In order to understand the early days of Christianity, Christian families and the Christian church, it is important to focus on the overall surrounding, where adherents of the Christian faith congregated, and the function of both males and females as a family and as Christians.  In order to escape persecution, or for comfort reasons, most Christians met in secret in house churches which was made up of a group of independent Christians that gathered within a home.  Reasons for these underground church houses were based around the fact that the congregating group was very small or the group was a part of an underground Christian movement, such as in China, and thus forbidden to meet.  These early house churches were important for the overall development of the community and the faith of the Christian people.

Historically speaking, house churches go as far back as the days of Jesus and his disciples.  The bible mentions that Jesus and his disciples met in secret within their own homes in order to escape persecution.  As time went on, Christians continued to worship God within the confines of their own homes thus the term house churches was born.  It is important to understand that women were not typically figures of importance within early households.  They were the quiet and subservient brides to men.  However, they did have very important, albeit quiet, roles in the survival of new religious movements which made them appear less than dutiful to their husbands (Osiek, MacDonald, & Tulloch, 17).

Women were largely involved with the spread of Christianity as well as the establishment of new congregations that met within house churches.  Paul often refers to these women as his supporting coworkers in  Romans 16 (MacHaffie, 9).  Throughout the New Testament, women are often referred to as the leaders of house churches.  Paul demands that recognition is given to his coworkers, these women, who were considered laborers of God.  Some women were actually given recognition for their important roles in the spread of Christianity and the development of house churches.  Andronicus and Junia, in particular, are recognized for their excellent achievements in spreading the word of God throughout their communities (MacHaffie, 11).

The wives of men during the early house churches were often subjected to infidelity and she was expected to look the other way and accept, or ignore, the actions of her husband.  However, if the woman acted out and sought sexual relations elsewhere, it was considered a crime.  This unjustified behavior created a slew of strong willed women who maintained her household and her community throughout early periods of Christianity.  Although women are not duly noted in many books and journals, it is not hard to see that they were a pillar of strength and admiration.  Early Christianity segregated husbands from their wives and wives from their husbands.  Even the act of sex was regulated through a rule which announced that sex should only be performed on a rare basis in order to rejuvenate the mind, body, and spirit but should not be desired all the time (Osiek & Balch, 105).

Despite all of this, both husbands and wives cooperated with one another in order to sustain their household and provide to the crucial success of early Christian mission efforts thus these early Christian house churches provided the support that a growing Christian community needed (MacHaffie, 10).  Within the household, it was a woman’s place and, therefore, it was her job to teach and discipline her family.  Women from upper class families also had rights over visitors that entered her house.  Although it is not certain what role a woman hide in the administration of house church worship, it is not hard to believe that she may have held a role that spoke of leadership (MacHaffie, 10).

House churches typically began as Pauline house churches which means that these Christian groups focused their beliefs on the writing of Paul the apostle.  This has been the origin of a large majority of orthodox Christianity.  This is because Paul is believed to have amplified the teachings of Jesus and therefore, he is considered the closest follower of the beliefs of Jesus.  However, there are others that felt that Paul differed significantly from the teachings of Jesus and so other house church groups were formed which led to numerous religious competitions among the varied houses, particularly when located close to one another.  Jewish Christians and the Nazarenes in particular are the groups that strongly rejected the teachings of Paul.  Pauline Christians began gathering in house churches as early as the middle of the first century.  It was more than 250 years later before an actual monumental structure became an accepted formal and normal place of congregation (Gehring, 10).

Despite the existence of monumental structures, typical gatherings under the roof of churches, many house churches still exist around the world, particularly in China, in the Arab world, in parts of India, and some small Protestant groups throughout Canada (Hiebert, 47).  However, these modern gatherings are not based on persecution.  Instead, these small groups congregate under the roofs of homes in order to enhance the development of the community and lure in those who continue to reject Christian beliefs in the hope of turning them over to the ways of God.  The focus that these groups have on the development of the community coincide with the focus of early Christian house churches as well.  These early Christians hoped to boost their community’s development as well as their faith in God.

The first Christians lived within an ancient Greco-Roman society (Osiek & Blach, 91).  Within this society, woman were always inferior to men that held the same social class rank as they did.  However, these women held superiority over men that were considered a lower social rank as they were.  A person’s class was determined at the time of their birth whereas their status was determined by birth, wealth and achievement. (Osiek & Balch, 94).  In spite of all of the status quo and class ranks, early Christians were believed to be near the bottom rung of the social ladder.  They were also considered very poor.  However, this prior belief is not true.  New research has shown that Christians stood between the elites and those that held no status (Osiek & Balch, 97).  It was these early Christians that would form the fundamental building block of early Christian church house importance for the community and the followers of God’s word.

Children that lived within these early church houses experienced the importance of both the male and female figures in their lives.  Women have always had an important role in a child’s life, particularly their early years, as caregivers and nurturing providers.  However, men in early Christian house churches also played an important role.  These men, whether they were fathers, grandfathers, or teachers, looked after children with concern for their well-being and safety.  These men loved their children and grandchildren just as women did although the nurturing role was more or less the expected job of the woman.  One woman in particular that had an important role was the we nurse.  A wet nurse came into the homes and took care of the infants, providing them with food for growth and development so that they could grow into healthy children and learn about God (Osiek, MacDonald, & Tulloch, 69-70).

Many house church gatherings took place in the middle of the night in small domains that consisted of only one or two rooms.  When thinking of such a setting it is easy to picture Jesus and his disciples sitting around a table discussing God and Christianity just as many families probably did through out the early days of Christianity.  Mothers, fathers, grandmothers, grandfathers, children, and friends all sat around to listen and pray.  Children were urged to engage in worship and listen to the teachings that took place during house church meetings (Osiek, MacDonald, & Tulloch, 71).  This was yet another important aspect of house churches due to the fact that it formed a foundation of Christian faith for the children that attended these times of worship.  This could also be considered yet another added benefit for the development of the community.  Teaching children about the importance of Christianity and religion created stronger bonds between faith and religion and paved the way for the future of Christianity generation through generation.

Christian house churches ended up being the first initial Christian churches of God to be established throughout history.  Although the need of house churches is no longer there due to the establishment of churches and Christian priests, it is still important to focus on the importance of these early churches in order to understand their profound impact on the spread of early Christianity.  Despite threats of persecution, these groups congregated, worshiped God and spread the word of the gospel to others in the hope that they would bring God into their hearts.  The word of God included the love and healing power of Jesus and his disciples as well as the power of forgiveness.

Despite the persecution of Jesus when he was hung on the cross by the Romans, house churches continued to develop in secret in the hope of continuing the spread of Christianity in order to strengthen people’s faith in God.  Although there were differences in these teachings between Pauline Christians, Nazarenes, and Jewish Christians, the root of these teachings all focused on the power of Christianity and the unconditional love that God had for all of his children.  Without these house churches it would be hard to determine what the impact of Christianity would be like today.  House churches could be considered the first churches ever established under the name of God starting with Jesus.

Analyzed research has proven the importance of early Christian house churches to the overall development of Christianity as well as the development of communities far and wide and the strengthened belief in God.  Many lives have been martyred in the name of God in order to keep the Christian faith alive.  The hosts and visitors of house churches risked their lives in the face of persecution in order to keep faith in Jesus and God alive so that it would thrive and continue into the modern world.  Adults spread the word to other communities and spread the word to their children so that these children would continue to pass these teachings down as time went on.  It was because of this that Christianity has remained such a strong religious faith even today, a widespread belief in the United States as well as many other countries throughout the world.  People opened up their homes, made them into places of worship and created a church within their domain so that others could learn about the importance of Christianity.

