Behavioural competencies Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Behavioural competencies - Essay Example he competencies of customer focus, effective communication, interpersonal effectiveness, and relationship management to reflect the need to deal with customers in an exceptional manner. I have made the competencies as ‘generic’ as possible so that they cut across functions. Listed in the following sections are the competencies, with each having a definition and behavioural indicators for each level. The four levels are sound understanding, working knowledge, can do, and mastery and expertise. For the Senior Sales Assistant, the required level for all competencies is pegged at 3 (Can Do level). A strong drive and/or bias for producing results based on a high standard of excellence. These standards may be one’s own past performance (striving for improvement); an objective and tested measure (best practice); delivering responsive and empathic service (customer focus); or improving what anyone has ever done (innovation). Unique accomplishments and achieving performance objectives also indicate this competency. The ability to demonstrate and display self-direction or self-motivation. This includes the ability to maintain active personal energy and interest in learning as well as displaying dynamism and balance while engaging in ongoing personal development. This includes the ability to act as a role model demonstrating accountability, integrity, professional competence and trust and the ability to act in accordance to the highest standards of business ethics and protocols of the organisation. The genuine desire and ability to anticipate, understand, meet or exceed the needs of internal and external customers. This includes seeking first-hand information from customers, using own technical knowledge and consulting skill to go beyond customers expressed needs as well as taking personal responsibility for continuously raising the standard of customer service. The ability to actively listen, understand and respond appropriately when interacting with individuals

Hybrid Cultures Essay Example for Free

Hybrid Cultures Essay The ease of travel and almost universal access to the information superhighway facilitates the massive cultural exchange that goes on in the world today. In 2005, Kwai-Cheung Lo had written extensively on the exportation of Hong Kong popular culture and its strange relationship to China. Hong Kong could be considered one of the best modern examples of a hybrid culture. Settled by the British for 150 years before its transfer back to China in 1997, Hong Kong bears much similarity to the West in terms of economic development and commerce. Its culture, however, is quite different from the mainland and reconciling the two by expanding the definition of what it means to be Chinese is necessary as HK becomes less an independent entity and more of a Chinese protectorate. Today, the vast storehouse of popular culture proves that the sharp lines between different nations are thinning with martial arts films, anime, and panda bears occupy the same space as Western action movies, McDonalds, and pop music. Massive immigration from third world countries to the West, coupled with Western business people consulting with Asian companies contributes to the growing cultural exchange. The Disney phenomenon is a good example of this. Starting as a small theme park in Anaheim, CA, the company had developed parks in Florida, Paris, and Japan. Yet, the Japanese are determined to retain elements of their native culture even as they embrace an American business concept. When sociologists compared the American Disneyland with the Japanese version, they found many similarities and differences. For example, â€Å"Jungle Cruise is arguably the most American. It is a traditional Disney ride that has changed little over the years. TDL (Tokyo Disneyland) has kept the design and narrative of Jungle Cruise while modifying its spiel. Cinderella’s Castle Mystery Tour in contrast is unique to TDL. It is a story of Disney heroes and villains written for and told by the Japanese†(p. 32). References Luo, K. C. (2005). Chinese Face/Off: The Transnational Popular Culture of Hong Kong. University of Illinois Press Raz, A. E. (1999). Riding the Black Ship: Japan and Tokyo Disneyland. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Asia Center

Demand Letter :: essays research papers

Dear Shakyside Motors: Please be informed that Mr. and Mrs. Henry Haskell have retained this Law Office in regards to their claim against you and your business. This letter is sent to you in accordance with the provisions of the Consumer Protection Act as found in the Laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Chapter 93A. Herewith, demand upon you for relief under the pursuant statue is made. The purpose of this correspondence is to encourage you to provide fair and just relief to said Haskell in order that all the parties may avoid litigation as provided for under the above said statute. Certainly, this is a matter that should not have to be litigated and Mr. and Mrs. Haskell consider some of your salespersons to be friends. In February of this year, you were the salesman that sold a car to Mr. and Mrs. Henry Haskell. As well, you are in the custody of funds, belonging to the Haskells’ that arose from this tentative transaction. It has become apparent that there is a valid litigation that could be charged against your dealership in regards to possible non-disclosures as made to the said Haskell and the seller. The Massachusetts Lemon Law, M.G.L. c. 90, sec. 7N1/2, protects consumers who have serious defects in their new cars. The law defines a lemon as a new motor vehicle that has a defect that substantially impairs the use, market value, or safety of the vehicle, and which has not been repaired after a reasonable number of attempts. If a substantial defect still exists or recurs after a reasonable number of repair attempts, the consumer has the right to a refund or a replacement vehicle. Keep in mind that not all car problems are serious enough to qualify under the Lemon Law. We believe that the car purchased from Shakyside Motors on February 12th 2002 is a "lemon" under the Massachusetts Lemon Law (Massachusetts General Laws; Ch. 90 Sec. 7N1/2). I am hereby making a written demand for relief under the Lemon Law and the Massachusetts Consumer Protection Act (Massachusetts General Laws, Ch. 93A, Sec.9. They purchased a 1982 Ford Pinto on February 12th 2002 from your dealership. Since they bought the vehicle, they have had many defects like gas leaking everywhere, bad brakes, car doesn’t start in cold weather, and transmission belts need to be replaced. The vehicle has been out of service for three weeks and for three weeks the Haskells’ have attempted to call your offices and have the car repaired.

Germany Culture Essay

Have you ever wondered where the Christmas tree came from? Along time ago, in the early 700’s a monk, called St. Boniface, was preaching to a group of Germanic Druids. The Druids idolized oak trees. And in order to stop the Druids idolatry of oak trees, the monk chopped down a huge one. Crashing down to the earth, the tree crushed everything in its path, except for a small fir sapling. The monk declared that this was a miracle that this one single sapling wasn’t killed and concluded, â€Å"Let this be called the tree of the Christ Child.† And this is how to custom of having a tree during the Christmas season came to be. It was started by the Germans, and moved to Europe, who brought it to America. [Marples] German Americans have had a very large impact on the American society. One of the largest reasons could be that people with German ancestry comprise about 51 million people, which makes up 17% of all of the U.S’s population. That’s roughly one fifth of all America’s population where one of their ancestors originated from Germany. [American] Germans started coming to the British Colonies of the New World, now the northeastern part of America, in the 1680s. Many immigrants from German continued to come to America during the 19th century. Many immigrated to America because of shortage of land, and religious or political oppression in Europe. [Zane] Even in recent times, Germans have helped shape America into what it is today. German Americans have influenced almost every field of American society, including science, architecture, industry, sports, entertainment, theology, government, and the military. Generals Baron von Steuben, John Pershing, Dwight Eisenhower, and Norman Schwarzkopf commanded the United States Army in the American Revolutionary War, World War I, World War II, and the Persian Gulf War. John D. Rockefeller, William Boeing, Walter Chrysler, George Westinghouse, and Donald Trump have also been an important part of American industry and business. Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Jack Nicklaus, Doris Day, and Leonardo DiCaprio became famous athletes or actors. And finally Albert Einstein and Wernher von Braun, two German Americans, greatly effected America and the whole world. Many famous, well known, and people who have changed America greatly have been German Americans. [German] German Americans have also changed the American food greatly also. Germans brought hog dogs and hamburgers to the America’s, which is now known as the â€Å"American Food†, or the food that people think of when they hear America. They also have the beer brewing dominated for most of America. German immigrants Eberhard, Anheuser, Adolphus Busch, and others have greatly changed America’s beer market. [Mittelman] [Home of the Hamburger] Overall, the effect that German Americans have had on America is huge. They have helped shake America in many ways including holiday traditions, science, sports, entertainment, and government. America is not made of one people, but of many. And their idea’s and traditions all mixed together is what makes this such a great country.

