Communication Skills and Values in Social Work

Communication Skills and Values in Social Work Discuss the use of communication skills and values in social work This assignment sets out to explore the use of communication skills and value in social work according to three interconnected dimensions. The first section discusses the importance of communication in the practice of social work – including building a rapport with service users and carers, and the importance of empowerment. The second section identifies and explains the centrality of effective communication skills such as negotiation, interviewing and self-awareness. After this, part three considers the impact of personal and professional values on communication. This includes traditional and radical values in social work practice and the effects of communication in ethical dilemmas. The code of practice (CCW, 2002) in the Welsh context is considered throughout. This first section discusses the importance of communication and empowerment in social work practice with service users, carers and other professionals. Communication is defined in the Oxford English Dictionary (2013) as the imparting or exchanging of information by speaking, writing, or using some other medium. It cannot be described in such narrow terms within social work because of the different techniques involved in working with different service users in a multitude of situations. This involves social workers making judgements and getting to know the service user in order to communicate efficiently to the service users preferred method of communication (Wilson et al, 2008). Communication in social work practice is central to all inter-agency working and to building relationships with service users and carers. Good communication as a social worker requires the expertise to be both sensitive and understanding of their situation in order to build rapport with the individual (Treve thick, 2000). Rapport is how the social worker contacts and engages with the service user and carers. Developing a rapport starts with an introduction which forms the basis of the relationship, particularly as it is important to gain an understanding of the service user. This involves discussing their background, values, culture and needs, which will help develop the rapport (Knapp, 2009). The fundamentals of communication in social work are voice and speech, body language, hearing, observing, encouraging and remembering. These skills can be used in introductions with service users and their families/ carers. Introductions can be uncomfortable and worrying for the service user if they are unsure what a social worker is there for and it depends on their previous experiences, if any. To ease this process an introduction exercise can be implemented – for example a genogram can be drawn by asking the family to collectively describe each family member in the house and those they would describe as their support and closest to them. Put simply, a genogram is a very detailed family tree using symbols to represent relationships (Parker and Bradley, 2010). This will help build a relationship with the service user as well as gain information and observe their reactions (body language) when working together and when talking about family and friends. This will show some key skills on the social workers behalf such as, listening, speech, remembering and encouraging. Active listening uses a combination of talking and listening skills to make the service user feel you understand their situation, and encourages them to place trust in the social worker (Cournoyer, 2011). It involves positive body language and speech to invite/enable the service user to express themselves. More specifically, body language is expression through movement and facial expressions which convey emotion. Social workers should use body language to make service users feel more comfortable but also pay attention to whether the service user is showing signs of aggression, trying to hide something, or seems happy in the situation. Empowerment is a process promoted by skills and should involve the service user. It aims to emphasise the rights and needs of people who may be oppressed by society (Leadbetter, 2002). Empowerment can be delivered in many forms, for example, personal, organisational, community based, family, group or team empowerment. Personal empowerment helps service users to gain control over their situations and overall empower themselves and others to enable change. Organisational empowerment supports staff in an organisation, promoting morale and motivation in workers so they are happy to take on more responsibilities and go to work. Community based empowerment supports the community to challenge inequalities and exclusion so everyone who lives in a certain society can feel a part of the community and take control of their environment. Family, group or team empowerment focuses on allowing each person in the group to help each other and themselves collectively. They can call on each other for su pport and help if they need to fight oppressive behaviour (Adams, 1996). The second section discusses effective communication skills and how they support anti-oppressive practice. Skills are the ability to carry out a particular activity effectively and consistently over a period of time (Thompson, 2005:81). Skills that shape the way social workers communicate are interviewing, negotiation and partnership and self-awareness (Thompson, 2005). An interview is a conversation with meaning and the beginning of change (Trevethick, 2000). Social workers use interviews to collect data and to build a face to face rapport with service users. An interview should be natural and the service user should not feel like they are being treated according to a checklist just going through the process, as this could be seen as oppressive if service users are not treated as individuals. The service user should have an understanding of why the social worker is there and has the right to know the process that has taken place to get to the interview. A key skill of interviewing i s directing, this means although there should be a steady flow the social worker needs to keep the conversation on the subject that they are there for in a subtle way. This can be done by using phatic conversation as glue to keep it social and help keep a relationship going but redirecting to the main issue so it is a healthy balance for both taking part. It is better to