New Surgical Technology: Adoption or Diffusion? Essay

This article raised an interesting subject: surgeons and patients seeking improved treatment often forget that a new technique is not necessarily a better one. Human body with its health problems remains the same but the surgical technology is always moving towards progress. People develop new surgical tools and new surgical procedures constantly. However, do we carefully test all these new tools and procedures before using them on people? And how? On humans? On animals first perhaps? Is it ethical? How do we know that new tools and procedures are better than the existing ones? Too many questions†¦ New surgical technology promises improved patient care and, therefore, surgeons may hurry to adopt it despite little evidence or their advantage over existing procedures. Surgical procedures that are later found to be ineffective waste resources and endanger lives. Anything new must be carefully tested and proved in fact to be better. Therefore, the key to this problem is a cautious and total understanding from the surgeons and the patients of why such new procedures come to be offered as treatment. Let’s look in detail how this new medical technology gets adopted in the US. It may come in the form of: * a drug * a device * a procedure * a technique * a process of care For the surgical technology in particular, new things come in the form of a new procedure that uses existing devices or drugs, or an existing procedure that uses new devices. Before adopting any new technology, people should seriously consider the following factors: * Will this new technology improve the quality of clinical care? * If found successful, will the inventor promote its rapid adoption? * How widely this new technology will be distributed? * Will it pass all known and potential barriers for adoption, (financing, marketing, etc.)? * Is it compatible with the existing technologies and operating rooms? From all of these questions the main factor is always the same: the new technology MUST improve the quality of clinical care for patients. If this precondition is not satisfied, the technology should be abandoned: even a logical and scientifically positive attitude is no substitute for proof in practice. There were cases where surgical technology that was quickly adopted without evidence of its relative benefit, was abandoned after careful examination. For example: In 1964, Dr. Smith reported that injecting the enzyme chymopapain into an intervertebral disc relieved pain caused by herniation of the lumbar disc. In 1989, the American Medical Association’s diagnostic and therapeutic technology assessment group questioned the effectiveness of the procedure and raised concerns about its safety. Their evaluation showed that, compared with placebo or no treatment, chymopapain was effective in only selected patients. In addition, when it was used by less experienced surgeons some patients had serious complications, including allergic reaction and even damage to the spinal cord. I feel positive about innovation in all fields especially when people can improve the quality of life by repairing and healing the human body. However, before adopting any new technology in the operating room, it should be offered to patients for a trial period. Also surgeons shall carefully watch and study this procedure being done numerous times, and if it can be supported by the already existing equipment and the existing operating rooms. Do we ask the patient about the convenience or improvement by the new procedure or equipment? Of course! He is the one on the operating table putting his life in the hands of the surgeon. Surgeons always like the new technology if it can be easily and quickly understood, and added to their existing practice without waste of time. If the input to their practice is great, surgeons will invest more time and effort and disregard disruption of their routine day to expand the competitive advantage that a new technology offers. What I learned from this article is the use of new surgical technology has the potential to provide patients with the best possible care. On the other hand, if the new procedure or instrument were not carefully tested and approved, it ruined surgeon’s reputation, wasted resources, and caused harm to patients. Surgeons and institutions must not adopt a new technology without solid evidence of its efficiency and superiority over existing ones. In reality, quite a few innovations in medical technology were often adopted without enough evidence and testing and this was wrong. No matter how good the surgeon’s skill and ability to perform a procedure, it is wrong, if the procedure should not be done in the first place and may potentially harm the patient. Source: Article from BMJ : British Medical Journal 2006 January 14; 332(7533): 112-114. Editorial by Gabbay and Walley and pp 107, 109. Contributors and sources: CBW is senior adviser for the Health Technology Center and senior fellow at the Institute for the Future in California. ————————————————- References: McCulloch P, Taylor I, Sasako M, Lovett B Griffin D. Randomised trials in surgery: problems and possible solutions. BMJ 2002; 324: 1448-51. [PMC free article] [PubMed].

Themes in the Good Earth

In Pearl Bucks novel The Good Earth she gives an inside look at the Chinese culture. In the novel Wang Lung is poor farmer married to O-Lan, a loving wife who takes care of Wang Lung’s father, plus her own children. Three themes that Pearl Buck uses are survival, family structure, and the subjugation of women. One theme used to show Chinese culture is survival. For example, when Wang Lung’s family is struggling to find food, his sons steal meat, and they defend themselves by saying, â€Å"I took it – it is mine, this meat (Buck 112). When it is hard to survive it can make a person do something that they wouldn’t normally do. Survival not only changes a person, but it also changes their outlook on life. While O-Lan was giving birth to another child Wang Lung is thinking, â€Å"Male or female it mattered nothing to him now – there was only another mouth coming which must be fed (Buck 81). † Trying to survive took Wang Lung’s excitement and turned it into worry. Pearl Buck is trying to show that if people are trying to survive that they will do anything possible.Another theme used is family structure. For example, Wang Lung’s father never had to worry about going hungry, â€Å"As for the old man, he fared better than any, for if there was anything to eat he was given it, even though the children were without (Buck 78). † No matter what the circumstances are, the eldest male in the house will always be served first. Even while there was no women around Wang Lung still had to serve his father. Associated essay: Themes Developed in MaruAfter Wang Lung’s mother died he had to be the one to take care of the old man, â€Å"Every morning for these six years the old man had waited for his son to bring in hot water to ease him of his morning coughing (Buck 3). †Even though Wang Lung is a man with no woman around him, he must take care of the oldest in the house. Pearl Buck is trying to show the respect and loyalty that people in China have for family. One last theme used in the novel, is the subjugation of women.For example, when Wang Lung is thinking of selling his daughter O-Lan tells him about her past, â€Å"I was beaten with a leather thong which had been halter for one of the mules, and it hung up on the kitchen wall (Buck 135). † Women were treated as nothing more than an animal. Not only were slaves treated badly but so were the daughters. When Wang Lung is waiting to find out the sex of his baby he reacts badly when he finds that it is a girl,  "Wang Lung stood still. A sense of evil struck him. A girl! (Buck 65). Even though Wang Lung wanted children he is sickened to have a daughter. Pearl Buck is trying to show people just how far that women have come. All in all three themes that Pearl Buck uses are survival, family structure, and the subjugation of women. Some points that Pearl Buck is trying to point out are that survival changes people in drastic ways, family order always comes first, and that women are treated no better than animals. There are many more themes in this novel to show the importance of Chinese culture.

Research Unilever and Proctor and Gamble Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Research Unilever and Proctor and Gamble - Essay Example The research aims to bring forth the comparison and contrast of the above principles between the two organizations, Unilever and Proctor and Gamble. Major similarities and differences would be brought forth between the two organizations on the two principles. Fayol’s 14 Principles of Management- Comparison and Contrasts between Unilever and Proctor and Gamble (P&G) Division of work Division or specialization of work is chosen as the first topic to compare between the two organizations. In Proctor and Gamble, division of labor has begun right from the beginning of the company. Since the mid 1850s the company has reinforced division of labor with the initiation of moving operations to Western Row. While Proctor handled the financials and sales, Gamble supervised the factory productions. Now it is seen that the company has four major pillars which account for the main corporate structure of the organization, namely, the global business units, market development organizations, cor porate functions and the global business services (P&G, 2011). The division of labour in Unilever can also be seen from the fact that labor is employed in such activities like food production, distribution, and marketing etc. Its labor division strategies are also seen to be aimed at increasing employment and generating job opportunities. For example, in Indonesia, while the company employs 5000 individuals, an estimate of 300,000 more jobs were supported both in the fields of production as well as distribution (Pfitzer & Krishnaswamy, 2007, p.7). Despite the fact that both organizations demonstrate division of labour as a main component of their corporate structure, however, the degree or extent of specialization and division of tasks is much more in Proctor and Gamble in comparison to Unilever. This is because it represents a highly bureaucratic structure characterized by an authority hierarchy, explicit rules, clear division of labor and impersonality (Andersen & Taylor, 2010, p. 141). On the other hand, there is less labor division in Unilever, which emphasizes more on maintaining a geographical structure where the head in each geographic region is responsible for maintaining profitability in the region while the country managers are responsible for the local sales and marketing of products. Rather it can be said that Unilever reflects both of a geographic as well as a multidivisional structure. In fact now it is even recommended that the company implements a matrix structure in order to tightly coordinate between the geographic regions and the various specializations or divisions (Hill, 2008, p.197). Centralization According to Fayol centralization is considered essential for all organizations and is said to occur as a natural consequence of the organizat

Case Analysis (Marketing Planning and Management) Essay

Case Analysis (Marketing Planning and Management) - Essay Example The recommendations that has been provided is to create a complete workflow for the process and assign each job to every member and remove both sampling as well as the discounts and aim at marketing through other marketing techniques Variable cost per unit is not applicable, as the products were sponsored and there are no ‘cost of goods’ involved. The price per product on the first day is $15. Hence the entire $15 is contributed to cover the total fixed costs involved. The costs involved were very minimal and all the stocks were sold out. The liquidity position is also very strong with a turn over of $ 5,365 received in cash. Overall, the financial position of the company is very strong. Initially, the plan was to buy and promote seventy units every market day. However, the company sponsored for 100 units a day. Hence the marketing strategy was altered to include this factor. The demand was also estimated at 140 for the two days. The marketing strategy was very effective and entire 200 units were sold out in 2 days. The actual position turned out to be more optimistic than that was projected. Team performance and cooperation among all team members plays a very important role in this project. The team consisted of five members Stephanie Holland, Cassandra Hayes, Jean Kho, Nick Robinson and Brian Chow. The team performance and team dynamics as whole was very powerful and every individual in the team took up responsibilities and performed towards achieving a common goal of the team. There has been active participation from all members thereby making it possible for Sweet Adrenalin to achieve the success that it has achieved in the market day. The team structuring as a whole has been very strong and the allocation of the various positions in the team has been extremely good (Jobber, 2004). Communication flow within the organisation and in

