Contemporary Management issue (Qasim) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Contemporary Management issue (Qasim) - Essay Example Moral theory represents theories associated with ethics and morality. A theory generally represents a set of structured statements with a set of concepts. It represents a framework based on which individuals act in a reasonable manner. In other words, moral theories provide appropriate framework for thinking, discussing and finally, evaluating the moral issues in a specific and reasonable manner. It has been found in the past few decades that investigations related to marketing and business ethics have been incrementing significantly. The findings of such investigations state that administrative ethics in the entire marketing process of any organization is a significant issue. Marketing itself involves one vast picture. So, there are chances of loopholes that might lead to various unethical activities conducted by the organizations. It is essential for the businesses to maintain a standard code of ethics for avoiding arousal of any unethical activity in their operations. It is applic able in each and every aspect of the business including sale of products or services where the behaviour of a salesman is taken into consideration (Carroll and Buchholtz, 2009). Deregulation of the standard code of ethics in various industries has resulted in commitment of various unethical activities, which in turn have resulted in the increase of rivalry among the existing firms within the industry. The competitive pressure within industry, along with the uncertainty of business existence, has led to deregulation of business ethics by managers in organizations (Barnett, 2007; Boatright, 2000). A series of evidences show that many companies have deviated from their standard ethical conducts within last few decades. It is not possible for one buyer to identify all the purchasing criteria or purchasing variables, which gives scope to the marketers to conduct unethical activities at high rate (Carroll and Shabana, 2010). The organizations look for short-term profit and opt for unethic al activities. However, in long-term perspective, these activities severely affect their reputation. The organizations, which were being suspected of conducting their business operations in unethical manner, were suffering in legal terms. As already stated earlier, the businesses conduct these unethical activities in order to achieve short-term profit, whereas in long-term aspect, their reputation declines badly. The unethical activities are conducted by organizations in various manners. These unethical activities are conducted sometimes in order to mislead the customers and persuade them in their buying decisions (Curwen and Whalley, 2005). There are various other examples of carrying out unethical activities by the organizations such as, keeping the prices of the products high where the quality is inferior. This helps them in making short-term profit but the ultimate consequence is that the reputation of organizations gets hampered and they lose loyal customers (Friedman, 2004). T he case study deals with unethical activities conducted by the tobacco producing companies in United States. It represents how companies had neglected the standards set by the department of justice i.e. DOJ in United States. According to the district judge, if DOJ could prove that the big tobacco producing companies are performing deceptive activities for their short-term profit seeking purpose, then they would be strictly penalized

Strategic Marketing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 6250 words

Strategic Marketing - Essay Example Figure 1: Effectiveness of analysis tools (Source: Ferrell, Hartline, 2008, p. 119) Of the four elements of the SWOT analysis Strength is the most effective element which is needed to be evaluated by the company. Identifying the strength of the firm gives better understanding of the market scenario in accordance to the company’s position. With more strong position in the market the company will be able to minimize its weaknesses in the market. Also SWOT analysis facilitates the company to find new opportunities in the field which shows stronger position for the company. As for example if a company has strong financial condition it’s a good opportunity for the firm to invest into expansion strategy as the strategic plan. When a company has good understanding of its strength and weaknesses the company will also be able to cater with the threats which might arise in the business process. But conducting a SWOT analysis is not an easy task for the organization. Several issue s might arise in the process. ... Planning and estimation of the business activities can help the company to understand the prospect of the new business and act and implement accordingly for building strong base into the market. Cash Flow Forecasting is one of the most important plans for the company to document its planning process. Calculating the Break Even point in the business can give a good start for the company as it is the point where the expenses equal the sales revenue generated by the company. At first the company needs to calculate the fixed cost of the different operations and then the variable costs of the goods like labor, materials etc. Then estimation of the output production unit will then help to calculate the breakeven point of the firm by dividing Fixed Cost with the difference of Unit price and Unit Cost of the product. The projected balance sheet of the company will give a snapshot of the assets and the liabilities of the company along with the equities involved in the business. The company ne eds to forecast its sales and income statement to understand its profitability position in the business process. Here is an example of a breakeven point where the portion above the line represents profit where as below the line represents loss for the company. Figure 2: Break Even Point graph (Source: British Columbia, n.d., p. 16) QUESTION 3 Identify Two (2) Malaysian companies that you believe have high brand quality. Why do you suggest so? Give reasons to support your answer. How does having high brand equity help them compete against competing companies? In service industry the most crucial factor for conducting business in a competitive environment is maintaining customer relationship through quality service and maintaining high brand value in the mind of the

David Camerons First Speech as Prime Minister Essay Example for Free

