Strategic Management Report on Toyota

Strategic Management Report on Toyota Toyota Motor Corporation (Toyota) is the largest producer of automobiles in Japan and the worlds second largest automotive manufacturer based on production and sales. In 2010, Toyota sold 7.24 million units (Toyota, 2010). Toyota diversified operations include financial services, telecommunications, prefabricated housing and leisure boats. Besides its 12 plants and a number of manufacturing subsidiaries and affiliates in Japan, Toyota has 52 manufacturing companies in 27 countries that produce Lexus and Toyota brand vehicles and components. Toyota employs approximately 320,590 people worldwide, and markets vehicles in more than 170 countries. The company is headquartered in Tokyo, Japan and had an operating income of approximately 397.05 billion Yen (Toyota, 2011). And the main competitors of Toyota are General Motors, Honda Motors and Ford Motors (Daily Finance, 2011). 3. Analysis of Toyota Strategic Capabilities: 3.1 Company Capabilities Grant (2010) says about Lean production integrates capabilities relating to the manufacture of components and subassemblies, supply chain management, production scheduling, assembly, quality control procedures, systems for managing innovation and continuous improvement and inventory control. 3.1.1 Resources Innovation has always been a Toyota resource. In the 1970s Toyota began to produce smaller, more fuel-efficient cars, which customers desired after oil prices rocketed. Recently, it has used both diesel technology and the electric car. 3.1.2 Organizational Culture However, Toyotas main resource is the Toyota Way, the 14 principles behind the Toyota Production System (Combe, 2011). These originated in the post 1945 environment, when it was imperative to make the maximum use of scarce resources. Challenges, improvement, Kaisen, go and see (genchi genbutsu); respect and teamwork are the main tenets of these principles, which can be outlines as follows. Management decisions should be long term, as opposed to short term, although they should be arrived at consensually. Problems should be highlighted by continuous process, not hidden and resolved immediately so that a quality product is produced immediately. Only existing and trustworthy technology should be used and tasks need to be standardized so that the workload is leveled out and the workers are continually improving. Management should understand all aspects of the companys operations, and pass on their dedication to the companys goals to others. All workers, suppliers and affiliated should always be challenged to improve their performance. The latter means that Toyota becomes a leaning organization with workers being empowered to make changes as they perform their daily tasks. The Toyota Way has given Toyota a comparative advantage in both quality and reliability. 3.1.3 Supply Chain According to Winfield and Hay (1997) part of the strategic capabilities of Toyota includes the strategic capabilities of the supply chain. The pattern and organization of a supply chain is perceptibly a comprehensive topic, concerning inter dependencies between research and development, marketing and production roles, creating considerable courses of goods and technical, market and financial information. 3.2 Core Competencies Toyotas global competitive advantage is to build trust and confidence with customers by delivering outstanding quality products and services that add real value to their business. According to Drejer (2002), However, in recent years there has been a number of recalls of multiple models of Toyota, which are amazingly reliable. How could this possibly happen to the car company that was the undisputed leader in quality. 4. Evaluation of Possible Future Strategies for the Company: The main strategic issue for Toyota is maintaining its position as the worlds leading car manufacturer after the recent mass vehicle recall. 4.1 Future Strategies for Culture Change Based on the book titled 7 Lessons for Leading in Crisis written by George (2009), Toyota needs a credible leader with a strong, cohesive plan (George, 2010). 4.1.1 Face reality, starting with yourself Toyota blamed the problems on stuck floor mats and panicky drivers. Instead, Toyota should acknowledge that its vaunted quality system failed. CEO Toyoda should take personal responsibility by saying that he pushed too hard for growth and neglected quality. 4.1.2 Dont be Atlas; Get the world off your shoulders Toyoda needs a crisis team reporting directly to him, working 24/7 to get problems fixed permanently. He should add the worlds top quality experts to his fix it team and listen carefully to their advice. 4.1.3 Dig deep for the root cause Management should have required its best engineers to get to the root cause of this problem and every other quality problem being reported. 4.1.4 Get ready for the long haul These problems wont just fade away. In fact, they are likely to get worst before getting better. Toyota must invest heavily in corrective actions while its sales shrink and profits implode, requiring major cash resources until its reputation can be restored. 4.1.5 Never waste a good crisis For all the pain Toyota is experiencing, this crisis provides a unique opportunity to make fundamental changes required to restore Toyota quality. Employees are ready for new direction, and they are willing to make radical changes to renew the company. With Toyodas leadership, Toyota automobiles can be restored to the worlds highest quality. 4.1.6 Youre in the spotlight: Follow True North Toyoda must come out of hiding, take personal responsibility, and subject himself to intense questioning by regulators and the media. Then he should make a personal commitment to every Toyota customer to repair the damage, including buying back defective cars. 4.1.7 Go on offense; focus on winning now Coming out of this crisis, the market will never look the same. Toyota cannot wait until all its quality problems are resolved. It must play defense and offense simultaneously. To win, Toyota has to offer advanced features and superior quality, better value for consumers, greater safety, and improved fuel efficiency. 4.2 Future Strategies for Innovation Like Volkswagen, Toyota could design cars for specific markets (Welch, 2010). Penetration of the price sensitive Indian market could be achieved by producing its low cost car soon (The Economic Times, 2010). Toyota needs to pay more attention to the Chinese market, which is the largest and fastest growing. As Chinese families are smaller than their Western equivalents, this could be an opportunity for increased sales of the smaller Camry model (Xinhua, 2010). Retracting in Europe could fund expansion into these blossoming Asian markets. Specific markets could also be entered by joint ventures with local manufacturers. Volkswagen is aiming to do this in India, by acquiring a stake in Suzuki, which is a market leader there through its subsidiary Maruti (Ran Kim and Hetzner, 2009). Another possible strategy for Toyota is to restore its benchmark for quality and reliability, which has been severely impaired with the second recall of 4.2 million vehicles in 2009 (Bunkley, 2010). Crucial to this strategy, is the introduction of twenty dedicated technology facilities to highlight defects as quickly as possible (Guardian, 2010). In addition, the new regional quality subcommittees have the power to make improvements without head office approval. This would eradicate defects quickly, and, in turn reassure customers. 