Optical Distortion Essay

I. Executive Summary The dilemma ODI faces is whether introduce its product at a higher price and continue process its multiproduct and multimarket strategy. Based on ODI limited resources and current situation of poultry industry in United States, it should focus on large-sized chicken farms and price ODI lenses at a higher level for the sake of its profits and its future business plan. II. Introduction With the fact existed in poultry industry in late 1970s that most of the chickens in United States were owned by some large farms. Optical Distortion, Inc., a contact lens company, has developed a kind of contact lens applied on chickens considered to hold enormous market potential. However, it is hard for ODI to decide how to price its products and how to extend its business nationwide considering its own limited resources. III. Analysis and Problem Identifications * Consumer Needs and WTP There are various-sized customers: small farm, medium farm, and large farm. They all suffered the loss caused by pecking order and cannibalism, and now most of them adopt the method of debeaking to reduce the impact of peck order, however, debeaking has some defects itself, and no matter what choice farmers make, they would concern following aspects before making the decision: whether the product or service is cost effective; the trauma that would bring to chickens, since traditional depeaking method would cause damage to the chickens in some degrees; the convenience of product usage is important especially for large farm; the after-sale services means if the company can provide professional follow-up services to the farm after purchasing. The larger farms, the more suffered from pecking order, will be more interested in our product and care about more on the quality of product or service and what economic value the product will bring to them. The value of OD I lens for farmers is the incremental benefit over existed depeaking methods minus the switching costs from depeaking to ODI lenses. Therefore ODI should take all the possible benefits that ODI would bring to farmers and also the costs of adopting ODI lens in to consideration. (See Exhibit 1) * Marketing Strategy Price The company agreed on the minimum price of $0.08 per pair, however, benefits the farmers would obtain justify a higher price than it. Nevertheless, with the price higher than $0.08, it would be risky to convince farmers take the products in to consideration seriously until they experienced the products themselves. Because of ODI limited resources, it should obtain maximum contribution as soon as possible to support its increasing fixed cost and variable cost. So I think ODI should price its lens higher than $0.08 per pair from the beginning, and forget the idea about introducing the lenses at lower price and raising it later since chicken farmers would probably not agree. Product Now ODI focus on developing contact lenses for chicken applications, and it is an innovative product for poultry industry that contains many advantages compared to depeaking method. However, it remains some problems like the lenses probably could not be reused. For ODI most potential customers, in this case, large farms, this problem may bring doubts about product’s economic value and ease of use which may increase the purchasing frequency and labor input. In addition, ODI may also think about becoming a multiple-product company in the future after establishing ODI lenses business with large chicken farms. They may consider develop additional product related to poultry industry based on more sophisticated technology and higher-level demand, they could also develop contact lenses for human applications as well as for nonhuman applications. Marketing and Communications ODI mainly focus on two ways approaching to its customers: advertising in the leading poultry industry publications, participating in the most important industry trade shows. I think ODI should continue the strategy and also take a multiple-dimension advertising strategy, such as advertising on some Business-to-Business commercial website related to poultry industry, since most of ODI target customers are large farms. Currently, ODI has one salesperson cover no more than 80 farms and one technical representative for each five salespeople, although it may bring labor cost if ODI decided to hire more people, the number of salespeople might not be enough for ODI to process its â€Å"think-big† strategy and when dealing with its large farm customers, ODI may need more technology representative as well as salespeople. ODI may also seek cooperation with large-sized farms by obtaining long-term licenses from them. Distribution Based on the region-by-region strategy, and the fact that most of the large farms which have the flock size 100,000 and over are located in California region and south Atlantic region, ODI should build its regional office and ware house in those regions and gradually establish the net to cover other regions by setting up smaller-sized regional office or warehouse in regions of lower demand. Promotion Since the customers usually would order large amount of pairs of lenses especially large farms, ODI could offer promotions like if purchasing over some level of amount, they might get a rebate or discount on the products. However, since ODI is still fragile with its limited capital resource and the margin of its products is connected tightly with the price, the price promotion may introduced after gaining more power of capital and coming up other competitors. Before ODI having the capability of processing price promotion, it could improve its service like prolong the time for which salespeople and technology representatives can track the entire course of application. * Competitive Strategy Benefit from its innovative technology and its patent and licensed protection of its products, ODI can hold off competitions for at least three years, therefore, ODI should not relax on its goal of multiproduct and multimarket company in the country, find a way to build brand image and close business relationship with suppliers and consumers, ODI should prepared well for confronting competitors by continuing product update and improving services, and ODI should also protect its proprietary technology by issuing patent. * Intermediary Consideration – Supplier New World Plastics is the exclusive supplier to one of the materials for ODI lens. Because New World Plastic controlled the patents for hydrophilic polymer, on one hand, ODI should maintain the relationship with New World Plastic since ODI obtained a long-term license from it for exclusive use of hydrophilic polymer for nonhuman applications, and New World Plastic agreed not to produce polymer for other firms seeking nonhuman markets, this would provide more time for ODI to expand its influence in industry, on the other hand, ODI should keep the multiple-product strategy so that seek more bargaining power in this relationship and try to diverse risk of depending on limited suppliers IV. Alternatives Evaluation Option 1: Keep â€Å"think-big† strategy with lower price If ODI plan to cling to its multimarket and multiproduct strategy, it should try to open the market as soon as possible, since for now it was limited by its scale and resources, it is hard for ODI to obtain considerable investment. To this end, ODI may consider capturing market at first place, therefore, it should provide price which its customer preferred. However, once the price is introduced, it is difficult for ODI to raise it in the future, moreover, it is urgent for ODI to obtain maximum contribution on account of its current situation. Option 2: Keep â€Å"think-big† strategy with premium price Although farm owners may not recognize the benefits of adopting ODI lenses are much greater than $0.08 per pair, ODI can altering this by advertising extensively or promoting products by free samples and making more approaches to customers. Because ODI lenses are a kind of innovation for poultry industry, and there are certainly no incumbents in the market or competitors in at least 3 years, ODI have some level of pricing power. Given premium price, ODI are able to maintain its marginal profits, and also beneficial for its business expansion, since the margin should cover the costs of additional region offices and warehouse and advertising costs. Once ODI established its ODI lenses business, it can seek more opportunities in the market by expanding its production lines and creating newly favorable categories with additional capital and production capability. Option 2: Keep â€Å"one-product† strategy with premium price Considering its limited resources, it is unrealistic for ODI to expand its production lines immediately, the ODI lenses are still an immature product in market, and ODI will face uncertainties as the project carrying on. Therefore, ODI currently has not extra resources regarding other products and markets. Despite of growing numbers of chickens and farms, poultry industry shows a trend that chicken population are more and more focus on large farms but the growth in number of large farms of over 100,000 flock size is not as rapid as in the number of the chicken that they own (See Exhibit 2). Therefore, the market potential is quite limited in the long run and ODI should open a broader market. V. Recommendations and Conclusion If ODI lenses priced at a premium level at first, ODI could obtain more margin and it don’t need to worry about the difficulties in raising price in the future. It should also focus on improving the quality and services of ODI lenses, try to build up solid business relationship with its suppliers and customers, also find multiple ways of advertising and increasing the customers’ awareness and accessibility of products. For ODI business expansion plan, I think ODI should focus on large-sized farms at the beginning; put aside its business expansion temporally and focus on promoting ODI lenses regionally based on its limited resource. ODI should rely on technology updating, more effective advertising, and better services to build up brand image and occupy market share. After ODI lenses widely accepted by the market, ODI can start marching to other categories maybe poultry related products or non-poultry industry, based on its experiences a nd technology in this field.

Hard Times Essay

Dickens presents his criticism of the education for the labouring class in a sarcastic manner. He has created the classroom as a factory. The purpose of the education in Coketown is to root out the innocence and imagination of young children so they will grow into utilitarian robots expecting nothing more than the drudgery of industrial life. Dickens uses specific methods to put his point across of ‘bad education’ by using negative views. This is done with exaggeration because he wants the reader to think the same as what he thinks so it seems like education was extreme and intense. In ‘Hard Times’, the teachers fulfil the excessive teaching skills as they just want the ‘little vessels’ to be filled with facts. Dickens also presents a contrast between two children to show how differently each child gets treated because of their background or their attitude towards things other than facts. Another method that he uses is making the characters stand out through their names to symbolise their personality. Throughout chapters 1-3, Dickens emphasises on the word ‘facts’ because he wants to continuously present and criticise the education for the labouring class. ‘Now, what I want is, Facts. Teach these boys and girls nothing but Facts. Facts alone are wanted in life†¦ ‘ This is the opening sentence of the novel and straight away you have a vague idea of the extremism of teaching. Also the word ‘fact’ is in capital letters and this signifies the importance of learning nothing but facts. The introduction of the teacher has a lot of exaggeration at hand. Thomas Gradgrind is a middle-class, self-made man. ‘A man of realities†¦ a man of facts and calculations’. Dickens has made this character a very hard and cold teacher who knows what he wants from the students. ‘He seemed a kind of cannon loaded to the muzzle with facts†¦ ‘ Dickens uses military imagery to show how the teacher wants to get rid of childhood imagination. ‘He seemed a galvanising apparatus, too, charged with a grim mechanical substitute for the tender young imaginations that were to be stormed away’. Dickens has described this as some sort of physics experiment because ‘galvanising’ is the process named after Galvan in the stimulation of animal tissue by electric currents. But in this case it is the young children that are being stimulated with factual currents. Dickens has made the teacher to be very hard-hearted and cruel and this is to present his criticism on the education for the labouring class because he evidently disagrees with this concept of teaching and he wants the readers to feel the same way by using the different language techniques and this is mostly done through exaggeration.

