Developing business skills ta Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5000 words

Developing business skills ta - Essay Example Thus, I need to become proficient in verbal and written including non-verbal communication (Refer appendix 1 and 3) Resources from the library and the EBSCO database for reading academic journals and books related to communication. ‘Improve Communication Skills’ by Marcela Enos and other such books would be used to improve communication skills. I will also network with diverse populace for improving non-verbal communication 10th December 2014 would be my target date to review my proficiency in the verbal, non-verbal and written English as I would have finished my two terms and I would be confident in my communication which will reflect in assignments, presentations and group discussions. Moreover, it will help my internship which requires excellent communication skills for career success. Effective time management is necessary for planning and organization of the activities in personal and professional life. Self-motivation helps to develop focused approach and promote timely completion of targets as assigned within the activities. I will use ‘Priority Grid’ to arrange tasks on the basis of importance/ urgencies. The grid is an essential ingredient as it would help complete task according to its priority. The grid would be applied in studies and at work to achieve targets. (Refer appendix 5) Reflective practice would be used regularly and feedback from the tutor and the peer group would help to assess the effectiveness of the planning and organization of the activities within the two terms and later used for work-life balance. It would improve my time management skills and inspire me to finish work within the deadline. It would help me to complete the assignments and presentations on time and reduce stress especially as they are time sensitive and could adversely impact academic scores. ‘Getting Things Done’ by David Allen gives important tips in managing time and therefore, I would be using it to improve my

Power And Conflict In The Workplace Management Essay

Power And Conflict In The Workplace Management Essay For at least the past century, experts have been debating whether power and conflict are good or bad for organisational effectiveness. The purpose of this report is to highlight the importance of conflict and power by identifying the types, and clarifying the effects it has on an organisation. Conflict researchers propose that task conflict tend to have a positive relationship with performance while relationship conflict tends to have a negative relationship with performance. Furthermore, it will explain how power can be beneficial for an organisation, and how it can also destroy it. This report will give an understanding of both negative and positive sides of power and conflict. Introduction The purpose of this report is to identify how power and conflict can negatively affect modern workplaces, and how it can be seen as a positive for the organisation. Past studies have had many discussions on whether these two factors actually benefit the organisation, or affects in a negative way. Regardless, in todays society, being at work requires you to interact and communicate with others in the workplace; therefore understanding workplace conflict and conflict resolution theories is an important concern for many organisations. For a better understanding, this report will explain in depth what conflict and power is, then following; the causes and types of power and conflict. This can help organisations by identifying the causes of conflict; it can help find the best approach to resolve it. For example, having scarce resources; this can help organisations ensure that there are enough resources available for employees before any conflict arises. Preventing the situation before it a rises is the best approach as minor situations can escalate into major conflict. In relation to power, this report will explain how it will benefit the organisation by providing direction and better team work. Furthermore it will discuss how it will affect the organisation if it is misused, and how to prevent this from occurring. What is Power? Power, defined as the capability of one party to exert influence on another to act in a prescribed manner is often a function of both dependence and the use of that dependence as leverage. (Panteli, N Tucker, R 2009, p.113). The most basic prerequisite of power is that one person or group believes it is dependent on another person or group for a resource of value; for example, having power over others by controlling a desired job assignment, useful information, important resources or even the privilege of being associated with you. (McShane, Olekalns Travaglione 2010, p. 382). Generally, power can be categorised in five sources. Legitimate Power Refers to an agreement among organisational members that people in certain roles can request certain behaviours of others ( McShane, Olekalns Travaglione 2010, p. 383). This associates with having a position of power in an organisation such as a manager. This power comes when employees in the organisation recognises the authority of the individual. Reward Power Reward power is conveyed from the persons ability to control the allocation of rewards valued by others and to remove negative sanctions. (McShane, Olekalns Travaglione 2010, p. 384).This can be done by giving bonuses, promotions and raises, extra time off work and so on. Coercive Power Coercive Power is the ability to apply punishment. (McShane, Olekalns Travaglione 2010, p. 385). This type of power is conveyed through fear of losing ones job, receiving a poor performance review, being demoted, having projects delegated to someone else etc Expert Power