Taking a Look at Nephropathy - 1818 Words

I watched my grandfather struggle with Nephropathy, a kidney disease caused by diabetes. Large amounts of glucose make the kidneys channel an excessive amount of blood. All this makes it hard for the filters. After some years, the filters start to leak and all the useful protein is lost in the urine. Waste products then start to build up in the blood which then causes kidney failure. This becomes very serious because then a kidney transplant becomes necessary. I remember my grandfather was always in and out the hospital. He had been on the waiting list for a new kidney for many years. Because of his disease, he wasn’t able to do a lot of work. He only worked for about 3 hours a day just because he didn’t want to stay in the house all day. To keep him alive while waiting on the kidney transplant, the doctors gave my grandfather a lot of medicine to go home with. He had a whole container of medicine that he had to take every day. So with all that medication he had to take , it made it more difficult for him to do a lot of physical activities that he was able to do before he got sick. He finally got the transplant in 2012. Everything was going great for the first three months until he got an infection. My mother said the infection came from the surgery room. The infection got really bad after a few months and he passed away. Watching him struggle in pain for so many years while waiting on a kidney was painful. It was sad to know that he did all that waiting only to die afterShow MoreRelatedGluten, Wheat And Grain Products915 Words   |  4 Pagestests for antibodies specialized to celiac disease. Another test that can be done to diagnose celiac disease is a small intestinal biopsy which uses an EGD (esophagogastroduodenoscopy) to collect samples of the small intestine. Doctors then use this to look for signs of celiac disease. Lactose intolerance is caused by the large intestine’s inability to digest lactose, a type of sugar. When lactose is ingested, an enzyme called lactase in the large intestine works to break down lactose, for people whoRead MoreDiabetes : The Development Of Child Development And Hormonal Implications For Children1199 Words   |  5 Pagesfifty percent due to hormonal alterations; however, if not properly adjusted, young clients may experience â€Å"delayed menarche, impaired growth, menstrual irregularities,† and long-term diabetic complications such as neuropathy, retinopathy, and nephropathy (Trast, 2014). Therefore, they have to check their blood sugar at least 6-8 times a day, and the monitoring is even harder when they are aware that hormonal changes can occur at night. However, technology has progressively advanced, so young diabeticsRead MoreA Brief Note On Diabetes And Diabetes Mellitus1428 Words   |  6 Pages(polyuria), increased hunger (polyphagia), altere d sensation of pain, numbness, and tingling. There are other symptoms not specific to diabetes mellitus but may inform diagnosis, for example, headache, blurry vision, itchiness of the skin, fatigue, wounds taking longer to heal. The symptoms can also come early or delay depending on how the patient manages his or her condition. Type 1 diabetes symptoms develop faster (in a couple of weeks or months) while type 2 symptoms emerge a bit slower. At times, theyRead MoreDiabetes Mellitus : A Disorder That Affects The Amount Of Sugar2073 Words   |  9 Pagesnon-insulin dependent diabetes. Others like to include pre0diabetes in which blood glucose levels are too high to be named normal but not high enough to be called diabetes. (Diabetes Mellitus (DM) Merck Manual Home Edition, 2009-2014). Let’s take a look at type 1 diabetes or also known as insulin dependent. This is a chronic condition in which the pancreas produces little or no insulin, a hormone needed to allow sugar (glucose) to enter cell to produce energy. It is also an autoimmune disorder inRead MoreHigh Density Lipoprotein ( Ldl ) Levels Essay1612 Words   |  7 Pagesblood pressure, Insulin Resistance glucose intolerance, pro-inflammatory state, and prothrombotic state[4]. ATP III goes into much more detail about each of these risk factors to let you know exactly what to look for in each case. As you probably know, there is an obesity epidemic currently taking place in the United States. Being obese puts you at risk of all sorts of different types of diseases, but having abdominal obesity, also known as android obesity, is the most common precursor to other healthRead MoreBenefits Of Providing A Nursing Care2046 Words   |  9 PagesThrombosis and Rheumatoid Arthritis. Knowing patient’s cond ition, we should know that we are looking after a patient with polypharmacy, in this case ten different drugs that our client is taking on a regular basis. As a competent nurse, we should know the pathophysiology of patient’s co-morbidities, but also, we must look backwards into our client’s health history in order to understand their current clinical manifestations. Providing care on our ward, we will perform â€Å"Head to Toe Assessment† or obtainRead MoreDiabetic Foot Ulcer Teaching Project1821 Words   |  8 Pagescomponents. The macrovascular component relates to damage of large blood vessels and include heart attacks and strokes (WHO, 2013). The microvascular component is related to damage of small vessels and include retinopathy, nephropathy and neuropathy (WHO, 2013). While retinopathy and nephropathy lead to blindness and renal failure, respectively, our focus for this project is on the neuropathy and its role in the diabetic foot ulcers complication o f type II diabetes. Indeed, this paper, after the overviewRead MoreAn Analysis Of Roy s Four Concepts Of Environment Essay1777 Words   |  8 Pagesapproach it talks about how the patient communicates in his or her environment based on their historical position. This can include the patients culture such as, in the way that they talk or look at someone. For example, when talking with someone who is in a higher position like a doctor or nurse, the patient may look down and avoid eye contact. From my clinical experience there was an elderly patient who felt uncomfortable by my presence when doing the head to toe assessment because I was a male so IRead MoreMedical Studies Of Diabetes2444 Words   |  10 Pagestake the regimen that is most suitable for them. As mentioned earlier, too much insulin given at a time can cause a person to go in hypoglycemia. Hypoglycemia is way more fatal than increased glucose levels. The 30 year old female in our case was taking the Insulin Basal bolus that consisted of nov o rapid and glargine. There has been much concern over the efficacy of a basal regimen to a pre mixed insulin form. A study conducted by Mathieu et. al (2013) was done to see how the change in regimenRead MoreOrgan Trafficking2239 Words   |  9 Pageswhich account for 75% of the elicit organ trade (Ginzel, Arndt, Kraushaar, amp; Winter, 2012), a customer pays up to $204,000 for an all inclusive â€Å"kidney package† which covers all expenses including bribes made to officials to look the other way. If one is to take a look at this where we put the price paid by a customer at approximately at $200,000 and multiply by it by the very conservative estimate of 15,000 transactions this puts the annual revenue of traffickers at over $2billion. With a business

