Impact of interest rates on the typical consumer in the economy Essay

Impact of interest rates on the typical consumer in the economy - Essay Example Many people work hard in order to fulfill their aspirations of owning their dream home or buying a brand new car. To afford these, numerous consumers resort to borrowing from financial institutions such as banks, which impose interest rate on the said loans. When interest rates go up, the cost of borrowing increases. This means that should they decide to push through with purchasing the house or car this period their monthly amortization would be relatively higher. If the amortization amount goes beyond the consumer's budget, he/she may decide to defer buying the new house or car. With this, it becomes evident that interest rate uptrend complicates borrowing decisions since consumers become confronted with the uncertainty if the said trend would prevail in the long term. As such, consumers usually suspend purchasing big-ticket items when interest rates climb. This may potentially lead to a contraction in the housing or automobile markets as well as in other industries. On the contrary, an interest rate downtrend easily translates to a boom in the housing market and various industries for big-ticket items. A low interest rate environment augurs well with consumers, as they are encouraged to borrow in financing their purchases. This condition fuels consumption spending since consumers are driven by the relatively lower interest payments they would be potentially servicing every month. Cost of Loans/Mortgages For those who are currently servicing debt payments under adjustable rate mortgages (ARMs), jump in interest rates entail ballooning monthly payments. Given this, an upward movement in interest rate puts the period of full ownership of a house further over the horizon. This may even lead to payment default or property foreclosures for homeowners on tight budgets who may be having a hard time affording rising mortgage payments. In this regard, increase in interest rates creates a dent on income which results in lower spending of consumers. However, on the upside, should interest rates go down then there maybe a downward adjustment on consumers' monthly payments. As a result, they are left with more disposable income which they could allot for other purchases. Credit Card Purchases Not only does an interest rate movement affect consumer spending for big-ticket items but also for ordinary expenditures such as groceries, utility bills and other household items among others. Since there are a considerable number of consumers who purchase using their credit cards, an increase in interest rates may lead to an uptick in credit card rates and the amount consumers have to pay for monthly credit card charges. With this, consumers who are not so liquid, i.e. those who do not have ample cash on hand, may cut back on credit purchases. In the same way, consumers may perceive that lower credit card rates make them better off as they are able to derive "savings" from what they would have paid when rates were much higher. This goads them to spend more to take advantage of low rates. Savings Incentive Apart from spending, interest rates also affect consumer savings. With higher interest rates, consumers have greater incentive to save because their deposits may earn higher interest income. However, a low interest rate regime brings about disincentive to save. When interest rates slide, so does the

Hats & ornament Essay Example for Free

Hats ornament Essay Hats have been the ornament for the head for a long time. It is difficult to pinpoint exactly when the first animal skin was placed over a head as a protection against the elements. (Hatsuk. com). In 1529, the word â€Å"milliner† came out as the terms used to point to the maker of women’s hats. The bonnet also dominated as the most popular of women’s headgear (Hatsuk. com). Early in the 1900s most of the hats that were getting to be popular were huge and adorned with flowers, feathers and tulle. Meanwhile, by the mid 1920’s the hair of women became shorter hugging the head like helmet (Hats. Hatsuk. com). During the 1960s, the hat now was overtaken by wigs and hairdressers and both men and women knew that they could achieve a less formal look so that the hat was a temporary casualty (Hats. Hatsuk. com). These old hats can be really valuable as they are considered antique pieces. Yet if anyone would like to wear a hat, then that could also be used today during parties and shows. Audrey Hepburn’s hat can be adapted in several ways today that will still appear to be fashionable. Hepburn was a good model of different kinds of hats then as she was a fashion icon during her time because she had a very simple nature which until now influences one’s fashion choices. Hepburn’s most popular hat pulled to tilt to one side can still be used today as asymmetrical lines are now the â€Å"in† thing. (Audrey Hepburn’s Hat Collection). Charlie Chaplin’s hat is by far the one most popular then but can be used in the more informal gatherings of businessmen. It is most recognizable when it is worn right putting some dignified look to the wearer. The hat must be worn by tall men so that they will not be gleaned as too tall to wear it. Indeed, in wearing hats, one must decide what kind of look is most appropriate. Once the look has been decided on, there is a need to see what kind of hat would actually match that. Wearing hats would also depend on what kind of hat would match a person’s character. The hat can be replaced with an improvised hat that achieves most changes and which is minimal of the classic look. That is right if one wants an alternative look. Meanwhile, a ball cap is way too rugged for a hat for work that would be welcome for a person (How to Pick a Hat that Matches your Personality). Another way of wearing these hats that one would look into is the color. Since each color evokes different moods that the hat conveys. Meanwhile, Audrey Hepburn was a good model of different kinds of hats then as she was a fashion icon during her time because she had a very simple nature which until now influences one’s fashion choices (Audrey Hepburn’s Hat Collection). These hats have been modified in different ways yet can still be used as it appears to be most fashionable. REFERENCES Audrey Hepburn’s Hat Collection. Retrieved March 16, 2009 at: http://www. chinadaily. com. cn/life/2009-02/20/content_7496617. htm Old Hat still in vogue. Retrieved March 16, 2009 at: http://www. brisbanetimes. com. au/news/fashion/old-hat-still-in-vogue/2007/05/30/1180205302606. html Old Hat still in vogue. http://www. brisbanetimes. com. au/news/fashion/old-hat-still-in-vogue/2007/05/30/1180205302606. html Old School Hat Still in Vogue. http://www. talkncafe. com/Lifestyle-Classroom/Old-school-hat-still-in-vogue. html Hats. Retrieved March 16, 2009 at: http://www. answers. com/topic/hat Hats. Hatsuk. com Retrieved March 16, 2009 at: http://www. hatsuk. com/hatsuk/hatsukhtml/bible/history. htm How to Pick a Hat that Matches your Personality. Retrieved March 16, 2009 at: http://www. wikihow. com/Pick-a-Hat-that-Matches-Your-Personality

