Liberty today Essay Example for Free

Liberty today Essay The common notion of liberty today has been linked to the connotation of being free – freedom from dictators telling what the people should do and should not do, freedom from responsibilities, and alleviation of any restrictions we are suffering before. Liberty has always been related to the mitigation of certain laws and restrictions that bind us to do things that we desire. This is exists either as punishment or as a responsibility. Some perceptions of liberty are those which enable us to do something, or give us access to certain things that we were not able to access before. This is a manifestation of how varied people’s views of liberty are, wherein this also created a delineation of liberty, as either positive, or the â€Å"freedom to † and negative liberty which is about being â€Å"free from†¦Ã¢â‚¬  This various meanings arise depending on the situation or timeline one lives in. Therefore, the meaning of liberty has been twisted and redefined over the course of history, making it a term directly associated with freedom. Liberty for some is a description of oneness, of a singular thing or object, wherein there exists one state of being. It is an interpersonal, social idea wherein it arose from the people’s need to communicate. Liberty means being treated as a fellow person by another man, not just his servant or worker. This acknowledgement means that the person is being treated as an equal, not as anyone higher or lower that you are. Liberty doesn’t mean you are moving away from a certain group, but looking closely, liberty is a feature of connection, not of isolation or exclusion. Liberty doesn’t entail isolating oneself from the others, but rather being able to connect with various people, like socializing and promoting interpersonal relationships from various people. So whether you isolate yourself, you are depriving yourself your liberty. Liberty has solicited a lot of different meanings, and there is no proof on which meaning is true or not. There are no clear definitions that tell what liberty means, and that it doesn’t necessarily imply that liberty means being free from people, from the laws they set which binds us, or whatever the consequences our actions bring on other people. The certain instance when liberty becomes meaningful is when we are free with people, wherein we are able to do anything that we desire freely. But doing this still has a limitation. Our freedom stops when we are overlapping or stepping on some other’s freedom. That is the time when liberty makes sense, when we know our limitations, when we know that a certain level of exercising our freedom would intervene somebody else liberty, not unless our actions could re-enforce other people’s liberty. But the sad reality of liberty is that it only exists on people of the same footing, between equal human beings. In the case of inequality, it introduces a hierarchal position, thus putting a man above another man, thus implying superiority over the other. Inequality leads to slavery and other forms of undermining other people. That is why liberty only exists or is exercised freely in a society of equals. Before, back when people are engaged in slave trade, the notion of liberty was being able to alleviate yourself from the bounds of your master, since you are a servant, you are expected to serve him. Since slavery at that time were literally robbing other ethnic societies of their people (eg. Slave trade in Africa,) they are being transported to other parts of the world, primarily in the western side, the Europeans. They are alienated from their own homes, forced to work in the lands of the white people, and their notion of liberty was going back to the lives they ones had, back in their homeland, where they lived freely, away from the bonds that these white people have imposed on them. Liberty at that time was an aspiration for the slaves, for slavery was the great oppressing force at that time. After slavery came the wars. People from other nations were moving to conquer other lands, extending their influence, showing the world the power they possess. After colonizing, their colonies were subjected to foreign rule, laws wherein they are not accustomed to, and these are being imposed to them strictly, whether they like it or not. At this point of time, Liberty is more of about freedom from the influence of other ideologies or customaries. When people are imposing something, like a certain rule or law to other people, it is a manifestation of their subjugation, thus trampling down the Liberty that exists for the people in the country that they have conquered. Liberty has been the cause of wars, of uprisings from these colonies, in order to fight for what they believe is right. Another instance was in the times of civil war, when people desired liberty from the harsh rules or unpleasant dispositions of their current leader. This causes people to form groups or factions and do undesirable things. These uprisings are said to be fighting for liberty, which in this case was being autonomous from the grasps of a cruel leader. Looking closely, the aspect of liberty in these situations was of a larger scale as compared to that of slavery. Slavery’s focus was alleviating your personal situation as a slave, or the liberty from the bonds of a master and slave. While these wars and uprisings is liberty on a larger scale on a national level wherein you wish to liberate the whole country or region itself from the bonds it has on the parent or colonizing country, wherein you demand for a better quality of life, no that of which you have now. In our present situation, we are also experiencing a certain liberty. Liberty now is expressed as freedom – freedom to do whatever you want, depending on your rights as a human being, provided that you don’t step on the rights of other people. Liberty now has different forms, depending on the person addressing it. It could include the way you dress, the way you speak, how you look, your choice of religion, and so much more. It is a clear manifestation that what was being fought for before was now achieved, yet liberty is still being used, but in a different context. Liberty now express freedom of the person, or even a institution, like for example, the journalists are free to write about topics which they deem essential for the people to hear or see, which is simply the freedom of the press. Liberty means exercising these things to the fullest, and not doing so means you are being treated unfairly. Prostitution as the Oldest Occupation The emergence of prostitution could be traced back in the 1800’s in the Victorian Era, at the time of strict morality and repulsion of anything that deviates from social norm. It generally elicited a negative impression from the people, condemning the act of using one’s body to earn a living. The people which are most affected by this negative outlook are the women involved in prostitution. They are looked down as man-sucking vampires, seducing them with their bodies in order to earn money (Ruggiero). But in reality, these women maybe the ones oppressed the ones who are victimized by the harsh conditions of the society especially in the Victorian Era. Their turn on prostitution may be the outcome of man’s desire to keep the women oppressed: a manifestation of women being marginalized and discriminated. Women before were considered to be inferior to men, usually seen as dependent on their male counterparts. Sex has been a way to satisfy these men, and that is one of the very few uses of women at that time. Thus, when there is a time of great need, the women would often resort to selling their bodies to the males who are very willing to pay for their services. This opens the opportunity for sex as an income-generating medium for these women. Economic poverty has been one of the main factors that drive a woman to prostitution. This happens when they were at the edge, burdened by the problem of making the ends meet. Poverty is evident in the society not only today but even in the classical times. People really have to work their bodies out in order to earn money so that they will have food on their plates. A person owning a piece of land and a small vegetable plot is lucky if he’ll be able to feed his family three meals a day. What about those who doesn’t own anything? How will they be able to support themselves if they don’t have a source of income to be able to buy the foods for their everyday life? Will they choose to live a life of a thief and be contended with taking away what they don’t own? But considering that their body could be used in order to earn money, would they still resort to a life of crime? These questions are the ones at play when we talk about justifying prostitution as a profession, a career where you earn a living. Morality and Prostitution There are two opposing ideas when it comes to the concept of morality. The first can be classified as the moralist perspective, when the society associates shame and disgust with this act. They consider the fundamental ideas of a society, wherein sex is should be between two persons that are married, and that it should elicit a feeling of love. Another point of view is the libertarian, wherein prostitution is not associated with morality. It is considered as a willing buyer-willing seller interaction, wherein there I something between two people, and they both consent to it. It is a crime without a victim, if ever the law criminalizes it. Obligations and Prostitution People have the obligation to guard the people’s safety and welfare. This means that they are concerned with the wellness of every member of the society that’s why they wouldn’t permit anything that could be negative be associated with the people and the society. They are held accountable for any of the acts that could be very detrimental to the society, and some would say that these factors include prostitution. That is why there are those who would rather suppress prostitution than permit it, even though there are other issues with the people, like poverty and illiteracy. The people’s obligation is to watch the safety and well being of the society that is why prostitution should be removed. But this takes into consideration the wellness of those who rely solely in prostitution in order to support their lives. If we take away or criminalize prostitution, what would just happen to those who are relying on what they earn in order to live, or even to support a large family. Consequences Prostitution entails a great deal of consequences, starting with the people who are involved with this concern and also their family. Prostitution delineates the person from others as something â€Å"dirty,† or sinful at that. Because of this, a person’s (especially women’s) way of life can be affected. The people may have a different outlook when they came to know you better, but that is not readily accepted by the society. Homosexuality The word homosexual is used to describe the sexual orientation of men and women who find their primary emotional and sexual fulfillment with people of the same sex (Davies Janosik, 1991). Homosexuality is only an aspect of personality, as is heterosexuality. According to Davies Janosik (1991), identifying people solely by their