Product Launch Report: Fast Food

Product Launch Report: Fast Food EXECUTIVE SUMMERY This project is about super deluxe burger combo developed by BURGER FUEL named as  Ã¢â‚¬Å"RICHIE FREAKOUT â€Å"as Richie is New Zealand rugby team captain and is well known personality all over. When we heard his name Words like passion, energy, power, effectiveness strike in our mind. This combo meal include flat bread bun having different variety of meat. Will be given with energy drink rather than soft drink. The need to introduce this is as young generation intake energy drink a lot and consumption of healthy energy giving product is more so by providing this combo we will likely to target the young teen which play crucial role in our store as more than 50% of sale is dependent on them. The need to introduce this burger is as customer are more demanding and need innovation in product by introducing new flat bread bun this deluxe combo with energy drink make customer attracted. INTRODUCTION Burger Fuel is a New Zealand owned chain of burger restaurants with 52 locations around the world including 46 locations in New Zealand.it is high energy burger brand that experience huge success in Middle East and now exposing growing market in New Zealand. Burger fuel is leading top brand in food market now a days. Burger fuel is well known KIWI brand as it known for its specialaiolisauce, freshness, taste. As it is very interesting to know that 31 March 2013 resulted in a profit of $1,098,294. This was a 55% increase in the profit from that of previous year of the $708,360. Which result in total sale of $ 49.3M in current year. Making it compare with last year there is increase of 29.2% in total sale of burger fuel which is huge achievement. (annual report burger fuel 2013, 2013) IDEA OF THE SUPER DELUXE COMBO New burger fuel super deluxe burger combo name as â€Å"RICHIE FREAKOUT† is going to be introduced in young market era where people are mainly concern with intake of energy, healthy and nutritious diet. This deluxe combo will be provided with ENERGY DRINK and also the combo will have flat bread. Burger fuel try to focus on each and every people in market now a days youngster have more intake of energy drink. As now all people are concern with health issue new flat bread bun in introduced which is oil free with no fat. We try to focus young generation as in past few years are sale likely to increase due to variety we provide to them. COMPETITOR As we have new super deluxe combo which is different from offering of different competitor but still we have competitor in market: Subway Burger King McDonalds But since we having number of competitor but idea to introduce flat bread bun and energy drink with combo meal is likely to be new. MARKET SHARE TARGET MARKET By introducing this super deluxe burger combo burger fuel try to target young generation as they play crucial role for each and every company. As we look profits of burger fuel from past few years. According to annual report of burger fuel up to financial year 31 March 2013 has again demonstrated a significant improvement in his performance. The small chain of business continue to grow and is becoming stronger both in local and international market As at 31 March 2013 there were 44  Burger Fuel outlets operating and the Group has  Considerable Young generation like the different combo meals offer by burger fuel. SEGEMENT PROFITABILITY As our product price are generally high as we offer quality product. But keeping in mind combo is designed for young generation price is likely to be moderate will be provided with addition deal on Weekends. Increasing sale by giving additional sale make sale to go high and will increase profit margin. POSITIONING OF THE PRODUCT As most of business can’t afford investing of thousands of dollars in advertising and promotion every month as it is going to increase price of product as we are introducing new super deluxe combo meal at reasonable price. By spending more on advertisement will likely to increase combo price so by making new pamphlets of store different combo highlighting super deluxe deal in beginning will make people to know about product and also we will able to introduce our other combo through it. MARKETING MIX PRODUCT The product involves all its particular features and benefits. It can be seen from the Salad Cream campaign that a decision was taken not to alter the taste of salad cream and only to change the bottle shape and packaging. Hence, the product aspect of the marketing mix was left relatively unchanged. In the case of Salad Cream the price aspects of the mix were altered: price was increased, because focus group research supported the view that a price increase in Salad Cream would be acceptable to consumers. Promotion aspects were considerably changed. The advertising and promotional campaigns described above were extensive. Finally, place within the marketing mix was also unchanged in terms of the places where consumers could buy Salad Cream. No new sales outlets or distribution points were suggested by the campaign team. PRICE Price is one of most important element which create sales revenue, price of product is important determinant of value of