Case Study Simulation Cotton On Limited Marketing Essay

Case Study Simulation Cotton On Limited Marketing Essay The purpose of the report is to establish three strategies which will address issues within Cotton-On Ltd causing their current financial troubles. The three chosen strategies are: research consumer buying habits, introduce online sales and expand sales into the European Union countries. These strategies will be explored and discussed to explain how they help improve the situation at Cotton-On Ltd. The first strategy research consumer buying habits shows how we look through the range of methods used for researching consumer buying habits in order to make a recommendation which is most suitable related to Cotton-On Ltd. Gathered data can be used to make decisions regarding various concerns with Cotton-On Ltd, such as product range, pricing or available sales channels. The methods used for researching consumer buying habits helps support other strategies because it allows Cotton-On Ltd to understand potential customers in new market settings. The second strategy introduce online sales refers to Cotton-On Ltd using the internet as a tool to strengthen the company because it is increasingly beneficial for them. Through extensive research Cotton-On Ltd should introduce online sales because of their position within the market otherwise they will be disadvantaged compared to competitors. Also the potential of the online sales channel is an opportunity for them to expand online and take advantage of the internet as a marketing tool. However there is a range of different ways Cotton-On Ltd can choose to approach selling their products online and this will be further discussed within the report. The third strategy expand sales into European Union countries explores this topic in context of online sales. The UK is a leading European country in relation to online sales however there are bigger markets to be explored, since some of these markets are expected to grow in the next few years. The topics which will be discussed is the European market related to Cotton-On Ltd, the aspect of the language barrier, the pricing / currency and any other points will be taken into consideration. All three strategies are explained to show the advantages for Cotton-On Ltd and highlight the main issues. We show how the strategies are linked together and where possible, suggest methods for implementation and overcoming issues. Those strategies are a starting point for the company to overcome their problems. Research Consumer Buying Habits Methodology Consumer buying habit is a complex matter and there are many factors that influence buying decision of the customer. When it comes to researching consumer behaviour for a business it is the greatest mystery of any business to solve (Matt Alderton, no date). There are many ways we could find out about consumer buying habits, but before doing anything else we need to investigate Cotton-On Ltd, its System or any previous study on the matter. One of the following techniques would be chosen to suit Cotton-On Ltd namely, interview, questionnaire, survey and consumer panel, but the best would be to organize customer focus group to help Cotton-On Ltd identify and find consumer specific needs. Customer focus group will produce good customer data in their own words, which would help create more effective marketing campaign and will expose problems within Cotton-On Ltd (Matt Alderton, no date). To get the best out of customer focus group it is important to stay focused on Cotton-On Ltd objectives that would have to be why the business is losing sale and how to save money? Predetermined questions and Moderator who be able to speak comfortably, easy to approach. Recruit up to twelve participants; the selection will be according to our question and will avoid random customer. Record the focus group either with a tape recorder or a video camera, but will have to ask participants permission. Evaluate feedback by reviewing the session to improve the quality (Matt Alderton, no date). As well as organising focus group Cotton-On Ltd should have a Consumer Panel to test our product as Consumer Panels are useful for fast short survey (DJS Research Ltd, no date). Discussion There are a few problems with Cotton-On Ltd system needs updating, improving and even would be scrapped once the new recommendation and system is implemented, but global issues have to be taken into account too, due to economic climate of UK, which is either flat or negative growth for the last six months family budgets are tight only spending where it matters most. The first issue has been noticed in Cotton-On Ltd case is that until last year it represented 20 per cent of UK customers, which is equivalent of 30 per cent of the UK sales revenue. That means Cotton-On Ltd prices are higher and something needs to be done in order to increment the sales revenue, whilst retaining the same sales revenue at least for now. In the light of the focus group Cotton-On Ltd will have to move accordingly whether to keep the same price for the moment, but offering something in addition to what customer buys or anything, otherwise desired. As Cotton-On Ltd have 20 stores across the UK and the only other mean of sale we have is through mail order, the Office for National Statistics retail sales figure for January 2012 out today 17-February 2012, non-store retailing which is mainly internet sales, grew by 13.3% in January (Chloe Rigby, 2012). So the shift continues from high street sales to online and mail order Cotton-On Ltd needs to recognize this and move accordingly. As a retailer the key for Cotton-On Ltd is to combine the flexibility that online and mail order delivers, with the customer service of the physical shopping. By bringing those together Cotton-On Ltd services and offers become more compelling to it is customers and this will lead to increased revenue, and will improve Cotton-On Ltd brand value (Chloe Rigby, 2012). As it shows in meeting of Cotton-On Ltd directors that the business does not know sales of their products by colour, size and Cotton-On Ltd should know which product is selling well and which one is not. So once we produce the final report on consumer buying habit we would be able to know these answers to some extent. Cotton-On Ltd would be able to decide accordingly to whether it is best to have online system that can filter separately each online sold product to our database then it will be easier for Cotton-On Ltd to see the products selling more, less, or none. In this way, we would be able to collate the data easily without losing them and produce in our factories according to these good and rich customers data. For finding out more about customer buying habits Cotton-On Ltd should have a good information system that allows collating data from online sales and also customers should be able to track their order. In this way we can expose our customers buying habits that how often they buy, their desired colour, for example it is very likely giving the system we have in Cotton-On Ltd that there are lots of certain products colour and sizes that never or very little been sold, so we need to cut producing those product in order to reduce waste