David Camerons First Speech as Prime Minister Essay This political speech made by United Kingdom’s new prime minister David Cameron in May 2010 could be considered the beginning of a new era in the politics of the country because, for the first time after World War II, Britain would have a coalition government. David Cameron (born in London in 1966) was elected leader of the Conservative Party in December 2005. He has modernised his Party, the Conservatives, by introducing new ideas such as the environmental defence, gay rights and abortion. He has a fresh, young and moderate image. The conservative leader gave this speech outside No 10 Downing Street right after being appointed Prime Minister. Cameron clearly describes UK’s social and economic situation and points out the main challenges he will have to face during his office. He addresses to the citizens and ask them for their help, but also to the political parties. In fact, one of his objectives for the term is to reform Parliament and to end with two-parties system. Cameron starts thanking the outgoing prime minister, Labour’s Gordon Brown, who succeeded Tony Blair in June 2007. Brown resigned in 11 May 2010 since the general elections left no party able to govern on its own and he could not reach an agreement with the Liberal Democrats to form a government. Labour Party was weak after ruling for 13 years and finally the Liberal opted for the Conservatives, despite they are not so close ideologically to the Tories. The Liberal, with 23% of the seats, and the Conservatives, with 36,1% of the seats, formed a coalition with Cameron as prime minister and Nick Clegg as deputy PM. As Cameron explains in his speech, UK is in need of a strong and stable government, and both parties are willing to work together in spite of their differences. Cameron details as well some of UK’s currents problems, basically the economic crisis and the reform of the political system. In this regard, Clegg had already said during his campaign that UK was immersed in a transition from the twosystem party to a more plural politics. According to him, this is a reform that any government should do to make people trust again in politics. Cameron didn’t agree with Clegg, although it was something he had to accept to make a pact with the Liberals. The Labour Party had already made some changes in the House of Lords, but deeper reforms are needed to finish with the present system, that favours the majority parties (Conservatives and Labour) and is detrimental to third parties. At present the First-Past-The-Post (or simple majority) system is followed in general and local elections. That means that the winner in each of the 650 electoral district gets a seat and all the rest of the votes are wasted. In consequence, the seats obtained by a party are not a real representation of the number of votes. It could even happen that the winner had more people voting against him that for him. Although it provides the country with stable and strong governments, this system has been questioned specially with the raise of the Liberal party, that in May was key to form a government. A referendum on the Alternative vote system is planned for citizens to decide. In the second part of this speech Cameron sends a message to the British society as he says that real change will only be achieved if â€Å"everyone pulls together, comes together, works together†. Cameron mentions some words that represent his centre-right position: freedom, fairness, family, values. At the same time, he is in some way anticipating the unpopular and hard measures he has taken recently. After six months in the government, the coalition has approved a plan to cut spending and reduce to a half deficit, which is the largest structural budget deficit in Europe. The measures of the spending review are not popular: around 500,000 public jobs could be lost in four years; the retirement age will be raised from 65 to 66 years by 2020; rents will be raised for new tenants in council housing; and police budget has been reduced by 20%. Changes will be also introduced in the unemployment subsidies, so that claimants who refuse three job offers will lose their allowance. Students have reacted by protesting violently in front of the Conservative headquarters. They complain specially about the raise in the tuition fees, that will be multiplied by three. The spending review is also facing critics of the Institute of Fiscal Studies: the think-thank believes that the poor will be the most affected by the measures. During the campaign Labour, Liberal and Conservatives agreed on the need to cut spending, but the proposal of Cameron was the hardest. At the same time, the Tories thought the reforms had to start immediately, while the Labour preferred to wait a year until the economic recovery was consolidated. Indeed, some fear that the spending review will not help UK to get out of the crisis, and they claim that the present difficulties are only an excuse to reduce the power of the state (an important principle in the Conservatives’ ideology). On the other side, Conservatives think that the private sector will be able to support the economy and will be reinforced, in spite of the cutback in spending. It is beyond doubt that the financial crisis has affected deeply all Europe, and that something had to be done to reduce the number of British citizens living on the governments subsidies. But it is not that clear that such strong measures had to be taken. UK’s economic situation is not as bad as other countries in Europe (like Greece, Ireland, Portugal, and Spain) and it is still an economic leader. At present I find difficult to say if Cameron’s decision is economically o politically driven. Only time will tell if the consequences on society, and specially on the poorest groups, were really disastrous or only a reasonable price to pay. Regarding Cameron’s intention to reform Parliament and the political system, it seems more like a requirement from the Liberal than a real wish. The Liberal were not as successful as they expected in the general elections, but they still were decisive to form a government. Consequently it could be expected that they wanted to assure to be more represented in upcoming ballots. Both Cameron and Clegg proved to be able to make concessions six months ago. It is already a good beginning, but Cameron has a difficult task in front of him. He brings a progressive message, but he represents a Conservative party. And he will have to negotiate with his partner in the government. I think it is still to early to judge Cameron’s ability to renovate political life and make UK get out of the country.

