Case Study for Samsung Electronics

Case Analysis for Samsung Electronics 1. What is SMIC’s strategy? Should Samsung be concerned about SMIC? SMIC seems to execute the same kind of strategy Samsung used before to succeed. The strategy is selling their products at low prices and growing their market share at the expense of profitability. SMIC may threaten Samsung’s business in the future, but not too much. Although SMIC can get many resources, such as cheap funds and lands from Chinese government and foreign investors, SMIC only focuses on producing chips, not designing chips.Samsung Distribution ChannelThe cost of the application of a new tap today is 3 billion and it is difficult for SMIC with sales revenue of 365. 8 million in 2003. Samsung’s success depends on its constant technology innovation, leading to high quality products and efficient manufacturing process which will benefit Samsung with high retail prices and low cost. SMIC seems hard to get core technology from their partners unless for ming a joint venture. However, cooperating with chip manufacturers in Taiwan seems more attractive for the leading technology owners.Except the technology, Samsung still enjoy unit cost advantage in raw materials, R&D and depreciation. SMIC may threaten Samsung’s old generation products. However, memory chip industry is a tech-oriented industry, Samsung can still maintain its leading position because its advantage in innovation. What Samsung should concern is that the fast growing Chinese market (estimated to be the second-largest semi-conduct buyer in 2010), their global competitors may get market-entry advantages through cooperating with SMIC. 2. The low cost position.Samsung operating profit advantage over the industry composite is $2. 11 per unit, 34% from selling price and 66% from cost advantage. To SMIC, it is 1. 78 per unit, 70% from selling price and 30% from cost advantage (Exhibit 1). For the comparative cost analysis, Samsung have unit advantage over the industry composite in all the five elements. They are raw materials 36%, labor 27%, depreciation 18%, R&D 3%, SG&A 25. 29%. Compared to SMIC, Samsung has advantages in raw material 36%, depreciation 17% and R&D 25%, but has disadvantages among labor 57% and SG&A 48% (Exhibit 2). . 1 Analysis Samsung VS Industry Composite a. Samsung’s unit selling price advantage comes from two aspects. First, PC OEM manufacturers would pay 1% price premium to reliable suppliers. Second, Samsung can customize its products for some special use because its diverse products line to get premium. Third, Samsung has the most advanced products which can enjoy high selling price during the first several-month launching time. b. Samsung’s unit raw material cost advantage come from three aspects. First, the material suppliers will give maximum 5% discount to large volume buying.Second, the usage of 12-inch wafer (reduce 10% cost per chip) and 0. 11? m processing technology(80%, the highest yield rate) mak es Samsung get more chips with same amount of materials. Assuming the weighted average raw material cost per chip of Samsung is 100%, the Mircon will be 134%, Indineon 116% and the Hynix 161% (Exhibit 3). c. Samsung’s unit labor’s cost may be explained by the salary differences between Samsung ($44000 per year) and the industry ($49312 per year, weighted average by production volume). Also, there are some invisible issues.Samsung provides equal and competitive corporation value, unique evaluation and promotion system and humanity warfare for their employees. These elements make Samsung more productive, so the labor cost per unit is lower. d. The reason for Samsung’s unit depreciation cost advantage per unit is similar to that of raw materials. With high processing technology (0. 11? m) to control yield rate (Samsung 80% vs Industry weighted average 59%), Samsung can produce more efficiently. So the depreciation per unit is lower. The production efficiency advant age (25%) is higher than the cost depreciation advantages (17%).That may because Samsung uses more advanced and expensive machine. e. Samsung’s advantage in unit R&D cost may come from three ways. First, the competitive corporation culture drive employees to devote themselves in innovation. And the technical person works together with the manufacturing one, making the innovation process more efficient. Second, the innovation method is effective. The can use same core technology to develop different products types, such as the DDR and Rambus. Third, centralization of the R&D facilities saves an average 12% fab construction costs. . Samsung’s unit SG&A cost advantage comes from the efficient management structure of the country reducing the general administration cost and good reputation of products reducing the sales expenses. 3. 2 Analysis Samsung VS SMIC a. Compared to the industry composite, Samsung’s profit advantage over SMIC mainly from the price realization (70%), and the cost advantage only stands for 30%. The huge price gap results from several aspects. First, the quality and reputation for SMIC is lower. Second, the technology SMIC used was one or two generation older than Samsung.Third, use the low price strategy to get the market share. Finally, SMIC using purchasing rights exchanging for technology partners, the price of product selling to their partner may be lower than the marketing price. b. The reason for Samsung’s unit material cost advantage seems similar to the one over industry composite. c. The disadvantage of labor cost is because the average salary of SMIC is only a quarter of Samsung. d. The reason for Samsung’s unit depreciation cost seems similar to the one over industry composite. The gap should be larger.However, the SMIC gets cheap loans and government support, and buy old product line from Motorola. These issues may help SMIC reduce the gap. e. Samsung’s unit R&D cost advantages may be expl ained with SMIC’s start-up status. It usually spends a lot at the early age of innovation. To build a new fab for SMIC is more expensive than Samsung. f. The disadvantage of Samsung in unit SG&A may be explained by SMIC’s strategy. Now, SMIC has to manufacture the products for their technology partners. SMIC seem to focus less on marketing their brands and become an OEM factory. 3. Can Samsung retain its cost advantage?If lose, what would happen at Samsung and SMIC? In my opinion, the main drive for Samsung’s profit is its innovation, which can lead to high selling price and low manufacturing cost. The raw materials advantages may be decreased with increasing SMIC production volume and advanced manufacturing technology. The labor disadvantage is hard to say because Chinese labor cost is also rising. The depreciation advantage may be decreased by the efficiency improvement of SMIC. The R&D gap may also be decreased by the development of SMIC. SA&G depend on to wh at degree SMIC want to promote their own brand.So the Samsung’s cost advantages over SMIC will be decreased in the future and even lose. However, assuming that someday Samsung loses its cost advantages, it is still very likely that Samsung is ahead of SMIC by one or two generation. Samsung still can make more profit by with higher selling prices. Even though SMIC can get government support and cheap funds, it cannot acquire the same kind of corporate culture and the centralized R&D facility. By the way, SMIC cannot tolerant long time profit loses as a public company and the national security concerns may put more resource on logic chip. 4. Options and recommendations. a.Joint venture: Corporate with SMIC or other chip manufacturers in China to produce low end DRAM. Even the low end technology is attractive to China and get government support. Open the potential Chinese market and reduce cost. But it is hard to maintain the relationship with the constant requirement of technol ogy transfer. b. OEM: License SMIC and make it as an OEM manufacture for Samsung. Transfer our low end technology to SMIC. The longer SMIC keeping the contract, the less threat. However, SMIC seems unwilling to accept this contract unless it faces profit pressure. SMIC’s ability may not reach the Samsung products requirement. . Focusing on our own business: Samsung’s core competency is constant and efficient innovation. Memory chip industry is technology-oriented and the advantage cannot be achieved in few years (Unless competitor gets breakthrough such as total substitute, which is little probability). The corporate value cannot be copied in a short time. Samsung may reallocate its resources of DRAM (profit, manufacturing capacity of old chips and R&D) towards more promising flash memory business. By doing that it can still keep its leading position in memory chip industry. I recommend this option.

