M&S Case Study

BRUNEL UNIVERSITY? SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING AND DESIGN LOGISTICS AND GLOBAL SUPPLY CHAIN MANAGEMENT M&S Case study Assignment Mark&Spencer As it is well known, the retailer M&S had been a giant in the UK market, offering several products and services that have had a big participation in the daily life of the population that in some way had been influenced by any branch of this company in any place where they stay selling its goods, whether in the UK or on overseas places.Marks & Spencer owns no factories and does not make the goods, which are sold in its stores, which represent a different approach to the retailer business and gives some advantages that M&S enjoy. The key element in furthering its competitive advantage has been the development of strong supplier relationships which although have had suffer several changes in the past few years because of strategies in the market and distinct factors, they maintain as an essential part of the business. Marks and Spencer’s mission statement is broken into 3 parts which include:Vision – To be the standard against which others are measured Mission – To make aspirational quality accessible to all and Values – Quality value, service, innovation and trust. Representation on M&S general operations * Given that M&S had an image problem in the past, what change did it make and is making to its clothing business to enhance its competitiveness? The serious problems of image that M&S had in the pass were consequence of several decisions and assessments made by its board and especially very often by the chairman and the chief executive.There is one factor that shaped for long time all the decisions made in the company; â€Å"the culture of Marks&Spencer†, this way of thinking was the method to use for manage the firm for many years from its beginning until the changes in the market and in the customers did not fit with that culture anymore. In lights of these events and in the increasing probl ems, severe changes has to be made, changes that were enough to return the plot to the company in their market that was falling as consequence of this.The quality of the clothes was not the same and the customers get realised of that as they begun to claim about it. Moreover, the bad winter season in 1999 coinciding with the retail sales downturn put a starting point in the definitive necessity of changes in M&S. 1999 was a year to forget in the UK clothing sector. Can be said that the beginning of the first change made was the incorporation as chief executive of Peter Salsbury to succeed eventually to Sir Richard Greenbury.The first approach to changes was a series of radical culling in the board of the company, which meant a change from the top-down in the structure of the organization and the incorporation of the technology in the communicational way among the board members which it have to be stress, they were not familiarised with new technologies, these initial changes made by Salsbury were aimed to vanish the old fashion way of manage the company and dismantling symbols of the old regime; many people were removed from the administration work to go to dealing with costumers’ needs.A general reorganization that split the company into UK retail, overseas and financial services was made as well. As another remarkable change, was the approach to the renewed focus on the client itself and the fulfilment of its necessities, part of the image problems was because of the treatment to the customer from the staff of M&S, as part of the change process, a new department of marketing was created in order to enhance the advertisement and to gain customers over from the dynamical market they deal with, new thinking and new minds were ired, and the marketing department would take over many decisions of the buying departments to support in the decision of what the customers wanted. Within this period the board of the firm had realised that some of the overseas bus iness and UK suppliers had become a millstone for M&S rather than a support, and were put up for sale and dismissed respectively.The period of changes that M&S was going trough with the severe culling and reorganization processes, brought a new image problems to the company, as consequence the entire personnel was demoralized and downright, the spirit of the company to its staff and the trust of its suppliers was totally destroyed. Being clear that these methods and managing was not working anymore as a part of a past of revolution in the company, new changes have to come. Although, Peter Salsbury had accomplished the evolution and change of the culture of M&S.After this Luc Vandevelde as a chairman contributed with several changes in the clothes line of M&S, as was the entry of George Davis to the firm to develop and deliver to the public a new brand called â€Å"Per Una†, in aims to revitalize the women’s clothing sales as a strategy from the board. New changes are b eing made in order to enhance the competitiveness in the clothing business, changing the look to the stores with lighter colours, new tills, better lighting.M&S has turn itself in a company that owns a staff full of youth and freshness, consequently, the company has give back the quality to its goods, quality that was a flag in the â€Å"golden years of M&S†, with several new clothing brands fitted to both gender and to every stage in the life of people, this wide range of goods cleverly design on age and occasions are the product of selected designers and their teems pushing to deliver nothing but the very best to all the M&S’s customers, this fact is a sample of a great change that the company has made managing to recover the trust of the customers and the treatment of excellence to the clients that the current business and the market require.As part of the new times and challenges, the board of the company nowadays effectively had set clear points in the taking-deci sion process as is to debate and agree the best strategy for the Company and hold the executive team accountable for its execution, this permit a very dynamic way to involve anyone to the final decision in order to guarantee a wise decision that push to the continue enhancement and development of the current business plan and finally, to set the tone of ‘doing the right thing', supported by the right governance structures and their effective implementation. * Specifically and in detail, what changes were made to the M&S supply chain strategy in the light of these changes?Evidently as the culture of M&S was created and leaded by several men with the same way of thinking, the most remarkable characteristics of this culture was the relationship with the suppliers of M&S, that was based on an close and unique relationship that have been prevailed by several decades in some cases. This supply chain based on trust from the firm to its suppliers gave shape to the UK retail market for many years. The board planned the new strategy implemented to the supply chain by the end of the year 2000; this strategy consisted on the change of suppliers from the UK to other overseas instead. Amid the changes on reorganization of M&S in general, the board had realised that the hearty link with the traditional suppliers in the UK was no longer affordable enough and represent a millstone for the company.The first place to be pointed as an overseas supply branch was in Portugal owing to the mix positive factors of cheaper manufacturing costs and the short distance to the UK that would not affect the supplement of goods in the stores for time reasons as start happening with others overseas supplier that because they were so far from UK the time of delivery influenced in the schedules and logistics of M&S. Nevertheless, some UK suppliers that closed their factories repositioned themselves in North Africa, Indonesia, Thailand and China; Looking for cheap workhand and opening in thi s way an overseas market of suppliers for the company and at the same time a beneficial reduction of cost for M&S despite the exportation activities involve in this operations, demonstrating this way that the strategy implemented in lights of the changes has just paid off.Another important change was specially related to the clothing range â€Å"Per Una† leaded by the designer George Davis which consist in the direct delivery of the clothe and accessories from nothing more but his organisation to M&S, as part of a agreement maid at the beginning of his business relationship whit the company, this represent a self-sufficient branch in the supply chain of the firm. Some other changes were made on M&S regarding to its branches in Europe, specifically to the supply chain that maintain the European branch of the company in countries as Spain, Holland, France and Germany. They have to concentrate the efforts in the UK market so they decided to finish the overseas branches, represen ting a culling on the supply chain to those countries and leaving the supply chain operations directly to UK. * What are the different supply chain performance objectives for the different product groups? Classic| Autograph| Per Una| Indigo| Blue Harbour| Product Range| Short – Mature Customers| Long – Wide Range Customers| Short – Fashion Woman 25-35 years old| Short – women with busy lives| Long – Men’s casual clothes for weekends| Design Changes| No frequent| Trend| Frequent| Seasonal| Seasonal| Price| Expensive – ‘value-for-money' prices| Competitive ‘High Street Pricing'| Good Value| Average | Expensive – ‘value-for-money' prices| Quality| High| Aspirational Quality| High| Aspirational Quality| High| Sales Volume| High| Low – Limited| Low – Limited| High – seasonal| High – seasonal| Order Winners| Smart, Elegant & quality clothes| Fashion ability| Exclusivity| Fashionable for e veryday use| Casually smart clothes| Order Qualifiers| Quality and value on the clothes| Clothing wide range and high street prices| Affordable price| Everyday-workday casualwear| Smart casual menswear for weekends occasion| Operation Priorities| Reliability – aimed to mature costumers | Cost – Sharpen pricing – great value| Flexibility – Very fast response| Speed – high fluency on the selling of this clothes| Quality – unique menswear brand| References â€Å"The rise & fall of Marks & Spencer †¦ And how it rose again† by Judi Bevan, edition revised and updated in 2007. Bookmarque, Croydon, Surrey. ISBN-10: 1 86197 898 7. * â€Å"Logistics and supply chain management† by Martin Christopher, Fourth Edition, FT Prentice Hall – Financial times. * â€Å"Operation Management† by Nigel Slack, Stuart Chambers and Robert Johnston, Sixth Edition, FT Prentice Hall – Financial times. * Marks & Spencer Annual Repo rt and Financial Statements 2000 * Marks & Spencer Annual Report and Financial Statements 2006 * â€Å"Issues of Marks & Spencer† by OxbridgeWriters. com * â€Å"Marks & Spencer† by Nardine Collier and Gerry Johnson, Case Teaching Notes, Pearson Education Limited 2005.