5. Implementation of the Strategic Change: Recently, public criticism focuses on complaints of too much computerization, problems with global sourcing, and the effects of Toyotas single-minded pursuit of becoming the worlds largest automaker. In fact, the recent criticism of Toyota in these areas demonstrated how leadership holds the keys to success and failure to organizational transformation. New Technology and Leadership Toyotas recent strategy to become the worlds number one automaker has been underpinned by using new know-how, new technology and new materials to improve, perfect and break through auto design and manufacturing. However, the strategy also required that Toyota shifted its focus form manufacturing engineering and built-in-quality toward research and development product design. When a company shifts its focus form lean production to technology innovation, there is an embedded obstacle culture change. On one hand, the essence of lean production dictates the elimination of waste. On the other hand, the uncertainties in new product development require that the manufacturer build in redundancy to manage the risks of the unknown and unsure a high level of safety. Trying to balance lean production with the need for redundancy is a difficult act that requires the leadership to be instrumental in making key decisions as well as leading and managing the change. Global Sourcing and Leadership Toyotas decisions on strategic positioning impacts its cooperation with suppliers. The suppliers original alignment of competitive advantages, core capabilities and value propositions needs to change along with that of Toyotas. such changes, unavoidably, will be reflected in vehicle quality, customer satisfaction and even customer safety. Some would view this as a by-product of the vehicle makers strategic move directed by its leadership. Others think the leadership should consider such impact as part of the change management alongside strategic planning shifts. Whatever it is, the key is the alignment, especially with corporate culture, people capabilities, acceptance of stress and pressure, and the ability to coordinate and change. World No. 1 and Leadership The new leadership certainly has felt the pressure. It is the responsibility of the leaders to sort out the alignment and coordination between strategic direction and operating model. Hopefully, the recall crisis will be treated once more as an opportunity to align its lean production culture and its operation excellence capabilities with its desire to leverage new technology, to continue sourcing from the globe while continuing to stay on the No. 1 pedestal. A transformation already is apparent. Toyota has become less defensive and has responded quickly to new complaints of defects. Leadership is no longer absent and now appears to be leading from the front. In consideration of the various issues, Toyotas growth strategy for the continued realization of Genchi Genbutsu and high quality at affordable prices will centre on a thorough customer first perspective (Toyota, 2010). Specifically, Toyota will review their product lineups to match customer needs in each region and create a production system that responds to changes in market structure while optimally allocating resources in areas where Toyota want to advance. 6. Conclusion Recommendations: Toyota seems to have abandoned one of its core competencies quality. Toyota is suffering from trying to get too big, too fast. Toyota sensed weakness from its auto rivals in the American market, and also noted opportunity in emerging markets such as China and India. So, it started enormous expansion around the world. In doing so, Toyota abandoned one of its core values, which is to never build a new product in a new factory with a new workforce. Toyota may have won the rights to brag as the worlds biggest car company, however, that appears to have come at a heavy cost to its reputation for quality and in turn customer dissatisfaction. Management needs to make sure that their projects and their goals are aligned with organizational values and core competencies. Understanding the importance of competencies and core values, and how they need to work in conjunction, is profoundly important for management success. Management should give thought and efforts towards developing both of these sets of attributes and remain focused on business goals. This is a challenging menu, and this crisis is the true test of Akio Toyodas leadership. Believe this is a great company that will resurrect its reputation and restore its leadership.

Microraptor Gui: The Dinosaur with Four Wings :: Anthropology Essays Paleontology Papers

Microraptor Gui: The Dinosaur with Four Wings Knowing that pterodactyls belong to a separate group of reptiles than dinosaurs, the thought of a dinosaur with wings may seem somewhat strange. But a fairly recent archeological find adds an extra detail to make this idea truly bizarre: a dinosaur with four wings. Microraptor gui, discovered by Xing Xu and colleagues, is believed to be a kind of missing link between strictly ground-dwelling dinosaurs and birds, namely Archaeopteryx, the earliest known creature to be considered a bird. While there can be no debate over the discovery itself, the implications made from its discovery haven’t been entirely accepted, with many arguing them altogether. Besides being an oddity, what makes this particular find so significant? What are these implications that have riled some scientists up, and what is it that these experts argue? Before any sort of discussion on the debate of what M. gui implies, however, the details of this odd reptile’s discovered fossils should be given. Through past research and findings, the leading theory on the origin of birds traces them back to dinosaurs, more specifically a type of bipedal dinosaur called theropods. Within this group of mostly carnivorous dinosaurs are the dromaeosaurids, and they specifically are believed to be the closest dinosaur ancestors of birds. The discovered fossils of the dramaeosaurid M. gui form of a nearly complete skeleton, and it’s been compared with a similar, previously discovered Microraptor skeleton. The place of M. gui’s discovery was Dapingfang, Chaoyang County in western Liaoning, China, also known as the Jiufotang Formation_. Xu and colleagues declare the fossils to be dated from the early Cretaceous period (about 124 - 128 million years ago_)_ through others’ radiometric dating and biostratagraphical correlations of that region_. Interestingly, the closest ancestors of many of the dinosaurs found within this area of China are believed to have lived not during the early Cretaceous, but the late Jurassic_. Paleogeographers have theorized that this area was thoroughly isolated during the very late Jurassic and into the early Cretaceous_. With paleontologists theorizing that Archaeopteryx came into existence 25 million years before the dated existence of these M. gui fossils_, M. gui i s still believed to be a basal dromaeosaurid, meaning that it’s one of the earliest of this type of theropod, maintaining that these fossils are of an ancestor to Archaeopteryx and all birds.

