A Study on Religion and the Role of It on People and Media….

Media Research Research Topic- RELIGION AND MEDIA A STUDY ON RELIGION AND THE ROLE OF IT ON PEOPLE AND MEDIA†¦. NIKESH GHOSH 100601181 Batch B ACKNOWLEDGEMENT First of all I thank almighty God for helping me do this research paper and for being with me all throughout the research. Secondly, I would like to thank Mr. Padma Kumar sir for supporting me and for being the head of my research. Last but not the least I would like to thank all my friends who have helped me do this paper. Special thanks to my friend’s Gerson Pearson and Aparna Nair for their utmost help and support.In What Ways Did Religion and Economics Influence the Development of Medieval Europe and Japan?OVERVIEW This research paper mainly deals with religion and its impact on people through media. Here I have firstly focused on what is religion and media and then have linked religion with the society. Later I have showed the relationship of both of these with the media and all consequences regarding it. I hav e also added to it my own view point’s regarding the same topic. During the course of the research some questions regarding the same issue has also been dealt over here. INTRODUCTION What is religion?Religion is a mixture of belief, faith and culture which brings together humanity and spirituality. It is more often considered as an emotional expletive during the time of crisis. It has a very deep impact on certain people whereas a very mild impact on others. Religion was thought to be originated around 2500 BC. From then started the rise of religion. Even though there are a group of people who does not believe in the supernatural powers and god but they believe in science to control the world, there is another side of it too who believes that the supernatural power is god.Depending on this the religion aspect was also cut into several pieces and these were named as Judaism, Christianity and Islam as well as Indian and Far Eastern religions like  Buddhism   and  Sikhism; Iranic religions like  Zoroastrianism and  Bahai , and African indigenous-based religions like  Santeria. Others belief systems were also developed with the rise of time such as atheism and Mormon Church. This is how religion was divided and this division also led to the conflicts in the name of god. Basically religion is something brought about by the humanity and it just serves as a hope and life for the believers.Religion is something which has the capability of controlling man. It helps a person gets rid of suffering, show them the value of life, enhances the urge to live in a peaceful way ,to help others which all ultimately leads to a peaceful life. Through this one finds the meaning of his or her life. But on the other hand there is also another category of people who uses religion for their personnel fights and creates fights and wars in the name of religion which no god tells to do. People and society have the privilege of manipulating things to the way they want and this is exactly what these categories of people are doing.Even though there are a lot of religions people forget to realise that the belief and controlling power is just one. One more category of people is the ones who don’t believe in any of these and just science has the controller of the world. In spite of all these religion has a very good impact in the peoples mind in the modern era. What is media? Media is a very broad and vivid area which is a communication link to wide variety and category of audience. It is a source through which the world links with the mankind. The sources to communicate with the audience may be different like television, radio, newspapers.Internet etc. but the aim is just one and that is to make people aware of the day to day events occurring across the globe. The people tend to believe these technologies blindly which has increased the rate and extend of rise of the media drastically. The source of information and value training to the society i s more and more often the media. The information brought about by the media is what the people believe and try to inculpate and this is due to the rise in the busy schedule of one’s life. Media itself is classified into: 1.Advertising media, various media, content, buying and placement for advertising 2. Broadcast media, communications delivered over mass electronic communication networks 3. Digital media, electronic media used to store, transmit, and receive digitized information 4. Electronic media, communications delivered via electronic or electromechanical energy 5. Hypermedia, media with hyperlinks 6. Mass media, all means of mass communications 7. Multimedia, communications that incorporate multiple forms of information content and processing 8.New media, a broad term encompassing the amalgamation of traditional media with the interactive power of computer and communications technology 9. News media, mass media focused on communicating news 10. News media (United State s), the news media of the United States of America 11. Print media, communications delivered via paper or canvas 12. Published media, any media made available to the public 13. Recording medium, devices used to store information 14. Social media, media disseminated through social interaction 15. MEDIA Programme, a European Union initiative to support the European audio-visual sector (http://en. ikipedia. org/wiki/Media) Relationship of religion and society through media As discussed above, society is very much influenced by the media and the attitudes of people of religion towards the media are extremely varied from uncritical acceptance to total rejection of media's presence in the life of society. As we all know everything has its dos and don’ts, this issue are also have both dos and don’ts. Nowadays the society is so much into the media that they believe anything and everything brought by them blindly . for instance the religious worships and aspects shown in movies vary from film o film and they may show a lot of aspects against and maybe for it. Some people has the ability to take it wisely whereas there is another category of people who believe the television and other media so blindly that they tend to believe all the religious aspects shown through this medium is true which ultimately has led to a lot of conflicts . we even know some religious themed movies even though has an outstanding performances in it has been banned a lot of commodities due to different ethical and religious issues. At times people tend to forget that films are not reality.But this is not just in the case films but any media related aspects can very well influence the people’s mind which has ultimately led to lot of religious dissimilarities and conflicts among people even now. One of such issue is the very famous ayodhya dispute which is even going on now . media has caused a very huge impact of this issue on the society. During the issue there were several articles against the media too stating that media should be kept away from the court and many more. All these are just some examples in order to show the relationship between religion and society through media.Today, the biggest criticism levelled by people of religion is that media are usurping religion's place in society. That is to give shape to a value system and to express the essence of a culture. Religion and media has gained visibility as a new area in the academic Study and knowledge of religions and their impact through a growing number of publications, research centres, and thematically focused conferences and workshops are also carried out. The media and television are believed to challenge the religious world views presently and also in the coming decades.Religion itself is categorised as a particular type of news among the media presently. Given below are two images in which one represents the top religious stories occurred in 2009 and other is the selected topics in t he us media in the year 2011 in which religion represents 2. 0 per cent of the total. Review of literature 1. Stewart Hoover’s recently published monograph (2006), Religion in the Media Age, begins with the following observation: ‘Religion and the media seem to be ever more connected as we move further into the twenty-? rst century. It is through the media that much of contemporary religion and spirituality is known. 2. The mission statement for the NYU Center for Religion and Media opens on a similar note, suggesting that ‘In the 21st century, religion is dif? cult to imagine detached from the dizzying array of media that amplify and circulate its ideas and practices. ’ 3. Gregor Geothals (1981, 1993) and William Fore  (1987, 1990, and 1993)  . â€Å"television has become the great cultivator of our culture, the great mythmaker of our time' †¦ providing myths which ‘tell us what has  meaning  Ã¢â‚¬â€œ for example, the meaning of social roles in society: who has the power, who is the aggressor, who is the victim.They tell us who can do what, to whom, with what consequences. By telling us ‘the way things are' they convince us this is the way it ought to be'. 4. George Gerbner (1979) . â€Å" television, in providing a ritualised dramatisation of symbols and values, plays a cultural role similar to popular religion. Gregory Baum (1993, p. 65) notes that the mass media do much more than mediate information: like religion they create the categories mi which we perceive the world. 5. Lee Marsden and Heather Savigny, both at the University of East Anglia, UK. Media Religion and Conflcit is one of the first constructive, unbiased analyses of its kind which looks at the role of media, religion and conflict in current domestic and global politics. It forces the reader to re-evaluate media constructs, cultural perceptions and issues surrounding identity whilst examining how and why conflict occurs as a result of these self-same media stereotypes. 6. The spirit of networks: new media and the changing role of religion in American public life; Author:Healey, Kevin : The Spirit of Networks examines the implications of new media for the future of American religious politics.I argue that we are at a critical juncture in both media and religion, similar to the early days of radio broadcasting. The outcome of that earlier juncture involved an increase in media commercialization and the proliferation of conservative evangelical broadcasters—developments which paved the way for the emergence of the Religious Right. Today, technological and generational shifts have the potential to alter the course of American religious politics. Younger people are more wary of political partisanship and religious hypocrisy, and are more likely to use new technologies as tools of political engagement.These shifts have led some journalists and researchers to pronounce the death of the Religious Right and the emergenc e of a new Religious Left. 7. A case study with Du, AlSayegh Media and Shaikh Al Oraifi. There are relatively few religious media channels through which to communicate effectively and which may be receptive to conveying a message on behalf of a company when compared to more mainstream media. Even if a company has a message that they’d like to promote and which would appeal to this target audience. 8.Communication and research trends (center for study of communication and skills: volume 21,2002. no. 2:media and religion case study ): The relationship between religion and media sheds light on this paradox [the privatization of religion but with public consequences, like the Islamic revolution in Iran or the political role of liberation theology], which illustrates an increasingly complicated negotiation between the private and public spheres. 9. Belief in the Media: (Cultural Perspectives on Media and Christianity Horsfield, Peter, Mary E. Hess, and Adan M.Medrano, eds. London: Ashgate, 2004. ): â€Å"Media Culture and Christian Institutions,† explores the impact of media on Christian institutions. This part, of course, drives home the message that institutions can no longer view media as simply tools for institutional messages; rather, the fluidity of media must be taken into account. Mary Hess examines the importance of popular culture and how Christian institutions might adapt to it. Both Adan Medrano and Siriwan Santisakultarm reflect on the use of media in their religious backgrounds, Latino and Thai Catholicism, respectively.Medrano’s â€Å"Making Religious Media† demonstrates the difficulty of creating religious television programming, which resonates both with the institutional message and the lives of adherents. In â€Å"Changes in the Thai Catholic Way of Life,† Santisakultarm traces the changing media that dominated Thai Catholic life from oral culture to the purported loss of religious communication with modernizati on. The final essay in this part explores the U. S. Catholic Church sexual abuse scandal, and Frances Forde Plude suggests that, with this scandal, it becomes clear that the Church and the news media have differ nt and often contrasting views of media. Method of study In this qualitative research, firstly I have identified different types of media and evaluated their influence on society. Secondly I have explained and evaluated different religious attitudes towards the media and also religion and politics. Thirdly I have focused on the relation between religion media and society. Lastly I have focused on my own views regarding the topics listed above. 1. Types of media and evaluation of their influence in society? The different groups of media include: newspapers, magazines, yellow pages, radio, television, press, web and internet.Among these the most prominent one in the present days is web and internet. â€Å"In the last five decades or so, the media and its influence on the soci eties, has grown exponentially with the advance of technology. First there was the telegraph and the post offices, then the radio, the newspaper, magazines, television and now the internet and the new media including palmtops, cell phones etc. There are positive and negative influences of mass media, which we must understand as a responsible person of a society. We have put our trust on the media as an authority to give us news, entertainment and education.However, the influence of mass media on our kids, teenagers and society is so big that we should know how it really works. The media makes billions of dollars with the advertising they sell and that we are exposed to, every single moment. We buy what we are told to buy by the media. After seeing thousands of advertisings we make our buying decisions based on what we saw on TV, newspapers or magazines. These are the effects of mass media especially in teenagers; they buy what they see on TV, what their favourite celebrity advertise s and what is acceptable by society based on the fashion that the media has imposed on them. ( http://www. opinion-maker. org/2011/01/mass-media-and-its-influence-on-society/) . The above statements were from an article by M. A. Mugdhal which clearly tells us about the influence media has on the society. People tend to believe what the media tells so blindly that they forget what the actual reality is. Henceforth, media has a huge rate of responsibility in order to bring up the accurate matters to the society and to educate the society in a proper way.The mass media can create awareness, knowledge of preventive innovations and convey useful information about the skills needed for behaviour change, but they should not be expected to change strongly held attitudes and behaviour. 