Helicopter investigation Essay

Easily established, the sycamore tree produces sycamore seeds. These seeds are of an extremely strange looking seed, I say this because the seeds when in the air they spin like tiny helicopters. Due to the spinning they are kept in the air for a longer amount of time. Aim In this investigation I have been asked to find out how long it takes for a paper helicopter to fall 2 metres. After doing this I shall investigate other ways of changing the timing of its landing. I shall do this by using a range of variables. These include of:   Length of wings Number of tailsI have chosen to use the variable of the number of paperclips being added to the tail of the paper helicopter that I shall make. I have chosen to change this variable because I know that gravitation is the effect of the gravitational force of attraction, which acts between all objects in the universe. For example it is widely noticed with massive objects like the planets. The planets remain in orbit because of gravitational force of attraction. The gravitational force, which pulls the object downwards, is called the weight of the object. Isaac Newton stated that there is a gravitational force of attraction between any two objects with mass, which depends on their masses, and the distance between them. I think with this information I can easily say that by adding more and more paperclips on to the tail of the paper helicopter it will gain more weight which will cause the gravitational force to pull it downwards rather than upwards as there is a bigger mass pulling it downwards. I also chose to use this variable instead of changing the length of the wings because I thought that it would have a much more affective difference in the timing of its landing. In this investigation in order to get the best results possible I shall be doing the experiment 5 times. This will give me a good range of results and a better result as I get a better view of the timing of how long it takes to land with different numbers of paperclips attached to the tail of the paper helicopter. It is always essential to make every investigation of whatever type it is to make sure that it is going to be a fair test. In order to achieve this I shall only be changing one variable, which I have already established to be of the number of paperclips added to the tail of the paper helicopter. Prediction In the investigation which I shall be doing I think that I will be expecting for the paper helicopter to fall to the ground in a much quicker timing when it has 5 paperclips attached to the tail of it, than it should do when it has either none, 1,2,3,or 4 paperclips attached to the tail of the paper helicopter. I say this because from the information that I have already been supported by to take this investigation further, it also helps me with my prediction. Using Isaac Newton’s law of gravitation, I can easily say that with his theory of objects being pulled downwards by a force called weight, it helps me to explain that when I add more and more paperclips to the tail of the paper helicopter it doesn’t just mean that the number of paperclips are increasing but it also means that the mass is also increasing. Causing the paper helicopter to fall downwards and not upwards. Why do I say this? I say this because an example being is†¦ Say if I were to get a balloon and fill it with Helium, due to the helium being placed inside of the balloon we already know that for some reason the balloon seems to go up into the air. This is because Helium is lighter than air causing the gravitational force to pull it upwards and not downwards as the weight is very low. Whereas if we were to place water inside of the helium filled balloon it would be brought back downwards because the weight of the water forces the balloon to be brought back down again. What do I expect in the graph outcome? It is easily said that when a line graph is drawn out to show the results of the investigation that I am about to carry out, the line should start off near the very top of the ‘y’ axis. This should be when there are no paperclips attached to the tail of the paper helicopter. Near quite the very end of the ‘x’ axis should the very last point be drawn, therefore making the plotted points decreasing as it goes along the ‘x’ and ‘y’ axis. I think that this graph prediction would go for both the average graph and the graphs for all 5 sets of results, which shall be already obtained by that time. Equipment (As shown in Diagram 1. 1) Paper   Paper clips   Stopwatch/Timer   Scissors   Ruler Diagram 1. 1 Method What should I be doing in order to make this investigation to the highest standard possible? In order to get good results I firstly have to start off by making the paper helicopter. In this experiment I have to look into the needs of safety, I have noticed that none would have to be carried out such as goggles or safety cloaks etc†¦ How do I make a paper helicopter? Firstly I am to get a piece of A4 paper. Some may choose for the A4 to be coloured but I will just leave it to be plain. In our class lesson Mr Findley (our physics teacher,) has given us an information sheet, which includes of the carcass drawing of the paper helicopter. It shows us where to cut and fold and what measurements are involved. Diagram 1. 2 The diagram, which has been drawn above, has not been drawn to scale. Once I draw out the drawing of the paper helicopter on the A4 sheet of paper, carefully done using a ruler of course. I am to cut along and fold along the lines as described: Where the dotted lines are shown this is where we are to fold along, and where the straight solid lines have been drawn in, we are to cut along them. The cutting of course will be done with a pair of scissors. After they are cut out and folded along, some may find it better and more presentable if they are to be decorate and colour in their paper helicopters! What else is involved in this investigation? Once all of the above has been done we are to set up our equipment out. Having set out the timer, paperclips, and paper helicopter in front of me, I am to make sure that I have drawn out a results table, which I will record the timings down in. (As shown in the results table. ) I will then ask for a little help for getting the timing at the best time possible. When I went to drop/release the paper helicopter from my hands I realised that I wasn’t actually in fact dropping/releasing the paper helicopter from 2 metres of height. In fact I was dropping it from my height with my arms being placed right above my head as high as I could manage. So I then made sure to measure how high I was releasing the paper helicopter from, I found that with the heels of my shoe and my arms being stretched up way above my head I was actually releasing the paper helicopter from a height of 2 metres and 3 centimetres. I left the measurement of the height I was releasing the paper helicopter at how it was already, because it was getting to the point where it would be getting very time consuming. When dropping the paper helicopter out of my hands I am to make sure that I drop it at the same time that my friend is to say â€Å"GO†, this is so that he can time it with accuracy. When the paper helicopter will land on the ground I will then yell â€Å"STOP†, so that he is able to stop the timer/stopwatch at the right time in order to get the most accurate timing possible. When I get results for dropping the paper helicopter without any paperclips attached to the tail of it, 5 times, I will make sure that I have written down the timings in my results table. After doing so, I am to attach the first paperclip to the paper helicopter and then do the same thing again. (Drop the paper helicopter, time it, and write down timings in results table. ) After every 5 sets of results with the same number of paperclips attached, I am to add another paperclip to the paperclip, which is already placed on the tail of the paper helicopter. I shall do this until I have 5 paperclips attached to the tail of the paper helicopter. How the paper clips should be placed has been shown in the diagram below. Diagram 1. 3 Results Table Number Of Paperclips 1st (Time in Seconds) 2nd (Time in Seconds) 3rd (Time in Seconds) 4th (Time in Seconds) 5th (Time in Seconds) Average (Time in Seconds) 08 As you can see, in the results tables above I have gathered all my timings into the table. Once I had placed all my timings in the table I was to work out the average of each set of timings. To do this I was to add up all of the sets of timings together and then divide it by 5 because that was the number of times I had done the experiment for each set. Here are my workings out towards how I worked out the average for each set of results. Workings out for Average(s) (Please note that ‘/’ stands for the division sign) When working out the, I firstly got all my timings for the specific set of results, added them together and divided them by 5, I divided it by 5 because this was the number of times I had timed it falling from the air to the ground. As shown below: Number of paperclips = 0 Timings 1Graphs/Conclusion I have formed out a graph to show the results of the five sets of results. Another graph is shown on the next page, except this is a graph, which shows the averages of all 5 sets of results, which I had gathered in my investigation. From looking at this graph we can easily say that the second set of results stand out the most. I have re-checked my results and have noticed that none of the outcome results really stand out greatly, as they are all in proportion. This shows me that my experiments had gone very well without making any large genuine mistakes. I think that the 2nd time I did all the results, the timing may not have been stopped at the right time or maybe not started at the right time, causing the timing to be of a much higher outcome than it should have done. There is not really much of a time difference from when there was two paperclips on the tail of the paper helicopter to when there was three paperclips attached to the paper helicopter’s tail. Looking back at the result table I can see that there is only a difference of 0. 06 seconds whereas in my other results I have found there to be at least a 0. 10 second difference. It is obviously noticeable that my prediction was to go ahead to be forwardly correct. I can say this with confidence because I had information to back up my prediction, which helped me forward, my ideas towards what should actually happen in my experiment. As said earlier in my prediction, I mentioned that the line would be decreasing down towards the ‘x’ axis and away from the ‘y’ axis. We can see in the graph above that this predicament was proved to be correct. From looking at this averages graph it is easily spoken of that the investigation that I have carried have has gone very well. I say this because as shown above, we can see that the average line is actually going downwards as the number of paperclips had increased on the tail of the paper helicopter. Thus showing that my prediction was right. I was able to make sure that my prediction was quite reliable with backing it up with a hypothesis, which had been concluded, from Isaac Newton’s Law of Gravitation. With the information from this Law of Gravitation I was able to predict that when there is a force being put onto an object from its natural force then it is called weight as it is pulling it downwards. So when I was asked to do an experiment that was involved in placing more and more paperclips to the tail of a paper helicopter I already knew in my mind that the timing of the landing would get shorter and shorter. This was due to general knowledge but also scientific knowledge†¦ Isaac Newton’s Law of Gravitation. With this scientific explanation we have been able to predict many scientific happenings. Evaluation I am glad to say that throughout the whole of this investigation I did not make any noticeable, genuine mistakes. I later went on to find out that I was standing at a height of 2 metres and 3 centimetres. This information of course was later found out after I was more than half way through the experiment, so I had to decide whether to go ahead with doing the experiment all at a drop of 2 metres and 3 centimetres or change it and have half the results at 2 metres and 3 centimetres whilst the rest of the results would be obtained from a height of an exact 2 metres. I had decided that if I were to go on to do this I would not be carrying out a fair test. Although the investigation was asked of a 2 metre drop I still thought that although I had dropped it at an extra 3 centimetres higher it was still a very fair test because I had kept drop height throughout the whole of the investigation. Whilst doing the investigation I had managed to do everything according to how I had written it out to have been done, although sometimes I had to be re-timed as mistakes were made as I sometimes dropped the paper helicopter without being told to! All in all I think the investigation was carried out well and was a fair test, I made sure that only one variable was changed and that the timing was done at the most accurate timing possible. In order to make it a fair test it also meant that safety was to be involved as well, as far as I was concerned not many safety measures had to be taken, I say this because as mentioned earlier no safety goggles were needed, no hair was really in need of being tied back and no safety cloaks were to be worn. The only safety we were to be notified was to tuck in our stools so that no accidents were to be caused as the investigations were being held. Looking back at my results I don’t really think that there were really any results which were unexpected, there may have been the one or two timings which may have been timed a bit earlier than they should have been but nothing which was really way out of proportion. If I were to do this experiment again I think that I will definitely make sure that I am to drop the paper helicopter at a height of 2 metres and not 2 metres and 3 centimetres! I shall aim to achieve more results although I feel that I already have a reasonable amount of timings. I think that if I were to do the experiment again I would achieve a very similar set of results, as it would only be from the difference of 3 centimetres. Bibliography In order to help e forward my ideas I was in need of many sources, in which I found the following helpful†¦. 1) www. encarta. co. uk ‘Law of Gravitation’ 2) The Usborne Illustrated Dictionary of Science. Physics, Chemistry and Biology. Written by; Corrine Stockley, Chris Oxlade and Jane Werthiem. 3) School GCSE Physics book 4) Physics Lesson.