Alan Mulally, Ceo, Ford Motor Company

Describe what is motivating Jim Goodnight. Discuss how these factors are similar or different to what may motivate you if you worked at SAS. What motivates Jim goodnight is that he has assembled a company with loyal employees that enjoy working in the organization. Jim believes that† if you treat employees as if they make a difference to the company, they will make a difference† to the company. (Hellriegel & Slocum, 2011) As stated in the case just having the ability to work in relax and stress free environment makes the job more productive which is a great factor in any job you work at. Jim offers great benefits to work at SAS. SAS has an on cite daycare center for kids is a great factor. Having the ability to have unlimited sick days to take off for family. Those are the most important factors when working because you never want to feel like you put your job in jeopardy for taking off a lot for sick days. Hellriegel, D. & Slocum, Jr. J. (2011). Organizational behavior. Mason, OH Cengage Learning publishing Describe ethical problems associated with performance-based reward programs. Ethical problems associated with based performance reward programs are for example with DIRECTV as a CSR are incentives are base upon our yearly performance which our supervisor gets a percentage of that. I feel that supervisors shouldn’t be able to get a certain percentage of the employee’s earnings. This has been implemented from the job as a offer or incentive to supervisor as a benefit for the job. In your experience, explain any abuses you have seen. An experience I have seen at a previous job where I have worked, an employee has trained another employee for a supervisor position and once trained the employee made less money than the other employee that was trained. I find that to be ethical. Recommend how leaders can correct such abuses. Leaders need to design a better management that can be the over sea to correct the loop holes in the issues that are occurring. Employees shouldn’t train management. There should be a team of management trainers that train the managers for their jobs.

Effects of Emotional Stress on Dental Health Research Proposal Examples

Abstract Stress is a dynamic and interactional process involving intricate body systems with formulations and operationalisation of the components at different levels(1).There is growing evidence that there is a positive correlation between emotional stress and oral health. As will be demonstrated from the literature reviewed in this paper emotional stress can be implicated in oral problems such as ulcerative conditions, inflammatory conditions, dental decay, TMD, RAS and others that continue to be linked to stress. Stress has also been found to aggravate some oral conditions such as oral lichen planus. In some of these conditions the precise mechanisms by which stress causes or aggravates them is not clear though definite association has been demonstrated. However in most conditions stress modifies the local immunological responses, the microbial flora or results in behavioural choices such as excess alcohol consumption, tobacco taking and unhygienic practices that have been implicated in these conditions. Despite the plethora of research on this subject the association of stress and oral health is fairly ignored and very few people are aware of this association because it is not as publicized as the other conditions associated with stress It is therefore important evaluate the effects of emotional stress on dental health and to educate the population on the same particularly because of the impact of the oral disorders on the quality of life. This paper will explore the various oral disoreders that have strongly been associated with stress. The paper shall comprise of a review, though not exhaustive, of the available literature on the subject attempting (where possible) to asses the mechanisms involved. Introduction Background Information Stress is a naturally occurring phenomenon in the modern society due to the pressures of life. Stress is an interaction of psychological and physiological reactions of an individual encountering changes or demands that are difficult to handle. The demands of life accompanied by very little control or ability to meet those demand conspire to affect the mental state of an individual resulting in such effects as anxiety, depression, panic attacks, lack of sleep associated with irritability and stress. Several factors contribute to stress in the modern society and they include, solitary careers, strife for perfection, economic pressure, career pressure, personality complexes and time pressure(2). It has been established that most if not all people experience different forms and different levels of stress at some point occasioned by internal or/and external factors. From a biological view point stress, though the negative effects are over emphasized, can be a neutral, negative or positive experience.   It is important to not that our bodies respond differently to stress and a lot of research has been carried out to establish the pathological responses to stress. The behavioural changes and hormonal modifications induced by stress explain the relationship between stress and disease. Of particular interest to this research paper are the effects of emotional stress on oral health. A plethora of research has established that there is a significant link between emotional stress and oral health hence implicating anxiety and depression for development of certain oral disorders. Some of the most important oral conditions that have been associated with dental emotional health are bruxism (tooth grinding which may culminate into teeth damage, jaw or facial pain and headaches), canker sores also called aphthous ulcers, dry mouth, burning mouth syndrome, Lichen planus and temporomandibular joint disorders (TMJ). In addition emotional stress has been implicated in contributing to susceptibility to various infections including gum infections (periodontitis)(3). The oral health of individuals with emotional stress is also affected by the fact that they tend to ignore personal hygiene and engage in destructive activities such as smocking and excessive alcohol consumption. Pharmacological studies have also established that some of the drugs administered to treat depression cause dryness of the mouth. Finally in patients with some of the above mentioned oral conditions stress has been shown to cause relapse after treatment. Research objective The aim of this study is to assess the influence of the emotional stress on dental health Justification All people encounter different forms and levels of stress in life. Stress can be subtle and not easy to identify but often stress manifests as anxiety disorders, depression, panic attacks and lack of sleep culminating in irritability and grogginess. Emotional stress has been recognized as a risk factor in the aetiology and pathogenesis of several diseases. Chronic inflammatory disorders such as rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis, psoriasis and inflammatory bowel disease are some of the conditions initiated and exacerbated by emotional stress. A lot of attention has been given to these conditions and the cardiovascular effects of stress. However the association of stress and oral health is fairly ignored and very few people are aware of this association because it is not as publicized as the other conditions associated with stress. Unfortunately the mouth has as much of a probability of being affected by stress as any other part of the bodies and the mind. It is therefore import ant evaluate the effects of emotional stress on dental health and to educate the population on the same. Literature Review Stress is a dynamic and interactional process involving intricate body systems with formulations and operationalisation of the components at different levels(1). Currently stress is defined as physiological and metabolic perturbations brought about by various aggressive agents and the psycho-physiological response of an organism facing challenges or a threat or a perception of the same(1).   