, section 2(1) of the HRA asserts that â€Å"A court or tribunal determining a question which has arisen in connection with a Convention right must take into account Convention rights† and any determinations by the European Court of Human Rights3. Moreover, section 3(1) imposes a positive obligation on judicial authorities to interpret all legislation â€Å"in away which is compatible with the Convention rights†. Accordingly, the HRA â€Å"has had the effect of incorporating the European Convention on Human rights into our law giving individuals rights which can be directly enforced in the UK courts4†. The focus of this analysis is to consider how the HRA has impacted the judicial approach to human rights claims prior to and after the implementation of the HRA, with reference to case law particularly Fitzpatrick v Sterling Housing Association5and Ghaidan v Mendoza.6 Prior to the implementation of the ECHR, the courts would exploit uncertainty in existing legal principles to incorporate Convention rights through the backdoor on public policy grounds7. For example, in the case of Waddington v Miah8, Lord Reid expressly referred to Article 7 of the Convention in reaching his determination exploiting ambiguity in existing legislation applicable to the case. However, the fundamental difference is that Parliamentary sovereignty was paramount, and prevented any significant increases in levels of human rights protection under national law prior to the HRA9. Moreover, Parliament was free to remove or control individual liberties at any time by passing appropriate legislation. However, the HRA goes further whereby the role of the judiciary is to act as guardian to individual human rights10. As such, it is argued that the HRA sets a new standard for all new legislation and provides essential powers to UK courts to enforce Convention rights, thereby arguably forcing

Healthy Grief Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Healthy Grief - Essay Example â€Å"Grief is an emotional process† as what Hood, Hill & Spilka (2009, p. 198) quoted. In literature, the discussions that are common are about stages of grief, models of grief and ritual grief (Hood, Hill & Spilka, 2009, p. 198). Kubler-Ross & Kessler (2005, p. 7) stated that there are five stages of grief. These â€Å"five stages are denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance† (Kubler-Ross & Kessler, 2005, p. 7). These are the process in which each person should undergo once they experience the loss of someone. According to them, these are only identifiers for which a person feels when in time of grief, but it does not conclude that a person will experience all of these stages (Kubler-Ross & Kessler, 2005, p. 7). Also, Kubler-Ross & Kessler (2005, p. 7) state that it does not need to be exactly the same order as how they presented the stages of grief. These are only tools for people to identify easily what they are going through in times of grief. The firs t stage, which is denial, does not literally mean that the people who lost their loved ones do not know it. This denial is â€Å"more symbolic than literal† as noted by Kubler-Ross & Kessler (2005, p. 8). The second and third stages are anger and bargaining. Anger, according to Kubler-Ross & Kessler (2005, p. ... After that, depression is the next stage. A person who lost someone feels empty and alone during this stage. Hence, it does not mean that when a person feels this way, it is a sign of mental illness (Kubler-Ross & Kessler, 2005, p. 20). Depression is normal to a person who just lost someone. Further, the last stage is acceptance. This is the point where the person accepts the reality that someone is dead. On this stage, the person will learn to live with it. On the other hand, the five stages of grief have many critics. There are some psychologists who also proposed other multi-stage models of grieving. Musgrave and Bickle (2003, p. 46) have drawn one of the popular stories of the Bible which is the story of Job. They stated that the story focuses on how someone heals through grieving. In the story of Job, Job deals not only a human grieving, but it also included God (â€Å"The Book of Job,† 2011). Though Job experienced the worst way of human grieving, it shows some of the st ages of grief. In the story of Job, it only shows three stages among the five stages of grief from Kubler-Ross and Kessler (2005). These would be bargaining, depression and acceptance. It may sound unusual, but it seemed that acceptance comes first in the story of Job. It came first because Job is a believer of God. Thus, Job knew that his trials are part of God’s plan (â€Å"The Book of Job,† 2011). Since Job’s love for God is strong, he did not feel any anger and denial. Moreover, there’s one thing that Job showed - joy (â€Å"The Book of Job,† 2011). Though Job is suffering, he still shows hope that one day he will meet God face to face. Hence, it somehow gave him joy. In comparison between joy and the grieving process, a person can obtain joy once he/she free himself/herself from any

Concern Associated With Mental Health Diagnosis Social Work Essay

