Describe the Process Consultation Essay

Describe the  process consultation. Discuss when it should be used and how it applies to organization development. Process consultation (PC) is a general framework for carrying out helping relationships. It is oriented to helping managers, employees, and groups assess and improve processes, such as communication, interpersonal relations, decision making and task performance. Schein argues that effective consultants and managers should be good helpers, aiding others in getting things done and in achieving the goals they have set. Thus, PC is more a philosophy than a set of techniques aimed at performing this helping relationship. The philosophy ensures that those who are receiving the help own their problems, gain the skills and expertise to diagnose them, and solve them themselves. Thus, it is an approach to helping people and groups help themselves. Schein defines process consultation as â€Å"the creation of a relationship that permits the client to perceive, understand, and act on the process events that occur in (her/his) internal and external environment in order to improve the situation as defined by the client. † The process consultant does not offer expert help in the form of solutions to problems, as in the doctor-patient model. Rather, the process consultant works to develop relationships, observes groups and people in action, helps them diagnose the way they are carrying out tasks, and helps them learn how to be more effective. In the OD literature, team building is not clearly differentiated from process consultation. This confusion exists because most team building includes process consultation—helping the group diagnose and understand its own internal processes. However, process consultation is a more general approach to helping relationships than is team building. Team building focuses explicitly on helping groups perform asks and solve problems more effectively. Process consultation, on the other hand, is concerned with establishing effective helping relationships in organizations. It is seen as key to effective management and consultation and can be applied to any helping relationship, from subordinate development to interpersonal relationships to group development. Thus, team building consist s of process consultation plus other, more task-oriented interventions (Cummings & Worley, 2009, p. 253). Describe the key success requirements for a microcosm group intervention. A microcosm group onsists of a small number of individuals who reflect the issue being addressed. For example, a microcosm group composed of members representing a spectrum of ethnic backgrounds, cultures, and races can be created to address diversity issues in the organization. This group, assisted by OD practitioners, can create programs and processes targeted at specific problems. In addition to addressing diversity problems, microcosm groups have been used to carry out organization diagnoses, solve communications problems, integrate two cultures, smooth the transition to a new structure, and address dysfunctional political processes. Microcosm groups work through â€Å"parallel processes,† which are the unconscious changes that take place in individuals when two or more groups interact. After groups interact, members often find that their characteristic patterns of roles and interactions change to reflect the roles and dynamics of the group with whom they were relating. Put simply, groups seem to â€Å"infect† and become â€Å"infected† by the other groups. The following example given by Alderfer helps to clarify how parallel processes work. An organizational diagnosis team had assigned its members to each of five departments in a small manufacturing company. Members of the team had interviewed each department head and several department members, and had observed department meetings. The team was preparing to observe their first meeting of department heads and was trying to anticipate the group’s behavior. At first they seemed to have no ‘rational† basis for predicting the top group’s behavior because they â€Å"had no data† from direct observation. They decided to role-play the group meeting they had never seen. Diagnostic team members behaved as they thought the department heads would, and the result was uncanny. Team members found that they easily became engaged with one another in the simulated department-head meeting; emotional involvement occurred quickly for all participants. When the team actually was able to observe a department-head meeting, they were amazed at how closely the simulated meeting had approximated the actual session. Thus, if a small and representative group can intimately understand and solve a complex organizational problem for themselves; they are in a good position to recommended action to address the problem in the larger system (Cummings & Worley, 2009, p. 279). Discuss why the matrix structure is the best and most flexible organization structure. Some OD practitioners have focused on maximizing the strengths and minimizing the weaknesses of both the functional and the self-contained-unit structures, and this effort has resulted in the matrix organization. Matrix organizational designs originally evolved in the aerospace industry where changing customer demands and technological conditions caused managers to focus on lateral relationships between functions to develop a flexible and adaptable system of resources and procedures, and to achieve a series of project objectives. Matrix organizations now are used widely in manufacturing, service, and nonprofit, governmental, and professional organizations. Every matrix organization contains three unique and critical roles: the top manager, who heads and balances the dual chains of command, the matrix bosses (functional, product, or area), who share subordinates: and the two-boss managers, who report to two different matrix bosses. Each of these roles has its own unique requirements. In a matrix organization, each project manager reports directly to the vice president and the general manager. Since each project represents a potential profit centre, the power and authority used by the project manager come directly from the general manager. Matrix organizations, like all organization structures, have both advantages and disadvantages. On the positive side, this structure allows multiple orientations. Specialized, functional knowledge can be applied to all projects. New products or projects can be implemented quickly by using people flexibly and by moving between product and functional orientations as circumstances demand. Matrix organizations can maintain consistency among departments and projects by requiring communication among managers. For many people, matrix structures are motivating and exciting. On the negative side, these organizations can be difficult to manage. To implement and maintain them requires heavy managerial costs and support. When people are assigned to more than one department, there may be role ambiguity and conflict, and overall performance may be sacrificed if there are power conflicts between functional departments and project structures. To make matrix organizations work, organization members need interpersonal and conflict management skills. People can get confused about how the matrix works, and that can lead to chaos and inefficiencies (Cummings & Worley, 2009, p. 319). What is the TQM approach to employee involvement and how does it differ from other approaches? Discuss Deming’s influence on this approach. Total quality management (TQM) is the most recent and, along with high-involvement organizations the most comprehensive approach to employee involvement. Also known as â€Å"Continuous process improvement† and â€Å"continuous quality,† TQM grew out of a manufacturing emphasis on quality control and represents a long- term effort to orient all of an organization’s activities around the concept of quality. Quality is achieved when organizational processes reliably produce products and services that meet or exceed customer expectations. Like high-involvement designs, TQM increases workers’ knowledge and skills through extensive training, provides relevant information to employees, pushes decision-making power downward in the organization and ties rewards to performance. When implemented successfully. TQM also is aligned closely with a firm’s overall business strategy and attempts to change the entire organization toward continuous quality improvement. TQM is a philosophy and a set of guiding principles for continuous improvement based on customer satisfaction, teamwork, and empowerment of individuals. TQM applies human resources and analytical tools to focus on meeting or exceeding customer’s current and future needs. There are a series of planned improvements that will ultimately influence the quality and productivity of the organization. Like high-involvement designs, TQM increases workers’ knowledge and skills through extensive training, provides relevant information to employees, pushes decision-making power downward in the organization and ties rewards to performance. When implemented successfully TQM also is aligned closely with a firm’s overall business strategy and attempts to change the entire organization toward continuous quality improvement. (Cummings ;amp; Worley, 2009, p. 359). Discuss the motivational approach to job design. What are the key dimensions that lead to high work quality and internal motivation? The motivational approach to work design views the effectiveness of organizational activities primarily as a function of member needs and satisfaction, and seeks to improve employee performance and satisfaction by enriching jobs. The motivational method provides people with opportunities for autonomy, responsibility, closure (that is, doing a complete job), and performance feedback. Enriched jobs are popular in the United States at such companies as AT;amp;T Universal Card, TRW, Dayton Hudson, and GTE. The motivational approach usually is associated with the research of Herzberg and of Hackman and Oldham. Herzberg’s two-factor theory of motivation proposed that certain attributes of work, such as opportunities for advancement and recognition, which he called motivators, help increase job satisfaction. Other attributes that Herzberg called hygiene factors, such as company policies, working conditions, pay, and supervision, do not produce satisfaction but rather prevent dissatisfaction—important contributors because only satisfied workers are motivated to produce. Successful job enrichment experiments at AT&T, Texas Instruments, and Imperial Chemical Industries helped to popularize job enrichment in the 1960s. Although Herzberg’s motivational factors sound appealing, increasing doubt has been cast on the underlying theory. Motivation and hygiene factors are difficult to put into operation and measure, and that makes implementation and evaluation of the theory difficult. Furthermore, important worker characteristics that can affect whether people will respond favorably to job enrichment were not included in his theory. Finally, Herzberg’s failure to involve employees in the job enrichment process itself does not suit most OD practitioners today. Consequently, a second, well-researched approach to job enrichment has been favored. It focuses on the attributes of the work itself and has resulted in a more scientifically acceptable theory of job enrichment than Herzberg’s model. The research of Hackman and Oldham represents this more recent trend in job enrichment. Considerable research has been devoted to defining and understanding core job dimensions. Figure 50 summarizes the Hackman and Oldham model of job design. Five core dimensions of work affect three critical psychological states, which in turn produce personal and job outcomes. These outcomes include high internal work motivation, high-quality work performance, satisfaction with the work, and low absenteeism and turnover. The five core job dimensions—skill variety, task identity, task significance, autonomy, and feedback from the work itself—are described below and associated with the critical psychological states that they create (Cummings ;amp; Worley, 2009, p. 377). References Cummings, T. G. , ;amp; Worley, C. G. (2011). Organization development ;amp; change (11th ed. ). Australia; Mason, OH: South-Western/Cengage Learning.