Works Cited

Gehring, Roger W. House Church and Mission: The Importance of Household Structures in Early

Christianity. Peabody, MA: Hendrickson Publishers, Inc., 2004. 10. Print.

Hiebert, Rick. “There’s No Church Like Home.” Alberta Report. (2001): 47. Print.

MacHaffie, Barbara J. Her Story: Women in Christian Tradition. 2nd ed. Minneapolis, MN: Augsburg

Fortress, 2006. 9-11. Print.

Osiek, Carolyn, and David L. Balch. Families in the New Testament World: Households and House

Churches. Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 1997. 91-105. Print.

Osiek, Carolyn, Margaret Y. MacDonald, and Janet H. Tulloch. A Woman’s Place: House Churches in

Earliest Christianity. Minneapolis, MN: Augsburg Fortress, 2006. 17-71. Print.

Because of its diversity in nature, psychology is being pursued by many students who have the dream of having fulfilling careers. This has changed the public’s perception about this field of specialization, which has been associated with “shrinks” as people who practice it (Myers, 2009).  Students who choose to pursue psychology as a profession have a variety of specialty fields to choose from, they include; forensics, teaching, human resource, consulting and many others. However, advanced training and dedication is required, if one expects to have a fulfilling career in Psychology. This article is going to address forensic psychology as a special field under psychology as a whole.

Forensic Psychology is the use of psychology in the criminal justice system; this field of psychology requires one to showcase his/her skill interpreting the law in the pertinent jurisdiction (Curt, 2008). Forensic psychologists are expected to testify in court by using relevant legal terms that can be understood by the attorneys, legal professions and judges. A forensic psychologist should critically examine the intents of a criminal before presenting his/her findings to the relevant attorney. It is the work of a forensic psychologist to determine the reasons as to why criminals involve themselves in this vice.

The journey to forensic psychology as a profession is long and wanting, it all starts by a person acquiring an undergraduate degree in psychology from an accredited university (Fulero, 2008). Ones a person has completed an undergraduate degree, he/she is expected to enroll for a master’s degree in clinical psychology. This long journey ends when a person attains a doctorate in forensic psychology. My interest in this field of psychology comes from my childhood dream of stemming out crime from the society, since I experienced crime first hand while I was a kid. My stakes are high because I have put in my best; therefore, I am assured of hitting the jackpot by working as a forensic psychologist. Since I intend to practice private consultations, I expect to take home wages that range from $60,000 to $70,000 annually.

References

Curt, R. (2008). Current Perspectives in Forensic Psychology and Criminal Behavior. London: Sage publishers

Fulero, Solomon. (2008). Forensic Psychology. California: Wadsworth Publishing.

Myers, David. (2009). Psychology. New York: Worth Publishers

If a booklover comes to Ethics for the New Millennium searching for the gigantic Tibetan Buddhist furtive, the booklover can disregard it. The Dalai Lama of Tibet, who has turned out to be incredible of a publishing tumultuous over the past numerous years, is unambiguously clear in the New York Times blockbuster: He means to proffer us a post-spiritual, post-contemporary principles that ostensibly will not need any scrupulous metaphysical pledges on the element of the person who reads it..

In detail, he asserts no fastidious novelty or extraordinary insight, and he preserves that there is not anything in the pieces of papers which has not been said before. I capture this aver as an answer for analysis and assessing the book. If what is whispered in the book has been said previous to it, who assumed it and when? Why has the Dalai Lama perceived a requirement to say it again? And has he said it any better? He calls his observations common intelligence, but we all no that what is ordinary is not for eternity sagacious and what is reasonable is not always ordinary. Are there declarations of the novelist in spite of, unusual perception in this book?

And there is this twirl, too. The book was in print in 1999. This reassess is being written post May 2010. What does this book have to lecture us, if anything, in our New World turmoil? Let’s situate the milieu: The Dalai Lama affirms that, no matter what a people creed or educational setting, a human being needs generally of all to be contented. His Holiness states the truth that there is much sorrow in the world, a lot of which is not inevitable. The problem is how to shun misery and augment contentment. The way out is in the course of positive ethical behaviour, persons who act morally are predisposed to be better off than those who don’t.

Isn’t optimistic moral demeanour the only prefecture of creed and, so, is the Dalai Lama going to provide us the Tibetan Buddhist alleyway to pleasure?. His devoutness extends the vision that creed-formal faith as countered to spirituality, no longer has much significance in the post contemporary world. Now, after September 11 tragedy, this is obviously a debatable point. It was open to question before, too. But let’s gift this principle for the Dalai Lama’s squabble sake. He hypothesizes that though there are many who assert that spiritual inspirations for their accomplishments, in real truth people are inclined to operate from worldly reasons [Tannen 20]. This is no impediment, conversely, to our recuperating of our principled manner and thus becoming at an advantage. The doctrine of positive ethical conduct stalks from human scenery, and is creed-autonomous. Still, the expedition to become more moral, and so more contented, should be seen as a religious pursue. In fact, the Dalai Lama is passionate for no less than a religious rebellion. [Tannen 17]

Though he disconnects principles and creed, the Dalai Lama does suppose that spiritual control can be a very influential means to expand correct ethical conduct. On the other hand the religious rebellion he is in conflict for does not need religious translation. The Dalai Lama for no reason has been much of a proselytizer. When I heard him give a dharma talk in Pittsburgh, PA, some years back, he figure up all his lecture by saying, “Be a good human being.” Ethics for the New Millennium attempts to indicate us in the correct path.

The book is splited into three main segments. The first part puts down the basis of ethics, as we have seen, not in spiritual habit but in the ordinary human wish and right to be joyful. In the second fraction, His sanctity delineates the major elements of positive ethical conduct for a person. The societal and biased consequences are conferred in the last part.

As I stated previously, the Dalai Lama persists that there is nonentity new in his scrutiny, and in fact the analogous to Aristotle’s Nicomachean Ethics are remarkable. Both His sanctity and Aristotle believe contentment is the maximum objective for human beings [Tannen 148]. Both pressure the continuing excellence of gladness, unique from the transitory nature of delight. Both build up principles of desirable eminence as a means to conquer contentment. Both caution that the academic implementation of analyzing contentment and good value is, in itself, not their objective; quite, the objective is to in fact be good. Both describe high calibre as a routine of action. Both strain the requirement to organize the sentiments without refuting them their owing. Both are obstinate on the thought of the yellow mean.

Both utter we have to expand the means to strike the blotch of virtue via rehearsal and acumen. His piety might be describing significant phronesis, Aristotle’s sensible astuteness, in what he names the amalgamation of skilful means and insight”:
Skilful means can be tacit in conditions of the labours we create to make sure that our deeds are motivated by compassion. ‘Insight’ refers to our critical faculties and how, in retort to the dissimilar factors drawn in, we regulate the perfect of non-harming, a clarification feature of virtue, for the Dalai Lama to the milieu of the circumstances. We could call it the ability of shrewd judgment. [Birr 149]

These analogous authors could be increased. An significant dissimilarity of importance, though, in the Dalai Lama’s ethic midpoints on the asset of compassion, of forever captivating others into description in discriminating right action, of permitting oneself to be released from the anguish of others as a means of considering that, as His piety puts it, basically we are all the same.

