Questions to Ask Yourself After a Preliminary Diagnosis

Questions to Ask Yourself After a Preliminary Diagnosis Phobias Symptoms and Diagnosis Print 5 Questions to Ask Yourself After an Initial Diagnosis How an Initial Diagnosis Isnt Always Correct By Lisa Fritscher Lisa Fritscher is a freelance writer and editor with a deep interest in phobias and other mental health topics. Learn about our editorial policy Lisa Fritscher Medically reviewed by Medically reviewed by Steven Gans, MD on August 05, 2016 Steven Gans, MD is board-certified in psychiatry and is an active supervisor, teacher, and mentor at Massachusetts General Hospital. Learn about our Medical Review Board Steven Gans, MD Updated on January 27, 2020 Blend Images - Ned Frisk / Brand X Pictures / Getty Images More in Phobias Symptoms and Diagnosis Causes Treatment Types While not an official clinical term, the phrase “initial diagnosis” or preliminary diagnosis, is sometimes used informally to refer to the diagnosis that a client receives after an intake interview. Psychological disorders can be complex and difficult to accurately diagnose, but many insurance companies require an immediate diagnosis to pay for treatment. However, after receiving an initial  diagnosis from a physician, its important to verify that you, in fact, are suffering from this condition. The initial diagnosis is often correct, but many therapists caution their clients that the diagnosis may change after further sessions. There are many cases of misdiagnosis, especially in the mental health field where one disorder or phobia can have very similar symptoms and causes. A very basic example of misdiagnosis  would be a doctor saying you have the flu, when in fact, you only have a viral infection. 5 Questions to Ask Yourself For this reason, you want to take the proper steps toward treating your condition. Here are a few questions to ask yourself: Do I want to get a second opinion? If you are being  diagnosed with a serious medical or psychological disorder its important to seek a second opinion, as some  diagnosis can be subjective.Do I need a specialist? Make sure the doctor who is providing the diagnosis is qualified to do so. In the case of psychological disorders, this diagnosis is best provided by a mental health professional.Do I need to submit this diagnosis to my insurance company? Your initial diagnosis may be important to your insurance company, but may not always be correct. If your insurance policy allows, it may be wise to wait for a final diagnosis before submitting it to your insurance company.Am I covered for further testing and treatment? Even before you submit the diagnosis to your insurance company you may want to speak to a human resource professional at your company to determine what is and isnt covered under your plan, and whether you need authorizations or special approvals going forward.Do I have any r eason to believe Ive been misdiagnosed? There are countless cases of misdiagnosis for a variety of reasons. This is why seeking a second opinion is important.

Blindness Of King Lear By William Shakespeare - 1077 Words

Mona Rupani ENG4U March-9- 2015 How is the theme of blindness explored in King Lear? The play King Lear, written by William Shakespeare, the theme of blindness is clearly illustrated in the characters of King Lear and Gloucester. Both characters are blind to the truth because of their unwariness and poor judgment of character. These two characters refused to see the truth about the ones that are loyal to them. This type of blindness in this play is mental. Mental blindness can also be described refusing to see the truth because of one’s personality. The characters blindness was the reason of bad decisions that led to disasters. The nature causes and effects of blindness can be seen with King Lear and Gloucester, as these characters correspond to each other. At the very start of the play, though Lear has physical ability to see, but he is blind in the sense that he lacks understanding. Lear cannot identify people for truly what they are, as he only sees what is on the surface. The moral blindness abuses his relationship with his most beloved daughter Cor delia, and the loyal friend Kent. The first mistake he made that was affected by his blindness was the giving away of his land to his daughter. He states, â€Å"Which of you shall we sat doth love us most? That we our largest bounty may extend†. This quote shows that he wants to gives his land that loves him most. His two daughters, Goneril and Regan to state their love to him for their share of his kingdom, andShow MoreRelatedBlindness By William Shakespeare s King Lear2212 Words   |  9 PagesMaysoun Deeb Mr. A. T. Lebar EN4UN-04 13 July 2015 King Lear Blindness by definition, according to dictionaries, is â€Å"unable to see and lacking the sense of sight† by which King Lear, the classic tragic play written by William Shakespeare, illustrated the concept of blindness amongst his characters as the leading theme. King Lear and Gloucester were the characters that have been conflicted by this â€Å"blindness† that may or may not change their personalities in the very end of the play. Gloucester becomesRead MoreSight vs. Blindness in King Lear by William Shakespeare511 Words   |  2 Pages The theme of sight versus blindness appears several times in the tragedy King Lear by William Shakespeare. In the opening scene of the play, we see King Lear as himself. The audience is left to explore his character on their own. The Earl of Gloucester is another character that is blinded. The theme of eyesight or lack of it refers to the physical and metaphorical blindness of the characters in the play. Lear announces that his kingdom is up for grabs but his daughters must express their loveRead MoreEssay on The Theme of Blindness in King Lear by William Shakespeare862 Words   |  4 PagesThe Theme of Blindness in King Lear by William Shakespeare Shakespeares King Lear tells of the tragedies of two families. At the head of each family is a father who cannot see his children for what they are. Both fathers are lacking in perceptiveness, so the stories of the two families run parallel to each other. In Lears case, two of his daughters fool him into believing their lies. Lear shuts out his third daughter because she cannot her love into words the way he wants her to. GloucesterRead MoreElements Of Tragedy In King Lear1627 Words   |  7 Pagesyears, William Shakespeare creates a name for himself as a master of intertwining pathos in his plays by effectively evoking pity from readers. The literary device of a double plot efficiently amplifies the emotions within a play. With the aid of the paralleling plots between Gloucester and his two sons and King Lear and his three daughters, Shakespeare effectively uses pathos to introduce elements of tragedy in King Lear. Through the parallels between the betrayal of Gloucesterâ₠¬â„¢s son and King Lear’sRead More Sight and Blindness in Shakespeares King Lear - Lack of Vision1477 Words   |  6 PagesSight and Blindness in King Lear      Ã‚  Ã‚   In King Lear, the recurring images of sight and blindness associated with the characters of Lear and Gloucester illustrate the theme of self-knowledge and consciousness that exist in the play.    