A Raisin in the Sun

A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry is a play that shows how racism and poverty can work together to influence individuals within a family. This play gives a picture of the struggle that Younger family, back American, have in an attempt to achieve their dreams. This play was written in 1959, a time when racism was a major issue in the daily lives of the American people. At the same time, many African Americas wanted to achieve the American Dream, something that proved elusive for many people. In this play, the family is just about to receive life insurance money of $10,000 following the death of their father (Hansberry, Act 1, Scene 1, 490). The problem comes from the fact that each family member has a different dream to achieve, and they believe that this money if the only way out towards achieving that. It turns out that race is an important determinant in this society, something that influences certain decisions.

Poverty has put this family at the bottom of the social class. Walter Younger does not like this and hopes that the life insurance money can help him establish a liquor business to earn more for the family. His love for money later makes the family lose more than $6,000 to Willy who absconds with it. On the same note, Beneatha is more concerned of socio-political issues in the American population, making her sensitive on race uses. However, Walter’s wife has already accepted the fact that poverty is there portion and nothing can be done on the same. In this family, every person has a different dream that needs to be fulfilled. Poverty has played an important role in heightening this and the arrival of the $10,000 check is a lifetime opportunity towards achieving these dreams. In this play, it is obvious that the writer shows some of the complications that a family undergoes in the quest to achieving individual goals.

In this American society, race influences what can be achieved in life. The Younger family is young and ambitious; however, it seems that racism stands between them and achieving the American Dream. Walter desires to achieve it and is ready to sacrifice anything in order to get money. However, his mother wants to achieve the dream she shared with her late husband of guying a new house for the family. When she decides to buy a house, she chooses an all-white neighborhood. Racism comes into play as the neighborhood representative is sent to buy off Young family in order to vacate the house (Hansberry, Act II: Scene II, 543). At first, Walter thinks it is appropriate to accept the money since he has already lost some amount. Eventually, the whole family agrees to protect their pride by resisting any attempts to buy them off.

Lorraine Hansberry play shows that the triumph of racism despite the poverty challenges that the family has. This play was written before the civil rights movement and one could not expect a family like the Youngers to stand together against racism. Different dreams and aspirations by each family member divided them instead. It turns out that the need to fight for their rights leads to their eventual unification as a family. It was their mother’s dreams to have a big home where the whole family could stay together. As the play ends, the family resolves to stay together and face the uncertain future with optimism. This comes from the realization of who they are and accepting to work together towards a better future.

References
Hansberry, L. (1959). A Raisin in the Sun. New York: Random House.

A RAISIN IN THE SUN 4

Running head: A RAISIN IN THE SUN 1

Gender and Sexuality

Work Characteristics and Family Routines in Low-Wage Families
Abstract
Sheely examined the impacts that work characteristics such as low wages and the number of hours has on the ability to maintain household routines. The study found that, while these characteristics do bring about a degree of role strain in certain areas, low-wage families do, in many instances, manage to maintain routines.

Introduction
Work characteristics play a key role in determining the maintenance of routines especially in families with low incomes. A routine is a chain of events followed by people every day. Thus, maintenance of routines is quite essential to many families. Sheely (2010) examined maintenance of routines by focusing on two theoretical concepts: Role enhancement and Role strain. According to Bomar (2004, p. 120), role enhancement uphold the belief that multiple roles improve mental being. On the other hand, role strain implies that multiple roles bring demands and obligations which impact negatively on family members.

This study tries to find the link between work characteristics on the family routines’ maintenance in a section of low-wage families. The work characteristics to focus include job stability, timing of work hours and wages. Increase in wages assist in maintaining routines while working long hours deny parents time to be with their children. Caregivers usually sacrifice their time and health in order to maintain routines.

Method
The research involved a random selection of interviewees from a study area. The selection involved both adults and children from various households. All adults selected were also caregivers. The sample covered 235 low-wage households. The study examined four routines: eating breakfast, finishing chores, taking supper and going to bed. The research assumed these activities took place every day. Wages, hours worked per week, job stability and doing multiple jobs were some of the work characteristics that the study recorded. The research also took into consideration the marital status, maternal age and education of the caregivers.
Results

The results showed that about 65 percent of all caregivers sustained a breakfast routine while about 63 percent maintained chores. Of all the respondents interviewed, 69 percent of them managed to maintain routine for supper while as about 86 percent of caregivers retained bedtime routine. These results indicated that work characteristics do not entirely maintain the routines in low-income families. Job stability increases the probability of routine maintenance while high wages reduces the likelihood of maintaining the routines. Working more hours had little effect on breakfast and chores, but had a negative effect on supper and bedtime schedules. Having one job or more did not affect the routine maintenance.

Discussion
Regardless of employment characteristics, most low-wage families preserve routines. Working many hours impact negatively on routine maintenance. So is payment on hourly basis. Mothers in low-wage workforce often have trouble in creating and maintaining family routines due to change in work schedules and working hours (Johnson, et al., 2010, p. 91). Working conditions lead to change in eating time to accommodate the tight schedules. Working on more than one job does not affect the maintenance of a routine. Caregivers who work until late night often struggle to maintain their bedtime routine.

Earning an extra wage does not help in maintaining a routine. Working in shifts can explain this. The flexibility created by working in schedules is important for family processes and children’s well-being (Yoshikawa, et al., 2009, p. 122). However, future studies should include other employment characteristics that can explain abilities of families to establish regular routines.
Despite role strain, people would forfeit job prospects, personal time and health to have time with their families. Spending ample time with families is very important especially in families with low incomes. Working on more than one job should not affect the time allocated for family.

References
Bomar, P. J. (2004). Promoting health in families: Applying family research and theory to nursing practice. Philadelphia, Penns: Saunders.
Johnson, R. C., Kalil, A., & Dunifon, R. E. (2010). Mothers’ work and children’s lives: Low-income families after welfare reform. Kalamazoo, Mich: W.E. Upjohn Institute for Employment Research.
Making it work: Low-wage employment, family life, and child development. (2009). New York: Russell Sage.
Sheely,A.(2010).Work Characteristics and Family Routines in Low Wage Families. Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare; 37(3), 59-77

Running Head: GENDER AND SEXUALITY 1

Life as a Discourse

Life as a discourse implies that life comprises a set of meanings, stories, metaphors, statements, images and representations that describe events in a particular way. It entails representing a certain aspect of life in a particular way and painting a clear picture out of those factors. This therefore implies that a person’s life has more than one discourse, each of which describes a different story about the object in question (Burr, 1995, p. 3).

The normalizing gaze is a kind of thinking in which people tend to focus on their limitations or failures due to some inadequacies in their personalities. This is brought about by the fear of failure or inability to measure up to life standards, and hence fit in as ‘normal’ members of society. One aspect of my life that clearly brings out the normalizing gaze is being physically disabled. Being physically disabled is a factor that has even led to discrimination of persons in society. Disability is seen as a sure factor for failure, where disabled people are thought to be less able to achieve goals in life than ‘normal’ people (Hutton, 2008, p. 59).

The normalizing gaze has in many times led me to thinking that I need to try a little harder just to prove to people that disability is not inability. Sometimes, instead of concentrating on what I do best, I have found myself thinking I should be more informed, work harder, be more self controlled and ask for help less often, be more focused, engage in exercise activities and be less emotional just to fit it and measure up. Measuring up is the act of weighing other people’s standards against those that society holds, to determine their level in life, their level of normalcy, and to establish how they ought to be treated, if they do not measure up. When I feel like others think I don’t measure up to their standards, there is a feeling of shame, embarrassment, awkwardness, inadequacy, self-hatred and guilt. The normalizing gaze has therefore led me in many times to think negatively about my disability, wondering why I had to be among those that do not measure up in society.