How to tame a wild tounge Essay

In the essay, â€Å"How to Tame a wild Tongue,† Gloria Anzaldua the author, states the importance of maintaining one’s native tongue. She believes that people should speak whenever or however they please given that it does not harm anyone. Anzaldua does not want to escape her Mexican ways such as speaking Spanish. It is a vital part of her life because she communicates with her family members speaking a variety of Spanish dialects. Since she has no other way to show her Mexican ways, it is key that she speaks Spanish to maintain her Mexican pride. People take pride in the languages that they speak and its not right for others to tell them they are not allowed to express themselves in those foreign languages. On the other hand, it is important that to speak English in order to communicate with her classmates, teachers, and anyone around her. English is fast becoming the dominant means by which the world is able to communicate. It is being referred to as the global language as it is seen as a common means for interaction between different countries. This new phenomena can be seen in a positive light because the use of English as a common language brings efficiency and greater understanding. Nevertheless there some people who believe that this fact has changed and that now it is more important to learn Spanish and Mandarin than the English language. Anzaldua dealt with this issue on a consistent basis in her school life. Though she was not told to lose her Spanish ways, she felt that speaking English would not allow her to express herself. Especially in the American culture, it was necessary for her to learn English to communicate with her peers. Furthermore, the English language is the number one lingua franca no other comes close. At the moment about 1. 113 million people speak Chinese as their mother tongue, whereas about 372 million speak English. Following this criterion Chinese must be the world’s global tongue; and yet analysts considered English to be the global language of the century. Imagine if China’s economy takes flight in the coming few years, enabling the country to replace the United States as the greatest economical power, there would be a possibility that China could take over in the next couple decades. In fact, reports have shown that the number of Chinese learners is increasing dramatically. Chinese learners in Africa, for example, have increased to 8,000 in the year 2005. The Forum on China-Africa Cooperation published the statistic in a 2005 report. The report also says that â€Å"in Sudan alone, Chinese learners have amounted to 450, and many have come to China to learn on Chinese government scholarships, according to Peter Nyot Kok, Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research of Sudan. † According to the U. S. Bureau of the Census, ten years ago about one in seven people in this country spoke a language other than English at home. Since then the proportion of immigrants in the population has grown and grown. Ever-wider swaths of Florida, California, and the Southwest are heavily Spanish speaking. Hispanic people make up 30 percent of the population of New York City, and a television station there that is affiliated with a Spanish-language network has been known to draw a larger daily audience than at least one of the city’s English-language network affiliates. According to the census, from 1980 to 1990 the number of Spanish-speakers in the United States grew by 50 percent. Statistically, more people in the world speak Mandarin than English, but Mandarin is not spoken much outside Asia. A global language is a language spoken internationally. A global language is not only a majority people spoken, but also use in international organization or international event. It’s a well-known fact that there is huge demand for English speaking professionals in China who can facilitate international business. There is also acute demand for English teachers who can make the Chinese students better equipped for modern-day business and life. Chinese has more native speakers, however, it also has simplistic grammar, and it lacks articles, prepositions, verb conjugation and tense, singularity and plurality of nouns making it less effective than English at expressing complex meanings. It is also tonal, which limits the speaker’s use of tone for emotional and conceptual expression. Furthermore most Westerners find the Chinese writing system difficult to grasp. So from emerging trends, it seems evident that Chinese is not more popular than English as a global language. English is widespread largely due to the fact that it is used so heavily in television, film and music. Hollywood’s global spread has contributed strongly to the international popularity of English. It is also the predominant language on the Internet. Web pages in other languages often tend to have an English translation. The British Empire and the dominant nature of American popular culture have contributed overall to the spread of English across the planet. Because of this many young Hispanics have favored adopting the English language into their culture. In South East Asia, as a result of English becoming a kind of global currency, there is a large turn towards acquiring language skills not in any language but most specifically in English. As the world becomes more â€Å"globalized† or as corners of the planet open up for trade relations with other countries and tourism booms, the need for English increases. Hotels, shops and schools have a desperate desire to sell their services and make a living. People’s ability to survive is strongly linked to their ability to communicate in English. Consequently native languages become redundant and even endangered. People focus on learning English over learning other languages and also in many cases need to use their individual languages to a lesser degree. In fact more Asians speak English than anyone else. One of them is that it facilitates the exchange of information from one part of the world the other with ease. It is through the existence of a global language like English that peace and trade has been enhanced between dissimilar countries. It has also facilitated the mobility of people both in their physical terms and also electronically. Sufficient statistics indicate that most trade is done electronically and this is greatly facilitated by English as a global language. Finally, there are economic advantages connected with a global language. Crystal claims that the â€Å"more a community is linguistically mixed; the less it can rely on individuals to ensure communication between different groups† (Crystal 2003:11). Consequently linguistically mixed communities, as well as the global community, are spending large sums of money on translations and interpretations in order to reach its citizens. A global language known and spoken by everybody would undoubtedly lower these costs, and the spared money could be used in other important areas instead, for example in humanitarian aid. In fact, during the last decades the need of interpretation and translation in international organizations has progressively has been decreasing thanks to the expansion of English. Many international organizations find it necessary that all people involved speak English, since the translation expenses would be too high. According to Crystal â€Å"half the budget of an international organization could easily get swallowed up in translation costs if there was a lack of a common language† (Crystal 2003: 12). Mutual intelligibility, great career opportunities and reduced administrative costs are some of the advantages a global language would give. We are in need of an international language for communication, politics, trade and security, but at the same time we are worried about language death, the advantages native speakers will have and all the disadvantages non-native speakers will face. English is growing, it is a strong language, and its future seems bright. My opinion is that if there will ever be an official international language English is the best option. It is a strong, well-developed language with millions of speakers. Even if a global language might be important, different languages are of importance for their culture and for the development of their native speakers. Anzaldua wants to maintain her heritage by speaking her language constantly. She is in fear that speaking English will lead to the death of her heritage, but the integration of her heritage with English will only allow her to have communication with more people around her. Languages make the world more interesting and more alive.

