Patients saftey Thesis Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Patients saftey - Thesis Example It does seem likely, however, that, under stress, hospital staff is more likely to make mistakes that can contribute to the emergence of accidents, because high stress levels can impair the level of concentration, cognitive information processing, decision-making and work behavior (Furney, Press). The main research question that guided the present study was whether objective work stressors and resources predict important characteristics of stressful events that are related to safety among novice nurses. The characteristics in question were the similarity of the particular event to previously experienced events and the probability that the event would recur in the future. Thus, the risk potential contained in the event was assessed in terms of the event being a recurrent rather than a singular event - either because it had occurred in the past and/or because it was estimated to have a high chance of recurrence. Work stressors and job control both assessed by observer ratings were respectively expected to be positively and negatively associated with the two indicators of risk potential. Work stress, especially work overload (e.g. by time pressure) has been shown to be associated with occupational accidents (e.g. Frone 1998, 565, Zohar 2000, 591) and medical malpractice (Jones et al. 1998, 730). Conversely, resources such as job autonomy or job control are positively related not only to health and productivity but also to safe working practices (Parker et al. 2001, 214). This study investigates the association between chronic job stressors and characteristics of safety-related stressful events encountered at work. Typically, in this kind of research, both predictors and dependent variables are assessed by means of self-report, and this presents a risk of overestimating the association because of correlated error (Semmer et al. 2004, 210). As such, many researchers recommend measuring independent and dependent variables with different methods

Types of Lifestyles Adopted by Families in the United States Essay Example for Free

Types of Lifestyles Adopted by Families in the United States Essay In the United States the most common type of family structure adopted is the Nuclear family which consists of a father, mother and kids. It is structured around the concept of a single family unit based on the concept that it is able to independently support itself. The number of children is not fixed but when the family is unable to cater to the needs of its members and more members are involved in managing a home’s finances it becomes an extended family. Yet, the extended family structure was never that prevalent in the United States at any period in time. In recent years a gradual shift has been observed in the family structures and the lifestyles practiced in them. The structure has changed due to numerous factors such as the acceptance of single parenting by the society, more open approach to adoptions and government permission of homosexuals to marry and begin families. Also the number of kids play a crucial role in determining the family structure as there are many households which just have a couple who have no desire for having kids (AEM, 2005). A rising trend is the Single parent household, with one parent, either the mother or the father, taking full responsibility of the kids and not requiring the help of the other parent. This kind of household is rising due to the increasing divorce rates and increasing opportunities for both sexes to indulge in activities which did not fall under the responsibilities of the gender role. Such as, fathers becoming more sensitive to their children’s needs and problems and mothers working to bring money home to support the family. Grandparents are also becoming more involved in the raising of the grandchildren rather than the parents. Many people regard this phenomenon in a negative light as parents shirk their responsibilities leaving the care of their own children to their parents and not providing a nurturing environment themselves. With recent amendments in legal rights, homosexuals have been given the right to marry in many states and also the right to adopt children. The right of homosexuals to adopt children is widely debated as being immoral and corrupting the children making them turn into homosexuals themselves but there is no such evidence of such parents influencing their kids to choose their sexual orientation. As is evident the central focus towards the structure of a family in the United States is towards the degree of care towards the children of the household. But in recent years we have observed a sharp decline in the birth rates of kids and population growth is stagnating as the desire for kids is stemming in couples (Americas Families- Changing Family Structures). Personal View In my opinion the nuclear family is still the most viable option for having the best household atmosphere as all the natural constituents are there to support each other in a meaningful relationship. Yet however, the second best alternative to a nuclear household would probably be an extended household structure. It is widely popular in many countries such as China, India and other Asian countries. the reason I believe that the extended family system is suitable for households is because it saves resources with parents getting time to pursue their own activities as relatives could take care of kids on short notice as well as kids having the company that they require at all times. References AEM. (2005, December 12). A Look at the Different Types of Families in America. Retrieved December 30, 2008, from Associated Content: http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/13363/a_look_at_the_different_types_of_families.html Americas Families- Changing Family Structures. (n.d.). Retrieved December 31, 2008, from Americas Families: http://www.libraryindex.com/pages/1315/America-s-Families-CHANGING-FAMILY-STRUCTURE.html

The Five Elements Of Emotional Intelligence Psychology Essay

The Five Elements Of Emotional Intelligence Psychology Essay Emotional intelligence is the area of cognitive ability involving traits and social skills that facilitate interpersonal behaviour. Intelligence can be broadly defined as the capacity for goal-oriented adaptive behaviour; emotional intelligence focuses on the aspects of intelligence that govern self-knowledge and social adaptation (Rouse, M. 2010, online) In this essay I will be exploring emotional intelligence. I hope to gain an understanding of the five elements of emotional intelligence, how to improve your emotional intelligence and the role it plays in the workplace. I feel it is important, especially as a Social Care student, to understand emotional intelligence and its characteristics, as I will be constantly working with other people. I chose those headings as I feel they are the most appropriate to my future line of work and it would be beneficial to me to understand them at a deeper level. I hope to present a clear, well structured essay on emotional intelligence and provide an insight into how it shapes the people we are. Main body The five elements of emotional intelligence An American psychologist called Daniel Goleman developed a framework that defined emotional intelligence using five elements. The first element is self awareness. People with high emotional intelligence understand their emotions and can control their feelings and are comfortable with who they are. They are aware of what their strengths and weaknesses are and are confident as they trust their intuition. (Mind Tools, 2012) The second element is self regulation. Self regulation is the ability to control your emotions and not act impulsively. People who are able to regulate themselves dont allow themselves to get too angry, worked up, stressed, jealous or impulsive. They generally think before they act, and are able to say no to situations they dont feel comfortable with. (Mind Tools, 2012) The third element is motivation. People with high emotional intelligence are generally highly motivated. They can stay focused on a long-term task in order to see results. They are highly productive and love being challenged. (Mind Tools, 2012) The fourth element is empathy. Empathy is the ability to recognise and understand the feelings and viewpoints of others, even if they are different to your own feelings or viewpoint. Empathetic people can also identify feelings in others when they may not be very obvious. Because of this, those who can empathise can manage relationships, are excellent listeners, dont stereotype or judge and live openly and honestly. (Mind Tools, 2012) The fifth element is social skills. Those with good social skills are easy to talk to and usually come across as team players. They will typically help others to succeed before focusing on their own success. They are good at building and maintaining relationships, can manage disputes and are confident communicators. (Mind Tools, 2012) What the above list describes is a person who can manage their emotions and needs less cognitive strain to deal with personal issues. An individual with high emotional intelligence tends to avoid negative, self destructive behaviour such as excessive drinking, drug use, smoking and violent interactions with others. (Mayer, JD. Salovey, P. Caruso, D.R 2004). How to improve your emotional intelligence It takes more than just understanding the five elements of emotional intelligence to improve yours. Your emotional intelligence is a life long journey that is being developed and improved constantly through practice and encountering new situations, learning to control your emotions better, learning how to identify the emotions and needs of others, while depending on motivation, empathy and social skills to build stable relationships. (Lauber, D. 2010) To improve your self-awareness and self-regulation in order to improve your emotional intelligence, the key is to identify the emotion you are feeling and make a choice as to how to deal with the emotion appropriately. (Lauber, D. 2010) Motivation is an important characteristic of those with high emotional intelligence. It is the individuals want to succeed beyond their expectations. Some people find it hard to keep themselves motivated if they are not interested or passionate about the task at hand. Those with high emotional intelligence work in areas they are passionate about and desire to succeed; they push the boundaries to learn new skills all the time. If you find yourself working in a job that you dont feel passionate about, consider finding the right job. If leaving that job isnt an option for you, find a new hobby or activity that consumes all your interest and passion, one that will make you feel fulfilled. Set out a list of goals and aim to meet them. (Lauber, D. 2010) Empathy is a very important trait to have, especially for those going into social care. It is the ability to understand peoples feelings and seeing things from their point of view. It can be a difficult trait to improve upon. It involves becoming a deep listener to others, reflecting back with others on what they have disclosed, and taking the time to step back and try to understand others perspectives. (Lubar, D.2010) Social skills are obtained by having a good grasp of self-awareness, self-regulation and empathy. Improving your social skills could involve being aware of your subconscious communication, ie body language. Some people arent aware of how much they give away without realising, through their body language, and this can cause problems, as negative body language is easily noticed. Empathy can help you to realise peoples boundaries and know what is and what isnt appropriate to say or do. I think it is clear from the above list that obtaining high emotional intelligence can help individuals have a happier life. I say this because it would be easier for the individual to speak to others, and also understand why people react they way they do to certain things. I can imagine it would be confusing, and perhaps upsetting for someone to not know why someone gets upset or angry over a situation. I can understand now why those with high emotional intelligence can manage relationships better than those with lower emotional intelligence. The importance of emotional intelligence in the workplace The term emotional intelligence is a term that is being used more and more frequently within human resource departments. Employers are looking for employees with high emotional intelligence, seeing it as more important than personality and even IQ. The difference between emotional intelligence and personality is that personality influences a persons tendencies and behaviours, while emotional intelligence can identify the individuals pattern of thinking and allow them to make appropriate, sound decisions. (ZeroRiskHR.com, 2012, online) An employee with high emotional intelligence can communicate well with others, can cope with change, can manage their feelings and impulses, can stay calm in stressful situations, have empathy, remain optimistic in the face of adversity and can manage customer complaints. I was a bit shocked to learn that emotional intelligence was such an important aspect of employment, especially learning that it was more important than IQ and personality. I can understand why it would be important in the workplace, but never thought it was to that extent. If there are people working in a job that requires them to work with other people, I think it is very important they have high emotional intelligence, otherwise people can be left feeling uncomfortable or offended, even by accident. Conclusion Having identified the five elements of emotional intelligence, how to improve your emotional intelligence and the importance of emotional intelligence in the workplace, I feel I have gained an insight into its importance in everyday life. I thought it was particularly interesting to find out that employers look for emotional intelligence over personality, although it does make a lot of sense. I also found it interesting that emotional intelligence is something you can build and develop, it isnt something you are either born with or not. I dont see any harm in people always trying to improve their emotional intelligence, even if they consider themselves as someone with high emotional intelligence. On reading the online forums on Moodle, I noticed that a lot of the focus was put on empathy, self-regulation and motivation. Not that many seemed to connect self-awareness and social skills to emotional intelligence. I would have liked to go into the different elements in more detail as I thought it was very interesting that all those little parts of everyday life joins together to make a big chunk of who we are.

