Questions On Generalized Anxiety Disorder - 1151 Words

Running Head: GENERALIZED ANXIETY DISORDER 1 Generalized Anxiety Disorder Chinelo Onyekere Delaware County Community College Abnormal Psychology 210 Professor Doran August 8, 2015 GENERALIZED ANXIETY DISORDER 2 Presenting Problems Joe Steven, is reported a continuous and extensive worry about his family responsibilities. The major worry about him is how to meet up with his wife and children needs and his mother’s present health condition. He also worried about his children school fees, and if they will make it in future or not. Mark started worry about how to secure his job position, he completely found himself felt with anxiety. Despite that he has a good job that pays him well. He reported that the worry and the anxiety has been troubling him for the past 12 months. Since then, he started felling tiredness, weakness of the muscles tension, difficult in sleeping, difficult in concentrating and focus on his work. The main worry and anxiety is getting worst whenever he received a mail from his children school. He always thinks that the mail he got is about his children school fees. Even though, the mail is another activities or his children school performance. Due to his sleeping pro blem, his wife suggested him to take some work leave so that they will go for vacation at Bermuda. She thinks thatShow MoreRelatedSymptoms And Symptoms Of Generalized Anxiety Disorder Essay1498 Words   |  6 Pagesof Ms. Hendricks symptoms of worry, and feeling overwhelmed is closely related to Generalized Anxiety Disorder. Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) is a highly prevalent disorder characterized by excessive worry or anxiety about everyday events, whether they are internal or external or originating in the past, present, and/or future (American Psychiatric Association, 2000). The symptoms of Generalized Anxiety Disorder result from increase, typical, inflexible interactions of cognitive, imaginal, andRead MoreAnxiety Disorders Are The Most Common Mental Illness Essay1607 Words   |  7 PagesAnxiety disorders are the most common mental illness in the United States, affecting 40 million adults ages 18 and older, this is about 18% of the population (National Institute of Men tal Health). Anxiety disorders are associated with the impairment of several domains of functioning, including the impairment of relationships, care giving and job productivity (DeBoer, Powers, Utschig, Otto Smits, 2012). Anxiety disorders are a growing concern in our society, especially among college-aged teenagers/youngRead MoreThe Average Age Of Onset Of Generalized Anxiety Disorder1310 Words   |  6 PagesThe average age of onset of generalized anxiety disorder is 31 years old. Generalized anxiety disorder affects about 6.8 million American adults. This disorder can develop at any point in the life cycle, but the highest risk is between childhood and middle age. Individuals who suffer from GAD can’t relax; they startle easily, and have difficulty concentrating. Often they have trouble falling asleep or staying asleep. Some physical symptoms include fatigue, headaches, muscle tension, muscle achesRead MoreGeneralized Anxiety Disorder and Its Screening Instruments1291 Words   |  5 PagesGAD and GAD Screening Instruments Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) is characterized by persistent, excessive, and unrealistic worry about everyday things. People with the disorder often experience exaggerated fear and expect the worst, even when there is no apparent reason for concern. They anticipate disaster and are overly concerned about money, health, family, work, or other issues. This disorder affects 6.8 million adults, or 3.1% of the U.S. population, in any given year (Van der Heiden,Read MoreInfluence on Behavior and Psychological Disorders Essay658 Words   |  3 PagesPSYCHOLOGICAL DISORDERS Presentation Influences on Behavior and Psychological Disorders Presentation Jocelyn F. Oatman Sofia Moran University of Phoenix Introduction to Psychology PSY 103 Michelle McCoy-Williams October 29, 2008 Influences on Behavior and Psychological Disorders Presentation The previous evaluation on the pathophysiology of anxiety constantly records the requirement for more examination on biological characteristics of childhood social phobia, separation anxiety disorder, andRead MoreEssay about Symptoms of Generalized Anxiety Disorder1446 Words   |  6 PagesGeneralized Anxiety Disorder About three percent of men and women in the U.S. suffer from Generalized anxiety disorder (APAA). It is one of the most common forms of anxiety and seems to be the most left untreated because people don’t know that it can be treated (McGradles). GAD, although it affects many, is a disorder that can be detrimental to the quality of life of an individual. With the regard to the quality of life, the level of severity that a person experiences is a great factor in determiningRead MoreThe Phobia of Social Anxiety1435 Words   |  6 PagesSocial Anxiety also known as Social phobia was finally added to the list of anxiety disorders in the year of 1986. Social Anxiety Disorder has the earliest onset of almost any mental disorder. Jaret, Peter by definition is â€Å"the fear of interaction with other people that brings on self-consciousness, feelings of being negatively judged and evaluated, and, as a result, leads to avoidance.† Before it became known as a phobia or an anxiet y disorder it was known as a personality disorder. There are manyRead MoreGeneralized Anxiety Disorder1615 Words   |  6 PagesGeneralized Anxiety Disorder About three percent of men and women in the U.S. suffer from Generalized anxiety disorder (APAA). It is one of the most common forms of anxiety and seems to be the most left untreated because people don’t know that it can be treated. GAD, although it affects many, is a disorder that can be detrimental to the quality of life of an individual. With the regard to the quality of life, the level of severity that a person experiences is a great factor in determining more informationRead MoreInformative Speech On Symptoms, Diagnosis, And Treatment Of Generalized Anxiety Disorder1420 Words   |  6 Pages Planning for the Informative Speech with Analysis Speech Topic: To inform my audience of the symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment of Generalized anxiety disorder Rhetorical Purpose: To inform my audience about . . . Their own mental profile and how to recognize the symptoms so they can help themselves and others around them Audience Analysis: (Refer to chapter on Audience Analysis) (RU Core Goal: a) Summarize Audience demographics, prior exposure/knowledge, common ground/interest, disposition/attitudeRead MoreThe Effects Of Anxiety Disorders And Situational Anxiety On Short Term Working Memory1651 Words   |  7 Pagesexploring the effects of anxiety disorders, and situational anxiety on short term working memory. These three articles all used different methods in attempt to connect anxiety with working memory performance. To summarize, these studies attempt to answer the question of whether or not an attentional bias toward threatening (anxiety triggering) exposure or conditions, causes a greater susceptibility to distraction and reduced STM capacity cognitively. They also explore generalized anxiety patients to see

Money’s Affect on Self-Esteem Free Essays

Let’s be realistic, money affects everyone. PROS: When it comes to making money depending on the amount, makes a person feel good. Who doesn’t feel those jittery moments whenever finding fifteen dollars in your just freshly washed jeans you pulled out from the dryer? I know I enjoy the feeling of having money, especially when I’ve needed it. We will write a custom essay sample on Money’s Affect on Self-Esteem or any similar topic only for you Order Now Having money makes most human beings feel satisfied and calm. These are the advantages of always having money, all the time. It’s the power of feeling equal with the rest of the money hungry world. Security along with confidence is a pro when it comes to money’s effect on self-esteem. Too much confidence? Leads to.. CONS: Whenever the average person does not have any income entering their life, it could become such an emotional spiral. Have you ever noticed how majority of the world runs on money? It’s half true, even the people who are filty rich believe in such. The disadvantage of having too much money makes those people become ungrateful, snobby, and just plain miserable. They fail to realize that money is not all that a person should depend on in this world. Yet of course no one believes in that due to our new technology, generation, and society. People who don’t have money either feel hopeless in life or just happy. A percentage of those happy people are living their lives as a missing in action character. The others feeling hopeless have a low self-esteem. Low self-esteems damage a humans mind since we’re all adjusted to the feeling of needing this money that somehow gets us everywhere. My question is, how did the Native Americans along with the Pilgrims live life without money? Because our world now cannot live without such. The con to how money affects a person’s self-esteem is that money leads to being the root of all evil when you’re broke. All hell breaks loose in that life. How to cite Money’s Affect on Self-Esteem, Essay examples

Reading Fluency free essay sample

They can make mental connections throughout the text, as well as apply those connections to their personal backgrounds and experiences. Simply, fluent readers recognize the words and comprehend their overall meaning at the same time. Unfortunately, Reading fluency is a significant struggle for many. The less fluent a reader, the more he or she must focus on decoding individual words. Less fluent readers have difficulty with oral reading, which is often slow, choppy, and without natural expression. Less fluent readers must focus their time and attention on figuring out the words, leaving little room for actually understanding the text. Since reading fluency is the key to reading comprehension, less fluent readers often fall behind in educational and professional achievement. This had happened to my pupils. The weaker ones really struggling to finish even a simple text. They tend to pronounce the words wrongly and always left far behind from the others. We will write a custom essay sample on Reading Fluency or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page At last they started to make noise and started to play. On the other hand, if they need to recite the nursery rhyme , it will be a ‘heaven’ for them. They will cooperate with me to sing the rhyme and will repeat the words patiently. They even dance along! As for the others, they want to read the text as one big group. They like to be showed pictures cards about the text. They are very motivated to repeat the words’ pronunciation several times but make sure it is in a big group or else they won’t speak as individual. I always motivate them to read the text with expression because it will help them understand what are they reading. Sometimes I will choose randomly a girl or a boy and asked them to retell the text in their own style. At first, they were shy, but seeing their friends being positive, they retell the text confidently. For sure, sometimes, I do reward them with sweets and candies! The enrichment activity, they will find the meaning of certain words in the dictionary and write it on the given nametag. They will wear the nametag for two days during the school hours. This is what I called as ‘the walking dictionary’. They love to read their friends’ words with the meaning. The words will change every two days. Twice a week after recess, I will randomly call them to the front and they will retell their memorized words with the meaning. As a conclusion, everything is depending on the teacher. The teacher needs to find creative ways in influencing their pupils into reading English text.

The Problem Of Violence In Schools Essays - Criminology, Crime

The Problem Of Violence In Schools The problem of violence in schools today is a major concern. Crime in and around schools threatens the well being of students, as well as the school staff and the surrounding communities. It also holds back learning and student achievement. The problem is more defined in the public school system than in catholic schools. Catholic schools seem to express a better-rounded teaching environment. Most catholic schools have less tolerance than they do in public schools. It is said that the wearing of a uniform helps to keep more peace in the school. The students do not get made fun of for not wearing brand name clothing. The laughing and making fun of the other students is what contributes to low self-esteem, which one of the traits for a student who is likely to bring violence into school. More than half of U.S. public schools have reported at least one crime incident in 1997. Also one in ten schools reported at least one serious violent crime during this school year. Ten percent of all public schools had experienced one or more serious violent crimes (e.g. murder, rape, suicide, sexual battery, and physical attack of fighting with a weapon or robbery) reported to police or other law enforcement during 1997. Crime and violence seem to be more of a problem in middle and high schools than in elementary schools. In 1997 forty-five percent of elementary schools reported one or more acts of violence. Seventy-four percent of middle schools and seventy-five percent of high schools had reported incidents of violence. One of the goals of the National Education Goals states that by the year 2000, ?all schools in America will be free of drugs and violence and the unauthorized presence of firearms and alcohol, and offer a disciplined environment that is conducive to learning.? This goal has obviously not yet been reached, but there still is some time left for them to reach this goal. The crimes that are most frequently occurring in most schools are vandalism, theft/larceny, and physical attack or fight without a weapon. Six percent have reported physical attack or fight with a weapon. Even though the percentage of weapon related crimes is not as high as many of the rest, it is still one of the biggest and must be eliminated. It is the one of the worst acts of violence that could happen in a school. The school administration should adopt a policy that will help to eliminate the violence. They should either consider a zero tolerance strategy or something similar. The school environment should be a safe one for staff and students. Students should be able to go to school and not be concerned with any in or outside forces that will distract them from learning, or injure them in some way. Many potentially violent incidents continue to plague schools. School administrators are reviewing security and crisis plans, but many administrators are quick to point out that there is no one answer to providing a safe school environment. Everyone wants a simple solution, but the is not a one. People have to work towards getting and maintaining school safety. But no matter how well prepared or how safe everyone thinks a plan to be; it will never be one hundred percent foolproof. Someone will always find a way to get around even the most strategized effort to control the violence. Most incidents could and can be prevented by students, parents, teachers, or citizens coming forward and sharing the information that they know with either the school or police. It is known that prior to a major violent attacking, in most schools someone knows that it is going to happen other than the person who is planning it. But they do not go forward because they think that something like that could never happen in their school. Violence can happen anywhere, at any time. For example, take the Jonesboro incident or Columbine, it is common knowledge that someone knew about what the students were planning, but did not share it with the school or police officials. Schools should pay attention to not only the major incidents like Columbine, but also to the smallest threat. Schools in Allen, Texas,

