Category Analysis of Sports and Energy Drinks In Hong Kong Essay Example for Free

Category Analysis of Sports and Energy Drinks In Hong Kong Essay Introduction Our company, Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co. , Ltd, is planning for a product strategy to its product: Pocari Sweat. Pocari Sweat is a grapefruit-tasting, non-carbonated sweet beverage and is advertised as an â€Å"ion supply drink†. It is designed to increase endurance, replace electrolyte loss or prevent dehydration when exercising for long periods of time. Pocari Sweat is well-recognized by the local people, especially to the athletes. Category Attractiveness Analysis Category Factor The product category we defined is the Sports and Energy Drinks. We gained the first mover advantage when the product was launched at 1980, which we are the market leader which has a off-trade volume of brand share of 43. 8% in 2012 (see Appendix Table 6). The threat of new entrants in this category is low due to the intensive competition, and there is low pressure from substitutes as sports and energy drinks are specialized products. The bargaining power of suppliers is low while the bargaining power of buyers is high. The competition in current market is highly intensive. Details can be referred to the analysis on Category Factors on Attractiveness in Appendix. Overall, this category is still attractive. Aggregate Factor The product life cycle of Sports and Energy Drinks is more likely in mature stage. From the historical figures of whole beverage market, the market size of Sports and Energy Drinks is relatively small. The market growth of off-trade sales volume of this category is increasing constantly by 5. 4% from 2007 to 2012. It will grow constantly in the future by 5% of each year. Since Sports and Energy Drinks are daily commodities for those people after exercising, the sales cyclicity and seasonality is low, as well as the profit variability. Profit level of the market is high. Overall, this category is attractive. Environmental Factor Due to the rise of childhood obesity and the increasing number of cases of cancer, diabetes and heart disease, there are an increasing number of initiatives by both government and non-governmental organizations to promote healthy living and a more balanced lifestyle. The consumer awareness of doing exercises increases and consumers become more willing to engage in sports to keep fit and relieve the stress of their work. Also, there are an increasing number of participations in sports event. Each year, the number of registration of Standard Chartered Hong Kong Marathon increases gradually. Other sports events such as Nike Night Run, New World Harbour Race, and charity runs are also well supported by the local residents. These led to increased consumer awareness of the benefits of sports drinks, result in the increase of purchasing of sports drinks. Competitor Analysis Level of competitions Level of competitions can be divided into Sports Drinks, Sports and Energy Drinks, Beverages and Food. Since the sales volume of Sports Drinks is contributed to 80% (Appendix Table 1) of sales in the Sports and Energy Drinks category, analysis of competition would be focus on the Sports Drinks only. Based on the perceptual map analysis, the closest competitor to Pocari Sweat is Aquarius. Both Pocari Sweat and Aquarius are ion supply drinks with a grapefruit-liked flavour. Aquarius tastes a bit lighter than Pocari Sweat. For Lucozade and Gatorade, the brand images of both are more professional for athletes, with stronger taste in different flavours. Aquarius would be the main competitor for further analysis. In terms of the brand shares of Sports Drinks, Lucozade would also be a main competitor of Pocari Sweat. GlaxoSmithKline, the company of the brand Lucozade, stated that strengthening core business is their strategic concern on 2012. The company objective is having growth in the Sports Drinks market, and they set up a new innovation centre in mainland China. Aquarius, which is a sport drink launched in 2011 by Coca-Cola Company, is highly involved in many race events in Hong Kong. Although there are no Aquarius advertisements in Hong Kong, you can find Aquarius as sponsored sports drinks in local events such as Standard Chartered Marathon Hong Kong. Maintaining growth in the market is also the main objective of Coca-Cola Company in Aquarius. Although Aquarius is a new entrant to the market since 2011, it has about 5% of volume brand shares in the market in two years. With the financial background and the brand image of Coca-Cola Company, it raises the brand awareness of Aquarius by keep involving in the public event, in order to attract the sportsmen to buy their products. Aquarius would be the main competitor in the field of isotonic rehydration sports drink. Conclusion. The Sports and Energy Drinks market is attractive, as the market size is constantly growing, the threat of new entrant is low, the pressure from substitutes is low and the profit variability is low. With the continuous sports and healthy lifestyle promotions by both government and non-government organizations, they will boost up the sales of Sports and Energy Drinks. In the Sports Drinks market, Pocari Sweat is the market leader with 43. 8% of brand shares of total in volume. People prefer buying Pocari Sweat for recovery after exercising comparing with other related products. Aquarius is the closest competitor related to our product. Still, the company has to maintain the brand loyalty and attract more customers by marketing and advertising. Recommendation The company can put more resources on advertising and also target a new market segment: manual labours. Manual labours need to replace electrolyte loss and prevent dehydration while working, especially in the hot seasons. Pocari Sweat would be the best choice for them. Also, the company can invest more on RD to develop a new product which is best suited for the new market segment. Words counted: 934. Reference Euromonitor International 2013, Sports and Energy Drinks in Hong Kong, China, Passport. Euromonitor International 2013, Bottled Water in Hong Kong, China, Passport. Euromonitor International 2013, Carbonates in Hong Kong, China, Passport. Euromonitor International 2012, Consumer Lifestyles in Hong Kong, China, Passport Annual Report 2012, Otsuka Holdings Co. , Ltd. Annual Report 2012, GlaxoSmithKline plc. Annual Report 2012, Swire Pacific Ltd. Supermarket Price Watch. [Online]. Consumer Council. Available: http://www3. consumer. org. hk/pricewatch/supermarket/index. php? filter1=027filter2=006lang=en Erik, P. Sports drinks vs. energy drinks. [Online]. Available: http://www. examiner. com/article/sports-drinks-vs-energy-drinks-the-good-the-bad-and-the-ugly Appendix Category Factors on Attractiveness Reasons Attractiveness Low Threat of new entrants Current market is competed intensively, and the new entrants are hardly survived in this environment. The capital requirement is high as special formula for sports drinks needs to be developed. High High Bargaining Power of buyers The major buyers are supermarkets (61. 