Counselling Psychology Essay

From the term’s meaning itself, â€Å"existence† is the primary keyword that identifies the idealisms imposed through understanding the deep meaning of existential personality. It could not be denied then that unlike other theories of psychology and human behavior, existential personality theory has not been founded by any prominent personality in the field of human sciences, rather, the theory was introduced as a collaborative understanding that has been brought to existence through close observation of several individuals who have definite purpose in living in comparison to those who may have the hardest time identifying the reasons as to why they are living. With the many things that identify human life at present, â€Å"purpose† is one particular aspect that keeps one on the focus of facing the different challenges of living as they come. Considerably, an individual who knows what or for whom he is living for strives harder to survive the challenges of living as much as they could since they do know that there are others caring about them or there are others sorely needing their existence. Being needed is the key reasoning that brings about the possibility of this theory coming into existence. Every person needs to feel the possibility that he is needed by others. Through this, he is able to draw the meaning of life to him which in turn motivates him to remain where he is even though there might be huge heaps of challenges that tend to break him down every day. Noticeably, the life of people who have purpose does have a distinctive difference in comparison to those who may not have the people around them who they see as someone to live for. To explain the matter further, take for example the situation of a young woman who lives by herself and a young woman who has become a young mother. A young independent woman does have all the time in her life she would like to spend with herself, her family, her friends and her career; whereas, a young mother needs to balance the attention that she is giving for herself and her child. In a mirror sense, it may seem that it is only the time that each other has for themselves that may be different in the scene. However, if examined closely, this situation focuses more on the capability of the two individuals to face the challenges of the coming years in their lives. The young woman is noted to be susceptible to several heartaches or disappointments that she may meet in the future. Why is this so? Because she only needs to care for herself, she only needs to make sure that she is fine and that is the end of the line. Meanwhile, a mother of a young child would care less of herself but would focus more on the needs of her child, the demands of her role being a mother to her young. Through this reason for existence, the young mother turns out to be more powerful as she tends to exert effort not only for herself but for the life that depends on her for survival . IT always pays to have the rightful realization that someone needs the other. IT is rather comforting to know that even though one has taken many mistaken steps and decisions in the past, the motivation to push through comes from the fact that people live for others and not for themselves alone. This is the true essence of the existence personality theory. References: Milton, M. (1994) HIV Related Psychotherapy and Its Existential Concerns, Counselling Psychology Review, V9

Business Information and the Management of Organisation Essay

Business Information and the Management of Organisation - Essay Example (Nutt) Strategic decision making is one of the most critical tasks in organizations as it has became increasingly important to consider strategic decision making more from a transaction costs as well as behavioral point of view. (Papadakis, Lioukas and Chambers). One of the strategic decisions which company might make is market development i.e. to enter into new markets such as Asia or South American market. Enter into a new market is a strategic decision because top management of the firm, considering the overall mission of the firm, may decide to exapnd into new markets in a bid to reduce costs and achieve differentiation in terms of cost. It is also critical to know that in order to make strategic decisions, it is not necessary that the information required to make such decisions shall be coherent and complete in all respects as strategic decisions are often based on fuzzy information. Tactical decisions involve the "How "of strategic decision making because by making tactical decisions, organizations basically decide how to materialize strategy. Tactical decisions need to support the strategy and are of medium term in nature with moderate level of consequences. A tactical decision for AstraZeneca might include deciding on how to enter into new market The question therefore would be directed in terms of whether a Greenfield project shall be started, whether the firm should enter through exporting, franchising etc. In terms making a strategic decision of entering into new market, taking tactical decisions would involve how to enter into those markets. The information at this stage is more formalized however, information requirements are still not formalized in nature. Operational Decisions Operational decisions are the common and routine decisions which managers take in their day to day affairs. These decisions often require access to technical information and tend to support tactical decision making. For example, if AstraZeneca make a tactical decision of entering through a Greenfield project in one of the Asian Markets than operational decisions might involve the decision making process of how to acquire land, plant, machinery and hire labor to start production. Further, operational decisions are critical in the sense that they are the basic decisions which are taken to materialize or give shape to the overall strategic management decision making of the organization. Overall, the specific dynamics of each category of decision making may vary as each level of decision making require different set of information and information needs vary. Information required As discussed above that the information requirements vary with each decision making category therefore the information needs as well as its form varies differ in each case. Strategic Decisions Strategic decision making process is dependent on behavioral decision theory as well as transaction cost economics (Papadakis, Lioukas and Chambers) therefore in order to clearly outline the information required to make strategic decisions would require consideration of above set of factors. Considering the dynamics of the behavioral decision making, it is critical to mention that research studies have particularly concentrated on individual as well as group decision making processes. (Dean and Sharfman) therefore on individual level, strategic decisio