Herbs and Aphrodisiacs essays

Herbs and Aphrodisiacs essays For centuries, men and women have actively sought after intimacy and sensuality to share with one another. Through the desire to please oneself and ones partner, people continue to seek after drugs and techniques that may enhance their sex lives. Both natural and man-made substances have been found to serve as aphrodisiacs. Among these herbs and substances there are a variety of practices, which may be performed in order to stimulate both the body and mind. Through our five senses, humans are continuously turned on and off when encountering everyday smells, tastes, sounds, fabrics, and visions. These aphrodisiacs are used as both an enhancement of ones sex life and as an emotional turn on. The definition of an aphrodisiac, according to the Oxford Dictionary, is an exciting sexual desire or activity, named after the Greek goddess of love and beauty, Aphrodite. According to Theresa Crenshaw, ...love, however you define it, seems to be the best aphrodisiac of all. Everyones definition of love is different. What turns one on varies amongst each individual. An aphrodisiac can be found in an endless number of forms. Sexual arousal comes from physical, emotional, and even imaginable stimulation. A number of surveys have been conducted in order to research and study the sexual practices of our humanity. From my own personal experience and observation, I have had the pleasure of personally surveying and organizing discussions with groups of men and women about aphrodisiacs. Females tended to lean more toward their emotional side. Women, especially, need to feel confident and emotionally secure in order to feel fully sexually aroused. All of my girl friends are more physically satisfied when they are emotionally satisfied. Therefore, their turn-ons include romantic gestures and loyal dedication as primary stimulation. Then, they look toward the lips and the hands and the body language. Her pa...

Because I Could Not Stop for Death

Irony is used here because the speaker is not sure whether or not Death has tricked her into going from a busy life, to a peaceful death. Dickinson splits the poem into quatrains. Stanzas 1,2,3 and 5 use the same meter patterns. The first and third line of the stanzas has 8 syllables or 4 feet. Each foot represents two syllables, one unstressed the other stressed. A meter that is iambic is one that is common in the English language; so the poem could be said naturally. There are 4 feet so the meter is iambic tetrameter, tetra meaning 4. be CAUSE/ i COULD/ not STOP/ for DEATH The second and fourth lines in the stanzas only have 3 feet so they follow iambic trimeter pattern, tri meaning 3. Stanza 4 is a special one. There is no particular pattern to it. Stanza 6 is slightly altered by the last line, which has 7 syllables. Otherwise it follows the same rules as the previous stanzas. In stanza one, Dickinson introduces the character of Death without hesitation. Here, Death gives us with the impression that he is a gentleman or a gentle suitor who kindly leads the speaker and encourages her to embark on the journey of death. The tone is peaceful and the speaker appears passive and is co-operative with his decision. Dickinson uses symbolism to depict the journey of death. This is apparent when she uses a carriage in line 3 to transport the speaker, Death and Immortality to the graveyard. Line 4 shows that â€Å"Immortality† is also on the carriage, meaning that the start of the journey to â€Å"Death† is also the start of a journey towards immortality. In Stanza 2, the narrator starts her journey slowly. She has started dying and is not struggling against all the pains; and has also given up all the joys of life, â€Å"and I had put away My labor and my leisure too. † Death is also described as being civil, â€Å"His Civility. Stanza 3 uses anaphora. â€Å"We passed† is repeated to give off the effect that she is watching as life goes by. Alliteration is also used in lines 11 and 12, â€Å"Gazing Grain† and â€Å"Setting Sun. † The setting sun is also symbolic; it represents the end of life. Stanza 4 gives us some eerie imagery. Line 13 suggests that it was the sun that actually passed her. â€Å"Dews† means the dew of the night so â€Å"The Dews drew quivering and chill† means that the speaker is feeling the coldness of the night. This might suggest that the she is already nearing the end of her journey towards death. After, she explains why she is cold. She is wearing a gown and it is described as being â€Å"Gossamer;† a light and thin material. Then she tells us she is also wearing a â€Å"Tippet† made of â€Å"Tulle. † A tippet is an old-fashioned shoulder cape and tulle is a thin silky material. Definitely not the clothes you would wear on a cold chilly night. The speaker tells us about her gravestone in stanza 5. Symbolism is used again in line 17; â€Å"House† represents the gravestone. We are shown here that the gravestone is just poking out of the ground and that it looks like a cornice. Now, we move into the future. It is also revealed that the narrator has been dead for centuries â€Å"’tis Centuries. Paradox is used here because the speaker says that these few hundred years feel shorter than that day she died. She also realised that when she died, it would mean going into eternal life; â€Å"the Horse’s Heads Were toward Eternity. † Dickinson has described, quite clearly, her views about death. She suggests that the afterlife means another life, one that is eternal. While some would disagree with her, she has made a statement that has lasted centuries. The poem is metaphorical, she has used some everyday things to portray one of the scariest things in life: death.

Hyperlocal journalism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Hyperlocal journalism - Essay Example A proper example of a hyperlocal journalism site is the inclusion of an article about a baseball team that is found within the local little league. It may also include conducting an interview with a veteran who took part in the Second World War and lives within the region. In addition, the sale of a home along the street also forms part of the hyperlocal news and journalism (Fidgerald, 2010). The biggest challenge that is faced by hyperlocal journalists is the funding and hence the ability to sustain the model. However, each day, there are new models that are being developed alongside the present ones. One of them is the advertising-only model. A good example is the Post-gazette, which in the year 2011 was launched by a pilot in Sheffield, as one of the startups that were ad-funded. It still possesses a twitter, Facebook and Website links. However, they are no longer operational. It indicates that the model, which was aiming at delivering hyperlocal news at broader perspective across the nation was responsible for much smaller areas. The whole idea was supposed to be done with the use of mobile devices, which were produced by numerous publishers. In general, it is important to have at least one publisher for every 5,000 people rather than one person covering a single town or a handful of people covering one town. Also, there should be a particular target amount for a single place. However, one of the challenges that will be experienced with this strategy is the lack of enough skills among the people (Craft & Davis, 2013). This model of business possesses varying degrees of success. Initially, it was thought to be an innovative way through which the information that is often ignored by the local newspapers is brought to the members of the community. However, hyperlocal journalism happens especially at a time when most of the news outlets are laying off their journalist and reducing the amount

Geopolitical assignmentreport 1 page Please finish it as soon as Essay

Geopolitical assignmentreport 1 page Please finish it as soon as possible.In a hurry.thanks - Essay Example The efforts coordinated by Mayor John Tory and Ratna Omidvar are aimed at mobilizing Canadians to contribute towards the initiative. The same news was covered by other international news agencies that tend to alleviate the sufferings experienced by the Syrians. It is apparent that the international community is trying to come up with possible solutions of avoiding the mass exodus (Black, 2015). This is because the situation is a humanitarian crisis that affects the children and women who are suffering under inhuman conditions. In this regard, Black (2015) suggests that Canadian groups need to introduce measures that allow the Syrian families to stay in the country for temporary purposes. This implies that states need to provide amenities that can help the incoming refugees that need the services offered in the country. The Syrian refugee menace is an international matter that requires urgent solutions with the GTA countries establishing ways of stopping the protests (Black, 2015). Syria has been in war for the past 5 years, leading to a mass exodus of its citizens to the neighboring countries. The citizens are trying to escape the fighting by seeking assistance from other regions. Black has offered initiatives in Canada that will offer humanitarian services to the high number of political refugees. This is essential because it touches on international affairs that need urgency and social approaches to help the suffering citizens. The news is currency covered by different agencies to give a worldwide perspective that will spur restorative

