Business continuity Essay Example for Free

Business continuity Essay Just in time concept is a lean operation concept applied in supply chain management where an enterprise strives to produce only what is needed, whenever it is needed and in the amount that is needed. It allows for efficient production of quality products through complete waste elimination, avoidance of inconsistencies and also elimination of non-value addition activities within the production line. (Lieb Miller 1988) According to (Stank Crum 1997) the wastes that are eliminated are related to labour, where over staffing is a waste, time, in this case idle time or use of extra time to accomplish a goal is considered waste. Just in time concept emphasizes on customer requests and avoids making decisions based on forecast. In this concept, inventory is considered as an additional cost to the process. Traditionally, it would be considered to be value adding in the system. In this case, businesses and organisations are advised to eliminate any form of inventory that does not impact any additional value to the product. The just in time concept has various benefits to a business firm or enterprise. The benefits include an improvement in the flow of goods into, within and from the warehouse. There is also better planning and consistency in the organisation. Manpower can be reduced when production process has stopped mainly due to planned shut downs for maintenance, stocktaking activities, or any other reason (Stank Crum 1997). This helps the enterprise to save on cost related to labour and other production overheads. When an organisation adopts the JIT concept and implements it, it helps in the production of better quality products and also increases the efficiency of production. All the aforementioned benefits are customer oriented. We therefore realise from the benefits customer satisfaction is enhanced. This in turn has an impact on customer loyalty and improved sales by the organisation. The net effect of this is improved profits by the organisation (Swamidass 2000). Despite having all the above benefits, the outcome of the terror attacks on September 11 has cast a lot of doubt on the just in time (JIT) concept deliveries in the supply chain. In a supply chain, each organisation along the chain depends upon a supplier and therefore in case of a hitch along the chain, the repercussions are felt along the whole chain. Before the September 11 attack the â€Å"JIT† was comfortably applicable and implemented to various businesses. Until this time, overstocking was avoided and components were delivered to the right place at the right time and in the right form with no hitch. Piling of inventory was avoided and production processes proceeded smoothly. However, the events of September 11 reversed all these, there were delays caused by grounding of aircrafts and also a longer time was required for border inspections. Transport on land was also highly affected. As an example, due to these interruptions, commodities destined for the Gap, Banana republic and the old navy stores ended up to a warehouse next to an airport. The business environment, both external and internal will always be fluctuating. External environment like the impact from natural calamities e. g. hurricanes, snow, storms, floods, earthquakes and internal environments like strikes, affect business operations. Therefore, for an organisation with a JIT system, in case of any fluctuation in the business environment, the supply chain will be disrupted and therefore flow of products downstream will not be realized (McClenahen Jusko 2001). For a sudden change in the business environment, the shocks will be felt throughout the supply chain. There will be a gap that will be created along the chain at the point where the fluctuation is highly felt. It is a noble idea for businesses to consider having some safety stock on hand at each link of supply chain, which will take care of the emergencies in case of any eventuality. Since a supply chain consists of a network/series of suppliers and consumers, a hitch on one supplier side will affect the consumer who is also a supplier to the next consumer. Therefore in a business that has adopted the JIT system, it might end up being grounded because of lack of inventory to process or sell to the next stage of the chains. It is therefore highly recommended for such businesses to develop a Just in case system, a system that allows for a safety supplies that will take care of any eventualities. Even though the JIT system has a number of shortcomings in case of shocks within the supply chain, it is important to note that organisations can still implement JIT and maintain an attractive supply chain with lean inventories even during emergencies. To achieve this, one of the moves that a firm can make is locate where there is stock piling of inventories (Lu Kyokai 1989). Firms can have most of its inventories stocked next to or near their locations. This will help overcome the problems due to shipment or air transport in case these modes of transport are affected. A firm can also consider having more than one supplier for a given