Ethics in counselling Essay

Issue One: Breaching Confidentiality in Counseling Minors Before we move into the topic, we want to explore the issue of confidentiality in counseling. This is applicable to not just minors but also all age groups, religions, cultures and genders. Remley (1985) stated that confidentiality is an ethical standard that is a rule of practice set forth by a profession. The American Counseling Association’s (ACA) Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice require that counselors respect their clients’ right to privacy and avoid illegal and unwarranted disclosures of confidential information. The ACA code lists the exceptions to confidentiality as when disclosure is required to prevent clear and imminent danger to the client or others or when legal requirements demand that confidential information be revealed. When counseling clients who are minors or individuals who are unable to give voluntary, informed consent, parents or guardians may be included in the counseling process as appropriate. Counselors act in the best interest of clien ts and take measures to safeguard confidentiality. Confidentiality should exist for the benefit of the client be it whether the client is a minor or not. Should parents or guardians be involved in the counseling process, the counselor must act with exceedingly professional expertise when disclosing confidential information. There is an ethical responsibility to obtain the minor’s permission before releasing information. For counseling to be effective and to provide an environment in which the client feels free to share concerns, the counselor must be able to assure minor clients that personal information will be kept confidential to build trust between them. There are vacillating priorities between the rights of the child, school policy, guardians’ rights, and dictates of laws and ethical codes (Glosoff & Pate, 2002; Lawrence & Kirpius, 2000). There is a tenuous balancing act among the parents who desire autonomy in raising their children, the governmental agencies safeguarding public welfare, and the minor who deserves both privacy and protection. The ACA Code of Ethics (1995) highlights the needs for the counselor to clarify client relationships in  families to directly address any possible conflicts, and to promote flexibility in the decision to involve a guardian in the counseling process as long as confidentiality and the client’s best interests are safeguarded. Recognition of the need for a thorough understanding of ethical and legal requirements also applies to the issue of duty to warn. A counselor with a flexible orientation toward confidentiality will usually make an independent decision based on merits of each separate case that promotes the moral principle of fidelity in which the child’s trust is protected by keeping the promises inherent in confidentiality issues (Glosoff & Pate, 2002). An evaluation of what is in the child’s best interest will predominate, which underscores the moral principles of beneficence. This is seen as an ambiguous process that is influenced by the counselor’s cultural background and personal values and biases. Conversely, no guarantee of confidentiality erodes the foundation of trust in therapy, leading to increased client resistance and premature termination. In this situation, from the outset an adolescent will be reluctant to enter a counseling relationship with a professional who apparently views the referring agency, court, school, or guardian as the real client rather than the teen. An attitude of flexibility toward confidentiality offers the ability to be adaptable to various situations, but throws the counselor into the nebulous area of trying to negotiate the balance of ethical and legal dictates. A more moderate stance embraces the advice of the ACA Code of Ethics regarding clarification of counseling relationships and can draw the adolescent into the decision-making process, which strengthens therapeutic rapport. Similarly, a counselor asking the child’s permission before disclosure gives the minor a sense of control and helps diminish damage to trust when sharing informa tion is necessary. In the course of work when working with minors, I sometimes can be unclear about my ethical obligations concerning confidentiality, especially with adolescents. When they mention activities such as shoplifting, alcoholism, drug experimentation and the most tricky case of sexual habits, it becomes a difficult issue. The question of confidentiality in ethics come into question and the counselor, or myself in this case, will struggle with  building trust with the client and involving the parents in the counseling process. Let’s consider a case study. Joseph’s parents divorced when he was 5 and he has been living with his mother since. His mother used to attend therapy with him when she noticed he was very withdrawn and didn’t communicate very much since the incident. The therapy went on for a year. Now at age 16, he has been sent to his counselor after his form teacher has noticed his constant late coming to school and also looking listless and distracted during lessons. His grades have also taken a sharp dip. His close friend, Kenneth, tells the teacher that Joseph has been attending all-night parties and has started to experiment with drugs and alcohol. Joseph doesn’t say much during the counselling sessions except mentioning that he has got a girlfriend now, who is 7 years his senior, and wants to move in with her. They met at a party and got sexually involved with each other and he now feels responsible for taking care of her. He insists the relationship is built out of love and that his parents should no t hear or have a say in any of this. His counsellor has shared her concerns with Joseph and is struggling with whether she has an obligation to disclose anything to his parents. It would be helpful to consider this case from three perspectives: that of law, clinical practice and ethics. The law generally states that minors cannot consent to treatment and a parent or guardian will consent on the minor’s behalf. The parent who consents on the minor’s behalf generally has the right to know the content of the child’s treatment until the minor reaches the legal age of (usually) 18. From a clinical perspective, the situation is more complex. An important aspect of treatment is to foster an individual’s autonomy, and a great pleasure of treating adolescents is to watch as they come to enjoy their growing independence. One aspect of independence is privacy. As a child grows into adolescence and adulthood, the surrounding zone of privacy should increase, thus making room for a more defined sense of se lf and a greater sense of autonomy. A paradox thus arises: Good clinical treatment may require what the law generally refuses, that is, a zone of privacy. I feel that early in the relationship the counselor should make clear what relationship she will have to each of the parties (the minor and the parents/guardians). It should be accompanied by an explanation of how information-sharing will work, what  information will be shared, with whom and when, in a manner appropriate to the minor’s age and understanding. As the child develops and grows up, the structure of the therapy may change for clinical reasons and this will have ethical implications. The minor’s greater sense of self and enhanced capacity for autonomy may require greater respect for the child’s need for privacy. The counselor will thus need to revisit earlier discussions and explain that, for clinical reasons, the structure of the therapy should change. Such boundary renegotiation is clinically and ethically indicated. However, a coun selor cannot promise a minor that information will be kept from a parent who has legal custody. A parent with the legal right to treatment information may choose, however counterproductive in the counselor’s eyes, to exercise that right. Clinical judgement will also be able to indicate to what extent maintaining an adolescent’s privacy is central to the treatment. A counselor may conclude that an adolescent’s wish not to have information shared reflects an appropriate separation and so should be honored or he may also conclude that sharing certain information would be helpful. If so, the ethical standards from the section on â€Å"Privacy and Confidentiality† gives the counselor permission to do so. Nonetheless, regardless of whether an adolescent assents to have information disclosed to a parent, it makes both clinical and ethical sense to tell the adolescent beforehand, what information will be shared, and when. Ideally, the adolescent would be part of such conversations. There may also be times when a counselor will be mandated to disclose information. Serious threats of harm, neglect and abuse falls under mandatory reporting laws and must be disclosed in many states. Adolescents should be told that serious threats of harm to self or others will also not be kept confidential. A counselor may feel strongly that revealing information to a parent could harm the minor or be destructive to the treatment. Refusal to disclose in such a case, even in the face of a parent’s request, may be legally supportable. A counselor in this position should se ek both legal counsel and consultation from colleagues. Joseph’s therapist revisited the issue of confidentiality when Joseph expressed a wish that she not speak with his mother. A compromise was reached whereby the therapist would speak to Joseph’s mother only with Joseph present. The issue of confidentiality became more complicated when the therapist felt that certain information should be shared and Joseph  refused. The therapist should gently explore with Joseph the reasons behind this refusal. During some sessions, the therapist should be direct with Joseph about her discomfort with his behavior, especially the illegal activities, and point out the kinds of risks he was taking. Hopefully, over time, they would agree that Joseph himself would begin to speak to his mother about these issues, and that the therapist could follow up with a phone call. It is important to discuss each and every contact between the therapist and mother thoroughly with Michael, as well as to support his independent use of psychotherapy. Issue Two: Transcultural Issues in Counseling As a counselor, we will be working with clients from various cultures. In order to work effectively with culturally diverse individuals and groups, it is important to know what culture means in people’s lives and to recognise differences that might be culturally-based. The idea of culture is interesting and important, but can be very hard to define and understand. Culture is a set of meanings that provides a sort of blueprint for how we should think, feel, and behave in order to be a part of a group. It includes patterns of traditions, beliefs, values, expectations, and symbols; in fact, every aspect of who we are that isn’t biological in origin. Often people are part of more than one culture; for example, we may belong to a professional group, a religious group, and social groups each of which has its own way of speaking, dressing, and behaving. Often we don’t recognise aspects of our culture until we encounter cultural ideas or practices that are different from ours. Knowing our own culture is an important aspect of self-awareness, however, because we need to be able to recognise culturally-based differences. Some cultural differences that affect counselling relationships include communication styles, for example the way words and phrases are used, the degree of importance given to non-verbal communication, and the appropriate degree of assertiveness in communicating. Different attitudes toward conflict, for example whether conflict is positive or should be avoided, whether conflict should be resolved in face-to-face meetings. Different approaches to completing tasks, for example whether or not it is important to build a relationship with another person in order to work with him or her on completing a task. Different styles of decision-making, for  example majority rule or consensus. Different attitudes about open emotion and personal matters. Different approaches to knowing, for example through symbolic imagery and rhythm, library research, visiting people who have had similar challenges. As a counsellor, we will be working with children and families from various cultural backgrounds. One of the most important things to remember is not to assume that another person has the same values, beliefs, and practices that you do. We have to use our observation, listening, and questioning skills to learn what is important to the other person and how they see the world. We need to be open to learning about other ways of seeing and living in the world. Counselors need to be aware of their own ethnicity and how it influences their interactions with other cultural groups. Problems need to be understood within the context of the person’s ethnicity. We learn from our culture, appropriate ways of responding to illness. For example, one group of people may tend to complain about their physical problems, while another may deny having any pain and see it as a form of punishment. Attitudes towards seeking help also vary from one ethnic group to another. It is important to clearly spell out the tasks of the first session to all family members and explain in detail the client-counselor relationship. The expectations the family may have about the encounter might be based on its experience with the medical profession. The family may expect the counselor to take charge and provide advice. By being direct, active and using a structured approach, the counselor establishes rapport with the family. The ethnic group may perceive the family as the primary source of support for its members. If this is the case, the family may be experiencing shame and guilt for not being able to solve its own problems. For example, an individual may turn to the family for support and seek our outsiders for support as a last resort. In some cultures, it is not acceptable to express personal concerns with a stranger; therefore, the clients adopt the counselor into their family. There may be fears and embarrassment about not being able to speak the language of the dominant culture well enough to express difficulties. As a result the counselor may view the client as passive and resistant. Culture influences the family’s orientation toward being internally or externally controlled. An internally oriented family has the belief that their achievements, or lack of achievements, are determined by their own actions, thus shaping their destiny. On the other hand, an externally oriented family has the belief that achievements and non achievements occur independently of their actions and that the future is predicated on chance. An externally oriented family may be interpreted by an internally focused counselor as procrastinators. Another important dimension when working with the people who are from cultures different than our own is the locus of responsibility. Locus of responsibility assesses the amount of responsibility or blame given to the client or the clients system. Determining if the individual or the system is the cause of the behavior is important when making an assessment and determining interventions. In Canadian culture often the individual is seen as being responsible for his/her actions. Racial and ethnic minorities whose behaviors deviate from the middle class are labeled as deviant. Be aware of ethno cultural roles and hierarchy. If the father is considered the authority figure, make sure you address him, first showing respect for his cultural positions. In attempting to seek information from the children, it is important to acquire permission