Underlying Issues Associated with Sleep Disorders and Stress

Introduction Refreshing sleep is critical for good health and well-being. Sleep presents the human body a period of time to restore energy, grow, repair cellular damage, detoxify vital organs, including allowing the brain a much needed opportunity to dream, generate neurotransmitters that are essential for stable mental health, and assimilate newly learned information (Vukovic, 2010).Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Underlying Issues Associated with Sleep Disorders and Stress specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More More importantly, recent studies have identified a positive correlation between adequate sleep and enhanced capacity to cope with stress, while sleep deprivation have been positively associated with increased mood disturbances and impaired mental, emotional, and physical performance (Levy et al, 2006). The need to understand about normal sleep and sleep disorders, therefore, has never been so urgent. It is the purpose of this paper to argue and demonstrate evidence that sleep disorders have a negative impact on our ability to handle stress and whether caused by stress or simply adding to our stress, they have a profound impact on our work life and our home life. There exists compelling evidence to demonstrate that sleep research had been neglected for decades as this important facet of our own being was viewed to be of no germane consequence to the wellbeing of humans, and therefore was dropped back into a void (Sleep Mechanics, 2010). Yet, new studies underscore a huge transformation in the way psychologists, scientists, and sleep researchers have taken a keen interest on sleep and sleep disorders (Carey, 2007). Human beings sleep for one third of their life (Levy et al, 2006), and the devastating effects caused by sleep disorders are too painful to imagine, necessitating a keen interest on this broad topic. There has been a convergence of interest for many researchers on the topic of sleep disorder and stress. Indeed, among a multiplicity of factors affecting healthy sleep, a wealth of literature has reported the unfavorable influence of psychological stress and psychiatric disorders (Brand et al, 2010). Some researchers are of the opinion that sleep disorders occasions psychological stress, while others support a more liberal view that sleep disorders and stress are geometrically related and affect each other proportionately depending on the variables at play (Overeem Reading, 2010).Advertising Looking for research paper on health medicine? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The situation is further compounded by the fact that it is exceedingly difficult to define stress as it encompass all types of stimuli of varying intensities and duration , not mentioning the fact that divergent types of stressors brings with them diverse impacts on sleep (Eui-Joong Dimsdale, 2007). What is known at this stag e is that sleep disorder and stress are inexorably linked, and both are associated with undesirable outcomes. Normal Sleep and its Positive Effects For decades now, it has proven difficult for researchers to offer an objective and unified definition of what normal sleep entails (Lichstein et al, 2004). Sleep researchers, aware of the complexities involved in offering a holistic definition, have developed benchmarks that could be used to offer a justifiable description of normal sleep. In simple terms, however, normal sleep can be defined as â€Å"†¦normally distributed range of sleep† (Lichstein et al, 2004, p. 73). Normal sleep should be viewed and evaluated within the realms of both good and poor sleepers since it is not necessarily true that poor sleepers have a sleep disorder. Still, normal sleep can be defined as the lack of or absence of sleep disorder, known as a state of normality (Vukovic, 2010). NINDS (2010a)1 posits that â€Å"†¦for most adults, a normal night’s sleep lasts about 8 hours and is composed of four to six separate sleep cycles†¦A sleep cycle is defined by a segment of non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep followed by a period of rapid eye movement (REM) sleep† (para. 4). It is imperative to note that sleep, which is defined as a natural sporadic state of rest, comes in phases and different individuals forms their own conceptions of what is enough sleep for them. However, the inability to accomplish the sleep cycle in a single night must never be viewed as a sleep disorder (Brand et al, 2010). The intrigues of definition notwithstanding, the positive effects of normal sleep have been confirmed and well-documented by researchers (Cai Richard, 2009). On the physical front, numerous studies have demonstrated that normal sleep is positively correlated to improved vigilance, alertness, improved reaction time, vibrant energy, improved accuracy, and decreased fatigue, among others (Overeem Reading, 2010). Bio logically, enjoying normal sleeping patterns is not only critical to the proper functioning of the brain, but also enhances its performance, including concentration, learning capacities and memory formation. As such, normal sleep is indispensable for our mental health, vitality, and intellectual development.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Underlying Issues Associated with Sleep Disorders and Stress specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More In equal measure, normal sleep is ingeniously needed to give our bodies an opportunity to repair worn out body cells, a process that makes us wake up feeling refreshed and ready to face the challenges of the day. This is indeed important as it necessitates us to fulfill our work and family responsibilities without feeling fatigued or stressed out to unhealthy limits (Levy et al, 2006). The debate about normal sleep is multifaceted in nature and scope owing to the very fact th at it not only benefits people at an individualized level, but it also benefits the organizations that these people work for. Seminal studies by Shaw and Bernard2 on 500 employees working for different organizations demonstrated that employees who received adequate sleep were more likely to be productive and creative at work than those who slept less than 3 hours a night or those who worked in nightshifts. Productive employees are an asset to the organization. According to Patlak (2005), â€Å"†¦as many as 70 million Americans may be affected by chronic sleep loss or sleep disorders, at an annual cost of $16 billion in health care expenses and $50 billion in lost productivity† (p. 2). This serves as a wake up call for organizations to allow their employees adequate time for sleep since it becomes counterintuitive to the management’s performance objectives if they deny their employees adequate time for sleep and rest. Sleep Disorders and their Negative Effects Slee p disorders are a category of syndromes or medical disorders characterized by disturbances in a person’s sleep patterns, quality of sleep, or in psychological or physiological conditions that must come into play for one to fall asleep (Overeem Reading, 2010). Epidemiological studies on sleep have identified about 70 diverse sleep disorders affecting populations worldwide, bringing with them different ramifications ranging from mild complications to life-threatening episodes (Levy et al, 2006). According to Patlak (2005), an estimated 40 million Americans are affected by sleeping disorders. It is also estimated that more than 50 percent of U.S. citizens aged 65 and older suffers from a sleeping disorder (Levy et al, 2006). It should be noted at this early juncture that lack of sleep for a few days cannot be equated to a sleep disorder. On the contrary, a sleep disorder is a far more serious and persistent condition that causes the sufferer substantial emotional distress and i mpede his or her social or work-related functioning (Sleep Mechanics, 2010). Sleep researchers and psychologists have particularly focused attention to the correlation between sleep disorders and stress. It is a well known fact that psychological stress affects the amount and quality of sleep, making it extremely difficult to sleep normally or attain REM sleep (Patlak, 2005).Advertising Looking for research paper on health medicine? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Stoppler Marks (2010) are of the opinion that â€Å"stress is simply a fact of nature — forces from the outside world affecting the individual†¦The individual responds to stress in ways that affect the individual as well as their environment† (para. 1). Such forces may arise from the death of a loved one, medical condition, job-related experiences, family relationships, financial difficulties, and alcohol and substance dependence, among others. Internal determinants determine our bodies’ capacity to react to, and deal with, the forces that induce stress. Of fundamental importance to this research paper is the realization that the amount of sleep that an individual gets is one of the internal factors that influence his or her own capacity to handle stress (Stoppler Marks, 2010). As such, it can be logically concluded that sleeping disorders are positively correlated to enhanced stress levels. Sleep disorders brings with them a myriad of negative effects, e specially on an individual’s social, physical, emotional, and mental wellbeing. According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, the severity of sleep disorders is further compounded by well-entrenched rules of modern living, which is fast-paced and aggressive, thereby keeping sleep in extreme disregard (Levy et al, 2006). The reality is that sleep disorders can lead to a range of negative outcomes, causing mild to potentially life-threatening ramifications, from weight gain to cardiovascular seizures. Below, some of the most common sleep disorders are discussed. Sleep Apnea Sleep researchers and medical professionals have for years tried to understand the dynamics and causative agents of these condition that is far more widespread than holistically understood. By description, sleep apnea is a breathing disorder typified by short interruptions of breathing occasioned by muscle relaxation during sleep (Levy et al, 2006). At a general level, the conditi on usually arises in association with lack of fitness, fat accumulation, and loss of muscle tone that comes with aging (Overeem Reading, 2010). This potentially life-threatening condition is a serious concern for vital body organs such as the brain and cardiovascular system. The condition, which was first identified in 1965, is much feared for its episodes of pausing of breathing. During an episode, a person’s attempt to inhale air during sleep produces suction that occasions the windpipe to collapse. According to Levy et al (2006), the