commodity, this will be a second option during emergency situations. For an organisation to succeed in its implementation of the JIT system, major changes within the organisation need to be undertaken. The top management need to show commitment and offer full support. They are also required to lead from the front if the benefits of the JIT system are to be realised. The adoption and implementation of the JIT system will substantially affect the mode and criteria through which carriers and other logistics services providers will be recruited by the organisation. Organisations should be able to come up with service providers who are very efficient so as to pass on the efficiency downstream the supply chain. The just in time concept is highly dependent on the speed and efficiency with which products are moving at along the chain. It is therefore worthy to mention that the JIT system will highly affect the style of operations in the logistics industry. The number of logistics service providers to be recruited will also be determined by the success of the JIT system. According to (Ian 1988), constant and effective communication between business firms and their suppliers is another important factor that will affect the future of JIT in the global business environment. The quality of information that will be conveyed should also be put into consideration. The right information should be conveyed to the right place, at the right time and to the right person. A successful implementation of the JIT system in the future will highly depend on additional training of the implementing personnel (Abuhilal, Rabadi, Sousa-Poza 2006). A lot of emphasise should be on the training of the personnel that are directly involved in the implementation of the JIT concept. This should not be taken to mean that other employees in the organisation should not be trained. An elaborate training plan on this system should be unveiled and the concerned departments or functions for example, production, logistics, marketing should be given intense training. The major areas to be considered should include: policies on JIT system, communication skills and training on commitment to the principles of JIT. The future of the just in time (JIT) system in the global environment will highly depend on the level of technology that will be embraced by an organisation. This includes both in machinery and other office operations. Adoption of improved technology for material handling is a key area that firms need to look at. They should consider embracing cross docking or flowing inventory through a distribution centre. With an improved material handling facility, the businesses can absorb shocks easily in the event that there is disruption in the supply chain (Kreng Wang 2005) The use of information technology is in inventory management is particularly crucial if the growth and success of the JIT system is to be guaranteed. Business organisations should utilise information technology resources both in hardware and software so as to enhance the success of the JIT system. Enterprise resource planning (ERP) modules should be adopted for inventory management and controls within the organisation. Internet resources should be highly utilised for an effective JIT system. The most applicable resources include e-procurement, e- marketing. e-banking and e-mailing. When an organisation conducts procurement via internet, a variety of goods both in terms of quality and quantity may be obtained. The business deal is also conducted in an accelerated speed. Marketing via the internet allows for the organisation to reach many customers within a very short time and hence improve on the organisation’s sales. Internet banking allows for faster business transactions hence delays associated with payments are reduced and therefore the supply chain is protected from such delays (Hale 1997). To ensure that the intended results of the JIT concept are achieved, it is important for firms doing business together along a given supply chain be proactive in their operations. By being proactive, it means that a consumer should be involved directly in what their supplier is producing. The consumers should be involved in product design so as to have a product of their own making. On the hand it is very important for the suppliers to follow up and find out how their products are serving the customers. This will help in the elimination of ripples along the chain and hence easy implementation of the JIT system. The players in the supply chain should develop a culture of sharing problems when they occur at a particular point of the supply chain, this in a nutshell will reduce the overall effect that the problem would have on the entire supply chain (Titone 1996). The just in case system is another approach that will have an impact on the future of JIT system in the global environment. It is very important for firms to have a buffer stock that can bail it out when events in the supply chain don’t seem to be favourable. The idea of having safety stocks for emergency times should not be confused by firms holding inventories. It is a different concept from overstocking.

