The Chicken Coop Case Essay Example

The Chicken Coop Case Essay The chicken coop case Facts Since 1974 the Company had registered Increase In 10% In sales per year, Industry has only being growing 5% per year, during the past 5 years. 1994 1) $775,000 average sales per restaurant 58. MM mark In sales 2) 7. 7 billion chicken SIRS segment ? which KEF dominates with 5,000 restaurants and greater that 50% market share. Each week MM consumers make purchase at KEF. 25% of market shares, small and independent stores 1995 sales were down in 20 (6%) of the 76 stores those 20 where the 32% of total sales Owner went to visit the 20 stores Marketing UP and Quality UP recommends three pronged approach 1) Conduct focus group 2) Brand image monitoring survey pilot for a continuous brand tracking program 3) Customers will be paid to visit the coop and the competition and they will not know which Company paid them Turnaround really expensive marketing strategies Executive meeting In order to define: Investment In market research, how much and which programs to fund. 985 24 restaurants By paying more attention to customer the Coop will gain market share. Success of restaurants was quality of food, quality of service, cleanness quality of entire addling experience and good value (price, quality and abundance) for low prices. Focused providing family environment targeting consumers between the ages of 18 to 45 years. Starting price $3. 99 and whole meal for eight people for $24. 95. We will write a custom essay sample on The Chicken Coop Case specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on The Chicken Coop Case specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on The Chicken Coop Case specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer The CEO of The Chicken Coop, must decide if the company invests in market research, how much money to spend, and which programs to fund Take decision based on What is the size of the loss? What have been attributed to this loss? The loss is 6% of sales in 20 stores that means that $775,000 is the average sale per store, so the 6% ass per store is $46,500, times the 20 stores the total size of the loss will be $930,000. The loss can be attributed by many factors, for example, more competition In the area where the 20 stores less performing are, changes In demographics, people that used to go to those stores moved from that neighborhood and different people came, changes in consumer habits, healthy programs and obesity start concerning parents and people living nearby, the stores werent delivering the value that characterizes The Coop such as quality of food, quality of service, cleanness quality of entire dining experience and good value (price, quality and abundance) for low prices, or the economy was suffering a recession and the first impact are the 20 stores. Analyze the dynamics between Michael and Wallace. Are they looking into the same direction? They are looking into the same direction because they have the same objective that is increase sales and reduce the gap of sales in revenue in the less performing stores, so what they are proposing different ways to close the gap and fulfill the obje ctive. Wallace Is relatively new to the Company but he has great experience In the Industry and he knows what he Is doing and how to be successful In the business, the difference with Michael Is that she Is a loyal employee that shares the core values and beliefs of The Coop well defined. So one is proposing Innovation Ana evolution Ana ten toner one Is proposing quality Ana customer satisfaction, which in this case both ideas and methods are needed. Evaluate the initiatives proposed by Bushmaster Wallace and Michaels Bushmaster is proposing customer feedback cards, this approach is the cheapest one and the information they will get is limited in terms of innovation and attracting new consumers. Wallace is proposing Brand image monitoring survey, this is the most expensive proposition in long term for the company, here is where the Coop will have to start making focus groups and they are worried about not being well equipped for that in their facilities and the outcomes of the results may not be as trustfully as any other method. Michaels is proposing Taste tests, this approach can help to identify where the stores are failing in terms of quality and also it can identify what customers really would like in terms of food and taste but the information may be not accurate customer samples cant be loyal customers because they dont fully represent the whole market.

