Life Cycle Cost Analysis

Executive summary This paper looks into the general concept behind the LCC analysis, its importance and purpose of such an undertaking in any organization setting.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Life Cycle Cost Analysis specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The analysis is based on the case study of a chain store company, which specializes in the sale of household goods such as furniture, electronics, kitchen appliances and furnishing items. The chain store has more than 2000 products that are distributed in different outlet stores throughout UK (Chandler 2004). The analysis entails the introduction of a new inventory system for the company with the intention of streamlining record keeping in the organisation. The rationality of the system lays on its ability to monitor all entries, hence ensuring that the company’s data is up to date at all times. This makes it easy for the company to compile reports , and further serves to boost accountability. The focus of the analysis is on the alternative support options that are likely to improve on the sustainability of the system. For this study, three options were identified which included corporate management, insurance and manufacture’s support. To come up with the most efficient method in terms of cost, the three options were analyzed. During analysis, the author identified the pros and cons of each identified option. The life cycle cost for the options spanning a period of 8 years was also taken into consideration. Based on the results of the analysis, manufacturer support was identified as the most appropriate approach because of the costs and effectiveness of the support instrument.Advertising Looking for research paper on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Introduction According to Langford (2007), the Life Cycle Cost (LCC) analysis is a tool used to evaluate the overall cost of a system or a specific product over its entire lifespan. This method allows one to identify with the elements entailed in the lifespan of the system and thus helps in the calculation of the costing of each incorporated element. The main purpose of employing the LCC analysis is to identify the most cost effective approach that caters for all the required resources over the entire lifespan of the system. This therefore provides an essential systematic approach for identifying the required elements and quantifying them thus accessing the available alternative options before employing the most qualified option in terms of cost effectiveness (TAM, 2004). Ghoshal and Greeff (2004) assert that it is essential for all companies to employ the LCC analysis on any new systems that they need to incorporate in the organization. Such an action would allow the company to identify any substantial costs that the business is likely to incur in future. As such, Ghoshal an d Greeff (2004) recommend the LCC analysis should be implemented right from the design phase of any new project that a company intends to undertake. By using such an analysis, the company would be in a good position to comprehend the extent of costs related to research and development, production, operation and support and product disposal as illustrated in figure 1.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Life Cycle Cost Analysis specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Figure 1: Typical life cycle cost Typical life cycle cost (Mtain, 2009) With reference to LCC analysis, this research work looks into the acquisition of a computerized inventory system for a chain store. The main purpose of this inventory system revolves around managing the acquisition of merchandise and the sale of the same. This system will therefore concentrate on managing procurement records for the different outlet stores of the chain store. The study partially intends to verify claims by JTC (1999) that alternative support options can be utilized to improve on the sustainability of the system. Background information According to MÃ ¼ller (2003), an inventory is as a representation of a company’s raw materials, work in progress or finished goods that are ready to be dispatched into the market. An inventory can be simple or complex depending on the companies mandate and the amount of goods received or activities that take place in the company’s premises per day.Advertising Looking for research paper on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More This therefore indicates that the bigger the company in terms of production, the more complex the inventory system. The amount of money invested in the system determines the nature of the inventory. An inventory system is important for organizations that face the quagmire of poor cash flow, poor management of information, poor communication between different departments or units within the organization, and poor management of lead times (Toomey, 2000). Highly efficient inventory systems help organizations to meet their objectives especially in regard to meeting customer satisfaction, and realising a return on invested capital. The case study in this case is a chain store, which has 260 outlet stores within the UK market. The mandate of the company is to supply household furniture and related appliances. Among the items stocked in the different stores include household electronics, kitchenware and in house furnishes. The chain store range of products is more than 2000. With this high number of products and outlet stores, inventory management is quite a daunting task. Over the years, the chain store has heavily relied on a computerized system of inventory. Notably however, different stores uphold different inventory keeping method, hence meaning that the outlets are not synchronised. As such, compiling this information into one system located at the headquarters has brought about many discrepancies and conflicts since different outlets have employed different systems. Further, it takes a lot of time before the company can come up with an annual report on sales due to the high number of sales units arising from the different stores that need to be incorporated into the headquarters database. Based on the aforementioned reasons, it is imperative that a centralized inventory system is put in place in order to stream line all the inventories entered in each outlet store. Thus, the main objective of setting up an efficient computerized inventory system lies in the ab ility of the system to be predictable. This will actualize the ideal situation of any given company by building capacity on proper planning based on the inventory records (MÃ ¼ller, 2003). Further, the system will improve the chain store ability to study the trends of how the goods are selling at specific outlets and thus making it easy to predict market trends without necessarily succumbing to fluctuations in demand for the products. This will also help the chain store to manage all its inventories from a central place and thus reducing on the cost of inventory systems as opposed to establishing different systems for the different stores (Toomey, 2000). The systems will encompass a high-tech version of the inventory. This type of inventory system allows the headquarter to monitor the inflow and outflow of goods at all the outlet stores like an online stock exchange market through a centralized system. The rationality of the system works on an instant entry basis meaning that every entry entered in the inventory system from any outlet store reflects immediately on the main system located at the headquarters. All that is required is some support computers in the outlets and scanners that are used to read the codes of the items being stocked into or out of the stores. The support computers will then be networked with a main server at the headquarters. This will ensure that all information scanned in the different stores is sent directly to the server, with the store retaining a copy of the data of the items. This way, the chain store will have inventory data for all the outlet stores at any given time. Figure 2: System operation System operation (Toomey, 2000) The implementation of an inventory system is anticipated to incur costs for concept and definition, design and development, manufacturing and installation, operations and maintenance and finally disposal costs. All this costs are calculated based on all outlets included and on the anticipated lifespan of this system, which is set at 8 years. Figure 3: Inventory system lifecycle analysis for 8 years Inventory system lifecycle analysis for 8 years (MÃ ¼ller, 2003) Sustainability of the system According to Bell and Morse (2008), sustainability of