Practitioner Values in Dementia - Portfolio 2 Essay

Practitioner Values in Dementia - Portfolio 2 - Essay Example 872). These symptoms have been very evident on one of my residential home care patients named Ms. X. Ms. X is an 80-year old residential home care patient who is pleasant and receptive. She does not want to ask the help of others frequently but acknowledges the advice of the medical practitioners. Although her doctor told her that she has memory problems, Ms. X reports that it does not affect her daily life, except that her niece has to remind her of most of the things to do like turning the stove after cooking, closing the faucets, and even looking for her eyeglasses. Ms. X does not want to take a bath. Often, she would yell at me if I tell her that it’s time to take a bath. As she is receptive towards the help of others, she always insists on dressing up herself but got confuse and wears her underwear over her regular clothes. She wants to do the cooking and laundry in the nursing home but her frequent forgetfulness often leads to accidents such as making the residential hom e care at risk for fire and switching the powdered milk for laundry detergent. When I would remind her of these things that she cannot do, she would yell at me and humiliate my caring abilities. I felt much stressed about the full-time responsibilities of caring for Ms. X in the residential home care setting and this stress has escalated over the past few months because of the frequent yelling of Ms. X. She is also very impatient towards the nursing care I’ve given to her and there comes a time when I would like to quit from caring her but got guilty feelings towards these thoughts as there is no nearby family who could help her. In a case like this, I began to question myself of how would I personally explore and incorporate issues relating to my best interest, advocacy, and empowerment. Then, maybe, I have not yet fully understand the situation of Ms. X. I could have understood her clinical situations but not her personal shortcomings. It was not easy to have dementia and w orst, to be far away from your family which serves as your major social support in life. In addition, it must be also sad for her that she does not have a partner in life which could help her in her fight for dementia. If I would explore and incorporate issues related to my best interest, I would probably resign and request to not take good care of Ms. X as her frequent yelling is humiliating my status and morals as a nurse. However, I also think that staying and caring for her would also be promoting my best interest as this experience will help me grow professionally and will guide me in handling future patients with dementia. In the latest report of (http://nursingstandard.rcnpublishing.co.uk, 2013), the nurse has the full responsibility in exploring and incorporating issues of advocacy; thus, being a patient advocate may mean that a nurse assists, defends, pleads, or prosecutes for the patient while having collaboration with other professionals. In the case of Ms. X, I should ac t as an advocate in referring to the medical provider her progress report while inside the residential h

Gemini Telescope And The Supernova Legacy Survey Essay

Gemini Telescope And The Supernova Legacy Survey - Essay Example The Gemini telescope has been used by the partner countries as a tool of astronomical research. It provides world-class observing equipment of the skies for the astronomers. Each country in the partnership is awarded observational time depending on the scientific merit and contribution towards the operation of the machine. The telescopes incorporate advanced technology in order to produce high quality of images. This includes the use of adaptive optics, laser guide stars, multi-object spectroscopy, and multi-conjugate adaptive optics. In addition, the telescope is made using a silver coating that is essential for the protection of the primary and secondary mirror. The location of the telescopes provides superb viewing conditions of the sky. The telescope system has low emissivity coatings and an effective mirror cleaning program. These enable the machine to pick clear images. Each Gemini telescope has an adaptive optics setup further adding to the quality of images that the center captures. The telescopes can perform long-slit spectroscopy, multi-object spectroscopy, integral field spectroscopy and imaging at optical wavelengths. Infrared optimization and silver coating allow clear observations at the middle of the infrared spectrum. Proximity to infrared spectrograph boosts the sensitivity for point object and sources. The instrument is also known as a Multi-Conjugate optics adaptive system. It employs five guide stars to provide clarity over a large area captured. The guide stars are artificially made by laser (Simons 123). A fundamental discovery that has been made by the Gemini Observatory telescope is a multi-planet system around a star. Images from the Gemini observatory helped the international team to discover two of the planets in the year 2007 (Howell 1191).

Influences of Conformity and Obedience Paper Essay

Influences of Conformity and Obedience Paper - Essay Example But while conformity and obedience may be relatively easily defined, their incidences in various situations are not. Conformity and Obedience Defined Conformity generally entails group members changing their minds to suit the attitudes and opinions of the majority. Here we must also include the concept of compliance in understanding the nature of eventual obedience, since compliance is only slightly different from conformity in that in being compliant one must [consciously] adapt his or her actions to another’s wishes or rules. While the former has less to do with personality than choice, the latter requires of its subject a particular personality that allows them to yield. Obedience, on the other hand, requires the acknowledgment of authority and one’s acquiescence to it. Thus a compliant individual may not necessarily or automatically be inclined to conform, although studies have shown â€Å"†¦those that conform tend to be obedient and compliant† (Constabl e, Schuler, Klaber & Rakauskas 1999, par. 1-2). Solomon Asch: Group Pressure and Conformity Social psychologist Solomon Asch’s early (1951) experiments on group pressure and conformity, and ultimately his conclusions provide an interesting and sometimes disturbing clinical view of how humans pressured by the group perceive themselves in relationship to their environment and others. Much of what Asch concludes through the experiments links directly to psychological disorders prevalent in studies conducted over time. Therapies suggested for such disorders and favored by given psychologists often differ, undoubtedly due to what has been described above as differences in personalities that prompt unreasoning conformity, obedience or disobedience, or both. The conduct of Asch’s study was fairly straightforward. Ache showed students in groups of eight to ten--all of whom except one in each group had been coached beforehand to pick the wrong answer on twelve of the eighteen c ards. Each card had a group of three bar lines on the right, and one bar line. Students were asked to pick one bar from a series of three on the right that best matched the one bar on the left. Most subjects were told to deliberately give the wrong answer. Asch arranged the questioning so that most wrong answers would be given before the test subject in the group made his or her decision. The results were significant and according to Zimbardo and Gerrig (2010): â€Å"50 and 80 percent†¦conformed with the false majority estimate†¦a third†¦yielded to the majority’s wrong judgments on half or more of the critical trials† (p. 550). The results prompted Asch, according to age-of-the sage.org (n.d) to conclude: "The tendency to conformity in our society is so strong that reasonably intelligent and well-meaning young people are willing to call white black. This is a matter of concern. It raises questions about our ways of education and about the values that gui de our conduct" (par 7). What this says about our desire not to be different, but to conform with our peers is significant. What it may say in some cases about the role of obedience in this behavior is, according to Berg and Bass (1961) citing Champney (1941), pertinent. The significance of parental attitudes and behavior on the subsequent conformity found in their children†¦suggested that when parents tend to dominate their children, restraining the children's efforts to solve some of

Managerial Report Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Managerial Report - Case Study Example But there is one more chance that he would counter offer another reduced amount of 600,000 (probability of 0.5) If john takes the case to court it may happen that court award him with damages of $1,500,000 (probability of 0.3) and may award $750,000 (probability of 0.5). There is also one more chance that he would not be given even a single penny (probability of 0.2). Detailed analysis of the above situation suggest that according to the given probabilities of the all the situations option of offering john $400,000 would be beneficial because there are chances that he may accept this offer actual outflow may range from $0 to $1,500,000. But chances of both are very low. Event of high chances are payment of $750,000 (which is equal in outflow of 1st option) and payment of $600,000 (which is lower than the first option). Other results may be payment of $400,000 (again lower than first option) zero payment (most favorable event in this whole situation) and payment of $1,500,000 (most disastrous situation). Except this last situation all the other options are beneficial. Although first option is safe and result in an outflow of $750,000 but there are no chances that allied would pay any other amount bigger than this. But option 2 is little risky as it can result in a payment of bigger amount of $1,500,000. But as result of all probabilities is also less than the amount of 1st option therefore it seems worthwhile

MPH502 - Introduction to Public Health Module 5 - Case Essay

MPH502 - Introduction to Public Health Module 5 - Case - Essay Example 4.2 million births per year) which results in high infant mortality rate and maternal mortality rate (WHO). The increasing birth rate is primarily associated with less educational facilities and religious matters. The health disparities that exist within the country are mainly due to the educational, health, social, economic differences between rural and urban areas. Malaria, tuberculosis, Diarrhea, measles and tetanus are also major health concerns of the government. Hepatitis is also posing a great threat to the health of population. Â ¼ of the total population in Pakistan are obese and have chronic problems (Tauqeer et al.). These health problems and others are basically related to the educational, social and economic conditions of the country. People in Pakistan, do not get much education on vaccines and health checkups on regular basis. The unavailability of education and health services is posing a threat to the health situation of Pakistan. Hygiene is one of the major issues that is worsening the health condition in Pakistan. About eighty percent of the prevailing diseases like diarrhea, malaria, typhoid etc. are due to poor sanitary conditions, unavailability of purified drinking water and cleanliness facilities. The following chart defines the health priorities that require immediate consideration and call for an action by the Government, local authorities and general public. These issues are prioritized on the basis of mortality rates by those issues. The figures are taken from Death and DALY estimates by cause (2002). There is a need to improve the current trends of death rates by resolving the life risking health issues. Since, it has been observed that the major concerns include but are not limited to cleanliness facilities, health disparities on the basis of social, economic and educational differences and high birthrate risking the life of child and mother both. The basic need is to call for an