Essay on Policy TerminationEssay Writing Service

Essay on Policy TerminationEssay Writing Service Essay on Policy Termination Essay on Policy Terminationâ€Å"Don’t Ask Don’t Tell† (DADT) policy can be viewed as a compromise on homosexuals’ service in the army. President Clinton proposed to end discrimination on sexual orientation in the army. The opponents and the Clinton Administration made a compromise in the form of the DADT policy. This policy can be used to explore the potential strengths and weaknesses of policy borne of compromise. Actually, the 18-year process of repealing DADT points out to the fact that policy termination can be a rather lengthy and complicated process, which may have negative impact on society in general (Chidera, 2013).The strengths of policy born of compromise include the promotion of democracy, civil rights, integrity, protection of human rights, continual debates on the effectiveness of the policy, massive opportunities for the analysis of public opinions regarding the policy, the use of the media in policy analysis, and the increased role of pub lic support.The weaknesses of policy born of compromise include the spread of the issues of prejudices and stereotypes, improper policy implementation, negative impact on self-identity of individuals and the risk of policy termination.In general, I believe that policies should be inherently difficult to terminate, especially those rooted in public attitudes. Although for some policies it is rather difficult to define a compromise, it is necessary to be focused on public opinions. A democratic society should be based on the promotion of anti-discrimination policies. According to researchers, â€Å"with a Democratic majority in the Senate and House, it is likely that President Obama may have the votes to overturn DADT†(Cashdollar, 2010, p. 164). Finally, any policy born of compromise should be difficult to terminate because this type of policy issues remain controversial.

Platos Cave Only essays

Plato's Cave Only essays In Book VII of Plato's, "Republic", Socrates attempts to show his belief of how people can come to know "justice", and how such knowledge can be used to lift the level of justice within the state. The Republic comprises ideas and hypothetical arguments that are quite abstract and removed from the commonplace thought of everyday people. Plato, and indeed his mentor Socrates, are very intelligent men in that their intellect and imagination can create and sustain unorthodox or uncommon ideas that everyday people do not bother to think about or do not have the mental faculties or intellect to do so. Plato recognizes this fact and uses dialogue between the character of Socrates and "everyday" people such as Glaucon to explain such strange ideas to the reader of "The Republic". A very useful technique used to portray these intangible ideas is through various analogies relating commonplace objects and situations to complicated and in depth trains of thought. Some of Plato's analogies include that of the sun and its light relating to the form of good and truth, the line analogy relating to our varying degrees of understanding and comprehension and the cave analogy. This 'cave analogy' is helpful in illustrating the way Plato believes we can come to know justice, truth and goodness. He likens our current level of understanding to that of a group of manacled prisoners watching the back wall of a dark cave, lit only by a fire that casts shadows of passers by on this wall. Plato explains that the real, true world is outside this cave and due to the physical and mental restraints on these prisoners they cannot understand this true reality, only within which real goodness and justice can be realized and understood. Socrates explains that, as all these prisoners have ever known is this shadow world of insubstantial half-truths and illusions, it has become their reality. As, even the voices from the passing people are echoed off this wal...

How Architect Louis Sullivan Influenced American Design

How Architect Louis Sullivan Influenced American Design Louis Henri Sullivan (born  September 3, 1856) is widely considered Americas first truly modern architect. Although born in Boston, Massachusetts, Sullivan is best known as a major player in what is known as the Chicago School and the birth of the modern skyscraper. He was an architect based in Chicago, Illinois, yet what many consider Sullivans most famous building is located in St. Louis, Missouri - the 1891 Wainwright Building, one of Americas most historic high-rise buildings.   Fast Facts: Louis Sullivan Born: September 3, 1856 in Boston, MassachusettsDied: April 14, 1924 in Chicago, IllinoisOccupation: ArchitectKnown for: Wainwright Building, 1891, in St. Louis, MO and his influential 1896 essay The Tall Office Building Artistically Considered. Louis is associated with the Art Nouveau movement and the Chicago School; he partnered with Dankmar Adler to form Adler and Sullivan, and he had a major influence on the career of Frank Lloyd Wright (1867-1959).Famous Quote: Form follows function.Fun Fact: The tripartite design of skyscrapers is known as Sullivanesque Style Instead of imitating historic styles, Sullivan created original forms and details. The ornamentation he designed for his big, boxy skyscrapers is often associated with the swirling, natural forms of the Art Nouveau movement. Older architectural styles were designed for buildings that were wide, but Sullivan was able to create aesthetic unity in buildings that were tall, concepts articulated in his most famous essay The Tall Office Building Artistically Considered. "Form Follows Function" Louis Sullivan believed that the exterior of a tall office building should reflect its interior functions. Ornamentation, where it was used, must be derived from nature, instead of from the Classical Greek and Roman architectural forms. New architecture demanded new traditions, as he reasoned in his most famous essay: It is the pervading law of all things organic, and inorganic, of all things physical and metaphysical, of all things human and all things super-human, of all true manifestations of the head, of the heart, of the soul, that the life is recognizable in its expression, that form ever follows function. This is the law. - 1896 The meaning of form follows function continues to be discussed and debated even today. Sullivanesque Style has come to be known as the tripartite design for tall buildings - three definitive exterior patterns for the three functions of a multiple-use skyscraper, with offices rising from commercial space and topped with the ventilating functions of attic space. A quick look at any tall building built during this time, from about 1890 to 1930, and youll see Sullivans influence on American architecture. Early Years The son of European immigrants, Sullivan grew up in an eventful time in American history. Although he was a very young child during the American Civil War, Sullivan was an impressionable 15-years-old when the Great Fire of 1871 burned down most of Chicago. At age 16 he began to study architecture at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, near his home in Boston, but before completing his studies, he began his trek westward. He first got a job in 1873 Philadelphia with a decorated Civil War officer, the architect Frank Furness. Shortly thereafter, Sullivan was in Chicago, a draftsman for William Le Baron Jenney (1832-1907), an architect who was devising new ways to construct fire-resistant, tall buildings framed with a new material called steel. Still a teenager when working for Jenney, Louis Sullivan was encouraged to spend a year at the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris before beginning to practice architecture. After a year in France, Sullivan returned to Chicago in 1879, still a very young man, and began his long relationship with his future business partner, Dankmar Adler. The firm of Adler and Sullivan is one of the most important partnerships in American architectural history. Adler Sullivan Louis Sullivan partnered with engineer Dankmar Adler (1844-1900) from approximately 1881 until 1895. It is widely believed that Adler oversaw business and construction aspects of each project while Sullivans focus was on architectural design. Along with a young draftsman named Frank Lloyd Wright, the team realized many architecturally significant buildings. The firms first real success was the 1889 Auditorium Building in Chicago, a massive multi-use opera house whose exterior design was influenced by the Romanesque Revival work of architect H. H. Richardson and whose interiors were largely the work of Sullivans young draftsman, Frank Lloyd Wright. Auditorium Building, Chicago, Illinois, 1889. Angelo Hornak/Getty Images (cropped) It was in St. Louis, Missouri, however, where the tall building gained its own exterior design, a style that became known as Sullivanesque. In the 1891 Wainwright Building, one of Americas most historic skyscrapers, Sullivan extended the structural height with exterior visual demarcations using a three-part system of composition - the lower floors devoted to selling merchandise should look different from the offices on the middle floors, and the top attic floors should be set apart by their unique interior functions. This is to say that the form on the outside of a tall building should change as the function of what goes on inside a building changes. Professor Paul E. Sprague calls Sullivan the first architect anywhere to give aesthetic unity to the tall building. Building on the firms successes, the Chicago Stock Exchange building in 1894 and the 1896 Guaranty Building in Buffalo, New York soon followed. After Wright went on his own in 1893 and after Adlers death in 1900, Sullivan was left to his own devices and is well-known today for a series of banks he designed in the midwest - the  1908 National Farmers Bank (Sullivans Arch) in Owatonna, Minnesota; the  1914 Merchants National Bank in Grinnell, Iowa; and the 1918 Peoples Federal Savings Loan in Sidney, Ohio. Residential architecture like the 1910 Bradley House in Wisconsin blurs the design line between Sullivan and his protege Frank Lloyd Wright. Wright and Sullivan Frank Lloyd Wright worked for Adler Sullivan from about 1887 to 1893. After the firms success with the Auditorium building, Wright played a larger role in the smaller, residential business. This is where Wright learned architecture. Adler Sullivan was the firm where the famous Prairie Style house was developed. The best-known mingling of architectural minds can be found in the 1890 Charnley-Norwood House, a vacation cottage in Ocean Springs, Mississippi. Built for Sullivans friend, Chicago lumber entrepreneur James Charnley, it was designed by both Sullivan and Wright. With that success, Charnley asked the pair to design his Chicago residence, today known as the Charnley-Persky house. The 1892 James Charnley house in Chicago is a grand extension of what began in Mississippi - grand masonry subtly adorned, unlike the fancy French, Chà ¢teauesque style Biltmore Estate that Gilded Age architect Richard Morris Hunt was building at the time. Sullivan and Wright were inventing a new ty pe of residence, the modern American home. Louis Sullivan gave America the skyscraper as an organic modern work of art, Wright has said. While Americas architects were stumbling at its height, piling one thing on top of another, foolishly denying it, Louis Sullivan seized its height as its characteristic feature and made it sing; a new thing under the sun! Van Allen Building, Designed by Louis H. Sullivan, 1913, Clinton, Iowa. Carol M. Highsmith/Buyenlarge/Getty Images (cropped) Sullivans designs often used masonry walls with terra cotta designs. Intertwining vines and leaves combined with crisp geometric shapes, as displayed in the terra cotta detailing of the Guaranty Building. This Sullivanesque style was imitated by other architects, and Sullivans later work formed the foundation for many of the ideas of his student, Frank Lloyd Wright. Sullivans personal life unraveled as he got older. As Wrights stardom ascended, Sullivans notoriety declined, and he died virtually penniless and alone on April 14, 1924 in Chicago. One of the worlds greatest architects, said Wright, he gave us again the ideal of a great architecture that informed all the great architectures of the world. Sources Frank Lloyd Wright On Architecture: Selected Writings (1894-1940), Frederick Gutheim, ed., Grossets Universal Library, 1941, p. 88Adler and Sullivan by Paul E. Sprague, Master Builders, Diane Maddex, ed., Preservation Press, Wiley, 1985, p. 106Additional Photo Credits: Terra Cotta Detail, Lonely Planet/Getty Images; Guaranty Building, Reading Tom on flickr.com, Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic (CC BY 2.0); Biltmore Estate, George Rose/Getty Images (cropped)