These classic tropes are inverted in King Lear, producing a situation in which those with healthy eyes are ignorant of what is going on around them, and those without vision appear to see the clearest. While Lears blindness is one which is metaphoricalRead More Blindness and Sight - Lack of Insight in King Lear Essays1082 Words   |  5 PagesBlindness as Lack of Insight in King Lear   Ã‚  Ã‚   Blindness can normally be defined as the inability of the eye to see, but according to Shakespeare, blindness is not only a physical impairment, but also a mental flaw some people possess.   Shakespeares most dominant theme in his play King Lear is that of blindness.   King Lear, Gloucester, and Albany are three characters through which Shakespeare portrays his theme of mental blindness, that blindness which was the primary cause of their poorRead MoreKing Lear by William Shakespeare803 Words   |  3 PagesBlindness is a theme that we see throughout King Lear in many characters including King Lear, Gloucester and Albany. Although blindness is a theme it is also a psychological metaphor and can be defined as not having sight.2 Shakespeare forces us to see that being blind is a mental flaw just as much as it is a physical flaw. Lear is not only metaphorically blind but is also blind toward nastiness and loyalty . We see Gloucester’s blindness in more lite ral terms as he is literally blind but he canRead MoreKing Lear, By William Shakespeare938 Words   |  4 PagesWilliam Shakespeare’s tragic play King Lear is a play that occupies a critical place in the great playwright’s cannon. Harold Bloom noted that it, along with Hamlet, can be thought of as a kind of â€Å"secular scripture or mythology†. If we accept Bloom’s reading, then it becomes possible to read the play as a kind of a parable and to read it’s symbolism in terms of the way that those symbols have been teased out in scripture and in mythology. In particular, this essay will consider how blindness functionsRead MoreSight and Blindness in King Lear1615 Words   |  7 PagesSight and Blindness in King Lear In King Lear, the recurring images of sight and blindness associated with the characters of Lear and Gloucester illustrate the theme of self-knowledge and consciousness that exist in the play. These classic tropes are inverted in King Lear, producing a situation in which those with healthy eyes are ignorant of what is going on around them, and those without vision appear to see the clearest. While Lears blindness is one which is metaphorical, the blindness of GloucesterRead MoreThe Perception Of Blindness Versus Ability1130 Words   |  5 PagesENG4U0-B October 15, 2014 The perception of blindness versus ability to see truths in King Lear Blindness is a motif that readers see throughout King Lear in many characters such as Lear and Gloucester since they are unable to see the truth. Although blindness in the modern world is defined as not having sight, William Shakespeare tells readers that being able to see does not mean morally and spiritually you can see. Lear’s blindness causes him not to see the treachery behind Goneril and

People throught out the world and throughout time all had...

People throught out the world and throughout time all had different perceptions of death. Some people accepted death cause they knew sooner or later it was going to get them and there is no way to escape it. Other people ran trying to escape death cause they were afraid of death but they still could never escape death. Death is one of the few forces in reality that is absolute. In Harrison Bergeron by Kurt Vonnegut Jr. a ballerina and Harrison break off their handicaps so they no longer have to be equal with anyone else. Both of them know by doing so they will be killed but even death does not stop them. Harrison and the ballerina would rather die and be different than to be equal and have their individual abilities suppresed. In the†¦show more content†¦Mallard passes away. In the poem As Befits a Man by Langston Hughes the narrator says he doesnt care if he dies, but he doesnt want to die alone. The narrator wants a grand ceremony if he dies, he wants to be remembered. The carpenter from The Workbox by Thomas Hardy uses the the workbox he built to show juxtapoistions of life and death, extravagent and plain. Though Ivan from The Death of Ivan Ilyich by Leo Tolstoy died happily he did not at first accept death. Ivan wanted more time so he could reflect on his life and all the things he regrets. Ivan finally accepted death when he relized that it would be better for his family if he were to die. Walter Mitty from The Secret Life of Walter Mitty by James Thurber would fantasize so he did not have to be apart of the boring events that happen reality frequently. In Walters last fantasy he stood against a firing squad; this symbolized that will and imagination overcome boring reality. The narrator of Do Not Go Gentle into that Good Night by Dylan Thomas says that old men even though they are going to die soon should leave the world kicking and screaming. The narrator describes how certain men will percieve and react to death. The old men know they are goi ng to die but still fight against death for as long as possible. The way I percieve death is that it is absoulute and no living thing can ever escape it. Nor should we be afraid of death it is simply aShow MoreRelatedDeath : Death And Death844 Words   |  4 PagesIn the United States over two million people die a year (Death). With death comes the questions countless people wonder about. What is Death? Why did they die? Why couldn’t it have been someone else? When a loved one is lost, these questions could be circling through their heads. Death is when someone’s time on Earth has come to a close, there are numerous causes of death and people often wonder why it has to happen. Death is a part of life that everybody has to deal with. There is no way aroundRead MoreThe Death Of Death And Death1300 Words   |  6 PagesOn the topic of death, a question had been made on whether immortality is preferable to dying. In Plato’s Phaedo, Socrates’ death scene, So crates has one last philosophical conversation with his friends about what happens to the soul when it leaves the body after death. Socrates believes that the soul is immortal, meaning that it will live on even when the body does not. The themes in Phaedo are