4%) and convenience stores (35%), which they have a higher bargaining power when purchasing a large amount of products. (Appendix Table 3) Low Low Bargaining Power of suppliers The ingredients of the Sports and Energy Drinks can be purchased from different suppliers. The switching cost to other suppliers is low. High High Intensity of Rivalry There are 9 major brands in the current market. (Appendix Table 6) The competition is highly intensive. Low Low Pressure from substitutes Other carbonate drinks or juices do not have the same benefits as sports and energy drinks on performance and recovery during exercising. Bottled water would be the main substitutes of Sports and Energy Drinks. High. Attractiveness of Market Variables Reasons Attractiveness Small Market size Compare with other drinks, the market size of Sports and Energy Drinks is relatively small, only has an off-trade sale volume of 20. 3 million litres in 2012. (Appendix Table 2) Low Constant Market growth Market growth of sales volume increased by about 5. 4% each year from 2007 to 2012, the forecast growth rate of the market is also positive. (Appendix Table 4 5) The market is growing constantly. High Low Sales cyclicity Sports and exercising are daily activities across the year. High Low Sales seasonality. Sports and exercising are daily activities across the year. High Profit level With the benefit of economic of scales and mass production, the profit level is high for Pocari Sweat. High Low Profit variability Sports and exercising are daily activities across the year. High Product Life Cycle Stage Reasons Maturity There are lots of competitors in the Sports and Energy Drinks market. The pricing of the Sports and Energy Drinks is stable among this few years, ranged from $9. 5 – 13. 9, which means that the price is at the edge related to the material costs. (Appendix Table 7) Also, the volume growth of category is about 5. 4% in each year from 2007-2012, which is low to moderate growth of the market. The forecast volume growth of the category has 5% which is quite considerable. Level of competitions Product Form Sports Drinks: Pocari Sweat, Aquarius, Lucozade Sport, Gatorade, Drinkazine Energy Watt and other related â€Å"ion supply drinks† Product Category Sports and Energy Drinks: Including the energy drinks, such as Lucozade Energy, Monster Energy, Red Bull, Libogen Tonic Drink Generic Competition Beverages: Carbonated soft drinks, bottled water, beers, juices, etc. Budget Competition All consumer products with similar price. Current Future Company Strategy Matrix on Sports Drinks Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co. , Ltd GlaxoSmithKline Coca-Cola Company Objectives Grow market share and volume Grow market share and volume Grow market share and volume Current Strategies Advertising and promotion of products. Products expanding in multiple segments of category. Products launching and increased advertising spend. Expected future strategies Focus on product development, increased advertising and promotions. Focus on brand extensions with new flavours to fill category. Focus on raising brand awareness through local sports events.

Business Plan Of Curves Fitness Commerce Essay

Business Plan Of Curves Fitness Commerce Essay The main objectives of the operations of Curves Fitness which provide its backbone for operation include: providing a wellness program or strategies which they will offer to various businesses situated and operating in London; to create working relationship with five companies in a span of one year; and to expand their operations to England by the end of their second year. As the objectives illustrate, the company is geared towards expanding the reach of their businesses first towards their main location with the hope that the future will allow the business to be as well practiced in England. FACTORS AFFECTING SUCCESS In the course of operations of Curves Fitness, it is also very important to put into consideration that will put the business into the pedestal of success. One of the keys which will be influential to success would be marketing services to individuals and companies. It is acknowledged by the company that these set of strategies will be an invaluable asset to the business which will provide its edge against competition. Another factor which is expected to contribute to the success of the business is the recruitment of experienced managerial talent. This move will ensure the business that the organization is going to be managed by individuals who are equipped with the necessary skills and knowledge to run the kind of business. Dedication and hard work of the founders will be another key to a successful performance as the founding team acknowledges the fact that it is them who will be the foundation of the business and it is them who will make the business move. The last factor which wi ll be key to the success f the business is the lowering of over-all costs. The business is looking for economies of scale so that they will incur lower costs in their operations to generate greater profit. MARKETING STRATEGIES The marketing strategies of the business include its practices and measures which are executed towards the dimensions of people, product, place, and promotion which forms part of the companys marketing strategies. The business should properly manage their marketing mix in order to come up with strategic formulations which will bring the organization into success. The company puts too much emphasis in the importance of their employees as they are regarded to be the reasons behind better and effective provision of the organizations basic services. The fitness service provided by the organization is geared towards serving markets which fall under the category of small to medium sized businesses which they assume would be made possible through an establishment of an enduring or lasting relationship with their client database. The main operation of the business will be based on London and in the succeeding years, it will cover the rest of the remaining parts of England given the success in its performance. In the entire England, 46% of men and 32% of women are overweight, and out of which 17% of men and 21% of women are situated in London. This number is good enough to realize the potential of a fitness business whose market is not segmented because the target market includes all potential businesses. Particular market segments of the business include corporate employees, manufacturing employees, industry employees, and others. To establish a brand that is premium in terms of personality and market appearance, the management of the business decided to utilize a pricing strategy which in which the prices of the companys basic services are comparable to the prices of the higher end fitness centers. There will be a 100 pounds monthly fee for the employees who decide to avail of the corporate employee program of the fitness center while on the other hand the employer will pay an annual fee of 150 pounds per employee regardless on whether or not the employee has availed of their fitness services. This will be used to maintain the companys equipment and to continue to provide better service to the public who