Adult Education Essay Example for Free

Adult Education Essay Adults dont learn in the same way as children do because their personality structure is almost fully developed at that stage in their lives, along with a series of habits and practices that have been acquired during their lifetime. Therefore, the learning process must take into account how an adult perceives not only what is being taught, but also themselves; this includes, but is not limited to: considering their previous learning experiences, considering their temporal perspective especially when it comes to short term application of what is being taught, and matching education to their problems, needs, interests and expectations. The principles of adult education are: 1)Adults will only learn when they want to. Simply put, no adult will learn under pressure. They must be motivated to want to acquire new knowledge or skills that will help them in their work or day-to-day life. Thus, their desire to learn can decrease or increase depending on the approach and methodology that is being used. 2)Adults only really want to learn that which will help them in the short term. Adults will only learn when they feel they need to. Basically, any attained knowledge will only make sense if the adult can see the applicability of what is being learned 3)Adults learn by doing. No adult enjoys being fed vast amounts of theory with little or no practice. As we grow older, we much prefer a hands-on approach to things. The learning will be much more effective if we can take an active role in the learning process. Thus its important to encourage objective discussion both in analyzing the problem and coming up with a solution. 4)Adults will only learn by solving problems they can associate with their reality. They focus on real world problems and practical assimilation of what is being taught. 5)Experience will interfere in adult education. Thus, any new information being presented must be integrated with their own experience. 6)Adults learn better in an informal environment. They require a more relaxed atmosphere; one that will stimulate them to participate, 7)Adults need feedback. its important that learning process provide adults with constructive feedback, through self-evaluation questionnaires and activities. 8)Adults require a variety of teaching methods. The use of audiovisual materials is highly recommended with use of interactive activities such as role-playing, mock classes and presentations from the students.

Strengths And Limitations Of CBT For Social Phobia Psychology Essay

Strengths And Limitations Of CBT For Social Phobia Psychology Essay Social phobia, also known as Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD) is considered as one of the most common psychological disorders on its own, and also as a comorbid disorder (Kessler, McGonagle, Zhao, et al., 1994). Current research literature suggest Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) as the first treatment choice for social phobia, unless in the case where the client opt for medication or if the client is suffering from comorbid depression or another psychological disorder that makes medication essential (Veale, 2003; Social Anxiety Disorder, 2006; NICE guideline, 2004c). The aim of this paper will be to discuss the application of CBT in the treatment of Social Phobia. However, it is important to emphasise that it will not attempt a detailed discussion on the historical development, or theoretical frameworks of CBT. These aspects of therapy will be emphasised, discussed and analysed where necessary, to comprehend its practicality in the treatment of social phobia. Furthermore, the scope of this paper will be limited to examining the use of CBT for treatment of adults with social phobia but, it will not focus on treatment of social phobia in children and adolescent groups. CBT was initially developed by Aaron T. Beck as a structured, short-term, present-oriented psychotherapy for depression, directed toward solving current problems and modifying dysfunctional thinking and behaviours (Beck, 1995). The basic assumptions of cognitive model suggest that distorted or dysfunctional thinking that influence the patient/clients mood and behaviour is common to all psychological disturbances (Beck, 1995). CBT is a collection of therapies that are designed to help clients suffering from phobias, depression, obsessions compulsions, stress disorders, drug addictions and/or personality disorders. CBT attempts to help people identify the situations that may produce their physiological or emotional symptoms and alter the manner in which they cope with these situations (Smith, Nolen-Hoeksema, Fredrickson, Loftus. 2003). The effectiveness of CBT has been widely tested since the first study on treatment success in 1977 (Beck, 1995). Westbrook, Kennerley and Kirk (2007) stated that CBT has many features common to other therapies. However, they acknowledged that CBT is different from the other psychotherapies with some distinguishing characteristics. This therapeutic approach is a combination of Behaviour Therapy (BT) and Cognitive Therapy (CT). However, these will not discuss in detail. However, as a result of having been evolved from a combination of both BT and CT, modern CBT consist important elements of them both. Westbrook, et al. (2007) presents the CBT model of viewing problem development. For instance, individuals develop cognitions (thoughts beliefs) through life experiences (mostly based on childhood experiences, but sometimes with later experiences). These can be functional (ones that allow making sense of the world around and deal with life issues), as well as dysfunctional beliefs. Most of the time, functional beliefs permit individuals to reasonably cope well with life situations. Whereas dysfunctional beliefs may not cause problems unless/until encountered with an event or a series of events (also known as critical incident) that violates the core beliefs or the assumptions, to the extent of being unable to handle ones positive/functional beliefs. This situation may activate the negative/dysfunctional thoughts