similar to those in Leo Tolstoy’s â€Å"The Death of Ivan Ilych,† which tells the story of a man named IvanRead MoreDeath Of Death And Death1270 Words   |  6 Pagesthought to the subject of death. To be more accurate: throughout my entire life I have never allowed myself to give much thought to the subject of death. Both of my parents are very easy going, optimistic individuals so death was not a subject that was ever really touched on. The only times that I really remember discussing it was in church (and I rarely ever paid attention to this). Despite this lack of contemplation, I have always known that I am very anxious about death, so when I filled out theRead MoreThe Death Of Death And Death1515 Words   |   7 Pages Everyone is familiar with the theme of death. â€Å"According to experience, death is the stopping of a behavior, the stopping of expressive movements and of physiological movements and processes†¦It is a departure, a decease, a negativity to the unknown†¦a departure without a return†(Levinas). Regardless of belief, death is the one equalizer common to man. There are countless stories attempting to illustrate or explain both the feeling and the nature of death given many various outcomes, fortunate orRead MoreThe Death Of Death1218 Words   |  5 Pagesor in other words, 55.3 million people die per year. Death is never a comfortable conversation to have with others but death is common especially among the elderly population. Atul Gawande in Being Mortal talks about how death takes many people by surprise and the descriptions of aging and dying. All the while living better through the understanding of death. The author is trying to express that even th ose in the medical field struggle with death and not ensuring the well-being of the patients thatRead MoreThe Death Of Death And Death2332 Words   |  10 PagesDeath affects people in a variety of ways, often differing throughout cohorts and cultures. Death does not affect everyone in the same way, and often life experiences have a key role in shaping how we view death. Most of these interviewees were from rural Iowa, and could show a contrast from the single interviewee from Tennessee. For this paper, I intend to showcase how several individuals can view death in a variety of ways, and how they can each face their own unique set of problems and resourcesRead MoreDeath Is Not Death?2195 Words   |  9 Pagesyet inevitable fate of all mankind; death. We spend our entire lives fearing death as well as theorizing and developing ways to live longer and put off our own eventual demise. Death is universally feared, even from a young age we are aware of the fact that death is the ultima tely the worst thing that could possibly happen to any mortal being. Death is defined as the â€Å"permanent ending of vital processes in a cell or tissue†. When thought of in these terms death does not seem like anything to be soRead MoreThe Death Of Death System898 Words   |  4 Pages The death system according to Kastenbaum (2012) is â€Å"the interpersonal and symbolic network, through which an individual’s relationship to mortality is mediated by his or her society† (p.102). This means that we face death as individuals and face it as a society and culture. The death system teaches members of a group concerning death, using mental, emotional and behavioral components and functions. There are five component: People, Places, Times, Objects and Symbols and seven function: warningRead MoreDeath Is The End Of Death1688 Words   |  7 PagesThere Is Nothing To Fear In Death. Everybody will die at some point. I know death is coming and there is nothing to fear about it because I believe that there is nothing about it on the other side to be afraid of. I was content, perfectly, to be precise before I was born and I believe it will be the same state even with death. In this essay, I will talk try to talk about why there is nothing to be afraid of in death. It is evident that death cannot be experienced, in the physical form. This is becauseRead MoreDeath By The Broom Of Death872 Words   |  4 Pagesâ€Å"But death also goes through the world dressed as a broom, lapping the floor, looking for dead bodies, death is inside the broom, the broom is the tongue of death looking for corpses, it is the needle of death looking for thread.† Birth marks the beginning of life and is often celebrated while death gets such a bad reputation because of it signifies the end of life as an inevitable fate to humans. We tiptoe around death with hopes that it goes away and watch as it snuffs out life from those we once

Effects of Nationalism After French Revolution Free Essays

After the French Revolution and the Napoleonic Era, people were brought together by the French army marching through their country. During the nineteenth century nationalism became a great aspect of life. Both writer and artist works were greatly influenced by nationalistic ideals and brought people together. We will write a custom essay sample on Effects of Nationalism After French Revolution or any similar topic only for you Order Now Nationalism became a very popular thing after the Napoleonic Era, when people saw how the French carried themselves as a people of a nation. This is when other nations started to strive for links between their people. One major forerunner was language. People saw language as one way to unify as a nation, and create a brotherhood between its people. The whole idea of roots and back story also influenced the literature of the nineteenth century as well. Many writers works were influenced from the nineteenth century was influenced by Nationalistic ideals. One set of writers who showed the idea of nationalism were the Brothers Grimm in their Grimm’s Fairy Tales. Grimm’s Fairy Tales is a collection of German fairy tales all in one book. They used these collection of fairy tales to create a German identity, by saying these were the tales passed on from generation to generation in German culture. Another writer that shows nationalism is Aleksandr Pushkin in his work The Bronze Horseman. The Bronze Horseman tells the tale of Evgenii and how he ends up going mad and getting killed by the statue of Peter. This shows nationalism in the fact that in the introduction of the poem, he talks about the founding of St. Petersburg and how great Russia is. Artist also had many works that portrayed nationalistic ideals. One piece of art that without a doubt showed nationalism was La Liberte guidant le peuple by Eugene Delacroix. This painting depicts â€Å"Mother France† leading her people into battle during the French Revolution. It shows Mother France with torn clothes and a French flag above her head which show how she wanted to bring her people all under the French flag and join them together. Another painting that depicts nationalism is