Protest Movements Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Protest Movements - Essay Example People usually relate protests with a lot of negativity, however, protest movement is a form of negotiation tactic that most people adapt to air out their views and makes their voices be heard. The most frequently used protest tactics during protest movements are strikes and mass demonstrations, and most states allow individuals to demonstrate more so they encourage peaceful demonstration as opposed to chaotic protests. The street protest participants should not involve themselves in activities like looting, steal, of commit other forms of crime. Peaceful demonstrations are in most cases successful. In most cases, inequality and discrimination in the society are some of the leading factors that trigger protest movements. Protest movements are very useful in the society and they enable people to talk about their feelings and address issues affecting them. However, protest movements can as well be very destructive especially chaotic demonstrations and interfere with the wellbeing of in dividuals in the society. Today, many states offer individuals with the freedom to protest or engage in protest movements as a way of sharing their views and feeling on certain issues affecting them and the society at large. Truly, freedom of expression is a constitutional right of every one in many nations today. This includes freedom of protest and demonstration among other social movements. For instance, In the United States, individuals’ right to free speech is outlined in the First Amendment of the US Constitution and so every American has the freedom to protest but without arms. Apart from being a constitutional right, protests are like democracy in action. In democratic nations, citizens have a right to share their opinions peacefully without any chaos involved. They are free to protest on different issues including unemployment and some government policies among others. Democracy does not only involving casting votes but also

The Positivist Lens Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The Positivist Lens - Essay Example Multiple studies have shown that Corporate Social Responsibility can no longer be seen by organizations as discretionary, rather it is now a pertinent strategic issue. However, there still is a gap in the empirical evidence on the actual link between CSR and actual business performance. The study will investigate the extent to which CSR has impacted business performance and by extension its benefits to society as a whole. Creswell, (2008) document that quantitative research questions are designed to inquire about the relationships among variables that the investigator is seeking to know. The quantitative research question for this investigation is; The purpose of the key purpose of the study will be to establish whether there is a correlation, positive or negative, between corporate social responsibility and actual business performance. The study also seeks to establish and define any existing trends for measuring business performance in relation to existing strategy. The paper also purposes to establish the impact of CSR on business performance focusing on key performance indicators which include market value, revenue and shareholder value. The study will also have the purpose of establishing the approaches for effectively measuring the impact of CSR on business performance. The topic will be analyzed through the positivist lens which proposes that perceptual data derived from sensory experience and logically and mathematically treated is the source of all knowledge. The approach has been shown to provide better measurements in all areas be they classifications or levels; besides it allows for the monitoring of trends over time, (Creswell, 2008). Since it provides for statistical manipulation, the researcher can find statistical correlations hence have a clearer picture on how the key variables; CSR and actual business performance relate. Besides,

Do Divestitures Have PositiveWealth Effects Literature review

Do Divestitures Have PositiveWealth Effects - Literature review Example Therefore, it can be said that a concept of divestiture is the opposite of an investment. The concept of divestiture is very much different from the concept of personal finance. Under the concept of personal finance, the investors sell out their business shares so as to meet their personal objectives. The major scope of a divestiture is that it allows the concentration of business resources in the market, and this process makes the business more profitable. This literature review tends to evaluate the positive wealth effects of divestitures. Motives behind divestitures Evidently, divestiture processes have been gradually increasing since 1990s. According to Kiymaz (2006), the gradually increasing divestiture can be clearly attributed to widespread corporate restructuring activities. The Author points out that the volume of divestitures has increased since 2,057 in 1993 to 3,134 in 1998. Kiymaz also argues that divestitures are the outcomes of a firm’s interest to create and pr eserve its shareholder wealth and it does not always symbolize the failure of a firm. A divestiture effectively refreshes a business organization and it assists the firm to enter the next phase of growth. The ultimate objective of every business firm is its further expansion and thereby increased profitability. A running business may have thorough knowledge regarding its key areas of strengths and weaknesses. Hence, an organization normally intends to restructure its strategies and concepts in order to address its weaker business areas and thereby focus more on potential growth sectors. In the opinion of Kiymaz (2006), spin offs and sell offs are the two effective techniques for a successful divestiture. Under the spin off methods, a company distributes all the common stocks to its existing shareholders with intent to create a separate publicly traded company. The author asserts that the divested asset is sold to another firm according to the concept of sell off. A spin off does not release its assets out of the company boundaries; instead, it retains within the hands of its shareholders. In contrast, a sell off constitutes complete remolding of the organizational structure and it includes an absolute disposal of some of its assets. However, retirement of succession planning is one of the major elements that influence a firm to adopt the techniques of divestitures. Rationalizing the number of shareholders is another motive behind divestiture strategies. Obviously, every shareholder of a firm would not be able to raise additional funds in times of contingencies. Moreover, every firm likes to retain potential shareholders because only they can contribute to the expansion of the company. The concept of divestiture enables the company to explore its potential shareholders. Colak and Whited (n.d.) claim that conglomerate invest efficiency play a vital role in determining the degree of growth of conglomerates. The authors add that a divestiture can effectively add t o the improvement of conglomerate investment efficiency. Therefore, dismantling conglomerates becomes a strong motive behind a divestiture. Similarly, a firm may have earned number of business entities by the way of acquisitions. It is often seen that the acquisition strategies adopted by firms become incorrect and thereby such firms are compelled to discard their acquisitions. Under such

