MHE512 - Disaster Relief Module 4 - SLP Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

MHE512 - Disaster Relief Module 4 - SLP - Essay Example nt has made it possible to predict accurately the oncoming of such disaster, as we cannot prevent the damage caused by such tragedies in terms of human losses and property damages. Nevertheless, several disaster relief plans have been formulated to tackle the after-affects of these natural calamities. This paper will give a short introductory detail on various aspects of Disaster Relief Plans (DRP), with emphasis on the training and management of human resources to make the relief plans most effective, strength and weakness of a DRP and its concerns with the funding of different projects. This enables the volunteer or the relief worker to use chain saw and other equipment efficiently and safely. While this type of training will discuss the brush pulling and cutting techniques, it can also provide information on the maintenance of such equipment. This will include training on rebuilding, which enables the worker to close holes in houses or roofs, after the removal of any fallen trees etc.. Similarly, training on fueling, and load handling operations of forklift equipment is also very useful. This would impart training on the use of radio equipment and setting of antennas and other vital gadgets in the disaster area. While this is required for every field worker, amateur radio licensees can pick up the relevant tricks more easily. This type of training is to enable the relief staff for analyzing the disaster data correctly so that a proper assessment of damage can be undertaken and decisions reached based on such information. While these will affect the recovery plan, they will also assist in the knowledge of impact from disaster and weather conditions, on the local community.....(DR training facts) There is saying which goes like†you cannot dig a well after the fire has engulfed your place†. The gist of the story is that disaster preparedness is an exercise that should be undertaken during the times of peace when there is no threat to the atmosphere, where