Annotated Bibliography on the book Damned by Chuck Palahniuk

On the book Damned by Chuck Palahniuk - Annotated Bibliography Example The book has several chapters that include; Books by Chuck Palahniuk, Short Story Collection by Chuck Palahniuk, Novels by Chuck Palahniuk, Fight Club, Choke, Survivor, among others. This book represents a new and exciting lexis in sharing of human knowledge. Although the book is a collaboration that focuses on Novels and articles by Chuck Palahniuk, it is very comprehensive on any work done by Palahniuk. It gives the reader a clear outline of Palahniuk’s novel, ‘Dammed’ from the start to the end of with a systematic flow. It also points out the author’s artistic richness and key themes and character analysis. In this website, the author of the article ‘Chuck Palahniuk’s Damned: Damned if you do’ Justine Jordan comprehensively review the Palahniuk’s ‘Dammed’ giving a picture of how the novel flows and describing what could have been in the Palahniuk’s mind when he wrote the book. He prospers in explaining the novel’s flow in a systematic manner, describe and analyze characters and their corresponding traits and roles in the book. Above all, the author is quite effective in explaining the setting as it is in the novel- he does this in such a manner that his readers will be familiarized about the novel ‘Dammed’ as the readers of the original

Defining Moments in Canada Essay Example for Free

Defining Moments in Canada Essay Defining Moments in Canadian History During the 20th century, there were many events and situations that helped define the country of Canada. There were positive moments, but also a good amount of negative ones. Of course, the successful events kept Canadians in a positive light, but the negative situations helped Canada learn from its mistakes and went to prove how strong and brave its citizens were/are. The three most defining moments would have to be the Dieppe Raid, the Invasion of Normandy, and the Battle of Vimy Ridge. These three events not only assisted the country to become what it has today, but has also defined what the nation has become. The first defining moment of the 20th century was the Battle of Vimy Ridge. This particular battle was a military engagement located in the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region of France during World War I. The main fighters were Canadian Corps against the German army. The battle took place from April 9 to 12, 1917. This was the beginning stage for the Battle of Arras, led by the British. The Canadian Corps was ordered to seize Vimy Ridge in April 1917. Situated in northern France, the heavily-fortified seven-kilometre ridge held a commanding view over the Allied lines. The Canadians would be assaulting over an open graveyard since previous French attacks had failed with over 100,000 casualties. (Cook) Main objectives were to take control over German-held high ground along an extensive escarpment. Doing so would allow the southern flank to advance without having to be heavily worried about enemy fire. With support from a nearby barrage, Canadians were able to capture most of the ridge within the first day of attack. The town of Thelus fell the second day, as did the crest of the ridge. The final objective was to capture another ridge located outside the town of Givenchy-en-Gohelle, which fell to the Canadian Corps on April 12. After that incident, the German forces had no choice but to retreat. This quick battle was successful due to a mix of tactical and technical innovation, powerful artillery support, extensive training, and thought-out planning. This event is a defining moment for Canada because it was the first time that all four sectors of the Canadian Expeditionary Force participated in a battle as a whole, therefore becoming a Canadian Nationalistic symbol of sacrifice and great achievement. The Canadian success at Vimy demonstrated that no position was invulnerable to a meticulously planned and conducted assault. This success had a profound effect on Allied planning. Though the victory at Vimy came swiftly, it did not come without cost. There were 3,598 dead out of 10,602 Canadian casualties. After Vimy, the Canadian Corps went from one success to another, to be crowned by their achievements in the 1918 advance to victory. This record won for Canada a separate signature on the Versailles Peace Treaty ending the War.(Battle of Vimy Ridge) The second definitive moment of the 20th century was the Dieppe Raid. This event was a World War II attack on the German occupied port of Dieppe on August 19,1942. The raid took place on the northern coast of France, and began around 5 am. Allied commanders were forced to call a retreat, a mere 6 hours later. Objectives included seizing and holding a major port to prove that it was possible and also to gather information. Allies also pl anned on destroying coastal defences, port structures, and all strategic buildings. The allied countries knew that they would eventually have to attack, so they figured they needed the practice. Another goal was to take some of Hitlers attention off of trying to invade Russia. The plan was to use 5000 Canadians and have a 1-day attack and retreat on the Nazi-held coastal town of Dieppe. The plan was also to be secretive and attack at dark. None of these objectives were met. The Soviet Union was pressuring the Allies to open a second front in Western Europe. The Allies, however, needed to build up their military resources before undertaking a full campaign. They felt that a large raid on the coast of France could force the Germans to divert more of their military resources away from the Soviet Union and also help in the planning for the full-scale assault to come. (Canada Remembers) The first mistake was that they reached Dieppe in broad daylight, making this surprise attack not very surprising. Also, the Dieppe forces became on high alert at Dieppe because French agents warned them that the British were showing a great deal of interest in the area. When the Allied forces arrived at the port city, its flanking cliffs were well defended. Thesoldiers were met with very heavy machine gun fire from little stations dug into overlooking cliffs. The Allied fire support was not nearly adequate enough and the attackers were basically trapped on the beach by series of obstacles and never-ending German fire. After less than 6 hours, the Allies were forced to surrender and many of the soldiers were stranded on the port, to be killed or to be taken prisoner by the Germans. The Allied forces were beaten severely, they definitely lost this battle, and they lost it hard. Numerous tactical and technical errors were made, resulting in huge amounts of Canadian deaths. The raid was a disaster: More than 900 Canadian soldiers were killed, and thousands more were wounded and taken prisoner. Despite the bloodshed, the raid provided valuable lessons for subsequent Allied amphibious assaults on Africa, Italy and Normandy. (Herd) This was, after all, one of the first attempts by the Allies on a German-held port. This was an important, defining moment for Canadians because the lessons learned there became the guidelines of what not to do in regards to future endeavours, and influenced preparations for the highly successful Normandy landings. The last definitive moment of the 20th century was the Invasion of Normandy (D-Day) on June 6, 1944. The Allies attacked the German-held beaches of Normandy, France towards the end of World War II. The landings were done in two phases; the first was an airborne assault landing consisting of 24 000 British, US, and Canadian soldiers shortly after midnight. The second was an amphibious landing around 6:30 am of Allied infantry. This attack was executed by all elements: land, sea, and air. The invasion required transportation of soldiers, and materials from England by aircraft and ships. These particular landings took place on an 20 km stretch of the Normandy coast on 5 seperate beach areas: Utah, Omaha, Gold, Juno, and Sword. The British armies took control over Sword and Gold, US took charge over Utah and Omaha, and Canadian forces stormed Juno. On June 6th, 1944, the 3rd Canadian Infantry Division and the 2nd Armoured Brigade were tasked with establishing a bridgehead on the beach codenamed Juno. This was an eight-kilometre long stretch of beach bordering Saint-Aubin, Bernieres, Courseulles-sur-Mer and Graye-sur-Mer. Assault troops were then to move towards the Carpiquet airfield, 18 kilometres inland. The 3rd Infantry Division, under Major-General R. F. L. Keller, was under command of the Second British Army. It was flanked on the left by the 3rd British Infantry Division that was to land on Sword beach (Lion-sur-Mer, Langrune-sur-Mer). To the right, the 50th British Division had as its target Gold Beach (La Riviere, Le Hamel, and Arromanches).(D-Day) Unlike the previous, unsuccessful raid at Dieppe, surprise was achieved at Normandy, thanks to bad weather and a very successful deception plan deployed in the months prior to the attack. The deceptive plan was used to distract Germanys attention from the possibility of landings in Normandy. Another key success was to convince Adolf Hitler that landings would occur at the Pas-de-Calais. At the same time of the attack, there wer e also decoy operations taking place. Fourteen thousand young Canadians stormed Juno Beach on D-Day. Their courage, determination and self-sacrifice were the immediate reasons for the success in those critical hours. The fighting they endured was fierce and frightening. The price they paid was high the battles for the beachhead cost 340 Canadian lives and another 574 wounded. (Juno Beach) By the end of D-Day, 30 000 Canadians had been successfully landed and all had penetrated further into France than any other Allied force! This was a defining moment for the country of Canada because, after all the previous, unsuccessful missions, they deserved a glorious victory. That is definitely what they got! All their hard work; preparing weapons, planting decoys, and all their extensive planning made this invasion so successful, and all the tedious work paid off. This event is definitive for me because my great-grandfather was involved in this attack, and thankfully returned home from it. There were definitely more than three defining moments for Canada during the 20th century, but the Battle of Vimy Ridge, the Dieppe Raid, and the Invasion of Normandy were three of the most significant. These events helped Canada grow as a nation, and made Canadians even more proud of their heritage and their country.

