Establishing Relationships in Support Work

Establishing Relationships in Support Work Haiyang Li There are many kinds of relationships in the world, for instance, parents and children, husband and wife, boyfriend and girlfriend, friends, neighbors and etc. Normally, people think the relationship between supporters and clients is the same as doctor and clients. However, there are a lot of differences. In this essay, I will demonstrate what a supporting relationship should be, identifying the key theoretical principles to establish a supporting relationship. In between, I will connect the theoretical principles with the case study, and demonstrate how the principles work in the real situation. To build a supporting relationship, the supporter needs to put his heart in the support work using all the helping skills and Personal-Certred Approach as a guide in the real work. The relationship between supporter and client was seen as someone who can talk to. It looks very simple. However, the supporter is the one who can be trust, the one who can understand the problems or the situation the clients in, the one can accept the fact of clients hold, and the one can be allowed to provide help for the client. In order to become that kind supporter, the helper need to prepare relevant knowledge to understand the situation, history, strength and worries the client has. the relationship is about building a rapport and trust with the supporter. The client may feel comfortable enough to open up and address their problems. This kind of relationship is built on confidentiality and reliability. In this case, ‘Spider’, he is a 19 years old boy. The situation of him is that he is sleeping in the nearby park. He is lack of education but he learned from street knowing how to survive on the street but poor living conditions. The history of him is that he has family abuse history and has been lived in foster homes for a few years and change foster home frequently in those years. He was not good at school study left school when he was 14. After he turned to 18, he lost government support and then he had to live in the street in the poor living condition and use street drugs for himself. The strength of him is that he identifies himself as a resourceful, determined and smart street dweller. He wants to start a new way of life which is moving out from the street, finding a job, requiring more knowledge and having his own living place. He hopes that he can have his own family. He has very strong desire to move on for his life to start working forward to his dream. The worries of him are homelessness, unemployment and reuse street drugs. From case study, I think the Person-Centred Approach is suitable and helpful for us to understand and care for him. The Person-Centred Approach developed from the work of Dr. Carl Rogers. The research (Richard, 1992) indicates that the Person-Centred Approach theory aim to develop or create a relationship that can allow the clients to be themselves. The relationship can be felt safe for the client and give them space to develop and grow. To achieve this goal, the supporter would be a person who was deeply understanding which is empathic in the theory; accepting which is having unconditional positive regard and genuine which is congruent in the principle. Using Person-Centred Approach theory, the supporter needs to understand what has happened to him. Firstly, when he was young, he was suffering from neglect and abuse in his family. The research (Smith Segal, 2012) shows that Negligence, on the part of parents or caretakers, can cause children both physical and mental health problems. Parents or caretakers carelessness can be seen as a kind of physicalabuse. Children’s fear is also from unpredictable environment change and behavior of their guardians. The guardians successfully manage to plunge fear in the hearts of the children. As a result children who suffered from family physical abuse always pay attention on the negative emotions of their caretakers or parents. So, when these children grow up, the childhood experience has impacted on their personalities and behavior as well. Research (Soomro, Abbasi Lalani, 2014) shows that they may encounter physical problems such as asthma, high blood pressure, ulcer, allergies, etc; p sychological problems such as personal disorders and aggressive demeanor and behavior problems such as felony, drug habits and poor academic performance. In this case, ‘Spider’ shows his behavior problems which are not successful in school and drug problems. And street drug problem still drag him back to the street. Secondly, he had been into the foster home but change frequent between foster homes. The foster care system seems another ideal choice for them; however, it is not always helpful when these young people need help. These adolescents have been impacted by the homeless issue and cause their social and health problem (Joanne Patricia, 2006). Children who have been put in the foster care home experienced about the relationship attached between them and their caretakers or their foster home parents. This link is very important for children’s development. Research (American Psychiatric Association, 1994) indicated that Disruptions in attachment relationships can lead to Reactive Attachment Disorder of infancy or early Childhood. In this case, ‘Spider’ has experienced the frequently changes in foster care homes. This impact may shows on him when he grows up. He may have difficulty trust or related with somebody else such as our supporters. So this may be a barrier in est ablishing supporting relationships. So from this case, as a supporter, I understand that the most problems of him have not controlled by himself. He has no choices that born from a family where abuse him when he was young. For rescuing him, he has been put into foster care. The child abuse experience makes his misbehavior in the foster home and school. He does not prepare enough for his independent life before he had been abandoned from foster care home. He has to live in the street in a rough condition so that he has the opportunity to connect with street drugs. I am also glad that he is still holding his hope on his future. He wants to be employed, educated and to have a living place. The internal motivation is the most important helper for him to reach his goal because an important part of this theory is that in a particular psychological environment, the fulfillment of personal potential is a desire to know and be known by other people (British Association for the Person Centred Approach, 2015). After understanding about the client, the supporter needs to preparing himself with communication skills, action skills, mind skills and using unconditional positive regard to start a conversation with the client. Richard (2012) indicates that the Communication and action skills are what people do and how they do it rather than what and how they feel and think. The skills include listening skills, questioning skills and challenging skills. Supporter and clients can use verbal messages, vocal messages, body messages, touch messages and taking action messages to communication with each other. In the Person-Centred Approach theory, supporter needs to use positively acceptant response to the client. Use warm and appropriate expression to send messages to build a different kind of relationships so the client may feel free to talk and express himself. Also, in genuine part, the supporter need to show client that client has been heard. It is important to show that the supporter is paying attention in the conversation they have. The supporter may use verbal messages to reflecting what the client said; may use face expression to let client know the support was thinking about what client said; or the supporter, may use taking action messages to make a note to show his listening. That is the main difference of the relationship with doctor, nurse or social worker. John and Julia (2011) research shows that these professional people tend to provide advices response rather than listening. They are looking for the solution rather than the process of helping people finding their own pro blems the helping relationship is focus on people. It is the way for people to rescue themselves. I understand of mind skills is the process to know yourself and your own experience in order to use your own experience to help the client. in this case, we can share the same experience when ourselves in the difficult situation. Out experience may difference with his abuse, foster care, homelessness history but we have our difficult time such as hard to find a job and do not know what to do next in life. The important that we share how we concur the difficulty, what effort we made and never lose the hope. To sum up, the support work is how you treat someone who needs help and how to provide help. The first to start a relationship, as the Person-Certred Approach suggested, understanding what the client is, such as who he is, what the situation he is in, what the problem he has and what worries he may have. Then before start a conversation, the supporter needs to provide a comfortable and safe environment for the client. One meaning of the environment is physical environment that may include the nice place to sit, comfortable and no interrupting noise. The other meaning of the environment is between supporter and the client. The supporter need to prepare an environment that the client can open his heart and willing to share his story. In order to do so, the supporter need to use the communication and action skills, use his voice, use positive unconditional regards, use acceptance attitude and use congruent skills to show that the supporter is ready and willing to accept the client. Also , the supporter needs to keep the confidentially of the conversation. So the client feels trustworthy and safe to talk to the supporter. References British Association for the Person Centred Approach, 2015. What is the Person-Centred Approach? Retrieved fromhttp://www.bapca.org.uk/about/what-is-it.html Joanne, O., Patricia, L. (2006). Adolescent Homelessness, Nursing, and Public Health Policy. Policy, Politics, Nursing Practice, 7(1), 73-77. doi: 10.1177/1527154406286663 John, M., Julia, M. (2011). Counseling Skills a practical guide for counselors and helping professionals. (2nd ed.). New York, USA: Open University Press Richard, N. (1992). Lifeskills Helping A text book of practical counseling and helping skills. (3nd ed.). NSW, Australia: Harcourt Brace Company. Richard, N. (2012). Basic counseling skills a helper’s manual. (3rd ed.). London, UK. Sage publications Ltd. Smith, M., Segal, J. (2012, July).Child Abuse and Neglect. Retrieved July 25, 2012, from Helpguide:http://www.helpguide.org/mental/child%5Fabuse%5Fphysical%5Femotional%5Fsexual%5Fneglect.htm Soomro, S., Abbasi,Z. Lalani, F. (2014). An Indepth Insight intoChildAbuseand itsImpacton Personality of Victims. International Research Journal of Art Humanities. 