1800s Social Work Essay Example Essay Example

1800s Social Work Essay Example Paper 1800s Social Work Essay Introduction Nineteenth century America was a time of urbanization, industrialization, immigration, overcrowding and as a result, poverty. During this time, social policy was relatively non-existent and financial assistance was the sole responsibility of private or public charities. Women did not have rights or economic independence, as they were typically considered the property of their husbands. During this time, a woman with three children who was abandoned by her husband would receive little or no financial assistance; she may fall under the category of the â€Å"unworthy† poor, as she was not a widow, elderly or physically disabled. The assistance of this women may have changed from the early to late nineteenth century, as feminists such as Elizabeth Cady Stanton began to advocate for social reform, and others such as Jane Adams became concerned with the social well being of women. From the beginning to late 1800’s some social reform took place and the federal government began to implement various programs and institutions to assist in the financial well being of the poor. Early 1800’s During the early 1800’s, there weren’t any significant federal programs aimed at assisting the poor. Financial aid was allocated as the responsibility of the local community, local government, or religious charity. People were expected to work and take care of their families unless they were elderly, sick or widowed; these were labeled the â€Å"worthy† poor in need of assistance. Women were the â€Å"property† if their husbands and typically performed work inside of the home to contribute to the financial well being of the family. They were responsible for the production of cloth, clothing and shoes. Additionally, there weren’t any limitations on the working hours, wages or conditions for women and children. 1800s Social Work Essay Body Paragraphs During this time, a mother of three abandoned by her husband would have received little or no assistance. She would not fall under the classification of the â€Å"worthy† poor, as she was not a widow, elderly or sick. It is possible that her or her children would work in mills under dangerous conditions and long hours, if her children were over the age of three; child labor was prevalent during this time period. If a white woman was unable to financially support her children, they may become apprentices to families who can support them. This served as an educational opportunity for children to learn a trade. Collectively, an able bodied poor person, such as an abandoned woman was deemed â€Å"lazy and sinful† and may have been sent to a workhouse through enforced labor. As the nineteenth century progressed, industrialization spurred the continued migration to urban cities in search of training and work; this led to overcrowding and poverty. Poverty was primarily blamed on the individual. If a woman with three children needed assistance, any community organizations of the time would assume that the problem was intra-psychic and there was a moral deficiency. To address this concern, middle class reformers felt that the betterment of cities could be achieved through moral reconstitution of individuals and families. Several â€Å"moral building† organizations were created; the New York Association for Improving the conditions of the Poor was established in 1843. Male volunteers would offer religious teachings, work to get the poor to abstain from alcohol, become more self-disciplined and acquire the Protestant Work Ethic. As a result, a woman abandoned by her husband would receive moral teachings in her home rather than any financial assistance. Mid 1800’s Towards the 1840’s, advocates of social reform began to voice their concerns regarding poverty. Dorothea Dix spoke of the need for separate facilities for adult offenders, juven iles and the mentally ill. She also suggested that the Federal government be responsible for the mentally ill and provide them with treatment through hospitalization. In 1845, the first state asylum for the mentally ill was established in Trenton New Jersey. In 1848 she proposed that the federal government give financial assistance to states to build hospitals for the mentally ill and the legislation was passed. However, in 1854 the legislation was vetoed and welfare responsibility was returned to the states. Also in 1848, feminists such as Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton convened at the Seneca Falls Convention to declare a goal of equal rights and opportunity in education, employment and legal rights. This would challenge the limited opportunities that existed for an abandoned mother of three. She would have been limited in her education, employment opportunities and political standing. Towards the middle of the century, education increased and the views regarding child ren’s needs began to change. In an effort to provide education and shelter to needy children, Charles Loring Brace founded the Children’s Aid Society in 1853 New York. He felt that the urban environment was dangerous to children due to crime and delinquency. This organization could have given devastating consequences to an abandoned woman with three children because it was the elementary form of modern foster care. The Children’s Aid Society would remove children from families who could not provide â€Å"proper care† for their children. They would then transport these children to families in rural areas in an effort to provide opportunities in a new, â€Å"safer† environment. A woman deserted by her husband could have very easily been considered and unfit parent, as she requested financial assistance from her counterparts. During this time period, she would be in danger of having her children taken from her care and given to an unfamiliar family wh ere she would no