My personal narrative Essay

My personal narrative is developed by using the questions posed by McGoldrick and Gerson (1985) in the chapter titled â€Å"Constructing Genograms† (pp. 32-7) as a guiding framework. I am the only child of Neil aged 57 and Dorothy aged 53. Because I am much closer to my father’s side of family, I will begin with his description and his family of origin. My father was born in 1946. He is the second child in the family of four children, starting with Eve who is 60 and followed by Rene and Toby who are 52 and 47 respectively. Because he is physically handicapped, my father has not worked for many years. He met my mother while she was working at a restaurant that he frequented in 1977 and they were married the following year. However, when I was eight years old, my parents were divorced in 1985 when my mother, who could not cope with her alcoholism, left my family permanently. Since then, my father has been a constant source of support for me. After my parents’ divorce, we moved in with my paternal grandmother, Ruth, who died in 1998 at the age of 82. At that time, my paternal grandfather who suffered from heart disease had been dead for four years. A wise, warm and loving grandmother, Ruth more than compensated for my mother’s unexpected departure from my life. Apart from my father who has supported me in all my endeavors, my grandmother was an influential person in my life who encouraged me to realize my ambitions, while cultivating my desire to help others.

Business Studies †Marketing Mix Essay

All businesses offer some form of service as part of the product that they supply to customers. This is true of businesses supplying manufactured goods, as well as those that only supply services. By meeting (or exceeding) customers’ expectations, businesses can improve their image and establish a reputation for supplying products with high -quality characteristics. The features of quality service include: * Making sure the customer is safe – This is crucial for a high profile business like IKEA otherwise the media will be straight on to them issuing bad press against them, potentially giving IKEA a bad name, furthermore the customer may wish to take legal action if he/she feels mistreated by IKEA. Again causing problems for IKEA. * Delivering good customer service – Decisive for IKEA to maintain the good name they have, customers in this day and age will not accept poor service, otherwise it’s likely they will look elsewhere. * Improving the quality of the product – Its important IKEA continue improving the quality of there products otherwise customers will begin to lose interest in the company due to its lack of creation and continued progress; customers want to see new/improved products on each visit they make to IKEA. * Making sure the customer is not kept waiting – If IKEA let customers wait for there service, its likely they will simply leave the store and go else where, so its important there staff are motivated and wanting to give IKEA a good name. * Demonstrating good after sales care – Once the sale is done its easy to take the money and that’s it, but with IKEA if a problem arises they will want to help the customer in any way possible. It’s vital for them to retain customers and not lose them to a competitor, and clearly IKEA are doing a good job at this as there profits continue to increase meaning the customers are happy with how they are treated both before and after sales. To see how business offer service in practice, let’s look at some real examples. IKEA sells their products ready to be fitted, meaning the products they sell have to match customer’s precise requirements and also come with good instructions to help them build it at home. Otherwise people will see it as a hassle, meaning they re less likely to purchase from IKEA again. IKEA has bought it self a good name due to fact they offer good after sale services so if needed to contact a member of staff its possible, they give you a good instructional manual, if that’s not enough you can phone them, email them or even talk 1 to 1 with a member of staff on their website via their web chat facility. It is this combination of products together with a range of services that is important in shaping and determining Ikea’s reputation, the distinct characteristics of its products and the company’s competitiveness. IKEA’s website is also a key part in generating sales for there products, its important they describe the product clearly, and give the customer as much information about the product as possible, its less likely that someone will make a visit to IKEA for a product they aren’t given much information about on their website. The above picture is the basic layout for all IKEA products on there website, it has a clear picture of the product, price, special features, measurements, whether it requires assembly, care instructions, material made out of. It also gives the customer the option to see whether they have that product in stock at your local IKEA store, which from personal experience is very useful and practical. IKEA do give a lot of information which reassures the customer that this is the product they want, giving them a buzz and actually wanting to get down to IKEA as soon as possible to purchase the product. B) Price is the amount charged by a business for its products. The factors determining the price of a product can be summarised as the three Cs: Cost, Competition and Customer value. * The cost of producing the product: If a business is to make a profit, then it clearly needs to charge a price that covers the cost of making and selling the product. * The price charged by competitors: A business might want to charge a price at or below that of its competitors. However, if the product is sufficiently unique and superior, then the business might feel it is acceptable to charge a price above that of its competitors. IKEA excels here, in the sense that it offers prices cheaper then its competitors, putting them ahead of the game. * The price customers are willing to pay: This is determined by the value of the product to the target market. If consumers in the target market believe that they can gain significant benefits from the product, then they will be willing to pay a high price. However, if the product provides few benefits, consumers will only be prepared to pay a low price, for example, the price someone is willing to pay for a house will depend on its location, the number of rooms and other factors such as the size of the garden. A business will consider all these factors before deciding on a price for each of its products. In certain situations, it may be appropriate to set a relatively high price. For example, Ikea may set a premium price on a high quality piece of furniture that is widely recognised as being superior to other similar products made by competitors. In other situations a business may opt to set relatively low prices. For example, a new company operating in a very competitive market may set low prices relative to its competitors in an attempt to win business and build a customer base. IKEA are renowned for their cheap prices and high quality products. This has helped them build a huge reputation, and ultimately there cheap prices are a unique selling point, when people think, where can I get good, yet cheap furniture from? Instantly in most cases they think IKEA. IKEA is renowned for being value for money. c) Promotion is a series of marketing activated designed to make consumers aware of products. The ultimate aim, of course, is to persuade them to buy those products. Promotion is an important part of the marketing mix, and business can use a variety of different types of promotion. One of the methods is advertising, advertising is a means by which businesses pay for communication with actual and potential customers through newspapers, television, radio, the internet and other media. It can be expensive, but advertising is often highly successful in influencing consumers’ purchasing decisions. Advertising can be informative, by setting out to increase consumer awareness of a product. This type of advertising is based on facts rather then images. On the other hand, persuasive advertising attempts to convince consumers to purchase a certain product. Persuasive advertising aims to persuade that the advertised product is better than the competition. Sales promotion is any activity that provides a financial incentive to purchase a product. For instance Ikea may hand out free samples of food in their newly built restaurant or perhaps have demonstrations of how to put together some of their products to show customers that’s its easy, and can be done by anyone. IKEA advertising in the UK is intended to raise awareness of the IKEA brand and drive traffic to the stores. Some people love IKEA’s unique style of retail advertising, some hate it, but everyone who sees there advertising has a strong opinion and subsequently it provokes conversation and debate. Despite having some of the most controversial television advertising campaigns in the UK this includes criticising the taste of the British public, invisible furniture, an exaggerated homosexual man advertising for IKEA. IKEA have raised awareness of there brand, let people know they are different to other home furnishing companies and most importantly increased sales. The advertising department includes all aspects of advertising and brand communication from television advertising and sponsorship to magazine and radio promotions. Advertising is used to support many different areas of the business including brand awareness, store themes, catalogue drops and store openings. The term merchandising covers a range of tactics used by businesses at the point of sale (the location at which the products are actually purchased) to achieve higher sales figures. For example, a business might offer retailers special display stands or point-of-sale adverts to encourage them to place the business’s products in a more favourable and prominent position withen stores. Merchandising can be important when: * Consumers make decisions at the point of sale. – This includes a lot of information about the product, making it bright, clear and attractive. * Competitors make extensive use of merchandising. * A variety of rival products are on display in stores. * Rival products have only minor differences. Businesses seek good publicity, and public relations (PR) is designed to improve businesses standings in the eyes of consumers and other interested groups,. Larger organisations have their own PR staff. Ikea engage in a variety of PR activity including: * Making donations to charities – IKEA support unicef to help young children in less fortunate countries around the world. * Sponsoring sporting and cultural activates, and IKEA support the local community by donating products to schools which don’t sell in stores, this is very popular in the community, and keeps the public happy, which creates good press for IKEA. * Allowing the public to visit the business – Makes the customer feel more welcome, and at home with IKEA if they feel involved by learning more about the company. Public relations can be a very expensive form of promotion, and it can be difficult for businesses to assess the effect of public relations on sales. Catalogues are a huge part of advertisement for IKEA, it’s relatively cheap when compared to TV adverts, and its fairly easy to get to the customer, IKEA print 131 million copies of there catalogue making it the most widely distributed commercial publication in the world. Having picked up a couple of the latest IKEA catalogues and handbooks, it’s clear that IKEA thrive on simplicity. The IKEA text is the same font on all brochures, with the traditional blue and yellow logo on the bottom hand side of the page this creates continuity which means people recognise it straight away when they see it again, the traditional yellow and blue logo is based on the colours of there home country Sweden. The background images are warm, cosy, family pictures, one containing a large sofa with numerous pillows, the other an aqua blue kitchen. This gets the message across to the reader that there is a large range of products available, furthermore on the front cover they get the message about there prices, â€Å"Pay less, enjoy more† and â€Å"your 100 page guide to making an affordable, inspired choice†. This encourages the public to go through the IKEA catalogue. Furthermore the catalogue brings the IKEA store into your home, it’s the best way to prepare for a visit to IKEA. d)Place is another term for distribution. It covers the range of activities necessary to ensure that goods and services are available to customers. Deciding on the right place involves a range of decisions. A business needs to consider the most cost-effective way of getting its products and service to the customers. It needs to look at the implications for its profit margins of each means of distribution. The growth in use of the internet has encouraged even small businesses to use websites to sell their products to what can be a global market. This can be highly cost effective means of reaching a wide target audience, but is not suitable for all business and all products. Businesses seek to design marketing mixes that are complementary and work together to benefit the business and to maximise sales. For example, Ikea promotes itself to its target audience on the basis that it offers the lowest possible prices. Place is important to Ikea, and the company locates stores in areas where it costs less to set up, eg on the outskirts of major cities. Which targets both high income earners and low. IKEA’s transport methods are highly effective, large volumes in combination with flat packages are important in helping IKEA to transport products economically from the supplier via the stores to the customers. Flat packs mean that IKEA do not have to pay for transporting or storing unnecessary air – and that not only means lower warehousing and distribution costs, but also less impact on the environment. At present 20 % of all IKEA goods are transported by rail. 6) It makes sense for Ikea to target a wide range of customers. This is referred to as mass marketing. But there’s the other side of it where in some situations they will target small sections of the market. Taken to the limit, this might involve catering for a small select group of customers – a target market that has very specific needs. I.E children’s section. In mass marketing, Ikea would aim their products at most of the available market and normally try to sell a range of similar products to all customers. Mass marketing is possible if the products are popular and purchased by many different types of people. For example Ikea’s furniture products are well suited to being sold in mass markets. Businesses must be able to produce on a large scale if they are to sell successfully in a mass market. A company may have to invest heavily in resources such as buildings, machinery and vehicles. Usually, firm’s also have to be very price competitive to flourish in mass markets. By contrast, niche marketing involves companies identifying and meeting the needs of relatively small areas of the market. The aim is to cater for the needs of customers that have not been met sufficiently by other business, and niche marketing is one way in which small businesses can operate profitably in markets that are dominated by large firms. An example would be Ikea and their play pen for younger children. Market research helps businesses to identify whether they should adopt a mass or niche marketing strategy. In general, this would depend on: * Whether the needs of customers within all parts of the market are being met. * The extent to which a business can provide specialist products capable of meeting the needs of select groups of customers. – This gives IKEA good idea whether there is a need for a unique product on the market, or a product aimed at a special selection of customers, doing this research could potentially uncover new opportunities for them. * The degree to which competitors are currently meeting the needs of all customers within the market. 7) Market research is the systematic collection and analysis of data to enable a business to take better quality marketing decisions. In simple terms, market research allows businesses to find out what customers want. There are a number of reasons why businesses invest in market research. To determine whether IKEA should focus on mass marketing or niche marketing, they can use market research. Most products are only likely to be mainly purchased by particular groups of customers: the market of young working-class males, for example, is very different to that of middle aged wealthy couples. Market research can assist a firm in identifying which parts of the market are most likely to buy its products. It is vital for a business to know who its customers are. This allows the business to: * Design products to best meet the needs of these customers This makes it more efficient at what it does as it specifically meets the needs of IKEA’s customers, meaning its something which grabs there attention, or they can relate to and want to purchase. * Target advertising, promotions and special offers at these groups People like a bargain, once they see a discount on a product they are looking for they are likely to purchase it from IKEA. * Conduct further in-depth research with specific groups of customers to uncover their needs as fully as possible. 5) Businesses need to know what’s happening in the market. To be able to plan its product and marketing effectively, a business like Ikea needs to address three important questions. What is the size of the market? A way of measuring the size of the market is to consider the volume of sales made by all businesses selling furniture. What is the structure of the market? This means discovering the number and size of businesses that make up a market. Are there, for example a few large firms, or many small firms? Or a mixture of large and small firms? If a business is in competition with large firms, it may decide to avoid competing on price terms as larger firms may be able to produce their products more cheaply. Is the market growing or shrinking? Market research can reveal what is happening to sales in market over a period of time. A business may feel more confident about entering a market which is growing, as it should be easier to win sales when some customers are not yet loyal to particular brands or manufactures. The market for DIY furniture has kept growing recently mainly due to Ikea’s success. If IKEA are planning on releasing a new product, its likely they will do research into other products in a similar field to see whether the market for them specific products are increasing or decreasing. This will give them a good idea whether it is worth a full-scale launch of the product they have in mind. 9) Total Quality Control is the most necessary inspection control of all in cases where, despite statistical quality control techniques or quality improvements implemented, sales decrease.The major problem which leads to a decrease in sales was that the specifications did not include the most important factor, â€Å"What the customer required†. To maintain their quality and standards is vital to IKEA, the quality and reliability and workmanship of their products is crucial to there brand. Both to keep their customers and to be legally correct. * Marketing had to carry out their work properly and define the customer’s specifications. * Management had to confirm all operators are equal to the work imposed on them and holidays, celebrations and disputes did not affect any of the quality levels. * Inspections and tests were carried out, and all components and materials, bought in or otherwise, conformed to the specifications, and the measuring equipment was accurate, this is the responsibility of the QA/QC department. * Any complaints received from the customers were timorously and satisfactorily dealt with. This will help keep IKEA a favourites with the customers. To conclude, the above forms the basis from which the philosophy of Quality Assurance has evolved, and the achievement of quality or the â€Å"fitness-for-purpose† is â€Å"Quality Awareness† throughout the company. IKEA hire highly trained quality control workmen, to check that the products in the warehouse are looked after sensiblely and that they are delivered to the customer effeciantly. Quality control is to check that there product meets customer demands and possibly look for ways to improve it. Its important for a business like IKEA to have regulary quality control checks to make sure that the products they sell are always up to standards, making sure the high IKEA standards don’t drop without them being aware. To make sure of this IKEA have a test lab in Almhult which tests both textiles and furniture, around 50,000 tests are carried out in accordance with current standards each year. For several years in succession the IKEA Test Lab has been accredited for it quality system and test methods in accordance with the international standards. All these tests have been developed to correspond to many years of regular use in a domestic enviroment in the areas for which the product is intended. IKEA not only test products during development, but also selects random samples from among the products on sale in the stores. As IKEA say â€Å"It is our customers that we want to come back – not our products† This makes sure that IKEA’s customers get there full value for money and a long lasting product.