10 (40), 53-68. Retrieved from http://eds.a.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.massey.ac.nz/eds/detail/detail?vid=2sid=3dbcd49c-02aa-456b-9c1e-d379c403696f%40sessionmgr4002hid=4208bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWRzLWxpdmUmc2NvcGU9c2l0ZQ%3d%3d#db=hlhAN=99236148

Tackling Health Inequalities A Challenge Health And Social Care Essay

Tackling Health Inequalities A Challenge Health And Social Care Essay Tackling health inequalities is a challenge faced by policy makers and health practitioners This assignment will critically discuss how Coronary Heart Disease (CHD) may be tackled, drawing on the current evidence based thinking and social policies on tackling health inequalities. Over the past 30 years, there have been a number of strategies proposed to tackle health inequalities. They have all largely focused on improving the health of the most disadvantaged groups, reducing the gap between the best and worst off and improving health across the whole gradient. (Graham, 2004) The above will also be discussed below. The World health Organisation (WHO) 1999 global strategy of achieving health for all is fundamentally directed towards achieving greater equity in health between and within populations. This implies that all people have an equal opportunity to develop and maintain their health, through fair and equal access to resources for health. Targets in England also aim to improve the health of the disadvantaged groups and that of the population as a whole and also closing the health gap (Secretary of State for Health, 1999). Similar targets have been set up in Wales, Scotland and Ireland with the aim of tackling health inequalities (Graham, 2004). A health gradient approach in tackling health inequalities directs attention to the systematic differences in life expectancy and living standard associated with peoples position in the socio economic hierarchy (Graham, 2004). Tackling health inequalities needs to focus on the causes of health inequality and health damaging behaviours associated with peoples unequal position in the socio- economic hierarchy (Graham, 2004). Improving the health of the poor groups and improving their position relative to other groups is an important strategy in reducing the socio-economic gradient. However, the Department of Health (DOH) (2002a) emphasises that to meet national targets and make progress on tackling health inequalities interventions must reach more than the most disadvantaged. Marmot (2010) also points out focusing solely on the most disadvantaged will not reduce health inequalities Graham (2004) adds that, to improve the social gradient, policies need to be associated with absolute imp rovements in health for all socio-economic groups with a rate of improvement which increases at each step down the socio-economic ladder. The White Paper: Saving Lives: Our Healthier Nation, published in July 1999, aimed to improve the health of the population as a whole, improve the health of the worst off in society and narrow the health gap (DOH, 1999a). Narrowing the gap between the worse and better off, requires absolute improvement, raising the health of lower socio- economic groups faster than the higher socio economic groups (Graham, 2004). However, Graham (2004) points out that in a society where overall rates of health are improving absolute improvement in their health may be insufficient to narrow the gap between the worse and better off. Wagstaff ,Paci and Van Doorslaer,(1991) also add that focusing on the worst off can obscure what is happening to intermediate groups, experiencing poor health consequently compromising health across the socio-economic hierarchy. The White Paper set targets to be achieved by 2010, of which included reducing the death rate in people aged 75 years from CHD by at least two fir ths (DOH, 1999). A budget of  £96m was allocated to these programmes, however the White Paper aimed at the population as a whole and didnt set any specific national targets for reducing health inequalities (Shaw et al, 1999).Consequently there was no significant improvement in health inequalities. Public health policy has been redefined to give more emphasis to tackling systematic health differences of advantaged and disadvantaged groups (Graham, 2004). Improving the health of the worst off and reducing poverty is the governments main target in tackling health inequalities. However, targeted policies may have negative effects on the health of other groups, either in absolute or relative terms (Graham, 2004). The Black Report (1980) and the Acheson Report (1999) recommended prioritising the health of families with children, reducing income inequalities and improving standards of poor households (Acheson, 1998). Reducing child poverty and improving circumstances of children would have long term effects on reducing health inequalities (Acheson, 1999). The government set targets to reduce Child poverty by half, by 2010 and eradicate child poverty by 2020 (DOH, 1999). The elderly people are more likely to be diagnosed with CHD, and if in poverty this can worsen the condition. The S tate Retirement Pension needs to high enough to provide a financial security in old age, however the current government have increased the retirement age to 67 years, which may increase income inequalities in the elderly people. The older one gets the less hours they work earning less income. Furthermore, getting the unemployed into jobs across the gradient is another way of tackling poverty. Marmot (2010) argues that jobs need to offer a minimum level of quality; a decent wage and flexible hours to enable people balance work and family life. Good working conditions can reduce the risk of developing CHD. However, getting people into low paid, insecure and health damaging work will increase the exposure to poor health therefore increasing health inequalities. For individuals such as the permanently sick or house bound, employment may not be the solution out of poverty. Furthermore, it would be impossible to reduce unemployment if there are no jobs available (WHO, 2008). In April 1999, the government also introduced the National minimal wage, this policy was aiming at reducing in work poverty and decrease the number of individuals dependant on social security (DOH, 1999). Deprivation during utero and childhood has lifelong consequences in adulthood life. It is important that all pregnant women are able to afford an adequate diet and have a continuum of care from pre- pregnancy and through pregnancy (WHO, 2005b). Shaw et al (1999) suggested that maternity allowances should be increased, especially for women dependent on income support or low paid jobs. Also to increase benefits to support families with children. However with the current government and its initiatives to cut cost, this may not be achievable. Furthermore, physical, social and emotional health is important in child development and these have an influence on education, occupational opportunities and life chances (Marmot, 2010). Marmot (2010) suggests that giving every child the best start in life is crucial in tackling health inequalities across the gradient. He recommended increasing the proportion of overall expenditure to the early years and ensuring that the expenditure is focused progressively across the social gradient. This includes providing good quality in early years education and childcare proportionately across the gradient. However, educational and other individual-based approaches tend to be taken up disproportionately by the more affluent, which tend to widen health gap (Bambra et al, 2010) Quality housing free of cold and damp is a basic need for healthy living. Shaw et al (1999) point out that poverty can be reduced by raising the incomes and standard of living of poor families with children, disabled and elderly people. The Central and Local government should increase the value of welfare benefits and pensions and improve social infrastructures including social housing and public services (Shaw et al, 1999). Marmot (2010) also recommended creating and developing healthy and sustainable places, which will improve social capital thus removing barriers to community participation and action across the social gradient. Authorities should ensure urban planning such as increasing street lights and safe pedestrian walkways in order to improve physical activity. This promotes good physical and psychological well-being and safe behaviours, which are essential for health equality. Furthermore, access to big supermarkets through investment in active transport can improve access to healthier food choices among low income