2. Religion and media Malcom Muggeridge, a veteran English communicator with a long career in the world of radio and television, thought that one should do without television because it is a medium that traffi cs in fantasy that creates images and ideas that are not true and does not have and cannot have any relationship with truth.For him, the medium is an autonomous element capable of creating its own dynamic and, therefore, its own communication structure. Yet faith can be lived, received and shared outside society's structure and, so, the media are not only unnecessary but harmful. Muggeridge saw using mass media as a â€Å"fourth temptation† which Jesus would have rejected because in reality â€Å"this medium, because of its very nature, does not lend itself to constructive purposes. † On the contrary, media â€Å"are giving to Christian society something which is dangerously destructive. â€Å"This position is based on a conception of faiths considered as timeless in order to maintain its purity and integrity. Without overlooking the manipulative and deceptive purposes of the mass media, it should not be forgotten that this same a temporal concept is used by those wh o make use of the fantasy of the media to communicate very effectively the fantasy of their own â€Å"gospel†. Second, according to Neil Postman (6), any religious celebration in the media requires an environment invested with certain sacrality. To do this certain rules of behaviour are needed which are denied by the circumstances in which a religious programme is watched.People eat or talk or distract themselves with other activities and the way of behaving required by the religious celebration is lacking. But there is more – for Postman, the screen is saturated with profane happenings, associated with the world of commercialism and entertainment. In a way it supposes that religion can be successful on television only if it offers what people want, which presumes the trivialisation and emptying out of content. In this respect, we should accept a certain kind of warning against mass media because their manipulative intentions are more obvious.But this complex reality m ust not lead us to believe that a retreat to more traditional forms will simply provide us with the possibility of avoiding all contamination in communication. Has the Christian community always been unpolluted? Since when have only angels preached from pulpits? Third, Giorgio Giradet(7), an Italian Waldensian pastor, believes that one can find an alternative to extreme positions like the total rejection of Muggeridge, or the marked optimism he finds in the â€Å"electronic church† and in Pope John Paul 11.For him, that alternative has to take five things into account: (a) the importance of the media in a context that includes technical, financial, political and cultural aspects; (b) that using an electronic medium, like it or not, is a political act; (c) doing everything possible not to isolate the medium from reality; (d) preventing technical questions from alienating the medium from reality (problems of quality, montage, etc. ); (e) encouraging public participation, forest alling passivity.He concludes: â€Å"The struggle for and insistence on possible and sensible use of the media of mass communication centres in the end on reflection about the church. † We have to accept that in our world today mass media are more and more becoming the most important source of information and entertainment for us. We also need to recognise that they can play a significant role in encouraging participation in the search for a more just and peaceful world. ( http://www. religion-online. org/showarticle. asp? title=273) . The above article was put forward by Carlos A. Valle.What he tried to convey was just that media can bring about a huge rate of impact on people’s minds regarding religion. For instance, if we take the case of youth, these are the group which are more addicted to media nowadays especially internet and these category are the same group which has less knowledge of religion so they depend more on media in order to get different aspects and details regarding religion and the religious issues. As we all saw during the ayodhya issues, most of the society were kept updated with all the matters on media which clearly shows that media is the only medium which keeps the whole globe one.But as every matter has its negative and positive side . religion and media has also has its positive and negative side too positive| negative| Religions can reach many people who may not otherwise be reached via the media. This can be very important in helping people understand a faith and its traditions and beliefs. | The media can sometimes be used to encourage stereotyping and discrimination n against certain religious groups. E. g. the Islamic faith is now believed to be terrorists, due to the 11th September 2001 event. In the modern world, it is important to have a better understanding of those around you — it helps generate harmony and peace. | Usually the media broadcast the most controversial stories as they know they will most likely get a response the most outrageous the headline is. Therefore this can cause a disagreement between religions. | Prejudice often comes from ignorance, so the media can be used to combat this. Go onto the Internet, and type in a search for a named religious tradition. You'll find official websites, which can give you actual view of that tradition. The media can also be a source for blasphemy, for example The Last Temptation Of Christ, was boycotted and picketed by Christian groups when it first appeared in British cinemas. | Christianity and Islam are both missionary religions. There is a religious duty to spread their understanding of God and his laws, and to bring more people into the religion. The media is a good way to spread their message further, faster. | It can be seen as a source of corruption, as there are many anti-religious sites. This could be a source for persuasion and may affect the most easily peer pressure — young teenagers/ young adults. For many peo ple who aren't able to attend their own place of worship as often as they would like to, the religious broadcasts bring it to them. | It can raise issues of hypocrisy within religious texts and cause arguments and sometimes in extreme cases violence. | The media can be used to bring communities together and families together especially during special religious days. The media can be used to inform religious believers the special ceremonies taking place in areas close to them, allowing the religious community to come together and support the cause or celebrate the event. | | (http://wiki. nswers. com/Q/How_is_Religion_portrayed_in_the_Media) the above table focuses on the positive and negative side of the role of religion on media. It is usually unrealistic to expect the mass media to persuade individuals to adopt an innovation. At best, the media can bring about behaviour change indirectly but not directly influencing them to much extend. Nowadays religion and politics is also getti ng mixed up. Their relation is like blood and body. Different people interpret the correlation of religion and politics in different ways and this at times has resulted in lot of conflicts too.Media too has its own way of interpreting religion and politics. Nowadays major effort are put up in bringing religion close to media rather than bringing media close to religion and there are also efforts being made in order to eliminate the differences between the two. An article in http://religionmeetsnewmedia. blogspot. in/ on Tuesday February 07, 2012 has reported the launch of the New Media, Religion ; Digital Culture Studies Website. This clearly shows the advancing methods and ideas inorder to bring religion and media together and avoid conflicts between them.This way a peaceful world can be developed. Media as such as a very much role in the diffusion of innovation. 3. Religion, media and society. Religion, media and society is always linked together. Nowadays the society is mostly in formed with the religious aspects and issues through the media . so their linking is inevitable. As stated in an article: The replication of a study first carried out in the 1980s that examines coverage of religion by major TV channels and newspapers (UK).Analyses cover all forms of religion (popular religion, spirituality and new religions as well as conventional ones) and the „secular sacred? (e. g. freedom of expression, the value of equality, and human rights as sacred concerns). A key finding is that coverage of Islam has almost doubled, but Islam is generally framed as a problem in relation to terrorism, extremism, attitudes to women, or failure to integrate. Christian identity is presented as ‘under threat', particularly in right wing and tabloid media, because of political correctness and the equality agenda.Strong atheist and secularist voices have emerged since the 1980s, though their media portrayal is contentious. Identity issues are commonly presented in the media, but there is frequently a difference between media Portrayals and the self-identities of religious and secular groups. Equality, multiculturalism and discrimination continue to be discussed. Their treatment needs to be understood within the editorial context and rhetorical style of the newspaper or TV channel in which they appear. ( http://www. religionandsociety. org. k/uploads/docs/2011_05/1306247842_LINDA_WOODHEAD_FINAL_REPORT_MAY_2011. pdf ; research conducted by Kim knott. ) This article is all about the link between religion media and society. Religion has both positive and negative side within the society as well as within the media. In some cases through media we come to know about the different ways in which religious places helps the poor and the needy and in other way we come to know about the different war and fights in the society regarding different religion or among different religion through media.An article by the national institute of health states that â⠂¬Å"One side effect that has noticed by the National Institute of Health (PA-04-115), and is currently being studied further, is a reduction in cases of HIV and AIDS in areas that have received help by faith-based religions. The school of thought is that the focus on family and values around sexuality of these religions are causing people to be more cautious and use protection. † (http://www. studymode. com/essays/Effects-Religion-Society-160822. tml) But as we all know that we have come across lot of instances when religion has led to wars and ultimately death of millions. For example, the thirty years war in holy roman empire between the protestants and Catholics ; crusades in holy land, Europe between Islam and Christian ; Lebanese civil war in Lebanon between Sunni, Shiite, Christian. These are the few instances in which religion has led to war. But nowadays if there was no existence of media the youth may not be aware of all these. In this busy world no one is bothered to know all this.But still due to the existence of media the youth and the people of the present generation are very well informed about all these issues Nextly we can talk about the religion terrorism which is very well talked in media nowadays. A major trend seen nowadays is that all the religious conflicts are justified by the person who starts it. They have justification for all the violence they start. When religion goes bad that is dangerous and media in a way causes awareness to the people regarding this matter too. But it has its own negative point of view also. One such example is the al Qaeda attacks on September 11, 2001. he Sept. 11, 2001, al Qaeda attacks highlighted just how dangerous a mix terrorism and religion is. This perception has been solidified by the series of terrorist strikes that have been launched since – whether by al Qaeda or its affiliates – as far a field as Bali, Spain, and Saudi Arabia. All these attacks highlight the threat posed by Isla mic terrorists in particular. However, while, they reflect a wider phenomenon of Muslim extremists resorting to terrorism in pursuit of their aims, they are but the (as yet) bloodiest expression of a phenomenon which extends far beyond Islam. (http://studies. agentura. ru/centres/cdi/explaining1/) The place of media in the modern society is rising tremendously that people prefer to get information more preferably from some source of media mainly internet. What is religion, its issues and related all matters are now more dependent and available from media. 4. My views and opinions regarding media and religion: As from all the above listed studies it is very well clear about the impact of media on the society and impact of religion on the society and thereby media and religion also gets linked up.As we all know that almost all newspapers has a columns which report religious aspects ( exceptional case like left front parties), Times of India carries a particular column ( like speaking tree) which is themed for Hindu linings. Even we can take the case about a particular newspaper which is named â€Å"The Hindu† even though it has nothing to do with the Hindu religion and this particular paper has a side for religion which reports and keeps updated with the various religious aspects occurring around the world.Even nowadays the new age guru s is promoted by the media itself . from all these it is very well understood the role of media in promoting religion and related superstitions and matters. It is the only medium which can reach millions of people at the same time and in a modern era people are more dependent on media. The adoption of internet and other media by the youth as led to much better diffusion of innovations and with better understanding. Religion has now become a thoroughly mediatised experience and the interconnection of media and religion depends on the society.As we all know that religious institutions and individuals are now very well influe nced by the media. We can tell that in a way lot many of them exist only because of the media impact. This is why some times the wrong religious practices are often questioned by the media and they always have to face the danger from media and this is one of the reason too that some of the religious institutions or individuals are opposing media at times. Among all the media, internet is the newest and most popular medium affecting the religious aspects in the present era. If