HEALTH LAW AND ETHICS Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 7

HEALTH LAW AND ETHICS - Essay Example Another purpose of the Act was to ensure that the elderly of US did not need to leave their home and move in facilities that assist elderly. The purpose of enabling services to make sure that the patients with US that belong to the minority groups are well served (Shuttlesworth 359). People suffering from deadly diseases along with people who are recognized as drug abusers can obtain high quality care due to improvement in case management. Patients from the minority groups do not have proficiency over English language, they gain support through services provided by interpretation service providers. With the aid of education related to health care, people from the minority groups can learn how to manage their activities in order to secure healthy lifestyles. Eligibility services for these minority groups aid in enrolling individuals in health care facilities and decreasing their concerns about their finances. Transportation services aid minority groups in gaining timely access to health care

Annotated Bibliography Counterterrorism on Terrorist Groups

Counterterrorism on Terrorist Groups - Annotated Bibliography Example Its proper consideration and implementation has been considered crucial for the successful attainment of the desired combat goals and purposes. COG is essentially a joint operation plan that serves to provide moral, physical and technical support to militia, with an inherent capacity that gives them a competitive edge over the opponents. In this concept, the first step is essentially to have the right group of people with the required critical skills and capabilities, then identifying ends and taking strategic positions. The other important facet is to have sufficient resources to support the mission and the most important tenet of the COG concept is execution. Training is one thing and executing is another. There is need for the team to have the inherent ability to perfectly execute the laid out plan for success to be a guarantee. This material is relevant to our topical discussion as it propounds practical military approaches that can be implemented to detect movement patterns of the enemy and counter them before they strike hence relevant. Moreover, it is a unique approach that makes use of intelligence gathering ascribed to opponents in lieu of physical groundwork used in most combat systems. The evident shortcoming from the literature is that the author highly focused on the theoretical concepts and detailed methodological procedures that make the COG concept appear complex and difficult to execute.

Case Study Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 17

Case Study - Essay Example 3. Testing for carrier or affected individuals with Tay-Sachs disease; blood screening for hexosaminidase-A (Hex-A) mutation in suspected individual that either have family history or are of Ashkenazi Jewish descent is used to identify carriers. Blood test is performed antenatal using chronic villus sampling and amniocentesis or after birth. 5. Function of lysosomes; they produce enzyme Hexosaminidase-A (Hex-A) that prevents buildup of fatty materials called GM2 ganglioside in the cells brain and nerves. This further averts malfunctioning of nerves and brain cells (Americo, Filho, & Shapiro, 2010). 6. Role of Hexosaminidase-A enzyme; this enzyme is responsible for abasement of GM2 ganglioside and many other biological molecules that have terminal N-acetyl hexosamins in both the brain cells and nervous cells. Deficiency of enzyme hexosaminidase A causes Tay-Sachs disease due to increased buildup of toxic GM2 ganglioside a fatty substance that destroys brain cells and nerves. This results in motor difficulties and other signs and symptoms. 7. Diagnosis of Tay-Sachs disease; blood test is analyzed for enzyme assay or biochemical examination that reveals the levels of hexosaminidase- A in an individual. Affected individuals have less -hexosaminidase A blood and other cells than non-carriers. 8. Management; Tay-Sachs disease has no cure; only management is to relieve symptoms. Prevent airway and lung problems; relieve dysphagia and medication for fits, muscle stiffness and eye problems (Chamoles, Blanco, Gaggioli, & Casentini, 2002). Chamoles, N. A., Blanco, M., Gaggioli, D., & Casentini, C. (2002). Tay-Sachs and Sandhoff diseases: Enzymatic diagnosis in dried blood spots on filter paper: Retrospective diagnoses in newborn-screening cards. Clinica Chimica Acta, 318(1-2), 133–137. doi:10.1016/S0009-8981(02)00002-5 Ohno, K., Saito, S., Sugawara, K., & Sakuraba, H. (2008). Structural

