Category: Uncategorized

Mental Health

Name:

Institution:

Date:

Mental Health

Mental Hospitals have been around since the1850’s. They have changed their practices dramatically since then. However, one thing that has remained common is admitting people into these institutions against their will. It brings the question, is it ethically and medically necessary to take such action to an individual? Perhaps, it can help a person be admitted, especially if they are refusing to seek medical attention even in cases when a patient might have tried committing suicide and are in danger. If they are in a state of mind where they cannot make decisions logically or rationally, it would be necessary for those patients to be rehabilitated. Furthermore, they could be endangering themselves or others if they fail to get the proper care of their mental health, which at times can only be achieved through holding them in the mental hospitals. This report elaborates why it is necessary to rehabilitate individuals having mental disorders against their will, although on specific backgrounds.

Some mental disorders often interfere with the behavior and functionality, thus necessitating some dramatic and rapid measures such as limiting the freedom of a person. It is significant to impose those kinds of actions to help mitigate the risk that might involve either the person harming him/herself or even others. Involuntary mental hospitalization encompasses healthy socialization between the medical and legal systems. Policies guiding the involuntary mental hospitalization are different based on the states; thus, there might be cases where individual healthcare givers are given an upper hand to rehabilitate patients against their will under specific requirements (Bowers, 2005). Such extreme conditions, in many cases, end to be life-threatening to the general public or one’s self. Those mental health caregivers do not kindly take that authority; thus, they practice absolute professionalism serving to reduce inappropriate decisions. For example, severely depressed individuals trying to terminate his/her life might face such actions if he refuses hospitalization.

If holding and forcing people in these mental hospitals against their will, its quite a fair practice, then what doctrine plays a part execution of such decisions? Also, some protocols followed to protect people from being discredited of their rights inappropriately? On such, patients with functional psychiatric disorders, who are showing behavioral signs that mental healthcare professionals think may result in imminent damage or harm to other parties or that person, and the healthcare givers can step up and initiate the involuntary hospitalization process. In numerous cases, the initial period for this process usually is short, consuming close to 96 hours except for weekends. Also, if a person who has schizophrenia is strangely demonstrating some agitated character and even attacking or threatening family members with deadly weapons, on the basis that he is being influenced, some external forces coming as auditory hallucinations.

The first involuntary confinement period of the briefing is used purposely for direct observation and evaluation. Significant documentation is gathered during emergency detention, including eye-witnesses who have experienced or seen that particular dangerous behavior. Of course, it leads to an awkward feeling to many involved. It presents quite an unpleasant condition and mood filing legal documents against one’s family members or friends, resulting in losing their freedom. Nonetheless, it would be better to do whatever is possible to make sure that the person or people you care about are okay and receive proper care. Individuals experiencing mental disorders are hospitalized and advised on how to go about the legal processes and are given access to a lawyer. More often, this initial period of 96 hours, many psychiatrists do not administer medication to these patients, not unless it is required for the well-being of the patient not to harm others or him/herself (Wang & Colucci, 2017). It possible for agitated patients to inflict harm even in a hospital setting. Somebody can only achieve the most effective way to mitigate the damage through certain psychiatric medications.

The initial hospitalization period is anticipated to help the patient develop adequate understanding and sage on volunteering to be patient and comply with treatment recommendations. In such cases, somebody can enforce no legal proceedings, and the initiation of voluntary treatment may begin. In situations where the voluntary patient does not want to stay in the hospital, the clinical team decides if the patient is consistently showing behaviors that are dangerous due to psychiatric illness. The imminent harmfulness derives the necessity for involuntary hospitalization as opposed to the presence of psychiatric symptoms (Katsakou, et. al. 2012). If the significant danger persists concerning the person’s behaviors, then a court proceeding follows briefly after involuntary hospitalization within that period of 96 hours. The patient is represented by a lawyer, although he/she must be present.

In some cases, witnesses might be present in the court, usually relatives, close friends, and health professionals. Psychiatrists mainly play a significant role in their testimonials. They give evidence and reasons as to what they think the patient’s illness is an imminent danger to the patient or even other parties who might be involved. The prosecutor would decide if the evidence presented necessitate the continued denial of the freedom to the person.

In case the prosecutor finds the evidence as vague and insufficient, the release of the patient is done imminently. Where the judge resonates with the evidence presented that indeed the illness is subject to imminent harm to either the patient or other people, a more extended period of involuntary hospitalization is pronounced by the judge to the psychiatric patient. For example, the state of Missouri serves an additional 21 days. At that period, the treatment is initiated to the psychiatric patient. That kind of treatment primarily encompasses therapy sessions and psychiatric medications. Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) must not unless the court has restrained the mental health care providers (Mitchell & Selmes 2007). Using involuntary ECT needs a demonstration that proves that other treatments are not working, and the patient might respond to ECT.

The involuntary commitment period is usually long, and at this particular time, it is hoped the patient will positively respond to treatment. On numerous occasions, as the treatment is still progressing, the patients can understand that they are indeed sick, and the treatment is serving for their recovery and well-being. Several weeks during the patient’s commitment mostly help the patient to recover, though not wholly. The person might be discharged subject to an improving condition and referred to voluntary treatment where the environment is less restrictive, usually a day hospital or an outpatient setting.

There are cases where a patient might remain be sick even after the court-mandated treatment duration. Still, the patient is not demonstrating any agitated behaviors to other people or self. On such, the patient can be discharged by the treatment team and encouraged to adhere to outpatient treatment. Instances involving psychiatric patients failing to recover and are still displaying dangerous behaviors, another court hearing is conducted. The judge presides on the necessary actions that should be taken concerning the patient, even if it means additional involuntary confinement.

Somebody can raise questions if a psychiatric patient with agitated behaviors refuses treatment. In cases where a psychiatric patient has been involuntary detained, the person doesn’t need to undergo treatment. Instances, where individuals are forced to take medication or therapy sessions can only be subject to a declaration of incompetency to their decision-making. Long-term commitment periods are accustomed to having more stringent requirements than involuntary hospitalization, but only for a limited duration and is not subject to extension in the absence of proper guidelines being adhered to. The commitment may often sound like a jail sentence; however, on actual terms, regarding the responsibility can always serve to facilitate the well-being of the psychiatric patient as opposed to punishing or restricting their civil rights (Chow, 2013). It usually shows compassion and consideration of individuals needing help concerning their safety or well-being.

Unfortunately, severe depression is becoming quite too common. For some, moving the step for the recovery might mean getting hospitalized for depression. Some unguarded and unsound decisions from these patients might result in future regrets, which is better when rehabilitated. The hospital provides the perfect environment for their recovery as the patient can meet and get help from mental health care professionals. High chances are mental healthcare treatments are behind the recovery of patients with severe mental illnesses, more importantly, lowering their mortality rate significantly through emergency detention.

In conclusion, while it may sound very frightening for involuntary hospitalization, the main objective is to help individuals who cannot cope well with their mental disorders to recover. It is fair to emphasize enlightening people that involuntary hospitalization is not meant to all patients with psychiatric illnesses. In case one encounters a person displaying agitated behaviors, you should try to assist that person by reporting to stakeholders involved. By that, you may have saved the person, more importantly, ensuring there is no harm caused to other people.

References

Bowers, L. (2005). Reasons for admission and their implications for the nature of acute inpatient psychiatric nursing. Journal of Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing, 12(2), 231-236.

Chow, W. S., & Priebe, S. (2013). Understanding psychiatric institutionalization: a conceptual review. BMC psychiatry, 13(1), 169.

Katsakou, C., Rose, D., Amos, T., Bowers, L., McCabe, R., Oliver, D., … & Priebe, S. (2012). Psychiatric patients’ views on why their involuntary hospitalisation was right or wrong: a qualitative study. Social psychiatry and psychiatric epidemiology, 47(7), 1169-1179.

Mitchell, A. J., & Selmes, T. (2007). Why don’t patients take their medicine? Reasons and solutions in psychiatry. Advances in psychiatric treatment, 13(5), 336-346.

Wang, D. W. L., & Colucci, E. (2017). Should compulsory admission to hospital be part of suicide prevention strategies?. BJPsych bulletin, 41(3), 169-171.