The normalizing gaze has sometimes led me to striving to do what other people initially thought that I could not do, and while I did it in an effort to measure up to their standards, often I found that I had discovered success for myself. For example, while some classmates thought I would not achieve high marks in class due to wallowing in self-pity, I took this as a chance to challenge them, to try to measure up, and in the process found that I became a success in my class, much to the surprise of everyone. However, the normalizing gaze has at many times led me to failure in some areas, where I developed rebellion towards people’s idea that I must measure up to fit in. I have sometimes found myself giving up on sport activities that I otherwise knew I would easily excel in despite my disability, but due to lack of interest in meeting people’s expectations of measuring up, I have put my energy into other things that were otherwise not very important to me anyway.

Some of the thoughts, insights and ideas that have arisen for me about my life in the course of reflecting on the normalizing gaze are that narrating my life experience is a therapeutic means towards having a normal life. I have also realized that externalizing is a therapeutic approach, which if I put to use, can greatly help me to identify the problems that sometimes make me feel as though my life experience of being disabled is oppressive. Externalization is the process of separating the problem from the person experiencing the problem, and putting it in its proper perspective, not allowing it to tamper with one’s relationships, hence having the ability to describe facts about life that were otherwise suppressed by the normalizing gaze.

From the readings, I have realized that, externalizing a problem, rather than normalizing it, decreases the conflict in relationships, over who is responsible for the problem. This approach to a problem also paves way for cooperation among people, to stand together against the problem and to minimize its influence on lives and relationships. Externalization also plays a major role in diminishing the sense of failure and instead creates attempts to resolve the problem, or learn how to live with it. Through the nation of my problem, I have developed an idea that I can take a lighter, less stressed and more effective approach to my problem, no matter how serious other people deem it to be. The more I externalize my problem, the more I can have dialogue with my friends, family and colleagues about it, thus creating an opportunity to retrieve my relationship with these people from the confines of the problem. I now have an insight that what I think negatively about my disability is not real, but it is all in the mind. As Abigail Higgison says in her book, what we think of ourselves is what brings about the transformation (2007, p. 73)

Although I have felt inadequate about myself because of my physical disability many times in life, I know some of my friends who have not felt the same way about me and have always thought I have what it takes to make it in life. Some of the reasons that validated my feelings of inadequacy are that since everyone around me can make use of their lower limbs and I cannot, I felt like I was less fortunate. Some of my classmates validated this when they teased me, but now I know it was not all about me but the problem I face. I now know that I do not have to conform to people’s standards and expectations, but by seeing my disability for what it is, I can easily rise above the negative aspect of life discourses and allow them to influence my life positively.

References
Burr, V. (1995). An Introduction to Social Constructionism. London: Routledge
Higgisson, A. (2007). Bodily Becomings: Personal Reflections on the Constitution of an ‘Anorexic Self’. Social Work Review, 68-76
Hutton, J. (2008). Turning the Spotlight Back on the Normalizing Gaze. The International Journal of Narrative Therapy and Community , 1, 3-16.

Life as a Discourse 1

Social Work Assessment

Care pathways which is also known as clinical pathways refers management tools that are employed in a multi-disciplinary course of evidence-based practice to provide healthcare services to a distinctive group of patients suffering from a predictable clinical course. Care pathways are among the major tools that have been used to provide quality outpatient healthcare especially in the effort to standardize healthcare process. Evidence has shown that implementation of these tools has reduced overdependence on clinical practices. Care pathways have proven to improve outcome since they concentrate on evidence based practice that seeks to provide organized and efficient services to the patient. They prioritize results in the acute care that is provided within a home care setting (Bosworth and Choitz 14).

Social work assessment in adult care pathways
Continuous increase of predictable clinical cases that demanded consistent medical attention and comfort measures among dying patients led to the realization of the need to incorporate homecare services in the multi-professional discipline. The emergence of clinical pathways which started in the New England Medical Centre in 1985 was thus a result of adopting famous documents that were used health facilities to promote quality management (Dougherty 189). Under the inspiration of Doctor Kathleen and Karen, clinical pathways were introduced specifically to improve the type care that was provided to people that were approaching the end of their lives. These services were not intended to replace the expertise of healthcare professionals but they were rather intended to facilitate consistent and quality care for patients whose conditions were irreversible and that they were actually dying hence keeping them in hospital could not make any difference (Bash 274).

With continued innovations that were integrated into the new field of care pathways, social care continued to transform and a significant level of successes was realized particularly in regards to the rapidly changing culture of dying people. Today, care pathways has expanded to include a variety of social care practices directed not only to the dying, but also to children, adults and families that needed help in managing difficult behaviours or other problems that affected their lives (Cross 37).

Establishment of adult pathways in particular followed the growing number of adults with autism related disorders. With the discovery of the fact that many people were yet to be diagnosed and that these disorders were extremely heterogeneous, the need to base healthcare for these kinds of patients outside hospital was realized as this would facilitate provision of quality healthcare to a variety of patients. Social work assessment as a result has continued to gain significance in providing problem-solving interventions to parents of adult children with serious mental illness (Aslanian 102).

Basically, aging parents are usually called upon to give long-term support to their adult children who suffer from mental illnesses. While this demand comes at time when these parents need to cater for their own aging problems, professional interventions become crucial in providing support to both the parent and the mentally ill adult children. Apparently, long-term support to family members suffering from mental illnesses comes hand in hand with the feelings of grief, worry and resentment. These caregivers often feel isolated from the real world and they resent the interference of dealing the sick person with their personal needs and household chores (Dworsky 104). Social work interventions as a result helps these caregivers deal with stressful situations that culminate from this responsibility (Berube, Frey and Wilson 45).

Social work assessment helps in providing psycho education to the affected caregivers. This involves providing them with important information as pertains to the mental illness while equipping them with skills and coping strategies in order to help them deal effectively with the challenges that they encounter. Psycho education interventions are known to reduce negative feelings like stress, depression and anxiety as well as improving coping abilities and family functioning. Psycho education programs thus help to supplement for the deficiencies that caregivers encounter in health facilities.

In addition, insufficient help that caregivers often receive from mental health facilities demand for consistent professional interventions that would provide long-term support (Headden 93). Social workers thus provide caregivers with adequate information on how they can manage the relative’s mental illness. With social workers’ consistent interaction with the mentally ill person, the family and the caregiver, they are able to identify the nature and extent of the patient’s mental illness and as a result, the social workers are able to advice caregivers accordingly (ACSFA 12).

They are able to give referrals for patients and give specific information to health professionals on the kind of treatment the patient would require. Social workers are equally able to provide caregivers with relevant skills on how they can deal with problems that are related to these illnesses. With close observation drawn from consistent interaction with the patient, the social workers are able to identify the different ways through which the patients respond to different situations. They help caregivers understand why the patients behave in a certain manner under certain circumstances and this helps the caregiver to identify strategies that can be used in such situations.

Social work assessment also facilitates the establishment of family education programs provided at the grassroots level. According to Bosworth (2007, p. 27) consistent interaction of social workers with family members help them to organize for group intervention programs through which they provide family members with skills, social support and information. While these programs are intended to help reduce stress among family members, they have equally proven to solve crisis among family members thereby improving family relations. Families who lack knowledge on mental illnesses may often attribute a patient’s problematic behaviours as a factor of deviance and laziness and not as an illness (Hart 7). Such members may engage the mentally ill patients into conflicts that might complicate their situations. Family education programs help such individuals understand symptoms that are related to mental illnesses thus understanding how to handle the patients. These programs also help to relief caregivers from feelings of subjective burdens (Bowl 29).