before proceeding with the interview. Inquire about issues that may be specific to a particular ethnic group. Family members are often delighted to teach counselors about the key â€Å"insults† of their cultural group. If you experience resistance, check to see if you have violated a culture norm. We need to take note when the counselor becomes overly concerned about the family’s ethnicity to the point where one loses perspective as to their reason for seeking help. A major assumption for culturally sensitive counseling is that counselors can acknowledge their own tendencies and the limit of their cultures on other people. Thus, it is essential for counselors to understand their cultures and their worldviews before helping and assisting other people. According to Padilla, Boxley, and Wagner (1973), there is increasing evidence that the trained counselor is not prepared to deal with individuals who are culturally different from them. Cultural sensitivity remains as one of the  important characteristics of effective counseling. Padilla et al’s writing also shows that one of the characteristics of an effective counselor is the ability to recognize diversity and cultural differences. It is undeniable that the need to attend multicultural diversity of clients is more obvious when counselors and clients have different cultural backgrounds. Culture is the core of internal ways in which human beings develop their sense of self, including values, beliefs, thought patterns, perceptions, and worldviews. All these qualities help determine and shape one’s external culture – the ways in which one establishes and maintains a relationship with the environment and others through implicit norms, language, traditions, rituals, and loyalties that influence attitudes, behaviors, and customs (Gushue, 1993). While it is true that Singapore is a mix of different ethnic groups, each group has retained much of its individual unique cultural character. This is because Singapore’s policy has always been geared towards multiculturalism, where every ethnic group is allowed to preserve its own culture while peacefully interacting with others. In the light of this, counselling and intervention is always presented within the cultural context and constraints inherent in our cosmopolitan society. The understanding of a clientà ¢â‚¬â„¢s unique culture is necessary in order for a counsellor to effectively help the former behave and feel differently in a trusting relationship so as to achieve their goals. Psychological judgments are never free from the influence of therapist’s own cultural values. In intervention, counsellors need to be knowledgeable of the culture of their clients because each culture holds different ideas about what constitutes problems in living. As we have grown up in a cosmopolitan environment, we are immersed in various orientations of different ethnic groups. Our awareness of our own culture only increases when we go to places where our culture is not the norm. Similarly in a counselling room, when we are with our client from a different culture, our awareness of our own culture tends to increase too. We are aware too of the diversity existing within the same culture as people may communicate and interact in a whole range of ways. Our worldviews as ethnic majority are highly correlated with cultural upbringing and life experiences. There is a tendency to take for granted that the ethnic minority has full knowledge of our culture since it is pervasive in  the society. On the other hand, some of us harbor tinted views of the ethnic minority that cause us to unwittingly impose upon them stereotypes and preconceived notions. In my opinion, sensitivity includes respect and acceptance of who they are, the way they are and the ir beliefs. People of the minority race should be treated fairly and equally. There isn’t a need to treat them with sympathy; otherwise, it would only remind them that they are being differentiated. I learned from my Indian and Malay friends at school about their feelings as minority races in Singapore and that they prefer to be seen as equals. To be more effective counsellors, we have to first examine ourselves or be aware of our personal values, beliefs, prejudices and motives for helping people. For instance, my own cultural beliefs that men should be stronger and be able to take on the world and solve their problems rationally and efficiently make me more sympathetic toward my female clients. The curiosity to explore the deeper meaning of our own cultural behavior will certainly enlighten and make us more sensitive to the differences or similarities existing in different cultural groups. A wise counsellor would always try to transcend such barriers and enter into the frame of referenc e of his client and operate from there. The clients we see include students from as young as 6 years old, elderly patients at Nursing Homes/hospital. We also have couples with marital, family and financial issues. Their age group ranges from early 20s to the 70s. They are a mix of Singaporean Chinese, Malay, Indian and some immigrants. Our clients are mainly from low to average income group with basic education. English and Mandarin are the main languages used. Dialects are used when counselling the elderly folks. Each member in the group shared both common and unique cultural issues they face in counselling. The sexism issue Annie regularly encounters involves female victims of domestic violence in Indian family whose men predominate in positions of power. Most oppressed Indian women inevitably choose not to react for fear of being ostracized by their own family and community. According to Yeo (1989), Asian derives their identity from membership in a family and a community and focusing on the individual might well alienate the person from the family. Peter and Juliet shared about the common gender issue where parents think they must stay with sons only, while conflicts with daughters-in-law are common issues too. Some parents choose to stay on their own to avoid humiliating their sons. Medical and emotional problems may result from loneliness, poor self care and diet. Jennifer related her early experience: I’ve encountered difficulties on many occasions with clients of a different race, particularly Malay clients, in dealing with issues on pregnancy crisis. My early impression was that they were either not willing to share nor receptive to explore other options and alternatives pertaining to their decision to terminate their pregnancy. The session became more fruitful only after I acquired greater understanding of the Malay culture. For Magdalene, while she is competent in conversational skills with some dialects, attempting to apply counselling techniques or skills present a real challenge. Majority of the counselling approaches are western in origin. The concepts and explanation are all in English. It is easy to miss the deeper nuances when she attempts to apply or translate them into dialect or language which she is not fully competent in. Both Magdalene and Ruth observed that it is culturally the norm of the older generation to attribute crisis to some external causes and to seek help from temple mediums. The words of the mediums will then be accepted as truth. It can be a real challenge to counsellors from a different faith. Ruth, the youngest member in our group, perceives age as a stumbling block to effective counselling when her clients are much older. In the Asian context, age is a sign of maturity and wisdom. With elderly clients, we are expected to show respect and humility, not as someone to solve their problems. Annie faced the social-economic issue when she encountered Singaporean men who resorted to increase their socio-economic status by taking wives from the poorer ASEAN countries. The wives function more as domestic helpers or care providers to the elderly/invalid parents or young nephews and nieces within the extended family. The relationship is further strained by language barrier and other cultural issues. Western Counselling Models in Singaporean Context The group is pragmatic in our counselling approach, integrating different therapy models to meet the client’s unique needs. With cross-cultural interaction comes the possibility that the client’s intentions and actions may be misperceived, misinterpreted, and misjudged notably, when we employ the western counselling models on culturally different clients. We are aware that some of these models may not even fit people from western cultures due to within-culture diversity and other diversity factors beyond culture. (Egan, 2005) The second theme that emerged was the need to understand the worldview of culturally different clients in order to know how best to integrate the western counselling models in our counselling work. Magdalene commented that the concept of individuation in Bowen Theory is culturally not in tandem with many elderly Chinese clients, who come from an environment where the family, community, or clan takes precedent over self; hence differentiation of self can be alien to them. A person’s identity is formed and continually influenced by his or her context. Working effectively with clients requires an understanding of how the individual is embedded in the family, which in turn requires an understanding of how the family is affected by its place in a pluralistic culture. (Sue, Ivey & Pedersen, 1996). Bowen Theory encourages the therapist to look into the Family of Origin to examine the interlocking relationships. This can present itself negatively as in-laws or family members may not be forthcoming when it comes to talking about sensitive and conflicting issues inflicting the family. Juliet presumed Bowen Theory will be better understood and accepted by the  English-educated clients, but she found out to her dismay that some concepts contradict their cultural beliefs. Peter found Rational-Emotive Behavioral Therapy (REBT) to be too confrontational in style. Telling a client that he is â€Å"horriblising† and â€Å"catastrophising† his life issues when he is seeking understanding from a counsellor in his moments of anxiety is not going to be welcomed. Asians generally seek familial help when they have problems. The concept of going to a counsellor who is a stranger is already a major deviation from their social norms. Facing a challenging counsellor may pose as a humiliating experience for some. Annie’s observation: Solution-focused Brief Therapy (SFBT) focuses on what clients want to achieve through therapy rather than on the problem(s) that made them seek help. The approach does not focus on the past, but on the present and future instead. This goes down well with the clients she sees who are pragmatic and time-conscious. However, Magdalene observed that asking the miracle question to a pragmatic elderly client may pose a challenge. Some of them have mindsets that have been deeply entrenched in their being; they do not see the need to change. Similarly, to challenge the Irrational Beliefs (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy) of the elderly whose sense of self has been conditioned to adopt a resigned disposition can be an uphill task. The use of `hot-seat’ fantasy technique to help clients express their feelings where there is unfinished business may not be favored by the more ‘conservative and traditional’ clients as unleashing negative emotions towards the deceased is considered a taboo. Magdalene related her encounter: Using Gestalt approach, I encouraged him to imagine that the mother was present at the moment, and for him to tell her what was on his mind. He responded, ‘she is already dead, what is there to say?’ I realized later that while he might be bad mouthing and blaming her for his current plight, it was culturally not appropriate for him to confront her. Ruth felt incompetent when she encountered elderly people who often interrupted her during conversation to correct her. Her age and lack of knowledge in dialects made it difficult for her to express herself aptly. But she found Carl Roger’s Person-Centered therapy useful when working with clients who question her abilities. Multi-cultural Competencies The challenges we face as counsellors in a multicultural environment require that we know and understand the client’s culture so as to be congruent with the frame of the world that the client is in during counselling, i.e., individuals are best understood by taking into consideration salient cultural and environmental variables. Regardless of the therapist’s orientation, it is crucial to listen to the clients and determine why they are seeking help and how best to deliver the help that is appropriate for them. (Corey, 1996) In this pluralistic and post-modern age, no one helping approach has all the answers for the clients we see due to the complexity of human beings, as expressed by Sue, Ivey and Pedersen (1996). The third theme that emerged was the need for therapists to create therapeutic strategies that are congruent with the range of values and behaviours that are characteristic of a pluralistic society. Jennifer had this to say: Without a deeper understanding of the Malay culture and religion, my counselling sessions with the Malays would certainly be unfruitful. There are family and social pressure to learn within the context of religion and culture. The Malay clients who are pregnant out of wedlock find themselves opting for abortion as the only way to avoid violating family tradition. I have to work on interventions that are congruent with the values of the clients. It is a sign of respect that counsellor refrains from deciding what behaviour should be changed. Through skilful questioning on the counsellor’s part, ethnic minority clients can be helped. The process of internalizing a new culture is an on-going undertaking. Generally the group is willing to be exposed to all kinds of clients so as to open up our own world views of the different cultures in our society. This includes interacting with people of different races at social events and festive celebrations. We recognized that with the culturally-constraint client we have to go slow during the first counselling session. The clients can be invited to teach the therapists about the significant parts of their cultural identity. We all acknowledged the importance of supervision and guidance when we are unsure and need clarification. We also will be seen as more professional if we master the basic terminologies of counselling approaches in other languages/dialects. Having an enquiring and inquisitive mind about the different cultures will help broaden our perspectives. Formal education on the multicultural aspects of counselling will help to hone our skills. We can also gain insights by reading articles and books related to multicultural counselling. There are hefty handbooks offering the theoretical background, practical knowledge, and training strategies needed to achieve multicultural competence. (Pope-Davis, Coleman, Liu, & Toporek, 2004). In addition, there are highly detailed research studies offering further insights in multicultural competence. (Darcy, Lee, & Tracey, 2004). The greater our depth and breadth of knowledge of culturally diverse groups, the more we can be effective practitioners (Corey, 2001). Conclusion In summary, the qualitative inquiry has promoted self-awareness of our own personal culture as we develop a sense of the world. Courage, openness and humility are some important elements we identified to secure trust and acceptance by our clients of different cultures. Our group will certainly strive to integrate appropriate counselling approaches to create therapeutic strategies that are congruent with the client’s range of values and behaviours, without abdicating our own deepest beliefs and values.