patronizes their fitness center. To be bale to make the public aware on the existence of Curves Fitness, it is regarded that they need to have a well evaluated and a successful promotional strategy in which they can advertise their products and increase the awareness of their target market regarding the existence of their business. The company will establish advertisements targeted towards their market which will be a tri-media promotional campaign appearing on televisions, radios, and newspapers. Brochures and flyers will also be distributed to provide an awareness campaign and client education. Although the company realizes the effectiveness of these media, advertisements will only be done at a minimum to incur minimal costs. The company also believes in the power of word of mouth as a successful promotional tool, and this technique will be the focus of the organizations promotional campaign. ORGANIZATION STRUCTURE A carefully designed and well-evaluated organizational structure should be designed by the companys management so that there will be proper hierarchy in terms of authority and distribution of organizational power. The organizational structure matrix will also provide an illustration of the flow of decision making activities and will determine the levels or position in the entire organization. The organizational structure of Curves Fitness holds that the Chief Executive Officer is at the top of the organization. This goes to show that it is the Chief Executive Officer who is vested with the organizational powers and has the highest authority and decision making capacity in the entire organization. The Chief Executive Officer is followed by the Director of Finance and Administration, Director of Health and Wellness Programs, and Director of Sales and Marketing. These three directors hold equal positions and are also equal in terms of authority and powers in decision making activities. They report directly to the Chief Executive Officer. The Finance and Accounting Department is held under the supervision of the Director for Finance and Administration; the Director for Health and Wellness Programs directly handles the Program Director and the Health and Fitness Specialist; and the Director for Sales and Marketing Director directly handles the Personnel Manager. These people w ho were mentioned report directly to the respective directors of their departments but not to the Chief Executive Officer. Lastly, the bottom of the organizational chart is composed f the aFitness Centre Manager and three attendees. These employees are the ones at the bottom of the organization and are the one with the least powers in terms of authority and decision making activities which concern the management of the business. FINANCIAL RESOURCES Establishing your own business is never an easy task to handle. Given the complexities of the current economic condition and the global financial crisis, capital requirements are often one of the most complicated dimensions for businesses which are just starting. The source of the capital requirements are often too hard to obtain. In the case of Curves Fitness, the total amount which will be initially needed for operation would most probably be at an estimated 300,000 pounds. This amount is expected to cover all the initial and incidental expenses which will be incurred as the business is built and on the first few months of its operation. On this capital requirement, 200,000 pounds will be self-funded, that is from the personal fund of the owner. Moreover, the remaining 100,000 will be made possible through a bank loan which is expected to help the owner handle the necessary financial expenses which will be required for the operation. Approximately about 140,000 pounds of the initia l capital requirement will be allocated for the leasehold improvements which will be very critical for the location of the fitness center. Furthermore, 75,000 pounds will be distributed and allocated in the purchase of gym equipments and other facilities needed to be able to provide the service which the business intends to provide the public. The remaining fraction from the capital requirement will be sued to pay for the initial rent and pay roll in a span of the first six months of the business. The first few months of operation is very crucial for the company that is why it is very important for the business to have a stable capital requirement to fund for the operational expenses for up to at least the first six months. FINANCIAL ANALYSIS The management anticipates that the first three years of the operation of Curves Fitness will show a progressive financial performance which will be characterized with gradual growth of net profit. The first year might note small profit because the business is still paying much for its capital requirement and there are many incidental expenses which need to be covered since the business is just starting with its operations. For the first three years of operation, the sales which will be generated from the provision of the general services is expected to be also progressive starting at 539,075 pounds on its first year and is expected to grow to 825,600 on its third year. Moreover, the total operating expenses will remain the same for the first two years which is valued at 300,600 pounds for the first two years and on the third year the operating expenses will be lowered to 246,600 pounds. The operating expenses are expected to be lower on the third year because the necessary expenses have already been paid on the first two years. The net profit of the company is also expected to grow on a three year basis. For the first year, the net profit is expected to be valued at 146,270 pounds, 223,238 pounds on its second year, and 387,375 on its third year of operations. TIMELINE To be able to be assured of timely operations, the business will follow an established timeline which will provide a guideline for the business operation. The very first task which the business will emphasize is confirming its vision, mission, and objectives which might actually take a while before being finalized. The next activity will be market research which will provide the opportunity to explore activities which will generate profit. Pro-financial accounting and analysis will also be done to be bale to adhere to the companys financial requirements and to project its financial performance in the years to come. The business environment will also be analyzed and there will also be determining of strategies and business control which will provide the business with a framework for operation. The last task is the documentation and presentation which will embody the general background of the business. CONCLUSION The success of Curves Fitness is almost a clear vision in the United Kingdom market. It has been acknowledged that the country is suffering a health care crisis which is threatening to the productivity of the labor force. Furthermore, there are also changes with regards to demographics. Combined together, these factors will be the foundation of the success of the business as such give Curves Fitness a great potential in the United Kingdom fitness industry.