Basically, caring for mentally ill persons is not an easy thing. While siblings to the mentally ill person may fail to understand the patient’s unpredictable behaviours and as they may perceive this responsibility as a long lasting burden which can last for many years, they tend to withdraw from this responsibility, leaving the aged parent who is the primary caregiver to handle the situation single handily (HAWICHE 22). Family members tend to believe that the close relationship that the aged parent may have developed with the patient is connected with certain rewards which place him or her at a better position to deal with the patient.

The aged parent as a result may develop feelings of subjective burden which may often be accompanied by feelings of grief, stress, anxiety and depression. These feelings may worsen with time depending on certain characteristics associated with the patient including age, symptoms and duration of illness. Social support including coping skills and self efficacy has thus been found to act as a significant mediator. Family education programs have proven to help family members to accept the responsibility and an objective burden shared by all, rather than a subjective burden to be carried single-handedly by one person (AASCU 43).

Social work assessment also facilitates establishment family consultation programs. Social workers under the support of mental health facilities provide consultative services to aged caregivers on specific issues affecting their relationship with other members of the family as a result of living with a mentally ill family member. While aged parents may be affected by different issues at different times, social workers provide them with short-term interventions which may focus on only one or two problems at a time (Carnevale and Smith 134).

Theoretical models provided by different scholars have equally supported the fact that social work assessments play a significant role in helping aged parents caring for their mentally ill children. Pearlin’s care giving and stress process model shows that stressors and role strains are the main challenges that caregivers face in the process of caring for mentally ill patients (Donaldson 28). This model also identifies the negative effects including depression, anxiety and physical health problems that may arise in the process although this model was initially established to analyze stressors that were faced by caregivers who were caring for patients suffering from Alzheimer’s syndrome, the relevance of this model in this context is drawn from the increasing use of this model by different researchers to analyze stress process that affect different populations of caregivers.

Platt’s study model identifies consequences that culminate from caring for people with serious mental illnesses. This model identifies stressors that seem to affect caregiver’s satisfaction in life (Crandall-Hollick and Keightley 68). Symptoms and disruptive behaviours of the patient have been linked with lack of emotional wellbeing and satisfaction in life by caregivers. The model also identifies social support and self-efficacy as having a major mediating impact that is directly linked to these stressors. This model is relevant in this context as it explain why aged caregivers get overwhelmed by feelings of subjective burdens and not objective burdens (Adelman 23).

It is evident that social workers do their best to provide supportive interventions that would help aging caregivers to effectively cope with the various challenges that they face as they take care of mentally ill adult children (Darkenwald and Merriam 687). They are however faced with many challenges on their day to day operations and this affects their effectiveness in this field. Social workers are often faced with ethical dilemmas where they have to choose between two unwelcoming choices which may involve a corruption on moral values (CLSP 23).

While the primary role of social workers may involve providing information that would help the caregiver to care effectively with the mentally ill patients, they may encounter cases that might cases requiring ethical judgment in choosing the kind of information they might need to dispose to the aged caregivers in relation to promotion of human welfare. Social workers thus need to be cautious and ensure that they can justify their actions and inactions although certain actions could be life changing to caregivers, cases identified by social workers in their areas of operation cannot be enough to justify these actions (Hoffman 94). They need to be considerate of ethical values that govern their profession since their personal values might conflict with professional values (Bean 489).

Social workers are also faced with human right dilemmas where they are needed to make decisions that would ensure the wellbeing of the larger population while balancing this with promotion of their safety. While the primary role of a social worker is to promote better living conditions for their clients, they might be faced with situations that would demand legal actions that would lead to detainment of the mentally ill individuals in hospital. Although their relationships with the client’s family might restrict them from communicating such information, legal requirements demanding for such actions might push them to making such decisions which might be hurting to family members thus posing threat to their safety (CAEL 25).

Social workers also face challenges related to social injustices and oppression affecting their clients. While it is apparent that most service users come from poor families, they often show high expectations to tap financial benefits from the social workers. This as a result complicates their work since they may find it difficult to satisfy every client they are serving. Inadequacy in personal safety net is another risk that affects social workers in their work (MacKeracher and Potter 19). Most of them work in communities with groups that have been mobilized to restrict public education that promote certain rights. Although such restrictions may be directed to professionals fighting anti-social behaviors like rape and lesbianism, they affect the broader field of social work since culprits may not distinguish between the service providers (Patterson and Guison-Dowdy 208).

Conclusion
It thus apparent that social work assessment plays an important role in providing quality support to aged parents caring for mentally ill adult children. Long-term social work interventions facilitate provision of psycho education, family support and consultative services. Although several scholarly models have confirmed the significant role that social workers play in promoting human welfare, they are often faced with many challenges that affect their day to day activities.

Work Cited
Adelman, Clook, The Toolbox Revisited: Paths to Degree Completion From High School Through College. Washington DC: U.S. Department of Education. 2006.
Advisory Committee on Student Financial Assistance (ACSFA), Restoring the Nation’s Commitment to Equal Educational Opportunity, Washington DC. 2001.
Advisory Committee on Student Financial Assistance (ACSFA), Empty Promises: The Myth of College Access in America, Washington DC. 2002.
American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU), Addressing the needs of adult learners, American Association of State Colleges and Universities, 2006, 3(2): 23-87.
Aslanian, Clue, Adult Students Today. New York: The College Board. 2001
Bash, Luke, Adult Learners in the Academy. Bolton MA: Anker Publishing. 2003.
Bean, John and Metzner, Born, A conceptual model of nontraditional student attrition. Review of Educational Research, 2005, 55(2):485-540.
Berube, Arthur, Frey, Adams and Wilson, Hughes, State of Metropolitan America. Washington DC: The Brookings Institution. 2010.
Bosworth, Brown, Lifelong Learning: New Strategies for the Education of Working Adults. Washington DC: Center for American Progress. 2007.
Bosworth, Brown and Choitz, Vulva, Held Back: How Student Aid Programs Fail Working Adults. Belmont MA: FutureWorks. 2002.
Bowl, Muren, Non-Traditional Entrants to Higher Education. Stoke on Trent, UK and Sterling, VA: Trentham Books. 2003.
Carnevale, Arthur and Smith, Strohl, Help Wanted: Projections of Jobs and Education Requirements through 2018. Washington DC: Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce. 2010
Center for Law and Social Policy (CLSP), Funding Career Pathways and Career Pathway Bridges: A Federal Policy Toolkit for States. Washington DC. 2010.
Crandall-Hollick and Keightley, Paul, Higher Education Tax Benefits: Brief Overview and Budgetary Effects. Washington DC: Congressional Research Service. 2011.
Cross, Kroll, Adults as Learners: Increasing Participation and Facilitating Learning. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. 2001.
Darkenwald, Gorge and Merriam, Bee, Adult Education: Foundations of Practice. New York: Harper and Row. 2002.
Donaldson, Graham, A model of college outcomes for adults. Adult Education Quarterly 2009, 50(1): 24-40.
Dougherty, Woodland, Understanding sources of financial support for adult learners. The Journal of Continuing Higher Education, 2009, 57(2): 181-186.
Dworsky, Pérez, Helping former foster youth graduate from college: Campus support programs in California and Washington State. Chicago IL: Chapin Hall at the University of Chicago. 2009.
Hart, Nick, Best practices in providing nontraditional students with both academic and financial support. New Directions for Higher Education no. 2003,121(4): 99-106.
Headden, Moore, No more kid stuff: Colleges and universities take a mature approach to serving adult students. Lumina Foundation Focus. 2009.
Hezel Associates and Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education (HAWICHE), Promising Practices in Statewide Articulation and Transfer Systems. Boulder CO. 2010.
Hoffman, Reindl, Complete to Compete: Improving Postsecondary Attainment Among Adults. Washington DC: National Governors Association Center for Best Practices. 2011.
MacKeracher, Suart and Potter, John, State of the Field Report: Barriers to Participation in Adult Learning. University of New Brunswick: Canadian Council of Learning. 2006.
Patterson, Zhang and Guison-Dowdy, Crossing the Bridge: GED Credentials and Postsecondary Educational Outcomes. Washington DC: American Council on Education. 2010.
The Council for Adult and Experiential Learning (CAEL), Serving Adult Learners in Higher Education: Principles of Effectiveness. Chicago IL. 2000.

