Team Week Three Reflection Essay Example for Free

Team Week Three Reflection Essay This week Learning Team was tasked with understanding three objectives. Those objectives were as follows: 2.1 State the purpose of the business research. 2.1 Develop appropriate research questions and hypotheses. 2.3 Identify dependent and independent variables in business research. Our learning team discovered that business research is designed to increase your understanding a given management dilemma by looking for ways others have addressed or solved problems similar to yours. Business research can be applied in any number of ways in a business setting, such as determining what kind of business strategy your competitors are using, and finding ways that other businesses have countered that strategy in the past. Business research can also be used to determine how to market a product coming to market by creating research panels to determine how potential customers will react to the product. We also learned that unless proper research questions are developed along with a meaningful hypotheses, any research conducted will be flawed or incomplete. For instance, without asking potential customers in focus groups what they don’t like about your new product or service you may launch the new product and see dismal sales as customers reject your product because of the faults you failed to find or correct. A corresponding hypothesis will help direct the research once the correct questions are asked, as well as leading to further questions to help complete your research. Questions and hypothesis are therefor intertwined, and can be considered together when creating a research plan. Finally, we discovered that independent variables are unchangeable, such as a research population’s social status. An independent variable is manipulated by the researcher, and the manipulation causes an effect on the dependent variable. There is usually more than one independent variable, and each of them are usually â€Å"correlated† to some extent.

Palliative Care in End Stage Congestive Heart Failure

Palliative Care in End Stage Congestive Heart Failure Congestive heart failure (CHF) is an inability of the heart to supply/pump blood to the body as it needs in normal. CHF is an acute illness and a chronic disease in which the passage of time may cause other physical and psychological diseases that poses a threat to the health of the patient, and may be the cause of life limiting (American Heart Association, 2010). This indicates the poor quality of life of the patient, exacerbating health problem. Hence, those patients need to attend palliative care to improve the quality of life. Palliative care for CHF patient is very important to relive or prevent the pain which may be able to be cause physical problems such as (respiratory disorder and sleep disorder) or psychological problems such as (depression and anxiety). Palliative care is supportive care which provides physical support, psychological support, spiritual support and social support and that is to provide the best as much as possible to improve quality of life (Davidson, Macdonald Newton, 2010). How can you help and support Verner from the palliative care perspective? From the case Mr. Verner has complaining from several problems related to his state of physical, psychological, social and spiritual. In the beginning I have to consider appropriate place of care either in hospital or at home if there is sufficient support in all ways (Patient UK, 2010). Then Ill start with him a comprehensive assessment for his situation from perspective of palliative care includes the physical and psychological, social, cultural and spiritual (existential). Mr. Verner has advanced heart failure or end stage heart failure where can be identified the stage according to Dunderdale, Thompson, Miles, Beer Furze (2005) by the New York Heart Association (NYHA). In addition NYHA can assess a variety of the physical symptoms and restrictions. An important aspect of Mr. Verner management is communication and listening, exploring his understanding and feelings about his illness. Exploring concerns about the future can provide opportunities to discuss death and preferences fo r end of life care (Jaarsma et al., 2009). There are physical and psychological complications caused by CHF. For example Mr. Verner case: he does not sleep at night because he has trouble breathing, probably he has pulmonary congestion/pulmonary edema because according to (American Heart Association, 2010) pulmonary edema is one of the complications of CHF. So, medical intervention is needs in order to address the symptoms experienced by the patient, because medical care is very important to reduce patient stress and anxiety. Providing support through effective communication, skills may lift the moral of the patient. During communication I have to be honest and fidelity also in dealing with this patient must be show kindness, compassion and respect. In order to helping Mr. Verner from the palliative care perspective I have to provide a good palliative symptom management, psychological, spiritual and social support will provide hope and reassurance. Emotional and social support is very important aspect for CHF patient. Where the presence of family, relatives and friends around of the patient would be a very strong supporter to improve the psychological status of the patient and reduce depression, anxiety, social isolation and loneliness (Jaarsma et al., 2009). Ill ask the provider of Social Work to communicate with family members to provide the counseling and patient needs from social services. Also the family members should be encouraged in participating with palliative care team to more improve in the physical care for the patient. Moreover, he may benefit from a referral to social services and district nursing. Liaison between his primary care team and the local palliative care team is strongly recommended and Mr. Verner could be given contact numbers for the palliative care services. Hospice care for further social support and respite may be beneficial. Providing spiritual support is one of the important aspect of palliative care whether from family or from clergy, to encourage and support the patient to let him look to the future with optimism and live with his society and daily activities in comfortable manner until he dies (Becker, 2010). Which problems and needs can you identify? From the case it shows to me Mr. Verner suffering from physical and psychological problems which include: Heart disease is the main cause of worsening of his situation and increase physical problems that are: According to Scherer et al., (2005) lack emotional and social in patients with CHF makes the psychological problems in evolution as experienced by Mr. Verner: Physical problems Nausea,Vomiting Vertigo all the day time Decreased appetite Lack of energy Trouble breathing Cough in night Sleeping disorder Psychological problems Depression Anxiety Social isolation/loneliness Hopelessness Fear of death Nursing diagnosis: Decreased cardiac output related to decreased myocardial contractility. Impaired gas exchange related to lung congestion resulting in trouble breathing and cough in night. Nutrition imbalanced less than body requirements related to nausea and vomiting. Fatigue related to lack of energy. Disturbed sleep pattern related to trouble breathing. Ineffective coping related to chronic illness (Berman, Snyder, Kozier Erb, 2008). Patients needs: Information about