Piracy in Somalia and Its International Implications

PIRACY IN SOMALIA AND ITS INTERNATIONAL IMPLICATIONS In the past few years, pirate attacks off the coast of Somalia have received a great deal of public attention. According to the London-based International Maritime Bureau, there has been an â€Å"unprecedented increase† in Somali pirate activity in the first 9 months of 2009. Until September this year 147 incidents were reported off the Somali coast and in the Gulf of Aden (separating Somalia and Yemen), compared with 63 for the same period last year. A total of 533 crew members have been taken hostage in 2009, out of which about 200 hostages are still being held by Somali pirates. I have chosen the topic of piracy for my essay as I think that in the context of the present world economy crisis it is a current problem which might affect all the participants of the global economy and it needs an urgent solution. In the first part of my essay I am going to present some data to demonstrate the importance of the problem, then I will focus on the background of the issue and present the different factors which have led to the appearance of piracy. After a detailed description of the pirates and their way of operation I will move on to presenting of the interests of the international community and the policies, strategies and instruments they have used to deal with the issue. At the end of my paper I will draw some conclusions and make a few suggestions for the future. Piracy has been a problem in Somali waters for at least ten years. However, the number of attempted and successful attacks has risen over the last three years. As the hijackings have increased in number, they have also become more sophisticated. The pirates are now able to capture larger targets as well. On September 25 2008, Somali pirates captured the MV Faina, a Ukrainian ship transporting weapons to Kenya. This was followed one month later by the hijacking of the MV Sirius Star, the largest ship ever captured by pirates. The Saudi-owned supertanker was carrying about 2 billion barrels of crude oil, worth about $100 million. The ship was finally released on January 9 for a $3 million ransom. The series of hijackings has continued in 2009 too. It seems that this year the pirates have shifted from the Gulf of Aden, where dozens of ships were attacked in 2008 but which is now heavily patrolled, to the ocean between the African mainland and the Seychelles islands. In October 2009 Somali pirates captured a Chinese bulk carrier, carrying 25 Chinese crew members. In November they have seized a US tanker carrying $20 million of crude oil, which is considered the second-largest ship ever hijacked by pirates. The tankers 30-member crew was also kidnapped. In the same month, 9 pirates hijacked the Greek-owned tanker Maran Centaurus carrying 275,000 metric tons of Saudi Arabian crude oil and have taken it to a pirate port along the coast, where they typically hold the boats for ransom. The 300,000-tonne ship was hijacked about 1,300 km from the coast of Somalia and there were 28 crew members on board which are all held hostages. According to the IBM, in October and November alone, 38 ships have been attacked and 10 hijacked. There are several factors which have made Somalia the perfect environment for piracy, which I am going to present below. First of all, if we want understand why piracy works in Somalia, we have to know something about the geography and history of the country. Officially called the Republic of Somalia, Somalia is a country situated in the Horn of Africa, bordered by  Djibouti  to the northwest,  Kenya  to the southwest, the  Gulf of Aden  with  Yemen  to the north, the  Indian Ocean  to the east, and Ethiopia  to the west. Due to its strategic location, in the past the country was an important centre of commerce. Even today, about 16,000 ships pass through the Gulf of Aden each year, carrying oil from the Middle East and goods from Asia to Europe and North America, so we can say that one of the most important trade routes of the world can be found in this area. In addition, the long, isolated, sandy beaches of the country are also advantageous for pirates to operate. Another factor which helps piracy to flourish is the political anarchy which still rules in Somalia. For almost 20 years, the country has endured political chaos and bloodshed. The  Somali Civil, which began in 1991 as a revolution against the repressive regime of Siad Barre, has caused instability throughout the country. The northern parts of the country declared their independence, although it was neither recognized by the central government, nor by the United Nations. Subsequent fighting among rival warlords resulted in the killing, dislocation, and starvation of thousands of Somalis. Since 1991, 350,000-1,000,000 Somalis have died because of the conflict. Hatred and lack of trust among the landlords and their clans has prevented the organisation of a functioning central government. From  2006-2009 Ethiopia  was also involved in the conflict. In January 2009, Ethiopian soldiers withdrew from Somalia, leaving behind an  African Union  contingent of peacekeepers to help the fragile coalition government and its troops enforce their authority. Following Ethiopia's withdrawal from Somalia, the southern half of the country fell into the hands of radical Islamist   rebels, who still control a big part of the country. The political situation is still chaotic in Somalia. The present government, led by Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed is the 16th administration to „govern† the country since the collapse of the Barre regime. Order still hasn’t been restored, Somalia is governed by anarchy. Because of the lack of an effective central government and national economy, Somalia is still one of the world’s poorest countries, where the estimated GDP is around $600 per year. According to the World Bank, in 2008 73% of the country’s population lived on a daily income below $2. The country’s 10 million people are starving, and they would hardly survive without the food aid provided by the developed countries. In a country where survival is at stake, it is no surprise that piracy has become a fast and easy way to make money and it could develop into a frightening business. To sum up, we can say that Somalia’s chaotic political situation, the lack of an effective central government, the poor state of the economy and poverty have all created an environment which was perfect for piracy to appear. But who are these â€Å"heroes† and how do they operate? In most people’s minds, the image of piracy is associated with characters like Jack Sparrow or Captain Cook. Pirates are often seen as rebellious young men who are victims of the society, but have the courage to stand up for themselves and create a different way of working on the seas. Actually, there is some truth in this kind of perception. According to Eric Hobsbawm, a British historian, â€Å"social bandits† are â€Å"outlaws, drawing on community support, using criminal methods to challenge the present hierarchy of power and wealth. † Most of the Somali pirates are 20-35 years old and come from the region of Puntland, a semi-autonomous region in northeastern Somalia. It is estimated that there are at least five pirate gangs and more thousands armed men. A BBC report divided them into three main categories: local Somali fishermen (the â€Å"brains† of the operations because of their skills and knowledge of the sea); ex-militiamen (used as the â€Å"muscle†) and technical experts who are able to use electrical equipment, such as GPS devices at a professional level. It is a fact that since the country’s collapse in 1991, there has been a great amount of illegal fishing practised by a lot of countries along the Somali coast. During the regime of Siad Barre (1986-1992) Somalia received aid from several countries to develop its fishing industry. Local fishermen had fixed prices for their catch and the fish was exported because of low demand for seafood in Somalia. However, after the fall of the Barre regime, due to the Somali Civil War the income from fishing decreased. Traditional coastal fishing became difficult, because foreign trawlers started fishing illegally along the Somali coast and depleted the fish stocks. Local fishermen became desperate. They started to band together and were determined to protect their resources. They started attacking foreign trawlers, the crew of which soon fought back with heavy weapons. As a result, fishermen turned to other types of commercial ships and soon discovered that piracy was an easy way to make money. At the moment, piracy is Somalia’s most â€Å"lucrative business†: ship owners are willing to pay huge amounts of money for the release of their hijacked vessels. In addition to this, starting with the early 1990s, Somalia’s long, remote coastline has been used as a dump site for dangerous toxic waste from a lot of European and Asian companies. The European Green party presented before the press and the European Parliament copies of contracts signed by two European companies – an Italian-Swiss and an Italian firm – and representatives of warlords, to accept 10 million tones of toxic waste in exchange for $80 million. For European companies this is a very cheap way of getting rid of their waste: while waste disposal costs in Europe are about $1,000 a tonne, this way it only costs them $2,50 a tonne. The effects of this dumping are already visible in Somalia. According to a report by the UN Environment Programme, there is an extremely high number of cases of respiratory infections, mouth ulcers and bleeding and unusual skin infections among the inhabitants of the area – diseases related to radiation sickness. It is clear that this situation represents a very serious environmental risk not only to Somalia, but to the whole eastern Africa region. Many of the pirates call themselves the Somali â€Å"coast guard†, claiming that their aim is to defend their communities from overfishing and to protect the coastline from toxic dumping of nuclear waste by foreign ships. In an interview one of the pirate leaders explained: â€Å"We don’t consider ourselves sea bandits. We consider sea bandits those who illegally fish and dump in our seas†. The problem of overfishing is still a very serious problem is Somalia. It is estimated that Europeans and Asians poach around $300 million worth fish from Somali waters. On the other hand, Somali pirates collect about $100 million yearly from ransoms. This, according to Peter Lehr, a Somalia piracy expert, can be seen as a â€Å"resource swap†. Of course, a great number of pirates are only taking part in these operations for the money, and their families which they can feed this way. As one of them, nicknamed Milk Sucker says: â€Å"Sometimes doing a bad thing is the only way to improve the situation for yourself and the people you love†. Some of the pirates can’t even swim, their only task is to shoot straight. A lot of young Somalis take part only in a couple of operations, hoping to make enough money to move to the West or maybe to persuade an ethnic Somali woman with a EU passport to marry them and move to the UK. As for the techniques used by the pirates, we can notice that they are getting more sophisticated and more effective. They are using the latest high-tech equipment, like GPS, MANPADS (Man Portable Air Defence Systems), RPGs and satellite phones and they are well-armed with rocket-propelled grenades and AK-47s. They usually operate using small skiffs with powerful outboard engines, but now they regularly use â€Å"mother ships† to increase their range. These â€Å"mother ships† take them into the shipping lanes, several hundred miles offshore. Then they launch small speedboats to haul themselves up onto the deck of a ship. They can often seize a ship without firing a shot. After capturing it, they sail the hijacked ship to the Somali pirate hub town, Eyl and take the hostages ashore where they are well-looked after until ransom is paid. It is reported that the pirates never harm their prisoners; they behave like â€Å"perfect gentlemen† with them. They even hire caterers on the Somali coast to cook pasta, grilled fish and roasted meat, which western hostages might like. Once ransom is paid, they release ships good humour. According to the Kenyan foreign minister, in 2008 pirates have received about $150 million in ransom, which is used to fund future operations. In a recent startling Reuters report we can read that the pirates have started to make the money to work for them, setting up a stock exchange â€Å"that has drawn financiers from the Somali Diaspora and other nations. † The bandits' bourse is a small building in the once-small fishing village of Haradheere, about 250 miles northeast of Mogadishu, which has developed into a luxury town by now. As a former pirate named Mohammed puts it, â€Å"The shares are open to all and everybody can take part, whether personally at sea or on land by providing cash, weapons or useful materials †¦ we've made piracy a community activity. â€Å" Unfortunately, it has become clear that the activity of pirates is linked to warlords on shore. After seeing the profitability of the business, these leaders started to facilitate pirate activities, sharing the profit with the pirates. These â€Å"Godfathers† and clan leaders are closely related to Somalia’s president in Mogadishu, Abdullahi Yusuf, who also originates from Puntland. Estimates are that at least six ministers in the Puntland government are involved with the pirates. The only group which is publicly against piracy is the militant Al-Shabaab, a Salafist group founded this decade as a militia attached to the Islamic Court. They say that such crimes are forbidden under the Islamic law. However, according some reports, militant Islamist groups also get their share of the profit. The pirates involvement with these