Surname Here 9

Reflective Paper

A company operates and functions successfully due to combination of factors including; different cultural backgrounds, diverse work ethics and different personality traits. In addition, employees coming together and working under similar work conditions, principles, ethics, company standards and targets also contributes to this growth. Therefore, when two employees fail to work harmoniously, as a company manager, it is crucial to understand the underlying problems and issues.

Social Influence
Social influence procedures are mainly experienced in large groups such as societies and company employees. There is a high degree for employees to influence or be influenced socially. Compliance and persuasion are the major influenced values and principles. Cultural heritage, cognitive skills and interpersonal traits represent major basis under which people base social their influence. This is because, they are the basic principles under which behaviors, thoughts, memories and guidelines are formed (Douglas, Noah and Sanford 90).

Persuasion
The manager ought to recognize that, employees have certain degree of uniqueness due to diverse genetic differences. Therefore, people display pro-social behavior such as different values, attitudes and work ethics leading to conflicts especially among employees. However, banality is displayed among people who prefer to persuade their partners at work and generally in life. The two workers may have conflicted due to their pursuant attempts on adopting work ethics, behaviors and guidelines in the company differing. Therefore, although humans tend to co-operate, share and help, they also display pursuant traits in an attempt to discourage a fellow partner against what they believe and trust. Therefore, the manager ought to encourage them to work together to achieve company targets while respecting each other’s differences and diverse personal traits, expectations and values. To minimize these conflicts, the manager should consider locating them in different departments or company branches (Roy 261).

Work Cited
Douglas, Kenrick, Noah, Goldstein and Sanford, Braver, Six Degrees of Social Influence, Application and the Psychology of Robert Cialdini, Oxford University Press, 2012. Print.
Roy, Baumeister, Francis, Advanced Social Psychology: The State of the Science, Oxford University Press, 2010. Print.

Surname Here 4

Work Motivation of Foreign Domestic Helpers in Hong Kong

Introduction
Labor migration has become a popular trait in the current world setting. This event has mainly took place as an asymmetric flow from third world countries to developed countries with the numbers and variety of this trait probable to increase exponentially into the predictable future. There has been an increased rate in the number of low-skilled female employees from third world countries like Thailand, Sri Lanka, Philippines, and Indonesia shifting to the new, rich countries as domestic workers. For instance, there were about 100,000 migrant domestic workers in the personnel in Singapore by 2000 amounting to one foreign maid in eight families (Chan 2006, p.135).

The proportions of families employing at least one overseas domestic worker in Hong Kong rose from not more than 2% in 1986 to approximately 8% in 2006. More than one family among three families with young children employed at least one foreign domestic worker (FDW) (Chan, 2006, p.143. However, just like other workers across Hong Kong, foreign domestic workers are also supposed to be motivated. Their employers are supposed to make them feel appreciated and valued. They should be motivated daily and treated just like any other employee.

Research question
What is working motivation of foreign domestic helpers in Hong Kong?
Hypothesis
According to Chiu (2006, p.83), foreign domestic workers in Hong Kong have proved to be of great importance. This is because of the services they offer to their employers and the revenue which they generate to the country. However, in spite of this importance, there has been increased need to motivate these workers because many of them are feels that they are not appreciated or valued. This fact has led to a significant question that is: What is the work motivation of foreign domestic helpers in Hong Kong? It is, therefore, because of this fact that this study is aimed at analyzing the work motivation of foreign domestic helpers in Hong Kong.

Methodology
This study is aimed at analyzing and discussing working motivation of foreign domestic helpers in Hong Kong and it make use of face-to-face interviews and paper-pencil questionnaire surveys as means of data collection. Online face-to-face interviews surveys are more preferred than paper-pencil questionnaire surveys due to the fact that they are more efficient, convenient, fast, and seeks a response to every question. It has been proved that respondents (Foreign Domestic Helpers) are low-skilled thus, the choice of face-to-face interview surveys being the better option (Chiu, 2006, p.99). The collected data (in form of answers to the questions asked) is transferred to statistical packages and then analyzed. There is use of paper-pencil questionnaire surveys to complete the data collection procedure where face-to-face interview survey cannot yield responses.

Tools for data collection
In order to carryout this study, different methods of data collection will be used so as ensure that accurate information is collected. In this study, I am going to use quantitative research method particularly interviews (face-to-face interviews) and questionnaires (paper-pencil questionnaires). Face-to-face interviews have a different advantage of enabling a researcher to set up relationship with probable participants and thus, gain their cooperation (Gronau, 1997, p.1000). These interviews result to the highest rates of response in a survey research. They also permit the researcher to elucidate the vague responses and when suitable, seek follow-up information.

Paper-pencil questionnaires can be sent to a huge number of individuals and saves the researcher’s time and capital. When people are answering questionnaires that are regarding contentious issues, they are more truthful particularly because of the fact that their responses are no known. However, they also have shortcomings. This is because greater parts of the people who receive questionnaires do not bring them back and those who do might not be envoy of the originally selected sample. Nevertheless, these are the methods of data collection that are going to be utilized in this study.
Gronau (2006, p.1008) asserts that researchers understand that reliability, objectivity, subjectivity and validity are the basic conditions when considering the research method. This is in accordance to Moser and Kalton’s idea that “the objective of determining the research method is proper for investigating the problem.” Research method should match with the population and sample size, and be reasonably reliable and objective.

As stated earlier, this study is aimed at analyzing and discussing how employer and employee relationship, and the working condition/environment can motivate foreign domestic helpers. It is important to look for the deeper reasons rather than the uniformity results. I would like to know the relevance of the Maslow hierarchy theory and Herzberg two-factor theory with foreign domestic helpers (FDH). Researchers expect additional factors or reasons that have been raised by respondents but they are not yet found so that they can group them into above theories or factors that motivate the foreign domestic helpers.

Through quantitative research, open-ended question is likely to build an in-depth analysis of knowledge. Open-ended question allow interviewee to answer using many varieties of answers. Thus, a researcher may find out special factors that were not discovered before or they were found but they were not categorized in the other established theories (Henshall, 1999, p.38).
In order to collect accurate data, I will conduct 8-9 interviews with the foreign domestic helpers. I have also hired a foreign helper though will not be one of the interviewee. But researcher will request her to provide me with the contact list of her fellow FDH and try to arrange the interview with them. I will conduct a face-to-face interview in order to gather correct and original responses (Henshall, 1999, p.54). The maids mainly spend their holiday in Central, but I will arrange the interview venue in the café or other places that are not very crowded. I will use the digital-recorder to record the conversation hence, a quiet place is desired.

When I receive responses, I will start to arrange and analyze the data. This is because I am aware that this is an essential part of the dissertation and should not be neglected. However, some detail information gathered from open-ended question may take me long time to categorize into meaningful information. Data analysis and arrangement is the most meaningful part in the dissertation. If the uncategorized factors are gathered and differ completely with the motivation theories mentioned by the scholars, then the factors are worth to focus for employers of foreign domestic helpers (Suen, 1993, p.290).