The Open Source Database Of Mysql Information Technology Essay

The Open Source Database Of Mysql Information Technology Essay A database is a systematic collection of data. A database management system is needed to store, access, delete, or otherwise organize data in a database. MySQL is an open source database management system.. You can freely download, modify, and use open source software without having to pay any fees/royalty to the original author. In this chapter, you will learn about MySQL and its advantages over other relational database management systems (RDMS). In addition, you will learn about the advantages of MySQL as an open source database and of using PHP with MySQL. What is MySQL? Consider a library, which lends books to its members. Traditionally, the details of books, members, and lending are maintained manually using ledgers. as the number of books increases, managing and searching for books, members and lending details becomes difficult. To maintain and retrieve information fast, this information can be stored in an electronic database and a DBMS can be used to manage these electronic databases. A DBMS manages the database. A database is used to store the data in a structured format. A DBMS is responsible for managing the operations such as adding, accessing, and processing data. A DBMS plays a central role in computing; as a standalone utility or as a part of applications. MySQL is a relational database management system (RDBMS), which manages a relational database. A relational database stores information in several tables instead of storing it as a large table. This structure imparts flexibility to the database. MySQL uses the standardized Structured Query Language (SQL) to manage the database. MySQL is a popular Open Source database. It is developed and distributed by MySQL AB, a company founded by the MySQL developers. In 2008, Sun Microsystems acquired MySQL AB. In 2010, Oracle acquired Sun Microsystems and so MySQL is now owned by Oracle Corp. Main Features in MySQL MySQL was designed to achieve goals such as speed, robustness, and ease of use. The features of MySQL are as follows: Technical Features: Written in C and C++ Tested with different compilers Cross-platform compatibility, that is, works on multiple operating systems Supports multiple storage engines; both transactional and non-transactional APIs for accessing MySQL databases available in many languages, including C, C++, Eiffel, Java, Perl, PHP, Python, Ruby, and Tcl Uses kernel threads to achieve complete multi-threading Can use multiple CPUs where available, boosting performance Dynamic memory cache and use of threads to allocate memory Uses a single-sweep multi-join method to allow fast resolution of joins Server can be used as a separate application or as an embedded library Column Types: Supports multiple column or data types including Numeric, Date and Time, and String Provides for mapping data types from other databases to MySQL data types Supports fixed- and variable-length strings Commands and Functions: Supports the use of all MySQL operators and functions in the SELECT statement and the WHERE clause Supports the use of tables from different databases in one statement Supports table and column aliases Displays information about databases, tables, and indexes using the SHOW command Displays query resolution information using the EXPLAIN command Provides full support for SQL GROUP BY and ORDER BY clauses and group functions as well as left and right outer joins Supports the use of function names as table or column name Security: Support for in-built data encryption and decryption Privileges can be assigned to users Password encryption Scalability and Limits: Handles large databases sizes Allows up to 64 indexes per table Allows up to 16 keys per table Connectivity: On any platform, clients may connect to the MySQL server using TCP/IP sockets On Windows NT, 2000, XP, 2003 and Vista, clients may connect to the MySQL server using named pipes or shared-memory connections On UNIX systems, clients may connect using UNIX domain socket files Localization: Displays error message in 20 languages including Czech, French, German, Japanese, Korean, Norwegian, Polish, and Russians Supports Unicode and various character sets Allows data to be stored, sorted and compared using the chosen character set Clients and tools: Provides built in support to check, optimize, and repair tables Provides mysql tool to execute individual SQL commands or SQL commands stored in a file Provides mysqlaccess tool to check host, user, and database privileges Provides mysqladmin tool to manage the database server Provides mysqldump tool to backup the contents of one ore more MySQL databases to a file Provides mysqlhotcopy tool to backup a single database or table on to the same computer Provides mysqlimport tool to import data into MySQL table from a file Provides mysqlshow tool to display information about the databases, tables, and columns Provides mysqld_safe tool that enables safe start up of the MySQL server Advantages of using MySQL over the other RDBMS There are many commercial DBMSessuch as Oracle, Microsoft SQL Server, and Sybase available in the market. These DBMSes are robust and reliable, and support most of the features a user wants. It is impossible for these databases to compete MySQL on price, as MySQL is available for free downloads. In addition, for commercial DBMSes, the initial setup is more expensive, resource intensive, and time consuming. Another factor that adds to the cost is the training required on commercial databases. For MySQL, there are many free training courses available on the Internet. Also, you can download MySQL for free and learn to use it. As the source is available, you can customize MySQL as required. The vast support networks available (as blogs, forums, and lists) enables you to access information and support easily as opposed to the paid support structures of commercial DBMSes. Typically, open source software tends to be updated more frequently than commercial software because many users contribute to its development. As a result, new features are available more often than for commercial databases. MySQL has different versions available that work on the various versions of Linux, UNIX, Microsoft Windows, and other operating systems. MySQL also offers various in-built and third-party GUI tools for faster and easier design, implementation, and administration. Following are the advantages that MySQL offers over other RDMS: Reliable: Different users have found MySQL even under very heavy loads and large database sizes. Ease of Use: MySQL has a modular and flexible architecture that makes it easy to manage and customize. Cross Platform Support: MySQL is available on more than twenty different operating systems including Linux, UNIX, and Microsoft Windows. Contrasting MySQL as an open source database with other RDBMS There are many open source and commercial databases available. Some of the popular open source databases include mSQL, PostgreSQL, and InstantDB. Similarly, Oracle, MS SQL Server, and Sybase are some popular commercial databases. The early editions of MySQL did not support all the SQL features. For example, transaction support and stored procedures were not available in the older versions of MySQL. The latest versions of MySQL, however, provide full SQL and transaction support. The commercial databases support almost all the features as MySQL, but the performance of MySQL is better. One drawback in MySQL is that it does not support advanced SQL3 features such as object oriented data types. PostgresSQL supports advanced SQL3 features and is a better choice as an open source DBMS with SQL3 features. However, PostgresSQL has a major disadvantage in its hidden limit of 8k of data per row. PostgreSQL is more powerful but MySQL is faster. MySQL does not need a vacuum procedure as PostgreSQL. PostgreSQL withstands higher loads. The latest versions of PostgreSQL and MySQL support features as sub-selects, stored procedures, triggers, unions, and views. However, older versions of MySQL did not support all these features. In addition, because these features are new to MySQL, there are some performance issues. However, MySQL provides with more user-friendly command interface so it is it popular among web developers. The databases such as mSQL cannot compete with MySQL on many fronts. For example, MySQL has a richer feature set of SQL than mSQL. MySQL also supports more data types and functions as compared to mSQL. InstantDB competes well with MySQL when we consider the different features. The only feature of MySQL that InstantDB is unable to compete is performance. MySQL is faster as compared to InstantDB. Advantages of PHP in MySQL environment PHP is a simple tool designed for web development. It is easy to learn and allows a developer to implement various web-programming tasks, including database-related routines. It offers good flexibility and performance. PHP is a scripting language that is executed at run-time. It enables a user to interact with databases. PHP and MySQL are used together to store data on the Web. PHP is compatible with MySQL, which is one of the most popular database engines. MySQL is free and provides with high performance. Using databases allows a store of information that is accessed by users. In addition to this, a user is able to store his information in the database. Following diagram will help us to understand the interaction between the client-server-database. Figure 1.1 Interaction between Client, Server, and the Database In the above figure, a server is connected to several clients and a database connected with the server. These components have two-way interactions between them. When a client requests for a HTML file, the browser sends a request to the server. The server will find the requested file and sends the HTML file to the browser. The working of the system above is simple. However, such a system has limitations. If several users require the same file then the file is sent to all the clients who requested it as a static page and HMTL is not able to interact with the server. The main advantage of using PHP is that a Web page is able to access a database. Alternatively a client will request for a PHP file. The PHP preprocessor will then convert the file to HTML, which is sent to the user. Examples where databases are used on a website are listed below: Sites that work on database: We are quite familiar with the online reservation system in which the user is able to book a seat using the Internet. The backend database of this system gets updated depending on the action of the user. Different parts of the database can be accessed by changing the URL, which is the uniform resource locator. Message Boards: Several message boards on the Internet are run using MySQL and PHP. Such systems are more efficient than those using other utilities. Other systems create a page for each message and provide various options. While updating such system would need to change all the pages. A system using MySQL and PHP would just require changing one page. Updating Websites: Consider that a large website is to be updated. A user is able to modify the whole website using few PHP scripts. The information related to these pages is stored in MySQl database. The PHP scripts would access a MySQL database to access the information about the pages. For updating the website, the user would need to just change one page. Banner Rotation: We have several banners on a site. A PHP script is called for each banner. A database of banners is opened and a random banner is displayed. In order to insert, modify or delete a banner we just have to change the database. The PHP script would pick the correct banners for the pages on the site. To run a PHP script a user will need the following: Web server PHP needs to be installed MySQL needs to be installed PHP is compatible with almost all the operating systems. PHP and MySQL both are open source. It is convenient to obtain these for free downloads from the Internet. This feature makes it cost effective as compared with others. If we compare PHP and MySQL against ASP, the code for searching a database in ASP has a line at the top which states the number of matches. In order to get this number one needs to cycle through the records once to count them, as the RecordCount property keeps returning -1. The equivalent MySQL function mysql_num_rows worked first time as advertised, shortening the code, and the time taken to run the server-side page. MySQL provides with command-line function, which allows access to the database so that user is able to view the query results which the PHP page acquires. PHP scripts can also be used to control all the database administrative options but it is better to install a PHPMyAdmin on the server. PHPMyAdmin is an administrative interface for MySQL databases. It consists of set of free scripts to provide administrative interface. Licensing issues related to open source softwares There are many types of software licenses available. An open-source software license permits users to read, access, change, and reuse the source code of a software product. Open-source software does not necessarily mean free software. Open source commonly refers to software that is made available to everyone at no cost under a license agreement having a few restrictions. The distribution of open-source software must fulfill with the following criteria: Free Distribution The license allows you to sell the software or distribute it for free as a part of your software distribution. You are not required to pay any fee or rayalty against such a distribution. Source Code The source code of the product is made available along the product. If the source code is not distributed with the software, then it must be made available free or at a reasonable cost. In addition, the source code must be in a form that a user is able to modify it. Derived Works The license must allow modifications to the software. Also after the modification, it must allow the redistribution under the same terms as the license of the original software. No Discrimination against Persons or Groups The license must be applied same for everybody No Discrimination against Fields of Endeavor It means that the license should not restrict the software in a specific field of endeavor. Distribution of License The rights attached to the program must apply to all to whom the program is redistributed without the need for execution of an additional license by those parties. License must not be Specific to a product -The rights attached to the program must not depend on the programs being part of a particular software distribution. If the program is extracted from that distribution and used or distributed within the terms of the programs license, all parties to whom the program is redistributed should have the same rights as those that are granted in conjunction with the original software distribution. License must not contaminate Other Software The license must not place restrictions on other software that is distributed along with the licensed software Integrity of the Authors Source Code The license may restrict source-code from being distributed in modified form only if the license allows the distribution of patch files with the source code for the purpose of modifying the program at build time. The license must explicitly permit distribution of software built from modified source code. The license may require derived works to carry a different name or version number from the original software. Open Source Software Benefits The open source software are freely available on the Internet for free downloads. Open-source software has become popular due to several reasons. Following are the benefits of Open-Source Software: Access to Source Code- Enables user to understand the software at a deep level. It also enables to debug the software. Large Community- Creates an opportunity for widespread and rapid teamwork on development projects. Low Cost- Available for free downloads from on the Internet. Broad Rights- Enables to grant licenses to use, modify and redistribute the open source software, which is a major advantage. The commercial software products are distributed only in binary form and may not be modified. Licensing of MySQL MySQL software is released under the General Public License (GPL). It may often be used for free, but users may require buying commercial licenses from MySQL AB for certain purpose. Licensing options are as follows: Commercial License- Suppose an organization wants software to be accessed by the customers or the members in the organization. In this case the commercial license is needed. This is useful when an organization wants the source code to be secret. Such organizations do not want to act in accordance with the General Public License. The commercial license is an agreement with MySQL AB for organizations that do not want to release their application source code. Commercial licensed users get a commercially supported product from with assurances from MySQL. Commercially licensed users are also free from the requirement of making their own application open source. Open Source License- Enables users to offer the features added to everyone. Anyone is able to use, modify or distribute the software. The open license is free of cost. The condition is that the user must make the complete source code available. Summary MySQL is the most popular Open Source SQL database. It is developed and distributed by MySQL AB, which is a company, founded by the MySQL developers. The MySQL is a database management system which manages the database. A database is used to store the data in a structured format. A database management system is responsible to manage the operations such as adding, accessing, and processing data. MySQL is a relational database management system, which stores information in several files instead of storing it as a large table. This structure imparts flexibility to the database. MySQL is Open Source software that enables any one to use and modify the source code. We have many commercial databases available in the market such as Oracle, Microsoft, and Sybase. These commercial databases support most of the features a user wants. These databases fail to compete with MySQL for read-heavy-database applications. A user is able to modify the source code due to which new features become easily available as compared to the traditional databases. An open-source database is cheap. It is free if you choose the open source license. MySQL works on different operating systems such as Linux, UNIX, and Windows. PHP is a scripting language. It enables a user to interact with the databases. PHP and MySQL are used together to store data on the Web. In order to run a PHP we need a Web sever. Also PHP and MySQL need to be installed. An open-source software license permits users to read, access, change, and reuse the source code of a software product. Check Your Progress The mysqlshow tool that displays information about the__________. MySQL server and the information about the databases and tables on the server MySQL client and the information about the databases and tables of the client All the databases of the client and the server _____________is an administrative interface for MySQL databases. mysqladmin PHPMyAdmin admin MySQL software is released under the_________. Commercial source License Open source License General Public License MySQL allows up to _______ indexes per table. 16 32 8 ______________ tool manages users of MySQL. mysqladmin mysqlaccess mysql mysqlshow This page has been intentionally left blank