Summary The Emperor Trajan - 2012 Words

In his letter to the Emperor Trajan, dated 113, Pliny the Younger offers a glimpse into the life and practice of the early Christian community within the Roman province of Bithynia. This ancient document provides what David Music calls, one of the earliest post-New Testament references to Christian singing. Certainly, the Old Testament, and New Testament point to the practice as well, (2 Samuel 22:1-51, Matthew 26:30), indicate that the expression of song has consistently operated at the heart of the liturgical, communal, and devotional life of God s people. In fact, without the utterance of song, religious worship becomes sterile, in many respects, devoid of divine artistic expression. This journey of thought will seek to explore views on hymnology and song by looking in great detail firstly at Augustine s position with regard to music as seen in book (10.33.49 - 10.33.50) of the Confessions, secondly, at the introduction to his homily on Psalm 119:The Ascents of the Christian, and finally, I will make the claim that Augustine s experiences with Manichaeism and Neo-platonism had a tremendous influence on his philosophical and ideological position with regard to music. What becomes clear when studying Augustine s view of music is that Augustine s understanding of song as art greatly transcended the artistic by taking on meaningful spiritual dimensions. As a theologian, philosopher, prolific writer, and scholar Augustine Bishop of Hippo (354-430) left anShow MoreRelatedMovie And Scene Of The Movie Spartacus 1659 Words   |  7 Pagesfilm were either heavily romanticised or simply totally made up altogether. The popular 1960 film Spartacus, directed by Stanley Kubrick and named after the famous slave revolt leader of the same name, was no exception. Movie and Scene Presentation Summary The film was set in the same setting as the titular protagonist historically started the slave revolt: in Italy, and was especially set in the time of the Roman Empire. Spartacus, the slave, was sold off to a man named Batiatus, who had the slave

Comparing the Duty of the Physician in Dracula,...

Through close analysis of the respective physicians illustrated within Bram Stokers Dracula, Mary Shellys Frankenstein, and Oliver Sacks Awakenings, one is able to comment upon their respective duties. The duty of the doctor, as portrayed in these texts, can be seen to be highly varied and immensely diverse. Bram Stokers Dracula deals with the role and duty of the doctor, and with the relationship between them and their patient extensively. Stoker, from a medical family himself (his brothers were doctors), creates a very stereotypical male doctor/female patient scenario with Dr. Seward and Dr. Van Helsing aiding Lucy Westerna and Mina Harper. Of the two physicians however, Seward comes to illustrate the failings of†¦show more content†¦Even before his initial arrival to study Lucy, Van Helsing offers his eternal services. Van Helsing says By good fortune I can leave at once, with out wrong to any of those who have trusted me. Were fortune other, then it were bad for those who have trusted, for I come to my friend when he call me to aid those he holds dear.(122). Here we see Van Helsing express his loyalty to Dr. Seward, saying that he can come at once with out breaking any promises, but if he had to break a promise he would for the sake of Dr. Seward. Van Helsing exhibits veritable care and comfort to all parties when dealing with Lucys sickness. As his greeting to Lucy on his first visit Van Helsing articulated his charm by saying my dear young Miss, I have the so great pleasure because you are so much beloved. That is much, my dear, even were there that which I do not see.(123). A more than flattering quote which exemplifies Van Helsings true kind-heartedness and concern with Lucys comfort. Throughout Van Helsings care for Lucy, he repeatedly compliments her and treats her with the utmost respect, care and attention. In addition to just saying such pleasant words to Lucy, Van Helsing actually means them and proves so by saying she charm me, and for her, if not for you or disease, I come. Van Helsing illustrates his affection for Lucy once more, and explains that for her alone he would gladly part his schedule and come to her aid. When dealing with those who loved

Oedipus a Tragic Hero - 1516 Words

Oedipus A Tragic Hero English 102 Literature and Composition Summer B 2011 Terry Garofolo 22816762 APA Sophocles presented the world with Oedipus around 2500 years ago. Never-the-less, the story remains among the most riveting of all time. Unfortunately, today when we hear the mention of the name Oedipus we place negative connotations around it. Oedipus, after all, had an unnatural sexual relationship with his own mother! In actuality, however, this relationship emerged entirely innocently. Oedipus was not some misguided sexual pervert of an earlier time. He was, in fact, a man that was driven by a very high internal moral standard. It was that internal moral standard that ultimately entwined him in a sequence of events†¦show more content†¦The first part of the prophecy had thus been fulfilled despite Oedipus determination that it would not. It might be argued that Oedipus killing of his biological father was a result of inferior morals. In this time period, however, such a killing was viewed as reasonable, what any reasonable human being would have done under similar circumstances, and should not be used to disqualify Oedipus under Sophloles definition of tragic hero (Ades 358). This