groups. However, improving access to supermarkets and advising people on healthy food will not be effective solutions if the price of fresh fruit and vegetables is high. Having a balanced healthy diet that has low and fat will reduce the risk of CHD (Lindsay and Gaw, 2004). Central government could restrict the food industry on the amount of fat and salt levels put in foods (Shaw et al 1999). Maintaining physical activity for at least 30mins at a time can reduce risks to CHD. Investing in public services for example leisure centres, play areas for children, physical activity can be promoted. However some of these public services come with a cost. Worrral et al, (1997) points out that there is unequal distribution of health resources as the more health resources go out to the richer households than to the poorer households. To improve access to health resources authorities need to conduct regular audits to enable the redirection of resources to the disadvantaged communities. The government published the New White Paper, Choosing health: Making healthier choices in 2004, which aims to support individuals and promote informed healthier choices especially those in disadvantaged groups (DOH, 2004). However, making choice is difficult to exercise if lacking the resources necessary, particularly the disadvantaged. Tackling smoking is a key intervention that can rapidly reduce the number of early deaths among CHD incidences. There have been a lot of campaigns and educational programmes encouraging individuals to make healthier choices. These have included preventing people from starting to smoke; smoking cessation especially disadvantaged adults and pregnant smoking women, and protecting non-smokers from tobacco smoke through introducing Smoke free zones (DOH, 2010). And a regulatory control of alcohol consumption such public houses and bars closing early and minimal age limit on alcohol consumption. However, enforcing smoke bans and alcohol regulations are viewed to be effective methods but asking poor people to change risky behaviour when they cannot afford a proper meal or warm clothing and yet use smoking as a means of escape from their plight might not be sufficient enough to reduce health inequalities. Individuals from worse social circumstances have considerably high level of cardiovascular risk than those ones from better off circumstances (Bambra et al, 2010).Marmot (2010) recommended the need for early detection and prioritising prevention of chronic diseases related to health inequalities across the social gradient. Harkin et al (2010) estimated that an equal uptake of effective primary prevention across all socio economically disadvantage groups can reduce inequalities. However equality in health care services may not be sufficient enough to end health inequalities. The DOH (2000) proposed a national screening programme for all people aged 40-74 to assess their risk of developing heart diseases. The use of statins is another key intervention that can rapidly reduce the number of early deaths among CHD incidences The use of cholesterol lowering drugs is based on an individuals level of risk for future cardio vascular events. If everyone in the UK aged 45- 74 with clinical evid ence of CHD were treated with statins for five years, about 22,000 deaths and major clinical events would be avoided(Davey smith and Ebrahim, 1999;1097). Recently attention has been given to the role of the National Health Service (NHS) in promoting public health and reducing inequalities in health. The NHS aims to develop a systematic approach to treating people at risk from chronic diseases and encouraging more people to adopt a healthy life style (Macintyre, 2000). Part of NHS funding is spent on prevention; however most of the major influences on population health such as poor housing, unemployment and poverty lie outside the NHS. More so, health promotion strategies focusing on individual behaviours such as smoking, diet and exercise are more commonly taken up by those in the affluent societies (Macintyre, 2000). Therefore these intervention need to engage fully the deprived populations otherwise this may widen the health inequalities. While the health of the population may be improving, policy makers have a considerable duty to inform and develop strategies which can contribute to greater equality in health. Allocation of resources in tackling Coronary heart disease should consider cultural and behavioural lifestyles, material circumstances and, psychosocial pathways within social class and across the gradient. Focusing on the most disadvantaged will not reduce health inequalities dramatically. More so, to reduce the stepwise social gradient in health targets should aim at bringing levels of the lowest socio economic groups closer to the national average standard.

The Sun Also Rises :: essays research papers

The Sun Also Rises [I cannot express to you how glad I am that I am taking this class. I am thoroughly enjoying Hemingway. The Sun Also Rises is one of the best books I've read in quite a long time. For a while there, I was, for God knows what reason, taking Physics and Chemistry and Biology. It is really an adventure to be back with books and words and reading. I am also amazed that I never could read more of Him when it wasn't an assignment. And how is it that when I am told to write "a 3-5 page essay" I can only come through with two-and-a-half, but a "one-page response" always wants to be twenty pages long?] I finished reading SAR around ten o'clock tonight. I could have taken it all in one big gulp when I began a week ago, but I couldn't do that. It wanted me to bring it out slowly, so I often found myself reading five or ten pages and laying it aside to absorb without engulfing. A man gets used to reading Star Wars and pulp fiction and New York Times Bestsellers and forgets what literature is until it slaps him in the face. This book was written, not churned out or word-processed. Again, I thoroughly enjoyed reading. I never noticed it until it was brought up in class, maybe because it wasn't a point for me in In Our Time, but He doesn't often enough credit quotations with, ",he said," or, ",said Brett," or, ",Bill replied." In SAR it stood and called attention to itself. I wasn't particularly bothered by His not telling me who said what, but it was very...pointed. I first noticed around the hundredth page or so. Then I realized I couldn't keep track of who was speaking. By not dwelling on it, though, sort of (hate to say this) accepting it, I managed to assign speech to whomever I felt was speaking. Gradually I came to enjoy it, in another plane of reading, figuring out from whom words were originating. To not notice it, as if it were one of those annoying 3-D posters that you can't see until you make a concerted effort not to try and see, became simple - much like those 3-D pictures are once you know what not to look for. (I abhor ending sentences with prepositions...) His not telling was heightening to the story. It made things come even more alive. As a conversation that you're hearing at a nearby table in a restaurant, the exchanges flowed, with me as a more passive reader than in a story written to be read

Essay --

　　　　I am an aficionado of the extreme sports. Today, extreme sports have been accepted by all over the world. In this regard, an increasing number of people are actively participating in extreme sports. They are different from other sports in that it needs not only excellent competitive level, but also a great measure of courage. They have been christened "the game of the brave". I have always likened extreme sports to art, until I fell from the skateboard and realized there are many risks in extrema sports. I try to explore the psychological and sociological factors that form part of the culture of this exciting sport, as well as how the society views those involved in this sport considering its risks. Let me begin by reiterating that an extreme sport is about extreme risks and danger. The activities that constitute extreme sport involved extreme risks that no measure of change in rules can eliminate. Questions continue to arise about such spo rts, whether it is ethical and the society should continue to permit it. By definition, these sports tend to involve an element of great speed, great heights, and a great degree of physical exertion. Some extreme sports that are becoming more common in today’s society include surfing, skateboarding, rock climbing, rafting, and mountain biking among many others. Research continues to study the motivation behind these forms of sport despite the very clear knowledge of the risks and dangers that come as a part of them (Mcnamee 15). 　　　　Additionally, people are trying to study the co-relation between these sports and the population that it majorly attracts together with the personality types that have been observed to dominate these sports. This knowledge people suppose will help dr... ... sense as well as an observable quality of personal sameness and continuity, paired with some belief in the sameness and continuity of some shared world image" (Self, et al., 185). 　　　　In conclusion, it must be considered that people have personal rights in whatever they choose to. A rule with a moral reason as Amartya Sen calls them. He argues that if there is a moral right to take personal risks, it would be morally wrong to stop a person from taking such a risk (McNamee 47). One of the pertinent problems in relation to voluntary risk taking is whether the risk is reasonable relative to what one wants to achieve. First we need to find a degree of probability of harm or injury as a result of the action. Secondly, we must look at the seriousness of the harm caused. Are extreme sports valuable, are they morally acceptable or should some of them be prohibited by law.