Several factors contribute to stress in the modern society and they include, solitary careers, strife for perfection, economic pressure, career pressure, personality complexes and time pressure(2). Emotional stress has been recognized as a risk factor in the aetiology and pathogenesis of several diseases. Emotional stress has been implicated for negatively affecting the immune system and behaviour the two main means by which stress has been shown to affect health. Research on the effect of stress on mice demonstrated that stress affects the immune system by reducing the tumour necrosis factor and modifying leucocytes responses(4). Similarly human studies have shown that stressful events can affect immune response(5). Research has demonstrated that there is an intricate interaction of psychology, neurology, immunology and endocrinology emphasizing the significance of psychological and physiological vulnerability to face stress(6).   As early research by Ringsdorf and Cheraskin (1969) found that mental stress has an impact on lifestyle choice and dental hygiene habits. They showed that stress increases alcohol consumption and tobacco use as well as food habits, findings that have been confirmed by a recent research(7). Therefore there is evidence that stress affects health mainly by i nfluencing the immune system and behavioural choices. Current research indicates that emotional stress is a risk factor in the aetiology and pathogenesis of several diseases as explored in the subsequent sections. Stress and recurrent aphthus stomatitis Recurrent aphthous stomatitis (RAS) is the commonest ulcerative disease of the oral mucosa that is associated with painful ulcers (McCullough, Abdel-Hafeth, Scully, 2007). Albeit its world wide occurrence and the extensive amount of research devoted to the disorder the aetiology of the RAS remains unclear. However multiple factors including nutritional, genetic, infectious and psychological factors have been associated with the condition(8). The disorder contributes to poor quality of life yet the available therapy is inadequate. As earlier stated psychological factors, including stress, have been associated with exacerbation of RAS. Psychological factors have an effect on the immune system and this effect could be implicated for the disorder(9). Stress and Temporomandibular disorders Temporomandibular disorder is a term that collectively describes several clinical syndromes involving the masticatory muscles and/or the temporomandibular joint(10). Symptomatically the condition is associated facial pain resulting from multiple factors including sleep bruxism and other risk factors associated with psychological status. Stress has been associated with TMD with some studies indicating that 50-75% of the TMD patients experienced stressful conditions prior to the onset of the TMD symptoms(11). Research has also implicate increased masticatory muscle activity, leading particularly prolonged and increased muscle tension, associated tor stress for the causation of TMD(12). There are also indications that stress exacerbates sleep bruxism and/or daytime clenching(13). Patients with TMD could benefit from psychotherapy as part of multidisciplinary pain management approach(14). Stress appears to activate various physiological responses involving the nervous system (both central and peripheral NS). Activation of the sympathetic nerves and release of epinephrine at the sympathetic terminals by stress and anxiety enhances acetylcholine activity at the motor endplate and triggers a cascade of events culminating in decreased threshold at muscle nociceptors and pain(10). There is evidence that psychological factors and physiological responses contribute to the pain but as to whether they actually cause TMD it is not known. However there are indications that some patients suffering from TMD are more anxious than can be explained by asymptomatic controls. Stress and orthodontics treatment A recent study showed that orthodontic tooth movement alone can evoke emotional stress and emotional stress results in increased cellular cementum resorption and particularly to decreased tooth movement(15). This study also demonstrated that progressive chronic emotional and physical stress leads to significant morphological changes in oral dental tissues in rats. The researchers therefore concluded that chronic stress can lead to periodontal pathology, exacerbate the exhaustion of protective immune responses, impair the functioning of the masticatory muscles and affect the growth and development of the dentomaxillomandibular system. The severity of these effects positively correlates with the strength of the stressor and negatively with the tolerance of the individual test animal. Psychological stress influences various immune functions in various ways. Stress and dental Caries Dental caries also called dental decay is a preventable infectious disease characterised by erosion of the mineral tissues of teeth caused by organic acids produced by bacterial fermentation of dietary carbohydrates ((16)). It has been rated the most common childhood chronic disease affecting up to 40-50% of British and USA children(17) and 60-90% children in the world in the age bracket of 2 to 11 years(18). Early childhood caries (ECC) is associated with an interaction of multiple factors including psychological, biological and behavioural factors. Though the association between this condition and stress remain amorphous studies have been conducted to establish the link. One such study investigated psychological stress as a risk factor in the aetiology of ECC by determining and comparing the salivary cortisol levels as a response to stress related events in children with ECC and those without. The study also compared the adaptability of children with ECC and those without to different dental procedures(19). Research indicates that psychological and biological factors seem to interact in two distinct and interactive ways to influence dental decay. Children from lower SES families appeared to acquire higher levels of cariogenic oral bacterial than their peers from higher SES families. This indicated a strong correlation between SES and counts of Lactobacilli (LB) and oral mutans streptococci (MS) which were therefore implicated for mediating the SES-caries association. Secondly cortisol reactivity to stress and higher production of salivary cortisol undermines local defences and protective microanatomical structures thus compromising dental health. The presence of cariogenic bacteria as well as elevated basal HPA activation was linked to dentition while increased cortisol reactivity was associated with changes in the physical characteristics of dental enamel. The association of cortisol and bacteria with caries agrees with earlier findings that chronic stress can affect sIgA (secretory Ig A) secretion(20), that cortisol can affect local mucosal immunity and oral microflora, and that the compromising of the mucosal immunity encourages bacterial colonization and growth (21). It is important to note that sIgA plays a vital role in regulating the oral microflora and that gluco-corticoids suppress the immune responses through such mechanisms as reducing lymphocytes in circulation, inhibiting the aggregation of immune cells,reducing chemotaxis and degranulation and reducing production of cytokines such as IL-1, IL-2, interferon gamma and tumour necrosis factor.   