Theoretical Framework Essay Example for Free

Theoretical Framework Essay Self- efficacy and perceived self-proficiency Bandura’s (1986) social cognitive theory is based on the concept that individuals possess a self-system that enables them to exercise a measure of control over their thoughts, feelings, and actions.   He defines this self-system as housing the individuals’ cognitive and affective structures which includes the abilities to symbolize, learn from others, plan strategies, regulate ones own behavior, and engage in self- reflection.   Bandura believes that through self-reflection, individuals could evaluate their own experiences and thought processes.    Bandura (1986) stresses that self-reflection is the most critical human capability.   Through self-reflection, individuals evaluate and change their own thinking and behavior.   Some of these evaluations include the perceptions of self-efficacy. Self-efficacy is the belief in one’s own capabilities to organize and initiate courses of behavior necessary to achieve specific types of performances. Bandura further elaborated on the belief that perceived self-proficiency could affect behavior in several ways.   Individuals may be influenced in the courses of action they undertake. He believed that individuals may only participate in tasks in which they feel confident and competent.   In contrast, they often avoid those tasks in which they feel unsuccessful.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   According to Pajares (1996), self-efficacy beliefs could determine how much effort individuals will invest in an activity, how long they will persevere when confronting obstacles, and how resilient they are in adverse situations.   There exists a direct relationship among two sets of variables where the higher the self- efficacy, the greater is the effort, persistence, and resilience. In addition, self- efficacy beliefs could influence individuals’ emotions and thought patterns.   An individual with low self-efficacy could believe that things are more difficult than they really are.   This is a belief state of mind that could contribute to depression, stress, and a limited vision of how to best solve an issue.   On the other hand, high self-efficacy could contribute to an individuals feeling of confidence and serenity in approaching problematic tasks and activities (Bandura 1986; Pajares 1996).   Moreover, according to Bandura, an individuals self- efficacy beliefs are strong determinants and predictors of the level of accomplishment that one may attain.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In consonance with this, online art students are individuals possessing this self-system that Bandura was referring to. Their self-systems could pave the way for an introspection of one’s self. This self-reflection is a means for the students to evaluate their selves and this self-evaluation made by the students are the basis for behavioral changes towards improvement. When done in the educational setting, the students could use this self-system in reflecting with regard to their self-efficacy and self-proficiency. This would direct and pinpoint the strong and weak points of the students and the factors that keep them continuing in an educational endeavor or activity. Adult online art students would need to have the chance to review their set of characteristics such as self-efficacy. As stated above, this activity would pinpoint their strong and weak points and the identification of such would pave the way for reinforcement or reversal of certain behaviors. There might be some factors that would need to be reinforced or improved in the online courses and this would be identified based on the students’ self-efficacy beliefs. Motivations of adult learners   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The literature (Knowles 1995; Mezirow 1991; Rogers 1966) in adult education focuses on the distinct attributes of adults, which builds a rationale for practice based on those attributes. Knowles (1995) advocates that adults are autonomous, self-directed, and have unique needs and requirements as learners.   He also indicates that adults like to direct their own learning and are motivated by several factors:1) are attracted to the social relationships involved in learning; 2) want to create friendships and there is a need to foster interesting associations; 3)   have external expectations; 4) have a desire to comply with instructions from someone else; 5) want to fulfill the expectations of someone with formal authority; 6) want to be of service to the community;7) want to become connected and part of social networks;8) want to secure professional advancements or gain higher status in employment; 9) want to escape from boredom   and learning provides a break in the routine of their daily lives. Moreover, Knowles (1950) believes in informal education; that is education where the learning occurs in daily life and outside of formal school settings. Just the same, the adult students of the online art classes still possess practically the same motivations stated above. It can be noticed that the motivational factors presented here are not entirely in harmony with the elements of an online class. Transformative learning, best theorized by Mezirow (1991) suggests that the adult learner make changes through transforming personal perspectives. Mezirow believes that individuals could be transformed through the process of critical reflection and that changes which accelerate transformative learning are referred to as â€Å"disorienting dilemmas†. These are situations that fail to align with preconceived opinions. The dilemmas encourage critical reflection and guide the development of alternative paths of knowledge. The adult learner is given the chance to reflect on the attitudes, opinions and emotional responses that defined personal perceptions. Transformative learning can, thus, aid adult online art students in bringing about an act of contemplation within their personal perspectives of successes, barriers, and motivations with regard to the online art programs they take. As suggested by Mezirow, the change in personal perspectives can help in attaining necessary changes among the adult students in the educational setting. The theory of experiential learning, by Carl Rogers, evolved as a part of the humanistic education movement (Patterson, 1993; Valett, 1977). Rogers distinguishes two types of learning: cognitive and experiential. Cognitive learning corresponds to academic knowledge such as learning multiplication tables and vocabulary.   Experiential learning refers to an applied knowledge such as learning about sewing in order to make clothing. Rogers (1996) believes that a distinction between cognitive and experiential learning was that the learning addresses the means and desires of the learner.   The qualities of experiential learning are self-initiation, personal involvement, and evaluation by the learner and the pervasive effects on the learner. Rogers also feels that all human beings have the ability to learn and the role of the educator is to facilitate the learning. The educator’s responsibilities were to set a positive climate for learning, clarify the purposes for the learner, organize and make available learning resources, balance intellectual and emotional components of learning, and share thoughts with learners. However, an educator should avoid dominating the classroom.   Rogers (1996) states that real learning is facilitated when the learner participates in the learning process and has control over its direction. Also that it primarily is based upon direct application with practical, social, personal or research problems.   Moreover, self- evaluation is the main method of assessing progress or success. Indeed, the theme of self-evaluation by adult online art students remains to be the central focus of this theory. It is also to be emphasized that it is the adult online art students are the principal actors to whom the learning process should be directed. It is necessary that the inputs to the learning environment comes and directs to the learners, who are the adult online art students, and the teacher remains as a facilitator in the online classes. With the fact that they are the main actors here, they are also the ones who should reflect on the learning process and bring about the change. The teacher, as a facilitator would be the one to be the change agent. Both Rogers (1966) and Mezirow (1991) reflect Knowles’ ideas about informal education. Rogers’ (1966) approach to adult education focuses on relationships. He agrees with Knowles that adults want to create friendships and foster interesting associations. However, he believed that the facilitation of significant learning relied upon the attitudinal relationship of the facilitator and the learner. He also believes that it is impossible to teach another person directly—one could only really facilitate their learning.   Similarly, Mezirow (1991) recognizes that adults are autonomous and self-directed; however, he felt the adult learner needs to challenge their frames of reference by critically reflecting on their assumptions. Mezirow feels this is a critical step in the adults learning. Learning could change if the adult would implement ways to assess their beliefs or prior assumptions. With this, a line can be drawn in the path of the adult online art students. There is a relationship within the facilitator and the learner, who are the teacher and the adult online art student respectively. It is not possible to have a direct domination of the learning process of the adult online art students. There is a need for the adult online art students to evaluate on their current beliefs so as to gain a new perspective in the learning process.   Research by Csikszentmihalyi (1997) also explores motivation. He defines a â€Å"state of flow† as a condition of heightened focus, happiness and productivity that all individuals understand and hunger for. Csikszentmihalyi offers an interesting observation about what individuals believe makes them happy. What was discovered is that individuals are most happy and most productive while pursuing challenging activities. The majority of these activities are during work or pursuing a hobby.   Individuals who emerge from each flow state are more complex, self-confident, capable, and sensitive. The experience becomes its own reward. Moreover, in order to improve one’s life, one must improve the quality of the experience. Csikszentmihalyi believes the main advantage of flow is that it enabled adults to avoid psychic entropy or degeneration which could cause depression, dispiritedness and distraction. The adult online art students are motivated by different things. Generally, it can be said that these motivations come from the idea of being challenged with their online art programs. The very experience would serve as their means and their ends. In addition to this, what matters highly are the goals and experiences given and made by them to keep them going in the online art program. Intentions of adult learners One definition (Webster’s World dictionary 1998) of intention states that it is the reason, motive or purpose for ones actions. It is a determination to act in a specific way and on purpose. However, according to Davies (2006) this definition may be unfinished. Jackson (1994), Kuhl (1990) and McCarty and Siccone (2001) as cited by Davies (2006) believe that intention is an internal representation of a persons values, purposes, or commitment to a particular activity. In addition, intention includes willpower, persistence, determination, desire, effort, work ethic, mindfulness, striving, and focus. Rychlak (1997) adds that through intention individuals have the ability to choose specific actions. They also have specific intentions that can determine the effort and persistence with which they pursue those actions.  Ã‚   Fishbein and Ajzen (1975) add that actual learning behavior is more accurately predicted by a learner’s intent. Davies (2006) concludes that it is the learners’ intent that determines the effort expended and the quality of the learning achieved. Through self-reflection mentioned several times before, the adult online art students would be able to learn about their intentions as learners. The degree of the intensity of the intention also shows the effort that will be brought about by the learner in the learning process and in the online art programs. This would greatly affect their interest in their programs. Intention can be defined as an individuals commitment and will to learn what is expected of them when given a specific learning opportunity.   According to Bandura (2001) intention is the mental representation of commitment to learn which is separate from both from motivation and effort.   Learner intention can characterize an individual aims and values for participating in the learning activity. An individual’s capability to make accurate decisions may vary depending on aptitudes and abilities. Gardner (2006) makes the point that the ability to control oneself in this way is a category of intelligence.   Intrapersonal intelligence as Gardner expresses it, is the degree to which individuals are able to efficiently control motivational influences and accurately judge situations when making decisions and forming intent. Tyler (1995) notes that intentions which are associated with specific decisions are not always fixed.   Circumstances may change and motives can become reconsidered.   Certain individuals may have multiple intentions for multiple activities.   These can often compete for their time and attention.   According to Schunk and Zimmerman (1994) in learning environments where students are faced with conflicting intentions, compromises are made that are often situational.   Students who can self-regulate and prioritize specific learning goals are academically successful. Those who are unable can become unsuccessful. The online educational setting would provide the adult online art students conflicts with regard to their motivations, intentions, and personal perspectives. It is important for the adult online art students to be able to identify their main learning goals in vis-à  -vis their intentions and motivations in order for them to become successful in their online art programs. It is necessary for them to gain a full understanding of their personal perspectives and beliefs because these are the things which would pave the way for a successful academic setting. Success strategies and best practices Palloff and Pratt (2001) discuss successful strategies and principles of good practice for instructors in online undergraduate education. This includes, encouraging contact between students and faculty, developing cooperation among students, promoting the use of active learning techniques, and giving prompt feedback. Another good practice is to place an emphasis on communicating high expectations to all learners of diverse talent and learning styles. Palloff and Pratt (2001) believe that courses that encouraged interactivity are the key to a well constructed online course. It could be remembered that one of the motivations of the adult students is the interaction between the different stakeholders of the learning environment. Thus, the transformation of the online courses into an interactive one is a key step for the administrator and the teachers. The role of the student as the principal actor should be noted here because the adult online students should take a big part and should be considered in the redirection of the online class into an interactive one. Sales-Ciges (2001) separate the instructor’s role in the online classroom into three categories: social, intellectual, and organizational.   The instructor monitors the course content by tracking student’s activities, setting timelines, and introducing procedures.   The instructor also has the role of facilitator in discussions by providing students with feedback on discussion board responses.   Stolovitch and Keeps (1999) add that instructors need to understand how to foster human interaction in a virtual setting and to guide the students through their understanding of course materials. In addition, an instructor needs to promote students interactivity for communication, motivation, discovery and participation when presenting assignments.   Wiggins and TcTighe (2001) believe that the instructor should focus on the students understanding of the material and the ability to transfer the information into real life.   In addition, the assignments must be achievable and rewarding in order to keep the student motivated. In line with this, the teachers as facilitators in the online classes for adults should maintain its role as close as it is in the real setting. It should be as close to the real classroom environment and the adult online students should have all the necessary knowledge and skills to be able to put it into application. The maintenance of the real classroom environment and the ability to put it into application are motivations for the adult online art students. Barriers for completion The research (Mezirow 1991; Tough 1979) supports that adults have several barriers against participating in learning. Significant barriers include confidence, time, interest, money, scheduling, child care, transportation, and information about opportunities to learn. More importantly, less obvious barriers include their past experiences in acquiring new learning. Kennedy (2003) observes that adults have preconceived ways of thinking and this could cause a resistance to learning new information. The adult learners’ past experiences can be a barrier in gaining new learning. Crawford (2006) supports Kennedy’s belief about the adult learner. He notes that a resistance to learning new information can occur from past habits or old ways of thinking about a particular issue. He adds that the reason for this resistance in learning is that adults are often reserved about acquiring new knowledge, particularly if it is in direct contrast to what they believe. Similarly, the adult online art students bear the same difficulties with regard to learning, more so with a new environment which is the online classrooms for them. In addition to this, there are factors that prevent them from proceeding with the learning process as they take into consideration when they enroll and proceed with their online art programs. Motivations to continue According to Knowles (1980) adult learners are educated through life experiences. They gain their self-identity from their past experiences. If they cannot use those experiences or if those experiences are unacknowledged, they can feel rejected as an individual. Bandura (1986) also supported that if an individual perceived themselves as unable to accomplish a task, they would cease to participate in the task. In addition, Kennedy (2003) noted that the fear of failure an adult may bring to the classroom could bring on further rejection from their peer group.   Kennedy believes that past experiences could also be a handicap in acquiring new learning.    Adults sometimes have preconceived ways of thinking that are resistant to change.   Moreover, adult learners could be more reserved about new knowledge if it is in contrast to what they believe.  Ã‚   Lieb (1991) contends that how an adult uses their work provides a significant and important factor in self- identification. An important aspect of work that influences the adults motivations to learn has to do with job dissatisfaction. Changes in technology and other socio-economic factors could influence a great number of adults who change occupations over the course of their lives.   Adults are often motivated to acquire and update new skills for employment. To this, the motivations for the adult online art students are motivated by the environment within which learning occurs. This would also include their past experiences and how they use the things they learn from the online art programs. Palloff and Pratt (2003) support that online learning may require a high degree of motivation, self-directed learning, persistence, and commitment from the adult learner.   Many learners lack the required preparation for the demands of online learning in order to complete their programs. Retention (Frankola 2004) in distance education higher education is not a new subject; however the study of e-learning retention is a relatively new area for research. Most of the existing models (Tinto 1975; Bean 1980) of retention were built on the retention research of ground campuses and nontraditional learners. The field of retention for adult online art students remains an unknown one. It is also necessary to identify the preparedness of the adult online art students to the nature of the learning environment. This will provide them ample time to reflect and transform their personal perspectives and make them in parallel with the situations of the online art programs. The research (Frankola 2001) has shown that the reasons for dropping out of online education programs are multiple, interrelated and complex.   Students are most likely to leave an online program after they complete the first few courses. Few students decide to leave an online education program after they have several courses completed.   The students who persist in the early phases of the online program could be viewed as successful and are probably satisfied with their online learning experience in the program. The students who had issues adjusting to the online program or technology are likely to become frustrated in their first few courses. Taking the time and effort to putting forth the investment into the program could make the difference. The adult online art students who had the chance to reflect on their personal beliefs are the ones predicted to be more successful in their online classes. It is important that the adult online student feels motivated in the experiences and goals in the learning experience to keep them going. Martinez (2003) states that recent nontraditional attrition studies have considered the impact of psychological factors on persistence.   Bandura believes (1986) that some of these factors could be related to the learners’ self-efficacy in regard to self-proficiency. Other factors could have to do with learner intentions (Davies 2006), quality of instruction (Palloff Pratt 2003), and motivations to continue (Frankola 2004; Kennedy 2003). The level of persistence exuded by the students could be affected by several factors, which are important for the adult online art students. This, in consonance with the learning environment, could contribute to the success of the students and in the continuous endeavor in learning.

Rawls Concept Of Justice As Political: A Defense Against Critics :: Philosophy Philosophical Rawls Essays

Rawls' Concept Of Justice As Political: A Defense Against Critics ABSTRACT: Rawls' theory of justice as fairness involves a central contention that principles of justice essential to the structure of a constitutional democracy must be viewed as political in contrast to more comprehensive moral, philosophical or religious doctrines. The concept of justice is not its being true to an antecedent moral order and given to us, but its being congruent with our self-understanding within the history of justice as political is not a mere modus vivendi, for it embodies an overlapping consensus that does have a moral basis. Critical reaction to Rawls has been that what is simply a consensus within a tradition of public discourse cannot afford an adequate criteria of moral justification, and that Rawls cannot define the moral basis for justice as fairness without some reference to a comprehensive theory of the good. But it will be argued that critics are missing what is central to Rawls' theory of moral justification as what he sees to be the outcome of a proce ss of "wide reflective equilibrium" in which principles of justice initially given within a tradition are weighed against rival moral theories and in relation to scientific theories of human nature and society in order to establish what seems "most reasonable to us." It is the central contention of Rawls that the principles of justice essential to the structure of constitutional democracy must be characterized as political in contrast to more comprehensive moral, philosophical and religious doctrines on which agreement is not possible within the pluralism of modernity, and that the concept of justice is not its being true to an antecedent moral order, but its congruency with our self-understanding within history and traditions embedded in our public life. But Rawls emphasizes that the concept of justice as political is not a mere modus vivendi, for it embodies an overlapping consensus by specifying the fair terms of cooperation between citizens that are regarded as free and equal. This consensus encompasses the concept of primary goods: basic right and liberties, powers and prerogatives of office; income and wealth; the basis of self-respect. It also encompasses the "difference principle": in which economic inequalities are allowed so long as thi s improves everyone's situation including that of the least advantaged. The overlapping consensus, Rawls further specifies, is not a consensus simply in accepting a certain authority, or simply as compliance with certain institutional arrangements.

