Australia And Apec Essays - International Trade, Free Essays

Australia And Apec Essays - International Trade, Free Essays Australia And Apec Economics assignment: APEC When the Asian-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) was established in 1989 in response to the growing interdependence among Asia-Pacific economies, its goal was to advance Asia-Pacific economic dynamism and sense of community. When the cooperation was established, there were 12 founding member economies, namely Australia, Brunei Darussalam, Canada, Indonesia, Japan, Republic of Korea, Malaysia, New Zealand, Republic of the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and the United States. Since then there has been more countries/economies joining APEC. APEC has come a long way since 1989. It has built steadily on the efforts of the past and looks forward to further positive progress. The initial years of APEC were focused largely on exchange of views and project based initiatives. As needs of the member economies has evolved into a forum of higher purpose: to build the Asia-Pacific community through achieving economic growth and development through trade and economic cooperation. In the Osaka meeting in 1994, APEC leaders adopted the Osaka Action Agenda, which firmly established three pillars of APEC activities: Trade and investment liberalization, business facilitation and economic-technical cooperation. Its main objective is to develop a region-wide, free trade and investment regime by the year 2000. APEC operates by consensus. In 1991, members committed themselves to conducting their activities and work programs on the basis of open dialogue with equal respect for the views of all participants. The APEC chair, which rotates annually among members, is responsible for hosting the annual ministerial meeting of foreign and economic ministers. At the 1989 Canberra Ministerial Meeting, it was agreed that it would be appropriate that every alternative ministerial meeting be held in an ASEAN economy/country. Senior Official Meeting (SOM) are held regularly prior to every ministerial meeting. APEC senior officials make recommendations to the ministers and carry out their decisions. They oversee and coordinate, with approval from Ministers, the budgets and work programs of the APEC for a. Mr. Fischer, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Trade, said Australias IAP (Individual Action Plan) would address the main trade liberalization issues of tariffs, non- tariffs, investment and services, although the 1996 IAP would not pre-judge the outcomes of the existing and previously announced reviews into the passenger motor vehicle, textile clothing and footwear and sugar sectors. Other elements of the IAP deal wit the important trade facilitation issues such as standards and customs procedures, intellectual property rights, competition policy, and mobility of business people and deregulation. Australias plan is fully consistent with the general principals of the Osaka Action Agenda agreed by that leaders in November 1995, including comprehensives, Mr. Fischer said. Australias done a great deal to liberalize our market consistent with APEC goals, and we expect others to match our record. The government will pursue vigorously Australian trade and investment priorities within APEC, Mr. Fischer stated. Australias IAP address the objectives and guidelines of the Osaka Action Plan in a comprehensive manner: Tariffs Australias IAP includes reduction in applied tariffs to the year 2000. Table: Tariff Reductions in the APEC region Simple Average Applied Tariff 1988 1993 1997 Australia * 15.6 7.0 5.3 Brunei 3.9 3.9 2.0 Canada (*) 3.7 2.4 1.3^ Chile 19.9 11 11 China 39.5 37.5 17 Hong Kong 0 0 0 Indonesia 18.1 17 11.7 Japan * 4.3 3.4 4.6 Korea 19.2 11.6 7.9^ Malaysia 13.6 12.8 7.8^ Mexico * 10.5 12.6 9.8^ New Zealand 14.9 8.5 5.2 PNG NA NA 23^ Philippines 27.9 23.5 12.1 Singapore 0.3 0.4 0 Chinese Taipei 12.6 8.9 8.6 Thailand 31.2 37.8 17 United States (*) 4.2 4.2 3.4^ Note: Does not include calculation of non-ad valorum tariffs Indicates trade-weighted advantage ^1996 data Source: aph.gov.au/library/pubs/cib/1998-99/c99cib05.htm Australias applied simple tariff has fallen from 15.6% in 1998 to 6.1% in 1996 and will reduce further to 4.5% by the year 2000. Australia is also hoping to have tariffs reduced to zero in numerous sectors of our economy by the year 2000. Sectors Selected for Early Voluntary Sectoral Liberalism Sector EVSL Proposal Toys Progressive reduction to zero of tariffs on toys, preferably by 2000. Elimination of unjustified non-tariff barriers. Economic and technical cooperation Gems and jewelry Elimination of trade-restrictive measures on these products (phased out by 2005), which include pearls, diamonds, silver, gold, platinum, jewelry, goldsmiths and silversmiths wares. Environmental Goods and Services Elimination of tariffs by 2003 on environmental goods and liberalization of environmental services. Work on non-tariffs barriers. Economic and technical cooperation. Food Further impetus to trade

Health Care in Colombia Essay Sample

Health Care in Colombia Essay Sample Medicine in Colombia Essay Example Medicine in Colombia Essay Example Colombia is a developing country located in the northern part of South America. The country experiences regular social and economic difficulties such as the armed conflict in the 20th century and the current illegal drug trade. This state of affairs also contributes to high rates of disease transmission and health risks among the country’s major population groups. Colombia is selected for the analysis as it is reasonable to determine the impact of the above and other negative factors on the health condition of various gender and social groups. Moreover, it is necessary to examine the effectiveness of the governmental measures aimed at minimizing the transmission of diseases. Healthcare System in Colombia Finally, the relevant nursing implications should be formulated. This will allow determining the key health priorities and the corresponding interventions necessary for addressing the existing challenges. In general, the health situation in Colombia is very difficult, but it can be improved considerably if proper interventions are designed. Location/Geography Colombia is located in the northwestern part of South America. It borders with the following countries: Panama, Brazil, Venezuela, Peru and Ecuador. It also has maritime borders with other countries. There are six major environmental regions in the country. They are very different according to their climate characteristics. The regions include both the Andes mountain region and the Amazon rainforest one. Colombia also corresponds to the Ring of Fire – the region of the world where substantial volcanic eruptions occur regularly. It creates substantial risks for the population, and the government has to direct major resources towards preventing the potential negative consequences. There are many large rivers in the country. The main ones are Cauca, Magdalena, Atrato and Guaviare. The problem of deforestation also exists, but its scope is lower in comparison with other countries from this region. Population The current population of Colombia is approximately 48 million people. Colombia is the third most populated country in the region (after Brazil and Mexico). The