Alzheimer’s Essay

Alzheimer’s disease is an irreversible, progressive brain disease that slowly destroys memory and thinking skills, and eventually even the ability to carry out the simplest tasks. In most people with Alzheimer’s, symptoms first appear after age 60. Alzheimer’s disease is the most common cause of dementia among older people. Dementia is the loss of cognitive functioning—thinking, remembering, and reasoning—and behavioral abilities, to such an extent that it interferes with a person’s daily life and activities. Dementia ranges in severity from the mildest stage, when it is just beginning to affect a person’s functioning, to the most severe stage, when the person must depend completely on others for basic activities of daily living. What are the stages of Alzheimer’s? There are five stages associated with Alzheimer’s disease: preclinical Alzheimer’s disease, mild cognitive impairment, mild dementia due to Alzheimer’s, moderate dementia due to Alzheimer’s and severe dementia due to Alzheimer’s. 1.Preclinical Alzheimer’s disease Alzheimer’s disease begins long before any symptoms become apparent. This stage is called preclinical Alzheimer’s disease. You won’t notice symptoms during this stage, nor will those around you. This stage of Alzheimer’s can last for years, possibly even decades. Although you won’t notice any changes, new imaging technologies can now identify deposits of a substance called amyloid beta that have been associated with Alzheimer’s disease. The ability to identify these early deposits may be especially important as new treatments are developed for Alzheimer’s disease. 2.Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) due to Alzheimer’s disease People with mild cognitive impairment have mild changes in their memory and thinking ability. These changes aren’t significant enough to affect work or relationships yet. People with MCI may have memory lapses when it comes to information that is usually easily remembered, such as conversations, recent events or appointments. People with MCI may also have trouble judging the amount of time needed for a task, or they may have difficulty correctly judging the number or sequence of steps needed to complete a task. The ability to make  sound decisions can become harder for people with MCI. Not everyone with mild cognitive impairment has Alzheimer’s disease. In some cases, MCI is due to depression or a temporary medical complication. The same procedures used to identify preclinical Alzheimer’s disease can help determine whether MCI is due to Alzheimer’s disease or something else. 3.Mild dementia due to Alzheimer’s disease Alzheimer’s disease is often diagnosed in the mild dementia stage, when it becomes clear to family and doctors that a person is having significant trouble with memory and thinking. In the mild Alzheimer’s stage, people may experience: Memory loss for recent events. Individuals may have an especially hard time remembering newly learned information and repeatedly ask the same question. Difficulty with problem-solving, complex tasks and sound judgments. Planning a family event or balancing a checkbook may become overwhelming. Many people experience lapses in judgment, such as when making financial decisions. Changes in personality. People may become subdued or withdrawn — especially in socially challenging situations — or show uncharacteristic irritability or anger. Decreased attention span and reduced motivation to complete tasks also are common. Difficulty organizing and expressing thoughts. Finding the right words to describe objects or clearly express ideas becomes increasingly challenging. Getting lost or misplacing belongings. Individuals have increasing trouble finding their way around, even in familiar places. It’s also common to lose or misplace things, including valuable items. 4.Moderate dementia due to Alzheimer’s disease During the moderate stage of Alzheimer’s, people grow more confused and forgetful and begin to need help with daily activities and self-care. People with moderate Alzheimer’s disease may: Show increasingly poor judgment and deepening confusion. Individuals lose track of where they are, the day of the week or the season. They often lose the ability to recognize their own belongings and may inadvertently take things that don’t belong to them. They may confuse family members or close friends with one another, or mistake strangers for family. They often  wander, possibly in search of surroundings that feel more familiar and â€Å"right.† These difficulties make it unsafe to leave those in the moderate Alzheimer’s stage on their own. Experience even greater memory loss. People may forget details of their personal history, such as their address or phone number, or where they attended school. They repeat favorite stories or make up stories to fill gaps in memory. Need help with some daily activities. Assistance may be required with choosing proper clothing for the occasion or the weather and with bathing, grooming, using the bathroom and other self-car e. Some individuals occasionally lose control of their urine or bowel movements. Undergo significant changes in personality and behavior. It’s not unusual for people with moderate Alzheimer’s to develop unfounded suspicions — for example, to become convinced that friends, family or professional caregivers are stealing from them or that a spouse is having an affair. Others may see or hear things that aren’t really there. Individuals often grow restless or agitated, especially late in the day. People may have outbursts of aggressive physical behavior. 5.Severe dementia due to Alzheimer’s disease In the severe (late) stage of Alzheimer’s, mental function continues to decline and the disease has a growing impact on movement and physical capabilities. In severe Alzheimer’s, people generally: Lose the ability to communicate coherently. An individual can no longer converse or speak coherently, although he or she may occasionally say words or phrases. Require daily assistance with personal care. This includes total assistance with eating, dressing, using the bathroom and all other daily self-care tasks. Experience a decline in physical abilities. A person may become unable to walk without assistance, then unable to sit or hold up his or her head without support. Muscles may become rigid and reflexes abnormal. Eventually, a person loses the ability to swallow and to control bladder and bowel functions. Treatment: Alzheimer’s disease is complex, and it is unlikely that any one intervention will be found to delay, prevent, or cure it. That’s why current approaches in treatment and research focus on several different aspects, including  helping people maintain mental function, managing behavioral symptoms, and slowing or delaying the symptoms of disease. Maintaining mental function Four medications are approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to treat Alzheimer’s. They may help maintain thinking, memory, and speaking skills, and help with certain behavioral problems. However, these drugs don’t change the underlying disease process, are effective for some but not all people, and may help only for a limited time. Managing Behavioral Symptoms Common behavioral symptoms of Alzheimer’s include sleeplessness, agitation, wandering, anxiety, anger, and depression. Scientists are learning why these symptoms occur and are studying new treatments—drug and non-drug—to manage them. Treating behavioral symptoms often makes people with Alzheimer’s more comfortable and makes their care easier for caregivers. Slowing, Delaying, or Preventing Alzheimer’s Disease Alzheimer’s disease research has developed to a point where scientists can look beyond treating symptoms to think about addressing underlying disease processes. In ongoing clinical trials, scientists are looking at many possible interventions, such as immunization therapy, cognitive training, physical activity, antioxidants, and the effects of cardiovascular and diabetes treatments. Alzheimer’s References http://www.alz.org/alzheimers_disease_what_is_alzheimers.asp http://www.nia.nih.gov/alzheimers/publication/alzheimers-disease-fact-sheet http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/alzheimers-disease/in-depth/alzheimers-stages/art-20048448?pg=1 https://www.alz.org/what-is-dementia.asp http://umm.edu/health/medical/reports/articles/alzheimers-disease

Literary analysis of Tim O'Brien's novel The Things They Carried- Essay

Literary analysis of Tim O'Brien's novel The Things They Carried- Relationship between Women & Men - Essay Example The reader is introduced to Mary Ann Bell as part of a story told by Rat Kiley. This is warning enough that the story may not be true, but it nevertheless portrays a certain kind of fantasy about women that the soldiers have. She is described in sexist terms as â€Å"This cute blonde†¦she’s got on culottes. White culottes and this sexy pink sweater† (p. 86) The importance of this character at the beginning is that she is sweet and innocent, and her clean pink and white clothes are a sharp contrast to the dirty green uniforms that everyone wears on the battlefield. Her boyfriend Mark Fossie is supposed to have arranged for her to come over to join him, and no doubt this is the dream of every soldier. The whole episode is obviously fantasy and wish fulfilment. The story of Mary Ann Bell’s corruption by the horrors of war is symbolized in her appearance when she is found in the creepy cave. The author stresses that she is the same person that she was before, an d yet something dreadful has happened to her: â€Å"She was barefoot. She wore her pink sweater and a white blouse and a simple cotton skirt.† (p. 105) This cheerleader image is shattered, however with the revelation: â€Å"At the girl’s throat was a necklace of human tongues.† (p. ... The innocent eyes of girls at home are contrasted with the fictitious Mary Anne Bell who did share the boys’s experience: â€Å"She was there. She was up to her eyeballs in it.† (p. 108) The legend of Mary Anne Bell is the legend of the girlfriend who turned into a better soldier than all of the young men and actually enjoyed the terror and the gruesome body parts and awful smells. Mary Anne Bell is both the idealized dream girlfriend, and the terrifying nightmare girlfriend who loses her cuteness and becomes just as depraved and hardened as the men. Neither version is a real person, of course. It seems that the men need these psychological extremes to love and to hate. Mary Anne Bell is a harmless target of their strongest emotions and thinking about her helps them to work through difficult feelings. Some of the male characters pretend that they are great lovers who can attract many women, and this betrays an attitude of seeing women as sex objects. An example of this is the stories that Rat Kiley told about his exploits: â€Å"If Rat told you, for example, that he’d slept with four girls one night, you could figure it was about a girl and a half.† (page 85). All of the women characters in the book are presented through the eyes of the soldiers and they are all to some extent used by the soldiers as objects. This kind of objectification can be insulting to women, but there are many occasions where the reader can see that there is real love going on between the soldiers and their wives and girlfriends. There is obviously a difficulty in doing this because the men are separated from their female friends and relatives, but in this situation small tokens are used instead. These are more than just souvenirs, but they become holders of deep

Bank Financial Management Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Bank Financial Management - Case Study Example bank has also increased its investment into the Federal Funds which may indicate that the bank’s overall policy may be to invest into risk free investments. Net interest income has shown consistent trends for three years however, non-interest income has declined too in year 1992. The overall risk profile of the bank therefore may be assessed through the mix of investment as well as lending made by the firm. Lending to high risk areas such as lending to companies etc. further investment into more secured avenues such as investing into government securities. The discussion on the interest rates by Mr. Jamison may not be entirely indicate the true assessment of the facts given the fact that it is relatively not known whether the lending made by the Bank is short term or long term in nature. Further the comment on the lack of high quality loans really need to be viewed from the perspective of the overall risk and return appetite of the bank. If the focus is on achieving the consistent returns, Bank may afford to have high quality loans however if the bank is willing to earn higher profitability its portfolio risk may need to be increased. Further, the overall rate sensitivity of the deposits also need to be discussed in much broader concept as it is not only limited to the interest rates but rather its impact on the lending shall also be taken into consideration which has not been discussed at length by various members of the ALCO. The present yield curve indicate the steep increase in the rates and as such there is an indication of increase in short term interest rates what is however, critical to note that the Bank shall focus on acquiring long term deposits rather than making investments into the long term securities. Since short term interest rates are anticipated to change therefore bank shall also focus on making short term loans. This therefore would further require the bank to look for more of working capital and consumer loans rather than increasing its

Customer Relationships and Marketing Communications Essay

Customer Relationships and Marketing Communications - Essay Example Technology has grown manifolds and has been a great boon to mankind over the past few years. Since the past decade, the intent of the Internet has provided man with a strong weapon to acquire every minute details pertaining to various products in a jiffy of a second. The Internet has provided mechanisms to obtain information related to diverse products by sitting at one spot. These technological trends provide an opportunity to the companies for carrying out a good marketing plan that would satisfy the consumer’s requirements up to a maximum extent possible (Embellix, 2000). The producers are not left with an option to modify the related details as the Internet is a vast field that possesses, the vendor’s site with the product details and also the information that the critics put up pertaining to the specific products. So, the vendors need to be careful about the impact that online information has over the consumer’s thought. Therefore, by the development of tech nology producers cannot fool the consumers with over budgeted advertising schemes. Technology trends are also offering scope for consumers to compare similar products based on their features and quality performance. These sorts of comparisons enable the consumer to purchase the necessary product that would serve the purpose based on all the requirements. Consumer convenience has been a key issue for the producers to add value to their products (Lindsey Partos, 2005). These issues have been mostly addressed by technology developments. The consumers are provided with e-commerce aspects wherein they can do a whole lot of shopping by sitting at home.