Financial Management Essay Example for Free

Financial Management Essay The required rate of return is rs = 10. 1%, and the constant growth rate is g = 4. 0%. What is the current stock price? a. $23. 11b. $23. 70c. $24. 31d. $24. 93e. $25. 57e 8- Ratio analysis involves analyzing financial statements in order to appraise a firms financial position and strength. | | | a. | True| b. | FalseA| 9- Profitability ratios show the combined effects of liquidity, asset management, and debt management on operating results. | | | a. | True| b. | False| A 10 One problem with ratio analysis is that relationships can be manipulated. For example, if our current ratio is greater than 1. , then borrowing on a short-term basis and using the funds to build up our cash account would cause the current ratio to increase. | | | a. | True| b. | False| B| | 11 Arshadi Corp. s sales last year were $52,000, and its total assets were $22,000. What was its total assets turnover ratio? | | | a. | 2. 03| b. | 2. 13| c. | 2. 25| d. | 2. 36| e. | 2. 48| D 12 Rappaport Corp. s sales last year were $320,000, and its net income after taxes was $23,000. What was its profit margin on sales? c| | | a. | 6. 49%| b. | 6. 83%| c. | 7. 19%| d. | 7. 55%| e. | 7. 92%| 3 The first, and most critical, step in constructing a set of forecasted financial statements is the sales forecast. a. Trueb. Falsea| 14- According to the Capital Asset Pricing Model, investors are primarily concerned with portfolio risk, not the risks of individual stocks held in isolation. Thus, the relevant risk of a stock is the stocks contribution to the riskiness of a well-diversified portfolio. a. True b. False a 18 Diversification will normally reduce the riskiness of a portfolio of stocks. a. True b. False 19- If the returns of two firms are negatively correlated, then one of them must have a negative beta. . True b. False a 20 Which of the following statements best describes what you should expect if you randomly select stocks and add them to your portfolio? a. Adding more such stocks will reduce the portfolios unsystematic, or diversifiable, risk. b. Adding more such stocks will increase the portfolios expected rate of return. c. Adding more such stocks will reduce the portfolios beta coefficient and thus its systematic risk. d. Adding more such stocks will have no effect on the portfoli os risk. e. Adding more such stocks will reduce the portfolios market risk but not its unsystematic risk. A

Mass Media Always A Powerful Tool Media Essay

Mass Media Always A Powerful Tool Media Essay Introduction From the past until today, mass media is always a powerful tool and having a big influence among the peoples. No one can assert that mass media was bring zero effect to the peoples. On the 18th century, the first theory about mass media theory was being introduced. The theory is about how strong the media can directly influence the people perception and action. Over the years, there are many theories are being introduced. Mass media theories are commonly used at the age of propaganda and one of the most successful propaganda is Nazis propaganda during World War 1. Propaganda is to influence public opinion through the use of media. Nazi Propaganda was generated in many different forms of media such as radio, cinema, speeches, visuals, events, brochures and etc. Besides that, there are also many famous mass media theory being introduced like magic bullet theory, freudianism, behaviorism and etc. There are a lot of arguments about the mass media theories from the past until today. Some philosopher disputes that media are bringing negative influence to the public, and they claim that media should be under control. However, there are also some theories explain that it brings positive effect such as libertarianism theory says that people are good and rational. So that, they support the media should have the freedom to report on everything and let the public to judge by themselves. Although there many debates about the usage of mass media, but no one can deny or underestimate the power of mass media. Mass media play as an important tool in nowadays, and there are no advanced countries banned the media. In fact, this means that every advanced country also rely on the media to communicate with their citizen. Media work as a tools for government to spread the news and promote their latest policy to the public. The mainstream media in Malaysia has always been perceived as an important agent of change for most of the governments policies. The mainstream media are newspaper, television station and radio station. The mainstream media are used to encourage the acceptance of the concept by the citizens of Malaysia. On 16 September 2010, Malaysia the sixth Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak was introducing 1Malaysia concept to all corners of the nation. The concept is about the culture of excellence, perseverance, acceptance, education, integrity, meritocracy, humility and loyalty. One of the main objectives of this concept is unity and integration. 1Malaysia aims to improve the relations among Malaysians, regardless of racial, religious or cultural backgrounds. As we know, Malaysia is a multi-racial country and the three main races of Malaysia are Malay, Chinese and Indian. Besides that, Malaysia also forms by several minority races such as Baba-Nyonya, Kadazan, Ibans, Eurasian, Orang Asli and etc. The concept of 1Malaysia is to achieve all races living together hand-in-hand in harmony. In addition, 1Malaysia is also the concept to achieve the goal of Vision 2020 which introduced by Malaysia 4th prime minister Tun Dr. Mahathir Bin Mohammad. Vision 2020 is about evolution Malaysia to a fully develop country in the year 2020. 