sale made. Price is determined by market forces in accordance with time and circumstances. Deluxe combo must be introduced keeping in mind the total cost and market trend prevailing in market. PROMOTION Promotion is business communication it will provide information that will assist customer to buy. However successful promotion will result in increase in sales. By making well designed pamphlet highlighting super deluxe combo will likely to attract the people which is good for company. Other method which can be used for introducing are: Radio and television Poster and media Internet sites Promotion campaigns PLACE Product placement also known as product brand by which product is integrated in marketing practises. Marketing practise such as advertising, promotion brand name, package and other. In product placement The audience involve get to know about the product. By advertising super deluxe combo in television in between movies interval people will do come to know we must have to pay attention toward our combo layout DIFFERENTIATION Richie freakout is different from that of other combo deal which is being provided in store as combo come up with: Flat bread bun Energy drink BUSINESS STRATEGY Launching a new thing requires addressing the four marketing pillars of price, product, promotion and place of sale. To analyse each of these areas, we need to examine strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats to help minimizing our risks and maximize our resources before we run our promotion activities. STRENGTHS The combo we introducing it satisfy the need and demand of young generation as combo is designed according to their preferences and recommendation given by them. We manage to provide this combo with basic price out profitability will be quite less in accordance with out combo we provide but this deluxe combo will attract wide range of people which is good for us. WEAKNESSES A weakness is related with unnecessary things that happen. We must be prepare with the any short coming arise or any problem face during the process. We had to pay attention toward cost involve as we specialise in providing fresh. OPPORTUNITIES As we introducing new deluxe combo it will give great opportunities. As we coming up with new upcoming this will create great opportunities as they will attract number of youth which will create demand not for this but for overall combo. As we having lower overhead costs than a mature competitor, we might be able to price our self more competitively. THREATS Once we enter the market place, our competitors will likely to react. One of the biggest threats we face is our competition prevailing in market. We must have our backup plans for your pricing, promotion and distribution channels so that we can respond to competitor changes taking place. CONCLUSION This case study has examined burger fuel ability to use innovation in developed market place. There is need to innovate efforts in expanding market. The case study include some elements like Demand and preferences of customer to identify market opportunity Product innovation Introducing this super deluxe combo will create great opportunity this will not only give company a competitive advantage but will give sustained advantage to increase profitability. Hence if super deluxe combo is introduced it will build a strong relationship with our young generation. RECOMMEDATIONS First of all there must be proper stock of raw material as we deal in serving fresh meals Manager must forecast sale of store and must have estimated stock As we know providing energy drink there must proper set up of machinery to serve it. Ntec Concordia institute Internet Television: History and Future Internet Television: History and Future Internet Television: The Present and the Future Introduction The emergence of the Internet has revolutionized the way people conduct their life and activities, without them being aware of it. Conventional activities like going to the library, reading books, and shopping have converged to a single activity of sitting at the personal computer. Not only these, technology-based activities like watching television, listening to music and communicating on the telephone etc., which had previously been considered developed beyond expectations, have radically changed even more. One no longer gets mesmerized by watching videos on the Internet or streaming news items from web sites such as www.mtv.com or www.bbc.co.uk, respectively. There is virtually no difference in carrying out activities, like the above, through a single PC or through the designated equipments like radio, television or video recorders. For technologists, convergence of the media has been a revolution that has changed the world and the way we live, partly because it opens new avenues for exploration and partly because technologists believe they can improve the quality of these technology-based activities. In particular, the convergence of the Internet with broadcasting technology has altered not only the consumers perception of watching television but also related technologies and industries. Today, media companies are investing heavily in broadcast research and development (RD) and in Internet