The query, then, is whether this ancient virtue principle is really the principles for this millennium. An aim to keep in mind when responding to this query is that, when Aristotle inscribed, the enquiry of ethics was how to be fine. In contemporarily principles became more a substance mitigating ethical proposals, of responding to the enquiry of why be good. That’s an extended tale, and we can’t go into it here. But neither Aristotle nor the Dalai Lama is very involved in a hypothetical perceptive of morals for its own sake. in its place, both distinguish good and bad, and both proffer sensible understanding, based largely on mimesis, on following the instance of honourable, contented people, in enjoin to be pleased oneself.

I in general believe that if you discontinue individuals on a boulevard bend and smack up a conversation about moral subject, you would discover that the majority of people are inclined to be Aristotelians devoid of knowing it. Most think restraint a asset, most think that civilization indicates to the actions that pilots to admire or censure, one of the supposed inadequacies of virtue ethics. Most are situational relativists; keep in mind that Aristotle’s mean is not an absolute mean. Definitely, all desire to be contented, and get contentment into account when building moral verdicts.

The Dalai Lama often breaks to enquire if he is being too naive, and after September 11 we must all be on sentinel against over-easy respond to gigantic questions. For example, His sanctity declares that the quantity to which distress influences us is mostly up to us and that, it is awfully unusual, if not unfeasible, to discover a condition which is unenthusiastic no matter how we look at it. [Birr 138] .that appears inflexible to consume in the rise of the radical attacks on the World Trade Centre and the Pentagon.

Though the Dalai Lama does proffer societal and political guidance, the centre here is on the personality. As a last assessment of his program, one could merely ask: If I were to follow his teachings, would I probable be better off? Is this good quality advice? I believe it is.

All that I anticipate is that if what is on paper here composes intelligence to you, the booklover, you will struggle to be sympathetic in your daily life, and that out of a sagacity of accountability toward all others you will do what you can to assist them. (O’Brien 174). Separately from this, I am not on call for any promise as such. And if on some days your deeds are more sympathetic than on others, well, that is ordinary. Similarly, if what I articulate does not seem obliging, then no matter. The significant thing is that no matter what we do for others, no matter what forfeits we create, it should be deliberate and occur due to understanding the advantages of such deeds. [175]

Here is an ethical system based on worldwide fairly than spiritual main beliefs. Its final goal is contentment for every person in spite of of spiritual conviction. Though the Dalai Lama is himself a working Buddhist, his approach to life and the ethical scope that guides him can pilot each and every one of us, Muslim, Christian, Jew, or Atheist-to a better-off, more satisfying life.

In a contemporary civilization typified by selfishness to aggression, ambivalence to the anguish of others, and a high-octane revenue reason, is talk of ethics anything more than a momentary salve for our collective conscience? The Dalai Lama thinks so. In his Ethics for the New Millennium, the exiled leader of the Tibetan people explains how the essential apprehensions of all people, happiness based in satisfaction, conciliation of misery, forging significant relationships, can act as the institution for a widespread principles.

His medication isn’t forever simple to ingest, though, for it stress of the booklover more than memorizing teachings or positing theoretical quandaries. The Nobel Peace laureate requests us to be familiar with convinced essential facts of survival, such as the interreliance of all things, and from these to restandardize our hearts and minds, to come close to all of our accomplishments in their light. Nothing petite of an inner insurgency will do. Crucial work is necessitated in cultivation of our innate tendencies to sympathy, acceptance, and kindness. And at the identical time, we require to believe like a scientist, reckoning out the best ways to act from an opinion of collective responsibility. Like an amalgamation of the mind and sympathy of Jesus, the cool reasonableness of the Stoics, the ethical agenda of Ben Franklin, and the psychology of William James, Ethics for the New Millennium is an appeal for fundamental goodness, a proposal for world peace.

Reference:

The prevalence of intersex births is quite difficult to comprehend with diverse views on the issue. According to Fausto-Sterling about 1.7% of human births are of intersex. In a study conducted in the U.S intersexuality was found out to constitute about 1.7% of a community. It also points out that intersexual newborns are not rare and that a review of the peoples attitude towards such cases should be done .Fausto also claims that in the world today most people believe that there is only two sex categories and yet 17 out of every 1000 births fail to get classified as either male or female. This is the estimated frequency of intersexuals. (1993)

The traditional treatment of intersex is when a doctor decides on prearranged checklist of what an intersex baby should be; through surgical modification. This treatment is particularly wrong because first it is easier for an urologist to make girls than boys. In other words there is discretion towards gender based on convenience of a surgeon in his/her work. In fact in an article, it is stated that Over 90% of intersex children are consigned to the feminine sex, because “it’s easier for surgeons to make a fissure than to construct a pole (Kessler, 1990).this is bad because since the intersex babies have both male and female hormones, so it is unfeasible to get wind of what sex a child should become. Secondly, such surgeries are usually very risky. According to McDonald, working on infant-size genitalia is taxing. Such procedures as clitorectomy or clitoriplasty habitually leave a person with considerably reduced or no sexual awareness. In addition, destruction of corpora can cause intolerable soreness when the genital bulges transpire.(2000)

In recent years there have been tremendous improvements in the field of treatment of such conditions. According to a medical journal on procedures, it is stated that chromosomal construction of gender is now done opposed to the past where there was more external genitalia reconstruction. Modern treatments involve the use of gene mechanism and biochemistry.

According to his biography, John William Money was a renowned psychologist, a controversial sexologist and an excellent author. He did a lot of research into biology of gender and identification of sexuality. He was in the lime light sometimes back with the contentious sex-reassignment of David Reimer. His ideas relating to gender has lead to intense research and criticism within the scientific world. He argued that a child gender identity if usually fluid to a particular age before it becomes consolidated or immutable. With this in mind, the theory was applied to David Reimer (Money et.al, 1972).

In relation to intersexed children there was this case of David Reimer. David Reimer was a Canadian man who underwent sexual reassignment, after his penis was inadvertently botched during circumcision. (CBC News, 2006)According to reports he was turned to a female and though raised as a girl, he still portrayed masculine tendencies. This is another reason that traditional treatment of intersexuality is wrong.

References

In a generally coined definition, a ‘gang’ is basically a group of three or more people that is established based on some common ground that defines the individuals of the said organization. Back then, the word ‘gang’ did not actually mean anything besides standing for the creation of a group that could be defined for the cause of their existence. Taken from the collaboration of the old English word “gan” which means “to go” and the old Norse word “ganr” meaning “group”, it could observed that  the idea behind the creation of the word basically intends to make a definite implication of what group of men and how and why they get together could be better assumed.

Later on though, it is practically understood that the word “gang” has already garnered a new essence of recognition. With the emergence of situational defiance that involves the occurrence of gang violence taken against other people, the word “gang” has become connected with the word deviance and crime. Today, as many people around the globe become agitated with the idea of violent matters happening to them and particular manifestations of unlawful acts taken against them, the more they believe that the occurrence of gangs in the a worldwide scope affects this situation.

How has the word “gang” become correlated with the word “violence” when it has just primarily started as a coined term that refers to groupings of particular individuals who have common idealisms regarding specific matters that are basically important to them? Apparently, the missions and the idealisms of the groups have changed through the years. Upon the occurrence of dissatisfaction among the members of the society, it could be seen how modern coinage of the word “gang” has already changed from the point that it has first been introduced to the society. The dissatisfaction of the said members of the groups pushed them into becoming more aggressive in calling out to the other members of the society to have them respond to their needs and demands. How has this particularly been implied [?]; through the occurrence of defying the norms that the society gives particular attention to.

