Thursday, October 31, 2019

Design and Construction of Motorway Project Essay

Design and Construction of Motorway Project - Essay Example Through utilization of these regulations, project managers could ensure that safety and health applications remain present throughout engineering project implementation period. While engineering projects remain essential for development of the country, the impacts of the implementation process for these projects could be catastrophic. The reduction of imminent risks within the projects remains essential towards safe implementation of the entire project (Bailey, 2002). The aim of this report remains identifying the imminent hazards within the project that could present a danger to people working on the project. This report seeks to establish an informed analysis concerning the health and safety regulation required in engineering projects. Through identification of the imminent risks, the contractors could essentially implement safety operation processes, significantly reducing safety concerns during construction. This report seeks to identify the imminent hazards for contractors durin g construction and workers after project completion. The project engineers could utilize the proposals contained in this report in ensuring safety for individuals involved in the project. Description of works This project involves construction of a motorway seeking to replace the existing M8 between Glasgow and Edinburgh. The project shall involve numerous and continuous excavation processes within the lifetime of construction. The excavation process involves the production of massive amounts of dust, which becomes a potential health hazard for individuals living within the vicinity, and the people working on the project. The process of excavating materials within the construction site comes at the centre of the project. Through excavation, the engineers could achieve a significant level of project implementation. Designing the site into the required form shall involve a continuous bulk excavation process. The proposed route for the motorway passes through Greenfield and Brownfield land, which continue to be associated with mining of different minerals. These areas have numerous deposits of coal and steels minerals. During the construction process, the materials excavated from the site should be carefully handled to reduce the prevalent risks produced by the mining processes of these minerals. While different activities might be affected by construction, the imminent hazards following excavation through coal mines remain a surmountable safety concern. Upon removal of the topsoil, an analysis of the contents of the soil should e performed to determine the presence of harmful elements within the soil. Through this analysis, proper disposal methods could be implemented to ensure reduction of the imminent hazards produced by the material. The project could potentially generate a significant amount of waste materials and remnants of the construction materials utilized. Following the completion of the project, disposal of these materials is likely to become fundamen tal in ensuring safe working environment for people maintaining the project. Disposal of the waste materials generated remains a fundamental post-construction safety and health concern. The waste disposal operation seeks to ensure the environment remains safe for the people after completion of the project (Lagrega et al, 2010). The maintenance employees would be working in safe environments when all generated wastes become

