Decision Making with Managerial Accounting Case Study

Decision Making with Managerial Accounting - Case Study Example In other words, managerial accounting is referred to as the internal business-developing role of finance and accounting professionals who plan, implement and manage the internal systems, which encourage effective decisions, thereby supporting and controlling the value creating activities of an organization (Ioana-Diana, 2014). Managerial accounting is aimed at providing financial and non-financial information to managers, so as to help them make the best decisions. It facilitates effective internal decision making that is primarily focused on planning and controlling purposes. The type of decisions taken by managers depends heavily on the accounting information available to them. Given the fact that financial accounting data does not provide sufficient detail for internal decisions, it must be broken down to further details, regarding individual services and products offered by the company. Not only do managers need to be aware of the cost of a service or product, but they also need the cost information to be broken into intricate details of smaller components, that will enable them to conduct ‘what if’ analysis and thus, predict the future. The types of decisions that managers more often than not are supposed to make are regarding pricing a particular or a group of products, dropping a produ ct or product line, purchase of new resources by replacing the old ones, assessing the performance of managers and divisions of an organization and sometimes, making instead of purchasing a product. Therefore, this suggests that the two fundamental utilities of managerial accounting are planning and controlling. Both the factors mentioned in the statement above help managers to accomplish fluent decision making (UNF, n.d. ). The principal role of managerial accountant is to record financial information within the financial statements of a company, which is utilized by the management team of the organization to

Economics of Business Strategy Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Economics of Business Strategy - Case Study Example The managerial practices of the company are more products oriented so as to facilitate the customers, and provide them with different opportunities for making most out of their purchasing power. The company has also restricted itself from applying such policies where chances of bankruptcy are dominant, and have shifted towards consumer service. The management in particular operational management related to the decision making is widely practiced and encouraged by the company, the employees at the mediocre level, are involved with decision making, however such employees work within certain monetary limit. All this has made the company achieve laurels, 'We continued to strike what we believe is an appropriate balance between achieving our net income growth targets and investing in our future. In 2004, we delivered record earnings while increasing spending on marketing, promotion, rewards and card member services by 30 percent from a year ago. This increase came on top of a stepped-up l evel of investment spending in 2003' (Audit Repot 2004). American Express has incorporated different management strategies for optimization of their performance, and economic gain. The bank has implemented several different policies that minimized and reduced the indirect cost (goods and services other than raw materials, or "direct" expenses). The company's adopted policy has been to reduced and control expenses, such as office supplies, computer equipment, express delivery, and telecommunications. 'Our new survey and drafted policies shows that we as banking giant see the light at the end of the tunnel for an economic turnaround' (Anr Williams, senior vice president and general manager, U.S. Middle Market, American Express Corporate Services). The general manager further added that, 'At the same time, financial executives say that bank is challenged by rising expenses, and they're searching for new ways to control them - regardless of the economic climate'. The bank is involved in Expenses Management, and focused mainly upon corporate c ost-saving strategies. The company believed that cutting indirect costs and generating new revenue sources were equally important strategies in improving the financial health of their organization. The bank has encouraged and motivated their employees to participate enthusiastically towards compliance to those policies, the employees are urged to submit timely expense reports, desired employee adherence. 'Over the past several years, the institution have made strides in taking control of spending for travel, office supplies, computer equipment and other indirect expenses', (Anr Williams). 'But the push for profitability in these tough economic times has prodded the institution to expand their cost-control expertise and implement more effective solutions - such as new technology and innovative payment systems'. The web technology has emerged as an effective solution to cater for the surging expenses, the technology provided improved control and greater efficiency, and is being adopted by all the departments of the institution. The institution has adopted following practices for improving expenses management, and variety of strategies have been implied for streamlining the processes. The effective strategies are