Emily Dickinson’s “A Certain Slant of Light” Analysis Essay Essay

In her poem, There’s a certain Slant of light, Emily Dickinson uses metaphors and imagery to convey the feeling of solemnity and despair at winter’s twilight. The slanted light that she sees, is a metaphor for her battle with depression. Anyone who is familiar with Dickinson’s background will have a better understanding of what she is trying to say in this poem. Dickinson was known as a recluse and spent most of her life isolated from the outside world. The few people that she did come in contact with over the years are said to have had a major impact on her poetry. Although, her main muse of her work seems to be despair and internal conflict. What’s interesting about the poem is that Dickinson uses metaphors to describe depression, as well as religion. It is clear that the poet intends to highlight the light in the afternoon with its heaviness and solemnity. The time of year that the poet is describing is winter, while the time of day is twilight, or the afternoon, as said in the poem. Often times, and how I’ve interpreted it, the season, plus the time of day can be considered a metaphor for death. In Dickinson’s, There’s a certain Slant of light, she used a metered rhyming scheme that follows the pattern of ABCB. Since the poem uses rhyming, it’s closed form. There are four stanzas that almost have a hymn-like rhythm. It’s unclear if that was intentional or not due the religious metaphors within the stanzas. Dickinson used trochaic and iambic meters through out the poem. She also used stressed and unstressed syllables. The opening line of the poem, states the title and at the same time, introduces what the poem is essentially about. The poet goes on to say that the winter light, which slants in through the windows, weighs upon the speakers soul like â€Å"the Heft of Cathedral tunes.† Organs, with their multiple pipes, strike ears and fill Cathedrals with a sound that often leaves you with a feeling of unwelcome solemnity and grandiosity. This can leave listeners with an overwhelming feeling that lays heavy in their being. The image of winter, as well as the organ music, adds gloom to the poem. There’s a sense of anguish that the speaker is feeling and you believe that a certain slant of light might connote hope, but not even sunshine on a winter afternoon could bring happiness into the speaker’s life. Winter itself is a symbol of death and decay, opposed to summer, which is characterized by sunshine and joy. Like the Cathedral tunes, the light reminds her of desolation. The feeling of despair is transported into an auditory feeling, which is where the organs come in. The word â€Å"heft† has two meanings, weight and significance. It can refer to the cathedral tunes, and also the speaker being weighed down by despair. In the second stanza, the light oppresses her soul; it gives her a â€Å"Heavenly Hurt.† The experience of slanted light is a metaphor for ideas and how it feels to experience depression. This kind of heavenly hurt leaves no scar behind, but it creates an internal difference that brings a change in demeanor. The phrase â€Å"Heavenly Hurt† brings together a feeling of elation and the reality of what the speaker is feeling. The alliteration of this phrase is used as an emphasis. In the third stanza, the first two lines are, â€Å"None may teach it – Any – ‘Tis the Seal Despair -† This is saying that no one is able to teach us what death feels like. We can prepare for it, in the sense of what we believe will come after, but the actual physical and mental feeling is unknown. Death is very unpredictable in the way that we don’t know how our lives will end, but it’s on everyone’s mind. In the line, An imperial affliction, Sent us of the Air – (11-12) the speaker has made a connection with the winter light, the â€Å"Heavenly Hurt†, and the feeling of internal difference and despair. In Dickinson’s poem, an imperial affliction is a metaphor for an all-encompassing despair that comes from the air. Whenever we have a strong emotion, like happiness, we tend to see the world around us in a brighter light and over all it makes us feel joyful. If we’re feeling down, like the speaker of this poe m, we see the world as how we feel inside; things look unpleasant, and grey and dismal. We’re unable to see a ray of hope that is coming through the window in the form of sunshine. In the fourth stanza, when death, or â€Å"it† as the speaker calls it, comes everything listens. When someone dies, those still on this earth sometimes experience stillness in nature, as if the world is on hold and listening to us. In Dickinson’s poem the stillness comes from the slant of light, and the landscape and shadows listen and figuratively hold their breath. The landscape and shadows are personified in this stanza. The capitalization of â€Å"Landscape† and â€Å"Shadows† gives the impression that the speaker is referring to someone she knows. The mood here changes quite a bit compared to the first three stanzas of this poem. You get a sense of anticipation instead of despair, and the oppression that the speaker has felt has lifted and now she’s feeling light and maybe some what alluring. In the final two lines of the poem, the poet uses sort of a morbid imagery. â€Å"When it goes, ‘tis like the Distance, On the look of Death.† (15-16) Dead people have a distant look to them since the life in their being is gone somewhere else. We also see the exit of winter light at the end of the day in the same distant way we might see some deaths. Death is mysterious to those on earth, just as the sunset in the heart of winter is. The day is blanketed in shadows due to the sun’s proximity to earth during this season, and as it sets, it’s a gradual process, that sometimes leaves the world at a standstill, much like death. The dash at the end serves as emphasis that a period wouldn’t leave behind. As readers, we’re left with no definitive answers in regards to the light or the speaker’s internal despair. Dickinson almost made this intentional in a way that the reader might feel an equal despair or oppression at the outcome of the poem, or the â€Å"light† might leave us with a feeling of enlightenment and hope. At the end of this poem, we’re left with a feeling of despair, that Dickinson almost made intentional in order for the reader to better understand how the speaker feels as the light breaks through the windows on winter afternoons. Emily Dickinson’s use of imagery and metaphors highlights her battle with depression and isolation. There’s a certain Slant of light (about 1861) Emily Dickinson There’s a certain Slant of light, Winter Afternoons – That oppresses, like the Heft Of Cathedral Tunes – Heavenly Hurt, it gives us – We can find no scar, But internal Difference, Where the Meanings, are – None may teach it – Any – ‘Tis the Seal Dispair – An imperial affliction Sent us of the Air – When it comes, the Landscape listens – Shadows – hold their breath – When it goes, ‘tis like the Distance On the look of Death – Works Cited Page Kennedy, X. J.. An introduction to poetry. Boston: Little, Brown, 1966. Print.