A Young Mans Song

Take a Chance The poem, The Young Man’s Song by William Butler Yeats creates an encouraging tone to convince people in taking a chance with love. The poem creates a symbolic meaning of taking a chance when the poem says, â€Å"Wherefore I threw a penny to find if I might love. † This line describes that people need to take a chance at love otherwise they may not get another chance. You have to throw the penny in order to take a chance. Go and love, go and love young man, If the lady be young and fair,† shows that the young man should go after this lady if she seems to be worth the effort. The young man should go after this lady before someone else does. This poem depicts the subject of love. The poem has an encouraging tone for people in love because it gives people hope that there is a chance for them to love. The mood is also similar because it is hopeful for the young man to gain love.These two help show the subject of the poem is love. This subject is shown in the theme by explaining that if you wait too long to go for love, then it may be too late. It is better to take a chance then to wait until it is too late. The poem describes how love cannot be understood fully by anyone so the goal should be to not become worried about love and to take a chance even if you’re not sure how it will end up.The poem says that a person would be thinking of love until the stars had run away which is describing how people may wait too long to express their love. This may mean that if you don’t take a chance now, then you may not get another chance in the future. The very end of the poem emphasizes this point when it says, â€Å"One cannot begin too soon. † This specific line gives the idea of throwing all your worries away and taking a chance because it is never too early to love.