a system refers to the ability of a given system to maintain its production capacity at a level that is equal or greater than the average output associated with the system. With reference to this inventory system, sustainability refers to the capacity of the system to streamline the inventory of the chain store. Bell and Morse (2008) illustrate that it is important to define the space and time over which sustainability of the project can be met. In this case, space is defined as the overall perimeter that includes the area covering all the outlet stores affiliated to the chain store. Time on the other hand refers to the lifespan that the system is expected to serve the company efficiently. In this case, the time estimation is approximately eight years. Figure 4: System sustainability within 8 years with constant space System sustainability within 8 years with constant space (MÃ ¼ller, 2003) The main purpose of this research is to conduct an LCC analysis on the support services that can be utilized in ensuring the sustainability of the project. Among the identified support services include insurance, manufacturer support and the use of corporate management. These support systems are essential for the continuous monitoring on the system performance. Ideally, close monitoring will enable the company to remedy any situations that may compromise the optimal performance of the system. Corporate management Bhatia (2000) asserts that cooperate management involves the organization and functioning of a given management team to meet the goals and objectives of the organization. It involves proper planning, designing, outsourcing implementation and evaluation of projects in progress. This in house initiative can work to towards enhancing the sustainability of the system. The advantage of this approach includes its capacity to promote proper planning and designing of the system. This can be achieved by employing specialists in the designing, implementation and evaluation phases of the project. The amount of time and innovation employed in the realization of the system project will dictate the extent of opportunities and threats depicted by the whole system. Thus, the management should ideally to maximize on improving efficiency and sustainability by dealing with any anticipated difficulties before the onset of the project. The success of cooperate management in ensuring system sustainability is determined by the attitudes and dedication of the respective decision and policy makers in the organization (Bhatia, 2000). Therefore, the success or failure of the project is highly dependent on the type of leadership in the organization and the effectiveness of communication strategies within the organization. Ins urance Services According to Outreville (1998), insurance refers to the protection/cover from a threat that would otherwise jeopardize the functioning of the system. There are many risks associated with such a system. They include the risk of loss of data, system malfunction, lack of coordination from the outlet systems with the headquarter system, among others. For purposes of protecting the overall mandate of the chain store, it is important to insure the system against obvious or unforeseen risks. The main disadvantage of this approach is entailed in the fact that the organisation will have to guard itself from major losses in case the system malfunctions. While as the insurance cover guarantees compensation should such an occurrence materialise, it is worth noting that the company will have to pay monthly premiums to the insurer. As such, the setback of this support service is the expense incurred in the event of insuring the system. This is attributed to the fact that most insu rance companies charge a lot of money to insure such systems. Further, in the event that the system functions properly without any malfunction, it is not possible to get a refund of the already paid out money to the insurance company (Albertini Barrieu, 2009). Manufacturer’s Support Manufacturer’s support can be realized through after sales services that can either be provided by the manufacturing company on a free arrangement, or at a subsidized price. Such services are intended to maintain the system and support its running. The support services can be in form of spare parts, repairs, servicing, or system buffers among others (Hill Jones, 2008a). Most manufactures offer such services as an incentive to entice their clients while others view this as a business opportunity to further the mandate of the manufacturing company. The advantages of this support strategy involve the subsidized fee for spare parts and any needed repairs. This is attributed to the fact that m ost manufacturers tend to retail spare parts and their services to loyal consumers at a lower price as compared to the market price. Further, manufacturers are better placed to deal with emerging issues of their own innovations thus improving on the internal validity of their services and thus the improved sustainability of the system (Hill Jones, 2008b). The limitation of this approach is that working with one specific manufacturer can compromise the efficiency of the system. This would especially be the case when the manufacturer service provider is not fully conversant with the functioning of the system. The fact that some manufactures retail their spare parts and support systems at a very high price, presents yet another disadvantage. According to Hill and Jones (2008b), high prices discredit the rationale of out sourcing the purchase of spare parts or repair services. Accessibility to manufactures support may be limited by distance difference especially when the manufacture is not able to access all the chain store outlets. Conclusion From the LCC model developed for the analysis of the life cycle costs of the different processes and activities involved in the acquisition, implementation and management of the new system, it was clear that there were different costs to be taken into consideration for the whole system to be effective and worthwhile (JTC, 1999). Since the system would spare the company losses previously incurred due to miscalculations and lack of proper records, it would serve as a major milestone to the company’s performance. As such, the system is highly recommendable since the disadvantages associated with its implementation do not surpass the benefits the company would earn from it. Notably however, the investment alone cannot help solve the problems of the company. Hence, there is a need for the company to invest more into the maintenance, management and operation of the system in order increase the life cycle of the system. The analysis has shown that the manufacturer support, method of maintenance, and support are all appropriate since the system is relatively cheap and involves fewer risks (Chandler, 2004). Recommendation The company should implement the system and use the manufacturers of the system to provide the required maintenance and support services. This way, the system costing will be free from unplanned costs and cushioned against frequent economic changes. As TAM (2004) observes, systems that are cushioned from unnecessary running costs and needless market forces stand a higher chance of providing their implementers with optimal benefits spanning their (systems) entire life cycles. References Albertini, L., and Barrieu, P. (2009) The handbook of insurance-linked securities. Sussex, John Wiley and Sons. Bell, S., and Morse, S. (2008) Sustainability indicators: measuring the immeasurable? 2nd edition. London, Earthscan. Bhatia, R. (ed) (2000) Encyclopedia of corporate management, New Delhi, Anm ol. Chandler, F. (2004) Life- Cycle Cost Model for Evaluating the Sustainability of Bridge Decks. Web. Ghoshal, R., and Greeff, G. (2004) Practical E-manufacturing and supply chain management, Oxford, Elsevier. Hill, C., and Jones, G. (2008) Strategic management: an integrated approach, 9th edition. Ohio, Cengage. Hill, C., and Jones, G. (2008a) Strategic management theory: An integrated approach. Boston Houghton Mifflin. JTC (1999) Life cycle costing: an application guide. Web. Langford, W. (2007) Logistics: principles and applications. New York, McGraw-Hill. Mtain, A. (2009), Life Cycle Cost Analysis. Web. MÃ ¼ller, M. (2003) Essentials of inventory management. New York, Amacom. Outreville, F. (1998) Theory and practice of insurance. Massachusetts, Kluwer Academic Publishers. TAM (2004) Life Cycle Costing Guideline. Web. Toomey, J. (2000) Inventory management: principles, concepts and techniques. Massachusetts Kluwer Academic Publishers. This research paper on Life Cycle Cost Analysis was written and submitted by user Haylee Michael to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Ramifications of the Reconstruction Period essays

