Natural Magic Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Natural Magic - Essay Example Bauer (1997) posited that â€Å"from Shapins perspective, the historical notion of the Scientific Revolution which is commonly taught to school children as more or less a cataclysmic event in which the modern world of science/rationality defeats the medieval world of religion/occult is incorrectly portrayed† (p.1). Modern science today would prove most of the knowledge of these fields as superstition, but there should be some credit given. It could be said that without these ancient forms of pseudoscience, modern day science may have been lost for good. Modern astronomy owes its existence to astrology in understanding how the universe outside our world affects us. Alchemy can be linked to the modern science of chemistry. However, the most crucial value of these pseudo-sciences is the model it has in getting results through experimentation, trials and testing, observation and making hypothesis. While not intentionally having a scientific nature, these pseudo-sciences helped developed the foundation in which modern sciences can build

Throckmorten Furniture Essay Example for Free

Throckmorten Furniture Essay Question # 1 Before the customer buys a product that is very important to him and is quite expensive he will go through a process. This process commences when the customer feel a sort of deprivation, a motive to buy that commodity. Once that motive becomes more intense it becomes a drive and forces him to take a course of action as to attain the product. So now the customer’s starts gathering information about the good he wants to buy. After that he will weight the pros and cons of all the alternatives he could think of as to decide upon the best possible alternative. After he is confident about his decision, with the support of his findings, he will actually make the purchase. The process doesn’t stop quite yet the consumer will also experience a post purchase satisfaction or dissatisfaction as per his experience with the product he bought. If he feels that his money spent was well spent then he will spread positive word of mouth about the product and where he got it from and hence become a loyal customer. Else, he will provide negative publicity for the company and its products and this in turn will stain the image of the company. Likewise to the above stated process our consumers who buy furniture will also go through the same experience. The need to buy the furniture can be aroused from many sources like a magazine. If the consumer sees a magazine in which there is a living room which is so nicely decorated he might feel that his own living room isn’t good enough and feels that he also has to upgrade. Nevertheless the drive to get new furniture could also be building up in the consumer for many years but due to the fact that he couldn’t afford it, the barrier coming in between him and his purchase. The need arousal for the furniture can be countless depending on the personality types of different consumers. After the urge to get the new furniture is strong the customer will go to various sources to collect information on the furniture type. He will pay more attention to advertisement which emphasizes the benefit of a particular type of furniture material. He will also seek advice from friends and family as he feels that their advice is more â€Å"original† as there is nothing in it for them if they recommend a particular furniture type. Whereas if the sales person of a particular store recommends the same thing to the customer he would look at it with more skepticisms as he feel that there is something in it for the sales person a commission or a bonus. Hence the customer always looks towards friends and family for the best possible advice. At times some of the members in the family are opinion leaders who the consumer thinks knows everything and will help him make the right decision. Nevertheless, the internet is also a very popular source for seeking information in this present day and age. With just a click the consumer can get all the possible information about the best raw material, the best prices, etc. the reason why the consumers goes to such a length to seek information is that he has no idea about furnitures. He wants to make the best decision but for this he first needs to educate himself. The consumers will evaluate furniture of varying stores keeping in mind the image of the store, the image of the brand, sales of the furniture piece, comparative advantage of the brand with competition, etc. After the various brands have been compared the time comes to make the final decision. It’s logical to assume that the consumer will select that brand which has the highest rating on the criteria’s that are most important to him. After this the consumer will realize how good or bad his decision was after the furniture’s being used. If he feel that the furniture looks and feels good and friends and relatives has showered him with praises on his decision then he will be delighted with his judgment. Else he will just be stuck with something because he spent a lot of money on it. Question # 2 Throckmorten Furniture has established itself as a unique designer and expensive store. It aims to cover the upper –middle class. Its furniture is expensive but nevertheless it enhances the prestige of the customer. The furniture is meant to satisfy the consumer’s emotional desire of having a unique one of its kind product. Throckmorten Furniture provides its consumers the benefit of its products uniqueness and exclusiveness which is provided by the furniture fabulous shape and design and durable quality. The consumers know that if they buy the furniture from this store they will be getting something more than furniture and that very fact becomes their motive to buy from Throckmorten. Furthermore, the services that Throckmorten provides to its consumers have given it the edge of retaining and further attracting consumer. Throckmorten Furniture feels that the consumers are the most valuable asset which they have to take care of that is why they have always stayed proactive and hired a well equipped sales force which knows how to treat their customers. The corporation follows the marketing principle that is why it makes the furniture types that the consumers would like to see in their houses. Their constant endeavor to strive for excellence has provided them with an edge that makes it so popular. Throckmorten Furniture is able to provide this unique value to their customers by continuously focusing on the quality of its products, may it be raw material, work in process or finished goods Throckmorten has always tried to make the process more efficient by reducing wastages but in that attempt not compromising on the products quality. Quality is very important for this company and it knows that very well that is why they have quality control at each part of the process. Throckmorten Furniture provides the service value to its consumer by spending a lot of money in hiring the right salesperson. They have places a handsome amount of money in the training of their sales staff as well. Question # 3 Throckmorten can offer its customers guarantee for their furniture. The customers can get a money back or exchange for their furniture if they are not satisfied. This will decrease the fear that normally creeps into consumers’ mind when they buy such expensive furniture that â€Å"they would be stuck with it even if they don’t like it†. This would be a unique value that the company would be providing to its customers and would definitely give them an edge as far as competition is concerned. Doing this will be a bit more complicated as now the corporate would have to examine the furniture to see that’s it not damaged and will also have to tackle fraudulent claims by some customers who want to misuse this facility. This after sales service would prove to the customers that Throckmorten is very confident about its products. Not many furniture companies would be willing to take such a step and that is the very fact that would lead to positive publicity for Throckmorten. Question # 4 Promotion of the product is very important for the furniture industry as the consumers have little knowledge about varying furniture types they maybe scared of making a purchase decision. So it’s the job of the industry to educate them of the specification of this industry. As various survey indicate the customers likes the experience of shopping for furniture they find it enjoying but nonetheless when the point comes to make the final decision they just feel that they aren’t ready for that. The loss they would experience is too immense, so this is why the furniture industry has to show the consumers how easy the task really is. The home furnishing council print advertisement was a fantastic way to put the consumer at ease. After reading it the consumer feels that buying new furniture isn’t that difficult or scary. Hence the company should focus on promoting the product. The more the customers see the print advertisement, the more familiar they will become with the brand. This will lead to the creation of a sort of bond that would compel the customer to buy from that particular store as they feel that the brand has to be good as they have â€Å"heard† of it a lot. For instance, if the customer seeks unique design in exclusive magazines if they like it they will be bound to buy it. Hence the power of mass media should not be under estimated. The company should therefore promote its furniture in all the right places, as it tend to fulfill the requirement of the upper class it cant just advertise in any magazine but only exclusive ones which their target audience views. The same goes with TV ad’s the advertisement should be placed in between those TV soaps that are viewed by the target market. Additionally Personal Selling of the product should also be focused by training the sales person as to how to interact with clients. The salesperson shouldn’t pressurize the client yet he should give them the time and space they desire. The placement of the furniture, the store layout and environment should also be given due consideration as these are the elements that are self speaking prompting element for Throckmorten Furniture. But, the marketer should always remember that they shouldn’t overdue their promotion efforts. If they flood the consumers with varying sorts of promotion efforts than that would just lead to the waste of their efforts as they wouldn’t notice them. Moreover, nowadays   with the TiVo and other digital devices the consumers can easily block the marketers efforts hence they need to be more clever in making a promotional appeal that is short yet effective, that’s the key to success! References: Kotler , Philip , Armstrong, Gary (2007). Principles of Marketing,.Prentice Hall; 12 edition. Schiffman , Leon , Kanuk, Leslie (2006). Consumer Behavior .Prentice Hall; 9 edition . Blythe , Jim (1997). The Essence of Consumer Behaviour (Essence of Management Series) . Prentice Hall PTR.

Edvard Munch :: essays research papers fc

Robertson 1 It is a cold and damp day as I head to the news station. The wind outside has gusto and with each passing step I keep thinking to myself that any second I could scream because the wind is so fierce. The rain is pouring down and my umbrella seems to be malfunctioning due to a lack of strength in my wrist to hold it up. I am late, and afraid of what the boss will say. Today is a day that everyone in the studio has been talking about, today is the day that I meet the Norwegian artist we know as Edvard Munch. I step inside the building and am approached by my boss refusing to know, "Why did you insist to be late today, out of all days, do you know how many art critiques are watching?" I feel ashamed, but it is only a second before my moral is lifted and I am met by a man of great size. A man that is most known for his work on "The Scream" and here standing before me is Edvard Much. I approach Mr. Munch and shake his hand, it is a bit clammy and very cold and hard. I guess it will take technology longer than we think to get this reincarnation thing down right. He smiles, although I am not so sure that I wanted him to, I have never seen someone whose teeth were as awfully stained as his, but then again, death will do that to you. Kelly: Hello sir, I am glad to meet you, so glad that you could grace us with you presence. Please have a seat, they will be doing a countdown any minute before we go on, your not nervous are you? Edvard: Grace? Your scientists were the ones that thought it would appease society to see someone reincarnated, I was having a joyous time up in Heaven with all the oils, and the canvases, and the lights and darks. Nervous, not at all. I don't get nervous anymore, not ever since the time that I put out my first piece of artwork. Robertson 2 Camera man: And three, two, one. Alright, your on. Kelly: Good morning art critiques all across America. I am Kelly Robertson doing a special report today with Edvard Munch. Yes, that is right, we are the first to try reincarnation for the first time at the station and successfully manage to succeed.