Globalization and the Environment Essay -- Environmental Ecology Pollu

Economy is not a separate thing from production, consumption and exchange. Economics pays no attention to goods and services provided by nature, air, water, soil and sunlight that produce everything we need for survival and all the riches we are able to accumulate. What is the cost of globalization to the environment? Does globalization have the same goals for a healthy planet and justice for people? Timothy Taylor writes, â€Å"Moreover, large multinational companies typically do not perceive it to be in their self-interest to seek out locations where they can pollute most heavily.† He goes on to explain that these companies have a design in place with pollution-control that meets the standards of countries with strict environmental laws. He thinks that globalization is helping to improve standards in low-income countries of environment and labor rather than to hinder them. Also, that globalization makes the world a more peaceful place because of the connections between people that are created. â€Å"The 200 largest companies in the world employ less than 1% of the global workforce, but they control more than  ¼ of the world’s wealth,† write Suzuki and Dressel. The larger companies are operating globally without interference and using up the natural resources with cheap labor overseas. Corporations are no longer connected to the local economies but to international laws that have been set up to their advantage. The wealth that once was distributed to the good of public welfare is now being rerouted to the corporations through their focus on policies of government. The current system is allowing corporations to make the rules of global economic activity. According to John Cavanaugh, author of Global Dreams â€Å"Not only are these corpor... ...ebody comes up with a viable solution? The world is becoming smaller and smaller every day and perhaps the History books of the future will look at this time and wonder how we could have been so ignorant as to let the world die. Works Cited: Bright, Christopher, (2001), Biological adversity: the hidden costs of Trade and economic globalization, Harvard International Review, Winter 2001, pp 24-27. Grennes, Thomas, (2003), Creative Destruction and Globalization, Cato Journal, Winter 2003, pp.543-558 Newcomb, W. W. (1961) The Coahuiltecans: South Texas, the Indians of Texas: From Prehistoric to Modern Times, Austin, TX: UT Press, 1961 Suzuki, D., & Dressel, H., (1999), From naked ape to superspecies. Toronto, Canada: Stoddard Publishing Co., Limited Taylor, Timothy (2002), The truth about globalization, Public Interest, Spring 2002, pp. 24-44.

Indentured Servitude Essay

The legacy of the slave trade revived in the aura of the Nineteenth Century. After the abolition of slavery forms of labor that inquired the exploitation of workers remained alive. The most prominent was indentured servitude, which became one of the driving forces for global interdependence. The necessity for cheap laborers and desire to strengthen the economy stimulated the exploitation and transportation of indentured servants from Asia, Africa, the Pacific Islands and India, thus creating a self-sufficient and diverse environment in the world’s powerhouses. In response to the abolition of slavery, the importation of migrant laborers for agricultural work to the Americas was seen as a necessity. In Document 2, an editorial in the National Mercury on the visit of Sir George Grey, a British colonial governor, the author suggests that in order to gain profit from the sugar cultivation more laborers are needed to work. In this article, the servants as seen as an essential tool for their success, only valuing them for their own benefit. In addition, in Herman Merivale’s excerpt, Document 1, he explains that the indentured servants are not slaves, but are aised like recruits for the military service. Both documents enforce the constant necessity for workers in countries like South America, North America and Britain. Further notion of the significance that indentured servitude had on the Americas could be obtained by government statistics on the economy in the Americas before and after the years of indentured servitude. The spread of indentured servitude in the years 1834-1919 connected Africa with the Caribbean and with Asia, as well as Asia with the Americas, as shown in the map in Document 3. The number of slaves working in Mauritius are shown in Document 6, mphasizing on the difference in gender. The conditions and regulations of the indentured servants were ridged and strict. In the images shown in Document 5, the circumstances of Asian Indian indentured laborers in sugar plantations and harvesting sugar cane are explicitly shown as backbreaking. Various workers to fulfill the arduous work became the demand of Europeans, specifically Dutch. Document 7 also shows the limited rights and high demands for indentured servants in an agreement provided by a recruiter for British Guiana, which clearly explains the conditions and rights of an indentured servant. The excerpt â€Å"Everyday except Sunday†¦ Seven hours in field or ten hours in the factory buildings,† shows how strenuous the conditions were for a worker. The migration of servants marked global interconnectedness that reflected the power that countries held and the submission of workers for their own benefit. The mark that indentured servitude left on the countries exporting the servants could be explored more in depth with a diary or journal from a wife in Japan, China, or India showing her feelings and emotions toward the migration of her husband. Also, an account of the economy in that country would show the financial position of countries exporting servants would how the effect that indentured servitude had on the other countries and not only the Americas. Although it was a mutual benefit, the profit gained by the servants was enjoyed. The migration of servants from one continent to another signified the cultural diversity in the Americas and did not fail to emphasize the subordinate position held by the indentured servants. This wide spread of cultures was also perceived in demographics, depicted in a chart in Document 4. Document 4 displays the numbers of servants from Indian, China and Japan exported to tropical-like lands, such as Trinidad, Cuba, and Hawaii. The diaspora of Indians, Chinese, and Japanese to foreign lands resulted in ethnic and cultural diversity in later generations. In addition, as the chart in Document 9 shows the percentage of Asian, Japanese and Chinese migration to specific lands in the year from 1920-1921. Although one of the essential results of the migration of indentured servants in the early Twentieth-Century was the diversity, the poor class of servants suffered from the aspects of indentured servitude. In a letter from an indentured servant, Document 8, the servant complains about the harsh and strict hours and low wage. The letter serves as a contradiction or opposite position as the document proposed in Document 7, in which the rights guaranteed and hours provided were lowered and diminished the servant’s right. Although indentured servants enjoyed the title, â€Å"free workers,† reality proved that slaverys old ways were still set forth in the way indentured servitude was practiced. The rise in industry and desire improve the economy aroused the need for indentured servitude. This system not only forced the intermarriage of people creating diversity but also was a tremendous benefit for the developing capitalist ocieties in the Americas and Great Britain. The abolished system of slavery instigated the rise of indentured servitude. People migrated with signed contracts from one continent to the other. Although they were considered free, it was only a title since they were subjugated to strict working hours and low wages, conditions too similar to those of a slave. The transformation that slavery had into indentured servants created a modifications to labor systems that are still seen today. Indentured servitude is still practiced nowadays, with the unjust and inhumane regulations.