Wide Dynamic Range Compression Benefits Health And Social Care Essay

Wide Dynamic Range Compression Benefits Health And Social Care Essay Adults with a moderate sensorineural hearing loss have a need for soft sounds to be amplified to help with clarity of speech without going over a level which the person finds too loud. Moderate sensorineural hearing loss is caused by damage to outer hair cells, which can lead to a reduced dynamic range and ultimately, recruitment. The dynamic range is the range between the threshold of hearing and the uncomfortable loudness levels (ULL). Venema (1998) refers to this as the floor (threshold) being raised and the ceiling (ULL) remaining the same. When the ULLs are unchanged, as thresholds worsen, an irregular increase in loudness is perceived typically referred to as recruitment. In order to distinguish between different types of hearing aids and find the most suitable for this type of hearing loss we have to look to see if the hearing aids can encompass the persons dynamic range without going over their uncomfortable loudness levels. It has been suggested that output limiting compress ion (CL) and wide dynamic range compression (WDRC) hearing aids are more beneficial for this type of hearing loss compared to linear hearing aids with peak clipping. Ultimately, for a moderate sensorineural hearing loss it is believed that WDRC is the most beneficial type of amplification at this time. The outer hair cells in the organ of Corti have been referred to as the amplifiers of the cochlea (Brownell, et al., 1985). In the absence of outer hair cell function, a moderate sensorineural hearing loss of around 40-50 dB is present (Ryan and Dallos, 1975). The most prevalent type of hearing loss in adults is presbyacusis or age-related hearing loss (Valente, et. al. 2008). Presbyacusis begins as a bilateral, symmetrical, high frequency sensorineural hearing loss affecting the outer hair cells in the basal end of the cochlea. People with this type of hearing loss tend to complain about background noises such as speech babble in a noisy pub. This can account for, what is commonly referred to as the upward spread of masking, which is caused by lower frequencies masking higher frequencies (Valente et. al., 2008). This results in softer, higher frequency sounds from speech such as consonants being masked by lower frequency speech sounds such as vowels. Presbyacusis causes a subtle dec rease in hearing over time (Valente et. al., 2008) and as a result, patients do not usually attend clinics until their families notice that the television is too loud or the patient themselves realize that they cannot hear as well in noisy situations as they used to. Hearing aids can include different types of compression circuits, which can benefit different types of hearing loss. Lets first look at input and output compression circuits. They differ to each other depending on where the volume control is located in the circuit. Output compression circuits have the volume control before the compression takes place. This type of compression affects the compression kneepoint and the gain but not the maximum power output. It is also the type of circuit used with CL amplification strategy and is associated with high compression ratios and kneepoints. Input compression has the volume control located after the compression circuit; therefore the sound is compressed before the volume control affects the sound. This means that the kneepoint is unaffected while the gain and maximum power output are. This type of compression circuit is what tends to be used with wide dynamic range compression (WDRC) strategy and is associated with low compression ratios and kneepoints (Venema, 1998; Dillon, 2001). The first type of compression is output limiting compression amplification. The input is linear until it reaches a high kneepoint and then it compresses the sound with a high compression ratio (Venema, 1998; Valente, et. al., 2008). This type of compression is very similar to peak clipping (PC), which is found in linear hearing aids, however it is more pleasant for the listener than PC because there is less distortion. People with normal hearing or mild to moderate hearing loss will notice that the quality of speech is more distorted with limiting when compared to people with severe to profound hearing loss who will not notice this effect as much (Dillon, 2000). In a study of 12 adults with mild to moderate sensorineural hearing loss, sound quality and clarity were improved with output limiting compression when compared to peak clipping (Hawkins and Naidoo, 1993). It is generally accepted that linear hearing aids with peak clipping no longer have a place in audiology clinics and hear ing aid companies have stopped manufacturing them. Wide dynamic range compression (WDRC) is a compression strategy that aims to amplify soft sounds by a lot, medium sounds by a moderate amount and loud sounds by a small amount (Souza and Turner, 1998). WDRC tends to give more gain to soft sounds and has fairly short attack and release times (Marriage, et al., 2005). WDRC is a nonlinear compression strategy, which tries to mimic the non-linearity of the cochlea and attempts to account for loudness recruitment with sensorineural hearing loss (Moore, et al., 1992). The threshold kneepoint is usually low at around 50 dB in order to amplify quiet sounds, compressions ratios are usually lower than 4:1 and attack and release times are short so that consonant sounds are not masked by vowel sounds (Valente, et. al., 2008). WDRC is a relatively new compression strategy that is used commonly in modern digital technology hearing aids. There are mixed views as to whether WDRC is of more benefit than linear amplification. It has been noted in some literature that measurable benefits of WDRC include improved hearing for soft speech sounds (Souza and Turner, 1998), speech in quiet, speech in noise, more comfortable listening situations for loud speech (Moore, et. al., 1992; Davies-Venn, 2009) and improved acclimatisation (Yund et. al., 2006). In contrast it has also been reviewed that WDRC may improve audibility but not necessarily intelligibility when compared to linear amplification (Marriage, et. al., 2005; Souza and Turner, 1998). WDRC may be of more benefit for people with mild to moderate sensorineural hearing loss compared to people with severe to profound sensorineural hearing loss. This may be due to the suggestion that as hearing gets worse i.e. in severe to profound sensorineural hearing loss that temporal cues are relied on more heavily to understand speech. Since fast WDRC can change temporal cues it may be that this population of hearing aid wearers benefits more from compression limiting (Jenstad and Souza, 2005; Davies-Venn et. al. 2009). In 1992, Brian Moore, et. al. tested twenty subjects with moderate sensorineural hearing loss, measuring speech discrimination ability in quiet and speech reception thresholds (SRTs) in noise. The subjects were fitted with two types of hearing aids: Linear amplifiers and two-band WDRC compressors. They were tested with their new hearing aids and also in an unaided condition and with their own original hearing aids. With the compression hearing aids the subjects had good speech discrimination scores at all intensity levels in the quiet and the other three conditions showed decreasing speech intelligibility as the intensity level got quieter. The WDRC aids proved to help subjects achieve lower SRTs in noise compared to the other conditions. Patients with reduced dynamic ranges also benefited from the compression hearing aids more than the linear aids in that they found the loud sounds more comfortable. When surveyed the subjects also preferred the sound of the WDRC hearing aids (Moore, et al., 1992). Another benefit of WDRC over liner amplification is improved acclimatisation. Acclimatisation is the time it takes for the brain to get accustomed to sound from a particular type of amplification and to have increased speech recognition. Yund et. al. (2006) did an acclimatisation study with 39 subjects with mild to moderate sloping sensorineural hearing loss, who had never worn hearing aids. They showed that subjects who wore the WDRC hearing aids experienced acclimatisation, whereas the patients who wore linear hearing aids did not show any increased speech discrimination scores. They believed this was because the WDRC hearing aid was able to process the normal hearing dynamic range into the dynamic range of subjects with mild to moderate sensorineural hearing loss. After a period of wearing linear amplification, subjects were then fitted with WDRC hearing aids. These subjects still struggled with acclimatisation after a period with their WDRC hearing aids and needed extra help in t he form of auditory training to get rid of the effects of the linear amplification on the brain. Overall, it was concluded that hearing aids with more sophisticated technology may be the best aids for acclimatisation (Yund, et. al., 2006). One study compared the benefits of linear and nonlinear hearing aids with speech tests and Glasgow Hearing Aid Benefit Profile (GHABP) questionnaires. The majority of subjects preferred the WDRC nonlinear hearing aids compared to the linear hearing aids. They showed better scores on speech tests, had better speech recognition, and preferred the overall listening experience with the WDRC hearing aids. WDRC hearing aids can be programmed with fast or slow attack and release times or a combination as this can be adjusted for different channels. In this study the researchers found that there was more of a preference for slow attack and release times for the most comfort and satisfaction compared to fast WDRC (Gatehouse, et. al., 2006). In comparison, Shi and Doherty (2008) found better speech recognition scores for both slow and fast, attack and release times compared to linear hearing aids, however found no difference between scores for slow and fast times in WDRC. When attack and relea se times are shorter the soft speech sounds are amplified more than the louder ones. If the release time is long then the soft and loud speech sounds are amplified at the same level, which may result in the softer phonemes being masked by the louder ones (Valente, et. al., 2008). Where to set attack and release times may be different for each patient depending on their preference; however in these studies it has been shown that having attack and release times using WDRC improves speech recognition scores compared to linear hearing aids. WDRC multi-channel hearing aids have a distinct advantage over single channel hearing aids because they have the ability to use BILL and TILL (features of WDRC) at the same time (Sandlin, 2000). BILL is the bass increase at low levels and TILL is the treble increase at low levels (Dillon, 2001, pp 169). BILL will tend to go into compression a lot more with low frequency sounds and not as much with high frequency sounds. The strategy of BILL is to allow the hearing aid wearer to hear better in background noise. TILL will go into compression more often with high frequency sounds and not as much with low frequency sounds. The strategy of TILL is to increase audibility of high frequency sounds. Both BILL and TILL used in conjunction can create a good fitting strategy for a flat moderate high frequency sensorineural hearing loss (Venema, 1998). Dillon (2000) described two problems that can arise with WDRC hearing aids. The first problem is that while WDRC hearing aids amplify very soft speech well, they also amplify very soft background noises such as the clock ticking or the sound of clothes moving (Dillon, 2000). Fortunately with newer digital technology, hearing aids are able to separate speech from background noise more intuitively than with analogue technology. A way to deal with these very low level background noises is to use expansion. Expansion is the opposite of compression and aims to make the weakest sounds in the quietest environments unnoticeable as it is below the listeners aided threshold (Valente, et. al., 2008). The second disadvantage is the problem of feedback being introduced when the hearing aid wearer is in a quiet environment and the gain is increased (Dillon, 2000; Valente, et. al., 2008). In the past few years digital feedback suppression/cancellation has become more sophisticated and this does not seem to be a problem with WDRC in hearing aid wearers as long as a suitable earmould is fitted. Wide dynamic range compression has been shown to have advantages over linear amplification using compression limiting and peak clipping circuits. In some researchers opinions it has still not been unequivocally proven that WDRC is the best fitting strategy for all types of hearing loss. As levels gets worse than moderate sensorineural hearing loss, the loss of outer and inner hair cell function causes temporal cues to worsen. It is unclear whether fast WDRC may be causing distortion in speech signals due to this. What is clear is that for mild to moderate sensorineural hearing loss, most commonly observed with presbyacusis, WDRC seems to improve speech recognition in quiet, in noise, overall comfort and it is easier to acclimatise to wearing hearing aids. There is not a great amount of recent literature on the subject of the benefits of WDRC in the moderate sensorineural hearing loss category. It would be interesting to see new research conducted to determine whether there are more b enefits in multichannel WDRC with newer, more intuitive, digital technology hearing aids.

Pigeon Forge :: Descriptive Essay About A Place

Pigeon Forge The Pigeon Forge area attracts students because of the entertainment choices and location. Teenagers enjoy Pigeon Forge because of the shopping, restaurants, and tourist attractions. It is a getaway from their hometown with plenty of choices of things to do. There are outlet malls that sell a variety of clothing. A few of the attractions located in this area are race tracks, bungee jumping, indoor skydiving, and put-put. Families with young children will be able to do a limited amount of outside tourist activities, but instead might opt to shop within some of the popular outlet malls. The attractions with a minimum age or height requirement are for families with older children that can participate and for teenagers and young adults. Pigeon Forge is a tourist attraction for people on different budgets with different interests. Pigeon Forge is a well-known tourist area with shopping, entertainment attractions, and restaurants set in the Smoky Mountains. Its location is 80 miles from Johnson City and thirty miles from Knoxville. From Knoxville go towards Ashville on the 181 north interstate and take Exit 407 to Sevierville; from Johnson City take highway 181 South towards Knoxville and take the same exit (approximately one hour from Johnson City, and twenty to thirty minutes from Knoxville). First time visitors to the area should try to plan on spending a few days, if you have the time and money. There are many attractions in this area, and depending on your interests you can plan a trip that is worthwhile and fun Pigeon Forge is a shopper’s paradise, with a wide array of merchandise. This area hosts several outlet malls filled with plenty of shops each. The Red Roof Mall and the Tanger Outlet Mall are two of the popular outlets. The outlet malls all sell different types of merchandise, mostly name brand clothing. A few of the name brands that are found in the outlets are J. Crew, Old Navy, Fossil, and American Outpost. There are also shops that are individually owned that sell Pigeon Forge memorabilia. Other shops will spray paint tee shirts and license plates to the customer’s specifications. Pigeon Forge hosts a variety of shops where most name brand products can be found, with the convenience of being located on one main road. Dollywood is an entertainment park that has rides for children and adults, within a town like atmosphere. The park is not just for children, adults will enjoy it also.