1Malaysia concept aims to strengthen unity, rejuvenate the spirit of unity and camaraderie among people of Malaysia. The current prime minister said the concept would be implementing in a systematic and organized manner to ensure that no community was isolated from development of and kind. He said the concept was shored up by two main principles, which were mutual respect for one another and trust in one another. When we have respect for one another, it means we have the open attitude of appreciating the concept of unity in diversity. The trust for one another will not come about all of a sudden. It has to be developed in an organized and determined way. he said. To achieve development for the country, the people must have a positive attitude of acceptance among the different races that will lead to unity. In short, the concept is to improve race relations in Malaysia and the mainstream media play as a key in order to achieve the goals. Propaganda Propaganda aimed to changing the attitude of a group toward some cause or position by presenting only one side of an argument. Propaganda is usually dispersed and repeated through the several of media in order to create the chosen result in audience attitudes. The desired result is a change of the attitude toward the subject in the target audience to further a political or religious agenda. Moreover, propaganda also can be used as political warfare. One of the most successful propaganda is Nazis propaganda during World War 1. The propaganda being use after Hitler took power in 1933 Richard Alan Nelson define that propaganda is a systematic form of purposeful persuasion that attempts to influence the attitudes, opinions, emotions, and actions of specified target audiences for political, ideological or commercial purposes through the controlled transmission of one-sided message via mass and direct media channels. A propaganda organization employs propagandists who engage in propagandism to apply the creation and distribution of such forms of persuasion. By focusing on the 1Malaysia concept, the theory was been used commonly in Malaysia. The people can always get in touch with 1Malaysia concept in Malaysia. The government is always propagandizing the 1Malaysia concept to Malaysians. Common media for transmitting propaganda messages include news reports, historical revision, government reports, books, movies, radio, television, posters and etc. For example, we can always see the poster that Najib with the 1Malaysia significant pose and the significant pose was been recognized by the Malaysians. Other than that, Malaysian also can find out 1Malaysias logo everywhere. Moreover, 1Malaysia is also come out with a theme song, and the lyric is kita satu bangsa, satu negara, kita satu Malaysia and it means we are one nation, one country and one Malaysia. This all action is also trying to influence the public opinion through the use of media. They want people to remember the 1Malaysia concept and they remind people every day and want people to change their attitudes. Political Economy Theory Political economy theorists study elite control of economic institutions, such as banks and stock markets, and then try to show how this control affects many others social institutions, including the mass media. Political economy is the interplay between economics, law and politics and how institutions develop in different social and economic systems. It also says that to understand the media, ones must look at the whole picture which includes the ownership of media and the control group of media. In Malaysia, the elite will be the government and most of the mainstream media are privatization but all the media are related to the government and political party. In fact, Fleet Holding, a company which is under the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) has the 80% share of the News Straits Times Press and majority share in Utusan Melayu Press. These two presses are also producing the newspapers which have the largest readership in Malaysia. Moreover, the company also owns the share of 40% of Malaysia television station, TV3. In the other hand, Huaren holding Sdn. Bhd which link to Malaysian Chinese Association (MCA) have the share 58% of the other Malaysia English paper, TheStar Newspaper. From this we can found out that the Malaysia mainstream media have a close relationship with the political parties. It was easy to reach a large audience by promoting 1Malaysia concept. The government or political party can show the benefits of the concept bring at the newspaper. People are more tend to believe what the newspapers carry. For example, 175 1Malaysia clinics by year end are reported on the TheStar newspaper on September 15, 2012. In fact, when the newspapers always carry the positive news of 1Malaysia concept, it helps to gain supports from Malaysia citizens. Authoritarianism Authoritarian theory defined that all forms of communications are fully under the control by the government. Authoritarians are necessary to control the media to protect and prevent the people from the national threats through any form communication. As we know, Malaysia is an authoritarian country and all the media are fully control by the government. Basically, the government has all rights to permit any media and control them