and will result saving money. Introduce Online Sales Justification Cotton-On Ltd provides their customers with a few traditional ways of buying their products, they also have presence on the Internet via their website and advertising but they do not use it as distribution channel. Research shows that in the current market, where many traditional retailers have already introduced Internet sales, this step becomes a strategic necessity (Bernstein et al., 2008). Therefore Cotton-On Ltd is currently left in a disadvantaged position. In addition, even in this time of economic difficulties, when the traditional retail sector is shrinking, the number of online buyers and online sales are increasing (Datamonitor, 2011a). According to Datamonitor (2011a) in 2010 the online retail sector in the United Kingdom reached revenue of over  £24.1 billion ($38 billion) and sales in apparel (including accessories and footwear) reached  £3.5 billion ($5.5 billion). The entire market is expected to grow to over  £41.9 billion ($66 billion) by the end of 2015, 11.6% growth. This shows the potential of the online sales channel. It is relatively easy to enter into Internet retail, especially for an established company with set up distance sales, as the costs are low and there are little additional regulations (Datamonitor, 2011a; Great Britain. Office of Fair Trading, 2006). Implementation and Issues Cotton-On Ltd may not have staff with sufficient skills to build and maintain an online store integrated with their website; however this is not the only way of implementing this strategy. Using an existing online service, which allows retailers to sell through their website, may prove more feasible as the first step in providing online sales. Even though this is not an ideal solution (Bernstein et al., 2008) it also addresses other issuers mentioned later in this section. The current website can be updated to direct interested customers to the service where they can make a purchase, while the staff will only be faced with learning whatever interface the service is providing. There are a few other concerns related to online sales and gaining new customers through this channel. Research suggests that the reason for the strong standing of the online market is the convenience of lower prices and price comparison tools (Datamonitor, 2011a; Bernstein et al., 2008). Therefore price competition may be stronger than in the traditional market. At the same time, use of online sales helps to reduce transaction costs and some of those savings can be passed to customers (Bernstein et al., 2008) at least partially addressing the pricing issues. It is likely that this strategy will reduce sales through other channels, but this redirection is desirable due to the aforementioned reduced costs (Bernstein et al., 2008). The effects should be monitored and further decisions should be made accordingly. For example, telephone sales may no longer require as many staff members, but they may be trained for support in online sales and customer service via email. Trust is the main issue when attracting new buyers in the online setting. Customers are concerned about the security of online transactions, which means they are more likely to select known and trusted retailers (Datamonitor, 2011a; Premazzi et al., 2010). A study conducted by Premazzi, Castaldo, Grosso and Hofacker (2010) find that customers are more willing to provide their information only for certain compensation (prizes, vouchers etc.). And therefore, if this method is used, the type of compensation should suit the targeted audiences. It also concludes that well designed, user friendly and error free websites may increase customer trust. Another way of targeting new customers may be by using an already known and trusted service, for example Amazon. They are one of the biggest online retailers (Datamonitor, 2011a) and they offer ways for retailers to sell products on their website with relatively low cost (Amazon, no date). Products made available through Amazon website will be exposed to millions of shoppers that use their services, and Cotton-On Ltd could use Amazons position in the market as a declaration of the safety of the transaction to the customers (Amazon, no date). Additionally, successful transactions will increase Cotton-On Ltd brands exposure and increase trust for it. Legal considerations Selling over the Internet is considered the same as selling over the phone in light of distance selling regulations (Great Britain. Office of Fair Trading, 2006). Therefore we can expect that Cotton-On Ltd is already adhering to those regulations. However the Electronic Commerce (EC Directive) Regulations 2002 introduces additional rules regarding advertising and sales using electronic channels. Because Cotton-On Ltd is already advertising on the Internet, hopefully with respect to those regulations, only extensions to sales specific regulations are required. Those rules affect: Information provided on the website used for sales. Technical means provided to customers (for example for identifying and correcting errors). Method of acknowledging orders (i.e. receipt supplied by electronic means). (Great Britain. Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, 2002). Introducing an online distribution channel should not cause high additional costs related to legal matters. Additional Benefits Besides reduced costs and the chance of attracting new customers, use of the electronic sales channel also automates data collection and saves time required for order processing. If the changes are monitored and correct decisions are made to maximise benefits, Cotton-On Ltd will not only attract additional revenue but also lower its operation costs. Expand Sales to European Union Justification We propose the expansion of sales to other European Union countries only applies to the sales over the Internet. Costs of online expansion are relatively low, compared to a more physical solution (Premazzi, 2010) and high cost projects will probably not be possible due to the current situation at Cotton-On Ltd. The United Kingdom represents 23.5% of the European online retail sector (Datamonitor, 2011a). The other big markets are France, Germany, Italy and Spain with respectively 21.5%, 14.9%, 7.2% and 5.5% share of the market (Datamonitor, 2011a). It is also worth noting that both France and Germany have larger predicted growth over the next few years than the United Kingdom market. The French market is expected to exceed  £57.8 billion ($90.8 billion) 21% growth, and the German market is expected to exceed  £27.8 ($24.2 billion) 12.5% growth. Apparel (including footwear and accessories) accounts for 14.1% in both the German and French markets (Datamonitor, 2011b; c). This means that there is a large potential market outside of the United Kingdom. Implementation and Issues The technical and trust issues were already covered in the section on introduction of online sales, and the information provided also applies to this strategy. Pricing issues will be revisited in the context of foreign markets, due to issues arising from currency differences. The Single Market The European Union market is easy to access. European Union member states standardise