longer be able to contact them. The Children’s Aid Society transported over 50,000 children in a period of 25 years; these children typically became runaways. In 1864, Frederic Le Play completed the first scientific study of poverty; he investigated its causes, consequences and possible solutions. This study may have provided evidence that poverty is not the sole blame of the individual. After the time of the Civil War, 1861-65, the political climate called for a need of health services for the wounded soldiers, as well as the families of the deceased. Many slaves were freed but lacked any education, health care or employment opportunities. Due to this deficiency, the federal government began to take responsibility for the people. In 1865, the Freedman’s Bureau was established; it was the first federal welfare agency and provided health care, education, housing for the freed slaves. In1872, the Bureau ended because the Federal government did not want t o facilitate welfare. Late 1800’s Towards the late nineteenth century, ideas of Social Darwinism began to influence society. It was believed those able to work would thrive and live successfully whereas those who weren’t would fail and perish; it was survival of the fittest and intervention for the poor was felt to go against nature. For this reason, financial assistance was not provided to the needy. Middle class reformers continued to assume individual flaws caused poverty. Lack of morals continued to be blamed for the conditions of the poor. However, people began to understand that certain environmental factors were responsible as well and felt that the poor needed some guidance. In 1877, Reverend Steven Gurteen established the first Charity Organization Society in Buffalo, NY, in an effort to serve as an organizing body for all private charities. This organization developed a list of the poor served in their communities so that each person would be limited to servi ces from one charity. In this case, the woman with three children would not be able to reach out to more than one private charity, as her services were recorded. This woman would receive services from the â€Å"friendly visitor†. This was typically a middle-class female volunteer who would visit the home to investigate the living conditions and reasons for poverty. The â€Å"friendly visitor† would come to the home of the woman, inquire about the reasons for which her husband deserted her and teach her about the moral values of the middle class. The goal was to â€Å"fix† the immoral environment so that the woman would be able to uplift herself from circumstance and become able to adequately care for her home and children. She would be given advice on how to correct her problems. Additionally, they would record information about the woman and return it to their agency to better understand life in the slum. The â€Å"friendly visitors† seldom had knowledge or experience with the poor, which caused a huge, disconnect between them and their clients; often the clients suffered from decreased self-esteem. By 1890, there were 4,000 practicing â€Å"friendly visitors†. The recording practices of the visitors led to a better understanding of poverty and its causes. It became understood that the sole responsibility does not fall on the individual. By the end of the 19th century, immigration increased and overcrowding was at its peak. There was a deficit in housing and education. In response, the first settlement house, the Neighborhood Guild, was opened in New York in 1886. In 1889, Jane Adams and Ellen Gates Starr opened the most influential settlement house, known as Hull House. This would have been the first helpful opportunity presented to a mother of three who was deserted by her husband. At Hull House, she would be given a home to live in without the cost of rent. The residents at Hull House were primarily women and immigrants. â€Å"In 1891, Florence Kelley Wischnewetzky was fleeing from her husband and seeking refuge for herself and her three children, ages six, five, and four. ‘We were welcomed as though we had been invited,’ she wrote thirty-five years later in her memoirs.Jane Adams supplied Kelley with room, board and employment. † Hull house provided families with daycare and kindergarten services, education and training for residents, culture nights to become familiar with various cultures, a library and entertainment. Additionally, women in settlement houses worked to advocate for housing, public health care and improved working conditions for men, women and children. The Hull House residents conducted campaigns, which led to the passing of legislature, which mandated an eight-hour workday for women and children in Illinois. As knowledge of the poor grew through work in the settlement houses and friendly visitors, a growing need for a formal education was presented. In 1898 the first school for social workers was established, The New York School of Philanthropy (Columbia University). Conclusion In the 1800s, a woman with three children deserted by her husband would have faced many hardships in obtaining any financial assistance. Social welfare and charity were the responsibility of the community and the needy were distinguished based on their â€Å"worthiness†. Able-bodied unemployed people were considered unworthy and sinful. For this reason, moral teaching was the primary means of relief. However, as the 19th century progressed and urbanization led to an increase in poverty, social reformers such as Jane Addams began to take notice and advocated for the need to assist immigrants in obtaining housing, heath care, and employment. Throughout the century, the federal government assumed some responsibility for the welfare of the people, as in the Freedman’s Bureau but would abruptly re-delegate the responsibility to the states. However, the cre ation of the Charity Organization Society demonstrated that social welfare relief was evolving to become an increasingly centralized institution. The 1890’s settlement movement would be the first major form of assistance for a deserted mother of three, where she would be able to obtain much needed services for her and her children. 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How Fairuz can increase productivity without neglecting service quality The WritePass Journal