choice of sex partners tends to belittle them; it conveys the impression that homosexuals’ only interest is in sex. They added that other aspects of an individual’s personality tend to be ignored when sexual labels are applied, so such labels should be used carefully and with the understanding that the only basic difference between heterosexual and homosexual is in their preference of sexual partners. According to Davies Janosik (1991), â€Å"our culture’s negative attitude toward homosexuality has been strongly influenced by religious teachings that hold homosexuality to be sinful and by psychoanalytical theory, which has traditionally held that homosexuality is an emotional disorder caused by psychosexual development†. Most of the people have their own religions and because of this almost everyone views homosexuality as negative and is linked to committing a sin. As Davies Janosik quoted, â€Å"homosexuality can be attributed to an unresolved masochistic attachment to the pre-oedipal mother, a distant relationship with the father, a defense against castration anxiety, or immature ego. The Origins of Sexual Orientation Diversity According to Money et. al (2005), one of the prevailing questions raised regarding sexual orientation centers on its origin or cause; questions about the causes of sexual orientation are typically concerned with the origins of homosexuality and bisexuality. Because heterosexuality is considered normative and natural causes of heterosexuality are rarely considered. Much of the biomedical and psychological research on sexual orientation attempts to identify one or more causes of sexual orientation diversity. The driving question behind this research is, is sexual orientation inborn? Or is it learned or acquired from environmental influences? While a number of factors have been correlated with sexual orientation, including genetic factors, gender role behavior in childhood, and fraternal birth order, there is no single theory that can explain diversity in sexual orientation (qtd.in Money et. al, 2005). Reference: Ruggiero, Vincent. Thinking Critically About Ethical Issues. Sixth Edition ed. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill Humanities/Social Sciences/Languages, 2003. Blasius, M. Phelan, S. A. (1997). We are Everywhere: A Historical Sourcebook of Gay and Lesbian Politics. New York: Routledge. Davies, J. L. Janosik, E. H. (1991). Mental Health and Psychiatric Nursing: A Caring Approach. New York: Jones Bartlett Publishers. Glesne, D. N. (2005). Understanding Homosexuality: Perspective for the Living Church. New York: Kirk House Publishers. Koertge, N. (1981). The Nature and Causes of Homosexuality: A Philosophic and Scientific Inquiry. New York: Haworth Press. Money, L. A. , Knox, D. Schacht, C. (2005). Understanding Social Problems. New York: Thomson Wadsworth. Stewart, C. (2003). Gay and Lesbian Issues: A Reference Handbook. New York: ABC CLIO. Winer, J. A. (2006). The Annual of Psychoanalysis: Rethinking Psychoanalysis and Homosexuality V. 30. New York: Routledge. Brayton, Ed. Olson and the Meaning of Liberty. 2006. April 2008. http://positiveliberty. com/2006/07/olson-and-the-meaning-of-liberty. html. Derounian-Stodola, Kathryn Zabelle. Womens Indian Captivity Narratives. Penguin Group USA, 1998. Giollamoir, Oisin Mac. Liberty. 2005. April 2008. http://struggle. ws/wsm/ws/2005/85/liberty. html. Roberts, Dorothy. Race, Reproduction, and the Meaning of Liberty: Building a Social Justice Vision of Reproductive Freedom. 2001. April 2008. http://www. othmerinstitute. org/reports/report1. html.

Importance of Documentation Care in Nursing

Importance of Documentation Care in Nursing This scenario presents a number of problems to the staff nurse. In relation to the sphere of practice, as a D Grade Staff Nurse I have a senior nurse present on the ward, who will be in charge during the shift. This provides me with a source of support and experiential knowledge, and also someone with whom to liaise over any issues which arise. However, as a Registered Nurse I am responsible for my own practice, accountable for all aspects of nursing practice and therefore must act on everything pertaining to practice that should arise. In an ideal situation, the E Grade will act on any information or concerns I bring to her. If she does not, then it is my responsibility to act on these concerns myself. The NMC Code of Conduct (NMC, 2004) requires that all qualified nurses act in the best interests of their patients at all times. The NMC code of conduct also states that all nurses are accountable for their own practice, and must account for their own acts or omissions (NMC, 2004). The focus of this analysis of the scenario is on documentation and the nurse. The nursing literature suggests that the completion of nursing documentation has been one of the most important functions of nurses, even from the beginning of the profesion in the time in the time of Florence Nightingale (Cheevakasemsook et al, 2006). Documentation of nursing care is an important source of reference and communication between nurses and other health care providers (Martin et al, 1999). Documentation is a fundamental component of nursing activities such as assessment and care planning, according to the various models which have been designed for these functions (Nazarko, 2007). The importance of proper documentation may also be because it serves multiple and diverse purposes for nurses, for patients, and for the health profession, because current health-care systems require that documentation ensures continuity of care, furnishes legal evidence of the process of care and promotes and facilit ates the evaluation of the quality of patient care delivery (Cheevakasemsook et al, 2006). In this instance, following handover, the first source of information to be checked will be the nursing records and care plans of each patient, as part of an individualised approach to care. The nursing records for Mrs Smith, for example, should provide the medical history and social history which will allow me to provide holistic nursing care. However, one of the problems with nursing documentation, as found in some empirical nursing studies, is that the complexity of nursing documentation does not always allow it to serve its many functions (Cheevakasemsook et al, 2006). However, the medical record is a legal document that tells the story of the patient’s encounter with the nurse and other professional caregivers, and as such should provide a complete and accurate account of his condition and the care he received (Austin, 2006). Whatever the difficulties of the documentation processes concerned here, the documentation should have been complete and correct. Documentation issues here include the improper recording of the administration of intravenious antibiotics. Given the strong nature of this medication, their specific nature and mode of action which can be tailored to the individual disease following culture and sensitivity tests, and the need to ensure they are given at the correct intervals, particularly as some such drugs can become toxic in larger doses, the proper recording of their administration is a vital part of the administration process. Bjorvell et al (2003) in a study of 377 nurses in Sweden found that nurses believed documentation to be fundamental to nursing practice, in particular, in promoting and ensuring patient safety. Protocols for the administration of intravenous medications exist, which, if followed, should promote safety. For all medications that nurses give to patients, they must know indications, contraindications, dosage parameters and adverse reactions (Austin, 2006). Nurses must always ensure that the ordered medication is appropriate for the patient, and that the prescription is clear and legible (Austin, 2006). And once a nurse has administered a drug, they must monitor the patient for signs and symptoms of drug toxicity or other adverse reactions, and these monitoring activities must be fully documented, including any actions taken on notable findings and the patient’s response to these interventions (Austin, 2006). This creates a record which demonstrates that the nurse met the prescribed standards of patient care when administering medication (Austin, 2006). Two qualified staff should have checked the drug dosage, route and timing, and the prescription against the patient identfication band, and then recorded the adminstration of the antibiotics on the chart and in the patient records . Incomplete records in this instance could be suggestive of improper procedures in the adminstration of this medication, a serious issue which could lead to legal action and professional sanction, even dismissal and loss of registration (Austin, 2006). Similarly, the issue of the blood transfusion error should be highlighted, because again patient safety is the fundamental point of nursing care. If proper procedures had been followed, this error could not have occurred. Administration of blood and blood products is subject to strict surveillance, and each Trust will have clear guidelines and protocols which govern and support this kind of activity. Checks should have been carried out on collection of the blood – the documentation should have been checked against the blood bag – patient name, number, blood group and type. The blood form, with the number of the blood bag, should have been checked properly. This should have been carried out by two qualified staff. The same checks should have been carried out at the bedside, checked against the patient notes and his identification band. Had the documentation been checked in this way, by two qualified staff, the wrong rhesus factor blood could not have been administered. T his demonstrates how correct documentation supports safe nursing practice and facilitates patient safety as well as recording nursing actions. Not only should the mistake be rectified, the doctor in charge of the patient informed and sumoned to examine the patient, and ongoing observations be carried out to ascertain if there are any side effects from the administration of the blood, but all of this should be clearly documented. Further, it should also be documented how this mistake occurred, through an examination of the documentation pertaining to the error and the actions of those who administered the blood. All medically releveant facts realted toan incident should be recorded in the medical records, according to the Trust and ward policies and protocols (Austin, 2006). A critical incident reporting from should also be completed, according to Trust policy, in order to ensure that risk management are informed and actions can be taken to prevent such occurrences in the future. Thus, such a form should also be completed for the percieved drug error. The NMC code of conduct states that nurses should act to identify and mini mise risk to the patient or client (NMC, 2004), and this applies to the action taken in the current situation and the potential protection of all clients in the future, in the avoidance of future errors of a similar nature. Another error which relates to documentation is the issue of the patient who was discharged inappropriately. It is understandable that the relative should be distressed and should be dealt with sensitively and