History of English Language Essay

English language, like many elements in the history, has gone many transformations for nothing is permanent in this world. There are many contributing factors that played in its development as what it is now including different influences brought to it by merging of cultures and sometimes war. English language also differs depending on the culture of one’s country, since not only one country is using this as their official language but many of them; and, each has gone some modification that represents their culture. In this global period, English language is considered as the world’s official language through which, all countries are united heading towards future economic progress and common understanding of all people in the whole world. Through this also, war is avoided, common goals are set for the good of all, and poor countries are taken into account by international organization. English language then as widely accepted fact, is the lingua franca of the world and the language of economics. English language, since it is replacing other previously dominant languages of the world such as French and Spanish, is taught in almost schools in all countries from Pre-elementary courses to college courses. Through this emerging trend, many students from affluent countries avail themselves of western education which they consider as an advantage in their career. Some would even take English lessons in other countries to acquire fluency and competency. The reason behind is that, English is the only means to communicate with all the people of the world wherever you are or what ever country you may be. Thus, international communication is now possible regardless of which country you come from as long as you know even just the basic and as their languages unite their understanding of their culture is strengthened. Development of Old English Language Old English language had been developed through many components with its origin from the history. Although, many historians believed and developed the hypothesis that English language and other languages in many parts of Europe were identical because of evidences of similarities of many words. Aside from that, it was also believed that Sanskrit, the old language of India which was much older than Greek or German, had preserved common features with that of Old English language (Baugh & Cable, p. 18). It is easy therefore to presume that English is a by-product of the development of many languages in Europe which had only one origin. The Arrival of Celts in Britain English language was known as the language of English people, however, it was not the language spoken by earliest settlers of the lands; historians believed that many races had come and their languages were not known and recorded in the history until the arrival of the Celts which had the trace of Old English language, and began the history of its development. The Celts were bronze and iron-age inhabitants and when they reached Britain they pushed the earlier settlers into the remote corners of the nation through their mighty weapons. According to history, they arrived around 500 BC with language known for being the first Indo-European tongue to be spoken in Britain. Celts and Celtic language as they say had very little contribution in the Old English, as they tried to trace some of those words. However, scholars believed that they influenced the grammatical structure of the language (Baugh & Cable, p. 82-83). At this far-flung advancement of English, many of those languages are no longer traced; though, it is believed to be the first among the contributors of the English language development, however, its influence is no longer recognized today. Anglo-Saxon Settlements In the beginning, Old English was an assortment of group of dialect languages, reflecting the diverse beginning of the Anglo-Saxon Kingdoms of England. Anglo-Saxon was a group of different races with the Germanic people as the dominant among them who arrived in Britain during the 5th and 6th AD upon the invitation of the King of Briton to help them against Roman invaders. This group had acquired influences of the Latin culture including language that after the collapse of Roman Empire in their country arrived in Britain to find settlement also. According to Barbara Fennell, there was no written record about language use in Britain before the Anglo-Saxon invasion (Fennell, p. 55). There were indications that England was inhabited for thousands of years prior to Anglo-Saxon invasion, with its known early inhabitants as the Celts or Scotts. The Romans did not have much linguistic contribution on the linguistics development, but the collapsed of the Empire paved the way for the settlement of Anglo-Saxon. The native Britons were either pushed into isolated and farthest areas or they adapted the Anglo-Saxon’s way of life. The Angli was actually a Germanic tribe which has been in Britain a couple of centuries prior to Roman invasion. These Anglo-Saxon spoke Germanic dialect which had some similarities with the original settlers, the Celts which eventually blended with them. Thus, Germanic tribes began arriving and settling in Kent. Not long when the Germans formed a kingdom known in history as the Anglo-Saxon heptarchy. As these German tribes struggled for superiority, Kent, the main settlement, emerged as the dominating tribe which claimed sovereignty over all the kingdoms of the South. Barbara Fennel pointed out that they dominated largely because of the influence of centers of learning at Linchfarne. Subsequently, the kingdom was passed from King Egbert down to his grandson Alfred the Great, and on to King Edward the Confessor who became Rex Anglorum, which means King of the English in 1026 BC (Fennel, p. 57). The merging of Anglo-Saxon and Celtics had come to be known as the English people, and their language as the English language. The Scandinavian Influence Of course, there had been more developments and significant contribution towards the linguistic development of the English language. But, ultimately, invasions and settlements had been the major factors for this development. The invasion of the Romans and the collapse of the Empire lay the ground for the settlement of Anglo-Saxon, while the influx of more Germanic tribesmen overlay the founding of a new nation. In 787 to 850 AD, a new invasion and settlement had taken place; the Scandinavian under King Guthrum invaded Britain which was under King Alfred. As the Danes were defeated by King Alfred, they withdrew from King Alfred’s territory but remained in Britain. Eventually, he accepted Christianity and was baptized. The settlement of these people in England not only involved political and linguistic assimilation but also culture and religion which are essential in the development of language. The succeeding political assimilation that follows after the Scandinavian invasion as well as the intermarriages of political rulers had been instrumental in Anglo-Saxon – Celtic people to be identified as an English people. Fennell said that King Henry’s successor Richard II, was renowned as the lion’s heart â€Å"†¦who spoke little or no English at all, and spent only six months in total on English soil† (p. 57). Fennel’s emphasis on â€Å"speaking English and spending six months on English soil† meant two things, the beginning of the English language and of the English country. The Linguistic Development during the Middle Ages Middle Ages had been a very significant in the development of English languages after its assimilation during the merging of Anglo-Saxon and Celts. This period gave way to the advancement of the language in terms of words incorporation from other native languages specifically the Northern European and some Germanic tribes. This was also significant in the expansion of the language in its grammatical structure. Change in the Inflectional Endings Inflectional endings are unstressed syllables at the ends of words of most of Old English language such as –en in drunken. The decay of inflectional endings was attributed to the influence of Vikings in their language and at the same time, the Germanic language has a stress on the first syllable and not on endings. Some of those endings that were omitted were -a, -e, -u and –an, which had been evenly reduced to -e, (pronounced ). Another alteration involved the loss of final -n after -e in unstressed syllables. For example, drinken, from Old English drincan â€Å"to drink,† became first of all drinke and then drink (Baugh and Cable, 1993, p. 155). Fennel had also observed these significant changes in the English language. She pointed out that the â€Å"development of more fixed words order and the loss of inflections† (p. 97), characterizes the Middle English. Further, she observed slight consonantal changes in such that certain voiced consonants became voiceless and other voiceless consonants became voiced (p. 97). The Noun and Adjectives Old English is also typified in terms of infection wherein they add letters to the end of the word to signify another meaning either from singular to plural or gender differences. For instance, the singular stan, stanes and stane having its plural form of stanas, stana and stanum; which according to Baugh and Cable, reduced to stan, stanes and stane. These changes have been observed in the Modern English. Old English was seen as having similarity with the Latin grammar which was more inflected. To note, Old English had four cases: the nominative, accusative, genitive and dative cases that are emphasized by adding letter/s at the end of the word. For example, the singular neuter had an ending –a, feminine had –o, masculine had –n. On the other hand, Latin had six cases such as nominative, vocative, accusative, genitive, dative and ablative. This development in English language was obviously an influence of Roman in their language. Throughout the development process, especially coming into the Middle Ages, English language had survived its –s plural form and the weak –n form become infrequent as in the case of oxen, brethren, children and oxen. Verb Form The Middle English had a grammatical rule similar to the Modern English. In general, the first person singular of the Middle English present tense verbs end in –e, the second person had –est, while the third person had –eb. This is applied to strong verb, while in weak verbs, word endings used are –ed(e), -d(e), or –t(e). It was also usual in the Middle English the Object -Verb sequence whereas the Modern English follows the Verb-Object pattern; for example : then fell he down, which is contrast with today’s grammar structure as then he fell down. (Fischer, p. 180-181) The infinitive –to was also usual in Middle English which was later replaced by that. For instance, He commanded them that they should tie him up. (Fischer, p. 211)

