Term Paper on Poverty

Term Paper on Poverty Prejudice, affluence, and poverty in America are linked issues. Works by four authors discussed in this essay, Takaki, Fallows, Olds, and Gioia, help us to understand how the social issues of class and race are intertwined, making an analysis of both necessary for an adequate understanding of any one individually. While the authors discussed here approach the issues from different angles, their works taken side by side clearly show us how prejudice helps the affluent shrug off responsibility toward the poor, offering ‘explanations’ as to why some groups (or persons) remain in poverty and others do not. Additionally, it is argued that those living in affluence – and thus those with the means to significantly address the poverty issue – may, in fact, have a reduced awareness of the existence and reality of poverty. As a result, not only is poverty per se not addressed (we don’t address what we don’t see), but the existing myths and prejudices that help to maintain class divisions, both in society at large and embedded in our legal and social structures, remain unchallenged. However, it is only by examining both the objective nature of the current era together with prejudice and the self-justification of the affluent that one can understand how prejudice, affluence, and poverty are intertwined. The nature of money, according to Gioia’s poem titled simply â€Å"Money†, shapes the reality of life for both the rich and the poor, according to how much they have or don’t have. Gioia’s poem reminds us of the many meanings we accord to money, how we need it and spend it, and how it functions in our economy. One of the clear messages in Gioia’s poem is that money, itself, does not discriminate. It is what it is regardless of who has it, but for those who have it, it grows and multiplies. For those who don’t have it, or don’t have enough of it, it does not. If money itself does not discriminate, how do we account for the gap between those who are affluent and those who are poor? What prevents some from getting it, while others have enough for it to grow? How we answer this question, and the logic behind our answer, is very connected to policy decisions we make concerning poverty, and how effective we are in addressing it. One of our traditional explanations for the why the poor are poor and the rich are rich, according to the American ideology, is that the poor are those who have not worked sufficiently to gain money. Likewise, those who have money, according to the same ideology, are those who have been frugal, worked hard, saved, wisely invested, and who have otherwise ‘lived right’. Takaki, in his article â€Å"Race at the End of History†, provides a summary of how this is embedded in our ideology: â€Å" The American dream still holds promise to all us as Americans. Everyone, regardless of race, can make it into the mainstream through hard work and private effort. † (p. 387). This kind of definition, and the ideology behind it, makes it possible to approach policy issues in such a way that places overwhelming responsibility on those who are poor for their own plight. As Takaki points out, our emphasis is on the fact that success is to be achieved through ‘private’ means, rather than government assistance (p. 387). Addressing poverty then becomes a question of getting those who are not working hard enough, not ‘living right’, to do so. This definition of poverty allows us to say, those who have a lion’s share of wealth deserve that wealth, and those who are in poverty, deserve that poverty. Viewed this way, there is no reason, then, to seriously listen to claims of ‘glass ceilings’ or discrimination, or to look in any other way at prejudices built into our social and legal structures that unfairly increase the odds for some, and reduce them for others. How is it that, in the face of evident continued poverty among certain ethnic or racial groups, we continue to believe in this ideology? Surely, by now enough evidence of systematic discrimination, glass ceilings, and other obstacles for specific racial and ethnic (and gender) groups has shown us that the American dream as summed up by Takaki is based at least partially on a myth. Yet many people still agree with, for example, what Takaki suggests (p. 385) Francis Fukuyama’s explanation is: that poverty is a matter of cultural difference. Parillo, in â€Å"Causes of Prejudice†, and Fallows in â€Å"The Invisible Poor† each help us to understand forces at work that help to perpetuate the myth even in the face of a contradictory reality. Parillo points to prejudice and the continuation of prejudice through the socialization process. Defining prejudice as â€Å"an attitudinal ‘system of negative beliefs, feelings, and action-orientations regarding a certain group or groups of people’† (p. 548), Parillo argues that, through the socialization process, prejudicial views consciously or unconsciously adopted during childhood can then continue into adulthood, and translate into prejudicial choices and behavior in work, social life, and life choices. Additionally, widespread and generally shared prejudicial beliefs and attitudes toward specific groups can be implicitly (or explicitly) reinforced by society at large through, for example, the legal system and cultural norms (p. 557). New generations may not be alert to these subtle reinforcers of prejudicial attitudes and practices, and therefore may not question them. The prevailing stereotypes and prejudices are thus maintained and continued as they are adopted by new generations, and as they continue to be sanctified by the surrounding legal and societal framework. If children acquire their beliefs from their parents through socialization, what prevents them from questioning those values? Surely, we are not all sheep, that unthinkingly accept everything we hear. One explanation that Parillo offers (pp. 550-551) is ‘Self-Justification’, that we need â€Å"reassurance that the things we do and the lives we live are proper, that good reasons for our actions exist. † One way in which this surfaces, he argues, is through a dominant group convincing itself that it is superior to other groups, causing them to associate less frequently or not at all with those groups it deems inferior. Fallows article â€Å"The Invisible Poor† clearly shows how this phenomenon is a reality of our current era of ‘tech wealth’, describing the invisible social barrier between rich and poor people – a barrier so great as to make the poor ‘invisible’ to the rich. Within the tech wealth era, according to Fallows, the production of wealth involves fewer ‘blue collar workers’, so that those directly benefiting from it are not confronted with the realities, struggles, and needs of those less like them. In terms of economic background, there is more similarity between the ‘workers’ producing and benefiting from the new wealth. Second, the nature of work within the tech industry isolates those within it into an insulated world. Long working hours, a minimal amount of leisure time, and social lives primarily focused around those within the same world further contributes to the lack of awareness and connectedness to the rest of the world around them. Third, he points to the ‘racial meritocracy’ of the tech industry, with workers and contributors coming from all corners of the globe. He argues that this racial mix among the tech wealthy leaves them out of touch with the more basic and traditional racial tensions among the less wealthy, and the ways in which those in minority groups not associated with the tech wealthy are still disadvantaged. While Fallows offers a great deal of support for these specific phenomena of the tech wealth era as objective phenomena, which may indeed be at work, combining an analysis of these phenomena with Parrillo’s analysis of prejudice and self-justification offers a fuller understanding of our current era. Sharon Olds, in her poem â€Å"From Seven Floors Up† shows, for example, how even if there are objective forces at work such as those discussed by Fallows, there is still an attitudinal factor at work: when those more affluent are confronted with the reality of poverty, they are looking from seven floors up, through prejudice and self-justification, will more likely (however unwittingly)do not believe it could be a reality of their lives. In sum, given that money itself does not discriminate, and given the overwhelming evidence that there are obstacles to wealth other than the personal failure to achieve the ‘American Dream’, we must look for a fuller explanation of the gap between the rich and the poor. The relationship between affluence and poverty consists not only of objective forces such as new forms of wealth production or characteristics of new economic eras, but more concretely of prejudice. The very real obstacles to wealth encountered by specific societal groups, and embedded in our social and legal structures ,are not only due to the transference of values from one generation to the next, but due to the continued need for self-justification among the affluent. The product of self-justification, prejudice, is the link between affluence and poverty that needs to be analyzed and addressed if social policies concerning poverty are to be effective.