Believably, through this, the division of the society empowered through the existence of gangs within the different communities around the globe continues to exist and impose chaos in the systems that are designed to regulate the lifestyle of the people living on earth. These systems include that of the law and the norms established to set a defining level of organization in the society. Practically though, it could be observed that the personal identification of the members of the gangs with regards these particular arrangements are more inclined into focusing on the chance of getting the best benefits they can to respond to the demands that they are most interested in getting from the society.

Hence, if observed closely, it could be seen how the different options of defining gang existence in the society could be explained to be based on the fact that the members who come into the protection that the gangs are supposed to give have certain levels of dissatisfaction from the systems that are existing in the society to provide an essential point of arrangement to provide coordination and cooperation among the human population living within the human communities.

Based on personal observation, it could be seen how gang leaders embrace the possibility of having the capability of experiencing temporary power to make things happen and to lord over individuals who have come to seek their protection as a means of being a part of their group. Believing upon this particular idealism, it could be realized how the occurrence of gangs in the society is based upon the personal being of the individuals involved and the perceptions they have towards life as well as the applications they intend to consider in connection with the realization of these perceptions. As a group, they set their own rules, they set their own principles and they set their own goals. These matters serve as the guidelines for their members to qualify as part of the organization and to identify themselves as remaining parts of the group. Definitely, the definition of the group and the identity that it has depends on how much concentration and seriousness the entire organization has towards the set guidelines designed to make it easier for them to redefine their existence in the society.

As natural as the existence of such groups is, gangs need not be leaning within the negative side of their occurrence, however, due to the existence of social dissatisfaction and massive uncontrollable essence of understanding the realities of life, the shifting of such groups towards becoming more defined in the negative edge of the situation brings forth a considerable path of defiance that almost every particular kind of gang follows today.  Understandably, it could be seen that the chaotic state of mind of the members of the gang are sourced out from the dissatisfied state of living. Basically, this is the reason why the explanation of the aggravated aggression of the leaders and the members of the gangs are exasperated to impose on the occurrence of chaos in the society.

Personally, having been able to touch this particular fact about the said matter covering the occurrence of gangs in the society, it has been made factual to the author of this essay that gangs were not originally the way that they are right now. Back then, gangs were just groups, but at the turn of time, the changes in the human society and the ways by which humans live has caused the turnaround of matters and how these groups respond to the social challenges happening at present.

References:

Cantrell, Mary Lynne. (1992). Gang Identifiers and Terminology. Journal of Emotional and Behavioral Problems, v1 n1 p13-14.

GANGS: FORMATION AND MEMBER BEHAVIOR

The definition of the word “defiance” basically connotes the existence of a chaotic behavior that directly negates from what is considerably right and acceptable. The society today sets up a certain guidelines that identify the boundaries of the identifiable notions of what is right and what is wrong. Based on ethics, morals and the law, it could not be denied that the society today aims to be protected by the system that they have established as a practical source of their safety’s confidence. This system is practically noted as social control. Anything or anyone that goes against this particular set up of guidelines is considered to be a defiant to the system. In a way, sociologists believe that defiance is a matter that could assess the balance of the society in some way. As for example, the creation of groups that goes against the injustices of the existing system in the society basically manifests a rather effective way of creating a considerable approach towards imposing justice and response in negation to the current situations that cause social chaos and dissatisfaction among the members of the community.

The emergence of gangs though is considered to be an exaggeration of the actual need for the occurrence of social defiance simply needed to set balance for the society’s recognition of proper assumption of what is right and what is wrong. Believing on the capability of the human individuals to decipher on what is “just right” from what is basically “over the edge” in considering the existence of defiance groups has gone overboard which later on gave birth to the chaotic stance of what gangs are actually noted for today.  At present, gangs are already considered to have been causing the most violent sources of fear that the society intends to stay away from. The massive transformation of the human society’s view towards the existence of balanced defiance has redefined the anatomical value of rebelling against what is wrong in the system of the society.

As of now, gangs exist regardless of the “goodness” or “badness” of their goals. From robinhood type gangs who steal from the rich to give to the poor, to gangs with pure evil schemes who simply aim to control the most powerful systems in the society such as commerce through imposing organized crime and local syndicate groups, gangs range from small towards the largest scale of organizations that reaches across the states and at times even towards the different parts of the world (Valentin 1995:65). Although noted as the rebels in the society, it could be observed still that these gangs still get at least 43% of increase in membership every year. Likely, this growth has been a consistent fact during the past ten years and expected to still grow in the coming years. Why is there a staggering height in the development of the growth of the population of human individuals becoming a contingent member of the gangs existing all around the globe?

According to psychologists, most often than not, males and females have different reasons of joining gangs. For most males, joining a gang adds up to their sense of machismo. In a way, becoming a part of a big group that has the power to suppress the rights and the capabilities of the others somewhat provides them a bit sense of what authority is and how it really feels to be in control (Valentin, 1995:78). Besides that, being a part of this particular group gives them a better picture of what it feels to be a part of a huge group and have a sense of belongingness. Most of the members of gangs [at least 54%] are noted to be from broken family backgrounds (Valentin, 1995:78). It could be sensed that somehow, members of gangs intend to fill up some void in their lives which are usually filled up by the existence of the contingence of becoming a member of the group. Somehow, for some of these members, their lives begin to have a better directed path as they begin to be a part of the group. May it be a good or a bad path, what is important to them is that somehow, they are able to define themselves to belong to something, to believe in something and to be connected with something.

On the other end, female gang members may simply want to be a part of something and be practically protected. It has been reported that huge gang organizations have large connections outside the group that allows some protection to the members of the organization. This protection ranges from police assistance to attorney service provisions. Believably, these support sources are needed by the members simply because of the fact that they are subjected into doing things that are most often than not against the law. The protection provided by these connections somewhat keeps them alive. (Haggedorn 2009:89)

In being able to understand this particular issue about modern gang establishments and formations, it could be noted that human behavior plays a great role on how or why such gang organizations survive even at an international scope. Reaching out the to the different parts of the globe, it could be observed that the brotherhood or the sisterhood formed through the establishment of gangs provide more than just power to the members but also meaning to their lives. As mentioned, some members join in the groups for the sake of filling up a psychological void in themselves. Hence, to explain further, gang organizations are not simply groups that define the occurrence of rebellion, but somewhat a source of confidence and belongingness to those who are becoming their members.

References:

Valentin, Bill. (1995). Gang Intelligence Manual: Identifying and Understanding Modern-Day Violent Gangs In The United States. Paladin Press.

Haggedorn, John. (2009). A World of Gangs: Armed Young Men and Gangsta Culture (Globalization and Community). Univ Of Minnesota Press.

GANG EXPOSURE

The involvement of different gang organizations in most events of social disturbances and violence is an undeniable fact. Considering the different records of criminal offenses, police reports, and even in prison accounts, much of the disturbances occurring within their respective jurisdictions involved gang organizations. Inside these conflicts, most organization act within the pursuit of their organizational interest whether depending against opposing groups or moving aggressively against the other. Considering this common scenario, the notion that gang membership only exposes a person to increased extent of violence and other detrimental consequences has become a common opinion and fact in the society.