How Fairuz can increase productivity without neglecting service quality Introduction How Fairuz can increase productivity without neglecting service quality ). The most appropriate way in which their productivity can be increased is through applying different employee motivation strategies. These include offering reasonable remunerations, bonuses and rewards (Hartnett et al., 2011). Employees at Fairuz can also be made more productive by standardizing all processes, procedures and policies in the organization to create a sense of order. This saves time and maximizes efficiency (Medeiros et al., 2012). Even though these can be achieved at Fairuz, they may be hampered by high employee turnover because Fairuz’s budget may not allow it to compete with larger companies in terms of employee salaries. Small restaurants are always faced with the risk of losing employees to larger organizations. Measuring performance through key performance indicators Performance indicators that can be used by Fairuz to measure its performance, to establish flaws and make improvements, vary with the different departments. In regard to staff, the restaurant has to ensure that it has a sustainable wage cost (Sainaghi et al., 2013). This can be done hiring small but sufficient number of employees to cater for the 75 guests that the restaurant targets to serve. This will reduce the wage burden in the company and also make it possible to remunerate them well. Labour or wage costs can also be minimized by ensuring that employee turnover is minimized, given that it is nearly impossible to completely eliminate it, especially in restaurants. Costs that could be used in training new staff members monthly or weekly can then be directed to more productive activities in the organization (Choi et al., 2012). Other key performance indicators that can be used by Fairuz to determine its performance include seating efficiency, stock value, costs of food and profita bility (Sainaghi et al., 2013). Using Technology to increase Productivity Most of the companies in the services sector, which include restaurants, are fast adapting to the technological changes taking place in the industry to increase productivity and efficiency in service delivery (Tzeng Chang, 2011). Fairuz can use technology in all its departments to achieve an increase in productivity. For instance, it can acquire modern ovens or stoves for its kitchen that can be used to prepare more of food in a shorter time and on less energy. This not only makes it possible for the company to cater for many customers, but also increases its efficiency (Sloan et al., 2009). Technology can also be used to ease communication among employees within the restaurant. In this case, one of the technological equipment that Fairuz should acquire is the kitchen display system. This system provides real-time updates and information about food orders that have been made by clients and also monitors the speed of service (Katsigris Thomas, 2008). This is quite effective and time -saving than the traditional approach where servers had to take orders from clients then go to inform chefs in the kitchen. This consumes more time and is prone to human error. Whilst it is expected that technology will contribute towards an increase in efficiency and productivity, Fairuz has to consider that the initial costs to be incurred in setting up these technologies and training employees on how to use them is quite high. Therefore, an analysis needs to be done to establish the most ideal technologies to implement, which will assure it of a good return on investment (Allen, 2011). Improving quality Even as Fairuz strategizes to improve its productivity, it is also vital for it to ensure that the quality of service is not compromised. Thus, this section explains approaches that the restaurant can use to increase the quality of provided to its clients. Ensuring employee competence Restaurants have different departments that require different skills and competencies in executing their respective responsibilities. They can be classified into managers, chefs, servers and miscellaneous employees (OFallon Rutherford, 2011). To ensure quality, Fairuz has to ensure that it hires employees that have the required qualifications and experience needed in delivering their required duties. In addition to this regular training sessions have to be organized to improve their competencies. If employees are competent, the chances of substandard service quality are greatly reduced (OFallon Rutherford, 2011). The fact that the restaurant serves Lebanese food means that the majority of clients are Lebanese. Thus, the company needs to ensure that a section of its employees are familiar with the Lebanese culture, foods and other dimensions that may affect their service perception. Being a small restaurant that mainly targets the Lebanese population, it may be challenging to hire the best talent since people with skills in this industry often target to work for larger organizations (Jang George, 2012). Therefore, Fairuz may be limited to selecting low-income people who may not be quite competent and provide them with on-job training to improve their competence. This approach can mainly be applicable for selecting employees in positions that do not require special skills, like waiters. Utilizing quality measurement tools It is quite vital for organizations to ensure that they have an ideal framework that they can use to gauge their