Legislative Action On Eyewitness Error And Wrongful Conviction Assignment

Legislative Action On Eyewitness Error And Wrongful Conviction - Assignment Example Ricardo Avilla, a neighbor whop lives across the street from the victims’ house testified in court that he saw the suspect run away from the house of the victims after hearing the gunshots. Avilla describes the suspect as a tall black man wearing a black coat and a grey cap. His description helped the police sketch the suspect’s picture. Another witness, Dan Christoffel, also –placed the suspect at the crime scene and gave a description of his physical appearance. A third witness, William also testified that he heard the suspect discuss how he murdered his victims. The appellant placed a doctor, Roy Malpass, on the stand to provide his opinion on the eye witness testimonies. Malpass was an expert on eyewitness identification, and his testimony was rejected by the jury who still found Tillman guilty. Kenneth Adams v. State†. This case involved a Kenneth L. Adams who, together with a Willie Rainge were convicted of murder, rape and aggravated kidnapping. Adams was sentenced to sixty years imprisonment for rape. He also got an additional seventy five years for each murder charge he was facing. The victims were Lawrence Lionberge and Carol Schmal. Carol, the victim is said to have gone to visit her boyfriend, Lawrence at his workplace. Carol is said to have been raped and shot here, and her boyfriend shot too. A witness later testifies to seeing the two defendants at the crime scene. Legislative action on eyewitness error and wrongful conviction. Undeniably, numerous cases have prompted judges to pass incorrect judgments on defendants due to the absence of adequate information. This is because of poor methods of collecting information and to some extent ignorance on the part of law enforcement officers. The involved parties in every case end up not being able to handle both the defendants as well as eyewitnesses based on the information they have attained (Wise, Dauphinais & Safer, 2007). To eliminate eyewitness errors, legal system ought to adopt the most effective method meant to extract the required information. This will ensure the convicted serve just sentences. In addition, it will ensure the entire process observes the involved parties’ rights, which the law dictates despite their role pertaining to the case. Therefore, this entails utilizing proficient officers to interrogate eyewitness and not excluding the service of eyewitness experts, for inst ance, psychologists (Tillman v. State, 2011). However, psychologists ought to be proficient in their field to the extent of being able to proffer the required information based on reliable scientific background and pertinent to the case supposed to undergo litigation process (Tillman v. State, 2011). In my opinion, the best solution or approach in eliminating numerous eyewitness errors that characterize litigation process is by employing tripartite solution (Wise, Dauphinais & Safer, 2007). In this solution, the initial step entails considering eyewitness’ testimony during the litigation process, which is also supported in the Tillman v. State case (Tillman v. State, 2011). Since, this enables the jury and those arbitrating cases to understand essential facts that may be difficult especially in the field judges are not conversant with, for instance, psychology (Martire & Kemp, 2009). This is evident in Tillman v. State’s case, though Dr. Malpass failed to present clear and convincing facts intended to prove the testimony, he claimed to have a strong scientific base. (Tillman v. State, 2011). Therefore, to ensure reliability of any information by eyewitness expert, the proponent ought to prove his or her (1) expertise employed is legitimate, (2) testimony lies within the required scope and (3) uses the field’

Business Plan Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words - 2

Business Plan - Essay Example Student Fast Food (SFF) is a small fast food outlet, working in Cambridge for five years, and now intends to transform itself into a proper pizza hut by means of innovative and resourceful strategies. Presently the point, registered with Department of Food and Live Stock, is offering few local fast food items to the students and general public. Generation of revenue and profit is the main purpose of SFF. Since it’s a service provider unit, therefore, customer service is the base of its existence. Our aim is to become the first choice of the customers and make them staying with us again and again. UK fast food is the largest fast food industry in Europe which is double and triple in size than Germany and French markets respectively. The expenditures have been increased since the start of 21st century in UK. "The UK fast food market grew by 5.2% and reached a value of $2.2 billion in 2008" (Datamonitor, August, 2009). The diversified cultures of UK along with various cultural tastes have put a significant impact on pizza industry. The main contributory items of fast food industry are sandwiches (Greggs, Subway, and Thurstens), burgers (McDonalds and Burger King), chicken (KFC), and pizza (Pizza Hut and Domino). In terms of catering and hospitality, the burger sector is leading that had revenue of  £9.33 billion in 2008. This revenue was 4.2% greater than the previous year and it was 22.2% of the total fast food market. By including the business of coffee shops, the revenue would reach  £11.22 billion, greater than 4.4% of the year 2007. The global turndown of 2008 has bene fited the UK fast food industry as it has increased its presence by 8% in 2009 as compared to the last year (http://www.whatmattersweblog.com). Similarly fast food restaurant has also increased by 8.2% in ten major cities of UK within one year.