Education Through Experience Essay

Education Through Experience How does one learn? Is learning part of the modern day media induced generation? Do we learn by flipping through television channels and reading magazine articles? Or does learning run deeper than that? In todays world we would like to believe that by turning on the Discovery channel or actually finishing a Harry Potter novel we have learned it all. We Justify our media obsession by saying how much we are learning when we stay â€Å"glued to the tube† or nose deep in the latest fashion magazine. It is quite agreeable to say that we do collect many facts and details from reading books, magazines, and from watching television. But after all is said and done, what have you committed to memory? Do you find yourself more interested in the facts or the dramatic plot of the movie you were watching? Television is not a sin. We all watch it from time to time. But when people rush home so that they don’t Jeopardize their TV time, it seems as if it really has become a problem. How can you expect your children to efficiently learn when they are lopped down in front of the TV or are obsessing over what they are reading in their magazines? Education is not gained by becoming obsessed with the media. It is gained through experience. By seeing and doing things, the people of the world can come to know and understand what education is all about. Not about how â€Å"hot† people are, or about how much money you can make from winning a game show, but about how the way things of this world truly work. By being open to new experiences, and new opinions we are able to step outside of our comfort zones and ee things through another perspective. As Plato rightly states in The Allegory of the Cave, an educated person is said to be someone that strives to learn more, and that is open to a variety of beliefs and notions from other people. Another important factor in gaining education through experience is being able to communicate what you have learned to others. Communication is huge in learning new material. We communicate with others in the world every day yet, we rarely â€Å"truly communicate. A conversation should create something in common by making genuine connection, not by being a short or one-sided opinion. By creating something in common and sharing educational experiences, the conversation allows input from all sides no matter how differnt the viewpoint and creates something new (Bohm). Today we run frantically to Google or ask. com when we find we have a question about the way things work. Sure these search engines are helpful, but they prove our generation to be lazy and solely dependent on the technology. What if there were no computers? What if there were no flat-screen televisions to tell us everything? What if, God forbid, we actually had to have a conversation with someone? Communication is the divine way of comparing and contrasting the information we gain from our experiences. You don’t like or agree with what someone says? Great! That is the beauty of communication. We don’t have to believe whatever we see on the television screen or in the pages of a newspaper or magazine. Experience puts us past that. An equally important matter to take into consideration when exploring education