the disease process, treatment and general advice on what to do and what not to do. Physical support and managing symptoms to relieve/reduce suffering and improve general health for live comfortably. Emotional support to reduce the psychological symptoms, where the presence of family around him will be a catalyst for this support. Social services to provide equipment such as stair lifts, ramps, commodes and information about packages of care. Enhance the care, improve quality of life and provide end life care with respect culture (customs and traditions), dignity, beneficence, sympathy and empathy. Make a nursing care plan for Verner. Explain and motivate your suggested nursing interventions in accordance with the four key areas listed in the introduction. Patient with end stage of heart failure may present with a variety of symptoms, which are similar to patients with advanced cancer (Matzo Sherman, 2010). A detailed history, physical examination, investigations and establishment of patient priorities will help in the management of their symptoms and improvement of quality of life. An accurate drug history is important due to the nature of complex drug regimens. The difficulties of coping with unwanted drug side effects may cause patients to be afraid to report their non-concordance, which may precipitate hospital admission. Common physical symptoms are fatigue, pain, breathlessness, dizziness, cachexia, anorexia, nausea, insomnia, difficulty in walking, constipation (Jaarsma et al., 2009). Communication skills are very important part in palliative care between palliative care team and patients and their families. There are small things, but significant that matter to the patient and family such as: a clean, well-pressed uniform; neat and tidy hair; an upright posture; a smile; appropriate eye contact respecting gender, age, culture or disability; a clear introduction of self and most important of all: an attitude that reflect my positive interest in them as a person (Becker, 2010). Also during communicating with the patient must repeat the information. It is possible because poor cerebral blood may lead to confusion and memory problems (Patient UK, 2010). PHYSICAL SYMPTOMS SYMPTOM CONTROL Trouble breathing, Cough in night and Sleeping disorder INTERVENTIONS (N) AND RATIONAL (R) Initial (N) Check vital signs, heart rate, blood pressure and respiratory rate depth. Observe if any wheezes and crackles in lung bases or edema. (R) This assessment will be noting and presence of fluid in the lung with change in heart and respiratory rate (Lewis et al., 2007). (N) Administer O2 and put patient on semi follower position. (R) Over volume is increased in the heart failure patient so, it results in jugular vein distention and increased hepatojugular vein also (Morton, Fontaine, Hudak, Gallo, 2005). (N) Control pain if any, discomfort feeling. (R) Patients may experience chronic pain such as oedematous limbs or osteoarthritis, or as a result of previous heart surgery (Morton et al, 2005). Ongoing Monitoring (N) Monitor vital signs, level of consciousness, oxygen saturation, cardiac rhythm, respiratory status and urinary output (Berman, 2008). Nausea, Vomiting, Decreased appetite and Lack of energy (N) Encourage the patient to eat the liquid food use a small amount of alcohol. (R) Could be good method to stimulate appetite and improving mood and general self esteem (Berman, 2008). (N) (Dehydration) Observe skin or mucous membrane dryness and edema. ( Ongoing Monitoring ) Monitor urinary output. (R) Occurs most often with CHF patients. Hypovolemia fluid shifts and nutritional deficits contribute to poor skin and edematous tissue (Morton et al, 2005). Ongoing Monitoring (N) Help patient to do daily activities such as using a wheel chair. (R) Patient needs to fully care of and need someone to help him in accomplishing daily activities at least to feel satisfied (Lewis et al., 2007). The main symptoms related to the case that require specific interventions of the palliative care team Causes and effects on CHF patients Managing symptom Fatigue CHF patients feel constantly tired and lacking energy. The main factors contributing to fatigue are: abnormalities in skeletal muscle due to reduced perfusion and neurohumoral changes; the side effects of medications; reduced activity; anaemia; lack of appetite and muscle wasting (Scherer et al, 2005). Fatigue causes reduced quality of life because it severely restricts patients activities and creates difficulties in walking and getting out of the house. In the end stages of heart failure even managing personal hygiene and dressing can be difficult. Fatigue can also compound other physical symptoms such as constipation, oedema and pain (Davidson et al., 2010). Access to exercise programmes may be of benefit to reduce fatigue and can give patients greater sense of well being. Explanation to the patient and his family about the physiological causes of fatigue can help them understand what they are experiencing and referral to occupational therapy of physiotherapy for advice on energy conservation and exercise can be useful. Education about healthy eating and correcting anaemia can also be beneficial (Jaarsma et al., 2009). Breathlessness Commonly caused by pulmonary oedema due to failing left ventricular function or sometimes due to anaemia. Other causes such as chest infection should not be overlooked. Anxiety, depression and inactivity can also contribute to breathlessness (Davidson et al., 2010). Increasing diuretics is the first line treatment for breathlessness due to increasing congestion and providing by Respiratory Consultant. Home oxygen may be useful for patients with daytime low blood oxygen saturations. The use of breathing and relaxation exercises can help reduce the anxiety, which often accompanies breathlessness (Davidson et al., 2010). PSYCHOLOGICAL (EMOTIONAL) SYMPTOMS Causes and effects on CHF patients Managing symptom/ Management Diagnosis of heart failure may make emotional stress. Depression, anxiety, social isolation and loneliness are common symptoms experienced by patient with end stage heart failure. The lack emotional and social support is an important predictor of morbidity and when patient become isolated and lack the ability to cope with his disease this can also be a significant predictor of mortality (Jaarsma et al., 2009). A patients experience of depression is often compounded by their physical symptoms. Psychological symptoms are can reduce quality of life. Mr. Verner says: I am not my disease, which can hinder hope for the future. From my experience when I give an opportunity to the patient as Mr. Verner condition, certainly will talk about dying. Fears of how he may die? How of pain? Emotional support is important for the patient. Effective communication with patient and his carer is needed from diagnosis and throughout the course of the illness. To maintain hope, patients can be offered good palliation of their symptoms and exploration of their preferences for care. Information needs to be available about the disease process, common feelings experienced and local social support services. Referral to psychology services or counselors may be required and some patients may benefit from an antidepressant (Jaarsma et al., 2009). Tricyclic antidepressants are not usually advised due to their pro-arthymic side effects. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor antidepressants (e.g. fluoxetine 20 mg once daily) are more commonly prescribed (Morton et al., 2005). SOCIAL AND FAMILY SUPPORT Causes and effects on CHF patients Management Social and family support is very important element, which engaging social services are a high priority may affect adversely on some psychological problems such as social isolation, loneliness and sadness etc. Specifically the social aspect may be involved in the following problems: financial status, capacity to self care, adherence with lifestyle and carer burden (Davidson et al., 2010). Mr. Verner misses his children and grandchildren because he does not have energy to talk on telephone. And that make him in bad condition. Social services to provide equipment such as stair lifts, ramps, commodes and information about packages of care; District nurses for assessment of symptoms and support. District nurses are often not aware of patients living with CHF until they become hospitalized; Community physiotherapy and occupational therapy for assessment and advice on exercise, energy conservation and home adaptations to aid in activities of daily living; Benefits advice patients may be eligible for disability or attendance allowance (Dunderdale, Thompson, Miles, Beer, Furze, 2005). And assist in communicating with family and give advice to family in order to be near Mr. Verner, even if the move to live with his children. The presence of family, relatives and friends around of the patient would be a very strong supporter to improve the psychological state of the patient and reduce depression, anxiety, social isolation and loneliness. SPIRITUAL (EXISTENTIAL) SUPPORT Spiritual support is an important aspect in palliative care. CHF reflected a gradual loss of identity and increased dependence and his illness make him incapacitate. Where it feels the burden on society and loses a sense of worth and meaning. Some patients have religious beliefs and feel comfortable than other patients who blame the Lord and say, Where is all this time? Why the God made me like this case? (Christian medical fellowship, 2011). Spiritual support is provided by a clinically certified interfaith chaplain and a qualified by the palliative care team. And chaplain role in this is to restore hope and existential then make the patient to cope the reality (University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, 2011). And small things will make Mr. Thomas in happiness or make a huge difference, such as to bring his cat or a visit from a close friend or inspiration in art, poetry, music (Becker, 2010).CONCLUSION Patients with CHF often experience a multitude of symptoms that affect adversely on their general health therefore it may happen to them to get sudden death. Participation with palliative care team is necessary to reduce the symptoms, provide the best as much as possible to improve quality of life and provide end life care with dignity. Nursing care plays an important role in the teamwork for patients with CHF, which can addressed with a variety of interventions, to relieve physical and psychological suffering, including treatment of pain, breathing difficulties and sleeping disorders. Communication is very important between palliative care team and patients and their families to adoption key work of care approach could improve patients access to appropriate palliative care. In addition, good communication between all those caring people for the patient in both primary and secondary care is essential. However, palliative care needs to be accessible early in the disease beginning beca use in the advanced stages patients may had worsened their health and then the team cannot provide the desired care. Finally I choose this case because I think the palliative care process as a practice in health part just for cancer patients but after dealing with Mr. Verner case I add to my nursing knowledge more specialized skills about the palliative care.

Ancient Egyptian Greek and Roman Stele Essay -- essays papers

Ancient Egyptian Greek and Roman Stele Just as we use tombstones to mark graves and commemorate our dead, so too did ancient civilizations. One way to do so in the ancient world was through the use of steles. A stele is a stone slab, usually decorated in relief and inscribed, that honored the death of a person. Three of the ancient cultures that had implemented the use of the stele were the Egyptians, Greeks, and Romans. In comparing an example from each civilization, it is possible to see the evolution of the stele from one period to another and the different influences each civilization had on a single element. The Egyptians had many ways to honor their dead, including the stele. Wealthy Egyptians, especially officials and priest, often had stele placed near their tombs. These steles usually told of the name, position/rank, and the epithets of the deceased along with a funerary prayer. (Gee 224) One such example is the Funerary Stele from Dendereh from the First Intermediate Period (ca. 2150 BCE). (University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology) This stele belongs to a man named Tjaunty, an official during the First Intermediate Period. The stele depicts Tjaunty on the far left of the rectangular slab. The other two-thirds of the stele are reserved for inscriptions of hieroglyphs. The depiction of Tjaunty is characteristic of the Egyptian style. The purpose of the Egyptian style was to represent the human form in the clearest and most complete way. The head is shown in profile but with the eye in a frontal position. The reason for this is that the head is more distinct from the profile position; the eyes, on the other hand, are more representative from the frontal view. The shoulders are presented frontally with the waist, hips, legs, and feet in profile. (Gee 18) In Tjaunty's funerary stele, Tjaunty is presented in this very distinct way. He is also shown with the symbols of his position as an official. This is known because Tjaunty's right hand is holding the same staff as in Hesy-ra's right hand in the Portrait Panel of Hesy-ra. (Janson and Janson 44) As for the inscriptions to the right of Tjaunty, this author is not able to definitively identify the meaning. It is assumed that it tells of Tjaunty's name, rank, and offers a funerary prayer. The Greeks were also another ancient civilization that i... ...d gives only a summed-up version of information about the owner. Granted, it is certain that a more glorified nature would be found in such as that of a pharaoh, but not so in those below the pharaoh. The Egyptian stele seems to represent an attitude of straight-forwardness (in keeping with the clarity and complete representation of the Egyptian style). As for the Greek stele, it is more intimate, a glance into a moment of that person's life (very naturalistic). The Roman stele is, without a doubt, glorifying. The Romans most certainly had an egotistical attitude about them. Why should it surprise anyone to see it within the art that was meant to memorialize them? Comparing these three civilizations has shown that a single element, used in different civilizations, may have the same intended use but the way each civilization goes about using this element can be quite different from one another. Bibliography: Gee, Robert. Egyptian Sculpture. Oxford: Blackwell, 1994. Janson, H.W. and A.F. Janson. History of Art: the Western Tradition. New Jersey: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 2001. Rothermel, Johnathan Albert. The Art of Greece. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1990.

