Gross Domestic Product of the United States in 2009 Research Paper

Gross Domestic Product of the United States in 2009 - Research Paper Example The research "Gross Domestic Product of the United States in 2009" examines how this year’s GDP compares with last year’s GDP both in real and nominal terms. Moreover, based on the limitations of national accounting it is discussed whether GDP provides valuable information for measuring economic activity over time. The table in appendix 1 shows the nominal GDP in billion dollar terms, its annual growth rate, GDP deflator with base year 2005=100, real GDP in billion dollar terms and its growth rate from 1950 to 2009.Real GDP is calculated as the ratio of nominal GDP to GDP deflator. The whole data is collected from the Federal Reserve Bank of St: Louis Economics Research Section. The table shows that both real and nominal GDP have been decelerating at annual growth rate of 1.74 percent and 2.6 percent respectively. 9 big expansions and 10 big recessions can be seen for nominal GDP from figure1. 13 big expansions can be seen from the above figure3. 9 recessions can be counted. The growth has been more or less stable in the last 20 years as compared to 1960-1990 since the peaks and troughs are comparatively low in this period. Figure 2 and figure 4 shows the forecasts for nominal GDP and real GDP growth till 2015. They show highly decelerating growth rates of -2 and -4 percentage respectively for real and nominal GDP growth rates. Though the national accounts system and GDP statistics in USA have been considered as the most developed in the world, many economists have raised serious objections regarding treating GDP as an appropriate measure of economic activity over time.

London Metropolitan Police Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

London Metropolitan Police - Essay Example Since then, many police agencies with the same mission continued to develop in the United Kingdom. Organization of the London Metropolitan Police The London police force members were known as Bobbies led by two magistrates who later acquired the titles of commissioners. Bobbies underwent many challenges including corruption emanating from the influence of wealthy men - a vice that contributed to the failure in combating crime. As a result, the metropolitan police administrators worked so hard to overcome the Bobbies’ misdeeds which led to loss of jobs for the corrupt Bobbies. The administrators were then authorized to form domestic police forces by another act of parliament that made every district and county in England to form its own police force (Siegel, 1994) Sir Robert operated on several principles which should guide the police force in their work. First, the mission was to end crime and disorder as a relief to the criminals that underwent extensive punishment; same for the legal authorities and military police. The police were required to attend to their duties as expected by the public as well as respect them. In maintaining respect, the police were required to cooperate with the public in abiding by the law. ... To actualize the slogan that the police are the public and the public are the police, the police were urged to maintain good relations with the public at all times. The police were not allowed to abuse powers of the judiciary by committing extra judicial crimes such as judging the accused in an authoritative manner. The police were recommended on the basis of reduced or no cases of crime and disorder in the society and how they generally dealt with crime (Kasper, 2010). Later, the most significant law enforcers known as sheriffs were established. They were involved in peacekeeping activities, collecting taxes, overseeing elections and dealing with other legal businesses in the country. Today, the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) is charged with the responsibility of organizing and dealing with counter terrorism matters as well as protecting the British Loyal Family and senior figures of Her Majesty’s Government. The MPS is headed by the Commissioner of Police of the metropoli s, known as the Commissioner which is divided into numerous Borough Operational Command Units .The police areas are headed by the metropolitan district (MPD). The MPS is headed by the Commander, Deputy Assistant Commissioner, Assistant Commissioner, Deputy Commissioner and Commissioner in order of ranking. The body is also organized into territorial policing, specialist crime directorate, specialist operations, central operations, administration, and support, each headed by An Assistant Commissioner to perform different functions (Loftins,1982). Entry Requirements Key to the performance of the police include: law and order enforcement, prevention of crime and provision of safety to the public. This goal is unachievable if the relationship between the police and

The Typologies Of Tourist Behaviour Tourism Essay

The Typologies Of Tourist Behaviour Tourism Essay When predicting future travel patterns, it is critical to first have basic knowledge of a persons travel motivation and what is motivating them to pursue travelling to destinations that they have selected. As  Pearce, Morrison Rutledge (1998) have defined tourist motivation as the global integrating network of biological and cultural forces which gives value and direction to travel choices, behaviour and experience. Each tourist is driven by different motives that determine their travel choices. These choices can be for new experiencing, culture fascination, recreation, pleasure and relaxing and shopping. Although what motivates people to travel may differ, but there is always recurrent themes emerging. For instance, a person may choose to travel and escape from their usual place of living and decides on taking up a holiday for different surroundings and relaxation, to explore new things, places and people. Many have viewed motivation as a major determinant of the tourists behaviour. Theories of motivation is the concept of needs and they are seen as the forces that arouses motivated behaviour and to best understand what motivates people, it is useful to discover the needs they have and how these needs can be fulfilled. Maslows hierarchy of needs theory is the best known motivation theories. The push and pull concept is another line of travel motivation, while Plogs allocentrism/psychocentrism model will help explain phenomenal rise and fall of travel destinations. Cohen (1972) in his early studies, draws attention to the fact that all tourists are seeking some element of novelty and strangeness while, at the same time, most also need to retain something familiar. How tourists combine the demands for novelty with familiarity can in turn be used to derive a typology. According to Johns Gyimothy (2002) Cohen distinguished tourist using sociological