Regardless, people are still joining gang organization despite of the widespread warning and education about the detrimental consequences of their action. What is more alarming is that most of the willing new members for these gangs already know the likely results of their actions and in fact, some of them admitted to be well-conditioned for such consequences. This trivial notion is the reason behind the continuous recruitment and growth of most gang organizations in the society.

The motivation of most individuals willing to become members of these gang organizations regardless of their knowledge about its likely adverse results can be explained in a psychological perspective. For some individuals, their need for social belongingness outweighs their logical reasoning clouding them sound judgment regarding their action. Other individuals simply view these social groupings as their solution for their personal development satisfying their needs for power, influence, peers, and even aggressiveness. Using the lure of self-worth, most potential members feel that they are needed inside the gang through the notion of “brotherhood and sisterhood”. Considering the psychological effect of this notion, most new members looking for belongingness and worth perceive gang organization as the perfect group for them in which the deemed violent consequences are merely necessities to protect their new found groups.

Through the match of the psychological strategic lure and the characteristics of the psyche of some individuals, gang membership are established not as violent groups in their perspective of the involved people but as social organization giving worth to each member. In this structure, the foundation of the gang organization are shared and instigated to the minds of every member establishing their connection as a group. Considering this nature, each member become united and connected with each other in a certain way making their way of thinking and decisions aligned as a single organization.

Inline with the organizational nature of gang groups, the actions and decision of each member are strongly inclined with the majority of the entire assembly. However, in most cases, the interpretation of the legal nature of each member’s action is often contrasting. In this argument, the perspective towards a certain committed act could either be or not within the organizational structure of the gang deeming the latter as a mere individual’s action. The fundamental condition however for this consideration lies in the cause and key motivational factor involved in the act.

Indeed, there are certain situations wherein the action of a member could be solely categorized as an individual action or offense regardless of his or her organizational membership. In this scenario, several elements become the grounding fact towards the establishment of this categorization such as the expressed opposition of the majority of the gang and the stand of the act in accordance to the rules of the organization. Considering these factors, when the particular action of a member lacks the consent of the entire gang or in contrast with the regulation of the group, the said act could be deemed to be in accordance solely on the individual volition of the member. This notion states that some action done by a gang member could still be deemed as a personal responsibility of the person involved not as a member of the organization in discussion but as an individual.

With the discussion of the said element in relation to the structure of social gang groups, it could be said that this simple groupings can manifests as significant elements for the individual development of each member. Considering this point, society can further understand why the membership of these gangs remains continuous regardless of the known fact of adverse consequences for such decision. In the perspective of organizational psychology, gang groups indeed satisfy the particular craving of some individuals for social belongingness and acceptance giving them a sense of worth and relevance for other people namely their fellow gang members.

However though, even after joining such gang groups, the individual character of each member still exists underneath the organizational characteristic of their assembly. This means that personal decision and individual volition could still be a dominant factor influencing the decision and motivation of each member prompting them to move on their own even though in contrast with the group’s objective. This notion makes some actions by a gang member to be outside the definition of “gang-related” actions and still under an individual’s responsibility.

References:

Valentin, Bill. (1995). Gang Intelligence Manual: Identifying and Understanding Modern-Day Violent Gangs In The United States. Paladin Press.

Haggedorn, John. (2009). A World of Gangs: Armed Young Men and Gangsta Culture (Globalization and Community). Univ Of Minnesota Press.

GANGS as Part of the Society

If the weighing scale would be that of the disturbance that gangs are causing the society with, then the answer would be that the gangs could indeed be considered as a social problem. Observed to be the source of at least the most chaotic situations in the society today, gangs practically impose a large effect on how the world fares today especially when it comes to applying the laws defining the effective approach to control the occurrence of chaos in the community. The strong influence and invite promoted by gangs have naturally been accepted as part of the modern world. Due to the fact that there are many different reasons behind the occurrence of this matter, it could be noted that the acceptance of gangs as a composite organizational contingency in the society that cannot be abolished has already been recognized as an unavoidable truth. It could not be denied that through the years, the social advancements embracing the human society basically made it possible for the human communities to adjust to the situation. Hence, today, instead of simply pointing to gangs as social plagues, they are now considered as barricades to the development of urban moral standards. With the existence of gangs, it is very unlikely that the young generation would be best able to the most effective way available to eliminate the foul attitudes that humans are introduced with through the application of the “gang culture” in the society. The denial of the fact that modernity itself has welcomed gangs simply covers the eyes of the society from being capable of seeing reality as it happens.

The deepened stress on the need of one to belong to something is an essential part of surviving today’s modern world. It could not be denied that somehow, this the reason why it is very difficult to control the growth of the number of people, particularly those belonging to the young generation, who willingly join groups or gangs that they think would better given them a deeper meaning for their existence on earth. But of course, although already accepted as a social norm or a part of the community as it is supposed to be, gangs are still aimed to be illuminated through the provisionary features of the human law dedicated to the said matter of concern. One of the most important provisions or legal programs offered is that of the gang control system whereas the gangs ought to be registered. These “gangs” are the ones that are non-violent, non-supportive of the chaotic missions of the other groups. They are they to be used to at least serve as the balance to the operation imposed to be able to control the enemy. Through the strategic manner of dealing with gang control, authorities are expected to come up with good results that would practically show how the gangs could still be managed towards the contribution that they could make to rather assure the society’s peace and security instead of doing otherwise. The peer-to-peer approach imposed through the gang-to-gang motivation consideration is observed to have a great impact on the existence of the hangs and having those others who do not want to be a part t of the gang anymore to be well assisted to make the necessary changes they need to accomplish to regain their old life back.

Through this, it is expected that the existence of gangs shall be better regulated for the sake of the development of a society that is free of violence-based gangs that are simply established to bring in chaos and fear among the human individuals living in the society. Helping the gang members of the groups more inclined to the negative sense of the idea of organizing in teams of people to redeem themselves from the situations that they have been involved with in the past. This redemption is further expected to give these ex-members a chance to relive a life that is much meaningful and much useful for themselves and the society as well. This way, only the gangs that relive the real meaning of being a “gang” shall be left standing. As noted in earlier discussions, a gang is supposed to represent a contingency of people getting together in a group to expose themselves to better utilize their efforts for a certain cause. Practically, through eliminating those gangs with plainly negative missions, the growth of gangs that are leaned more to the right [positive status of organizations] is expected to grow. Although at some point, this idealism may be a bit too good to be true trusting on its capability to redefine the existence of gangs at present is worth giving a try. It could not be denied that giving such options a chance of occurring would not hurt the authorities as they try to control the contingent effect of gangs in the human society.

Through amply understanding the thoughts surround the most complicated issues characterizing the existence of gangs and how they relate to the existence of the whole society of the human communities around the globe, it is observed that somehow, the betterment of the vision towards the possibility of controlling gangs become strengthened. Knowing what pushes human individuals to join in the organizations established by the founders of the different gangs, officials, social workers and other individuals having the authority to control the situation would have a better understanding as to how they should be able to handle the situation. True, the existence of gangs may not be abolished anymore as it has already served as one of the most important foundations of the society [considering that of the ones having positive reputation]; but, through policy and legal applications of the law, regulating their existence and limiting their power becomes possible hence allowing the chance to eliminate negatively standing gangs that are designed to bring in chaos to the society.