This type of power refers to an individuals or work units capacity to influence others by possessing knowledge or skills that they value. Employees are gaining expert power as our society moves from an industrial to a knowledge-based economy. The reason is that employee knowledge becomes the means of production and is ultimately outside the control of those who own the company (McShane, Olekalns Travaglione 2010, p. 385). Referent Power Referent Power refers to the capacity to influence others on the basis of an identification with and respect for the powerholder. It is largely a function of the persons interpersonal skills and tends to develop slowly. (McShane, Olekalns Travaglione 2010, p. 386). In addition, it is evident that legitimate, reward and coercive power originate from the position. In contrast, expert and referent power comes from within the person (McShane, Olekalns Travaglione 2010, p. 385). 2.0 How can Power negativity affect modern workplaces? The misuse of power or the lack thereof also results in an organization that is unresponsive to innovation and change and usually relatively powerless. (Seperich, G.J McCalley, R.W 2006, p.15). In todays society, peoples use of power can revolve around trying to use power they dont have and using the wrong kind of power to achieve results. In most cases, people misuse their power due to the fact that they have it and arent aware of it. As a manager or leader, it is important to know how to correctly use the power. Misuse of power can lead to employees feeling stressed, if there is the delegation of work-overload, which can eventually lead to high levels of absenteeism, turnovers, resignations, low performance levels and low job satisfaction. All these events will affect modern workplaces as they will have to spend time and money in order to resolve the situation. In addition, organisations that ensure their power is not misused, they adopt behaviours that build healthy relationships . This can be justified by not only having the ability to get the job done, but also having a positive behaviour and attitude around co-workers. Another tactic is to not play favourites. This can be seen as unfair to employees. Also being a good role model for your organisation is also very important. To have a respectable and good behavioural team, management and leaders need to set a good example. Lastly, those whos got the power should know that with great power come great responsibilities. This includes dealing with hard conversations. Management should use compassion to deliver hard messages, in which this comes back to making employees feel comfortable and building healthy relationships. 3.0 How can Power be seen as a positive? Power is seen to play a major role in team dynamics and interactions. According to Niki Panteli and Robert Tucker, a study of 18 distributed teams within an organisation was established in order to encourage the interviewees to recall their experiences from working in a team. Open-ended questions were asked to explore the background of the team, the performance levels, the distribution of power amongst the team members, the levels of trust within the team, and how trust changed over time. The interview also enabled the members to judge and describe whether they worked well, or did not work well in teams. Results showed that 11 teams worked well, 7 had good trust relationships, 7 did not work well and lastly, 4 teams developed trust over time. During the interview, power differentials were acknowledged in all of the teams; including those who considered themselves to have worked well. This isnt necessarily a negative action for the team. What differentiates the teams that worked well against collocated teams in terms of how the power differentials were used is that the team used it to their advantage; by having shared goals in order to create a higher level or an overriding goal or vision. These goals were focused on the success of the team as a whole; enabling the members to not feel like they are in a position to alter the power due to the situation. Therefore, allowing time to look for something that was more important than their individual needs. The study also found that in the high trust teams, power differentials does not disappear, however it shifts from one member to another. Power can originate from knowledge, therefore at any given point in time; the most powerful was the individual with the most relevant information (cited in Panteli, N Tucker, R 2009, p. 114). In this case, it is expert power that is being established. In modern workplaces, this is seen a positive due to the reason that power tends to move based on whatever the activity is going at that time. This will lead the power following those that are most knowledgably at any point in time; providing the organisation with the most efficient information, from those who expertises in that department. Generally, having power within a team or organisation can be very beneficial, not only can it voice expert power and opinions, but it can also provide direction. For example, when working in teams, there can be individuals who feel lost and unaware of what to do, therefore by having power, it can give the individual a sense of direction as they know who to report to and discuss their issues with. It can also help with quick decision making. For example, when a quick decision is to be made, power can speed up the process as generally, individuals who have legitimate, expert and referent power automatically have authority to make the decision, rather than having to discuss with other co-workers. Everyone recognizes the need to be organized in order to plan activities, assign r esponsibilities, and identify a common goal to be reached. Once everything is in place, power must be used to