Learner's profile Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Learner's profile - Essay Example to Min for improving his language proficiency shall include verb and subject agreement, verb tenses, correct pronunciation of words, and a wider vocabulary. This can be done by reading activities which will enable him to learn new words, correct his pronunciation and intonation, and check his comprehension. I believe that Min’s English skills can be further improved by exposing him to other English native speakers. Thus, activities should be complemented with daily interaction with other Australians. On the basis of the tests carried out on him covering various aspects of his language learning efficiency it could safely be ascertained that the learner possesses satisfactory skills of elementary level which includes reading, writing, speaking as well as listening skills. Some words still required to be repeated over and over again. Often times, choosing simpler and more familiar words aid him to understand and respond more quickly during interviews. However he does understand the overall meaning of the conversation. (I do not have any source to find out how Min fared in the other tests. I only have his reading and writing test samples, but writing on something that I do not know is apparently difficult. I haven’t even heard how he speaks nor have any idea about his listening skills. However I have tried to incorporate some of the findings in the task.) For non English speakers, listening is a relatively tough job, which is mainly because of the variation in intonations and word stress which is quite different compared to other languages. Also the individual skill levels count, like a good vocabulary, and frequent contacts with the native English speakers. Such factors help in adapting to the sounds, intonations, stress and pronunciations of the English language. Some English words are pronounced differently in Korean language which sometimes makes it difficult for the non native speakers, like Min, to grasp specific information from conversations, often

Financial management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5000 words - 1

Financial management - Essay Example The analysis is conducting implying accounting theories and principles. Caterpillar Inc is a leading American heavy equipment and machinery manufacturer and distributor. The company is a subsidiary of Caterpillar (CAT). The company is recognized as the leading manufacturer of construction machinery, equipment, engines and turbines. According to the Fortune 500 listing the company ranks number one among 44 industries across the globe and is currently headquartered in Peroria, Illinois (Annual Report: Caterpillar Inc., 2014). The Company was initially established in 1925 under the name of Caterpillar Tractor Company that was then re-organized under the name of Caterpillar Inc in 1986 (Annual Report: Caterpillar Inc., 2014). The primary operations of the company compresses manufacturing and distribution, having manufacturing plant located in more than 110 facilities across the globe among that 51 plants are located in United States and others are located in the different countries worldwide. In addition, the company also provides financial services to its customers in order to provide financial alternatives for the customers to acquire Caterpillar Products. The company acquires assets of net worth, more than US$89 billion with an average revenue turnover of US$55.6 billion (Annual Report: Caterpillar Inc., 2014). The growth and expansion of the company are subjected to its effective financial management practice and performance. The outlook of the financial practices and policies of the company are analyzed to evaluate financial management practices of the company. Caterpillar has constantly expanded with the passage and sustained its financial performance in different economic conditions. The company has ensured its financial practices and policies anticipating its financial positioning in the global market. The section of the report

Apple Store Building for the Photoshop Project Essay

Apple Store Building for the Photoshop Project - Essay Example For my Photoshop project, I decided to explain or even define what Apple is today. I think that for the past couple of years, they have significantly evolved into something much more interesting than their circumstance a decade ago when Apple is merely all about the "mac". For this purpose, I used three photographs: a photo of the Apple Store in New York; a photo of Steve Jobs; and, a photo of myself. I have edited these three materials in order to be integrated into one seamless poster of an important artifact of the twenty-first century.As previously mentioned, Apple has undergone a significant transformation, significantly changing its focus since the 1990s. For years, the organization has been steadfast and determined to uphold its core value as represented in the "mac" computer, including its own operating system. In this period, Apple has built a cult following, who were rapidly consuming each release of the "mac" hardware and the OSX platform. In the past years, however, Apple has diversified into several other products, particularly in mobile devices. Because of this, it has achieved a significant amount of mainstream success. It has perfected a unique formula for its products, which is composed of a tightly controlled ecosystem and extremely beautiful and user-friendly interfaces for its devices. I would like to capture this essence, first and foremost. In order to do this, I selected the Apple Store in New York. This particular image impressed me because it has several elements, which I think is representative of this aspect of the Apple brand. If one looks at the image, the Apple Store, resplendent in glass and steel is surrounded by buildings, dimmed by the night setting. Two of these building were prominently shown flanking the Apple glass box. On the left is a classically designed building, while on the right, stood a modernist concrete structure. For me, the tableaux can tell us two things if one follows the photographic principles especially tha t about semiotic codes. First is that Apple is not afraid to be different as demonstrated in the way the store was uniquely designed. It celebrated its uniqueness that is why it leads to innovation. Secondly, Apple is becoming more open to the idea of mass culture and it is starting to go mainstream. But, this is being done, on its own terms.

US History-Westward Expansion Wars & Indians Essay Example for Free

US History-Westward Expansion Wars Indians Essay This paper concentrates upon the historical expansion of the USA over the territory of Native Americans, this process as a series of wars was hard and challenging for both sides. At the beginning of the 19th century, when United States were growing really quickly, expanding the territories to the South, there appeared impediment on their way, namely the territories which used to be the native lands of the Cherokee, Greek, Choctaw, Seminole tribes. For white Americans these people were not defending their own lands, they were causing obstacles for the progressive growth, whereas they needed these lands so much for growing cotton, thus were doing everything possible to make the Federal government to submit the territories of Indians. The main reason of these wars is believed to be the colonial interest of the US. Generally historians describe these events using the term Indian Wars conflicts between the USA and Native Americans or Indians. This term also includes the colonial wars, before the United States were created. During the period starting from the mentioned colonial wars till the American frontier of 1890 Indians had to go thought the process of assimilation, dissimilation and were made to relocate to special places, which were later called Indian reservations. â€Å"One scholar has noted that the more than 40 Indians wars from 1775 till 1890 reportedly claimed the lives of some 45. 000 Indians and 19. 000 of whites†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (J. Tebbel, K. Jennison, 11). Generally talking about Native Indians, we have to underline that actually these were not all the same people, there were some formal unites, that took part in the wars, the main decisions about wars and peace were also taken locally, and there were certain leaders of the alliances. One of the examples can be the Iroquois Confederation. Most scholars nowadays state that it would be too simple and not deep enough to consider these wars as just racial wars between Indian people and American people, the fact was that Indians didn’t struggle only with white people, they also fought with Indians as well. The result of the wars was however rather of single meaning, namely the conquest of the United States of Native Americans. The years from 1622 to 1774 are called colonial era for America. This period of time includes the wars between Native Americans and the USA before the Declaration of independence was issued. Colonial powers in North America had to subdue the resistance of the native people, trying to overcome their hostility. The following 70 years were the wars against the United States that were newly formed. The year 1763 is known for the Pontiac’s Rebellion in the territory of Northwest. The main conflict at that moment with Native Americans was the consequence of not giving up of the tribes from Northwest of the settlement in the Ohio valley. The first couple of attempts of white people was not successful enough to defeat the tribes, but in 1794, during the battle of Fallen Timbers General Anthony Wayne was victorious. In 1830 president Andrew Jackson remade the Indian Removal Act into law. The act itself was not s straight order for relocating Native Americans, but it was pushing them to exchange their lands in the eastern part for those in the west. One of the historians Robert V. Remini stated that the deeds of the president could be explained by his intention to keep national security as the main reason, because at that time Great Britain and Spain started to use the Native Americans for the war with the United States. After the year 1815 the US was pushing the Indians to reservations by Mississippi river, and the result of the mentioned policy was the fact that by 1860 most of the tribes had to relocate. Usually that was not done peacefully; there were fights and strong resistance. For example in order to move the Seminole it was necessary to win several wars for the white Americans. â€Å"The most notable Seminole War involved the celebrated Osceola. Similarly the refusal of the Sac and Fox to be removed led to the Black Hawk War in 1832† (J. Tebbel, K. Jennison, 25). During the years 1823 – 1890 the western part of the Mississippi was the territory of hard resistance from Indian tribes against white settlers, the strongest were the Sioux of the Northern Plains and the Apache of the Southwest. In 1864 the battle called the Sand Greek Massacre took place, as the result around 150 persons were killed or injured. â€Å"The Indians at Sand Greek had been assured, by the US government that they would be safe in the territory they were occupying, but anti-Indian sentiments by white settlers were running high. Later congressional investigations resulted in short-lived U. S. public outcry against the slaughter of the native Americans† (Y. Bill, 137). Later on there was a number of another war conflicts, but as soon as in the year 1887 the Dawes Act was issued the new epoch stared, practically the resistance of the Native Americans was finally broken and the U. S. government succeeded in removing them to reservations. Overall, the epoch of the Indian wars is a huge bloody spot in the history of the USA. One the one hand, being guided by the best aim of progress and development the white Americans did their best in order to remove Indians from their native lands, although the cost for it were thousands of people’s lives. It is not necessary to mention that the interests of Native Americans were not much taken into consideration, and their resistance is practically well founded. Sources: 1. M.Norton. A People A Nation Volume One: to 1877, Seventh Edition, 2004 2. Portrait of America: From the European Discovery of America to the End of Reconstruction by Stephen B. Oates, 2000 3. Taylor, Alan. American Colonies: The Settling of North America (The Penguin History of the United States , Volume I) (History of the USA ), 1999 4. Y. Bill. Indian Wars: The campaign for the American West. Yardley, PA: Westholme, 2005 5. M. Schmitt, D. Brown. Fighting Indians of the West, 1966 6. J. Tebbel, K. Jennison. The American Indian Wars, 1990.

