My father credit card Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

My father credit card - Essay Example Lastly, there is the issue of varying shades of honesty, theft, and moral values that have been violated. Firstly with respect to the fact that the father has found out that his credit card is missing, this is an important piece of the puzzle due to the fact that the student has not otherwise chosen to tell the father that he has stolen the card. This action in and of itself tells the reader a great deal about what the ultimate intent of the student was with regards to how he intended to use the card and even perhaps why it was originally stolen. However, once the card is noted as missing, the father still has no idea what has happened to his card and whether he has lost it naturally or whether someone has stolen it from him. It is at this juncture that the moral turpitude of the student (me) would come into play. Rather than merely destroying the card, disposing of it, blaming it on someone else, or placing it in a likely area that he may have lost it, I would need to take the mature responsibility to own up to the theft that I had done. Though the right choice is of course the best de cision, it is not necessarily the least painful; rather, it involves confronting the situation and handling it with a degree of courage. This choice of honesty is the hardest moral choice with regards to the situation due to the fact that other immoral and dishonest choices have previously been made; therefore making it far easier to merely continue in lying and deceit to ensure that the theft is never recognized or noted. Moreover, a supreme lack of respect has been illustrated within the given situation and will therefore require a level of apology and contriteness on the part of the student (me). Ultimately, the situation will be determined based upon the realization of what is right and even though a series of mistakes have been made, the right and moral decision

Generation Gap Essay Example for Free

Generation Gap Essay Since the industrial revolution was experienced in the United States, technological evolution has caused generation gaps between people. Advances such as computers and the Internet, space research and security systems are but a few of the systems that continue to evolve beyond the capacity of yesterdays technology-savvy people. Televisions in 2011 are quite complex. Even people who use gaming systems that have progressed from old joysticks to the reading of a persons physical movement for game play have surpassed those who were satisfied with the less complicated systems. Clothing The evolution of clothing promotes gaps between generations, and has done so for years. This is often led by movie stars, rock stars and other artists. Ingenuity in clothing and the desire for the next item in demand continues to push clothing to new limits. What was once considered risque by grandparents is now acceptable and worn daily by grandchildren. As clothing changes and evolves, this generation gap often finds itself thriving in between parents and their children. Language Language has been evolving for thousands of years. Nouns have become verbs; this often aligns with the technology evolution, along with increasing exposure to the Internet. Social sites and chat rooms have encouraged a new generation of language founded on acronyms and shortened phrases. Many people who are unfamiliar with this find themselves lost on social media sites and in chat rooms. Some of this language is carrying into the daily speech of some people. Oftentimes, questions are answered with, I dont know, just Google it. Music Always evolving, music has often been blamed for opening the gap between different generations. Messages change, styles change and there is always a push for the development of a new sound. Music brings back memories that people tend to hang on to. Because of this connection, people have a tendency to hang onto the music of their generation and may eventually find distaste in the music of other generations. This creates widening gaps between generations, some of which have been monumental. Over the course of 20 years, the telephone has evolved and taken on tremendous changes. Gone are the days of circular dials; in are the smartphones that think for themselves. It is because of the evolution of technology that generation gaps exist between the two different types of phones. People experience the same circumstances. The evolution of technology, clothing, language and music are classic examples of causes of generation gaps.

Essay --

Who loves spending a night away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life? Most all of us enjoy the experience of spending a night or several nights in a nice hotel. Whether it is for business or pleasure, a nice hotel experience can be refreshing. The hotel manager is the person responsible for making sure that the hotel runs efficiently, and ensures that the guests have a pleasant stay. He/she coordinates all service, housekeeping, finance, and maintenance. I have two years experience working in the hotel industry and plan to continue learning the hotel business with the goal of becoming manager of my own hotel. Nature of the Work The job of hotel manager has lots of responsibilities, they have to manage the hotel and its staff. Hotel manager also have to plan and execute advertise and promotion campaigns designed to attract more guests. Lodging managers also have to make sure that guests on vacation or business travels have a good experience at a hotel, motel, or other type of establishment with accommodations. They also ensure that the establishment is run efficiently and profitably. Managers also deal with all inquires in a professional and courteous manner, in person on the phone or e-mail (â€Å"Lodging Manager†). â€Å"Hospitality is a broad term for an industry that encompasses many types of employers and hundreds of job titles† (Aushn,23). Hospitality is another word for the business of hotels, motels, and resorts. It is estimated that one in eighteen employees in the united state works at some type of job in the hospitality industry. Travelers in the United State spent 527 billion dollars in 2001, and that amount has increased each year since. (Ashen 23). Hotel managers have many duties that they perform throughout the da... ...nsure that hotel operations meet a group’s expectation. Some other jobs in the hospitality industry are bed and breakfast proprietors. They manage small lording facilities within a home. Many of these homes are restored historical homes and offer a true vintage experience. A concierge at a hotel provides service to hotel guests such as show ticket dinner reservations or taxi service. Hotel desk clerk and office manager assist the hotel manager in large hotel and take care of those specific areas (â€Å"Lodging Managers†). A career as a hotel manager is very demanding. They perform many duties throughout their day and have a great deal of responsibility. Their main job is to see that the hotel or motel is run efficiently so that their guests have a pleasant stay. I have been training for a job as a hotel manager and would like to continue pursuing this job as my career.

Human Resource Information System Essay

The function of human resources (HR) departments is generally administrative and common to all organizations. Organizations may have formalized selection, evaluation, and payroll processes. Efficient and effective management of â€Å"Human Capital† progressed to an increasingly imperative and complex process. The HR function consists of tracking existing employee data which traditionally includes personal histories, skills, capabilities, accomplishments and salary. To reduce the manual workload of these administrative activities, organizations began to electronically automate many of these processes by introducing specialized human resource management systems. HR executives rely on internal or external IT professionals to develop and maintain an integrated HRMS. Before the client–server architecture evolved in the late 1980s, many HR automation processes were relegated to mainframe computers that could handle large amounts of data transactions. In consequence of the high capital investment necessary to buy or program proprietary software, these internally developed HRMS were limited to organizations that possessed a large amount of capital. Raija and Hlonen (2009) described the role of information systems in the process of combining district organizations which use information system in financial administration, HRM and social welfare. They explored the role of IS in decision-making in public sector. The lack of inter-opera ability between legacy systems and new information systems was perceived as a huge problem. In the present situation of our economy, most of the companies used manual system in their company, also some are using computerized system which lessen the expenses and saves time. An effective and well-designed Human Resource Information System shall make it easier to manage record, update files and retrieve records in Employee records. Confidentially, accuracy and integrity are maintained. The use of computer enables user to minimize efforts to do a certain job or action nowadays. When the Information Technology emerged, it gave a great impact when it comes to business problems especially when it comes to data entry accuracy, managing data’s and retrievals. Dr. Karishna & Meena (2010) identified the various functional areas to which ICT is deployed for information administration in Higher Education institutions. Current level of usage indicates a clear integration of ICT for managerial or information based administration in higher education institutes. Matthew &Douglas (2009) analyzed that nature of developing IS in any organization is characterized by multi dimensional and often messy problems, involving technical organizations and personal dimensions. David et al(2010) analyzed the main traits of efficient firms and the main sources of firm’s efficiency through samples of catalan firms. Firms efficiency shows a significant improvement when advanced ICT uses are combined with human resource practices, Dileep (2010) indicate that HRIS is an integration of HRM and information systems. HRIs helps HR managers perform HR functions in a more effective and systematic way using technology. HRIs system usually a part of the organization’s larger management information system which would include accounting, production and marketing functions. Ikhlas & Zaid (2010) indicate that the quick response and access to information were the main benefits of HRIS implementation. They also identified the cultural and financial barriers to the implementation of HRIS. Kristine & David (2010) identified the implementations or upgradation of HRIS has been undertaken with the aim of utilizing HRM functions.. Barriers also associated with the acceptance of new or upgraded HRIS.HRIS play an important role in shaping user perception and behavior. The addition of information technology to the human resource industry has revolutionized the contemporary workplace. HR professionals now have an increased capacity not only to gather information, but also to store and retrieve it in a timely and effective manner. This has not only increased the efficiency of the organization but also the effectiveness of management functions. New technology has also created opportunities for higher levels of stress for younger and older workers alike (Mujtaba, Afza, and Habib, N. (2011), unethical temptations and behaviors (Mujtaba, 2011), and opportunities for better leadership practices (Mujtaba and Afza, 2011). After delivering our suggestions for the Customer Appreciation Program, Kudler has asked us to evaluate the Human Resource Department, to see what changes need to made, to make the process better and smoother. Before making suggestions, we have to analyze their current setup. The Human Resources Department is a valuable department, so we want to assure that Kudler’s is running smoothly and efficiently. Kudler’s current HR Department is setup in the following manner: they use Quick Books and outsourced their payroll to Intuit. Intuit tracks all the following information for each employee. They track the employee’s personal information, pay rate, tax exemptions, hire date, seniority date, and organizational information. Changes to any of this information, can only be change by submitting a special form in writing by the employee’s supervisor and entered by the accounting clerk. The accounting clerk also keeps a file with the appropriate tax forms for each employee and all changes to employee data. The employees turn in manual time sheets weekly, which are approved by the store manager. The time sheets are then faxed to accounting, where they are entered for payroll. All changes have to be approved by the direct supervisor and store manager. Each store manager is responsible for keeping the files of their employees. They are kept in a locked file and include the following information: job application or resume, performance reviews, I-9 forms, and any disciplinary memos or performance management issues. The managers are also responsible for tracking any time off, which includes vacations.