Leadership approach Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Leadership approach - Essay Example the aforementioned students, the animal owners who seek the services of the veterinary college as well as the clinicians. The Problem: Given the considerable job descriptions of the staff, coupled with the lack of resources and the need to provide excellent services, the staff finds itself in the classic low morale conundrum; too much work and effort required for a job description that is become less enviable by the day. This, in short, can be categorized as the crux of the problem that I face under the leadership aspect of my role as the finance manager. ... The major weakness of this concept is ironically related to its major strengths in that the rather malleable nature of production does not allow the firm to establish a solid ground in any of the different businesses that it participates in i.e. its becomes somewhat of a jack of all trades and master of none. Due to this lack of immovability, the firm is not able to continue a specific production practice for a large period of time, hence, is unable to ascertain best production practices and any other cost cutting techniques, thus, it always produces at a level that has to be considered in optimal for the firm. (Yinghong, 2006) McDonald’s is a pertinent example of the correct use of moving competencies as they have been able to strike the perfect balance between the usability of moving competencies and defining their basic company objectives and areas of expertise. Therefore, despite the fact that McDonald’s is expanding both is scale of operations and in its product ra nge, it is still intrinsically a fast food joint which it has been able to maintain due to its best practices and strong adamancy on quality assurance. From this description, it can be easily surmised that the need of the hour for the manager is to implement the system of moving competencies in a way that would oversee the creation of synergies and the institution of best practices in the form that ‘every job is done by that specific person who does it best’. Therefore, the creation of conjoined skills development becomes a necessity and the onus lies on the finance manager to institute the change that is needed for the creation of an open learning and

Arthur Millers A View From the Bridge Essay Example for Free

Arthur Millers A View From the Bridge Essay Masculinity is a prevalent theme in Arthur Millers A View From The Bridge. The four leading male characters in the play; Eddie, Rodolpho, Marco and Alfieri; each play different roles and different types of men. Miller has represented men and masculinity in an unforgiving light in the play. It appears that it is men that confuse and create problems in the characters lives. Each characters actions are effected by the conflicting forces of determinism, where every event and situation is the inevitable result of its preceding states of affairs; and freewill. It could be said that the male characters in A View From The Bridge are not acting, but being acted upon. The main character in A View From The Bridge is Eddie. He is forty years of age, slightly overweight and is described as husky. The huskiness used in the description refers to both Eddies roughness and his strong, burly build. His age suggests experience, another masculine quality. Eddies appearance reflects his attitude, strong and intimidating. In trying to prove his masculinity, Eddie is the focus of many conversations, as he feels that he must dominate the conversation. Eddies speech is very direct, with blunt wording. He constantly uses contractions and drops the last letter off words, such as in the phrase I didnt say nothin'. Eddies language is not sophisticated in any sense. This is because Eddie spent his time working instead of getting a proper education. Eddie also comes from a working class family, which would mean that his education is limited. The conglomeration of these factors conveys Eddie to be even more masculine. It is very clear that Miller has constructed Eddie to represent the epitome of masculinity; however the character has a propensity to be acted upon rather than acted. Although Eddie is portrayed as a very masculine character, the turmoil in his mind is evident to the reader. Within himself he is trying to control his feelings, or act. Instead, it appears that the happenings around him control Eddies actions. When Eddie allows Rodolpho and Marco to stay, he is acting, as he is making the decision as the patriarchal member of the Carbone family. He has the choice of whether to accept them or not. He acts out of freewill. The best example Eddie being acted upon is when he calls Immigration about Marco and Rodolpho. At this point in the play, Eddie thinks that he has no other options. He is struggling to control his  feelings for Catherine, which on its own is an example of being acted upon. Although Eddie knows that these incestuous feelings are not acceptable, he cannot help but feel this way. Catherines developing relationship with Rodolpho is clearly testing Eddies endurance. Eddie also feels that Rodolpho is a bad influence on Catherine, as Eddie can no longer control her as he used to. Realistically, this is because Catherine is growing up more than Rodolphos influence. However, Eddie feels that the only solution is to get rid of Rodolpho. By doing this, Eddie hopes that everything will return to its original state, with him being the patriarch. Consequently, Eddie calls Immigration. It can clearly be seen that Eddie is not acting, as eliminating Rodolpho is something that is inevitable if Eddie wishes for things to return to their initial state. Rodolphos appearance in A View From The Bridge is one that is far more feminine and gentle than that of the other characters. He is described as a slim platinum blond with a nice face. His gentle features are considered womanly, and so he is not considered to be masculine. Rodolphos age can be estimated to be in the mid-twenties. This denotes a lack of life experience, another indicator towards femininity rather than masculinity. Miller has constructed Rodolpho as a much less masculine character than Eddie so as to juxtapose the two characters. Unlike Eddie, Rodolpho is a more rational character. He is more cautious in what he says. Due to this discretion, Rodolphos speech is very limited in A View From The Bridge. However, his rational behaviour does not stop Rodolpho from being more acted upon than acted. Even though Rodolpho tries to refrain