principles into organised mass tourist, individual mass tourists, explorer and drifter. In this essay, we shall discuss different authors approach for travel motivation and typologies of tourists behaviour and shall critically review and compare these theories and typologies. Travel Motivation Travel motivation includes two factors, the push motives factor which describes the need for exploring, relaxing, and interacting socially in the vacation decision. While pull motives is the attraction caused by the destination to the person, these factors include sight seeing, and historical attractions and sites. Push factors are known to form a desire for travelling, and pull factors are known to explicate the choice of destination. Crompton (1979). Push factors can also suggest avoidance of work and pressures at home caused culturally or socially. And pull factors suggest simply seeking adventure, freedom, escape, leisure and play. Seaton (1997) Maslows theory involves five needs forming a hierarchy, in a pyramid shape from lower to higher needs. Maslow explained how when the lower needs Physiological needs (basic life needs- air, water, food, shelter, warmth, sleep, sex), Safety needs (protection, security, low, limits, stability, order), Belonging and love (family, affection, relationships, work groups) are achieved the person would be motivated by the needs of the next two levels Esteem needs (achievement, status, responsibility, reputation), Self-actualization needs (personal growth and fulfilment). Although Maslows theory has been criticized as the basic five needs remain ambiguous, while some feel that it has provided relevance in how human actions are understandable and predictable. The tourism industry has borrowed a lot from Maslow because he provides a convenient set of containers that can be relatively labelled. Maslows hierarchy of needs has also produced a useful tool for understanding psychological motivational factors in tourism. For instance, a person may choose to travel to visit friends and family, but the underlying psychological motivation may be brought by the need for belonging and desire to reunite family links. Iso-Ahola (1982) stated that when tourists are on holidays their roles over time may be switched and different needs will emerge. Sometimes a single motivation may not always be the main factor for travel, if while on holiday and the initial needs are satisfied, other motivations might rise. It is congruent with Maslows theories of needs to argue that if there is a primary need for relaxation while on holiday, the satisfaction of relaxing will create a new need such as exploring the place to enable processes of self-actualization to take place. The four motivational needs Beard and Ragheb (1983) stated are derived from the work of Maslow (1970). These components help in assessing the extent to which individuals are motivated to participate in and are involved in activities such as learning, discovering, exploring and imagining; the social component helps in assessing the level where individuals are participating in leisure activities for social reasons. Friendship and interpersonal relationships is one of the basic needs, while the second need is the esteem of others. While the competence-mastery component assesses the level of which individuals engage in leisure activities in order to accomplish, master, challenge and compete. These activities are usually physical in nature; it is escaping and getting away from overbearing life situations. It drives individuals to seek solitude, unwind, rest and search for calm conditions to avoid social contacts. Sefton and Burton (1987) has replicated these four motivations to form the foundation of their Leisure Motivation Scale. However the original Ragheb and Beard Scale, contained items such as to use and develop physical skills and abilities. This attitude is associated with competition and staying fit, others have demonstrated that competency and mastery can be established in ways such as intellectual pursuits. Other researchers have also identified four groups of motivations, which are linked to Maslows ideas. These ideas include physical motivators such as health and less tension; cultural motivators such as religion, art and heritage; interpersonal motivators such as visiting family and friends; status motivators such as self esteem and personal development. Hudman and Hawkins (1989) made a list of ten main motivators that motivated tourists. These ten motivators are anywhere from physical activities to physical inactivities. They are curiosity, sports, health, natural resources, man made facilities, visiting friends and relatives, business, religion, self esteem and physical inactivity such as simply sunbathing and relaxing. Similarly to the above, six combinations of motivations were grouped and the six combinations included; educational and cultural which be the interest of historic sites, relaxation, adventure and pleasure, health and recreation, ethnicity and family. This leads to the been-there-done that factor to a tourist. The Iso-Aholas theory indicates that what motivates tourism is the assertion of personal escape whereby overcoming bad mood and changing the pace of your everyday life, personal seeking whereby boasting about your experience to others to feel good about yourself, interpersonal escape is whereby you escape the stressful environment you are in and avoid interactions with others, and interpersonal seeking is being with individuals with similar interest and to meet new people. Snepenger et al (2006) Another seven elements of tourist motivations were identified by Dann (1981) and his motivation elements included; travelling as a response to what is desired, destination pull in response to a motivational push, motivation as a fantasy whereby engaging in activities that are deemed unacceptable in their culture and home environment, motivation as a classified purpose such as visiting family and relatives, motivational typologies, motivation and tourist experience, and motivation as an auto-definition and meaning such as the way in which a tourist will explain their situations and respond to them. The Travel Career Ladder is another travel motivation and it consists of five elements developed by P.Pearce (1988) these five travel motivation elements vary from motivations of relaxation, stimulation, relationship, self-esteem, to development and fulfilment. A tourist motivation is an ever changing process and moving up the ladder while progressing through the various life-cycle changes. The model Pearce developed showed that motivations are divided into two categories. The need may be self-centred for instance relaxation may be done solo and the holiday maker seeks a quiet restful time alone, or the need is directed at others for instance it can be relaxation with