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Experimental Methods Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

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Jonestown and Jim Jones Essay Example for Free

Jonestown and Jim Jones Essay Jonestown and its leader, Jim Jones Behind every religious or social movement is the leader that created it. James â€Å"Jim† Warren Jones was the father of the â€Å"People’s Temple† turned â€Å"Jonestown†. The lifetime of the movement created by Jim Jones started with bright beginnings and concluded with a dark end. It was filled with impressive expressions of faith and sinister examples of control. One cannot help to ask what it was that created the man who started it all and how did it arrive at its abrupt end? Jim Jones was born on May 13, 1931 in a rural area of Randolph County, Indiana. His mother, Lynetta Putnam Jones, believed she had in fact given birth to a Messiah, foreshadowing Jones’ future as Reverend of the People’s Temple. She claims that her dead mother appeared to her in a dream telling her that she would bear a son who would right the wrongs of the world.[1] In order to keep her dreams of her son claiming his messiah-ship alive she raised him with Methodist beliefs. However, due to the economic difficulties of the Great Depression the Jones family had to move to nearby Lynn, Indiana where Jim grew up in a shack void of any indoor plumbing. With little else to do to ease his situation, Jim became an avid reader and studied the works and life of individuals such as Joseph Stalin, Karl Marx, Mahatma Gandhi and Adolf Hitler.[2] Shortly after graduating High School and marrying Marceline Baldwin Jones he became a member of the Communist Party of the USA in 1951. In 1960, Indianapolis Democratic Mayor Charles Boswell appointed Jones director of the Human Rights Commission. Jones however was not shy about trying to share his views on integration with the public. Some examples of his radical integrationist theories include Jones helping to integrate churches, restaurants, the telephone company, the police department, a theater, an amusement park, and the Methodist Hospital in his area.[3] Moreover, included in his efforts, was an incident occurring after swastikas were painted on the homes of two African American families in the surrounding neighborhood. Jones personally walked the area, comforting African Americans and counseling white families not to move out. Similarly, he set up variousstings to catch restaurants refusing to serve African American customers. He also wrote to American Nazi leaders then proce eded to leak their responses to the media. Finally, when Jones had accidentally been placed in the black ward of a hospital after he had collapsed, he refused to be moved and began to make the beds, and empty the bed pans of black patients in the ward. Boswell had advised Jones to keep a low profile, but he ignored these warning by finding new outlets for his views on local radio and television programs. When he was asked to cease his actions, he resisted and was cheered on at a meeting of the NAACP and Urban League.[4] Jim Jones became the subject of incredible amounts of criticism because of his beliefs.[5] For example, white-owned businesses and locals were very critical of him. Accounts of vandalism and terror inflicted on Jim Jones include a swastika being placed on the Temple, a stick of dynamite being left in a Temple coal pile, and a dead cat being thrown at Jones house after a threatening phone call. There is speculation that Jones himself may have been an accomplice to several of these acts.[6] It is clear that whether these acts were self-perpetuated or not, Jones met incredible amounts of opposition in his early years when trying to voice his views and opinions. He posed the problem to himself of how to demonstrate his Marxist views. His decision was to infiltrate the church when he had witnessed multiple faith healing ceremonies at a Baptist church. In 1952, Jones became the student pastor of Sommerset Southside Methodist Church. To his surprise, he was not only allowed in the church but was given a leadership position despite his political views.[7] Jones saw how the church drew in massive numbers of people no matter their current social situation or background. He also realized the need these people had for some sort of reassurance from whatever oppression they felt. Jim Jones would later feed on that weakness he saw in people to create his Temple. Jones sought to embody the characteristics that would appeal to the most people looking for comfort. He used his views of socialism, integration, and perceived oppression to gather a rather substantial  following. One way he embodied these views, especially of integration, was the creation of his so called â€Å"rainbow family†. Jim and Marceline Jones adopted several children of at least partial non-Caucasian ancestry. The two adopted three children of Korean-American descent. They were Lew, Suzanne and Stephanie. Jones had long been encouraging his Temple members to adopt orphans from war ravaged Korea. In 1954, he and his wife also adopted Agnes Jones, then 11 years old and partially of Native American descent. Suzanne Jones was adopted at the age of six 5 years later. In June 1959, the couple had their only biological child, Stephan Gandhi Jones. The couple also adopted another son, who was white, named Tim. Tim Jones’ birth mother was a member of the Peoples Temp le, was originally named Timothy Glen Tupper. Two years later, in 1961, the Jones family made history by becoming the first white couple in Indiana to adopt a black child, who they named James Warren Jones, Jr.[8] This act brought Jones’ integrationist views to complete embodiment. He said to his people that integration had become much more of a personal issue to him and his family; that it was a matter of their future in this world. Jones even translated this term over to the Temple as well by referring to them as a â€Å"rainbow family in their own way.[9] The People’s Temple was started in Indianapolis in the mid 1950’s. Some members recall that the Temple purported itself to practice what it called apostolic socialism.[10] After Jones had received a considerable amount of criticism in Indiana for his integrationist views, he journeyed to Brazil looking for a safe haven to move his Temple; this trip was also the first time that Jones had been to Guyana. After his return, Jones made wild claims that the world would soon be engulfed in a nuclear war. He even went so far as to predict a date. This would all happen on July 15, 1967. These events would inevitably then create a new socialist Eden on earth, and thus the Temple must move to be alive in order to take part in this wonderful utopia that was to come. Jones read in esquire magazine that the rural Redwood Valley of California was to be safe from nuclear war.[11] As a result of Jones’ instance, the members left their lives in Indiana behind and the Temple moved to Redwood Valley, California in 1965. The Temple’s popularity grew and in the early 1970s, the Peoples Temple opened other branches in a number of cities including San Fernando and San Francisco. In the mid-1970s, the Temple officially moved its headquarters to San Francisco, CA.[12] After the Temples relocation to San Francisco, it became increasingly more active in politics. For example, the People’s Temple is credited with a large part in the mayoral election of George Moscone in 1975. As a result of their efforts, Moscone appointed Jones as the Chairman of the San Francisco Housing Authority Commission.[13] Unique to Jones from other figures considered as cult leaders by the public is that Jones held the public support and had contact with some of the highest level politicians in the United States at the time. A few of these influential politicians include Vice President, later Presidential candidate, Walter Mondale and First Lady Rosalynn Carter. In September of 1976 Governor Jerry Brown, Lieutenant Governor Mervyn Dymally, and Assemblyman Willie Brown, among others, attended a large testimonial dinner, in which Willie Brown served as the master of ceremonies, held in honor of Jones. Brown is quoted as saying, â€Å"Let me present to you what you sho uld see every day when you look in the mirror in the early morning hours†¦ Let me present to you a combination of Martin Luther, Angela Davis, Albert Einstein, and Chairman Mao.