Application of relevant principles and values Essay

In this assignment I will be writing a report explaining how the application of relevant principles and values will allow professionals to provide holistic support for individuals, such as John and Amina, who use social services. Empowerment- Empowerment means giving individuals a good amount of information regarding themselves so that they are able to have a say in decision making and choices about their own life. This is what is happening in John’s life as he very happy remaining in his own council flat even though it would make much sense for him to be put into a care home, where he can be cared for at all times but his decision is that he wants to live on his own he will not be forced to do anything but he can only receive information that he needs about things that he can do whenever he is ready. This benefits John in the way that it will lift his self-esteem. Making him feel empowered will make him feel that his say matters and that his thoughts and feelings are not bein g ignored. it will make him feel as if he is being respected and still considered as a responsible human being. As for the professional staff supporting him, enabling John to feel empowered may make them feel like they are enhancing productivity and collaboration by working together with him. It may give them a sense of shared purpose. Promotion of choice- This is encouraging that all individuals need to be able to select, either independently or with assistance, things like options and activities which are specifically for them. Choice can be promoted by explaining to the individual what is important to them and might not be to others. In Amina’s case she wants to study at university and this is her own choice and something that she really wants to do and no one can stop her from wanting that. Promotion of rights- This would be acknowledging and respecting somebody’s individuality. This includes confidentiality, discrimination, age and race. John seems as if he isn’t having problems concerning his rights because his neighbours seems to be trying their best to help him instead of discriminating against or seeing him as annoying because of his age. The promotion of choice and rights will benefit Amina because she will feel as if she is being acknowledg ed and that the steps are taken regarding her health are entirely up to hers and that she is not just going by what other people think. It also means that Amina can say or do what she wants and is entitled and not feel as if it is okay because she has  already been told that she will not be judged or ridiculed. This will make carers feel satisfied in knowing that they are doing their job right and being fair to the service user. Recognition of service users- This is just recognising a vulnerable person’s preferences. if this is acknowledged it makes working together easier. individuals like John may wish to state his preferences regarding the type of support that he wishes to receive, such as if a carer comes to his house on certain days of the week to check on him however he might not be comfortable with this being every day. The benefit of this is that it may give John the sense that he is still living independently despite of all the help that he may be receiving. It is important that he is not made to feel like everyone is making a big deal over him. It is important that he feels he is still allowed to stay in control of his daily life and activities. Carers may benefit from this by feeling like their job is made easier because if John is feeling independent the chances are that he will be a pleasure to work with. Involvement of individuals in planning their support- This is a person-centred approach to care. This means that care is focused on the individual to ensure that independence and autonomy are promoted. Care workers should not make decisions without discussing and consulting the individual which is involved. For example, John wouldn’t suddenly be informed that he is being moved into a care home without his own consent. Both John and the care worker benefit from this because they engage in conversation. John benefits out of this because, he is stating what he really wants as this is all about him, his interests and abilities so this means they have his best interest at heart and will provide him with what he is asking for. The care worker may benefit from this because collecting this information will help them long term as they are finding out things about John which they may have never really need. Respect for religious beliefs, moral beliefs, values and care- There is a diverse range of backgrounds in Britain and this means there is a wide range of behaviours and beliefs which should be recognised and valued. Living and working in a culturally and socially diverse society can benefit us because we are exposed to many different kinds of people and we learn from them and enjoy the things that they may have to share. For example, Amina would benefit if she was to be sent a duty social worker originally from South Africa and she may really get along with him/her  because they might always tell great stories about South Africa and its wildlife and in turn the social worker may enjoy hearing Aminas stories about where and how she grew up, she would enjoy these visits from social services and would probab ly feel less like she is being interrogated all the time. This benefits both Amina and the duty social worker because they are both socialising and may gain new found interests. Anti-discriminatory practice- Discrimination is caused by prejudice and that leads to negative behaviour. It is to treat someone differently because of their class or background without regard to the individual. Examples include, social, racial, religious, sexual, disability, ethnic and age related discrimination. There is also a danger of stereotyping or making assumptions about people because of the above factors, for example people may stereotype against an individual like John because he is older. The anti-discriminatory practice benefits John because it means that he doesn’t have to worry about being discriminated against. The anti-discriminatory practice makes sure that an individual like John doesn’t suffer from discrimination which means that his physical and psychological needs are not being ignored as discrimination leads to stress which coul d make his dementia worse. The care worker benefits from this because it means that there is less risk of John’s health deteriorating. Holistic approach- This would be considering all of a person’s needs and providing opportunities for the needs to be met. This includes physical, intellectual, emotional and social needs. Even though Amina has enough physical needs, this should not be the only thing that is being paid attention to. Perhaps her social well-being should also be acknowledged , this can be done by social workers suggesting things to her such as clubs where she can be involved in playing chess with her peers every once or twice a week. This would benefit Amina because it will mean that her mind will work better for a reasonable amount of time and it means that not only one part of her whole self is being considered. This will make the care worker feel as if they are doing their job properly because providing care for Aminas PIES means taking care of her as a whole. Working in partnersh ip- This would be different health and social care agencies working together. Sharing good practice contributes to the support of vulnerable individuals. For example, when it comes to supporting John, the social worker and the doctor need to work together in order to share ideas  and suggestions regarding John’s health support plan. This benefits John because many people working together to provide care for him means that there will be more options for him since everyone has a say and there are more suggestions for him. This benefits the care worker because they are not working on their own, they have others to help them out and share each other’s ideas, that some people on their own wouldn’t have been able to put together. A multi-disciplinary/inter-agency approach- This is different professions and services co-operating so that certain problems are avoided when planning support. Different options can be considered and resources can be offered to be included in the support plan in order for things to run smoothly for individuals like John, they may arrange to refer him to local authorities and various organisations such as age concern in order for him to receive the best support. This also means that he will never run short of anything or people around him. This will provide a better outcome coming from the care workers as their job is made simpler because a well organised multi-disciplinary team can help avoid duplication of roles and conflicts of responsibilities between the different agencies, support plan manager and John himself. Confidentiality- This means that an individual has a right to privacy and control over their personal details. if the individual has trusted you enough for them to reveal their information, it is important to keep information provided by the individual confidential, it is also legal requirement. Sometimes this information needs to be passed on to another professional in John’s case, his doctor may need to pass on some information to his duty social worker but this must not be done unbeknownst to him. This benefits John because it means that sometimes he can let all of his thoughts out in confidence to somebody that he trusts and can feel as if a weight has been lifted of his shoulders this is because sometimes it is good to talk to someone about how you are feeling as it will help his emotional needs. This benefits the care worker because John opening up to them may make it easier for them to help him, advise him and hear his cry for help without having to wonder what he is really thinking. Fulfilling responsibilities- Care workers must follow the policies and procedures of the place in which they are employed and they must take full responsibility because they signed a contract. By doing this, they are safeguarding individuals like John who are in their care and are being good role models. This will also ensure that  people like John feel like they are actually being heard and that they are not alone and their needs are being fully met. This also benefits the care workers themselves because if John is satisfied then that gives them the heads up that they are meeting his needs and that they didn’t come into the job to be unhelpful and a disappointment.

Greek Contributions to Modern Western Civilization Essay

Ancient Greek culture has influenced modern western civilization from their discoveries and traditions during their Golden Age. Their philosophies, politics and values have helped shape our every day life. Some of the most prominently displayed leaders of all time lived in Greece during the time. Their math, art science politics, architecture, drama, medicine, philosophy and values have inspired today’s everyday way of life. If it weren’t for their constant strides towards a better tomorrow, civilization today might be less advanced. A lot of their academic achievement math and science has trickled down from the generations and into western civilization today. Euclid, a mathematician, is now viewed as the most prominent mathematician of all time. He wrote a book called â€Å"The Elements† and put all of his discoveries and theories into it. A lot of the math and science that we use today was influenced by his theories and discoveries. A man named Hippocrates also solely influenced today’s medical practices. His discoveries in medicine made a long lasting imprint on today’s doctors and practices. He was an extremely trustworthy doctor. He made an oath stating that he would never give bad medicine and always strive to cure a patient, not just get paid. Today when becoming a doctor, you must take the Hippocratic oath, which was the oath that Hippocrates created. Whenever you go to see a performance now, whether you know it or not, Greek influence is involved. Greek drama and auditoriums are big influences. The three types of theaters that the Greeks had were Proscenium (like in today’s Gershwin Theater), Thrust (like in many of the concert halls seen today) and Arena (like today’s sports arenas). The architecture of these stages and of a lot of other structures are direct influences of the Greek civilization. Playwrights such as Socrates, Aeschylus and Euripides wrote plays that entertained people in Greece and all around the world still today. Playwrights wrote tragedies in which there is a main character with either a  special ability or tragic flaw. As the story progresses, the tragic flaw ruins the character (just like in today’s drama). One of the most tragic of plays are the stories of Oedipus, the King. In this, the main character’s tragic flaw is unknown even to him. It is his tragic past and how it influenced his present day life. Tragedies such as Oedipus the King have contributed to the making of today’s theater. Greece’s system of democracy was a new ideal for the time. Today, countries around the world use it. During the time of the first democracy, philosophers started to teach their thoughts and voice their opinions. This is because it was a time of turmoil. Corrupt leaders were leading Greece and people did not have much faith in democracy. At this time, philosophers gave the people things to ponder and believe in. The greatest three Greek philosophers were Socrates, Plato and Aristotle. Even today, people live by some of the teachings of these philosophers and they are widely studied. Overall, many of today’s traditions, beliefs and values have been passed down from Greek civilizations. Their discoveries, traditions and strides toward perfection inspired later generations to act as they did. The individuals that invented and discovered new aspects of life and their surroundings gave way to brand new lifestyles that are used today.