from causing too much of a disturbance in America, he is visibly maddening Eddie by showing affection towards Catherine. However, Rodolpho cannot control his feelings. He stands up for his right to have a relationship with Catherine and, regardless of what Eddie does or says, Rodolpho still has these feelings for Catherine. Rodolpho does not choose to be attracted to Catherine, it simply happened. The concept that Catherine and Rodolpho both care for each other is not a matter of choice or freewill, it is clearly determinism. For this reason, Rodolpho is more acted upon than acting in A View From The Bridge. Marco is described in A View From The Bridge as a thirty-two year old square built peasant. His square build implies strength and an intimidating physique, which evokes an air of masculinity. His age puts him between Eddie and Rodolpho. Throughout the play, Marco is played as quiet, yet thoughtful. His dialogue is minimal, until the final sequence where the conflict between him and Eddie erupts. Although his dialogue is entirely different to that of Eddie, the pair are both seen as masculine characters. This is because Marco is confident with himself, and does not feel it is necessary to talk or dominate the conversation. In doing so, his confidence shines through as being masculine. Again, Marco is a character that appears, in most cases, to be more acted upon than acting. Marcos strong and silent persona allows him to understand and recognise elements in the characters more so than Eddie and Rodolpho. He sees Eddies challenging nature towards Rodolpho and challenges Eddie back. In this sense, Marcos actions are acted. He understands what is happening and uses his own freewill to make a decision of what to do. However, the final sequences are clearly an indication of how Marco is more acted upon than acting. When Marco spits in Eddies face, it is the culmination of Eddies attitude and actions that cause him to do so. After trusting Eddie, Marco has been proverbially stabbed in the back. However, Marcos reaction was eminent. Eddies ongoing dislike of both Marco and Rodolpho would eventually arrive at a confrontation. Marcos reaction was clearly determinism it was the inevitable result of its preceding states of affairs. In this way, the character of Marco is more acted upon than acting. Similarly, when Marco kills Eddie, it is inevitable. If not for Eddies death, the play would be going nowhere. Eddies sanity is questionable towards the end of A View From The Bridge. If Eddie were to survive the stabbing, there would be no closure for any of the characters. When Eddie pulls the knife out and attempts to stab Marco, it is clear that he is not thinking rationally. Marco then acts in self defence when he stabs Eddie. He knows that one of them will die in the struggle, and sees that his killing of Eddie is the only way he will come out alive. For this reason, Marco acts not out of freewill, but stabs Eddie as there is no other way for the battle to end. Hence, Marco is more  acted upon than acting. However, this attribute is not shared by all of the male characters in A View From The Bridge. The final male character in A View From The Bridge is Alfieri. Alfieri is the oldest of the characters, described as being in his fifties, turning grey and portly. His age implies much life experience, as does his generously proportioned physique. His appearance is also one of a higher class than the rest of the characters. Alfieri speaks with distinction. Unlike Marco and Eddie, who feel the need to express their masculinity, Alfieri is confident in himself, and so needs not demonstrate this through his language. For this reason, Alfieri remains to be a masculine character even though his language is very poetic and eloquent. For example, when consulting Eddie and Marco, he says To promise not to kill, is not dishonourable. As well as showing Alfieris intelligence, the statement gives his words a scale of importance. Alfieris masculinity shines through in his instructing and superior manner. Unlike the rest of the male characters in A View From The Bridge, it is felt that Alfieri is not being acted upon, but is acting. As Alfieri is not directly involved in the convoluted relationships that take place in the apartment, he has the advantage of having a less emotional reaction to the occurrences. Alfieri also has the advantage of being able to think about things rationally before offering an opinion. When attempting to guide Eddie in his turmoil, Alfieri informs him that he can take no legal action. In doing so, Alfieri is acting out of freewill. Nothing is forcing him to tell Eddie this. Theoretically, Alfieri could ignore the legal aspect and tell Eddie to take his chances. Instead, Alfieri offers his own advice, to let her go. Although Alfieris instinct to seek resolution may be seen as more acted upon than acting, his pressure in guiding Eddie to do the right thing, or lack thereof, is freewill, as Alfieri made the choice in not forcing Eddie to stop acting in the manner that he was. For this reason, Alfieri is acting more than he is acted upon. Although each of the male characters in Millers play A View From The Bridge represents a different role and different type of man, each of their actions can be seen as either an act of freewill or an act of determinism. In many  instances, it appears that there is no other way for the incident to occur. At other times, the characters make choices, exercising their freewill. As Eddie, Rodolpho and Marco are all emotionally involved in the relationships in the play; their actions tend to be acts of determinism. All three are trapped in gender roles, not wanting to appear weak. As Alfieri is more of an onlooker in the play, his actions are a result of freewill. Confident with his masculinity, he is able to decide what to do, not be forced into doing something. For this reason, the male characters in A View From The Bridge can be said to be predominantly more acted upon than acting.