quality of service. This involves benchmarking the company’s current progress, identifying the problems that might exist, predicting future outcomes and using key quality indicators that are applicable in the restaurant business to establish their position in terms service quality (Barnes, 2003 ). For Fairuz restaurant, measuring service quality should be done by comparing customer expectations and their perception of service. Whereas all restaurants work to meet or exceed customer expectations, there are several factors that may limit their capabilities to attain this objective. It is thus vital for Fairuz to collect regular client feedback to enable it establish any flaws that may exist in its service delivery and make the necessary changes (Grigoroudis Siskos, 2009). One of the most convenient ways that Fairuz can do this is through requesting waiters and receptionists to ask guests whether the meals met their expectations. The company also needs to link its website to a third-party review website like Tripadvisor, which will be vital in monitoring any customer feedback any time a review about the restaurant is made. Other approaches that can be used to do this include sending follow-up emails to clients and engaging more with clients over social media avenues. Positive feedback is an indicator of good service, while negative feedback indicates that the service offered is substandard and appropriate measures need to be taken to improve. One challenge that can be associated with this approach is that some clients’ views may be biased or in some cases, clients may provide conflicting feedback. Making comparisons with competitors in the market Perception of services at Fairuz is relative to clients’ perceptions of services in other neighbouring restaurants. In this regard, Fairuz will only be the preferred choice if its service quality is considered to be netter than that of its competitors (Grigoroudis Siskos, 2009). To obtain a competitive edge over other restaurants, Fairuz has to ensure that it utilizes customer feedback so as to align its services with the customer preferences. Due to the fact that customer tastes and preferences are prone to regular change, Fairuz also needs to carry out regular customer research by collection of customer feedback to decide on what changes it should consider making (Barnes, 2003). Through tertiary monitoring websites or by visiting its competitors’ social media sites, Fairuz can be able to identify the core strengths and weaknesses of its competitors. These will be instrumental in ensuring that makes its services better than those of its competitors (Kalluri Kodali, 2 013). However, whereas it is assumed that Fairuz is only in competition with restaurants of its level, there could be other bigger restaurants with unmatched capabilities that may be targeting the same clients. This poses a great threat to Fairuz. Using Technology to Improve Service Quality Service quality in restaurants can be improved through incorporating several technological solutions. Whereas food is a major part or determinant of customer satisfaction, the whole experience of customers in the restaurant is also dependent on several factors (Tzeng Chang, 2011). For instance, Fairoz can ease the process of making reservations by providing an option for it on its website. In addition, free Wi-Fi can be provided in the restaurant for clients who are interested in surfing the internet when having a meal at the restaurant. Technology can also be used in the collection of customer feedback, which is vital in improving the service quality at Fairuz. The most appropriate cost-effective approach that is relevant to the present-day customer is social media sites like Facebook and Twitter (Tuten Solomon, 2012). Fairuz has to consider subscribing and increasing its activity on social media to monitor customer feedback.   Point of Sale (POS) systems are also ideal feedback collection systems for restaurants. Though the mentioned technologies improve the service experience of customers and can also be used by the company to improve its service production, there are certain disadvantages that may arise. For instance free Wi-Fi might expose some clients to internet threats, especially those who may be unaware of how to secure their information when online (Cheema Papatla, 2010). Conclusion Service quality and service productivity are both vital for service based companies, which include restaurants. Therefore, as companies strive to increase their productivity, it is also necessary for them to ensure that service quality is also improved, and vice versa. This proposal has provided suggestions of approaches that can be used to improve service production and service quality at Fauruz, a small scale Lebanese restaurant that is based in London. The suggestions that have been presented include effective human resource management approaches, utilization of quality and production measurement approaches, and incorporating technology in the restaurant’s operations. Though these recommendations have a high potential of increasing service quality and productivity, some of the limitations associated with them have also been provided. Whereas this proposal has provided suggestions for Fairuz, they can also be applicable to other companies in the industry. References Allen, K.R., 2011. Launching New Ventures: An Entrepreneurial Approach. Mason: Cengage Learining. Assaf, A.G., Deery, M. Jago, L., 2011. Evaluating the performance and scale characteristics of the Australian restaurant industry. Journal of Hospitality Tourism Research, 35(4), pp.419-36. Barnes, J.G., 2003. Establishing Meaningful Customer relationships: Why some Companies and Brands Mean More to the Customers. Managing Service Quality, 13(3), pp.178-86. Bratton, J. Gold, J., 2012. Human Resource Management: Theory and Practice (5th edition). London: Palgrave. Cheema, A. Papatla, P., 2010. Relative importance of online versus offline information for Internet purchases: Product category and Internet experience effects. Journal of Business Research, 63(9), pp.979-85. Choi, S., Cheong, K.K. Feinberg, R.A., 2012. Moderating effects of supervisor support, monetary rewards, and career paths on the relationship between job burnout and turnover intentions in the context of call centers. Managing Service Quality, 22(5), pp.492-516. Fairuz, 2014. About Us. [Online] Available at: fairuz.uk.com/pages/about_us.htm [Accessed 29 April 2014]. Grigoroudis, E. Siskos, Y., 2009. Customer Satisfaction Evaluation: Methods for Measuring and Implementing Service Quality. London: Springer. Hartnett, H.P. et al., 2011. Employers perceptions of the benefits of workplace accommodations: Reasons to hire, retain and promote people with disabilities. Journal of Vocational Rehabilitation, 34(1), pp.17-23. Jang, J. George, R.T., 2012. Understanding the influence of polychronicity on job satisfaction and turnover intention: A study of non-supervisory hotel employees. International Journal of Hospitality Management, 31(2), pp.588-95. Kalluri, V. Kodali, R., 2013. Benchmarking the Quality Function Deployment Models. Benchmarking: An International Journal, 20(6), pp.6-13. Katsigris, C. Thomas, ‎., 2008. Design and Equipment for Restaurants and Foodservice. New Jersy: John Wiley Sons. Medeiros, C.O., Cavalli, S.B. da Costa Proenà §a, R.P., 2012. Human resources administration processes in commercial restaurants and food safety: The actions of administrators. International Journal of Hospitality Management, 31(3), pp.667-74. OFallon, M.J. Rutherford, ‎.G., 2011. Hotel Management and Operations. New Jersey: John Wiley Sons. Sainaghi, R., Phillips, P. Corti, V., 2013. Measuring hotel performance: Using a balanced scorecard perspectives’ approach. International Journal of Hospitality Management, 34, pp.150-59. Sloan, P., Legrand, ‎. Chen, ‎.S., 2009. Sustainability in the Hospitality Industry. New Jersey: Routledge. Tuten, T.L. Solomon, M.R., 2012. Social Media Marketing. New York: Prentice Hall. Tzeng, G.H. Chang, H.F., 2011. Applying importance-performance analysis as a service quality measure in food service industry. Journal of technology management innovation, 6(3), pp.106-15.

Mount Saint Helen's Video (Back from the Dead) Essay

Mount Saint Helen's Video (Back from the Dead) - Essay Example According to researchers the mountain is categorized as a composite volcano due to its characteristics, emanating from the cone shape and also the composition of the mountain’s layers which include lava, ash and volcanic debris. The mountain was symmetrical before its eruption; it also commanded a considerable height. As indicated earlier the effects of the Mt. St. Helens eruption caused losses, in economical and geographical spheres. According to the information collected, the destruction spread to an area of more than 500 square kilometers. The lava emitted flowed and covered the area indicated above, bringing about destruction to the existing vegetation, killing the animals located within the area, and also displacing a lot of people from the region (Carson p 79). According to research, 57 people died, the group included inhabitants of the region, scientists and geologists. Historical data clearly shows that the area had been locked up to prohibit the entry of residents, si nce scientists had made a conclusion that the mountain was at its dormant stage. As the video clearly indicates, the respondents interviewed through the documentary are not certain whether the mountain will erupt within the coming years. Indications from the remnant vegetation and land cover only attests to the magnitude of the eruption. The process started with a gradual occurrence which proceeded to a bigger result. The process began with a series of earthquakes being experienced from the bottom part of the mountain. As the number of earthquakes increased the mountain erupted releasing ash and steam. After the eruption, a continued earthquake process and the bulging of the northern part of the mountain clearly indicated that magma was moving up, through the vent (Carson p 124). As the bulge continued, the continued earthquake action led to the busting of the northern compartment of the mountain, triggering the sliding of ice and rocks down the mountain. Consequently after the viol ent earthquake action, the mountain erupted releasing gases, magma and water from the northern side where the bulge had been spotted. The eruption triggered the acceleration of the molten rock, hot rock and ash all over the surface. The effects of the eruption can be accounted for, through the covering of the nearby basins and lakes. Other forms of disturbances are accounted for through classification into various disturbance zones where the effect was witnessed. The first disturbance zone is the flow of the pyroclasticmaterial through the face of the mountain. This process generally involved the flow of pumice and gas through the crater into the overlooking land. This flow caused destruction to the existing organism, with both the vegetation and organic organisms not spared. Debris thrust from the crater also cascaded down the mountain, with avalanches also being witnessed. The second disturbance zone, also known as the northern debris avalanche was witnessed soon after the norther n region of the mountain collapsed due to the bulging of the surface. The debris collected from the collapsed material formed into a large mound which caused a large landslide, which according to the historical evidences indicates that it was the largest land slide witnessed. After the landslide had been experienced, the ice found at the peak of the mountain melted into water which combined with other materials such as sand, boulders and other debris to form a thick material,