apologetically. Liaison with management, risk management and any hospital or Trust agencies which deal with patient complaints should commence immediately. The most important issue here is to address the error, and not to question whether or not the error took place. It obviously did, because the patient arrived home in that state, and the usual discharge protocols cannot have been adhered to. If they had been, the discharge documentation should have been complete, and would have been communicated with the receiving district nursing team. The nurse plays a unique and pivotal role in discharge planning, as a key member of a multidisciplinary team (Fielo, 1998) role. If, as Bull and Roberts (2001) suggest, a proper discharge occurs in stages, and can be characterised by involveme nt of all team members within interacting circles of communication, then this discharge error should not have taken place at all. Therefore, any work done to address this error must examine where communication processes failed, and the documentation here should provide the evidence of where this failure occurred. Communication is fundamental to discharge planning, both between nurse and patient and between professionals across the divide between hospital and community services (Fielo, 1998), and so the documentation here should have been both individualised and comprehensive, functioning both as a record and as a communication tool. Effective discharge planning is also a vital link for continuity of care (Bull and Roberts, 2001), and so the failure of this process will lead to negative impact for the patient and their carers. Similarly, patient and carer participation is important in discharge planning (McLeod, 2006; Bull and Roberts, 2001). Research by Cleary et al (2003) demonstrates that consumers want information on medication, treatment, awareness of their rights and opportunities to participate in decision making. The nurse engaging in discharge planning also needs to take into account the needs and capabilities of carers (Qualey, 1997). The failure of the discharge planning process in this case therefore has a number of complex effects and may be shown to have failed in a number of key areas. It is also imperative that nurses value the social aspects of patient care and that this is seen as an integral part of the discharge process (Atwal, 2001). There are some ways in which this could be improved, and a close examination of what went wrong might highlight ways in which this could be avoided in future cases. The discharge documentation may need to be adapted to better reflect the processes and knowledge involved (Reed, 2005). This might ameliorate relationships between the acute and community sectors (McKenna and Keeney, 2000), and may prevent these errors occurring in the future. It might also be necessary, from the evidence of the available documents relating to the case, and from the ward rota, to identify who failed to properly discharge the patient so they can be engaged in education and development activities to develop their competence in this area. The documentation used should have served to enhance the ability to deal with this difficult situation (Sollins, 2007) by providing the family with the answers to their questions about what went wrong. Cheevakasemsook et al, (2006) in their study found that complexities in nursing documentation include three aspects: disruption, incompleteness and inappropriate charting. Of these, this scenario shows occurrences of incomplete documentation, whereby the documentation related to discharge planning has not been completed. Related factors that influenced documentation comprised: limited nurses competence, motivation and confidence; ineffective nursing procedures; and inadequate nursing audit, supervision and staff development functions (Cheevakasemsook et al, 2006). These findings suggest that complexities in nursing documentation require extensive resolution and implicitly dictate strategies for nurse managers and nurses to take part in solving these complicated problems (Cheevakasemsook et al, 2006). These are learning points to take forward into future professional development and practice. However, the more immediate needs would be to address the problems associated with these fail ures. The nurse must act to redress the balance and to minimise, for example, the potential litigation which may arise from this unfortunuate situation. The family are likely to make a formal complaint, and, depending on how this has affected the discharged patient, may even take legal action for compensation. In this instance, the incomplete discharge documentation demonstrates that the required nursing care did not take place (as there is no evidence of it in the records). Therefore, legally, the nurse taking care of this patient will be liable for the errors that have occurred. There are other issues to be considered, taking the wider view, in perhaps understanding why such errors occurred and how they can be avoided in subsequent cases. Hyde et al (2005) highlight the limitations of the forms of documentation (and the forms of communciation which characterise that documentation) within nursing practice. They suggest that this nursing documentation depicts the domination of reductionist medical models, utilising scientific rationality in linguistic and communication forms, rather than reflecting the holistic nature of nursing practice (Hyde et al, 2005). Therefore the documentation may be at odds with the autonomy of the patient, bringing up issues of control and power, where the documentation may serve to exert and maintain the power of the nurse or the medical profession rather than support the wellbeing of the patient (Hyde et al, 2005). Professional autonomy on the part of nurses demands a degree of mature clinical and ethical judgement in emergent and complex situations, and it is the documentation, if correctly completed, which should also signpost this process of judgement and decision making. But if the documentation is difficult to complete, onerous or time consuming, it may be that it detracts from the quality of patient care and the easy recording of this, rather than supporting it. Documentation provides the legal protection nurses require in modern healthcare practice (Frank-Strombourg et al, 2001). Educating nurses about the principles of documentation and the importance of implementing risk-reduction practices may help guard against liability and ultimately improve patient care (Frank-Strombourg et al, 2001). Perhaps developing better charts and records, in liaison with all staff, might also ameliorate the situation. The literature demonstrates unequivocally that nurses are the professionals that patients have the most interactions with in the hospital environment (Williams, 1997). The work and competence of the nursing staff is therefore perhaps the most significant factor in determining quality of patient care (Williams, 1997), and so it is vital to ensure that nurses record their practice accurately so that their competence can be audited, and the effectiveness of their practice evaluated. If, as suggested, evidence-based practice is now at the heart of nursing care (DOH, 2001), then documentation will also allow the implementation of evidence based practice, through care protocols and pathways, and through auditing processes and reflective practice which reviews care against the available evidence. Martin et al (1999), in their research of nursing documentation activities, found that good nursing documentation supported the implementation of evidence-based practice. This takes us back to the quality of the documentation processes, and it may be that they are under development – towards evidence-based care pathways or the like, or this kind of thing may need implementing. Utilising alternative modes of documentation may also enhance practice and recording behaviours. Lee (2006) in a study of one computerised documentation system in practice, found that nurses generally viewed the content of the computerized nursing care planning system as a reference to aid memory, a learning tool for patient care, and a vehicle for applying judgement to modify care plan content. This suggests that such tools may do more than simply streamline nurses work (Lee, 2006). It may be that using a computerized care plan system can also enhance nurses’ knowledge, experience and judgement of descriptions of patient problems and care strategies (Lee, 2006). It is my opinion that it may also serve to minimise the kinds of errors that have occurred in the assignment scenario. The nature of the documentation (ie the content and structure) may therefore need to be changed. O’Connor et al (2007) show how new, streamlined nursing charts improved planning and evaluation of care and served promote patient involvement in the care and documentation processes. In reference to the discharge planning incident in particular, this might be an area to develop within the clinical area. One innovation which supports this is that described by the NHS (2007) in The Essence of Care, which was launched in February 2001, as providing a toolkit to help practitioners to implement a structured approach to sharing and comparing practice, through principles of clinical governance, enabling them to identify the best and to develop action plans to remedy poor practice. This would appear to be a key activity in the longer term to develop from the learning points contained within this problematic scenario. These kinds of benchmarks and guidelines can provide useful guidance, in association with other activities such as evidence-based care pathways and protocols, to develop more streamlined and effective practices. Another point of action is the need to carry out specific empirical research into this area. In a systematic review of research literature to test the hypothesis that care planning and record keeping in nursing practice has no measurable effect on patient outcomes, the authors were unable to identify any robust studies for review (Moloney and Maggs, 1999). This suggests that the potential effects of documentation failures cannot be fully evaluated, anticipated or described without future research. This also underlines the need to ensure the highest possible standards of care are both implemented and fully documented throughout every stage and componenet of nursing practice. This analysis shows that documentation serves a number of purposes within nursing practice. It records care, demonstrating and communicating what procedures were carried out, when, and why. It rationalises clinical decisions and evaluates clinical and nursing actions. It also allows the direction and planning of care. It provides legal proof that nurses have followed proper protocolsand procedures for the administration of medicines and blood products, for the implementation of medical and nursing orders, and in particular supports complex activities such as discharge planning. Lack of proper documentation can indicate that proper procedures were not carried out. Poor documentation can lead to confusion and to patient compromise, whereby a patient may not receive the medication required, or may erroneously receive an overdose. Similarly, the blood error could have had significant consequences, and