12 Inspiring Examples of Social Media Content Done Right

As a content marketer, you know it’s important to create quality content, but do you have a clear distribution strategy? As social media is the fastest and most cost-effective content amplification tool, you can’t afford to ignore it. Without a social media plan, your content is going to have a shorter lifespan. But how should you use social channels to promote your brand? For inspiration, we’ve selected six great examples of social media content from brands that are getting it right. Free Actionable Bonus: Free Actionable Bonus: Want to create better content for social media? Get the complete guide to building a social media strategy and creating content for social, plus 6 awesome examples to inspire your next post. How is Content Marketing on Social Media Different? Although there’s some overlap between content marketing and social media marketing, they each have different goals and priorities. Brands use social media for various reasons: to drive web traffic by posting links back to original content to build brand awareness by posting unique content to build customer relationships by interacting with users Unlike other content marketing channels, social media is a more informal setting. Users are more likely to interact with your company, so it’s great for getting direct feedback from customers and increasing brand loyalty. In contrast, content marketing on other channels enables brands to achieve other marketing goals. For example, to build their authority with long blog posts, to generate leads with white papers, or to drive sales with email marketing. Jason Miller, senior content marketing manager at LinkedIn Marketing Solutions, summed it up nicely when he said: â€Å"Social media channels are the tentacles from which your content extends its reach while opening up a direct line of communication with your customers and prospects.† Do you want to up your social media game? Here are six examples of brands doing a great job of social media content marketing: Grammarly: Having Fun to Grab Attention Although Grammarly is spelling and grammar checker, they don’t take themselves too seriously. As well as using blog posts to explain grammar rules, they’re great at using social media to make grammar fun. They often join in the Monday Motivation and Wednesday Wisdom hashtags on Twitter by posting funny and inspirational quotes. Their images overlaid with fun text are a simple but effective way to attract views and promote shares. Tip: Try pairing interesting one-liners or quotes with carefully chosen stock images to show the fun side of your brand. Use bold colors to make posts stand out on the page. Shelter Pet Project: Creating a Unique Voice Searching for families to adopt their cats and dogs, the pet rescue center uses personification and storytelling to make people fall in love with their animals. Their Facebook page is filled with pictures of animals and their stories to build empathy and inspire people to adopt. Using the â€Å"voice† of the animals in their social media posts, they instantly create more powerful messages that their audience will remember. Tip: Whatever you’re selling, there’s an opportunity to create a character or unique voice for your brand. What will your target audience relate to? Think of ways to tell your own product story to build empathy. Cooksmarts: Building Trust with Reviews While many brands display their reviews and case studies on their website, Cooksmarts uses social media. Their Twitter feed is full of genuine customers who have benefited from their meal plan service. By using customer photos and quotes, they add credibility to their business and turn customers into brand ambassadors. Their â€Å"Kitchen Hero† hashtag is a great example of planting positive consumer experiences into tweets. Tip: Ask customers how they’ve benefited from your products or services. Then ask for permission to use their quotes in future social media posts. Cisco: Attracting New Talent with Authenticity For some industries, social media doesn’t seem like the obvious choice for brand promotion. But even technology companies can benefit from its reach. The technology company Cisco even uses Snapchat to reach out to young professionals. To build awareness, Cisco recruited 20 employees from around the world and asked each one to create a Snapchat story about what it’s like to work at the company. By featuring stories from actual employees and using the â€Å"We Are Cisco† hashtag, it managed to connect with future talent across social media. Tip: Use employee-generated content to build authenticity and consumer trust. Worldwide Breast Cancer: Spreading a Message with Fun Imagery Even serious topics can be entertaining. The charity organization Worldwide Breast Cancer created Facebook and Twitter pages to fundraise and spread awareness of breast cancer and its symptoms. The â€Å"Know Your Lemons† hashtag uses fun images to highlight and explain a serious issue. The charity also uses trending news stories to fuel their social media campaign, referencing the infamous â€Å"covfefe† tweet in one Facebook post to highlight their message5. Tip: Use topical news stories in your social media posts to make your brand look more fun and up-to-date. Charmin: Using Humor to Build a Following Even when you sell products like toilet paper, you can still benefit from the power of social media. Charmin uses humor to spread the word about their brand, incorporating holidays and trending news stories into their brand’s messages. Here, they use National Spouses Day to promote their brand with gentle humor. They also use the â€Å"Tweet from the Seat† hashtag to increase brand awareness and engagement by encouraging user-generated content. Tip: You don’t need a glamorous product to run a hashtag campaign. Choose a hashtag that will resonate with your target audience, such as an inside joke. Starbucks: Get in the Holiday Spirit For Christmas 2016, Starbucks released its signature red coffee cups and started a competition on Instagram called â€Å"Red Cup Art.† It asked users to create the best festive art using their cups and share pictures of the results on Instagram using the hashtag #redcupart. The winner would win a years’ worth of free coffee. Tip: Ask your customers for photos using your products and offer a prize for the funniest or most creative entry. Rolex: Drive Engagement with Vivid Imagery Rolex creates beautiful product images and videos for Facebook that reinforce its classic image. The photos are always sleek and minimalist, and the care Rolex takes to create quality content ties in with the brand’s appeal to customers who value its sophisticated image. Tip: Think about how you can use images on Facebook to reinforce your brand’s image. Nike: Social Media as a Support Tool Nike’s Twitter account @NikeSupport is a great example of a company using social media to improve its customer service. Nike always uses friendly and light-hearted language to show they’re an approachable brand, and they always try to respond quickly and politely to customer questions. Tip: Set up a separate Twitter account that is focused on customer service. Mejuri: Highlight Your Customers The jewelry brand created a Pinterest board called â€Å"Styled By You† to encourage customers to send in photos of themselves wearing its jewelry. The user-generated content provided the brand with lots of quality images of their products in the real world. Tip: Create a private Pinterest board with a theme around your brand or your products that is only accessible to your team. Then repin the best user-generated pins to your public board. Barkbox: Using Videos to Connect with Customers The subscription service that delivers dog treats and toys to customers uses Instagram and YouTube to appeal directly to its target audience. They post visual content that their dog-loving customers can relate to and easily share. Tip: Create a series of YouTube videos around a theme that your target audience can really relate to. TOMS: Supporting a Cause Each year, the shoe company raises awareness for children’s health and education using social media. The company offered to donate a pair of shoes to a child in need for everyone who posted a barefoot Instagram photo with the hashtag #withoutshoes. In 2017, the campaign resulted in 27,435 children in 10 countries receiving new shoes. Tip: To gain respect and increase customer loyalty, communicate your company values. You don’t have to go as far as TOMS, but you can find a good cause to align your brand with. Final Thoughts On social media, it’s less about selling products and more about providing entertainment and inspiration. Even if you’re selling â€Å"boring† products, by using humor and generating positive emotions, you can extend the reach of your brand online. These examples prove that you don’t need a large marketing budget to amplify your content and promote your brand’s message. Often, the simplest social media campaigns are the most effective. You just need to find passion in what you do, be creative, and have some fun. If you love the content, the chances are your audience will love it too. Do you need unique content for your business? Constant Content connects you with thousands of professional writers able to create articles, ebooks, product descriptions and other assets to tell your brand story, drive SEO and win sales.