Scottish Independence Essay Example for Free

Scottish Independence Essay â€Å"The beauty of independence, departure, actions that rely on themselves† -Walt Whitman Currently Scotland is part of the United Kingdom. Scottish Independence is â€Å"a political aim for some political parties, advocacy groups, and individuals in Scotland for the country to once again become an independent sovereign state.† A Referendum (â€Å"A general vote by the electorate on a single political question which has been referred to them for a direct decision.†) will be held on Thursday, 18 September, 2014 to decide whether Scotland should become an independent country. I am for Scotland being an independent country primarily because of, but not limited to, the points listed below. Scotland will be more prosperous and economically better off as an independent country. In any society, one of the main questions asked before any sort of political decision, whether it be by the prime minister or just an electorate deciding who to vote for, is if I decide on this option, will I or the country be better off because of it. It is no surprise then that this is one of the main points brought up in the referendum debate. Objectively it seems that Scotland and subsequently the people of Scotland will be financially better off if Scotland were to become independent. A lot of people say this is primarily because of the North Sea oil. Although North Sea oil is important and is in itself another point of discussion/concern for the Scottish government and its people, even without it Scotlands economic output per head is 99 percent of the UK average- and with oil it is 118 percent. This means that over the last 30 years we’ve paid more than our share of tax.. This isn’t a recent or random occurrence either, for decades the amount of tax revenue generated in Scotland per person has been greater than the figure for the UK as a whole. In the most recent year, Scotland contributed  £56.9 Billion in tax revenue. That’s equivalent to  £10,700 for every person in Scotland. In Comparison the average tax revenue in the UK as a whole was just  £9000 pound per person. If you do the math then Scotland has been paying  £1,700 a head extra in taxes. As mentioned previously however, this isn’t a recent thing and has been going on for decades. As a  matter of fact since 1981 Scotland has paid  £222 billion more than we would have done if we had just matched the contribution made per head by the UK as a whole. This all equates to almost  £45,000 extra paid for every person living in Scotland. Scotland makes up 8.4 percent of the United Kingdoms population and generates 9.9 percent of its taxes, but only gets back 9.3 percent back again to spend on essential services. Scotland’s finances were stronger than uks by  £4.4 billion, this means if Scotland got independence we would have  £4.4 billion extra to spend and still be in the same financial position as the UK is now. All this leads up to the fact that if Scotland were to become an independent country we would be 8th in the OECD league table of the world’s advanced economies in terms of GDP per head. By contrast, the UK would only be in 17th place. Scotlands wealth per head was  £27,211. The UK figure was  £23,002 per head. Public Spending in Scotland only accounts for 42.7 percent of Scotland’s gdp compared to 45.5 percent for the uk as a whole. Withdrawing the nuclear weapons from the Clyde will save  £163 each year and if the current government introduce the proposed new nuclear missiles then that means saving  £250 million a year. oil and gas revenue would flow to Scotland and expect to contribute  £48 billion in next six years. An independent Scotland would mean a renewed and fairer democracy. If you refer back to the definition of Scottish independence, then you see that the aim is for Scotland to become an independent sovereign state. a sovereign state is â€Å"a nonphysical juridical entity of the international legal system that is represented by a centralized government that has supreme independent authority over a geographic area† all sovereign states are countries but not all countries are sovereign states. Scotland is classified as a country however it is currently part of the sovereign state known as the United Kingdom. If you apply the definition to this context then the centralized government is Westminster and the geographic area is the whole of the UK. If you think about it like that it doesnt really seem fair that Scotland has to abide by the laws and policies brought in by a different country. Scotland does have mps in westminster but this usually does little the change the verdict due to the following fact: After the 2010 general election 650 mps were elected, 553 from England, 59 from Scotland, 40 from Wales and 18 from  northern Ireland, This means that no matter if every mp from Scotland votes against a policy all it would take is one tenth of the rest of the mps to vote for it and it would be passed. An example would be the recent bedroom tax, 9% of Scottish mps voted for and 91% against it but the tax still went through, another example would be the welfare cuts, 19% Scottish mps voted for and 81% voted against and it but it went ahead and will force, experts believe, 60,000 more Scottish children into poverty. This has also happened with austerity cuts VAT increases and many more policies were Scotland’s mps have voted against it yet it still affects Scotland because more mps from different countries vote for it. This affects Scotland politically but as a result of and possibly even more importantly economically, this is represented well by the previous statistics and also by the fact that the UK government has placed trident missiles at faslane on the Clyde, even though the majority of Scottish citizens are against it, yet were paying  £163 million extra a year to keep weapons we dont want in a place where we dont want it to be kept. However, with regard to the above arguments, not everything about Scottish independence would be easy sailing and clear skies, it couldnt be or the majority of the population wouldnt be voting against independence. The Scotsman polls Yes at 33-34% and No at 52-57%. The Daily Mail puts it at 27% for Yes and 56% for No. Herald Scotland says 27% will vote Yes and 41% will vote No. It seems that the consensus among people is that Scotland will remain part of the UK. Below are some reasons why people may be deciding against independence Scotlands future seems uncertain if we get independence. Alot of things about the referendum and Scotlands future are very cloudy and even after the release of the white paper, which was meant to clear up a lot of these issues so that the people could make their own informed decision, there are still a lot of points which people and even the government are unsure about. An example of this would be the amount of debt which Scotland would take on if it were to get independence. The UK has a debt of 88.7% of their GDP (as of 2012, its expected to have risen to around 90%) and if scotland were to become independent then it is expected that Scotland would take on anywhere  from 0 to  £140 billion of this or even more,its just not clear enough yet how much debt Scotland would take on.Another question is what currency Scotland would employ after they gained Independence. Alex Salmond vows that he will keep the pound however no official agreement has taken place. According to the Scotsman Alex Salmond held â€Å"technical† discussions on the proposal with the former Bank Governor, Mervyn King,last year.Many people, like George Osborne and Alistair Carmichael, think it is unlikely that the two countries will share the pound sterling, with george osborne even going as far to say that he will block scotland from retaining the pound.This is discussed in further detail below.If Scotland were to get independence they would have to leave the EU, according to the spanish prime minister, who is dealing with a similar situation with catalonias proposed independence, he said If a part of the territory of a member state ceases to be a part of that state because that territory becomes a new independent state, treaties will no longer apply to that territory, In other words, a new independent state would, by the fact of its independence, become a third countr y with respect to the Union and the treaties would, from the day of its independence, not apply anymore on its territory. they can re-apply for membership, which is what Alex Salmond would intend to do, however all of the countries would have to accept/agree with Scotland joining the EU. Scotland would have problems with the currency. No matter if Scotland retain the pound or not, they will run into consequences with whatever option they choose. As it stands there are 3 options Scotland has in terms of currency: 1.Keep the pound, this is what Alex Salmond wants,however if Scotland and England were going to agree to a â€Å"Currency Union† (â€Å"where two or more states share the same currency, though without there necessarily having any further integration†) then it would ultimately put Constraints on an independent Scotland’s economic policies: even if it could be agreed, a formal currency union would severely limit an independent Scotland’s economic freedom – to ensure that risks to the rest of the UK were managed an independent Scotland would lose some of its power over decisions on its own â€Å"fiscal policy† (for example, how much it could spend on health, education, and so on) with the Bank of England also determining interest rates and the cost of borrowing in Scotland and would have to accept the rest of the UK having oversight of  its tax and spending plans. This all in a way defeats one of the main points of Scottish Independence, which is for Scotland to have complete economic independence and to have full control over taxes, public expenditure etc. As you can see this would not be the case if an Independent Scotland were to adopt the Pound. Another option would be to join the Euro. This would possibly be the worst decision as all the problems associated with adopting the pound would be present in adopting the Euro, just worse. Many more countries in the eurozone are running into debt and having to accept bailouts, primarily because of fact that one shoe doesnt fit all in terms of the politics of the eurozone, theres not really any way to tell if an Independent Scotland would benefit from the policies and regulations set in by the european union in terms of the euro. The last option would be that Scotland creates its own currency. On the outside it seems to dissolve the problems of another country/set of counties having a large influen ce and in some instances complete control of many of the economic policies and taxings within Scotland. While this is probably the best option, starting a new currency is no easy task. Apart from the decisions to be made on the actual currency like what would be printed on the currency, what materials the coins/notes would be made from in terms of percentages, what the new currency would be called, however these are just minor problems, the real problems would be figuring out how to get the new currency into the system, with rules possibly having to be put in place to prevent large amounts of Pounds Sterling leaving the country. Laws would have to be formed to grant the new currency status of legal tender, as well as laws which define and control the use of the currency. All of these laws would also have to be approved by parliament.To change the currency would take about 6 months minimum, but in reality it would probably take alot longer. The actual printing of the money could possibly run into tens of millions of pounds, but the actual process of the currency swap would be the most costly. All of this would have to be highly scrutinized,as if there was any uncertainty over the details of the currency it could potentially drive away countries or businesses looking to invest in scotland or its new currency. To sum up, even though a lot of the details about scottish independence are still cloudy and a lot of people are scared about what might happen if we  gain independence and if such a small country could support itself, the bottom line seems to be with complete political and possibly economic independence, we would get to make decisions based on our own needs, and not the whole UK’s. Even though we do still rely quite heavily on Oil, its still a while to go before it runs out, and in that time hopefully the money generated by it will be invested into different economic sectors to fuel Scotlands powerful economy. With Reference to the quote by Walt Whitman, we must take action and rely upon ourselves to make the right decision in relation to this countrys economic and political well being, even if it might seem scary, no-one ever got anywhere by running away from a situation and sitting on their hands just because the idea scared them. Alex Salmond described the referendum as a â€Å"once in a lifetime opportunity† and it would be such a shame to see this opportunity wasted due to the sheer pride and prejudice of people.

image as text :: essays research papers

Image as Text Response Critical Response   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Art by its very nature has the tendency to be labeled either â€Å"good† or â€Å"bad†. However there is no bad art, only art that has failed to connect with a viewer. To broadly label art as either good or bad is hypocritical, how could a Picasso be compared to a Rembrandt? The truth is it can’t, and that’s the deceptiveness of art in that it seems on the surface to be so easily criticized when in reality it’s a complicated process to undertake. The piece I chose to write about evoked such a response. People around me either hated it, or loved it, with most going to the former. A good art piece creates this kind of response, and in that respect this piece was doing just fine.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  When I look at a piece of art, I let my eyes roam, exploring the surface. I feel whatever emotions the piece evokes, or any parts or techniques that interest me. After all of this, I still don’t dare judge it merely on good or bad. When you label something â€Å"bad† art, there is no coming back, it’s cursed with a tag. Even if this tag is incorrect, as it often is, you still have that impression in your head that â€Å"oh, I don’t like this piece, it’s bad†.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Another aspect to this is if you label a piece of art â€Å"bad† that means somewhere, floating around, is a piece of â€Å"good† art, which would imply a comparison. But how do you compare art? Even if two artists have both tackled the same topic, it is impossible and insulting to even claim to be able to compare them. A Renaissance piece and a Baroque piece have their own considerations and couldn’t possibly be criticized. Never is a piece of art better, all art is an island for consideration in its own sphere of influence.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Art creates its own emotions, and the reaction it creates, love it or hate it, is the very point of art. If you fall madly in love with a piece, it has succeeded. On the other side of the same coin, if you desperately hate that piece and want to burn it, it too has succeeded. It is when a piece of art has nothing to say that it is a failure, when it evokes no emotion, no reaction. It still isn’t a â€Å"bad† piece of art, the artist just hasn’t succeeded.