technology with the view to capture both types of consumer markets. What is more important in this race for changing the face of media is how technologists are developing even more complex media technologies to seamlessly converge broadcast and the Internet to offer a highly integrated environment for the future consumers. In the following discussion, the researcher shall explore how this historical revolution has come about, current development and future challenges. History of Television Broadcast and Internet Television Perhaps the most important development of television technology had been the vision of communications satellites in 1945 by Sir Arthur Clarke. The author used his knowledge of British Radar Establishment to outline the future of satellites. He wrote an article about using â€Å"extraterrestrial radio relays† for developing a global communications system to establish radio stations. What Clarke had not realized was that the relays he mentioned were illustrations of television signals, which has the same application today (Ippolito and Pelton 2004). Satellite communication system has become the foundation for television and radio broadcast, during the 1950s to date. Direct broadcast was introduced in 1960s and 1970s, also known as Direct to Home (DTH) or Direct Broadcast Satellite (DBS) or, in official terms, Broadcast Satellite Services (BSS). These initial BSS were dependent on the international route telecommunication backbone used for telephone and telex, and later for TV an d radio program distribution. This period witnessed a slowdown in satellite revolution as the governments, organizations and public interest groups were concerned about developments of satellite transmission power to the homes and beyond geographical boundaries. They were of the view that such technology could cause cultural, political and social damage (Sachdev and Swearingen 2004). Despite their objections, TV channel frequency developed high satellite transmission frequency through Effective Radiated Power, which could transmit analogue signals to even small antennas. The first operational Direct Broadcast or DTH system was developed in Europe by the German and French, which was known as TV-Sat in Germany and TeleDiffusion Francais in France. During the 1980s, the International Telecommunications Union was adopted by the US and European countries to broadcast programs across the Atlantic (Sachdev and Swearingen 2004). Clay Whitehead, an American, was a pioneer in developing Ku-ba nd frequencies, which altered the medium for â€Å"fixed service† satellite to broadcast TV directly to low receive-only dishes. The concept was furthered by Coronet, and then later acquired in 1984 by SES Astra. Astra became the true DBS satellites that were successful in transmitting high-frequency power to and from satellites, thus, providing a large number of TV channels to the users (Sachdev and Swearingen 2004). However, academics believe that true broadcast challenges came about with the introduction of terrestrial and digital broadcasting during the 1990s when television content was funded by advertising, and media mogul Rupert Murdoch monopolised television rights. During this period, Sky offered customers channel broadcast at premium subscription, which other television channels, like ITV, took the first offensive to launch ON Digital in 1998, which was followed by the BBC’s Freeview, and other channels. (The Future of Internet Television 2006). Parallel to these attacks on broadcast satellite had been the revolution in personal video recorders (PVRs), during the 1970s. The PVRs allowed users to tape TV content indefinitely without copyright issues. When the PVRs gave way to DVDs, the demand for at home entertainment did not diminish but, in fact, increased manifolds as users could now use electronic programming guides (EPG) to record television programs in high-quality broadcast that was made possible by digital television (The Future of Internet Television 2006). Digital television was an equipment revolution rather than broadcast, as it allowed higher quality content to be transmitted from the standard definition television (SDTV or Digital Video Broadcast) to high definition television (HDTV or ATSC or ISDB), as it gradually has eaten up mainstream analogue signal broadcast and replaced it with high-definition channel broadcast. Although currently ATSC and ISDB standards are being used at high cost of implementation, nevertheless, it has become the trend as HD-DVD and Blue Ray have become part of this mainstream broadcast technology. These new technologies of the 1990s and 2000s have made digital transformation from broadcast satellite to digital networks, and the Internet, possible (The Future of Internet Television 2006). Current Internet Television Today, there is no limitation to watching television anywhere one can imagine on the plane, in the kitchen, on the mobile phone, on walkways and even in the car, all made possible by the convergence of the Internet media and television broadcast technologies. Media convergence and interactivity have not only changed the cultural trend of television experience but also its functionality. The main emphasis