Concern Associated With Mental Health Diagnosis Social Work Essay Psychiatrists are increasingly churning out new syndromes at the behest of their funders in the pharmaceutical industry. The above quotation, drawn from a news feature from the Independent news paper, highlights an issue of concern associated with mental health diagnosis. According to the (Social Exclusion Unit, 2004), approximately one in six people in England experiences some form of mental health problem at some point in their lives and the estimated annual costs of providing services is  £77 billion. Wrong diagnosis affects not only the patient being diagnosed, but also the patients support network. In communities where mental health is not well understood by the vast majority and where people tend to get embarrassed by it, wrong diagnosis can make it difficult for those diagnosed to seek help. Additionally, people with mental health illnesses have to contend with a number of social issues such as: stigma, acceptance from friends and family, employment challenges and adjusting to losing their independence as a result of the effects of illness and / or the side effects of medication, (Sheppard, 2002; Elder et al, 2009). While these issues affect all mentally ill people, research shows that for black and ethnic minority groups, being diagnosed with a mental illness compounds social challenges and perpetuates poverty, deprivation and social exclusion, (Hocking, 2005; Ndegwa and Olajide, 2003). The challenge for social work is to advocate for clients in a field where social work expertise might be challenged by the medicinal nature of mental health diagnoses. As a background to the research proposal, this paper will briefly evaluate the effect that wrong mental health diagnosis has on black and ethnic minority families. In selecting the objectives, my starting point is that wrong diagnosis affects peoples lives regardless of their race or ethnicity. Therefore, the proposed research will aim to identify whether and, if so, how black and ethnic minority families are affected by being wrongly diagnosed with mental illness. Introduction: According to Hocking (2005), culture and race have an important role to play in the likelihood of someone being diagnosed with mental health problems. Her findings are mirrored in the results of recent psychosis studies which indicate that there are disproportionately high numbers of people from black and ethnic minority groups diagnosed with severe mental illness, (Count Me in, 2010). Citing Bhui (1997)s review of (Lloyd and Moodley, 1992)s research, (Bhui and Bhugra, 2002) also state that there is a substantial body of evidence that highlights disparity between the experiences of people from black and ethnic minority groups in comparison to white groups, when it comes to accessing mental health services. They argue that white people, who are mentally ill, stand a better chance of being given a diagnosis and appropriate treatment. Data from a mental health and ethnicity census conducted by partnership between the Healthcare Commission, the Mental Health Act Commission and the National Institute for Mental Health in England, found that almost 10% of mental health inpatients were black or mixed race. Analysis of the findings also concluded that compared to the rest of the population, black people were three times more likely to be admitted to psychiatric hospitals in England and Wales and stood a 44% chance of being detained under the Mental Health Act, (Care Quality Commission, 2005). The findings also indicated that black men experienced high rates of control and restraint from staff within psychiatric services and were more likely to be put into seclusion or in medium or high secure wards, (Bhugra and Gupta, 2010; Kaye and Lingiah, 2000). It is with this background that this paper evaluates the impact of wrong mental health diagnosis on black and ethnic minority families. In terms of methodology, the proposed research will take a similar form to this paper i.e. I will use the same key terms, research objectives, search terms and data collection methods. A paragraph on the proposed methodology follows the literature review. Defining Key Terms: In addition to cultural differences and subjective assessments of mental capacity, definitions of mental health are influenced by perspectives from various disciplines. In order to conduct a robust research, definitions of the key terms are explored below: Although the Mental Health Act (2007) does not give a definition of mental health, it describes mental health in terms of mental disorders and refers to mental health as any condition that disorders or disables the mind, (Bartlett and Sandland, 2007). Psychological perspectives define mental health as a level of cognitive or emotional wellbeing which includes a persons ability to enjoy life by balancing the demands of everyday routines to achieve psychological resilience, (Shaw et al, 2007). According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), mental health is a state of wellbeing in which an individual realises that they can cope with lifes normal stresses, can work productively and fruitfully and contribute to their community, (WHO, 2005). Definitions of mental health that are based in evaluating the positive signs of health, such as how an individual copes with environmental stressors, are still under debate as scholars, practitioners and policy makers consider the importance of factors such as religion, individual aspirations, social class, race, gender and lifestyle choices impact on mental health, (Clarke, 2008; Kay and Lingiah, 2000, Heller and Gitterman, 2011). The English dictionary describes diagnosis as the identification of an illness or a discovery about what is wrong with someone who is ill or something which is not working properly, after examination. It implies identification of the nature and cause of a thing. However, diagnosing mental illness seldom involves a set of specific or straight forward tests. Rather, psychiatrists diagnose based on their observation of symptoms and comparison with a diagnostic schedule, (Elder et al, 2009; Arrigo and Shipley, 2005). As a result it is often