Cancer Nanotechnology Essays

Cancer Nanotechnology Essays Cancer Nanotechnology Essay Cancer Nanotechnology Essay Going small for big Advances Abstract At present there are wide varieties of Technologies, which are vastly being used to analyze biological cells to diagnose diseases and develop methodologies to cure diseases. One such technology is Nanotechnology’. A nanometer is a billionth of a meter. Its difficult to imagine anything so small, but think of something only 1/80,000 the width of a human hair. Ten hydrogen atoms could be laid side-by-side in a single nanometer. Nanotechnology is the creation of useful materials, devices, and systems through the manipulation of matter on this miniscule scale.The emerging field of nanotechnology involves scientists from many different disciplines, including physicists, chemists, engineers, and biologists. Nanotechnology will change the very foundations of cancer diagnosis, treatment, and prevention. Nanoscale devices used for treatment of Cancer are based on the constant study of cancer cells and nanotechnology. Nanoscale devices which are smaller than 50 nanometers can easily enter most cells, while those smaller than 20 nanometers can move out of blood vessels as they circulate through the body.Because of their small size, nanoscale devices can readily interact with biomolecules on both the surface of cells and inside of cells. By gaining access to so many areas of the body, they have the potential to detect disease and deliver treatment in ways unimagined before now. Since biological processes that lead to cancer occur at the nanoscale at and inside cells, nanotechnology offers a wealth of tools with new and innovative ways to diagnose and treat cancer. In our paper we design a device that contains sensors, transceivers, motors and a processor, which are made up of biodegradable compound.No more destruction of healthy cells due to harmful toxins and radiations generated through chemotherapy and radiation therapy. Introduction The paper deals with the eradication of cancer cells by providing an efficient method of destroying and curing the cancer so that healthy cells are not affected in any manner. This technology also focuses on a main idea that the patient is not affected by cancer again. The purpose of using the RF signal is to save normal cells. Nanotechnology in this contextNanotechnology refers to the interactions of cellular and molecular components and engineered materials at the most elemental level of biology. This paper emphasizes on the effective utilization of Nanotechnology in the treatment of cancer. What is cancer? Cancer cells are different from healthy cells because they divide more rapidly than healthy cells. In addition, when cells divide at an accelerated rate, they form a mass of tissue called a tumor. These cancerous cells that come in excess amounts cause many problems to the bodies of patients.In general, the most common methods used for the cancer treatment are u Chemotherapy, a treatment with powerful medicines u Radiation therapy, a treatment given through external high-energy rays. Problem Both the treatments mentioned above are harmful. Healthy cells are destroyed in the process. As a result, this leaves the patient very weak, causing him not able to recover quickly to medical treatments. It has been proved that any individual who had cancer can survive on deadly chemotherapy up to a maximum of five years and after that it’s anybody’s guess.Proposed solution The nanodevices can be programmed to destroy affected cells and kill only them, thus ending the problem of destroying any normally functioning cells which are essential to one’s well-being. Thus the treatment-using nanotechnology will make the affected man perfectly normal. Noninvasive access to the interior of a living cell affords the opportunity for unprecedented gains on both clinical and basic research frontiers. Nanotechnology and diagnosticsNanodevices can provide rapid and sensitive detection of cancer-related molecules by enabling scientists to detect molecular changes even when they occur only in a small percentage of cells. Cantilevers Nanoscale cantilevers microscopic, flexible beams resembling a row of diving boards are built using semiconductor lithographic techniques. These can be coated with molecules capable of binding specific substrates-DNA complementary to a specific gene sequence, for example. Such micron-sized devices, comprising many nanometer-sized cantilevers, can detect single molecules of DNA or protein.As a cancer cell secretes its molecular products, the antibodies coated on the cantilever fingers selectively bind to these secreted proteins. These antibodies have been designed to pick up one or more different, specific molecular expressions from a cancer cell. The physical properties of the cantilevers change as a result of the binding event. This change in real time can provide not only information about the presence and the absence but also the concentration of different molecular expressions. Nanoscale cantilevers, thus can provide rapid and sensitive detection of cancer-related molecules.Nanotechnology and Cancer therapy Nanoscale devices have the potential to radically change cancer therapy for the better and to dramatically increase the number of highly effective therapeutic agents. Nanoscale constructs, for example, should serve as customizable, targeted drug delivery vehicles capable of ferrying large doses of chemotherapeutic agents or therapeutic genes into malignant cells while sparing healthy cells, which would greatly reduce or eliminate the often unpalatable side effects that accompany many current cancer therapies. NanoparticlesNanoscale devices have the potential to radically change cancer therapy for the better and to dramatically increase the number of highly effective therapeutic agents. In this example, nanoparticles are targeted to cancer cells for use in the molecular imaging of a malignant lesion. Large numbers of nanoparticles are safely injected into the body and preferentially bind to the cancer cell, defining the anatomical contour of the lesion and making it visible. These nanoparticles give us the ability to see cells and molecules that we otherwise cannot detect through conventional imaging.The ability to pick up what happens in the cell to monitor therapeutic intervention and to see when a cancer cell is mortally wounded or is actually activated is critical to the successful diagnosis and treatment of the disease. Nanoparticulate technology can prove to be very useful in cancer therapy allowing for effective and targeted drug delivery by overcoming the many biological, biophysical and biomedical barriers that the body stages against a standard intervention such as the administration of drugs or contrast agents. Working procedure:The initial step of identifying the cancer and the location can be done by scanning. Once the location has been identified through scanning, the task is to position the nanodevice to the exact location. We focus on the positioning of the nanodevice into the required location by itself. The nanodevice is allowed to be placed into any part of the body (or) the nano device is injected through the blood vessel. The positioning is done with the help of mathematical calculations. External Control signals could be used to avoid mishap or any other errors. The nanodevice is loaded with a microchip.The device is also provided with the compounds concealed so that it is initiated externally through a computer. The nano device contains sensors, motor, gene reader, processor, transceiver, camera and power supply. The location of the cancer cells is given as coordinates in a 3-dimensional point of view. This point is considered as the reference and referred as (0, 0, 0). Positioning The nanodevice performs an internal calculation based on the difference between its current position and the reference. Mathematical computations involve such that only one axis is compared between the nano device and the reference at a time.The motor fan is placed in a particular direction for a particular reference comparison. After one of the axis is completed and comparison is done, then the next axis is being compared followed by the third. Thus the three co-ordinate comparison of the nano-device results in any 3- Dimensional orientation of the nano-device and results in exact positioning. Navigation The output of the mathematical operation is given to a driver circuit (motor). The driver helps the device to navigate through the blood with precision in direction and with the required speed.The device thus should sample its new position with the reference at a sampling rate. The sampling rate is made such that their value is less than the velocity of blood flow. The cancer killer could thus determine that it was located in (say) the big toe. If the objective were to kill a colon cancer, the cancer killer in the big toe would move to the colon and destroy the cancer cells. Very precise control over location of the cancer killers activities could thus be achieved. The cancer killer could readily be reprogrammed to attack different targets using acoustic signals while it was in the body.Algorithm for navigation: Ste11: Marking the co-ordinates. Step2: Initialize the start command. Step3: Feed the axis. Step4: Send command to emit ultrasound. Step5: Wait for T seconds. Step6: If there is no signal reflected back (or) if the reflected signal is less than the threshold value, then activates the stepper motor to rotate through a certain distance. (Note: the distance is proportional to one axis) Step7: Subtract the axis value by one. Step8: Continue from step4 to step7 for both co-ordinates. Step9: If the signal reflected back is greater than the threshold value then the motor is de-activated.Step10: The motor (perpendicular to motor1) is activated. The motor2 moves through one step thus making the motor1 to change the axis. Step11: The motor1 is allowed to travel until next change is required. Step12: Once the nanodevice reaches the required spot, the motor is deactivated through external command. Step13: Receives the RF radiation for T seconds that has been already calculated depending upon the intensity of tumor Imaging With the available technology, a camera is inserted which helps us to monitor the internal process.Whenever multiple directions are there in the blood vessel, the device is made to stop through the external control