should not have occurred, given the nature of the procedures involved, and the clear li nks between safety and existing documentation. These errors point to either a lack of competence in basic nursing procedures, or a lack of care on the part of the staff who made them. Documentation would also have supported the D grade nurse here when dealing with the problems. The discharge planning errors could have been dealt with more effectively if the documentation had been complete. This would be their primary source of information when dealing with a patient complaint and a complaint from a district nursing colleague. The expectation on all parts that such records will be complete and will answer the questions raised by all parties places the responsibility firmly on the nurse to ensure they properly fulfill this vital part of their role. Nurses can engage in proper documentation of the errors and incidents noted so that they are appropriately and comprehensively dealt with now that the errors have been identified, and so can meet all the professional requirements of their role within this siutation (NMC, 2004). And all staff can learn from these incidents, and be included in processes of research, improvement and development to implement better documentat ion and care practices in the future. References Atwal, A.. (2002) Nurses’ perceptions of discharge planning in acute health care: a case study in one British teaching hospital. Journal of Advanced Nursing 39 (5) 450-458. Austin, S. (2006) Ladies and Gentlemen of the Jury, I present: the nursing documentation. Nursing 2006 36 (1) 56-65. Bjorvell, C., Wredling, R. and Thorell-Ekstrand, I. (2003) Prerequisites and consequences of nursing documentation in patient records as perceived by a group of Registered Nurses. Journal of Clinical Nursing 12 (2) 206–214. Bull, M.J. and Roberts, J. (2001) Components of a proper hospital discharge for elders. Journal of Advanced Nursing. 35 (4) 571-581. Cheevakasemsook, A., Chapman, Y., Francis, K., Davies, C. (2006) The study of nursing documentation complexities. International Journal of Nursing Practice 12 (6) 366–374. Cleary, M., Horsfall, J. and Hunt, G.E. (2003) Consumer feedback on nursing care and discharge planning. Journal of Advanced Nursing 42 (3) 269-277. Department of Health (2001) ‘National Service Framework for Older People’, England: HMSO. Fielo, S. B. (1998) Discharge Planning for the Elderly: A Guide for Nurses. Nursing and Health Care Perspectives Volume 19(2) 94-95. Frank-Stromborg, M., Christensen, A.and Elmhurst, D. (2001) Nurse documentation: not done or worse, done the wrong wayPart I. Oncology Nurses Forum 28 (4) 697-702. Hyde, A., Treacy, M., Scott, P.A. et al (2005) Modes of rationality in nursing documentation: biology, biography and the voice of nursing. Nursing Inquiry 12 (2) 66–77. Ting-Ting Lee, T-T. (2006) Nurses perceptions of their documentation experiences in a computerized nursing care planning system. Journal of Clinical Nursing 15 (11) 1376–1382. Macleod, A. (2006) The nursing role in preventing delay in patient discharge. Nursing Standard. 21 (1) 43-48. Martin, A. Hinds, C. and Felix, M. (1999) Documentation practices of nurses in long-term care. Journal of Clinical Nursing 8 (4) 345–352. Moloney, R. and Maggs, C. (1999) A systematic review of the relationships between written manual nursing care planning, record keeping and patient outcomes. Journal of Advanced Nursing 30 (1), 51–57. Nazarko, L. (2007) Care planning and documentation. Nursing Residential Care. 9(7). 333-6. NHS (2007) Essence of Care Available from: http://www.tin.nhs.uk/local-networks/essence-of-care/background. Accessed 10-5-07. Nursing and Midwifery Council (2004) Code of Professional Conduct Available from www. nmc-uk.org. Accessed 30-4-07. OConnor, K., Earl, T. and Hancock, P. (2007) Introducing improved nursing documentation across a trust. Nursing Times. 103(6) 32-33. Qualey TL. (1997) Assessing the patients caregiver. Nursing Management. 28(6): 43-4. Reed, J. (2005) Using action research in nursing practice with older people: democratizing knowledge. Journal of Clinical Nursing14 594-600. Sollins, H. (2007) Handling difficult family situations: practical approaches. Geriatric Nursing. 28(2) 80-2. Williams, S.A. (1997) The relationship of patients’ perceptions of holistic nurse caring to satisfaction with nursing care. Journal of Nursing Care Quality 11 (5) 15-29.

International Business strategy for Arcelik Home Appliances

International Business strategy for Arcelik Home Appliances Arcelik Home Appliances is the leading manufacture of home appliances in Turkey with a market share of 50% in the domestic market as at 2003 (Chemawat, 2008). It supplies the market using two brands namely Arcelik and Beko. The company has adopted an international expansion strategy and has already been marketing its products to more than one hundred (100) countries mainly in Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Latin America, Asia, and North Africa (Chemawat, 2008). Arcelik was originally founded to produce metallic office furniture in 1955 but diversified into production of household appliances shortly after. It has been hailed as the first company to introduce appliances such as washing machines and refrigerators to the Turkish households. Arcelik would face further challenges when it became apparent that the Turkish government would be participating in the European Communitys tariff reduction which was meant to reduce to zero from 1992 to 1996 (Chemawat, 2008). The challenge would be competition from other manufactures from the European Community who would be able to sell their products at more competitive process in the domestic market. Arcelik overcame this challenge by investing heavily in research and development thereby substantially improving the quality of their products. The company is currently the leading holder of patents in the Turkish market. This strategy cemented its market leadership in the domestic market as consumers preferred to spend a little more to obtain goods whose durability could be assured. This preference was also enhanced by Turkeys fluctuating market where inflationary forces were highly unpredictable with the greater odds being to the consumers disadvantage. Arcelik would later grow to establish its market dominance in Turkey for decades but would later face challenges that would trigger its focus on international expansion to ensure its survival and growth. Arceliks motives for international expansion The focus on international expansion by Arcelik was triggered by the economic crisis that hit Turkey in 2001. This crisis had led to soaring levels of unemployment and a significant reduction of market demand by an estimated figure of 35% (Chemawat, 2008). This strategy mainly comprised increasing exports as well as engaging in international acquisitions. The economic crisis in Turkey must have proved to Arcelik the vulnerability of firms wholly dependent on domestic markets. Pressures from business cycles, inflation, interest rates, exchange rates and political forces are prevalent in domestic markets. On the other hand, international markets tend to be better insulated from such pressures since they will rarely apply across several countries. Economic crisis in one market would normally not be prevalent in the rest of the markets hence multinationals can ensure stability by marketing their products across many countries. Arcelik had to get a way to survive the economic crisis in 20 01 and as well ensure that future company performance was stabilized by reducing its level of vulnerability to domestic market fluctuations. Arcelik also sought to focus on international expansion in order to increase its level of production and increase its economies of scale (Chemawat, 2008). This means that with additional production, the cost of producing each unit product becomes significantly lower hence allowing a company to make higher margins per unit or allowing them to charge lower per unit without incurring any losses. Economies of scale allow a company to remain competitive in the ever-evolving economies. To ensure that the economies of scale do not end up in accumulation of dead stock, or in the escalation of warehousing and storage costs, Arcelik would need to look to markets that would be able to support its intention of increasing the economies of scale through a larger demand. The national demand within Turkey would not be able to absorb these additional products h ence the rationale behind Turkey looking to expand international trade. The level of demand for home appliances in Europe alone is about 25% of world demand (Chemawat, 2008). Arcelic sought to tap into this huge demand to support its competitiveness and the large levels of production occasioned by their strategy of maximizing on the economies of scale. International expansion can also be explored where a company seeks to lower its production costs by having a significant proportion of their production done from regions where the cost is lower than in the domestic market. One of the major factors of production that normally influence the decision of overseas production is labour. When considering labour, it is imperative that a company weighs between the benefits of the savings from paying the lower labour cost, the differences in the productivity of the workers between the higher wage and lower wage areas, and the transport and storage cost implications. It is also worth noting that in many cases, where the labour costs are low, other factors of production such as land would also be relatively lower. The labour cost in Western Europe is estimated to be five times that in Turkey. Labor cost in Turkey is three times that in Eastern Europe (Chemawat, 2008). In China, it is four times lower than in Turkey. Labor productivity also varies and must be taken into account. For instance, in China, labour productivity is just half of that in Turkey. Additional transportation costs are determined by both the distance between the production facilities and the legal environments of the countries through which the products must cross to get to its intended markets. Access to international markets is crucial to any organization that seeks to expand itself. Domestic markets will often in many cases be found insufficient to support the growth targets that the companies set for themselves. They are also in many cases unable to enable an organization to recoup the investments the y may make in research and development in time. The complexity and the level of innovations in the global market is advanced and often leads to production of new and better fulfilling products. This significantly reduces the product life cycles and the companies engaging in research and development need to gain assurance that their investments can be recouped before the products lose demand. This assurance can only be found by marketing extensively in the international markets where the demand is much larger and can ably support the level of sales needed. Arcelik was motivated to focus on international markets since it had opted to distinguish itself as a research and development specialist who focused on the production of quality and durable products. These features would mean that it would need to charge