Stereotypes of American Citizens

The American citizens have diverse stereotypes that emanate from their inherent attributes such as gender, race, ethnicity, culture, occupation, and/or ancestral origin. McAndrew and Akande lament that in the United States, African Americans are the most stereotyped due to racial discrimination and the dark history of slavery (650).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Stereotypes of American Citizens specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The whites see African Americans as poor, lazy, superstitious, primitive, and criminal race. Western stereotypes depict Native Americans as fierce warriors, violent, criminals, drunkards, primitive and hunters, while European Americans stereotypes are intellectual, rich, racists, powerful, hardworking and innovative in their occupations. Primitivism, criminals, illegal immigrants, smugglers, terrorists and actors are the major stereotypes associated with the Latino Americans. The westerne rs also portray Asian Americas as culture oriented, intruders, intelligent, innovative, sexually active, and hardworking. The westerners also view Middle East Americans as Muslims, moneyed, terrorists, bombers, thieves, and murders. Gender stereotypes in the United States reflect men as tall, huge, quiet and powerful while women are tall, slim, talkative and less powerful. Given the diversity of stereotypes that the Americans hold about each racial group, how do they affect effective communication? Stereotypes of various racial groups in the United States occur in the literature, media and comedies. The media constantly portray certain attributes and characters associated with given racial groups, thus changing the perceptions of Americans resulting into stereotypes. In schools, literature and socialization generate more stereotypes of various races. From the stereotyped attributes, I realized that the most prominent stereotypes about certain race are the negative ones implying that stereotyping is degradation of real attributes concerning specific groups. I discovered that stereotypes do not reflect the true and accurate attributes of a particular race or ethnic group because they are forms of criticism, which always tend to portray real attributes of the people in the most negative way possible.Advertising Looking for essay on ethics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More In the society, people form stereotypes to criticize, abuse, or even defame others in social and political arenas. Stereotypes are common during times of social unrest, political campaigns, games and another social gathering. Since stereotypes involve defamation, abuse and criticism, they are unfair because they negatively portray true attributes of the people. Stereotypes such as primitiveness and naivety interfere with successful communication because the person communicating sees the other as someone who does not understand the topic or the context of discussion and this degrading perspective contravenes existence of any meaningful engagement. Eventually, the communicating partners would not communicate effectively due to the stereotypes. Moreover, since stereotypes due to racial differences tend to classify people into stereotyped groups, the most negatively stereotyped group would feel degraded and develop fears, which would significantly interfere with effective intergroup communication. Stereotypes such as criminality, violence, and terrorism associated with particular races scare other racial group and prevent friendly interaction, which interferes with effective interracial communication. Understanding one’s stereotypes and those associated with other racial or ethnic groups would enhance effective communication. For effective communication to occur, one should be able to indentify offending stereotyped language and character in order to avoid annoying others who perceive such stereotypes as offensive. Nurturing of positive stereotypes about certain racial or ethnic group enhances socialization and thus effective communication. For example, identifying with cultural lifestyles of particular racial or ethnic groups promotes intercultural interaction, which ultimately improves effective communication. Stereotyping affects relationship among friends; for instance, one day, my friends teased me that I looked like a Negro and went further to discusses how Negroes are presumably primitive, naà ¯ve and poor. This experience heralded the death of our relationship, even though the perpetrators of the same were my very close friends. We almost fought and for the first time, I hated my friends for upholding misconstrued opinions.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Stereotypes of American Citizens specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Works Cited McAndrew, Frank, and Akande, Antoun. â€Å"African of Americans of African and Eu ropean  Descent.† Journal of Social Psychology 135.5 (1995): 649–655. This essay on Stereotypes of American Citizens was written and submitted by user J0casta to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Julius Ceaser essays

Julius Ceaser essays Gaius Julius Caesar was born on the 13th day of the month Quintilis, July in modern calendars, in the year 100 BC. His name was the same as his father's, with Gaius being his given name, and Julius being his surname. Caesar was the name for one branch of the Julian family, and originally meant "hairy." His family was not extremely wealthy, however they lived in relative comfort. Regardless of his background, he was well connected and did some important work for the government in his youth. When he was only 20 years old he was honored for bravery at the siege of Mytilene. A short time after that he left to study in Rhodes, but was captured and incarcerated by pirates on his way there. His family paid a ransom for his release. Caesar returned with a small private army to execute the pirates who had apprehended him. He never finished his studies due to the war with Mithradates VI of Pontis in 74 BC Caesar was a man of great strength and strong beliefs. At one point in time, Sulla told Caesar that he had to divorce his wife as a symbolic act of his loyalty to the new regime. Caesar told him no, and Sulla was so impressed by this act that he pardoned Caesar instead of exiling him. Cesar's strength gained him some small political offices in his early years. It was in 59 BC that he became a Roman Consul, and made the alliance with Pompey and Crassus that is known as the "First Triumvirate." This alliance was extremely important in the history of Rome and its empire. Caesar's rise to power came in three main areas, politics, religion, and the military. He gained the power in politics and religion from a very early age. He became active in both, and eventually became the central figure in religion and politics. His rise to power in the military came shortly after the death of Crassus. This left only Pompey and Caesar fighting for whom was in charge of the Triumvirate. Caesar marched his army down to southern It...

Issues In Media Ethics Annotated Bibliography Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Issues In Media Ethics - Annotated Bibliography Example Crook shows that the direct impact of media on the public’s perceptions led to the formulation of principles, which govern the relationship between media content and the public. Now, we can objectively comprehend the significance of media ethics in national and global communication. Jacobs argues that media ethics describes the social and economical behavioral standards meant to depict the morally acceptable media practices within any given social setting. He maintains that media channels, which include the internet, television or motion pictures, are expected to adhere to the ethical guidelines in the pursuit of their economic objectives. Media ethics is concerned with the morality levels of the media content within a society. He points out that the consumers with admiration for their societal and educational values should consume the materials, and scenes contained in internet photos as well as motion pictures comfortably. Rich substantiates his argument by giving the example of the aspect of nudity in internet pictures may not be within the acceptance by the social principles of a certain community, especially in the context of the children consumers. Therefore, the media content ought to remain within the boundaries of the social and cultural principles of the subject society. Smith in this book talks about how media ethics is often applicable in the journalism profession. He shows that journalism ethics are clearly defined to regulate the profession’s practices. The book mentions that some of the areas accumulated within the boundaries of journalism ethics include the public interests, manipulation and media content preference. Public interests refer to the expected ideal media content by the public. The depiction of the unexpected media content falls contrarily to the public interests thus constituting a gap of ethical principle.

Hospitality Company Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Hospitality Company Analysis - Essay Example Although, Virgin America was established by British tycoon Sir Richard Branson, it operates within the US airspace only. Of the company’s capital assets, three-quarters are under the ownership of the citizens through VAI Partners. The outstanding one-quarter of the corporation is under the ownership of Virgin Group, the mother company which also issues Virgin brand licenses. It is notable that Virgin America’s head offices are in Burlingame, California in the San Francisco Bay Area, form where it operates autonomously from any other Virgin brand firms. Their relationship is only limited to partnerships. The airline aims to capitalize on its organizational resources to fend off competition and gain a significant market share in the country. As Bachman (2013) has said, with six years of service in world-class passenger transit services in the fledged American market, Virgin Airlines strives to heighten the level of its services by creating an effective risk management system backed by cutting-edge technology solutions. In light of this, Virgin relies on a flexible, Internet-based platform to handle its customers’ needs such as making reservations and facilitating general inquiries expeditiously and in a more efficient manner. Virgin Group has built a strong brand for many decades, an asset that can be traced to its fledged British roots. With each brand having a unique appeal, the mother airline company has earned itself and the American subsidiary a strategic position in the country’s airline industry that provides passenger services to guests from all walks of life (Christman, 2004). Despite the fact that the company focuses on the domestic market, setting up an inclusive atmosphere for the company’s business partners, guests and members of the supply chain in the multi-cultural American society is not just logical, but a priority of the organization. In addition, through Virgin’s unique brand positioning,

China has a vision to develop into an innovation-oriented society Essay

China has a vision to develop into an innovation-oriented society. Significant efforts have been put into promoting and driving - Essay Example As a result, the Chinese economy has to a large extent come to rely heavily on innovation to ensure that its economy keep running and there have developed many unique ways through which this innovation has come to be encouraged and manifested by its government. China is fast transforming into one of the economic hubs of the world and this may perhaps give it the impetuses to not only become the world’s leading economic, but also political power. In order to achieve this, however, China must continue to encourage the innovation that is an essential part of its economy, because without it, then this country is more likely than not to fail. One of the factors that have contributed to the development of innovation in the Chinese economy has been its government’s support for those women who would like to get into the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. This is something that is still quite uncommon in the rest of the world and because of this, China can be said to be a leader in the gender balancing within its economy. This has ensured that innovative ideas have been developed on an equal basis within the economy, especially in those areas that have been traditionally dominated by men (Li 2012, p.1496). While this is the case, there has been a recognition that while the government policy on gender balance has largely worked to bring women into those fields within the economy that involves innovation, more still needs to be done to ensure that even more women are interested in them. In order to increase the diverse pool of innovation, the Chinese government tends to adopt policies that encourage its people to have an interest in the technological fields. This is while still young so that when they get to institutions of higher education; they will be able to compete effectively in matters of innovation with the rest of the world (Chen and Tjosvold 2002, p.48). China Efforts Promoting and Driving Innovation in Medical Field and I ts Impact China is one of the most respected countries in the world when it comes to medical innovation and this is based mostly on the fact that medical care is provided in a highly individualized basis. The treatment of various diseases that are encountered is a highly individual thing because the doctors conducting such treatment have to consider the needs of their patient before deciding on how best to tackle the disease. In China, the plan for treatment is normally created by the physician who takes a wide range of factors into consideration before deciding what the best scheme is for their patient. Among the factors that Chinese physicians consider before making a treatment plan are the following: they type of disease that is to be treated, the part of the body that has been affected, the state of development of the disease, the age of the patient, and lastly, the overall health status of their patient. While it is the responsibility of the doctor to make a treatment plan for their patients, in the Chinese healthcare facilities, the patients also have a say in it. The physicians have to put into consideration the wishes of their patients concerning the treatment they would like to have. Therefore, it has become an essential part of the Chinese treatment for physicians and their patients to discuss the