Education Essay -- essays research papers fc

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Most controversies over education are centered around the question of how strictly standards should be upheld. The concern over whether or not flunking students is appropriate or even in the best interest of the student is a widely discussed topic. The argument often begins with students just starting school where the question of standardized testing for kindergartners arises. The majority of people are actually against such testing because they feel that a child who is labeled as a failure at such an early age may be permanently damaged (Bowen 86). The worry over the failure issue is further traced to educators who feel children just entering school are not fully prepared. Teachers are faced with kindergarten students who do not know their addresses, colors, and sometimes even first and last names (An ‘F’ 59).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Another reason why the assignment of failing grades has decreased is the influence of the self-esteem movement, which promotes the assumption that children who do not have a positive self-image cannot learn or develop properly. Although this theory is widely accepted, it has been discredited by several studies. Recent research shows that, although American students felt more confident about themselves and their work, they were outperformed by several Asian countries on tests of elementary skills. American schools and teachers tend to worry more about the student’s self-esteem than the actual academic performance (Leo, â€Å"Damn† 21). Mary Sherry, a teacher of adult literacy programs, does not believe such theories. Her view is that students become motivated by the threat of failure, and that not failing a student not only shows lack of confidence on the teacher’s behalf, but also hurts the society as a whole. Employees are becoming highly dis appointed with so-called â€Å"graduate† students (8).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In a letter to columnist Ann Landers, a college professor wrote about his views of the education system. He feels that universities have turned into businesses where teachers are just looking for money and students are just looking for a piece of paper with a title on it. He says that the students of today think they are automatically entitled to a degree because they pay tuition (Depressed Old Prof. 3-B). Adding to the profit motive for schools is the government which, for the p... ...ressed Old Prof. â€Å"Ann Landers.† Times-Picayune [New Orleans] 4 Sep. 1995: 3-B. â€Å"An ‘F’ for the Nation’s Kindergartners (Education).† Newsweek 16 Dec. 1991: 59. Goldstein, Andrew and Ann Blackman. â€Å"No SAT Scores Required (Education).† Time 11 Sep. 2000: 52-53. Hendren, John. â€Å"Ex-English Professor Creates Corporate Prose Police.† Courier [Houma LA] 25 Aug. 1996: 4D. Leo, John. â€Å"The Answer Is 45 Cents (On Society).† U.S. News & World Report 21 Apr. 1997: 14. ---. â€Å"Damn, I’m Good! (On Society).† U.S. News & World Report 18 May 1998: 21. Morse, Jodie et al. â€Å"Does Texas Make the Grade? (Education).† Time 11 Sep. 2000: 50-54. Mulcahy, Fred. â€Å"No Free Rides for Dumb Students (My Turn).† Newsweek 15 Aug. 1994: 12. Pedersen, Daniel. â€Å"When an A Is Average (Education).† Newsweek 3 Mar. 1997. Ravith, Diane. â€Å"In Defense of Testing (Education).† Time 11 Sep. 2000: 52-53. Roberts, Paul. Modern Grammar. New York: Harcourt, Brace & World, 1968. Sherry, Mary. â€Å"In Praise of the F Word (My Turn).† Newsweek 28 Aug. 1990: 8. Wilkes, Paul. â€Å"The First Test of Childhood (My Turn).† Newsweek 14 Aug. 1989: 8. Winters, Rebecca. â€Å"From Home to Harvard (Education).† Time 11 Sep. 2000: 55.

Alzheimers Disease Essay -- Alzheimers Disease Essays

Alzheimers Disease   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  What is Alzheimers Disease? The most common form of dementing illness, Alzheimers Disease (AD) is a progressive, degenerative disease that attacks the brain, causing impaired memory, thinking and behavior. The person with AD may experience confusion, personality and behavior changes, impaired judgment, and difficulty finding words, finishing thoughts or following directions. It eventually leaves its victims incapable of caring for themselves.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  What happens to the brain in Alzheimers Disease? In AD The nerve cells in the part of the brain that controls memory, thinking, are damaged, interrupting the passage of messages between cells. The cells develop distinctive changes that are called neuritic plaques (clusters of degenerating nerve cell ends) and neurofibrillary tangles (masses of twisted filaments which accumulate in previously health nerve cells). The cortex (thinking center) of the brain shrinks (atrophies), The spaces in the center of the brain become enlarged, also reducing surface area in the brain.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  What are the symptoms of Alzheimers Disease? Alzheimers Disease is a dementing illness which leads to loss of intellectual capacity. Symptoms usually occur in older adults (although people in their 40s and 5Os may also be affected) and include loss of language skills such as trouble finding words, problems with abstract thinking, poor or decreased judgment, disori...