other individuals and springing from the need for external excitement and desire for novelty. More examples of self-centred needs and needs directed at others are; self directed needs springs from the concern for own safety, relationship can be self-directed which means giving love and affection and maintaining relationships, self-esteem and development maybe self-directed like development of skills, special interests, competence and mastery, fulfilment is another example of self-directed needs, as if fulfils and understands oneself more and experience peace. While needs directed at others can be directed toward others arising out of the concern for others safety, or it can be directed at others by means of receiving affection and to be with group membership and it may be directed at others like prestige, and glamour of travelling. Seaton (1997) criticized Pearces travel motivations. For instance, as Pearce argued that stimulation may be understood alone a dimension of risk and safety of oneself or of others, it may be argued that there is a distinctive difference between these two motivations. A concern about the safety of others might mean placing yourself at risk to help others from danger. The willingness to do this relies on the certainty of a persons psychological maturity. It has been suggested by Pearce Lee (2005) that in the Travel Career Ladder framework, the term career indicates that many individuals orderly move through a series of stage or their travel motivational patterns are predictable. As some may influentially say to the Travel Career Ladder, others may remain at a particular level, mostly depending on opportunities and other limitations such as health and financial situations. Typologies of Tourist Behaviour Cohen (1972), in his early studies, draws attention to the fact that all tourists are seeking some element of novelty and strangeness while, at the same time, most also need to retain something familiar. How tourists combine the demands for novelty with familiarity can in turn be used to derive a typology. Cohen (1972) the sociologist, identified four types of tourists: The organizational Mass tourist who buys tourists packages or all inclusive tours in order to visit classical mass tourism destinations, where everything is predetermined before hand and has a low degree of participation and involvement in the travel search for information. There is no sense of adventure or exploration. He/she belongs to an institutionalized type of tourism where the contact with the organizers of tourism industry is a constant. The individual mass tourist is similar to the organizational mass tourist, however this one is flexibility on his/her decisions and want to participate more in the process. The tourist strongly depends on the tourism industry but want to try some new things out of the closed and predetermined packages. The explorer is more adventurous, he wants to find his/her own experience participating actively in this decision choice. He arrange most of the elements of the travel by himself/herself, however sometimes he/she has to turn to a travel agency or tourism professionals to get some comfort or security amenities. The drifter looks for intensive experiences and he want to feel immerse in local communities. He/she completely abandon his relations with the institutions of tourism systems planning everything by him. He practiced a non institutionalized type of tourism. With this classification of tourists Cohen established an interesting link between the need of living unique experiences and the need of the perception of security. The more secure a tourist wants to feel, the more he will trust on tourism specialist and thus he will live less unique experiences (more standardized). Stanley Plog (1974 cited Plog 1991) developed a similar psychobiological model designed to explain what type of people prefer what type of destination according to its psychographics characteristics. To the author, tourist population could be divided into a continuum of personalities distributed along the Gauss curve; from psychometrics, individual travellers whom look for the unexplored, in one extreme to allocentrics, mass tourism tourists, in the other. After Cohen and Plog, researchers such us Dalen (1989), Smith (1989) or Urry (2002) for instances; they have attempted to create new categories of tourists based on their subject of research. It has to be pointed out that all the models proposed until now they are just descriptive and not relevant to the general tourism demand. They are just focused in one area of study and not in the bigger dimension where the tourist is immerse. In addition, they also fail in the same thing: they do not take into account the factors which determine the different types of tourists (Sharpley, 1999). These factors might be grouped into demographic and socioeconomic factors such us age, life cycle, gender and income; and structural social factors such as the existence of non tourists and capitalist tourism (Sharpley, 1999).Therefore, every person goes trough different stages in life, and depending on the age, familiar circumstances or income tourist will change from one typology to another. Moreover, in these classifications it is not always the tourist who can decide what tourist is going to be, but it is the society who is going to classify you (Swarbrooke and Horner, 2007) Conclusion To better plan and market tourist destinations, a better understanding of motivation is crucial. Travel motivation theories can help us understand what motivation is, and what elements must be considered to understand it, and then interpret the different findings to understand the motivation of a certain type of tourist. What motivates a person to travel may vary from one seeking adventure to one visiting a family to feel a sense of belonging or whether they are affected by the Push motive or the Pull motive. Therefore it is difficult to differentiate the different individual motives of travel and people often may not constitute to the real reason of travel. However, understanding travel motivation and typologies of tourist has enabled and explained why certain tourism destinations are more developed and successful than others. All the theories explained above are used as tool to gain knowledge about what is driving tourists to travel and why are they choosing the places they are tra velling too. Travel motivations fundamental in tourism and is important for development. The motivation that indicates a tourists behaviour can show how people set their goals on the destination of their choice and it will reveal how these goals reflect their choice and their travel behaviour. Last but not least, after undertaking this research, understanding the motivations and the typologies of a tourist is the key success to the tourism industry.