Analysis of the Book of the Dun Cow

In Walter Wangerin Jr. ‘s beast fable, The Book of the Dun Cow, two roosters have the unusual distinction of being Lords of their own manor. Webster defines a Lord as a â€Å"person having great powers and authority, a ruler or master,† where as a manor is defined as â€Å"the district over which a lord holds authority and domain† (Webster). Chauntecleer is introduced to the reader as the leader or Lord of the Coop and the ruler over the animals in the surrounding land. On the other hand, Cockatrice takes over as leader of his Coop and land after he kills his father, Senex. Chauntecleer and Cockatrice are two very different roosters who lead and rule their domain in stark contrast yet they are both labeled as Lords of the manor. Early on in the novel, Chauntecleer is portrayed as a short tempered, vain, and arrogant ruler who is not at all likeable. While he is proud and undoubtedly stubborn, he is also characterized as fair, compassionate, and just. With his noble bearing, Chauntecleer keeps a sense of order in his land and the animals' lives by crowing the canonical hours and occasional crows in his strong magnificent voice. His crows are compared to the clock of the community. Seven times a day, dutifully, with a deep sense of their importance, and by the immemorial command of the Divine, Chauntecleer crowed his canonical crows† (page 12). Crowing is his job and when he leads by his crows, the hens in his coop and the animals in his land are happy and unafraid, he is even able to make wrong things right. While Chauntecleer may be flawed as a le ader, his harem of hens and other creatures like John, Wesley Weasel, and Mundo Cani Dog see him as their protector and ruler. He protects the lives of those around him and sees that justice is carried out. As Lord he supports and protects his land and unites all his creatures whether fowl, rodent, or insect; animals large or small, wild or domestic to come join together to fight evil. East and upriver from Chauntecleer's land is another land ruled by another Lord, Cockatrice. A half rooster half serpent conceived as a result of an unnatural union of his rooster father, Senex, and the evil serpent Wyrm. Cockatrice rules his manor with threats and fear. Unlike his father, Senex, who always remembered the canonical crows to help unite his animals, Cockatrice never crows the canon. â€Å"So under him the day lost its meaning and its direction, and the animals lost any sense of time or purpose†¦ They were tired all the day long, and at night they did not sleep† (page 82). Under his evil rule, the creatures suffer from disunity, distrust, and dishonor. Cockatrice shows no concern for the animals of his land and resorts to having the Toad speak for him. He humiliates the animals a nd is an enemy to the creatures rather than a Lord. He rapes the hens and forces them to bear his children and suffer a cruel indignity. He swallows up thousands of children that hatch as Basilisk creatures and then vomits them back into the river. Rather than protect the creatures of his land, he orders his Basilisk children to kill everyone living until only he sits silently in his tree. Cockatrice leaves his land and flies west for he has no creatures to lord. By comparison, both Chauntecleer and Cockatrice are dominant roosters that command attention from the creatures in their communities. Likewise they are both offspring of past Lords of the Coop in their realm. Animals and creatures in their land and Coop hold a degree of fear of them. While both are able to gather their subjects together, the outcomes from these gatherings are fatally different. In contrast, the two Lords are as different as good and evil. While Chauntecleer is a strong postured, slightly scruffy, handsome rooster with noble bearing; Cockatrice is frightening and menacing with his serpent looking tail and bloody eyes. In return for his leadership and constant abiding, Chauntecleer asks only for good food, loyalty, sleep, a little color in his life, and a morning sunbath. On the other hand, Cockatrice demands total subservience from his creatures even though he shows them no respect or care. Chauntecleer rejoices and shares the pride of his three sons with his wife, Pertelote, with the creatures of the community while Cockatrice demands he have thousands of children by raping the hens to build an army of Basilisks who just by their touch cause death. As Lord of his land, Chauntecleer calls for all the creatures in his land to gather for a council so that he can prepare them for the upcoming battles with evil. In contrast, Cockatrice forbids the animals from gathering for meetings and even mere talking. Chauntecleer argues against revenge and hatred while Cockatrice is driven by this very evil. In Wangerin's novel, both Chauntecleer and Cockatrice have the gift of speech; however they each individually choose their own path of good or evil, order or chaos, and eventually life or death. Not only do all of the animal creatures from Cockatrice's land perish, he too dies because of his self destructive hatred. In the land of Chauntecleer, the creatures mourn the loss of their fellow animals killed in battle; however they look to their Lord of the manor to rebuild their land so they can serve their overall purpose to be the last protection against the almighty evil, Wyrm.

Kant and Equality Essay

Some readers of this essay will have become impatient by now; because they believe that the problem that perplexes me has been definitively solved by Immanuel Kant. It is certainly true that Kant held strong opinions on this matter. In an often-quoted passage, he reports a personal conversion from elitism: â€Å"I am myself a researcher by inclination. I feel the whole thirst for knowledge and the eager unrest to move further on into it, also satisfaction with each acquisition. There was a time when I thought this alone could constitute the honor of humanity and despised the know nothing rabble. Rousseau set me straight. This delusory superiority vanishes, I learn to honor men, and I would find myself more useless than a common laborer if I did not believe this observation could give everyone a value which restores the rights of humanity. †What Kant learned from Rousseau was the proposition that the basis of human equality is the dignity that each human person possesses in virtue of the capacity for autonomy (moral freedom). This moral freedom has two aspects, the capacity to set ends for oneself according to one’s conception of what is good, and the capacity to regulate one’s choice of ends and of actions to achieve one’s ends by one’s conception of what morality requires. According to Kant’s psychology, brute animals are determined to act as instinct inclines them, but a rational being has the power to interrogate the inclinations it feels, to raise the question what it is reasonable to do in given circumstances, and to choose to do what reason suggests even against all inclinations. The question arises whether Kant’s psychology is correct, or remotely close to correct. Perhaps something like the conflict between conscience and inclination is experienced by social animals other than humans. Perhaps the freedom that Kant imputes to human on metaphysical grounds can be shown to be either empirically nonexistent or illusory. For our purposes we can set these questions aside and simply presume that the human psychological complexity envisaged by Kant does describe capacity we possess, whether or not it is shared with other animals. My question is whether Kant’s characterization, if it was correct, would have the normative implication she draws from it. It might seem that the Kantian picture helps to show how moral freedom is arrange concept, which does not significantly admit of degrees. If one has the capacity to set an end for oneself, one does not possess this freedom to a lesser extent just because one cannot set fancy ends, or because other persons can set fancier ends. If one has the power to regulate choice of ends by one’s sense of what is morally right, one does not possess this freedom to a lesser extent because one cannot understand sophisticated moral considerations, or because other persons can understand more sophisticated moral considerations. Moreover, one might hold that it is having or lacking the freedom which is important, not having or lacking the capacity to exercise the freedom in fancy ways. But the old worries lurk just around the corner. The Kantian view is that there are indeed capacities that are crucial for the ascription of fundamental moral status that do not vary in degree. One either has the capacity or one does not, and that’s that. If the crucial capacities have this character, then the problem of how to draw a no arbitrary line on a continuum and hold all beings on one side of the line full persons and all beings on the other side of the line lesser beings does not arise. The line separating persons and nonpersons will be non arbitrary, and there will be no basis for further differentiation of moral status. One is either a person or not, and all persons are equal. Consider the capacity to set an end, to choose a goal and decide on an action to achieve it. One might suppose that all humans have this capacity except for the permanently comatose and the anencephalic. So all humans are entitled to a fundamental equal moral status. This view is strengthened by noting that there are other capacities that do admit of degrees that interact with the no degree capacities. Individuals who equally have the capacity to set an end may well differ in the quality of their end-setting performances. Some are able to set ends more reasonably than others. But these differences in performance do not gainsay the fundamental equal capacity. It is just that having a high or low level of associated capacities enables or impedes successful performance. So the fact that individuals differ in their abilities to do arithmetic and more complex mathematical operations that affect their ability to make rational choices should have no tendency to obscure the more basic and morally status-conferring equality in the capacity of each person to make choices. In response: First of all, if several of these no degree capacities were relevant to moral status, one must possess all to be at the top status, and some individuals possess more and others fewer of the relevant capacities, a problem of hierarchy, though perhaps a manageable one, would emerge anew. More important, I doubt