Analysis of Pricing and Distribution Strategy at British Airways The WritePass Journal

Analysis of Pricing and Distribution Strategy at British Airways Introduction Analysis of Pricing and Distribution Strategy at British Airways Introduction Company’s outlookPricing Strategy Distribution Strategy Evaluation Conclusion and Recommendations  ReferencesRelated Introduction British Airways is the flagship airline carrier for United Kingdom, formed in 1974. With significant presence at Heathrow, Gatwick and London City with over 20 million people living within commuting distance. BA has a fleet of more than 238 aircrafts in service as of March 2010 and flies to 41 different destinations in America, 9 in the UK, 67 in Europe, 16 in the Middle-East and South-Asia and 7 in the Asia Pacific region, carrying around 32 million passengers between 2009 and 2010 as well as operating a large air cargo business alongside. BA, American Airlines, Cathay Pacific and Qantas form the Oneworld airline alliance which is now the third largest airline alliance group. In 2011 BA merged with Iberia forming IAG with 408 aircrafts flying to 200 destinations and carrying 55 million passengers and allowing the two companies to enhance their presence in the market whilst retaining their own brands and allowing their customers to benefit from a larger network of travel (iairgroup.com/ 2011). Company’s outlook British Airways sees itself as a vital link for trade and investment, specialising in short to medium length international journeys which has seen revenue of  £8 billion in 2009/10. This figure is down 11% on the previous year due mainly to price of fuel and the recession. BA’s main activity revolves around passenger travel which accounts for 87% of 2009/10 revenue, supposed to 7% from cargo and 6% from other means. The acquisition of Iberia in 2011 has allowed BA to increase its capabilities in the cargo market and diversify their operations. Both companies float on the Spanish and UK stock markets as one under IAG, which floated in late January 2011 at 282p a share; this has dropped to a price of 224.3p per share as of 4th April 2011. The future for British Airways and IAG will be largely affected by its ability to weather the downturn, but with its promise of drastic expansion and a strong market share within the European market (3rd biggest by revenue) (www.bbc.co.uk/new s 2011) Pricing Strategy British Airways prices its products in a way that allows consumers to decide the level of services they want. For example return flight to New York, purchased online is  £376 in economy yet consumers pay a huge increase to  £2728 for the same flight, (www.britishairways.com 2011) but in first class. BA’s premium and medium strategies offers superior quality for greater price allowing the airline to compete with other quality airlines such as Virgin and American Airlines, and base price on customer valuations The price â€Å"is set higher than others to reflect better product quality and exclusivity.† (Brassington and Petitt, 2003: 1106). However in recent years the arrival of low cost carriers and economic turmoil forced BA into providing a low cost formula to remain competitive. The first step towards this was in generating ancillary revenues by introducing a fee per one way flight for passengers booking a seat in advance for all seats except first class. (GMID 2011) Even in the low cost formula, BA are still upholding their image of quality and good customer service as unlike the low cost carriers, where ancillary revenues are the money makers with food, drink and priority boarding all costing extra, BA still provide some level of on board service in the cost of their product. Despite the introduction of a low cost formula, British Airways generally bases prices on perceived value of its brand, and aims to deliver product quality leadership strategy. (www.britishairways.com 2011) The executive club encourages loyalty to the airline and rewards consumers with double airmiles, priority boarding, additional baggage allowance and access to the BA lounge as well as giving the appearance of high quality and good value. However BA recently lowered the price of their business class ticket due to the recession. It has been recognised the company has had to reduce the price of its business class tickets, to remain competitive alongside such competition as Virgin, who have helped battle down the price, along with it’s cliental that have become less willing to pay higher prices during economic hardship. This has help attract more customers, smaller businesses in particular, who are able to do deals and meet contacts around the world. (Times Online 2011). An excellent strategy that has allowed BA to get away from just large organisations and into the smaller/medium sized business market (GMID 2011) is their Face to Face campaign which, on submittance of a business plan, small/medium sized businesses can apply for free business travel. The marginal cost of one more passenger is relatively small, as the majority of costs are largely in fixed costs of running the flight (cost of aircraft, fuel, airport duties etc.). According to Chris Tarry, transport analyst for Commerzbank Securities, BA’s selling cost per passenger in March 2002 was just 10.9% of its average ticket price (insights.org.uk 2011). This allows BA to sell tickets at lower rates when demand is less and higher rates during peak season. For example an economy class ticket to New York would normally be  £376 return but almost doubles over the peak bank holiday period of the Royal Wedding at  £616 (www.britishairways.com 2011). The airline aims to get as many people on the plane as possible, even at a lower price, and make some profit, than the plane taking of near empty and making a loss. Distribution Strategy British Airways tickets are available to purchase from travel agents physical locations and online via their websites, and through BA’s dedicated website, travel shops and reservations staff. With e-commerce radically changing distribution strategies (Solomon et al, 2009), BA and various other airlines are trying to reduce costs to ensure they continue to effectively compete against other players within the airline industry and still provide each customer with their superior service by eliminating their use of various ‘traditional intermediaries’ (Solomon et al, 2009) within their distribution channels. Globally 20% of British Airways tickets are now sold via ba.com, with 54% of these online bookings accounting for their total short haul sales stated by docstoc (2010). It’s recognised from these statistics that the convenience of purchasing airline tickets online is attractive, due to the ability to securely acquire a flight ticket without leaving the comforts of your own home, as well as that purchasing tickets direct from BA.com is significantly cheaper than leading travel