Market Research of Eveready Torches

CHAPTER 1 OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY ? To know the customer perception towards Eveready flashlights with respective to the china made rechargeable torches. ? To find out the factors that tends to put an impact on Eveready LED torches. ? To find out what are the parameters customers/consumers look into before purchasing flashlight/torches. ? To know price sensitivity. CHAPTER 2 INTRODUCTION A ‘flash light’ usually called a ‘Torch’ is a hand-held electric powered light source. It caters the lighting needs of consumers. In the case of emergencies when light goes out, you are going to your way to phone; all you need is a flashlight or torch to illuminate your way. You may still need to fix things when the sun goes down, if you are building something or working on your car, flash lights can help you see what you are doing. When you go for a dental check up you might see the dentist using torch. Whether you are going to take a walk or on your way out of the door at night you need a torch to help you see the way, as well as stay safe. About flashlight: A flashlight (usually called a Torch outside North America) is a hand-held electric-powered light source. Usually the light source is a small incandescent bulb or light-emitting diode (LED). Typical flashlight designs consist of the light source mounted in a parabolic or other shaped reflector and the power source is electric batteries and an electric power switch. While most flashlights are hand-held, there are head or helmet-mounted flashlights designed for miners and campers and battery-powered lights for bicycles. The term flashlight is used mainly in the United States and Canada. In other English-speaking countries, the most common term is torch or electric torch. On January 10, 1899, American Electrical Novelty and Manufacturing Company obtained U. S. Patent No. 617,592(filed 12 march 1898) from David Misell, its English inventor. This â€Å"electric device† designed by Misell was powered by â€Å"D† batteries laid front to back in a paper tube with the light bulb and a rough brass reflector at the end. The company donated some of these devices to the New York City police, who responded favourably to them. These early flashlights ran on zinc-carbon batteries, which could not provide a steady electric current and require periodic ‘rest’ to continue functioning. Because these early flashlights also used energy-inefficient carbon-filament bulbs, â€Å"resting† occurred at short intervals. Consequently, they could be used only in brief flashes, hence the popular name flashlight. Power sources for light: The most common power source for flashlights is the battery. Many types of batteries are suitable for use in flashlights, such as button cells, alkaline batteries, lithium batteries and rechargeable NiMH, NiCd batteries and lithium ion batteries. The choice of batteries will depend on the light source used, and will usually play a determining role in the size and shape of the flashlight. Some flashlights are solar powered, using the energy generated from a solar cell to charge an on board battery for later use. [pic] COMPANY PROFILE [pic] 2. 1 COMPANY PROFILE: Ask any Indian consumer to name a battery and the first brand that comes to mind is Eveready. Not just among batteries, Eveready is a powerful brand across categories. Eveready has a portfolio comprising dry cell batteries (carbon zinc batteries, rechargeable batteries and alkaline batteries), flashlights (Torches), CFLs (compact fluorescent lamps), and mosquito repellent and packet tea. Eveready’s strength is the result of a continuous and well-orchestrated brand development strategy that maximizes the value from each consumer touch-point. [pic] â€Å"Give me red† is the iconic urban face of Eveready. The advertising by-line of the popular red series of batteries, it is today symbolic the empowered urban lifestyle that the brand reflects. The original, path-breaking campaign won as many as 11 advertising awards. The current television commercial on Eveready ultima, which has explored and demonstrated the technique of light painting(through the TVC) has been very well received and is a one of its kind commercial in the entire batteries segment. The unmatched consumer confidence is also reflected through the various accolades that the company has got over the years. In a country where around 40% households don't have access to enough electricity and require basic sources of light to sustain themselves, Eveready provides portable lighting solutions to more than 60 million households. Highlights: ? In the confederation of Indian industry(CII)’s ‘Brand of the year’ 2005 shortlist, Eveready made the top ten finalists list, along with brands like Nokia, HP, Titan, Dabur and five other Hindustan Lever Brands. ? As per AC Nielsen, Eveready stood 7th among all FMCG companies in terms of growth in the year 2004-2005. The economic times’ Brand equity survey of Brands by sales, april2004, put Eveready at no. 22 across brands in all categories. ? As per vertebrands’ survey, on a 10-point scale, Eveready scored 8 on popularity and 7. 7 on contemporariness. Of all consumers surveyed, 41% called it â€Å"The Only Brand for Me†. Eveready industries India, ltd (EIIL) previously known as Union carbide India, limited is the flagship company of the B. M. khaitan group. The brand Eveready has been present in India since 1905. EIIL is the world’s third largest producer of carbon zinc batteries, selling more than a billion units a year. EIIL is India’s largest selling brand of dry cell batteries and flashlights (torches), with dominant market shares of about 46% and 85% respectively. HISTORY: EIIL started its operation in India in 1905. The first dry cell batteries were imported from the USA and sold in the major cities of the country. These batteries were primarily used in imported torches. In 1939, the company set up its first battery plant in Kolkata. This was followed by another battery manufacturing plant in Chennai in the year 1952. A torch manufacturing plant was set up at Lucknow in 1958. Today it is one of the largest torch manufacturing plants in south East Asia. The plant manufactures the full range of brass, aluminium and plastic torches. In 2005, EIIL celebrated its 100 anniversary in India. MILESTONES: 1905: national carbon starts its Indian operations with sale of batteries imported from USA. 1934: Eveready Company incorporated as a private company on 12 November. 1939: Camperdown works- first modern battery plant established at Cossipore in Kolkata. 1941: union batteries merges with Eveready Company and the name is changed to national carbon company. 951: renamed as union carbide India ltd, a subsidiary of worldwide multinational, union carbide corporation. 1958: company set its torch manufacturing plant in Lucknow, one of the largest in south Asia. 1996: Mc Leod Russel(India) ltd, merged with EIIL, bulk tea business brought into EIIL fold. 2000: Bishnauth Tea Company merged with Eveready industries India ltd. 2005: brand Eveready is a hundred years old. 2009: EIIL acquires controlling stake in Uniross SA of France, which is a leading rechargeable battery manufacturer. Eveready is India’s largest marketer of dry cell batteries selling about 1. billion units annually. It is also the largest marketer of torches selling more than 20 million pieces per annum. VISION STATEMENT: For over a century, our corporation has been a partner to consumers with our expertise in portable power and light. Today, we endeavour to be the perfect Companion to consumers by providing value-for-money brands with Tangible Differentiation in quality every day; we seek Consumer Proximity to ensure the enjoyment of better living. Our core competence will be based on these three core values for the total synergy and future profitable growth of our corporation. Company’s philosophy on corporate governance: The company believes that good corporate governance consists of a combination of business practices which result in enhancement of the value of the company to the shareholders and simultaneously enable the company to fulfil its obligations to other stakeholders such as customers, vendors, employees, and financiers and to the society in general. The company further believes that such practices are founded upon the core values of transparency, empowerment, accountability, independent monitoring and environmental consciousness. The company makes its best endeavours to uphold and nurture these core values in all aspects of its operations. 2. 1. A. MANUFACTURING: Eveready has its manufacturing units spread all across the country in order to maximize logistical efficiency and reduce time-to-market. The Company’s state-of-the-art manufacturing units are located in Kolkata, Noida, Uttaranchal, Chennai, Lucknow and Maddur. The company has high-speed manufacturing units, both for batteries and flashlights, with in-house facilities for metal flashlights along with a fully automated injection-moulding set-up for plastic flashlights. Eveready also has a full-fledged machine design group at Chennai with capabilities of making special-purpose machines for both captive consumption and customer-specific requirements. The manufacturing units of Eveready are ISO 9000 and ISO 14000 certified. Eveready has a sophisticated R& D laboratory for design and testing of batteries. The laboratory is NABL accredited. The company also has its own flashlight design and development unit with the latest computer aided design facility. 2. 1. B. DISTRIBUTION: Eveready has a wide distribution network all over the country with 15 branches, 40 godowns and 4,000 distributors. Our products are available at grocery, general provision, music, electrical, hardware, stationery, gift /novelty stores, at the chemists’ shops and at photo studios and printing centres. So much so, that many of our products are even available at the paan and cigarette shops. According to AC Nielsen, Eveready batteries are available in 3. 3 million outlets out of a total universe of 7. 3 million FMCG outlets. The distribution structure extends coverage out to 5000-population villages. The company employs a strong sales force so that they can operate the extensive sales network successfully. As Eveready walks ahead in second century of existence, we have the following objectives – †¢ To consolidate our benchmark supplier position in all traditional outlets for batteries and flashlights. †¢ Employ a systematic and scientific approach towards increasing our reach and quality of reach. †¢ To leverage our sales & distribution competencies into identified newer channels †¢ To service the outlets with a diversified range of products. This includes batteries, flashlights, home lights, packet tea, mosquito repellents, CFLs and bulbs. To constantly explore new selling arrangements in identified markets to improve effectiveness of servicing. 2. 1. C. CORPORATE FACT SHEET: SBU's †¢ Batteries(including Rechargeable Batteries) †¢ Flashlights †¢ Packet Tea & Insect repellent †¢ Lighting Products †¢ New Products & Business Development †¢ Powercell Division Workforce: As on 31. 12. 08 (including Powercell) 2627 R&D facility Kolkat a, West Bengal Annual Sales: 92,530. 74 (Rs Lakhs) Manufacturing Locations and Sales offices: [pic] 2. 1. D. PRODUCTS: Eveready products are available under the mother brand name Eveready (batteries and lighting solutions) and also extended brand names like EVEREADY ULTIMA(Alkaline Batteries) ? EVEREADY RECHARGE(Rechargeable Batteries) ? EVEREADY JEEVAN-SATHI(Brass Torches) ? EVEREADY DigiLED(LED Flash Lights), ? EVEREADY CFL(Compact fluorescent lamps), ? EVEREADY POWERON (homecare products) and ? EVEREADY PREMIUM GOLD/JAGOO/TEZ (packaged tea) etc. Eveready offers a basket of FMCG products that find place in every household- Batteries: [pic] It is certainly not an overstatement that battery and Eveready have been synonymous with each other in India since time immemorial. After all, this is the only battery that has been with the people- in their good and bad times, in light as well as in darkness- through generations, for over a century. Eveready has diversified the portfolio to suit everyone’s needs. Eveready offers a wide range of batteries to fulfil the diverse portable energy requirements of progressive India. It has also come out with the Eveready blue batteries, which are long-lasting value-for-money solutions for your low-drain devices like TV/DVD remote controls, table/wall clocks and portable FM radio players. Zinc carbon batteries: Eveready is one of the world’s largest producers of zinc carbon batteries, selling more than 1 billion batteries every year. The Indian market for dry cell batteries is estimated at 2. 2 billion pieces by volume and rs. 14 billion by value, and Eveready is the undisputed market leader with more than half of the share of the market. The zinc carbon batteries are ideal for: flashlights, remote controls, toys, penlights, cameras, clocks, medical equipments, FM radios/MP4 players, etc. Alkaline Batteries: [pic]Eveready ultima alkaline battery is the ultimate energy solution to the power-hungry electronic gadgets of modern times. It is undoubtedly a new benchmark of quality & performance in the category of alkaline batteries. The promise of performance comes with an affordable price tag, making it truly an ultimate choice. Eveready ultima alkaline batteries are best suited for power-hungry new age gadgets like- digital cameras, remote-controlled toys, MP3 players, high-end portable audio-recording systems, etc. Rechargeable Batteries: [pic]There is a surfeit of power-hungry electronic gadgets in the market today. With every passing day, the list of such gadgets only gets longer. As an answer to the changing portable energy needs, Eveready has come up with Eveready recharge, world class range of rechargeable batteries. Since today’s high-tech devices demand more powerful batteries, Eveready rechargeable batteries are designed to deliver optimal performance. They are ready whenever you are. The higher end batteries come with an intelligent charger. The intelligent charger range includes chargers of various capacities. Lighting Solutions Eveready offers a wide variety of lighting solutions to suit the requirements of people in both urban and rural areas. Looking ahead, Eveready sees its business growing in the following fields: ? Mass consumption items like incandescent lamps, colour decoration lamps, etc. ? Energy saving alternatives, like T5 lamps, electronic ballasts, luminaries for fluorescent/compact fluorescent lamps with electronic controls. ? New-age technologies like LEDs & products around LEDs. Compact fluorescent lamps (CFL) In 2007, Eveready forayed into the lighting business with the launch of a range of compact fluorescent lamps (CFL). Halogen lamps: The lamps are so designed that they produce more light per units of energy, thus saving energy, and last longer. Halogen lamps are used in a variety of applications. Eveready has on offer halogen lamps that suit every possible requirement for outdoor lighting and video-shooting purposes. General lighting service /incandescent lamps (GLS): Eveready offers a vast range of incandescent bulbs in different sizes, voltages and colours. Alternate lighting solutions: [pic] [pic] Eveready digiLED lanterns- with its digiled technology, unlike a kerosene lamp or candle, the Eveready lantern gives bright, continuous and unflickering light from long lasting LEDs. All this at the same running cost per hour, as that of a kerosene lamp or candle. It illuminates a wide area and is ideal for activities like studying, cooking and other in-house work†¦ making it a true light for our home! Types of digiLED Lanterns: [pic] [pic] [pic] [pic] [pic] [pic] [pic] [pic] [pic] [pic] Packet tea: India wakes up with tea every morning. It is the drink that enlivens, energises and rejuvenates the mind and the body. It is the drink that binds people across cultures. This is why Eveready has lined up a wide range of tea blends to match the needs of a diverse tea-drinking nation and the different â€Å"tea cultures† that are an integral part of the country’s socio-cultural fabric. Eveready today has offerings- Eveready tez, Eveready premium gold, Eveready jaago and eveready classic. Brands which satisfy the diverse moods of the tea drinkers. FLASHLIGHTS: [pic] Eveready has been the pioneer in the field of portable lighting for many a decades. Eveready with a huge variety of products is the largest manufacturer and marketer of torches in south Asia. Well known for its quality, range, colour options and value for money models. Eveready caters to all the lighting needs of both- the urban and rural consumers. DigiLED Torches: Eveready recently introduced a whole new category of torches with digiLED technology. These torches use highly power efficient LEDs in place of the incandescent bulbs. The long life LEDs, the superior quality lens & the Eveready expertise put together give the consumers an excellent torch with a focused bright white beam of light. pic] [pic] The torches are available in a Variety of shapes & sizes, with a splash of bright vibrant colours. Mainly for its quality of power efficiency, as batteries lasts longer, these torches have become an instant hit with the value conscious consumers across India. UltraLED torches: [pic] Torches with powerful beams which reach amazing distances, stronger light with enhanc ed efficiency, coupled with superior advantages of the original digiLED torches. The range offers the user wide choice in shapes, sizes & new metallic colours. Brass torches: [pic] True to its name, the Jeevan Sathi brass torchlight has been a trustworthy, constant companion for the discerning Indians through generations. It is reliable, durable and repairable, making it a must-have evening companion especially in the villages. It is one of the most trusted brands in rural India across all product categories. Aluminium & plastic torches: [pic] Eveready has always gone for innovation to bring out new models which suit the diverse requirements of all its customers. These torches have strong durable bodies, slide switches for easy handling and come in a wide range of models and colours. Rechargeable torches: Eveready also provides rechargeable torches to its customers. These have an in-built battery and a plug, for easy recharge. These torches are true value-for-money and are targeted at the urban and semi-urban households. Models like Commander, HiLite, Mobile, RedFlash, Rangoli & CityLite†¦ are brands in their own capacity†¦ bought by thousands of people every month. CHAPTER 3 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY Methodology is a systematic way of solving a problem; it includes the research methods for solving a problem. Type of research: Descriptive & Empirical Research Data source: Primary and secondary data Data collection method: Interview and survey Data collection tools: Questionnaires and informal interview Sample Universe: Nadia district (Areas- kastodanga, maniktalapada, kalitala, nimtala, Simurali- narapatipada, shantipur, ranaghat, krishnanagar). Sample size: 250 Sample Design: The target population of the study consists of various respondents of various places (mostly done in rural areas and small town targeting low class group people and middle class). This is because to know that if price is the only factor of impact of china made torches. Sample size: After due consultation with the company, also keeping in mind the requirements of the company for the research, the sample size that was found to be appropriate for the study was 250(each place 25-35 respondents). Sampling Technique: Stratified sampling technique – a stratified sample is obtained by independently selecting a separate simple random sample from each population stratum. A population can be divided into different groups based on class, income. The survey was conducted by visiting different places(shops, market, respondent’s home, etc). Statistical tools:Simple percentage analysis and Ranking method is the main statistical tool used for study. 3. 1. SCOPE OF THE STUDY ? The result of this research would help the company to market their products. ? The result will help in improving sales. ? The study will help the company to make aware the consumers about the product. 3. 2. LIMITATIONS OF THE RESEARCH The following limitations can be pointed out from the research that I conducted in relation to the problems that were given to me by Eveready industries India ltd. Sample size was not sufficient to know the absolute figures. †¢ The research got confined to the Nadia district (towns and rural areas). 4. DATA ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION The respondents who were covered under this study can be categorized on the basis of certain important criteria like age, annual income (class), tendency towards white LED light and awareness about new Eveready LED torches in the market. Table-4. 1 Annual Income Level: |Annual Income Level |No. Of Respondent |Percentage | |Below 1 Lakh |134 |53. 6 | |1-3 Lakh |105 |42 | |Above 3 Lakh |11 |4. 4 | |Total |250 |100 | | | | | | | | | | | | |Eveready LED |31 |12. % | |Eveready incandescent modified |3 |1. 2% | |China made Torch |211 |84. 4% | |Others |5 |2% | [pic] Interpretation: Among the 250 respondents i. e. he consumers, it can be seen that the consumers of china made torches are the highest i. e. 84. 4%. Eveready LED torches have 12. 4% consumers. 1. 2% of respondents are there who have an attachment with Eveready and thinks there torch is best for them they have modified incandescent Eveready brass torch into white light (because consumers like white led light). 2% of the respondents are the users of other torches. Table: 4. 3 Eveready LED torch users – Distribution according to income: Below 1 Lakh |1-3 lakh |Above 3 lakh | |3 users |17 users |11 users | Interpretation: It can be inferred that among 31 consumers that use Eveready LED torch, there are 3 users fr om the low income group i. e. below 1 lakh. 17 customers are from 1-3 lakh group and 11 users are from above 3 lakh group. Table-4. 4 AWARENESS about Eveready LED Torches: |Awareness |No. Of Respondents |Percentage | |Yes |65 |26% | |No |185 |74% | |Total |250 |100 | [pic] Interpretation: Now coming to the point of awareness among the people about the Eveready’s new product i. . Eveready LED Torches, the response was very disappointing. Among 250 respondents only 65 people i. e. 26% are aware about Eveready LED flashlight. Table-4. 5 Consumers those are aware but do not like to have due to high price (not affordable): Out of 65 people who are aware, the people who would not like to purchase are 40. |1-3 lakhs |Below 5 lakhs | |35 people |5 people | Interpretation: It can be seen that out of 65 people who are aware, 35 people of low class would not like to purchase due to its high price, it is not affordable. CHAPTER 5 RESULTS: The findings that can be drawn from the survey- ? 100% positive answer regarding Eveready torches durability, reliability and longevity shows company’s high image. ? 100% consumers like the white LED light torches. ? It was found that most of the low class people are not able to purchase Eveready LED torches because they cannot afford due to its high price. As Eveready LED torches are new entrants in the market, most of the people are unaware about the Eveready LED torches. IMPACT OF CHINA MADE TORCHES ON EVEREADY LED FLASHLIGHTS: 1. Shifting of incandescent torches market to LED Torches market. ? Eveready incandescent bulb torches were used and appreciated by the consumers before China made rechargeable torches with LEDs instead of incandescent bulb came into the market. After china made torches e ntered the market, people liked the white light of LEDs and the low price. As, no Eveready LED torches were available that time (before 5-6 years), the customers/consumers were forced to purchase china made LED rechargeable torches. So, there was a shift towards LEDs torches (china made torches). 2. Shifting of normal torches i. e. torches without rechargeable factor, to rechargeable torches. ? China made torches came into the market with the facility of recharging the batteries at that time when Eveready have had no rechargeable torches. People /consumers thought it more economical than Eveready normal torches and tend towards it. NOTE: but it is not true, the fact is that the Eveready torches are more economical because the batteries that are used in it as a power source runs for 4 months in a single time). So, demand inclined towards rechargeable torches. 3. It’s been 2 years Eveready has launched LED flashlights/torches with high quality light. But there is a particular segment i. e. low class people have a tendency to buy china made torches due to its low price (although they were using Eveready incandescent torches before ). customer’s perception has changed . . Considering all the facts, the most important part that has been affected (impact of china made torches) is sales. Although Eveready is doing well but the market that has been captured by china made torches (mostly the low class people who purchase china made low price torches), Eveready is missing to target that part. NOTE: As there are many customers/consumers who are using Eveready LED torches (Eveready is meeting its sale targets) this shows that the impact of china made torches that has been on Eveready torches is diminishing. People are shifting from china made torches due to their lack in reliability, longevity, durability and many factors. They lack in adding value to the customers. CHAPTER 6 RECOMENDATIONS: ? Eveready is extensively using its marketing strategies to reach customers; advertisements are being done but while surveying, the segment of customers that are not aware of the product to reach them we have to make them aware through extensive advertising. There are hoardings placed in the market but they are only seen over the distributors or big retailers. There must be more hoardings, bill boards showcasing Eveready led torches. ? Eveready should launch a new led torch with low price particularly focusing the low class (low income group) people. Advertising should be focusing these people. ? Extensive advertising on radio. REFERENCES: ? WEBSITES: www. evereadyindustries. com www. wikipidea. org ? Business Research Methods – Donald R Cooper, Pamela Schindler