As a researcher, I would like to explore more detailed information that is related to motivation and how it can affect the foreign domestic helpers in Hong Kong. This is because FDH are hired and working under similar working environment equal to their education level and background. Nevertheless, the employment relationship and working environment is unlikely the same. It is of great importance to carryout a survey that can explore deeper information. At the same time, I understand that semi-structure interview is more appropriate for interviewee. Hence, as a researcher I am allowed to ask deeper questions to the respondents when the answer is interesting and contribute to the survey (Suen, 1993, p.297).

Analysis
The numbers of foreign domestic helpers interviewed were more than 200,000 but due to the limited resources and funding, I was unable to conduct the big scale survey. The sample size was 8-9. The number of the sample size was not in big proportion hence, the analysis tool can be used to express the research’s reliability, objectivity, subjectivity and ‘validity. I will distribute the questionnaire to my domestic helper’s friends prior to the interview (Yeoh et al., 1999, p.115).

Because of the limited human resources and restricted financial support, this sample size (8-9) seems to be appropriate. Even though the total number of domestic helpers in Hong Kong is approximately 200,000, the research is conducted around the network of my domestic helper’s friends. Moreover, t think that their education level and background is similar hence, some deeper question may produce new factors that motivate or demoralize them. Open-ended questions led to development of a depth of knowledge; therefore, I set some open-ended questions that explored deeper answer from interviewee (Yeoh et al., 1999, p.124).

I accessed the sample by the assistance of my maid. Since the sample group is the domestic helpers in Hong Kong, and the best day and place of meeting is on Sunday in Central when they are on holiday, I made earlier arrangements to meet on Sunday so as to avoid lateness or absence. However, I decided to provide them with the questionnaires before the interviews. This was because I hoped that at least six maids were willing to conduct the interview. Otherwise, I would have conducted face-to-face interview alone in my residential area.
When I conducted the interview on whether the ethics issues are important to consider, I learned that although there was no fast list of regulations to follow, there were common set of questions that I was capable of asking myself in order to generate creditability, integrity and avoid stress or risk (Yeoh et al., 1999, p.132).

In terms of creditability and integrity, I was fully aware of the Robson’s idea that “provided that I obtain confidential information, suitably enough within the conditions of confidentially of the case study; it was going to affect my working relationship with colleague? This fact led to an easy but challenging question on how I was going to maintain objectivity, given my previous and present close contact with the institution and my colleagues? This was because I was not going to carryout a survey within the organization. Hence, the close relationship is the same with the colleague. I stated to the interviewee that any response from interview must be treated as private and confidential (specifically for academic use).

After recording the interview on a digital recorder, I transferred the conversation to the portable hard disk with encryption. Moreover, I locked the hard disk in my cabinet. Once the transcript was produced, the conversation recorded from recorder was erased. At the same time, when the data is disclosed (if applicable), anonymity was adopted so as to avoid disclosure or the identity of the interviewee. I expected that the above setting would prevent leakage of the confidential information. This is because I had already known that it was not good if the interview process and result influencing the interviewee work (Macpherson & Hirsch, 1995, p.422). I was also aware of the problem of power relations when conducting the interview. This is because careful consideration can assist to avoid the difficult situation. I therefore, preferred to keep the dissertation with creditability, integrity and avoid stress or risk.

CLMS (2010 M4 U4:15) points out that when there are difficult situations, research should tell the interviewee as far as possible what the research contains and how the data will be used. Moreover, it should allow the interviewee to quit from the interview if the interviewer feels concerned or she does not want to talk about the concerned issue before the interview.
The venue of interview should be quiet and avoid the disturbance. This was the reason as to why I decided to use Central. This is because I realized that there were some dancing and singing activities in Central Park. Hence, café was the only better place to conduct an interview. The quiet environment may bring interviewee’s confidence in that their response will not be heard by other respondents or people. Despite the fact that I did not conduct the research within organization, it is worth to note that the interview created possible pressure about power relations (Macpherson & Hirsch, 1995, p.426).

This is due to the fact that not only the researcher, but also the co-worker suffered from pressure. Thus, they may feel unconformable. This is a common problem even in the organization with hierarchical position. Since foreign domestic helpers are not working in the organization with hierarchy, I still viewed and addressed them with the higher status. This made them to feel comfortable and appreciated thus, reducing their chances to refuse taking part in this interview. I reminded the interviewee prior to the beginning of the interview that they were allowed to stop the interview anytime if they feel uncomfortable with the type of the questions that I will be asking them. Therefore, the location which I chose to conduct interview assisted me to create a comfortable environment for interviewee to feel more relaxed and comfortable.

At the same time, I avoided to make interviewee to feel stressed and embarrassed when I ask her about some sensitive questions. Questions that I asked were related to their views about their employers, the degree of satisfaction, and about their working conditions. In some cases, the interviewee refused to continue answering the questions whenever the question seemed to be very sensitive. Good example of the questions that most interviewees did not want to talk about were those involving their sexual, or other antipathy feeling or abuse. Nonetheless, O’Connell Davidson and Layder point out that it should be better to leave the potentially sensitive questions at the end of the interviews (Chiu, 2006, p.121). As the interviewee spent time to answer the questions, it is more likely to finish the last part of the interview that included potentially sensitive questions.
The wording or language used during the interview are also important factors to be noted by and placed into consideration by a researcher. A researcher should use non-discriminatory practices and language. This is because, if an interviewee is not feeling comfortable with the type of the language or words being used, the interviewee is likely to refuse to complete the interview or provide wrong feedback, and this can affect the accuracy of the results obtained.

Social variables are also the important issue for researcher to put into consideration when conducting the interview. The differences of the gender, ethnicity, class, position and among other are supposed to be placed into consideration before, during, and after carry out an interview. This is because all variables are linked to the experience or ideas that allow the interviewee going to share (Macpherson & Hirsch, 1995, p.434). Nevertheless, if the interviewees were notified about the similar history or experience, it may encourage the respondent to be more open. But if the interviewee is unfamiliar with the background and history, their will be high degree of mistrust which can consequently affect the accuracy of the answers given and final result obtained.

Literature Review
According to the research, there are numerous factors that can motivate foreign domestic helpers in Hong Kong. This is according to the research that I have carried out. These factors however, can be provided or facilitated by both employers and government. To start with, all foreign domestic helpers are supposed to be treated with respect and honor. By doing this, they will feel honored and appreciated hence putting more efforts in their work (Henshall, 1999, p.1101).

Furthermore, they should be given good and reasonable salaries. This is because most of them have said that they are bread winners of their families back in their mother countries. Hence, if they are not given adequate salaries to help them meet their needs and those of their relatives back in their mother land, there is a very high possibility that FDH will leave and try to look for another work.
Henshall (1999, p.1103) asserts that the relationship between employee and employer is also a good source of motivation among FDH. A foreign domestic helper will put in more efforts in her work if she feels like one of the family members. She should be given freedom t interact with all family members freely and also provided with an opportunity to express her feelings. Her needs should be always placed into consideration regardless of how minor or awkward it may sound.

Lastly, government should implement good laws with a sole purpose of preventing FDH again assault and torture. This is due increased cases of domestic violence particularly against FDH that are being witnessed across the world. Once proper rules preventing them against assault and low payment is implemented. They will be highly motivated and willing to work without any supervision

Conclusion
In summary, foreign domestic helpers are of great importance in Singapore. This is because of many duties and roles that they have been playing not only at a family level, but also at a national level. However, just like any employees, they are also supposed to be motivated. Hence, as the research has revealed, there are many ways through which we can motivate foreign domestic helpers in Singapore and make them work harder. Despite the fact that their work seems of less importance, FDH’s work should be appreciated and protected by laws. Any employer who will be found guilty of assaulting her FDH should be brought into books and charged accordingly so that the law can take its course.