agents, for example an economy class ticket flying from London to New York can be purchased for  £368 straight from BA where as Expedia offer the same flight for a staggering  £432.10. However, there is still an area of the market who enjoy purchasing their airline tickets from travel agents physical locations, this is due to travel agencies providing the customer with the same options as to the airline website itself, in such areas as seat preferences, along with the additional personalised service w hich the customer is able to discuss the range of options available to them when booking all areas of their holiday, be their hotel or hire car. An attempt to create a more direct distribution channel process, BA also provides the recognised ‘travel agent’ service options to its customers, through offering a range of hotels, car rental and various other holiday package choices. The various options available to consumers when purchasing BA airline tickets are either through travel agents, or alternatively buy their ticket straight from the BA website, travel shops and reservations staff. It’s seen that prices do vary depending on where tickets are purchased, for instance if a consumer were to purchase their ticket directly from BA’s website, they would commonly pay a lower price, due to the direct business to customer distribution channel, eliminating the need for BA to pay commission to travel agents which is ‘traditionally between 8% and 10% of the ticket price’ (tourism insights, 2002) and for the use of Global Distribution Systems (GDS). GDS is used by airlines to sell flights, through connecting both the airline and the travel agents to sell the tickets. Airlines pay GDS to connect them to travel websites and travel agents to enable their flights to be sold via these organisations, GDS segment fees average at around ‘$10 to $12 per booking’ (tourism insights, 2002). With BA’s distribution costs accounting for 16%-17% of the cost of selling each ticket, no wonder they want to reduce distribution channels to help become more competitive in the growing low fare airline industry, especially due to the ‘travel and tourism industry fast becoming the biggest growth industry in e-commerce payments,’ (docstoc, 2010). Evaluation Overall it is clear that British Airways are aiming for a much more direct distribution channel. They are investing huge amounts of money in improving their online services to try to encourage people to buy online rather than at the extra cost of the middle man travel agent. This also allows the airline to gain vital information about their consumers and their wants and needs, allowing the company to differentiate and target their services appropriately. This will ensure they enhance their competitive market position, through enabling them to provide special offers to different customers, for example in the form of special discounts, special seats with more leg room and passes for their lounges, allowing them to build better relationships with their customers.   The high growth in e-commerce selling in the travel and tourism market is further proof of how important it is for BA to perfect this particular method of distribution. The lower costs from eliminating a middle man, includi ng both online and shop based agents will also allow the firm to appear more competitive in comparison to low cost carriers (LCCs). The introduction of ancillary products and reduction in price of business class tickets has been key in promoting the price competitiveness of the airline alongside the strong brand image of quality and reliability. The low marginal cost of an extra passenger also gives the airline the ability to lower costs depending on the demand for their product at the time of year; this means that BA can offer their business clients lower prices when it is not peak season such as school holidays. Conclusion and Recommendations By providing more ancillary goods and a reduced cost of the seat, BA will give consumers the options of what they want and become more competitive with the LCC’s, who are extremely popular for short haul flights. For example providing the option to charge extra for food and drink or extra baggage on short haul flights as well as an all inclusive option. Many of the LCC’s only distribute tickets online. To uphold BA’s strong brand image it’s important for them to stay accessible through other distribution systems as many of their more wealthier cliental who spend the most via business and first class tickets, may desire a travel agent. By marketing their online travel agent services they may be able to increase their current 20% online distribution. This will provide a more direct channel to their customers allowing them to market events such as the BA January sale, flights to cheaper destinations and cheaper times to fly that consumers may otherwise be unaware of. Marketing the executive club more effectively to new customers and ensuring that by being a member, consumers actually receive some benefits, they’re likely to remain loyal and recommend the airline. BA could also improve their services by providing questionnaires to passengers. For example, on long haul flights when consumers are more likely to fill them in, and providing a reward – such as a draw for a bottle of champagne. By doing this the company will be able to find out if consumers choose them for their prices, customer service, quality or the routes that they operate under and use this to market the company accordingly. It is clearly important for BA to remain competitive with the LCCs by providing an alternative to the high quality and high price product they currently provide but still keeping their high quality image and providing a service that current, loyal customers expect. Effective online distribution and optional ancillary products are key in achieving this alongside accurate customer research from current and potential consumers. The airline should continue to use their low marginal costs to their advantage when promoting the airline to businesses and off peak travellers.   References Balmer, J.M.T, Stuart, H Greyser, A.S (2009) Aligning Identity and Strategy: Corporate Branding at British Airways in the Late 20th Century, CALIFORNIA MANAGEMENT REVIEW VOL. 51, NO. 3 BBC News: bbc.co.uk/news/business-12265332 [Accessed 4th April 2011] Brassington, F, Pettitt, S (2000), (2nd Edition) Principles of Marketing Harlow, Prentice Hall British Airways (2011) www.britishairways.com [accessed 19th March 2011] British Airways (2011) Buy Travel [Online] britishairways.com/travel/fx/public/en_gb?eId=111011timestamp=0315023921 [Accessed 15th March 2011] Docstoc (2010) Visa Case study: British Airways come buy with me –worldwide airline offers worldwide online protection [Online] docstoc.com/docs/26949398/britishairways [Accessed: 6th March 2011] Expedia (2011) Flights [Online] expedia.co.uk/pub/agent.dll [Accessed 15th March 2011] GMID portal.euromonitor.com.chain.kent.ac.uk/Portal/ResultsList.aspx [Accessed 7th March 2011] Insights (2011) insights.org.uk/articleitem.aspx?title=The+Changing+Face+of+Airline+Distribution [Accessed 20th March 2011] International Airlines Group (2010) iairgroup.com/   [Accessed 4th April 2011] Solomon, Marshall, Stuart, Barnes Mitchell (2009) Marketing: Real People, Real Decisions. Essex, Pearson Education Limited. Times Online (2011) http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/industry_sectors/transport/article5477962.ece [Accessed 17th March 2011] Tourism insights (2002) The Changing Face of Airline Distribution [Online] insights.org.uk/articleitem.aspx?title=The+Changing+Face+of+Airline+Distribution [Accessed: 6th March 2011]