A Streetcar Named Desire – A Tragic Hero

There are nine types of heroes in this world, each of them with their own unique stories, plots, cliches etc. Among those is the classic tragic hero, one who is destined to fail no matter what. In a Streetcar Named Desire, the tragic hero is Blanche Dubois, an aging Southern Belle living in a state of perpetual panic about her fading beauty. In this essay it will be discussed what makes Blanche a tragic hero and how she compares to a typical tragic hero.A typical tragic hero is first and foremost, born of noble stature. This gives the hero something to fall from, so they can â€Å"fall from grace† (Avril Lavigne, Nobody's Home). Blanche Dubois born in Laurel, Mississippi, to a wealthy family. She is a former schoolteacher who had been evicted from Belle Reve (a family home) after being declared a woman of loose morals. This was because years earlier, Blanche's husband committed suicide after she expressed her distaste on his sexuality. She later had many affairs trying to numb her grief on the death of her husband.The second condition for a tragic hero is what is called Hamartia, a tragic flaw that causes the downfall of the hero. Blanche's tragic flaw is that she is dependant on men, so much so that she makes choices and does things that are morally questionable. She manipulates and lies to potential suitors to make herself seem more attractive and younger-which in her mind is the only way a man will love her. She does this with Harold â€Å"Mitch† Mitchell and it seems to be working until Mitch is informed of all the lies he's been fed, at which point Mitch breaks up with Blanche and leaves her vulnerable for Stanley to rape.The reversal of fortune, peripeteia, is when the fortunate hero is down on his luck. In Blanche's case, she loses Belle Reve, her husband is a homosexual and dead, she is evicted from her own town and is losing her beauty. She used to be a wealthy and beautiful Southern belle with a loving family and kind husband but her luc k changed directions and she lost everything she held dear.One of the most obvious conditions of a tragic hero is nemesis, the fate that  cannot be reversed. In other words, no matter what the hero tries or does their fate is sealed. Blanche's fate is inevitable, all people can do is watch as she falls deeper and deeper into her delusions and misconceptions of reality.In the end of the tragedy, the audience should be left feeling pity or fear after witnessing the downfall of the tragic hero, catharsis. This is because the punishment dealt to the hero is not wholly deserved, the punishment far exceeds the crime. Blanche was a sad and confused woman who was looking for comfort and someone to take care of her.She lied and manipulated people to try and get the happy life she wanted but that did not mean she deserved to be raped, abandoned by her own sister and publicly humiliated. Blanche herself said â€Å"It [deliberate cruelty] is the one unforgivable thing in my opinion and it is the one thing I have never, never been guilty of.† (Williams, Scene 10 Pg 126)Anagnoririsis is the recognition or discovery made by the tragic hero, the point in time when the hero realizes what went wrong and why. Most other tragedies like Hamlet and Mcbeth feature this but this does not happen to Blanche.In the end Blanche was sent to a mental institution, she never gained any knowledge of what truly happened and why. In this way, it could be said that Blanche is not your typical tragic hero because she does not meet this point but that is not a bad thing. Blanche is a unique tragic hero who will never know what went wrong as she has submerged herself in her own little world.A typical, yet unique, tragic hero, Blanche did her best to be happy, her only goal. Unfortunately for her, she did not go about the right way of doing it. The wrong people were angered and others tried to force Blanche to face reality.Blanche was unable to let go of the walls that protected her from th e harsh truth, and so she fell from grace. The final scene in which Blanche utters her most famous line â€Å"†¦I have always depended on the kindness of strangers.†, is the sad culmination of Blanche's vanity and total dependence on men for happiness.A typical tragic hero is first and foremost, born of noble stature. This gives the hero something to fall from, so they can â€Å"fall from grace† (Avril Lavigne, Nobody's Home). Blanche Dubois born in Laurel, Mississippi, to a wealthy family.She is a former schoolteacher who had been evicted from Belle Reve (a family home) after being declared a woman of loose morals. This was because years earlier, Blanche's husband committed suicide after she expressed her distaste on his sexuality. She later had many affairs trying to numb her grief on the death of her husband.The second condition for a tragic hero is what is called Hamartia, a tragic flaw that causes the downfall of the hero. Blanche's tragic flaw is that she is dependant on men, so much so that she makes choices and does things that are morally questionable.She manipulates and lies to potential suitors to make herself seem more attractive and younger-which in her mind is the only way a man will love her. She does this with Harold â€Å"Mitch† Mitchell and it seems to be working until Mitch is informed of all the lies he's been fed, at which point Mitch breaks up with Blanche and leaves her vulnerable for Stanley to rape.The reversal of fortune, peripeteia, is when the fortunate hero is down on his luck. In Blanche's case, she loses Belle Reve, her husband is a homosexual and dead, she is evicted from her own town and is losing her beauty. She used to be a wealthy and beautiful Southern belle with a loving family and kind husband but her luck changed directions and she lost everything she held dear.One of the most obvious conditions of a tragic hero is nemesis, the fate that cannot be reversed. In other words, no matter what the her o tries or does their fate is sealed. Blanche's fate is inevitable, all people can do is watch as she falls deeper and deeper into her delusions and misconceptions of reality.In the end of the tragedy, the audience should be left feeling pity or fear after witnessing the downfall of the tragic hero, catharsis. This is because the punishment dealt to the hero is not wholly deserved, the punishment far  exceeds the crime. Blanche was a sad and confused woman who was looking for comfort and someone to take care of her.She lied and manipulated people to try and get the happy life she wanted but that did not mean she deserved to be raped, abandoned by her own sister and publicly humiliated. Blanche herself said â€Å"It [deliberate cruelty] is the one unforgivable thing in my opinion and it is the one thing I have never, never been guilty of.† (Williams, Scene 10 Pg 126)Anagnorsis is the recognition or discovery made by the tragic hero, the point in time when the hero realizes w hat went wrong and why. Most other tragedies like Hamlet and Mcbeth feature this but this does not happen to Blanche.In the end Blanche was sent to a mental institution, she never gained any knowledge of what truly happened and why. In this way, it could be said that Blanche is not your typical tragic hero because she does not meet this point but that is not a bad thing. Blanche is a unique tragic hero who will never know what went wrong as she has submerged herself in her own little world.A typical, yet unique, tragic hero, Blanche did her best to be happy, her only goal. Unfortunately for her, she did not go about the right way of doing it. The wrong people were angered and others tried to force Blanche to face reality.Blanche was unable to let go of the walls that protected her from the harsh truth, and so she fell from grace. The final scene in which Blanche utters her most famous line â€Å"†¦I have always depended on the kindness of strangers.†, is the sad culminat ion of Blanche's vanity and total dependence on men for happiness.