signal and another signal is given to activate in the right direction. Current clinical ultrasound scanners form images by transmitting pulses of ultrasonic energy along various beam lines in a scanning plane and detecting and displaying the subsequent echo signals. Our imaging is based on the absolute scattering properties and in the frequency dependence of scattering in tissues, which will help to differentiate between normal and abnormal cells. IdentificationThe nano device identifies the cancer cells using a gene reader. A gene reader is a sensor which contains ten to fifty DNA probes or samples of cancer cells that are complementary. The DNA detection system generates an electronic signal whenever a DNA match occurs or when a virus causing cancer is present. Whenever we get a signal indicating the presence of cancer cells we go for further process. Once the device has been originally located, the next step is the destruction of the cancer cells. Destruction: We can remotely control the behavior of DNA using RF energy.An electronic interface to the biomolecule (DNA) can be created. RF magnetic field should be inductively coupled to nanocrystal antenna linked covalently to a DNA molecule. The inductive coupling results to the increase in the local temperature of the bound DNA, allowing the change of state to take place, while leaving molecules surrounding the DNA relatively unaffected. The switching is fully reversible, as dissolved molecules dissipate the heat in less time duration. Thus RF signal generated outside the body can destroy the affected DNA. Rf heatingThe treatment tip contains the essential technology components that transform RF to a volumetric tissue heating source. The heat delivery surface transmits RF energy to the cells. Tumors that have little or no oxygen content (i. e. hypoxia) also have increased resistance to radiofrequency radiation. Thus, due to high resistance to radio frequency radiation the affected cells get heated and hence destroyed. The RF carrier frequency is in the biomedical range (174 216MHz). A pair of RF pulses is transmitted at a frequency of about 1-2Hz. How nano device escapes from immune system?Generally our immune system attacks all the foreign particles entering any part of our body. The problem has been that such nano particles are similar in size to viruses and bacteria, and the body has developed very efficient mechanisms to deal with these invaders. It is known that bacteria with hydrophilic surfaces can avoid being destroyed by immune system and remain circulating in the body for longer periods. To emulate this effect, our nano device can be coated with a polymer such as polyethylene glycol (PEG), Which is proved after the research. Conclusion:As per our aim we have proposed the usage of nanotechnology and the RF signal for the destruction of cancer cells. This method doesn’t affect the healthy cells such that the cancer affected person is healthy after the treatment. This treatment doesn’t involve critical operations. This treatment will not take longer time as in any other treatments. Surely one day or the other cancer treated patient will be affected again treatment. This can be very well used for other dangerous diseases. Name : R. Ramesh College : k. c. g college of technology Email address : [emailprotected] com

SUMMARY Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 2

SUMMARY - Article Example Opinions may also be contradictory such as those on needs for high-quality social services and lower tax is an example. Public opinions may call for better quality of care but oppose tax increment that is necessary for the improvements. Misinformation is another limitation to governance by public opinion. People either lack facts on issues of moderate facts to suit their values and beliefs and these misinform opinions. Another factor to misinformation is lack of attention to available information. A significant percentage of American students, for example, do not know popular facts as British prime minister. Public opinion may however be valid without knowledge but knowledge of consequences is important. The author concludes by arguing that being informed is a necessity for better ability to solve problems and influence developments in the society. He notes availability of sources of information and advocates for dedication of time to these sources for informed public

OnDemand Group (ODG) Strategic report Assignment

OnDemand Group (ODG) Strategic report - Assignment Example OnDemand Group (ODG) is a medium size British firm, as derived from its employees – about 140, as the relevant criterion is set in the definition of medium enterprises established by the European Union authorities (Europa 2011); the firm has managed to develop a wide network of activities globally, by continuously expanding the range of its activities and by developing important agreements with competitors in foreign markets. Currently, ODG is a member of SeaChange International, a US Corporation, a fact that has enhanced the internationalisation efforts of the organization. In UK, the media and entertainment industry, in which ODG operates is highly developed; in the future, the ability of the firm to face the market pressures, both in the internal and the external market, will be related with the success of the internationalisation process, an initiative developed by the firm’s managers in order to secure the competitiveness of the organization.... This view is based on the foreign direct investment theories which emphasize on the high costs usually related to the internationalisation attempts of modern organizations; it is noted that these costs can be higher from the expected benefits; for this reason, it is suggested that monopolistic advantages are available to firms entering the global market, in order for the deficits caused from high costs – and entry barriers – to be controlled (Krist 2009, p.26). On the other hand, Prashantham (2008) explains the internationalization of firms by referring to their network relations; it is made clear that firms which have an expanded ‘network of customers, suppliers or support agencies worldwide’ (Prashantham 2008, p.34) are most likely to decide entering the global market, based on this network’s support. Certain firms are likely to choose internationalization in order to enter neighbouring countries; these countries, usually, have similar cultural cha racteristics with the country of origin, a fact that facilitates the internationalization process. This mode of internationalization is quite common in Scandinavian firms and it is known as ‘sequential development internationalization model’ (Svetlicic et al. 2003, p.11). At this point, reference should be made to the view of Jones (2009) who noted that the internationalization of a firm should be decided at an early phase of organizational life because in this way the expected benefits can be increased (Jones 2009, p.41). The review of the internationalization efforts of OnDemand Group leads to the assumption that the particular process, which has been in progress almost since the establishment of the organization, has

Lysozyme Enzymes: Purification and Assaying

Lysozyme Enzymes: Purification and Assaying Abstract This lab investigates the purification and assaying of lysozyme using size exclusion chromatography and Bradford protein assay. Micrococcus Lysodeikticus is employed in this lab as the substrate for lysozyme and its enzymatic activities are observed under various pH and substrate concentrations for determining the optimal conditions for lysozyme activity. The highest lysozyme activity was observed at a substrate concentration of 0.4 mg/mL and at an optimum phosphate buffer pH of 7. These optimal conditions were set as standard conditions for assaying the purified fractions for lysozyme activity and for the protein assay. A solution of egg white is used as the source for lysozyme and it is purified using size exclusion chromatography with column Sephadex G-50 that has a fractionation range from 1,500 to 30,000 daltons. Size exclusion chromatography provides purification of lysozyme, however about 64% of its initial yield is lost in the process of purification through the beads. The hi ghest lysozyme activity was observed for fraction # 12 indicating a structural mass range of 15,000da-13,500da for lysozyme. The protein assay indicated a significant concentration of protein in the neighbouring fractions of purified lysozyme, however the exact concentration of lysozyme in albumen remain inconclusive. Introduction Lysozyme is a catalytic enzyme that digests bacterial cell wall and is found in significant amounts in egg whites. Egg white, also known as albumen, is the cytoplasm of the unfertilized egg cell, which consists of approximately 40 different proteins dissolved in water (Lee-Huang et al. 1999). The main proteins in albumen are ovalbumin, ovotransferrin, ovomucoid, globulins, lysozyme, ovomucin, avidin, etc (Lee-Huang et al. 1999). Lysozyme comprises about 3.5 % of the total protein weight in albumen (Lee-Huang et al. 1999) and thus a solution of egg white was used as the source of lysozyme in this lab. The main objective of this lab is to purify lysozyme using size exclusion chromatography for examining its structural properties and concentration in albumen. In this experiment lysozyme is extracted and purified from albumen using size exclusion chromatography. The stationary phase in the column consists of a porous cross linked gel matrix of Sephadex G-50 with a fractionation range of 1,500da to 30,000da. Separation and purification by size exclusion chromatography is based on molecular size i.e. larger molecules elute first with the mobile phase while the smaller molecules get trapped within the beads and elute last (Lodish et al. 2000). The different proteins present in albumen should elute at different fractions due to their varying molecular sizes leading to the purification of lysozyme which has a literature structural mass of 14,400da. It is hypothesized that since lysozyme is a small molecule in comparison to the fractionation range of the Sehadex G-50 coloumn, a significant amount of lysozyme is likely to be trapped or retarded by the resin beads resulting in a low yield. Substrate binding is used as a powerful tool in this experiment where the enzymatic reactions are used for detecting the presence of lysozyme. The structural composition of lysozyme consists of 129 amino acid residues folded into a compact globular structure with a cleft for substrate binding (Berg et al. 2002). When a substrate binds to the cleft, it hydrolyzes the peptidoglycan polysaccharide found in many bacterial cell walls, resulting in the osmotic lyses of the cell (Berg et al. 2002). Gram positive bacteria are more susceptible to the effects lysozyme due to their peptidoglycan cell wall being exposed to the extracellular environment (Lee-Huang et al. 1999). However, gram negative bacteria are less vulnerable to the presence of lysozyme due to their thin layer of peptidoglycan shielded by the outer membrane of lipopolysaccharide (Lee-Huang et al. 1999). In this lab, the gram positive bacteria of Micrococcus Lysodeikticus is used as a substrate for detecting the enzymatic activ ities of lysozyme. The Bradford assay on the other hand is used to estimate the concentration of lysozyme with respect to other major proteins present in albumen. Lysozyme has great research importance since it possesses the capability to lyse gram positive bacteria. Lysozyme, like most of the other biomolecules are not found in nature in its isolated form and this lab investigates one of the most simplest methods for extracting and purifying lysozyme from albumen. Materials and Methods A solution of egg white diluted to  ¼ with 0.1 M phosphate buffer pH 7 and filtered though glass wool is used as the source for lysozyme (Laboratory Manual. 