over the positive thoughts resulting or provoking unpleasant emotional status such as anxiety or depression. Thus, Westbrook et al. (2007) highlighted the interactions between negative thoughts, emotions, somatic reactions, and behaviours as responses to different life events. These dysfunctional patterns lock the individual into vicious cycles or feedback loops resulting in the perpetuation of the problem. Focussing on the effectiveness of CBT as a therapy, the UK National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) guideline recommends CBT for several major mental health problems including depression (NICE, 2004a), generalised anxiety and panic (NICE, 2004c), and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) (NICE, 2005). Furthermore, Westbrook et al. (2007) highlighted the findings of Roth and Fonagy (2005) in their book What works for whom? a landmark summary of psychotherapy efficacy. This book presents evidence on the success of CBT as a therapy for most psychological disorders. However, though there is evidence supporting the successfulness of CBT for numerous psychological disorders, CBT has some limitations as well. Firstly, it is not suitable for everyone. One should be committed and persistent in finding a solution to the problem and improving oneself with the guidance of the therapist (Grazebrook Garland, 2005). Secondly, it may not be helpful in certain conditions. Grazebrook Garland (2005) mentioned that there is increasing evidence of the successful therapeutic use of CBT in a wide variety of psychological conditions. However they pointed that there is a great need for further research to gather evidence on the therapeutic success of CBT in these different types of psychological disorders. Social Phobia Social Phobia is categorised as an Anxiety Disorder in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual-IV-TR (DSM-IV-TR) of the American Psychiatric Association (2000). This disorder is characterised by persistent excessive anxiety and fear of scrutiny by others, often accompanied by anxiety symptoms such as tremulousness, blushing, palpitations, and sweating (Social Anxiety Disorder, 2006). The DSM-IV-TR (2000) presents the following diagnostic criteria for social phobia (SAD). Marked and persistent fear of social or performance situations in which the person is exposed to unfamiliar people or to perceived scrutiny by others. This includes the fear of embarrassment or humiliation Exposure to feared social or performance situations that almost invariably provoke anxiety. This may even take the form of a panic attack. In the case of children, the anxiety may be expressed by crying, tantrums, freezing, or shrinking from social situations with unfamiliar people. The person recognises that the fear is unreasonable and that it is excessive. However, this fear and knowledge may be absent in children. The feared social situation or the performance is avoided or else it is endured with intense anxiety or distress. The avoidance, anxious anticipation, or fear causes significant distress or impaired functioning. Fear or avoidance are not due to another psychological, or physiological condition (e.g., a personality disorder such as paranoid personality disorder, a specific phobia, or due to the influence of substance use/abuse) Specify generalised, if the fears include most social situations (e.g., these may range from initiating or maintaining conversations, participating in small groups, dating, speaking to authority figures, or attending parties hindering most parts of a personal social life) According to the criteria stated above, social phobia can be generalised or non-generalised, depending on the breadth of social and performance situations that are feared. While generalised social phobia hinders a vast range of social and performance situations, non-generalised social phobia may hider/restrict only performance of some social activities or engagements. According to health statistics from year 2002, social phobia affects 3% of the Canadian adult population (Social Anxiety Disorder, 2006). In USA 13.3% of the population suffer from social phobia at some point in their life (Kessler et al., 1994). Statistics indicate a life time prevalence of about 8% to 12% making social phobia one of the most common anxiety disorders (Social Anxiety Disorder, 2006; Kessler, et al., 1994). Apart from being a high prevalence disorder, social phobia is also known to have a high comorbidity, specially substance abuse and/or alcohol dependency (Schadà ©, A., Marquenie, L., Van Balkom, et al., 2008; Amies, Gelder, Shaw, 1983; Schneier, Johnson, Hornig, Liebowitz, Weissman, 1992). Kessler et al. (1994) stated that while the lifetime prevalence of social phobia is as high as 13.3%, the prevalence reported in a 30-day period is between 3% 4.5%. In addition, other similar conditions, such as shyness, behavioural inhibition, self-consciousness, selective attention and embarrassment are seen to be correlated with social phobia (Beidel Morris, 1995; Beidel Randall, 1994; Leary Kowalski, 1995; Rosenbaum, Biederman, Pollock, Hirshfeld, 1994; Stemberger, Turner, Beidel, Calhoun, 1995). According to Schneier, Johnson, Hornig, et al. (1992), comorbidity of two or more psychological disorders, is also fairly common with social phobia. Research has also indicated that social phobia is also characterised with a higher frequency of suicide attempts (Schneier et al., 1992). Focusing on the impact of the disorder on the quality of life, social phobia is described as an illness of missed opportunities, because its early onset hinders future social progression such as marital success and career growth (Social Anxiety Disorder, 2006). The authors of this article stated that these individuals were less likely to be well educated, belong to lower socioeconomic status, and are possibly unmarried. In addition, they also suffer greater functional, health, and physical impairments than individuals without social phobia (Social Anxiety Disorder, 2006). Thus the disorder has a significant impact on the quality of life, in particular, socially and