These reports lead to the conclusion that socioeconomic categorization of ECC is a culmination of stress related elevation of cortisol production and the increase in the population of cariogenic bacteria(22). Stress and Oral lichen planus Oral lichen planus is a condition that involves the inflammation of the oral mucosa and is characterized by red swollen tissues, open sores and white lacy patches(23). It begins as a small raised swelling that progressively turns into white lacy patches that eventually spread through out the mouth. It is also accompanied by moth pain, sores and blisters, a burning sensation in the mouth, a feeling of rough texture in the mouth and sore gums. The patient may also bleed when brushing his/her teeth and have a metallic taste in the mouth(24). The precise aetiology of oral lichen planus remains unknown but it seems to be an autoimmune response in which the immune system attacks the oral epithelial cells leading to necrosis. In most cases it occurs unexpectedly thus referred to as idiopathic oral lichen planus. It may also occur due to certain drugs, mechanical trauma, viral infection and contact with allergens. The exact association of oral lichen planus with stress has not been identified because unlike other stress related oral disorders that have been shown to be caused by suppression of the immune system by stress oral lichen planus is associated with n over reactive immune system. However there is overwhelming evidence that psychological stress exacerbates oral lichen planus by unknown mechanisms(25). Periodontitis, inflammation of the tissues supporting the teeth, is another inflammatory disorder that has been associated with stress. Unlike oral lichen planus, the cause of periodontitis is well known. Periodontitis i s caused infectious bacteria. Research indicate that stress modify the microbial flora of the mouth as well as the local immunity thus leading to periodontitis(3). Conclusion There is growing evidence that there is a positive correlation between emotional stress and oral health. As has been demonstrated from the literature reviewed in this paper emotional stress can be implicated in oral problems such as ulcerative conditions, inflammatory conditions, dental decay, TMD, RAS and others that continue to be linked to stress. Stress has also been found to aggravate some oral conditions such as oral lichen planus. In some of these conditions the precise mechanisms by which stress causes or aggravates them is not clear though definite association has been demonstrated. However in most conditions stress modifies the local immunological responses, the microbial flora or results in behavioural choices such as excess alcohol consumption, tobacco taking and unhygienic practices that have been implicated in these conditions. It is therefore advisable to reduce stressful encounters as much as possible and to manage stress effectively. References Reners M, Brecx M.   Stress and periodontal disease. Int J Dent Hyg. 2007; 12 (3):   532-543. Lang S, Randy M. Stress In Dentistry It Could Kill You.2007; 34 (6):Or Hel J; 23-46. Rajiv S, Saini S, Sugandha S. Periodontitis and psychological stress: A dental view. Ind psy J. 2010; 45 (6) 61-67. Shapira L, Houri-Haddad Y, Frolov I, Halabi A, Ben-Nathan D. The effect of stress on the inflammatory response to Porphyromonas gingivalis in a mouse subcutaneous chamber model. J Periodontol.1999 Mar; 70 (3): 289–293. Ballieux R. Impact of mental stress on the immune response. J Clin Periodontol. 1991 Jul; 18 (6); 427–430. Andersen B, Kiecolt-Blaser   A .Behavioral model of cancer stress and disease course. Am Psychol. 1994; 33 (6): 3-12. Suchday S, Kapur S, Ewart CK, Friedberg JP.Urban stress and health in developing countries: development and validation of a neighbourhood stress index for India. Behav Med. 2006 fall; 32 (3): 77–86. Gallo C B, Maria Mimura MA, Sugaya NN. Psychological Stress and Recurrent Aphthous Stomatitis. Clinics (Sao Paulo). 2009 Jul; 64 (7): 645–648. Andrews V H, Hall H R. The effects of relaxation/imagery training on reurrent Aphthous Stomatitis:A preliminary study. Psychosom Med. 1990 sep-Oct; 52 (5): 526-535. Vedolin GM, Lobato VV, Conti PC, Lauris JR. The impact of stress and anxiety on the pressure pain threshold of myofascial pain patients. J Oral Rehabil. 2009 Feb 6; 36 (5): 313-21. Burris JL, Evans DR, Carlson CR.Psychological correlates of medical comorbidities in patients with temporomandibular disorders. J Am Dent Assoc. 2010; 141 (1): pp. 22-31. Filho JO,Alynne VM, Deborah DQ, Manzi FR, Bà ³scolo FN,Solange Maria MA.Condylar and Disk Position and Signs and Symptoms of Temporomandibular Disorders in Stress-Free Subjects. J Am Dent Assoc. 2007; 138 (9). 1251-1255. Antonova IN. Changes in the masticatory muscles, periodontal tissues and the pharyngeal ring in Wistar rats subjected to chronic psychophysical stress. Morfologiia. 2007; 132 (5): 74-9. van Selms MK, Lobbezoo F, Visscher CM, Naeije M. Myofascial temporomandibular disorder pain, parafunctions and psychological stress. J Oral Rehabil. 2008 Jan; 35 (1): pp. 45–52. Vandevska-Radunovic V, Murison R. Emotional stress and orthodontic tooth movement: effects on apical root resorption, tooth movement, and dental tissue expression of interleukin-1 alpha and calcitonin gene-related peptide immunoreactive nerve fibres in rats.Eur J Orthod. 2010 Jun; 32 (3): 29-35. Selwitz RH, Ismail AI,Pitts NB Dental caries. Lancet. 2007 Jan 6; 369 (9555): 51-9. Pitts NB, Boyles J, Nugent ZJ, Thomas N, Pine CM.The dental caries experience of 5-year-old children in Great Britain (2005/6). Surveys co-ordinated by the British Association for the study of community dentistry. Community Dent Health. 2007 Mar; 24 (1): 59-63. Grembowski D, Spiekerman C, Milgrom P. Linking Mother and Child Access to Dental Care. Pediatrics. 2008 Oct; 122 (4): 805-814. Kambalimath Hv, Dixit UB, Thyagi PS. Salivary cortisol response to psychological stress in children with early childhood caries. Indian J Dent Res. 2010; 21 (2); 231-7. Deinzer R, Kleineidam C, Stiller-Winkler R, Idel H, Bachg D. Prolonged reduction of salivary immunoglobulin A (sIgA) after a major academic exam. Int J Psychophysiol. 2000 Sep; 37 (3): 219-32. Kamma, Joanna J., Lygidakis, Nick A. and Nakou, Mela Subgingival microflora and treatment in prepubertal periodontitis associated with chronic idiopathic neutropenia.J Clinic Periodontol. 