2007). The solution is put through size exclusion chromatography with G-50 Sephadex column (fractionation range of 1,500-30,000 da) to produce 24 test tubes of equal egg white fractionations of 0.75 mL (Laboratory Manual. 2007). Numerous assays are conducted with varying pH and micrococcus (substrate) concentration to determine the optimal conditions for the highest enzymatic activity of lysozyme. After the collected column fractions and prepared egg white solution were left in the lab for two weeks, the odd numbered test tubes were assayed for lysozyme activity and the even numbered test tubes were assayed for protein at optimal pH. Refer to York University Department of Biology Laboratory Manual Summer 2008, SC/Biol 2020 Cell Biology and Biochemistry Pages 54-57 for a more detailed procedure of the lab. Also refer to the attached flow sheets for a thorough step by step procedure for this lab. Results The addition of micrococcus to a solution of lysozyme results in the rapid decrease in its optical density value due to its enzymatic reactions. Various assays are conducted in this lab to examine various properties of lysozyme. The substrate concentration assay indicated 0.4 mg/mL of micrococcus to be the optimal substrate concentration for lysozyme as it resulted in the highest enzymatic activity of 250 units. The pH assay on the other hand indicated pH 7 to be the ideal pH for the phosphate buffer as it resulted in the high lysozyme activity of 300 units. These observations led us to set 0.4 mg/mL micrococcus and buffer pH of 7 as standard conditions for assaying the size exclusion column fractionations for protein activity. When assaying the odd numbered fractionations for lysozyme activity, fraction # 15 reached the highest enzymatic activity of 900 units specifying the presence of concentrated lysozyme in that fraction of egg white. The neighbouring fractions (#14 and #16) show ed significant protein concentrations of 4.4 mg/mL and 1.6 mg/mL when assayed however the highest protein concentration as observed in fraction # 12 which indicated a protein concentration outside the standard curve range. Upon dilution, the protein concentration of fraction # 12 was calculated to be 9mg/mL. Based on the results, a protein fold of 1.36 was calculated and the results showed a high lysozyme yield loss of about 64%. Calculations: Sample calculation of Micrococcus dilution: Target: 3 ml of 0.4 mg/ml Micrococcus C1V1 = C2V2 (10 mg/ml)(x ml) = (0.4 mg/ml)(3 ml) X = 0.12 ml of Micrococcus 3 ml 0.12 ml = 2.88 ml Therefore, 0.12 ml of Micrococcus and 2.88 ml of Phosphate buffer will be required Sample calculation of total protein in fraction # 15: protein concentration of 0.52 mg/mL Volume in fraction: 0.1 mL Total protein = 0.52mg/mL X 0.1mL = 0.052 mg Sample calculation of Total Enzyme Activity in fraction # 15 Activity = ΔOD x 1min/0.001 Activity = (0.4) x 1min/0.001 Activity = 400 units Sample calculation of Specific Activity for fraction # 15: Enzyme activity of column fraction 15 = 90 units Total protein = 0.052 mg Specific Activity = Enzyme Activity/Total protein Specific Activity = 400 units/( 0.052 mg) Specific Activity = 7692 units/mg protein Sample calculation of initial specific activity of the egg white at 0.3 mg/ml substrate: Specific Activity = Enzyme Activity/Total Protein Specific Activity = 90 units/(4.5 mg/ml x 0.1 ml) Specific Activity = 200 units/ mg protein Calculation of Fold Purification: Fold Purification = Specific Activity of fraction/Specific Activity of egg white Fold Purification = (7692 units/ mg protein) / (200 units/ mg protein) = 38.46 Discussion This lab experiment examines the purification and assaying of egg white lysozyme. Lysozyme is both a protein and an enzyme that catalyzes the hydrolysis of 1,4-beta-linkages between N-acetylmuramic acid and N-acetyl-D-glucosamine residues in peptidoglycan (Lodish et al. 2000). It is found in abundant quantities in albumen (egg whites) where it protects the egg embryo from bacterial invasion. Several assays were conducted in this lab experiment and each assay demonstrated a significant property of lysozyme. Enzymes have optimal conditions at which it functions most effectively and it is important that enzymes are studied under optimal conditions for the most accurate results and observations. The substrate concentration assay and pH assay were employed in this experiment to determine the optimal conditions for lysozyme since its enzymatic activity varies with substrate concentration and buffer pH. Appropriate substrate concentration is significant for an enzymatic reaction because a high substrate concentration might outnumber the available active sites on lysozyme while a low substrate concentration will leave vacant binding sites on the lysozyme. This lab proved 0.4 mg/mL of Micrococcus to be the optimal substrate concentration for lysozyme with a high enzymatic activity of 250 units. The determination of the optimal pH at which the substrate-enzyme binding is carried out most efficiently is another important aspect of an enzymatic reaction. An environment too acidic or basic could ca use hindrance for the substrate-enzyme binding and thus result in low lysozyme activity. The phosphate buffer pH assay in this lab proved pH 7 to be the optimal pH at which the enzymatic activities of lysozyme are carried out most efficiently with an enzymatic activity of 300 units. Size exclusion chromatography is used in this experiment for extracting and purifying lysozyme from the mixture of approximately 40 proteins that is present in albumen. Other proteins that are present in significant quantities in egg whites are ovalbumin (66 kDa), ovotransferrin (77.8 kDa), ovomucoid (28 kDa), ovomucin, avidin (18kDa), etc. however none of these proteins share the same molecular mass as lysozyme which has a literature molecular weight of 14.5 kDa (Lee-Huang et al. 1999). This unique mass distinction between the proteins present in albumen allows size exclusion chromatography to be an effective method in purifying lysozyme as its separation method is solely based on molecular mass difference. Specific selection of resin for the column is another important factor in protein purification as the porosity and fractionation range of the column should be focused on the protein being purified. This experiment uses the Sephadex G-50 column for protein purification. The stationary phase of Sephadex G-50, has a bead matrix with a well defined pore size for separating proteins within the fractionation range of 1,500da 30,000da. Sephadex G-50 is well suited for lysozyme purification because lysozyme has a literature molecular mass of 14,400da (Lee-Huang et al. 1999) which falls midway between the column fractionation range. Purification of lysozyme however would come with the cost of obtaining low lysozyme yields. During purification, the larger molecules elute first while the smaller molecules like lysozyme travel through the beads and elute last. This affects the yield of lysozyme as some of its initial mass gets trapped within the gel matrix beads during separation while another small fraction of the initial yield is lost due to the retardation of the lysozyme during the in and out diffusion of the protein from the beads in the matrix (Laboratory Manual. 2007). Thus for a method like size exclusion chromatography, I would predict very low yields. The prediction was proved to be true as the data collected from the experiment demonstrated a low yield of 36%. Thus even though the method of size exclusion chromatography is effective in purifying lysozyme, it comes with the disadvantage of low yield. Micrococcus, the substrate for lysozyme in this experiment, is a gram positive bacteria with an exposed peptidoglycan cell wall (Lee-Huang et al. 1999). Like any other enzymes, lysozyme is very specific about its substrate and the ability of lysozyme to bind to micrococcus and lyse the cell allows us to follow its enzymatic activity through the decrease in optical density detected on the spectrometer. Lysozyme activity assay demonstrated a peak for the highest enzymatic activity at fraction # 15. The peak represents the single protein species of lysozyme because micrococcus can only be digested by lysozyme and no other albumen proteins. Therefore all activities observed for lysozyme assay is due to the presence of lysozyme binding and hydrolyzing the peptidoglycan in the cellular walls of micrococcus. Micrococcus is thus the ideal substrate for this experiment however it also poses some disadvantages as well due to its biohazardous nature. Micrococcus needs to be handled with extra c aution and is to be discarded of appropriately. The lysozyme assay showed the highest specific activity of 900 units in fraction # 15. This indicated that fraction # 15 contained purified lysozyme. Considering the fractionation range of 1,500 30,000 da of the chromatography, and the elusion of a fixed volume into 24 separate test tubes, an estimation of the molecular weight range for fraction # 15 could be made around 15,000 da 13,500 da, a range that covers the literature molecular mass of lysozyme, 14,400 da. Thus, our detection for the fraction of egg white containing purified lysozyme was pretty accurate. The Bradford protein assay was used in this lab to examine the protein concentration of lysozyme with reference to the other proteins present in albumen. Theoretically lysozyme comprises about 3.5% of the total protein mass in albumen (Canà §ado et al. 2007). Even though it is a significant amount, there are other proteins comprising a higher concentration in albumen. The odd fractionations closest to #15 show fair concentrations of protein with # 14 showing a concentration of 4.4 mg/mL and # 15 showing 1.6 mg/mL. In order to get an accurate reading for the lysozyme protein concentration, fraction # 15 would have to be directly assayed instead of its neighbouring fractions. Thus the actual lyoszyme concentration in albumen remains inconclusive. The highest protein peak was observed for fraction # 12 with a protein concentration that went beyond the standard curve range. Upon dilution, the protein concentration of # 12 was determined to be approximately 9 mg/mL. This indicates that a protein that eluted in fraction # 12 is the most concentrated in albumen. Specific activity is defined as the enzyme activity over total amount of protein (Laboratory Manual. 