Dicussion questions Essay

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Analysis Of Environmental Conditions Marketing Essay

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Economic analysis for marketing plan to expand a current company to Research Paper

Economic analysis for marketing plan to expand a current company to operate internationally in Israel - Research Paper Example This shows that all other charges that follow such as delivery, commissions and distribution are upon the buyer. The disadvantage of this is that the risks involved transfer so early to the buyer. Arrangement of export and import licenses as well as customs formalities is a tedious process for the buyer (Deardorff, 2006). The disadvantage to the seller is that he loses control over the company to transport his goods. A term closely related to ex-works is free on board (FOB). This one show that the price quoted by a seller or invoiced includes all charges up to where the goods are placed on board on a ship for transportation. It can also be called, freight collect, freight forward or freight. The advantage of this to the seller is that he can easily recover the goods before it is on board especially where the buyer defaults in payment or contract (Madura, 2011). The disadvantage of this term of trade is that the seller has limited or no responsibility of recovering the merchandise aft er the cargo crosses the rail of the ship. The buyer also suffers in case the cargo gets lost when the ship is in transit (Deardorff, 2006). ... Cost and freight (C & F), is a term of sale showing that the price quoted or invoiced by a seller for shipment purposes does not include insurance charges but includes all charges up to the destination port. The advantage to the buyer is that all the legal processes are done for him by the seller. The disadvantage to the seller is that he will be responsible if the cargo gets lost or spoilt during transit (Deardorff, 2006). Cost, Insurance, freight (CIF), is a terms of sale signifying that the price quoted by a seller includes the insurance charges, the cost of the goods and transportation costs up to the named port of destination. From the analysis of the terms of trade above, the most preferred to a buyer is the cost, insurance and freight. On the other hand, the most preferred to a seller is the ex-works. Cash in advance (CIA), is a payment method where an order from a buyer is not processed until full payment is received in advance (Madura, 2011). It is also called cash with orde r. Open accounts is a method of payment where the buyer of goods pays the sum payable only after the receipt of goods or on deferred payment terms. A consignment sale is a trading agreement in which the seller of goods sends them to a reseller or a buyer who is supposed to pay for the goods when they are sold. In this case, the seller remains the owner of the goods until they are sold and paid for in full. If the goods are not paid for within the agreed upon period, the goods are taken back by the seller (Deardorff, 2006). This type of payment is also called sale or return or goods on consignment. A sight draft is a bill of exchange which is payable only when it is presented. If not seen by the required party it will not have matured (Deardorff, 2006). On the other hand, a time

What has been the impact of World Bank upon development in the south Essay

What has been the impact of World Bank upon development in the south - Essay Example According to the neo-classical economic theory, the financially weak countries should borrow money abroad to finance their investments and requirement. According to CIA (2009), United States has got the highest level of outstanding external debt, which is approximately $13,450 million. United Kingdom being the second and there are few other countries too. So it can be understood that neither the developing nor the developed countries are immune to the finance deficit problems. This context can be better explained through the dual-gap model, which highlights the aspect of motivation for introducing debt in growth model. This model states that there are two gaps, mainly foreign exchange gaps and saving gaps. These two factors might be scarce to support the growth of the developing countries (Daud, and Podivinsky, 2011, p. 2-4). High levels of debt could also adversely affect the economic growth of any country. It can be also related to the debt-overhang theory. According to debt-overhang theory, the expected return of external debt is inadequate compared to the contractual value of debt. The heavy burden of debt on the developing countries drains their investments too and returns get taxed away. Apart from this high debt also negatively affect the investment rates and growth of the country because of huge cash flow and has effects of moral hazards. However, on the opposite side, if external debt is considered at the level of foreign borrowings, then it could have a positive impact on growth and investment of the country. The Laffer curve represents the relation between the investment and the face value of the debt. The expected amount for repayment falls when the level of outstanding debt increases beyond the specified mark. So according to the Laffer curve, the expected payment would reduce with the increa se in the face value of debt (Zawalinska, 2004, p. 5-6). Since the past decades, policymakers and also academicians have taken keen interest in studying, and investigating theories to develop a link between debt and the economic growth of the global economy, but we would consider a few empirical studies to understand the concepts in this study. Abdelmawla-Mohammed (2005) supports the fact that external debt has a negative effect on the economic growth and development. Studies in about 61 developing countries have been conducted and results reveal that high debt can also create negative effects on the physical capital and productivity growth of the country. This study aims at focusing on the Structural Adjustment Programs (SAPs) of the World Bank and the impact of such strategies on the south. We would follow a well-defined framework to evaluate each dimension of external debt, its effects on economic growth, and effect of SAPs on the economic condition of the developing countries. A lso a critical analysis of the negative aspect of SAP of World Bank would be done in this study. World Bank and its Initiative towards Poverty Reduction Richard Peet in his "Unholy

Strategic Management in Action Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Strategic Management in Action - Assignment Example Introduction Technology sector in the US includes more than 140,000 companies with combined annual revenue of about $900 billion. AT&T, IBM, Intel, Adobe, Apple, and Microsoft are the major companies (US Technolgy Sector Analysis, 2010). â€Å"Industry concentration is high in many segments with the largest 50 participants generating more than 60% of the segment revenue† (US Technolgy Sector Analysis, 2010). Scientific discoveries and new product developments form the basis of profitability in this industry. Both large and small companies can compete successfully – the mammoths have access to capital and marketing and the miniatures have domain-specific expertise. In the period Aug-10 to Jan-11, the Application Software industry has been on a bullish trend before being thrust into a bearish mode in the wake of the European sovereign debt crisis. The history of Apple begins in 1976 when Stephen Gary Wozniak and Steven Paul Jobs began working on the Apple I. When the design was finished Wozniak and Job’s tried to sell it to Hewlett Packard but there was no interest in the Apple I. By April 1976 Ron Wayne had joined Jobs and Wozniak and designed the first Apple logo. Wayne sees the financial risk being too high and resigns. In 1977 Apple becomes incorporated and in 1979 the Apple II is introduced. At this time development began on Apple’s first business computer, the Lisa. In 1980 Apple went public and by 1983 Apple had become the fastest growing company in history. Flash forward to 1998 when the iMac is announced and releases, it becomes the fastest selling PC in history. May 19th, 2001 Apple opens its first retail store in Los Angeles and Washington DC, followed by the introduction of the iPod in October (TAM, 2010). Among Apple’s long list of products include the iPad, iPhone, iPod, iTunes, Mac, PowerBoo k, and Power Mac. As of May 2010 Apple had a gain of 1.8% at $222.12 billion (Nosowitz, 2010). While Apple has produced some products that have experienced the same success as the iPod, for example Apple TV, the authors believed that the new projector laptop will be among Apple’s more popular products. SWOT Analysis The primary strength of APPLE is its strong presence in the market. It could be realized from the fact that it is the world’s number one brand in Asia, US and Europe. It has outperformed technology giants like Intel, IBS and Microsoft in many segments. Its strong presence in the market has helped it to aggressively acquire market share compared to many other companies that only have strong presence in their local markets. The company has the largest market share in MB and motherboard segments selling approximately 22 million pieces in FY09. APPLE is one of the rear technology companies that had made operating profits even though global economy was undergoin g a recession (Apple Annual Report, 2010). Another Strength of APPLE is its advanced and excellent Research & Development capability, efficient and effective supply chain, and mass production at a competitive production cost. These competitive strategies of APPLE have helped it to become a market leader in many products. In 2009, the company came up with first of its kind notebook and motherboard that was compatible with USB 3.0 securing a leading position in the segment (Apple Announcements, 2011). This was a shear display of Research initiatives of the company. With the use of technologies like e-commerce, the company had created an efficient supply chain which helps it with seamless flow of information and products among resources. Mass production done by APPLE helps it achieve economies of scale thereby increasing operating profits of the company. The primary weakness of the company is that it is investing a lot of amount in restructure activities involving spin-off of certain s ubsidiaries