The Bard by John Martin. This painting shows a Welsh bard running from a massacre that had just happened in a town off in the background of the painting. This showed nationalism in the idea that no matter what the English would send upon the Welsh they would always stand strong as a people and never give in to the English repression. All these different works show different aspects of nationalism. The Brother Grimm with the Grimm’s Fairy Tales, showed German nationalism in the fact that it created German folklore for people to come around. Aleksandr Pushkin’s The Bronze Horseman showed nationalism in that it tells how great Russia is and no matter what happens it will forever keep its greatness. Eugene Delacroix’s painting La Liberte Guidant le people shows French nationalism in that it shows the French people all coming together under one flag to fight alongside Mother France and were willing to die for her. In The Bard by John Martin shows Welsh nationalism in that no matter what the English did to them they would never give in. In sum, nationalism became a major aspect of life in the nineteenth century. People came together and many new nations began to form in response to these new ideals of nationalism. Nationalism led to many great things, like the unification of Germany in 1871. How to cite Effects of Nationalism After French Revolution, Essay examples

Business Foundation Marketing Goals and Plans

Question: Discuss about the case study Business Foundation for Marketing Goals and Plans. Answer: Introduction For this research paper, I would like to select McDonalds Australia Holdings company as a research company. This paper would be helpful to develop a marketing plan for the success and growth of the organization. Along with this, this research paper would portray a target market and also produces a new sustainable product that the firm may introduce in its target market to attract more customers. This research paper would also be beneficial in order to provide background information and to conduct SWOT analysis of the organization. Moreover, by considering the SWOT analysis, this paper would be helpful in order to describe the segment variables as well as target market of the organization. This paper would also elucidate the customer value that is provided by the new product of the firm. Furthermore, this paper would also be valuable in order to explain how the new product fits with the SWOT analysis through describing one strategy profile being addressed. Company Background McDonalds Australia Holdings Limited is a private company that establishes as well as manages a chain of family restaurants. In other words, McDonald's generates its profits from the establishment as well as management of the McDonald's chain of restaurants in Australia. The head office of the company is located in Thornleigh, New South Wales. It is a subsidiary of McDonalds Australia Property Funding LLC. The company employs just about 6,600 employees to serve the customers in an effective and a proper manner (McDonald's Australia, 2016). Along with this, the organization generates income by providing food and beverages services to the customers. For case, hamburgers, cheeseburgers, French fries, chicken, desserts, and beverages are the major products/services that the form provide to its customers. In addition to this, McDonalds uses different and innovative marketing strategies as well as tactics in order to accomplish competitive advantages over the competitors. SWOT Analysis SWOT analysis refers as a study that is assumed by business organizations in order to make out their internal strengths as well as weaknesses, and their external opportunities along with threats. The below given table is helpful to represent the SWOT analysis of McDonald's: Internal Environment Strengths Weaknesses Strong brand name and value in the global market High quality food Strong financial position (Bhm, 2009). Highest fast food market share Partnership with best brands Affordable price Healthy environment and professional training to employees Low product differentiation Unhealthy food menu Children targeting strategy (Lamb, Hair and McDaniel, 2008). Negative publicity External Environment Opportunities Threats Product diversification Upgraded Menu (Mcfarlin and Sweeney, 2014). Initiate of home meal delivery services Adaptation of new technology High competition Healthy Lifestyles Trend More Health-Conscious Customers GMO regulations (Davidson, 2012). Finding In this section, I would like to discuss the SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats) analysis of McDonald's Australia Holdings Limited. I will describe all the major elements of the SWOT analysis in an effective and a proper manner. Explanation of the SWOT Table: The above given table is helpful to identify the internal strengths and weaknesses of the company. Along with this, the table is also valuable to make out the external opportunities and threats of the firm. All the major elements of SWOT analysis are described as below: Strengths: The strengths of McDonalds make it a global leader in the fast food restaurant market. The major strengths of McDonalds are as below: Strong Brand Name and Value in the Global Market: McDonalds has a strong brand name and image in the market that makes it competitively strong in the marketplace (Yuece, 2012). High Quality Food: McDonalds offers safe and high quality food to the customers that also make it superior in the market. Strong Financial Position: The financial position of the McDonald's is very strong. For case, in 2015, the firm generated approximately $25 billion revenue in all over the world. Highest Fast Food Market Share: McDonalds holds highest market share in the industry. For case, it holds 77% market share in burger fast food industry. It is also one of the major strength of the firm (Boone and Kurtz, 2015). Partnership with Best Brands: McDonald's has its partnership with best brands and also serves products of popular brands such as: Coca Cola, Heinz ketchup, Dannon Yogurt, and so on to its customers. Affordable Price: McDonalds offers a large variety of food beverage products at a very affordable and reasonable price to its customers (Wright, Frazer and Merrilees, 2007). Healthy Environment and Professional Training To Employees: McDonalds provides a very healthy environment to its customers and employees. Moreover, the firm also provides professional training to its employees; so they can deal with customers in a professional and polite manner. Weaknesses: The weaknesses of McDonalds are connected to the products, market focus, and processes of the firm. The major weaknesses of the firm are as follow: Low Product Differentiation: McDonalds is providing the similar fast food products the same as its competitors to the