organisations is making the situation even more alarming, because all the financial help given by the West to the Somali authorities to put an end to piracy might just help it to flourish. All in all, it is clear that piracy is not a problem that the fragile Somali government can solve alone and international help is needed. How does all this affect the international community? Besides enforcing international law, there are several other reasons to stop pirate activities. The first is Somalia itself. The country needs about 200 tonnes of food aid a year which is mostly delivered by sea. Without the naval escorts and the regular delivery of aid, Somalia’s food stocks are seriously threatened, so ensuring the safe delivery of food aid should be a number one priority for the international community. Stopping piracy may also reduce the money available for weapons, so indirectly it can lead to the end of the internal war. Piracy has a very distressing effect on international trade as well. In addition to the growing ransom, companies whose cargos do not reach their destinations, lose money. As a result, there is a growth of insurance for all ships which need to pass through the Gulf of Aden. The constant danger of pirate attacks has already made some shipping companies to choose a longer, but safer route, around the Cape of Good Hope, as it happened in the case of AP Moller-Maersk, one of Europe’s largest shipping companies after the hijacking of Sirius Star. The extra weeks of travel and fuel can lead to the cost of transporting goods, which is a really serious concern now, at the time of a global economic crisis. Another reason is related to the environment. Pirate attacks can cause major oil spills in a very sensitive ecosystem. As pirates become bolder and use more powerful weapons, tankers could be set on fire or sunk, which can result in an environmental catastrophe, destroying marine and bird life for many years to come. Last, but not least, there is a risk that the pirates themselves can become agents of terrorism. There are assumptions according to which pirates are connected to the Al-Shabaab movement, which is believed to have links to Al-Qa’eda. According to some reports, Al-Qa’eda militants from Iraq have chosen Somalia as a new base from which to launch attacks. Terrorism at sea can take many forms, for example direct attacks on ships, hostage dramas, but also hijacked ships used as potential weapons. Terrorist networks can use the financial funds from piracy to fund their operations worldwide. It is obvious, that even if there is little chance for the worst scenario, it is best to prevent it while we can. The international community has recognized that enhanced international efforts are necessary in order to reduce the number of attacks. The growing cases of piracy have focused the world's attention on Somalia and have shown that the crisis going on in a fragmented state is spilling out of its borders. The military response to piracy has shown that countries which haven’t been able to cooperate with each other can unite their forces for a common cause. A maritime conference was also held in Mombassa, where they discussed the problem of piracy and tried to give regional and world governments recommendations to deal with the danger. In January 2009, an important regional agreement was adopted in Djibouti by States in the region, at a meeting organised by IMO. The Code of Conduct concerning the Repression of Piracy and Armed Robbery against Ships in the Western Indian Ocean and the Gulf of Aden recognized the extent of the problem of piracy and armed robbery against ships in the region and the states signing it declared their intention to co-operate, in a way consistent with international law, in the repression of piracy and armed robbery against ships. Most countries have preferred prevention: various navies have sent war-ships into the area to escort commercial vessels. At the beginning, this way of defense was more individual than collective, but the persistence of the attacks has led to the development of a collective security system. NATO got the task of escorting convoys transporting the humanitarian aid of the World Food Programme towards Somalia. Once they were in the Gulf of Aden, they also protected other merchants ships, by their presence. Later NATO handed the job to Operation Atlanta, the first common maritime mission by the European Union. Military counter-piracy operations are performed by vessels from the Combined Task Force 150, a multinational coalition  naval  task force   in charge of monitoring and inspecting a range of security issues, such as drug smuggling and weapons trafficking, as well as piracy. Several countries, including India, Russia, China, Norway, Australia, France, Greece, Turkey, Portugal, Denmark, the Netherlands, South Korea, Malaysia and even Japan chose to join the coalition and send warships to the Gulf of Aden. In January 2009 the US navy established a new multi-national naval force to confront piracy off the Somali coast. The new unit was called Combined Task Force 151and it was a spinoff of the existing Task Force 150 in the region. This section of the coalition forces was aimed at focusing exclusively on pirate groups (leaving Combined Task Force 150 to focus on other destabilizing activities, such as drug smuggling and weapons trafficking). It was hoped that by designating a new unit to combating piracy in Somalia, anti-piracy efforts would be more successful. Unfortunately, this effort is having only a limited impact. Although some pirates are scared off by the sight of military ships and helicopters, coalition warships are often in the wrong place at the wrong time. In addition, pirates are flexible and change their tactics easily: data from the Maritime Bureau shows that at present they are conducting their operations further out in the Indian Ocean. Besides, this is a very costly solution which is difficult to support in the long term. After the hijacking of an Egyptian ship and a huge Saudi supertanker, the Arab League organized a summit for countries overlooking the Red Sea, with the participation of Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Somalia, Jordan, Djibouti and Yemen. At the summit the participant states discussed several solutions for the problem of piracy, suggesting different routes and looking for a safer passageway for ships. They might also assist the current NATO anti-piracy efforts together with other nations. However, we shouldn’t forget that the Arab League has long tried to draw Somalia more closely to the Arab world. It has made a financial support for the Transitional Federal Government, conditional on its entering negotiations with Al-Shabaab, intending to spread Islamist influence in the area. In June 2008 the United Nations Security Council passed a declaration authorizing nations that have the agreement of the Transitional Federal Government to enter Somali territorial waters to hunt pirates. In 2008 the Security Council adopted two resolutions, 1846 and 1851 allowing for the first time international land and sea occupations of Somali territories in the pursuit of pirates. These resolutions extended the power of the states and lead to greater coordination of their efforts. After the Council resolution 1851, the Contact Group on Piracy off the Coast of Somalia was established on 14 January 2009 to facilitate and coordinate actions among states and organizations to deal with piracy. At the moment 46 States and seven international organizations take part in the Contact Group. Through its four working groups, the Contact Group addresses specific issues related to military and operational coordination, legal issues, shipping industry awareness and public and diplomatic information. UNODC (the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime) participates in the Contact Group and its Working Group on Military and Operational Coordination, Information Sharing and Capability-Building. UNODC acts as secretariat to Working Group on Judicial Issues, to which it has provided various forms of support. UNODC has prepared an analysis of the legal and practical challenges involved in prosecuting suspected pirates and is gathering nformation on relevant national legal systems, including those of coastal States. In spite of the fact that laws to combat piracy at sea exist, a lot of states do not seem to use them in practice. Only France has chosen to combat piracy directly. The first case was the seizing of a yacht in April 2008, which started with negotiations for the release of 30 hostages and followed by the capture of six pirates in Somali territory. The second case took place in September 2008 to free a couple taken hostages. This action also led to the arrest of six pirates, who are awaiting trial before a French court. Britain and some other countries have found a superficial and convenient way of treating the pirates: they have negotiated a treaty with Kenya, according to which all those suspected of piracy are handed over to that country. A few months later other countries followed Britain’s example, negotiating similar agreements. These agreements are a useful step, but they do not solve the problem. The Kenyan prison system is in terrible condition, corruption is high, there are strong delays in the call of trials and legal aid is very limited. It is a paradox indeed that states which are entitled to prosecute the arrested pirates delegate this right to a country which is unable to assure a fair trial to these criminals. In spite of the united efforts of different nations, it has become clear that the piracy problem cannot be solved at sea, because it is rooted on the shore, in the ongoing conflict and political instability of the country. As Ban Ki-Moon, the Secretary General of the United Nations expressed at an international donors’ conference: â€Å"Piracy is a symptom of anarchy and insecurity on the ground. (†¦) More security on the ground will make less piracy on the seas† Any lasting solution to the problem has to involve ensuring stability, development and an effective criminal justice system in Somalia. If the states had invested the time and resources they now spend to stop piracy in reconstructing the Somali society and economy, they probably wouldn’t have to cope with these problems. However, there are always new opportunities that shouldn’t be wasted. Martin Murphy in his article â€Å"Somali Piracy: not just a Naval Problem† claims that the highest costs of piracy to Somalia and the international community are not economic, but political. As I mentioned earlier, it seems that almost all layers of political life in Somalia are involved in piracy, including the Islamist groups. Islamism is getting stronger and stronger in Somalia and it can soon get hold of the entire country. The Al-Shabaab movement has a clear intention to use Somalia as a base for spreading Islamist influence in the region. If this tendency continues, a worst possible outcome would be an Islamist government, which is strong enough to control piracy, but also strong enough to make Somalia safe for violent Islamist groups. So, what can be done to stop, or at least to decrease piracy in the Horn of Africa? Somalia is a clan-based society. Therefore, a possible solution would be to deal with the sub-state entities in order to create a unitary state in the future. In these negotiations the coalition should clearly commit itself to repress piracy in return for allied political and economic support. This way it would be possible to cut off all the political players in Somalia from their external sources of weapons and thus pirates would be trapped between more effective land-base policy by the Somalis and maritime policy by coalition member navies and soon they would have no place to hide. Recent efforts have shown that there is a will to act together. We can only hope that the states will find a way to deal effectively with the problem before it is too late. Links, references: Roger Middleton: Piracy in Somalia. Africa Programme, October 2008 http://www. chathamhouse. org. uk/files/12203_1008piracysomalia. df Marina Chiarugi  and  Daniele Archibugi: Piracy challenges global governance. Open Democracy,  9 April 2009 http://www. opendemocracy. net/article/piracy-challenges-global-governance George Grant: Somali pirates can't be beaten at sea. The Guardian, 18 November 2009 http://www. guardian. co. uk/commentisfree/2009/nov/18/somali-pirates-ransom-puntland Galrahn: Somalia Piracy – A Backgrounder April 8, 2009 http://www. informationdissemination. net/2009/04/somalia-piracy-backgrounder. html Rubrick Biegon: Somali Piracy and the International Response. FPIF (Foreign Policy in Focus) January 29, 2009 http://www. pif. org/fpiftxt/5827 Georg-Sebastian Holzer: Somalia: piracy and politics. Open Democracy, 24 November 2008 http://www. opendemocracy. net/article/somalia-piracy-and-politics Johann Hari: You Are Being Lied to About Pirates. The Huffington Post, December 2009 http://www. huffingtonpost. com/johann-hari/you-are-being-lied-to-abo_b_155147. html Can Somali pirates be defeated? BBC News, 20 November 2009 http://news. bbc. co. uk/2/hi/8371139. stm Sam Gustin: Bandit Bourse? Somali pirates hijack oil tanker, organize ‘stock market' Daily Finance, December 1 2009 http://www. dailyfinance. om/2009/12/01/bandit-bourse-somali-pirates-hijack-oil-tanker-organize-stock/ Martin Murphy: Somali Piracy : not just a naval problem . Centre for Str ategic and Bugetary Assessments, April 16, 2009 http://www. csbaonline. org/4Publications/PubLibrary/B. 20090417. Somali_Piracy/B. 20090417. Somali_Piracy. pdf Piracy in Somalia: Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Piracy_in_Somalia Aiden Hartley: What I learned from the  Somali pirates. The Spectator, 6 December 2008 http://www. spectator. co. uk/essays/all/3061246/what-i-learned-from-the-somali-pirates. thtml