McDonald's in the McSpotlight Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

McDonald's in the McSpotlight - Case Study Example This can clearly be understood from the figure provided below (Botticell, Pucevich, Scriptunas, & Thurston, 1999). In the case of McDonalds, the company could have clearly reduced the performance expectation gap by avoiding the case and could have worked a way out with Morris and Steel by negotiating for an out of court settlement. This would have saved the company a whole lot of time and would have also ensured that the company and the stakeholders are not affected by the trial (Hartman & DesJardins, 2007). The trial for the company has been one of the longest and most expensive trials and this could have been easily avoided if the company used good negotiation techniques. Also, if McDonalds had implemented a stronger argument at the start of the case rather than allowing a slack in the performance, then the company would have been able to save up on time and also would have saved a lot of costs as well. The public issues life cycle consists of four main steps, a) changing stakeholder expectations, b) political action, c) formal government action, and d) legal implementation (Botticell, Pucevich, Scriptunas, & Thurston, 1999). With the start of the public issues life cycle the company was faced with a concern that was building regarding the healthiness of the food that the company served. The leaflets acted as the drivers of the issues and this brought out the problems into public. Also, the website that Steel and Morris had developed as a protest against the company also added to the driver and led the company to be faced with higher levels of problems with the stakeholders. As an executive of McDonalds, I would personally recruit and develop a team which would consist of people with excellent negotiation skills. Also, an attempt will be made to include people with a strong financial expertise and a law expertise. The staff of this team, irrespective of their expertise, should

Procedural Steps Involved in Bringing a Case to the Docket of the Supr Assignment

Procedural Steps Involved in Bringing a Case to the Docket of the Supreme Court - Assignment Example However, aside from the Clerk of the Supreme Court, who serves as a court clerk, there are also the law clerks of the justices. A law clerk assists the justice in making an opinion through research and the writing of recommendations. An example of a law clerk that is currently serving Supreme Court justice is David Morrell. He is a graduate of Yale and once worked as a clerk of Judge E. Jones of the 5th Circuit. The solicitor general represents that the interests of the federal government in the Supreme Court. The Constitutional authority for lawmaking is stated in the Article I, Section 1 of the US Constitution. This clearly states that it is the Congress of the United States that has the power to create laws. The Congress is composed of two chambers, the Senate and the House of Representatives. Both chambers have the power to initiate the legislative process, with individual representatives and senators having the right to push a bill. After it has been formulated, the House and Senate Committees which have jurisdiction over the bill’s nature would then study it before approving or disapproving it at their level. It is at the level of the US congressional committees that the markup of the bill is done. The markup of the bill is a process in which debates or deliberations carried out prior to the committees’ decision. After the concerned congressional committee has approved a bill, it goes to the next stage which is House body itself. However, this has to pass the House Rule s Committee, which has the responsibility determining how the bill is to be handled by Congress when it comes to schedules of sessions, framework, and boundaries of the deliberations. It is possible that there are two versions of the same bill coming from the House and the Senate respectively. If there are conflicting points between the two versions, a Conference Committee may be constituted. This is composed of senators and  house representatives who are proponents of the bill. Their objective is to make a final version of the bill.  Ã‚  

This assignment invites you to explore some of the theoretical

This invites you to explore some of the theoretical underpinning of SFG, as presented in the literature - Assignment Example 15). Micro issues are grammar and punctuation-related in essay writing. Syntax is the procedural term used to define sentence structure. Bad syntax is brought about by badly ordered sentences with no apparent and concise meanings. Inappropriate use of tenses is another micro issue that can be avoided with the introduction and discussion of other people’s judgment using present tense, and using consistency within the sentences. Prepositions are other grammatical features that are frequently misused (Barton, 1999, p. 41). Describing the position and movement, prepositions the state used in the sentence should always be double-checked because they always seem correctly used, even when they are not. Colons, semi-colons, apostrophes and speech marks are marks that can be evaded to keep of unnecessary grammatical errors (Forster, 1981, p. 27). Issues in essay writing feature grammatical, punctuation and syntax aspects that often require double-checking after writing. Advice, guidance, and interactive sources from the reference list can be used to guide the writer on aspects of the topic of the essay (Forster, Mohan & Hector, 2003, p. 13). Developed as one entity, everything developed within an essay should be authored with originality to avoid plagiarism. Grammatical and syntax issues are a vital part of the essay and should be consistently observed by the writer when proofreading the written work (Barton, 1999, p. 46). The four are phonetics, words, sentences and text (Kinoshita and Lupker, 2003, p. 3). The phonetic is the spoken sense of the language and words are a combination of letters to make a meaning as a group sentences are grouped words that give meaning as a group. The texts are a combination of sentences that make meaning. With language we are able to communicate what is going on in our minds in order to understand ourselves and the other persons better (Kinoshita and

Crisis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Crisis - Essay Example In a span of fifteen minutes, the duo had already killed twelve students and a teacher while wounding more than twenty. Few minutes after midday, the teens turned the guns on themselves and committed suicide. As the incidence was going on, a radio station made a call to the executive director of Jefferson Country Public Schools, Rick J. Kaufman, found in Colorado. They passed on the breaking news and immediately Rick and his assistant superintendent rushed to the school. Rick tried to reach the school management to no avail since the school is on a large community park with so many residential areas. In a span of twenty minutes, there were several responders including paramedics, police, fire, and emergency helicopters all trying to locate the shooters and save the wounded students. On the other hands, the parents who had heard the news from the media sources were rushing to the school too. In addition, the employees and other students were fleeing out of the school’s compound. Rick made communications back to the office since it was the district’s crisis command center. At this time, his primary duty was to act  as a liaison between the law enforcement and the school per sonnel at the district’s command center and the crisis site (Fearn- Banks, 2010). According to Rick, there was a crisis management plan in place that had been written to the school districts but during this incidence, they did not take the opportunity to follow the plan to the letter. The media was more interested in what was happening particularly who was responsible and who was injured. The attack drew the attention both national wide and in the international media industry. According to Rick, the event seemed to dominate the media’s attention 24/7. The team  made efforts  to make sure that any information that the school district released to the public had no hearsay basis. One of the interventions that were put in place was setting up relocation sites near

