Interpersonal Communication Essay

First off, let me welcome you to a brand new world of love, care family bonds and holy matrimony. My name is Stacey Lindsey, and I am going to give you an idea of interpersonal communication is going to affect your lives, and the skills/knowledge you will need in order to find yourselves together and still happy 50 years down the road. Marriage today seems, to some, to be a fly-by-night operation. I stand here today writing you to let you know that this does not have to be the case. If you two are willing to take suggestions and follow a simple set of rules based on a healthy relationship built on proper interpersonal communication, then you have a chance to find yourself happy and in love for some time to come. Communication is the keystone to any strong relationship. In order to truly understand ourselves and our loved ones, we must first understand the way that we interact in our day to day intermingling. Explain the principles and misconceptions in effective interpersonal communications. In the text book Making Connections: Understanding Interpersonal Communication (Sole,2011), we are shown that there are six basic principles at plat regarding Human communications. First, we are told that communication is symbolic. Second, we are shown that communication is shared meaning. Third, communication is shown to be a process. Fourth, the argument is made that communication is culturally determined. Fifth, we are shown that communication occurs in context. Sixth, we are told that communication is purposeful. While these principles serve to explain the basic meanings behind how communications work, there will always be a basic misconception about how and what communication is meant to be. It is important, though, to remember that a basic set of principles guides us through understanding interpersonal communication. The use of symbols is widely believed to be what makes human language unique. A symbol can be anything that conveys a meaning, and it can be written, spoken, or non-verbal. Drawings, photographs, and music can be symbolic. Even objects such as homes, automobiles, clothing, and jewelry can be symbolic (Sole, Sn. 1.3, para 2.). Human beings have a unique ability to make almost anything stand for something, giving an almost endless ability to communicate. The fact the communication is shared meaning is the driving force behind the ability to visualize stories and information through shared language and symbols of our world. Our perception will directly affect how a story is communicated, so we must see these shared meanings as abstraction. Communication is a lifelong process by which we gain knowledge and experience, with which we sharpen our communication skills. Because this is an ongoing thing, we must continually work to maintain and build on the relationship we form. Communication is culturally determined, meaning that our cultures, or the way we eat, sleep, live and understand the world, affect the way we communicate. Many white americans idealize a dispassionate and logical mode of debating and problem-solving. In mediation this is expressed in maxims such as â€Å"separate the people from the problem† and the use of caucuses to cool down emotions (Fisher and Ury, 1981). In Black and White Styles of Conflict (Kochman, 1981) it states that African Americans construe a difference in communication style differently, and that â€Å"Blacks call this constraining mode of behavior fronting, and they generally regard negatively situations in which it is necessary to front†¦ All blacks consider fronting to be a strain†. Our ability to rationalize, our willingness to work things out, and our likely hood of finding common ground with someone we disagree with is greatly affected by our culture. Communication must be understood as a context driven subject. Where, when, and how we come to communicate is going to drive how we interact with others. Things such as our physical state, our mental well being, and the emotion surrounding a subject are sure to contribute to how we appreciate a communicated subject. It is important to remember that communication is purposeful. We do not communicate simply to make noise, but instead to share meaning and connect with others. Our needs are influenced and met through interaction with the outside world. These principles of communication guide us to understand the meaning and importance of human interpersonal communications and how we can communicate properly. There are misconceptions in interpersonal communication, though. The belief that we communicate only for our own good and that we will be unable to understand the meaning behind something without the proper context is wrong. We will find our way as we need be. Identify the barriers to effective interpersonal interactions. Competence, language, perception, and information are all barriers that can get in the way of effective interpersonal interactions. Any of these four barriers can cause an issue so great that effect communication is made impossible. All four parts must be met satisfactory if clear and concise communication is to be had. An article in the periodical Supervisory Management (1991) a situation is given that shows the proper way to get past barriers of effective interaction. â€Å"In order to make certain that you cover all aspects of a subject, you must take the time beforehand to plan what you want to say. In the case of an unsatisfactory employee, for instance, it’s not enough to know that his work has been slipping. Think about when you first noticed the problem, list examples of the problem on a piece of paper, and be prepared to explain what changes in the quality of performance you are requiring. Mentally go over the employee’s work history for the past few months to see if you can determine when they occurred. Pinpoint episodes that caused problems in the employee’s performance and prepare yourself to discuss them. Put yourself in the employee’s position and anticipate how he will react to what you are saying. Then try to prepare a proper response†. (Para. 4). All four barriers are avoided using simple tools. Competence, or having the knowledge to understand the subject, is taken care of by planning what you will say. The language section is covered by the same effect by known what you will say and how you will explain your thoughts. Your personal perception is a tough barrier to breach, but by listing examples of the particular problem on a piece of paper and taking that aspect of perception our of play, you effectively move forward. Lastly, the information that has been complied in order to present a clear and concise explanation of what is needed and how it can be done will avert any issues of this becoming a barrier. Averting the barriers that get in the way of interpersonal communication in its top form is going to give you a stronger relationship and a better avenue to share and learn about each other. Not allowing these four barriers to get in the way of your communication will leave an open line of communication to share your feelings and understandings of the world with one another. Recognize how words have the power to create and affect attitudes, behavior, and perception. Words are very powerful things. By uttering just the simplest word we can bring division and even hatred into a relationship. The miscommunication of language and can lead to misunderstandings, loss of clear communications, and at times, the end of a relationship completely. This does not have to be true. Understanding that words have power, and they can create and affect attitudes, behavior, and perception is a tool that will allow you to communicate to the best of your ability by understanding the power of your language. A word has the ability to represents can create a myriad of different emotions, feelings, and reactions. By choosing to use a word in one way, we find that we have affected another persons attitude, behavior, or even their perception of us/ ourselves. I, personally, noticed at a young age that my use of certain words in certain ways brought forth great emotion in the people around me. An example of this is the word â€Å"faggot†. I have never, and do not expect to ever, had an issue with homosexuals or their personal lifestyles. My use of the word described a person who did something extremely silly that I found myself unable to understand. Certain people would react angrily to the word, while others would accept it as funny and laugh away the misunderstanding around it. Sole (2011), tells us â€Å"Negative connotations often act s triggers to derail your interpersonal communication. We all have trigger words that create an immediate emotional reaction when we hear them† (Sect. 4.1). By understanding how we interact with one another, and how our words, and not only our actions, effect those around us as well as ourselves, we stand a chance of finding away to communicate effectively. Define emotional intelligence and its role in effective interpersonal relationships. In the text of Making Connections: Interpersonal Communications (Sole, 2011), emotional intelligence is defined as â€Å"The capacity to understand, communicate, and manage emotions and feelings and to understand and respond to the feelings of others† (Glossary), Emotional intelligence plays an integral role in effective interpersonal relationships. Without the skills mentioned we may never have a true understanding of what makes our loved one tick. We, as human beings, are a complicated lot. Our emotional make up is complicated, our ways of communicating are affected by an array of outside sources, and we can be tough to keep up with sometimes. If a husband is unable to sense a change in his wife’s emotional state due to something able to connect and communicate properly in order to find out what may be bothering her, he is doomed to fine himself alone, or worse, in an unhappy relationship. The ability to understand, communicate, and manage emotions will give a husband or wife the ability to make it through life a bit easier, as life will never be easy itself. Evaluating appropriate levels of self-disclosure is satisfying to a stable relationship. The quality and quantity of marital communication and disclosure had been linked to the level of perceived satisfaction within the marriage. Self-disclosure is one type of marital communication that has been identified as a key factor in this development. Although quality communication is defined differently from study to study, most agree that happy marriages and self-disclosure go hand-in-hand. Sharing private feelings, fears, doubts and perceptions is essential to self-disclosure and allows reductions with your mate will be. Once you mutually determine that you want to establish long-term relationship, disclosure continues and over time leads to more personal topics. Permitting one’s true self to be known can be difficult, yet to build a solid rapport in marriage it is imperative. The Risk of Self- Disclosure While self-disclosure can have many positive benefits; it can be risky, and can have negative consequences, true enough. Sharing information about yourself makes you vulnerable, and van be used to take advantage of you. However, it is the only way you can learn, feel, grow and have a meaningful, successful marriage. Broadly speaking, empathy as a form of self-disclosure, gives us the ability to feel for another person, to imagine oneself in the same situation, enduring those same experiences and emotions. Empathy is also something you both will have to learn; you must have the mental flexibility to put yourself in the shoes of the other person. Effective Interpersonal communication is often based on empathy, since interpersonal communication skills refer to how we interact with each other on a personal level. Whenever two people care about each other, as you do, they use many different interpersonal communication skills. Empathy is one of the most crucial skills that we have and can use on a daily basis. Listening with empathy can help you express yourselves and feel heard, as well. Learn to improve your self-disclosure. Empathetic listening will not only give you the ability to put yourself in another person’s shoes, but also provide a supportive listening environment. Neuroscientist Jean Decety, believes that empathy is even a mirrored emotion and that empathy is one of those human impulses that defy easy explanation. It gets entangled with sympathy or compassion or commiseration; it submerges into altruism. Empathy requires emotional control-the capacity to distinguish yourself from the other person, a gift invaluable to experiencing closeness in a relationship such as marriage. Describe strategies for managing interpersonal conflicts. Conflicts are sure to arise in any good, healthy relationship. Though this may seem odd, it is part of effective interpersonal communication. We must be able to discuss our feelings and needs, and at times, we have to argue about the importance of these needs or emotional situations. By listening, understanding and communicating effectively, you will find yourself in a place of understood emotions and happy campers. As a newlywed couple you must remember that life can only be as good as you make it. If you are unable to communicate effectively, you must look at the current situation and see if it is caused by personal error or a misunderstanding of how a relationship is supposed to work. If effective interpersonal communication seems to be impossible, maybe it is time to take steps towards a better understanding of what effective communication is, and maybe it is time to reexamine your relationship as it stands. To find your selves in a relationship that is healthy, open, full of free and exciting communication is the goal here. Good luck, and good night. Reference Fisher, Roger and Ury, William (1981) Getting to Yes: Negotiating Agreement Without Giving In. New York: Penguin Books, 1981 Kochman, Thomas. Black and White Styles of Conflict. Chicago and London: University of Chicago Press. 1981 Sachs, R. (1991). Overcoming the Obstacles to Communication. Supervisory Management. Vol. 36, Iss. 7; Pg.4 (found through ProQuest at Ashford. edu) Sole, K. (2011). Making Connections: Interpersonal Communication. San Diego, CA: Bridgepoint Education, Inc. Ashford Student Library ProQuest Shared Talking Styles: Herald New Last Relationships

