Safety Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Safety Management - Essay Example By carrying out a safety and healthy checkup in a given organization, they could become part of its daily running that would ultimately see to the creation of a better image for both the organization and its workers. In 1997, plant XYZ made a lot of losses that amounted from a high injury and illness case in the manufacturing company. In just a year, the company had a direct loss of nearly one million U. S dollars resulting from injury and illness alone. These losses greatly eat into the company’s profit, which ultimately lowers its profit margin every year. Thus, there is need for the company to reduce the injury and illness cases by fifty percent in order to increase its profits. A reduction in these cases would greatly increase the company’s profit margin by a minimum of two point five percent. At the same time, these safety systems would also benefit the workers in a great way. The illnesses, fatalities and injuries incurred at the workplace result in a lot of pain and suffering for both the workers and their families. They end up costing these families much of the money that they had worked so hard for. Thus, by putting in place these safety systems, both the company and its e mployees would be saving a lot of resources that they would otherwise use in nursing these injuries and illnesses. There are several crucial elements that should be taken into consideration in ensuring that an effective health and safety system is in place. The first element is management commitment in the system as well as employee involvement. The management of any given organization should be committed wholeheartedly to seeing the safety of its workers. Intervention by the management into these issues would reduce the severity of injuries gained at the workplace that would ultimately alleviate a lot of financial burdens for both the company and its workers. By becoming involved in this

Quality Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Quality Management - Essay Example (ISO, 2008) Total Quality Management is one approach which can be used to improve an enhance product quality. Dr. Edwards Demming came up with the idea of total quality management, and this idea was first adopted and implemented by the Japanese. Total Quality Management is continuously improving products and processes by focusing on quality at each stage of production. It tries to get it right the first time and not have any defects. There is an emphasis on ensuring that the customer is always satisfied as total quality management has a consumer comes first orientation and in this context the customer can be other people/departments in the same business that the task is being completed for, not just the final customer. (Stark, 1998) Enhancing efficiency eventually adds to quality products in terms of lower costs either in the form of less wastage or higher output per input. The business should keep a constant check of efficiency levels with the help of either factor productivity or labor productivity ratios.

What are events?

What are events? 2.1 WHAT ARE EVENTS? Events play a vital role in human society. The least excuse could be found for good forms of celebrations. Events are planned acts and performances, which originates from ancient history. Events and festivals are well documented in the historical era before the fall of the Western Roman Empire (A.D 476). They serve important function for the society, providing participants with the opportunity to assert their identities and to share rituals and celebrations with each other. Events have its stem from cultural and historical values. In the middle ages, events and ceremonies played a major role in ensuring that a dull daily existence was enlivened and that people was entertained. Since at that time there was no TV or Net for entertainment. People have traditionally celebrated religious festivals, Christmas, Easter, Cavadee, Maha Shivratree. They have also participated in other major events staged by rulers of ancient time. In the seventeen and eighteen century, Kings have organized even ts in a way to have control on the public. In modern societies, traditional religious and national festivals are no longer a key focus for celebrations and gatherings. They focus on creative events like weddings, anniversaries, award ceremonies, and so on.( Shone and Parry, 2004) An event is any gathering that occurs at a given time in a given place. It is an occurrence, a significant gathering that takes place in a social setting. However, there are no standardized definitions of what is an event. An event is â€Å"a unique moment in time celebrated with ceremony and ritual to satisfy specific needs†.( Goldblatt 1997 p. 2) The Accepted Practices Exchange (APEX) industry glossary of terms (CIC ,2003) defines an event as, an organized occasion such as a meeting, convention, exhibition, special event, gala dinner, etc. an event comprises of many different yet related functions. Getz (2005, p. 16) argues that a principle applying to events is that they are temporary and that ‘ Every such event is unique streaming from the blend of management, program, setting and people. Modern events vary in terms of their scale, complexity and number of stakeholders involved. Small Event Massive Event Few stakeholders Many stakeholders Clear objectives Complex objectives There are different types of events that have been developed around the world to suit the needs of everyone. It ranges from individual to business events that bring together people around the world. 2.1.1The importance of events It is crucial for event organizers to address the needs of the stakeholders, the direct and indirect participants. Event organizers have to keep in mind his clientele. If for them it is the nth event they are organizing, they should keep in mind that this same event may be the first one, the dream and opportunity of a lifetime for its participants and spectators. Bearing this in mind, event organizers must organize each event with the same zeal, motivation and thrill as they organized the first one. Organizers have to address the precise nature of their tasks as each event has different characteristics and requirements. Moreover all events and their customers are important. They deserve the best treatment every time an event occurs. It is important for event organizers to offer the best treatment possible as a poor service will result in customer dissatisfaction and loss of business in the long run.( Watt, 1998) Events have a number of roles in a destination (Yeoman, Robertson, et al, 2004). Getz, 1997, identifies these as ‘attractions, image makers, animators of static attractions and catalyst for further development. They have the potential to reduce negative impacts of mass visitation and foster better host-guest relations. Events can expand tourists season, extend peak season or even bring in new season into the life of a community. The community development perspective on event tourism acknowledges the elements of community spirit and pride, corporation, leadership, improvement of community traditions, capacity to control development, improvement to social and health services and environmental quality. 2.1.2 Characteristics of the best events The elements that make best events are: A clear vision and an explicit reason for everyones work. SMART objectives to which everyone is committed. An adequate, flexible organizational structure competent to accomplish precise tasks, but retaining a large unity of purpose. Staffs that is committed and ready to ‘go the step beyond. Strong leadership to be able to manage the event. Exact thorough planning carried out and documented within an suitable timescale. A coordinated team effort that operates within financial plans, drawing on all accessible resources. Well-organized lines of communications. An excellent public image. Successful advertising and presentation, and built in contingency tactics. Full commitment towards customers. Efficient ongoing control and monitoring systems. An ambiance of harmony, focus and hard work, humor and interest. Good post event assessment. (Adapted from Watt, 1998) 2.2Event Concept All events start with an idea. The idea describes the event in its simplest forms. Concepts are clear statements that give meaning and parameters to an event idea. Defining an event concept is a creative process. The 5 Ws: WHO, WHAT, WHY, WHEN and WHERE, are tools used for transforming an idea into a concept. The Ws helps to know if an event idea is feasible, viable and sustainable. Those questions are crucial as they shape the event design and reflect the event purpose (Goldblatt. 2001). WHO: events bring together people who deliver the event experience. Those people include suppliers, stakeholders, audience, planers and so on. For events to be successful it is important to determine who is responsible for what. Also communication should flow smoothly among all people involved as events have impacts on wider communities. WHAT: Events experiences includes organizational teams that designs the contents of the event. This process is time consuming. By creating a mission statement specific goals and needs are set up. The mission statement defines the objective and assists in establishing the event in the wider external context. WHY: It is important to consider why an event is happening. Consider the purpose of the event. All events have a purpose, whether it is an inaugural ceremony, cultural festival or a political meeting. WHEN: Timing of events is a critical factor for its success. In the design and development stage, planning process, including research, funding, marketing and design has to be considered. In the event delivery process venue availability, production timelines, performers, customers, competing events and supplier availability needs to be taken into account. WHERE: the location of the event needs to be considered. The choice of venues depends on type of events, organizations budget and accessibility to the public. (Source: Robinson, Wale and Dickson, 2010) 2.3Event classification Events are generally classified according to their size and type. Firstly we will look at the event classification by size; which is mainly of three categories: Mega events Hallmark events Major events 2.3.1Mega Events Mega Events are very large events with crowded audience and a good management team behind its organization. Allen et al. (2005) defines mega events as ‘those that are so large they affect whole economies and reverberate in the global media. They include Olympic Games and World Fairs. Mega events require many years of organization and it targets tourists as well as the host population organizing the event. Mega Events look into every aspect of life at the destination during the event; transport, medical services in case of injuries, retail outlets. (Getz 1997) suggests that mega events should have more than one million visitors and capital cost amounting to at least 500 million. It should have a reputation of a must see event. Additionally he argues, ‘Mega events, by way of their size or significance, are those that yield extraordinarily high levels of tourism, media coverage, prestige or economic impact for a host destination. Till now, in Mauritius has not yet organized such mega events. 