Motivations of Counselling and Therapy Professions

Motivations of Counselling and Therapy Professions A friend in need is a pain indeed. With bumper stickers like that, it is hardly surprising that people might wonder about the counselling and therapy professions: Why would anyone in their right mind want to spend their working days listening to other peoples tales of woe, whether stranger, friend or foe? Is the desire borne of altruism, voyeurism, narcissism, masochism, egoism or some other ism? Could it be based in guilt, power, control, compassion, inferiority, a passion for puzzle solving, an urge to rescue or unmet intimacy needs? After all, the saying says you teach best what you most need to learn. Many therapists and counsellors may well be trying to work out their own stuff and that may even be useful if it is accepted that the person, self and psyche of the practitioner is an integral part of their working day. However, the so-called wounded healer must be extremely careful to ensure their own stuff does not get in the way of the job: To help their clients help themselves. This paper will review literature related to the reasons people select a career in counselling or therapy. While some authors group counselling and psychotherapy the so-called fifth profession others lump together social workers, psychologists, psychiatrists and/or psychoanalysts. For the purposes of brevity, this paper will use the word therapist to refer to counsellors and psychotherapists, as does apparently much of the literature. To limit the scope of the review, it does not include literature focused on specific fields or client groups, such as school counselling. As most in-depth research related to professional motivations was undertaken before the 1980s when the social and professional landscape was considerably different most of the material reviewed has been written in the past decade as much refers to the earlier sources anyway. The major work in the field a classic two-volume study on the career determinants of psychotherapists by Henry, Sims, and Spray is more than 30 years old. While some more recent books touch on the topic through the personal stories of working therapists, new research is surprisingly scant. Various studies and surveys show the most common reason given for studying counselling or therapy as the predictable I want to help people but that is just the tip of the iceberg. As Farber and Northcross (2005) point out, the decision is not as simple as that and involves many conscious and unconscious motives, a little bit of chance and the real reason may not even be fully known until late in a therapists career. Motivations seem rarely discussed in mental health journals or coursework and are more likely to arise in informal conversations or therapy sessions (Farber Northcross, 2005). The question as to why the profession seems so uninterested in its own motivations would, in itself, be worthy of exploration. Sussman, through his 2007 book, and Barnett, in her journal article the same year, provide more recent insights into the unconscious motivations of those who choose to train and work as therapists. Sussman contends that the decision to become a psychotherapist involves multiple factors, some healthy and others neurotic (or psychotic), with motives and personality patterns deeply rooted in the therapists developmental past and the dynamics of the family of origin (Sussman, 2007). Barnetts study of therapists unconscious motivations for their choice of profession arose from her observation of the recent substantial increase in the number of counselling courses on offer and the number of people wishing to become counsellors and psychotherapists. In her interviews with nine experienced psychoanalytic and psychodynamic psychotherapists about their professional and personal histories, Barnett noted two major themes of early loss and narcissistic needs, emphasising the need for personal therapy for safe and effective practice. Farber, Manevich, Metzger Saypol (2005) took a two-pronged approach to the question, Why do people become psychotherapists?, by looking both at common elements and specific factors. Interestingly, the approach is similar to efforts in identifying the factors effecting psychotherapeutic change (Imel Wampold, 2008). Several distinct themes recur throughout the literature but most authors seem to agree that no single factor is responsible for a persons motivation to become a therapist. Just as the nurture or nature debate is inconclusive, so too may be the question of professional motivation. On the whole, two broad factors seem to draw therapists to the profession: Personal needs, whether conscious or unconscious; and the possession of attributes or talents lending themselves to the therapeutic role. Themes While a therapists personality naturally influences theoretical orientation and techniques, the emphasis on therapist variables in outcome research does not help explain what initially attracts people to the profession. A common theme in the literature is that of cultural or social marginalisation, the external counterpart of inner feelings of alienation and difference which may lead to concern with others and where we fit in society the concept of the wounded healer. Many writers mostly therapists contend that painful, early childhood experiences lead to a heightened awareness of distress in self and others, predisposing career choice. Considering the number of people who might have painful early experiences, the theory does not explain why only a small proportion of them choose to become therapists. Becoming a writer, or creative artist in any field, is perhaps as likely a response to early childhood pain as becoming a therapist. Psychological-mindedness an interest in why people think, feel and behave the way they do whether genetic or arising from childhood experiences, may be another core component in the would-be therapists make-up. Psychoanalytically, a wish to understand is in essence a wish to control ones experience or to avoid pain. Apart from thinking style and experiences, some therapists are no doubt drawn to the field by the promise of career satisfaction through personal and professional rewards. Other motivations might include a desire to understand or help