Bret Harte Essay Example for Free

Bret Harte Essay Choose cite format: APA MLA Harvard Chicago ASA IEEE AMA The United States has some of the best literature that has ever been written. American literature is very well refined and unique from other countries. In the writing world, American literature has not even been around that long. The past 337 years that America has been a country is relatively short compared to the thousands of years that literature has existed. The many great American writers are what make American literature able to overcome its short lifespan and be one of the greatest countries for literature in the world. From Washington Irving to Mark Twain, American authors are responsible for American literature’s current amazing state. One certain author played an especially important role in shaping a specific genre in American literature. Bret Harte is the man responsible for making the Western genre of literature popular. His stories are captivating. Bret Harte was able to contribute to the rise of American literature by shaping the Western genre so that other authors may adapt to his new style of writing, and by writing some of the most memorable stories of all time, such as â€Å"The Outcasts of Poker Flat. † Bret Harte was born in Albany, New York, on August 25, 1836. He was raised as one of his family’s four children. Harte was very ill from ages six to ten, which gave him free time for reading (Franks 829). This time for reading had a great influence on Harte, giving him blocks for him to build on in his writing career. He was especially affected by the writings of British author Charles Dickens (Franks 829). His family was so poor, that they were unable to afford for him to finish school (Franks 829). When his father died in 1845, Harte and his family moved to Brooklyn. When his mother became engaged again, he and his family moved to Oakland, where his mother was married. His family was still very poor though. These times of hardship were also very influential on his writing. He was able to understand difficult struggles, thus making the problems that his characters face in his stories more interesting. He connected with his characters in many ways when they would experience times of hardship. His time in Oakland is what made him such a great â€Å"Western† writer. It made writing about the Wild West natural for him. Harte then moved to Union, California, but was run out of town after publishing a newspaper story about local white men slaughtering Indians. Harte married Anna Griswold, and they had four children together. They lived together in San Francisco, where Harte wrote most of his popular stories and became quite famous. During the height of his popularity, he signed a contract with The Atlantic Monthly for $10,000 for 12 stories a year, the most money then offered to a U. S. writer (â€Å"Hutchinson’s†). His fame led to his stories becoming even more popular, but it would also go to his head. The main genre used in most of Harte’s stories is the â€Å"Western†. According to The New Encyclopedia Britannica, the â€Å"Western† is defined as â€Å"an original genre of novels and short stories, motion pictures, and television and radio shows that are set in the American West, usually in the period from the 1850s to the end of the nineteenth century,† (598). An average Western story was about a cowboy fighting Indians or a sheriff catching a bad guy, but Harte made his special. Of those stories, one of the most popular is â€Å"The Outcasts of Poker Flat. † This story is about a group of people who are kicked out of their town for being â€Å"bad† people. They set up camp together and attempted to work with each other to stay alive. The group experiences many setbacks, including a member betraying them, a long snowstorm, and a shortage of food. While the reader watches the story unfold, he or she starts to see that these people really are not that bad, and perhaps they did not deserve this punishment. This story is very different from the traditional Western stories. In â€Å"The Outcasts of Poker Flat,† Harte is able to make criminals seem like good guys. Usually a â€Å"Western† is about a perfect main character, who stops the bad guys; but in this story, the main characters are some of the worst people in the town. His is also different from traditional â€Å"Westerns† in the way that it does not have any guns. When most people think of a â€Å"Western,† they think of guns, but Harte was able to change that. He wrote a story with no guns at all, and it is able to focus more on the characters and their feelings, rather than action and violence. Harte goes far beyond the ordinary way of writing with this story. In the opening paragraph of â€Å"The Outcasts of Poker Flat,† Harte writes: As Mr. John Oakhurst, gambler, stepped into the main street of Poker Flat on the morning of the twenty-third of November, 1850, he was conscious of a change in its moral atmosphere since the preceding night. Two or three men, conversing earnestly together, ceased as he approached, and exchanged significant glances. There was a Sabbath lull in the air, which, in a settlement unused to Sabbath influences, looked ominous. (â€Å"The Outcasts of Poker Flat†) As is visible in this paragraph, Harte was a very descriptive writer. He was able to paint a picture in the reader’s mind and effectively set his story’s mood. The characters that Harte used in this story were very significant. As said by Abby H. P. Werlock, his characters included â€Å"the stoic gambler, the soft-hearted prostitute, the unthinking drunk, and the vigilante committee driven by personal interests and blinded by the passion of a moment† (Werlcok). All of these characters that Harte used are still seen in many Western stories today. In fact, they are quite typical in modern Western stories, but Harte was the one to come up with them. Shaping the Western genre and writing some of the most memorable stories of all time, such as â€Å"The Outcasts of Poker Flat,† was how Bret Harte was able to contribute to the rise of American literature. After Harte’s era, â€Å"Westerns† became much more popular. He forever changed American literature to be much more Western themed. Harte will always be remembered as one of the best authors of all time, and more specifically, the man who changed the way Western stories are written. Bret Harte. (2016, Sep 06). We have essays on the following topics that may be of interest to you