Internet Addiction Essay

Abstract Problematic computer use is a growing social issue which is being debated worldwide. Internet Addiction Disorder (IAD) ruins lives by causing neurological complications, psychological disturbances, and social problems. Surveys in the United States and Europe have indicated alarming prevalence rates between 1.5 and 8.2% [1]. There are several reviews addressing the definition, classification, assessment, epidemiology, and co-morbidity of IAD [2-5], and some reviews [6-8] addressing the treatment of IAD. The aim of this paper is to give a preferably brief overview of research on IAD and theoretical considerations from a practical perspective based on years of daily work with clients suffering from Internet addiction. Furthermore, with this paper we intend to bring in practical experience in the debate about the eventual inclusion of IAD in the next version of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM).Problematic computer use is a growing social issue which is bein g debated worldwide. Internet Addiction Disorder (IAD) ruins lives by causing neurological complications, psychological disturbances, and social problems. Surveys in the United States and Europe have indicated alarming prevalence rates between 1.5 and 8.2% [1]. There are several reviews addressing the definition, classification, assessment, epidemiology, and co-morbidity of IAD [2-5], and some reviews [6-8] addressing the treatment of IAD. The aim of this paper is to give a preferably brief overview of research on IAD and theoretical considerations from a practical perspective based on years of daily work with clients suffering from Internet addiction. Furthermore, with this paper we intend to bring in practical experience in the debate about the eventual inclusion of IAD in the next version of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM). Keywords: Addiction, Computer, Internet, reSTART, Treatment. INTRODUCTION The idea that problematic computer use meets criteria for an addiction, and therefore should be included in the next iteration of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), 4th ed. Text Revision [9] was first proposed by Kimberly Young, PhD in her seminal 1996 paper [10]. Since  that time IAD has been extensively studied and is indeed, currently under consideration for inclusion in the DSM-V [11]. Meanwhile, both China and South Korea have identified Internet addiction as a significant public health threat and both countries support education, research and treatment [12]. In the United States, despite a growing body of research, and treatment for the disorder available in out-patient and in-patient settings, there has been no formal governmental response to the issue of Internet addiction. While the debate goes on about whether or not the DSM-V should designate Internet addiction a mental disorder [12-14] people currently suffering from Internet addiction are seeking treatment. Because of our experience we support the development of uniform diagnostic criteria and the inclusion of IAD in the DSM-V [11] in order to advance public education, diagnosis and treatment of this important disorder. CLASSIFICATION There is ongoing debate about how best to classify the behavior which is characterized by many hours spent in non-work technology-related computer/Internet/video game activities [15]. It is accompanied by changes in mood, preoccupation with the Internet and digital media, the inability to control the amount of time spent interfacing with digital technology, the need for more time or a new game to achieve a desired mood, withdrawal symptoms when not engaged, and a continuation of the behavior despite family conflict, a diminishing social life and adverse work or academic consequences [2, 16, 17]. Some researchers and mental health practitioners see excessive Internet use as a symptom of another disorder such as anxiety or depression rather than a separate entity [e.g. 18]. Internet addiction could be considered an Impulse control disorder (not otherwise specified). Yet there is a growing consensus that this constellation of symptoms is an addiction [e.g. 19]. The American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM) recently released a new definition of addiction as a chronic brain disorder, officially proposing for the first time that addiction is not limited to substance use [20]. All addictions, whether chemical or behavioral, share certain characteristics including salience, compulsive use (loss of control), mood modification and the alleviation of distress, tolerance and withdrawal, and the continuation despite negative consequences. DIAGNOSTIC CRITERIA FOR IAD The first serious proposal for diagnostic criteria was advanced in 1996 by Dr. Young, modifying the DSM-IV criteria for pathological gambling [10]. Since then variations in both name and criteria have been put forward to capture the problem, which is now most popularly known as Internet Addiction Disorder. Problematic Internet Use (PIU) [21], computer addiction, Internet dependence [22], compulsive Internet use, pathological Internet use [23], and many other labels can be found in the literature. Likewise a variety of often overlapping criteria have been proposed and studied, some of which have been validated. However, empirical studies provide an inconsistent set of criteria to define Internet addiction [24]. For an overview see Byun et al. [25]. Beard [2] recommends that the following five diagnostic criteria are required for a diagnosis of Internet addiction: (1) Is preoccupied with the Internet (thinks about previous online activity or anticipate next online session); (2) Needs t o use the Internet with increased amounts of time in order to achieve satisfaction; (3) Has made unsuccessful efforts to control, cut back, or stop Internet use; (4) Is restless, moody, depressed, or irritable when attempting to cut down or stop Internet use; (5) Has stayed online longer than originally intended. Additionally, at least one of the following must be present: (6) Has jeopardized or risked the loss of a significant relationship, job, educational or career opportunity because of the Internet; (7) Has lied to family members, therapist, or others to conceal the extent of involvement with the Internet; (8) Uses the Internet as a way of escaping from problems or of relieving a dysphoric mood (e.g., feelings of helplessness, guilt, anxiety, depression) [2]. There has been also been a variety of assessment tools used in evaluation. Young’s Internet Addiction Test [16], the Problematic Internet Use Questionnaire (PIUQ) developed by Demetrovics, Szeredi, and Pozsa [26] and the Compulsive Internet Use Scale (CIUS) [27] are all examples of instruments to assess for this disorder. PREVALENCE The considerable variance of the prevalence rates reported for IAD (between 0.3% and 38%) [28] may be attributable to the fact that diagnostic criteria and assessment questionnaires used for diagnosis vary between countries and studies often use highly selective samples of online surveys [7]. In their  review Weinstein and Lejoyeux [1] report that surveys in the United States and Europe have indicated prevalence rates varying between 1.5% and 8.2%. Other reports place the rates between 6% and 18.5% [29]. â€Å"Some obvious differences with respect to the methodologies, cultural factors, outcomes and assessment tools forming the basis for these prevalence rates notwithstanding, the rates we encountered were generally high and sometimes alarming.† [24] ETIOLOGY There are different models available for the development and maintenance of IAD like the cognitive-behavioral model of problematic Internet use [21], the anonymity, convenience and escape (ACE) model [30], the access, affordability, anonymity (Triple-A) engine [31], a phases model of pathological Internet use by Grohol [32], and a comprehensive model of the development and maintenance of Internet addiction by Winkler & Dà ¶rsing [24], which takes into account socio-cultural factors (e.g., demographic factors, access to and acceptance of the Internet), biological vulnerabilities (e.g., genetic factors, abnormalities in neurochemical processes), psychological predispositions (e.g., personality characteristics, negative affects), and specific attributes of the Internet to explain â€Å"excessive engagement in Internet activities† [24]. NEUROBIOLOGICAL VULNERABILITIES It is known that addictions activate a combination of sites in the brain associated with pleasure, known together as the â€Å"reward center† or â€Å"pleasure pathway† of the brain [33, 34]. When activated, dopamine release is increased, along with opiates and other neurochemicals. Over time, the associated receptors may be affected, producing tolerance or the need for increasing stimulation of the reward center to produce a â€Å"high† and the subsequent characteristic behavior patterns needed to avoid withdrawal. Internet use may also lead specifically to dopamine release in the nucleus accumbens [35, 36], one of the reward structures of the brain specifically involved in other addictions [20]. An example of the rewarding nature of digital technology use may be captured in the following statement by a 21 year-old male in treatment for IAD: â€Å"I feel technology has brought so much joy into my life. No other activity relaxes me or stimulates me like technolo gy. However, when depression hits, I tend to use technology as a way  of retreating and isolating.† REINFORCEMENT/REWARD What is so rewarding about Internet and video game use that it could become an addiction? The theory is that digital technology users experience multiple layers of reward when they use various computer applications. The Internet functions on a variable ratio reinforcement schedule (VRRS), as does gambling [29]. Whatever the application (general surfing, pornography, chat rooms, message boards, social networking sites, video games, email, texting, cloud applications and games, etc.), these activities support unpredictable and variable reward structures. The reward experienced is intensified when combined with mood enhancing/stimulating content. Examples of this would be pornography (sexual stimulation), video games (e.g. various social rewards, identification with a hero, immersive graphics), dating sites (romantic fantasy), online poker (financial) and special interest chat rooms or message boards (sense of belonging) [29, 37]. BIOLOGICAL PREDISPOSITION There is increasing evidence that there can be a genetic predisposition to addictive behaviors [38, 39]. The theory is that individuals with this predisposition do not have an adequate number of dopamine receptors or have an insufficient amount of serotonin/dopamine [2], thereby having difficulty experiencing normal levels of pleasure in activities that most people would find rewarding. To increase pleasure, these individuals are more likely to seek greater than average engagement in behaviors that stimulate an increase in dopamine, effectively giving them more reward but placing them at higher risk for addiction. MENTAL HEALTH VULNERABILITIES Many researchers and clinicians have noted that a variety of mental disorders co-occur with IAD. There is debate about which came first, the addiction or the co-occurring disorder [18, 40]. The study by Dong et al. [40] had at least the potential to clarify this question, reporting that higher scores for depression, anxiety, hostility, interpersonal sensitivity, and psychoticism were consequences of IAD. But due to the limitations of the study further research is necessary. THE TREATMENT OF INTERNET ADDICTION There is a general consensus that total abstinence from the Internet should not be the goal of the interventions and that instead, an abstinence from problematic applications and a controlled and balanced Internet usage should be achieved [6]. The following paragraphs illustrate the various treatment options for IAD that exist today. Unless studies examining the efficacy of the illustrated treatments are not available, findings on the efficacy of the presented treatments are also provided. Unfortunately, most of the treatment studies were of low methodological quality and used an intra-group design. The general lack of treatment studies notwithstanding, there are treatment guidelines reported by clinicians working in the field of IAD. In her book â€Å"Internet Addiction: Symptoms, Evaluation, and Treatment†, Young [41] offers some treatment strategies which are already known from the cognitive-behavioral approach: (a) practice opposite time of Internet use (discover patientâ €™s patterns of Internet use and disrupt these patterns by suggesting new schedules), (b) use external stoppers (real events or activities prompting the patient to log off), (c) set goals (with regard to the amount of time), (d) abstain from a particular application (that the client is unable to control), (e) use reminder cards (cues that remind the patient of the costs of IAD and benefits of breaking it), (f) develop a personal inventory (shows all the activities that the patient used to engage in or can’t find the time due to IAD), (g) enter a support group (compensates for a lack of social support), and (h) engage in family therapy (addresses relational problems in the family) [41]. Unfortunately, clinical evidence for the efficacy of these strategies is not mentioned. Non-psychological Approaches Some authors examine pharmacological interventions for IAD, perhaps due to the fact that clinicians use psychopharmacology to treat IAD despite the lack of treatment studies addressing the efficacy of pharmacological treatments. In particular, selective serotonin-reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) have been used because of the co-morbid psychiatric symptoms of IAD (e.g. depression and anxiety) for which SSRIs have been found to be effective [42-46]. Escitalopram (a SSRI) was used by Dell’Osso et al. [47] to treat 14 subjects with impulsive-compulsive Internet usage disorder. Internet usage  decreased significantly from a mean of 36.8 hours/week to a baseline of 16.5 hours/week. In another study Han, Hwang, and Renshaw [48] used bupropion (a non-tricyclic antidepressant) and found a decrease of craving for Internet video game play, total game play time, and cue-induced brain activity in dorsolateral prefrontal cortex after a six week period of bupropion sustained release treatment. Methylphenidate (a psycho stimulant drug) was used by Han et al. [49] to treat 62 Internet video game-playing children diagnosed with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder. After eight weeks of treatment, the YIAS-K scores and Internet usage times were significantly reduced and the authors cautiously suggest that methylphenidate might be evaluated as a potential treatment of IAD. According to a study by Shapira et al. [50], mood stabilizers might also improve the symptoms of IAD. In addition to these studies, there are some case reports of patients treated with escitalopram [45], citalopram (SSRI)- quetiapine (antipsychotic) combination [43] and naltrexone (an opioid receptor antagonist) [51]. A few authors mentioned that physical exercise could compensate the decrease of the dopamine level due to decreased online usage [52]. In addition, sports exercise prescriptions used in the course of cognitive behavioral group therapy may enhance the effect of the intervention for IAD [53]. Psychological Approaches Motivational interviewing (MI) is a client-centered yet directive method for enhancing intrinsic motivation to change by exploring and resolving client ambivalence [54]. It was developed to help individuals give up addictive behaviors and learn new behavioral skills, using techniques such as open-ended questions, reflective listening, affirmation, and summarization to help individuals express their concerns about change [55]. Unfortunately, there are currently no studies addressing the efficacy of MI in treating IAD, but MI seems to be moderately effective in the areas of alcohol, drug addiction, and diet/exercise problems [56]. Peukert et al. [7] suggest that interventions with family members or other relatives like â€Å"Community Reinforcement and Family Training† [57] could be useful in enhancing the motivation of an addict to cut back on Internet use, although the reviewers remark that control studies with relatives do not exist to date. Reality therapy (RT) is supposed t o encourage individuals to choose to improve their  lives by committing to change their behavior. It includes sessions to show clients that addiction is a choice and to give them training in time management; it also introduces alternative activities to the problematic behavior [58]. According to Kim [58], RT is a core addiction recovery tool that offers a wide variety of uses as a treatment for addictive disorders such as drugs, sex, food, and works as well for the Internet. In his RT group counseling program treatment study, Kim [59] found that the treatment program effectively reduced addiction level and improved self-esteem of 25 Internet-addicted university students in Korea. Twohig and Crosby [60] used an Acceptance & Commitment Therapy (ACT) protocol including several exercises adjusted to better fit the issues with which the sample struggles to treat six adult males suffering from problematic Internet pornography viewing. The treatment resulted in an 85% reduction in viewing at post-treatment with results being maintained at the three month follow-up (83% reduction in viewing pornography). Widyanto and Griffith [8] report that most of the treatments employed so far had utilized a cognitive-behavioral approach. The case for using cognitive-behavioral thera py (CBT) is justified due to the good results in the treatment of other behavioral addictions/impulse-control disorders, such as pathological gambling, compulsive shopping, bulimia nervosa, and binge eating-disorders [61]. Wà ¶lfling [5] described a predominantly behavioral group treatment including identification of sustaining conditions, establishing of intrinsic motivation to reduce the amount of time being online, learning alternative behaviors, engagement in new social real-life contacts, psycho-education and exposure therapy, but unfortunately clinical evidence for the efficacy of these strategies is not mentioned. In her study, Young [62] used CBT to treat 114 clients suffering from IAD and found that participants were better able to manage their presenting problems post-treatment, showing improved motivation to stop abusing the Internet, improved ability to control their computer use, improved ability to function in offline relationships, improved ability to abstain from sexually explicit online material, improved ability to engage in offline activities, and improved ability to achieve sobriety from problematic applications. Cao, Su and Gao [63] investigated the effect of group CBT on 29 middl e school students with IAD and found that IAD scores of the experimental group were lower than of the control group  after treatment. The authors also reported improvement in psychological function. Thirty-eight adolescents with IAD were treated with CBT designed particularly for addicted adolescents by Li and Dai [64]. They found that CBT has good effects on the adolescents with IAD (CIAS scores in the therapy group were significant lower than that in the control group). In the experimental group the scores of depression, anxiety, compulsiveness, self-blame, illusion, and retreat were significantly decreased after treatment. Zhu, Jin, and Zhong [65] compared CBT and electro acupuncture (EA) plus CBT assigning forty-seven patients with IAD to one of the two groups respectively. The authors found that CBT alone or combined with EA can significantly reduce the score of IAD and anxiety on a self-rating scale and improve self-conscious health status in patients with IAD, but the effect obtained by the combined therapy was better. Multimodal Treatments A multimodal treatment approach is characterized by the implementation of several different types of treatment in some cases even from different disciplines such as pharmacology, psychotherapy and family counseling simultaneously or sequentially. Orzack and Orzack [66] mentioned that treatments for IAD need to be multidisciplinary including CBT, psychotropic medication, family therapy, and case managers, because of the complexity of these patients’ problems. In their treatment study, Du, Jiang, and Vance [67] found that multimodal school-based group CBT (including parent training, teacher education, and group CBT) was effective for adolescents with IAD (n = 23), particularly in improving emotional state and regulation ability, behavioral and self-management style. The effect of another multimodal intervention consisting of solution-focused brief therapy (SFBT), family therapy, and CT was investigated among 52 adolescents with IAD in China. After three months of treatment, the scores on an IAD scale (IAD-DQ), the scores on the SCL-90, and the amount of time spent online decreased significantly [68]. Orzack et al. [69] used a psychoeducational program, which combines psychodynamic and cognitive-behavioral theoretical perspectives, using a combination of Readiness to Change (RtC), CBT and MI interventions to treat a group of 35 men involved in problematic Internet-enabled sexual behavior (IESB). In this group treatment, the quality of life increased and the level of depressive symptoms decreased  after 16 (weekly) treatment sessions, but the level of problematic Internet use failed to decrease significantly [69]. Internet addiction related symptom scores significantly decreased after a group of 23 middle school students with IAD were treated with Behavioral Therapy (BT) or CT, detoxification treatment, psychosocial rehabilitation, personality modeling and parent training [70]. Therefore, the authors concluded that psychotherapy, in particular CT and BT were effective in treating middle school students with IAD. Shek, Tang, and Lo [71] described a multi-level counseling program designed for young people with IAD based on the responses of 59 clients. Findings of this study suggest this multi-level counseling program (including counseling, MI, family perspective, case work and group work) is promising to help young people with IAD. Internet addiction symptom scores significantly decreased, but the program failed to increase psychological well-being significantly. A six-week group counseling program (including CBT, social competence training, training of self-control strategies and training of communication skills) was shown to be effective on 24 Internet-addicted college students in China [72]. The authors reported that the adapted CIAS-R scores of the experimental group were significantly lower than those of the control group post-treatment. The reSTART Program The authors of this article are currently, or have been, affiliated with the reSTART: Internet Addiction Recovery Program [73] in Fall City, Washington. The reSTART program is an inpatient Internet addiction recovery program which integrates technology detoxification (no technology for 45 to 90 days), drug and alcohol treatment, 12 step work, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), experiential adventure based therapy, Acceptance and Commitment therapy (ACT), brain enhancing interventions, animal assisted therapy, motivational interviewing (MI), mindfulness based relapse prevention (MBRP), Mindfulness based stress reduction (MBSR), interpersonal group psychotherapy, individual psychotherapy, individualized treatments for co-occurring disorders, psycho- educational groups (life visioning, addiction education, communication and assertiveness training, social skills, life skills, Life balance plan), aftercare treatments (monitoring of technology use, ongoing psychotherapy and group work), a nd continuing care (outpatient treatment) in an individualized, holistic approach. The first  results from an ongoing OQ45.2 [74] study (a self-reported measurement of subjective discomfort, interpersonal relationships and social role performance assessed on a weekly basis) of the short-term impact on 19 adults who complete the 45+ days program showed an improved score after treatment. Seventy-four percent of participants showed significant clinical improvement, 21% of participants showed no reliable change, and 5% deteriorated. The results have to be regarded as preliminary due to the small study sample, the self-report measurement and the lack of a control group. Despite these limitations, there is evidence that the program is responsible for most of the improvements demonstrated. CONCLUSION As can be seen from this brief review, the field of Internet addiction is advancing rapidly even without its official recognition as a separate and distinct behavioral addiction and with continuing disagreement over diagnostic criteria. The ongoing debate whether IAD should be classified as an (behavioral) addiction, an impulse-control disorder or even an obsessive compulsive disorder cannot be satisfactorily resolved in this paper. But the symptoms we observed in clinical practice show a great deal of overlap with the symptoms commonly associated with (behavioral) addictions. Also it remains unclear to this day whether the underlying mechanisms responsible for the addictive behavior are the same in different types of IAD (e.g., online sexual addiction, online gaming, and excessive surfing). From our practical perspective the different shapes of IAD fit in one category, due to various Internet specific commonalities (e.g., anonymity, riskless interaction), commonalities in the underlying behavior (e.g., avoidance, fear, pleasure, entertainment) and overlapping symptoms (e.g., the increased amount of time spent online, preoccupation and other signs of addiction). Nevertheless more research has to be done to substantiate our clinical impression. Despite several methodological limitations, the strength of this work in comparison to other reviews in the international body of literature addressing the definition, classification, assessment, epidemiology, and co-morbidity of IAD [2-5], and to reviews [6-8] addressing the treatment of IAD, is that it connects theoretical considerations with the clinical practice of interdisciplinary mental health experts working for years in the field of Internet addiction. Furthermore, the current work gives a good  overview of the current state of research in the field of internet addiction treatment. Despite the limitations stated above this work gives a brief overview of the current state of research on IAD from a practical perspective and can therefore be seen as an important and helpful paper for further research as well as for clinical practice in particular.

