Abstract This paper discusses whether veteransreturning from Iraq with disabilities, such as post-traumatic stress disorder, should receive preferential treatment in securing employment. This paper further provides a comparison of the affirmative action programs for veterans, minorities and women, followed by an analysis of the deontological and utilitarian aspects of these human resource initiatives. The author concludes that affirmative action for veterans is weak compared to other programs for women and minorities.
Outline:
Introduction
Review and Discussion
Utilitarian and Deontological Considerations
Conclusions
From the Paper "By sharp contrast, affirmative action programs for women and minorities are of fairly recent origin. According to Cohen and Sterba (2003), less than two months after assuming office, President John F. Kennedy issued Executive Order 10925 in March 1961 that established the President's Committee on Equal Employment Opportunity; the goal of this initiative was to end discrimination in employment by the federal government and its contractors. This presidential mandate, which is still in effect today, requires every federal contract from that time forward to include the following pledge: "The Contractor will not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment because of race, creed, color, or national origin. The Contractor will take affirmative action, to ensure that applicants are employed, and that employees are treated during employment, without regard to their race, creed, color, or national origin" (Executive Order 10925, 1961, cited in Cohen & Sterba, 2003, p. 12). While these words had been used in federal legislation in the past such as the National Labor Relations Act of 1935, it was the mandate of President Kennedy that created the national commitment to "affirmative action" to take those steps necessary to eliminate all preference by race (Cohen & Sterba, 2003). Affirmative action programs for women and minorities assume a large variety of forms today, ranging from conducting more aggressive recruiting efforts in ethnic communities to mandating a specific number of positions be set aside specifically for female and minority candidates (Beckwith & Jones, 1997). Many states have established comparable affirmative action programs for women, minorities and disabled veterans that have recently been confirmed as constitutional as well (Muhl, 1999). "
Tags: disabled, veterans, PTSD, Iraq, war, Affirmative, Action
Abstract The following paper outlines the various services the Texas Veterans Commission provides to returningveterans. Among other things, the TVC is a portal of information and it is also an organization excellent in the art of cultivating relationships with other organizations. The paper ultimately argues that the TVC is an under-appreciated and highly sophisticated organization.
From the Paper "When many people think of the Texas Veterans' Commission, they immediately think of pension and post-service entitlements. This kind of thinking is understandable but also rather unfortunate, because the Texas Veterans' Commission offers much more. In the following paper, attention will be granted not only to the TVC's meritorious efforts to assist veterans in the receipt of post-service benefits, but also to its efforts to re-integrate veterans into civilian life. As will soon become apparent, the level of expertise at the TVC and its breadth of services are commonly overlooked - except by those grateful souls who have benefited from them. With that in mind, it is to a discussion of the TVC that this paper now turns. "
Abstract This paper explores the issue of homelessness among US veterans. In particular, the author focuses on why many veterans do not choose to use the services available to them through the US government and the Veterans Administration. The paper lists several of the factors the research found that may determine if veterans seek help. The author concludes that these studies highlight the need for effective social services in local areas for veterans.
Outline:
Background of the Problem
Importance of the Problem
Hypothesis and Research Questions
Literature Review
Methodology
Conclusion
From the Paper "Currently, there are over 25 million veterans alive (VA, 2002). Not only are the veterans eligible for services but their families are often eligible as well. That makes close to 70 million people in the United States eligible for veterans benefits (VA, 2002). It is estimated that there are nearly 250,000 homeless veterans on any given night in the United States (VA, 2002). The Veteran's Administration (VA) was established in 1930 to help those who suffered because of war (VA, 2005). VA employs a large number of social workers and counselors to help veterans with problems that are often associated with war. They specialize in helping veterans with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) treatment, alcohol and drug abuse, family-related and care-giver services during the extended recovery periods involved with physical rehabilitation (VA, 2005)."
Abstract The paper discusses how federal law restricts how soon a retiree can return to a company he or she worked for previously. The paper explains that due to this, when retirees want to return to their workplace as temporary workers, they can avoid this restriction by being placed on a different company's payroll. The paper brings several examples of retirees returning to work for a variety of reasons and motivations.
From the Paper "For example, the "Happy Returns" program at MidAmerican Energy Company is glad to welcome their employees who retired but wish to come back for temporary work assignments, and they have figured a way to avoid "hassles associated with government regulations regarding defined benefits pensions and employment by a former employer" (Ryberg, 2006). What retirees do when MidAmerican lets them know there is some part time work is actually sign up as temporary employees with Manpower, Inc., not with MidAmerican."
Abstract This paper provides an analysis of the Department of Veterans Affairs using the "Fourteen Forces of Magnetism" developed by Bliss-Holtz, Winter, Scherer and Elaine as a guide to assessing whether the organization has structures in place to for recruitment, retention, and support of a qualified workforce and to support the professional practice of nursing. The paper presents an overview of the VA, its location, size and age as well as some unusual history of the organization. A discussion concerning the VA's image is followed by an analysis of its sub-unit configuration. A summary of the research and salient findings concerning whether the VA is in a solid position to recruit, retain, and support a qualified workforce and to support the professional practice of nursing are presented in the conclusion.