Cnps 365 Midterm 1 Notes

Chapter 4 & 5 Psychoanalytic Therapy †¢Sigmund Freud. †¢Freuds psychoanalytical system = model of personality development, approach to psychotherapy †¢Often a benchmark used for other theories †¢Freudian view of human nature = deterministic †¢Behaviour determined by irrational forces, unconscious motivations 0biological/instinctual drives, evolve through key psycho sexual stages in first 6 years of life †¢Instincts central †¢Libido = energy of all life instincts Libido, source of motivation that encompasses sexual energy but goes beyond it †¢Both sexual and aggressive drives are powerful determinants of why people act as they do †¢Psychoanalytical view – three systems for personality: id, ego, superego †¢Id = biological, ego = psychological, superego = social †¢Humans = energy systems †¢Id, original system of personality, at birth person is all id. Primary source of psychic energy and seat of instincts. Blind, demandi ng, insistent, lacks organization.Cannot tolerate tension and discharges tension immediately. Ruled by pleasure principle (reducing tension, avoid pain, gain pleasure). Id is Illogical, amoral, satisfy instinctual needs, never matures. Doesn’t think, acts or wishes, largely unconscious. †¢Ego governs, controls, regulates personality. Controls consciousness and exercises censorship. Realistic and logical thinking, formulates plans of acitons for satisfying needs. Ego checks and controls blind impulses of id, ego distinguishes between mental images and things in external world. Superego is judical branch of personality. Includes moral code, main concern of whether action is good/right/wrong/bad. Superego reprents values/ideals of society as they are handed down from generations. Inhibits the id impulses, to persuade ego to substitute moralistic goals for realistic ones and to strive for perfection. Supergego related to psychological rewards and punishments †¢Dreams, s lips of tongue and forgetting, posthypnotic uggestions, material derived from free-association techniques, material derived from projective techniques, symbolic content of psychotic symptoms all represent unconscious. †¢Unconscious stores experiences memory and repressed material †¢Aim of psychoanalytic therapy is to make unconscious motives conscious. †¢Anxiety – feeling of dread from repressed feelings, memories, desires, and experiences †¢Anxeity develops from conflicts amongst id,ego, and super ego. †¢Anxeity warns of impending danger 3 Types of anxiety, reality, neurotic, moral †¢Reality anxiety – fear of danger from external world †¢Neurotic and moral anxiety evoked by threats to balance of power within person †¢Neurotic anxiety is fear that instinct will get out of hand †¢Moral anxiety is fear of ones conscience †¢Ego-defense mechanisms cope with anxiety, prevent ego from being overwhelmed. †¢Defense mechani sms either deny/distort reality, or operate on unconscious level †¢Psychosexual stages = Freudian development Typical defense mechanisms: Repression, Denial, Reaction formation, Projection, Displacement, Rationalization, Sublimation, Regression, Introjection, Identification, Compensation †¢Freuds psychosexual stages of development: oral stage, anal stage, phallic, stage †¢Oral stage – inability to trust self na others = fear of loving, close relationships, low self-esteem †¢Anal stage – inability to recognize and express anger, leads to denial of ones power and lack of sense of autonomy †¢Phallic stage, inability to fully accept ones sexuality and sexual feelings, difficult to accept self as man or woman.All done within first 6 years of life, Oral(0-1), Anal (1-3) Phallic(3-6). First 6 years are foundation, if needs not met during development may become psychologically immature †¢Erikson’s Psychosocial Perspective †¢Psychosexua l + psychosocial development occurs together, each stage of life, faced with task of establishing equilibrium. †¢Crisis = turning point with potential to move forward or regress †¢Classical psychoanalysis grounded on id psychology †¢Contemporary psychoanalysis based on ego psychology †¢Freudian goals include making the unconscious conscious and strengthen the ego †¢Blank Screen Approach – anonymous stance Transference relationship, the transfer of feelings originally experienced in an early relationship to other important people in a persons present environment †¢Attention given to clients resistances. Analysts listens for gaps, inconsistencies, free associations, infers meanings of dream †¢Psychoanalytic therapy is somewhat like putting pieces of puzzles together †¢Free association – say whatever comes to find, no self censorship (classical psychoanalysis) typical laying on a couch scenario †¢Transference – clients u nconscious shifting to the analyst of feelings and fantasies that are reactions to significant others in the client’s past.Involves the unconscious repetition of the past in the present †¢Working through – exploration of unconscious material and defenses. Results in resolution of old pattrerns allows clients to make new choices †¢Countertransference, when therapist respond in irrational ways because their own conflicts trigger †¢Psychodynamic therapy – geared to limted objectives than to restructuring personality. Therapist lesss likely to use couch, fewer sessions per week, frequent use of supportive interventions, more self disclosure by therapist, focus more on pressing practical concerns than on fantasy material. Aimed at increasing awareness, fostering insights into clients behaviour †¢6 basic techniques – maintaining the analytic framework, free association, interpretation, dream analysis, analysis of resistance, analysis of tran sference †¢Carl Jung’s analytical psychology is a explaination of human nature that combines ideas from history mythology anthropology and religion. †¢Jung – more focus on finding the meaning in life as opposed to being driven by psychological and biological forces described by Freud. †¢Jung – shaped by past and also future Present personality shaped by w ho and what we have been and aspire to be †¢Persona – mask/public face we wear to protect ourselves †¢Animus and anima = both biological and psychological aspects of masculinity and femininity †¢Shadow – deepest roots and most powerful and dangerous of all archetypes, †¢Jung – dreams are a pathway into unconscious, but they help people prepare themselves for experiences and events in the future, and work to bring a balance between opposites in a person. More of an attempt to express then to repress and disguise. †¢Ego psychology developed largely by E rikson Psychoanalyitcal therapy, more concerned with long term personality reconstruction than short term problem solving Chapter 5 †¢Alfred Adler – Individual Psychology †¢Individual begins to form approach to life somewhere in first 6 years of living †¢Humans motivated primarily by social relatedness †¢Behaviour is purposeful and goal directed, more conscious than not †¢Focused on inferiority feelings – wellspring of creativity †¢Human behaviour not determined by heredity and environment, capacity to interpret influence and create events †¢Biological and environmental conditions limit our capacity to choose and to create †¢Approach is holistic, social.Goal oriented, systemic, humanistic †¢View world from clients subjective perception of reference = phenomenological, pays attention to how people perceive their world †¢Individual Psychology – Alfred Adler †¢Must fully understand all parts of an individual â € ¢Determinstic explainations replaced with teleological (purposive, goal-oriented) ones. †¢Interested in future without minimizing importance of past influences, decisions based on a persons experiences and on direction they are moving †¢Adler influenced by fiction †¢Fictional finalism, imagined central goal that guides a persons behaviour †¢Striving torward superiority or perfection Guiding self-ideal represents individuals image of goal of perfection †¢Inferiority not a negative factor in life, when experienced first in life, we are pulled by striving for superiority. †¢Cope with helplessness by striving for competence mastery and perfection †¢Ã¢â‚¬Å"Lifestyle† A individuals core beliefs and assumptions guide each person’s movement through life and organize his or her reality giving meaning to life events â€Å"plan of life, style of life, strategy for living and road map of life† †¢Develop a style of life through stri ving for goals and superiority †¢Unique style is rimarily created during first 6 years of life, subsequent events may have effect on development of our personality. †¢Experiences not a decisive factor itself, but a interpretation of these events that shape personality †¢Can reframe childhood experiences and consciously create a new style of life †¢Social interest – action line of ones community feeling, it is the capacity to cooperate and contribute to community.Striving for a better future for humanity †¢Social interest is innate, but also must be taught learned and used †¢Social interest is central indicator of health, feelings of inferiority and alienation diminish as social interest is developed. Expressed through shared activity and mutual respect †¢Community feeling – feelings of being connected to all of humanity, and being involved in making the world a better place. Lack of this causes people to become discouraged and end up on useless side of life. †¢Anxiety is the result of not feeling belonged. Must master 3 universal life tasks – building friendships, establishing intimacy, contributing to society. 2 added ones by mosak and dreikurs : getting along with ourselves and developing our spiritual dimension †¢Gives special attention to relationships between siblings and psychological birth position in ones family †¢Five positions: oldest, second of only two, middle, youngest, and only †¢Actual birth order less important than persons own view of where they are †¢Family relationships earliest and mots influential social system.Theory is of a social one †¢Therapeutic process -> forming a relationship based on mutual respect, lifestyle assessment; disclosing mistaken goals and faulty assumptions -> reeducation of client towards useful side of life. Main aim to develop clients sense of belonging and assist in adoption of behaviours and processes characterized by community f eeling and social interest. Accomplished by increasing clients self awareness, and challenging and modifying his or her fundamental premises life goals and basic concepts. Alderians favour growth model of personality more then sickness model †¢Treatment focused on providing info, teaching, guiding, providing encouragement to discouraged individuals. Engouragement is most powerful method available for changing persons belief and helps build self-confidence and stimulates courage †¢Courage – willingness to act even when fearful in ways that are consistent with social nterest †¢Goals: Fostering social interest, helping clients overcome feelings of discouragement and inferiority, modifying clients views and goals (changing their lifestyle), changing faulty motivation, encouraging the individual to recognize equality among people, helping people to become contributing members of society. Therapists look for major mistakes in thinking/values ie mistrust selfishness u nrealistic ambition lack of confidence †¢Therapists determine early social influences through a family constellation †¢Early recollections also used as assessment – They are stories of events that a person SAYS occurred before 10 years of age – Useful to help understand the client †¢Process of gathering early recollections is part of lifestyle assessment, learning understanding goals and motivations of client †¢Dreams help bring problems to surface and points to patients movement †¢Adlerian counselling focus on desired outcomes Private Logic – concepts about self, others, and life that constitute the philosophy on which an individuals life style is based †¢Steps in therapy : Establish proper therapeutic relationship; Explore the psychological dynamics operating in the client (an assessment); Encourage the development of self-understanding (insight into purpose); Help the client make new choices (reorientation and reeducation). Label led as Adlerian brief therapy †¢Step 1 – Establish Relationship – seek to make person to person contact with clients rather then starting with problem.Initial focus on person, not problem. Therapists provide support. Pay more attention to subjective experiences of clients than techniques. †¢Step 2 – Explore individuals psychological dynamics – deeper understanding of indivduals lifestyle. Proceeds from two interview forms, subjective interview and objective interview. Subjective interview, counsellor helps client tell his/her life story as completely as possible.Throughout interview, listen for purposive aspects of clients coping and approaches to life, extract patterns and develop hypotheses about what works for client. Often end subjective interview with question, â€Å"how would your life be different, what would you be doing differently if problem was not present†. Objective interview discovers information about how the problem began, any precipitating events, medial history, social history, reasons client chose therapy at this time, persons coping with life tasks, lifestyle assessment †¢Adler suggests it was hrough family constellation that each person forms his unique view of self others and life †¢Adlerian assessment relies on exploration of clients family constellation †¢Adler reasoned that out of the millions of early memories, we