Endocrine System Essay Example

Endocrine System Essay Example Endocrine System Essay Endocrine System Essay 1. The normal rat had the fastest radical metabolic rate. 2. The metabolic rates differed between the normal rat and the surgically altered rats because the surgically altered rats didn’t have a thyroid or pituitary secretory organ and hence. the normal rat had a faster radical metabolic rate. The consequences turned out to be the manner I predicted them to be. 3. T3 and T4 would be losing in the animal’s blood. 4. I would anticipate to see a lessening in endocrine degrees since the hypophysectomized animate being can non secret ay TSH. Part 2: 5. The normal rat’s BMR increased. 6. The thyroidectomized rat’s BMR increased. However. in comparision to the normal rat. the thyroidextomized rat’s BMR was lower than the normal rat ( intending the normal rat still had a larger BMR ) . The dosage of tetraiodothyronine in the syringe was hence excessively little. 7. The hypophysectomised rat’s BMR increased every bit good. and one time once more. the BMR of the normal rat was still larger and so the dosage was still excessively little. Part 3: 8. The normal rat’s BMR increased from the TSH injections. 9. The thyroidectomized rat’s BMR increased by a small but the BMR of the normal rat was still bigger and so the dosage was excessively little. 10. The hypophysectomised rat’s BMR increased from the TSH. but yet once more. the normal rat’s BMR was still more. so the TSH dosage was once more excessively little. Part 4: 11. The normal rat’s BMR decreased from the PTU injections and it developed the tangible goitre because of physique up of the precursors to thyroxine. 12. The thyroidectomized rat’s BMR was non effected by PTU injections. In this instance. the BMR is still higher than the normal rat’s BMR because of the fact that the thyroidectomized rat had no thyroid secretory organ. 13. The hypophysectomised rat’s BMR was besides non effected by the PTU. and the BMR in this instance was besides more than the normal rat’s BMR because of the fact that the hypophysectomised rat had no pituitary secretory organ. Activity 2: Plasma Glucose. Insulin. and Diabetes Mellitus 1. A glucose criterion curve is made after a dosage of insulin is given and consists of a series of blood glucose records. The curve was obtained for this experiment in order to acquire the optical densenesss and by utilizing the curve. how to mensurate how much plasma glucose in a sample was so right predicted. 2. Patient 3 and 5 are in the diabetic scope of over 126 mg/dl because they had a glucose reading of 132 and 143. I am diffident which type of diabetes because I do non hold adequate information such as the patient’s tallness. weight. and age. 3. Patient 3 was in the diabetic scope with a reading of 132. Her gestation indicates that she could hold gestational diabetes. 4. Patient 1 had a normal glucose reading. which was 104 mg/dl. 5. Life manner alterations that could be recommended include. but are non limited to. increasing exercising. and eating more fibre. Activity 3: Hormone Replacement Therapy 1. They are used in this experiment because these rats do non hold ovaries and hence. make non bring forth estrogen to increases bone denseness. The fact that these rats are ovariectomized explain their baseline T-scores because these rats have osteoporosis. 2. There was no consequence of saline on the control rat. The consequences of this compared good because this is what I predicted would go on. 3. The disposal of estrogen injections improved the T mark of the estrogen treated rat because it went from -2. 84 to -1. 60. so my anticipation was right. 4. Calcitonin improved the T mark of the calcitonin-treated rat because it went from -2. 84 to -2. 08 and hence. my anticipation was besides right. 5. Some wellness hazards that postmenopausal adult females must see when contemplating estrogen hormone replacing therapy include things such as dementedness. blood coagulums. shots. and different malignant neoplastic diseases such as ovarian malignant neoplastic disease. Activity 4: Measurement Cortisol and Adrenocorticotropic Hormone 1. Patient 3 would most likely be diagnosed with Cushing’s disease because this patient had both high degrees of Cortisol and ACTH. 2. Patients 2 and 5 have hormone flat feature of Cushing’s syndrome because of the high degrees of Cortisol and low degrees of ACTH. 3. This information changes the diagnosing because now patient 2 would be diagnosed with physician-induced Cushing’s syndrome. 4. Patient 4 would most likely be diagnosed with Addison’s disease because of the low degree of Cortisol and the high Degree of ACTH.

Super Size me written assignment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Super Size me written assignment - Essay Example It tackles the issue of fast food in general. The movie is starred by Morgan Spurlock, Daryl Isaacs Lisa Ganjhu and a host of other characters. The storyline is the current hot international topic, as hot as some of the dishes served at the MacDonald’s. They are served with lots of public relations gimmicks and good wishes, but are they really good dishes? The number of suits pending against them may well worth subject matter of another menu card, and must be handed over to each customer, before they push the entry door of the restaurant. The movie sets the tone for a perfect legal drama. The issue: Morgan Spurlock has to prove that the food is unhealthy. His would be the test case and if proved correct, plaintiff would have a claim from the MacDonald’s. Morgan Spurlock conducts the experiment on him, by becoming the guinea pig, as they would say in popular parlance. The story has all the ingredients needed for a tight legal case. A general practitioner, a cardiologist and a gastroenterologist are there to seal the fate of MacDonald’s, if everything goes well to make Morgan Spurlock unwell. The guidelines set for the Morgan Spurlock experiment, may as well set (to an extent it has already set) the tone for a national/international debate on the issue of accepting fast food as a way of life.