People Abused Freedom of Expression in Using Internet Essay

The internet allows people to express and communicate with people around the world. It is not only a way to communicate, to share opinions and perspectives but also a source of information which every person could have an easy access. This information may or may not provide genuine idea for the reason of opinionated ways of expressing thoughts. This actually offers extraordinary opportunities for people who want to articulate an opinion about anything. According to Fisher, they can make their thoughts available world-wide more easily than ever been possible before. And today, the internet is becoming not only a site for people in sharing their thoughts, but also a location to disdain others, and to communicate dreadful messages. The internet also offers greater freedom that it has no exact rules in expressing personal thoughts. This freedom, allow people to be free to say whatever they want, placing an extraordinary priority on their own individual rights, frequently to the disadvantage of the right of other people. As said by Willard (1997), the net is a new frontier that offers a kind of freedom not generally formed in the real world. It is an environment where there is not only greater freedom, but where the laws rules, and social standards are not quite as clear or perhaps not quite as enforceable, as we have come to expect in other areas of our lives. She explains that there are people who maintain that they should have the freedom and right to use the internet in whatever way they choose, without regard for the maltreatment they may impose upon others. The power of the internet has broadened over the years since it has distended to include the internet connected devices. Most of homes, schools and even mobile phones today have already internet connectivity. The penetration of these technologies has become very easy for people to spread information for a short time. However, anyone with an internet connection can harass, embarrass, threat, and humiliate almost anyone else. As described by StopCyberBullying. rg, the act such as the threats of violence, hate speech, harassment, peer pressure, bribery, psychological abuse, and extortion are simple refers to cyber bullying. Furthermore, again pointed out by StopCyberBullying. org, that these offenses are occasionally committed by people impersonating someone else, anonymously, or under the deceptive outward appearance of a group, making accountability and preventability difficult. Since, these people feel they are invisible, because the hostility is not face-to-face. This leads them to say what they want online, that they would not usually say in a person and persecute an individual without a fear of having any outcome or consequences, particularly, when they do it using a secret name. Thus, from time to time, inflicting pain on somebody, gives them a boost in their ego. Another reason as stated by StopCyberBullying. org is revenge. People that are victimized may put into practice cyber bullying out of vengeance to get back others for making them unhappy. They may commence protecting themselves, only to find out that they enjoy being a cyber-bully. Also as indicated, periodically people do it for fun because they are tired and impatient and have too much time on their hands. Several also do it only for laughs to get attention and reaction to other people. These reasons proved that people abused freedom of expression while using internet. Social networking sites such as Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, and Myspace were becoming weapons. They are being misused by the people to harm anyone.