2.3.2Hallmark Events Hallmark Events are not on such huge scale. Such events take place repeatedly in the same destination. The term hallmark event refers to a recurring event that possesses such significance, in terms of tradition, attractiveness, image, or publicity, that the event provide the host venue, a community, or destination with a competitive advantage.(Getz, 1997) ‘Those events that become so identified with the spirit or ethos of a town, city or region, that they become synonymous with the name of the place, and gain widespread recognition, and awareness. (Allen et al. , 2005). The benefits of such hallmark events are the creation of new facilities, improvements to the infrastructure, an increase in tourism revenues. In Mauritius, the religious festivals, namely, Maha Shivratree and cavadee which are celebrated by the Hindus, attract many tourists and there is also media coverage. 2.3.3Major Events Major Events can involve more people than a hallmark event. Such events have great pulling power in terms of visitors, media and performers/competitors. They also generate significant economic impact in the host destination. Major events are a source of temporary employment for some people (for example, to work on food stalls, cleaning services, etc.). It also attracts a number of volunteers and media coverage. Many top international sporting championships fits into this category, and are increasingly being sought after, and bid for by national sporting organizations and governments in the competitive world of international major events. (Allen et al. 2002) It can be said that, in Mauritius there has been major events. One of them being les Jeux des Iles de lOcean Indien held in 2003 where a games village was constructed at ebene for the accommodation of the athletes. Now the government has sold those apartments. There has also been international media coverage of the event and medical facilities, retail outlets, transportation of athletes, etc were provided. 2.4Special Eventsand Festivals In recent years special events have become one of the fastest growing sectors of the tourism industry. As stated by G. Bowdin, I. McDonnell et al, 2001, the term special events enclose specific rituals, presentations, performances and celebrations. Special events are staged to mark or celebrate a special occasion. The defining characteristic of a special event is its transience; ( Gilbert and Lizotte, 1998: 73). This suggest it would be impossible to tempt and maintain the same sense of thrill if a particular special event were to be held more often ( Yeoman, Robertson, et al, 2004). Special events include national day celebration, sporting events, and important civic occasions. An example could be, the Maha Shivratree festival celebrated by the Hindus in Mauritius. Getz (2005, p. 16) Defines special events from two perspectives. One from the point of view of the event organizer and the second from the eye of the guest. ‘A special event is a one time or frequently occurring event outside normal programmes or activities of the sponsoring or organizing body To the guest the ‘event is an opportunity for a leisure, social or cultural experience outside the normal range of choices or beyond everyday experience. Getz added that the characteristics of special events are specialness, it creates a mood of festivity among the guests, they are unique and authentic. They have specific themes. The word festival is derived from feast and implies a unique time for celebration. Festivals connect landscape to lifestyle and complex ways by introducing the human dimension. Those events entertain locals and offer recreational activity in and out season for visitors. Media coverage generated by events helps destinations build assurance and a positive image in the tourism market place. Festivals are striking to communities looking to tackle issues of civic design, local pride and identity, heritage, urban renewal, employment opportunities and economic growth. The more an event is seen by its host community as emerging from within rather than imposing on them, the greater that communitys approval of the event will be. Festivals and events generally represent the host communitys sense of itself and sense of place. Among the attributes that Getz believes makes an event special and unique are its festive spirit, uniqueness, quality, authenticity, tradition, hospitality, theming and symbolism. Conferences fall under the generic umbrella of the term event. Therefore, it is important to consider the MICE industry when talking about events. 2.5 The MICE Industry The Meetings, Incentives, Conventions and Exhibitions (MICE) Industry is known as a service industry that combines trade, transportation, travel and finance. It is also known as business tourism whereby people come to attend conferences, for example. MICE Tourism attracts invaluable business to a region and in return brings high returns to local economies in the sense that business tourists spend more, not only on hotels and restaurants but even on leisure activities such as visits to retails and local attractions such as museums and theaters (Clark, 2004). Attendees of MICE activities are known as ‘high spend travelers that meet the needs of yield driven tourism strategies (Braun, 1992). The MICE industry is characterized by the 3 Highs High growth potential, high added values and highly beneficial innovations†. ; The â€Å"three larges large output, Large opportunities for employment and large industry associations† ; and the â€Å" three advantages advantage s over industries in human resources, technological knowhow and the efficient utilization of resources†. It has been cited that within tourism, meetings and conventions are one of the fastest growing segments (Weber Ladkin, 2003; Oppermann, 1996; Oppermann Conn, 1997). The MICE sector is considered to be the blue chip of the tourism industry. The stakeholders in Mauritius are placing special interest and investing highly in this lucrative business of conferences to attract MICE businesses from particularly high profile destinations. Meetings are structured events which bring people collectively to argue a topic of common interest, may be commercial or non commercial, may be attended by 6 or more people and may last a few hours or a week. What makes a meeting qualify as part of the tourism business is that it engages some of the service of the tourism industry, and is generally held away from the location of the organisation running it ( Davidson, 1994). There are various types of meeting that occurs in different settings and many goals or objectives for conducting a meeting (Boehme, 1999). Incentive travel is a universal management instrument that uses an outstanding travel experience to encourage and/or recognise participants for improved levels of performance in support of the organizational goals. (SITE, 1998) Conferences are participatory meetings that are designed mainly for the purpose of discussions, to find about a particular subject, to solve problems and consultation. Conferences are usually on a smaller scale and the flow of information is less complex. Conferences are usually limited in time and have specific objectives. The Meetings Industry Association (1996) defines a conference as ‘ An event involving 10 or more people for a minimum of four hours during one day or more, frequently held outside the companys own premises. Exhibitions. ‘Exhibitions bring suppliers of goods and services together with buyers, usually in a particular industry sector. (Allen et al. 2002:15) Recently there has been an initiative to not use the â€Å"MICE Market† label but instead â€Å"The Meetings Industry† as it encompasses every aspect of the MICE label. 2.6 Marketing of events and conferences Marketing is seen as an integrated process of producing, distributing and selling goods and services. Lyndsey Taylor sums up the key characteristics and messages that genuine marketing contains: Meeting customer needs Attracting new customers Reacting to market trends Keeping up with competitors Encouraging customer loyalty Targeting specific customers Identifying market opportunities Noting customer feedback Getting it right every time The event industry is seen as a service industry. Events have the same characteristics as services (Watt, 1998). They are: Intangible customers enjoy the benefits and enjoyment of the event, but they cant touch the event Perishable- the benefits and enjoyment cannot be stored and carried forward to a future time. It has to be enjoyed on the spot. Inseparable- it takes event organizers and customers to make an event happen Consistent- it is important to offer consistent products an services as todays customers are looking for consistency Lack of ownership- events do not belong to any one. They are temporarily enjoyed by many. Since events are the same as services it becomes important to market them. Marketing is a persuasive tool to attract people to an event. Event marketing is defined by: 1. â€Å"The marketing concept holds that the key to achieving organizational goals consists of determining the needs and wants of target markets (defined as the set of actual and potential buyers of products) and delivering the desired satisfactions more effectively and efficiently than competitors†. (Kotler, 2000) 2. â€Å"The functions of event management that can keep in touch the events participants and visitors (consumers), read their needs and motivation, develop products that meet those needs, and build a communication programme which expresses the events purpose and objectives. (Hall, 2000) 2.6.1 Factors in marketing Marketing can be affected by a range of factors, some controllable and some not (Watt, 1998). He further stated companies must be aware of them: Location; attractiveness and accessibility of the place as well as environmental factors like traffic and scenery. Social factors; the attitudes of those involved in making an event or conference to happen affects peoples attitudes to what is appropriate. Cultural influences; different groups in society; ethnic groups, social groups, will view events from different angles. Fashion; at certain period certain events will be in craze and will attract large attendees. Political factors; government will be in favor of those events that fits their beliefs. Economic factors; how much money is available to hold an event or conference. Is there a need for sponsorship? Philosophy; the beliefs and attitudes of people will affect the range of events provided. 