Bibliography
Chan, A, 2006. The effect of full-time domestic workers on married women’s economic activity status in Hong Kong, 1981-2001. International Sociology, 21(1), 2006, 133-159.
Chiu, K, 2006. Recent trends in migration movements and policies in Asia: Hong Kong region report. International Sociology, 21(1), 2006, 77-123.
Gronau, R, 1997. Leisure, home production and work- the Theory of allocation of time revisited. Journal of Political Economy, 85(6), 1997, 1099-1123.
Henshall, J, 1999. Gender, migration, and domestic service. London, Routledge, 33-67.
Macpherson, D, and Hirsch, B, 1995. Wages and gender compostion: Why do women’s jobs pay less? Journal of Labor Economics, 13(3), 1995, 420-427.
Suen, W, 1993. Market-procured housework: The demand for domestic servants and female labor supply. Labor economics, 1, 1993, 289-302.
Yeoh, A, Huang, S, and Gonzalez, J, 1999. Migrant female domestic workers: Debating the economic, social and political impacts. International Migration Review, 33(1), 1999, 114-136.

Appendix: Questionnaire
1.a Gender : Female Male
b. Age:
 < 21 21-29 30-39 > 39
c. Marital Status:
Married Single Divorced Relict

d. No. of children
None <2 3-5 >5

e. Service year for existing employer
<1 1-2 3-4 >4 Please state:

2. About your work
a. Do you satisfied about your salary?
b. Can you

Are you happy about working for your employer?

Foreign Domestic Helpers In Hong Kong 14

Written Reflection

Task 1: The main functions of supervision in social practice are to improve the value and worth of decision-making and social work interventions, assist in recognizing opportunities for, and achieving, personal learning and career development, and promote the accountability of organizations and social practice. Supervision also serves to identify and handle the workload and responsibility issues effectively. Through supervision frameworks in social practice, the identification of structural, work, and process problems that social practitioners face and experience in their work is possible. This possibility allows employers and supervisors’ abilities to develop better processes and structures that allow the making of improved, convenient, and effective decisions and designs of effective models in practice (leadership, teamwork, communication, interaction methods, and other processes), for productive outcomes.

Supervision also enables the identification of each social practitioner’s strengths, talents, weak areas, and practice opportunities within communities, for exploitation and improvements to promote career advancement and personal learning, through experience, more significant roles, and better outcomes (Parker, 2010, p. 76-82, 86-97). It allows practice supervisors’ gains of practical knowledge for the management and design of productive practice schedules, structures, responsibilities, and processes for practitioners’ optimum performances and productivities in their responsibilities and duties. The reflective process in supervision allows the effective understanding and awareness of practice processes, responsibilities, problems, and opportunities by both practitioners and supervisors, such that they can develop and apply efficient and productive models and approaches to promote the effectiveness and proficiency of practice.

Through reflective processes, supervisors and practitioners, individually and as groups, can contemplate on their work and its responsibilities, opportunities, and problems, allowing reality feelings such as personal vulnerability and failure, fearless expressions of fear and uncertainties, and the release of stress and pressure in their practice (CCW, n.d., para. 1-7; Parker, 2010, p. 76-82, 86-97). This contributes to bonding and reinvigoration among practitioners and supervisors, in terms of motivation and practice objectives, allowing practice improvements and the invention of productive approaches and strategies to influence prevalent problems and opportunities in practice and achieve positive outcomes for communities.

Task 2: As a student about to start placement in social practice, I would want to negotiate on several expectations about the supervisory relationship and process. I would request for the adoption of an inclusive, free, and communication-based supervision process. Since social practice involves extensive and intensive interaction with a broad variety of community stakeholders, based on structured and specialized processes to advance welfare objectives, the achievement and maintenance of a close and effective relationship with supervisors and other practitioners would be essential for productivity and success in my practice. Free and inclusive communication of responsibilities, new developments and information, potential opportunities and problems in practice, and other relevant knowledge would be essential for successful practice. I would negotiate for the operation of free and effective communication and access to information in my placement (Castellani & Hafferty, 2009, p. 36-43).

In relation to the placement assessment process, my expectations would include the application of suitable, effective, and productive assessment features and tools. I would expect the use of achievable goals/objectives and the consideration of field features/characteristics in the assessment process. Assessment should utilize targets and goals that are possible to achieve among practitioners, for fairness purposes and the assurance of continued motivation, without frustrations and disillusionment among practitioners. Such achievable targets involve the consideration of personal capacities, the intensity and complexity of responsibility/duty, and adequate and suitable timelines.

Considerations of field features and characteristics involve the pegging of assessment features and targets on the levels of difficulty, inconvenience, and problems in the fields of practice for practitioners. The assessment process should consider the differences in different practitioners’ fields and processes, rather than employing a standardized assessment process (Parker, 2010, p. 103-119, 123-129). This is because different practitioners face varied field processes and features: the application of standard/uniform assessment methods would be unfair and insensitive in the context of such field and practice variations.

Task 3: I regard several factors as essential in contribution to a positive supervisory relationship for my practice. These include uninhibited communication, a participative supervisory approach, the availability of effective knowledge sharing processes, and capacity and skills’ development (Parker, 2010, p. 47-55, 76-82, 123-131). Such consideration involves basis on an evaluation of my personality, cultural exposure and experience, and preferences in learning and values. I am an ambitious person with the habit of seeking new information actively and sharing it with relevant others as preparation for my responsibilities and duties. I use such research and sharing to gain all useful and relevant backdrop knowledge of the field of responsibility, so as to have a maximum level of proficiency and achieve quality outcomes in the task. I prefer the exhaustive use of knowledge and information systems, along with face-to-face interactions, for such research and sharing. I require constant and regular improvements of knowledge, through learning/training, to update such knowledge and skill proficiency.

I regard the ability to participate and contribute in decisions concerning my tasks as essential for my performance. Personally, I value honesty, transparency, openness, and freedom in inter-person interaction, partly due to the cultural and family background values that my upbringing has emphasized. The availability of these factors, therefore, would enhance the supervisory relationship in my practice. Uninhibited communication, featuring freedom in expressions and contact with supervisors on my practice responsibilities, would enhance trust and understanding in the relationship. A participatory supervision approach would also contribute to such trust and understanding in the relationship, through promoting a sense of personal value and worth towards both the practice and supervision processes and structures.

Effective knowledge and capacity and skills development processes would enhance the relationship through the development of my knowledge, capacities, and proficiency in the tasks that the supervisors assign, my contributions for practice improvements, and understanding of supervision processes and objectives (Castellani & Hafferty, 2009, p. 36-42; Parker, 2010, p. 47-55, 76-82, 123-131). These factors, together, would contribute to my personal motivation in practice and improve the supervisory relationship through effective and productive practice that satisfies supervisory objectives and targets sustainably.

Task 4: Feedback in social practice supervision involves the awareness of responses, outcomes, and effects of applied strategies, approaches, and methods in fields of practice. The purpose of such feedback is to enhance the capacity of supervision to devise ways and strategies to handle prevalent problems, inconveniences, and difficulties and influence potential opportunities in fields of practice, for the effective advancement of practice objectives, such as social welfare. Feedback is an essential tool for supervisors and practitioners to evaluate the success, effectiveness, and productivity of their practice techniques and methods, relative to practice objectives. It allows the evaluation of direction, pace, quality, and substance of practice relative to objectives, such that decisions of changes, alterations/modifications, improvements, or overhauls of applied methods and approaches are possible.