1998 Sep 25 (9). 759–765. Boyce WT, Den Besten PK, Stamperdahl J, Zhan L, Jiang Y, Adler NE, Featherstone JD.Social inequalities in childhood dental caries: The convergent roles of stress, bacteria and disadvantage. Soc Sci Med. 2008 Nov; 71 (9): 1644-1652. mayoclinic.com. Oral lichen planus. [Online] August 14, 2010. [Cited: April 8, 2011.]. Available from: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/oral-lichen-planus/DS00784. Zmuida C. Oral Lichen Planus Disease. ehow heath. [Online] nd. [Cited: April 8, 2011.]. Available from: http://www.ehow.com/about_5509030_oral-lichen-planus-disease.html. Sugerman PB, Porter SR. Oral Lichen Planus Differential Diagnoses. emedicine.medscape.com. [Online] October 29, 2010. [Cited: April 8, 2011.]. Available from: http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/1078327-differential. Emotional status and the periodontium. Ringsdorf, W M and Cheraskin, E. 1969, J Tenn State Dent Assoc, pp. 5-18. McCullough MJ, Abdel-Hafeth S and Scully C. Recurrent aphthous stomatitis revisited; clinical features, associations, and new association with infant feeding practices?. J Oral Pathol Med. 2007 Nov: 36 (10) :615-20.

Ugly Truth - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 7 Words: 2002 Downloads: 1 Date added: 2019/04/01 Category Society Essay Level High school Tags: Truth Essay Did you like this example? Embracing individuality has become more of a nuisance in society rather than a declarative freedom. In Andrew Solomons,Son, differences have created a huge social divide between strangers, but more importantly amongst families as well. Solomon highlights the idea that family structures are corroborated by a parents inability to accept the illnesses of their own children and perceive it as a learning experience. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Ugly Truth" essay for you Create order Andrew Solomon writes of his own personal journey regarding his mother who attempted to alter his sexuality, partially to blind herself from the reality of how others would judge her. Both Solomon and his mother demonstrate an internal struggle due to the uncertainty connected with what an individual expects versus what they actually receive. This internal struggle referred to by Solomon is further examined in Daniel Gilberts, Immune to Reality, where Gilbert explains how individuals perceive the world based on their subjective experience of it. He demonstrates how a psychological immune system unconsciously protects humans from trauma and adversities, but how it also prevents them from fully experiencing and processing very difficult events. Amongst the many definitions of happiness discussed by Daniel Gilbert, the idea that happiness is making the best of a bad situation is largely incomplete because it does not encompass the desired effects of genuine and long-lasting happiness. H owever, through Solomons negative experiences and emotions with the lack of acceptance from his mother it is evident that his acceptance towards identity and the support from other like-minded individuals leads to a more sustained happiness. Daniel Gilberts depiction of a psychological immune system as a defense mechanism to make the best of a situation reveals the sense of a short-term enjoyment developed by society. Daniel Gilbert argues that the psychological immune system is an adaptation that helps us cope with things we can not change. However, happiness must not stem from ones ability to cope because coping with ones circumstances provides a temporary, forced sense of happiness. Individuals have started to develop a tendency to settle for short-term happiness in scenarios intended to bring enduring happiness, such as a family. Gilbert claims, Another possibility is that we are more likely to look for and find a positive view of the things were stuck with than of things were not. Friends come and go, and changing candidates is as easy as changing socks. But siblings and presidents are ours, for better or for worse, and there is not much we can do about it once theyve been born or elected, (Gilbert 138). The inesca pability trigger mentioned by Gilbert produces an incomplete sense of happiness and reality because individuals are essentially optimizing their happiness by staying comfortable and designing scenarios that better shape around that comfort. This notion of excusing a siblings behavior because of their permanence allows short-term happiness to be produced because individuals are robbing themselves of better treatment by excusing behavior they should be aiming to correct. A psychological immune system only worsens the journey towards happiness because using a certain mindset to force rationalization strips individuals of their humanity because they are void to powerful emotions such as anger or sadness that could potentially lead to greater ones such as compassion. However, once an individual can be fully comfortable with the fact that their mood is uneasy, the more they are able to embrace their humanity through self-analysis. The ability to experience anger such as with a sibling a nd manifest it into self-compassion and compassion towards others when faced with an adversity is much more effective towards long-lasting happiness than convincing yourself into being happy. Similarly, Andrew Solomons discussion of parents who simply cope with the defects of their children supports the idea that a psychological immune system creates short-term happiness as previously analyzed through the experiments of Daniel Gilbert. Andrew Solomon described a childs defect as something that permanently becomes a part of the parent and demonstrates how many parents simply cope with such news, which parallels to Gilberts idea of an inescapability trigger. Parents continue to make the best of their situation in order to achieve happiness as an ultimate goal, rather than allowing it to be something that one can naturally experience through trial and error. Andrew Solomon states,Such parents tend to view aberrance as illness until habituationenables them to cope with their odd new realityoften by introducing the language of identity, (Solomon 373). If parents who are struggling to accept their children avoided their psychological immune systems by understanding the negativi ties of life and the ways to go about them, they would be able to achieve a much more compelling sense of happiness. Rather than coping, negative experiences allow individuals to go through a trial and error phase in order to fully correct and understand what is bothering them. This provides them with the opportunity to reach out to others for help, strengthening their bond with themselves and society. In this case, the parents would have developed a better bond with their children and would not have to feel as if there is not much [they] can do about it, (Gilbert 138). Many parents feel disconnected from their children now more than ever when it comes to disabilities because they simply cope with the experiences that are meant to evoke certain emotions necessary to understand oneself. Without the capability to understand the emotions of oneself, it makes it extremely difficult to comprehend the emotions of others. Parents find themselves in a