country is characterized by the stable increase of its population over the recent years. Government Colombia is the traditional presidential democratic republic. This form of the government is included in the country’s 1991 Constitution. The usual division of powers into the legislative, executive and judiciary branches is present in the country. The President of Colombia performs the functions of both the head of state and government. In such a way, he/she utilizes the opportunities of the executive branch to the maximum possible extent. Congress represents the major element of the national legislative branch. It has two Chambers: the Chamber of Representatives and Senate. Four-year terms are used for selecting both representatives and the President. There are four high courts in the country that form the major element of the judicial branch. The country is divided into 32 administrative departments and one capital district. Local governments are organized in all departments, and concentrate on satisfying the needs of the local population. Economy The Colombian economy has demonstrated high rates of economic growth in the 20th century. The country has become much more urbanized and industrialized than in previous historical periods. The current national GDP is $377.7 billion (The World Bank, 2015). The country is characterized by stable and positive rates of economic growth. They are presented in Fig. 2 (Trading Economics, 2015). The country is characterized by a sustainable economic growth. Although the rates of economic growth are not significantly high (the maximum rate is 2.7%), the country has all chances to avoid recession as of the previous several years, and the overall standard of living tends to increase. The largest fraction of the country’s GDP is generated by insurance, finance, real estate, and business services. At the same time, the impact of manufacturing and construction industries is also considerable. Moreover, taxes in Colombia are high, and they do not allow actual and potential entrepreneurs to receive the desired amounts of profit. It also contributes to the growth of illegal drug trade in the country and similar problems. Despite these economic difficulties, the country’s GDP per capita has a stable and positive dynamics. It is presented in Fig. 3. The population’s standards of living tend to increase. Taking into account that the country’s population also increases, Colombia shows a very serious economic progress. However, the current GDP per capita is around $4,500, and it is a comparatively low level even for developing countries (Trading Economics, 2015). It means that Colombia should facilitate its economic development to reduce the gap between its economy and those of developed countries. Colombia enjoys a strong position in terms of developing alternative sources of energy. Renewable sources constitute the largest fraction of energy produced in the country. In particular, hydroelectric generation is well-developed in the country. Colombia has one of the most efficient green energy sectors in the world. However, the innovation potential in other spheres of the national economy is still low. Thus, the Colombian government tries to minimize the existing misbalances of the national economy through declining the fraction of illegal trade and balancing the interests of the private and public sectors. However, the substantial fiscal burden does not create favorable conditions for the national entrepreneurial development. Therefore, further reforms in this sphere as well as a more productive cooperation with international partners and organizations are required. State of Health The current state of health in Colombia is not optimal even in comparison with other developing countries. The current life expectancy in Colombia is equal to 78.1 years. More specifically, it is 81.0 years for women and 75.1 years for men (WHO, 2015). The major causes of deaths in Colombia include coronary heart disease (17%), violence (11%), stroke (8%), lung disease (6%), and influenza (5%). HIV/AIDS is the 19th cause of death in the country. The current healthcare expenditure per capita is $533 (The World Bank, 2015). Although it is much lower than that of the developed countries, it is better than in many neighboring developing countries. Colombia also has unsatisfactory rates of cancer development in the country. The most common types of cancer include prostate cancer (16%), breast cancer (13%), stomach cancer (13%), lung cancers (11%), and cervical cancer (9%) (WHO, 2015). In comparison with other countries, Colombia has a weak position in relation to diseases associated with other neoplasms (8.6%), and it is the third largest level of this disease in the world. Colombia has a strong position in relation to oral cancer (1.5%) and uterin cancer (1%) (WHO, 2015). The smoking percentage is 31% among males and 5% among females. This level is much lower than the average one in the world. Thus, the health state regarding smoking is satisfactory. The obesity percentage is 16.1% among males and 25.7% among females. These levels are also satisfactory in comparison with other countries of the world. However, the current happiness score based on people’s subjective assessment of their living conditions in Colombia is 6. 5, which makes it an average result compared to other countries of the world (WHO, 2015). The probability of dying between 15 and 60 is 148 per 1,000 for males and 73 per 1,000 for females. The life expectancy at birth is equal to 75 years for men and 81 years for women (WHO, 2015). In general, women have much better health in comparison with men. Malaria is a serious health problem in Colombia. The country’s population has the following epidemiological profile. 15% of the population are characterized by a high transmission (1 case per 1,000 people) and 8% of the population are characterized by a low transmission (1 case per 1,000 people) (WHO, 2015). Taking into account this situation, the national healthcare agencies should be more oriented towards preventing the occurrence of such epidemic threats in the future. Tuberculosis is also a serious problem in the country. Although its rates tend to decline, they are still below the satisfactory level. The dynamics of tuberculosis in Colombia is presented in Fig. 4 (WHO, 2015). The country has achieved a substantial progress for the previous 10 years, but the number of tuberculosis patients is still comparatively high. Violence is highly widespread in Colombia. It is the second major cause of death in the country. Moreover, the rates of violence are the seventh highest in the world (WHO, 2015). The annual number of deaths in Colombia caused by violence is equal to 18,075, and constitutes more than 10% of total deaths (WHO, 2015). The death rate is 37.6 per 100,000 of the population being among the highest in the world. One of the possible indirect causes of violence in the country is the illegal drug trade in Colombia. As the government is unable to reduce the distribution of drugs in the country, this social aspect remains almost unregulated. Criminals prefer using violent methods to achieve their objectives. Moreover, criminals often use Colombia as a center of the drug distribution to other countries and regions of the world. Road traffic accidents are also widespread in the country. They