Microsoft strategic alliance with Nokia

Abstract Nokia is a very big telecommunications company that has experienced serious brand and financial issues in the recent years, and lately forged an alliance with Microsoft to try and save the situation. This paper is going to examine the strategic alliance between the two giant companies by evaluating their external and internal environments. It will also examine three different growth strategies and then select the most appropriate one. From the evaluation of the growth strategies in the paper, product development has been selected and it is the only way that the company can attempt to come closer to its competitors or even beat them in the market. Introduction and Company Background Nokia, which is a Finish Company that manufactures mobile phones, has been in existence since the creation of the earliest mobile devices, and the corporation has managed to take the world by storm by domination of the mobile industry (Roy, 2011, p. 23). The company has a large market and has been producing the best mobile phones over the years. However, things have not been smooth for the company in the North American market where penetration has been an uphill task. This is particularly bad news for the company because it is a region where smartphones have become a necessary commodity for every individual, regardless of their standards of living. The smartphones market went up by as much as 50 percent in the year 2011 and Google has been in the lead in the industry with their Android, a young operating system. The company is well aware of their problem all over the world, and the United States of America in particular. This forced them to hire Stephen Elop, who became the first person from outside Finland to head the company. This new chief executive officer joined the company from a high-ranking position at the Microsoft Corporation in the year 2010. He had a primary task of increasing company’s market share cap on the Asian and North American markets. Being the first person from outside Finland to head the company, he became under a lot of pressure to ensure that the share losses of the market of the company are reversed. Nokia found it difficult to perform in the market for smartphones and that is why they decided to have an alliance with the Microsoft Corporation to try to save the situation (Saylor, 2012, p39). This was the first major step that the new CEO took. The unexpected cooperation with the Microsoft Corporation elicited several debates regarding Nokia as well as about the general smartphones market (Schwarzinger, 2012, p.53). The IDC (International Data Corporation), which is a company for market analysis, and monitors the smartphones market, predicted that the Windows Phones would become the second largest provider of software for smartphones globally (Grant, R 2010, p. 31). The analysis and prediction is based on the strategic alliance between Nokia and Microsoft Corporation. Combined with the projected growth in the sales of smartphones and the predictions given by the ICD, then why is it that there was negative action by the financial market when he news of the two giant companies collaborating came outThis is one of the questions that many financial analysts have been asking themselves. This paper examines the strategic alliance between the two giant companies by evaluating their external and internal environments. It will also examine three different growth strategies and then select the most appropriate one. External AnalysisThe Five Forces Framework of NokiaThe present competition that Nokia is facing in the phone industry has greatly affected its market share. However, it still holds a considerable share of the market in the industry that is ever changing. The microenvironment is the internal factors that affect the customers, staff, competitors and the shareholders (Henry, 2008, p.24). The five forces model is the most appropriate for the evaluation of the microenvironment of Nokia as it takes into consideration the clients, suppliers, competitors as well as the new entrants.The power of suppliers: moderateAlthough the company relies on its suppliers to provide equipment, there are numerous large manufacturers of equipment that they can turn to (Baron, 2008, p53). Currently, Microsoft is the supplier of software for the company and they have a high bargaining power together. In addition, the company is in a good position to bargain as well as negotiate with any mobile phone hardware p roducer because there are a large number of the suppliers of equipment, which are readily and easily accessible should their current suppliers attempt to ask for more money with them. Moreover, the alliance with the Microsoft Corporation is regarded as a coup for Nokia and not Microsoft. The Microsoft Corporation may have more power in the negotiation of price along with the share as the pact is of more significance to Nokia that the Microsoft Corporation.The power of buyers: highThe customers have an increasing power because of increasing variety of alternatives available in the sector of mobile telecommunication. Majority of Nokia’s competitors also offer the same packages and the sector is very sensitive to matters like the prices with clients seeking the best value for their money. Majority of the customers are also tied into the long-lasting contracts and thus having to change from one mobile phone to another is hard and costly for consumers. The sector has a very compet itive market that has a variety of choices, which makes the customers to have much power as they can choose to go to the various competitors of Nokia if they are not contented with what the company is providing.The threat of new entrants: lowThe market of mobile phone is well-established and a lucrative one, and there is a relatively low threat of new entrants, as the technology that is needed to rival the devices that are already existing is very advanced. This is something that cannot be achieved easily by any company. The barriers to entry into the market are very high, as any potential new entrants need a lot of investment in marketing and technology so that they can be in a position of challenging the companied that are already established (Hill, et al, 2009, p.53). The threat of any potential new entrants is not probable as the initial cost that is required to enter the industry is very high and requires a lot of investment in time to be in a position of competing against the organizations that are already established. Currently, Nokia has a 29 percent of the entire global mobile telecommunications market and for any new entrant to get a little bit of their market needs a long-term scheming or even products that are highly innovative as compared to any other seen in the market (McGuigan, et al 2010, p. 41). For this to be possible, the new competitor needs very high investment for marketing and R&D, in order to get positive result.The threat of substitutes: Very lowIt is beyond reasonable doubt that mobile phones are an everyday essential in human being’s lives presently and they would not find it easy to replace, as consumers will not be in a position of having constant contact when they are not near their houses, family members or even friends (Baron, 2008, p.53). Nonetheless, the consumers may make contacts with individuals through other forms of media like email address, home telephones and social networks. However, it will not be easy for peo ple to keep in contact in their daily lives, as the forms of communication are not convenient. Contrary, smart phones come with several functions and specifications, meaning there are many substitutes offered that focus on just a single function. Presently, mobile phones are an everyday requirement in the lives of human beings because of the fundamental functions they are capable of performing and can all be found in a single handset. Only smart phones have the ability to make phone calls, send messages, and browse the internet in a single device. Another thing that makes them an extremely critical device to human beings is the fact that it enables them to communicate constantly and at any place. Thus, the threat of alternatives is very low because a mobile phone is not only for making calls or for sending messages but many some other functions. Without the mobile phones, people will find it very difficult to have a replacement, since it can provide a lot to them all in one device. People also rely on the mobile phones greatly and might not easily find an alternative that has the whole functions of a mobile handset.Competitive rivalry: lowThe competitors of Nokia turned to smartphones and androids early enough while Nokia delayed in releasing their first smart phones, and hence lagging behind competitors like Apple and HTC (Hahn, and Kibora, 2008, p. 12). Their strategic alliance with Microsoft, though offers some lifeline, still needs some time before catching up with the rest. There is high competition from big corporations like Blackberry, LG and Sony Erickson. The industry of mobile phone has very high rivalry and needs huge amounts of investment in marketing and the R&B to be able to compete with the established companies (Stonehouse, et al, 2007, p.43). Nokia had a slow shift into the market of smartphone, and this has left them trailing their competitors. Therefore, there is extremely high competitive rivalry and the company needs to be alert of their r ivals’ threat on their business especially with the Apple iPhone and RIM Blackberry’s rising popularity. Competitive rivalry in the industry is the principal threat to the Nokia Company because they are seriously behind in the market of Smartphone and it really needs a lot of efforts to raise their market share. Internal AnalysisSWOT AnalysisSWOT analysis is the most appropriate tool for the strategic planning analysis by companies’ management. It is a critical tool to the improvement of business because it embraced or followed the concept that success in the digital economy is the deployment of an incorporated value chain that extends beyond and across the business Saylor (McGuigan, et al 2010, p. 17). Nokia is a leading company in the mobile phones industry and its strategic alliance with Microsoft is expected to be a game changer. It is therefore important to look at the company’s internal environment.StrengthsGrant (2010, p.55) says that Nokia currently enjoying more that 32 percent market share in the mobile phone industry, and this is expected to even increase following the new pact with Microsoft as they will be provided with operating system affordably and sufficiently. Both Nokia and Microsoft are well respected and trusted brands as they have been there since the star t of the mobile phones and have been able to retain the trust of customers. Now in their association with Microsoft, they have regained strength in the market of smartphone, as it is a pact that has brought together two giants in their respective sectors. Having a strong brand name is an advantage since it enhances consistency; however, it is no secret that their brand name has had some wavering and now considered promotion of brand (Grant, 2010, p.43). The alliance between the two companies also means that Nokia has a secure and steady supplier market in Microsoft, where there will be enough time to concentrate on innovation, production and marketing. The company has a strong internal R+D. Nokia became one of the first companies to the market despite not dominating the market of Smartphone, the company became one of the because of their exceptional R+D program. The new chief executive officer has brought some new ideas to the organization and influenced its entire image.WeaknessesN okia has had its market share drop from the end of the last year in the industry of Smartphone. They have not been able to realize that Smartphones are a way of life amongst the users currently, with support software for the mobile phones that are very low. These are in the forms of applications, contrary to Blackberry and Apple that both have their individual App World. Nokia has an insight of only building phones that are brick shaped, which gives them lack of prestige in the present market of (Smartphonen, 2011, p.35). There are weak subdivisions in the company; they own as well as manage the Symbian but have abandoned it and instead gone for the windows 7, meaning than Symbian is now making losses (Saylor, 2012, p.54).OpportunitiesThe corporation has the chance of developing their own version of the App store OVI, since their new mobile phones are being launched and hopefully accepted in the market. The company also has an opportunity of developing more products with the Microso ft Corporation and explores more opportunities that might come up from the deal. Diverse self-sufficient and valuable portfolio; Microsoft could also do diversification of their immense portfolio and dispose parts of it that is not profitable in the probable future.ThreatsIf further loss of the share of market for Nokia continues being lost to the other big producers of Smartphones, they would actually consider withdrawal from the industry of Smartphones. The industry of mobile phones is not different from that of fashion with a quite quick turnaround. Nokia are investing lots of funds in trying to have a successful penetration into the market. By the time they succeed in doing so, the market could possibly have again shifted and had another serious breakthrough into another kind of mobile phone (Saylor, 2012, p.57). With the mobile phones software in the present day industry being as critical as the hardware, it is important that the Microsoft Corporation do not have excessive powe r as if the novel devices are a great success. It would not be good for the Nokia Company if Microsoft chose to raise their price on the pact or even walk out of it all together. Issues and challenges facing the company The challenges for Microsoft and Nokia alliance are overwhelming. Microsoft has still not been able to rise above the minuscule share of the market in the United States or even globally, even despite joining forces with Nokia. The Blackberry’s implosion was actually the best chance for Microsoft to get hold of its market share, but that did not happen. The company has to put in a lot of effort to carve out its niche in a world that has been dominated by the Android and iOS (Saylor, 2012, p.59).Missing appsThe Windows Phone still has the same old problem despite now being with more Nokia; that is the lack of a sufficient app ecosystem (Donner, and Steenson, 2008, p.35). Microsoft is not getting anything from Nokia in terms of software that was not already in th e Windows Phone. This is because the strongest mobile software asset of Nokia, which is its maps business, was not part of the agreement. After more than three years into the deal, Windows Phone still does not have table stakes apps as such like the native customers of Instgram and YouTube. The stance in the tablets is excessively bleaker. The Windows RT, which is the version designed for tablets specifically, is a very big flop and the Window 8 applied on tablets has not done any better in the market. The iPhone has successfully turned mobile phones, together with business mobile phones into a wholly consumer business (Saylor, 2012, p.70). This has an implication that the acquisition of Nokia has dragged the Microsoft Corporation into a sector that it should have avoided as much as possible. In other words, Microsoft is not a good consumer organization. Still it is not easy to see what the new CEO who has a good record of accomplishment in the companies he worked before has brought into the Nokia Company.The Xbox ProblemThe Xbox is a one consumer bright spot of Microsoft. Even without taking into account, the Xbox’s sunk cost and the fumbled Xbox One’s release, the segment of Devices and Entertainment is too small, particularly in the profit share that cannot make any significant difference (Goggin, 2011, p.23). With very little expectation for immense growth in the game console and set top box industry, the Xbox is going to make no difference for the company.Reinforce successEvery business requires reinforcement and mobile phone industry is no exception. Another area of power or strength is the web services, especially those serving business and not the ones that are consumer-facing. Although Microsoft is behind Google in several aspects, it is much ahead of Apple, which usually appears as having very little idea about the web services as it is much into the devices (Saylor, 2012, p.73). This is something the two companies have not taken advant age of, and they might realize it a little bit late if the other companies have realized their shortcomings and countered them accordingly.Brand imageFor any business to be successful in the market, brand image must be at its best because it is what consumers will be looking for. This is because everyone wants to consume a product they are well familiar with. For the Nokia Company, its brand image has dwindles constantly to a great deal such that people are no longer comfortable buying and using its products. This is something that might make it difficult for them to regain their initial status as the leading mobile phone maker, despite alliance with Microsoft (Saylor, 2012, p.79). They might pump in a lot of money in an attempt to save the situation but may as well flop if proper marketing and investment in technology is not done to win back its customers. If things do not work out for the company as expected, then it will be a big loss for Microsoft as it entered into a partnershi p with a company that was already going down.Generation of Strategic growth optionsEvery section of an organization is affected by a marketing strategy. It is all about the use of everything at the business’ disposal in creation of value for others. Customers are also included in this but workers as well as shareholders benefit. The marketing strategy’s major purpose is setting out the means by which the marketing objectives that are agreed are to be accomplished. One of the most appropriate ways to analyze the different strategies that can be used by an organization in growing the business is with the ANSOFF Matrix (Schwarzinger, 2012, p. 42). The model takes into account the opportunities of providing available and new products and services within the present and new markets together with the levels of risk that come with them. Below are possible three strategic options that can be employed by the company:Market penetrationThe aim of this strategy is selling products to a market that already exists. This has been proposed because Nokia has an already existing market even though it seems to be losing it at a higher rate. Market development This strategy refers to the completion of market development successfully (Hahn and Kibora, 2008). The method has been proposed because the Nokia Company appears to have lost touch with the huge client base that it enjoyed when it was performing still well. 5.3. Product development This section of the Ansoff matrix aims at being updated as regards the latest technology in the industry. The strategy has been proposed because the company appears to be lagging behind in terms of innovation, and this is where their competitors have fully taken advantage of to win the game (Kovvali, 2011, p.73). Evaluation of strategic growth optionsMarket penetrationThe aim of this strategy is selling products to a market that already exists. Nokia has an already existing market even though it seems to be losing it at a higher rate. For the company to be able to achieve this, there are several things that needs to be done such as: changing the pricing plan; this should be done in a manner such that it is competitor or penetration based. Changing the pricing plan means that they will be reducing prices of their products in an attempt to attract more customers or even maintaining the existing ones. However, in doing so, the quality of the products must also be high as consumers do not only go for the price but they want to enjoy the value for their money. For the prices to be reduced as much as possible and to ensure sustainability, a lot of resources needs to be pumped in, which the company may also not be having, considering the financial crisis that it faced (Kovvali, 2011, p.63). Introduc e discounting; the company can also introduce discounting services whereby customers pay certain amount of money in buying a particular product or quantity. Starting up a different promotion campaign or considering changes on the present one; shifting from one campaign strategy to another or improving on the available one may also help the company in getting the message home, thus attracting more customers. 6.2. Market development This strategy refers to the completion of market development successfully. Nokia Company appears to have lost touch with the huge client base that it enjoyed when it was performing still well. The company has an option of penetrating or developing new markets that its products has not reached. This can be done through targeting a completely new client base and carrying out vigorous product promotions in order to attract them. Some other means through which this can be achieved is researching and selling the products to a different market segment in instances of poor market share and saturation (Kovvali, 2011, p.79). They can also change the periods that adverts are run on television and change the places in which the display of print adverts happen. This is the best way of ensuring that the products appeal to a completely new market. The company can also reduce the present prices of its products to help in attracting a wider range of clients. 6.3. Product development This section of the Ansoff matrix aims at being updated as regards the latest technology in the industry (Bull, 2007). The company appears to be lagging behind in terms of innovation, and this is where their competitors have fully taken advantage of to win the game. The mobile phone industry is just like fashion where trends come up each day and players in the market try to beat each other by being creative and innovation in an attempt to win the customers as much as possible. Companies like Samsung have rose to great heights due to their technological inventions and they are really doing well in the Smartphone market. They have been coming up with new applications that have been appealing to customers and that are why they are really selling (Kovvali, 2011, p. 34) Nokia should pump in a lot of cash and invest heavily in technology because it is the only way to succeed in the business. Description of selected strategyProduct developmentThe selected strategy for at Nokia is product development. Nearly everyone knows that this has been the biggest undoing of the company as they have not been able to keep up with the pace at which technology is growing. Just as said earlier, the mobile phone industry is just like fashion where trends come up each day and players in the market try to beat each other by being creative and innovation in an attempt to win the customers as much as possible. Therefore, the company has no option but to invest in technology if at all they are serious about regaining the lost market share. They should produce some high-tech products with a lot of features that fit specific market segment. With the strategic alliance with Microsoft, the company stands a good chance of recovering as this is an opportunity to get a source of finances that they require to keep up with the new technological development (Saylor, 2012, p.89). Microsoft is also known for its creativity and this alliance puts Nokia in a good position because they will be able to get the best operation systems that are updated to meet the current market requirements. Moreover, the alliance will enable the company to have a pool of new ideas as together two giants that have been leaders in their respective industries for several years. Conclusion It is no doubt that the alliance between Nokia and Microsoft is the best decision ever made by the management because it is a chance of recovering from the fall to try to catch up with the current industry leaders. Pundits see it as a major coup for Nokia, but Microsoft also stands to gain from the pact. Nokia should use this opportunity to venture fully into the Smartphone market by doing product development. They should invest heavily in technology and even employ more staff that can bring meaningful changes. The company has been doing well in the other growth strategies such as market penetration and market development, but has not been doing product development. From the evaluation of the growth strategies above, product development is the only one that has remained and it is the only way that the company can attempt so as to come closer to its competitors or even beat them in the market. The Smartphones market is still growing and there are several opportunities that are yet to be exploited and with Microsoft on board, it only needs proper strategies to conquer the market. However, if proper measures and strategies are not in place then the highly hyped alliance might as well be a waste of time and resources as other companies will continue steadily while Nokia continue to fall steadily. References Baron, N 2008, ‘Adjusting the Volume: Technology and Multitasking in Discourse Control’, in Katz, J. (Ed.) Handbook of Mobile Communication Studies, MIT Press, Cambridge, Mass, pp.177-94 Baron, N 2008, Always on: Language in an Online and Mobile World, Oxford University Press, New York. Batson-Savage, T 2007, ‘†Hol Awn Mek a Answer Mi Cellular†: Sex, Sexuality and the Cellular Phone in Urban Jamaica’, Continuum: Journal of Media and Cultural Studies, Vol.21, No.2, June, pp.239-52. Bull, M 2007, Sound Moves: Ipod Culture and Urban Experience, Routledge, London. Donner, J, and Steenson, M 2008, â€Å"Beyond the Personal and Private: Modes of Mobile Phone Sharing in Urban India.† In The Reconstruction of Space and Time: Mobile Communication Practices, edited by Scott Campbell and Rich Ling, 231–250. Piscataway, NJ: Transaction Publishers. Goggin, G 2011, Global Mobile Media, New York: Routledge. Grant, R 2010, Contemporary Strategy Analysis: Text Only. John Wiley and Sons. Hahn, H and Kibora, L 2008, â€Å"The Domestication of the Mobile Phone: Oral Society and New ICT in Burkina Faso†. Journal of Modern African Studes 46. Henry, A 2008, Understanding Strategic Management. Oxford University Press. Hill C. et al 2009, Strategic Management Theory: An Integrated Approach. Cengage Learning. Kovvali, G 2011, â€Å"Cell phones are as carcinogenic as coffee†. Journal of Carcinogenesis 10 (1): 18. McGuigan, J. et al 2010, Managerial Economics. Cengage Learning. Roy, D, 2011, Strategic Foresight and Porter’s Five Forces: Towards a Synthesis. GRIN Verlag. Saylor, M 2012, The Mobile Wave: How Mobile Intelligence Will Change Everything. Perseus Books/Vanguard Press. Schwarzinger, A 2012, Porter’s Five Forces Framework – An Analysis of the Swiss TV-Broadcasting Industry. GRIN Verlag. Stonehouse, G. et al 2007, Global and Transnational Business: Strategy and Management. John Wiley and Sons.