Melting Point Determination Essay

Identifying an unknown compound can be a difficult task. In identifying a compound, researchers often measure several physical properties: melting point, boiling point, density and observes a few chemical properties: reactivity, acidity, basicity of the compound. The reason for determining several chemical and physical properties of the compound is that it is quite possible for two different compounds to have a few physical and or chemical properties in common; but it is highly unlikely for the two compounds to have very many identical physical and chemical properties (Gilber & Martin, 2010). The goal of this experiment is to determine the identity of the unknown using the melting-point technique. If the entire compound in the list given by your instructor had distinctly different melting points, it would be possible to determine the identity of the unknown by just taking its melting point. However, each of the compounds in this list has a melting point that is close to the melting point of another compound in the list. Therefore, the melting point of the unknown will allow you to break down the choices to two compounds (Pavia, Lampman, & Kriza, 2013). To determine the identity of you compound, you must perform mixture melting points of your unknown and each of the two compounds with similar melting points. A mixture melting point that is depressed and has a wide range indicates that the two compounds in the mixture are different. It should be pointed out, however, that it is not possible to accurately predict the physical properties of newly synthesized or isolated compounds. Therefore, tables of physical properties are only useful in identifying previously known compounds. However, useful information as to the compound’s identity and its purity can often be obtained from its melting point. Although the melting point can be used to help identify an unknown by comparing its melting point to literature values, it must be apparent that there are literally hundreds if not thousands of compounds that share the same melting point. To solve this dilemma the identity of a compound can be confirm using mixed melting point method. If you prepare a mixture of you unknown chemical and the one you suspect it may be and measure the melting point of the mixture then there are two possible results: The melting point of the mixture is the same as the pure compound which means that the unknown compound and the known compound are the same. The melting point of the mixture is lower than either of the two pure components and the melting range is large. This is because the two compounds are different with the result that one is an impurity in the other (Dean, Jones, Holmes, & Reed, 2011). Determination of the temperature at which the solid and liquid phases of a substance are in equilibrium is time consuming. It is also quite difficult with a small amount of sample. Thus, in practice, most melting points are determined as capillary melting points, which can be done quickly with a small amount of sample in a capillary tube (Bettelheim & Frederick, 2004). Melting point analysis is a quick, relatively easy, and inexpensive preliminary analysis if the sample is already mostly pure and has a suspected identity. Additionally, analysis requires small samples only. As with any analysis, there are certain drawbacks to melting point analysis. If the sample is not solid, melting point analysis cannot be done. Also, analysis is destructive of the sample. For qualitative identification analysis, there are now more specific and accurate analyses that exist, although they are typically much more expensive. Also, samples with more than one solute cannot be analyzed quantitatively for purity (Molavi & Barron, 2011) Methodology: Finding an Identical Compound: Two melting-point capillaries were filled with small amounts of your sample. One was used to determine an approximate melting point range for your unknown by allowing the temperature to rise at about 6oC per minute. Then the melting point apparatus was cooled to at least 5oC below the temperature at which melting began. A slow, careful determination of the melting point range was made on the second sample by allowing the temperature to rise at a rate of approximately 2oC per minute. It is important that the melting point was measured carefully because finding another student in the lab with the identical compound depends on it. The melting point range was recorded in the laboratory notebook and also on the data sheet provided by the instructor along with the student number. From the data sheet, another student in the lab was located whose unknown has a melting point range that is within 4oC. A small amount of the student’s compound was used to prepare a sample for a mixed melting point. The error range of  ±4oC was accounted for experimental error and the fact that the thermometers are not calibrated thus the ranges from different instruments may vary slightly. To prepare the mixed melting point sample, one part of the unknown given was used to one part of the other student’s compound. The sample was mixed thoroughly by gently crushing the mixture with a glass stirring rod until it looks homogeneous. The melting point range was determined and the result was recorded in the laboratory notebook. Search was continued until you identified a student in the lab with a compound identical to yours and a second student in the lab with an unknown with approximately the same melting point range, but whose compound is not the same as yours. Results and Discussion: |Table 1 Mixed Melting Point Unknowns | |Unknown |Structure |Melting Point Range | | | |(oC) | |Benzoic Acid |[pic] |121-123 | |DL-malic Acid |[pic] |131-133 | |Urea |[pic] |132-135 | |Trans-cinnamic Acid |[pic] |131-136 | |Succinic Acid |[pic] |184 | Table 1 shows the given unknowns to be identified in this experiment. The melting point range in the table was the basis of the researchers in identifying their given unknowns. Some chemical compounds given from the manual was omitted to limit the scope of the experiment. Other books give different melting point range on the compounds in the table. This is because temperature also varies in the fact that the thermometers are not calibrated. The unknown pure compound has a white powdery solid feature. Melting point range determination is only applicable for solid compounds. Two trials were conducted to observe the melting point of the pure compound. For the first trial, it was observed that the compound starts to melt at exactly 135oC and the solid in the capillary tube was completely dissolved at 137oC. The solid melts instantaneously because the temperature of the cooking oil used arises rapidly compared when using water as a boiling bath. The second trial was conducted to confirm if the result for trial one is precise and the finding for the melting point also ranges from 135-137oC. From the data collected, it was predicted that the unknown might be urea or trans-cinnamic acid. Since both urea and trans-cinnamic acid have exactly the same melting point, it is difficult to determine which one is the given compound. The pure compound (Unknown A) was mixed to the compound (Unknown B) of one student with melting-point range of 134-136oC. Both unknown have the same physical feature which fell into conclusion that the two solids are same compounds. However, the temperature of the mixed compounds decreased by 80-84oC. Possible reason for this outcome is contamination of the mixed compound by the stirring rod used in mixing. Trial two was conducted for the mix-melting point determination. Another student whose compound (Unknown C) has a melting point that ranges from 131-134oC was mixed with Unknown A. Both unknowns have the same physical feature with Unknown B. The unknowns were mixed thoroughly with a clean stirring rod. The mixed compound starts to dissolve at exactly 134oC and solid in the capillary tube was completely dissolved at a temperature of 136oC. It is strong evidence that the two substances are the same. According to Mayo, Pike, and Forbes (2011), the crystalline lattice forces holding organic solids together are distributed over a relatively narrow energy range. The melting points of organic compounds, therefore, are usually relatively sharp, that is, less than 2oC. The range and maximum temperature of the melting point, however, are very sensitive to impurities. Small amounts of sample contamination by soluble impurities nearly always will result in meting-point depression. The drop in melting point is usually accompanied by an expansion of the melting-point range. Thus, in addition to the melting point acting as a useful guide in identification, it also can be a particularly effective indication of sample purity. The effectiveness of this technique depends on the relative solubility of the substances in each other. The usefulness of mixed melting points is limited in that you must have some idea of the chemical nature of your unknown compound and a sample of the suspected compound must be available. The researcher used melting points to determine the purity of organic compounds. Pure compounds were seen to have a narrow melting range, while impurities were seen to cause the melting range to become lower and broader. From the mixture melting points the researcher definitively able to identify the unknown as trans-cinnamic acid. 5. References: Aldrich, S. (n.d). Retrieved July14, 2013, from LLC, Sigma-Aldrich Co, http://www.sigmaaldrich.com/catalog/ product/aldrich/w228826?l ang=en ®ion=PH Bettelheim, Frederick, A., Landenberg, & Joseph M. (2004). Organic and Biochemistry (5th ed.). USA: A Division of Thomson Learning, Inc. Pages 17-20 Dean, J., Jones, M., Holmes, D., & Reed, R. (2011). Practical Skills in Chemistry (11th ed.). England: Pearson Education Limimited. Gilbert, J. & Martin S. (2010). Experimental Organic Chemistry: A Miniscale and Microscale Approach: A Miniscale and Microscale Approach (5th ed.). USA: Cengage Learning Mayo, D., Pike, R., & Forbes, D. (2011). Microscale Organic Laboratory with multistep and multiscale synthesis (5th ed.). United States: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Molavi, S., & Barron, A. (2012, May 29). Melting Point Analysis. Retrieved from the Connexions Web site: http://cnx.org/content/m43565/1.1/ Pavia, D., Lampman, G., Kriz, G., and Engel, R. (2013). A Microscal Approach to Organic Laboratory Techniques (5th ed.). USA Cencage Learning.

The American Red Cross Humanitarian Organization Essay

The American Red Cross Humanitarian Organization - Essay Example In 2005, the American Red Cross played a critical role in providing humanitarian assistance to thousands of Americans who were affected by the Hurricane Katrina. Jones (2012) indicate the Red Cross assisted in the evacuation of the affected families as well as proving first aid services to the injured, as well as food and temporary shelters to those who were affected by the disaster. The American Red Cross also assisted greatly during the 9/11 terrorist attacks, where the organization provided emergency assistance to the affected people. In fact, the American Red Cross is currently synonymous with humanitarian assistance. This document will conduct a review of the Red Cross business model, lobbying efforts, leadership profile of CEO, SWOT analysis, strategic planning, administration, and operations. The American Red Cross is the largest humanitarian organization in the country. The organization was founded in 1881 to assist those who were injured during the Civil War. The American Red Cross main areas of operation are the provision of humanitarian assistance to those affected by disasters and emergencies. The first major area of Red Cross operation is the provision of disaster response services. America is one of the countries that are prone to natural and manmade disasters most of which are devastating. However, the American Red Cross has always played a key role in providing disaster response services. In fact, the American Red Cross has provided many response services, which has helped save lives of thousands of people affected by disasters. Some of the disaster incidences where the Red Cross has provided effective response services include Hurricane Katrina, 9/11 terrorist attacks, Comair Flight 5191, the Kansan tornadoes, and the Florida tornadoes just to name but a few (Am erican Red Cross, 2006). In all these incidences, the Red Cross responded by assisting in the provision of evacuation services, first aid to the injured, food, temporary shelter, clothes and bedding.American Red Cross also provides blood services in the form of donations to hospitals in need of blood. The Red Cross works closely with community centers that help in the donation of blood. The Red Cross then supplies the blood to hospitals and health facilities that require blood.  

Fences by August Wilson Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Fences by August Wilson - Essay Example Upon the analysis and criticism of Wilson’s play, the arguments of Birdwell are evident. Therefore, the assertions of Birdwell are valid according to the nature of events in the Wilson’s play. Some of the fences outlined in the paly are realistic. There are events that manifest real life fences in the play. The realistic fences in this story dominantly manifest defensive features. For instance, Rose requires a fence that engulfs her homestead (Janet, 20). This was a realistic fence that was constructed by Bono and Troy upon a request from Rose. The major purpose of this fence was to defend Rose’s family. Evidently, this fence had a key objective of defense. There is a fence that defines the perimeter of the baseball field. Troy and other playmates maintain the game within the defined confinements (Janet, 35). In this context, the fence plays a defensive role as they prevent interruptions of the game. The real fences are as well evident in mental hospitals. In this case, they play a defensive role as they protect occupants within the hospital. Real fences in the story do not require a deep analysis and evaluation. They are obvious observations in the events of the p lay. They are clearly evidenced in the play. Apart from the real fences, there are metaphorical fences as well. These fences exist in the play to convey certain implications. Therefore, they are not obvious revelations in the story. The identification of these fences requires an analysis and critical response towards the play. In this case, there are diverse events and features of the play that portray existence of fences. Metaphorical fences in this play are dynamic. They manifest both defensive and obstructive roles according to the context they are placed. In this case, the metaphorical fences have a major role of communicating the themes of the play. Upon criticism, the metaphorical fences convey essential themes of the play. Diversity in generations is a manifestation of metaphorical

The European Union is often referred to as an international Essay

The European Union is often referred to as an international organisation sui generis (of its own kind). What makes the European - Essay Example Therefore the EU is primarily regarded as a supranational organization since it requires the transfer of some measure of sovereignty to the organs of the EU. Moreover, many decisions made by the EU are enforceable irrespective of member state cooperation and coordination.4 For example, in Cassis de Dijon the European Court of Justice ruled that a member state could not impose qualitative restrictions on goods from another member state.5 Moreover, in Kramer, it was held that where the EC had competence in a policy area, the member state could not act on its own accord.6 Thus the ECJ has ruled against the exercise of state sovereignty in giving force to the idea of a supranational EU. It has also been argued however, that the EU is nothing more than an example of regional integration since much of the political and economic integration networks within the EU, like all other regional organizations, depend on Member States’ voluntary compliance.7 In this paper it is argued, that a lthough the EU may share some similarities with regional and international organizations, it is substantively different and can best be described as a supranational organization and is the only one of its kind. The most important differences between the EU and other international organizations is the concept of shared sovereignty. From its inception, with the implementation of the Treaty of Rome 1957, the founding of the European Economic Community which only constituted 6 states, was an agreement in which each of the states â€Å"agreed to limit, but not totally transfer national sovereignty† in terms of â€Å"economic policy to a set of common institutions†.8 By virtue of the Treaty of Rome 1957, Member States agreed to common economic policies and the removal of trade barriers.9 While this alone would have made the founding arm of the EU similar to the World Trade Organization, the Treaty of Rome went farther requiring the establishment of a European Bank, policies for increasing employment and an amalgamation of transport and agricultural policies.10 In addition, sovereignty was transferred from among the Member States in terms of keeping with the common market principles to a Council of Europe, a Commission and a Court of Justice.11 With more states joining the Community, the Treaty of the European Union 1993 was signed in 1992 and is also known as the Maastricht Treaty which â€Å"absorbed the former† Community.12 The new Treaty (which has been amended to further clarify the functioning of the EU, by the Treaty of Lisbon 2007) went beyond economic union and added a pillar of political and legal union among the Member States.13 The Maastricht Treaty established a European Parliament and a Court of Auditors which expanded on the institutions developed by the Treaty of Rome 1957.14 In addition, the Maastricht Treaty established citizenship of all citizens of Member States.15 This aspect of citizenship not only cedes some measure of sove reignty to the EU, but also sets the EU apart from any other