relatively higher prices for the products. On the other side, the products from other European countries were finding their way into Turkey due to the zero tariff arrangement with the European countries. The entry of other products in Turkey meant that Arcelik would either have to lower their prices in order to maintain its domestic share market, or expand its operations to European and other markets in order to maintain or increase its level of sales to clients that focus more on quality, suitability and durability of the products they purchase. Arceliks options for expansion In order to realize its goal of expansion into the international markets, Arcelik has adopted a number of options to help them realize this goal. The international market entry options adopted by Arcelik include use of exports, international acquisitions, use of private label contracting, and product diversification. Organic domestic growth and use of exports Arcelik ensured growth domestically by ensuring reliable accessibility to the market using exclusive distributors and agencies who also served as centres for offering after sales services. This exclusive network also served as an entry barrier for any new market operators. Exporting entails maintaining the companys operations in the home market and selling the products in overseas markets (Giroud, Sinkovics, and Yamin, 2011). It is hailed as the least costly mode of foreign market entry but at the same time the most vulnerable to various entry barriers as government regulations. The cost effectiveness of this entry method is enhanced by the fact that it requires no involvement with the foreign governments or the companies operating in the target market. It is often seen as the best mode of entry for an organization operating on a lower scale. With subsequent growth of exports, the company may open sales agencies in the foreign markets to be the link with the companys clients overseas. By 2003, Arcelik had grown to be the leading player in Estonia and Lithuania with a market share of 25% in these two markets. It also had a commanding presence in the rest of Eastern Europe. The presence of Arceliks sales agencies helped grow significantly in Western Euro pe with a markets share of 15% in the United Kingdom. Arcelik also conducted a successful export strategy gaining a 70% market share in Romania with its Beko brand. The net effect of these exporting strategies was a significant increase in Arcetiks production capacity from 440,000 to 750,000 in 2003 and 2004 respectively (Chemawat, 2008). International acquisitions This mode involves a company buying out another firm operating in the target market hence assuming full legal rights over it. This method is hailed as the best mode of expansion into other markets since it grants a company total control over the foreign subsidiary as well as full profits generated thereafter (Giroud, Sinkovics, and Yamin, 2011). The full control over the activities of a subsidiary is viewed as essential in ensuring they run in accordance with the philosophies of the parent company hence ensure the goals of the company are achieved as intended. The targets for acquisition would need to have the unquestionable ability to complement Arceliks growth strategies. Arcelik would also evaluate the foreign firms brands and take consideration on how these brands would help strengthen them as well as complement their capabilities. The target subsidiarys contribution to sustainable growth was also a key factor. Arceliks acquisitions in 2002 include Bloomberg, Electra, and Flavel and Leisure in Germany, Austria and the UK for the two latter brands (Chemawat, 2008). They also acquired Arctic in Romania. The acquisitions of brands in the target markets was likely informed by the fact that many consumers tend to prefer purchasing brands that they can identify with: the brands they consider national brands. These acquisitions tremendously increased the product range offered by Arcelik and lead to its significant growth within the European markets. Use of license contracting Licensing involves the company transferring certain rights to another firm to enable it manufacture products using its brand. In licensing, the consideration that the licensor gets is only the royalty or the license fee (Giroud, Sinkovics, and Yamin, 2011). It does not take part in profit sharing or any other marketing processes of the licensee. Licensing offers the advantage of enabling a firm to avoid government regulations and other restrictive policies such as tariffs and quotas. It also enables market penetration without involving extensive capital expenditures. However, this method is highly restrictive in the level of control the company can have over the activities of the licensee. There is also the risk of the licensee gaining the technical expertise and becoming a competitor in the production of close substitutes after the expiry of the mutual arrangement. Arceliks production in 2004 comprised 40% from various licensing arrangements (Chemawat, 2008). This complimentary effo rt helped ensure Arceliks brand presence in the Europeans markets. Diversification into other businesses within Turkey In order to enhance further growth in the domestic market, Arcelik sought to capitalize on its elaborate distribution network to provide consumers with additional products. By 2004, Arcelik was offered various types cellular phones and was already getting into arrangement with various Japanese firms to act as distributors of various electronic products. The diversification proved to be a great success and further cemented Arceliks leadership in the Turkish market. Additional Options for Expansion Arceliks ambitious goal of achieving revenues of three billion Euros in the next year may be difficult to realize unless additional methods were employed to ensure its continued growth in the international markets. Domestically, Arcelik could opt to but out local competitors in a bid to solidify its hold on the local market. This solidification would help reduce the downward pressure on its product prices by reducing the significance of competition locally. In addition, the additional channels of distribution gained through any such acquisition would act as an entry barrier to any foreign firms hence ensuring steady domestic growth. Internationally, Arcelik could embrace a number of methods to ensure its continued growth. These methods include engaging in Joint ventures, franchising and use of strategic alliances. Joint Ventures Joint ventures involve the formation of a partnership arrangement with a different company where the parent companies provide the resources to operate it, share responsibility on management, and share profits realized thereafter (Giroud, Sinkovics, and Yamin, 2011). This type of venture is especially popular where it comes to sharing the intelligence and technical knowhow required for research and development. With their determination to distinguish themselves as the masters of innovation and product development, this method can be used to ensure its rapid growth. Instead of engaging in competition with the already existing companies in the foreign market, Arcelik could identify a strategic partner who knows the market remarkably well. They could then research into the market needs in a bid to try and unveil any unsatisfied demands in the market. Having found the features lacking in the products found in the market, they could, through the joint venture develop new products that woul d suit this need and capture the unreached market. This method would be convenient to Arcelik since it would not involve many unnecessary government regulations that normally bar entry. In addition, such a venture, if well implemented would easily capture the market as it would be riding on the goodwill and distribution network of the strategic partner in the foreign market. Franchising Arcelik needs to consider franchising in order to minimize the risks involved with the licensing as it currently practices. Here, Arcelik would transfer some rights to the franchisee to produce the products under its brand but will reserve the right to provide some aspects of technical support (Giroud, Sinkovics, and Yamin, 2011). This way, Arcelik will be able to be abreast with the activities of the franchisee. In addition, in Franchising, the royalty is based on the amount of sales hence Arcelik will be able to generate higher revenues in the event the franchisor is able to realize significantly higher sales. Franchising is easy to start since the franchisor incurs minimal capital cost hence Arcelik can expand into more foreign markets with relative ease. Moreover, the franchisee assumes all the risks and foots for all costs of labour and facility establishment. The company will also be able to avoid any political risks associated with foreigners operating in national markets. Arc elik can therefore easily expand its scale of production without worrying about high capital expenditure hence edging closer to achieving the revenue targets Strategic alliances A strategic alliance differs from joint ventures in that it does not necessarily involve formation of a legal entity. Strategic alliances are formed to enable companies use each others distribution networks, technologies, production capacities, management experience and others (Giroud, Sinkovics, and Yamin, 2011). One very essential factor in ensuring product penetration in the market is the distribution network. This has been evident in the manner in which Arcelik has been able to capture the domestic market by using effective distribution networks in Turkey. Arcelik should also try to replicate this experience in the foreign markets. However, by virtue of the fact that its a foreign market, they may not have the resources to establish an effective distribution network in those markets. It would therefore be relatively more convenient to identify foreign companies with a distribution network that serves their target customers effectively, and then enter into a strategic alliance wit h them. This may be companies offering similar products or those making completely different products. When the products are easily available to the consumers, they more likely to buy these products and this would lead to an increase in the amount of sales realized by Arcelik. The strategic alliance could also involve sharing of certain technologies between the companies in question. Arcelik could choose to leave the production of a certain product components to a company with a comparative advantage in its production in exchange for providing a component which it can produce more efficiently. This exchange could lead to lowering the production cost which would be useful in helping the company become more price-competitive in the market. Conclusion Arceliks growth is mainly dependent on how the company can enter and prosper in the international markets. This is because it is already commanding the domestic market in Turkey and may have limited growth opportunities locally. Growth and diversification are often related as is evident from Arceliks company history. Arcelik has grown in the past by steadily improving on the product range that it offers to the market and this diversification should be continued to ensure continued growth.