Theories of Attachment and Disorders

Theories of Attachment and Disorders Table of Contents (Jump to) Introduction Attachment and Separation Disorders of Attachment Conclusion Bibliography Introduction The demand for literature on parenting and child rearing has increased exponentially over the past few decades. Parents, teachings and other professionals are being coming increasingly aware of the importance of the early relationship between mother and infant in determining future success in intimate, social and professional relationships. Over the centuries there have been a number of approaches to parenting, some promoting a formal, distant relationship, encouraging independence. However, more recently the relationship between a child and his or her primary care-giver (particularly the mother) has been shown to form the corner stone of future emotional functioning. Bowlbys (1980) theory of infant attachment explains how an infants first experience with his or her mother influences the formation of mental representation of the self and of others. The representation of the self determines the individuals sense of self worth, of how worthy one feels of receiving love. The representat ion of others shapes how the individual interprets the world and others as being reliable and trustworthy, or unreliable and not to be trusted. The development of these cognitive processes is rooted in the style of attachment an infant forms with his or her mother. The follow essay will provide an overview of attachment processes and styles and will consider the long-term impact of these. Attachment and Separation The origins of attachment theory are heavily rooted in the observations of psychologist John Bowlby and the subsequent contributions of Mary Ainsworth and others. Attachment can be understood as the tone of affection that exists between two people (or animals) and is described by Bowlby (1969: 194) as the lasting psychological connectedness between human beings. According to Bowlby, this occurs when the relationship between the mother and infant is loving and intimate, and one from which both receive enjoyment and satisfaction. Attachment differs from bonding in that bonding entails the emotional feelings that a mother experiences for her infant and does not include an element of security. Kaplan and Sadock (1998) identify phases of attachment: 1. Pre-attachment Phase (birth – 12 weeks) – characterized by babies using their eyes to orientate themselves to their mother, following her with their eyes and turning towards her voice. 2. Attachment Making Phase (12 weeks – 6 months) – sees the infant developing an attachment to more than one person in their environment (eg. Mother and father). 3. Clear Cut Attachment Phase (6 months – 24 months) – the infant shows obvious signs of distress when removed from mother and seeks proximity with mother on her return and is easily soothed by her. 4. Fourth Phase (25 months and onwards) – the child views the mother as separate. Bowlby (1969) proposed that from birth an infant will constantly seek proximity to his or her mother so as to gain comfort and security. This seeking of proximity, according to Bowlby, can be partly explained as an attachment behavioral system based on the evolutionary process of natural selection. Accordingly, only those who maintain close proximity to their mother are safe from danger and more likely to survive the potential threats of their environment. Early studies by Harry Harlow (1958), a psychologist intrigued by love, relieved the attachment needs of monkeys. One particular study showed that young monkeys, removed at birth from their mother and then given the choice between a wire monkey offering food or a wire monkey covered in cloth (yet without food), would opt for the comfort of the soft wire monkey over food. This experiment showed that attachment is more than a need for food, but includes strong elements of a need for love and affection. According to Bowlby (1969, 1980) the affectional bond between mother and child has a far reaching impact, continuing throughout life. He identified four primary characteristics of attachments: 1. Safety – The carer provides the child with a safe haven; a place where he or she can return when feeling threatened. Here the child will receive acceptance and comfort in times of distress. 2. Security – The carer provides the child with a sense of security. The child feels confident to explore his or her environment. 3. Proximity – The child seeks to maintain close proximity to the carer; thereby maintaining a sense of safety and comfort. 4. Separation – When separated from the carer, the child becomes distressed and seeks proximity with the carer on his or her return and is readily soothed by him or her. Bowlby found that achieving satisfactory proximity in times of distress will result in feelings of relief, however, should the mother fail to respond to the infants attempts at receiving proximity (through crying), this will result in one of two secondary strategies: 1) Deactivation is the repression of attachment needs and avoidance of seeking proximity; 2) Hyperactivation is the continual, often unsuccessful and frustrating, attempts at attaining proximity. Bowlby (1969, 1980) highlights the importance of the quality of the mothers responsiveness and sensitivity to the infants needs in the formation of healthy, secure attachment styles. A mother who responds with sensitivity to her infants cries helps the infant contain his or her anxieties, and mirrors for the infant emotional regulation. Later, the child will be able to be a container for his or her own emotions. Bowlby (1969, 1980) explains how a responsive mother provides a secure base for the child to explore his or her enviro nment free of fear and anxiety. However, an insensitive or inconsistent mother creates, for the child, a sense of insecurity evoking feelings of anxiety and avoidance behavior. Mary Ainsworth, a colleague of Bowlby, built on Bowlbys theory. Ainsworth observed the significant influence the early attachment between mother and baby had on present and future behavior. This researcher, for example, found that by soothing a baby when they cry reduced future crying behavior. Also, Ainsworth found that secure attachment reduced anxiety and that bodily contact between mother and baby nurtured the development of future self-reliance as apposed to clinging behavior (Ainsworth, 1985). Ainsworth, Blehar, Walters and Walls (1978) undertook a study to explore Bowlbys theory. These researchers developed a study called the Stranger Situation, which sought to observe the attachment related behavior of infants when separated from and later reunited with their mother. The process of the stranger situation involved the mother and child initially being placed in the same room; a stranger would then enter the room while the mother left. The stranger would then leave the room and the mother would return and comfort her child. Again the mother would leave and the stranger would return. Finally, the mother would return to the room and comfort her child. Based on the childs behavior through this process, Ainsworth and colleagues were able to identify three distinct attachment styles: 1. Secure Attachment – A securely attached child will be seen to freely explore his or her environment in the presence of his or her mother. When the mother leaves, this child will show obvious distress and will seek proximity with his or her mother on her return, being readily comforted by her. 2. Avoidant Attachment – Children who failed to seek proximity to his or her mother were identified has having an avoidant attachment style. These children were seen as exhibiting little range in affect, and did not respond with distress when the mother left and showed little interest on her return. These children would resort to the secondary strategy of deactivation. 