will remember the special ones that project essential convictions †¢Use early recollectio9n to assess persons convictions of self, others life, ethics, assessment of clients stance in relation to the counselling session and counselling relationship, verification of coping patterns, assessment of individual strengths assets and interfering ideas †¢After gathering info from both types of interviews, integration and summary is next †¢General mistakes: Overgeneralization, False or impossible goals of security, Misperceptions of life and lifes demands, min imization or denial of ones basic worth, faulty values. Phase 3 : Encourage Self-Understanding and Insight – Self understanding only possible when hidden purposes and goals of behaviour are made conscious. Interpretation deals with clients underlying motives for behaving the way they do in present. Adlerian interpretation usually are hunches and gusses. †¢Phase 4 – Reorientation and Reeducation – Focuses on helping people discover new and more functional perspectives. Clients encouraged to develop courage to take risks and make changes in their lives. Want to guide patients into the useful side of life at this point ( contributing to society, confidence, acceptance of imperfection, courage etc). Encouragement very important in this step. †¢Encouragement process helps build courage.Encouragement involves showing faith in people, expecting them to assume responsibility for their lives, and valuing them for who they are. †¢Discouragement is basic con dition that prevents people from functioning, encouragement is the antidote. †¢Clients make decisions and modify their goals in reorientation stage. Commitment very essential if they want to change. †¢Counsellors seek to make difference in lives of their clients. †¢Focus more on motivation modification rather then behavioural change. †¢Based on a growth model, not medical model †¢Flexible Chapter 6 Existential Therapy †¢More of a way of thinking than any style of psychotherapy †¢Neither ndependent nor separate school of therapy, nor neatly defined model with specific techniques †¢Best described as a philosophical approach which influences a counsellors therapeutic practice †¢Grounded on assumption that we’re free, therefore responsible for all our choices and actions, we are authors of our lives and design the pathways we follow †¢Rejects deterministic view of human nature espoused by psychoanalysis (Psychonanalysis sees freed om resitrcted by unconscious forces, irrational drives, past events, while behaviourists see freedom restricted by socioculture conditioning) †¢We are not victims of circumstances because we are what we choose to be. †¢Aim of therapy is to encourage clients to reflect on life, recognize their range of alternatives and decide amongst them. â€Å"Once individuals recognize their role in creating their own life situation, they realize they have the power to change it† †¢One of the aims is to challenge people to stop deceiving themselves regarding their lack of responsibility for whats happening to them and their excessive demands on life †¢Doesn’t view client as ill, and curing them like a medical model, but rather sick of life or clumsy at living. Attention given to clients present experiences with goal of helping them develop a greater presence in their life quest †¢Basic task to encourage clients to explore all their options for creating meanin gful existence †¢European existential perspective focused on human limitations + tragic dimensions of life †¢Soren Kierkegaard – primary concern of angst ( lies between dread and anxiety) Need knowledge of angst to become human. Need the willingness to risk a leap of faith in making choices †¢Freidrich Nietzsche – Importance of subjectivity. Kierkegard and Nietzsche considered originators of existential perspective †¢Martin Heidegger – We exist in the world, don’t try to think of ourselves as being apart from the world which were thrown †¢Moods and feelings are a way of understanding whether were living authentically or not.Phenomenology provides a view of human history that doesn’t focus on past events but motivates individuals to look forward to authentic experiences †¢Jean-Paul Sartre – Failure to acknowledge our freedom and choices results in emotional problems. Freedom is hard to face up to, invent excuses in bad faith. Existence is not fixed nor finished, when attempting to pin down who we are, we engage in self deception †¢Martin Buber – Humans live in â€Å"betweenness†, never just an I but always an other. Stresses Presence, which enables true I/Thou relationships; Allows for meaning to exist in a situation; Enables an individual to be responsible in the present. When a client therapist relationship becomes equal, we become dialogic †¢Ludwig Binswanger – Addresses relationship between person and his/her environment. â€Å"Thrown into the world† but still responsible for our choices and planning for future.Existential analysis emphasizes the subjective and spiritual dimensions of human existence. †¢Medard Boss – Being-in-the-world, aboility to reflect on life events and attribute meaning to these events. Therapist must enter clients subjective world without presuppositions. †¢Key figure Viktor Frankl for Existential Psychothera py †¢Many people have means to live, but no meaning to live for. Therapeutic process aimed at challenging individuals to find meaning and purpose through suffering work and love †¢Therapist must be in touch with his own phenomenological world †¢Givens of existence : death freedom, responsibility, existential isolation, and meaninglessness. Bases therapy based on understanding of what it means to be human †¢Focus on the individuals experience of being in the world alone and facing anxiety of the isolation †¢Believe humans are in constant state of transition, emerging, evolving, and becoming. †¢Basic dimensions of human condition: Capacity for self-awareness; freedom and responsibility; creating one’s identity and establishing meaningful relationships with others; the search for meaning, purpose, values, and goals; anxiety as a condition of living; awareness of death and nonbeing. †¢Capacity for Self-Awareness – Can reflect and make cho ices as we are capable of self awareness. Greater the awareness, greater the possibilities for freedom.Capacity to live fully expands as we expand awareness on areas such as: were finite and don’t have unlimited time to do what we want; potential to take action or not to act; choose our actions; meaning is discovering how were situated in the world then living creatively; increase our sense of responsibility for consequences of choices through increased awareness; subject to loneliness, meaninglessness, emptiness, guilt and isolation; alone, yet we have an opportunity to relate to others. Decision to expand fundamental to human growth. Increasing self awareness goal for all therapy †¢Freedom and Responsibility – freedom implies responsibility for our own lives. Existential guilt is being aware of having evaded commitment or choosing not to choose.Authenticity implies were living by being true to our own evaluations of what a valuable existence is to oneself. Being free and being human are the same. Assuming responsibility is the basis for change. †¢Striving for Identity and Relationship to Others – Creating an identity requires courage, strive for connectedness with others. Awareness of our finite nature gives us appreciation of ultimate concerns. Courage entails the will to move forward in spite of anxiety producing situations. Self awareness can help make everything easier for the client, and clients having the courage to admit things is a good indicator. Strength of aloneness, isolation.A function of therapy is to help clients distinguish between a neurotically dependent attachment to another and a life affirming relationship in which both persons are enhanced. Fear of dealing with aloneness can cause one being trapped. †¢Search for meaning – Existential therapy can provide framework for helping clients challenge the meaning in their lives. Therapists trust is important in helping clients trust their own capacity t o discover a new source of values. Meaninglessness in life can lead to emptiness and hollowness, or a existential vacuum. Often happens when people are not busying themselves. Establishing values that are part of a meaningful life are issues that become the heart of counselling. Logotherapy designed to help clients find a meaning in life.Therapist should be pointing out clients can discover meaning even in suffering. Shows human suffering can be turned to human achievement. Like pleasure, meaning must be pursued obliquely. †¢Anxiety as a condition of living – Anxiety arises from personal strivings to survive and maintain and assert one’s being. Existential anxiety is the unavoidable result of being confronted with givens of existence – death, freedom, choice, isolation, meaninglessness. Existential anxiety can be a stimulus for growth. Anxiety can indicate when a person is ready for personal change. Can’t survive without anxiety. Neurotic anxiety is out of proportion to the situation, not aware of it, and tends to immobilize a person.Van deurzen says that existential therapy not to make life seem easier or more comfortable, but to encourage clients to recognize and deal with sources of their insecurity and anxiety. More self confidence leads to less anxiety. †¢Awareness of Death and Nonbeing – Death is not negatively, but hold awareness to death as a basic human condition which gives significance to living. Necessary to think of death when thinking significantly of life. Death should be a motivation to live fully. Awareness of death is a source for zest for life and creativity. People who fear death fear life. Realization of death makes us realize more clearly our actions count, we have choices, we must accept responsibility for how well we are living. Existential therapy considered an invitation to clients to recognize the ways in which they aren’t living a fully authentic life and to help them make choices that will lead to what they are capable of being. †¢Assist clients moving toward authenticity and learning to recognize when they are deceiving themselves †¢No escape from freedom, we are always responsible †¢Helps clients face anxiety and engage in action that is based on the authentic purpose of creating a worthy existence †¢Teach clients to listen to what they know of themselves †¢Assist clients in recognizing they aren’t fully present in therapy and to show them how the pattern may limit them outside of therapy; support clients in confronting anxieties; help clients redefine themselves †¢Increased awareness is central goal †¢Therapist need to understand subjective world of client Clients are expected to go out into world and decide how they’ll live differently and must be active in therapy process, as they must decide what fears guilt and anxieties they will explore †¢Major themes of therapy sessions include anxiety, freedom, responsibility, search for identity, living authentically, isolation, alienation, death and its implications for living, continual search for meaning. Assist people in facing life with courage hope and a willingness to find meaning in life †¢Therapists strive to create caring and intimate relationships with clients, core of the relationship is respect. Display genuine concern and empathy. †¢Not technique oriented †¢Priority to understand the clients world. †¢In initial phase, therapist assists clients in identifying and clarifying assumptions of the world. †¢In middle phase, clients encouraged to fully examine source and authority of their present value system. Final phase focuses on helping people take what they are learning of themselves and put it into action †¢Appropriate for people with developmental crises, experiencing grief and loss, confronting death, facing a major life decision †¢Most appropriate for clients that are commited to dealing with their problems about living and for people who feel alienated from the current expectations of society or those searching for the meaning of their lives †¢Highly relevant in multicultural context, doesn’t have a particular way of viewing or relating to reality, broad perspective †¢Main limitation is the level of maturity, life experience, and intensive training that’s required of practitioners. Chapter 1, 2, 3 †¢Counselor must be authentic and shed stereotypes, otherwise client will keep themselves hidden †¢Therapists serve as models for clients, clients will take from us. Effective therapists have: Identity, respect and appreciate themselves, open to change, make choices that are life oriented, authentic, sincere, honest, sense of humor, make mistakes and willing to admit them, live in present, appreciate influence of culture, have sincere interest in welfare of others, effective interpersonal skills, deeply involved in their work, are passio nate, able to maintain healthy boundaries †¢Having been a patient first greatly contributes to being a counsellor †¢Counsellors role is to create a climate in which clients can express themselves and arrive at solutions that are best for them, and their values not your own. †¢Mandatory ethics – view of ethical practice that deals with the minimum level of professional practice †¢Aspirational ethics – higher level of ethical practice that addresses doing what is in the best interest of clients †¢Positive ethics – do their best for clients rather than simply meet minimum standards to stay out of trouble †¢Difficult to strike a balance for informed consent †¢