Mary Shelleys Frankenstein :: Essays Papers

Mary Shelleys Frankenstein Unbelievably Mary Shelley wrote the novel Frankenstein at the age of eighteen. This great work captures the imaginations of its readers. Frankenstein remains one of the greatest examples of Gothic literature. Unlike other Gothic novels of the time, however, Frankenstein also includes elements of Romantic writing, and therefore cannot be classified as soley Gothic. Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley was an English novelist. The daughter of the British philosopher William Godwin and the British author and feminist Mary Wollstonecraft Godwin. Born in London in 1797, Mary was privately educated. She met the young poet Percy Bysshe Shelley in May 1814, and two months later she left England with him. When Shelley's first wife died in December 1816, he married Mary. Mary’s first and most important work, the novel Frankenstein, was begun on Lake Geneva in the summer of 1816 as her contribution to a ghost-story competition. A remarkable accomplishment for such a young writer, Frankenstein was a success. No other work by Mary Shelley achieved the popularity or excellence of this first work, although she wrote four other novels, books of travel sketches, and miscellaneous tales. In 1818 the Shelley’s left England for Italy, where they stayed until Shelley’s death. Only one of Mary’s and Percy’s children survived, Percy Florence, and in 1823 Mary returned to England with him and concentrated on his education and welfare. The image of Mary Shelley presented by the biographers suggests an intensely private, imaginatively exuberant, yet also emotionally withdrawn figure, whose political melancholy and strong religious faith are intriguingly at odds with the optimistic rationalism of her famous parents, and her poet husband’s atheistic radicalism. The story of Frankenstein begins in the polar ice of the Arctic Circle. The ship of an English explorer, Walton, is trapped in the ice and is unable to travel. During the day the men on board spotted a sledge, driven by a huge man and drawn by dogs followed by Victor Frankenstein, a man in very poor condition. Walton nursed him back to health as the stranger told Walton his story. Victor Frankenstein was born in Geneva and at an early age showed promise in the natural sciences. Victor was sent to a university when he grew older, and that’s where he stumbled on to the secret of creating life. With great brilliance Victor created an eight-foot monster and gave him life through electricity. Once Victor had realized what he had done he panicked and left the creature. When the creature wondered into the city everyone he met screamed and ran away. Finally the creature found a place to live in a

Act 3, Scene 1 of Julius Caesar :: essays research papers

Act 3, Scene 1 Rome. Before the Capitol; the Senate sitting above. [ previous scene ][ home page ][ next scene ] A crowd of people; among them ARTEMIDORUS and the Soothsayer. Flourish. Enter CAESAR, BRUTUS, CASSIUS, CASCA, DECIUS BRUTUS, METELLUS CIMBER, TREBONIUS, CINNA, ANTONY, LEPIDUS, POPILIUS, PUBLIUS, and others CAESAR [To the Soothsayer] The ides of March are come. Soothsayer Ay, Caesar; but not gone. ARTEMIDORUS Hail, Caesar! read this schedule. DECIUS BRUTUS Trebonius doth desire you to o'erread, At your best leisure, this his humble suit. ARTEMIDORUS O Caesar, read mine first; for mine's a suit That touches Caesar nearer: read it, great Caesar. CAESAR What touches us ourself shall be last served. ARTEMIDORUS Delay not, Caesar; read it instantly. CAESAR What, is the fellow mad? PUBLIUS Sirrah, give place. CASSIUS What, urge you your petitions in the street? Come to the Capitol. CAESAR goes up to the Senate-House, the rest following POPILIUS I wish your enterprise to-day may thrive. CASSIUS What enterprise, Popilius? POPILIUS Fare you well. Advances to CAESAR BRUTUS What said Popilius Lena? CASSIUS He wish'd to-day our enterprise might thrive. I fear our purpose is discovered. BRUTUS Look, how he makes to Caesar; mark him. CASSIUS Casca, be sudden, for we fear prevention. Brutus, what shall be done? If this be known, Cassius or Caesar never shall turn back, For I will slay myself. BRUTUS Cassius, be constant: Popilius Lena speaks not of our purposes; For, look, he smiles, and Caesar doth not change. CASSIUS Trebonius knows his time; for, look you, Brutus. He draws Mark Antony out of the way. Exeunt ANTONY and TREBONIUS DECIUS BRUTUS Where is Metellus Cimber? Let him go, And presently prefer his suit to Caesar. BRUTUS He is address'd: press near and second him. CINNA Casca, you are the first that rears your hand. CAESAR Are we all ready? What is now amiss That Caesar and his senate must redress? METELLUS CIMBER Most high, most mighty, and most puissant Caesar, Metellus Cimber throws before thy seat An humble heart,-- Kneeling CAESAR I must prevent thee, Cimber. These couchings and these lowly courtesies Might fire the blood of ordinary men, And turn pre-ordinance and first decree Into the law of children. Be not fond, To think that Caesar bears such rebel blood That will be thaw'd from the true quality With that which melteth fools; I mean, sweet words, Low-crooked court'sies and base spaniel-fawning. Thy brother by decree is banished: If thou dost bend and pray and fawn for him, I spurn thee like a cur out of my way. Know, Caesar doth not wrong, nor without cause Will he be satisfied. METELLUS CIMBER Is there no voice more worthy than my own To sound more sweetly in great Caesar's ear

Decision Making and Consumer Essay

What major psychological processes influence consumer responses to the marketing program? * How do consumers make purchasing decisions? * In what ways do consumers stray from a deliberate rational decision process? Contents Introduction4 What influences Consumer behavior? 5 Cultural factors5 Social factors6 Personal factors7 Key psychological processes9 Motivation9 Perception10 Learning11 Emotion12 Memory12 The buying decision process14 Behavioral decision theory & behavioral economics20 Introduction The aim of marketing is to meet and satisfy target customers’ need and want better than competitors. Marketers must have a thorough understanding of how consumers think, feel, and act and offer clear value to each and every target consumer. Successful marketing requires that companies fully connect with their customers. Adopting a holistic marketing orientation means understanding customers-gaining a 360-degree view of both their daily lives and the changes that occur during their lifetimes so the right products are always marketed to the right customers in the right way. So we are going to explore individual consumer buying dynamism. Model of Consumer beha-vior Model of Consumer beha-vior Fig 1. 1 Fig 1. 1 The starting point for understanding consumer behavior is the stimulus-response model shown in figure 1. 1. Marketing and environmental stimuli enter the consumer’s consciousness, and a set of psychological processes combine with certain consumer characteristics to result in decision processes and purchase decisions. The marketer’s task is to understand what happens in the consumer’s consciousness between the arrival of the outside marketing stimuli and the ultimate purchase decisions. What influences Consumer behavior? Consumer behavior is the study of how individuals, groups and organizations select, buy, use and dispose of goods, services, idea or experiences to satisfy their needs and wants. A Consumer’s buying behavior is influenced by cultural, social, and personal factors. Cultural factors Culture is the fundamental determinant of a person’s wants ;amp; behavior. Each culture consists of smaller subcultures that provide more specific identification and socialization for their members. Subcultures include nationalities, religions, racial groups and geographic regions. Virtually all human societies exhibit social stratification, most often in the form of social classes, relatively homogeneous and enduring divisions in a society, hierarchically ordered and with members who share similar values, interest and behavior. Social Classes Upper uppers Upper uppers Lower uppers Lower uppers Upper middles Upper middles Middle Middle Working Working Upper lowers Upper lowers Lower lowers Lower lowers Social factors Such as Reference groups, Family and Social roles and statuses affect our buying behavior. Reference groups A person’s references groups are all the groups that have a direct or indirect influence on their behavior * Membership groups * Primary groups * Secondary groups * Aspirational groups * Dissociative groups Groups having a direct influence are called membership groups, some of these are Primary groups with whom the person interacts continuously and informally such as family, friends, neighbors and coworkers. People also belong to Secondary groups such as religious, professional and trade-union, which tend to be more formal and require less continuous interaction. People re also influenced by groups to which they don’t belong. Aspirational groups are those a person hops to join; Dissociative groups are those values or behavior an individual rejects. Marketers must determine how to reach and influence the group’s opinion leaders opinion leaders are often highly confident, socially active. Family There are two families in the buyer’s life: * Family of orienta tion consists of parents and siblings * Family of procreation the person’s spouse and children Rules and status Role consists of the activities a person is expected, each role in turn connotes a status Personal factors Personal characteristic that influence a buyer’s decision include * Age and stage Our taste of food, clothes and recreation is related to our age. Marketers should consider critical life events or transitions like marriage. * Occupation and Economic Circumstances Marketers try to identify the Occupational groups that have above-average interest in their product and services and even tailor product for certain Occupational groups. Both product and brand choices are affected by economic circumstance: 1. Spendable income (level, stability and time pattern) 2. Savings and assets (percentage that is liquid) 3. Debts 4. Borrowing power 5. Attitudes toward spending and saving * Personality and self-concept Personality set of distinguishing human psychological traits that lead to relatively consistent and enduring response to environmental stimuli (buying behavior). Like self-confidence, dominance, autonomy, deference, sociability, defensiveness and adaptability. Brand personality is a specific mix of human traits that we can attribute to a particular brand. 