References:

Valentin, Bill. (1995). Gang Intelligence Manual: Identifying and Understanding Modern-Day Violent Gangs In The United States. Paladin Press.

Haggedorn, John. (2009). A World of Gangs: Armed Young Men and Gangsta Culture (Globalization and Community). Univ Of Minnesota Press.

It is a social responsibility to secure the welfare of citizens in a certain community or country basically. One of the most sensitive part of this community as we says will be the aged ones who need more than physical and emotional security from their families and relatives. There are firms that provide such security for these people including the homes that take charge of their health and welfare in some industrialized countries like the US.

But, despite the idea that this part of the population count is the most experienced and had been exposed to lots of experiences, there are factors that make them a hint of a concern for the younger ones since there are also medical lapses that happens during this period of age including, we say their attitude towards spending on things that at some point not that important or significant or practical as they will seem. As we talk of this character of this market segment in perspective, there comes the issue of social security concerns that pops out. And, in connection with that, there is the issue of elderly particularly the affluent ones to not be illegible for the benefits of social security for that matter.

To tap on the social security matter, we see social security as a primary social insurance of protection. Such can be translated into a program that provides a social protection, or might be a certain protection against socially recognized conditions in the community in which poverty, disability, unemployment and old age among others. The latter is the one that will be the concern of this part of writing right here.

Furthermore, social security can refer to some segments. One is the social insurance wherein recipients receive perks and benefits or services in recognition of contributions to a certain insurance system or scheme so to speak – services of this type of security encompasses the provision for retirement pensions, disability insurance, survivor benefits and unemployment insurance.

Another would be income maintenance which refers mainly to the distribution of cash in the event of interruption of employment, including retirement, disability and unemployment. Then there is the type where services are given by administrations accounted for social security. In other communities in countries, services may include medical care; aspects of social work and in some cases may include industrial relations (Kelly and Humphreys, 2010).

Regarding the social security concern in this particular matter, solvency method can be considered as a tool to restore such social security as the means of a testing method for consistency and practicality on this particular social concern. Basically, solvency in the medical world is said to be describing the successful recovery for people with compulsive credit card addiction or any form of shopping addiction or others may term it as compulsive debting that are seen and recognized as problems, and also who are presently and consistently abstaining from acquiring more and more unsecured credit (Bruce, 2008).

In simple means, it is a state where someone has realized the reality itself that getting drowned into debts is somewhat a crazy thing to even think of. On the other hand, in the world of finance, this solvency method or idea is the ability of a person, or entity to pay certain debts in a given period. This solvency can also be depicted as the capacity of a corporation to meet its long-term fixed expenses or costs that such firm will be dealing with for a certain period of time and at the same time, the aptitude to accomplish long-term expansion and growth. In the business and finance world, the better or the higher the solvency of a company, the better will its financial position will be (Bruce, 2008). This goes to follow that when a firm or a company is “insolvent” it means that it can no longer manifest effective operations and is apparently on the verge of a bankruptcy state.

Solvency in the business perspective also refers to a different idea of profitability, or shall we say, really different from that idea of profitability. In this field, solvency depicts the ability to earn a profit. In this matter, businesses and firms can be profitable without being solvent given that such firms are expanding vigorously. In that same light, in this perspective, a firm can get solvent even while losing bucks just through a matter of using the future cash flows just as selling accounts receivables.

In this light, the very thought in solvency is good to acquire and good to maintain especially in business firms, yet it is a matter of a habit or constant practice and application in the real deal of things that goes to be applied in some meaningful and effective ways in managing social security in aged people especially when they started as affluent spenders in the first hand. That will follow now that security benefits for this number of aged people spending affluently will no longer need the support from the government premises that will eventually open doors for opportunities of giving the social security privileges to those who are less affluent per se. It is a matter of values also, when we get to know that there are things we need to maximize privileges and acquiring things in the practical ways available.

A social security reform will be most benefited by this solvency method because the idea is that there will be a balanced source of funds for those who are needed to be extended of help and support. In respect with that, priority segment should be recognized to maximize the resources and control the outflow of funds if ever. Solvency per se talks about liquidity of an entity, whether a business or administrative firm, wherever it may fall that will be attained through proper management of resources (Capretta, 2010). There will be issues that haunt the idea of solvency as a method of restoring social security schemes, but there will be a bigger issue to be faced if no method will be incurred or practiced to restore social security concerns in communities.

In the concern of those that will be negatively affected at least, the affluent elderly so to speak, it will not greatly be something fatal given that these guys are well off first hand and financial, physical and emotional security is better provided than those that settle for lesser that what they have. Therefore, it is somehow convenient to be convicted in choosing the solvency method in restoring social security and there will be no mistake if it will be tried in the real perspective of social security matters.

References

Kelly, James and Humphreys, Joseph.(2010). USA.gov. A Paper Prepared for The Commission on the Social Security ‘Notch’ Issue. Retrieved April 24 2010 from <http://www.socialsecurity.gov/history/notchfile3.html>

Bruce. (2008). The Bruce Web. Social Security: Hard Solvency vs Soft Solvency vs Sustainable Solvency. Retrieved April 24 2010 from <http://bruceweb.blogspot.com/2008/09/social-security-hard-solvency-vs-soft.html>

Capretta, James.(2010). The Brookings Institution. Building Automatic Solvency into U.S. Social Security: Insights from Sweden and Germany. Retrieved April 24 2010 from <http://www.brookings.edu/papers/2006/03saving_capretta.aspx>

The chief pharmacological approach for the management of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) has been based on the exploit of means potentiating cholinergic spread, mostly by inhibiting acetyl cholinesterase (AChE), the enzyme that obliterates acetylcholine subsequent to it being secreted into the synaptic clefts. (Began, 2004) Physostigmine is an AChE inhibitor originally extracted from calabar beans. It is authorized in many countries as an instrument for reversing the end product of drugs and toxins causing the anticholinergic syndrome. Studies accomplished more than 20 years ago proposed that Physostigmine could develop reminiscence in people with or without dementia. Examination of these possessions has been limited by the very short half-life of Physostigmine. Diverse forms of managing the drug have been tried to conquer this problem, most lately a controlled-release (CR) oral formulation, and a skin patch. It has been proposed as a potential drug for the suggestive treatment of AD. (Kuhn et.al, 2002)

A. Criteria

In order To scrutinize the effectiveness of cholinergic augmentation in senile dementia of the Alzheimer type (SDAT), oral Physostigmine is to be given to eight patients in a intersect trial of three dose levels and a corresponding placebo. A dose-related enhancement in memory as determined by purposed verbal reminiscence tests is then to be observed. If successful then the Performance should be appreciably better on the highest dose, about 2 mg every 2 h, than on the lower doses. The effect should mostly methodically be present for very short-term memory, which raises the question of whether the improvement may involve attention rather than longer term storage and retrieval

B. Search strategy:

The Cochrane Controlled Trials Register should be searched using the following terms: ‘Physostigmine’, ‘Physostigmine salicylate’, ‘Synapton’ and ‘Antilirium’ in accordance with the Cochrane Dementia and Cognitive Improvement Group’s search strategy. (Kuhnet.al, 2002) The pharmaceutical company has already been contacted

C. selection criteria

All pertinent, uncompounded, double-blind, placebo-controlled tests in which Physostigmine is given for more than one day to patients with dementia of Alzheimer type are to be included. Tests in which the distribution to the treatment is not indiscriminate, or in which the allotment to the treatment is not hidden should be disqualified.