Cadbury: the Study of Consumer Behaviour

†There's one product that sells in good times and bad – a bar of chocolate†. It has been an axiom of Cadbury Company for generation. Today, the company which was opened in 1842 by John Cadbury, Is the global leader in the chocolate confectionery manufacturer. The beginning of Cadbury journey is when John Cadbury opened up a shop in Birmingham and sold coffee, tea, drinking chocolate and cocoa. In the later stage, John’s brother Benjamin joined the company in 1842 and opened an office in London and received Royal Warrant as manufacturer of chocolate and cocoa to Queen Victoria in 1854. After six years, John got problem about his health and his wife was death so they left their business and company to their sons George and Richard. The brothers was also dissolved their partnership at the same time. George and Richard continued to develop the product line, and by 1864, they were getting an early profit. By this time, Cadbury’s Cocoa Essence which was an all nature product with pure cocoa butter and no starchy was introduced to people. After which, the brothers soon moved their manufacturing operations to a larger facility four miles south of Birmingham and the factory and area was known as Bourneville. With a success in chocolate, George and Richard stopped selling tea in 1873 and master confectioner Frederic Kinchelman was appointed to share his recipe and production secrets with Cadbury workers. Moreover in two years time, the factory employed more than 2,600 people and was incorporated as a limited company. In 1969 Cadbury merged with Schweppes which was a large British brand that supply mineral water and soft drink and the company was know at Cadbury Schweppes. The merged companies would go on to acquire Sunkist, Canada Dry, Typhoo Tea and more. Schweppes Beverages was created, and the manufacture of Cadbury confectionery brands was licensed to Hershey. Today Cadbury Schweppes is the largest confectionery company in the world, employing more than 70,000 employees. In 2006 the company had over $15 billion in overall sales. In March of 2007, Cadbury Schweppes announced that it intends to separate its confectionery and beverage businesses. With almost 200 years in the business, Cadbury Schweppes will continue to prosper in the coming decades. Theories Used The whole paper will discuss about the model of motivation, arousal of motives , hierarchy needs of Maslow’s, ELM (elaboration likelihood model ) and how these theory and model apply to the improvement and expansion of Cadbury company to better understanding about their consumer behavior. First of all, motivation is basically defined as the driving force within individual that impels them to action. According to the model of motivation process (Schiffman et al, 2008), when people need, want and desire are unfulfilled, they tend to feel tension. After that it will drive people to the direct behavior through their thinking process and previous learning until their need is fulfilled (Schiffman et al, 2008). On the other hand, most of people specific needs are dormant much of the time. The arousal of any particular set of needs at a specific point in time may be caused by internal stimuli found in our physiological condition or our emotional or our cognitive process or by external stimuli in environment (Schiffman et al, 2008). One of the well know theory of human motivation was developed by Abraham Maslow which interpret how customer perceive satisfaction about goods and service at different level of needs. According to Maslow, there are five basic level of needs which are physiological needs; safety and security needs; social needs; ego needs; self-actualization. The theory is showed that human seek for the satisfaction from lowest level first (physiological) such as food, water, air, clothing, sex. After the first level of needs is satisfied, people will seek to higher level of needs which is safety and security needs. After they get these needs, they will look for the social needs such as love, affection, belonging and acceptance and then is ego needs and self- actualization. (Schiffman et al, 2008) The elaboration likelihood model proposes the more global view that consumer attitude changed by two distinctly different routes to persuasion: a central route and a peripheral route. When consumer‘s motivation or ability to assess the attitude is high, their learning and attitude change tend to occur via central route with available information about the attitude object. In contrast, when people’ s motivation or assessment skills are low, learning and attitude change tend to occur via the peripheral route without the consumer focusing on information relevant to the attitude object itself. (Schiffman et al, 2008) Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs According to Hassan (2005), Maslow’s hierarchy of needs includes physiological needs, safety and security needs, social needs, ego needs and self-actualization which can help us to understand human behavior and have a right point to motivate customers power purchasing, especially for what Cadbury has been applied for their segmentation strategies and positioning strategies. First of all, as we know that chocolate is belonged physiological needs which means this kind of product is low price and more competitive so that there need have a successful key to become the second largest confectionary market after Marks-Wrigley (Conor Carroll 2009). This is the brand of itself because when customers try whatever product they always concerned about the brand name which not only help the customers identify their needs and satisfy product but also help the marketers to become different from their competitors. For this company which already have a strong brand and strong history from 1824 (Conor Carroll 2009) which is more powerful to get customers trust and remained loyal customers as well. For example, when a person go to the super market and he wants to buy a soft drink immediately he will think about Coke or Pepsi, as like as in this case when he go to the supermarket and he wants to buy a bar chocolate he may think about Cadbury although the price may higher than others brands but because of the high reputation and quality brand so that consumers will pay a higher price for branded product which they believe it provides a higher value. Secondly, although Cadbury is a second largest confectionery company it still made a mistake when they did not concerned a lot about safety and security needs of consumers in 2006. According to Conor Carroll (2009), Cadbury be in scandal of salmonella scare in 2006 and Easter chocolate products scandal in 2007. Because of it, Cadbury reputation and benefits at this time was dropped significantly. However, they had fined by the Food Safety Authorities and need to recall the entire products problem. As a result, Cadbury get over the big two trouble and got it meaning lessons for safety and security products. However, it not only stops by there, they already have an action to get back their reputation from consumers by support more laboratory facilities and scientists to test the product quality and more involve in the social responsibilities. (http://www. cadbury. com/ourresponsibilities/Pages/ourresponsibilities. aspx) Thirdly, for social needs which are more concerned about the environment and social responsibilities than the quality of this product. Cadbury is not only use the campaigns to encourage their customer’s social consideration but also has a special strategy to stimuli their farmers and workers such as give more bonus and benefits to the workers in Ghana and support the people living around. This is meaningful that when consumer try Cadbury chocolate they may think that they already pay a right price which bring the benefits to the workers and also contribute a small part to support the society. As a result, this is the best idea for the marketers because when you want to have a strong brand name inside consumers mind you need to concerned more about the social and environment which are the strong strategy to maintain the product brand name and Cadbury did it. Next, some of the Cadbury products and advertisements emphasis the ego needs which is more specific on self-acceptance and self-esteem such as Cadbury already have targeted this concept to teenagers like Cadbury Perk. For this strategy, Cadbury Perk was targeted to the casual snacking which includes chips and wafers. Moreover, Cadbury Perk contains a message that whenever and wherever teenagers need it always available for their convenient it becomes a new mini snack in this market. Furthermore, for the confectionery market teenagers and children are the majority consumption and the most important of segmenting and positioning. When the teenagers try Cadbury Perk they may feel like this product was born for them and stands for them like young, active and creative life. (Cadbury PLC 2010) Lastly, there is need for self-actualization which is concentrated more on inner thinking such as psychological integration or demand higher level of personal potential. Hassan (2005) states that generatively, social justice and transformative thinking should be cooperate with this orientation. Thinking towards to Cadbury, we can see that they try to satisfy the customer’s needs as much as they can or even though more than what consumers expected like Cadbury celebrations which was aimed to replace the traditional gift options during festival seasons with a pretty box and nice packaging it really suit for gifting. It is different from others category because it is more formal and luxury which extend consumers needs. Moreover, Cadbury also have introduced a product for after dinner sweet which main targeting in India. Because in India people have a habit to have a sweet dessert after their dinner and this product can replace traditional sweet which inconvenient and take more time to repair. For this part, the advertisement more focuses on the adults rather than children. From this point, we can see that Cadbury not only segmenting and positioning their product on children but also expand their segmentation to the adults which called as potential customers. Certainly, in this point their advertisement and packaging are also be different from the product that they target to the children. Model of Motivation Motivation is a theoretical construction from which we can determine the driving force behind human behavior. (Kroeber-Riel and Weinberg 2003, cited in Wohlfeil and Whelan 2006) This, according to Weinberg (1995 cited in Wohlfeil and Whelan 2006), is a combination of both emotional and basic urges to direct behavior and cognitive process to direct the goals and drive to accomplish those goals. These goals differs also as the customer moves along the decision making process, as the needs and motivations changes will affect how the customer perceives any given information. (Mallalleu and Nakamoto 2008) In the case of Cadbury, the motivations of their customers who purchase their brand off the shelves in departmental stores will be different from those who purchase other brands of chocolate, depending on the segmentation, targeting and positioning of the brands, as they focus to fulfilling different groups of customer’s needs, wants and desire. Cadbury fulfills many market segments, ranging from milk chocolate, dark chocolate, chocolate flakes, chocolate powder, chocolate drinks and many more. By targeting many market segments, Cadbury aims to provide a sense of convenience, and variety within the same brand, lending the strength of their overall brand equity to all the brands under Cadbury. This benefits the customers as now they could purchase different products under the same brand, which they can be assured of the quality, packaging and taste, without having to take the risk of try other brands to purchase different chocolate products. Gale 1992; Smith and Park 1992, cited in Morgan and Rego 2009) Higher brand equity allows Cadbury to price their products at a slight premium, despite them competing within the low price segment of the chocolate industry. (Sivakumar and Raj 1997, cited in Morgan and Rego 2009) Cadbury also uses celebrity endorsements, such as Mr. Amitabh Bachchan in India, in order to regain brand equity after worms were discovered in Cadbury chocolates in India. (The Financial Express 2003) Although ultimately, it was later proven that the worms were caused by their retailers bad storage practices in India, their reputation was already tarnished. However with celebrity endorsement, the celebrity acting as a source lends credibility and attractiveness to the product, giving it familiarity in the process. (Sternthal and Craig 1973, cited in Biswas, Biswas and Das 2006) this motivates the customers by giving them the drive to purchase it when their favorite celebrity endorses the product, and through their cognitive process, any perceived notion of risk is significantly reduced. According to Rao and Monroe (1988), consumers are likely to process more information other than price if they are motivated, to determine the quality of a given product. This is important as Cadbury often creates contests and advertisements to build involvement in their products in order to motivate consumers to choose their brand. This involvement however only targets the people with specific personal relevance from which the product has on the person involved. (Coulter et al 2003, cited in Wohlfeil and Whelan 2006) Such event marketing allows marketers to provide interactivity, personal sharing of experience with others, and learning more about the brand in an informal and relax way, while in the meantime, circumventing the natural tendency for consumers to ignore corporate messages that appears elsewhere. Whelan and Wohlfeil 2005; Mc Alexander et al. 2002, cited in Wohlfeil and Whelan 2006) As such, from the motivation perspective, we are able to see how and why Cadbury segmented and targeted multiple segments of the market, used their brand equity to price at a slight premium, and used celebrity endorsement to rebuild brand equity in India, and used contests and advertisements to generate involvement in their brand in an informal and exciting way. Elaboration Likelihood Model (ELM) Customers can be motivated in many ways, but based on the elaboration likelihood model (ELM), two routes of persuasion are identified – central route and peripheral route (schiffman et al 2009). The concept of this model is to explain the motivation behind consumers purchases and they way to persuade them, as two major type of customers can be found – one with high assessment skills (high involvement) and low assessment skills (Low involvement). However, the success of a company does not come solely through the tampering of marketing elements; it also includes the fostering of a long term relationship between buyer and seller (Ford et al. ited in Zineldin & Philipson 2007). Thus, the next few sections, will describe how Cadbury successfully maneuver its marketing mix, while retaining their customers. But, how does Cadbury appeal to both types of customers mentioned above? Cadbury dairy milk is basically famous among children and teenager, as it is not only affordable, b ut delicious. Children and teenagers are considered to fall under the category of low assessment skills, as the motivation behind buying Cadbury for them is the craving for sweets (schiffman et al 2009).. These target group do not concerns on the information of the product , instead, it is the tangible aspect that is the motivation behind, which is to say, this particular group can be persuade through peripheral route. For instance, Celebrity endorsement, Event and advertisement promoted. In addition, variety of assortments in â€Å"Dairy Milk’ are introduced in the market to meet changing consumer trends and drive further growth of the UK’s favorite chocolate brand. For instance, Cadbury Milk Double Choc, Cadbury Milk Fruit and nut, Cadbury Caramel and 10 other types of Dairy Milk are introduced in UK alone in the time span of 100 years (Times Online 2010). The customers’ preferences for Cadbury ‘Dairy Milk’ are the taste, quality and convenience to get a hand of it. That is why the distribution of the chocolate bars and confectionery are important because of the fact that ‘Dairy Milk’ is becoming more of staple and impulse types of good. In France, the chocolate consumption is one of the highest in the world with average of 5. kg per head in 1995 and with the highly competitive market and wide spread price-cutting, retail prices and margins vary widely according to product and outlet company must be efficient in distributing their goods, as the cost of distribution makes up 40-60% of the product cost (Vrontis & Vignali 2001). The other type of persuasion route is central route, which is used to explain on how to persuade customers that have high assessment skill (high involvement), which fall under the target group of adults (Schiffman et al 2009).. As one grow, they are becoming more conscious of their health and have the perspective that everything that is sweet mean fat and calories. However, the way Cadbury dairy milk appeal to this group is by using the advertisement campaign of 1 ? glass of milk that give a message that one Cadbury bar is contains nutrition and proteins, which is healthy and not healthy deteriorating. In addition, the packaging, design and sizes are being emphasized by the company to accommodate consumers’ demands. For instance the packaging of Cadbury is being refined in terms of image and resolution to create brand identity and also increase in size variety for Cadbury in 140 g and 230g package. Kate Harding, the trade communication manager for Cadbury commented, â€Å"Stores come in all shapes & sizes and we have changed the sizes to suit the needs of our different retailers who can choose a range which will best suit their shopper. † (Talking Retail 2008) Conclusion Cadbury is a well known chocolate brand dealing with a wide array of chocolate products. This with their low pricing allows them to extensively penetrate many chocolate market segments. Through the use of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, model of motivation, and elaboration likelihood model, we are able to see how they are applied to the company in terms of segmentation, targeting and positioning, allowing the company to gain considerable market share, regain lost brand equity through celebrity endorsement, and generate consumer involvement to create better trust and brand familiarity, through informal and exciting approach in teaching the corporate values to their consumers.