Bottled Water Preferences Analysis

Bottled Water Preferences Analysis Preface â€Å"Leaders arent born, they are made. And they are made just like anything else, through hard work. And thats the price well have to pay to achieve that goal, or any goal† Vincent Lombardi All the knowledge learning and procedures are useless without observations and practical experience. The purpose of this research is to acquaint the business graduate with empirical business practices. As a requirement for Bachelors Degree in Business Administration, I opted to conduct my research on â€Å"Consumer Preferences of Bottled water†, to fulfill my degree requirement. The reason for choosing bottled water was to get practical knowledge about consumer behaviour, so as to provide myself an opportunity to cope with the real life situation. This research covers the aspect about consumers preferences regarding usage of a certain brand of bottled water. The research focuses on the fact that why a consumer uses a specific brand of bottled water. Is it taste, health consciousness, fashion or any other aesthetic factor that makes a consumers use a specific brand of bottled water. The main idea for this research came from the observation, that why a consumer is using only a specific brand of bottled water, regardless of the fact that all the bottled water brands are providing â€Å"pure and clean† water. I felt that the knowledge that I have gained through this experience is an excellent way to think analytically for finding solutions to problems of day-to-day life. The study of consumer behavior and their preferences itself is a massive study comprising of different factors involved. It is impossible to study each one in detail and include everything in the report. However, I studied the consumer behaviour from preferences point of view. I am thankful to all my colleagues and higher ups for their valuable guidance in preparing this report in a presentable fashion. I am also thankful to my parents, teachers and all my friends for their cooperation. â€Å"MEASURING CONSUMER PREFERENCES FOR BOTTLED DRINKING WATER† CHAPTER 01: INTRODUCTION 1.1 Background of the study: Bottled water consumption has been steadily growing in the world for the past 30 years. It is the most dynamic sector of all the food and beverage industry: bottled water consumption in the world increases by an average 7% each year, in spite of its excessively high price compared to tap water and although industrialized countries consumers have, in principle, access to cheap good quality tap water. Bottled water is often an alternative to tap water. Consumers often object to the taste of chemicals, particularly chlorine, used to purify tap water. In France, nearly half of them dont usually drink tap water because of its bad taste (IFEN, 2000), as opposed to only 7% in United States (Olson, 1999). Consumers also drink bottled water because they care for their health. In Europe, there is a long tradition, dating back to Roman times, of spas and of drinking mineral waters for medical purposes. In the 19th century, this activity developed with the fashion for upper classes to go to spas in order to improve their health. Spas owners werent long in understanding that they could increase the wellness of their customers and their own benefits â‚ ¬Ã‚  directly supplying them their water in bottles. Until the 1950s, mineral water was sold in drugstores as a health product. It has now become an everyday product. Natural mineral water, now sold in supermarket, doesnt carry along anymore this medical image. People now buy bottled water to feel well, responding to advertising campaigns based on well-being, energy, slimming, fitness etc. Bottled water is a healthy alternative to other beverages. It is calorie-free and attractive for people willing to lose weight: â€Å"one of the sparks that ignited the bottled water fire was the fitness craze that skyrocketed in the early 1980† (Sullivan, 1996). Increasing urbanization can also explain this trend for bottled water consumption. In Increasing standards of living and greater use of cars enabled people to buy water in supermarkets and to bring home higher number of bottled water, without difficulty. The use of plastic makes bottles lighter and easier to carry than when they were made of glass. The expansion of shopping centers, outside city-centers, provides consumers with a greater choice in bottled water brands. The explosion of bottled water consumption also reflects deep changes in working habits in industrialized countries, with the decline of the agriculture and industry sectors. In these countries, most people have office works and the bottle of water is now a common element on a desk, next to the computer and the telephone. Drinking expensive bottled water (compared to tap water) is a sign of a rise in the social scale. In addition, bottled water is the result of a huge marketing success. The bottled water market in Pakistan is witnessing annual growth rates nearing 40 percent. Bottled water in Pakistan is not considered a ‘beverage. Beverage processing includes carbonated soft drinks where Pakistan has the lowest per capita consumption in the world, fruit juices, syrups and juice flavoured drinks. Drinking water and also bottled water is not considered an important commodity either. The Government of Pakistan described the market for bottled water, with 33 million liters of consumption per annum in 1999, as small but growing. It furthermore estimated the consumption for 2003, as 70 million liters or 0.5 liters per capita. The bottled water market in Pakistan has witnessed annual growth rates of 40 percent, and after the introduction of Nestlà ©s ‘Pure Life, it had the fastest worldwide growth in bottled water in 2000, at 140%. Recent s estimate a yearly consumption of about 2 liters per person bottled water. Bottled water is not a solution to inadequate water supplies as it is simply not affordable for poor people who lack access to water. A bottled water culture which turns drinking water into a status symbol is not justifiable from the human rights perspective. The Pakistan government is obliged to adopt measures to provide access to safe and sufficient water supplies even if that means restraining corporations from turning water into a status symbol to make profits, or from polluting or extracting already depleting groundwater resources. 1.2 Purpose of the Study: This report/study is meant to: Understand what factors are influencing the consumer preferences to make them purchase different brands of bottled water. Identifying that what are the factors which affect the purchase of a specific bottled water brand. 1.3 Research Questions: 1. What do people expect from their water utility in the context of drinking water services? 2. What are consumers priorities? 3. What do customers consider acceptable in terms of the product and the service they receive? 4. What are they willing to accept for the current price they pay? 5. Why do people prefer to use a specific bottled water brand in terms of their priorities? 1.4 Scope of the Work: Scope of this report is limited to businessmen, professionals and students of Peshawar and Islamabad who are well users of bottled water. 1.5 Limitations of the Study: Expected limitations of this research can be: * Unavailability or Lack of data * Response from people * Limited time * Resource constraint 1.6 Research Methodology: The methodologies used for the research are as follows: 1.6.1.: Sample Unit: The respondents selected were belonging to different social backgrounds and different professions. 1.6.2: Sample Population: The study was conducted in Peshawar and Islamabad only. 1.6.3: Sample Size: A total sample size of 100 respondents was fixed for the research. 1.6.4: Sampling Procedure: Because of the limitations, convenient sampling has been selected, as the name implies, the sample is selected because they are convenient. This non probability method is often used during preliminary research efforts to get a gross estimate of the results, without incurring the cost or time required to select a random sample. The sampling was on the basis of Judgemental Sampling i.e. Non-Probability Sampling Method was used. 1.6.2: DATA COLLECTION: Both primary and secondary methods of data collection are used in the study. 1.6.2.1: Primary Data: The data-collecting tool for primary data was the questionnaire. The questionnaires were compromised of questions about personal preferences of the respondents along with questions on the subject of study. The questions used likert scale and category scale. This enabled the respondents to answer questions by marking most suitable answers. 1.6.2.2: Secondary Data: The most important source of secondary data for the study was articles from different websites and previous researches done on internet. Also different books and some related articles in different magazines and journal of marketing served as a source of secondary data. 1.7 Scheme of the Report: The report will comprise of following sections: Chapter 01: Introduction Chapter 02: Literature Review Chapter 03: Consumer Trust, Confidence and Customer Preferences for Drinking Water Chapter 04: Analysis and Findings Chapter 05: Conclusion and Recommendations CHAPTER 02: LITERATURE REVIEW 2.1 Introduction The global water shortage of affordable and safe drinking water is manifested in Pakistan with an estimated 44 percent of the population without access to safe drinking water. In rural areas, up to 90 percent of the population may lack such access. As one indication of the magnitude of the problem, it is estimated that 200,000 children in Pakistan die every year due to diarrhoeal diseases alone (UN Systems in Pakistan, 2003). Drinking bottled water reflects not just a certain way of life in the rich North but a necessity and the only option for safe water in the South. Beside official s, there should be no doubt that the majority of the Pakistans population is exposed to the hazard of drinking unsafe and polluted water. In an effort to improve this situation, many consumers in Pakistan have to turn to bottled water as a first alternative to drinking unfiltered tap water or contaminated water of other sources where no public drinking water service exists (GOP, Pakistan Environment Pro tection Agency, 2003). However, bottled water is a very expensive alternative and not always healthy because of infrequent testing for contaminants and sporadic inspection of processing plants. Bottled water should not be considered as a substitute to a sufficient service with drinkable tap water, but it is due to lack of access to water services or to bad quality of available resources (WHO, 2000). Bottled water consumption has been steadily growing in the world for the past 30 years. It is considered as one of the most dynamic sectors of all the food and beverage industry, where consumption in the world increases by an average 12% each year, in spite of its excessively high price compared to tap water (UNESCO, 2003). Bottled water consumption has been steadily growing in the world for the past 30 years. It is the most dynamic sector of all the food and beverage industry: bottled water consumption in the world increases by an average 7% each year, in spite of its excessively high price compared to tap water and although industrialized countries consumers have, in principle, access to cheap good quality tap water. This research report aims to provide background information on bottled water, the use of bottled water in order to understand the reasons of a trend that goes beyond a simple fashion and turns to be a real social phenomenon. It will first identify existing types of bottled water: although they seem very much alike, bottles of water dont contain the same product. The increase in bottled water consumption has boosted the bottled water industry and market trends show very promising perspectives for the future. This report will then identify the major reasons why consumers choose to buy speci fic expensive bottled water rather than drink tap water. It will finally analyze the impact this industry has on the environment. 