customers that is the major weakness of the firm (Mcfarlin and Sweeney, 2008). Unhealthy Food Menu: McDonalds takes in unhealthy meals as well as drinks in its menu that has become a major reason of obesity. Children Targeting Strategy: McDonalds mainly focuses and targets to the children to increase the profitability of the firm (Fleisher, and Bensoussan, 2015). Negative Publicity: McDonalds is identified for carbs, fat, sugar and salt loaded food that is also one of the major weakness of the firm. Opportunities: The opportunities of the firm are associated to its product mix as well as global growth. This element of the SWOT analysis is a sign of the external strategic factors that hold up the success and growth of business (Boone, and Kurtz, 2014). The core opportunities McDonalds are as below: Product Diversification: The firm has the opportunity to develop new and diverse products to increase its sales and revenues. Upgraded Menu: In current, the demand of healthier food has been increased. In this situation, McDonalds may upgrade its menu by including healthier and organic products/services to capture this opportunity in an effective way (Lamb, Hair and McDaniel, 2012). Initiate of Home Meal Delivery Services: McDonalds must capture the opportunity of delivering foods at home or offices in order to improve its customer base effectually. Adaptation of New Technology: McDonalds must make use of advanced technologies to deliver very fast services to its customers (Boone and Kurtz, 2015). Threats: McDonalds threats are based on the socio-cultural trends as well as competitive rivalry. The major threats to the business are as below: High Competition: High completion is a major threat that limits the business growth of the firm. The main reason behind it is that, in current, the restaurant industry has become highly competitive (Payne, and McDonald, 2012). Healthy Lifestyles Trend: The healthy lifestyles trend is also a major threat to McDonald. It is because of it put off consumers from eating at McDonalds that offers unhealthful products to the customers. More Health-Conscious Customers: Many consumers has become very health conscious. They prefer organic products and healthier products. This has become the major subject of concern or threat to the McDonalds. GMO Regulations: GMO regulations are also a major threat for the McDonalds. It is because of they have the prospective to limit products of the firm. In current, McDonalds does not have an inclusive policy on GMO ingredients (Boone and Kurtz, 2010). In this way, this element of the SWOT analysis explains that McDonalds should develop new policies as regards GMO ingredients products and also produce healthier products in order to attract health-conscious consumers. Recommendations On the basis of the explanation of all the major elements of the SWOT analysis, it can be said that McDonalds can enhance its business capability all the way through continuous global expansion, more than ever in high-growth markets. In addition to this, the firm can condense risks by developing new products and also entering new industries that is linked to the fast food restaurant industry. On the other hand, the firm should use effective strategies in order to improve its position in the marketplace. Target Market: McDonalds should target different age group customers in place of the children to improve the market position in long run. The firm should make changes in its products and also introduce different flavors, different taste fast food, and beverage products to target as well as attract the different age group customers. New Product Description: McDonalds should introduce healthier and organic products in order to attract health-conscious consumers. For example, the firm should introduce fresh juices, energy drinks, and fruit vegetable smoothies in order to retain health conscious consumers in an effective way (McDonald, 2007). Along with this, McDonalds should provide organic products, vegetables fresh fruit, and the products that contain all-natural ingredients to the customers. Customer Value Proposition: The success of an organization totally depends on its customers. McDonalds should provide full value to its customers in order to improve its position in the market place. McDonalds can give full value to the customers all the way through providing healthy products to them. Moreover, McDonalds should listen in its customers carefully and also implement suggestion provided by them in order to enhance the market position in an effective and a more comprehensive manner. Justification of New Product: The SWOT analysis points out that the unhealthy foods or products loaded with carbs, fat, and sugar is the major weakness of McDonalds (McDonald, 2007). As a result, McDonalds should adopt and implement an innovation strategy in order to produce fresh juices, fruit vegetable smoothies, energy drinks, fruit vegetable juice, and vegetable foods products to retain its existing customers and to attract new customers in an effective and a significant manner. References Bhm, A. (2009). The SWOT Analysis. Australia: GRIN Verlag. Boone, L. and Kurtz, D. (2010). Contemporary Marketing 2011. USA: Cengage Learning. Boone, L. E. and Kurtz, D. L. (2014). Contemporary Marketing, Update 2015. Australia: Cengage Learning. Boone, L. E. and Kurtz, D. L. (2015). Contemporary Marketing.USA: Cengage Learning. Davidson, H. (2012). Offensive Marketing. Australia: Routledge, Fleisher, C.S. and Bensoussan, B.E. (2015). Business and Competitive Analysis: Effective Application of New and Classic Methods. Australia: FT Press. Lamb, C.W., Hair, J. F. and McDaniel, C. (2008). Essentials of Marketing. USA: Cengage Learning. Lamb, C.W., Hair, J.F. and McDaniel, C. (2012). Marketing. USA: Cengage Learning. McDonald, M. (2007). Malcolm McDonald on Marketing Planning: Understanding Marketing Plans and Strategy. Australia: Kogan Page Publishers. McDonald, M. (2007). Marketing Plans: How to Prepare Them, how to Use Them. Australia: Butterworth-Heinemann. McDonald's Australia. (2016). About Maccas. [Online]. Available at: https://mcdonalds.com.au/about-maccas [Accessed On: 4th Aug. 2016]. Mcfarlin, D. and Sweeney, P.D. (2014). International Management: Strategic Opportunities Cultural Challenges. Australia: Routledge. Mcfarlin, D.B. and Sweeney, P.D. (2008). International Management 2008 Edition: Strategic Opportunities And Cultural Challenges. Australia: Dreamtech Press. Payne, A. and McDonald, M. (2012). Marketing Planning for Services. Australia: Routledge. Wright, O., Frazer, L. and Merrilees, B. (2007). McCafe: the McDonald's co-branding experience. Journal of Brand Management, 14(6), pp. 442-457. Yuece, I. (2012). SWOT Analysis of McDonalds and Derivation of Appropriate Strategies. Australia: GRIN Verlag.