was not a murder for gain and neither was it a murder resulting from hatred. It was simply a socially acceptable means of settling a dispute. As was the case with the fulfillment of the first part of the prophecy, the fulfillment of the second part of the prophecy didnt occur either because of inferior morals on Oedipus part. Oedipus was welcomed into his birth country as a hero because he had killed the much feared Sphinx, the same Sphinx that the people of the country believed had murdered their king, Oedipus birth father. The Sphinx had been a killer himself. His favorite tactic was to prevent travelers from the kingdom unless they could answer the riddle of what moved on four legs in the morning, walked on two legs at noon and on three legs at night. Oedipus gave the correct answer of â€Å"man†. Man, after all crawled when he was an infant, walked upright through mostShow MoreRelatedOedipus As A Tragic Hero1506 Words   |  7 PagesA true hero does not merely wear a cape, but this individual possesses admirable characteristics. A hero inspires the people around him and he is honorable. Heroes influential individuals from fairytale stories and myths of a real-life hero. Yet, none of these influential people are perfect. The tragic hero is clearly defined by Aristotle as being a person of admirable character, yet completely human with noticeable flaws. Moreover, this individual is not exempt from suffering. In Sophocles’ tragicRead MoreIs Oedipus A Tragic Hero?1167 Words   |  5 Pages2014 Is Oedipus a tragic hero? Aristotle, Ancient Greek philosopher whom did a lot of philosophizing, he believed in a logical reality. Aristotle’s objective was to come up with a universal process of reasoning that would allow man to learn every imaginable thing about reality. The initial process involved describing objects based on their characteristics, states of being and actions. Aristotle once said A man doesn t become a hero until he can see the root of his own downfall†. Oedipus was a mythicalRead MoreOedipus As A Tragic Hero1724 Words   |  7 Pagesstory of Oedipus, Oedipus is considered a â€Å"Tragic Hero† because of the tragic fate and effect that he had upon his life. My definition of a tragedy is a great loss that has a unhappy ending to which concluded me to state that Oedipus falls under that category. Throughout the book, Oedipus is leading himself to his own destruction when trying to find the killer of the late King Laios. So when a journal article I found published by The John Hopkins University Press stated that a â€Å"tragic hero is a manRead MoreOedipus-a Tragic Hero706 Words   |  3 PagesRunning head: Oedipus-A Tragic Hero Research Paper ENGL 102: Literature and Composition) Fall 2015 Melinda Meeds L26683811 APA Outline Thesis: In Sophocles’ â€Å"Oedipus†, Oedipus is exemplified as a tragic hero according to Aristotle’s definition because his story appeals to the reader’s humanity in the way he maintains his strengths after inadvertently causing his own downfall. I. Oedipus A. The noble birth. B. Describe Oedipus’ character. II. Tragedy A. DescribeRead MoreOedipus the Tragic Hero1390 Words   |  6 PagesOedipus; The Tragic Hero In the Fourth Century BC, a famous philosopher named Aristotle wrote about the qualities that a tragic hero must possess. Ever since that time, there have been many examples of tragic heroes in literature. None of those characters, however, display the tragic hero traits quite as well as Oedipus, the main character from the play Oedipus Rex by Sophocles. Oedipus is, without a doubt, the absolute quintessence of a tragic hero. His example shines as clear as a sunny summerRead MoreOedipus, A Tragic Hero1648 Words   |  7 Pages Oedipus, a Tragic Hero Bob Livingston Liberty University â€Æ' Sophocles presented the world with Oedipus around 2500 years ago. Never-the-less, the story remains among the most riveting of all time. He was, in fact, a man that was driven by a very high internal moral standard. It was that internal moral standard that ultimately entwined him in a sequence of events and circumstances that placed him in the spousal relationship with his mother. Oedipus, in fact, can truly be regarded as a tragic heroRead MoreOedipus As A Tragic Hero1094 Words   |  5 PagesIn the play Oedipus the King, Oedipus struggles to accept the truth and lets his temper over power him. He can be displayed as a tragic hero. His refusal to accept the truth led to Oedipus’ down fall. A tragic hero, as defined by Aristotle, â€Å"is a literary character who makes a judgment error that inevitably leads to his/her own destruction.† Sophocles’ Oedipus exemplifies Aristotle’s definition of a tragic hero. In the play, Oedipus unknowingly has cursed the entire town of Thebes. He was cursedRead MoreOedipus, a Tragic Hero?2158 Words   |  9 PagesOedipus, a Tragic Hero? Elizabeth Howell English 102- B33 Professor Katie Robinson Liberty University October 12, 2012 Oedipus, a Tragic Hero? Thesis: Using Aristotle’s five different descriptions of a tragic hero, we will show that Oedipus in Oedipus the King is in fact a tragic hero and how his decisions led to his downfall. Outline: I. Introduction and Thesis Statement II. Is the character of noble birth? A. King of Thebes B. Real father was king III. Though the tragic heroRead MoreOedipus, A Tragic Hero1832 Words   |  8 Pagesmany others will likely fade away. Oedipus Rex is a tragic tale set in Ancient Greece. Greek thinker, Aristotle, said there were certain elements that would make a person qualified as a â€Å"tragic hero.† (Adade-Ywboah, Ahenkora Amankwah, 2012). We think of heroes being larger than life, possessing impeccable honor, integrity, strong leadership and having the higher moral ground. However, tragic heroes are different; they are imperfect and will inevitably face a tragic downfall. Per Aristotle, there areRead MoreOedipus As A Tragic Hero1445 Words   |  6 PagesAlthough not all who wander or deviate from the path are lost, some clearly are. When Oedipus, the eponymous character of Sophocles’ tragedy Oedipus Rex, first learns that he is destined to kill his father and marry his mother, he abandons his home intent on never returning in order to avoid meeting his fate. Unbeknownst to the tragic hero, before the curtain’s rise, the prophecy has already been fulfilled. Consequently, due to the underlying corruption in Thebes, the people are perishing of a plague

Sex Trafficking Is A Huge Global Health And Human Rights...