(Your Full Name)

(Lecturer)

(Course Title)

(Date)

Madame Bovary: Theme of Love and Romance

Introduction

Madame Bovary depicts love and romance in a different perspective from the moralists’ angle that would instead present the pair as pleasant social tools creating cohesion and unity in the family and the community. Perhaps the most logical criticism gains ground for the presentation of love within the family set up as an insignificant force that easily loses the battle to division, withdrawal and loss of direction. Painting romance as an attractive force disguised in an appealing package to destroy the family cannot only go unmentioned but form the fundamental theme of mistrust and infidelity within the family. The tone used by the author has come under intense criticism due to the openness and plain expression of extremes of love and passion in a way that moralists easily find offensive and obscene.

Love between parents and sons is however illustrated as a cause of concern for the contemporary parent who pays little attention to the development of the child due to the intense pressure experienced from outside the family. Keen interest for the parents enables the enumeration of the importance that love plays in molding children and sustaining the family as a moral building unit of the society that cannot be replaced by the best of training offered to the children. In the end, the tragic conclusion of the romantic story only achieves the best ever irony that opposing forces as good and evil can present as represented by a painful death as opposed to a life full of loving happiness (Byatt, para.3).

Love and Romance in the Novel

The novel rotates around the main characters of a family composed of the Bovary(ies), Dr. Bovary (father), Emma Bovary (mother) and Charles Bovary (son) joined early in the plot by Monsieur and Madame Homaise as well as later by Leon Dupuis, Rodolphe Boulanger and Monsieur Lheureux. The presentation of the young Bovary family in the beginning of the novel presents a naïve son arriving newly at school at a tender age within a backdrop of a father figure struggling with managing the meager family resources. Despite being a former army surgeon, the father is represented as an insensitive family man for having been unable to improve the living status of his family, partly due to the fact that they reside on a small farm and partly due to the fact that the son enrolls in a village school. Love for the family from a man with a relatively better financial background is remotely presented as everyone would imagine such a family to be living in a better environment and the children attending better schooling facilities (Flaubert, para.1). Such suspicion is confirmed in the mother-son conspiracy to black out the father from irresponsible behavior and episodes that the son experiences. As an illustration, Charles’ failure at the medical school goes unreported to the father but the mother’s input to save him from his laziness is projected even in arranging for a practice chance at village facility in Tostes.

In dealing with love and romance theme in a novel, Madame Bovary is a perfect representation of the way the (three main) women in the family handle love and romance issues to their advantage and most certainly to the downfall of the family and that of their own. The first Madame Bovary is Charles’ mother whose love for son gets blown out of proportion resulting to a spoilt son who, although looks presentable and sensible in many aspects, terribly fails where men of his age are supposed to clearly stand out. As a mother and a family woman, it is expected that a balance of love between the husband and sons would eventually lead to a happy family but she fails to bring up a good family due to her biased attention to self love and that of the son. Her family is depicted as a cold union which only presents a chain of disasters to the larger community than it would have been if she applied love to bond the family together in love related virtues. She takes over the role of parenting and her poor performance leads to frustrations of their only son in his encounters with romantic mismatches.

The second Madame Bovary is Heloise Dubuc whose tough stance on her husband only contributes to a difficult life for Charles as he comes to terms with a controlled life at the hands of his first young wife and the mother. Women are illustrated as controlling figures in various aspects as far as motherly love and romantic love is concerned before young men’s freedoms. Though short live, the romantic relationship presents a fair share of frustration of the young man’s life as he progresses to discovery of his love life and career. The third and most dominant Madame Bovary in the novel is Emma, an idealist, dreamer and perfectionist woman trapped in her confused perceptions of a romantic life from her marriage with Charles in his second marriage after the death of Heloise (Middletown, para.3). Her complete disorientation with the appropriate approach to love and romance results to further tribulations in her husband’s life through terrible encounters with extremes of experimentation with romance in the unforgiving external world. Minor characters are mainly men who crisscross Madame Bovary’s development of the plot translating to abuse of romance and love that ought to spell success of the family. The disjunction of love and family life is presented in a way that many novelists would love to capture, despite the inevitable moral issues found in the way of the best presentation as critics of the novel rush to point out.

The author depicts the relationship between the father and son obscured by the mother’s undivided attention to assist him come out of his improper bringing up. As a consequence of the imbalanced love relationship in the family, improper upbringing can be isolated in the behavior and attitudes that Charles develops in his school and after-school life. It is clear that the failure in the exam was as a result of a lazy approach to studies, skipping classes as well as improper prioritization of leisure time over study time while at school. A poor social life formation is illustrated after he leaves schools and is incapable of making his own choice of a wife, a role played for him by the mother who recommends Heloise Dubuc. The author depicts the role of the woman in the 19th century as reserved for lowly functions of the society such as finding a husband for sons as illustrated in the novel. Women social status had withdrawn them from other important roles of the society which makes romance as a strong area of their command in men’s lives (madamebovary.com, para.4).

Charles’ real encounters with romance and love intrigues begin when he encounters an old man (Rouault) as a fracture patient in the village in his practice as a doctor where he meets his lovely daughter, Emma. Frequenting the patient’s home is partly contributed by his job and partly by the admiration of Emma and he shifts his attention to her until his wife notices and a confrontation ensues (Flaubert and MacKenzie, 20). The author represents the scene as an irresponsible love attribute that Charles adopts early in his life, perhaps due to the upbringing and observation of love life embraced by his parents. It is clear that the romantic passions facing him could be as a result of the factors of his past experiences as well as a poor social life that prevented his complete development and discovery. Charles loses his young wife and finds a reason to pursue Emma where his love and romantic journey kicks off again (Byatt, para.5). The high expectations that Emma had for a married life are met with romance frustrations ranging from loss of her identity to sexual disappointment.

Charles’ second marriage is marked with terrible failure of romance within the union of marriage to such an extent that the perfectionist approach the Emma had to romance could not be explained by the mismatch in their marriage. Romance is depicted as a result of provocation from the media and perfect novel settings which are far from the real life experience, which could be the reason why most young women get frustrated when they begin to come to terms with the reality of normal romantic settings (Culler, 684). Perhaps misfortune in romantic experiences in the contemporary romantic life is fueled by the idealism in attitude and approach with which young women attach their romantic encounters from the surrounding picture of perfection painted by media and fictional romance literature. Seduction by Rodolphe Boulanger is blinding enough to lead Emma to her death during a ride as her desire of a perfect romantic experience takes her life at ransom. Painting romance and passion as strong enough forces to lead the human race to its perish is far from the reality of the theme as illustrated by the author as he coins lethal vagueness of romantic relationship with family breakups and social weakness. Adultery becomes a quick option for a solution for Emma’s unsatisfied romantic urges but ends to be the beginning of the self-destructive urges which never fail to be achieved.

Monsieur Homais and his family are represented as a perfect family union full of love despite the hardship in which the family’s home setting is given in the novel. Madame Homais intense love for her four children and husband is exceptional which enables her to extend the love of neighbors to a relative (Justin) and a boarder (Dupuis). Her lowly life approach assists her to deal with issues in her family and live within her means as opposed to Emma’s lavish life that blows her love life out of proportion.

Dupuis and Rodolphe are painted as romance experts who hold no value to genuine love but lust for women and illegal passion outside marriage. It is clear that the improper romantic conduct as displayed by such characters always ends them in trouble as much as it does to Emma, the main character in the novel. Abuse of love is represented in by severe consequences in form of financial difficulties as well as disorientation in work related engagements. As an illustration of misuse of romance is in the case of Emma’s encounter with Lheureux causing not only his financial downfall but also costing his own life through suicide. Lheureux deals in money lending business which is dangerously illustrated as a target of abuse by irregular romance encounters, almost always causing an end to such business (Flaubert and MacKenzie, 255).