give direction and control the process. (Seperich, G.J McCalley, R.W 2006, p.14). Furthermore the power in an organization must be used as a resource to stimulate intelligent decision making, encourage problem solving, motivate sustained energy in its people, and foster the pursuit of excellence (Seperich, G.J McCalley, R.W 2006, p.15) What is Conflict? Conflict is a process in which one party perceives that its interests are being opposed or negatively affected by another party. (McShane, Olekalns Travaglione 2010, p. 414). Disagreement or conflict, risk, and time can be either assets or liabilities depending on how they are managed by you and the members of your team. (Troester, R Mester, C 2007, p.185). Personality of managers affects their managerial style and their conflict management method (Salimi, S.H Karaminia, R Esmaeili, A.A 2011, p.11), therefore styles should be thoroughly assessed in which the appropriate method should be chosen. When managing conflict, it is important to work together as it is extremely common for conflicts to escalate regardless of what type of conflict. Generally, there are three types of different conflict; Task conflicts, Relationship conflicts and Process conflicts. Torrance refers task conflict as primarily related to performing tasks, which is often proposed to improve the quality of group work by encouraging more alternative ideas and to help a group avoid conformity traps (cited in Choi, K Cho, B 2011, p.1106), while relationship conflict refers to the types of conflicts in which people focus on the characteristics of other individuals, rather than on the issues, as the source of conflict. They are not task-related; they focus on personal values, gossip, individuals styles or personality and personal tastes. (McShane, Olekalns Travaglione 2010, p. 416). Last of all, Jehn describes process con ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å¡icts as arguments about logistics (how to best achieve the agreed-upon solution to a work problem) and delegation (how and to whom to delegate which tasks)- (cited in Romer, M et al. 2012, p. 255). Managing conflict in organizations has long been a topic of interest to researchers because of its impact on performance, whether its a negative, positive impact, or both (Williams, F 2011, p. 148). Though, as mentioned earlier, if possible, it is best to prevent the over all conflict before it escaluates. Conflict prevention  refers to actions seeking to address the underlying permissive conditions to prevent a conflict from turning violent in the first place. (Rodt, A.P 2012, 378). It is just as important to prevent the issue as well resolving it. However the six main conditions that cause conflict in organisational settings are incompatible goals, value differences, interdependence, scarce resources, ambiguous rules and communication problems Incompatible Goals Goal incompatibility is where the goals of one person or department seem to interfere with another persons or departments goals can be a source of conflict in organisations (McShane, Olekalns Travaglione 2010, p. 418). Differentiation This refers to the differences among people, departments and other entities regarding their training, values, beliefs and experiences. Differentiation and incompatible goals can be linked together as two people or departments may agree on a common goal but have profound differences in how to achieve the goal. (McShane, Olekalns Travaglione 2010, p. 418). Interdependence Interdependence exists when team members must share common inputs to their individual tasks, need to interact in the process of executing their work, or receive outcomes (such as rewards) that are partly determined by the performance of others. Higher interdependence increases the risk of conflict because there is a greater chance that each side will disrupt ot interfere with the other sides goal (McShane, Olekalns Travaglione 2010, p. 418). Scarce Resource This refers to the availability of resources. Scarce resources causes conflict between each person or unit requiring the same resource necessarily undermines others who also need that resource to fulfil the their goals. For that reason, these conflicts occur simply because there isnt enough financial, human capital and other resources for everyone to accomplish their goals, therefore employees need to justify why they should receive the resources. Furthermore, the more resources one project receives, the fewer resources another project will have available to complete its goals. (McShane, Olekalns Travaglione 2010, p. 419). Ambiguous Rules Ambiguous Rules refers to the complete lack of rules in which it causes conflict. This occurs due to the reason that uncertainty increases the risk that one party intends to interfere with other partys goal. Nevertheless, when clear rules exist, employees know what to expect from each other and have agreed to abide by those rules (McShane, Olekalns Travaglione 2010, p. 419). Communication Problems In terms of communication problems, there are three factors that can cause conflict; lack of opportunity, ability and motivation. When parties lack the opportunity to communicate, they tend to reply on stereotyping. This can negatively distort the meaning of an opponents actions, escalating perceptions of conflicts. Furthermore, when parties lack the skills to communicate in a diplomatic manner, the opposing party can view the situation differently in which it will likely heighten their perception to conflict. Lastly, it is in our nature as humans to feel uncomfortable when interacting with others in a conflicting relationship. Therefore avoiding the situation and distinguishing minimal communication can further escalate the conflict. How can Conflict negatively affect modern workplace? According