FORD MOTORS PHILOSOPHY vs TOYOTA MOTORS PHILOSOPHY

FORD MOTORS PHILOSOPHY vs TOYOTA MOTORS PHILOSOPHY Introduction A manufacturing/production system consists of a conversion system, which transforms inputs into output. The way conversion is done depends upon the nature of product/service and the nature of demand for such product/service. Thus the types of production are broadly classified into two categories, the continuous and the intermittent. The first category is appropriate where large scale production is required and the second is suitable where demand is non-uniform and seasonal and the product is not standardized. Ford Motors, as it is poised for mass producing standardized automobiles, naturally embraced the continuous production system. This essay attempts to compare and contrast the production philosophies and systems adopted by Ford Motors during 1930s and Toyota Motor Company during recent times. As Kanigal, Robert [1997] laid the basis for the concept of assembly line, Henry Ford, adopted the concept in1914 with due consideration to Adam Smiths philosophy of division of labour. He over simplified the tasks which led to specialization and business success (William A. Levinson, 2009). On the other hand, Toyota, which emerged as a different socio-industrial system, ironically had its roots in Henry Fords philosophy (James P.Womack, Daniel T.Jones, Daniel Roos, 2007) However, TMC digressed from the traditional Detroit philosophy based on the concept of lean manufacturing and thus carved a niche for itself and grew to such an extent that the American automobile industry shook. Henry Fords Contribution Earlier, cars were a specialized luxury, available only to the elite. Fords mass production scheme made the automobile accessible for the common man even, by virtue of Fords vision, a car for every man. This philosophy got extended to the whole range of consumer products and services which came into the reach of every common man. Henry Fords team nurtured innovation in all the 4 Ps (Product, Process, Position and Paradigm) to happen concurrently. The T-Model, which Ford and his team evolved formed the basis for emergence of an altogether completely new realm of thinking as regards manufacturing, which resulted in elimination of need for skilled labour (Joe Tidd, John Bessant, 2009). Though the basic elements existed earlier, Fords success lay in synthesizing them into a new form. The philosophy encompassed not only assembly operations, but supply chain and logistical aspects also. Features of Ford System of Manufacturing Standardization of products, components, equipment, process, tasks and tasks of control. Time and work study, to identify the optimum conditions for carrying out a particular operation and job analysis, to break up the task into small, highly controllable and reproducible steps. Specialization of functions and tasks within all areas of operation .there was considerable narrowing and re-utilization of individual tasks and an extension of division of labor. Uniform output rates and systematization of the entire manufacturing process. Payments and incentive schemes based on results. Elimination of worker discretion and passing of control to specialists. Concentration of control of work into the hands of management within a bureaucratic hierarchy with extensive reliance on rules and procedures. The Toyota production philosophy The system of production which, though had its roots in that of Ford Motors, has evolved as a distinctive one with unique features such as lean manufacturing, is known as Toyota Production System [TPS]. Sakichi Toyoda, his son, Kiichiro Toyoda and Taiichi are the founders of Toyota Motors. The founders and the engineer, Taiichi Ohno are the ones who appreciated and embraced the concept of Lean Manufacturing, founded on the original concept, being, JIT production (Sorensen, 1956). The founders of Toyota based heavily on the work of Edward Deming and the literature written by Henry Ford. Lean manufacturing (Simon, 1996) concept was even seen during the times of Benjamin Franklin. The business success and opulence of Detroit drove the Toyota team to be inquisitive about witnessing the assembly line and mass production. When the Toyotan delegation visited the US, they were not impressed. The Toyotan philosophy (Shigeo, 1996) aims at rationalizing the design of the manufacturing process and so it envisages elimination of three elements, being overburden [muri], inconsistency [mura] and waste [muda]. This entails that the process is flexible enough to be free from stress as it is supposed to generate waste. The Toyota system identified seven types of wastes, popularly called the Seven Wastes. They are over-production, motion (of operator or machine), waiting (of operator or machine), conveyance, processing itself, inventory (raw material), and correction (rework and scrap) Of the three lapses, i.e. overburden, inconsistency and waste, the latter, muda, seems to dominate the thinking of man as they see the fruitful effects of TPS. Origin of the concept of TPS It is known that Toyota Motor Company has got its inspiration not from the Detroit Philosophy, but rather from their observations made on their visit to the US in 1950s. The Toyota delegation first visited the automotive plants of Ford Motor Company located in Michigan. But they convicted that many methods adopted by the industry leaders were not satisfactory or effective. Some of the lapses they identified were: large amounts of inventory on site, the way the work was performed in various departments uneven pattern, i.e., with intervention of waiting between one operation and another operation resulting in islands of idleness, re-work in huge quantities at the end of the process. Later, the Toyotan delegation visited Piggly-Wiggly, the supermarket and observed how inventory management was carried out. The supermarket maintained scanty amounts of stock sufficient to cater to the customers and its employees for a short duration, stocks were reordered and instantly replenished. This indicated an important dimension, i.e., eliminating the need to maintain huge stocks and it was all done just-in-time. Taking cue from this philosophy, many US businesses made a direct attack on high inventory levels but ended in fiasco. This was because the American businesses did not understand the underlying issues. A principle of maintaining low levels of inventory also implies that proper alignment should be made with the vendors such that they were in a position to supply materials and components just-in-time. A complete delineation with the entire supply chain is necessary. This important aspect was ignored by the American automobile industry. It cannot be achieved overnight. Toyotans admitted that it took 20 years for them to implement JIT programme. Tenets of Toyotan Philosophy CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT Challenge: Work without challenge makes people indolent and lackadaisical and nonchalant. Kaizen: Capabilities, skills, efficiency and the like are not constant. They keep improving over time. Hence benchmarks need to be revised constantly. Innovativeness is a natural propensity. Genchi Genbutsu: Try to find the root cause before making correction of the apparent defects. RESPECT FOR PEOPLE Respect: Others must be respected. There should be mutual understanding and a readiness to accept responsibility to build mutual trust. Team work: Working together to achieve organizational and individual objectives through commitment. LONG-TERM PERSPECTIVE Short-term goals are mere derivatives of the long-term ones and the former are dependent on the latter and hence, priority shall be given to pursue/revise long-term goals. THE RIGHT PROCESS PRODUCES THE RIGHT RESULTS Creation of a continuous process flow facilitates inherent problems to be apparent at surface. Lacunae, if any, will come to surface; unevenness in loading of work stations will be indicated. Adopting pull system of production prevents overproduction. Under pull system of production, production scheduling is not done for large scale manufacturing. Master production schedule is made based on the current orders on hand. Once these orders are processed, the production process is stalled and rescheduled upon receiving new orders. Thus, products are pulled out of the system by customers. As long as production goes, care should be taken to avoid unevenness of flow of the process. This requires every material, tool, equipment and labour to be readily available at the respective work station to avoid interruption. Defect to be nipped in the bud. This means that if the job on the assembly line or at a work center is found to be defective, the same cannot be passed to the next work station/center without being rectified of the defect. This gives two-fold advantage; first, all the output that comes out will be defect free and secondly, there is no need to invest on a quality assurance system. Line stopping Where, on an assembly line, if any defect is noticed by the operator[s], he is given discretion to stop the assembly line by means of a switch and hold it till the defect is rectified. Continuous improvement is based on standardization of operations/tasks and employee empowerment. Standardization of operations facilitates fixing benchmarks for employees and thereby provides for comparison of performance against benchmarks. Once they are met by the employees, the benchmarks will be revised. This way, performance and efficiency keep increasing year by year, leading to ever increasing performance and productivity. Visual control system: This system alarms the workers of any lapse or defect that my arise during the production process. When the system identifies a defect, it alarms the workers through visual devices. Using fool-proofed technology: The Toyotan philosophy calls for using equipment of proven technology to ensure a steady and uninterrupted flow of the process as well as to get the output of the desired quality. DEVELOPING PEOPLE AND PARTNERS ADDS VALUE TO THE ORGANIZATION Leaders should be developed from among the employees who relish the philosophy, understand it thoroughly and are willing to share it with others. Exceptional personnel and teams who imbibe and nurture the aspirations of the company should be developed. Network partners and suppliers by sharing expertise should be honored and challenging assignments should be given to help them improve. A SUSTAINED EFFORT TO RESOLVING ROOT PROBLEMS DRIVES ORGANIZATIONAL LEARNING A personal involvement in a situation provides a thorough understanding of an issue. Decision making shall be done coolly through consensus, taking into consideration all possible options. Implementation shall be done quickly. This is based on the belief that collective wisdom is always superior to the individuals. Creating an environment in the organization so, that every employee indulges in learning things and improves performance on a sustained basis. This makes the whole organization, a learning organization. How Toyota Is Comparable To And Discernible From Ford Production Philosophy Toyota Relies on piece-meal style of production, i.e., produces only when there is pull from the customer Ford Whereas Ford manufactured in large scale to create stock based on estimated demand Nature of work Toyota Designed the work so, that workers had to be multi- skilled to perform complex tasks. Ford Over simplified complex operations such that workers needed low level skills Standardization Toyota Though was influenced by the writings of Edwards Deming and Henry Ford, was embarrassed on eye-witnessing the assembly lines of Ford Motors facilities in Michigan. Ford Could demonstrate business success through the policy of standardization of products, components, equipment, process and control. Pace of output Toyota production system was continual and produced in small quantities as each customer merited. No pile up of finished goods. Ford Held the policy of turning over at uniform pace to create huge pile up of stocks. Set up time cost Toyota Fundamentally designed for continual flow meriting frequent changeovers and set ups, but this could be offset by the extra costs of blocking capital in the form of huge pile up of stocks, characteristic of Ford Motors. Ford As the scheduling is done for continuous run, changeovers are less frequent and so, low set up time and cost. Workers discretion Toyota Allowed certain amount of discretion to workers on the assembly line such as empowering them to inspect the job for defects and to stall the flow on the assembly line to rectify the defect then and there and then let it go to the next work station to ensure zero defect situation and to eliminate the need of rework division. Ford Eliminated the scope for workers discretion to be used at the work place since each worker on the assembly line had to perform only a single task and the next task had to be done by the next worker. Workers had no authority to stop the flow of work as such, an incidence of defect is allowed to pass till the end of the process and the defective item is sent to rework division. Process design Toyota Focused on three criteria while designing its production system, i.e., overburden, inconsistency, and waste. These words are simple, but have far reaching effects. The last criterion is pivotal for the success of the company. The seven wastes concept indicates a treat amount of insight of the Toyotans and it is unique of Toyota. But, ironically, Toyotan inspiration is rooted in the writings of Edward Deming, who happens to be the American. The fun lies in the fact that American automobile industry did not pay heed to Demings philosophy, but non-Americans exhibited faith in it. Ford Bureaucratized as far as administration/control is concerned. All employees have to observe scalar chain and abide by the rules and procedures Long-term perspective in planning Toyota Ford Both companies look into far future. Developing people Toyota Promotes development of exceptional individuals and teams. Ford Does not focus on developing experts as it has over simplified the tasks, rather, workers might gain efficiency as they do the single task repeatedly. Pay and incentives Toyota Provides ample scope for personnel to grow as it nurtures innovation, employee participation and so on. Ford The policy is to pay and provide incentives based on results. Problem solving Toyota Employees are nurtured in such a culture that they address a problem through the root cause instead of taking a perfunctory look. Ford Employees are not trained along making deeper efforts in addressing problems. They used to leave the problem at perfunctory levels. Summary The world has witnessed a constant transformation as regards the automobile production/operations philosophy. The Fords mass production (produce to stock) philosophy received ample appreciation and was convicted to be the right path by most other manufacturers (1914). This has been evidenced by the way the Big Three, (Ford Motors, General Motors and Chrysler) flourished during early and mid 20th century. But the onset of Toyota production system, which is based on the philosophy of lean manufacturing, started sending tremors into the well complacent American automobile industrys regime. The principle of Toyota Motor Company (TMC) to eliminate wastes and subsequent TMCs success attracted other manufacturers who tried to copy, but in vain. They could not imitate the whole TMCs philosophy as it is.