2.2 Water Global Trends and Pakistans Struggle Water is essential for human beings to survive and develop. At the same time, water is a scarce good, and shortage sometimes results in crises. Both facts lead to the simple conclusion that lack of water hinders development and a dignified life. This can be assessed from global trends, as well as from Pakistans national and local struggles for better access for people to safe and sufficient drinking water. 2.3 Water A Global but Scarce Good According to s published by the United Nations, subsidiary organizations and other international organizations, 1.1bn people are without a sufficient access to water, and 2.4bn people have to live without adequate sanitation. Under current trends, the prognosis is that about 3bn people of a population of 8.5bn will suffer from water shortage by 2025. 83% of them will live in developing countries, mostly in rural areas where even today sometimes only 20% of the population have access to a sufficient water supply (Guissà ©, El Hadji, 2004). This actual lack of water is opposed to the theoretical conclusion that there is enough ground water existing in all regions of the world to guarantee an adequate water supply for all people. According to international law, in the case of concurring water users, the socio-economic priorities have to rest on human development and social interests of the people (UN, 1997). However, only 6% of global freshwater is used by households, while 20% is util ized industry and another 70% by agriculture. The conclusion drawn from these framework conditions is that water shortage and the unequal distribution of water are global problems rather than regional problems that require international solutions. Insufficient supply of drinking water is the main cause of diseases in developing countries. Already in 1997, the United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development concluded that 2.3bn people suffer from diseases rooted in insufficient water provision and quality (UN, 1997). More than five years later, it was estimated that 2.4bn people were suffering from water related diseases, and the World Health Organization reckons that 80% of all infections are traceable to poor water conditions. 5,483 people die daily of water caused diarrhoea 90 percent are children under five. Taking into account all water related diseases and deaths, international organizations estimated in 2001 that 2,213,000 people died because of inadequate water supply ten times more than the tsunami disaster caused in December 2004 (UNESCO, 2003). 2.4 Poverty and Access to Water in Pakistan It is acknowledged that lacking safe and sufficient drinking water as with other basic needs such as food, shelter and education is not a geographical but social problem. Being poor or rich is mainly decided by birth, and poverty perpetuates itself from generation to generation. Development strategies should be judged by their effort to break through this vicious cycle. Single indicators, such as literacy rates or households with access to water, are a litmus test for such an assessment. 2.4.1 Access to Water in Pakistan Pakistan is an Islamic Republic, whose aim is to enable its Muslim majority â€Å"to order their lives in the individual and collective spheres in accordance with the teachings and requirements of Islam as set out in the Holy Quran and Sunnah† (Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, 1973). Water is recognized in Islamic teachings as a vital resource, of which everyone has the right to a fair share. Following the Hadith, it is reported that the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said: â€Å"Muslims have common share in three (things): grass, water and fire† (Abu-Dawood 3470). Furthermore, the Holy Quran warns human beings against unfair distribution of common goods and the majority of scholars agree that Islam forbids speculation, manipulation and unbalance profit with a common good such as water (Faruqui, Naser I, 2001). In 1995, UNDP counted Pakistan as country having among the highest water potential per person out of 130 countries that should dramatically improve its water situation to overcome the current crisis and prevent future ones (IRIN, 2001). Obviously, Pakistan failed to make any improvement. In 2003, the United Nations dropped Pakistans ranking, because its total renewable water resources per capita per year have been estimated as 114th out of 180 countries (UN, 2003). Only three percent of Pakistans sweet water resources are used for household purposes and drinking (GOP, Pakistan Ministry of Water and Power, 2002). Therefore the debate about access to water in Pakistan is dominated by irrigation disputes, mega-projects of dams and canals, and climate change. The focus is on water for agriculture rather than for people (UNDP, 2003). This production oriented perspective continues in the debate about groundwater use and extraction. It is estimated that surface water meets only 75-80 percent of crop water requirements. As a result, groundwater is merely seen as a reserve water source for irrigation and food production, as well as the maj or factor for the growth of agricultural production in the late 20th century (World Bank, 1996). With regard to the availability of safe and sufficient drinking water, Pakistan lacks reliable statistics. While data about the availability of water and field studies about water quality exist, there is no sufficient data that take both into account. Official data about the access to drinking water vary between 60 and 90 percent of households. In rural areas where a decline of households with access to water is documented s about availability differ between 10 and 53 percent. Differences in these statistics mainly emerge from the inclusion or exclusion of households that rely on privately owned wells and supply systems (Pakistan Mouza Report, 1998). In addition, having access to water in Pakistan is not similar with having access to safe and sufficient water supply. Pakistans water quality ranks as 80th out of 122 nations. Pipe water in Pakistan is contaminated either because of leakages with all sorts of bacteria or due to geological conditions and insufficient purification, with abnormally high levels of arsenic and elevated fluoride (IRIN, OCHA, 2004). Water, extracted by hand pumps the major water source in rural areas is mainly brackish water and not sufficient for drinking and cooking. The Pakistan Council of Research and Water Resources (PCRWR) estimate that almost 50 percent of urban water supply is insufficient for drinking and personal use (GOP, Pakistan Council of Research and Water Resources, 2004). According to a research which took data about availability and quality into relation and concluded that an average of 25.61 percent of Pakistans 159 million inhabitants has access to safe and sufficient drinking water ( Nils Rosemann, 2005). This calculation shows that in rural areas only 23.5 percent and in urban areas approximately 30 percent can use their source of water without jeopardizing their health. These findings come close to a conclusion by independent experts who predicted that already in 2001, with prevailing consumption rates and a population growth of 4 million people per year, one out of three people in Pakistan would face critical shortages of water, threatening their very survival. The Government of Pakistan estimated with regard to diarrhoea that this mainly water related disease accounts for 14 percent of illnesses for children under five and for seven percent of all disease in people age five and older (GOP, Pakistan Ministry of Economic Affairs and Statistics, 2004). The Pakistan Council of Research and Water Resources (PCRWR) assesses that 40 percent of all reported illnesses are water-related. It is estimated that 200,000 children in Pakistan die every year due to diarrhoea l diseases alone (UN Systems in Pakistan, 2003). Unsafe water affects mainly rural and urban poor, who suffer above the average from sickness and water related diseases. (GOP, Pakistan National Human Development Report, 2003). 2.5 About Bottled Water The term bottled water seems to tell that any bottle containing water, however there are important differences: all bottles dont contain the same product. There is very little in common between natural mineral water and purified water, as the chemical compositions or the treatments these waters can undergo respond to very different criteria that can change from one country to another. In some cases bottled water is merely bottled tap water. 2.5.1 Industry Definitions Several terms are commonly used to describe the products of the bottled water industry, including some of the following: * Artesian water bottled water from a well that taps a confined aquifer (a water-bearing underground layer of rock or sand) in which the water level stands at some height above the top of the aquifer. * Fluoridated Water often used as a health focused drink for growing children, it contains fluorine within permissible limits. * Ground water obtained from underground sources, pumped out using pressure that is equal to or more then atmospheric pressure. * Mineral water An extremely specific product that must meet certain criteria. Defined as water with at least 250 parts per million total dissolved solids. The source of water is either ground water or a spring. * Purified water or drinking water is water taken from rivers, lakes or underground springs that has undergone some form of treatment. It can be produced by â€Å"distillation, deionization, reverse osmosis or other suitable processes. It can be chemically treated in order to have some components disappear. It is basically de-mineralized water from public sources. Purified water is actually a manufactured product. * Sparkling water water injected with carbon dioxide * Spring water water obtained from an underground formation from which water flows naturally to the earths surface. * Sterile water water that meets the requirements specified under government or other sterility tests. * Well water water from a hole bored, drilled or otherwise constructed in the ground which taps the water of an aquifer. (IBWA, 2000) If these waters contain the minimum required mineral content according to US standards, they can be called â€Å"mineral waters†. So many different categories of bottled water, changing from one country to another, are not easy for consumers to differentiate. 2.5.2 What is Distilled Water? Distillation is a process that leaves water free of minerals. Distilled water has been brought up to a boiling temperature. The steam is captured and is cooled, which condenses it back into a liquid form. When the water turns to steam, anything heavier than water (like minerals, or unwanted organic matter) is left behind. Thus, distilled water only contains water. Distilled water is good to use in appliances such as coffee makers because since it contains no minerals it does not leave behind lime scale. 2.5.3 Packaging Packaging used for water can have very different shapes and colours and are made of different materials. For a long time, bottled water was only available in glass, a very good but heavy material. At the end of the 1960s, bottlers started to use packaging made of PVC (vinyl polychlorure). In the 1980s, a new kind of plastic started being used: PET (polyethylene terephtalate). PET is progressively replacing PVC because of its numerous advantages. Plastic, either PVC or PET, is the most frequently used material to make bottles of water; about 70% of the bottles used for natural mineral water are made of plastic. Bottles usually contain 33cl, 50cl, 1 litre, 1.5 litre, 2 litres or 5 litres. The biggest packaging for bottled water is a 5-gallon carboy (about 20 litres). Packaging is an essential part of bottled water marketing strategies. â€Å"The packaging makes the brand. The brand makes the packaging. A product must have visibility to sell its presentation refers to notions such as service, security, hygiene† (Miquel, 1999). In some cases, such as Kinley, it is even possible to recognize the brand of the bottled water thanks to the shape and colour of its packaging. Some brands have reshaped their bottles in order to make them look like the marketing message they are supposed to carry. Many bottles, for instance, now high mountains not only on the labels but also on the plastic itself. The packaging is an important part of the bottled water marketing success. All types of bottles coexist and are regularly reshaped in order to better catch consumers attention. Marketing and advertising campaigns are essential to differentiate the product and attract consumers. Brands tend to associate with specific activities: sport, fitness, slimming, fashion, etc. For the last 50 years, Evian has been the water of babies, emphasizing that its low mineral concentration is suitable for them. The brands marketing strategy capitalizes on infants, from the pink colour of its labels to advertising campaigns. 