Critique of Article About Primate Behavior Essay

Critique of Article About Primate Behavior - Essay Example Much of the researches about chimpanzees have been utilized to provide clues to human behavior. This is not a surprise as chimpanzees are the closest living relatives of humans; hence, share a number of traits such as the sense of self and community, the capacity use tools in building their nests and in hunting. Chimpanzees have high intellectual capacity, one that is â€Å"familiar to human beings†¦a type of behavior which counts as specifically human† (Goodall). By looking at the various factors of meat consumption among chimpanzees, the researchers hope to gain an insight into the diet and behavior of the last common ancestors of humans and apes and perhaps, understand the costs and benefits of human consumption of meat. The researches reviewed available literature on chimpanzee diet and hunting behavior in order to determine the costs and benefits of acquiring and consuming various forms of animal matter. They utilized the meat scrap hypothesis which states that â€Å"there is a net benefit to obtaining a mere scrap of meat, even when there is a net energetic cost† (Tennie, O’Malley, and Gilby 2) as a guide for their research. Results of the research showed that the chimpanzees preys on atleast 32 species of smaller mammals, lizards, amphibians and birds which are often found in undergrowths or in a tree hollow. It was also discovered that nutritional yield, acquisition cost, yield per minute, local abundance and availability of prey were the major factors that affect chimpanzee consumption of vertebrate and invertebrate prey. Of all its prey, the termite soldiers, termite alates, dorylus ants and the red colobus monkey are the chimpanzees’ favorite.

A Case Study Of People With Disabilities Social Work Essay

A Case Study Of People With Disabilities Social Work Essay This case study is in relation to a 19 year old adult, Shaku who suffers from learning disability. Shakus heritage is East African/ Punjabi and both her parents are people who work full time. Shaku lives with her parents, bothers, sister and grand mother. The family of Shaku is not a devoted Muslim family but it has been observed that they value their traditions. Regarding Shakus learning disability, her speech is impaired and she is physically disabled and requires assistance with personal care tasks. Although she is disabled, but she is like a normal girl in many ways, who loves fashionable cloths, loves to watch movies and misses her friends from school. Shaku has a speech and language therapist, Jean who is working with her with computerized assistive technology. A learning disability affects the way someone learns, communicates or does some everyday things. Someone has a learning disability all through his or her life. There are many different types of learning disability. They can be mild, moderate or severe. Some people with a mild learning disability do not need a lot of support in their lives. But other people may need support with all sorts of things, like getting dressed, going shopping, or filling out forms. Some people with a learning disability also have a physical disability. This can mean they need a lot of mental and physical support 24 hours a day. Shaku has been attending a local authority ran day centre, Hopefield Road Resource Centre for people with learning disabilities three times a week for the last 12 months. In addition to this she has a care agency, Helpful hands visiting at home three times a day, for one and a half hours at a time to help her with simple everyday tasks. Shaku is getting more and more frustrated and angry everyday. There are many reasons for her verbally abusive out bursts. After interviewing her, this is what I came to know about her family back ground and the way things are going for Shaku. Shaku feels she is a burden on her parents, as both of them are working parents; they do not have the time to look after her. This also frustrated Shaku as she needs more time from people who love her and are close to her. Shaku does get some amount of support from her grandmother but that is not enough as she can not openly communicate with her in Punjabi. Shaku feels uncomfortable being left up to others. Even though she can not perform everyday tasks by herself, she still finds this inconvenient. For example, she does not like to go to bed early. Shaku is disturbed by the thought of the centre closing because then she would not have any activities to do. Although Shaku portrays a friendly attitude towards Kerry, she is not comfortable with her presence and is somewhat feeling being abused. Another important issue in Shakus life is about what will happen to her in future. She is unsure and uncertain. Her parents plan on marrying her, to which she does not give a favourable response. Explain the likely policy and legislative framework which underpins the scenario as it is and that may assist this situation. Discuss the likely impact, usefulness and limitations of such policy and legislative framework. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ people with learning disabilities are citizens first and foremost, and public services, together with the private sector, need to respond appropriately. This means that the responsibility to ensure that all people can enter the workforce is a communitybased responsibility not one simply for health and social care; à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ effective person-centred planning is critical, as it ensures services fit the needs of the individual, rather than fitting people into what is available; à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ recognising the importance of employment whilst still at school is critical. Ensuring effective individualised transition planning and implementation from education to employment could have a dramatic and long lasting effect on the life experiences of this group and other services; Under the NHS and Community Care Act 1990 Section 47(1) Shaku is eligible for an assessment of need for community care services. Furthermore, according to The NHS and Community Care Act 1990 Section 47(2) Shaku has additional rights that are defined in this act because she suffers from learning and physical disabilities. Under Section 4 of the Disabled Persons (Services and Consultation and Representation) Act 1986, local authorities will need to come to a decision regarding the services that are necessary to be provided to Shaku. The Carers and Disabled Childrens Act 2000 gives carers the right to ask for an assessment of their own needs to help them to continue to care, irrespective of whether the person they are caring for has had or is having their own needs assessment. The assessment is available to any carer who provides or is intending to provide regular and substantial care. The Carers and Disabled Act 2000 also allows, Social Service Departments to provide services directly to carers. The Disability Discrimination Act 1995 (DDA) also applied to Shaku as she has a disability of both physical and mental impairment. As this law states, Shaku will have access to reasonable adjustment to fight with her disability. Shaku is encouraged to take part in public life as this Act has changed the law and extended the rights of disabled people in relation to using transport services, joining