is on viewer accessibility and near-video-on-demand (NVOD), which offers users the choice to watch broadcast content without the physical limitation of broadcast transmission to designated equipments or timing. Hence, the experience of watching television is no longer regarded as broadcast as it has changed its features from static to interactive, with different converged media functions. The computer furthered this technology of interactivity, while the Internet revolutionized the challenge of meeting user demand for a different type of experience (Crisell 2002). High-speed peer-to-peer sharing systems have enabled users to share files of TV shows, PVRs, VOD, and made watching TV on mobile devices possible. For these reasons, ISPs (Internet Service Providers) have also geared their networks to facilitate high-speed downloads through BitTorrent or such systems as they realized they need to capitalize on the shifting trend of watching television during primetime to all the time. Users prefer to watch TV at their ease and access it whenever their lifestyle allows them. With PVRs they are able to queue programs to be recorded, skip advertisements and watch ongoing broadcasts. The need to have an interactive medium has become more pronounced as technologists vie the Internet as the ideal medium for users to download compressed VODs and broadcast television programs. In the UK, this trend has gained popularity as users indicated their desire to watch popular programs and, at the same time, browse the Internet resources for new TV content and films (Brown and Barkhuus 2006). Delivering quality Internet TV service has become possible with a combination of two key developments: high-speed internet and compression technology. TV programs, when converted from analogue through Pulse Code Modulation (PCM) to digitized information files, they become extremely large, especially if they are high in resolution of pictures. Distribution of these audiovisual files over the Internet has become difficult, as the file would be too heavy for it to be transferred through the network. Even though digitization of TV, PVRs and DVDs reduced the size of such video streams, nevertheless, they still pose a challenge for ISPs. JPEG, MPEG (Motion Pictures Expert Group) and AVC (advanced video coding) video compression technologies, which were introduced by Microsoft to be integrated with Windows Media Video (WMV) to facilitate computer users to share high definition programming, emerged as the new format for audiovisual file interchange (Keen 2006). These files use Discrete Cosin e Transform (DCT), Discrete Wavelet Transform (DWT) in Dirac codec and Fractual Compression compression processes for streaming. Unlike conventional broadcasting transmission, streaming involves progressive downloading of audiovisual files without having to wait for its complete download for playback. Audiovisual files can be streamed on the Internet on-demand (stored on server, available on request) or live (available at particular time such as life events). Streaming requires a high-speed Internet connection without traffic jams because the content cannot be streamed if the end user is carrying other traffic with the stream. Currently, only shorter TV content is offered for streaming (YouTube, Google Video), while longer and high quality contents such as shows and films are offered for download on request (MovieLink, CinemaNow, Sky By Broadband) (Keen 2006). Previously, Internet audiovisual media content used dedicated software applications such as Microsoft Windows Media, RealVideo and QuickTime for playback that was separate from web browsers. Later applications, like Flash Players, allowed integrated streaming within the web browser, which makes it cost effective, as well as relatively easier for users to access broadcast content through Internet distribution (Keen 2006). Television content streaming uses the same applications with added features. Applications like Apples iTunes, Chinese program PPLive and BBCs MyBBCPlayer allows television broadcasters to select programs for online streaming. As more and more television companies are transitioning online with new contents for streaming, users prefer to watch Internet TV than conventional television. To facilitate even more efficient peer-to-peer connections, the Internet architecture has been revolutionized for data transfer (The Future of Internet Television 2006). This has been ach ieved by specialist bandwidth providers called Content Distribution Networks (CDNs), which ensure streamlined and optimal content distribution through remote servers to client PCs without the hindrance of traffic jams. Companies like CacheLogic, Kontiki, and Grid Networks have been responsible for revolutionizing the commercial deployment of high-quality streaming services for Internet Television (Keen 2006). Future of Internet TV Broadcasting Broadcasting companies and TV operators in the last decade, according to Arino and Marsden (Brown and Picard 2005), have capitalized tremendously on the growth of the Internet to draw audiences away from traditional television broadcast. For some, the Internet may have been the reason for the demise of the