Impact Of Social Networking In The Airline Industry Marketing Essay

Impact Of Social Networking In The Airline Industry Marketing Essay Social Networking is increasingly emerging as an essential communication tool for the travel industry. The growth of social networking phenomena in the Airline industry initially commenced through sites such as Facebook, Twitter and Myspace since it has been growing with more professionalism with the turn up of new industry specified social networks (e.g., Tripadvisor.com). Without much research on how to engage with potential customers, many airlines have started using Twitter streams. Addressing the customer concerns and complaints is not possible by many airlines on social networking sites since they do not have any defined strategy. (Kirby, 2010). Over 2000 airlines operate more than 23,000 aircrafts, providing service to over 3700 airports in todays Global Airline Industry. The worlds airlines flew almost 28 million scheduled flight departures and over 2 billion passengers were carried in 2006. Over the past 30 years, the growth of air travel has averaged 5% approximately, with annual variations due to the differences in the economic fluctuations and circumstances in different regions of the world. The total revenue for the industry expected by IATA will be about $545 billion in 2010, rise of 13% from $483 billion in 2009. Every corner of the globe has been served by the international airline industry which has contributed in the creation of a global economy. (IATA, 2010a) As many authors have researched about social networking no such book or an article has described social networking impact in the Airline industry perspective. A better understanding of social networking has been brought out in this paper. Evaluation of social networking with the airline industry throughout this research will be an essential platform since most of the companys fear from embracing social networking. The impact of social media on airlines and the directions for successful deployment of social media have been detailed in the report. The aim of this report is to educate and help Airline companies to formulate strategic responses for a brand and distribute opportunities since social networking has being taken into consideration as a marketing tool. Sharing and gathering of exclusive information through social networking helps to decrease the advertising budgets and in return increase the revenue and build brand loyalty. Methodology of the Research The intention of this research is to prove that the Airline industry has a great potential in social networking as it cant be ignored in 2010. As few major airlines such as JetBlue, Virgin America and British Airways have started social networking which has changed their process fundamentally by improving customer satisfaction, reducing costs and increasing brand loyalty. Through an inclusive literature review by following academic literature, white papers, popular media, journal articles and books, the following areas which are associated with social networking on the Airline industry have been explored Critical research about social networking emergence with the purpose to establish the potential impact of it on the Airline industry. To find out how social networking will change the Airline consumer behavior and what should be the strategic response from the industry in response to these changes. What marketing professionals should do to find their feet in the social networking arena in terms of their skills, attitudes and behaviors? In order to ensure credibility, reliability and viability of information which have been used for this article, comparison of that information has been done using different similar sources. Accuracy of that information has been evaluated in the Analysis of Included References (9.0) of this document. Industry Analysis European airline giants such as Cathay Pacific, Emirates, US Airways, Japan Airlines, Air France-KLM and Southwest Airlines have dominated the airline industry. Over 2000 airlines operate more than 23,000 aircrafts, providing service to over 3700 airports in todays Global Airline Industry. The worlds airlines flew almost 28 million scheduled flight departures over 2 billion passengers were carried in 2006. The Airline Industry is an intensively competitive market which was negatively affected by the economic downturn and hike in the oil prices over the past two years. The Airline Industry saw a loss of $16 billion in 2008 followed by $9.9 billion in 2009. According to IATAs most recent financial forecast, carriers are projected to earn $2.5 billion in 2010. (Refer Appendix I for further details) Source: ATW World Airline Report 2010 Figure 1: Revenue/Expenses vs. Net Profits by Year Figure 2: International Passenger and Freight Growth Figure 3: Number of Scheduled International Passengers Carried in 2009 Impact of Social Networking in the Airline Industry Social Networking, incorporating Web 2.0 technologies, has been credited with the ability to expand social contacts, accelerate business processes, improve customer relations, cost-effective recruitment of high-caliber staff and the improvement of morale, motivation and job satisfaction among staff (MessageLabs, 2007a). Is Social Media Evolution or Revolution? Since social networking is emerging and has hit its tipping point, conventional networking sites are cannibalizing and competing with each other for members (Neisser, 2008). Today, Web 2.0 is extremely changing customers expectations and behaviour. Social networks such as Facebook, Myspace, and YouTube etc. will change industries than the Internet since they allow customers to communicate with each other, without the involvement of companies (Boynes, 2008). Figure 4: Growth of Facebook by Country and Top 10 Social Networking Sites Source: Nielsen/NetRatings Report, 2009/2010 Liveliness of Social Networking in the Airline Industry Why? As Social networking in a corporate context will become impossible to be ignored in 2010 most of the major airlines have started using social media to re-invent and enhance their clients facing parts which they were doing on a one to one basis. Most of the airlines have created a Facebook or Twitter fan page in regards to this as a start but no one seems like getting the potential out of it by doing active social networking. Social media reveals many transformative opportunities within the airline industry. The Industry is using social network sites to simplify customer contact and response by proactively monitoring and responding to the online chatter. How? The immediate social media based feedback elevates stress and tension for the flyers who have lost their luggage or missed a flight. UKs low cost carriers such as easyJet has over 45,000 followers on Twitter, where Virgin Atlantic and airBaltic have 8000 and with 8500 followers accordingly (Field, 2008). Facebook has been used as a platform by American Airlines in which they have launched Travelbag where the users are able to share their travel experiences and plans and also set up countdowns for upcoming events or trips. According to the airline, they are trying to differentiate and segment its passengers along with identifying their buying habits. Social Networking the Catapult for the Airline Industry Presently, the entire world is evolving towards technological know-how with continuous improvements in ICTA developments in many industries. Airline/Aviation industry has driven a massive growth in all over the world due to ICTA development which has influenced recently. The 12th annual SITA/Airline Business Airline IT Trends Survey, out of 129 airlines that took part, 56% expected an increase in IT spending next year, with only 10% expecting a decrease. As being recovered from the economic downturn, the survey shows how global cost pressures continue to influence IT strategies. Figure 5: ICTA Spending in Airline Industry Source: The Airline IT Trends Survey. 2010 The above mentioned ICTA trends are evident resources that infrastructure and spending are available to drive the change and impact which has been created by social networking Taneja (2008) Flying ahead of the airplane has mentioned that Social Networking/Media is increasingly emerging as an essential communication tool for the travel industry. The growth of social networking phenomena in the Airline industry initially commenced through sites such as Facebook and Bebo since it has been growing with more professionalism with the turn up of new industry specified social networks. Presently people are looking to complete their activities via their mobile phones. With the arrival of social networking it has become an essential part of their life as they get used to mobile social networking. This is a potential impact for the Airline industry as they have already started online digital marketing such as E-tickets, E-flyers, etc. How Consumers Drive the Fundamental Change With the growth of the internet many firms use online consumer reviews as marketing tools which are also strategically manipulated since it can help the consumers to discover quality products (Dellarocas 2003). According to a survey by an Internet marketing Research Company comScore (2007), 24% of the internet users access online reviews before making payments for services delivered offline. Li and Bernoff (2008) argues that the consumers expect 24 hours customer service capabilities along with broad self-serve online options. Return on Influence would be another suitable theory in the matter of WOM and Marketing should be strategically carried out by influencing and identifying those who have the most influence over others (Brogan and Smith, 2008). Around 60% of the worlds population visit social networking sites such as Facebook and MySpace or blogging sites as according to the Nielsen Global Online study. Figure 6: Global Social Network Traffic Source: Nielsen/NetRatings Report, 2009/2010 Traditional behavior before the introduction of social media Before social networking became an intermediate support for the airline passengers, they have been gathering information, planning their trips and reserving their tickets through particular airline companies or travel agents. Customer service was also not regular, identical and reasonable among all passengers. Flight availabilities, delays etc. couldnt be informed to consumers. The places such as blogs, forums and specialized websites were limited to talk about the negative and positive impacts which have been faced by the passengers. Traditional versus Online Consumer behavior Traditional ways of consumer behavior has changed fundamentally by social networking since it has overhauled traditional methods of communication with the use of Word of Mouth method to create a positive effect. WOM was considered as an alternative to the traditional marketing tools by several books. According to (Misner, 1999) it is a least understood strategy but yet effective. Since traditional ways of communication are diminishing, marketers are interested in understanding WOM (Nail, 2005). Presently mobile social networking has emerged to help social networking spread all over the world. According to Nielsen Mobile, the U.K. and U.S. stands ahead of many markets in mobile social networking. Social networks were accessed on phones by 1.6% of U.S. mobile subscribers and 1.7% of U.K. mobile subscribers in December 2007 January 2008 as compared to 0.6% in France, 0.2% in Germany and 0.8% in Spain. Figure 7: Personnel vs. Social Benefit in Social Networking Figure 8: Where Do Consumers Search Info According to a study done by  OTX Research  on behalf of  DEI shows that consumers currently obtain information of brands, companies or products with the use of social media. According to the Nielsen online report, users from each segment visit social networking sites as part of their normal routine activities. The emerge of social networking has exposed particular industry products and services and hence majority of the young users are the key influences and are involved in purchasing decisions rather than depending on their parents who were previously influenced with the traditional method. Figure 9: Use of Social Networking Sites by Age Source: Nielsen/NetRatings Report, 2009/2010 AISAS (AIDA) Model This model was another version of the traditional AIDA (Attention, Interest, Desire and Action) model to accurately describe consumer behavior on the internet. AISAS online consumer behavior model concept was developed by the Dentsu Group and it is being used since 2004 to describe online consumer behavior. Figure 10: AISAS (AIDA) Model Source: Concept developed by Dentsu Group How AISAS models Work with Social Networking Social networking sites have the ability to get the attention of consumers by displaying banners, information, etc as they cannot rely on traditional one-way methods of communication e.g. TV and print ads. Interested customers will be searching for more information to take decisions. This helps companies to spread their message for a low cost since interested consumers who are unable to buy the product can still share details through social networking as this model can work in many ways than the traditional AIDA model. In terms of communication it may work in four ways as explained in the above diagram. Social networking can be used to get the initial attention towards a company by publishing photos, videos, advertisements, current affairs and through connecting people. In order to hold the attention of the consumers, news articles, future promotions, travel packages, CSR factors and service information can be sent. Once the interest is built, promotions such as low cost tickets and other offers will make the consumers to search more information before taking decisions. This will enable to create desire and make their service believable and collect reasons to buy. Social networking can do this process predominantly as it can direct the consumers to e-ticket sites or a travel agent who is available online and make a purchase. Positive or negative feedback will be shared as per individual experience. Consumers can upload photos and share experiences with one another. Attention Interest Search Actions Share Consumer Satisfaction effects in Social Networking Airline Industries can increase the customer satisfaction with the help of social networking since it can provide better services, suggest or share ideas to others. Regarding the consumer behavior, companies have given more consideration to satisfaction. Figure 11: Conceptualized Model: Satisfaction effect of the consumer Why Consumers are moving towards social networking sites The passengers can make the best choice and get a clear picture of what to expect from each airline such as services and products E.g.