Exploring the Mind of Internet Addicts Essay

Addiction is a commonly used word that is mostly associated with a substance(drug or alcohol) and sometimes thought of as an illness. We often hear the word addiction thrown around in conversations. I’ve often used the word addiction when referring to my love of chocolate, but in this case it’s just an expression of speech. For a long time now, though, a lot of controversy has been going on about adding other activities, other than substance use to the word addiction. In this case excessive use of the Internet, Internet Addiction(IA). Many people are wanting to take addiction to a whole new level, by adding Internet Addiction to the DSM-V (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition; in other words the â€Å"psychiatric bible†) but is our need, love, desire, and excessive use of the internet just a compulsion or an addiction? Addiction is when a person is dependent on a behavior or specific substance in order to cope with life. The dependence is so important to the individual that even when it becomes harmful to themselves, their family, work, and other important areas of their life they will persist in using the substance, or engaging in the behavior. Also, â€Å"There are actual changes that occur in the brains of addicts and treatments for addiction must address the biology behind the behavior.† So far addictions have focused on highs that are caused from the use of drugs or other substances that affect the brain’s chemical responses. However it has recently been discovered that a person can receive a similar â€Å"high† from using the Internet. The research for this disorder is scarce and fairly new, but the results leave something to argue about for the supporting side. Overly excessive use of the Internet affects everyone involved with the â€Å"user.† There have been con fessions from individuals who claim to suffer from IAD (Internet Addiction Disorder). A case was, reported in the New York Times, A woman who had been divorced by her husband because of her excessive use of the Internet. Still the woman did not come to her senses and continued to use the internet so much that she forgot to buy food for her children, to take them to doctor appointments, and to buy enough oil to warm her home.(Maria Garcia Duran) Sounds like an addiction, but this still doesn’t fit the whole criteria. Remember you have to experience a chemical effect in the brain when your considering an obsessive need for something to be a diagnose as an addiction. There may be some alternative chemical change in her brain, such as the internet use is causing her to be happy, which means endorphins are being released to the brain. But this article isn’t clear on whether the internet use really makes her happy, or helps her hide from reality which may still leave her with the same mood set, but just in hiding. Most people who think they are addicted may just be suffering from the desire to not want to deal with other problems going on in their lives. Those problems may in fact be a mental disorder like anxiety or depression. It may be a a relationship problem, serious disability or health problem. The internet use is no different than TV use, so you won’t have to â€Å"go out with the boys† for drinks or talking to your spouse. Others who spend to much time online with out any other problems present may just be suffering from compulsive over-use.

Us Iran Relations

US-Iran Relations Acknowledgements I would like to thank my teacher, Ms. Mashal Shabbir. The supervision and support that she gave truly helped me in this project. Her cooperation is thus appreciated. Abstract This report explains the US-Iran relationships, how they changed over the period of time and what the main reasons for that change were. I tried to analyze these reasons according to the International Relations theories as well as my own opinion. The report includes the information mainly from 1940 to date. Discussion In the last days before the culmination of Iranian revolution the electricity workers in Tehran would turn off the lights each evening and then from the rooftops came the chant â€Å"God is Great† with another chant, â€Å"death to America† however with a much contradicting tone† (Cottom, 1988). These words themselves explain the intensity which lies in the US- Iran relationships since the Iranian revolution. European intrusion in Iran has been a prolonged one with immense prominence. Trade was one of the most significant reasons.Iran’s geographical position made it the central attention for the European traders, as the land route which joined the western and eastern worlds crossed Iran. Moreover, as Cottom explains in his book that the only presence of the Europeans in Iran was â€Å"a matter of national prestige†. That is this prestige not only advanced Europeans economically but politically too. US initially was viewed as a caring western country, who was not only sincere but also advocated human rights of freedom, moreover encouraged courage, independence as well as dignity for the people of Iran.Before 1940’s it had no economic interest in Iran plus only a minute aid was granted to Iran during the event of Soviet invasion in Iran, however this minute interest which US had in Iran was not long lived. Iran, blessed with one of the most precious reserves of oil attracted the western world immensely. With increasing industrialization especially in Britain as well as America oil was becoming one of the main ingredients of their success. The British government purchased a large amount of Anglo-Persian Oil Company’s (APOC) stock during the First World War.This oil company was a predecessor of the Anglo-Iranian Oil Company (AIOC). By the time of Iranian oil crisis almost half of APOC’s stock was in the hands of Britain. Iranians on the other hand were kept away from the high ranking positions in the oil company. Moreover neither did the royalty payments satisfied the Iranian government nor did the high levels of confidentiality which prevailed in the major decision making contended them, giving birth to a situation which benefited neither of the two parties. Thus during 1951-1953 Iran strived to gain power over its oil industry which gave hype to the sense of nationalism in Iranians.The leaders in Iran provided the stance that out of the ? 250 million of profits which AIOC made in the late 1940’s their royalty payments only counted for one third of the total amount that is ? 90 million (Mary Ann Heiss). On the part of British Empire â€Å"oil† had become an evil necessity not only economically but also to sustain its political position as â€Å"a great power† in the World. Thus this nationalization not only threatened its position in the Middle East but also could have blown its largest investment abroad. Iranians on the contrary were keen to achieve independence nationally and politically.Although they were well aware of the fact that this may lead to serious economic adversity in Iran, they wanted the British dominance abolished to be treated as a sovereign nation. Therefore Prime Minister Mohammad Mossadeq stressed upon full control over Iran’s internal and financial affairs. The increasing tension between Britain and Iran and the wavering issues led the United States (US) jump in the situation. For US however the main goal was not the interests of either party that is Iran or Britain but it had its own underlying concern.Thus this can be said that this was the first time that US was seriously involved in the internal affairs of Iran, marking the beginning of their relationship. The nationalism which the Iranian governments were emphasizing upon was very closely related to communism, in a sense that it could have given rise to autocracy, which at that time was not at all acceptable to US. As this movement by the Iranians could have led to open paths for the Soviet Union to the oil fields of Middle East, America did not want to jeopardize its position along with its power. Moreover this oss of oil industry would have led to serious economic setbacks in US. In her paper, â€Å"The United States and Great Britain Navigate the Anglo-Iranian Oil crisis† the author Mary Ann Hiess explains the US-Iran relations in three phases during the oil crisis. The first phase named â€Å"benevolent neu trality† lasted almost from 1950 till the mid of 1951. The US officials acted as responsible negotiators and reconciled with the idea of nationalization as well as also recognized the rights of the contract of AIOC. Escorting to the second phase which is known as’ â€Å"Era of Anglo-American Partnership†.This phase propagated accelerating ideological and policy empathy mainly between Washington and London. The third phase however was that of US interest, that is US was somewhat getting successful in its goals, termed as the era of US domination this phase highlights Eisenhower ‘s (president of US 1953) negotiations which led to the formation of international association that replaced AIOC with the nation’s own oil industry in 1954. Now that the US domination prevailed in Iran, the American officials along with the British bureaucrats decided to overthrow Mossadeq for harming Iran’s stability.Therefore mainly Britain decided to pursue an operat ion commonly known as the Coup. However the Coup ultimately turned to operation AJAX which was organized and financed by US. According to International relations theories America in this particular situation acted quite like the classical realists. As it is obvious that the development of US interest in the whole situation is due to the fact that it was being flawed, selfish, competitive and ambitious due to its own goals, rather to solve the dispute for the betterment of Iran and Britain.The coup which occurred in august 19th 1953, basically aimed at overthrowing the government of Prime Minister Mohammad Mossadeq to remove the dictatorship from Iran and pursue democracy. Mark J. Gasiorowski in his article, â€Å"The 1953 Coup D’etat in Iran† gives the account of the takeover. While US and the British officials were already considering overthrowing mossadeq from power, the situation in Iran was not a favourable as well. Many opponents of mossadeq had already started to take actions against him. Anti-mossadeq mobs were arranged to kill him.Iran already was facing huge economic turmoil now had to face political unrest as well. Looking at the situation the new American government of Eisenhower also began to consider the operation and finally decided to organise and aid the coup along with Britain. Mossadeq already was facing hostility from the citizens of Iran therefore it made even easier for US to propagate masses against him. With the help of BEDAMN-a political action- uprising was arranged along with continued disputes. Government offices, buildings of pro-mossadeq newspapers were attacked.Air force general along with the forces attacked mossadeq’s house killing around three hundred people. The very next day mossadeq surrendered to Zahedi, marking the end of the coup. This revolution undoubtedly had a long and deep affect on the US-Iran relationships. The question which arises here is that, was America’s interest in Iran’s i nternal affairs genuine? Well America as I discussed above is a realist approach led country which ranks its own personal interest on the top. Then being sincere towards Iran itself becomes a futile question.Most of the studies highlight that the main aim US had out of this coup was to get significant share in the oil industry. Moreover this can be proven accurate to some extent by if we notice the fact that immediately after coming into power Zahedi government granted almost 40% of the total oil industry’s share to American oil companies (Gasiorowski, 1987). However a contradicting fact that most of the American oil producing countries were not interested in the share basically due to nimiety of oil in the world market- mainly in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait- proves that this might not be the sole or the most imperative reason.Another perspective of the situation is the American fear of communist takeover. At the time of coup Cold war between Soviet Union and US was at its peak a nd of course America being governing in nature would not allow soviet’s expansion to become a threat to US dominance, power and sovereignty. Although this coup proved beneficial for Iran, as it gave birth to democracy but the fact that this triumph was not experienced solely on the basis of internal struggle. In reality Iran was made a subject of constant US intervention, thus somewhat abusing its decision making ability.After the coup Mohammad Raza Pahlavi was reinstated as the Shah of Iran. Many authors state Pahlavi was long supported by the US government, although they were aware of the malpractices and the corruption which prevailed in his regime. The shah was forced to flee out of Iran when widespread unrest originated on the part of civilians and a new, more religious leader, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini was granted the power. However this offense motivated the Iranian students to take revenge from the US. On November 4th 979, the Iranian students drizzled into the US e mbassy situated in Tehran and took almost 52 American officials as hostages on the demand that the shah who fled away should come back to Iran for trial of the crimes he committed against Iranians. The situation lasted for about 444 days as the US administration driven by Jimmy Carter was doomed by the failed attempts in 1980. However the hostages were released on the day Ronald Reagan was sworn as the new US president on January 20th 1981. This incident however changed the diplomatic, economic and political landscape between Iran and US for the years to come.By capturing hostages Iranians proved their anger against American’s negligence over Iranians as well as the power which they could use against US to advance their welfare. Another episode of varying US-Iran relations begun in 1986,when Iran secretly asked US for help while it was at war with Iraq. Iran requested US to sell weapons, however Reagan wanted Iran to release seven of the US hostages which Iranian terrorists h eld. This however did not remain confidential for long, instead soon people discovered this Iran-Contra.US emphasized that this was an arms for hostages deal as well as tried to stress upon the fact that it will improve US-Iran relations. This improvement in the relationships of the two countries was not long lived as in 1988 the tragic incident of Iran’s airplane shot down shrunken the trust between US and Iran. On the morning of July 3rd 1988, commercial flight operated by Iran Air took off for Tehran-Bandar Abbas-Dubai route however it was its bad luck that it never reached Dubai. At the same time another plane or more generally a Missile cruiser of US navy known as the US Vincennes would pass over this commercial flight.The US Vincennes was at the Persian Gulf during the Iraq-Iran war. Vincennes saw another airplane flying towards the Persian Gulf however it thought that it identified it as a possible Iranian F-16 issuing various warnings and civil distress frequencies wh ich of course never reaches the Iran Air. Thus after waiting for a bit the commander of Vincennes Captain Rogers ordered to fire two missiles at it. The Airbus was hit and soon it tumbled into flames killing around 290 innocent people in the flight. After the tragic incident the deterioration of the relations deepened as no severe action was taken against Captain Roger’s folly decision.Moreover it was just named a â€Å"mistake† by Pentagon. George W. Bush, vice president of US at that time declared a bold remark in Newsweek, â€Å"I will never apologize for the United States of America, ever. I don’t care what the facts are. † Thus this boldness highlights the rigidity that prevailed in American’s attitude. 1990’s a new decade, was begun with another policy implementation by the US. â€Å"dual containment† as it was known was a policy set up by Americans to isolate Iran and Iraq both economically and militarily mainly to achieve its own regional ambitions.US did not want any other countries to be in power and with the increasing influence of both Iran and Iraq; it saw its own position jeopardizing. US banned all trade, financial loans and services with Iran as it thought that the regime in Iran promoted terrorism and assassinations throughout the world. The beginning of a new millennium also marked a beginning of new tensions between the countries. US alleged Iran for expanding its nuclear activities and developing missile-related technology. It was threatening to the survival of US. Thus Iran was termed as the â€Å"axis of evil† by George W.Bush who by then was the president of US as according to them it enhanced terrorism. Ambitious in developing its nuclear base Iran continued to seek help from Russia and China despite US discontent. Throughout early 2000’s UN inspected Iran’s nuclear facilities. The reports said that there was no evidence of Iran producing atomic bomb but US considered it, â€Å"impossible to believe†. US kept on forcing Iran to suspend any of its nuclear progressions however Iran acted very firmly as proved by president Katami’s statement that its country will never give up its nuclear project and stressed its peaceful usage.The relations kept on becoming hostile, although America provided Iran with a humanitarian aid in 2003 because of the earthquake, it emphasized that this does not mark any thaw in their relationships. Throughout 2005 Iran’s nuclear program and uranium dispute remained a problem for US. For Americans it was of immense importance that Iran withdraws it activities as US secretary of state Condoleezza Rice explained , â€Å"US faces no greater challenge than Iran’s nuclear program†( BBC NEWS).However the new, more conservative president of Iran Ahmadinejad clearly stated that Iran has the right for peaceful progression of the nuclear project along with its announcement of successful enrichment of uranium. This prompted US to take strong steps against Iran. As for analysis purposes this can be considered that US and Iran were on a kind of cold war from the beginning of 2000. US major discontent was Iran’s nuclear program after all it was the prime threat to US continued existence. And for this reason US several times along with UN tried to impose sanctions over it. When nothing helped, President Bush accused Iran with Al-Qaeda.Thus stating that extremism prevailing in Iran could lead to adverse effects if nuclear program is continued. This brought huge military confrontation from Iran. Tensions prevailed as both countries accused one another either for spying or encouraging terrorism. To date the most destructive problem which prevails between the two countries is the Iran’s nuclear program. Several discussions have been held between the new presidents that is Barrack Obama and Ahmadinejad but no intelligent conclusion has been reached. This can be concluded that US interests had been objective in terms of truly helping Iran.US initially got interested in Iran due to the fact that it did not want Soviet Union to get advantage over the Iranian Oil industries. It wanted to achieve its own regional advantages over the most fertile country in the Middle East. However when Iran began to retaliate against US it posed great threat to their survival. The most significant example of this is the current tensions because of nuclear progression in Iran. Thus it can be concluded that US who undoubtedly follow the realists’ paradigm proved to be quite selfish when it came to their sovereignty.They made use of the dominance principal on several occasions as it did not want any other country to become a greater power. Iran on the other hand acted differently. It was basically on the leaders of Iran which determined its behavior towards America. Those who were pro American acted exactly as America wanted them too for example Zahedi, Pahlavi. Othe rs contradicted its policies and behaviour. They acted the way they thought was better for Iran, moreover stood strong in front of America for their rights such as Khomeini, Ahmadinejad.Thus the relations varied and contoured during different phases of US-Iran history. References about. com. (n. d. ). The Iran-Contra Affair. Retrieved from http://usforeignpolicy. about. com: http://usforeignpolicy. about. com/gi/o. htm? zi=1/XJ&zTi=1&sdn=usforeignpolicy&cdn=newsissues&tm=7117&f=11&tt=2&bt=1&bts=1&zu=http%3A//www. pbs. org/wgbh/amex/reagan/peopleevents/pande08. html Anthony Cordesman, S. F. (n. d. ). DUAL CONTAINMENT: SLOGAN OR POLICY? Bernard Gwertzman, C. E. (2012, March 6). Crisis-Managing