Organisational Change In The Sandwich Factory Management Essay

Organisational Change In The Sandwich Factory Management Essay This report will explore the type of leadership styles are used in The Sandwich Factory. Kirsty Flower owns The Sandwich Factory which was established in 2005 by her and her colleagues that worked before hand together in similar industry. All the managers in the organisation consist of women which form the Senior Management Team. Kristys leadership styles integrate with modern leadership theories in many different ways, one theory more than the other in some cases. The modern approaches to leadership this report will look in depth are Leader-member Exchange theory, Path-goal theory and New leadership. The success or failure of The Sandwich Factory depends on Kirstys manager leadership qualities. Leadership is the activity of influencing people to strive willingly for group objectives (Kumar 2001: 190). To succeed a leader needs have a motivated team which can only be achieved by the leader taking control as well as listening to the followers issues or needs. The modern leadership theories are commonly found in todays society amongst leaders. These theories can be applied in all types of organisations from a small business to multinational cooperations. The approaches are further frequently used rather than the older theories such as The Great Man theory and Trait theories. The modern leadership theories take more into account the motivation of subordinates, how the follower feels and considers the workers important, it is them that lead to the success of the company. Introduction to the Path-goal Theory approach There are umpteen types of modern approaches to leadership, path-goal theory, leader member exchange theory and new leadership transformational/transactional leadership. Subordinates have a lot more power in the modern approaches as compared to the older leadership theories. Kirstys leadership may be seen as reflective of modern leadership theories and approaches as the evidence will show how the styles incorporate with the case study. Kirsty has several leadership styles; Path-goal theory is one of the approaches which are used in The Sandwich Factory by Kirsty, the owner. An examples of this style is I have a vision and I try to make it clear to staff that we are in this together, all going the same way towards one goal (Case Study: Week 5). Kirsty is letting all the followers know by this statement that there is a path and a target and everyone is in it together as a team. The role of the leader is to steer workers towards achieving the end goal. Leadership also motivates when it makes the path to the goal clear and easy to travel through coaching and directions, when it removes obstacles and roadblocks to attaining the goal, and when it makes the work itself more personally satisfying (Northouse 2007: 128). There are many advantages to the Path-goal approach, Kirsty and the followers have mutual respect; it is easier to communicate with subordinates when there is a flatter system and fewer channels to get through, the leaders style is informative, encourages and supports the employees, and shows guidance in achieving goals. The theory works around context and the work setting rather than leaders style which occurs in the contingency theory. The underlying assumption of path-goal theory is derived from expectancy theory, which suggests that subordinates will be motivated if they think they are capable of performing their work, if they believe their efforts will result in a certain outcome, and if they believe that the payoffs for doing their work are worthwhile (Northouse 2007: 127). The responsibility of the leader is to help employees achieve their target, making sure that the path to the end goal is understandable and simple; from this workers will become confident and be motivated fo r future tasks. Subordinates will find the work easy as the goals will be broken down and explained well by superiors. There are also flaws to the Path-goal approach; the theory assumes the leader knows everything and has the qualities to give a clear path to followers to reach their goal. It also presumes that subordinates will be motivated by the perception of the possibility of achieving a goal and the leader is expected to have a positive impact on the followers and motivate them regardless of the situation. Introduction to the Leader-Member Exchange Theory approach. The Leader-Member Exchange (LMX) theory is another approach which applies to the case study; it is the only theory that deals with in and out groups. All the employees seem to be in the in group; luckily The Sandwich Factory has no visible out group. The in group has dyadic relationship with the leader where as the out group has more of a formal relationship with leader and are not felt a part of the tasks that are performed. These groups are created by the leader, if the followers agree to negotiate with the leader then they will become a part of in the group and will be further more involved with current and perhaps future projects depending if the individual can keep the leader satisfied with the standard of performances. The job of the leader in the LMX theory is to ensure that followers feel important and unique member of the team. The LMX theory develops into two stages; firstly the leaders initial impressions of the worker such as their personal and demographic characteristics. Secondly the output that is produced by the employee, the leader will