†[14] What was life like in the Temple that drew in such a large number of followers? For most members the life inside the Temple represented exactly what they wanted the world to become. Blacks and Whites were freely worshipping together. Jones’ son, Stephan Jones, said â€Å"You saw every walk of life†.[15] Everyone had their own reasons for joining the Temple; individuals each heard their own message. Another ex-member, Laura Johnston Kohl, stated her view as â€Å"People came to make a dramatic change in their lives, to make a dramatic change in the world†.[16] Terri Burford, yet another ex-member, recalls her first encounter with the temple. She says, â€Å"I had $20 to my name and I was hitchhiking up between Ukiah and Redwood Valley, where the Temple was. Somebody picked me up who was a member of the Temple and he said, ‘You know if you’re looking for a place to stay, a place to sleep, we’ll get some food, I’ve got the place for you. I belong to this wonderful church and they feed the hungry, they take care of the sick. Furthermore, the person who runs this thing is God’†.[17] This view of Jones as God was more than likely self-perpetuated and his followers latched on to it. In a recording of a sermon at the Temple Jones says, â€Å"Some people see me as the representative of the I am†¦ Some people see a great deal of God in my body. They see Christ in me, a hope of Glory.† Jones also asked his members to refer to his as â€Å"Dad† or â€Å"Father†. Members claimed that Jones had a special gift that no one else possessed, they were enchanted by him.[18] Even outsiders that visited the Temple found their own kind of sanctuary. Harvey Milk, who spoke at political rallies at the Temple and wrote to Jones after his visit to the Temple: Rev Jim, It may take me many a day to come back down from the high that I reached today. I found something dear today. I found a sense of being that makes up for all the hours and energy placed in a fight. I found what you wanted me to find. I shall be back; for I can never leave. The mentality so evide nt from Harvey Milk’s writing was not unique to him; it was shared among the members of the temple.[19] Life in the Temple was not as perfect as it was portrayed to be. The faith healings that were central to his ministry that Jones put on were a hoax. The individual’s that experienced these healings and claimed to have never met Jones had actually set up the whole act. Jones even played on the emotions of new members to strengthen his claims. Hue Fortson, JR. recounts the process of how these healings on new members were set up by Jones, â€Å"We had greeters at the front door and every time one entered the service they would take their name supposedly for the mailing list. But lo and behold they staff workers would take that same name on the card. They would go by people’s houses; sometimes they looked at trash cans, sometimes they’d knock on the doors, if they weren’t there they’d break a window and they’d go in. So when that person came back to church, if they decided, they would use that person as one of his healing services. But, basically that was part of the set up to get people into the room. That he had some kind of extra special gift that no one else had.†[20] Save for a few members that played a role in Jones set ups, everyone truly believed in these healings. â€Å"I didn’t know the healings were phony. I believed in spiritual healing and I am not the only person in the room that believed in it. A lot of people believed in spiritual healing† said Tim Carter.[21] When Chronicle reporter Marshall Kilduff got wind of the People’s Temple he made it his mission to write an exposà © on the group. Little did he know the kinds of stories and the number of people he would encounter. What Kilduff would come to find out stood with incredible contrast to the humanitarian image that Jones had created for his Temple and its members. Ex-members relayed stories of systematic abuse within the Temple. Terri Buford commented, â€Å"There were a lot of beatings in the Temple. People who strayed from the path one way or the other, talked to an outsider or had a relationship with an outsider or something like that. Or did something that was considered Capitalistic, they would get beaten in front of the church. You couldn’t just get up and leave; people would drag you back in. There wasn’t the choice of walking out and saying, ‘this isn’t tolerable’. You didn’t have that choice.† [22] A number of recordings from Temple services depict Jones as saying that individuals that were experiencing these beatings were getting exactly what they deserved; that they deserved it all. Jones is on record as telling his followers that he was the only true heterosexual. Yet, there is at least one account of his sexual abuse of a male member of his congregation in front of the followers, ostensibly to prove the mans own homosexual tendencies existed. Jones is also recorded as laughing during the proceedings of the abuse. He claims that it was something he needed to do in order to control the group, he deemed it necessary. In his mind and in the minds of the Temple members experiencing this, it was the idea that the end justified the means. It was all with the goal of a perfect utopian society in mind. Kilduff was taken aback by the number of accounts he had received. He reported that in the beginning it was hard to discern who was telling the truth and who was lying but by the end when multiple individuals came to him with the same stories of abuse he could no longer question its legitimacy. When Kilduff had compiled his findings into the exposà © of the decade he tried to go public with it. However, his magazine wouldn’t touch it and neither would many other magazines or newspapers. This was thanks to Jones’ political support from years of his humanitarian image. It wasn’t until Nine West magazine made the decision to pick up the story that Jones made the decision to uproot his entire Temple to the Guyanese land.[23] In the fall of 1973, Jones and an influential Temple member Timothy Stoen prepared an immediate action plan in order to respond quickly to a police or media scandal based on the acts of the Temple. The plan listed included many options for escape, one of which was a Caribbean missionary post. For this post, the Temple quickly chose Guyana because of its socialist politics and after it researched the Guyanese economy and extradition treaties with the United States. In October 1973, the directors of the Peoples Temple voted to pass a resolution to establish an agricultural mission project there. Former Temple member Tim Carter, who also traveled to Guyana with the migratory group, stated that the reasons for choosing Guyana were â€Å"the Temples view of creeping fascism, the perceived dominance of multinational corporations on the government, and perceived racism in the U.S. government.† Carter also said the Temple concluded that â€Å"Guyana, a predominantly Indian, English-s peaking socialist country, would afford black members of the Temple a peaceful place to live†. This peaceful life for all members but especially the black members of the Temple was central to Jones’ appeal. Later, Guyanese Prime Minister Forbes Burnham stated that what may have attracted Jones was that he wanted to use cooperatives as the basis for the establishment of socialism, and maybe his idea of setting up a commune meshed with that†.[24] Jones also thought it was important that Guyanas leadership consisted of several black leaders and that the country was small and poor enough for Jones to easily obtain influence and official protection just as he had done in the States. An initial group of approximately 500 members began the construction of Jonestown in their new Guyanese home. The Temple encouraged some of its members to move to Jonestown, formally named the Peoples Temple Agricultural Project. Jones and his Temple members viewed Jonestown as both their own socialist paradise and a sanctuary from the increasing media scrutiny they were under saying, â€Å"He believed we’re the purest communists there are†. His wife described Jonestown as â€Å"dedicated to live for socialism, total economic and racial and social equality. We are here living communally†.[25] The relatively large number of immigrants to Guyana overwhelmed the Guyanese governments comparatively small immigration system. Jones reached an agreement to guarantee that Guyana would permit Temple members mass migration. In order to accomplish this, he told officials that Temple members were skilled and progressive†, he also reportedly showed off an envelope that held a half of one million dollars. He told the officials that he would invest the majority of the churchs assets into Guyana. The Guyanese immigration procedures were also corrupted to inhibit the departure o f Temple defectors. Just like the emigration policies of the Soviet Union, Cuba, North Korea and other communist republics that the Temple wished to emulate, Jones did not permit members to leave Jonestown. He also bribed the officials to delay processing of the visas of any Temple opponents wishing to visit.