Alzheimer’s disease Essay

Alzheimer’s disease is the number one form of dementia in the United States today. The more this disease progresses the worse it gets because there is no cure for it at this time. Most people do not show signs or symptoms of this disease or even get diagnosed until about age sixty-five. There is also no known cause for this disease and mostly people want to link Alzheimer’s to being hereditary. Mr. Speed will require secondary care especially in this case because Mr. Speed is barely in the early stages of the disease. When his disease progresses even more and is in the final stages, which can be five to ten years from now, maybe sooner, he will then require tertiary care. For more information regarding Alzheimer’s you can visit the Alzheimer’s Association website at http://www.alz.org/. This website will allow you to enter Mr. Speed’s zip code and can refer him to walk in centers in his area. He can also take some quizzes and answer some questions o n the site that can give him a better idea of what stage of dementia he has this way he is prepared when he decides to attend the walk-in clinic. Taking the first steps toward treatment can be hard but can be worked through with support from family members and his wife. Mrs. Speed is concerned with the progression of her husband’s Alzheimer’s and is requesting answers on if her husband can be alone for long periods of time and if he is still responsible enough to take his own medications. Please let them know at this time that he may continue his daily routines and ask Mrs. Speed to contact our facility if he begins to be forgetful and cannot perform normal tasks. Also let her know there will be slight changes in his moods and behaviors but they shouldn’t be anything to drastic. Forgetfulness and not being able to perform regular daily tasks will happen but should progress over a five to ten year period. They can expect these changes and should also consider attending the walk in clinic as soon as  possible. If Mr. Speed is willing to face all of the facts he will be helping himself as well as his wife get through this difficult time. These clinics will help him to deal with his issues and allow them to vent as well as learn coping strategies. He can attend by himself or with his wife present as well. They will also help him to plan for the future whether he would like to stay home or be placed in a nursing home.

Effect of Milk Advertising Essay

The milk of the cow is most widely used by humans, but the milk of the mare, goat, ewe, buffalo, camel, ass, zebra, reindeer, llama, and yak is also used. The composition of milk varies with the species, breed, feed, and condition of the animal. Jersey and Guernsey cows produce milk of high butterfat content; Holsteins produce larger quantities of milk but with a lower butterfat content. Milk prepared for sale is often homogenized; in this process it is pumped under pressure through small openings to break up the milk-fat globules, thus ensuring an equal distribution of fat throughout the milk rather than permitting it to rise to the top as cream. In most countries where milk is a commercial product, it is subject to regulations concerning its composition (i. e. , the proportion of butterfat and other solids) and its purity, with sanitary measures in force that cover milk handlers, herds, plants, and equipment. Pasteurization (partial sterilization by heating) checks bacterial growth, thereby making milk safer to drink and increasing its keeping qualities and range of transport. Milk, an almost complete food, consists of proteins (mainly casein ), fat, salts, and milk sugar, or lactose , as well as vitamins A, C, D, certain B vitamins, and lesser amounts of others. (Many people are unable to digest milk after childhood because they stop producing an enzyme needed to break down lactose, but usually they still can digest yogurt, hard cheeses, and lactose-reduced milk products.) Commercial dairies often supplement natural vitamin D with a concentrate. Milk is a major source of calcium and a good source of phosphorus. Low-fat and skim milk fortified with vitamins A and D have the same nutritional value as whole milk, but with fewer calories and less cholesterol . Whole milk has 3. 5% milkfat, low-fat milk 1% to 2%, and skim, 0. 5%. Heavy cream has a minimum of 36% milkfat, half-and-half not less than 10. 5% nor more than 18%. A patent was issued for the production of dried milk in Great Britain in 1855, and for concentrated milk in the United States to Gail Borden in 1856. The two types of concentrated milk are condensed and evaporated; condensed milk is a sweetened product (over 40% sugar), and evaporated is unsweetened. Dried, or powdered, milk is made by passing a film of partially evaporated milk over a heated drum or by spraying it into a heated chamber in which the particles dry. Malted milk is a dried mixture made of milk and the liquid from a mash of barley malt and wheat flour. Bibliography See S. K. Kon, Milk and Milk Products in Human Nutrition (1972); T. Quinn, Dairy Farm Management (1980); D. Carrick, Milk (1985). The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia ® Copyright  © 2007, Columbia University Press. Licensed from Columbia University Press. All rights reserved. www. cc. columbia. edu/cu/cup/ milk Liquid secreted by the mammary glands of female mammals to nourish their young. The milk of domesticated animals is also an important food source for humans. Most milk consumed in Western countries is from cows; other important sources include sheep, goats, water buffalo, and camels. Milk is essentially an emulsion of fat and protein in water, along with dissolved sugar, minerals (including calcium and phosphorus), and vitamins, particularly vitamin B complex. Commercially processed cow’s milk is commonly enriched with vitamins A and D. Many countries require pasteurization to protect against naturally occurring and artificially introduced microorganisms. Cooling further prevents spoilage (souring and curdling). Fat from whole milk (about 3. 5% fat content) can be removed in a separator to produce cream and leave low-fat milk (1–2% fat) or skim milk (0. 5% fat). Milk is usually homogenized, forced under high pressure through small openings to distribute the fat evenly. It may also be condensed, evaporated, or dehydrated for preservation and ease of transport. Other dairy products include butter, cheese, and yogurt. INTRODUCTION This study will evaluate the influence of culture and cultural values on style of appeals used in advertising Peak Milk â€Å"its in you† to Nigerians. Also, it uses the eclectic method to decipher advertising strategies that appeal to Nigerians. The advertisement [see appendix A] is perceived as an epitome of what appeals to Nigerians because it cuts across age, gender, and lifestyle in the Nigerian society. To further understand this, a semiotic analysis is used to â€Å"decode elements of visual images† (Seale, 2004 p.274), as well as encoded message using the signified and signifier. 