judge if the tasks completed are to standards expected, on this basis the worker shall either enjoy high quality leader-member exchange or they shall be placed in the out group by the leader, where treatment will not be so pleasant. An example of the LMX theory in the case is when Kirsty mentions workers can add their own input to the business, these type relationships exist when the leader has a strong and stable relationship with employees which is a feature of this approach. I also have to trust staff to be fully committed to what we want and I`m open to any ideas on how to make that vision a practical reality (Case Study: Week 5). Kirsty has developed a loyal individual relationship with all team members which in effect will create a greater output as the Senior Management Team will be motivated by Kirstys influence. One of the undeveloped parts of the theory is a follower from the in group is perceived to be good at all task just because the subordinate is good at one task For instance, a members less than satisfactory job performance is tolerated because of the loyalty he has shown to the leader (Othman, Ee and Shi 2009: 340). This implies that the leader may misunderstand the worker and misclassify their performance. This is a defect of the LMX approach which is major compared to other theories as it affects the quality of work. There can be constant change within the groups, people maybe be dropped or may start involving themselves with in the in group depending on circumstances. Introduction to the New Leadership Theory approach Transformational leadership came into focus in the early 1980s. This theory gives attention to charismatic and effective aspects of leadership; it changes and transforms subordinates as the name implies. It is concerned with emotions, values, ethics standards, and long-term goals and includes assessing followers motives, satisfying their needs, and treating them as full human beings (Northouse 2007: 175). Kirstys leadership style can be seen as transformational as she is interested in on focusing on helping every member of the group succeed. Kirsty says I try to be hand on hand to clarify any issues the staff have (Case Study: Week 5). One of the components of the transformational theory is Idealised influence (charisma). This method the leader shows clear set of values that need to be followed and acts as role model to the workers. This charismatic dimension of transformational leadership is characterised by providing a vision and a sense of mission, instilling pride among the group, and gaining respect and trust (Humphreys, Einstein 2003: 86). The leader is seen as a hero by employees. Kirsty is getting more out of her staff since they seem to be in high spirit at work. An example of this approach being applied in the case study is the staff seem to be happy and enjoying the devolution of authority and responsibility I`ve been able to give (Case Study: Week 5). This can be seen as individual consideration to members of the team that Kirsty feels can be developed to accomplish more. The flaw of the approach is it tries to involve too many factors which can create confusion and uncertainty to the follower and the leader if it were too be practiced upon. Transformational theory is unlike other theories it does not take into consideration how the leader should act to particular situations to be successful. Transactional behaviour is a part of the modern theory approaches, which comes under the New leadership approach. It works by motivating subordinates and rewarding or punishing them depending on how well they perform with the tasks. In this approach the leader has hold over the followers and expects the workers to perform to high standards. Kirsty does not hold this type of style; her leadership approach is more towards the Transformational theory which is more lenient and considerate towards the follower. The strengths and weaknesses of Kristys leadership Path-goal theory approach. There are many strong points and weakness of Kirstys leadership in The Sandwich Factory. The first approach that will be critically analysed is the Path-goal theory. This style is concerned with how leadership behaviour can influence the satisfaction and performance of a follower in an organisational setting. The Path-goal approach is about diminishing obstructions to reach goals then rewarding the employees for task achievements. In essence, the path goal theory attempts to explain the impact that leader behaviour has on subordinate motivation, satisfaction and performance (Jain 2005: 328) One of the strengths of the Path-goal approach is that it deals with a combination of factors. There are a few types of leadership styles in the path goal theory, the approach suggest that these behaviours should be used in different circumstances to motivate subordinates. Supportive Leadership the leader attempts to solve any concerns of the subordinate, so if the follower is unsatisfied the leader will show genuine support to help resolve the issue facing the person. The supportive leader likes a friendly environment and gives strong attention to the needs and wellbeing of his or her subordinates (Silverthorne 2001: 151). This type of approach is best used when jobs are boring or stressful e.g. car manufacturing factory. Achievement Orientated Leadership The leader has set high expectation for followers at this style, challenging the employee to his/her fullest, hoping the subordinate will excel in their field, showing confidence that they