there is a plausible no degree capacity that can do the work this argument assigns to it. Take the capacity to set ends and make choices. Consider a being that has little brain power, but over the course of its life can set just a few ends and make just a few choices based on considering two or three simple alternatives. It sets one end (lunch, now) per decade three times over the course of its life. If there is a capacity to set ends, period, not admitting of degrees, this being possesses it. The point is that it is clearly not merely the capacity to set ends, but something more complex that renders a being a person in our eyes. What matters is whether or not one has the capacity to set sensible ends and to pick among alternative end at a reasonable pace, sorting through complex considerations that bear on the choice of ends and responding in a rational way to these considerations. But this capacity, along with any similar or related capacity that might be urged as a substitute for it, definitely admits of degrees. The same point would hold if we pointed to free will or moral autonomy as the relevant person-determining capacity. It is not the ability to choose an end on ground of consideration for moral considerations merely, but the ability to do this in a nuanced and fine-grained responsive way, that is plausibly deemed to entitle a being to personhood status. In general, we single out rationality, the ability to respond appropriately to reasons, as the capacity that is pertinent to personhood, by itself or in conjunction with related abilities, and rationality so understood admits of degrees. Kant may well have held that the uses of reason that are required in order to have a well-functioning conscience that can tell right from wrong are not very sophisticated and are well within the reach of all non crazy non feebleminded humans. Ordinary intelligence suffices. His discussions of applying the categorical imperative test certainly convey this impression. But commentators tend to agree that there is no simple all-purpose moral test that easily answers all significant moral questions. Thus Christine Korsgaard cautions that the categorical imperative test is not a â€Å"Geiger counter† for detecting the presence of moral duties, and Barbara Herman observes that the application of the categorical imperative test to cases cannot be a mechanical procedure but relies on prior moral understanding by the agent and on the agent’s capacity to make relevant moral discriminations and judgments and to characterize her own proposed maxims perspicuously. These comments confirm what should be clear in any event: Moral problems can be complex and difficult, and there is no discernible upper bound to the complexity of the reasoning required to master and perhaps solve them. But suppose I do the best I can with my limited cognitive resources, I make a judgment as to what is morally right, however misguided, and I am conscientiously resolved to do what I take to be morally right. The capacity to do what is right can be factored into two components, the ability to decide what is right and the ability to dispose oneself to do what one thinks is right. One might hold the latter capacity to be the true locus of human dignity and worth. Resisting temptation and doing what one thinks is right is noble and admirable even if one’s conscience is a broken thermometer. However, one might doubt that being disposed to follow one’s conscience is unambiguously good when one’s conscience is seriously in error. For one thing, moral flaws such as a lazy indisposition to hard thinking and an obsequious deference toward established power and authority might play a large role in fixing the content of one’s judgments of conscience. A conceited lack of healthy skepticism about one’s cognitive powers might be a determinant of one’s strong disposition to do whatever one thinks to be right. Even if Kant is correct that the good will, the will directed unfailingly at what is truly right, has an absolute and unconditional worth, it is doubtful that the would-be good will, a will directed toward what it takes to be right on whatever flimsy or solid grounds appeal to it, has such worth. Take an extreme case: Suppose a particular person has a would-be good will that is always in error. This could be strong or righteous, so that the agent always does what he thinks is right, or weak and corrupt, so that the agent never does what she thinks is right. If the will is always in error, the odds of doing the right thing are increased if the would-be good will is weak and corrupt. Some might value more highly on consequential grounds the weak and corrupt erroneous will, even though the strong and righteous invariably erroneous will always shines like a jewel in its own right. And some might hold that quite aside from the expected consequences, acting on a seriously erroneous judgment of right is inherently of lesser worth than acting on correct judgment of right. Even if the disposition to do what one thinks morally right is unassailable, its purported value does not provide a sound basis for asserting the equal worth and dignity of human persons. The capacity to act conscientiously itself varies empirically across persons like any other valued capacity. A favorable genetic endowment and favorable early socialization experiences bestow more of this capacity on some persons and less on others. If we think of an agent’s will as disposed more or less strongly to do what she conscientiously believes to be right, different individuals with the same disposition will experience good and bad luck in facing temptations that exceed their resolve. Even if we assume that agents always have freedom of the will, it will be difficult to different degrees for different persons to exercise their free will as conscience dictates. Moreover, individuals will vary in their psychological capacities to dispose their will to do what conscience dictates. One might retreat further to the claim that all persons equally can try to dispose their will to do what is right, even if they will succeed in this enterprise to different degrees. But the ability to try is also a psychological capacity that we should expect would vary empirically across persons. At times Kant seems to appeal to epistemic grounds in reasoning from the goodness of the good will to the equal worth and dignity of all human persons. We don’t know what anyone’s inner motivations are, even our own, so the judgment that anyone is firmly disposed to do what is right can never be confirmed. But surely the main issue is whether humans are so ordered that we ought to accord them fundamental equal moral status, not whether, given our beliefs, it is reasonable for us to act as if they are so ordered. The idea that there is a threshold of rational agency capacity such that any being with a capacity above the threshold is a person equal in fundamental moral status to all other persons prompts a worry about how to identify this threshold non arbitrarily. It might seem that only the difference between nil capacity and some capacity would preclude the skeptical doubt that the line set at any positive level of capacity could just as well have been set higher or lower. Regarding the proposal to identify any above-zero capacity as qualifying one for personhood, we imagine a being with barely a glimmer of capacity to perceive the good and the right and to dispose its will toward their attainment. The difference between none and some might be infinitesimal, after all. However, a threshold need not be razor-thin. Perhaps there is a line below which beings with rational capacities in this range are definitely not persons and a higher level such that all beings with capacities above this level are definitely persons. Beings with rational capacities that fall in the middle range or gray area between these levels are near-persons. The levels can be set sufficiently far apart that the difference between scoring at the lower and the higher levels is undeniably of moral significance. But the difference between the rational capacities of the beings just above the higher line, call them marginal persons, and the beings at the upper end of the scale who have saintly genius capacities, is not thereby shown to be insignificant. At the lower end we might imagine persons like the villains depicted in the Dirty Harry Clint Eastwood movies. These unfortunates are not shown as having moral capacities which they are flouting, but rather as bad by nature, and perhaps not entitled to full human rights. No doubt this is a crass outlook, but the question remains whether the analysis we can offer of the basis for human equality generates a refutation of it. Suppose someone asserts that the difference between the rational agency capacities of the most perceptive saints and the most unreflective and animalistic villains defines a difference in fundamental moral status that is just as important for morality as the difference between the rational agency capacities of near-persons and marginal persons. What mistake does this claim embody? COMMENTS ON KANT’S ETHICAL THEORY Because we so commonly take it for granted that moral values are intimately connected with the goal of human well-being or happiness, Kant’s insistence that these two concepts are absolutely independent makes it difficult to grasp his point of view and easy to misunderstand it. The following comments are intended to help the you to avoid the most common misunderstandings and appreciate the sort of outlook that characterizes what Kant takes to be the heart of the ethical life. Kant’s ethical theory is often cited as the paradigm of a deontological theory. Although the theory certainly can be seriously criticized, it remains probably the finest analysis of the bases of the concepts of moral principle and moral obligation. Kant’s endeavor to ground moral duty in the nature of the human being as essentially a rational being marks him as the last great Enlightenment thinker. In spite of the fact that his critical philosophy in epistemology and metaphysics brought an end to The Age of Reason, in ethics his attempt to derive the form of any ethical duty from the very nature of a rational being is the philosophical high water mark of the Enlightenment’s vision of humanity as essentially and uniquely rational. What Kant aims to provide is a â€Å"metaphysics of morals† in the sense of an analysis of the grounds of moral obligation in the nature of a rational being. In other words, Kant aims