2 BACKGROUND Royal Friesland Campina, a Netherlands based company, established West African Milk Company (WAMCO) in Nigeria in 1974 (Friesland campina). They are the producers of Peak milk, a diary product which is the market leader in diary based nutrition in Nigeria (Nigerian bulletin). Therefore, one would ask should companies that are market leaders spend heavily to promote their brand given that â€Å"there is no direct link between a commercials and product usage in the mind of consumers† (Mooij, 2005 p. 275). bBut, she also affirmed that advertising works in diverse ways. Thus, the aims of this study, to find out how advertisers effectively appeal to the Nigerian market? According to World Bank report, â€Å"Nigeria is the largest country in Africa with a growing population of 148 million people, about 200 ethnic groups and 500 indigenous languages†. It is also perceived to be the second largest economy in Sub Sahara Africa. One can deduce from this that it is a multi ethnic nation enriched with diverse norms and values. In this case, how can advertisements reach out to this populace knowing the diversity that is inherent in the nation? In order words, what appeals to Nigerians? 3 SEMIOTIC ANALYSIS To understand the appeals and cultural dimensions employed in this advert, the entrenched message has to be worked out using semiotics analysis especially because â€Å"symbolism is highly used in high context culture† (Mooij, 2004 p. 33). As indicated by Baldwin, 2004 p. 51 â€Å"semiotic is the systematic study of sign† used to decipher the denoted and connoted meanings embedded in advertisements. But, it is less objectiveity and generalizable because of its reliance on personal interpretation of the researcher (Seale, 2004 p. 272). Embedded in this adverts are signs which can be understood by the â€Å"relationship between signifier and signified† (Seale, 2004 p. 273). This illustrates how â€Å"the signifier of the overt meaning in an advertisement has a function of its own† (Williamson, 1978 p. 19). In this scene, the product (the only time it appears in the advertisement) is placed by the endorser while preparing for training. The sign could be interpreted in different ways with one being that the product helps Nwankwo Kanu to become even better. Here, the significance of milk is transferred to Nwankwo’s performance. From the advertisement one can see that â€Å"this correlation is non-sequential [because] the two things are not linked by †¦ a narrative but by their place in a picture† (Williamson, 1978 p. 19). â€Å"The transference of significance [also] does not exist in the advertisement, but requires us to make the connection† (Williamson, 1978 p. 18). It was not stated in the advertisement that Nwankwo Kanu is succeeding because of his consumption of Peak milk or milk makes oneyou achieve one’s your ambitions, therefore, this meaning does not come into place until the transference is completed by the audiencewe complete the transference ourselves. Transference cannot occur if the object (peak milk) does not have any significance to be transferred. That is to say that a system of meaning must already exist in which milk is seen as a nutritious fluid that â€Å"contains some health promoting component† (Barlic, 2001 p. 3). Also, there is no direct correlation between Kanu and Peak milk in the advertisement but, the milk is strategically positioned [see appendix B] in other to create assumption in the mind of the viewers. The link relates to what Nwankwo Kanu means to Nigerians. This advertisement â€Å"presents this transference of meaning to viewers as fait accompli† (Williamson, 1978 p. 25) because it is only in the advertisement that this transference takes place. 4 CULTURAL VALUES OF NIGERIANS Goodenough 1971, cited in Usunier et al 2005 p. 5 defined culture as â€Å"a set of beliefs or standards shared by a group of people which helps the individual decide what is, what can be, how to feel, what to do and how to go about doing it† (Usunier et al, 2005 p. 5). It is seemingly the attitude and behavior that characterizes the functioning of a group (answers. com) and could also be said to be the attributes and values of a set of people. Cultural values is alleged to be the â€Å"root of consumer behaviour which is a process where people use ideas and experience to satisfy needs and desires† (who said this) therefore, advertisements of products should be adapted to a nation’s dimension of culture (Mooij 2004 p. 2). Relating this to Nigeria, Hofstedes’ dimension of culture propagates that Nigeria is a high power distance nation which is also very collectivist and has a low uncertainty avoidance nature. It is also seen as a short term oriented populace and is midway in the masculinity index [see appendix C]. From the Hofstedes’ classification of Nigeria, it could be said that there is a visible sign of status and ambition mentality with results being attributed to one’s own ability (Hofstede 2005), though identity most often is based on social network whereas, a very result oriented driven (mooij 2004) attitude is maintained. 4. 1 RELATING THE ADVERTISEMENT TO HOFSTEDES MODEL Advertising is believed to be the most culture-bound element in the marketing mix since it is highly influenced by culture which happens to be the most important factor in explaining information found in advertising (Usunier, 2005 p. 413). This is vital because response towards product based one’s interpretation of advertisement is often biased by cultural influence [see appendix D]. (this sentence is not clear) * The son’s respect for his dad and achievements depicts High power distance of Nigerians. * The likelihood of the son to follow his father’s foot step (hair style, football skills displayed) [see appendix E] shows the collectivist side of Nigerians. * Nwankwo Kanu being very ambitious despite shortcoming and high level of responsibility displayed illustrates the masculine character of Nigerians. * The ability to remain calm in adversity, less anxiety and relaxed atmosphere proves the low uncertainty avoidance nature. * Ability to focus on goal portrays short time orientation. (is it short time or short term? cos u earlier said short term) 5 ADVERTISING PEAK MILK TO NIGERIANS: USE OF APPEALS. Known to be among the happiest people on earth, Nigerians are fighters whom despite all odds try to actualize their dreams hence the slang â€Å"suffering and smiling† (mypenandpaper). As a result of this, success and achievements are celebrated. The core values that characterize