their law to operate in a single market programme. The aim of this programme is to make doing business with other European Union counties as similar as possible to doing business in the companys country of origin. Measures, that European Union countries have introduced to achieve this, include: Reduction of paperwork accounting for the purposes of VAT is the same as for sales/purchases in the United Kingdom. Unified standards complying with United Kingdom technical and safety standards ensures meeting standards in other European Union countries. Free movement of people it is easy to employ European Union citizens in United Kingdom companies. Free movement of goods goods produced in the European Union or imported into a member state with duty paid, are considered to be in free circulation, further customs duty is not payable. Common currency 17 out of 27 member states have introduced the Euro as their currency, which reduces currency considerations for businesses. (Business Link, no date c; d; f) Languages Even though English is the language used internationally in business, it is still beneficial to have knowledge of countrys language and culture while doing business there (Business Link, no date a). A Eurobarometer pool found that almost half of the European Union citizens only speak one language (European Commission, 2012). Cotton-On Ltd needs to translate their website and products descriptions to the languages of targeted countries to not miss out on potential customers from those markets. They should also consider providing customer service in selected languages; it is possible they already have staff with language skills and if not, the free movement of people within the EEA makes it easier for businesses to find employees with the right skills (Business Link, no date b; d). Pricing Customers in other countries expect prices in their local currency. Therefore a company entering a foreign market should consider pricing and issues related to currency exchange (Business Link, no date h). Additional research into the market is required to make decisions on pricing; prices appropriate in the United Kingdom may not be appropriate in the new market (Business Link, no date e). Other Issues Cotton-On Ltd should also research competition in the new markets; consider marketing, delivery methods, payment methods and related costs (Business Link, no date e). Implementation suggestions The solution proposed for introducing online sales, where Cotton-On Ltd would use a known online retailer is also applicable here. If they choose an online retailer that already operates in their target markets, like Amazon (Amazon, no date), it may reduce some costs and solve some technical issues. Because each countrys market and culture is different, and some European countries still operate with their own currency, it is probably not feasible to expand to the entire European Union at once. Cotton-On Ltd should perform more detailed research into potential target markets and decide which to enter. Conclusion In our report, we established the three strategies: Research consumer buying habits, introduction of online sales and expansion of sales to European Union, which we think will address some of the problems arising at Cotton-On Limited. The main problem of the company is its financial situation and we are finding ways on how the three strategies and the process that can help to cope with this problem. We also talk about the possibilities on how the company can increase their sales through the strategies. In our research we also found out that the Cotton-On Ltd cannot only increase sales, but can also gain new prospected customers if Cotton-On Ltd follows the right procedure in implementing the strategies. In the Consumer Buying Habits, we were able to explain the methods that can be used to help the company with the targeting of their consumers. With the production of their products, the company will be able to target consumers who will be interested in the products. Interviews, questionnaire, survey and consumer panel are the method that can be used to get the target market for Cotton-On Limited. The Introduction of Online Sales is about using the Internet as a tool in selling their products. This strategy can also strengthen Cotton-On Limited, because it shows in the research that the number of online sales in the UK is increasing and will continue in same scale. We raised the implementation and the legal issues that the Cotton-On Ltd should take into consideration. We find out benefits as well that the company can get like reducing of cost however; they can still increase their profits. They can also attract new customers and gather customer information. There is a major issue in gaining customer trust. Most customers do not trust online sales so we recommend Cotton-On Limited to use known online retailers such as Amazon to target new customers and increase trust for the brand. In the Expansion of Sales to European Union, it is more likely the introduction of online sales because the company need to use the Internet for this strategy. Cotton-On Limited can use their internet setting so they can easily expand their business to the European Union countries. There are issues in this strategy such as the currency because most European Union countries use different currency so customers expect the prices to be in their local currency. With this issue, Cotton-On Limited should consider the pricing and issues related to the countrys currency exchange. We also talked about the language issue because different country speaks different language. It is discussed that it will really not be a big problem as English is the language used internationally in business however; customers expect their native language to be used so in selling the products, Cotton-On Limited needs to use the native language of the country where they are running their business. The company should also consider that they will enter a new market so they will also have new competitors in the business. The goal of these three strategies is to increase the revenue of Cotton-On Limited. The three strategies mentioned can help in increasing the funds of the company. If the company will be able to increase their funding because of the three strategies, they will have more budgets to make further improvements to increase the money coming in to the company. The company can also do stock control. This is a very useful improvement to increase their revenue. Stock control is very important because if they cannot do it effectively, it can lead to loss of sales or it can damage the reputation of the business. They have to make sure that they have enough stock all the time at the right time. They have to make sure that they have products to offer to their customers to gain business reputation so that they can have loyal customers and gain new ones. The company should make sure that they make careful planning with their stock control because having effective stock control can lead to making the business larger. The company will also need more tailored information system across their departments so they can get support on gathering data that can make the operation smooth and can reduce related costs.