difficult for mental health problems to be diagnosed and sometimes patients can feel that they have been misdiagnosed. Detailed discussion follows later in this proposal. The Research Question: This paper briefly reviews mental health literature in order to set the background for a proposed research into the extent to which wrong mental health diagnosis affects Black and Ethnic Minority families in Britain. Research Objectives: The objectives set prior to writing this paper and indeed proposed for in-depth research are: Reviewing the literature that is available on mental health diagnosis and how mental health impacts families in general. Exploring the role of social workers in working with people that have been diagnosed with mental illness. Identifying any discernable differences in how diagnosis affects Black and Ethnic Minority families in comparison to their white counterparts. Highlighting the impact of wrong mental health diagnosis on families in general and on Black and Ethnic Minority families in particular. Identifying any gaps in practice and in the literature in order propose areas for future study. Rationale: I first became interested in studying this area because four of my relatives had been diagnosed with severe mental illnesses and three were later found to have been wrongly diagnosed. In the three months prior to being told that the diagnoses were wrong, our family relationships had been tested to the extreme as we tried to adjust to the challenges of caring for loved ones whom we thought were mentally ill and in denial. The relief that came from hearing the news that three of them had been wrongly diagnosed was quickly replaced with feelings of injustice towards professionals, because of the strain that had been put on the family relationships. Search Terms, Databases Used and Linguistic Clarifications: When researching literature to review, I used several on-line catalogue systems which included: EBSCOHost, InfoTrack, ProQuest, Ingenta, eLSC, CareData, academic journals, mental health action group websites and read various newspaper articles reporting on multiple mental health related issues. My initial searches produced a lot of literature, which I narrowed down by browsing subject indexes and reading abstracts. The search terms included: Diagnosing Mental Health in England, the impact of Mental Health diagnosis on families, Mental health diagnosis and minority ethnic families, The role of social workers in mental health cases, the impact of wrong mental health diagnosis on black and ethnic minority families, community mental health and coping with mental health at home. My decision to use online catalogue systems has more to do with my lack of knowledge in how to use manual cataloguing systems. Additionally, I was aware of my own limitations as a researcher and did not want to ad d any more complications to my task. Literature Review: Prior to commencing discussions about how diagnosis, right or wrong, impacts on families, it is important to note that diagnosis infers illness. Therefore, the extent of the impact on families is not determined by the diagnosis, but by how the inferred illness affects day-to-day activities directly or indirectly. The impact will vary depending on factors such as the severity and duration of the diagnosed illness, the family composition and the extent to which the illness affects aspects of family life, (Clark, 2008: Heller and Gitterman, 2011). For example, where short term illnesses can be treated by the familys general-practitioner and where the members are older or resilient, families will cope better with a mental health diagnosis. For many black and ethnic minority families, being diagnosed with a mental illness adds to stigma, as these communities tend to have many myths and misconceptions about mental illness, (Ray et al, 2008; Bhugra and Cochrane, 2001; Bhugra and Gupta, 2010). This can affect families social interaction as they worry about the unpredictability of the diagnosed members public actions and reactions. The result is that individuals within the family or the entire family can easily become isolated, thus perpetuating a cycle of social exclusion, (Beresford, 2004). However, this view is widely contested as some scholars argue that mental health problems are not derived from social injustices or oppression nor are patients any more likely to experience social exclusion and discrimination as a direct result of their difficulties, (Sheppard, 2002). Scholars acknowledge that people with mental health problems can experience vicious circles of social isolation, poverty, unemployment, poor housing and scarce social and support networks but that these are neither causal nor circular factors. In 2010, the Care Quality Commission published a psychosis study which tested the theory that psychiatrists, wittingly or unwittingly, allowed their professional judgement to be influenced by the colour of their patients skin, (Count Me In, 2010). The study, which tracked year-on-year results from 2005 to 2009, was aimed at highlighting inequalities in access and outcomes that affect patients from Black and Minority ethnic communities, how hospital stays are managed, national debates about mental health and guide positive action, revealed that at 53.8%, black people represented more than half of the people detained under the Mental Health Act. These finding are consistent with other studies, which highlights that black men were more likely to be diagnosed with psychotic illness than whites and to be detained under the Mental Health Act, (Ray et al, 2008). Additionally, knowledge about mental illness, like many other