2.6.2 Marketing Concept; theMarketing Mix The marketing mix is a combination of marketing tools that are used to satisfy customers. It is the parameters that are within the control of marketing managers. The marketing mix is dependent upon environmental scanning, market research, understanding users and offering quality products and services. The marketing mix can be adjusted on a frequent basis to meet the changing needs of target population and other dynamics of the marketing environment. In the events industry, event organizers take into consideration the changing needs of its customers to develop their marketing mix. Jerome McCarthy (1960), a famous marketer states that marketing decisions fall under four categories: 2.6.2.1 Product This is the end result the event; exhibition, show or conference. It also involves all ancillary contributions like programmes, presentations, quality production and customer care. 2.6.2.2 Price Can the event be provided at an affordable price? Can price packages be assembled to support group attendance or tourist rates? 2.6.2.3 Place Place has several aspects. These include: Venue, transport, accommodation, emergency access, car parking, geographic location, host town, catering location, environmental conditions, signposting, country, maps, region. 2.6.2.4 Promotion Promotion also has several aspects, including: Advertising, logo, pamphlets, displays, publicity, posters, merchandising. Appendix K elaborates on the role of promotion in the marketing mix An excellent event manager will balance these aspects to produce a fine marketing mix. The leading thought must be for people and their quality concern; all operations at each phase and at any level need to acknowledge the elements of the marketing mix. For some services, including events, another 4Ps needs to be considered. These include; People; they are the vital picture in delivering events and conferences, especially proper customer care and effective teamwork. Packaging; is concerned with the way events and conferences are being presented; whether as part of a holiday/ business package. Any marketing is dependent upon the packaging, e.g, a family package. Partnership; the help of others and their marketing presence is very beneficial to make the event or conference successful. Programming; when an event or conference is scheduled will be a main tool in its marketing. It should arouse curiosity and create interest by using extra projects around it. (Adapted from: Watt, 1998) 2.7Impacts of special events and conventions Impacts of events encompass a large number of positive benefits and negative impacts which arises because of an event taking place. Impacts can be positive as well as negative. It is the task of the event manager to identify and predict these impacts and manage them in order to achieve the best balance. Those impacts may be visible before the events actually take place, during the event and after the event and affect the stakeholders and the host population. Thus, it can be argued that there is inequity in the distribution of the impacts and benefits of events. (Hall. 1989) typically impacts from events fall under four categories, namely: Economic Impacts Physical and Environmental Impacts Socio cultural Impacts Political Impacts 2.7.1 Economic Impacts Researchers and industry professionals agree that special events and conventions contribute to regional and national economies (Rutherford Kreck, 1994). According to Crompton et al. (2001), economic impacts of events supplements the traditional financial balance sheets that do not address the issue of what the host population gets in return of those events. The economic benefits that events bring to host destination are diverse. They bring an increase in employment and high income among the community, increased tax receipts and infrastructure. Hosting events demand work force, therefore, the host countrys population benefit from temporary as well as permanent jobs. It can be said that it is more beneficial to employ people residing in the region the event is held because there is no transport cost incurred. But even if labor is not available in the region the event is being held this is not such a major issue. As Mauritius is a small island, one can reach the farthest distance from one place to another in one hour. Tourists and locals come to events to spend; they purchase the tickets to attend to entertainments shows, they spend on food and beverage and so on. Money spent is injected in the local economy. Hence, events enhance the quality of life of people since the positive changes brought to the locality will remain even after the ev ent has been held. The costs associated with the economic impacts of events are the exploitation of resources, inflated prices and opportunity costs. Sellers choose to augment their prices, making more profit to the detriment of the host population Customers of events make inefficient use of the resources. For example, in a sporting event, in a moment of excitement, they can damage the lightings. Once the infrastructure is damaged, people will no longer be attracted to the event. There will be negative word of mouth and they may choose to stop coming there. For a local economy that depends entirely on hosting events, its economy suffers. Also, tourists have high spending powers. 2.7.2 Physical and Environmental impacts Events are excellent way to showcase the unique features of hosts environments. In the interest of sustainability, sound strategic management, cost effectiveness and maximizing sponsorship/funding, it becomes increasingly important to consider environmental impacts of events. Todays customers are looking for eco friendly products. Events market the environment in which it is held. Hall (1989) states that selling the image of an event comprises of the marketing of intrinsic properties of the destination. The impacts will be fairly visible for events that are held in suitable purpose built venues, e.g, stadium, sports ground or conference and exhibition centres. Impacts will be much greater if the event is to be held in public areas not ordinary reserved for event purposes. An event requires an environmental impact assessment before permission is given by government authorities to proceed Events have positive effects on the natural and physical environments. The infrastructure at the destination is re organized, proper road network, lighting and scavenging facilities are set up to accommodate events. There is an improved transport and communication facility in the region. Many of Londons landmark venues have been the legacy of major events, including Crystal Palace (1851 Freat Exhibition) Negative environmental and physical impacts of events occur when the level of visitor use is higher than the carrying capacity of the region. Aspects such as crowd movement and control, noise levels, access and parking are crucial elements. Other important issues include wear and tear of the physical and natural environment, heritage protection and disruption of the local community. Events cause potential threats to natural and built areas. This put enormous pressure on the area and leads to impacts such as land degradation (erosion), increased pollution, discharges into the soil, loss of natural habitat. It often put a strain on water resources and in the long run can force locals to compete for the use of critical resources. The different forms of travel used by the delegates, attendees performers and organizers of events impacts on traffic congestion. Good communication and consultation with local authorities can help resolve of these issues. In addition, careful management planning is required to modify impacts. 2.7.3 Socio cultural impacts Hall and Getz (1997) points out that all events have direct socio cultural impacts on participants as well as host community. Events increase pride of its residents, which results from some community events, national days celebrations, and the validation of specific groups in the regions. Some events leave a legacy of greater awareness and involvement in sporting and cultural activities. Others widens people cultural horizons and uncover them to new and challenging people, traditions and values. For example, the melas held in Leeds every summer have brought about the powerful religious Asian traditions and cultural associations before wider audiences. Events have the art to challenge the imagination and explore new avenues. For example the installation of the Ice Cubes outdoor ice-skating rink at millennium square in Leeds. Moreover, events have the power to form the cornerstone of cultural strategies. Newham Council have developed its local cultural strategy, ‘Reasons to Be Cheerful at the centre of which is the vision that people choosing to live in Newham by 2010. In essence, events can become an o pportunity to improve social relationships, for strengthening peoples abilities to understand one another and for peoples wellbeing ( Kurtzman and Zauhar, 1997). The bigger and more high profile an event is, greater possibilities exists for things to go wrong, hence creating negative impacts. Major events can give rise to unintended social consequences like, substance abuse, unaccepted crowd behavior and an increase in criminal activity (Getz, 1997). If not managed well, these unintended consequences can hijack the agenda and determine the public perception of the event. English football clubs have successfully implemented strategies to deal with alcohol related bad crowd behavior in order to protect their reputation. Badly managed events can also have broader impacts on social life and community structures. These can include loss of amenity because of noise or crowds, resentment of inequitable distribution of costs and benefits as stated by (Getz 1997). Furthermore, commodification, staged authenticity and standardization are classified as negative impacts. 2.7.4 Political Impacts Politics as well as politicians play an important part in the equation that is contemporary event management. Politicians believe that events will keep its population in good health and themselves in power. This is because politicians use events as an indirect means to build their personal profile and gain political advantage. Arnold et al. (1989, pp 191-2) argued that ‘Governments in power will continue to use events to punctuate the ends of their periods in office, to arouse nationalism, enthusiasm and finally, votes. Governments are aware of the ability of events to raise the profiles of politicians and the areas that they lead.