Bush Tax Cuts

There are several different philosophies on this issue, but I am in the camp of giving the template the economy or simply have more money to spend on things that they want. Consumer spending is good especially since the US was inn recession. Yes, based on supply-side economics. The idea is to deregulate government and offer tax cuts and corporate tax reductions with the intent of improving production and economic growth. In 2001, I believe that a tax cut was good way to stimulate the economy and to get us out of the recession.I don't think anyone could have foreseen the war and this caused the surplus to evaporate in conjunction with the reduction of revenue from the tax cuts. Does it matter that the benefits flow disproportionately to the highest income earners? No, the wealthy are already paying disproportionately more than the middle and lower class in taxes. They are also the ones that are investing in new business, helping to reduce unemployment that in turn helps to stimulate t he economy. I think there has to be a balance.I do understand that the deficit could be greatly reduced if the taxes for the wealthy were increased back to the Clinton era. * Do different voters have fundamentally different interest here? Yes, democrats for the most part believe in more government involvement- Geiger taxes and the republicans believe in lower taxes so that there is more money that can be used to stimulate the economy by small businesses and increased consumption. 3. Did the 2001-2003 tax cuts work and in what way? * For a very short time consumer spending increased (in the quarter following the rebate).In 2002 the US started experiencing a deficit and it has increased every year since the tax cut. According to Exhibit 7 in the reading, the Real GAP growth rate (percent), increased every year from 2001 until 2004. It is hard to say what would have happened without the tax cut because we entered a war and the amount of pending on defense increased as well as an increa se in unemployment. 4. What options were available to Obama with respect to fiscal policy when he took office? * He had the option to increase government spending by asking for another stimulus through the Economy Recovery Plan.He hoped this would create or save 2. 5 million Jobs over two years. His plan also involved making all the government building more energy-efficient. This would reduce spending. The purpose of this stimulus was also to increase Jobs through investing in new highway infrastructure. And most importantly, the economic recovery plan was to modernize the health care yester and would save billions of dollars through electronic medical records. Or, he could have chosen not to have increase government spending which in turn increased our deficit even more.

Women

Women have a significant importance in the society. They play the fundamental role in the improvement of a nation. In many societies, the place of women has been discussed for numerous times. Each society placed the women in their society variously. Their view of women had shaped according to their style of living, culture, laws, and religion. Even in the modern era, the place of the women is still not clear. It can be seen the level of development of a civilization by looking how women are positioned in that civilization. Although women sometimes lived in a state of liberty, they mainly have limited life. Almost every emerging civilization had set limits on women's freedom of expression and travel. Unfortunately, in much of human history, women had treated as they were the second-class citizen and women were expected to be submissive. Mostly, they were depended on their husbands or fathers. To give an example, in Ancient Greece, women did not have many rights. Women were not permitted to become a citizen of the Athenian city-state. Since they were not able to own their property, they were not able to hold full citizenship rights. Women actually had fewer rights than slaves because they were never allowed their own freedoms (GreekBoston.com). Also, Emory Adams Allen stated that Athenian women were always minors, subject to some male- to their father, to their brother, or to some of their male kin (444). There was even this saying in Ancient Greece time †The best woman is the one who never speaks† (Berktay 106) As a matter of fact, many examples can be given from history such as Romans, Ancient Egypt etc. Though, the point is that the women in many societies somehow suffered enough. Surely, the suffering of women is not only belonging to the past. Still, women are exposed to verbal abuse, violence, they are forcing into the marriage etc. It needs to point out that there is not only one homogenous and unchangeable woman concept. However, all the women regardless of their race, status, and religion had faced inequality at some point in their lives.The way women are perceived in societies has many factors. One of the greatest factors can be their culture. Since the roles and activities of men are determined by the cultural systems in the societies, the effect of the cultural factor is essential. Culture cannot be defined as a single concept. It covers many aspects such as the style of living, manners, customs, arts, values, morals etc. As anticipated, culture can differ from society to another one. For instance, Turks and Arabs are often confused to have a same cultural system just because they share the same religion. However, those cultural differences were even before the Islam. In pre-Islamic Arab culture, when someone has a daughter as a firstborn, it would be a shame for them. On the contrary for Turks, there were people who wanted Oghuz Lord's prayers to have a daughter (Gà ¶kalp 26). On the other hand, even after Turks' acceptance of Islam, there were great differences between Arabs and Turks such as the monogamy. Arabs have a polygamy culture rather than the monogamy. For this reason, even though both nations are sharing the same religion, the disparities can be seen effortlessly. After touching upon the effect of the culture briefly, now it should be mention another massive effect of perceiving the women, and that is the religion. This paper is an attempt to discuss how women perceived in Christianity and Islam.Before discussing the place of women in Christianity, it is essential to know about the main concept of the human beings in this religion. ‘How human beings are portrayed in Christianity?' The man is considered to be sinful and filthy. Therefore, when an infant comes into the world, (s)he will be baptized to purified from sins and filths. The reason for baptism is to get rid of the original sin which was Adam's and Eve's disobedience to God for eating a forbidden fruit from the tree of knowledge of good and evil in the Garden of Eden. It needs to point out that, according to Bible, Adam committed the sin because of Eve tempted him. Eve is portrayed as a seductive woman. Furthermore, Eve is considered to be the first human who fell into sin. As if she is the initiator of all the evilness. Eve is also responsible for the original sin because she tempted Adam. For this reason, women had linked with evil concepts such as wickedness, sin, and seductiveness. The view of women in Christianity has few problems. Church fathers, theologians, and authors have interpreted the bible to the extreme forms to create a widespread feminist literature. (Berktay 105) To give an example, Saint Augustinus, who preoccupied with an incomprehensible mystery of why God created the woman, states that a woman cannot be created only to be a companion for a man. Moreover, a woman simply cannot be created for helping a man because a man can perform this task better. Hence, Augustinus comes to the conclusion that woman has no value aside from child-bringing (Brundage 85). Another North African Christian theologian Tertullianus, who was an extreme misogynist, declared as: You are the gate of hell woman! You are the first to oppose the law of God; you deceived such a man that even the devil would not dare come close to him. You easily ruined the man who was created in the image of God. Because of your blame, even the son of God must die! (Ruther 157). The Christian Bible consists of two main parts, the first part is the Old Testament and the second part is the New Testament. Old testament almost has the same content in Tanakh which is the holy scripture of Jews. However, Tanakh is called Old Testament by Christians and they interpret Tanakh differently. The woman in Old Testament begins with Genesis 2:18 † The Lord God said, â€Å"It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.† It can say that loneliness is not good for the man so that God created a helper for the man, and the helper was Eve. The word of the man refers to Adam. Suitable partner that is in the verse can be defined as a fitting partner for a man. Being partner is also relative to marriage. Afterwards, Eve's creation is mentioned in Genesis 2:21-22 † So the Lord God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep; and while he was sleeping, he took one of the man's ribs and then closed up the place with flesh. Then the Lord God made a woman from the rib he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man.† According to David Guzik, who is a pastor, God used Adam's own body to create Eve to forever remind him of their essential oneness. Eve and Adam made from same substance. They are more alike than they are different (Guzik). The creation of the human race started in Adam. In Genesis 3:16 † To the woman He said, â€Å"I will make your pains in childbearing very severe; with painful labor you will give birth to children. Your desire will be for your husband, and he will rule over you.† This verse is the God's curse and punishment upon the woman. The Women were cursed with the severe pain. A woman has to be under the authority of a man, and a wife has to be under the authority of a husband. Man is to lead woman. A woman should be submissive and she must let him to rule over her. Genesis 19 is about the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. However, the man who offers his two daughters to the men to rape them instead of two angles that comes to the Sodom is ultimately dreadful. †Lot went outside to meet them and shut the door behind him. and said, â€Å"No, my friends. Don't do this wicked thing. Look, I have two daughters who have never slept with a man. Let me bring them out to you, and you can do what you like with them. But don't do anything to these men, for they have come under the protection of my roof.† (Genesis 19:6-8). The low place of women is can be seen easily in these verses, Lot is willing to prostitute his two daughters. In Exodus 21:7-11 And if a man sells his daughter to be a maidservant, she shall not go out as the menservants do. If she please not her master who hath betrothed her to himself, then shall he let her be redeemed. To sell her unto a strange nation he shall have no power, seeing he hath dealt deceitfully with her. And if he has betrothed her unto his son, he shall deal with her after the manner of daughters. If he takes for himself another wife, her food, her raiment, and her duty of marriage shall he not diminish. And if he does not do these three unto her, then shall she go out free, without money. During the ancient times, slavery was very common for both man and woman. However, when other male servants had right to walk out, female servants had no right to. As in the Cambridge Bible for Schools and the Collages book states that the reason for the different treatment of female slaves is to be found in the fact that a female slave was as a rule her master's concubine (Perowne). These verses refer that it was alright to trade women and female slaves, and undesirable female slaves can be released without money. In addition to that, polygamy was allowed.The distinction between having a male child and female child and it is consequences can be seen in Leviticus 12:1-5: Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, â€Å"Speak to the children of Israel, saying: ‘If a woman has conceived, and borne a male child, then she shall be unclean seven days; as in the days of her customary impurity she shall be unclean. And on the eighth day the flesh of his foreskin shall be circumcised. She shall then continue in the blood of her purification thirty-three days. She shall not touch any hallowed thing, nor come into the sanctuary until the days of her purification are fulfilled. But if she bears a female child, then she shall be unclean two weeks, as in her customary impurity, and she shall continue in the blood of her purification sixty-six days. † These verses are about the ritual impurity after the child-bringing. After a male child comes into the world and circumcised on the eighth day, the woman will be unclean until the eighth day. As David Guzik's commentary on the main understanding of this ceremony is to understand the idea of original sin. Every birth another sinner was brought into the world, and the woman was here symbolically responsible for bringing a new sinner into the world. (Guzik). Moreover, as it seen the period of impurities is increased when having a female child, and the reason for this can be a female child will also give birth a sinner in the future. Leviticus 21:9 states that † And the daughter of any priest, if she profanes herself by playing the whore, she profanity her father: she shall be burnt with fire.† Since the daughter of a priest represents the religion she needs to be careful about her behaviors and she has the responsibility of being a daughter of a priest. Therefore, they need to follow the religion accordingly. However, this verse states that if she dishonors of herself the consequences would be punished fiercely with burning. It is a massive punishment. It needs to emphasize that Why only the daughters of a priest are responsible to follow the religion properly and they are punished when they dishonor themselves but no sons? The sons of a priest are not even mentioned. The way the widows and divorced women were perceived in the Old Testament was not that positive. To give an example, in Ezekiel 44:22 † They must not marry widows or divorced women; they may marry only virgins of Israelite descent or widows of priests.† It is obvious that the priests were not allowed to marry a divorced woman or widows except a priest's divorced wife. Discrimination against divorced women and widows can be observed through this verse.