Tuesday, October 29, 2019

Human Service Profession- Mental Health Counselor Essay Example for Free

Human Service Profession- Mental Health Counselor Essay Counseling has a major emphasis on prevention. Mental health counselors work with individuals and groups to promote optimum mental and emotional health. Counselors may help individuals deal with issues associated with addictions, substance abuse, family, parenting, marital problems, stress management, self-esteem and aging. Mental health counseling brings a unique approach to the mental health care professions. People who receive such counsel are labeled unhealthy, wrong or ill (Smith, Robinson, 1995, p. 158). The goals of a mental health counselor are based on specific principles. The basic principles are responsibility, autonomy, client and consultee welfare, mis-representation, consultant-consultee relationship and confidentiality. Counselors believe in the basic human need and the potential for emotional and intellectual growth of their client system and consultee. In order to better the client and the society, the counselor will perform functions committed to increasing the understanding of the clients self and others (Fanibanda, 1976, p. 547). Responsibility is a principle consisting of a degree of responsibility that the consultant has for the client. Consultation can be a blending of professions such as consultant-teacher, consultant-policeman, or consultant-welfare worker just to name a few. The consultant must take responsibility for their own behavior. With strict compliance a consultant must not give advice to a client because they will be held responsible. Autonomy is a principle that gives the independence or freedom to a client, dropping his or her dependency on the counselor. This will allow the consultant, and other professions to perform their jobs more efficiently (Fanibanda, 1976, p. 548). Client and consultee welfare principle must acquire balance. If the client and consultee result in any difficulties the consultee may revoke his practice with the client. Remuneration is the question of payment between the counselor and client. This standard will safeguard the best interest for the client and counselor. The consultant and the consultee relationship is a well excepted concept in the cousultation practice. It is often difficult to slip into a therapist role, but the counselor must maintain a professional role of his specialty. Such a relationship on a personal note, could destroy the goal of helping the client. Confidentiality is another principle counselor’s use. Confidentiality agreement upon the counselor and client is specific information that cannot be shared with any other parties, unless a written agreement is signed upon. It is in the process of building trust between the client and the consultee to safeguard any information between any other parties (Fanibanda, 1976, p. 550-552). Mental illness effects a wide array of the population. The population consists for different races, sex, social class, and criminals that are effected by mental disabilities. Social class is one of the most common characteristics of the mentally ill. The social lower class is linked to more serious cases for the development of the mentally ill (Fox, 1990, p. 344). Mental illness is the primary cause for the homelessness. It is estimated between 72 and 82 percent of the homeless are mentally unstable, based on an Australian study (Johnson, 2011, p. 29-30). Presently it is whether minority groups are disproportionately represented among the mentally ill, but minority groups such as African American and the Latino population appear not to suffer from this as much as the Caucasian population. This is a surprising fact due to that more minorities are exposed to more risk factors. Minorities tend to be relatively poor, and lack resources to prevent social and vocational disability and to promote long term recovery (Snowden, 1997, p.236). The criminal population is another amongst the mentally ill. People with a mental illness are three times more likely to become incarcerated than be admitted to a psychiatric facility. Correctional institutions have become the largest providers of mental health treatment in the United States. Statistics show that 14.5% of male and 31 % of female inmates have a mental illness. Mental disorders can arrange from schizophrenia spectrum disorder, schizoaffective disorder, schizophrenic form disorder, brief psychotic disorder, delusional disorder, psychotic disorder, bipolar disorder, major depressive disorder and depressive disorder (Gross, 2013, p. 175). Counseling is not only received by the mentally ill, it is also received by people dealing with stress. It can be stress of a new job, relationships, family, finances, and addictions just to name a few. Many people that even consider themselves normal and stressed receive counseling. Many of these people seek counseling because it has a high effect on health. Health problems such as chronic heart disease, depression, and psychomatic illness (Brown, Brooks, 1985, p. 860). Mental health counseling is a treatment on its own, while other forms of mental disorders can be treated with medication. Mental health counselors are readily available for face to face treatment or even over the web. Over the web counseling is often easier for clients because of travel needs. Many would argue that e-counseling is not as efficient as face to face, but 90% of clients that have used e-therapy said it worked (Alleman, 2002, p. 199). As stated before counselors try to provide prevention with clients. Prevention means the confronting and lightening the major cause of mental disturbance. In the mental health field, demands for examination of moral and scientific beliefs and begin to take action for change. One on one treatment even if successful, is not considered prevention. Public health teaches that no mass disease or disorder has ever been controlled or eliminated by individual treatment or an increasing number of therapists. However for individual therapy it is proven to lower individual emotional disorders. Treating clients and preventing emotional disorders are done reducing or eliminating the noxious agent, strengthening the resistance of the host, and preventing the transmission of the noxious agent to the host. The principle of the noxious agent is str ess. All stress that leads to an emotional disorder is unwanted (Albee, 2013, p.37-40).