By the time you finish reading this paper nearly 23 children around the world will be victims of sex trafficking. Sex trafficking is a huge global health and human rights issue affecting roughly 152 countries around the world (Greenbaum Crawford-Jakubiak, 2015). The United Nations describes sex trafficking as â€Å"the recruitment, transportation, transfer, harboring, or receipt of persons, by means of the threat or use of force or other forms of coercion, of abduction, of fraud, of deception, of the abuse of power, or of a position of vulnerability or of the giving or receiving of payments or benefits to achieve the consent of a person having control over another person, for the purpose of exploitation. Exploitation shall include, at a minimum, the exploitation of the prostitution of others or other forms of sexual exploitation, forced labor or services, slavery or practices similar to slavery, servitude, and the removal of organs† (Greenbaum, J., Crawford-Jakubiak, 2015). The estimated number of victims vary greatly, but are said to range from 600,000 to 2.4 million annually (Miller, 2013), with roughly 100,000 annually just in the United States (Titchen, 2014). According to Miller (2013), the figures 600,000 to 2.4 million is thought to be grossly understated due to secrecy, and misclassification of victims (labeled as criminals and prostitutes, rather than victims). The United States is not only a source and transit country, but also considered to be the leadingShow MoreRelatedOne Significant Change That Has Occurred in the World Between 1900 and 2005. Explain the Impact This Change Has Made on Our Lives and Why It Is an Important Change.163893 Words   |  656 PagesLinda Shopes, eds., Oral History and Public Memories Tiffany Ruby Patterson, Zora Neale Hurston and a History of Southern Life Lisa M. Fine, The Story of Reo Joe: Work, Kin, and Community in Autotown, U.S.A. Van Gosse and Richard Moser, eds., The World the Sixties Made: Politics and Culture in Recent America Joanne Meyerowitz, ed., History and September 11th John McMillian and Paul Buhle, eds., The New Left Revisited David M. Scobey, Empire City: The Making and Meaning of the New York City Landscape Read MoreInternational Management67196 Words   |  269 PagesINTERNATIONAL MANAGEMENT: CULTURE, STRATEGY, AND BEHAVIOR, EIGHTH EDITION Published by McGraw-Hill, a business unit of The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., 1221 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020. Copyright  © 2012 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Previous editions  © 2009, 2006, and 2003. No part of this publication may be reproduced or distributed in any form or by any means, or stored in a database or retrieval system, without the prior written consent of The McGraw-Hill Companies

Accounting Sustainability Reporting

Question: Discuss about theAccountingfor Sustainability Reporting. Answer: Introduction Creation of value is very significant for companies that can assist in maintaining effective stakeholder relationships. In order to obtain such objective, proper systems like Corporate Sustainability Reporting is required so that companies can measure or control their own activities to evaluate whether the requirements of stakeholders are adequately addressed. (Cairns, 2000) Besides, use of traditional corporate reporting is mainly described as public relations products instead of an effective measure to manage and control the performance of corporates. Therefore, sustainability reporting is not only an enhanced methodology than traditional corporate reporting but also a cost effective and beneficial approach that can measure environmental management of various processes (Perrini Tencati, 2006). It assumes a place of vital importance as it reflects the ability of the company in supporting the environment. Nevertheless, provision of more than financial information is very crucial to achieve enhanced corporate performance. Criticisms of Traditional Financial Reporting Due to various criticisms, traditional corporate reporting has now been disregarded by most of the companies. This is because such approach cannot supply material information that is both qualitative as well as quantitative in nature. Besides, these indicators can assist in establishing a kind of sustainability dashboard that surpasses the traditional financial information. As per Perrini Tencati (2006) traditional corporate reporting does not accommodate material information that can assist the stakeholders in their decision-making process. Besides, since corporate sustainability reporting takes into account both financial and non-financial information in lieu of the needs or requirements of stakeholders, it is a more enhanced methodology to manage and control the performance of corporates. Moreover, traditional corporate reporting is not capable of tracking and monitoring the overall performance of companies, as it cannot go beyond past-oriented financial data (Kalpan Norton, 200 4). On a whole, traditional corporate reporting cannot aggregate different management approaches like environmental reporting, social reporting, etc, into one comprehensive methodology. This is the key reason why there is an urgent requirement for a new system of measuring outcomes of companies based on the framework of stakeholders. Stakeholders are concerned for information from all around and hence, a new system will provide a better exposure (Cairns, 2000). Relevant Theories Behind Corporate Sustainability Reporting Since sustainability reporting can surpass traditional reporting in measuring corporate performance; it is more suitable for companies and stakeholders as a whole. However, it is not sufficient for corporates to get involved in CSR activities, but it is also relevant to make information about such activities available to stakeholders. The information about the activities needs to be reflected as it projects the duty of the company towards the environment and the role it played in the context of creating wealth (Perrini Tencati, 2006). This is the reason why the need for disclosure of non-financial information has significantly enhanced over the years, as it is viewed as an attempt to enhance transparency in relation to corporate affairs regarding environmental and social issues. The theories that are used to describe such CSR disclosure practices include stakeholder theory, legitimacy theory, etc. According to the stakeholder theory, the success of corporates is effectively influenc ed by the relationship of firms with their stakeholders. The stakeholders are the parties who are related and if they are not satisfied it will ultimately lead to a decline in the goodwill of the company (Albuquerque et. al, 2013). In addition, the capacity of a firm to create sustainable wealth can be determined by its relationships with the stakeholders. This theory is utilized to evaluate those groups to whom a firm must be