From the Paper "The research showed that today, the Department of Veterans Affairs is the nation's largest healthcare provider and one of the largest healthcare providers in the world. The research also showed that notwithstanding some major constraints to the provision of high-quality healthcare services to the millions of veteran patients the organization has encountered in the past, the VA is well situated to recruit, retain, and support a qualified workforce and to support the professional practice of nursing in the 21st century."
Tags: healthcare, war veterans, organizations nursing
A discussion regarding how employers currently treat their employees with respect to working hours and family life with specific statistical references.
1,490 words (approx. 6 pages), 5 sources, 2001, $ 49.95
Abstract In this paper the author addresses the issue of how the work environment, particularly in large companies, can meet the demands of family life. He looks at the different areas that people work in and assesses how accommodating employers are to the needs of the employees with specific reference to flexible working hours. The author also looks at how employers treat employees returning to work after maternity leave and allowing parents to attend to children during regular working hours. The author then moves on to discuss stress levels at work and how this directly relates to hours worked and time that the employee can spend with the family.
From the paper:
?However, despite the fact that today's work/life movement has its roots in dependent care, the percentage of companies that provide assistance for dependent care remains remarkably low. For example, only half (50%) have set up pre-tax accounts that help employees set aside money for child care or elder care expenses. One-third (36%) provide employees with information that help them locate child care in their communities. As we might expect, less than 1 of every 10 workplaces either has a child care center at or near the work site (9%) or helps defray some of the costs of child care (9%).?
Abstract "The Return of Martin Guerre" documents a strange sixteenth-century court case that has fascinated people ever since. A peasant Martin Guerre abandoned his wife and family and disappeared. Years later a man claiming to be Martin Guerre returned and resumed Martin's life. Later he was accused of being an imposter. On the point of winning his trial the real Martin Guerre appeared. This review analyzes this volume's revelations regarding masculinity, gender and marriage in the sixteenth century.
Abstract The paper discusses the issue of staff training and return on investment. It looks at the relationship of training to a company's goals and objectives and the concept of ROI (return on investment).
From the Paper "There is little doubt that contemporary organizations particularly those that define themselves as learning organizations intent upon enhancing workers' knowledge and skills emphasize training as part of ..."
Abstract Paul Krugman's book, The Return of Depression Economics, examines the economies of seven different countries that produce the majority of the economic output of the world, and how each has been affected by major economic slumps throughout the world. This interesting yet very complicated book offers a tour of the major economic crises which have spread across the world in the 1990s, including those of East Asia, Brazil, Mexico, and Russia. Paul Krugman provides brief accounts of the devaluation of Thailand's baht currency, the "financial doomsday machine" created by hedge funds, and the "liquidity trap" of the Japanese economy. Krugman's light journalistic style is easy to read for the most part and is well-targeted at his intended audience. Many of the nine chapters stand very well on their own as slightly extended versions of what is known in the US as op-ed pieces. For example, the chapter on hedge funds contains as clear an explanation of the operation of such funds as a layman could get anywhere. It also contains a number of brief, enlightening and well-written stories under sub-headings like 'The Legend of George Soros' and 'The Madness of Prime Minister Mahathir', and concludes with 'The Panic of 1998' which outlines the demise of Long Term Capital Management. In other chapters there are equally succinct and fascinating stories concerning Mexico, Argentina, Thailand and so on. Some of these extracts ought to make very useful reading to stimulate discussion on undergraduate macro, international or development economics courses. It is the purpose of this paper to examine the major themes of Krugman's book.
Abstract The writer of this paper attempts to define the true meaning of work while questioning whether or not people actually value their work or if they're in fact averse to it. The writer contends and explains why the concept of 'meaning of work' refers to the effectiveness of an enterprise as well as a sense of significance in a larger structure. This paper analyzes the pivotal role of work in comparison to leisure, community, religion and family activities. This paper details the views and perceptions of various social scientists, in American and around the world, regarding this specific topic. This paper delves into the elaborate research of William Whitely regarding work values in England, the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, Yugoslavia, the U.S., Japan and Israel. This paper discusses an analysis by Alexandre Ardichvili which indicates one of the first attempts to explore the meaning of working in countries that move from centrally planned to market driven economies. This paper also examines the Meaning of Work (MOW) Study as well as its results, which gathered proof relating to the manner in which cultural, societal and individual factors form the work ethic. The MOW International Research Team has created a work centrality index that prioritizes the responses from people in different nations in terms of their commitment to work and the magnitude of their identity with their work, which is detailed in this paper.
From the Paper "Allocating responsibility, building a varied and interesting work environment and particularly permitting autonomy all supplemented considerably to enhanced level of work centrality. Neither, positive work incidents like enhancement in salary and working environment along with developed interpersonal associations not negative work incidents like elimination of employment and extended unemployment result in individual work centrality. The life incident of marriage did not influence work centrality of men or women. The pregnancy and birth gives rise to the decline of absolute work centrality among women like that in 1993 work centrality was considerably lower among women those experienced childbirth, in contrast to those who did not."