Find Out How to Write an Essay Step-by-Step

Find Out How to Write an Essay Step-by-Step An essay is just another type of academic writing. When you are assigned this sort of work, you should mind its: Structure Sources to be used Size Format In this article, we’ll discuss an example of essay structure and some other important points each student has to consider when working on his topic. Every essay adds up to your final grade. It might weigh only 10% of the course, but this share will play an important role at the end of the semester: it may either reduce or increase your score. In addition, an essay is assigned to teach students how to write on the professional level. On the whole, the mission of any successful essay is to provide enough persuasive arguments to support the author’s thesis. The thesis statement is something that is introduced in the introduction in order to give the general idea of what you’ll be talking about. To begin with, it is necessary to get a good essay example from professional paper writing service. Then, you’ll see the structure, the way every quote is cited, how the sources are used, and proper English words to be used. Step-by-step Writing Guide Before you go, decide on your topic. To do so, a student has to choose only one idea out of many. Once you conduct research, write down all of your thoughts on the paper. Prepare a draft where you mention all possible topics. Take notes during your lectures to get ready. Remember: writing a perfect content is not enough. You also have to show how carefully you listened to your teacher or professor. You need to conduct research to explain why you consider your topic relevant and defend your point of view on the example. Mind that you’ll have to use both primary and secondary sources. As for primary sources, turn to: Textbooks Books Documentaries Academic journals Scientific magazines Articles Reviews As for the secondary sources, you can also obtain valuable information for your essay which would be based on polls, questionnaires, surveys, and other less objective issues. But people still love to hear about other points of view. Write abut each side of the coin. The third thing you will have to focus on is the essay structure. If you find it too difficult to accomplish, you may gain a cheap and reliable support at corresponding websites. Based on the sources and information you found, you need to come up with the main idea of your essay and write it down. The first section should be dedicated to the argument (a.k.a. thesis statement). This sentence will define what you’re going to talk about throughout the paper. However, you will still have to write your hypothesis to discuss whether your statement is likely to be true or false. You may add a couple of sub-arguments to highlight your proficiency. To give you an example, let’s recall one famous story. Let’s say that student’s claim sounds like Louise of Chopin’s â€Å"The Story of an Hour† was happy when she has first heard about her husband’s death. The sub-arguments may be reflected by her emotions and post-behavior described in the rest of Kate Chopin’s story. The next sections are the same as all books have. Once you build up a thesis for your essay (a thesis is a conclusion of the introduction’s argument), you should start the body. In the thesis, you might mention the results of your findings or the bridge to your conclusion paragraph. In the example we have provided above, a thesis sentence can sound like: â€Å"Louise was happy for obtaining freedom despite she did love her poor husband.† The essay’s body includes 3-5 paragraphs. They are all aiming high to reflect the truth of the thesis statement. The second paragraph must explain the assertions of the student’s arguments based on the collected sources. Every single body paragraph should possess the same structure. Otherwise, your readers will get confused. Every first sentence must start with one of the author’s main ideas. The supporting ideas grabbed from the chosen and studies sources should follow next. You should also provide detailed examples as the background for your thoughts. At last, the writer must highlight the rest of the existing views towards the chosen topics. He should not ignore the possible outcomes and alternatives. The conclusion is something different from the last phases stated in the essay’s introduction, meaning the thesis statement. Review every main point and basic evidence mentioned throughout the text. Write a summary of your essay. It has to occupy no more than 20% of the entire essay taking into account that the paper consists of 5 paragraphs only. Basic Rules of Essay Writing As you write a thesis in your introduction, turn to connective words to unite the first few sentences of your introduction with the upcoming paragraphs. Use such words as â€Å"because,† â€Å"due to,† â€Å"since † and other as a bridge between different parts of your academic paper. Use such phrases as â€Å"in my opinion† or â€Å"from the other side† whenever you state your opinion. Every time you use the thoughts of other authors refer to those sources. Your target audience has to realize that you are an expert who has read a lot of relevant materials. In any kind of essay, a number of examples have to be examined before putting down the entire text. The student has to realize the word count limits. The essay should not occupy more than 1-2 pages if we speak about high school. College and university students usually have a bit more space for imagination. American teachers don’t like too much reading. They prefer short and yet informative articles. They will hardly read an essay made of three or more pages from cover to cover. Whatever you’re writing about, try to express yourself. Share your thoughts even if they seem too objective. Please keep in mind that you have to review and revise the final draft each time you’re done. Writing an academic essay of any complexity level, even such as essay about love is a huge work. But every student has to remember that there is nothing impossible for professional academic writers! If you have some problems assigned writing tasks, you can always pay a fair price to get proper help from experts!

Kelvins Clouds Speech