emotionally. Emphasising on this point, the authors of this article highlighted that in a community health survey in Canada, people with social phobia were twice as likely to report at least one disability day in the past two weeks, compared to people without social phobia (Social Anxiety Disorder, 2006). Aetiology of social phobia can be traced to Bio-Psycho-Social factors (Smith, Hoeksema, Fredrickson, et al., 2003). Looking at the neuro-biologic factors, research data up to date, provides evidence of dopaminergic, serotonergic, and noradrenergic systems (Stein, Tancer, Uhde, 19992; Tancer, Stein, Uhde, 1993; Yeragani, Blalon, Pohl, 1990). However, Stein, Tancer, Uhde (1995) stated that the evidence for these neuro-biological factors in the predisposition, precipitation, and perpetuation is far from clear. The authors also present the same regarding the effect of antidepressants on social phobia stating that further work is warranted, although preliminary evidence indicates that antidepressants are not entirely effective on social phobia. From a cognitive-behavioural perspective, a person with social phobia develops a series of negative assumptions about themselves and their social world based on some negative experience (Kessler, et al., 1994). These assumptions of behaving inappropriately and being evaluated negatively and/or being humiliated will give rise to anticipatory anxiety that precedes the social situation adding an extra source of concern and perceived danger. Preoccupied with these fears, clients with social phobia have difficulty focussing their attention on the social cues or their own strengths that help them to effectively cope in the phobic situations. In addition, biased memory and focused attention towards negative signs will prevent the individual from perceiving the positive signs (e.g., acceptance, success, admiration) giving rise to performance deficiencies. These may contribute towards producing patterns of negative interactions that may further contribute to the perpetuation of the phobic con dition experienced at the time (Elting Hope, 1995). These explanations are similar to the generic CBT model, of problem development. Thus the research by Kessler et al (1994) has provided supporting evidence to the general CBT explanation and theoretical framework of problem understanding, assessment and treatment. Another dimension of the aetiology of social phobia is the lack of social skills and/or the lack of awareness of ones own social skills. According to Hill (1989), clients with social phobia vary widely in their knowledge of socially appropriate behaviour skills. Many of these individuals seem to have adequate social skills when assessed in a non-threatening environment such as the clinicians office, but they fail to use these skills when laden with anxiety in an unfamiliar social situation that is perceived as threatening. Hill (1989) further described that there is another group of individuals suffering with social phobia who may be unaware of socially appropriate behaviours in certain situations and therefore encounter repeated failures and disappointments. Thus, Hill (1989) suggest that apart from medication and/or conventional CBT, individuals in this group will benefit more from specific training in social skills either through role playing or modelling as appropriate. In addition to the above dimensions, there are developmental and psychodynamic issues associated with the aetiology of social phobia as well. In this view, children who are rejected, belittled, and censured by their parents, teachers or peers may develop feelings of low self-esteem and social alienation (Arrindell, kwee, Methorst, 1989). The authors of this article further stated that clients with social phobia tend to report, having had hypercritical parents. The article further examine the condition of social phobia from a psychodynamic perspective hypothesising that avoidant behaviour may be caused by an exaggerated desire for acceptance, an intolerance of criticism, or a willingness to constrict ones life to maintain a sense of control. Furthermore, they claim that traumatic embarrassing events may lead to loss of self-confidence, increased anxiety, and subsequent poor performance, resulting in a vicious circle that progress to social phobia. Concentrating on treatment seeking behaviours for social phobia, Hill (1989) highlighted that clients rarely see a physician for symptoms relating to social anxiety. More often seeking help will be for conditions such as substance abuse, depression or any other anxiety disorder (e.g. panic attack). Treatment for Social Phobia As mentioned above, social phobia is the result of biopsychosocial factors. Thus, the treatment choices may also vary which may include pharmacotherapy, and/or different types of psychotherapy. Veale (2003) stated that treatment choice for social phobia is up to the client to decide. Medication is indicated if it is the clients first choice, or if CBT has failed or if there is a long waiting list for CBT. Similarly, pharmacotherapy becomes the choice of treatment when social phobia is comorbid with depression (Veale, 2003). Considering the first treatment choice, UK National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) does not have a specific guideline specific for social phobia. However, in its guidelines for anxiety disorders (NICE, 2004), it recommends pharmacotherapy as treatment if the client opts for medication, or if the client opts for psychological treatment, CBT is given as the first choice of therapy. NICE guidelines (2004) too recommend CBT as the first choice of psychologic al therapy for generalised anxiety disorder and other anxiety disorders. The National Institute for Clinical Excellence provides evidence that CBT is more effective than no intervention and that CBT has been found to maintain its effectiveness when examined after long term follow up of eight to fourteen years. This can be used as a cost and time effective therapeutic intervention in group settings and most clients have maintained treatment gains at longer terms (NICE 2004). It further