constant cycle of short-lived happiness with their children because they lack the emotional understanding necessary to break down their barriers. On the other hand, Solomons experience with his mothers discomfort towards his sexuality acts as a counterexample to Daniel Gilberts argument of settling because Solomon managed to find long lasting happiness after attempting to alter his personality by finding support from similar individuals. Both Solomon and Gilbert acknowledge the idea of acceptance, however the acceptance of a certain fate and the acceptance of identity are immensely different. Solomons mothers lack of acceptance and the criticism of his classmates essentially contributed to his negative perception of himself and dissatisfaction with the world. Rather than shaping his view more positively, he states, My treatment took only two hours a week for about six months, and it gave me an ease with womens bodies that was so vital to the subsequent heterosexual experiences Im glad to have hadbut when I was with them, I could never forget that my cure was a distilled manifestation of self-loathing, and I have never entirely forgiven the circumstances that disposed me to make the obscene effort, (Solomon 380). Solomons lack of a psychological immune system undermines Gilberts idea of synthetic happiness generating real happiness. Instead of developing a defense mechanism, Solomon had the ability to experience a psychological process of sublimation and alter parts of himself in an effort to please society. This eventually allowed him to accept the reality that his mother would never fully understand him instead of settling with her disappointment because of her permanence, as Gilbert previously mentions. Solomon experienced sadness and discomfort by the situation, but the negative experience pushed him to find like-minded individuals who made him more accepting of himself in the long run. This proves that sadness is an evolutionary benefit because it helps strengthen social and internal bonds. This idea of connecting individuals through sympathy, similarities, and talking through negative experiences actually allows individual to resolve their issues to achieve a long term happiness, whereas forcing people to constantly be positive may in fact be detrimental. The pain Solomon felt during his experience amplified his individuality and authenticity because he realized how miserable he felt trying to chase short-term happiness and manifested that suffering into immediate action, which m any of the individuals that Gilbert describes fail to do by changing their view of the experience, (Gilbert 138). Attempting to discern sadness ultimately prevents an individual from the conception of their genuine identity and feeling of authentic happiness. Meanwhile avoiding a psychological immune system altogether is more beneficial towards sustaining happiness because the exposure to the harsh reality of distinct perspectives prevents individuals from creating their own distorted views of experiences. Moreover, Andrew Solomons acceptance of his own identity disproves Gilberts discussion of happiness through coping with an irrevocable situation. As previously mentioned, Gilbert discusses the coping of circumstances regarding family members simply because they are part of ones blood and something that they can not change, allowing individuals to succumb to the inescapability trigger. A psychological immune system produces this attitude that acceptance simply means getting over painful situations. However, Solomon directly falsifies Gilberts argument because he demonstrates how ones identity is also theirs for better or for worse and there is not much they can do about it, (Gilbert 138). In this case, the irrevocable situation is the essence of an individual rather than societys perceptions. Individuals may attempt to ignore or escape from who they truly are, but this creates a sense of dissatisfaction and false happiness that actually causes many individuals to appreciate and liv e their life authentically as themselves. Solomon was able to apply the idea of acceptance into his inevitable situation of his identity, rather than just simply coping with what he previously thought of himself. Contrary to Gilbert, Solomon demonstrates that acceptance doesnt mean minimizing the significance of what happened or ones reaction, but that it is in fact an in depth acknowledgement that brings happiness. Solomons experience with his identity allows individuals to view happiness as the ability to accept life for what it is and realize it is not something they must control, as a psychological immune system aims to do. Gilberts definition of happiness will only get an individual so far as to feeling contempt, however Solomons idea of allowing happiness to become a product through natural experiences will allow individuals to go as far as celebrating themselves and their accomplishments. Many individuals may resonate with the experiments of Daniel Gilbert and believe that altering their perceptions of experiences may synthesize their happiness, in terms providing real happiness. However, this forced sense of happiness can not be defined as genuine happiness because it is only temporary. Through the representation of a psychological immune system in both the essay of Gilbert and Solomon, it is evident that a psychological immune system only provides short-term happiness because individuals miss out on life experiences meant to create a strong internal connection with oneself. Andrew Solomon points out,This books conundrum is that most of the families described here ended up grateful for the experiences they would have done anything to avoid, (Solomon 387). This represents an important rationale as to why immediate action must be taken rather than ignoring the situation altogether. The idea that parents developed happiness in themselves and in their children later on c ould have been expedited by focusing less on defects as something they must cope with, but rather an opportunity to connect with others and gain knowledge. Convincing oneself against negative experiences is a plausible route to momentary happiness, but Andrew Solomon is a prime example of achieving a durable sense of happiness and living authentically through adversities. Undergoing negative experiences allows genuine happiness to occur because intense emotions such as sadness allows individuals to deeply understand other profound emotions such as beauty. As demonstrated through Andrew Solomon, hardships can provide the unity needed to survive and the acceptance of oneself, allowing genuine happiness to become a product. Nevertheless, the examination of ones negative experiences allows an individual to achieve enduring happiness because they become aware as to why and how they felt the way they did. A psychological immune system portrays happiness as a coping mechanism, creating a sense of short-term happiness because individuals are not striving to reach their maximum potential or a state of self-actualization. Natural happiness is an end goal, but it results from the choices one makes and their ability to grow from those choices. Enduring pain, sadness, or annoyance ultimately authorizes individuals to closely connect with themselves and the realistic nature of the world.