liable. Such theory is a significant aspect of CSR wherein companies interact with the society with their own particular sets of requirements, anticipations, and demands (Kruger, 2015). This is the reason why a sustainability-oriented company is completely aware of its duties towards its several stakeholders and adopts approaches and measures to enhance its ecological and social performance. On the other hand, legitimacy theory provides that companies make ways to ensure they function within the prescribed norms and rules of their respective communities. This is the reason why competitive and financial success, effective utilization of natural resources and social legitimacy are intertwisted based on the objectives of the company. Moreover, this is also the reason why companies try to legitimize their affairs by getting involved in CSR activities in order to obtain societies approval (Kruger, 2015). Besides, such theory is directly associated with the stakeholder theory because the legitimacy of a firm relies on the maintenance of effective relationships with the stakeholders. In this way, the SERS (Sustainable Evaluation and Reporting System) assist an organization and its management to sustain relationships with the stakeholders, and cater to their information requirements, together with their issues regarding environmental and social matters (Perrini Tencati, 2006). Costs and Benefits According to studies, corporate sustainability can assist in opening the door to new and less costly sources of finance. In other words, sustainability efforts can signal general quality of firms and assist in minimizing its cost of equity. Therefore, leading to a variety of opportunities for the company. In addition, collecting information and framing a sustainability report can assist in developing new means of collection of data, and offers innovative ways for long-term development. It helps in tracking the progress of the company and ensures a better stakeholder relationship (Burritt et. al, 2002). Moreover, firms that produce sustainability reports have been witnessed to be performing well by releasing their reports, as it assist them in engaging with the stakeholders, international and local communities, and indulge in inclusive discourse that can result in benefitting the firms and its environment as a whole (Ballot et. al, 2006). Nevertheless, corporate sustainability reporti ng can not only assist in minimizing the firms cost, but also can also result in its positive differentiation, thereby resulting in an enhanced performance, competitive leverage, and enhanced trust and goodwill. Overall, the concept of sustainability is linked to performance, goodwill, and opportunities. If the practices of the company are strong it will lead to a better relationship and will cater to its goal. Inclusion of More than Financial Information in Annual Reports All such mentioned benefits can be attained only when companies provide more than financial information in their annual reports. This is because financial information can assist in strengthening the norms regarding financial accounting to ensure enhanced transparency levels and fairness in reporting activities, but in lieu of stakeholders viewpoint, such information is insufficient to cover every perspective of corporate performance. Financial information is surely relevant for accountants and other users, but qualitative information regarding the companys activities can result in an enhanced company performance. Even given the role of financial information, it is notable that in reality, such information relates to the past that assists in making decisions regarding the future (Sustainability reporting, 2012). Therefore, unless such past information is an appropriate predictor of future, the information can have limited value. Moreover, in the current scenario, due to impacts of thi ngs like innovations, changes in technology, changing inflation and tastes, etc, the past is more likely to be an unwanted predictor for the future. Thus, provision of more than financial information comes into context so that users can obtain every relevant detail regarding the companys activities, thereby attaining a chance of effective decision-making. Conclusion On a whole, sustainability reporting can assist in establishing trust and resilience by catering to the requirements of stakeholders. Moreover, the influence of stakeholders on the creation of business value and viability cannot be disregarded in the current scenario. Corporate sustainability reporting can not only endow infinite benefits to a company but also has an advantage over traditional corporate reporting that has become complicated with the increasing complexities in the current scenario (Investor sustainability, 2014). Besides, provision of more than financial information in the annual reports can play a key role in enhancing the corporate image and performance. References Albuquerque, R., Durnev, A Koskinen, Y 2013, Corporate social responsibility and firm risk: theory and empirical evidence, Boston University. Ballot, B., Heitger, D. L. Landes, C. E. 2006, The future of corporate sustainability reporting: A rapidly growing assurance opportunity, Journal of Accountancy, vol. 20, pp. 65-74 Burritt, RL, Hahn T, Schaltegger S 2002, Towards a comprehensive framework for environmental management accounting links between business actors and environmental management accounting tools, Australian Accounting Review vol. 12, no. 2, pp. 3950. Cairns, R. D. 2000, Sustainability accounting and green accounting, Environment and Development Economics, vol. 5, no. 1, pp. 49-54. Investor sustainability 2014, Do investors care about sustainability? Seven trends provide clues, viewed 25 April 2017 https://www.pwc.com./gx/en/issues/sustainability.jhtml. Kaplan RS, Norton DP. 2004. Strategy Maps: Converting Intangible Assets into Tangible Outcomes. Harvard Business School Press: Boston, MA. Kruger, P 2015, Corporate goodness and shareholder wealth, Journal of Financial economics, pp. 304-329 Perrini, F Tencati, A 2006, Sustainability and Stakeholder Management: the Need for New Corporate Performance Evaluation and Reporting Systems, Business Strategy and the Environment, vol. 15, pp. 296-308 Sustainability reporting 2012, Using sustainability to drive business innovation and growth 2012, viewed 25 April 2017 https://www.deloitte.com/view/en_IN/in/index.htm

Routines of Decision Making