Partnership with parents Essay

In recent years, an array of legislation and guidance has emerged under the present new Labour government to bring together a co-ordinated framework of services to address the care and educational needs of children. The government has expressed its intention, DfES (1997) and DfES (2003) to place schools at the heart of a new multidisciplinary approach to children’s services with improved communication and consultation between schools, together with other service providers, and parents, as one of its principle aims. Many commentators such as Nind et al (2003); Williams (2004) and Berk (2004) have noted the importance of parents as the prime educators of their children and the issue of establishing successful partnerships between schools and parents has been addressed through a number of different perspectives. It seems that the strategies employed to overcome barriers and build constructive relationships must be situated within a school ethos of genuine inclusion which values parents’ views and contribution which, in turn, can only enhance children’s attitudes to learning. Effective Home-School collaborative education stimulates and imbues children with a positive culture of learning. Brooker (2002) and Mayall (2002) have noted the ways in which children, and parents, are effectively socialised into the pedagogical ethos of their child’s school and suggest that parents’ conformity to this ethos has commonly underpinned many models of parental involvement. As Brooker (2002) argues, an â€Å"open door† policy which ostensibly invites parents in to see classroom practice and consult with staff does not necessarily constitute a climate conducive to genuine collaboration in the educative process. The research presented by Brooker (2002), whilst focusing primarily upon early years learning cultures, has provided some useful insights into the ways schools conceptualise their relationships with families and, conversely, how parents experience schools. She found that, from early on children’s schooling, school staff attitudes towards parents were highly influenced by their own perceptions of the extent to which parents expressed their interest in, and became involved with their children’s education. Brooker (2002) identifies a wide gulf between the beliefs and values of formal educators and what she calls the â€Å"mountain of invisible investment  made by parents†. She cites the work of Vincent (1996), for example, highlighting the negative perceptions of parents by teachers and suggests that, essentially, teachers tend only to welcome the involvement of those parents who do not contest school policies and practices or undermine their authority. In similar vein, Beveridge (2004) asserts that teachers’ attitudes can often be negative and stereotypical regarding parental motivation, competence and skills in the educative domain and furthermore, parents are often aware of this and are adversely affected. She suggests that parents experiences of schools and school staff will inevitably be enhanced when they â€Å"feel respected in their own right as parents, and equally importantly, when they perceive that their child is a positively valued member of the school† (Beveridge, 2004). Congruently the more involved parents are in what goes on in the classroom; the more likely they are to understand the teacher’s goals and practices. Warren and Young (2002) identify five broad areas presenting barriers to forming home-school partnerships. Firstly the ever-changing fluid nature of family demographics impinges on the development of dynamic partnerships. Secondly an entrenched â€Å"school ethos† often creates barriers to effective â€Å"culture-change† and schools are too set in their ways to embrace parental involvement in affairs of curriculum, decision-making and administration. Thirdly, the financial burden of developing partnerships with parents is a strain some schools feel cannot be justified and resources need to be channelled into more pressing areas and some teachers are unable to relinquish any degree of control to parents in the classroom. Fourthly, parents may lack the necessary skills to assist their children’s educational development. Finally, communication is a pivotal building block of home-school partnerships and critics often point to the unequal relationship between schools and families in this area; communication is one-way traffic from the school to the parent and there is not enough thought or dialogue given to the way parents can provide input to the school or children’s learning. The development of partnerships between home and schools with the mutual acknowledgement of the diverse but essential roles of the other is not an easily accomplished task but neither is it an impossible task. School staff attitudes, and indeed school ethos, seem central to the quality of relationships that can be developed with parents (Beveridge, 2004). Research conducted by Bastiani (1992) and Coleman (1998) found that whilst parents commonly expressed their need for information about the progress, attainments and possible difficulties regarding their children’s schooling, they also wanted reassurance that school staff understood their child’s personal and social needs, as well as their academic needs. Beveridge (2004) extends this view and draws from her own research into parents’ views, suggesting that teachers need to acquire the skills to â€Å"elicit and respond to parents’ own in-depth knowledge, perspectives and insights† about their children’s needs. This implies that teachers should be equipped with a high level of sensitivity and interpersonal skill vis-à  -vis the parental perspective so that they may provide honest, clear and accura te information about the learning and behaviour of individual children at school. Hornby et al (1995) and Hornby (2000) reiterate this point and argue for an extension of teachers’ skills to incorporate the principles, drawn from the counselling arena, of active, non-judgemental listening and joint problem-solving techniques. Hornby (2000), for example, calls for â€Å"skilled assertiveness that allows teachers to be both direct and diplomatic in their interactions with parents, and to respond constructively to disagreements and criticisms when these occur†Hornby (2000) argues for a reciprocal, inclusive framework of home-school links within which every family has a place, not just those few whose own culture and practices are in line with those of the school. Parents’ knowledge of their children, together with the contribution they can make to teaching, is seen as strengths universal to all families. Hornby (2000) and Nind et al (2003) argue it should also be recognised, however, that parents have different levels of need in terms of information and support. Beveridge (2004) agrees that parents’ accumulated, in-depth knowledge about their children can greatly enhance teachers’ understandings. In her discussion of parental involvement in the monitoring and assessment of children’s academic progress, Beveridge stresses that teachers need to include areas of comparative strength and ways in which these can be built upon, rather than a sole focus on difficulties and deficits. Whilst Beveridge is primarily discussing those children deemed as having ‘special educational needs’ here, this observation equally well  applies to the assessment of all children’s progress. Although it seems clear that discrepancies inevitably will exist between the views of parents and teachers, a striving for mutual understanding and a greater accentuation on the â €˜positives’ can do much to engender positive attitudes for both parents and children. The current Head Teacher of Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School Mr Mullan stressed the purpose of the home-school partnership in terms of making an agreement between the school, the family and the student which will help parents staff and students to work successfully together and help improve standards of education for pupils. This is done through a variety of ways ranging from regular homework for parents to complete with their children and for pupils with learning difficulties a variety of visual and auditory activities are sent home. Each term targets are set for the pupils and parents are sent copies to help them support learning, an example cited was the suggestion parents allow their children to handle money and pay for the weekly shop to help increase their understanding of money in relation to maths. Pupils also have a home school communication book. The school runs workshops throughout the academic year to help parents participate in their child’s education and have included in the past Sing-along training or Literacy and ICT workshops. The school also places great emphasis on parental help in the education process in the form of parental â€Å"class assistants†. The school takes great pride in the fact several parents have gone on to forge a career as a teacher after starting out as â€Å"class assistants†. The Head Teacher stressed the partnership revolved around good lines of communication between both parties. In the arena of parent/teacher consultations, Bastiani (1992) identified particular pre-requisites for success in ensuring that both parties are heard. Firstly, she suggests that parents must have sufficient information about the nature, purpose and length of the convened meeting and an opportunity to clarify and add items to the agenda. Secondly, a constructive focus needs to be established and decisions on subsequent actions to be taken understood and agreed by all participants. It must be recognised that some parents will require more support in these matters than others.  Finally, as highlighted by DfES (1997), schools need to consider carefully the range of opportunities they can provide for parents to become involved and also the forms of assistance that might be needed to enable parents to participate fully. Tizard et al (1981); Hannon (1985); Mills (1996) and Beveridge (2004) are keen to stress there is much evidence for the effectiveness of well-planned schemes of parental involvement in the teaching of reading. Moreover Mills (1996) highlights the crucial role that parents can play in developing literacy skills with their children, pointing out that the â€Å"one-to-one† relationship is clearly more valuable to the child than the â€Å"30 to one† ratio typical in the average classroom. Mills (1996) suggests that simply sending books home is insufficient but also notes that â€Å"parents may sometimes need support and advice about effective models of hearing their children read†. As Warren and Young (2002) succinctly advocate â€Å"appropriate instructional materials and teaching methodologies should be utilized. Gregory (2000) echoes this view and expresses concerns that traditional schemes may not be suitable for all families. She recommends that schools consider different approaches which might better fit the needs of families. For example, a sole focus on story books might be extended, or replaced, by making use of other kinds of literacy experiences at home and also to include other members of the family and community. The aim here is not simply to follow the school’s approach to literacy, and indeed other curriculum goals and activities, but to build bridges between home and school. Such home-school partnership arrangements may foster literacy acquisition but it has to be noted this makes inherent presuppositions about the abilities of parents from a diversity of backgrounds and cultures to support the literacy development of their children. Not all parents possess the motivation let alone the cognitive ability to enhance the literacy acquisition of their children. Warren and Young (2002) draw attention to the importance parental involvement plays in boosting positive learning attitudes amongst children in Mathematics, Science and Technology because â€Å"academic learning activities  that are completed at home promote the child’s achievement at school† and this further impacts on a positive learning culture as â€Å"parent and child attitudes about school become more positive through academic interactions†. Parents who embrace an unrestrained joy for a particular area of the national curriculum and who transmit such infectious enthusiasm to their children need to be harnessed by schools. This