20th Century Latin American Literature Essay examples -- Essays Papers

20th Century Latin American Literature Global literatures in English have always played a key role in developing international understanding and appreciation for the social realities and cultural developments beyond Western lifestyles and familiarity. For anthropologists seeking to perceive the social realities of 20th century Latin America, the work of popular authors and novelists of this century is invaluable. Popular authors are the modern mouthpieces of the people and societies who read and love them, and thus, novelists can serve as reliable representatives of the social climate from which they draw material and compose their works. Writers manipulate dominant languages of Latin America â€Å"inherited from rejected colonial powers† to express the content and soul of the people who still live and breathe in these 21 countries of rich heritage and music (Gallagher 1973:1). This collection of countries and peoples has â€Å"experienced parallel histories, cultural formations and literary developments†, and because of these â€Å"profound† ties, constitutes â€Å"a single unit in many senses† (Martinez 1982: 63). Throughout history, â€Å"common Iberian patterns were imposed upon men, cultures and nature that encouraged a blending or unifying process, that is, the creation of the community of nations we call Latin America† and today Latin Americans â€Å"extend their literature in the world†¦no longer concerned about whether or not they express America or their representative countries† (Martinez 1982: 64).However, translating literature from one language to another fo r the benefit of international audiences is a tricky political process, and the history of the evolving Latin American novel testifies to the wild dynamics of language and human identi... ... Texas Press. Martiniez, Jose Luis. Unity and Diversity. In Latin America in Its Culture, vol. 1: Latin America in its Literature. Cesar Fernà ¡ndez Moreno and Julio Ortega, eds. New York: Holmes & Meier Publishers. Minta, Stephen 1987 Gabriel Garcà ­a Marquez: Writer of Colombia. London: Jonathan Cape. Simpkins, Scott. 1995 Sources of Magical Realism/Supplements to Realism in Contemporary Latin American Literature. In Magical Realism: Theory, History Community. Lois Parkinson Zamora and Wendy B. Faris, eds. Durham: Duke University Press. Slemon, Stephen. Magical Realism as Postcolonial Discourse. In Magical Realism: Theory, History Community. Lois Parkinson Zamora and Wendy B. Faris, eds. Durham: Duke University Press. Swanson, Phillip, ed. Introduction: Background to the Boom. In Landmarks in Modern Latin American Fiction. London: Routledge.

Critically analyse and evaluate current developments Essay

In the 1980’s and 1990’s the cruise industry saw the emergence of a new market, which was younger people with considerable income but no families. The term DINKY’s was given to these couples which meant â€Å"Double Income No Kids Yet† These couples were excellent to target as they had plenty of disposable income and they do not have any children to worry about, being able to go on holiday, when they like and where they like, spending their quality time together and not having to worry about the price. In 1990’s 15% of the passengers who cruised with P&O and Princess Cruises were from the UK and researches showed that there is still an active UK market. In 1998, the UK cruise market was expanding dramatically. Companies which had operated in the traditional holiday market were adding cruising to their portfolio and greatly increased their supply of cruise holidays for the UK market. Although cruising is loved by many travellers, there is still a staggering 98% of the population who have not taken a cruise, reasons identified by Dickinson and Vladimir (1997) cited in Cartwright and Baird (1999) revealed five main reasons why people do not cruise which consist it being too expensive, the exclusivity, family commitments, claustrophobia and sea sickness. Disabled consumers The disabled consumer group have become more interested in the cruising industry, many cruise liners did not offer ships which catered to disabled people. Now with the Disability Discrimination Act 1995, where all places who offer service have to make â€Å"reasonable adjustments† the cruise liners had no choice but to build disability-friendly rooms for their travelling disabled passengers. Not saying that they did not have these rooms before, but some cruise liners did not offer this service for the disabled consumer group, and it was against the law. There should be no problems for disabled people finding a cruise liner suitable for them as all cruise liners now offer fully disabled facilities within the ships to cater to the disabled consumer group. Family Cruising In the 1990’s a major development which was companies targeting families with children was put in place, by providing facilities not only for the adults but also for the children to enjoy, now in 2005, almost every cruise line offers family cruises. If a cruise liner does not offer a family cruise they are missing out on making lots of money. Although there are still some cruises which specifically do not allow children, reason being because these cruises are for the older / retired people who do not wish for screaming, noisy, crying children and babies when they are trying to relax. Being a kid is all about having fun. Coincidentally, so is vacation. But kids and parents rarely agree on what is fun. To parents, fancy dinners, late night shows and reading by the pool are fun. Kids have more fun playing games, doing scavenger hunts, and going down waterslides. The good news is that all of these activities occur on a cruise, making a cruise the vacation of choice for today’s families. Under the supervision of the youth staff, kids can play video games, eat pizza and play in a ball pit, while parents relax and have a fabulous five course meal. It is a parent’s and kid’s dream come true! (familycruise. com [online] 2005) The quote above was taken from www. familycruise. com an internet site which specifically caters for family cruises. Helping families to plan holidays which will keep both parents and kid’s happy on their holiday. Parents love to go on cruises so they have to be able to find a ship which caters for the family, letting the children have a good time on the cruise and also for the parents to relax and not have to worry about looking after their kids and think about what they are doing and are able to do on-board. The cruise industry has continued to grow rapidly since the introduction of family cruises. This might be due to parents now being able to have their dream holiday, a cruise, and not have to worry about their children as they can go too and have fully trained sitters to look after their kids and keep them occupied all day long. Price Cheap prices are what the lower-end consumers are looking for. A good price with an average cruise holiday, they cannot expect more than that as they are not paying a high price for a luxury cruising holiday. Although the cruise industry is very expensive, there are still many consumers who like to go on cruises. This could be due to status, as only the wealthier people can afford to go on these high-class cruises. In 1999, it was possible to obtain a seven day cruise from the UK for i 399 per person, which then was cheap compared to the top end cruises which were around i 2000 per person. Now in 2005, cruises prices start from i 599+ per person. This is rather expensive as the average family spends around that price for a holiday a year, not per person. Cheaper cruising prices should be being introduced and this would be an excellent idea as many lower-end consumers want to experience a good cruise but unfortunately do not have the funds. If cruise liners offered cheaper cruises with good experiences not only the wealthy passengers can go but so can the lower-end customers. Incentives Cruises in America often have many deals which include, prices starting from $399, book before Jan and receive an extra night’s stay, children under 16 cruise for free and many more. This is a good way to make more sales and allow people to pick their company to another one. As there are many incentives available which is what the consumers are looking for as they are paying a high price for their cruising holidays. â€Å"Receive our special Early-Booking discount and free hotel stay†. (cruise. gr [online] 2005) The quote above is very popular within the cruise industry, this is the type of incentive the consumer wants to see to help motivate them to purchasing the holiday. Consumers today are very greedy and like value for money, if they are buying on the internet they will always look for sites which offer them incentives towards their holidays, or when buying in travel agent they will try to get some freebies towards their holidays.