to deduce his ethical theory purely by a priori reasoning from the concept of what it is to be a human person as a rational agent. The fact that people have the faculty of being able to use reason to decide how to act expresses the fundamental metaphysical principle -the basis or foundation in the nature of reality- on which Kant’s ethical theory is erected. Kant begins his treatise, The Fundamental Principles of the Metaphysics of Morals with the famous dramatic sentence: â€Å"Nothing can possibly be conceived in the world, or even out of it, which can be called good without qualification, except a good will. † 1. What does Kant mean by â€Å"good without qualification†? Obviously people try to seek and avoid many different sorts of things; those things which they seek they call â€Å"good,† while those they try to avoid, they call â€Å"bad†. These â€Å"goods† which people seek may be divided into those which are sought as means to some further end and those which they seek as good as ends in themselves. Obviously some things may be â€Å"good† as means to one end and â€Å"bad† as means to some other end. Different persons, motivated by different ends, will thus find different things â€Å"good† and â€Å"bad† (relative to their different ends). More food is â€Å"good† to a starving man, but it is â€Å"bad† to one overweight. In order for something to be good â€Å"without qualification† it must not be merely â€Å"good† as means to one end but â€Å"bad† as means to some other end. It must be sought as good totally independently of serving as a means to something else; it must be â€Å"good in-itself. † Furthermore, while one thing may be good as means relative to a particular end, that â€Å"end† becomes a â€Å"means† relative to some other â€Å"end†. So a college diploma may be sought as â€Å"good† as a means for the end of a higher-paying job. And a higher-paying job may be â€Å"good† as a means to increased financial security; and increased financial security may be â€Å"good† as a means to obtaining the necessities of life as well as a few of its luxuries. However, if we seek A only for the sake of B, and B only for the sake of C, etc. , then there is never a justification for seeking A at the beginning of such a series unless there is something at the end of that series which we seek as a â€Å"good in-itself† not merely as means to some further end. Such an â€Å"ultimate† end would then be an â€Å"absolute† rather than a â€Å"relative† good. Kant means that a good will is â€Å"good without qualification† as such an absolute good in-itself, universally good in every instance and never merely as good to some yet further end. 2. Why is a â€Å"good will† the only thing which is universally absolutely good? Kant’s point is that to be universally and absolutely good, something must be good in every instance of its occurrence. He argues that all those things which people call â€Å"good† (including intelligence, wit, judgment, courage, resolution, perseverance, power, riches, honor, health, and even happiness itself) can become â€Å"extremely bad and mischievous if the will which is to make use of them†¦ is not good. † In other words, if we imagine a bad person (i. e. one who willed or wanted to do evil), who had all of these so-called â€Å"goods† (intelligence, wit, etc. ), these very traits would make only that much worse his will to do what is wrong. (We would get the â€Å"criminal master-mind† of the comic books. ) Even â€Å"health† often also cited as a â€Å"good in- itself† may serve to make a person insensitive and indifferent to the lack of good health in others. 3. Isn’t â€Å"happiness† such a universal, absolute good in-itself? Kant answers clearly, â€Å"No. † However, many philosophers (the ones we call â€Å"eudaemonists†) have assumed the obvious answer to be â€Å"Yes. † All ancient eudaemonistic ethical theories as well as modern utilitarian theories virtually define â€Å"happiness† as the absolute end of all ethical behavior. Such eudaemonistic ethical theories are attractive because of the fact that they make it easy to answer the question â€Å"Why should I do what is morally right? † For any eudaemonistic theory the answer will always be â€Å"Because the morally right action is always ultimately in the interest of your own happiness. † Since these theories generally assume that people really are motivated by a desire for their own happiness, their only problem is to show that the morally right action really does serve as the best means to obtain the end of happiness. Once you are led to see this, so such theories assume, the question â€Å"Why should I do what is morally right? † is automatically answered. Kant totally rejects this eudaemonistic way of ethical theorizing; he calls decisions made according to such a calculation of what produces your own happiness â€Å"prudential† decisions and he distinguishes them sharply from ethical decisions. This is not because Kant thinks we are not motivated by a desire for happiness, in fact like the ancient philosophers, he takes it for granted that we are; however, such motivation cannot be that which makes an action ethically right or wrong. The fact that an action might lead to happiness cannot be the grounds of moral obligation. Kant regards the notion of â€Å"happiness† as both too indefinite and too empirical to serve as the grounds for moral obligation – why we ought to do something. In the first place it is â€Å"too indefinite† because all people have very different sorts of talents, tastes and enjoyments which mean in effect that one person’s happiness may be another person’s misery. This is because the concept is â€Å"empirical† in the sense that the only way you can know whether what you seek will actually serve to bring you happiness is by experience. As Kant points out, â€Å"†¦ it is impossible that the most clear-sighted [man] should frame to himself a definite conception of what he really wills in this†¦. † Since we cannot know a priori before an action whether it really will be conducive to our happiness (because the notion is so indefinite that even the most clear-sighted amongst us cannot know everything that must form part of his own happiness) the desire for our own happiness cannot serve as a motive to determine our will to do this or that action. Moreover, Kant observes that even â€Å"†¦ the general well-being and contentment with one’s condition that is called happiness, can inspire pride, and often presumption, if there is not a good will to correct the influence of these on the mind†¦. † In other words happiness cannot be good without qualification for if we imagine it occurring in a person totally devoid of the desire to do what is right, it could very well lead to all sorts of immoral actions. 4. What does Kant mean by a â€Å"good will†? To act out of a â€Å"good will† for Kant means to act out of a sense of moral obligation or â€Å"duty†. In other words, the moral agent does a particular action not because of what it produces (its consequences) in terms of human experience, but because he or she recognizes by reasoning that it is morally the right thing to do and thus regards him or herself as having a moral duty or obligation to do that action. One may of course as an added fact get some pleasure or other gain from doing the right thing, but to act morally, one does not do it for the sake of its desirable consequences, but rather because one understands that it is morally the right thing to do. In this respect Kant’s view towards morality parallels the Christian’s view concerning obedience to God’s commandments, according to which the Christian obeys God’s commandments simply because God commands them, not for the sake of rewards in heaven after death or from fear of punishment in hell. In a similar way, for Kant the rational being does what is morally right because he recognizes himself as having a moral duty to do so rather than for anything he or she may get out of it. 5. When does one act from a motive of doing one’s duty? Kant answers that we do our moral duty when our motive is determined by a principle recognized by reason rather than the desire for any expected consequence or emotional feeling which may cause us to act the way we do. The â€Å"will† is defined as that which provides the motives for our actions. Obviously many times we are motivated by specific desires or emotions. I may act the way I do from a feeling of friendship for a particular individual, or from desire for a particular consequence. I may also be motivated by particular emotions of fear, or envy, or pity, etc. When I act in these ways, I am motivated by a desire for a particular end; in Kant’s vocabulary I am said to act out of â€Å"inclination. † Insofar as an action is motivated by inclination, the motive to do it is contingent upon the desire for the particular end which the action is imagined to produce. Thus as different rational agents might have different inclinations, there is no one motive from inclination common to all rational beings. Kant distinguishes acts motivated by inclination from those done on principle. For example someone may ask why I did a certain thing, and point out that it brought me no gain, or perhaps even made life a bit less pleasant; to which I might reply, â€Å"I know I do not stand to gain by this action, but I do it because of the principle of the thing. † For Kant, this sort of state of mind is the essence of the moral consciousness. When I act on principle the sole factor determining my motive is that this particular action exemplifies a particular case falling under a general law or â€Å"maxim. â€Å" For Kant the mental process by which the actor understands that a particular case falls under a certain principle is an exercise in â€Å"reasoning,† or to be more precise, what Kant called â€Å"practical reason,† reason used as a guide to action. (â€Å"Pure Reason† is reason used to attain certainty, or what Kant called â€Å"scientific knowledge. â€Å") Since to have moral worth an action must be done on principle, and to see that a certain principle applies to a particular action requires the exercise of reason, only rational beings can be said to behave morally. 