Life Without Televisions

Life without Television When my family’s only television set went to the repair shop the other day, my parents, my sister, and I thought we would have a terrible week. How could we get through the long evenings in such a quiet house? What would it be like without all the shows to keep us company? We soon realized, though, that living without television for a while was a stroke of good fortune. It became easy for each of us to enjoy some activities alone, to complete some postponed chores, and to spend rewarding time with each other and friends.First of all, with no television to compete for our time, we found plenty of hours for personal interests. We all read more that week than we had read during the six months before. For instance, I was able to finish â€Å"The Scarlet Letter†, a novel assigned in my English class. Also my younger sister read 300 pages of the last book of the â€Å"Twilight† series. We each also enjoyed some hobbies we had ignored for ages. M y dad’s old enthusiasm for gardening returned, and he started planting vegetables in his garden.My mom had time to open her bakery book and bake Italian desserts such as Profiterole and tiramisu. My sister and I played volleyball in the back yard, a sport that we loved since we were younger. In addition, my sister and I both stopped procrastinating with our homework. We both found out that it was really helpful to work on homework ahead of time; therefore I worked on chapter three and four of my Algebra homework for next week. I also finished my study guide for my English test. My sister as well worked on her French and Government assignments.Second we did chores that had been hanging over our heads for too long. There were many jobs around the house that had needed attention for some time. Cleaning our rooms was the first chore we did; my sister and I cleaned our entire room and vacuumed the carpet. Then my mom cleaned the counter tops and all the shelves of the kitchen. Fin ally my dad managed to clean his garage and put all of his tools back on the shelves. We also had a chance to do some long- postponed shopping. My father went to SEARS to buy a sofa that was needed in his room.My mom went to LOWES to buy accessories for her bathroom. My sister and I went to the mall to buy her prom dress and I was able to buy two pairs of jeans and two shirts that I wanted. And each of us also caught up with e-mails and did paperwork that was long overdue. My mom had some office work done, such as sales reports for the committee of her company. My dad finally wrote an e-mail to my grandma that is living in Spain with my aunt Susan. My sister also replied to e-mails from her friends that live in Italy.And I was able to complete my FASFA application for the fall semester. Finally, and probably most important, we spent time with each other. Instead of just being in the same room together while we stared at a screen, we actually talked for many pleasant hours. My parent s and I never had long conversations before, and during that week, we got to know each other more than we did for the past five years. My sister and I talked more about each other and we found out that we have a lot of interests in common. Moreover, for the first time in years, my family played some games together.My sister enjoys playing Monopoly; therefore, we played almost every night. We also played chest, one of my dad’s favorite games. My mom’s favorite game is dominos; although my sister ended up winning every game. And because we didn’t have to worry about missing this or that show, we had some family friends over on a couple of evenings and spent enjoyable time with them. We would play volleyball in the back yard. After several games we would have dinner in the back patio enjoying the lovely weather while listening to classical music.And finally after dinner we would make a bonfire and sit around it and remember memories with our friends. Once our telev ision returned, we were not prepared to put it in the attic. But we had a sense of how it can take over our lives if we are not careful. We are now more selective. We turn on the set for our favorite shows, certain sports events, and the news, but we don’t leave it running all evening. As a result, we find we can enjoy television and still have time left over for other activities and interests.

Burberry history Essay

Barberry was founded in 1856; originally focusing on producing ‘innovative functional outwear. ‘ over the years Barberry has adapted to changing trends and tastes to suit the consumers wants and needs. Additionally the extension of their product portfolio, for example their perfume and accessories range, Is a response to competition from leading brands such as Ralph Lauren and others. Barberry set out to create a luxury, premium brand image, however in recent years in Britain especially, the public perception of Barberry products have been labeled as ‘chap kook’ because of their distinctive tartan pattern on clothing. In September 201 2 the high brand luxury clothing company Barberry issued a profit warning taking El ban off Buyers market value resulting with a share fall of 19%. We are currently In an economic recession which has resulted In less consumer confidence and a trend of reduced spending habits. However the types of consumers that purchase brands like Barberry would usually not be effected by the economic recession. They are likely to have much more disposable income and secure well- paid Jobs. Retail analyst Joana Satyrs stated that â€Å"The global economic crawls Is dragging on and the longer It drags on the less confident even wealthier Individuals become†. Meaning that even those with more disposable Income to spend on luxury goods such as Barberry, are less confident which Is a major factor resulting In reduced spending habits. If consumers are spending less the company is likely to result in profit losses. If the problem deteriorates it can result in closing of stores and making staff redundant; adding to the already high unemployment figures Barberry s a luxury brand is not immune from the economic instability which has seen weaker sales not only in the UK but globally. From researching Buyers share decrease we can see that the 2012 London Olympics has played a major factor in profit loss. The types of customers buying Barberry products are likely to live in expensive locations such as London; Barberry state that the London Olympics pulled tourists away from shopping and pushed them more towards visiting the Olympic park and stadium and spending their money on souvenirs. However due to the economic recession and the trend of reduced pending habits, Buyers luxury high priced goods were Increasingly likely to see reduced sales. Although wealthier Individuals are likely to be unaffected by the economic recession, the Auk’s high unemployment rate has made Buyers customer base even more restricted than before. In contrast to Buyers view that the Olympics contributed to their profit loss, we believe that the Olympics helped the Auk’s unemployment rate hugely giving more individuals and potential customers more disposable income. However now that the Olympics are over, it can shift focus onto spending more on brands such as Barberry. In comparison; lower priced stores such as Tops and H & M are receiving higher likely to buy from stores that have fashionable styles and a wider variety of clothing at much lower prices. BBC business news (twitter) stated that â€Å"UK retail sales rise as shoppers buy winter clothing† and that â€Å"sales volumes were up 0. 6% in the last month†. Individuals are much more likely to spend EYE – OHIO on a coat rather than an IEEE one; especially during the economic recession. Taking the above into account, there are a number of ways in which Barberry could improve their economic position in the retail market. While Barberry are not in a state of danger as it stands, if their profit and share prices were to decrease further they may have to cut their costs. This could see a decrease in quality of their products resulting to a decline in brand loyalty and a future reduction in sales. One way Barberry could improve their situation is by re-marketing their product range to appeal to a different target audience, that of the middle and working class. Evidence suggests that lower priced stores (Tops and H&M) have been benefiting as a result of their lower prices. If Barberry were to adjust their position in the market, closer to that of H&M they may wreak the rewards. However, we think that Barberry may tarnish their entire business reputation if they do so. It takes many years to achieve a high brand reputation like that of Barberry and it would be a massive risk to put it all on the line. Also the lower priced retailers market is dominated by a few big players and is extremely competitive, making it harder for Barberry to establish itself in the lower priced category. We think that Barberry should ‘ride out the storm’ for the time being. If anything is to be done it should be investing more into marketing and branding to appeal to the upper middle-class. Although this would be costly initially, sales should pick up over time; improving Buyers share price and profits. Furthermore, in the meantime it would be easy for Barberry to take advantage of the current state of ‘national pride’ (following the Olympics) and go back to basics promoting the ‘Brutishness’ of their brand. Another way in which Barberry can improve their current situation is by taking a similar approach to Versa by launching a more economical clothing range with gig street brands such as H&M. For Barberry to differentiate themselves they can instead launch their clothing range with Ezra rather than H&M. Reason being that they types of clothes they offer are very similar in terms of sophistication and quality. This method was very successful with Versa as their line with H&M sold out within 30 minutes. By introducing a more affordable clothing line, Barberry will advantage from an increase in sales and profits as demand from consumers will increase. The cheaper they market their new clothing range the more people would want to buy it s they will be purchasing Barberry clothing for a faction of the cost.