Influences That Effect Children and Young People’s Development Essay

(A)Background. Family Dynamics Family dynamics can have a positive effect on child’s development because the child will feel settle and have a positive input into their lives and good support to help them develop and achieve what they want to achieve, this has a positive effect on their behaviour to. If family dynamics are negative then this have a negative affect on their developments such as divorce because the child may be spending time at different house and having one parent missing so they will feel unsettled and not able to concentrate on things. They may also experience missing one of their parents of relatives being in prison. Parent styles. Parents who think that education is not important have a negative input so they don’t encourage their children to get a good education here as a parent who has a good educations ants their child to get the best education and will encourage them to do more. Some parents lack the knowledge and skill to find better opportunities for their children so they don’t always get the best opportunities but parents with the knowledge and skills can give their child better opportunities to develop. Also parents with a lack of ability will not be able to help their children with their homework as well as if those parents had a good education. Children whose parents have no interested in their development will suffer because they won’t be given the support they need where as children whose parents take an interest in their development will develop more because they will be encourage to. Parents how have high expectations to achieve will push their child’s abilities more. Poverty Poverty for children means that they will have a poor quality of life so they will not always have the best diet for them to develop. It has an effect on the children’s social development because they may not be able to participate in clubs that their friends take part in such as swimming or brownies because their parents can’t afford the extra money to send them there. They may also feel singled out from their peers because their family can’t afford fashionable clothes like the latest trainers or toys that their  friends have. Poor communities have lower aspirations than those in a richer community and the child may not be given the motivation to achieve higher. Poverty can be good for development in where they stand in the family because they will do more activities as a family. Culture/religion. Culture and religion can have a negative and positive affect on a child’s development. It can have a positive affect because different cultures have a large extended family and a good support network so the child can get lots of different support and different advice not just from one person so they will develop a broader way of thinking. It different cultures children will have a wider stimulating environment such as books and art so that they gain more emotional, social and intellectual development and experiences. Culture and religion can also have negative affects to a child’s development because they may not mix with other people outside of their community or culture. They may not get the experiences of other cultures so their social confidence outside of their culture may be poor. Children from different culture may have different views to what kind of behavioural is acceptable in different situations such a poor empathy to situation that they feel in their culture isn’t such a big deal or that it is a bigger deal than other people think. (B)Health Sleep & diet Lack of sleep can affect a child intellectual development because if they are tired they may not be to concentrate as much as they should or for as long as if they had the right amount of sleep. If a child has enough sleep they can participate more in physical activities and will have the ability to concentrate longer. Poor diet can cause a child to become obsess and unhealthy because they will not get the victims they need for energy and concentration. This will also affect their physical development because we need a healthy diet in order to grow. Poor health and disability will affect a child’s social and emotional development because they may not be  able to do things that their friends can do and not feeling included. Disability can have a positive affect for other children who are friends with a disabled child because they learn empathy and to accept their disability, not just point and stare when they see a disabled person. It also helps the disabled child to feel included with their peers. It also helps the children to learn to care for each other. (C)Environment Opportunities for education and Learning. It is important that children get a lot of opportities for education and learning so they can development social and emotional skills to use through life. Children how receive poor opportunities to for an education and learning will not develop as well as child who did because they are not getting the experience and knowledge they need. If a child has good opportunities to learn them to learn then they will have better language skills to communicate with other people in lots of different social setting. They may realise that they have a talent for something such a music or sport and have aspiration to develop this into a career later in life but if they are not given this opportunity they will not have the chance to develop this skill. Play and Stimulation. It is important that a child get stimulation so they have more opportunities to learn and thrive in social setting and intellect. Interest and interaction from parents will motivate them to learn and experience different situation developing their social skills. Children learn from play and develop physical skills such a gross and fine motors skills. They learn how to talk and interactive with people. Unstimulating environment and a disinterest from parent will have negative affect because the children will not have the motivation to learn and develop their skills. Language and interaction It is important for a child’s development that children get lots of opportunity for language and interaction so that they have strong social networks and they can thrive socially. Opportunity for different language has a good impact of their intellectual development because they experience different setting and language so that can learn different words and opinions. To have a wide experience of language is good because their confidence will improve when they communicate with different people. Bad opportunities to experience different language an interaction can stop a child’s social and emotional development because they are not given the chance to hear different language. They will lack the ability to develop their imagination and views. Opportunities to be active. It is important that children have the opportunity to be active so they can develop physically. They will be healthy and be motivated to do things. If a child is not given the opportunity to be active then they won’t be able to develop their physical skills and will be unhealthy. Also by given the opportunity to be active such as playing outside they will be making friends and this will help them to develop their social and emotional skills. Describe with examples the importance or recognising and responding to concerns about children and young people’s development . Speech and language If a child or young person does not talk to anyone or even only speaks a few words compared to others, this may cause concern. This would socially affect the child or young person’s because they would find it hard to make friends, work in groups or even interact with adults. It would also affect their communicational development because they would find it hard to speak to people and also may find it hard to listen to instructions etc. Early intervention would be the best way to respond to this concern, the first step would be to have the child or young person’s hearing checked because if they have poor hearing they will find it hard to hear people so will not  want to communicate with others in case they get something wrong. Poor reading and writing. If a child or young person has difficulties with their reading and writing it may cause concern, but this may not be noticeable until the child is around the age of 6 or 7 because by this age they should have learnt how letters are formed and start to string words together. These are the main skills a child needs to help them develop in all areas. Due to poor reading and writing the child or young person will start to fall behind his peers of the same age. They may find it difficult to interact or make friends with others who are more advanced than them, in case they are bullied etc. They would struggle with their intellectual development not only with the reading and writing, but they would struggle with their memory and even their concentration. Recognition is very important because if a child falls behind with their work then all areas of their development may be affected. For example, if a child was playing on their own in the playground, for more than a few days in a row. This can affect a child’s social and intellectual development. Socially, a child wouldn’t be playing with children their own age and this can cause them to have no confidence in socialising in the future. They may be affected intellectually due to not being able to socialise and play in the playground with their peers, because of this they may not feel comfortable working with them in class. Therefore, if they are not working together in a group then they may not learn the same as everyone else, or not at the same pace. Responding to a concern like this has to be done in a professional manner, this means that you should not talk to the parent/carer or the child. You would have to make a note of exactly what was seen or heard, why it was a concern to you and the date and time must be recorded to back up your evidence. Then you need to approach the class teacher with your concern. If the teacher disregards your opinion because they are already aware of the situation, you still need to report it as it is your responsibility to discover the cause and seek help. Once it is reported, the correct person  can help the child appropriately to solve the issue correctly and get the child back on track. If a child’s problem goes without being noticed then they will be affected in many areas of development.

ch 2 medical terminology- suffixes indicating diseases or abnormal conditions Example For Students

ch 2 medical terminology- suffixes indicating diseases or abnormal conditions Term Definition Categories of Suffixes diseases or abnormal conditions surgical procedure diagnostic procedure general suffixes medical specialties or personnel converts word roots into adjectives algia pain asthenia weakness cele hernia, protrusion dynia pain cytosis abnormal cell condition ( too many) ectasis dilated, stretched out edema swelling emesis vomiting emia condition of the blood ia state, condition iasis abnormal condition ism state of, condition -itis inflammation lith stone lysis destruction lytic destruction -malacia abnormal softening -megaly enlargement, large oma tumor, mass -osis abnormal condition -pathy disease penia too few -phobia fear plegia paralysis -ptosis drooping -rrhage bursting forth -rrhagia bursting forth -rrhea discharge, flow -rrhexis rupture -sclerosis hardened condition -spasm involuntary muscle contraction -stasis stopping -stenosis narrowing -toxic poison -uria condition of the urine

Supply chain strategy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Supply chain strategy - Essay Example Supply chain management is the process undertaken by the companies so that they get their requisite raw materials in time. To have an effective supply chain management, companies are undertaking measures like Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) or MRP (as the case may be) basically to reduce cost. Supply chain strategy is much broader compared to supply chain management. It can be referred as the strategies taken by the corporations so that they are aligned with overall business strategy to attain greater efficiencies. British Army is one of the most reputed armies in the world. Their roles have been recognised through out the world with great enthusiasm. Along with the defense of the United Kingdom, the troop is also bestowed responsibilities of guarding and ensuring lives of the citizens of different parts of the world. Therefore, proper supply chain management as well as supply chain strategy of the concern is extremely crucial for the organisation for smooth functioning. Organisation – To ensure effective supply chain, proper assessment of the organisational objectives and goals are very vital. The organisation as a whole should have enough flexibility to align itself with the supply chain strategies. Process – The process followed by the organisation is important as without integrating the procedures followed with in the organisation, the corporation can not expect to attain success in supply chain strategy e.g. British Army has certain fixed processes of doing things and therefore to have successful supply chain strategy, it must be able to align it with the supply chain strategy. Technology – In modern organisational perspective, technology holds supreme importance. Therefore to have an effective supply chain strategy, the technological factors should be properly assessed and all possible assistance should be taken. People – People should be selected in such a way that it befits the supply chain

Linguistics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 2

Linguistics - Essay Example Wodak (1989) explores this opinion to reveal that language gains power in the hands of those who are powerful. According to the author it would be right to say that someone in power can even be represented by a specific language and fights about discrimination or status basically symbolize the fight for power. This study mainly purposes to explore some of the things that happen on the basis of linguistics which include politeness, gender-indexing, honorification, youth language and bilingualism more specifically amongst the Japanese community. Japan which happens to be one of the most industrialized nations on earth was ranked 105th out of 136 countries in terms of gender equality (The Bogen Project 2013). Under normal circumstances, most of us would think that a nation with the third largest economy as well as geographical power as Japan would have a positive gender index when it comes to equality. Surprisingly this is not the case amongst the Japanese. Statistics reveal that  "According to the Gender Gap Index, Japan has slid from 94th place in 2010 to 98th in 2011, to 101st in 2012† (The Bogen Project 2013). This indubitably depicts gender inequality with the affected gender being the feminine ender. Japanese women have been misrepresented both in the government as well as in the field of employment. Does this have anything to do with gendered language including politeness and honorification? Unlike most languages in the world, Japanese language has some language associated with men or boys and another section associated with women or girls.

The marketing issues and problems affecting the public services sector Essay

The marketing issues and problems affecting the public services sector in the U.K. at the current time - Essay Example The NHS was established with the intention of providing health care for all who needed it at the point of delivery because in the past, health care was not available to all who needed it. Consequently, there was a need to make sure that health care services were more coordinated in the region. There are numerous organisational changes that the NHS has undergone. First of all, it created an internal markets idea where health authorities and doctors were given funding from the government and they could use this to purchase health care from different groups like acute hospitals. However, with time, this scheme was not very effective as there was too much bureaucracy. Consequently, there was a need to bring in reforms in order to reduce inefficiencies and the current system was born; the use of primary care trusts. (Department of Health, 2006) The Health care system in the United Kingdom is operated by a national budget made by the government. This budget normally includes all the issues that will affect the effectiveness of service provision such as; capital outlays, operating expenses and medical training. Specific health care providers normally operate on set budgets made on a yearly basis. Despite all these benefits, one must not underestimate all the disadvantages that come with provision of health services under such a scheme. First of all, the total available resources will always and have always been less than the demand for health care. Consequently, there is a need to prioritise issues and allocate finances for the neediest groups. Groups such as the elderly are maintained at a pre-set fee and must therefore be denied certain medical procedures such as kidney dialysis; this procedure is only allowed for those who are fifty five years and below. There are many patients in the UK who have still not reaped the full benefits of a national health care