will achieve goals set and perform well. People who perform a variety of tasks may find their jobs more satisfying and have less need for social support (Marriner-Tomey 2004: 174). An example of this approach being applied in the case study is the staff seem to be happy and enjoying the devolution of authority and responsibility I`ve been able to give (Case Study: Week 5). This shows that subordinates are content and willing to take on extra tasks. The disadvantages of the Path-goal theory are it is too broad and tries to involve all aspects (directive, supportive, participative and achievement orientated leadership), and incorporate all these together which makes it difficult to actually practice upon the theory fully. It also does not explain how these four types of approaches will affect the employees work. This leaves the practitioner with insufficient proof how this theory will work in reality and how it can be applied to an organisation. . The strengths and weaknesses of Kristys leadership Leader-Member Exchange approach. As discussed earlier in the report the LMX theory relates to the case, Kirsty and her friends that previously worked for Mr Bakes all moved across to start a new company called The Sandwich Factory which consisted of Kirsty and several other colleagues as having share in the business. The friends are noticeably in the in group, which is considered a strength, where Kirsty has a strong relationship with these subordinates, who have been given a managers role Kirsty`s colleagues now hold senior positions on the Senior Management Team (SMT) (Human Resources, Finance and Production) (Case Study: Week 5). Kirsty and the followers have mutual respect and trust towards one another which are strengths of the LMX theory. The theory emphasises the importance of recognising the existence of in and out groups within the work place. LMX theory is the only leadership theory that makes the concept of a relationship between leader and follower the centrepiece of the leadership process. Leaders in high quality LMX relationships rely heavily on followers to act in their stead (Dunegan et al., 1992) and encourage them to undertake more responsible activities (Graen and Uhl-Bien, 1995) (Kang, Stewart 2007: 534). In the interview Kirsty answered saying we all got on well with our previous employer (Case Study: Week 5), this implies that the relationship must of been healthy with Mr Bakes organisation. The in group has been carried forward to Kirstys company The Sandwich Factory, one of the strengths of this approach. It can be argued there are limitations to the LMX theory, the out group are deprived of attention from the leader in the context of work groups, it is possible that such a situation can be divisive and undermine group performance (Othman, Ee and Shi 2009: 340). This type of behaviour is can be seen as destructive leadership as it upsets employees even though partially some of them may be content with their job and boss. The out groups morale will be extremely lower compared to the in group who will be enjoying a healthy relationship with the leader. Staff in the out group will not be so committed and motivated to do well in their jobs. The Sandwich Factory does not have an out group just yet this may be because the company is relatively new and Kirsty leadership style will not allow it for these types of circumstances to occur as they will have negative repercussions. First impression of this theory will not be great to leaders and practitioners as it displays unfairness and favouritism towards the out group as leaders are only concerned with performance. The strengths and weaknesses of Kristys leadership New Leadership approach. Kirsty has transformational leadership qualities, which is another modern leadership approach, this also known as New Leadership which in addition has Transactional Leadership. She takes control of situations by conveying a clear vision of The Sandwich Factorys goals and objectives; she has a passion for the work and the ability to make the followers feel re-energized. This type of leadership consists having a shared vision and unity within the team. One of the strengths of transformational leadership is to give clear direction and involve others in developing the vision. This statement given by Kirsty in the Young Entrepreneur (London) Monthly relates to this theory The original idea to start up the company was mine, but I needed people to come with me to make my vision work for the betterment of all involved in the company (Case Study: Week 5). The transformational theory has become popular over time as it allows the leader to get the most out of the follower when executed in a considerate but professional manner. Bass (1990) suggests that by applying the behavioural characteristics of transformational leadership, leaders can guide their followers toward performance beyond expectations (Humphreys and Einstein 2003: 85). The disadvantage of the transformational approach it depends on highly skilled and developed employees to be triumphant in tasks assigned to them. Another criticism about the theory is the approach presumes followers want change. This theory also believes that leaders are people that can transform others around them. Then this brings up the question, how sure are the followers that the leader is making the right decision? The Transactional theory is about the leader having full control and authority over subordinates. The leader makes it clear what is required from the follower. A