Sunday, October 27, 2019

The Relationship Between Mental Illness and Crime

The Relationship Between Mental Illness and Crime The relationship between mental illness and violence has long been a subject of debate and a general course of concern within the mental health profession, the public, correctional systems, and the criminal justice systems. As a result this has led to an increase in research being focused on the reasons why mentally ill people commit crimes. Debate about the need for, the nature of and care of people with mental illness is based on the idea that most of the individuals with mental illnesses are more likely to commit criminal and violent behaviors to themselves, their close family members, close friends and the public than those without mental illnesses, largely due to their state of mind. The relationship between mental disorder and violent acts cannot be exaggerated. Some researchers state that violence is linked to psychosis and that people who have mental illness also fall into the category and should reflect that connection (Lidz, Banks, Simon, Schubert and Mulvey, 2007). Some other researchers state that substance abuse accelerates violent acts among people with mental disorder (Lurigio and Harris, 2009). After a survey of researches the main question lies thus; what is the relationship between mental disorder and violence? How can you connect the dots between mental disorder and violent acts? In this paper, I shall review certain researches that buttress their points about the relationship between mental disorder and violence and after this, I shall also state researches that disagree with the idea that individuals with mental disorders engage in violent acts. I shall then put into consideration the Canadian Law in response to this issue. Then I shall draw a conclusion stating the relationship, if any, between individuals with mental disorder and violence or in the absence of any relationship state the need for further research. SUBSTANCE ABUSE, MENTAL DISORDER AND VIOLENCE. During the past decade, several researches have examined people with mental disorder and their participation in violence in order to see if there is any relationship. Out of all these, substance and alcohol abuse in relationship to mentally ill patients and their participation in crime have appeared to be pre-eminent. For example Lurigio and Harris (2009) proposed that substance abuse was a precondition for assaultive and violent acts among people with mental disorder; unemployment, perceived threats and past violent factors accelerated acts among people who were mentally ill. Although Felthous et al (2009) agrees with this relationship, they argue that in measuring the relationship between mental disorder and violence the nature of aggression should be put into consideration. In a study by Livingston et al (2003), carried out on individuals charged with the NCRMD in British Columbia, it was stated that 21.0% of their cohorts had previously committed an offence while under the influence of alcohol or non-prescription drugs. Furthermore, studies have shown that the association between mental illness and violence is often reduced or eliminated when substance and alcohol abuse is actually taken into account (Silver et al, 2008). If substance and alcohol abuse were the pre-determinants of violent beha vior among mentally ill patients, does it mean that the eviction of these two factors would reduce crime? Reports state that lifetime prevalence of severe domestic violence among mentally disordered patients ranged from 30%- 60% with higher rates reported for women than men in most studies (Howard et al, 2010). Felthous et al (2009) tells us to consider patients who act violently in response to commanding hallucinations and congruent delusions; this tells us that substance abuse may not always be a pre-determinant factor. PSYCHOLOGICAL SYMPTOMS, MENTAL DISORDER AND VIOLENCE The importance of psychological symptoms in explaining the criminal and violent behavior among individuals with mental disorder and their participation is an issue of major experimental complexity. Research has been conducted on the general population, incarcerated offenders, psychiatric patients and a cohort of new born babies. Yet these researches are still subject to questioning. A body of research has taken a stance that psychological symptoms such as delusions, hallucinations, medication compliance and treatment adherence are predictors of violence among people with mental disorder (Teasdale, 2009). Teasdale (2009) took into consideration the psychological factors, recent findings consider the gender nature of coping with delusional beliefs and that women and men may respond differently to the experience of psychopathological symptomatology and this may affect their participation in violent acts (Teasdale, Silver and Monahan, 2006). However in a retrospective longitudinal study conducted on prisoners convicted on the count of mental illness, Silver et al (2008) disagreed with the above analysis stating that alcohol and drug use are particularly important control variables because of their strong association with violence and mental illness. In analyzing the role of psychological symptoms in determining violence among individuals with mental disorder, John M.W Bradford (2008) identifies comorbidity as a common factor in the association between mental disorders and violence and proposed that there is a significant possibility of reducing the levels of violence by improved risk assessment and treatment intervention. Also in a research of 282 male patients with schizophrenia and 261 male patients with affective disorders, Modestin and Wuermle (2005) found that 34% out of 282 patients with schizophrenia and 42% out of 261 patients with affective disorder had a criminal record and more than half of a total of 543 patients (52%) had co-occurring substance abuse. They concluded that individuals with schizophrenia without comorbid substance abuse were at an increased risk of violent criminality than their affective disorder counterparts who had a greater probability of committing property offenses; this suggests that there is a menial link between psychopathology, mental illness and violence. Research on the effects of specific psychotic symptoms has also yielded opaque findings, for example in examining the role command hallucinations have to play in the violent acts of mentally disordered people, studies have shown that it does not generally predict violence, but that auditory hallucinations involving command of violent acts increased the likelihood of violence (Frank Sirotich, 2008). However the need for further research is needed in this field to unwrap the role psychological symptoms have to play in crime ( Bradford, 2008). HISTORICAL, SOCIOECONOMIC AND DEMOGRAPHIC FACTORS, MENTAL DISORDER AND CRIME In considering the effect of historical factors such as parental violence, parental crime, delinquency in prior to adulthood has to play on crime, Frank Sirotich (2008) stated that a history of delinquency prior adulthood has been found to be a significant factor in relation to violence and criminality. After reviewing the samples of mentally disordered individuals, he said that among mentally disordered people, juvenile delinquency, early arrests and young age at index offense have been found to be robust predictors of criminality and violence among mentally