conventional broadcast TV, while for others this new media is the new platform for digital TV. Internet TV is no longer about watching streamed programs from broadcast TV web sites. In fact, according to Noll (qt in Gerbarg, Groebel and Noam 2004), Internet TV has come to be defined as a television interface based on an interactive Internet platform for storage and transmission of audiovisual content streaming, as well as web activities. Thus, the future of the Internet TV involves Internet-enhanced TV that delivers both TV content, as well as web-based content. Convergence will no longer be limited to listening radio and watching downloaded content, but will also encompass chattin g, messaging, conversing with hosts and participants of TV programs, and programming of content through complex transmissional services, consultational services and interactive television links (Arino and Marsden qt. Brown and Picard 2005). With the increase in broadband usage in the UK, it is expected that Internet TV services shall increase manifolds, which will make high quality digital movie file streaming available from various websites with lesser costs. New technologies like webified video are expected to revolutionize next generation storage TV, to convert web content as well as TV programs to integrated information retrieval media for interface and interactivity (Miyamori and Tanaka 2005). Similarly SURFs (Simple UI to Retrieve Favourites) systems are being explored for transforming TV content into information portals which will allow users to interact with electronic devices within the household. The idea is to integrate TV with Internet content by allowing users to use unconventional remote controls to interact with the Internet TV platform (Halverson and Voutsas 2000). Contents may range from watching VODs, or news content or browsing the Internet. Not only this, but it is expected that the future holds new dimensions for the meaning of interactivity. Speech recognition and interactivity, according to Wittenburg et al (2006), is the next revolutionary interface for current prototype PVRs. These shall be used in conjunction with Internet TV to change the whole experience of interacting with TV and the Internet. Conclusion From the above discussion, one can conclude that the process of Internet and television convergence has revolutionized the experience of watching television. Convergence of these individual technologies has been possible with the developments of technologies in compression, streaming, digitization, and playback applications. However, to think that the revolution has stopped there is a mistake. As one reads in the above section, the development of Internet TV is not complete. The mix of Internet television services through chats, browsing, downloads and networking have yet to become even more revolutionized in the future as new technologies related to interface devices, broadband networks, and television content conversions become more common for all to be used. There is no doubt that Internet TV has affected the lives of its users as well as those who developed it. What makes this revolutionary unique is the fact that it has also influenced other dimensions of entertainment and infor mation interactivity. For example, companies are exploring broadcasting dimensions using mobile phones, voice-activated interface, and information interchange technologies for viewing and interacting, not on conventional tube TV or PCs but on small mobile devices. Indeed, the future of Internet TV is not limited to its conventional infrastructure but rather shall reside in new ones. References Arino, M. and Marsden, C. (2005) From Analogue to Digital in Digital Terrestrial Television in Europe by Allan Brown and Robert G. Picard (eds) Lawrence Erlbaum Associates: Mahwah, NJ. Brown, B. and Barkhuus, L. (2006) The Television Will Be Revolutionized: Effects of PVRs and Filesharing on Television Watching. CHI April 22-27 ACM 2006. Combat One. (2006) The Future of Internet Television Combat One. Online accessed on 4-12-2006 from: http://www.combatone.com/fullreport.php Crisell, A. (2002) An Introductory History of British Broadcasting. Routledge: London pp.275. Halverson, C. and Voutsas, D. (2000) SURFing the Home with Your TV. ACM Multimedia Copyright. Ippolito, L. and Pelton, J. N. (2004) Satellites Technology: The Evolution of Satellite Systems and Fixed Satellite Services in Communications Satellites: Global Change Agents by Peter Marshall, Robert J. Oslund and Joseph N. Pelton (eds). Lawrence Erlbaum Associates: Mahwah, NJ. pp. 33 Keen, B. (2006) Broadband delivery of film and TV content over the open internet. 09 October. The British Screen Advisory Council. Miyamori, H. and Tanaka, K. (2005) Webified Video: Media Conversion from TV Program to Web Content and their Integrated Viewing Method. ACM Copyright May 10-14, Chiba, Japan. Noll, A. M. (2004) Internet Television: Definition and Prospects in Internet Television by Darcy Gerbarg, Jo Groebel and Eli Noam (eds) Lawrence Erlbaum Associates: Mahwah, NJ. Wittenburg, K. et al (2006) The Prospects for Unrestricted Speech Input for TV Content Search. AVI 06, May 23-26, 2006, Venezia, Italy. ACM Copyright.