Concession in Amy Tans Joy Luck Club Essay -- Joy Luck Club Essays

Concession in Amy Tan's Joy Luck Club "Sometimes you have to lose pieces to get ahead," explains the narrator of "The Rules of the Game," a lost piece from Amy Tan's novel The Joy Luck Club that has arguably achieved greater readership through its appearance in numerous anthologies (505). "The Rules of the Game" pivots around the concept that one may triumph in a win-lose situation through a concession. Narrator Waverly Jong recounts applications of this idea as she grows into adolescence in her Chinese-American community. From her adventures in the local marketplace to her romps on the chess battlefield, Waverly's prizes while asserting her concede-to-win strategy include physical objects and abstractions, the intangibility of the latter implying that one's examination of this story must consider terms like conflict, win, and loss in the broadest sense possible. With this in mind, Tan's "The Rules of the Game" explores the determinants behind wins and losses, ultimately suggesting that the most effective way to achieve victory is through an act of concession. Tan introduces this idea as a vague proverb rattled by Waverly's mother that Waverly bevels into sharp clarity by her involvement in situations of conflict that eventually demonstrate the veracity of her mother's words. The first conflict of "The Rules of the Game" materializes when Waverly accompanies her mother to the marketplace as a young child and experiences a loss. "Bite back your tongue," scolded my mother when I cried loudly, yanking her hand toward the store that... ... in the struggle to win. In short, Tan presents several conflicts that investigate the factors in win-lose situations, each conflict reiterating the notion that one must forego a triviality to outmaneuver his opponent to victory. This abstraction appears immediately in the story in an abstruse manner but is eventually clarified by evaluating the consistencies of the sundry conflicts. The repetition of these conflicts with similar outcomes involving (or not involving) concessions elucidates the idea that an act of concession is assuredly the most foolproof approach to triumph in a struggle. Work Cited Tan, Amy. "The Rules of the Game." The Vintage Book of Contemporary American Short Stories. Ed. Tobias Wolff. New York: Random House, Inc., 1994. 497-508.