constitute the sixth major cause of deaths in Colombia. The annual number of deaths because of road traffic accidents equals to 7,813 (4.6% of the total number of deaths) (WHO, 2015). The age adjusted death rate in Colombia is 17.05 per 100,000, which makes it approximately the average level compared to other countries of the world. Culture/Traditional Medicine Culture is both diverse and well-developed in Colombia. Due to the country’s geographical location, it experiences the impact of many cultures and traditions. Both European and Native American views are widespread and coexist with one another. Moreover, in this environment, new cultural approaches are applied. The national Ministry of Culture is responsible for solving the most urgent problems in this area as well as promoting Colombian culture abroad. The national culture reflects the current social and economic trends such as globalization, migration and industrialization. Colombian culture both experiences the impact of other cultures and affects the global cultural environment. The most well-known writer from Colombia is Gabriel Garcia Marquez. He is a Nobel Prize winner and one of the most influential novelists of the 20th century. The most popular music genres in Colombia include salsa, pop, rock, cumbia, etc. Shakira is the most famous Colombian pop-singer. Colombian music is very popular in the world because an effective cooperation between the private and public sectors exist in this context. Colombian cuisine is very different from cuisines of other countries. It includes many tropical fruits, soups, unique desserts and beverages such as coffee, cholado, and juices. Football, motor racing and boxing are the most popular kinds of sports in Colombia. In general, the country is well-integrated into the global sports system. Traditional medicine is very popular in Colombia both for historical reasons and due to the comparatively low economic level of the population. Around 40% of the Colombian population relies on traditional medicine in various forms. It is the most popular kind of healthcare in the northern part of the country. Homeopathy has been recognized by the government as a legitimate system of medicine since 1905. The standardized requirements were implemented by the government in 1914 (WHO, 2015). In general, traditional medicine principles continue being highly popular in the country. They are of high demand not only among the members of the lower classes but also other social groups. Healthcare System and Delivery The healthcare system in Colombia is based on the close cooperation between the government and non-government agencies. The government performs the majority of controlling functions and organizes the work of other stakeholders. Non-governmental organizations are free to introduce innovations and realize independent projects as far as they do not contradict the existing norms and regulations. The general supervision of the healthcare industry is provided by the Ministry of Health and Social Protection of Colombia. It aims at providing the universal access to healthcare services for all Colombian citizens. It participates in all social projects that are related to healthcare issues. It tries to organize the public policy initiatives in an optimal way. The Ministry of Health and Social Protection is responsible for presenting and advocating for the national interests in the sphere of healthcare. The ministry investigates the long-term trends related to the quality of healthcare and life and designs the corresponding interventions. Colombia experiences problems with the availability of nurses in the country. The current ratio is 1 nurse per 1,000 people (The World Bank, 2015). As the Colombia’s population is equal to around 48 million people, the number of nurses is around 48,000 professionals, and this does not allow satisfying the total demand for nurses and care in the country. The fraction of physicians in the country is lower in comparison with nurses. This situation is typical for both developed and developing countries. There is no need to educate and train as many physicians as nurses due to the specific structure of demand for healthcare services. The current number of physicians is 0.7 per 1,000 people (The World Bank, 2015). It means that the current number of physicians is around 33,600 professionals in Colombia. It seems to be satisfactory and adequate regarding the existing healthcare issues and threats in the country. Colombia has a centralized system of nursing education. Licensure and similar functions are performed by the Ministry of Health and Social Protection while the nursing education is mostly organized by the Ministry of Education. In general, the government is able to regulate the performance of both of these Ministries in a way to achieve the maximum possible synergic effect. Both Ministries orient not only to the current level of healthcare needs but also to the expected future state of consumer demand. The government tries to allocate the available scarce resources rationally to promote the social well-being of the population. Colombia does not have a well-established network of healthcare organizations and tries to integrate its operations in the global healthcare system through cooperating with international nursing organizations. These include the Academy of Medical-Surgical Nurses, the Association of Child Neurology Nurses, the Emergency Nurses Association, etc. Colombia aims at expanding its cooperation with international nursing organizations. Health Priorities Colombia has several health priorities that should be addressed in the near future. It means that these issues require the close attention and the effective coordination of efforts between the public and private sectors. The first health priority is minimizing the spreading of coronary heart disease as it causes around 17% of all deaths in the country (WHO, 2015). It seems that the complex national strategy should be implemented to solve this problem. The government should increase its funding of healthcare initiatives related to dealing with the causes and effects of coronary heart disease. Consequently, healthcare providers should develop innovative mechanisms to address this problem. The second health priority is minimizing the scope of violence in the country. It is a very serious problem because violence causes around 10% of deaths in the country, and the scope of violence is among the largest in all countries of the world (WHO, 2015). This problem is not only related to health but also requires improving the existing situation with illegal drug trade and other similar problems. The third health priority is examining tuberculosis- and malaria-related threats. Currently, Colombia is able to control the transmission of these diseases, but the risk and potential social harm are very high. Therefore, close attention should be paid to the epidemiological situation in the country. The fourth health priority is addressing the problems related to men’s health as men experience higher health problems in comparison with women in all age groups (Semenic, DeBruyn, Ochoa-Marà ­n, 2014). The causes of this state of affairs should be specified (including broad econom ic and social factors), and the corresponding measures should be taken. Nursing Implications The stated health priorities will