Conflicts Produced by Growth of Cities in 19th and Early 20th Century Essay

Conflicts Produced by Growth of Cities in 19th and Early 20th Century Spain - Essay Example Because of the liberty to acquire and engage in trade and commerce, great enterprises are found in republican but not in monarchical governments (Montesquieu 1748, cited in De Long and Shleifer 1992). In other words, princes are said to be bad for the growth of cities (Ibid). By analysis, "a nation in slavery labors more to preserve than to acquire but a free nation, more to acquire than to preserve" (Van Gelderen and Skinner 2002). Imperial Spain, for itself, being the core of the immense empire ruled by absolutist Habsburg princes in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries imposed heavy tax burdens on the prosperous towns of Catalonia and Andalusia. This was to enable fighting the wars of the Counterreformation. It then saw later on its cities lose wealth and population that by 1800 Spain had become virtually isolated and backward (De Long and Shleifer 1992). With technological advances in agriculture and transportation, cities can be said to grow with trade, but can take the back burner with famine and disease. Cities rose and fell with the military fortunes of city-states, territorial empires and nation-states, but with the industrial revolution, urbanization rose (Kim 1995.) It is contended, despite the fast growth of capital and court cities, absolutism is a negative factor. The particular failure of cities located near capitals to grow suggests that absolutism hand a hand in it (Ibid). The Isabeline system (1833-1868) of Spain is an example of failed government because "the crown was capricious and authoritarian and the political system too narrow and exclusive" (Payne 1973). The Spanish polity had to be reorganized through the workings of one Antonio Cnovas del Castillo in establishing a workable constitutional monarchy, liberalizing in the process the Isabeline system (Ibid). III. Republicanism The 19th and early 20th centuries of Spain were spent in passionate tug and pull between radical republicanism and absolute monarchy. Imperial Spain lost most of its dominions in the West on account of colonial rebellions in the first half of the 19th century. Cuba, Puerto Rico, and the Philippines were gone from the Spanish-American War in 1898. ("Spain," Thomas Gale 2005) Republicanism is government by elected representatives instead of a king. On the other hand, monarchy is that form of government where the head of State is not elected and bases his office on a higher law that all power comes from a transcendental source (Habsburg 1996). Republicanism is said to be better than a monarchy (Wyger Velema, cited in van Gelderen et al. 2002) as the main characteristics of monarchial rule are that laws that emerge are all in the interest of the court and not the subject. Worse yet, the interpretation and explanation of these laws are in the hands of the king and therefore totally unpredictable and arbitrary (Ibid). The unmitigated dreadfulness and barbarism of monarchial rule in the past lead to revolt thence to the emergence of a republic in which assemblies of the state variously composed in each the province were held sovereign (Habsburg 1996). Upholding the rule of law and the protection of life, liberty, and property may be republic ideals, however its attainment and survival are demanding and

Ecology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Ecology - Essay Example Poor and rich nations both have impacts over the other income range also but the poor nations only affect about a third of the shock as related to the rich nations. 1. To see maps of the pattern of acid rain deposition in parts of Europe and in the U.S., respectively, read the articles, Acid Rain (noting the map in the section "How Big a Problem Is It") and What Is Acid Rain A. The most advanced region in terms of environmental control has the lowest amount of acid rain deposition and the direction of the wind also plays an important part in determining the natural balance of gases in a country's atmosphere. Although global warming is a universal problem, U.S. and UK has much more control over it because there industrial areas are situated in specific regions and they have the power to reduce their acid rain causing agents. A. China's ennvironmental capacity for the pollutants of coal burning have far exceeded the safe level. Hence, the countires having problems due to China's coal burning can exceed to as far as Japan, Philipines as sulfur dioxide, a major acid rain causing pollutant, has the capability to travel far distances before settling into the earth.

Justification and future work Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Justification and future work - Essay Example In spite of the recent advances in treatment including chemotherapy, the survival rate of advanced colon cancer is rather poor. Hence, several institutions worldwide are funding high quality research on colorectal cancer every year to address some basic questions about the causes and ways to better prevent and treat this malignant disease in the future. One of the main reasons for taking up the present project was the grant received from a Saudi Arabian university, and the reason for choosing to study colorectal cancer (CRC) under this project is that CRC is a frequently diagnosed malignancy in Saudi Arabia (Mansoor et al., 2002), constituting 5.5% of all cancers reported (Yassin et al., 2010). Furthermore, the incidence of CRC is increasing in Saudi Arabia, and is ranked fourth among all cancers in the Saudi population (Aljebreen, 2007). Studies have revealed that the incidence of colonic and rectal cancers in Saudi Arabia has almost doubled between 1994 and 2003, with a four-fold i ncrease in these numbers being predicted in the next thirty years (Colorectal Cancer Awareness Campaign, http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?uid=310957583707&topic=13732). Recent statistics reveal CRC to be the second most common cancer among Saudi males and the third most common among Saudi females (Al-Eid, 2004; Bavi et al., 2010). In the analysis presented by Aljebreen (2007), it is shown that Saudi patients present with CRC at a more advanced stage of the disease and at younger ages compared to Western populations. The excessive changes that have occurred in CRC incidence in recent times in Saudi Arabia suggest environmental factors, including obesity as important aetiological factors for the noted change (Uddin et al., 2009). Age-standardised death rate from colon and rectum cancers in Saudi Arabia according to WHO statistics for 2004 was 8.3 per 100,000 population [Centre for Arab Genomic Studies (CAGS), UAE, http://www.cags.org.ae/gme2cancersencolon.pdf]. Also, according to CAG S, the incidence of colon cancer among Arab populations is lower compared to other world populations. Yet in several Gulf countries including Saudi Arabia, CRC incidence in people under 40 years of age has been found to be relatively high. Considering that colorectal cancer tops the list of causes of cancer-related death among Saudi population, it was deemed important to conduct research on CRC. Hence, this project chose to study the chemotherapeutic aspects of CRC, in particular the activity of platinum-based compounds as cytotoxic agents for treatment of CRC. Future work Platinum compounds are the usual first option against colorectal cancer. Oxaliplatin, a diaminocyclohexane-containing platinum analogue, shows significant cytotoxic effect in a wide range of cell lines. Clinical studies have demonstrated the efficacy of oxaliplatin monotherapy in several cancers, including colon cancer (Cvitkovic and Bekradda, 1999). Some desirable factors that are specific to oxaliplatin are its high potency even in sensitive cell lines (Woynarowski et al., 2000), and the absence of resistance due to mismatch repair deficiency (Sergent et al., 2002). Oxaliplatin activity and mechanisms of action and resistance are quite different from those of other platinum-containing compounds such as cisplatin. Peripheral neuropathy is the main side effect of oxaliplatin treatment. Satraplatin

What Factors Contribute to Cost Increase in Higher Education Research Paper

What Factors Contribute to Cost Increase in Higher Education - Research Paper Example According to the US statistics shown by Institutional Characteristics Survey tuition fee charges remained relatively stagnant in the 1970s. But there was a considerable increase in fee charges between 1980 and 1990. This increase not only had a great effect on the student and parents but also on education policymakers. In the same survey, it was noted that rate of increase was greater at public institutions as compared to private institutions. Despite increase in tuition charges, number of students continuing on to higher education after finishing their high school has raised from 49% in 1980 to nearly 62% in 1993. During 1992-93 full-time students attending a public school received financial aid on an average of 29%. The aid was greater for families with poor income about 80% and less for high-income families about 10%. (Livingston 1995).Some enthusiast believes that higher education should be free. Many would agree that this statement is misconstructed. Even though sometimes consum er may not have to pay for a product but someone else in the background is bearing the cost. Going through a lot of literature I realized that it has been debated extensively but the question is still the same: who should pay?. Before we can answer this question we need to understand different policies which provide the revenue that fuel the education system. The most common and classical model is General Tax system. In this policy, the funds are collected via general taxes imposed on every individual of the country.