The Relationship Between Social Class and Gender in Jane Eyre Essay

The Relationship Between Social Class and Gender in Jane Eyre - Essay Example Jane's father was a poor clergyman, on the fringes of middle class, and her mother in marrying him had lost the name and advantages of her own superior social standing, so they both lacked a well defined social status and the situation became worse as they left her an orphan. As Susan Fraiman says, both Jane's parents were "socially ambiguous, and this ambiguity is part of their legacy to Jane" (616). This ambiguous station in life leaves her open to statements like: "No; you are less than a servant, for you do nothing for your keep†. To this, the pressures of her gender add up, even the servants tend to sympathize with her less, because of her lack of good looks: â€Å""Yes," responded Abbot; "if she were a nice, pretty child, one might compassionate her forlornness; but one really cannot care for such a little toad as that." "Not a great deal, to be sure," agreed Bessie: "at any rate, a beauty like Miss Georgiana would be more moving in the same condition."† (Chapter 3) Jane is conscious of her social ambiguity and disadvantage in terms of femininity and its charms : â€Å"A Victorian woman's value resides chiefly in her femaleness† (Archibald, 8), and she seeks to overcome both through mental discipline in Lowood, where she does gain an education, only to become another socially ambiguous figure in Victorian England, a governess. This was the only respectable option open to a single woman without a family, or even money or connections enough to get suitably married

Technology and its effect on human freedom and happiness in society Essay

Technology and its effect on human freedom and happiness in society - Essay Example In most criterions, one would think that the Americans are happier now than they were in Middle of the 19th era. Oddly, however, if you asked Americans how exultant they are currently, you will discover that they are no better off than they were during 1946. This paper will discuss Technology its effect on human freedom and happiness in society. In attempting to decode how technology influences the well-being of a person, it is crucial to look at two things. Do better and more technology make individuals happy? Secondly, there exists something inherently uneven about people explanations of their individual states of mentality (Dick 32). Forget folks’ uncertainty concerning what will render them happy in the coming; can we trust that persons know what render them happy currently? Most sincerely, reflecting on technology is tough because persons adapt so rapidly to available technologies. Someone in 1870 would have been happier if she or he could had possessed a car that gave hi m or her freedom to voyage a great distance in a day at a relative cost. Today, however, people are not so thrilled about planes, cars and telephones. People recognize their use; however, they are likewise sources of stress and frustrations. For instance, a lottery winner is very, very happy when he or she wins, but after a while, that feeling of euphoria disappears. This is the same with technology that no matter how dramatic a fresh innovation is, people will eventually take it for granted. In the technological world, when the things become mundane or stop operating efficiently, people get frustrated (Postman 54). Does our swift incorporation of technological development denote that technology makes no change? No. It merely makes the issue of technological effect, for ill and good, more complex (Putnam 46). Beginning with the disadvantage: There are particular ways where technology renders life evidently worse. Traffic jams, telemarketing, and identity embezzlement all suggest the mselves (Kraut et al. 13). These phenomena make persons consciously unhappy. Nevertheless, for the great part, modern criticizers of technology have not focused very much in particular - the effect of technology on humanity. However, those criticizers have put out two seemingly opposed po ­sitions that nonetheless disclose a common cynicism about individuals’ ability to utilize technology towards their personal ends. The first opinion, seen in the books of Dick Philip K., is that technology development is steering to a constantly more controlled, rigid, soulless community, where it is simpler for persons to be monitored and manipu ­lated. The second view that has been thoroughly articu ­lated in hard covers of Putnam Robert Bowling Alone (pg. 44) and Postman Neil Amusing Ourselves to Death (pg. 55), is that technology remains crucial to the swelling privatization of experience that is in turn designing a fragmented, disordered society. A society where traditional relati ons are tougher to sustain, the community is gradually becoming an illusion, and folks’ relationships to one another, arbitrated as they regularly are by technologies, grow progressively tenuous. There is evidently an explanation to both opinions. Privacy has increasingly grown fragile in a globe of connected databases. In most workplaces, technologies such as keystroke observation

Critical analysis of assessment strategies and practice in the Essay

Critical analysis of assessment strategies and practice in the workplace - Essay Example The ability to pass that knowledge to other is extremely beneficial if the knowledge is to cause an impact. This calls for skilful verbal skills. This is because a student must have the ability to communicate with teachers, colleagues and clients or patients, (Banta, 2007, p57). There are moments that a direct discussion with a patient helps to make some procedures much easy, (Nicklin, and Kenworthy, 2000, p142). This should also be matched with the ability to consult is a verbal way freely and confidently. It therefore, becomes extremely necessary to find out whether the students know how to express themselves. Accuracy and precision is also extremely vital factor. This is because most of the complicated procedures are time bound and of a sensitive nature, (Neary, 2000, p124). This explains why a single delay can end up costing a lot. The student has to be able to work with the required time frame and also demonstrate accuracy and precision, (Banta, 2007, p57). This reveals the extent and reliability capacity of the student. The willingness to learn is demonstrated in a wide range of factors. A meritorious student should show the ability to learn new things, (Nicklin, and Kenworthy, 2000, p130). This includes asking the necessary questions and interacting with consultants, lecturers and other professionals who are way ahead. The student should also involve colleagues and fellow students so that they can exchange ideas, (Friedlander, 2004, p112). This too enhances understanding and learning process. It also shows that the student is willing to learn. The questions should be clear and should assess the subject matter with a sense of accuracy, (Neary, 2000, p124). The research questions and data collections methods in the assessment should be relevant and detailed, (Banta, 2007, p57). This is to make sure that crucial data is obtained from the student and give a precise assessment of the level of understanding and competence of the student,

The Concept of Sex Appeal and Its Influence on the Consumer Essay Example for Free

The Concept of Sex Appeal and Its Influence on the Consumer Essay More complex variables such as confidence and the personal interpretation of the individual’s beauty/attractiveness may give us more insight into the underlying psychological and sociological purchasing patterns of today’s consumer. The first hand research for this topic will be carried out with a questionnaire designed and created by the members of the group and thereafter each part will be worked on and analyzed mutually. Many question why sex appeal is used so frequently in advertising, never becoming an outdated phenomenon of the past like so many other techniques. The study of consumer behaviour is very much connected with the area of psychology. Few people know that when being subjected to advertising they may be influenced on a far greater scale then they could ever imagine. The first aspect which must be taken into consideration is sex. In our current modernized lives where survival is a word used less frequently, many forget about the urges humans have inherited over thousands of years. Abraham Maslow’s diagram of the hierarchy of needs displays the ranking of necessities for human survival, â€Å"The basis of Maslows theory is that human beings are motivated by unsatisfied needs†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Anon, 2007) It is observed that once a human fulfills a need, he then progresses to the next level to ultimately strive to reach the last level which is self actualization. The first level deals with physiological needs which encompasses breathing, food, water, sleep, homeostasis, excretions and last but not least, sex. This drive that humans have, which plays a fundamental role in survival, can help justify why marketing experts use sex appeal as a vital part in advertising their products. With this valuable knowledge, advertising professionals are able to reach their target customers on a subconscious level. The use of sex can be compared to shock advertisements such as those in anti-smoking or obesity campaigns. In terms of marketing, all publicity can be beneficial to the company so the main objective is to shock. Kandarp Baxi, the accounts director for Chase advertising states the following about the use of sex appeal; â€Å"There is little that the product is offering that is different from others. When technological differentiation is neither noticeable nor long-lived, you need to improve the intangible experience. Put simply, the attempt is to position them to shock† (Seth, 2005). Studies have shown that sex in advertising can generate feelings of happiness, risk-taking and pleasure all desirable traits for the distributor of the product. During a study at Stanford University, a group of male students were asked to look at revealing sexual images of women and were then given money to gamble with on a random chance game. Either a dollar or a dime could be won, though the chance of winning was always the same. The men who had looked at provocative images were more likely to make greater financial risks then those who were shown neutral images (office supplies) or scary images (snakes and spiders) which generally risked less. Brian Knutson, a psychologist at Stanford expresses â€Å"its all about the power of emotion and arousal and our financial decisions†¦ What really matters is that the sexy woman is having an emotional impact. That bleeds over into your financial decisions. (Borenstein, 2008) I’m sure many have experienced the need to buy when they are unhappy. This materialism is more prominent in consumers with lower self esteem. People that do not feel positively about themselves are generally more insecure and therefore try to fill this emptiness in their lives with products. Sex appeal in advertising can negatively impact the consumer which lacks self confidence as the overly styled images of beautiful and sensual faces act as bait. The more unhappy one is, the more one will depend on products and buyable commodities to ease this self doubt. A study conducted by researchers from the university of Illinois and Minnesota stated that â€Å"By the time children reach early adolescence, and experience a decline in self-esteem, the stage is set for the use of material possessions as a coping strategy for feelings of low self-worth. (Sato, 2007). The article also explains that a lot in terms of societal happiness has changed over the past 50 years, â€Å"Yet as societies become richer, they do not become happier. In fact, the First World has more depression, more alcoholism and more crime than fifty years ago. † Along with the need to earn more to be able to consume more comes a range of problems which use the consumer as their prime target. Compulsive shopping is a disorder continuously affecting insecure consumers. This sickness was discovered by German psychiatrist, Emil Krapelin and is â€Å"characterised by an irresistible urge to buy items that are either unneeded or unwanted†¦most compulsive buyers are young women who spend excessive amounts on clothing, shoes and makeup. † (Andreasen Et. Al, 2006) Here one can identify that these affected have self low esteem as they are purchasing mass amounts of products that have been designed and created to increase the physical appearance of the consumer. It is assumed that between 1. and 2% of our population are affected by this disorder (Day, 1997) University of London psychologist Kevin Gourney found that â€Å"63 per cent of people with a shopping problem went on a spree when they felt depressed† (Day, 1997) When describing why most of compulsive shopping sufferers are women he blamed marketing strategies â€Å"They are also deluged with advertising for clothes, cosmetics and perfumes†. Andreasen. N, Black. D (2006) Intr oductory Textbook of Psychiatry, American Psychiatric Pub. Inc, pp. 360