How Important Was Martin Luther King Compared to Malcolm X

During the 1920’s/1930’s, black Americans faced a huge amount of discrimination from the whites and found if very difficult to achieve civil rights. They were at one stage deprived of the right to vote, not being entitled to the same things as whites, and not going to the same schools as whites. In order for blacks to achieve civil rights they needed someone to follow, they needed a leader. Many black leaders did emerge for the fight of civil rights. Two of the most powerful influential leaders of the twentieth century were Martin Luther King and Malcolm X. These two leaders had different methods and strategies, and very different views towards white people, but fought for the same thing. Martin Luther King was a pacifist, as he strongly disagreed in the use of any violence. This is made clear in source four, which is an example of what King achieved, in a peaceful protest. This source is from the civil rights movement, and it is about the incident of Rosa Parks. Rosa Parks was travelling on a local bus when a white woman asked her to give up her seat, and she refused, this is because she was ‘tired of giving in’ to racism. She was then arrested later that day. Martin Luther King then decided to lead a boycott of buses, which is when King first step into leading a civil rights movement, raising his profile as a leader, and his importance into the civil rights movement. Malcolm X believed in violence, and criticized King’s beliefs and methods. This is because he felt that King wasn’t doing enough for the black community, and that violence would make it happen faster. In source 14, Malcolm X gives his opinions on violence and non violence, ‘You haven’t got a revelation that doesn’t involve bloodshed. And you’re afraid to bleed. I said, you’re afraid to bleed. ’ It could be argued that Malcolm feels that most black people are cowardly and are failing to stand up for themselves. He also believes that violence solves things, which means he wants the blacks to intensify their actions. This is when Malcolm first became a symbol to black people, and became important in the civil rights movement; because he struck a chord among many young who felt they were being treated unjustly by the whites. Martin Luther King used peaceful protests and methods to publicise his views. An example of the peaceful protest was in Washington in March, 1963, when he delivered his ‘I have a dream’ speech which is shown in source 5. This emphasised his importance to the civil rights movement, as it is a well known speech which is still revered today, which emphasises Kings importance to the civil rights movement. A reason for it being well knows is because it was televised, and was broadcast to the whole of America, which means a lot more people heard it as it was more publicised. I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the colour of their skin, but by the content of their character. ’ This tells us that King was really pushing equality into the minds of white families. It could be argued that the whites in America were not ready for this huge change in their society, and it questioned the white people of America’s readiness to accept change. Malcolm X used very different methods to King, and often criticized the way he did things. Malcolm believed that they wouldn’t be able to accomplish anything without the use of violence, this is shown in source 13 when Malcolm says, ‘I am for violence if non-violence means we continue postponing a solution to the American black man’s problems. If we must use violence to get the black man his human rights in this country, then I am all for violence. ’ This indicates that Malcolm X’s method included violence, but this is only because he felt he needed to use it to gain his own human rights, which blacks were lacking terribly. It could be argued that white people were scared of black people to an extent, as Malcolm X’s followers would use violence towards them. Again, this illustrates him importance in the civil rights movement. Good examples of some of Martin Luther King’s successes is the previously discussed, ‘Montgomery Bus Boycott’ and the ‘I have a dream speech’. Another source that also gives evidence of his importance and success is source 11. This source is a graph on black Americans being registered to vote from the 1940’s – 1970’s. It is a line graph, with a positive correlation, with King’s actions, showing his success in the south. This tells us that King was making a huge impact on society, prolonging his importance. The civil rights act took place between 1964-1968, and was supported by the president at the time, Lyndon Johnson. This is shown in source 15 where it says, â€Å"All persons shall be entitled to the full and equal enjoyment of the goods, service facilities and privileges, advantages, and accommodations†¦without discrimination or segregation no the ground or face, colour, religion, or national origin† This indicates that the civil rights act was improving the lives of black people, regardless of how people judged them. This is a huge importance as Martin Luther King made a huge impact on the Civil Rights Movement. An example of Malcolm X’s successes would be him giving a voice to the ghettos in the in New York City. This is shown in source 16, ‘a high percentage of New York City’s black people responded to what I said, including a great many who would not publicly say so. ’ This shows us that while King was in the south, Malcolm X was in the north, giving his own views, and people were listening to him, and doing what he told them to – whether they admitted it or not. There is more evidence of this is the same source where Malcolm says, ‘‘time and time again when I spoke in street rallies, I would draw ten and twelve times as many people as most other so-called ‘negro leaders’’ This