The Evolution of Communication Technology and Personal Impact Coursework

The Evolution of Communication Technology and Personal Impact - Coursework Example Even the style of learning was primitive. Many of the natural sciences were still in their first stages of development and the only way that information could be shared was through books. The one drawback was language and the ability to mass-produce. Literacy was a privilege among many cultures, so while everyone could speak their respective language, very few could write and read it. These books were also extremely valuable as not many copies were available during these periods. At many times, only one or two copies would have existed in the world. As such, learning and communication hindered human growth intellectually (Greff, 1987). The first real use of electronic communication started with the advent of Morse code. Samuel F. B. Morse created Morse code in the beginning of the 1840s. Communication and information was transmitted through a series of tones as either dots or dashes. A decoder could then be used to translate these messages (Noth, 1990). This was an extremely useful and important technological development in the age of communications. The biggest purpose was not that of education however, Morse code was instrumental in allowing communication of information and strategic planning during World War I and World War II (Mullener, 2002). This original development of communication technology would later come to serve as the communication of ideas, which is fundamental in scholasticism today. The next biggest leap in technology was the development of the first computers, which started in the mid twentieth century. At this time, the ancient computers were nowhere near the computers we use today. It was very common for a computer to take up many, many rooms in a single building and still only be... The Evolution of Communication Technology and Personal Impact As science and research developed during the many industrial and technological revolutions in the world, more and better technologies have been created. Every single person in the world is connected by a single technology alone: communications technology (Elahi, 2001). This includes cell phones, computers, Internet, etc. and they have all revolutionized the way in which we lead our lives. One of the most important developments that these technologies have influenced is the way in which we learn and assimilate information. Traditional learning in the classroom has been enhanced with computers and the Internet allows students to bring the world inside the classroom (Wingard, 2004). Personally, I have seen the benefits of this having been able to take classes while being able to still pursue an active career. The ways that the Internet and technology has developed has made it easier to learn as well as enhanced many aspects of learning to become multidiscipline. Mobile technologies h ave further revolutionized the educational system by allowing greater opportunities and greater exposure to new forms of learning, which can be beneficial to not only traditional students, but also those returning to school to earn their degree (Manner, 2003).  The first methods of communication were derived through writing. Technology has been existent in the past, present, and will be in the future. It shapes world events and the course of human development.

The use of offshore outsourcing for information system project has a Assignment

The use of offshore outsourcing for information system project has a number of associated issues which may impact on the success - Assignment Example Apart from these aspects, there are also certain other factors that have direct impact or directly led to success or failure of projects related to outsourcing. Hence, a comprehensive understanding regarding offshore outsourcing having its impact on the success or the failure of the projects has been illustrated in the paper. Keywords: Offshore Outsourcing, Information Technology, Vendor Management, Business activities, Outsource Partner, Information System. 1. Introduction In the modern day business scenario, where the competition level has become immense among the companies, there is always a need to align business with advanced technological advancements up to the optimum level. This aspect ensures that the organisations could be able to attain superior competitive position as compared to their major competitors in the global market. Among the various approaches companies adopt in modern day business, the aspect of offshore outsourcing can be considered as the most vital one (Beul en & et. al., 2010). 1.1. Background Offshore outsourcing is regarded as the process or the practice of appointing an external organization in order to execute certain fundamental functions of business. In simple terms, it can be explained as a particular approach that the companies undertake wherein they hire people or agencies from other countries to perform certain activities of their respective business. This type of approach cost companies quite less which further impose favourable impact on their business profitability. Apart from the aspect of cost and profitability, this sort of approach is also implemented by business units for executing certain activities that they are not equipped or capable of conducting those actions effectively. It can be viewed that customer call centres are the most common form of offshore outsourcing. In today’s business context, companies spend substantial amounts in outsourcing a few of the core activities of business (Herath & Kishore, 200 9; Sparrow, 2005). Hence, the significance of offshore outsourcing can be depicted from this aspect. 1.2. Aim The principle aim of the paper will be to define and discuss the main issues associated with offshore outsourcing in information system. The paper will also provide a brief discussion regarding the effectiveness as along with the challenges associated with offshore outsourcing. Furthermore, considering all these aspects, a conclusion will be drawn which would depict success or failure of offshore outsourcing in modern day business context. 2. Main Issues in Offshore Outsourcing It is quite apparent that offshore outsourcing is one of the most widely implemented approaches by companies in the modern day business context. However, there are certain issues and challenges associated with offshore outsourcing that places itself to be vital with regard to information systems. These issues are deemed to have impacts on the overall performance of the organizations in one way or the other in their operational activities. Though technologies have become quite advanced, certain risks associated with them principally became a major point of attention for businesses all over (Baldia, n.d.). A few of the key issues associated