On Being A Music Therapist Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

On Being A Music Therapist - Essay Example t; highly developed aural awareness; and the ability to make arrangements for unconventional combinations of instruments requiring variable or minimal levels of playing proficiency† (Musictherapyworld.de). A basic knowledge in â€Å"human psychological, physiological and emotional response to music, historical development of music therapy, detailed study of one music therapy approach, wide range of music therapy approaches and their theoretical bases, and the ability to compare contrast and critically evaluate clinical applications† are significant in the practice and application of the profession (Musictherapyworld.de). In becoming a professional MT, one must possess fine personal qualification and attitude such as: being responsible; good in written and oral communication skill; good interpersonal skill; â€Å"knowledgeable in professional and institutional code of ethics, experience in a multi-disciplinary team, sharing and accessing Bachelor degree in music therapy is necessary in acquiring the profession as a music therapist. United States of America is setting a standard in granting the board certificate to MT graduates. â€Å"A music therapist must complete 1200 hours of clinical training in addition to required coursework, research, and passing a nationally accredited certification exam† to be a Board-Certified or MT-BC (Wikipedia.com). The various cultures, practices, and lifestyles have an influence on physical, emotional, and mental aspects of a person. Dealing and living with our high-stressed, busy, and sophisticated technology-oriented environment subject us to sickness, depression, psychological illness and others. Thus, music therapy gives more opportunity in terms of employment and career because everyday more people are having those negative feelings that need to be treated. I have great interest in choosing this career since I have the potential skills in the field of music. I can play guitar and electronic organ and even compose my own songs.

Public Relations - Corporate Reputation programme Essay

Public Relations - Corporate Reputation programme - Essay Example Thomas Carlyle also known as Tom Ford is a fashion designer and film director from America, majorly popular for his services for Gucci and the creation of fashion label Tom Ford. Born in 1961, Tom Ford is renowned for his creativity in dress designing and versatility in product offering. The brand â€Å"TOM FORD† came into existence in 2004 after the fashion designer and film director decided to part his way with Gucci. The brand offers cosmetic products, menswear, eyewear, fashion accessories and women wear to a customer base spread across the globe. Majority of the customers of Tom Ford are celebrities from international film industries, the world of sports, politics and media (Ford, 2014; Lewis, 2013; Petcu, 2010). In order to understand how media and general public view Tom Ford as a brand, a reputation audit is carried out. This audit will be helpful in understanding the effectiveness of Tom Ford’s marketing strategies to establish the brand as a luxury fashion product manufacturer and supplier. Moreover, the audit will help readers to understand the sentiments of Tom Ford’s target audience about its policies, performance in the industry, its financial strengths and the social responsibility which the brand is fulfilling (Males, 2013). Tom Ford’s target audience perceives the brand as a luxury high-end fashion brand providing fashion accessories, tailored suiting, fragrances, jackets, sunglasses, ties, shoes, skirts, cosmetics, leather goods and eyewear. Majority of the customer base of Tom Ford perceives it as a market leader in fashion and media industry because of its products’ exclusivity and quality. Tom Ford’s products are mainly popular because of innovativeness in product design and the ability of the brand to come up as the introducer of fashion trends. In addition to this ability, Tom Ford is

Analysis and Interpretation of the Research Data Dissertation

Analysis and Interpretation of the Research Data - Dissertation Example 4.2 Respondent’s Profiles Following is the detailed discussion on the profiles of the respondents that participated in the research and supported to collect data through different means i.e., questionnaire, interviews and focus groups. 4.2.1 Profile of Teachers Surveyed The perspective view of the teaching staff at Willowbrook Primary School regarding the issue of student’s behavior and discipline is of prime importance for this study as the teachers have a direct impact on behavior and its management. Thus these views need to be analyzed. In coordination with the school management, in order to to gain valuable teacher and carer knowledge, sentiment and experience associated with behaviour issues, a questionnaire was developed and distributed to 20 in-school teachers responsible for children ranging from five years of age to 11 years. The questionnaires were completed in the free time of the teachers without compromising their primary teaching and classroom management r esponsibilities. The objectives of the research were explained prior to handing over the questionnaire. However, of the 20 questionnaires distributed, 17 were returned and/or deemed valid based on required completeness. Another attempt was made to collected the data from the remaining staff; however, these were not returned. The purpose of the questionnaire was gain information on opinion of the teaching staff on aspects of student’s behaviour and strategies for the behaviour management at primary level. The profile of the respondents is shown below in table 4.1. Total Number of Staff Number of Teachers Surveyed Males Females Percentage of Teaching Staff Surveyed 20 17 7 10 85 Table 1 : Profile of Teaching Staff Surveyed Figure 1 : Percentage of Teaching Staff Surveyed Figure 2 : Gender Distribution of Teaching Staff Surveyed Besides the questionnaire, a total of six teachers were also interviewed, which included three teachers having experience of 10 years or more, one more than 5 years while two having experience less than 1 year. Figure 3 : Experience of Teachers Interviewed 4.2.2 Profile of Students Surveyed Six students of age ranging between six to eleven years, representing equal proportion of both males and females, were interviewed as part of the survey. The students were selected because it was deemed important to get their views on the discipline in schools and its management. The students were selected based on their age and developmental stage enabling them to provide reasonable and clear responses to the interview questions. The students were selected based on the advice of school management. The parental content was sought prior to conducting the interview. The responses of students during the interview have been made part of this study and were handed over to school management to continue with the study. The interview mainly focused in determining the student’s perspective on effectiveness of reward and punishment system and the r ole of teachers in managing the classroom behavior. Age of Students Surveyed Number of Students Surveyed Males Females 6 to 11 6 3 3 Table 2 : Profile of Students Surveyed Figure 4 : Gender Distribution of Students Surveyed 4.2.3 Profile of Parents Surveyed Although parents have no direct role in management of classroom and student’s behavior at school, they do play a major contributory and supportive role. They are involved in

Identify the Claim 99.9% of Proper Grammar is Obsolete - CS2 Case Study

Identify the Claim 99.9% of Proper Grammar is Obsolete - CS2 - Case Study Example bject-verb agreement, capital letters, etc is still being followed by main stream publications but it is not the case outside of such environments where correct use of grammar has already started decaying. Sentences structured carefully are disappearing on the internet. As users are getting acquainted of each other’s vocabulary, proper grammar is deteriorating. He recognizes that there is a tendency of feeding customized â€Å"Internet Speak† that is developing among those on the internet. The grammar on formal websites still follows the traditional laid out rules, emails are starting to see a condensed version and instant messaging is even worse. The reason for this is rooted in the belief that expertise is not a necessity and is a waste of money and time. He cites the example of existence of many civilizations for centuries. Also proper use of grammar does not solve any problem as many cannot read at a collegiate level. The author then goes on to sarcastically criticize such form of writing as saying that he wonders how such messages are legible (Wertheimer, 2002). He says that on examining any message, even be it from a CEO, many grammatical errors can be found. He points out the reason why such messages have been working. In the last few years as the use of internet has increased, users have not only tolerated such abuse of grammar but encouraged such styles in order reply to messages as soon as they receive it. Need for speed is the reason behind this development. Punctuating and capitalizing is just a loss of time. Hence the need to be fast has lead to this condensing of sentencing and in turn grammar. One of the examples that author gives is the use of â€Å"g2g† which means â€Å"got to go†. The author goes on to explain that languages demand perfectionism by being grammatically correct but this is not the case on the internet. A communication’s effectiveness is dependent on the speed of the communication. Longer the sentence is slower the process and

Business management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 8

Business management - Essay Example The report starts by giving a brief description of the organisation followed by an outline of the organisational culture operating there. Google Inc is a multinational public computing and internet search corporation based in California. According to its official website, Google operates one of the biggest internet search engines in the world and it develops a number of internet based services and products. The organisation operates more than one million severs in data centers around the world and it has more than 200Â  000 employees worldwide. Likewise, the organisation also has leaders whose aim is to ensure that they positively influence the members of the organisation to pull their efforts towards the attainment of organisational goals. The organisational culture at Google is inclusive and every employee has something to say. Organisational culture can be described as the shared understanding which exists amongst organisation members with regards to the way things are done in a particular organisation (Swanepoel 1998). It refers to a set or system of shared features such as beliefs, values, assumptions, expectations, symbols and many others. People in the organisation can learn values and they shape their behaviour. Since these values are learned and created, there is an aspect of management function where the management ought to establish a culture in an organisation which can be used as a guide in the way the organisation operates. In every organisation, there is a culture which defines the policies as well as the structures needed in carrying out business. In the case of Google, it can be noted that there are espoused values that are clearly defined by the organisation as its preferred way of doing business and they are reflected in the company’s website. The espoused values at Google Inc put people first and the employees are encouraged to share information as well as learning from each other. Creativity is a virtue and all the employees are

Earthquake in Pakistan Essay Example for Free

Earthquake in Pakistan Essay Earthquake activity in Pakistan is mainly concentrated in the north and western sections of the country, along the boundary of the Indian plate and the Iranian and Afghan micro-plates. The Chaman Fault runs along Pakistans western frontier with Afghanistan from Kalat, in the northern Makran range, past Quetta and then on to Kabul, Afghanistan. A fault also runs along the Makran coast and is believed to be of the same nature as the West Coast fault along the coast of Maharashtra, India. An active subduction zone exists off the Makran coast. The great 1945 earthquake was centred in this region. This zone forms the boundary between the Arabian and the Iranian micro-plate, where the former subducts or dives beneath the latter. Thrust zones run along the Kirthar, Sulaiman and Salt ranges. There are four faults in and around Karachi and other parts of deltaic Indus, and Makran coast. The first is the Allah Bund fault that passes through Shahbundar, Jah, Pakistan Steel Mills, and runs through eastern parts of the city and ends near Cape Monz. This fault, in fact, has caused extensive damage in the past many centuries in the deltaic areas. The destruction of Bhanbhor in the 13th century and damage to Shahbundar in 1896 were caused by this fault. The other one emanates from the Rann of Kutchh. The third one is the Pubb fault which ends into Arabian sea near Makran coast and the last one is located in the lower Dadu district near Surajani and falls in the vicinity of Karachi. Tsunamis or tidal waves have also affected the coast of Pakistan. The worst case was in 1945 when an earthquake of magnitude 7. 9 struck the Makran coast, waves as high as 12 meters were reported.