private clubs, strengthens rights in the areas of renting premises and discriminatory job advertisements. People like Shaku will receive full support from public bodies and will feel confidence in mingling with the public. Shaku is a Vulnerable Adult, according to the definition of No Secrets A person aged 18 years or over who is or maybe in need of community care services by reason of mental or other disability, age or illness. The Sexual Offences Act 1956 gives Shaku the protection and rights as any other girl. She has rights to: a) To have and enjoy a fulfilling personal relationship; b) The right to express sexual need in an appropriate way if they wish to; c) To privacy; d) To be sexually active; e) To have sexual education, including counselling on personal relationships, sex and sexuality, HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases; f) To contraceptive advice and support services; g) To marry or cohabit; h) To make an informed choice about whether or not to have children; i) To be free from exploitation, abuse and degrading treatment; In Shakus case, Kerry is not having a sexual relationship with her but she is being abused to the extent of calling names and touching parts of the body. Section 128 of the Mental Health Act 1959,states that it is an offence for a male member of staff or manager of a hospital or mental nursing home to have unlawful sexual intercourse with a woman who is for the time being receiving treatment for mental disorder or is an out patient at the hospital or home. It is also an offence for a guardian to have unlawful sexual intercourse with a person in his custody/care (Mental Health Act 1948) or in Part 111 accommodation (National Assistance Act 1948). The Sexual Offences Act 1967 also makes it an offence for a male member of staff to commit acts of gross indecency on male patients. All prosecutions require the Director of Public Prosecutions consent. According to the Human Rights Act, rights of people with learning disabilities are the same as of their fellow citizens. In March 2008 the Joint Committee on Human Right declared that the HRA provides a legal framework for service providers to abide by, and for service users to demand that they are treated with respect for their dignity. According to the Human Rights Act, Shaku has the right to marry or refuse at her own free will. Shaku is over 18 years old and if she understands the nature of the marriage, she can get married without her parents consent. Otherwise, she would have to have permission of her parents. The Mental Capacity Act 2005 (the Act) provides the legal framework for acting and making decisions on behalf of Shaku as she lacks the mental capacity to make particular decisions for herself. The person that makes the decision for Shaku will have to adhere with this Act. The five statutory principles are: 1. A person must be assumed to have capacity unless it is established that they lack capacity. 2. A person is not to be treated as unable to make a decision unless all practicable steps to help him to do so have been taken without success. 3. A person is not to be treated as unable to make a decision merely because he makes an unwise decision. 4. An act done, or decision made, under this Act for or on behalf of a person who lacks capacity must be done, or made, in his best interests. 5. Before the act is done, or the decision is made, regard must be had to whether the purpose for which it is needed can be as effectively achieved in a way that is less restrictive of the persons rights and freedom of action. The deputy should keep a few things in mind when making decisions; they should only make those decisions they are authorized by the court. They should let the person make the decisions whenever they can, always put they persons best interests first. The Disability Discrimination Act 1995 banned the ill treatment of disabled people. The Disability Discrimination Act 2005 and the Disability Equality Duty Act promotes disability equality, takes steps to eradicate discrimination and harassment. These laws make the world an easier place to live in for Shaku. Shaku comes from a minority ethnic background which is why she is subject to discrimination and needs a high level of support. According to the Learning Disability Task Force; people belonging from minority ethnic groups experience poverty, racism, discrimination in employment, education, health and social services. There are a few services which adhere to hold sufficient skills which are needed to work with people with learning disabilities from minority ethnic communities. To prtoct people suffereing from learning disabilities Government departments and local statutory providers are expected to act in accordance with the Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000.  [1]   As mentioned in the Department of Health document; Valuing People Now, a strategy has been set out where all the basic rights in relation to health, inclusion in all the aspects of community, housing education, work, having a family, advocacy, transport, leisure services and social activities, safety in the community and at home, access to justice rights of people with learning disabilities. According to the Governments White Paper Valuing People: A New Strategy for Learning Disability for the 21st Century Shaku has the rights to be educated and have access to employment opportunities. Having an education and earning forherself can make Shaku more independent and confident about her self as time goes by and even diminish the disabilities she has. From these benefits she can also achieve inclusion and visibility in the community. The Working Group research shows the objectives of people with learning disabilities are not different from those of the 6.9 million disabled people of working age in Great Britain. The Working Group also possesses evidence unemployment is damaging to both mental and physical health. Under the Government policy, Shaku is eligible for higher education rights. She can access vocational educational training courses. To get Shaku ready for employment, Entry to Employment (E2E) is a flexible work-based learning programme established across England. E2E concentrates many concerns about the accessibility of work towards young people with learning disabilities. It is an entry/level 1 programme which is proposed to help young people to conquer obstacles that confine their advancement to higher levels. Each programme covers three core areas; basic and key skills, vocational development, and personal and social development. Part C Recommendations Discuss the social work interventions which would be required in this scenario: what would you need to do and how you would approach the scenario? Critically evaluate different options you could consider. First of all, Shaku and her problems need to be understood properly. Everything that is to be done should be in the best interests of Shaku. Better communication methods than speech need to be used when communicating with Shaku, such as pictures, simple text, tapes and videos. When communicating with Shaku, she should be addressed directly giving her a self of confidence in herself and being patient with her whenever needed. Shakus family will be included in her care up to the extent which is comfortable for them with their daily life routine. Shakus family would be trained to