Near Eastern and Egyptian Art Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Near Eastern and Egyptian Art - Essay Example The focus of the essay "Near Eastern and Egyptian Art" is on Eastern and Egyptian art and culture. It can be observed that in most of the world’s civilizations, there is a certain kind of interaction involving a deity, a holy person and the people of a nation. Such interactions are exemplified by passages from the Revised Standard Version of the Old Testament/Hebrew Bible like in Numbers 21:4-9 and 27:1-11, and Leviticus 8:1-9 as given from the readings. In all three readings, it is written that God speaks to His people, the Israelites through his prophet, Moses. He does not speak directly to the people, and He does not show Himself to them, but only to Moses. The people, on the other hand speak to God only through Moses, as they are not allowed to even set foot on holy ground. Moses is seen as an intermediary between God and His people, and he can speak to God directly and tell Him the pleas of the people, and he can tell the people the words of God. Based on this situation, there is a certain distance between the deity and the people through a mediator chosen by the deity as his representative to the people. Such similarities in religious customs can also be seen in the polytheism of ancient Egyptians. Much like in the early Israelites, the deities of ancient Egypt also do not speak to the people directly, but through medium such as the high priests in their holy temples, or through pharaohs that were given the same status as the gods. Such division can be seen in the layout of the temple of Amun-Re.

Research Methods for Managerial Decisions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Research Methods for Managerial Decisions - Essay Example Therefore, the observed values would be different for each case, hence the difference in the results. Coming to the problem of optimization, the only variable that is used for estimating the optimal values is known as the coefficient of multiple determinations, which is denoted by R2. According to theory, R2 is used to determine the proportion of the variation in the dependent variable that is explained by the set of independent variables. For the above 2 cases, R2 was found to be 0.546 & 0.570 respectively. This signifies that in the analysis, only 54.6% and 57% of the variation in the revenue can be accounted for by the 3 variables taken into consideration. If indeed one were to make the solution optimal, then it can only be done if the model were to explain the results in terms of the largest variation in the dependent variables along with the use of the fewest number of independent variables. As such, it would be optimal to include all the lagged values in the regression equation (as they are dependent variables), but along with this it would also be necessary to include the normal values (current advertising expenditure as well as the price index). The estimated advertising costs (under normal values) must be excluded, as it is not required. Under this scheme, the R2 turns out to be 0,756, which is the largest obtained among all possible combinations, and hence the most optimal. Under the following scenario, we adopt the Normal distribu

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Internal combustion engine - Essay Example Since the ports remains open during up word stroke, the actual compression starts only after both inlet and exhaust ports have been closed. So actual compression ratio and the thermal efficiency of the two stroke cycle engine is less than that of four stroke engine of the same dimension. In two stroke cycle engines the number of power strokes per minutes are twice the power strokes of four stroke cycle engine. So the capacity of cooling system used must be higher. The cooling of the engine also presents difficulty as quantity of heat remover per minutes is large. The piston gets over heated due to firing in each revolution and oil cooling of the piston is necessary. In two stroke cycle engine some of the fresh charge is mixed with burnt fuel and exhaust through the exhaust port which causes high fuel consumption. So two stroke cycle engine is not widely used except in the case where size is compact for example light vehicles, scooters, out board motor, motor cycle etc .Large two stroke cycle engine are generally CI engines. Two stroke CI engines are better for slow and moderate speeds.

Research Methods for Managerial Decisions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Research Methods for Managerial Decisions - Essay Example Therefore, the observed values would be different for each case, hence the difference in the results. Coming to the problem of optimization, the only variable that is used for estimating the optimal values is known as the coefficient of multiple determinations, which is denoted by R2. According to theory, R2 is used to determine the proportion of the variation in the dependent variable that is explained by the set of independent variables. For the above 2 cases, R2 was found to be 0.546 & 0.570 respectively. This signifies that in the analysis, only 54.6% and 57% of the variation in the revenue can be accounted for by the 3 variables taken into consideration. If indeed one were to make the solution optimal, then it can only be done if the model were to explain the results in terms of the largest variation in the dependent variables along with the use of the fewest number of independent variables. As such, it would be optimal to include all the lagged values in the regression equation (as they are dependent variables), but along with this it would also be necessary to include the normal values (current advertising expenditure as well as the price index). The estimated advertising costs (under normal values) must be excluded, as it is not required. Under this scheme, the R2 turns out to be 0,756, which is the largest obtained among all possible combinations, and hence the most optimal. Under the following scenario, we adopt the Normal distribu

Plotinus and His Theory of Beauty Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Plotinus and His Theory of Beauty - Essay Example It is everything and nothing, everything and nowhere. The One is the source of all beings and, as the Good, the goal of all aspirations, human and non-human." (Bussanich, 1996, p. 38). According to Plotinus, everything that exists in the world flows out of the One and it is the One which emanates the divine Intellect. In turn, the Intellect originates the Soul, which incorporates the world soul, the human and other souls, and it is the Soul which produces the nature and matter in the universe. To Plotinus, one of the most striking features of the One is that it remains ever-complete and undiminished, in spite of the emanation and the idea of emanation of the One indicates that reality is structured in a hierarchical order, stretching from the uplifting source down to corporeal matter. Plotinus' theory of beauty can be realized in relation to his overall metaphysical psychology. As Binita Mehta maintains, the perception of beauty, according to Plotinus, dumbfounds the soul and fills i t with love. ... It is a phenomenological fact that an experience of rapturous delight that beauty evokes creates an appetite in us for further similar experiences For Plotinus, even a purely sensuous beauty can serve as a starting point of the quest for higher beauty." (Mehta). According to Plotinus, even the beauty in the material world should be realized as the reflection of the intelligible beauty. Therefore, there is an essential power for beauty as the apprehension of sensible beauty can very well propel the soul to realize the source of this lower form of beauty in the intelligible realm. In other words, beauty in every form and element can lead one to the ultimate source of beauty which is the source of everything in the world. Essentially, a reflective analysis of the theory of beauty according to Plotinus confirms that beauty is closely connected to the Divine or the One who is the ultimate source of all beings, and the concept of beauty has a great role in the ascent of the Soul to the One or the Divine. The notion of beauty has an essential role in the metaphysics of Plotinus who develops his theory of beauty in the I.6 and V.8 of his book the Enneads and a reflective analysis of these sections of the book can greatly offer the basics of notion of beauty according to the author. In the I.6 section of the book, Plotinus maintains that "Beauty addresses itself chiefly to sight, but there is a beauty for hearing too, as in certain combinations of words and all kinds of music, for melodies and cadences are beautiful; and minds that lift themselves above the realm of sense to higher order are aware of beauty in the conduct of life, in actions, in character, in the pursuit of the intellect; and there is beauty of the virtues. What loftier beauty there may be, yet, our

Acupuncture as a nonconventional treatment for chronic neck pain Essay Example for Free