impact the overall national healthcare strategy. They are especially important for nurses as they are the ones who adjust the strategies accordingly. The first priority refers to helping patients cope with coronary heart disease. Nurses should both increase their qualification in this field and be able to identify patients’ symptoms at earlier stages. In this way, the treatment process can be improved substantially, and the overall mortality rates can be reduced. Nurses may also implement changes at the national level regarding a more active use of modern technologies. Currently, Colombia does not have the necessary amount of modern equipment especially in the northern regions of the country. If this problem is addressed, nurses may become more capable of minimizing the risks associated with coronary heart disease. The second health priority refers to violence-related issues. It seems that nurses cannot address this problem directly, but they can promote a more responsible attitude to one’s own health and that of others among the Colombian citizens. Nurses should focus on young people as they are often involved in the acts of violence (Mesurado et al., 2014). The third health priority is controlling the epidemiological situation in the country. Nurses should monitor the general epidemiological situation not only in Colombia but also other countries of Latin America (Caro Rios et al, 2014). In such a way, it is possible to identify the potential threats in advance and provide the corresponding preventive measures to the population. The fourth health priority refers to improving the health state of men as this gender group is in a disadvantaged position in the country. Nurses should identify the related problems and the ultimate causes of this tendency. In particular, drug-related issues should be addressed. Nurses should provide additional rehabilitative services for patients who require them. Thus, nurses should play a central role in addressing the selected health priorities. The close cooperation with international nursing organizations may contribute to designing an optimal long-term strategy that will take into account the interests of all parties involved as well as address all major risks and threats.

Case Study Project Management Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Project Management - Case Study Example Hillary has the identical resources as many other personal qualities from his staff. However, what distinguishes Hillary is its special capability to manage its assets in a highly creative way. For demonstration, Hillary sophisticated cross-docking scheme presents the mass-merchandise with significant cost benefits by advancing its ability to production as well as profits, but he states that the ideal way is to ensure personal qualities and attained. Most recently, Hillary case study examined the function characteristic competencies play in attaining comparable benefit to organizations established in some country, Midwestern groups. Two features of this study are worth noting since personal qualities have rendered people useless after attaining the impossible. More significantly, Hillary study specifically addressed the direct relationship between personal characteristic competencies and competitive benefit. Here, component analysis of one-by-one distinctive competency items discovered an underlying structure office discrete components or areas of distinctive competence. These five components were value likeness, productive. Differentiation, effectiveness of key productive practices, civic engagement of individuals and a command of attaining possible results. Hillary also measured the influence of these components on a number of presentation variables using regression investigation. Significantly, the component comprising the pr oficiency to control and assess individuals retail programs were positively affiliated with all three presentations assesses used. In addition, these outcomes hold the planned substantive linkage between the resources based potentials of an individual and competitive advantage in order to get possible results. This presentation of little unaligned individuals appears to be positively correlated with high-quality service likeness and command of retailing programs. In other phrases, more highly accomplishing localized retailers are

Qualitative research Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Qualitative research - Coursework Example Basically, it enables people to comprehend social structures and how certain complexities can be overcome. Another paradigm applied in interpretivism is assumptions; the concept of assumptions in interpretivism entails a scenario where issues have to be examined holistically to facilitate individuals to understand their structures and functionality (Walsham, 1993). There is also the paradigm of positivism, which is basically a scientific approach. Positivism entails utilization of mathematical data as a means to gain greater insights of social dynamics. The corpus of solipsism entails a scenario whereby one believes in the existence of his own mind as the valid and reliable source of information (Teensma, 1974). Philosophers have also argued that it is a theory that believes in one’s own existence. Heshusius, L., & Ballard, K. (1996). From positivism to interpretivism and beyond: tales of transformation in educational and social research (the mind-body connection). New York: Teachers College

Person centred theory and its application in practice

Person centred theory and its application in practice Person-centred therapy is one of the humanistic approaches and derives from the work of Carl Rogers. It is based on the assumption each individual/client has the potential to understand themselves and the ability to solve their own problems. Rogers (1953/1967 p92, cited in Embleton Tudor et al 2004) firmly believed that, the inner core of mans personality is the organism itself, which essentially is both self-preserving and social and through this belief Rogers developed several key theoretical concepts of the person-centred approach. The organismic self, as Rogers saw it, is the human being, the sensory, bodily and visceral functions (Embleton Tudor et al 2004). The organismic self is essentially trustworthy and strives to grow and achieve its full potential, it experiences the inner feelings and deep seated desires and knows what it needs, both mentally and physically from the environment and other people in order to develop to its full potential. The tendency towards growth is known as the actualising tendency. Rogerss theory suggests that it is in human nature to grow, as it is for a plant, an example Rogers used to explain his theory. A plant does not need to be made to grow, it is innate. Given the right conditions the plant will thrive to be the best that it can be. As with people, if they are given the right conditions they will thrive to reach their potential and become the best person they can be (Embleton Tudor et al 2004). However, for people it means more than just growth and survival, it is the satis faction of physical and psychological needs. This theory was also supported by Abraham Maslow (1970, cited in Bernstein et al 2003), who developed a hierarchy of motives that need to be satisfied in order to reach self-actualisation. In essence the hierarchy