A Personalised Induction Will Always Be More Effective

Introduction A personalised induction is a type of hypnotic induction that is designed to suit a certain individual. As humans, we appear to share the same traits, but in reality, we are different in various ways. This is because we have different likes, dislikes, perspectives, values, and we have diverse cultural backgrounds. Because of these unique differences, everyone has his or her way of handling various situations, and every individual has a different level of openness and resistance (Chapman 2006, p.113). Consequently, during hypnosis, it is worthwhile for the hypnotist to adopt a personalised approach because each participant has unique traits, and people normally respond to the hypnotic process in different ways. The personalised approach takes into account the client’s desires, perceptions, likes, dislikes, as well as their cultural background (James 2006, p.30). Thus, by personalising the induction, hypnotherapists can help their clients to realize better quality results that a re in line with each of the client’s goals. . In this essay, I argue that a personalised induction approach will always be more effective. As humans, we communicate with each other in various ways including gestures, facial expressions, body language, as well as tone of voice and intonation. However, during hypnosis, the hypnotist has limited techniques of communication available since the clients have their eyes closed. For instance, he or she cannot adopt non-verbal communication techniques, and this makes the message or the instructions he or she is sending to weaken. Thus, it is necessary for the hypnotist to adopt other appropriate techniques of strengthening the message being conveyed to the clients. In order to do this effectively, the hypnotist can personalise the way he or she speaks to the clients by adopting different words, tone variation, volume, and pace, but ensuring the message remains unchanged (Erickson, Rossi & Ryan 1998, p.37-59). Milton H. Erickson common ly referred to as the father of contemporary hypnotherapy recognised that people have different beliefs, values, perceptions, and cultural backgrounds, and consequently, throughout his career as a psychiatrist, he adopted the personalised induction as the best tool for hypnosis. Erickson differed with Hull’s opinion that the subject should always be a passive participant. According to Hull (1933/1968), adoption of a standardized induction would have the same effect on all the subjects (Hawkins 2006, p.36). Difference of opinion between these two great psychiatrists fuelled Erickson’s quest for a valid understanding of the best approach to the hypnotic induction. Later on, Erickson concluded that it is what the subjects do and understands that matters most, not what the operator wishes. In other words, he believed that in order to realize quality results of the therapy, the subjects must be active participants, and the suggestions given by the therapist ought to concur with the client’s desires, perceptions, values, and goals of the therapy (Zeig & Munion, 1999, p.48-51). Permissive and the authoritarian technique Erickson developed the idea that hypnosis is a natural process that needed a more viable approach such as the permissive technique, because it enhances the client’s responsiveness and cooperation. The permissive technique acknowledges that every individual has unique traits, values, perceptions, and desires. It is normally based on the assumption that every person has a unique way of entering into a trance state and receiving suggestions. In this approach, most of the clients know how to relax and enter a trance state, since the hypnotist briefs every client on how the process takes place at the start. As a result, the hypnotist simply acts as a guide as the subjects enters into a hypnotic state (Simpkins 2001, p.53). Before Erickson pioneered the permissive technique, the authoritative technique was the only available technique that was deemed effective. . The authoritative approach is commanding and direct, and its main objective is usually to establish control over the clie nt and modify his or her behaviour through adoption of repetitive commands. Pioneers of this approach believed that by establishing control over their clients, they would be able to increase the chances of getting remarkable results. However, this approach does not produce effective results as asserted by its pioneers since the subjects, who respond in a positive way to it, are only those who respect their authoritarian figures in their daily lives. As a result, authoritative technique can fail to produce quality results if the participant believes in being at the same level with all the authoritarian figures in his or her live (Sheehan 2005, p.67-70). Unlike the authoritative approach, the permissive technique mainly involves adoption of a soft tone to lull the client into relaxation. Throughout this approach, the client and the hypnotist are usually equal partners. Furthermore, more imagery is employed to increase the magnitude of the suggestions. The subject is also given greater responsibility. Since personalised imagery is incorporated in this technique, the induction becomes more real and viable than in the authoritative approach, since the suggestions used by the hypnotist conform to the clients likes and expectations (Sheehan 2005, p.70-72). Clark Hull and Sigmund Freud’s research on hypnosis Despite Erickson’s insistence on the value of the permissive technique, some people object the personalised induction approach. They claim that the personalised induction approach takes more time than the authoritative approach. Moreover, they support their stance by citing some of the works of the great traditional researchers such as Clark Hull and Sigmund Freud. Arguments involving state and the role theory are also used to analyze Erickson’s position. Hull differed with Erickson’s perspective and on the contrary, he proposed the authoritarian technique, which makes the subject a passive participant (Pintar & Lynn, 2009, p.112). He believed that adoption of a standardized approach would yield the same results on all the subjects. In 1940, Jung (1902/1957) backed him in his research, but Jung was not comfortable in using the authoritarian technique, because it involved commanding clients to do according to their therapist’s expectations. According to Jun g’s perspective, participants ought to be involved throughout the process instead of directing then to comply with suggestions that do not conform to their likes. Consequently, Jung broke away from Hull’s research (Hamill 2012, p.24). Based on this, it is clear that the authoritarian approach is not viable, and as a result, it is not logical to oppose the personalised approach based on Hull’s perspective since he does not take into account preferences and expectations of the participants. In addition, Freud’s research asserts that the process of hypnosis would give better results when the subject was on deep trance. Like Hull, Freud adopted the authoritarian technique in a more assertive manner hoping that he would get better results (Sofroniou 2010, p.12). He was particularly interested in the technique because he believed that it was the perfect way of accessing forgotten events and emotions, a cathartic process, which gave relief to his clients. Howeve r, Freud became uncomfortable with hypnosis because his patients did not respond uniformly to the process. He was also afraid that the direct suggestion technique might do away with symptoms that were important for the clients to retain. In addition, Freud had worries over the sexual perceptions that surrounded the hypnotic process, which labelled a client as ‘giving herself’ emotionally to the psychiatrist. Because of these reasons, as well as lack of sufficient experience with hypnosis both through research and clinically, Freud decided to quit hypnosis (Zeig & Munion 1999, p.48-49). If Freud had adopted the permissive approach, he would have succeeded because the personalised approach relies on suggestions that are in line with the client’s expectations, desires and likes, and as a result, the clients could not lose any important symptom. The permissive technique would also help him to eliminate the ill-sexual perception, since it gives the client greater resp onsibility unlike the authoritarian technique. State and the role theory Advocates of the state theory, which asserts that hypnotic induction arouses a unique modified state of consciousness in the patient, base their argument on the notable changes that occur to the brain during hypnosis, and to the dramatic effects, which hypnosis can cause such as the disappearance of warts and insensitivity to pain. They also claim that sometimes, both hypnotised and non-hypnotised participants take instructions differently. For instance, in a certain study, both the hypnotised and non-hypnotised were told to run their hands through their hair once they heard the word ‘experiment.’ The pretenders carried out the suggestion only when the psychiatrist said the word, but the hypnotised participants complied regardless of who gave the suggestion (Coon, Mitterer, Talbot & Vanchella, 2010, p.194). Based on this, opponents of the personalised induction claim that the authoritative approach is as effective as the permissive approach. They support their claim by a sserting that participants who do not respond to the permissive technique can respond to the authoritarian technique effectively, particularly those who respect authoritarian figures in their life. Moreover, advocates of the role theory assert that hypnosis is not a special state of consciousness. They argue that some of the changes linked with hypnosis can also take place without it. They claim that hypnotised people just comply with the demands of the situation, and act in conformity with a special role. From this point of view, hypnosis provides a socially logical reason to comply with someone’s suggestions, in the same way as a physical exam, which provides a logical reason of removing clothes on request. Supporters of the role theory justify their claims by arguing that non-hypnotised participants sometimes exhibit behaviours that are usually linked with hypnosis (Bernstein & Nash, 2008, p.153). Based on this, I disagree with the opponents of the personalised induction w ho adopt the role theory to support their stance, because the theory rejects the idea of hypnosis without providing concrete reasons. The dissociation theory The dissociation theory provides substantial reasons why the personalised inductions should be adopted during the hypnotic process. The theory suggests that hypnosis is not a single specific state, but the general condition, which temporarily reorganises our normal control over actions and thoughts. Dissociation allows body movements to occur under voluntary control and the involuntary processes to be controlled voluntarily. As Hilgard proposed this theory, he asserted that the relaxation of control occurs because of the social agreement between the hypnotist and the hypnotised person to share control (Bernstein & Nash, 2008, p.153-154). In other words, the theory supports the idea that for the process to be effective, the participant should be an active participant, something advocated in the personalised induction approach. Modern hypnosis Based on contemporary hypnosis, a personalised induction seems to be the most effective approach in hypnosis. The approach takes into account the client’s values, desires, and it views the subjects as active participants. It also supports the idea that it is imperative to have the patient as relaxed as possible, get them involved in the in the process, and discuss the expectations and goals of attending the therapy with the client. Furthermore, the modern hypnotherapist starts the therapy session by establishing a rapport with their patients, which is a key aspect of the personalised induction approach (Gaschler 2009, p.21). In the course of the personalised induction, strong relationships between the clients and the therapist are necessary in order to ensure the client is fully involved in the process. Learning Modalities Overtime, personalised induction has stood out as the best because it takes into consideration learning modalities, which are key channels through which people receive, store, and give information. Modality is comprised of perception, sensation, and memory and the key senses include smell, taste, visual, auditory, and kinaesthetic. Knowledge of modalities enables therapists to personalise screeds for each client. When a patient’s modalities are ascertained, it becomes easy to discuss with them in a way that makes them feel comfortable and relaxed (Hogan & LaBay 2007, p.226-239). As a result, it becomes easy to achieve the objective of the therapy. Conclusion The above discussion has suggested that personalised induction is more effective than the authoritarian approach. This is because we have different likes, dislikes, desires, perceptions, and we come from different cultural backgrounds. Consequently, to achieve remarkable results in the process of hypnosis, the hypnotist should take into consideration all this aspects. Although a standardized approach (authoritative approach) can be effective in some instances, it only works on subjects who respect the authoritative figures. Moreover, the authoritative technique assumes that all people react in the same manner to suggestions. However, this should not be the case since we possess different traits. Thus, the personalised induction or the permissive approach is the only method through which noteworthy results can be achieved during the hypnotic process, since it acknowledges that we have different likes, dislikes, perceptions and that we come from diverse cultural backgrounds. References Bernstein, D. A., & Nash, P. W. (2008). Essentials of psychology. Boston, MA, Houghton Mifflin. Chapman, R. A. (2006). The clinical use of hypnosis in cognitive behavior therapy a practitioner’s casebook. New York, NY, Springer Pub. Coon, D., Mitterer, J. O., Talbot, S., & Vanchella, C. M. (2010). Introduction to psychology: gateways to mind and behavior. Belmont, Calif, Wadsworth Cengage Learning. Erickson, M. H., Rossi, E. L., & Ryan, M. O. (1998). Mind-body communication in hypnosis. London, Free Association. Gaschler, T. (2009). Modern hypnosis techniques Pt. 1. Pt. 1. [Bad Sachsa], Steiner. Hamill, D. (2012). An Introduction to Hypnosis & Hypnotherapy. Bolton, MA, eBookIt.com. Hawkins, P. (2006). Hypnosis and stress a guide for clinicians. Chichester, England, Wiley. Hogan, K., & LaBay, M. (2007). Through the Open Door: Secrets of Self-hypnosis. Gretna, Louisiana: Pelican Publishing. James, U. (2006). Clinical hypnosis textbook: a guide for practical intervention. Oxford, Radcliffe Publishing. Pintar, J., & Lynn, S. J. (2009). Hypnosis a Brief History. Chichester, John Wiley & Sons Sheehan, L. (2005). Basic Hypnosis Manual. Raleigh, North Carolina: Lulu. Simpkins, C. A. (2001). Self-Hypnosis: Plain and Simple. Tuttle Pub. Sofroniou, A. (2010). The misinterpretation of Sigmund Freud. [Raleigh, N.C. ], Lulu Com. Zeig, J. K., & Munion, W. M. (1999). Milton H. Erickson. London, Sage Publications. A