2.6 Bottled water market trends and Planets Health The world bottled water market amounts to an annual volume of 89 billion litres, which represents an average 15 litres of bottled water drunk yearly per person (Danone, 2000). Western Europeans are the major consumers, drinking nearly half of all the world bottled water, with an average of 85 litres/person/year (Sollberger, 1994). In United States, 54% of Americans regularly drink bottled water (Olson, 1999). More than half (59%) of the bottled water drunk in the world is purified water, the remaining 41% being spring or mineral water (Belot, 2000). Bottled water is an extremely competitive market; hence companies need to develop diverse marketing strategies. But according to campaigners, the planets health may be suffering as a result. A new report warns that peoples thirst for bottled water is producing unnecessary garbage and consuming vast quantities of energy, even in areas where perfectly good drinking water is available on tap. The report, released by the Earth Policy Institute (EPI), says global consumption of bottled water doubled between 1999 and 2004, reaching 41 billion gallons (154 billion liters) annually. 2.7 Bottled Water Market in Pakistan Before focusing on Pakistan in particular, one should note that bottled water consumption has generally grown around the world in the past 30 years, despite its high price compared to tap water. Lured by the potential for huge profits, multinational companies have been trying to create an international market for bottled water. The bottled water market in Pakistan is witnessing annual growth rates nearing 40 percent. Bottled water in Pakistan is not considered a ‘beverage. Beverage processing includes carbonated soft drinks where Pakistan has the lowest per capita consumption in the world, fruit juices, syrups and juice flavoured drinks (Pakistan Investors Guide, 2004). Drinking water and also bottled water is not considered an important commodity either. Water supply and prices for drinking water and bottled water are not considered under the items in the Sensitive Price Indicator, Consumer Price Index or Wholesale Price Index. From this perspective; it is obvious that Pakistan has low consumption of bottled water. The Government of Pakistan described the market for bottled water, with 33 million litres of consumption per annum in 1999, as small but growing. It furthermore estimated the consumption for 2003, as 70 million litres or 0.5 litres per capita. The bottled water market in Pakistan has wi tnessed annual growth rates of 40 percent, and after the introduction of Nestlà ©s ‘Pure Life, it had the fastest worldwide growth in bottled water in 2000, at 140% (The Bottled Water Industry of Pakistan, 2004). Recent s estimate a yearly consumption of about 2 litres per person bottled water (Nils Rosemann, 2005). Compared with Thailands 43 litres and Philippines 15 litres per capita consumption, this seems relatively low. But taking Pakistans population into account, one has to estimate an annual consumption of 318 million litres. While, sufficient s are not available to prove this 964 percent consumption increase in five years, one is able to conclude that Pakistan is a highly dynamic and lucrative market. Market expectations are as high in the retail market of bottled water as in the household and operations sector for bulk water. Besides these market expectations, the production of bottled water is also considered quite profitable. It is estimated that a bottle of 1.5 litres has production costs of PKR 12.51 while it is sold for PKR 22 (Nils Rosemann, 2005). The profit is shared between producing corporations, with PKR 0.66-0.83, and middleman, with PKR 6.66-7.08. By this standard, the producing corporation makes a profit of 4-5 percent while the middleman makes a profit of 27-30.55 percent. In Pakistans water market, there are approximately 20 permanent players. Official s show an estimated number of 26 corporations, while in summer time, this number increases up to 70 (Nils Rosemann, 2005). But from the perspective of quality control, PCRWR is witnessing a fluctuation in the market of 50 percent, e.g. half of the brands disappear and are replaced by new brands yearly (PCRWR, 2003). In 2005, PSQCA admitted that 200 companies are selling bottled water in Pakistan, but only 27 are registered as maintaining standards stipulated for the product (Hoti, Ikram, 2005). Nestlà © itself estimates approximately 150 water brands, with only 15 registered under the PSQCA scheme (Hoti, Ikram, 2005). Regardless of this data, it is unquestioned that Nestlà © controls the majority of the market (over 50 percent) with its brands ‘Pure Life, AVA and Fontalia, while Danones subsidy 22 â€Å"Sparkletts† holds 12 percent and another local brand â€Å"BSW† has an estimated five percent market share (Nils Rosemann, 2005). Bottled water is not a solution to inadequate water supplies as it is simply not affordable for poor people who lack access to water. A bottled water culture which turns drinking water into a status symbol is not justifiable from the human rights perspective. The Pakistan government is obliged to adopt measures to provide access to safe and sufficient water supplies even if that means restraining corporations from turning water into a status symbol to make profits, or from polluting or extracting already depleting groundwater resources. 2.8 Bottled water consumption: a certain way of life Some consumers choose to only drink bottled water; we can identify several reasons for drinking bottled water. 2.8.1. Consumers care for their health and safety Bottled water is often an alternative to tap water. Consumers often object to the taste of chemicals, particularly chlorine, used to purify tap water. In France, nearly half of them dont usually drink tap water because of its bad taste (IFEN, 2000), as opposed to only 7% in United States (Olson, 1999). Consumers also look for security, in emerging as well as in industrialized countries. They often mistrust their tap water, because of previous bacterial contamination for instance, and perceive bottled water as being safer than tap water. In India, the suspicion of bad tap water quality, in addition to general and seasonal shortages of tap water, lead people to turn to bottled water. In Pakistan, only t Bottled Water Preferences Analysis Bottled Water Preferences Analysis Preface â€Å"Leaders arent born, they are made. And they are made just like anything else, through hard work. And thats the price well have to pay to achieve that goal, or any goal† Vincent Lombardi All the knowledge learning and procedures are useless without observations and practical experience. The purpose of this research is to acquaint the business graduate with empirical business practices. As a requirement for Bachelors Degree in Business Administration, I opted to conduct my research on â€Å"Consumer Preferences of Bottled water†, to fulfill my degree requirement. The reason for choosing bottled water was to get practical knowledge about consumer behaviour, so as to provide myself an opportunity to cope with the real life situation. This research covers the aspect about consumers preferences regarding usage of a certain brand of bottled water. The research focuses on the fact that why a consumer uses a specific brand of bottled water. Is it taste, health consciousness, fashion or any other aesthetic factor that makes a consumers use a specific brand of bottled water. The main idea for this research came from the observation, that why a consumer is using only a specific brand of bottled water, regardless of the fact that all the bottled water brands are providing â€Å"pure and clean† water. I felt that the knowledge that I have gained through this experience is an excellent way to think analytically for finding solutions to problems of day-to-day life. The study of consumer behavior and their preferences itself is a massive study comprising of different factors involved. It is impossible to study each one in detail and include everything in the report. However, I studied the consumer behaviour from preferences point of view. I am thankful to all my colleagues and higher ups for their valuable guidance in preparing this report in a presentable fashion. I am also thankful to my parents, teachers and all my friends for their cooperation. â€Å"MEASURING CONSUMER PREFERENCES FOR BOTTLED DRINKING WATER† CHAPTER 01: INTRODUCTION 1.1 Background of the study: Bottled water consumption has been steadily growing in the world for the past 30 years. It is the most dynamic sector of all the food and beverage industry: bottled water consumption in the world increases by an average 7% each year, in spite of its excessively high price compared to tap water and although industrialized countries consumers have, in principle, access to cheap good quality tap water. Bottled water is often an alternative to tap water. Consumers often object to the taste of chemicals, particularly chlorine, used to purify tap water. In France, nearly half of them dont usually drink tap water because of its bad taste (IFEN, 2000), as opposed to only 7% in United States (Olson, 1999). Consumers also drink bottled water because they care for their health. In Europe, there is a long tradition, dating back to Roman times, of spas and of drinking mineral waters for medical purposes. In the 19th century, this activity developed with the fashion for upper classes to go to spas in order to improve their health. Spas owners werent long in understanding that they could increase the wellness of their customers and their own benefits â‚ ¬Ã‚  directly supplying them their water in bottles. Until the 1950s, mineral water was sold in drugstores as a health product. It has now become an everyday product. Natural mineral water, now sold in supermarket, doesnt carry along anymore this medical image. People now buy bottled water to feel well, responding to advertising campaigns based on well-being, energy, slimming, fitness etc. Bottled water is a healthy alternative to other beverages. It is calorie-free and attractive for people willing to lose weight: â€Å"one of the sparks that ignited the bottled water fire was the fitness craze that skyrocketed in the early 1980† (Sullivan, 1996). Increasing urbanization can also explain this trend for bottled water consumption. In Increasing standards of living and greater use of cars enabled people to buy water in supermarkets and to bring home higher number of bottled water, without difficulty. The use of plastic makes bottles lighter and easier to carry than when they were made of glass. The expansion of shopping centers, outside city-centers, provides consumers with a greater choice in bottled water brands. The explosion of bottled water consumption also reflects deep changes in working habits in industrialized countries, with the decline of the agriculture and industry sectors. In these countries, most people have office works and the bottle of water is now a common element on a desk, next to the computer and the telephone. Drinking expensive bottled water (compared to tap water) is a sign of a rise in the social scale. In addition, bottled water is the result of a huge marketing success. The bottled water market in Pakistan is witnessing annual growth rates nearing 40 percent. Bottled water in Pakistan is not considered a ‘beverage. Beverage processing includes carbonated soft drinks where Pakistan has the lowest per capita consumption in the world, fruit juices, syrups and juice flavoured drinks. Drinking water and also bottled water is not considered an important commodity either. The Government of Pakistan described the market for bottled water, with 33 million liters of consumption per annum in 1999, as small but growing. It furthermore estimated the consumption for 2003, as 70 million liters or 0.5 liters per capita. The bottled water market in Pakistan has witnessed annual growth rates of 40 percent, and after the introduction of Nestlà ©s ‘Pure Life, it had the fastest worldwide growth in bottled water in 2000, at 140%. Recent s estimate a yearly consumption of about 2 liters per person bottled water. Bottled water is not a solution to inadequate water supplies as it is simply not affordable for poor people who lack access to water. A bottled water culture which turns drinking water into a status symbol is not justifiable from the human rights perspective. The Pakistan government is obliged to adopt measures to provide access to safe and sufficient water supplies even if that means restraining corporations from turning water into a status symbol to make profits, or from polluting or extracting already depleting groundwater resources. 1.2 Purpose of the Study: This report/study is meant to: Understand what factors are influencing the consumer preferences to make them purchase different brands of bottled water. Identifying that what are the factors which affect the purchase of a specific bottled water brand. 1.3 Research Questions: 1. What do people expect from their water utility in the context of drinking water services? 2. What are consumers priorities? 3. What do customers consider acceptable in terms of the product and the service they receive? 4. What are they willing to accept for the current price they pay? 5. Why do people prefer to use a specific bottled water brand in terms of their priorities? 1.4 Scope of the Work: Scope of this report is limited to businessmen, professionals and students of Peshawar and Islamabad who are well users of bottled water. 