3. Anxious/Ambivalent Attachment – Children with this attachment style also failed to seek proximity with his or her mother, but resorted to the secondary strategy of hyperactivation. Ainsworth (1978) and colleagues were further able to identify the types of mother-child relationships associated with these attachment styles. Securely attached children were found to have mothers who are attuned and sensitive to her childs emotional as well as physical needs. She formed a secure base for her child and helped regulate stress and emotional disease. Mothers of children with avoidant attachment styles would respond with little concern to their childs distress, and rather than comfort them, she would discourage the childs attempts at achieving proximity and encourage independence. Finally, ambivalently attached child had mothers who responded inconsistently to their children. At times they would respond attentively and provide comfort; yet at other times she would discourage the crying behavior and ignore the childs attempts at proximity. These attachment styles differ slightly in adulthood, with four types being identified: sure, preoccupied, fearful-avoidant and dismissing-avoidant. These types differ to those identified by Ainsworth mainly in the distinction between fearful-avoidant and dismissing-avoidant. An individual showing a dismissing-avoidant style maintains a positive view of self and a negative view of others, while those with a fearful-avoidant styles holds a negative view of both self and others. Main, Kaplan and Cassidy (1985) were the first to demonstrate how early attachment styles, formed during infancy, are generalised to an individuals future relationships in adulthood. These researchers described how mental representations of the self and others, formed in infancy, are used to predict and interpret attachment-related situations. According to this line of thought, a person who experienced rejection in infancy will carry this experience into adult relationships. They will feel unworthy of love, and moreover, that others are incapable of loving them. Attachment styles are also shown to influence such things as self-esteem, self-efficacy and socializing abilities. In a study by Kaplan and Sadock (1998) these researchers show how securely attached adolescents are more socially adjusted than those with avoidant or anxious/ambivalent attachment styles. Furthermore, these researchers note how low self-esteem, poor social relatedness, and emotional vulnerability to stress are associated with insecure attachments during the first year of life (147). The development of theory of mind is also impeded in attachment theory. Theory of mind is the understanding that each person has heir own, separate beliefs, ideas and mental states. Furthermore, it is the ability to predict, with a large degree of accuracy, how another person may feel or respond in certain situations. For example, a person having theory of mind would accurately predict how a person may feel should they fail in an important exam. The development of theory of mind or mentalizing capacity is directly dependant on secure attachment. A mother who responds consistently with love and acceptance to her infants cry demonstrates to the infant that they have understood them and that they are in tune with their needs. This mother has demonstrated that she is able to infer the thoughts and needs of her child. The child then learns this from the mother. This ability to make accurate inferences and to envisage the emotional experiences of others is crucial for health psychological and psychosocial functioning (Fonagy, Gergely, Jurist and Targer, 2005). Disorders of Attachment As previously noted, unstable or unhealthy attachment is a result of maternal disregard, where a mother is seen to be dismissive, unresponsive, and lacking in warmth and consistency. People having an avoidant or anxious/ambivalent attachment style experience problems in developing and maintaining relationships, in communicating with others, trusting in others, feeling unworthy of love. This deprivation results in disorders of attachment including such things as failure-to-thrive syndromes, psychosocial dwarfism, separation anxiety disorder, avoidant personality disorder, depressive disorders, delinquency, academic problems, and borderline intelligence (Kaplan Sadock, 1998: 147). These resulting problems highlight some of the adverse effects of a deprived relationship between mother and child. Conclusion John Bowlbys theory of attachment has challenged some of the traditional beliefs on parenting, such as: crying babies should be left alone, holding a baby too much will result in clinging behavior, attending to a distressed baby will result in over dependence. Still today, some of these outdate beliefs are held by many. However, research into the area of attachment has revealed a very different picture. The tenderness of the relationship between mother and child has been shown as being paramount to the healthy development on emotional, social, psychological and even educational levels. Children require physical warmth, love, affection, consistency and understanding in order to develop a positive sense of self, trust in the world, confidence to explore the world and a belief in others. Children learn from their mother, from the very time of birth, what to think of the world, who they are in the world, what to expect from the world and what the world expects from them. Bibliography Ainsworth, M.S. (1985). Attachment across the life-span. Academic Medicine, 61, 792. Ainsworth, M. S., Blehar, M. C., Waters, E., Wall, 5. (1978). Patterns of attachment: A psychological study of the Strange Situation. Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum. Bowlby, J. (1969), Attachment and loss, Vol. 1: Attachment. New York: Basic Books. Bowlby, J. (1980). Attachment and Loss. New York: Basic Books. Fonagy, P., Gergely, G., Jurist, E.L., Target, M. (2005). Affect Regulation, Mentalization, and the Development of the Self. London: Karnac. Harlow, H. F. (1958). The nature of love. American Psychologist, 13, 673-685. Kaplan, H.I., Sadock, B.J. (1998). Synopsis of Psychiatry: Behavioral Science/Clinical Psychiatry (8th Ed). Lippincott, Williams Wilkins, Maryland. Main, M., Kaplan, N., Cassidy, J. (1985). Security in infancy, childhood, and adulthood: A move to the level of representation. Monographs of the Society for Research in Child Development, 50, 66-104.

Shakespeares Rebuttal to Possibilities in Sonnet 96 Essay -- Sonnet e