Building an Effective Plan of Improvement for Teachers

Building an Effective Plan of Improvement for Teachers A plan of improvement can be written for any teacher who performs unsatisfactorily or has a deficiency in one or more areas. This plan can be stand-alone in nature or in conjunction with an observation or evaluation. The plan highlights their area(s) of deficiency, offers suggestions for improvement, and gives a timeline in which they must meet the goals set in the plan of improvement. In many cases, the teacher and administrator have already had conversations regarding the areas that need improvement. Those conversations have yielded little to no results, and a plan of improvement is the next step.  A plan of improvement is intended to provide the teacher with detailed steps to improve and will also provide critical documentation should it become necessary to terminate the teacher. The following is a sample plan of improvement for teachers. Sample Plan of Improvement for Teachers Teacher: Any Teacher, Any Grade, Any Public School Administrator: Any Principal, Principal, Any Public School Date: Friday, January 4, 2019 Reasons for Action: Performance Deficiencies and Insubordination Purpose of the Plan: The purpose of this plan is to provide goals and suggestions to help the teacher improve in areas of deficiencies. Admonishment: Area of Deficiency Instructional IneffectivenessUnsatisfactory Teaching PerformanceWillful Neglect of Duty Description of Conduct or Performance: I have formally and informally visited Mrs. Teacher’s classroom several times since the beginning of the school year. Most every time Mrs. Teacher has been sitting at her desk, students have been working on worksheets, writing spelling words, etc. I have seen very little teacher instruction occurring and when I have seen instruction it has been a review of previously learned concepts, rather than new information.During my observations, I have noticed that the students are not involved in learning. Most seem disinterested in the classroom proceedings, and many of them hardly bother to go through the motions of responding when called upon by Mrs. Teacher.On Wednesday, December 19, 2018, I walked into Mrs. Teacher’s classroom and noticed the students were left in there unattended. Mrs. Teacher left the classroom to grab a cup of coffee and to use the bathroom and did not have anyone watch her classroom.On, Friday, December 21, 2018, I visited Mrs. Teacher’s classroo m three times throughout the day with the visits lasting about 10-15 minutes each time. When I entered the classroom all three times, Mrs. Teacher was at her desk, and the students were working on worksheets. Many of the students seemed bored and disinterested with their work. On occasion, a student would go up to her desk for help, and she did get up on one occasion and walk around the room monitoring the students’ progress. Assistance: Mrs. Teacher must receive prior administrator approval before leaving her classroom while students are in the classroom.Mrs. Teacher will be given several articles that provide successful tips for classroom management, motivation techniques, and instructional strategies.Mrs. Teacher will be required to observe another designated teachers classroom for one hour on Monday, January 7, 2019, from 8:30 – 9:30 a.m. and again on Thursday, January 10, 2019, from 1:15 p.m. – 2:15 p.m. The other teacher is a veteran teacher and does a fantastic job motivating and instructing students.Mrs. Teacher must not leave any students without adult supervision during any part of the school day. Timeline: This plan of improvement will remain in effect for three weeks, beginning Friday, January 4, 2019, and ending Friday, January 25, 2019. Consequences: This is a plan of improvement that highlights your deficiencies as a professional educator. These are serious enough to admonish you and give notice of deficiencies in the areas listed above. Failure to correct these deficiencies will result in a recommendation for your suspension, demotion, non-reemployment, or dismissal. Delivery Time to Respond: This plan of improvement was delivered in a meeting with Mrs. Teacher on Friday, January 4, 2019. She has until Friday, January 11, 2019, to sign and return a copy of the plan of improvement. Formative Conferences: The initial conference to go over this plan of improvement will be on Friday, January 4, 2019. We will have a review conference on Friday, January 25, 2019. This conference will be used to review and discuss the progress Mrs. Teacher has made towards the provisions listed in this letter of admonishment and plan of improvement. Signatures: ______________________________________________________________________  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Any Principal, Principal, Any Public Schools/Date ______________________________________________________________________  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Any Teacher, Teacher, Any Public School/Date I have read the information outlined in this letter of admonishment and plan of improvement. Although I may not agree with the assessment of my supervisor, I understand that if I do not make improvements in the areas of deficiency and follow the suggestions listed within this letter that I may be recommended for suspension, demotion, non-reemployment, or dismissal.

buy custom Captivating Nursing Essay Examples on Staff Members Nursing Homes

buy custom Captivating Nursing Essay Examples on Staff Members Nursing Homes Nursing Essay Example on Acts of Violence and Staff Members Nursing Homes Introduction Violence is any act, physical or verbal, aimed at a second party, which causes massive bodily or mental damage and/or harm. In a society aiming to uphold peace and harmony, such acts are unacceptable if not deplorable. Despite this, violence experienced in nursing homes is beyond any wild imagination. Staff members and certified nursing assistants in nursing homes have frequently yet silently been the subjects of violence for a long time. To say that it is understandable given the nature of their work is to be ignorant. The time to implement recommendations made by many researchers has surely come. Administrators, policy makers, and other stakeholders, therefore, have to use this opportunity to minimize, if not to eradicate all atrocities borne by staff members in nursing homes. Since experiences and information obtained from the Daughter of Miriams Nursing Home is reflective of the events occurring in other nursing homes nationwide, it is not wrong to assume that the suggestions put forward are revelatory. These suggestions will not only be a turning point to the Daughter of Miriams Nursing Home, but also to all other nursing homes aiming to increase staff's satisfaction and enhance its productivity.

Patrilineal vs. Matrilineal Succession

Patrilineal vs. Matrilineal Succession Patrilineal societies, those that connect generations through the father’s line, dominate the world’s culture. And most sociologists would argue that we still live for the most part under a patriarchy, in which men serve as heads of almost every important social, cultural, and political institution. But a few cultures throughout history were matrilineal and therefore connected generations through the mother’s line. These cultures included many Native Americans, certain South Americans, and the Spanish and French Basque. And although matrilineal law is not codified in the Torah, the Jewish Oral Tradition as written in the Mishnah outlines an overwhelmingly matrilineal society: a child of a Jewish mother is always Jewish, regardless of the faith of the father. Patrilineal Succession For most of history, patrilineal succession (a patrilyny) dominated family units. Names, property, titles, and other valuables were traditionally passed on through a male line. Females did not inherit, unless there were no male heirs. Even then, distant male relatives would inherit over close female relatives like daughters.  Property passed from father to daughter indirectly, usually through dowries on a daughter’s marriage, which was paid to and came under the control of her husband or her husband’s father or another male relative. Matrilineal Succession In matrilineal succession, women inherited titles and names from their mothers, and passed them down to their daughters. Matrilineal succession did not necessarily mean that women held the power and property and titles. Sometimes, men in matrilineal societies were the ones who inherited, but they did so through their mother’s brothers, and passed their own inheritances along to their sisters’ children. The Role of Women in Promoting Patrilyny While most theorists believe that patriarchal systems came to dominate both Western and non-Western cultures through the use of force, social anthropologist Audrey Smedley’s research with the Birom people of Nigeria led her to posit that it might, in fact, be women themselves who willingly invented many features of the patrilyny. Furthermore, she argues, men’s roles are actually more constricted than women’s roles, and that women have significant decision-making within such organization. Moving Away From the Patrilyny In many ways, modern western culture has adopted more matrilineal-like structures, especially in poor communities where men are marginalized for other cultural reasons- race or immigration status, for instance.  The modern American imprisonment of a large percentage of the black male population means that many children do not have as much contact with fathers and other male relatives. So too have various property rights laws over the past several hundred years served to diminish the control that men have over women’s inherited property and women’s right to choose who inherits their property. In western cultures, it has become more common for women to keep their birth names after marriage, even if a substantial percentage of those women give their husband’s name to their children. And even if adhering to some version of  Salic law  has long prevented royal daughters from becoming  queens regnant, many monarchies have or are beginning to abolish the strict patrilineal assumptions in inheriting royal titles and power.

Is there such a thing as fair trade Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4250 words

Is there such a thing as fair trade - Essay Example There are a number of groups and associations that have expressed the above sentiments and other problems facing the world commodity producers. Such advocates include; Caritas International, Amnesty International and Oxfam. However, despite these firm proponents, there have been some controversies linked to Free trade. Some people assert that free trade is nothing more than a subsidy while others claim that free trade proponents do not possess the ability to transform the trading system the world over. They believe that farmers are facing a situation that is simply beyond control and it will take much more than free trade ideals to change it. 2There were four main fair trade organisations that came up with a definition for Fair trade. These four organisations were known as FINE. They defined fair trade as a form of partnership that aims at instituting equity in trade. The trade referred to by this organisation is global in nature. Additionally, they support workers who have been marginalised and air out their views through fair trade organisations. The latter group offers campaigns and informs workers about their rights. Fair trade is based upon a number of principles; the first one being fair pay. Pay may be labelled fair if it incorporates all the expenses that workers incurred during the process of production. It must also cover environment considerations and labourer's social needs. It must also be on time and should cover their future production needs. Fair trade is also founded on the principle that workers should have the capacity to participate fully in their markets. They should be given the incentives to manage their products well and also to achieve greater flexibility within this realm. On top of these, farmers and other labourers should be handled in an open and transparent manner. No one has the permission to take advantage of their vulnerabilities through hidden dealings. Men and women should be treated as equals regardless of what their social premises may be. Reimbursements must be proportional to the amount of work done rather than to one's gender. According to fair trade advocates , workers should be provided with safe and conducive environments. This implies that children will only be allowed to work if this does not come in the way of their education, ell being, security and growth. Lastly, fair trade discourages the use of environmentally friendly working techniques, for instance, it strongly opposes the [production of genetically modified foods because they harm the environment. 3In the recent past, the FLO International (which sets standards in fair trade) created a labelling system where products can be Certified if the adhere top Fair trade principles. Some of these principles are examined during the process of growing a commodity, harvesting it and even supplying it to the world market. Products that earn the fair trade mark are those ones that do not employ children during child labour.Additionally, they must not involve the use of slave labour of any kind. The certified commodity should also have been produced in an environment that is safe to work in and one that does not undermine labourer's human rights. Its price must also be such that it can facilitate some social problems facing farmers

The Rock Musical Hair Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The Rock Musical Hair - Essay Example The songs that originated from that idea are about letting your hair grow long, wild and free with lyrics like "My hair like Jesus wore it, Hallelujah, I adore it, Here, Baby, There, Mama, everywhere, Daddy, Daddy, Hair, Hair, Hair, Hair! Keep on growin', Keep it flowin' my Hair!" The music was loud, joyous, soulful, angry and celebratory, capturing the spirit of the New Generation of Baby Boomers who were rebelling against their parent's generation of values that stood for right-wing conservatism. The musical Hair debuted on Broadway in April 1968. It had undergone a transformation with new staging and 12 new songs added. Hair was unusual in it's staging in that it had the performers running into the audience, handing out flowers, and inviting them to participate at the end of the performance in a big "be-in" on stage. It was also unique in that much of the cast, dressed as Hippies, was scantily dressed or even appeared nude. They even had some staging where performers swung from ropes over the audience and the stage, while singing. In The New York Times, Clive Barnes wrote an enthusiastic review, praising the original production: "Mr. O'Horgan has worked wonders. He makes the show vibrate from the first slow-burn opening - with half-naked hippies statuesquely slow-parading down the center aisle - to the all-hands-together, anti-patriotic finale." 1 The unique stagin

Short Critical Reflection Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Short Critical Reflection Paper - Essay Example It can store half truths that masquerade as fact. You might find a great answer to a question online, but because it is not from a reliable source, it may be inaccurate. However the libraries of the19th century were not very easy to access and it was very difficult to find the relevant information. They were also not very updated. In contrast Google is a very efficient and effective resource to search particular information. Is email dead for teenagers? Explain. Despite the influence that email holds amongst adults as a main mode of personal and professional communication, it is not a predominantly important part of the communication arsenal of today’s youth. Only 14% of all adolescence report transferring of emails to their friends each day, making it the least admired form of daily social communication on the record. Even among multi-channel youth, who are more likely to take benefit of any communication channel they have access to, just 23% declare they send email to their contacts daily. High school age doesn't utilize email at all, they send archives through AIM and converse with their cell phones, face book and IM. Once they are into the college they are enforced to use email for classes but they hardly ever use it to be in touch with friends.