Question: Discuss about the Routines of Decision Making. Answer: Introduction Consumer buying behaviour is an important concept for marketing purposes. It is a subjective topic that needs careful analysis and study. Buying behaviour differs from person to person based on the perception of values for a person. Various factors determine the buying behaviour of a person. Generally, consumers purchase typical products for satisfaction of wants and demands. These types of consumers are known as typical consumers. However, there are exceptions to every phenomenon. There are customers that purchase non-typical products (Xu, 2015). These are non-typical consumers that purchase uncommon and rare products based on their psychology and perception of value. These consumers are usually labelled as brand fanatic, early adopter, rebel, visionary resourceful etc. There are different factors that influence their buying behaviour. The report sheds critical light on the buying behaviour of a non-typical customer who indulges in the purchase of non-typical product. The purpose of the report is to shed critical light on the psychology and perception of value to the person and the factors that contribute to the buying behaviour of such customers. Profile of the subject The name of the chosen consumer is Liam Plunkett. He is 25 years old and the gender of the consumer is male. Liam Plunkett works as a teacher at Melbourne Grammar school. He is a postgraduate in the commerce and has successfully completed its masters in education. The chosen customer lives in Melbourne, Victoria and originally hails from Weyden Priors in Upper Wessex, England. Liam Plunkett has been living in Melbourne for the last 15 years. He has pursued his education from Camberwell High school and University of Melbourne. The hobby of Liam is collecting vintage articles. A special quality of Liam that separates him from other ordinary customers is the fascination and affinity to collect vintage products. He derives great pleasure and bliss in having a collection of vintage and rare products. A tendency of his buying behaviour is based on this fact. A major portion of the income of the customer is spent on buying G.I -Joes. The feature that separates him from the rest is that purc hase of toys and the fascination to collect vintage products is not a common tendency among adults and people of his age category. Typical customers spent their income on products they demand and want. Typical products are food, clothing, electronic gadgets, accessories etc. However, the affinity and the inclination to purchase items like toys in adults is a rare phenomenon, which certainly requires analysis and evaluation, in order to understand the psychology behind such occurrence. Liam can be categorized as a person who does not belong to the common crowd. His perception and outlook towards things is very different compared to others. His outlook and views on different subject matters is different, innovative and to an extent strange. His passion and hobbies are different and unique. This has a major bearing on his buying behaviour. A majority part of his income is spent on unique products. These qualities make Liam a non-typical consumer and person. Features of the product The chosen product of the customer is G.I Joe toys. As per the communication and interview with the chosen customer Liam Plunkett, it was observed that he spent a significant portion of money on G.I Joes and vintage toys. The customer had a special fantasy and inclination towards this product and it was observed that he had a huge collection of such toys. One fact that could be observed was the brand fascination towards G.I Joe and his passion towards collection of toys makes him buy this product. G.I Joes are action figure toys produced by the trademark company G.I Joe. The product is based on the comic series G.I Joes. The products represent the U.S armed forces. These products have various features and the product line comprises of toy figures ranging from 9.5 cm and follows the comic series (Yojoe.com, 2016). The toy figures comprises of US armed forces like US police, US army, US navy and US pilot, with a variety of other assistant fighters. As per the theme of the comic, it can be seen that the villains of the comic series are also a part of the product line. These toy figures are a successful product line of the company. The costumes of these toy figures are as per the costume of the character of the comics. These costumes make these toy figures very attractive and unique. The size of the products is appropriate, about 9.5 com size so the handling of these products is easy. Utility of the product to the customer As per conversation with the customer, it was observed that the product provided significant value to the customer. It has to be noted that customer satisfaction and customer buying behaviour is great dependent on the product value to the customer. Such benefit could be materialistic, while some could be psychological. In the case of the customer, the product provided great utility to the customers, and the product value was psychological. Liam is an avid reader and is a great fan of the G.I Joe comic series. He has followed every series of the comic and derived great pleasure from it. As a child he was hooked to the comic series and his mind drew imaginary parabolas and conjured up visions, which were influenced by the comic series. Thus, it can establish and explain the level of addiction and affinity he had towards the comic series. He has maintained the comics even till date and reads them in his leisure time. Liam is a gifted sketch artist and even sketches these items on the ca nvas. For Liam was not only limited to the comic series and it could be seen that he has deep and great love for the G.I Joe toy products. He has a impressive collection of the G.I Joe toy figures, which comprises of the majority of the characters that are in the comic series. For Liam, the collection of toy figures provides him immense joy. The collection is a product of his immense passion for the toys. He embarks on maintaining a complete collection of the toy figures since it satisfies his passion and provides him joy with such collection of the toys. The biggest passion of Liam is maintaining collection of G. I Joes toy figures and vintage toys. Thus, the consumption pattern of Lim helps in accomplishing his goal for maintaining the collection of G.I Joes. Customer decision making process Customer decision making process is an important concept that explains how customers plan to spend their income on the satisfaction of their demands and needs. Customer decision making process explains the various stages, which determines the customer buying behaviour. The five values influencing the customer buying behaviour is an important model that describes the customer buying behaviour. According to this model, there are five stages that is involved in the decision making process for the customers (Tukej Golob Podnar, 2013). The five stages are described below: Recognition of demands and needs The first stage in the decision making process is the realisation and recognition of the needs and wants for a customer. Firstly, a customer needs to recognize and realise a specific demands, which will satisfy the wants and desires of the customers. There has to be a specific lag between the actual situation of the customers and the desired and the ideal situation. This