Personalised Induction Will Always Be More Effective Introduction A personalised induction is a type of hypnotic induction that is designed to suit a certain individual. As humans, we appear to share the same traits, but in reality, we are different in various ways. This is because we have different likes, dislikes, perspectives, values, and we have diverse cultural backgrounds. Because of these unique differences, everyone has his or her way of handling various situations, and every individual has a different level of openness and resistance (Chapman 2006, p.113). Consequently, during hypnosis, it is worthwhile for the hypnotist to adopt a personalised approach because each participant has unique traits, and people normally respond to the hypnotic process in different ways. The personalised approach takes into account the client’s desires, perceptions, likes, dislikes, as well as their cultural background (James 2006, p.30). Thus, by personalising the induction, hypnotherapists can help their clients to realize better quality results that a re in line with each of the client’s goals. . In this essay, I argue that a personalised induction approach will always be more effective. As humans, we communicate with each other in various ways including gestures, facial expressions, body language, as well as tone of voice and intonation. However, during hypnosis, the hypnotist has limited techniques of communication available since the clients have their eyes closed. For instance, he or she cannot adopt non-verbal communication techniques, and this makes the message or the instructions he or she is sending to weaken. Thus, it is necessary for the hypnotist to adopt other appropriate techniques of strengthening the message being conveyed to the clients. In order to do this effectively, the hypnotist can personalise the way he or she speaks to the clients by adopting different words, tone variation, volume, and pace, but ensuring the message remains unchanged (Erickson, Rossi & Ryan 1998, p.37-59). Milton H. Erickson common ly referred to as the father of contemporary hypnotherapy recognised that people have different beliefs, values, perceptions, and cultural backgrounds, and consequently, throughout his career as a psychiatrist, he adopted the personalised induction as the best tool for hypnosis. Erickson differed with Hull’s opinion that the subject should always be a passive participant. According to Hull (1933/1968), adoption of a standardized induction would have the same effect on all the subjects (Hawkins 2006, p.36). Difference of opinion between these two great psychiatrists fuelled Erickson’s quest for a valid understanding of the best approach to the hypnotic induction. Later on, Erickson concluded that it is what the subjects do and understands that matters most, not what the operator wishes. In other words, he believed that in order to realize quality results of the therapy, the subjects must be active participants, and the suggestions given by the therapist ought to concur with the client’s desires, perceptions, values, and goals of the therapy (Zeig & Munion, 1999, p.48-51). Permissive and the authoritarian technique Erickson developed the idea that hypnosis is a natural process that needed a more viable approach such as the permissive technique, because it enhances the client’s responsiveness and cooperation. The permissive technique acknowledges that every individual has unique traits, values, perceptions, and desires. It is normally based on the assumption that every person has a unique way of entering into a trance state and receiving suggestions. In this approach, most of the clients know how to relax and enter a trance state, since the hypnotist briefs every client on how the process takes place at the start. As a result, the hypnotist simply acts as a guide as the subjects enters into a hypnotic state (Simpkins 2001, p.53). Before Erickson pioneered the permissive technique, the authoritative technique was the only available technique that was deemed effective. . The authoritative approach is commanding and direct, and its main objective is usually to establish control over the clie nt and modify his or her behaviour through adoption of repetitive commands. Pioneers of this approach believed that by establishing control over their clients, they would be able to increase the chances of getting remarkable results. However, this approach does not produce effective results as asserted by its pioneers since the subjects, who respond in a positive way to it, are only those who respect their authoritarian figures in their daily lives. As a result, authoritative technique can fail to produce quality results if the participant believes in being at the same level with all the authoritarian figures in his or her live (Sheehan 2005, p.67-70). Unlike the authoritative approach, the permissive technique mainly involves adoption of a soft tone to lull the client into relaxation. Throughout this approach, the client and the hypnotist are usually equal partners. Furthermore, more imagery is employed to increase the magnitude of the suggestions. The subject is also given greater responsibility. Since personalised imagery is incorporated in this technique, the induction becomes more real and viable than in the authoritative approach, since the suggestions used by the hypnotist conform to the clients likes and expectations (Sheehan 2005, p.70-72). Clark Hull and Sigmund Freud’s research on hypnosis Despite Erickson’s insistence on the value of the permissive technique, some people object the personalised induction approach. They claim that the personalised induction approach takes more time than the authoritative approach. Moreover, they support their stance by citing some of the works of the great traditional researchers such as Clark Hull and Sigmund Freud. Arguments involving state and the role theory are also used to analyze Erickson’s position. Hull differed with Erickson’s perspective and on the contrary, he proposed the authoritarian technique, which makes the subject a passive participant (Pintar & Lynn, 2009, p.112). He believed that adoption of a standardized approach would yield the same results on all the subjects. In 1940, Jung (1902/1957) backed him in his research, but Jung was not comfortable in using the authoritarian technique, because it involved commanding clients to do according to their therapist’s expectations. According to Jun g’s perspective, participants ought to be involved throughout the process instead of directing then to comply with suggestions that do not conform to their likes. Consequently, Jung broke away from Hull’s research (Hamill 2012, p.24). Based on this, it is clear that the authoritarian approach is not viable, and as a result, it is not logical to oppose the personalised approach based on Hull’s perspective since he does not take into account preferences and expectations of the participants. In addition, Freud’s research asserts that the process of hypnosis would give better results when the subject was on deep trance. Like Hull, Freud adopted the authoritarian technique in a more assertive manner hoping that he would get better results (Sofroniou 2010, p.12). He was particularly interested in the technique because he believed that it was the perfect way of accessing forgotten events and emotions, a cathartic process, which gave relief to his clients. Howeve r, Freud became uncomfortable with hypnosis because his patients did not respond uniformly to the process. He was also afraid that the direct suggestion technique might do away with symptoms that were important for the clients to retain. In addition, Freud had worries over the sexual perceptions that surrounded the hypnotic process, which labelled a client as ‘giving herself’ emotionally to the psychiatrist. Because of these reasons, as well as lack of sufficient experience with hypnosis both through research and clinically, Freud decided to quit hypnosis (Zeig & Munion 1999, p.48-49). If Freud had adopted the permissive approach, he would have succeeded because the personalised approach relies on suggestions that are in line with the client’s expectations, desires and likes, and as a result, the clients could not lose any important symptom. The permissive technique would also help him to eliminate the ill-sexual perception, since it gives the client greater resp onsibility unlike the authoritarian technique. State and the role theory Advocates of the state theory, which asserts that hypnotic induction arouses a unique modified state of consciousness in the patient, base their argument on the notable changes that occur to the brain during hypnosis, and to the dramatic effects, which hypnosis can cause such as the disappearance of warts and insensitivity to pain. They also claim that sometimes, both hypnotised and non-hypnotised participants take instructions differently. For instance, in a certain study, both the hypnotised and non-hypnotised were told to run their hands through their hair once they heard the word ‘experiment.’ The pretenders carried out the suggestion only when the psychiatrist said the word, but the hypnotised participants complied regardless of who gave the suggestion (Coon, Mitterer, Talbot & Vanchella, 2010, p.194). Based on this, opponents of the personalised induction claim that the authoritative approach is as effective as the permissive approach. They support their claim by a sserting that participants who do not respond to the permissive technique can respond to the authoritarian technique effectively, particularly those who respect authoritarian figures in their life. Moreover, advocates of the role theory assert that hypnosis is not a special state of consciousness. They argue that some of the changes linked with hypnosis can also take place without it. They claim that hypnotised people just comply with the demands of the situation, and act in conformity with a special role. From this point of view, hypnosis provides a socially logical reason to comply with someone’s suggestions, in the same way as a physical exam, which provides a logical reason of removing clothes on request. Supporters of the role theory justify their claims by arguing that non-hypnotised participants sometimes exhibit behaviours that are usually linked with hypnosis (Bernstein & Nash, 2008, p.153). Based on this, I disagree with the opponents of the personalised induction w ho adopt the role theory to support their stance, because the theory rejects the idea of hypnosis without providing concrete reasons. The dissociation theory The dissociation theory provides substantial reasons why the personalised inductions should be adopted during the hypnotic process. The theory suggests that hypnosis is not a single specific state, but the general condition, which temporarily reorganises our normal control over actions and thoughts. Dissociation allows body movements to occur under voluntary control and the involuntary processes to be controlled voluntarily. As Hilgard proposed this theory, he asserted that the relaxation of control occurs because of the social agreement between the hypnotist and the hypnotised person to share control (Bernstein & Nash, 2008, p.153-154). In other words, the theory supports the idea that for the process to be effective, the participant should be an active participant, something advocated in the personalised induction approach. Modern hypnosis Based on contemporary hypnosis, a personalised induction seems to be the most effective approach in hypnosis. The approach takes into account the client’s values, desires, and it views the subjects as active participants. It also supports the idea that it is imperative to have the patient as relaxed as possible, get them involved in the in the process, and discuss the expectations and goals of attending the therapy with the client. Furthermore, the modern hypnotherapist starts the therapy session by establishing a rapport with their patients, which is a key aspect of the personalised induction approach (Gaschler 2009, p.21). In the course of the personalised induction, strong relationships between the clients and the therapist are necessary in order to ensure the client is fully involved in the process. Learning Modalities Overtime, personalised induction has stood out as the best because it takes into consideration learning modalities, which are key channels through which people receive, store, and give information. Modality is comprised of perception, sensation, and memory and the key senses include smell, taste, visual, auditory, and kinaesthetic. Knowledge of modalities enables therapists to personalise screeds for each client. When a patient’s modalities are ascertained, it becomes easy to discuss with them in a way that makes them feel comfortable and relaxed (Hogan & LaBay 2007, p.226-239). As a result, it becomes easy to achieve the objective of the therapy. Conclusion The above discussion has suggested that personalised induction is more effective than the authoritarian approach. This is because we have different likes, dislikes, desires, perceptions, and we come from different cultural backgrounds. Consequently, to achieve remarkable results in the process of hypnosis, the hypnotist should take into consideration all this aspects. Although a standardized approach (authoritative approach) can be effective in some instances, it only works on subjects who respect the authoritative figures. Moreover, the authoritative technique assumes that all people react in the same manner to suggestions. However, this should not be the case since we possess different traits. Thus, the personalised induction or the permissive approach is the only method through which noteworthy results can be achieved during the hypnotic process, since it acknowledges that we have different likes, dislikes, perceptions and that we come from diverse cultural backgrounds. References Bernstein, D. A., & Nash, P. W. (2008). Essentials of psychology. Boston, MA, Houghton Mifflin. Chapman, R. A. (2006). The clinical use of hypnosis in cognitive behavior therapy a practitioner’s casebook. New York, NY, Springer Pub. Coon, D., Mitterer, J. O., Talbot, S., & Vanchella, C. M. (2010). Introduction to psychology: gateways to mind and behavior. Belmont, Calif, Wadsworth Cengage Learning. Erickson, M. H., Rossi, E. L., & Ryan, M. O. (1998). Mind-body communication in hypnosis. London, Free Association. Gaschler, T. (2009). Modern hypnosis techniques Pt. 1. Pt. 1. [Bad Sachsa], Steiner. Hamill, D. (2012). An Introduction to Hypnosis & Hypnotherapy. Bolton, MA, eBookIt.com. Hawkins, P. (2006). Hypnosis and stress a guide for clinicians. Chichester, England, Wiley. Hogan, K., & LaBay, M. (2007). Through the Open Door: Secrets of Self-hypnosis. Gretna, Louisiana: Pelican Publishing. James, U. (2006). Clinical hypnosis textbook: a guide for practical intervention. Oxford, Radcliffe Publishing. Pintar, J., & Lynn, S. J. (2009). Hypnosis a Brief History. Chichester, John Wiley & Sons Sheehan, L. (2005). Basic Hypnosis Manual. Raleigh, North Carolina: Lulu. Simpkins, C. A. (2001). Self-Hypnosis: Plain and Simple. Tuttle Pub. Sofroniou, A. (2010). The misinterpretation of Sigmund Freud. [Raleigh, N.C. ], Lulu Com. Zeig, J. K., & Munion, W. M. (1999). Milton H. Erickson. London, Sage Publications.