Shakespeare's Rebuttal to Possibilities in Sonnet 96      Ã‚  Ã‚   Shakespeare's apostrophic "Sonnet 96," one of the sonnets written to the blond young man, is arranged similar to a rebuttal in an argument or debate." In the first three quatrains, he describes several possibilities, such as the youth's winning nature and potential for mischief, only to refute them in the couplet." He begins with concise one-line points in the first quatrain, moves to a comparison utilizing the entire quatrain in the second, and transitions to two-line arguments in the final quatrain, evoking the idea of a logical, organized argument." Along with reason, however, are the romantic tones of the couplet, which refutes the statements made in the douzain." The conditional nature of the sonnet parallels the individual conditional statements made in the quatrains.      Ã‚  Ã‚   Shakespeare uses end-stopped lines in the first quatrain that mimic the brisk style of a debate or quarrel to establish the arguments for and against the blond young man." He explains, "Some say [his] fault is youth" (1), while others think that youth is his "grace" (2)." The parallel structure of lines one and two deftly contrast the range of opinions on the subject's character."" Along with youth, Shakespeare claims that some view "gentle sport" (2) as a grace as well, playing on the double meaning of "sport" as both "pleasant pastime" and "amorous dalliance or intercourse" (OED)."" It appears that Shakespeare falls in this category, saying in line three that people of all stations and classes love the young man's graces and faults, because he "makest faults graces" (4)." Line four possesses a fault in being hypermetric, whichà ·like the young man's faultsà ·can b... ...tradictory to the remainder of the sonnet, as well as the fact that the rhyme of the couplet returns to the b rhyme of the first quatrain." Perhaps this implies that Shakespeare is among the people who "say [his] grace is youth and gentle sport" (2).""" However, the amorous connotation of "sport" in line two fits well with the romantic couplet, which serves as a rejection of the suggestions of the rest of the sonnet, and instead seems to suggest that the young man be content to restrain himself for the love of the poet.    Works Cited The Oxford English Dictionary."" 2nd ed." Oxford:" Clarendon P, 1989." 26 Feb." 2001." http://www.asu.edu/lib/resources/db/oed.htm Shakespeare, William." "Sonnet 96."" The Norton Anthology of English Literature." Eds." M. H." Abrams and Stephen Greenblatt." 7th ed." 2 vols." New York: Norton, 2000." 1:" 1031-32. Shakespeare's Rebuttal to Possibilities in Sonnet 96 Essay -- Sonnet e Shakespeare's Rebuttal to Possibilities in Sonnet 96      Ã‚  Ã‚   Shakespeare's apostrophic "Sonnet 96," one of the sonnets written to the blond young man, is arranged similar to a rebuttal in an argument or debate." In the first three quatrains, he describes several possibilities, such as the youth's winning nature and potential for mischief, only to refute them in the couplet." He begins with concise one-line points in the first quatrain, moves to a comparison utilizing the entire quatrain in the second, and transitions to two-line arguments in the final quatrain, evoking the idea of a logical, organized argument." Along with reason, however, are the romantic tones of the couplet, which refutes the statements made in the douzain." The conditional nature of the sonnet parallels the individual conditional statements made in the quatrains.      Ã‚  Ã‚   Shakespeare uses end-stopped lines in the first quatrain that mimic the brisk style of a debate or quarrel to establish the arguments for and against the blond young man." He explains, "Some say [his] fault is youth" (1), while others think that youth is his "grace" (2)." The parallel structure of lines one and two deftly contrast the range of opinions on the subject's character."" Along with youth, Shakespeare claims that some view "gentle sport" (2) as a grace as well, playing on the double meaning of "sport" as both "pleasant pastime" and "amorous dalliance or intercourse" (OED)."" It appears that Shakespeare falls in this category, saying in line three that people of all stations and classes love the young man's graces and faults, because he "makest faults graces" (4)." Line four possesses a fault in being hypermetric, whichà ·like the young man's faultsà ·can b... ...tradictory to the remainder of the sonnet, as well as the fact that the rhyme of the couplet returns to the b rhyme of the first quatrain." Perhaps this implies that Shakespeare is among the people who "say [his] grace is youth and gentle sport" (2).""" However, the amorous connotation of "sport" in line two fits well with the romantic couplet, which serves as a rejection of the suggestions of the rest of the sonnet, and instead seems to suggest that the young man be content to restrain himself for the love of the poet.    Works Cited The Oxford English Dictionary."" 2nd ed." Oxford:" Clarendon P, 1989." 26 Feb." 2001." http://www.asu.edu/lib/resources/db/oed.htm Shakespeare, William." "Sonnet 96."" The Norton Anthology of English Literature." Eds." M. H." Abrams and Stephen Greenblatt." 7th ed." 2 vols." New York: Norton, 2000." 1:" 1031-32.

The Bayesian Theory of Confirmation, Idealizations and Approximations in Science :: Scientific Papers

The Bayesian Theory of Confirmation, Idealizations and Approximations in Science ABSTRACT: My focus in this paper is on how the basic Bayesian model can be amended to reflect the role of idealizations and approximations in the confirmation or disconfirmation of any hypothesis. I suggest the following as a plausible way of incorporating idealizations and approximations into the Bayesian condition for incremental confirmation: Theory T is confirmed by observation P relative to background knowledge where I is the conjunction of idealizations and approximations used in deriving the prediction PT from T, PD expresses the discrepancy between the prediction PT and the actual observation P, and stands for logical entailment. This formulation has the virtue of explicitly taking into account the essential use made of idealizations and approximations as well as the fact that theoretically based predictions that utilize such assumptions will not, in general, exactly fit the data. A non-probabilistic analogue of the confirmation condition above that I offer avoids the 'old evidence problem, which has been a headache for classical Bayesianism. Idealizations and approximations like point-masses, perfectly elastic springs, parallel conductors crossing at infinity, assumptions of linearity, of "negligible" masses, of perfectly spherical shapes, are commonplace in science. Use of such simplifying assumptions as catalysts in the process of deriving testable predictions from theories complicates our picture of confirmation and disconfirmation. Underlying the difficulties is the fact that idealizing and approximating assumptions are already known to be false statements, and yet they are often indispensable when testing theories for truth. This aspect of theory testing has been long neglected or misunderstood by philosophers. In standard hypothetico-deductive, bootstrapping and Bayesian accounts of confirmation, idealizations and approximations are simply ignored. My focus in this paper is on how the basic Bayesian model can be amended to reflect the role of idealizations and approximations in the confirmation or disconfirmation o f an hypothesis. I suggest the following as a plausible way of incorporating idealizations and approximations into the Bayesian condition for incremental confirmation: Theory T is confirmed by observation P relative to background knowledge where I is the conjunction of idealizations and approximations used in deriving the prediction PT from T, PD expresses the discrepancy between the prediction PT and the actual observation P, and stands for logical entailment. This formulation has the virtue of explicitly taking into account the essential use made of idealizations and approximations as well as the fact that theoretically based predictions that utilize such assumptions will not, in general, exactly fit the data.