Alternate Worlds Essay -- Movie Film Matrix Essays

Alternate Worlds We are all living our lives day-to-day, thinking that everything we encounter is truly in existence. But what if we are all in a dream world? With many science fiction forms of media, they pose this question: Is there any way to tell that everything we do is really happening? One movie that embraces this topic is The Matrix. The matrix could almost be called a dream world. The world outside of the matrix is basically the real world, where humans are not controlled by computers. Zion is the only real city left in the movie. Morpheus, a main character in the movie, states, the world that has been pulled over your eyes to blind you from the truth. In Ursula K Le Guins The Lathe of Heaven there is also a confusion of the real world and the dream world. In the movie The Matrix and the book The Lathe of Heaven there are many similarities, even though the story lines are quite different. The curiosity that comes from both the movie and the book is the fact that the world is not what is seems to be. The main characters in the movie The Matrix and Le Guins book The Lathe of Heaven both have many similarities. The main character in the movie is Neo, a computer hacker, who is seeking the truth about the matrix. However, when he finds the truth, he ends up discovering more than he expected. After being discovered by Morpheus, he is taken into the real world where he becomes 'The One' and receives computer generated powers. In The Lathe of Heaven the main characters name is George Orr, who is a man who has the capa bility to dream things that can become reality. His dreams become such a nuisance that he begins taking prescription drugs, which later get him in trouble. He is punished by having to consult a psychotherapi... ...way to find close similarities, seeing how science fiction has one common theme based on speculative scientific discoveries or changes. There are many arguments showed that could link this book about a man who discovers his ability to dream things that became reality, to the movie The Matrix, which is about a computer generated reality. In these science fiction stories they both contain strong characters that all posses a pivotal role in each story, which makes it easier to compare these two different narrations. After reading The Lathe of Heaven and seeing The Matrix, the importance shows Neo and Orr and how they affect the world around them. Works Cited Le Guin, Ursula K. The Lathe of Heaven. New York: First Perennial Classics, 1971. The Matrix. Dir. The Wachowski, Perf. Keanu Reeves, Laurence Fishburn, and Carrie Ann Moss. DVD. Warner Bros, 2001. Alternate Worlds Essay -- Movie Film Matrix Essays Alternate Worlds We are all living our lives day-to-day, thinking that everything we encounter is truly in existence. But what if we are all in a dream world? With many science fiction forms of media, they pose this question: Is there any way to tell that everything we do is really happening? One movie that embraces this topic is The Matrix. The matrix could almost be called a dream world. The world outside of the matrix is basically the real world, where humans are not controlled by computers. Zion is the only real city left in the movie. Morpheus, a main character in the movie, states, the world that has been pulled over your eyes to blind you from the truth. In Ursula K Le Guins The Lathe of Heaven there is also a confusion of the real world and the dream world. In the movie The Matrix and the book The Lathe of Heaven there are many similarities, even though the story lines are quite different. The curiosity that comes from both the movie and the book is the fact that the world is not what is seems to be. The main characters in the movie The Matrix and Le Guins book The Lathe of Heaven both have many similarities. The main character in the movie is Neo, a computer hacker, who is seeking the truth about the matrix. However, when he finds the truth, he ends up discovering more than he expected. After being discovered by Morpheus, he is taken into the real world where he becomes 'The One' and receives computer generated powers. In The Lathe of Heaven the main characters name is George Orr, who is a man who has the capa bility to dream things that can become reality. His dreams become such a nuisance that he begins taking prescription drugs, which later get him in trouble. He is punished by having to consult a psychotherapi... ...way to find close similarities, seeing how science fiction has one common theme based on speculative scientific discoveries or changes. There are many arguments showed that could link this book about a man who discovers his ability to dream things that became reality, to the movie The Matrix, which is about a computer generated reality. In these science fiction stories they both contain strong characters that all posses a pivotal role in each story, which makes it easier to compare these two different narrations. After reading The Lathe of Heaven and seeing The Matrix, the importance shows Neo and Orr and how they affect the world around them. Works Cited Le Guin, Ursula K. The Lathe of Heaven. New York: First Perennial Classics, 1971. The Matrix. Dir. The Wachowski, Perf. Keanu Reeves, Laurence Fishburn, and Carrie Ann Moss. DVD. Warner Bros, 2001.