through the licensing. If the government found out that any media had violated the government policies against the license, then the government has the power to cancel their license and revoke it. In fact, Malaysia also comes out with a law which is Printing Presses and Publication Act 1984. This is use to control the usage of printing presses in Malaysia. Under the law, all printing presses require a license granted by the Home Affair Minister and require to renewing the license. Besides that, Malaysia government also makes certain censorship. Censorship is a suppression of any communication which may consider as harmful to the king, the government, the citizen and the country. The censorship helps to protect and prevent the rulers and authorities from the sensitive issues. It used to protect the government to avoid been criticize by the media. The government has all right to restrict any sensitive issues from the press to maintain the peaceful and security of the country. This was a powerful ability for the government and it helps to promote the 1Malaysia concept. Agenda Setting Theory The idea of agenda setting began in 1922 with Walter Lippmanns Public Opinion book. The originally suggested that the media sets the public agenda, in the sense that they may not exactly tell you what to think, but they may tell you what to think about. The three consequences of agenda setting effects are forming opinions, priming opinions through an emphasis on particular issues and shaping an opinion through an emphasis on particular attributes. First, it studied by the researchers, media use issues to influence the people what they should think about. And then media focus on the characters of issues how people should think about. The agenda setting theory are commonly used by the politician. The gatekeeper plays as an important role in this theory and usually the media is the one who play as a gatekeeper. Gatekeeper controls over the selection of content discussed in the media. The media only show you what they comprehend as an important issue. Due to the Malaysia was an authoritarian country and the media are fully control by the government, the government can use the media to publicize the 1Malaysia concept. When the media publicize the 1Malaysia concept and it will become agenda setting theory. The media will indirectly tell the public what they have to discuss and what they have to focus. When the issue becomes a discussion among the Malaysians, it will strengthen the acceptance of the concept by the citizens. Marxist Theory Central to Marxist theory is an explanation of social change in terms of economic factors, according to which the means of production provide the economic base which influences or determines the political and ideological superstructure. Marxism encompasses an economic theory, a sociological theory, a philosophical method and a revolutionary view of social change. Marx argued that the hierarchical class system was at the root of all social problems and must be ended by a revolution of the workers. He believed that elites dominated society primarily through their direct control over the means of production, the base, or substructure, of society. But elites also maintained themselves in power through their control over culture. The inequalities between social classes are still happening in today society. For example, the riots happened in Malaysia on 13 May 1969 was an important incident in Malaysia history. The incident make the government emphasizes on the economy balance between the races and it come out with a policy which is New Economic Policy. Although this incident happen many years ago, but the problem of social classes are still remain in Malaysia today. The government member and royal family of Malaysia are call as the aristocrat in Marxist theory. In order for the government to maintain their status quo, the elite own the capitalism with their base. For example, Malaysias second privatize TV station Metrovision, the four share holder company was closely related to UMNO. The companies are City television Sdn.Bhd, Melewar Corporation, Utusan Melayu and Medanmas Sdn. Bhd. 1Malaysia concept aims to improve the citizens living standard to escape from poverty. In fact, the government is the one who control of the superstructure which are the media. 1Malaysia concept is also helps the government to maintain their status and their power. The government wants to maintain their status and also achieve the peaceful among citizen or bourgeoisie and proletariat in Marxist theory. 1 Malaysia concept is the best way to achieve the goal for the benefit of country or benefit of the elite through the ownership of mainstream media and control of the message production-ideology. Conclusion In conclusion, the media was always a powerful tool from past to now. In 21th century, media are becoming more powerful in this digital era, because people nowadays cant avoid getting in touch with media. Media was able to directly and also indirectly influence the people. So, the government should always use the media in a correct way. In fact, the mainstream media in Malaysia has always been perceived as an important agent of change for most of the governments policies. Malaysia government was able to make full use of the media and skillfully use the media to promote the 1Malaysia concept. In short, government make good use of media is one of the key to lead our country evolve to an advanced country to achieve the vision 2020 and also the 1Malaysia concept.