people, enhanced sense of identity, self-growth, intellectual stimulation, autonomy and independence, freedom, making a difference, controlled intimacy, self-expression and authenticity. These motivations are likely to vary between private practice and the modern managed care environment (short-term, evidence based, red tape-ridden and lower paid favouring CBT, medication and the medical model). Many therapists hope to become an ascendant agent in intimate relationships without some of the risks for hurt and disappointment that we experienced in our earlier attempts at love and friendship, particularly within our own families (Goldberg, 1986, as cited in Farber et al., 2005). The need to help and understand self through the suffering of others may be a less conscious need. A career as a therapist might attract people who feel frightened and impotent, giving them a chance to control and influence their clients lives (Bugental, 1964, as cited in Farber et al., 2005). The parentified child, a role reversal where the child sacrifices his or her own needs for a parent and/or sibling, might also be a would-be therapist. Maeder (1989) asserted that therapists, as children, were often in the role of caretaker and confidante and chose their profession to fill their own emotional void. They were lured, knowingly or unknowingly, by the position of authority, by the dependence of others, by the image of benevolence, by the promise of adulation, or by a hope of vicariously helping themselves through helping others (Maeder, 1989, as cited in Farber et al., 2005). Sussman, through interviews with 14 therapists, found that therapists unconscious motivations reflected psychological needs related to sex and aggression, being affirmed by others, and feeling intimately connected. For example, a therapists needs for sexual gratification could be indirect (voyeuristic interest in patients sex lives) or, more rarely, direct (sexual relations with clients). Sussman posited that a career as an altruistic healer could be a defence against unpalatable aggressive instincts. A sadistic aspect of the profession was that, in often focusing on patients weaknesses, the therapist shatters their illusions and sense of grandiosity (2007). Ghent goes as far as to suggest that therapists are masochists: What other occupation has built into it the frustration of feeling helpless, stupid, and lost as a necessary part of the work? (1999). Sussman (2007) also suggests the existence of an element of narcissism among therapists who might benefit as much as their clients from the safety of a structured, boundaried holding environment on a regular basis (in fact, he devotes an entire chapter to therapist narcissism in his book based on a comprehensive survey of motivations, an extensive review of the literature and discussion of the results of his qualitative study of therapists). Narcissism featured strongly in another qualitative study involving talking with 11 experienced therapists (Barnett, 2007). Nine made reference to experiences of early loss and deprivation and eight to narcissistic needs. Alice Miller, in The Drama of the Gifted Child, proposed that future therapists often had narcissistic mothers and learnt to tune into others to stay connected (Miller, 1995). Of course, narcissistic personalities may adopt many careers other than therapy creative writers may also strongly tend to narcissism. Wheeler too warns of narcissistic therapists using patients as self objects who potentially massage egos with their adoration and appreciation, or support the therapists self-esteem with their dependence and vulnerability and they gaze into the pool of the clients eyes to see themselves (Wheeler, 2002). The therapeutic relationship is unusually demanding and involves being tested emotionally, intellectually and even practically and physically. Training and personal therapy can help with tolerance and understanding but the therapist needs the emotional capacity at the start. If the calling to this work is fuelled by the wounded healer hypothesis, the key question must be how psychopathology can be used to serve, not exploit, the client. Wheeler posits, if somewhat obviously, that the students desire to work with a particular client group might come from unresolved conflicts and represent a projection of the wounded parts of self. Interestingly, she questions whether the practice of ma tching like with like for example, pairing therapists who have been abused with other abuse survivors should be encouraged. Along with the possibility of greater resonance and empathy lies the opposite over-identification, projection, collusion, merger, denial or abuse. Perhaps trainees should be steered away from working with client groups with whom they have shared experiences to see whether they can genuinely enter the world of the other and whether there is a capacity for tolerating difference when there is less potential for self gain (Wheeler, 2002). However, surely the training of therapists should tell neophyte therapists before they start work with real clients whether they have the capacity to enter the world of another and tolerate difference without self gain. In their ground-breaking 15-year international study, Orlinsky and Ronnestad (2005) focused broadly on the formative experiences, practices, and development of psychotherapists at all career levels through a series of systematic, controlled, clinically and theoretically informed analyses. In response to a question asking To what extent do you feel that your development as a therapist has been influenced by the motivation to explore and resolve your personal problems? about the relationship of personal problems to career choice, nearly half (48%) of 3577 respondents answered much or very much and only 16% said not at all or slightly (Orlinsky Ronnestad, 2005). Work by Skovholt, Jennings, and Mullenbach identified several themes in the life of 10 master therapists they studied, including the presence of significant but not overwhelming stress in their early years (Skovholt et al., 2004, cited in Farber et al., 2005). Another theme in the literature is the role of intellectual curiosity, an early interest in reading and the humanities, and a teacher or mentor in the therapists career choice (Farber et