Syllabus Design in the Arena of English Language Learning in South Kor Essay - 2

Syllabus Design in the Arena of English Language Learning in South Korea - Essay Example This strategy would dictate that students would be taught other subjects, such as science and social studies, in English. The idea would require students to be language students of whatever content is being taught. Because I have taught ESL in Korea for 7 years, have taken a course in TESOL, and my experience in my current syllabus writing course, I could have predicted the negative reaction to the program. The content-based syllabus was met with widespread criticism and the program was quickly terminated. This outcome was predictable based on the problematic application of a content-based syllabus at the middle and high school level. Syllabus design has exposed me to the requirements of readiness in second language teaching. As a rookie teacher, the conventional wisdom taught that a good second language teacher would rely on a structural and notional-functional syllabus. A structural syllabus is a collection of forms and structures, while the notional is a collection of the functions that are performed when the language is used. In light of my recent educational experience, I no longer rely on those outdated models nor do I apply them. My daily schedule involves teaching conversational English to classes of students with varying backgrounds. The students may range from middle school level to the business professional. The classes may be all of one level or mixed, which demands a different approach to the question of the syllabus for each class. I approach my classes, and the issue of the syllabus, from the principle of theory meets reality. Beyond simply teaching the class, a key component of the syllabus is to maintain the motivation of the students. For the most basic learners, my approach is to use a mixture of a structural/notional syllabus. For the false beginners, a skill-based/ task-based syllabus is used. For my  intermediate and higher level learners a content-based syllabus is used.

Multiattribute Theory of Wal-Mart Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Multiattribute Theory of Wal-Mart - Essay Example The relative personal importance of each attribute was considered on a scale of 1-10 and indicated. Similarly, each belief about the establishments was scored on a scale of 1-10. Finally, the Multiattribute index for each firm was computed using the Fishbein model’s formula. The purpose of this study was to determine whether scored attributes and beliefs of establishments correlate to the purchasing behavior of the consumer (Deb & KÃ ¶ksalan, 2010). The study revealed that the scored attributes and beliefs do not correlate to the purchasing behavior of the consumer. Kmart was found to have the highest index of 298 followed by Wal-Mart with a score of 271. The establishment with lowest score was Sears with 187. So, there was a perceived difference in the overall score of attributes. This means that the beliefs concerning various attributes vary from one establishment to another. In terms of the price, which is rated as highly important, of the various establishments, K-Mart is believed to have fair prices, followed by both Wal-Mart and Sears, which have equal ratings. The belief that a certain store charges lower or higher prices as compared to other stores influences the purchasing behavior of the buyers (KÃ ¶ksalan & Sagala, 1995). Convenience, quality, guarantee of satisfaction and job security were also rated highly in terms of importance, with each having a score of at least 7. However, their scores of believes vary from one establishment to another. Wal-Mart has the highest score in terms of quality followed by K-Mart, while Sears has the lowest score of 3. Both Wal-Mart and K-Mart are rated equally in terms of convenience and satisfaction guarantees. Variety, wages, good neighbor, and environment protective are all rated with scores of not more than 5, in terms of importance. Even in terms of believes, they still rated below 5. This means that these attributes may not matter so much to a buyer when making a purchase. This attributes are clearly known

DSS (Information-Technology) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