aspects of human life, has undergone paradigm shifts over time. For instance, conditions such as sadness, anger, or disappointment, which were once considered to be in the normal spectrum of human behaviour, are now seen as psychiatric or psychological disorders, (Beam, 2001). This, coupled with the fact that there are no specific or straight forward ways of diagnosing mental illness, makes mental health diagnosis challenging. In order to diagnose a mental illness, psychiatrists observe a clients symptoms and match them to a diagnostic schedule. Prentice (2010) reports that in recent history, research has shown that even seemingly simple changes in the description of conditions such as attention deficit disorder, autism and childhood bipolar disorder, captured many patients who would have been better off not entering the mental health system. One of the initial challenges that families have to overcome when a loved one is first diagnosed with a mental illness is the feelings of denial as they come to terms with what the illness will mean for their loved one and for themselves. This combined with having little or no knowledge about the diagnosed illness, causes panic, (Beresford, 2004). When, as in our case, families later find out that the diagnosis was wrong the relief can easily be replaced with anger as they recount the toll of strained inter family relationships that were a result of their caring responsibilities. In such circumstances, guided by professional values and ethics, a social worker would be duty bond to empower the family by ensuring that the family have all the information they need in order to understand the implications of the illness. This includes advocating for those for whom English may not be a first language and being creative with working partnerships, (Beresford, 2000). Wrong mental health diagnosis often means that the patient will be prescribed medication to stabilize the illness. Consequently, the family may have to not only deal with the challenges of caring for a loved one whose behaviour may be unpredictable but also come to terms with the medications side effects such as apathy and a lack of motivation, (Ray et al, 2008). In her review of a number of qualitative research publications on how families cope with mental health, (Bhui, 2002) found that family members were fearful that the constant stress and concern for their loved ones created family problems that may never be over come. When the diagnosed family member is a parent, the inferred illness will have a profound impact on family life. Research shows that when a parent is diagnosed with mental illness, children are especially vulnerable, as their coping strategies tend to be dependent on the adults in their lives, (Heller and Gitterman, 2011). Parental mental illness compromises the parents ability to care for their child and in some cases, especially where there is no other adult to take responsibility, children can become their parents carers, (Ritter and Lampkin, 2010: Arrigo and Shipley, 2005). A wrongly diagnosed parent who keeps insisting that there is nothing wrong with them, can easily be seen as being in denial thus escalating welfare concerns. The dilemma for social work lies in their dual role of control and care. Depending on the nature of the diagnosed illness, the risks to a childs welfare can be severe even when the childs physical safety is not at risk. Social workers would need to give consideration to issues such as how the illness affects the childs emotional, behavioural and mental development. There is a vast body of research which indicates that children of psychotic parents are themselves particularly vulnerable to psychiatric problems, (Heller and Gitterman, 2011; Bhugra and Gupta, 2010; Ndegwa and Olajide, 2003;). In order to explore this topic in detail, I propose to conduct research that addresses the objectives set in this paper, using methodology that focuses on reviewing secondary data. The intended research process is as detailed in the question, objectives, rationale and search terms of this paper. The proposed research will have relevance for policy and practice in that it will enable better service provision for black and ethnic minority families as a result of understanding not only the causes of wrong diagnosis, but also why minority groups are disproportionately over represented within mental health services. It will also evaluate how national and international legislation, current studies on mental health and user involvement initiatives, impact on service delivery for minorities. In conclusion, I have shown that by inferring illness, mental health diagnosis does impact on families regardless of their racial or ethnic backgrounds. However, while the issues discussed here are not necessarily unique to black and ethnic minority families, research indicates that people from black and ethnic minority groups are disproportionately over represented in mental health services in England. Complex and multifaceted factors such as a lifestyles, social stressors, genetic predisposition and lifecycle transitions, make diagnosing mental illness difficult. This can present challenges for social workers as they perform their dual roles of control and care. Professional ethics and legal responsibilities mean that they must advocate for the marginalised groups while continuing to work in partnership with medical professionals without having the expertise to make a judgement call on the accuracy of diagnosis. These issues require deeper exploration in order to understand how wro ng mental health diagnosis affects people from black and ethnic minority families.