Measuring and Managing Customer Relationships Essay Example for Free

Measuring and Managing Customer Relationships Essay Some companies have highly sophisticated analytic systems that allow them to estimate these parameters based on the demographic characteristics of a potential or newly-acquired customer. The analytics help guide the companies’ promotion strategies and campaigns to attract customers with the highest expected lifetime value. For example, RBC Financial Group in Canada uses an analytic model of a customer’s future profitability based on age, tenure with the bank, number of products and services already used at the bank, and the customer’s potential to purchase additional products and services, grow account balances, and generate fee-based income. 1 The bank assigns a personal account representative to its estimated high lifetime value customers, ensures that their phone calls get picked up quickly, and provides them with ready access to credit at attractive terms. 6-31The net promoter score is likely to have the greatest predictive power for repeat purchases and growth in business-to-customer settings where customers have frequent interactions with companies. The score is likely to have the least predictive power in business-to-business settings where purchasing decisions are made by highly sophisticated professionals. In this case, it is better to ask, â€Å"How likely is it that you will continue to purchases products or services from Company X? † CASES 6-32The responses below are based on â€Å"Survival Strategies: After Cost Cutting, Companies Turn Toward Price Increases,† by Timothy Aeppel, The Wall Street Journal (September 18, 2002, p. A1). (a)Jergens’ president based the price on what he determined to be the cost of producing the order of 10 odd-sized fasteners from scratch. The cost included setup for the odd size and overtime labor. The company actually produced the odd-sized fasteners by producing full-size fasteners and then shortening 10. This method was less costly than setting up the equipment to run a small batch of the required odd size. (b)Goodyear had been rewarding its sales force based on volume, providing an incentive for the sales force to deeply discount prices to large distributors. The discounts were so substantial that the large distributors could resell the tires to smaller distributors (even with transportation costs to other regions), reducing Goodyear’s sales at higher prices to smaller distributors. Goodyear responded by cutting the discounts to large distributors, removing discount approval authority from the sales force and transferring it to a â€Å"tactical pricing group† that determines whether Goodyear can profitably match a competitor’s prices. Goodyear also modified its sales force bonus scheme to include a â€Å"revenue per tire† metric. (c)Emerson discovered that customers were willing to pay about 20% more than Emerson’s initially proposed cost-based price of $2,650 for a new compact sensor. Emerson priced the sensor at $3,150. Note that the article does not provide information on how Emerson determined product costs that it used as a basis for its markups. A traditional cost system is more likely to undercost a low-volume or customized product because it allocates manufacturing support costs to products based on unit-level drivers. An activity-based costing system more accurately assigns costs based on resource usage. (d)Wildeck, â€Å"a maker of metal guard rails, mezzanines and material lifts for factories and warehouses,† promoted packages that included installing its products. The installations bring higher profit than parts catalog sales. Wildeck responded to a competitor’s lower-priced storage-rack protector by developing its own â€Å"lite† version and pricing it much lower than the competitor’s price. When customers called about purchasing the lite version, they were informed of the benefits of the original version, and most of these customers bought the original version. An accurate costing system, such as a good activity-based costing system that includes both manufacturing and nonmanufacturing costs of providing goods and services to customers, provides reasonably precise information to managers for making decisions about the mix of products and services to offer to customers and prices to charge in order to generate the desired level of profitability. (e)Union Pacific introduced a minimum price that was higher than a third of its customers paid. The company was not concerned if it lost these customers because customers who were paying higher prices would fill up the newly free space. Dropping unprofitable customers will not lead to an immediate increase in profit if the associated capacity-related costs are committed costs and the resources cannot be put to other profitable use.