2007). The specific activity of 900 units/mg protein for fraction 15 and the specific activity of the initial egg white solution of 666.66 a fold purification of 1.35(Refer to calculations). The yield of lysozyme after purification was fairly low indicating a high percent of loss. This loss was due to a portion of lysozyme being trapped within the beads of the matrix during purification and another small portion being distorted during in and out diffusion of lysozyme (Laboratory Manual. 2007). The 64% loss in enzyme yield was worth the increase in purity because purifying the enzyme enabled us to estimate its structural mass and protein concentration in albumen. Sources of error in this lab were tried to be kept at its minimal level however there could still be some errors that might have deviated the results slightly. Lysozyme activity was measured by detecting the difference in optical density on a spectrophotometer in a time period of 1 minute. Incorrect readings of the optical density caused by fingerprints/other residue on the test tube surface or reading the incorrect absorbance at an earlier or later time period could have been a major source of error as this lab is dependent on the accuracy of the optical density readings. Other sources of error could be dilution errors as some of the dilution require very minute amounts and pipetting the small amounts with the pipette provided for this lab accurately is very challenging. New researches in the field of biochemistry help expand our knowledge about cell and molecular processes and thus research interest in the unique enzyme of lysozyme is of no exception. It was previously believed that lysozyme was used primarily as a constitutive defense against bacterial pathogens but recent research indicate that in certain species in the animal kingdom the structure of lysozyme is different and the structural difference enables lysozyme to incorporate other useful functions such as digesting bacteria for nutrition (Canà §ado, et al., 2007). Research has also shed light on urinary lysozyme C showing that a combination of urinary lysozyme C with certain RNases can be used to combat HIV-1 (Lodish et al. 2000). Other researches on lysozyme conducted by Lee-Huang et al. found that lysozyme from chicken egg white, human milk and human neutrophils combined with RNase A from bovine pancreas display activity against HIV-1 (Lee-Huang, et al., 1999). These are significant di scoveries that not only broaden our knowledge in biochemistry but also define possible cures for HIV in the future. Conclusion Lysozyme is a widely distributed enzyme in the animal kingdom that lyse bacterial cells to protect organisms from bacterial invasion and this lab demonstrated some of the important characteristics of this unique enzyme. Micrococcus proved to be an ideal substrate for observing lysozyme activity due to its gram positive nature illustrated by its exposed peptidoglycan cell wall, the cleavage target of lysozyme. The substrate concentration assay and pH assay demonstrated how lysozyme is at its peak enzymatic activity at the optimal substrate concentration of 0.4 mg/mL and at a buffer pH of 7. Even though the exact protein concentration of lysozyme in albumen remains inconclusive, the neighbouring fractions assayed for protein concentration provided an estimate that lysozyme is present in significant amounts in egg white in comparison to the other albumen proteins. Even though lysozyme was successfully purified using size exclusion chromatography with Sephadex G-50 column, its purificati on resulted in the loss of lysozyme yield. The column beads trapped and retarded about 64% of the total lysozyme resulting in low yields. Overall this was lab was well engineered to demonstrate how size exclusion chromatography can be used for purification based on molecular mass and how the unique activities of a certain enzyme with its specific substrate can be used to determine the purified fraction that contain the certain enzyme. Needs of the Elderly: A Case Study Needs of the Elderly: A Case Study Introduction We live in an ageing world and Australia is not an exception. In 1901 only 4% of Australians were 65 and older, by 2016 that figure increased to 15.3% and is estimated to rise to 23% by 2041 (Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2016, Australian Human Rights Commission (AHRC), 2012). The United Nations (UN) principles of ageing, supported by the Australian Government, recognises the rights of all older persons, focusing in areas such as: independence; participation; care; self-fulfilment and dignity (Australian Association of Social Workers (AASW), 2013), but are we doing enough to protect these rights and ensuring our older Australians are not left disadvantaged? This essay looks at the case of Hank, retrenched from his lifelong employer at the age of 62 with future employment prospects bleak. It looks at factors through the life course that effect Hank in his older years and discovers how Social Workers can respond to this demographic to assist them in continuing to fulfil a satisfying life. Key Social, Psychological and Physical Needs As a social worker, it is important to have an understanding of the key social, psychological and physical needs of the client plus any issues that may be present. In this way, a holistic and specific needs assessment can be made that identifies how a client situation affects his needs moving forward (Tanner Harris,2008). Hank was retrenched from his workplace and is having difficulty finding a new job. The jobs he is experienced in are becoming unsuitable due to the onset of arthritis and without formal training, his employment prospects are bleak. There have been many studies linking unemployment with lower levels of well-being, and higher levels of distress, self-doubt and dissatisfaction (VanDerMeer,2014). Being unemployed can be detrimental to ones needs, not only because of lesser income but also due to the effects on psychological and social factors (VanDerMeer,2014). Societal norms and expectations also plays an important role in well-being, being employed helps us to feel w e are conforming to those values and norms (Thompson,2016, VanDerMeer,2014). Mens social identity is often centred around their work and although as a society we are shifting in our view of men being the sole bread winner, for Hanks cohorts, his role as financial provider gave him a sense of pride and sense of identity. Hanks friends, his social group, have remained at work, this puts added stress on Hanks wellbeing, people who are unemployed are better able to cope when others around them are in the same situation (Clark,2003). Human Rights and Legislation Hank, like all Australians, have a universal right to employment regardless of factors such as culture, gender, age and disability (Ife,2012). The Australian Government, through the Australian Human Rights Commission, has agreed to uphold the UN covenants on human rights. Although there is no international covenant in the area of ageing, the Universal Declaration Of Human Rights (1948, art.23) and the International Covenant On Economic, Social And Cultural Rights (1966, p.3,art.6) states that everyone has the right to work and be paid without discrimination, and that protections should be in place against unemployment. Federal legislation in place to uphold Australian Human Rights include the Australian Human Rights Commission Act 1986 and Age Discrimination Act 1992. In Victoria, workers rights are protected through the Equal Opportunity Act 2010, which includes Age and Disability. Adhering to such rights gives all people a sense of human dignity, a value held by the Australian Asso ciation of Social Workers (AASW) in its code of ethics (2010). These protections should be an advantage to Hank but unfortunately, in reality age discrimination, modernisation and globalisation often make it difficult to apply. Impact of Structural and historical Factors Although ageing happens to us all regardless of race, culture, gender or class, these structural factors, economic and social policies, plus experiences throughout the life course, often have a significant influence on later life (Hughes Heycox,2010). That influence, restrained by economic and social policies, has the ability to limit choices and opportunities that impact on ageing (Bengtson DeLiema,2016). Australias increasing population and its effect on the dependency ratio (the portion of population who are too young or old to work by those of working age), will also have an impact on factors such as housing, medicare, Centrelink, superannuation and age care. If Hank turns 63 in 2017, he was born in 1954, the baby boom generation. The year of birth is not only important in determining Hanks generational cohorts and possible life course experiences, but also in determining his eligibility for services such as the aged pension and superannuation release. The baby boomers were so called due to the raise in babies born during and post world-war II 1943 -1964 (Tolbize,2008). According to Tolbize (2008, p.2), it