to a survey by Pace, 85% of employees deal with conflict to some degree, 49% believe that the primary causes of workplace conflict are the personality clashes and warring egos between employees, 34% (believe that the conflict is) related to stress and 33% (consider it to be) due to heavy workloads (cited in Singleton et al. 2011, p.149). Therefore it is highly recommended to study workplace conflict, conflict management theories, and how organisational leaders can control conflict as a stimulus to creativity which causes their organisations to thrive (Singleton et al. 2011, p.149). As a result, it is evident that conflict not only affects the organisation, but the employees and their psychological well-being. What is most alarming is that workplace conflicts may have a long-lasting effect on individuals and the organisation, even after they have left. Past studies show that conflict increases negative emotions, affecting the well being of individuals, withdrawing satisfacti on and causing emotional exhaustion. What is seen to be affecting the individual, is also affecting the organisation. This emotional exhaustion from employees can lead to increase of absenteeism and employee turnover. Turnover is the rate at which an employer gains and loses employees. (Vijaya, T.G Hemamalini, R 2012, p. 577). Although all types of conflicts are associated with decreased well-being, past studies show that relationship conflicts seem to do more negative and detrimental effects on individual well-being; this is due to the fact that it affects morale which is likely to result in decreased satisfaction with the job, group and organisation as well as threatening ones identity, self-esteem and generating more intense emotion (Romer, M et al. 2012, p. 256). In terms of performance and team satisfaction relationship conflicts have a bigger impact than task relationships. For these reasons, it is why relationship conflicts are seen as always dysfunctional and more difficult to resolve. How can it be seen as a positive? In todays society, despite which career path is taken, it is important to understand conflict and conflict resolution as everyone in the workplace needs to work and interact with others in the organisation. Conflict is part of the normality and is manifested with varying degrees of intensity, occurring when people feel they have created inconsistencies between their goals, aspirations and expectations (Cojocaru, C 2010, p.429). Conflict is unavoidable whether it is in the workplace, or in social life. Hatch and Cunliffe states that learning to deal effectively with conflict and making it functional is a critical investment for good intrapersonal and interpersonal relations in organizations well as setting the tone for a positive climate and culture for success (cited in Judonoo, E Schroeder, K Boysen-Rotelli, S 2012, p.52). It is beneficial for organisations to promote a culture of healthy conflicts by creating the right atmosphere. This is the best approach for organisations as co nflict will occur regardless, in which time and money are spent in resolving them. However, in todays society, modern workplaces can sometimes see conflict as a positive. According to the Model of the Conflict Process the positive conflict outcomes include better decisions, responsive organisation and team cohesion (McShane, Olekalns Travaglione 2010, p. 415). In modern workplaces, conflict can be seen as having a lack of understanding about differing needs. This can result in disagreements and arguments. Furthermore, this is not necessarily negative. When organisations recognize the conflict, they become willing to examine the situation and environment, in a more compassionate manner, understanding all options. This conflict can be an asset for organisations as it gives the opportunity to discuss and explore other options while opening pathways to different ways of problem solving and team building. Conflict can be beneficial for organisations as it enables individuals to discuss the pros and cons of each scenario or situation; in which it will provide the organisation with the most relevant and important information. Therefore, if conflict hadnt occurred, further discussions and research wouldnt have been accomplished, leaving the organisation with limited options. Jehn states that task conflicts, on the contrary, are thought to benefit performance by leading to deep thinking and thorough consideration of information'(cited in Long, C Zhong-Ming, W Wei, Z 2011, p. 191). Lastly, another important positive factor of conflict is improved relationships. Although this factor mainly benefits individuals, it is also evident that it also positively affects the organisation. When individuals have a positive relationship with co-workers, the organisation benefits from this as there will be an increase of high performance, decrease employee stress and decrease turnover and absenteeism. In modern workplace, conflicts may lead to an awareness of many important issues in an organisation, and thus, a search for solutions, development of creative and new ideas and formations as well as effective and permanent decisions. The diverse and complicated nature of conflicts imposes a critical and important role on conflict management due to the fact that conflicts may contribute to the improvement of organizational effectiveness when they are managed well. (Altun, O.S Argon, G 2011, p.725) Conclusion The most obvious finding to emerge from this study is that it is important for managers to put effort when dealing with power and conflict. As mentioned earlier, minor conflict can easily be escalated into a major situation. Furthermore in relation to power, organisations need to recognise that the misuse of power can be easily adopted, even without realisation.