Different Types Of Religion Religion Essay

Different Types Of Religion Religion Essay Religion can be described as set of beliefs that explain the universe; religion is more than spirituality and is complicated in understanding the world. Religion can be portrayed as belief concerning one or more deities and incorporating ceremonies, ethical guidelines and rituals. I would focus on only four basic religions which are popular all over the world; they are Christianity, Islam, and Buddhism Judaism. My essay would consist of Beliefs, Leaders Quality, Comparisons and differences between religions and Structures of religion. Christianity portrays that Jesus Christ is the son of God and was to earth to bring salvation unto man, Christians also refer to Jesus as the Messiah. The three largest groups in the world of Christianity are the Roman Catholic Church, the Eastern Orthodox churches, and the various churches of Protestantism. The Roman Catholic and the Orthodox churches were the only churches that were found first before the establishments of other Protestant churches. Christian beliefs These are core belief of real Christians who really worship God. God created all that is seen and unseen Jesus is the Son of God and is one with God Jesus was conceived of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary Jesus suffered and was crucified Jesus rose again (the Resurrection) Jesus ascended into Heaven Jesus died and was buried Anyone can have salvation Jesus will return to judge the living and the dead People who repent of their sins will be forgiven Structure of Christianity Christianity is made up of 3 divisions which are Catholic, protestant and orthodox. Catholic: The oldest Christian church to be formed, Catholic Church is made up of churches, headed by bishops, in communion with the Pope, the Bishop of Rome. The Roman Catholic Church through Apostolic progression traces its origins to the Christian community founded by Jesus Christ. Catholics maintain that the one, holy and true God which you can get through Jesus Christ. Protestant: In the 16th century, Martin Luther, Huldrych Zwingli, and John Calvin inaugurated what is called Protestantism. Luthers theological heirs are known as Lutherans. In addition to the Lutheran and Reformed branches of the Reformation, there is Anglicanism after the English Reformation. The Anabaptist institution was largely not accepted by the other Protestant parties back then, but has achieved a measure of confirmation in more recent history. Some but not most Baptists prefer not to be called Protestants, claiming a direct ancestral line going back to the apostles in the 1st century. Orthodox: Eastern Orthodoxy comprises those churches in communion with the Patriarchal Sees of the East, such as the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople. Like the Roman Catholic Church, the Eastern Orthodox Church also traces its heritage to the foundation of Christianity through Apostolic succession. Eastern Orthodoxy is the second largest single denomination in Christianity, with over 200 million adherents. The Oriental Orthodox Churches (also called Old Oriental Churches) are those eastern churches that recognize the first three ecumenical councilsà ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Nicaea, Constantinople and Ephesus but reject the dogmatic definitions of the Council of Chalcedon and instead espouse a Miaphysite Christology. ISLAM Muslims believe that God is one and without equal. Muslims also accept as true that Islam is the absolute and worldwide account of an ancient faith that was revealed at many times and places before, including through the prophets Abraham, Moses and Jesus. Muslims uphold that previous messages and revelations have been to some extent tainted or corrupted over time, but consider the Quran to be both unaltered and the final revelation from God. Religious concepts and practices include the five pillars of Islam, which are basic concepts and compulsory acts of worship, and following Islamic law, which touches on practically every aspect of life and society, encircling everything from banking and welfare, to warfare and the environment. Islam Beliefs Islam beliefs are made of the five main pillars of Islam which are considered obligatory for all believers, they are the shahadah (creed), daily prayers (salat), almsgiving (zakah), fasting during Ramadan and the pilgrimage to Mecca (hajj) at least once in a lifetime. Law and Jurisprudence of Islam The Sharia (literally the path leading to the watering place) is Islamic law created by traditional Islamic scholarship, which Muslim groups hold on to. Sharia is the face of the divine will, and constitutes a system of duties that are current upon a Muslim by virtue of his religious belief. Islamic law covers all aspects of life, like foreign relations and governance, to matters of daily living. The Quran describes hudud as the punishments for five specific crimes: unlawful intercourse, false accusation of unlawful intercourse, consumption of alcohol, theft, and highway robbery. The Quran and Sunnah also contain laws of inheritance, marriage, and restitution for injuries and murder, as well as rules for fasting, charity, and prayer. Buddhism This is a religion and beliefs surrounding a diversity of traditions, way of life and practices, largely based on teachings attributed to Siddhartha Gautama, commonly known as the Buddha. Buddhist traditions in the East After Buddhas death, splits occurred. There are three systems of thought within Buddhism which are separate. Each tradition in turn has many sects. One cause divides the religion into three main groups by their location: Theravada Buddhism (a.k.a. as Southern Buddhism) now has over 100 million followers. Buddhist missionaries from India took the religion to some countries, but it originally only gained a grip in Sri Lanka. It later extends from Sri Lanka to Burma, Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, and parts of Vietnam. They promoted the Vibhajjavada School, by the 15th century; this structure of the religion reached almost its present geological extent. Mahayana Buddhism (a.k.a. Northern Buddhism) is the largest religion in China, Japan, Korea and much of Vietnam. The practice entered China during the Han dynasty (206 BCE to 220 CE). It found early reception there among the workers; later, it progressively involved the ruling class. Buddhism reached Japan in the 6th century. It passed through relentless domination during the 1960s in China during the Cultural Revolution. Eastern Buddhism contains many discrete schools: Tein-tai, Hua-yen, Pure Land teachings, and the Meditation school. They commemorate the New Year, harvest festivals, and five anniversaries from the lives of Buddha and of the Bodhissattva Kuan-yin. They also engage in Dana, Sila, Chanting, Worship and Pilgrimage. Judaism Judaism is the religion, beliefs, and way of life of the Jewish people. Originating in the Hebrew Bible (also known as the Tanakh) and explored in later texts such as the Talmud, it is well thought-out by Jews to be the appearance of the covenantal affiliation God developed with the Children of Israel. Judaism claims a chronological permanence straddling more than 3,000 years. It is one of the oldest monotheistic religions,[5] and the oldest to survive into the present day. Beliefs of Judaism Judaism belief is made up of the Ten Commandments which are: I am the Lord your God You shall not recognize the gods of others in My presence You shall not take the Name of the Lord your God in vain Remember the day of Shabbat to keep it holy Honor your father and your mother You shall not murder You shall not commit adultery You shall not steal Do not give false testimony against your neighbor You shall not covet your fellows possessions Messiah In Judaism, the Messiah or the Anointed One is the Hebrew name for the promised savior of humankind. Christians believe Jesus Christ as the Messiah. However, the Jewish religion contends that the Messiah is yet to come and Jesus Christ was just another prophet. Worship and Practices From tradition Jewish pray in a congregation three times a day, The study of Torah, the discovered will of God, also is considered an act of worship. à ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ãƒâ€¦Ã¢â‚¬Å"The Torah is read religiously each Sabbath. The Sabbath is spent in prayer, study, rest, and family feasting. Over the course of a year, the entire Torah will be read on Sabbath and festival days. The Jewish year includes five major festivals Passover, Shabuoth, Sukkot, Rosh Hashanah, and Yom Kippur and two minor one Hanukkah and Purim.à ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ã‚  COMPARISONS AND DIFFERENCES BETWEEN CHRISTIANITY, ISLAM, BUDDHISM AND JUDAISM CHRISTIANITY ISLAM BUDDHISM JUDAISM ORIGINATION ISRAEL-ROME ARABIA INDIA EGYPT- ISRAEL ADHERANT FOUNDER JESUS CHRIST MOHAMMAD SIDDHARTHA GOTAMA ABRAHAM/ MOSES GOD CHRIST JEHOVAH ALLAH NONE YAWEH ELOHIM AFTER LIFE HEAVEN/ HELL HEAVEN/ HELL NIRVANA EDEN/ GEHENNA HOLY BOOK BIBLE QURAN, SUNNAN TIPITAKA TANAK (TORAH) REFERNCE http://library.thinkquest.org/28505/judaism/intro.htm

Essay --

â€Å"At about age 2 children become capable of representation, of thinking about the properties of things without having to act on them directly. This capacity marks the first level of the preoperational period. At this level, the child can deal with only one representation-one idea or thought at a time. At the second level of the preoperational period, beginning at about age 4, children develop the ability to deal mentally with more complex things.† (Early Childhood Development/The Talking Page, Literacy Organization, Research Information ) I have chosen Taffy Sea Turtles Catch and Hatch Pool Toy for the cognitive effects it has on its age group. This toy is targeted toward ages six and up. It consists of baby turtles and their shells. You instruct the children to take the baby turtles out of their shells and throw them into a pool. The empty shells are evenly distributed among the children that are playing. These shells are placed in different areas by the pool by each individual child. You have the children then choose a nesting place (where they will put all the eggs after the...