disordered people. ÃÆ'-ncà ¼ et al (2007) conducted a study in the psychiatric unit of a general hospital in Turkey to array the effects socioeconomic and demographic factors have to play in the violence of psychotic patients. The study included 70 male psychotic patients (excluding delusional and shared psychotic disorder) that were hospitalized in a forensic psychiatry unit for compulsory treatment and was compared to 70 mal e patients (also treated at the acute clinics of the same hospital) with a psychotic disorder but without a criminal history. They found out that independent of having a job, having social security that provides treatment opportunity, using their parents security or getting pay by the government, protects the patient from committing a crime; social security that provides treatment is an independent protective factor against committing a crime among people with mental illness. In analysing the reason for recidivism rates among incarcerated mentally disordered offenders Sirotich Frank (2008) found that parental crime was found to be related to violent recidivism among mentally disordered offenders and to self-reported violence among psychiatric patients discharged from hospitals. Also a study sample carried out on 145 male and female psychiatric patients showed that out of all the 145 patients, after a follow-up was done, 31 were stable, 67 were hospitalized and only 47 were arrested, out of the arrested, 37 had a history of violence (Yates et al, 2009). In a study done by Livingston et al (2003) on individuals with mental disorder and their history violence, it was shown 63% of their cohorts were involved with the justice system prior to their NCRMD adjudication, 33.8% had 1 to 4 convictions, 13.8% had 5 to 9 convictions, and 15.4% were convicted of 10 or more offences. This shows that having a history of violence also accelerates crime among people with m ental disorder. However the need to show the relationship between historical, socioeconomic and demographic factors in relationship to mental disorder and crime is still open for further research, as research carried on it proposes an ambiguous result. CANADIAN LAW AND NOT CRIMINALLY RESPONSIBLE ON ACCOUNT OF MENTAL DISORDER (NCRMD) As reinstated in this paper, people who have mental disorder are not criminally responsible for their crimes as they are suffering from mental illness. But how does the Canadian Law address this? The Criminal Code (NCRMD) pertaining to the crimes of the mentally disordered was an amendment to the law NGRI (Not Guilty By Reason Of Insanity) reasons were because the NGRI was in violation of Sections 7 and 9 of the Canadian Charter Rights of Freedoms. Now under Section 16(1) of the Criminal Code, offenders are now considered to be not criminally responsible than not guilty (Livingston et al, 2003). In the Canadian criminal laws and practice, the issue of mental disorder can be raised prior to trial if there are doubts about the defendants fitness to stand trial or criminal responsibility. There is a 5-day limit placed by the Criminal Code on assessment orders unless the litigant and the defendant agree to a period of no more than 30 days. According to Section 16(1) of the Criminal Code 3 of Canada, (Roesch et al, 1997) Every person is presumed not to suffer from a mental disorder . . . until the contrary is proved on the balance of probabilities(Roesch et al, 1997 p.510) For the NCRMD charge to be accepted as a defence the accused has to have committed the act and at the time of commission, be suffering from a mental disorder which makes it incapable for the offender to discern right from wrong i.e. the mens rea has to be absent. (Criminal Code, Part XX.1). But there are some suggestions that this law should be amended. For example, the criminal code does not authorize treatments for people with NCRMD, such treatment may or may not be provided under provincial law (Gray and OReilly, 2009) and there may be misconceptions or wrong application of sentence if the offender does not accept treatment. In a research done by Gray and Reilly (2009) on the Canadas Beautiful mind case, Scott Jeffery Schutzman, a.k.a. Scott Starson, diagnosed with schizoaffective disorder, had a past criminal record before he was charged again with two counts of uttering death threats in 1998 and was charged with NCRMD, he refused anti-psychotic medications according to the Crimi nal Code, the judge may directà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦a medical practitioner, that a specific treatment should be administered to the accused for the purpose of making the accused fit to stand trial (Criminal Code, R.S.C. 1985, c. C-46, s. 672.58) After long years of court proceedings, Scott was not treated with drugs against his will. However he was still kept in detention because of the findings that suggested that he was not criminally responsible for making the death threats. This caused a lot of concern as to the amending of the Criminal Code concerning that field. Consider Scott who is now 52yrs old and has been detained in various institutions on the basis that he still poses a threat to normal safety. The Ontario Court of Appeal found that Scott still poses a real risk and psychological harm to members of the public by his threatening behavior which in the past included threats leading to death. It is also important to note that if he had been found guilty under the Canadian Criminal Code, his sentence would have been no more than 5yrs in prison yet because of the finding of the fact that he was charged with not criminally responsible, he has been detained in mental health institutions for more than 10yrs (McSherry, 20 08). This raises the debate, does the NCRMD support the mentally disordered offender, or is it better to be charged guilty for the actual crime? Cases like this have made researchers depict the importance of an amendment to be made concerning this law. In a follow up study carried out on persons found Not Criminally Responsible on Account of Mental Disorder in British Columbia, Livingston et al (2003) stated that during a 1yr period following the Criminal Code amendments, only 25% of persons who were found NCRMD were given immediate conditional discharge by the courts. Most researchers (Roesch et al, 1997; Livingston et al, 2003; Gary and OReilly, 2009; McSherry, 2008) are of the opinion that the Criminal Code concerning NCRMD should be amended and slight changes should be made to the law as it does not recognize the fact that most mentally ill people who commit crimes are not in the right state of mind when they participate in crime. In the analysis of the relationship between mental disorder and violence, it can be observed that the relationship is opaque. For the mentally ill offender who has just been labeled a psychotic, the abuse of alcohol and other harmful substances or hard drugs might explain why he commits crime, for another mentally ill offender who is constantly suffering from command hallucinations suggesting violent acts and stress, he might be seen as an abnormal person if he does not respond to these commands, exceptions are very rare because his reasons for his participation in crime may be binding on forces beyond his control. Countless more cases would probably spring up. Though the Canadian law addresses all these issues adequately, further research could aid proper handling of cases as they arise.