Assisted Suicide Essay Example

Assisted Suicide Essay Example Assisted Suicide Essay Assisted Suicide Essay ASSISTED SUICIDE 1 Physician Assisted Suicide Maureen Dippel PHl-103 Karan Kart October 22, 2012 ASSISTED SUICIDE 2 THEISE My thesis is about Physician Assisted Suicide (PAS). I find this subject to be very important to me. There a lot of pros and cons on the subject Physician Assisted Suicide. INTRODUCTION Physician Assisted Suicide (PAS) is perhaps the most compelling and clinically relevant mental health issue in palliative care today. The desire for death, the consideration of suicide, the interest in PAS, and the relationship of these issues to depression and other psychosocial issues appear to be a paramount importance.(Breitbart, William, MD and Rosenfeld, Barry, D.,PHD) DEFINITIONS OF ASSISTED SUICIDE Suicide accomplished with the aid of another person, especially a physician. The deliberate hastening of death by a terminally ill patient with assistance from a doctor, family member, or another individual. Assisted suicide is helping a person to end his or her life by request to end suffering. Euthanasia, is a broad, generic term meaning help with a good death.(Humphry,Derek(2006) WHERE IS IT PERMITTED In the United States assisted suicide is currently legal in the states of Oregon, Washington and Montana. Assisted suicide is specifically prohibited in many of the states including Wisconsin. ASSISTED SUICIDE 3 In 2007, major legislative attempts to legalize assisted suicide were defeated in Hawaii, Vermont and California. Some of the other countries that permit assisted suicide are, The Netherlands, Canada, Switzerland, Belgium, Spain (The Prime Minister of Spain is calling for assisted suicide to be legalized), Australia, New Zealand, Columbia and Luxembourg. OTHER COUNTRIES What is happening to elderly persons in hospitals and nursing homes has alarmed public opinion in several countries. In hundreds of cases there have been clear indications that medical personnel acted to cause or at least hasten old peopleâ„ ¢s deaths. Some of the other countries that are doing it are Britain, Austria and the Netherlands. (Fenigsen, Richard, MD, PHD). The Swiss Supreme Court recently issued a decision stating that chronically depressed and mentally ill people have the right to assisted suicide. DEPRESSION It is well known that health care professions fail to recognize depression amount of the mentally ill. In 2007, none of the forty six Oregonians who died by lethal ingestion were evaluated by a psychiatrist or a psychologist. ETHICAL ASPECTS OF PAS By making PAS available, some people will be pressured into accepting assistance in dying by their families. Some people wish to die because they are suffering from clinical ASSISTED SUICIDE 4 depression. This is another argument in for or of strict control to confirm that a patient requesting aid in dying is of sound mind. SHOULD IT BE PERMITTED When it is an issue that concerns human life is an important one deserving our attention and opportunities where the different perspectives may be herd. The question of PAS made legal by the government is a question of a citizenâ„ ¢s freedom to control when that citizen would like to end his or her life. CONCLUSION In many states here in America there has been assisted suicide even though it is illegal. I feel that is not the answer. Today with all the technological advances that doctors and hospitals use can help to make someone commutable. Opponents argue that it violates the fundamental physician duty to protect human life. (Friend, M. L., Mn.Rn). I feel if God put you here he will take you when he is ready. I do know that some religions find it to be forbidden. I have really mixed emotions on this subject. Do we really have the right to help someone to end their life or do we let them suffer ASSISTED SUICIDE 5 REFERENCE: assistedsuicide.org/definitions Author: Derek Humphry wrtl.org/assistedsuicide hospicecare.com/Ethics/physician-assisted-suicide-htm Author: William Breibart, MD., and Barry D Rosenfeld, PHD Fordham University http://proquest.ashford.com Author: Mary Louanne Friend, MN,RN. Springer Publishing Company 2011 http://debatewise.org/debates

Bedrock Geology and Surface Processes in Wanapum Recreation Area Essay

Bedrock Geology and Surface Processes in Wanapum Recreation Area (Vantage, WA) - Essay Example From this paper it is clear that  the geologists determined the Frenchmans Spring member of Wanapum basalt formation, Columbia River basalt group from 17 sites through anomalous paleomagnetic in in my project area, which is Wanapum Recreation Area, located near Vantage, Washington. And also, there are have other member during the middle Miocene, such as Roza Member, Eckler Mountain Member. The Frenchmans Springs member is the most extensive member of the Wanapum basalt formation.  This study stresses that  the main stream is Sand Hollow-Columbia River in my project area. It is a straight channel of stream channel. The Columbia River is a perennial stream. It is a V-shaped and flows from north to south. And its drainage pattern is trellis. Its stream flows would increase on the winter, and would decrease on the summer. But the flows have changed relatively little for a several years. The primary aquifers of the CPRAS are the Columbia River basalt group (CRBG) and overlying basin -fill sediments. There is one aquifer is confined, which is fractured basalts, and unfeatured basalt made by overlying basin-fill sediments. The confining layer is unfeatured basalt. The aquifer is made by both fractured basalt and unfeatured basalt. According to the research, my project area is belonging to the Wanapum hydrogeologic unit, and it is composed mostly of basalt and interbed members of the Wanapum basalt, is in most of the north-central part of the project area.

Carbon-Fibre Composite Materials Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Carbon-Fibre Composite Materials - Coursework Example There are different types of automobile. A car is the most common type of automobile comprising largely in the usability in human population. Basically, the primary parts of a car includes: the exterior, lights, interior, chasis, brakes, suspension, and engine. Materials used for the various parts of a car needs to fulfill various criteria and comply with regulations and legislations that ensures the safety and environmental concerns of the machines. Traditionally, materials used for automobile parts production comprises of metallic materials, aluminum, steel, magnesium and other metallic alloys. However, with the rise of modern technology where various study discovered new researches, many of the metallic parts of car are now replaced with materials made up of composite materials (Ghassemieh). Composite materials such as carbon-fibre composites have been widely applied in automobile processing. Carbon fibres are those fiber materials derived from carbon. They are mixed and bound tog ether with other materials such as polymer resins processed under heat, pressure and vacuum to derive the special properties for the composites (Johnson, T. n.d). They are considered as new breed for high strength materials. It contains about 90% carbon fiber which is very durable and strong. They are very suitable when used in applications requiring stiffness, strength, lesser weight and superior fatigue characteristics (Hegde, et al. 2004). Carbon Fiber composite polymers or CFRP are devised in automobile manufacturing as they are lightweight.

Business Ethics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words - 2

Business Ethics - Essay Example Other research on lobbying behaviour and the effect of a proposed financial accounting standard on pro forma net income provides mixed results. For example, Watts and Zimmerman (1978) report that economic self-interests motivate a large firm to lobby for an accounting standard that reduces pro forma net income. Yet, other studies (Martens and Stevens, 1993; Dechow et al., 1996) find no relationship between lobbying behaviour and the effect of the proposed standard on net income. The present study extends prior research by examining whether economic self-interests affect corporate lobbying on disclosure, especially on Prior to the 1993 Exposure Draft (ED) on FAS 123, Accounting for Stock-Based Compensation, corporations provided relatively little information on the value of stock-based compensation (SBC) held by top management. Essentially, corporations reported the SBC for only the top five executives and only in annual proxy statements as required by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The ED proposed recognizing for the first time in annual reports the amount of SBC for all employees. Comment letters to the FASB on FAS 123 almost exclusively opposed recognition of SBC. However, as Walker and Robinson (1993) note, a careful analysis of the substance of comment letters (i.e., analysis beyond simply counting ‘yes/no’ votes on recognition) can provide additional insights into the politics of the standard-setting process. The current analysis of the comment letters reveals that managers supported varying venues and formats of disclosure. Thus, the varying responses to the FASB on the ED for FAS 123 provide a unique opportunity to examine whether economic self-interest motivates lobbying on venues and formats of disclosure of information (Breton Wall Street Journal, 5 November 1993). The results of this study indicate that differences in corporate lobbying positions on disclosure are related to the value of corporate SBC. In

Junior Seminar class Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Junior Seminar class - Essay Example l Wild Animals made up 58.3% of the animals featured, Real Domesticated Animals made up of 8.3% of the animals featured, Fantasy Wild Animals made up of the animals featured, and Fantasy Domesticated Animals made up 25.0% of the animals featured. The magazine was made up of 62 pages which means that there was an animal featured for every 5 magazine pages. It is also interesting to note that except for the bird, no other animal was featured twice in the magazine. Other animals featured include the Marine Iguana, Wild Tortoise, Ocelot, Crab, Sea Lion, Elephant, Shark, Monkey, Crocodile, Water Buffalo, and the Horse. Given the nature of the statistics taken from these data, it can be inferred that the publication places a focus on nature and its elements because of the high rate of animals featured in it. The society may also be expected to be a nature loving one because of the emphasis placed on exotic creatures. It may also be noted that a great degree of importance is placed on the animals because of the advertisements and articles made that feature