Distance Education Essay -- essays papers

Distance Education The American Education System over the years is developing a new way of schooling. Many colleges are resorting to this type of learning which is called Distance Education. Distance Education is possible through the new advancements and technologies of computers. This new ideal learning has beneficial and negatives attributes, raises the differences between teaching in a classroom verses distance education, key players that are involved and schools who are offering this online education. This can be a valuable aspect to our society. The computer is one of the most important technologies in this world. Due to the invention of the computer, our society as a whole has changed immensely. We can just get on the internet, which is a new technology and send a person a letter through e-mail, instead of going to the post office, where your letter might not be delivered for a few days. These technologies have made life easier for everyone; especially for the college students. If they need to get in touch with their professor, all they have to do is jump on the computer, go to their e-mail account and write up a message to their instructor. The computer has specified programs make particularly for a subject in a class. For example, in ISTC class, it provides a program called Blackboard. With this program, assignments can be given online, without meeting face to face. Because computers are so high-tech these days, you are able to take college classes online and receives legible credit for it. Since the computer is becoming more progressively advanced everyday, students are able to go into a virtual classroom to talk to their professor and fellow classmates. This virtual classroom is just like a real cla... ...E-Learning: Strategies for Media Online Teaching and Engaged Learning. International Journal of Distance Education Technologies, Vol 2, pg 17. Retrieved October 13, 2004, from Academic Search. 5. Meyer, K. (2002). Quality in Distance Education. New York: Wiley Periodicals, Inc. 6. Palloff, R. (2003). The Virtual Student. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. 7. Saygin, C. (2004). A Web-based Programmable Logic Controller Laboratory for Manufacturing Engineering Education. International Journal of Advanced Manufacturing Technology, 24, 590. Retrieved October 11, 2004, Academic Search. 8. Twigg, Carol A. (1996, March). Is Technology a Silver Bullet?. Educom Review, Vol 31, pg 28. Retrieved October 16, 2004, from ERIC/EBSCO database. 9. Willis, Barry. (1993). Distance Education: A Practical Guide. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Educational Technology Publications.

Eye Gaze

CIRRICULUM VITAE NATRAJ. K Mobile: +917893067763 ( : natraj. [email  protected] com PROFESSIONAL SUMMARY A dynamic & result oriented professional with 5. 6 years of experience in various platforms of project management, contract management, quality management, personnel management activities in INRASTUCTURE PROJECT SECTOR.Well served as an Infra site Manager (Jr) with ATS GROUP Ltd in Abu Dhabi, UAE for Homeland Security Projects Deputed by the AVANA [TATA-AGT] INTERNATIONAL COMPANY. Well conversant in handling the Survey, Planning, Drawing, Resource Management, Vendor Management. Astute manager with a flair for adopting modern project execution methodologies, systems in compliance with quality standards. Expertise in swiftly ramping up projects with competent crossfunctional skills and on time execution. EMPLOYMENT HISTORYWorked as an Infra Site Manager (Jr) with ATS GROUP LTD (Homeland security projects) since Oct 2010 to may 2012. (RECRUITED as an EXECUTIVE by the TATA AVANA G ROUP [JOINT VENTURE OF TATA AND AGT INERNATIONAL COMPANY] CORE COMPETENCIES PROJECT PLANNING ? Implement detailed project reports and project execution plans/drawings after thorough discussion with clients, selection of sites, project evaluation in terms of outlays and profits attached. ? List down the resource needs for projects, after considering the budgetary parameters set. Establish time span of project execution as per client specifics. ? Monitor project status during the course of periodic project review meetings. ? Evaluate Designs; coordinate with Consultants and Sub Contractors for changes in the same. SITE & CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT ? Manage all construction activities including providing technical inputs for methodologies of construction & coordination with site management activities. ? Interact with Site Purchasers and Suppliers for achieving cost effective purchase of equipment, accessories, material with timely delivery so as to minimize project cost.CONTRACT MANAGEMEN T ? Oversee pre-tender obligations like submitting pre-qualifications, study of contractual conditions, project cost analysis including considering cost impact of techno-commercial conditions. ? Coordinate with Main Contractors; monitor their performance in view of project schedule. Settle all techno-commercial disputes / clarifications during execution of project. ? Prepare contract documents for various work items including contractual terms and conditions, technical specifications and commercial terms.QUALITY ASSURANCE & CONTROL ? Handle Quality Management Systems across various processes to reduce rejection levels and ensure high quality standards at all the stages of production by maintaining Documentation & Data Management. ? Conduct various inspections to ensure designed products are in compliance with pre-set technical specifications. ? Take adequate measures like forming quality circles, maintaining necessary records and conducting audits to comply with statutory quality & environmental standards. CO-ORDINATION Network with Consultants, Architect, Contractors, Clients to ascertain technical specifications, construction related essentials, based on the prevalent rules and codes. ? Relationship management with Statutory Authorities for availing mandatory sanctions. EDUCATIONAL QUALIFICATIONS: ? BTech in Electrical & Electronic Engineering from J. N. T University in Nov 2006. WORK EXPERIENCE: 1. Worked as a Service Site engineer with Aster Teleservices Pvt Ld. , from Nov 2006 to Oct 2007 in Andhra Pradesh, INDIA. 2. Worked as a cluster Engineer (PMC Projects) with Aster Teleservices Pvt Ltd. from Nov 2007 to Oct 2008 in Ananthapur, Chittoor&Cuddappah regions in Andhra Pradesh, INDIA. 3. Worked as a CLUSTER HEAD (projects & maintenance) for the Medak, Rangareddy and Hyderabad region in Andhra Pradesh, INDIA from Nov 2008 to Jan 2010 in ESSAR COMMUNICATIONS. 4. Worked as a Deputy Manager in ESSAR BULK TERMINAL(20mmtpa) (port projects, Material Handling Pro jects and Power Projects) in jamnagar(vadinar) GUJRAT, INDIA from Feb 2010 to sept 2010 5. Worked as a Infra site Manager (Jr) with ATS GROUP LTD in Abu Dhabi, UAE in Homeland security projects from oct 2010 to May 2012.DETAL JOB PROFILE: 1. 1. Aster Teleservices Pvt Ltd. As a Service Site Engineer. Client: AIRTEL Company. Job profile: †¢ Supervising the Civil, Electrical and tower erection works . †¢ Commissioning, Maintenance & troubleshooting of all Sites. †¢ O & M activites of all civil and electrical works. 2. 1. Aster Teleservices pvt ltd. As a cluster engineer. Client: vodafone company & Indus Company Job profile: †¢ Supervising the Civil, Electrical works of all Sites. †¢ Commissioning, Maintenance & troubleshooting of all Sites. VSWR Measurements, RF Power calibration, Internal & External Alarm Testing. †¢ O & M activites of all civil and electrical works. †¢ survey for upgradation of existing sites. †¢ Survey for new sites. 3. 1. ESS AR COMMUNICATIONS. As a CLUSTER HEAD. Key Responsibilities: †¢ Execution of Projects from Inception to Completion including Project Planning, Project Costing, Budgeting. †¢ Coordination & Communication both Internal & External, Scheduling and preparation of project progress report. †¢ Preparation of BOQ & Collection of receivables from the customers. Managing for all the activities of mobile telecom Infra implementation Which Include Land acquisition, Civil survey, Civil foundation(for GBT and RTT and RTP TOWERS ), Shelter foundation, shelter erection, Tower Erection, DG installation, Internal & External Electrical works, Sharing of sites. †¢ O&M Responsible for operation and maintenance of Tower Sites at 3 regions are MEDAK , ZAHEERABAD , VIKARABAD †¢ Upgradation of existing tower sites for addition of customers †¢ System testing Acceptance & issuance of ATP 4. 1. ESSAR BULK (coal) TERMINAL. As a Deputy Manager. Key Responsibilities:Planning, Basic Eng ineering, Detail Engineering, Erection, testing & commissioning, Co-ordination with consultant, supplier , contractor & other departments for following packages 1) Power distribution for ESSAR TERMINAL PORT 2) Automatation , Control and VVFC drive for Conveyor system 3) Dust suppression and Fire Fighting system 4) Wagon loading and Truck loading system. 5) Brought out items like transformer, Motors, Cables 6) Grab Unloader (2000 TPH) & stacker cum reclaim (6000/2500 TPH) 5. 1. WORKED AS A INFRA SITE MANAGER (JR) WITH ATS GROUP LTD IN ABU DHABI, UAE.Key Responsibilities: ? Supervising the Civil, Electrical works ? Monitoring daily and weekly and monthly target tracking by vendor ? Providing design and work plan to vendor for completion of project in time ? System testing Acceptance & issuance of ATP. ? Plan, organize and coordinating with stakeholder for the successful completion of project. ? Responsibility includes design review and analysis of projects, preparation of documents fo r approval of the local authorities (confidential), material procurement scheduling, project budget, project development, and quality control.Key Projects and Selected Accomplishment: ? Construction of Backbone Project For fiber connectivity. This project involved Instalation of manholes, duct laying and fiber connectivity between major control room. ? ADCO in around fence up gradation and security camera installation, conversion of existing fence into smart fence and also planning for all fiber and power connectivity for cameras &sensors as well as radars. ( CNIA ) Critical National infrastructure Authority. Light pole project in Zero tolerance area to provide light support for the security camera, access control and smart fence. ? Fiber Network planning, cable laying in perimeter fence to backbone route and main control room. Installation of SWB and cable termination from the Cameras. (CC 10 & CC 30 ) PERSONAL DETAILS: Full Name: Kanikarapu Natraj Date of Birth: 25-06-1983. Langua ges Known: English, Telugu, Hindi Marital Status : Married. Permanent Address: PLOT NO: 14/A, Laxmi nagar, Picket, Secunderabad. Phone No : +917893067763.