use questions that will not give the service user the answer, especially children because this could create a story that is not exact. For example use, where did you get that bruise? Instead of did your mum give you that bruise? Open ended questions allow service users to expand on answers and give information that the social worker may not have thought to ask about (Hepworth et al, 2010). Negotiation and partnership is an essential part of interagency working. Working in partnership with other professionals requires a level of negotiation when both services have different/alternative ideas of what is best for the service user. Professionals who work together quite commonly are social workers and health care professionals. Everyone involved in interagency team should have a clear role and have an understanding of each others place/responsibilities in the team and their point of view. Negotiation may take place in deciding the best solution for a service user. However, there may be a hierarchy between the professionals causing tensions in decision-making. This would need to be resolved in order to work in partnership. This can be achieved by building relationships and achieving trust and mutual respect through communication (Atkinson et al, 2007). The code of practice (6.5) states social workers should always treat colleagues with respect and work openly and co-operativ ely with them (CCW, 2002). Negotiation also takes place with service users in the decision of the best solution for their situation. Keeping the service user involved with all decisions helps maintain the service users trust and confidence in social services. This is anti-oppressive practice, which involves social workers empowering the service user to take control of their lives and help contact people in their society in similar situations. This is to help them feel part of society no matter their culture, language or lifestyle. It is seen as part of the social workers job to get rid of oppression in society (Dominelli, 2002). For example, by using a language interpreter this will make the service user more at ease and allow them to get their point across better. Social workers need a level of self-awareness to convey attitudes, the correct emotions and self-control. Without self-control personal issues and emotional attachment to a situation could be expressed which could cloud professional judgement. The situation should always be focused on the service user and the social workers thoughts of their personal perfect solution may not coincide with the service user (Cournoyer, 2011). The code of practice (2.6) states social workers must declare issues that may create conflict of interests and making sure they do not influence their judgement or practice (CCW, 2002). The skill of self-awareness grows overtime with experience in practice, it teaches social workers to think on their feet during communication and difficult situations, deal with stress and tackle all obstacles as completely different when dealing with different people (Cournoyer, 2011). This third, and final, section considers the impact of personal and professional values upon communication within social work practice, including how ethical issues arise in communication. Personal values need to be taken into account because they will frame many decisions; its the social workers instincts about safety and danger that decides, for instance, whether it is safe for a child to stay with their parents. However, personal values need to coincide with professional values because social workers cannot let personal judgements shadow their professional obligations to help all service users and abide by the code of practice (CCW, 2002). For example a social worker cannot express their personal opinions to a service user through verbal or non-verbal communication. They have to treat them with professional courtesy despite their personal feelings towards them. Social work values are underpinned by traditional and radical values. Traditional values focuses on being non-judgemental , protecting confidentiality and treating the service user with dignity and respect (Biestek, 1961). This follows the anti-oppressive practice of treating everyone as individuals and to not compare two different cases. These values underpin the core principles of the code of practice (CCW, 2002). Radical values are more modern views of social work practice which involves the service users taking more action to solve their problems themselves. For example, empowering the service user to have more confidence to build a partnership with their social worker and give input into their own plans for the future (Thompson, 2000). According to BASW code of ethics (2012) professional ethics concerns matters of right and wrong conduct, good and bad qualities of character and the professional responsibilities attached to relationships in a work context. Ethical issues can arise because social workers promote the welfare and rights of service users but the end result may not coincide with what the service user thinks is the right decision for them. This could cause communication barriers/issues because social workers support service users to be a part of deciding their own life changes then in some circumstances this power can be taken away from them. For example, an elderly woman wants to be able to live at home but she does not have the support and her dementia and mobility is deteriorating. The decision is made that she needs to go into supported accommodation, this effects the social workers relationship with the woman and the service users whole demeanour changes towards the social worker including body langu age, attitude and facial expression. In conclusion, communication verbal and non-verbal resides at the core of social work. It is utilized in all areas of social work as an essential part of the job. Communication is used in services for elderly, children, people with disabilities, drug and alcohol abuse and mental health. It is used to build relationships, create solutions and to negotiate plans for service users. It is important that social workers work to always improve these skills and complete training so they can learn from other professionals experiences of how different service users, carers and professionals like to work in partnership. This includes how to communicate with people who may not want to co-operate to begin with but can use negotiation skills to improve the relationship.