suggests that although other negro leaders were giving their views, the people didn’t respect theirs as much as Malcolm’s. It could be argued that because of Malcolm’s past, (including his home being burnt down, armed robbery charges, and a 6 ? year prison sentence), he had more experiences, and therefore more empathy than the other leaders with the dissatisfied youth of New York. This meant that the young black generation made more of a connection with Malcolm than the others, which means he was becoming more important. An example of Martin Luther King’s failures would be ‘The Freedom Ride’ in Birmingham, Alabama, 1963. The freedom ride was a failure, because of the use of violence which occurred. The plan of the freedom ride was just to ride, and cause a commotion for the population of Birmingham. However, in source 8, it shows a picture of fire hoses being used against protesters on the street. The water pressure was so powerful that it could knock bricks out of walls. This was the white power structures reaction to the freedom ride, demonstrating where the power lay. This source indicates the amount of violence that was used during this ‘peaceful’ protest, thus making it one of King’s failures. Therefore it’s important because although he had his failures he still had a large group of followers that stood by him, and kept the fight for equal rights alive. Malcolm X was considered irresponsible and negative. He criticized Martin Luther King’s methods, and he never established any organizations or events himself. This is evident as there are no sources given to support this, and there is no evidence of this in our research. It could be argued that he didn’t have any ideas of his own, and that he just followed other people’s ideas, such as: Marcus Garvey. It is suggested that Malcolm got his ideas from Marcus Garvey as Malcolm’s father was involved in his organization ‘The Universal Negro Improvement Association’ which means Malcolm was brought up in that environment from a young age. This not only means that Malcolm was inspired by Garvey, but could be argued that he spoke to young people about his ideas, but claiming them to be his own. It could be argued that this is one of his failures as he wasn’t thinking from his own perspective, but using other peoples. Martin Luther King had different ways of leading his supporters, in comparison to Malcolm X. As discussed before, King used peaceful protests and methods. It could be argued that this is how King got his followers, and why people thought King was the best civil rights leader to follow at the time. King was a leader of the SCLC (Southern Christian Leadership Conference) which was a civil rights organization against racial segregation. King was known as ‘the voice’ of the organization. The SCLC wanted ‘absolute and immediate freedom and equality†¦ right here in this land today’ which is why they organized so many different events (e. g. Montgomery bus boycott, ect. ) It could be argued that King had such a large group of followers, because he was a member of this group, and it is what got him known. This played an important part in King’s life, as not only did his leadership inspire people, but his leadership gave results. Malcolm X was a very different leader to Martin Luther King. This is because he believed in violence, and using force towards people. Malcolm was ‘suspicious’ of whites, and was willing to use ‘any means necessary’ to achieve quality. Malcolm usually gave speeches to ‘the ghettos’ of New York, which is where a lot of young black men and woman lived. Malcolm’s views soon spread and this is when a political party called ‘The black panthers’ was formed. The black panthers were feared by civilians. This is made clear in source 18 where it says, ‘This black panther is a vicious animal as you know†¦ it can destroy everything that’s before him. This indicated that the black panthers are a strong group, that aren’t to be messed with. The black panthers used weapons, and there were around 2000 members, this could be argued that the black panthers were some sort of ‘small army’ that intimidated many people. They promoted black people as being stronger and be tter that white people, and that ‘any this is necessary’ in order to become superior. Evidently, this is a very different viewpoint compared to Martin Luther Kings, which questioned his motives, and if he was doing enough. This is very important as the black panthers were created due to Malcolm X and his fight for ‘Black Power’. However, the ‘Black Panthers’ made Malcolm X look like an extremist, which is important as it could be argued Malcolm lost followers from this. In conclusion, I feel that Martin Luther King is more important that Malcolm X, to an extent. I feel King has made more progress that Malcolm X; this is because I feel he had more impact on the civil rights movement. Although Malcolm spoke for the youths living on the streets of New York, King broadcast his message throughout America as it was televised. King was also involved in peaceful protests and organizations which generated all over the south of America, such as the Montgomery Bus Boycott or The Washington March. However, I feel that Malcolm X didn’t get the chance to prove himself to be a big part of the Civil rights movement, this is because he spent a lot of time criticizing King’s methods, and his way of doing things, instead of combining their methods together, which would be argued would have had more of an impact of the Civil Rights Movement earlier. Malcolm then travelled around the world to learn about other black cultures. When he came back he had a different perspective on King’s views and opinions, but shortly after his return he was assassinated by members of the Black Muslim movement. This deprived Malcolm and Martin combining their ideas together and becoming a stronger union.