was an era of prosperity and optimism and bolstered by the sense that they are a special generation capable of changing the world, have equated work with self-worth, contribution and personal fulfillment. Generalising on the typical situation of this generation, Hank and his cohorts would have had a strong sense of work and sacrifice. They believed in loyalty to one employer with success being gained through step-by-step promotion, of paying their dues (Tolbize,2008). Hank was born in the pre-globalisation era where people could more e asily get a job without the need for a university or formal trade education (Phillipson,2009). Hank chose to follow the path of his father, leave school at 16 and start work as a machine operator. He expected, just as his father did, to be in his job for the rest of his working life. However, the recent globalisation of the Australian economy and technological advances, are often reflected in retrenchment of lower skilled workers like Hank and the creation of structural unemployment where unemployment results from shifts in the economy and by factors such as technological advances, making lower-skilled jobs obsolete (Business Council of Australia (BCA),2004, Klehe et.al,2012). Government measures are normally in place to provide assistance in the form of retraining in such situations. For example, when industries such as the car manufacturing, the government purposed other needed industries for retraining such as, ironically, aged care. For older workers, such as Hank, the offer i s often refused. Hanks self-devaluing attitude based on the ageist stereotype of you cant teach an old dog new tricks is often a barrier to changes in ones employment sector. Based on his year of birth, Hank will be eligible for the aged pension at age 66. Since April 1909, when Australia commenced the Invalid and Old Age Pensions Act 1908 for people aged 65, Australias retirement, pension and superannuation policies have become an important factor in the ageing experience. Since then, Australia has made changes to encourage Australians to be more self-sufficient in their retirement, therefore removing the burden of financial assistance from the government. 1915, saw the Income Tax Assessment Act 1915 allowing employers to make contributions on behalf of its employees for superannuation. In 1972 only 32% of Australians where covered by superannuation. In the 80s, the Federal government established policies around superannuation and taxation, this, plus the introduction of superannuation contribution by employers, increased the number of employees covered by Superannuation in 1990 to 64%. In 1992 the superannuation guarantee was implemented, employers were required to contribute to their employees superannuation fund. The amount of contribution progressively increased from 3% to 9% in 2002. In July 2017, the qualifying age for the age pension will increase by 6months every two years until it reaches 67 years of age in 2024 (Parliament of Australia,2010). The impact of government policy in Hanks situation means, that although he will not be eligible for the aged pension until 66, he is eligible to access his superannuation (Australian Department of Human Services (DHS),2017). The Department of Human Services through Centrelink is responsible for income support such as newstart, however in Hanks case, it is unclear if he is eligible for newstart based on his wifes full-time income. Victorian Skills Gateway, which is part of the Victorian Government Department Education and Training (DET) offices help with retraining and job search (DET,2017). Knowing the importance of older workers in the workforce, the government restart program offers incentives for employers to hire people over 50 (DET,2017). They are also looking at reforming structural barriers such as workers compensation, income protection and professional licensing all factors that affect employability of older workers. This is with the hope, that by removing these barriers, will remove negative perceptions of employing older workers (AHRC,2012). Theories of Ageing In the last few decades there has seen the development of many theories on ageing that allow us a better understanding of an older persons world. As a social worker, we can draw upon theories to gain clarity in understanding aspects of the human condition (Tanner Harris,2008, Hughes Heycox,2010). Theory can also enable us to find appropriate approaches to dealing with clients based on their specific needs and situations (Tanner Harris,2008). One of the pioneer theories on ageing, which draw popularity in the 60s through to the mid-seventies is disengagement theory. Disengagement theory, as proposed by Cummings and Henry (1961) states that ageing involves the gradual and inevitable withdrawal of a person from interacting with society. It supposes that this inevitable withdrawal is mutually beneficial, as it sees the transfer of power from the old members of society to the young. According to this theory, to successfully age means a reduction in activity levels and interactions until all activities cease in preparation for death (Hughes Heycox,2010). This enables the young a greater opportunity to become more active in contributing to society, thereby keeping society in balance (Victor,2005). Although Hank did not voluntarily leave the workforce, according to this theory, his retrenchment has set off his path to disengagement. We see this through his discouragement with not finding another job and therefore dropping out o f the job search and isolating himself from his friends. Proponents of this theory, would see this as natural progression for Hank Hank is on natural course leading to the remainder of his life. The problem with this theory in its original form however, is that it doesnt consider social processes and structures that are in place, that may hinder a person such as Hanks ability to engage (Hall Scragg,2012). Critics of this theory say it feeds into the negative stereotypes of ageing, making it seem acceptable and normal for older people to disengage and therefore preventing them from creating circumstances that increase engagement and quality of life (Bengtson DeLiema, 2016). One of its strengths however, is that the development of this theory opened the door to further research, resulting in a clearer view of natural ageing (Bengtson DeLiema,2016). Havighursts (1963) activity theory and Atchleys (1989) continuity theory were both in response to disengagement theory (Carstensen,199 1). Another such modification to disengagement theory was by Streib Schneider (1971), who concluded that disengagement from one sphere of life, does not mean withdrawal from all spheres (Streib Schneider,1971), this made available the idea of new social roles for the aged. As a social worker, applying Streibs version of disengagement activity within disengagement to the case of Hank, Streib emphasis the need for a new role for the retrenched, involving activities that are not mere busy work but should satisfy the social-psychological needs of Hank and be recognised as valid and socially useful pursuits (Streib Schneider,1971). Encouraging Hanks involvement in activities such as the mens shed or volunteer organisations such as meals on wheels or hands on learning (teaching disengaged youths practical skills). These activities differentiate themselves from hobby work because they not only benefit Hank but are also of community benefit. Keeping active in such a way may also lead to renewed encouragement towards employment in other areas. Another challenge to the disengagement perspective is the exchange theory of ageing. This theory draws upon previous works on the social-psychological theory of exchange, and addresses how a decrease in a persons power and status is associated with ageing (Dowd,1975). Dowd presents ageing and social interaction in the image of a cost-benefit model. Dowd reasons that as we age our conduct becomes a burden to ongoing interactions with others. It takes a greater effort to maintain a level of competent contribution, this decreasing competence means those we interact with are getting less benefit in the return they give. The greater the older person is dependent on others, the more they become a burden. Therefore, an older person begins to withdrawal from social life in order to balance the equation of exchange (Lynott Lynott,1996, Bengtson et.al,1997). For Hank, the loss of his job has given him a perceived loss of identity, status and power, not only amongst his social circle as Hanks close friends are still employed, but also within his family. Hank took pride in being the financial support giver for the family but this has been taken away from him, and his wife Jane has had to step up into full-time work. Hank feels he has nothing to offer the workforce or his social circles and therefore has begun to disengage. He is no longer applying for jobs and has withdrawn from contact with people outside his immediate family. The strength of this theory is its power of explanation into the relationship between the costs and rewards within a relationship. It helps us to understand that when we give something to a relationship whether that be employment, friendship, marriage, that to maintain that relationship, we expect something in return (Bengtson et.al,1997). For Hank, this explains his feeling of discouragement, he wants to give but does not feel he has anything to contribute to a work relationship due to his lack of education and decline in physical health this i s also affecting his social network, and family relationship, as he is no longer contributing to the finances. Although this theory is good at explaining relationships on a cost/benefit model, it does not take into account the complexity of relationships and a persons ability to compromise and adapt. It places people in a selfish light willing to give up a relationship if the costs outweigh the benefits. It also doesnt take into account cultural aspects of a relationship and reciprocity of past care or the increased function of older persons assisting the young such as childcare of a grandchild (Poole,2013, Carstensen,1991). Where disengagement theory sees the withdrawal and social isolation of older people as a societal need and of mutual consent, the exchange theory of ageing shows an unequal exchange between older persons and others in society. Disengagement theorists would say the reduction in interaction is fuelled