General Environment of Hsbc China Essay

Demographic Segment: Mainland China is step into an aging population society because of one-child policy. Aged people think that state-owned banks are more trustable such as China Bank and ICBC. HKBC should have some strategies towards these senior citizens to compete with the other big state-owned bank. Raising affluence and level of education is another demographic trend in China. People are more like to manage their income in portfolio rather than just saving and withdrawing. A larger population and almost all the affluent people distribute in east coast of China. So it is a chance to develop multi-financial service in these areas. However, China also has great disparities in income level and living standard. So to develop premium products or basic products is another strategy to think about. Sociocultural Segment: Women have relatively high status in China than other countries. More women work in different field, especially at some high-salary positions. Dual-income families have financial ability to improve living standard. And it is a great chance to attract more potential female customers who are loyal consumers of brands. Increasing temporary workers is another trend in China today. They work in cities from rural areas where might not have commercial banks. So complicated financial services are not work well for these people. Political/legal Segment: In 2003, China amended Law of the People’s Republic of China on Commercial Banks. And the rules towards banks are completing. Technological Segment: Technology in China today had created an open door opportunity with it high speed online connectivity and capability, automation and its rapid change of technology. HSBC have the change to use these advantages to improve their capability in business. Moreover, the advances in IT to generate process efficiencies also served as impetus for the growth of bank industry (Strategy, 2010). These allow departments share information and data, reduce cost and improve customer service as a major breakthrough for the express banking industry. Online bank and phone bank become a trend in the advent of high-tech. Economic Segment: Highly increasing GDP and CPI in China reveal the resurgent economy after 2008 economic crisis. It is also a resurgent of banks and financial institutions. Global Segment: Chinese economy has been in an emergence stage after getting into WTO in 2001. And the exchange rate of RMB is increasing. Rising inflation and global competition gave rise to greater pressures on businesses to minimize the costs of operation and also created demands for speed and accuracy in all aspects of business. HSBC was rolling in a scandal of laundering money for terrorist. This heavily effects the brand reputation of HSBC.

Nonverbal Communication Reflection Paper

Reflection Paper on Nonverbal Communication I learned a lot about Human Communication when I read the chapter about Nonverbal Communication. Nonverbal Communication is the process of using messages that are not words to generate meaning. I learned that it happens every day. I also learned that is very hard to read or understand depending on the person you are speaking to or with. Verbal and Nonverbal codes work in conjunction with each other. The words we speak or say are used in conjunction six different ways: to repeat, to emphasize, to complement, to contradict, to substitute, and to regulate. I never knew until reading this chapter that we do these things all most every time we communicate. These are things I took for granted until now. I now know that I will pay closer attention when speaking so I can work on how I communicate my nonverbal codes. I also learned that nonverbal codes consist of nonword symbols. Those symbols are bodily movements, facial expressions, bodily appearance, and personal space, time, touching, vocal cues, clothing and artifacts. I now know from this lesson that I also so all of these things as well when communicating. Everyone uses one or more of these when they communicate. I know from my own experience that people can read me by my kinesics. I know that I need to be more aware of how I communicate my nonword symbols. People can stereotype you if you are not careful. Understanding nonverbal communication is more common than not. I now understand how to interpret nonverbal codes better than I did before. I am also aware now of how I should speak to people using my nonverbal codes so that they may understand me as well. This chapter was very interesting to me because all of the things we do without speaking to people is amazing. I never paid attention before. I now understand nonverbal communication as well as how to use it in my everyday life better than I did before taking this class.