[26] In the summer of 1977, Jones and several hundred more Temple members uprooted and moved to Jonestown with the hopes of escaping the building pressure from San Francisco media investigations like the exposà © from Kilduff. In fact, Jones is reported to have left the same night that the editor at New West magazine read Jones the article to be published by Kilduff that recounted the allegations by former Temple members.[27] An unprepared Jonestown quickly became overcrowded, buildings fell into disrepair and weeds encroached on fields after the arrival of Jones and his Temple members. The people’s lives in Jonestown significantly changed. Like many socialist countries, propaganda shorts detailing Soviet life given by the Soviet embassy as well as documentaries on the problems of the United States policies were viewed in place of the entertaining movies that the first group of Jonestown members enjoyed before Jones’ arrival. School study and night time lectures for adults became a discussion time about revolution and enemies for Jones. For the first several months, Temple members worked all but one day a week, from 6:00 in the morning until 6:00 at night, with only an hour for lunch in the midst of this 12 hour day. Thankfully In 1978, after Jones health took a turn for the worse his wife, Marciline, began managing more of Jonestowns operations. As a result, the work week was reduced to eight hours a day for only five days a week.[28] After the days work ended, Temple members would attend several hours of activities in a main pavilion. Among these activities were classes in socialism. Hugh Fortson, Jr. remembers these hours of studying simply, â€Å"It was always ‘America is going to fall’ and Armageddon is coming’’ he said.[29] Jones thought this system copied that of North Korea’s; 8 hours of work immediately following 8 hours of intensive study. This was combined with the Temples practice of gradually subjecting its followers to mind control and behavior-modification techniques. Jones would often read news and commentary. Jones recorded readings of the news were part of the majority of the constant broadcasts over Jonestowns speaker system in order for all members to hear them no matter the time. Jones news readings typically portrayed the United States as a capitalist and imperialist villain, meanwhile casting socialist leaders in a positive light. Terri Buford recalls, †Å"From 6 in the morning until 10 at night, we heard him†.[30] Evidence of Jim Jones’ knowledge of what he was doing to his followers is clear in his comments during an interview about an ensuing custody battle with one defector. Speaking of the child and if he was taken away he said, â€Å"That he’d be deprogrammed, that his mind be taken and used by their evil means and whatever chemicals to try to drain his mind.†[31] Among some of the controlling things that Jones subjected his followers to were the â€Å"White Nights†. Mass suicide had been previously discussed in simulated events on a regular basis. During at least one such prior White Night, members drank liquid that Jones falsely told them was poison. Grace Stoen recalls one such event. She states, â€Å"I can remember we were in a planning commission meeting and Jim says, ‘You know I really love you guys. I’m going to let you guys drink wine. You don’t think I love you.’ So we were all given this wine that was from the ranch. Jim said, ‘Has everybody drank their wine?’ And some people had said, ‘Well, I don’t want any.’ Then Jim said, ‘No everybody is going to drink this.’ So we all drank it and Jim asks, ‘Has everybody drank that wine?’ We all said yes. He says, ‘Okay, you all have 10 minutes to live.†[32] Laura Johnston Kohl, who was at that same meeting, finishes the account by saying, â€Å"Jim said, ‘That was poison, because we need to commit revolutionary suicide.’ We needed to be totally committed to this cause, period. And you can’t be part way; you can’t do it part way.†[33] Yet another example of Jones’ controlling nature is in his â€Å"special privileges†. While Jones banned sex among Temple members outside of marriage, he himself voraciously engaged in sexual relations with both male and female Temple members. Jones claimed that he detested engaging in homosexual activity and did so only for the male temple members’ own good, purportedly to connect them symbolically with him.[34] The majority of Jones political allies in the States severed their connections after Jones departure, however, some did not. Willie Brown spoke out in support at a rally at the Peoples Temple in San Francisco. More importantly though for Jones and the Temple, Moscones office issued a press release stating that Jones had broken no laws during his time in the US.[35] In the fall of 1977, relatives of Temple members in Jonestown formed a Concerned Relatives group. The group ventured to Washington D.C. in the winter of ‘78 to address their concerns for their family in Jonestown. The groups’ efforts raised the curiosity of Congressman Leo Ryan. There was growing pressure in the States to investigate the Temple. On April 11, 1978, the Concerned Relatives distributed documents, including letters and affidavits, that they en titled an Accusation of Human Rights Violations by Rev. James Warren Jones to the Peoples Temple, members of the press and members of Congress. In June 1978, escaped Temple member Deborah Layton provided the group with a further affidavit detailing alleged crimes by the Peoples Temple and substandard living conditions in Jonestown.[36] In November 1978, U.S. Congressman Leo Ryan led a venture to Jonestown to investigate allegations of human rights abuses from the documents distributed by the Concerned Relatives. Ryans traveling companions included relatives of Temple members, Don Harris, an NBC network news reporter, an NBC cameraman and reporters for various newspapers. The pack arrived in Georgetown on November 15. Then on November 17, Ryans delegation traveled by airplane to Jonestown. The delegation left hurriedly with a number of temple defectors on the afternoon of November 18 after Temple member Don Sly attacked Ryan with a knife. Congressman Ryan and his people succeeded in taking fifteen Peoples Temple members out of Jonestown to the airstrip where their planes were waiting. At the time, Jones had made no attempt to prevent their departure.[37] As members of Ryans delegation boarded two planes at the airstrip, Jones Red Brigade, his armed guards, arrived in a trailer and opened fire on the group of escaping individuals. Simultaneously, one of the supposed defectors, Larry Layton, drew a weapon and began firing on members of the party that had already boarded a small Cessna. Among those that the guards killed were Congressman Ryan; Don Harris, a reporter from NBC; Bob Brown, a cameraman from NBC; San Francisco Examiner photographer Greg Robinson; and Temple member Patricia Parks. Those that managed to survive the attack were future Congresswoman Jackie Speier, then a staff member for Ryan; Richard Dwyer, the Deputy Chief of Mission from the U.S. Embassy at Georgetown; Bob Flick, a producer for NBC News; Steve Sung, an NBC sound engineer; Tim Reiterman, a San Francisco Examiner reporter; Ron Javers, a San Francisco Chronicle reporter; Charles Krause, a Washington Post reporter; and several defecting Temple members.[38] Later that same day, 909 inhabitants of Jonestown, 303 of them children, died of apparent cyanide poisoning, mostly in and around the main pavilion. This became the single greatest loss of American civilian life in a non-natural disaster; that is until the September 11, 2001 attacks.[39] No video was taken during the mass suicide, although the FBI did recover a 45 minute audio recording of the suicide in progress. On that tape, Jones tells Temple members that the Soviet Union, with whom the Temple had been negotiating a potential exodus for months, would not take them after the Temple had murdered Ryan and four others at a nearby airstrip. Jones justified his actions by saying, â€Å"So my opinion is that we be kind to children and be kind to seniors and take the potion like they used to take in ancient Greece, and step over quietly because we are not committing suicide. Its a revolutionary act. We cant go back. They wont leave us alone. Theyre now going back to tell more lies which means more congressmen. And theres no way, no way we can survive.