can be split into two levels; physiological needs such oxygen, food, keeping warm, avoiding danger etc and psychological needs such as love, acceptance, and respect will lead to self actualisation (Bernstein et al 2003). Rogers believed that in order to satisfy the actualising tendency, we need to have experiences that will enable us to grow, and be able to accept these experiences into our self-structure and awareness (Tolan 2003). Rogers suggested that the environment an individual finds themselves in is the only constraint on the actualizing tendency (Thorne 2006) and the progress of people whose experiences of the self become distorted is likely to slowed or even stopped. The need for positive regard and approval from others can become overwhelming and eventually could take precedence over the thoughts and feelings of the organismic self. Rogers saw that from an early age children learn to need other peoples approval, or positive regard and the child will evaluate themselves as good for having earned approval. However, if a behaviour arising from what the individual is actually experiencing fails to earn positive regard then a conflict arises. The individual must either do without the positive regard or re-evaluate the self-experience and change their behaviour in order to receive positive feedback (Bernstein 2003). These experiences form the self-concept, which is the way that individual thinks of them. The self-concept is another key concept of the person-centred approach. It is the individuals conceptual representation of themselves, developed over time and is mainly dependent on the attitudes and behaviour of significant people in an individuals life and the environment they are in. Once a self-concept is established it is usually reinforced through behaviour that will elicit approval and suppress feelings, though ts or behaviours that bring about negative judgment from others. Experiences which challenge the self-concept are likely to be distorted or even denied altogether in order to preserve it. (Thorne, 1996). Difficulties can occur if a persons overwhelming need for positive regard from others is not met or is conditional upon their behaviour. Psychological disturbance occurs when the individuals self-concept contradicts with the thoughts or feelings that the individual organismically experiences (Mearns and Thorne, 2008). The ability to weigh up and to value experiences positively or negatively is known as the organismic valuing process. It is a fluid process by which experiences are valued according to how beneficial they are for enhancing towards self-actualisation. This means that experiences which are beneficial are sought after, however, experiences that are not seen as beneficial are valued as bad and avoided, this can lead to a distrust or disassociation with the organismic self (Mearns and Thorne 2008). The distrust in the organismic self can also be due to repeated messages that an individual has received or perceived from their environment. When we take something in from our environment, such as we evaluate it in relation to our internal valuing process, this kind of internalisation is called introjection. Introjects are the beliefs, attitudes, judgements or values of another person which are taken into the individual and become part of their self-concept (Thorne, 1996). By seeking approval from others individuals will introject attitudes or beliefs that are contradictory to their own feelings. When we take in something that doesnt fit into our self-concept we may reject it, or we may deny or distort some other aspect of our experience. In a therapeutic setting introjects can usually be identified by statements such as I ought to be or I should this can lead to a negative self-concept and cause the individual to become incongruent. (Tudor Embleton 2004). The organismic valuing process can also be disturbed by self-concepts that have been based on conditional positive regard, or conditions of worth. Conditions of worth are the feelings an individual experiences when the person is evaluated, instead of the persons behaviour. When the significant people in a persons life appear to value certain aspects of a behaviour or trait, the individual also learns to do this. Subsequently the individual will seek out some experiences and avoid others because they have learned to regard themselves in a particular way, for example if a parent says to their child I dont like you when you cry, the child may learn not to cry even if they are feeling genuine distress. (Tudor Embleton et al 2004). Through conditions of worth and negative self-concepts an individual can lose touch which their organismic self and become reliant on others to dictate the actions, according to Rogers this person would have an external locus of evaluation. A person with an external locus of evaluation will usually have been surrounded by people who are critical and judgemental. In order to receive approval and positive regard the individual will develop ways to behave. This is usually contradictory to the organismic self, which ceases to be effective as a source of knowledge or guidance for the individual. As a result the individual begins to rely on others to make their decisions and loses touch with what they really think and feel. (Mearns and Thorne 2008). In a therapeutic setting a counsellor/therapist must be aware if a client is presenting with a highly externalised locus of evaluation, as the client could interpret what the therapist says as advice or validation for behaviour. For example: Client: I just dont know what to do, I want to be a good mum and spend time with my children, but I also want my own social life, thats not wrong is it? Therapist: So you feel by having a social life you arent being a good mum Client: Exactly, I feel I am being selfish. What should I do? This client is incongruent due to her inner desires to have a social life and the conflict with her self-concept of what a good mum should be. The client asks the therapist for their opinion, which also suggests an external locus of evaluation. In contrast to this is the internal locus of evaluation. Psychologically healthy people are those who have been fortunate to live be surrounded by people whose acceptance and approval has enabled them to develop self-concepts that allow them to be in touch with their deepest feelings and experiences (Mearns and Thorne 2008, p11). This will enable them to move towards what Rogers (1963, cited in Mearns and Thorne 2008) describes as a fully functioning person. A fully functioning person is open to experiences and is not overly concerned with the opinions of others. This person would be able to trust their own ability to know what is good or bad for their development, they would be able to listen to themselves and make their own decisions, this person would have an internal locus of evaluation. A significant moment in therapy is when a client recognises their inner feelings and begins to operate using an internal locus of evaluation. Importance of the therapeutic relationship In a speech at the University of Minnesota Rogers said: Therapy is not a matter of doing something about himself. It is instead a matter of freeing him for normal growth and development so that he can again move forward. (Rogers, 1942, p29, cited in Dryden Mytton, 1999, p75) A key