Critically Discuss How Identity Is Successfully Used As A Form Of Organizational Control The WritePass Journal

Critically Discuss How Identity Is Successfully Used As A Form Of Organizational Control Introduction Critically Discuss How Identity Is Successfully Used As A Form Of Organizational Control ). This example shows the importance of managing identity to motivate employees in an organization. Therefore, managers should take into account   Alvesson and Willmott’s (2002) eight methods of regulating identity in organizations, such as knowledge and skills; the rules of the game and hierarchical location, to better understand different ways of managing identity and successfully carry them out in the workplace. Overall, identity is a true essence of who and what the organization is. It is a significant organizing element for everything people say and do in the workplace and it affects the characters, values, communications, decisions and strategies of the organization. Organization with a strong identity becomes easier to make decisions and solve their internal conflicts. Employees can clearly know what is expected of them, understand the company and also feel part of the team. Ethical ambiguities and some other issues still affect the idea of identity regulation in organizational control. Moreover, due to the fast changing pace of business life at present, identity cannot be ‘enduring’ in the organization and it may change with the surrounding environments. For example, the Equality Act 2010 presents a new ‘protected’ status to certain social groups which may influence employees’ sense of identity and identification. Thus, management practitioners have to d eeply understand the different methods of identity management proposed by Kenny et al.’s (2011) and Alvesson and Willmott’s (2002) and then integrate those methods to solve the existing challenges in the working environment so as to successfully use identity as a form in organizational control. References Albert,S. and Whetten,D.A. (1985). Organizational identity. Research in organizational behavior, 7, pp.263-295. Alvesson,M. (2000). Social identity and the problem of loyalty in knowledge-intensive companies. Journal of Management Studies, 37 (6), pp.1101-1123. Alvesson,M. and Willmott,H. (2002). Identity Regulation as Organizational Control: Producing the Appropriate Individual. Journal of Management Studies, 39 (5), pp.619-644. Buchanan,D. And Huczynski, A. (2004). Organizational Behavior. 5th ed. Harlow: Pearson. Collinson,D. (2003). Identities and insecurities: selves at work. Organization, 10 (3), pp.527-547. Du Gay, P. (1996). Consumption and Identity at Work. London: Sage. Dutton, J., Dukerich,J. and Harquail,C.V. (1994). Organizational images and member identification. Administrative Science Quarterly, 39, pp. 239-263. Elstak, M.N. and Van Riel, C.B.M. (2004). Closing ranks: how a collective threat shifts salience from organizational to corporate identity. Best Papers. Proceedings of the 64th Annual Meeting of the Academy of Management. New Orleans. Fondas,N. (1997). Feminization unveiled: management qualities in contemporary writings. Academy of Management Review, 22, pp.257-282. Ford, R. C., McLaughlin, F. S., and Newstrom, J. W. (2003). Questions and answers about fun at work. Human Resource Planning, 26(4), pp.18-33. Fleming, P. and Sturdy, A.J.(2009). Just Be Yourself Towards Neo-Normative Control in Organizations.  Employee Relations, 31(6), pp. 569 583. Gardner,W.L. and Avolio,B.J. (1998). Charismatic leadership, a dramaturgical perspective. Academy of Management Review, 23 (1), pp.32-58. Gioia,D.A. and Thomas,J.(1996). Identity, image and issue interpretation: sensemaking during strategic change in academia. Administrative Science Quarterly, 41, pp.370-403. Humphreys,M. and Brown,A.D.(2002). Narratives of organizational identity and identification: a case study of hegemony and resistance. Organization Studies, 23 (3), pp.421-447. Kenny,K., Whittle,A.and Willmott,H. (2011). Understanding Identity and Organizations. Sage publications. Kitay, J. and Wright, C. (2007). From prophers to profits: the occupational rhetoric of management consultants. Human Relations, 60(11), pp.1613-1640. Knighs,D. and Willmott,H.C. (1999). Management Lives: Power and Identity in Contemporary Organizations. London:Sage. Mattewman,L.J., Rose, A. and Hetherington,A. eds. (2009). Work Psychology: An Introduction to Human Behaviour in the Workplace. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Moor, M.(2012). Mass suicide protest at Apple manufacturer Foxconn factory.   [Online]. (URL telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/china/9006988/Mass-suicide-protest-at-Apple-manufacturer-Foxconn-factory.html). 2014. (Accessed 09 Dec 2014). O’Conner, E.J. and Annison, M.H. (2002). Building trust and collaboration between physicians and administrators. The Physician Executive, 28, pp.48-52. Puusa, A. (2006). Conducting Research on Organizational Identity.  Electronic Journal of Business Ethics and Organization Studies, 11, pp. 24-28. Rose,M. (1988). Industrial Behaviour: Theoretical Development Since Taylor. Harmondsworth: Penguin. Schwartz,H.S. (1987). On the psycho-dynamics of organizational disaster: the case of the space shuttle Challenger. Columbia Journal of World Business, 22(1), pp.59-67. Southwest’s Airlines Careers (2014). Southwests Core. [Online]. (URL https://www.southwest.com/html/about-southwest/careers/index.html?clk=GFOOTER-ABOUT-CAREERS). 2014. (Accessed 13 December 2014). Taylor, F.W. (2005). The Principles of Scientific Management. 1st ed. First World Library-Literary Society. Whetten,D.A.(2006). Albert and Whetten Revised Strengthening the Concept of Organizational Identity. Journal of Management Inquiry, 15(3), pp.219-234. Zuboff,S. (1988). In the Age of the Smart Machine. New York: Basic Books.