Discuss whether it seems possible for alternative (i.e Essay

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International Management Decision Making Assignment - 1

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Macroeconomic Aspect of Thomas Gregory Toles Cartoon Article

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DB 7 Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

DB 7 - Research Paper Example The cash inflow is good news to creditors whose interest is in availability of cash from which the organization can fulfill its debts. The cash inflow from operating activities, especially net profit, is also good news to the company’s stockholders who are interested in the interest that they can earn from their shares because such rates depend of profitability (Porter and Norton, 2012). The management, as the organization’s custodian, also delights in the positive cash flow as an indicator of their effectiveness and efficiency. The positive cash flow does not identify negative effects on the stakeholders (Harrison, Horngren, 2008; Porter and Norton, 2010). RadioShack’s main use of cash and implication on stakeholders The company’s main cash application is in financing activities through purchase of treasury stocks. This means that the corporation repurchased its stock and this has significant impacts on the management and stockholders. It offers benefits to stockholders because of the interest earned in selling their shares to the company. It however has the disadvantage of lost stake and shareholders’ reduced decision-making authority as the entity gains more decision-making authority. The purchase however increases the management’s autonomy and other benefits to the organization such as ensuring a favorable market value for its stock, expanding its returns on investment, and protecting the organization from potential takeover. The management also gains the power to purchase other companies (Needles and Powers, 2012). Question 2: Most significant differences between net cash provided by operations and net income The most significant differences between net cash from cash flow statement and net income from the income statement are identified in adjustments for reconciling net income to the net cash. The most significant difference is with respect to accounts payable, accrued expenses, income taxes payable and other pay ables, whose total value amount to $ 85 million. Another significant difference is realized through depreciation and amortization that account for a $ 84.2 million variation. Inventories and accounts and notes receivables are the other significant differences between the two cash values. Inventories accounted for a cash outflow of $ 60.4 million while accounts and notes receivables accounted for a reduction in net cash flow by $ 39.9 million (Stittle and Wearing, 2008). Question 3: Comparison of RadioShack’s sales and purchase of fixed assets in 2010 relative to previous years The net addition of fixed assets in the year 2010 is less that the net additions in the previous years. This means that the difference between purchase and sales during the accounting period was less than the difference in preceding periods. While there was a net increase in value of property, plant, and equipment by $ 80.1 million, the year ended 2009 realized a higher value increment of $ 80.8 million . The year ended 2008 realized higher net increment of $ 85.6 million, 5.5 million more than net fixed asset purchase for the year ended 2010. It is however important to note that the changes are not representative of pure purchase of sales of the fixed assets but a sum interaction of the two (Stittle and Wear

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Society Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Society - Essay Example As a result of exceptional scientific innovations, it can also be asked that whether the human beings will be able to maintain a balance between the two. It can be said that the ever gaining pace of scientific research and technological production is the main root of moral dilemmas prevalent in our society today. Looking at the condition of our society, it is essential to discuss the ethical situation as compared to the speedy progress in the field of technology. Humans have always been highly acute when it comes to methodizing themselves  into a social system and in this way human race has always strived to achieve the best of a governing authority. In an ideal society, ruling class should have the highest interest in the population it governs and people’s interest ranges from smallest needs such as food, protection and clothing to higher elaborated needs as power and wealth. Now, if it is closely observed, all the concerns in people’s heart are ignited by a common motivation; a motivation to achieve happiness and peace of mind. Therefore it can be said that in an ideal society, people should be given the right to acquire the happiness and mental satisfaction that they desire. However, it has been evaluated that an unrestricted reproduction rate of any civilization or society will be a hindrance in the path of an ideal society. Therefore, in my opinion, any society that is over populated cannot be rated as an idealized society; thus a controlled ratio of citizens that is necessary for the society to be self-sustaining is a must. In a balanced society, equilibrium should be maintained where every citizen contributes equally as a vital source. In this way, a true sense of unity and belongingness will prevail within the society and its members. Such a society can prove to be an ideal base for a stronger society where better moral, ethical and social conditions exist. However, due to the fast paced

Fear and Indifference Reinforce Oppression and Individual Courage Essay

Fear and Indifference Reinforce Oppression and Individual Courage - Essay Example Fear and indifference reinforce oppression that creates social inequality; ending it starts with firm individual convictions that begin like a flame before burning across the society it wants to change. When people fear to protect the oppressed or to fight because they are oppressed, they are reinforcing oppression through silently allowing it to continue in their society. Wendell Steavenson interviewed women who both represent or vilify women rights. Hend Badawi participated in the Tahrir Square to depose Mubarak and his repressive regime. Though she is a good example of a person who fights for her rights, her conservative family punished her for her activism. Steavenson quoted Mona Eltahawy, a feminist writer, who said: â€Å"The regime oppresses everyone, but society represses only women†. Society oppresses women, not only by participating on socially stigmatizing and physically and emotionally hurting women who fight for their rights but also by remaining silent on their p leas. Silence can be accompanied with fear, like those who no longer pressed charges against the police for physically and sexually harassing them through public virginity tests. By not talking about their fears and fighting their oppressors, they are strengthening the resolve of their oppressors to treat them as second-class citizens. Alex Ross talks about another gender issue, this time, the fight for gays’ demand for equal rights and freedoms. Gays in the 80s were afraid to come out because of discrimination and violence against them.

The Stages of Consumer Buying Decision Process Essay Example for Free

The Stages of Consumer Buying Decision Process Essay A purchaser buy a product or service for the first time. The greater cost or risk, the larger the number of participants and the greater their information gathering. New task buying is the marketer greatest opportunity and challenge. The process passes through several stages. They are: 1. Awareness 2. Interest 3. Evaluation 4. Trial 5. Adoption Systems Buying and Selling Many business buyers prefer to buy a total solution to a problem from one seller. System buying – The practice that originated with government purchases of major weapons and communication systems. The contractor who has awarded the contract would be responsible for bidding out and assembling the system subcomponents from second tier contractor. This is the prime contractor provides a turnkey solution. System Contracting – A single supplier provides the buyer with all required MRO supplies (maintenance, repair, and operating supplies). During the contract period, the suppliers managed the customer inventory. System selling is a key industrial marketing strategy in bidding to build large scale industrial project, such as dams, steel factories, irrigation systems, pipelines utilities, and even new towns. Participants in the Business Buying Process Purchasing agents are influential in straight rebuy and modified rebuy situations whereas other department personel are more influential in new-buy situations. The Buying Center 1. Initiators Users or others in the organization who request that something be purchased 2. Users Those who will use the product or service. In many cases, the users initiate the buying proposal and help define the product requirement. 3. Influencers People who influence the buying decisions, often by helping define specifications and providing information for evaluating alternatives. Technical personel are particularly important influencers. 4. Deciders People who decide on product requirement or on suppliers 5. Approvers People who authorize the proposed actions of deciders or buyers 6. Buyers People who have formal authority to select the suppliers and arrange the purchase terms. Buyers may help shape product specifications, but they play their major role in selecting vendors and negotiating. In more complex purchases, buyers may include high-level managers 7. Gatekeepers People who have the power to prevent seller or informations from reaching members of the buying center. For example, purchasing agents, receptionist, and telephone operators may prevent salespersons from contacting user or deciders. Buying Center Targeting To target their efforts properly, business marketers need to figure out: Who are the major decision participant? What decisions do they influence? What is their level of influence? What evaluation criteria do they use? The business marketers is not likely to know exactly what kind of group dynamic take place during the decision process, although whatever information he can obtain about personalities and interpersonal factors are useful. Stages in the Buying Process 1. Problem Recognation The buying process begins when someone in the company recognizes a problems or need that can be met by acquiring a good or service. The recognation can be triggered by internal and external stimuli. Internal stimuli might be that the company decides to develop a new product and needs new equipment and materials or a machine breaks down and requires new parts. Externally, the buyer may get new ideas at a trade show, see and ad, or receive a call from a sales representative who offers a better product or a lower price. 2. General Need Description and Product Specification The buyer determines the needed item’s general characteristics and required quantity. The buyer will work with others engineers, users, to define characteristics such as reliability, durability, or price. Business marketers can help by describing how their products meet or even exceed the buyer needs. The buying organization now develops the item’s technical specification. Often, the company will assign a product value analysis engineering team to the project. Product value Analysis (PVA) is an approach to cost reduction that studies component to determine whether they can be redesigned or standardized or made by the cheaper methods of production. The PVA team will identify overdesigned components, for instance that last longer for the product itself.