The French Revolution

The French Revolution Napoleon Justin Walker Nationalism is the devotion of people to the interests of its nation or the love of one's country to stay independent. Nationalism played a major role in the downfall of Napoleon in that he wanted an empire and his opponent's wanted independence.As Napoleon was conquering lands and creating a vast empire his troops stressed in the far lands that they conquered life, liberty and equality. Although Napoleon did not realize, it triggered nationalistic feelings among the conquered nations.Spain, who was an ally of France, disobeyed Napoleon's decree. Then in 1808 Napoleon overthrew the Spanish royal family and made his brother Joseph king of Spain. However, everything that Napoleon did such as put in a foreign ruler, take away noble privileges offended Spanish pride and created nationalistic feelings. The people of Spain revolted in 1808. The French troops stopped the riots, but the nationalistic spirit was not lost.Louis XVI who reigned from 1774 to 1792. Vergenne s..."They were intent on having a greater say in how the money should be spent, and determined to curtail the absolutist ambitions of the monarch."‚  (2) The third estate was made up of the bourgeoisie, wage earners and peasantry. They were the majority of the population and resented the privileges of the nobles. They were antagonized by the excessive financial burdens that fell upon them. The bourgeoisie and the peasants criticized the tax system. "The bourgeoisie was denied the social status and share in the government that commensurate with wealth. The peasants were becoming more literate and independent and were regarded as a general beast of burden, despised and over-taxed."‚  (3) By 1789, these resentments, coupled with inefficient government and an antiquated legal system, made the government seem increasingly unresponsive to the French people. The pressure mounted on the government to reform.

Why Thesis And Dissertation Is Not The Same And How Do They Differ - Paperell.com

Why Thesis And Dissertation Is Not The Same And How Do They Differ Why Thesis And Dissertation Is Not The Same And How Do They Differ? Already at the starting point of applying to an educational institution, many students think about their further education. If you are planning to finish the master’s or doctoral program, you will have to face some new terms like thesis and dissertation. Let’s try to understand the meaning of these academic papers. Many graduate-level programs usually culminate with a final thesis or dissertation. The aim of the final project is to represent student’s knowledge in the certain field of study. Now we will identify the differences between these meanings.The Main Features Of The Thesis WritingWhen you prepare such project, you need to conduct your own original research. It includes the hypothesis that has to be quite new and, moreover, this sentence should inform about the research you have conducted. Generally, in the US, such assignment is a final project for a master’s degree. It is often a specific research on a particular subject that should demonstrate t he student’s knowledge they acquired during the program. What are its main distinctive features? A master’s degree paper is quite similar to a research paper that students usually complete in college. While completing this task, you need to use the research of others, but you also need to analyze these discoveries on your own. It should demonstrate the level of both your critical and analytical thinking. Such assignment also defines the subject you are working on, using other research. It is easier than a PhD degree project but may also cause some problems, so you can use thesis help. The length of master’s degree project is usually over 100 pages and it includes less external links than a PhD final project. While coping with this task, students should emphasize their own ideas and conclusions.The Main Features Of The Dissertation WritingIt is a final project for a doctorate degree or PhD. When you are working on a dissertation writing, you should contribute som ething undiscovered to your field of study. In this type of work, the research of others is used only to help in your own study to make an absolutely new hypothesis. The length of a dissertation is usually over 400 pages. Dissertation is in some way harder as it requires deeper knowledge and analytic skills, and also assumes that its author has an in-depth knowledge of the recent discoveries made in his area of study. Moreover, you must ascertain new conclusions about the information you have read. On a dissertation writing services, you can learn more about it. Preparing such work, you need to synthesize collected information and use it to present your point of view. You can share your own thoughts in such work.What Are The Differences Between A Thesis And A Dissertation Writing?The technical difference between these two works is, at first, the length and the way you use the information for your research. A dissertation is lengthier and needs more time to be completed. A thesis is short and, thus, it takes less time to work on. Preparing a thesis, you should analyze some information you have already gathered whereas a dissertation is always based on your own research. A thesis also helps a student to get a scholarship. And a second work is a part of a process that you make to obtain the degree. As for the form of these papers, the first one is more like an academic research work, while a dissertation is like an academic book. There is also some structure difference between these two paper types. In a thesis, students use a hypothesis which is usually based on the research work of the others. And, at the same time, in a PhD paper, an author of it should have much knowledge of the new discoveries. Another important feature of a thesis is that you focus on your primary argument to confirm your point to your readers. In another type of project, the main focus is on the background work of a researcher. Furthermore, in a thesis, you need work with the information f rom different sources, preparing it includes the analysis of the other works. While in dissertation you add your own new findings and thoughts to the other sources and it requires argumentation that is based on a student’s individual study.General ConclusionHere we studied the most important differences between these two types of papers. One more thing you should know is that the definitions of the terms we’ve discussed in this article can differ between the countries. For example, in some countries, a thesis is done to get the doctorate degree whereas a dissertation helps to acquire a master’s degree. Many scholars say that these two assignments are the same, in general. Today the meaning of these two terms continues to be debatable.