The eNotes Blog Check Out the New Teacher Resources in eNotes StudyGuides!

Check Out the New Teacher Resources in StudyGuides! All of the helpful tools  for your classes are now available in one place: find the Teacher Resources you need in study guides. Plus, grab a discount to the Teachers Edition with the 15% off coupon included  in this post! Read on for more details. Recently, we received feedback from an customer to let us know that teachers needed an easier way to find the resources they were looking for on the site items such as lesson plans, response journals, and quizzes in the given titles they teach. So, we listened! study guides now contain an area devoted just to teachers, meaning its easier than ever to find exactly what youre looking for to help you teach smarter. An English teacher covering To Kill a Mockingbird, for example, can now find lesson plans and a variety of quizzes listed in one place. This gives quick and easy access to two kinds of lesson plans: original documents, which include our own lesson plans and extensive response journals, and lesson plans available from other publishers in document store, many of which are free. Download unlimited lesson plans for one discounted rate lesson plans are expert, teacher-created resources that can be purchased individually or downloaded for free by subscribers to the Teachers Edition all-access pass. And now  you can grab that special edition pass with a great discount! Use the coupon code LESSONS  for 15% off your subscription. Offer valid until May31st. With your subscription youll receive unlimited downloads of lesson plans, more of which are added monthly, plus credits to ask questions in Homework Help, and complete access to hundreds of annotated eTexts and quizzes. Find out more about the Teachers Edition right here or  sign up at this link. quizzes also come in two forms for targeted testing in your classroom: Choose our multiple-choice quizzes for a quick test of your students progress through their assigned reading. Each multiple-choice quiz contains 5-10 questions. The quizzes on a single topic can range from general overview tests to chapter- and character-based quizzes. Plus, all multiple-choice quizzes are available to all visitors to take online for free and available to download in PDF form (with an accompanying answer key) for Teachers Edition subscribers. Just look for the PDF icon beneath each quizs title to save it to your computer. Select our short-answer quizzes  for a more thorough test of your students comprehension of a text. Each short answer quiz contains 10 questions per chapter or scene. These questions are designed to elicit answers one sentence to one short paragraph in length, thereby testing students understanding of plot and characters as well as recollection of important details. These quizzes are available to print or download exclusively to Teachers Edition subscribers.   Check out the new Teacher Resources area of study guides to find expert help for your classroom and prepare for the 14-15 school year!

Selected Quotations of Margaret Mead

Selected Quotations of Margaret Mead Margaret Mead was an anthropologist known for her work on the relationship of culture and personality. Meads early work stressed the cultural basis of gender roles while later she wrote about the biological influence on male and female behaviors, too. She became a prominent lecturer and writer on family and child-rearing issues. Margaret Meads research- especially her work in Samoa- has come under more recent criticism for inaccuracies and naivete, but she remains a pioneer in the field of anthropology. These quotes demonstrate her work in this field and offer some observations and motivation. Selected Margaret Mead Quotations Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has. I must admit that I personally measure success in terms of the contributions an individual makes to her or his fellow human beings. I was brought up to believe that the only thing worth doing was to add to the sum of accurate information in the world. If one cannot state a matter clearly enough so that even an intelligent twelve-year-old can understand it, one should remain within the cloistered walls of the university and laboratory until one gets a better grasp of ones subject matter. It may be necessary temporarily to accept a lesser evil, but one must never label a necessary evil as good. Life in the twentieth century is like a parachute jump: you have to get it right the first time. What people say, what people do, and what they say they do are entirely different things. Even though the ship may go down, the journey goes on. I learned the value of hard work by working hard. Sooner or later Im going to die, but Im not going to retire. The way to do fieldwork is never to come up for air until it is all over. The ability to learn is older- as it is also more widespread- than is the ability to teach. We are now at a point where we must educate our children in what no one knew yesterday, and prepare our schools for what no one knows yet. I have spent most of my life studying the lives of other peoples- faraway peoples- so that Americans might better understand themselves. A city must be a place where groups of women and men are seeking and developing the highest things they know. Our humanity rests upon a series of learned behaviors, woven together into patterns that are infinitely fragile and never directly inherited. Mans most human characteristic is not his ability to learn, which he shares with many other species, but his ability to teach and store what others have developed and taught him. The negative cautions of science are never popular. If the experimentalist would not commit himself, the social philosopher, the preacher, and the pedagogue tried the harder to give a short-cut answer.   In 1976:  We women are doing pretty well. Were almost back to where we were in the twenties. I had no reason to doubt that brains were suitable for a woman. And as I had my fathers kind of mind- which was also his mothers- I learned that the mind is not sex-typed. Differences in sex as they are known today ... are based on the bringing up of the mother. She is always pushing the female towards similarity and the male towards differences. There is no evidence that suggests women are naturally better at caring for children ... with the fact of child-bearing out of the center of attention, there is even more reason for treating girls first as human beings, then as women. It has been a womans task throughout history to go on believing in life when there was almost no hope. Because of their age-long training in human relations- for that is what feminine intuition really is- women have a special contribution to make to any group enterprise. Every time we liberate a woman, we liberate a man. The male form of a female liberationist is a male liberationist- a man who realizes the unfairness of having to work all his life to support a wife and children so that someday his widow may live in comfort, a man who points out that commuting to a job he doesnt like is just as oppressive as his wifes imprisonment in a suburb, a man who rejects his exclusion, by society and most women, from participation in childbirth and the most engrossing, delightful care of young children- a man, in fact, who wants to relate himself to people and the world around him as a person. Women want mediocre men, and men are working to become as mediocre as possible. Mothers are a biological necessity; fathers are a social invention. Fathers are biological necessities, but social accidents. Mans role is uncertain, undefined, and perhaps unnecessary. I think extreme heterosexuality is a perversion. No matter how many communes anybody invents, the family always creeps back. One of the oldest human needs is having someone to wonder where you are when you dont come home at night. Nobody has ever before asked the nuclear family to live all by itself in a box the way we do. With no relatives, no support, weve put it in an impossible situation. We have got to face the fact that marriage is a terminable institution. Of all the peoples whom I have studied, from city dwellers to cliff dwellers, I always find that at least 50 percent would prefer to have at least one jungle between themselves and their mothers-in-law. Any woman can find a husband unless she is deaf, dumb or blind ... [S]he cannot always marry the ideal man of her choice. And when our baby stirs and struggles to be born it compels humility: what we began is now its own. The pains of childbirth were altogether different from the enveloping effects of other kinds of pain. These were pains one could follow with one’s mind. You just have to learn not to care about the dust mites under the beds. Instead of needing lots of children, we need high-quality children. The solution to adult problems tomorrow depends on large measure upon how our children grow up today. Thanks to television, for the first time the young are seeing history made before it is censored by their elders. As long as any adult thinks that he, like the parents and teachers of old, can become introspective, invoking his own youth to understand the youth before him, he is lost. If you associate enough with older people who do enjoy their lives, who are not stored away in any golden ghettos, you will gain a sense of continuity and of the possibility for a full life. Old age is like flying through a storm. Once youre aboard, theres nothing you can do. All of us who grew up before the war are immigrants in time, immigrants from an earlier world, living in an age essentially different from anything we knew before. The young are at home here. Their eyes have always seen satellites in the sky. They have never known a world in which war did not mean annihilation. If we are to achieve a richer culture, rich in contrasting values, we must recognize the whole gamut of human potentialities, and so weave a less arbitrary social fabric, one in which each diverse human gift will find a fitting place. Always remember that you are absolutely unique. Just like everyone else. We will be a better country when each religious group can trust its members to obey the dictates of their own religious faith without assistance from the legal structure of their country. The liberals have not softened their view of actuality to make themselves live closer to the dream, but instead sharpen their perceptions and fight to make the dream actuality or give up the battle in despair. The contempt for law and the contempt for the human consequences of lawbreaking go from the bottom to the top of American society. We are living beyond our means. As a people we have developed a life-style that is draining the earth of its priceless and irreplaceable resources without regard for the future of our children and people all around the world. We wont have a society if we destroy the environment. Having two bathrooms ruined the capacity to co-operate. Prayer does not use up artificial energy, doesnt burn up any fossil fuel, doesnt pollute. Neither does song, neither does love, neither does the dance. As the traveler who has once been from home is wiser than he who has never left his own doorstep, so a knowledge of one other culture should sharpen our ability to scrutinize more steadily, to appreciate more lovingly, our own. The study of human culture is a context within which every aspect of human life legitimately falls and necessitates no rift between work and play, professional and amateur activities. I have always done a womans job.   Her motto:  Be lazy, go crazy. Quotes About Margaret Mead To cherish the life of the world.  Source: Epitaph on her gravestone Courtesy, modesty, good manners, conformity to definite ethical standards are universal, but what constitutes courtesy, modesty, good manners, and definite ethical standards is not universal. It is instructive to know that standards differ in the most unexpected ways.  Source: Franz Boaz, Meads academic advisor, wrote this of her book Coming of Age in Samoa