Digitel media Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Digitel media - Essay Example Television has started streaming their news live in some sites like face book and YouTube (Papathanassopoulos & Negrine, 2013). There has been an increase in social television. Many people call it the second screen. They distribute news for the traditional television. Many people prefer television as the source of their news. They will follow the way of social television because of their similarity to traditional television. Different statistics around the globe point at the increased number of tablet and laptop owners using their devices watching television. Tweeter said that people post most tweets during the time the programs run in television. This happens when live programs air, example, the super bowl. The business opportunity in the digital universe is so open for the television industry. Social networks, like face book and twitter are interactive in nature. Players in television industry have created interactive television programs. By interacting viewers, television becomes more interesting, bonding closely television and the digital universe. Programmers have developed applications that run online television. Demand for these applications has been on the rise. This shows how the television has encountered major success in digital platform. The applications allow mobile device owners get instant news or watch their favorite programs. Many applications of the same are on the rise, because of competition, giving consumers the hard time to choose which the best is. This has resulted to mergers and acquisition in order to give the consumers the best services, cementing the business opportunity television enjoys in digital media universe. Demand for television services, like adverti sements, are on the rise because of it coping with the technology changes. An average adult spends almost five hours a day online. Online television is the most watched news urgency if a person wants to get the day’s news and

Reading summaries Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Reading summaries - Essay Example This approach considers intoxication to be a positive thing and a state of enhancement. It describes intoxication as, â€Å"a form of bodily pleasure†. This perception is in complete disagreement with the first perception. According to this article, despite the fact that the harm caused by intoxication cannot be disputed, the campaign aimed at changing drinking practices is hindered by the gap between public health and general understanding of intoxication. For instance, the article points out that, recent researches have revealed that the youth might be involved in drinking as a part of â€Å"a wide-ranging culture of hedonistic consumption† (Keane 2009, P. 142). The article asserts that for there to be any meaningful outcome from such campaigns, there needs to be a proper understanding of the various uses of alcohol and the influence of social culture on drinking culture. There should also be more understanding of the nature and impact of controlled alcohol consumption among the youth. Not until there is a proper understanding by the public health on alcohol consumption and the pleasure and risks involved that there shall be a solution for the problem. Public health and the general public sho uld have a general understanding of these aspects of alcoholism and

Crimson Tide you tube video on power and influence Essay

Crimson Tide you tube video on power and influence - Essay Example The first scene is a colorful example of how Hunter uses the referent power to influence others but in a way that raises their admiration in him. In the scene, he asks Petty Officer First Class Danny Rivetti about the reason behind a fight between Rivetti and another Bennefield. His way of handling the situation is not simply an application of his power; instead; he says â€Å"you are a supervisor, you can get a commission like that† (Crimson Tide). In addition, he tells that â€Å"you have to set an example even in the face of stupidity† (Crimson Tide). In the situation, Danny Rivetti seems well aware about the silliness of the issue he was in, and how stupid he will seem if he says the issue to Hunter. After making him understand the way he is supposed to perform, Hunter uses the weapon that sets him apart from Ramsey. He says â€Å"Everybody who reads comic books knows that the Kirby Silver Surfer is the only true Silver Surfer.† Here one can see Ingratiation and Impression Management as Hunter resorts to some degree of flattering to make Danny Rivetti feel that he is a man who is supposed to behave properly as he is supposed to ‘set an example’. In addition, Hunter even resorts to Upward Appeal to remind Rivetti that ‘you are a supervisor’.

Behavioural Finance final Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Behavioural Finance final - Essay Example Different ways of reforms of financial crisis have been developed. Therefore, role of public policy will be discussed through some relevant economic theories developed by the eminent economists. These are Modern Momentary Theory, Moslers’s Law and Reverse Recardian Equivalence. These theories will be applied to identify the best possible ways in light of public sector to address financial crisis. Recommendations from these theories will be analysed in the light of endogenous money theory. Relation of economic crisis with public sector Economic crisis is worst case scenario of an economy which has subsequent effect on the world economy. Worldwide globalization has linked up the economies of all the countries with open economy. Different financial activities of people across the world have substantial or major contribution in economic crisis. Financial institutions especially banks are the major participants in economic crisis which represents financial stability of an economy t hrough the participation of public in various financial instruments. There are many different types of root causes behind the recessions or financial crisis took place mainly in the developed countries in USA and United Kingdom and spread in the world economy. ... General tendency of people is to invest their savings into some sectors that shows future potential and growth to provide more than expected return and i.e. much higher government bond return. But, future growth of a private sector in terms of growth in revenue is depends on the increase in income level as well purchasing power of public in the economy. Therefore, if both are not in a equilibrium position in future, a dramatic bubble occurs in the expected potential sectors and major decline in revenue starts which affect both the equity return as well businesses not able to pay the major creditors like banks (Callan, Nolan & Walsh, 2010, p.15). Effective theories of public policy There are numbers of economic theories developed by the eminent economists who have provided recommendation through their theories. These recommendations are highly related with the financial activities of public sector to address economic crisis. Following three economic theories are most relevant with the ways of reforming financial crisis. Modern Monetary Theory It is a descriptive economic theory that deals with consequences and procedures of using monetary tokens issued by government and it is acts as a unit of money i.e. fiat money. This theory can be applied to analyse modern economies where it acts as national currency of an economy which is issued and regulated by the government. According to this theory of economics, money enters into the market for circulation through the government spending. Taxation is employed in the economy to value the fiat money as currency. It controls the demand and supply of money in the market. Modern Monetary theory maintains a standard equilibrium level of

Ethical Violations Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Ethical Violations - Coursework Example According to the leader, the role was more suitable for ladies than for men and so instead of promoting the employee to take up the position, he employed a new person to take up the position. This was immediately identified as ethical violation because the labor laws of the country frowns on discrimination of any type (Johnson, 2012). The consequence of the violation on the leader who committed the violation was that he had to personally face a series of legal suits. This is because the employee involved suited the company and as the leader, the one who violated the ethics had to take off precious hours off his work schedule to attend to the court. All in all, it would be stated that accountability becomes deeply affected when such violations occur. This is because in the present circumstance, it became highly difficult for other employees of the company to trust the credibility of the leader to ensure fairness. The workforce also came to adopt a notion that the worker had taken issues of accountability into his own hands and so the larger workforce could not trust his credibility to be accountable (Wade et al, 2009) Wade, N. G., Worthington, E. L., Jr., & Haake, S. (2009). Comparison of explicit forgiveness interventions with an alternative treatment: A randomized clinical trial. Journal of Counseling & Development, 87(2),

Information Tech for Mgmt Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Information Tech for Mgmt - Essay Example Therefore, working with big data should use systems for bulk data logging for better storage, management, security and federal compliance. The main focus is on the importance of using a data logging system that is made especially for bulk data storage and retrieval. But despite their availability, many still resort to basic log systems or spreadsheets, which are effective in small amounts of data, but may not be adequate when indexing many data, which could result to inconclusive results during a search (Olavsrud 2). Also, of the 207 respondents to the survey, only around half are concerned with big data management, and above half do not have sufficient tools to manage their large amounts of data (Olavsrud 1), and opportunities for growth can get bypassed as a result of non-upgrading. If ordinary logging systems are used, storage can be a problem, as well as filing, indexing and searches. In my opinion, it would be a good change for companies to resort to bulky data management systems, and upgrading their systems can help in making their work and data retrieval faster and more efficient. Lastly, if proper data management is used by these organizations, they could lessen chances of having their data leaked by integrating a security system along with their log management system solution. The upgrade’s benefits can be seen in the long run, especially to those that use previous data to come up with better work

How Can University Programme Be Changed To Address The Needs Of The In Essay

How Can University Programme Be Changed To Address The Needs Of The International Graduate Students - Essay Example These include role plays; problem-solving using case studies; and group discussion sessions during which NS students act as student-facilitators and both the NNES and NS students work together in to discuss broad intercultural themes such as ‘‘Gestures and Non-Verbal Communication† or more specific themes such as ‘‘Interacting with your Supervisor and Fellow Classmates.† Prior to enrollment into graduate programs, students should be encouraged to attend cultural orientation sessions and workshops which are aimed at making International students at ease with the new culture and introducing them to the different aspects of the multicultural environment, which demands effective communication with NNES and NES students and professors from a variety of linguistic. Such sessions also have the added advantage of providing the new students with an opportunity to mix with other international and host students and the faculty. Thus, in conclusion, language s kills pose a significant barrier for international NNES students in not only improving their academic performance but also in their social interaction and effective communication in all spheres of life. Above discussed are some of the several ways in which the existing curriculum can be modified in order to facilitate the acquisition of proper language skills amongst international students, the incorporation if which into University programs can aid the International students greatly in becoming acculturated into the new society.

Revelation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Revelation - Essay Example The comprehension of Flannery O’Connor’s battle with lupus, as well as her belief in Roman Catholic ideologies, adds to the appreciation of her writing. This paper will use the biographical theory to critique O’Connor’s short story Revelation. O’Connor’s background influenced her writing of Revelation. The plot centers on O’Connor’s experiences and thoughts, for instance, a notable inspiration of her story is her Southern upbringing. In her lifetime, Southerners were prejudicial towards people on account of their races and lifestyles. Southerners believed that people less fortunate than them were inferior to them, thereby, labeling people as different things. Southerners offered O’Connor necessary images to construct the characters, for instance, in Revelation, character identification occurs on the basis of their physical features and race. For example, Mrs. Turpin makes racially prejudicial statements referring to chara cters such as a classy woman as â€Å"well-dressed and pleasant†, a teenager as â€Å"ugly†, a poor woman as â€Å"white trash† and her black workers as â€Å"niggers†. The characteristics that Mrs. Turpin uses to label characters exemplify O’Connor’s Southern lifestyle. ... However, the most substantial influence on Revelation is O’Connor’s religion. Religion is one of the most prominent themes of the story. O’Connor’s Catholic heritage is the main influencer of this theme. Similar to other authors, O’Connor appears fascinated by the subject of the actuality of sin, as well as its effects on humans. Through the story, O’Connor demonstrates reality and personal qualities as determinants of people’s destiny and fate, which ultimately uncovers social truths. This background, a plausible plot, convincing characterization and viable literary devices, enable O’Connor to develop themes such as religion and the essence appreciating people for their deeds rather than exterior. In order to develop these themes, O’Connor establishes a credible plot using social conflict, an unhappy ending and the element of surprise. Revelation has both minor and serious social conflicts, for instance; the minor confli ct is essentially between Mrs. Turpin and the woman dubbed white-trash. This conflict emanates from Mrs. Turpin’s belief that she is of a superior socioeconomic rank than the other woman. The story’s serious conflict is between the teenage girl and Mrs. Turpin, which accelerates in the story, particularly through Mrs. Turpin’s facial expressions and rude gestures and remarks towards the teenager. For instance, Mrs. Turpin considers the teenager’s face as the â€Å"ugliest face she has ever seen anyone make† (O’Connor 394). In order to develop the story’s themes further, O’Connor uses clear motivation, plausibility and unswerving behavior to fortify the story’s convincing characterizations. Mrs. Turpin is always curious and observant of those around and victimizes other characters. Mrs. Turpin gains her