Explain Different Sociological Approaches to Health and Ill Health Essay

Throughout society there are many different sociological approaches to health and ill health. Within society there are many different perspectives towards whom the responsibility for health falls upon and also what defines people as ill? Your health is defined by the general condition of your body and mind. An illness is defined by an impairment of normal physical or mental function. To help explain the different sociological approaches to health and ill health I will be referring to the case study of Aziz and Tamsela. Aziz and Tamsela have four young children; Tamsela’s elderly parents also live with them in their three bedroomed houses in a deprived and depressing area of London. Their house is in desperate need of repair; it is damp and due to this is very expensive to heat in the winter months. Aziz and Tamsela are both currently unemployed. The family also has very ill health; during the winter the children generally seem to have constant colds. On top of this Tamsela suffers from asthma and her father has bronchitis; also Tamsela’s mother is depressed and has been prescribed drugs to help her condition. One of the first sociological approaches to health and ill health involves the functionalist approach. The functionalists approach is derived from the work of Talcott Parsons. Using the traditional functionalists approach he described how for society to function effectively that its members need to healthy. Parsons defined illness as a form of deviance and that ill members of society were still performing a social role, the sick role. In his view if people declared themselves as ill specific rights and responsibilities come with this new role. Functionalists believe that the rights associated with the sick role are; to be exempt from normal social obligations, for example, to go to school, college or work and from meeting normal family obligations, also to be cared for. Parsons saw it as one of the key functions of the family to care for the sick and other dependant members of the family group. The individual also has responsibilities that are involved in the sick role; taking all reasonable steps to get better and seeking to resume their normal place in society as soon as possible and to cooperate with medical professionals, particularly doctors and their staff. Functionalists view that illness has social consequences; the ill cannot work and need to be cared for. They believe that where ever possible illness must be quickly dealt with in order for society to function effectively. In the instance of Aziz and Tamsela, the functionalists view contradicts their situation as they are in ill health and are not working; therefore they are stopping the effective function of society. In order to comply with the functionalists view they would need to seek help themselves and ensure their return to health in order to be able to start working and contributing to society as in their current situation they are draining society. Another approach to health and ill health would be the Marxists approach. Marxists believe that the definitions of health and illness and the health and social care system provided are in place to serve the interests of the more powerful dominant classes. Doctors are seen as agents who ensure that people go back to work as soon as possible, working in the interests of their employers rather than working in the patient’s best interests. Their job is to ensure that the employer has a healthy workforce. However the government still allow these companies to make money from the products that effectively cause ill health such as tobacco and junk food. Factories and firms also continue to produce toxic waste and large amounts of pollution which can also cause ill health. Marxists regard levels of ill health to be linked to the differences in social class, for example there is a higher level of illness and lower life expectancy in areas of poverty, high unemployment and environmental pollution. Marxists believe that the government do not consider enough the reasons for ill health; they believe that rather than treating patients each time they become ill that the government should look into the reasons they are continually becoming ill. With people needing to be treated by the NHS constantly this costs the government lots of money which the Marxist believe is funded by the most advantaged in society. The case study of Aziz and Tamsela supports this, as they live in a deprived area of London, in a damp house, they live in poverty and all have ill health, therefore supporting the Marxists view. Their care and ill health is costing society, however if they lived in a better area in a better house they may not become ill as often and may be able to recover and work. In this case the action would be to make sure they are fit and well unable to return to work and benefit their employer however a bigger solution would involve seeking a long term problem to their illnesses. Another approach to be considered is the interactionalist or social action approach. Interactionism is more concerned with the issues of health and illness. They look at; the process which lead a person to define themselves as ill, people with the same complaint vary with symptoms and also vary as to whether they will seek professional help. Also the interaction between the professionals and the patient in agreeing how ill they are and also the discussion between the professional and the patient about the impact of their illness and how much their illness limits them. They also consider the impact of illness on people self-image and their relationships if they are labelled as ill. Interactionists do not look at the structures and institutions or the reasons people become ill but the complex relationships between people, their friends and family and their links with the professional services. They believe that these relationships have as much influence as medical diagnosis on whether a person declares themselves as ill. In relation the Aziz and Tamsela, it is possible that they declare themselves as ill and declare their children as ill as their parents both suffer from serious illnesses. Lastly the feminist approach focuses on the male domination in society and medical professions and how this affects the health and social care system. They are particularly concerned with the way in which pregnancy and child birth are perceived as medical issues rather than a natural process. Another issue they have been trying to combat is the issue that the medical profession and the related pharmaceutical industries have given low priority to developing a male contraceptive pill, leaving most contraceptive methods only available to women. Their main focus is the fact that many women suffer from mental illnesses such as anxiety and depression. Feminists see this as a result of their exploited position in society and family unit. They argue that because women now also have the pressure and expectation of working however they also still have the responsibility of running a family, this causes them great stress due to a lot of pressure from society and their families. Feminists believe that any medical issue should be treated with medicines. In regards to the case study this approach does not have a very strong link as Tamsela does not work and neither does her husband. However due to the extra pressure of her parents living with her she will feel more stressed having to care for them, she is also dealing with extra pressure as her husband does not work and there is no money coming in to the family. Health can be defined in a negative or positive concept. A positive concept looks at health as a state of complete physical, mental, spiritual and social wellbeing. Whereas a negative concept of health is that health is merely the absence of disease. In the health and social care sector, care professionals usually adapt the holistic approach. The holistic approach addresses the needs of the whole person including their, intellectual, spiritual, social, emotional, mental and physical health. Mildred Blaxter (1990) interviewed 10,000 people in a large scale study. From this she defined three standards of peoples understanding of health and wellbeing; a positive definition, regarding health as feeling fit and well. A negative definition regarding health as being free from pain and discomfort and also a functional definition, regarding health in terms of being able to perform certain day to day tasks. Models of Health There are also two models regarding health, the biomedical model and Socio-medical model. The Biomedical model has dominated western industrialised societies since the nineteenth century. This view of health underpins the policies of the current health system in the UK. In this model health is regarded as the absence of disease and that intervention from health professionals is necessary in the time of illness. The main purpose of the health service is to cure disease and to use scientifically tested methods to address diagnosed illnesses. In this model little regard is given to the social and environmental factors that may have caused ill health, it mainly focuses on the individual. The Biomedical model focuses mainly on the individual and finding a cure for them, it is a limitation of this model as it does not take into account