1.5 Limitations of the Study: Expected limitations of this research can be: * Unavailability or Lack of data * Response from people * Limited time * Resource constraint 1.6 Research Methodology: The methodologies used for the research are as follows: 1.6.1.: Sample Unit: The respondents selected were belonging to different social backgrounds and different professions. 1.6.2: Sample Population: The study was conducted in Peshawar and Islamabad only. 1.6.3: Sample Size: A total sample size of 100 respondents was fixed for the research. 1.6.4: Sampling Procedure: Because of the limitations, convenient sampling has been selected, as the name implies, the sample is selected because they are convenient. This non probability method is often used during preliminary research efforts to get a gross estimate of the results, without incurring the cost or time required to select a random sample. The sampling was on the basis of Judgemental Sampling i.e. Non-Probability Sampling Method was used. 1.6.2: DATA COLLECTION: Both primary and secondary methods of data collection are used in the study. 1.6.2.1: Primary Data: The data-collecting tool for primary data was the questionnaire. The questionnaires were compromised of questions about personal preferences of the respondents along with questions on the subject of study. The questions used likert scale and category scale. This enabled the respondents to answer questions by marking most suitable answers. 1.6.2.2: Secondary Data: The most important source of secondary data for the study was articles from different websites and previous researches done on internet. Also different books and some related articles in different magazines and journal of marketing served as a source of secondary data. 1.7 Scheme of the Report: The report will comprise of following sections: Chapter 01: Introduction Chapter 02: Literature Review Chapter 03: Consumer Trust, Confidence and Customer Preferences for Drinking Water Chapter 04: Analysis and Findings Chapter 05: Conclusion and Recommendations CHAPTER 02: LITERATURE REVIEW 2.1 Introduction The global water shortage of affordable and safe drinking water is manifested in Pakistan with an estimated 44 percent of the population without access to safe drinking water. In rural areas, up to 90 percent of the population may lack such access. As one indication of the magnitude of the problem, it is estimated that 200,000 children in Pakistan die every year due to diarrhoeal diseases alone (UN Systems in Pakistan, 2003). Drinking bottled water reflects not just a certain way of life in the rich North but a necessity and the only option for safe water in the South. Beside official s, there should be no doubt that the majority of the Pakistans population is exposed to the hazard of drinking unsafe and polluted water. In an effort to improve this situation, many consumers in Pakistan have to turn to bottled water as a first alternative to drinking unfiltered tap water or contaminated water of other sources where no public drinking water service exists (GOP, Pakistan Environment Pro tection Agency, 2003). However, bottled water is a very expensive alternative and not always healthy because of infrequent testing for contaminants and sporadic inspection of processing plants. Bottled water should not be considered as a substitute to a sufficient service with drinkable tap water, but it is due to lack of access to water services or to bad quality of available resources (WHO, 2000). Bottled water consumption has been steadily growing in the world for the past 30 years. It is considered as one of the most dynamic sectors of all the food and beverage industry, where consumption in the world increases by an average 12% each year, in spite of its excessively high price compared to tap water (UNESCO, 2003). Bottled water consumption has been steadily growing in the world for the past 30 years. It is the most dynamic sector of all the food and beverage industry: bottled water consumption in the world increases by an average 7% each year, in spite of its excessively high price compared to tap water and although industrialized countries consumers have, in principle, access to cheap good quality tap water. This research report aims to provide background information on bottled water, the use of bottled water in order to understand the reasons of a trend that goes beyond a simple fashion and turns to be a real social phenomenon. It will first identify existing types of bottled water: although they seem very much alike, bottles of water dont contain the same product. The increase in bottled water consumption has boosted the bottled water industry and market trends show very promising perspectives for the future. This report will then identify the major reasons why consumers choose to buy speci fic expensive bottled water rather than drink tap water. It will finally analyze the impact this industry has on the environment. 2.2 Water Global Trends and Pakistans Struggle Water is essential for human beings to survive and develop. At the same time, water is a scarce good, and shortage sometimes results in crises. Both facts lead to the simple conclusion that lack of water hinders development and a dignified life. This can be assessed from global trends, as well as from Pakistans national and local struggles for better access for people to safe and sufficient drinking water. 2.3 Water A Global but Scarce Good According to s published by the United Nations, subsidiary organizations and other international organizations, 1.1bn people are without a sufficient access to water, and 2.4bn people have to live without adequate sanitation. Under current trends, the prognosis is that about 3bn people of a population of 8.5bn will suffer from water shortage by 2025. 83% of them will live in developing countries, mostly in rural areas where even today sometimes only 20% of the population have access to a sufficient water supply (Guissà ©, El Hadji, 2004). This actual lack of water is opposed to the theoretical conclusion that there is enough ground water existing in all regions of the world to guarantee an adequate water supply for all people. According to international law, in the case of concurring water users, the socio-economic priorities have to rest on human development and social interests of the people (UN, 1997). However, only 6% of global freshwater is used by households, while 20% is util ized industry and another 70% by agriculture. The conclusion drawn from these framework conditions is that water shortage and the unequal distribution of water are global problems rather than regional problems that require international solutions. Insufficient supply of drinking water is the main cause of diseases in developing countries. Already in 1997, the United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development concluded that 2.3bn people suffer from diseases rooted in insufficient water provision and quality (UN, 1997). More than five years later, it was estimated that 2.4bn people were suffering from water related diseases, and the World Health Organization reckons that 80% of all infections are traceable to poor water conditions. 5,483 people die daily of water caused diarrhoea 90 percent are children under five. Taking into account all water related diseases and deaths, international organizations estimated in 2001 that 2,213,000 people died because of inadequate water supply ten times more than the tsunami disaster caused in December 2004 (UNESCO, 2003). 2.4 Poverty and Access to Water in Pakistan It is acknowledged that lacking safe and sufficient drinking water as with other basic needs such as food, shelter and education is not a geographical but social problem. Being poor or rich is mainly decided by birth, and poverty perpetuates itself from generation to generation. Development strategies should be judged by their effort to break through this vicious cycle. Single indicators, such as literacy rates or households with access to water, are a litmus test for such an assessment. 2.4.1 Access to Water in Pakistan Pakistan is an Islamic Republic, whose aim is to enable its Muslim majority â€Å"to order their lives in the individual and collective spheres in accordance with the teachings and requirements of Islam as set out in the Holy Quran and Sunnah† (Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, 1973). Water is recognized in Islamic teachings as a vital resource, of which everyone has the right to a fair share. Following the Hadith, it is reported that the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said: â€Å"Muslims have common share in three (things): grass, water and fire† (Abu-Dawood 3470). Furthermore, the Holy Quran warns human beings against unfair distribution of common goods and the majority of scholars agree that Islam forbids speculation, manipulation and unbalance profit with a common good such as water (Faruqui, Naser I, 2001). In 1995, UNDP counted Pakistan as country having among the highest water potential per person out of 130 countries that should dramatically improve its water situation to overcome the current crisis and prevent future ones (IRIN, 2001). Obviously, Pakistan failed to make any improvement. In 2003, the United Nations dropped Pakistans ranking, because its total renewable water resources per capita per year have been estimated as 114th out of 180 countries (UN, 2003). Only three percent of Pakistans sweet water resources are used for household purposes and drinking (GOP, Pakistan Ministry of Water and Power, 2002). Therefore the debate about access to water in Pakistan is dominated by irrigation disputes, mega-projects of dams and canals, and climate change. The focus is on water for agriculture rather than for people (UNDP, 2003). This production oriented perspective continues in the debate about groundwater use and extraction. It is estimated that surface water meets only 75-80 percent of crop water requirements. As a result, groundwater is merely seen as a reserve water source for irrigation and food production, as well as the maj or factor for the growth of agricultural production in the late 20th century (World Bank, 1996). With regard to the availability of safe and sufficient drinking water, Pakistan lacks reliable statistics. While data about the availability of water and field studies about water quality exist, there is no sufficient data that take both into account. Official data about the access to drinking water vary between 60 and 90 percent of households. In rural areas where a decline of households with access to water is documented s about availability differ between 10 and 53 percent. Differences in these statistics mainly emerge from the inclusion or exclusion of households that rely on privately owned wells and supply systems (Pakistan Mouza Report, 1998). In addition, having access to water in Pakistan is not similar with having access to safe and sufficient water supply. Pakistans water quality ranks as 80th out of 122 nations. Pipe water in Pakistan is contaminated either because of leakages with all sorts of bacteria or due to geological conditions and insufficient purification, with abnormally high levels of arsenic and elevated fluoride (IRIN, OCHA, 2004). Water, extracted by hand pumps the major water source in rural areas is mainly brackish water and not sufficient for drinking and cooking. The Pakistan Council of Research and Water Resources (PCRWR) estimate that almost 50 percent of urban water supply is insufficient for drinking and personal use (GOP, Pakistan Council of Research and Water Resources, 2004). According to a research which took data about availability and quality into relation and concluded that an average of 25.61 percent of Pakistans 159 million inhabitants has access to safe and sufficient drinking water ( Nils Rosemann, 2005). This calculation shows that in rural areas only 23.5 percent and in urban areas approximately 30 percent can use their source of water without jeopardizing their health. These findings come close to a conclusion by independent experts who predicted that already in 2001, with prevailing consumption rates and a population growth of 4 million people per year, one out of three people in Pakistan would face critical shortages of water, threatening their very survival. The Government of Pakistan estimated with regard to diarrhoea that this mainly water related disease accounts for 14 percent of illnesses for children under five and for seven percent of all disease in people age five and older (GOP, Pakistan Ministry of Economic Affairs and Statistics, 2004). The Pakistan Council of Research and Water Resources (PCRWR) assesses that 40 percent of all reported illnesses are water-related. It is estimated that 200,000 children in Pakistan die every year due to diarrhoea l diseases alone (UN Systems in Pakistan, 2003). Unsafe water affects mainly rural and urban poor, who suffer above the average from sickness and water related diseases. (GOP, Pakistan National Human Development Report, 2003). 2.5 About Bottled Water The term bottled water seems to tell that any bottle containing water, however there are important differences: all bottles dont contain the same product. There is very little in common between natural mineral water and purified water, as the chemical compositions or the treatments these waters can undergo respond to very different criteria that can change from one country to another. In some cases bottled water is merely bottled tap water. 