Trends in Business Communication Essay Example for Free

Trends in Business Communication Essay Over the past two decades technology has advanced rapidly, bringing substantial change in how people communicate in business. While traditional methods of communications such as formal letters and business meetings still take place, even these types of communications have changes dramatically. With the rise of personal computers and the internet in the early 1990’s, nearly every form of communication in business today would be largely unrecognizable to businesspersons from previous decades. The development of these business communication methods are one of the biggest reasons for movement toward an increasingly global economy today. In today’s business environment, typed letters are seldom used. In the times when they are used, they are used as more of a formality than as an everyday form of communication. From personal business experience, they are mainly used to personalize a relationship with clients and most often times are reinforced with electronic communications. Even the way letters are written in today’s business environment is drastically different from years past. Electronic methods for producing and personalizing the letters have been greatly enhanced by the software available today. As for non-formal written communications such as memos, from personal experience they are almost never received in hardcopy. They are all disseminated via e-mail. E-mail is the communications forum that has most affected business communications. Whether formal or informal, it provides for immediate transmittal and reply. A common issue with e-mail communications is that they may become too burdensome, however. The ease of mass dissemination and the prevalence of its use can often lead to large volume of relatively unimportant e-mails. There have been methods developed to lessen this burden, however, including the ability to identify relatively important e-mails such as flagging them. While e-mail has provided a much more fluent and easier method of communication among co-workers and clients, there have been advances that allow businesspersons to accomplish many tasks with less communication with people than was necessary in the past. In today’s business environment, almost all successful companies have interactive websites for customers to research information or to directly communicate with customer support. Data research is constantly required for customer inquiries or for data mining in almost every position within a company. The development of networked databases and cloud computing has allowed employees to conduct almost all necessary research without even speaking to a customer or another employee. The advancement of cloud computing in recent years allows businesses to store and access data remotely, rather than maintaining their own infrastructure. It allows you to access data using any device with a network connection as well as to work on documents with other businesspeople in multiple locations. Cloud computing also allows unlimited storage space and through subscription to the software, allowing businesses to only use what they need. Telecommunications has also been developed into something drastically different than from just a few years ago. While almost all conferences and meetings took place in person not too long ago. More frequent meetings that include all personnel are now increasingly possible with advances in teleconferencing and on-line meetings. In my current position, meetings are held several times a week from offices all around the country on-line. Training is also being conducted in this manner with live training sessions on-line where you can interact with the instructor through instant messaging and telephone. Because of these methods, business can be conducted from almost anywhere a networked computer is available. Another trend that is being allowed by business communication is that employees are increasingly working from remote locations. Devices such as wikis, PDAs, and much more powerful networks and transportable computers have made many of these advances in business communication much easier. In a previous position, our director often worked from remote locations while away on either vacation or business trips almost seamlessly. In my current position, I frequently interact with employees who work from home. The continually advancing technology of recent years has brought about dramatic changes in business communication. In the years to come, it will allow companies to become increasingly paperless will likely provide even greater changes to the way that businesses communicate. Rapidly advances in mobile devices and the software available for them will make what today is viewed as extraordinary the norm. In all, the developments of the last few years have greatly enhanced business communication, improving productivity and generally lowering costs while enabling a company to increase revenues. Effective communications play a critical role in all relationships within a business from management to employee to client. slide 1 of 10 The efficiency and overall profitability of businesses who have quickly adapted to the new communication methods has greatly improved, leaving all other companies no choice but to try and keep up. Communication is probably the most critical factor in the business world of today and companies who can more quickly to develop more effective communication will almost certainly have a substantial advantage on their competition.