help them understand interpret and manage situations that Shaku finds challenging. Shaku should have access to a community service for people with learning disabilities. Small-scale alternative day services provide supported employment or innovative leisure or educational pursuits. A range of Occupational Therapy models will be used to gather relevant information about the individual and to help plan appropriate treatment and intervention. The model of Human Occupation The basis of this model has three elements:- o Volition o Habituation o Performance Capacity Volition refers to the process by which persons are motivated toward and choose what they do. Habituation analyses the persons habits and routines. Performance Capacity analyses the persons mental, physical sensory capabilities Volition, habituation, performance capacity and environmental conditions always resonate together, creating conditions out of which our thoughts, feelings and behaviour emerge (Kielhofner 2004). The model is very useful and can be applied to both very able and less able individuals. It guides us to ask the right clinical questions in order to build a picture with the person, of their life and what they can and want to achieve The Sensory Integration Model This model addresses problems of sensory organisation in the brain. A number of people with learning disabilities have a problem processing sensory information which impacts on their ability to do everyday tasks. By process of assessment and specially designed programmes Occupational Therapists help to adapt the persons responses to sensory information in order for them to become more adaptive in their ability to interact with their environment. The Canadian Model of Operation The theoretical basis of CMOP focuses on the dynamic relationship between the Person spirituality, cognitive, affective and physical Occupation self care, leisure and productivity Environment physical, institutional, cultural, social The person is connected to the environment, and occupation occurs as a result of the interaction between the person and their environment. Another component to the model is Spirituality which is at the core of a person, is influenced by the environment and gives meaning to occupation. There are two main areas of focus in this model: Occupational performance i.e. the result of the interaction between a person, their environment and occupation .â‚ ¬Ã‚  Client-centred practice i.e. the collaboration and partnership formed in the therapeutic process. As Shakus therapies are taking place, Shaku has the issue of marriage she is not comfortable with. As a social worker I would be thinking about what Shaku wants and what her best interests are in. Shakus parents may want the best for her in their opinion by an arrange marriage. Even before anything like this takes place, Shaku should be given knowledge about all the aspects of marriage and the relation ship. In Shakus condition, it will take a considerable amount of time for her to understand everything properly; there is a need for Shakus parents to understand what her condition is and how much she can take in when it comes to issues like marriage. It should be made sure that Shakus parents do give her a considerable amount of time everyday as this can help a great deal in her recovery, If Shaku is to be married she needs to be educated in special programs for parents with learning disabilities. These programs will help Shaku and her parents understand the issues that affect parents who have learning disabilities, what kind of help is out there for parents with learning disabilities. Learning Disability Services An in-house care plan is needed for Shaku. The care plan will feature the information about her daily living, health, medication, personal care, likes, dislikes, wishes, choices and other aspects. The plan will be updated regularly to act in accordance with her changing needs and will be reviewed at an anuual basis. person centred planning is advised to be undertaken by Shaku and her family. This will help them to choose what ever is best suited for them. A care plan will be written down what Shaku transport, social, educational, health and other community-based services can be linked up. Contacting Social Care Direct will the first step towards getting a social care service. The Care Quality Commission (CQC), takes assessments and follow-up reviews on care homes and services throughout the UK. Their website lists all the assessments which can help Shaku and her family to choose the right care home and to locate one near their residence as well. | To make sure the needs of adults with a learning disability are met in the best way, health and social worker should work together. Shakus community learning disability nurse will fulfil common and special health needs which include challenging behaviour. Shakus Occupational therapy treatment programme will be designed based according to her exclusive life style, environment and choices. Clinical psychology provides evidence based assessment and intervention to individuals with a learning disability who may have a wide range of psychological problems, which are often complex and multiple. We undertake Cognitive Assessment, for example, to support service provision in relation to capacity issues. Music therapy is another communication tool which will be used for Shaku which will help her to express herself. The Physiotherapists provide assessment, advice and treatment to people with a musculo-skeletal problem associated to their learning disability, and any training their carers/famil y need to help them with this. Specifically, we support mobility, posture, eating and drinking and health living, including walking and exercise groups. As necessary, we liaise with other health professionals and non-health professionals in a variety of settings. Shaku experiences difficulty expressing her self verbally, she can be encouraged to communicate through art therapy which uses art materials. Speech and language therapists put emphasis on developing communication, which is vital to good health and social care. In co ordination with her speech therapist Jean, Shaku can also attend regular inclusive communication training courses. The dietician can counsel on healthy eating, special diets or assist with eating and drinking problems. Mental health problems are very common in people who suffer from a learning disability. The psychiatrist is responsible for assessment and treatment of mental health problems and challenging behaviour. Person centred planning is developed by Learning Disability Partnership Boards which is done according to the White Paper, Valuing People. Partnership boards help people with learning difficulties fulfil their desire to live an ordinary life through person centred planning. The following is taken from the meeting that was arranged with Shaku and sets out what she wants to do and the things she is not happy about. Shaku seems very unhappy with her life. She misses school and her friends there. She is bored at home and bored in the day centre. She is angry that she cannot come and go as she pleases either at home or in Hopefield and school was better at this. She says that she find it depressing that the centre is now closing and is scared about what this means. Will she be at home more? More bored? Helpful Hands are rubbish and the leisure