1. Sincerity 2. Excitement 3. Competence 4. Sophistication 5. Ruggedness * Life style and values Life style is a person’s pattern of living in the world as expressed in activities, interests and opinions. The ‘’ whole person ‘’ interacting with his/her environment. Life styles are shaped partly by whether consumers are money constrained (lower-cost product) or time constrained (multi-tasking). Consumer decisions are also influenced by core value the belief systems that underlie attitudes and behavior. Core values go much deeper than attitudes and behavior, people’s choices and desires over the long term. Key psychological processes Four key psychological process: Motivation, Perception, Learning, and Memory Motivation We all have many needs at any given time. Needs are: 1. Biogenic arise from physiological states of tension such as hunger. 2. Psychogenic arise from psychological states of tension such as the need of recognition. Three of the best-known theories of human motivation: Sigmund Freud, Abraham Maslow, and Frederick Herzberg. * Freud’s Theory Behavior is guided by subconscious motivations * Maslow’s Theory Behavior is driven by lowest, unmet need Fig 2. 1 Fig 2. 1 Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs * Herzberg’s Theory Behavior is guided by motivating and hygiene factors. It has two implications: 1. Sellers should do their best to avoid dissatisfiers. 2. The seller should identify the major satisfiers or motivators of purchase in the market and then supply them. Perception Perception is the process by which we select, organize and interpret information inputs to create a meaningful picture of the world. Perceptions are more important than reality because perceptions affect consumer’s actual behavior. People emerge with different perceptions of the same object because of three perceptual processes: * Selective attention Selective attention means that marketers must work hard to attract consumer’s notice * People are more likely to notice stimuli that relate to a current need * People are more likely to notice stimuli they anticipate * People are more likely to notice stimuli whose deviations are large in relationship to the normal size of the stimuli * Selective distortion Is the tendency to interpret information in a way that fits our preconceptions. Selective distortion can work to the advantages of marketers with strong brands when consumers distort neutral or ambiguous brand information to make it more positive. Selective retention We are likely to remember good points about a product we like and forget good points about competing products. It explains why marketers need to use repetition. * Subliminal perception Learning ((When we act we learn)) Learning induces changes in our behavior arising from experience. Learning theorists believe learning is produced through the interplay of drive s, stimuli, cues, responses ;amp; reinforcement. Drive is a strong internal stimulus impelling action. Cues are minor stimuli that determine when, where ;amp; how a person response. Discrimination means we have learned to recognize differences in sets of similar stimuli ;amp; can adjust our responses accordingly. Learning theory teaches marketers that they can build demand for a product by associating it with strong drives, using motivating cues ;amp; providing positive reinforcement. Hedonic bias occurs when people have a general tendency to attribute success to themselves ;amp; failure to external causes. Emotion Consumer response is not all cognitive ;amp; rational; much maybe emotional ;amp; invoke different kinds of feelings. A brand or product may make a consumer feel proud, excited, or confident. An ad may create feeling of amusement, disgust, or wonder. Memory * Short term memory (STM) a temporary ;amp; limited repository of information. * Long term memory (LTM) a more permanent, essentially unlimited repository. All the information ;amp; experiences we encounter as we go through life can end up in our long-term memory. Associative network memory model views LTM as a set of nodes ;amp; links. Nodes are stored information connected by links that vary in strength. A spreading process from node to node determine how much we retrieve ;amp; what information we can actually recall in any given situation. In this model, we can think of consumer brand knowledge as a node in memory with a variety of linked associations. The strength of these associations will be important determinant of the info we can recall about the brand. Brand association consist of all brand-related thoughts , feelings , perceptions , images, experiences , beliefs , attitudes ;amp; so on that become linked to the brand node. State farm mental map State farm mental map Fig 2. 2 Fig 2. 2 Memory process Memory is a very constructive process, because we don’t remember info ;amp; events completely ;amp; accurately. Memory encoding describes how ;amp; where info gets in the memory. The strength of the resulting association depends on how much we process the info at encoding ;amp; in what way. Memory retrieval is the way information gets out of memory. 1. The presence of other product info in memory can produce interference effects ;amp; cause us to either overlook or confuse new data. 2. The time between exposure to info ;amp; encoding has been shown generally to produce only gradual decay. 3. Info may be available in memory but not be accessible for recall without the proper retrieval cues or reminders. The buying decision process The five stage model of buying process: 1. Problem recognition 2. Information search 3. Evaluation of alternatives 4. Purchase decision 5. Post purchase behavior 1. Problem recognition The buying process starts when the buyer recognizes a problem or need triggered by internal or external stimuli. Marketers need to identify the circumstances that trigger a particular need by gathering information from a number of consumers. 2. Information search Information sources * Personal: family, friends†¦etc. * Commercial: ads, web sites †¦etc. * Public: mass media †¦. etc. Experiential: handling, examining†¦etc. Search dynamic by gathering information, the consumer learns about competing brands ;amp; their features. Successive Sets in Decision Making: 3. Evaluation of alternatives * Some basic concepts will help us understand consumer evaluation process: First, the consumer is trying to satisfy a need. Second, the consumer is looking for a certain benefits from the product solution. Third, the consumer sees each product as a bundle of attributes with varying abilities to deliver the benefits. Belief is a descriptive thought that a person holds about something. Attitudes a person’s enduring favorable or unfavorable evaluations, emotional feelings, ;amp; action tendencies toward some object or ideas. Attitudes put us into a frame of mind: liking or disliking an object, moving toward or away from it. Expectancy-value model The consumer arrives at attitudes toward various brands through an attribute evaluation procedure, developing a set of beliefs about where each brand stands on each attribute. The expectancy-value model of attitude formation posits that consumers evaluate products ;amp; services by combining their brand beliefs according to importance. . Purchase decision In executing a purchase intention the consumer may make up to 5 sub decisions: Brand, Dealer, Quantity, Timing, and payment method. It is a Step between Alternative Evaluation and Purchase. Non-Compensatory Models of Choice: Conjunctive heuristic: the consumer set a min acceptable cutoff level for each attribute ;amp; chooses the first alternative that meets the min standard for all attribute. Lexicographic heuristic: the consumer chooses the best brand on the basis of its perceived most important attribute. Elimination-by-aspects heuristic: the consumer compare brands on an attribute selected probabistically ;amp; eliminates brands that don’t meet min acceptable cutoffs. Intervening factors Steps purchase intention between and Purchas: Steps between Alternative Evaluation and Purchase Steps between Alternative Evaluation and Purchase Fig 3. 1 Fig 3. 1 Attitudes of others Depends on 2 things: 1. The intensity of the other person’s negative attitude toward our preferred alternative. 