Essay about Marijuana Legalization

Essay about Marijuana Legalization Essay about Marijuana Legalization Should Marijuana Be Legalized Should Marijuana Be Legalized There are many pros and cons concerning the argument of the legalization of Marijuana. By far, the two biggest pro arguments are the medical benefits along with the tax revenue that legalization could bring. As for the cons, one can argue about the potential increase in crime and the potential spike in dependency issues with other drugs. Other concerns are the potential for marijuana being a gateway drug or perhaps the illegal sale by some of the very people in which legalization, medical or recreational, is geared towards. On the other side, byproducts of marijuana have the potential use as paper or even clothing. As one can see, one can go on and on with positive and negative thoughts or feelings about this topic. Several facts remain. The use of marijuana has increased over the last decade. According to research by Pew Research Center, â€Å"Just two years ago, 40% of adults said they had tried marijuana. In both 2003 and 2001, 38% said they had used marijuana. In the latest Pew Research Center survey, conducted in March, the number of those saying they had ever tried marijuana climbed to 48%, the highest number ever†. (Pew Research Center, 2013) Also consider New York Governor Andrew Cuomo’s proposal to decriminalize possession of 15 grams or less during his State of the State address, â€Å"Roughly 50,000 arrests in New York City for marijuana possession, more than any other possession.† He continues to say, â€Å"These arrests stigmatize, they criminalize, they create a permanent record. It's not fair. It's not right. It must end. And it must end now. The problem is

Trends In Advertising On Television - What Works - What Doesnt Article

Trends In Advertising On Television - What Works - What Doesnt Article Trends In Advertising On Television Article â€Å"Bridging the Gap Between Online and Offline Marketing† Source: Multi Channel Merchant. http multichannelmerchant.com/infographics/bridging-gap-online-offline-marketing-0917tpp9/Author and Date: Kelsey Cox. September 17, 2012 This article describes how customers engage with a product based on the type of advertising messages they receive. Cox (2012) highlights that 44% of all engagement with a product occurs through television promotion. Forty one percent is from word-of-mouth, followed by 35% stemming from print advertisement. According to the article, 40% of all purchases that are made online are actually influenced by an offline marketing channel. Of all word-of-mouth, only seven percent of this is generated in online areas. Realizing this, companies are learning that it is more productive to blend offline and online promotions, not favoring one medium over another. Businesses are creating metrics to measure whether their offline or online advertisements are ga ining more ground in building customer brand awareness or to engage in the products. What this means is that television advertising has much more ability to inspire consumers to make a purchase. Cox (2012) again informs the reader that only one percent of all online advertisements actually get clicked on, despite the many advertisers present daily on the Internet and the high amount of expenses paid for online advertisements. Even though a large volume of diverse consumers have Facebook, YouTube and Twitter accounts, it does not mean that they are using these to discuss product advertisements. Word-of-mouth seems to be created mostly by offline advertisements, which is surprising considering the widespread growth of social media and mobile Internet communications. Television still seems to be the best way to get customers to engage with the product, still being the most important promotional medium available to marketers.

How to Get Started in Your Career After Graduating College

How to Get Started in Your Career After Graduating College After graduating college, building a career isn’t an easy thing to do. And when you’re just starting out, it’s hard to hone the kind of perspective one gains over the course of a long career. If you’ve ever wished you could get the wisdom of a work life well lived before you have to live through all of it and earn that wisdom by making a ton of mistakes, then look no further. Here are 10 career strategies everyone just starting out should know. So save yourself the heartache and the hard lessons, and just skip to the growth and success part.1.  Only you can advocate for yourself.You may think you just have to keep your head down and wait for the promotions and raises and career opportunities to happen to you, but you should realize early and keep in mind that the planning and execution of your career is ultimately your responsibility and no one else’s. Remember: you are in the driver’s seat. Stop assuming and start asserting earlier than yo u think you’d need to.2. Find your meaning.It’s no coincidence that the word â€Å"meaning† includes the word â€Å"me.† Only you can set yourself on a career path that means something to you and includes work that you find important and fulfilling. Now is the time to make the choices that will determine how much you love your work. Remember that stability, security, and income matter, but professional fulfillment matters so much more. Ward off burn-out and unhappiness now by choosing something you care about and worrying less about the outside benefits. Let your priorities dictate the course of what you do.3. Caring will bring about success.When we’re invested in what we’re doing, we end up doing better work. Once you’ve picked something you like, make sure to keep learning and keep yourself interested, because it will mean that you devote yourself to tasks with more care and attention. You’ll get more done, and better.4. Bad situations don’t get better.If you’ve landed yourself in a situation with a toxic boss or a dysfunctional work environment, know when to say enough is enough. Get the courage up to take a leap into something better, and trust that everything else will sort itself out once you do.5. Be your best in times of crisis.Your true character just might be best revealed when the chips are down and the situation is most dire. Keep this in mind in times of crisis. Figure out how you’ll show up when the going gets tough, and set a tone for the kind of person and employee you’ll be throughout your life. You never know when you might deeply impress the right observer in a position to change the course of your career.6. Don’t be selfish.Skyrocketing to success- or even climbing slow but steady- is one thing. But don’t forget that you’re not the only one in the world wanting to move upwards. Sometimes the rise is even sweeter when you help somebody el se up with you. Pay it forward and look out for people other than yourself.7. Embrace originality.Don’t be arrogant, but don’t leave your uniqueness and originality under a bushel. Speak up, voice your ideas, speak your passion. You won’t get anywhere by sitting in the background. Have the guts to take the risk and put yourself out there in the world.8. Aim to do the right thing.Don’t just do what you think you have to do to succeed. Stand up for what you know is right. Comport yourself with integrity. Take the extra time and energy to riddle out what the best and most honest thing would be and devote yourself to doing it. It’s called integrity- and it doesn’t suffer puncture wounds. It’s worth building and maintaining, and can become one of your most precious assets.9. Not taking risks is the biggest risk.You have to have skin in the game to win the game. A ship in the port may seem safe, but isn’t. Ships are meant to sail. So get your little boat out there and see what you can do. Learn from your mistakes and find a way to be magnificent, rather than mediocre.10. Leave something better behind you.A legacy can be a beautiful thing. It’s never too early to think about the kind of mark you’d like to leave on the world. When your life and career are over, what sort of things do you want to hear said about your contribution? What kind of imprint do you want to leave behind? Start thinking how to shape your legacy while you have your whole career before you. Just think what you could accomplish if you put your mind to it.