Friday, October 25, 2019

Death, Illness and Decay in William Shakespeares Hamlet Essay

Death, Illness and Decay in William Shakespeare's Hamlet William Shakespeare's "Hamlet" is full of talk about death, dead bodies, murder, suicide, disease, graves, and so forth. And there is no traditional Christian comfort or promise of eventual justice or happiness for the good people. But the message is ultimately one of hope. Hamlet is also definitely no saint, however, unlike most of the other characters in the play, he chooses not to compromise with evil. Near the end of Act I, Scene IV, as Marcellus and Horatio are deciding to secretly follow Hamlet and the ghost, Marcellus remarks â€Å"something is rotten in the state of Denmark.† Death, illness and decay are one of the central themes throughout the play. Hamlet begins with some of the guards on watch seeing an apparition of the recently deceased king, father of Hamlet, in Act I, Scene I. Soon afterwards, in Scene V, we learn that according to the ghost, King Claudius killed his own brother, and married his sister-in-law to gain the crown of Denmark. The ghost then asks Hamlet to revenge this death. From the beginning of Act II, Scene I, Hamlet sets about faking mental illness and insanity, as part of his plan for revenge against Claudius. In Act III, Scene II, there is going to be a play performed for the King, Queen, and nobles. Hamlet slightly modifies the play, altering the lines for some of the actors, in his continuing quest to find out the truth about his fathers death and seek revenge. The play begins with a story that is pantomimed. The king and the queen profess their love for one another, the king falls asleep, and a villain pours poison into the king's ear and seduces the queen. During this time, Hamlet cracks dirty jokes and the king ment... ...orms Horatio that he has altered the King's sealed document so that it asks for the deaths of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, his two friends which spied and betrayed him. Hamlet is challenged to a duel with Laertes. Hamlet suspects foul play from the onset, but expresses his willingness to take part in the fight anyway, even if it means his own death. During the match, Hamlet is mortally wounded, as is Laertes, The Queen accidentally drinks from the poisoned cup and dies, and a dying Hamlet first wounds Kings Claudius and then forces him to drink from the same lethal cup. Hamlet and Laertes forgive each other, Laertes dies, and Hamlet then names Fortinbras, the prince of Norway, as his successor to the throne after dissuading Horatio from joining him in death. The play ends with Fortinbras arriving, accepting the throne, and ordering a hero’s funeral for Hamlet.

Thursday, October 24, 2019

In Discipline and Punish, Michel Foucault analyzes the emergence of disciplinary practices