Compare abd contrast Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Compare abd contrast - Essay Example ference in the way these people eat, drink, dress, hang out, meet with new and known people, and bury their known ones as well as their day-to-day activities which vary a great deal when one thinks of them in a broader context. Hence the comparison holds solid ground due to the fact that these people, both from the American nation and the Saudi Arabian territories known how distinct and different they are from each other and it is good to know one’s strengths and weaknesses beforehand. The similarities exist within their nationalism and the attitude with which both the societies echo their voices in favor of the patriotism myth. Religion is pretty intrinsic to a culture of a society and in broader sense to a country where its different people carry out their rituals and activities in accordance with the customs and traditions as dictated by their respective religions. Same is the case for the two countries under study here which are basically being compared. United States is a much more developed nation that Saudi Arabia while the latter is an oil-rich state and fundamentally more than 90% of its inhabitants are pre-dominantly Muslims. While the super power nation of the world is more or less comprised of nearly all ethnicities that are found elsewhere, where one can find blacks known as the Afro Americans, the Asians consisting of Indians and Pakistanis mainly and so on and so forth. On the whole, United States of America has a lot of diversity has far as its single basic culture identification is concerned and hence the people obviously practice different religions in accordance with their beliefs and con victions. This paper discusses the comparison between America and Saudi Arabia in terms of their cultural values and religious bases. If one looks at the American distribution of people who have religion apart from that of Christianity, one finds that around 2% of them are Jews, 0.5% are Muslims while similar is the ratio for Buddhists. This accounts for the

Current Event Review 2 Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Current Event Review 2 - Article Example In my opinion, the fears of parents are valid to a good extent because a large number of children throughout the world are using social networks, and consequently, revealing a great deal of personal information on these websites as well. Most of these children are not conscious of the intricate online privacy settings which are designed in a way to gain as much personal information as possible. Besides, I believe the uneasiness of the parents associated with advertising is justifiable too, as advertisers on social networks often use personal information of the individuals to market products which are close to their liking. These tactics employed by the social networks breach the fundamental concepts of Business Ethics, in terms of use of information, security and advertising. However, the negative impact of such measures is also being felt by the businesses themselves as their reputation faces a serious challenge from not only parents but also groups like Common Sense Media, which ar e launching campaigns for legislation in this regard. The article explains an important issue which is of significance and concern for parents as well as business groups. Proper legislations and measures should be taken for the protection of privacy of people as well as for maintaining the policies of business ethics for maintaining the integrity and credibility of businesses. Ingram, M. (2010, October 10). â€Å"Parents Say Social Networks Dont Protect Childrens Privacy.† Bloomberg Businessweek. Retrieved from:

Discuss why and in what ways young people have been treated Essay - 2

Discuss why and in what ways young people have been treated differently in the criminal justice system - Essay Example There are several reasons for treating younger people differently by the court of law. According to a leading researcher of United States National Institute of Mental Health; Jay Giedd, during adolescence the brain is not completely developed for making any kind of organizational or strategic decision making processes. Hence it is unfair to expect juveniles having adult levels of decision making or organizational skills. Human brains do not develop completely before 18 years. According to latest researches, it has been observed that teenagers are susceptible to surroundings. It is very clear that younger people have a sharp brain and they have the potential to learn things quickly compared to other age group people. Northern Ireland has a different and separate justice system for children between age group 10 to 17. Similarly many other countries have separate jurisdiction system for children and young people. It is believed that children and teenagers can obtain proper correction in rehab centres than in prison. Researchers have also mentioned that if young children are put to prison with adult criminals either they will become the victims in prison or else they will become worse depending on the surroundings they are exposed. This essay will discuss about the difference of criminal justice system and the reasons with respect to children. The public prosecution system and the police; both play important role during the execution of a criminal justice system. Police and prosecution system are responsible for providing substantial evidence before the court in order to prove whether a convict is guilty. In case of children the system and the procedure remains same however the liberty is more compared to adults. In many countries it has been observed that children and young convicts are allowed to speak in order to know their intentions. After the diversionary youth conference and the decision from PSNI in the year 2003, PPS have been given the

International Relation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

International Relation - Essay Example For the Non governmental organizations to be able to impact their influence, they need the support of larger multinational organizations as well (Palmer 2006). One such relationship has been in existence with the United Nations for over 50 years now. This relationship is not adequately recorded as it has experienced a lot of metamorphoses over time (Palmer 2006). However the most important thing is the common goals each of these organizations have; a world that is clean, healthy, and has opportunity for all to live their lives in justice and without fear. The UN and the NGOs both support this (Ishkanian 2008). The role of Non governmental organizations in bringing the world to its senses (consciousness) is basically consultative though recently the involvement of the NGOs has become more intensive just like governments and political organizations. The most influential NGOs are the international ones and this increased participation of the International NGOs is what has come to be commonly described as the "Civil Society" (Palmer 2006). The UN describes this as the world where social movements systematize themselves focused on certain goals, constituencies, and thematic interests (UN secretary) NGOs' Promotion of Democracy Its has been the goal of the non governmental organization and the united nations to achieve a 100 percent democratic world over the next 25 years and this can only be achieved by radical reinforcement of the principal freedom fighters (Ishkanian 2008). The NGOs have an advantage of a strong foundation of success and experience over the past decades. The freedom house has been very active in fighting fascism as an effort to create a democratic world since 1940 while the league of women voters took up the initiative to fight for democracy in the period after the World War II in Germany and Europe at large helping Spain and Portugal achieve democracy (Gagnon Jr 1995). Even America in the 1980s experienced a lot of NGO contribution to promoting democratic activities such as expansion of freedoms. The freedom house has indicated that over the past 33 years, the number of non free nations in terms of democracy has reduced by 50%. The AFL-CIO has played a very important role in the achievement and strengthening cohesion in Poland while the National Democratic Institute has been involved in teaching democrats in Hungary about communism and benefits of democracy. NGOs are very effective as they can operate even in dangerous nations where dictators are still in power and where dictatorship is no longer in existence. This fact can be the mother of all strategies of initiating and maintaining democracies (Donald 1994). Dictatorship is the moist challenging issue in the achievement of democracy, paradoxically, with international NGOs in place, these fact is often very string as there is immense knowledge of how dictators in the past have left power and long lasting democracies implemented. Recently, a research by the freedom house indicated that so far over 67 transitions of freedom have been won

Briefing note on crime prevention Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Briefing note on crime prevention - Essay Example The treatment for prisoners used to be inhuman, severe and even merciless, and they languished in solitude till the completion of their prison terms. The mode of correction and retributive actions varied from disciplinary confinements and exile to painful lashes or even death. (Prisoners' Rights) [1] Every right thinking citizen in society hopes for the day when the surface of the earth will be crimeless and whatever is left of crime get nipped in the bud. But as of now, everyone is aware this is, at best, a distant dream. The Geneva Convention of 27 July 1929 comprising 97 articles, laid down general principles for humane treatment of prisoners at all times. It was a historical landmark which recognized the basic rights of the prisoners such as food and clothing, hygiene, mental and physical recreation, contact by mail with the near and dear ones, and their religious practices. It particularly emphasized on protection of the inmates from acts of violence, insults and public curiosity. (Geneva Convention) [2] The silver lining of the present time is that there is a growing school of professionals and social activists who are firm in the belief that it is possible to prevent crime to a large extent, and in many cases where it has taken place, it is possible to apply corrective measures without resorting to custodial confinement within the four walls of a prison. (Rehabilitation of Offenders) [3] Rehabilitation of Offenders Act, 1974 In England, the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act, 1974, is the landmark legislation towards this effort. It seeks to provide the offender, particularly the youth a second chance to get back on track and join the mainstream with a sense of responsibility and purpose. This act provides opportunity, under some conditions, to the ex-offender to 'wipe the slate clean' and begin all over as if he had not committed any criminal act at any point in his lifetime. Nonetheless, this happens after a period of rehabilitation depending on the gravity of the offence and the custodial sentence awarded as consequence. A rehabilitation period is the length of time set from the date of conviction. Once this period is over, subject to certain conditions and exceptions, an ex-offender does not have to mention his conviction when applying for a job. The Act is likely to help people facing minor convictions. People with many convictions, especially serious convictions, may not find the Act beneficial unless the last convictions are very old. For someone with a criminal record and on the lookout for work, it is necessary to know about the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act, 1974, which explains the legal requirements for both employers and employees, and the rules associated with the rehabilitation period. It is quite a complicated Act and as such, it is advisable to go through it with someone who is familiar with the act. Under this legislation, the conviction is said to be "spent" after the period of rehabil

Quality Standards Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Quality Standards - Essay Example The paper further provides a comparative analysis of the strategies adopted by the department before and after the abolishment of the CAAs. Introduction According to Cote (2009), the Quality Assurance (QA) systems used by the Nottinghamshire Fire & Rescue Services (FRS) have traditionally been developed from several important commitments and principles outlined by the government with regards to public services. The framework for QA is based primarily on developing long-term policies and strategies that deliver tangible outcomes without focusing solely on short-term issues. The quality of service provided is measured with respect to the satisfaction levels among citizens and whether they full all their requirements. As such, QA procedures and systems used by the Nottinghamshire FRS do not give any special preference towards providers. Improving efficiency and providing quicker services without any room for mediocrity are also other parameters that have been given due importance by the QA systems (Odpm, 2009). As the subsequent paragraphs will demonstrate, the Nottinghamshire FRS also realizes the crucial role of technology in its operations and has made some important investments to include technological developments within its internal workflows. From an economic perspective, Nottinghamshire has faced two major challenges over the preceding decade. PAC (2009) says that the region faces a low level of innovation and income levels when compared on a national scale which has resulted in fewer jobs within the private sector. Between 2008 and 2009, the local economy faced the greatest challenge from the financial crisis and global recession. This has increased unemployment and has affected several industrial sectors within Nottinghamshire. In this scenario, the public sector has emerged as a major provider of jobs in the country. In the case of the Nottinghamshire FRS, the situation presents a challenge in terms of providing quality service to citizens, planning for future expenses more carefully and creating more jobs within the existing financial constraints (Wilkinson, 2010). Another issue that faces the region is the rapidly aging population, which is expected to double by 2025 (Hessami, 2009). These demographic trends have prompted a long-term challenge to the Nottinghamshire FRS when planning future services. The FRS notes that elderly people are prone to depend more on rescue services then other age classes. Besides, the pressure from a larger elderly population, enhanced by age-related health problems and pensioner poverty, is only likely to increase their dependence on the FRS. The department has been working towards improving its response times in such cases and is contemplating several educational programs to instruct elderly people on the danger of dwelling fires, which have been noted as primary causes of mishaps among people aged above 80 (National UK Fire Statistics, 2009). This paper provides a discussion of the agency’s quality assessment performance before and after the abolition of the Comprehensive area assessments (CAA) introduced in 2009. Methodology The