Automobile and Business Model Essay

?Introduction In 2000, Inspired by car-sharing concept in Europe, Chase and Danielson started Zipcar to pursue the opportunity of car sharing in U. S. market. By mid-October of 2000, Zipcar had enlisted nearly 250 members with 19 vehicles located throughout Boston. I will evaluate this potential venture and its progress based on the framework of â€Å"OUTSIDE1†, including opportunity, uncertainty, team, strategy, investment requirement, deal and exit. Opportunity Market – The market size of this industry is estimated at 26,400 members, which is 0. 04%2 of general population3 lived in Top 20 U. S. Markets. Usage of this industry grows rapidly at 30% annually. There are two competitors in U. S. market, but they focused on the environmental impact rather than convenience and cost effectiveness. Customer – Target segment are college-educated costumers who drive less than 6,000 miles per year and live in urban area. Acceptance of this business is very high referring to Major players in Europe market, whose marketing investment in this industry is low but the growth rate is continuously high (30% annually). Uncertainties Competition – Two current competitors in U. S. market and potential competitors from car manufactures Acceptance – Customer acceptance is to be proved in Boston before the business model could be replicated to other cities Management team – Co-funder’s commitment is not very convincing and the structure of the management is poorly organized Financing – Overhead continues to grow against limited financial resources Team. There are missing pieces in its team as founders are lack of experience in operation and relationship with car manufactures As a co-founder, Danielson commits not enough as she still have full time job and focus more on family Strategy Chase keeps pushing to start business operation maintain their promise to investors although the company is not ready. This Strategy would have negative impacts in the future. Using technology platform to improve cost effectiveness and adopting word-of-mouth are consistent with its current situation. Investment Requirement. Zipcar’s cash flow requirement is very high. It spent $375,000 in first year, and need additional 1. 3 million to complete technology platform, prove the business model and better understand demand. Overhead excess the projection and continues to grow, which will further increase the requirement of cash. Deal The current investors holds plenty of convertible loan, which would have negative impacts on future share holders. Exit The options for exit are available as this industry grows rapidly. The founders are not in a very strong position to potential exit. Business Model Car sharing business provides a hassle-free â€Å"ownership† for urbanite who don’t need to own a car but need the convenience to run occasional errands4. In the model before December 1999, it’s revenue comes from $25 application fee and $300 annual subscription fee, plus $1. 5 hourly driving charge and $0. 4 driving charge per mile. However, Chase decided to change the pricing model with a lower membership fee and a tiered pricing structure, increasing hourly charge to between $4. 5 and $7 and adding a maximum daily rate. The data from actual operations in September gives me a concern as seen in Exhibit 1, that the net contribution from actual operation in September is negative because of the very low revenue, though cost is only a little bit over the estimation. Conclusion The next step for Zipcar is to adjust its pricing model to increase its revenue. Chase need to pitch investors in Springboard forum by focusing on this: Though its cash flow is negative now, Zipcar is a unique business model with cutting-edge technology and well-established customer base. Zipcar will provide a great chance for investors to be rewarded a new market with 30% annual growth. Citation: 1 This framework is developed by Professor Steven Kaplan from University of Chicago 2‘At The Wheel, Volkswagen Pioneers Car Sharing Programs,† Fastlane, October 1997 3U. S. Census, http://census. gov/population/censusdata/90den_ma. txt, December 9, 2002 4According to the case Exhibit 1 Financial Plan in May 2000 September Operation Data Total Revenue 29,616 14,645 Number of Cars 12 19 Revenue per car 2,468 771 Lease per car 367 400 Access Equip 42 42 Fuel 90 99 Insurance 142 142 Maintenance 33 33 Parking 50 63 Cost per car 723 778 Net Income per car 1,745 (7) Source: Company Data.

Psychodynamic and Behavioural Essay

Introduction In this essay I’m going to describe and evaluate the core theoretical perspectives in counselling, behavioural, cognitive behavioural, humanistic and psychodynamic theories, the view of the person in therapy, the blocks to functioning of the person in therapy and the goals and techniques of each theory. I will compare and contrast the approaches looking at the similarities and differences between the counselling perspectives and how the counsellor in each theory differ in their techniques to counselling their clients. This essay will present and contrast the workings of the four major theories of counselling psychology mainly – psychodynamic, cognitive behavioural and person-centred. First I will describe what counselling entails, introducing each in turn. My discussion will examine the four theories or approaches for a history of the founder and a rationale for why they were led to introducing a new therapy approach and a sketch of the key concepts. Further, I will look at methods and processes employed by each theory, the respective roles played by the therapist and the client and the various situations to which the theory can be applied. Finally I will examine the limitations of the theory and how well it integrates with other approaches. Throughout this paper I will offer my own view of the issues at hand and in so doing attempt a synthesis of the four theories The aim of writing this essay is to widen my knowledge and insight of the four theories, their backgrounds and development, their ideologies and how they influence human behaviour. This academic essay is going to form part of the requirements for the award of Diploma in counselling studies at the Kenya Association of Professional counsellors in Kisumu. Counselling The function of counselling is to help people to resolve problem areas in their life. Counselling provides an opportunity for the person to explore the difficult feelings, thoughts and behaviours that have blocked the way to satisfying relationships, personal happiness. The purpose of counselling is to help clients achieve their personal goals, and gain greater insight into their lives. One hopes that by the end of this process one will be more  satisfied with his or her life. Counselling is not a process where the counsellor tells the client what he or she should do or decides choices for the client to make. Rather it is an opportunity for the client to come to a greater understanding of the person that he or she is with the help of the counsellor. Counselling is to assist individuals through a helping relationship to make changes and adjustments in their lives to alleviate stress and reduce unrest. To create and discover choices those are available to counsellor in order to eliminate negative responses from challenging situations. The client relationship with their counsellor is confidential. No information concerning the client will be released without their consent. Counselling does not provide instant answers. The frequency of the person visits will be determined by the client and their counsellor. Living in the modern world, surrounded by confusion and at times apparent chaos, we are all often exposed to difficulties and challenging situation. We all encounter problems such as relationship difficulties, work demands, financial obligations, unemployment, divorce or other pressures we may face on a daily basis. Psychodynamic Theory Psychodynamic theories relate in some ways to the way we feel and behave as individuals and seek to provide a framework for us to understand these aspects of our personalities often our experiences in childhood and particularly our early relationships. Much of psychodynamic thinking from Freud’s theory of psychosexual development (Freud, 1905) to Winnicott’s work with children there is a recognition that we develop patterns in behaviour early in our lives that will shape the way we relate to the world as such these theories are known as developmental theories (Spurling, 2004, pg. 2). Sigmund Freud (1856-1939) The psychodynamic theory was first postulated by Sigmund Freud as psychoanalysis in essence learned in overcoming his emotional pain, the dynamics of personality development (Corey, 2000) He developed an interest in hypnosis which was an early precursor of psychotherapy. First Born of a Viennese family of three boys and girls, he graduated from medical school and became a psychotherapist Basic Assumptions and Key Concepts The counselling theories all encompass therapeutic techniques as well as a model of the human personality. Freud’s views of human nature was that the human beings was controlled by irrational forces and instinctual drives established in childhood whereby people are products of their environments and innate unconscious forces. These instincts serve as a meaning of survival for the individual where the goal of life is to enhance pleasure and avoid pain. The reviewed human personality as comprising of three elements The ID The primitive, it is instinctive, illogical, lacks organization, seeks pleasure. Hereditary factors are represented by the ID.the Id has no judgement value (good vs evil) and has no morality. The EGO Refined by the contact with the outside world the ego is realistic, organized and logical. Super Ego Representing the authority figures, the super ego is judgemental, ideal, strives for perfection and informs the person’s moral code. It represents reality of the external world. Freud believed that for psychological health all three