Banking Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

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Controversial Issues in the NGO Committee Research Paper

Controversial Issues in the NGO Committee - Research Paper Example NGOs otherwise known as non-governmental organizations or civil society organizations have been in existent for a long time. As a result, their needs have received recognition by intergovernmental organizations such as the United Nations. Therefore, they have been consulted since the inception of the United Nations under its original name, League of Nations, their consultative status got inclusion in the United Nations charter under the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC). Moreover, the goal of this council was to consult with non-governmental, organizations on matters that concerned them creating an opportunity for the consultative status of NGOs. There are numerous NGOs with the consultative status at present demarcating high placement status of NGO . However, controversy has rocked the placement of NGOs into this bracket of consultancy owing to the fact that the NGOs apply to be included in the consulting committees. The first significant controversial issue is the importance attached to NGOs due to their integration across the board in almost the entire United Nations system. This is owing to the fact that the UN is becoming highly dependent on NGOs to conduct field services and implement the resolutions that the UN passes. Despite the benefits it poses, this dependence shows the unbecoming nature of the UN in delegating responsibilities. The other issue concerning consultancy status is the impact that NGOs have on political outcomes.3 This is because for NGOs to advance that which they stand for, they require access to influential figures such as state delegates who hold the power to advance their objectives. Therefore, granting access to these influential leaders affects policymaking. Still, on consultancy, political interests influence the NGOs selected to have the status, sometimes. This is because the Committee on NGOs makes recommendation on which NGOs should take up a position, but the fi nal decision is made by the ECOSOC. This brings up controversy due to the criteria used in making the final decision, based on either merit or political interests. For example, some members of ECOSOC have successfully stopped the approval of NGOs that have beliefs that go against the stances of the countries as seen in the cases of China and Cuba against the NGO, A Woman’s Voice International.4 In addition, there is the issue of separatism that is plied on some NGOs owing to political interests of some countries. Such include the Kurdish Human Rights Project that was branded as a separatist movement that did not stand for the needs of the people but instead was a political movement.5 In the application, the NGO withdrew owing to the fact that some members hold such prejudices and thus do not grant fair hearings in the application of consultancy status. Moreover, some NGOs raise controversy by going against the UN charter that allows them to be in the consultancy position they enjoy. This is by questioning the sovereignty of some nations or having ulterior motives concerning their application for the consultancy status. However, some nations bear the punishment of going against the UN charter in spite of not violating the rules that put them in the consultative position just as seen in the case of the Kurdish Human Rights Project.6 This means that most of the controversy found in the NGO committee is largely

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

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Personal Statement Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 47

Personal Statement Example This was a trial for me on whether I could handle the PA career and most of all whether it was really what I wanted to do when I grew up. As a medical assistant, I got to perform services that a PA performs under direct supervision from the medical doctors I was working for and this got me really interested in this line of work. I had the opportunity to carry out what I had grown to love which was to help people and make them feel better as well as putting smiles on their faces even though they were physically unwell. I became a volunteer at the American Red Cross as well as at the Veteran’s Foundation after my job. This was propelled by the suffering I had witnessed in Iraq as well as it was another experience for me to be a PA. Being a volunteer meant I now had an opportunity to assist people through providing therapeutic and preventive services no matter how minimal an impact I made. The satisfaction from seeing the smile on people’s faces who had been suffering health wise before made me go to bed happy and satisfied which was a rare occurrence for me. My final journey towards making the decision and following my passion came when my mother had to undergo an open heart surgery. There was a team of physical assistants on the table with the doctor assisting him with everything and this sealed the deal for me. I was determined more than ever to join this career and fulfill my dreams and seeking admission into this program is the deal breaker. I would like to specialize and focus primarily on urgent care as I will be handling people without primary care physicians or those who are too scared to visit emergency rooms but they would still like remedies for their injuries or illnesses that are not too serious. This line of specialization is appealing because it is what I have learnt and gained experience on from volunteering at the Red Cross. Being granted this