collapsed windpipe obstructs the air flow for duration of time ranging from ten seconds to a minute, while the person, already in sleep mode, tries to grasp for breathe. As the episode progresses, the blood oxygen level drops forcing the brain to react by waking up the person in a response that is aimed at contracting the upper airway muscles and open the collapsed windpipe (Overeem Reading, 2010). The person may grunt or gasp for a while as he or she attempts to respond before resuming normal breathing. This most excruciating cycle can be repeated numerous times in a single night, compounding the condition even further. The frequent awakenings brought about by sleep apnea are counterintuitive to the health and wellbeing of an individual. A study conducted on subjects with known condition of sleep apnea identified a strong relationship between the condition and personality problems such as irritability, stress, depression, and perceived instability of mental health. The deprivation of oxygen during the seizures may have grave consequences, including brain damage, decline in mental functioning and performance, enhanced risk of suffering from stroke, heart failure, coronary heart disease, injury from accidents, and high blood pressure, among others (Lichstein et al, 2004). In the U.S., sleep apnea and its complications accounts for an estimated $42 million in treatment and hospital bills. Hypersomnia Hypersomnia is a sle ep disorder characterized by recurring and excessive amounts of daytime sleepiness or extended nighttime sleep (Grohol, 2010). Available literature demonstrates that hypersomnia is a rare disorder, occurring in less than 5 percent of the adult population worldwide (Levy et al, 2006). The condition usually affects people between ages 15-30, and progresses gradually over a period of years. Unlike feelings of tiredness or fatigue felt by people largely as a result of lack of adequate sleep at night, people suffering from this condition are compelled to sleep frequently during daytime, often at unsuitable times such as working hours thereby lessening their productivity. Of particular interest is the fact that these daytime naps hardly offer any relief from symptoms of fatigue and disorientation experienced by people with this condition (Overeem Reading, 2010). Hypersomnia is evaluated along a continuum of duration and level of severity. According to Overeem Reading (2010), an individu al must exhibit symptoms related to the condition for at least three weeks to be diagnosed with hypersomnia, not mentioning the fact that the symptoms must have a substantial effect on the person’s life for the person to be categorized as suffering from hypersomnia. Studies conducted over time has identified some unique symptoms or behaviors exhibited by people suffering from the condition. In one particular study, Levy et al (2006) identified excessive daytime sleep (EDS), diminished levels of alertness and energy, anxiety, depression, disorientation, prolonged sleep at night, diminished mental functioning, memory difficulty, and enhanced irritation. Other symptoms include restlessness, slow or retarded speech, antisocial behavior, appetite loss, and hallucinations (Brand et al, 2010). In severe cases, a person suffering from this condition loses his ability to undertake his or her family, social, or occupational responsibilities. Hypersomnia is occasioned by the presence of another sleeping disorder, medications, drug or alcohol dependence, injury or impairment of the central nervous system, and head tumors, among others (Brand et al, 2010). The condition, according to Levy et al (2006), can also be caused by other medical complications such as multiple sclerosis, epileptic seizures, post traumatic stress disorder, and obesity. Of importance to the broad objective of this report is that this condition can be caused by medications used to alleviate stress. As such, a correlation between sleep disorders and the negative outcomes brought about by stress can be drawn. Narcolepsy There is no known cause for this chronic disorder, which is described as excessive and overwhelming sleep attacks especially during daytime even after having adequate sleep at night (Levy et al, 2006). Some sleep researchers defines narcolepsy as a chronic neurological disorder which weaken the capacity of the central nervous system to regulate normal sleep patterns (Overeem Read ing, 2010). As such, a person suffering from this condition is more likely to become sleepy and fatigued at inappropriate times and situations. According to the NINDS (2010a), â€Å"†¦people may involuntarily fall asleep while at work or at school, when having a conversation, playing a game, eating a meal, or, most dangerously, when driving an automobile or operating other types of potentially hazardous machinery† (para. 2). If the urge to sleep becomes irresistible, people with this condition fall asleep for periods ranging from a few seconds to one hour or even for longer periods of time. Other symptoms that characterize narcolepsy include abrupt loss of voluntary muscle tone, hallucinations, and brief periods of total paralysis especially at the beginning or end of every episode (NINDS, 2010a). It is inarguably difficult to diagnose narcolepsy. For a person to be fully diagnosed as suffering from the condition, he or she must have suffered repeated episodes of sleep a ttacks for a period not less than three months (Sleep Mechanics, 2010). The situation is further compounded by the fact that the condition is not ultimately diagnosed in most victims until 10 to 15 years after the onset of the first symptoms (NINDS, 2010a). Scientists have now formed the opinion that narcolepsy is occasioned by disease processes which affects the brain’s capacity to regulate REM sleep. Of particular relevance to this report is the fact that narcoleptic sleep seizures can occur anywhere at any given time, profoundly disabling the victim’s productive capabilities. Restless Legs Syndrome Restless legs syndrome (RLS) is a neurological sleep disorder characterized by uncomfortable, stinging sensations in the legs followed by spontaneous urge to move the legs when at rest or sleeping in an attempt to relieve these unpleasant and often painful feelings (NINDS, 2010b). According to Buchfuhrer Kushida (2007), â€Å"†¦the medical term for these sensations is dysesthesia, which is defined as disagreeable or abnormal sensation† (p. 3). These sensations normally occur in the calf sections of the legs but may also be felt elsewhere. The most unique or extraordinary characteristic of RLS is that relaxing or lying down for prolonged periods of time automatically activates the symptoms. The sensations vary in severity from slight uncomfortable feelings to painful episodes. Some individuals have reported experiencing the sensations in the arms too. Accounts of people with RLS reveals a trend whereby the sensations are more pronounced at night than during the day (NINDS, 2010b). In most occasions, the uncomfortable sensations disappear by early morning, allowing the person some time to sleep. Despite extensive research, the causative agents of RLS remain unknown. Although many people don’t take the condition seriously, especially in mild cases, severe cases of RLS can disrupt daytime functions due to the onerous interruption of sleep during the night. More importantly, the syndrome is known to cause exhaustion, stress, and daytime fatigue if left untreated (NINDS, 2010b). Such a scenario bears obvious ramifications on the victims’ work-related responsibilities, personal and family relations, and other activities of daily living. In addition, people with RLS are unable to concentrate, and therefore are unable to accomplish their daily roles (NINDS, 2010b; Buchfuhrer Kushida, 2007). Exploding Head Syndrome According to American Sleep Association (2007), â€Å"†¦exploding head syndrome is a rare and relatively undocumented parasomnia event in which the subject experiences a loud bang similar to a bomb exploding, a gun going off, a clash of cymbals or any other form of loud, indecipherable noise that seems to originate from the head† (para. 1). This condition is not associated with pain or any other physical characteristic. Many people have only reported shortness of breath after experienci ng the syndrome. This noise occurs just before a person enters into deep sleep, and occasionally upon waking up. Attacks can, on their own volition, increase or decrease with time or even disappear altogether. People with this condition often experience fear and distress after an episode, followed by elevated heart rate. Though the condition is not life-threatening, it is highly associated with stress and overbearing fatigue in most people. At this stage, the cause of this syndrome is not yet known (ASA, 2007). Population Affected by Sleeping Disorders Sleep disorders are known to affect people based on their age, lifestyle behaviors, immediate environment, and their mental and health status, among other factors (Levy et al, 2006). It is difficult to draw a fine line between who is at risk of being affected by the sleep disorders because situations keep shifting and our experiences at an individual level keep on changing inline with the trends of modern living. One thing that has re verberated all along the discussion, though, is the fact that sleep disorders and stress are inexorably linked, and that one variable triggers a spontaneous response from the other. This notwithstanding, extensive research carried out on these disorders has explicitly identified the percentage of Americans who may be at risk and, in some occasions, stated the age categories that are most affected. A cohort study conducted in 1993 revealed that one in every 15 people in the U.S were affected by at least one form of sleep apnea, a figure that is equivalent to 18 million Americans (CureResearch.com, 2010). It is also estimated that 2-4 percent of Americans lives with the condition but are yet to be diagnosed. People in middle-age are thought to be more at risk of being affected by the condition, with figures demonstrating that as many as 9 percent of American women and a massive 24 percent of American men in middle-age are affected by the condition yet they remain undiagnosed and untre ated (Levy et al, 2006). Available data on hypersomnia demonstrate that the condition affects an estimated 5 percent of the population as they progress through the lifespan (AllPsychOnline, 2004). However, hypersomnia is more widespread in males than in females. The symptoms appear before an individual celebrates his or her 30th birthday, and continue to advance as one ages unless treated. Narcolepsy is a common sleep disorder in populations around the world, but it often goes unrecognized or misdiagnosed. It is therefore hard to