is an important fact in this case since it will determine what the customer wants to buy. It has to be noted a customer will only purchase an item only if there is a need and desire to buy a product. If there is want and need, there will be demand. The arousal of wants and desires could be triggered by two factors. These are internal stimuli and external stimuli. Internal stimuli refer to the psychological element that triggered the want and desire of product. For example, need for food and water is internal stimuli. External stimuli refer to external factors like advertisement and brand image of a product. Maslow Hierarchy of needs refers to various types of needs that humans want. These needs are : Psychological needs Safety needs Social needs Need of love Self actualization needs Maslows hierarchy of needs explains the phenomenon as to how the needs and wants of human beings change from one level to another depending on their level of intensity of the needs and wants. It is a proven fact that human wants and needs are insatiable and never ending (Liu Han 2013). Seeking of information The second stage in customer decision making process is the seeking for information. Once the need and want is recognized, it becomes important that the solution to satisfy the needs and wants has to be recognized. A customer will require solutions to satisfy the needs and wants. For this purpose, a customer will need solutions for this. The information could be obtained internally and at the same time, the information can be secured from external sources. The internal sources refer to the fact the information can be secured from the memory and experience of the customer and external information could be advertisement and word to mouth stuff (Glimcher and Fehr, 2013). Therefore, the second stage pertains to the seeking of information or solution for satisfying wants and needs for a person. Assessment for different options After getting necessary information for satisfaction of the needs and wants, a customer will try to juggle with the various options that are at the disposal. A customer will try to evaluate and assess the various options that a customer could use (Betsch Haberstroh, 2014). A customer will try to avail to the best possible option. The best possible option for a customer will be able to satisfy the needs and wants of the customer in the best way. Thus, evaluation and assessment of options is the third stage in the customer decision making process. Purchase Purchasing of products is the fourth stage in the customer decision making process. After the evaluation process, a customer will require to make real purchase of products. This will help to satisfy the needs and wants of a customer. The purchase decision will be based on the product and brand that the customer wants (Cina, 2013). The purchase decision will be influenced by the information and the evaluation of the information that a customer has assessed in the prior stages. Post-purchase emotions In the post purchase stage, a customer will evaluate his satisfaction and utility that was derived from the product. Product utility and brand reputation plays major role in this process. This is the fifth and the final stage in the customer decision making process. A customer will try to evaluate the fact that if the product was able to help the customer in accomplishing the goals and objectives of the customers. This will play a major factor in the recurrence of the demand of the product in future. The level of satisfaction will be the deciding factor in the demand of the product or brand loyalty (Solomon, 2014). The expected value and the actual value are compared and on the basis of this, the satisfaction level will be determined. This will determine the product loyalty and the brand loyalty that a customer will have towards a product or a brand. In the case of Liam, it can be seen the post purchase behaviour plays a major role in his buying behaviour. The passion of Liam, which is to collect G.I Joes and other vintage toys are satisfied with the purchase of the toy figures. The expected level of value surpasses his actual value and thus, his satisfaction level since it helps him to accomplish his goals and objectives, which he intends to fulfil from the purchase. Consumption process As per the interview with Liam, the consumption pattern is explicitly seen. The demands and needs of Liam occur when there are new supplies of the toy figures in the nearest retail toy shop. The G.I Joes toy figures have gone through various stages of change in design and structure. More advanced versions of the toy figures have been released based on the latest movies made on G.I Joes. Therefore, his demand and need for the product rises when there are new supplies or launch of new and advanced products in the market. Liam purchases the toy figures from the nearest retail toy shop that deals exclusively in these toy figures and other vintage toys. The toy shop is named Little Corner, which is located in Melbourne. Liam is able to purchase all his requirements from these shops and add to his G.I Joes galore. The shop keeps upgrading its stocks with new and latest collection of toys, especially in respect of G.I Joes. G.I. Joes shares his toys with his nieces and nephews. Resources of the consumer Resources are the most influential factors when it comes to consumption processes. In this case, it has to be kept in mind that a consumer will have to assess and evaluate the resources that will play an important role in buying behaviour of the consumers. As per the conversation with the consumers, it was seen that the resources played an important role in the buying behaviour and decision making process. Time and money were an important factor for Liam in this case. The toy shop from where Liam purchased these products where in close proximity to his house. It took him 10-15 minutes by foot to travel to the shop to make his purchases. Thus, one thing that worked in favour of Liam was that he was able to save time and money in regards of conveyance and it was easy for him to travel to shop to make the purchases. Another factor that worked in the favour of Liam regarding the buying behaviour was the nominal and appropriate price. Even though, Liam had brand loyalty towards G.I Joes, the prices of the toy figures were nominal, which increased the satisfaction level for him and made it easier for him to fulfil his needs and demands and accomplish his satisfaction level in the process. Consumers perception about the product On interviewing Liam, his views and perceptions about the product were exposed and highlighted. The nature and behaviour of Liam has a lot to do with this fact. One of the facts is that he is an introvert person and stays aloof from social community. Liam is a creative person and dwells in his own imaginary world and as result normal products and items do not appeal much to him or satisfy his wants or