is what Freud (1991) terms â€Å"projection† or the transference of an emotion or character trait onto another person. Parents who project positive learning attitudes onto their children need to be nurtured by schools because they help foster an intrinsic motivation within children to learn for the sheer pleasure of it. Recent government initiatives such as â€Å"Every Child Matters† and â€Å"Higher Standards, Better Schools for All – More Choice for Parents and Pupils† has urged schools to be a more socially cohesive and responsible participant in community relations as well as fostering closer home-school partnerships. Information and Communication Technology (ICT) is at the forefront of facilitating this challenge and connecting home and school through an array of initiatives. Firstly it offers wholesale opportunities for children by providing continuity of learning outside regular school hours and parents provide appropriate mentoring, challenge and support. This presupposes the ICT infrastructure within schools can cope with the rapid growth of collaborative learning and schools need to formulate cohesive and appropriate e-learning strategies. Secondly it empowers parents to support their children’s learning vis-à  -vis responsibility, informed choice and appropriate support. Impact on the engagement of parents can be profound through skilful use of a school’s website or virtual learning environment to suggest how parents can supplement and support the national curriculum. There is the scope for wider engagement as long as ICT is used in a meaningful way. It has benefits for both parents and schools; parental participation will increase if they are given a real voice which in turn provides schools with raw data on how best to serve the interests of its pupils and their parents. Thirdly, the home environment is a hub of learning powered by the dynamics of  the internet and schools can provide valuable advice and guidance to parents on the use of ICT to support pupil learning outside the classroom. Some schools have set up homework clinics and utilize parents as â€Å"on-line experts† to bring together the rich tapestry of ICT and parental resources in educating children. Again this presupposes parents have a tacit and intimate relationship with ICT skills and such skills have to be framed around legitimate data protection issues. Finally, it acts as a focus for a culture of learning within the community as a whole but this almost presents more challenges than rewards. For instance, should the level and location of remote access be fixed or mobile or perhaps a combination of both, what are the logistics of this and what are the financial costs of such access, how can secure and safe access to personal work files be guaranteed, how can genuine collaborative engagement with other learners be rendered, how do parents interpret and respond to the assessment of their children’s e-learning and how and who will provide appropriate parental training to enable them to fully support ICT home-school practice. Nevertheless a modern ICT home-school partnership offers up an abundance of resources outside the remit of traditional teaching methodology and offers substantial potential for fostering positive learning attitudes amongst children. Mills (1996) has recorded that whilst many schools have developed strong home/school links with parents, especially through reading schemes, there has been less success in minority language communities and suggests that â€Å"schools have found that cultural and linguistic differences have created barriers to collaboration† and this has impacted negatively upon children’s academic progress and motivation at school. Similarly, Berk (2004) observes that many ethnic minority parents are uncomfortable about going to school and often â€Å"lack the skills, knowledge and confidence to support their children’s progress in majority culture language work†. Ofsted (2000) claims black and ethnic minority pupils are disadvantaged by an education system that perpetuates inequalities. This then creates a barrier to fostering sufficient levels of parental involvement amongst ethnic minorities. Mills (1996) describes the experiences of Asian parents in Birmingham, most particularly those from Pakistani, Northern India and Bangladeshi cultures. Evidence from initiatives in two Birmingham primary schools to foster home-school links yielded a number of recommendations for schools in minority language communities. These include the development of books and information in a variety of local languages as well as the use of multicultural materials and activities within the school for all pupils to generate an atmosphere of greater understanding and inclusion for all children, regardless of cultural background. Most importantly, as Mills (1996) asserts, parents need to feel positively welcomed by the school through the creation of a genuinely open environment. Berk (2004) underlines this view and suggests that teachers must make extra efforts to integrate â€Å"ethnic minority values and practices into classroom life and regularly contact parents who don’t come to conferences and school events†. Many commentators have situated the notion of partnership between schools, parents and the community within the wider context of school ethos and inclusive practice. Dyson (1997), for example, has observed that many of the educational difficulties experienced by children, such as disaffection, disruption and underachievement are associated with social disadvantage. Croll (2002) underlines this and highlights the clear links, also, between parental socio-economic status and social, emotional and behavioural problems, as well as the learning difficulties which come under the banner of â€Å"special educational needs†. Parents’ experience of high levels of stress, perhaps in poorer, â€Å"run-down† neighbourhoods, can adversely affect not only their interactions with their children but also their dealings with education and related services (Beveridge, 2004). Teachers may hold stereotypical, negative views of such families which impede the quality of home-school relationships. Bastiani (1997) points out the increasing recognition that there is a diversity of successful parenting styles and that teachers can acknowledge this and adopt a more positive approach which builds on parents’ own strategies for raising their children. Ball (1998) and White (1997) have reported on successful Portage schemes for parents of children with learning difficulties involving short-term learning  targets agreed with parents. Beveridge (2004), however, highlights the potential stigmatising effects of these schemes when they are limited to families with children deemed as having ‘special educational needs’ and argues that these specific strategies should be available for all families. The current push for schools to be placed at the centre of the community (DfES, 2003) has been championed by Berk (2004) as a prime opportunity to nurture the collaborative work of teachers, parents and children. She cites Connors and Epstein (1996) who argued that â€Å"when parents are involved in school activities, talk regularly with teachers, monitor their child’s progress and help with homework, children show better academic achievement† (Berk, 2004, p.206). It seems that the strategies adopted by schools to establish strong home/school links must be situated within the wider educational ethos and practice of the school in order to be truly effective. Factors such as co-operative dialogues, joint problem-solving, staff training and support are flagged up as key objectives for the whole school in order to provide â€Å"experiences for children that are as encouraging, enriching and educative as possible†. (Berk, 2004). Within the true spirit of partnership, however, the ethos of the â€Å"learning community† demands that all those involved in this inclusive enterprise of educative enrichment need to play an active role. Thus, as Berk (2004) suggests, parents also have a responsibility to become knowledgeable about what constitutes high quality education and they can then press for better classroom experiences for their children. Teachers and parents, together with children, need to build bridges and it seems crucial that each plays an active role if their strategies are to be truly reciprocal and successful. Further to this the child’s perspective is an integral part of this reciprocity. Children are active social agents and not merely passive recipients of learning processes and they have a â€Å"personal perspective on their own experiences, aspirations and needs which cannot be inferred from having adults speak on their behalf† (Beveridge, 2004). In conclusion, then, primary schools can do much to engender strong home/school links, particularly through the cultivation of more positive and  non-judgemental attitudes towards families, in recognition of the contribution that all families can make towards their children’s education whatever their social and cultural background. As commentators such as Beveridge (2004) and Berk (2004) have highlighted, however, true partnership implies that all those involved, adults and children alike, have a role to play in the development of successful collaborative strategies. In terms of the particular role played by primary schools, it would seem that strategies rooted in a â€Å"whole school† philosophy of genuine inclusion which values and respects the views of parents and children are those which are most likely to make a positive difference in terms of children’s attitudes to learning. Bibliography Ball M. (1998) School Inclusion: the School, the Family and the Community. Joseph Rowntree Foundation, YorkBastiani J. (1992) Working with Parents: a whole school approach. NFER-Nelson, Windsor. Bastiani J.(Ed (1997) Home-School Work in Multicultural Settings. David Fulton, London. Berk L. (2004) Awakening Children’s Minds: How Parents and Teachers can make a difference. Oxford University Press, Oxford. Beveridge S. (2004) Children, Families and Schools: Developing Partnerships for Inclusive Education. RoutledgeFalmer, London. Brooker L. (2002)Starting School – Young Children Learning Cultures. Open University Press, Buckingham. Coleman P. (1998) Parent, Student and Teacher Collaboration: the power of three. Paul Chapman, London. DfES. (2003) Every Child Matters, Green Paper. HMSO, London. Freud S. (1991)The Essentials of Psychoanalysis.Penguin, London. Gregory E (2000) â€Å"Recognising differences: reinterpreting family involvement in early literacy† in Combating Educational Disadvantage: meeting the needs of vulnerable children. Ed Cox T. Falmer Press, London. pp. 45-50. Hannon P. (1995) Literacy, Home and School: research and practice in teaching literacy with parents. Falmer Press, London. Hornby G. (2000) Improving Parental Involvement. Cassell, London. Hornby G, Davis G, Taylor G. (1995) The Special Needs Co-ordinator’s Handbook. Routledge, London. Mayall B. (2002) Towards a Sociology for Childhood. Open University Press, Buckingham. Mills J. (Ed) (1996) Partnership in the Primary School. Routledge, London. Nind M, Rix J, Sheehy K, Simmons K. (Eds) (2003) Inclusive Education: diverse perspectives. David Fulton, London. Ofsted.(2000)Educational Inequality: Mapping Race, Class and Gender. A Synthesis ofResearch Evidence. Ofsted, London. Tizard B, Mortimore J, Burchell B. (1981) Involving Parents in Nursery and Infant Schools: A Source Book for Teachers. Grant McIntyre, London. White M. (1997) â€Å"A Review of the influence and effects of Portage† in Working with Parents of SEN Children after the Code of Practice. Ed Wolfendale S. David Fulton, London. pp. 32-36. JournalsCroll P. (2002)†Social deprivation, school-level achievement and special educational needs†. Educational Research. Vol. 44. pp. 43-53. Dyson A. (1997) â€Å"Social and educational disadvantage: reconnecting special needs education†. British Journal of Special Education. Vol. 24, No. 4. pp. 152-157. Warren E, Young J. (2002)†Parent and School Partnerships in Supporting Literacy and Numeracy†. Asia-Pacific Journal of Teacher Education. Vol. 30, No 3. pp. 217-228. Williams F. (2004)†Commentary on Every Child Matters, DfES Green Paper† Critical Social Policy.Vol.24, No 3. pp 55-66. WebliographyWeb reference 1DfES (1997)www.standards.dfes.gov.uk/parentalinvolvement