DSS (Information-Technology) - Essay Example DSS is usually designed as an interactive tool which receives input from the user end to compile, assist and guide in the decision making process. The reliability and accuracy of the DSS have been proved in various occasions (Shortliffe, 1987). This present research work deals with various applications of DSS in medical informatics. There is a growing interest in adopting decision support systems in health care. The application of information technology can improve the process quality by automation and minimizing errors drastically. It can rectify the problems associated with the existing technologies. A study was conducted to evaluate the impact of CDSS on the prescription costs (S.Troy McMullin et al 2004). The CDSS provides clinicians with adequate recommendations for the prescription process. The promotional activities of pharmaceutical companies influence the physicians in the drug prescription. They culminate in prescription of inappropriate drugs with high cost. These kinds of consequences can be overcome by the utilization of the automated systems since they provide guidelines based on preset facts and literature providing a cost effective solution. The CDSS WELLINX is one such example for this. The developed system guides the clinicians to choose a specific diagnosis and displays prescription relating to the condition. It works effectively in the decision making process cost effectively. DSS have been widely used and has also shown significant results in the patient outcomes. Studies carried out by shows CDSS improves quality of healthcare by providing accurate and timely diagnostic information. Once a system is derived taking into consideration all the requirements including the knowledge base it will prove good in the decision making process. Minimizing errors It was reported in a survey the prescribers had an error rate of 1.5%, a quarter of which may lead to serious effects (Dean B, 2002). Computerized systems for medicine or decision support system evolved as a result of repeated encountered errors; the UK and US government reformed the medical policy by depending on the information technological support and applications to minimize these errors. DSS improving decision quality In a study conducted (Vitali Sintchenko et al, 2004) on the impact of computerized decision support systems (CBSS) on antibiotic prescribing decisions, it was found CBSS improved the decision quality significantly. They graded the clinical impact score based on adoption rate and decision effectiveness and it was revealed from their work that DSS along with the microbiology report showed a high clinical impact score than the electronic guideline and electronic medical reports. Treatment guidelines Madhukar H. Trived et al, 2004 in his work describes the outlines the present use of computerized systems for implementing treatment guidelines and early use of a computerized decision support system for treating depression. It was found that the physicians'

LVMH Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

LVMH - Essay Example Its distribution network is spread worldwide and caters to the upper class fancies and it has a number of high value brands in its fold. It mainly deals in wines and spirits, Fashion and Leather Goods, Perfumes & Cosmetics, Watches and Jewellery and Selected Retail Items. It has over sixty subsidiaries and they are autonomous in their operations. As a result the brands are mostly sold in upmarket locations, often through exclusive boutiques and showrooms and are not ordinarily available in Malls or markets. LVMH came into existence in 1987 with the merger of two of the largest wine makers Moet and Hennessy. Later they were merged with Louis Vuitton and added a great portfolio of 60 prestigious luxury brands. Christian Dior owns a part of LVMH and both companies are headed by a common CEO. Although its headquarters are in Paris, yet over 70% of its 64,000 strong workforce is based outside France. Its distribution channels are spread over 1,800 stores worldwide. LVMH has banked upon segmentation of the market successfully. It has chosen the upper strata of the society and is in possession of highly coveted items in fashion, wines & spirits, watches and jewellery and perfumes. Its customers are celebrities, high profile individuals, business leaders and executives and the political class. On the second rung it also caters to the wealthy consumers who are growing in numbers due to opening up of global career opportunities. It caters to people in their early twenties to sixties and has a vast product range for them. As the world turns into a global village, a new breed of customers from emerging and developing market is making its way to its stores. Having been long deprived, but attracted to the name and image created by its products they are proving to be the mainstay of LVMH in many a new markets. Thus we see a proliferation of LVMH group’s stores of different brands coming up in the Asian and Latin American markets. Globalization has opened new avenues

Understanding Consumer Behavior Essay Example for Free

Understanding Consumer Behavior Essay Why is understanding consumer behavior of such importance to marketers? Give examples of how marketers apply their understanding of consumer behavior to their marketing strategies. The study of Consumer behavior plays an importance role to the marketers which need to study in how individuals, groups and organizations select, buy, use and dispose of goods, services, idea or experiences to satisfy their needs and wants. The marketers need to research and understand how the study of consumer behavior works and only can positioning their production in the particular groups of people. Marketers need to considered about the factors that affecting the consumer buying behavior before starting a business. Some of the factors that may influence consumer purchase decisions are the cultural influences, social influences, personal factors and psychological factors. Those of the factors are vital when using them to apply as the marketing strategies. For example the marketers are planning to launch a non-halal restaurant in a new shopping complex. Firstly, the marketers need to considered throughout the factors that affecting their consumer behavior. For the cultural influences, the marketers need to concern about the nationalities, religions and values norms or the lifestyle of their target consumer. So in this case the halal users are not be able to visit the restaurant since it touch the religions issue. Therefore the marketers have to change their strategies or set the restaurant in other places which accept with the constraints. Furthermore, the occupation, lifestyle and economic situation of consumer are affecting a people buying decision. When comes to the introduction of sports car, family group of people will rather consider to buy a family car whereas some upper social class of people will take it as consideration. For the people in working class are usually driving a normal car or take public transportation. In this case, the marketers should selling the sports car to the consumer who taking the high salary in upper class. Therefore, the marketers need to understand which group of consumer they are targeting and put on focus to target them.