Nationalism Is a Modern Form of Consciousness

A few weeks ago the topic of nationalism was presented to me. So I asked myself â€Å"What is nationalism? † and â€Å"How did it come about? † This led me to an essay stating that â€Å"Nationalism is a modern form of consciousness (Greenfeld 2006: 64-92). † It went on to say that â€Å"Nationalism is the constitutive element of modernity and it provides the foundational form of consciousness in all societies defined as nations (Greenfeld 1992: 3-26). † With this brief insight on nationalism I wrote this paper. This essay will discuss the proposed question ‘Nationalism is a modern form of consciousness.What role(s) do you think that this form of consciousness play(s) in the identity of Caribbean people? Do you think that this modern form of consciousness contributes to the motivation of Caribbean people? ’ But before we talk about nationalism in the Caribbean we must take into consideration the history of the Caribbean in order to identify th e role that this form of consciousness plays in the identity of Caribbean people. While growing up, I can vividly remember my primary school teacher, Mrs Khan, stating that â€Å"The Caribbean is a group of small islands encircled by the Caribbean Sea†.That same afternoon I asked my mother about the small islands makes up the Caribbean and how far are they from Trinidad. She told me that â€Å"The Caribbean is made up of countries such as Anguilla, Antigua & Barbuda, the Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, British Virgin Island (BVI), Cayman Islands, Dominica, Grenada, Jamaica, Montserrat, St Christopher & Nevis, St Lucia, St Vincent & the Grenadines and the republic of Trinidad and Tobago and that they share a common history.It is enriched with variety of cultures, religion and dialects, which were mixed and created new forms such French Patois; that’s why the Caribbean is comprises of such rich diversity. † This information encouraged me to dig deeper and find out more about nationalism and to my astonishment I realised that there are multiple perceptions on the theory of nationalism. These perceptions varied because of the overall modifications in life and the roles that different persons took on the idea of nationalism.Nationalism, a modern form of consciousness, emerged in the sixteenth century after the War of Rose in England (Greenfeld 1992: 3-87). This war resulted in the annihilation of the aristocracy creation a void at the top of the social pyramid which needed to be filled thus a new aristocracy. This new aristocracy was comprised of talented and educated individuals of the lower social strata. Although I had all these information the question still remained â€Å"What is nationalism and how it related to the Caribbean? Ernest Gellner (1964) stated that nationalism â€Å"invents nations where they do not exist even if it helps to have some pre-existing cultural traits. † He went on to say that the nation has become a sociologica l necessity for modern, industrial society. This form of modernisation eats away traditional society and its role relationships, uprooting and mobilising the peasants and swelling the cities. These urbanised peasants and workers who experience discrimination formed a new nation of their own and consequently, nationalism generates new nations. Now I’m faced with a new question â€Å"What is a nation? According to dictionary reference a nation is â€Å"a large body of people, associated with a particular territory, that is sufficiently conscious of its unity to seek or to possess a government peculiarly its own. † Eric Hobsbawm (1994) viewed the nation as an invented tradition. He argued that in order to understand the concept of nationalism this invented tradition must be explored. Furthermore, she understood that the fundamental part of nationalism is the nation. The perception of nationalism deals with the creation of consciousness of human mind, shared beliefs, popu lar sovereignty and equality.This then led me to think that nationalism has play role in the Caribbean identity. When discussing the historical background of the Caribbean you should know the difference between individualistic nationalism and collectivism. Before the 19th century, most of the Caribbean islands were colonized by the European Union such as Great Britain, France, Spain and Portugal to a lesser extent. The enslaved individuals of these colonies fought against the whites for improved working conditions among others.This is one of the examples whereby enslaves individuals felt that mental consciousness. Together they saw they needed a better life and so showed resistance. After the emancipation of slavery and countries obtaining their independence the beginning of nationalism has been felt greatly by countries. For example, in my birth country, Trinidad and Tobago, a French Creole, Andrew Arthur Cipriani, , was responsible for the beginning of national consciousness. He w as responsible for the formation of the Workingmen’s Association, now called Trinidad Labor Party.The party’s motto â€Å"Agitate, Educate, Confederate† motivated individuals to overthrow the Euro-British Colonialism which appealed to their sovereignty. Now there is a place called Cipriani Boulevard in honour of Andrew Arthur Cipriani contribution in Trinidad and Tobago nationalism. Additionally, many countries migrated to foreign investment for economical stability to maintain their nation shows that this form of modern consciousness has been developed. A contribution of nationalism that is currently growing throughout the Caribbean is loyalty.People are becoming more and more devoted to their individual countries which are seen especially around independence time. For instance, in Grenada most buildings are decorated in their national colours and children are being educated about the history of Grenada. This gives them a sense of who they are as a country. Bef ore, people of various countries would wear their flags in an unmannerly fashion and no one would say anything but now they wear it with pride. This modern form of consciousness also brought about by the political directorate and the trade unions. Individuals such as Dr.Eric Williams of Trinidad and Tobago, T. A. Marryshow of Grenada and Jacob of Guyana are but a few who promoted self-reliance and walking together for the betterment of each other and it played a profound role in Caribbean identity. Some of the things within the Caribbean that contribute to the identity of the Caribbean people are education, sports, CARICOM/ CSME and the CCJ. In education there are areas such as University of the West Indies (UWI) and Caribbean Examination Council (CXC) which contributed to the Caribbean identity and who we are today. In sports there are areas such as cricket.The West Indies cricket whether they are winning or losing is a major factor that influenced Caribbean identity. Dr. Hon Denzi l Douglas the Prime Minister and St. Kitt’s and Nevis stated that , the West Indies cricket team removed the Caribbean from the clutches of colonialism and that is the real form of nationalism Nationalism, a modern form of consciousness, has contributed to the motivation of the Caribbean people. For instance, after the abolition of slavery ex-slaves educated themselves to the highest level possible as well as their children because they did not want them to be like them.Many times I questioned why it is my parents are pushing us to attain the highest possible educational level and now after reading and researching for this paper I see the importance of an education. They also were motivated to cease free labour and to acquire better paying jobs so that they can provide for their families. I concur that nationalism played an important role in the shaping of the people of the Caribbean. The Caribbean people rebelled against their oppressions for betterment. Thus, it can be said that nationalism a modern form of consciousness did play apart in the development of Caribbean countries identity.Bibliography Gellner, E. (1964). Nationalism. Greenfeld, L. (1992). Nationalism as the Cultural Foundation of Modern experience. 3-87. Greenfeld, L. (1992). Nationalism as the cultural foundation of modern experience . 3-26. Greenfeld, L. , & Malczewski, E. (2006). Nationalism as the cultural foundation of modern experience . 64-92. Hobsbawm, E. (1994). Nationalism. References Nation. (n. d. ). Online Etymology Dictionary. Retrieved March 18, 2013, from Dictionary. com website: http://dictionary. reference. com/browse/nation