The Cosby show Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

The Cosby show - Essay Example The aspects that are portrayed in The Cosby Show are essential to the Black culture. This includes black universities, colleges, the Black art that was placed specifically on the Walls of the famous Huxatable house, artist of the jazz music are shown in every episode. These aspects are continuously acknowledged and portrayed blackness in such a way that it has not yet been seen by any other black viewers. The show reconfigured the industrialized and artistic spaces through which illustration and symbol of black on modern television are fabricated. Furthermore, it has been revealed that the show influenced and created huge impact on black consciousness and provided positive message about the experience of Black people. Bill Cosby and producers tried to downplay the issue of race in a brilliant way and expected that audiences are mature and sensible enough to look at the past problems that make every person different from

Product and Evolutionary & Revolutionary Innovations Essay

Product and Evolutionary & Revolutionary Innovations - Essay Example They defined market orientation as the mix of customer orientation & competitor orientation. However Slater and Narver (1998. pp1000-1005) argued that customer orientation and market orientation should not be mixed. Customer orientation often results in short term myopic innovations whereby it is assumed that customers know very well what they want and hence following their wish list will automatically result in improved competitive advantages of the organizations. They further argued that customers grossly lack foresight of what they need and hence the organization will end up getting defocused from what they need and hence their products sell till the time the customers change their choices by realizing that this was not they needed. Market orientation appears similar to customer orientation but there is a fundamental difference - market orientation is focused on customer needs and not their desires. Market orientation needs serious inter-functional orientation because the market s tudy needs to be translated into long term goals and corresponding product innovations. An organization can get the best out of market orientation when they have sufficient skills to develop products that are not easy for competitors to imitate thus achieving an overall enhancements in competitive advantages. Olson & Walker et al. (1995. pp. ... on for new product innovations with help of market orientation - Bureaucratic Control, Individual Liaisons, Temporary Task Forces, Integrating Managers, Matrix Structures, Design Teams and Design Centers. On the other hand, innovations for customer orientation may not require such in-depth inter-functional coordination. Hence, the author concludes that both market orientation and inter-functional orientation of an organization are important and their effective integration results in newness of the products. "Evolutionary" and "Revolutionary" innovations Veryzer (1998. pp. 304-321) defined two fundamental types of innovations - evolutionary or continuous innovations and revolutionary or discontinuous innovations. The evolutionary innovations are targeted to evolve incremental innovations of the existing products thus allowing them to continue with improved features. The revolutionary innovations are radical in nature that takes the world by surprise through some kind of breakthrough that forces the corresponding existing products to obsolescence. The author observed that the definitions of the two types of innovations explained by the researchers are from the perspective of the innovators that are carrying out technological changes in the existing products. But these two aspects should also be seen from the perspective of end users as well. From an end user perspective, something is radical only when it completely changes the way they have been seeing the product. The author hereby presents an example of VCR versus CD/DVD players. Fr om the perspective of the innovators, both are completely different technologies and hence CD/DVD players are revolutionary innovations. But the end users may argue that their primary objective was to see video on their television sets