† Jones and several members argued that the group should commit revolutionary suicide by drinking cyanide-laced grape-flavored Flavor Aid. Jones put into his followers’ minds that there was no hope for anything anymore. This was their only way out; they might as well do it on their terms. He furthered the hopelessness of the situation by telling them that people were going to parachute in on them. They were going to shoot the bab ies and torture the members. Jones continually says how he has tried to prevent this from happening for months, how he has always had the people’s best interest in mind, and how he has never lied to them. He told them that this was the time to die, to die with some dignity. In the 45 minute recording a member, Christine Miller, opposed Jones’ radical proposition toward the beginning of the tape.[40] According to escaped Temple members, children were given the drink first and families were told to lie down together. Jones was later found dead in a deck chair with a self-inflicted gunshot wound to his head. An autopsy of Jones body also showed levels of Pentobarbital, which may have been lethal to humans who had not developed physiological tolerance. His drug usage which included LSD and marijuana was confirmed by his son, Stephan Jones and their family doctor in San Francisco.[41] Jones can be compared with other radical religious leaders. One example of these leaders is David Koresch; the leader of the Heaven’s Gate group situated in Waco, Texas. Their time as a community also ended in tragedy. While Koresch had a set world view that he would not have compromised for anything in the world, Jones had more of an eclectic world view. His theology could be tailored to fit his social motivations. He picked the aspects of religions that he thought would favor the growth of a socialist society. He also viewed himself and his followers as the purest form of their kind. This purist society has apocalyptic undertones. The creations of their own utopia would lead to the ultimate utopia to come. Jones and Koresch were also the only individuals allowed access to outside information. As previously stated, Jones read the news and discussed the social issues of the day with his followers, but he was the keeper of knowledge. Both leaders spent hours on end with their followers conversing about their views on the world. Also, each leader was granted special privileges. Koresch and Jones shared their views of sexual relations; for the members it was restricted and for them it was unregulated. The apocalyptic nature of the Jonestown community is also very clear. The most notable is the constant pressure from outsiders. In their world they were oppressed for their beliefs and sought refuge with like-minded people. That brought them to Jonestown and the next example of their apocalyptic nature. The members of the Temple wished only for the purest of societies and they worked hard to achieve that utopia in Guyana. The move to Guyana was a result not only of the perceived persecution they were under but also on Jones’ play on social anxiety of the end of the world due to nuclear warfare. All of these situations exemplify the apocalyptic nature of the People’s Temples and Jonestown. In the years following the massacre the view of Jonestown has skewed from a religious group to a cult. The interest and investigation of the so-called cult has also weaned. A member of the Concerned Relatives group has said, â€Å"As soon as we label a religion a cult, we dismiss it. We no longer have to investigate it, what did they believe? It doesn’t matter.†[42] [1] Reiterman, Tom; Jacobs, John, The Untold Story of Rev. Jim Jones and His People (Dutton: Raven, 1982) [2] Hall, John R., Gone from the Promised Land (Transaction publishers, 1987) [3] Wessinger, Catherine , How the Millennium Comes Violently: From Jonestown to Heavens Gate, (Seven Bridges Press, 2000) [4] Reiterman; Jacobs, Untold Story [5] Wessinger, Millennium Comes Violently [6] Reiterman; Jacobs, Untold Story [7] Wessinger, Millennium Comes Violently [8] Reiterman; Jacobs, Untold Story [9] Jonestown: The Life and Death of Peoples Temple People Events PBS.org. 8 December 2012 [10] Dawson, Lorne L., Cults and new religious movements: a reader, (Wiley-Blackwell, 2003) [11] Witness to Jonestown. 2008. Film. 8 Dec 2012. [12] Layton, Deborah. Seductive Poison. (Anchor, 1999) [13] Jonestown: Life and Death [14] Reiterman; Jacobs, Untold Story [15] Witness to Jonestown. 2008. Film. 8 Dec 2012. [16] Witness to Jonestown. 2008. Film. 8 Dec 2012. [17] Witness to Jonestown. 2008. Film. 8 Dec 2012. [18] Witness to Jonestown. 2008. Film. 8 Dec 2012. [19] Reiterman; Jacobs, Untold Story [20] Witness to Jonestown. 2008. Film. 8 Dec 2012. [21] Witness to Jonestown. 2008. Film. 8 Dec 2012. [22] Witness to Jonestown. 2008. Film. 8 Dec 2012. [23] Witness to Jonestown. 2008. Film. 8 Dec 2012. [24] Reiterman; Jacobs, Untold Story [25] Reiterman; Jacobs, Untold Story [26] Reiterman; Jacobs, Untold Story [27] Witness to Jonestown. 2008. Film. 8 Dec 2012. [28] Reiterman; Jacobs, Untold Story [29] Witness to Jonestown. 2008. Film. 8 Dec 2012. [30] Witness to Jonestown. 2008. Film. 8 Dec 2012. [31] Witness to Jonestown. 2008. Film. 8 Dec 2012. [32] Witness to Jonestown. 2008. Film. 8 Dec 2012. [33] Witness to Jonestown. 2008. Film. 8 Dec 2012. [34] Reiterman; Jacobs, Untold Story [35] Reiterman; Jacobs, Untold Story [36] Reiterman; Jacobs, Untold Story [37] Witness to Jonestown. 2008. Film. 8 Dec 2012. [38] Witness to Jonestown. 2008. Film. 8 Dec 2012. [39] Witness to Jonestown. 2008. Film. 8 Dec 2012. [40] Jones, Jim. Death Tape, Jonestown, 8 12 12. Speech. [41] Wessinger, Millennium Comes Violently [42] Witness to Jonestown. 2008. Film. 8 Dec 2012.

Computer Games and Artificial Intelligence :: Video Game AI

Computer Games and Artificial Intelligence Abstract Computer games provide a challenge for mankind. A way to demonstrate his mastery over the concept of intelligence and yet a way to test that mastery. It is through a continual need to improve the artificial intelligence in computer games that man also finds a way to examine his own creativity, to reach beyond what is possible and improve himself. Developments in the artificial intelligence of computer games have shown remarkable improvement as new genres of games have been created with new advances in the technology. Newer more complex and adaptable games demonstrate an increased understanding of intelligence and furnish entertaining benchmarks of our own ability. Introduction The idea of artificial intelligence is a daunting notion. That the very thing that distinguishes humanity from all other living beings, intelligence, is reproducible even improved upon presents a certain challenge to mankind: is artificial intelligence superior to human intelligence? To avoid the philosophical chicken-and-egg argument, man has created an ingenious way to test AI: games. What were once mere entertaining diversions, computer games have become a forum for man to pit his intelligence against an artificially intelligent computer program in an attempt to validate his own self worth. Such challenges provide not only a means of entertainment but also a path to self-improvement. Consider the controversy regarding the recent victory of IBM's Deep Blue over world chess champion Gary Kasparov. Headlines relating the story typically questioned the preeminence of human intelligence in favor of the artificial intelligence represented by Deep Blue. Now more than ever, the challenge presented by computer games and artificial intelligence has created a need. This need can only be met by tests provided by engaging, creative, and intelligent computer games. This has spurred an entire industry, which accounts for billions of dollars every year. The wide-scale development of computer games continues in a variety of formats: simulation games, action/adventure games, interactive 3D games, fighting games, and others. These are all ways for man to test not only his creativity but also his own intelligence and ability to improve himself. Computer Games Early computer games required mere physical reaction and not much intelligence as game programmers struggled to develop more realistic games that would provide an environment for more complex interaction. With this aside, the advent of modern computer games required game designers to develop programs that would simulate human behavior. Simulation, thus, while not representative of original thought, is a necessary place to start in order to examine the development of computer game intelligence.