Evaluation of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy Effectiveness

Evaluation of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy Effectiveness Introduction The following discussion will critically evaluate the research evidence which is available regarding the efficacy and effectiveness of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT). It will particularly focus upon its application to the treatment of Schizophrenia Initially, a brief explanation of what is meant by CBT will be given along with an outline of the model which underpins it. A consideration of the use of CBT for the treatment of Schizophrenia will then be made. A series of 25 studies which have been conducted to investigate the efficacy and effectiveness of the use of CBT for the treatment of Schizophrenia have been critically analysed. The results of this analysis will be presented with reference to the following key factors: the determinant and measurement of quality of life, social functioning and occupational status, hospital readmission/relapse, compliance with pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatments, dropping out and compliance to CBT, general impression of clinical/ professionals and others, unexpected and unwanted effects, economic outcomes and the management of change. 2.0 Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) It has been said that the thoughts people have of a situation, and the way IN WHICH they interpret and understand it, are largely influenced by their beliefs about themselves and the world (Nelson 1997). Such a view is congruent with the underlying principles of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT). The 1980s saw pioneering work being conducted by Aaron Beck using Cognitive Therapy (Beck Rector 2000). This was later merged with the principles of Behavioural Therapy to produce what was entitled CBT. The Cognitive-Behavioural approach is fundamentally based on the three factors: Cognition, Behaviour and Emotion which are displayed in Figure 1 overleaf: In other words, this concept suggests that the way in which an individual thinks about and interprets a situation will directly influence their behaviour within the situation. This in turn will impact upon how they feel after performing the behaviour (Kinderman Cooke 2000) Thus on a very basic level, a person’s views regarding smoking will influence whether or not they are a smoker and how they feel about it. These principles provide the foundation upon which the rationale for treating an individual is built. If one wishes to change the way in which an individual is feeling, one must address the associated behaviours and underlying thoughts. CBT could therefore be used to help a person to stop smoking. An attempt would be made to change the way in which the person thought about smoking which would then, in theory, influence their behaviour in terms of whether or not they smoked and how they felt as a consequence. The same principles and procedure could be used to treat other addictions and phobias whilst also being applicable to depression and anxiety related problems. In order for this process to be most effective, CBT relies heavily on a trusting and collaborative relationship being formed between the therapist and the patient. An alliance is formed through which positive changes can be facilitated. The Therapist and the patient work together in order that any problems are identified and that an appropriate treatment programme is worked out (Beck 1995). It is important therefore that the patient is committed and willing to take part in the treatment so that the probability that the treatment is effective can be maximised. 2.1 The development of CBT CBT was originally developed and applied to the treatment of neurosis (Haddock et al 1998). It was mainly used for the treatment of people suffering from depression and anxiety. More recently, CBT has started to be applied to a wide range of other problems such as phobias and addictions. The success of such applications has led its supporters to advocate the use of CBT to the treatment of psychosis (Thornicroft Susser 2001). This incorporates illnesses such as Paranoid Schizophrenia and Bipolar Disorder. Morrison (2002) provides a wide variety of case studies in which CBT was used as a treatment method. 3.0 Research Evidence Any decision regarding the use of a given treatment must be based upon the scientific documentation which has assessed the treatment’s effectiveness and efficacy (Carpenter 2001). Thus one needs to consider the empirical research which has assessed the psychological management of psychotic symptoms. This research will now be discussed with reference to acute psychotic symptoms, long term psychotic symptoms and research which has been conducted in a clinical setting. The research which has been conducted to assess the efficacy and effectiveness of CBT for the treatment of Schizophrenia will now be critically analysed with reference to the nine different evaluation areas. 3.1 Determinant and Measurement of Quality of Life The first key issue in the debate surrounding the use of CBT in the treatment of Schizophrenia concerns how a person’s quality of life is determined and how it can best be measured. Clearly one of the central aims of medicine in general, and in mental health care in particular, is to improve the quality of life of the patient. A number of studies have attempted to investigate the quality of life of Schizophrenic patients after undergoing CBT. One of the larger studies was conducted by Lewis et al (2002) and involved a sample of 315 Schizophrenic patients being given CBT along side routine care and supportive counselling. It was reported that a significantly faster clinical improvement was made by those within the CBT condition relative to a control group. Lewis et al (2002) concluded that CBT enabled Schizophrenic patients to reach remission more quickly and that this was associated with an increase in their quality of life. This approach suggests that quality of life, therefo re, is determined by a removal of the symptoms associated with the illness. However, the conclusions made by the research have been questioned as significant improvements were made by the CBT group only in terms of a reduction in auditory hallucinations and not in terms of delusions, positive symptoms and the total Symptom Scores. Other relevant research was conducted by Jenner et al (1998) regarding the measurement of quality of life. CBT and coping skills training was given to 40 patients experiencing therapy-refractory auditory hallucinations. Significant improvements were found regarding overall symptomotology and in daily quality of life. This improvement in quality of life was said to be determined by improvements in daily functioning and social interactions. Auditory hallucinations were found to be eradicated for 20% of patients. Therefore, research in this field has suggested that CBT can improve the quality of life of Schizophrenic patients. This is determined by factors such as remission from symptoms and improvements in both daily functioning and social interactions. However, the measurement of ‘quality of life’ is a difficult concept as it is difficult to obtain relevant objective data. One must rely more on the subjective ratings of the patients, their family and the clinician involve d. Such measures need to be standardised such that the determinants and measurement of quality of life can be assessed and made based on sound empirical research evidence. 3.2 Social Functioning and Occupational Status An improvement in a patient’s quality of life is inevitably going to be linked with their social functioning and their ability to find employment. A study which focused on social functioning was conducted by Wiersma et al (2001). A sample of 40 patients received CBT and coping skills training over a period of 4 years. The therapy focussed upon addressing auditory hallucinations and on improving social functioning. The results found that there was a significant reduction in the frequency of hallucinations and their burden on the patient. It was also reported that 18% of the patients experienced a complete disappearance of their auditory hallucinations. Sixty per cent showed significant improvements in terms of anxiety, loss of control and disturbance of thought. Finally, 67% of those involved with the study showed significant improvements regarding social functioning. Having said this, there are a number of important limitations within the methodology used within this study whi ch ensure that it is difficult to confidently accept any findings. No control condition was evident, the assessors were not independent and the baseline measures used were made retrospectively. Furthermore, it was also reported that booster sessions were required to strengthened the skills and to enhance them in specific social situations. These limitations ensure that one needs to consider other research in this area in order to accurately assess the efficacy and effectiveness of using CBT for the treatment of psychosis. Barrowclough et al (2001) conducted a study which involved integrating the use of routine care with motivational interviewing, CBT and Family Therapy. Subsequent analysis revealed that this approach had facilitated significant improvements in the patients’ general functioning and abstinence from alcohol and/or substance abuse. Barrowclough et al (2001) suggest that the co-morbidity of symptoms alongside those involved with Schizophrenia can ensure that the patient finds it very difficult to find appropriate work. Thus this integrated treatment approach has been shown to increase social functioning and this could be theorised to then improve the patients’ chances of enhancing their occupational status. Such an assertion requires further empirical investigations such that the strength of this association can be determined. 3.3 Hospital Readmission and Relapse Research has been conducted which has assessed the effectiveness of using CBT for treating people who had been experiencing persistent psychotic symptoms for at least six months (Tarrier et al 1998). Participants either received CBT or supportive counselling for 20 hours over a 10 week period. The supportive counselling focussed on unconditional positive regard and developing rapport. One benefit of this research was that the assessors were both blind and independent. Those within the CBT group were found to be more likely to experience a 50% reduction in symptomotology and to spend fewer days in hospital. This study was subsequently criticised as significant differences were not found between the outcomes of those within the CBT and supportive counselling groups. However, it does provide some evidence that CBT can reduce the number of days that a Schizophrenic patient spends in hospital. This finding was supported by the results of the Bechdolf et al (2001) study which compared the benefits of CBT and Psycho-Education in the treatment of Schizophrenia. The results from the 88 participants found that those within the CBT group were significantly less likely to be re-hospitalised. In terms of relapse rates, an important study was reported by Gumley (2003). A group was identified as being at high risk from relapse. They were targeted such that their fear of relapse could be reduced, their management of the risk of relapse could be educated regarding the key warning signs and provided with booster sessions to further help prevent relapse. The targeting took place at the initial stage of the recovery process. At the 12 month follow up period, 15.3% of those within the experimental group were found to have relapsed compared to 26.4% of those who were ‘treated as usual’ Thus it was possible to significantly reduce the relapse rates of the Schizophrenic patients. Again this result was supported by the Bechdolf et al () study which reported lower relapse rates for patients given CBT relative to those who were treated as usual. In contrast, Tarrier et al (2004) found that there were no significant benefits in terms of relapse rates when CBT was given to p eople after their first psychotic episode compared to those being treated as usual. Therefore CBT does appear to help to reduce the relapse rates of those suffering with Schizophrenia but such benefits may not be significant for all forms of the illness. 3.4 Compliance With Pharmacological and Non-Pharmacological Treatments A key element of most medical treatments is that the patient is compliant where necessary. Clearly if they are not compliant then this has the potential to reduce the effects of the treatment. The problem of non-compliance in the treatment of psychotic symptoms has been identified within previous research. For example, Perkins and Repper (1999) suggested that non-compliance is an issue with approximately 43% of admissions to psychiatric units. One study which has investigated Schizophrenic patients and their compliance with CBT was reported by Bechdolf et al (). They compared CBT with the use of Psycho-education and found that the compliance levels were significantly higher for the CBT group. This is an encouraging finding in the light of the importance which can be placed on the patient’s compliance with treatment in terms of its effect on the overall success of CBT as a treatment option. 3.5 Dropping Out and Compliance to CBT The issue of compliance and the possibility of patients dropping out of treatment is a significant one. This is particularly the case with CBT is it relies upon a trusting relationship being formed between the therapist and the patient (Beck 1995). If the patient is not willing to be part of such a relationship then this will likely result in CBT being a less effective option than it otherwise could be. The study conducted by Jenner et al (1998) investigated this and found that 9% of their participants dropped out of the treatment programme. Although this is a relatively small number, it still represents a significant issue and one which merits consideration by both researchers and mental health professionals. 