In Discipline & Punish, Michel Foucault analyzes the emergence of disciplinary practices, as they are understood in modern schools, militaries, and prisons. Foucault understands the manifestations of modern disciplines in terms of a power-knowledge relationship. In Discipline & Punish he makes a change in his method of thinking about power-knowledge relations in using a genealogical method. The basic premise of the genealogical approach is that shifts of power in society alter the way knowledge is formed in society. Foucault's specific focus in the genealogical framework will be on the interrelation of non-discursive practices (control of bodies) and discursive practices (bodies of knowledge). In focusing on bodies of knowledge and the controlling of bodies Foucault shows how the greatest difference in the Modern Age of disciplines and the Classical Age is that Modern society is engulfed in disciplinary practices. Foucault believes that there is a misunderstanding by scholars when studying the history of discipline and punishment in the West. The misunderstanding is thinking that there is a progress in the way we treat criminals, or deviants, in compared with the forms of punishment used in the Classical Age. In order to view this misunderstanding Foucault begins Discipline & Punish with a horrific example of public torture that was commonplace treatment of a criminal in the Classical Age, which immediately provokes the reader to feel that the Modern Age has accomplished definite ‘progress'. However, Foucault claims that ‘progress' from a humanist perspective in relation to Modern discipline and punishment would not be accurate but, ‘progress' in being able to perform punishment with the same intensity of the Classical Age and not get the negative reaction that people had towards the public torture is a more accurate picture. Foucault claims that Modern societies aim has been â€Å"not to punish less, but to punish better. † The best model of â€Å"punishing better† has taken place in the Modern Prison. In the Prison the Modern Age changed its aims in punishing the criminal and these aims have carried over into the many disciplines of society. Foucault defines some of those differences in Modern discipline practices that culminate in the prison, but are unlimited in their reach upon society. The first difference is the object of control is no longer focused on the mind, but is more concerned with the body. An example of this is the vast apparatus of the Modern Prison that maintains a cell for each inmate to be placed. The Modern Prison is obsessed with the location of the body, rather than the earlier disciplinary techniques in which the foremost concern was one's ideas. This modern obsession with controlling the body in the Modern Prison is also present in the military apparatus. For example, the barracks or bases are developed to locate the troops in a specific location and keep them from mixing with the outside population. The earlier days when one was called from his house to go out to battle is eradicated by making soldiers subject to a specific location. The second area of development in Modern disciplinary practices is the control of details of specific bodily movements. The control of details of specific bodily movements is most clearly exemplified in the example of the Panopticon that Foucault gives in Discipline & Punish. One of the main characteristics of the Panopticon was to be able to constantly supervise the movements of each prisoner. The goal was to supervise the prisoner, while not allowing the prisoner to see the supervisor. This resulted in the prisoner constantly being aware of each little movement he made because there was always the possibility of being watched. The spread of the form of control of detail into other disciplinary institutions is easily seen in the school when teachers become concerned with the way in which they're students write or their posture in the classroom. The schoolmaster is no longer as concerned with the fact that the student can read and write, as he is with the way in which the pupils perform their task. The third object of focus by modern disciplines that Foucault suggests is new in the Modern Age is the concern with the process of production rather than just the product itself. The goal in the third mechanism is to exercise control over the complete production of an act instead of just the result of the act. The Modern Prison exemplifies this when it keeps a record of the prisoner's movements or affect. The fact that the prisoner does not break the rules is secondary too the way he goes about not breaking the rules. The control of processes is easily seen in the Modern economy. The Modern wage laborer is prescribed a code of ethics, timetable, and a contract. All of the later are mechanisms that concern the production of the product rather than the product itself. It does not matter if