International Relation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

International Relation - Essay Example For the Non governmental organizations to be able to impact their influence, they need the support of larger multinational organizations as well (Palmer 2006). One such relationship has been in existence with the United Nations for over 50 years now. This relationship is not adequately recorded as it has experienced a lot of metamorphoses over time (Palmer 2006). However the most important thing is the common goals each of these organizations have; a world that is clean, healthy, and has opportunity for all to live their lives in justice and without fear. The UN and the NGOs both support this (Ishkanian 2008). The role of Non governmental organizations in bringing the world to its senses (consciousness) is basically consultative though recently the involvement of the NGOs has become more intensive just like governments and political organizations. The most influential NGOs are the international ones and this increased participation of the International NGOs is what has come to be commonly described as the "Civil Society" (Palmer 2006). The UN describes this as the world where social movements systematize themselves focused on certain goals, constituencies, and thematic interests (UN secretary) NGOs' Promotion of Democracy Its has been the goal of the non governmental organization and the united nations to achieve a 100 percent democratic world over the next 25 years and this can only be achieved by radical reinforcement of the principal freedom fighters (Ishkanian 2008). The NGOs have an advantage of a strong foundation of success and experience over the past decades. The freedom house has been very active in fighting fascism as an effort to create a democratic world since 1940 while the league of women voters took up the initiative to fight for democracy in the period after the World War II in Germany and Europe at large helping Spain and Portugal achieve democracy (Gagnon Jr 1995). Even America in the 1980s experienced a lot of NGO contribution to promoting democratic activities such as expansion of freedoms. The freedom house has indicated that over the past 33 years, the number of non free nations in terms of democracy has reduced by 50%. The AFL-CIO has played a very important role in the achievement and strengthening cohesion in Poland while the National Democratic Institute has been involved in teaching democrats in Hungary about communism and benefits of democracy. NGOs are very effective as they can operate even in dangerous nations where dictators are still in power and where dictatorship is no longer in existence. This fact can be the mother of all strategies of initiating and maintaining democracies (Donald 1994). Dictatorship is the moist challenging issue in the achievement of democracy, paradoxically, with international NGOs in place, these fact is often very string as there is immense knowledge of how dictators in the past have left power and long lasting democracies implemented. Recently, a research by the freedom house indicated that so far over 67 transitions of freedom have been won

Quality Standards Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Quality Standards - Essay Example The paper further provides a comparative analysis of the strategies adopted by the department before and after the abolishment of the CAAs. Introduction According to Cote (2009), the Quality Assurance (QA) systems used by the Nottinghamshire Fire & Rescue Services (FRS) have traditionally been developed from several important commitments and principles outlined by the government with regards to public services. The framework for QA is based primarily on developing long-term policies and strategies that deliver tangible outcomes without focusing solely on short-term issues. The quality of service provided is measured with respect to the satisfaction levels among citizens and whether they full all their requirements. As such, QA procedures and systems used by the Nottinghamshire FRS do not give any special preference towards providers. Improving efficiency and providing quicker services without any room for mediocrity are also other parameters that have been given due importance by the QA systems (Odpm, 2009). As the subsequent paragraphs will demonstrate, the Nottinghamshire FRS also realizes the crucial role of technology in its operations and has made some important investments to include technological developments within its internal workflows. From an economic perspective, Nottinghamshire has faced two major challenges over the preceding decade. PAC (2009) says that the region faces a low level of innovation and income levels when compared on a national scale which has resulted in fewer jobs within the private sector. Between 2008 and 2009, the local economy faced the greatest challenge from the financial crisis and global recession. This has increased unemployment and has affected several industrial sectors within Nottinghamshire. In this scenario, the public sector has emerged as a major provider of jobs in the country. In the case of the Nottinghamshire FRS, the situation presents a challenge in terms of providing quality service to citizens, planning for future expenses more carefully and creating more jobs within the existing financial constraints (Wilkinson, 2010). Another issue that faces the region is the rapidly aging population, which is expected to double by 2025 (Hessami, 2009). These demographic trends have prompted a long-term challenge to the Nottinghamshire FRS when planning future services. The FRS notes that elderly people are prone to depend more on rescue services then other age classes. Besides, the pressure from a larger elderly population, enhanced by age-related health problems and pensioner poverty, is only likely to increase their dependence on the FRS. The department has been working towards improving its response times in such cases and is contemplating several educational programs to instruct elderly people on the danger of dwelling fires, which have been noted as primary causes of mishaps among people aged above 80 (National UK Fire Statistics, 2009). This paper provides a discussion of the agency’s quality assessment performance before and after the abolition of the Comprehensive area assessments (CAA) introduced in 2009. Methodology The

Romeo and Juliet and Different Writing Devices Essay Example for Free

Romeo and Juliet and Different Writing Devices Essay Shakespeare has been a very important writer in history because of his special way of writing. Throughout the ages, people have read his literature and taught lessons to the next generations from his writing. Shakespeare had morals and personal values, such as love. He used his special writing style to help people understand how he felt better. He also uses sonnets, or small poems, for specific topics. Love, Marriage, and Friendship are portrayed in Shakespeare’s sonnets through different writing devices that he uses to express himself. In Shakespeare’s Sonnet 30, he talks specifically about friendship- an important theme in his early work. In Sonnet 30 he says: â€Å"For precious friends hid in death’s dateless night†, meaning we should love our friends because we do not know when they will be dead. This is because he says â€Å"death’s dateless night†, meaning you don’t know when death will come. Basically he is saying that you should not worry about death but just enjoy the time you have with friends while they are still alive. This can be applied to many things from family to even pets. It is a deep thought but it is his way of staying happy even though death can be anywhere at anytime. Shakespeare’s Sonnet 55 focuses around the theme of love. Love played a big part of Shakespeare’s work from Hamlet to Romeo and Juliet. He was a romantic person but he used it to his advantage to create sadness or feelings of tragedy like in Romeo and Juliet. In the Sonnet he says â€Å"So, till the judgment that yourself arise, You live in this, and dwell in lovers’ eyes†. He means that before you die you should love the person you are with and always love them, because love is so important to happiness. The final Sonnet, Sonnet 116, focuses on Marriage. Since love and friendship is paramount to Shakespeare, so is marriage, since it’s like love combined with friendship. Shakespeare thinks marriage is sacred and if you love someone you should stay married to that person. In the sonnet he says â€Å"Let me not to the marriage of true minds admit impediments. Love is not love Which alters when it alteration finds†, meaning that love is not love if you try and change it. Also he says that it is an â€Å"ever-fixed mark† meaning it should last forever and you should not get a divorce. You can tell by how he writes that Shakespeare is a very romantic and caring person. He thinks love and friendship and marriage are crucial to humans, and that they all go hand in hand with each other. He uses love in most of his stories, not just the Sonnets and he knows that people catch on to the message he is sending. Everyone knows about Shakespeare, but most do not know how much he cares about things like love. He uses his style of writing to portray his views about love, friendship, and marriage in his Sonnets.