Performance Appraisal System

Performance Appraisal System Procedural justice and Interactional justice: Assessing employees perception of fairness of performance appraisal; an empirical study of a small manufacturing company. ABSTRACT This research identifies procedural justice and interactional justice influences on perceived fairness of performance appraisal at a small private manufacturing company located in Newcastle, UK. Distributive justice refers to the perceived fairness of procedures used to determine the appraisal ratings. Interactional justice refers to the perceived fairness of the raters interpersonal treatment of the ratee during the appraisal process. A qualitative and quantitative case study method was used to obtain an understanding of employee perceptions of the fairness of their performance appraisal. Data from both interviews with nine employees was collected along with questionnaires completed by these participants. Two hypotheses were developed. Both hypotheses were supported by research data. 1.1 Aim of the researcher The researcher will assess the relationship between perceived fairness of justice among employees of the performance appraisal system. The aim of this research is to prove through this study that level of employees satisfaction with the appraisal system is influenced by the employees perceived fairness of procedural and interactional justice of the performance appraisal session. 1.2 Introduction Performance appraisal is a process designed to evaluate, manage and ultimately improve employee performance. It should allow the employer and employee to openly discuss the expectations of the organisation and the achievements of the employee. That is, the primary emphasis is on future development of the employee within the objectives of the organisation. There is no universally accepted model of performance appraisal. However, more often than not this process is designed around the following elements: setting performance goals and objectives; measurement of performance against those goals and objectives; feedback of results; amendments to goals and objectives. Performance appraisal systems can provide organisations with valuable information to assist in the developments of organisational strategies and planning. The information gained from this process can assist: in identifying and developing future management potential; in increasing performance and overall productivity; it works towards identifying strengths and managing weaknesses; in providing clarity to employees about an organisations expectations regarding performance levels; in providing an opportunity to audit and evaluate current human resources and identify areas for future development. Managers may conduct appraisals primarily to affect employee input through the feedback process, or justify some sort of human resource action (termination, transfer, promotion etc). Jawroski and Kohli (1991) identify other benefits that can be obtained from performance appraisals. Among these benefits are increase in role clarity, performance, and job satisfaction. Given the positive returns obtained from performance appraisals, one could reasonably expect that organisations would devote considerable resource to the appraisal process. Correspondingly, it may be anticipated that managers try to make certain that the dimensions of the appraisal process are known, understood, and supported by the participants. Theres probably no management process that has been the subject of more research than the performance appraisal. At the best managed companies, the performance appraisal is no joke it is a serious business that powers the success of the organization. (Montague, 2007) It has been suggested that to enhance satisfaction, managers should consider expanding the evaluation criteria to include those criteria which are important to the employee, perhaps creating a participatory performance appraisal system. (Thomas and Bertz 1994) In fact, employee input into the process has been described as having an impact on the perceived fairness of the evaluation (Latham at el. 1993). It has been stated that the opinions of employees, as they pertain to the appraisal system, may be greater determinant of the systems effectiveness than the validity or reliability of the system itself (Wanguri 1995). As stated by Thomas and Bretz (1994) without a sense of ownership, both managers and employees may view the process with fear and loathing. Thus, they contend that a major concern in the evaluation process is an acceptance of the system by those employees being evaluated. To this end, if employees believe they are evaluated based upon inappropriate criteria, it would fol low that their commitment to and satisfaction with the organisation supporting this particular evaluation system would be correspondingly reduced. Academic background 2.1 The social context of performance appraisal Levy Williams (2002) argue that identifying, measuring, and defining the organizational context in which appraisal takes place is integral to truly understanding and developing effective performance appraisals. Further, it is believed that this has been the framework driving the performance appraisal research since about the 1990 and into the beginning of the 21st century. Whether it is discussed as the social-psychological process of performance appraisal (Murphy Cleveland, 1991), the social context of performance appraisal (Ferris, Judge, Rowland, Fitzgibbons, 1994) the social milieu of performance appraisal (Ilgen at al. 1993), performance appraisal from the organisational side (Levy Steelman, 1997) the games that rates and rates play (Kozlowski, Chao Morrison, 1998), or the dues process approach to performance appraisal (Folger, Konovsky Cropanzao, 1998) it is argued along with other scholars that performance appraisal takes place in a social contact and the context plays a major role in the effectiveness of the appraisal process and how participants react to the process (Farr Levy, 2004). It has been suggested elsewhere that research over the last 10 years has moved noticeable away from a limited psychometric scope and toward an emphasis on variables that compose the social context (Fletcher, 2001). Distal factors Levy Williams (2002) definition of distal variables is generally consistent with Murphy and Cleveland (1995). Specifically, distal variables are broadly construed as contextual factors that affect many human resource systems, including performance appraisal. In other words, distal variables are not necessarily related to performance appraisal, but they may have unique effects on the performance appraisal process that are useful to understand and consider. Distal factors include but are not limited to organisational climate and culture, organisational goals, human resource strategies, external factors, technological advances, and workforce composition. Levy Williams (2002) believe these factors have an effect on rater and rate behaviour, although not directly. For instance, an organisation that espouses a continuous learning culture may structure and implement a very different type of performance appraisal system than an organisation without such a culture. A review of the performance appraisal literature over the last 7-10 years reveals little systematic empirical work on the distal variables other than some studies on culture, climate and technology issues (see, e.g. Hebert Vorauer, 2003). While this is at some levels disappointing, it is rather understandable. First, there is little theory specific to performance appraisal to methodically guide this level of research. Second, the breadth of the constructs Levy Williams (2002) construe as distal make it difficult to measure and implement within the research setting. Third, given the distal nature of these factors, their direct effects on performance appraisal behaviour may be small. Perhaps closer examination of the relationships between distal and proximal relationships would prove more fruitful. Even with the difficulties regarding this type of research, however, it is believed it will be important to continue examining these factors to fully understand the social context in which performance appraisal operates. (Levy Williams, 2002) Process proximal variables The next two section of the paper will underscore those proximal variables (both process and structural) receiving attention in the recent appraisal literature. Some researchers chose to categorize the proximal variables as either process (i.e. having a direct impact on how the appraisal process is conducted including things such as accountability or supervisor subordinate relationships), or structural (i.e. dealing with the configuration or makeup of the appraisal itself and including areas such as appraisal dimensions or frequency of appraisal). Rater issue Rater affect is one of the most studied rater variables. Although the literature has not been consistent regarding a formal definition of affect in performance appraisal (Lefkowitz, 2000), a good general definition linked to most of this research involves liking or positive regard for ones subordinate. The Affect Infusion Model (Forgas Georges, 2001) suggests that affective states impact on judgements and behaviours and, in particular, affect or mood plays a large role when tasks require a degree of constructive processing. For instance, in performance appraisal, raters in good moods tend to recall more positive information from memory and appraise performance positively. Consistent with the Affect Infusion Model, a few recent studies have examined the role of mood or affect in performance appraisal. Lefkowitz (2000) reported that affective regard is related frequently to higher appraisal ratings, less inclination to punish subordinates, better supervisor subordinate relationships, greater halo effect, and less accuracy. A couple of recent studies have looked at the role of similarity in personality and similarity in affects levels between raters and rates, finding similarity is related to appraisal ratings. Antonioni and Park (2001) found that affect was more strongly related to rating leniency in upward and peer ratings than it was in traditional top-down ratings and the this effect was stronger when raters had observational time with their subordinates. They concluded from this that raters pay so much attention to their positive regard for subordinates that increased observations result in noticing more specific behaviours that fit their affect-driven schema. It was also found that although affect is positively related to appraisal ratings; it is more strongly related to more subjective trait-like ratings, then to ostensibly more objective task-based ratings. Further, keeping performance diaries tended to increase the strength of that relationship between affect and performance ratings leading the authors to conclude that perhaps affect follows from subordinate performance level rather than the other way around. A second broad area related to raters that has received considerable research attention has to do with the motivation of the raters. Traditionally, research seemed to assume that raters were motivated to rate accurately. More recently, however, researchers have begun to question whether all or even most raters are truly motivated to rate accurately. One line of research related to raters motivation has focused on the role of individual differences and rating purpose on rating leniency. Most practitioners report overwhelming leniency on the part of their raters and this rating elevation has been found in empirical papers as well as surveys of organisations (Murphy Cleveland, 1995). The role of attributions in the performance appraisal process has also attracted some recent research attention. In some of these studies investigators have examined how the attributions that raters make for ratees behaviours affect their motivation to rate or their actual rating. For instance, using a traditional social psychological framework, researchers found that whether individuals opted for consoling, reprimanding, transferring, demoting, or firing a hypothetical employee depended in large part on the extent to which rater believed that the exhibited behaviour was due to ability or effort. It was found that both liking and attributions mediated relationships between reputation and reward decisions. More specifically, raters consider ratees behaviour and their reputations when drawing attributional inferences and deciding on appropriate rewards. The implications of this line of research are clear: attributional processing is an important element of the rating process and these attributions, in part, determine raters reactions and ratings. (Murphy Cleveland, 1995) A second line of research related to rater motivation has to do with rater accountability, which is the perceived potential to be evaluated by someone and being held responsible for ones decisions or behaviours (Frink Ferris, 1998) With respect to performance appraisal, accountability is typically thought of as the extent to which a rater is held answerable to someone else for his or her ratings of another employee. They concluded that accountability can result in distortions of performance ratings. It is demonstrated that raters told that ratees had been rated too low in the past responded by inflating ratings while others told that they would have to defend their ratings in writing provided more accurate ratings. In a follow up to this study it was hypothesized that the accountability pressure on raters to justify ratings may operate through an increased motivation to better prepare themselves for their rating task. This was manifested in raters paying more attention to performanc e and recording better performance-related notes. A related study looking at accountability forces in performance appraisal found that raters inflated ratings when they were motivated to avoid a negative confrontation with poor performers, but did not adjust ratings downward when good performers rated themselves unfavourably (Levy Williams 1998). Ratee issues A second major of focus of performance appraisal research consist of research centred on the performance appraisal ratee. Two areas were covered, in particular, the links between performance ratings and rewards; those elements of the performance appraisal process which increases ratees motivation such as participation. Related article argues the while pay is an important motivator along with recognition, work enjoyment , and self-motivation, very few organisations actually link the performance appraisal system to pay or compensation in a clear, tangible way (Mani, 2002). Both traditional academic research (Roberts Reed, 1996) and more practitioner-focused research (Shah Murphy, 1995) have identified the significance of participation in the appraisal process as an antecedent of ratees work motivation. It suggests that participation is simply essential to any fair and ethical appraisal system. It was identified that participation and perception of fairness as integral to employees pe rceptions of job satisfaction and organisational commitment. Roberts Reed (1996) take somewhat similar track in proposing that participation, goals, and feedback impact on appraisal acceptance which affects appraisal satisfaction and finally employee motivation and productivity. Performance appraisals are no longer just about accuracy, but are about much more including development, ownership, input, perceptions of being valued, and being a part of an organisational team. Focus on reactions to the appraisal process Cardy and Dobbins (1994) arguing that perhaps the best criterion to use in evaluating performance appraisal systems was the reactions of ratees. The claim was that even the most-psychometrically-sound appraisal system would be ineffective if ratees (and raters) did not see it as fair, useful, valid, accurate, etc. Good psychometrics cannot make up for negative perceptions on the