account for the total percentage of the population suffering from the condition. But going by NINDS (2010a) estimates, one in every 2,000 people living in the U.S. is affected by the condition. Narcolepsy is neither gender specific nor racial or ethnic specific; it affects people from all walks of life globally. It is feared that a larger segment of the population might be suffering from the condition in silence. According to NINDS (2010a), the disorder â⠂¬Å"†¦prevalence rates vary among populations†¦Compared to the U.S. population, for example, the prevalence rate is substantially lower in Israel (about one per 500,000) and considerably higher in Japan (about one per 600)† (para. 6). Researchers put the figure of Americans suffering from restless legs syndrome (RLS) at 12 million (NINDS, 2010b). However, this is a provisional figure because RLS, as is the case with narcolepsy, is thought to be grossly misdiagnosed and, in some instances, under-diagnosed. Still, some people with the condition fail to go for medical checkup on the belief that theirs is not a serious condition that warrants medical attention. As such, the prevalence levels could be higher than currently estimated. There exist no objective statistics on people affected by exploding head syndrome due to the fact that the disorder is relatively new. What is known at this stage is that individuals over the age of 50 stands more chance of being affected by the syndrome. It is also known that women are at higher risk of being affected by the disorder than men (ASA, 2007). How Sleep Disorders Affect Family Life Evidence adduced in this report has demonstrated that the amount of sleep that an individual gets is one of the internal factors that influence his or her own capacity to cope with stress (Stoppler Marks, 2010). This therefore implies that sleep and the capacity to handle stress are proportionately linked, with the amount of sleep serving as a variable over the capacity to handle stress. More importantly, it has been revealed that sleep disorders affect family life in numerous ways. A good starting point in this discussion would be to reinforce the proven concept that normal sleep is indispensable for our mental health, vitality, and intellectual development (Sleep Mechanics, 2010). In the absence of normal sleep, individuals will be deprived of these critical aspects that enhance their ability to cope with stress. Fatigue and s tress occasioned by sleep disorders makes a person to be unproductive at the family level. As a matter of fact, these undesirable characteristics are not only counterproductive to the family as a unit, but they also impact substantial harm on the victim and his or her own personal and social relationships (Brand et al, 2010). The frequent awakenings occasioned by sleep apnea, according to available literature, are counterintuitive to the health and wellbeing of an individual. According to Lichstein et al (2004), these individuals may be unable to maintain a long term relationship with their partners, not mentioning that the disorders takes a toll on their quality of life, denying them the confidence and vigor that is copiously needed for modern living. Subjectively, some of the sufferers of serious sleep disorders such as sleep apnea think of themselves as abnormal human beings. There exists a strong relationship between sleep disorders such as sleep apnea and personality problems, including irritability, stress, depression, and perceived instability of mental health. Hypersomnia is known to decrease the level of alertness and energy while enhancing depression, disorientation, antisocial behavior, and enhanced irritation, among others (Levy et al, 2006). These undesirable outcomes not only reduces our capacity to effectively cope with the stressors experienced in modern living, but also entraps the sufferers in a vicious cycle of unresponsiveness and low quality life on the family front. Studies have positively correlated these characteristics to increased suicide rates (Vokovic, 2010). It is, therefore, not difficult to see that people suffering from sleep disorders stands a high risk of losing their ability to holistically undertake their family responsibilities. Family breakups and divorces may be witnessed in cases where the sufferer is the sole breadwinner of the family since the disorder will force him or her to forego family responsibilities. Sleep diso rders comes with profound financial obligations in medical costs that are bound to weigh heavily on the family. Statistics demonstrates that an estimated $16 billion is used annually in the U.S. to treat people with sleep disorders (Patlak, 2007). Such costs may have an overbearing effect on the family, affecting its ability to function normally and, in some cases, draining all the resources earmarked for other activities. This only serves to increase stress levels. More importantly, some of the medical complications associated with sleep disorders such as stroke, brain damage, coronary heart disease, and high blood pressure have the capacity to bring permanent ramifications on family life (Eui-Joong Dimsdale, 2007). How Sleep Disorders Affect Work Life It is indeed true that work environments are stressful environments. Our ability to handle and cope with stress therefore becomes of critical value if we are to perform to expectations and remain productive at work. However, this is better said than done when it comes to sleep disorders and work life as many of the negative outcomes associated with sleep disorders only serves to diminish our own abilities to handle stress. Some symptoms such as fatigue, depression, loss of memory, disorientation, and daytime sleepiness (Eui-Joong Dimsdale, 2007) curtails people’s productive and creative nature at work. Chances are that, such symptoms increases cases of absenteeism from work and enhances turnover. According to Lichneistein et al (2004), productive employees are an asset to the organization. Sleep disorders, however, works against the grain to make people with such complications become less productive in their work and therefore a liability to the organization. Patlak (2007) opines that the U.S. alone loses in excess of $50 billion annually in lost productivity due to complications associated with sleep disorders. This is an astronomical figure whose effect on the economy cannot be wished away. People wi th sleep disorders such as hypersomnia or narcolepsy are unable to optimize their work life owing to the fact that they are compelled to sleep frequently during daytime, often at unsuitable times such as work hours (O vereem Reading, 2010). In particular, people with narcolepsy cannot operate hazardous machinery or drive for long hours as they are bound to involuntarily fall asleep on the job and if they do, other expenses may have to be incurred in terms of covering for accidents and hospital bills. Other stress disorders such as RLS and exploding head syndrome are known to cause exhaustion, stress, lack of concentration, and daytime fatigue, profoundly disabling the person’s productive capabilities at work (NINDS, 2010b; Buchfuhrer Kushida, 2007). Conclusion Clearly, the facts have been laid bare that not only does sleep disorders affects our ability to handle stress, but they also have a profound effect on our work and home life. Specifically, the paper has focused atten tion to the interrelations between sleep disorders and stress, and how the resulting multiplicity of negative outcomes affects our family and work life. The paper has gone a step further to discuss some of the most common sleep disorders and the populations that are most at risk of being affected. The astronomical costs in terms of lost productivity, medical complications, family breakups, stress and stress-related complications, lack of creativity, among others calls for action among all stakeholders directed at offering practical yet manageable solutions to the millions of people suffering from these devastating yet treatable complications. Reference List AllPsychOnline. (2004). Psychiatric disorders: Primary hypersomnia. Retrieved from http://allpsych.com/disorders/sleep/hypersomnia.html Brand, S., Gerber, M., Puhse, U., Holsboer-Tracchsler, E. (2010). Depression, hypomania, and dysfunctional sleep related cognitions as mediators between stress and insomnia: The best advice is n ot always found in the pillow. International Journal of Stress Management, Vol. 17, Issue 2, p. 114-134. Retrieved from psycARTICLES Database Buchfuhrer, N.J., Kushida, C.A. (2007). Restless legs syndrome: coping with your sleepless nights. Montreal Avenue, Saint Paul, MN: AAN Enterprises Carey, B. (2007, Oct. 24). New studies suggest sleep is vital to learning and memory. The New York Times. Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/23/health/23iht-snsleep.1.8015084.html?_r=1 CureResearch.com. (2010). Statistics about sleep apnea. Retrieved from http://www.cureresearch.com/s/sleep_apnea/stats.htm Eui-Joong, K., Dimsdale, J.E. (2007). The effects of psychosocial stress on sleep: A review of Polysomnographic evidence. Behavioral Sleep Medicine, Vol. 5, Issue 4, p. 256-278. Retrieved from Academic Source Premier Database Grohol, J.M. (2010). Hypersomnia, Primary Symptoms. Retrieved from http://psychcentral.com/disorders/sx85.htm Levy, P., Viot-Blanc, V., Pepin, J.L. (2006). Sle ep disorders and their classifications – An overview. In: W.J. Randerath, B.M. Sanner, V.K. Somers (Eds) Sleep Apnea: Current diagnosis and treatment. Karger Publishers Lichstein, K.L., Durrence, H.H., Riedel, B.W., Taylor, D.J. (2004). Epidemiology of sleep: Age, gender, and ethnicity. Mahwah, New Jersey: Taylor Francis National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. (2010). Narcolepsy fact sheet. Retrieved from http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/narcolepsy/detail_narcolepsy.htm Overeem, S., Reading, P. (2010). Sleep disorders in neurology. Oxford: Blackwell Publishing Patlak, M. (2005). Your guide to healthy sleep. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Retrieved from http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/public/sleep/healthy_sleep.pdf Sleep Mechanics: A guide to guide to getting a good night’s rest. (2010). Retrieved from MasterFILE Premier Database Stoppler, M.C., Marks, J.W. (2010). Stress. MedicineNet.com. Retrieved from http://www.medicinenet.com /stress/article.htm Vukovic, L. (2010). The power of sleep. Better Nutrition, Vol. 72, Issue 4. Retrieved from MasterFILE Premier Database Footnotes 1 National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke 2 See: Lichstein et al (2004) This research paper on Underlying Issues Associated with Sleep Disorders and Stress was written and submitted by user D'KenNeraman1 to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