Maximizing the Professional Performance and Learning Rate Essay

Maximizing the Professional Performance and Learning Rate - Essay Example In my role as Head of Dance, I picked up on many of the technical and inner workings of management. As part of my position I was required to report to both Managers and Directors meetings and had to learn to work within the people above me. You learn how to report back to them your successes as well as your failures, and I learned to always keep them aware of what was going on inside my department. I also got to attend many seminars, including some held by Trinity College, London, Council for Dance Education and Training, Learning Skills Council, Dance UK, and the Music and Dance Scheme. I then got to report back my findings from these seminars to the â€Å"higher-ups† and learned how to easily and casually report things you have learned in a management setting. One of the jobs I found I simply picked up on as was never taught is the skill of organizing and documenting everything, and doing so in an accurate and clear way. Now, truth be told, simply working with documents and passing papers is a task that I wasn’t too fond of, and I don’t think there are many people who live simply to keep records. However, despite this, I had to adapt, overcome, and do the tedious work of keeping accurate records. I learned through experience that it is important to keep these records precise for future needs, some of which could even be down the road legal problems. I also learned how important it was to keep the confidentiality of all records as it should be, as that is also an important legal proceeding to keep in mind.

Sensation and Preception Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Sensation and Preception - Essay Example Driving is another instance where sensation and perception is vital to our well-being. Determining our distance in relation to a structure, or another vehicle, is particularly important for our safety, and the safety of others with whom we share the road. These are two instances, in which these processes are necessary to ensure our survival during our normal, everyday lives. During the viewing of this video, my perception of sensory stimuli was noticeably changed on numerous occasions. The most notable of these, was the screen that appeared to be a darker shade of gray on the left half. This was most intriguing, because when the sensory stimuli was altered by simply covering the center boundary, the only area in which a difference in shade was actually present, both halves of the screen were proven to be identical in color. In retrospect, even though one is aware of there being no actual difference, aside from the center boundary, we still get the sensation that there is a slight dif ference in brightness or color. This phenomenon, referred to as subjective contours, is explained as the brain’s tendency to detect a slight difference in the sensory stimuli, in this case the slight color variation, and to over-extend that variation, therefore registering a pattern that does not exist.

Global Studies Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Global Studies - Essay Example Whereas inclusive political and economic organizations encourage economic success, extractive ones justify the reason a few countries are poor. This essay intensely covers a study of two nations; China and South Africa, discussing the way organizations play an important function in the country’s growth. Application of their organizational breakdown in the international and regional ranks could provide more imminent in terms of the effects of organizations on growth. South Africa as a Developing Nation The below data study is in South Africa as a developing nation and the way its inclusive institutions have contributed to its growth. The South African tale introduces a puzzle. Its combined economy consists of sections that Acemoglu and Robinson could apply referring to it as â€Å"circular flow†. This vibrant economy consists of producers, mining and services adjusted segment that is internationally involved1. A few institutions in the production and service segments are involved in commodity innovation and R&D venture ruled by the commercial segment as Acemoglu and Robinson argues. However, South Africa as well introduces a huge segment of the casual economy, where innovation could most likely be happening. Depending on the World Bank Indicators, during the initial quarter of 2012, there existed 2.1 million individuals in South Africa active in the casual economy; exempting the agricultural segment, contrasted to 9.5 million in the non-agricultural official segment. Out of the 2.1 million, 1.2 were males and simply more than 857, 000 were females2. The nation is precisely classified like a dual economy with disparities in salaries and availability of social capital according to Acemoglu and Robinson (A&R 84). Acemoglu and Robinson claim that from the inception of democracy during 1994, all ANC governments have passed laws (or continue to pass laws) different steps to deal with disparities. To change workforce markets, Employment Equity and Affirma tive Action, Basic Condition of Employment Acts were enacted that prioritized most blacks and females who were ignored during the apartheid government. A wide founded Black Economic Empowerment (BEE) was enacted under the Mbeki regime, to spread and withhold capital from white power. Sarcasm remained leveled against previous head of state Mbeki and the present one Zuma, as benefaction and clientilist associations yet rule the negligible black leader that is yet extra minor a cluster to become its individual class. Acemoglu and Robinson argue that the latest established National Development Plan more confirmed that freeing workforce markets without tackling other characteristics would cause greater profits without rises in venture, innovation or employment. The regime prolonged the Public Works schedule to handle the knowledge deficiency and accommodate the jobless into the normal economy. South Africa as well has a non-causal donation scheme, which has aimed rural females, susceptib le siblings, and the physically challenged. Although the arrangements to lower poverty and disparity, Acemoglu and Robinson claim that organizational legacies from the apartheid period and administrative rules in the democratic period persist to polarize South Africans. It is accounted that Limpopo province contains the biggest comparative casual economy; 34% of the whole economic function that happens in this segment. Casual employment is as well of substantial significance in Mpumalanga, the Eastern Cape,

Leith Agency Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Leith Agency - Case Study Example This is clearly evident in the Tennents Lager, a beer brand in Scotland, wherein it had good market share with one out of four pints consumed, but it wasn't popular among younger population. The question why younger lots were not drinking the Tennents Lager was a critical incident and the challenge was to make them believe that it was their brand (Lieth Agency case study). Lieth Agency can identify the critical incidents in the similar manner by analyzing the product and its marketability as in the above mentioned case. It is necessary to assess customer satisfaction as it is the best lead indicator of future loyalty as mentioned by Hill et al (2003:3). It is further stated that customer satisfaction will enable to know whether their expectations have been met, identify priorities for improvement for customer satisfaction and set goals for service improvement and monitor progress against a customer satisfaction index. Customer satisfaction is measure of how your organizations "total product" performs in relation to a set of customer requirements. (Hill et al, 2003:6). Similarly Vavra (1997:3) states that customer satisfaction measurement is formalized, objective tool for assessing how a business treats its clients and employees as well who testify that an organization is quality oriented. In regard to Leith Agency, the company can assess its customer satisfaction through product survey and its improvement index in terms of sales and its market share after the campaign. This will give an insight int o the effect of advertising campaign on the particular product which will in turn help in assessing the customer satisfaction. Merits of Servicescape Framework The concept of a servicescape developed by Booms and Bitner emphasizes the impact of the physical environment in which a service process takes place (Ghanghas,M n.d) wherein it plays an important role, both negative and positive, in customer's impression formation (Lin, 2004:163-178). According to Lin (2004), servicescapes are an important tangible component of the service product that provide clues to customers and create an immediate perpetual image in customers' minds. At Leith Agency, customers can encounter interpersonal servicescape as the company has to provide few ideas and samples of the ad campaign, discuss the changes required and then strike a deal while completing talks in financial matters. The framework plays important roles as package, wherein the customer is allowed to see a sample of their product or what they are going to get, so that client gets what he wants; facilitator, providing equal opportunities for both customers and service employees; socializer, providing cordial and friendly atmosphere to the customers in the office and differentiator, wherein the appearance and ambience of the workplace leaves an overall impression on the customers and provides pleasant atmosphere for its employees to work (Ghanghas, M, n.d).. The merits of servicescapes as mentioned above like package, facilitator, socialzer and differentiator will be helpful to the agency in developing a cordial atmosphere among its employees and making it stand apart from its competitors. Moreover, a difference in the type of working and ambience is itself a creative thinking which may entice the existing and future customers. References 1. CALT Learning (2007)