Acupuncture as a nonconventional treatment for chronic neck pain Essay Acupuncture as a nonconventional treatment for chronic neck pain Introduction   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   IntroductionNeck pain has been classified as one of the commonest problems among the people. This condition arises from various disorders or it may originate from tissues located at the neck (Hush, et al., (2009).The neck is also known as a cervical spine. The necks structure is characterized by vertebrae which run from the upper torso to the skull’s base. The stability of the spine is associated to ligaments and muscles that run along the vertebrae (National Institutes of Health. (2013). A neck’s main importance is its mobility and the support it accords to the head. It is prone to injuries because it is not offered much protection like the rest of the spine. Injuries normally cause less and restricted mobility and triggers NAIP. Unfortunately neck pain are not accorded seriousness, most people treat the neck pain as temporary. There are unique cases where the symptoms do not go away and hence diagnosis and corresponding treatment is required (American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (2013).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Researchers (De Loose, V., Burnotte, F., Cagnie, B., Stevens, V., Van Tiggelen, D. (2008). have found out that the pains are caused by several factors such as wear and tear, sprains and abnormalities of the neck tissue. There is evidence of neck pains arising from other pains such as arm or shoulder pains (De loose, 2008). Normally activities such as extreme bends of the neck, falls and vehicle accidents can cause neck injuries. In certain situations damage of the neck can damage the spine causing paralysis. Researchers have also found out that Spondylosis which occurs in people above the age of 40, adds strains to neck joints creating a path for chronic neck pain. But the condition is treatable through both conventional and nonconventional methods.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Researchers and doctors have identified acupuncture as a nonconventional treatment method which is a very effective method for treating chronic neck pains. Researcher (Blosssfeldt, 2004), says that, acupuncture is gaining momentum as a popular nonconventional treatment method for chronic neck pain. He also adds that, the method has been well tolerated and has low risk of adverse effects. (Liang et al, 2008) says that, a combination of both traditional and modern acupuncture technique usually result in a documented and improved neck pain patterns. (Blossfeldt, 2004) adds that acupuncture is widely accepted and it is utilized as a complementary therapy useful in neck pain management originating from cervical spondylitis.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Researchers have carried out studies relating to acupuncture systematic review with an aim to find out on acupuncture effectiveness. The studies have found effectiveness evidence as inconclusive (salter et al, 2004). There are studies which have produced results which are positively favoring acupuncture and there are other results which have produced negative findings on the effective of the method (salter et al, 2004).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Due to the varying results, this research was developed to find out on the effectiveness of acupuncture method as a non-conventional method in treatment of chronic neck pains in relation to other research findings. In respect to national health statistics and reports, Survey data analysis can be used by medical professionals to measure the pain levels of patients before and after acupuncture treatment. Gathering results from various studies and comparing with the structures of acupuncture and preventive measures of neck pains can help us determine on the effectiveness of acupuncture as a treatment method. In this literature review the researcher will review on 1) how to establish the viability of acupuncture therapies in the treatment of chronic neck pain; 2) understanding of how sham, shallow and randomized acupuncture therapies are utilized in the treatment of chronic neck pain; 3)provide a conclusive evidence of the success of acupunctu re as an ideal method of relieving pain; 4)establish the effects of the three acupuncture therapies in the treatment of individuals with chronic pain of the neck; 5)offer recommendation of the viability of acupuncture as a treatment option that can be used by people with chronic neck pains. The researcher will also compare the duration of acupuncture treatment with other methods and also the cost associated and risk factors thereof.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   METHODOLOGYTarget PopulationThe research data collected in this study focused on patients suffering from chronic neck pain. The individuals used in the research fell within the age of 21 and 55 years old. Although there are many patients who report about neck pain ailments in different health care facilities across the United States, patients withinthe ages of 21 and 55 years old were ideal for this research study. This was due to the fact that they were easier to track their progress of healing over a longer period of time. Elderly patients over the age of 55 years were not best placed in this research considering the various attributes in the healing processes of such people, which was proven to be relatively lower. Most of the data aboutindividuals with chronic pain of the neck was randomly collected in health care facilities in the State of California, United States. The majority of these patients were diagnosed with chronic neck pain and were put under a special focus while three acupuncture methods of therapies were performed(Witt 2004, p. 99). The study generally involved a thorough investigation of 191 patients in California’s health care. It is important to acknowledge that the various patients were deliberately initiated to acupuncture treatment as their decision to try the alternative medical practice after unsuccessful treatments in the mainstream medical procedures.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   There were certainly no limitation on the sex of the patients; hence the research involved both male and female patients. Additionally, there was no specified number of male or females in the study, as patients, treatment and progress of treatment of patients was randomly taken. Further, it was assumed that both male and female patients presented similar responses to the different acupuncture therapies performed in the study(Sun et al, 2009, p. 850).The research was not limited by either ethnicity or race, although believed to have different characteristics in regard to various medical procedures.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Variables of the studyThe dependent variables in this study included the neck pain as an ailment caused by various aspects such as physical injury and disease or condition among others. The rates of cases involving chronic neck pains during the period of this study were generally unprecedented as the causes of such ailments greatly varied. Chronic neck pain among the patients varied in regard to the specific causes, which in this case included degenerative disc disease, neck injury, neck strain, herniated disc as well as pinched neck(Sun et al, 2009, p. 850). The first step in the treatment procedure involved a thorough diagnosis of common neck infections that caused the chronic pain. The research exploits treatment of such neck pains using acupuncture which falls into three categories including optimized acupuncture, shallow acupuncture and sham acupuncture.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Research LimitationsThe key limitations were based on neck pain due to common infection like virus infection of the neck and lymph nope swelling, as well as other infections such as tuberculosis of the neck, meningitis, and infection of spine bones around the neck. It was difficult in the study since some of patients did not present themselves on the day of the study. The study also used a large number of patients which was a challenge for the researcher. The different patients involved in this study had chronic neck pains attributed to extremely different causes, which included physical injuries, some rare infections, and virus infections among others(Witt 2004, p. 99). The patients with this problem are generally taken through the three acupuncture therapies, regardless of the cause of their condition(Hush 2004, p. 1533). The fact that all patients are uniformly taken into similar medical procedures without being categorized in relation to their specific cause of chronic neck pain remain as the greatest limiting attribute of this research. Additionally, time was a limiting factor since the time allowed for the research was not enough to efficiently tackle critically the objectives of the study.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Research criteria and Database usedIn this study, the items were collected through searching peer reviewed journal articles and therefore, the researcher thoroughly searched in various databases for article that provided information for patients suffering from chronic neck pains, specifically those individuals between the age of 21 and 55 years old. The researcher further categorized the data collected to form two groups of patients of the age bracket of 21 and 34 years and those between 35 and 55 years old. The creation of these two groups was essential as taking a wider range of people of ages 21 to 55 years old would present relatively a higher deviation in the healing processes of the patients, as those above the age of 35 years present a much longer period of healing as compared to the youthful 21 to 34 years group. The researcher focused the search on SPORT Discus, Academic Search Premier, BMJ Research Articles and Gov., database.