-: meals drinks offered, in-flight entertainment, crew service standards etc. and also share their ideas by uploading pictures, videos and status updates about their personnel experiences on Facebook, Twitter etc. Figure 12: Technographics ladder: Consumer Behavior in Social Networking Source: Forrester Research, 2006 Internet ticket reservation has been accelerated by social media as most of the airline consumers are selling and promoting their tickets using social networks. E.g, JetBlueCheeps: A Twitter stream devoted to last-minute fares sales. There are uncontrollable events which cannot be prevented such as weather delays, union strikes etc. which causes a negative impression on the minds of the customers. Therefore the airline sites should be able to address such situations. E.g., The CEO of JetBlue went on Youtube and addressed the concerns of the people due to Snow storm delays which occurred on the 14th February 2007 which received a positive feedback. Why consumers are involving in Social networking With the availability of many touch points the consumers can make correct decisions with referrals and recommendations. Although there are some voices withholding assents with regards to social media as a marketing tool, social media have essential applications for customer relationship management programs, marketing campaigns and public relations activities. The following diagram describes how the Airline consumers are involving with social networking sites. Figure 13: Airline Consumer Involvement in Social Networking Benefits of social networking to the airline consumers Share their own ideas and plan trips with more ease Travel applications have been introduced by social networks such as TripIt and Dopplr Purchase air tickets at a low rate and get further discounts from social networking sites Disintermediation such as Travel agents More convenience and less time consuming to make the correct decision Get additional information about airline brands Greater expectations of customer service and managing relationships Free availability of valuable information Findings and Discussions Social Media platforms improve reach and promote campaign messages and airline industry activities. Through the research it has been identified it will be able to capture the public mood, emotion and knowledge about airline related issues. This will enable a range of opportunities to tailor messages and engage the public in a conversation about airline promotions with transparency which would improve loyalty and trust. Creating of a Facebook, Myspace, Twitter, Blog or forum under a company name is not social networking (Hernandez, June 2010). Presently most of the airlines have social networking but apart from few airlines majority are not doing active social networking which means they dont practice social networking components to build their market. Following are the few examples of how some major players actively engage in social networking. October 5th 2010 Malaysia Airlines won the Best Use Of Social Media To Drive Revenue Award at the inaugural Simpliflying-Airline Business Social Media Excellence Awards for Airlines. (Malaysia Airlines, 2010) As per facts/statistics that have been published in the previous chapters, the consumer behavior is changing very rapidly towards social media. In order to cope with these changes airline companies needs to have good strategies and specified skills from their marketing experts. (Please refer Recommendation section for further details.) Besides the famous conventional social networking sites there are airline specific websites, forums and blogs in different languages such as Tripadvisor.com, Flying.org, Aerhub.com, genflylounge.com, and Aircollector.com, etc With the ever shrinking global differences and the ever evolving technology highway, the airline industry has great potential to expand as the global opportunities have increased and the world is becoming a local market for all the businesses. This has paved way to increased travel opportunities, which could be targeted efficiently through the increased use of social media. Summary of the Research Paper According to the literature review, social media plays a significant role in the modern marketing world. Although there are some voices withholding assents with regards to social media as a marketing tool, it has essential applications for customer relationship management programs, marketing campaigns and public relations activities. As most of the Airline companies have not embraced social networking prominently there are potential opportunities which the Airline industry can snatch and make Social media as a marketing tool. With the emergence of social networking and mobile phenomenon behaviors, attitudes of customers are changing rapidly as they are looking forward for more convincing and unique customer services. To facilitate this fundamental change Airline companies must have to build a strong strategic response which can increase their company goodwill, market share and image by attracting more consumers. Special set of skills, attitudes and behaviors needs to be adapted by marketing professionals in the industry to make the best out of social networking. More research is required to articulate the accurate impact of social media on consumer awareness, behavioral change, nature of competition and B2B opportunities. Coordination of social media material and collaboration with airline companies at all levels of the government will become increasingly critical. Recommendations Social networking: Building the Airline industry Market Social networking has been able to revolutionize many industries by helping to build market share and earn more revenue since it can be used as a marketing tool. Airline companies would greatly benefit through social networking since it has a greater visibility into the customer needs and their opinions and facilitate quick and direct interaction. In 2007 the use of social networking deeply became popular among the internet users. (Nilesen, 2009). By the Airline industry, Social media marketing is taking off in a major way with sites like Facebook and Twitter E.g., Westjet have been investing in Facebook and Twitter during the past six months for opening and enhancing communication with the consumers (Field, 2008). Strategic Response to Emerge As a Social Marketing Pioneer Even though majority of airlines havent embraced social networking utterly, components of it such as online advertising is being used since longtime ago. Advertising will not be a good strategic response to emerge social networking in the airline industry. In order to reply to this fundamental macro theme the airline industry must have a proper strategy to get the potential of this which will open up new opportunities. According to a new forecast from ZenithOptimedia (www.zenithoptimedia.com), online-marketing will account for a greater proportion in the global ad sector in 2012 than it does now-17.1 per cent of overall ad spending in two years time compared with 12.7 per cent in 2009. Creating a buzz around services is the requirement for airline companies. It doesnt start from creating a Blog or creating a video, its a social media strategy that encompasses social media and word-of-mouth marketing. There are so many social marketing tools that can be used to fulfill the potential of internet business. Figure 14: Development of Strategies (Sims and Smith, 2003) According to the above mentioned framework when developing a strategy, Airline companies should consider three factors mainly. What Basis?: Every Airline company defines their basis (corporate main purpose) when it has been started such as cost leadership, differentiation, cost differentiation focus according to Porters generic strategy. Which Direction?: As social networking has become a frontier in communication, usage of proper social media can change the direction of Airline companies. According to many authors, consumers are embracing new media experiences with a staggering speed. How?: Airlines need to develop a technological savvy skill in order to drive the growth of social networking in terms of market development. This means that the marketing professionals should develop their skills and behavior in response to the emerged macro environmental theme. (Refer chapter 8.2 for further details) According to the Ansoff Matrix, by becoming a social media leader, Airline companies can develop their market since it is highly penetrated. Figure 15: Ansoff Matrix for the Airline Industry (Ansoffs, 1957) There are so many categorizations with the industry such as budget, low cost, premium, national and regional, etc. Requirements will always be different to each other. Following are the main factors that airlines should consider before compiling a market development strategy. What is the pitch and the strategic intentions Anticipation of the market development initiative (Awareness, sales and loyalty) Current Relationship with the passengers How is the current behavior in terms of social media The ways you are going to address them to build the market Execution and Identifying success Most of the airline companies are using traditional digital marketing steps such as email campaigns, online banners, etc. To get the use of social media they need to use digital marketing moderately in a different way. Figure 16: Change in Online Marketing Usage/Spending in 2009 (Source: Ad-Olgy Research, 2008) New Cynosure for Market Building, Customer Service and Goodwill A Market development strategy should be mainly backed up by social networking components. With this strategy more results with a less marketing budget can be expected than traditional marketing procedures. Many airline companies accept social media as emerging and a proper digital marketing tool. Figure 17: Social Networking Components (The Digital EcoSystem) (Infuz Whitepaper, 2010) How Social Media helps to build the Airline Market Figure 18: Traditional Process vs. Social Networking Process The following section will describe how social networking can be used as a prominent marketing tool to develop the market according to Ansoffs Market development strategy Identification of New Segments: Social networking has been used by many consumer segments which will enable to identify new customer segments other than targeting offline. (Please refer Figure 19) Take advantage: Opportunities to reach an audience would be by Blogging, Twittering and maintaining Facebook fan sites which would ease the decision making process and allow them to share ideas. Spark discussions: With social media, companies can interact with their customers regarding their thoughts about the operations of the company. Channels should be kept distinct: Channels such as blogs, Twitter, Facebook etc. can be used for spreading news, promotions etc. and enable the users to visit different outlets rather than sticking to one. Composition: It consists of the means which the message should be delivered such as channels, digital tools etc. Exposure: Once the digital tools are selected the organization needs to find the ways these tools need to be implemented. Content Ideas: This consists of the process in which the organization ensures that the public receives the message which can be through news feeds, promotions etc. Monitoring and Controlling: Gaining control and continuous monitoring of digital medium activities against set KPIs. Have fun: There should be fun as a team and it should help the company to position them as friendly, customer driven and a convenience Airline. Figure 19: Social Networking Site User Segments (Ofcom, 2008) How the Marketing Professionals Should Adapt to the Change As per the above discussions, social networking is emerging rapidly without any obstacles. Social networking components can be used as digital marketing tools such as online advertising, sharing, blogging, etc to increase the market share and brand loyalty. To keep competitive sales, marketing professionals need to keep their skills up-to-date and effective (Victor et al, 2009). Todays economical condition is extremely different to that of five, ten or twenty years ago. Long complex proposals and contracts are the norm these days. According to Cheverton (2004) there are few important skill types that marketing professionals should acclimatize according to the macro environmental changes occurring rapidly. Those are Communication Skills, Social Skills, Flexibility, Openness to Diversity, Thinking Skills, Personal Development and Learning Skills. Social media marketing will be unsuccessful if it doesnt match with the corporate culture or people are resistant to change. Following are the few of new skills, attitudes and behaviors which requires to be adapted by marketing professionals. Figure 20: Social Networking Skills, Attitudes and Behaviors Marketers should offer various competitive prices, promotions, and tactics in order to build their market. Skill/Attitude/Behavior Description Expert researchers A deep research would provide information for making the correct decisions and overlay a solid platform for doing the required tasks in order to develop a simple tactic or a social media plan. Business acumen The requirement for the growth of the business needs to be figured out and acumen social media tactics will fulfill it. Strategic thinking and planning If the company wants to target the right group of people, it is very essential to think beyond single tactics and instead take all the tactics which can help to achieve the objectives. Strong journalistic writing and storytelling Communication leads to success in social media which in turn creates an opportunity for businesses to share their stories directly with the people. Video/Image production Videos and images should be uploaded on social networking sites to attract consumers. Innovative and Creative Innovative ideas needs to be generated in terms of advertising, networking, connecting people, etc. Relationship development Social media relationship development is all about the value the brand can give to others rather than the benefit others can give to the brand. Experts in social media platforms Expert knowledge in social media should be adapted by marketing professionals to build their company. Self-Directed Learning In order to stay competitive in the market, further learning about social media can be completed by supporting groups and discussions, reading blogs and visiting sales training web sites. Restive Curiosity People in every industry are very curious and restless regarding new developments and are always finding new alternative ways to accomplish tasks. Analysis of Included References Source Description Credibility Reliability Merits Relevance Principles of Marketing This book looks at the major decisions that marketing Managers face in their efforts to balance an organizations objectives Many peer reviews specially from industry experts, CEOs Authors: Philip Kotler, Gary Armstrong, Veronica Wong, John A. Saunders (Written by well know masters in the marketing arena) High Marketing in Travel and Tourism This book aims to guide and support readers through the complexities of tourism marketing in the 21st Century. The report has been reviewed and used content for other publications Illustration: 4 Editions Butterworth-Heinemann (well known publisher) Authors: Victor Middleton has been an independent management consultant, academic and author since 1984. Professor at Oxford Brookes University and the University of Central Lancashire. Medium Journal of Marketin