3.6 General Impression of Clinical/Professionals and Others It is important that a 360 degree perspective of the use of CBT for the treatment of Schizophrenia is gained so that a comprehensive picture of how its use is perceived can be obtained. This approach will need to take account of the views of the mental health professionals involved, the family of the patient and the patient themselves. With regards to the clinicians, the significant research findings have led many to advocate the use of CBT for the treatment of Schizophrenia (Thornicroft and Susser 2001). Therefore it would appear that it is an approach which is supported by the clinicians and professionals involved. Other quantitative research conducted by Jenner et al (1998) has found that 78% of the family of patients and the patients themselves were satisfied with their experience of CBT for treating Schizophrenia. Further research has focused on the patient in particular. For example, Messari and Hallam (2003) conducted in-depth qualitative interviews with four in-patients and o ne out-patient, all of which were suffering with Schizophrenia. The patients reported that they were in favour of the educational aspect of the CBT approach. They also noted that although the therapist was trying to change their beliefs, this was because the beliefs were false and not because it was a form of coercion One participant was against the use of CBT treatment. They indicated that it was unhelpful and that they were merely passively complying to the treatment as part of the powerful medical profession. Therefore, CBT appears to be a popular treatment for Schizophrenia amongst clinicians/professionals, the families of patients and the patients themselves. However, question marks do remain over patient opinions as not all of those involved in the Messari and Hallam research reported positive opinions. Further investigations of patient views need to be conducted with larger samples in order that a more confident conclusion can be drawn regarding patient views of the use of CB T for Schizophrenia. 3.7 Unexpected or Unwanted Effects As within the evaluation of any treatment programme, one must consider the negative as well as the positive aspects and effects. Some studies within this field have demonstrated that there is no significant benefit of using CBT compared to when the patients are treated as usual. This was the case with the research reported by Haddock et al (1999). Although this was a project which used a relatively small sample, it does indicate that CBT may not be appropriate in all circumstances in the treatment of Schizophrenia. Further investigations are required in order that the most appropriate application of CBT in this field can be determined. Rather than showing negative effects, other research has served to demonstrate that CBT did not have the positive effects which were expected. For example, Lewis et al (2002) found that CBT did not lead to the expected improvement in delusions, positive symptoms or Total Symptom Scores. Such drawbacks are highlighted by Turkington and McKenna (2003) wh o argue that inappropriate conclusions have been drawn based on the research evidence in this field. The results of some of the more prominent studies in this research field are summarised in Table 1 overleaf. Table 1 Effect sizes for improvement with cognitive–behavioural therapy (CBT) in studies using blind evaluation and a control intervention Turkington and McKenna (2004) suggest that if a drug had been tested and found to have the results displayed in Table 1 then it would have been consigned to history. As the clear benefits of CBT for the treatment of Schizophrenic patients are not yet fully understood, unexpected research findings will continue to be reported. Thus, research in this field has not always revealed the findings which were anticipated by the researchers. 3.8 Economic Outcome When one is evaluating any treatment, the economics of its application must be taken into consideration. Even if a treatment is shown to be very effective, its use may not prove to be economically viable. With health care units working within strict budgets, any proposed treatments need to fit within the economic constraints which are placed upon those selecting the treatments to be used. CBT can be a costly approach. Within the Drury et al (2000) study patients were given eight sessions of CBT a week over a six month period. Although this was possible within the experimental setting, the extent to which such an intense treatment programme would be economically viable within clinical environments would be questionable. However, Bechdolf et al () does argue that the use of CBT can lead to cost savings through a reduction in the number of hospital days which are required and the probability that a patient will experience a relapse. It is unclear whether or not such cost savings exceed those involved in the cost of implementing CBT as a treatment option. 3.9 Management of Change A significant amount of research has been conducted regarding the management of the change of Schizophrenic symptoms via the use of CBT. A number of benefits have been highlighted by this research (Turkington and Kingdon 2000, Rector et al 2003). Recent research has indicated that different forms of CBT can be effective such as individual and group CBT (Warman 2005) and Functional CBT (Cater 2005). These benefits have been demonstrated with regards to acute, chronic and more specific psychotic symptoms. The management of each of these three areas will now be briefly considered. The management of acute psychotic symptoms has been achieved with CBT within research. Tarrier et al (2004) found that CBT speeded up the recovery of those who had experienced their first psychotic episode. Furthermore, Startup et al (2004) found that CBT could be used to manage Acute Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorder. The management of these acute and initial psychotic episodes has been highlighted as very important in determining the long term course of the patient’s recovery (Birchwood and Tarrier 1992). CBT has also been used in the management of more persistent psychotic symptoms (Temple and Ho 2005). Kuipers et al (1998) found that CBT could be used to significantly reduced the frequency of more persistent symptoms and delusional distress. These benefits were still found to be significant at the nine month follow-up stage. A major study in this area was conducted by Sensky et al (2000) involving participants in the post-acute stage of psychosis. Improvements were found in both negative and positive symptoms and these improvements remained at the 18 month follow-up period. This study used a relatively robust methodology which overcame many of the limitations associated with previous research. The use of blind assessors and a low intensity of treatments means that the data is more likely to be reliable and that it is likely that the findings would generalise to a clinical setting. Some research has been conducted to assess the use of CBT in the management of psychotic symptoms within a clinical setting. The Tayside-Fife clinical trial found that CBT was related to significantly more clinical improvement relative to participants who had been given supportive counselling or who had been treated as usual. Furthermore, patients given CBT were found to be more satisfied with their treatment compared to those in the other groups. Morrison (2002) also provided evidence to suggest that the benefits of CBT can be translated to a community setting. This effect was found to still be significant at a 12 month follow-up. Finally, research has also shown that CBT can be used to target specific symptoms which are associated with Schizophrenia. For example, Trower et al (2004) found that CBT can help manage ‘commanding’ hallucinations in which the patient is being instructed to perform certain behaviours by voices in their head. Halperin et al (2000) also provided evidence which suggested that CBT can be used to treat the social anxiety which can be associated with Schizophrenia. 4.0 CONCLUSIONS Throughout history a wide range of different approaches have been taken to the treatment of Schizophrenia. Medication, Electro-Convulsive Therapy and Family-Focused Therapy have all been applied to the treatment of Schizophrenia. In more recent times, researchers and therapists have been seen to advocate the use of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy as a feasible and effective treatment method. This discussion has considered the CBT approach and the theoretical model which underpins it. The development of CBT has been addressed and the research evidence which has been provided to evaluate the use of CBT in the treatment of Schizophrenia has been critically analysed. This analysis particularly focused on a set of 25 research studies and was conducted with reference to the following nine key areas: Determinants and measurement of quality of life, social functioning and occupational status, hospitalisation and relapse, compliance with pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatments, drop out and compliance with CBT, general impressions of CBT, unexpected and unwanted effects, the economic outcomes of CBT and its use in the management of change. Discussions within each of these areas has demonstrated that CBT appears to have the potential to be an effective and feasible approach for the treatment of Schizophrenia. However, further research is required to help clarify the benefits of CBT and to identify the circumstances in which it is most effective and the factors which have a significant impact on this effectiveness. CBT could be used throughout the treatment programme from those who are at high risk of experiencing psychotic episodes (Morrison et al 2004) through to the treatment of Schizophrenia patients and then to help minimise the probability that they will relapse and require further time in hospital. The research evidence suggests that CBT can be effective for acute and chronic psychotic symptoms. There is also some research evidence that these benefits can be successfully transferred to clinical and community settings. CBT certainly has a role to play within the multi-disciplinary approach which is now taken to the treatment of mental illness. As part of this comprehensive treatment package the potential benefits of CBT can be realised and steps can be taken to help prevent any possible drawbacks. This will help to ensure that a Schizophrenic patient will receive a feasible, comprehensive and effective treatment package which will effectively address all of their psychotic symptoms and ultimately facilitate an improvement in their mental health. REFERENCES Barrowclough,, C., Haddock, G., Tarrier, N., Lewis, S. W., Moring, J., Schofield, N. and McGoven, J. (2001). Randomized Control Trial of Motivational Interviewing, Cognitive Behaviour Therapy, and Family Intervention for Patients with Co morbid Schizophrenia and substance Use disorders. American Journal Psychiatry. 158, 1706-1713. Bechdolf, A., Knost, B., Kuntermann, C., Schiller, S., Klosterkotter, J.(, Hambrecht, M. and Pukrop, R. 2004). A randomised comparison of group cognitive-behavioural therapy and group psycho education in patients with schizophrenia. Acta Psychiatric Scand. 110, 21-28. Beck, J. S. (1995) Cognitive Therapy: Basics and Beyond. Guildford: New York University Press Beck, A.T., Rector, N.A. (2000) Cognitive therapy of schizophrenia. American Journal of Psychotherapy, 54(3): 291-300. Birchwood, M Tarrier, N (1992) Innovations in the Psychological Management of Schizophrenia, John Wiley Sons Ltd, UK Carpenter, W.T. (2001). Evidence based treatments for first-episode schizophrenia? American Journal of Psychiatry 158(11): 1771-1773. Cater, D. (2005). A pilot study of functional Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (fCBT) for schizophrenia. Schizophrenia Research. 74, 201-209. Drury, V., Birchwood, M. and Cochrane, R. (2000). Cognitive therapy and recovery from acute psychosis: a controlled trial. 3. Five-year follow-up. British journal of psychiatry. 177, 8-14. Gumley, M. (2003). Early intervention for relapse in schizophrenia: results of a12-month randomised controlled trial of cognitive behavioural therapy. Psychological Medicine. 33, 419-431. Haddock, G., Tarrier, N., Spaulding, W., Yusupoff, L., Kinney, C. McCarthy, E. (1998) Individual cognitive-behaviour therapy in the treatment of hallucinations and delusions: A review. Clinical Psychology Review, 18(7): 821-838. Haddock, G., Tarrier, N., Morrison, A.P., Hopkins, R., Drake,R. Lewis, S. (1999). A pilot study evaluating the effectiveness of individual inpatient cognitive-behavioural therapy in early psychosis. Society for Psychiatric Epidemiology. 34, 254-258. Halperin, S., Nathan, P., Drummond, P. Castle, D. (2000). A cognitive –behavioural, group-based intervention for social anxiety in schizophrenia. Australia and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry. 34, 809-813. Jenner, G., Willige, Van de. Wiersma, D. (1998). Effectiveness of cognitive therapy with coping training for persistent auditory hallucinations: a retrospective study of attenders of a psychiatric out-patient department. Acta Psychiatry Scand 98, 384-389. Kinderman, P Cooke, A (2000) Understanding Mental illness, Recent advances in understanding mental illness and psychotic experiences, The British Psychological Society, UK Kuipers, E. (1998). London-East Anglia randomised controlled trial of cognitive-behaviour therapy for psychosis. II: Follow-up and economic evaluation at 18 months. British journal of psychiatry. 173,61-68 Lewis, S., Tarrier, N. and Haddock, G. (2002). Randomised controlled trial cognitive-behavioural therapy in early schizophrenia: acute-phase outcomes. British Journal of Psychiatry. 181 (suppl,43), s91-s97. Messari, S Hallam, R. (2003). CBT for psychosis: A qualitative analysis of clients’ experiences. British Journal of Clinical Psychology. 42, 171-188. Morrison, A. P., Renton, J. C., Williams, S., Dunn, H., Knight, A., Krentz, M., Nothard, S., Patel, D. and Dunn, G. (2004). Delivering cognitive therapy to people with psychosis in a community mental health setting: an effectiveness study. Acta Psychiatric Scand. 110, 36-44. Morrison, A. P., Bentall, R. P., French, P. and Lewis, S. W. (2002). Randomised control trial of early detection and cognitive therapy for preventing transition to psychosis in high-risk individuals. British journal of psychiatry. 181, s78-s84. Morrison, A. P. (2002) A Casebook of Cognitive Therapy for Psychosis. Hove: Brunner Routledge Nelson H (1997) Cognitive Behavioural Therapy with Schizophrenia, Stanely Thornes, UK Perkins, R.E. Repper, J.M. (1999) Compliance or informed choice. Journal of Mental Health, 8(2): 117-129. Rector, N. A., Seeman, M. V. Segal Z. V. (2003). Cognitive therapy for schizophrenia: a preliminary randomised controlled trial. Schizophrenia Research. 63,1-11. Robert, R., Durham, R. C., Guthrie, M., Morton, V., Reid, D. A. and Treliving, L. R. (2002). Tayside-Fife clinical trial of cognitive-behavioural therapy for medication-resistant psychotic symptoms. British journal of psychiatry. 182, 303-311. Sensky, T., Turkington, D., Kingdon, D., Scott, J. L., Scott, J., Siddle, R., OCarroll, M. Barnes, T. (2000) A randomised controlled trial of cognitive-behavioural therapy for persistent symptoms in schizophrenia resistant to medication. Archives of General Psychiatry, 57: 165-172. Startup M., Jackson M. C. Bendix S. (2004). North Wales randomised controlled trial of cognitive behaviour therapy for acute schizophrenia spectrum disorders: outcome at 6 and 12 months. Psychological Medicine. 34, 413-422. Tarrier, N. Bentall, R., Drake, R. Kindermann,