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Beauty and Art - Essay Example The thing may not necessarily be beautiful, but the individual’s point of view is indeed, beautiful! On the other hand, culture is the general way of living of a nation which signifies its trends, traditions, norms, values, moral standards, ethics and common practices. Culture of a nation is essentially its identity. Different nations are identified by their individualistic cultures. Like the difference of their meanings, beauty and culture both have their own individualistic uses. It is hard to identify particular uses of beauty since it is required in everything. It is used everywhere. Crockery is made beautiful to increase its market value. Makeup is worn to look beautiful and presentable so that a woman can work. The fundamental use of culture is that it lends identity to the people who belong to that culture. Culture is used to benchmark ethical standards which can be used to compare an individual’s performance against. Owing to their common identity ingrained in t heir culture, people of one nation become united and a strong force.

Reflective personal learning journal Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Reflective personal learning journal - Essay Example These four subjects are motivation, leadership, conflict management, and teamwork. I will now describe each of these four areas in turn by showing what I have learned, how I have applied what I have learned to real situations, and how the insight gained has influenced how I will manage employees. One of the important topics covered in the course was motivation. Motivation has been described saying, â€Å"Motivation refers to the forces either within or external to a person that arouse enthusiasm and persistence to pursue a certain course of action† (Daft, 1997, p. 526). As a manager, an important part of my duties will be to ensure that employees are motivated. For this reason, I have considering how motivation applies within the organisation so that I can gain insight into methods I can use to motivate employees. The organisational behaviour approach to motivation includes considering how the organisation impacts on the motivation of employees and how employees can be motivated. This includes recognising that the characteristics that result in a person being motivated are not often simple or obvious. An approach to the issue that does not look at the behavioural aspects but only looks at the problem on the surface may see employees as being rewarded financially and assume that they should be motivated by this financial reward. The behavioural aspect goes a lot deeper than this and considers the complex issues that contribute to motivation. This approach may recognise that while financial rewards are received, employees do not receive adequate recognition or praise for their efforts. This approach may also recognise that employees feel pressured in the workplace and that this stress causes a decline in motivation. By focusing on the behaviour of employees, the many aspects that contribute to motivation are noted. I think this is important because it will allow me to take positive actions to motivate employees. I will

Issue 9&10 Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Issue 9 - Assignment Example The article further argues for an alternative point of view, which is not seeing the concept of effective leadership as gender-oriented instead of competency-oriented (Rao, 2012). HRM experts in companies who have set up opportunities for both men and women to debate serious leadership qualities have assisted them to grow into successful leaders. The representation of women as business leaders in numerous patriarchal cultures is skewed unequally. Issue 9 also includes a response from Ann Pomeroy, who essentially argues that yes, women make better business leaders than men. According to Pomeroy, organizations such as Safeway are making substantial progress in ensuring gender diversity in leading positions (Rao, 2012). Safeway’s diversity approach entails efficient communication, initiatives that concentrate on growing leadership skills, mentoring, and matching work and personal lives. A negative response by Herminia Ibarra and Otilia Obodaru is included in Issue 9, which contends that the assumption that women are underrepresented in leadership roles within organizations is wrong statistically. Ibarra and Obodaru used all-round evaluations for data gathered for five years and discovered that women in fact outdid men in many leadership degrees measured, despite them scoring lower than men did on â€Å"envisioning† (Rao, 2012). Issue 10 questions the existence of the glass ceiling in United States businesses (Rao, 2012). While also using report statistics to support this argument, this article compares their deductions. For instance, Issue 10 suggests that statistics are misleading because women still deal with invisible limits to grow into leaders in their respective professions. Reasons women face these invisible constraints include family responsibilities, career disruptions, inadequate socialization at work through old boys’ network, inability to relocate for career reasons, and an organization’s lack of stable

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International Marketing analysis and strategy of a given product - Essay Example The business will involve itself in heavy marketing in order to create a long-term market presence among the low income and middle income customers. Trudea Services was planned in 2005 to be a part-time business venture. It has been asmall business designed to meet the needs of its clients and their pet family members. The company is located in Kikuyu and plans to expand to other towns in response to increasing demand for solar energy appliances. The company understands the value of ourclients money and provides highly effective and efficient solar energy appliances. At Trudea Services, we accept nothing but the best from our suppliers and ourselves. Trudea Services was founded by Joseph Kamau and Anthony Kimunya. The two co-own the company and will oversee the day to day management of company operations. However, the company will hire additional members of staff when it expands its operations. The company plans to invest more than 350,000 shillings in the purchase and supply of low cost solar energy appliances to middle income and low income households in Kikuyu. This is a long term project that is expected to last for more than five years depending on the market performance. The company seeks to make expansions into other markets by establishing branches in those areas including Wangige and Westlands. This requires adequate financing because the project is to be operated in the long run. Therefore, the company aims at maximizing on profits and using the proceeds to expand its operations. The business also plans to source for short term loans from a financial institution. This is a partnership business owned and operated by four individuals. Each of the partners has equal rights in terms of ownership and decisions making. The partners are involved in the company’s daily decision making and decisions are reached subjected to the majority support of the partners. The company is concentrated in a single geographical

The Appraisal System of a Company and Its Strengths and Weaknesses Essay - 5

The Appraisal System of a Company and Its Strengths and Weaknesses - Essay Example The researcher states that performance appraisal is one of the most common platforms used by employers to determine whether their employees are sufficiently qualified for promotion. However, the contemporary work environment is changing with teamwork gradually replacing hierarchical management. Further, organizations are increasingly shifting their focus toward employee empowerment and participative leadership, as opposed to the traditional authoritative leadership style. In addition, companies are reducing managerial positions thus increasing workloads and making supervisors responsible for large groups of employees. This means that supervisors are no longer capable of observing employees and providing fair, precise, valid and inspiring performance evaluations. As a result, modern companies have no choice but to look for appraisal mechanisms that adopt these changes and, at the same time, support and promote employee development. Most organizations in the present business environmen t have resorted to using the 360-degree appraisal approach. This method is popular for its ability to provide workers with the information they need to change and align their abilities or talents with functions that meet company goals. However, this appraisal mechanism is not without faults. This research project was meant to analyze usage of a performance appraisal method in a company and to collect information that would aid in the system’s improvement in regard to accuracy, fairness, credibility, and objectivity. The company chosen for this research applies the 360-degree feedback method. The inception of this appraisal system can be linked to past satisfaction surveys, which were used to enhance morale and communication among workers. The system also has its foundation in employers’ desire to encourage employees in their efforts to set goals, as well as, the provision of feedback to motivate workers. At this time, performance reviews were usually conducted by super visors who also provided participating employees with the relevant feedback. However, changes in the 21st century prompted many organizations to abandon the conventional supervisor-partisan appraisal method. For instance, there are no longer many managerial positions, meaning that administrators have more pressing concerns than supervising junior staff. Further, the employees participating in the review are supposed to interact with others in different organizations or departments, making it rather difficult for supervisors to monitor them effectively and provide credible feedback. The modern environment is also characterized by acute competition, which has made companies exert extra focus on customers as opposed to employees. Given the above changes, participants in modern performance reviews are subject to scrutiny by stakeholders other than employers. This is where the 360-degree appraisal mechanism comes into play.

Job Application Package Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Job Application Package - Assignment Example Microsoft Excel, Word, PowerPoint and Access Responsibilities Assist with the development and maintenance of accurate work measurement systems in a warehouse environment. Conduct time studies and frequency studies in distribution centers. Assist in the analysis, recommendation, and implementation of enhancements to existing work methods, workflow and processes to increase throughput. Administer and maintain productivity reporting processes and systems. Collect data to assist in the development of distribution center and capital budgets. Analysis of distribution center processes and procedures; identify operational improvement opportunities; design, evaluate and implement changes and/or revisions as required. Assist corporate industrial engineering staff as directed. Limited local travel required. Job #2 Position Engineering / Summer Internships - Industrial Engineering Sikorsky Global Helicopters (610) 883-4408 110 East Stewart Huston Dr. Coatesville Pennsylvania 19320 USA fran.newli n@sikorskyglobal.com Sikorsky Global Helicopters, a subsidiary of Sikorsky Aircraft, is a Fully capable Helicopter Services provider located in Coatesville, PA. Our capabilities include work as an FAA Approved Repair Station,a DAS approved station, the Sikorsky S-76 Completion Center, the Sikorsky S-92 Joins Center, EMS flight services, DAS capabilities and Engine Services Shop. Our sister company Composite Technologies Inc, in Grand Prarie TX, CTI is the only world wide rotor blade repair shop authorized by Agusta, Bell, Eurocopter, Kazan Helicopters, MD Helicopters, Schweizer and Sikorsky. Consequently, we support your entire fleet. We pride ourselves on our commitment to diversity and encourages all qualified applicants to apply for consideration Please mention JSfirm when responding to this ad (JS Firm, 2011). Job Application Package Date: 30 June 2011 To: (Your Professor) From: Kuan Alkeyev Subject: Job Application Package Sears Holding Company: Corporate Industrial Engineer In ternship The position that is offered by the Sears Holding Company is as a Corporate Industrial Engineer Intern in which a requirement of at least Junior year status must be completed and an intention in the pursuit of a Bachelor of Science Degree in industrial engineering. Experience in work measurement methodologies, best method development and cost analysis for project justification are central to the qualifications of the potential candidate. Other requirements include proficiency in Microsoft Office programs and the ability to communicate effectively, which is most likely in concern with not only performing the responsibilities of the position, but in making sure that all departments that relate to those performances can be adequately updated on the activities. Responsibilities for the position will include: Assist with the development and maintenance of accurate work measurement systems in a warehouse environment. Conduct time studies and frequency studies in distribution cent ers. Assist in the analysis, recommendation, and implementation of enhancements to existing work methods, workflow and processes to increase throughput. Administer and maintain productivity reporting processes and systems. Collect data to assist in the development of distribution