Piracy in the Media Essay -- Technology Music Entertainment Papers

Piracy in the Media In today’s technological age and consumer-driven economy, it is not a surprise that media piracy is a big business. It is estimated that in one year $12.4 billion worth of business is stolen from original manufacturers by media pirating. Piracy, the illegal copying or counterfeiting of copyrighted material, is a major problem for a vast range of industries (Ang, 2001). For example, just in the recorded music industry, â€Å"music pirates account for almost $300 million in lost record sales annually in the United States† (Gray Zone, 2002), and that is just in the U.S. More is lost in foreign markets. This not only affects the media manufacturers but also the consumers of the media. They become the victims of piracy that ultimately result in the driving up of prices of legitimate products. Distributors and retailers have been affected, too. Nearly forty percent of the retail market’s business has been stolen (Gray Zone, 2002). Before we begin discussing the piracy of music, television, and motion pictures, it is important to understand what exactly piracy and counterfeiting is and the laws that prohibit them. Counterfeits, referred to as pirated media, are defined as â€Å"reproduced copies that are identical to the legitimate articles including packaging, trademarks, and labeling† (Ang, 2001). To protect the creators of original material from being pirated, laws were formed known as copyright laws. A copyright is â€Å"a protection that covers published and published literary, scientific and artistic works, whatever the form of expression, provided such works are fixed in a tangible or material form† (Copyright, 2002), and with copyright protection, the creator of the original material has the â€Å"ex... ...ilable online: http://www.cable.mediapiracy/hawkins/cablemonthly/2000/7845332.html (accessed October 24, 2002). Gray Zone (2002). The Federal Anti-Piracy and Bootleg FAQ. Available online: http://www.grayzone.com/faqindex.htm (accessed September 26, 2002). Gross, Lynne, and Schafer (1995). The International World of Electronic Media. McGraw-Hill, Inc. Internet News (2000). Artists Against Piracy Launches National Media Campaign. July 11. Available online: http://www.internetnews.com/ec-news/ (accessed October 30, 2002). Newsweek (October 21, 2002). Heard on the Street. Rodmen, George (2001). Making Sense of Media: An Introduction to Mass Communication. Needham Heights, Ma: Alyn & Bacon. What is Copyright Protection? (2002). What is Copyright Protection? Available online: http://www.whatiscopyright.org/copyright.html (accessed October 31, 2002).

BEHAVIOR MODIFICATION :: essays research papers

Behavior modification is based on the principles of operant conditioning, which were developed by American behaviorist B.F. Skinner. In his research, he put a rat in a cage later known as the Skinner Box, in which the rat could receive a food pellet by pressing on a bar. The food reward acted as a reinforcement by strengthening the rat's bar-pressing behavior. Skinner studied how the rat's behavior changed in response to differing patterns of reinforcement. By studying the way the rats operated on their environment, Skinner formulated the concept of operant conditioning, through which behavior could be shaped by reinforcement or lack of it. Skinner considered his discovery applicable to a wide range of both human and animal behaviors(â€Å"Behavior,† 2001). Today, behavior modification is used to treat a variety of problems in both adults and children. Behavior modification has been successfully used to treat obsessive-compulsive disorder, attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder, phobias, bedwetting, anxiety disorder, and separation anxiety disorder. Behavior modification is not used to treat disorders and problems, it is also used to increase a desired behavior. An example of a behavior many try to increase is their athletic abilities including speed, strength, and endurance (Fedor, 1990). Athletes use a variety of behavior modification techniques to accomplish their overall goal. The most widely used is positive reinforcement, which encourages certain behaviors through a system of rewards. Following rewarding desirable behavior, behavior modification can also discourage unwanted behavior, through either negative reinforcement, or punishment. This could be removal of a privilege or an undesired event. Behavior modification in athletics requires the development of goals. It needs one overall goal as well as small step goals. Goal setting is one of the strongest motivational tools. Studies have shown that goals should be broken down into short-term or intermediate goals to help attain the ultimate goals; goals must be accepted by the individual; challenging goals are better than easy ones; tracking progress is useful to remain committed to goals; and a plan of action facilitates goal attainment (Annesi, 2004). With the addition of a written contract binding the athlete to their goals it acts as another enforcer to accomplish their desired behavior. Behavior modification, or behavioral therapy, trains individuals to replace undesirable behaviors with healthier behavioral patterns.