A Case Analysis Of Apple Inc Business Essay

A Case Analysis Of Apple Inc Business Essay The purpose of this paper is to explain the definition of Strategic Management and why it is critical to the success of an organization in meeting its goals and mission. The paper will include a brief analysis of the situation and pending decision problem, as presented in the case and in relevance to the answer. In addition, the major issues will be surrounding the organization or individuals involved with the organization. Included will be alternate courses of action to address the issues identified. Next, will be the decision or recommendation for action, with the appropriate supporting arguments if any. Statement of the Problem(s): Thousands of people were laid off at Apple, Inc. It does not look like Apple, Inc. spent much time working on its management and marketing strategies from the beginning. It was not until better marketers such as Jobs and Sculley came into the picture, before the company started to expand to better markets with acquisitions and joint ventures. The problem was not changing their strategy sooner. The jobs are what contribute to a companys effectiveness (Mello, 2011, p. 115) and if they kept their employees it might have contributed to earlier success. It is human capital that helps companies to strive. For Apple, Inc. to lay off employees to help their financial statement for stakeholders may have been part of the cause of the problem (Yoffie Slind, 2008). Their mission statement should have answered the question about what is strategic management, and why is it critical to the success of an organization in meeting its goals and mission statement? Summary of the Facts: According to research done by Yoffie and Slind, (2008) Apple, Inc. started out with a great product line to reach the computer market. Then they advanced to the iPod, iTunes and the 3G network in order to advance their technology into the competitive marketplace. They became the industry leader under Wozniak with the new Macintosh. However, their technology was slow. They did not beat their competitors during this stage. Sculley added desktop publishing, which focused on the educational market which sold at top price. Because Sculley was good at marketing he was able to hit the market with the personal assistants gadgets. The smartest move Apple made was to form a joint venture with its competitor. Products dropped and IBM and Apple parted but they were just starting to learn the joint venture game. When Steve Jobs came on board the company went through reorganization and many people lost their jobs. Microsoft invested one hundred and fifty million dollars just after Microsoft Office was formed. Then iMac went out to three hundred million and Apples image was back on track again. Their marketing strategy was to differentiate themselves from other competitors. Apple, Inc. had great designs under Steve Jobs with Microsofts cooperation. However, Acer and Dell were catching up with the new Intel processors and Windows 7 emerged. Apples smartest move was the iPod with music. However, Amazon was the companys newest threat. The end result was the iPhone reaching the smartphone market. They reached all heights by finally changing their game, by reaching seventy percent of the U.S. market. In addition, the iPhone 3G reached twenty-two markets (Yoffie Slind, 2008, p. 22). Definition: The elements of a strategy consist of arenas so the company knows where the main operations will be and core technologies used (Mello, 2011, p. 131). The next step in setting up the companys strategy is the vehicle they will use to achieve their goals? Third, is differentiation on how they can beat their competitors in the high-tech world? Fourth, is the staging management strategy of what products they plan on using? Lastly, is the companys economics in deciding how much to charge or to decide if their product is hard to market. In addition, there are different stages of technological change. The fast growth stage is when the product starts with a concept and then has fast innovation. The Wild, Wild West stage is also fast innovation but for smaller companies taking risks. The consolidators are in the steady evolution stage that are in the mature life cycle and use economies of scale. Lastly in the creative destruction stage there is new knowledge and competencies and the company se eks other industries to joint venture (Mello, 2011, p. 145). Analysis: Apple, Inc. started out as a concept driver when they reached new market showing fast growth in the beginning. Then, they came up with new knowledge and competencies as concept learners. They were also pioneers in the industry showing fast innovation. They reached a mature life cycle with economies of scale when they had to widen their product lines. Apple, Inc. went through all the stages of technological change. However, in the fast growth stage they were not prepared for what lay ahead, so they had to come up with different strategies to have the competitive advantage. Every stage requires development of their employees and more financing resources (Mello, 2011). Recommendations: According to (Mello, 2011), Strategic Human Resource Management (SHRM) and the Resource-Based View (RBV) organizations need to hire employees that are motivated and have a highly trained skills to help the company have a competitive advantage (p. 119). Core competencies are shared throughout the organization collaboratively. This knowledge connects strategy and SHRM (p. 125). The systems need to comprise of human, social and organization capital, and it is through this creation and integration working together that the company can remain a success. This should have been done in the very beginning in their formation of strategy planning and origination of their mission statement. Moreover, recommendations for the company in the future is to make it part of their strategic management goal to do a SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats) analysis year. A SWOT analysis should have been done in the beginning of their strategic mission, so they would have known the threats that lay ahead. This is normally done with their marketing management department. If all of the departments were integrated to work together interchangeably using core competencies, they would have foreseen what lay ahead. Whenever a company has fast growth such as in Apple, Inc.s fast growth stage, the company takes the risk of competitors striving to take over the marketplace with better high technological products (Mello, 2011). Consequently, their strategic management mission and goals should have included a plan for when there was overkill in the marketplace. Apple, Inc. would make a smart move to find ways to have employee retention and to beat the competition with continuous new innovative products. It is by keeping employees and training them they can come up with new ideas and sustain their growth in the future. They can stay ahead of the competition by having some low-cost items such as music downloads and higher cost for their other products. Apple, Inc. should use some of their new revenue towards research and development to design new innovations for tomorrows customers (Mello, 2011, p. 152). According to Zhouying Ying (2011), strategic management problems in the past with organizations were because they lacked integration. Apple, Inc. should have used sustainable and long-term development in their strategy for tracking, management and feedback otherwise long-term goals are harder to achieve (p. 49). Apple, Inc. failed to pay attention to its economy and financial resources needed in the beginning. However, they did sustain growth in the later stages of the company. Now they need to sustain their growth through continuous integration and coordination (p. 50). The goals need to consist with development for the long-term and to focus on the external environment. Strategic goals need to be achieved from the bottom up and the top down (p. 53) in their vision. Apple, Inc. needs to continue to inspire and motivate their new employees by giving them a support system to reach their vision and goals that are achievable. Conclusion The case analysis consisted of a statement of the problem showing a brief analysis of the situation and decision problem. The analysis included the major issues surrounding the organization and individuals involved. The alternate courses of action were identified in the recommendations, which showed strategies needed to sustain growth and development in a high-tech environment. The main strategy is to maintain and inspire their employees to continue with growth in this fast-pace environment.