The Appraisal System of a Company and Its Strengths and Weaknesses Essay - 5

The Appraisal System of a Company and Its Strengths and Weaknesses - Essay Example The researcher states that performance appraisal is one of the most common platforms used by employers to determine whether their employees are sufficiently qualified for promotion. However, the contemporary work environment is changing with teamwork gradually replacing hierarchical management. Further, organizations are increasingly shifting their focus toward employee empowerment and participative leadership, as opposed to the traditional authoritative leadership style. In addition, companies are reducing managerial positions thus increasing workloads and making supervisors responsible for large groups of employees. This means that supervisors are no longer capable of observing employees and providing fair, precise, valid and inspiring performance evaluations. As a result, modern companies have no choice but to look for appraisal mechanisms that adopt these changes and, at the same time, support and promote employee development. Most organizations in the present business environmen t have resorted to using the 360-degree appraisal approach. This method is popular for its ability to provide workers with the information they need to change and align their abilities or talents with functions that meet company goals. However, this appraisal mechanism is not without faults. This research project was meant to analyze usage of a performance appraisal method in a company and to collect information that would aid in the system’s improvement in regard to accuracy, fairness, credibility, and objectivity. The company chosen for this research applies the 360-degree feedback method. The inception of this appraisal system can be linked to past satisfaction surveys, which were used to enhance morale and communication among workers. The system also has its foundation in employers’ desire to encourage employees in their efforts to set goals, as well as, the provision of feedback to motivate workers. At this time, performance reviews were usually conducted by super visors who also provided participating employees with the relevant feedback. However, changes in the 21st century prompted many organizations to abandon the conventional supervisor-partisan appraisal method. For instance, there are no longer many managerial positions, meaning that administrators have more pressing concerns than supervising junior staff. Further, the employees participating in the review are supposed to interact with others in different organizations or departments, making it rather difficult for supervisors to monitor them effectively and provide credible feedback. The modern environment is also characterized by acute competition, which has made companies exert extra focus on customers as opposed to employees. Given the above changes, participants in modern performance reviews are subject to scrutiny by stakeholders other than employers. This is where the 360-degree appraisal mechanism comes into play.

Integration of Evidence-Based Practice into Professional Nursing Research Paper

Integration of Evidence-Based Practice into Professional Nursing Practice - Research Paper Example Evidence based practice for nursing implies not merely using only the best research evidence in patient care decisions, but also includes the factors of clinical expertise, patient values and preferences or circumstances, and clinical assessment and history of the patient in these decisions (Finkelman & Kenner, 2010, p.380-381). Presented here is an example of evidence based clinical nursing practice. A patient was admitted to the ICU subsequent to a cardiac arrest. The patient arrived at the ICU on a mechanical ventilator, basically stabilized, and appeared to have no problems of ventilation and oxygenation. After a short while the clinical experience of the staff nurse prompted her to call for support from an advanced nurse practitioner (APN), as she was not happy with the increased effort that the patient was showing in breathing. The APN arrived and found the patient struggling slightly in breathing, and the first impulse was to check, if the ventilator settings were okay and the ventilator was functioning satisfactorily. All was fine on that front, and though there seemed no reason for alarm, as the patient did not appear hemodynamically compromised, the APN decided to examine the patient closely relying on the experience of the staff nurse.