one is able to produce a product if does not fit within the proscribed process. The result of the control of the body, the details of bodily movements, and the process of production is â€Å"the docile body. † In order to achieve the function of rendering â€Å"the docile body† the Modern Age has developed distinctive mechanisms. The first of the mechanism's that Foucault mentions that are put in place to achieve a â€Å"docile body† is the Hierarchal Observations. Foucault locates the model of this method in the Bentham's ‘Panopticon. ‘ The ‘Panopticon' has a tower to be located in the middle of transparent cells, which form around the tower itself. The supervisor is to be able to see any prisoner at any time without the prisoner being aware that they are being watched. Foucault claims this gives the body a specific space of ‘subjection' and makes the prisoner constantly aware of there position. The ‘Panopticon' represents a change from the Classical Age of placing prisoners in dark dungeons and makes use of the light of a constant gaze. The hospital is an example of how the mechanism of the Hierarchal Observation spreads from the prison model into other social spaces. Foucault talks about the care that went into the new architecture of the hospital that allowed for the patients to be easily viewed, it separated them from other patients, and had a separate ventilation system that was organized for each patient to avoid the spread of germs. The hospital was no longer the overseer of death, but a whole apparatus of ‘therapeutic' mechanisms. In both the Modern Prison and the hospital, the body and its movements became the target rather than the mind. The mechanism of Hierarchal Observation lays the grounding for Normalizing Judgment, which is another distinctive mechanism of the Modern Age. The mechanism of Normalizing Judgment is to be able to focus in on the errors of a given behavior in order to reform the behavior. The process of Normalizing Judgment allows for codes to be established that can be placed next to the Law and Tradition. The emergence of Normalizing Judgment could be seen in the Modern Prison when the prisoners are subjected to a rigid schedule of prayer, exercise, and education. The prisoner was to stay within the ‘norms' or be judged. The Classical Age was concerned with revenge of the victim, whereas the Modern Age is concerned specifically with the criminal as a deviant or abnormal person. Foucault recognizes the spread of Normalizing Judgment in the rise of the standardized education. Examples of standardized education would be medical schools or law schools. These schools established the general norms of health and law. Thus, if someone deviates from â€Å"the norm† they subject themselves to space where it is appropriate for one to visit the psychologist to get help and on to the many other possible reformist mechanism. The mechanism of Normalizing Judgment enables the framework for the third mechanism, the Examination, to be developed. The Examination is a type of combination of the latter two mechanisms into what Foucault calls â€Å"the normalizing gaze. † This can be seen in the prison as when the prisoner is aware of being visible and â€Å"the norms† simultaneously. It is as if one knows how they ‘should' act and that they will be constantly held accountable through observation. The school examination is a further elaboration of this technique used in the prison. The student is constantly checked to make sure they are in order with â€Å"the norm† by a written or oral examination. The function of the school examination provides the exact same function of the prison examination, but in a new social space. The mechanisms of the Hierarchal Observation, Normalizing Judgment, and Examination ensure that â€Å"the docile body† is achieved. The mechanisms of docility are present throughout the entire stratum of society. Although the Modern disciplinary practices developed in the isolated space of the prison they have spread throughout society into schools, hospitals, factories, courts, and various other spaces. These disciplinary practiced do not just locate the normal form of behavior, but also act as a positive force of knowledge. The mechanisms achieve â€Å"the docile body† that allow for the coding of the individual of any given knowledge. A clue to just how vast disciplinary practices are in the Modern Age is the disappearance of â€Å"the outlaw,† which is now taken up with â€Å"the deviant. † There is no way to get ‘out'side the law, but one remains in a deviant form that is located within the disciplinary space. There is no escaping the mechanisms of power throughout society, as mechanisms of power-knowledge will continue to flourish in many different transformations. However, by not mistaking these transformations as necessary for ‘progress' and getting the mechanism to operate in your favor, one can achieve real progress.