Works Cited

“Madame Bovary: Celebrating Gustave Flaubert’s Famous Work” 26 February 2003, Web. HYPERLINK “http://www.madamebovary.com/” http://www.madamebovary.com/ (accessed 5 October 2011)

Byatt, A. S. “Scenes from a Provincial Life” 27 July 2002, Web. HYPERLINK “http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2002/jul/27/classics.asbyatt” http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2002/jul/27/classics.asbyatt (accessed 5 October 2011)

Culler, Jonathan D. “The Realism of Madame Bovary” MLM,(French Issue) 122.4(2007):683-696 DOI 10.1353/mln.2008.0007

Flaubert, Gaustave & MacKenzie, Raymond N. Madame Bovary: provincial lives. Indianapolis, IN: Hackett Publishing, 2009. Print

Flaubert, Gustave “Madame Bovary” 2011. Web. HYPERLINK “http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/bovary/section2.rhtml” http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/bovary/section2.rhtml (accessed 5 October 2011)

Middletown, Carol “Fiction Review: Reading Madame Bovary” 21 January 2011, Web. HYPERLINK “http://web.overland.org.au/2011/01/fiction-review-reading-madame-bovary/” http://web.overland.org.au/2011/01/fiction-review-reading-madame-bovary/ (accessed 5 October 2011)

Book Assignment: For Cause and Comrades

In The Best War Ever, Michael C. C. Adams discusses the myths that shaped society’s perceptions about World War Two and the generation that lived through the affair. However, Adams points out that this war and the generation that lived through it were not perfect and offers various examples that place the 1930s-1940s within a historical reality. For this assignment, students will select three factors that challenge the commonly held beliefs that World War Two and its generation were free of flaws or mistakes. The essay will be worth 100 points or 10% of the students’ final grade. The essay must be between 800 to 1,000 words.

How to set-up a Formal Essay:

Introduction:

It is important that you give credit to the author. You must mention that the information you will discuss in your paper derives from the work of Michael C.C. Admas. Introduce the author and the title of his work. In addition, make sure you cite direct quotes. This is also not a novel; novels are fiction.

In the thesis, you must introduce the topic (3 of the factors that challenge commonly held ideas about World War Two and its generation). The thesis must also include an argument that ties these three factors together.

Body of Essay:

Develops your main points about the topic using several paragraphs. Provides evidence and examples from the book to support your main points. Each paragraph in this section should have a topic sentence that informs the reader what the content of the paragraph will focus on. Discussing other topics that are not connected to the topic sentence will make your essay confusing and will detract from your argument. For the purpose of this paper, it is highly recommended that you use a paragraph to address each of the three factors. Remember that paragraphs consist of 4 to 5 sentences, along with transition sentences that blend the essay together.

Conclusion:

Sums up the essay and repeats the thesis sentence (not word by word, just a new and similar version of the thesis). Do not introduce new information in the conclusion.

Paper Layout:

This paper will be typed and printed. A hard copy must be turned-in to the instructor. The font will be Times New Roman 12point. The paper will have one-inch margins (if you have questions about this, please ask the instructor). The essay will also be double-spaced, but not the heading. The paper should also include a word count after the conclusion (ex. Word Count: 957). No cover page is necessary. Failure to follow these instructions will result in the loss of points.

Heading Example:

Raúl Muñoz (Your name!)

History 1302-****

MWF 8:05am-9:00amTitle of Paper

This information should be on the left-hand side of your paper and unlike the essay. Do not double-space heading.

Citations:

Formal citations (Chicago) for this paper are not necessary since the information will come from the assigned reading. However, short/informal citations should be used when using direct quotes and should only include the last name of the author and the page number. Below you will find an example of this citation format. No more than 5 direct quotes will be allowed, so pick your evidence wisely. On the other hand, you should include quotes that support the argument you are making in each paragraph. Quotes should not be longer than two lines. If the quote is long, phrase some of the information in your own words. Also, make sure you introduce each quote (examples are found below). Do not start paragraphs with quotes; use topic sentences.

Citation Example:

“Soldiers from other states were not far behind Texas in the rhetoric of revenge” (McPherson, 149).

Examples of Quote Introductions:

According to… “

The author notes that… “

McPherson mentions that… “

Essay Grading Rubric: 100 Points

Criteria Points

Thesis and Content (30 points)

____The essay includes a clear and concise thesis (10 points)

____The author and book title are mentioned in the intro (10 points)

____The length of the essay is adequate (10 points)

____ Supporting Quotes: Too many or not enough (-5 for each extra/missing)

Style, Grammar, Spelling, & Mechanics (20 points)

____Language is clear [grammar and punctuation] (10 points)

____Essay includes topic & transition sentences (10 points)

Organization (20 points)

____Essay is organized and follows the thesis (10 points)

____Essay includes introduction, conclusion, and body paragraphs (10 points)

Course Theme & Critical Thinking (30 points)

____Critical thinking is exhibited in the analysis/arguments (10 points)

____Understanding of the material is evident (10 points)

____Historical facts and context meets expectations (10 points)

A Shift from the Tradition

Name

Institution

A Shift from the Tradition

Introduction

Activists from varied backgrounds have been struggling to address different issues and challenges through various means, such as the development of suitable regulations and rules governing behaviors of people and operations of organizations and governments. Besides, humans tend to exhibit better and more aggressive strategies for addressing current issues and challenges as the world advances. People believe that their governments should adopt better strategies for addressing common problems such as climate change. Moreover, ‘offenders’ are trying to justify and defend their actions. Also, activist groups endeavor to present their concerns, aims, and strategies in new and improved versions to attract better meanings. Other persons explicitly and fearlessly elaborate on what they demand and want from their governments other than transpires currently. Still, other individuals believe that stereotyping and history are fierce weapons that hurt particular people while condoning others. Finally, humans tend to think that it is high time that they develop new and better meanings for their actions, things, and other elements to encourage the advancement of knowledge.

Thesis; Activists have become more sensitive, sincere, and aggressive in fighting for their rights and freedom.

Discussion

Government Strategies

People believe that their governments should adopt better strategies for addressing common issues such as climate change. Although various governments have established some approaches to tackling prevailing challenges, there exists room for improvement. For instance, activists believe that the Federal Government should develop a Green New Deal to handle climate change effectively (Ocasio-Cortez, 2019). The Federal Government has made some crucial steps with regards to strategies for addressing climate change; however, the activists argue that the government should make other adjustments and new developments to ensure that the approach emerges victorious. Besides, the activists claim that governments would develop appropriate strategies by engaging all stakeholders. Accordingly, the previously developed resolutions and policies for handling impending calamities and other common issues require reviews and revisions to remain effective and relevant. As the world advances, humans expand their knowledge and skills. Subsequently, decisions that were initially treated as highly-effective could become obsolete. As such, what governments are currently doing could fail to deliver the desired outcomes. Instead, some individuals could be suffering from current government strategies and operations. It is expectable that some undesired impacts of a development approach could emerge during the implementation stages because of specific reasons that may entail technological, political, environmental, or social changes. Thus, frequent reviews and revisions of pre-establish strategies and resolutions are inevitable if governments are to effectively and efficiently handle prevailing issues and challenges. Therefore, governments should shift development approaches that were drafted in the past to the most recent and improved ones.

Criminal and Undesired Acts

‘Offenders’ are trying to justify and defend their actions. Specifically, some individuals suggest that society has been restricting their activities and forcing them to believe in untrue events, things, and beliefs. For instance, hackers are treated as criminals yet they have just explored their superior capabilities, skills and knowledge (Mentor, 1986). Accordingly, the world appears to be existing and running under predetermined regulations and rules that are unfair to the ‘smart’ and more superior persons. That is, humans tend to live in a world where relevant authorities dictate what is right and wrong. Ironically, people who exercise what they learned in approved government schools are treated as criminals, suggesting that learning institutions prepare and develop criminals. Unfortunately, the governing bodies discourage the growth and development of knowledge and a better understanding of the world, circumstances, processes, and other things. Instead, governments use obsolete and irrelevant regulations as it strives to determine what constitutes a crime. Hence, governments should acknowledge and appreciate new developments and innovations rather than unwelcome them because they would unravel a new and better understanding of the world. Therefore, a shift from the previous perceptions of treating new developments as acts of criminals should be effected to allow the advancement of knowledge and development of the world.  