Eradication of poverty Essay

The International Day for the Eradication of Poverty is celebrated every year on October 17 throughout the world. It was officially recognised by the United Nations . It is to honour the victims of poverty, hunger, violence and fear. One of the main aims of the day is to make the voice of the poor heard and Raising awareness of the need to eradicate poverty. Poverty is the state of one who lacks a certain amount of material possessions or money. That is, they have little or no material means of surviving—little or no food, shelter, clothes, healthcare, education, and other physical means of living and improving one’s life Poverty reduction is a major goal and issue for many international organizations such as the United Nations and the World Bank. The World Bank estimated 1.29 billion people were living in absolute poverty in 2008. Of these, about 400 million people in absolute poverty lived in India and 173 million people in China. Poverty has been a serious problem over centuries. Every year, there are millions of people at the risk of hunger. we have to fight corruption. This is one of the great sources of poverty. A country with a lot of corruption will grow slower than others, and eventually, the economic activities will decline. The principal cause of why poverty exists is because of this simple fact. The Earth, on an environmental and economic standpoint, cannot satisfy every single human being’s wish, desire and demand when it comes to the consumption of goods and services because of scarce natural resources. This harsh reality will always be present within an economically driven society given the exploitation of natural resources and the constant pursuit of economic growth. the problem lies in the distribution of this consumption where extremely few people consume almost 70% to 80% of these resources while large numbers of people consume just under 20% of the same resources. poverty results in the lack of resources. poor students do not have the opportunity to study in good schools, get good coaching, study good books. poverty also leads to crime. when one is unable to earn money from fair mean, they turn to become thieves, robbers, pockpocketers, even terrorist.. poverty also leads to overpopulation which is itself one of the big challenges faced by us. people think that by having more children, they will have more earning hands. thus, leading to increased population of the country. to set all things in order, it is necessary to remove poverty.(ERADICATION OF POVERTY) In order to prevent poverty, the causes that create poverty itself have to be recognized and fixed. 1.overpopulation 2.distribution of resources 3.lack of education : 4.economic trends : rich becoming richer and poor becoming poorer.ment 5.corruption 6.unemployment However, the essence in the prevention of poverty lies in the fixing of causes and not in the fixing of factors that create poverty. Poverty cannot be removed overnight. it is a long job. it can be wiped step by step. Educational facilities should be provided to all the poor families so that their outlook/ way of seeing things is broadened. the exploitation of poor should be stopped. the programs/money issued by the government should be provided to the poor in full. Then and then only can poverty be removed.

Diet plays an important role in dental health

Tissues of the oral cavity which include the teeth as well as the soft tissue known as the gums or the gingival have nutritional requirements in much the same way as the rest of the body. We often neglect this aspect, and our ignorance of certain very basic issues, may lead onto severe oral problems such as caries (Kumar & Clarke, 2002), which is a very painful condition, which may eventually require tooth extraction. In addition, there may be other gingival problems which lead to halitosis, making the patient a social outcast, and bleeding, which can result in anemia.Teeth may be affected by nutritional deficiencies, nutritional excesses, and also the absence of oral hygiene following any eating process (Gussy, 2006) . Scurvy is an important example of the first condition, while in heavily industrialized states the dental region is badly affected by repeated high calorie food, which is injurious to teeth, as well as the ill effects of diabetes. The diet affects not only the developm ent of caries, but is a significant contributor to development of periodontal disease (gum disease). Undernutrition and Oral HealthThe lack of specific nutrients in the diet (vitamin C, niacin, etc. ) produces characteristic oral manifestations, which are often diagnostic signs for their deficiency. A typical example is the presence of glossitis in typical B-vitamin deficiency, ( tongue is red and swollen which â€Å"burns†), with other features in that the taste of food has changed, with development of ulcers at the lip commisures and labial margins (angular cheilosis) (Kumar and Clarke, 2002, Gussy, 2006). A second typical example is that of vitamin C deficiency.Here petechiae (small, hemorrhaging red spots) are seen in the oral cavity, apart from easy bruisability in other areas of the party due to poor collagen. In addition, the gums bleed upon brushing or by examination by dental instrument (Bruno, 2006). Nutritional deficiencies as a cause for dental problems is not the only problem, that affects teeth. Oral lesions are common in women and children with HIV/AIDS and may decrease the overall quality of life in these patients because of pain, dry mouth, and difficulty in eating.With advent of new diseases like HIV (Gennaro, 2008), but post cancer radiation affects dental hygiene adversely also, by reducing the saliva production which is a reason for caries also (Scrimger, 2006) Nutritional excesses Sugar-containing foods and beverages promote dental caries which is even worse when fluoride is provided in reduced quantity (like non usage of fluoridated toothpaste). On the other hand these foods also promotes dental erosion by not allowing restoration of dental ph.The reason for this problem can be clearly defined by understanding what a dental plaque is. This is a sticky substance containing bacteria, present on the surface of teeth. Its presence can be minimised by regular brushing with fluoride containing toothpaste Gussy, 2006) Plaque bacteria pro duce acids by fermentation of sugars ( from the diet which we have consumed, hence the role of excess sugars), decreasing the pH at the tooth surface. The production of these acids dissolve minerals in the enamel (calcium and phosphorus) by a process called demineralization (Gussy, 2006).But these acids produced by bacteria in the mouth nearly completely neutralised by saliva, which allows the ph in this region to become more than the critical pH. This increase in pH causes a return of the dissolved calcium and phosphate back to the tooth enamel (remineralisation). Therefore foods or drinks containing carbohydrate give hardly any time for the process of remineralisation to occur (Gussy, 2006). However, even if 2-3 hours of time is available between carbohydrate meals, the reparative capacity of the teeth allows self repair.Some foods protect against caries. Milk and dairy products, especially cheese raises the pH values in the mouth. They are both rich in calcium and phosphate and p romote remineralisation. They are also rich in protein which buffers the acid produced. Their consumption allows an increase saliva production which increases the pH level in the mouth, and encourages remineralisation (American Dental Association). Fibre rich foods also increase the flow of saliva as does sugar-free chewing gum, helping to clean the surface of the tooth (American Dental Association).Fluoride is a known protectant against tooth decay. Fluoride makes the enamel surface of the tooth more resistant to acid; it also allows a reduction in the production of acids by bacteria in the mouth, which thereby hastens the remineralisation process (Gussy, 2006, Boggess, 2008). In summary, dental hygiene is affected by both nutritional excess, nutritional deficiencies as well as general ignorance. Most of these problems are easily preventable by proper knowledge.

Does Person-Centred Therapy Differ from Other Helping Relationships?