Personal & Professional Healthcare Communication Paper Essay

Communication, according to the Free Dictionary, is â€Å"the exchange of thoughts, messages, or information, as by speech, signals, writing or behaviors†. It is vital in the development and maintenance of personal and professional relationships. It is important to understand communication also includes non-verbal as well as verbal acts. According to Rane (2010), 93% of communication is nonverbal and body language is an effective nonverbal communication tool. There are two essential components in communication, which are a sender and receiver of a message. In the personal and professional health care communication paper, I will discuss the definition of healthcare communication, the relevancy of effective personal healthcare communication to health outcomes, how the lack of effective personal and professional healthcare communications contributes to poor health outcomes, and the theories and principles of therapeutic communication in health care settings for the healthcare pro fessional (UOP, 2012). Healthcare communication definition In the healthcare field communication is vital to provide optimal care for the patient and enhancing the ability to make informed decisions. Healthcare communication relates to communication between people in health care organization, according to Northouse, 1998. This communication allows for questions and answers to who, what, where, how and when about health-related information in the patient-healthcare professional relationship. When used correctly communication enhances patient outcomes and results from patient surveys. Relevancy of effective personal healthcare communication with other healthcare professionals, clients, and patients (UOP,2012) Communication with the healthcare team including the patient, their family, medical professionals such as the doctor, nurse, and ancillary services such as X-ray department, pharmacy is vital in achieving the best outcomes as a result of evaluation, intervention, and the overall status of the patient. In order to give high-quality health care, it requires effective communication between the team and the patient. In cases of Non-English speaking patients or individuals with hearing impairments, they require other resources for effective communication such as interpreters, picture board or other devices. The healthcare professional must explain procedures or management of care to the patient or family to ensure optimal goals. It is through effective communication that the healthcare professional empowers the consumer with knowledge related to their illness, its ’ schedule of care by increasing patient compliance. It is when the patient does not understand what is happening in the health care system they need the professional to be understanding and sensitive by taking time to explain. This aids the patient by meeting their need to understand according to Northouse, 1998. Relevancy of effective professional healthcare communication to health outcomes (UOP, 2012) Effective professional healthcare communication is relevant to desired health outcomes. Successful communication is essential between team members because it allows for the development of specific objectives to accomplish. The health care team strives as one but individually they ensure the patient reaches the desired outcomes. If all team members are not â€Å"on board† to assure the patient reaches the goals set forth causes an uphill battle which produces conflict. This conflict could be productive by encouraging the team to review a difference in opinion that can be beneficial for the patient. How the lack of effective personal and professional healthcare communications contributes to poor health outcomes (UOP, 2012)   The lack of effective personal and professional healthcare communication affects teamwork, patient satisfaction, patient safety, patient management, compliance with treatment, level of anxiety, job satisfaction efficiency, which potentially leads to poor patient health outcomes (www.health.vic.gov.au/qualitycouncil/safetymodul/page22.htm). The purpose of effective communication in healthcare is to provide first-class medical care, minimal to no medical errors and have precision; and without it there is room for medical errors, poor patient care and an ineffective team that produces undesired outcome. In the professional and patient relationship, the lack of good communication causes the patient to be apprehensive in asking questions, to worry about being bothersome because they feel other patients are sicker, and there is an assumption that the patient doe s not have any concerns. There are barriers to communication that include only one between the sender and receiver of the message understands the message, cultural differences, and lack of education. In sending the message it is essential that the message is received with clarity, it is concise and complete. If the patient has a language barrier, it can be masked by the patient not responding to information and it is detected as a result of poor or no compliance. In literacy concerns, all information should be presented on a 5th grade level to aid in the comprehension of the information. The care of the patient should be patient/family centered which helps in detecting any language, cultural or literacy barriers (Schyve, 2007). For example, a 46 year old single male patient that is functionally literate is admitted with a diagnosis of acute angina. During the admission process it is disclosed he completed the 7th grade which renders him functionally literate and there is no language barrier. The cardiologist (heart doctor) comes in and discusses his plan of care that includes a stress test. The nurse asks the patient if he has any questions and he reports he cannot do any exercise. The nurse provides information related to the procedure that includes using medications to mimic the manual exercise. The theories and principles of therapeutic communication in health care settings for the healthcare professional (UOP, 2012) Therapeutic communication is a process in which the nurse consciously influences or helps the client to better understanding through verbal or nonverbal communication (The Free Dictionary). There are detailed approaches that promote the expression of feelings and ideas that convey approval and respect in a non judgmental manner. Therapeutic communication