Analysis of Epic Poems Essay -- Epic Poetry Iliad Greece Greek Literat

Analysis of Epic Poems An epic poem is a long poem that tells a story about heroes. The Iliad is a great epic poem written by Homer in the 8th century BC, reflecting on events that occurred around 1200 BC during the time of the Olympian religion. â€Å"There were twelve chief gods who supposedly lived in Mount Olympus, the highest mountain in Greece. The twelve Olympian gods were common to all Greeks, who thus shared basic polytheistic religion (Spielvogel 84).† The first of the two excerpts I will discuss from the Iliad, is during the time of the Greek and Trojan War. At one point, the powerful god Zeus forbids the other gods to intervene in the war, but Zeus’s wife Hera, wants her brother Poseidon to help the Greeks during this time. Hera decides to distract Zeus’s attention by seducing him with her looks. She bathes herself with ambrosia, fixes her lovely and ambrosial curls, puts on her finest earrings, and dresses in intimate apparel. Hera then makes her way down under the clouds where Zeus could see her. Zeus then approaches her and asks where she is going. Hera lies to him and tells him she is on her way to visit her parents. He is so attracted to her that he insists they must make love above the clouds before she goes. Hera plays hard to get, and suggests they go to a place where they can’t be seen. Zeus then tries to persuade Hera by telling her that no woman, out of the many he's had relations with, had ever melted about his heart like she does. After many attempts, Zeus convinces her to make love to him under the golden cloud. Afterwards, they fall asleep, giving Poseidon his chance to help the Greeks. Although immortal, the gods seen in the Iliad, seem to be very human like; except for the fact that they are forever youthful. Zeus expresses himself to be a strong, powerful, horny, charming, but also, unintelligent god. On the other hand, Hera is seen as a seductress. She is a liar, and a very devious woman who uses sex to get what she wants. The second excerpt from the Iliad, is a face to face fight scene between the Trojan Prince Hector, and the Greek hero Achilles. Previous to this event, Achilles had chased Hector around the city of troy three times looking for revenge. Finally, the goddess Athena steps in and tells Achilles that she will trick Hector by disguising herself to be his brother Delphobus; and when he turns ar... ...and fruits of their victories, and, as usually happens, growing corrupted by flattery and idleness, show a tendency to violence and arrogance, it is in these circumstances, more than ever, that the constitution is seen to possess within itself the power of correcting abuses (Tierney & Scott 103.)† References Homer. â€Å"The Iliad,† Trans. Richmond Lattimore, in Tierney and Scott, Western Societies: A Documentary History. Plato. â€Å"The Republic,† Trans. B. Jowett, in Tierney and Scott, Western Societies: A Documentary History. Plutarch. â€Å"Life of Lycurgus,† Trans. A.H. Clough, in Tierney and Scott, Western Societies: A Documentary History. Polybius. â€Å"The Histories of Polybius,† Trans. E.S. Shuckburgh, in Tierney and Scott, Western Societies: A Documentary History. Spielvogel, Jackson. Western Civilization to 1715., West Publ. Co, Inc., St. Paul: 1999 (4th Ed.) Thucydides. â€Å"History of the Peloponesian War,† Trans. B. Jowett, in Tierney and Scott, Western Societies: A Documentary History. Xenophon. â€Å"Oconomics,† Trans. J.S. Watson, in Tierney and Scott, Western Societies: A Documentary History.