Tales of Angola Essay Example for Free

Tales of Angola Essay Jackson, David H., and Canter Brown. Tale of Angola: Free Blacks, Red Stick Creeks, and International Intrigue in Spanish Southwest Florida, 1812-1821. Go Sound the Trumpet!: Selections in Floridas African American History. Tampa, FL: University of Tampa for the Florida A M University Dept. of History, Political Science/Public Administration, Geography, and African American Studies, 2005. 5-18. Print. In David H. Jackson and Canter Brown’s book, Go Sound the Trumpet: Tale of Angola, these men talk about the marooning black men and women and their interaction with the Creek Indians and European powers. This particular chapter sheds light on the role of the Red Stick Creek Indians in helping to sustain the freedom of the marooning blacks in Florida. Their coalition along with aid from Spanish and English powers allowed them to ward of the attacks of the United States on their freed black establishments. In a sense this group of warriors were successful. Throughout the paper we will try to point of the origin, purpose, value and limitations of this particular chapter in order to rate the credibility of the information. First, This chapter was written around the theme of free blacks and Indians in the early 19th century. Majority of the accounts that are taken and documented within this exert were extracted from the memories as well as recordings of past marooners or ancestors of those who were either allies of the free blacks and/or the Red Stick Creeks. Other information is taken from authors such as Joshua Giddings who wrote the classic, The Exiles of Florida and Kenneth W. Porter’s essays, which later compiled into a book, The Black Seminoles: Freedom-Seeking People. Still our knowledge is very lacking regarding the subject of free blacks but these authors gave much needed insight into this vague area. This document is considered a secondary document since it is not an actual diary of the accounts of maroons or Red Stick Creeks. Many books are written as narrative for the entertainment but this particular book or directly this chapter was meant for distributing education. What the purpose of this particular chapter is is to illuminate the lives of marooning African Americans which is actually harder than it  sounds. Due to the circumstance in which many of these blacks were freed, much information about their lives was not and in many cases could not be released. For instance, â€Å"the government granted freedom to runaway slaves from Carolina, regardless of race, so long as the runaways agreed to convert to Roman Catholicism†(6). Other African Americans were armed â€Å"through the authorization of the colony’s first free black and mulatto militia companies† (6). This meant that many United Statesmen, in the south especially, were angry and bitter towards the new undisputed emancipation of their slaves. The value of such an article is the fact that such information is not necessarily publicly preached. Many didn’t know about the marooning blacks in the south especially because the usual notion is that blacks ran north for freedom instead of this new revelation of retreat towards the south. This particular chapter also takes quotes and accounts from those who experienced the eradication of the maroon safe havens and forts such as the Negro Fort, Fort Mose, and most importantly Angola. The limitations of this chapter are that it was not written in the time of the actual events. Even though the authors include accounts from those who were witnesses to this period, this is still not as valuable as a primary source like a diary or a testimonial. In the end, even though this particular exert is a secondary source, it still contains enough evidence like quotes from witnesses and documented oral accounts to deem this information beneficial and most importantly credible.