Diplomatic negotiation and conflict resolution in the Asian Essay

Diplomatic negotiation and conflict resolution in the Asian multilateral arena - Essay Example One of the first such associations to come into existence was the APEC (Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation), which still symbolizes the earliest notions of multilateralism in the region. Earlier, nations in Southeast Asia had formed the ASEAN (Association of South east Asian nations), which was however limited in terms of influence, thereby falling short of addressing economic and political issues from a broader Asian perspective (Kent Calder, 2008). During the recent years, political events in the former Soviet Union resulted in dramatic changes and the formation of new republics that made up the larger part of Central Asia. All these countries along with Russia and China as the other Asian partners make up the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO). The amount of diplomacy that has gone into creating associations such as the APEC and SCO has been unprecedented and have thus helped bring cast and diverse parts of Asia into a common fold. Such associations have little to do with any kind of pedigree. Further, there are no weak instincts whatsoever that have resulted in any surrender of sovereignty on the part of member states in achieving the much need foothold in multilateralism (Stewart Patrick, 2002). Further, there have been several areas of friction among members states in such associations such as in the case of China and Taiwan. However, most of these gatherings have had to do a lot with economic ambitions and as such have endured the test of time. Taiwan and China, which are viewed as foes, continue to remain members of APEC on a common platform, which has been one of the ways of preventing both from indulging in diplomatic standoffs with each other. Although the final mandate of the APEC, ASEAN and SCO is largely limited to fighting terrorism and liberalization of trade, many have mutually created opportunities for bilateral negotiations at a lower level. This is also one of the reasons due to which countries try to resolve differences on

Affluent Society 1950 Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Affluent Society 1950 - Term Paper Example During the World War, Roosevelt declared Detroit as Arsenal of Democracy. Most of the American males were involved in War and women were also called to develop weapons in Arsenal of democracy. Subsequently, unemployed had already dropped suddenly. On the other hand, America fortunately did not lose much of its assets during war. As the World War ended American businessman saw an open world to market it out whatever goods they could make. Rest of the world was somehow under deep requirements to overcome from damages that had hurt international economy quite badly. As DeGrasse (1981) puts factually: Before the World War, United States was mired in the great depression. Unemployment which had been as high as 24.9 in 1933 still averaged 14.6 in 1944. During the World War unemployment dropped rapidly. In 1942 it averaged 4.7 and in 1944 it reaches wartime 1.2. As a result, a number of populations had got various jobs in overwhelming economy that created a booming middle class. Earlier thi s boom could not be recognized so clearly. However, as American Business expanded through the world, this class continued to spread. Further, it became the base of future economic and marketing development of American society which helped America to soon reach at the status of an economic superpower.

Writing A Critique -Patient and nurse accounts of violent incidents in Essay

Writing A Critique -Patient and nurse accounts of violent incidents in Medium Secure units - Essay Example They have researched and presented papers in similar topics before. They have appropriate professional qualifications and clinical experience to conduct a study of this type and magnitude and deliver this paper. There is an abstract included in the paper. It is structured, short and to the point, summarizing the study and the main findings. The abstract gives crisp information about the study undertaken, Ethics Committee permissions, the methodology of study and analyses. However, there is no mention of the outcome of the study. Infact, there is no proper conclusion in the abstract. The introduction clearly presents the background of the study. The authors have clearly elaborated the importance of studying violent incidents in a forensic setting. The purpose of the study is relevant and clearly stated. The latest articles discussing these issues, prior to the commencement of the study were studied and compared with. There is no research question asked in this study. This study is only an account of the violent incidents in a forensic setting. The literature review is up-to-date. It does identify the underlying theoretical frameworks. Literature review supports the objective of the study. It presents a balanced evaluation material supporting the proposal in the study. The objective of the study is to understand the nurses and patients perspective of violent incidents in the medium secure unit. The research questions asked in this study are: 1. "In what ways do patients and nurses describe violent incidents?" 2. What categories of analysis may be observed in their accounts? The methodology section clearly states the research approach to be used. The study design is that of qualitative research. This type of study was chosen to understand the subjective realities and to describe, interpret and understand the

The American Revolution Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words - 1

The American Revolution - Research Paper Example Even though the Great Awakening was a reaction to the Enlightenment it also emphasized on individual freedom, equality and questioning spirit. It can also be seen that the enlightenment thoughts and the spirit of the great awakening also helped the Americans to form a shared common identity and culture which kept them united amidst crippling governmental policies. This paper seeks to explore the major causes of American Revolution and in doing so the paper evaluates how the effects of French and Indian war, philosophies of enlightenment and great awakening, American culture and identity, and imperial policies and taxations after 1783 have contributed towards the great rebellion. Effects of French and Indian War A probe into history clearly demonstrates that the huge financial burden that Britain suffered in spite of winning the French and Indian war was the starting point that triggered the American Revolution. The seven years’ war came to an end with the Treaty of Paris on Fe bruary 10, 1763 whereby France was forced to yield Canada to Britain in return for Guadeloupe and Martinique. Even though Britain and its allies were victorious the long war plunged Britain into great financial debt. As pointed out by Hickman, it was â€Å"in an effort to alleviate these financial burdens, the government in London began exploring various options for raising revenues† (Hickman) and this resulted in a number of colonial policies and legislations among American colonies. Thus, â€Å"the revolution was caused primarily by the mercantile policy by means of which Great Britain sought to monopolize the trade of her colonies for the benefit of the people of the home country† (Johnson/hist Commerce V1123). With this view in mind, the British parliament imposed a number of legislations and taxations on the American colonists. Some of the major acts, in this respect, consist of the Proclamation of 1763, Sugar Act of 1764, the Currency Act of 1764, the Quartering Act of 1765, the Stamp Act of 1765, Townshend Acts of 1770, the Tea Act of 1773, and the intolerable Acts of 1774. All these acts curtailed the liberty of the colonists and made their life miserable. These colonial policies not only created unrest and dissatisfaction but also caused a sense of unity and identity among the colonists under the revolutionary leaders. Effects of Philosophies of the Enlightenment and the Great Awakening The philosophies of the enlightenment and the great awakening contributed immensely to the American War of Independence. Many of the revolutionary leaders got inspired by the Enlightenment philosophical ideas of Thomas Hobbes, John Locke, Jean-Jacques Rousseau, and Montesquieu and it is from these enlightenment leaders that they imbibed â€Å"the concepts of the social contract, limited government, the consent of the governed, and separation of powers† (Kelly). The political theories and principles of the colonial leaders were strongly rooted in th e postulations of these European enlightenment leaders. This has been pointed out by Wilson and Reill when the authors observe that the intellectual strands of the Enlightenment thinkers are â€Å"merged in the works of writers such as Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Paine, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, John Jay, Samuel Adams, Richard Price, and Joseph Priestley to create theoretical support for