form of transactional approach in the case is when Kirsty says I found myself papering over some cracks that appeared in the early days when we had to get things done fast (Case Study: Week 5). Transactional leader works or a reward or punishment basis to motivate followers, if the employee reaches targets within a low budget then they will be given an incentive and if the worker fails the task or is not complete on time the worker will be punished or the leader will begin to make the follower feel uncomfortable. The limitation of the transactional approach is that its primary focus is on rewards and punishments. Rather than the growth and needs of employees which the transformational theory concentrates on along with other styles, maintaining a balance of what is important. Conclusion All three modern leadership theories and approaches have been identified in this report and how they have impacted subordinates as well as the leader. The path-goal theory motivates workers to make them feel that they can do the work and Kirsty uses this style to encourage subordinates that they can fulfil tasks. Transformational theory has the same type of idea but it seems less complex to use and apply in The Sandwich Factory. The LMX approach is not widely used or applied but there are hints of the theory with in the case, mostly regarding the in groups that have been created in the company by Kirsty. The entire the way through the case study Kirsty keeps referring to we as the organisation went through all different stages together e.g. we created a market, we had to get things done faster and so on. This is clear evidence that Kirsty does not just see herself running The Sandwich Factory but strategically as team, which shows great leadership to progress forward. Evidentially these modern leadership theories have been used by Kirsty and have worked well. The analysis has revealed the strengths and weaknesses of the modern leadership approaches related to The Sandwich Factory.

Childhood Poverty Essay -- Poverty Essays

We as Americans are extremely lucky. We live in a big country with many resources and almost all the luxuries we ever wanted. On the flip side, in America there are also many people who do not have these privileges. The lower class is a struggling class. For many years, people have been trying to pull themselves up from the lower class and the majority does not succeed. Childhood poverty is a large problem in the U.S. It is said that the poorest people in the United States are the children of the lower class. Childhood poverty could lead to a number of problems such as hunger, violence, physical and mental disabilities, educational problems, homelessness, family stress, sickness, and too-early parenthood. The sad truth is that living in poverty lowers a child’s chance to grow into a healthy, well-adjusted adult who will contribute to society. The number of people who are classified as the working class poor has increased. It has also been proven that work by itself will not keep a family out of poverty. As for government assistance for families in poverty, it has been decreasing. The government argued that families were not using all the services, which were available to them. In today’s society, the amounts of single-parent households are increasing and this is another reason for the existence of childhood poverty. Statistics show that children living in single-parent homes are five times more likely to be poor. More people are getting divorced and are also having children outside of wedlock. It has also been said that women rather than men head about 90% of single-parent families. One of the reasons why these particular families are so poor is because out of all divorced fathers, only 50% help support the... ...iggest and toughest job of you life†¦parenthood. Along with parenthood comes the largest amount of responsibility anyone has even been faced with. Their job is to raise their children, and show them the world. Everything is brand new to them, and as a parent, they are the ones who will be introducing their children to everything. The last thing any parent would want for their child is to have tem grow up in poverty. Every year we spend so much money to report to the public that there are children living in poverty. Why spend millions of dollars campaigning an issue which his already known worldwide? That money should be taken and used to help people lift their children and themselves out of poverty. Progress will not be made of we are just going to sit their and cry about it. Childhood poverty is a large issue, which has been and still needs to be dealt with.

Perfect Companions - The Passionate Shepherd to His Love and The Nymph’

Perfect Companions - â€Å"The Passionate Shepherd to His Love† by Christopher Marlowe, and â€Å"The Nymph’s Reply to the Shepherd† by Sir Walter Raleigh There are many poems that are considered to be companion poems. Companion poems are two separate poems that are similar. Usually they are about the same experience or experiences, and are also usually written in the same form. Two of the most famous companion poems are â€Å"The Passionate Shepherd to His Love† by Christopher Marlowe, and â€Å"The Nymph’s Reply to the Shepherd† by Sir Walter Raleigh. These two poems are perfect companions. Both â€Å"The Passionate Shepherd to His Love† and â€Å"The Nymph’s Reply to the Shepherd† are written in iambic quatrameter. Both of the poems also consist of 24 lines. Another similarity in the style is that both poems a...