6. Why does Kant believe that to have moral worth an action must be done on principle rather than inclination? Kant’s argument here may seem strange to the contemporary outlook, for it assumes that everything in nature is designed to serve a purpose. Now it is an obvious fact that human beings do have a faculty of â€Å"practical reason,† reason applied to the guidance of actions. (Kant is of course fully aware the people often fail to employ this faculty; i. e. they act non-rationally (without reason) or even irrationally (against what reason dictates); but he intends that his ethical theory is normative, prescribing how people ought to behave, rather than descriptive of how they actually do behave.) If everything in nature serves some purpose then the faculty of practical reason must have some purpose. Kant argues that this purpose cannot be merely the attainment of some specific desired end, or even the attainment of happiness in general, for if it were, it would have been far better for nature simply to have endowed persons with an instinct to achieve this end, as is the case with the non- rational animals. Therefore, the fact that human beings have a faculty of practical reason cannot be explained by claiming that it allows them to attain some particular end. So the fact that reason can guide our actions, but cannot do so for the sake of achieving some desired end, leads Kant to the conclusion that the function of practical reason must be to allow humans as rational beings to apply general principles to particular instances of action, or in other words to engage in moral reasoning as a way of determining one’s moral obligation: what is the â€Å"right† action to do. Thus we act morally only when we act rationally to apply a moral principle to â€Å"determine† the motive of our action. 7. Do all persons have the same moral duties? According to Kant only rational beings can be said to act morally. Reason for Kant (as for all the Enlightenment thinkers) is the same for all persons; in other words there isn’t a poor man’s reason versus a rich man’s reason or a white man’s reason versus a black man’s reason. All persons are equal as potentially rational beings. Therefore, if reason dictates that one person, in a particular situation, has a moral duty to do a particular thing, then any person, in that same situation, would equally well have a duty to do that same thing. In this sense Kant’s reasoning parallels the way in which stoicism led Roman lawyers to the conclusion that all citizens are equal before the law. Thus Kant is a moral â€Å"absolutist† in the sense that all persons have the same moral duties, for all persons are equal as rational beings. But this â€Å"absolutism† does not mean that Kant holds that our moral duties are not relative to the situation in which we find ourselves. Thus it is quite possible for Kant to conclude that in one particular situation I may have a duty to keep my promise, but in another situation (in which, for example, keeping a promise conflicts with a higher duty) I may equally well be morally obligated to break a promise. 8. Why is it that actions done for the sake of some end cannot have moral worth? Since what one’s moral duties are in a particular situation are the same for all persons, one’s moral duties must be independent of the particular likes and dislikes of the moral agent. Now any action which is motivated by the desire for some particular end presupposes that the agent has the desire for that end. However, from the simple concept of a â€Å"rational being† it is not possible to deduce that any particular rational being would have any particular desired ends. Most people, of course, desire to seek pleasure and avoid pain, but there is no logical contradiction involved in the notion of a â€Å"rational being who does not desire pleasure† or perhaps who desires pain. Thus reason does not dictate that any particular rational being has any particular end. But if the desire for a particular end gave an action its moral worth, then only those rational beings who happened in fact to desire that end would regard such actions as â€Å"good,† while those that desired to avoid such an end, would regard the action as â€Å"bad. † (Thus for example eudaemonistic theories which assume the end of achieving happiness is what gives an action its moral value, would serve to induce only those beings who happened to have the desire for happiness to behave morally. For those rational beings who happened to desire to avoid happiness, there would be no incentive to behave morally and what appears â€Å"good† to the happiness-seeker will appear positively â€Å"bad† to one who seeks to avoid happiness. ) But, as we have seen above, Kant’s absolutism reaches the conclusion that moral obligation is the same for all persons. Thus the ground of moral obligation, what makes an action a moral duty, cannot lie in the end which that act produces. 9. What does reason tell us about the principle that determines the morally dutiful motive? Since Kant has ruled out the ends (i. e. the â€Å"consequences†) which an act produces as well as any motive but those determined by the application of principle as determining moral duty, he is faced now with the task of deriving the â€Å"fundamental principles† of his ethical theory solely from the concept of what it is to be a rational being. He now argues (in a very obscure manner) that from this notion of what is demanded by being rational, he can deduce that it would be irrational to act on any principle which would not apply equally to any other actor in the same situation. In other words, Kant claims that reason dictates that the act we are morally obligated to do is one which is motivated by adherence to a principle which could, without inconsistency, be held to apply to any (and all) rational agents. This fundamental ethical principle, which is commonly called â€Å"The Categorical Imperative,† Kant summarizes with the statement that â€Å"I am never to act otherwise than so that I could also will that my maxim become a universal law. † Kant’s claim that Reason demands the moral agent to act on a universal law thus in many ways parallels Jesus’ dictum that God commands that those who love Him obey â€Å"The Golden Rule. † 10. What is a â€Å"categorical imperative†? Any statement of moral obligation which I make the principle of my action (my â€Å"maxim† in Kant’s vocabulary), in the context of a specific situation, constitutes an â€Å"imperative. † I might, in such a situation, choose to act on a statement of the form, â€Å"If I desire some specific end (e. g. happiness, maximum pleasure, power, etc. ), then I ought to do such and such an action. † In doing so I would be acting on what Kant calls â€Å"a hypothetical imperative. † However, Kant has already ruled out ends as the grounds for moral obligation; thus hypothetical imperatives cannot serve as the basis for determining my moral duty. However, if I act on a principle which has the form, â€Å"In circumstances of such and such a character, I ought to.

Paragon Information Systems

Individual Case Analysis Memorandum Paragon Information Systems BU481 – E Tabatha Dominguez Tuesday, November 29, 2011 PROBLEM AND RECOMMENDATION Paragon Information Systems is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Newtel Enterprises Limited, that operates in Atlantic Canada’s information systems industry. They meet their customers’ needs for information systems hardware and provide them with excellent customer service as well. There was recently a crisis as the founders of Paragon left the company, with the entire sales force, to start a new company in direct competition. Paragon was rebuilt and has become a stronger company since the founders left (EX1). Information systems hardware is a largely undifferentiated product so Paragon needs to deliver something unique and of value to customers. This can be done by adopting a focus differentiation strategy based on offering superior customer service (EX 8-9). Also, they will provide services that complement their hardware. This will allow Paragon to capitalize on their relationship with NewTel Information Systems (NIS) and become more profitable. ANALYSIS Focusing on the customer will create switching costs that will help to better protect Paragon’s position in the market (EX3,5). This will enable them to differentiate their company from competitors with a more sustainable method than simply competing on price. The new strategy will allow Paragon to fully realize the potential of their relationship with NIS (EX6-7). NIS has experience with selling services for information systems that Paragon can use to help their focus on services succeed. Working with an established organization like NIS will give them an opportunity to identify where there are gaps in their strategy and how they can best deal with those deficiencies. The services that accompany the hardware have much better margins than the hardware itself. Including services in the product market focus of Paragon will increase the profitability of the company and increase switching costs for clients (EX10). This change in focus will provide the management with the sustainable growth they wanted (EX2). Finally this alternative will properly align Paragon’s goals, product market focus and core activities with their now formalized value proposition (EX4). This will guide the actions of employees as it gives them direction for how they can provide value to the organization. IMPLEMENTATION The First thing Paragon needs to do is to meet with their employees and inform them that excellent customer service is how the company plans to differentiate themselves. Employees that will be trained to become capable of providing the services Paragon will now offer. The sales department will need to learn the specifics of the new services and will also receive customer service training. As the employees are being trained Collins will meet with NIS management and establish a formal relationship between the two subsidiaries. Paragon has moved from the crisis/reactive stage of the crisis curve to the anticipatory stage. With this in mind they should continue to use the participative leadership style they have been using so that they can gain acceptance for the changes that are planned more quickly. A more detailed outline of actions can be found in Exhibit 11. Exhibit 1 – Assessing Performance Customer Financial Innovation and Learning Internal Business processes Balanced Scorecard -Market share is increasing -Revenue has increased since the crisis -Investment in training tripled -Improved productivity -Had highest net income in company’s history Implications: Currently Paragon Information Systems is performing quite well. The changes they made have enabled them to change their position on the crisis curve from the reactive/crisis stage to the anticipatory stage. Exhibit 2 – Direction NEL Mission Statement – To