Pategonias Expansion Strategy Essay Example for Free

Pategonias Expansion Strategy Essay 1. Patagonia’s Current Strategy: Key Processes and Customer Perception In the context of our business model our number one key process is our Rules and Norms (a complete breakdown of Patagonia’s current business model and a to-be-proposed business model are available for review in Exhibit I). This ethos that started with the founding of Chouinard Equipment continued through the creation of Lost Arrow and indeed Patagonia. Our self-proclaimed â€Å"dirtbag† culture has resulted in some unorthodox business practices over the years. We pride ourselves on our efforts to reduce the social and environmental impact of the lifetime of the goods and services we produce. This is something that our competitors recognize but do not focus efforts on; for us it is of the utmost importance. I took this liberty to draft a Customer Value Proposition (CVP) for our current model: â€Å"We provide high quality, durable outdoor athletic clothing and accessories that are produced with a high standard for environmental and social impact. We make the products that we want to use.† To extrapolate on the latter portion of our CVP, we expect our employees to not only share in the environmental and social consciousness that Mr Chouinard has weaved into the culture of Patagonia but we expect employees to be users of our products as well. This gives us an incredible insight into the functionality and durability of our products. This is exemplified in our generous sabbaticals and midday surfing breaks at our corporate headquarters. Additional insight in this regard is provided by our investment in brand ambassadors, who also provide us with the core of our visual marketing in our catalogs, our website, and social media. In order of volume we move our products through three main channels: wholesale, retail, catalog/internet. In order of profitability the channels are arranged as such retail, catalog/internet[1], and wholesale. There is an additional product repair arm of Patagonia’s structure that at the moment is not profitable. Our commitment to the ethical fiber that binds the core of what Patagonia as a brand stands for results in a product that comes at a premium price, however we believe that the money you spend on Patagonia products is a contribution to our commitment for care when it comes to the environments and social spheres within which we operate. So far we have seen success as shown below. 2. Financial Review of Current Business Model The competition analysis in Exhibit III outlines our industries averages for financial health. It would seem that our â€Å"dirtbag† approach to business has boded well for us over the last ten years. While our total market share (annual sales) is far below the industry average over all the company is making money. Our gross profit margin is over 6% higher than the industry average and our pre-tax profit margin is right in line with the industry average. While Patagonia’s ROE and ROA are below the industry average it is not my much and our debt to equity ratio is far below the industry average. So while we holds more equity and assets on hand than our competitors we has enough liquid cash flow to finance operations without having to incur much debt. Our 12 month revenue growth is trending along with the industry however our 12 month net growth income is nearly 13% higher than our competitors. Thus while we are experiencing growth that is on par with the industry we are experiencing a downward turn in our operating and/or material costs. It should be noted that the information here is of companies who compete in our industry but not exclusively. Columbia is the competitor that competes most directly with our niche in the industry and on every account except for debt/equity our numbers are favorable and even in the case of debt/equity the difference is negligible. The standards for philanthropy and an ethical purview for production and material sourcing at Patagonia are much higher than the industry average. We donate 1% of gross sales to environmental initiatives and causes, and our COGS are higher than competitors as a result of our ethical stance. However, once again (as shown in Lost Arrow: Financials, Exhibit III) we have been operating in the black for the last decade. This may also be explained by our company ethic. We focus on a curbing of consumption and that focus has limited how much we are willing to spend on advertizing. Conversely our competition holds advertisement as a high priority when establishing sales and brand. This observation is not trivial and could more than account for the balance between our costs and those of our competitors. 3. Moving Forward As discussed the current model for Patagonia works. You can be a â€Å"dirtbag† and make make money. The question is how do we continue on with the goal of 10% growth per year for the next five years? Whatever we choose we must operate within that moral fiber that helped us to achieve who we are today. Following are two suggestions for how to move forward, one uses our current business model, the other proposes a change. Please reference Exhibit I for business model analysis and Exhibit II for strategy. Strategy: Current Business Model Tactic One: A Focus on Retail – Our best margins are derived from retail sales however this accounts for just one third of our sales volume. The best type of marketing asset we have are our retail employees. Our Dirtbag Ambassadors are out there skiing, snowboarding, climbing, camping, bouldering, and living the life that Patagonia wants to be an integral part of. We must expand our retail channel and focus on those areas where dirtbags convene. A quick review of the 26 stores in the United States can be found in Exhibit V. Portland, Seattle, St. Paul, Chicago, Atlanta, DC. Sure dirtbags live in cities but where are our stores in Telluride, Tahoe, Bend, Cheyenne, or Buffalo? An expansion of our retail stream increases profitability as well as the reach of our marketing, the Patagonia way. These are the places our competitors don’t wants stores for lack of traffic, but our stores are more than commerce they are community centers for dirtbags. Tactic Two: Research and Development – Our industry ethic has produced one of the best research and development laboratories in the industry. We can leverage this in two ways. First and foremost we must fund research to produce material with the ethical and physical integrity that also helps lower our gross margins. We have pioneered ethical durable material in the industry, now we must find a way to do so cheaper. Doing so would open up the market for those dirtbags who dont have as much money and would normally go to a competitor based on price point. Second we hold patents for these materials we could offer to sell material to other outdoor companies, or begin a joint venture. In either of these cases we must make sure that the material we produced is being utilized in an end product that is up to the standards of Patagonia. Strategy Two: A New Business Model There comes a time in a business life when you have to ask: While what we are doing has worked, how long will it work? To achieve the goal of 10% growth per year we may have to think outside of our wheelhouse and think about how committed we are to our ethical and social standards. As long as we continue to produce more clothing people will buy it. As it stands our customer base has expendable income. How can we convince them to only buy what we need? Through an expansion of our clothing repair services and clothing swap market. A case is made for the business model change in Exhibit I. Tactic One: Expansion of Repair and Retail – It is not our goal to abandon what has made Patagonia the company it is today, thus once again we will need to expand retail stores however we do so in a way that will facilitate clothing repair. Each store should have a mending workshop staffed and equipped to repair what comes their way. To really take advantage of this service we must willing to mend non-Patagonia clothing. This will do two things: it will reduce the overall number of unnecessary purchases in our market and it will introduce people to the Patagonia lifestyle through our retail store. These store can also facilitate a recycling program for those articles of gear that are beyond repair. Something as simple as an in store credit can get people who would otherwise go to Nike experience Patagonia CA. Additionally the expanded retail presence will be an opportunity to create a network for clothing swaps Tactic Two: Expansion of Internal Repair – Expand the repair infrastructure behind retail presence. That is to say, as opposed to expanding retail and having repair work centers in-store, invest in larger repair facilities that stores can send garments to. In our current business model we are reaching critical mass with regard to how much clothing repair we can handle. If we strategically place lager facilities near our exiting stores we can handle this work load our selves. This also ensures that the materials and process of clothing repair is within the ethical conduct of our company without having to do audits of our outsourced partners. The clothing repair infrastructure for our market is basically nonexistent at this point and with research and development focused on this new business model we can create and dominate this market. This will once again involve repairing more than just Patagonia products but in the end that’s what this business model is about. To survive and grow into the next decade we must not just reduce the consumption of our customer base but we must reduce the consumption of our competitors as well. When a dirtbag holds on to a coat for another year he helps reduce Patagonias impact on the earth and its inhabitants. When Patagonia repairs a Columbia or North Face coat and it lasts for another year we have slowed the consumption of unethically produced clothes and possibly created another dirtbag. Exhibit I: Four Components of Business Model Framework (Johnson, Christensen, Kagerman) Customer value proposition (CVP): Current: Providing high quality durable outdoor athletic clothing and accessories (CA) produced with a high standard for environmental and social impact. Proposed: In addition to production, engage the consumer in the environmental and social impact of their outdoor athletic CA by involving them in the maintenance/repair/swap of CA. Profit formula: Revenue model: Current: Standard industry mark up on goods sold. Proposed: Lower the price of goods sold and charge a small fee for repairs or continue with current price structure charge cost for repairs of Patagonia clothing/accessories, charge premium repair rates for non-Patagonia clothing and accessory repair. Cost structure: Current: COGS = 80% materials 20% parts with a wholesale margin of 45% and a retail margin of 65% Proposed: A modified cost structure that emphasizes retail sales and profits off of repairs Margin model: Current: Largest channel of sales in wholesale 44%, second retail 33%, and finally Catalog/internet 23% Proposed: Shift focus from wholesale to retail/catalog/internet sales, add additional emphasis on repair cost structure for maximum profitability Resource velocity: Current: In general keeping inventory exhausts resources, something which Patagonia wants to minimize. Thus production should match as close to demand as possible. Assets should be available, although they do not need to be incredibly liquid. Proposed: Same as current model. Key resources. Current: People: There is a certain type of person who works for Patagonia. Ideally a person who works at Patagonia is the ideal consumer of their goods. Brand: With a strong brand associated with high environmental and social standards combined with a strong dislike of standard advertising channels for the industry the reputation Patagonias brand has gained is remarkable (this is achieved through the people they employ as well). Technology: Their ethical commitment to responsible sourcing and production has resulted in some profitable patents of great CA material. Proposed: The current Key Resources should not be lost but the Technology will shift to the new business model – a focus on materials , threads, and substances for repair. Additionally there would be a re-purposing of Facilities to reflect this model change as well. Key processes. Current: Rules and Norms: Patagonias Rules and Norms inform every aspect of their business and it is no different when it comes to their Key Processes. So while manufacturing, service, and training are all important, it all comes down to the Rules and Norms. Propsed: This would not change. When a new business model is needed. 1. The opportunity to address through disruptive innovation the needs of large groups of potential customers who are shut out of a market entirely because existing solutions are too expensive or complicated for them. The product repair market is just this. As it stands now such jackets tend to be luxury purchases as they hobbies they are designed for are not generally cheap ones to keep. 2. The opportunity to capitalize on a brand new technology by wrapping a new business model around it or the opportunity to leverage a tested technology by bringing it to a whole new market Patagonia isn’t capitalizing on a new technology when it comes to CA per se but the market could motivate their RD department to develop a technology that could be incorporated into the repair model. 3. The opportunity to bring a job-to-be done focus where one does not yet exist The expansion of clothing repair for Patagonia and other non-Patagonia CA provides a real opportunity for an existing market that consumers may not know they need. It creates a job to be done (clothing repair as opposed to replacement). 4. The need to fend off low-end disrupters. Patagonia would be a low end disrupter in the repair market; repair is cheaper than replacement. 5. The need to respond to a shifting basis of competition. Patagonia would be shifting the basis of competition.