Psychological Theories of Chronic Pain

Psychological Theories of Chronic Pain The operant approach to chronic pain was intended to concentrate upon external pain-induced responses and the social implications of the nature of feedback. The operant model has been particularly described by Fordyce et al (1968, 1976) based upon the work of other individuals in the behavioural field, for example Skinner. The operant theory implies that the genesis of the pain should be distinguished from pain behaviours and the articulation of pain.External displays of pain such as wincing may be conditioned just as any other type of behaviour. If the patient receives positive feedback in response to pain behaviours, they may remain after the usual time of healing for that ailment. There is a respectable body of evidence to justify the use of the operant model in response to chronic pain, yet there is a relatively miniscule level of consensus about why they work and the validity of their theoretical foundations. The operant theory is supported by research projects that intimate the success of behavioural treatments, but there are several problematic elements in these studies which have been recently addressed. The troubling issues include the antecedent belief that all pain behaviours are dysfunctional, the obstacles to continuing the learned behaviours subsequent to treatment and the reluctance of some chronic pain patients to embrace operant modes of treatment. Essentially, the nature of the sum of the problems is dualistic, and can either be addressed as complications with interpreting pain behaviours or the inevitable failure rate that all treatments face. These issues, salient though they are, are not exhaustive. The operant model fails to recognise the fact that the patient’s personal interpretation of their pain and the changes they are experiencing maybe important. Acknowledging this can clear the way for cognitive theories to add something to operant methods of treatment. Indeed, elements that influence behaviour in general and pain behaviour in particular are complex and multi-faceted. It is seldom evident that a single cause has led to a single effect. Although it is true that pain-related behaviours are often modified during the course of a treatment programme, it is not necessarily true that it is for the reasons uppermost in the minds of the experts monitoring them. In brief, rational thought cannot condone the notion that the operant model of chronic pain is true because treatment programmes utilising behavioural methods have been shown to alter the behaviour of patients suffering from chronic pain. A particular assertion that has come under scrutiny is the idea that patients modify their verbal expressions of pain in response to reactions from spouses. The methods and logic that lead to this conclusion are questionable and so must be their perceived contribution to the validity of the operant model. Further, some studies claiming to provide empirical support for the operant model only partially adhere to its theoretical roots. Other studies which are more methodologically sound have suspect sample gathering procedures. The findings of these studies still hold merit for the cognitive model of chronic pain, though ardent followers of the operant model will inevitably be disappointed. The fact is that the operant model of chronic pain does not have as strong a body of empirical evidence to back it up as its patrons would like. As a result of the questionable reliability of the operant theory, many researchers have begun to actively espouse the cognitive-behavioural theories of chr onic pain. Cognitive Behavioural Account of Chronic PainsThe cognitive-behavioural approach to chronic pain purported to contain the essentials of the operant account of chronic pain, but added space for human emotions, cognitions and mental coping mechanisms. This approach, like surgical and pharmacological interventions, attempt to eliminate or reduce it. Rates of failure in achieving this have led researchers to turn from attempted pain reduction to other objectives like active rehabilitation. One study compared and contrasted two behavioural treatments for ongoing pain.The first treatment focused on abandoning strivings to overcome pain and invest more energy in achieving other aims in life. The second treatment was a traditional cognitive behavioural treatment stressing the development of pain-reducing mechanisms. The treatment incorporating acceptance and re-focussing proved more successful than attempts to master the pain in patients suffering from chronic pain. Initial formulations of a cognitive behavioural approach to chronic pain were predicated upon the realisation that programmes with the behavioural label did not contain only behavioural content. Behavioural experts acknowledged the necessity of addressing the cognitive functioning of a patient as well as his or her behavioural patterns. At present, the role of cognition in reporting extremity of pain, endeavours to successfully deal with pain, emotions and level of pain-related incapacity is solidly documented. The relationship between cognitive functioning and pain has revealed a number of important themes. The way in which patients mentally interpret their pain is predictive of their response and their level of functioning. For example, patients to perceive their pain as an indication of more damage often spend more energy attempting to avoid their pain and become less able to function naturally as a result. Patients who catastrophise their pain may experience augmented levels of d epression compared with those who do not. Depression has also been linked to behavioural functioning and both of these may be affected by the patient’s attempts to predict or control his pain. The sum of the implications of these findings points to the near certainty that cognitive functioning must be considered when attempting to construct any comprehensive and effective model of chronic pain. The cognitive behavioural theory does not go as far as to suggest that certain cognitions lead to pain; the relationship is not as simplistic as that. There is substantial evidence to suggest that cognitive activity related to pain can help to create coping mechanisms that are either helpful or dysfunctional. The nature of the coping mechanisms can directly affect the degree to which chronic pain infringes on continued functioning. Some behaviourists allude to the role of cognitions in their research by referring to external or environmental factors. Strict behaviourism continues to be the preferred method of treatment and as such, willcontinue to concentrate on the transformation of overt behaviours. Evidence for the need to include cognitive and other factors in dealing with chronic pain is becoming increasingly pressing, and it must be acknowledged that including one treatment session on cognitive theory and praxis does not magically transform a behavioural programme into a cognitive behavioural programme. Even the cognitive behavioural theory itself is in need of more complete incorporation of cognitive methods.There are simple questions that can be raised in the minds of chronic pain patients that may transform the way that they think about and respond to their pain. The claims of balanced research pale in comparison to the pressing needs of patients suffering daily who could benefit from cognitive interve ntions. Treatment for chronic pain must be addressed in terms of cognition and behaviour; even if behaviour is the founding principle upon which a treatment is based, it must be recognised that behaviour acquires meaning in a cognitive sphere. There have been propositions to reformulate the theoretical construction of the cognitive behavioural approach. Modifications ofthe approach start with the conception that the issues arising from the presence of chronic pain stem from patient reactions to their pain.Reactions are conceptualised as covering the sum of cognitive processes and not merely external actions. Dividing characteristics between patients who are anxious and suffering a notable level o ncapacitation and those who are able to maintain a level of functioning despite their pain are not found in the sensations of pain experienced by the patient but in the content of the internal cognitive assessment the patient carries out about their own pain. Some cognitive behavioural appraisals of pain are primarily concerned with the meaning that the individual patient attributes to his or her pain. The reformulated cognitive behavioural model of chronic pain proposes that the interaction of various phenomenon such as internal appraisals of pain, learning history, mood, avoidance behaviours and environmental influences can become habitual to an extent that negative consequences of the pain, such as level of disability, may persist despite the removal of the sensory aspect of the pain. Motor behaviours that attempt to evade the pain in some way may continue after the pain has subsided or lessened and therefore the cognitions that prompted those beliefs continue. An acute sense of worry or anxiety may heighten safety or defence mechanisms perpetuate an autonomic arousal that maintains positive feedback for the notion that there is something wrong with the patient. Additionally, psychological dysfunction such as depression or mild panic can augment the chances of patients making calculative mistakes regarding their pain including assessing the pain as being worse than it actually i s. This will reinforce the cycles of avoidance that the patient has previously used. This particular reconfiguration of the cognitive behavioural model further accepts that anxiety and other maladaptive behaviours such asmisusing medica tion can easily invoke arousal encourage the continuance of maladaptive behaviours. The model also takes into account the drive for the patient to seek reassurance about their pain and they ways that they deal with it. They attempt to reconcile any feedback received with their own beliefs about their pain and its related effects. Many chronic pain patients live with the trepidation that the continued existence of chronic pain indicates that further damage is being done to their bodies, which will in turn exacerbate the pain they experience. This may raise their levels of anxiety, which affects their ability to think rationally and calmly about their pain. They may request more medical procedures—tests or treatments—to provide empirical evidence to themselves about the state of their bodies. The reconceptualised model ind icates that the response of medical professionals in these situations may unknowingly encourage this kind of cognitive presumption and therefore positively reinforce incapacity or a passive response to chronic pain. The model articulated above is extensively based upon other cognitive behavioural models of chronic pain and can even take into account theories about the nature of the meta-cognitions of the patient. If, for example, the patient cognitively interprets the pain or cognitions related to the pain indicate something negative about them as a person, then they may make efforts to overcome or control such thoughts in attempts to protect themselves from further negative consequen ces. For example, if the patient fears that thinking about his or her pain is going to make them ‘crazy’ then they may make strong efforts to alter their thoughts about the pain in order to stop themselves from descending into mental illness. This may stem from a fear that since their physical health has deteriorated, their mental health is under threat as well. In addition, some patients may think that the more time they spend thinking about their pain, the more serious and damaging it will be. The mo del asserts that the more cognitive energy is spent trying not to have pain-related thoughts, the more frequent they may become and the anxiety levels of the patient may continue to rise, prompting more and more pain-related cognitions. These thoughts may increase and the patient may feel that the more they have these thoughts, the more damage they are doing to themselves. Patients can end up caught in a web of cognitive gymnastics about their chronic pain, which diverts energy from dealing with the pain in constructive ways and maintaining a satisfactory level of functioning. The cognitions that a patient may develop concerning their chronic pain are the product of complex and intricate synthesis of experiences, cultural forces and even childhood learning. Patients do not interpret their pain only in terms of their immediate situation, but bring a variety of other elements to bear upon the way that they translate their ideas about pain and what it means into their responses to their own pain. If they have had pain in the past, or have had close relationships with individuals who have suffered pain, the express and null curriculum of their experiences will provide them with a set of beliefs about pain, what it means and what can be done about it. Cultural ideas about how to respond to pain will also affect their evaluations about the role of pain in the life of an individual. Spouseresponses can also be important factors in interpreting chronic pain.It can also be said that behaviour that demonstrates acceptance of chronic pain stems from the collaboration of past and present circumstances, as well as the emotive and interpersonal influences of the present. The way that the spouse expresses his or her beliefs about pain can either reinforce or contradict the beliefs of the patient. If the patient believes that his condition or experience of chronic pain has made him incapacitated and the spouse behaves solicitously, the patient’s beliefs about his incapacitation can be confirmed and may override any other input about the patient’s ability to function normally. The cognitive behavioural approach has built into its tenets the capacity for the patient to learn new coping strategies and introduce new cognitions without an awareness of the reality of his or her situation. This may be particularly pertinent in the area of medication, where any form of relief from pain, whether it is actual or perceived, may be a response to thoughts that the pain is out of control and the patient is unable to carry on without the presence of medication. The cognitive behavioral approach also asserts that these types of cognitions and resulting actions are cemented together and work in partnership to perpetuate one another. If a patient thinks that performing a particular action will lead to further damage and pain, he will avoid that action. Thus, he will not discover any information to the contrary and will continue to believe that the presence of pain means that he should not engage in such an activity. Even when patients try to accomplish certain activities, if they do so utilising protective methods, they may only confirm the danger of the activity in their minds and become dependent upon the protective measure instead of achieving their full potential in functioning. It is becoming more and more accepted that it is prudent to explore chronic pain from a cognitive behavioral approach. There are a number of reasons for this growing confidence. First, it has been asserted that the reformulated cognitive model explains the breadth of evidence more extensively than other models. Second, the hypotheses that are put forth by the model may easily be empirically tested in order to determine whether they are statistically supported and theoretically sound. This makes them infinitely more useful for the practical work of treatment, as they can offer statistically supported predictions for the type of treatment that will be most useful in various situations.Obtaining the ability to pinpoint pivotal cognitive functions should lead to accurate treatments in place of the relatively arbitrary approach sometimes implemented by professionals. For several years, the research and treatment of chronic pain concentrated on coping mechanisms as the pre-eminent behavioural factor in adjustment. Yet when coping approaches began to be compared with other types of behavioural