Finding Inner Peace Essay

Being at peace with one’s inner self sounds inviting but some aspects of many different religions can be hard to grasp at times. While most religions influence others, some have ideas and beliefs from sources unknown. Hinduism and Budhism are two of many religions. Having many similarities, their differences are what make them unique. Hindus have many gods, polytheism, and Buddhist believe in finding one’s inner peace. They both focus more on one’s inner self rather than on religion it’s self. The word Hinduism came from a Persian word â€Å"Sindhu† that relates to the Indus River that is located in northwest India. Arabs, Persians, and Afghans were the first to use the word Hindu to describe those coming from the area around this river. (Tillman and Cason 09) Some historians say that Hinduism can be traced back to the ancient Indus Valley civilization which would make Hinduism over 4,000 years old, which makes it extremely hard to say when it actually began. Most historians divide Hinduism into many overlapping periods in history. The first period is pre-Hindu. Pre-Hindu dates around 2000 B. C. and not much is known other than evidence says that is religion was centered on fertility gods and water quality. Between 2000 and 1500 B. C. , a new religion began to emerge in India, Vedas. This religion was sacrificed-based and centered around fire. They gave up animals as sacrifice for in turn their gods, devas, and would give good crops and wealth. The next era of Hinduism is called classical Hinduism and began sometime around 500 B. C. During this period is when many new gods, goddesses, and rituals emerge that are based on earlier practices. At this time is when being devoted to the god or goddess of ones liking started. (patheos. com, Hinduism Beginnings) Hindus believe in multiple gods and reincarnation. With that said, a god can be any living organism. A god can be even a fire or storm. It is said, that in the Hindu religion there are 330 million gods (Tillman and Cason 09). There is no one that can worship all these gods at once, so the individual choose just one god to serve. Triune godhead is the name given to the three aspect of the Supreme Reality. The Supreme Reality is the Brahma, Vishnu and the Shiva. The Triune godhead is also known as the Trimurti or the trinity. The Trimurti godhead is the head of all the gods because of what it represents. The Brahma is the creator god, Lord and Father of all things and represents birth. Vishnu is the preserver of the universe and represents life and the Siva is the creator of power and represents destruction and death. Reincarnation means rebirth or how the soul leaves the body and begins a new life in another body. The Samsara, the cycle of life is said to be the core religion belief of the Hindu religion. Under the cycle of life there are four ways that you can reap the Samsara. There are the Dharma, Artha, Kama and the Moksha. Dharma is the moral code that sustains the Hindu ociety. The Dharma is thought to be a duty and righteousness and observes the caste which is the social group of one’s’ birth. The Dharma is the natural universe of law that enable human to be happy and to save one self from suffering and degradation. It is also known as the Law of being that things cannot exist without. Artha is the life cycle of material profit or possession. This cycle of life have to do with politics and commerce which is the means to sustain human activity. In the Hindu society they do not believe that the pursuit of wealth corrupt the soul. A ouse holder requires wealth, because he has to perform many duties for his family. The life cycle of Artha includes achieving widespread fame and elevates social standing for the individual. Kama is the life cycle of desire; it is understood to also mean sexual desire. Kama can mean liberation and happiness in life or it can lead to great hindrance for the individual. Sexual activity is an obligatory duty and not to be use for just enjoyment. The sensual nature of human is important to the Hindus for they do not believe that sex is bad. Sexual relationship outside of arriage is not permitted. Kama is not only for desire but it can also be for other pleasure in your life such as culture art (Jayaram 09-10). Moksha is the spiritual release of life. Moksha is the end of death and rebirth. Hindus believe that the soul passes through this cycle and how you live the previous life will determined your incarnation. Moksha can be achieve through many lifetimes, this process require a loss of life and things in life. Karma is also needed for this cycle to balance the fulfillment of a person duty (Tillman and Cason 09). Buddhism, however, beliefs are enlightenment, personal peace, and love and compassion without attachment. Buddhism evolved from the beliefs and teachings of Siddhartha Gautama. Siddhartha Gautama, who was originally a Hindu, was born a prince in 623 B. C. in Lumbini, India and became â€Å"the Buddha†. He began to see that his only obstacle was his own self. His first sermon was in deer park near Benares, now called Varanasi (Tillman and Cason 09). There are 2 main expressions of Buddhism; Theravada expression and Mahayana expression which represent the north and south’s adaption to Buddhism. Theravada expression, the lesser vehicle, is the southern viewpoint. This expression comes directly from Buddha and his original followers. Theravada Buddhist’s main goal is to reach arhat. Arhat means perfect saint. Theravadas do not believe in a god. They believe that the universe creates and recreates itself a million times a second (Tillman and Cason 09). Theravada expression also teaches that not every one can practice Buddhism. Mahayana expression, on the other hand, believes anyone can reach enlightenment and reach it in one lifetime unlike many as the Theravadas believe. Mahayana help people become bodhisattva, living saints. Both Theravadas and Mahayanas accept the Pali canon and Tripitaka as scripture. One of the core beliefs of Buddhism is the belief in the Four Noble Truths. These truths, laid out by Siddhartha, are the beginning of understanding. According the the Four Noble Truths, life is suffering. Suffering begins at birth, illness is suffered through life, and fear of death also brings suffering. The cause of human suffering is desire, or â€Å"tanha. † Our desires cause us suffering because we want what we cannot have. In order to remove suffering, one must remove desire. The way to remove desire is another doctrine of Buddhism – the Eightfold Path. The Eightfold Path provides a eioght parts that allow a human to remove their misery. The eight parts are as follows: right understanding, mindedness, speech, action, livelihood, effort, meditation, and emancipation. Another doctrine of Buddhism is the Golden Mean, a philosophy expressed by Siddhartha. It is the middle of the path of no extremes, and focuses on moderation. Hinduism and Buddhism have many similarities, having both originated in India. Hinduism and Buddhism are more philosophical than religious, and describe an all encompassing philosophy and define existence itself. Both religions have their own versions of Tantra, and believe in certain spiritual practices like meditation, concentration, cultivation of certain bhavas or states of mind. The cycle of death and rebirth, governed by Karma, is referred to as samsara. According to Hinduism, the soul is immortal, while the body is subject to birth, decay, old age and death The Buddhist definition of right conduct and personal obligations, dharma is the path which must be taken to escape the suffering of worldly life. Dharma defines correct living for a Hindu. The practice of Yoga is intimately connected to the religious beliefs and practices of both Buddhism and Hinduism. They both emphasize compassion and non violence towards all living beings. Alike and different all at one time; the main point is to find one’s true self and find inner peace. Hinduism dates back thousands of years and Buddhism can be pin pointed. Yet, each religion has a very similar message. Doesn’t every religion have a similar message when it comes to life? Live in peace and harmony, and find happiness in whatever you do.