A Link between Cultural Dimensions and Financial Reporting Essays

A Link between Cultural Dimensions and Financial Reporting Essays A Link between Cultural Dimensions and Financial Reporting Essay A Link between Cultural Dimensions and Financial Reporting Essay Sidney Gray created a model that shows a link to the cultural dimensions on a country and the financial reporting rules and practices In a particular country. In short, It states that the cultural values shared by members off society will Influence the accounting values of the accounting subculture. Then, the shared values of the accounting subculture will In turn affect the financial reporting rules and practices found within a country. Using this model, some Implications arise when discussing global harmonistic of financial reporting standards. By looking at Grays model its easy to see why harmonistic Is very difficult to achieve since different cultural dimensions will lead to different standards. Different nations have entirely separate sets of values so some countries might be offended that they have to change their standards to comply with the harmonistic rules. Gray hypothesizes that the higher a country ranks on uncertainty avoidance and long-term orientation, and the lower it ranks in terms of individualism and masculinity, then the more likely it is to ranks in terms of conservatism. This brings up the point that some countries are more conservative than others due to what they use the financial for and how much transparency they deem necessary. There is also an argument based on Gravys model that states that the cultural dimensions of a country lead to how the accountants apply the financial reporting rules. This causes difficulties in creating comparability between different country financial statements due to the different values. Conservatism also plays a role in the accountants application. There is a strong positive relation expected to exist between secrecy and conservatism. Countries that require limited disclosures in financial statements, high secrecy, are expected to more strictly adhere to the notion of conservatism in the measurement of assets and liabilities. How the accountants apply the rules depend largely on the type of society they are in and what exactly the society uses the financial for. The internal auditors of Cancan Enterprises have a very difficult task In front of hem. Based on Grays hypothesis Canada, an Anglo country, would rank relatively low on the accounting values of conservatism and secrecy. Brazil ranks In the middle In uncertainty avoidance, Individualism, and masculinity. It does however rank very high In long-term orientation. This shows that Brazil Is maybe slightly more towards the conservative side. Korea ranks high In both the uncertainty avoidance and long- term orientation, while ranking lower In Individualism and masculinity. This Is wowing that Korea Is a country that would take a more cautious approach to standards. Sweden ranks lows on both uncertainty avoidance and masculinity. It also ranks high in individualism and long-term orientation. It appears from this that Sweden would De a little less conservative. By Just using Grays model It can De seen that all the countries have different cultural dimensions so it will be difficult to implement Canadian standards on all of them. Also, language barriers and different cultural customs will add difficulties to the auditors.

If You Can’t Bless It, Change It.

If You Can’t Bless It, Change It. This season of the Jewish New Year brings much reflection on the past year and how we want to live our lives in the future. Most of us know that gratitude is key to living a satisfied life, and this holiday season my rabbi in Madison, Laurie Zimmerman, focused on this subject in her sermon. She related a story by Mitchell Chefitz in which a newly graduated â€Å"Officer of the Law† encountered a man in rags.  He commanded the man three times to Come forward! to no effect.  Finally the man in rags said, â€Å"I dont know what Im going to do with you. Do with me? the Officer of the Law mocked.  Do with me?  You dont do with me! I do with you!  I am an Officer of the Law, and I command you to come forward. Now I know what to do with you, the man in rags said, and as he spoke, he drew his sword.  A swordfight followed in which, after putting up a good fight, the man in rags lowered his guard, and the Officer of the Law’s sword mistakenly ran through him.  As the man died, he said, I put upon you the Curse of Blessings. Every day you must say a new blessing, one you have never said before. And on the day you do not say a new blessing, you will die. The man in rags closed his eyes and then disappeared, and the Officer of the Law wondered whether his experience were real. But as the sun set, he felt life leaving him and in a panic uttered a blessing over the sunset. Life flowed back into him.  From that day on, he said a new blessing every day, blessing abilities, then concrete things, relationships, and more. Word spread throughout the land that this previously pompous Officer of the Law was a source of blessing. He kept blessing the miracles of the world and found more and more things to bless. Finally, he was about to turn 120 years old and decided on his birthday not to make a new blessing but to recount some of the blessings he had made before. As the sun set, he felt a chill coming into his body and did not utter a blessing. Then appeared the man in rags. You! the Officer of the Law exclaimed. I have thought about you every day for a hundred years!  I never meant to harm you.  Please, forgive me. You dont understand, said the man in rags.  You dont know who I am, do you? I am the angel who was sent a hundred years ago to harvest your soul, but when I looked at you, so pompous and proud, there was nothing there to harvest.  An empty uniform was all I saw.  So I put upon you the Curse of Blessings, and now look what youve become! The Officer of the Law could not help but say, I feel blessed, dear God, that You have kept me alive and sustained me so I could attain this moment of insight. Now look what youve done! the man in rags said in frustration. A new blessing! Life flowed back into the Officer of the Law, and he and the man in rags looked to each other, neither of them knowing quite what to do. (Paraphrased from â€Å"The Curse of Blessings† in The Curse of Blessings: Sometimes, the Right Story Can Change Your Life by Mitchell Chefitz, 2006.) The rabbi also recounted a tale of the crossing of the Red Sea. In the midst of this great miracle, two people, Reuven and Shimon, did not celebrate, but rather cursed the mud, saying it was just like Egypt. â€Å"Their eyes turned downwards, while the greatest of miracles was happening all around them.† So often, like the pre-swordfight Officer of the Law, and like Reuven and Shimon, we don’t notice the blessings in our lives. We focus on what’s missing, on the negative. We become self-absorbed. This way of life drains the life from us, making us heartless and cold. In contrast, waking up and saying a new blessing, showing gratitude consistently, brings us warmth and life, carries us into the present so we’re not living in the past or the future, and draws people closer to us. We become someone people appreciate and want to be around. Marge Piercy’s poem, â€Å"The Art of Blessing the Day,† encourages us to create a life full of blessings: â€Å"Bless whatever you can / with eyes and hands and tongue. If you / cant bless it, get ready to make it new.† At this time of reflection, I encourage you to find and express the blessings in your life, and to live as much as possible in the present. And, if you can’t bless it, change it. For me, that’s the way to create a life I want to live. A life that inspires me to jump out of bed in the morning excited to bless something new.