What Is Hypnosis? Describe the Psychological and Physical Aspects of Hypnosis and Discuss the Role of Relaxation in Hypnotherapy

Introduction This essay discusses the core characteristics of hypnosis, concentrating on its major psychological and physical features. It begins by providing a background of the practice. This is important because it draws out how the understanding and definition of hypnosis has changed over time. This is followed by a section considering the psychological and physical aspects of hypnosis, after which the final section discusses the importance of relaxation in hypnotherapy. Hypnosis is defined loosely as an altered mental state, superficially resembling sleep, characterised by a heightened awareness of subconscious detail (Brink 2008; Encyclopaedia Britannica 2004). This definition will be developed and expanded in greater detail throughout the essay. A full understanding of hypnosis and hypnotherapy requires that the practices are placed in their historical and cultural context. What is now known as hypnosis has been recorded on many occasions throughout history, dating back several millennia to the civilisations of ancient Egypt, Rome, and Greece. It was typically performed as part of shamanistic, religious or spiritual rituals (Brink 2008; Waterfield 2004). However, there is some scepticism regarding the veracity of these historical accounts (e.g., Waterfield 2004). Hypnosis in its modern Western form was first practiced by Franz Anton Mesmer (1734-1815), who was an Austrian physician. Mesmer understood it through the theoretical lens of ‘animal magnetism’ or ‘mesmerism’, which was related to the idea that health was contingent on the distribution of ‘universal fluids’. He believed that magnets could be used to direct these fluids, prevent blockages and ultimately cure disease; hypnosis worked similarly in Mesmer’s eyes in that it was able to transmit healing forces and produce cures (Waterfield 2004). This notion was developed following Mesmer’s death by Armand de Puysegur, who realised that dictation and verbal communication in the form of commands could induce trances (Hadley and Staudacher 1996). The theoretical groundwork laid by Mesmer and Puysegur was revised in the 19th century by James Braid (1795-1860), who realised that trance-like states could be brought on by suggestions as well as commands. Braid also redefined the practice, calling it ‘hypnotism’. The process began to gradually gain wider acceptance as a therapeutic agent, especially useful in the relief of pain and as an anaesthetic (Hadley and Staudacher 1996). The future of what is now known as hypnotherapy was secured in 1892 when the British Medical Association (BMA) commissioned a report on the characteristics of hypnosis for medical purposes, which yielded highly promising results (Waterfield 2004). Hypnosis and hypnotherapy were gradually refined and developed as new fields took interest and various schools of thought branched off in opposing directions, most notably in France. One of the most important developments was the relationship between Sigmund Freud and hypnosis, and it was this that saw the now crucial introduction of the theory of the unconscious mind into the practice (Waterfield 2004). Freud’s disenchantment with hypnosis in favour of psychoanalysis saw a decline in its popularity, although there was a revival after the 1950s when research unearthed a variety of new applications (Waterfield 2004). The work of Milton Erickson (1901-1980) was crucial in this respect. He built on Freud’s introduction of subconscious elements, and his success was essential in the creating the practice in its current form (Waterfield 2004). This provides an important backdrop in understanding what hypnosis actually is. It is useful at this stage to dispel a misconception, namely that hypnosis is a form of unconsciousness comparable to sleep. As shall be demonstrated, subjects are actually awake and capable of high levels of awareness, albeit not of the environment. It is more accurately described as a state of physical relaxation, including an altered state of consciousness in which the subconscious mind is more accessible and more active (Mason 2008, cited in Segi 2012: 27). In terms of its psychological characteristics, hypnosis can be described as natural, trancelike state. It is generally agreed that while under hypnosis a person has a heightened sense of focus or concentration, usually directed towards a specific object or memory, which entails an ability to block out distractions from outside (Segi 2012; Hadley and Staudacher 1996). One of the key psychological aspects of hypnosis is related to the subconscious mind, which in some shape or form is responsible for automatic and intuitive mental functions (Brink 2008; Hadley and Staudacher 1996). Since it has no clear location in the brain the subconscious can seem rather elusive, but it can be seen in many day-today tasks, such as typing, writing, or catching a ball. Driving is among the most oft-cited examples of subconscious functioning; it is common to internalise routes and to navigate while performing automatic processes such as changing gear without any memory of it. Tasks such as these can be carried out almost unknowingly and details often go largely unremembered (Brink 2008). Thus, the subconscious is highly active on a continuous basis. Hypnosis involves putting an individual in touch with the subconscious through intense concentration. It