Anne Carson Essay

Kiersten Baxley Professor Shirokova English 1102 12 September 2012 Anne Carson’s Lessons Anne Carson is a very intelligent and well rounded writer. When I first read Anne Carson’s â€Å"Short Talks†, I was seriously confused. At first, Ithought she was an abstract writer that wrote just to write. But then I took a second look at her work and realized there was much more to it than just crazy jumbled ideas. â€Å"Short Talks† is a mixture of many elements. It has argumentation, facts, personal opinions, and an unconventional way of writing. As I was rereading the â€Å"Short Talks†, I noticed names, facts, and a lesson to go along with each â€Å"Short Talk. This persuaded me to do some research so the stories would start to make more sense. After completing my research, I have come to the conclusion that â€Å"Short Talks† has been created to teach the reader a lesson, teach them about a historical figure, and to enable the reader to think outside of the box. I do not like reading something and have no idea what is being discussed; and that is what I liked about Anne Carson’s â€Å"Short Talks†, she prompts the reader to think in a critical manner thus persuading them to want to learn about what they are reading. For the reader to fully understand this style of reading, one needs to research Anne Carson’s background. Next the reader needs to research the main topics of each short talk. Anne Carson truly enables the reader to think outside of the box when she uses this less conventional way of writing since most authors do not use this style of writing. Most writers use a more â€Å"normal† approach to their writings. â€Å"Short Talks† seem to teach the reader some sort of lesson when they read them. Take the short talk â€Å"On Major and Minor† for example, Anne states, â€Å" There are more major things than minor things†¦I believe that she is portraying that there are people all around the world that turn very small things into much larger issues than it should be (Bartholomae and Petrosky 264-270). Carson uses the fictional character Elektra as an example in this short talk. Elektra’s mother and step-father murdered Elektra’s father. Elektra took this very hard, so she and her brother Orestes plotted revenge against her mother and step-father. Elektra’s father had been against things like this, but Elektra became so bitter she began to commit many crimes. So this short talk helps us decide between what is major and minor in our life. This helps to keep from overreacting over the small things in life. Another lesson comes from the short talk â€Å"On Reading. † This takes the reader back to their childhood. No, not everyone enjoys reading, but it is also great for you. In this short talk I got the imagery that this little girl was on a road trip with her parents, her father does not enjoy reading but she does. So while on the way to their destination, she reads Madame Bovary. While reading she takes a moment to look around at the sights passing through the window. This just gets the reader to truly think and assess the way they perceive the way they view reading. Having someone who enjoys reading, and someone who finds no pleasure in reading is what makes the world go round. Not everyone appreciates, or finds interest in the same things, but do not discourage anyone if you have no interest in it. If I were to write some short talks I could use an Anne Carson-like writing style, or writing that flows eloquently. I would try to help the reader to understand what is being said, but to also think about what is before them. I would include an introduction in my short talks to help guide the flow of the short talks. An example of my short talks would be: Every day starts the same way. Get up, get dressed, go to class. You see sleepy students stumbling to class, some even skip class. Never enough sleep. This is the life of a college student preparing for the future. You never know what life has in-store for you today, tomorrow, and all the days before you. Cheerleading When you see a cheerleader, you see a peppy smile. Energetic. This is an athlete in many many ways. Athlete’s in skirts! Tumbling, Stunting, Jumping,. Can you throw someone in the air? Never boring when were around. Love How do you explain love? Do you even know where it is or even how to find it? Is it a passion, a sport, a car, or a lover? Expression. Show it in your own way. Never give it up for anything. Adventure How does someone find adventure? One might sky dive, hike a nature trail, bungee jump. Not everyone is adventurous. Not everyone will find adventure in the same way. Riddle me this, when does your big adventure start? Anne Carson did a great job on â€Å"Short Talks. † I thoroughly enjoyed reading herâ€Å"Short Talks. †I also liked how I was challenged and pushed to think critically about â€Å"Short Talks. † That is what makes a great writer.

Managed Care Organization Essay

USLegal.com A managed care organization (MCO) is a health care provider or a group or organization of medical service providers who offers managed care health plans. It is a health organization that contracts with insurers or self-insured employers and finances and delivers health care using a specific provider network and specific services and products. They provide a wide variety of quality and managed health care services to enrolled workers keeping medical costs down through preventative medicine, patient education, and in other ways. These organizations are certified by the director of the Department of Consumer and Business Services (DCBS). MCOs vary in their constitution as some organizations are made of physicians, while others are combinations of physicians, hospitals, and other providers. For instance, a group practice without walls, independent practice association, management services organization, and a physician practice management company are the common MCO’s. Patient Advocate Foundation Providers of care, such as hospitals, physicians, laboratories, clinics, etc., make up a â€Å"managed care organization† delivery system often known as an â€Å"MCO.