Bacteriophage therapy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Bacteriophage therapy - Essay Example Presently, people are in danger from exposure to chemicals that are hazardous risks to infectious burns. Acquisition of the pathogens thus serves as a triumph for medicine. Options available for treating burn patients are often few and only very toxic antibiotics the likes of colistin can effectively work due to their high levels of toxin. It is thus evident that there underlies impending danger in medicine if better solutions for treating patients with severe burns are not sought. It is a result of this observation therefore that this research study aims at carrying out a survey of the use of bacteriophage to treat patients suffering from severe burns. Bacteriophage viruses use bacteria as their host, and, therefore, the human body cells are at no risk at all. With the help of this thesis therein, not only will an analysis of the use of bacteriophage in the infections be sought but also possible threats to the human immune system. Based on a number of lab tests performed by a couple of collected samples, there has been no scientific evidence on the probable toxic potentiality making the widespread use of the bacteriophage over the years. However with intent of adopting them as sole treatment method of dealing with harmful bacteria infections among countries of the west, there is the quest to carry out more scientific research and testing as well as adopt more stringent measures to effectively authenticate on harmless state of the bacteriophage (Fillipis & Mckee 39). Upon some samples being separated from human biopsies, identification for toxic traces, as well as possibilities of the proliferation of cells, was carried out, and the phage passed the test as no traces were evident. On the contrary, researchers posed possible importance of the phage on the survival of cells. Based on this research evidence, therefore, since the bacteriophage showed no traces of toxins in the human

Leisure and tourism operations management Essay

Leisure and tourism operations management - Essay Example The Service Concept Service quality is the method to manage the business processes to ensure customer satisfaction at all levels. Hospitality sector was identified by the atrium concept designs, service and the hotel industry has seen many developments in past few years. In the hotel industry, the customer chooses to buy service depending on its quality (Panda, 2006). The Service Package (The mixture of goods and services that make up the service) The service provided by hotel is based on guests / customers. The service package includes providing online room / air ticket reservations and chuffer driven car to pick up guests from airport. The hotel provides facilities such as elevators , central heating , in room radio , bar , electric elevator, centralized computer, electric cash register, free in room movies, video conferencing features, swimming pools, separate swimming pool for children, golf ground, sports activities, gym, beauty parlors and in-house restaurants and shops. Servic e Processes According to Sampson service processes are where the customer provides most of the inputs to the production process (Sampson, 2000). Service is interaction of customer and producers. The service process in the hotel includes booking airline tickets and hotel rooms through internet and on reaching the city, the guests are picked up by the vehicle of the hotel. The customers can even make direct call to the hotel to book tickets and there are other means by which you can book rooms at the hotel. The complete information related to the hotel is provided through its website and local marketing means. Service Processes (Type): Runners, Repeaters & Strangers The hotel provides free introductory scuba diving lessons for strangers and also a hotel run kid clubs for family travelers. The hotel is a leader in its business model due to the high class service. Since, Turkey is a popular tourist destination every year many visitors come to the hotel. Fitzgerald Typology (Volume/Varie ty) To design a service system the importance of variability should be determined (Kannan and Proenca, 2010) .The hotel has 200 rooms which includes standard rooms, suits and deluxe rooms and during the peak seasons from October to March the demand for rooms is very high. It provides many different type of entertaining and engaging activities to guests such as dance parties, music evenings etc) to enable convenient and enjoyable stay at the hotel. Visitors from different parts of world come to the place and the hotel staffs have to meet the variability in demands. Capability and Commodity Processes The hotel has the capability to accommodate more than 100 guests at one time but sometimes in peak season it becomes difficult to handle varieties of customers. The service is handled by the front desk employees. Schmenner Typology (1995) Schmenner typology identifies four different types of service processes which include service factory, service shops, mass service and professional serv ice. The hotel provides professional service where the staff immediately responds in professional manner to every call and provides the desired service. Though professional services it is easy to handle variability in customer call. Service Processes (Location and Mapping) Internet provides complete informat

Trinity by Leon Uris Essay Example for Free

Trinity by Leon Uris Essay Over a career spanning five decades, Leon Uris has enjoyed phenomenal popularity, with five of his twelve novels classified as number-one best-sellers by the New York Times. While the shortcomings in his prose, characterization, and political outlook have been well noted, Uris certainly ranks among the more important multicultural writers since World War II. His books explore a number of the defining cultural conflicts of the twentieth century: the Nazis’ attempted extermination of the Jews, the volatile clash between Arabs and Israelis in the Middle East, and the long-running battle between the British and Irish in Ireland, most notably. Millions of readers have learned the history behind these major intercultural conflicts from Uris’s fiction. At its annual dinner in 1978, at which the benediction was given by a Baptist minister from Belfast, the Gold Medal was awarded to Leon Uris, author of Trinity, a best-selling novel on the troubles in Ireland. The imperialist British have drawn Uris’s frequent ire. He levels harsh criticism against the British in Trinity for their self-interested administration and their failure to support Ireland in its infancy. In this book, Uris condemns the British for demeaning and subjugating Irish Catholics. He describes the British presence in Ireland as four centuries of tortured foreign occupation. In Uris’s version of Irish history, Ulster, now the nation of Northern Ireland, was established as a British plantation, a fortress outpost of colonial exploitation peopled with British-descended Ulstermen whose hatred of Irish Catholics smells strangely of Aryan supremacy of Nazi ideology. Trinity is a romantic, sentimental fiction about Irelands fight for independence. It feeds the myth of heroic opposition in the face of impossible odds. It is a paean to blood sacrifice, to the idea that the chosen few who are prepared to take upon themselves the burden of history can themselves make history, that blood sacrifice is a noble and a cleansing thing, that a glorious defeat is a prerequisite to prevailing, that in death there is victory. The novels heroes plan revolution in the face of hopeless odds; they gladly lay down their lives, eager to embrace a defeat that may somehow â€Å"stir the ashes of [the] people into a series of even more glorious defeats† so that â€Å"over the land long dead stirrings† will at last be heard (731). Trinity is bad history but powerful propaganda. It became more powerful still in the stench-ridden wings, where for nights on end the heroic exploits of Long Dan Sweeney and Conor Larkin and Brendan Sean Barrett, who, in their epic pursuit of Irish freedom, had been incarcerated and abused in captivity, who had endured hunger striking itself – â€Å"a silent defiance† became for the prisoners fictional role models with whom they could identify, in- vesting their protest with a political leitmotif that mirrored their own lives. â€Å"No crime a man commits on behalf of his freedom can be as great as the crime committed by those who deny him freedom,† Long Dan Sweeney declares. â€Å"We engage in a fight vulnerable to scathing propaganda, unloved by most of our own people, but God and God alone will eventually decide which side was just in its aspirations and which side was evil.† â€Å"Remember,† he exhorts his fellow revolutionaries, â€Å"the British have nothing in their entire arsenal of imperial might to counter a single man who refuses to be broken. Irish words, Irish self-sacrifice, and ultimately Irish martyrdom are our weapons. We must have the ability to endure pain to such an extent that they lose the ability to inflict it. This and this alone will break them in the end† (466). Fact and fiction reinforced each other. Trinity had its historical counterpoint in 1916, the H-block protest its fictional counterpoint in Trinity. The primitive, repelling circumstances of the H-blocks were often more unimaginable and less real than the imagined circumstances in Trinity. Fantasy fed the heart, and there grew among a number of the blanketmen a belief that a hunger strike would provide the catalytic momentum that would make 1916 come again. This theme of British cultural bigotry is central in Trinity. In the latter, British prejudice extends outward to include the Australians and New Zealanders sacrificed in Ireland has had a troubled history for over 800 years. Leon Uris’ Trinity deals with various aspects of Irish history. Find out about the main events in the history of Ireland and you will understand the present political troubles in modern Ireland. Works Cited Uris, Leon. Trinity. New York: Doubleday, 1976.