Resource Based View Of Firms Competitive Advantage

Resource Based View Of Firms Competitive Advantage The nature of competition constitutes the basis of a firm s success or failure. Quality today no longer constitutes a competitive weapon. Organisations long term success in a market is determined by its ability to expand and maintain a large number of loyal customer bases. Innovation has always been at the focus of competitiveness. Innovation often occurs in sudden dynamic shifts. It is these sudden competitive changing innovations that open up and close out vast areas of businesses. A firm s core competences is dependent on its capacity to creatively combine core skills (Prahalad, 1993), from both within and out side the organisation. However, what matters is the creative bundling of a firm s core competency (Prahalad, 1993) and thus, the need for a focus on the factors that signal value to the customers. Firms are required not only to improve, but to innovate products and services and anticipate customer needs on a continuous basis. In order to maintain a long-term relationship with the customer, firms need to demonstrate their ability to think for the customer, and to conceive and implement new ways to serve them better. Table of contents Executive Summary 1 1.0 Introduction An Overview of the Resource-Based View (RBV) 2.0 Competitive Advantage and Innovation 3-7 3.0 International Business Machines Corporation IBM 4.0 SONY 8 5.0 Procter Gamble 11 6.0 Conclusion 14 References 15-18 Bibliography and Appendices 19-21 1.0 Introduction An Overview of the Resource-Based View (RBV) RBV is a strategic theory for understanding why some firms outperform others. It is a widely adopted analytical tool of assessing a firm s internal strengths and weaknesses and a business management tool used to determine the strategic resources available to a firm. The fundamental principle of the RBV is that the basis for a competitive advantage of a firm lies primarily in the application of the bundle of valuable resources at the firms disposal (Wernerfelt, 1984, p172). It provides an explanation of competitive heterogeneity between firms. To transform a short-run competitive advantage into a sustained competitive advantage requires that these resources are heterogeneous in nature and not perfectly mobile (Peteraf, 1993, p180). Classical RBV theory was contributed by Penrose (1959) almost half a century ago. She argued that a firm is more than an administrative unit. It is also a collection of productive resources. The disposal of the resources between different users over time is determined by administrative decision. Penrose contributed to our knowledge of the creation of competitive advantage, sustaining competitive advantage, isolating mechanisms, and competitive advantage and economic rents (Kor and Mahoney, 2004). Modern RBV theory of the firm was introduced by Barney (1986, 1991), Dierickx and Cool (1989), and Peteraf (1993). Their works assumed that each firm is a collection of key resources and capabilities that determines a firm s strategy. Above-average returns are earned when the firm uses its core competencies to establish a competitive advantage over its rivals. With the progress in the research on RBV, it has become clear that the RBV extends beyond the assets of an organization and reaches i nto its capabilities which have more relation with process and activities. According to Barney (1991), for a firm to have the potential to generate competitive advantage firm resources must have four attributes. First, the firm must be valuable, in the sense that it exploits opportunities and or neutralizes threats in a firm s environment. Secondly, it must be rare among a firm s current and potential competition. Thirdly, it must be imperfectly imitable. Finally, there cannot be strategically equivalent substitutes for this resource . Identify the firm s potential key resources. Evaluate whether these resources fulfill the following (VRIN) criteria: Valuable A resource must enable a firm to employ a value-creating strategy, by either outperforming its competitors or reduce its own weaknesses (:p99;p36). Relevant in this perspective is that the transaction costs associated with the investment in the resource cannot be higher than the discounted future rents that flow out of the value-creating strategy (Mahoney and Prahalad, 1992, p370; Conner, 1992, p131). Rare To be of value, a resource must be by definition rare. In a perfectly competitive strategic factor market for a resource, the price of the resource will be a reflection of the expected discounted future above-average returns (Barney, 1986a, p1232-1233; Dierickx and Cool, 1989, p1504;[1]:p100). In-imitable If a valuable resource is controlled by only one firm it could be a source of a competitive advantage ([1]:p107). This advantage could be sustainable if competitors are not able to duplicate this strategic asset perfectly (Peteraf, 1993, p183; Barney, 1986b, p658). The term isolating mechanism was introduced by Rumelt (1984, p567) to explain why firms might not be able to imitate a resource to the degree that they are able to compete with the firm having the valuable resource (Peteraf, 1993, p182-183; Mahoney and Pandian, 1992, p371). An important underlying factor of inimitability is causal ambiguity, which occurs if the source from which a firm s competitive advantage stems is unknown (Peteraf, 1993, p182; Lippman and Rumelt, 1982, p420). If the resource in question is knowledge-based or socially complex, causal ambiguity is more likely to occur as these types of resources are more likely to be idiosyncratic to the firm in which it resides (Peteraf, 1993, p183; Mahoney and Pandian, 1992, p365;[1]:p110). Conner and Prahalad go so far as to say knowledge-based resources are the essence of the resource-based perspective (1996, p477). Non-substitutable Even if a resource is rare, potentially value-creating and imperfectly imitable, an equally important aspect is lack of substitutability (Dierickx and Cool, 1989, p1509;[1]:p111). If competitors are able to counter the firm s value-creating strategy with a substitute, prices are driven down to the point that the price equals the discounted future rents (Barney, 1986a, p1233; sheikh, 1991, p137), resulting in zero economic profits. 1.1 Competitive Advantage A firm can attain competitive advantage if the current strategy is value-creating, and not currently being implemented by present or possible future competitors. Competitive advantage has the ability to become sustained, however, this is not necessarily the case always. A competing firm can enter the market with a resource that has the ability to invalidate the prior firms competitive advantage, which results in reduced rents (Barney, 1986b, p658). Sustainability in the context of a sustainable competitive advantage is independent with regards to the time-frame. When the imitative actions have come to an end without disrupting the firm s competitive advantage, the firm s strategy can be called sustainable. This is contrary to other views that a competitive advantage is sustained when it provides above-average returns in the long run. (Porter, 1985). 2.0 Competitive Advantage through Innovation A convenient definition of innovation from an organizational perspective is given by Luecke and Katz (2003), who wrote: Innovation . . . is generally understood as the successful introduction of a new thing or method . . . Innovation is the embodiment, combination, or synthesis of knowledge in original, relevant, valued new products, processes, or services. A content analysis on the term innovation carried out by Baregheh et al. (2009) within the organizational context, defines innovation as: Innovation is the multi-stage process whereby organizations transform ideas into new/improved products, service or processes, in order to advance, compete and differentiate themselves successfully in their marketplace.[3] Innovation typically involves creativity, but is not identical to it: innovation involves acting on the creative ideas to make some specific and tangible difference in the domain in which the innovation occurs. For example, Amabile et al. (1996) propose: All innovation begins with creative ideas . . . We define innovation as the successful implementation of creative ideas within an organization. In this view, creativity by individuals and teams is a starting point for innovation; the first is necessary but not sufficient condition for the second. For innovation to occur, something more than the generation of a creative idea or insight is required: the insight must be put into action to make a genuine difference, resulting for example in new or altered business processes within the organization, or changes in the products and services provided. Innovation, like many business functions, is a management process that requires specific tools, rules, and discipline. Innovation is an instinctive behavior in certain companies. It does not emerge overnight, and will not be developed unless the firm is placed in with the right structure. This means that the firms need to identify and address their weakness, decide upon a strategic direction and determine what type of growth innovation will stimulate. In order for firms to survive intensive competition that exist around the globe, firms must be innovative. It is essential to understand what makes a firm innovative and the kind of resources make a significant contribution to a firm s innovation capabilities. We do know that good technological resources and rich innovation resources result in stronger innovation capabilities. Companies need to introduce architectural or business- model breakthroughs in order to develop new strategies to attack competitors and enter new markets. They must identify the gaps in industrial organisation and go into filling these gaps by finding ways to turn them into profitable markets. They need to find new customers, new products or new ways of promoting, producing or distributing them. Strategic innovation goes beyond just product innovation. It links resources and efforts to an overall business strategy and involves making knowledge creation and innovative action a way of life. It seeks to create and expand markets, rather than to react to customer demand and then redirecting its resources from profitable lines to more potentially profitable lines. According to Abraham and Knight (2001), for those managers who know about the strategic innovation approach, the approach serves as a part of intelligence-gene transplant , enabling them to leverage resources to achieve superior growth or competitive advantage. Innovation remains a management dilemma long-term survival requires a commitment to alteration and change through disrupting growth, but it s a strategy few companies survive. In order to solve the dilemma, leaders must address its inherent conflict. The need to innovate is universally perceived as the key to organizational survival, but it s not enough for companies to merely get better. They need to be more differentiated not just through extensions of existing businesses, but mainly through a commitment to continuous growth. Such transformational innovation is a necessity, not an option Strategic innovation process has become such an essential element due to the speed of change and increased competition. According to Abraham and Knight (2001), The process is based on repetitions of the five phase strategic innovation cycle as illustrated in the diagram below. Source : Abraham, J.L, and Knight, D.J, (2001) Strategic Innovation leveraging creative action for more profitable growth. Strategy Leadership 29, pp 24 Abraham and Knight (2001), states that This cycle helps transform difficult-to-describe tacit knowledge and experiences into more explicit form and enables a leader to deliberately and systematically create results-oriented knowledge and innovative action. Abraham and Knight (2001) identifies the five phases as per of the strategic innovation cycle. It is illustrated in Appendix 1. Abraham and Knight (2001) also identified a strategic innovation cycle In the below diagram, the strategic innovation cycle is recurring, generating an increased knowledge and innovation, spiraling up and across an organization and even reaching outside the organizations boundaries Source : Abraham, J.L, and Knight, D.J, (2001) Strategic Innovation leveraging creative action for more profitable growth. Strategy Leadership 29, pp 24 2.1 Criticism of innovation It is often considered that firms often resist to change, both within and outside the organisation. Virtually every large company that has got into trouble has been criticized for not changing rapidly enough. Many firms fail to anticipate change and its subsequent ramifications renders them unprepared, reactionary and lacking the drive necessary to respond to the market s demands. It has become increasingly important for firms today to introduce innovation and flexibility into their core competence (Peters, 1987). Moreover, in order to influence an organisation s potential resources, Prahalad (1993) argues for the development of a proactive framework in which innovation can be planned and managed. 