Oxford City Council Research Proposal Essay

Oxford City Council (OCC) provides a range of recycling services, including kerbside collection services and recycling sites where residents can deposit items for recycling. Such schemes enable OCC to recycle approaching 40% of Oxford household waste currently. However, the UK government want to establish a recycling culture and continue to set increasing targets for household recycling, with an aim of reaching 50% by 2020. Following a recent (DEFRA) Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs initiative to allow the use of financial incentives for household waste minimisation and recycling, OCC is considering the introduction of a pilot scheme in selected postcodes areas. This would involve the introduction of bins fitted with microchips to monitor how much recycling and other waste a household produces, leading to refunds from local taxation bills for a good recycling performance or additional charges for a poor recycling performance. OCC is keen to understand likely reactions of residents to such a scheme and the overall impact that this might have on household recycling rates. OCC has invited the marketing research agency, Research Solutions to provide a proposal for marketing research to inform decision making. What is the research objective? A research objective is basically the main objective of the research i. e. the purpose of carrying out the research forms the research objective. The research objective is basically formed on the basis of the background of the research that is being conducted. (Creswell 2008). In this case, the main issue is recycling. This is due to the increasing population in the UK due to which the wastes have been increasing with a higher percentage. However, it is not a wise idea to leave the wastes just like that and it would be a very good option to recycle the waste so that it can be utilized again as the resources we own in the world today are limited but the demands of the people are unlimited. Therefore, it is always a good idea to save as much as possible so that we can save our future generations from suffering. The research objective of this research is that the UK government wants to establish a recycling culture and continue to set increasing targets for household recycling, with an aim of reaching 50% by 2020 in order to improve the previous targets. Previously, Oxford City Council provided a range of recycling services, including kerbside collection services and recycling sites where residents could deposit items for recycling and this enabled Oxford City Council to reduce the household waste by 40%. The idea now is to increase this percentage by 10% and to make it 50%. Problem Statement Before the research team assigned to solve the problem starts their job, a problem statement needs to be defined and to be presented to them and the problem statement should answer three main questions i. e. to define the problem and the reason why the team is required to solve this problem, the client who needs a solution to the problem and the scope as well as the limitations of the problem in terms of various issues such as time, money and other resources. Moreover, it is also important for the problem statement to address all the W’s i. e. to answer what, how, where, when, why, and who. (Denzin & Lincoln 2005). Referring to this case, due to the increasing need of recycling, the government of UK plans to increase recycling of the household wastes to 50% by 2020 i. e. an increase by 10% from today. This aim has been defined basically to serve the households and to meet their demand of recycling household wastes; however there are certain limitations that are coming in the way to meet this requirement of the government of UK. In order to solve this problem, we, a research team from a marketing research agency, Research Solutions has been assigned to work out and to know the likely reactions of residents to such a scheme and the overall impact that this might have on household recycling rates. For this purpose, What methods will be used? Following a recent (DEFRA) Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs initiative to allow the use of financial incentives for household waste minimisation and recycling, OCC is considering the introduction of a pilot scheme in selected postcodes areas. This would involve the introduction of bins fitted with microchips to monitor how much recycling and other waste a household produces, however this will involve a certain cost as Oxford City Council will have to make refunds from local taxation bills for a good recycling performance or to pay additional charges for a poor recycling performance. (Patton 2002). We will use both primary as well as secondary data to conduct our research as well as both qualitative and quantitative data. Once we have gathered the secondary data, we will then seek for primary data for which we will prepare a set of 200 questionnaires. The questionnaire, we have planed will consist of around 20 open and close ended questions. We will get these questionnaires filled and will also interview people in Oxford from different age groups especially the women as the issue is basically related to household recycling so the housewives would be the best option to interview. Data analysis The process of gathering, modeling and transforming data aiming to make the important information prominent, to suggest conclusions as well as to support the decision making is called data analysis. There are various approaches and techniques that can be used for this purpose under different domains. (Spatz & Kardas 2007). As Oxford City Council has been asked to increase recycling of household wastes by 10%, they now have to plan everything to achieve this goal but for this it is essential for the Oxford City Council to collect