Human Error In Maintenance Computer Science Essay

Human Error In Maintenance Computer Science Essay Human errors maybe categorized under six groups with respect to engineering: design errors, assembly errors, installation errors, inspection errors, operating errors and maintenance errors. Maintenance error is the result of the wrong preventive or repair actions carried out by the craft or assigned personnel. Base on the frequency of maintenance being performed the probability of human error increases. To reduce some human errors maintainability is important in the design phase of a component or system. Maintainability according to Ebleing is defined as the probability that a failed system or component will be restored or repaired to a specified condition within a period of time when maintenance is performed in accordance with prescribed procedures. Dhillon describes maintainability as the measure taken during the development, design and installation of a manufactured product that reduces the required maintenance, man hours, tools, logistic cost, skill levels and facilities and ensures that the product meets required intended use. The interactions with humans during the design, installation, production and maintenance phases are extremely important. In some phases these interactions may vary depending on the product, but are subject to deterioration due to human error. With respect to engineering products, Meister describes human error as the failure to carry out a specified task or forbidden action that could result in disruption of scheduled operations or damage to property and equipment. This paper looks at the human errors in maintenance practises. 2.0 General Human Factors in Maintenance Frederick Taylor was one of the earlier people to studied human factors attempting to improve design and increase productivity. In maintenance, systems may fail for numerous reasons, one key element being human factors and errors during the design phase. According to Nertney Et al, the following are a list of different human behaviours: People have a tendency to use their hands for examining and testing People get easily confused with unfamiliar things People are too impatient to take the appropriate amount of time for observing precautions People become accustom to certain colours having certain meanings People sometimes overestimate short distances and underestimate horizontal or large distances People may become complacent and less careful after successfully handling hazardous items over a lengthy period People tend to estimate speed or clearances poorly People responds irrationally in emergencies Instructions and labels are read incorrectly or overlooked Attention is drawn to loudness, flashing lights, bright and vivid colours People have little knowledge of their physical limitations People fail to recheck work for errors after performing a procedure They are reluctant to admit errors or mistakes and they do not see objects clearly People get distracted by certain aspects of a product feature People usually expect valve handles and faucets to rotate counter-clockwise for increasing flow of a liquid steam or gas People carry out task (maintenance) while thinking about other things http://www.iru.org/pix/irupolicies/graph-etac-en_1.gif Figure 2.1 Human Senses and Capabilities The five human senses are touch, smell, taste, visual and hearing. In maintenance, visual, smell, touching and hearing are the more common of the human senses being utilized. 2.1.1 Hearing The ability of human to hear is an important factor in maintenance work. When designing for maintainability, excessive noise may lead to problems such as the need for intense concentration, a reduction in workers efficiencies, lost of hearing, unwanted effects on the tasks being performed. 2.1.2 Sight Sight is stimulated by electromagnetic radiation of certain wavelengths. This is measured on the electromagnetic spectrum for visible light. The human eye is sensitive to greenish-yellow light and it sees it differently from different angles. The following are some facts about the human eye: Normally, the eye can perceive all colours when looking straight ahead. As the viewing angle increases, colour perception decreases significantly. When there is poor lighting it may be impossible to determine the colour of a small point of light source. The source usually appears white. When designing components, designers should consider colours such that weak colour people do not get confused. An example is to use red filter with a wavelength greater than 6,500 Ã…, and try to avoid placing too emphasis on colour when critical tasks are to be performed by tired personnel. 2.1.3 Touch Touch complements a human ability to interpret visual and audio. Touch maybe used to relieve the eyes and ears of the load. The sense of touch has been used for centuries in technical work. For example, touch has been used for detecting surface irregularities and roughness. 2.2 Ergonomic Principles The subject addresses human to system interface issues also called human engineering or engineering psychology. In addition to considering the human to system interface, ergonomics is also concerned with: Human dimension The working environment and its effect on humans Effects of systems on humans http://www.omron-ap.com/technical_guide/safety_component/safety_component_12.gif Figure 3.0 Maintenance Errors Human errors in maintenance occur for a number of reasons. In figure 3, a list of different reasons is shown for errors with respect to maintenance. Studies have shown a positive correlation between task performance and amount of time in a career field, ability to handle responsibility, morale and years or experience. Workers who possess these skills are ranked higher and works are generally done faster and with fewer errors. Figure Reason for Human Errors 3.1 Inadequate training and Experience Workers who are inadequately trained and lack the experience on a machine or component will most likely make errors when performing maintenance tasks. They will spend additional time trying to understand what to do rather than effective execution of the task. Errors such as correct shut down procedures, tightening of bolts, correct alignment of components may be done wrong and adversely affecting production, increasing maintenance cost as maintenance work may need to be repeated and can be a safety risk to the maintenance personnel, operator, or the equipment. 3.2 Poorly Written Maintenance Procedures Due to poorly written procedures, there could be cases of components going in wrong place or new components being incorrectly installed. This as with the previous reason can cause harm to craft personnel, operator or the machine. Tasks will take longer because the craft personnel following the procedure will have to spend more time figuring out what to do rather than carrying out the task in a timely and effective manner. 3.3 Fatigued Maintenance Personnel A fatigued maintenance personnel is a receipt for disaster. The personnel will lack concentration and will miss minor details of the work. There will be general tendency to rush the job in attempt to finish fast increasing the probability of errors. This may be influenced by the time of the day, stresses (physical, drug, social, personal) http://elsmar.com/Error_Proofing/img014.jpg Figure 3.4 Complex Maintenance Task Complex and tedious maintenance task may be subject to human errors because of the high levels of concentration required. Humans usually have a low attention span and works requiring excessive hours of concentration may have errors induced. Such jobs should be done in teams so that if one personnel makes an error it can be corrected by other members on the job. 3.5 Improper Work Tools A job requiring a specific tool should not be substituted with an inferior one. An example of this is when a specified torque may be required on a bolt or nut requiring a torque wrench or spanner to achieve a level of precision and accuracy and a regular wrench or spanner is used. This may cause misalignment, et cetera. 3.6 Poor Work Layout Poor work layout is inefficient and can cause errors to be made by the maintenance personnel. 3.7 Poor Work Environment A poor work environment will cause discomfort to the maintenance personnel such as humidity, lighting and heat. Concentration levels will be low and there will be a rush to complete the task. 3.8 Poor Equipment Design In some equipment, components may be difficult to reach to perform the necessary works. Errors may be caused in the process as the tasks may not be carried out completely. 3.9 Outdated Maintenance Manuals It will be extremely difficult for maintenance personnel to follow out-dated maintenance manuals. In such an instance, the procedure will most times be incorrect inducing a number of errors in the job. 3.10 Factors Contributing to Human Error Reason and Hobbs have studied and researched the psychological and physiological factors that contribute to inevitable human error. These will include: Differences between the capabilities of our long term memory and our conscious workspace. Attention span is limited if it is focused on one thing. Also we can only attend to a very small proportion of the total available sensory data we receive Unrelated matters tend to capture our attention Concentration is hard to maintain for lengthy periods of time The ability to concentrate depends strongly on intrinsic capability of the current object attention Habitual actions are done will less attention than normal The right balance of attention is required to correctly perform a task The vigilance decrement- inspectors miss fault because it may become redundant after doing it for a long period The level of arousal- too much or too little impairs work output Biases in thinking and decision making Confirmation bias where we seek information that confirms initial diagnosis of a problem Emotional decision making is when a situation is frustrating then an aggressive approach is induced http://www.lifetime-reliability.com/images/wrongs-humans-do-to-machines.gif Figure Human Maintenance Errors Base on the aforementioned factors contributing to maintenance errors, the following are the most common types of errors: Recognition Failures These include misidentification of objects, signal and messages and non detection of problem states. Memory failures Input failures- Insufficient attention is to the to-be-remembered item. Storage failures- remembered material suffers interference Output failures- things that we know cannot be recalled at the required time Omissions following interruptions Premature Exists- End a job before all tasks are complete Skilled-based Slips Usually associated with routines and they can include: Branching errors- an error made based on a custom and not knowing when to deviate. Over shoot Errors- having an intention but forgetting to do it Rule base Mistakes Misapplying a Good Rule- using a right rule in a wrong situation Applying a bad rule- unwanted consequences in using a rule even though the job will be done. Knowledge Based Errors It is common when someone is doing a task for the first time but not always the case. Violations Purposeful acts which violates procedures. These may be: Routine violations- done to avoid unnecessary effort, gets the task done quickly, to demonstrate skill or avoid what is seen as an unnecessary laborious procedure. Thrill seeking violations- often committed in order to avoid boredom or win peer praise Situational violations- these exist because it is not possible to get the job done if procedures are strictly adhered to. Figure Summary of main error types 4.0 Mitigation/Reduction of Hum Errors in Maintenance It is impossible to total alleviate all human errors when it comes to maintenance, but Engineers and designers have worked together and is continuing to find ways to reduce some human errors. However a lot of the responsibility is on the maintenance personnel to ensure that maintenance tasks are carried out effectively. This chapter looks at ways to reduce human errors in maintenance. 4.1 Avoid Unnecessary Preventive Maintenance Over maintaining equipment, not only wastes time and money but it also increases the risks of environmental incidents but also causes expensive and unnecessary failures. Reliability Centred Techniques such as Failure Mode and Cause Analysis, Fault Tree Analysis and others can be useful eliminating unnecessary maintenance works and optimizes and streamlines the equipment preventive maintenance. 