Data collection and analysis

Data is to be extorted autonomously by two reviewers (JMC and JB), united where suitable and probable, and the credence or homogenized mean discrepancies or Peto odds ratios (95% CI) are to be estimated (Began, 2004). Where there is a potential, intention-to-treat analysis is also to be used.

Main results

About Fifteen studies are to be included by means of four diverse methods of administration of Physostigmine. Four studies, with 29 people, are to use intravenous concoction; with seven, 131 people, to use a conformist oral type; and four, 1456 people, to use a controlled-release oral type, and finally with one study of 181 people to use a verum skin patch.

Summary

The proof of efficacy of Physostigmine for the symptomatic cure of Alzheimer’s disease is partial. Even in a controlled release formulation planned to prevail over the short half-life, Physostigmine demonstrated no credible advantage and unfavorable consequences remained ordinary leading to an elevated rate of abandonment. (Kleinberg, 2004)That it why this experiment every little bit important and necessary to carry out. It should be done with uttermost acceptability and accurately.

References

Began, L. (2004) Physostigmine for dementia due to Alzheimer’s disease. Indiana; John Wiley and Sons, Ltd

Kleinberg, K. (2004) Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. London: Tech Republic.

Kuhn, C. and Wilson, W. (2002) Tagging’ Alzheimer’s patients. Nairobi: WebMD Health publications.

Introduction

When John and Janet started their company, PP Recruitment Agency, they had prepared a strategy to enhance their company’s image. Because the company was started as a small office, they were able to spend a lot of time with their clients and customers; clients being the companies which required their service and customers were candidates who approached them for jobs. This strategy was extremely successful as the company could get an idea of what their client wanted, and also, understand their customer’s background and strength. This helped the team of John and Janet immensely and the company began to show growth. What was also working in their favour was that because of their closed-unit approach, their success spread around through word of mouth. Their professionalism increased their reliability and approach, which led to more number of candidates and clients approaching PP for services.

As business expanded, John and Janet expanded PP Recruitment Agencies operations to Manchester, Leeds and Nottingham. With their expansion, John and Janet found it difficult to offer the same kind of personalised service to all their clients. With offices in Manchester, Leeds and Nottingham, PP had to recruit more staff to handle their expanding operations, and this hampered their personal services. After five years of trading where revenue and annual profits consistently increased, year on year, profits declined as did revenue. The number of clients and candidates decreased and it became difficult to monitor the operations of each branch to make an assessment. While each branch had a branch manager; a team of five or six dedicated consultants who dealt with clients and candidates directly, and at least one administrative assistant to handle all correspondence with clients and candidates and maintain branch records, the Sheffield Branch had, apart from Janet Doe and John Smart, their personal assistant May Help and an accountant, Fred Beancounter plus his team. Without a proper information system in place, PP operations began to go haywire, as a result of which, details of clients and candidates were held up at branch levels. Without a proper link between branches and HO, searching for suitable candidates across branch offices became difficult, if not impossible.
While Fred tried to implement a system to retrieve information from branches using spreadsheet, it was messy and time-consuming. Because PP had no centralised information system in place:

Collating and analysing data was difficult

They couldn’t answer client’s queries on market trends

Analysis

What John and Janet didn’t expect was for their personalised service to be affected due to their expansion. The problem with such an operation is that unless you are present for every meeting; be it with client or with candidates, it becomes difficult to assess the client’s requirement or the candidate’s strength. Both John and Janet were able to do this exceptionally well when they started, but as the organisation got bigger, they failed to make the required changes. The company didn’t have a proper Information System in place to handle the wider database created by the increased number of branches, and they couldn’t host their client’s requirements on a system which could be accessed by all the branches and HO, resulting in delayed transmission of information and poor service.

While recession could have been a cause for the decrease in business, it was because of the inefficiency by PP to meet their client’s needs in time which cost them dearly.

Another issue with PP was that the company did not meet the requirements of training their personnel to meet the demands of the market. As long as John and Janet were running the show, they were able to entertain all their clients and candidates evenly, however, when they expanded and recruited new staff for the branches, they failed to train their staff in handling clients and candidates, as a result of which, quality suffered.

Therefore, it was these two factors; an improper Information System, and non-trained personnel, which led to the fall of PP operations.

Literature Review

Information Systems are the software and hardware that support data-intensive applications. Many scholars believe that the business world is moving from an industrial economy to an information economy. “The convergence of computing, telecommunications, and software is not only enabling new forms of competition, but the digital convergence of various states of information; data, text, voice, graphics, audio, and video, is also spawning new business opportunities and new ways of communicating.” While not many would argue that all spheres of business and economic activity today harbors on information technology, it would be unimaginable to live in this world of business without information. Business managers spent much of their time on information processing, and do so through technological tools such as “executive information systems, groupware, video-conferencing, and so on (Currie, 1999).

Computers are multi-dimensional operating systems which have immense usage. It could be used as a calculator, a notepad, it could be used for drawing graphical representations, or it could be used for generating account statements and so on. Apart from these, the commercial aspect of a computer is that it can help people take decisions using data which is available to them. Decision-making couldn’t have been easier if not for computers. Decision making process should be focused to avoid unnecessary time wastage. Computer applications such as MacProject and MultiPERT enable decision makers to plan out the projects while experimenting with “what if” scenarios and monitoring the actual effects of implemented decision.

No product or company can survive competition or sustain its identity without asserting itself on two basic components in marketing: Image, and people. If not managed properly, these components can break a product, or in other words, a brand. Brands and people have to be owned, nurtured and developed by an organization. They are the ultimate differentiators and value creators. Companies such as Pepsi, Coca cola, Levis, and Cadburys are a few examples of well managed brand companies, whereas Enron and Anderson are the adversaries. So powerful is this medium, that unless harnessed properly, sustainability, popularity, and growth are at risk.

Thus, the elements that affect an individual’s relationship with a brand are:

The relationship between the product and the customer

The type of person the brand represents. The consumer obviously would like the personality traits to be that of his own.

A customer’s relationship with an organisation is built on trust and reliability. A Customer Relationship Strategy fundamentally reshapes the thought process of an organisation to build a strong customer base. Focusing on people, business processes, performance management systems and technologies are sure ways to satisfying customer needs.

With an effective Customer Relationship Strategy, an organization can:

Identify, acquire, retain and develop more profitable customers

Align the business, marketing, and sales strategies with customer care

Achieve a customer centric organization with a clear contact management strategy (Hitachi, 1994).

Customer Relationship Management

This came about because of the change in consumer buying behaviour. The consumer had become knowledgeable and demanding, and this forced companies to shift their priorities to accommodate these. This gave rise to the growing concentration on customer relationships; customer retention became the core focus of corporate and other companies in their marketing activities. This is founded on the belief that customer retention leads to economic performance in terms of both, turnover and costs, said Anderson et al., (2000, p.869-882).

This is where relationship marketing assumes significance.

‘Relationship marketing covers all actions for the analysis, planning, realization   and control of measures which initiate, stabilise, intensify and reactivate business relationships with a company’s stakeholders, namely its customers, and in the creation of a mutual value.’

Customer relationships is critical in the success of a business, and its quality is dependent on the kind of relationship that company maintains with their stakeholders (Bruhn, 2003, p.2-11).