Social Inclusion (SWFS5004) Foundation Degree Assignment

Social Inclusion (SWFS5004) Foundation Degree - Assignment Example More recent scholarly studies reveal that social exclusion is multi-faceted in character. Levitas (1998) thus sees it as a multidimensional concept, dependent on the position of a person or a group of persons in the society. He further notes that every form of societal marginalization can cause social exclusion. Social exclusion is conceptualized via various social processes and aspects of daily life such as economical, cultural, disability, political and organizational just to name a few. In the views of Levitas (1998), social exclusion is the product of an intricate process and definitely not as a result of economical disadvantage alone. Hence, the concept of social exclusion should be thought in the framework of a social organization in which four subsystems namely politics, economics, social/community and family systems are at play (Phillipson et al, 2003). Even though social exclusion is seen as multi-facial, it nevertheless still poses constant problems. Cushing (2003) further observes that the concept of social exclusion is not only multi-faceted in the sense that it is controlled by various social processes, but the idea is also relational. ... Phillipson et al (2003) also observe that exclusion and inclusion form a dynamic phenomenon. This is because within a given society, an individual can be socially excluded or included over a given period of time. For this reason, it is not wise to give all inclusive definition of social exclusion but to employ an approach that identifies deprivation factors (Pierson, 2001). A good example is deprivation of employment. In this approach, social inclusion originates from synergies between various players in local government and services as well as social partners via participation, associations and networking (Silver, 1994). Levitas (1998) observes that exclusion depends on system failures only. Within this viewpoint, social exclusion is viewed on the basis of the hetero-designation of particular groups which are termed as the excluded. Other studies neglect the human potential to build inclusion within one or several everyday spheres according to Massey & Jess (1995). A number of conce rns have been raised regarding self-designation processes, the effects of identity on inclusion as well as exclusion boundaries which may mediate in the said identities. Hence, social exclusion may depend on the role of a person who is socially excluded when he or she can offer nothing to the society in exchange for what society can give back (Phillipson et al, 2003). Moreover, individuals, groups of people and societies can lock themselves off, creating ever higher boundaries by asserting their norms in a strict and rigid style which may, as a result exclude others who do not agree with them or who are not recognized by them (Castles, 2000). There are a number of cases in which religious, political and ethnic causes have resulted

To what extent does successful workplace learning depend on the social Essay

To what extent does successful workplace learning depend on the social context of the workplace environment - Essay Example This allows the organization to reach the potential growth and success that the organization dreams for. But to transform just a mere dream into reality, the organization must implement learning processes that would change the direction of the organization. This change in direction could change the future of the organization and its employees. As workplace learning is creating sustainable new knowledge, it is considered as an investment by the organization for their most important assets which is the workforce. The workforce could single handedly change the future of the organization, all they need is a training and development program but a program within the boundaries of organizational culture. An organization is a mixture of diverse culture and employees. The only element that combines these diverse employees from different race, religion and origin is the organizational culture. With the passage of time, organizations have become more cultural diverse and they have hired employe es belonging from different cultures and geographic locations. Although, this has been helpful for the organization as it has allowed organization to have diverse thinking and more creativity and better learning from different cultures.... Along with that, the research has highlighted some of the important dimensions that would include the definition of workplace learning, social context of workplace environment and lastly the impact of social context on successful workplace learning. A brief conclusion is also included to summarize and conclude all the major findings of this study. Successful workplace learning Workplace learning is a process that addresses the needs and interests of the employees. This learning process enables the employee to respond to the changing environment and to contribute in increasing the efficiency and productivity of the employee (Lai, and Lo, 2008). This learning process ultimately helps in meeting the employee’s personal and career development needs within the organization (Chen, Bian, and Hom, 2005). Learning at work allows the organization to develop different capabilities and skills and thus it is better able to achieve competitive advantage (Hamlin, and Stewart, 2011). Learning at work happens through the daily working practices of the workers and the biggest influence in this learning process is the work itself. A process that addresses the needs and interests of the employee helps in reducing the absenteeism rate, turnover rate, job dissatisfaction and all those factors that reduce the optimum performance to achieve the organizational goals. Successful workplace learning provides an opportunity for the employees of the organization to develop or improve their skills that would enable them to obtain the best possible outcomes for the business (Clarke, 2005). Employees are worthy investments for organizations as these employees are relied heavily upon for the success and betterment of the organization. Employees are considered to be the most valuable asset within

How does diversity of employment affect the welfare(income per person) Dissertation - 2

How does diversity of employment affect the welfare(income per person) in cities of America - Dissertation Example More emphasize should be placed on authenticity of variable like population, age and income of people to attain a reliable result from the research. The sample quantity also should be enhanced to enable a full fledged assessment of the coastal and non- coastal cities as to their contribution to per capital income. Additional independent variable also should be included to get accuracy and efficiency in the statistical models. Also, efforts should be made to cover more population among the cities so as to deliver a believable outcome .It is observed that people in both cities with higher educational level influenced in increasing the average income of the cities.. Finally it can be estimated that more than economic diversity, the educational level and age of individuals have more effect in increasing the per capital income and wealth of a city. Work Cited Khan, M.Y. (2008).Financial services. New Delhi: Tata McGraw Hill.

God's Omniscience and Human Free Will - Contradiction Essay

God's Omniscience and Human Free Will - Contradiction - Essay Example Most of the solutions or arguments are aimed at working around the problem rather than resolving it. I believe that there is no way to solve this conflict without denying either God’s omniscience or the existence of free will. In this essay I argue and attempt to prove that God’s omniscience and human free will are not compatible with each other. Omniscience in the simplest form is defined as the knowledge of everything, infinite or complete knowledge. That is, an omniscient God knows and has knowledge of everything, including what is going to happen in the future1. Human free will on the other hand is defined as the ability, power or force of a person to choose what or what not to do. In a more religious sense it is the ability or power to choose or turn away from good or evil2. Hence, definition of omniscient God implies an all knowing God meaning that God knows what is going to happen in the future. If God already knows what we are going to do in the future, it means that our actions are already predetermined and we have no control over the actions that we are going to take in the future. ... God is omniscient or humans have free will, both cannot be possible. Now let’s consider some of the solutions offered to solve the above conflict and see if it actually attempts to prove the compatibility of the two ideas or not. One of the major arguments made by those supporting omniscient God and human free will is that God’s foreknowledge in no way restricts human free will. That is, foreknowledge does not imply causality. Following analogy is used to support the claim: Sun rises tomorrow and knowing this does not cause the sun to rise. Knowing ahead of time does not restrict or cause an event to occur. Similarly, God’s foreknowledge of what we are going to do does not affect our free will to choose what we are going to do. It just means that God happens to know ahead of time what we are going to choose freely. God does not affect our freedom to choose but he simply knows ahead of time that what we are going to choose3. For this argument to work the concept o f time as we know it must be discarded. God is not restricted by the concept of time as we do. To God past, present and future exists at once, i.e, God exists outside of time. The above argument does not make logical sense and can be termed invalid. Let’s assume that humans have free will and are free to choose what they want to do. If an option A is chosen then by the earlier argument God would have known that option A would be chosen ahead of time. If instead of option A, due to free will, option B is chosen then the argument would be that this is what would have been known4. So either way the conclusion that can be drawn is that the future is determined. Irrespective of causing the event to occur or not, the future remains determined in the analogy used. Knowing that the sun

Ideal Leader Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Ideal Leader - Essay Example They have a tendency to learn fast from their mistakes and take different actions to produce different results. Common people keep on repeating the same action expecting a different result. stick to the tried and tested formulas even if they think that something else might work better. Society has a tendency to follow the age old practices and rules without really thinking about their results. Even if they think that the things going on are wrong and unfair, they do not have guts to raise their voice against it and take responsibility for that. They fear the repercussions of going against the authority. Leaders take the decisions on the behalf of all the people who he is leading. When leaders take a decision, they are well aware of the fact that their decisions are going to affect the lives of all the people who they are leading. This is a huge responsibility to bear. However, they are not scared of shouldering this responsibility (Fairholm 2000. p. 66). Society if full of people who follow the rules, thinking patterns and social practices that are set from ages together. They hardly question the injustice and the bias towards people of particular ethnic background. Raising a voice against the social injustice means going against the ancestors and the authority that supports those rules. It is like going against the orthodox religious practices and government rules. This could mean punishment, criticism from the authoritative figures and isolation by the society. However, leaders are not afraid of it. They know what they are doing is right and no threat can suppress them from taking the action against it. People who dare to talk against the traditional practices are often alone in their journey