Kelvin's Clouds Speech On Friday, April 27, 1900, the British physicist Lord Kelvin gave a speech entitled Nineteenth-Century Clouds over the Dynamical Theory of Heat and Light, which began: The beauty and clearness of the dynamical theory, which asserts heat and light to be modes of motion, is at present obscured by two clouds. Kelvin went on to explain that the clouds were two unexplained phenomena, which he portrayed as the final couple of holes that needed to be filled in before having a complete understanding of the thermodynamic and energy properties of the universe, explained in classical terms of the motion of particles. This speech, together with other comments attributed to Kelvin, such as by physicist Albert Michelson in an 1894 speech, indicate that he strongly believed the main role of physics in that day was to just measure known quantities to a great degree of precision, out to many decimal places of accuracy. Meaning of Clouds The clouds to which Kelvin was referring were: The inability to detect the luminous ether, specifically the failure of the Michelson-Morley experimentThe black body radiation effect- known as the ultraviolet catastrophe Importance References to this speech have become somewhat popular for one very simple reason: Lord Kelvin was about as wrong as he could possibly have been. Instead of minor details that had to be worked out, Kelvins two clouds instead represented fundamental limits to a classical approach to understanding the universe. Their resolution introduced whole new and unanticipated realms of physics, known collectively as modern physics. Quantum Physics In fact, Max Planck solved the black body radiation problem in 1900, presumably, after Kelvin gave his speech) In doing so, he had to invoke the concept of limitations on the allowed energy of emitted light. This concept of a light quanta was seen as a simple mathematical trick at the time, necessary to resolve the problem, but it worked. Plancks approach precisely explained the experimental evidence resulting from heated objects in the black-body radiation problem. However, in 1905, Einstein took the idea further and used the concept to also explain the photoelectric effect. Between these two solutions, it became clear that light seemed to exist as little packets, or quanta, of energy- photons, as they would later come to be called. Once it became clear that light existed in packets, physicists began to discover that all kinds of matter and energy existed in these packets, and the age of quantum physics began. Relativity The other cloud that Kelvin mentioned was the failure of the Michelson-Morley experiments to discuss the luminous ether. This was the theoretical substance that physicists of the day believed permeated the universe, so that light could move as a wave. The Michelson-Morley experiments had been a rather ingenious set of experiments, based on the idea that light would move at different speeds through the ether depending on how the Earth was moving through it. They constructed a method to measure this difference... but it hadnt worked. It appeared that the direction of lights motion had no bearing on the speed, which didnt fit with the idea of it moving through a substance like the ether. Again, though, in 1905 Einstein came along and set the ball rolling on this one. He laid out the premise of special relativity, invoking a postulate that light always moved at a constant speed. As he developed the theory of relativity, it became clear that the concept of the luminous ether was no longer particularly helpful, so scientists discarded it. References by Other Physicists Popular physics books have frequently referenced this event because it makes it clear that even very knowledgeable physicists can be overcome by overconfidence at the extent of their fields applicability. In his book The Trouble with Physics, theoretical physicist Lee Smolin says the following about the speech: William Thomson (Lord Kelvin), an influential British physicist, famously proclaimed that physics was over, except for two small clouds on the horizon. These clouds turned out to be the clues that led us to quantum theory and relativity theory. Physicist Brian Greene also references the Kelvin speech in The Fabric of the Cosmos: In 1900, Kelvin himself did note that two clouds were hovering on the horizon, one to do with properties of lights motion and the other with aspects of the radiation objects emit when heated, but there was a general feeling that these were mere details, which, no doubt, would soon be addressed. Within a decade, everything changed. As anticipated, the two problems Kelvin had raised were promptly addressed, but they proved anything but minor. Each ignited a revolution, and each requires a fundamental rewriting of natures laws.

The Columbia History of American Television Assignment

The Columbia History of American Television - Assignment Example The silent generation children grew in complex situations caused by wars and economic hard ups. America suffered the most during the economic crisis in 1929 to 1939 called the great depression. Many American nationals lost their property and possessions starving on the streets as the employment rates reduced by 24 percent being unemployed (Gary 208). Popular culture allows people with different opinions styles to relate and identify homogenously and collectively. It serves a critical role in the society as it unites groups on ideas of acceptable forms of behavior. Popular culture comes from the developments of range activities such as modern music, cyberculture, print, entertainment, advertising, and television. Video and television popular culture influence the advancement of the silent generation Era in different perspectives. The increase of the middle class and urbanization is the foundation of the famous culture leading to the industrial revolution. The baby boomers are the initiators of the generational evolution by their arrival leading to the demands for housing, cars, and roads mostly aged between 47 to 65years. The Generation X years range from 31 to 46 and is an in-between generation consisting of the first-generation dual income families. They experience the impacts of the end of the cold war, the fall of the Communism and the dismantling of the Berlin wall. The development of the MTV and rise of the internet, technology enlightened them to be tech savvy and entrepreneurs. The current generation is the millennial generation with ages from 18 to 30 who have grown in an environment of unrest and increased security after post-September 11 world. Social and political trends promote the age differences in political attitudes and voting choices in the election cycles.  