al., 2005). Still, all these factors are common to any form of creative endeavour as an adult creative, intelligent children are typically curious, read voraciously, are good observers, and seek a mentor or trusted person who will not only teach them but be an audience for their thoughts and discoveries. Psychologists Murphy and Halgin (1995) compared a group of 56 psychotherapists with 53 social psychologists for their study into the influences on career choice. They found that clinical psychologists were more likely than social psychologists to have been influenced in their career selections by distress during their life, desires to resolve personal problems, and opportunities for career achievement and advancement. Most respondents did not view problematic histories as central to their choice of career, and the magnitude of difference between the two groups of professionals was small. The finding is perhaps not surprising considering the scientific nature of psychology where objective data and evidence-based methodologies might hold more weight than the self of the practitioner. In a qualitative study of social workers practising as counsellors and psychotherapists, Lewis (2004) found that gender and class had a strong influence on the career choices made by men and women in social work. Women in the sample had pursued career directions with a strong clinical focus combined with roles such as management, supervision and training and were more likely to express the need to balance their working lives with the needs of their families. Men were more likely to pursue careers in management and express feelings of responsibility to provide for their families once children were born. The analysis of data also found that men were more likely to identify their family origins as working class, while women identify their backgrounds as middle class. Zagier Roberts (1994) maintains that many of the conscious choices made by helping professionals are based on idealism. However, ideals are rooted in the unconscious and can contribute to primitive defenses, such as her example of psychoanalysts who deeply need to believe in their costly and time-consuming approach to continue the work necessary to meet their own unconscious needs. People with similar needs are often drawn to a certain setting to work through their own unresolved issues and this can stir up collective defences (Bion, 1961, cited in Zagier Roberts, 1994). Professional idealism and group identity can blind practitioners to the weaknesses of a particular therapeutic approach while failure in their work can trigger guilt and anxiety, prompting primitive defences to maintain self-esteem. As the person of the therapist is a tool in the work, perhaps workers hope that they have enough goodness to heal others. Healthy boundaries are necessary to ensure optimal distance between client and helper. Rigid boundaries and labelling clients as crazy or unfortunate and the helpers as the sane experts is not useful. The so-called charity model does not honour those who it seeks to help if the lines between sympathy and empathy become blurred. At the other extreme, professional helpers might feel guilty for being more educated or wealthy than their clients and may unconsciously try to lessen those differences through over-identification, leading to despair and burn-out. The need for clear client-therapist boundaries and realistic task definition is essential (Zagier Roberts, 1994). Personal therapy is another factor that seems to influence therapists career choice to varying extents. Having experienced the transformational effect of therapy may well lead to a desire to share the magic with others. Using personal experience to help another while continue healing ones self is a powerful motivator for many (Sussman, 2007). Controversies and debates The wounded healer notion seems to be one of the most common themes but does not explain why everyone damaged as a child does not become a therapist or why some therapists do not have a history of childhood pain. Farber and colleagues point out that adopted children are more likely to choose a career similar to their biological parents than their adoptive parents (Farber et al., 2005). The authors seem to think that the most essential of all factors contributing to therapy as a career choice is psychological-mindedness, which may be partly innate but increased through personal therapy and distress. They contend that high psychological-mindedness generally leads to a quest for greater understanding of self and others and ultimately the need to help others in a way that feels personally satisfying (Farber et al., 2005). However, as they point out, that does not explain why some therapists are more research oriented. One would not inherit psychological mindedness but, rather, a genetic trait of the order of introversion which would then evolve into, and be shaped into, what would be called psychological mindedness. Another way of understanding would-be therapists desire to help is through social learning theory that they have been differentially reinforced for certain activities, including listening to and emotionally supporting others. Perhaps it is not a matter of how much pain potential therapists experienced in childhood but how they perceive or construct those experiences. Rather than minimising, repressing or suppressing the experiences, they try to find meaning and make sense of them. Childhood, family, society and culture contribute to everyones choice of profession, not just therapists. The idea of the wounded healer makes sense that the therapist is psychologically curious as a result of his or her own personal suffering and conflicts, providing an awareness and sensitivity to understand and help others. Perhaps the question is not so much about whether or not therapists were wounded as children but whether they have begun healing their own wounds so they do not infect their clients or at least know they are wounded and are willing to consider the impact of this one their work with clients. Kottler (2004) is brutally honest about the realities, as he sees them, of being a therapist and asserts that most practitioners understand that they risk their own mental health through working so closely with people who are