Defining Drug Addiction

Defining Drug Addiction Sweet Jesus, Aunt Bettyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ the white ladys riding a white horse. Heroin, heroin à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ heroin and heroin, these are all slang words for one thing, heroin. It is back in full force. Heroin used to be predominantly used by poor, urban youth, but in recent years, it has grown more popular in the middle class, and affects suburban people of all ages. It is here and it is in your neighborhood. There is no one single causal change for drug abuse. A range of individual, family, social, environmental and other risk factors have been identified. Males are more likely to use illicit drugs at earlier ages than females, and more prone to use them to try to cope with problems (Spooner, 1999). Individuals who struggle with personality disorders often have trouble dealing with others. They often tend to be solemn in nature and almost unbendable in their ways and unable to manage change well. This causes an inability to respond to the normal changes and demands of living. People with personality disorders often feel that they are normal, but tend to have a narrow view of life. They find it exceedingly difficult to participate in the routine daily activities of living. The repercussions of drug abuse are vast yet all encompassing and affect people of all ages. Treatment is the only answer regardless of whether one chooses to become a drug addict or it is, as believed, a disease. This paper will explore the psychology of addiction and examine the relevant research, and psychological theories as it pertains to the issues of drug addiction and propose two solutions to address this problem with a final solution being chosen by the writer, as the best course of action for addicted individuals. Defining Drug Addiction: The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) defines addiction as a chronic, often relapsing brain disease that causes compulsive drug seeking and use, despite the harmful effects to the user and to those around them. It is a brain disease because it actually changes the structure of the brain and the way in which is functions. The American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM) released a new definition of addiction last year, stating, in part that addiction is a chronic brain disorder and not simply a behavioral problem. For the first time, the ASAM has taken an official position that addiction is not solely related to behaviors and lack of control. The actual short definition reads as follows: Addiction is a primary, chronic disease of brain reward, motivation, memory and related circuitry. Dysfunction in these circuits leads to characteristic biological, psychological, social and spiritual manifestations. This is reflected in an individual pathologically pursuing reward and/or relief by substance use and other behaviors. Addiction is characterized by the inability to consistently abstain, impairment in behavioral control, and craving, diminished recognition of significant problems with ones behaviors and interpersonal relationships, and a dysfunctional emotional response. Like other chronic diseases, addiction often involves cycles of relapse and remission. Without treatment or engagement in recovery activities, addiction is progressive and can result in disability or premature death (Definition of Addiction (2011, April 19). While the decision to take drugs is voluntary for most people, the brain then changes over time, and those changes challenge a persons self-control and ability to resist the urge to use. This is why addiction classifies as a brain disease; the drug actually changes the brains structure and the way in which it functions. These changes can be long lasting and lead to harmful behaviors in people who abuse drugs (National Institutes of Health National Institute on Drug Abuse, 2011). Because of these changes, quitting is often difficult for those that are ready try, and it often takes more than one attempt. Addiction can occur despite a persons strength of character and once it occurs, repeated use changes the delicate and complex systems of the brain. According to Drs. N. Volkow and H. Schelbert, of NIDA, the brain imaging studies from drug-addicted individuals show actual physical changes in those areas of the brain critical to judgment, decision-making, learning, memory, and behavior c ontrol. This is just another reason why researchers believe that these changes alter the actual function of the brain and may help to explain the compulsive, destructive behaviors, which go along with addiction. Drugs of abuse contain chemicals, which actually tap into the brains communication system and actually disrupt the way nerve cells normally send, receive and process information. There are at least two ways that this disruption happens: by imitating the brains natural chemical messengers and by over stimulating the reward circuit of the brain (National Institutes of Health National Institute on Drug Abuse, 2011). misc_volkow.gif Image: National Institutes of Health National Institute on Drug Abuse. Repeated drug exposure changes brain function. Positron emission tomography (PET) images are illustrated showing similar brain changes in dopamine receptors resulting from addiction to different substances cocaine, methamphetamine, alcohol, or heroin. The striatum (which contains the reward and motor circuitry) shows up as bright red and yellow in the controls (in the left column), indicating numerous dopamine D2 receptors. Conversely, the brains of addicted individuals (in the right column) show a less intense signal, indicating lower levels of dopamine D2 receptors (Volkow, N. D. (Medical Imaging Scan). (2012). PET Images of Brain Changes after Repeated Drug Exposure). Reduced dopamine production eventually leaves the user incapable of feeling any sense of pleasure, even from the drugs that feed the addiction. Scientists can now visualize this, in the above scan, the lack of dopamine receptors do not show up as bright red and yellow in the right column as they do on the left, in the control group. Drugs of abuse also affect the regions of the brain that help to control desires and emotions which results in a lack of control, and leads the addict to pursue the drug compulsively despite the lack of pleasure produced. Researchers in China at the Mental Health Institute also conducted an imaging study to investigate the gray matter volume in 20 former IV heroin users at three days after abstinence, and again at one month after abstinence. They also used 20 normal subjects used as the control group. They found that at the three-day mark, decreased gray matter density was found in the frontal cortex and occipital regions of the brain but at the one-month mark, there were no significant differences in those regions in the brains of the heroin addicts and the control group. While this was a small study and would need to be replicated in a larger group, what they found was that the changes occurring in the brain were, at least in part, reversible. They had initially, based on previous studies, hypothesized that the heroin dependent subject would have decreased gray matter density permanently (Wang X., 2012). Understanding the Addicted Brain: Illicit drugs (drugs), the term used to describe drugs which are under international control and that are produced, trafficked and/or consumed illicitly(UNODC: Information about drugs, 2012), use affects every part of the brain and its functioning. Drugs and alcohol interfere with the exchange of information in your brain, which actually produce changes that promote drug use. Just seeing a drug or its paraphernalia can bring anticipatory pleasure. This paper will identify just a few of the parts that are affected. The addicted brain is distinctly different from the non-addicted brain, as manifested by changes in metabolic activity, receptor availability, gene expression, and responsiveness to environmental cues. The activation of the brains reward system seems to be the common element in what hooks individuals on drugs. Drugs alter the central nucleus of the almond shaped part of the brain, known as the amygdala. The amygdala has a key function in the acute reinforcing actions of drugs of abuse. The amygdala is a part of the limbic system and is responsible for regulating emotions, fear and pleasure (Koob Volkow, 2009). Drugs also alter the part of the brain involved in impulse control, the prefrontal cortex, which makes it more difficult for addicts to resist taking drugs. This finding may help to explain why adolescents are more susceptible to addiction the prefrontal cortex does not become fully developed until people reach their mid-20s. The brain becomes used to these changes caused by the drug and begins altering its normal production and release of neurotransmitters (Harryman, 2011). The addict begins to lose control and has difficulty limiting drug intake, the need to consume becomes compulsive because the drug has affected the regions of the brains controlling impulse, craving and behavior. The individual is addicted. Initially, interfering with this system makes the user feel good but it leads to seeking the behaviors, which give pleasure at any cost. Chronic drug use causes changes in the structure and function of the neurons that can last for years, even after the user is clean. These changes to the brains structure and functions over time actually reduce the pleasurable effects of the drugs but also increase the cravings resulting in a destructive spiral. Scientists are learning how genetics and environmental factors, like stress, contribute to these neural disruptions and increase the risk of addiction. This ongoing research is allowing researchers to understand how addictive substances affect the brains reward system, and allowing for the development of more effective therapies for treating addiction. When a person takes an addictive drug, from nicotine to heroin, chemicals travel swiftly through the blood stream into certain key brain regions known as the reward system, the nucleus accumbens, which regulates the ability to feel pleasure. With continued drug use, the circuitry of this system becomes flooded with dopamine. Dopamine, a brain chemical, or neurotransmitter, activates specific sites on brain cells called receptors to increase pleasure and reward. Over time, the brain adjusts to the excess dopamine by decreasing the number of dopamine receptors and the overall amount of dopamine in the brain. Users must then consume more and more of the drug to achieve the same high. Disruption to the brains reward system is only part of the reason why drug addictions are so difficult to overcome, and why relapses can occur even after years of abstinence. Neuroscientists have also discovered drugs alter connections in brain circuits that regulate learning and memory, causing strong associations between the drugs pleasurable sensation and the circumstances under which it is taken. In fact, scientist are beginning to postulate that the whole action surrounding the getting high, is just as addictive than the actual drug itself. The rush for the addict often comes from pursuit of the activity. Drug addicts tend to be risk takers and thrill seekers and expect to have a pleasurable reaction to their substance of abuse before they use it. Some experts in the field of addiction today prefer the term addictive behaviors, to addiction. The biological, psychological, and social processes by which addictions occur have common pathways. All addictions have roots in genetic pr edispositions and biological traits. Many in the field say that addictions have characteristics in common and so do addicts. Regardless of the source of addiction, the effects are mainly concentrated in the brain: physically, chemically, and psychologically affecting emotions and energy levels. Addicts have distinct preferences for one substance over another and for how they go about using the substance they abuse. Many addicts have problems with self-regulation and impulse control, they tend to use drugs as a coping strategy in dealing with both stress and their everyday lives in general. They do not seek a way to escape so much, but more as a way to manage their lives. Heroin The Sequel: Across the nation, heroin use is increasing at an alarming rate and affecting a surprising population, kids in the suburbs. Heroin is a highly addictive drug and the most rapidly acting of the opiate class. The kids in the cities know not to touch it but it seems that message never made it to the kids in the suburbs. The biggest connection seems to be between prescription painkillers and heroin. The opiate high that kids get from drugs such as OxyCodone is much like the one that they get from heroin use. The kicker is that heroin is much cheaper and more easily obtained and the high is more intense. A small bag of heroin is cheaper than a six-pack of beer in some places and is estimated to be 15 times purer than it was in the 1970s. The increased purity means that it is easier for users to it. Many teens have a mistaken idea that snorting the drug makes them less likely to become addicted to it. Kids are going to believe that this is not a problem, and parents are going to continue t o leave their prescription opioids unattended if they dont know about the risks, said Wesley Clark, director of the Center for Substance Abuse Treatment at the Department of Health and Human Services (Drug Enforcement Agency, 2012). According to the 2008 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, the number of current (past-month) heroin users aged 12 or older in the U.S. increased from 153,000 in 2007 to 213,000 in 2008. There were 114,000 first-time users of heroin aged 12 or older in 2008. This number keeps climbing (National Institutes of Health, 2010). heroin_use_2009.png Image from National Institutes of Health Like most parents in upper-middle class neighborhoods, parents do not realize that there is a problem out there and continue to leave their prescriptions out and unmonitored. Heroin used to be used by predominantly poor, urban youth, read: black. In recent years, it is growing more popular in the middle class suburban areas, read: white. In truth, close to 90% of teen heroin addicts are white (Department of Drug Enforcement, 2012). In 2010, there were 140,000 persons aged 12 or older who had used heroin for the first time within the past 12 months. This estimate was similar to the estimate in 2009 (180,000) and to estimates during 2002 to 2008 (ranging from 91,000 to 118,000 per year). The average age at first use among recent initiates aged 12 to 49 was 21.3 years, significantly lower than the 2009 estimate (25.5 years) (National Institutes of Health National Institute on Drug Abuse, 2011). Heroins most important ingredient is morphine. Morphine is derived from the sap of the Papaver somniferum, the scientific name for the opium poppy. Afghanistan is the number one opium poppy producer in the world, and supplies more than 90% of the worlds opium. poppy.gif seedpod.jpg The opium poppy, papaver somniferum and the seed pod, showing the exudates/sap. Image: Morphine Heroin. It would not be a far stretch to think that the war in Afghanistan and the increase in heroin use in the United States are somehow related. According to a CNN news report, there have been eight Americans who have died from overdoses involving heroin, morphine or other opiates in Afghanistan from 2010 to 2011. These overdoses were revealed in documents that showed that the Army had officially investigated 56 soldiers, including the eight that died, on suspicion of possession, use and distribution of heroin and other opiates. Heroin use is on the rise in the Army overall, military statistics show that the number of soldiers testing positive for heroin has increased from ten in 2002 to 116 in 2010. Army officials did not respond