Anishinabe peoples and the clan system Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Anishinabe peoples and the clan system - Essay Example The institutions of social services, justice, community development, property and civil rights, customs law, educational and health services were among the institutions orderly managed by Anishinabe Clan System (Sitting, 2003). The institutions as they were well managed reflected the original values which promoted the well-being of a common man. The system offered a great law which presented both forms of social and political governance clearly. Therefore, people could not contradict in either social or political ideas. The system presented a way of dealing with social and political differences harmoniously. It was an effective system of administering both structure of governance and social order in the society. Furthermore, its spiritual importance cannot be underestimated. It was a system where spiritual policies could be applied when there is a need to reconcile conflicting parties in the society. Through application of its policies and principles, the system continued to function and support all the people and was important in fulfilling their pursuits and needs. Even though, times changed, the clan system continued being strong and became key to the strength of Ojibway people. People could identify themselves with the clan systems. It defined the people’s unity and identity, and at the same time maintained integ rity, personal identity and dignity of the people. The clan System, apart from providing leadership and governance to Ojibway people, it also gave a chance to the people to actively participate in the governance decisions and the concerns of their needs. The people through the Clan System could also actively compel the policies that could derail their rights and freedoms (James, 2007). The governance was well organized and the hierarchy was well defined. Each clan was given a place and designated a role to play in the society. The clan meets regularly depending on the

The Italian Renaissance and the Northern European Renaissance Essay

The Italian Renaissance and the Northern European Renaissance - Essay Example Commerce introduced the artistic ideas in the Northern Europe region.Both regions used the guild system, which was based on lessons on the craft. This involved painting and sculptures. According to Earls, the guild system was a regulatory system for any artistic work (34). In this regard, every artistic presentation had to be in agreement with the Guild. This is to make sure that the artwork produced was of high quality. Essentially, this meant that the rehearsals on various forms of art had to be tireless and time-consuming. After accepting the artworks, the Guild still continued to measure the artistic practices and standards. Another similarity is that both the north and Italy had unique artistic centers in their regions.   In this regard, the Italian’s center was the Republic of Florence while the center for the North was Flanders. This was a section of the Duchy of the Burgundy. The Florence City, which was the center of art for the Italian Renaissance was controlled by the Medici family. The members of Medici family were responsible for bringing wealth to Florence. According to Nici, Cosimo de’ Medici, established a library, which was full of the Greek and Roman manuscripts (Nici 47). This legend noticeably involved Italian artists and philosophers. This group helped in the changing of Florence to a cultural center. The Italian Renaissance was focused on individualism. An example of this was ‘Masaccio’s Trinity with the virgin’, which was highly recognized with the Italian Renaissance.   The other likeness of Italy and the North was their use of religion in their artistic works. Incidentally, religious scenes were always displayed to show the love of religion. The artworks of the religious scenes from the Italian Renaissance were â€Å"the last supper† and â€Å"the creation†. The northern Europe Renaissance examples are â€Å"Adam and Eve†, and the â€Å"Mystic Lamb†. Both renaissances were sharp in their artistic works.  

Taste Trends of the Coffee Industry Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Taste Trends of the Coffee Industry - Essay Example Resource based view to management asserts that the management must prioritize the effective management of both tangible and intangible assets at the firm thereby optimizing productivity. The production of agricultural products is seasonal a feature that influences the patterns of both the supply and demand of such products including coffee. Such factors present marketers with numerous operational challenges as they seek to develop competitive brands in such markets. Among the leading coffee markets in the world are Brazil, Philippines, India and Europe. The availability of the products in the market especially during particular seasons results in increased supply of the product thereby resulting in reduction of the prices of the product. Introducing a new product in such a market therefore requires effective analysis of the industry with the view of understanding the intricate feature of the industry. Marketing is a function of the management mandated with the establishing, anticipating and satisfying customer demands. Marketers of coffee brands thus face myriad challenges arising from the structure of the market. Key among the challenges is competition. As one of the oldest industries in the world, the industry attracted numerous entrepreneurs who specialize in similar functions thereby competing for the same markets in South America, Europe and parts of Asia. Competition influences the demand and supply thereby influencing the productivity of the industry as the numerous players target the same market. The players must therefore develop effective strategies in order to position their products effectively thereby safeguarding their profitability. While the size of the market has remained constant throughout, the supply changes depending on the prevailing factors thereby influencing the number of marketers who operate in the industry.

Maya Angelou Essay Example for Free

Maya Angelou Essay During this class period you need to complete the following essay. Please type it and use proper formatting. The stories are all posted on your Edline page under assignments. You do NOT need the internet for ANY OTHER REASON. When you have completed the essay you need to do the FRED book assignment below. Comparing Texts Author Study: Maya Angelou Writing a Response to Literature: Biographical Approach Maya Angelou has remarked, â€Å"I’m always inspired by men and women who rise†¦That ability to rise is nobleness of the human spirit. † Write an essay in which you analyze Angelou’s beliefs about the human spirit, as reflected in the four works you just read. Before you begin, consider what Angelou has to say about her work: â€Å"I speak to the black experience, but I am always talking about the human condition—about what we can endure, dream, fail at, and still survive.† Writing Your Essay As you plan, draft, and revise your essay, keep the following tips in mind: †¢In the introduction, or the beginning of your essay, include a specific thesis statement that presents the key point you will prove in your essay. †¢Support your ideas with evidence from the four selections. Be sure to analyze how Angelou’s tone and use of stylistic devices contribute to the expression of her themes or main ideas. †¢Make sure that every paragraph has unity and coherence. All the sentences in the paragraph should relate to one main idea and help develop that idea. †¢End your essay with a conclusion in which you summarize your main points. Include a new, but related, closing insight or reflection. Create a one-page document that shows you have understood the book with the 2 parts below: †¢Part 1: First, think of the symbols in the book. Then, find pictures using â€Å"Google images† or â€Å"Clip Art† and paste them into the document. Then give a 1-2 sentence reason for the symbol. †¢Part 2: Write a book review. Make sure you convince me you have read it thoroughly! It should be no more than 1-2 paragraphs. (If you do not finish in class, send to me via email before the end of the day! [emailprotected])