A examination and valuation of Lush Ltd. The WritePass Journal

A examination and valuation of Lush Ltd. Introduction A examination and valuation of Lush Ltd. IntroductionHistoryLeadership teamGlobal brandProductsIngredientsEthos and campaigningBenefits of Listing on Stock Exchange Free Cash Flow Valuation AssumptionsValuation Stages Related Introduction Lush is about passion and innovation: passionate about the nature, environment and growth; and innovative for its handmade, unpacked and fresh cosmetics, seductive perfumes, and natural products. Born from the ashes of Cosmetics to Go, Lush is now headquartered in Poole, Dorset in the UK. The company was initially registered with the Companies House by the name of Cosmetic House Limited in 1994 but was later renamed to Lush in the year 1995. It now operates over 600 stores in 43 countries worldwide. The fuel for this growth has been the result of adopting fresh natural ingredients, ideas and fun. The company’s’ ideology is the most important part of everything that it signifies. Lush produces and sells a range of handmade products, like face masks, soaps, bath bombs, bubble bars, hand and body lotions, hair treatments, etc. Lush uses natural resources like fruits, vegetables, essential oils, and synthetic ingredients without any animal fat in all its products. It is also against animal testing and performs tests solely with volunteers instead. This philosophy of its leaders attracts like-minded people, staff and clients, and communicates the brand essence with a clear vision and direction. History The original incarnation of what is now Lush began in the 1970s when Mark Constantine, an herbal trichologist, and Elizabeth Weir, incorporated a company named Constantine Weir. They began with developing recipes for bath and beauty products and toted them round to potential buyers. Their verdict was: â€Å"Too earnest, very authentic, not at all commercial.†Ã‚   Constantine Weir was one of the associate and suppliers to The Body Shop (acquired by LOrà ©al in 2006), a UK -based company founded in 1976 by http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anita_RoddickAnita Roddick. As The Body Shop grew, Anita made a bid the rights to many of the products produced by Constantine Weir for The Body Shop. It was good to be associated with the fastest growing cosmetic company in the world which was using products and ideas by CW. This association was hampered after The Body Shop floated in 1984, when the partnership became uncomfortably formal. The Body Shop eventually bought the intellectual property rights to the business of Constantine Weir for  £9m in 1991. CW managed to dodge the buyout by starting a new company named ‘Cosmetics to Go’ in 1988. This company was primarily a mail-order business which failed ignominiously in 1994. However, CTG managed to obtain new finance from Peter Blacker, of British Ensign Estates and his finance director Andrew Gerrie, who now form an integral part of the board of Lush. In 1994, CTG was renamed to Lush as result of a contest wherein they requested their existing customers to suggest a new name. Leadership team Peter Blacker and Andrew Gerrie were the first to help Constantine when CTG was already in agony and later were responsible in establishing Lush. Gerrie, an opulent entrepreneur had tremendous experience in cash and finance, was a great support to Constantine after having lost his confidence following the CTG debacle. Gerrie had a catalysing effect on the growth of Lush’s fortunes and is leading the expansion of the company. Constantine’s expertise in producing cosmetics is well complemented by Andrew’s ability of managing finances. Constantine and Andrew are the recognised leaders of the company. Besides being experts in their respective fields, they are socially intelligent, organisationally efficient and have a strong sense of imagination. The leadership team of Lush includes Elizabeth Bennett,  Helen Ambrosen, Karl Joseph Bygrave and Margaret Joan who are also the shareholders. Global brand Lush is a leading global brand with over 600 stores and subsidiaries in 43 countries worldwide and production laboratories in Europe, Canada, Australia, South America, Singapore and Japan. Their aim is to offer â€Å"the freshest products in the history of cosmetics.† All the stores in UK are fully owned by the company and the stores overseas are subsidiaries with local managers. The Lush store partnership model ensures management coherence and commitment with the company. Personal ownership adds motivation while willingness to invest in Lush means that the Lush concept is endorsed. At the same time Lush remains directly involved and able to steer the branch. Lush does not supply any other retailer so everything they produce is only sold in Lush shops or on-line from Lush websites. Products Lush produces many different types of cosmetic products, from hair, face, body, and foot care, all the way to bath and shower care. Lush creates solid products to reduce packaging waste and the need for preservatives. Solid products are sold wrapped in paper or in small bags. Lush encourages customers and staff to purchase products using their own shopping bags to be more eco-friendly and even motivate customers to let their products go naked (without any packaging whatsoever). Some examples of Lushs solid products include bubble bath bars, shampoo bars, hair conditioner bars, solid shower gel, and massage bars. Lush also carries bath bombs, also called bath ballistics, which are solid balls made of sodium bicarbonate and citric acid that fizz as they dissolve in the bath, releasing essential oils that scent the bath and soften the skin, and in some cases glitter, confetti, flower petals or seaweed. They hand-make the products in a factory in small batches based on orders from indivi dual stores in order to keep their products fresh. In order to stay in touch with their fresh standard, Lush does not sell any product in their store thats older than 4 months and most products have a total shelf life of approximately 14 months. Ingredients Lush lists their product ingredients in English as well as Japanese, French and many other languages, and uses fruit, vegetables, other plant products, and safe synthetics. Many products are labeled with a use-by date and who made the product. All Lush products are vegetarian, and less than 30% contain animal products such as beeswax, honey, free range, unfertilized eggs and lanolin. Lush uses minimal packaging (over 70% of their products contain no packaging at all); the packaging that they do use is 100% recyclable and are made from used plastics and cardboard. Products which contain no animal ingredients at all are marked as vegan in Lush catalogues, on store displays, and on the container itself. Lush uses methyl- and propyl- parabens, which have been used in food preservation and are both made of plant materials. Only the liquid products contain parabens; solid products have no preservative content as it is water that can breed bacteria in products. 