stated that CBT is more effective than psychodynamic therapy and non-specific treatments. Apart from CBT, clients who receive anxiety management training, relaxation and breathing therapy have been proven to be effective compared to having no intervention. Apart from CBT, Veale (2003) also discusses Graded self-exposure as a psychological therapy for social phobia. This therapeutic intervention which is based on the learning theory hypotheses has been the treatment of choice for social phobia for many years. However, as this method of therapy using exposure to previously avoided situations in a graded manner until habituation occurs was only successful with limited amount of clients, alternative approaches such as CBT have become a more frequent therapy choice. NICE guidelines (2006) on computerised cognitive behaviour therapy (CCBT) for depression and anxiety recommend CCBT for mild depressions and anxiety disorders, including social phobia. With reference to two Randomised Controlled Trials (RCTs) and two non-RCTs comparing CCBT (programme for panic/phobic disorders FearFighter) with therapist led CBT (TCBT) the NICE guidelines recommend the use of CCBT for mild phobic/panic disorders. When results of CCBT and TCBT were compared after a three month period of therapy for global phobia, both groups showed statistically significant improvement. Similar results were shown in two non-RCT studies too. When these scores were compared with a group who received relaxation techniques as therapy, this third group did not show statistically significant improvement while the other two groups (CCBT TCBT) did. However, it must be noted that the RCT and the non-RCT studies does not report clinically significant improvement. Nevertherless, the dropout r ate of FearFighter group was twice as many as the TCBT dropout rate. However, from a positive point of view on the practicality of CCBT on phobias, delivery of FearFighter programme at the clinical setting for one group, and the other group having access to the programme at home over a 12 week period showed that both groups showed statistically significant improvement in all measures (NICE guidelines, 2006). In terms of client satisfaction too there was no statistically significant difference between TCBT and CCBT (NICE guidelines, 2006). Thus, though further research is warranted to evaluate the clinical significance of CCBT for social phobia specifically, the NICE guidelines recommend CCBT as a choice of therapy for mild levels of depression and anxiety disorders. In addition to the observed effectiveness of CCBT, NICE guidelines also recommend it as a cost effective therapy alternative. Thus, CCBT for social phobia at mild levels could be useful at a practical level too. In a study by Rosser, Erskine Crino (2004), the researchers studied the treatment success of CBT with antidepressants and CBT on its own as treatment for social phobia. The results did not show a statistically significant difference in the treatment progress between the two groups allowing the researchers to conclude that pre-existing use of antidepressants did not enhance or detract from the positive treatment outcome of a structured, group-based CBT programme for social phobia. Application of medication and CBT is common practice in treatment for social phobia (Rosser et al., 2004). Yet, there are not many studies that have studied the combined effectiveness for social phobia. Citing Heimberg (2002) Rosser et al., (2004) describe that there are three possible outcomes from combining medication and CBT. Combined treatment may produce a better outcome than each treatment alone, by potentiating the gains achieved by CBT and also reducing relapse rates following the discontinuation of medication. Alternatively, there may be no difference between the combined approach and each approach individually, if both therapies (pharmacotherapy and CBT) are sufficiently powerful on their own. Also, depending on how individual clients attribute treatment success, effectiveness of CBT might be detracted by medication in a combined approach of treatment. Referring to literature on treatment success for social phobia Rosser et al., (2004) highlighted that combination treatment (CBT and pharmacotherapy) or pharmacotherapy alone has not been found to be of significant advantage. CBT has mostly been successful in overcoming symptoms, minimising relapses and also effective in terms of cost minimisation (Rosser et al., 2004). Focussing on the conclusions Rosser et al. (2004), there were no significant differences between the combination treatment (CBT antidepressants) and CBT alone could be interpreted in different ways. It is possible that since antidepressants and CBT are both re asonably powerful treatments individually, and thus a combination of the two did not contribute to a significantly to improve the outcome. Alternatively it may be that the group who were already taking antidepressants may have been prescribed with the medication because they were more severe in terms of social phobic or depressive symptoms prior to commencing treatment programme. Thus, it may be possible to argue that the combined therapy may not have contributed to a significant improvement compared to the group that that only received CBT, because there was a difference in symptom severity between the two groups. In addition there was no control in allocating (randomly) participants and or having a control over the medication dosage. Thus, the research findings of the study are subjected to the limitations of these variables that were out of the researchers control. However, it has to be noted that it does not devalue the comparative treatment success on the CBT (alone) group. The researchers of this study therefore emphasise the need for further research on combined therapy for social phobia as in real life clinical settings most clients are on medication while receiving CBT. Moreover, Rodebaugh Heimberg (2005) recommends CBT combined with medication as a widely used successful treatment method for social phobia. However, while recommending the above, they also emphasise