Strategic Marketing Plan Essay Example for Free

Strategic Marketing Plan Essay This growth will be the direct result of a new toothpaste product launch. The following plan draws on related Industry, Competitive, and Consumer analyses to justify the production of a â€Å"mouth pod† and the market for such a future-oriented design. The plan also provides an implementation plan for the launch of this product, as well as a recovery plan. Overall, this â€Å"outside-the-box† thinking will set Crest apart from its competitors. Unfortunately, given the current state of the economy, there are insufficient resources to support a national or even a regional launch of the new product. Thus, the product will initially launch in only one New York County. Rochester, in Monroe County was chosen on the basis that it holds the highest potential for the product’s success. Syracuse in Onondaga County and Binghamton in Broome County were not chosen. This choice is supported with data from a comparative analysis that demonstrates how and why it is believed to be the best potential geographical market. The recommended geographic area is premised on a detailed and careful assessment of the geographic market(s) and how the chosen county best suits this proposed strategy. This will serve as a trial; if the product performs well in Monroe County, it will later be rolled-out to more areas. This subsequent roll-out will determine whether the product is given a national launch. SITUATIONAL ANALYSIS: SWOT STRENGTHS * Inventive design, unlike any other toothpaste product on the market. * TWBA Chiat Day will significantly assist Crest in leveraging the So Mod Mouth Podsâ„ ¢. * Consumers are seeking coupons due to the current state of the economy. WEAKNESSES * Most of Crest’s products are either mature or declining within the product life cycle. As a result, new products are continuously introduced. * Competitors are able to quickly release comparable products, intensifying competition. * Toothpaste promotions often use sales to drive new purchases based on price. OPPORTUNITIES * Product differentiation- with the amount of rivalry, there is plenty of reason to invent and innovate. * Essential to western hygiene- there is no one who would argue that brushing one’s teeth with toothpaste is not a hygienic staple in western culture. * Emerging markets- as is true with a large variety of industries, the developing world poses a huge opportunity for growth. THREATS * Everyone is essentially selling the same thing- The Company is no longer selling toothpaste, but more the brand or the features of the toothpaste. * Low switching costs- At one point, toothpaste purchases were mainly driven by individual habits, inclination towards particular flavor and familiarity with the product However, consumers are much more price-sensitive after the recession, even in the recovery stage. They do not always stick to brands they desire, they are now shopping for the best value. * Competitors, namely Colgate, infringing on prized shelf space. ISSUES ANALYSIS amp;OBJECTIVES Issue #1: Product differentiation The toothpaste product market is heavily saturated with products (and product lines) that are very similar to each other. They all cover the range of benefits that toothpaste consumers seek, from whitening to tartar control. Consumers are fatigued by the vast array and similarity of toothpaste products available on store and virtual shelves. Fatigue in relation to innovation exists as well, because toothpaste brands have pushed innovation to its limit. Even the newest toothpaste products like Colgate â€Å"New? Optic White Toothpaste and Crest â€Å"New? 3D White Toothpaste do not have much of an edge. Six months after launch, the perception of innovation and relevance fades away. Whitening was once an innovative feature, but is now expected. For a new toothpaste product to be successful, it will need to break free of this mold. Objective: To achieve sales of 50,000 packs of day and night â€Å"mouth pods† by the second quarter. Strategy: Crest will follow a strategy based on innovation and disruption. The launch of this new product will break through the clutter comprised of existing toothpaste products. It will feature the Crest logo, thereby boosting brand awareness and sales of other Crest products. Ultimately, a new product category may arise out of a successful campaign for this launch. The new product will be available in two versions: one made specifically for brushing in the morning, and a companion product made specifically for brushing at night. The daytime use product would have light-colored packaging, and the nighttime use product would have dark-colored packaging. If the product is very successful, it could set other brands into their own category of being â€Å"anytime† toothpaste products. Crest’s new brand will gain market share from being in its own niche. A companion product for nighttime use will push more people to brush their teeth before going to sleep. This will not only improve the top line growth of Crest’s new brand, but it will also cause consumers to develop the good habit of brushing two or more times a day; this may also increase the frequency in which a consumer must purchase toothpaste. Tactics: The new product will have a slightly higher price point than that of Crest’s current â€Å"New? products and those of competitors. Since toothpaste is a low involvement purchase, tactics will focus on drawing consumers? attention. Display stands and posters will accomplish this by brining consumers? attention to the product’s placement on retail shelves. The package design will stand out amongst other toothpaste products on the shelves. Online promotions will include banner ads on retail websites and social media profiles, including Facebook and Twitter. Special offers for the product will be made both online and in stores. Issue #2: Growth Stagnant growth in the U. S. market has plagued the toothpaste industry. As mentioned in the Industry Analysis, 98% of Americans are users of toothpaste, which does not allow for much growth. The population it is not increasing at a rate high enough to sustain our goals of driving up sales in this country. Objective: To move Crest to the position of market leader by at least 5% points by the end of the fourth quarter. In current terms, Crest would need to gain another 6% of the market to ultimately have 41% and a five point advantage over Colgate. Strategy: Jump start the competition against Colgate by targeting a niche segment of the U. S. population who already enjoy luxury grooming products and are willing to try wild and new products. The primary target would be adults, ages 18-45 who consider themselves to be upper-middle class. The secondary target includes 18-30 year-olds who are still experimenting with new products and have not settled into a rut of brand loyalty. Our new product delivers the burst of innovation that has been so severely lacking in the toothpaste industry. We are offering a brand new delivery system and a feature that has yet to be mass-produced. Tactics: Strategic product releases that start in higher end supermarkets and drugstores. Releases will then move down the scale towards large discounters and superstores such as Wal-Mart. Although the new product will be priced only slightly higher than the average toothpaste, the goal is to position it as a more luxurious and fun way to brush one’s teeth. The roll-out for the test market will begin in January of 2013 and continue being released, hitting discount stores in July. The time sensitivity of this product release is almost irrelevant because there is no season of increased sales. Starting early in the year is just a ploy to have a fresh and energizing start to 2013. Placement on shelf will be further taken into consideration once packaging is completely finalized. Issue#3: Existing Brand Loyalty Consumers are more likely to continue purchasing toothpaste brands that they have used since an early age. Therefore, in order to gain a leading market share within the toothpaste segment of the oral care industry, it will be essential to break current purchasing behaviors of our targeted consumers. Objective: Our objective is to increase our brand equity by 25% within the first year of our pilot phase, specifically from repeat purchases by conquest buyers, who initially try Crest „New? So Mod Mouth Podsâ„ ¢ after being exposed to our integrated advertising campaign. Strategy: To spend $3M on advertising and promotion through an integrated advertising campaign that will highlight the benefits exclusively offered by our brand. Crest „New? So Mod Mouth Podsâ„ ¢ will reinvent the functionality of toothpaste and will bring a refreshing change to consumer perceptions of the category. Pamp;G and its competitors provide toothpaste products that meet current consumer expectations: whitening, plaque and tartar control, fluoride treatment, sensitivity, cavity and gingivitis prevention, and fresh breath. However, Pamp;G understands that consumers more strongly demand value, quality, and convenience. Overall, Pamp;G acknowledges the current, stagnant, state of the oral care industry and projects that the â€Å"pod† design will be a profitable opportunity to capitalize upon. Crest „New? So Mod Mouth Podsâ„ ¢ will fuse the benefits of current products with such a futuristic product design, that in effect it will weaken the bonds of loyalty non-Crest users have. The awareness of this fusion will be accomplished through targeted advertisements. Tactics: Advertising amp; Promotion Ad Agency Service Pamp;G will assign TBWA Chiat Day responsibilities for the launch campaign of Crest â€Å"New? So Mod Mouth Podsâ„ ¢, aligning our vision of Crest â€Å"New? So Mod Mouth Podsâ„ ¢ with the culture of this agency that values the concept of disruption as the underlying basis of its campaigns. Trial offer Pamp;G will send out to a sample of consumers $1. 50 off any purchase of our Crest â€Å"New? So Mod Mouth Podsâ„ ¢. This will be for a limited time of one month, before coupon discounts decline in value. Social Media Facebook â€Å"Likes† amp; Free Samples: Pamp;G will offer a 2-flavor sample pack to the first 1000 consumers, who â€Å"like† the Crest â€Å"New? So Mod Mouth Podsâ„ ¢ Facebook Page on the day of our launch. MARKETING MIX Product: Crest „New? So Mod Mouth Podsâ„ ¢ A pack will contain 60 pods; consumers could use one to brush in the morning and one at night. One product would be expected to last for one month before replacement. Crest aims to provide a whole-mouth cleaning experience that is convenient and intuitive. The product is sleek and modern in both look and feel. Our New Product’s Features The new product will have a mix of innovative and expected features. Innovative features include the products formulation; it is a fusion of toothpaste, gel and mouthwash in a round capsule. Within each capsule there will be invisible pockets of pressurized air. Like foaming toothpastes, this product will begin to foam soon after popping in a user? s mouth. The foam will get in-between teeth to fight cavities and kill germs that cause bad breath. The volume of one capsule is smaller than the amount of toothpaste generally applied by consumers to a toothbrush. The mouth pods are safer than toothpaste in cases of accidental ingestion. Active Ingredients Sodium Fluoride (0. 243%). Energy blend: panax ginseng root extract, acai fruit extract, yerba mate leaf extract, guarana seed extract. Inactive Ingredients: Glycerin Hydrated Silica, Water, Sorbitol, Sodium Hexametaphosphate, Propylene Glycol, Flavor, Peg-12, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, Carbomer 956, Sodium Saccharin, Poloxamer 407, Polyethylene Oxide, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Hydroxide, Cellulose Gum, Titanium Dioxide. A blend of panax ginseng root extract, acai fruit extract, yerba mate leaf extract and guarana seed extract will serve as a very slight stimulant. While these substances won’t provide the kind of instant jolt expected from caffeine, they will deliver a healthier feeling of energy and alertness. The product for use in mornings would promote this feature as a burst of energy, a perfect way to start the day. Silica is similar to what dentists use to create a professional clean feeling. Expected Features Initially in relation to the research found about our target market, there will be a variety of basic flavors like Mint and Bubblegum. One of the product’s ingredients are a patented flavor booster to keep breathe ultra fresh. The product uses a fluoride mineral formulation to strengthen weakened tooth enamel. It reinforces enamel layers by rebuilding the weak spots on teeth. A sensitive element in the formulation protects against painful oral sensation. The product provides twelve hour protection from gingivitis, plaque, tender gums, bad breath, cavities and tartar. It promotes healthy gums and safely lifts off yellowing surface stains to restore natural whiteness to teeth. Packaging Design: The packaging will divide its capacity amongst a place for the day pods and the night pods. It will be clearly labeled. An advantage of this is that two different flavors can be included in one package, which gives the consumer the ability to have choice. This is innovative because usually a consumer is confined to one flavor, until they purchase a new tube of paste. Price With an analysis of current products and our assumptions of the cost of goods sold, we believe Crest „New? So Mod Mouth Podsâ„ ¢ must initially be priced at $5. 25 unit cost (without sales tax or shipping cost). Promotion An integrated marketing communications campaign will leverage the strengths of outdoor, print and television advertisements to create positive brand impressions. Online promotions will also be used: the design of Crest? website is modern and easily navigable, with links to social media extensions. A Facebook page will be created to focus solely on the new product, while Crest? s main Twitter account will promote the new product. Word of mouth buzz will be generated as the product becomes more popular. It will stem from creative in-store displays and social media communications. Place amp; Distribution Channels Crest â€Å"New? So Mod Mouth Pods will be available in the oral health care aisle of many stores in Monroe County, including CVS Pharmacy, Wegmans, Target, Walgreens, Wal-Mart, K-Mart, Sam? Club, and Costco. It will further be available for purchase online at the following websites: CVS. com, Target. com, Costco. com, Drugstore. com, Walgreens. com, Amazon. com, and Soap. com. Target Market Overall, the current target consumers for Crest „New? Toothpaste Podsâ„ ¢ are adults, ages 18-45 who consider themselves to be upper-middle class. The secondary target includes 18-30 year-olds who are still experimenting with new products and have not settled into a rut of brand loyalty. The basis for this decision is supported by the overall situational analysis, and pecifically the Consumer Analysis, which demonstrates that young adults are the largest demographic segment that adopts new product innovations. In effect, introducing a higher priced innovative product will be perceived as attractive to yo unger men and women, who are financially able and willing to try a new product. Given the research completed within the Consumer Analysis the county that best fulfills our target market is Monroe County. This county contains the highest population size of all three counties with a population of 735,343 people (Census, 2010). As shown in figure 1, Rochester (the largest metropolis area in Monroe County) has one the largest percentage of individuals between the ages of 15-49. Figure 1 also indicates that Rochester contains the highest percentage of the population with households containing individuals less than 18 years of age. By capturing this segment of the market, Crest can capitalize on repeat purchasing of these individuals, who will eventually be purchasing their own products. The Rochester area contains the highest population of African Americans of the three major cities with 41. 7% (Census 2010). This is a concern when marketing a new toothpaste product because as mentioned in the Consumer Analysis, African Americans are the most prone out of any demographic to purchase store brands over national brand toothpastes. However, when looking at the snap shot of the three counties provided in the Consumer Analysis African American’s only represent 15. 2% out of 735,343. This makes the finding insignificant and should not hinder the success of our new product when looking at the total population of the county. Figure 1: Overview of the three most populous areas in each of the counties | Monroe | Broome | Onondaga | Households with individuals under 18 years | 30. 40% | 23. 40% | 29% | 15-49 | 54% | 44. 60% | 54. 70% | 0-49,999 | 70. 30% | 67. 60% | 70. 00% | $50,000 to $200,000+ | 29. 70% | 32. 40% | 30% | Per capita money income in past 12 months (2010 dollars) 2006-2010 | $17,865 | $21,455 | $17,866 | Median household income 2006-2010 | $30,138 | $30,702 | $30,891 | Persons below poverty level, percent, 2006-2010 | 30. 40% | 27. 80% | 31. 10% | Since we are marketing a new innovative toothpaste product, promotion is another primary aspect in reaching our target market. The advertisements that accompany the launch of the â€Å"New? So Mod Mouth Podsâ„ ¢ should focus on the point of differentiation that this product will provide, such as convenience and multi-functionality. This will propel the product into a more diverse demographic segment as well. The income of the consumer is another factor driving the sales of this product. The Claritas? profiles that were identified in the Rochester Area were as follows: Suburban Sprawl, Young Influential, Domestic Duos, Home Sweet Home, New Empty Nests, and Country Casuals. These profiles were seen to be the most apt to be innovators or at the very least have the capital to try a new product. As outlined in the Consumer Analysis, these profiles have the income as well as the innovator psyche. When analyzing the areas surrounding Rochester, Esri data shows that the population contains affluent Prosperous Empty Nesters, College Towns, Sophisticated Squires, Connoisseurs, and Aspiring Young Families. The profiles of the surrounding areas of Rochester are ideal consumers for our new product because they indicate savvy consumers, who have the appropriate discretionary income to spend on new innovations and are motivated to do so. The Rochester area contains a number of colleges and universities, which will further fuel the sales of this new product, with convenience as the primary selling point. The benefits analysis section within the Consumer Analysis outlines what the consumer needs are. Consumers desire a product that makes clear points of difference, making the selection process less cumbersome. Since So Mod Mouth Podsâ„ ¢ are so unique from the other typical toothpaste products available, it will be easy for the consumer to perceive the added benefits of this product. So Mod Mouth Podsâ„ ¢ provide the consumer with all the mainstream benefits, while reinventing the toothpaste industry. RESEARCH amp; EVALUATION 1. Objective: To achieve sales of 50,000 packs of day and night mouth pods by the second quarter. Evaluation Mechanisms: Sales will be monitored by retail databases as they occur, and reported back to Crest immediately. 2. Objective: To move Crest to the position of market leader by at least five (5) percentage points by the end of the fourth quarter. In current terms, Crest would need to gain another 6% of the market to ultimately have 41% and a five point Advantage over Colgate. Evaluation Mechanisms: Market-share charts the issue of stagnant growth, will need a constant eye on the whole industry. Specifically, the amount of sales each company is acquiring. A market-share chart will become the most important tool in keeping the goal of becoming the industry leader on track. Sales will be monitored by retail databases as they occur, and reported back to Crest immediately. Other research will come from reevaluating the most desirable shelf space in stores. To negotiate the best spot in the aisle, the most looked-at spot needs to be known. Its common knowledge that eye level is preferable, but reaffirming research wouldn’t hurt. The research on market share will begin immediately and continue throughout 2013. The ideal shelf space research will finish 3 months prior to the launch to allow time for negotiation with retailers. Evaluation of the tactics will come via tracking sales figures, units sold, and the market share throughout 2013. 3. Objective: Our objective is to increase our brand equity by 25% within the first year of our pilot phase, specifically from repeat purchases by conquest buyers, who initially try Crest „New? So Mod Mouth Podsâ„ ¢ after being exposed to our integrated advertising campaign. Evaluation Mechanisms: Management Dashboard Through the use of our Active Data Warehouse we will be able to track all of our marketing campaigns and how closely they are aligning with our strategies stated above. We will initially be offering $1. 50 coupons, and will be actively measuring the impact of this on our weekly sales and revenue. Furthermore, TWBA Chiat Day will gather extensive consumer data based upon the advertising and promotion campaigns that the agency puts forth to implement within the next year.