approaches such as acceptance of chronic pain, significant conclusions were reached regarding the potential of the respective approaches to predict disability and distress. It has been asserted that there are fundamental problems with coping as a comprehensive adjustment mechanism. The issues with coping are conceptual and empirical in nature and stem from its reliance upon cognitive responses. An empirical study demonstrated that acceptance of chronic pain led to decreased intensity of symptoms and a better quality of life. Acceptance of pain was conclusively shown to be superior to attempting to cope with pain. It is possible that acceptance of pain may be accomplished through a variety of methods. Some of the treatments currently in use, such as those involving cognitive-behavioural methods can help to make pain more acceptable. This is true even for those cognitive-behavioural methods that focus on mastering pain. For example, it could be that diminished avoidance and augmented experience of pain as a result of more control that help patients to accept the pain in their lives. If patients are exposed to more pain they may develop diminished emotional reactions and begin to understand that pain intensity is different in various situations. This understanding can teach them that the pain they suffer is not as intense as they first thought. In addition, teaching methods of behavioural control can result in alternations to the patient’s internalised definition of a painful event, making it easier to endure. The role of values in a contextual cognitive-behavioural approach has been assessed in terms of the relationships between the values of chronic pain patients and the success of following their daily routines. It is often easy for chronic pain patients to expend great amounts of effort struggling with pain rather than focusing their energies on living according to their values. Living according to values was defined in this particular study as acting according to what they care most about and what they want their life to stand for. If pain is not then reduced, the patient may feel that not only have their limited amounts of energy been wasted, but they have also neglected their core purposes in life, which may result in further angst and anxiety. In a study examining the process of living according to personal values while suffering from chronic pain, 140 pain patients completed an inventory of values including categories such as family, friends, health, work and growth. The patients were also asked to record information regarding their pain, anxiety and depression. The results showed that the highest values for the patients were family and health, and the values of least importance overall were friends, growth and learning. The patients generally did not feel satisfied that they were living life according to their values, and this could be because of their level of physical and emotive functioning. The results of the study further demonstrated that those who achieved more succ ess atliving according to their values reported higher levels of acceptance, although acceptance could not reliably account for the sum of the success. Although patients felt that overall they were not living according to their values, there was a significantly higher rate of success at living according to family values than maintaining health. In practical terms, this means that out of the areas that patients value most, they were able to achieve much more success in one area, family than the other, health. Approaches to chronic pain that are contextually based deal with cognitive issues in a different manner than normalcogn itive-behavioural approaches. Approaches that are contextually based seek to change the operation of negative thoughts and the way in which they are experienced, which affects other behaviours. A large quantity of the work devoted to these types of approaches involves releasing maladaptive cognitive forces on behaviour and intensifying behavioural elasticity through cognitive de-fusion. Approaches that are founded upon values add an aspect to this type of treatment.Articulating values during treatment for chronic pain is equivalent to adding cognitive influences to behaviour sequences. On a practical level, the conceptualisations of the cognitive behavioural model of chronic pain can help to explain how patients deal with their pain, particularly the cognitive and meta-cognitive interactions they have with their symptoms and other factors thatinfluence their quality of life and their approach to their pain. If,for example, the patient is in the situation where the pain persists and further tests and treatments prove unsuccessful, it may be easy for the cognitive components of the mind of the patient to feel defeated and to acquire a learned helplessness. The patient may subconsciously or even consciously feel that all of their cognitive efforts to this point have proved futile and therefore they may be paralysed by the notion that whatever cognitive energy they put into dealing with their pain will be to no avail. They may even come to believe that any further medical intervention will be of no use to them. These types of thoughts can affect the effort that patient s put into their treatment.They may be less participatory and become increasingly passive even in the face of extensive medical procedures. They may cease to be emotionally and mentally invested in working with the medical professionals to achieve the best outcome possible for their situation.If patients feel that treatment will be useless and they make less effort, their treatment may not be as effective as it could have been. A treatment outcome that is less than optimal will only reinforce the patient’s sense of helplessness and they may even be dismissed as unhelpful or disengaged by medical staff. If these patients are viewed from the perspective of the cognitive behavioural model of chronic pain, however, they will be perceived not as unmotivated but as individuals with maladaptive cognitions. This understanding of their behaviour would make them prime candidates for cognitive interventions,where their chances of improvement would be quite high. There is much empirical support for the cognitive behavioural model, and it has been found consistent with a wide scope of researchout comes. There is particularly strong support for the idea that when patients worry about their pain, they are more likely to scrutinise their pain, which removes effort and thought from other activities and may make the pain worse than it is. These findings offer support for the cognitive theory that hypervigilance and anxiety are closely related. In other studies, anxiety and stress have been found to predict ambiguous ailments in patients suffering from chronic pain, which supports the theory that hypervigilance may create or exacerbate the ill health of the patient or at least the patients perception of the state of their health. In addition, pain-related trepidation was discovered to predict evading strategies more accurately than the intensity of the pain or the physical ailment. Here, the researchers concluded that their findings were not as supportive of the operant model of chronic pain as the cognitive behavioural model. Further, evidence exists that supports the notion that striving to avert pain-related cognitions may actually intensify pain sensations. Though it is advisable to treat this particular study with some caution, there is more substantial research to support the related notion that trying to block pain-related thoughts is counterproductive and will worsen anxiety. Related to this are the theories surrounding autonomic arousal, which have also received empirical backing. It has been asserted that patients suffering from chronic pain do not respond to pain in the same ways as patients whose pain is not chronic. This is true despite the fact that they do not demonstrate significant difference s from non-chronic pain patients in other areas. When the responses of chronic pain patients are measured with regard to distressing activities, the pain levels measured increased dramatically. This was not true for normal activities. Therefore, it seems safe to adhere to a model of chronic pain in which the state of arousal prompted by particular activities directly affects the pain experienced by the patient. Other elements in the cognitive behavioural model have also received support. In particular the role of medication and the appropriateness of use can affect patients’ complaints regarding symptoms and level of incapacity. One study examined the contrasting characteristics of chronic pain for patients whose pain could be justified by medical explanations and those whose pain could not be explained in medical terminology. The authors found remarkable variations in a number of variables, such as excessive prescribing and internal processing in the group of patients whose pain could not be medically explained. They went on to assert that when medical professionals in this type of situation intimate that it could be psychosomatic, they reinforce the patient’s self-concept of an ill person, if not physically, then mentally. Reacting in this fashion often fails to convince the patient that there is nothing wrong and instead, motivates their search for a plausible explanation f or their pain. They may demand more tests and interventions in search of legitimising their pain. The important point here is that the responses of medical professionals to patient expressions of pain can have a significant impact on pain-rel atedcognitions and thus on their responses to treatment. The sum of this evidence provides legitimisation for approaching chronic pain in a way that is much like the way that anxiety and obsessions are approached. This suggests that if obsessions can be treated, then so can maladaptive pain-related cognitions and behaviours. While the need for further research remains in certain areas, such as the clarification of the significance of safety behaviours and the effectiveness of specific cognitive behavioural intervention programmes, there is strong evidence that cognitive behavioural treatments will overtake operant treatments as the preferred method for addressing chronic pain. Sharp (2001) concludes his discussion of psychological theories of chronic pain by arriving at the destination of cognitive behavioural models akin to those used to treat anxiety. He regards the operant model as having too many problematic issues to be considered a reliable source of chronic pain treatment. He goes even further, to suggest that many of the cognitive behavioural modes currently in use are hampered by the fact that they continue to espouse behavioural principles that have outlived their usefulness. According to Sharp, reformulated cognitive theories are needed in order to satisfactorily assess patient cognitions regarding their pain. While behavioural factors should not be completely ignored, they should nonetheless always be considered within a cognitive framework. The concept of reformulating cognitive models is supported by the evidence and appears to be more helpful in finding real scientific meaning therein. Treatments involving cognitive behaviour therapy and behaviour therapy for chronic pain in adults have been the subject of meta-analysis. The researchers recognised that there is persuasive data for the effectiveness of cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) in augmenting the functioning ability of patients suffering from chronic pain. There is also conclusive evidence that CBT can enhance emotional states, reduce discomfort and minimise behaviour that stems from a sense of being incapacitated. However, it has been noted that in a clinical treatment context, CBT is not often presented as an option for individuals suffering from chronic pain. Physical, pharmacological and medical treatments are provided as options even though there is often less empirical evidence for their success. This study sought to do a systematic review and meta-analysis of controlled trials in this area.The researchers indentified 25 trials that were appropriate candidates for meta-analysis and compared the effica cy of CBT with various other treatments. In this study, the experts were concerned primarily with two issues. The first was whether or not CBT is an effective treatment for chronic pain in the sense that it is better to undergo CBT than to have no treatment at all. The second issue was whether CBT was better than other available treatments which involve activity as part of the curriculum. The outcomes of the study indicated that CBT that are active in nature are effective. CBT made marked improvements in emotional state, intensity of pain and cognitive measures of coping with the pain. Additionally, pain-related behaviour and level of functioning, both in an individual and a social context were improved. The results of this study led to the conclusion that CBT is indeed an effective treatment for chronic pain in adults. So, too, is behavioural therapy. The study raised certain issues which would be best considered in other studies, because attempting to treat chronic pain from apsychological perspective is quite a difficult endeavour. The outcomes of such treatment cannot always be broken down to determine which variable caused or helped to cause a particular outcome. Especially where psychological methodologies and cognitive evaluations are concerned, there is an ambiguity in proving the cause and effect of research methods that is not easily overcome. The treatment of chronic pain must be recognised as an ongoing and complex process with a significantly complicating number of variables involved. Even when the greatest efforts are made to ensure the independent performance of professionals and to shield the patients from any hint of bias, the narrowing of treatment and research cond itions is extremely difficult. The acceptance of chronic pain involves intentionally allowing pain, with all of its cognitive and emotional implications, to be present in one’s life, when the willingness results in increased functioning capabilities for the patient. Acceptance means responding to pain without attempting to avoid or control it and continuing to function regardless of the presence of chronic pain. Acceptance is especially pertinent when previous attempts at control or avoidance have limited the quality of the patient’s life. Patients suffering from chronic pain who take steps to accept it report fewer instances of anxiety, medical intervention and depression. Two elements are needed to produce acceptance: pain willingness and activity engagement. The development of acceptance is an ongoing process that progresses with experience of pain and relevant social factors. Further, acceptance of chronic pain involves choosing not to become embroiled in fruitless internal struggles that may inc rease the intensity of the pain and its ability to disrupt active functioning. Acceptance is a new psychological approach and conceives human suffering in new terms.Acceptance is located in the cognitive and behavioural approaches and therefore has empirical psychological traditions to lend it credibility. One study demonstrated that diminishing anxiety and augmented acceptance of chronic pain might transfer sufferers from a dysfunctional coping approach to a successful one. The study empirically categorised patients suffering from chronic pain into three categories: dysfunctional, interpersonally distressed or adaptive copers. The researchers in the study believed that identifying the characteristics that distinguish one group from another may help to crystallise the behavioural mechanisms that facilitate acclimation to pain. The subjects in the study were classified according to the Multidimensional Pain Inventory and relative scores on pain acceptance and pain-related anxiety were examined. The results demonstrated that patients in the dysfunctional group cited more anxiety related to their chronic pain as well as lower acceptance of pain than those who were interpersonally distressed or copers. Add