emotionally disturbed, in pain or in crisis. He wonders how therapists cannot but be polluted to some extent by the suffering of others and whether Freuds notion of detachment was more about protecting the practitioner than the client. Kottlers long list of negatives includes a sense of responsibility, repetition, boredom, feelings of inadequacy, isolation, brain strain, stress from systems and re-opening of ones own wounds. He cites the fact that even person-centred pioneer Carl Rogers nearly had a breakdown after being stalked by a deeply disturbed client, although other factors might also have contributed to Rogers vulnerability at the time. Yalom (2001) clearly regards therapy as a calling rather than a profession, valuing interpersonal skills, sensitivity, awareness, warmth and humour. He too is a realist sharing actual stories from his own practice and his writings inspire trainees. Yalom operates from an existential and interpersonal frame of reference, advocates a pluralistic approach and draws on a variety of theoretical models. He quotes Erik Erikson as describing the post-narcissism late-life stage as generativity, when people begin to focus less on self and want to pass on their wisdom to the next generation. Perhaps that could be a motivation for older students enrolling in counselling and therapy courses. It might be too that therapists real reasons for choosing to work in the field can be better understood with hindsight and professional maturity. Yalom writes simply and to the point in snack-sized chapters about balancing the magic, mystery, and authority that come with the job of freeing clients of their reliance on therapy. Sussman (2007) too provides inspiration to newcomers to this curious calling and both his work and Yaloms would do well as required reading in training for supervisors and students. Evaluation Limitations in much of the research to date is that findings are based on small sample groups (fewer than 15) for unstructured interview data and that comparison groups are rarely used to compare therapists motivations with other professionals. With the exception of studies by Elliott and Guy (1993) and Fussell and Bonney (1990), investigators have not used comparison groups to distinguish therapists experiences from those of other professions, such as teaching, nursing or accounting. As stated in the introduction, much of the data on therapists motivations was collected several decades ago when the profession was dominated by male Jewish psychoanalysts. It should also be acknowledged that personal motives are difficult to investigate, especially if not well understood by the therapist responding to a survey question or interview. Todays therapeutic landscape is vastly different with more female practitioners and a growing reliance on brief, solution-focused and cognitive modalities. More new studies are needed to determine whether the career motivations of therapists now aged over 50 differ significantly from those of younger therapists. Research on whether therapist career motivations vary with age, theoretical orientation or gender identity remains to be done. Conclusions So, what makes a counsellor or psychotherapist? Clearly, the question is as complex as the individuals themselves. It is likely that the answer cannot be found in a single gene, experience, mentor, book, film, event or training course. Most probably, the motivation is drawn from a mix of ingredients in varying measures including sensitivity, early distress in self and others, an interest in emotion and behavior, personal therapy, being a confidante and having an influential mentor. It should also be stressed that unconscious, dysfunctional motives for becoming a therapist, such as a need for power or recognition, can coexist with altruistic and caring motives. However, a motivation driven by personal needs, whether conscious or unconscious, carries a risk of harmful or poorly directed practice. Thorough interviews of prospective trainees, supervision focused on the self of the therapist as well as case management, ongoing or intermittent personal therapy, peer support and professional development are critical mechanisms to minimise the risk that motivations associated with personal needs do not impact on clients adversely. Without awareness of their own shadows and blind spots, practitioners risk using clients to fulfil their own unmet needs. Whether wounded or not, anyone considering a career in the field should illuminate their own hidden motivations before trying to enlighten others. Personal therapy and self-monitoring, whether through individual or group therapy, should be a mandatory requirement in training and for membership of all professional associations. Although the jury is still out on whether personal therapy improves client outcomes it should be stressed that nobody, even therapists with decades of experience, ever finishes his or her own work it is a lifelong process. Regardless of motivation, aspiring counsellors and therapists cannot be expected to be healed when they start their training course but must at least be open to change and feedback through the process if they are to help others. Periodically re-examining motivations for working in the field might be a useful exercise during times of uncertainty, fatigue and disillusionment. For example, therapists who enter the field primarily for intellectual and creative stimulation might burn out more quickly working in a managed-care CBT environment than someone with the freedom of private practice. Perhaps it would motivate therapists to attend more professional development events, join a peer network, or explore new theoretical models or client groups. Re-visiting the motivations for entering such a challenging profession could serve to revitalise, rejuvenate, renew, refresh and remind practitioners of the unique and meaningful benefits of this privileged work. As Norcross and Guy (2007) discovered in their interviews with master therapists, refocusing on the rewards of practising psychotherapy enabled many to reduce their work-related distress: Much like reminding yourself of why you fell in love with your partner, such reflection on your role as a psychotherapist can refresh our sense of calling (p. 20). So, what brings you here today?