3 Types of Essays Are Models for Professional Writing Forms

3 Types of Essays Are Models for Professional Writing Forms 3 Types of Essays Are Models for Professional Writing Forms 3 Types of Essays Are Models for Professional Writing Forms By Mark Nichol The three types of essay most commonly assigned in school the narrative essay, the persuasive essay, and the expository essay conveniently correspond to those writing forms most frequently published online and in print. Your experience with these prose forms is ideal preparation for writing for publication. 1. The Narrative Essay This form, employed when reporting about an event or an incident, describing an experience, or telling a story, is the basic mode in journalistic writing. Practice in relating what happened when you witnessed an occurrence, or writing about what you were told by someone who witnessed it, is good training for becoming a newspaper reporter. Writing your recollections of something that happened to you is the basis of travel writing and similar content. Meanwhile, effective storytelling is an essential skill for feature writing, which as opposed to reporting, which is event driven focuses on a person, a place, or a thing, such as a company or an organization. (Travel writing, actually, is a hybrid of all three forms of essay writing.) Many magazine articles, for example, and a number of nonfiction books, are basically profiles of one of these types of entities, and fiction writing, of course, is a form of narrative, albeit one that is invented or based on a real-life subject. 2. The Persuasive Essay In this type of essay, the writer attempts to convince readers to agree with an opinion. In a traditional persuasive essay, the writer states the essay’s topic and organizational scheme clearly and concisely, then emphasizes and clarifies the topic’s significance by briefly mentioning the current event or recent publication, for example, that prompted the writer to discuss the topic. The rest of the piece consists of the writer’s argument in favor or in criticism of a position. This persuasion can take the form of a scholarly critique or a review of a creative effort such as a live or recorded performance (for example, a music album) or a work in some medium (a film, for instance). In either case, the writer begins with a thesis, or statement to be proven, summarizes the position (or the plot or theme of a work of art), and provides further detail as necessary to amplify the essay’s points. An essential component of a formal persuasive essay is a balanced discussion of an opposing viewpoint, while an informal review might include a mention of what an artist was attempting to accomplish by performing or creating and, for the sake of courtesy, could refer to how the artist succeeded in part even if the reviewer believes that the work is ultimately unsatisfactory. Persuasive essays, like narrative essays, can be submitted for publication. Guest editorials in newspapers and magazines, reviews in the art sections of periodicals or on entertainment-oriented Web sites, or position statements for nonprofit organizations or political lobbying groups are all forms of persuasive writing that publishers of this content will pay for. 3. The Expository Essay Expository writing can take the form of a how-to manual or other form of instruction, an explanation of a natural or technological process (an outline of the evaporation cycle, for example, or how to rebuild a car engine), a comparison of two similar subjects though this form overlaps with the persuasive essay or a discursion on a historical event or on future possibilities. This last variation also has elements in common with narrative or persuasive writing, and in a sense, none of these types of writing is entirely exclusive. Therefore, if you, like almost all current or former students, have had experience with these forms of essay writing, you’ve already been trained (and, hopefully, coached) in how to write professionally. And if you already do so, be confident that you can easily apply your skill in one form to taking on another: If you write position papers, you have no excuse not to move into instructional writing, if that’s what you want to do. Similarly, if you make a living explaining things in writing, don’t hesitate to explore fiction or nonfiction narrative writing if it appeals to you. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Business Writing category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:What is the Difference Between "These" and "Those"?50 Idioms About Arms, Hands, and Fingers

Monkeys Paw Essay Example

Monkeys Paw Essay Example Monkeys Paw Essay Monkeys Paw Essay Monkeys Paw Essay People disregard the warnings of others all the time; whether it is from a teacher, a parent, or perhaps an older sibling (Attention grabber). As displayed in W. W Jojobas short story, The Monkeys Paw, about a family fate-changing experience with a magical paw (Transition). The cynical paw, in fact, belonged to a monkey; it contained three wishes for three different people (Background). There are countless warnings given to the White family through out the story, yet foolish decisions continue to be made (Background). Using a frightening mood, Jacobs argues that those who interfere with their Sistine will suffer (T. S). The storys fearsome mood begins with heavy footsteps and a banging too loudly'(l) (C. D). Using suspenseful diction, the author suggests horrible events to come (commentary). Soon after the first wish a silence unusual and depressing settled upon the white family (5)(C. D). The reader encounters a disturbing sensation, creating an intense feeling of regret, felt mostly by Mr.. White (commentary). At this point in the story Mr.. White begins to understand the severity of his actions, tempting fate (commentary). Near the close of the story both Mr.. And Mrs.. White lay silently listening to the ticking of the clock while a stair Learn 2 creaked (1 1)(C. D). Suspense is an obvious and intentional emotion the writer is trying to convey (Commentary). It seems as though Jacobs is trying to show the hopelessness theyre feeling, waiting for what fate has planned for them(Commentary). Mr.. White finally understands that fate cannot be changed; and trying to change destiny will only end in disaster (commentary). Jojobas clever use of spooky diction/mood supports the notion that interfering with fate will end in dire consequences; foreshadowed within various parts of the story (concluding entente). Jacobs shows that those who interfere with their calling will feel remorse in their actions by foreshadowing numerous events throughout the story (T. S. ). In the beginning of the story Mr.. White makes a fatal mistake after it was too late(l) (C. D. ). The choice of wording, before knowing the ending of the story, seems exaggerated and dramatic (commentary). However after becoming conscious of the outcome, the reader interprets that fatal brings a deeper meaning to the story; seeing as the son dies in the end (Commentary). This also ties into Jacobs argument about dealing with the choices made by humanity. Commentary). Later in the story, when the sergeant is introduced, his tones were so grave that a hush fell upon the group(3) (C. D. ). Again, there is an underlined meaning in the writers choice of diction when he uses grave to describe unnecessary silence (commentary). At this point the reader can conclude that death is an inevitable result of the families attempt of changing fate (Commentary). When the sergeant leaves, Herbert, with a solemn face somewhat marred by a wink (5) (C. D. ). The word marred itself meaner disfigured (commentary). When the way Herbert died is taken into account it becomes clear that his foreshadowed how Herbert looked after the accident (Commentary). The theory that fate rules peoples lives is supported by the countless examples of foreshadowing, meanwhile irony supports another argument (C. S. . Using irony, Jacobs argues that in order to avoid awful consequences people must take into account the warnings around them (T. S. ). In the beginning, Herbert predicts that theyre going to be rich and famous and happy'(4) (C. D. ). This is an example of verbal irony because that is the complete opposite of what ended up happening (commentary). The sergeant warned the white family about the monkeys paw, yet hey still believe the paw will benefit them (commentary). After the first wish is made Mr.. White claims that theres no harm done (5) (commentary). This situational irony supports the carelessness felt by the White family in disregarding the Sergeants warnings; much like reality, people dont understand the graveness of their actions until it is too late (commentary). At the climax of the story, when Herbert dies, the man who delivered the news presents his parents with a certain sum of compensation then hands them bass (8) (C. D. ). The situational irony creates an obvious feeling of regret upon Mr.. White in not listening to his friend (commentary). Jacobs provides more than enough irony to develop his reason for considering the warnings of others (C. S. ). Using irony Jacobs argued that humanity must take into account the forewarnings of others or pay the cost; he showed that those who tamper with fate would regret their actions using foreshadowing and a fearful mood (T. S). Whether or not people take into account the warnings around them, they are there. Though, at times, curiosity gets the best of society, it is crucial that they are not blinded or distracted by extravagant things.