Career Development in Insurance Sector Essay Example for Free

Career Development in Insurance Sector Essay Potential for career development in insurance sector is most vibrant topic today. One Million plus persons are working today as an employees in Insurance sector and 5 Million plus persons are associated with this sector as Agents, Consultants, Surveyors, Loss Assessors, Underwriters, Claim Settlers, Salvage Dealers, Brokers, Sub-brokers, etc etc. The growth rate in Insurance Sector is more than 20% in last 3 years. There is huge potential for development in Insurance sector. The sector is under developed and penetration of insurance is very very low in the country compared to other developing and developed countries. India is leading towards one of the strongest economy of the world by 2020 and it is international phenomenon that insurance sector always booms along with growing economy. Insurance Services are the foundation for smooth functioning of all business commercial activities. Insurance is the backbone of overall economy of the country. For the developing country like India where growth of the economy is at double digit rate, Insurance talent is inevitable. All Industries in this scenario can be monetarily well protected from all types of catastrophic and manmade risks. Insurance is a vehicle for growth in growing economies. The whole world is looking at India as one of the giant and Asian tiger in next 8 to 10 years. All this is true. But very interesting fact of the today is that no one is aware about the exact potential of career development and opportunities in Insurance Sector. This article is dedicated to find the facts and figures about career development opportunities in Insurance Sector in India. This is an effort to enlighten and guide the readers, employees, students, stake holders to understand the facts and facets of insurance sector and how one can develop long term career in Insurance Sector. The article will review all aspects of insurance sector and discuss †¢ Opportunities for Career Development †¢ Growth potential in Insurance Sector †¢ Changing Scenario of Insurance Sector †¢ Manpower Skill Sets Required by Insurance Sector †¢ Regulatory Changes in Insurance Sector †¢ New trends and Developments †¢ International Impacts †¢ Present Academic Scenario †¢ Available Educational Facilities †¢ Recent Educational Academic Developments †¢ Speed and growth cycles of career enhancement in Insurance Sector †¢ Salary Packages at Entry Levels, Middle Level and Top Level †¢ How to improve Employibility and Skill Sets †¢ Career Opportunities Outside India †¢ Subsectors in Insurance for Career Development †¢ Preparing Career Development Path in Insurance Sector †¢ Challenges Opportunities for Career Development in Insurance Sector, †¢ FAQs i.e. Frequently Asked Questions @ Career Opportunities in Insurance Sector, etc After 25 years of experience in Insurance Sector and witnessing the changing scenario of insurance sector after IRDA, I have noticed that the present and future workforce in Insurance sector is totally puzzled about the career enhancement and confused to find a road map for growth. Thousands of Career Fairs Exhibitions across the country are covering all sectors for career opportunities like IT, BPO, ITES, Engineering, Automobile, Management, Finance, Medical, Health Care, Accounts, Law, Company affairs, etc, nobody is talking about insurance sector for career development. People believe that insurance is a small part of finance sector and it need not be cared beyond mere selling of insurance produc ts. Unfortunately I have to state that working employees, students, parents, media, academicians, colleges, universities, top executives of insurance sector and society as a whole are not aware about the exact potential and scope of career enhancement in Insurance Sector. Working in insurance sector is always a secondary thought and society hesitate to honour career in insurance sector. Association in insurance activity is always presumed as below status career. This prejudice attitude towards insurance sector is a great harm for new entrants and career growth of current workforce. This is ironical that due to this negative attitude, the new generation is neglecting and under estimating a golden opportunity of developing gorgeous career in insurance sector. It is more unfortunate that after more than 100 years of commencement of insurance business activity in our country, the academicians, regulators and top executives in Insurance Sector have ignored the need and importance of improving the brand image of insurance sector. Growth Potential in Insurance Sector in India * Insurance is one of the fastest growing sector in India. Hardly 6 % of the population of the country has covered by life Insurance. The penetration is as low as 0.9 % in general insurance. Health Insurance has reached to merely 3 % of the population. In country like USA, where the population is @ 35 Crores, there are more than 6000 companies are engaged in insurance business. In India, population is more than 110 crores and hardly 52 companies are working in Insurance Sector. If we assume that only 50% population is insurable, still we need 10,000 companies to cater the need of 55 Crore people. Only Life Insurance sector has grown to certain extent and people say that I wish to purchase LIC policy for my car or LIC policy for stocks in my factory. Only compulsory policies of general insurance sector have been sold like motor policies and fire and industrial policies. Large number of general insurance products are not even known to the employees of general insurance companies. Thanks to electro mechanical equipments, scientific development and commercialization of medical profession, health insurance penetration has reached to 3 % of population. Still this number is very poor comparing to developed countries. Central Government has targeted Life Insurance Penetration to 40 %, Health Insurance at 30 % and General Insurance at 15 % of the population by 2030. This will create very huge potential for development in insurance Sector. The insurance business was merely 12 Billion US $ by 2000 which has reached to approximately 100 Billion US $ by 2012 and is now expected to grow 1000 Billion US $ by 2020 and 5000 Billion US $ by 2030. * Approval of Bill of 49% FDI in Insurance sector is long awaited. Once it is enacted, the number of insurance companies may rise to @ 150 to 200 in next 7-8 years. There is immense potential for insurance industry to grow. At present there are 24 Life, 27 Non Life and 1 Reinsurance, thus total 52 Insurance companies are in insurance business. Out of this, 4 companies are working exclusively as Health Insurance Companies. 334 insurance broking companies, 800+ corporate agents and thousands of banks have entered in insurance business. Third Party Administer (TPAs) Companies in Health Sector are 29 and TPAs growing in Automobile and Legal Sector. The specialized functions in insurance sector are slowly outsourced and lot many new companies will enter in this area. International insurance surveyors, loss assessors, adjuster, underwriters, claim settlers, have already entered in India and expanding their business activities. Even the world insurance and finance giants like Warren Buffet, Lloyds, Munich Re, Swiss Re, have entered in India. * Health insurance is developing as separate branch of Insurance. It is expected that the number of health insurance companies will be equal to the number of life insurance companies in near future. Bancassurance is also developing as Separate branch of Insurance. People is India have more faith in banks than insurance agents. Many banks have already entered into insurance business and lot more in pipeline. Banks find insurance as growth vehicle. At present only GIC of India is the reinsurance company in the country. But government is now thinking over allowing many more international reinsurance companies in India. In few years, we may find 5 independent branches of insurance in India as Life, General, Health, Bancassurance Reinsurance. * India is becoming Insurance Hub of the world. Giant insurance companies from across the globe are outsourcing core insurance functions to India. IT infrastructure in the country and new generation Indian Talent are attracting world insurance business for core functions for cost effective solutions. Indian software companies are leading in this race. Even BPO in Insurance Sector is growing very fast. All this require technical and domain skills sets of Insurance functions. This IT, ITES and BPO business in Insurance Sector from outside India is expected to rise to 1000 Billion US $ by 2025 It is believed that next boom is in insurance sector. Insurance will play key role in boosting economy further. In India, next 25 years will be dominated by Insurance Sector. The growth is expected at horizontal as well as vertical levels. It will be from inside the country and from outside the country. Changing Scenario in Insurance Business in India * Insurance was strictly dominated by Agents and Development officers till 2000. But IRDA has opened up new distribution channels such as Corporate Agent, Insurance Broker, Bancassurance, Mallasurance, Online Sale of Insurance, Direct Sale, etc. These new channels are growth engines of the insurance industry. One interesting aspect of this growth is that Insurance Sector is heading towards SERVICING from merely Selling. The mantra of â€Å"Sell it and Forget it† is now converting as â€Å"Service Retain Client†. This requires Core insurance knowledge and not merely Selling Expertise. * The commission rates of insurance agents are slowly getting downward trend. The servicing of client is now taken care by customer servicing department. The Technology has now key role in policyholders servicing and provides better knowledge and expertise than agents. Companies are now offering new gate ways for renewal commissions like through internet banking, ATMs, ECS, Mobile banking, etc. It has reduced the dependency of policyholders on agents for timely renewal of existing policies. * Government is slowly removing the Income Tax rebates from insurance policies. It has already signaled the same and introduced few provisions in current budget by restricting the percentage of amount of premium with the sum assured of any policy. * Product Development and new innovative policies has changed the olden rules of the selling game. Merely begging for insurance or forcing a policy will not exist anymore. The 35 % commissioned policy selling dominance will be eroded. . * Insurance is Risk Cover or Investment is a matter of debate but common policyholder is now diverting to PURE Insurance products such as Term Insurance. The ULIP Story between IRDA and SEBI has focused on a need of domain insurance talent. * There is certainly reasonable improvement in policyholder’s awareness and knowledge about insurance. Government, IRDA and NGOs like FIBLI, insurance companies and related stake holders are concentrating on customer education, literacy and awareness about insurance products and services through advertisements, seminars, workshops, comics, e-literature, animated films, etc. * As Insurance need is vertical as well as horizontal, the insurance business is spreading across the country. Insurance companies are focusing and spreading network in rural markets as it has huge potential. Technological development is helping this drive of rural expansion. * Health Insurance and Bancassurance sectors will grow drastically. General Insurance Sector will also develop. In life Insurance Sector, Term Insurance Business will dominate. * In future, Online Insurance will have a key role in new business. * It will be difficult to get insurance claims in future. There will be huge scope for Claim consultants who will help people to get insurance claims. * Insurance sector will slowly dominate the economy and there will be overall developments in insurance sector. There will huge revenue generation form insurance business in India as well as outsourced insurance business from outside India. Employability Potential in Insurance Sector As insurance sector is growing with 20% rate, there will be a huge requirement of Insurance professionals in the country. * NSDC Report – National Skill Development Corporation has estimated the job creations of 2 Million persons in insurance and banking sector by 2021 in its latest report. * CII Report The recent survey of Confederation of Indian Industries estimated that there is a need of @ 21 lakhs insurance educated employees by 2025. * ASSOCHEM Report on Insurance Sector – It has pointed out on employability potential in Insurance Sector in its latest report. The report has estimated manpower requirement to be 30 Lakhs by 2030. The job creation in insurance sector will be across the country as insurance business is spreading across the country. The innovative distribution channels will play a vital role in insurance penetration and of course, technology will be a great supportive tool for this development. The manpower is required across the country. Insurance companies, banks and financial services providers are focusing and spreading network in rural markets as it has huge potential. It will generate huge employability not only at Metro and urban areas but at semi urban and rural levels, too. At present there are 52 companies, 334 brokers, 1200 + banks, 29 TPAs, 2000 IT, ITES BPO companies, 400 surveyor and other insurance services provider companies are working in India. The number will rise to double or triple in next 8 to 10 years. These companies will have offices across the country and will generate jobs across the country. Career Development Path in Insurance Sector Till IRDA, insurance career was dominated by selling activity. It is the assumed misconception that any career in insurance sector will have to be connected with selling of insurance products. The Insurance Agents and Development Officers community in the country has coloured insurance policy selling with either begging of insurance or forcing for insurance. The rebating in insurance premium has eroded insurance profession as under privileged one. After IRDA and entry of corporate insurance companies, the face of insurance career was always compared with the face of poor insurance agent. Career in Insurance was always neglected one and approach towards it was one of the ridiculous one. But the situation is now changing drastically. Career in Insurance is not merely a selling activity. Insurance Sector require domain technical knowledge. The employees with core insurance competency can only grow henceforth. After a decade of privatization, corporate companies have understood that insurance is not a FMCG product and one must possess technical skills and fundamental knowledge to exist grow in this market. Servicing will be key for growth and for this, one require domain expertise. For new entrants, any graduation with specialized diploma in insurance domain like underwriting, claims, motor insurance, health insurance, bancassurance, reinsurance, liability insurance, aviation insurance, engineering insurance, agricultural insurance, marine insurance, etc will be helpful to enter in insurance sector. One has to improve his academic qualification and scope of skills by adding various diplomas from various streams of insurance. As one grows with experience, this academic excellence and expansion will improve his employibilty and scope of promotions and growth. For existing employees, one has to improve his academic position along with experience. Mere experience will not help beyond certain limit. As we expect 49 % FDI and steep increase in number of insurance companies, the existing employees will have clear advantage to grow. But for this, they must obtain domains skills and competency through academic enhancement. The present employee in insurance sector should focus on overall and multi dimensional development in his capacities, skill sets and academic qualifications. The candidate with multifaceted core skills will have better opportunities over general candidate. He should not limit himself only to underwriting or claims. He should always seek for more and more knowledge. One can select a sector of insurance like Life or general or health for developing his career path but he should be equipped with qualifications and skills of other sectors also. It will widen the scope of opportunities available to him. Salary Packages In Insurance Sector As per the present scenario in Insurance Sector, one may join insurance company at entry level with a annual package of @ Rs.1.2 lakh to 1.5 Lakh. He may be designated as Associate or Assistant. In 3-4 years, he may grow to higher position with a scale of Rs. 3 to 4 Lakhs if he has academic qualifications with experience. After 6-8 years after joining insurance, one may easily grow to annual package of 7 to 10 Lakhs. After 12 to 15 years, one may dream to annual package of Rs.15 to 20 Lakhs. Of course, this needs academic up gradation and continuous improvement of domain skills. This trend may continue for next 20 years as there is long term and inside outside country potential. The speed of career growth and expansion is smooth and fast in insurance sector than perhaps any other sector in the country. But it needs hard work, academic excellence and aggressive approach towards opportunities. I will share one practical example here. The employees who joined insurance sector in the newly entrant companies like Bajaj Allianz, HDFC, ICICI etc between 2001 to 2003 were drawing annual salary package of 1.5 to 2.5 lakhs. They are now grown to key positions in new companies after 8 to 10 years with annual packages of Rs.20 to 25 Lakhs. Some of them have even clinched packages of 40 to 50 Lakhs per annum. Skill Sets Requirements by Insurance Sector At present, man power requirements are basically skilled based. Employees with academic qualifications are encouraged for promotions. Fresher with academic qualification in insurance are preferred. At present, Insurance Companies recruit freshers and train them for 6 months or one year. But the attrition rate is so high that more than 42 % of new recruits leaves the company. Insurance companies are seriously concerned over the expenditure on training and the rate of turnout. They are looking for employees who have been already trained and having domain academic qualifications. Insurance Companies have found that domain knowledge will improve selling, servicing, operations and all other functions. New companies prefer persons with experience and academic qualifications. Skill sets required by the insurance sector are underwriting skills, claim handling skills, operational skills, servicing skills, risk assessment and classification skills, insurance product skills, distribution channel operating skills, coordination skills, IT skills with domain knowledge, insurance accountancy skills, etc.