Discussing Principles of Universal Healthcare in the NHS

Discussing Principles of Universal Healthcare in the NHS The NHS was set up in 1948 in response to illness and poverty within the UK brought on by the Second World War. The vision was that the NHS would provide healthcare that is universal, comprehensive and free at the point of delivery (Klein 2004). This would suggest that the NHS would treat everyone regardless of class, origin, financial status and illness and free it would be free to all. This essay will discuss these principles with reference to current NHS policy. The inception of the NHS was influenced by the release of the Beveridge Report in 1942 (Ham, C. 2009, pp.13-14). This report suggested that there were large amounts of sickness and ill health within communities following the war and formed the notion that a service providing healthcare to the whole population without charge would reduce sickness and ill health. Beveridge (1942) also stated that as health in the UK increased the money required to fund the NHS would reduce and people would live in a healthier society with healthier workforces. However, what the Beveridge Report (1942) did not account for was the rise in life expectancy and the consequent rise in demand on NHS. As a result, instead of the expense of the NHS decreasing as suggested in the Beveridge report (1942) the opposite happened. This is identified in the Office of Health and Economics (2008) paper titled Sixty years of NHS expenditure and workforce and shows that the NHSs expenditure in its first year was  £447 m illion in contrast to the year 07/08 where its expenditure is estimated to be  £114,541 million. Dixon et al (1997) points out the fact the NHS experiences many demands in demographics, new technologies, and increasing expectations which lead to the increase in expenditure of the NHS that is not attainable even with increases in funding. This suggests that the ability to provide a comprehensive service is jeopardised in that if the NHS does not have the funding to sustain itself it questions how the NHS can keep up with expensive and continuously advancing medicine. Furthermore, with the expenditure the NHS requires to function effectively the ability to provide healthcare free at the point of delivery becomes vulnerable. Even the NHS Choices website states that not all healthcare is free as we have to pay for optical, dental, and for some people prescription charges. The argument presented is that exceptions to the principle free at the point of delivery, regardless if everything else is free, is a clear indicator that it is no longer free and therefore should not be regarded as such. However, The Institute for Innovation and Improvement attempts to provide some solutions to vast expenditure allowing the savings made to be utilised elsewhere in the health service. In their publication Prevention is better than cure suggests that prevention is more cost effective than treatment itself and points out, initiatives should aim to reach out to people to educate, advise and motive them to assist preventing them having complications later in life. An example of a prevention strategy is the smoking cessation service that can be accessed by anyone at GP surgeries and pharmacies (NHS Choices, no date). This illustrates organisations attempting to find ways to reduce later life complications and effectively reduce expenditure caused by these complications. The money saved from these interventions can be spent on more services to move towards a more comprehensive health service and also prolonging the funding required to provide these services free at the point of delivery. The Griffiths report (1983) provided Thatcher government with grounds to introduce general management and their Ring Wing ideology of internal markets and privatisation into the NHS (Ham, C. 2009, pp.32-39). The Griffiths report (1983) identified that the NHS was failing to use its resources effectively and efficiently. Therefore, the report suggested that the NHS required general managers to be appointed within the NHS structure. According to the report these managers would monitor budgets and cost effectiveness of the department, motivate staff, and to lead the department to continually look to improve the service. Furthermore, the Griffiths report (1983) pointed out the need for outsourcing to create competition. The Health Authorities outsource services with the reasoning that it would create competition and drive down the costs (Ham, C. 2009). Baggott (1997) evaluates the impact of the internal market. Baggott (1997) suggests that the purchasers of services were restricted due t o the budget in place and the providers were concerned with cutting cost. The article suggests that this resulted in a geographical difference in services provided and that some services that had been cut from the area were only provided on ability to pay privately. This goes against every founding principle of the NHS. The use of private companies within the NHS has continued with the Department of Health (2007) actually acknowledging this compromise on universalism in their publication Post code lottery of care that states that there is still unequal distribution of care dependant on the wealth of the area. However, on the positive side of things it means that the PCTs can invest in services which are needed by the local community instead of putting money into services unnecessarily. Furthermore, if the NHS services in an area does not provide a particular need of a patient but a nearby private establishment does the Labour government stated in their NHS 2000 plan that the private company could be used for that patient but paid for by the NHS (NHS plan 2000). Pollitt, C. et al (1991), produced a study regarding the effectiveness of the implementation of the Griffiths report recommendations from professionals within the NHS. The study by Pollitt, C. et al (1991) found that the general managers felt that they sometimes had to forget that there were patients in the hospital and push to drive to get long term patients back out into the community. This suggests that those patients requiring longer care are not getting a comprehensive service from the NHS in that their treatment time is not sufficient for their needs. Another drawback to the appointment of general managers was that they did not appreciate clinical matters which caused tensions and rifts to widen within the general management and clinician relationship (Pollitt, C. 1991, p.71). However, Ham,C. (2009) suggests that general managers have proved their worth in that they are necessary in order to implement, carry forward policies and push to meet targets and performance standards. W ith this in mind, it is important that health professionals beginning employment within the NHS are aware of the pressures regarding targets enforced by general managers. Health professionals will have to do their upmost to ensure that patients are getting the most out of the service before they are discharged in order to maintain a comprehensive service. The Black Report (1980) was an in-depth report into the inequalities between social classes in the UK. It clearly highlighted that people living in poverty had a higher mortality rate than the wealthier people in society. As a result, the Black Report (1980) suggested interventions to be put in place by the government in order to help these people improve their health status. The report suggested that the Government should make children and the disabled a priority and also that the Government should look to put in place preventative and educational strategies in place to assist in reducing inequalities in health. When this report was published the Thatcher Government were in power. Smith, T. (1990) states in his article that the Government rejected the proposals set out by the Black Report with their argument that the proposals were impractical and unachievable. Smith, T. (1990) also suggests that the Thatcher Government asserted their Right Wing ideologies that it is the peoples res ponsibility to look after their own health and not to expect the Government to intervene. Although this article is outdated it highlights how the Governments reaction was interpreted by the people at the time. Evidence of the Governments dismissal of the report is highlighted in Patrick Jenkins (Secretary of State for Social Services) foreword within the Black Report (1980). He clearly suggests that the proposals are unrealistic and clearly states that he will not endorse the proposals. Taking this into consideration it is clear that the Government at the time was not prepared to assist the poor in order to help them progress, improve their health, and improve their social status. As a result the inequalities between the wealthy and working class would remain. Considering these findings it is clear that the NHS and the Thatcher Government failed to provide a universal service. The issue of inequality was highlighted again in 1998 by the Acheson report following the Labour party being elected into power. This report illustrated many similarities to the Black report. The Labour government, with their intrinsic state intervention ideology, they set about tackling these inequalities rather than dismissing them (Bambra, C. et al 2005, p.190). It can be seen in the NHS plan (2000) that many of the inequality issues such as accessibility are being tackled within the NHS. Within the NHS plan (2000) there is a clear emphasis for health provisions to be moved out of the direct NHS setting such as GPs surgeries into the community to assist with accessibility. There are many health provisions in place that can be accessed at local pharmacies such as the minor ailments scheme, smoking cessation, weight loss programmes (NHS Choices, no date). NICE (2008) published a paper regarding the smoking cessation schemes in place in pharmacies. The paper suggests that pharmacies are more accessible for patients in deprived areas who possibly find accessibility difficult. Moreover, the paper suggests that pharmacies have the ability to treat a larger number of patients due to location and later opening hours. This is a clear demonstration of the Government actively putting policies in place to achieve the principle of a universal NHS by extending accessibility. As a result healthcare professionals may find themselves working in the community rather than in a hospital setting. Therefore, professionals such as physiotherapist may find themselves working in the community setting where there may not be the same equipment found in the hospital setting. Therefore, these professionals will need to adapt and find ways to achieve successful programmes without the assistance of expensive equipment. However it should also be noted that there is an underlying cost saving benefit for the Government when implementing community projects. Baqir (2011) has recently published a paper looking at the minor ailments scheme in place in the North East of England. Their results demonstrated an approximate saving of  £80,000 per annum as a result of the scheme. The study points out that the majority of this savings comes from freeing GP resources allowing GPs to focus their attention to more complex patients. It should be noted that this source may pose bias as it was funded by The School of Pharmacy, Health and Wellbeing who would obviously have a vested interest in the pharmacy sector gaining health contracts. In spite of these efforts to tackle inequalities in healthcare The Marmot Review (2010) demonstrates that these inequalities in health still exist today suggesting that the health initiatives and policies laid out by the Governments have not eradicated this issue bringing into quest ion the NHS principle of universalism. Old Labours Left Wing ideologies go against the internal market and privatisation created within the NHS by the Thatcher government (Ham, C. 2009, p.51). However, New Labour recognised that the integration of private companies within the NHS had some advantage (Ham, C. 2009, p.51). It is clear in the NHS plan (2000) that New Labour has moved further right from their left wing ideology and continues to allow the private sectors to have input into the NHS for the benefit of the NHS and the people using it. The plan suggests that the private sectors should work with the NHS and that the NHS should also be able to utilise its own expertise to provide the best possible healthcare to patients. In order for the NHS to become universal and free at the point of delivery the Government decided that if the NHS could not provide a particular service but a private hospital could the NHS would pay for the patient to be treated within the private hospital (NHS plan, 2000). This allows patients to r eceive their comprehensive treatment which they may not have been able to access previously without having to pay the private treatment costs. This clearly demonstrates the government working towards a comprehensive, universal, and free service which the NHS was founded upon. Nuffield Hospitals are an example of this in working practice. The website for Nuffield Hospitals state that NHS patients can be treated in these private hospitals paid for by the NHS. This is important for healthcare professionals working within private practices in that they should be aware that it is not always private paying clients that are treated in these hospitals. Furthermore, healthcare professionals in this environment must ensure they do not discriminate in these circumstances giving priority to paying clients. There are treatments being developed that the NHS is unwilling to provide patients as they are not cost effective. Under NICE guidelines, some drugs are just not cost effective enough to warrant funding on the NHS. NHS Choices (no date) clearly states that the NHS does not have unlimited money to spend on treatments and therefore they must decide which treatments are of benefit with regards to their cost and effectiveness and they depend on NICE to provide the evidence to base these decisions. This example highlights the criticism that the NHS is no longer comprehensive. However, with technology and research constantly moving forward and the formation of new but very expensive interventions it would be almost impossible to provide a comprehensive service that is equally distributed to all in need. The above example highlights the conflict between morals, in that the NHS attempts to provide for all eventualities however their funding restricts them in achieving this (NHS Choices, no d ate). The Foundation Trusts are a symbol of the Governments intentions to decentralise the health service as they are not regulated by the central government (Department of Health, 2005). The notion that these Trusts are free to do as they please with the tax payers money is worrying. However, this is not entirely true. They are monitored and inspected by the board of governors (Department of Health, 2005). The Foundation trusts aim is to provide healthcare to meet the populations needs whilst meeting the founding principles of the NHS (Department of Health, 2005). However, when analysing A Short Guide to NHS Foundation Trusts publication made by the Department of Health in 2005 there is no mention of two of the principles. The fact that the Foundation Trusts, who directly affect what services are available to the people of their area, do not consider two of the founding principles of comprehensiveness and universalism is highly significant in highlighting that these two principles are no longer at the forefront of the NHS services. In summary the NHS is no longer universal, comprehensive or free at the point of delivery. It is not universal due to the fact that different areas pick their own differing services so there is no consistency in what the NHS provides. It is not comprehensive because it fails to offer all treatments available due to lack of funding. It is not free at the point of delivery due to the charges placed upon dental, optical and prescriptions. This essay has pointed out that the NHS and Government does strive to achieve the NHSs founding principles however as a result of the expenditure rising year on year within the NHS it would appear that all three principles cannot be achieved collectively. As pointed out by the NHS choices website there is not enough funding to be able to provide every single treatment to everyone in need of it whilst it is still free of charge. Future recommendations would be that if the Government is unable to provide a treatment to all in need of it, it should not be licensed for supply either on prescription or privately. This compromises the comprehensive principle of the NHS but at least it is equal and fair to all regardless of social status. Furthermore, in order for the companies providing expensive treatment to keep business it would have to strive to lower the price of their services. As a result, this recommendation may have a positive effect on the comprehensiveness of the NHS. The main issue highlighted in findings of this essay is that all three founding principles cannot be achieved collectively. However, what is apparent throughout the evidence presented is that organisations are still striving to achieve the founding principles within the NHS. This would therefore suggest that the principles are still present in the making of current policy, however, they have not been fully achieved.

to be or not to be paraphrase :: essays research papers

excellent paraphrase! I enjoyed it very much 2) The question is to live or not to live. Is it more noble to suffer the outrageous misfortunes or to oppose those misfortunes and end my life. I wish very much to die and no longer suffer the heartaches and natural shocks that exist. When we are dead it is possible that we can no longer dream, but when we sleep we can dream. There is no reason to suffer through life for so long. Who would want to suffer all the things that are bad in life, and there is so much; unrequited love, the lack of efficient law, poor leadership. The patient man can not handle all of this and instead wants to take matters into his own hand even with a simple dagger. This would relieve the stresses that are suffered. But we do not know what awaits us in the after-life and this is what is so frightening. No one has ever returned from death and this is why it is so frightening. When we die we go someplace that we are not familiar with and join people whom we are not familiar with. This is why we are all afraid of death, and so the person who thinks about this situation does not know what to do. We are afraid of the action that we take causing death. But wait, What about Ophelia, the spirit. May my sins be remembered forever. 2) Before Hamlet begins his soliloquy the King is speaking with Polonius, the Queen, Ophelia, and Rosencrantz and Guildenstern. The King is trying to discover what exactly is wrong with Hamlet because he has been acting very strangely with everybody. The King and Queen are hoping that Ophelia and his two friends will be able to find out what is troubling him. The soliloquy itself is a summation of all of Hamlet’s emotions throughout the play. Hamlet knows that his father was murdered by his uncle and he wants revenge, but he doesn’t know how to go about this revenge and that maybe it would be better just to die. He is terribly afflicted and torn between his emotions and his thoughts. He is also fearful, as he says death is unfamiliar to everyone and is that what he really wants.