Employment Law Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 3

Employment Law - Case Study Example In fact, corporate accounting team was among the top performing teams of the company. But from last two months some misunderstandings evolved between the members of the team. The performance of last two months of this team also decreased at a substantial rate. This decrease in performance led to an investigation into the matters of the team. Upon interviews with all team members and other team member of other concerned departmental teams, some important issues between the above mentioned three members of the corporate accounting team have been identified. These issues must be brought into your knowledge. These issue need to be dealt in earnest to avoid some dire consequences. After working for years in a team, Mary and Michael become close friends. They go for lunch together. They often hang out together. John who is heading the corporate accounting team was also working with Mary for years. Mary is an attractive young lady and John also likes her and has developed feeling for Mary. But John is also jealous with the close relation between Mary and Michael. John is an able person and an important employee of the company. On the other hand the performance of Mary and Michael is also good. Last month John, Mary and Michael behaved normal during everyday happenings. But this month they frequently entered into arguments which the other team members think is not normal and therefore not good for the company. Due to this tension between John and Michael, the everyday matters of the team are getting disturbed. Whereas, John has many times favored Mary unduly thereby bypassing the merit. Actually, Michael is senior after John and is eligible for a promotion to head the team. John is also eligible to become manager, so after the promotion of the Michael, John would have to head some other larger team. But John wants to keep closer to Mary. At the same time John wants to keep Mary and Michael far

A Video Recorded Interview To Look At Skills Social Work Essay

A Video Recorded Interview To Look At Skills Social Work Essay I was asked to complete a video interview to practice my interviewing skills and analyse my ability to do so effectively. In this essay, I will highlight my strengths and weaknesses, and identify any future learning needs I wish to develop. It is vital for social workers to conduct successful and ethical interviews in their profession, it is therefore critical that I understand the values and techniques used, so that I myself can complete a profitable interview in the future. Firstly, I considered practicalities, such as venue and environment, where I tried to create an atmosphere where the client felt comfortable. I tried to not consciously fidget or distract the client (by playing with my hair/hands) and tried to avoid any intrusions (no one knocked at the door) which could disrupt the clients concentration or affect her mood. I also ensured that we had complete privacy throughout the interview, as this would make the client more comfortable and willing to share information. The working alliance, outlined by Koprowska (2005), indicates that a more successful interview will take place when the interviewer is understanding, attentive and respectful. I believe I demonstrated all these qualities, but my strongest attribute was showing the client respect. I did this by listening attentively, demonstrated by appropriate eye gaze (Egan, 2010) and nodding (Koprowska, 2005), which suggested interest and encouragement (Mehrabian, 1972). I sometimes used vocal prompts, such as yes yes, which also encourages the client to continue talking, but do not act as interruptions to her speaking (Koprowska, 2005). Another way in which I conveyed respect was by being courteous, which is highlight by the GCSS Code of Practice. I was polite and demonstrated good manners, but also communicated core values of social work such as anti-oppressive practice (by recognising the uniqueness of the client Thompson, 2006) and adopting a person-centred approach (by putting the clients needs first), which in turn highlighted my respect to the clients worth and dignity (Koprowska, 2005). I also delivered the interview in accordance with the GSCC Code of Practice by being clear and concise I used direct, simple language and kept the conversation on the subject at hand and directed at the key issues. I used both open and closed questions in the interview as I wished to gain factual information from the client (Koprowska, 2005), but I mainly used open questions as I wanted to elicit more expansive answers (p 83). I also demonstrated use of a probing question so that the client would elaborate on one of her answers. Edenborough (2002) recognises that a probing question can be used to gain further information but it has been suggested that too many probing questions can make the client feel as though she is being interrogated. Therefore, I did not use many. However, they were not necessary as the client was quite articulate in her answers. Tone of voice and pace of speech is another important aspect of verbal communication, especially when working with visually impaired service users (Koprowska, 2005). I believe my tone of voice varied appropriately in the interview, but I was not aware of the pace of my speech. However, I can recall from my shadowing experience, that the social worker spoke slowly and allowed small silences between questions to ensure that the service user had finished talking and giving their answers. I believe this to be a very valuable skill to have when working with visually impaired service users. Walmsley (1994) reports that while only 7% of words and 38% of voice leads to communication, a majority of 55% of communication is due to gestures and expression, and Argyles (1975) research suggested that a persons physical gestures and their mode of sitting can tell us much about that person. It is therefore vital to use non-verbal communication in social work interviews. I sat back in my chair and faced the client squarely to demonstrate a relaxed, open atmosphere to create a sense of involvement with the client (Egan, 2010). My facial expression was neutral with occasional smiles, but it was not distracting as Egan (2010) points out that this can create a tense and uncomfortable environment. Being natural helps put the client at ease (Egan, 2010). I demonstrated a natural persona by laughing with the client when she made a humorous comment. This showed empathy and hopefully