Child Abuse and Neglect Essay -- Violence Against Children

When thinking about statistics on child abuse, it’s very helpful to know that the idea of â€Å"child abuse† is very controversial. Recently, in particular homes and cultures, child abuse has come to be seen as a major social problem and a main cause of many people’s suffering and personal problems. Some believe that we are beginning to face the true prevalence and significance of child abuse. There is more to child abuse than just the physical scars; children are affected socially, mentally, and emotionally. According to the American National Committee to Prevent Child Abuse, in 1997, neglect represented 54% of confirmed cases of child abuse, physical abuse 22%, sexual abuse 8%, emotional maltreatment 4%, and other forms of maltreatment 12%. Physical abuse is defined as physical aggression directed at a child by an adult. It can involve kicking, striking, shoving, slapping, burning, bruising, pulling ears or hair, stabbing choking or shaking a child. Child neglect is when the responsible adult fails to provide adequately for various needs. These may include; physical, mental, educational, and medical. Out of all the possible forms of abuse, emotional abuse is the hardest to define. It could include; name-calling, ridicule and degradation, destruction of personal belongings, torture or destruction of a pet, excessive criticism, inappropriate or excessive demands, withholding information, and routine labeling and humiliation. Most abused and neglected children never come to the attention of government authorities. This is true for neglected and sexually abused children, who may have no signs of harm. In the case of sexual abuse, secrecy and intense feelings of shame may prevent children, and adults aware of the abuse the c hild undergoe... ...and destroyed newly-formed neurons. The areas of their brains responsible for the "management" of their emotions were 20% to 30% smaller than in other children of the same age. It would be logical to conclude that this damage can result in any child (not only Romanian) who suffers such abandonment and maltreatment (Dr. Alice Miller, 1998). Works Cited †¢ Dr. Alice Miller, Childhood Trauma, presented as a lecture to the YWHA, New York City, 1998 †¢ Jim Hopper, Ph.D. â€Å"Child Abuse: Statistics, Research, and Resources for Recovery." 1996 †¢ Lowenthal, 1996, p. 22 †¢ Nelson, D., G. Higginson, and J. Grant-Worley. "Physical Child Abuse Effects." Child Abuse: Effects, Statistics, Types and Stories of Abuse. Nov. 1995 †¢ "Scientists at University College Target Child Abuse." Pediatrics Week 5 Feb. 2011: 324. Health Reference Center Academic. Web. 8 Feb. 2011.

The effects and implications of using ergogenic aids for exercise and sports performance

Throughout the history of sport, ergogenic aids have always been taken to enhance performance at sport. However, in more recent times physiological knowledge has improved and there are many more ergogenic aids becoming available for athletes. Some of these aids are legal and some are illegal. Therefore, when working as a coach, it is important to know which are legal and which are illegal so that you can avoid any risk of your athlete being prosecuted. One ergogenic aid that is prohibited is blood doping. This practice involves the athletes taking a certain amount of blood out of their body and frozen. Their bodies will then make up for this blood loss and after that process is complete, the blood that they took out is injected back into them. This process has a positive effect on sports performance as the number of red blood cells in your body is increased. Blood doping is most commonly used by endurance athletes, such as distance runners, skiers and cyclists. By increasing the number of red blood cells within the blood, higher volumes of haemoglobin are present. Haemoglobin binds to and carries Oxygen from the lungs and to the muscles where it can be used for aerobic respiration. Blood doping therefore allows extra Oxygen to be transported to the working muscles, resulting in a higher level of performance, without the use of the anaerobic energy systems. However, there are also many side effects to blood doping. Re injecting blood can cause many problems. Firstly it can easily cause infection to the athlete which can result in heart problems such as a heart attack. It can also cause blood clots in the body which can be fatal, jaundice which is the skin, eyes and body fluids turning yellow. One example of blood doping being used was at the winter Olympics. Six Austrian skiers had all been found to be using to using blood doping in an attempt to improve in the cross country skiing event. The skiers were called Wolfgang Perner and Wolfgang Rottmann and the cross-country skiers Martin Tauber, Jurgen Pinter, Johannes Eder, Roland Diethart and Christian Hoffmann. This particular event is an aerobic event as it lasts for a long time, with the competitors covering huge distances. Therefore the extra red blood cells in their bodies would have meant that they were able to go on much longer and faster than they would normally be able to. As a punishment, all six skiers were banned for life from the Olympics A second example of a prohibited ergogenic aid in sport is diuretics. Diuretics are banned in sports because they can help with weight loss and could also be used to speed up the elimination of drugs from the system. This can be very helpful to athletes competing in many different sports such as boxing, horse racing or rowing. One example would be a boxer that has put on weight between fights and is therefore too heavy for the weight category they are fighting in. Diuretics would help them to lose weight much more quickly than by natural means and they would be able to pass the weigh in. They help the sportsperson lose weight by increasing the volume of urine produced by promoting the excretion of salts and water from the kidney. This results in them losing a lot of water through urine, which causes them to lose weight very quickly. The second reason they are banned is, if you take a banned substance that is excreted through urine, it could speed up the elimination of drugs from the system. If it is being used in this way, it is not so much an aid to improve performance but could cover up for another prohibited aid. There are two main side effects to diuretics that damage a persons performance levels in sport. The first of these is dehydration. Diuretics work by removing all excess water and this means that dehydration often occurs. This will immediately have an effect on sports performance. Firstly, blood will become thicker and therefore more difficult to pump around the body, resulting in less oxygen being carried through the blood to the muscles. The body will then overheat due to an inability to sweat because of dehydration. Finally, Waste products such as lactic acid are not discreeted due to water conversation. A second effect on sports performance is muscles weakening, which is very important for sports people such as boxers. This is due to the poor blood supply to muscles. An example of the consequences that diuretics can cause is in boxers. They used to have the weigh in on the day of the fight. This meant that any boxer using diuretics would have to use them on the same day as they were fighting. The diuretics would get rid of any excess water in the body but the problem was that it took away the layer of water between the skull and the brain. This layer of liquid protects the brain from hitting the side of the skull when knocked. Therefore, without this protection, many boxers developed brain damage after years of boxing. Another prohibited ergogenic aid is beta blockers. Beta blockers are banned in many sports due to their ability to slow the heart rate. It is precision sports such as snooker, darts and diving that they improve performance in as they give you more control over slight movements. Beta blockers are normally given for the treatment of angina, high blood pressure, irregular heart beats or following a heart attack. They act by interfering and inhibiting certain nerve impulses being transmitted through the nervous system. They act by reducing the demand of oxygen required by the heart, lower heart rate and reduce the production of adrenalin. There are many possible side-effects of these drugs, but some people may not suffer from any. Possible effects include dizziness and fainting caused by the medications lowering heart rate too much and blood vessels can narrow causing cold and pale fingers and toes. On the other hand, there are also permitted ergogenic aids. This means that they can improve sports performance, but are still allowed by governing bodies of sports. One example of this is altitude training. Altitude training is very useful to any sports people that are competing in aerobic events. Many long distance runners either come from countries at high altitude or move there to train. Altitude training works because when the athlete trains at high altitude, there is very little oxygen in the air. The body soon adapts to this change of oxygen available and produces more red blood cells than normal. This means that there is increased haemoglobin levels in the blood that aren't lost when the athlete returns back to lower altitude to compete. These effects usually last for about two weeks after altitude training and result in much better endurance levels. There are very few side effects to altitude training as long as athletes do not over train themselves at altitude. It has been scientifically proven to have positive effects on performance. Altitude training is proven to have a positive effect on sporting performance b the Kenyan long distance runners. For years they have dominated all long distance running events. Kenya is at a very high altitude and the effects that the athletes get from training in their home country is proven in the times on the track. Another permitted ergogenic aid is psychological techniques. The increased stress of competitions can cause athletes to react both physically and mentally in a manner that can negatively affect their performance abilities. They may become tense, their heart rates race, break into sweat, worry about the outcome of the competition or find it hard to concentrate on the task in hand. There are many different psychological techniques that can be used to combat these effects on the body. These include imagery techniques, relaxation techniques and goal setting. There are three psychological factors which athletes must have control over to improve performance. These are confidence, control and commitment. Confidence is improved through mental imagery. Using imagery, the athlete is able to imagine a previous good performance, remembering how they felt and acted. It also allows you to imagine yourself winning at the end, feeling like you have already been in the same situation and improving confidence. Control is improved through relaxation techniques. An example of a relaxation technique is through meditation. If athletes complete meditation before competing, they will be able to be much more relaxed and have control over what they are doing. The final technique that athletes can use is goal setting, which can improve commitment in sport. If they are given something to aim for, with multiple small aims along the way, they are more likely to complete any objectives they have. There are no side effects to psychological techniques as long as they have the necessary skills to complete them. An example of psychological skills improving performance in sport is through Johnny Wilkinson. Whenever he is kicking a conversion, he pictures an elderly woman standing at the other side of the goal posts that catches the ball. This improves confidence and concentration as it makes the task at hand seem much simpler. One of the very few drugs that is allowed my governing bodies of all sports is paracetamol. These have been seen to not improve sporting performance and therefore are not banned. However, they could be used to help a performance in certain sports. Paracetamol work as pain killers. Therefore, any sport that requires its participants to go through pain may benefit from paracetamol. One example of a sport where athletes go through pain in is boxing. If boxers took some paracetamol before going out to fight, it is possible that it will help cover some of the pain when they are getting punched. They are most commonly used for aches such as head aches so they may also stop the boxers from getting head aches after being punched. It is not just contact sports however that deal with aches and pains. Nearly all sports at the top level require its participants to push their bodies to their absolute limit and through the pain barrier. A sport such as long distance running for example will cause a lot of aches on the athlete's body and paracetamol will help cover these. There are very few side effects to paracetamol as they are widely used by everyone to stop pains. This means that we know more about the dangers than we would of a new drug that may be illegal, as it is used by less people. The only danger would be if the athlete took an overdose which could cause serious problems or be fatal.