Power IT's Acquisition Strategy - the 3rd-Party Modified Off-The-Shelf Assignment

Power IT's Acquisition Strategy - the 3rd-Party Modified Off-The-Shelf Solution - Assignment Example As per the Power IT’s acquisition strategy of purchasing an enterprise resource planning solution from a third-party vendor, the company’s finance director and chief executive officer were of the view that the software development expertise of the third-party modified off-the-shelf solution would be â€Å"high†, being off-the-shelf and having the capability of modification as per local requirements, as PowerIT wanted such a software solution that could be adjusted to local company needs. Only 3rd party modified off-the-shelf solution acquisition strategy was fitting the bill because the ERP solution could be modified according to the emerging needs of the end-users. If the company wanted to internally develop the software, it was not sure of its internal IT team’s expertise in the application domain, as shown in figure 2, â€Å"variable†. Domain knowledge should be very strong for developing software in-house on such a large scale, which was not in the capacity of PowerIT’s internal team. According to the case writers, local company knowledge of 3rd party modified off-the-shelf solution is relatively low because it is not internally developed; only an internally developed solution by PowerIT can have high knowledge of it. That’s why a 3rd party developed solution is ranked â€Å"low† on local company knowledge by the case writers in the area of its relative strength. The selection process was faulty. When the three short-listed vendors were asked to give their presentations on their systems’ support to the company’s IT needs, one vendor did not turn up to give a presentation, and the other gave a generic presentation while the third vendor discussed the PowerIT environment and the suitability of their product. Although not the least satisfied with any of the vendors for their presentations, the contract was given to the third vendor. The acquisition process should have been given a review or stopped due to not meeting the right vendor. Such an alarming drawback was not even shared by the BDM with the CEO and senior managers. Instead of inviting new tenders or asking the short-listed vendors to provide a detailed demonstration or not awarding the contract, the contract was awarded to the third vendor. The project was selected both by the chief operating officer and finance director.     