desires. Another fact that can be noticed is that Liam feels very connected to the comic series and the movies series made on it. In such circumstances, the G.I Joes are a means to feed his imagination. With the toy figures, he can use his imagination and relive it with the toys. These toys are his source of entertainment during his leisure time. It helps him to feel the excitement with the toy figures. It helps him to relive the excitement that he feels while reading the comic series or while watching the movies. The toy figures are a vital source of satisfaction of his passion to main tain his passion of collecting vintage toys. The toys figures are his source of company in his time of leisure and allow him to secure bliss and serenity. Positive factors that encourage the buying behaviour of the customer Some of the positive factors that encourage the buying behaviour of Liam are: Psychological factors One of the positive facts that encourage Liam in his buying behaviour is the mental joy and serenity that he derives from such collection of the toy figures. These are psychological factors that have a deep and a positive impact on him. These toy figure serve as a major source of happiness for him. It gave him immense bliss and satisfaction, especially when he saw the collection of the toy figures increase. It also provided him the escape from the monotonous routine of life. The post purchase experience for him regarding these toys is positive and it influences him to buy to more of these toy figures since it satisfies his needs and wants and his satisfaction level is high from such products. Physical factors Physical factors relate to physical features of a product. The physical appearance of the product has deep impact on a consumer. It can be seen that in the case of Liam, the appearance of G.I Joes has a deep and strong effect on him. The G.I Joes are in appropriate in size around 9.5 cm and with attractive look and costumes, which grabs the attention of Liam. It makes his collection of toys look attractive and it decorates the display section of these toys at home. The appropriate size makes it portable and he can carry it from place to place without much hassle. The attractive and style make it another reason for him to increase his purchases of the toy figure and at the same time it positively influences his purchasing behaviour. Sweet memories of the consumer relating to the product As per the conversation with Liam, it was seen that another factor that influenced his buying behaviour was the nostalgia factor. According to Liam, there were sweet memories related to the product. These toys provided him with memories of his childhood when he read the comic series of the G.I Joes and the excitement he had when he purchased G.I Joes for the first time. As per his statement, he felt the same thrill and excitement when he purchased the toy figures. Same emotions and feelings were triggered when he purchases these products. The quotient of nostalgia is high for him regarding the purchasing and the satisfaction derived from the toys. The reminiscence of his childhood days could be felt by him. The sweet memories and the happy moments relating to the G.I Joes have a special place in the heart of Liam. It encouraged him to purchase more of such products and held a special place in the heart of Liam. It revived his days of reading G.I Joes comic and the movies watched by h im. Special connection with the brand One fact that needs to be noted is that Liam is a gritty person. He has a strong will power and has a great determination level. He took great interest in martial arts and sports in his school days. G.I Joes comic series were based on action and thrill. The toy figures were of US armed forces and depicted action and thrill. Therefore, the brand portrays action and thrill. The toy figures are armed forces and depict the concept of the brand, which is based on action, grit, determination and strong will power that are features of the characters of the G.I Joes. Liam feels a connection with the brand based on these lines. He finds congruency between his ideal and the concept of the brand. This fact draws him closer to the brand and increases his brand loyalty and product loyalty. Recommendations Some of the recommendations that were given to Liam during the conversations were: Researching on better substitutes to G.I Joes Researching on better substitutes that could provide increased and better satisfaction level to him was one of the recommendations given to him. It was suggested that he should inspect about different products that could be close substitutes to these toy figures, which could provide him higher level of satisfaction and contentment with the product. It might also give him greater product value and might also provide a better source of entertainment and leisure for him. Researching in different competitor Competitors like Funskool have brand image and have good product portfolio. Therefore, if he inspected different competitors and inspected their product, it might help him to obtain greater satisfaction. Reflection There were quite a few points that I took note after my conversation with Liam. One of the things that I learnt is that customer buying behaviour and customer decision making process is a subjective view. The mental faculties play a vital in the decision making process of a customer. My personal view is that Liam is a non-typical customer and is a person who is creative and unconventional. He does not think like normal people and has great imagination level. His demands and needs do not pertain to common products. G.I. Joes are a famous brand with attractive product line. G. I Joes are well known and reputed throughout the world. From the interview, I learnt that Liam has specific parameters and metrics for utility and satisfaction from the product. His perception about product value is different and unique. His psychology is the fundamental point that determines his satisfaction and content level from a product level. Resources also play a major role regarding customer decision maki ng process. Price and time are the two main and fundamental pillars regarding customer decision making process. Nostalgia and memories play a major in the buying behaviour of Liam. He has unique perceptions about the product and his nature and passion play and important role in creating perceptions about product and product value. The brand slogan and the concept of a brand play a vital role in determining the demand and desire of a product. The concept of G.I Joes finds congruency with the ideals and outlook of Liam. This also influences his decision. Features of a product also influences customer buying behavior and what I saw was that there were certain positive features of the toy figures that induced Liam in buying these products. Bibliography Betsch, T., Haberstroh, S. (Eds.). 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