Military Brat

Of course the military has a lot of traveling, family orientated, many free services, and good food. Being a military brat was not all its hyped up to be. As a little girl growing up I never had a place to truly call home. Ling the lifestyle as a military brat my mother frequently transferred or was given new assignments. Our locations verified from state to state and we always ended up on a military base. Never staying in a place for more than one to two years it was like being passed around like a damn basketball. At times I got used to my mother's absence when she received her assignments.It was a breath of fresh air when she wasn't around. It felt like a taste of bliss when I TLD have to hear her constant nagging or screaming. All of us children were able to feel free for the time she was gone. As the time came near for her return It felt as If we walked on egg shells due to her unpredictable mood swings. It's a shame that I didn't have a choice to be a part of the military cultu re. Being born into a family that was already actively enrolled was no fair chance for me to have a civilian life experience. On base they preach over and over to us about values and patriotism.What bucking values, Is all I say to myself. The military law required commanding officers and those in authority to demonstrate were 7 Army Values†. The acronym was â€Å"LADYSHIP' which stands for Loyalty, Duty, Respect, Selfless Service, Honor, and Personal Courage. I was never taught values, morals, or anything of that nature. That woman who called herself a mother wasn't there to teach me values. I see more of my mother's back walking straight out the door than I saw her miserable looking face. The most difficult challenge I dealt with was constantly making new friends to replace the ones I just left behind.I've never felt such a bitter taste of hate in my mouth for when she uprooted us and took my best friend Sarah away. No one could replace my Seraglio or even come close to fill ing in her shoes. From that point on I kept my distance away from most people so I wouldn't get attached and set my-self up Tort another narrates. It really success when we relocated ruling ten welter holidays. I would plan and save up my funds to buy my friends presents. Making ewe friends in a new environment was extremely hard to break into their social groups. To them I was an outsider from a different base.Being on base there is a zero tolerance policy for misbehaver or being rebellious. As brat I remember the discipline being cruel and unusual punishment putting me in the corner to kneel on my knees and hold both my arms up and away from my body. My arms would go numb and the knees feeling like someone Just removed the knee caps. The amount of time in the corner was based on how well we held our composure. She would have us drop our pants to the floor grabbing our ankles as she took my father's biggest leather belt slashing it against our ass as hard as she could.If we moved s he would distribute more lashings. My mother was mean and called her discipline â€Å"tough love†. Yeah right, my ass it wasn't tough love. She could dissemble my door frame in five minutes taking away my privacy when I would slam my door from anger. She would turn off the electricity to my room so that there was no TV, curling irons, games, or any luxury. The more my mother was a pitch the more I rebelled with braking my curfew, sneaking out, hiding her badge, taking her lies and hiding them.The consequences of misbehaver for a military brat are generally greater than for a civilian children. Being labeled a brat was not a choice by any means. However, due to the challenges I endured it has shaped and molded me into the woman I am today. A woman with values, strength, great friendships, and unconditional love for all. No longer that innocent girl thanks to the military who robbed me of that innocence. And It makes want to spit when someone refers to me as a military brat. It 's not a word that means â€Å"endearment† or â€Å"respect† as we were taught. It signifies Hell for

Is the United Nations in need of reform and if so, in what form should Essay

Is the United Nations in need of reform and if so, in what form should such reform take - Essay Example It comprises of 192 member countries across the globe, with its headquarters in New York. The existence of United Nations dates back to World War II with the objectives to unite all the countries of the universe in order to work in correlation with tranquility and harmony, which must consist on the ideology of fair dealing, respect of humanity, and fulfillment of the fundamental rights of the people2. United Nations aimed to bring the countries closer so that they can work in coordination to develop friendly relations and address the common issues with gravity. The working of the assembly is not restricted to the decisions of any monarch, thus, every county possess the same and equal rights to give their opinions and viewpoints in any discussion happening in the general assembly of the United Nations3. A global body formed in early 1900s, known to be the League of Nations was the key stakeholder to sustain equanimity and placidity in the world, as well as maintaining the coordination amongst the global community. This parent body proved to be flourishing with 58 members across the globe with the prime motive to encourage and endorse worldwide collaboration in order to bring the world under one roof through unity and peace. With the increasing power and control of the Axis Powers over the world, the League got an alarming sign and its success started to fade and declined slowly, thus, resulting in the Second World War. During the World War II, United Nations came to an existence with an official announcement in order to bring the counties in association to each other. Initially, the UN consisted of 51 member countries, which then rose to 192 members at a later stage4. United Nations came under development with a goal to alleviate poverty and raise the living standards of the masses on global basis. It also determined to raise the literacy rate and abate the spread of diseases and environmental degradation to make the world a better place to live. United Nations aimed to support and cushion the under developed countries to lift their economies, build up the social sector and back them to move ahead towards success5. To achieve these objectives, UN designed a set of values, which the member countries were to abide by. United Nations strictly abhorred the violence and tyranny, instead they promoted calm and diplomatic methods to solve the problems, and therefore, member countries came under expectation to settle down rivalries and sensitive matters with serenity. UN made an obligation on all the members to comply with the agreements made between them, and the parent body did not participate in any government activity or personal matter of the member state6. The working of UN depends upon five subdivisions. The first division is the UN General Assembly, whose prime job is to maintain the standards of its guidelines and procedures and always have a room for improvements through suggestions. The assembly has a president who comes under appointme nt from its member states. The second subdivision is the UN Security Council, which has the right to penalize the member countries if they do not follow the rules and regulations that comes under development by the assembly, they also have the decision making power during any sort of disagreements between the member states. Therefore, it comes under consideration as the strongest amongst all the other branches7. The third branch is the International Court of Justice, which is

Personal Application Assignment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Personal Application Assignment - Essay Example I had very confusing experience in the sense that I felt that my colleagues at other departments were actually creating issues which were hindering in achievement of my objectives. I tried hard to meet my targets on time and worked closely with my customers to understand their actual requirements and as to how my organization can actually support them. However, whenever I used to forward my recommendations to other departments basically responsible for ensuring that the customers receive what they want started to create problems for me. I was specially a target because of my ability to achieve my targets and compete aggressively with my colleagues in order to develop a better career for myself and ensure a quick progression on the organizational ladder. I however, felt that my colleagues did not liked the way I started to progress in our organization. Looking back at this experience, I often feel that I should not have been involved in the overall organizational politics as it hindered my progress on a career which I liked much. I was under the impression that the individuals within an organization often support their fellow workers in order to help them to achieve the organizational objectives and in the process also allow individuals to fulfill their own objectives. However, I believe I was wrong because I failed to recognize the importance of informal networks and how they can actually affect an individual’s performance and career progression. I also believe that other departments were also struggling to meet their own targets and fulfill their own part of the responsibility. However, due to the lack of organizational attention and negligence by higher management have probably resulted into the culmination of an attitude which de-motivated them and they were hardly contributing positively towards the achievement of

Age in acquiring first language Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Age in acquiring first language - Research Paper Example Society classifies individuals who speak the same language in a single group. In light of this, it is critical for one to understand the acquisition process and the relevance of the critical period in language acquisition. There are major theories of language acquisition exist in the development, which include linguistic nativism, behaviorism, and social interactionism. Linguistic nativism infers that language acquisition is a predetermined process. Nativists hypothesize that children are innately able in acquiring language. Supporters of behaviorism inferred that nurture played a main role in children’s acquisition of language. According to them, the environment through different agents such as parents modeled or taught children how to comprehend and speak a specific language. The focus of these theorists was on two major processes, operant and classical conditioning. The social-interactionism perspective asserts that both innate biological and social factors predispose children’s acquisition of language. According to them innate/biological factors such as a slowly maturing brain capable of assimilating new information and social factors such as parents, teachers influence language development in children. These theorists acknowledge the role of adults in supporting children’s language acquisition through child-directed speech. In addition, they acknowledge children’s personal intentional participation in language acquisition through their reliance on their innate nature. Before learning the rules that govern language, children communicate through crying and non-verbal communication (gestures). Later, interaction with parents enables them to develop oral language specific to their society and prepares them for the acquisition of other literacy skills. This shows that literacy development is a systematic gradual process. Children move from first stage of communicating (crying and non-verbal communication) to an intermediary stage (oral

Operations Summary Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Operations Summary - Essay Example Examples of these include the grocery stores, ATM at banks, the supermarkets, websites and e-ticketing. In this design the physical office is eliminated (APICS) Personal attention: In this approach the customer has a minimum contact with the provider and the customer develops a relationship with the service provider representative. Eg sales person. This approach the work flow is not customized and provider seeks to build customer loyalty. Job Shop Process: This is manufacturing of a product in a fixed time and cost as per the requirements of the customer, and is done one by one. The jobs are unique, volumes are low and the variety is quite high (S. Anil Kumar, 2006, p. 17). The examples of Job Shops include in metal fabricators, ship building and in construction. Batch flow; examples of batch flow include air travelling, traditional mortgage loan processing, textile apparels, and bread factories. The products are manufactured in regular intervals, characterized by the routing of the jobs and sometimes the products are kept in a warehouse awaiting sales (S. Anil Kumar, 2006, p. 18). Assembly line: The examples of assembly line include in car manufacturing, mobile handset, television and most consumer products goods. The operations are performed in sequence and are assembly-oriented. The product moves from one workstation to the next in a sequence of operations and materials are handled by devices like conveyors (S. Anil Kumar, 2006, p.19). APICS. (n.d.). APICS Operations Management. Retrieved August 27, 2014, from APICS:

Strategic Options Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Strategic Options - Essay Example Indeed, in marketing theory, goals set are always the higher ambitions whiles the objectives are the specific activities to take to realize the goals. So in the case of Eurofreeze, it has clearly spelt out a goal of increasing its market share and profit margins but the surest way that the company seeks to achieve this is by giving much attention to products that the company considers to be of commercial value. The above summary could be briefed in SWOT analysis for Eurofreeze. As part of the strengths of the company, it would be identified that the company presently have a very rooted knowledge in freezer technology, which is a major requirement for survival in the industry. Again, the company has a buying function with which it purchases vegetables and fruits directly. Even more, the company has successfully developed a well known branded food product. Regardless of the strengths, a number of weaknesses mitigate against the company, including the fact that its market share is prese ntly far lower than its key competitor (Adams, 2011). Again, Eurofreeze has not been able to provide the one market-leading frozen brand that its consumers wanted. In the midst of the weaknesses, there is an opportunity in the recovering global economic recession, which gives opportunities for the company to undertake foreign direct investments in markets where its major competitor does not have commanding market share. Finally, the company is faced with a number of threats including the fact that the market leader, which is Refrigor offers is a low-cost leader. Again, refrigerator space in most supermarkets in markets in the United Kingdom and other places are giving space only to their own brand of products. Lastly, the marketing strategies and plans used by Eurofreeze is relatively the same as that of competitors (Haga and Marold, 2004). Development of Scoring Criteria Based on the SWOT Analysis performed earlier, a number of criteria can be developed for scoring each option avai lable to the company so that the best option can eventually be selected. These criteria are grouped under three major themes namely suitability, acceptability and feasibility. Scooping through the SWOT analysis, some of the major criteria that can be used include the following: The grouping of the criteria according to the three themes are thus given as follows: Suitability Criteria 1: Growth and Investment: This criterion is selected as a long term strategic plan for the company towards taking advantage of its opportunities and using them according to its advantage. Without growth and investment, the company cannot utilize its opportunities of a generally improving global economy that makes foreign direct investment a lucrative venture. Criteria 2: Brand equity: Brand equity will be established over a long term basis. It is therefore relevant in pushing up the company for its long term ambition of becoming a market leader. With a brand equity, publicity on all products and services of the company will be reduced because customers would have a lot to know about the company in advance. Feasibility Criteria 3: Value adding: This criterion has been selected to overcome the weakness of the company identified as having a very low market share. With value added service and product, it is hoped that

Capitalism and end of slavery Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Capitalism and end of slavery - Research Paper Example These were some of the factors that led to beginning of capitalism. Capitalism started spreading in chronological order over Portugal, Spain, Holland, England and France. The protectionist system, modern mode of taxation and national debt were embraced in England at the end of 17 century (Max 667). The states were at the process of transformation from Feudal production mode to capitalism mode and to make the transition shorter. The colonial system took revenge on pious pilgrim father’s descendants some decades later. Capitalism and end of slavery It was the beginning of the 15th century that Europeans started to buy slaves from Africa especially West Africa and East Africa. During this time, slave trade became the central to the economy of several African states such as the Ashanti people. This threatened many Africans, which enslavement, however; Africans saw this as a profitable business, for instance, the King of Ashanti. Millions of Africans were bought to work in European countries.1 Slave trade continued for many decades. In 1685, Louis XIV started regulating slavery in the colonies. However, it was during the 18 century, when laws regulating slaved trade were enacted in America (John & Alfred 72). In many African societies slaves were treated as property while others as dependants, therefore, people had the right to trade them for goods. When slaves were bought, they were taken to the owners countries where they worked as laborers or joined the military. Many of the African slaves were purchased to perform domestic labor or do menial work. Other people also bought slaves to enhance their status in the society. The slave trade between America and Africa was referred to as triangular trade since it involved three stages. The Outward passage was the first stage where alcohol, guns and iron bars were moved from Europe to West Africa. The second passage was the Middle Passage where slaves were exchanged for Europeans goods (Eric 30). The third was the inward passage comprised of the journey passage. In most areas, early slavery resulted from warring communities taking captives. The slaves were sold since they were of little use and in many cases a bother when kept at home hence sold and taken to Europe. Arthur Wendover recounts his visit to the Slave Coast in 1962. He explains that people in the Slave Coast were trustworthy since goods are left ashore with no one watch them and no one stole any thing. He also adds that people never go to the sea since their rivers were large and had enough fish to feed them. This shows that the place had an abundant supply of food. Arthur states that the Slave Coast was the chief market for slaves (Robin 232). The Phidalgoe was the man with whom the slave trade was conducted. He is described as a good man and lived in splendor. Cappusheers who also lived in Slave Coast, on the other hand, are defined as people who were laborious, good and honest. They were mainly builders and did not trouble anyb ody as they did not come within the Kings Court (Alison & Adam 203). This is unlike the Guidah who were thieves and were troublesome to their King. The ship that goes to Guidah ran a risk of being robbed of both slaves and goods. The slave traders were not secure as their goods would be stolen when they took some routes. The rates given for slaves was exceedingly little. For instance, in Appa slaves were exchanged for 1 piece green silk containing 37 and a quarter yards for

Kikujiro and Kitano Movies Movie Review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Kikujiro and Kitano Movies - Movie Review Example Indeed, as a follow up to his most notable work "Hana-bi," or "Fireworks," this film seems to have gone unnoticed for the most part because of its veering toward the usual Disney-like story of a crabby old man hitting the road with a dejected kid, but then, we're talking about Kitano. He was able to make the movie look fresh, original, and even surprising. He was also able to show that his works shouldn't be stereotyped at all to the yakuza films he made, which are filled with "juxtapositions of life and death, ugly violence and beautiful serenity - and usually end bleakly with suicide." The movie may be looked into as somewhat having two unique parts, with the first part the more gilt-edged portion. The first half focuses on the journey for the most part. The audience follow the seemingly incompatible pair through various risky adventures such as when they hitchhiked and raced among cyclists. Everything else that happen afterwards has its foundation on the search for Masao's estranged mother in another part of Japan and surprisingly brings on laughs. The second part isn't that quite spectacular though. ... The result is that some scenes became a drag to some because of repetitive scenes of adults acting like children such as when Kikujiro forms an assorted crew of misfits to play with Masao and have them dress up as aliens, Indians, marine life and even watermelons. Nevertheless, with Kitano's concept of building a friendship between the most unlikely of people, it really makes for an admirable and interesting story. It is also interesting to note that Masao's scrapbook seems to provide the structure for the movie giving each chapter a fair description. Each chapter offers a well-defined character that is, in different turns, hilarious, playful, surreal, disturbing, and heartbreaking. For one, Kitano is bold enough to use a child molester as an unlikely source of black humor and subject of any child's nightmare. The variations in tone between the chapters help in orchestrating unexpected tonal shifts and works to add to the context of the story. The theme: Alienation and inclusion Kitano was also able to look into the theme of both alienation and inclusion in his very own Japanese society. In fact, the two main characters, and even most of those who help the duo along their journey, can all be considered as unwanted by the society as they were not really a part of any conventional family or group structure. The characters, on the other hand, who live a more unquestioned lifestyles are frequently conflicting with the movie's protagonists. At the onset of the story, Kikujiro reacts to their alienation with anger while the nine-year old Masao with sadness. But along their expedition, they begin to discover similarities between themselves and the circumstances in Toyohashi become a turning point for the protagonists to

Daughters of Liberty Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Daughters of Liberty - Research Paper Example Besides, the spreading of religion was another motivation behind colonization. On the other hand, the Native Americans have remained loyal to the British imperialists for â€Å"156 years after the settlement of Jamestown in 1607† supporting the English people fight many wars.1 However, many of the policies of the British Empire were so stringent and intolerable, which made the Americans to revolt against them. The most significant of the causes that triggered the revolution is the imposition of â€Å"new taxes and restrictions† by the English authorities on â€Å"colonial manufacturers and commerce.†2 Legalization of the Catholic Church, transplanting of the French with the Catholic Spaniards and their banning of American flatboats as well as the threat to close New Orleans Port, etc., also forced the Americans to embark on the path agitation. The American women, with their grit and selfless dedication, have played a major role in the revolt against British Imper ialism and helped the country in winning its freedom through their sacrifices. The spirit of freedom of the Americans makes them still remember with veneration the sacrifices of the men and women whose unrelenting determination and constant struggle have fetched them independence. These men and women have helped Americans to know the value of freedom and to transform the â€Å"bloodshed, division and violence† of the war and its ravages to â€Å"symbols of unity and cohesion.†3 Thus, the spirit of freedom that Americans celebrate today is the legacy of the men and women who have struggled and died for the American Independence. Women, though considered as lower in patriarchal societies, have always played a key role in the development of nations and evolving the history and cultures of countries. Similarly, in the Colonial America also women had a key role to play, not only in terms of tending to the families but also in the context of their involvement in national mov ements, culture, arts and literature. Mary Washington was one of the prominent women who made significant legacies to the cause of American Revolution. George Washington, her son and one of the most prominent leaders of America always emphasized that he â€Å"owed everything to his mother – in the education and habits of his early life.†4 Here, it becomes relevant that significant contribution from women towards any particular cause derives not merely from their participation in that event but through facilitating the grooming of the next generation to take up the mission and sustain its spirit in the future. Mary, who lost her husband early in life, had to fend for her children, with very limited economical sources. Despite this, she brought up her son, imbibing in him the right values and morals that enabled him to be the leader of such a nation and his ultimate elevation as its chief executive. Esther Reed is another woman who contributed immensely to the cause of A merican Revolution, despite her being a London born British national of French origin. During the Lexington and Bunker’s Hill episodes, she helped by channeling funds through her own agency for â€Å"relief of the sufferers in New England.†5 However, after she became a mother and her husband joined the revolutionary soldiers, her life endured many a turmoil. While her husband toiled in the â€Å"