70% of Lush products are preservative-free. Ethos and campaigning Lush does not buy from companies that carry out, fund, or commission any animal testing. Lush itself tests its products on human volunteers before they are sold. In keeping with its stated ethos, Lush has also begun to phase out its use of sodium palm kernelate. Sodium palm kernelate is derived from trees in the natural habitat of orguntans. Greenwash, a pine scented soap, is the first soap to be made using palm-free soap noodles, but as of 2008 all Lush soaps are made with palm-free soap base. Their aim is to have 100% of [their] packaging easily recyclable, compostable or biodegradable†.   Lush is a supporter of controversial direct action, animal rights operations including the Sea Shepherds, a group that works to protect whales, seals, and other aquatic animals.   In 2007 Lush started openly supporting campaigning groups by sending a dozen cheques for  £1000 each, including road protests groups such as Road Block and NoM1Widening, Hacan Clear Skies (anti-aviation group), and Dump the Dump (which is fighting against an incinerator) They introduced the Charity Pot body lotion, each pot promotes a different small charity on the lid, and the full purchase price (except for VAT) goes to charity. They have also introduced a range of Go Green products that they say are inspired by Rebecca Lush (no relation), a roads campaigner who set up Road Block in the early 1990s and who pied Jeremy Clarkson for his glorification of the car. Benefits of Listing on Stock Exchange Listing on a stock exchange can add value to a business of any size. Moreover, stock exchange listing cast a wider net into the capitalization pool i.e. the potential sources of equity funding, when a company is planning for expansion and leveraging. A listing will also to attach importance to Employee Share Ownership Scheme of Lush. By obtaining a listing on a stock exchange, Lush will gain market exposure to a broader membership of the financial community including market makers, traders, retail investors and various financial institutions. This will eventually benefit Lush it’s a growing business and worth investing. Thus, listing will potentially increase capital investments of Lush, as opposed to private negotiations and networking, providing a better exposure to a larger financial market and wider range of investors.Being listed on an exchange implies that Lush meet the requirements and standards set by the exchange. This will add credibility to its business and therefore enhance its brand equity by improve customer’s perception of value in the company and its products. Moreover, listing will enhance financial information and investor public relations through the information/disclosures made available as required by listed companies. Listing will facilitate Lush to ascertain its Enterprise Value and share price. A need for capital investment is one of the main factors for Lush to lists on a stock exchange. Lush is a product based company and requires capital for producing inventories. Given the fact that they use on natural ingredients, their products are slightly expensive since they have to import or cultivate their ingredients regularly. Stock market listing will provide wider and more accessible forms of investment for both investors and businesses. This will largely support a free market for buyers and sellers to meet, access and trade capital for ownership and vice versa. It could also be used as one of several sources of capital leveraging. Lush finances its production through debt. Their debt gearing is a striking 40.63% which is very high for a product manufacturing company. Also their interest cover of 13.84% is also high. Listing on the exchange will provide a low cost of capital financing. It will also provide increased capitalization through wider market exposure and reduce the reliance on alternative sources of funding such as venture capital firms. This lower reliance for alternative sources of financing will improve negotiating leverage of the company when obtaining financing from venture capital firms whether it be through less liability protection as determined by the stock ownership terms or lower cost of capital. In other words, if the market exposure gained through listing is positive, the effects on financing can also be positive. To summarize, listing a business on a stock exchange may be a good idea for a business seeking improved market awareness, greater potential for capital investment, enhancements to brand equity and negotiating influence etc. Listing on an exchange should probably be in line with or in accordance with business strategy, otherwise the listing may be premature or unnecessary. Free Cash Flow Valuation The discounted-cash-flow approach attempts to determine the value of the company (or â€Å"enterprise value†) by computing the present value of cash flows over the life of the company. Since a corporation is assumed to have infinite life, the analysis here is broken into a forecast period and a terminal value. Ideally, the forecast period should equate with the interval over which the firm enjoys opportunities for relatively high growth. The value of the company derived from free cash flows occurring after the forecast period is captured by a terminal value. To estimate the terminal value, cash flows are projected under a steady state assumption that the firm enjoys no opportunities for abnormal growth. Once a schedule of free cash flows is developed for the enterprise, the Weighted Average Cost of Capital (WACC) is used to discount them to determine the present value. The sum of the present values of the forecast period and the terminal value cash flows provides an estimate o f company or enterprise value. Free cash flow equals the sum of NOPAT (net operating profits after taxes.), plus depreciation and noncash charges, less capital investment and less investment in working capital. NOPAT is used to capture the earnings after taxes that are available to all providers of capital (i.e., NOPAT has no deductions for financing costs). Moreover, since the tax deductibility of interest payments is accounted for in the WACC, such financing tax effects are also excluded from the free cash flow, which can be expressed as: FCF=NOPAT + Depreciation – CAPEX – ΔNWC NOPAT is equal to Operating Income x (1-Tc) where Tc is the marginal tax rate (30% equal to the UK corporate tax rate). Assumptions All items were taken from financial statements of Lush. The growth figures of sales for the