The Relationship between Learning and Memory :: Papers

Learning to tie shoes and ride a bike requires the encoding, storing, and retrieving of past observations of the procedure. With a lot of practice, children master these skills so well that they are able to remember them the rest of their lives. Memory is the storing of information over time. It is one of the most important concepts in learning; if things are not remembered, no learning can take place. As a process, memory refers to the "dynamic mechanism associated with the retention and retrieval of information about past experiences" (Sternberg 260). We use our memory about the past to help us understand the present. The study or memory in psychology is used in different ways, as well as there are many different ways to study how memory works in humans. In psychology there are many tasks used to measure memory, and different types of memory storages that human's use, such as sensory storing, or short term storing. There are also a lot of techniques that humans use to improve their memory, which they can use to learn, such as mnemonic devices. All these things can be classified as important issues in the study of human memory and ways of learning. In studying memory, researchers have devised various tasks that require participants to remember "arbitrary information" (Merkle). Memory tasks typically involve either recall or recognition. In recall memory you would be asked to give a fact, a word, or an item from memory. In recognition memory you are asked to identify from various things the correct word, fact, or item. How then do humans remember these things? It involves the human memory process, containing encoding, storing, and retrieving any information being given to us. Encoding is the process of placing information into memory. Storage is the process of retaining information in memory. Getting information out of memory is called retrieval. Out of the three, the most important is Encoding, because you must pay attention to the information that you want to place into your memory. It is the starting point, although there are three levels known within this beginning step. Fergus Craik and Robert Lockhart proposed three levels for encoding incoming information. "They suggested that whether we remember information for a few seconds or a lifetime depends on how deeply we process the information" (Internet). The first level is classified as Structural, because information is stored on visual codes. In other words, what information "looks" like or what is its physical structure.

Comparing Steppenwolf and the Teenaged Girl Essays -- Comparison Compa

Parallels Between Steppenwolf and the Teenaged Girl  Ã‚   To be a teenaged girl means many things in this modern society. There are numerous expectations set for the average sixteen year old female: she must be pretty, popular, thin, preferably intelligent, but not too intelligent, and she must subjugate her will to the group. This world has a tendency to shun females who are too independent, who seek too much power, and who attempt to break from the stereotypical female mold. I have personally experienced this spurning, especially from my peers. There exists a dichotomy somewhere in my own soul, a rift between that which I am expected to be and who I really am. Harry Haller, in Hermann Hesse's novel Steppenwolf, experienced a similar predicament. He was torn between the life of a socially acceptable, "decent" man, and the primal, lupine nature of the Steppenwolf. I find myself caught between wanting to be a socially acceptable, "popular" girl, and being the independent, intellectual, and strong person that I actually am. There are a number of parallels between Haller and I, each further proving that the dichotomy of the Steppenwolf and the division within myself, the teenaged girl, are of the same essence.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Often in my life I have felt trapped by the boundaries and expectations that those around me have set for how I ought to behave, think, and feel. Here in suburban America, these boundaries are often set by peers and family, as well as by the media and celebrity figures. The expectations that they have set often dictate ideas that, deep down, I greatly disagree with. One of the most prominent of the ideas is that my worth is reflected in my outward physical appearance. In this world which has declared war on th... ...conditioned self and the true self. She both wishes to be accepted and to be set free from the group's expectations. She wants the perfect body and face and yet realizes the lack of importance therein. Harry Haller, in the end, could not completely understand the game of life, but understood that the willingness to play and the eagerness to sort through the inner self are what really matter. I have realized that, in the end, I must learn the same lesson. The road ahead will not be easy, just as Harry's journey was long and arduous. Fear and fleeing are no longer options, though. It is an archetypal, inherent knowledge within each human being that self-knowledge is key to a true existence, and both the Steppenwolf and the teenaged girl realize the importance of this expedition. Works Cited: Hesse, Hermann. Steppenwolf. New York: Henry Holt and Company, 1990.