to questions, but official records from the Criminal Investigation Command show how soldiers bought drugs from Afghan juveniles. The report also reveals that soldier lingo for the drug is Afghan dip(CNN, Martinez, M., 2012). USA Today, reported that medical offi cials estimated that 25% to 35% of about 10,000 ailing soldiers assigned to special wounded-care companies or battalions are addicted or dependent on drugs particularly prescription narcotic pain relievers, according to an Army inspector generals report made public in January of 2011(CNN, Retterbush, T., 2012) Since the US Invasion of Afghanistan, the heroin output has increased over 5000 percent, according to Glenn Greenway of the Drug Truth Network. Immediately following the 2001 invasion, opium prices spiraled and by 2002, the opium price was almost ten times higher than in 2000, the United Nations Office of Drug Control (UNODC) acknowledged. Heroin use in the United States and Europe are at epidemic proportions (CNN, Retterbush, T., 2012). In East Alton, there have been twelve heroin overdoses before the year is even half over. This places the county on track for a record number of heroin overdoses. This places the county on track for a record number of heroin overdoses. Fatalities from all drug overdoses are currently at 22 cases for 2011 (Occaisionalplanet.org, Mike Davis, 2011). East Alton is a Village, with a U.S. Census total population of 6,301 in 2010. There have been so many documented cases of drug activity in the community, the Police Department has now made a form available online to citizens so that they may anonymously report a house suspected in or near their neighborhood, or any suspected drug activity (Village of East Alton, 2012). Fatalities from all drug overdoses are currently at 22 cases for 2011. The US is not alone in this epidemic, Russia estimates that one in every 50 people of working age is addicted to heroin. South Wales has seen a jump of 180% in heroin addiction rates. In 2008, the European Union, (EU) estimated that a young European died every hour from a drug overdose. What is the cause for this epidemic across the planet? Last year, Russia publicly blamed the US and NATO for refusing to eradicate poppy production by US allied warlords, resulting in an estimated 30,000 heroin deaths in Russia in a single year. The US Congressional Research Service estimates that Afghanistan currently accounts for 90% of the worlds illicit opium (the essential ingredient of all narcotics) supply. Opium revenues for Afghanistan are equivalent to 7% of the licit GDP for the nation with 10% of the population actively participating. According to the progressive online news site, Occasional Planet, the ultimate cause of the heroin epidemic destroying much of the world and local youth is the Afghanistan war and the shortsighted policies involved there. This flood of heroin is a direct result of the war efforts. afghanistan-drug-chart.jpg Image taken from occasionalplanet.org Theorists and Theories Applied: The most common type of dual diagnosis is a connection between a mental or personality disorder and a substance abuse disorder such as alcoholism or drug addiction. The reason that these two disorders go hand in hand is that drug addiction and alcohol addiction are often caused by depression, anxiety and other personality disorders. According to researchers at the University of Manitoba, Winnipeg Department of Psychiatry, using drugs or alcohol to reduce emotional distress or self-medicating is common among people with mood disorders and the general population as a whole. Researchers found that 24.1 percent of people used drugs or alcohol to relieve their symptoms. In essence, the people knew they had mental illnesses, and they took drugs and alcohol in order to make those symptoms less palpable. By taking drugs and adding dopamine to their systems, they were able to mask their mental illness symptoms. Dual diagnosis is should be the expectation and not the exception. Dr. Marvin Zuckerman, at the University of Delaware, has conducted research on an aspect of personality that he calls sensation seeking. This trait has large hereditary components. Zuckerman describes sensation seeking as a desire for varied, novel, complex, and intense sensations and experience, and the willingness to take physical, legal, and financial risks for the sake of such experiences. His theory points out that those identified as antisocial risk takers are usually drug addicts. Zuckermans theory has commonsense appeal. It is easy to accept the idea that people differ in their need for excitement and risk, change and adventure. During an interview with BigThink.com, Mr. Zuckerman had this to say in response to a question posed by the interviewer: Question: Are risk-seekers more prone to becoming addicted to drugs? Marvin Zuckerman: Well, there are four types of risk taking which form the core you might say, smoking, drinking, drugs and sex. Now you can see three of those are substance abusers, and they act through the central nervous system. They act on centers in the central nervous system that give intrinsic pleasure. Particularly stimulant drugs like cocaine. They provide pleasure. They provide the kick that activities provide, as sex provides, for the sensation seeker. They are all correlated because they are all aspects of intensity seeking sensation and the novelty too. There is a difference, for instance, in drug users between those who are high sensation seekers and those that are low. I found this out when I was treating drug abusers. The low sensation well the average sensation-seeking drug abuser tries one drug, which he enjoys particularly and sticks to it. The lows try many different drugs. So, invariably they get into odd drugs like LSD that affect their minds as well as they provide unusual sensations as well as arousal, the lows stay away from those drugs. Question: What is a specific link between high sensation seeking and drug use? Marvin Zuckerman: You find for instance that high sensation seekers there are not many men, who love war and combat, but there are a few, there are some who really find that exciting and will re-volunteer simply because they are bored with military life outside of combat. In addition, there are various substances, which are interesting as they stimulate the same sensors that are stimulated by intense and novel external stimulation. Drugs do that more directly, particularly drugs like cocaine. Control theory, or Perceptual Control Theory (PCT), takes a different path, it view variability at the essence of behavior. The heart of control theory is that the organisms control and what they control is not behavior at all but perception(Powers M. A., 2005 (1994)). To put it simply, behavior is the control of perception(Powers W. T., 2009). According to Bill Powers, the developer of PCT, the living thing is in the drivers seat, driving the car. The control theorist would say that deviance arises when the adolescent/young adult, lack sufficient ties with conventional groups, such as family, schools and religious organizations; the alienation from those prevailing values that those groups instill are associated with drug use. This lack of social bonding has been found to be predictive of early or frequent drug use and resistance to traditional authority and normlessness(Spooner, 1999). Raymond L. Calabrese offers a definition of alienation in general, as the relationship of individuals to their environment and specifically, it describes the relationship in terms of isolation, meaninglessness, normlessness and powerlessness (pg. 14). This and other personality traits have been found to be associated with drug abuse. Self-efficacy is the concept that lies at the center of Albert Banduras Social Cognitive Theory. Self-efficacy is the belief in ones capabilities to organize and execute the courses of action required to manage prospective situations (Self-Efficacy in Changing Societies, Bandura, 1995, p. 2). Bandura also mentions that developing strong self-efficacy is through mastery experiences ((Fletcher, 2003). These experiences are a double-edged sword. If completed, they improve ones self-efficacy. If failed, they weaken it. Individuals with low self-efficacy often abandon their goals at the first signs of even a minor obstacle. They tend to have all-or-nothing patterns of thinking. There is no room for being human, nor the possibility for mistakes. According to Caron, a non-profit provider of drug and alcohol treatment in PA, current statistics show relapse rates for addictive diseases usually are in the range of 50% to 90%; however, these rates vary by definition of relapse, severity of addi ction, which drug of addiction, length of treatment, and elapsed time from treatment discharge to assessment, as well as other factors. SAMHSA, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Service Administration regularly collect and publish this information. According to supporters of Addictive Personality theory, a distinct trait predisposes individuals to addictions. Much of the established medical community does not accept addictive personality as a diagnosis used to explain why some people become addicted to alcohol, drugs, activities or even emotions. Stephen Mason, PhD, said in his article Look at it this way in Psychology Today, A major misconception involving addiction is the idea that certain substances are, all by themselves, addicting. He goes on to add, Addiction depends, first and foremost, upon having an addictive personality. Such people, estimated at perhaps 10%-15% of the population, simply do not know when to stop. The nature and existence of this trait is still hotly debated in medical, neurobiological and psychological communities, there are definite implications in the brain that contribute to addictions. Dr. Alan Leshner, PhD of the National Institute on Drug Abuse describes addictions instead as a brain disease and a chronic relapsing disease, in that there are visible alterations in the brains of addicts and the effects are long lasting within their neurological patterns. Dr. Leshner also addresses the types of addiction and substance abuse that are often accredited to the addictive personality. He explains that there are two primary forms of addiction, one being the substance-based, the second being behavior-based. The substance-based addictions such as to alcohol, nicotine, narcotics are more easily explained and can be identified neurologically. Certain drugs like crack and heroin cause massive dopamine surges in the brain with different sensations ranging from invincibility or strength to euphoria or perceived enlightened states. The use of these substances almost immediately changes particular aspects of the brains behavior, making most individuals immediately susceptible to future abuse and addiction. Also common is the behavioral aspect of addictions. These are not easily explained neurologically, but generally are included in the addiction susceptibility characterized by the personality trait (Leshner, 2001). Moreover, combined addictions, addictions that include both the substance as well as the behavior are also common. The physical act of indulging in the steps involved and repetitive behavior essentially succeeds at making the invisible, visible. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, (CBT), is the method used by many today as a single source method for helping people get over emotional upsets in their lives. This type of therapy gives them the tools needed should they arise again. CBT teaches people how to change the way they think about things. In issues of addiction, the goal is to teach the person to recognize situations in which they are most likely to use, and identify situations that make them more vulnerable. It teaches them to avoid these circumstances if possible, and how to cope with other problems and behaviors which may lead to their substance abuse. CBT has two main components, functional analysis in which the therapist and client work together to identify the feelings, and give the client insight into what led to their abuse in the first place. The second component is skills training. The goal is to get the person to learn or re-learn better coping skills. This is achieved through a process of unlearning old habits and learning and developing healthier skills and habits. The main premises are to educate, to identify and to change. Some therapist mix different orientations and teachings. They are eclectic in their therapy styles, and pick and choose from different orientations. This pick and choose method is probably the most controversial style as it is, more often than not, of no benefit to the client and may be detrimental. Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy, (REBT) was formulated in the 1950s by Dr. Albert Ellis. REBT and CBT are similar but slightly different approaches to psychotherapy. REBT teaches that outside elements, the world around you, do not create emotions but the interactions with such and the beliefs and expectations, which we hold which give rise to the emotions we feel. When your beliefs become rigid, then emotional disturbance is the result. REBT teaches clients to modify the belief so that it is not so rigid and therefore less likely to create emotional upset. Example of rigid beliefs Everyone should agree with me and when that is modified, it becomes It would be nice if everyone agreed wi th me, but I realize that not everyone will. REBT is based on the premise that whenever we become upset, it is not the events taking place in our lives that upset us; it is the beliefs that we hold that cause us to become depressed, anxious, enraged, etc. Immediate Short Term Effects of Heroin: Soon after using, abusers report feeling a surge of pleasurable sensations, the rush. The intensity of this rush depends on how much of the drug is taken and how quickly the drug enters the brain and binds to the natural opioid receptors. One of the reasons why heroin is so addictive is because of the speed at which it enters the brain. The effects of heroin are almost immediate and last typically, from three to five hours. This rush is accompanied by a warm flushing sensation, dry mouth, slight nausea, itching, and a heavy feeling in the extremities (AstriCon 2012: Hooked on heroin: Dane Countys deadliest drug, 2010). Some users report that they enter a dream-like state where nothing matters, they equate this to bliss (Weyant, 2012). The user may also experience severe nausea, vomiting, and severe itching, which is usually the case with first use. I got so sick the first time I banged up (injected), I actually puked but then right after that, this warm feeling came all over me and w ow, I was gone. It was like this warm, rolling orgasm but it was my whole body. I cant explain it, this is so weird talking about this with you, but you asked. Sometimes I still get sick but thats when I know its good dope, you dont mind vomiting behind smack (Weyant, 2012). After this initial rush, abusers usually will be drowsy for several hours, they call this getting a nod on (Weyant, 2012). Mental function is clouded by heroins effect on the central nervous system. Cardiac function slows, and breathing is severely slowed, sometimes to the point of death. The goal of the addict is to recreate this rush, but with each use it becomes harder and harder to obtain. It is never like the first time, no matter how much I do. Mom, its like this Its an identity, vocation, and pastime, a lover, master, and my best friend. It makes me sick sitting here admitting all of this to you but it is what it is. Heroin is just everything to every addict, all the time. (Weyant, 2012). This is the vic ious cycle of addiction. 5522_2 brain_nih.gif Brain on Drugs. Image: National Institutes of Health, National Institute on Drug Abuse Heroin Hits Home Heroin has killed more people in Dane County than any other drug in the past five