Freely Loving the Highest Good Essay -- Analysis, Augustines View

One of the inquiries that is often raised in the topic of the will is the account of humans not loving and turning away from the highest good. By this, I mean that there is a relation between the freedom of the will and human beings not having a rightly ordered love, that is, to love the wrong thing. According to Augustine’s philosophy, the chain of iniquity is self-forged by our divided will, also referred to as the divided house. In Book XII of â€Å"City of God† Augustine declares it pointless to look for the cause of the evil will. For the cause, he argues, is â€Å"deficient,† not â€Å"efficient.† In supporting Augustine’s view, I will provide my own examples and arguments in order to strengthen his claims. Before I can expostulate on the issues of the divided will, and the reward for freely willing to love the highest good, I will explain what Augustine means by â€Å"deficient† as opposed to† efficient† cause as the foun dation of the divided house. Deficient Cause vs. Efficient Cause Often times, actions are analyzed by rational explanation or causal explanation. Rational explanation attempts to construe an action by the aims a person might presently have in his mind. Causal explanation attempts to find the cause for that particular action. Augustine thinks it is absurd to locate the cause of the evil will. Perhaps, we should take into account Augustine’s view about â€Å"The First Sin,† when the defection of the bad angels was first encountered. â€Å"In the beginning when God created the heavens and the earth†¦ And God saw that it was good† (NRSV, Genesis 1). If the Bible states that God created everything good because He is good, then evil, according to Augustine, is the absence of good and does not have any positive being--- defective and lack ... ...ents, love God above all and love your neighbor as yourself, indicate that we should love the most what is objectively the best. Pride is a perverse kind of self-love and a feature of the will. Pride was the deficient cause of Satan freely choosing himself over God and continues to be a relevant cause for humans as result of â€Å"The Original Sin.† In redemption, Jesus Christ, a model of humility, was the Second Adam who because of grace sacrifices Himself to bear and forgive humans of sin. I believe that we can choose to will good or to will evil. To freely will the love for the ultimate good means to willingly love God above all. Although our nature is subject to pride and is deficient in goodness, we can still choose what is good. By having this rightly ordered love , we choose the highest good. As a reward, God gives the gift of true happiness in the afterlife.

What Does It Mean To Keep A Day Holy? :: essays research papers

To understand what it means to keep a day holy, one must understand what holy is. Dictionary.com defines holy as spiritually whole or sound; of unimpaired innocence and virtue; free from sinful affections; pure in heart; godly; pious; irreproachable; guiltless; acceptable to God. According to this definition to keep a day holy would be to make the day acceptable to God. Making a day acceptable to God will unquestionably vary with religious beliefs. For the Christian, Sunday is above all an Easter celebration, illumined by the glory of the Risen Christ. It is the festival of the "new creation". Yet, when understood in depth, this aspect is inseparable from what the first pages of Scripture tell us of God’s plan in the creation of the world. If the first page of the Book of Genesis presents God's "work" as an example for man, which it does, then the same must be true of God's "rest." â€Å"On the seventh day God finished his work which he had done" (Genesis 2:2) It would be clichà ©d to interpret God's "rest" as a kind of "inactivity". By its nature, the creative act, which founds the world, is unending and God is always at work, as Jesus himself declares in speaking of the Sabbath principle: "My Father is working still, and I am working" (John 5:17). The divine rest of the seventh day does not allude to an inactive God, but emphasizes the fullness of what has been accomplished. It speaks, as it were, of God's lingering before the "very good" work. The book of Exodus tells us that we need not cease all work to keep the lords day holy but only remember: "Remember the Sabbath day in order to keep it holy" (Exodus 20:8). Before commanding that something be done, the passage urges that something be remembered. It is a call to awaken remembrance of the grand and fundamental work of God, which is creation, a remembrance that must inspire the entire religious life of man and then fill the day on which man is called to rest. Rest therefore gains a sacred value: the faithful are called to rest not only as God rested, but to rest in the Lord, bringing the entire creation to him.

RFID Tagging :: essays research papers

RFID, which is radio frequency identification, uses tiny tags that contain a processor and an antenna and can communicate with a detecting device. RFID is intended to have many applications with supply chain and inventory control to be the drivers of utilization. RFID has been around for a long time. During World War II, RFIDs were used to identify friendly aircraft. Today, they are used in wireless systems, for example, the E-Z passes you see on the turnpikes. The major problem until recently has been cost for RFIDs. Tags have been at a cost of 50 cents, which makes it hard to utilize or really unusable for low priced items. A company based out of California called Alien Technology has invented tags for less than 10 cents a piece on large mass runs. The major benefit expected from RFID is its potential for revolutionizing the supply chain management, but RFID could have many applications, ranging from payment collections on highways, to finding lost kids in amusement parks, to prev enting cell phones from being stolen.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The RFID tag itself is about the size of a pinhead or grain of sand. The tag includes an antenna and a chip that contains an electronic product code. Industry professionals expect the RFID tag to eventually replace the barcode as identification system of choice. The electronic product code stores much more information than a regular bar code that is capable of storing information like when and where the product was made, where the components come from, and when they might perish. Unlike barcodes, which needs a line-of-sight to be read, RFIDs do not need a line-of-sight. There are two types of RFID tags call active and passive. An active tag uses its own battery power to contact the reader. It works greater distance than passive tags, but has a drawback because of the larger size. A passive tag does not require a battery, but it derives its power from the electromagnetic field created by the signal from the RFID reader. This generates enough power for the tag to re spond to the reader with its information, while the range is smaller than active tags, having no battery make the tags useful life almost unlimited and the size much smaller than active tags. In any event, the key feature of the technology is the ability for an RFID-tagged object to be tracked instantly from anywhere in the world, provided that the reader is in range.

One of the Most Important Discoveries Is Mineral Oil

Mineral oil had been discovered a long time ago but it was not known how to use it, until 1892. Rudolf Diesel invented diesel fuel to be used in engines. Now, diesel fuel is used worldwide. Mineral oil includes many different compositions; therefore, many kinds of products which bring many benefits to people are made from mineral oil such as gas, petrol, lubricant, tar and so on. Mineral oil has been used in many fields of life. First of all, gas, a light component of mineral oil (from C1 to C4), is used widely in daily life, especially, in creating electricity.Therefore, this power is exploited by most of countries to provide electricity to people. Although, there are many sources of power such as nuclear energy, solar energy or waterpower and so on, they cannot replace gas because it is hard to produce such sources of energy and their cost is expensive.. Moreover, gas is an important fuel, which is used in the family to cook and to keep warm in the winter. Most of the countries in Europe depend on this power source. Consumption for gas is 100m3 a person a year (2008).Therefore, gas is a necessary fuel that is used in daily life. Second, petrol, a heavy component of mineral oil (from C6 to C10), is used a lot in industry; it is an important fuel that is used essentially in the transportation industry, such as in airports, shipping, road travel, rail travel and so on. Most engines use this fuel. We also recognize the importance of this fuel in American transportation. Petrol is used 70 to 100 per cent (2007). Each person uses, on average, twenty-five cans of petrol for his vehicle a year.The Vietnamese used fourteen million tons in 2007. Therefore, petrol is very important and necessary in our lives. The heavy component of mineral oil makes other products: tar, candle wax, lubricants, and so on. They are useful and many countries use it. For example, a lubricant is used to prreserve energy by decreasing temperature. Tar is used to build infrastructure on roads, bridges, and so on. Finally, mineral oil is also an essential resource of some countries, especial some Middle East countries.These countries depend only on this source to develop their resources in exporting. In summary, discovering mineral oil was a great success of human beings because it brought many advantages to people. Although there are many other sources of energy used, they do not replace mineral oil. Mineral oil is a valuable resource; therefore, we must know how to correctly use it in order to bring welfare to people but not lose the balance in our ecological environment by pollution.