Progressive Era through the Great Depression Research Paper

Progressive Era through the Great Depression - Research Paper Example However, considerable achievements were realized during the period of the Great Depression. Examples of theses said gains are the establishment of the UN Commission on women status (Pierre, 2000). These movements fashioned the foundation for the current advances in women rights that are being witnessed in the current society. The second event this paper will expound is the stock market crash of 1929. The crash has been often cited as among the worst stock market crash in the history of United States. Its impact was so massive; it took the American economy approximately ten years to recover from this fallout. This stock market crash was preceded by a nine year steady rise of the American economy. The magnitude and implications of this crash warrants its classification as a significant turning point in the period of discussion. 2) 911 attacks and Terri Schiavo The current America society has witnessed several turning points, be it in the economic, political or cultural perspective. How ever, none rivals the power of the September Eleven attacks as a turning point. These attacks, more than ever, brought to the public light the vanity of American national security forces. It demonstrated just how susceptible the American people were to foreign attack. These attacks instigated radical reforms to the American government and subsequently the introduction of comprehensive security measures (Lionel, Baron & Murray, 2005). ... Terry Schiavo was left to die of starvation and dehydration that culminated in her bleeding to death (Randall, 1998). It is an appalling act that has put the human rights advancement in jeopardy. This single incident has the power to portray Americans as people with complete disregard for human life. Terry Schiavo was a responsive woman whose state of incapacitation signed her death warrant. The extent of public outcry that followed her death depicts the extent to which this was a gross act of negligence (Randall, 1998). 3) Why western states first There exists no substantiated assertion as to the reason why western states were more accepting of women suffrage as compared to their eastern counterparts. However, there are some claims that appear to be more logical than the rest. The western states had more male mortality rates as compared to the eastern regions (Thomas, Hall & David, 2009). As such, women were forced, by circumstances, to adopt a more assertive role in their lives. As such, they put themselves in the frontier. This then necessitated their suffrage to be accepted if the western states were to survive. An additional elucidation can be sourced from the relative lower women demographic as compared to the eastern states. The eastern states could afford to dominate their women as they were plenty in supply. However, the western states did not have this luxury. Therefore, they had to institute reforms that would entice the female population to migrate into their region. These reforms majorly included the creation of an enabling environment for women suffrage. This rationale is the more logical one in the class of

Paper-Based Versus Electronic Medical Record Keeping Essay Example for Free

Paper-Based Versus Electronic Medical Record Keeping Essay For many years, physicians’ offices documented all data in paper-based medical charts. Now, the physician or clinician records the medical data into a computer. Information stored in this manner is known as an electronic-based medical record or EMR. By definition, an EMR is a computerized record of the important health information regarding a patient including the care of that individual and the progress of that patient’s condition (Bonewit-West, Hunt, Applegate, 2009). The use of computers in physicians’ offices is not new. For decades, physicians have used computers and practice management software primarily to schedule appointments and for billing. The government has offered physicians incentives designed to encourage the adoption of electronic medical records to promote medical information accessibility, better patient care, greater efficiency, and financial savings (Hamilton, 2010). In the face of advancing technology, small medical offices must compare the cost, ease of use, and maintenance of electronic medical record systems versus paper-based record keeping. The cost of keeping paper-based and electronic medical records is not just about the actual price tag of the record-keeping systems. The cost of keeping an electronic medical record system (EMR) begins with the initial purchase and implementation of the hardware and EMR software. There are also ongoing maintenance expenses, loss of revenue associated with temporary loss of productivity due to converting paper charts to electronic ones, and the training of the staff (Menachemi Collum, 2011). The way these record systems are stored is very different and can greatly affect the cost as well. EMR records are stored on a server, digitally, in a secure computer database within the office practice (Hamilton, 2010). On the other hand, the cost of keeping a paper-based medical record requires certain supplies. File folders, folder labels, chart dividers, paper, and writing instruments are needed. Shelves are commonly used to hold and organize the charts for ease of accessibility by the staff. A growing medical practice may often require many shelving units that take up valuable office space. Storage boxes are required to store outdated charts or charts no longer in use (Bonewit-West et al., 2009). If there is not enough space in the office, then physicians may often have to pay for off-site storage (Hamilton, 2010).  The process of using a paper-based medical record system is relatively easy. However, there are some factors to consider. To use a paper chart, the medical staff must locate and retrieve it, make sure the appropriate documents accompany the chart, and have it ready for the physician. The physician or the medical staff must allocate enough time to accurately document the chart for each patient. Any chart, whether it is paper or electronic, needs to be comprehensible, so clear writing is imperative when recording using a paper chart (Bonewit-West et al., 2009). Meanwhile, using an EMR system requires the use of a computer. This can be a desktop model, laptop, or a tablet type device. The patient records are kept digitally within the EMR system and are accessed via the computer. This type of record-keeping system does not require the addition of paper documents. Al l paper documents are scanned into the EMR system or electronically obtained from other pertinent sources. Once paper documents are scanned into the EMR system, they become part of the patient’s permanent record and are no longer needed. This process requires EMR training of the medical staff, which is normally performed by the vendor supplying the EMR software. The physician and the medical staff must learn how to operate the new system and acclimate to the new paperless charting method. Learning an EMR program and using it with ease can take several months or more (Bonewit-West et al., 2009). The ease of use with both of these systems differs in the fact that paper-based records need to be filed properly in order to locate them when needed. Filing can be very time-consuming and paper-based records can be easily lost or destroyed. Even though electronic records are stored digitally on a server within the medical office, the medical staff will still need to enter the patient data into the EMR system. Electronic records need to be backed up daily because they can be lost due to fail ure of the hardware (Hamilton, 2010). Regular maintenance is required for both paper-based and electronic record keeping. The maintenance differs greatly between the systems and is ongoing regardless of which system is being used in the medical office. The routine maintenance of an electronic medical record system requires hiring network professionals to monitor and maintain the network. Some examples of maintenance tasks may include performing data backup once every twenty-four hours, storing a database backup offsite, and  archiving backup media once every month. There is also maintenance on the hardware and software. Hardware must be replaced and software will have to be upgraded regularly. A product specialist may need to run utilities for different applications within the EMR system. There will be ongoing training for all users of the electronic medical records system (Menachemi Collum, 2011). In contrast to electronic medical records, maintenance of paper charts require that they are examined periodically to make sure the chart remains in good condition since these charts will become worn over time. The charting of each patient should be complete, legible, and performed in a timely fashion. Paper charts that are outdated, that are deemed inactive or charts of patients who expired will have to be placed in boxes and put into storage (Hamilton, 2010). There are vast differences between paper-based and electronic medical record-keeping systems. One system is entirely manual while the other requires manual data entry combined with computerization. For decades, physicians and staff of medical practices have used only the manual or paper-based method of keeping medical records. Change can be costly and frustrating, but with the advancement of technology, coupled with the government requiring the use of EMR, small medical offices must explore the cost, ease of use, and maintenance involved in making this important change in the way of keeping medical records. References Bonewit-West, K., Hunt, S. A., Applegate, E. J. (2009). The medical record. In Todays Medical Assistant: Clinical Administrative Procedures. St. Louis, Mo: Saunders/Elsevier. Hamilton, B. (2010). Electronic health records (2nd ed.). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill Higher Education. Menachemi, N., Collum, T. (2011). Benefits and drawbacks of EHRs. Risk Management and Healthcare Policy, 4, 47-55. Retrieved from doi:10.2147/RMHP.S12985.