the need for further research in this regard as the current data reveals mixed results. According to available evidence and theoretical considerations they suggested that some methods of combination could provide short-term benefits, but long-term decreases in efficacy compared to either treatment alone. In this paper Rodebaugh Heimberg (2005) emphasised that most research on the effects of CBT combined with medication had the common research gap of failing to control the medication dose and the allocation of participants in to random samples. However, the authors of this paper emphasised that in most studies combined therapy for social phobia had not shown significant evidence of treatment success compared to either pharmacotherapy or CBT. Rodebaugh Heimberg (2005) highlighted that there is supporting evidence to the treatment success of combining CBT with relaxation training. While mentioning this, they also noted that relaxation training alone has not proven to have any clinically significant benefit for the clients. Thus, it is when combined with CBT that clients have had a successful experience with relaxation training. Rodebaugh Heimberg (2005) stated that all forms of CBT aim to reduce the experience of fear through modification of avoidance and other maladaptive behaviours, thoughts, and beliefs (e.g. through exposure with cognitive restructuring). Thus, in the process of therapy most clients may experience an increase in stress and negative affect and distress in the short-term, but the modification of these earlier components of these earlier components of a behavioural-emotional chain leads to reduction of symptoms over time. In regard to combining treatment methods with CBT as treatment for social phobia, Rodebaugh Heimberg (2005) highlighted the fact that all treatment methods have its own limitations and strengths. Thus when combining two therapies (either pharmacological and CBT or CBT with another psychotherapy), the strengths as well as the weaknesses of the two approaches could be magnified, depending on the nature of the combination. Hence, Rodebaugh Heimberg (2005) stated that an empirically supported method of combining medication and CBT for social anxiety disorder is yet to be established, although under varied circumstances clinicians use different combinations of CBT along with other psychotherapies and medication to maximise effectiveness on a case by case level. Concluding Remarks As discussed in this paper, social phobia may literally be a common mental disorder and it is categorised as an anxiety disorder under the DSM-IV classification system (DSM-IV-TR, 2000). While being highly prevalent, it is also a disorder that may have a large impact on a persons quality of life, hindering opportunities for personal growth and/or social interaction/relationships. Therefore, it is an important area of study and clinical practice in mental health, which has the aim of improving the lives of people suffering from this disorder, and minimising its effect on the society. Research literature on social phobia recommends certain types of medication, and CBT as a psychotherapeutic intervention as the first choice of treatment for this debilitating condition. As it is out of our scope, this paper did not pay detailed attention to the types of pharmacotheraputic interventions that may successfully be used to control symptoms of this disorder and enable clients live a healthy life. From a psychological perspective, CBT is widely recommended through evidence based research as the first choice of psychotherapeutic treatment for social phobia. As discussed in this paper, evidence on the successful combinations of therapeutic methods at present denotes the need for further research in order to determine the best combinations for successful treatment. Another area that needs similar attention is combining different types of psychotherapies with CBT as treatment for social phobia. Focusing on CBT for social phobia, although there is supporting evidence for therapy success, and though it is widely considered as the first choice of psychotherapy for this disorder, it is not always successful with all individuals. Thus, form a practical point of view, it is important that clinicians are able to tailor and combine different therapeutic methods (pharmacotherapy and psychotherapy), not only to maximise treatment success, but also to make it useful with different types of clients/clients from different background and life-experiences. Furthermore, although CBT is recommended as the first therapy choice, there are practical issues regarding meeting the demand for services. This becomes an issue in terms of finance as well as in terms of the limited amount of professionals available to deliver treatment. Some successful methods of overcoming these difficulties would be Group CBT for social phobia and CCBT. However, it must be emphasised that these issues become a much grave problem in countries where psychotherapists trained in CBT are rare, and even methods such as CCBT could be unaffordable and inaccessible for certain groups. In addition, there are also limitations in being able to use programmes such as CCBT in countries where English is not used, or it not the first language. Thus, from a global perspective, the use of CBT as a therapy choice is practically challenged due to limitations of resources and trained personals, leavening pharmacotherapy as the most practical mode of therapy for a large numbers of people suffering from social phobia. To conclude, it must be stated that continued research on the successful use of CBT as a therapeutic tool for social phobia and other disorders should be continued as it proves to be a successful therapy for many psychological disorders (Westbrook et al., 2007). Thus, it can be stated that CBT is a useful and successful therapeutic intervention for social phobia. The practical use of it could be further improved through continued research, and through therapist training programmes to meet the demands for therapy, as it would further increase the effectiveness of CBT as a therapy for social phobia.