Advantage and disadvantage of Budgeting

â€Å"Budgeting is ok in a certain environments but everything changes so quickly that budgeting is a waste of time. It provides no useful purpose and is purely an academic exercise†.â€Å"Traditional budgeting wastes time, distorts decisions, and turns honest managers into schemers. It does not have to be that way- if you are willing to sever the ties between budgets and compensation†.While discussing and making an evaluation of these statements, understanding of advantages and disadvantages of corporate budgeting is very important.This understanding is followed by the perceptive of Budget, its need and its pros and cons (advantage/disadvantage). In such term, raised questions are respectively ‘what is budget’, ‘why budget’ and ‘objective of budget’. (www.tuliptrees.com)Critical Discussion of the StatementWhat is Budget?Budget is taken as the most fundamental and the most effective financial management tool available. Nevertheless , it is an absolute time taking activity if performed correctly. It is also considered as an arduous work. But budgeting is important and beneficial†¦there are many reasons that make budgeting a good deal. (www.tuliptrees.com ) (Journal of Performance Management, 2005 by Nolan, Gregory J)Why Budget?Budget plays a very important role in planning, control and evaluation of operations. It provides a vehicle for translating programs in financial resource programs. (www.awesomelife.com )Advantages of Corporate BudgetingPlanning- It forces organization to plan to the fore and analytically anticipate the future.Maximum managers deal with a very eventful schedule and tough official activities.This prone those to avoid formalized planning unless budgeting is part of their job. If a formal plan of attack is created, it allows managers or individuals to focus on problems before they actually occur. Daily operating interruptions are therefore decreased, due to knowledge of possible problem s; they generally initiate corrective actions, rather than imprudent solutions. (Journal of Performance Management,   2005   by Nolan, Gregory J)Organizing- A proper budgeting places   economic and human resources in the most financially rewarding areas and making managers aware of any scarcity of resources.Controlling- It examines variances from conventional targets (i.e. differences between actual and budgeted) and takes counteractive actions. Actual presentation can be compared against budgeted amounts, giving managers an insight whether operations are meeting expectations or not.If scarcities arise, corrective actions can be implemented to bring the operation back on target. Specific areas can be identified and investigated. (www.methodist.com, www.awesomelife.com )Coordinating- a proper budgeting is very useful in formal harmonization, as it helps system managers of different functions to operate in various directions and to work for the profit of the company.If everybody concerned sticks to the formal plan adopted by a budget, they become aware of where the enterprise is heading and ensures that it stays on track. In a large company, operations are normally divided into different departments and under the accountability of different managers.To attain overall objectives, close coordination of activities is a necessity. The problems that could arise from a lack of coordination are massive. (Budget Basics)When a budget for the overall organization is in place, every department knows where they fit into the overall plan and can be expected to work towards it. Thus budget brings a harmony, which is very important for the growth of any company. (Management Accounting Summer   By David E Stout,   summer2008)Communicating – Budget helps in exchanging information concerning goals, ideas, and achievements. It also grows necessary interaction and develops an awareness of how each of their activities contributes to the firm's overall operation. (Bu dget Basics)Motivating – Corporate budgeting acts as a catalyst for managers of the enterprises and motivates them to work hard. It also helps in maintaining an enthusiastic attitude among them towards their jobs. It can be achieved by realistic goals and the thrill it gives when such goals are met or achieved. (Management Accounting Summer By David E Stout, summer2008)Budgeting PlansThe book ‘Budgeting Basics and Beyond’ says that budgets are prepared in two term plans. One is short term plan is another is called long term plan. (Budgeting Basics and Beyond by Jae K. Shim, Joel G. Siegel, pp27,28,29)Short term plan- these plans are typically one year plan. Nevertheless, few plans are for two years and few are just week or month long plans. These plans examine cash flow, expected earning and other expenditures. These plans basically rely on internal information and tactical objectives. Structures of such budget plans are predictable, fixed and persistently determ inable.These are based on strategic plans and concerned with existing markets and products. Short term budget area covers – product, service, department, territory, division, project and functions. These are usually expressed on a departmental basis. (Budgeting Basics and Beyond by Jae K. Shim, Joel G. Siegel, pp27, 28, 29)It includes sales, manufacturing, marketing, management, research and consolidation plans. Short term planning generally involves lower grade managers in providing inputs. In making of such budget plans, the line manger supervises and includes data in the making of long term budget planning. (Budgeting Basics and Beyond By Jae K. Shim, Joel G. Siegel, pp27, 28, 29)Long Term Planning- This is normally of a broad, tactical nature to accomplish objectives. This plan is usually five to ten years long (even more in few cases) and looks forward for the futuristic up-gradation of the company.This considers economical, political and industrial conditions too. These are formulated by upper management of the organization. They deal with products, markets, services and operation. Long term planning boosts sales, profitability, return on investment and growth of the organization.These plans need constant revision for the input of new information. It covers all major areas of business including manufacturing, marketing, finance, engineering, law, accounting, and personnel. Planning for such areas should be matched into a wide-ranging plan to achieve corporate objectives. (Budgeting Basics and Beyond By Jae K. Shim, Joel G. Siegel, pp27, 28, 29)This is taken as a combination of operating and development plans. This plan should specify ‘whet is the need’, ‘who needs it’ and ‘when it is needed’. Its responsibility should be assigned to segments.Goal of long term planning includes market share, new business areas, new distributive channels, cost reduction, capital maintenance, and risks of cost reduction.Features of a good long term planning include flexibility, motivation, measurability and compatibility. These planning’s are intended for growth of the organization, product development, plant expansion and financing. (Budgeting Basics and Beyond By Jae K. Shim, Joel G. Siegel, pp 27, 28, 29)Long term budget planning is believed to be details of accomplishments of strategic plans. It incorporates evaluating alternatives, developing financial information, analyzing activities, allocating resources, manpower planning, finance analysis and production planning.Time period for a long term plan depends on the time required for the product development, life cycle of the product and construction of capital facilities. Long term planning offers more alternatives in the comparison of short term planning.It is more effective when there is greater uncertainty in economy and business environment. Nevertheless, planning of short term budget is easier than long term budget, as a long term budget de als with greater uncertainties. (Budgeting Basics and Beyond By Jae K. Shim, Joel G. Siegel, pp27, 28, 29)

Introduction Speech Guideline

The Day I was Born Speech For your Introduction speech you will present a brief speech on the day you were born. This speech is meant to be an icebreaker and is your time to introduce yourself to your fellow classmates and me. Do some research and find out a few interesting pieces about the day you were born. If you cannot find anything you would like to use on the exact day, you may expand out to the week, month, or year. Please try to stay within the year though.Your speech should focus on 2-4 specific topics such as a lattice event, a natural disaster, a musical group, a technological achievement, another moment in history, etc. (keep in mind the time limit). Use the library resources tab on Blackboard to help you with your research. Skills focus: Show ability to do minor research and effectively present Ideas at an introductory level. Formal Introduction to course concepts will come with future class lectures, and practice of these concepts will come with future formal speeches. Grading: This speech is worth 25 points.You may earn up to 15 points for the actual speech and up to 10 points for your research worksheet and works cited. Requirements: 0 2 minute extemporaneous presentation (e. G. Meaning prepared from note cards). DO NOT manuscript your speech (write it out word-for-word). You are allowed a 30 second buffer on either end; beyond that, there is a 2 point loss. 0 Complete the research worksheet (attached) and use it as a guide to help you. C] Works Cited page (Pick MEAL or PAP, but be consistent) – this should only include the actual citations you use In your speech. See BlackBoard under Documents/Websites for formatting help.Q Minimum of 3 sources of your choice; please note, Walked does not count as a source. Make sure you are checking the credibility of your sources, as well (we will cover this more in chapter 7). You may use someone you interview as one of your sources. Please note it is ALWAYS important to orally cite your sources throu ghout your speech – see BlackBoard for handout (we will cover this more in chapter 7). 0 No more than 3 one-sided EX. note cards (or equivalent). Visual aids are not required for this speech. Ã'Ëœ You will need a brief introduction that leads into the 2-4 items that you chose to tell us about, followed by a brief conclusion.Be creative. Here Is a sample introduction: 0 I was born In the spring of 1 974, April 24th to be exact. I share my birthday with Barbara Strained, Cedi the Entertainer, novelist Sue Grafton, and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. It was a year of Impeachments, atomic scares, and kidnapped millionaires. But on the warm spring afternoon I was born, political turmoil was the order of the day. (category) order. See the index of your textbook to find more information on these organizational patterns. Fox While you will not have a lot of time to go into great detail, pick a few things that you can expand on in your speech although briefly.Practice in front of a clock or timer to be sure you are speaking for roughly 2 minutes. Please Note: This is Just an ice-breaker speech to get you into the speech presentation mode. This is meant to introduce you to what is expected (in a more polished manner) in future speeches. Make sure to email me or see me in person if you have any questions or need any help. The Learning Assistance Center located in the University Center 170 is available to assist you. Good luck and have fun with this speech! Name: Research Worksheet What day was I born? Who might I interview to find out more about the day I was born? 1 . 2.What are three very specific questions I would ask about the day I was born? 1 . 3. What resources might I use to find out information about the day I was born aside from interviews? I have provided three; list three others that you use (or may use) in your research efforts. 1 . Facts on File: World News Digest – you can access this through Steely Library online. 2. Time Magazine – you can access this through Steely Library online or in person. 3. The New York Times – you can access through Steely Library online or in person. 4. 5. 6. What are three things that I found in my research that are interesting enough to mention in my speech?