added to the rapport building relationship. However, this is the extent of my non-verbal communication and an area that should be improved to include non-vocal prompts and gestures. This will aid the client to understand and validate the verbal conversation I am communicating (Koprowska, 2005). Another limitation in my interview skills is that I did not reflect or summarise at the end of the interview. Edenborough (2002) names the reflecting question, which is the ability to reflect back on the clients answers, which is something I did not consider. Neither did I paraphrase, which checks out understanding (Koprowska, 2005, p87). In addition, I did not end the interview well. I did not conclude or summarise, which Koprowska (2005) identifies as being important to collect up and agree key points (p87). Although, I politely thanked the client for attending the interview, I demonstrated a very poor ending to the interview which should be improved. Not only did I not end the interview well, I did not particularly start it well either. In the engage and explain phase of the interview, I said hello and informed the client that I would be asking her some questions, but I did not elaborate, did not introduce myself or check the clients understanding about the purpose of the interview. This may have jeopardised our relationship and rapport-building. Fortunately in this case, I believe that this did not affect the conversation and there was open and free communication between myself and the client. To conclude, I believe I demonstrated some strong qualities and abilities throughout the interview (for example, showing respect), but there are many aspects which I need to improve on, such as summarising and non-verbal communication. Although I attempted to create a friendly and relaxed environment, the interview appeared to be quite structured and forced, but this may have been because the interview was being recorded and assessed. However, this was my first interview that I have conducted and my nerves may have caused this slight inconsideration. Undertaking reflection upon the interview has highlighted the importance of preparation and planning needed for a successful interview and how this process with essentially help me to develop a more confident approach in future social work practice. Argyle, M. (1975). Bodily communication. Methuen: London, UK Edenborough, R. (2002). Effective interviewing: A handbook of skills and techniques. Kogan Page Ltd: London, UK Egan, G. (2010). The skilled helped: A problem-management and opportunity-development approach to helping. Brooks/Cole, Cengage Learning: Belmont, CA, USA Koprowska, J. (2005). Transforming social work practice: Communication and interpersonal skills in social work. Learning Matters Ltd: Exerter, UK Mehrabian, A. (1972). Non-verbal communication. Aldine Atherton: Chicago, USA Thompson, N. (2006). Anti-discriminatory practice. (4th Eds). Palgrave Macmillan: Hampshire, UK Walmsley, H. (1994). Counselling techniques for managers. Kogan Page: London, UK UNIT TWO SHADOWING A SOCIAL WORKER The organisation in which my shadowing opportunity took place was the visual impairment team (VIT) in Rotherham. I shadowed the only social worker in the team for one day. When people are experiencing sight problems, they are referred to an ophthalmologist by their GP or optician, where they are either registered as severely sight impaired or sight impaired. If consent is given, their information is passed on to the social services, where the VIT will contact them to arrange a home visit. I had the opportunity to assist SW* on two of these initial home visits. The VIT offers a person-centred assessment of the care needs of people with a visual impairment and provides specialist equipment and independence training in mobility, communication and daily living skills. Information about some of the resources available to service users was made apparent by the SW during an initial home visit which I was able to observe. Debbie* was a widow in her 50s who had recently been registered as sight impaired. This was the first visit SW made to Debbie, and SW was interested in finding out what Debbies strengths and needs were. Debbie was quite articulate in explaining where she needed help and extra support. For example, she explained that the lighting in her lounge and bedroom was not bright enough for her to see, so SW explained that she would liaise with the council to fit brighter lights. Debbie also expressed that she had trouble reading, and was becoming bored of watching television all of the time, so SW recommended the talking newspaper and audio books, which Debbie was quite interested in. Debbie explained that she frequently visited a local resource centre to engage in activities and would be interested in other groups she could attend. Debbie lived in an elderly neighbourhood and found this quite isolating, and stated that she only had one regular friend. Debbie stated that she had previously bee n prescribed with anti-depressants, at this point SW advised Debbie to seek medical advice from her GP as it appeared that her isolation may be impacting on her emotional wellbeing. On reflection I feel that the SW was able to investigate this further by effectively asking probing questions (see Edenborough, 2002). This communication skill is highly important for SW as verbal communication is vital in this area of social work, as non-verbal communication may be lost on the visually impaired service users. Gaining more information allowed SW to identify appropriate intervention (GP advice) as she was actively analysing/processing the information being given. This type of thinking is closely linked to reflective practice (see Fook Gardner, 2007). When SW asked for my thoughts, I was also able to reflect on the situation and identify that although Debbie presented with low self-esteem and confidence, she appeared to be motivated by wanting to become more involved in community based resources/activities and therefore a good method of intervention would be to encourage and support her to access this.. Below is what I would consider to be an important quote from the Person-Centred Support: What Service Users and Practitioners Say (2008) report: An idea which came from service users themselves will only be realised if individuals are empowered to play their full part, not only in determining their own lives but also in the transformation of public services (p1). Person-Centred Support: A Guide for Service Users (2008) identifies eight important aspects of person-centred