† Seven common MCO models are: 1. Preferred Provider Organization (PPO) An arrangement whereby a third-party payer (health plan) contracts with a group of medical-care providers who furnish services at agreed-upon rates in return for prompt payment and a certain volume of patients, perhaps under contract with a private insurer. The services may be furnished at discounted rates, and the insured population may incur out-of-pocket expenses for covered services received outside the PPO if the outside charge exceeds the PPO payment rate. 2. Point-of-Service Plan (POS) Also known as an open-ended HMO, POS plans encourage, but do not require, members to choose a primary care physician. As in traditional HMOs, the primary care physician may act as a â€Å"gatekeeper† when making referrals; plan members may, however, opt to visit out-of-network providers at their discretion. Subscribers choosing not to use a network physician must pay higher deductibles and co-payments than those using network physicians. 3. Exclusive Provider Organization (EPO) A  network of providers that have agreed to provide services on a discounted basis. Enrollees typically do not need referrals for services from network providers (including specialists), but if a patient elects to seek care outside of the network, then he or she will not be reimbursed for the cost of the treatment. An EPO typically does not provide the preventive benefits and quality assurance monitor. 4. Physician-Hospital Organization (PHO) A contracted arrangement among physicians and hospital wherein a single entity, the Physician Hospital Organization, contracts to provide services to insurers’ subscribers. 5. Individual Practice Association (IPA) A formal organization of physicians or other providers through which they may enter into contractual relationships with health plans or employers to provide certain benefits or services. 6. Managed Indemnity Program A program in which the insurer pays for the cost of covered services after services have been rendered and uses various tools to monitor cost-effectiveness, such as precertification, second surgical opinion, case management, and utilization review. Also called managed fee-for-service programs. 7. Health Maintenance Organization (HMO) HMOs offer prepaid, comprehensive health coverage for both hospital and physician services. An HMO contracts with health care providers, e.g., physicians, hospitals, and other health professionals, and members are required to use participating providers for all health services. Model types include staff, group practice, network, and IPA. They differ in their financial and organizational arrangements between the HMO and its physicians. Some HMOs combine various attributes of the four principal models. WISCONSIN DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH SERVICES When a person decides to enroll in Family Care, they become a member of a managed care organization (MCO). MCOs operate the Family Care program and provide or coordinate services in the Family Care benefit. The Family Care benefit combines funding and services from a variety of existing programs into one flexible long-term care benefit, tailored to each individual’s needs, circumstances and preferences. View a list of items covered in the Family Care benefit package. In order to assure access to services, MCOs develop and manage a comprehensive network of long-term care services and support, either through purchase of service contracts with providers, or by  direct service provision by MCO employees. MCOs are responsible for assuring and continually improving the quality of care and services consumers receive. MCOs receive a per person per month payment to manage care for their members, who may be living in their own homes, group living situations, or nursing facilities. Some highlights of the Family Care benefit are: When a person decides to enroll in Family Care, they become a member of a managed care organization (MCO). MCOs operate the Family Care program and provide or coordinate services in the Family Care benefit. The Family Care benefit combines funding and services from a variety of existing programs into one flexible long-term care benefit, tailored to each individual’s needs, circumstances and preferences. View a list of items covered in the Family Care benefit package. In order to assure access to services, MCOs develop and manage a comprehensive network of long-term care services and support, either through purchase of service contracts with providers, or by direct service provision by MCO employees. MCOs are responsible for assuring and continually improving the quality of care and services consumers receive. MCOs receive a per person per month payment to manage care for their members, who may be living in their own homes, group living situations, or nursing facilities. Some highlights of the Family Care benefit are: People Receive Services Where They Live. MCO members receive Family Care services where they live, which may be in their own home or supported apartment, or in alternative residential settings such as Residential Care Apartment Complexes, Community-Based Residential Facilities, Adult Family Homes, Nursing Homes, or Intermediate Care Facilities for Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities. People Receive Interdisciplinary Case Management. Each member has support from an interdisciplinary team that consists of, at a minimum, a social worker/care manager and a Registered Nurse. Other professionals, as appropriate, also participate as members of the interdisciplinary team. The interdisciplinary team conducts a comprehensive  assessment of the member’s needs, abilities, preferences and values with the consumer and his or her representative, if any. The assessment looks at areas such as activities of daily living, physical health, nutrition, autonomy and self-determination, communication, and mental health and cognition. People Participate in Determining the Services They Receive. Members or their authorized representatives take an active role with the interdisciplinary team in developing their care plans. MCOs provide support and information to assure members are making informed decisions about their needs and the services they receive. Members may also participate in the Self-Directed Supports component of Family Care, in which they have increased control over their long-term care budgets and providers. People Receive Family Care Services that Include: Long-Term Care Services that have traditionally been part of the Medicaid Waiver programs or the Community Options Program. These include