Depression, symptoms of depression Essay

Depression is a psychological condition that changes how you think, feel, and it also affects your social behavior and sense of physical wellness. I can make you feel low self esteem and can cause self-depreciation. Depression is not feeling sad occasionally, it is a constant feeling of sadness that stays with you. If not treated it can affect the way you act, feel, and the way you think. It can also cause you to be more pessimistic towards family members, or friends. Depression is one of the most common psychological problems. It affects nearly everyone through either personal experiences or through depression in a family member. Every year about 17 million American adults experience a period of clinical depression. Depression has often lead to suicide in many untreated cases. Depression can affect everyone. Most people who seek medical attention for depression are treated and cured successfully. Although most people do seek professional help, not all do, which may cause physical illness to that person. It can cause loss of appetite, changes in sleeping habits. It can also cause you to lose interest in things that you once like to do (sports, friends, being outdoors.) The symptoms are not recognized as depression. Most people who are depressed appear lazy or tired. Most people who are depressed do not realize it themselves, but they do feel a change in themselves, that often they do not tell others about. The underlying cause is less often examined. The causes of depression can be many things. Past trauma, financial problems, peer pressure, relationship problems, death in the family, and stress, are some of the more common causes of depression. Depression in younger children is usually caused by bad family life or divorce. The part of the brain that effects emotions such as depression is the Frontal Lobe. The Frontal lobe is found in the area around the forehead. The mental symptoms of depression are difficulty in concentrating, slowed thinking, and indecisiveness. A depressed person may be easily distracted and memory may be impaired. In some serious cases depression may be related to psychosis, which means that they lose touch with reality. For example they may experience hallucinations or claim to â€Å"hear voices† in their head. This serious of a depression may also be known as bi-polar disorder. People with depression often experience changes in thinking. This means that people will have problems concentrating or decision making. They might also have short term memory, or forget things all the time. Most depressed people have negative thoughts about themselves (harming themselves or others). Pessimism, poor self-esteem, excessive guilt, and self criticism are also symptoms. A person who is depressed may have changes in the way they feel. They may feel sad for no reason at all, some people that have depression say that they no longer find and interest in the activities that they once loved. Irritability is also a symptom of depression; a person may seem more irritated with every little thing than usual. Eating disorders may also occur during depression. For example, not eating enough, or eating a lot more. People who are around a depressed person can often tell that there is something wrong because of the way the person acts, or their behavior. Depression is very common among teenagers. Teenagers tend to have more problems with their parents during their teen years. This can cause depression. They may also be faced with serious peer pressure which can overwhelm them and make them become depressed. As the amount of teenagers who are depressed rises, so does the number of suicides in teens. Clinical studies have proven that teen depression almost always leads to thoughts of suicide. The number one cause of teen suicide is untreated depression, which is why it is important to get treatment if you recognize any symptoms in a teen. Treatment is mandatory for serious cases of depression. The first step to becoming cured is to evaluate the type of depression that is occurring, once that is done you must determine what type of depression it is. Psychologists ask people with depression when the first time the started feeling depressed, how severe it is, and if you have had signs of depression before in your lifetime. There are two cures for depression, psychotherapy, and anti-depressant medication. Most people do well when treated with psychotherapy, but medication works faster than psychotherapy. Some people require psychotherapy along with medication. The down side to medication is that it doesn’t  Ã¢â‚¬Å"cure† depression, it only treats the symptoms of it. To manage depression you must first identify the feelings that you have. Once you have done that you must put these feelings into perspective and focus on the positive things in your life instead of dwelling on past problems. These steps are not always easy for people to follow. People who dwell on past traumas almost always become depressed. In conclusion depression is a treatable disease that is cause by many different things. The fact that depression is a serious disease is not taken seriously enough in society today. People who are suspicious that a person may be depressed should contact someone about it as soon as possible before it leads to suicide.