Maintenance and Operation of Lubricant Systems

Maintenance and Operation of Lubricant Systems Activity 1 Explain the purpose and the applications of three different types of lubricant. Greases: are solid or semisolid lubricants and generally consist of soaps, mineral oil, and various additives. These are highly viscous ad adhere well to metal surfaces. Although used extensively in machinery, greases are of limited use in manufacturing processes. Graphite: is weak in shear alone its basal planes and therefore has a low coefficient of friction in that direction. It is an effective solid lubricant, particularly at elevated temperatures. In a vacuum or an inertgas atmosphere, friction is very high; in fact, graphite can be abrasive in these situations. We can apply graphite either by rubbing it on surfaces or by making it part of a colloidal (dispersion of small particles). Glasses: is a solid material, glass becomes viscous at elevated temperatures and, therefore, can serve as a liquid lubricant. Viscosity is a function of temperatures, but not of pressure, and depends on the type of glass. Poor thermal conductivity also makes glass attractive, since it acts as a thermal barrier between hot work pieces and relatively cool dies. Glass lubrication is typically used in such applications as hot extrusion and forging. Activity 2 Describe the operation and maintenance of three different lubrications systems. Oil circulatory systems: In Oil circulatory systems, the oil is continuously supplied to various moving parts and bearings. In such systems, oil acts both as lubricant and also as coolant by earning away heat generated in the bearings/moving parts. The oil after lubrication is returned to reservoir either directly or through filters. These systems are large, employing reservoirs of capacity ranging from few hundreds of liters to thousands of liters. The pumps are heavy duty, intended for continuous running, with flow rate ranging from few tens of LPM to few thousands of LPM. These systems are widely used for plants like Cement, Sugar, Paper, Power generation. Steel as well as heavy duty machineries. Full Force Feed systems: In a full force-feed lubrication system, the main bearings, rod bearings, camshaft bearings, and the complete valve mechanism are lubricated by oil under pressure. In addition, the full force-feed lubrication system provides lubrication under pressure to the pistons and the piston pins. This is accomplished by holes drilled the length of the connecting rod, creating an oil passage from the connecting rod bearing To the piston pin bearing. This passage not only feeds the piston pin bearings but also provides lubrication for the pistons and cylinder walls. This system is used in virtually all engines that are equipped with full-floating piston pins. Force Feed systems: A fairly more complete pressurization of lubrication is achieved in the force-feed lubrication system Oil is forced by the oil pump from the crankcase to the main bearings and the camshaft bearings. Unlike the combination system the connecting-rod bearings are also fed oil under pressure from the pump. Oil passages are drilled in the crankshaft to lead oil to the connecting-rod bearings. The passages deliver oil from the main bearing journals to the rod bearing journals. In some engines, these opening are holes that line up once for every crankshaft revolution. In other engines, there are annular grooves in the main bearings through which oil can feed constantly into the hole in the crankshaft. The pressurized oil that lubricates the connecting-rod bearings goes on to lubricate the pistons and walls by squirting out through strategically drilled holes. This lubrication system is used in virtually all engines that are equipped with semifloating piston pins. Activity 3: Describe the operation of one seal, one type of packing and two different types of bearing with a typical application for each one. Seal: End face seals: This type of seal uses both rigid and flexible fundamentals that maintain contact at a sealing interface and slide on each other, allowing a rotating element to a pass through a sealed case. The elements are hydraulically and mechanically loaded with a spring or other device to maintain contact. In general the end face seal is sealed to the pump end plate by a gasket or O- ring and also the rotating seal face runs against the stationary seat (the opposing surface lapped to high degree of flatness). An end face mechanical seal, also known as a mechanical face seal but usually simply as a mechanical seal, is a type of seal utilised in rotating equipment, such as pumps and compressors. Packing: O-ring: Is a packing and it is also known as tonic joint, it is a mechanical gasket in the shape of a torus. It has a cross-section with a disc-shaped; it is also a loop of elastomer. O-rings are one of the most common seals used in machine design because they are inexpensive and easy to make, reliable, and have simple mounting requirements. They can seal tens of megapascals (thousands of psi) pressure. An O-ring is basically defined by its section diameter and the inner diameter of the O-Ring. O rings have many advantageous features including Low cost suit static dynamic duties space efficient seals in both directions fluid pressure assists sealing Suitable for all fluids-using appropriate elastomers. Two different types of bearings: Plain bearing: In general plain bearing have rubbing surfaces usually with lubricants. The stiffness of plain bearing are Good, provided wear is low, but some slack is normally present. It also has a very low speed to a very high sleep. Plain bearing is the simplest type of bearing, widely used, relatively high friction, suffers from stiction in some applications. Some bearings use pumped lubrication and behave similarly to fluid bearings. At high speeds life can be very short. Rolling-element bearing: A rolling-element rotary bearing uses a shaft in a much larger hole, and cylinders called rollers tightly fill the space between the shaft and hole. As the shaft turns, each roller acts as the logs in the above example. Yet, since the bearing is round, the rollers never fall out from under the load. A rolling-element bearing is a bearing which carries a load by placing round elements between the two pieces. The relative motion of the pieces causes the round elements to roll with very little rolling resistance and with little sliding. It is the earliest and best-known rolling-element bearings are sets of logs laid on the ground with a large stone block on top. As the stone is pulled, the logs roll along the ground with little sliding friction. As each log comes out the back, it is moved to the front where the block then rolls on to it. Activity 4: Describe two different types of screwed fasting and two different types of rivet giving a typical application for each one. Two different types of screwed fasting: Bolts and Nuts: Bolts and nuts can be made from steel, brass, aluminum alloys and plastic. There are all sorts of bolts and nuts with different sizes for example: M6x25 high tensile bolt BZP M2 full not zinc The above metric blots and nuts and specified as steel. The specifications for bolts and nuts: Example: M8x1.550: M specifies that it is metric. The number next to the letter M which is 8 specifies the diameter in millimeters. 1.5 specifies the tread pitch in millimeters. 50 specifies the length of the shank in millimeters. There are other bolts for example: Tap bolt A bolt that is threaded all the way to the head. Eye bolt A bolt with a looped head. Toggle bolt A bolt with a special nut known as a wing. It is designed to be used where there is no access to side of the material where the nut is located. Usually the wing is spring loaded and expands after being inserted into the hole. The strength of the bolts Can be identified by reading the numbers stamped on the head of the bolts, these are referred to the grad of the bolt used in certain applications with the strength of the bolt. High-strength steel bolts usually have a hexagonal head with an International Organization for Standardization(ISO) strength rating stamped on the head. Studs and nuts: Studs: Road studs: These are generally used on hard surfaces, such as roads or very had ground. They are normally 4 to 6 sided, small and flat in size and blunt. Ice studs: these are also designed for use on hard surfaces, but generally have a longer, sharper point than road studs, to provide traction on slippery surfaces. Grass studs: are also known as bullet studs , they come in many different lengths but are always larger and shaper than road studs and generally narrow so they can dig into hard, dry ground. Mud Studs: are used on extremely soft or wet riding surfaces where deep traction is needed. They are bigger thanRoad Studsbut often rounded on top and come in several different lengths.Mud Studscan also be square in shape, known asBlock Studs.SomeMud Studsare knownasOlympic Studs*which are long and sharp and used for extremely slippery ground Two different types of rivets: Blind rivets. These types of blind rivets have non-locking mandrels and are avoided for critical structural joints because the mandrels may fall out, due to vibration or other reasons, leaving a hollow rivet that will have a significantly lower load carrying capability than solid rivets. In addition, because of the mandrel they are more horizontal to failure from corrosion and vibration. A drive rivet: A drive rivet is an appearance of blind rivet that has a little mandrel protruding from the head that is driven in with a hammer to flicker out the end inserted in the hole. This is usually used to rivet wood panels into place since the hole does not need to be drilled all the way through the panel, producing a beautiful pleasing appearance. They can also be used with plastic, metal, Other materials and require no special setting tool other than a hammer and possibly a backing block. P5-Decribe the operation of two different types of cam and followers and two different types of linage mechanism. Two different types of cam and followers: Cam followers are comparable to needle or cylindrical roller bearings with a thick-walled external ring. The crowned outer surface of the outer ring prevents border stresses if the roller runs in a twisted or inclined location. They are grease full ready-to-mount units appropriate for all types of cam drives, tracks and conveyor systems. In its place of an inner ring cam followers have a hard threaded pin to permit the cam follower to be quickly and easily attached to the machine mechanism by means of a hexagonal nut. Axial guidance is provided through an essential flange on the external ring at the top of the pin and a side. Cam followers are obtainable in three different internal designs. Usually, the cam followers have concentric seating on the pin, but some are also accessible with a strange collar shrunk on to the stud. Cam follower bearings with collar allow an optimum interaction with the cam and allow fewer stringent developed tolerances for the mechanism. Two different types of linkage mechanism: A mechanical linkage is a sequence of rigid links linked through joints to shape a closed series, or a series of closed chains. Every linkage has two or more joints, and the joints have a variety of degrees of freedom to allow movement between the relations. A linkage is called a mechanism if two or more links are movable with respect to a fixed link. Four-bar linkage mechanisms: The four-bar linkage is one more mechanism which finds general uses. It is establish in applications such as windscreen wiper drives, Vehicle suspension units and Everyday uses such as the hinges on kitchen cupboard doors and squeeze-mop mechanisms. Two of the links spin about fixed centers and are connected by a coupler linkage. The fourth link is shaped by the frame or bed plate that contains the permanent centers of rotary motion. It must be noted that the number of inversion of machinery is equal to the number of links, which in this case is four links. Reverse motion linkage. As the top bar moves to the left the base bar moves to the right. The bars move in reverse directions. an additional way of describing this linkage is the direction of movement in one bar is reversed in the other rod. The fixed pivot is the centre of rotation. (P6): describe the arrangement and operation of Two different kinds of belt drive: Flat belts: Flat belts are used mostly for transmitting light tons. Since they are flexible, this makes them appropriate for applications where there is some misalignment among shafts; they possibly will be crossed to give opposition directions of turning round to the pulleys. They can also be twisted to attach shaft which are not in the same plane. Vee belts: Vee belts (also recognized as V-belt or wedge rope) solved the slippage and arrangement problem. It is currently the essential belt for power transmission. They offer the best mixture of grip, pace of movement, load of the bearings, and long service life. They are usually continuous, and their common cross-section shape is trapezoidal. The V shape of the belt tracks in a mating groove in the pulley (or sheave), with the effect that the belt cannot slip off. The belt also tends to hold into the groove as the load increases the larger the load, the larger the wedging action improving torque transmission and making the vee belt an helpful solution, needing less width and tension than flat belts. Two different kinds of chain drive: A chain is a method of transferring rotary motion between two parallel shafts. The chain drive is positive, efficient and high torques can be transmitted. The chain is generally made from steel although plastic chains have been developed. Roller Chain: Roller chain or bush roller chain is the type of chain most frequently used for transmission of mechanical power on bicycles, motorcycles, and in industrial and agricultural machinery. It is a straightforward, dependable, and efficient means of power transmission. Two different kinds of gear train. Epicyclic gearing or planetary gearing is a gear system that consists of one or more external gears, or planet mechanism, rotating about a central, or sun gear. Typically, the planet gears are mounted on a movable arm or carrier which itself may rotate relative to the sun gear. Epicyclic gearing systems may also incorporate the use of an outer ring gear or annulus, which meshes with the planet gears. (P7): Describe the arrangement and operation of: Two different kinds of transmission shaft Power transmission shafts are mainly used in two wheeler and four wheeler vehicles. These shafts consist of metal joint elements and a metal pipe connected to each other. To provide more rigidity to shafts, a plastic pipe is inserted into metal pipe thus