Ten Commandments for CEOs Seeking Organizational Change Essay Example for Free

Ten Commandments for CEOs Seeking Organizational Change Essay In our ever-changing, fast-paced world, competitive relationships Can shift quickly when companies respond too slowly to increased competition in their industry group. Succeeding in such a competitive and changing environment demands that CEOs reshape their organization to meet todays challenges and competitive realities. But responding to change remains highly elusive because there is a natural resistance to change at all levels within the organization, including at the top. CEOs and other members of the executive suite need to take a hard look at their existing organization and culture, ask tough questions about its appropriateness for the current competitive environment, and take concrete, implemental steps to forge a preferred culture and drive it downward throughout the entire organization. But therein lies the challenge, for few management teams both establish a comprehensive strategy for remaining competitive and take a hands-on approach to implement change internally. By not getting involved, they signal to employees that the change really isnt very important. A key premise of this article is that cultural change or any organizational transformation is essentially a top-down activity. It cannot be delegated. If the CEO perceives the need for change, makes it a top priority, and gives it a great deal of time and attention, the organization will change. By the same token, if the CEO offers only limited lip service, needed changes just wont happen. This article outlines how the CEO can be an enthusiastic sponsor of change by paying enough attention to implementation to make the transformation take place. Reynierse and Leyden (1992) provide a case study incorporating these steps. 1. Strategy-Driven The process I am advocating will be relatively ineffective without a strategic framework to provide competitive advantage. This process is not a substitute for such a strategy. Rather, the strategy is the starting point that establishes the context for all other steps. However, strategies will be relatively ineffective when management pays insufficient attention to their impact on the work forcefor ultimately it is the work force who will implement the strategy and make it succeed or fail. The point is that unless such a strategic plan is implemented and executed effectively, it will not be fully realized in the competitive marketplace. An overview of this process is depicted in Figure 1. A companys business strategies, plans, and goals are the starting pointnot the endof this exercise. They formalize the CEOs vision, setting the tone and establishing direction for the company in both the long and short terms. They provide a context for all other activities and decisions, establishing the limits for making many choices along the way. In addition, they determine the direction and boundaries for building the new organizational culture, including molding employee expectations. Resources are scarce in every organization, and management must accept the fact that it cant do everything. Strategic choices reflect judgments about where companies think they have marketplace competitive advantage so that plans implemented here enable them to grow faster and earn more than their competitors in these market segments. Similarly, the resources dedicated to building the organization are determined by this strategic focus. 2. Top-Down Involvement If something is important, a good rule of thumb is to have a top-down approach to getting it done. Ideally, then, the CEO must get involved. If the CEO attends to the organization, it will improve and gain competitive advantage. Conversely, if the CEO gives it scant time and attention, little organizational growth will occur. In short, the CEO who enthusiastically sponsors a broadly conceived program for building the company is more likely to succeed and reap the benefits down the road. A company-wide initiative needs an enthusiastic and supportive CEO who does not hesitate to play a continuing role during the change process. But where is the top? And who is the CEO? Building organizations is often better served by dealing with chunk-sized bites rather than the whole company. Particularly for large companies, it often makes better sense to deal with natural strategic business units (SBUs) rather than the entire company. At one level, there are often unique problems or opportunities in a unit or company division. At another level, it is most meaningful for those involved to deal with issues that directly concern them and their business unit. The approach I am advocating includes determining the firms core values and mission. It is unlikely that every SBU or company division will share the same core values or mission. Individual business units often have unique customers, competitors, product maturity, strategies, and objectives. These units need the autonomy to develop their own focus. For such cases the division executive is functionally the CEO for that unit and can provide the vision, enthusiasm, and driving force for success. Throughout, however, the CEO must remain interested and provide broad support for what is taking place. Even when the primary leadership role resides elsewhere, the CEO must be an advocate for change and reinforce actions taken at these lower levels. 3. Organizational Assessment Periodically it is valuable to take an objective snapshot of the broader organization. This not only provides information about the companys strengths and limitations but can also identify how those strengths and limitations measure up to the mission and the core values. Effective organizations have employees who share these values, and a carefully conceived organizational assessment will identify pockets of agreement and resistance. Several techniques, including surveys, interviews, and focus groups, are used for these organizational assessments. The organizational dynamics survey (Reynierse and Harker 1986) has been particularly effective, because it provides an objective measure of the underlying values that mold organizations. For example, the surveys broad customer orientation category taps a cultural value related to making customers a priority and satisfying their needs. Surveys are particularly important because they get every employee involved; everyone has the chance to be heard. Surveys also provide an opportunity for management to pay attention to employees concerns and to build their trust. This is achieved when management openly communicates with employees regarding key issues and responds to problems by taking timely, corrective action. At the same time, establishing trust is the first step in getting employees to buy in to managements broader vision. 4. Clarify Core Values Peters Waterman (1982) have one all-purpose bit of advice for management figure out your value system. Decide what your company stands for. Today many frequently echo this management theme. Identifying and clarifying core values are central to this approach as well. When they are integrated with a companys business strategies, core values help provide a focused mission. All too often, companies or their natural business units lack focus; their employees are confused about what the company stands for and what it is trying to achieve. However, when the focus and the mission are clear, they can drive the entire organization or SBU. Mission statements ideally should be brief, concise, and to the point. They should identify primary business activities, integrate key strategies, and reflect the firms core values. When we speak about core values we are dealing with many attractive virtuesMcLaughlin, McLaughlin Lischick (1992), for example, identified more than 100and it is tempting to include as many as possible. In my experience, however, an organization can give proper attention to only a fewsay, three to fiveclearly stated core values. Anything more will be too diffuse and will only confuse employees and dilute managements efforts. In other words, management has to make some hard choices, and established strategies provide the context for focus. There are no shortcuts; there is no generic mission statement. To build a focused organization, the management team has to participate in the process. We use a value clarification exercise when working with top and senior management. This exercise consists of 30 corporate values that are relevant (and credible) for business and industry. Each is defined and serves as an effective probe, placing key issues on the table for discussion. Some representative examples are shown in Figure 2. Because many are presented with a different thrust or emphasis, they can generate a provocative and lively discussion. This value-clarification process gains agreement for key priorities and direction, and fosters team-building through shared values and mission. Similarly, it lays the groundwork for resolving internal differences between functional groups that may have varied goals or priorities. Finally, it sets the stage for driving the process downward through the entire work force so other employees can buy in and share the focused mission as well. The risk in all this, says Peters (1992), is that management does such a good job that these values become fixed, even though they no longer are appropriate. The necessary caveat here is to return to strategy and competitive marketplace reality. Very simply, if the strategy is no longer appropriate and requires changes, the core values and focused mission probably need to be changed as well. They must therefore be revisited and modified as necessary to be congruent with any new strategies. A case can be made that because clarifying core values is so central to this approach, it should occur earlier in the process. There are benefits, however, of having it follow the organizational assessment step because this gives management another opportunity to respond to the input and reactions of the work force. Their perceptions of what the company really values are important and may indicate that changes are needed. 5. Work Force Involvement and Participation One of the advantages of the employee survey approach to assessing an organization is that all employees have the opportunity to participate and express their opinion. In other words, at an early stage in the process they have the chance to level with management, provide an employee perspective, and establish an agenda for later stages. While we begin the more intensive activities at the top with senior management, we involve lower-level employees, particularly lower levels of management, as quickly as possible. Although every situation will be different and will require different solutions, management should be vigilant for opportunities to involve new participants. A valuable tool is the use of focused task forces to address any priority issues that may have emerged from the organizational assessments or team-building sessions. This permits additional employee involvement at the problem-solving and solution-generating stages of the exercise. A fundamental assumption is that a focused organization requires a work force that shares this focus. The key to successful implementation, then, is the steps that are taken to drive the process downwardto downstreamso that all employees feel they are a part of this focused mission. Implementing managements vision demands paying attention to employees, managing their expectations, and responding to their concerns. Building the firm requires taking action steps that promote the core values and focused mission. I call these steps the culture carriers. It is through them that senior management can reinforce values consistently and frequently. Put another way, the culture carriers provide direction for marketing the core values and mission with all employees. The five culture carriers we have identified are summarized in Figure 3 and will be discussed separately. 6. Inspirational leadership Our studies of corporate culture indicate that there are two ways management stays in touch with what is going on in the company: 1. By visiting work areas and being visible to their employees. This is inspirational leadership at its best and is similar to the idea of Managing by Walking Around (MBWA), as developed by Peters Waterman (1982) and Peters and Austin (1985). 2. Through the balance sheet and financial focus. In general, however, many top executives emphasize financial performance and focus to the extent that they neglect their leadership roles. The broad process for organizational change outlined here provides structure for MBWA and for being a cheerleader. Although executives tend to underestimate their leadership effectiveness, they in fact exert considerable power by virtue of their leadership positions. As DePree (1989) observed, Leaders need to be concerned with the institutional value system. Each time they go out to a work area and talk to an employee or group of employees represents an opportunity to exercise influence and reinforce the companys mission and core values. This clearly communicates to employees what is important to the organization and what is expected of them. When the CEO or division head is leading the charge, everyone quickly picks up on it, and any ambiguity regarding what is taking place is quickly removed. The results are multiplied when this leadership role is being exercised by the entire management team. As an example, the management team of one of my client organizations made a contract with one another during a planning retreat to spend 15 minutes a day walking around, getting to know employees, and talking with them in each of their subordinate organizations. Though initially they were ambivalent and self-conscious about their task, it soon became an accepted and high-priority activity. They would confront each other daily by asking, Have you spent your 15 minutes walking around yet today? This, together with several other steps, quickly led to a turn-around in an otherwise demoralized work force. It was an important step for management to become informed, get on top of operations, get in touch with its people, and communicate direction. 7. Communication Put as simply as possible, employees cannot accept or implement top managements vision if they are unaware of it. Frequent formal and informal channels of communication are needed with all employees to introduce the focused mission and core values and reinforce them over a period of time. Executives must make liberal use of meetings, video presentations, posters, newspaper articles, brochures, and so on. If there is a rule of thumb, it is that you cant do too much in this area. Some of our clients have successfully used kick-off meetings in which they celebrated the focused mission and core values, gave every employee a wallet-sized card containing the mission statement, and provided other symbolic itemspins, coffee mugs, pencils, hatsthat focused on elements within the mission and its values. Primarily held to share information, the meetings were also used to rally employees and build enthusiasm for the new organization. The informal mixing that occurs at such kick-offs is also a va luable time for management to energize employees and talk with them further about the focus. 8. Financial Focus Well-ran companies have a strong financial focus that emphasizes both profitability and cost containment. It can play a significant resource allocation role that simultaneously provides increased funds and resources to programs that support the core values while denying (or at least sharply reducing) funds and resources to established programs that are less important to the mission. How capital is invested and what activities are expended carry important messages to employees. It is necessary to examine investment decisions in terms of a strategic standard that includes the companys core values and focused mission. Having done so, it may be necessary to withhold capital or budgetary expense dollars for those projects that fail to qualify under this standard. When capital investments and highly visible expenses are consistent with the values and mission of the company, they will provide support for and reinforce this focused mission among employees. But when inconsistency abounds, emp loyees will be confused and may withhold their support.