â€Å"How do person-centred counsellors use the therapeutic relationship to facilitate change- and in what way (s) does person-centred therapy differ from other helping relationships? † word count: 2,495 Person centred counselling originated and was evolved on the ideas of American psychologist Carl Rogers. The influences on Carl Rogers and he’s conceptualisation of Person centred counselling are numerous, from his early family life living on a farm, his interest and involvement in theology and his formative professional career. One incident which appears to have had a particular impact on Carl Rogers was when working in his first job as a psychologist, at Rochester New York, for an organisation for the prevention of cruelty to children, whilst working with a parent (Kirshenbaum H, et al. 1989). At this stage in his career Carl Rogers, being trained in or influenced by the tradition of psychoanalysis, was essentially working in a diagnostic and interpretative way, helping a child or parent gain insight or an intellectual understanding of their own behaviour and what was unconsciously driving or motivating it (Thorne B 2002) . He formalised that the problem with the child stemmed from the Mother’s rejection of the child in his early years. But despite a number of sessions was unable to help the Mother gain this insight. He concluded that it wasn’t working and finally gave up. The Mother was leaving when she asked Carl Rogers if he takes adults for counselling. He began working with the mother, where she subsequently expressed her despair of unhappiness and feelings of failure, which was more emotive and authentic in expression, than the previously intellectual and matter of fact account given previously of her history and current life. Carl Rogers said that ‘real therapy’ began at this moment and concluded in a successful outcome (Kirshenbaum H, et al. 1990). This is Carl Roger’s view and what he learned from this experience: â€Å"This incident was one of a number which helped me to experience the fact- only fully realized later- that is the client who knows what hurts, what directions to go, what problems are crucial, what experiences have been deeply buried. It began to occur to me that unless I had a need to demonstrate my own cleverness and learning, I would do better to rely upon the client for the direction of movement in the process†. Kirshenbaum H, et al. 1990 p13). This statement is arguably the beginnings of what, in many ways would later define and becomes a way of working within person centred therapy – that is a therapy that allows the client to be whom the client is, without any active direction from the therapist. Carl Rogers through clinical experience, research an d development later defined his model of therapy. He based it upon the principles of a person as having at it’s a core an instinctive tendency towards growth, to fulfilling their potential as a person in what he termed ‘self actualisation’ (Mearns D, et al. 988). Carl Rogers believed that every living organism has a desire to increase, widen and broaden. Essentially, a fundamental urge to improve upon itself and that although, in the case of human beings, this urge may be buried or hidden by multiple psychological structures and conflicts, he strongly believed in the existence of this actualisation tendency in all of us and that given the correct conditions, it could be freed and realised in all of us (Rogers C 1961- becoming a person). Personally, I have recognised a need to develop and grow within myself for sometime and this has again been highlighted to me during this term. The more I become aware of my insecurities and pre judgements, the greater the desire to become bigger than them only becomes more apparent to me. Through my clinical experience working with adults with mental health problems, I have certainly recognised a desire in many, to become bigger or more than their issues, although, I am not certain if that was a desire to escape from their often intolerable suffering, or a fundamental need to self actualise†¦ at the very least, I would suggest self actualisation is an entirely relative supposition and will differ from person to person, dependent upon their own experiences, circumstances and perhaps even expectations. These correct conditions which are required within person centred therapy in order that the client can achieve self actualisation and personality change were outlined by Carl Rogers and he believed that if this 6 conditions were met, it would facilitate change within the client: Two persons are in psychological contact- both client and counsellor are present physically and psychologically. The client is in a state of incongruence, (which will be discussed in more detail) the communication of the counsellor’s empathetic understanding and unconditional positive regard is met at a minimal level. The last condition mentioned involves 3 other conditions, which are essential attitudes and qualities necessary for the counsellor to posses for successful therapy; empathic understanding, unconditional positive regard and congruence. (Rogers C, 1957). Before looking at the latter 3 in more detail, it is important to understand Carl Rogers’s view of the person and perhaps what is ultimately bringing the client to therapy. Carl Rogers believed that there is incongruence between the self that is the actualisation part, that has a desire to grow, is open to experiencing in the moment and ultimately psychological well being and the actual experience of the self. He believed this effect was caused by ‘conditions of worth’, by external expectations, such as by parents and teachers, i. e. f you behave in a certain way that pleases me, that perhaps doesn’t evoke anxieties in me, you are a good boy- there are certain ‘conditions’ attached to being in this relationship- the child tries to internalise these conditions in order to maintain the relationship (Mearns D 1994- developing PC). Consequently, people deny or distort the experiences to their selves, which differ to how we are supposed or are condi tioned to be. Therefore, Carl Rogers believed that we begin to believe in what we are not and refute who we really are (Mearns D 1994). The person has a fixed and inflexible view, or self concept (Rogers C 1980). It’s almost as if the person is driven in implementing or adopting certain behaviours in order to be accepted or loved and denying, or at the cost of their true self and feelings. This is the state of incongruence Rogers was referring as apart of the necessary conditions. Carl Rogers recognised, through his development of this approach, that distinctive and essential qualities are necessary within the therapist, for successful therapy and to facilitate character change. The emphasis being on the therapist’s attitude towards the client, as opposed to any technical skills or interventions, in comparison to many other modalities. As already mentioned, the key attitudes or qualities being empathy, congruence and unconditional positive regard (Rogers C 1980). Empathy can be considered as having an ability to perceive and understand in the other person their feelings, experiences and their meaning to that person. To understand the internal world of that person, to be fully aware of the feelings they are experiencing, their anger or sadness for example, as if they are your own, but being aware that they are the clients, in order that your own feelings do not become the focus or blur the clients own experiencing (Rogers C, 1957). To absolutely see from the clients view, the feelings they may have from their position or personal experiencing, but recognising them as separate from your own. I recall a moment during this term, when in skills practise, being in the ‘client role’, when I received empathy. I was speaking about a personal situation, which I was aware on some level had meaning to me, but wasn’t fully aware of, or experiencing the feelings relating to this meaning. My perception later was that the person listened so intently, was so with me in trying to make sense of my situation, that they really did know and fully understand how it must feel for me. It was almost if I had no choice in allowing my feelings to be present, to come to my awareness and I was left with a sense of loss, feelings of loss, that I wasn’t aware of and made tremendous sense to my circumstances and why I had some anxiety and confusion in relation to this particular issue. This highlights for me how powerful empathy can be, as well as actively listening to and showing an interest sufficient in trying to understand the client, but also how it has the potential to provoke in the client in becoming aware of hidden feelings or realisations. Unconditional positive regard (UPR) is another important aspect and described as having total acceptance of the client, without conditions, whoever and whatever the client is, or how they may behave. An acceptance of not what they may or could be, but as they are now, regardless of what desired qualities the counsellor may wish for. It means total respect and valuing the person, without judgement. It also involves a sense of genuine care and wanting the best for them, including warmth for the person (Rogers C 1961). David Mearns talks about the often confusion in trainees, when understanding UPR, with a statement such as, ‘how is it possible to like all my clients’? He makes a distinction that liking is generally selective, as we perceive a similarity in values and complementary needs and UPR and liking are two very different concepts (Mearns D 1994). Unconditional positive regard is completely about valuing the person, without conditions, with all the facets of the person, their struggles, protective layers, confusion and perhaps inconsistencies. This unconditional stance is a contradiction to the conditions of worth spoken of earlier and is a vital component of person centred counselling (Kulewicz S, 1989). If a client is holding a believe that they will only be accepted, depending on the condition of others, essentially they do not see themselves as being wholly acceptable. The stance and communication of UPR can break this believe and the client is able to be in a relationship, with the counsellor accepting them without conditions (Rogers C 1961). If the counsellor is consistently valuing the client, the client perhaps has no reason for the protective layers and can be more open to their own inner experiences. Also, I wonder if the counsellor is almost giving permission and communicating a message to the client that it is ok to accept who they truly are. Another essential attitude for the counsellor, recognised by Rogers is congruence. This is the counsellor being who they are, no facade or ‘professional’ barrier. The counsellor is open and genuine in the relationship, allowing all feelings and thoughts to be in his awareness and available to him (Rogers C 1961). It’s being present with yourself and owning your feelings, not necessarily expressing what you are experiencing at the time to the client, but also not denying it. How congruence is conveyed is ultimately depended upon the counsellor themselves and when appropriate. It is about allowing a trust to be formed with the client, without pretences, where the counsellor is being human and willing to be seen (Thorne B 2002). If the counsellor is willing to acknowledge his feelings, strengths, perhaps their mistakes or weakness, it can not only allow for a more open and flowing relationship, but again I see this as perhaps giving permission to the client to embrace themselves, their strengths and weaknesses. How this differs from a helping relationship, are mainly the quality of contact and the nature of the differences in relationship. What if our client seeks help from a non person centred counsellor, perhaps a professionally respected person, a Doctor, teacher, perhaps even a work place manager, or colleague. They will listen, perhaps are sympathetic, are likely to offer advice and some direction the person may take in order to resolve their problem. But there is no ongoing process, no consistency of a relationship, with all the qualities discussed, empathy, UPR and congruence. The person centred therapist offers a safe and non judgemental relationship, with the client being valued for who they are, where they can grow in understanding of themselves, gain insight and become psychological stronger and independent. A helping relationship, although perhaps useful and supportive, will not facilitate change and allow a person to grow. In conclusion, person centred therapy is about an effective relationship, or aspires to be one, in which a person through experiencing a positive connection with another person, namely the therapist, receives deep empathy, understanding and genuine care. This enables a person to question or challenge their self concepts, to begin to experience buried or hidden feelings and gain a deeper understanding of themselves, with more acceptances and the autonomy to live without fear of their own feelings and perhaps their truer selves. It is without any difficulty from me to admire the sheer humanity of what Carl Rogers achieved with person centred therapy, the whole ethos of accepting and allowing the person to grow through such a positive and caring relationship. It appears to me that this is an incredibly challenging model of therapy, for both client and therapist. For the client the person centred therapist may appear safe and accepting, even inoffensive or unchallenging to his protective mechanisms or fixed self concepts, but that is perhaps the greatest challenge to the client, who may want answers or ways of dealing with their issues, perhaps unbearable anxiety and will perhaps look to the therapist for solutions and will find the person centred therapist completely and deeply sharing their distress, but essentially leaving it with client to be able to tolerate and accept for themselves, with of course as discussed, with the intention for the client to grow, understand the meaning behind their distress and ultimately in becoming psychologically independent. I would imagine, at least initially or in the short term, it must be difficult for the client, who is still searching and looking outside of himself, for the apparent safety and false ‘conditions’ that will make it all well again. For the therapist, the challenge is potentially numerous, but what I recognise is the trust he must have in the process of person centred therapy, in maintaining all the attitudes as discussed and consistently so. I can see that taking great strength and discipline, when he could perhaps temptingly turn to direction and advice giving. I am also left wondering if the strengths within PC therapy are also its weaknesses. The quality of therapy can only be as effective as the quality of therapist, or the limitations of the therapist. This could be said of other therapies, but for example, the CBT therapist has a direction and structure to fall back on. The challenge to the PC therapist is to be constantly growing and developing, as there is such a dependence upon who they are in the relationship. References: Kirshenbaum, H. and Henderson, V. L. (1989) The Carl Rogers reader Bury St. Edmunds: St Edmundsbury Press Limited. Kulewicz, S. F. (1989) The twelve core functions of a Counselor (5th Edn). Marlborough, CT: Counselor Publications. Mearns, D. and Thorne, B. (1988) Person-centred counselling in Action (3rd Edn). London: Sage Publications Ltd. Mearns, D. 1994) Developing Person Centred counselling (2nd Edn). London: Sage Publications Ltd. Rogers, C. R. (1957) The Necessary and Sufficient Conditions of Therapeutic Personality Change Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology Vol. 60, No. 6, 827-832 . Rogers, C. R. (1961) On Becoming a Person London: Constable & Robinson Ltd. Rogers, C. R. (1980) A way of Being Boston: Houghton and Mifflin Company. Rogers, C. R. (1980) Client Centred psychotherapy In: Kaplan, H. I. et al, ceds, Comprehensive text book of Psychiatry (3rd Edn). Baltimore: Williams & Wilkins Co. Thorne, B. Dryden, W. (2002) Person Centred Counselling in W. Dryden Handbook of Individual Therapy (4th Edn). London: Sage. pp. 131-157.