activities are watching telly together or going for a walk and they arrive too late. Shaku says that she would really like to see her friends more. She says that she hadnt thought much about marriage. As Shaku experience learning disabilitied, sometimes she can not explain what she wants so she will need support to make decisions. The Framework for person centred planning for Shaku will need be discussed with her parents, her therapists and her social worker. The person centred planning implementation group will follow the action plan on a daily basis. Shakus family, friends and comuunity services like care management, health professionals, services ( organisations that provide services for people with learning disabilities). Mental Capacity Act 2005.PDF British Institute of Learning Disabilities. PDF ADULTS WITH A LEARNING DISABILITY INTERPERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS AND SEXUAL DEVELOPMENT. PDF Occupational Therapy Models and Learning Disability. PDF Safeguarding Adults Supporting the needs of parents with learning disabilities Making life better for people with a learning disability and people with mental health problems who live in Northern Ireland our lives, our choices Learning Disability Services, Wakefield Council, viewed 10 June, 2010 http://www.wakefield.gov.uk/HealthAndSocialCare/AdultsAndOlderPeople/LearningDisabilities/default.htm Choosing the Right Care, AboutLearningDisabilities, viewed, 9 June, 2010 http://www.aboutlearningdisabilities.co.uk/AboutOurSite.html Department of Health, Valuing People Now: a new three year strategy for people with learning Disabilities 2003, viewed 7 June, 2010 http://www.dh.gov.uk/prod_consum_dh/groups/dh_digitalassets/documents/digitalasset/dh_093374.pdf Improving work opportunities for people with a learning disability 2006, Department of Health, viewed on June 6, 2010 www.dh.gov.uk/en/SocialCare/Deliveringadultsocialcare/Learningdisabilities/DH_4138204 Mansell, J (2010) Raising our sights: services for adults with profound intellectual and multiple disabilities available at http://www.dh.gov.uk/prod_consum_dh/groups/dh_digitalassets/@dh/@en/@ps/documents/digitalasset/dh_114347.pdf Rights, independence, choice and inclusion Learning Disability Task Force. Available at http://www.dh.gov.uk/prod_consum_dh/groups/dh_digitalassets/@dh/@en/documents/digitalasset/dh_4074727.pdf VALuInG PEOPLE nOw: A nEw THREE-YEAR STRATEGY FOR PEOPLE wITH LEARnInG DISAbILITIES 2009, Department of Health http://www.dh.gov.uk/prod_consum_dh/groups/dh_digitalassets/documents/digitalasset/dh_093372.pdf 3. There are some components that are essential for a good social care service. These include designing and delivering arrangements that are adapted to the individual persons requirements and choices. As in Shakus case, she is living with her family, the service should be family-centered, and a care plan which is prepared for her should be what is most suitable for her and her family.  [2]  

Feminism in Jane Eyre Essay

Abstract: Charlotte Bronte’ masterpiece Jane Eyre symbolized a new era in the history of literature. It awakened women’s awareness to be independent. It brought about a completely new concept of marriage and of the value of life to a woman. That is marriage should base on true love, equality and respect rather than social ranks, materials or appearance. Marriage should be the combination of souls as well as bodies. The heroine of the novel Jane Eyre has successfully demonstrated the image of a woman who is intelligent, independent, kind-hearted and most importantly, brave enough to say â€Å"no† to the social conventions and live up to her principle in life. The author Charlotte Bronte is acclaimed to be a pioneer in the campaign of feminism. This essay is to explore and appreciate the spirits of feminism reflected in this novel and also reveal the limitations in demonstrating the concept of feminism. Key Words: Jane Eyre, feminism, limitations ?. Introduction: In the 19th century, women were considered to be appendages to men. Marriage and family life were the whole world to women. Women depended upon men physically, financially and spiritually. This essay is to explore and appreciate the spirits of feminism reflected in this novel Jane Eyre, whose author took the lead in the campaign of feminism. There are three parts in the process of demonstration. The first part is about the oppression laid by the four main men characters on Jane. The second part is about three main women characters and their images in this novel. The last part is to point out some limitations of the author when illustrating feminism. ?. Body 1. Men’s oppression upon women The novel was written in the early 19th century when men played a dominant role in society. Women were considered to be inferior to men. All that women were supposed to do was follow the instructions of men and be the subsidiary addition to men’s life. Four men in Jane’s life had laid oppression on her in different degrees. Jane survives the oppression and led herself constantly to her own desirable life. 1. The oppression from John Reed The first male character to oppress Jane was her cousin John Reed, who in part made little Jane live in shadow and fears when she was only a young girl. The boy hit Jane whenever he felt like only because Jane was an orphan. Poor little Jane could do nothing but bear the hurts both physically and spiritually. At last, Jane’s feelings of hatred and indignity went out of control. For the first time, Jane stood up and fought back when John hit her again. Her cry of â€Å" Wicked boy† at John declares her determination to fight against this unfair world. This quarrel and fight led to her life in Lowood in which she felt much happier. 2. The oppression from Mr. Brocklehurst Mr. Brocklehurst represents those who had firm belief in women-inferiority theory. He demanded the girls in Lowood to wear ugly or even broken clothes, eat far-from-enough harsh food and led a hard life. In his opinion, girls should lead a simple life in order to cultivate the virtue of subordination and dependence. He once insulted Jane in front of Jane’s teachers and classmates. He claimed Jane to be a wicked girl only because Mrs. Reed, Jane’s Aunt, told him so. Though depressed and heart-broken, Jane finally showed with her own deeds to her teachers and classmates that she was not a wicked girl as Mr. Brocklehurst claimed. 3. The oppression from Edward Rochester Even Edward Rochester, Jane’s lover, wanted to lay some oppression or control upon Jane. Before their marriage, he wanted to use the necklace to circle up the thoughts and feelings of Jane. He wanted the ring to restrict Jane’s actions. Further, he wanted the beautiful wedding dress to change Jane’s appearance a little bit. Though at first, out of the love for Mr. Rochester, Jane intended to give in, but in the end she refused all of them. She just wanted to act what Jane was like and preserve her own unique characteristics. 4. The oppression from St. John St. John hold absolute faith in the social convention that a woman’s value was realized only when she devoted her life to a man. He took it for granted that it was the privilege and honor of Jane to go to India with him and help his work as his wife. He thought Jane would agree with him at last because it was what a good woman should be like. Jane firmly declined this idea because she wanted a marriage based on true love and mutual understandings. 