had to be in balance (Hough, 2002) the ego’s role was to balance the conflicting demands between the id and the super ego that led to tension in order to protect the ego from negative energy defence mechanisms develop; these include denial, repression, regression and others. He saw human development through stages denominated by changing awareness and attitudes towards human sexuality organs. Accordingly, he devised the notion of libido which he refers to as the energy of all life instincts. This energy then is the motivation that drives us to the central goal of life which is to enhance pleasure and avoid pain. Later he came up with the death instincts that accounts for human aggression in his view, those unconscious drives determine how people act (Corey, 2000). Defence Mechanisms According to psychoanalysis, when an individual faces a conflict among the ID, ego and super ego over the control of psychic (mind) energy, he adopts several defence mechanisms to cope with the challenges. While all defence mechanisms can be unhealthy, they can also be adaptive and allow us to function normally. The greatest problems arise when the defence mechanisms  are over used in order to avoid dealing with problems. [Class notes, certificate in counselling studies, 2014] Anxiety There are three types of anxiety, one being reality anxiety which is in touch with reality threat, second is neurotic anxiety which is concern those instincts that will get out of hand and thirdly moral anxiety which is fear of own conscience . So when anxiety state is in excess, one goes into ego defence mechanisms to be able to cope. This happens mostly at the unconscious level and the aim is to either deny or distort (class notes, diploma in counselling studies, 2014, pg. 65) Reality examples of defence mechanisms include repression which acts to keep information out of conscious awareness. However these mechanisms don’t just disappear they continue to influence our behaviour. E.g. a person who has repressed memories of abuse as a child, may later have difficulty forming relationship Displacement Taking out our frustrations, feelings and impulses on people or objects that are less threatening egg if a boss has annoyed a person since he/she cannot argue with the boss he/she instead expresses anger towards a person or object that poses no threat such as spouse, pet or children or house maids. Sublimation Diverging sexual or aggressive energy to socially acceptable behaviour, for example a person experiencing extreme anger might take up kickboxing as a means of venting frustrations, Development Stages Freud linked different kinds of conflicts to specific stages of a child’s development, he classified these in terms of areas of the body, he believed to represent the source of child’s libido on sexual instinct at the time he termed them oral, from birth to 1 year, anal from 1 year to 3years, phallic from 3 to 6 years, latent from 6 to 12 years and genital from 12 to 18years. Freud believed that if a child does not negotiate any of this stages, they get fixated that is they psychologically remain in that stage and do not move effectively to the others. For example you may find a 12 year old still sucking the thumb, a characteristic of the oral stage. The adolescent is in  turmoil as she/he discovers the self. Goals The goal is psychodynamic theory is one to modify individuals character by making the unconscious conscious and two to strengthen the ego so that behaviour is based more on reality than on instinct. Techniques There are many techniques used to facilitate the clients to gain insight into their behaviour and meaning of symptoms and they include, free association whereby clients are made to relax so that they can reflect whatever comes to their mind uncensored even if it is disagreeable or if it seems meaningless and this is to bring forth material from unconscious mind (Jones, 2006) another one is dream analysis where during sleep the defences are lowered and repressed feelings surface. These may point to some unresolved issues, and in transference analysis, transference manifest itself at the point when a client’s unfinished business causes them to distort the present reality and to react to therapist as they did to the father, mother as significant others. Through Freudian slip or slips of the tongue, unconscious thoughts and feelings can be transferred to conscious minds. Freud believed that slips of tongue provide an insight into the unconscious mind and not accidental and every behaviour including slips of the tongue was significant thus determining behaviour (Corey, 2001) Limitations and Weaknesses Some of the ideas (penis envy, Oedipus) are outdated in terms of our contemporary world, and it is questioned by some theorists/practitioners whether these concepts are clinically useful It takes a long time commitment in terms of time and resources to complete the psychoanalytic therapy and process. His fellow proponent Carl Jung maintains that our behaviour is not merely shaped by our past events only but by the present as well as the future. Erik Eriksson Freud did not tolerate divergent views from himself and this led his contemporaries and students establishing their own theoretical approaches, these included Alfred Adler (1870-1937) who introduced what he calls (individual psychology) in 1911 another one was Erik Eriksson[ 1963] extended his theory of psychosocial perspective by stressing the  psychosocial aspects of development beyond childhood. His theory of human development holds that both psychosexual and psychosocial growth take place together and that each stage in life we face the task of establishing equilibrium between ourselves and our social lives. He describes development in terms of the entire lifespan divided by specific crisis to be resolved. He describe the crisis as turning point in life when we have the potential to move forward or regress. To large extend our life is as a result of the choices we make at each of these stages. Behavioural Theory Behaviour therapy, lie its name implies is the psychotherapy that focuses on the change or improvement of behaviour rather than the healing of the heart or the mind as Jan Ehrenwald called it ‘psychotherapy without psyche’ (Ehrenwald, 1976) although its main focus is on the behaviour only, however, in its clinical approach, behavioural therapy has been used to treat variety of disorders such as anxiety disorders, eating disorders and sexual disorders etc. besides the clinical approach behaviour therapy has been used in the area of business, schools and rehabilitation centres. Furthermore behaviour modifications, though slightly different approach but based upon similar techniques and assumptions are also used to correct undesirable behaviour and promote adaptive behaviours in our daily life. As an overall theory the distinctive emphasis is on overwhelming role of environmental contingencies in influencing the acquisition and maintenance of behaviour (Jones, 2006) Pavlov’s classical conditioning. Ivan Petrovich Pavlov (1849-1936) research on the digestive system of dogs led to his discovery of the classical conditioning process which demonstrated that the learning process could be used to make an association between an environmental stimulus and a naturally occurring stimulus the underlying belief in classical conditioning is that behaviour can be controlled and that human beings can be made to do things without being aware of them just as Pavlov was able to condition a dog to salivate at the sound of a bell. This experiment shows that the environment can be manipulated to produce the desired behaviour or response, for example in counselling the client can be conditioned to produce the desired result for example to undo a negative practice such as fear. Pavlov’s researches into  conditioned reflex were essential to the founding of behaviour therapy (Jones, 2006). Skinners Operant Behaviourism B.F Skinner (1904-1990) was born in Susquehanna Pennsylvania. He came up with the concept of operant conditioning which demonstrated the effect of punishment and reinforcement on behaviour. According to him, reward and punishment make people behave in certain ways, positive reinforcement aims to increase the frequency of a response by filling it with a favourable event (rewards) while negative reinforcement makes use of punishment, withdrawal of the rewards. The term ‘operant’ emphasizes the fact that behaviour operates on the environment to generate consequences. Thus the consequences define the properties with respect to which responses are viewed as similar He acknowledged that Pavlov called all events that strengthened behaviour in his dog ‘reinforcement’ and the resulting changes their voluntary behaviour ‘conditioning’. However, the critical difference is that in Pavlov’s work, the reinforced is paired with stimulus, whereas in operant behaviour it is contingent upon a response. Classical and operant conditioning are the only two possible kinds of conditioning. (Jones, 2006) Albert Bandura‘s Social learning Bandura(1925) was born and raised in Mundare in Northern Alberta, Canada he graduated from the university of British Colombia with a psychology major and later received a doctorate in clinical psychology from university of IOWA and it was there that he came under the influence of behaviourist tradition and learning theory. He propagated social learning theory. It postulates that people are capable of learning vicariously by observing behaviourism of others as well as its consequences and imitating that behaviour. The key learning aspects include observation, retention, and motivational imitation. (Jones, 2006) Goals Main goal is to create new condition for learning. The behavioural approach helps produce effective ways of managing conditions of the client through behaviour modifications techniques and the principles of reward and punishments. It is assumed that such learning experiences can restructure behaviour. Assumptions The main assumption of behavioural approach is that behaviours learnt can be unlearnt for example the unacceptable behaviour such as smoking can be stopped. Techniques  Behavioural approaches use a variety of methods and techniques which include; relaxation training, systematic desensitization, token economies just to mention a few. These training methods are often utilized to help people learn new ways and overcome maladaptive behaviours. Relaxation training method aims at achieving muscles and mental relaxation, it is a useful experience in releasing physical and mental fatigue. While systematic desensitization is based on the principle of classical conditioning and is used to address anxiety based on maladaptive behaviour or avoidance reaction (Corey, 2001) Limitations and Weaknesses Behaviour Change is based on the idea of learning and that behaviour can be learnt and unlearnt and re-learnt contrary opinions show that some behaviours are hereditary (genetic) also behavioural approach deals with a client’s current problems and the factors that influence them rather than the reasons leading to the problem or historical determinants. The counsellor assumes that the client’s problems are influenced by present conditions for example at time it ignores the important relational and historical factors of present behaviour. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy In its simplest form, cognitive behavioural therapy (or CBT as it is referred) refers to the approach of changing dysfunctional behaviours and thoughts to realistic and healthy ones. CBT encompasses several types of therapy focusing on the impact of an individual’s thinking as it relates to expressed behaviours. Such models include rational emotive therapy(RET),rational emotive behavioural therapy(REBT), behavioural therapy (BT), Rational Behaviour Therapy (RBT), schema focused therapy and Cognitive therapy (CT).Most recently a few other variations have been linked to CBT such as an acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), dialectic behavioural therapy (DBT) and mindfulness based cognitive therapy ( MBCT) (Harrington and Pickles,2009). The main aspect that all these branches of therapy share is that our thought relate to our external behaviours. External events and individuals do not cause the negative thoughts or feelings. But instead the perception of events and situations is the root cause (National Association of Cognitive Behavioural therapists 2010) Rational Emotive Behaviour Therapy (REBT) Albert Ellis (1913) was born in Pittsburgh he combined humanistic, philosophical and behavioural therapy to form rational emotive therapy, (now known as rational emotive behaviour therapy or REBT) Ellis can be referred to as the grandfather of cognitive therapy. Ellis became dissatisfied with practicing psychoanalysis and psychotherapy and began to focus more on philosophical beliefs including those that clients could change self-defeating behaviours by changing their points of View (P.333, Sharf, 2012) Ellis was the first to connect the impact of thoughts as they relate to behaviour when he published in 1962, Reason and Emotion psychotherapy (Walsh, 2010) Ellis work asserted that an individual’s underlying thinking about him/herself directly affected his/her behaviours and as a therapist his goal was to help the clients become more reasonable in thoughts and ultimately followed behaviours. Assumptions The basic assumptions of REBT is that people contribute to their own psychological problem as well as to specific symptom by the way they interpret events and situations. The approach views human problem as stemming from disturbances in the thought or cognitive process which people are disturbed not by events themselves but by their view of events. Emotions are derived from our beliefs, evaluation, interpretation and reactions to life situations and that changing these will lead to a change in how we feel about things and consequently how we behave or the actions we take (Corey 2005) The approaches teaches individuals to become rational in thoughts in order to eliminate irresponsible behaviour Ellis created the A-B-C theory based model to create changes which simply states that emotional and behavioural consequences (C) are the results activating events. (A) And irrational beliefs (B) of those events. Later D and E are bought into play with (D) representing the detecting and disputing element and (E) becomes the new effect or behaviour. Other techniques used in REBT that are major component of CBT are visualizations, skill training, homework and role  playing many believe that Elli’s REBT and Beck’s cognitive are very similar, however, Ellis disputes this and argues that there are significant differences, as do some therapists who take the side of Beck and favour cognitive therapy (Padesky and Beck, 2003,2007) Cognitive Theory Aaron T. Beck (6 1921) was born in Providence, Rhode Island. His childhood was characterized by adversity. Aaron Becks is widely renowned for his contribution to CBT. In the 1960s Becks, who initially was interested in depression, found the depressed individuals carried many biases in their cognitive processing leading him to create Cognitive Theory (C.T) (Burns, 1999.) Beck noticed that individuals exhibit an â€Å"internal communication system within themselves, from which they formed their beliefs† or what Beck called schema (Shard, p371). An individual’s schema represents their distorted thinking patterns and determines how they view or perceive events. For those that are depressed, the schema often consists of negative thoughts along with self-criticism and self-blame. More specifically, this cognitive schema presented â€Å"three basic themes of personal ineffectiveness, personal degradation, and the world is essentially an unpleasant place (Walsh, 2010).† This type of thinking commonly resulted in individuals prophesying failure and disaster for themselves. He also noticed during therapy that his depressed clients consistently dismissed positive thoughts in order to focus on the negative thoughts. Many of such thoughts seemed to be automatic and spontaneous, leading him to coin the phrase ANTs better known as automatic negative thoughts. Such thoughts, ideas and beliefs resulted in clients believing that they were unlovable, worthless, and despicable. In 1976, Beck published Cognitive Therapies and the Emotional Disorders leading others to take notice of this concept. He also contributed to the field greatly with some of the most well-known and utilized assessments such as the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), Beck Hopelessness Scale (BHS), and Beck scale for suicidal ideation (BSS), Beck anxiety scales (BAI), and the Beck youth inventories of social impairment (BYI). Goal Cognitive therapy teaches clients how to think about their thinking so that they can correct faulty cognitive processing and develop assumptions that  allow them to cope. It also aims to impact behavioural skills relevant to client’s problems for example listening and communication skills for distressed couples and assertion skills for shy people (Jones, 2006) Technique Cognitive Behavioural Therapy is directive and persuasive and even confrontive, though it can also be reflective and structured in its approach (Corsini and Wedding 1995) the therapists takes on the role of a teacher pointing out distorted thinking helping the clients identify and process emotions and practicing new skills by way of role play. In cognitive therapy, There is a heavy reliance on homework assignments and it is very much skill based method. Limitations CBT does not suit everyone and it is not helpful for all conditions. You need to be committed and persistent in tackling and improving your health problem with the help of the therapist. It can be hard work. The homework may be difficult and challenging. You may be taken ‘out of your comfort zone’ when tackling situations which cause anxiety or distress. However, many people have greatly benefited from a course of CBT. In order to benefit from cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) you need to ensure that you give a considerable level of commitment and involvement. Due to the structured nature of CBT, it may not be suitable for people who have more complex mental health needs, or learning difficulties. Cognitive Behaviour modification Donald Meichenbaum was another major alternative to rational emotive behaviour (CBM) which focuses on changing clients self-verbalization, according to Meichenbaum (1977), self-statements affect a person’s behaviours in much the same way as statements made by another person the therapeutic process consists of training clients to modify the instructions they give to themselves so that they can cope more effectively with the problems they encounter. Emphasis on acquiring practical coping skills for problematic situations such as impulsive and aggressive behaviour, fear of taking tests, fear of public speaking. On how behaviour changes, he describes three phases one being self-observant, here clients observe their  behaviours by listening to themselves then phase two is for starting a new internal dialogue, here clients learn to notice the maladaptive behaviours and begin to see opportunities for adaptive behavioural alternatives. Phase three for learning new skills. Then modif ication process consists of teaching client more effective skills. Assumptions Meichenbaum operates on the assumption that there are multiple realities and one of the therapeutic tasks is to help clients appreciate how they construct their realities and how they author their stories (Corey 2001). Humanistic Theory Humanistic theory focuses on the positive attributes to what they considered it is to be human. To better understand some of the attributes and notions of humanistic theory the following paper analysis’s two humanistic theories in turn; specifically Maslow’s conception of self-actualization and Rogers phenomenological based personality theory. This is followed by discussing some