was previously thought that this was actually a kind of unconsciousness; however, as Hadley and Staudacher (1978) show, this view has come in for revision and new research has shown that a hypnotised person is fully awake and extremely focused; the appearance of unconsciousness arises because attention is diverted away from peripheral stimuli (Spiegel 1978). This is an important psychological and physical characteristic of hypnosis. One of the main psychological aspects of hypnosis is an increased susceptibility to suggestion (Brink 2008; Hadley and Staudacher 1996). The subject generally heeds only the suggestions of the hypnotist, and this appears to be done in ‘an uncritical, automatic fashion, ignoring all aspects of the environment†¦He sees, feels, smells, and otherwise perceives in accordance with the hypnotist’s suggestions, even though these suggestions may be in apparent contradiction to the stimuli that impinge upon him’ (Encyclopaedia Britannica 2004: 1). Moreover, the susceptibility to suggestion may be extended such that the subject is still under the ‘control’ of the hypnotist during ordinary, ‘waking’ activity (Heap and Dryden 1991). In terms of its physical aspects, hypnosis has several distinctive characteristics. In the first stage of the process, the subject’s body becomes extremely relaxed (this will be discussed further in the section on relaxation), which initiates a series of other physical changes. The heart rate, for example, slows considerably and with it the rate of breathing grows deeper and more rhythmic. As suggested earlier, this is not to be confused with deep sleep, which is characterised by a lack of awareness to external stimuli; rather it is a hypnotic trance in which the subject is highly attentive at all times. In fact, it is often argued that a hypnotic trance brings about a greater level of sensitivity to stimuli than usual (Karle and Boy 1987). This intense period of focus manifests in a physical change in the nature of brain activity. Physical evidence for this fact was first produced in 1929 when Hans Berger tested the brain activity of a hypnotised subject using the process of electroencephalography (the device is called an electroencephalogram or EEG) (Karle and Boy 1987). This measures electrical activity in the brain as waves. In order to understand the physical changes associated with hypnosis, it is necessary to briefly describe the four different kinds of brain waves: alpha, beta, theta, and delta. Under ordinary circumstances, mental activity produces beta waves. A heightened sense of relaxation creates more alpha waves; this state might be described as ‘light hypnosis’. As the body becomes increasingly relaxed, theta waves become dominant. This is associated with dreaming, or medium to deep hypnosis, as well as greater engagement with the subconscious. Finally, during periods of very deep hypnosis t he mind produces delta waves. These have an extremely low frequency and are usually created entirely by the subconscious, as during hypnosis or dreamless sleep (Brink 2008). In terms of underlying brain activity, therefore, the process of hypnosis initiates a transition that begins with beta waves and progresses through alpha, theta, and finally delta waves. Conversely, when a subject is brought out of hypnosis, or awakes from a deep, dreamless sleep, the stages of electrical activity in the brain are reversed, beginning with delta and ending with beta (Brink 2008). It is difficult to understand the nature of hypnosis, both psychologically and physically, without an appreciation of the tools and methods employed by a hypnotist. The inducement into a trance-like state is achieved through relaxation techniques as part of a process called ‘induction’ (Brink 2008; Hadley and Staudacher 1996). This can take different forms depending on the particular therapist, but the result is always broadly similar: a state of heightened focus on one or more specific and internal factors, and a decline in awareness of environmental or external stimuli (Hadley and Staudacher 1996). This is induced through verbal cues or instructions designed to induce a trance (Karle and Boys 1987). However, there is considerable variation in terms of the form this takes. Many therapists use authoritative commands, such as ‘you are now feeling relaxed’, or ‘I want you to picture yourself†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢; Alternatively, others employ a more suggestive style, including statements such as ‘maybe you would like to†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢. While the details vary, however, all methods of induction tend to be characterised by a slow, clear prose style (Karle and Boys 1987). It is important to have an appreciation of the methods used to induce hypnosis as it is the essential precursor to the psychological and physical changes discussed in the first part of this essay. It is likewise crucial to understand the role of relaxation in hypnotherapy, as this is not only a crucial characteristic of the state itself but also the nexus between the beginning of the process and the transition into a hypnotic trance (Segi 2012). Hypnosis can only be achieved if the subject is sufficiently relaxed to disengage the conscious mind and engage the subconscious. This leaves an opening for suggestion and behavioural change, which are crucial components of hypnotherapy. In ordinary parlance, relaxation does not refer to the state necessary to