Modern Robotics :: essays research papers

The design challenge is to navigate a robot through a preset course using the knowledge from previous labs and additional research of any kind. Solutions are free from restraint except for the requirement that the voltage source may not exceed 9 volts (standard layout would dictate a 7.2 voltage source). The course layout, dubbed a maze, is a simple square enclosure with 2 barriers protruding from the near and far rails. Black and white tape is laid out inside suggested a course for robots to take or for optic sensors to follow. The interior walls create the challenge while the rest of the course remains very limitless in navigation. Time and accuracy must be taken in consideration, as grade is based on both course time and the robot’s ability to maintain consistent time. The open ended ness of the assignment led to many proposed choices concerning the path of robot, type of control and implantation of chosen design. The most obvious choice was optic sensors, as the tape would ensure a consistent route through the maze and the most accurate times. The design would be as obvious as the route: two sensors controlling the speed or direction of the wheels. When one sensor drifted from the light the wheels would compensate to bring the robot back on track. The idea seemed simple and a sure way to rapidly complete the assignment without trouble. Further thought engendered many concerns: not only must the robot navigate the course but it must also do it faster than the competing teams. Sensors would ensure the robot would cross the finish line, but not with a fast time. The course the sensors must take is loopy and has somewhat sharp turns for the non agile robot. Speed would have to be decreased in order to keep the robot on the track, as a fast and sharp t urn could throw the robot off the tape, destroying any possibility of a finish. Another problem arose with sensitivity. The robot, once of the tape a little, would not be able to smoothly get back on the course, resulting in swerving and thus making the course twice as long. With these considerations in mind, we decided that the sensor idea would not be the best choice for our final design. Our second proposed option gained a notch in the level of thinking, although it was still simple and to the point.

A critical examination of the antecedents and efficacy of Social Services interventions for West African ‘looked after’ children in South London.

Rationale behind the Study The proposed research will investigate Social Service interventions for looked after West African children in South London. I work in an ethically diverse comprehensive school in London, and have witnessed an increase in minority ethnic looked after children in recent years. One challenging task for Social Services is to provide interventions for such children. This study aims to investigate the effect of Social Services interventions on West African looked after children, and provide suggestions why such children may be taken in to care by drawing on existing models of parenting. Furthermore, supplemented by a review of relevant published literature, it will suggest a number of factors which may account for any disproportionality in terms of gender. The final element of the research will take a critical look at how the school environment supports looked after children. Insignificant data are available on the experiences of immigrants and ethnic minorities in post-war Europe, which is referred to as a †puzzling and disturbing silence† (Myers, 2009:). Bryan (2009) exclaimed that whilst immigration has contributed to economic, social, and political changes, there is an enormous paucity of published research on the topic. The sparse literature that is available is limited to descriptive accounts of policies designed to increase integration (Myers, 2009). In the UK, such lack of research hinders our understanding of the relative importance of education for immigrants and their children. Little is known about how well immigrants and their children settle in to their new environment, let alone how effectively education meets their needs. It has been noted that the changes in policy are based on empirical evidence, and as a result, the resultant policy does not addressing the most important issue; the promotion of multi-culturalism. Sociologist Paul Gilroy commented on an urgent need to â€Å"step boldly back into the past, discover the boundaries of the postcolonial present, and enlist Europe’s largely untapped heterological and imperial histories in the urgent service of its Contemporary multicultural and its future pluralism† (Gilroy, quoted in Myers, 2009: 15). Furthermore, because of the limited research on the issues surrounding immigration, ethnic minority communities have been conceived as a social problem, to be solved via policies with the aim of integration (Myers, 2009). Bryan (2009) suggests such well intentioned but poorly conceived policies may actually perpetuate inequality. In this context, it is clear that policies and interventions must be based on a clear understanding of those they purport to support, and it is this rationale that underpins this study. Barn (2006) noted that the capacity of social workers to deliver appropriate, ethnically sensitive services which take adequate account of the circumstances of minority ethnic individuals and families remains a crucial challenge. When considering interventions delivered to West African looked after children by Social Services in the UK, the following should be considered; what are the reasons behind West African children becoming ‘looked