difference from other types of therapy is that the person-centred approach is non-directive and a greater emphasis is placed on the quality of the relationship rather than the use of techniques. The personal qualities and attitudes of the therapist are often seen as more important than their formal education or qualifications. The person-centred approach believes that it is the therapeutic relationship that can liberate the client from blockages to the actualising tendency (Dryden Mytton 1999). The aim of the counsellor in the therapeutic relationship is to create conditions where the growth or actualising process is encouraged, in turn this will free the client from their restrictions created by conditions of worth and introjects and enable them to listen to their inner voice (Mearns and Thorne 2008). Rogers believed that in the therapeutic relationship clients, often for the first time, experience acceptance rather than evaluation and feel free to recognise their organismic self. The therapist does not create an assessment of the client, nor do they label the client, Rogers regarded this as detrimental as the labelling process places the evaluation in the hands of an expert. In person-centred counselling the client is viewed as the expert about him/herself and the therapist is the expert only in maintaining the attitudinal conditions in the relationship with the client, not as an expert on the client (Dryden Mytton 1999). If the therapist was to be viewed as the expert this would create a power imbalance in the relationship and the person-centred approach regards it as essential that the client realises that they can trust their own experiencing and the validity of their own perceptions. Thorne (1996) believed that those who gain the most from person-centred therapy are those who are willing to change and recognise their role and responsibility in the therapeutic process. The person-centred approach is process orientated and Rogers believed if certain necessary conditions are present then changes will occur and the process of growth can take place. Rogers listed what he regarded as the necessary and sufficient conditions of therapeutic personality change (Rogers, 1957 p95, cited in Dryden Mytton 1999 p76): Two persons are in psychological contact. Rogers (1959) described this as the least or minimum experience which could be called a relationship (p. 207, cited in Embleton Tudor et al 2004) meaning that the therapist and client have to be mutually aware of each other before the process can begin. There does not need to be an emotional connection or closeness for there to be psychological contact, it is a simple contact between two persons (Rogers, 1959 p207, cited in Embleton Tudor et al 2004, p40). The first, whom we shall term the client, is in a state of incongruence, being vulnerable and anxious. One implication of client incongruence being one of the necessary and sufficient conditions is that the client is needs to have some self-identified problem in order to be motivated to seek therapy. Furthermore, if the client is vulnerable to anxiety this, in theory, would motivate them to stay in the therapeutic relationship (Mearns and Thorne, 2008). The second person, whom we shall term the therapist, is congruent or integrated in the relationship. According to Rogers (1973, p186) congruence or genuineness is the realness of the therapist in the relationshipWhen the therapist is natural and spontaneous he seems to be most effective (cited in Mearns Thorne 2008 p119). Rogers believed that if the therapist was outwardly showing warmth and acceptance, but was inwardly feeling irritation, the client would sense this and it would have a negative effect on the therapeutic relationship (Dryden Mytton 1999). Wilkins (1997) stated that the therapist needs to be open to their feelings and inner experiences, but does not need to communicate their feelings to the client (Embleton Tudor et al 2004). Congruence enables the client to be able to trust the experience of the counsellor, which in turn can help to establish a therapeutic relationship whereby the client feels genuinely understood and accepted (Tolan, 2003). The therapist experiences unconditional positive regard (UPR) for the client. UPR is the attitude of the therapist towards the client. If the therapist accepts the client unconditionally, without judgment, disapproval or approval. Bozworth (1996) argued that the clients experiencing of UPR is the most therapeutically effective of the necessary and sufficient conditions. The client does not need to distort their inner feelings to receive acceptance, therefore they can begin to become aware of organismic experiences and hopefully reduce the feelings of internal conflict (Embleton Tudor et al 2004). The therapist experiences an empathic understanding of the clients internal frame of reference and endeavours to communicate this experience to the client. The key characteristic of empathy is being able to understand another persons subjective reality as they experience it. This requires an orientation toward the clients frame of reference (Cooper et al 2007). To be able to communicate empathically the therapist must accurately reflect what the content or affect of what the client conveyed, or the intended meaning of what was said. The importance of this is that it conveys to the client that the therapist understands what they are saying, it also gives the clients the opportunity to reflect on what they have said and the possibly find meaning in it (Josefwitz Myran 2005). The communication to the client of the therapists empathic understanding and unconditional positive regard is to a minimal degree achieved. The therapist has a responsibility to communicate empathetic understanding and UPR to their client in order for the client to feel that they are in an environment where they are accepted and understood. Rogers (1957, p 99) stated unless some communication of these attitudes has been achieved, then such attitudes do not exist in the relationship as far as the client is concerned (cited in Embleton Tudor 2004, p44). The core conditions and the application of theory to practice Of the six necessary and sufficient conditions that have just briefly been described, congruence, UPR and empathy have come to be described as the core conditions. I shall describe these core conditions in more depth and aim to demonstrate their application in practice. Congruence Congruence can be described using terms such as, transparent, genuine or authentic, but the essence of congruence in a therapeutic relationship is that the therapist relates to the client in a way that reflects their inner awareness and feelings. The therapist should have an ongoing awareness of their experiencing (Mearns Thorne 2000). Rogers (1957) stressed that congruence is a state of being, and a therapist should only communicate their feelings when they are persistent and of great strength and when communication of them assists the therapeutic process. Result: Endeavouring to be so open the counsellor acts as a role model sending the message that its ok to feel and communicate feelings. In order to develop and maintain congruence counsellors need to constantly work at being aware of their underlying feelings and also to realise the importance of having supervision and working on their own personal growth.