Quality Specification And Quality Costs Information Technology Essay

Quality Specification And Quality Costs Information Technology Essay The quality specifications of a product or service derive from decisions and actions made relative to the quality of its design and the quality of its conformance to that design. Design quality refers to the inherent value of the product in the marketplace and is thus a strategic decision for the firm. These dimensions refer to the features of the product or service that relate directly to design issues. A firm designs a product or service to address the need of a particular market. A firm designs a product or service with certain performance characteristics and features based on what the intended market expects. Materials and manufacturing process attributes can greatly impact the reliability and durability of the product. Here the company attempts to design a product or service that can be produced or delivered at a reasonable cost. The serviceability of the product may have a great impact on the cost of the product or service to the customer after the initial purchase is made. It also may impact the warranty and repair cost to the firm. Aesthetics may greatly impact the desirability of the product or service, in particular consumer products. Especially when a brand name is involved, the design often represents the next generation of an ongoing stream of products and services. Consistency in the relative performance of the product compared to the state of art, for example, may have a great impact on how the quality of the product is perceived. This may be very important to the long-run success of the product or service. Conformance quality refers to the degree to which the product or service design specifications are met. The activities involved in achieving conformance are of a tactical, day-to-day nature. It should be evident that a product or service can have high design quality but low conformance quality and vice-versa. Quality at the source and Dimensions of Quality: Quality at the source is frequently discussed in the context of conformance quality. This means that the person who does the work takes responsibility for making sure that his or her output meets specifications. Where a product is involved, achieving the quality specifications is typically the responsibility of the manufacturing management; in a service firm, it is usually the responsibility of the branch operations management. Examples of this being a laser printer that meets the pages per minute and print density standards and checking account transaction in a bank are illustrated with the help of a table. Both quality of design and quality of conformance should provide products that meet the customerà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s objectives for those products. This is often termed the productà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s fitness for use, and it entails identifying the dimensions of the product (or service) that the customer wants (that is, the voice of the customer) and developing a quality control program to ensure that these dimensions are met. Cost of Quality: Although few can quarrel with the notion of prevention, management often needs hard numbers to determine how much prevention activities will cost. This issue was recognized by Joseph Juran, who wrote about it in 1951 in his Quality Control Handbook. Today, Cost of Quality (COQ) analyses are common in industry and constitute one of the primary functions of QC departments. These are a number of definitions and interpretations of the term cost of quality. From the puristà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s point of view, it means all the costs attributable to the production of quality that is not 100 percent perfect. A less stringent definition considers only those costs that are the difference between what can be expected from excellent performance and the current costs that exist. A GOODYEAR ASSOCIATE INSPECTS A RADIAL TYRE AT THE SAO PAULO, BRAZIL, BEFORE MOUNTING IT ON THE WHEEL. GOODYEAR PRACTICES BOTH VISUAL AND INTERNAL INSPECTIONS OF TYRES, EVEN PULLING SOME TYRES FROM THE PRODUCTION LINE TO BE X-RAYED. QUALITY CONTROL ENGINEERS ALSO REGULARLY CUT APART RANDOMLY CHOSEN TYRES TO STUDY VARIOUS DETAILS THAT MAY EFEECT PERFORMANCE, RIDE OR SAFETY. How significant is the cost of quality? It has been estimated at between 15 and 20 percent of every sales dollar- the cost reworking, scrapping, repeated service, inspections, tests, warranties, and other quality related items. Philip Crosby states that the correct cost for a well-run quality management program should be under 2.5 percent. There are three basic assumptions justifying an analysis of the costs of quality: Failures are caused Prevention is cheaper Performance can be measured The costs of quality are generally classified into 4 types: Appraisal costs: Costs of the inspection, testing, and other tasks to ensure that the product or process is acceptable. Prevention costs: The sum of all the costs to prevent defects, such as the costs to prevent defects, such as the costs to identify the cause of defects, to implement the corrective action to eliminate the cause, to train personnel, to redesign the product or system, and to purchase new equipment and make modifications. Internal failure costs: Costs of defects incurred within the system: scrap, rework, and repair. External failure costs: Costs of defect that pass through the system: system warranty replacements, loss of customers and goodwill, handling complaints and product repair. Example: The quality cost report illustrates the type of report that might be submitted to show the various costs by categeories. Prevention is the most important influence. A rule of thumb says that for every rupee a person spends in prevention, he can save 10 rupees in failure and appraisal costs. Often increases in productivity occur as a by-product of efforts to reduce the cost of quality. A bank, for example, set out to improve quality and found out it has also boosted productivity. The bank developed these productivity measures for the loan processing area: The no. of tickets processed / Resources required The resources required are: Labor cost Computer time Ticket forms Before the quality improvement program, the productivity index was: = 0.2660 [2,080 / (Rs. 11.23 x 640 hours + Rs. 0.05 x 2,600 forms + Rs. 500 for systems costs)] Quality Cost Report CURRENT MONTHà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢S COST PERCENTAGE OF TOTAL Prevention costs Quality training Reliability consulting Pilot production runs Systems development Total production Rs. 2,000 10,000 5,000 8,000 25,000 1.3% 6.5 3.3 5.2 16.3 Appraisal costs Materials inspection Supplies inspection Reliability testing Laboratory testing Total appraisal 6,000 3,000 5,000 25,000 39,000 3.9 2.0 3.3 16.3 25.5 Internal failure costs Scrap Repair Rework Downtime Total internal failure 15,000 18,000 12,000 6,000 51,000 9.8 11.8 7.8 3.9 33.3 External failure costs Warranty costs Out of warranty repairs and replacement Customer complaints Product liability Transportation losses Total external failure 14,000 6,000 3,000 10,000 5,000 38,000 9.2 3.9 2.0 6.5 3.3 24.9 Total quality costs Rs. 1,53,000 100.0 After the quality improvement project was completed, lobor time fell to 546 hours and the number of forms rose to 2,100, for a change in the index to 0.3088, an increase in the productivity of 16 percent.