Essay On Gender Socialization - 1574 Words

Gender Socialization and Children’s Retail Children are known for absorbing information from the world around them. Therefore, what children are exposed to while they are growing is important, as they learn a lot from the world around them. In this paper, the process of gender socialization will be discussed and examined. In specific, how retail marketed for young children may have an effect on their development, especially as they distinguish gender. Socialization is general the process of individuals learning the behaviors and values of society. The socialization process may vary for many, as it is dependant on many factors such as time, location, gender and socio-economic status. Gender socialization in particular is the†¦show more content†¦To start off the research, certain qualities of goods were noted, such as labeling, texture and size. The clothing sections were visited and examined first and signs located in the store noted these sections. In the girl’s section, the texture of the clothing seemed to be thinner and softer compared to the boys clothing, in which fabric was thicker and tougher. This pattern was consistent when analyzing both t-shirts and dress clothes. Another notable observation was a difference in sizing. In the boys section, when holding one shirt of the same size over another there was almost a perfect overlap. However, doing the same in the girl’s section there was about a 2-inch difference between two shirts of the same size. This arises the question of size consistency in boy’s clothing compared to girls. The next major thing that was noted was what was displayed on the clothing. In the boy’s graphic t-shirt section, many shirts were video game, super hero and dinosaur related. In the girls section many of the shirts pictured animals, Disney princesses, with limited super hero options. 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Contextual Studies Creative Media Production

Question: Discuss the critical analysis of institutional context of creative media? Answer: Critical Analysis Of Institutional Context Of Creative Media Creativity in one term can be defined as reconstruction. Creativity is the replication of one persons inner ideas and thoughts. It is the reconstruction of understanding of a situation in a non-obvious way (Murphy, Fox-Rogers and Redmond, 2014). Creative Media includes fields like Advertising, Publishing, which in turn includes within them Fashion and textile, film, music, radio and television, performing arts, computer games, interactive media etc. The introduction of creative media have influenced media production at different levels in different ways. Today the quality of products that are being delivered to people, in comparison to the previous products produced, are of much better quality in all aspects. As a result of improved quality of production, viewership has increased rapidly. People are spending more time, for example in watching news or taking interest in thinking about a particular issue in country as news are being delivered to the viewers in a modern and interesting way. The main influence of creative media on production is the alteration of scale in reaching out to people. Creative media has helped in constructing old ideas in new modern ways, which in turn have developed an interest in peoples mind as the platform being used nowadays is of international level. Ideas are being approached and reconstructed in such manner so that it can fit the understanding of different class of people (Ashley and Tuten, 2014). Basically there are five leading recording and distribution companies that is presently dominating the Music Industry namely, Warner Elektra-Atlantic, Sony Music Entertainment, Universal Music Group, BMG distribution and CEMA Distribution. These companies together are handling almost 80% of the USA market, thereby recording, producing, record labeling and selling products to wholesalers and retailers. In respect to the other 20% of the market, there are other small scale recording and distributing companies serving the purpose. Reception on media products: Today the commercial media market is being ruled by 3 institutions mainly. These are advertisers, advertising agencies and media organizations. They all take part in collaborating consumer and audience markets. Today music and media are being recorded and produced keeping in mind the present day taste and demands of the audiences. Mainly today media production is based on commercial floors. Finance determines the production limit of various media houses (Gower and McDowall, 2012). The more the finance, the more innovative project is produced. There has been a rapid change in viewership as well. Audiences are becoming consumers day by day as new developed services are being provided to them via mobile communications and digital television. New applications are being launched whereby people can access there favorite music channel and music in just one click. For example, various websites like Ganna.com, songspk.com etc provide audience the facilities to listen their choice of music onl ine. Even there are application like Hotstar TV which provide with the facility of watching online movies and television serials on mobile phones (Music Industry Mobilizes for Music Service, 1949). Hence the rate of viewership has shown a distinct change in todays media market. References Ashley, C. and Tuten, T. (2014). Creative Strategies in Social Media Marketing: An Exploratory Study of Branded Social Content and Consumer Engagement.Psychology Marketing, 32(1), pp.15-27. Gower, L. and McDowall, J. (2012). Interactive music video games and children's musical development.Brit. J. Music. Ed., 29(01), pp.91-105. Murphy, E., Fox-Rogers, L. and Redmond, D. (2014). Location Decision Making of Creative Industries: The Media and Computer Game Sectors in Dublin, Ireland.Growth Change, 46(1), pp.97-113. Music Industry Mobilizes for Music Service. (1949).Music Educators Journal, 36(1), p.26.