Social Work Student

In this essay I will discuss how I feel that I have developed personally and professionally as a social work student during the first level of the degree course. I will do this through examination of reflective accounts recorded during the placement learning opportunity. I believe that the use of reflection has been very significant in enhancing my personal skills and learning about my own values. I also believe that the course has instilled me with more self awareness and has given me a better understanding of how I am perceived by others.I have learned that through anti oppressive practice, social workers are able to promote inclusion by challenging discrimination and inequalities. In this essay, I will examine the methods, tools, and techniques that I have learned to date. I will conclude by discussing my particular learning needs and plan for the remainder of the course. As part of this, I will consider my learning style and the necessary methods I will utilise to bridge the lear ning gaps. As well as benefiting from the academic aspects of the course, I believe that the work placement has been hugely significant in my personal and professional development.During the placement learning opportunity I was based with a social worker in a small unit attached to a hospital. The unit specialises in palliative care services to patients and carers who are affected by life threatening illnesses. I was also fortunate to have the opportunity to liaise with many other agencies that were in some way related to the organisation. During the first year of the course I have become more aware of the importance of personal and professional development.I agree with Thompson (2002), who states that the development of personal and professional skills is fundamental to becoming a competent social worker and making the transition from student to practitioner. Therefore professional development is essential to social work students and practitioners to increase and revise their knowl edge and skills. Attention must be paid to enhancing our abilities to ensure progression occurs on a professional and a personal front. It is important that individuals develop professionally.Taylor emphasizes this (2010, pg 66) by quoting that ‘students or qualified  practitioners cannot solely rely upon personal experience’. He continues with ‘we need to develop our professional knowledge, otherwise conducting our practices solely upon personal experiences will run the risk of bias’ Professionally, I feel I have matured by transferring skills from previous employments to my present role of student. Throughout my working career I have had experience working in nursing and palliative care. Although these are loosely related to social work by virtue of being in the healthcare industry, when I embarked on the course, I didn’t feel that I had the necessary experience to draw from.However, I have progressively grown to realise that there are indeed som e key skills that I have be able to transfer and apply to this social work degree course and in the placement. I believe that another area of improvement in my professional development is my understanding of principles and key concepts in social work practice such as poverty, social exclusion, and accountability. I have a much deeper comprehension of values including empowerment, rights, respect, confidentiality and honesty. I am able to integrate them into all aspects of social work training and am highly aware of the issues surrounding conflicting values.I am much more familiar with the Codes of Practice for Wales (2003) as a result of identifying them and relating them to practice. In relation to professional development, it is also suggested in the Codes of Practice (2003) that as social care workers, we must ‘undertake relevant training to maintain and improve knowledge and skills to contributing to the learning and development of others’. During my work placement period, I was involved in meetings with many different people working in different streams of the organisation. Additionally, the work placement has also helped me understand how multi-professions collaborate.This has helped me start to appreciate the diversity of a social workers role. From a professional perspective, I also believe that the ECDL training courses have been very beneficial. I envisage that the day to day work of a social worker will involve the use of software such as Microsoft Word for reports etc. I also believe that a basic understanding of software such as Microsoft PowerPoint will be very useful for creating professional presentations. The academic aspects of the course will hopefully prepare me for the professional demands of social work as my knowledge gradually builds over the remainder of the course.In addition to this, self reflection, planning, self evaluation and academic learning such as lectures, essay writing, work placement, will help me succeed in b ecoming a responsible, assertive social worker. As far as my personal development is concerned I feel that there has been a marked improvement in my contribution to discussions and debates. Although some of the subject areas discussed have been extremely challenging, such as issues related to children, I feel that over the year I have started to feel that I have a lot more to offer as my understanding of the subject matter has increased.I feel better placed to question and challenge other people’s opinions on ethical matters and am also far more confident when having to make presentations to the group. I also feel that advancements in my personal development are vital. Thompson (2002, pg66) discusses the importance of it, ‘it is just as important as professional development. Learning provides us with a basis for personal growth and development by facilitating and encouraging self awareness. It also helps us to promote self esteem and a positive self image’.As a s tudent, I understand that I am responsible for my own personal and professional development in conjunction with the material delivered on the course. It is important that I continue to improve my standard of practice by embracing all types of learning opportunities available. Social work is a profession that continues to change and develop rapidly Trevithick (2002). Social workers are involved with individuals who are often in situations where there is high risk, complexity, stress, uncertainty and conflicts. Analytical skills and knowledge are required to assess and make judgement in these situations.Legislation and research is constantly changing and it is imperative that social workers are well informed of any modifications. If we don’t develop personally and professionally and do not keep pace of these changes we will increasingly become more and more out of touch with the reality of clients lives and therefore less equipped to undertake our duties (Thompson 2009). Reflec tion has been described as being central to good social work practice, but only if action results from that reflection (Horner 2007). Having the ability to reflect appropriately and effectively is a vital component to developing professionally and maturing personally.Reflective practice is imperative because practitioners have important roles and the decision we make about service uses should be thoroughly thought through. Reflection helps us to minimise risk and to prevent adopting ‘off the peg’ solutions to practice (Thompson 2009). Reflection supports developing our knowledge and learning from the errors of practice. We can develop ways in which we can empower individuals, be anti discriminatory and have anti oppressive approaches to practice. Interrogation of our actions will provide us with critical feedback and help us assess and evaluate our learning, ultimately enhancing our practice (Oko 2008).Schon (1991) as cited in Adams et al (2009) breaks down the notion o f reflective practice. Firstly, reflection-in-action involves reflecting as the action proceeds. This will evidently help us to identify new aspects of the situation and thinking them through while proceeding with the action. Secondly, Schon writes about reflection-on-action which involves considering what and why something happened after the event has occurred and the importance of translating this information into knowledge (Knott and Scragg 2010).Reflection is a tool that has allowed me to articulate knowledge from theory in a more meaningful way. I recognize that reflection does not always provide answers but does lead to new understanding. It has helped me challenge the reality of theory whilst on placement and through actual experience. An example I can demonstrate this with is that in social work theory, services should be needs-led as opposed to resource-led (Trevithick 2002). However in reality, resource constraints that operate in some local authorities make this unrealist ic. In reality demands far exceed the supply.Reflecting back on the experience of the placement and working in palliative care, at times I did feel quite tense and despondent. I had not worked intensively in those settings for some time and in some ways it was a relief as the placement came to an end, not to be discussing death, diagnosis and prognosis. I often questioned how my practice assessor managed to achieve goals and practice effectively whilst dealing with such emotive cases. There was one occasion when chatting with a service user who had had a terminal diagnosis, she became quite open and frank about her prognosis.I didn’t feel that I was fully prepared