by emotional distancing, whereas exchange looks at the change in dynamics of relationships and interaction (Carstensen,1991). And whilst both theories offer an explanation as to why we decrease in social interaction as we age, both are criticised for their lack of complete empirical data (Carstensen,1991). For Hank, I can see both as factors for his discouragement and disengagement the change in dynamics due to long term job loss has become a trigger for emotional distancing. For a social worker it is important to draw on the knowledge these and other theories gives us in offering a wider understanding of Hanks circumstance, to assist him in moving forward. Challenges and Social Worker Response At 62, Hank hasnt reached what most of us would consider older age, but he is now facing a serious transition point due to the current circumstance of his job loss. Hank is looking ahead at the challenges all Australians face when growing old. Australian society has made significant achievements in the promotion of health and wellbeing of its older citizens. However, our older population still faces many challenges. Some of which include biological and psychological changes general and mental health including dementia care. Other challenges include ageism and social isolation. Ageism can be seen here in discriminatory practices in employment or retrenchment strategies that see people like Hank lose their job or have difficulty in finding new employment (Thompson,2016). Throughout the last century, the Australian government has developed policies, such as those mentioned in previous sections, to enable people to be more self-sufficient in their older years. However, the government fo cus is often on the cost burden of aged care without consideration of protecting human rights, recognising contributions of older Australians and ensuring the needs of social inclusion (Ife,2012, Poole,2013). Although older people may be seen as a burden to society, they actually make substantial contribution. They volunteer an average 4.4hr more a week than working people and are often a valuable source of child-care to their grand-children (Poole,2013). Social work can play an important role in responding to the needs of a client such as Hank by taking a holistic approach to practice. Holistic care means focusing on the whole person, physical, emotional and spiritual, as it relates to their environment. It is taking into consideration a wide range of factors that affect the client (Tanner Harris, 2008). A social worker will consider all aspects involved in their care including, ecological and systems perspectives, legal and ethical matters, plus the biopsychosocial aspects (AASW,2013). The quality of a persons life can be enriched by adding opportunities to thrive under any circumstances. So assisting Hank maintain his independence and to participate to the fullness of his being, is important to his wellbeing and speaks of Hank in terms of his right to dignity and self-fulfilment. As we have seen above,a social worker uses knowledge, theoretical frameworks and models to identifying the best way to approach and discover the clients, strengths, weakness, and opportunities for participation and well-being. It is also important in the case of Hank, to be up-to-date with the latest policies and procedures provided by both State and Federal government. A person-centred approach considers the client as the expert in their own life and able to decide on their own lives path (Tanner Harris, 2008). Thus, encouraging clients within the system to take control and be empowered within their own lives. The effectiveness of this in Hanks case, is it supports the need for collaboration and keeps at the forefront the client and his family, as people with needs and desires, who should always be in control of their own decisions. Social workers also focus on social justice, delving into the inequalities and oppression within society based on such factors as age, gender, class, poverty, race, culture and sexual orientation to become an advocate of change (AASW,2013, Thompson,2016). They can help develop those opportunities through change in policy, social planning and community involvement (Hughes Heycox,2010). This Contributes not only to the individual client, but to the community as a whole. Conclusion With Australias growing older population and the fast-paced technological world of modernisation and globalisation, there are many real cases like Hanks happening every day. It is hoped that any new federal government reforms will assist in helping older Australians maintain active and productive lives, not only for the sake of individual wellbeing but also for the betterment of society. Social workers can have a role to play in policy reform by being strong voice in advocacy for change. Social Workers also have an arsenal of tools to draw upon, to help work collaboratively with the client to assist them in making decisions that have a positive influence on their lives and the lives of those around them. References: Australian Association of Social Workers, 2013, Ageing in Australia: AASW Position Paper, viewed 9th March 2017, https://www.aasw.asn.au/document/item/4356 Australian Association of Social Workers (AASW), 2010, Code of Ethics, rev. edn, AASW, viewed 19 April 2016, https://www.aasw.asn.au/practitioner-resources/code-of-ethics Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2016, Population by Age and Sex, Australia, States and Territories, ABS, viewed 10th March 2017, http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/[emailprotected]/0/1CD2B1952AFC5E7ACA257298000F2E76?OpenDocument Australian Department of Education and Training, 2017, General Employee Entitlements and Redundancy Scheme (GEERS), viewed 12th March 2017, https://www.employment.gov.au/general-employee-entitlements-and-redundancy-scheme-geers Australian Department of Education and Training, 2017, Restart help to employ mature workers, viewed 12th March 2017, https://www.employment.gov.au/restart-help-employ-mature-workers-0 Australian Department of Human Services, 2017, Age Pension, viewed 12th March 2017, https://www.humanservices.gov.au/customer/services/centrelink/age-pension Australian Human Rights Commission, 2012, Working past our 60s: Reforming laws and policies for the older worker, viewed 9th March 2017, https://www.humanrights.gov.au/sites/default/files/content/age/publications/Working_past_our_60s_2012.pdf Bengtson V.L., DeLiema, M., 2016. Theories of Aging and Social Gerontology: Explaining How Social Factors Influence Well-Being in Later Life. In M Meyer and E Daniele (ed.), Gerontology: Changes, Challenges, and Solutions, vol 1. Social and Life Course Issues, Praeger, California Bengtson, V.L., Burgess, E.O. and Parrott, T.M., 1997. Theory, explanation, and a third generation of theoretical development in social gerontology. The Journals of Gerontology Series B: Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences, 52(2), pp.S72-S88. Business Council of Australia, 2004, offshoring, global outsourcing and the Australian economy continuing Australias integration in the world economy, viewed 11th March 2017 http://www.bca.com.au/docs/474AB708-A812-41CD-962A-11B684489C0E/ offshoring_global_outsourcing_and_the_australian-economy_continuing_australias_integration_intothe_global_economy_14-7-2004.pdf Carstensen, L.L., 1991. Selectivity theory: Social activity in life-span context. Annual review of gerontology and geriatrics, 11, pp.195-217. Clark, A.E., 2003. Unemployment as a social norm: Psychological evidence from panel data. Journal of labor economics, 21(2), pp.323-351. Cummings, E. and Henry, W.E., 1961. Growing old: The Process of Disengagement. Basic, New York. Dowd, J.J., 1975. Aging as exchange: A preface to theory. Journal of Gerontology, 30(5), pp.584-594. Hall, B. and Scragg, T. eds., 2012. Social Work with Older People: Approaches to Person-centred Practice. Open University Press, New York Hughes, M. and Heycox, K., 2010. Older people, ageing and social work: Knowledge for practice. Allen Unwin, Crows Nest, NSW Ife, J., 2012. Human rights and social work: Towards rights-based practice. Cambridge University Press. Port Melbourne Klehe, U.C., Koen, J. and De Pater, I.E., 2012. 17 Ending on the Scrap Heap: The Experience of Job Loss and Job Search among Older Workers. In W. Borman J Hedge (eds), The Oxford handbook of work and aging, Oxford Handbooks Online. Retrieved 13 Mar. 2017, from http://www.oxfordhandbooks.com.ezproxy.lib.monash.edu.au/view/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780195385052.001.0001/oxfordhb-9780195385052-e-017. Lynott, R.J. and Lynott, P.P., 1996. Tracing the course of theoretical development in the sociology of aging. The Gerontologist, 36(6), pp.749-760. Parliament of Australia, 2010, Chronology of superannuation and retirement income in Australia, viewed 15th March 2017, http://www.aph.gov.au/About_Parliament/Parliamentary_Departments/Parliamentary_Library/pubs/BN/0910/ChronSuperannuation Phillipson, C., 2009. Social welfare, aging, and globalization in a post-industrial society. In J. Hendricks J. Powell (Eds.), The welfare state in post-industrial society, pp. 57-70. Springer, New York. Poole, M., 2013. Ageing, Health, and The Demographic Revolution, in J. Germov (ed), Second Opinion, Oxford University Press, South Melbourne Streib, G.F. and Schneider, C.J., 1971. Retirement in American society. Cornell University press, NY Tanner, D. and Harris, J., 2008. Working with older people. Routledge, London Tolbize, A., 2008. Generational differences in the workplace. Research and training center on community living, 19, pp.1-13. Thompson, N., 2016. Anti-discriminatory practice: Equality, diversity and social justice. Palgrave Macmillan, London Van der Meer, P.H., 2014. Gender, unemployment and subjective well-being: Why being unemployed is worse for men than for women. Social Indicators Research, 115(1), pp.23-44. Victor, C., 2005. The social context of ageing: A textbook of gerontology. Routledge, Oxon. Legislation Australian Human Rights Commission Act 1986 Age Discrimination Act 1992 Equal Opportunity Act 2010 (Vic) Income Tax Assessment Act 1915 Invalid and Old Age Pensions Act 1908 Treaties International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, 1966, (resolution 2200A), entry into force 1976 Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) 1948, (resolution 217 A), adopted 10 December 1948.