Apple Inc Marketing Case Study Marketing Essay

Apple Inc Marketing Case Study Marketing Essay Apple was founded by Steven Wozniak and Steven Jobs in 1976. The company was founded by releasing the first successful mass-produced personal computer. Steve Wozniak designed the Apple I design was his addition to the success of Apple. Steve Jobs recognized the potential market for the personal computer. Their combined talents created the successful start of the company. The technology market is fast paced and Apple has shown growth and innovation to stay at the forefront of this market. The company has expanded from the Apple I and desktop computers to mobile computers, PDAs, MP3 players, and most recently the mobile phone market. Innovation has been a key role in the success of Apple As a business strategy, Apple leverages its ability, through the design and development of its own operating system, hardware, and many software applications and technologies, to bring to its customers around the world compelling new products and solutions with superior ease-of-use, seamless integration, and innovative industrial design. This strategy has worked well for the company since it first opened. Apple has been able to create brand strength by focusing on a limited number of products ensuring that they are high quality. They have focused on their innovative strength playing up the release of their product by keeping them behind closed doors and when ready Steve Jobs announces and demonstrates the product which creates an excitement in consumers waiting to see what the latest and greatest technology will be. Apple has also built a customer loyalty not seen in its competition. With the recent releasing of the i products, iMac, iPod, iTouch, and iPhone loyal consumers have been referred to as icustomers due to their loyalty to the brand. Apple has used the i product to create a Halo effect for its other products. Using the lower cost products like iPods to show the ease-of-use and high quality of products that Apple produces to create a selling point for higher end products like their desktops. The Apple Company has also created partnerships with their competitors which has strengthened the company. Rather than use time researching and developing some products like Google maps and YouTube, Apple has incorporated the already market saturated applications in their products. The time and funds are better served researching and developing the next product that will wow the market. Apples overall financial standing is forward moving and shows good growth. Net income has constantly increased each year with an average 38.1% growth over the past three years. In 2004 Apple eliminated the $300 million of long-term debt it had outstanding resulting in no long-term debt reported from 2003 to 2007. This debt was eliminated without funding reduction in other areas of the company. Strategic Weaknesses Apple is the market share leader for MP3 players and smart phones, but is far below the market shares of its competitors in computers. Apple held only 8.5% of the market share in the second quarter of 2008 compared to Dell Inc at 31.9% and Hewlett-Packard at 25.3%. In 2007 Apple held only 6.4% of the market compared to Dell Inc at 27.9% and Hewlett-Packard at 25.8%. Apples sales have been made up of an average of 46% of their total net sales from 2004 to 2007. When the market share dropped in 2007 sales still increase for the overall but was due to increases in iPod sales and other music-related products and services that had significant increases that year. The low market share in 2007 can be explained by the economic recession. Consumers in a weak economy look towards the less expensive options available which shifts the market towards Apples competitors Dell and Hewlett-Packard. Apples products do have some degree of cannibalization. Each product line has offering for different cost based markets and the differentiation of products has started to blur. iPods serve a low price market, iTouch serve a midrange market and the computers represent a high price market. The technology market fluctuates very strongly with the economy, so with a down turning economy iPods would cannibalize the sales of the iTouch product. iPhones also incorporate a music player eliminating the need for both the mobile phone and music player. Still sales of each item have shown an overall growth each year in the market with exception to computers. Below is a table representing the percent increase of sales that Apple has in desktops and laptops. The overall growth percentage of sales has fluctuated but comparing years with similar percentages of growth, 2005 and 2007 show that laptops have cannibalized desktops. In 2005 desktop sales had a 35.5% growth by units from the prior year and laptops only increase by 7.3%. In 2007 desktops growth per units sold was only 10.3% and laptops increased 33.8% from the prior year. Apple will see a common trend for iPods in relationship to iPhones and other products that incorporate music players in future years. % Unit Sale Increase from Prior Year 2007 2006 2005 2004 Desktops 10.3% -3.5% 35.5% -8.1% Laptops 33.8% 29.8% 7.3% 24.8% Total Macintosh 24.7% 4.5% 27.4% 8.4% Another weakness Apple has is issues that have surrounded new product releases. In 2001 when the first iPod was released it was criticized for its short battery life which lead to lawsuit filed for misrepresenting the battery life. Again in 2005 with the release of the Nano customers complained about the devices reporting that they would freeze up, stop functioning, and that the products casing was very susceptible to scratches. Despite the poor product releases the iPods consumers still found the product to be a quality product and iPods still held the top market share of MP3s. In 2007 the second generation of iPhone was released and the price was lowered to $399. This was described as larger-than-normal price drop in a short