Chicagos Negro :: Free Essays Online

Chicago's Negro When studying urban living spaces, one question that always comes to mind is how a particular urban space or neighborhood came into existence. I have grown up on the South Side of Chicago for the past 19 years in a community known as Pill Hill. My neighborhood, a middle-class Chicago neighborhood, came to gain its name because of all the doctors and health-care professionals who resided in the neighborhood in the 1960’s. In addition, I have also had the opportunity to live outside of the city in a northern suburb known as Highland Park: Along the lakefront of Chicago are some of the most affluent communities in the United States. In both median household income and per capita income, Northbrook, Highland Park, and Wilmette and among the nation’s ten wealthiest communities with a population of about 25,000 or more. There are other salient characteristics of these three communities: they are virtually all white and they have virtually no subsidized housing. (Squires 117) The rigors and din of the city are all but removed from life in Highland Park. Nevertheless, Highland Park, IL has faced its own share of trouble in the past decade for the discrimination that the corrupt local government has plagued minorities with. The living conditions in Highland Park are drastically different from those of the South Side of Chicago in that the average property value of a home in the year 2000 was $662,755 while the average home in Pill Hill sold for $180,323. (Citizens United for Justice) Nevertheless, Highland Park is just a single example of Chicago’s many affluent northern suburbs that developed in the 1850’s. Growing up in the city my entire life and having lived in different socio-economic conditions, I have grown immune to the extraordinary degree of racial segregation present in Chicago. As an African American, I have always felt comfortable living on the South Side of Chicago and not until I had the opportunity to live in both Highland Park and a neighboring suburb, Lake Forest, did I truly know what it felt like to be a minority. Nevertheless, this was not always the case for most blacks. From the early 1900’s, blacks resided on the South Side of Chicago, not by choice, but because of strict discriminatory housing laws that forbade the sale of homes in certain areas to blacks.

Compare and contrast the three portrayals of London in Blake’s :: English Literature

Compare and contrast the three portrayals of London in Blake’s London, Wordsworth’s Composed Upon Westminster Bridge and Johnson’s Inglan Is A Bitch. ============================================================== In â€Å"London†, Blake creates the image that London is a very grim place. He describes it, as having mapped out streets, even the river Thames is not flowing along its natural route, the whole place is unnatural, and false. All Blake can see is misery everywhere. This is made very clear by the repetition of the word â€Å"every†: â€Å"In every cry of every man, In every infant’s cry of fear, In every voice, in every ban, The mind-forg’d manacles I hear.† He uses repetition to get the message across that he sees real misery everywhere he looks, and in everything he hears. It gets the message into your mind. Also, â€Å"in every ban† is a public declaration, saying that everything about the place is made so that people are miserable. Blake goes on to say how London is a very dirty place; â€Å"black’ning church appals† creates the image of dirt being everywhere, even on churches, which are normally seen as places that are not left to get dirty. Clearly, Blake does not like London, and uses imagery to show this. With use of repetition, vivid images of the dirty, and miserable place he sees are created. Wordsworth however, has a very different approach to London. He sees it as the finest place on Earth, and that never before has he seen a place that really is so beautiful as London. He says that if you don’t see London as being like this, then you have no soul, no feelings. There is a very positive approach to the poem. â€Å"The beauty of the morning† and â€Å"majesty† used to build a picture of what he sees. â€Å"Like a garment† is a simile used to make it sound alive. Here you see a complete contrast to the way Blake sees London. Blake's misery and dullness, now seen as happiness and beauty. Wordsworth describes the Thames as being very natural, as flowing at its own will. Blake describes it as chartered, and unnatural. A complete contrast. In Wordsworth’s poem, there is no dirt, just clean â€Å"smokeless† air. The buildings are alive in Wordsworth’s poem, but not in Blake's. It is as if the two poets, are writing about a completely different place, even though they are writing about the same place at around the same time, the 19th century. However, and important factor we can take into account, is the time of day that the poems are describing. Wordsworth’s poem is written early in the morning, just as the sun is rising.

Mahatma Gandhi

One of the greatest men in the history of India is unarguably Mahatma Gandhi . He sacrificed his own life for the sake of his country. The respect that he earned for himself despite leading a simple lifestyle is much appreciable. Mahatma Gandhi played a vital role in the freedom struggle of India. His non violent ways and peaceful methods were the foundation for gaining independence from the British. Mahatma Gandhi was born on 2nd October at Porbandar located in Gujarat His full name was Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi He went off to South Africa after marriage and worked as barrister there for twenty years. Once while he was traveling in a train, he was thrown out of the first class compartment despite having a ticket. This made him swear that he would do his best to erase apartheid from the face of his world. He went back to India only to find that his own country was being ruled by the British and his fellow citizens were being treated harshly by British. Non Co-operation Movement One of the first series of non violent protests nationwide was the non cooperation movement started by Mahatma Gandh. In this freedom struggle, the non cooperation movement was basically aimed at making the Indians aware of the fact that the British government can be opposed and if done actively, it will keep a check on them. Thus, educational institutions were boycotted, foreign goods were boycotted, and people let go off their nominated seats in government institutions. Though the movement failed, Indians awakened to the concept of going against the British. Civil Disobedience Movement Gandhi again took off with another non violent movement known as the civil disobedience movement. This movement was more active than the non cooperation movement and brought about a revolution of sorts. This movement aimed at bringing the British administration to a stop by withdrawing support from everything. There was agitation against land revenue, abolition of salt tax, cutting down military expenditure, levying duty on foreign cloth, etc. A very important movement was that of Salt Satyagraha where Gandhi undertook the Dandi march as a protest against the Salt tax.