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Keywords used in the studyThe key terms the researcher commonly used while searching for the relevant articles included: Chronic neck pain, cervical pain types of acupuncture, alternative medicine, Sham acupuncture, Shallow acupuncture and Randomized acupuncture.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   OVERVIEW OF ACUPUNCTURE PRACTICEPracticing acupuncture started many centuries ago as a type of medication in China. It is the practice of implanting needles at certain points of the human skin as a form of therapy. In acupuncture practices, there is no involvement of drugs but only the needles are enough to accomplish the therapy (Liang et al, 8). The practice originated from China and has been noted to spread all over west of Europe (Liang et al, 8).As argued by the model on Chinese medicine, the specific places that the acupuncture needles are placed lies on the path named meridians where the dynamic energy goes through, hence allowing its access to control and regulate the flow of energy which is believed to be the cause of force imbalance (Willich et al, 2006, p. 98).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Populations and AcupunctureAcupuncture has been practiced in several parts globally, especially in Europe even though it is in its inception stages in the United States. According to NHI survey done in the year 2007 that also considered the use of CAM in America,where 1.4% of the respondents were found to be using acupuncture before then. The 3.1 million of the American population claimed they only practice it majorly for severe migraine and repetitive pain. The study showed that half of the respondents used acupuncture to treat chronic neck pain (Sun et al, 2009, p. 850).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The practice should obviously be regarded by physicians as an ideal treatment preference due to the backing it has received from those individuals who have used it in the treatment of chronic neck pain. Subsequently, the study did not restrict the adults basing on their gender due to limited research.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   CHRONIC NECK PAINChronic neck pain is an ailment that is characterized by pain in the neck that lasts for an unusually long period of time, commonly over a period of three months(Blossfeldt, 2004). Although different from the common medical conditions of neck pains that last for only days, chronic neck pain is typically an ailment that takes even years without success in its treatment in the mainstream medical practices(Irnich, 2002). Chronic neck pain is usually associated with a number of disorders, as well as diseases that can involve any of the tissues around the neck(Witt 2004, p. 99). For instance, the common causes of this condition are strains of the neck, injury of the neck like a herniated disc, pinched disc, or whiplash, and degenerative disc disease. In addition, chronic neck pain is also linked to common infection like virus infection of the neck and lymph nope swelling, as well as other infections such as tuberculosis of the neck, meningitis, and infection of spine bones around the neck. Some patients also had chronic neck pains caused by extremely different causes, which include physical injuries, some rare infections, and virus infections among others. Further, chronic neck pain is also caused by certain infections like virus infection of the neck and lymph nope swelling, as well as other infections such as tuberculosis of the neck, meningitis, and infection of spine bones around the neck.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   RISK FACTORS OF CHRONIC NECK PAINSChronic neck pain is generally caused by numerous factors ranging from physical injury to certain infections around the neck body tissues. Since neck pain affects the muscles around the body areas of the neck, it becomes painful to move the neck (De Loose, 2008, p. 475). In order to avoid or to prevent neck pains for the patients, it is always essential to consider staying away from activities may twist the neck and subsequently aggravate the already painful section of the neck(Witt 2004, p. 99). Therisk factors for the pain usually include injury from involvement in activities like motor vehicle accidents, horse riding, contact sports and bull riding among others, degeneration of cervical disc also known as Spondylitis, neck bent and twisting positions (De Loose, 2008, p. 475).In addition, it is also advisable to have activities that will enhance neck strengthening exercise, as well as neck bracing, reduc e TV watching usage of safety belts in motor vehicles and going to the gym for exercise.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   TYPES OF ACUPUNCTURE USED IN CHRONIC NECK PAIN TREATMENTOptimized acupuncture therapyThe practice of optimized acupuncture therapy involves the utilization of traditional acupuncture, which is usually followed by intradermal needle therapy, commonly referred to as INT(Hush 2004, p. 1533). The use of OAT usually consists of the use of nine acupuncture points typically selected for an optimized acupuncture therapy group on the advice and consensus of the national expert committee of the OAT procedures. In this case, four points are subsequently located by physician intending to perform the OAT. The points selected are usually the cervical positive reactions planes found in the top and bottom of the cervical planes as well as horizontally away from the corresponding cervical vertebra(Witt 2004, p. 99). The study found that this type of acupuncture practice is highly sensitive and hence the need to be performed by an individual with more than five of practice experiences   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Sham acupuncture therapyThe practice is put into use only as a tool for control in the scientific research in order to measure the efficiency of real acupuncture in various disease treatment. This type of acupuncture involves the use of skin penetrating shallow needles on the specified sham groups’ tender points.The tender points that are used in this method of acupuncture therapy are categorized as the key areas recommended for the acupuncture, which are the Ah Shee, also referred to as â€Å"oh yes point†. The points are crucial in this therapy and have to be used throughout the treatment procedure. Typically, the location of sham points is commonly defined by 25mm lateral extending to the standard location used for the OAT group.They include: the sham point of Dazhui (GV14) 25mm, which is 25 mm vertically below the usual standard GV14, sham points of (S115) Jianzhongshu and Huatuojiaji, which is 25 mm lateral to standard S 115 (Liang et al, 8). After the sham acupuncture, individuals undergoing the process or patients are treated through the use of point pressing (De Loose, 2008, p. 475). The findings show that a patient does not notice whether it is sham or real acupuncture being used. The results showed that the variation between real and sham practices are caused by habituation or the control effects. If the real acupuncture is efficient compared to the sham, then the habituation and control effects such as expectations of the patient, behavior and beliefs are present.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Shallow acupuncture therapyShallow acupuncture group undergoes similar procedures as the other OAT groups.However, the physicians are required to insert the needles in a vertical manner in order to reach the subcutaneous level at a specified depth of not more than 3 mm (Salter et al, 2004). Needle manipulation or any other sensation is prohibited in this particular group. Ultimately, after the shallow acupuncture, the patients are additionally treated by INT through the use of a similar method as in the other OAT groups. It was found that the therapy do not fully treat the pain fully due to its shallow penetration hence the need for additional treatment that follow the same procedures. It results to a more efficient treatment in comparison to other therapies though takes much time (Salter et al, 2004).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   ACUPUNCTURE AS AN IDEAL METHOD COMPARED TO PHYSIOTHERAPYZhuang (2012); Robertshawe, (2008), compares the use of acupuncture and physiotherapy in the treatment of chronic neck pain in a research that took place in China. The research involved screening of a total of 310 patients. The patients were then randomly split into two equal groups, where one group was treated using acupuncture method, while the other group received treatment through physiotherapy. The outcome of the treatment of the two procedures revealed that patients treated under acupuncture procedures had better results in relieving neck pain, particularly after a period of three months. It is essential to acknowledge that physiotherapy is an alternative medical practice that can be used in the treatment of chronic neck pain. While acupuncture therapies generally used sterilizes needles that are usually inserted in the area around the neck depending on the type of acupuncture u sed, physiotherapy does not involve the use of needles. Physiotherapy utilizes several types of manipulation as well as exercise to relieve pain. The common illustration of the use of physiotherapy is the stretch, strengthen and straighten up exercise movements of the neck (Robertshawe, 2008; Willich, 2006).