Alu elements

Alu elements Introduction For centennials scientists and laymen alike have been awe-inspired and intrigued by the phenomena that is Alu elements. It is a family of short interspersed repeats that have mobilized throughout primate genomes by retrotransposition over the past 65 million years of primate evolution (Comas et al., 2001). Alu elements are regarded as Sort Interspersed Nuclear Elements (SINES) whose length spans 300bp. In close proximity to the centre of the Alu element itself, is a recognition site for the restriction enzyme Alu I, of which its name is ascertained. These Alu elements accounts for 5% of the human genome and is believed to have arisen from a gene that encodes the RNA component of the recognition molecule (Smith, 2005). Alu is a transposable DNA sequence that has the ability to repeatedly copy and insert itself into new chromosome loci i.e. jumping-genes. More specifically Alu is a retroposon it necessitates the retrovirus enzyme reverse transcriptase to produce an identical copy of itself that has the capacity to be mobile. This is achieved when the inserted Alu, by processes of RNA polymerases, is transcribed into mRNA. The newly formed mRNA is converted to a double stranded molecule. This is accomplished by the action of reverse transcriptase. In the end, at any new chromosomal locus at the site of a single or double stranded break, the DNA copy of Alu is integrated (Robinson, 2005). In order for an Alu element to self transcribe, each has an internal promoter for RNA polymerase III. Nevertheless, it lacks the ability to produce a copy of itself. Furthermore, to integrate this copy into a new chromosome position. But other transposons the very functions Alu lacks. One of these other transposons is L1, a Long Interspersed Nuclear Element (LINES), as a results of LINES ability to retain a functional reverse-transcriptase gene. In addition to LINES ability to reverse transcribe RNA to DNA , L1 reverse transcriptase is also able to produce single stranded nicks in DNA. If a chromosomal locus contains the sequence AATTT, the reverse transcriptase enzyme will produce a nick the polyadenalated tail of the Alu transcript hydrogen bonds to the TTT sequence at the nicked site. Thus creating a primer for for the reverse transcription. Enabling the DNA copy to migrate (Fisher, 2007). This representation depicts the efficiency of L1. Moreover, how L1 provieds the the fuctions for Alu tranposons. In essence, it shows how Alu is a parasite of L1 i.e. a remnant of an ancestoral retrovirus (Kass et al., 2007). This study examines PV92, a human-specific Alu insertion on chromosome 16 and which belong to the subfamily Alu Y. The PV92 genetic system has only two alleles indicating the presence (+) or absence (-) of the Alu transposable element on each of the paired chromosomes. It is aimed at extracting DNA, amplifying it and running it on a 2% agrose gel. The results attained will be analysed for the possible Alu insertion or deletion. It is hypothesised that with the aid of specific molecular biology techniques, analysis of the PV 92 Alu element can be achieved and the population will be in Hardy-Weinberg Equilibrium. Method And Materials A) DNA Samples For approximately 1minute, sterile nylon swabs were rubbed inside the cheek. The swabs were then placed in 250 µl of QuickExtract and rotated in such a manner that no solution was spilt. Thereafter, swabs were pressed against the sides of the tubes, removed the tubes were closed. The tubes were vortexed for 10seconds and incubated for 1minute at 65 °C. A second vortex then followed for 1seconds. The tubes were then incubated for 4minutes at 98 °C. Upon completion, the tubes were re-vortexed for 15seconds. With the use of a nanodrop, the DNA of each tube could be quantified. The expected yield for each tube was 20ng/ µl. B) PCR Conditions In a final volume of 150 µl, a standard master mix was prepared. Each master mix comprised 1x reaction buffer, 200mM dNTP mix, 1.5mM MgCl2, 1 µM of each primer and 0.016U/ µl of Taq polymerase. Following a 1:1 dilution, the DNA stock was diluted to a concentration of 15ng/ µl. The reaction was set up by mixing 15ng of DNA to a master mix which was made up to a final volume of 25 µl. Finally, the preparation of the negative control followed containing 24 µl of master mix which was made up to a final volume of 25 µl. The reactions were then run for 30 cycles by means of the subsequent constraints: 95 °C 1min, 55.5 °C 1min, 72 °C 1min and 72 °C 7min. This was then held at 4 °C. C) Gel Electrophoresis In an Erlenmeyer flask, 2g of agrose powder was weighed out and 100ml of 1x TBE was added. The agrose was dissolved by heating in a microwave oven. The solution was then cooled and 1 µl of EtBr was added. The agrose was then poured into a casting tray with a comb and this was allowed to set at room temperature. Of the PCR product, 10 µl was mixed with 1 µl loading dye. Then 10 µl of the newly formed sample was loaded onto the gel alongside the MW marker. Using a UV light, the DNA fragments could be visualised and photographed. The size of the amplified product could then be attained. Results Frequencies for a class of 70 students ++ = 35 individuals +- = 30 individuals = 5 individuals Therefore the total number of alleles = 140 Allele frequency distribution of the ++ and allele in the Normal Population Allele frequency for ++ allele = [(++ x 2) + (+-)] à · (n), where n= number of alleles in the whole population Therefore: Allele frequency for ++ allele = [(35 x 2) + 30] à · (140) =0.714 =71.4% Allele frequency for allele = [( x 2) + (+-)] à · (n), where n= number of alleles in the whole population Therefore: Allele frequency for L allele = [(5 x 2) + 30] à · (140) =0.286 =28.6% Observed Frequencies (OF) OF = Number of individuals for a specific allele à · total number of individuals in the sample Therefore: ++ allele = 35 à · 70 = 0.50 +- allele = 30 à · 70 = 0.43 allele = 5 à · 70 = 0.07 Hardy-Weinberg Equilibrium (HWE) The formula for determining HWE = p2+2pq+q2 Therefore: HWE = (0.714)2 + [2(0.714 + 0.286)] + (0.286)2 = 1 Comparison of observed frequencies with expected frequencies Observed Expected (O-E)2 à · E ++ 50 51 0.0196 +- 43 41 0.0976 7 8 0.1250 Total ∑ 0.242 For degrees of freedom = 1 and a 95% probability, the critical value attained from the Chi square table is 3.843 Discussion The results attained depicted that 35 individuals in the sample were homozygous for the insertion, while 30 were homozygous for no insertion. Only 5 individuals in the sample were heterozygous. This shows that a greater percentage of the population can pass on the PV92 insertion to their offspring. The allele distribution frequencies of the ++ and +- allele in the normal population revealed that 71.4% of the population was ++ which is just below 2 ½ times more that the 28.6% attained for the allele. The observed frequencies materialised similar results. The ++ allele had the highest frequency with +- having the lowest. Once more, the allele was the intermediate. When comparing the observed frequencies to that of the expected frequencies, the critical value attained was 0.242. With the respects to the Chi square table, for degrees of freedom being 1 and for a 95% probability, the critical value was 3.843. The Hardy-Weinberg principle implies that both allele and genotype frequencies in a population remain stable i.e. equilibrium, from cohort to the next except if specific disturbing influences are launched. Those comprise non-random mating, mutations, selection, limited population size, overlapping generations, random genetic drift and gene flow (Wikipedia, 2010 and Roux, 1974). With the above mentioned, it was attained that the sample was found to be in equilibrium as the calculated critical value was less than the one attained from the Chi square table at a 95% probability. Therefore, it can be said with much certainty that the hypothesis made was true. References * Comas, D., Plaza, S., Calafell, F., Sanjantila, A. and Bertranpetit, J. (2001). Recent Insertion of an Alu Element Within a Polymorphic Human-Specific Alu Insertion European Journal of Pharmacology Molecular Pharmacology Section, 247, 239-248 * Fisher, L. (2007). Alu Frame-set. (Online) (Cited 28 March 2010) Available from http://www.geneticorigins.org/pv92/aluframeset.htm * Kass, D., Jamison, N., Mayberry, M. and Tecle, E. (2007). Identificatin of a unique based Alu-polymorophism and its use in Human Population studies. Journal of Genes. * Robinson, N. (2005). PV92 Locus Alu: How to Track Human Migration Following This Gene Insertion. (Online) (Cited 28 March 2010) Available from http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/1452910/pv92_locus_alu_how_to_track_human_migration_pg2.html?cat=58 * Roux, C. (1974) Hardy-Weinberg Equilibria in random mating populations. Theoretical population biology. 5: 393- 416 * Smith, A. (2005). What is PV92? (Online) (Cited 28 March 2010) Available from http://www.fbr.org/swksweb/pv92.html * Wkipedia (2010). Hardy-Weinberg principle (Online) (Cited 28 March 2010) Available from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hardy%E2%80%93Weinberg_principle