3.0 Over view of International Business Machines Corporation IBM. The building block of IBM reach back into the mid 1880s, however, the company was officially founded in 1911 by Charles F. Flint, as he engineered the merger of Holleriths Tabulating Machine Company, Computing Scale Company of America and International Time Recording Company. The agreed upon name was Computing- Tabulating- Recording Company or C-T-R. C-T-R soon found itself struggling do to over diversification of its product. In 1914 Thomas J. Watson, Sr. was brought in to help homogenize the company. Throughout the Great Depression IBM was able to continue to grow and innovate even when demand for their products began to drop. In the 1940s IBM completed the first ever Automatic Sequence Controlled Calculator, also called the Mark I. In the 1950s IBMs computers became smaller and more practical for business applications such as billing, payroll and inventory control. IBM was the first computing company to sell computers without software bundled into the package, this move generated the multi-billion dollar software industry that exist today, of which IBM is still an industry leader. In the 1970s and 80s IBM worked to get the computer smaller and more convenient for the household format. Floppy disks were introduced to the public market as personal self storage devices. IBM also developed the first Intranet in the mid 80s and created the foundations for what would later become the internet. In the late 1980s and early 90s IBM was struck with turmoil as the PC revolution exploded IBMs long standing relationships with big business saw the company struggling to survive, averaging annual losses of 8 billion. Personal consumers were all the rage not big business consumers. Soon IBM was able to use their intranet experiences of the past and harness the emerging information age using their line of top end servers and integrated business solutions. Today, IBM is a world leading research organisation boasting a track record for breakthrough developments that many other envy and we can match. IBM has an impressive inventory of ideas due to their reliance on in-house expertise. The company has been forging closer links with a range of external technology developers due to changing market demands. To IBM, technology equals participation and interaction, whose prime motive is how it can be more widely applied. IBM employs a breakthrough tool to enhance the team creation process. IBMs future looks strong as they are the underlying producers of servers and business solutions for the e-business industry, which is growing at an incredible rate. 4.0 Procter and Gamble Procter Gamble is a company with more than 100 years on business, and is a clear example of a successful company. Procter and Gamble was founded in 1837 and incorporated in Ohio on May 5, 1905. It began as a small family operated soap and candle company, and now provides products and services of greater quality and value to consumers in over 180 countries. Procter Gamble has one of the largest and strongest portfolios of trusted brands. Procter and Gamble is the producer of products in nearly 50 categories. Because of this, they have been able to bond technologies within the categories in various astonishing ways. Over the years, Procter Gamble s Research and Development team has revolutionized home care. Many breakthroughs originate in the Procter Gamble s laboratories. Procter Gamble operates in more than 80 countries worldwide, which makes for one of the largest global companies around. Procter Gamble s strategy is mostly focused on innovation. They use this strategy to approach consumers more easily, and to obtain the most effective results towards the market share in the industry. Procter Gamble is also strongly committed to the concept of sustainable development, and continues to lead its industry in that regard. The company views sustainability as an opportunity to innovate products that improve the lives of the worlds consumers. Procter Gamble centers its sustainability efforts largely on its core activities. In particular, two key themes are significant to a number of Procter Gambles businesses: water purification technology products and sanitation hygiene. In that context, Procter Gamble emphasizes on innovation in products that serve basic needs of consumers in the least developed countries. The companys high scores in the criteria of product impact and strategies for emerging economies is a reflection of that fact. In developed markets, Procter Gamble focuses on environmental excellence, innovating in products such as cold-water cleaning technologies that provide good performance as well as energy savings and eco-efficiency Procter and Gamble s Innovation strategy is called Connect + Develop. This strategy is seeking to build a global innovation network. Through Connect + Develop relationships, the company continually searches for products, packaging, technologies and commercial opportunities that can be reapplied to brands and rapidly introduced to better meet consumers diverse needs. This strategy seeks to leverage the ideas, talents and innovation assets of individuals, institutes and companies around the world. Innovation Examples: Ready-to-go Technologies: Procter Gamble introduced Bounce, the worlds first dryer added softener, after acquiring the product technology from the independent inventor who developed the innovative fabric-care solution. Ready-to-go Products: In this instance, the deal was struck when Procter Gamble acquired Dr. Johns Spin brush business and added the Crest brand name to the innovation. Ready-to-go Packaging: Several of the Olay Skin Care products now utilize new consumer-preferred pump dispensers originally developed by a European packaging products company. Commercial Partnerships: Procter Gamble found the perfect complement to the Swiffer brand in a hand-held duster developed by a Japanese competitor. The VRIO analysis provides a deep look into Procter Gamble which helps to analyze what makes or does not make this company so unique. Procter and Gamble s physical resources are valuable but not rare, and are costly to imitate. The Procter Gamble Company has over 138,000 employees. Managing this many employees is not an easy task. Training these masses alone is an unprecedented task. Having all these employees work in conjunction is something that is not easy to imitate. Procter Gamble s research team is made up of 7,500 Ph.D.s and researchers. Within Research and Development, there is a strong commitment to find the best researchers, and retain them with a culture designed to reward success, stimulate learning, challenge complacency, and nurture innovation. It is this common goal, which in instilled in those who work in the department, that the company gets its extra vigor and motivation. Criticism Procter Gamble could focus more on the Research and Development department, which has the task of analyzing and preparing potential products for such a complex market. It is also important to mention that India and China are the fastest growing economies, and so this factor represents an opportunity for growth. In the marketing aspect, Procter Gamble has to focus more on demographics and how to target effectively the Asian market. Procter Gamble is a very strong competitive company within the markets that it resides. This company will most likely continue to prosper for some time but always has the possibility of a down fall. As long as Procter Gamble continues to implement their strategies and effectively revise them along with the changes in the markets Procter Gamble will continue to have a prosperous outlook. 5.0 Overview of Sony Corporation; Sony is a company which managed to become an established name in the electronics market. It exists of a mix of businesses ranging from Hollywood studios to high-definition televisions. It is the company which created the forever-famous Walkman, as well as the highly popular Playstation gaming devises. The Sony brand is often seen as cool , hip . It is a company with very high heights, but also very low lows. Not only on the subject of products, but also regarding management and structure. Sony s Play Station video game console is just one of a string of imaginative hit products that include the Trinition colour television and the Walkman personal stereo player. The company s creative, somewhat quirly, eccentric engineer-focussed corporate culture, where ideas and enthusiasm are valued over and above seniority, experience and university degrees, has been the main reason for its success. Consumer electronics industry is changing, competition is becoming intense and product lines are moving closer together. With complacency settting in at Sony, resources became stretched too thinly, managers becamse less demanding and creativity was made over complicated. The case of Sony questions whether efficiency and productivity really go hand in hand with creativity and innovation. Sony is struggling to find a balance between the drive to stay innovative and the cooperate need to not fall behind the competition in key markets. It must decide whether it is leading, following or simply standing still. Criticism Sony could afford to concentrate on product quality and can have a more rigorous project management structure. First mover advantage is active in evolutionary technological transitions which are technological innovations based on previous developments (Kim and Park 2006, p, 45, Cottam et al. 2001, p. 142). Late entrants may comply with the technological innovativeness and increase pressure of competition, hence, seek for a competitive advantage through making the existing competences and resources of early entrants invalid or outdated. In other words innovative technological implications will significantly change the landscape of the industry and the market, making early mover s advantage minimum. However, in a market where technology does not play a dynamic role, early mover advantage may prevail. 6.0 Critiques of Resource Based View. The RBV s lack of clarity regarding its core premise and its lack of any clear boundary impedes fruitful debate. Given the theory s lack of specificity, one can invoke the definition-based or hypothesis-based logic any time. Again, we argue that resources are but one potential source of competitive heterogeneity. Competitive heterogeneity can obtain for reasons other than sticky resources (or capabilities) (Hoopes et al. 2003: 891). Competitive heterogeneity refers to enduring and systematic performance differences among close competitors (Hoopes et al., 2003: 890). The limitations of RBV are mainly in two aspects. First, RBV alone does not capture all the essences of competitive advantage of the firms. RBV provides no perspective on why and how some firms rather than others accumulated valuable and inimitable resources, or indeed what made these resources valuable and inimitable (Lazonick, 2002). In order to explain competitive advantage, the RBV must incorporate the evolution over time of the resources and capabilities that form the basis of competitive advantage (Helfat and Peteraf, 2003). Second, RBV ignores the external elements and focuses on the internal. A complete model of strategic advantage should adopt both the internal dimension which is based on periodic reviews of the fitness of the firm s current resources and the external dimension which is oriented towards an appraisal of the resource endowments of outsiders such as competitors, customers, suppliers and so on. Furthermore, it is also important and relevant to briefly discuss the concept of resource and capability. A firm s resources can be classified into two categories: tangible resources and intangible resources. Tangible resources are assets that can be seen and quantified. Intangible resources are rooted deeply in the firm s history and that have accumulated over time. Barney (1991) and Grant (1991) classified tangible resources into four forms: financial resources, organizational structure, physical resources and technological resources. Grant (1991) and Hall (1992) identified three kinds of intangible resources: human resources, innovation resources and reputation resources. Priem and Butler (2001) made four key criticisms: The RBV is self-verifying. Barney has defined a competitive advantage as a value-creating strategy that is based on resources that are, among other characteristics, valuable (1991, p106). This reasoning is circular and therefore operationally invalid (Priem and Butler, 2001a, p31). Different resource configurations can generate the same value for firms and thus would not be competitive advantage The role of product markets is underdeveloped in the argument The theory has limited prescriptive implications However, Barney (2001) provided counter-arguments to these points of criticism. 7.0 Conclusion In order to maintain a sustainable competitive advantage, firms will have to out-innovate the competition continuously so that it is the customer who constitutes the ultimate beneficiary. All too often firms lose sight of their primary goal their customers needs, wants and values in pursuit of innovations that appear to promise improved efficiency and augmented financial benefits. Thinking for the customer , it is argued, implies that innovation derives from customer orientation: the firm s desire to serve and reward their customers. Furthermore, beyond a firm s technological innovations, what has become increasingly important is the firm s service innovations. Service innovation is the process through which a firm undertakes changes in its philosophy, culture, operations and procedures to add value to the result of the service/product for the benefit of the customer. It requires an understanding of the complex nature of customers needs and the values attributed to combined product and service offerings (service package). Essentially, therefore, service innovation depends on a firm s ability to use this understanding to evolve, collaborate and enter partnerships that effectively fulfil their customers holistic needs and, thereby, increase the opportunities for customer allegiance (relationship). A number of issues have emerged from this study which have important contributions in both innovation as a competitive advantage and how resource based view is applied in the real world . While the above arguments tender theoretical understanding and explanation, it is recommended that future empirical research need to be done to complement this study, particularly in terms of identifying the various analytical tools for understanding and developing competitive advantage.