the factors causing ill health and also the implications on the rest of society. Another limitation is that the biomedical model regards health as being simply the absence of disease which does not consider a patients mental, social, spiritual, emotional, intellectual or physical health, which could lead to a person becoming unhealthy in different terms. However an advantage of this is that because the main focus of the model is disease, this would show that it is the health care professionals such as doctors whom are in control of a patient’s condition, meaning less confusion or interference from others such as management or other health care workers. This is links in with the inter-actionists sociological approach to health and illness as they focus on the relationship between the health professional and the individual and how this affects the person’s health and the decisions made about their health. The biomedical model also sits well with the functionalists approach to health and social care. Functionalists view illness as dysfunctional for society, as if people are ill they can’t make their normal contributions to society and are exempt from their usual social responsibilities, effectively stopping it from running smoothly. They then have the responsibility to co-operate with health care professionals and should take all reasonable steps to get better. Whereas the Socio-medical focuses on the social factors that contribute to health and wellbeing. Research shows that life expectancy rose and death rates fell especially infant mortality rates with improvements in sanitation and the provision of clean water, the building of new council houses and general improved standards of living. This began during the late nineteenth century and early twentieth century. However the NHS was not introduced until 1948 which meant free personal health care. This goes to show that social and environmental factors are a significant source of disease and that the causes and effects of ill health are not solely surrounding the individual. However as the Socio-medical model focuses on the environmental and social affecting factors, this can take time to find a cause of illness which would mean that until a cure or solution was found each patient would need to treated individual so that their illness was kept under control. This could also be seen as strength of the Socio-medical model because even though it may take time to find a solution to the problem or reasons for an illness, if a solution was found it can mean long term solutions and also the prevention of the illness in future. However unlike the biomedical model the socio-medical model does not fit at all with the functionalists perspective towards health and illness but fits better with the Marxists view of health and illness, Marxists would explain the shorter life expectancy and the higher rates of ill-health among the poor as a consequence of the inequalities in society and the poor life circumstances of those in poverty. They would argue that the poor are more likely to have an inadequate diet and live in damp houses, in deprived areas where unemployment and environmental pollution are higher making them more vulnerable to illness and that the higher groups in society such as politicians and the owners of the industries are not willing to help and make changes to help protect the poor from ill-health and disease. Overall both models of health are very different the biomedical model focuses on curing the individual each time where as the socio-medical model looks at the causes of the illnesses including the society we live in and the environment and looks for a longer term solutions. Effectively both models are useful and possibly if put together could be more effective in solving the problems regarding health and illness throughout society.

Ethics of Ecology Essay

Ethics of ecology focuses on sustaining business and environment. Ethics is a set of principles about right and wrong and how human beings should behave. Ecology is about inter- relationships – between living organisms (both plants & animals) and between biological & physical entities. As people now realise that the environment is a limited resource, awareness all over the world of the necessity to protect and save the environment has grown as well. From the Bill of Rights, Chapter 2, of the S.A. Constitution, â€Å"Everyone has the right  ¬ a.to an environment that is not harmful to their health or well-being; and b.to have the environment protected, for the benefit of present and future generations, through reasonable legislative and other measures that  ¬ i.prevent pollution and ecological degradation; ii.promote conservation; and iii.secure ecologically sustainable development and use of natural resources while promoting justifiable economic and social development† Major manifestations of environmental abuse include global warming, depletion of the ozone layer pollution of air, water, resource depletion toxic waste and major health risks. From the extract we read that water has also become an ethical issue and we see Coca Cola and Nestle at the brim of this. Ethics of ecology are concerned with rights as the: Right of future generation which state that, â€Å"every person has the right to inherit an uncontaminated planet on which all forms of life may flourish.†The idea is that present generation has to bear a disproportionate burden for the sake of future generation. Since we can not undo the world it is then better if we hand over a resourceful environment to the next generation, not an environment in its worst state. One may argue that, ‘is it fair that the current generation get the benefits of using the resources and leave burdens for the future generation†, in distributive justice perception this is unethical, therefore its better we fix what we can now rather than making things worse. There is also the right to a livable environment, that everyone has a moral and legal right to a decent livable environment. A livable environment is essential to the fulfillment of our own capabilities. At first Coca Cola in its business resulted in depletion of water much worse for the current generation, It is said that, â€Å"there was severe water shortages from rural neighbours of the plant† which means the future generation would find the environment in its worst state. It appeared Coca Cola was just concerned with prioritizing profits and consumption of water. As such Coca Cola deprived the community of the right to a livable environment and threatened the right of future generation he nce it was taken to task. But in a twist we see Coca Cola owning up to its actions, it reduced its water usage by 24%, installed rain water harvesting systems in its plants hence it became a leader in water management practices. Coca cola further recycled water, replenished water and gave back safe drinking water to the community. Now that’s upholding the rights of future generation and that of a livable environment. On the other hand it’s Nestle which its main beverage business is bottled water. This has raised criticism and ethical issues of water wastage, as it takes three litres of water to make one litre of bottled water. The issue is that if we waste so much now what will the future generation have. Focusing on the tragedy of the commons, the concept stress that there is real value in these â€Å"free’ resources as water, as such there has to be a protection system in place to safeguard the value of these free resources. From the extract we see that some governments have already begun to act against bottled water. Even though Nestle have taken the initiative of water conversation, their means are not as aggressive as that of Coca Cola, Nestle still contend that â€Å"bottled water is the most environmentally responsible consumer product in the world† even though we know so much water is wasted, and the saddest thing is that it is most promoted in developed countries due to increased materialistic cultural values even though tap water is perfectly safe in those countries. It implies then that Nestle takes for granted water, as a limited resource showing little emphasis on conservation and more on consumption. Nestle does not only waste water, the bottles are also biodegradable, one may ask, has Nestle taken any initiative to deal with waste management of the bottles. Not only will humans suffer from water wastage, but the bottles will ultimately harm the environment. An ethic of Ecological Holism comes to play, that the environment bears the interference with nature. These bottles end up in rivers, lakes, the oceans polluting the water and marine live hence the environment right to have its integrity, stability and beauty is compromised. Conclusion In conclusion it is necessary to embrace the need to conserve the environment so that business and human life are sustained in future. Currently we are being scotched by earlier ignorance of people who did not preserve the environment, there is global warming, change of climates and seasons, characterised by extreme coldness or extreme hotness, scares rainfall in some parts of the world and persistent floods in some. Adopting Initiatives as going green, recycling, reducing, reusing and respecting rights of the environment and non-human life will help sustain business and environment, and business ought to take autonomy over their acts.