Integrated Information Management Essay

Economic, sociological, political, and technological environments make up the four external considerations. The sociological domain covers community values and the larger political divisions and their agencies. It comes up with lists – of people, their problems, needs, strengths, weaknesses, and opportunities – in a data form that is easy to report. The political domain encompasses what the Board of Directors will manage, and how to handle their concerns. The economic domain is sources of funds, contributions, and referrals, and also includes customers and the company’s competitors. It aims to get the most from these sources. The technological domain includes technological advancement, so that a company remains on top of new technology. Organizational purpose, mission statement and philosophy, organizational planning, organizational operations, Human Resources, technological factors, and financial assets are the Internal considerations. The factors that influence a company’s goal sare covered by organizational purpose. It checks that all data about populations and expected outcomes has been gathered so that it can move ahead. Organizational planning keeps track of goals and marks their achievement. Organizational resources makes sure that the members of each department are doing what they are supposed to be doing. Human Resources wants information about its demographics, licensing, certifications, and staff training. Technological resources makes sure that the newest technology and know-how is being put into practice. Financial resources follows income and expenses, so that managers can predict a financial problem.

Empowering Your Organization Essay

Organizations are about people. People are the most valuable asset that an organization can possess to create success. The development of these people and the ability for an organization to retain talent can be complex. An organization must be organized to communicate and provide the structure necessary for growth and development. They must also have the people within the organization understand their ability to grow and the directions available within the organization for growth. In the industrial age a company was primarily there to provide goods and serves. Many organizational behaviorists at that time focused on getting the most production from the employee. The employee was looked at as a necessary evil in creating the goods for market. We have now realized that people are the foundation that can make or break an organization. The thoughts and actions of the company and the employee are imperative to their success. Retaining top talent is about creating a structure that is conducive to growth and development. Empowerment is important on an organizational level and an individual level. When looking at the dynamics of an organizations empowerment it is essential to recognize the symptoms of disempowerment. Gershon and Straub identified ten symptoms of a disempowered organization. We will look at one case within an organization and four of these symptoms that were evident and describe these dysfunctions. We will then create a plan using Gershon and Straub six values to create an empowering environment. Four Symptoms of Disempowerment Distrust and Cynicism When individuals feel that they must constantly compete for their future a sense of distrust begins to arise. In the case study this organization had weak leaders that did not give others a sense of team involvement. There was constant distrust in coworkers and in management to make the right decisions. Due to the lack of leadership employees felt the need to compete through criticizing and creating blame. Management did not give true direction or provide any plan of action but instead were quick to criticize the actions individuals took in order to compete tasks without direction. Apathy and Burnout The organization in the case study was constantly in a state of change. New projects can be exhausting in themselves. When a project goes beyond the original plan many times companies will use the resources they have and overwork the employee in order to reach plan. This can create burnout and apathy within the workforce. This was the case with this organization, instead of bringing in additional contact workers to assist the company expected employees to work overtime to meet goals. This would involve as many as eighty hours per week. The result was burnout and exhaustion and a general sense of being unappreciated. The personal life of the employees was expected to be put on hold and this creating a general sense of apathy within the workforce. Gossip and back biting poisoning work environment Many times people are the reflection of the environment that they are surrounded by. There is a saying about how weak people talk about other people; this was the case in this organization. Gossip was common place and a reflection of the emotional turmoil of not being able to move within the organization. Management did not stop the personal conflict that was created within many of the groups by gossip and â€Å"back stabbing†. Top talent leaving for better opportunities or work environment Due to the inability to move within the organization and the general atmosphere of distrust and dissatisfaction many of the top talent moved on to better opportunities. The organization was a revolving door and the issue was that the positions available were not backfilled with internal, local talent but instead more â€Å"new† employees were brought in to replace the talent that let the organization. This further fueled the discord and ill feeling of the current workforce. Six Values Applied to Disempowerment Change in anything that we do must first come from the inside before we can change the outside. A great example of this is in losing weight many people choose to go on a quick fix diet plan. This is a wonderful way to reduce the weight in the short term but the person eventually returns to their previous weight. Change must come from the inside through long term changes in the way that they think about food and the long term change in diet. When an organization has the symptoms of disempowerment it is not just from the inability of the individuals internally but from a dysfunctional mindset within the organization. Therefore the organization must perform a metamorphose to change the structure of the company and the mindset of the individuals and management. There are six values that are an essential part of the framework necessary for change within an organization. These six values are self-responsibility, authentic communication, trust, learning and growing, interpersonal process skills and caring. When looking at an organizational level of self-responsibility the empowering organization has individuals that take responsibility for their jobs, team and organization being the way that they need it to be. This is the opposite of the mindset of victimization and an understanding that changes comes from each individual within an organization. If an organization promotes authentic communication it is obvious through observing the individuals and their communication. If the communication is open, transparent, honest and vulnerable then the company is communicating authentically. When observing trust within an organization the first thing that needs to be evident is the ability for individuals to feel safe within the environment. This trust is apparent in the ability of individuals to take risks and tryout new behaviors without risk of reprimand from supervisors. When an organization promotes an environment conducive to growth and learning individuals are challenged to recognize their weaknesses and given the opportunity to learn and develop these skills. The growth and encouragement is transferable to both the employee and the organizational growth. Learning is on a bilateral level through growth of both the structure and the individual. An empowered organization understands individuals as independent and of their own mindset. They champaign the individual and have created process and protocols to resolve personal issues that may arise. The organization is high functioning within their relationships internally and support teamwork and individualism equally. There is a general sense of caring within an empowered organization. Leadership demonstrates genuine caring of the individuals that work within the company. Individuals feel valued and inspired creating motivation to do their best. The Plan To develop these skills within an organization that is lacking these basic values can be challenging. The plan must start with leadership and management having a full grasp of the qualities that create an empowered organization. The first step is to educate management in the skills necessary to create this environment. This cannot be done with a week-long workshop but with concrete training and development over the long-term. Honing and developing the skills on a weekly, monthly and yearly basis. Removing the â€Å"boss barrier† is an essential part of creating an environment for growth and productivity. The second step is to remove the â€Å"system† barrier. Looking at the process and the policies the current organization and recreating an environment that gives employees the opportunity to develop. Realigning the reward systems and identifying the blocks that disempower change within the organization is essential. The third aspect is to remove the barriers of the mind. This is important in empower both the leadership and the employee. People have a way of thinking about things until you give them the opportunity and the tools to look at things differently. You are basically what you think you are and it takes reconditioning the minds of the individuals within an organization to change. Change happens from within. It is the willingness of the organization to change and the individuals to change that will make a move towards empowerment possible. Motivation to change must be driven by emotions and the key is to find these emotional triggers and create a plan towards growth and opportunity for both the organization and the individual. References Bigelow, D. (2011). Empowerment: The Art of Creating Your Life as You Want It. Library Journal, 136(9), 95. Gershon, D., & Straub, G. (2011), Empowerment: The Art of Creating Your Life as You Want It. SterlingEtbos.2011.c.256p.. Gershon, D., & Straub, G. (2009). Empowerment Institute: The empowering organization: Changing behavior and developing talent in organizations. Retrieved from http://www.empowermentinstitute.net/index.php/organizational/organizational-empowerment/57-organizational-empowerment Individuals’ Mindset: Empowering the Individual. (2004). Black Book – Reengineering Investment Management & Advice to the Individual, 31-36. Kotter, J. P. & Cohen, D. S. (2002). The heart of change: Real-life stories of how people change their organizations. Boston, MA: Harvard Business School Press.