Strategic Analysis Of The External Environment Currently Facing Gillette Marketing Essay

Strategic Analysis Of The External Environment Currently Facing Gillette Marketing Essay 1. Abstract Purpose The objective of this report is to conduct an extensive analysis of the external environment and evaluate the key drivers influencing the corporate strategic management of Proctor Gambles brand, Gillette. It will concentrate on identifying, categorising and prioritising the key issues facing this organisation both in the macro-environment and the micro-environment. Methodology The tools used in this report to provide an external analysis of the key environmental forces and competitive drivers include; analytical frameworks such as the PESTEL framework, and Porters 5-forces analysis. In addition an analysis of strategic groups and sources of competition will be included. Findings The influence of political, economic, social, technological, environmental and legal drivers in the macro-environment, combined with the issues from the micro-environment, provide a series of implications for competitive action and strategic choice in the future. In the current external environment, social-trends and technological aspects play a vital role in a companys success in the Shaving Razor industry. Value The report utilises appropriate theory, conceptual frameworks and academic literature on future strategies and scenarios for Gillette from an analytical perspective. 2. Introduction This report will define Gillette as assembling and marketing its products within in the Shaving Razor industry, a distinct category of the Beauty Personal Care sector. Regardless of the period of growth the industry, valued at  £523 million, has benefitted from in recent years, Mintel (2009) suggested that sales of shaving and depilatory products had dropped by an estimated 3%. (Lee, 2010) proposes the industry faces cash-conscious consumers who may be seeking to reduce the cost of expensive razor blades or ensure they last for a longer period of time. However, (Bottomley, 2010) suggests a different reason for the decrease, even the most gadget- obsessed male is likely to question the value of on-board microchips and precision trimmers, when there are simpler, high-quality products available for a fraction of the price. Another point of view from (Jefferson, 2010) who suggests perhaps it is the functional approach that companies within this industry present to customers, connectin g with customers on a more emotional level will remedy the predictable perceptions of two blades are better than one, three blades are better than two and so on. The object of this report is to provide a structure focusing on future trends that can help to analyse strategic choices available to companies in the Shaving Razor industry. It will provide an extensive external environmental analysis of the current Shaving Razor environment with a future-trend perspective, using the PESTEL (political, economic, social, technological, environmental, legal) framework (see, for example, Brooks et al., 2005, p.7) as a suitable analytical tool for the macro-environment. The report will draw out and highlight the key drivers which are most likely to influence the future development of the industry. The report will then focus on Porters five forces framework, which (Porter, 1980) referred these forces as the micro-environment, which will then be used to establish the competitive intensity and therefore the overall industry profitability. Finally the report will analyse strategic groups and sources of competition within the Shaving Razor industry. 3. PESTEL Analysis of the Shaving Razor Industry The external environment consists of the external environment forces which may influence an aspect of organisational activity. These are defined within six broad-ranging sections with the acronym PESTEL, political, economic, social, technological, environmental and legal. A full PESTEL analysis of the Shaving Razor environment is provided in Table 1, however the report has identified, categorised and prioritised the key issues facing the industry from the macro-environment below. Among the key conclusions of the PESTEL analysis are the following: With consumer purchases increasingly dependant on the often neglected topic of social responsibility, (Shayrn, 2009; Trainer, 2005) suggest that over the coming years, even in todays tough economic times, consumers demand an urgency about making their communities more environmentally friendly, fairer and sustainable. In the future, as environmental issues become increasingly reported in the media, (Kraus, 2005) implies the consumer will not only consider the impact their purchases have, but having a corporate social responsibility will be compulsory to remain competitive. In the Shaving Razor industry, this refers to using environmentally-friendly materials, long-lasting performance, environmentally-friendly packaging, CO2 emissions. See for example, Bics new environmentally friendly shaving razor (BicEcolutions, 2010). As the industry provides an essential product, that the majority of males require on an international basis. It is common for companies in this industry to operate and distribute globally. (Anwar et al, 2009) suggested that each country has individual rules on taxation and custom duties which may distort the companys pricing policies, a contradiction in pricing may cause people to purchase stock in bulk from countries with minimal price and black market the companys products, which would have a negative effect on profitability and brand reputation. The Shaving Razor industry take advantage of around a 4750% mark up according to (Poulter, 2009) who suggests that insiders have revealed that replacement razors blades cost only 5p to make yet are sold for around  £2.50 each. This extortionate mark-up on compatibility costs has caught the attention of the Office of Fair Trading who are currently investigating the issue. (The Office of Fair Trading, 2010) refers to this type of issue under the name compatibility costs, these purchase decisions lock a consumer in with inexpensive original equipment (durables) in order to purchase follow-on products which a substantial profit is made on (consumables). The high value-to-size ratio offered by the Shaving Razor industry has triggered the products offered by Shaving companies to become the worlds most shoplifted product according to (The Telegraph, 2003; BBC News, 2010). Kopalchick and Monk (2005, p.70) proposed this caused several companies in the Shaving Razor industry to take action and incorporate Radio-Frequency Identity (RFID) tags, which automatically tracks the products location when it is removed from the shelf. However, with the technology available today, e.g. GPS systems; it would be possible to track the product from leaving the shelf to its eventual disposal, which has led to ethical disputes regarding personal privacy according to (The Star Phoenix, 2006). There is an ongoing legal battle within in the Shaving Razor industry, examples of this are evident in (New York Times, 2004, p4; Grand Rapid Press, 2003, p11; BBC news, 2006). The series of disputes refer to company slogans, advertising campaigns, design patents regarding razor heads with more blades and trademarks according to (Solley, 2005). Each legal battle has costs both in money, time and to some extent brand reputation. The UK government has ordered an increase in value added tax (VAT) from 17.5% to 20%, this will take place on the 4th January 2011 (HM Revenue Customs, 2011). The increase will trigger an increase in material costs, meaning a higher price needs to be charged to customers in order to maintain the same profit levels per unit. According to (The Guardian, 2010) several companies have already made plans to increase their prices and many companies are waiting to see what action competitors take, while some companies have chosen to absorb the increase. (The Western Mail, 2011) reports that many companies believe that if they absorb the VAT increase, they will attract more customers and be able to compete more effectively in the marketplace. This suggests that Shaving Razor companies who absorb the VAT increase may experience more increased custom than those who choose to pass on the rise in costs to customers. Political Economic Social Technological Environmental Legal Each country has individual rules on taxation and custom duties which may distort the companys pricing policies. Contradiction in pricing may cause people black market the companies products.a The VAT increase from 17.5% to 20% will raise material costs throughout the industry and the UK.b Continued growth trend in industry value ( £523 million), however estimated 3% decrease in 2009.c Recession had minimal effect on spending habits within this industry, few people have spend less on shaving products. However, value of sales has dropped, due to heavy promotional discounting.c Price increase due to high demand in premium disposable shaving systems. d Brand loyalty is high within the industry, however one in ten users experiment with new brands and formats. Quality and performance are the key factors relating to whether the user switches to the new brand or format.c Cultural and religious factors that prevent people from shaving. In addition, the media popularisation of Movember, a fund-raising event to raise money to fight prostate cancer.e Demographic changes e.g. the increasing aging of population, who statistically shave less often.f Changing social attitudes. Rise in male grooming sales suggests men are more conscious with the way they look.g Introduction of high-end products last longer, meaning they have to be replaced less frequently, reducing sales.h High-quality premium product with additional USPs e.g. indicator that tells customers when blades need to be replaced; means a higher price can be charged.i Use of JIT and ICT within industry can reduce wastage and ensure the manufacture is more efficient.h Consumer purchases increasingly dependant on the often neglected topic of social responsibility.j The disposal of the dangerous razor blades is a key issue, previously Blade banks were provided as promotional material. It is a joint responsibility between manufacturer and customer to ensure the dangerous affect to the environment is minimised k Depilatories A Possible Threat to Shaving Systems.l There is an ongoing legal battle within the Shaving Razor industry. The series of disputes refer to company slogans, advertising campaigns, design patents regarding razor heads with more blades and trademarks.m Replacement shaving razor heads have become the worlds most shoplifted product.n Many companies within the industry have incorporated RFID tags into packaging to automatically monitor products from shelf to disposal, however this has led to ethical disputes regarding personal privacy.o Office of fair trading are investigating the high compatibility costs currently charged by companies in the industry., putting the present 4750% mark-up at jeopardy.p Sources: a(Ricciuto, 2001); b(The Guardian, 2010; HM Revenue Customs, 2010); c(Mintel, 2009); d(The Times 100, 2010); e(Mandal, 2003); f(Gale,2008); g(Verdon, 2007); h(Greb, 2009); i(Kruger,1998); j(Shayrn, 2009; Trainer, 2005); k (Kostigen, 2008) l(Global Industry Analysts, 2010); m (Solley, 2005; New York Times, 2004, p.4;BBC news, 2006) n(The Telegraph, 2003); o(The Star Pheonix, 2006); p(Poulter, 2009; The Office of Fair Trading, 2010). 