Alexander Pope’s Essay Essay

Alexander Pope’s Essay on Man and Voltaire’s Candied adopted opposing views on how reason should be used during their time. They had varying opinions about taking man’s life in general with Pope adopting a pessimistic view of life while Voltaire expounded on scathing remarks about things and events which he observed. Pope elucidated that he had two reasons for writing his essay and that was first, he thought that â€Å"principles, maxims, or precepts so written, both strike the reader more strongly at first and are more easily retained by him afterwards. † The second reason was because he knew that he could express himself more using the poetic style instead of prose itself. First, Pope uses this reasoning ability to work on his references and regard for God as well as His great domain. It was a requirement then that the writers would regard the religious authority in such a high regard. It seems that Pope uses reason in order to dwell on the fruitlessness and meaninglessness of life. Pope reasons that this maze of life has a reason for being so and believes that there is a plan for everything and that there is no haphazardness in what happens to man: A mighty maze! But not without a plan; a wild, where weeds and flow’s promiscuous shoot; Or garden, tempting with forbidden fruit. Together let us beat this ample field, Try what the open, what the covert yield! Born in 1694 to a middle-class family in Paris, Francois-Marie Aroused, later known as Voltaire, grew up at a time when the majority of the people in France lived in abject poverty. When he came of age, Voltaire witnessed the iron-fist rule of the aristocracy, and at the same time, the spread of the Enlightenment and its ideas of equality and basic human rights, as well as the importance of reason and scientific objectivity. It is not surprising then that he will devote his time writing biting satire which eventually garnered him a solid reputation in France. So scathing were some of his writings that it caught the ire of its target, the government, which unhesitatingly meted out punishments, ranging from exile to imprisonment. In fact, it was during his incarceration in the infamous Bastille that he acquired his nom de plume. Thus, he uses reason in another kind of biting way in order to effect changes. Aside from the government, Voltaire also criticized the Church with equal fervor and in with perfect reason he could ever think of. Indeed, he became a lifelong champion of the poor and the downtrodden, and used the power of the pen to further his cause, writing with a rare kind of passion against both tyranny and religious persecution. In the 1750s, greatly dismayed by the injustice and disaster that surrounded him, Voltaire set out to write what would become his signature work, Candied, where he simultaneously criticized the nobility and the Church, and the people’s misguided optimism (Spark Notes). Candied, the protagonist of the novel was an illegitimate child of a German baron who grew up under the tutelage of the philosopher Dr. Pan gloss who taught him about unconditional, and often misguided, optimism: â€Å"It is demonstrable that things cannot be other than they are, for since everything is made to serve an end, everything necessarily serves the best end. Observe: noses were made to support spectacles, hence we have spectacles. Legs, as anyone can plainly see, were made to be breeched, and so we have breeches. . . . Consequently, those who say everything is well are uttering mere stupidities; they should say everything is for the best (p. 2). † The philosophy, thus, points out the perverted idea during Voltaire’s time that all things—including all human suffering—is part of a cosmic plan, and one must not question whatever tragedy comes his way, for to do so is tantamount to questioning God’s plan. Put another way, since God is perfect, then he must have created a world that is no less than â€Å"the best of all possible worlds. † In the meantime, Candied fell in love with the baron’s daughter, Lady Cunegonde, but the blossoming affair was cut short when the baron caught them kissing. He kicked the young Candide out of his house, and so began the long list of Candide’s misfortunes which collectively challenged his conviction about the â€Å"best of all possible worlds. † His experiences—and later, those of Dr. Pangloss—could serve as proof to the notorious Malcolm’s Law which states that if something can go wrong it will. This is how Voltaire was able to parody Dr. Pangloss’ philosophy: first, his philosophy is proven false by real-world evidence; and second, Pangloss’ philosophy ultimately encourages complacency toward all that is wrong in the world. At one ridiculous scene, when Dr. Pangloss’ benefactor, the Anabaptist Jacques, was drowning in the bay of Lisbon, the philosopher prevented Candide from trying to rescue him by insisting that â€Å"the bay of Lisbon had been specially contrived so that the Anabaptist might drown in them† (p. 13). One could also draw from this event that people like Pangloss are ludicrously fatalistic to a point that there is no reason to make any effort to put matters into one’s own hands, and to change things that are evil. Voltaire was profoundly critical of the Church’s beliefs as can be seen in his literary works Candide. He draws on this reasoning ability in order to refer to many things around him just as when Pope makes reference to presumptuous man. He uses his reasoning again in order to look at the mysteries that are presented to him. Then say not Man’s imperfect, Heav’n in fault, – Say rather Man’s as perfect as he ought: His knowledge measur’d to his state and place, His time a moment, and a point his space. Meanwhile, it was at about this time that more philosophies claimed that reason could be used in order to explain everything. Reasoning ability was placed at a high pedestal explaining that people can make the world a better place to live in and Voltaire uses reason again to counteract this reasoning. He is not given to such optimism, preferring instead to reason that he doubts that there is â€Å"ever a chance of people securing happiness† (1-2). Voltaire’s reasoning was a bit odd because in his failure to reason out well, he instead adopted the belief that â€Å"true happiness can only be experienced in an unreal world. † (42) lamenting the fact that optimism is a mania for â€Å"saying things are well when one is in he. † (40). Thus, Voltaire uses reasoning in order to satirize the foolishness of believing and being optimistic. Of the writers during the Enlightenment period, Voltaire was one writer who criticized the Church with equal fervor. Indeed, he became a lifelong champion of the poor and