2. Our motivation to comply with the other person’s wishes. Unanticipated situational factors may erupt to change the purchase intention (Perceived Risk): 1. Functional risk: the product doesn’t perform to expectations. 2. Physical risk: the product poses a threat to physical well-being or health of the user or others 3. Financial risk: the product isn’t worth the price paid. 4. Social risk: the product results in embarrassment in front of others. 5. Psychological risk: the product affects the mental well-being of the other user. 6. Time risk: the failure of the product results in an opportunity cost of finding another satisfactory product. 5. Post purchase behavior Marketer must monitor post purchase satisfaction, actions, uses ;amp; disposal. Post purchase satisfaction Satisfaction is a function of closeness between expectations ;amp; the product’s perceived performance. If performance falls of expectations the consumer is disappointed; if it meets expectations the consumer is satisfied; if it exceeds expectations, the consumer is delighted. Post purchase actions Satisfied consumer is more likely to purchase the product again ;amp; will also tend to say good things about the brand to others. Dissatisfied consumer may abandon or return the product. Private actions include deciding to stop buying the product (exit option) or warning friends (voice option). Post purchase uses ;amp; disposal Marketers should also monitor how buyers use ;amp; dispose of the product. Fig 3. 2 Fig 3. 2 How buyers use ;amp; dispose of the product How buyers use ;amp; dispose of the product Moderating effects on consumer decision making The manner or path by which a consumer moves through the decision-making stages depends on several factors including the level of involvement ;amp; extent of variety seeking. * Low-Involvement Decision Making Petty ;amp; cacippo’s elaboration an influential model of attitude formation ;amp; change, describe how consumers make evaluation in both low ;amp; high involvement circumstances. Central route in which attitude or change stimulates much thought ;amp; is based on consumer’s diligent, rational consideration of the most important product information. Peripheral route in which attitude formation or change provokes much less thought ;amp; results from the consumer’s association of a brand with either positive or negative peripheral cues. Marketers use 4 techniques to try to covert low involvement product into one of higher involvement: 1. They can link the product to an engaging issue. 2. They can link the product to a personal situation. 3. They might design advertising to trigger strong emotions related to personal values. 4. They might add an important feature. * Variety-seeking buying behavior Here consumers often do a lot of brand switching. Brand switching occurs for the sake of variety rather than dissatisfaction. The market leader will try to encourage habitual buying behavior by dominating the self-space with a variety of related but different product versions, avoiding out-of-stock conditions, & sponsoring frequent reminder advertising. Behavioral decision theory & behavioral economics Behavioral decision theory (BDT) has identified many situations in which consumers make seemingly irrational choices. 1. Decision heuristics. 2. Framing. 3. Mental accounting. * Decision heuristics 1. Availability heuristic consumers base their predictions on the quickness & ease with which a particular example of an outcomes comes to mind. 2. Representative heuristic consumers base their predictions on how representative or similar the outcomes are to other examples.

Mortal Law Verses Divine Law Essay

Laws were just as important to ancient societies as they are today, keeping an essential balance between interacting individuals. Without them, members of a society would be able to treat their fellow citizens in any way they wished, even if for purely personal gain. Some of these laws were made by the leader or leaders of the society. These were accepted as being for the common good. Other laws were developed within the society, things deemed â€Å"socially acceptable.† Examples from today might be chewing with your mouth closed and dressing formally for a church service. There were also laws that were set by religious beliefs or moral codes and were highly respected. Breaking these laws would mean doing something like stealing, killing, or cheating. As cultures evolved, and beliefs changed, written, social, and ethical laws often conflicted with each other and created conflicts in society, as described by the play Antigone by Sophocles. In this play, there is a clear conflic t between the written law made by the king, and the higher law, dictated by the religious beliefs of the time. When Creon, the king of Thebes, decrees that the body of Polyneices should be left unburied, he believes he is doing the right thing. He sees this law as good for the people because they will see him as a good, strong king who will not tolerate traitorous behavior from anyone, including his own nephew. When the body is discovered to have been covered with dust, the first person that Creon looks to for taking the blame is the unfortunate sentry who brings Creon the news. Creon tells the sentry that if he does not bring him the person who disobeyed his law that he is going to † string you up alive, and there will be certain ways to make you discover your employer before you die† ( p. 314). The king is assuming that there is an entire group of men conspiring to defy his law and they bribed the sentry to cover the body out of spite. The king obviously feels that the law was completely justified and that his people felt the same way. He feels that only men out to do great wrong would oppose it. The king is also using the poor sentry as a scapegoat so that he will feel, and have his people feel, that justice has been done, even if the criminal is not found. When the guilty party is found to be merely a young girl who loves her brother and wanted his spirit appeased, the king is outraged because she blatantly states that his laws are incompatible with the laws of the gods. She also refuses to feign innocence. Fully confessing her actions indicates that she feels no guilt or remorse about what she has done. Creon interprets Antigone’s attitude to mean she is equivalently traitorous to her brother and that she should share his fate. Ismene, her sister, was also guilty of breaking a written law because she knew that Antigone was going to commit her crime yet did not tell anyone. This means she broke a much lesser law than her sister, but she is innocent of the crime involving burying her brother. Creon, however, feels that she is just as much a traitor as her insolent sister. Antigone is also guilty of breaking a social law of her time. It was expected that people respect the king’s laws without question. She told him to his face his law was corrupt. This socially unacceptable behavior is later repeated by Creon’s son, Haimon, and the blind prophet, Teiresias. Haimon tries to be discrete with his criticism and uses logic to attempt to convince his father that what he is doing is wrong. Despite Haimon’s efforts to evade his father’s bad temper, a fight breaks out and Creon stubbornly insists that his law is not only justified, but the only conceivable course of action for any respectable king. Surely if Creon would not listen to emotional or logical arguments he would listen to the prophetic argument provided by the infamous Teiresias. He has much less to worry about when it comes to the unspoken laws of society since he is not a conventional member of society. When he approaches the king, Teiresias is very clear in his opinion of the situation. This causes Creon to lose his temper again and he accuses Teiresias of taking bribes, just as he accuses both the sentry and Haimon when they tried to tell him what he could not see. Later, however, the king realizes that the old prophet has always been right before and is in a much better position to place blame than Creon himself is in. As obstinate as Creon is, the fact that he only realizes that his law is wrong when Teiresias tells him that he is breaking the gods’ laws demonstrates how highly regarded higher set of laws are. The people of Creon’s time believed that everyone must have a proper burial. When Creon left Polyneices in the field to rot and be devoured by animals, he was guilty of a true atrocity. Even though he was clearly guilty, he continued to put the blame on others, even those close to him when they tried to inform him of his grave mistake. Antigone realized that the higher law was more important than Creon’s law. That is why she defied Creon and buried her beloved brother. Antigone is the only person in the play who chooses to face the wrath of a mere mortal rather than suffer the wrath of gods. Everyone can identify with Antigone’s attitude because all people have their own set of â€Å"higher laws† or moral values. These values have changed over time. Different people from different times and different cultures are obviously going to have varying views. In the days when everyone had the same value system because they were all the same religion, these values were reflected in the laws. As people progressed, they separated into different religions and beliefs so the laws changed with them, becoming more based on fairness and equality than enforcing moral values. This made it possible for people of many different beliefs to live together in relative peace and harmony.