Professional Values and Awareness Essay

In this assignment I will identify issues that affect the care provided in a home for adults with learning disabilities. Using the â€Å"case study† format I will focus on the interpersonal relationships and identify the underlying factors that influence them, then provide explanations for these by applying established theories. Churton (2000:214) describes a case study as â€Å"a detailed investigation of a single research area†¦Ã¢â‚¬ . The case study will form a unique representation of the individuals involved at the time they were observed. As a single study the outcomes may not be representative of all care homes, but it is reasonable to assume many issues may be similar. As a student I was able to observe both staff and clients in their normal routines. I was accepted as a member of the care team and took part in daily activities. This form of research is described in Giddens (1997:542) as â€Å"Participant observation†. Becker describe the role of the researcher as â€Å"someone who watches the people he is studying to see what situations they ordinarily meet and how they behave in them† (cited in Marsh I. 1996:124), however the by taking on a role within the group that justifies their presence the researcher acts as more than a passive observer and becomes a participant. As a stranger to the group my presence will have affected the behaviour of the clients and studies have shown that the presence of students affects the way that qualified staff work (Reed J & Procter S. 1993:31). My own preconceived ideas of Learning disabilities and the staff and clients previous experience of students will all have contributed to the behaviour I witnessed. On my first day at the placement I was introduced to my mentor (the deputy manager). We discussed the homes basic philosophy and the clients’ disabilities. I was introduced to the nine clients, and the staff approximately 15. During this first meeting my mentor made me feel welcome and allayed some of my fears about the placement. Unfortunately other than two brief conversations this was the only time I worked with her over the six-week placement. The staff are mostly female with only four male staff. They were of all ages and came from a mix of races and religions, some single and others married with children. All of the staff are support workers and most have NVQ level 3 or are currently studying towards it. I found all the staff very friendly and felt welcome, but I also felt a like a ‘spare part’, as the clients were encouraged to do things for themselves, very little intervention was necessary. Record keeping, giving medication and supervising the clients at the many activities they attended were the main tasks. The days soon became very predictable with set activities and â€Å"opportunities† to be achieved. The slowness of the day meant that staff talked a lot, discussing personal matters as well as how they felt about the clients and their jobs. Conversation included issues around the low regard support workers had from the general public and other health care professionals, the quantity of paper work to be completed daily and the emphasis placed on it, little support and understanding from the management, and having to attend college in there own time. My personal performance was influenced most by the lack of a mentor. Without a mentor to shadow I would try to â€Å"latch onto† a member of staff only to find that we were on different activities or were at the end of their shift. My shifts and my mentors were not together, when I asked the manager if I could swap my weekend to the same as my mentors, she told me that there was no need for me to work with my mentor at all. I was left feeling very isolated. The need for student and mentor to work together â€Å"as much as possible† to build successful relationship is highlighted in Baillià ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½re’s Study Skills for Nurses (Maslin-Prothero1997:32). Good mentoring is a two-way process requiring willingness from both mentor and mentee to build a collaborative relationship (Ellis et al 1995:121, Ajiboye P. 2000:11). Formal mentoring is relatively new to nursing (Maslin-Prothero 1997:51), and is closely related to Project 2000 (Salvage J.1999:14). The ENB define mentors as â€Å"an appropriately qualified and experienced first-level nurse/midwife/health visitor who by example guides assists and supports the student in learning new skills, adopting new behaviour and acquiring new attitudes† (as cited in Quinn F. 1995:188). Mentorship has existed for centuries with references dating back to Greek mythology (Ellis R. et al 1995:109), and it is widely used for career development in business, where mentors are â€Å"role models, talent developers and door openers†(Tyson S. & Jackson T. 1992:121). There are several theories on how mentoring works, most emphasise the mentor as a facilitator allowing the student to experiment while ensuring the safety of the patient/clients, and providing a â€Å"developmental bridge between theory and practice† (Ellis R. et al 1995:109). Communication and interpersonal skills are the foundations on which a successful relationship is built and are therefore essential skills in a mentor (Ellis R. et al 1995:121). However the mentor themselves may be the most important factor. A mentor is a role model good or bad. Hopefully the student will witness a high standard of practice and set their own standards similarly. But when the standard is low it depends on the students’ knowledge of the theory as to whether they choose to imitate the mentor or apply their own higher standard. Bandura (cited in Ellis R. et al 1995:116) describes this process as Social Learning Theory, a three-stage process. Stage 1 Observational Learning: Imitating a good role model Stage 2 Inhibitory/Disinhibitory Effects: bad practice rejected or imitated Stage 3 Eliciting Effect: good practices learned and core knowledge improved. The break down of the mentor mentee relationship on my placement may have been for variety of reasons, poor communication, unrealistic expectations or time constraints. Supernumerary students have time to observe and reflect, but mentors may have an already busy schedule and supervising students can become just another pressure (Reed J. & Procter S. 1993:36). Students in this environment may find themselves being used as â€Å"another pair of hands† (Ajiboye P. 2000:11). Many texts cite good leadership of the manager as vital to forming an atmosphere conducive to learning (Quinn F. 1995:182). A good manager will find time to inspire staff to enthusiastically provide high quality care (Grohar-Murray 1997:125). In the philosophy of care/service values of the placement it states that â€Å"we have a well trained staff who have achieved a NVQ in care or are working towards it† (not referenced to protect confidentiality). However the staff studying the NVQ had to attend college in there own time. This caused resentment towards the management as the staff felt that the qualification was for the company’s benefit, but at their expense. Tappen (1995:69) recognises that by allocating staff time to attend lectures or college days without them incurring financial penalties the outlook is changed from just gaining a ‘paper qualification’ to ‘an opportunity’ to develop skills and increase personal knowledge. Encouraging staff to develop new skills is a great motivator. Motivation has been described as â€Å"the oil that keeps the machinery turning† (Dell T. 1988:59) and is a key element in many leader/management theories. Many motivation theories are based around the concept of fulfilling needs. Maslow (1968 cited in Hogston R. & Simpson P. 1999:295/303) devised a hierarchy with seven levels, the first level are basic physical needs such as food and water progressing up to more psychological needs of self fulfilment. Individuals climb the pyramid a step at a time motivated by fulfilment at the previous level (see appendix 1). Kafka (1986 cited in Tappen 1995:304) offers five basic factors for motivation, Economic security, Control, Recognition, Personal self-worth and Belonging. But unlike Maslow the five may be placed in any order, as one person may be motivated more by the need to belong than the need for money (see appendix 2). Self-esteem/worth and belonging are needs common to both Maslow and Kafka. If managers boost self-esteem by acknowledging good practice and recognising achievements they enhance the feeling of belonging. Without feedback staff often feel overlooked and isolated. To be constructive feedback should contain both positive and negative elements and be based on observed behaviour, given objectively it can highlight areas that need strengthening and increase motivation. Kron (1981 cited in Tappen R. 1995:420) described this â€Å"positive feed back† as a â€Å"psychological paycheque†. The need to belong affects students, when they are included in procedures, and given opportunities to express opinions and don’t feel â€Å"in the way† they become part of the team. Being accepted boosts self-esteem and motivates learning (Oliver R & Endersby C. 1994:94) Dell statement that â€Å"people work harder for recognition than for money†(Dell T. 1988:59) is supported by a study of the affect of incentives such as pay increases and shorter hours. When each incentive was implemented productivity was found to increase. When the incentives were removed and working conditions returned to normal it was expected that the productivity would fall. In fact productivity rose â€Å"to the highest levels ever†. Mayo’s conclusion was that being in the study had caused the group to bond (belong) and that the interest (recognition) showed by researchers had encouraged the workers to achieve the level they believed the researchers expected of them (Mayo E. 1933 cited in Barratt M. & Mottershead A. 1999:74). If the security of â€Å"belonging† is absent self-esteem deteriorates which can lead to an â€Å"increase in complaints and fatigue†¦and absenteeism is likely to rise†(Barratt M.