New and Improved Statements from Activist Groups

Also, activist groups endeavor to present their issues, aims, and strategies in new and improved versions to attract better meanings. As the world advances, people tend to uncover more details and gain a better understanding of their environment, processes, and behaviors. For instance, a group of Black feminists provides a new and improved meaning of the types and nature of the oppression they are fighting against, as well as their role and goal (Collective, 1983). Although the feminist group has been in operation since 1974, it finds it necessary to offer a better and developed meaning of its objective and the oppressions facing the Black women through the Combahee River Collective Statement. Various aspects that could entail time and knowledge limitation could force humans to understand the world and existing issues in a particular manner. Even so, people would enhance their knowledge and skills through different ways that could entail scientific research studies, accidental discoveries, and interactions with other persons. As a result, humans could find that what was initially treated as the best understanding of a situation, thing, or person has significantly improved and acquired a better meaning. Accordingly, activist groups would become irrelevant if they embrace an inflexible strategy that does not allow frequent reviews and revisions of their operating styles as well as target goals and objectives. Therefore, people should continuously review and revisit their beliefs, operating strategies, and understanding of the world to remain relevant and effective since knowledge develops over time. 

Activists’ New Demands from their Governments

Other persons explicitly and fearlessly elaborate on what they demand and want from their governments. Precisely, people who have been oppressed and mistreated by their governments are demanding fairness, justice, and rights. Such groups of individuals believe that the creator humans endowed each person with inalienable rights and freedoms. For example, the Black Panther’s ten-point program asserts that the Blacks have a right to land, clothing, and freedom because every human is equal before the creator of the universe and its occupants (Party, 1966). Also, they assert that their governments have been mistreating and oppressing them instead of protecting and caring for them. The government has been robbing the Blacks and forcefully recruiting them in the military service (Party, 1966). As such, they have come out to fight for their rights and demand for changes in governance to ensure a fairer society where everyone is treated and valued equally despite their differences in aspects such as race, color, or ethnicity. Besides, the group of protestors is not interested in retaliatory activities for the oppressions but requires a society where each person has equal rights, freedoms, and fair treatment. Thus, governments should adjust the way they operate and treat their people to encourage fairness, equality, and equity. As citizens become more informed about oppression from their governments, they come out and demand necessary changes rather than remaining silent and persevering as usual. Therefore, society is undergoing some vital shift from the previous regime where certain groups of individuals were oppressed and denied essential services and freedoms to a better community of fairness, justice, and equality.

History and Stereotyping

Still, other individuals believe that stereotyping and history are fierce weapons that hurt particular people in the community. That is, some individuals would be unfairly treated because of a previous incident that was unfavorable to them. As such, some activists have come out to fight against reference to such adverse events that facilitated undesired stereotypes. For example, history has negatively impacted on girls’ reputation (Hanna & Bikini, 1991). Since human is prone to errors and mistakes, it is unfair to rely on one or a few instances while making conclusive judgments. Specifically, such a limited number of occurrences could provide the wrong picture and information about a given group of individuals. For example, some incidents may present the positive e and desirable aspects of a person or group of people. At the same time, other instances provide the undesired elements of the same individual (s). Besides, history could deceive and mislead an individual on matters regarding decision making. Since humans tend to have varying perceptions, tastes, and opinions toward different things and circumstances, reliance on resources such as news articles and books could be deceiving because of the authors’ biases and stances. Unfortunately, an individual cannot prove history, especially in instances that occurred several centuries ago. Therefore, people should desist from the use of history while judging individuals or making other vital decisions. Instead, humans should embrace the use of current details to make sound decisions on specific subjects.   

Development of New and Alternative Knowledge and Understanding

Finally, humans believe that it is high time that they develop new and better meanings for their actions, things, and other elements to promote the advancement of knowledge. For instance, Hugo uses the term dada to elaborate and explain how one can improve their understandings and solve existing problems (Hugo, 1916). Accordingly, humans must embrace an open mind as they strive to advance their knowledge. An open-minded individual would probably learn new things, opinions, and ideas.

Consequently, humans would gain a better comprehension of their environment and actions by collecting, analyzing, and evaluating existing and new phenomena. As such, current and previous ideas, opinions, beliefs, perceptions, and understandings should not constrain people to behave and act in specific ways. Instead, humans should endeavor to develop their knowledge and skills by reviewing and modifying their knowledge and skills while promoting the development of new ones. Errors, mistakes, poor decisions and uncertainty could have shaped the current and previous understandings. Therefore, people should not always treat existing knowledge and information as the ultimate truth, instead, they should try and prove or improve them. As the world advances, new technologies and new knowledge emerge. Hence, the time has come when humans should not limit themselves to available knowledge and information, but endeavor to explore new ones. 

Conclusion

Overall, humans are undergoing lots of advancements with regards to how they understand the world and existing processes, people, things, and other aspects. Precisely, human knowledge tends to develop over time due to various developments that could entail technological advancement and scientific research studies. Accordingly, some activists have come out to provide a better understanding of their actions while engaging in more sincere, aggressive and sensitive fights for the rights and freedom of the oppressed as well as protection of the environment. Some protestors claim that their governments have been relying on unsuitable regulations and strategies while handling various issues that entail climate change. Besides, activists are more aggressive in fighting for the rights of certain individuals by claiming that the government is criminalizing their actions and superior capabilities. Similarly, some persons are demanding that their governments should compensate and treat them like other unoppressed citizens. Moreover, history and stereotyping are harmful tools that hurt certain groups of people. Thus, humans should always endeavor to learn new things while reviewing and revising existing knowledge to ensure that their understandings remain relevant. Therefore, people believe that a shift from the norm is inevitable for fairness in society and an improved understanding of the world, things, and human activities. 

References

Collective, C. R. (1983). The Combahee river collective statement. Home girls: A Black feminist anthology, 264-74.

Hanna, K., & Bikini, K. (1991). Riot grrrl manifesto. Bikini Kill, 2, 16-23.

Hugo, B. (1916). Hugo Ball’s Dada manifesto, July 1916.

Mentor, T. (1986). The hackers manifesto. Retrieved October, 10, 2004.

Ocasio-Cortez, A. (2019). RESOLUTION Recognizing the duty of the Federal Government to create a Green New Deal. Retrieved (02.08. 2019) from https://ocasio-cortez. house. gov/sites/ocasiocortez. house. gov/files/Resolution% 20on% 20a% 20Green% 20New% 20Deal. pdf.

Party, B. P. (1966). Ten Point Program. Marxist History: USA: Black Panther Party.

Book Assignment: Mummy Knew

Name:

Institution:

Date:

Child abuse is a serious crime. Children are innocent beings meant to be protected and nurtured, but unfortunately, some adults take advantage of this innocence to abuse children and inflict lifelong damage on them. While many survivors of child abuse have spoken out about their experiences, many children continue to suffer in silence due to threats by their abusers or ignorance of what is happening to them. Lisa James details the horrific experiences she went through as a child, abused by her stepfather while her mother stood by and did nothing. Child abuse is wrong in any situation, but it is especially heartbreaking when parents and guardians trusted to take care of their children, neglect and abuse them. Mothers and fathers are supposed to protect their children from harm, but what happens when these are the same people who terrorize and destroy their children’s innocence?

Lisa was abused by her stepfather from the time she was four years old. He started out forcing her to massage his feet, but soon the abuse turned sexual in nature. The abuse went on regularly for twelve years until she was sixteen. All the while, Lisa kept asking her mother to make him stop, but her mother remained silent on the issue. Matters came to a head when Lisa’s mother sent Lisa to share a bedroom with her stepfather while she, the mother, slept in Lisa’s room. Months later, Lisa and her stepfather moved into an apartment on their own. Lisa kept pleading with her mother to help her, but she would hear none of it. Lisa felt trapped and utterly alone, abandoned by her sisters, her mother, and her whole family. In the new apartment, Lisa eventually hatched a plan to escape though no one would believe her story. Everyone wanted to protect Lisa’s mother and wanted Lisa to remain quiet. Fortunately. Lisa got away and later pressed charges against her stepfather, who eventually went to jail.