Free Essays - Becoming Independent in A Dolls House :: A Dolls House Essays

Becoming Independent   Throughout A Doll’s House, Henrik Ibsen illustrates through an intriguing story how a once infantile-like woman gains independence and a life of her own. Ibsen creates a naturalistic drama that demonstrates how on the outside Nora and Torvald seam to have it all, but in reality their life together is empty. Instead of meaningful discussions, Torvald uses degrading pet names and meaningless talk to relate to Nora. Continuing to treat Nora like a pampered yet unimportant pet, Torvald thoroughly demonstrates how men of his era treat women as insignificant items to be possessed and shown off. While the Helmer household may have the appearance of being sociably acceptable, the marriage of Torvald and Nora was falling apart because of the lack of identity, love, and communication.   Nora Helmer was a delicate character and she relied on Torvald for her identity. This dependence that she had kept her from having her own personality. Yet when it is discovered that Nora only plays the part of the good typical housewife who stays at home to please her husband, it is then understandable that she is living not for herself but to please others. From early childhood Nora has always held the opinions of either her father or Torvald, hoping to please them. This mentality makes her act infantile, showing that she has no ambitions of her own. Because she had been pampered all of her life, first by her father and now by Torvald, Nora would only have to make a cute animal sound to get what she wanted from Torvald, â€Å"If your little squirrel were to ask you for something very, very, prettily† (Ibsen 34) she said. Through their everyday conversation, Nora and Torvald reveal that they have a relationship full of meaningless talk and games. â€Å"Is that my little squirrel bustling about?† (2), Torvald questions Nora. â€Å"Yes!† (2) She answers, running up to Torvald like a puppy. Because of her whimsical attitude, Torvald had assumed that Nora was always happy and carefree, so what reason would there be for meaningful conversation? Their relationship consisted of nothing truly real. Everything was fun and games and for show. Torvald scolded Nora like he would a child, â€Å"Hasn’t Mrs. Sweet Tooth been breaking rules today in town†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (4). Then, Nora would respond as a young child would facing punishment, â€Å"I should not think of going against your wishes† (4). This type of communications cannot be healthy in any relationship, and greatly hindered the relationship between the two.

Mixed Schools Essay

Education is the most powerful weapon which people can use to change the world. Mixed school, also known as co-educational schools is seen to be beneficial for both sexes. Therefore academic performance in a mixed school is likely to be seen good as compared to a single sex school. This is due more social and academical interaction between the two sexes, and also students starts to get more self-esteem. However, it is important to recognize that a mixed school is not the answer to all academic purposes due to social interaction because it also presents some important disadvantages as well as the usual advantages. These essay theories the arguments against and for mixed school. Firstly, peer pressure is a common disadvantage found in a mixed school. Although interacting and socializing with peers is good, but into some extent it can be bad because some students can be easily lead to breaking rules. Therefore academic performances can suddenly decrease as students’ starts to con centrate on unnecessary things such as truancy. These shows lack of judgment and discipline thoughts and actions effects decision that a student have, thus peer pressure will contradict the set of behavior that is worth living. In many schools ,there are students indulging and involving themselves in peer pressure and their actions often reveals lack of moral and discipline in them (Toru, 2001). For instance, students start to play truant and follows friends to do unnecessary staff such as smoking or playing with other students etc. In these case students have to be monitored well by teachers in order to prevent students from playing truancy during school hours. Therefore students should be cautious, on how they interpret and socialize with their peers or otherwise they will be influenced and motivated by their peers that allow distractions into their academic curriculum. Additionally, the second point is Gender Violence .In mixed school students are more concerned with relationship than academic purposes. Some students, especially the senior students have in mind that it is necessary to have a relationship .This students will be concerned with how they look to make them attractive to others promoting their desires to the opposite sex. Having relationships is said to be an influential factor towards students’ academic work and relationship is present in all schools and teachers cannot do much about it for such an issue is not their concerned business. If we look precisely in the world that is constantly  changing ,students adapt to different learning environment that determine their capabilities of becoming a successful learner diminish at appoint when they starts to have relationships .With relationships students get to experiences sexual longings that turns negative at the end. For instance, statistics in schools in Canada show that we are two Canadian women will experiences at least one incident of physical or sexual violence in lifetime .Obviously the signs are there to in dicate a fragmented society, but students should drown in a sea of negativity and mobilize against sexual violence (Ann, 2012). Education is the key and it must be a vital part of awareness campaigns in mixed schools, our many neighborhoods and public meeting places for religious and cultural and recreational activities. Furthermore, the third point is that mixed school does not combat segregation. Mixing primary schools can only be successful if neighborhoods are mixed as well and only primary school is mixed and secondary are not. Mixing is hard to achieve because freedom is threatened by enforcing mixing schools. Mixing schools makes teachers work more complex, because politicians are afraid that too much attention is being paid to mixing and not enough to good education. Solving the problem of segregation is not the primary responsibility of education and society cannot be shaped, and class differences will therefore always exist (Gopal, 2013). Politicians think that mixing is unnecessary, a mixed school demands a lot from teachers: specific skills, affinities, time and energy and in addition to being an educator, teachers need to fulfill childrearing and social worker tasks. However, this essay has considered disadvantages (against) mixed school and will now consider the advantages (for).Mixed schools improves students’ academic performances through social interaction skills during school hours with opposite sex. Therefore mixing increases students’ opportunities to develop. Equally, the advantages of mixed school are that mixing increases student’s opportunities to develop. Weaker students can benefit from the support of stronger student’s and stronger students can learn more by explaining lesson materials to weaker students. Students will diverse backgrounds get the same opportunities for good education. Beside it increases opportunities for disadvantage students, while retaining these for advantage students. It can reduce the social and cultural gap between students where they contact with societies diversities at an early age. They  learn to get along with people of varied cultural and socio-economic backgrounds. Another point is that parents want the best for their child to grow up in an environment that has the least amount of segregation possible. Parents feel that sending their children to a mixed school will help them learn how to cope with diversity. It also has advantage for parents, where they do not have to flee to a non-mixed school just for their children to cope with diversity. Parents from diverse background come in contact with one another that somehow promote cultural wellbeing for various cultural purposes. Mixing is a way of fighting segregation that promotes the acceptance of diversity in society. It also contributes to the emancipation of cultural minorities and disadvantaged groups. Finally, letting boys and girls go to mixed schools makes both genders mingle with each other and impose a positive influence on interpersonal relationship when being in front of the other. For instance, a female student in a mixed school would not have a feeling of shy or embarrassment, but instead have confidence when having a conversation with a male student. The experiences that students in a mixed school have is that, when the two opposite sexes are studying together in the same school, it will certainly be an advantage for them, when they start working since both of the sexes have many opportunities to work together in modern society. Thus, boys and girls would benefit from attending mixed schools because they can practice their social interaction skills. In conclusion, there are disadvantages and advantages of mixed school where by the disadvantages are peer pressure, Gender violence and combat segregation. The advantages of mixed school are that mixing increases students’ opportunities to develop; secondly parents want the best for their children and lastly students gaining more confidence .However, according to the advantages, mixed schools increase the progressing of students’ academic work by the social interaction between the two sexes. In addition, this helps students to gain more confidence in them. So as attending a mixed school students tend to get high self-esteem. As to finish off it is true that mixed school increase academic purposes.