Applied Business Research Report

Several academicians have established the implication of faithfulness in the service industries and at the same time, it has probable impact on the overall expansion of the suitable competitive border too for the service firms. However, it can be stated that this might be accredited to the exceptional character of services, augmented enslavement on the technologies and superior consumer participation in the entire delivery of services. A base of the trustworthy consumers can perform marvel in terms of the financial rewards and the original commerce projections as captivating a new customer can charge as much as 6 times more than the charge of keeping an old one. Therefore, it can be stated that the customer loyalty clearly brings several momentous benefits to the existing business and calls for a deeper exploration into the features that act as its inventor and make a payment in its augmentation. Baumann, Elliott and Burton (2012) have stated that customer loyalty is convoluted and d ynamic as well as changing with the course of time. Benoit and Van den Poel (2012) have mentioned in his research work that why customer satisfaction as well as customer loyalty is so important and the answer of this question in one word is revenue. It can be seen that the satisfied customers spend huge amount of money, refer more number of the new consumers and support the trade longer than the discontented consumers. Therefore, it can be stated that this all leads to more profits for the trades that can maintain their customers well contented. However, it can b e easily stated that the companies striving to maximize the amount of returns must critically believe investing in a consumer contentment and the faithfulness research curriculum. It can be stated that the rationale of this particular research document is to talk about the importance of consumer faithfulness and its consequence in the contemporary commerce ground throughout a wide-ranging examination literature. Furthermore, it seeks to discover a variety of things that serve as previous circumstances towards consumer loyalty development procedure. In order to understand the importance of customer loyalty on the business performance, Muthoot finance has been selected and the entire research work would try to shed light on these aspects from several perspectives. Therefore, it can be stated this specific research work has tried to represent the importance of customer relationship management as well as customer loyalty for Muthoot finance that wishes to be successful enough and gain enough competitive market in the existing market (Chen, 2012). It can be stated that a new emphasis has been shed on customer relationship management, as this concept has been gradually wide spreading with time in several operating market. Muthoot finance is the principal gold backing corporation in India in provisos of loan selection and the corporation is a â€Å"Systematically significant Non-Deposit captivating NBFC† (muthootfinance.com, 2016). From the company profile it can be seen that Muthoot finance give India’s best gold loans and thus the organization believes that focusing on customer loyalty is one of the major parts to take care of. However, besides gold loan, they provide the facilities of money transfer, foreign exchange, housing finance, insurance as well as travel jango (muthootfinance.com, 2016). Therefore, this specific research work would try to analyze the importance of customer loyalty in Muthoot finance from some different perspectives through an information-rich literature review.   As mentioned by Coelho and Henseler (2012), customer faithfulness is the enthusiasm of the consumers to acquire the manufactured goods from the specific organization and maintain buying the alike from the same brand name for a longer time epoch. However, customer trustworthiness can be also termed as the unremitting buying for a particular brand and at the same time signifying other people to do the similar. Associations are at the present concentrating more on preserving soaring amount of trustworthy consumers that more clients can be recommended through them to patch up a long run business with the product name. Evanschitzky et al. (2012) have mentioned that organisations must follow some exceptional characteristics that can be competent enough in keeping the consumers trading commodities from the brand name devoid of favouring any contestant brand. Preceding studies on consumer allegiance have stated the consumer allegiance into two noteworthy fractions, customer performance and customer approach where both the parts are interrelated to each other. Customer loyalty may be rational or touching factor depending on the node of transaction and base of customer retention. The characteristics of commodities and services are the rational factor whereas the emotional factors are unswervingly connected to the discernment of purchaser towards the association (Jahanshani et al., 2014). Some of the preceding research works have experienced the constraints that influence the purchaser faithfulness and preservation counting the services. These issues can be connected with the consumer faithfulness and withholding as follows: Johnson et al. (2012) have stated that service quality has been gradually becoming one of the major issues of the business that focus on the services as well as the communication procedures. This presently enables the electronic media for communicating with the components outside the business. It can be stated that this sheds importance on gathering of necessary information. Processing several online as well as offline transactions along with the data interchanges procedure among the buyers and the sellers in regards to address space and time consumption. Service excellence from the standpoint of online method can be classified as the degree to which online subsistence of the organization offers competent buying, acquiring and conveying facilities of goods and services in such a method that consumers might be extremely contented with administration (Jyh-Fu Jeng et al., 2012). The professed cost of the consumers refers to the dissimilarity between the settlements of the products that the consumers gain and the price of the products and the services. In that scenario, price and the profit examination plays one of the vital roles in rewarding the needs of the consumers, as the customers are highly concerned in taking happiness in superior reimbursement from the services bearing fewer prices in trading the products and the services. The profits are categorised into four fractions named, manufactured goods advantage, service advantage, individual assistance and image advantage where equivalent four costs are monetary cost, psyche cost, time cost and energy cost. Conveying improved worth to the consumers is an indispensable division of the business approach that facilitates the organization attainment competitive improvement, in order to deal with long term sustainability of the commerce, evaluated to its contestants (Khan, 2012).   As demonstrated by Komunda and Osarenkhoe (2012) in their research work, it can be seen that trust is a clear set of believes that drive the customers towards purchasing a product pr consuming the service from a particular organization. Trust can be defined as the as the self-confidence of the consumers that they experience for the organization making sure the benefits required. However, it can be stated that belief is one of the main significant expression in commerce, especially in online trade operations. Here, truthfulness and generosity works essential position in keeping approval stage at the stage the consumers are enthusiastic to believe (Kwon & Kim, 2012). Martà ­nez and del Bosque (2013) have stated reputation as the inference of uniformity in case of presentation for the long time epoch. Therefore, it can be stated that standing is created from the consisted superiority administration as well innovation amalgamation depending on the time era and the modification in the socio-economic stage. Therefore, it can be stated that the standing of the organizations required to be understood by the consumers not only based on the online survival, but also the complete organization along with its bodily attendance (Pan et al., 2012). As per Prentice (2013), widespread literature proposes that both the marketplace share and the consumer approval leads towards productivity, however, this is not certain that the market share and the customer satisfaction have an affirmative association. Therefore, in this part, some of the significant strategies have been introduced here in details to gain in-depth knowledge of the research topic. It can be stated that company’s association to their consumers is alienated into two separate commerce approaches namely offensive and defensive. Offensive policy deals with magnetizing the new consumers and the defensive strategy try to keep the previously existing consumers. Therefore, it can be stated that in order to focus on customer loyalty, Muthoot Finance is required to attract both the new customers along with the existing customers (Scherer, Wà ¼nderlich & von Wangenheim, 2015). Figure 1: Offensive and Defensive Business Strategies (Source: Scherer, Wà ¼nderlich & von Wangenheim, 2015) Siu et al. (2013) have stated that there exist three phases within customer decision making procedure. In this case, the first phase is defining the brand alternatives, the second phase is reviewing the existing relevant information and the final stage is applying a decision rule. It is regardless to mention that the choices as well as preferences of the customers vary from one product to another product, from one organization to another organization and so on. Therefore, the entire decision making process depends on the preferences of the consumers and the companies are required to provide the customers the best buying experience, so that they become loyal to one particular organization (Tanford, Raab & Kim, 2012). Figure 2: The sequential Multistage Process Model (Source: Toufaily, Ricard & Perrien, 2013) As per Wang and Wu (2012), the major purpose of each organization is productivity and one significant technique for achieving this for an organization is to increase as well as uphold trustworthy consumers. It can be stated that if a corporation spends resources for building consumer trustworthiness without concentrating on productivity, it might lead towards failure in the long run. Therefore, to gain customer loyalty, the organizations are required to focus on both behavioral and attitudinal loyalty of the consumers. However, it can be stated that customer loyalty becomes highly significant to the business of the corporation at times it results in the purchasing behaviour. This following replica can be clarified through major three fundamental objectives like building behavioral loyalty, cultivating attitudinal loyalty and linking loyalty to profitability (Toufaily, Ricard & Perrien, 2013). Figure 3: Structuring and sustaining consumer trustworthiness (Source: Toufaily, Ricard & Perrien, 2013) The adoption of the customer faithfulness programs in the middle of several companies has significantly augmented over the last couple of years and automatically the consumers have turn out to be the focal point of concentration. It has been seen that the customer loyalty programs offer financial as well as relationship rewards to the consumers with the sole principle of making the customers’ brand trustworthy (Kwon & Kim, 2012). There exist five specified group of the customers like non-customers, price switchers, the passive loyal, fence sitters and the committed customers. Therefore, most of the organizations target to grab the attention of all these customers through proper delivery of their services. Muthoot Finance try their best to retain their existing customers and at the same time they tend to design their loyalty programs in such a way, so that the customers get attracted enough towards the company. There exist several economic benefits of retaining the customers like it saves on the acquisition of the customers or the replacement costs. Moreover, it promises of base earnings as obtainable consumers are likely to have a minimum spend per period. Apart from that, retaining the existing customers focus on price premiums, as the existing customers generally do not wait for promotion or the reduction of price before making a decision to buy. Muthoot finance believes that customer loyalty benefits the o rganization from several perspectives like this is comparatively less expensive to keep hold of the consumers that to attract the new customers. It generates huge amount of profits, decreases the making costs and helps in spreading positive word of mouth promotion. Therefore, it can be stated that customer loyalty is one of the strongest assets to the organization, as the success and sustainability of the business largely depends on the number of loyal customers.  Ã‚   Baumann, C., Elliott, G., & Burton, S. (2012). Modeling customer satisfaction and loyalty: survey data versus data mining.  Journal of Services Marketing,  26(3), 148-157. Benoit, D. F., & Van den Poel, D. (2012). Improving customer retention in financial services using kinship network information.  Expert Systems with Applications,  39(13), 11435-11442. Chen, S. C. (2012). The customer satisfaction–loyalty relation in an interactive e-service setting: The mediators.  Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services,  19(2), 202-210. Chu, P. Y., Lee, G. Y., & Chao, Y. (2012). Service quality, customer satisfaction, customer trust, and loyalty in an e-banking context.  Social Behavior and Personality: an international journal,  40(8), 1271-1283. Coelho, P. S., & Henseler, J. (2012). Creating customer loyalty through service customization.  European Journal of Marketing,  46(3/4), 331-356. Evanschitzky, H., Ramaseshan, B., Woisetschlà ¤ger, D. M., Richelsen, V., Blut, M., & Backhaus, C. (2012). Consequences of customer loyalty to the loyalty program and to the company.  Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science,  40(5), 625-638. Jahanshani, A. A., Hajizadeh, G. M. A., Mirdhamadi, S. A., Nawaser, K., & Khaksar, S. M. S. (2014). Study the effects of customer service and product quality on customer satisfaction and loyalty. Johnson, M. D., Herrmann, A., Huber, F., & Gustafsson, A. (Eds.). (2012).Customer retention in the automotive industry: quality, satisfaction and loyalty. Springer Science & Business Media. Jyh-Fu Jeng, D., & Bailey, T. (2012). Assessing customer retention strategies in mobile telecommunications: Hybrid MCDM approach.Management Decision,  50(9), 1570-1595. Khan, I. (2012). Impact of customer satisfaction and retention on customer loyalty.  International Journal of Technology Enhancements and Emerging Engineering Research,  1(2), 106-110. Komunda, M., & Osarenkhoe, A. (2012). Remedy or cure for service failure? Effects of service recovery on customer satisfaction and loyalty.  Business Process Management Journal,  18(1), 82-103. Kwon, K., & Kim, C. (2012). How to design personalization in a context of customer retention: Who personalizes what and to what extent?.  Electronic Commerce Research and Applications,  11(2), 101-116. Martà ­nez, P., & del Bosque, I. R. (2013). CSR and customer loyalty: The roles of trust, customer identification with the company and satisfaction.International Journal of Hospitality Management,  35, 89-99. Pan, Y., Sheng, S., & Xie, F. T. (2012). Antecedents of customer loyalty: An empirical synthesis and reexamination.  Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services,  19(1), 150-158. Prentice, C. (2013). Service quality perceptions and customer loyalty in casinos.  International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management,25(1), 49-64. Scherer, A., Wà ¼nderlich, N., & von Wangenheim, F. (2015). The Value of Self-Service: Long-Term Effects of Technology-Based Self-Service Usage on Customer Retention.  Mis Quarterly,  39(1), 177-200. Siu, N. Y. M., Zhang, T. J. F., & Yau, C. Y. J. (2013). The roles of justice and customer satisfaction in customer retention: A lesson from service recovery.Journal of business ethics,  114(4), 675-686. Tanford, S., Raab, C., & Kim, Y. S. (2012). Determinants of customer loyalty and purchasing behavior for full-service and limited-service hotels.International Journal of Hospitality Management,  31(2), 319-328. Toufaily, E., Ricard, L., & Perrien, J. (2013). Customer loyalty to a commercial website: Descriptive meta-analysis of the empirical literature and proposal of an integrative model.  Journal of Business Research,  66(9), 1436-1447. Wang, C. Y., & Wu, L. W. (2012). Customer loyalty and the role of relationship length.  Managing Service Quality: An International Journal, 22(1), 58-74.