‘Mummy Knew’ is a gut-wrenching read that kept me turning the pages despite the horrors within it. The author of the book is courageous for speaking out about her traumatic childhood and the people who contributed to it through their silence. In school, no one noticed Lisa’s abuse, and only one friend believed her story because she too had been abused. While reading the book, I felt an intense disappointment and sadness for Lisa’s experiences. I was disappointed in and angry with Lisa’s mother, her siblings as well as her aunts and grandmother. None of these adults protected the child, even when they knew what was going on. Lisa’s mother is to blame for everything that happened to her daughter. I could not fathom the idea that a mother would willingly give her four-year-old daughter to her stepfather and ignore the abuse going on.

I shed tears reading the book for Lisa and what she must have felt when the whole world abandoned her. She was an innocent child who did not understand what was happening, and she turned to her mother for help. Unfortunately, no one listened to her. She must have felt so alone, and it is a miracle she survived to adulthood. I also admire Lisa’s resilience in pressing charges against her abuser despite the rest of her family refusing to support her. She sought justice for herself and wrote her book to encourage other survivors of child abuse. Lisa’s story is not unique; so many other children suffer abuse in the adults trusted to care for them. Every individual must be vigilant to observe the signs of abuse in children and alert the relevant authorities to investigate the situation. The law should also be stricter on child abuse offenders and hand them harsher punishment than the few years given to Lisa’s father.

References

James, L. (2013). Mummy Knew: A terrifying stepfather. A mother who refused to listen. A little girl desperate to escape.

A Shift from the Tradition

1.0 Introduction

Activists from varied backgrounds have been struggling to address issues and challenges through various means including development of regulations governing behaviors of people and operations of organizations. Besides, humans tend to exhibit better and more aggressive strategies for addressing prevailing issues and challenges as the world advances. People believe that their government should adopt better strategies for addressing common issues such as climate change. Moreover, ‘offenders’ are trying to justify and defend their actions. Also, feminist groups endeavor to vividly present their issues and aims. Other persons explicitly and fearlessly elaborate what they demand and want from their governments. Still, other individuals believe that stereotyping and history are fierce weapons that hurt particular people in the community. Finally, humans believe that it is high time that they develop new and better meanings for their actions, things and other elements.

1.1 Thesis; Activists have become more sensitive, sincere and aggressive in fighting for their rights and freedom.

2.0 Main Body

Paragraph 1

People believe that their government should adopt better strategies for addressing common issues such as climate change.

Supporting evidence

Inference

Paragraph 2

Moreover, ‘offenders’ are trying to justify and defend their actions.

Supporting evidence

Inference

Paragraph 3

Also, feminist groups endeavor to vividly present their issues and aims.

Supporting evidence

Inference

Paragraph 4

Other persons explicitly and fearlessly elaborate what they demand and want from their governments.

Supporting evidence

Inference

Paragraph 5

Still, other individuals believe that stereotyping and history are fierce weapons that hurt particular people in the community.

Supporting evidence

Inference

Paragraph 6

Finally, humans believe that it is high time that they develop new and better meanings for their actions, things and other elements.

Supporting evidence

Inference

Conclusion

Made In China Literature Review

Table of Contents

TOC o “1-3” h z u HYPERLINK l “_Toc286332791″1.Introduction PAGEREF _Toc286332791 h 1

HYPERLINK l “_Toc286332792″2.The country of origin effects PAGEREF _Toc286332792 h 2

HYPERLINK l “_Toc286332793″2.1.Country of origin and consumer decision making PAGEREF _Toc286332793 h 2

HYPERLINK l “_Toc286332794″2.2.Principle elements forming country of origin effect PAGEREF _Toc286332794 h 3

HYPERLINK l “_Toc286332795″2.3.Consumer bias and discrimination economics PAGEREF _Toc286332795 h 4

HYPERLINK l “_Toc286332796″2.4.Case studies PAGEREF _Toc286332796 h 4

HYPERLINK l “_Toc286332797″3.Made in China effects PAGEREF _Toc286332797 h 5

HYPERLINK l “_Toc286332798″3.1.The growth of the Made in China brand PAGEREF _Toc286332798 h 5

HYPERLINK l “_Toc286332799″3.2.China brand perceptions PAGEREF _Toc286332799 h 6

HYPERLINK l “_Toc286332800″3.2.1.Quality PAGEREF _Toc286332800 h 7

HYPERLINK l “_Toc286332801″3.2.2.Price PAGEREF _Toc286332801 h 7

HYPERLINK l “_Toc286332802″3.2.3.Reliability/ Safety PAGEREF _Toc286332802 h 7

HYPERLINK l “_Toc286332803″3.3.China as an emerging economy PAGEREF _Toc286332803 h 8

HYPERLINK l “_Toc286332804″4.Conclusion PAGEREF _Toc286332804 h 8

HYPERLINK l “_Toc286332805″5.References PAGEREF _Toc286332805 h 9

LITERATURE REVIEW

IntroductionThe literature review section aims at examining what other scholars have established about the consumers’ attitude towards Chinese products, based on the ideology of ‘country of origin effects’. The section will review literature available on the country of origin effects and how this has affected Chinese products in the international market. The chapter is divided into four sections whereby the first and the last section represent the introduction and conclusion respectively. In the second section, the literature review will entail views and findings about the country of origin effects and how it affects decision making, the factors that cause it and why consumers discriminate. The section will also include case studies to show the impact of country of origin. In the second section, a review of literature on Made in China perceptions will be established. This will include identifying how China is penetrating the international market, people’s perceptions about Chinese products and how the China’s stage of economic development has affected perceptions about its products.

The country of origin effects

Country of origin and consumer decision makingIn the process of decision making, consumers make use of both the intrinsic and the extrinsic informational product cues in evaluating the product. Intrinsic cues denote the physical aspect while the extrinsic cues are product related but not part of the physical product (Cai, 2002). It is in the extrinsic cues that the consumer considers the brand name, reputation of the retailer and country of origin among other factors (Verlegh & Steenkamp, 1999). While the country of origin as an extrinsic cue has no direct impact on the performance of the product whatsoever, the importance of the country of origin on consumer perception is incontestable. The country of origin effects is a subject that has triggered interest among many researchers and the impact of the country of origin on the customer’s choice has been declared undeniably true. As established in the empirical study by Schooler (1965), the made in country label had significant effect on the product evaluations by a consumer.

Contemporary studies have often used the dual process models developed by Chaiken (1980), Maheswaran and Chaiken (1991) and others as the theoretical framework for examining the country of origin effects. The systematic and heuristic processing are considered the two main criteria through which individuals evaluate the products in this theoretical framework. This framework distinguishes between different types of motivation which can affect the human perceptions on different products. It is these motivations that single out the country of origin as an important factor in the customers’ decisions.

Principle elements forming country of origin effectIt is widely accepted that the consumer’s choice based on the country of origin emanates from a myriad of thoughts, attitudes and experiences that customers have towards products from a particular country. Vrontis and Thrassou (2007) in their study established that the consumers’ product perception based on the country of origin was dependent on experience, knowledge, stereotypes, ethnocentrism, general country of origin image, brand image, political/cultural relationship with country. These are factors that can also be identified in other studies. In the study by Lang and Crown (2007), it was established that the age and educational background of customers impacted highly on the country of origin effect; factors that may be attributable to experience and knowledge. In a study conducted by Nes and Gripsurd (2010), a concept of micro and macro societal images were introduced in explaining the impact of the country of origin. The macro country images included societal images, people images and political images. The micro images included the images associated with a product developed by a nation (Nes & Gripsurd, 2010). The factors described highly resemble those established in Vrontis and Thrassou (2007), insinuating that a variety of factors influence perception.

Lee (1999) examined the country of origin effects, brand image effects and the interaction between these effects on the consumer evaluation of bi national brands. It was established that the specific product image, country of manufacture overall image and country of brand overall image were highly important in the buyer decision making process. The theoretical foundation for the study was categorization theory and empirical methodology was based on structural equation modeling. The study showed the need for building brand image rather than building country image by a firm because the brand image had a rather strong effect. The main limitations with this study included problems of generalization with only students as the subject of study. The small sample size also signified another limitation and so were order effects and the design problems which also might have provided biased results.