period of time and had consumers speculating that Apple had unfair pricing. These issues that Apple has faced with product releases show that there is a flaw in Apples research and development process. If Apple was to experience a recall on its products or cont inues to have issues like these for its new products their products will no longer be seen as high quality and will create a fear in consumers to wait to purchase Apple products until they know that it doesnt have any issues. The final weakness that Apple has is its reliance on Steve Jobs as CEO. It wasnt until Steve Jobs returned with his expanded role with Apple that it started showing consistency in the forward successful movement to achieve the companys strategic objectives. Between 1981 and 1997 Apple was under the direction of six different chief executive officers. In 1997 Steve Jobs was given an expanded role and in 2000 became the official CEO. Starting in 1997 Steve Jobs made many changes including, a new board of directors, initiated aggressive advertising campaign, created an alliance with Microsoft ending their legal dispute, start an e-commerce for consumer direct sales, and releasing the iMAC a product for the lower-end consumer market. After 2000 and the official announcement that Steve Jobs would be Apples CEO he continued to expand on the successes releasing the iPod which opened up the music industry to the company and many additional opportunities over the next years. Apple needs a lea der like Steve Jobs to keep the company on a forward moving path using its strategic plan. The other CEOs that Apple has had have not been able implement the strategic plan like Steve Jobs who co-founded the company. Recommendations Apples low market share exists due to its higher price and software compatibility. In 1997 Steve Jobs started to close the software compatibility gap by creating an alliance with Microsoft who agreed to make Windows available to Mac users. Apple will not reduce its price, at least not enough to compete with Dell or Hewlett-Packard, the products price is part of the brand image as a quality and innovative product. I would recommend Apple attempt to keep their market share at 8% or higher for the computer market. To achieve this Apple should use smaller price reductions that would not effect product perception. Other than price reduction the only way for Apple to increase market share would be to create a new innovative product related to the computer market. Pretty much, Apple and Dell are the only ones in this industry making money. They make it by being Wal-Mart. We make it by innovation. Steve Jobs In relation to Apples products and the potential for cannibalization between them I would recommend research and development of a software product that can allow you to share files, music, and applications between the products. Currently Apple offers MobileMe for a $99/year fee for a service that can be accessed through applications on a consumers iPhone, iTouch, or Mac that provides 20 GB of off site storage. Verse this option that is competing with free versions like DropBox I am recommending a wireless sync between products so files can be moved quickly and conveniently between the products with a simple touch. Moving music, presentations, or pictures between the devices with easy would help build value in owning multiple products in similar markets. My next recommendation would be to assess Apples research and development process. The release problems that Apple has experienced show an effect on sales and effect the high quality brand name that Apple has worked hard at maintaining. Currently Apple only uses 3% of net sales for research and development. I would suggest taking more time and using more funds in necessary to ensure that the products they release will not continue to this trend of negative product releases. My last recommendation would be to lay the ground work for Steve Jobs replacement. I would recommended using someone already working for Apple that understands the strategic plan and foster a mentorship for this person for a few years to create a smooth transition. I would recommend if a all possible for Steve Jobs to not just exit the company but remain in an advisor position as part of the companys board to ensure that his successor remains on track to achieve the strategic objectives that have make Apple a successful company. Comments/Observations/Questions Amazon opening Droid application store Apple announced a few days ago, Bertrand Serlet, a senior software engineer at the company since the return of Chief Executive Officer Steve Jobs in 1997 and a main architect of the Mac operating system was leaving Apple 2007 around the same year of the iPod release and iTV Apple dropped Computers from company name.

Out of the Darkness: Female Genital Mutiliation Essay -- Womens Righ

Since the 1790s, women have been struggling to overcome the confines imposed on them by dominant patriarchal societies. (Andrea and Overfield 257). Much advancement has been made as women have continued to bring to light their views and ultimate demand for equality with respect to their male counterparts (Andrea and Overfield 260). Despite how far they have come, feminist today find themselves combating the violation of women’s rights regarding the cultural tradition of female circumcision, which some feel is more appropriately referred to as female genital mutilation (FGM) (Johnsdotter and Ensà ©b 30). Millions of women and children have been and continue to be subjected to the barbaric act of FGM, which not only leaves their bodies disfigured, but carries lifelong significant health risks and in some cases even ends in death (Morrison 125, 128). After researching a multitude of documents and case studies regarding the practice of FGM, it is evident that feminist are war ranted in their alarm and even disgust, when faced with the knowledge that this practice is continuing to be uph...