the downtrodden, and used the power of the pen to further his cause, writing with a rare kind of passion against both tyranny and religious persecution. In the 1750s, greatly dismayed by the injustice and disaster that surrounded him, Voltaire set out to write what would become his signature work, Candide, where he criticized the nobility and the Church, pointing out the people’s misguided optimism (Spark Notes). The philosophy, thus, points out the perverted idea during Voltaire’s time that all things—including all human suffering—is part of a cosmic plan, and one must not question whatever tragedy comes his way, for to do so is tantamount to questioning God’s plan. Put another way, since God is perfect, then he must have created a world that is no less than â€Å"the best of all possible worlds. † Later on, Candide meets Martin, an extreme opposite of Dr. Pangloss in that he is a categorical pessimist who finds the world â€Å"utterly mad and abominable† (p. 75) where one can find â€Å"very little virtue or happiness† (p. 77). Indeed, this philosophy is more effective at explaining real-world experiences than Pangloss’, but it too has its flaws. Thus, Martin fails when he predicts that Candide’s valet trusted with millions in gold will surely betray his master out of greed. And like Pangloss, Martin is seen as somebody who does not assume a proactive role in changing the world for the better, for after all, he abides by the idea that man is bound to live either in misery or in boredom. In effect, Voltaire demonstrates that both absolute optimism and absolute pessimism are nothing more than simple abstractions that defies reality. Voltaire shows a pessimistic view of human nature in Candide. To do this he used an imaginary perfect world—El Dorado—where Candide lived in for a short time. Inaccessible to outsiders, the kingdom of El Dorado is full of just and peaceful people who pay no attention to jewels and gold that lay scattered everywhere. But rather than remain in the perfect world of El Dorado, Candide has acquired a greed that ultimately made him decide to leave the place, in order to return to the imperfect world where he could live off the jewels he has taken from El Dorado. He said, â€Å"If we remain here, we shall be only as the other inhabitants; whereas if we return to our own world with but a dozen of sheep laden with the pebbles of El Dorado, we shall be richer than all the kings of Europe†¦ and we may easily recover Lady Cunegonde† (p. 52). However, misfortune continued to follow him, and culminates in his reunion with his beloved Cunegonde, who, alas, has turned unbearably ugly due to her own share of difficulties. In the end, Candide learns that practical action seems to be the only antidote to human suffering. This he learned when he met a humble old man who, with the help of his children, is content and happy. He told Candide, â€Å"Labor holds off three great evils: tedium, vice and poverty† (p. 103). Taking this advice, Candide and his group set themselves to exercise their various talents (e. g. Cunegonde continued to be very ugly, but she became an excellent pastry cook) and their small farm yielded good crops. Indeed, both Pope and Voltaire, being masters at reason, utilized this to their advantage during their time. WORKS CITED â€Å"Candide†. Spark Notes online. 2004. Retrieved June 10, 2008 at: http://www. sparknotes. com/ lit/candide Pope, Alexander. Essay on Man and Other Poems. Dover Publications; New Ed edition (June 16, 1994) Voltaire. Candide. (1759). London: Penguin Books. 1997. Alexander Pope’s Essay on Man and Voltaire’s Candide adopted opposing views on how reason should be used

Nutrition Month Essay

â€Å"Health is wealth,† is the clichà © this time of year not only in SMAD, but in the whole country as we celebrate Nutrition Month. The reason we celebrate Nutrition Month is to remind ourselves that being healthy is very important and that if we love ourselves, we should love our body that is by practicing good health habits. This year’s Nutrition Month’s theme is â€Å"Pagkain ng gulay, ugaliin, araw-araw itong ihain.† With this theme in mind, we Marisians understand from our early lectures from as early as Nursery that eating healthy everyday is a great investment for our future. If we eat healthy everyday is a great investment for our future. If we eat healthy, which means having a balanced diet, together with regular exercise and a healthy lifestyle, we surely will get to enjoy our body’s future to the fullest. Who wants to be unhealthy when they’re old anyway? Well, enough of the yadda yadda that we hear every day. Let’s face itm we can’t resist junkfood. Its taste, smell and the crispness is like a symphony to our teenage ears. It’s even sold in our school cafeteria for crying out loud! We already know all the sodium, salt, MSG and whatnot that is in those perfectly plastic packed goodies but still, we consume them. We already know all the health hazards the little tasty crisps possess but still, we love them. Even if it has the word ‘junk’ in its name, we still eat them. The question I ask all the readers of this essay is this: How can we control this craving?! Clearly, this seems like the most suitable question, given our situation. The answer is: SELF-DISCIPLINE. If we really value our body and its future, then we’d already stop from consuming those cheap and unhealthy pieces of evil. If we really cared, then we’d stop wasting our money buying the kinds of food that will hinder us from our full potential as healthy human beings. Once we discipline ourselves, not just in abstaining from eating junk food, we’ll become better people for our own sake and for the people around us. This is where the theme comes back into our minds. Instead of eating junk, why not eat something healthier and most of the time, cheaper? Fruits and veggies are our bodies’ best friends. Once we make eating them a daily habit, you’ll see that our bodies will be better, stronger and much more awesome than its previous self. Don’t forget the other food that’ll also help us maintain our awesome body like lean meats and such. Having a healthy lifestyle is something all of us should have whether young or old. It’s also very important of our bodies because aside from the fact that it is our own, God gve us our bodies for us to nurture and take care of and when we have a fit body, we’re able to carry out our mission that was given to us from Him. So, vegetable or junk? Surely you’d want something that isn’t trash. Beginning today, let’s be healthy, eat healthy and stay healthy. Being healthy is one of the best solutions to live happy. So, if you want to live a happy and care-free life, as you grow older, live and eat healthy!