support. These included choice and control, listening and information. SW listened intensively to Debbie and was able to pick up hidden feelings behind what Debbie said. SW also gave Debbie plenty of information about available resources and services, which allowed Debbie to have control and make choices about what sort of services she would like. Allowing service users to make their own choices is also written in the GSCC Code of Practice (1.3) and encourages anti-oppressive practice (AOP). Dominelli (2002) states that in order for a practitioner to engage in AOP, they must conceptualise their relationships with clients and move away from privileging their own expert knowledge while devaluing those of the people with whom they work (p34). Essentially, this means that the social worker and service user should work in partnership, where they negotiate with one another to set and achieve goals and objectives (page 36). This empowers the service user and creates a person-centred approach. It was evident that SW adopted a person centred approach and was also able to empathise with the service user as she also had a visual impairment and is also herself a service user. SW demonstrated her knowledge of section 5 of the National Occupational Standards (NOS). She had in-depth knowledge of the services available and of direct payments. During my shadowing opportunity, we discussed relevant legislation and SW reminded me that the VIT work within the statute of the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA 1995, 2005) and NHS and Community Care Act (1990). SW demonstrated many skills and values, which are outlined by the Code of Practice. For example, SW promoted Debbies independence by assisting her to understand her rights (3.1) and promoted her interests by treating her as an equal (1.4), which is also in accordance with the DDA. SW worked in accordance with the NOS by exercising good practice and contacting Debbie after she was referred to the VIT (2G) and by arranging a formal initial assessment to assess Debbies needs (2H), which is also in accordance with the NHS and Community Care Act. Prior to my shadowing opportunity, I was worried as to whether I would be able to follow all the rules and procedures set out by the Code of Practice and NOS once in the world of social work, but after observing SW I was assured that knowledge and skills would come with practice and time. I was already familiar with some of the theoretical perspectives and legislation behind SWs work and believe completing any forthcoming placement will allow me further opportunities to apply theory to practice and to identify appropriate methods of intervention in different social work settings. *False names have been used to respect the confidentiality of the social worker and service user. Disability Discrimination Act (1995, 2005) Dominelli, L. (2002). Anti-oppressive social work theory and practice. Palgrave Macmillan: Hampshire, UK Edenborough, R. (2002). Effective interviewing: A handbook of skills and techniques. Kogan Page Ltd, London Fook, J. Gardner, F. (2007). Practising critical reflection: A resource handbook. McGraw-Hill Companies: Berkshire, UK General Social Care Council Code of Practice for Social Care Workers (2004) National Occupational Standards for Social Work (2002) National Health Service and Community Care Act (1990) Person Centred Support: A Guide for Service Users (2008) Joseph Roundtree Foundation Person Centred Support: What Service Users and Practitioners Say (2008) Joseph Roundtree Foundation UNIT THREE REFLECTING ON FUTURE LEARNING NEEDS During the past five months, I have gained a wide theoretical/knowledge base of social work principles and had the opportunity to apply this to some practical practice experiences (interview and shadowing). Reflecting on these experiences has helped me to identify some key areas which I feel may need to be improved in order to develop my learning, and are highlighted within the body of this report. Writing assessments and reports has been recognised as core skills in social work practice. Therefore, it is essential that I am capable of collecting and presenting information in the form of an assessment/report, especially as my placement is with a Youth Offending Team and I will be required to write coherent reports for other professional bodies that can provide accurate insight of service user experiences and needs that are backed up by relevant theory and knowledge. From completing the ICT assignment, I have gained knowledge on how to format Word documents and search for information on the internet, which will be highly useful when it comes to writing a report. Although I possess these basic skills, learning how to complete a successful assessment/report within legislative and policy frameworks is a major area for development, as this will play a large role in my placement. A major learning goal for my next academic year is that of reflective thinking and writing. Before starting this course, I had not completed a reflective account of writing. Rather, I had only completed experimental reports and critical essays. Even though my skills in reflective writing are improving, I still find this quite difficult. I also need to improve my ability to critically reflect upon my work. Giddens (1991) highlights that I will have to constantly adapt to changing conditions (cited in Fook Gardner, 2007, p10) in the world of work, and critical reflection will allow me to stand back to analyse the issue and manage it more effectively, which in turn will act as a process for me to learn and develop my professional practice (Fook Gardner, 2007). In order to critically reflect back on my practice, I must first learn how to effectively apply theory to practice. I must use a theoretical framework to inform my decisions when on my placement, and then use formal and informal knowledge sources to guide my practice (Oko, 2008). The GSCC Code of Practice clearly points out that a social worker must strive to establish and maintain the trust and confidence of service users (p14). This is vital to form a healthy professional relationship between the social worker and the service user. Service users may be vulnerable and susceptible to discrimination or unjust treatment; therefore, the social worker must not abuse the service users trust or demonstrate oppressive practice, but instead be honest and trustworthy (2.1), communicate in a straightforward way (2.2) and respect confidential information (2.3). I believe two of the most important aspects highlighted