Feedback allows assessments of progress and practice effectiveness, at individual and team levels, for determination of the strategies and approaches to change and apply to promote productivity and performance relative to practice objectives and targets. It is thus essential in sustaining practice quality, effectiveness, and relevance (Cournoyer, 2010, p. 309-321, 339-346). My response to feedback involves determination to utilize its information as the basis to improve on my weaknesses and strengths to achieve proficiency and optimum productivity/performance. I regard feedback as evaluation results: it identifies the areas of personal performance and capacities that I need to improve and strengths to exploit. I also regard feedback as an affirmation of my capacities and potential where I achieve objectives (for confidence and motivation purposes), and as an evaluation of weaknesses (rather than failures) for future improvements. An example of feedback that was helpful involved a friend’s involuntary remark – during a group task – that I had a welcoming personality but that I needed to grow in self-assurance and confidence. I regarded the comment as insight into others’ perception of my personality and resolved to develop my confidence, through conscious evaluation of my contributions and participations in social settings. This helped to improve my personality and the quality of my participation in social settings

References
Castellani, B., & Hafferty, F. (2009). Sociology and Complexity Science: a New Field of Inquiry. Springer Publishing, New York, USA
Community Care Website (CCW) (n.d.). How Reflective Practice can help Social Workers feel ‘safe’. Community Care Website, retrieved on November 1, 2012 from: http://www.communitycare.co.uk/Articles/03/08/2012/118427/how-reflective-practice-can-help-social-workers-feel-safe.htm
Cournoyer, B. (2010). The Social Work Skills Handbook. Cengage Learning, Stamford, USA
Parker, J. (2010). Effective Practice Learning in Social Work. Sage Publishing, London, UK

Written Reflection 5

Social Real Time Connection Application

Executive summary
In the current society, social networking is vividly depicted in people’s lives, almost in every area ranging from organizations to businesses that want to be in touch with their customers in real time. This has enabled organizations to tap into opportunities by establishing themselves on the online digital platform. Smart phone technology is one of the areas that have revolutionized the way people shop and negotiate for better prices. Social networking platforms, has also brought a dynamic shift by bringing together a diverse group of people to enable them participate in the online marketplace. Financial institutions are able to offer their services while directly connected to the application. Real Time Connection is a software-based application that encompasses the online social sites into one application, while at the same time gives an individual the social and financial management capabilities.

Individuals can connect with other social networking platforms via one dedicated interface that is easier to use and rich in content to allow people make purchases and pay for goods with the same application. Moreover, it also alerts customers concerning new offers and promotions that are well categorized according to individual needs, as well as show which active connections frequent a site to make purchases. At the same time, the application builds customer profiles online thus being able to offer customized promotional content depending on profile information and preferences.

All this is made possible via the internet infrastructure through the GPS technology, which has the capability of giving consumer information in terms of location, and allowing for updates in relation to new product information. The social networking platform is indispensible in the current e-commerce setup, with businesses taking up social networking tools to promote their brand to increase revenue, while at the same time avoiding unethical practices that hinder their brand penetration. In summing up, the Real Time Connection application brings all aspects of social network into a business, and boost sales and overall brand image, which is more important to a business.

Introduction
Communication in today’s global economy has connected different people across societies from different regions on a global scale. Different communication channels have been used that characterized the early onset of communication, transitioning from old age channels of communication to the current advanced technological based channels. Communication was an asset that merely every people used in his or her daily interactive lives. Business activities of trade depended on communication to reach their customers and communicate their offers. In current times, communication has continued to play a vital role while employing varied channels that have been made to pass information and as a result hasten their trading processes, making them well secured in terms of allowing financial transactions. Though, technology has led to the invention of more intelligent digital gadgets, which has now penetrated merely every facet of the societal structure.

This has been propelled to greater heights due to the advancement in technology and the internet infrastructure, which has brought out the online platforms that run on the cloud that can be accessed through smart phones. Social networking platforms cannot also be sidelined in the current times, these sites allow businesses to track product means of customer profiling in both public and private fronts. Consequently, building newer and further cementing seller and customer relationship based on socio demographic factors enable a business to tailor its products within a certain user network, and to facilitate interaction between people and the system (Epstein & Manzoni 210).

Therefore, integrating well within the social fabrics while at the same time continues to mesh with people’s lives, more so on the introduction of smart phone technology, which has deepen further buyer seller interaction improve the online brand on the social arena. Latest trends show that corporate businesses are slowly integrating this within operations, attributed to the potential nature of social platforms to accelerate the businesses.

Background
It is however noted that social networks are becoming an indispensable tool in the corporate, with firms capitalizing on such capabilities to come up with smart based applications that are tailored specifically for the industry in which they operate. This enables them to tap into the social media traffic that emanates from the younger generations, hence tailoring the products to such groups and further monitoring their purchasing behavior to achieve product personalization.

In the recent times, social network sites such as Twitter, Facebook, Weibo, and Google+ are some of the most popular social sites. Among these, Google launching is a more interactive video-based feature such as the hangout that enriches content by elaborating more on a particular product hence tapping on potential markets segments (Korhan 13), where marketing executives from the corporate world create virtual online video content that is more appealing to a section of the never-ending consumer. Social networks continue to grow, due to the fact that that Smartphone technologies bring about mobile centered computing that can be tapped despite performance by the
being on the move, and at the same time allowing one to download social networking apps from various online stores to enable one-visit different online business models.

The trend is currently on the rise due to the integration of social media into the fabrics of online trade, whereby businesses use social media to grow and deepen their market, find and connect with other potential clients as well as enable them to perform some analytics for product improvement purposes since it is possible for them to know exactly what customers like or dislike (Lovett 322). However, this raises some questions regarding how social media can tap into the corporate businesses to enable them handle financial transactions within the online social network sites.

Real Connected World Application
The growth in Smartphone usage has enabled different social network applications to support the normal business process, however, an application that consolidates most social networks features in one gadget, to facilitate the sharing of information among business in vital. This can be supported by a mobile device that is portable and works with the current internet technologies. The Real Connected World application is a small application that uses the GPS technology, a navigation system that uses radio waves to locate coordinates of particular selected points. Upon initiating a request to be allowed to access an online site, the application precedes by an authentication process that requests for a username and a password. On granting the user, it uses an encryption mechanism to encrypt the password and username from malicious attempts that are presented due to cookies that help in profiling.

It then locates the various selected stores and gives real-time notification concerning the deals to users who have installed the application on their smart phones. On the other hand, it has a customizable user interface that contains a catalog, favorites section and a navigation pane which allows users to filter their likes according to their preference, and order coupons from online stores instantly, aided by a customized app that gives one direct access to businesses deals for customers.

When a customer has located the best deal, the application grants access to the online store, and since it is connected to online payment channels, the application requests a transaction from the online point of sale of the business, and then automatically bills the buyer and directs him to the download page for the final process. Not only does the application facilitate billing, it allows one to share and print a coupon from the smart phone, via the internet which can be presented physically at the shop. The application allows users to accumulate points for every purchased item, and updates the customer on the activity status with points depending on purchased it, that is made possible due to barcodes on the items.

Smartphone applications that perform the same function are much rare considering the functional complexity that is brought about by different application platforms such as the Windows and Android driven gadgets. This henceforth, makes the Real Connected World application as a leading application, designed to handle all the three platforms currently being used.