year 2010 has been taken to be 30% which is the average sales growth form the year 2005-2009. After obtaining listing the company is supposed to have enough funds for operation and will not require any debt financing. Hence, the growth rate is likely to growth at an average 5% for the 1st five years from its listing. This phenomenon was also observed in the case of body shop where its growth shot up rapidly (22.54% in 1984 to an avg growth rate of 37.19% in 1989)over the 1st five years from its listing on the stock exchange. The risk free rate is taken to be 4% as an average risk free rate of debt. Also the risk premium has been assumed to be 4%. The cost of debt assumed is 11.5% because Lush does a lot of short term borrowing and rates are high and generally fluctuate. Also their gearing has been really high and implies that they pay a very high rate of interest. The stock beta has been obtained from The Body Shop (now L’Oreal). The Body Shop has been used as a comparable company since its origination, method of operations and business is very similar to Lush. Some of the items have been expressed as a percentage of Sales to help us in our forecasts (% of Sales approach). The given growth rates of L’Oreal have been used to compute Sales for 2010-SS.2 COGS and SGA can be approximated on the basis of their past relationship with Sales. We have assumed that this relationship will be the same in the future. We have assumed that fixed assets will continue to grow at a rate of 40.75% which represents the average growth in fixed assets between 2005-2009. In reality, it is unlikely that Lush assets will be growing at such high rate forever. The historical depreciation/Fixed Assets ratio (average) is 23.4%. Given that there is no great variation in this historical ratio one can safely assume that the relationship between the two will be maintained in the future. We can then calculate an estimate for fixed assets and as a result depreciation itself as a function of fixed assets. Valuation Stages We assume that the valuation exercise is performed at the end of 2009, i.e. that the first FCF (end 2009) arrives 1 year from the time of the valuation. Terminal Value is then calculated as follows: Terminal Value = FCFSteady State à · (WACC − gss)4 This is the value of all cash flows after 2014 as of the end of 2014 that then needs to be converted to value today (i.e. end of 2009). So it needs to be discounted 5 periods back. PV Terminal Value = Terminal Value / (1+WACC) Then the PV of the FCFs from 2010 to 2014 is: PVFCF2010-2014 = FCF2010/(1+WACC)+ FCF2011/(1+WACC)^2 + FCF2012/(1+WACC)^3 + FCF2013/(1+WACC)^4+ FCF2014/(1+WACC)^5 The Enterprise Value is then given by PV Terminal Value + PVFCF2010-2014 This is the value of the firm to all providers of capital. To get the equity value one needs to subtract the value of total debt (ST Debt + LT Debt) The terminal value growth rate used in the valuation is 15%, which equals the long-term risk-free rate; i.e., the long-term Treasury yield. Cosmetics companies are non-cyclical companies and have very little impact of inflation on their growth. Also Lush is one of its kind, and is therefore expected to growth at 15%. Looking at the its previous growth figures (18.94% CAGR for the past 15 years), 15% is a justified steady state growth rate. The resulting Enterprise Value is 81.02mil and the value of Equity 47.59mil. The corresponding per share figure is 2.13 pence which can then be compared to future actual share prices. References chx.com/content/Trading_Inform ation/Listing_standards.html ht tp://www.nasdaq.com/about/list ing_information.stm cftech.com/BrainBank/FINANCE/U SStockExchs.html http://en.wiki pedia.org/wiki/Stock_exchange http://uk.finance.yahoo.com/q/ks?s=OR.PA reuters.com/finance/stocks/financialHighlights?symbol=OREP.PA 1. â€Å"Soap Stars†, The Business FT Weekend Magazine, 08.06.02 2. www.lush.co.uk 3. From a Lush shopping bag and website (www.lush.co.uk) 4. Lush mission statement 5. Marketing: Lush Gets a Makeover, Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus Graduate School of Business, available on-line at www.brianlhill.com/projects/ExperienceMarketing_Lush.pdf 6. Reported by Sarah McCartney, Editor of Lush Times 9 Mary Linehan, Lush Press Office 10. â€Å"Living the Lush life† by Marge C. Enriquez, Lifestyle, 10.12.01

Free sample - The Clash. translation missing

The Clash. The ClashIntroduction Aesthetics is a philosophy that was concerned with the nature of art work and criteria of artistic art work. A clash in art work refers to noise that is produced when doing art work or bad objects which result from aesthetic work. In art work creativity and symbolic aspect of an object is considered.   Clash between aesthetics and function The clash between aesthetics and function has become an issue in architecture beyond reasonable doubt. The work of art including ceramics, textiles and art furniture was an architect designed modernist for apartments in early 1960s and 1970s.This was marked as the time when people had experience on design work based on social, civic and cultural significance. But nowadays, architecture work has changed because building aesthetic achievement has been left out from its real function. The work of artist architecture at present depends on clients; target consumer needs and products at consumer prices but contain professional grade functionality (Shiner 2003). The constructions of modern architectures are important in art museum though they incur challenges when relating with aesthetic and function museum designs. Art museum is a challenge because it needs a lot of art work in every stage of production. The category of art museum represent type of structures either explicitly created to commemorate important events like churches and civic buildings. Art itself has an important function which people admire and tour especially places like museums which have exiting features. The clash between aesthetic and function has totally changed for a decade ago. At that time many contemporary artists produced long and thoughtful observation products that were meant for spiritual purposes. For instance temporary exhibitions and installations were less designed as neutral containers for permanent works than areas of interactive experience (Shiner 2003). Conclusion The art of historical past and present has caused a clash in aesthetic work. The contemporary issues involved opposed conceptions of what social workers of art and modern artists have done. Different views between past and present art workers were raised in consideration of aesthetic and function thus continuing causing trouble in studio crafts. Reference list Shiner, L. (2003).The Invention of Art: A Cultural History. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.