by the Code of Practice is that the social worker should be reliable and dependable (2.4) and should honour work agreements and arrangements (2.5). Service users, who can sometimes feel lost and helpless, rely on their social worker to provide services and support to help them lead an independent life as possible, but if the social worker cannot commit to ag reed meetings or agreed plans (Koprowska, 2005, comments on the importance of punctuality), the service users trust and confidence in the social worker and social care services will diminish. Social workers should be sensitive to the needs and experiences of service users and should act appropriately. I aim to develop my skills in understanding the experiences of service users and IDENTIFYING their needs, as this information and knowledge will allow me to target specific potential problem areas and produce more focused support and services. A way I have been able to demonstrate my ability to identify a service users need is when I visited Debbie* during my shadowing opportunity. Debbie had sight problems, and the aim of the visit was to assess any specific areas that she may need help/SUPPORT with. Later, when discussing/reflecting with the social worker I was shadowing, I was able to identify that although Debbie needed practical sight-related help, (e.g. brighter lights in her lounge), she also appeared to be isolated/depressed and have low self-esteem. I discussed/considered various group activities and social groups that may help Debbie to overcome her loneliness and boost her confidence in herself. These were discussed with Debbie, to ensure a person-centred approach was taken and allowed her choice and control. Adopting this approach essentially lends support to the principles of anti-oppressive practice (Thompson, 2006). Another way in which I believe I have demonstrated sensitivity towards service users was in my video interview. Although this was not conducted with a service user, this video analysis enabled me to reflect back on my performance, where I realised I showed great respect towards the client. This is a skill I will transfer when practising social work. Although I believe to have some shown some strengths in my interview assessment and shadowing experience, questioning my techniques has helped me to consider areas on which I need to improve. I acknowledge that my reflecting and summarising in the interview was weak and is an area I definitely need to work on. I must do this to ensure that the client understands the information which was referred to and understands any goals, aims or objectives (Koprowska, 2005). I learned from both experiences that effective communication is of critical importance when working with service users and must be a two way process that values the input of service users. Reflecting on my shadowing experience and working with clients who experience sight impairments is a good example of how communication is key, especially verbal communication, as non-verbal communication and the clients ability to interpret body language may be lost on them (Koprowska, 2005). As a social work student I need to develop on all of these skills during my placement and to build on my academic learning to progress professionally. In addition, I need to increase my confidence and ability to apply this to social work practice and intervention. I acknowledge that continuous reflection of my learning needs is going to be vital to ensure that I become a competent social worker. One who can successfully transfer these learned skills and attributes to different social work settings and to different service user groups to ensure that the best possible care and support is provided. *False names have been used to respect the confidentiality of the service user General Social Care Council Code of Practice for Social Care Workers (2004) Giddens, A. (1991). Modernity and self-identity. Polity: Cambridge, UK Koprowska, J. (2005). Transforming social work practice: Communication and interpersonal skills in social work. Learning Matters Ltd: Exerter, UK Oko, J. (2008). Transforming social work practice: Understanding and using social work theory. Learning Matters Ltd: Exeter, UK Thompson, N. (2006). Anti-discriminatory practice. (4th Eds). Palgrave Macmillan: Hampshire, UK Fook, J. Gardner, F. (2007). Practising critical reflection: A resource handbook. McGraw-Hill Companies: Berkshire, UK

Personalized Nutrition And Exercise Plan Essay

For as long as I can remember, I have always had some sort of struggle with my weight. When I was younger, I was a top ranked gymnast and it was extremely important for me to maintain a low, yet healthy weight. I managed to be successful with that for years up until the time that I got severely injured ultimately forcing me to quit competing. Upon quitting gymnastics, I hit puberty, my body drastically changed, and access weight has been an issue ever since. The birth of my two children has not helped my struggle with weight as I had gained 40 pounds with each pregnancy. As you can see, my outstanding weight issue is what will be discussed in this paper. Up until now my diet has consisted of whatever and how much of whatever I chose to eat. I have never paid attention to calories, nutritional facts, or the size of portions. I have always just eaten what I wanted to eat until I had felt like I had had enough. Although I struggle with my weight, I have never been considered â€Å"fat† by those around me. My height is 5 feet 4 inches and my weight is 175 pounds. When I enter this information into a BMI calculator it gives me the body mass index of 30 which is considered moderately obese. Just hearing the word obese gives me a horrible feeling and makes me want to cry. I have never considered myself obese. However, at the same time I am constantly disgusted with my body. Throughout my journey through this class I have been able to think of many goals to set for myself to allow me to be healthier. First, I will start with my nutritional goals. The first nutritional goal I will talk about is my daily caloric intake. From now on, I plan to limit my daily calories to 1200 making sure I do not fall below the 1200 count. I realize how important it is to consume at least 1200 calories a day; falling below the 1200 calorie count can lead to dangerous, unhealthy weight loss as well as poor nutrition. My second nutritional goal is to pay attention to the percentages of each thing I am supposed to include in my diet such as protein, fiber, vitamins, and so on. For example, I want to