2. The image of women characters The heroine of the novel Jane Eyre has undoubtedly succeeded in building up the image of a woman who has the courage to fight against the unfair reality and pursue the equality in life. She calls for women to struggle for and be the mastery of their own lives. During the whole story, Jane serves as a positive character. By the development of Jane’s thoughts and feelings, the author conveys the spirits of feminism. Miss Blanch Ingram serves as a contract character against Jane. She represents the typical girls from noble families in that time. All she wanted was to find a rich man to depend on and get married with him. In her opinion, a woman’s duty was to make her appearance attractive and beautiful in order to win the heart of a rich man. Marriage should base on social ranks and money only and husbands and children are the whole world for a woman. Her rude behaviors and contempt upon â€Å"ordinary† people have fully illustrated her lack of cultivation and education. The image of Miss Blanch Ingram also symbolized the women victims of the social conventions. They lost their soul or even lost control of their bodies and they didn’t have the slightest idea of the value of a woman’s life. hey lived and were quite willing to live as the belongs of men. The mad women living on the 3rd floor arouses readers’ suspicion and speed up the development of the plot. In addition, she helped to turn on a new page of Jane’s life (Rosemarie Putnam Tong, 1998). Because of the terrible set by the mad woman, the Thornfield was reduced to ashes and Mr. Rochester became blind and lost one arm. Everything in the past had become history and a new chapter in Jane’s life had opened. In Ferndean Manor, a quiet and peaceful place, Jane and her beloved Mr. Rochester began to lead a new life in which Jane was no longer inferior to him and Jane’s stature has changed because she was rich thanks to the heritage from her dead uncle. 3. The limitations in demonstrating Feminism It’s beyond any doubt that Charlotte Bronte has brought about the idea of feminism in this novel but she failed to demonstrate the concept perfectly. The spirits of feminism are supposed to advocate equality between men and women (Rosemarie Putnam Tong, 1998). The reason why the author failed is she demonstrated the concept of â€Å"equality† partially. In the relationship between Jane and Mr. Rochester, Jane was a relatively stronger character. At the first time they met, Jane helped the injured Mr. Rochester and at the end of the novel, Jane helped Mr. Rochester to deal with his daily life because of his blindness and disability. Furthermore, Jane was rich while Mr. Rochester turned poor, old and ugly. The author seems to arrange their marriage in this kind of condition on purpose. In Jane’s preparation for her marriage when she was still a governess in Thornfield, she refused all the jewelry or beautiful dresses Mr. Rochester had prepared for her. She didn’t want to be changed into another woman. The very reason for this kind of feelings and was Her refusal of the offer is due to her strong sense of inferiority. She was poor and her social status was low at that time. The author didn’t’ arrange Jane’s marriage in the condition. Instead, Jane got married with Mr. Rochester when she was rich and Mr. Rochester was poor due to the big fire. Only in this circumstance, Jane was willing enough to marry Mr. Rochester because â€Å"I love you better now, when I can really be useful to you, than I did in your state of proud independence, when you disdained every part but that of the giver and protector† (Charlotte Bronte, 1975:451). Jane’s marriage was in fact based on a kind of incompleteness and inequality at least in terms of the couple’s physical conditions and social status. Charlotte subtly conveys the idea that feminism can be realized only in an incomplete marriage. The readers would be a little distressed when intelligent, kind-hearted and independent Jane gained her happiness in this way. The concept of feminism the author conveys to some extent goes to extremes. ? Conclusion The novel Jane Eyre successfully constituted an intelligent, kind-hearted and independent woman image. It arouses people’s awareness of feminism. The four men characters’ oppression upon the heroine Jane reveals the low social status of women in that period of time. The three women images in the novel represent different thoughts or ideas among women in that age. The novel serves as a pioneer in the cause of women’s liberation though it fails to convey the concept of â€Å" feminism† to the fullest extent because it fails due to its failure to balance the equality between men and women.

Personal responsibility Essay

If one cannot rely on himself, then others cannot rely on him. At some time in one’s life there will be someone who depends on them for something. If this person doesn’t have their self-figured out then how will they figure out how to take care of that person’s needs? You are the only one that can take control of your life and to rely on someone else to do it for you is hurting yourself and those around you. Personal responsibility is a necessity in life and also helps the community as a whole become more efficient. I was honorably discharged from the Marine Corps in 2012 and transitioning from the Military to the civilian life style with a pregnant wife was one of the most challenging periods of my life. Instead of taking a break from working and living at home with my mom and collecting unemployment benefits, I had personal responsibility to get up and find a job after getting out to do what it takes to take care of my family. After working full time for a year we were barely making it, living pay check to paycheck. During this time I was consistently looking for new job opportunities. I didn’t blame anyone for my poor situation but myself and realized if I didn’t do anything I would be stuck here for the rest of my life. I just recently moved to San Diego County, receiving better pay and benefits to support my family’s needs. While my current job is paying the bills and we are living comfortably, I start to look into the future. My son will grow up, and he will have more complex and expensive needs like School field trips, sports uniforms, and college Tuition. So I decided to go to school to advance my career in the IT industry. By the time I graduate with my bachelor’s degree, I will have 10 years of IT experience with certifications in specific fields. This goal will allow me to reach my financial goal before reaching the age of 30 and way before my son is ready for college. Getting a degree isn’t just a matter of going to school and graduating, there is work that is required to get the grades to pass and keeping a High GPA. That will take dedication to project groups, taking the time to do the reading, and write the essay. If you take the initiative to do more than just pass your class, it will reflect on your professional career. In conclusion, there are many things that come into play when it comes to personal responsibility. For me it was the fear of failure, the positive stress I instilled in myself to be motivated to excel my professional career for the sake of my family. In order to take care of others, first you must take care of yourself.