all the important information and to transform it. Therefore, to understand the likely reactions of residents to such a scheme and the overall impact that this might have on household recycling rates. A time schedule The government of UK wants the goal of an increase in the recycling of household wastes to be achieved by an increase of 10% by 2020 and this gives Oxford City Council more than a decade to achieve this aim. The Oxford City Council should plan out seriously and work on the aim that is to be met but before finally starting the work, it is always essential to conduct research in order to know whether the plans they have made will be successful of not and also to know the reaction of the people in the UK after the introduction of the pilot scheme in selected postcodes areas and before the plan can be executed, marketing research will be conducted whose timing is mentioned below. (Pan 2004). The time schedule will not just provide a timeframe but it will also help us meet the deadlines. As we have been assigned one month to conduct this research, we have accordingly divided the time to meet our goals in an efficient manner. In the first week, we plan to conduct desk research followed by qualitative fieldwork in the second week as well as to prepare a qualitative desk research report. On the first day of the third week, we aim to prepare questionnaires that will follow the quantitative stage, coding and data preparation. In the fourth week, that is also the last week, we will do the analysis, prepare a presentation and on the last day we will present a final report. Bibliography: Creswell, J. W. (2008). Research Design: Qualitative, Quantitative, and Mixed Methods Approaches. 3rd edn. Sage Publications. Denzin, N. K. , & Lincoln, Y. S. (2005). The Sage handbook of qualitative research. 3rd edn. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage. Pan, M. L. (2004). Preparing literature reviews: Qualitative and quantitative approaches. 2nd edn. Los Angeles: Pyrezak. Patton, M. Q. (2002). Qualitative research and evaluation methods. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage. Spatz,C. & Kardas,E. P. (2007). Research Methods in Psychology: Ideas, Techniques, and Reports. McGraw-Hill Humanities/Social Sciences/Languages, Hardcover.

Cognitive Treatment of Depression

Cognitive Treatment of Depression The hassles and hurdles of life are usually characterised by mood variation which may take toll on an individual and affect the normal functioning of the body. Depression has for a long time been associated with the difficulty to deal with challenges experienced in the day to day life.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Cognitive Treatment of Depression specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More It is a condition that makes a person excessively moody; always sad, discouraged, hopeless, anxious, irritable and a general feeling of despair and emptiness in life (Dobson, 2011). This state usually lasts longer than is normally expected. A depressed person may loose enthusiasm in activities that were initially of great interest. Research has shown that this condition is one of the leading risk factor for suicidal tendencies due to the strong emotions associated with it (Butler Beck, 2005). There are several sub-types of depression dep ending on their signs and symptoms, and the effects they have on a person. Effective treatment of depression relies on proper identification of the type. Several options for treating this condition have been developed. The essay discusses the cognitive treatment of depression disorder. It describes the rationale for the therapy, some of the therapeutic techniques used to treat this disorder, and provide a brief overview of the empirical evidence on the effectiveness of this treatment method. The rationale for cognitive therapy Treatment of any disease or disorder depends on the accurate understanding of the signs and symptoms, the possible causes as well as the effects it has on an individual. Some of the treatment options include music therapy, group therapy, pet therapy, psychotherapy, cognitive-behavioural therapy, physical exercise, and use of medicinal drugs. Cognitive therapy is one of the most effective and efficient method for treating depression (Rupke, Blecke Renfrow, 200 6). As already mentioned, depression interferes with the normal functioning of the body including the thought process.Advertising Looking for essay on psychology? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More A depressed person develops extremely negative thoughts and attitudes towards life in general resulting in a distorted perception of reality. The negative thoughts have to be defused by the use of appropriate techniques in order to restore normalcy in the person’s thought process (Beck, 2006). This has emerged as one of the major reason justifying the use of cognitive therapy in the treatment of depression disorder. While antidepressant medicines have been found to work effectively in dealing with moderate depression, research findings reveal that cognitive therapy is effective as well (Butler Beck, 2005). Symptoms such as fatigue, low self-esteem and manifestations of suicidal tendencies are closely associated with t hought problems (Beck, 2006). It would therefore be appropriate to use cognitive therapy to reduce these symptoms and reinstate proper thinking and better feeling. For a long period, depression had been treated using medicinal drugs and had been found not to work effectively in treating all cases of depression (Butler Beck, 2005). This was mainly due to the multifaceted nature of the condition. Among those cases that could not be treated include the ones involving negative thoughts and attitudes. In the 1960s, cognitive therapy was introduced as an alternative method for