after’ and are the interventions designed to support them effective? Guiding Research Questions Research question 1 †¢ What are the reasons a disproportionate number of children from West Africa are becoming ‘looked after’ by Social Services in the UK? Research question 2 †¢ With reference to existing models of parents, what is happening in the African communities that may contribute to this? †¢ Are any variations by gender evident, and if so, what might the reasons behind them? Research question 3What are the effects of the interventions on the welfare of the looked after children from West Africa Research question 4Are such interventions moderated by the school environment Benefits of the Research This research may be useful to a number of different stakeholders in education. From the literature review, the need for culturally sensitive research into social service interventions in school is evident. In the field of education, there has been a call for culturally sensitive interventions to help the school (senior leadership team, child protection officers, form tutors, mentors and teachers) better understand the needs of black children from West Africa and support them accordingly. Copies of the research may be used by the local council/government as a case study for further research into services provided and an opportunity to evaluate current practice and develop strategies to provide better services. The research may enable all stakeholders (social services, schools, government, and local services) to understand parents of West African origin, especially with regard to cultural beliefs, and develop strategies to work together with parents amicably on how to educate children . Finally, this research can give the government, social services, parents, and students an increased awareness of good practice and failings in the system Methods and Procedures My research is a small-scale study, focusing on looked after children from West Africa in Conisborough College. Conisborough College is a comprehensive school with a highly diverse intake. It is representative of the ethnic mix of the Lewisham borough, with a high intake of black pupils of West African origin. The sampling method chosen, which I believe is best suited for my small-scale study, is a non-probability method, such as a targeted sampling method. This method of sampling will ensure that the study is focused and well managed (Bell, 2005). The proposed study will be approached from an interpretivist, epistemological perspective conducted in three stages. Firstly, an extensive literature review, including national government reports and data, and local government (Lewisham Council) reports and data. This stage will also review social service reports and data on looked after children, reviews of at-risk children, child protection registers and analyses of online exam reports and school-tracking data. The second stage will focus on field research in the form of targeted semi-structured interviews which will be conducted at Conisborough College with learning mentors, child protection officers, school counsellors, form tutors, and head of years who support looked after children as well as two social workers and LEA child protection officers. In the broader community, pastor/community leaders of West African origin will be interviewed. The final stage of this study will collate and analyse all data and draw inferences from t he findings on future programmes in the school and community at large, in order to generate a number of recommendations.. I intend to pilot the second stage of the study to determine what works and what does not. As an amateur researcher, I will follow the procedure established by Peat et al. (2002) which will give me advance warning as whether to proceed with the research, revise the research, or abandon this section of the research altogether. My research is small scale, so the pilot study will involve one student, one learning mentor, and one head of year. Following Peat et al.’s (2002: 123) process, I will: Provide participants with a Participant Information Form and consent form, taking care to explain the purpose and process of the research. Following this, I will identify and areas regarding ethical approval not already adequately covered in the research protocol. Complete the interview schedule with each pilot respondent. Following completion I will ask respondents for feedback regarding ambiguous, sensitive or difficult questions. Transcribe and review each pilot interview fully, discarding any unnecessary, difficult, repetitive or ambiguous questions. Reorder interview items if necessary to ensure a coherent and engaging schedule. Time both the conduct and transcription of the interviews to determine whether both tasks are reasonable given the timescale of the research. Once this pilot work has been completed, I can be confident that the interview schedule(s) are fir for the purpose of this study. References Barn, R. (2006) Research and Practice Briefings: Children and Families – Improving services to meet the needs of minority ethnic children and families, DfES, http://www.york.ac.uk/depts/spsw/mrc/documents/QPB13.pdf Bryan, A. (2009). The intersectionality of nationalism and multiculturalism in the Irish curriculum: Teaching against racismRace ethnicity and education, 12(3), 297-317. Myers, P. (2009). Immigrants and ethnic minorities in the history of education. Paedagogica Historica: International Journal of the History of Education, 46(6), 801 – 816. Peat, J., Mellis, C., Williams, K. and Xuan W. (2002), Health Science Research: A Handbook of Quantitative Methods, London: Sage.