Inflation, Disinflation and Deflation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

Inflation, Disinflation and Deflation - Essay Example It is usually seen when the prices of products within the economy deep from their current levels to much lower levels over time. Disinflation occurs within the economy only for a short time, and it takes place especially when an economy is undergoing a recession. Deflation is the decrease which takes place in the cost of products, when the rate of inflation goes below zero percent. Its greatest effect is that, over time, it increases the value of the currency being used within the economy. This ensures that one is able to buy more products with the same amount of money which they had when inflation was taking place. These three aspects of the economy are extremely powerful in determining how it is working, whether it is doing well or not. Furthermore, the central banks use the measurements of these aspects in order to determine what their fiscal policies are going to be. Inflation can be termed as the gradual rise, over a certain period, of the cost of products in a financial system (Hartwig 23). In addition, when inflation takes place, it is always found that the value of the currency used in a particular economy also decreases. This is because the money available in the economy is able to purchase a limited number of products when compared to the previous period. All the countries in the world whose economies are connected to money have a way of finding out the inflation rate of their currency. Every year, the percentage of inflation is calculated and the result is often used in the planning of the budget for the forthcoming year. Inflation has a massive effect on how the economy works, and this effect is sometimes positive, or negative, depending on the situation. One of the negative effects of inflation is that it becomes extremely risky to hold onto large sums of the currency, which is undergoing inflation, because one does not

Literature review Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words - 3

Literature review - Essay Example (Murdin and Errington 2005:56) A significant body of recent research has explored the processes associated with ruptures in the therapeutic alliance (Safran et al. 1990). In another, similar, piece of research, Hill et al. (1996) carried out a survey of counsellors concerning their experience of impasse in their work with clients. The findings of these studies are consistent with the view of Mearns (1994) that lack of therapeutic progress, or what he terms stuckness, is often associated with over- or under-involvement on the part of the counsellor. (McLeod 2003:335) This stuckness has also been often revealed as not so much the lack of apparent progress, but possibly a symptom of something else. Some therapist fell that it is an outcropping of anger and hurt emotions that often trigger the event. (Whelton and Greenberg 2004:117) This is something that the counsellor needs to put into perspective and it can often be the clinicians responsibly to find the cause for this anger and hurt. This mired down feeling is starting to wear on you. Stay with the stuck feeling for awhile and see what images come to mind. Whats the glue thats holding you and the client in place? Reflect on your discomfort with this ‘stuckness.’ What might this client be here to teach you? Just as a reality check, working with a chronically depressed client can be draining, and at times I have felt similarly tired and frustrated. (Pearson 2006) Maltreatment at an early age can also be the beginning of low self-esteem and could certainly be the early stages of a learned helplessness state from which it is perceived that is no apparent benefit in the given environment and therefore the client become stuck. This is the beginning of low self-esteem and poor self-concept. These assumptions and beliefs taken as fact over time create a situation of what

Health leadership and management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

Health leadership and management - Essay Example The management concepts of leadership and identification and establishment of a risk management process are to be applied for the ultimate design of a health care process. Such processes are more required at the Intensive Care Unit (ICU)/facilities of any hospital as ICU is one of the most critical services of any hospital and the quality of patients' response is important in determining the success of the entire hospital itself. In the following paragraphs we examine the application of the leadership concepts and risk management processes to the ICU facilities so as to lead to identification and reporting of incidents that are potentially harmful to patients. Nearly half all ICU patients suffer from potentially life-threatening adverse event, including infection.Nosocomial infections in ICU are 3-5 times higher than non ICU; 50% of all nosocomial epidemics occur among the 10% of ICU patients; more than 30% of US hospital costs are allocated for ICU care alone. Several evidence based practices have been identified in case of ICUs which help prevent infections. Low evidence based practices are cleaning insertion site, use of heparin,tunneling,routine catheter change, routine Ab prophylaxis, hand washing compliance and use of Sucralfate; medium level evidence based practices are peri-operative normothermia, continuous oscillation,suprapubic catheters, barrier Precautions and Ab restrictions; high evidence based practices include supplemental perioperative oxygen, semi-recumbent position ,selective decontam- GI tract and silver alloy-coated catheters, to quote a few. While these best practices are indicative of the desirable course of action s in ICU situations ;they perhaps indicate more to the risk perceptions and associated risk bearing events within the ICU environment.. Thus best practices are to be documented and diligently implemented and perhaps linked to performance evaluation. However there are noticeable gaps in prescription of these best practices and their actual practices which leads to occurrence of adverse events in ICU care. A careful identification and documentation of deviations which have resulted in adverse incidents is the much needed innovation for ICU management. However it must be remembered as Kaplan says," An appreciation of the power, productive and seductive, of stories of best practice, may provide some "heedfulness" to work in the strategy field(Kaplan,2003). In some evidence seeking research studies, nurses with higher patient load were linked to higher 30-day risk-adjusted mortality. Similarly studies observed a 7% increase risk of dying within 30 days for each additional patient added t o nurse load. One study on adverse drug events showed that 78 percent of adverse drug events were due to system failures (Leape et al, 1995).Any design of an ICU health care system would require establishment of a system which would adherence to such practices by ICU staff at all levels with adequate motivation. Some authors have emphasized the need for organizational change in health care, calling it "the key to quality improvement". In discussing how such change can be managed, Davies and Nutley assert that cultural change needs to be

Ethical Dimensions Of Medicine Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Ethical Dimensions Of Medicine - Research Paper Example There are different philosophical theories that can be used to describe or interpret the dfferent views concerning controversial subjects in medical ethics. David Hume lived in the 18th century and was a Scottish philosopher. Philosophical Theories on Issues in Medical Ethics Hume believed that reason, by itself cannot be presumed to be a motive of the will, but instead is subject to human passions(Mason and Laurie, 2010). He was of the opinion that in normal circumstances, moral distinctions are not the direct result of reason but of moral sentiments such as the emotions of blame or praise. Hume supported the view that there are intrinsic human sentiments such as the expression of vice or virtue; and also simulated actions like the human demonstration of justice. ones like the While some virtues and vices are natural, others, including justice, are artificial. According to Hume’s view, God formed the universe through different cycles; and He enabled man to be able to carry on his creative work. Moreover, He also gave free will to man. People, therefore, have the power to enact things that may not be a part of God’s will. The subject of medical ethics falls under this interpretation of what is right or wrong. The right to euthanasia, for instance, can be said to be an example of man’s ‘artificial’ justice which is not God-given but is the warped result man’s misuse of the free will that was extended to him by God. Immanuel Kant's theory, on the other hand, states that what guides the actions of man is 'rationality' (Mason and Laurie, 2010). According to Kant, human beings have the responsibility to perform what can be said to be 'reasonable' and not inconsistent. Kant stated that it was impractical to extend this responsibility in handling knowledge to the metaphysical arena. Kant stated that any moral obligation has to be applicable to all individuals in any circumstances and at any time. This means that any type of mor ality has to give evidence of a sound moral path in all circumstances and has to be useable to all people. From this view, a doctor’s care for his or her patient is basically a duty that has virtue. Immanuel Kant stated that, â€Å"only those actions which are performed for the sake of duty have moral worth† (Mason and Laurie, 2010). This definition alludes to a difference between inclination and duty. Kant’s views indicate a distinction between inclination and duty. If an individual has inclinations that support his or her duty, they have attained a higher moral development (Mason and Laurie, 2010). This means that Kant was of the view that it is a sacred duty to preserve life. However, if misfortune and hopelessness due to illness or manic depression life have removed all zest for life, the decision to euthanize has moral worth. Conversely, moral duty can be descriptive of preserving life in spite of adverse circumstances, not because of sentimental reasons, b ut because of a sense of duty. From the Kantian theory, one can surmise that the ‘rightness’ or ‘wrongness’ of controversial subjects in medical ethics such as euthanasia is dependent on the morality of the agent. For instance, if the motive of the child of a terminally ill patient who wishes to end his or her life is in line with his or her sense of duty to assist the patient, the child’s assisting of the patient to kill him oe herself becomes a moral act due to the fact that the child ignored his or her

Subordinate Group Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Subordinate Group - Coursework Example It was possible to move from the plantations to the urban areas, but they chose not to do so because, in urban areas, it was not possible to live with one’s family (Hurt, 3). According to records, it was after complete slavery of four generations, that is, in the twentieth century that a ray of hope appeared. By that time, the system of slavery started vanishing, and more and more slaves were getting freed. Though the economic condition was rather pathetic for them, my ancestors were quite happy with the fact that at last, they were being treated as citizens. Admittedly, most of the African American people were living in the Southern United States until that time. However, their economic condition was rather pathetic, and they had no access to schools. However, situations were changing though slowly. As they got freed from bonded labor, my great grandfathers started growing cotton in a rented piece of land. It was possible to pay the rent on the harvest. Thus, what they enjoyed was a much better life as compared to the previous centuries. However, social disparities were too big to ignore. All the laws were against the African Americans. They had to attend separate schools, use separate transportation system, and lodging. My father had his birth in the year 1920, and it was two years thereafter that my whole family shifted from the South to North. My father says there are various reasons that made such a movement the best option at that time. Firstly, the life in South was getting worse because of social oppression. All the laws introduced by the government were intended to increase the social segregation. Secondly, the cotton cultivation did not go profitable as expected as they had to pay excessive rents. So, my grandparents shifted from South to North where there was a better possibility of jobs in industries (Sammis, 52). My grandparents and my father became industrial workers on reaching North.

Health leadership and management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

Health leadership and management - Essay Example The management concepts of leadership and identification and establishment of a risk management process are to be applied for the ultimate design of a health care process. Such processes are more required at the Intensive Care Unit (ICU)/facilities of any hospital as ICU is one of the most critical services of any hospital and the quality of patients' response is important in determining the success of the entire hospital itself. In the following paragraphs we examine the application of the leadership concepts and risk management processes to the ICU facilities so as to lead to identification and reporting of incidents that are potentially harmful to patients. Nearly half all ICU patients suffer from potentially life-threatening adverse event, including infection.Nosocomial infections in ICU are 3-5 times higher than non ICU; 50% of all nosocomial epidemics occur among the 10% of ICU patients; more than 30% of US hospital costs are allocated for ICU care alone. Several evidence based practices have been identified in case of ICUs which help prevent infections. Low evidence based practices are cleaning insertion site, use of heparin,tunneling,routine catheter change, routine Ab prophylaxis, hand washing compliance and use of Sucralfate; medium level evidence based practices are peri-operative normothermia, continuous oscillation,suprapubic catheters, barrier Precautions and Ab restrictions; high evidence based practices include supplemental perioperative oxygen, semi-recumbent position ,selective decontam- GI tract and silver alloy-coated catheters, to quote a few. While these best practices are indicative of the desirable course of action s in ICU situations ;they perhaps indicate more to the risk perceptions and associated risk bearing events within the ICU environment.. Thus best practices are to be documented and diligently implemented and perhaps linked to performance evaluation. However there are noticeable gaps in prescription of these best practices and their actual practices which leads to occurrence of adverse events in ICU care. A careful identification and documentation of deviations which have resulted in adverse incidents is the much needed innovation for ICU management. However it must be remembered as Kaplan says," An appreciation of the power, productive and seductive, of stories of best practice, may provide some "heedfulness" to work in the strategy field(Kaplan,2003). In some evidence seeking research studies, nurses with higher patient load were linked to higher 30-day risk-adjusted mortality. Similarly studies observed a 7% increase risk of dying within 30 days for each additional patient added t o nurse load. One study on adverse drug events showed that 78 percent of adverse drug events were due to system failures (Leape et al, 1995).Any design of an ICU health care system would require establishment of a system which would adherence to such practices by ICU staff at all levels with adequate motivation. Some authors have emphasized the need for organizational change in health care, calling it "the key to quality improvement". In discussing how such change can be managed, Davies and Nutley assert that cultural change needs to be