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Strategic Direction of Harley Davidson

The success of Harley Davidson (HD) is due to the American motorcycle icon’s effective Strategic Management. HD’s vision, mission, goals and objectives strive to exceed the requirements of its main stakeholders. Although these needs are not always met, the company has unique relationships with is stakeholders. The company stays on course with its strategic plan, despite the economy and the decline of American manufacturing and what might be considered its dwindling U. S. consumer base. Stakeholders â€Å"represent very important constituencies or groups of individuals who are part of an organization or associated with an organization.† (Module 01, 2013)HD’s main stakeholders are its employees, customers and shareholders. Each stakeholder has its own motives for being involved with the organization. Normally these motives result in common goals and objectives.MissionAn organization’s â€Å"mission is the overachieving goal of a company, the reason w hy it operates. † (Module 01, 2013). Harley Davidson’s mission statement is â€Å"We ride with our customers and apply this deep connection in every market we serve to create superior value for all of our stakeholders† (Harley Davidson, 2012. p. 2).  This mission statement places the needs of stakeholder foremost in the company’s strategic plan.VisionA company’s vision should â€Å"set up the long term direction of the company (vision), they incorporate the goals of the main stakeholders (shareholders, customers, suppliers, employees), they express the main values of the management to be embraced by employees, and they describe the main goals† (Module 01, 2013). Harley Davidson’s vision is â€Å"We fulfill dreams inspired by the many roads of the world by providing remarkable motorcycles and extraordinary customer experiences.We fuel the passion for freedom in our customers to express their own individuality† (Harley Davidson, 2012, p. 2). Harley’s vision does state a continuing corporate path; however it is on quite romanticized. A look at the company’s goals and objectives is needed to complete a picture of the organizations vision.Goals and Objectivesâ€Å"Goals and objectives divide the vision into achievable units at department levels for instance, that are further subdivided into smaller and smaller units, until they reach every employee’s desk. † (Module 01, 2013) Harley Davidson’s has identified four major goals in its Annual Statements.These goals include obtaining flexible manufacturing, creating shorter product development times; developing a premium customer experience and fulfilling dreams (Harley Davidson, 2012, p. 4). Goals should meet the SMARTER principle. That is that â€Å"Goals should be designed and worded as much as possible to be specific, measurable, acceptable to those working to achieve the goals, realistic, timely, extending the capabilities of those working to achieve the goals, and rewarding to them, as wellâ€Å" (McNamara, 2011). We will evaluate each goal to measure whether it meets this criterion and the needs of the main stakeholders.Manufacturing. One of HD’s goals is to create flexible manufacturing within its multiple facilities. In the past Harley on produced one bike per plant. If the public demand changed in that area Harley may have been left with a large supply and no demand. Harley’s objective is to enable its plants to be able to produce the right motorcycle for the needed demand in that area. The company’s tactics include incorporating the success of its York plant into all of its plant globally. In 2011, the York plant was outfitted to produce both the Tri Glide and All Touring Softail motorcycles (HARLEY Davidson, 2011, p 4).This will allow the company to move product to the correct customer at the correct time. Employees of Harley are encouraged to provide input and incorporate changes to improve products as well the production process. The goal of flexible manufacturing meets the entire criterion for the SMARTER principle. Both employees and customers benefit if this goal is realized. Product development. Harley’s goal to reduce product development times include three main facets: â€Å"1) a laser focus on the best product opportunities; 2) reduced time-to-market; and 3) increased product development capacity through efficiencies† (Harley Davidson, 2011, p.4). This goal does not meet the full criterion of the SMARTER principle. The goal is not specific. It does not quantify how much it wants to decrease the timeliness of product development. Employees benefit from this goal. The main benefit is that because HD believes in employees participating in the product development process it has created a learner centric environment. Employees stay well versed in their fields while assisting the company in developing quality products in shorter peri ods of time. This benefits the customers by providing quality products that keep up with advances in technologies and consumer desires.Retail. â€Å"The goal of this transformation at retail is quite simple: to provide a premium retail experience with every customer, every day and everywhere, while strengthening dealer profitability† (Harley Davidson, 2011, p. 5). Harley Davidson plans to work with all of its stakeholders to ensure that all of its many faces culminate in a great customer experience. This includes an in store and online experience. The SMARTER principle is also not completely met with this goal. The goal is not completely measurable. It is beneficial to all stakeholders.The strengthening of retail keeps employees employed and the improved customers can make customers feel more valued and more likely to seek out the retail experience. Dream fulfillment. â€Å"At the core, these three transformations—in manufacturing, product development and at retailâ⠂¬â€come down to one thing: we must ensure, in a world of ever-increasing customer expectations, Harley-Davidson continues to fulfill dreams through remarkable motorcycles and extraordinary customer experiences far into the future† (Harley Davidson, 2011, p. 5). All of HD’s improvements end here.The improvement require all stake holder to work together to make the customer experience unique. The improvements, if effective will add to the Harley Davidson ethos.RecommendationMy recommendation to Harley executives is to remember to stay true to the brand, but to attempt to market products to find new consumer within the US. Since HD’s inception, Harley has been associated with the freedom of America, but it may be losing it American consumer while changing to a global market. â€Å"Harley-Davidson demographics has long shown its reliance on an overwhelmingly white, male and middle-aged consumer base would ultimately  challenge sales in North America, where it st ill earns two-thirds of its revenue† (Kelleher, 2013).The goal that I propose is to include marketing to a younger group with a disposable income. I have been introduced to Harley; in fact, I learned to ride on a Buell in a Harley Drivers Edge Safety Course. I an African American female and have never been in the Harley advertising demographic. Harley does have a female rider’s program but it’s not advertised. All of the commercials that I have seen for Harley actual talk about the experience and financing.Although it is an American institution like a lot of older brands, it may lose it appeal a younger population. Increasing its consumer base can only be beneficial to its other stakeholders. It may potentially prevent manufacturing jobs from being transferred outside of the U. S. as Harley seeks consumers in other locations. Harley Davidson’s use of strategic management is in line with the needs of its main stakeholders. The company’s mission ackno wledges the need to meet the demands of all stakeholders for a more effective organization.Harley’s vision recognizes what HD brand means to the consumer. The organization’s goals and objectives seek to make the brand more effective in the current global market while satisfying the needs of its stakeholders. HD should be careful that it continues to gain new customers as it reliable customer base ages and are no longer able or willing to ride. Harley has continued to use strategic management to change the company’s fortunes over the years. As a result, the company has faltered but never truly failed.