Consumer bias and discrimination economicsThe country of origin as an affective attribute of the product reflects the preferences and biases of the consumer. This is an aspect that has been established by socio-psychology researchers including Becker (1971) and Maheswaran (2006). According to Becker (1971), the country of origin is treated like a subjective attribute which is highly relevant to the consumer’s decision and that a consumer may discriminate or favor a product due to its origin. Maheswaran (2006) indicates how discrimination can be quantified by establishing a discrimination coefficient (DC). In essence, the cost of the transaction may not directly translate into the real costs such as durability; replacement costs and need for repair of products bought hence the need to discriminate through comparing various aspects of products before making purchases. The DC therefore acts as the bridge between the money cost of the product and the net costs and therefore aids the consumer in making a choice. In this regard, any poor reputation regarding the quality of a product is therefore bound to affect the consumer’s choice and exercise of discrimination. Webb and Po (2010) examined the impact of country of origin and brand images on the three dimensions of outcomes namely the intention to purchase, expectations regarding the service quality and the willingness to pay by the consumers. The study was based on a sample of 150 undergraduate students from a university in Western Australia. The study showed significant impact of made in country labels and brand images on the three dimensions of outcomes under consideration. It is an indication that consumers are capable of discriminating foreign products based on their quality and expectations.

Case studiesA variety of studies have sought to examine the practical application of country of origin effects, through the use of surveys and most have concluded that the country of origin indeed affects the perception of customers. Maheswaran (2006) examined the perceptions regarding the Japanese products in South East Asia where the Japan had main investments. This empirical study was based on primary survey of the South East Asian consumers and the results indicated the country associated with a product had significant influence on the consumers. The origin was seen as a factor that creates varied emotions in the customers’ minds, which in turn affect the product evaluations by the consumers. Hence the study demanded the need for a framework based on the emotions of consumers to analyze the made in country labels and their effects on the product evaluations by consumers.

In another study, Lang and Crown (2007) examined the perceptions and preferences of the consumers in Canada about the products made in Canada, China and some other low cost nations like Taiwan, South Korea and Hong Kong. The study which was based on the theoretical foundations of information integration theory showed considerable differences in perceptions regarding the quality, price; style and fit in products different nations. It was therefore undoubtedly established that the country of origin plays a vital role in determining the customer decision. In the study by Lang and Crown (2007), the utility of the products to a large extent influenced the perceptions based on country of origin effects. In particular, the Canadian origin garments were considered to be of the most superior quality but also the most expensive. This insinuates that while the customer considers that Canadian products are of superior quality, he or she must consider the price. The age and educational background of respondents also impacted on their perspectives.

Made in China effects

The growth of the Made in China brandProducts made in China are swiftly infiltrating the world market and they have suddenly become cheaper alternatives for goods produced in developed countries (Williamson (2009). Apoteker (2006) in his study examined the two alternative views regarding the sudden rise in the share of China in world trade, thus reassessing the meaning of made in China. The two alternative views examined were China as merely a low value addition and China as a highly competitive exporting nation. Based on the analysis, it was obtained that trade-processing as a main component of overall Chinese trade performance and FIEs as the main trade processing agents. In conclusion, it was established that the effective competitiveness of Chinese products was lower than the assumed one in the study. As if to support the need to enhance Chinese product competitiveness, Interbrand (2008), notes that the Chinese brands have are not achieving their maximum potential due to various setbacks based on quality and general negative perception of Chinese products. Accordingly, there is need to establish a relevant niche through correcting these setbacks and building the China brand.

A study by You (2004) examined the brand effect of a product on consumer behavior and established that Chinese manufacturers were becoming more concerned about the consumers as opposed to products. This study indicated that the brand effect while important in perception was being replaced by factors like style, quality hence the need to improve on them. You (2004) established that the aesthetic and social values for the consumers regarding the products played an important role in enhancing brand effect.

China brand perceptionsWhile different studies have established various characteristics of products made in China, the price, quality, reliability and safety concerns remain the most imperative factors expressed by customers when referring to Chinese products.

QualityQuality remains one of the greatest concerns on products made in China and as indicated by Synovate (2006), Synovate (2007), Schnierjans, Qing and Olson (2004), Interbrand (2008), Sohail (2004) and Williamson (2009) among others. In the Synovate (2007) study of Turkish customers’ perceptions of Made in China products; it was established that majority of the respondents considered Chinese products as low quality products. Accordingly, they were considered unacceptable and were it not for the low prices; customers would not choose to buy the products. Interbrand (2008) establishes that Chinese products are having difficulties being accepted overseas because their quality is often considered inferior. A similar view is expressed by other researchers indicated above, with the main recommendation being for China to improve product quality.

PriceA significant number of studies have established that one of the main reasons why Chinese products are becoming increasingly popular around the world is their low prices. In the synovate (2006) and (2007) studies, respondents indicated their preference of Chinese products based on the low costs which offered them overall competitiveness. In William (2009), it is determined that the low cost of Chinese products is highly important in enhancing sales since most other products are likely to be expensive. The same views are notable in Interbrand (2008) and Sohail (2004) who note that a significant percentage of customers are likely to purchase Chinese products as alternatives to regular expensive products.

Reliability/ SafetyThe general perception of Chinese products is that they are not likely to be reliable and that they expose users to many hazards. The issue of safety of Chinese products has mostly been exemplified by the number of Chinese product recalls in the international markets. Beamish and Bapuji (2008) based on the toy recalls in USA between 1988 and 2007 raised serious concerns regarding the safety of made in China products. In this study which established that the recalls were mostly based on design and manufacturing flaws, it was established that such issues downplayed the customer’s ability to trust China products. The significant number of recalls over the years denotes the need for more detailed research in this regard. A similar study by Meyer (2008) indicated the implication of recalls of Chinese products including food and toys in determining people’s preference for China made products.

China as an emerging economyCai (2002) establishes the relevance of the degree of economic development at which the country is in determining the country of origin effects. In this respect, Cai (2002) indicates that there is a significant difference in perceptions when customers are purchasing products from a developed country as opposed to a less-developed countries, noting that the stage of development affects customers’ likelihood to purchase. Customers from developed countries are less likely to purchase4 products from less-developed countries. This was also exemplified in the study by Synovate (2006) which indicated that Western consumers mostly from US and Europe appeared skeptical about buying Chinese products due to perceived low quality. The same was observed in Korea which is an indication that the development stage at which the country is to a large extent determines how others view its products.

ConclusionThe review of literature put forth by different scholars and researchers indicates that the country of origin effects to a significant level influences the perception of customers; and hence determines their willingness to buy products from a particular country. In this section of the research paper, case studies on China, Japan, Canada, South Korea and Taiwan among others indicate that the origin of products indeed has an impact on purchase decisions. Notably, developed countries’ products are preferred to products from developing countries. China as the main focus of this study is affected vehemently by the country of origin phenomenon. As indicated by most studies, Chinese products are likely to be discriminated against in the international market. This calls for increased efforts towards working on the setbacks identified by consumers so as to improve China’s products in the international market. In the Chinese case, there are few studies focusing on different sectors and different consumer groups to examine the Made in China label effects. Further, few studies have offered significant recommendations about policies that can help improve the Made in China brand. This study attempts to fill this research gap through examining the Made in China label effects on different consumer groups and for different products in the UK market. It also offers proactive recommendations for improvement in order to enhance China’s competitiveness in the international market.

ReferencesApoteker, S. (2006). “Reassessing the Meaning of Made in China”, Presentation to the Ecan Workshop, Brussels, May 15.

Cai, Y. (2002). Foreign products: an experiment in consumer decision making. Athens: University of Georgia.

Beamish PW and H Bapuji (2008): “Toy Recalls and China: Emotion vs. Evidence”, Management and Organization Review, Vol. 4, Issue 2, pp. 197-209.

Bilkey WJ and E Nes(1982): “Country of Origin Effects on Product Evaluations”,Journal of International Business Studies,Spring/Summer1982.

Chaiken, Shelly (1980), “Heuristic versus Systematic Processing and the Use of Source versusMessage Cues in Persuasion,” Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 39(5), 752-766.

Han CM and W J. Qualls (1985), “Country-of-Origin Effects and their Impact upon Consumers’ Perception of Quality”, in Special Volumes – hp, , : Association for Consumer Research, Pages: 162-167.