for her to start discussing her prognosis with me. Whilst, I felt very uncomfortable having the conversation I did remain professional and controlled. I was concerned that she may become distressed or that I would not manage the situation appropriately. Looking back on this experience, I am much more aware of the im portance of reflecting upon emotions and hopefully this will help me to manage emotive situations appropriately in future. Self awareness is a way in which we are able to explore our own personalities, traits, beliefs, inclinations, values and tendencies (Oko 2008).It is important that we are aware and are able to observe ourselves and the image that we portray to others. Without effective self awareness skills I am not going to be conscious of the ways in which I influence people and the signals I indirectly transmit. Self awareness will also allow me to build upon areas of strength and identify areas that may need addressing. Unless social workers are able to be aware of areas of vulnerability it is likely that they will be unable to react and respond to the service user objectively (Taylor 2008). Whilst on placement I encountered a service user’s son who was a substance misuser.I have previously worked in a drug rehabilitation centre and my experiences of the center were n ot good as I was threatened and intimidated on many occasions. Whilst observing the situation on placement I quickly became annoyed and frustrated by him. At the time, I felt that he was selfish bearing in mind his mothers terminal illness. I found myself thinking about my job in the rehab center which brought back uncomfortable memories. I did not write or discuss this with my practice assessor as I didn’t want to dedicate any time thinking about such negative experiences.On reflection, I now understand that it is my responsibility to confront such issues otherwise I will not successfully continue as a competent social worker student. I am aware that this encounter triggered an inappropriate reaction and I am committed to resolving these issues. Lishman 1994 as cited in Trevithick (2000) pg 84 states that failure to be self aware and confront such issues will lead to ‘falling into pockets of distress that will lead to inattention, poor listening and inappropriate actio ns’.I am able to see the connection between self awareness and managing prejudice, discrimination and oppressive practice. I am aware that I did not have a great deal of empathy for particular groups in society and before the course started admittedly I did feel that certain individuals in society may have contributed to the crisis’s that they found themselves in. I felt that these citizens did not require prioritization or merit support and guidance from a care service as I felt that there were other more deserving individuals.I have grown to understand that my judgments and thoughts were unjustified. By being more self aware and using reflection, I am able to be clear of my own values and how they may shape my practice. As I progress, I feel that by working with these groups of people that I will to grow to understand how and why individuals find themselves in these situations. I will continue to strive to develop my knowledge and hopefully as I progress, I will take time to educate myself and learn more about human behaviour. Whilst on placement, I was unaware of any form of oppression or anysignificant injustice issues. Dominelli (1996) pg states that ’anti oppressive practice is a form of social work practice which addresses social divisions and structural inequalities in the work that is done with people whether they are users (‘clients') or workers. AOP aims to provide more appropriate and sensitive services by responding to people's needs regardless of their social status’. Reflecting back I recall a situation that occurred with a service user who was terminally ill. He had expressed a wish to die at home.Whilst visiting the gentleman with my practice assessor, a community healthcare professional was present. It became apparent that the professional was eager for the service user to be admitted into hospital. She portrayed a negative image of being nursed at home and persistently pointed out the problems that she envis aged. I personally felt that this was because there would be a lot more pressure upon her workload to care for him and make the necessary calls throughout the day. It later became apparent that the community professional were experiencing difficulties with staff sicknesses.This was his final wish to die at home and in my opinion she was using her authority to influence him to be admitted for her own benefit. I believe that her workload pressured her to do this. He was disadvantaged, very poorly and with very little to strength to debate this issue with her. At the time, I didn’t connect this to oppressive practice where the other professional exercised inappropriate use of power. I am now more aware of issues surrounding continuing healthcare and funding. I now feel that I am much more alert to these issues and in the future I would question other individual’s actions.Anti oppressive practise begins with understanding myself and aspects of society were oppression is em bedded. As a social work student, I will strive to value and promote every human being and their rights to be respected. I will attempt to work towards combating oppressive practice by acting as an advocate and practice methods of inclusion. I will try to ensure that I do not contribute to such acts and will become more aware of social divisions, power differences and the relationship between the myself and service users (Adams et al).As part of my progression as a student, I have identified many areas that I need to address and expand upon during the remainder of the course. In order to successfully address these learning needs I have studied a learning model established by Kolb (1975). He suggests that there are four types of concepts that are needed to be effective learners. These include concrete experience, observation and reflection, abstract conceptualisation and active experimentation (Knott and Scragg 2010). I will attempt to adopt his hypothesis to make the learning proces s a more straightforward procedure.The main learning needs I have identified are firstly developing my understanding of theories and acknowledging the importance of the role that they play in practice. Initially I was apprehensive about making links but now I feel more confident as I approach the next stage. I wish to relate and recognize the connections between significant theories and social work thinking and practice and problem solving. I will achieve through this through lectures, reading and from practice on the level 6 placement. I also wish to become more aware of issues surrounding children and young people.More specifically, a deeper understanding of safeguarding issues and the legislation and policies related to this that shapes and guide social work duties. This will be achieved through lectures, learning actual legislation from books, documents and through placement (if this is the area in which I am allocated). I would also like to become more aware of social work in t he Welsh context and familiarise myself with cultures in Wales. The overall picture of the Welsh population is older, poorer and in worse health that the entire UK (Scourfield 2008).I want discover why this is the case and how it impacts upon social work practice. I also wish to learn more about different identities and ethnic groups living in Wales and develop a better understanding of the use of languages and how these compare to other regions in the UK. I also think it is important that I build upon my existing knowledge of the Codes of Practice for Wales (2003), and have the ability to instinctively relate them to practice. This will achieved through lectures, reading literature and hands on learning whilst in practice.In addition to trying to adopt the Kolb learning method, I completed a questionnaire to establish what type of learner I was. After reading Honey and Mumford (1995) literature I was not able to categorise myself into one particular learning style or preference but was able to relate to aspects of all categories. My knowledge and skills will develop with experience over the forthcoming years. I will take full advantage of placement to maximize my learning. I will try to become more observant of others by studying them.I will try to adopt good techniques and practice when I identify them and also to learn from bad practice. I will attempt to make the most of tutorials and supervision particularly in the discussion of emotive, stress and management issues. Additionally, I will try to develop and improve my reflective. To conclude it can be stated that personal and professional development is an essential part of social work practice. Due to the complex nature of social work and the diversity of human behaviour, it is imperative that students and qualified practitioners continue to progress alongside an ever changing society.Reflection is an important catalyst to support social workers in enhancing their practice. I am much more self aware and f amiliar with adopting anti- oppressive methods of practice. Whilst I am pleased with my progression to date, I am fully aware that I have many unmet learning needs which I hope to address throughout the remainder of the course. I am enthusiastic about the journey ahead and look forward to learning the skills that will enable me to launch my social work career.