forming a composite power transmission shaft having more strength and rigidity. Automotive transmission shafts are especially designed and used in two wheelers as well as four wheelers. These shafts are integral hollow type shafts that maintain a perfect balance between static strength and fatigue strength. Two different types of Couplings: Shaft couplings are used in machinery for several purposes, the most common ones are: To provide for the connection of shafts of units those are manufactured separately such as a motor and generator and to provide for disconnection for repairs or alternations. To provide for misalignment of the shafts or to introduce mechanical flexibility. To reduce the transmission of shock loads from one shaft to another. Rigid Slip Couplings: This type of coupling has no flexibility; therefore it is necessary for the shafts that aretobe connected to be in good alignment, both laterally and angularity, in order excessive loadson the coupling, on the shafts, or on the shaft bearings.Rigid couplings do not accommodate misalignment and consequently should not be usedindiscriminately. Types of Rigid Couplings: Sleeve or muff coupling: It is the simplest type of rigid coupling, made of cast iron. Itconsists of a hollow cylinder whose innerdiameter is the same as that of the shaft. It is fitted over the ends of the two shafts by means of a gibhead key. Clamp coupling: Clamp coupling is sometimes called a compression coupling or a ribbed coupling. Clamp coupling is a modification and an improvement of the sleeve coupling. This coupling is made in two parts which are machined to fit the shaft and are finished off around the periphery and on both ends. Flange coupling: A flange coupling usually applies to a coupling having two separate cast iron flanges. Each flange is mounted on the shaft end and keyed to it. The faces are turned up at right angle to the axis of the shaft. Two different kinds of clutch: Dog clutch: is a type ofclutchthat couples two turning shafts or other rotating mechanism not byfrictionbut by interference. The two parts of the clutch are designed such that one will push the other, causing both to rotate at the same speed and will never slip. Dog clutches are used inside manual automotive transmissions to lock different gears to the rotating input and output shafts. Cone clutch: serves the same purpose as a disk or plateclutch. However, instead of mating two spinning disks, the cone clutch uses two conical surfaces to transmit torque by friction. The cone clutch transfers a higher torque than plate or disk clutches of the same size due to the wedging action and increased surface area. Cone clutches are generally now only used in low peripheral speed applications although they were once common in automobiles and other combustion engine transmissions. Two different kinds of breaks: Disc brakes: are made of cast iron or ceramic composites. The use of these types of breaks ate to stop or slow the rotation of a wheel. Hydraulic brakes: use brake fluid, and normally containing ethylene glycol the reason for this is because to transfer pressure from the controlling unit and also to brake mechanism which is normally near the wheel. (P8): Describe with the aid of diagrams the general layout operation of a Pneumatic actuation system: Pneumatic systems provide a softer action and are also not able to deliver such large forces. Besides the disadvantages pneumatic systems have some advantages which are: Simplicity of Design and Control Machines are easily designed using standard cylinders other components. Control is as easy as it is simple ON OFF type control. Reliability Pneumatic systems tend to have long operating lives and require very little maintenance. Because gas is compressible, the equipment is less likely to be damaged by shock. The gas in pneumatics absorbs excessive force, whereas the fluid of hydraulics directly transfers force. Storage Compressed Gas can be stored, allowing the use of machines when electrical power is lost. Safety Very low chance of fire (compared to hydraulic oil). Machines can be designed to be overload safe. The process of the pneumatic system that is shown above: The compressor receives filtered air form air filter and delivers through an after-cooler to the compressed air receiver. Then the air is distributed to different applications as well as the pneumatic cylinder. Pneumatic systems employ gas that is compressed under extremely high pressure. For some applications where the air must be perfectly dry, the system also contains a moisture separator. The practical use of pneumatics comes in putting that compressed gas to use, at its most basic level a pneumatic system holds compressed gas in a specially designed tank and then we release some of that gas into an expandable chamber. The expandable part of the chamber has a rod attached to it so that as it expands the rod moves outward. Hydraulic actuation systems: Air has a low density and is compressible at the same time as hydraulic oil has a much higher density and is almost incompressible. Therefore, hydraulic systems are capable to function at much advanced pressure and deliver the very huge positive forces which are necessary in applications such as hydraulic presses and lifts. Hydraulic actuation system has advantages which are listed below: Advantages of hydraulics Liquid (as a gas is also a fluid) does not absorb any of the supplied energy. Capable of moving much higher loads and providing much higher forces due to the incompressibility. The hydraulic working fluid is basically incompressible, leading to a minimum ofspringaction. When hydraulic fluid flow is stopped, the slightest motion of the load releases the pressure on the load; there is no need to bleed off pressurized air to release the pressure on the load. The process of the Hydraulic actuation systems that is shown above: The system has motor-driven pump which draws filtered oil from the tank and distributes it through a pressure regulator to the positions where it is necessary. The pump runs constantly and the excess oil which is not necessary for procedures is diverted back to the tank by the pressure regulator. It must be noted that the organization generally supplies a relatively little work area in the locality of the pump and tank. It is not realistic to provide oil under pressure over large distances for the reason that of pressure drop and the need for a return pipe. A manual or automatic control valve supplies oil to the actuation cylinder and directs return oil to the reservoir. A mechanical handling system: The transfer of material, components and assemblies through the manufacturing stages often takes position on roller or belt conveyors. Mechanical handling has a broad variety of handling. Lifting gear used in developing business is broad and in some cases it is extremely meticulous. The roller conveyer is most expected the easiest form where manufactured goods are passed among work stations along a track having rollers. Materials are regularly shifted through a motor-driven belts conveyer. The belts are from frequently maintained on concave roller so that is falls in the center. (P9): Describe with the aid of diagrams the general layout and operation of Steam power generation plant: Though the main process in steam power station is the conversion of heat energy into electrical energy, it comprises of many steps for its proper working and good efficiency. The whole arrangement of a steam power station could be divided into following steps: The steam generating plant consist of boiler and its auxiliary equipments for the utilisation of flue gases. Boiler: The heat produced by the burning of coal in the boiler is used to produce steam at high temperature and pressure. The flue gases produced at the time of combustion is passed through the super heater, economiser, air- preheater and finally exhausted into the atmosphere through chimney. Super Heater: The steam produced in the boiler has got moisture content so it is dried and superheated (i.e. steam temperature is increased above boiling point of water)by the flue gases on the way to chimney. Super heating ensures two benefits at first the overall efficiency of the system is increased and secondly the corrosion to the turbine blades due to condensation in later stages is prevented. The superheated steam from superheater is fed to steam turbine by means of a main valve. Air preheater: Air preheater increases the temperature of the air supplied to coal for combustion using flue gases. Air is drawn in using a forced draught fan and is passed through preheater before supplying it to the boiler. This process increases the thermal efficiency and steam capacity per square meter of the boiler surface. Steam Turbine: The dry and super heated steam from superheater is fed to the turbine by means of a main valve. Due to the striking or reaction impact of the steam on the blades of turbine it starts rotating i.e. heat energy is converted to mechanical energy. After giving heat energy to the turbine the steam is exhausted to a condenser which condenses the exhausted steam by means of a cold water circulation. Alternator: The steam turbine is coupled to an alternator; the alternator converts the mechanical energy into electrical energy. The electrical output is transferred to the bus bars through transformer, circuit breaker and isolators. Feed Water: The condensed water produced in the condenser is used as feed water, some amount of water may be lost in the cycle but it is compensated using an external source and the cycle repeats and gives a better efficiency to the system. Cooling Arrangement: Inorder to increase the efficiency of the plant the steam coming from the turbine is condensed using a condenser. The water circulation for cooling steam in condenser is take from a natural source like river, stream etc and the out coming hot water from condenser is discharged in some lower portion of the water source. In scarcity of water the water from the condenser is cooled and reused with the help of a cooling tower. Refrigeration system: There are several heat transfer loops in a refrigeration system as shown above. Thermal energy moves from left to right as it is extracted from the space and expelled into the outdoors through five loops of heat transfer: Indoor air loop. In the left loop, indoor air is driven by the supply air fan through cooling coil, where it transfers its heat to chilled water. The cool air then cools the building space. Chilled water loop. Driven by the chilled water pump, water returns from the cooling coil to the chillers evaporator to be re-cooled. Refrigerant loop. Using a phase-change refrigerant, the chillers compressor pumps heat from the chilled water to the condenser water. Condenser water loop. Water absorbs heat from the chillers condenser, and the condenser water pump sends it to the cooling tower. Cooling tower loop. The cooling towers fan drives air across an open flow of the hot condenser water, transferring the heat to the outdoors. There are two fundamental types of refrigeration system. They are the; Vapour-compression system The vapour-absorption system. The two types are used for commercial purposes and domestic refrigerators and the two of them work on the standard that when a liquid vanishes, it takes in concealed heat from its surroundings. The liquids used in refrigerators and freezers are called refrigerants. They are made to evaporate at a temperature below 0 degrees Celsius and in doing so; they take in latent heat and maintain the cold space at a sub-zero temperature. A refrigerant must have a low freezing point so that it does not solidify or form slush in the low temperature part of the refrigeration cycle. Also it should have a high value for its latent heat of vaporisation to maximise the transfer of heat energy during the cycle. Compression refrigeration cycles take advantage of the fact that highly compressed fluids at a certain temperature tend to get colder when they are allowed to expand. If the pressure change is high enough, then the compressed gas will be hotter than our source of cooling (outside air, for instance) and the expanded gas will be cooler than our desired cold temperature. In this case, fluid is used to cool a low temperature environment and reject the heat to a high temperature environment. Vapour compression refrigeration cycles have two advantages. First, a large amount of thermal energy is required to change a liquid to a vapor, and therefore a lot of heat can be removed from the air-conditioned space. Second, the isothermal nature of the vaporization allows extraction of heat without raising the temperature of the working fluid to the temperature of whatever is being cooled. This means that the heat transfer rate remains high, because the closer the working fluid temperature approach es that of the surroundings, the lower the rate of heat transfer. An air condition system: An Air-condition system is the full automatic control of the indoor atmosphere to maintain comfortable and healthy conditions. Its objective is to provide clean, fresh air at a temperature and humidity level that is comfortable to the occupants. The essential ingredients in an air conditioning system are a fan to blow air around, a cold surface to cool and dehumidify the air, a warm surface and a source of water vapour. In a large system there will also be a tangle of tubes to distribute the air and collect it again. Notice that the cold surface has two independent jobs to do: it is used to cool the air and it is also used to dehumidify, by condensing water from the air. Advantages of Pneumatic systems over Hydraulic systems: Extremely cheaper then hydraulic systems. The force transmitter, air, is freely available. Cleaner systems as air leakage do not create a mess. Due to high pressure Hydraulic oil becomes very hot after continuous use. It can cause injury/burns if someone comes in contact with it. Usually has open circuits and we dont have to worry about the return circuit. (D1): Justify the use of shell tellus oil 27 lubricant and the splash lubrication system in the lathe machines in the college machine shop: Shell tellus oil 27and 37 lubricants: Shell Tellus Oils oil 27 are premium quality hydraulic oils generally acknowledged to be the standard-setter in the field of engineering hydraulic and fluid power lubrication. Shell tellus oil 27 has high lubrication properties and excellent low friction characteristics in hydraulic systems operating at low or high speed. Prevents stick-slip problems in critical applications enabling very fine control of machinery.Because of the reasons mentioned above shell tellus oil 27 is rated one of the best lubricant for lathe machine. Shell Tellus Oil 37 is an improved version of shell tellus oil 27. Shell Tellus Oi