& Mottershead A. 1999:73). Lack of appreciation and support are two of the ten factors cited by Tappen (1995:455) that contribute to ‘burnout’. As the â€Å"most caring and most highly committed are often the ones most prone to burnout† (Eisenstat & Felner cited in Crawford J. 1990:48) it’s frequently linked to health care. Burnout is defined as, (Kozier B et al 2000:1387). † an overwhelming feeling that can lead to physical and emotional depletion, a negative attitude and self concept, and feelings of helplessness and hopelessness† There are many methods to prevent burnout. One of these I observed, and have been guilty of my self, is the ability to suddenly become deaf. For example one client would continually ask for a ‘cup of tea’, to which staff would respond ‘you’ve just had one’ and the client would reply ‘I’ve just had one’ and walk away. But if the frequency of requests increased or they interrupted another activity staff would often pretend not to hear, they would ovoid eye contact and turn away. By ignoring the client it extended the periods between acknowledged requests. For the same reason this client was always last to receive his cup of tea when it was being made for the group. This coping mechanism ‘denial’ is one of many established ways to deal with stress (Kenworthy N. 1996:91). In denial you reject the thing that is unacceptable choosing to believe it isn’t there. Denial is very similar to ‘repression’ where although aware of the feelings you block them out, Tappen suggest that this can leave the caregiver with a â€Å"vague sense of unease† towards the client. Having denied hearing the request staff would then repress their guilt, leaving them with an uneasy feeling towards the client. This practice while not acceptable, had no long-term affects on the client as he would simply ask again a few minutes later, however if all requests where dealt with in the same way it could become harmful to the client (Tappen R. 1995:11). Another behaviour I witnessed was the reliance on PRN medication; a different client was very vocal following staff around the home asking questions about her forthcoming blood test. After a couple of failed attempts to reassure her it was decided she needed PRN to clam her down. The staff had coped by rationalising the situation. Rationalisation uses one explanation to cover up a less acceptable one i.e. their reason for giving the medication was to calm the client down. But the real reason was it would stop her bothering them with questions. (Tappen R.1995:11). Often in learning disabilities carers see a client’s failure to behave in an acceptable way or achieve targets as a personal failure (Brown H. Smith H. 1992:95). These failures or ‘client losses’ are another factor that contributes to burnout (Tappen R.1995:455). Other factors often experience by learning disabilities cares also contribute to burnout such as ‘low pay’, ‘discrimination’ and ‘inadequate advancement opportunities’. Learning disabilities are often referred to as â€Å"the Cinderella of the Cinderella services†(Parish C. 2001:13), and as such tend to attract the least skilled workers, who are given a low status even in relationship to carers in other fields (Brown H. & Smith H. 1992:93). Care is traditionally seen as â€Å"women’s work† and therefore â€Å"unskilled and unworthy† (Brown H. & Smith H. 1992:162/166). This is reflected in the fact that care staff are predominately women working part time, earning low levels of pay and having few opportunities to advance their careers (Hudson B. 2000: 88). Care work is rarely undertaken solely for financial gain; often the motives are more altruistic (Dagnan D. 1994:127). A study into staff satisfaction found that â₠¬Å"in spite of low pay† care staff â€Å"found rewards in the close nature of the caring relationship† (Hudson B. 2000:89). Recent government white papers ‘NHS and Community Care Act’ and ‘Valuing People’ aim to enhance the status of learning disabilities by reorganising the way that the service is provided (Beacock C. 2001:23), and â€Å"give those working in social care a new status which fits the work they do† (Hudson B. 2000:99). These proposals may ultimately improve the status of the service, but in the short term the changes are creating more paperwork, require new skills, and are leading to greater job insecurity. These factors are adding to an already stressful job (Hudson B. 2000:96). Studies found that the main causes of stress for care workers were â€Å"the inability to provide service users with what they needed, accountability or responsibility without power, frustration at office politics and uncertainty about the future† (Hudson B. 2000:90). ‘Powerlessness’ and ‘unresponsiveness to client needs’ added to ‘too much paper work’ are more factors that can contribute to burnout (Tappen R. 1995:456). Care staff are under a great deal of pressure, in their daily work they face all of the ten factors that contribute to burnout. This must ultimately have an affect on the way care is provided. I have no doubt that the staff at my placement are genuinely caring people who do their best to provide a high standard of care for their clients. However sometimes the quality of care I witnessed reflected the pressures they were facing. Only when the attitudes towards care work improve will its status be increased. This would in turn see a rise in pay and a decrease in the stress felt by carers, which would have the end result of improving the care received by clients. References Ajiboye P. (2000) Learning partners. No Limits. Autumn 2000 pp.11 Barratt M. Mottershead A. (1999) Understanding Industry. 5th Edition. London, Hodder & Stoughton. Beacock C. (2001) Come in from the cold. Nursing Standard. Vol.15 no.28 pp.23 Brown H. Smith H. {Editors} (1992) Normalisation: a reader for the nineties. London, Routledge. Churton M. (2000) Theory and Method. London, Macmillan Press Ltd Crawford J. (1990) Maintaining Staff Morale: the value of a staff training and support network. Mental Handicap. Vol. 18 June pp.48-52 Dagnan D. (1994) The Stresses and Rewards of Being a Carer in a Family Placement Scheme for People with Learning Disabilities. British Journal of Learning Disabilities. Vol.22 1994 pp.127-129 Dell T. (1998) How to Motivate People: a guide for managers. California, Crisp Publications Inc. Ellis R. Gates R. {Editors} (1995) Interpersonal Communication in Nursing: Theory and Practice. Kenworthy N. London, Churchill Livingstone. Grohar-Murray M, DiCroce H. (1997) Leadership and Management in Nursing. 2nd Edition. Connecticut, Appelton and Lange. Giddens A. (1997) Sociology. 3rd edition. Cambridge, Polity Press. Hudson B. Editor (2000) The Changing Role of Social Care. London, Jessica Kingsley Publishers Ltd. Hogston R, Simpson P. {Editors} (1999) Foundations of Nursing Practice. London, Macmillan Press Ltd. Kenworthy N, Snowley G. (1996) Common Foundation Studies in Nursing. 2nd Edition. Gilling C. Singapore, Churchill Livingstone. Kozier B. Erb G. Berman A. (2000) Fundamentals of Nursing: concepts, process, and practice. Burke K. 6th Edition. New Jersey. Prentice-Hall Inc. Marsh I. (1996) Making sense of society: an introduction to sociology. London, Longman. Masllin-Prothero S. (1997) Baillià ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½re’s Study Skills for Nurses. London, Hardcourt Brace and Company Ltd. Oliver R. Endersby C. (1994) Teaching and Assessing Nurses: a handbook for preceptors. London, Baillià ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½re and Tindall. Parish C. (2001) Take the reins. Nursing Standard.Vol.15 no.29 pp.12-13 Quinn F. (1995) The Principles and Practice of Nurse Education.3rd Edition. Cheltenham, Stanley Thornes (Pulishers) Ltd. Reed J. Procter S. (1993) Nurse Education – A reflective approach. London, Edward Arnold. Salvage J. {Editor} (1999) Nursing Times Student Pack. London, Nursing Times. Tappen R. (1995) Nursing Leadership and Management: concepts and practice. 3rd Edition. Philadelphia, F. A. Davis Company. Tyson S. Jackson T. (1992) The Essence of Organizational Behaviour. Hemel Hempstead, Prentice Hall International (UK) Ltd. Bibliography Bartlett C. Bunning K. (1997) The Importance of Communication Partnerships: A study to investigate the communicative exchanges between staff and adults with learning disabilities. British Journal of Learning Disabilities. Vol.25 (1997) pp.148-154 Brigham L. Atkinson D, (2000) Crossing Boundaries, Change and Continuity in the History of Jackson M, Rolph S, Walmsley J. Learning Disability. Plymouth, BILD Publications. Booth T. Simons K. (1990) Outward bound: Relocation and community care for people with Booth W. learning difficulties. Buckingham, Open University Press. Clegg A. (2000) Leadership: improving the quality of patient care. Nursing Standard.Vol.14 no.30 pp.43-45 Clissett P. (2001) The Effectiveness of NVQ Training. Nursing Management. Vol. 8 no. 1 pp.11-13. Clutterbuck D. (1991) Everyone needs a Mentor: fostering talent at work. 2nd Edition. London, Institute of Personnel Management. Dinsdale P. (2001) Community spirit. Nursing Standard. Vol.15 no.39 pp.14 Gray J. (2001) Inside out: Analysis of the difficulties surrounding participant observation. Nursing Standard.Vol.15 no.31 pp.51 Hattersley J, Hosking G, (1987) People with Mental Handicap: Perspectives on intellectual Morrow D, Myers M. disability. London, Faber and Faber Ltd. Hill M. {Editor} (2000) Local Authority Social Services: an introduction. Oxford, Blackwell Publishers Ltd. Kroese S. Fleming I. (1992) Staff’s Attitudes and Working Conditions in Community-Based Group Homes of People with Mental Handicaps. Mental Handicap Research. Vol. 5, no.1 pp 82-91. Moore S. (1987) Sociology Alive Cheltenham, Stanley Thornes (Publishers) Ltd. Oliver M. Barnes C. (1998) Disabled People and Social Policy: from Exclusion to Inclusion. London, Longman. Quinn E. (2001) Stressed out? RCN Magazine. Spring 2001 pp.14-15 Sarantakos S. (1998) Social Research. 2nd Edition. London, MacMillan. Wilson J. (1994) The Care Trade: a picture of health. Lancaster, Quay Pulishing Ltd.