strengths and limitations to humanistic theories in understanding relationships, others and the self. Abraham Maslow’s Hierarchy of needs According to Abraham Maslow our actions are motivated in order to achieve certain needs using a pyramid model to display the hierarchy of human needs he suggests that people are motivated to fulfil the basic needs before moving on to other more advanced needs. Needs at the bottom of the hierarchy are basic physical requirements including need of water, sleep, air and warmth. Once this lower level needs have been met. People can move to the next level of needs which are safety and security.as people progress up the pyramid, needs become increasingly psychological and social. So once the need for love, friendship and intimacy become important. Further up the pyramid the need for personal esteem and feelings of accomplishment take priority, Maslow emphasized the importance of self-actualization which is a process of growing and developing as a person in order to achieve individual potential. This Hierarchy of needs was presented in the formation of a triangle Person-Centred American psychologist Carl Rogers (1902-1987) is often considered to be  founder of this school of thought. Carl Rogers was born January 8, 1902 in Oak Park, Illinois. Carl was the fourth of six children. He maintained there were three conditions which constitute the climate to promote the personal growth Genuineness: this is the realness and congruence. According to Rogers the more a counsellor is real and true in the relationship and is not putting up personal faà §ade and professional face the more the client will change positively. Unconditional Positive Regard: This is the simple act of accepting all traits and behaviours in the client as long as it does not entail causing significant harm to others. Positive regard is not withdrawn if the client does wrong or makes a mistake Empathy: Rogers believed that the counsellor should experience an accurate understanding of the client’s awareness of his own experience and show this understanding to the client. Carl Rogers believed that the client by establishing a productive relationship with an understanding counsellor can resolve difficulties and gain the insight necessary to restructure their life. Assumption The main assumption is one that human beings are good and moving towards good provided the environment is supportive and two ,people have the capacity to solve their own problems through the self-actualizing tendency and thirdly human beings are unique, singular and individual. Techniques Humanistic counselling is aimed at helping the counselling client make different choices. This type of counselling gives the client as much freedom to be himself in the counselling setting as possible. The counsellor’s role is to accept the client as she is and direct her to view her choices objectively, but not to impose choices on her or direct her behaviour in any particular manner. Humanistic counselling includes active listening, gestalt techniques and no confrontational questioning. Active Listening Active listening helps the client identify his own thoughts and feelings by summarizing for him the content or subtext of what he says. For example, if the client says he feels uncreative lately, the counsellor might comment, â€Å"You’re really having a dry spell,† or â€Å"It must be frustrating not to have any ideas when you want to work.† This gives the client a sense of visibility–the counsellor sees, understands and accepts who he really is–as well as putting a specific name to what he is experiencing. In some  cases, this gives the client new abilities to identify his own feelings outside of the therapy room. When using active listening, counsellors should be careful to reword emotional content rather than repeating it verbatim, as the latter technique can come off as glib or â€Å"not really listening.† Gestalt Techniques Gestalt techniques are a subset of humanistic counselling aimed at helping the client integrate her thoughts, feelings and experiences so her behaviour is consistent with her values and emotions, according to Psychology Today Treatment Centre. Common gestalt techniques include free association and psychodrama. In free association, the client is asked to say the first word or phrase that pops into her head in response to a word, phrase or incomplete sentence. Psychodrama involves dialoguing with aspects of the self, such as the inner child. Clients may be asked to switch from one seat to another in order to speak from the point of view of each such aspect or to write out dialogues between these aspects. Open-Ended Questions Asking open-ended questions helps the client delve deeper into his own thoughts about an issue. These questions provide a starting point for deeper thought without expressing the counsellor’s point of view, which could unduly influence the client. The questions require the client to say something more than â€Å"yes† or â€Å"no† and avoid language that might lead him to a particular answer. Strengths and Weaknesses of Humanistic Theories As with every theory designed for application in the understanding of mankind, Humanistic theories have both strengths and many weaknesses. Thus the following section will address the major strengths and weaknesses of Humanistic theory in turn. One of the major strengths attributed to Humanistic theory is the idea that the subject is fully accountable and in control of their actions. This is in stark contrast to the notions behind psychoanalysis. Leading from this assumption is the notion that humanistic theories promote the idea of being human, self-fulfilment and realistic and observable goals that can be obtained. A final strength to Humanistic theory is the idea that from a clinical perspective it offers an open space in which a patent can express any feeling of thought without being led down a  path to revisit traumatic events which they may not feel comfortable discussing. One of the major weaknesses with Humanistic theories is lack of empirical evidence to support its claims. Academics such as Maslow have been widely criticized in this respect in terms of an absence of scientific empirical evidence. A further and related criticism of Humanistic theories is their inability and unsuitability to be used within a metaphysical arena. While Freud and contemporary Freudians managed to move towards ethics and morality through the same criticism of lack of empirical evidence, Humanistic theories have yet to encroach on the metaphysical subject area. A final criticism of Humanistic theories is that many professionals view this discipline as motivated by the cold realities of psychoanalysis and is a discipline which is based on the resistance of the unconscious; furthermore the discipline has seemed to be in decline in recent history. Conclusion I have come to the conclusion that all the four techniques are complementary and one can draw from each, and that the four approaches of psychoanalysis, cognitive behavioural, behaviourism, and humanistic psychology, represent the fundamental ways of viewing human beings and their behavioural problems. It is therefore important to get an understanding of all the techniques so as to know how to help clients with varied problems solve them. I therefore prefer Eclecticism as it acknowledges the human being is a complex being and a single approach cannot be sufficient enough to cater for this complexity. I recommend that a therapist/counsellor gets proper knowledge and training of all the theories in order to be able to counsel a client effectively. Cognitive behavioural approaches deals mainly with what is conscience and evident to the client in my view more research needs to be done and the emphasis should be more on exploring past emotional painful feelings experienced during development period. Which I believe will help the client experience them afresh, address and work on them and in so doing resolve the issues by changing their defective thinking and behaviours. References 1. BAC, 2009. The BACP definition of counselling [online] Lutterworth,Leicestershire: BAC 2. British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy, 1986, â€Å"Counselling-Definition of terms in use with expansion and rationale (Information Sheet 1)†, Rugby: British Association for Counselling. 3. Burns, D. D. (1993). Ten Days to Self-Esteem. New York: Quill. 1999. Revised edition. 4. Corey, G, (2005) Theory and Practice of Counselling and Psychotherapy, 7th Edition, Belmont: Brooks/Cole. 5. Corey. (2001). Case approach to counselling and psychotherapy (5th. ed.). Australia: Brooks/Cole. 6. Corsini R.J. & Wedding D, eds, (1995) Current Psychotherapies, 5th Edition, Itasca: F.E.Peacock. 7. Corsini, & Wedding. (1995). Current psychotherapies (5th ed.). Itasca, Ill: F.E. Peacock Publishers. 8. Douglas Woods, (2011) â€Å"What is Counselling†http://www.dougwoods.com/counselling.html 9. Wikipedia contributors. â€Å"Sigmund Freud.† Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopaedia. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopaedia. 10. Freud, S. 1933. New introductory lectures on Psychoanalysis. Standard Edition of the Complete Psychological Works .New York: W.W. Norton. BF173 .F645 1966 11. Freud, Sigmund (19 62). Three Essays on the Theory of Sexuality, trans. James Strachey. New York: Basic Books 12. Richard Nelson Jones (2006). Theory and Practice of counselling and Therapy : Sage Publications 13. Hansen, J.C., Rossberg, R.H., Cramer, S.H (1994) Counselling Theory and Process, 5th Edition, Needham Heights: Allyn and Bacon. 14. Hough M, 2002; A Practical Approach to Counselling, 2nd Edition, Harlow: Pearson. 15. Rogers, C. R., & American Personnel and Guidance. (1980). Inner world of counselling with Carl Rogers. New York: Insight Media. 16. Rogers, C. R., & American Personnel and Guidance. (1980). Inner world of counselling with Carl Rogers. New York: Insight Media. 17. Spurling, L. (2004) An Introduction to Psychodynamic Counselling London: Palgrave.