Works cited
Epstein, Marc J, and J F. Manzoni. Performance Measurement and Management Control: Measuring and Rewarding Performance. Bingley: Emerald JAI, 2008. Web.
Korhan, Jeff. Built-in Social: Essential Social Marketing Practices for Every Small Business. , 2013. Web.
Lovett, John N. Social Media Metrics Secrets: Do What You Never Thought Possible with Social Media Metrics. Indianapolis, Ind: Wiley Pub, 2011. Web.

Surname 6

Social Welfare and Visions for the Future: From a human rights and dignity perspective

Introduction
In U.S, the social welfare refers to welfare programs that are provided by the federal government to assist either the underemployed or the unemployed. Some of the social welfare services that are provided to the needy in the society by various government agencies include Medicaid, help to women, children and infants and food aid.

Traditionally, the social welfare has been planned to assist the poor citizens. Various organisations are therefore involved in the provision of food, shelter, education and healthcare to the eligible citizens. Initially, the social welfare program was designed to address the short comings found in the market operation of demand and supply. It was considered as an open ended right, but the reform introduced by the welfare reform act of 1996, converted it to a short term program that is used to provide cash assistance to the people while steering them to get employment and earn an independent living (Weiss-Gal & Welbourne, 2008).

While its intentions were good in motivating people to go off welfare, it had the negative effect of discriminating against legal immigrants
According to the UN office of the high commissioner on the human rights, a human right is defined as an inherent right that all people have regardless of the nationality, colour race religion, ethnic origin or language. This is very important since the social welfare services should be guaranteed to all that need it to live with integrity. This right is the foundation upon which the social welfare programs in the society should be viewed (United Nations, 2002).
The social welfare in the future should take consideration of the inherent universal right to the standard of living. This means that people have access to adequate health and well being of the entire families.

References
Weiss-Gal, I. & Welbourne, P., (2008). The professionalization of social work: A cross- national exploration. International Journal of Social Welfare, 17, 281–290
United Nations (2002). Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights. Human rights a compilation of international instruments. Vol. 1 (Part 1 & 2) Universal Instruments, New York: United Nations

SOCIAL WELFARE AND VISIONS FOR THE FUTURE 3

Running Head: SOCIAL WELFARE AND VISIONS FOR THE FUTURE 1

Mission Statement of Social Welfare

Part 1
My concept of social and economic justice involves the prevalence of fairness and welfare assurances in the context of differences in social classes and income levels among them and physical regions. I understand social justice as fairness enforced within a society and its different social classes. The principles of solidarity (cohesion and harmony) and equality (fairness and equal opportunity) prevail strongly and widely in a society that features social justice. A socially just culture also features the common understanding and valuation of human freedoms and rights, with recognition of each human being’s dignity.

I understand economic justice within the context of a society as involving the equality and fairness of opportunity: it features the provision and availability of equal income, health access, and human development welfare opportunities among the different economic and social classes among a society. An economically just society features no discrimination or alienation of any classes or groupings of people, including the disabled and the poor, in the provision and availability of welfare services and human development amenities. These include basic requirements such as education, health, food and nutrition, housing, and safe living environments. A common social and economic justice issue in my society involves the alienation of some classes and groups, especially the poor and the disabled, in the availability of some essential facilities, including education, decent housing, and health. The non-affordability of these facilities for these classes and groups has caused a national debate on the need for government subsidies in these basic services, to reduce alienation and promote equitability in their access among citizens, irrespective of social class factors.

I envisage social change as the continuous alteration, mainly betterment, in a society’s social order – the prevalent institutional, interaction, custom, and relationship systems that dictate behaviors and relations among a society’s members. I regard changes in the thought processes of humans, due to education, civilization, globalization, and other such factors, as the foundations of social change. My consideration is that social change involves the evolution of social and cultural values and processes, based on new knowledge, awareness, shifts in paradigms and patterns, and past lessons, leading to progress in human societies and communities. One form of social change that I have witnessed in my community and globally involves the use and application of communication and interactive technology, allowing easy, fast, and convenient contact and relationships with individuals in other world societies.

Increased use of social media and worldwide internet has changed the varieties of relationships in society, promoting virtual relationships with unfamiliar people in other societies and intercultural influences on behavior and social values. I understand social welfare issues as the subjects and matters, including challenges and opportunities, which prevail or arise in a society and its institutions’ bid to offer certain minimum opportunities and standards aimed at the comfort and development of human lives. They involve concerns within societies as they and their institutions aim to assist the handling of various contingencies among society members.

In my neighborhood, one mother has struggled with her female child’s autistic nature. She has sought and obtained help from various institutions for the past several years to enhance the child’s development and growth. Help from local public autism management and child care and development centers, in cooperation and coordination with local health, parenting, and education institutions, has promoted the child’s growth and development for the past several years. The child’s autism is an example of a social welfare issue and contingency, whose handling requires assistance from the society’s offer of certain minimum opportunities for human life development and comfort.

Part 2
My choice of social work as an educational and professional goal stems from a variety of community and social issues and experiences. One such issue concerns my neighbor’s struggle with her child’s autism and the value of social work in promoting the child’s welfare. After the diagnosis of her child’s autism, the young mother obtained references to a variety of professional and government institutions where she could obtain assistance. The social work assistance from local public autism management and child care and development centers, in cooperation and coordination with local health, parenting, and education institutions, has been valuable. The help has involved coordination and cooperation, through the use of opportunities and influence of challenges in the child’s autistic problem.

The social workers arranged and implemented regular therapy for the child in the home environment, trained the mother on effective strategies to manage the problem, and arranged with the child’s instructors and other staff in school about how to care for and promote the child’s development. More influence has been from my study of the prevalence of a variety of inconveniences and challenges for different groups and classes in society, creating needs for social work interventions and services. The most common and serious ones include income and class inequities and the prevalence of intellectual, physical, behavioral, and emotional problems and disabilities in society. These inconveniences cause needs for personalized, committed, lasting, and sometimes unrewarding, but noble, welfare services. Social work features the gracious and noble responsibility of addressing the challenges of these disadvantaged groups and classes.

I have witnessed social work’s value in assuring such classes and groups’ human rights, comfort, happiness, and deserved access to equitable welfare services, such as health, education, and security, and income and development opportunities in society. In my neighborhood, social workers’ services in a school for disabled children – blind, crippled, and deaf children – who suffer from discriminative instruction and education environment methods in normal schools has been instrumental in offering them strong platforms for valuable participation and contribution to the area’s and national economic development. The workers provide essential literacy and intellectual skills and motivation for the children’s active and successful participation in social processes and activities as normally as possible, enabling their acceptance of their conditions and active application of personal skills and talents. Personally, the provision of such groups and classes’ happiness and comfort despite their disadvantages, hence giving their lives meaning and significance, makes social work an attractive and motivating goal, in education and professionally.

Part 3
Counseling, psychotherapy, care for the disabled, and advocacy are the areas of social work that I wish to pursue in the future. My choice of these areas involves the consideration of their importance in promoting the welfare of disadvantaged individuals, who face one of the most acute and common forms of discrimination and social injustice in the society. Counseling and psychotherapy are essential areas in promoting motivation, willpower, and optimism – the three components that I consider essential for personal success despite any challenges in life – among such individuals. Care for the disabled is a distinct area of interest at a personal level: social workers’ contributions to assist disabled individuals in my neighborhood to obtain basic skills and personal acceptance, despite their conditions, have been inspiring.

Advocacy is essential in supporting and securing the rights and welfare of disadvantaged groups in society. Through my work, I wish to contribute towards the betterment of society, through promotions of social equality, recognition and provision for disadvantaged groups’ rights and welfare, and a non-discriminative culture in regard to race, class, ethnicity, ability, gender, age, sexuality patterns, or religion.

Mission Statement of Social Welfare 4