European Integration of Ukraine Is the Main Task

European Integration of Ukraine is the main task, which unites government and opposition In connection with the new political season, which began not only in the Ukrainian Parliament, but also in the European Parliament, delegation of MPs of Ukraine from the Party of Regions arrived on an official visit to Strasbourg.Delegation members are Chairman of the Party of Regions parliamentary faction Olexander Yefremov, Deputy Chairman of the Party of Regions for International Affairs Leonid Kozhara, First Deputy Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Freedom of Speech and Information Olena Bondarenko, member of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Finance, Banking, Tax and Customs Policy Vitaliy Kaliuzhny.Today, September 13, in the European Parliament took place a public meeting on â€Å"The Future of EU-Ukraine Relations and Ukraine’s Internal Political Situation†, where the Chairman of the Party of Regions parliamentary faction Olexander Yefremov informed about the current situation in Ukraine. Particular attention Olexander Yefremov paid to reforms, which are being carried out by authorities. â€Å"Over the past year and a half great changes took place in Ukraine. Unfortunately, in Europe, few people know what is actually happening in the country.The country's leaders held a number of reforms – this is pension and judicial reforms, adoption of anti-corruption legislation and the new Tax Code,† the politician said. â€Å"Now we are preparing such global documents as a bill on the land market, new Criminal Procedure, Housing and Communal and Labour Codes. In Ukraine these laws have a long history, they are not modernized. And, unfortunately, over the 20 years of existence of Ukraine as an independent state, no one worked on them. It is our task.Therefore we have a lot of work to do. And as you can see, we are working very hard,† said Olexander Yefremov. MEPs stressed the importance of the visit of Ukrainian parliamentarians becaus e now it is a key moment in relations between the EU and Ukraine, and Europe needs first-hand information. Olexander Yefremov reminded that in 2009 Party of Regions started with very bad starting positions. â€Å"When we conducted an audit of the national economy, it was found that in 2009 we began with minus 15% of GDP.It was a disastrous number. And we had to find quickly the tools for economic growth, to overcome the economic crisis. However, our operational work and the actions that we undertook, gave a good positive result. 2011 we are to finish with 5% increase of our economy,† he stressed. Representatives of the European Parliament agreed to this. They noted how significantly increased the intensity of work of Ukrainian Parliament and adopted documents. According to Olexander Yefremov, today the government command faces many challenges.And one of the most important is the European integration of the country. â€Å"And at the moment it is one of the uniting issues for opposition and authorities. There is no dissent and no opponents here. Everyone understands that we need to work on this common goal,† said Olexander Yefremov. Answering the question, what Ukraine will choose: Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area with Europe or the Customs Union, Olexander Yefremov said that our first priority is the EU, but at the same time we want to maintain good relations with Russia, if that's possible from its side. In turn, we declare that we want to be a part of civilized Europe,† said the politician. The head of the Party of Regions parliamentary faction got stronger conviction that there is practically no opponent of integration between Ukraine and EU, everybody is trying to help, to give an advice; no one wants to see Ukraine worse or poorer, or further from the EU; everybody is trying to support it. MEPs, in turn, said that Europe would like to see Ukraine developing further and happy people living in Ukraine.The MPs acknowledged that Europ e knows very little about what is actually happening inside the country. In addition, Olexander Yefremov said that judging by the questions he was asked about Tymoshenko case, there is a significant lack of information about the topic. That is, people know about it, but nobody goes into details, and, as a rule, the very essence is hidden in details. He reminded the gist of the charges against ex-Prime Minister of Ukraine. â€Å"In January 2009 Tymoshenko was in talks with Russia on gas supplies.Under the Law â€Å"On International Treaties of Ukraine† the authority to negotiate and to sign international treaties is granted by the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine as a collective body. The Prime Minister can not alone authorize someone to negotiate on behalf of the Government. When negotiations with Russia began, most of the ministers at the Cabinet of Ministers session refused to support Tymoshenko's personal position, as evidenced by minutes of meeting. Despite of this, she p rovided the Ukrainian negotiators a document entitled Directives of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine†, which contained the signature of Tymoshenko and official government seal. Thus, the ex-Prime Minister is charged with single-handed decision and document forgery,† said Olexander Yefremov. In addition, the MP informed about extremely unfavorable conditions for Ukraine, which are in the contract. This, above all, is the highest price, unreasonable amount of compulsory gas purchase (Ukraine consumes 40 billion cubic meters and must buy 52 billion cubic meters), and extremely inadequate penalties.If the country does not buy stated in the contract amount of gas, then there is the penalty 150% in summer, and in winter – 300%. â€Å"If such a contract was signed in the business between the two businessmen, one of them would be admitted to be crazy, that is absolutely inadequate and disadvantageous contract for the country,† said Olexander Yefremov. EU Integra tion and Trade: a Look from the Outside of the EU Eastern Border. Oleksandr Shepotylo*, Kyiv School of Economics and Kyiv Economics InstituteAugust, 2009 Abstract: This paper develops a methodology for trade policy analysis of costs and benefits of alternative regional integration scenarios, based on the disaggregated gravity equation, and applies it to calculate the impact of the EU enlargement on integration strategies of non-member countries. In particular, the paper measures the impact of the 2004 EU enlargement from the standpoint of Ukraine – a country that has been left on the sideline.This angle allows estimating the costs of non-integration that occurred due to trade and investment diversion, and forgone opportunity to carry our structural changes in the Ukrainian economy. According to the results, EU accession would dramatically change the composition of Ukrainan exports by almost doubling exports of manufactured goods by 2007. The costs of non-integration accumulat e towards the end of the investigated period. Projecting the results into the future clearly indicates that the benefits of EU accession for Ukraine would have been unambiguously positive.By showing that costs of non integration are high, the results shed some light on the debates over the benefits of EU integration for the newly accepted states. They also give guidance on the potential export gains from signing a deep FTA between EU and Ukraine which is currently negotiated by policymakers. JEL categories: C33, F12, F17 Keywords: gravity model, EU enlargement, Ukraine, CIS, heterogeneous firms, trade policy Introduction The studies of European Union (EU) enlargement mostly focus on the impact of the enlargement on the current and new EU members (e. . Bussiere et al. 2008, Nilsson, 2000, Baldwin, 1995 and 1997, Gros and Gonciarz 1996). This paper looks at the impact of EU enlargement from a different angle and estimates the costs of non-integration into EU. It develops a methodology for evaluating alternative regional integration scenarios. Comparing costs and benefits of different integration scenarios, a policymaker decides on the best integration strategy for a county. When an additional country joins a regional trade bloc, it imposes additional costs on outsiders due to trade and investment diversion.The costs of non-integration are growing when more countries join the bloc, which triggers a new wave of enlargement, a so-called domino effect introduced by Baldwin (1993). For example, the enlargement of the European Economic Community (EEC) – a process that started in 1960s – induced integration of the members of the European Free Trade Agreement (EFTA) into the EEC: â€Å"The 1960s saw rapid discriminatory liberalisation with the EEC and EFTA. This had a dramatic effect on trade patterns. The EEC’s share of trade with itself rose from 30 to 50 per cent.The share of EEC imports from other European nations stagnated or fell. This discri mination meant lost profit opportunities for exporters in both groups, but since the EEC market was more than twice the size of EFTA’s market (and growing faster), the EEC club was far more attractive to exporting firms. This generated new political economy forces within the EFTA nations – forces that pushed for EEC membership. † (Baldwin, 2008) Currently, a similar process involving the EU and Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) trading blocs is evolving.The differences in size and level of development between EU and CIS blocs imply that the EU bloc is more attractive and the opportunity costs of not-integrating into the EU are higher. Recently, EU has expanded by 12 new members, mostly by countries that for a long time had been important trading partners of CIS countries. At the same time, Georgia left the CIS in August, 2009, while Ukraine and Central Asia countries significantly reduced their involvement into the CIS programs.These developments indirectl y indicate that the EU accession strategy looks as an increasingly attractive policy for the CIS countries. However, the literature says little on how the different integration scenarios can be compared. What are the costs for the CIS countries of not integrating into EU? Do the costs of non-integration exceed the benefits of staying in the CIS? Empirically, this question has not been studied and the primary goal of this paper is to evaluate the ex post costs of non-integration. To answer these questions, the paper focuses on Ukraine.De facto, Ukraine is a member of the CIS. However, Ukraine participates in the CIS programs very selectively and the Ukrainian parliament never ratified the CIS Charter. Moreover, after 2004, Ukraine explicitly declared the EU accession as its strategic goal. Ukraine is an eligible candidate for enlargement based on the geographical criteria. It is an important EU trading partner that moves towards EU both politically and economically. In February, 2008 , the Ukraine has started a round of FTA negotiations with EU which is the next step towards the EU integration.The launch of negotiations followed the finalization of Ukraine’s WTO accession process on February, 5 2008 , which was a prerequisite for FTA talks. Therefore, the advantage of looking at Ukraine while comparing costs and benefits of a deeper EU integration vs. deeper CIS integration is as follows. First, it is not a purely theoretical exercise but a question of practical importance. Did Ukraine make a right choice when declaring the EU integration as the policy priority? Second, the answer to this question gives guidance for policymakers of the EU and Ukraine for the decision on the future of the EU enlargement process.How Ukrainian exports would look like if the country joined EU in 2004? To answer these questions, this paper develops a methodology that allows predicting trade patterns of Ukrainian exports in such a hypothetical situation. The offered method assu mes that the main differences between being an EU member and being a typical CIS country stem from the changes in behavioral relationships of the parameters of the gravity equation rather than from the changes in factors that represent the gravity forces per se (see Egger, Pfaffermayr, and Schmidt 2006).By setting its regulatory framework in line with the EU standards, signing a deep FTA with EU, and, in the long run, achieving its final goal of becoming a full-fledged EU member, the Ukraine would gradually evolve from being a part of the CIS trading bloc with its distinct reliance on export of raw materials towards being a part of the EU trading block with a high degree of intra-industry trade in processed goods. Therefore, its trade patterns would become more in line with the trade patterns of the Eastern European countries.The behavioral changes would come from better access to the EU market, changes in the institutional environment, deep reforms of the regulatory framework, and standardization of export and import regulations. To capture the behavioral changes, the gravity model is estimated for two samples: one sample includes sixteen Eastern European countries – twelve EU member countries that recently joined EU (EU12) and four countries that are not member of the EU but are considered as candidates for enlargement in the future (EUC4) ; the other sample includes nine CIS countries .In addition to evaluating the behavioral change, the novelty of the paper lies in applying an estimation of the disaggregated gravity equation using the two stage procedure developed by Helpman, Melitz, and Rubinstein (2008) (henceforth HMR). The method explicitly deals with a substantial number of zero trade flows, and unobserved firm-level heterogeneity.Unlike the HMR method, we exploit both cross-sectional and time dimensions to remove the pair-specific fixed effects that can bias the cross-sectional results and estimate the impact of the EU accession on bilateral t rade flows by the Hausman-Taylor method (Hausman and Taylor, 1981) treating the EU accession as an endogenous decision that correlates with variable and fixed costs of trade. The model demonstrates substantial costs of not integrating into EU.If the Ukraine had became an EU member in 2004, it would have benefited from an increase in export volumes, redirection of trade from CIS trading partners towards the EU trading partners, and restructuring of exports from industrial products with low value added, primarily exports of raw materials, towards exports of manufactured products with high value added and exports of agriculture and food .The benefits would have come not from the EU accession per se but from the gradual process of reforms, economic restructuring, and behavioral changes in the bilateral trade relationships with its trading partners. The initial losses from breaking the trade relationships with other CIS countries would be more than compensated later along the development path. The structure of the paper is as follows. Section 2 compares existing trade patterns of the Eastern European countries with trade patterns of the CIS countries.Section 3 briefly discusses the methodological issues, presents a theoretical model and develops the estimation procedure. Section 4 discusses data. Section 5 presents estimation results for aggregated trade data and discusses advantages of the Hausman-Taylor method. It also presents estimated gains in disaggregated exports from the EU-Ukraine trade integration for two counterfactual experiments. Finally, Section 6 concludes. Trade patterns of EU and CIS countries: first glance at the data The theory of regionalism and preferential trade agreements (i. . Baldwin, 1993; Baldwin et al. 2006) stresses that costs of non-integration into a regional trade bloc increase with the size of the bloc which, in turn, induces more countries to join the bloc due to a so-called â€Å"domino effect†: by lowering trade barriers a nd improving market access, a discriminatory liberalization of trade within a trading bloc gives an edge to the companies located within the bloc over the outsiders and create additional incentives for multinational companies (MNC) to move their activities inside the bloc.This creates an additional pressure for inclusion on outside countries. Hence, once started, the process of regionalization captures ever-growing number of countries. The story of the latest EU enlargement illustrates this point. The Council of Mutual Economic Assistance (CMEA) that, by 1989, included fifteen Soviet republics, six Eastern European countries – Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, East Germany, Hungary, Romania, Poland –, and three other countries – Cuba, Mongolia, and Vietnam generated a substantial intra-bloc trade due to a high degree of economic and political integration The economic cooperation with the rest of the world was limited at best and in some instances prohibited. Since the b eginning of transition, Eastern European countries and Baltic States have rapidly moved away from the Moscow-centered economic gravity towards the Brussels-centered one. As was correctly predicted by some scholars (i. e. Wang and Winters, 1991 Hamilton and Winters, 1992, and Baldwin, 1994), this led to the reorientation of their trade flows away from the CMEA countries towards the EU members.By 1995, Eastern European trade flows did not differ considerably from that of similar Western European countries and mostly exhausted the westward expansion of exports at the intensive margins of trade (Gros and Gonciarz (1996). This view is supported by a more recent World Bank (2005) report which shows that currently most of the EU12 countries trade above their potential or ‘normal’ level.