2.5.1 Industry Definitions Several terms are commonly used to describe the products of the bottled water industry, including some of the following: * Artesian water bottled water from a well that taps a confined aquifer (a water-bearing underground layer of rock or sand) in which the water level stands at some height above the top of the aquifer. * Fluoridated Water often used as a health focused drink for growing children, it contains fluorine within permissible limits. * Ground water obtained from underground sources, pumped out using pressure that is equal to or more then atmospheric pressure. * Mineral water An extremely specific product that must meet certain criteria. Defined as water with at least 250 parts per million total dissolved solids. The source of water is either ground water or a spring. * Purified water or drinking water is water taken from rivers, lakes or underground springs that has undergone some form of treatment. It can be produced by â€Å"distillation, deionization, reverse osmosis or other suitable processes. It can be chemically treated in order to have some components disappear. It is basically de-mineralized water from public sources. Purified water is actually a manufactured product. * Sparkling water water injected with carbon dioxide * Spring water water obtained from an underground formation from which water flows naturally to the earths surface. * Sterile water water that meets the requirements specified under government or other sterility tests. * Well water water from a hole bored, drilled or otherwise constructed in the ground which taps the water of an aquifer. (IBWA, 2000) If these waters contain the minimum required mineral content according to US standards, they can be called â€Å"mineral waters†. So many different categories of bottled water, changing from one country to another, are not easy for consumers to differentiate. 2.5.2 What is Distilled Water? Distillation is a process that leaves water free of minerals. Distilled water has been brought up to a boiling temperature. The steam is captured and is cooled, which condenses it back into a liquid form. When the water turns to steam, anything heavier than water (like minerals, or unwanted organic matter) is left behind. Thus, distilled water only contains water. Distilled water is good to use in appliances such as coffee makers because since it contains no minerals it does not leave behind lime scale. 2.5.3 Packaging Packaging used for water can have very different shapes and colours and are made of different materials. For a long time, bottled water was only available in glass, a very good but heavy material. At the end of the 1960s, bottlers started to use packaging made of PVC (vinyl polychlorure). In the 1980s, a new kind of plastic started being used: PET (polyethylene terephtalate). PET is progressively replacing PVC because of its numerous advantages. Plastic, either PVC or PET, is the most frequently used material to make bottles of water; about 70% of the bottles used for natural mineral water are made of plastic. Bottles usually contain 33cl, 50cl, 1 litre, 1.5 litre, 2 litres or 5 litres. The biggest packaging for bottled water is a 5-gallon carboy (about 20 litres). Packaging is an essential part of bottled water marketing strategies. â€Å"The packaging makes the brand. The brand makes the packaging. A product must have visibility to sell its presentation refers to notions such as service, security, hygiene† (Miquel, 1999). In some cases, such as Kinley, it is even possible to recognize the brand of the bottled water thanks to the shape and colour of its packaging. Some brands have reshaped their bottles in order to make them look like the marketing message they are supposed to carry. Many bottles, for instance, now high mountains not only on the labels but also on the plastic itself. The packaging is an important part of the bottled water marketing success. All types of bottles coexist and are regularly reshaped in order to better catch consumers attention. Marketing and advertising campaigns are essential to differentiate the product and attract consumers. Brands tend to associate with specific activities: sport, fitness, slimming, fashion, etc. For the last 50 years, Evian has been the water of babies, emphasizing that its low mineral concentration is suitable for them. The brands marketing strategy capitalizes on infants, from the pink colour of its labels to advertising campaigns. 2.6 Bottled water market trends and Planets Health The world bottled water market amounts to an annual volume of 89 billion litres, which represents an average 15 litres of bottled water drunk yearly per person (Danone, 2000). Western Europeans are the major consumers, drinking nearly half of all the world bottled water, with an average of 85 litres/person/year (Sollberger, 1994). In United States, 54% of Americans regularly drink bottled water (Olson, 1999). More than half (59%) of the bottled water drunk in the world is purified water, the remaining 41% being spring or mineral water (Belot, 2000). Bottled water is an extremely competitive market; hence companies need to develop diverse marketing strategies. But according to campaigners, the planets health may be suffering as a result. A new report warns that peoples thirst for bottled water is producing unnecessary garbage and consuming vast quantities of energy, even in areas where perfectly good drinking water is available on tap. The report, released by the Earth Policy Institute (EPI), says global consumption of bottled water doubled between 1999 and 2004, reaching 41 billion gallons (154 billion liters) annually. 2.7 Bottled Water Market in Pakistan Before focusing on Pakistan in particular, one should note that bottled water consumption has generally grown around the world in the past 30 years, despite its high price compared to tap water. Lured by the potential for huge profits, multinational companies have been trying to create an international market for bottled water. The bottled water market in Pakistan is witnessing annual growth rates nearing 40 percent. Bottled water in Pakistan is not considered a ‘beverage. Beverage processing includes carbonated soft drinks where Pakistan has the lowest per capita consumption in the world, fruit juices, syrups and juice flavoured drinks (Pakistan Investors Guide, 2004). Drinking water and also bottled water is not considered an important commodity either. Water supply and prices for drinking water and bottled water are not considered under the items in the Sensitive Price Indicator, Consumer Price Index or Wholesale Price Index. From this perspective; it is obvious that Pakistan has low consumption of bottled water. The Government of Pakistan described the market for bottled water, with 33 million litres of consumption per annum in 1999, as small but growing. It furthermore estimated the consumption for 2003, as 70 million litres or 0.5 litres per capita. The bottled water market in Pakistan has wi tnessed annual growth rates of 40 percent, and after the introduction of Nestlà ©s ‘Pure Life, it had the fastest worldwide growth in bottled water in 2000, at 140% (The Bottled Water Industry of Pakistan, 2004). Recent s estimate a yearly consumption of about 2 litres per person bottled water (Nils Rosemann, 2005). Compared with Thailands 43 litres and Philippines 15 litres per capita consumption, this seems relatively low. But taking Pakistans population into account, one has to estimate an annual consumption of 318 million litres. While, sufficient s are not available to prove this 964 percent consumption increase in five years, one is able to conclude that Pakistan is a highly dynamic and lucrative market. Market expectations are as high in the retail market of bottled water as in the household and operations sector for bulk water. Besides these market expectations, the production of bottled water is also considered quite profitable. It is estimated that a bottle of 1.5 litres has production costs of PKR 12.51 while it is sold for PKR 22 (Nils Rosemann, 2005). The profit is shared between producing corporations, with PKR 0.66-0.83, and middleman, with PKR 6.66-7.08. By this standard, the producing corporation makes a profit of 4-5 percent while the middleman makes a profit of 27-30.55 percent. In Pakistans water market, there are approximately 20 permanent players. Official s show an estimated number of 26 corporations, while in summer time, this number increases up to 70 (Nils Rosemann, 2005). But from the perspective of quality control, PCRWR is witnessing a fluctuation in the market of 50 percent, e.g. half of the brands disappear and are replaced by new brands yearly (PCRWR, 2003). In 2005, PSQCA admitted that 200 companies are selling bottled water in Pakistan, but only 27 are registered as maintaining standards stipulated for the product (Hoti, Ikram, 2005). Nestlà © itself estimates approximately 150 water brands, with only 15 registered under the PSQCA scheme (Hoti, Ikram, 2005). Regardless of this data, it is unquestioned that Nestlà © controls the majority of the market (over 50 percent) with its brands ‘Pure Life, AVA and Fontalia, while Danones subsidy 22 â€Å"Sparkletts† holds 12 percent and another local brand â€Å"BSW† has an estimated five percent market share (Nils Rosemann, 2005). Bottled water is not a solution to inadequate water supplies as it is simply not affordable for poor people who lack access to water. A bottled water culture which turns drinking water into a status symbol is not justifiable from the human rights perspective. The Pakistan government is obliged to adopt measures to provide access to safe and sufficient water supplies even if that means restraining corporations from turning water into a status symbol to make profits, or from polluting or extracting already depleting groundwater resources. 2.8 Bottled water consumption: a certain way of life Some consumers choose to only drink bottled water; we can identify several reasons for drinking bottled water. 2.8.1. Consumers care for their health and safety Bottled water is often an alternative to tap water. Consumers often object to the taste of chemicals, particularly chlorine, used to purify tap water. In France, nearly half of them dont usually drink tap water because of its bad taste (IFEN, 2000), as opposed to only 7% in United States (Olson, 1999). Consumers also look for security, in emerging as well as in industrialized countries. They often mistrust their tap water, because of previous bacterial contamination for instance, and perceive bottled water as being safer than tap water. In India, the suspicion of bad tap water quality, in addition to general and seasonal shortages of tap water, lead people to turn to bottled water. In Pakistan, only t

The Anchorperson and Bad News Essay -- TV Television Media Essays

The Anchorperson and Bad News Government policy and public opinion work on a two way street. Opinion reacts to policy; in turn, opinion shapes policy. Broadcast media speeds this game of table tennis to an even more personal and democratized level, often bypassing several filters as the information television provides streams into our living rooms. Print media lags and becomes increasingly visual - the bright colors and pictures of USA Today contrast the stark factual spreads of the Wall Street Journal. Television becomes an emotionally charged and urgent medium when the viewers can hear voice intonation and see facial features accompanying by the minute at the scene events. The figures at the fore of these transmissions are the television newscasters, familiar names such as Jennings, Brokaw and Rather, persons who have held the public's trust for two, perhaps three generations of viewers. I hope to explain the connection I see between television technology, public opinion, and foreign policy. I believe that technological factors such as television have disseminated more power to the masses in terms of the ability to receive information, but also has given power to those who relay it, namely anchor persons. I also take into account the role of the media in times of crisis, which is commonly to simply relay government information and policy instead of being a watchdog of it. Briefly summarizing author Bethami Dobkin, in terms of terrorism, television media reinforces government frameworks and rhetoric, and conveys them in a fast, but at the same time intensely personal way. The results increased popularity rating for Presidents. "The public has rewarded those presidents who have taken action and have seized center stage... ...rmation is national security. Obviously, journalists should not endanger lives to publish where the Navy SEALS will be landing. Television technology and its representatives do play a crucial role in this recent terrorist event. In one sense, we are more informed about happenings, but we are forced to see it through an unchallenged framework; one that prescribes drastic actions that many people are reticent to fully commit to before further exploration is done. Simultaneously, many people are prepared to take action after seeing the immediacy and size of the matter firsthand on television. Works Cited O'Neill, Michael J. Terrorist Spectaculars: Should TV Coverage Be Curbed? New York: Prirority Press Publications, 1986. Dobkin, Bethami A. Tales of Terror: Television News and the Construction of the Terrorist Threat. New York: Praegar Publishers, 1992.