Amazon.com Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Amazon.com - Essay Example Amazon advertises extensively on the internet to help raise awareness of their brand. Also, Amazon maintains high-speed growth introducing new products and services available online. Innovations and adaptation policies help to appeal to a particular target audience in diverse markets. The main weakness of Amazon is a negative image of online banking and financial transaction. Many customers do not buy products online afraid of fraudulent actions of companies. Undeveloped banking sector in less developed countries prevent the company from rapid international growth. The opportunities included: high potential to growth based on the technological change and increasing number of internet users. The choice of communications mix should be the most cost-effective solution for achieving the organization's communication objectives. Call centers and the Internet give online booksellers great opportunities to promote its services. Competition and possible legal changes is the major threat forAm azon (Amazon Home Page 2009). In his book "Competitive Advantage" Porter identifies five forces that drive competition within an industry (Johnson and Scholes 54). The threat of entry by new competitors is possible but they will create a real threat for Amazon. The intensity of rivalry among existing competitors has a great impact on Amazon facing with strong competition (Barnes & Noble and other small online companies). Thus, Amazon has positioned itself as a superstore. Pressure from substitute products will not have a great impact on Amazon's activity. Today, Amazon proposes a wide range of e-texts and CD-ROMs which can be regarded as substitute products. The bargaining power of buyers is crucial for Amazon. The aim of customers is to pay the lowest possible price to obtain books or other products that they require. The advantage of Amazon is that it purchase in such large quantities that its suppliers are dependent on the customers' business. The bargaining power of suppliers does not have a great impact on Amazon because most firms are highly differentiated and need an effective distribution channels for their products (Amazon Home Page 2009). For Amazon, the most successful of four growth stages was the Growth stage. This success can explained by a strong web culture and environment created by its team. In order to be effective Amazon is responsive to external environmental influences. Amazon operates within a dynamic environment and it requires a structure and culture that are sensitive and readily adaptable to change (Johnson and Scholes 55). Amazon's organizational climate influences the level of morale and attitudes which members of the organization bring to bear on their work performance and personal relationships. Also, strong web culture attracts millions of buyers to this store. Web culture is based on non-price competition and strong brand image (Amazon Home Page 2009). Amazon.com is a leading internet-based company operating on a global scale. Amazon.com becomes the first mover in the e-retailing market proposing a wide product range to diverse customer targets. E-business allows the company to connect customer service and good levels, increases customer satisfaction and decreases retention artistries. The main strategy is a virtual bookshop which helps the company to promote and sell its products to customers. Similar to traditional marketing, a virtual bookshop

Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words - 1

Coursework Example This legislation ensures that there is no discrimination against any person on the grounds of disability. Every institution has a policy that prohibits a person in power or organization from discriminating against another person due to their age, gender, and their abilities. However this does not mean that they should not seek for quality when looking for any person to fill a particular position. Data protection act 1998 is an act in the United Kingdom which defines data processing laws on people. This is the main law that protects data in the UK. The act was created to protect people from any violation of their funder metal rights and freedoms. The particular right that is mentioned here is the right to privacy with respect to processing data which is personal. This act in practice, gives a way for individuals to have control over their personal information. The act however does not apply to domestic use an example being personal diary. Any person who holds any personal data with any other purpose is obliged to comply with the act. The act also wants every individual and company to have their personal information kept for themselves. A professional code of conduct standardizes and defines different expectations that people in occupations, professional companies and organization have. The conduct also makes guides to the behavior of employees in relation to clients, fellow employees, and the competitors. The main purpose of the code is to; The ETD is directive from the Europe counsel to protect the health and safety of workers. The purpose of the maximum working hours is to ensure that no worker works past the number of hours that he/she is considered to be safe for him. Doctors have been covered by this deal to improve the conditions under which they work. The maximum number of hours that every health professional

Amazon.com Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Amazon.com - Essay Example Amazon advertises extensively on the internet to help raise awareness of their brand. Also, Amazon maintains high-speed growth introducing new products and services available online. Innovations and adaptation policies help to appeal to a particular target audience in diverse markets. The main weakness of Amazon is a negative image of online banking and financial transaction. Many customers do not buy products online afraid of fraudulent actions of companies. Undeveloped banking sector in less developed countries prevent the company from rapid international growth. The opportunities included: high potential to growth based on the technological change and increasing number of internet users. The choice of communications mix should be the most cost-effective solution for achieving the organization's communication objectives. Call centers and the Internet give online booksellers great opportunities to promote its services. Competition and possible legal changes is the major threat forAm azon (Amazon Home Page 2009). In his book "Competitive Advantage" Porter identifies five forces that drive competition within an industry (Johnson and Scholes 54). The threat of entry by new competitors is possible but they will create a real threat for Amazon. The intensity of rivalry among existing competitors has a great impact on Amazon facing with strong competition (Barnes & Noble and other small online companies). Thus, Amazon has positioned itself as a superstore. Pressure from substitute products will not have a great impact on Amazon's activity. Today, Amazon proposes a wide range of e-texts and CD-ROMs which can be regarded as substitute products. The bargaining power of buyers is crucial for Amazon. The aim of customers is to pay the lowest possible price to obtain books or other products that they require. The advantage of Amazon is that it purchase in such large quantities that its suppliers are dependent on the customers' business. The bargaining power of suppliers does not have a great impact on Amazon because most firms are highly differentiated and need an effective distribution channels for their products (Amazon Home Page 2009). For Amazon, the most successful of four growth stages was the Growth stage. This success can explained by a strong web culture and environment created by its team. In order to be effective Amazon is responsive to external environmental influences. Amazon operates within a dynamic environment and it requires a structure and culture that are sensitive and readily adaptable to change (Johnson and Scholes 55). Amazon's organizational climate influences the level of morale and attitudes which members of the organization bring to bear on their work performance and personal relationships. Also, strong web culture attracts millions of buyers to this store. Web culture is based on non-price competition and strong brand image (Amazon Home Page 2009). Amazon.com is a leading internet-based company operating on a global scale. Amazon.com becomes the first mover in the e-retailing market proposing a wide product range to diverse customer targets. E-business allows the company to connect customer service and good levels, increases customer satisfaction and decreases retention artistries. The main strategy is a virtual bookshop which helps the company to promote and sell its products to customers. Similar to traditional marketing, a virtual bookshop

Intrastate semitruck transportation in Michigan Research Paper

Intrastate semitruck transportation in Michigan - Research Paper Example For instance, the construction data for the last semester of year 2009 showed Michigan to have experienced declines in the double-digits (-16.8%) which was reflected in the -6.4% decline of combined trade, transportation and utilities sector (www.bls.gov. 5 February 2010). A related industry to transportation and quarrying is mining and logging which also declined but this decelerated somewhat to only -6.3% over a 12-month period. All the above economic data pertain to number of jobs (in thousands, seasonally adjusted). What is more worrisome is the unemployment rate in state of Michigan which hovers around 15% (actually 14.6%) which is way above the national average of only 10%. But this is only the local picture for the state itself but there are many other issues to look at such as labor conditions, hiring patterns, economic competitiveness, safety, security, congestion, overall mobility, environmental impact and energy efficiency. Other than the economic factors that impinge on the industry, the one factor that has the greatest impact is deregulation. This is one factor more than interest rates or overall state of the economy that affects the industry. The entire US trucking industry is a $200 billion business and is highly fragmented. It means the 50 largest companies account for less than 30% of total industry revenues, unlike in other industries where there is an oligopoly or a high concentration of big players such as in the accounting industry (only 4 big players that can dictate prices). Economists call this as C4 or an industry where only 4 big players control more than 60% like US auto manufacturing or the oil industry. In short, the US trucking industry is over-saturated and lacks the necessary bargaining power with regards to customers and pricing. If we use Porters Five Forces Model then the trucking industry has very weak market power indeed. Of the five