provide sustained and consistent growth in shareholder value, through primary focus on telecommunications and related businesses in Atlantic Canada. Essential to our success will be exploitation of emerging competitive opportunities, responsive customer service and an effective, action-oriented management team. Implications: NewTel Enterprises Limited, which wholly owns Paragon, is committed to growing shareholder value and they believe providing excellent customer service is crucial to their success. Exhibit 3 – Atlantic Canada Information Technology Industry Analysis Threat of Substitute Products Threat of New Entrants Bargaining Power of Buyers Bargaining Power of Suppliers Intensity of Competitive Rivalry Porter’s Five Forces -Relatively low threat of substitute products -Computer hardware is necessary for an information system. -Barriers to entry are low, because of little government regulation and the lack of high upfront or fixed costs. Bargaining power of buyers is increasing -There are few competitors in the market place but more are entering -Buyers are happy to see more competition -Bargaining power of suppliers is unknown -level of intensity is unknown -Hardware is largely undifferentiated Implications: The information technology industry in Atlantic Canada is somewhat attractive. Hardware products are largely undifferentiated but excellent customer service can serve to establish switching costs. With the threat of new entrants and increasing bargaining p ower of buyers firms needs to offer more value than their competitors. Exhibit 4 – Business Strategy Business Strategy Triangle -The underlying strategy is to become more client-focused, and provide responsive customer service -They do not have a formal strategy in place Goals -Provide sustained and consistent growth in shareholder value -Create a more participative culture -Develop capabilities of employees Product Market -Systems integration, application development and computer networking Focus products and services in Atlantic Canada Core Activities -Selling hardware -Providing after sales support Implications: The goals, product market focus, and core activities are all aligned with providing the customer with quality service. However, Paragon has made no attempt to develop a formal strategy built around customer service. Value Proposition Exhibit 5 – Environment Analysis PEST Political Economics Unable to be determined. The strength of the economy can have a significant impact on the demand for computer hardware. Information systems do not directly generate revenue so if the economy is hurting a company’s ability to generate profits they may be hesitant to purchase an information system. If economic conditions are good then a company may be more likely to take this opportunity to develop an information system that can further improve their efficiency. Unable to be determined. Use of the internet is gaining momentum and will change the way that businesses operate. The way that customers communicate with businesses is moving from over the telephone to email. Companies need to be prepared for this change and be able to interact with customers through the medium they desire. Also, the technology that is sold in the industry is changing. The hardware is constantly improving, removing any advantage gained from superior technology quite rapidly. Social Technological Implications: With the threat of new competitors and lack of differentiation between products firms need to find another way to set themselves apart. They need to create value for their customers through means other than the technology they are selling. Exhibit 6 – Resource Analysis VRIO analysis – Relationship with NewTel Information Solutions (NIS) Value This relationship will allow Paragon knowledge on they can grow their service offering. NIS has experience providing services in the IS industry and can give advice to Paragon. Rarity No one else in the industry has a relationship with an established service provider like NIS. Inimitability Very difficult to establish a relationship with a company that may ultimately be a competitor. Organization There is no formal relationship between NIS and paragon. Implications: Paragon’s relationship with NIS can provide them with a competitive advantage. They just need to address the fact that there is no organization to capitalize on this resource. They need to have meetings with NIS or an intermediary that will allow them to communicate formally so they can share information and make sure they do not interfere with each other’s interests . Exhibit 7 – Strategy Analysis Strategy – Environment Linkage Strategy – Resources Linkage Strategy – Management Preferences Linkage Strategy – Organization Linkage Diamond-E Due to increased competition and a lack of differentiation in the hardware the industry sells Paragon needs to find a sustainable way to differentiate themselves. Paragon is not set up to capitalize on the possible benefits of sharing skills with another NEL subsidiary, NIS. NIS already has experience offering services for information systems in the Atlantic Canada market. Management at NEL is committed to revitalizing paragon. They are willing to give Collins whatever he determines is necessary to sustain growth of the company. They believe that excellent customer service is valuable enough to their customers, to provide a basis for which to set themselves apart from their competition. Paragon has identified training as a priority. They increased spending allocated to training to a level three times larger than before. Paragon needs their employees to have the technical knowledge and the proper communication skills to provide customer service that will differentiate the company. Implications: Paragon’s strategy, to differentiate themselves in Atlantic Canada with excellent customer service, is aligned with the needs of their environment and what management wants to do. However, there is a gap in the strategy-resources linkage as Paragon is not properly organized to exploit their relationship with NIS. They need a linkage or liaison with NIS so that they can fully utilize their knowledge of the service aspect of the information systems industry Exhibit 8 – Strategic Alternatives Alternative 1: Paragon will expand so as to offer services around their applications, differentiate themselves with superior customer service, capitalize on their relationship with NewTel Information Systems. Alternative 2: Paragon will expand its offering to include services with their applications, enter the New Brunswick and Quebec markets, differentiate themselves with superior customer service and restructure to a geographic organization. Exhibit 9 – Strategic Alternative Selection Alternative 1 -The market is large enough to sustain Paragon and is growing -Demand is steady -Low barriers to entry which can lead to more competitors -Low cost to serve customers -Low fixed costs Sustainability of -Utilizes customer service to create Competitive value for the customer Advantage? -Uses distinctive capabilities and processes to build strong customer and channel relationships Prospects for successful -Training has been increased to give implementation employees the customer service and technical skills required for this alternative -Consistent with managements goal of sustainable growth and responsive customer service (EX2) Are risks acceptable -A robust alternative -Assumes that Paragon is capable of providing services around their information systems hardware. Tests How attractive is the market? Alternative 2 -Larger market than alt 1 -Demand is steady -Low barriers to entry which can lead to more competitors -Low cost to serve customers -Low fixed costs -Utilizes customer service to create value for the customer -Uses distinctive capabilities and processes to build strong customer and channel relationships -Employees are capable of providing the customer service required -Organization has no experience in the Quebec and New Brunswick markets Will the forecast financial results be achieved and increase shareholder value? -Profitability of Paragon is expected to increase so even if revenues don’t meet expectations alternative will remain profitable. -A fragile alternative -assumes that Paragon can differentiate themselves in new markets -Assumes Paragon can withstand retaliation from competitors in new markets. Alternative is more dependent on reaching expected revenues -If targets are not met alternative will be less profitable Implications: Alternative 1 is a superio r alternative. They both have attractive markets and perceived sustainable competitive advantages. Alternative 2 offers a larger payoff but is much riskier. It assumes that paragon will be able to enter a new market and compete without any experience in those markets. Alternative one is more conservative but still offers growth and profitable returns with minimal risk. Exhibit 10 – Financial Projections Paragon Information Systems Projected Income Statement Years ended 1998, 1999, 2000 (in thousands) 1998 1999 $16,299 $17,927 15,729 17,255 $570 $672 Revenue Total Expenses Net Income 2000 $19,720 18,931 $789 Implications: This projection is based on revenues increasing 10% annually and net income as a percentage of revenue increasing from 3. 5% in 1998, to 3. 75% in 1999, and 4% in 2000. The increase in profitability occurs because the services that Paragon offers have a much higher margin. As services become a larger part of Paragons revenues, they will become more profitable. The increase in profitability from 1997 to 1998 is less than other periods to account for the loss of productivity when employees are being trained. Exhibit 11 – Strategy Implementation Immediate 3 Months 6 Months Long Term Hold a meeting with employees to inform them of the changes to the strategy and product offering -establish a formal relationship with NIS -train employees to properly provide services that will be offered. -Sales Department: learn about the services so they can -Sales Department: start pushing the service offerings -Meet with cl ients to discuss how Paragon can provide better service and offer more value -Meet with employees to discuss the progress of the new strategy and determine if any changes need to be made -Develop new customer service objectives with the information that was obtained from clients -Meet with employees to discuss the progress of the new strategy and determine if any changes need to be made -Evaluate the success of the strategy and make changes as necessary