Tags: sociology, research, perception, israel, mow, meaning, of, work, study
This paper addresses key issues in clinical social work, centering on the interview and case management process, and also discussing the use of time, silence, and information in the social work process.
3,400 words (approx. 13.6 pages), 5 sources, 2002, $ 124.95
Abstract This paper addresses key issues in clinical social work, centering on the interview and case management process, and also discussing the use of time, silence, and information in the social work process. It defines interviewing skills that a social worker must have, as well as describing the environment that would be ideal for therapeutic work or interviewing. Foremost among the issues that interviewing raises are trust and responsibility in the client-social worker relationship.
Tags: PSYCHOLOGY / COUNSELLING, SOCIAL WORK, social work relationships
Abstract This paper relates that in America, even the wealthiest Americans, such as Bill Gates, who certainly do not need to work hard, seem to revel in overwork and even pride themselves on being considered "work-alcoholics". The author points out that, despite the use of technology to do many of the more routine work functions, many people are working longer hours because they want more material goods. The paper explains that another reason for overwork, which is not be mandated by the company, is the competition for a promotion and other bonuses.
From the Paper "Schumacher is far more concerned with the quality of life- no matter the number of hours increasing or decreasing. As he says: "People are worrying their heads about their standard of living when the world around them, where it really matters, is collapsing." Schor, on the other hand, is not worrying about a standard of living as much as a reduction in working hours. What would be useful, in an updated version of this book, would be to determine what the working people would do with extra leisure hours. Surely, some would do repairs on their homes or cars, mow or seed their lawns, even just relax with a beer and watch TV sports. But, what have we- as a society gained- from increased leisure time."
Abstract This paper analyzes the song "Working Class Hero" for what it says about work and workers, and for how it might help a vocational counselor. This paper notes that the song "Working Class Hero" celebrates the members of the working class who do their jobs for their families and who do not get the respect they deserve. The song does not single out one type of worker but instead celebrates the class of workers who do most of the work for society.
From the Paper " The song begins with a reference to retirement, to the end of the working life, showing how little the worker receives in terms of praise for what he has done. He is given a gold watch and holds it in his callused hand. The song also indicates, however, that the working class hero does not want more than this and instead has worked his whole life for the good of his family, giving his wife a house and his children a start in life. "
Abstract This paper discusses how Thompson's "The Making of the English Working Class" can be considered 'bottom up' history in its concern to rescue the working people of the Industrial Revolution from the economic conditions of the time. It looks at how, central to Thompson's work, is the theme of the emergence of a conscious working class between 1780 and 1832 in the context of the proletarianization and political repression. It also examines how Thompson's work fits into Marxist thinking and how Thompson is a good example of a cultural Marxist.
From the Paper "Marx does not focus on cultural history either, but rather economic history and class relationships for this "grand, overarching evolutionary theory of human history rested upon a dialectic of economic transformation" . For Marx what we do is the basis of who we are. Marx's theory is also an example of a 'systematic theory', in that it tries to explain how all parts relate to the whole in their system. There are several main tenets of Marxist theory which I will explain now in order to establish a framework in order to evaluate E.P. Thompson's work. Marx saw society as being evolutionary in that it moved and would continue to do so through successive stages of economic development or modes of production."
This paper is a research proposal, including an extensive literature review, which explores the relative importance of non-economic factors in predicting the level of difficulty unwed mothers will experience in moving from welfare to work.
Abstract This paper is a proposal for a research project that evaluates the non economic factors faced by unwed mothers as they go to work: Personal health limitations, personal mental health problems, health and behavioral problems of dependent children, substance abuse, child welfare, domestic violence, housing instability, inadequate transportation and very low social skills. This paper includes a literature review that covers many areas such as economic issues of mal-distribution and political issues of welfare legislation especially the Welfare-to-Work Partnership. The author plans to collect data through the administration of survey questionnaires to both subjects? case workers and to the subjects themselves. Includes questionnaires.
Table of Contents
Introduction
Introduction to the Proposed Research
Description of the Issue
Research Questions
Significance of the Study
Definitions of Major Concepts
Overview of the Study
Review of Literature
Introduction
Conceptual Framework
Relevant Literature
Welfare State Concept
Welfare Reform
Employment and Welfare Reform
Welfare Reform Outcomes
Other Non-Economic Factors and Work The Conclusions Relevant to the Study
Problem and Statement of Hypotheses
Methodology
Introduction
Research Design
Population and Sample
Data Collection
Instrumentation
Case Workers
Subjects
Subject Confidentiality
Data Analysis
From the Paper "Past social legislation guaranteed all American citizens entitlements to food, shelter, and other basic necessities. This social contract, which prevented the need for triage, was the foundation of the American state for fifty years. In the name of personal responsibility, welfare reform has destroyed the entitlements of dependent populations. According to the welfare reform scenario, Americans would survive only by taking responsibility for themselves?the shiftless and irresponsible would lose their life-support system and sink or swim on their own."