The Malaysian Economy: Booming :: essays research papers

The Malaysian Economy: Booming The Economy: Following a period of severe and prolonged recession, the Malaysian economy has returned to growth aided by a relaxation of monetary and fiscal policies and by increased export demand, particularly in the electronics sector. While the world economic slowdown was more severe than expected and the unprecedented September 11 events in the United States had widespread implications for all economies, Malaysia was able to steer away from a major economic contraction and GDP growth for the year remained in positive territory. However, given the openness of its economy with trade accounting for about 200 percent of GDP, Malaysia was not spared from the negative effects of the United States economic slowdown. These effects came in the form of declining manufacturing production and negative export growth, particularly of electronics. Nevertheless, the government’s initiation of strong monetary and fiscal policies to stimulate economic growth through accelerating domestic economic activi ties and reducing the over-dependence on exports helped the nation to sustain a positive real GDP growth. Since 1998 the Government has relaxed the equity guidelines for investment in the manufacturing sector. Foreigners can now own 100% equity regardless of the level of exports and several incentives have also been introduced recently to promote the manufacturing-related services sector. Foreign Direct Investment has been the key to the country's remarkable success in recent years. Hundreds of international companies have so far established themselves in the country, attracted by the favorable investment environment has made Malaysia one of the world’s top locations for offshore manufacturing operations. Manufacturing is now the largest export sector of the economy (contributing around 34% of GDP and employing nearly 28% of the labor force in 2000). The electronics sector (radios and television) is the main export earner followed by processed foods, rubber, chemicals, timber, petroleum-refining and automobile manufacturing. In 2001, the impact of the slowdown in economic activity was also felt by the labor market, particularly in terms of unemployed workers in the manufacturing sector. However, given the flexibility accorded by the labor market, alternative measures that were adopted by employers (such as pay cuts and temporary layoffs) helped contain the number of workers unemployed. The Malaysian exchange rate remained pegged to the US dollar at the rate of RM3.80 per US dollar in 2001 (an arrangement that has been effective since 2 September 1998). The ‘Ringgit’ appreciated against all major currencies, including regional currencies in tandem with the strong U.

In Groups We Shrink :: Carol Tavris Psychology Psychological Essays

In Groups We Shrink As smoke poured into the room the three strangers waiting in the lobby just sat there until it was unbearable to breathe. Believe it or not people do this, just so that they don’t get embarrassed. Carol Tavris’s essay she is successful in getting the point across that people act different in groups than they do alone. She has many appeals to emotion, logic, and being the renown psychologist she is, she has credibility. She wasn’t trying to change the way people act in this essay. just to try and make people realize what happens in groups and the horrible things that could conspire. Carol Tavris was trying to get across the point that people act different in different situations. When it comes to ones personal safety then they act different. One person would get up at the first sign of danger, or go to someone’s help. But when there are other people involved and they are in a strange environment they don’t know how to act. They aren’t sure whether smoke pouring into a room or any other threatening situation is normal. They don’t want to get embarrassed or make a fool of themselves. Carol Tavris was born in 1944, and got her PH.D. in Social Psychology. That is why she has so much credibility in this field of study. This essay wouldn’t mean anything if it wasn’t coming from someone who has the background and the credibility she does. A strong example of emotion is when she talks about Rodney King and the savage beating he received. It again shows how people in groups act different. There were 11 officers watching 4 of their colleagues beat this poor man. What were they thinking? Did they agree? These are some of the questions you have to ask yourself. One explanation, of course, is that they approved.(18). They may have identified with the abusers, vicariously participating in a beating they rationalized as justified.(18). This is sad but true, but what about the Kitty Genovese story. She was stabbed and killed in front of her apartment, while 38 neighbors heard and watched, not one called for help. This is called diffusion of responsibility or soci al loafing which pretty much means the more people in a group the lazier everyone gets thinking that someone else will do the right thing. This is just another example of emotion in Carol Tavris’s writing.

A Border Passage Quotes and Reflections

A Border Passage-Quotes and Reflections â€Å"And I found myself angry also at her sister, my mother and aunts, their eyes swollen and red, receiving condolences in the rooms for women. Why are you crying now? I thought. What’s the point of that? Why did you do nothing to help her all this time, why didn’t you get her out of that marriage? I thought it was their fault, that they could have done something. If they cared enough they could have done something. That is what I thought then. Now I am less categorical. (Ahmed, 120) -I thought this quote was important because it shows the role of women being secondary to men. Aida was stuck in the unhappy marriage because she was a woman and her father would not have her divorcing. From Ahmed’s view, as a child, she is confused, as most would be, as to why the family she trusts so much would not help Aida but continues to grieve for her. She says she is now â€Å"less categorical†.Does that mean she now realizes there is not much the women could have done because they did not have power? â€Å"For one thing, we all automatically assume that those who write and who put their knowledge down in texts have something more valuable to offer than those who simply live their knowledge and use it to inform their lives. And we assume that those who write and interpret texts in writing—in the Muslim context, the sheikhs and ayatollahs, who are the guardians and perpetuators (perpetrators) of this written version of Islam—must have a better, truer, deeper understanding of Islam that the non-specifically trained Muslim. (Ahmed, 128-129) -Ahmed is pointing out that the ones who study and write about Islam are not necessarily the ones who know it best. This can be applied to all religions and even other ideas. Ahmed got a much better, richer understanding of Islam from the women in her family which was much more accessible because it could be applied to decisions in morality of everyday lif e. This idea that not just the well educated men know about religion is something that should not be overlooked.In fact we all have something unique to bring to the table on a subject, especially religion and it would be useful for the men to listen to other’s opinions. -â€Å"What I hanker for now is hearing it live, Arabic music but also other non-Western music, particularly Indian, and not only classical instrumental Indian music but other varieties too—table, dance, mawali (ecstatic song), music of presence and community, and of audience and musicians together, and of being here, now, in body, mind, spirit.Not a music to be appreciated silently, intellectually, privately and then discussed in connoisseurs’ murmurs as we file out. † (Ahmed, 153) – This quote really moved me because it made me think of international music compared to familiar music. The best way to enjoy music is to feel it with family and friends around and join in singing and d ancing. And it made me wonder why don’t I do that more often with family? There’s something about it that seems improper but it shouldn’t be.It is getting old fashioned to be able to dance with a boyfriend or girlfriend (unless inappropriately at a club) and it shouldn’t be, why has this changed? I also like this quote because it expresses something that Ahmed originally tried to reject because it wasn’t what was popular but now longed for because it was part of her culture. -â€Å"Colonialism, we have seen, reshapes, often violently, physical territories, social terrains as well as human identities. As the Caribbean novelist George Lamming, put it, ‘the colonial experience is a live experience is the consciousness of these people’. (Looma, 155) -This quotes help us explain Ahmed’s parent’s identities as shaped by Britain. Specifically Ahmed’s father, who keeps his Muslim religion but is totally emerged in the new sciences and technology of the Western world, finds his identity shaped by colonialism. Ahmed now finds it harder to compose an identity with as much of her Cairo roots she would like. She has not received the same amount of knowledge about the language or history that her parents have and she must struggle to find her own identity.

IRHR scientific management Essay

This essay explores the concepts and reasoning behind ‘The ideas or Frederick W. Taylor; An Evaluation’ (Locke 1982). Techniques will also be examined in relevance to Taylor’s contribution to modern day management. Overall this essay will determine how Taylor’s philosophy is interlinked to current modern day theories about employer- employee relationships and whether his principles are considered still binding. Scientific Management was a turning point for management theories, according to Frederick W. Taylor it is simply a scientific based approach to professional decision making. Taylor’s approach involved logical techniques, experiments and detailed and supported research. Taylor’s time and motion study was a component of his approach that assisted in finding out the â€Å"one best way† of completing work, resulting in maximum production and eliminating as much waste as possible along with time and money (Taylor, 1912/1970). The standardization technique that Taylor used in his scientific management is commonly used globally in modern day organisations. Money being a focus motivator in society, regardless of the era in time Taylor used this as an incentive to inspire high worker output and proficiency. After much observation and investigation into his approach, Taylor saw that employees would work harder and more productively when they were encouraged through the dollar. Taylor was a man of logic and structure; goal- setting (tasks) was a component of his approach that involved using every worker and separating tasks up to divide out ensuring quality (Locke, 1982). Taylor’s philosophy is widely acknowledged and useful in today’s advanced business world; although changes and improvements have been made, the origin of his philosophy is still attributed to Taylor’s main concepts in scientific management. A prime example of a modern day organisation that employs Taylor’s scientific management theory is Burger King. This method assists with more accurate production, proficiency and worker fulfilment. Burger Kingis an organisation that is concerned very much with goal setting, all staff are trained specifically to complete necessary tasks. There are many stations in the workplace such as behind the register taking transactions with the customer and taking orders, those who are in charge of the cooking and organising of meals, cleaners that ensure the eating areas are clean and that bathrooms are regularly cleaned. McDonald’s uses the scientific management theory in their operations and has been so far successful and efficient with production for the business. Burger King, successfully and efficiently uses Taylor’s Scientific Management in their day-to-day operations. Taylor’s theory supports and guides Burger Kings human resources department, finances, advertising and more. All their sub departments are run similar to Taylor’s approach. Dividing out specific jobs and classing them in groups for specialised and skilled people to get them done as efficiently as possible. The idea of training as well as rewarding and therefore can provide their staff with a stable working environment, when the workplace is stable and comfortable, workers work harder. Another way Taylor’s approach assist Burger King is regular monitoring of performance and pushing for improvement which avoids this ‘under working’. The employee- employer relationships at Burger King are well maintained due to open communication and equal power is distributed among the staff. Similar again to Taylor’s philosophy, Money is a motivator. And Burger King, being a fast food chain, is certainly motivated by the dollar. There are many similarities between how Burger King is operated and run, although very few, if any, differences. It is clearly evident that Burger King, along with most other fast food chains follow Taylor’s Scientific Method of management. Outlined above is Taylor’s influence to management, as well as the difficulties some businesses have with applying and understanding his theory. I have favoured Taylor’s scientific management philosophy, after much research I reached a solid understanding which led me to believe that his concept was a significant push forward for modern day management. Taylors contributions, although out-dated have been altered to suit todays technologically savvy business society. Reference List Locke, Edwin A , (Jan 1982). The ideas of Frederick W. Taylor: An Evaluation . The Academy of Management Review (pre- 1986), pp.14-22, 7, 000001; ABI/ INFORM Global Maqbool, M., Zakariya, A., &Paracha, A.. (2011) A Critique on Scientific Management. Interdisciplinary Journal of Contemporary Research in Business, 3(4), 843- 855. Retrieved August 20, 2013, from ABI/INFORM Global Robert, K. (2007). Taylorism Up Close and Personal: Hugh G. Aitken’s Taylorism at Watertown Arsenal. , 48(1), 1-9 Taneja, S., Pryor, M., & Toombs, L.. (2011). Frederick W. Taylor’s Scientific Management Principles: Relevance and Validity. Journal of Applied Management and Entrepreneurship, 16(3), 60-79. Retrieved August 20, 2013, from ABI/INFORM Global