Clearing the Mind Weeds in a Counselling Profession

Response-ability says Perls, is a misused word. It â€Å"means the ability to respond: the ability to be alive, to feel, to be sensitive. † (GTV, 100). It does not mean â€Å"obligation. † It doesn’t mean â€Å"duty. † Duty- what is that anyway? One way or another, it is something that I’ve been directed to do without asking why. I do it automatically, without accepting responsibility for my actions. This was the trait that saw me through the travails in my life where I moved from letting others be responsible for me to taking responsibility for myself. Perhaps this is what motivated me to pursue my goals without relying too much on my family resources.I learned early on not to assign the cause of my behavior to my parents or my past or even the wealth of my family. In the process I learned this most important value of responsibility that kept me grounded and helped me in my studies and work. However, it was not an easy journey. I cannot consider my life as an extraordinary this world had ever had. Each person has a story to tell and I must say mine is not really something different. While some people spend their lives with lots of colors around them, some just do not – and as much as I hate to admit, I spent many years of my life belonging to the second group.I go with flow and that has always been the case. It goes this way: I knew I need to attend school and so I did. I have to do well in school or else I will suffer from all the criticisms – the usual criticisms. It is never easy to live in other people’s expectations to the point that it is what they want that drives you. It is your body under their minds. I can now imagine how pathetic that was. All the while, though, I do not think I was as inspired as the rest of the class was. I did not make lots of friends from school. No big deal! But there were times when I also deal with thinking of the reasons for the ‘empty’ life.Those days woul d usually end with me getting no answer than ‘It must be me†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ Although I acknowledge the fact that each of us has our own set of preferences and all the while, I lived in the thought that I just prefer to live my life like this – lonely, detached, alone. It was tiring when you care for no one and more when no one cares for you. In a way, my opinions have been changed because I have learned to create a balance in obeying orders. It was there where I learned that there is blind obedience that ignores all rationality and obedience based on freedom.Those involved in a transaction are independent—they can walk away from the deal if they don’t like what’s happening. And just as they are free to leave, they are also free to stay. In fact, if one is not free to walk away, he is not free to choose to stay. Some of my own teachers then helped me develop a sense of competence and love of learning. Though some helped me find my own directions and m ake my own discoveries, others taught me to follow orders and not ask questions. If I had enough teachers who cared more about their authority than about my growth, I probably would have left school more a robot than when I entered.I learned that to the degree that I’ve been conditioned in ways that block my process of growth, I act like a robot. Something happens near me and I respond. No time for choice, between the stimulus and the response. I’m reacting entirely to preprogrammed instructions in my memory. In examining the idea of obedience in the context of my schooling, I remember the works of authors Darymple and Milgram who provided two points of views. In doing so, I got several insights especially when I began examining the idea of the authors in the execution of orders.In the course of my study, I was able to see where the authors were coming from in their pursuit of obedience. I have learned that if I want to increase my power of authority, I can develop and cultivate my honor rather than seek honors, status, recognition and praise. Others will honor me when they know that not only do I have the capability to do what is necessary, I execute it in grace and honor. I started my career as an advocate of science and technology. Yes, my first degree was Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering.I used to get fascinated with breakthroughs science gets to offer – all those inventions and advances in technology. Awesome! Hale great! Breath-taking! Fantastic! All those praises†¦ Nothing can beat the feeling of having invented something out of nothing. Or the feeling of being the one to drastically improve the current state of something for the benefit of people around the globe – it is always satisfying! But who could tell it was not really a career of my own choice? I was one of those high school graduates who do not really know what they want to happen in their lives.And so, without any particular basis, it was Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering that I ended up with. I was aware of the good future this field has to offer. I have known of lots of people who have succeeded in this career who took up this course. I, at least, had this driving force to continue with my study. Fair enough to push me to strive harder and harder. I just told myself I need it or else I will end up with nothing. Looking at my Engineering career, I know that I took risks that I was willing to take. They were statements of who I am and who I am not.We can almost never know enough to be sure what is going to happen as a result of what we do. We can only guess, assume and expect, with varying degrees of certainty. At this moment, under these circumstances, with knowledge I have now, I make my choice. I live with its results. The conditions of my life today are the result of choices I made yesterday. Everyone â€Å"blows it† now and then. If I think clearly and act as honestly and wisely as I know how, thatâ⠂¬â„¢s all I can do. We can’t help some of our suffering, but sometimes we ourselves create the rest.Now, I have learned to take my failures and my half-successes as a normal part of life. My â€Å"errors† and â€Å"defeats† sometimes teach me more than my successes. In an important sense, they are not failures at all. In the process, I learned interdependence. Interdependence asks, â€Å"What can we do and be together? † Interdependence asks the synergy question. It is not external but the power that focuses internally. It relies on the capacity that people have within themselves to be tougher on themselves, to push themselves harder when they are subsuming what they want in the cause of something that’s greater.Ultimately, that’s what sacrifice is all about – giving up what I want now for what I want the most. Giving up what does not matter as much, for what matters more. Sometimes the needs of the few are sacrificed for the needs o f the many. Sometimes the sacrifice is just the reverse, and the needs of the many can accommodate the needs of the few. The needs of the few are worth the sacrifice and commitment of the many. Self-control, demonstrated in a group setting, is very powerful. Each person essentially says, â€Å"I give myself to it, because it is the right thing to do. † Many enjoy learning but they do not always like being taught.It requires humility. It requires recognition, first within and then to those who would teach you. It was at this phase of my life where I learned to be a true leader—one who is not afraid to learn new things and try out new ways of doing things. When a leader says one thing, the effect is intent listening and execution. The art of listening which I learned well at this point enabled me to come to the other person in terms that they understand, because I now approach them from their frame of reference, their desires, wants, and needs. Indeed, true leaders are a ble to connect with people well.I started my career as an advocate of science and technology. Yes, my first degree was Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering. I used to get fascinated with breakthroughs science gets to offer – all those inventions and advances in technology. Awesome! Hale great! Breath-taking! Fantastic! All those praises†¦ Nothing can beat the feeling of having invented something out of nothing. Or the feeling of being the one to drastically improve the current state of something for the benefit of people around the globe – it is always satisfying! But who could tell it was not really a career of my own choice?I was one of those high school graduates who do not really know what they want to happen in their lives. And so, without any particular basis, it was Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering that I ended up with. I was aware of the good future this field has to offer. I have known of lots of people who have succeeded in this car eer who took up this course. I, at least, had this driving force to continue with my study. Fair enough to push me to strive harder and harder. I just told myself I need it or else I will end up with nothing. Description of a Learning Event in Listening and Being Listened toI remembered an incident that was the turning point in my career. When I read the book on Teach only Love, I knew that I wanted to shift my course. I wanted to go into Counselling. There was something about the book that touched the innermost being in me. I wanted to shift my profession from Mechanical Engineering to Counselling Studies. These are far apart degrees and, yes, I did not see myself engaging in counselling. No, not even in my wildest dream. But this is not a dream. Yes, I am living in reality and the reality is that this is the vocation of choice. This is where I find myself, my heart.This is where I belong. It is true what the â€Å"magical† book says – that it is from your past where you draw your present. If not for the thousands of rejection, if not for the feeling of inferiority, if not for the lack of self-confidence, I do not really think this book would have as much effect on me as it had. I was so excited about it that I immediately told it to my best friend. I knew he would understand me more than anyone else. As I was telling him of my decision, I could see that he was getting listless. I saw him avoiding my eyes as soon as I uttered those words.I could not blame him. We both dreamt that we would finish the course and here I was bowing out on him. After a while, I responded, â€Å"You’re angry. † he says, â€Å"Why would I be angry? † I was sure that my friend was angry but resisted knowing his own anger because of his personal values in which anger is a wicked emotion. I knew that there was resistance to acknowledge this since he was terrified of losing control, unable to think of himself as angry because of our friendship. He seem ed to be projecting his anger on me at that moment and I could feel it so strongly.In a way, I was able to gently tell him how he looks and sounds which made him aware and he then began to talk about his anger. At that very moment I felt like a real professional counsellor. I was able to gently guide him about his feelings, even if I was unsure of what to say at all. I knew that if I uttered the wrong words, he will walk out on me. But I gently drew out his feelings then. I tried to help him break out of his sullen, angry depression. Finally, he suggested that he punch a throw pillow bunched up in a corner of the couch in a corner of the student lounge. There were a few students around.He did not wait for my reply. He started punching, harder and harder, until he was breathing fast and deeply, feeling the relaxation. He did this several times, while I sat quietly, finally remarking on how much different his face looked—smoother, less tense , not so red under the eyes. He coun tered how clear his mind seemed, that it was the first time in several days that he really felt relaxed. I managed to ask him if those punches were meant for me because I was planning to change courses. He said, he thinks those were more of his angry feelings because he was obligated to take up Engineering when he wanted to go into the arts.In an instant, I empathized with him. I knew how it was like to take up something where one’s heart was not on it. He then began to talk quietly about his father, and how he wanted him to take up Engineering instead of Speech and Drama. After a minute or so of that conversation, I asked, â€Å"How do you feel now? † He was beginning to feel tense and angry again. The object lesson for him was (1) the need for physical release for his anger, and (2) the amount of control his thoughts exercised over his feelings (Ellis, 1966). The heart’s yearningThe pent-up feelings seem to come mainly from either of two frustrations, my class mate was having feelings and thoughts which appear to be enormous, odd, scary, and feeling cut off from other people because of his own inferiority with our other classmates. I have learned from this incident that catharsis is often not enough. At some point in the helping process, the understanding, which comes with a careful analysis of anger, may be healing. My classmate was able to see his anger in the context of internal polarity or conflict, between desire for freedom and a sense of duty, and be liberated by the understanding.The precise descriptions of the anger experience helped my classmate by removing excess emotional baggage. Insight is curative, but most frequently, both client and counsellor will find additional action useful to manage anger. For me, this action is intervention, helping my classmate change attitudes about each of our decisions. It was a poignant moment I would never forget. I knew he wanted to lash out his anger on me. Although I appeared to be so passi ve all the while, in my heart I know I long for something. That something, however, is unknown.I do not know if I am just one those people who experience wanting something they do not exactly know what or looking for something they do not know, for sure, if existent. Can you just imagine how if feels to be in the dark? Be somewhere without any clear direction? They say that every little thing just takes a little of getting used to. Oh, well, probably, as I seemed to have been used to the feeling of being lost. It was sad but true. Despite the lack of light in my life, I never questioned the existence of the Great Someone Up There. I perfectly know he is there. I do not recall how often I scream for His help.Maybe not that often but, of course, I do. I do and in my heart, I know I am not essentially alone all the while. However, there are moments when I tend to question the number and quantity of challenges facing me. There seems to be an imbalance in load allocation. How come I felt so lost while others follow certain direction? How come I do not know what I want in life while others are so certain of what they want in theirs? How come I do not seem to possess enough reason to be happy and complete. I often envy happy and satisfied people, I must admit – but I do not harm to them. I just envy them, that is it.And more often than not, I wish I were in their shoes. In all the insecurities I have inside, there were times when I ask myself if this is something I caused. What is that something I failed to do? What is that something that I can probably change to make a difference? What could be missing? I have heard of success stories about people who started with nothing and ended up having the life they have always dreamed of. Can I not be one of them? My concern is never monetary. I did not wish for the whole world. I just want a piece of it – a piece of it where I can enjoy life to the fullest.I did not ask for extravagant things. What would a lone r do with those? I doubt if anybody could really enjoy everything alone. I did not wish for fame. I have lived my life not having the attention of the whole world. I just want some compassion and feeling of belongingness. I did not wish for power as I have never ever seen myself mandating others or controlling the world. It could be that I long for power but that power is the power to appreciate and enjoy life, the power to make people see me as a sensible being worth the company, the