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   EFFECTS OF ACUPUNCTURE TREATMENTWhite, (2001); Ji-Eun, (2010), researched about the adverse effects following a use of acupuncture to treat patients with chronic neck pain. In his survey, which included a prospective survey of 32,000 consultations with physiotherapists and doctors, the researcher, Adrian White aimed at ascertaining the incidence of adverse effects that are related to acupuncture treatment, as practiced by British doctors during that time. The research utilized data that were collected for the June of 1998 to February of 2000, from a total of 78 acupuncturists. Altogether the resulting significant effects were 43, subsequently giving only a rate of only 14 patients of the 10,000 patients included in the data. The results of this study showed that only 0.14 percent of the patients who used acupuncture in the treatment of chronic pain experience adverse effects (White, 2001). All the adverse effects were reported to have had cleared within the period of one week after the therapy. Similar diminishing effects were characterized at a longer period, except for only one incident that lasted for several weeks. The result derived from the data of acupuncture treatment did not report any serious adverse effects. The rates can only be classified as minimal considering that it was only 14 adverse effects out of the total 10,000 patients who were analyzed with the data provided (White, 2001; Ji-Eun, 2010). Generally, these effect rates do not give significant risk per individual patient.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   RECOMMENDATION ON ACUPUNCTURE’S VIABILITYThe article by Chen, et al., (2010), offers exclusive views on acupuncture given by various physicians. The research by Chen among other authors who contributed to the article, there study targets collecting information that addresses the role of acupuncture in the management of pain in regard to opinions of physicians who manage such conditions. The research was conducted between 2007 and 2008 using a nationwide e-mail to 1083 physicians who were in active acupuncture practice in the United States. Chan et al., (2010) found that the overwhelmingly majority of the responders of the survey had a positive attitude and favorable experience of the use of acupuncture as an alternative modality in the management of chronic pain. The results of the survey subsequently indicate that acupuncture is considered effective by physicians in the management of chronic neck pain.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   CASE STUDIES:Acupuncture for patients with chronic neck painWitt et al., (2006) undertook the study in examining how effective acupuncture as an alternative treatment for neck pain treatment in comparison to patients who used routine medical care. The study used a random approach of more than 14000 individuals aged above 18 suffering from neck pain symptoms within a period of 6 months. Also took a non-acupuncture for 15 sessions within a period of 3 months. The acupuncture category were given injections without any other acupuncture treatment. The group which was controlled was not treated using acupuncture but both groups could use any other mode of treatment. The study found out that patients using routine care and add on acupuncture treatment showed significant improvements in both pain and quality of their lives in comparison to patients who only used routine treatments. Therefore, the results concludes that acupuncture can be used alo ngside routine treatments to achieve optimal results.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Efficacy and safety of acupunctureVas, et al, (2006) conducted a study to establish the effectiveness of acupuncture vis a vis placebo. Both methods were to be utilized to treat chronic neck pains that were not complicated. (N=123) patients, who were over the ages 17 and who possessed chronic neck pains for over 3 months were used. They were randomly selected into 2 groups, the acupuncture group and placebo group. For 3 weeks, the acupuncture group was treated with 5 acupuncture treatments. The treatment characteristics were, 30 minutes treatment followed by 10 minutes manual treatments. While the placebo group was subjected to transcutaneous nerve stimulation, which was characterized by 30 minutes of treatment and the potentiometer was being adjusted after every 10 minutes.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The findings from this study were that, acupuncture as a form of neck treatment had minimal side effects. For overall effectiveness, acupuncture was found to have higher effectiveness than placebo. Researchers conclusively said that, acupuncture was effective.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   DISCUSSIONIn its broad context, this research has dwelled in covering all the related material on acupuncture and especially its effectiveness in treatment of acupuncture. Most are the studies which have found considerable effectiveness and a few studies have found less significant improvement in acupuncture use. The researchers (salter et al, 2006; Liang et al 2012; Chen et al 2010; vas et al 2006) have favorably recognized acupuncture as an effective non-conventional treatment method.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   From the review above, it is evident that all the methods of acupuncture are effective in treatment of chronic neck pains. Sham, optimization and shallow acupuncture all have a capacity of effectiveness when administered well. The various studies by salter have provided solid practical evidence and information on patients’ health upon using all the three types of acupuncture in treatment of patients and individuals (salter et al 2004). For example in 2007, a national health interview survey in America found that, 1.4% of respondents have used acupuncture to treat chronic neck pains. That percentage reported success, which is a testament to acupunctures effectiveness (National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine 2012).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   (Blossfeldt, 2004) in his research notes that, acupuncture optimized technique success rate was a favorable 68%. Blossfeldt also noted that, on short term basis, acupuncture was 78% effective, while on long term basis it was 49% effective. Salter also found out on effectiveness of acupuncture. The neck pain questionnaire that he used for a period of 3 months, found out that, of the 34 % of the patients who have neck pains, 14% of these have effectively used acupuncture therapy (salter et al 2004) another researcher Liang, who conducted studies in china in association with other scholars, they found out that optimized acupuncture as a method of treating chronic neck pains was very effective.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Although I extensively performed research on a wide range of databases, there are some articles that may have been missed out. Since I was individually conducting this research alone, it is possible that the large number of crucial articles were subsequently overlooked. In addition, there are many external factors that could have influenced the entire result of the use of acupuncture as an ideal treatment for chronic neck pain. The majority of studies slightly differ in a number of issues such as data collected, population, or any of combinations of these factors. White (2001) precisely researched about the adverse events following a use of acupuncture to treat patients with chronic neck pain, with an extreme number of respondents. Chen, L. et al., (2010), had a relatively smaller number of responders, and also had collection of data to be collected only through email in his research on the effectiveness of acupuncture in the management of chronic pain in the neck. These are some of the factors that were out of the scope of the research, hence determining the effectiveness of acupuncture was difficult, since the aspect of effectiveness could easily be isolated from some external factors.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The analysis of the specific information provided by the studies of the literature review of this research paper indicates that either of the three methods of acupuncture can effectively treat the chronic neck pain. The procedural practice of sham, shallow and optimized acupuncture, though different, they present similar way of performing the acupuncture therapy, equally offering effective treatment for chronic neck pain. Liang et al, (2012) asserts that the three types of acupuncture to be based on the thought that decrease or alienation of pain can be enhanced by releasing the chemicals responsible for blocking pain. Issues of age in the study have been considered as the research only focused on individuals between 21 years old and 55 years, as they are likely to have a faster period of healing as compared to adult elderly groups of more than 55 years old. Generally, the use of acupuncture is illustrated as effective as it has previously been used to treat patients with chronic neck pain.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The loopholes evident in the research include the possibility of a prior knowledge in determining the differences that may emerge upon consideration for gender in the treatment program. In the entire study, there is no single explanation of the ratio of females against the males in finding out the effectiveness of acupuncture treatment procedures. The study focused on a general perspective of patients with chronic neck pain regardless of their respective sex or gender. The knowledge of the differences that exist between males and females could have some effects on the understanding the use of acupuncture. In addition, the paper did not focus on the causes of the various neck pain, which could also compromise the results of the study, considering that such plans are typically attributed to a wide variety of causes.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Topics that can be considered for further research are establishing the element of gender in determining the effectiveness of acupuncture while treating chronic neck problem. The various studies illustrated in the research paper did not point out the importance of understanding differences in the healing process of male and female patients with chronic neck pain. I suggest a study be conducted with a major emphasis on the aspect of gender differences between patients in order to determine the effectiveness of acupuncture treatment for neck pain in male and female patients. 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