Leadership Style Essay Example for Free

Leadership Style Essay The main focus of any organization is viability or productivity (Mastrangelo, Eddy and Lorenzet, 2004). This is further heightened by the increasing changes in product market activities (Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD), 2001). The fact that consumers now have a better and affordable access to market information has brought about an increase in their market power and the resultant effect is a more challenging and competitive market especially in the private sector. The public sector on the other hand is under increasing pressure for a more effective utilization of public funds. Consequently, the quest for a competitive advantage and increasingly better performance is becoming a major factor for consideration in virtually all organizations. In this light, the CIPD (2001) emphasized on the role of leadership as a major factor essential for an enhanced organizational performance. Taormina (2008) supported this in stating that in leadership is vested the ability to decide how organizations will be run and it plays a major role in influencing the organization to success. The CIPD (2001) further added that leadership (or people management) is the main element harnessing other success factors in an organization for effectiveness. A number of authors have also supported the foregoing discussions on the leader-success relationship (e. g Harris and Kuhnert 2008; Mastrangelo, Eddy and Lorenzet, 2004). Furthermore, research works have identified certain pointers to high performance leadership. A major one among these is leadership behavior or leadership style (Mastrangelo, Eddy and Lorenzet, 2004; Taormina, 2008). Leadership Style and Organizational Success: Drawing a Correlation Leadership style is one of the major traits that may be used to draw a line of difference between high performance and low performance organizations (Adeyemi-Bello, 2001). Since the management in an organization has a great impact on how it will be run, the style of leadership within the management cycle has a way of dictating the direction that such an organization will go. Taormina (2008) buttressed this point in his work. He established the fact that leadership behavior go along way in determining the culture or the prevailing atmosphere in an organization and this will in turn affect employees’ attitude towards performance and ultimate success of such an organization. A number of dichotomies on leadership behavior have been presented. However, leadership style can be broadly categorized into two – ‘People-Centered’ leadership and ‘Task-Centered’ leadership (Adeyemi-Bello, 2001 pg 150; Taormina, 2008 pg. 87). ‘People-Centered’ leadership Versus ‘Task-Centered’ leadership Various progressive attempts have been made at investigating leadership from the behavioral angle. However, a remarkable point was reached in the 1950s with the introduction of ‘Ohio State model’ which talked about ‘task-oriented’ and ‘people-oriented’ leadership (Taormina, 2008 pg. 87). These two categories seem to have been a perfect one that describes leadership behaviors because it is still being referred as at present. According to Adeyemi-Bello (2001), task-oriented style emphasizes on production and organizational goals. This leadership style is concerned about how the organizational goals may be implemented. People-oriented leaders on the other hand show great concern for the followers (Adeyemi-Bello, 2001). They create a warm environment within the organization and foster a strong positive relationship among members of the organization. While this style offers a system that respects the personality, feelings and opinions of the employees and gives them a feeling of empowerment (Taormina, 2008), task oriented approach is thirsty for achievements sometimes at all cost (Adeyemi-Bello, 2001). Subsequent studies after the initial presentation of these leadership models have made attempts at differentiating between them. The intention was to determine which one should be preferred above the other. However, Adeyemi-Bello (2001) explained that current researches have shown that preferences for any of the two styles depend on the current situation within the organization. There are cases where one style will fail to impact a good result, not because it is less effective but because the situation at hand does not create an environment conducive for its functionality (Mastrangelo, Eddy and Lorenzet, 2004). Furthermore, Jacques, Garger and Thomas (2008) remarked that the recent behavioral theory of leadership took the studies a step further by suggesting that the two behavioral approaches will be more effective when adequately blended under any given situation. Their paper revealed that graduates of project management performs better in leadership than those from another management related courses because of their ability to blend the two leadership styles; a training that the other group did not receive. Adeyemi-Bello (2001) had earlier presented this fact in her work. The result of her survey on 29 Baptist church leaders shows a better result when the two styles were combined in church leadership than when each one was singly adopted. She concluded for the extension of these results into leadership in other realms of human activities. The implications of these results are quite obvious. A paradigm shift in the content and delivery of leadership training programs has become very necessary. The current training inculcating strategic planning and tasks-focused practices should pave way for a more balanced approach in management training. People managers should also learn to engage in a better interpersonal relationship with those under them, create a warmer environment conducive for a healthy work relationship, and engage in strategies that will give employees a feeling of empowerment (Adeyemi-Bello, 2001; Monstarangelo, Eddy and Lorenzet, 2004; Taormina, 2008). The case of Kleine Plastics in the UK presented by Ludlow (1987) serves as a good example in driving home the points that has been raised so far (in Tyson and Kakabadse eds. ). The work contrasted between the leadership attributes of Joseph Kleine, the founder of Kleine Plastics and that of David, his son at a particular time during the early stages of the company’s development. It reviews Joseph Kleine’s attitude as ‘a charismatic leader with whom his managers and work force wish to identify’ (pg. 23). He engages a style that trusted and respected his employees and empathizes with their situations. To him, these people were his main assets. This, coupled with his result oriented tendencies, propelled the work force towards a high performance level. However, David Kleine could not maintain this approach when he had to stand in during his father’s absence. He wanted result at all cost without due regards for his team members. Objections to his propositions by his managers were downplayed no matter how genuine they may be. Though work was still progressing, enthusiasm and productivity level dwindled. The return of Joseph was welcomed with protests from every quarter. David style was found to be less effective because of its lack of ‘human face’. Conclusion Leadership style is an issue that will still continue to be a subject of interest among research workers. The world is ever changing and people are becoming increasingly dynamic in attitude and thinking. This calls for a leadership approach that will keep up with the pace of the changes. A dynamic leader is one that is better equipped to respond to changes and easily enlist the cooperation of people in managing them effectively towards a greater level of production performance.