Problems Facing Entrepreneurs and Small Businesses Essay -- Small Firm

Abstract Small businesses face economic uncertainty, overwhelming legislative regulations, and employee retention problems. Small Business represents more than 99 % of all employers and employs more than one half of the private sector. It also generates one half of the United States private G.D.P. ( PR Newswire, Oct 29, 2014 pNA). In light of the significance of small business to the economy, it should be a grave concern when a third of small business owners rate the overall health of the United States economy as their biggest worry, rating higher than terrorism, the war on Iraq or healthcare costs. ( PR Newswire, July 12, 2014 pNA). Normally, during periods of economic sluggishness, it is small business that paves the way for a rebound. However, this trend has not appeared during the recent down turn in the economy which began in 2001. A major reason for small business failure to bolster the economy is a result of their inability to raise capital due to the decimation of the Small Business Administration's loans program ( Harpers Magazine, July 2014, V309 il 850 p79(2)). It appears that the very fuel that normally would stoke the economic furnace has been diluted through cost cutting measure as a result of a floundering economy. Such challenges will test the creativity and viability of small business. Unfortunately, that creativity can be overwhelmed with the legislative regulations imposed by the local, state and... ...wamped by flood of regs [Electronic version]. The Business Journal, 13(46), 29. Kurlantzick, J. (2014). Economy of scale: President Bush has been no friend to small business. [Electronic version]. Harper's Magazine, 309(850),79. McCracken, J. (1997). Big 3 drain talent from small firms. Crain's Detroit Business, 13(35), 15 Neher, M. (1995, October 15). Red tape, worker's comp worry businesses [Electronic version]. Daily Journal World, E-1. Protection service for employees (2014, September). Manufacturers' Monthly, 17. Roberts, J. ( 2014, September 02) Small business optimism increasing, Computer Resellers News. Small business owners more concerned about economy than terrorism, (2014, July 12). PR Newswire ,. Smaller firms can and do find health insurance (2014). Crain's Chicago Business, 27(42), 20.

Identify the Difference Between Start Up and Operating Costs, Variablecpsts and Fixed Costs Essay

A start-up cost is a cost that you start with for example in the flower shop it would be a deposit on the shop and the first month’s rent. Also the first lot of stock, advertisement a sign, table, counter, till and a credit card machine. The operating costs are costs that you carry on paying for throughout the time your business is open, for example in the flower shop they would be rent, wages, heating and lighting, insurance, loan interest, drawing (personal salary) , ribbons, stock, boxes and plastic sheets. So the difference between the two above would be that start-up costs are only when the business is starting to get up and running and the operating costs are something you pay for throughout the time your business is open. Fixed costs are a part of operating costs but fixed costs would have one price that doesn’t change throughout the time your business is open that’s why they call it fixed, the fixed costs would be: rent. This would cost  £700 per month, mages. This would cost  £500 per month. Heating and lighting would cost  £200 per month, insurance would cost  £160 per month, loan interests cost  £40 per month on top of how much you had loaned to you and drawings (personal salary would cost  £400 per month. Fixed costs do not vary without put, so weather the flower shop gets loads of customers or not they still have to pay fixed costs. A variable cost is a cost that can vary throughout the time your business is open, a good example for the flower shop is packaging , as the more flowers you sell the more packaging you would need, the same as ribbon, plastic sheets and gift tags.

The Importance of Diversity in Communication Today

The world we live in is a world composed of constant changes and differences among people. History would tell us how far the age of humanity has stretched—from the period of cave men, to the age of land explorations, to Renaissance, up to the age of industrialization, and now, the period of globalization. Still, there are available tools and ways to settle each difference among people. One of the most useful and most effective ways to do this is through communication.Communication helps greatly in the filling of gaps among people who have differences in views, culture, and contexts (Sproule, p. 13). Its diverse nature has proven to be playing a major role in the past. For example, during the time of the early cave men, communication was done non-verbally. It indicates the simplicity of life during the said period. It was very different during the Industrialization Age when other tools for communication were invented. The appearance of telephones and early computers made a grea t impact in the area of communication. These changes suggest that communication adapts with time and the needs of the people during that time.In this current period though, what is the role and importance of diversity in communication in a globalized world? Diversity among cultures is one thing that plays a major role in communication today. With the differences in their views, tradition, and religion, people from different cultures often clash with each other. In communication, it should be noted that cultural diversity is one of the crucial and important aspects we should consider when communicating (Bovà ©e, p. 26). For example, today that we are in the world of capitalism, business communication plays a vital role for the success of companies and industries.When dealing with business partners and businessmen from a different race and culture, it is important that we knows how to communicate with them with background and knowledge of their culture (Schirato, p. 87). For example, the Japanese are known to be patient and values formality when dealing with their businesses as compared to other Western ones who are more direct, straightforward, and informal. Diversity in the products of technology also gives an impact to communication nowadays. Because of the invention of the Internet, written, verbal, and non- verbal communication are no longer limited. DuPont, p. 66). Written communication now changes from the way it used to be.For example, mails today no longer require long days or hours of waiting to be received. Instant messaging, just as chat and e-mails, are rampant today and helps in the fast sending and receiving of messages. The ways on how to communicate verbally also change with the use of the Internet. Before verbal exchange of messages can only happen personally. But now, video conferencing, wherein two people could talk to each other even if they are in two different location, is possible.Major changes in the area of non- verbal communication ar e also taking place. Other products of technological advancements add to the range of diversity communication has. The diversity in the products of technology helps communication to be faster, powerful, and effective. Although there are negative issues regarding online communication, we could not still hide the big impact technology has made to change the way we communicate. In addition, cultural diversity for others is a barrier for effective communication. However, the diversity helps in for further understanding and growth of the people.