Case study: The Treatment of Depression

Case study: The Treatment of Depression Although depression has been recognized as a clinical syndrome for over 2000 years, as yet, no completely satisfactory explanation of its puzzling and paradoxical features has been found. There are still major unresolved issues regarding its nature, its classification and its etiology. (Beck and Alford, 2009, p3) However, the importance of depression is recognised by everyone in the field of mental health. According to Kline, more human suffering has resulted from depression than from any other single disease affecting mankind. (Kline, 1964) Hammen (Hammen,1997,p3) states that the term depression is used in everyday language to describe a range of experiences from a slightly noticeable and temporary mood decrease to a profoundly impaired and even life-threatening disorder. The severity of depression is generally defined according to the number of symptoms present, the severity of the symptoms and the severity of the associated functional impairment or distress. (Whisman, 2008, p66). This is done by health professionals using the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV), a publication where each mood disorder is characterised by a unique set of symptoms or diagnostic criteria which are split into 4 areas: Affective Behavioral Cognitive Somatic The Cost of Depression Government advisor, Lord Layard, worked on a report back in 2004 that outlined mental illness as the biggest social problem facing Britain today. (Layard, 2004) The report pointed to the Psychiatric Morbidity Survey, which suggested that one in six British people would be diagnosed with depression or anxiety at some point in their lives. Yet only one in four of people with emotional disorders receive proper treatment. It imposes heavy costs on the economy (some 2% of GDP) and on the Exchequer (again some 2% of GDP). There are now more mentally ill people drawing incapacity benefits than there are unemployed people on Jobseekers Allowance. Mental illness matters because it causes massive suffering to patients and their families, because it prevents them contributing fully to society, and because it imposes heavy costs on taxpayers. (Layard, 2004). A UK wide strategy to help people with depression was required. The vehicle for this was through the NHS. In September 2007, the UK government launched the biggest state-funded mental health initiative ever. It pledged  £170 million to create a ground-breaking therapy service in Britain, according to health minister Alan Johnson. The service was to include 3,500 extra psychological therapists trained in CBT to be found and trained by 2011. (Evans, 2007). What is CBT? CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy) is the treatment of choice within the NHS for depression. According to The Royal College of Psychiatrists (2010); CBT is a form of psychotherapy which involves: How you think about yourself, the world and other people How what you do affects your thoughts and feelings CBT was developed by Dr Beck, a psychiatrist at the University of Pennsylvania in the early 1960s. Dr Beck had previously studied and practiced psychoanalysis. He designed and carried out a number of experiments to test psychoanalytic concepts on depression. Fully expecting research would validate these fundamental precepts, he was surprised to find the opposite. Beck Institute website (1999-2009) This research led him to begin to look for other ways of conceptualizing depression. Working with depressed patients, he found that they experienced streams of negative thoughts that seemed to pop up spontaneously. He termed these cognitions automatic thoughts, and discovered that their content fell into three categories: negative ideas about themselves, the world and the future. He began helping patients identify and evaluate these thoughts and found that by doing so, patients were able to think more realistically, which led them to feel better emotionally and behave more functionally. (Beck Institute 1999 2009). According to the NHS Choice website (2010) Cognitive Behavioral Therapy differs from most other types of psychotherapies because it is: Pragmatic Highlight structured Focused on current problems Collaborative Cognitive behavioral treatments are developed with particular cognitive contents in mind they are disorder specific. (Scott, 2009, p2) Depression: Cognitive Therapy For people with persistent subthreshold depressive symptoms or mild to moderate depression, consider offering one or more of the following interventions, guided by the persons preference: Individual guided self-help based on the principles of cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) Computerised cognitive behavioural therapy (CCBT) A structured group physical activity programme Drug treatment Do not use antidepressants routinely to treat persistent subthreshold depressive symptoms or mild depression because the risk-benefit ratio is poor, but consider them for people with: a past history of moderate or severe depression or initial presentation of subthreshold depressive symptoms that have been present for a long period (typically at least 2 years) or subthreshold depressive symptoms or mild depression that persist(s) after other interventions. For Those with Moderate or Severe Depression: For people with moderate or severe depression, medical practitioners are advised to provide a combination of antidepressant medication and a high-intensity psychological intervention (CBT or IPT). (NICE Guidelines 2009) The Royal College of Psychiatrists (2010) highlight the medication used within the NHS for the treatment of depression to include: Tricyclics MAOIs SSRIs SNRIs NASSAs Although medication can help lift the patients mood, it does not tackle any underlying problems they may be experiencing. There are also various known side effects to the medication including abdominal pain, nausea, headache, suicidal thoughts, constipation, blurred vision to name but a few. People react differently to different drugs, so until they try them they are unable to know if they will have a negative impact on them. Psychological therapies can help patients to explore what may have contributed to their depression in the first place, and what might be keeping them depressed. (Depression Alliance UK, 2010) CBT can be done individually or with a group of people. It can also be done from a self-help book or computer programme. Unfortunately, in many parts of the country, there are long waiting lists for CBT and sometimes people end up going to private therapists instead of waiting to see an NHS appointed therapist. The Benefits of CBT in the Treatment of Depression The Royal College of Psychiatrists (2009) state that: CBT is one of the most effective treatments for conditions where anxiety or depression is the main problem. It can help patients break the vicious cycle of altered thinking, feeling and behaviour. It is the most effective psychological treatment for moderate and severe depression. It is as effective as antidepressants for many types of depression. This is also supported by Townend, Grant, Mulhern and Short (2009, p 254) who state that CBT remains the psychological therapy with the widest and broadest evidence base. This is also backed by (Gabbard, Beck and Holmes, 2007, p115), CBT has been demonstrated to be an effective treatment for depression in the large number of studies that have accumulated since the original study by Rush et al (1977). They go on to say that CBT produces a greater improvement in symptoms than no treatment or waiting list controls (Dobson 1989) and demonstrates equivalent efficacy as pharmacotherapy for depression. This is also further supported by (Freeman and Power, 2007, p30) who state, There have been numerous randomised clinic trials that support the efficacy and effectiveness of cognitive therapy for depression, across a variety of clinical settings and populations (for review, see Clark, Beck and Alford 1999; De Rubeis and Crits-Christophe 1998; Dobson 1999; Robinson,Berman and Neimeyer 1990) (Freeman and Power, 2007,p30). According to (Ingram, 2009, p174) In the acute treatment phase, combination therapy, consisting of medication and CBT, has been found to be superior to either medication or CBT used alone for patients with more severe, recurrent or chronic forms of depression. (Gabbard, Beck and Holmes, 2007, p115), state that One of the main potential benefits of CBT for depression is that it reduces relapse / recurrence to a greater extent than antidepressant medication. Today, CBT remains the gold standard for the treatment of depression with psychotherapy (Wasmer-Andrews, 2009, p3). The Limitations of CBT in the Treatment of Depression However, although highly praised, CBT does have its limitations and indeed its critics. In terms of limitations, these are set out below: To benefit from CBT, the patient needs to commit themselves to the process. A therapist can help and advise, but cannot make someones problems go away without the patients co-operation (NHS Choices, 2010). Therefore, the patient needs to be open to CBT and play their part in their recovery, including taking a full part in each therapy and doing their homework in order to recover from depression. This is also highlighted by the Royal College of Psychiatrists (2009) who state that CBT is not a quick fix. A therapist is like a personal trainer that advises and encourages but cannot do it for a patient. If a patient is feeling low, it can be difficult for them to concentrate and get motivated. (Royal College of Psychiatrists,2009) Because of the structured nature of CBT, it may not be suitable for people who have more complex mental health needs or learning difficulties. (NHS Choices, 2010) This is further supported by (Wasmer-Andrews, 2009, p3) who states that CBT has limitations for treating certain groups, including people with treatment-resistant depression and those with both depression and a personality disorder. Critics of CBT argue that because the therapy only addresses current problems and focuses on very specific issues, it does not address the possible underlying causes of mental health conditions, such as an unhappy childhood. (NHS Choices, 2010). This is something that could be achieved using a Diagnostic Scan under hypnosis, if hypno-psychotherapy could be used instead. CBT focuses on the individuals capacity to change themselves (their thoughts, feelings and behaviours), and does not address wider problems in systems or families that often have a significant impact on an individuals health and wellbeing. (NHS Choices, 2010) The Royal College of Psychiatrists (2009) state that For severe depression, CBT should be used with antidepressant medication. When a patient is very low, they may find it hard to change the way they think until the antidepressants have started to make them feel better. Critics of CBT in the Treatment of Depression Critics of CBT, as with all clinical theories, vary depending on the thoughts of the analyst. Townend, Grant, Mulhern and Short (2009, p 254) point to many of these discussions. Specific issues have been raised over the necessity of, for example, challenging thoughts in CBT (Longmore and Worrell, 2007); and cognitive interventions in severe depression (Dimidjian et al, 2006). Additionally, there is still ongoing discussion (e.g. Gilbert and Leahy, 2007) about the nature an impact of the therapeutic alliance as causes of the changes seen in CBT. Weiner, Freedheim and Stricker (2003) point out that Although the scope and efficacy of CBT are impressive, much work needs to be done. In particular, future efforts of CBT clinical researchers must demonstrate the effective of treatments outside research centres as well as turn more attention towards disorders overlooked by CBT (e.g. personality disorder). Kotler and Shepard (2008) highlight that human beings are multi-faceted, with feelings as well as thoughts. It is suggested that CBT puts undue emphasis on thought processes to the exclusion of many legitimate feelings, thereby contributing to repression and the denial of feeling. They go on to highlight some other criticism leveled at CBT as follows: CBT is less effective with some kinds of clients those who have a problem with overintellectualising or those who dont have the capacity to reason logically, or clients with minimal intelligence (e.g. young children, very old people, schizophrenics and those with other personality disorders). Many CBT therapists complain of boredom and burnout from continuously repeating the same arguments and processes with all clients. CBT is difficult for some people for some professionals to practice if they are not outgoing and assertive and dont enjoy vigorous debate and confrontation. Because the therapists role is so verbal, active and direct, the client may feel overpowered, dominated and not responsible for the outcome. (Kotler and Shepard, 2008) The Debate There is much debate on the subject of CBT as a treatment for depression within the NHS. Oliver James article (James, 2006) sumarises much of this debate. He indicates that Depression and anxiety costs the (British) economy  £17 billion per year. Being cheap, quick (15 20 sessions) and simplistic, CBT appeals to the Government. In fact, in June 2006, Professor Richard Layard labeled the government happiness tsar claimed that CBT can lift at least half of those affected out of their depression or their chronic fear. (James, 2006) Another attraction for the government is that CBT aims to get you to a point where you can do all this on your own and tackle problems without the help of a therapist. (NHS Choices, 2010). Thereby, it is argued that using CBT could reduce the future costs of treatment in current users. In addition, there are also now computerised CBT approved for use by the NHS Beating the Blues which has been approved for the treatment of depression. (NHS Choices, 2010). Again, this is a cost effective treatment for some people who find they prefer using a computer rather than talking to a therapist about their private feelings. (NHS Choices, 2010) In a follow up article, in March 2009 (James, 2009) resurrected the debate when he reported that CBT is not a real cure, just a form of personal spin. He went on to argue that work by eminent US psychologist, Professor Drew Weston found that after two years, two thirds of those who had CBT for depression has relapsed or sought further help. It is important for patients to keep practicing their CBT skills, even after they are feeling better. There is some research that suggests CBT may be better than antidepressants at preventing depression coming back. (The Royal College of Psychiatrists, 2009) James (2009) went on to argue that If given no treatment, most people with depression drift in and out of it. After 18 months, those given CBT have no better mental health than ones who have been untreated. On the other hand, in the same article by James (2009), Derek Draper a CBT practitioner and author states that CBT draws on the obvious truth that how we feel is inextricably linked to the way we think and behave. It isnt remotely sinister and is rather simple and it works. Many of my patients have been helped by CBT. New Research According to the Royal College of Psychiatrists website (2009) Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) is most effective in patients who have had four or more prior episodes of depression, according to new research from The Netherlands. The study, published in the December issue of the British Journal of Psychiatry, suggests GPs could use the number of prior episodes to determine which patients are likely to benefit most from therapy and prescribe treatment accordingly). In another recent study, a comparison of a cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) website with an information website for depression has found that after 6 months only the CBT website was significantly effective in reducing symptoms. After 1 year, both interventions were significantly better than no intervention (control condition). Research has shown that internet-delivered brief CBT may be effective in reducing depression, but it has not been clear whether these gains are maintained over time. The aim of this Australian study, published in the February 2008 issue of the British Journal of Psychiatry, was to see whether the benefits of internet-delivered brief psychoeducation and CBT were still there 6 and 12 months later, compared with a control condition, in which participants were asked questions about their lifestyle. Summary In summary, CBT is the treatment of choice in the NHS for moderate to severe depression and having reviewed all of the benefits and limitation, read from the critics and the ambassadors, the writer feels that there is still much to learn and evaluate in the treatment of depression. Whilst the results so far have appeared to show that CBT is very effective in the treatment of moderate to severe depression, there are large groups of people that will not benefit from this treatment, e.g. young children, those with personality disorders, late-life depression suffers. The writer suggests that there is not a universally acceptable treatment for all that some treatments will work for some people with some therapists and other treatments will work for others with another therapist the willingness of the client to seek help, play their part in their recovery alongside their chosen therapy will help some of the people, some of the time. But what about in the longer term ? Is this a sticking plaster over a gaping wound ? CBT can help in the here and now, but relapses can occur as the root of the problem if it is in the past is not usually discussed in a CBT session, which is focussed on the present. While the costs of depression to individuals, families and businesses are huge, the writer feels that the government, through the NHS has made very positive steps to try to assist people living with depression by welcoming the use the talking therapies. As more studies are commissioned in the future, new information will be gained and new decisions made based on this. For the moment, embracing the talking therapies is a very good step in the right direction and it is hoped that other therapies will continue to be evaluated so that patients of the future would have a choice of talking therapies, including CBT, but also others like life coaching, NLP and hypno-psychotherapy. Word count (3,337)