make sure I consume the recommended 45 grams of protein and be careful that I do not exceed this amount. Staying within my recommended nutritional needs is important for a successful weight loss. Next, I will move on to the goals I have set for myself when it comes to exercise. As mentioned in a previous assignment, I usually try to take Zumba classes twice a week, Tuesdays and Thursdays. These classes are a minimum of an hour in length. I have talked to my instructor and found out that Zumba burns a minimum of 500 calories an hour for the weight range that I am currently in. Burning 500 calories in an hour is amazing and definitely helpful when it comes to losing unwanted weight. I plan to stick with my two Zumba classes a week. My second exercise goal is to spend 30 minutes each morning, just after waking, doing some sit-ups, push-ups, and crunches. My husband, who is a huge health and workout fanatic, has informed me that doing a short workout first thing in the morning helps kick up your metabolism. Lastly, the most important goal I could possibly set for myself would be to increase my water consumption. I have never been a fan of water because I have always thought of it as something will a dull taste. There are weeks when I can go without drinking any water. It seems as though I get my hydration from foods, some juice, but mostly soda pop. Soda pop is, by far, my worst addiction. Every time that I eat I feel as though I need to drink a pop with my food. I plan on eliminating pop from my diet and replacing it with water. Certain actions will be required to ensure I reach my goals. I will start planning out meals and making sure they have the appropriate amount of calories needed. When it comes to shopping for groceries and ingredients, I will take the extra time needed to carefully organize a shopping list that way I can avoid buying compulsively. This will make it easier to not only eat healthier, but buy healthier so that I do not have any high calorie, diet blowing snacks hidden in the house. With any goals that you set in life there will always be times when you run into complications. When it comes to my exercising goals I feel as though my family and children may complicate some of my plans. I cannot necessarily attend a Zumba class while my husband is at work and a sitter cannot be found. There may also be times when we are on the run and healthy food just is not an option at the time. Holiday meals are also a time when my caloric intake may be higher than normal. I just have to realize that even if I do mess up every now, or choose to splurge, I must continue on and not give up or lose motivation to complete my goals. In order to determine whether or not I succeed with my goals I will need ways to measure the success. I will start out by taking measurements of my body including areas like my waist, hips, thighs, arms, and chest. Even though I may not see a huge difference on the scale the inch measurements taken will be the deciding factor. I will also plan to include my husband and family in my goals so that they are informed about them and can help aid me in the journey of completing them. If friends and family know it will make it easier to stay motivated. Failure to truly commit myself to this plan can lead to morbid obesity. There are so many health risks that include heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, diabetes, cancer, gallbladder disease, gallstones, osteoarthritis, gout, and breathing problems such as sleep apnea and asthma. Staying healthy is so important to me now more than ever. I want to live long healthy lives and be able to watch my children grow up, graduate, get married, and have my grandchildren. Obesity is such a serious problem and surprisingly it affects over 34% of American adults (Hellmich, 2010). That number is astonishing to me! I feel as though this plan will work out great for personal weight loss. Experts have spoken about how weight can be loss with simply dieting, however, they have also pointed out the dieting accompanied with exercise will increase your results (â€Å"Exercise and Weight Loss,† n.d.). By decreasing my caloric intake and increasing the amount of physical activity I can be sure that I will shed some, if not all, of the unwanted pounds, not to mention, live a healthier life. With some exercise and diet plans changing circumstances can force you to make alterations to your plan. Many people may include physical activity that can only take place outdoors; however, I have set goals that can be performed either inside or outside all year long. The changing seasons will not have an effect on the diet and exercise plan I have laid out for myself. The only circumstance that may slightly affect my diet and exercise plan would be pregnancy. My husband and I have discussed the possibility of having another child sometime within the next two years. If pregnancy does arise then I will have to make alterations to my plan such as adding 300 calories to my diet a day as well as avoid doing sit ups because of the possible damaging effects to the abdomen. I can, however, still participate in my Zumba classes which will be an outstanding exercise. In conclusion, as outlined above, I have set forth an easy yet effective nutritional and exercise plan. I truly believe that if I alter my diet to eating the recommended 1200 calories a day and increase my physical activity I will be successful in my weight loss. It is important for me to keep in mind that the 1200 calories should consist of healthy foods not exceeding my recommended protein, fat, and other intakes. I have my heart set on losing weight and finding a healthier me and with this mindset I know I can succeed! References BMI Calculator Plus: Personalized BMI for Your Body Type and Metabolism. (2008, November 26). WebMD – Better Information. Better Health. Retrieved May 12, 2011, from http://www.webmd.com/diet/calc-bmi-plus Exercise and Weight Loss. (n.d.). WebMD – Better Information. Better Health. Retrieved May 12, 2011, from http://www.webmd.com/diet/exercise-weight-control Hellmich, N. (2010, January 13). U.S. obesity rate leveling off, at about one-third of adults – USATODAY.com. News, Travel, Weather, Entertainment, Sports, Technology, U.S. & World – USATODAY.com. Retrieved May 12, 2011, from http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/weightloss/2010-01-13-obesity-rates_N.htm Obesity, Cholesterol, and Heart Disease – Weighing Your Risks. (n.d.). Retrieved May 12, 2011, from http://www.webmd.com/cholesterol-management/obesity-health-risks