Proposal assignment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Proposal assignment - Essay Example The Arctic Ocean is covered with ice and is surrounded by treeless permafrost. The sea ice in the arctic has declined very much in recent years. ` The recording of extent of ice in arctic began in 1953. Since then, the extent of the summer sea ice has been declining. The extent of ice was the lowest in 2007, the second lowest in 2008, and the third lowest in 2010. Currently, the snow cover in the Arctic is present for about 200 days per year. A decrease in the duration of the snow season results in increased warming. Between 1970 and 2000, there was a decrease in duration of the snow season by approximately 2.5 days per decade. From the commercial point of view, it is a new opportunity as exploration of the arctic has become easy now. Estimates show that Arctic can contain about 20 per cent of world's reserves of hydrocarbons. Most of these resources happen to be in the Russian part of the arctic. New trade routes linking the Atlantic and the Pacific via arctic instead of Panama Cana l has become a possibility now. So, there began a geopolitical competition in the region to gain control over transport routes and natural resources. All these have increased the strategic importance of arctic region. Countries bordering arctic are also in the process of preparing territorial claims for submission to the Commission on the Limits of Continental Shelf. Russia claims a large portion of arctic. The Arctic is highly vulnerable to the effects of global warming. There is greater warming in the Arctic than global average. Because of this, there are concerns that the melting of ice in Arctic could result in rise in sea levels. The current Arctic ice melt might also lead to Arctic methane release. Large amount of methane is stored in the permafrost. Methane is a greenhouse gas and is more dangerous than carbon dioxide. Scientists are not sure whether this is natural cycle or manmade. Apart from concerns regarding the negative impact of warming in the Arctic, some potential op portunities have come up. Since the middle ages, world’s maritime powers looked for a shorter route between Atlantic and Asia. The melting of ice opens up the possibility of two trans arctic routes- The Northern Sea route and the Northwest passage. The new routes will reduce distances between Europe and Asia. It will also provide strategic alternatives to other countries such as Japan. At present Japan is dependent on the Strait of Malacca for transporting energy. The Northern Sea route (North East Passage) is along Russia’s northern border from Murmansk to Provideniya. It is about 2600 nautical miles in length. The Northern Sea Route, the shortest shipping lane from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean, links European Russia with Russia’s Far East. The Northern Sea Route over Eurasia is important since it shortens shipping routes between northern Europe and north-east Asia by 40 per cent .The Northwest Passage is through Canadian arctic islands. It consists of several potential routes. The US Geological Survey report of 2008 says that the extensive arctic continental shelf may constitute the geographically largest unexplored prospective area for petroleum remaining on earth. It estimates 90 billion barrels of oil and 1700trillion cubic feet of natural gas remain to be discovered. Such reports have led to recent international debates as to

Social Media Affecting Interpersonal And Intercultural Communication Essay

Social Media Affecting Interpersonal And Intercultural Communication - Essay Example The traditional intercultural communication has come under immense threat of getting obsoleted due to the increasing level of human interaction through the use of social media. In the light of globalization, the present day society is becoming more and more dependent on the internet and the social networking system in their daily communication. The major modes of communication are driven by technology and the internet. These may include the social networking sites like Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, the online chatting and VOIP services like Face Time, Skype etc., the online blogs, micro blogs and different online forums. The social media has influenced the people from different cultures and countries to communicate with each other as well as provide information about themselves on the web through the social networking sites, personal websites and blogs (Hofstede, 2001). The cultural communication system has been reshaped to emerge as a more open and widely integrated system all across the globe. Discussion The invention and development of new technologies in the communication and networking aspects have presented a wide array of choices for communication connecting all the parts of the world through the World Wide Web. Internet connection has gained major importance throughput the world with the connection facilities spreading to even remote parts of the world. ... The social media provides people from all over the world with the opportunity to display their information as well as demonstrate their culture, interests and activities through sites like Pinterest, We Heart It, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and other social media sites. The different social networking sites are made user friendly so that people from varying backgrounds can easily use these media. These sites use computer mediated communication (CMC) system to make it easy for people to communicate and express themselves (Herring, 1996). The users can also create personalized websites to provide information about them and express their ideas and interests. This mode of communication has highly influenced the social lives of people all across the globe and exchange their ideas and information on different areas of discussion. The social media communications have made it simpler for people to exchange text, videos, e-mails, instant messaging as well as communicate through the use of rea l time audio and video chats using Skype, Face Time etc. The social networking sites are internet based service systems that allow people to create public profiles on the web within a system which they can completely control, maintain a connection with other users which may include the acquaintances, friends and family members. The social networking sites also make it possible to view the activities of the connections within the system. The first social networking site was launched in the year 1997 named Sixdegrees.com having all the above mentioned features. After the launch of this social site, the social media experienced a boom with a number of social sites being formed for different

Cinematic Portrayal of Iranian Women Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Cinematic Portrayal of Iranian Women - Essay Example The role of women in the Iranian society has greatly evolved and this evolution is easily noticeable through the significant number of changes that precipitated in the cinematic portrayal. Women all over the world have experienced immense amount of social pressures and obligations, in short simple words the plight of women has been the subject of countless literature and cinematic pieces. Iran is a highly patriarchal society since its emergence as a powerful empire to its establishment as an Islamic republic, a woman’s sole responsibility was to serve her husband and look after his well-being. Before the cinema had gained immense popularity, many literatures focused on the characteristics of a good woman and a bad woman and how a man’s fate depends on the character of his wife. (Donmez-Colin, 2004, p.155-170) Therefore, authors and poets seemed to hold the woman responsible for any sort of mishap that would befall her husband. The patriarchy was pretty evident but durin g the 30’s there were countless movies that showed a headstrong female lead but there role and discourse in the movie were especially when depicting sexuality. Women were not really treated as symbolic for sexuality; largely they played roles of young damsel in distress, however they shed significant amount of light on the strength of a woman’s to confront all her problems. The movies then followed a strict feministic theme and usually along with a female lead there were greedy and lustful antagonist that turned out to be the prime source of conflict in the movie plot. The commercial success of movies such as Dokhtar-e-Lor or the Lor Girl in 1933 showed the hardships and plight of a gypsy woman. Though the movie entailed strong factual errors and numerous directorial flaws but the heroic tale of Golonar, the Lor Girl became an instant success on an international front. The main protagonist was played by an Iranian singer and the movie propagated a progressive image of the Iranian society that the Shah wanted to establish. The plot of the movies largely revolved around the domestic problems of women and since their roles in the society was rather limited. (Lahiji, 2011) However, once the Islamic revolution had taken place the Iranian society became largely misogynistic in their practices. There was hardly any freedom given to the female population and at this point women’s participation in theater and films rapidly declined as it was compulsory for women to wear hijab and they were unable to step out of their houses without their â€Å"mahram’, which is a collective term for a woman’s male relative such as husband, brother or father. One of the main drawbacks that occurred as a result of this practice was prostitution, a problem that was further exacerbated by the Iran-Iraq war. (Donmez-Colin, 2004, p.155-170 & Dabashi, 2001, p. 7) Since most of the male members of the family had gone to war, women had no choice but to suppor t their families by resorting to prostitution. In a country governed according to religious guidelines, though prostitution dealings are done from behind a veil but all these elements are pretty rampant in Iran. Iranian women are the prime victims of domestic and marital violence. Not only on a domestic front but women have to endure great atrocities especially the criminal justice and correctional system for women is often labeled as being ruthless. Women prisoners live in awful conditions and are treated like animals. They are often subjected to brutal physical and sexual abuse, during the Khomeini era any virgin prisoner on a death row

Assignment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 66

Assignment - Essay Example her, based on the above graph it can be observed that the maximum profits are obtained at a point where Marginal cost curve intersect with Marginal revenue curve. In addition the marginal cost curve intersect the average variable cost curve from below and also intersect the average total cost curve from above as shown in the diagram. The diagram above indicate that, in the long run, an increase in cost for a monopolistic firm it causes the market price to be equal to average total cost whereby marginal cost will be equal to marginal revenue as indicated in the figure above (Salvatore, p.345). The graph above indicates the equilibrium price and quantity which is derived at point where the demand and supply curve intersect. The equilibrium price is represented above using PE while equilibrium quantity is represented by point QE as shown above. 7. The demand for butter will lead to a decrease in demand of margarine because margarine is an inferior good whose demand decreases as consumer’s level of income increases. On the contrary, demand of butter will increases as income increase. 8. The reason why person marginal rate of substitution between two goods must equal to the ratio of the price of goods is because consumer could trade one good for another at a market price to obtain higher level of satisfaction. The graph above indicates that marginal cost curve intersect average cost curve from below and average cost at a point higher than that of average cost curve. It can be observed that, as the marginal cost increases, the average variable cost decreases (Salvatore, p.225). The graph above indicates the relationship between Marginal cost and average variable cost whereby, If marginal cost of production is greater than average variable cost it means that average cost is increasing and vice versa(Salvatore, p.225). The graph indicates that the firm average variable cost curve are U-shaped and it achieve its minimum at a lower than the average total cost curve