Subordinate Group Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Subordinate Group - Coursework Example It was possible to move from the plantations to the urban areas, but they chose not to do so because, in urban areas, it was not possible to live with one’s family (Hurt, 3). According to records, it was after complete slavery of four generations, that is, in the twentieth century that a ray of hope appeared. By that time, the system of slavery started vanishing, and more and more slaves were getting freed. Though the economic condition was rather pathetic for them, my ancestors were quite happy with the fact that at last, they were being treated as citizens. Admittedly, most of the African American people were living in the Southern United States until that time. However, their economic condition was rather pathetic, and they had no access to schools. However, situations were changing though slowly. As they got freed from bonded labor, my great grandfathers started growing cotton in a rented piece of land. It was possible to pay the rent on the harvest. Thus, what they enjoyed was a much better life as compared to the previous centuries. However, social disparities were too big to ignore. All the laws were against the African Americans. They had to attend separate schools, use separate transportation system, and lodging. My father had his birth in the year 1920, and it was two years thereafter that my whole family shifted from the South to North. My father says there are various reasons that made such a movement the best option at that time. Firstly, the life in South was getting worse because of social oppression. All the laws introduced by the government were intended to increase the social segregation. Secondly, the cotton cultivation did not go profitable as expected as they had to pay excessive rents. So, my grandparents shifted from South to North where there was a better possibility of jobs in industries (Sammis, 52). My grandparents and my father became industrial workers on reaching North.

Health & Social Care Essay Example for Free

Health Social Care Essay Physical abuse is classed as the hitting, shaking, choking, biting or other physical attack on an individual. It can lead to bruising, cuts, scratches burns, fractures and internal injuries. As well as these more immediate injuries, there can also be longer term ones. Someone who is being physically abused may show signs of it, but they may not be noticed by others if the victim is hiding the abuse. Signs and symptoms of physical abuse are cuts, brusies, burns grip marks, unusual pattern or location of injury, depression, fearfulness, withdrawn and anxiety. Sexual abuse Sexual abuse involves any sexual behaviour directed toward an adult without that adult’s knowledge and consent. Sexual abuse can happen to people of all ages, including the elderly. Sexual abuse is a way that a person tries to have control over someone and has nothing to do with consenting sex between adults. Sexual abuse is another form of physical and emotional control of one person over another person, and it has nothing to do with consensual sex between adults. Read more: Explain the roles of different agencies in safeguarding and protecting individuals from abuse  essay Signs and symptoms of sexual abuse are pain, itching or bruises around breasts or genital area, torn stained or bloody underclothing, sexually transmitted diseases, vaginal/anal bleeding, depression, withdrawal from regular activities, fear and anxiety. Emotional/psychological abuse – Emotional abuse can be as painful and damaging as physical abuse because it diminishes an adult’s sense of identity, dignity and self-worth. Emotional abuse is when a person is verbally assaulted, insulted, yelled at, threatened or humiliated by someone close to them or by a caregiver. The abuser often confines a person or isolates them by preventing them from having visits from family and friends or by denying them the chance to attend doctor or other personal care appointments. Signs and symptoms of emotional/psychological abuse are depression, fear, anxiety and behaviour changes when a carer enters or leaves a room. Financial abuse – financial abuse involves the improper, illegal or unauthorized use of an adult’s resources for the benefit of another. Signs and symptoms of financial abuse are unpaid bills, no money for food, clothing, or medication, unexplained withdrawal of money from someone’s bank account, family member or representative refuses to spend money on the adult’s behalf, possessions disappear, family member or another person forces an adult to sign over Power of Attorney against their own will. Institutional abuse – Institutional abuse refers to mistreatment of someone living in a facility for older persons. This includes nursing homes, foster homes, group homes, or board and care facilities. For example the abuse refers to the ‘home’ and staff having set meal times, set places a resident can eat their meals, a certain time everyone must get up Rigid, routines, Inadequate staffing, Insufficient knowledge base within service etc. Signs and symptoms of institutional abuse could be Inability to make choices or decisions, agitation if routine broken, disorientation, patterns of challenging behaviour. Self neglect – Adults are neglected when a caregiver does not provide the essential daily living needs of an adult dependent upon them, for things such as food, clothing, shelter, bathing, medication, health care, and doctor visits. Self-neglect happens when an adult can no longer take care of their own basic daily living needs. Signs and symptoms of neglect and self-neglect are malnourishment, dehydration, confusion, inappropriate clothing, under or over medication, skin sores, poor hygiene, absence of required aids, canes and walkers. Aiii / Aiv) If someone makes an allegation of abuse to you, the first and most important response is that you must believe what you are told. You must reassure the person that you believe what you have been told also reassure them that it is not their fault and that they are in no way to blame. Once youve reassured the person that you believe them, you should report the allegation immediately to a senior member of staff. Make sure you then make an accurate record of as much detailed information. Av) If the abuse is physical, no attempt should be made to clean anything such as clothes or residence. The client should be dissuaded to wash. Other people should be kept out of the way. With financial abuse, evidence could be paperwork such as bank statements so these should not be thrown away. You should only remove anything that could be evidence if you suspect the abuser might dispose of it before the authorities can see it. Avi) The national polices that relate to safeguarding and protection from abuse are the safeguarding board, the social services. The child protection agencies like the NSPCC Childline. The H.uman rights act 1998 and the Equalityact of 2000. Avii / Aviii) Different agencies and professionals play critical roles when involved in safe guarding individuals for example, Medical professionals such as GP, AE staff, nurses, doctors they can examine, diagnose treat, they can record. The local authority Social Services would carry out an assessment of needs. Safeguarding Team, within Social Services dept investigates and ensures safety, work with other agencies such as police. A Safeguarding Protection Officer would lead the Adult Protection Alert. Police to investigate/prosecute, to work with other agencies, to provide support to victims, to raise awareness of crimes, crime prevention. Care Quality Commission to regulate inspect care providers. Independent Safeguarding Authority. Aix) When seeking advice, support and information to help care workers understand their role in safeguarding good sources would be social workers, advocaces, further training, management, relevant laws and policies, CQC guidelines, care plans including risk assessments.