Airline Distribution Systems in 2013 Essay Example for Free

Airline Distribution Systems in 2013 Essay Web based commerce and internet technology have dramatically transformed the airline industry throughout the past thirteen years. The internet has enabled travelers to bypass the traditional distribution pattern of travel agencies and enabled airlines to sell more directly to passengers (European Commission, 2006). Since the mid-1990s there have been some major changes to the airline ticket distribution industry which were both a result of internet technologies (GAO, 2003). Major U. S. Airlines claimed a net operating loss of nearly $10 billion in 2002 and had paid over $7 billion to distribute tickets to consumers (GAO, 2013). These distribution expenses include booking fees to global distributions system to the amount of hundreds of millions of dollars (GAO, 2003). Airlines would receive a set booking fee each time an airline ticket was purchased through a travel agent by the global distribution system used by the travel agent (GAO, 2003). Due to most U. S. carriers being largely dependent on each of the global distribution systems for distributing tickets to different travel agent and consumers and consumers having to subscribe and pay fees to each, there are concerns that the global distributions systems may exercise market ower over them (GAO, 2013). Market power would allow global distribution systems to charge high, noncompetitive fees to airlines and in turn, these costs may be passed on to consumers (GAO, 2013). Environment Two major changes have occurred in the airline ticket distribution industry since the 1990s that have produced cost savings for some major U. S. airlines (GAO, 2013). The airlines have developed less expensive internet ticketing sites that bypass global distribution systems and their fees and encourage consumers to book directly rather than through travel agencies (GAO, 2013). Between the years 1999 and 2002 the average percentage of tickets booked on-line either from airlines or travel agencies grew from 7% to 30% (GAO, 2013). (See Appendix A). The next effort to reduce costs that airlines made was the cutting the amount of commissions they would pay to travel agencies (GAO, 2013). These attempts have still not eliminated the dependence airlines have on global distribution systems. In the report made by the U. S.  Government Accountability Office (GAO), they were unable to determine the exact relationship between global distribution system booking fees and related costs and were not able to reach any conclusions towards the potential exercise of market power by global distribution systems in the airline ticket distribution industry (GAO, 2013). Despite these reports there have still been numerous complaints from airlines that the companies who distribute airline flight and fare information are stifling competition and violating federal anti-trust laws (Koenig, 2011). Government reports help airlines because they investigate claims which are made that could possibly violate anti-trust laws and act as a middleman to solve disputes. Travelport and Sabre are two large global distribution systems which have had investigations against them (Koenig, 2011). A third company, Amadeus, is another global distribution system and the three of them make up for all of the distribution systems in the U. S. (Koenig, 2011). The justice department has clearly stepped into the mix by investigating claims of monopoly power and anti-trust. Only announcements of such investigations have taken place with no more real information being handed to the public. American and US Airways have both filed lawsuits against the global distribution giant, Sabre (Koenig, 2011). Sabre was actually created by American Airlines but later spun off as a separate company (Koenig, 2011). American also sued Travelport for using monopoly tactics and burying their flight information (Koenig, 2011). With Travelport accounting for nearly $2. billion of American’s ticket sales last year, it is hard to see where the complaint lies yet American is intent of wrongdoing and is asking for government assistance through lawsuits (Koenig, 2011). Government institutions try to protect consumers and smaller companies in tourism by imposing anti-discrimination and anti-trust regulation to ensure that real information is presented and competition levels remain satisfactory (Beatrice, Cezar, Alexandra, 2013). Industry Airlines and independent travel agencies were amongst the first to take advantage of the marketing and sales opportunities the internet provided (Borenstein, Rose, 2013). Airlines saw the internet as a way to bypass the traditional sales channel of travel agents in order to gain control of lower costing electronic ticketing methods (Borenstein, Rose, 2013). The internet provided an alternative for airlines and lowered their fears of sales being blocked by ticketing agencies (Borenstein, Rose, 2013). Domestic airlines in Mumbai, India are attempting to not follow the conventional fixed commission system (Cuckoo, 2005). The issue of commission reduction has caused a huge stand-off between travel agents and international airlines (Cuckoo, 2005). Legacy airlines let by flag carrier Air-India announced in May, 2005 that they would cut commissions from 9% to 5% (Cuckoo, 2005). British Airways joined in with this plan and other European and Southeast Asian carriers were expected to follow suit (Cuckoo, 2005). Travel agents are planning to fight the commission cuts through the Travel Agents Association of India (TAAI) and the Travel Agents Federation of India (TAFI) (Cuckoo, 2005). Just as many U. S. Carriers have claimed fear of, agents in India announced a plan to boycott Air-India and to stop selling their airline tickets in the event of commissions being cut (Cuckoo, 2005). Low-cost carriers have an advantage to the internet because they can start off with new models of distribution whereas legacy carriers have been using agents for decades and it is hard for them to step out (Cuckoo, 2005). Air Decan is a low-cost airline in India that sells 35% of its tickets online and has been knowingly boycotted by agents because it offers a lower price, usually around 5% less, to consumers who book directly from them (Cuckoo, 2005). An International low-cost airline, Air-Arabia, will not pay any commissions to travel agents with its India flights (Cuckoo, 2005). Air-India’s low-cost subsidiary, Air-India Express will also have their passengers pay handling fees instead of the airlines (Cuckoo, 2005). Another Airline to consider is Frontier who makes their lowest fares available on both their own website and on the big online travel agencies (OTAs) such as Priceline and Expedia (Perkins, 2012). There is a difference however, when passengers purchase from any other site or agency other than Frontier, they only earn half of the amount of frequent flyer miles, do not get advanced seating, and will face higher fees for various changes (Perkins, 2012). Marketing Strategy and Situational Analysis Some may find it peculiar that companies are now battling other companies that they themselves created. The three major GDS systems that control most airline ticket distribution worldwide, Amadeus, Sabre, and Travelport provide OTAs with fare information and transact sales (Perkins, 2012). OTAs are used by most airlines in order to sell their tickets along with their own websites. In addition to providing airfares OTAs also provide hotel accommodations, rental cars, and most other popular travel services (Perkins, 2012). Airlines now want to avoid fees which were once accumulated through the use of agents and GDSs charge them anywhere between $5 and $12 to book a flight while a transaction through their own system probably costs less than $1 (Perkins, 2012). Now that the internet source is available and extremely efficient the airlines want to gain control back of their customers in order to be able to sell them additional services (Perkins, 2012). On their own sites they could have the ability to present upgraded options such as a bundled no-fee fare packages and can provide passengers with the ability to book semi-premium economy seats (Perkins, 2012). Airlines also want to avoid the easiness of price comparisons passengers have with OTAs in order to maximize their profits once again. The problem, as stated earlier in this paper, is that GDSs account for more than half of their business and to cut them out of the transaction stream completely would be extremely difficult (Perkins, 2012). Airlines are also signed into long-term GDS contracts that require that they provide the same fares to GDS that they have available on their website (Perkins, 2012). A third problem is that large buyers and managers of business travel are extremely dependents on GDS for various reasons such as fare, price, and other information that is required to control travel costs (Perkins, 2012). Attempts to move completely from GDS systems by most airlines have been unsuccessful but many have been able to find ways to shun them. Southwest is one who has managed to have their own system entirely because if you want to fly Southwest, you have to go to Southwest (Perkins, 2012). Allegiant and Spirit also provide only limited participation with GDS (Perkins, 2012). Others get around the contractual agreement of having the same fares available by offering discount promotional codes for direct bookings (Perkins, 2012). With the advantages of control of ticket distribution for the airlines stated and the various strategies used by each airline along with their strengths discussed, let us now look at the weaknesses of these distribution systems. The main weakness is that with the amount of passengers that do use OTAs, there’s a chance they will not use airlines that are not on these sites due to their popularity. Passengers want to be able to compare prices and OTAs provide just that. Passengers may not be willing to research fares on their own and may only go to their preferred airline if OTAs aren’t available. Airlines win if they are the airline of choice but if they aren’t they could be losing potential customers. Commercial Websites This study will look at two individual airlines and their websites and discuss how successful they are. According to Google Trends, the internet is the number one source for both business and leisure travel and roughly 83% of personal travelers use it as well as 77% of business travelers (The Economist, 2009). The two airlines in this review will be United Airlines and Southwest Airlines. Commercial websites need to consider what customers experience when searching for information, evaluating alternative products, and purchasing them (Peter, Donnelly, 2013). We will be reviewing these three basic areas of which web site designers should consider for each United and Continental Airlines. With information search, there needs to be ease of navigation, fast page downloads, effective search features, and frequent product updates (Peter, Donnelly, 2013). When evaluating alternatives, designers need to consider the ease of product comparisons, product descriptions, ease of contacting customer service representatives, and a status of the availability of items (Peter, Donnelly, 2013). With the purchase evaluation, designers need to consider security and privacy issues, the checkout process, payment options, delivery options, and the ordering instructions (Peter, Donnelly, 2013). United Airlines makes navigation simple by placing their flight search table right on the home page. They also include a section for members to sign in, passengers to print their boarding pass, check a flight status, and to change or view reservations right on the home page. These are some of their most used services which are placed right in plain sight on their home page making the information users are looking for easily obtainable. When searching for a flight the speed of the page downloads is quite fast especially considering that a query is being made and information has to be sorted. The results of the search used for this study came back fast and with more information than even requested. The site included many additional options to narrow the search down and was very up to date. When a search for a flight is made the results make it easy to compare similar flights available and even points to the direction of which options could/would give passengers a lower fare. The descriptions are accurate, clear, and comprehensive enough for customers to make informed decisions when choosing a flight. Customer service can easily be reached by clicking on the top right corner of the screen no matter what page of the site you are on. When a search is made unavailable flights or booked flights are not even visible making it easy for customers to view the availability of their options. When considering the purchase made on a web site, it is clear that United has all of the issues covered from security and privacy issues to ordering instructions. United airlines guides customers from the start of their home page all the way to the end purchase with ease. The steps are clear and the purchase can be made in a reasonable amount of time. Customers have various payment options such as credit card, PayPal, or buy it now as well. Southwest Airlines uses a more simplified homepage yet still has the flight search on their home screen to allow for ease of navigation. On top of providing ease of navigation they also use their home page to advertise promotions. The speed of pages downloads is quick, the returned information was effective, and the flight schedules were all up to date on Southwest’s site. They also provided multiple flights to choose from that incorporated a variety of different prices. The promotions continued through the flight selection process as well going on to add discounts if a hotel were to be booked as well. Flight comparisons and descriptions were easy to compare and were accurate, clear, and comprehensive enough to allow consumers to make informed decisions. Something I was surprised to find about the site was that the customer service phone number was not extremely easy to locate. Customers have to click through about 3 pages before a number is given and that is after they find the tiny help icon at the top of the screen. The status of availability is done the same whereas unavailable seating or options are not even displayed to customers. Southwest covers issues of security and privacy all the way to ordering instructions. Southwest Airlines guides customers from the start of their home page all the way to the end purchase with ease. The steps are clear and the purchase can be made in a reasonable amount of time. Customers have various payment options such as credit card, PayPal, or buy it now as well. Comparing the two directly, Southwest’s homepage is more simple and easier for consumers to take in whereas United has an abundant amount of options to choose from. They are both however, very effective and successful commercial websites and follow all of the guidelines mentioned above from the text with the exception of a number for customer service being more difficult to find on Southwest’s website (Peter, Donnelly, 2013).

Mathematics of the Human Eye :: Math Vision

The Human Eye: Just what exactly goes on in our eye to produce images? Why can't some people see as well as others? Well my friend, look no further... the answers to your 2 most burning questions are about to come! First of all, what happens when we see images? Our eye acts as a simple model of a lens system. The average adult eye is about 25 mm in diameter. As light enters our eye, it is refracted first through the cornea which does about 80% of the refracting. The crystalline lens which is located after the aqueous humour (just under the cornea) approximately contributes the rest. Muscles around the crystyalline lens will contract or expand to adjust to the light rays entering so as to focus them onto the retina, just located at the back of the eye (assuming paraxial light rays). This adjusting process is called accomodation. For people who have no vision problems, all the light rays are focussed onto the retina as it should. Let's call this distance, from where the light enters at the crystalline lens to the retina as f (focal point). For people who don't have 20/20 vision, the light rays entering do not land on the fovea (majority of light rays strike at on the focal plane). People who can see close up objects but not far-sighted images, they're near-sighted. Why can't they see clearly? Well, the light rays that enter their eye is refracted too much and the focal point is located before the retina. Whereas, people who cannot see far away but can see close up objects, are far-sighted. This usually occurs in older people because the crystalline lens grows "stiffer", thus impeding it's ability to accomdate so there is less refraction and the focal point is located behind the retina. To correct both these common vision problems, glasses and contacts redirect the rays so that they may land on the retina. Nearsighted people need a lens system that will diverge the rays so that as it enters the cornea, it will refract light rays onto the fovea. Farsighted people need a lens system that will converge the rays so that as it enters the cornea, it will refract light rays onto the fovea. Astigmatism is also another common vision problem in people these days. When the cornea is irregularly shaped, ie. its' surface is not uniform due to greater thicknesses in certain parts of the cornea, light rays from objects refract all at different rates. Mathematics of the Human Eye :: Math Vision The Human Eye: Just what exactly goes on in our eye to produce images? Why can't some people see as well as others? Well my friend, look no further... the answers to your 2 most burning questions are about to come! First of all, what happens when we see images? Our eye acts as a simple model of a lens system. The average adult eye is about 25 mm in diameter. As light enters our eye, it is refracted first through the cornea which does about 80% of the refracting. The crystalline lens which is located after the aqueous humour (just under the cornea) approximately contributes the rest. Muscles around the crystyalline lens will contract or expand to adjust to the light rays entering so as to focus them onto the retina, just located at the back of the eye (assuming paraxial light rays). This adjusting process is called accomodation. For people who have no vision problems, all the light rays are focussed onto the retina as it should. Let's call this distance, from where the light enters at the crystalline lens to the retina as f (focal point). For people who don't have 20/20 vision, the light rays entering do not land on the fovea (majority of light rays strike at on the focal plane). People who can see close up objects but not far-sighted images, they're near-sighted. Why can't they see clearly? Well, the light rays that enter their eye is refracted too much and the focal point is located before the retina. Whereas, people who cannot see far away but can see close up objects, are far-sighted. This usually occurs in older people because the crystalline lens grows "stiffer", thus impeding it's ability to accomdate so there is less refraction and the focal point is located behind the retina. To correct both these common vision problems, glasses and contacts redirect the rays so that they may land on the retina. Nearsighted people need a lens system that will diverge the rays so that as it enters the cornea, it will refract light rays onto the fovea. Farsighted people need a lens system that will converge the rays so that as it enters the cornea, it will refract light rays onto the fovea. Astigmatism is also another common vision problem in people these days. When the cornea is irregularly shaped, ie. its' surface is not uniform due to greater thicknesses in certain parts of the cornea, light rays from objects refract all at different rates.