Evaluating The Investment Opportunities And Alternative Methods Finance Essay - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 7 Words: 2127 Downloads: 4 Date added: 2017/06/26 Category Finance Essay Type Analytical essay Did you like this example? Firstly, compare the Base case NPV and Opportunity 1 NPV, according to the results of NPV calculations, we can obtained the results is Opportunity 1 NPV is positive and greater than Base case, under NPV rule, accept all project with positive NPV, under this rule, Opportunity 1 should be accept. On the other hand, even Opportunity 1 should be accept, there have some uncertainty factors should be consider, such as foreign currency risk. Since the Opportunity 1 is build new factory aboard, that will occur foreign currency risk. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Evaluating The Investment Opportunities And Alternative Methods Finance Essay" essay for you Create order The foreign currency risk usually occur when the money must be converted to another currency, thus changes in the currency exchange rate will cause the cost material or sales the product amount decrease or increase when the money converted back into original currency. Secondly, compare the Base case NPV and Opportunity 2 NPV, according to the results of NPV calculations, we can obtained the results is Opportunity 2 NPV is positive but it is less than Base case, under NPV rule, Opportunity 2 should be accept, even the NPV is less than Base case. If Penta Ltd accept Opportunity 2, they should be consider the uncertainty factors is the retail business is not their expertise, if will affected the retail business cant run efficiency, they may need to hire outside management and salesperson to run their new business, it will increased their operation and other relevant cost. 2. Evaluate the investment opportunities and alternative methods Net present value (NPV) is different than the present value, the present value is no considered the initial investment of the project, present value is compute the expected cash flow by the discounting them at the required rate of return. NPV is including the initial investment of the project, which means is the total amount of the initial investment minus present value. Advantages of NPV: NPV have considered the time value of money which can make the forecast cash flow discount back to today cash value, it can allows management to decide which project should be invest through the positive NPV or negative NPV. NPV is uses cash flow, not accounting profit, cash flow is more reliably, because cash flow is not affected by judgment of the accounting policies and cash flow is more difficult to manipulate. Accounting profit may adjusted by the management due to few reasons (creative account) and accounting profit would affected by judgment on accounting policies. NPV can take account of conventional and non-conventional cash flows, as well as changes in discount rate during project and gives absolute measure of project value. Disadvantages of NPV: Since the NPV is uses the cash flow, project cash flows is very difficult to estimate, in the real practice, the project cash flow is determined based on managements preference not actual cash flow. NPV allows the management to accept all projects with positive NPV, if two project simultaneous positive NPV, the management should choose the project with higher NPV. In addition to NPV method used to evaluate the investment opportunities, there are other ways can evaluate the investment opportunities, such as internal rate of return (IRR), Payback period and Profitability index. Internal rate of return (IRR): IRR is discount rate which gives zero NPV for project which the decision rule is allows the management to accept all projects with an IRR greater than the companys cost of capita or the companys target rate of return. Advantage of Internal rate of return (IRR) IRR can indicator for the choosing investment, if the result show that IRR is higher than the companys cost of capital or higher than the companys target rate than the project should be invest if there is no multiple IRR, compare between the IRR and NPV, when the project is mutually exclusives, NPV should be select advice. Disadvantage of Internal rate of return (IRR) IRR have no consider the time value of money, IRR method assumes that the opportunity cost of capital is the same for all cash flow. NPV have considered the changes in discount rate during project, but IRR ignores the changes in discount rate during project. If the projects with non-conventional cash flows and applying IRR method and that may occur multiple IRR, in this situation, if compare with the NPV, NPV should be select advice. Normally, NPV gives more correct selection advice to the management about mutually exclusive projects. Payable period: The payback period is a simple method to calculate how manage time can recover the capital spent on an initial investment. Advantage of payable period: Payback period can give simple concept to the companys management to understand how much time the cash will flow back to the company. Payback period is easy to understand than other method to the management. Payback period is easier to calculate than other method, such as NPV and IRR and the payback period is uses cash, not accounting profit. Cash flow is more reliably, because cash flow is not affected by judgment of the accounting policies and cash flow is more difficult to manipulate. Accounting profit may adjusted by the management due to few reasons (creative account) and accounting profit would affected by judgment on accounting policies. Disadvantage of payable period: Payback period only considers the cash flows within the payback period; it is no nothing about the project. Payback period have no consider the size of cash flows, timing of cash flows and the time value of money which can not discount back the forecast cash flow to today value and payback period does not consider the risk of the project, risk is very important element for the consider whether the project should be invest. If ignores that will affected the management decision making. Profitability index: Profitability index is that the present value ration of a projects cash flow to initial investment. When the result of profitability index is 1 indicates that the project should be accept, and this is consistent with net present value greater than 0. Advantage of Profitability index: Profitability index and tells the management whether the investment of project increases the firms value, it is easily to understand for the management decision making, profitability have considers all cash flow of the project and considers the time value of money, through the cost of capital, profitability considers the risk of future cash flows. Disadvantages of Profitability index: Profitability index is based on the cost of capital to calculate the result, but the cost of capital is very difficult to estimate accurately. When to use the profitability index to compare mutually exclusive projects which may not give the correct decision to the management, if compare mutually exclusive projects, NPV gives more correct selection advice to the management about mutually exclusive projects. 