encourages the patient to participate in the plan of care. The patient would not be receptive to engaging in communication if the nurse runs in and out of the room hurriedly or promises to perform a task and not complete it. It is important that the patient views the care professional as one that is cari ng and willing to go the extra mile for the patient. The patient can be appreciative of any act of kindness displayed by the professional in as they promote Jean Watson’s Theory of Human Caring. Most nurses chose this career because of a genuine caring attitude toward all mankind therefore using the Watson’s caring theory will enhance the caring system. The information found in Watson’s caring theory helps the nurse revisit the place of traditional values, which is the foundation of becoming a nurse The following are Watson’s clinical caritas process (es): †¢Ã¢â‚¬Å"Practice of loving-kindness and equanimity with context of caring-consciousness† (Alligood & Tomey, 2006 p.116); †¢Ã¢â‚¬Å"Being authentically present and enabling and sustaining the deep belief system and subjective life world of self and the on-being-cared-for† (Alligood & Tomey, 2006 p.116); †¢Ã¢â‚¬Å"Cultivation of one’s own spiritual practices and transpersonal self, going beyond ego self. Being sensitive to self and other† (Alligood & Tomey, 2006 p.116); †¢Ã¢â‚¬Å"Developing and sustaining a helping-trusting, authentic caring relationship† (Alligood & Tomey, 2006 p.116); †¢Ã¢â‚¬Å"Being present to and supportive of the expression of positive and negative feelings as a connection with deeper spirit of self and the on-being-cared-for† (Alligood & Tomey, 2006 p. 116); †¢Ã¢â‚¬Å"Creative use of self and all ways of knowing as part of the caring process and engagement in artistry of caring-healing practices† (Alligood & Tomey, 2006 p. 117); †¢Ã¢â‚¬Å"Engaging in genuine teaching-learning experience that attends to unity of being and meaning and attempts to stay within other’s frame of reference† (Alligood & Tomey, 2006 p. 117); †¢Ã¢â‚¬Å"Creating healing environment at all levels (physical as well as nonphysical) whereby wholeness, beauty, comfort, dignity, and peace are potentiated† (Alligood & Tomey, 2006 p. 117); †¢Ã¢â‚¬Å"Assisting with basic needs, with an intentional caring consciousness; administering human care essentials, which potentiate alignment of mind-body-spirit, wholeness, and unity of being in all aspects of care; attending to both embodied spirit and evolving emergence†, (Alligood & Tomey, 2006 p. 118) and †¢Ã¢â‚¬ËœOpening and attending to spiritual-mysterious and existential dime nsions of one’s own life-death; soul care for self and the one-being-cared-for† (Alligood & Tomey, 2006 p. 118). The Caring Theory facilitates therapeutic communication because it addresses all aspects of the patient’s being which encourages the patient to be more open and receptive to the treatment and procedures needed to promote desired outcomes. â€Å"Give to everyone who asks of you, and from the one who takes what is yours do not demand it back. Do to others as you would have them do to you† (King James Bible, Luke 6:30-31). In conclusion, effective communication is understood by the patient and healthcare team and if there is a misunderstanding the communication is nonexistent, the terms of health care cease or continues with poor quality and high risks to patient safety (Schyve, 2007). Effective communication enhances the potential to provide error-free care of the patient. When there is an error it is viewed as the inability to provide optimal patient care (O’Daniel & Rosenstein, date unknown). In order to provide premium quality patient care effective communication is a requirement; therefore it is an important role of communication and teamwork to reduce errors in the medical field thus increasing patient safety and promoting desired outcomes (Grover, 2005). I believe in providing therapeutic effective communication the health care professional should utilize professional skills learned especially those the endorse a caring and nurturing nurse-client/patient or professional-professional relationship. References Alligood, M. R. & Tomey, A. M. (2006). Nursing theory: Utilization & application (3rd ed.). St. Louis, MO: Mosby Elsevier Grover, S. M. (2005). Shaping Effective Communication Skills and Therapeutic Relationships at Work. AAOHN Journal, 53(4), 177. King James Version. (1976). The Holy Bible. Nashville, Tennessee: Thomas Nelson, Inc Northouse, L. & Northouse, P. (1998) Health communication: Strategies for health professionals (3rd ed.) Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall O’Daniel, M. & Rosenstein, A. ( ). Chapter 33. Profession Communication and Team Collaboration www.ahrq.gov/qual/nurseshdbk/docs/O’DanielM_TWC.pdf Rane, D. B. (2010). Effective Body Language for Organizational Success. IUP Journal Of Soft Skills, 4(4), 17-26. Schyve, P. (2007). Language Differences as a Barrier to Quality and Safety in Health Care: The Joint Commission Perspective. Society of General Internal Medicine The free dictionary. http://medical-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/therapeutic+communication†>communication The free dictionary. http://medical-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/therapeutic+communication†>therapeutic communication University of Phoenix, 2012. HCS/350-Health Care Communication www.uop.edu Why is communication important in health care? http://www.health.vic.gov.au/qualitycouncil/safety_module/page22.htm

The Scarlet Letter By Nathaniel Hawthorne - 1242 Words