TOUAX company

TOUAX is a French company and is currently Europe‟s no. 1 in shipping containers and river barges, and no. 2 in modular building and freight railcars. The group provides operating leases to customers around the world, both on its own account and for third-party investors. On June 24, 2009, TOUAX announced that its capital increased by waiving preferential subscription rights but with priority for existing shareholders, launched on 18 June 2009 for a total of E17, 851,519.76 (gross) through the issue of 936,596 new shares which were subscribed in the entirely. Following partial application of the extension clause, 952,747 shares were placed or 101.72% of the issue; total proceeds were E18, 159,357.82. This rights issue has enabled the Group to strengthen its financial structure, to position itself with advantage for possible acquisitions of tangible stock, and to grasp opportunities thrown up by the crisis (purchase of shipping containers, modular buildings, river barges and railcars, for hiring out on mainly long-term leases). 370,062 new shares allotted under absolute entitlement were subscribed or 39.51% of the total number of new shares issue. Another 555,685 shares were applied for subject to cutting back in the event of over subscription, and orders for these were all filled. Another 27,000 shares had been applied for by the general public, and following partial application of the extension clause it proved possible to fill orders for all of these. All the result of the right issue, TOUAX is well placed to respond to the boom in corporate outsourcing of non-core assets, and every day provides over 5,000 customers with quick and flexible leasing solutions. TOUAX is now listed on Euronext in Paris – NYSE Euronext Compartment C (ISIN Code FR0000033003), and features in the SBF 250 Index.

Americans and the Industrial Revolution essays

Americans and the Industrial Revolution essays Americans faced many hardships during the turn of the century. As our Nation was adjusting to the new technological advances they were making during the Industrial Revolution, it seems that some people were simply looked over in this new rat race. There were many problems that accompanied the new century, perhaps one of the largest though, was the expansion and dominance of big businesses. As though it may seem that large businesses may be a good thing, because of our dependence on them today, we simply werent ready for them a hundred years ago. Many big businesses had created monopolies, used Taylorism, and caused what was called a boom bust economy. These three events also forced many people to try and resolve these problems associated with the tremendous rise of big business. In search for great power, and the will to expand, many businesses created large monopolies, meaning that all markets are dominated by one or two firms. For example, by 1900, approximately 98% of the oil industry was owned solely by Standard Oil Company. Because Standard Oil owned so much and people depended on this resource, this company could charge a little or as much as they wanted, with no worries of losing business, merely because people had no where else to go. Another problem with monopolies is that it leaves very little room for smaller business to run, so the small business that were once relied upon, are now out of production. Big companies also used a method called Taylorism to stay in control. Taylorism, named after a man called Fredrick Winslow Taylor, facilitated unskilled labor by copying what skilled labors knew and breaking it down into small simple jobs that anyone can do, much like an assembly line. By using unskilled laborers companies assured their power over the people because they had no skill and could go nowhere else for a job. Even if they tried, it was no problem because they were easy to replace....