induce a hypnotic trance but rather to the absence of strenuous mental or physical stimuli (Brink 2008). Thus, a person might be said to be relaxing on the sofa while reading a book. In actual fact, the conscious mind is still highly active at this stage, which precludes the opening up of the subconscious. Successful hypnotherapy requires a more ‘complete’ sense of physical and mental relaxation, including the alleviation of all forms of stress. There are various techniques involved here, but one of the most common is called Progressive Muscle Relaxation (PMR) (Brink 2008). This works by instructing the subject to systematically relax various areas of their body i ndependently and in stages, often focusing on muscle groups. This can also be achieved via ‘self-hypnosis’, and for many people is an important part of stress- or sleep-management strategies (Segi 2012; Brink 2008). The ability of hypnosis to induce this kind of state is one of its most unique qualities, and even if nothing else is achieved the mere process of compete relaxation is an important component of hypnotherapy (Hadley and Staudacher 1996). One thing to note is that complete relaxation of this kind is not artificial or unnatural. It is part of the ordinary human condition, and the role of hypnotherapy is simply to induce it under controlled circumstances and with a particular goal in mind (Robertson 2012; Brink 2008; Hadley and Staudacher 1996). This essay has discussed some of the competing historical notions of what hypnosis is, as well as the way it is understood by modern practitioners and theorists. Both the process of hypnosis and the practice of hypnotherapy have undergone considerable change in terms of the way they are understood. This has led up to the modern theory of hypnosis as a state of relaxation and increased accessibility to the subconscious. The crucial relationship between relaxation and hypnotherapy (and hypnosis) has been drawn out. Undoubtedly, the important role of hypnosis historically is matched today, and it can be seen as a major part of many rituals, medical procedures, leisure activities, sports, and entertainment (Segi 2012). References Brink, T. L. (2008) Psychology: A Student Friendly Approach http://www.saylor.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/TLBrink_PSYCH13.pdf [Retrieved 18/05/2014] Encyclopaedia Britannica (2004) Hypnosis http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/279820/hypnosis [Recovered 18/05/2014] Hadley, J. and Staudacher, C. (1996) Hypnosis for Change, New Harbinger Publications Heap, M. and Dryden, W. (1991) Hypnotherapy: a Handbook. Berkshire: Open University Press Karle, H. and Boys, J. (1987) Hypnotherapy a Practical Handbook, London: Free Association Books Kirsch, I. (1994) Clinical hypnosis as a nondeceptive placebo: Empirically derived techniques, The American journal of clinical hypnosis 37 (2), pp. 95–106 Robertson, D (2012) The Practice of Cognitive-Behavioural Hypnotherapy: A Manual for Evidence-Based Clinical Hypnosis, London: Karnac Segi, S. (2012) Hypnosis for pain management, anxiety and behavioral disorders. Factiva. [Retrieved 18/05/2014] Spiegel, H. and Spiegel, D. (1978) Trance and Treatment, Basic Books Inc., New York Waterfield, R. (2004) Hidden Depths The Story of Hypnosis, London: Pan Books.

“Inevitable vs. Amendable” Essay

The film â€Å"Inequality for All† tries to explain; what is the current status of the distribution of wealth and that of income equality? Why this is happening and if this is a problem. Yes, as stated in the film, social inequality is inevitable. But, there is without a doubt a problem with United States distribution of wealth. One of the facts that really opened my eyes was the fact that the 400 richest Americans, together hold more wealth than the poorest 150 million Americans have together. This said, it is scary to think about how obscure was the knowledge we had on the one percent with given how much economic influence they have. The minimum wages vs. growth of productivity graph is one that I found very interesting. Why is â€Å"just† in today’s society to be part a more productive workforce that gets paid less than the workforce we had a few decades ago? The line graph for productivity growth is rising every year, meaning that more work is being done. On the other hand, the minimum wages growth rates were rising but after a while they seem to have plateau and they have been like this for about 30 years. Advances in globalization and technology are also inevitable because it is simple economics that a product shall be produced in the cheapest way possible. Yes, technology does create jobs but as we see in the film companies like Amazon are also opting to operate with high tech machinery instead of the traditional assembly line. Women going to work, general workforce working for longer hours and borrowing money from the financial sectors are coping mechanisms that the middle class used to keep up with their good lifestyles, but in my opinion these are more like defense mechanisms in order to survive in the concrete jungle with the same wages they had 30 years ago. One other comparison that I liked was how the widening inequality leads to a deficiency cycle and when the wealth is equally distributed economic stability is transfused from sector to sector creating a domino effect leading to a virtuous cycle.

Assignment Self Assessment Report - 2319 Words

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