The Concept of Risk in Different Project Management Approaches Essay

The Concept of Risk in Different Project Management Approaches - Essay Example This is because they are uncertain and may depend on external factors beyond the scope of the project. Being aware of the risks involved in a project enables the manager to plan, minimize, avoid, cope or adjust with the possible risks. Risks are capable of hindering the projects objectives from being realized. Risk management is important and there are different methodologies which are applied in project management to minimize the negative outcomes (Hubbard2009, p. 35). Some of the methodologies include Prince 2 and SCRUM. Prince 2 is a highly controlled project which ensures that certain standards are followed to achieve specified standards or quality. SCRUM is an agile methodology which develops software. It is applied to development of new products with defined roles and methods. Comparing Prince 2 and SCRUM will help identify the strengths and weaknesses of the traditional approached to the use of software in risk management. 2. The Concept of Risk Management Crouhy   et al (20 00) mention that project management is viewed as the exercise conducted before and during the project management which identifies the uncertainties and constrains. The identification enables project managers to remove constrains and purge out uncertainties. Getting rid of uncertainties and constrain completely is challenging. The mangers can reduce constrains and uncertainties and manage the remaining level of risk. Risk management is process that involves analyzing and recognizing uncertain possibility (positive and negative), utilizing available resources to minimize, control and assess the effects of uncertain occurrences. Risks management is also considered as a means of maximizing on the opportunities. Risks in project management emanate from natural cause or tragedy, legal liabilities, credit management, changes in financial market, inappropriate project design, lack of developments, lack of sustainability and attacks from adversaries. Various institutions have been establishe d to set standards that assist in risk management. They include the ISO standards and the Project Management Institute. The institutions vary depending on the industries they can be applied. The approach, conceptualization and motives are depended on the specific industry a project falls (Hopkin 2012) According to Mulcahy (2010) risks management is also considered a part of project management that spots risks, implement procedures and develop contingency plans. Risk management is considered as a tool that eliminates, minimizes or transforms risks to allow the realization of goals and objectives of the project. Common risks include: lack of understanding of the project, assumptions in the project, reliance on practices articulated by other teams, lack of training for employee and poor decision making (Crouhy  et al 2001). Different project management handles risks by transferring the risk, minimizing the occurrence of the risk, minimizing the impacts, evading the risk and accepting the consequences in some instances. This paper will adopt risk management as means of reducing and coping with risks during a project. 3. The concept of Risk in Prince 2 Prince 2 denotes Projects in Controlled Environment 2. Prince is widely used in the United Kingdom for public and private projects. It is highly structured and standardized to meet management needs, enforce control and provide organization. Prince 2 entails training for managers and provides certification. Prince 2 methodologies relies on: justification of the business, clarity of functions,

Media and Communication Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Media and Communication - Essay Example Such technologies are not created simply along with the general progress of humanity as Marx believed. Rather, dominating and oppressive technologies which enable media and communication are not produced automatically or instantaneously but produces as a result of specific discursive formations which not only fashions knowledge in terms of its own logic but also constitutes the way of thinking itself. It is through the process of 'rationalisation', the term commonly associated with German philosopher Max Weber, Western model of capitalism became dominant over the entire surface of earth. In terms of governance, art and science, modern capitalism is uniquely based on rationalisation and subsequent mechanisation. The process of rationalisation is merely an embodiment of instrumental reason to which, in the epoch of modernity, human beings are subsumed. Foucault (1970) is of the view that modern social institutions are not only rational structures but also mechanisms for reproducing instrument rationality. Questioning the totality of deterministic meta-narrative histories, Foucault presents an idea of fragmented histories of 'strata'. The negation of the idea of total or holistic histories by Foucault is extremely visible when he puts forward the (epistemologically different) questions that; "which strata should be isolated from others What types of series should be established What criteria of periodization should be adopted for each of them What system of relations (hierarchy, dominance, stratification, univocal determination, circular causality) may be established between them What series of series may be established And in what large-scale chronological table may distinct series of events be determined" (Foucault, 2002 , p.4). Answering these questions with relations to 'media and communication as a stratum of culture', it would be possible to demarcate the realm of media and communication and analyse it as an independent and autonomous discursive formation in itself.For Foucault, the state of media and the techniques of communication which is quintessential to western technology-driven and dominated culture are the product of a culturally specific construction and validation of knowledge. There are monopolies of knowledge which legitimise particular domination structures and patterns. The media itself is a monopoly of a particular type of knowledge and communication techniques are the channels of dissemination of monopolised knowledge. Media not only constitutes but also maintains forms of monopolised knowledge which are oppressive in both form and content. Speaking from a technological standpoint based on Foucault's delineation of discursive formations, media can be seen as vehicles or carriers of mass oppression and mass domination made possible through the realisation of technologies of domination and oppression. On the other hand, the discursive model of media and communication as a "field of discursive events" is nothing but a "grouping that is always finite and limited at any moment to the linguistic sequences that have been formulated; they may be innumerable, they may, in sheer size, exceed the capacities of recording, memory, or reading: nevertheless form a finite grouping" (

The Concept of Risk in Different Project Management Approaches Essay

The Concept of Risk in Different Project Management Approaches - Essay Example This is because they are uncertain and may depend on external factors beyond the scope of the project. Being aware of the risks involved in a project enables the manager to plan, minimize, avoid, cope or adjust with the possible risks. Risks are capable of hindering the projects objectives from being realized. Risk management is important and there are different methodologies which are applied in project management to minimize the negative outcomes (Hubbard2009, p. 35). Some of the methodologies include Prince 2 and SCRUM. Prince 2 is a highly controlled project which ensures that certain standards are followed to achieve specified standards or quality. SCRUM is an agile methodology which develops software. It is applied to development of new products with defined roles and methods. Comparing Prince 2 and SCRUM will help identify the strengths and weaknesses of the traditional approached to the use of software in risk management. 2. The Concept of Risk Management Crouhy   et al (20 00) mention that project management is viewed as the exercise conducted before and during the project management which identifies the uncertainties and constrains. The identification enables project managers to remove constrains and purge out uncertainties. Getting rid of uncertainties and constrain completely is challenging. The mangers can reduce constrains and uncertainties and manage the remaining level of risk. Risk management is process that involves analyzing and recognizing uncertain possibility (positive and negative), utilizing available resources to minimize, control and assess the effects of uncertain occurrences. Risks management is also considered as a means of maximizing on the opportunities. Risks in project management emanate from natural cause or tragedy, legal liabilities, credit management, changes in financial market, inappropriate project design, lack of developments, lack of sustainability and attacks from adversaries. Various institutions have been establishe d to set standards that assist in risk management. They include the ISO standards and the Project Management Institute. The institutions vary depending on the industries they can be applied. The approach, conceptualization and motives are depended on the specific industry a project falls (Hopkin 2012) According to Mulcahy (2010) risks management is also considered a part of project management that spots risks, implement procedures and develop contingency plans. Risk management is considered as a tool that eliminates, minimizes or transforms risks to allow the realization of goals and objectives of the project. Common risks include: lack of understanding of the project, assumptions in the project, reliance on practices articulated by other teams, lack of training for employee and poor decision making (Crouhy  et al 2001). Different project management handles risks by transferring the risk, minimizing the occurrence of the risk, minimizing the impacts, evading the risk and accepting the consequences in some instances. This paper will adopt risk management as means of reducing and coping with risks during a project. 3. The concept of Risk in Prince 2 Prince 2 denotes Projects in Controlled Environment 2. Prince is widely used in the United Kingdom for public and private projects. It is highly structured and standardized to meet management needs, enforce control and provide organization. Prince 2 entails training for managers and provides certification. Prince 2 methodologies relies on: justification of the business, clarity of functions,

Media Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Media - Assignment Example Steve Forbes is a well-respected president and CEO of Forbes magazine, a business journal that is highly regarded in the business sector. He was also a Republican candidate in 1996 and 2000, putting forth such conservative ideas as the flat tax, a rehaul of Social Security, school choice and a strong national defense. (Forbes.com). While I respect Mr. Forbes, in that he is very accomplished and obviously very learned, I do not agree with his fundamental values, as I consider myself to be more of a Democrat than a Republican. That said, there is no denying that Mr. Forbes is a well-respected man within his field. However, because I do not agree with him on his fundamental values, it is difficult to not have a jaundiced eye on his editorials. Then, after reading just a few paragraphs, my eye was jaundiced to him even more – he derisively quotes Robert Reich in his article â€Å"Isnt Capitalism Brutal?†, stating that Reich, expressing the view that Wal-Mart crushes retailers, â€Å"complained that the retailing giant has turned main streets into ghost towns by sucking business away from small retailers." (Forbes, 2009). Then, I actually found the article to which he was speaking, and it turns out that Robert Reich did state the above quote, but that he was stating that this is what Wal-Mart detractors say about Wal-Mart. The article actually defends Wal-Marts practices overall. (Reich, 2005). In other words, Forbes took Reichs words completely out of context. If you read Forbes article, you would assume that Reich actually believes that Wal-Mart is bad and turns towns into ghost towns, but when you read the actual article, you realize that Reich is stating just the opposite. I am not sure why Forbes did thi s – Reich was labor secretary from 1993 to 1997 - in other words, he was President Clintons labor secretary - and he did