Policy on Social and Affordable Housing in Ireland

Policy on Social and Affordable Housing in Ireland 1.0 What is Social and Affordable Housing? 1.1 Social Housing: Definition According to the Irish Council for Social Housing (2010), Social Housing can be broadly defined as accommodation provided by a local authority or approved non-profit housing body for persons who are unable to provide accommodation form their own resources. (www.icsh.ie) 1.2 Affordable Housing: Definition As defined by Dublin City Council (2010), Affordable Housing is a scheme whereby new homes are sold at a reduced price to people who cannot afford to buy a property on their own. (www.dublincity.ie) 1.3 History of Social Housing According to Redmond and Norris (2005), the first instances of social and affordable housing can be tracked back to the mid 1800s. During this time, Europe was witnessing widespread concern about housing conditions of the low income population. This unrest led to state subsidized rental housing to the disadvantaged and low income groups. This form of housing is now known as social housing. Social housing in Ireland has traditionally been provided through two means, these are: Local Authorities and Approved Voluntary Housing Associations. 1.3.1 Local Authority Social Housing In Ireland the Housing of the Working Classes Act (1890), was the first such Act to introduce the concept of the provision for social housing by the local authorities. This act introduced little change to the housing situation at the time. It was not until 1919 when a new housing Act was introduced. This Act was The Housing Act 1919. This Act obliged the local authorities to build and to provide subsidies in areas where there was a need for housing. From the time of introduction of this Act, Ireland saw a substantial period of social housing programmes and completions. This period continued well up until the 1950s. In 1966 a new Act was introduced to modernise the countries outdated legal framework in relation to housing. This Act was The 1966 Housing Act. To date Ireland has benefited from the introduction of 330,000 homes provided by local authorities under social housing initiatives. Currently local authorities manage 108,000 homes under the bracket of social housing. 1.3.2 Approved Voluntary Housing Association Social Housing As defined by the Irish Council for Social Housing (2010), Voluntary housing associations are non-profit organisations formed for the purpose of relieving housing need and the provision and management of housing. The largest of the voluntary housing associations in Ireland at present is the Iveagh Trust. The Iveagh Trust was set up in 1890 by Sir Edward Cecil Guinness, Earl of Iveagh. The purpose of this trust was to provide housing and other amenities to the working classes in Dublin. This was one of the first schemes of its kind to provide such assistance. The introduction of The Capital Assistance Scheme (1984) has provided much needed assistance to these housing associations. Due to the assistance provided by this scheme voluntary housing associations have been able to grow and provide effective assistance in the role of providing housing to those unable to provide housing for themselves. During the mid to late 1990s voluntary housing associations struggled to provide housing due to the increasing land and building costs. According to the National Economic and Social Council (2004), during the 1990s voluntary housing associations produced their lowest output of 285 units. At this time the numbers of people in need of housing was rapidly increasing. The Minister for Housing and Urban Renewal, Mr Robert Molloy T.D., was then prompted to update and improve the schemes available to the voluntary housing agencies. This allowed them to again function effectively in their role to the communities. In 2003 the voluntary housing sector has a managed stock of over 16,000 dwellings. The National Economic Social Council (2004). The Irish Council for Social Housing has recognised the role that the voluntary housing agencies provide in Ireland and has ensured that they have been included in the following current government policy documents: National Development Plan 2007 2013 and Towards 2016. Icsh (2010). 1.4 History of Affordable Housing Affordable housing is a relatively recent initiative in Ireland with the Housing Act 1992 providing the first policies for affordable housing. This Act facilitated access to full ownership in two or more stages to those who cannot afford ownership by their own means. Under this Act the purchaser must initially purchase 40% of the property. The Affordable Housing Scheme 1999 brought forward proposals by the social partnership to provide additional affordable housing on land that is already in the possession of the State and local authorities. As defined by the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government (2009), the Affordable Housing Scheme 1999 comprises developments built on local authority land and in some cases purchased turnkey developments. It was not until the introduction of Part V of the Planning and Development Act 2000 that affordable housing could be considered an effective form of providing housing to those who cannot afford to buy a property on their own. This Act provided an obligation for developers to transfer up to a maximum of 20% of land, units, sites, an equivalent financial contribution or other land or units off site to the local authority for the use to provide social and affordable housing. According to the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government (2009), in 2007 the provision set out in Part V for affordable housing, accounted for 60% of the country wide provision of affordable housing. Today it is through the three measures above that affordable housing is primarily being provided by the local authorities. Sustaining Progress 2003 2005 introduced the Affordable Housing Initiative (AHI). This initiative was responsible for providing 10,000 affordable homes on local authority and State lands. This target has been increased in the current social partnership agreement, Towards 2016, to 17,000 affordable homes. In 2005 the Irish Government decided to establish the Affordable Homes Partnership (AHP). The role of the AHP was to coordinate the delivery of affordable housing by the local authorities in the Greater Dublin Area. The role of AHP in 2007 was extended in to coordinate affordable housing at a national level. During the period of 2006 2008 the AHP actually provided affordable housing direct to the applicant. The AHP when it was created was to take the responsibility of the sites under the AHI. The AHP used this land to deliver affordable housing through land exchanges. According to the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government 2009, only two land exchanges have taken place to date through the AHP. REFERENCES: Social Partnership (2006), Towards 2016. Dublin, Social Partnership Agreement, The Stationary Office. Ireland, Planning and Development Act 2000, Part V. Dublin: Stationary Office Buckley, J. (11 May 2009). Water Services and Affordable Housing Delivery Report. Dublin, Comptroller and Auditor General Special Report, Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government. Social Partnership (2003), Sustaining Progress 2003 2005. Dublin, Social Partnership Agreement, The Stationary Office. The Economic Social Council (2004) Housing in Ireland: Performance and Policy. Dublin, The National and Economic Council. The Irish Council for Social Housing (2010), Development of the Voluntary Housing Sector [online], available: http://www.icsh.ie/eng/housing_in_ireland/development_of_the_voluntary_housing_sec, [accessed 2 January 2010]. Redmond, D. and Norris, M.(2005)Setting the Scene: Recent transformations in Irish housinginHousing Contemporary Ireland: policy, society and shelter,ed(s)., Dublin,Institute of Public Administration. Irish Council for Social Housing (2010), History of Hosing Policy [online], available: http://www.icsh.ie/eng/housing_in_ireland/government_policy, [accessed 2 January 2010]. 2.0 Government Policy and Legislation 2.1 Introduction According to the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government (2009), the aim of the Irish Housing Policy is to enable every household to have available an affordable dwelling of good quality, suited to its needs, in a good environment and as far as possible at the tenure of its choice. The following review provides information on the legislative background of the social and affordable housing in Ireland. It examines the acts, initiatives and reports in relation to social and affordable housing and details the circumstances that gave rise to the implementation of Part V of the Planning and Development Act 2000. It also examines the government policies that affect housing affordability and analyses Part V of the Planning and Development Act 2000 and the amendments made in 2002. 2.2 Government Policies that Influence Home Ownership and Prices During the last two decades house prices have been increasing largely due to the demand by the young growing population that were looking to get into the property market. During this period interest rates on property and tax rates on property were particularly suited to home ownership. April 1997 saw the abolishment of the taxation of residential property. After April 1997 stamp duty was the sole tax that one had to pay when dealing with the sale or purchase of a residential property. The Government introduced mortgage interest relief as an incentive to encourage home ownership. Mortgage interest relief is available from the lender to the purchaser, once the owner can prove that the money has been solely applied for the purpose to purchase a property. The reduction in mortgage repayments is catered for by the reduction of tax that the applicant is entitled to. 2.4 Circumstances That Gave Rise to Part V of the Planning and Development Act 2000 The following sections of this dissertation are a review of the contributing factors that gave rise to Part V of the Planning and Development Act 2000. The following sections include a review of the Bacon Reports and other important factors. 2.4.1 Bacon Report 1: An Economic Assessment of Recent House Price Developments During the lead up to the publishing of the first Bacon report, Ireland was experiencing rapid increase in house prices. During this period investors began to flex their muscles in the property market. As a result the first time buyers suffered and began to find it increasingly difficult to enter the housing market. Traditionally first time buyers bought properties towards the lower end of the property ladder. It was these properties that the investors were driven to secure with the aim to rent. The demand for these rental properties was fuelled by the increase in numbers of immigrants entering the country that were not looking to buy properties but to rent properties. This increase in demand for property led to a number of housing agencies to issue warnings that demand for housing would continue to increase and continue to inflate housing prices in the market in Ireland. The first Bacon report proposed interventions by the government to help first time buyers who were at this stage, struggling to get into the inflated property market. The report recommended that the government should strive for a more acceptable rate of house price development and suggested four main areas to focus on for a policy response. These areas are as follows; Achieve better balance between demand and supply in the short term, improve the potential supply of the housing, engage in infrastructure developments and to improve medium and long term planning of the development of the east region. The Bacon report goes on to suggest a rebalancing of existing incentives in favour of the provision of housing at the lower end of the property market. The report highlights that the revenue has overlooked the provision of incentives for providing affordable housing. The report suggests revenue incentives, as a method to increase availability and choice to first time buyers who were struggling to enter the property market. The removal of what was defined as Section 23 incentives for investors and the removal of mortgage interest relief against properties were suggested. A reduction of stamp duty on second hand homes was proposed to increase the scope of available affordable homes in the second hand market. The report suggested a review of residential densities and investment in infrastructure as necessary to help maximise housing supply. The report went on to suggest the idea of introducing an administrative control on housing prices. This idea was later discarded as it was thought that the control of house prices would have the potential to distort the property market. 2.4.2 Government Response to Bacon 1 The government responded to Bacon 1 by decreasing stamp duty rates on second hand houses and also by investing in the improvement of the infrastructure to help realise the potential of development land. The government imposed stamp duty on new houses bought by non owner occupiers. Tax relief for property investors on Section 23 properties was reviewed and the suitability of each property for relief is to be individually assessed subject to the Local Area Plan. Deductibility of interest on borrowings undertaken for investment in property was removed after April 23rd 1998. Action was also taken in the effort to bring down income limits for the shared ownership scheme to a level that was more relevant to the incomes at the time. 2.4.3 Bacon Report 2: The Housing Market, an Economic Review and Assessment The Bacon Report 2 was published after the Government responded to the first Bacon report. This report centres largely on the period directly after the first Bacon Report and observes the impact of the report by assessing the property market during this time. The Report finds that house inflation had slowed since the Governments actions following the first Bacon Report. This slow down was particularly apparent in the market for new housing. Following the first report, the Government removed the deductibility of interest on borrowings for investors while promoting liquidity in the second hand market by changing the structure of the stamp duty system. This Report found that the reduction in interest rates at the time and the easing house price inflation should have made housing more affordable, but in fact affordability remained a serious problem. The Report did warn that a reduction in housing prices may solve the issue of affordability but negative equity would be serious bye-product. The Report made it clear to the Government that they had to centre on filling the void between the price of new houses and the price that was affordable for those who could not afford to buy a new house at the normal asking price. The Report suggested again as it did in the first Bacon Report, that the issue of housing densities should be reviewed, with the possible integration of terraced housing in new developments as a method of providing housing at a lower cost to the developer. The Report did raise the issue of social isolation due to this form of housing. The Bacon Report 2 introduced a concept to develop a scheme for the provision of affordable housing by local authorities and developers. This was the first instance that laid the foundations of the affordable homes scheme. The need to strengthen the existing Planning Acts was highlighted with the objective of modernising the Governments housing policy. The concept of making housing more affordable and improving accessibility to mortgage funding would further increase demand for housing and therefore increase housing prices. As a result the Report suggested to the Minister for the Environment and Local Government to invite proposals from agencies within the voluntary sector as how they could be helped to develop and also how their resources could be applied in a more effective manner with the aim of providing extra housing for the sectors of the community most in need. 2.4.4 Government Response to Bacon 2 On the 9th of March 1999 issued a report titled, Action on the Housing Market. This report contained the Governments response to the 2nd Bacon Report. This report contained initiatives which aimed to maximise and expedite housing supply, secure house price stabilisation, address affordability issues and ensure balanced growth of the property market in the future, (Action on the Housing Market, 1999). Their actions included placing temporary sewerage facilities on land in Dublin to enable the early release of 16000 housing sites. Arrangements were made to identify infrastructural constraints in areas of growth which would reduce delay in housing provision. Draft guidelines for new housing densities were published. These included action on increasing the mix of affordable housing in new developments. An affordable housing scheme was launched shortly before the release of the government response. Through this scheme Local Authorities would provide additional new houses on land available to them which would help lower income households to purchase their own homes. It was stated that the Department of the Environment and Local Government would invite proposals from the voluntary housing sector as to how to expand on the voluntary housing programme. 