dealing with the disorder. The other rationale for using cognitive therapy in treating depression disorder is the fact that thoughts can significantly influence the moods of an individual (Dobson, 2011). A depressed person may have negative thoughts without being aware of them. Conscious effort should be made to identify the existence of such automatic thoughts which are known to be recipe for distorted perception of reality. Cognitive therapy plays a significant role in facilitating this effort. The depressed person will be able not only to think positively but to have a realistic view of life and its challenges. How cognitive therapy works Cognitive therapists employ several strategies while treating people with depression. These therapeutic techniques are used to help individuals re-order their thinking patterns especially when confronted with problems in life. It is the ups and downs of life that contribute to depression in many people, young and old alike (Persons, Davidson Tompkins, 2000).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Cognitive Treatment of Depression specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More This treatment approach is very active and structured in nature with focus on the problem at hand. The first strategy is to understand the fact that problems in life are multifaceted: different individuals view the same problem from dif ferent perspectives; thoughts about the same problem vary; the emotions of a person concerning the problem are also unique; the view of the problem depends on the physical feelings of an individual when dealing with a problem; and most significantly, the actions of an individual prior, during, and the period after the occurrence of the problem (Segal, 2004). These are the most important angles from which any problem may be viewed. Cognitive therapy helps an individual to learn how to breakdown the problems into its constituent facets and categorise them into critical and minor problems. This will go a long way in ensuring that each problem is dealt with, one part at a time. The patient is usually taught the various tools of cognitive therapy. The treatment process is organised into clear therapy sessions by a qualified cognitive therapist (Rupke et al., 2006). At the end of specific sessions, the depressed person is expected to complete some take-home assignments which will enable h im or her to apply what has been learnt in selected real life challenging situations. All sessions are linked by continued review of the progress made from one lesson to the next. Under normal circumstances, a complete cognitive therapeutic course consists of about 14 to 16 sessions. Serious cases, however, may take longer than usual. These opportunities are designed to help the patient improve on his or her thinking and behavioural patterns in a progressive manner culminating in the reduction of depression (Persons et al., 2000). Apart from the sessions, there is the formulation of individualised cases, scheduling of various relevant activities as well as the schema change method. In order to understand the relationships between the type of thoughts, emotions, physiology and overt behaviour, the patient is requested to keep a record of all the undesirable thoughts as well as mental impressions or images about reality. Once these cognitions have been identified, the depressed person is taught how to evaluate them and adapt a realistic viewpoint and eliminate negative thoughts and distorted mental images (Dobson, 2011). In general, this approach employs both cognitive and behavioural techniques during treatment hence the alternative name, cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT).Advertising Looking for essay on psychology? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Empirical Evidence on the Effectiveness of Cognitive Therapy The effectiveness of cognitive therapy relative to other treatment options has been proved to be superior over time in various depression treatment centers. A number of studies have indicated that cognitive therapies have good results just like in the case of pharmacotherapy in all cases of depression (Dobson, 2011). Cognitive therapy has also been found to be effective in the prevention of relapse which is quite common when alternative treatment interventions are exclusively used (Segal, 2004). The therapy has been found to be a reliable and effective alternative treatment option for physical and mental symptoms associated with depression. Conclusion Depression is definitely a serious state that has significant impacts on an individual both physically and mentally. The essay has discussed the cognitive treatment of depression disorder. It has given the rationale for the therapy and some of the therapeutic techniques used to treat this disorder. The paper has also provided a brief overview of the empirical evidence on the effectiveness of this treatment method. Cognitive therapy remains one of the most effective treatment alternatives for depression and should be embraced. References Beck, J. (October 2006). Cognitive therapy shows promise for suicide prevention. American Psychological Association, 37(9): 17 Butler, A. C. Beck, A. T. (2005). Cognitive therapy for depression. The Clinical  Psychologist, 48(3): 3-5 Dobson, K. S. (November 2011). Cognitive therapy. Washington, D.C.: American Psychological Association Persons, J. B., Davidson, J. Tompkins, M. A. (October 2000). Essential  components of cognitive-behavior therapy for depression. Washington, D.C.: American Psychological Association Rupke, S. J., Blecke, D. Renfrow, M. (January 2006). Cognitive Therapy for Depression. American Family Physician, 73(1): 83-86 Segal, Z. V. (November 2004). Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy for  Depr ession. Washington, D.C.: American Psychological Association