The article of Joanne Thomas Essay Example for Free

The article of Joanne Thomas Essay In her article on obesity, Joanne Thomas commences by providing insight to her readers on issues influencing obesity in the community. From Thomas’ perspective, efforts by the government which are normally observed through development and implementation of policies are inadequate in addressing obesity. To address the issue effectively, changes in individual lifestyle are of the essence and in addition to that, further research regarding motivations for changing unhealthy behaviors is necessary. Adopting community programs whose objectives focus on eliminating unhealthy habits can play an important role in addressing the issue. However, from Thomas’ standpoint, pretesting of program materials comes in handy in guaranteeing the acceptability and credibility of the message conveyed through the program. In concluding the article, Thomas asserts the importance of pretesting in evaluating the health communication campaign. The probing question is: how effective is pretesting in addressing obesity in urban areas? Thomas acknowledges the challenges facing individuals in the urban areas and the critical role of pretesting in dealing with obesity in such areas. A better understanding of the challenges affecting the community is crucial to ensuring that they are dealt with effectively (Berkowitz Rabinowitz, 2010). To acquire an adequate understanding of the challenges, participation of the local community or target audience is imperative to avoid use of words or messages which might be considered hateful or hostile to a particular group of people. In her research, Thomas plans to employ random survey method in order to get the strengths and weaknesses of the program materials and messages as well as suggestions for improving the program. Due to the fact that the effectiveness of program messages and materials in reaching the target audience greatly depends on the survey questions, it is paramount to ensure that they are brief, direct to the point and relevant to the program (Siegel Lotenberg, 2007). The questions in the article seem to be aligned in the right direction of improving the program for addressing obesity. Using survey method exclusively might be termed inadequate since the method has its shortcomings. Integrating survey method with other techniques such as market research techniques might be useful in eliminating flaws and enhancing program evaluation. Such techniques are considered economical and can collect information quickly thus might come in handy in refining the program messages and materials to greater effectiveness (Poscente, Rothstein, Irvine, 2002). Moreover, in spite of Thomas involving the target audience in pretesting, excluding professionals in the health sector particularly on obesity makes the program susceptible to biasness and incompetence. Health professionals have vast knowledge on obesity as well as ways of addressing issues associated with it thereby making their involvement in the program essential to enhancing program effectiveness. Besides the target audience, it is imperative for Thomas to involve health professionals in the programs. References Berkowitz, B. Rabinowitz, P. (2010). Analyzing community problems. The Community Tool Box. Retrieved May 20, 2010 from http://ctb. ku. edu/en/tablecontents/sub_section_main_1017. htm Poscente, N. , Rothstein, M. Irvine, M. J. (2002). Using marketing research methods to evaluate a stage-specific intervention. American Journal of Health Behavior 26(4): 243-251. Siegel, M. Lotenberg, D. L. (2007). Marketing public health: Strategies to promote social change. Sudbury, MA: Jones and Bartlett Publishers.

Defense Mechanisms Unruly Id and Neddy Essay example -- Essays Papers

Defense Mechanisms Unruly Id and Neddy The Swimmer The idea of the human mind being composed of both a conscious and unconscious has been around for quite some time. Not until Sigmund Freud elaborated on these structures though were the ideas so popular and accepted. Freud described our conscious mind as what we are aware of in any present situation including our thoughts, ideas and perceptions. Freud also introduced us to the idea of the preconscious mind, which is closely related to the conscious in that it holds thoughts and ideas that are easily available to be brought to the conscious. The most important aspect of the mind, as Freud would tell us, is that of the unconscious realm that holds information not readily available to us. It is proposed that much of the information in the unconscious is stored there because we cannot bear to think about it. Closely related to the conscious, preconscious and unconscious minds are structures Freud believes determine our behavior: the id, ego, and superego. When reading a piece o f literature the main focus is almost always on the characters. We try to understand their thoughts, feelings, perceptions, and drives. In The Swimmer, John Cheever forces us to ask ourselves what it is that compels Neddy to push himself beyond his limits and forget such critical aspects of his life. By analyzing Neddy’s id, ego, and superego, we begin to see a clearer picture of what drives his strange behavior. The id, located in the unconscious, is thought to be the primitive part of our psyche and the source of our motivations that drive us to fulfill our needs immediately. Freud believed that the id consisted of two parts: one driven by the life instinct, or pleasure principle, and the other driven by the death instinct. The life instinct promotes life of the individual and species by motivating him to eat and procreate. The death instinct refers to our desires to be still, at peace, and have no more needs. This instinct manifests itself by alcohol and drug abuse, getting lost in a book, craving sleep, or sometimes as seriously as suicide. Throughout the whole story of The Swimmer, we are constantly asking the question â€Å"why?† We first wonder why Neddy is pushing himself to the point of exhaustion while undertaking this journey, then we begin to wonder what it is that happened to Neddy and his family,... ...his family were probably too much for him to think about. This more than likely led to the unconscious repression of the event, person, or situation. The repression of these things into his unconscious is why he cannot recall anything relating to the situation. After first reading The Swimmer, I was confused as to why Neddy was behaving as he did. After applying Freud’s theories of different levels of consciousness and the id, ego and superego, we start to see a clearer picture of this disturbed individual. Neddy’s problems run far deeper than houses, money, or work related problems. His inability to cope with reality and its stressors is more troubling than any material possessions that he may be lacking. Neddy’s out of control id combined with his overwhelmed ego and resulting abuse of defense mechanisms seem to be at the route of his problem. Neddy’s ego has done a wonderful job of totally distorting his reality in an attempt to reduce stress. I think at at least one time in our lives we have all wanted to forget about some horrible, embarrassing, or troublesome event. The story of The Swimmer allows us ponder if this â€Å"easy way out† is really so easy after all.

Hard Times †Charles Dickens Essay -- English Literature

Hard Times – Charles Dickens ‘Discuss the theme of education in Hard Times’ Charles Dickens was a great author of the 19th Century and his books are recognised and loved nation wide. Many people understand the meaning to his books, as they are not just plain fiction. In the novel Hard Times Dickens intensely criticises the British system of education and how it has evolved over the years: the 19th Century philosophy of ‘Utilitarianism’. Dickens believed this system was a failure, as it changed children’s minds and morals, and it is this novel that he attempts to show the horrors that this system has created. A principle was formed by Jeremy Bentham, the eighteenth century philosopher, calculating ‘the greatest good for the greatest number’. This theory explained that self-interest was the primary motivating force behind all human conduct; people strived for pleasure and tried in vain to avoid pain. Bentham advocated a system of calculation known as ‘moral arithmetic’. This was used whenever a decision had to be made about a particular choice of action, be it an individual deed or a law affecting million. The equation was a simple one: pleasure vs. pain. If all the factors fell in the direction of pleasure for the greatest number then the appropriate course of action was adopted. However, it failed to take account of the happiness and well-being of those who did not belong to the greatest number. It also presumed that every human being on earth prized nothing but material values. The catastrophes that this pathetic philosophy caused are explored and criticised by Dickens in the novel Hard Times. The philosophy also emphasised the practical usefulness of things. This meant that art, imagination, pl... ...ildren’s education. The grim pursuit of facts is contrasted with the colourful and rich life of the imagination as experienced by the circus folk. When one of them is subjected to the rigours of Gradgrind’s educational philosophy her human nature naturally rejects the attacks made on it: Sissy Jupe leans nothing from the artificially imposed educative processes familiar in the Gradgrind household. Nut, as we see later in the novel, her own essential goodness is instrumental in educating those suffering from the inadequacies of the Gradgrind philosophy. The children are denied the natural pursuits of childhood such as play, fantasy, fun and entertainment. They are ‘dead’ as children and are forced, by Gradgrind’s system, to become unnatural children. They are therefore without essential qualities needed in adulthood and as of this they become in humane.

Analyzing Competition Essay

As 2001 comes to a close, Sa Sa contemplates what else can be done to improve profitability and keep on growing. 1. What were the reasons for Sa Sa’s early success? SA SA was creating value for its customers by providing them with quality products at a fair price. Sa Sa was first of its kind to pioneer the concept of discount store for the cosmetics (create and control). It . did is fast in the initial stages of the business (compete) by making the stores bigger and better from 40 sqft in 1978 to 750 sqft in 1985 to 10 stores in mid 1990s. Sa Sa was able to provide value to its customer by keeping the purchase prices low by using â€Å"parallel importation† and passed saving to the customers. One of the other important factor was Sa Sa listened to its customer demand (which products to stock). Sa Sa allowed the customer to touch and feel the cosmetics products that drove the demand. We also see Sa Sa’s strategy to deter the new entrants by holding onto old location. They controlled the inventory depending on the sales rate and the shelf life of the products. Sa Sa uniquely combined the combined the cosmetics product knowledge to advice the customer and provided the products at lower cost in comfortable environment, thus creating value for the customer for the first time that no one has done before. This is Resource Based View, outcome of which gave Sa Sa a competitive advantage. Sa Sa developed the Core competency: Rare: Sa Sa’s core compentancy was rare until it disclosed it in IPO Valuable –yes customers found it valuable and made Sa Sa an household name. The sales people were one of the best trained in the industry but were poached by the competition. In early days the Sa Sa operated as a family-run culture, help retain them but afte the IPO, when Sa Sa changed strategy to be creating value for the Shareholdershard to imitate: it was not hard to imitate as evidenced by the whole slew of competitier copied once known. non-substitutable-yes, there were various product segments/tiers; Sa Sa focusedtop brand names Core Products Business Units End products Porters 5 forces: Industry Rivalry: Concentration: Diversity of the Competitors Product Differentiation Excess Capacity Exit Barriers Cost Conditions Supplier Power Threat Of Entry Buyer Power Threat of substitute What changes have occurred in the stores since Sa Sa’s early success? (Not including the strategic issues outlined in Figure A. ) Sa Sa was able to offer the cosmetics at a cheaper prices than competitors combined with the sales team able to help the customers with personal needs and using customer insights to buy/stock the inventories, Sa Sa had built unique value for the customers. Since the IPO, many new competitors (bonjour and rainbow) have entered the market. They are able to copy the core competency that was first developed by Sa Sa. Additionally very well known drugstores (Watson’s and Manning’s), have started offering the cosmetics! Both have used the existing infrastructure and corporate capital resource to position themselves as significant players with 13% annual growth rate. Many departmental stores have tried to differentiate themselves by providing all products from a brand and by offering free beauty advice in the stores. Some have tried to target the Who are Sa Sa’s key competitors? What implications does your assessment have for the decisions that Simon Kwok is facing about the future of Sa Sa? What were the key success factors behind Sa Sa’s story? What do you see as the major challenges and structural threats faced by Sa Sa? Market research. Review the market research data contained in the case. What are the key insights that you can learn from the findings? Assess the strategic initiatives that Sa Sa undertook recently. What are the positives & negatives. How is Sa Sa perceived by consumers? What should Sa Sa do next? Whom to target? How should the company position itself against the likes of Bonjour? Other strategic moves?