Sleep Disorders and their Effects

Sleep Disorders and their Effects Sleep disorders are medical disorders where the sleep patterns of a person is disrupted. A French scientist, Henri Pieron wrote a book entitled Le problem physiologique du sommeil which first examined sleep from a physiological perspective. Then, Dr. Nathaniel Kleitman also known as Father of American sleep research questioned the regulation of sleep and wake and of circadian rhythms. His work delved into studies of sleep deprivation. Soon after, Kleitman and his student, Dr. Eugene Aserinsky discovered rapid eye movement (REM) during sleep. Dr. Kleitmans research was further extended by another one of his students, Dr. Willaim C. Dement who discovered the connection between REM sleep and dreaming. Sleep disorders effect a persons sleep cycle which can be life disrupting where it disturbs a persons social and psychological state. These disorders vary from more common disorders such as snoring to life threatening disorders such as narcolepsy. There are three broad classifications of sleep disorders; dyssomnias, parasomnias and medical-psychiatric sleep disorders. Dyssomnias are disorders which involve excessive sleepiness and are associated with disturbed sleep. Disorders such as primary insomnia, narcolepsy, obstructive sleep apnea and restless leg syndrome are disorders categorized under dyssomnias. Parasomnias are disorders which involve undesirable physical phenomena which occur during sleep and generally are disorders or arousal, partial arousal, and sleep stage transitions. Disorders such as sleepwalking, night terrors and rhythmic movement disorders are examples of parasomnias. Medical-psychiatric sleep disorders are relations between psychiatric and sleep disorders. Peop le who suffer from depression tend to wake up early and are unable to fall back asleep. This makes their depression worse as the amount of sleep effects ones illness. Likewise, treatment and medication used in psychiatric disorders can cause sleep disorders such as insomnia. There are many types of sleep disorders which vary between the three broad classifications of sleep disorders. Here are a few brief descriptions on some more commonly known sleep disorders. Insomnia is the condition where one finds it difficult to fall asleep whether it may be in the beginning of the night, after waking up in the middle of the night or waking up much earlier in the morning. This will cause lack of sleep which will bring about complaints of non-restorative sleep, sleepiness during the day or fatigue. Sleep apnea is where one has difficulty breathing and sometimes stops breathing over a period of time while sleeping. This condition can range from 10 pauses per hour to 30 pauses per hour. Loud snoring, daytime sleepiness and tiredness are common effects of sleep apnea and most people complain of hypersomnulence and loud snoring to the extent where it can be heard from outside of the house. Narcolepsy is another disorder of excessive sleepiness and hypersomnulence which is associated with cataplexy and other REM phenomena. A person suffering from narcolepsy may just fall asleep instantly without their own awareness. Such a disorder can be very life threatening as falling asleep in certain conditions like behind the wheel can prove to be fatal. Night terrors are severe and frightening partial arousal from sleep. Most people scream and cry while showing fear and anxiety. When experiencing sleep disorders, it is vital to seek medical treatment to cure this condition. Most doctors recommend sleep clinics for diagnosis of the sleep problem. The doctor will study ones history, lifestyle and habits before diagnosing ones condition. Generally, sleep disorders can be treated by self-care regimes such as the Good sleep hygiene regime. This habit advices that one should stick to a regular bedtime schedule, avoid napping during the day, avoid substances which contain caffeine, alcohol and nicotine and also sleeping in a surrounding where it is dark, comfortable and relaxing. Dead man walking Somnambulism Ever heard of horror stories where someone wakes up in the middle of the night, walks up to someone else or something else and acts out or mumbles? More often than not, these cases are mistaken for some supernatural happening. The more skeptical group of people believes that this was caused because that someone was possessed. The punch line for this whole situation is that there is a perfectly reasonable scientific explanation where this whole phenomenon is actually a sleep disorder; Somnambulism. Somnambulism is defined as a series of complex behaviors which arise during slow wave sleep (REM) and result in walking during sleep. This condition is also referred to as sleepwalking. Somnambulism or a more common term, sleepwalking, occurs mostly in children but there are cases which can last to adulthood. When the brain has trouble with the transition from non-REM to REM sleep, sleepwalking occurs. The hypothalamus in the brain controls the sleep-wake cycle of the body. When one sleeps, the hypothalamus blocks a part of the brain so that it does not perform any action and blocks off certain nerves that brings impulses to the brain while sleeping. During REM, our body has a mechanism which keeps us still so we do not act out our dreams. When this feature is missing, people experience REM sleep behavior disorders which include sleepwalking. There are many elements which can lead to sleepwalking. Most of these factors are categorized into three main factors; genetics, medical conditions and environmental factors. Genetics plays a vital role in ones sleepwalking condition. When a person is diagnosed with sleepwalking, it is a possibility that they have inherited that specific gene. If there is a family member with that abnormality, it is ten times the chances of that person inheriting the sleepwalking disorder. Identical twins also have a higher chance in becoming sleepwalkers. There are also many medical conditions which lead to sleep walking. Conditions such as fevers which directly impact the nervous system, nighttime asthma, obstructive sleep apnea, night time seizures and psychiatric disorders have a great impact towards sleepwalking. Adults with psychiatric disorders often consume drugs like anti-seizure medicines and stimulants which cause sleepwalking. A persons environmental surroundings can also induce sleepwalk ing. When someone experiences hormonal changes induced by pregnancy, menstruation or puberty it can lead to sleepwalking. Also, sleep deprivation, alcohol intoxication and unusual sleep schedules bring about the said disorder. So, what actually happens when one sleepwalks? In some cases, the sleepwalker sits up from their laid position. Some cases have the sleepwalkers run from their beds. The sleepwalkers actions vary depending on the type of dream. If someone is dreaming about being chased by a hungry wild animal, that someone is more likely to run as fast as they can. One can only imagine the outcome when a sleepwalker is dreaming about using the bathroom. While sleepwalking, the sleepwalkers eyes can be open or closed and appear glassy. Even though their eyes are open, their vision is not permitted as they are still in a state of sleep. Most people stereotype sleepwalkers to have their hands propelled out as if they were zombies and their eyes rolled back. In actual fact, these sleepwalkers perform daily life tasks. Some may cook meals and some have ended up behind the car wheel. Lucky for them, they couldnt find the car keys. It is not advised to awaken a sleepwalker as it is possible for them to go i nto a state of shock. After all, they are not controlling their actions at this moment in time. As soon as the sleepwalker wakes up from their dream, they experience amnesia where they cannot recall what they did previously when sleepwalking. The danger of sleepwalking can not only affect the sleepwalker but also the people around them. There have been over 20 cases where people have performed murders while sleepwalking. Also, many sexual assault and rape cases have been related to sleep walking. It is hard to justify these cases as most of it is performed when the person is not conscious of their actions. Sleepwalking is a serious sleep disorder and has to be resolved as soon as its diagnosed. Of course the best solution is prevention. In order to prevent sleepwalking, one should get adequate sleep. Never allow yourself to experience sleep debt. One should also cultivate a stress-less lifestyle. Meditation and relaxation exercises help provide a tranquil and serene sense of thought. However, if one has already succumbed to the sleepwalking disorder, there are many solutions to resolve this problem. Medication is a common treatment for sleepwalking. Medications are necessary if sleepwalker is at risk of injury, causes disruption to the family household, and other treatment option are not effective. Other treatment options are non-drug based and are preferred treatment for a long term. Anticipatory awakenings are when the patient is woken up approximately 15-20 minutes before the anticipated attack and is kept awake through the time of the attack. Relaxation and mental imagery are more natural techniques and can be very effective if it is carried out by an experienced behavioral therapist or hypnotist. Hypnosis also helps reduce sleepwalking. In order to protect the sleepwalker from the risk of injury, a safe environment should be preserved where it is free from harmful objects. Also, the doors and windows should be locked and an alarm bell should be installed at the door of the sleepwalkers bedroom. This is to alarm the family when the sleepwalker is on the move. Conclusion Sleep disorders are a medical condition where the sleep pattern is disrupted. Most disorders occur when there is a dysfunction with the REM sleep. Sleep disorders are categorized into three broad classifications which are dyssomnias, parasomnias and medical-psychiatric sleep disorders. Dyssomnias disorders involve excessive sleep, parasomnias involve undesirable physical phenomena and medical-psychiatric sleep is correlated where the psychiatric conditions of a person effects the sleep conditions and vice versa. Most sleep disorders can affect ones daily life whether it may be the person experiencing the sleep disorder or the person around them. Sleep disorders vary from mild conditions such as bruxism to dangerous, life-threatening conditions such as sleep apnea. It is vital for people who suffer from sleep disorders to seek medical help in order to contain this condition from getting worse whether it may be from medication or just adapting a healthy lifestyle. Somnambulism (sleepwa lking) is when a person gets up and walks about during the deep sleep stages. A person experiencing sleepwalking is acting out a dream or a vision in their heads. The sleepwalker does not realize they are sleepwalking and after each episode they experience a mild case of amnesia. The sleepwalking syndrome is usually caused by three main factors which are genetics, medical conditions and environmental surroundings. A sleepwalker experiences episodes where they wake up in the most unlikely places and in some cases end up in embarrassing situations. When sleepwalking, one does not realize their actions and are in no control of it. Some sleepwalking cases can be very dangerous as they attempt things which are fatal when the conscious mind is not at play. In order to end accidents by sleepwalking, this disorder needs to be treated. Methods such as medication, anticipation awakenings, relaxation and mental imagery are effective when treating sleepwalking.