Values And Beliefs Influenced By Diamond Industry Cultural Studies Essay

Values And Beliefs Influenced By Diamond Industry Cultural Studies Essay The power of advertising throughout the 20th and 21st century has been great upon the American popular culture as well as the rest of the civilized world. This is so because advertising infiltrates and shapes our cultural dialogue/space by influencing and directing its course. Furthermore the influence of the advertising/marketing machine has singlehandedly changed many cultural beliefs and their values. This is effortlessly evident by analyzing the diamond industry, which has been shaping beliefs and values of romantic love within our society and beyond. These values and beliefs influenced by diamond industry or to say Diamond Cartel, have become deeply embedded within our popular culture. This was achieved by constant and ingenious advertising over the last 80 years. Even though diamonds are gemstones with great properties they are not as valuable as they are portrayed in our society. The rule of thumb for the high value of the gemstones or anything else in general is that those ge ms or precious metals have to be rare. Hence the fact that diamonds are actually abundant on our planet is a fact very well hidden from the general public. The extreme value of the diamonds is not achieved by their valuable properties, but mainly via the monopoly held by the diamond cartel. DeBeers or the diamond cartel over the years has carefully planned and used advertising as well as various marketing strategies to grow their diamond empire and by doing so they achieved unfathomed wealth. They did this by twisting, influencing and finally transforming our cultural values, into a belief that diamonds are the ultimate symbols of everlasting love. The effect of this aggressive 80 years long marketing campaign structured by DeBeers is that for the; engagements, weddings, anniversaries, Valentines Day and all the other meaningful love associated events in our life; the diamonds are seen as the greatest gift of love. This is so even though diamonds and their production are far from the affectionate or compassionate industry, in reality its quite contrary. Most buyers are unaware that in gifting their lovers with these aesthetically-beautiful symbols, they are supporting industries which damage the environment, utilize forced labor, cause serious health problems, and contribute to violent conflicts. (Donohoe, 2008, p. 164) Introduction The allure of diamonds we can trace throughout the known history, they are the hardest, the most enduring and sparkling of all precious stones. The word diamond comes from the Greek word adamas, meaning unconquerable. As far as our reliable records reach back into the dim and mystic ages, we find the diamond occupying a prominent position in the estimation of man. (Endlich, 1878, p. 30) A diamond is a translucent precious stone made from one of the earths most widespread element; carbon and it is one of the best known allotropes of carbon. The creation of diamonds began very early during the formation of the planet. They were formed deep within the earth, cooked by extreme temperatures and pressure. When the planets surface cooled, a volcanic activity forced hot magma to the surface, bringing with it the diamonds. However not all diamonds are found where they first came to the surface, because consequential erosion of the top soils over millions of years transported and deposited diamonds along the river banks, the shorelines or on the bed of the oceans. The most important diamond value looked upon by man is its highest hardness and thermal conductivity of any bulk material, making it perfect for industrial applications in cutting and polishing. Above all other of its qualities, which at present determine its value, the superior hardness to all substances then known, seems to have impressed the Ancients. (Endlich, 1878, p. 30) There are two ways of mining diamonds and they are Pipe Mining and Alluvial Mining. The Pipe mining refers to the extraction of diamonds from the volcanic pipes, as for the Alluvial mining it is a process where diamonds are extracted from the alluvial deposits which are sand, gravel and clay that have been naturally enriched with diamonds by soil and water erosion as mentioned above. Background Until the late 1800s diamonds were a genuinely rare stone found only in a small number of riverbeds in India and in the jungles of Brazil. The entire world production of gem diamonds amounted to only several pounds a year. In 1870, however vast diamond deposits were discovered in South Africa. Almost immediately diamonds were being mined by the tons, this inevitably caused diamonds to flood the market. To the financiers who developed the South African mines this fact spelled imminent danger for their investments, because at the time diamonds had little intrinsic value and their price depended to a great extent on their scarcity. They feared that overdevelopment of diamond mines in South Africa and beyond, will cause diamonds to lose value and become only semiprecious gems. Quickly, the major investors realized that they need to control the diamond trade in order to perpetuate the illusion that the diamonds are rare/scarce. Hence in 1888 they created DeBeers Consolidated Mines Ltd., which was incorporated in the South Africa. Shortly after its incorporation, DeBeers took control over all aspects of the world diamond trade. DeBeers a diamond cartel took many forms and it used many different names for its operational units all over the globe. In Europe, it was called the C.S.O. or the Central Selling Organization, in London it operated under the name of The Diamond Trading Company, in Israel it was known as The Syndicate, and in Africa it disguised its South African origins under subsidiaries with names like Diamond Development Corporation and Mining Services, Inc. For most of the time since its inception DeBeers Consolidated Mines Ltd., not only directly owned or controlled all the diamond mines in southern Africa but also owned diamond trading companies in England, Portugal, Israel, Belgium, Holland, and Switzerland. DeBeers Consolidated Mines Ltd., became the most successful cartel pact in the history of the modern trade. While all other commodities, such as the other precious gems, gold, silver, copper etc., oscillated wildly with the economic conditions; diamonds have continued to move upward in price every year since the great depression or better to say since the beginning of the aggressive marketing campaign employed by DeBeers in order to promote diamonds. It is easy to conclude that the Diamond cartel had conceived their business plan with two parts; first to control the supply of diamonds, than to influence the demand. What De Beers did and are doing even today is a classic textbook example of a monopoly, for this reason they are forbidden to operate on the United States soil, stemming from the provisions in the Sherman Act, which states that any conspiracy in restraint of trade is unlawful. Nonetheless, they were and still are selling 50% of the worlds annual diamond sales in the USA; through their various subsidiaries or American dealers who can purchase diamonds only from the cartel, what we have to realize is that this is going on since the late 1800s until modern time. Thought the South African source of the worlds diamonds supply is still going strong, we, as a nation, sport more than half of the sparkling carbon crystals worn anywhere. (MacDill, 1929, p. 125) Even thought their business practices are very important for the analysis of their ethical business operation, I will focus more on their marketing plan and the efforts done over a period of the last century, where they strived to control and influence the masses, public opinion and ultimately shape cultural beliefs all over the globe. B. Ingenious and constant advertising efforts of the De Beers diamond mining cartel since 1930s has profoundly affected and shaped our popular culture within the United States and beyond. During the great depression, diamond industry experienced its first and last so far; diamond crisis, during which the price of diamonds was declining worldwide. This turn of the events has motivated DeBeers a diamond cartel to begin their aggressive advertising campaign, which influenced public opinion and changed cultural beliefs worldwide. They needed to change public attitudes towards diamonds and influence them to believe that diamonds have value beyond the economic worth. In September of 1938, after Harry Oppenheimer then CEO of De Beers Consolidated Mines Ltd, has traveled to New York City and meet with Gerald M. Lauck, the president of N. W. Ayer advertising company, the advertising plan was devised. Two goals of this campaign are; first to persuade men to buy bigger diamonds, second to persu ade women that diamonds are necessity to romantic love and courtship. II. Diamonds as symbols of everlasting love. A. First and the most effective marketing strategy employed by DeBeers has been the marketing of diamonds as a symbol of love and commitment. DeBeers realized that in order for diamonds to become a symbol of love and courtship they had to change their meaning completely. They set out to do this trough three main ways; a. trough movies and royalty, b. news stories linking diamonds and love, c. advertising campaign. What was necessary was the creation of a mass mentality in which women would perceived diamonds, not as precious stones that could be bought and sold according to economic conditions or fashion, but as an inseparable part of courtship and married life. (Epstein, 1982, p. 6) Overall impact of this campaign on the popular culture has been that diamonds are central when thinking about the rituals of romantic courtship. Today, diamond engagement rings are commonplace and are seen as the essential part of our courtship. Since 1939 an entirely new generation of young people has grown to marriageable age. To this new generation, a diamond ring is considered a necessity for engagement to virtually everyone. N.W. Ayers memo. (Epstein, 1982) After the world war two, the diamond industry realized that they are in a desperate need of a slogan, which will represent their symbols of love. In 1948, N.W. Ayer Son coined a now ultra famous slogan A Diamond is Forever. Today this slogan is seen and understood by general masses as an allusion to the eternity of love. What is peculiar about this slogan is that in reality it has actually arisen from the fear that people will place second hand jewelry back on the market, which would ultimately undercut prices of the diamonds. The prestigious US magazine, Advertising Age, in its January 1999 edition, proclaimed A Diamond is Forever the most recognized and effective slogan of the twentieth century. B. Second strategy of DeBeers cartel aimed to extend the symbolic meaning of the diamond rings from the engagement to the anniversaries, which will symbolize reassurance of lasting love. Therefore in their second marketing strategy they began focusing on a 10 year anniversaries. Once this strategy proved to be successful De Beers extended anniversaries even further and began advertising campaign for their third marketing strategy/idea, which was focusing on the 25th anniversary. Furthermore in their fourth marketing strategy DeBeers decided to expand their target market to the men as the recipients of diamonds, which as well proved to be successful. The most recent major DeBeers marketing campaign or strategy #5; is the expansion of the existing target market to the women as buyers of diamonds for themselves, doing this mainly by associating diamonds with the independence. Even though there is some positive empirical data it is still too early since the inception of this strategy, for the same to be evaluated. Another successful promotion that falls within the frames of strategy # 1, 2 and 3, is the eternity ring campaign, which was presented as a symbol of continuing affection and the admiration of the loved ones. Like wedding rings, eternity rings are a symbol of everlasting love. Although eternity rings are frequently given to celebrate an anniversary or other special event such as the birth of a child, there is no precise occasion for which to give this exceptional gift. Given as a tangible symbol of the promise to love forever, an eternity ring is a beautiful way to show the love of your life how much she means to you. What does Thomas Shelby think is amusing about the Eternity Ring is that at the height of the cold war, the Russian diamonds from Siberia, which are in the eternity ring were successfully marketed and sold in USA . Latest in the major campaign of diamond rings is the Trilogy Ring, which is representing the past, present and the future of a love relationship. Three stones. Three stories. But only one you. The Trilogy ring frames three diamonds one to represent your past, another to represent your present and the last to represent your future. The perfect embodiment of your life story? III. Diamonds as symbols of esteem, prestige and sophistication. A. De beers and N.W. Ayer Son are responsible for the creation of the idea that diamonds are rare and valuable, and that they are also an essential signs of love, esteem and prestige. Analogous to the campaign, which was transforming the diamonds into the symbols of love, a subliminal undercurrent of prestige was ever present, underlining and accenting the meaning of diamonds. For this subliminal undercurrent the idea was to correlate diamonds with the sophisticated undertone of art and classiness. Hence N.W. Ayer also arranged for movie stars to appear at social events adorned with diamonds. The agency used its influence to modify film scripts and movie titles to feature diamonds more prominently. Motion pictures seldom include scenes showing the selection of or purchase of an engagement ring to a girl. It would be our plan to contact scenario writers and directors and arrange for such scenes in suitable productions N.W. Ayers memo to DeBeers. (Epstein, 1982) In addition to Hollywood, DeBeers used the royalty worldwide to act as the promotional agents for the diamond industry, once again accenting prestige, esteem and sophistication. The result of these marketing campaigns is that global annual sales of diamonds rose up from 23 million US dollars in 1939 to 50 billion in 2001. IV. Conclusion Empirical and analytical data collected over the past decades about the DeBeers Ltd. or diamond industry in general, shows a very unfavorable and completely opposite reality than it is portrayed in our general society. Edward Epstein discovered that the real business of the diamond industry is the restriction what comes out of the ground, what got cut, how much went on the market and at the same time creating the idea that there is a great demand. Besides these unethical and illegal business malpractices DeBeers is associated with the Apartheid regime because they made use of many institutions that created Apartheid in South Africa. Another known fact is that DeBeers created mining workforce from the black people living on the land, by creating taxes for their land. Furthermore working conditions for these miners in South Africa were poor, with not much food, living in conditions where hostels had 20 people per room and all this while mining 60 hours a week. Moreover in India over 10 0.000 children under the age of 13, comprise a significant part of the Indian labor pool that cuts small diamonds, which ultimately makes possible for the production of cheap jewelry in the western world. The most atrocious trait diamond cartel has is its direct responsibility for influencing loss of the human life trough diamond wars. DeBeers were connected to many conflict diamonds, dubbed Blood Diamonds because of the loss of human life and blood spilled in support of the diamond production and control of mines in some African countries. So how it is that these accepted symbols of love, which come from human exploitation, suffering and even death, flourish in our society and are seen as symbols described above? To answer this we have to turn to the analysis of the advertising in general, and in which ways it affects and influences a human psyche. First of all we have to understand that the advertising is a discourse trough and about objects. In our case the diamond story or DeBeers is a discourse of a story about love, intimacy and family, and this story is told through and about diamonds. To understand this hyper-commercialized world we have to make sure that we ask the right questions about the power of advertising. The wrong question is; does an advertising campaign increase sales of that particular product or a brand. But the right question would be in cultural perspective; how does advertising influence the way we think about ourselves, about the world, about what is good and bad, as well as right or wrong. We have to think about how advertising influences our values and our identities. And finally we have to understand that advertising talks to us about subjects that are important, but it does it trough the medium of things. This extremely successful diamond advertising campaign has changed very little since its inception in 1938 for the reason that it has been fantastically successful in the endeavor of influencing the demand and sale of diamonds. Three general points to draw from the diamond advertising examples are; 1. The present has been constructed by actions in history, 2. Advertising power is based on making sure other competing messages about products are not allowed to be heard, 3. Our ideas about things that matter to us like family, friends, intimacy, sexuality, security etc. are shaped by the broader cultural environment of which advertising is a key part. It is said that the cartels greatest accomplishment is that it has created and upheld the illusion that the diamonds are scarce and valuable, even though approximately 130 million carats (26,000 kg (57,000 lb)) of diamonds are mined annually. Although all these deceptive messages and beliefs are played upon us as society, we have to remember that the diamond deception is not a one-person play, because deceiver and deceived play a part in this deception collaboration.