LYS PAUL Modern Literature Ms. Gordon The Scarlet Letter The scarlet letter is book written by Nathaniel Hawthorne who is known as one the most studied writers because of his use of allegory and symbolism. He was born on July 4, 1804 in the family of Nathaniel, his father, and Elizabeth Clark Hathorne his mother. Nathaniel added â€Å"W† to his name to distance himself from the side of the family. His father Nathaniel, was a sea captain, and died in 1808 with a yellow fever while at sea. That was a painful moment for the Hathorne family. With financial issues, Nathaniel moved into Elizabeth’s wealthy brother’s house. While living there, he injured his leg which caused him to stay immobile at home for several months during which time he developed interests for reading and set his ambition for becoming a writer. Hawthorne attended Bowdoin college from 1821 to 1825. During his college year, he missed his family so bad such that he went to stay with them for twelve days. And it is during that time that he wrote some storie s like The Hollow of the Three Hills and An old Woman’s Tale. In 1846, Nathaniel lost his job as a surveyor in the Salem Custom House. This lose of job turned into a blessing life. Giving him more time, he wrote his masterpiece, The Scarlet Letter, one of the first mass produced publications in the United States and its wide distribution made Nathaniel famous. President Franklin Pierce, appointed Hawthorne an american consul to Britain as a recompense of hisShow MoreRelatedThe Scarlet Letter By Nathaniel Hawthorne960 Words   |  4 Pages3H 13 August 2014 The novel, The Scarlet Letter, was written by the author Nathaniel Hawthorne and was published in 1850 (1). It is a story about the Puritan settlers of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, set around 1650 (2). The story is written in the third person with the narrator being the author. The common thread that runs through this novel is Hawthorne’s apparent understanding of the beliefs and culture of the Puritans in America at that time. But Hawthorne is writing about events in a societyRead MoreThe Scarlet Letter, By Nathaniel Hawthorne919 Words   |  4 Pagessymbolism in Nathaniel Hawthorne’s â€Å"The Scarlet Letter†. Symbolism is when an object is used in place of a different object. Nathaniel Hawthorne is one of the most symbolic writers in all of American history. In â€Å"The Scarlet Letter†, the letter â€Å"A† is used to symbolize a variety of different concepts. The three major symbolistic ideas that the letter â€Å"A† represents in Nathaniel Hawthorne’s â€Å"The Scarlet Letter† are; shame, guilt, and ability. In Nathaniel Hawthorne’s â€Å"The Scarlet Letter†, the firstRead MoreThe Scarlet Letter By Nathaniel Hawthorne1397 Words   |  6 PagesFebruary 2016 The Scarlet Letter was written by Nathaniel Hawthorne in 1850 which is based on the time frame of the Puritans, a religious group who arrived in Massachusetts in the 1630’s. The Puritans were in a religious period that was known for the strict social norms in which lead to the intolerance of different lifestyles. Nathaniel Hawthorne uses the puritan’s strict lifestyles to relate to the universal issues among us. The time frame of the puritans resulted in Hawthorne eventually thinkingRead MoreThe Scarlet Letter By Nathaniel Hawthorne999 Words   |  4 Pages Nathaniel Hawthorne is the author of the prodigious book entitled The Scarlet Letter. In The Scarlet Letter, Hester Prynne commits adultery with Reverend Arthur Dimmesdale. Her husband, Roger Chillingworth, soon finds out about the incident after it becomes clear that she is pregnant. The whole town finds out and Hester is tried and punished. Meanwhile, Roger Chillingworth goes out then on a mission to get revenge by becoming a doctor and misprescribing Dimmesdale. He does this to torture DimmesdaleRead MoreThe Scarlet Letter, by Nathaniel Hawthorne1037 Words   |  5 Pagesthat human nature knows right from wrong, but is naturally evil and that no man is entirely â€Å"good†. Nathaniel Hawthorne, author of the classic novel The Scarlet Letter, believes that every man is innately good and Hawthorne shows that everyone has a natural good side by Hester’s complex character, Chillingworth’s actions and Dimmesdale’s selfless personality. At the beginning of the Scarlet Letter Hester Prynne is labeled as the â€Å"bad guy†. The townspeople demand the other adulterer’s name, butRead MoreThe Scarlet Letter By Nathaniel Hawthorne1517 Words   |  7 PagesNathaniel Hawthorne composes Pearl as a powerful character even though she is not the main one. Her actions not only represent what she is as a person, but what other characters are and what their actions are. Hawthorne makes Pearl the character that helps readers understand what the other characters are. She fits perfectly into every scene she is mentioned in because of the way her identity and personality is. Pearl grows throughout the book, which in the end, help the readers better understandRead MoreThe Scarlet Letter, By Nathaniel Hawthorne1488 Words   |  6 Pages In Nathaniel Hawthorne’s novel The Scarlet Letter, the main character, Hester Prynne, is a true contemporary of the modern era, being cast into 17th century Puritan Boston, Massachusetts. The Scarlet Letter is a revolutionary novel by Nathaniel Hawthorne examining the ugliness, complexity, and strength of the human spirit and character that shares new ideas about independence and the struggles women faced in 17th century America. Throughout the novel, Hester’s refusal to remove the scarlet letterRead MoreThe Scarlet Letter By Nathaniel Hawthorne1319 Words   |  6 PagesPrynne and Arthur Dimmesdale are subject to this very notion in Nathaniel Hawthorne s The Scarlet Letter. Hester simply accepted that what she had done was wrong, whereas Dimmesdale, being a man of high regard, did not want to accept the reality of what he did. Similar to Hester and Dimmesdale, Roger Chillingworth allows his emotions to influence his life; however, his influence came as the result of hi s anger. Throughout the book, Hawthorne documents how Dimmesdale and Hester s different ways of dealingRead MoreThe Scarlet Letter By Nathaniel Hawthorne1714 Words   |  7 PagesSome two hundred years following the course of events in the infamous and rigid Puritan Massachusetts Colony in the 1600s, Nathaniel Hawthorne, descendant of a Puritan magistrate, in the 19th century, published The Scarlet Letter. Wherein such work, Hawthorne offered a social critique against 17th Massachusetts through the use of complex and dynamic characters and literary Romanticism to shed light on said society’s inherent contradiction to natural order and natural law. In his conclusive statementsRead MoreThe Scarlet Letter, By Nathaniel Hawthorne1172 Words   |  5 Pagesfreedom, peace, and introspection. However, until the last century, the wilderness was often regarded with fear and resentment. Written long before John Muir and the conservation movement, The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne was well ahead of its time for its depiction of wilderness. In The Scarlet Letter, Arthur Dimmesdale leaves the beaten path and seeks refuge in the forest. There, he gains the strength and willpower to throw off seven years of hopelessness and take his fate into his own hands