Public Relations Contigenct Th :: essays research papers

"Contingency Theory of Accommodation and Advocacy" Contingency theory of accommodation/advocacy is a more realistic depiction of public relation strategies or models based on a continuum. The contingency theory represents the organizations possible stance on a wider range of publics than an individual one fostering rigid and exclusive categorization mostly found in a limited set communication models. Basically what the theory is getting at is opening the spectrum of the public to come to a more rounded synopsis of the issue or product. Amanda Cancel, Michael Mitrook, and Glen Cameron conceptualized the theory to offer a better understanding how the public relations field manages conflict and reaches out to the public in external communication. A study was done by 18 practitioners to see if the contingency theory made any sense to them. The theory itself offers 86 possible factors in the continuum at any given time to any given public. This allows the continuum offered to de pict how an organizations stance toward one given public and not the outcome of the interaction with that public. The theory focuses then on what decisions led the organization to their stance in concern with greater or lesser accommodation to that public. One of the many factors suggests that more accommodation or more advocacy will be effective in gaining departmental and organizational objectives in the short and long term. The contingency theory further goes on to say that an accommodative stance, questionably a part of a two-way symmetrical communication may not be completely ethical, in fact it could be contrary and unethical to morally repugnant publics, for those who hold some positions to be morally absolute. A position of a moral magnitude holds more so than that of any belief in the dialogic process. This also bring into view ethical charges of paternalism and the convictions of an organization that advocacy is morally superior to two–way symmetrical communicati on. Communication processes such as dialogue, compromise, collaboration and cooperation denote agreement, but engaging in these degrees are not always on the highest moral position. In certain cases taking a moral stance means putting the ethical principle above two-way symmetrical communication. The contingency theory attempts to structure a better understanding to dynamics of accommodation and advocacy while institute the ethical aspects of accommodation to the efficacy in public relations. This is one sample method that was used in the study of contingency. The sample test consisted of eighteen different public relation managers, ranging from middle to upper class.

Hypochondriasis as A Mental Disorder Essay -- Psychology Disease Illne

Hypochondriasis as A Mental Disorder Headache = Tumor. Cough = Tuberculosis. Mole = Skin Cancer. Such is the thought process of a hypochodriac. As defined in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual-IV (DSM-IV), hypochondriasis is an unrealistic interpretation of one's bodily sensations as abnormal, leading to the fear and belief that one has a serious disease (1). This preoccupation with having a serious medical condition is one of the somatoform disorders and may be considered more as a symptom than a disease. In fact, hypochondriacal symptoms often appear as a part of other mental disorders, including forms of depression or schizophrenia (2). For this reason, a close investigation of hypochondriacal behavior is necessary to properly diagnose and treat patients. There are six major components usually associated with these patients: -Misinterpretation of physical symptoms to constitute a serious disease -Persistence of this misinterpretation, regardless of medical reassurance -Preoccupation of lesser intensity than a delusional disorder -Significant distress and social/occupational impairment because of this preoccupation -Disturbance duration of at least 6 months -The ruling out of other anxiety, somatoform, and/or major depressive disorders (3) It is important to note that, while the patient may not be suffering from any major disease, his/her perception of the symptoms is real. Additionally, while hypochondriacs may admit to being overly concerned, they will most likely remain dissatisfied until diagnosed with an illness. For this reason, many hypochondriacs will "shop" for doctors who will provide them with such an answer. The negative implications of this include a strain on the doctor-patient relationsh... ...olmi/chypo.htm 2)Intelihealth: Hypochondriasis , Comprehensive site on hypochondriasis, with material provided by Harvard Medical School http://www.intelihealth.com/IH/ihtIH?t=10773&p=~br,IHW|~st,8271|~r,WSIHW000|~b,*| 3)Recognizing Hypochondriasis in Primary Care, Report by professors from the Research College of Nursing regarding hypochondria, etiologic theories, forms of the disorder, etc. http://www.springnet.com/springnet_jump.htm 4)Hypochondriasis: A Fresh Outlook on Treatment, Article in the Psychiatric Times concerning treatment options for hypochondriacs http://www.mhsource.com/pt/p980768.jhtml?_requestid=335123 5)Psychiatry Matters: Hypochondriasis, basic site with definitions, symptom descriptions, treatments, etc. http://www.psychiatrymatters.md/International/Authfiles/Error.asp?404;http://www.psychiatrymatters.md/cdt24Aug2001/index.asp Hypochondriasis as A Mental Disorder Essay -- Psychology Disease Illne Hypochondriasis as A Mental Disorder Headache = Tumor. Cough = Tuberculosis. Mole = Skin Cancer. Such is the thought process of a hypochodriac. As defined in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual-IV (DSM-IV), hypochondriasis is an unrealistic interpretation of one's bodily sensations as abnormal, leading to the fear and belief that one has a serious disease (1). This preoccupation with having a serious medical condition is one of the somatoform disorders and may be considered more as a symptom than a disease. In fact, hypochondriacal symptoms often appear as a part of other mental disorders, including forms of depression or schizophrenia (2). For this reason, a close investigation of hypochondriacal behavior is necessary to properly diagnose and treat patients. There are six major components usually associated with these patients: -Misinterpretation of physical symptoms to constitute a serious disease -Persistence of this misinterpretation, regardless of medical reassurance -Preoccupation of lesser intensity than a delusional disorder -Significant distress and social/occupational impairment because of this preoccupation -Disturbance duration of at least 6 months -The ruling out of other anxiety, somatoform, and/or major depressive disorders (3) It is important to note that, while the patient may not be suffering from any major disease, his/her perception of the symptoms is real. Additionally, while hypochondriacs may admit to being overly concerned, they will most likely remain dissatisfied until diagnosed with an illness. For this reason, many hypochondriacs will "shop" for doctors who will provide them with such an answer. The negative implications of this include a strain on the doctor-patient relationsh... ...olmi/chypo.htm 2)Intelihealth: Hypochondriasis , Comprehensive site on hypochondriasis, with material provided by Harvard Medical School http://www.intelihealth.com/IH/ihtIH?t=10773&p=~br,IHW|~st,8271|~r,WSIHW000|~b,*| 3)Recognizing Hypochondriasis in Primary Care, Report by professors from the Research College of Nursing regarding hypochondria, etiologic theories, forms of the disorder, etc. http://www.springnet.com/springnet_jump.htm 4)Hypochondriasis: A Fresh Outlook on Treatment, Article in the Psychiatric Times concerning treatment options for hypochondriacs http://www.mhsource.com/pt/p980768.jhtml?_requestid=335123 5)Psychiatry Matters: Hypochondriasis, basic site with definitions, symptom descriptions, treatments, etc. http://www.psychiatrymatters.md/International/Authfiles/Error.asp?404;http://www.psychiatrymatters.md/cdt24Aug2001/index.asp