Reaction time Essay

Back crawl is different to most strokes because you cannot see where you are going. I know that the skill backstroke is a weakness of my performance because my coach informs me that I have a weak leg kick action. If your leg kick is weak it can make your body position fall slightly diagonally into the water. He tells me I need to bend my knees more and flex my ankles when kicking. My arm action provides most of the power, as my arms make circling actions as they move in and out of the water. Overall the arm action is good but I need to reach and stretch more into every stroke. Also I drop my head forwards into the water and don’t hold it back enough. This can make my body position sink, therefore I need to lift my hips up and make sure my head is looking up instead of down, consequently the overall efficiency would be improved. Also as a part of my backstroke technique, my backstroke tumble turns are a weakness in my performance. I know this because I have had video analysis and it shows that sometimes I do to many arm pulls into the turn on my front, where as your only supposed to do one. Therefore my arm action is too soon, and I need to do less front arm pulls. In the somersault part of the tumble turn, the overall rotation is not fast enough, because my body position isn’t in a tight enough tuck shape. I need to kick harder with my legs so that I rotate and flip faster. When I glide off the wall in a streamline position my butterfly leg action is weak, therefore I don’t get enough distance underwater and sometimes I don’t even reach the flags. The overall efficiency of the tumble turn is slow and not fluent. Strategy/Tactic Weaknesses: Building up through out a 800m/ Long-distance race. When I swim long distance races I find it hard to increase my pace through out the race therefore a maintain the same speed. I know this tactic is a weakness in my performance because I know am more of a sprint/middle distance swimmer, and also I prefer to take part in these events.  Components of Fitness Weaknesses:  The component of fitness speed is a weakness in my performance because it is proven that in fitness testing I have scored only average. In swimming speed is the ability to exert maximum muscular contraction instantly in an explosive burst of movements, example a sprint start of the diving blocks. You need speed more when your swimming sprint races example 50m ,100m races. There is a significant degree of technique when trying to build up speed. It’s all about a mix of breathing, arm and feet movements, but you must have good muscle force behind before you can increase your speed. There is the fact that some people are just born with an ability to go faster than others. Whilst you can train faster you might never be as fast as your training partner, as they may have a different muscle composition that they’ve inherited. This will in itself help them go faster. So speed is most important in sprint races and starts. Another weakness in my performance is the fitness component, reaction time. Reaction time is being able to respond quickly to a stimulus. It important in many sports though it can be measured. Simple reaction time is the time taken between a stimulus and movement e.g., sprint start off a diving block. For example at the start of a swimming race the official signals a gun or a type of noise that indicates you to start the race, you have to respond quickly to this. Therefore reaction time is essential at the start of a race. I know that reaction time is a weakness in my performance because it is proven that in fitness testing a have scored below average. So when I combine my reaction time in swimming to the start of a race, I am slower at reacting to the starters gun. Therefore this is something I need to improve on.

Positive impact of multiculturalism in America Essay

Nowadays, it is common to see people from diverse background living together in a single territory. Some societies are even lenient in allowing the existence of diversity which could be termed as multiculturalism. Multiculturalism is identified as the co-existence of different cultures in a single bounded territory where in the small group of people of diverse background have the right to practice things that are different from the dominant population and are still accepted as an important part of a whole (Kennedy-Dubourdieu, 2006, p. 1). United States is considered as a land of diversity and a destination to millions of immigrants who are seeking to become a part of the â€Å"American dream. † The rise of multiculturalism has been evident in the country since the second half of the twentieth century. Since then various debates have been raised against the fast-paced movement of multiculturalism in the United States. It has been consistently told that there are various drawbacks regarding multiculturalism (Parillo, 2008, p. 167). However, most of the people have always focused on the negative impact of multiculturalism, never realizing that things always have its flipside. This paper sought to explore the positive impact of multiculturalism in the United States. According to Vincent Parillo (2008, p. 167-168), multiculturalism in the United States will not simply fade away. Because every nation’s strength lies among its people, it should be clearly understood that United States is not an exemption. The diversity of people played a substantial role in the development of United States as a whole. Many immigrants from different countries have come in the United States and contributed much in America’s evolution. The coming of age of United States’ agriculture and industrial landscape was shaped by past immigrants who were responsible for the creation of transportation systems, cities and labor unions. Likewise, current immigrants have also strengthened America’s economic state. The technological industry of America rose to its competitive level because of immigrants who have recognized the full potential of these advancements. Apart from these, immigrants from different nations have brought billions of dollars in the nation’s economy with the help of their businesses, consumerism and occupations. Additionally, the workforce of different sectors in the country has been benefiting from the diverse pool of people who are sharing their knowledge and skills in the union labor. The education system in United States is also not new with the aspect of multiculturalism. After World War II, the colleges and universities in the country has been more diverse. Through the acceptance of multiculturalism in educational facilities, majority of the people become more attentive about the rich concepts of diverse society, politics and economy. Multiculturalism also set a ground for students to give recognition in the works of other people especially in the field of literature. The development of the influence of multicultural literature exposes students to become more understanding in the diversified forms of lifestyle outside America, which means that although there are no firsthand accounts with the actual events, the students are given the idea of how other cultures work, which in a greater scale could contribute to the knowledge of the students of where and how things have originated (Lowe, 2000). Records also showed that educational facilities in the United States that are racially and ethically diverse substantially benefits the students because they are able to learn more in that particular environment and becomes a well rounded person. Students actively participates in the society that is driven with pluralistic and democratic thinking which in the end they could use once they leave the school grounds. In addition, the presence of multiculturalism in American higher education promotes the reduction of the patterns of racial segregation that has been permeating in the school grounds for such a long time. The incorporation of diversity in the curriculum also serves as an opportunity for creating effective interpersonal relationships among students which they could later on use to act responsibly and negotiate on things beyond borders and colors (Clayton-Pedersen and Musil, 2008). Unlike other people from different nations who are able to speak two languages or are considered as bilingual, majority of the American’s are monolingual. Because of this reason, American’s are placed in a disadvantaged position in the business community and global marketplace which are landscapes that encourages the usage of different languages. Through multiculturalism, the mastery of a secondary language is given priority in different sectors. It was also posted that learning another language enhances the mental mobility of an individual and provide a holistic view of the cultural background of the said learned language. More so, learning a different language creates the whole American society attain the level of maturity and tolerance towards its relations with interracial groups. Thus, it is posted that additional languages through multiculturalism are indications that Americans have met the needs of minorities to find the freedom and opportunity in the â€Å"land of the free† (Parillo, 2008, p. 169). Multiculturalism also diminishes the ignorance and arrogance of American’s towards other interracial groups. Since Americans and other racial groups are sharing together in a single territory, people happen to engage in activities that promote the knowledge about all shades of people. Suppose that an American did not have any encounters with a particular culture, and rely mainly on the news that he or she viewed such as that particular culture has minimal technology and are inclined towards nature. Consistently the American, who was born in a country that is technologically rich and driven towards modernity, would think that he or she is far more superior compared to the people in the said culture. Due to this idea, the individual closes his or her mind to have any dialogue or contact with any of the members of that culture. However, through multiculturalism close contact between the two cultures are possible where in the other culture could be praised for their perspective of maintaining the environment that has been the top priority of many environmentalists while the other culture could be reinforced to understand that the continuous exploitation of the environment for the improvement of their prized technology does not reach the standards of true progressiveness. In the end, there is a meeting of knowledge where in the questions that surround the American is satisfied by the dialogue that is made through multiculturalism (Ainsah-Mensah, 2007). Combating stereotyping as well as racial discrimination is also an advantage of multiculturalism. By discovering and building upon the similarities of every individual as well as acknowledging difference, various minorities in United States are able to break through the color barrier. It is evident that from many sectors across the United State the optimal performance and productivity of every individual, American or individual of color, is enhanced because of the decrease in segregation. And because of this, the country’s monoculturalism has been translated into a pool of diversity where the maximum potentials of individual contribute to the improvement of every aspect of the nation and the true meaning of democracy and civil rights has been sufficed (Parillo, 2008, p. 68). Apparently there is a continuous increase in the multicultural society in the United States and various changes are taking place. However, it is important to note that the growing number of racial minorities in the country does not always post a negative impact on the nation as a whole. What many do not realize is the fact that the things that are sometimes viewed to be a threat for the improvement of United States could also be an asset. Obviously people are more centred towards the drawbacks of multiculturalism not realizing that multiculturalism has been an important factor in shaping United States. Multiculturalism fosters a better understanding towards people of color. As such, it also bridges gaps undermined by ignorance and promote oneness and synthesis in different aspects of the community. Likewise, it is an important medium that encourages interracial relations. By deeply understanding the impacts of multiculturalism, significant changes for the betterment of the country and its people could be properly attained.