E-Business has revolutionised commerce and trade. Gone are the days when business transactions were done manually, for today, in a highly charged up competitive market, it is important for businesses to have information at their finger tips to cater to customer demands. It is information technology that drives today’s business. For fashion retailers, maintaining cordial relations and offering customer-oriented service is what will help it stand in the forefront of competition. Through the introduction of Customer Relationship Management (CRM), fashion retailers can draw the advantage of customer expectations, restructuring its corporate and communication network and implement strategies that offbeat competition. Strategy is vital to the success of any organisation, and it’s no different with the fashion industry. Strategic management is the organizing of products, services, processes and systems to meet customer needs. Strategy process addresses:

The perceived strengths and weaknesses of the current practices

A customer’s behavior (likes and dislikes)

The identification and implementation of technology that can overcome the present inefficiencies

It is no secret that today’s business is based on customer satisfaction and relationship. Thus whatever be the strategy, it must be customer-centric (Pettinger, 2004, p.215-217). It is in this context that many organisations today consider the introduction of Customer Relationship Management (CRM). This technology will not only enhance customer service, but most importantly, improve customer relationship, so vital for an organisation’s success.

Case Study: The Great British Outdoor Market

In 60 years since the Second World War, the UK outdoor clothing and sports gear industry has witnessed phenomenal growth, thanks to the intrinsic relationship between industry bosses and sports personnel. The growth brought to eminence brands like Karrimor and Berghaus, now internationally known for their durability, weather proof comfort and style. Changes were mandated by the post-war economic growth which resulted in abundant leisure time, better communication networks, easier product access and a renewed focus on marketing activities. New product development in the materials sector, including nylon and other plastics-based products, set the tone for innovation to meet the growing need of sportspeople.

Initially, the industry bosses, being enthusiasts in sports, developed products suitable for sports through their extensive network of personal friends and family members. The entrepreneurs’ innovation was based on their personal experience and conducted through social contact, leading to profitable gains. Also, since the products were developed through their extensive network of social contacts, the products were produced with great care and craftsmanship, reflecting a deep understanding of the needs of the end-users. It also resulted in commercial benefits, as the sold products could be photographed on the sportsperson and used to promote the products to a wider audience, through advertising and catalogues.

Gradually, the entrepreneurs began to extend their network beyond their immediate circle of friends and family members to generate information and expertise which could be used to expand their customer base. The new initiative instilled contractual agreements and strategic alliances, such as those between Karrimor and BM Coatings (rucksacks) and Berghaus and Gore-Tex (clothing). This marriage between the companies resulted in sharing of knowledge and innovation apart from a profitable distribution channel and licensing arrangements. Retailers assumed significance for collection of data about products between customers and manufacturers. And suddenly, customers became the source of inspiration for further product development. The wider the network, the more radical became the innovation, leading to a higher market growth (Harwood et al., 2006, p. 105-111).

Customer Relationship Management

Customer Relationship Management (CRM) is an important tool in customer-centric strategies today (O’Brien, 2003, p.182). It not only enhances the quality of service, but also adds more strength to compete in the highly competitive service industry. According to Dong (2007), CRM systems are enterprise applications that support and integrate customer-oriented business processes such as marketing, sales, and customer services to manage business interactions with customers. This can be done by analysing and distributing a customer’s personal details and needs to the concerned departments within a retail fashion business for personalised services. CRM can also help initiate guest preferences, by which customers feel elated of being recognised without a formal introduction. Their personal preferences, billing details, method of payment, and dressing habits can be optimised to create an atmosphere of showing how important that individual is to the retail business. This will elicit a warm response from the customer who could recommend or vouch the retail business house to his/her friends, increasing the volume of sales of the fashion business.

Siebel Systems, Oracle, PeopleSoft, and SAP are leading CRM software vendors, who offer solutions that integrate and automate customer processes to allow fast, convenient, reliable, and consistent services to their customers.

The latest from SAP CRM, delivers customer-inspired innovations and state-of-the-art, Web-based user interfaces that enables the organisation to delight its customers, empower their support team, and improve their business.

SAP solutions and applications support a wide range of business processes related to Customer Relationship Management applications, including:

Category management

Multi-channel retailing

Price management

Price optimisation

Sales order management (SAP.com)

The following block diagram No.1, gives a fair idea of how a CRM system design would look like.

Block Diagram Courtesy: www.crm-strategy.net/crmpres.htm

While many companies have realised that the traditional approach of introducing CRM is purely as a tool for front-office operations, many have gone a step further to include not just data from front-office, but also enterprise-wide information about customers’ buying habits and profitability. Moreover, fast and flexible deployment to focus on strategic business priorities is critical for any CRM implementation. CRM provides a platform for business agility, enabling a company to adapt its processes easily to constantly changing business dynamics, manipulate business processes across and beyond the enterprise, and transform itself into a customer-centric enterprise.

In a nutshell, CRM will:

Evolve as business grows with support for end-to-end business processes

Empower Users with Role-Relevant Customer Insights

Gain Immediate Value

Increase Customer Satisfaction

Reduce Cost of Ownership (mySAP, 2005).

Many organisations have been known to strategise based on their requirement and interest. This led to poor customer response and sales. It was then that many began to focus their strategies on customer needs. For, from a customer’s perspective, if a product or service was variable in quality and/or complex, and if that product was intangible in nature, the resultant outcome led to risk and uncertainty. Customers would stay away from making any attempt to test these grounds. Risk reduction and reduced uncertainty are factors which customers find particularly important within the context of some markets says Morgan and Hunt (1994).

The more a customer builds a relationship with an organisation, the more knowledgeable the organisation becomes about a customer’s requirements and needs. Thus, having a long-term, ongoing, stable relationship with a particular fashion retailing house will obviously reduce uncertainty and risk and enhance their relationship. The relationship becomes so obvious, that even in cases where customers are aware of some competitors who offer the same or better service, they will choose to stay in the relationship due to its predictability and comfort (Harwood et al., 2006, p.107-111).

Training

For a workforce to perform at the highest level, employees need training on a regular basis. The importance of training the workforce has become such an important part of an organisation’s success that many companies with some form of training programmes spent a part of their median of labour budget on training, and that those with highly effective programmes were spending much more of their median of labour budget on training programmes. Training and development of personnel is a continuous process and organisations which ignored this sphere of HR activity, were most likely to succumb to competition. In a highly charged-up competitive world, success comes with innovation and technology. Organisations continue to introduce new manufacturing processes, information technologies, and equipment to stay competitive, and this prerogative mandates the introduction of training programmes to acclamatise and master production strategies. This can come about only through continuous training of staff. Also getting the staff to work on the different machinery and tools will only enhance production prospects and decrease monotony among the workforce, and in the process increase retention prospects. Despite changes, many organisations still fail to come to terms with the fact that well-funded employee development programmes are most important in the success of their business.

Training employees will not only lead to a healthy work environment, but it will also enhance productivity and lead to all-round development of employees and organisation.

Providing support and resources for continuous performance improvement is a vital part of the HR functionality (Weston, 1995).

Working in collaboration with line managers and other employees, HR specialists can help identify new skills or competences that are required to train and develop the workforce in enhancing their performance (Weston, 1995).

References

Anderson Eugene W. and Fornell Claes, 2000, Total Quality Management & Business Excellence: Quality Assurance & Total Quality Management, Volume 11, Issue.7 September 2000, pages 869 – 882

Bruhn, Michael, (2003), Conceptualization and empirical results of a pilot study in

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