4.2 Standardization Ankenbrandt et al noted that standardization is the attainment of practical uniformity in product design. Non-standard equipment or component lessens the reliability and increases maintenance. Standardization restricts the number of components equipment will require. The advantages of standardization according to Dhillon are: Reduction of using the incorrect parts Reduction in wiring and installation errors due to the fact of variations in characteristics of similar items Elimination for the need for special parts Reduction of incidents because of the use of wrong or unclear procedures Reduction in design time, manufacturing cost, and maintenance cost Reduction of procurement, stocking and training Figure 7 shows the goals of standardization. Figure Goals for reducing errors 4.3 Modularization Modularization deals with a production into physically and functionally distinct units to allow removal and replacement. The following are guidelines for the usefulness associated with modular units: Aim to make modules and parts as uniform as possible with respect to size and shape Divide the equipment or item under consideration into many modular units Aim to make each module of being inspected independently Design the equipment so that a single person can replace a failed part with ease and also parts should be small for mobility Module should be designed for maximum ease of operational testing when it is removed from the actual equipment or system. Consider design, modularization and material problems simultaneously For ease of disconnection, design components with control levers and linkages to allow easier replacement. 4.4 Simplification and Accessibility Design engineers should consider simplification in the design phase and it should be constant. Consideration should also be taken with the important functions of a system or a product into the design itself. Accessibility is the ease with which an item can be reached for repair, replacement or servicing. Poor accessibility will result in sub-standard maintenance. Accessibility is affected by: The visual needs of personnel performing maintenance task, The location of an item and its environment. Distance to be reached to access the component or part The types of maintenance to be performed through an access point or opening The danger associated with use of an access opening The clothing worn my maintenance personnel The task required time for execution The types of tools and accessories required to perform task Mounting of items behind the access point Work clearance to carry out task 4.5 Interchangeability and Identification Interchangeability refers to as an intentional aspect of design, that any component can be replaced with a similar item. This is achieved through standardization. There are three basic principles for interchangeability according to the Department of Defence (DOD): In items, components and products requiring frequent servicing, replacement of parts, each part must be interchangeable with another similar part Liberal tolerance must exist Strict interchangeability could become uneconomical in items that are expected to operate without replacement. The following considerations are taken to achieve maximum interchangeability of parts: Existence of functional interchangeability when physical interchangeability is a design characteristic Sufficient information in task instruction and number plate identification should be available for allowing users to decide confidently whether two similar parts are interchangeable No change in method of connecting and mounting when there are part or unit modifications Avoid or stay away from differences in size, mounting and shape Availability of adapters for making physical interchangeability possible when total interchangeability is not practical There should be and identification system for total interchangeability of identical parts 4.5.1 Identification Identification is concerned with labelling or making of parts, controls and test points to facilitate tasks such as repair and replacement. Maintenance task becomes more difficult when parts and components are no properly identified. It usually takes longer and increases the risk of human induced errors. Identification could be for parts or component or equipment identification. 4.6 Task Analysis The task analysis is a formal methodology derived from systems analysis which describes and analyse performance demands made upon humans within a system. The aim is to achieve integration of humans and machine system components. 5.0 Assessing the Risk in Maintenance Risk assessments of all human activities have great importance for the prevention of major accidents. The risk with respect to human errors when dealing with maintenance needs to be assessed and rank based on the overall impact the risk can have on the operation of the organization. The Risk Management Framework used is shown in Figure 8.0 This program was utilized to conduct a risk assessment and evaluation before and after the risk control measures have been put in place. The main aspects of the Risk Analysis procedure are: i. Identify Potential Hazards and existing risk control or safeguards. ii. Estimate the consequences of the potential Hazard. iii. Estimate the frequency of each of the impact/consequence of the potential hazard. iv. Determine the Risk without considering any new risk control or safeguards v. Determine the Risk with proposed new safeguard vi. Evaluate Economic impact of proposed new safeguard vii. Optimize and propose additional modification. Figure Risk Management Framework As indicate in the previous chapter (3), each human error identified will have to be ranked via a metric scoring system to determine the hierarchy of the error. The impact of these errors will have to be taken into consideration with respect to the employees (operators and maintenance staff), the equipment and the environment. Figure Diagram Showing Contributors of Risk 6.0 Human Errors in Maintenance in Industry Human error in maintenance exists in some form or the other in all industries. However, in some industries the consequences of human error from maintenance task can be catastrophic. Industries such as nuclear plants and civil aviation cannot afford errors. 6.1 Human Maintenance Errors in Power Generation Human factors play an important role in power plant maintenance because improving the maintainability design of power plant facilities, systems and equipment assists to improve direct and indirect plant productivity, availability and safety. According to Seminara power lost can cost between US $500,000 to 750,000 dollars a day. The following are human related deficiencies in maintenance of a power plant: Limited access or inadequate clearance to perform maintenance Equipment poorly designed to facilitate maintenance activity effectively Equipment Inherently unreliable Personnel safety hazard Impaired mobility for equipment and personnel Miscellaneous- lack of standardization, high temperature environment and poor air conditioning While maintenance activities of nuclear power plants are essential for sustaining the safety of a power plant and maintaining the reliability of plant systems and components, they also have potential of human errors leading to unplanned reactor trips or power derate (Dhillon 2006). J. Reason classifies in chapter 3 the different characteristics of human errors that will be applicable to Power Plants. According to Kim et al, incidents reports in Korea stated that most of the human related unplanned reactor trip events during the normal power operation are associated with test and maintenance activities (63%). Plant maintenance included preventive maintenance, planned maintenance and corrective maintenance. 6.2 Human Error in Aviation Due to the increase in air travels, airlines spend billions of dollars in maintenance annually. A study done in the United Kingdom has shown that between 1990 to 2000 maintenance errors per million flights has doubled (ICAO) According to the ICAO there are over 300 factors and influences that can impact the performance of maintenance personnel. Some of the human errors that are impacted by maintenance are listed in chapter 3 and range from time pressure, inadequate training to outdated maintenance manuals. There are many categories of human errors with respect to aviation maintenance and inspection. Some of the major ones encountered according to Latorella et al are: Incorrect assembly sequence Procedural defects Wrong part Incorrect configuration Missing part Defective part Functional defects and tactical defects Figure List of Errors in Aircraft Maintenance Figure 10 shows the guideline covered in aviation. Two important guidelines concerning design are: Seek relevant information on human error occurrence during the maintenance phase as inputs in the design phase Ensure that manufacturers give attention to maintenance related human factors during design phase According to James Reason based on a Boeing study which indicated the top seven causes for in-flight engine shut downs on the Boeing aircraft were as followed: Incomplete Installation (33%) Damaged on installation (14.5%) Improper Installation (11%) Equipment not installed or missing (11%) Foreign Object Damage (6.5%) Improper fault isolation, inspection and test (6%) Equipment not activated or deactivated (4%) From the statistics presented only one cause was unrelated to maintenance activities. Maintenance activities were responsible for approximately 80% of in-flight engine shut downs. 7.0 Prediction Models for Human Errors Human error can be analysed by several methods developed over the years. Some of the following methods are relied on heavily in the aviation industry. 7.1 Cause and Effect Diagrams This is a useful tool to determine root causes of specified problem in relation to maintenance errors. Related and relevant ideas are generated. The extreme right of the diagram represent effect and to the right are all the possible causes. The cause and effect can be generated in the following steps: Develop problem statement Brainstorm to identify possible causes Establish major causes categories by stratifying into natural and process steps Connect diagram to all the causes by following the appropriate process steps and filled in the effects Refine cause categories by asking What cause this and Why does this condition exists? 7.2 Error Cause Removal Program (ECRP) This was developed to reduce the occurrence of human error to a tolerable level in production operation. It focuses on preventive measures rather than remedial ones. It is composed of a team of workers with each team having its own coordinator with the necessary skills. Each team member presents a report and the coordinator discusses these reports in a periodic meeting and recommendations are made to management. 7.3 Fault Tree Analysis The fault tree analysis (FTA) is used to perform reliability and safety analyses of engineering system and can be use to perform analysis of human error in maintenance. 7.4 Markov Analysis This method is used to perform reliability analysis of engineering systems and can be used to predict the probability of occurrence of human error in maintenance. This is done through mathematical modelling. 7.4.1 Model 1 This mathematical model indicates a system that can fail due to maintenance error or other failures. See figure 11. Numerals in box, circle and diamonds represents system states. The following assumptions are made for this model. The system can fail due to maintenance error or failure other than maintenance error The failed system is repaired and maintenance is performed periodically Fail system repair rates are constant The repaired system is as good as new Figure Markov Model 1 Diagram 7.4.2 Model II This mathematical model represent a system that can only fail due to non maintenance related failures but its performance is degraded by the occurrence of maintenance error. See figure 12. The numeral in circle, box and diamonds represents system states. The following assumptions are made for this model: The total or partially failed system is repaired and preventive maintenance is performed regularly The occurrence of maintenance error can only lead to system degradation but not failure The system can fail from its degradation mode due to failures other than maintenance errors The system is repaired at constant rates from its failed and degradation states Maintenance error and non maintenance error failure rates are constant The repaired system is good as new Figure Markov Model 2 8.0 Conclusion This report gives a comprehensive analysis of human errors in maintenance. Human errors are inevitable and there are numerous factors that can influence these errors. The first step is to identify the different human errors that may be encountered in an industry, conduct an assessment on the errors and take necessary steps to reduce these errors. The traditional approach of dealing with human error, that is counselling and or re writing procedures may not be effective in dealing with the errors identified in this report. A more holistic approach for managing maintenance error and assuring maintenance quality techniques is the application of reliability centred maintenance and also designing for maintainability.