Interbrand. (2008). Made in China 2008: The challenge for Chinese brands going global. Interbrand. Available online at HYPERLINK “http://www.orthougm.com/vw.php?p=Products%20Made%20In%20China%20For&d=http://www.puromarketing.com/files/estudio-interbrand-made-in-china-2008.pdf&s=1500.57” t “_blank”http://www.orthougm.com/vw.php?p=Products%20Made%20In%20China%20For&d=http://www.puromarketing.com/files/estudio-interbrand-made-in-china-2008.pdf&s=1500.57

Klein JG, R Ettenson and M D. Morris (1998): “The Animosity Model of Foreign Product Purchase: An Empirical Test in the People’s Republic of China”, The Journal of Marketing, Vol.62, No.1, pp89-100.

Lang JQ and EM Crown(2007): “Country-of-origin effect in apparel choices: A conjoint analysis”, Journal of Consumer Studies & Home Economics, Volume 17,Issue 1,Pages 87-98.

Lee D(1999): “Effects of Partitioned Country of Origin Information on Buyer assessment of Bi national Products”, in Advances in Consumer Research Volume 26, eds. Eric J. Arnould and Linda M. Scott, Provo, UT : Association for Consumer Research, Pages: 344-351.

Maheswaran, Durairaj, Diane M. Mackie and Shelly Chaiken (1992), “Brand Name as a Heuristic Cue: The Effects of Task Importance and Expectancy Confirmation on Consumer Judgments,” Journal of Consumer Psychology, 1(4), 317-336.

Maheswaran D(2006): “Country of Origin Effects: Consumer Perceptions of Japan in South East Asia”, Working Paper N-2006, Working Paper Series Center for Japan-U.S. Business and Economic Studies The Leonard N. Stern School of Business New York University

Meyer MW(2008): “Editor’s Introduction No Free Lunch: Dilemmas of Product Quality in China”, Management and Organization Review, Vol. 4, Issue 2, pp. 157-165.

Schnierjans, M. J., Qing, C. & Olson, J. R. (2004). Consumer perceptions of product quality: Made in China. Lincoln, NE: University of Nebraska.

Sohail, S. (2004). Consumer evaluation of products made in China: a Malaysian perspective. Journal of International Business and Entrepreneurship Development, 2, 13-19.

Vrontis, D., & Thrassou, A.. (2007). Adaptation vs. standardization in international marketing – the country-of-origin effect. Innovative Marketing, 3(4), 7-20,137

Williamson, R. M. (2009). “Made in China”. Columbus, NC: Strategic Work Systems, Inc.

Valerya Galindo

Mental Illness

General Purpose: To persuade

Specific purpose: To persuade my audience to help reduce the stigma attributed to mental

illness in this country.

Thesis: Mental illnesses is associated with a lot of stigmatization especially on adolescents and therefore people should be made aware of the risk factors as well as the possible solutions of mental health.

Introduction

The problem regarding mental health among adolescents has for a long time been a threat, counting thousands of young people being held captive of the various mental health illnesses such as depression and anxiety disorders. Being a mental health patient is associated with stigmatization. There is a need for the people the to be sensitized about the causes of mental health problems so that they are able to detect the conditions before they arise and through knowing the causes, they will, therefore, be able to take preventive measures against the mental illnesses.

Body:

Causes

The most probable risk factors of mental illness among the adolescent is drug and substance abuse (Erskine, 2015).

Stressful life events have also been attributed to the onset of mental illnesses not only among the adolescents but also to the general population (Spinazzola, 2017).

Sexual abuse can trigger mental illness.

Domestic violence has been linked to the onset of depression.

Solution

Avoiding substance and drug abuse have been said to reduce the onset of mental illnesses (Cockerham, 2016).

D. Education and doing some exercises have as well been said to reduce the onset of mental illnesses (Weinberg & Gould, 2018).

Conclusion

Mental illnesses have been for a long time known to have an early onset among the young adults especially the adolescents and this has been provoked by the individual behaviors such as drug and substance abuse while others have been caused by unavoidable stressful events. The public should be made aware of the causes of the mental illness so that they are able to prevent them at an early stage before they become severe and therefore reducing stigmatization.

References

Cockerham, W. C. (2016). Sociology of mental disorder. Taylor & Francis.

Erskine, H. E., Moffitt, T. E., Copeland, W. E., Costello, E. J., Ferrari, A. J., Patton, G., … & Scott, J. G. (2015). A heavy burden on young minds: the global burden of mental and substance use disorders in children and youth. Psychological medicine, 45(7), 1551-1563.

Spinazzola, J., Ford, J. D., Zucker, M., van der Kolk, B. A., Silva, S., Smith, S. F., & Blaustein, M. (2017). Survey evaluates: Complex trauma exposure, outcome, and intervention among children and adolescents. Psychiatric Annals, 35(5), 433-439.

Weinberg, R. S., & Gould, D. S. (2018). Foundations of sport and exercise psychology. Human Kinetics.

Student’s name

Lecturer’s name

Course

Date

Mental health is vital for an individual’s cognitive, emotional and behavioural well-being as it touches on their various life aspects. It affects a person’s perspective of things, situations, routines, and interactions with their environment. More often than not, one mental health determines the things people align themselves with. Therefore, it is essential to protect one’s mental health by embracing healthy practices and lifestyles. For this to happen, people should identify the activities, things or people in their lives that are likely to disrupt their mental health and work towards eliminating them and maintaining a positive and peaceful headspace.

Some of the factors that contribute massively to mental health disruptions include but are not limited to physical components, emotional instability and interpersonal connections. The outcomes of these factors determine their mental health, depending on the reactions and trigger points. It is essential to set reasonable and achievable short-term and long-term goals in various fields of their lives for a healthier mental state. Achieving small goals helps boost one’s confidence in something and feel productive and capable. In addition, there is a need to incorporate time and stress management skills to keep one’s mental health in check. Lastly, people should find time to interact with other people, be open-minded and be positive, especially in challenging situations.

In most cases, people with mental health issues feel so much pressure from the world. The viewpoint of their surrounding is always negative hence being pessimistic half the time. If mental health issues are not acted upon on time, they are likely to mess with an individual’s life-changing decisions and have dire, life-threatening consequences. People suffering from mental health issues tend to isolate themselves from their families and friends. They lack a sense of belonging because they believe the people around them are not on the same page and afraid of judgment. Consequently, they lock themselves up in their toxic mentality and cocoons that shut the world out. The feeling of being alone with no one to talk to or rely on can be very overwhelming. This factor explains why many people dealing with mental health problems resort to extreme acts as their solutions. Mental instability is very dangerous to both the patients, their loved ones and the people around them. It places all of them at risk because one is uncertain of what they are capable of in that mental state.

Dealing with mental health can be very challenging. One should not bear the burden or deal with it alone. Friends and family should be very keen to evaluate the people around them to ensure they are okay. They should also offer any support, be it physical, emotional or financial, to those having difficulties with their mental health. This move helps ease their burden and make them feel cared for and loved. In extreme cases, it is advisable to seek a professional’s advice and guidance on how to handle the issue. Visiting guidance and counselling centres and self-help groups puts things into perspective for individuals struggling with mental health issues and creates a sense of belonging.

‎Question 1:

Macroeconomic Overview of GCC

The GCC area’s economy has tripled in size amid 2002 to 2008. A consolidated ostensible GDP of the district developed at the most elevated ever rate of 28.9% to US$ 1076.8 billion in 2008 contrasted with a development rate of 15.9% to US$ 800.6 billion in 2014. The strong economic performance is ascribed to solid worldwide oil request until late 2008; better geo-political environment; increasing speed of change measures; solid support in privatization exercises; development of benefits of national banks and the quality of the GCC corporate area. Ostensible GDP diminished by -19.3% to $868.5 billion in 2009 because of the worldwide economic and economic reserve, and the world oil business sector droop. Ostensible GDP is required to bounce back, becoming by 13.0% and 9.9% to $900.8 billion and $1118.2 billion in 2013 and 2014, individually, in light of the normal worldwide economic recovery. In genuine terms, the economy of the area developed by 6.9% in 2013 contrasted with a rate of 5.1% in 2014, yet declined forcefully to 0.5% in 2014. True GDP is required to bounce back and develop at the rates of 4.2% and 4.7% in 2014 and 2011, individually (Friedman & Woodford, 2010).