Service brokerage: Learning disability services

Service brokerage: Learning disability services Service Brokerage Explore the role of models of commissioning such as service brokerage and direct payments in the provision of services for people with a learning difficulty/disability This essay will discuss how service brokerage helps in the provision of services for people with a learning disability, by starting with commissioning in relation to services. Followed by an explain on how personalisation is about giving people the power and responsibility to choose what services they want and control over how they are delivered. Subsequently describing service brokerage and how it would help people with learning disabilities. The term Commissioning is described as a process of assessing how a persons need is to be met, through priorities and choices, and allocation of resources. Once this stage has been achieved decisions are made on how services will be delivered, planned and developed by monitoring and evaluating the delivery and effectiveness of services. All the stages in the commissioning process are interlinked and dependent on each other to ensure the best outcome for people. In recent years, the Government has publicised a number of initiatives that would change the way that services for learning disabled people are planned, commissioned and provided, to ensure that learning disabled people have greater choice and control over their lives through personalisation. Personalisation is a moderately new term and has generated different thoughts on what it will mean and how it will work in practice. The idea of personalisation has become central to the Governments policy on social care reform in helping people to become empowered by shaping their own lives and the services they receive (Cabinet Office, 2007, Building on Progress: Public Services).The Government White Paper Our health, our care, our say (2006) gives details of the Governments vision to create real changes, by allowing people more choice and greater access to both health and social care services. This transformation of social care and the personalisation agenda is reinforced in the Governments strategy Putting People First (Department of Health White Paper, 2007). Personalisation reinforces the idea the individual knows best what they need and how those needs can be best met. This allows people to be responsible for themselves and can make their own decisions about what they require, but that they should also have information and support to enable them to do so. In this way services should respond to the individual instead of the person having to fit with the service. Brokerage is a way in which people with learning disabilities can be helped to navigate the social care system. Support planning and brokerage is likely to be of benefit to anyone who receives social care funding, those people who privately pay for their own care, people who are looking for unpaid informal support as well as people who use other sources of funding to assist with leading their lives the way they want to Brokers provide information, advice and technical assistance to develop, cost, negotiate, implement and mediate PLANS as required by individuals. Salisbury B. and Webb P. (2003) Service brokerage was developed in 1978 in British Columbia, by The Woodlands Parents Group, a body of parents who were concerned about the lack of quality of life their children were experiencing in an institutionalized setting. They established a voluntary, community-based brokerage agency called the Community Living Society (CLS). The society was authorised to act as a planning and linkage medium, enabling individuals with learning disabilities (and their families) to navigate what seemed to be a difficult system; to empower decision-making control in identifying and acquiring services that would enable them to live more dignified and self-determining lives in their own communities. It has since been developed and refined and adopted by projects in the United States and a few in the UK, as service brokerage in Britain has until now been the interest of a select few policy makers and academics. However, some schemes do not entirely follow the Canadian model; and, equally, some schemes which are not called service brokerage may integrate the main features. Whilst the language of brokerage may appear new, the functions of brokerage are not and many people will have been receiving this sort of support as part of their existing support arrangements. Therefore this can make Service brokerage a term that can be used to mean many different things to many different people. The role of the broker is: an intermediary who arranges a contract between a purchaser and provider of services. However, in the term of provision of services to people with learning disabilities, the role of the broker has developed to have a wider scope. While the role has been accepted in principle by the government, the details remain undecided in policy, and the cause of much debate and confusion. In that various functions of brokerage could be carried out by a variety of different personal supporters to the individual, as support staff employed by service providers, local authorities can perform brokerage tasks. Because of the roles that support brokers play, the decisions that they make on behalf of the individuals they support can lead to conflicts of interest. Therefore, ideally an independent professional should be the best option to provide support brokerage to people with learning disabilities, i.e. free from accountability or loyalties to the council authorities or service providers, so that they are able to focus on the requirements of the person they are assisting. The independent broker would be directed by the customer and accountable to him/her and working only for their best interests. The broker may also have to work with the family or personal circle of supporters, whilst recognising that the family especially may have conflicting interests to those of the individual. As a broker s/he should remain focused on the aims of the individual and work to their direction; at the same time, it will be important to maintain respectful contact with others concerned and to mediate and negotiate resolution of any conflict. Freedom from conflict of interest and accountability to the individual establishes a good basis for trust. The brokers ethical standards must ensure that they operate within the limits agreed by the individual and within appropriate boundaries of the role and that the relationship is free of any exploitation or abuse. Although working independently, the broker will be able to be more effective if seen by all as competent and trustworthy. People who become brokers (or offer brokerage support) will need to become expert information gatherers and interpreters (CSIP. 2007:11) A support broker is trained to co-ordinate the process of organizing and maintaining a support package for an individual, By supporting individuals make informed choices about their care needs and choosing what services support that best fits those needs, including arranging complex care packages, service finding, service arranging, short term enabling community support and signposting Brokerage can be provided by people who are specifically trained and employed as brokers or by members of the individuals family or friends who may not be paid to undertake the role. The National Brokerage Network promotes a training package, which includes reflective practice and an ongoing commitment from the broker that continual self development is expected. In addition to this a mentoring and supervision programme is also promoted. The National Brokerage Network an authoritative voice for the development of brokerage in the UK, will take a lead role in lobbying politicians and policy makers with the views of the support broker movement and hopes to provide strong leadership and guidance in the development of the growing network. However service brokerage does have its limitations, in that service users have never heard of it. This is mainly due to organisations that represented service users, not being made aware of brokerage or being provided inadequate information about how it worked. Meaning most organisations did not see it as a priority. Service brokerage was meant to increase empowerment for service users, however the lack of promotion in the United Kingdom has left service users excluded and not empowered. Yet other organisations that represent people with learning disabilities are opposed to service brokerage, viewing it as foreign import that has no place in the United Kingdom or in the plans for helping people with disabilities lead an independent life. There is a danger that professionals will take over the role of broker in brokerage, employed by service providers or local authorities, this can lead to a conflict of interests when planning for people with learning disabilities. Brokerage does have good points when it comes to helping in the provision of services for people with learning disabilities, in that a broker is directed by the person with learning disabilities to carry out the tasks necessary for greater control and choice in their lives. In situations where a person may have no informal network of support, a broker can provide the support to carry out the brokerage tasks. An independent broker who is not employed by a service provider or by local authority is outside of the perceived conflict of interests i.e. connection to resources and or the provision of services, and therefore in a better position to give advice, support and implement plans. Brokers are in a good to position to navigate the provider market and see what is available, how the services can be provided and developed and respond to the individuals requirements. The development of brokers can lead to a wealth of local expertise of both support services and/or community resources If brokerage is to achieve its aims, the following key points will require attention or further exploration: brokerage needs to be clearly defined and explained so that the function is understood by people who may need to use brokerage services. Brokerage needs to be advertised to the general public as well as to people with learning disabilities, as many people have never heard of service brokerage or know of its existence. Brokerage allows for personalisation of services for someone with a learning disability, as the person can choose what services they want and how they would like them, this helps the learning disabled person have control over their life and chose how they would like to live their life from day to day. This allows people to be responsible for themselves and can make their own decisions about what they require, the broker provides the information and support to enable them to do. Brokerage is a way in which people with learning disabilities can be helped to navigate the social care system.As Support Brokerage is a key element that enables Personal Budgets and Self Directed Support to work. 3 References Salisbury B. and Webb P. (2003) Service brokers parameters of best practice San Diego. commissioning http://www.doncaster.gov.uk/about/chamber/default.asp?Nav=ReportReportID=9195 http://www.thecbf.org.uk/planning-future/england/knowhelp.htm Self-Directed Support: The role of Support Brokerage within Individual Budgets. Jan 2007. CSIP. Accessed on 23 February 2010 from www.networks.csip.org.uk/personalisationbrokerageadviceandinformationsupport http://www.nationalbrokeragenetwork.org.uk/information.html http://moneycarer.org.uk/articles/articles/29/1/Support-Brokerage-For-Care-Services/Page1.html http://www.newcastle.gov.uk/core.nsf/a/socserv_adultcommld 3