History Of Mental Illness Health And Social Care Essay

History Of Mental Illness Health And Social Care Essay Mental illness is a general term for a group of illnesses. Mental disorders result from biological, developmental and/or psychosocial factors. A mental illness can be mild or severe, temporary or prolonged. Mental illness can come and go throughout a persons life. Some people experience their illness only once and fully recover. For others, it is prolonged and recurs over time. Mental illness can make it difficult for someone to cope with work, relationships and other aspects of their life. Definition of mental illness Mental illnesses are medical conditions that disrupt a persons thinking, feeling, mood, ability to relate to others and daily functioning. Just as diabetes is a disorder of the pancreas, mental illnesses are medical conditions that often result in a diminished capacity for coping with the ordinary demands of life. Serious mental illnesses include major depression, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), panic disorder, post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and borderline personality disorder. The good news about mental illness is that recovery is possible. Mental illnesses can affect persons of any age, race, religion, or income. Mental illnesses are not the result of personal weakness, lack of character or poor upbringing. Mental illnesses are treatable. Most people diagnosed with a serious mental illness can experience relief from their symptoms by actively participating in an individual treatment plan. In addition to medication treatment, psychosocial treatment such as cognitive behavioral therapy, interpersonal therapy, peer support groups and other community services can also be components of a treatment plan and that assist with recovery. The availability of transportation, diet, exercise, sleep, friends and meaningful paid or volunteer activities contribute to overall health and wellness, including mental illness recovery. History of Mental illness Timeline 1247: Bethlehem Hospital (more frequently known as Bedlam) opens in London to house distraught and lunatik people. 1566: The New Worlds first mental hospital is established in Mexico City. 1774: The Act for Regulating Madhouses, Licensing, and Inspection is passed in England. The law forbade a persons commitment to a madhouse without a physicians certification of that individuals insanity. 1790s: A Quaker called William Turke opens the York Retreat near York, England, an asylum for the mentally ill. The Retreat favored humane treatment; physical restraints were not used and patients were comfortably housed. 1790s: French physician Phillipe Pinel begins working at the Bicentre and Salpetriere asylums where he develops traitement morale, a form of treatment that focused on the mental origins of madness. His kind treatment of his patients brought about recovery for many 1817: Quakers in Philadelphia open the first asylum in America based on the principles of moral treatment. 1841: Dorothea Dix, a schoolteacher from Cambridge Massachusetts, becomes inspired to take up the cause of the mentally ill. She travels to several states where she lobbies state legislatures to better their treatment of the mentally ill. Over thirty state mental hospitals were opened as a result of her efforts. 1867: The Packard Law passes in Illinois. Named for Eliza Packard, a woman committed against her will by her husband after a property dispute, the law required that a patients insanity be determined by a jury before he or she could be sent to an institution. 1927: The US Supreme Court rules in Buck v. Bell that the forced sterilization of defectives, including the mentally ill, is constitutional. 1954: The Durham Rule is established by the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia. It states that a person accused of a crime is not responsible if the criminal act was the product of a mental disease or a mental defect. It was later rejected due to problems defining mental disease and product. 1963: Congress passes the Community Mental Health Centers Act. This leads to the closure of many large state psychiatric hospitals. 1966: Lake v. Cameron, a case of the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit , declares that patients in psychiatric hospitals have the right to receive treatment in the setting that is least restrictive. 1975: US Senate holds hearings about the use of neuroleptics (antipsychotic drugs such as Thorazine) in juvenile jails and homes for the developmentally disabled. 1979: NAMI is founded. 1988: The Fair Housing Amendments Act prohibits housing discrimination against people with disabilities, including mental disabilities. 1990: The Americans with Disabilities Act is passed. It prohibits discrimination against people with physical or mental disabilities. 2004: DuPage County begins the Mental Illness Court Alternative Program (MICAP.) 2008: Congress passes the Mental Health Parity and Addictions Equity Act. It requires that any limits to insurance coverage for mental illness be no more restrictive than those for physical health issues. 2010: Williams v. Quinn, a case heard by U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, rules that Illinois residents with mental illnesses living in nursing homes and other institutions for mental diseases (IMDs) have the right to live in integrated settings in the community Types of Mental Illness There are many different conditions that are recognized as mental illnesses. The more common types include: Anxiety disorders: People with anxiety disorders respond to certain objects or situations with fear and dread, as well as with physical signs of anxiety or nervousness, such as a rapid heartbeat and sweating. An anxiety disorder is diagnosed if the persons response is not appropriate for the situation, if the person cannot control the response, or if the anxiety interferes with normal functioning. Anxiety disorders include generalized anxiety disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), panic disorder, social anxiety disorder, and specific phobias. Mood disorders: These disorders, also called affective disorders, involve persistent feelings of sadness or periods of feeling overly happy, or fluctuations from extreme happiness to extreme sadness. The most common mood disorders are depression, mania, and bipolar disorder. Psychotic disorders: Psychotic disorders involve distorted awareness and thinking. Two of the most common symptoms of psychotic disorders are hallucinations the experience of images or sounds that are not real, such as hearing voices and delusions, which are false beliefs that the ill person accepts as true, despite evidence to the contrary. Schizophrenia is an example of a psychotic disorder. Eating disorders: Eating disorders involve extreme emotions, attitudes, and behaviors involving weight and food. Anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa and binge eating disorder are the most common eating disorders. Impulse control and addiction disorders: People with impulse control disorders are unable to resist urges, or impulses, to perform acts that could be harmful to themselves or others. Pyromania (starting fires), kleptomania (stealing), and compulsive gambling are examples of impulse control disorders. Alcohol and drugs are common objects of addictions. Often, people with these disorders become so involved with the objects of their addiction that they begin to ignore responsibilities and relationships. Personality disorders: People with personality disorders have extreme and inflexible personality traits that are distressing to the person and/or cause problems in work, school, or social relationships. In addition, the persons patterns of thinking and behavior significantly differ from the expectations of society and are so rigid that they interfere with the persons normal functioning. Examples include antisocial personality disorder, obsessive-compulsive personality disorder, and paranoid personality disorder. Other, less common types of mental illnesses include: Recommended Related to Mental Health Adjustment disorder: Adjustment disorder occurs when a person develops emotional or behavioral symptoms in response to a stressful event or situation. The stressors may include natural disasters, such as an earthquake or tornado; events or crises, such as a car accident or the diagnosis of a major illness; or interpersonal problems, such as a divorce, death of a loved one, loss of a job, or a problem with substance abuse. Adjustment disorder usually begins within three months of the event or situation and ends within six months after the stressor stops or is eliminated. Dissociative disorders: People with these disorders suffer severe disturbances or changes in memory, consciousness, identity, and general awareness of themselves and their surroundings. These disorders usually are associated with overwhelming stress, which may be the result of traumatic events, accidents, or disasters that may be experienced or witnessed by the individual. Dissociative identity disorder, formerly called multiple personality disorder, or split personality, and depersonalization disorder are examples of dissociative disorders. Factitious disorders: Factitious disorders are conditions in which physical and/or emotional symptoms are created in order to place the individual in the role of a patient or a person in need of help. Sexual and gender disorders: These include disorders that affect sexual desire, performance, and behavior. Sexual dysfunction, gender identity disorder, and the paraphilias are examples of sexual and gender disorders. Somatoform disorders: A person with a somatoform disorder, formerly known as psychosomatic disorder, experiences physical symptoms of an illness, even though a doctor can find no medical cause for the symptoms. Tic disorders: People with tic disorders make sounds or display body movements that are repeated, quick, sudden, and/or uncontrollable. (Sounds that are made involuntarily are called vocal tics.) Tourettes syndrome is an example of a tic disorder. Other diseases or conditions, including various sleep-related problems and many forms of dementia, including Alzheimers disease, are sometimes classified as mental illnesses, because they involve the brain. Causes of Mental Illness Were aware of several different forms of mental illnesses, right from bipolar disorder to schizophrenia to compulsive disorders. How often we come across murders carried out by mentally unstable people! In fact, there are scores of famous people with bipolar disorders. Mental illnesses are especially common in the United States. Approximately 26.2 % Americans above 18 years of age are believed to suffer from mental disorders every year, thereby conducing to one of the leading causes of disabilities in the US and Canada. But what causes mental illness? Mental illness is a condition affecting the brain, that influences the way a person thinks, feels, behaves and relates to others around him or her. The symptoms of mental illness may range from mild depressive symptoms to severe behavioral problems. Genetic Factors Depression and mental illnesses are often passed on from one generation to another through the genes. This means, a person with a family history of mental illness is more vulnerable to develop a mental illness. It is believed that mental illness is associated to various abnormalities in not just one, but several genes. This is the reason why the person inherits the vulnerability to develop this illness, but does not inherit the illness itself. When such people go through horrendous situations the balance of their mind tips and they get engulfed by mental illnesses. . Physical Factors People who have landed up injuring their head several times in accidents, are seen to damage certain areas of their brain and central nervous system, that lead to mental illnesses. Trauma occurring at the time of birth can also cause damage to the brain. Moreover, disruption of early fetal brain development can also lead to conditions like autism, etc. Some biological factors such as chemical imbalance in the brain, are also associated to mental illnesses. The chemicals called neurotransmitters help nerve cells in the brain to transfer impulses, thereby facilitating communication. However, when this balance tips, messages are not transferred correctly, leading to mental illness. Diseases affecting the brain such as Huntingtons chorea, multiple sclerosis and infections like Tuberculous meningitis, Encephalitis lethargica, etc. also result in mental illnesses. Psychological Factors People who have gone through harrowing experiences in their lives like emotional, physical, sexual abuse, domestic violence or bullying are often unable to cope with their traumatic past. Sometimes, the death of a loved one, betrayal or neglect during childhood years, also mars the persons emotional state of mind. This sometimes can be the reason of mental illness of a person. Social and Environmental Factors Poverty, living in a difficult and unsafe environment like in war zones, residing in earthquake prone and other natural disaster-prone areas, living in neighborhoods plagued by gangsters, etc. can lead to mental illnesses. These people develop a constant fear that conduces to mental illness. Moreover, unhealthy environment factors at home, such as growing up in a dysfunctional family, with narcissistic parents or neglecting parents can cause the balance of the childs brain to tip. The persons appearance regarding height and weight also causes depression in certain people. Mental illnesses should be not confused with mental retardation. People with mental illnesses do not exhibit limitations in mental, cognitive and social functions. Thus, causes of mental retardation and causes of mental illnesses are obviously different. The above mentioned causes cannot be viewed in isolation. Its when two or three different factors come together, such as past abuse and present horrendous situation come together, that it often causes the mental illness. It is important to not look upon people with mental illnesses with disdain and ostracize them. What they need is unconditional love. Espouse them and help them out of their pits of depression. The symptoms of mental illness A person with a mental illness can experience problems with their thinking, emotions and/or behaviour. These changes may happen quickly, or they may be gradual and subtle. It may take time to understand and identify what is happening. Psychotic symptoms These symptoms can include: Thoughts and feelings that are out of the ordinary or difficult to understand, such as thought of being persecuted or under surveillance for which there is no proof Experiencing sensations (seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting something when there is nothing there that others can identify) Odd behaviour. Schizophrenia is a psychotic illness. Mood symptoms Some of the symptoms of a changed mood may include: Persistent and pervasive feelings of sadness, elation, anxiety, fear or irritability Changes in sleep patterns Changes in appetite Loss of interest in things that were previously enjoyable Periods of increased or decreased activity, where things may be started and not finished Difficulty thinking and concentrating Excessive worries Changes in use of alcohol and other drugs. Exact causes are unknown Many mental illnesses are thought to have a biological cause. What are the exact causes , its unknown. The relationship between stress and mental illness is complex, but it is known that stress