Baderman Island Family Vacations Essay Example for Free

Baderman Island Family Vacations Essay Baderman Island Family Vacations: Advertising, Creative, and Media Strategies Advertising not only works but is often unmatched in its capacity to reach major audiences, build brand awareness and personality, as well as stimulate curiosity and desire. But, more than ever, companies today [in this very competitive environment] need the right creative messages and media choices in an effort to break through the â€Å"noise† in order to get noticed, and therefore, remembered. This paper will outline Baderman Island’s Family Vacations advertising plan, further expanding on creative decisions and effective media strategies in an effort to increase market share. Baderman Island – Family Vacations Analysis Family getaways are one of the top reasons that guests stay at Baderman Island, regardless of whether the stay is a seven day excursion or a weekend family reunion. With so many activities to choose from such as: boat rentals, water skiing, snorkeling, scuba diving, tennis, golf, five secluded beaches, Oasis Spa, and gallery touring there is truly something for everyone in the family to enjoy, not to mention all the activities on the island are appropriate for visitors of all ages. The many unique selling points of Baderman Island Family Vacations consist of the island being self contained, all-inclusive, hosting an array of restaurants, three different hotels, and unlimited activities to entertain and relax all guests. Currently, the marketing situation consists of a website that is an excellent tool for attracting guests and showing them all the perks of the island through pictures and blogs. The blog is a new advancement to the website, but should prove to attract positively more guests through the testimonials of previous visitors. Target Audience The target audience for Baderman Island is the typical â€Å"family vacationers† who are looking for a resort that offers a variety of activities without having to leave the premises. These families will consist of parents with at least one child. The target family will be the family who consists of two adults within the household with at â€Å"least† 2-3 children to help maximize profits. All races, ethnicities and cultures are welcome. The target market will be an adult who enjoy warm weather vacations with family, spending quality time with each other enjoying activities and who have a love for the beach and fine art. The target audience will also consist of consumers who fall within the lower to middle class and above demographics searching for a family destination that does not require leaving the United States (U.  S. ). Not all families can afford the cost of securing passports and expensive air travel to the Caribbean. Creative Strategies A creative strategy is important to the overall execution of an advertising campaign. Team C will use a â€Å"positioning† approach as its creative strategy. In this approach Baderman Island will be clearly defined as the number one â€Å"all inclusive† destination for family travel. Brand image approach will also be incorporated into the strategy. This will help consumers correlate the Baderman Island brand as a top notch, high quality destination. This approach will be accomplish by using an easy to remember slogan, such as â€Å"Baderman Island Family Vacations, the Finest Place to Reconnect,† as well as further using the ever popular slogan, â€Å"Relax, Enjoy, Indulge. † Increased emphasis will be placed on marketing the concept that Baderman Island is a unique destination specializing in family activities. This will enable Baderman Island to distinguish themselves from other competitive resorts in the marketplace. All creative advertisement associated with the resort will be colorful and eye catching; it will feature pictures that depict happy families vacationing and spending time together, further providing a visual of what family vacationing could be for the potential customer. On radio spots sound bites will be used of customer testimonials of how happy they were when they vacationed on the island. TV ads will also depict families enjoying themselves on the beach, playing golf, in the spa, visiting the museums and art galleries, and participating in the many sports activities offered on the island. The television ads will also highlight the many pricing plans and payment options where applicable. Positioning Statement Baderman Island’s positioning concept will explain that Baderman Island Family Vacations is for vacationers with families who are seeking a luxury resort â€Å"experience† to reenergize from their busy lives and reconnect with family and friends, and that Baderman Island Family Resorts is one of the most luxurious destinations in the world. The island offers four star accommodations that highlight a world-class spa featuring a full range of treatments designed around the resort’s natural springs, sophisticated purpose-designed meeting facilities, and an assortment of other amenities all delivered with a high level of personalized service (University of Phoenix, 2008). All of this is made available on this self-contained, all-inclusive resort island that is surrounded by the beautiful Kelsey River. Golfing, fishing, spa facilities, museum excursions and a beautiful beach are all available to vacationers of this island. Message Platform Baderman’s message platform is to develop Baderman’s brand and when potential guest see the logo, they will envision the beautiful crystal clear waters, which symbolizes peacefulness as well as relaxation. Presently, Baderman Island is expanding the brand on the 1,600 acres of land they own. 750 acres are operational. See map below. (University of Phoenix, 2008). In an effort to increase brand recognition Baderman Island will rely heavily on word-of-mouth marketing. The expectation will be that satisfied guest will continuously sell the brand for the resort while Baderman Island continues to make capital improvements. Once the Baderman Island’s guest vacation experience is over and they leave, the hope is that they will tell their friends about the wonderful experience during their stay. Word-of-mouth advertising is one of the most effective advertising vehicles when feedback is 100% positive. Baderman Island will strive to be the number one vacationing spot. Baderman Island will be well known for the following attributes: Owning an island, which exclusively promotes their brand, and having facilities that offer excellent customer service. Baderman Island makes a point of listening to guests who have enjoyed previous stays and will continue to develop innovative ideas that include customer feedback on how to improve future stays. Media Strategies and Objectives Print media is one of the most efficient ways to reach potential customers. For example, magazines are a medium that has a number of special-interest publications segments that can reach Baderman target audience (Wisconsin Department of Tourism, 2009). As a result, print ads, billboards, and brochures will be Baderman Island’s priority media vehicles of choice. Baderman Island will also use a number of advertising campaigns which will run a variation of television commercials, all emphasizing family fun. An additional strategy that Baderman will use in order to develop a relationship with potential guests is through the use of [developing] creative brochures which will assist with enticing guest towards booking a vacation on Baderman’s Island property. After all, they are inquiring about Baderman’s vacationing experience, so brochures will bring Baderman’s Island Vacations upfront and personal to future guest. Guests will be able to look at full color ads while reading a wealth of information regarding services, pricing plans, recreation packages, spa schedules and a host of activities used to keep children occupied during the day. The objective is to have future guest pick-up and carry brochures with them so they can view the material at their leisure and share it with family and friends. Baderman will capitalize on the idea that the brochure is portable which gives the upper hand rather then relying on guest to remember a 60 second commercial. Lastly, radio air time will also be explored as a media option. There are seven times as many radio stations as television stations in the U. S. (Wisconsin Department of Tourism, 2009) therefore; this is a medium that Baderman will seek to explore with the assistance of a limited-service agency. Strategy RationaleThe rationale behind the creative strategies and campaign message is to ensure that Baderman Island Vacations stands out over the competition. Creating the easy to remember message of â€Å"Baderman Island Family Vacations, the Finest Place to Reconnect,† will capture the image of Balderman Island at its fullest. In addition, using vibrant colors within ads and â€Å"real† people will not only be an eye catcher, but also illustrates the fun side of Balderman Island. Using photos of smiling and happy families doing fun activities together as part of advertisement features will say it all. Baderman Island will use similar stock photos in all advertisements. By placing the emphasis on â€Å"family† the brand image that Baderman Island will be known for will be something that both existing and potential customers will relate too. The resort will also seek to create a feeling of nostalgia where people who see the billboards, magazines, website, or hear radio advertisements will wish and want to experience what Baderman Island offers. An addition strategy will be to choose air time during busy traffic hours to advertise services. What better time to dream being somewhere else than when a person is stuck in a traffic jam. As a family resort, Baderman Island believes in getting and giving the best. As customers, Baderman personnel staff expects the best on both products and services from providers, and it is only right that the resort gives the same respect, treatment and consideration to their customers. Baderman Island stands on the priority objective of treating customers â€Å"just like family. †Supportive ResourcesAlthough many companies have opted towards using outside advertising agencies exclusively for assistance with creative ideas, Balderman Island prefers to do it themselves. Baderman Island’s in-house creative teams provide a range of services depending on the resorts needs and are familiar with the resorts rich history and many products and services. The in-house team is also better equipped to handle adhoc problems regarding advertisements within a timely manner. Keeping creative development in-house will provide the resort more control with lower risks of having proprietary confidential information leaking into the wrong hands, also keeping in mind that external agencies have other clients to assist. In addition to risk management, in-house creative resources for creative support make it easier to coordinate and have a more â€Å"personal† touch with the service versus an outside agency. In addition to in-house support Baderman Island will seek advice from limited-services agencies which specializes in one aspect of creative process; usually providing creative production work or the purchase of media space (Wisconsin Department of Tourism, 2008). A limited-services agency will be used in order to coordinate radio air time and in some instances magazine space. ConclusionAs stated earlier, Baderman Island Family Vacations is striving to continue to compete in a very competitive environment. With the consistent advertising message, â€Å"Baderman Island Family Vacations, the Finest Place to Reconnect,†Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ Baderman will further expand on that message by building upon a media strategy that emphasis family, fun, relationships, and value. Therefore, a media strategy that focuses on â€Å"awareness advertising,† where the attempts to build Baderman Island’s image and familiarity with the resort brand and excellent services will be their ticket towards marketing success. Baderman Island is confident that by using multi-media vehicles of print ads, billboards, brochures, television commercials, and radio spots their target audience will be effectively reached. Six months post campaign launch, Baderman will evaluate their advertising effectiveness through monitoring and post-evaluation tools and re-evaluate their marketing plan accordingly based on results. Baderman Island Family Vacations. (2017, Feb 23).

Social and Behavioral Sciences Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Social and Behavioral Sciences - Essay Example In a phone interview with the CNN Turk news television the mayor of Manisa town, Cengiz Ergun, said that the blast had caused a fire that had blocked the exits of the mine trapping the workers within. The area has some of the largest coal reserves in the world. Since the tragedy occurred in the midafternoon as the workers were changing shifts it has been challenging for the officials in charge of the rescue efforts to determine the number of miners that were trapped underground. According to local authorities, the mine could have trapped more than 250 miners up to 2000 feet below the surface. According to the energy minister, out of the 787 miners registered at the site, only 363 of them had been rescued. Sixty rescue teams comprising more than 400 members had worked through the night in search of the trapped miners. More than 80 mineworkers were harmed in the tragedy according to Mr. Ergun. Families and friends flocked the Manisa State Hospital where the injured miners were taken. Many people questioned the safety conditions of the mine but the labor ministry in a written statement maintained that the mine had been subject to regular inspection and complied with occupational health and safety regulations. A federal appeals court in Huntsville, Texas on Tuesday halted the execution for a convicted murderer just hours before he was scheduled to be put to death. The court granted the stay to review a claim presented by the lawyers of the defendant saying he was mentally retarded and that state agencies had for a long time known and concealed this fact. Robert James Campbell, 41, had been set to be the first death row inmate to be executed in America after a botched execution in Oklahoma that drew attention to the methods and drugs used and the secrecy surrounding lethal injections. The U. S. Court of Appeals in New Orleans conceded the stay ask for by Campbells attorneys. The court was initially reluctant