Dodge Ram Quad Cab Advertisement :: Advertising Marketing

Ram Tough The makers of the Ram Quad Cab make the claim that this truck is representative of the new Dodge. This truck is, according to the makers, more comfortable and easier to ride in than other trucks. In addition, loading and unloading people and cargo is made easier when using their truck. The Dodge company makes the claim that their full-size pickup truck is among the best and backs this up with impressive evidence in this advertisement. When Dodge says in their opening sentence that their company is always open for new ideas, they could be suggesting that other companies are not as willing to accept change. They also insinuate that they give people what they want and expect from a truck, resulting in the company's success. Implying that their company is "legendary" because of their reputation for having powerful trucks, they show complete confidence in the fact that their truck is better in its class. This Dodge Ram 4x4, according to the advertisement, is the "first extended-cab pickup ever with four doors", placing it among an elite group of vehicles. It appears that the company is so confident in its product that they even predict it will win a fourth J.D. Power and Associates in the upcoming year. In addition to the evidence, Dodge even makes an appeal to the "common man" by saying that they make their truck roomier mainly because they "think it's a darn good idea", believing that they are providing people with what they have come to expect from them. They emphasize what a "proud" company they are because of their many achievements and their devotion to the consumer. The Dodge company does not make their claims lightly. They back up their statements with strong support. One example of this is their assertion that they have a "roomy, even more economic interior" and a "big, comfortable backseat" that help to separate their truck from the competition. Even more convincing is their factual evidence by J.D. Power and Associates, noted for their credible analysis of cars and trucks, who ranked the Ram Quad Cab as the "Most Appealing Full-Size Pickup" for the third year in a row. These facts, coupled with an appealing and vibrant picture of the truck, draws the reader in and makes him more interested in the product.

Operations Management Essay

1. How should quality be defined at this restaurant? Outline which quality tools you would use to assess the situation at The Raja’s restaurant. Quality of service is the most important aspect to a customer. The concept of quality can be defined in various ways. By definition â€Å"Quality is consistent conformance to customers’ expectations† (Slack, Chambers and Johnston, 2004). Each customer has expectations of different quality standards and quality service. In The Raja Tandoori restaurant quality has been declining recently. An example of this is patrons have to wait as long as 45 minutes to be seated, in addition to this it can up to 40 minutes more to get a good meal served to the table. The dimensions of service quality are reliability, responsiveness, assurance, empathy and tangible factors (James A. Fitzsimmons et al, 2004). The customer survey results indicate that 87% of customers believe the quality of food at the restaurant is excellent. Also, the dining experience is very good; being represented by 81% of customers. However, 78% of customers have expressed that they found the waiter to be only at satisfactory standards, this is likely to be due by the lack of staff experience. 70% of customer responses showed that they were served within a reasonable time. The 30% could be justified due to the poor quality of ingredients being delivered; restricting the chef in meal preparations. (See appendix 1 for workings). However, there are some good aspects such as the variety of food, waiters are always available and on the look for any requests, there is also the additional service of hot flannels are being brought to refresh diners. Many quality tools can be used to assess the situation at The Raja’s restaurant. Total Quality Management (TQM) is a way to approach â€Å"the organisation of quality improvements† (Slack, Chambers and Johnston, 2004). TQM is a process of involving everyone in an organisation in continuously improving products and processes to achieve on every occasion; quality that satisfies customers needs (John Naylor, 2002). â€Å"It seeks to integrate all organizational functions†¦to focus on meeting customer needs† (http://www.isixsigma.com/library/content/c031008a.asp). TQM was introduced by Feigenbaum (1957) and developed further by Deming, Ishikawa, Taguchi and Crosby. W. Edwards Deming (1950’s) introduced 14 points for quality improvement. He wanted to focus on the product instead of the process. Continuous Improvement (CI) emphasises quality and reduces cost. The Plan-Do-Check-Act (PDCA) cycle (see appendix 2) is important in inspecting quality in one stage of the quality improvement process. The owner of The Raja restaurant can emphasise the importance of quality by having better teamwork skills and more employee involvement that can ultimately lead to a quality service. Kaoru Ishikawa developed quality circles which imply on the importance of group roles in working and learning. Teams of 3-5 members can be set up at the restaurant; their aim is to identify the causes of quality failure. Each team could focus on a certain aspect such as the quality of food or service. To assess problems of quality at the restaurant cause-and-effect diagrams (fishbone diagrams) can be used. This can help find the cause of problems by working backwards to find a possible cause of a quality problem. Below is a cause-effect-diagram for the effect of the poor service at the restaurant. TQM has an emphasis on meeting customer expectations; the Raja restaurant needs to establish this in order for it to be successful. At peak times customer meals should be prepared within the typical time limit of 25 minutes instead of 40 minutes. The variety of food that is made available to customers also needs to be considered, the wider the variety made available may ultimately attract more customers. There have also been delays in clearing tables this ultimately leads to delays in seating people. All these problems result in poor quality of service. The central foundation of the restaurant is based on customers, it is customer based service, hence the importance of improving quality. Errors that emerge from the service of the restaurant lead to inefficiency and this in turn results in poor service to customers. As the cook mainly controls the quality of the food it is essential that all ingredients are available, recently the purchase of ingredients for the restaurant have not been good enough. The lettuce has appeared wilted and the tough chicken has had more meat than bones. This has ultimately led to certain dishes not being made available. It needs to be established that each individual operation contributes to the overall success of the restaurant. Requirements of customers and the restaurant itself need to be defined for example the quality and speed of service and what customer expectations are. Mystery shoppers can be used at peak times to find out exactly how service needs to be improved. Each individual contributes to quality; therefore each person has the ability to improve quality. Members of staff need to be given empowerment to make suggestions. All staff should be involved in the improvement of performance in the restaurant; this can lead to a better team. The benefits of empowerment are: * Better customer service * Satisfied customers * Employees feel more secure about the job * Promotes ‘word-of-mouth’ advertising and customer loyalty The costs of quality are prevention, appraisal, internal and external failure costs (see appendix 3). It is essential to train and develop employee skills to suit the requirements of the restaurant. Identify problems and correct them before they have occurred. Negotiate with suppliers to improve the quality of ingredients. The ultimate goal is to increase quality of service in the restaurant, once this is achieved costs will fall. A quality strategy needs to be implemented into the Raja restaurant to provide long-term goals which are relevant to the restaurants aim. This can be achieved by implementing groups, such as quality circles and setting certain tasks and aims. Training employees is another strategy this could focus on eliminating errors and improving quality. 2. How would you improve the service experience for customers of the Raja? Following the definitions quality is a very important issue that needs to be taken into consideration for every movement that a business does, nevertheless there is also design, layout and production to be considered, is having this in mind that we overlooked at Raja’s situation. To keep up with new business and competitors you need to innovate, differentiate, create something special and unique, a customer that has an experience is likely to return and therefore be loyal to your business as well as recommend it to others. The Raja’s Restaurant needs to be re-modernised, the old wall paper should be scrapped and in its place should be something more welcoming and pleasing, giving the feel of a calm and clean environment. The layout should also be changed making a separate entrance between the dining in customers and those who just want to take the food away, one type of customer should not interfere with the other so a distinction should be made clearly. There is even the possibility of expanding the business and introducing a take-away menu where customers could place orders over the phone and have it delivered to their address that would leave even more space for customers who prefer dining in and would also increase customer numbers. Whilst many customers may enjoy listening to the radio, many others may not, it will be good to have a mixture of music, compiling a good CD collection as well as the traditional radio station, and this is likely to please almost everyone as it gives a feel of a balanced environment. Use the free parking as an advantage and make customers aware of this facility, especially on Fridays and Saturdays nights when high streets are crowded with people going to different places and parking space is limited. The Raja needs concentrate on its service speed, customers don’t like waiting and if the waiting is long they might find it easy going elsewhere, to make sure quality issues are resolved they need to reduce waiting time, focusing especially over weekends when demand is higher. In order to do that waiters should not have to help in the kitchen, fetching food, be involved in any form of food preparation or do any food sequencing for the chef. More kitchen staff needs to be employed, employing more staff will mean higher costs but it will also mean higher turn over of tables. Having more kitchen staff also means you can have more food variety and new dishes can be introduced, a new menu can be designed following seasons variations, this should prevent customers from being bored and keep coming back to try new things. As we expect the number of customers to grow we need to also plan for more waiters to be working on the waiting area, service should always be at high standard and customers should never have to ask for anything. Making sure there is good quality service means people will feel satisfied and return more often. Cost reduction is another important issue, if your ingredients are expensive your food will be expensive and it will attract fewer people, working with a single supplier that can provide good quality ingredients, fresh and reliable goods will automatically reduce cooking time, speeding up the process, also bulk buying is cheaper and a deal can be negotiated for ingredients that are bought more often. Big suppliers can also deliver, that should save even more time so management can focus on planning and improving other things, such as appraising staff and overlooking problems. Proper training should be provided to all members of staff; everyone should comply with the Health Safety Regulations for food and always maintain standards, the working environment should always be clean and well maintain, this will not only make working easier but will also show an improvement on the visual aspect. All staff should be properly dressed for their functions and always make sure they are running their tasks smoothly. Managers should concentrate in individual performances as well as team performances, having a good and healthy work environment will motivate employees and customers will notice it. After introducing this big transformation, if performance is still low promotional schemes can be created to bring customers back, a loyalty card with a discount percentage is likely to attract many people and give them the impression they are getting another advantage here that they can’t have elsewhere.