Nigerian culture are achievements, materialism and sense of pride. Advertisers try to target these core values in orderother to target Nigerian attitude towards advertising messages which focuses on self improvement and achievement of personal goals as well as collective goals but overall, the feeling of harmony with others. In other to sell products, it has been discovered that â€Å"advertisers rely overwhelmingly on persuasive messages to sell product and services(where is the closing quotation sign? ) also minding the fact that â€Å"consumers have favourable attitudes towards messages that reflect their own socio-cultural values† (Alozie, 2009 p. 1) [see appendix F]. The main plot of this advertisement is brand retention. It appeals to Nigerians by using a positive figure in Nigeria and his son telling his success story thereby, associating the brand to his success. Agrawal 1995, cited in Usunier 2005 is of the belief that â€Å"‘cultural sensitivity†(be consistent with quote sign)’ is generally portrayed in advertisement via the use of appeals (p. 413). Tellis 2004 noted three major forms of appeals in advertising which are arguments, emotions and endorsement (p. 23) but two are mostly inherent is this advertisement. 5. 1 CELEBRITY ENDORSEMENT Oguntimehi believesbeliefs that it is â€Å"a battle for advertises to entice television target audience into viewing a commercial†. For this reason, they use celebrities to endorse brands and create a general conditioning procedure (Till, 2008 p.180) which makes the advertisement very successful in terms of keeping public’s attention throughout the duration of the advert, and also heightening retention which would ultimately lead to purchase intention of the product [see appendix G]. This can only be achieved if the audience is familiar with the endorser and identify with the source (Oguntimehi, 2009). Prior to this advertisement by peak milk majority of Nigerians do not know or have not seen Kanu’s son therefore this grabs their attention. (Tellis, (2004 p.179) pointed out that â€Å"celebrities tend to be unpredictable and can hurt brand by their behavior and statements†. However, Till noted that â€Å"the use of celebrity endorsers is profitable despite the risk involved† (Till, 2008 p. 182). Two very important models based on the work of social psychologists should be taken into account while shopping for endorsers. These are, the Credibility model and the Attractiveness model which depicts the trustworthiness of the endorser and the likeability as well as the familiarity of endorser respectively (Till, 2008 p. 183; Tellis, 2004 p.182). This advertisement features Kanu simply known as ‘Kanu’ and nicknamed ‘papilo’: Nigerians’ most decorated soccer player, striker for the National team of Nigeria and for the English Club, Portsmouth (Okon, 2009). His enthralling performance and being one of Africans most highly recognized footballer in the history of football (Okon, 2009), has endeared him to the hearts of millions of Nigerians. According to (Okon, 2009), even though celebrities have an aura of greatness in the eyes of the public, it is germane that they ideally fit the brand being projected. Since milk is seen as very nutritious and has high content of vitamins and minerals, it strategically aligns with the endorser used because of his health history and continuous success. It is believed that their popularity posses the power to influence consumers to swap loyalty to the endorsed brand as well as make such adverts linger continually in the public’s memory (Okon, 2009). This is coherent with the elaboration likelihood model where â€Å"affect transfer is considered to be stronger in low-involvement situations† like buying milk (Till, 2008 p. 182). 5. 2 EMOTIONAL APPEAL. Advertising has the power to attach emotional values to the brand which in turn builds positive reputation (Thomas 2008). According to (Fill, (2009 p. 520), advertisers often use â€Å"emotion-based messages† to make distinctions in products placement especially when there is little or no differentiation between its products and that of competitors. Therefore, this appeal uses characters within a plot to pass across emotional messages in drama like scenes (Tellis, 2004 p. 23) so as to grab consumers’ attention. Due to consumersthem preferring characters that can be identifiedthey can identify with (Usunier, 2005 p.419), in advertising the Peak brand the advertisers made use of a personality that every Nigerian across all gender, tribe, religion and ages can relate with. Also used is the subliminal effect which further entrenches the product value in the mind of the populace consequently anytime you think of Kanu’s trail, success or even his son, you think of Peak milk (prior to the advertisements majority of Nigerians did not know Kanu’s son). This also appeals to the collectivist nature of Nigerians in order to build brand loyalty which is a â€Å"key concept in collectivist cultures and spreads from people to product† (Usunier, 2005 p.93). Hofstede notes that cultures with lower uncertainty avoidance like the West African Region have tendency to ask for less information since information reduces uncertainty which they are not prone to (Hofstede 2005). One could see that the advert does not supply any information about the product. This could be as a result of Nigerians being low uncertainty avoidance in addition to the advertisers trying to create an impression in the mind of the populace in other to establish the product in their minds by associating its product to the emotional past of Kanu in that way giving the product added value. Time is not viewed as a linear fashion rather as a composition of events that have occurred. Generally, Nigerians are known to operate a two-dimensional time phenomenon- a long past and present (Alozie, 2003). This advert makes reference to past victory as a nation in the 1996 Olympics and Kanu’s victory over his health. According to (Wilson, (2005 p158), the trend of using nostalgia as a way to sell various products is not new. It is a â€Å"bittersweet emotion† (Wilson, 2005) so its application has to be well thought of. The advert â€Å"clearly attempts to trigger†(who said this? ) nostalgia in consumers as well as potential ones. The advertiser used images from the past to attract the publics’ attention (Nigeria’s victory in 1996 Olympics a feat that everyone desires to see again). The advert does not provide facts about the product, identification with the brand comes only at the end of the commercial (Mooij 2004 p. 135) it drives at associating certain traits with the product so when you think of those traits, automatically you think of the product. It focuses more on emotional appeal thus associating the product with achievements despite all odds which could be said to be the core value of Nigerians. According to Decision Analyst, the extent to which an advertisement succeeds is dependent on the strength of the creative concept. 