2.4.5 Bacon Report 3: The Housing Market in Ireland: An Economic Evaluation of Trends Prospects The third Bacon Report was released on the 6th of June 2000. The first point of Bacon 3s executive summary stated that the rate of increase in housing prices, since the release of the first Bacon Report in 1998 had slowed down significantly. The strengthening economy at the time was blamed for the increased difficulty in securing stability in the housing market. House price completions had increased in each successive quarter in 1999. The average price of new houses was still beyond the reach of many average workers. The rate of economic growth at the time meant potential demand for additional 8.000 to 10,000 residential units per annum. The requirement for increased supply in Dublin and the Middle East regions was stressed as increasingly important to control house prices due to the predicted increase in demand in that area. 2.4.6 Government Response to Bacon3 The Government released a report detailing measures which it would take to address housing needs and requirements, as outlined in the third Bacon Report. With regard to Social and Affordable housing, the Government stated that they would increase output of local authority housing that would start at 1,000 units per annum between 2001 and 2006. The Government also proposed measures that would aim to facilitate Local Authorities and Voluntary Bodies to acquire sufficient land that they could provide social and affordable housing. 2.5 Demands for Irish Housing According to Norris and Redmond (2005), there have been significant increases in the demand for housing in Ireland during the economic boom, caused by a combination of economic, demographic and social factors. As mentioned in 2.4.1, the Governments taxation policy was favourable to property investors, particularly during the period following the 1986 Urban Renewal Act which initiated Section 23 Tax Relief. The annual housing inflation rate in 1998 was at 22.5%. At the time this rate of inflation showed no signs of slowing down. The First Bacon Report summarised in 2.4.1, estimated high levels of future demand for Irish housing. The Second Bacon Report pointed to rising rents in the private rented sector. Social rented housing output was not increasing and in 1999 the local authority assessment of housing need showed that 39,716 households were registered on local authority waiting lists, this was an increase of 43% on the previous assessment of housing need which was complied in 1996 , Brooke (2006). The first affordable housing scheme was introduced in March 1999. This scheme provided only 40 affordable houses that year. Part V of the Planning and Development Bill 1999 was structured to address these issues. The Minister for the Environment, Mr Noel Dempsey stated that Part V addressed two major issues in the Irish Housing Policy that allowed people to purchase their own homes and also of the provision of social rented housing. According Mr Noel Dempsey (2000), Part V of the Bill, introduces a major new dimension to planning legislation and contains the most radical and probably the most contentious provisions of the Bill. 2.6 Most Notable Legislation in Relation to Irish Housing Provision The following is an account of some of the Legislation that is considered most important in relation to Social and Affordable Housing. 2.6.1 Housing Act 1966 This Act modernised the legal framework for social housing in Ireland. Is also included the provision for the tenant purchase scheme which allowed local authority tenants to purchase their houses form the local authority. Section 55 of this act relates to a house building programme which each local authority must adhere to in relation to the provision of housing. 2.6.2 Housing Act 1988 This act defined how homelessness would be interpreted in relation to the provision of housing. It allowed the provision of a subsidy to eligible persons against the loans which they had obtained for the purchase or construction of their house. It required local authorities to make an estimation of housing requirements within their functional area both at the present time and over a designated period of time. 2.6.3 Housing Act 1992 This act introduced the Shared Ownership Scheme which allowed a housing authority to grant a shared ownership lease for a term of more than 20 years but not less than 100 years. 2.6.4 The Planning and Development Bill 1999 According to the House of the Oireachtas, the Planning and Development Bill 1999 is to revise and consolidate the law relating to planning and development by repealing and re-enacting with amendments the local government (planning and development) acts, 1963 to 1999; to provide, in the interests of the common good, for proper planning and sustainable development including the provision of housing. 2.6.5 Part V of the Planning and Development Act 2000 Part V of the Planning and Development Act 2000 dealt with housing supply and it came into effect on 1 November 2000. The primary objective behind the introduction of Part V was to obtain land for housing purposes, however the legislation also aimed to improve integration between different social groups by introducing social and affordable housing into private housing estates. The legislation has been the subject of controversy since its inception. Part V of the Planning and Development Act 2000 was resisted by the Construction Industry Federation and the Home Builders Association. These two groups were the primary objectors of the legislation and claimed that Part V would result in a reduction in supply of new private housing, that will increase second hand prices and the buyers of new houses will subsidise the affordable and social housing being expropriated from the industry Norris, M (1999). Part V of the Act did have supporters that described the Act as a landmark step that woul d modernise the planning system in Ireland, improve housing delivery and help reduce undue social segregation in new housing developments. It represents a community and planning gain or return against the windfall profits arising from the development of land Brooke (2006). Part V of the Planning and Development Act 2000 requires that housing strategies be drawn up by planning authorities and integrated into their development plans. Each housing strategy should have regard to the proper planning and sustainable development of an area and should be concerned with the overall supply of housing within the planning authority. In addition, the Act makes communities needs for social and affordable housing a material planning consideration which must be taken account of in formulating development plan policies, preparing a housing strategy and deciding on planning applications or appeals. The Act places a statutory obligation on planning authorities to ensure that sufficient land is zoned for housing in their development plans to meet the projected housing requirements over the plan period and to ensure that an undue shortage will not arise, The Planning and Development Act (2000 p.1.). Most importantly the Act empowers a local authority to attach a condition on a planning permission on land zoned as residential, a requirement for developers to supply up to 20% of the land for social and affordable housing. This requirement was set down in the act with the objective to create all new residential developments that will have a proportion of social and affordable housing contained in within it. The provision of social and affordable housing under Part V only applied to developments that were over 0.1 Hectares in size and contained more than 5 units. Part V only applied to planning applications for permission on land zoned as residential use. This requirement was considered a major flaw as it allowed developers to avail of a loop hole of which they could use to avoid the social and affordable housing requirements set out in Part V. This was particularly apparent on Co. Leithrim, where the town of Carrick-On-Shannon was the only area in the county where zoning provisions where present. Part V of the Planning and Development Act 2000 was commenced on the 1st of November 2000. By the 31st of July 2001 all of the local authorities had amended their development plans and had completed new housing strategies that allowed for the new requirements contained in the Act. 2.6.6 The Planning and Development Amendment Act 2002 This Act allowed developers a greater choice with the provision of social and affordable housing. The Act enabled developers to provide land, sites or housing as an alternative to providing social and affordable housing in each development. The alternatives did however have to be contained within the remit of that planning authority. The developer was allowed another alternative to this requirement under the Act, the developer is allowed to pay the local authority a sum of money equivalent in value to the transfer of the land. This amendment of the Planning and Development Act 2000 is considered by many as a weakening or a cop out to the developers. One of the primary aims of the original Act was to counteract social segregation but now this responsibility is effectively left in the hands of the developer. 2.7 Government Intervention in Irish Housing Provision The following are the most important examples of Government interventions in relation to the Irish housing market. 2.7.1 Local Authority House Building Scheme The 1966 Housing Act places an obligation on local authorities to provide housing for those who cannot afford appropriate housing for themselves. Redmond, D. and Norris, M.(2005)state that 300,000 housing units have been provided to date, since the introduction of the Local Authority House Building Scheme. 2.7.2 House Purchase Loan Scheme The House Purchase Loan Scheme was introduced for those who have had an unsuccessful loan application with a building society, bank or any other lending institution to build or to buy a residential property. This scheme gave a person an alternative option as to avail of a local authority loan. To receive this loan the applicant must not exceed an income of  £40,000 as a single income household or  £100,000 as a dual income household and must have been refused a loan by a bank or building society. 2.7.3 Tenant Purchase Scheme The Tenant Purchase Scheme was introduced under Section 90 of the 1966 Housing Act. Section 90 allowed a local authority to sell on a social house to the tenant. The Act also allowed a local authority to sell a vacant house to whomever they deemed suitable, once the prospective purchaser is in need of housing. 2.7.4 1999 Affordable Housing Scheme The affordable housing scheme was introduce in March 1999. Under this scheme a person can purchase a house from a local authority at a reduced rate to the normal market price. The price of the house is subsidised by the Department of the Environment at  £50,000 per house in the Dublin local authorities and all city councils and at  £31800 for all other local authorities. 2.7.5 Affordable Housing Provided Under Part V of the Planning and Development Act 2000 As summarised in detail above in section 2.6.5, Part V of the Planning and Development Act 2000 empowers a local authority to obtain up to 20% of land zoned for residential use at a reduced rate from a developer to provide social and affordable housing. 2.7.6 Capital Assistance Scheme According to the Department of the Environment (2010), the Capital Assistance Scheme enables voluntary housing bodies to provide accommodation to meet housing needs in special areas, such as of people with disabilities, elderly, homelessness, emigrants or small families. 2.7.7 Capital Loan and Subsidy Scheme The Capital Loan and Subsidy Schemes enable voluntary bodies with the means to provide rental housing for low income families. 2.8 Conclusion Government policy has led to both a high owner occupier rate of housing in Ireland and also high house prices. The aims of the Irish Housing Policy has been greatly affected by government polices. Housing had become less affordable due to previous incentives which encouraged investment and speculation in the market. It was not until the 1990s when the issue of housing affordability arose. This led to the commission of the Bacon Reports on housing in Ireland. The issue of Social and Affordable housing provision in Ireland became more important during the property boom due to rising prices. This looked to have been on its way to rectification in the Planning and Development Act 2000 which brought about a sense of coordination in housing provision. However the potential of Part V of the Planning and Development Act 2000 as a mechanism for ensuring sustainable provision of Social and Affordable Housing without social segregation was greatly depleted with the introduction of the Amendment Act in 2002, which provided too many options for compliance by developers. In the current market downturn, affordable housing in its current guise has arguably lost importance in comparison to social housing due to values of all property falling. Therefore updated legislation in relation to Part V is necessary to rectify the current weakening housing policy. REFERENCES: Norris, M. (1999) Mixed-Tenure Housing Estates: Development, Design, Management and Outcomes. Dublin, The Housing Unit. Dempsey, N. (2000) Planning and Development Bill 2000, second stage, 2nd February, Dà ¡il Éireann, available: http://historical-debates.oireachtas.ie/D/0513/D.0513.200002020018.html [accessed 23 February 2010]. Brooke, S. (2006) Building for inclusion? : Housing output and part V of the Irish Planning and Development system. Dublin. Focus Ireland. Bacon, P and Mac Cabe, F. (1998) Bacon Report 1: An Economic Assessment of Recent House Price Developments. Dublin, Stationary Office, Minister for Housing and Urban Renewal. Bacon, P and Mac Cabe, F. (1999) Bacon Report 2: The Housing Market an Economic Review and Assessment. Dublin, Stationary Office, Minister fo