Quantitative Research in Patient Safety Literature Review

Quantitative Research in Patient Safety Literature Review Recently, research has occupied a crucial place in nursing that is identified as â€Å"the diagnosis and treatment of human responses to actual or potential health problems† (American Nurses’ Association, 1980 p.9); thus, an appropriate understanding of research literature is a prerequisite for every individual who works in this area (Rees, 2003). Unfortunately, despite the fact that most of nurses acquire specific skills in research, only some of them manage to apply research data or research findings to practice (Bostrum Suter, 1993). This can be explained by the nurses inability to critique a research, evaluating its pros and cons (Krainovich-Miller et al., 2002). The aim of the present essay is to critically analyse two quantitative research literatures in patient safety. The first research is â€Å"Relationship between complaints and quality of care in New Zealand: a descriptive analysis of complainants and noncomplainants following adverse events† by M. Bi smark et al. (2006), while the second research is â€Å"Comparison of three methods for estimating rates of adverse events and rates of preventable adverse events in acute care hospitals† by P. Michel et al. (2004). Although many nursing studies have been conducted in the last decade (e.g. Johnson Lauver, 1989; Conlon Anderson, 1990; Norman et al., 1991; Brennan et al., 1995; Gross et al., 1995; Fieler et al., 1996; Bennet, 1999), they implicitly dealt with the issues of patient care; however, the studies discussed further directly relate to the quality of medical care in New Zealand and France. The research conducted by Bismark et al. (2006) evaluates the extent of injuries in the patients cured in public hospitals of New Zealand, or more precisely (as the title reveals), a correlation between patients’ complaints and quality of medical care. While the title is clue to the focus, the abstract gives more detailed information, identifying the major aspects of the research (objectives, design, setting, population, main outcome measures, results and conclusion) in a clear scientific style. However, the abstract does not indicate the research questions of the study; they are stated further in the research and are the following: 1) Do complaints track injuries, or are they prompted by more subjective concerns? 2) Are complaints the â€Å"tip of the iceberg’ in terms of quality of care problems and, if so, how representative are they of broader quality problems? (Bismark et al., 2006 p.17). Although the research by Michel et al. (2004) also refers to patient safety, neither the title, nor the abstract uncovers the theme in an explicit way. Actually, the theme is exposed further in the research; in particular, the study analyses rates of unintended injuries (defined by the authors as adverse events and preventable adverse events) in the patients cured in care hospitals of France. Similarly to the first research, the abstract in the second study briefly summarises the research and is divided into the same categories that uncover the essence of the investigation. In this regard, the abstract is an obvious strength of the analysis and it can serve as an example to other researchers who investigate various aspects of nursing. But the research does not specify the research questions either in the abstract or in the introduction section of the paper. Such a lack of specific questions certainly complicates the overall apprehension of the study. The authors could have proposed some research questions, such as 1) What are the major aspects of reliability, acceptability and effectiveness? Or 2) How rates of adverse events and rates of preventable adverse events can be properly assessed with each of three methods? These questions are of primary importance to the research, as adverse events and preventable adverse events can not be rightfully evaluated, if the major criteria of reliability and effectiveness are not properly discussed in the context of the research. However, the authors pay little attention to these aspects of the analysis. Despite the fact that the introduction section in both studies provides a valid explanation of the importance of the problem, neither of the two studies includes an overview of the previous research or specific reports. This neglect decreases the overall presentation and reduces the value of the presented data. However, the problems of statement are formulated in a concise way and reflect that the researchers narrowed the areas of research to the issue of adverse events in the clinical setting in order to get more accurate findings. In fact, this issue is especially relevant today when patient safety has become worse in many countries of the world. The justification for the chosen topic in the research by Bismark et al. (2006) is that the recent accident compensation system in New Zealand does not adequately examine patients’ complaints in all cases of adverse events. Pointing at the fact that â€Å"there is growing international interest in harnessing patient dissatisfaction and complaints to address problems with quality† (Bismark et al., 2006 p.17), the authors concurrently put crucial questions that inspire readers’ interest in the issue of patient safety from the very beginning. In the research of Michel et al. (2004) the underlying reason for initiating an investigation is that the limitations of the employed methods reduce the validity of the received findings in regard to patients’ injures within the hospital setting. However, the lack of appropriate background, theoretical frameworks, hypotheses and definite aims in the introduction section considerably limits the studies. This especially regards the non-inclusion of specific theories that usually back up the presented data. In this respect, both studies are theory-free; unlike theory-testing research and theory-generating research, this kind of research is less popular because it does not analyse any theoretical concepts that constitute the basis of practical nursing. On th e other hand, the studies of Michel et al. (2004) and Bismark et al. (2006) specifically focus on a practical problem-solving framework; that is, the present researches are aimed at identifying practical solutions to the discussed problems rather than discussing theoretical implications. The research of Michel et al. (2004) uses a quantitative research method that â€Å"emphasizes objectivity through statistical analysis† (Santy Kneale, 1998 p.77) and the quasi-experimental design that is considered to be more adequate and less biased than an experimental method, if an investigation is conducted within the clinical setting (Polit Hungler, 1995). Though objectivity is crucial for such kind of research, it would also be appropriate to combine quantitative and qualitative methods, that is, to combine objectivity and subjectivity (Phillips, 1990). The fact is that due to its quantitative method the study appears to be too analytical, too objectively-oriented; thus, there is a necessity to introduce some aspects of the subjective realm into the research. However, Parahoo (1997) supports another viewpoint, exposing the inadequacy of a qualitative method, especially in regard to a nursing research. The author points out that, applying to a quantitative method, rese archers are able to predict the final outcomes, while a qualitative method may generate unpredictable results. The data in the study are collected in care hospitals of Aquitaine with the help of three research techniques – a cross sectional method, a prospective method and a retrospective method. Such triangulation is aimed at â€Å"relat[ing] different sorts of data in such a way as to counteract various possible threats to the validity of analysis† (Hammersely Atkinson, 1983 p.199). In the present study triangulation corresponds with the terms of reference that provide appropriate relevance to the whole research (Shih, 1998). Identifying both advantages and disadvantages of all three methods in Box 2, the researchers contribute much to the reliability of the findings, despite the fact that they have not conducted a pilot study that, according to Carr (2003), intensifies the credibility of the employed research techniques. On the other hand, a pilot study is crucial for the investigations that utilise unchecked tools for research, as is the case with the present study, where the researchers conduct an evaluation of methodology. In this regard, a pilot study â€Å"helps to illuminate some of the problems of the research tool† (Santy and Kneale, 1998 p.80). The research of Bismark et al. (2006) is also quantitative with descriptive design. The baseline data are taken from the medical records of the New Zealand Quality of Healthcare Study (NZQHS) and the Commissioner’s complaints database. Further, multivariate and bivariate analyses are applied to the research to identify certain dissimilarities between complaints and non-complaints. Overall, the explanation of the research techniques and methods is a great strength of this study, as the authors provide a thorough description in regard to data collection and study design. Although the researchers do not define a hypothesis of the analysis, they, nevertheless, use dependent and independent variables to differentiate complainants from non-complainants. However, the limited space of both studies has not allowed the researchers to insert the samples of medical records and questionnaires that served as the basis for the research; thus, the methodology of both investigations can not be fully assessed in terms of the quality. Actually, the research of Bismark et al. (2006) and the research of Michel et al. (2004) employ primary sources (including official records) that explicitly relate to the subjects. But according to Burgess (1991), even primary sources should be critically assessed and â€Å"it is essential to locate them in context† (p.124). But neither the first nor the second study provides a critical evaluation of the utilised sources. In regard to ethical issues, they are not openly addressed in the studies; however, in the research of Bismark et al. (2006) there is a mentioning that the investigation was endorsed by the Wellington Ethics Committee. For Robinson (1996), such ethical approval is a necessary part of a nursing research, as any investigation deals with human beings who may experience certain difficulties during the research. On the other hand, due to its descriptive nature the present study does not necessarily need an informed consent or ethical considerations (Cutcliffe Ward, 2003), while the research of Michel et al. (2004) requires a discussion of certain ethical issues because of its quasi-experimental design. Some of these issues are patients’ confidentiality, defence of their rights and risk control (Pranulis, 1996). In regard to the latter factor, it is necessary for researchers to increase potential benefits and decrease potential risks, especially in such studies that involve a great number of participants, as is just the case with the research of Michel et al. (2004). Thus, it would have been proper for the researchers of the present study to discuss in detail subjects’ conditions and potential harm, particularly in view of the fact that nursing directly relates to patient safety within the clinical setting (DHHS, 1981). However, the ethical rights of samples are implicitly defended in both studies, as no personal details of participants are revealed. But the researchers provide no information of the ways the data were stored and protected before or during the investigation. Similarly, neither of the studies refers to informed consents, while this is a prerequisite for any nursing research (Alt-White, 1995; Berry et al., 1996). As for sampling, the study of Bismark et al. (2006) analyses two groups of patients: the first group includes people who made complaints to the Commissioner and the second group includes people â€Å"identified by the NZQHS as having suffered an adverse event who did not lodge a complaint† (Bismark et al., 2006 p.17). A two stage sampling process is initiated by NZQHS on the example of 6579 medical records. Although inclusion and exclusion criteria are not explicitly identified in the study, the researchers make it clear that they only choose the patients who suffer adverse events. In the process of analysis these patients are divided into two categories – complainants and non-complainants, though both groups are typical representatives of the larger population. In the research of Michel et al. (2004) the sampling includes 778 patients from medical, surgical and obstetric wards. This number of samples is appropriate for a descriptive study. Initially, the researchers chose 786 patients with the help of a two stage cluster stratified process, but excluded 8 persons â€Å"because they were still present on day 30, precluding the review of their medical records† (Michel et al., 2004 p.2). In this respect, the study does not clearly define inclusion and exclusion criteria, but some samples are excluded in the process of investigation. No obvious bias is found in regard to the samples; similar to the previous research, the samples belong to typical representatives of the larger group. In view of this fact, the sampling can be considered as fully reliable. In addition to authors’ comments, the results in the research of Bismark et al. (2006) are presented in figures, tables and boxes that are introduced as additional tools for clarification. This visual information reflects how the data are collected and measured (Figure 1 is especially accurate in revealing the cases of injured complainants and non-complainants). Although the authors do not specifically explain such a choice, they provide a detailed justification for the use of correlation tests that define dependent variables (a distinction between complainants and non-complainants) and independent variables (age, ethnicity, sex and other factors). Besides, the researchers weight the bivariate and multivariate analyses to acquire more accurate findings. The results in the study of Michel et al. (2004) also appear in both textual and graphic forms in order to enhance explanation. But the researchers do not attain the balance between figures and comments, putting too much emphas is on figures. Unlike the previous study, the authors do not use dependent and independent variables in their analysis; however, they employ paired X2 tests for the comparison of retrospective and prospective methods. Discussing their findings, Bismark et al. (2006) draw a parallel between the received results and the findings of the previous studies. Actually, many findings of the prior research are consistent with the present research (e.g. Burstin, et al., 1993; Studdert et al., 2000), while some findings contradict the earlier results (e.g. Tapper et al., 2004). To some extent, such a comparison justifies the lack of literature review at the beginning of the research and provides more validity to the overall outcomes. In general terms, the findings of Bismark et al. (2006) directly relate to the objectives of the study, gradually introducing the evidence that proves the authors’ initial suggestions. In particular, the researchers find out that 79% of all injures can be identified as preventable adverse events. In the case of the Commissioners analysis, 64% of the complaints are made by the patients who suffer adverse events, of which 51% are preventable adverse events. In regard to the NZQHS review, 315 cases of adverse events (out of 850 cases) are preventable, 124 cases are serious and 48 cases are serious and preventable. As for instigators of complaints, 41% of complaints are made by the patients, while 59% by their relatives or friends (13% spouse, 16% parent and 17% child). Evaluating the independent variables, the researchers reveal that the age of complainants is lower than the age of non-complainants; moreover, non-complainants mainly live in the regions with poor economic conditions. The findings in the research of Michel et al. (2004) also relate to the terms of reference, providing evidence that â€Å"the prospective method has several advantages over retrospective and cross sectional methods† (Michel et al., 2004 p.3). In particular, the prospective method better recognises preventable adverse events and is more trustworthy than two other methods. This is clearly seen in Venn diagrams that demonstrate the number of adverse events identified by each of three research methods. Overall, the findings in the present study are not properly discussed; however, the researchers discuss in detail the strengths and limitations of the research in the discussion section. For instance, as the authors reveal, reliability and effectiveness of adverse even ts rates are successfully estimated because the samples are assessed with the help of three methods. On the other hand, the researchers point at the possibility of bias that â€Å"may have been present due to the small number of hospitals and wards† (Michel et al., 2004 p.3) and because of the participation of the care teams in the prospective method. Besides, the reference list that the researchers utilised in the process of investigation might have errors that were not identified. Finally, the aspects of reliability, effectiveness and acceptability are not discussed in detail by the authors, though these are the major assessment criteria of the study. However, there are some obvious strengths of the research; unlike the studies that analyse adverse events either in surgery or medicine (e.g. Mantel et al., 1998; Waterstone et al., 2001), the present study examines various cases of adverse events in three areas – medicine, surgery and obstetrics. Similarly to this research, Bismark et al. (2006) also identify certain limitations of the study; in particular, the analysis of adverse event rates is rather confined, if medical record reviews serve as the basis for the research. The research also lacks definite ethnicity data for all complainants; thus, there is a â€Å"potential for measurement error† (Bismark et al., 2006 p.21). In addition, the authors do not provide any information as to the alternative research methods that can be used for the assessment of the relations between complains and quality of medical care. Drawing a parallel between the employed methods and the alternative methods, it will be possible to enhance the validity of the received findings. The conclusion in the research of Bismark et al. (2006) directly responds to the terms of reference; based on the received results, the conclusion suggests that elderly or economically poor patients rarely initiate complaints processes. The same regards the pati ents who belong to ethnic minorities (in this case – to Pacific ethnicity). The authors recommend to conduct a further study that will profoundly investigate the reasons for people’s refusal to make complaints in the cases of poor medical care. Moreover, the complaints greatly depend on the severity of injures and whether the event is preventable or unpreventable. In this respect, as the researchers conclude, â€Å"complaints offer a valuable portal for observing serious threats to patient safety and may facilitate efforts to improve quality† (Bismark et al., 2006 p.22). Unfortunately, no recommendations for practice are made at the end of the study, thus reducing the relevance of the received findings. On the other hand, as Santy and Kneale (1998) claim, â€Å"all research has some implications for practice even if the results have proven to be inconclusive† (p.82). In the research of Michel et al. (2004) the conclusion summarises the results that, in the authors’ words, â€Å"provide new insights into the epidemiology of adverse events† (p.4). Such a viewpoint is explained by the fact that the findings of the present study reveal the ways to intensify the implementation of prospective assessment in the clinical setting. However, the researchers only suggest the answers to the posed questions, avoiding any insisten ce on specific concepts or notions. Comparing three methods, the researchers recommend to use the prospective method for different purposes that implicitly or explicitly relate to the evaluation of adverse events rates. Finally, Michel et al. (2004) briefly discuss the prior knowledge on the topic and the knowledge acquired in the process of investigation. In regard to the prior knowledge, the assessment of adverse events was conducted in an analytical way that considerably limited the findings. In the present study the researchers receive more feasible results and identify that the causes of adverse events and risk reduction programmes can be successfully evaluated by the prospective method rather than by the retrospective or cross-sectional methods. However, further research is required, if the evidence received in this research is applied to practice (Barron Kenny, 1986; Scott Thompson, 2003). Overall, both researches are well-structured and are written in a scientifically concise style; however, as was stated above, the study of Michel et al. (2004) provides too much technical details, while analysing the results. Therefore, it is slightly difficult to read the research and, consequently, there is a chance that its findings may be ignored by a practitioner on the premise of misunderstanding. Although the research of Michel et al. (2004) is logically constructed, an unqualified person may fail to rightfully apprehend the presented data. On the contrary, the study of Bismark et al. (2006) is easy to understand because it lacks much unexplained jargon. Another strength of the research is the appropriate use of quotes in the discussion section; these quotes are directly related to the analysis and correspond with the ideas expressed by the authors, either refuting or confirming them. Employing this or that quote, the researchers provide a detailed interpretation of a certain concept; and for all that, the number of quotes is reasonable and they are rather short. On the contrary, Michel et al. (2004) do not utilise quotes in the discussion to support their arguments, though they use certain references. Despite the fact that the researchers do not explicitly recommend their studies to nurses, the overall findings can be especially relevant to nursing staff, as well as to the researchers who are involved in health care. Within a complex clinical setting nurses experience various difficulties because of the lack of appropriate practical knowledge (Treacy Hide, 1999; Polit et al., 2001). Thus, the studies of Michel et al. (2004) and Bismark et al. (2006) can inspire nurses’ interest in the ways of patient safety, as, despite their limitations and certain inadequacies, the studies pose vital questions that may increase the quality of medical care not only in France and New Zealand, but in other countries as well. Due to the fact that nowadays nursing staff is usually required to implement various aspects of research into practice (Christman Johnson, 1981; Burnard Morrison, 1990; Street, 1992; McSherry, 1997; Cormack, 2000; Rodgers, 2000; Hek et al., 2002; Cluett Bluff, 2004), the present studies are especially valuable, as they provide useful and valid information that extends the prior knowledge in patient safety. 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