Benefits of Capital Punishment Essay Example for Free

Benefits of Capital Punishment Essay Though death penalty law has received insurmountable onslaught from the opposing activists and human rights campaigners, a number of states have maintained a hard stance and stood their grounds, this has been with good reasons. It is also in the clear understanding of its benefits and the hollowness of the counter claims. The position of this paper is that capital punishment has a wide range of benefits to a nation. Capital punishment deters crime, curbs recidivism, controls overcrowding and reduces the cost of maintaining inmates serving life sentences. A number of econometric studies conducted between 1978 and 2000 in the United States by a number of scholars bear the truth about the deterrence abilities of capital punishment (Paul R. Z. , 2006, 34). These studies have established the obvious, just as incarceration deters crime so does capital punishment. Capital punishment simply refers to an act by state of executing criminals found to have committed capital offenses. History has it that the origin of capital punishment was necessitated by the need to quell soaring rates of grievous crimes and political dissent. There are various crimes that are punished using death penalty; these however usually vary from one country to another and are a product of a states traditions and societal expectations. In China corruption is considered serious enough to attract a death penalty. Majority of countries regard drug trafficking, rape and cold blood premeditated murders as capital offences. Zhiqiang Liu (2004, 12), an economist, is particularly categorical in his study of the ability of capital punishment to deter crime. He goes forth and posits that one execution of criminal by state goes ahead to safeguard about eight lives of potential victims, this is in accordance to a study he conducted in the United States between the early 1930s and the late 1960s. This study is quite confident on the relationship between executions and crimes rate. These findings had earlier been echoed by H. Naci Mocan and R. Kaj Gittings (2003, 29) in a state level study conducted for a period of 20 years up to 1997. The conclusion of this study was reached after a careful analysis of the homicidal and imprisonment rates compared with the rate of capital penalties meted out. The conclusion was that each execution carried out went ahead and reduced the number of homicidal cases after while rescinding of a death penalty generated a significant increase of murder cases. The issue of deterrence has received quite a sizeable proportion of interest from academicians. This interest is not only as a result of its relation to capital punishments only but also in regard to other crimes as well. One of the reasons behind incarceration in addition to locking out criminal elements away from the precincts of the society is to deter occurrences of similar crimes from potential criminals. Theories have been put forward to analyze the effects of imprisonment and punishment as a form of deterrence. Most scholars have found a correlation between the two. The fear of imprisonment, fines and other forms of punishment is one big reason why many people would rather not go against the law. Early philosophers theorized about the origin of state saying it was brought forth to arrest the anarchical situation that reigned in the original state of nature. The presence of state also gave birth to the need to create laws and spell out the nature of punishment for the violators, such punishment would be meant to deter. There is an undeniable link between deterrence and punishment and the harsher the punishment, the more efficient the deterrence (Van den Haag, E. , 1975). The idea hence that harsh punishment meted out against criminals does not deter similar occurrences is inconceivable; almost all scholars are in agreement that capital punishment should be given to the elements in the society charged with grievous crimes. The basic argument here should be that the nature of crime one commits should attract an equally harsh punishment. Capital crimes rank the highest. None would be harsher than death and this would go ahead in preventing others with similar intentions. A total of 53 criminals were executed in the United States two years ago (Amnesty international, 2007). A bigger portion of those were in Texas. Critics admit that these executions went a long way in curbing crimes in the states that they were carried out and most studies agree. The issue of deterrence hence is unquestionable. A secondary objective of capital punishment on capital offenses is to stigmatize grievous crimes like rape and murder. It seeks to portray the horrific nature of such acts. Nothing would portray this better than an execution. Capital crimes cannot be deterred effectively by imposing light sentences or life imprisonments with an option of a parole. It is not in question that prospects of imprisonment would deter future acts of crimes, but this might not be applicable in well mapped out and executed murders. The prospect of a parole itself negates the deterrence that could have been achieved. The prospects of a death penalty on the other hand make any criminal to have second thoughts before contemplate on taking innocent lives. Capital punishments with an intention of deterring crimes should not only be carried out but they should also be highly publicized to ensure that such news reach all quarters (Hugo A. B. , 1997, 67). . Texas has an exceptionally high proportion of executions being with over half of all executions in the United States. These executions have been on the increase in these recent past years. Dale O. Cloninger and Roberto Marchesni (2001, 62) carried out a study with an intention of comparing two periods, when in one, executions were near zero and in another where there were remarkably high number of executions. This study found that the deterrence hypothesis holds. The numbers of homicide cases reported when there were minimal executions were higher than in when the number of executions went up. Other studies have found that executions conducted in one state have a spill over effect to other areas. Executions in one state may result to a reduced rate of capital crimes in a neighboring state indicating how efficient the idea of deterrence is (Van den Haag, Ernest, 1975, 26). Deterrence operates within a framework of three assumptions; the first one is based on what the law stipulates. The contents of the law are themselves enough to deter crime; a tough law goes a long way in preventing criminal tendencies. The second one is punishment. Everyone should be made aware of what the punishment for violating a certain law is. The third aspect is the certainty of such a punishment. This is where capital punishment comes and it is ascertained through carrying out executions. The state goes right ahead in achieving this and deterrence is achieved. Robertson I (1989, 33) notes that â€Å"through punishment corrections serve to deter the offender from deviating and it scares others who might be tempted into crime† Capital punishment has also a cost advantage. In the process of meting out a judgment especially for the lesser crimes, the court determines whether to imprison or fine an individual by looking at the possible costs of incarceration, the nature of the crime and the character of the individual. This is a complicated formula that puts into consideration even the salaries and expenses of the probation officers alongside other costs. The average cost of maintaining a prisoner for a whole year in prison as established in the finding conducted in 2003 is well above twenty-five thousand dollars. This number if multiplied with the millions serving jail sentences in the United States really puts a strain on the public coffers. Fines and paroles are important ways of circumventing this cost and to a greater extent eradicates the social and health issues that arise as a result of the increasing over crowding in the jails today, especially occasioned by the three strikes law. The prisons in most countries, United States included, are always carrying above the expected capacity. Although the intention of capital punishment is not to decongest prisons, when imposed, it goes ahead to achieve this. The costs of congestion are insurmountable both social and economic (Gottfried, T. , 1997, 78).