power to contribute to the ‘real’ things in this world.In short, I was never a materialistic type. There are things I lack from within and that is something I longed for to fill in. I used to have a very narrow view of things in life. I exist. I have to live. I have to survive. I used to find the question, â€Å"What am I here for? † or â€Å"Why do I exist? † as cliche that should have been buried decades back. Come on! You are here because you are here and there is just not hing you can do about it! It is not a problem needing solution. It is just a situation that you have to live with. You are left with just two options – either you continue to exist or you end your own existence.Is that something needing some sort of profound thinking?! Life is as plain as that. You just have to go with the flow. The True Art of Listening Counsellors can provide instruction in observing and listening by making these skills an integral part of their ongoing activities. The dominant characteristic of observing and listening activities are often appropriate for poor readers or students in the primary grades. To believe that all students will learn the same things at the same time, at the same rate, and with the same degree of retention is sheer fantasy.In almost any classroom at any grade level, the range of students’ abilities, interests, talents, knowledge, previous experiences, personalities, learning styles, dispositions and needs is so great that it i s staggering. This kind of individualized instruction has resulted from efforts to make teachers more responsive to individual students and their instructional needs. Activities that focus on observation skills emphasize things that children can observe; things that can include objects, behaviors or processes. Teachers need to adapt a curriculum appropriate to the needs of the students.Some of the best teaching resources for students with these kinds of learning difficulties are those teachers have developed themselves. Teachers could build most of the student activities. This will go into refining—that is, they will be tried out with students and then revised—but once developed, they can become resource to be used in future years. Before teachers can duplicate an activity, it would also be wise to share it with someone he/she can rely on for honest feedback—a colleague, or a fellow student teacher.One is almost certain to find that what one thought was perfectl y obvious is not, and thus gain a chance to make appropriate adjustments before trying it out with one’s students. It is best to start small and then build the collection of materials slowly and steadily. Responsibility in everyday life From then on, after realizing the implications of these theories, I began to take responsibility for my life now at work and beyond–which involves self-management competency. Often, when things do not go well, people tend to blame their difficulties on the situations in which they find themselves or on others.I have learned that effective self-management does not fall into this trap. Self-management competency includes integrity and ethical conduct and personal drive and resilience. I agree with what Jay Greiner posits about the reason why it is most difficult to take personal responsibility for mistakes. It is because one feels threatened and insecure. The word responsibility itself is a misused word. More than postponing automatic ass umptions, Perls, the renowned psychologist sees growth as a move from letting others be responsible to taking responsibility for oneself.Education in today’s environment will be successful if we formulate activities that are engaging as much as they are educational, and if we adapt to new technologies that will help complement classroom interaction. I have further learned that drive and resilience are especially important when someone sets out to do something no one else has done or when that person faces setbacks and failures. The responsibility aspect which Jay Greiner talks about will spur more insights about ethical dilemmas that arise at all levels in the business world.People, whether employer or employee, may face situations in their work or dealings with other people in which ethical dilemmas arise. The individuals in these cases are faced with ethical questions in their relations with customers, employees, and members of a larger society. More often than not, the ans wers to these questions are difficult because it involves weighing of values. Conflicting values in a given situation are not capable of compromise. One has to choose one over another. Sometimes, the ethically correct course of action is clear, and hopefully individuals act accordingly.But the answers are often not simple. The dilemma is most commonly presented when ethical concerns come into conflict with the practical demands of business. This is related to the proper obedience and responsibility that I discussed earlier. Knowing how to negotiate and persuade people would be very essential for the progress of my future career. Through interactions with various kinds of people in a potential workplace, I get to know particular complexities of people and use this to a good advantage. I believe that an effective leader is a pathfinder and a team builder.As pathfinders, he has to recognize needs and accommodate the legitimate needs and wants of all stakeholders by clarifying: Vision, Context, Direction, Location, Goals, Strategy, Purpose and Pace (Business Ethics). As team builders, he has to help others achieve as they create healthy, safe conditions for risk taking, help others become leaders, provide resources and be a resource themselves, help some move from dependence to independence, help others get things done; and help determine how people work together.In the course of my experiences as a leader in the fields I have chosen, I have come to understand how my social environment wants me to be, and why, I can more wisely choose which people and events in my environment I want to make a part of me, and which ones I don’t. Conclusion In summation, in order to become the person I want to be, I need to continuously identify my core competencies. Skills are to be developed according to the actual needs and not merely based on generalities and perceptions. Work-based learning will address this concern by integrating actual experiences and practices in deve loping new knowledge about the organization.Today, I now know that practice and theories must be merged together (Sill, S. 1958). People can overcome barriers to effective communication. They must first be aware that barriers exist and can cause serious problems. Then they must be willing to invest the effort and time necessary to overcome the barriers. Learning is a lifelong process. If I operate with the assumption that I do not have all the answers or insights, I allow myself to value the different viewpoints, judgments and experiences others may bring.Sometimes I cannot help but think how my life would have turned out had I stayed in the comforts of my home, not taking risks or venturing into the pursuit of my goals. In small ways, I may not even recognize that I do contribute to larger events that happen in this world. If anybody would ask me now if I regret giving up my first degree to pursue counselling, I will answer, â€Å"The sad past led me to a wonderful today. Every bi t of failure and pain did not really lead me to regretting anything because in each of those, I learned. And in each of those, I grew – not just as a person for myself but as a person for other people.† And now, I no longer find the question, â€Å"What do I live for? † mushy. I can tell, with chin up, I live for others to appreciate their lives. I do not just exist. I live. I continue to learn through others with high hopes and belief that they also learn from me. As I act, others may take heart and be stirred to action too. But if I waited for things to just happen then in the comforts of my own home, I would have probably be doing things automatically without any awareness devoid of the colorful life I have led ever since I made my choice to be responsible and independent and not sabotage my ability to do things for myself. Part IIPortfolio Counselling’s Role in Education The theories learned in the course is revealed as I look at it deeply and as I pon der on the experiences I had about the listening process and being listened to. What comes to be more alive to me now is the issue on Understanding. I learned that to be truly effective, the counsellor must have a thorough understanding of human behavior and be able to apply that understanding to the particular set of problems. For a moment, I knew that my experience with my friend was what I really wanted. This was actually what counsellors do with their clients. And I knew that I had the aptitude for it.In a way, it occurred to me that what I was doing at that moment was like the Person-centered approach which authors Embleton and colleagues (2004) were talking about. At that point I knew the person-centered approach was an effective model for both counselling and psychotherapy especially living in a complex world. (Embleton et al. , 2004). Diagnosis and the hypothesis-generating are critical and inevitable parts of the counsellor’s work. To understand human behavior means to have a set of concepts and theories that help to account for and explain significant human reactions and relate them to experiences.These concepts and principles provide the core for the counsellor’s diagnostic work. Counsellors use their understandings to talk to themselves about their own behavior as well as the concerns, actions, perceptions, emotions and motivations of their clients. With no theory, counsellors have nothing to say in their conversations. Counsellors who comprehend the role that an understanding of human behavior serves in their work, and who recognize the proper function of diagnosis, will work very hard to avoid the pitfalls in this area. It is part of their ethical responsibility. â€Å"How can I help?† As I uttered those words, I remember Higdon’s work on From Counselling Skills to Counsellor: Psychodynamic Approach, because it gave me a new understanding as he began talking. It was as if I was listening with another ear, able to compr ehend the emotions behind those words and what he was really saying. (Higdon, 2004). So, I was able to cope with it well. Initially, I was about to call it quits. I had my own issues to attend to. But it dawned on me that his desire to punch the pillows was his desire to remove the cobwebs in his own mind about what he really wanted to pursue.When I really â€Å"heard† him, and listened to him from the heart, I understood that it was his own feelings that he was wrestling with. (Higdon, 2004). Catharsis is often not enough. At some point in the helping process, just as in this example, the counsellor must take advantage of a pause, the completion of some part of the session, or an explicit expectation of the client to help him move to a greater understanding of his anger and eventually to some new action or attitude. Ellis’ proposition that the way we think has a lot to do with the way we feel.Recently, I am reminded of the trend pursued by Meichenbaum (1974), which ha ve very broad applications as a total system of therapy, and is particularly useful with clients whose anger shows righteousness or defensiveness as the dominant component, and many find it by far the most useful long-term approach. These theories became alive as I underwent that experience with my friend. How does it work? Ellis (1966) presents the basic paradigm to clients: (a) A stimulus takes place in your life; (b) you interpreted it in some way; and (c) you have an unpleasant emotional response (anger).Ellis’ Rational Emotive Therapy intervenes in the process at the second step, the interpretation, which, he says, comes from a faulty way of looking at life, a system of illogical thinking. The therapy consists of re-educating the client to think in a healthier, more appropriate way, by helping the client dispute the faulty thinking. This is the point at which many counsellors balk, because to keep at a resistant client with this kind of re-education requires a lot of con viction, ingenuity and persistence. There is a perversity that seems to want to keep the anger.One sees it in the client who resists the helper’s efforts to teach the ways his or her thoughts of being unjustly treated serve to maintain the anger. There comes a time in many helping situations at which the question is appropriate; â€Å"Do you want to give it up? † And the question: â€Å"If you give up the anger, what else do you have to give up? † Sometimes clients will say, â€Å"Yes, I want to give it up. But I can’t† Some clients will say, â€Å"Yes, I want to. Help me figure it out. † Some will say â€Å"I want to stop being so angry, but I don’t want to give it up altogether.† Some will say, â€Å"No. No, I don’t really want to give up. † Regardless of the answer, having the client state it explicitly usually puts the counselling at a stage to consider more accurately and profitably the realities of the clien t’s aims. If the client asks for help, the counsellor is in good position to offer the resources of his or her ingenuity. If the client wants to stop but not altogether, the counsellor can point out to the client that truth and its implication: â€Å"That is your truth; are you willing to take what comes with it?† If the client does not want to give it at all, the counsellor can take that as a statement of the client’s goals and ask how he can help the client work through the implications of the anger and how to minimize the ill effects of it. In sum, an important precept here aside from Understanding is Client Change. I believe that the ultimate purpose of the counselling experience is to help the client achieve some kind of change that he or she will regard as satisfying.Virtually every significant theory of counselling states that creating some kind of client change in a growth-enhancing direction is the ultimate intended outcome of the counselling experience . Some say overt behavior change is the sine qua non of the experience. Others say that behavior change is simply symptom change; real and lasting change comes when the client develops new perceptions about self, significant others and about life. This is what was glaring from this experience. Client change is often difficult to document. Behavior change, if it occurs, is probably the easiest to observe because it is the most tangible.However, clients may also change their views about certain behaviors that they previously regarded as undesirable—or they may change in the extent to which they experience stress related to an unwanted life situation—or they may change in a variety of other ways that involve internal experiencing. In spite of the difficulties of assessing some kinds of change, it seems that a counsellor who cannot describe the changes that the client ahs undergone has no basis for knowing when counselling has reached and effective conclusion. REFERENCESCe nter for Strategic and International Studies 2002, â€Å"What is globalization? † Retrieved Feb. 2, 2007 at: CSIS Globalization 101 WEBSITE on the World Wide Web: http://www. globalization101. org/globalization/ Business Ethics. Retrieved Feb. 2, 2007 at: http://www. amazon. com/gp/reader/0130797723/ref=sib_dp_pt/104-1829689-6709521#reader-page Ellis, A. (1966). Rational-emotive psychotherapy. New York: J. Norton. Embleton,Tudor,L. ,Keeras,K. ,Tudor,K. ,Valentine,J. and Worrall,M. (2004) The Person- centred Approach:A Contemporary Introduction.London:Palgrave Higdon,J. (2004)From Counselling Skills to Counsellor:A Psychodynamic Approach,Basingstoke:Palgrave Macmillan. Leading Quietly. Retrieved Feb. 2, 2007 at: http://www. amazon. com/gp/reader/1578514878/ref=sib_rdr_ex/104-1829689-6709521? %5Fencoding=UTF8&p=S00Q&j=0#reader-page Meichenbaum, D. (1974). Cognitive behavior modification. Morristown, N. J. General Learning Press, Perls, F. (1975). Growth in the Human Personality . New York: New York: Julian Press. Sill, S. (1958). Leadership Salt Lake City. Bookcraft, 48.