6 SLICE OF LIFE Slice of life appeals to self esteem (Taflinger 1996). According to answers. com â€Å"it is the actual experience represented realistically and with little alteration. † Shilbury, et al (2003: 176) stated that, â€Å"‘Slice of life advertising uses some aspect of daily life as a part of the advertising. The intent behind this approach is to communicate messages and images to consumers that they can relate to†Ã¢â‚¬â„¢. Despite this, (Fill, C. (2009 p. 518) is of the view that the message should be presented in such a way that the receiver can identify immediately with the scenario being presented. Fill’s view relates with this advertisement in the sense that the storyline used can be related to by every Nigerian (the story of the Olympics game, the health challenge the endorser faced and how he came through to mesmerize Nigerians in the world of football). (Applegate (2005:139), is of the view that slice-of-life television commercial does not work, primarily because the intended consumer’s attention is pulled away from the product and of the character or some other element in the story. He feels a slice-of-life design will only work if the customer’s attention is on the sales message. To achieve this, it aims at self-persuasion using self-imagining technique thereby allowing audience visualize themselves as the character trying to solve a particular problem and being helped by the brand (O’Shaughnessy, 1995 p483). 7 LIMITATIONS. It is important to note that in every country, there are immense inconsistencies within cultures (kitayama & markus, 1994 p. 289) therefore there would be individuals who appear to have different attributes as stated in this study. The study is partly empirical that is, it not fully based on proven theories so, partly observational. Also, due to time constraint and the word count limit, the research was restricted to cover the few areas represented in the report. To give more credence, a focus group interview would have been conducted of Nigerians to actually see how they respond to this advertisement and how it appeals to them. 8 CONCLUSION Culture is more than merely one’s lifestyle. It delves deeper to categorise ones experience (Kitayama & markus, 1994 p285). Evidently, the advertisement uses the referent system where it brings into play Kanu a notable soccer player in Nigeria. â€Å"It is a connotation that is made to denote the product† (Williamson, 1978 p. 100). Hence, the product is given value by Kanu who already has a value to Nigerians. But, if someone from another culture knows Kanu as a footballer, they will not have access to the referent system because, the meaning of the message will be difficult to interpret (Mooij, 2004 p.211). This is why this advertisement specifically appeals to Nigerians. In advertising to Nigerians, marketers have to put into consideration the cultural background, literacy level as well as income of the masses in order to permeate the market (Baker, 1965 p. 47). Also, the right type of appeal has to be employed. The most consistent used in Nigerian advertising is family value (collectivism, love, care, endurance, protection, investment) and a bit of western values (individualism, personal development, ambition, youthfulness). This advertisement promotes family value (using Kanu’s family especially his son) [see appendix H] as well as personal development (â€Å"I worked hard to be even better†). It also promotes values such as hard work, success and good health which it inferred the product could help achieve. Important also is the use of colour (green: the national colour of Nigeria) which played a major role in this advertisement. According to (Gorn, et al (1997 p. 1387), â€Å"advertisements containing color with higher level of value lead to greater liking for the advertisement†. One’s attitude towards an advertisement could be as a result of the effect of colours on feelings. The analysis of this effect on advert retention is beyond the scope of this work. 9 REFERENCES BOOKS FILL, C. 2009. Marketing Communications: Interactivity, communities and content. Harlow: Pearson Education Limited SHILBURY, D. , S. QUICK and H. WESTERBEEK. EFFECT OF ADVERTISINFG ON COSUMER BUYING BEHAVIOUR Every organization, or rather, Brand, invests a lot of capital on marketing, a major chunk of which is spent on making ads. Getting an iconic celeb like Amitabh Bachchan to speak about a product like Navratna Hair Oil, it seems like a piece of cake nowadays. But, to how much extent does these ads actually affect the consumers? Do they actually buy a product just because their favourite film-star is endorsing it? Is it possible that a product can change its image on the consumers overnight, just because of the flashy ad they just released? If we go by theories, there are lot many factors that influence a customer to make a purchase, and advertising is just one small part of a parameter called Psychology. Some of the more influential factors are like: 1. 1. Need of the Product – Considering the market scenario of today (I am talking about inflation), we consumers hardly buy anything when we don’t need it. 2. 2. Affordability – It is not an uncommon sight when a man sighs looking at an expensive brand of shaving cream and goes for the cheaper brand. 3. 3. Brand Image and Loyalty – Very few Surf Excel users would like to opt for a brand like Tide or Nirma just because it is cheaper. 4. 4. Peer group – now this is one factor that does not affect buying as much as it affects buying behavior. Confused? Well, what I meant to say is, we buy a product when we need it, but sometimes, especially when we are buying that particular product for the first time, we need some help with what brand shall we choose. And this is where our peer group comes into picture. It helps us choose a brand when we need a product, but does not tell us when we need that product. Advertising, it can be said, has a similar effect on our purchasing habits as our peer group does. Nobody jumps in to say â€Å"I need that thing† just because the ad that had just been aired on TV is extremely attractive, but yes, sometimes, we may say â€Å"let’s try this brand, the ad on TV looks good. † [The article has been contributed by Jayita Das. A NIFT Mumbai alumnus, she is also a very creative person in her own way. Following her graduation, she worked as merchandiser in the niche segment of Industrial wears. In her spare time she loves reading on topics related to art and motivation which are always close to her heart. She also writes her own blog at Fashion Concepts and you & Love,life,and something else. ]