4. 5-Forces Analysis of the Shaving Razor Industry Porters five forces framework can enable companies to analyse key forces that will affect the industry from the micro-environment and determine competitive intensity and consequently the overall industry profitability. According to (Porter, 1980) the five main forces include three from horizontal competition: threat of substitution, threat from established rivals and threat from new entrants. The two remaining forces are from vertical competition: bargaining power of suppliers and bargaining power of customers. The diagram below identifies, categorises and prioritises the key issues facing Gillette in the micro-environment. A more detailed exposition of the competitive intensity and industry profitability follows in the next sections. Diagram 1 Key Drivers facing Gillette in the micro-environment 4.2 Threat Of Substitution The level of threat from substitution depends on several factors, the key factors are; relative quality and price, customers willingness to substitute and the costs involved with switching to a substitute. In Gillettes case the main substitutes would be in the form of electric razors, straight traditional razors, depilatories and the option of not shaving. The threat of substitution from electric razors is minimized as Gillette owners, Proctor Gamble, have an arm in this industry with their successful brand Braun. The (Chain Drug review, 2008) suggests that older men tend to prefer electric razors; however the younger generation would lean towards purchasing wet-shaving products which are offered by Gillette. This could be interpreted that there is a potential reduction of the threat of substitution with electric razors in the future. Another substitute is the traditional straight-edge razor. This type of product operates in a very niche market. According to (Smith, 2010) these types of shavers have been fading in popularity due to their dangerous nature, suggesting the threat from this substitute is minimal. Depilatories are chemical agents used to temporarily remove hair at the skins surface. According to (Tuckington Dover, 2007) depilatories offer a smoother skin surface than shaving, however only 1% of American women use such products. It is also suggested that this is due to the fact depilatories are expensive, slow and irritating to the skin. The alternative substitute of not shaving is often combated by the industrys clever marketing techniques, which often suggest it is not socially acceptable not to shave. (Cavallaro, 2008) suggested methods and techniques in which are most effective to market products to men; these methods are used by many companies to advertise effectively. (Birchall, 2009, p.9) suggested Gillettes recent advertising campaigns were framed as an affirmation of body shaving as masculine. The messages portrayed through these advertising campaigns are manipulated to benefit the company, and draw customers away from purchasing substitutes. 4.3 Threat From Established Rivals The intensity of the rivalry from established competition is reliant on; the structure of competition, industry costs, degree of differentiation, switching costs, strategic objectives and exit barriers. The industry Gillette operates in is already unattractive; it contains many powerful and aggressive competitors who have high stakes in staying in the segment, due to high exit barriers. These conditions lead to frequent price wars, advertising disputes, and new, innovative product introductions, making it expensive for Gillette to maintain a high market share. The threat from established rivals is limited by the strong image and brand loyalty Gillette maintains. In addition, Gillettes innovative research and development department keeps the industry thriving by generating differentiation and technological advances. Their success has caused established rivals to borrow from their $1 billion research and development efforts (McCullough, 2003). 4.4 Threat From New Entrants The level of threat from new entrants to the Shaving Razor industry is established by; economies of scale, investment requirements, customer switching costs, access to industry distribution channels, access to technology, brand loyalty, chances of retaliation from existing industry members, government regulations. In the Shaving Razor industry, (Mintel, 2009) suggested there are high levels of brand loyalty present. This makes the industry very unattractive for new entrants, as they would be directly pitting against several major competitors in an oligopoly. Gillette minimises the threat from new entrants by efficient usage of economies of scale advantages, access to the industrys distribution channels and access to technology enhancements. Another key factor affecting the threat from new entrants is the risk of retaliation by Gillette, which could be substantial and could include mergers or acquisitions, an example of this is when Proctor Gamble acquired Gillette for  £30.2bn (BBC News, 2005). Entry to the Shaving Razor industry also involves high set-up costs and exit barriers are also high, reducing the probability of successfully securing finance from external sources, increasing the difficultly for new entrants for this industry. 4.5 Bargaining Power of Suppliers The negotiating power from supplies it determined by; concentration of suppliers, supplier branding, profitability of suppliers, threat of suppliers forward integrating into industry, buyers threat of backward integration into supply, buyers level of importance to suppliers profitability, switching supplier costs. As Gillette manufactures its own products, there is minimal effect from this source. Gillette maintains a win-win relationship with its suppliers of raw-materials as they can be obtained from anywhere and little supplier switching costs would be incurred. (Evans, 2008) suggested that Gillette identifies suppliers with a proven ability to meet its specifications. Once a supplier is selected to participate, Gillette expects them to produce a pre-production planning system to assess the suppliers capability to deliver Gillettes specifications. This high level of capability Gillette demands from its raw-materials supplier shows that he supplier has little power in the business relationship and there is minimal threat. In addition, as a large global brand it can establish a powerful supply-chain management model and global competitiveness enables suppliers prices to be driven low. 4.6 Bargaining Power of Customers The level of bargaining power from customers relies on; the concentration of competition, differentiation and unique selling points, profitability of companies, threat of backward or forward integration into the industry, cost of customers switching to competitor. Buyers in the Shaving Razor industry possess strong and growing bargaining power. With Wal-Mart as the main retailer for Gillettes products, the conclusion drawn could be that the potential profitability can become shortened as Gillette has a high reliance on Wal-Mart and similar large retailers for a large proportion of revenue. (DePamphilis, 2010) outlined suppliers such as Gillette have been under considerable pressure from retailers, due to the on-going growth of Wal-Mart and industry mergers, for example Sears and Kmart. DePamphilis then goes on to suggest Wal-Mart is responsible for 13% of Gillette income is 2005, suggesting a high-reliance on the retailer for profitability, increasing the threat of bargaining from customers. The buyers power increased due to the fact Shaving Razors represents a significant fraction of the retailers costs and the products are undifferentiated. In addition, the buyers in this industry are price sensitive. (Chopra et al, 2010) outline that Gillet tes pricing power is being further eroded by channel migration and increasing consumer resistance to paying significantly higher prices for innovation. 5. Strategic Groups in the Shaving Razor industry A key concept used in strategic management practice, (Hunt, 1972) defined  strategic groups  as grouping companies within an industry that have similar interests, business models or similar combinations of strategies. Gillette faces intense competition in most markets, its products compete with highly marketed, well-known, branded products. The Gillettes performance in this industry depends on the brands ability to adapt itself within this kind of competitive environment. Price-Quality Segment Name Of Parent Co. (Brand market share for Gel 7 oz$/Unitsin parenthesis) PG (Gillette)  [1]   PG (other brands) S.C. Johnson Johnson Johnson Beiersdorf AG Perio Super-premium Neutrogena Razor Defense Gel  [2]   (2.5/1.5%) Premium Gillette Fusion Hydra Gel (14.3/11.5%) Aveeno Gel  [3]   (10/6.7%) Mid-price Gillette Mach 3 Gel (4.5/4.4%) Gillette Series Gel (20/22.9%) Edge Gel (34/35.9%) Nivea Gel (6.5/6.2%) Economy Noxzema  [4]  Gel (1.9/2.7%) Old Spice  [5]  Gel (0.5/0.7%) Barbasol Gel (0.4/0.6%) Gillette, Bic, Shick-Wilkinson Sword King of shaves Conclusion Opportunities and Threats References Porter, M. (1980) Competitive Strategy: Techniques for Analyzing Industries and Competitors. New York: Free Press. Greb, E. (2009) Is JIT Manufacturing the Right Prescription? Pharmaceutical Technology, 33 (3) pp. 72-78 ProQuest [Online]. Available at: http://proquest.umi.com/pqdlink?did=1685062121Fmt=7clientId=29645RQT=309VName=PQD (Accessed: 1 Decmeber 2010). Turkington, C., Dover,J. (2007) The Encyclopedia of skin and skin disorders. 3rd Edn. New York: Infobase Publishing. 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