Abuse of power Essay

Abuse includes humiliating you, threatening you, intimidating you or possibly coercing you. It doesn’t include normal management tasks such as reviewing your performance or assigning your workload, unless your boss does so unfairly. Unfairness ranges from racial or sexual discrimination to singling you out for the worst assignments as a way to bully and dominate you. Offensive, humiliating verbal or physical conduct may count as harassment as well as being abusive. Types Abuse manifests in many different ways. Some abusive bosses are constant critics who put down, insult and belittle you. Others intimidate you with angry, out-of-control rants and emotional explosions. Abuse may not be obvious: Some supervisors appear nice when they’re face to face with you, then back stab you later. Control freaks use their power to micromanage or unreasonably restrict your ability to do anything without their approval. In most cases, these behaviors have more to do with your boss’s personal issues than anything you’ve done. Solutions If the abuse is a rare lapse in an otherwise-excellent boss, it may be best to let it go. Even if it’s consistent, enduring the abuse until one of you moves on is an option. If it’s more than you can put up with, confront your supervisor, but do it professionally. State the problem without losing control or flinging abuse or insults at her. Document the incidents in case you have to complain to higher-ups. If you do not see an improvement in your relationship with your boss, the next step in a visit to Human Resources for advice. A detailed track record shows you’re not just a whiner. Legal Action Sometimes abuse goes beyond what’s legal. When a supervisor targets you because of your race, religion or gender, you have grounds for legal action; some states add other standards, such as sexual orientation. If your boss defames you — telling lies about your performance or your personal life — that may be actionable too. If you make a legitimate complaint to the company and don’t get a response, or your company has no provisions for preventing harassment, you may be able to sue the firm.

Sherwin Dowell . Cmlit 101H. 03/02/ 2017. The Poison That

Sherwin Dowell CMLIT 101H 03/02/ 2017 The Poison that is a Temptress The Epic of Gilgamesh and The Odyssey of Homer are two of the most known epic poems in the world. The Epic of Gilgamesh, the first recorded epic which depicts the journey of the god-like Babylonian king Gilgamesh, and his quest towards immortality with his close friend and god-like equal Enkidu. The Odyssey of Homer depicts the journey of Odysseus, who is returning to his kingdom, Ithaca from triumph in the Trojan War. Each hero in these epics encounters a temptress, whether it be divine or mortal, with a chance at seduction. Due to their encounters, each hero draws sight of the poison in which the temptress brought to him during his journey. The hero Enkidu from The†¦show more content†¦(Gilgamesh, SBV Tablet VII. iii). Enkidu blames the harlot Shamhot of his fate because he was content with his situation before she seduced him. He assumed his fate would have differed because he was pure, only after he was defiled by her and turned away from the forest made a reason for the gods to choose this fate. Within the same epic reveals the presence of temptation towards the hero Gilgamesh during his journey with Enkidu back home after slaying Huwawa. He clothed himself in robes and tied on a sash. Gilgamesh put his crown on his head. And Ishtar the princess raised her eyes to the beauty of Gilgamesh. Come to me, Gilgamesh, and be my lover! Bestow on me the gift of your fruit! (Gilgamesh, SBV Tablet VI. I) Her offer was for Gilgamesh to please her, become her husband, and gain immortality. Ishtar was attempting to use Gilgamesh’s ambition for immortality as a hook to reel him towards her, however, Ishtar does not know Gilgamesh possesses knowledge of her past lovers, and what happened to them while dealing with her. A shoe which bites into [the foot] of its wearer. Which of your lovers [lasted] forever? Which of your masterful paramours went to heaven? Come let me [describe (?)] your lovers to you! He of the sheep... (Gilgamesh, SBV Tablet VI. ii) Gilgamesh knew if he got involved with Ishtar she would eventually get bored of him and turn him into a beast like she had her past