part of those involved in the system. Folger et al. (1992) define three elements that must be present to achieve higher perceptions of fairness: adequate notice, fair hearing, and judgement based on evidence. Although they identified specific interventions that should be implemented to increase due process, they cautioned that â€Å"due process mechanisms must be implemented in terms of guiding principles (i.e. designed with process goals in mind) rather than in a legalistic, mechanical, rote fashion. In general studies have found that both ratees and raters respond more favourably to fair performance appraisal systems (e.g. less emotional exhaustion, more acceptances of the feedback, more favourable reactions toward the supervisor, more favourable reactions toward the organisation, and more satisfaction with the appraisal system and the job on the part of both rater and rate) (Taylor et al. 1995, 1998). Trust issue Researchers have posited that trust is the key element in managing the supervisor employee relationship. According to Mayer and Davis (1999) trust is made up of three components: ability, benevolence, and integrity. In other words, if an employee believes a supervisor has the skills to properly appraise, has the interests of the employee at the heart, and believes the supervisor upholds standards and values, the employee is likely to trust that supervisor. Interest in understanding the processes related to trust are the result of research that support both direct and indirect effects of trust on important organisational and individual outcomes. For instance it is supported by research the relationship between trust and outcomes such as employee attitudes, cooperation, communication, and organizational citizenship behaviours. As with appraisal perceptions and reactions it is also believed that trust issues can limit the effectiveness of performance appraisal. If ratees have low level s of trust for their supervisor, they may be less satisfied with the appraisal and may not as readily accept feedback from the source. More to come 2.2 Behaviourally Anchored Rating Scales (BARS) performance appraisal Behaviourally Anchored Rating Scales (BARS) are a relatively new approach to performance evaluation. They are in effect a combination of the graphic rating scales and the critical incident method. An actual description of important job behaviour is developed and â€Å"anchored† alongside the scale. The evaluator is then asked to select the description of behaviour which best matches actual employee behaviour for the rating period. In a controlled field study, Silverman and Wexley (1984) used BARS to test the effect of rate participation on the appraisal process. BARS were developed for each of the following job classifications: clerical, non-clerical staff, technical and professional, nursing, management/supervisory. Those employees who participated in creating, and were evaluated by, the behaviourally-based scales, had a more positive reaction to the entire performance appraisal process. Specifically, they felt that the performance appraisal interviews were more useful, that their supervisors were more supportive, and that the process produced more motivation to improve job performance. BARS address many of the problems often found in traditional evaluation approaches such as the halo effect, leniency, and the central tendency error. In addition, research suggests that many employees prefer this evaluation method (Rarick Baxter, 1986) BARS are however not a panacea for management and do possess both advantages and disadvantages. According to Rarick and Baxter (1986) advantages of BARS are: clearer standards both subordinate and superior have a clearer idea of what constitutes good job performance. Ambiguity concerning expectations is reduced; more accurate measurement because individuals involved with the particular job develop the BARS instrument they have a good understanding of the requirements for good performance; better performance feedback since the BARS is based on specific behaviour it provides a guideline for improving future work performance; better consistency BARS have been shown to be more consistent in terms of reliability than more traditional e valuation methods. In other words, when more than one supervisor rates the same employee, the results are more similar when BARS is the evaluation method. Behaviourally Anchored Rating Scales are, however, not without drawbacks. Disadvantages of BARS are: more costly more time and effort, and eventually more expense is involved in the construction and implementation of BARS; possible activity trap since BARS are more activity oriented, they may cause both supervisor and subordinate to become more concerned with activity performance rather than accomplishing actual results; not exhaustive behaviour scale even if the rator posses lengthy listing of behaviour examples he/she may not be able to match the observed behaviour with the stipulated anchor. As Rarick and Baxter (1986) note Behaviourally Anchored Rating Scales have the potential to increase both the accuracy of employee appraisal and ultimately the effectiveness of the organization. BARS are equally useful as a judgemental instrument and as an employee developmental device. They are designed to make performance appraisal more accurate by minimising ambiguity and focusing on specific behaviour. BARS move employee performance appraisal away from the subjective opinions of the evaluator and closer towards on objective measure of true performance. 2.3 Limitations in performance appraisal The advantages and disadvantages of using performance assessment in making employment decisions are well documented (e.g. Murphy Cleveland, 1995). The limitations of performance assessment, such as inflated ratings, lack of consistency, and the politics of assessment (Tziner, Latham, Price Haccoun, 1996), often lead to their abandonment. Managers responsible for delivering performance reviews who are uncomfortable with the performance rating system may give uniformly high ratings that do not discriminate between rates. Poor ratings detract from organisational uses and increase employee mistrust in the performance appraisal system (Tziner Murphy, 1999). Employees on the receiving end of the appraisal often express dissatisfaction with both the decisions made as a result of performance assessment and the process of performance assessment (Milliman, Nason, Zhu De Cieri, 2002), which may have longitudinal effects on overall job satisfaction (Blau, 1999) and commitment (Cawley, Keepin g Levy, 1998). The extensive research on performance appraisal (Arvey Murphy, 1998: Fletcher, 2001: Fletcher Perry, 2001, Murphy Cleveland 1995) has not addressed the fundamental problems of the performance appraisal process the performance appraisal is influenced by a variety of relevant, non-performance factors such as cultural context (Latham Mann, 2006), that it does not provide either valid performance data or useful feedback to individuals (Fletcher, 2001) , or that performance appraisal instruments often measure the â€Å"wrong things† (Latham Mann, 2006). Murphy and Cleveland (1995) state that â€Å"a system that did nothing more than allow the making of correct promotion decisions would be a good system, even if the indices used to measure performance were inaccurate or measure the wrong set of constructs.† No assessment system, however, would meet with success if it did not have the support of those it assessed. In developing a new performance appraisal system it is important to use past research on performance appraisals that identified a number of factors that lead to greater acceptance of appraisals by employees. Firstly, legally sound performance appraisals should be objective and based on a job analysis, they should also be based on behaviours that relate to specific functions that are controllable by the rate, and the results of the appraisal should be communicated to the employee (Malos, 1998). Secondly, the appraisals must be perceived as fair. Procedural fairness is improved when employees participate in all aspects of the process, when there is consistency in all processes, when the assessments are free of supervisor bias, and when there is a formal channel for the employees to challenge or rebut their evaluations (Gilliland Langdon, 1998). In addition to perceptions of fairness, participation by employees in the appraisal process is related to motivation to improve job performance, satisfaction with the appraisal process, increased organisational commitment and the utility or value that the employees place on that appraisal (Cawley et al. 1998). 2.4 Blended approach Competencies To overcome the problem of job-specific performance dimensions, the performance assessment system was based on behaviourally defined core competencies (Dubois 1993; Klein 1996). The core competencies had been previously identified through an extensive process as being common to all positions; these competencies were to become the basis for training new recruits and for the continuous development of existing members (Himelfarb, 1996). Fletcher Perry (2001) stated the â€Å"the elements constituting what we normally think of as performance appraisal will increasingly be properly integrated into the human resources policies of the organisation using the same competency framework for all HR processes, linking individual objectives with team and business unit objectives framing the input of appraisal to promotion assessment in an appropriate manner, and so on† making it â€Å"more effective mechanism and less of annual ritual that appears to exist in a vacuum.† Along the s ame lines, Smither (1998) went on to note that the same competency model should guide â€Å"numerous human resource initiatives†. The competency development process used for this study followed the suggestions of Fletcher Perry (2001) and Smither (1998) and included a review of functional job analysis data for general police constables that covered a majority of the different job positions. In this sense, the competencies were blended by incorporating the values and specific attributes (Schippmann et al., 2000). A blended approach is one that couples and organisations strategy in the derivation of the broad competencies with the methodological rigor of task analysis. As Lievens, Sanchez, and De Corte (2004) note, blended approach is likely to improve the accuracy and quality of inferences made from the resulting competency model because a blended approach capitalizes on the strength of each method. Strategy is used as a frame of reference to guide subject matter experts to identify those worker attributes or competencies that are aligned with the organisations strategy and the to use the task statements to pro vide more concrete referents for the associated job behaviours (Lievens et al., 2004) 2.5 Justice of fairness The study of justice of fairness has been a topic of philosophical interest that extends back at least as far as Plato and Socrates (Ryan, 1993). In research in the organizational sciences, justice is considered to be socially constructed. That is, an act is defined as just if most individuals perceive it to be on the basis of empirical research (Cropanzao Greenberg 1997). Each approach propose a different way of conceptualizing justice, from the provision of process control (Thibaut Walker, 1975) to a focus on consistency control (Leventhal et al. 1980) and an examination of interpersonal treatment (Bies Moag, 1986). Performance appraisal systems are among the most important human resource systems in organizations insofar as the yield decisions integral to various human resource actions and outcomes (Murphy and Cleveland 1995). Reactions to appraisal and the appraisal process are believed to significantly influence the effectiveness and the overall viability of appraisal systems (Bernardin and Beatty 1984; Cardy and Dobbins 1994; Carroll and Schneier 1982, Lewer 1994), For instance. Murphy and Cleveland (1995:314) contended that â€Å"reaction criteria are almost always relevant and an unfavourable reaction may doom the most carefully constructed appraisal system†. Perceptions of fairness are important to all human resource processes, e.g., selection, performance appraisal, and compensation, and particularly so, to the performance appraisal process. Indeed, a decade ago, Cardy and Dobbins (1994:54) asserted that â€Å"with dissatisfaction and feelings of unfairness in process and inequity in evaluations, any appraisal system will be doomed to failure.† Other researchers have also acknowledged the importance of fairness to the success or failure of appraisal system (Taylor et al. 1995). 2.6 Procedural justice Procedural justice refers to the perceived fairness of the procedures used to determine appraisal outcomes (Greenberg 1986a), independent of favourability or fairness of the performance rating or its administrative consequences (Skarlicki, Ellard and Kelln 1998). Folger et. al (1992) have developed a procedural justice model for performance appraisal, rooted in the due process of law, and possessing three basic factors: adequate notice, a fair hearing and judgment based on evidence. Adequate notice involves giving employees knowledge of appraisal system and how it affects them well ahead of any formal appraisal. More specifically, it entails developing performance standards and objectives before the appraisal period commences. These standards and objectives must be well documented, clearly explained, fully understood and preferable set by mutual agreement, with employees only held accountable for standards and objectives properly communicated to them. Adequate notice also involves hi gh appraisal frequency and giving employees constant feedback on timely basis throughout the performance evaluation period, so that employees can rectify any performance deficiencies before the appraisal is conducted (Folger et al. 1992). Studies show that adequate notice is important to employee perceptions of procedural fairness. Williams and Levys (2000) study of 128 employees from three US banks revealed that system knowledge significantly predicts appraisal satisfaction and procedural fairness, controlling for the much smaller effect on organizational level. The second factor that affects employee perceptions of procedural fairness is a fair hearing. A fair hearing means several things in a performance appraisal context. These include: an opportunity to influence the evaluation decision through evidence and argument, access to the evaluation decision, and an opportunity to challenge the evaluation decision (Folger et al. 1992). Fundamentally, a fair hearing entails two-way comm unication, with employee input or voice in all aspects of the appraisal decision-making process. Several researchers have consistently found the ‘voice effects procedural justice in a variety of work contexts (Greenberg, 1986; Korsgaard and Robertson, 1995). In a study of 128 food service employees and their 23 supervisor at a large, US university, Dulebohn and Ferris (1991) found that the informal voice provided by influence tactics affected employee perceptions of fairness in the appraisal process. Two types of influence tactics were differentiated: the first on the supervisor and the second on the job. Influence of the supervisor focused on, for example, efforts at ingratiation. Influence on the job focused on, for example, manipulating performance data. Uses of supervisor-focused, influence tactics were positively associated with employees perceptions of procedural justice, but uses of job-focused influence tactics were negatively associated. The authors argue that this negative association may result from reverse causation: perception of unjust appraisal procedures ma y encourage employees to adopt job-focused influence tactics. The third procedural justice factor is the judgment based on evidence. This means convincing employees that ratings do accurately reflect per