can worsen an episode of mental illness. Treatment: Extraordinary advances have been made in the treatment of mental illness. Understanding what causes some mental health disorders helps doctors tailor treatment to those disorders. As a result, many mental health disorders can now be treated nearly as successfully as physical disorders. Psychological treatment Psychological treatments are based on the idea that some problems relating to mental illness occur because of the way people react to, think about and perceive things. They are particularly relevant to many people with anxiety disorders and depression. Psychological treatments can reduce the distress associated with symptoms and can even help reduce the symptoms themselves. These therapies may take several weeks or months to show benefits. Different psychological therapies used in the treatment of mental illness include: Cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) examines how a persons thoughts, feelings and behaviour can get stuck in unhelpful patterns. The person and therapist work together to develop new ways of thinking and acting. Therapy usually includes tasks to perform outside the therapy sessions. CBT may be useful in the treatment of depression, anxiety disorders and psychotic disorders such as bipolar and schizophrenia. Interpersonal psychotherapy examines how a persons relationships and interactions with others affect their own thoughts and behaviours. Difficult relationships may cause stress for a person with a mental illness and improving these relationships may improve a persons quality of life. This therapy may be useful in the treatment of depression. Dialectical behaviour therapy is a treatment for people with borderline personality disorder (BPD). A key problem for people with BPD is handling emotions. This therapy helps people to better manage their emotions and responses. Treatment with medication Medications are mainly helpful for people who are more seriously affected by mental illness. Different types of medication treat different types of mental illness: Antidepressant medications about 60 to 70 per cent of people with depression respond to initial antidepressant treatment. These medications are now also used (in combination with psychological therapies) to treat phobias, panic disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder and eating disorders. Antipsychotic medications are used to treat psychotic illnesses, for example schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. Newer antipsychotic medications may have some side effects, but tend to have fewer of the effects that were associated with the older medications, for example stiffening and weakening of the muscles and muscle spasms. Mood stabilising medications are helpful for people who have bipolar disorder (previously known as manic depression). These medications, such as lithium carbonate, can help reduce the recurrence of major depression and can help reduce the manic or high episodes. Other forms of treatment Effective treatment involves more than medications. Treatment may also involve: Community support including information, accommodation, help with finding suitable work, training and education, psychosocial rehabilitation and mutual support groups. Understanding and acceptance by the community is very important. Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) this treatment can be a highly effective treatment for severe depression and, sometimes, for other diagnoses when other treatments have not been effective. After the person is given a general anaesthetic and muscle relaxant, an electrical current is passed through their brain. Hospitalisation this only occurs when a person is acutely ill and needs intensive treatment for a short time. It is considered better for a persons mental health to treat them in the community, in their familiar surroundings. Involuntary treatment this can occur when the psychiatrist recommends someone needs treatment but the person doesnt agree. In general, people receive involuntary treatment to ensure their own safety or that of others. Mental illness in Pakistan: Mental health in Pakistan has remained a subject of debate since the last few years. The incidence and prevalence have both increased tremendously in the background of growing insecurity, terrorism, economical problems, political uncertainty, unemployment and disruption of the social fabric. 1 Sinking below poverty line by almost 39% of the individuals is an alarming factor worth noting. Many people are now presenting to psychiatrists probably because of the growing awareness through the good work of media. Though there are many things which can be done to improve the mental health of the people in the areas of social environment, economic improvement and political harmony etc. but the important subject for debate is that, how far we are in the areas of education, service and research related to mental health having direct impact on the patient population. From 1947 to 2005, almost 58 years have passed since the independence of the country and many countries with this age have done w onders in overall upkeep of health care and specially the mental health. The scenario though is improving, but is it at the required pace? If we first take the area of education by virtue of which we train our future doctors who in turn can become navigators helping us in sailing smoothly through the heavy storm of up surging mental illnesses, we find lacunas which are evident when it comes to ultimate care of patients. With the exception of very few institutions, the subject of behavioral sciences which has been introduced by the PMDC in the early years of medical teaching is not being taken serious enough, low number of behavioral scientists cannot alone be blamed for this, there are no structured rotation programmes for senior medical students which means a calendar indicating topics, patient sessions, log book and evaluation strategy with weightage in the final year marking system. Low interest by students in the subject of psychiatry despite few institutions model teaching/trai ning programme is understandable in view of no separate paper in psychiatry and very low representation in the paper and clinico-orals of the subject of General Medicine. Regarding the departments, are we fulfilling the international requirements of a good department of psychiatry with full-fledged faculty in all hierarchies? The answer is simply no. Regarding the postgraduate education, how many recognized centers follow structured programmes emphasizing adequate patient exposure, ongoing continuing medical education programmes, research, exposure to subspecialties like, child, geriatric, forensic and rehabilitation psychiatry etc., is there a rural exposure, is there training in cultural issues, is there emphasis on liaison service and multidisciplinary team approach, is there a standard methodology for continuous monitoring and evaluation with resultant weightage in postgraduate exit examinations, is there training in audit and psychiatric administration, the answers to most of t hese questions will remain unanswered nationally. It is precautionary not to say a word about the selection criteria of evaluators and examiners lest it is not politically biased and motivated. It is also worth noting that during postgraduate training how many of the prospective specialists are monitored and assessed for culturally relevant mental state examination, adequate case note management, observation of prescribing practices and its justification, communication skills etc. Once certified, there is no provision of higher specialist training for a period of at least three years on the pattern of UK with evaluation of practice-based efficiency, infact, the UK model is worth adopting. 2 There is no trend for CME credit maintenance and hence no programme specifically designed for psychiatrists though there are many such programmes for the general practitioners of course with no condition of maintaining credit certification, this is mostly prompted by the pharmaceutical companies with a view of improving sale as evidence has shown that the knowledge of even most common disorder depression was not adequate among general practitioners. When we come to service, though the major teaching hospitals have established separate departments of psychiatry but in most of the cases they are not well equipped specially in terms of psychiatric manpower both skill and number wise. Still Pakistan has very low number of psychiatrists and these too are continuously being drained by the developed countries especially by the western world where they are being offered an attractive package and lifestyle that the question remains as to who comes back and serves the nation. 4 It is not surprising that there are a large number of Pakistani psychiatrists in United Kingdom, United States, Canada, Australia and New Zealand apart from those in Middle East, Africa and South East Asia. It seems that soon we shall become a psychiatrists exporting region like our neighbour India thus causing further deepening of the problem related to the already existing scarcity of psychiatrists. 5 Also, at the same time it is vitally important to abolish the feudal psychiatry which fortunately is being eroded by young generation of psychiatrists. There is also acute shortage of allied mental health professionals. In view of poverty, low health budget, high cost of medicines there is huge economic burden on the patients. 6 The hospitals also dont follow the intake/admission criteria, no separate unit for subspecialties, no appropriate long stay units, no exit/discharge criteria, no rehabilitation services, no exchange of information between psychiatrists and family practitioners, no proper advertisement of available services, no concept of day centers, day hospitals, ill developed community services, no central registry of patients and set policy for management systems in the psychiatric set ups and finally no internal referral system. As far as research is conc erned, there is still low representation in local accredited journals and very low in international journals. 7 Though there has been an increase in lay and scientific write-ups recently but it is still far from satisfactory state. Papers are produced for promotions and that too are for the sake of papers, matter of keeping up standards are ignored. The Journal of Clinical Psychiatry published regularly from Lahore once upon a time disappeared eventually. The first journal of Pakistan Psychiatric Society called JPPS was published in the year 2003, which was blocked politically and was not reproduced again. . It appears that still we are far behind in achieving the standards and in order to improve the existing scenario some steps are essential. In order to bring improvement in psychiatric education, it is important to pay emphasis on the subject of behavioral sciences, design an appropriate undergraduate training program in line with one of the international modules, inculcation of research interest among medical students, either introduction of a separate paper of psychiatry or at least 25% of weightage in the paper of medicine, at postgraduate level more structured training program with exposure to subspecialties, designing a postgraduate curriculum and module, introduction of audit of training and performance, provision of higher specialist training at the level of specialist registrar, private-public partnership in provision of services, mobilization of more resources for mental health and maintaining of records. There is a need for development of research culture especially in the a reas of need assessment is also necessary. Along with these efforts the medical fraternity can force the government to allocate a higher budget, reduce poverty, bring social justice and harmony, improving political scenario. It is also advisable to create better incentives for the mental health professionals in order to avert brain drain. Efforts for providing a conducive environment to the public to help in promoting sound mental as well as physical health are imperative. Literature Review Anxiety and depressive disorders are common in all regions of the world. 1 They constitute a substantial proportion of the global burden of disease, and are projected to form the second most common cause of disability by 2020.2 This increased importance of non-communicable diseases such as anxiety and depressive disorders presents a particular challenge for low income countries, where infectious diseases and malnutrition are still rife and where only a low percentage of gross domestic product is allocated to health services.3 These disorders are also important because of their economic consequences. 4 With an estimated population of 152 million, Pakistan is the sixth most populous country in the world. It is projected that, by 2050, the population will have increased to make it the fourth most populous country.5 There is a need to develop an evidence base to aid policy development on tackling anxiety and depressive disorders. We therefore conducted a systematic review as no such work existed to our knowledge. Our main questions were (a) what the estimated prevalence of anxiety and depressive disorders is in Pakistan and how this compares with estimates from other low income countries; (b) what the associated social, psychological, and biological factors are; and (c) what evidence exists for effectiveness of treatment or prevention in this population. Prevalence of anxiety and depressive disorders the prevalence of anxiety and depressive disorders estimated in the studies. The overall mean prevalence in men and women in the six studies of random community samples (n = 2658) was 33.62%, with the point prevalence varying from 28.8% to 66% for women (overall mean 45.5%) and from 10% to 33% for men (overall mean 21.7%). Women aged 15-49 were studied in a paper with 28.8% prevalence, while young men with a mean age of 18 participated in a study reporting 33% prevalence. Only one study reported adjusted prevalence with 95% confidence intervals. For those presenting to traditional or faith healers (n = 511), the prevalence of anxiety and depressive disorders among men varied from 2.65% to 27%, and among women from 11.5 % to 52%. Three studies looked at total psychiatric morbidity in primary care (n = 774). One described women in a rural area, with a prevalence of 50%, while another described 18% prevalence for men and 42.2% for women in an urban area. The third study, with a prevalence of 38.4%, did not specify participants sex. Of those presenting to psychiatric outpatients (n = 2430), the prevalence varied between 32% and 66.3%. There were two studies on psychiatric inpatients, one reported a prevalence of depressive illness of 37% (n = 2620), while the other reported 19.1% (n = 177). Comparison with other low income countries Using stringent criteria, Harding et al reported an overall frequency of anxiety and depression of 13.9% in four developing countries.9 Community studies from Africa have reported prevalences of 24% in rural Uganda and 20%-24% in rural South Africa. Among patients attending primary care, the prevalence varied from 8% to 29%. Patients attending primary care in India showed prevalences between 21% and 57%. In relation to risk factors, Abas and Broadhead found a significant association with formal employment, below average income, overcrowding, and certificate of secondary education in urban Zimbabwe.In the same study, they also found a significant association with humiliation or entrapment and with death or other l