3. Implications of undertaking Option 2 If Penta Ltd undertaking Option 2, enter into the retail business, based on the acquisition the option 2 NPV which result is positive, therefore, the project should be invest. In this selection of Penta Ltd, it will seen as a vertical acquisition, vertical acquisition is the company in the same industry at different stages of production merge, vertical acquisition have backwards acquisition and forwards acquisition, Penta Ltd is seen as a forward acquisition, it is because that Penta Ltd is to acquire a small chain of shops in UK and enter into the retailing business under its own brand, it is same business but in differ stage. Vertical acquisition can secures vital outlets for finished products. It can secure Penta Ltd can quickly and directly to sell their product. Normally, the company makes acquisition decision that objective is that they want through acquisition to gain synergy effect and economies of scale effect. Synergy effect is arise when the acquire complementary activities lead to increasing profit or output, synergy effect normally reflected by the company operating, financial and managerial, but the problem is the synergy effect is very difficult to quantify before the companies combine and also difficult to realise once combination occurred. Economies of scale can make the acquirer have a larger scale of operations or through the acquisition can more efficient to use the assets through this activity leads to decrease in average unit cost. Economies of scale normally reflected by the company production, distribution and marketing. In this situation, Penta Ltd better able to experience the economies, it is because that Penta Ltd is making a vertical acquisition, it can help Penta Ltd to entry to the new market and extend their business to retail business, from manufacturing products to sell is also a train. Penta Ltd can through the acquisition to secures their the can more efficient to sell their product. Even Penta Ltd able to experience the economies, due to Penta Ltd is entry to new market, retail is not their expertise. If Penta Ltd transfer their managerial skills to the new business, due to the retail business is not their expertise, that will cause the management of Penta Ltd can not efficient to run the new business, it may cause Penta Ltd need to recruit new management and sales persons with a good customer services and good retail experience and skills to manage the new business. It will be increased the cost of capital. And the other problem is the culture problem, culture problem is more important, it is because that when two company is merge together, often occur the culture problem. Penta Ltd can through the acquisition to quickly to entry to the new market for existing product, it is faster than organic growth and through the acquisition, and Penta Ltd can savint the carry costs such as research and development cost. Penta Ltd through the acquisition can quickly to growth their market share and increased market power or market size. 4.1 Penta Ltd has access to unlimited funds If Penta Ltd access to unlimited funds, since the both option 1 and 2 is a positive NPV, under the NPV rules, if the project result is positive, the project should be accept. For Investment Option 1(Build new factory abord), the investment cost of the factory is 8 million. For Investment Option 2(Enter into the retail business), the investment cost of entering into the retail business is 5 million. The total investment cost of both investment opportunities is 13 million. The company have sufficient funds to undertake both investment under unlimited funds, even option 1 NPV is higher than option 2 NPV, separate to discuss the implication of option 1 and option 2. Option 1 is to build new factory abroad, Option 1 NPV is higher than base case and option 2, option 1 can generate more revenue to Penta Ltd, Option 1 can increase Penta Ltd market share in their business and increase their production capacity which may increase their output and profit, through build new factory abroad, Penta can increase their production efficiency, improve their internal operation. On the other hand, to build new factory will increase their operation cost. Option 2 is to enter into the retail busines, this option through the acquisition can help Penta quickly to entry new market and extend their business from manufacturer to the retail business which can secures Penta Ltd vital outlets for finished products. Through the acquisition they can extend their market size and market share. On the other hand, retail business is not their expertise, it may can not run efficiency, they may need to hire new management with good sales and customer experience to manage the new business, it will increase their cost. Based on above information, Penta Ltd should undertake option 1, it is because that option 1 is their expertise, option 2 is not their expertise, and option 1 is higher than option 2. Therefore, Penta Ltd should undertake option 1. 4.2 Penta Ltd is only able to raise capital up to  ¿Ãƒâ€šÃ‚ ¡10million Since Penta Ltd is only able to raise capital up to 10million, therefore, it should be undertake the highest NPV option, the highest of the two options is option 1 which NPV is higher than option 2 and base case. Penta Ltd should undertake option 1 not option 2, even the both NPV is positive. To build new factory an increase Penta Ltd market share in their business and increase their production capacity which may increase their output and profit, through build new factory abroad, Penta can increase their production efficiency, improve their internal operation and reduce the average cost of production. On the other hand, to build new factory will increase their operation cost such as labour cost, they should be hire person to run their new factory. If build new factory aboard, Penta Ltd should considering the foreign currency risk. The foreign currency risk usually affects Penta Ltd when their make export and/or import activity, when the money must be converted to another currency, thus changes in the currency exchange rate will cause the cost material or sales the product amount decrease or increase when the money converted back into original currency. It will affected their profit of whole business.