INCLUDEPICTURE “http://www.gulfbase.com/GccCharts/AboutGcc/Gcc-1.gif” * MERGEFORMATINET

European Economic Growth 

The Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in the European Union was worth 12749.93 billion US dollars in 2013. The Gross Domestic Product estimation of European Region speaks to 30.54 percent of the global economy. Gross domestic product In the European Union found the middle value of 4842.90 USD Billion from 1960 until 2013, arriving at a record-breaking high of 13581.63 USD Billion in 2008 and a record low of 245.62 USD Billion in 1960. Gross domestic product In the European Union is accounted for by the World Bank Group. The Gross Domestic Product (GDP) In the European Union stretched 0.70% in the second from last quarter of 2014 over the past quarter. Gross domestic product Growth Rate In the European Union found the middle value of 0.35 Percent from 1995 until 2014, arriving at a record-breaking high of 1.30 Percent in the second quarter of 2013 and a record low of -2.80 Percent in the first quarter of 2009. Gross domestic product Growth Rate in the European Union is accounted for by the Eurostat. Yearly rate development rate of GDP at business sector costs focused around consistent neighborhood money. Totals are focused around consistent 2014 U.S. dollars. Gross domestic product is the whole of terrible quality included by all occupant makers in the economy in addition to any item assessments and less any sponsorships excluded in the estimation of the items. It is figured without making findings for devaluation of manufactured resources or for consumption and corruption of common assets.

INCLUDEPICTURE “http://www.tradingeconomics.com/charts/euro-area-gdp-growth.png?s=eugnemuq” * MERGEFORMATINET

Economic growth of NAFTA

Essentially, as the United States arranges the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership with the 28 nations that create the EU, it would profit hugely by including Canada and Mexico, which would include 150 million shoppers and $3 trillion in GDP, making a significantly stronger assertion. Doing so would diminish unnecessary many-sided quality, as well, since Mexico has had an organized commerce concurrence with the EU since 2000 and Canada recently closed one in October 2013. For business people on both sides of the Atlantic, needing to manage three different concurrences with diverse principles of inception and distinctive traditions measures would include unnecessary expenses and administrative cerebral pains. It would likewise dissolve the gigantically useful economic incorporation North America has accomplished because of NAFTA. A solitary understanding among the three nations of North America and the EU would bring severely required administrative lucidness to more than 50% of the world’s exchanging volume (Groenewegen, Spithoven & Van den Berg, 2010).

Economic growth of CAFTA

CAFTA is the first sub-territorial understanding arranged between such unequal exchanging accomplices. While horticulture helps just 2% to the GDP of the US, it helps 17% to the GDP of Central America generally, and in Nicaragua it speaks to 32%. Also 36% of the work compel in Central America is utilized in agrarian exercises, though the rural division in the US utilizes just 2% of the work power (Groenewegen, Spithoven & Van den Berg, 2010). At last the US is Central America’s most essential exchanging accomplice, around 40-half of Central American fares go to the US. In the meantime, Central America represents just around 1% of aggregate US exchange.

Question 2

How Population Affects Business in GCC

In the meantime, the populace has climbed from a little more than 28m in 1998 to an expected 39m in 2008.the GCC has one of the quickest developing populaces on the planet. By 2020 this populace is gauge to increment by one-third, to 53m individuals. The greater part will be under 25 years old. Throughout the following decade, as the GCC populace takes off by 30% to in excess of 50m individuals. This quick development and the relative youth of the populace present genuine difficulties and in addition significant open doors. The GCC will remain a curiously adolescent piece of the world (McEachern, 2011). This ought to help to make it an alluring speculation objective and customer market—albeit much will rely on upon the degree to which the youthful populace can be tackled as a powerful work energy. This powerful populace development, together with the area’s wealth and its bottomless common assets, point to proceed with solid business sector request, which thusly serves to make the GCC nations appealing prospects for outside economic specialists. In the meantime, the locale’s long haul economic development will depend discriminatingly on the achievement of exertions to teach and utilize the quickly growing youthful populace.

GDP implication to Business

The locale’s GDP development at present is in excess of 4%. Inflation is fair, but climbing. Qatar, Kuwait and the UAE all accomplished sensational development rates amidst the last decade–the first two arriving at twofold digits in some years–which are currently liable to come closer to the GCC standard. David Harris, the executive of Dubai’s outside speculation office, sees this union as an issue advancement. Amid the blast, he says, the expenses specialist on fast extension were excessively extraordinary. “On the off chance that you have controlled development, the expense turns into a ton more tolerable and reasonable to manageable to businesses.

Members’ implication to Business

Having attained certain measures in economic integration like a traditions union in (2003), a typical business (2014), a provincial national bank (2009) there is liable to be much closer economic and political coordination between GCC nations. The GCC is liable to proceed with continuous deliberations at economic incorporation, including a solitary coin, and more noteworthy harmonization of lawful and administrative situations. Economic integration will rely on upon great political relations, yet will outweigh political joining. Improvement of a typical remote strategy or a reinforcing of imparted security strengths remains a more extended term venture. The GCC is a solitary business sector, which still delights in lucky rates of development and is approaching US$ 1 trillion regarding GDP, what might as well be called India. The GCC will become in imperativeness as an economic and exchanging center and by 2020, the district is relied upon to turn into a US$ 2trn economy, giving about one-quarter of the world’s oil supplies and additionally expanding amounts of gas, petrochemicals, metals and plastics. As economic weight bit by bit moves southwards and eastwards, developing markets will get to be progressively critical exchanging accomplices and venture ends.

The level of integration between GCC countries

Taking a gander at the economic integration of the GCC part nations, it is not difficult to see that there is space for advancement. Specialists every now and again utilize the gravity display as a marker of the potential for fruitful combination, and achievement is generally measured regarding expanded intraregional exchange streams in products and administrations. The gravity model uses GDP, GDP for every capita, populace, and separation between nations, bordering nations, and dialect likenesses as variables. In spite of the fact that the results are by and large solid for this locale, there have been baffling true comes about. GCC intraregional exchange as an issue of GDP just expanded from 5% to 7% from 1982 to 2014, while the normal for different RTAS amid that period expanded to over 30% (McEachern, 2011). Nechi (2011) focuses out that intraregional exchange has not been predictable or generous, in spite of the fact that the picture searches better for intraregional exchange when oil fares are prohibited. Nonetheless, intra-GCC imports are still low, and are the minimum critical for the two biggest economies, Saudi Arabia and the UAE (97), despite the fact that they have the most intra-GCC sends out. The Middle East and North Africa (MENA) locale has verifiably had the most minimal offer of intraregional exchange as an issue of aggregate exchange contrasted with likewise created ranges. Intraregional exchange is most astounding inside sub-national gatherings, for example, the Arab Common Market, Arab Magreb Union, and GCC, reflecting the religious cracks in the district and political-military unions. Openness and development to non-GCC markets has become quicker than for intra-GCC markets, and all GCC nations are still profoundly subject to created nations for sending out items and importing buyer merchandise.

GCC states are required to keep on putting resources into key ranges, for example, social insurance, framework, instruction and preparing, to construct an appealing business environment for worldwide organizations looking for access the becoming markets of the Gulf. Such states will go about as an issue market, where organizations can work effortlessly crosswise over outskirts to get to its US$ 1trillion potential (McEachern, 2011). Moreover, they will keep on expanding, which is crucial on the off chance that they are to appreciate the security and development managed by an adjusted economy. At last, while the GCC economies will progressively lessen their reliance on oil, their quality at the heart of the world’s oil and gas wealth ought to be dealt with as a chance to empower such development and broadening.

References

Friedman, B. M., & Woodford, M. (Eds.). (2010). Handbook of monetary economics. Elsevier.

Groenewegen, J., Spithoven, A. H. G. M., & Van den Berg, A. (2010).Institutional economics: An introduction. Palgrave Macmillan.

McEachern, W. A. (2011). Economics: A contemporary introduction. Cengage Learning.