Critical Thinking and Business Decisions Essay -- GCSE Business Market

Critical Thinking and Business Decisions Our basic concept of critical thinking is, at root, simple. We could define it as the art of taking charge of your own mind. Its value is also at root simple: "if we can take charge of our own minds, we can take charge of our lives; we can improve them, bringing them under our "self-command" and direction (McCall and Kaplan, 1990)." Of course, this requires that we learn self-discipline and the art of self-examination. This involves becoming interested in how our minds work, how we can monitor, fine tune, and modify their operations for the better. It involves getting into the habit of reflectively examining our impulsive and accustomed ways of thinking and acting in every dimension of our lives and business. Many various "Forms of Thinking" affect the way we rationalize problems and situations. We could approach a problem by utilizing the forms such as in "a logical, scientific, persuasive, or creative fashion (University of Phoenix, 2000)." The way we approach a problem or situation can be and is very important. In addition, all that we do, we do based on some motivations or reasons that are forces which influence our ways of thinking. However, we rarely examine our motivations to see if they make sense. We rarely scrutinize our reasons critically to see if they are rationally justified. "Some of the forces that influence are thinking can be gender, culture, ethnicity, religion, race, economic status, ethics, etc (University of Phoenix, 2000)." As consumers, for example, we sometimes buy things impulsively and uncritically, without stopping to determine whether we really need what we are inclined to buy, whether we can afford it, whether its good for our health, or whether the price is competitive. As parents, we often respond to our children impulsively and uncritically, without stopping to determine whether our actions are consistent with how we want to act as parents, whether we are contributing to their self-esteem, whether we are discouraging them from thinking, or from taking responsibility for their own behavior. The two examples above, illustrate how we could have used a "scientific form of thinking" to come to a conclusion but the "force", whatever it may have been, that influenced that way of thinking, was very strong. The same remains true in business as it pertains to our manageria... ...en seriously, it can transform every dimension of work life: how we formulate rules, how we relate to our employees, how we encourage them to relate to each other, how we cultivate their speaking and listening skills, as well as their decision making skills. Of course, we are likely to make "Critical Thinking" a basic value in work only insofar as we make it a basic value in our lives. "Therefore, to become adept at contemplating critical thinking, we must become committed to thinking critically and reflectively about our own lives and the lives of those around us (Shermerhorn, Hunt, and Osborn, 2000)." We must become active, daily, practitioners of critical thought. We must regularly model for our employees what it is to reflectively examine, critically assess, and effectively improve the way we live and think. References Morgan W. McCall Jr. and Robert E. Kaplan, (1990). "Whatever It Takes, Realities of Managerial Decision Making," (New Jersey: Prentice Hall) Schermerhorn, Hunt, and Osborn. (2000). Organizational Behavior. 7th Ed. New York: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. University of Phoenix, (2000). Critical Thinking: Strategies in Decision Making. (Module) MGT 350.

Julius Caesar Comparsion :: essays research papers

Many of the problems that Julius Caesar faced during his rule are still problems that the world still faces today. In William Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar the problems are clearly evident. The main problem is the inherit distrust in people of government that is caused by unstable governments.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  One relationship between the PRI in Mexico and the Government of J.C. is that the people might think that they are running the government but they actually are not. For example in Mexico the PRI appoints every political offices and nominations. The same event happened in J.C. Brutus did not like the way J.C. was ruling things and was afraid that he was going to take the crown. Brutus and some other friends planed a conspiracy and assassinated J.C. That ties in to Mexico’s dilemma because the people like having J.C. ruling but Brutus did not care about the people. That is happing in Mexico too the PRI is just looking out to help out them self’s they don’t care about the well fare of the people. One other relationship is that Brutus portrays the PRI in a way that the PRI does not care about the way the government is functioning now. Brutus will turn it upside down I a second to try and make it they way he want’s. When Brutus killed Caesar it disorganized the government until the war over and Mark Anthony took over. When a country has a civil war it creates a real vonerable time for the country, when Mark Anthony and Brutus split up the Roman Empire for a civil war it left Rome extremely defenseless. Any big county could reek havoc over Rome which just had there favorite leader assassinated by a trusted general with a lot of honor. The same event is happing right now in Mexico the peso is dropping every day and for the past twenty years the president has promising that they will stop being a third world country. As you can see having trust in a leader is vital to the well being of a county, do you think if the citizens knew that there president would not get them out o f being a third world county they would have chosen them. Of course not, but Mexico also has some other problems like corruption a lot of the political stuff that happens in Mexico is under the table.