services such as adult day care, home modifications, home delivered meals and supportive home care. Health Care Services that help people achieve their long-term care outcomes. These services include home health, skilled nursing, mental health services, and occupational, physical and speech therapy. For Medicaid recipients, health care services not included in Family Care are available through the Medicaid fee-for-service program. People Receive Help Coordinating Their Primary Health Care. In addition to assuring that people get the health and long-term care services in the Family Care benefit package, the MCO interdisciplinary teams also help members coordinate all their health care, including, if needed, helping members get to and communicate with their physicians and helping them manage their treatments and medications. People Receive Services to Help Achieve Their Employment Objectives. Services such as daily living skills training, day treatment, pre-vocational services and supported employment are included in the Family Care benefit package. Other Family Care services such as transportation and personal care also help people meet their employment goals. People Receive the Services that Best Achieve Their Outcomes. The MCO is not restricted to providing only the specific services listed in the Family Care benefit package. The MCO interdisciplinary care management team and the member may decide that other services, treatments or supports are  more likely to help the member achieve his or her outcomes, and the MCO would then authorize those services in the member’s care plan. For a complete list of the services that must be offered by MCOs, refer to the description of the long-term care benefit package in the Health and Community Supports Contract. People Receive Services Where They Live. MCO members receive Family Care services where they live, which may be in their own home or supported apartment, or in alternative residential settings such as Residential Care Apartment Complexes, Community-Based Residential Facilities, Adult Family Homes, Nursing Homes, or Intermediate Care Facilities for Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities. People Receive Interdisciplinary Case Management. Each member has support from an interdisciplinary team that consists of, at a minimum, a social worker/care manager and a Registered Nurse. Other professionals, as appropriate, also participate as members of the interdisciplinary team. The interdisciplinary team conducts a comprehensive assessment of the member’s needs, abilities, preferences and values with the consumer and his or her representative, if any. The assessment looks at areas such as activities of daily living, physical health, nutrition, autonomy and self-determination, communication, and mental health and cognition. People Participate in Determining the Services They Receive. Members or their authorized representatives take an active role with the interdisciplinary team in developing their care plans. MCOs provide support and information to assure members are making informed decisions about their needs and the services they receive. Members may also participate in the Self-Directed Supports component of Family Care, in which they have increased control over their long-term care budgets and providers. People Receive Family Care Services that Include: Long-Term Care Services that have traditionally been part of the Medicaid Waiver programs or the Community Options Program. These include services such as adult day care, home modifications, home delivered meals and supportive home care. Health Care Services that help people achieve their long-term care outcomes. These services include home health, skilled nursing, mental health services, and occupational, physical and speech therapy. For Medicaid recipients, health care services not included in Family Care are available through the Medicaid fee-for-service program. People Receive Help Coordinating Their Primary Health Care. In addition to assuring that people get the health and long-term care services in the Family Care benefit package, the MCO interdisciplinary teams also help members coordinate all their health care, including, if needed, helping members get to and communicate with their physicians and helping them manage their treatments and medications. People Receive Services to Help Achieve Their Employment Objectives. Services such as daily living skills training, day treatment, pre-vocational services and supported employment are included in the Family Care benefit package. Other Family Care services such as transportation and personal care also help people meet their employment goals. People Receive the Services that Best Achieve Their Outcomes. The MCO is not restricted to providing only the specific services listed in the Family Care benefit package. The MCO interdisciplinary care management team and the member may decide that other services, treatments or supports are more likely to help the member achieve his or her outcomes, and the MCO would then authorize those services in the member’s care plan. For a complete list of the services that must be offered by MCOs, refer to the description of the long-term care benefit package in the Health and Community Supports Contract. A managed care organization (MCO) is a health care provider or a group of association of medical examination providers who proposes accomplished health plans. It is a health group that bonds with insurers or self-insured employers and funds and provides health care by means of a definite provider system and precise facilities and products. An MCO is an insurer that delivers both healthcare amenities and payment on behalf of services. They offer a comprehensive range of quality and managed health care services to the joined employees by keeping medical charges down through preventive medicine, patient teaching, and in additional ways. These organizations are certified by the director of the Department of Consumer and Business Services (DCBS). MCOs vary in their constitution as some organizations are made of physicians, while others are combinations of physicians, hospitals, and other providers. For instance, a group practice without walls, independent practice association, management services organization, and a physician practice management company are the common MCO’s.