Ancient Egyptian Pharaohs :: Ancient Egypt Egyptian History

Ancient Egyptian Pharaohs In Ancient Egypt there were over 29 Kings and Pharaohs and over 5 Queens. Some of the most famous kings and queens were: Ramses II, Ramses III, King Tut, Cleopatra, and Nefertiti. Ramses II (reigned 1279-1212 BC), ancient Egyptian king, third ruler of the 19th dynasty, the son of Seti I. During the early part of his reign Ramses fought to reign the territory in Africa and Western Asia that Egypt had held during the 16th and 15th centuries BC. His principle opponents were the Hittites, a powerful people of Asia Minor, against whom he waged a long war upon. The major battle of this war was fought in 1274 at Kadesh, in Northern Syria, was hailed by Ramses as such a great triumph. In 1258 BC a treaty was signed whereby the contested lands were divided and Ramses agreed to marry the daughter of the Hittite king. The remaining years of his rule were distinguished by the construction of such monuments as the rock-hewn temple of Abà » Simbel, the great hypostyle hall in the Temple of Amon at Al Karnak, and the mortuary temple at Thebes, known as Ramesseum. Ramses III (reigned 1182-1151 BC), Egyptian king of the 20th dynasty, a great military leader who repeatedly saved the country from invasion. In the 5th year of his reign, Ramses defeated an attack by the Libyans from the west, and two years later he routed invaders known as the Sea Peoples. In his 11th year he again repelled an attempted attack by the Libyans. Ramses was also a builder of temples and palaces in the tradition of his 19th-dynasty predecessor, Ramses II. His victories are depicted on the walls of his mortuary temple at Medinet Habu, near Luxor. Egyptian records tell of a strike by workers at Ramses's burial site and a plot against the king near the end of his reign. Ramses III was the last of the great rulers and after his death there were centuries of weakness and foreign domination. King Tut or Tutankhamun (reigned 1343-1325 BC), Egyptian pharaoh of the 18th dynasty, the son-in-law of Akhenaton, whom he succeeded. He became Pharaoh about the age of 9 and ruled until his death; which was about the age of 18. Peace was brought to Egypt during his reign as the worship of Amon, abandoned under Akhenaton, was restored and Thebes, the city sacred to Amon, was again made Egypt's capitol.

\Napster Case :: Napster Music Download

. Introduction: Amidst the hot debate about whether or not music should be free, there are ethical and moral considerations as well. MP3 music downloading has become the latest fad for computer owners. One computer site where users can download MP3 songs is Napster. The emergence of digital entertainment, whether an MP3, Liquid Audio book, or streaming video, has caused an inevitable shift in the entertainment market from a commodity base to a service base. One reason is that the digital medium eliminates acquisition cost for the consumer. A perfect copy of the original good is automatically created upon request. Using open platforms and formats, new companies in the entertainment sector have literally bypassed traditional production and distribution channels to reach the consumer. Napster is the perfect example of this new paradigm, turning every member’s computer into an audio server and distributing an individualized playlist. However, this trend seriously limits a content owne r’s ability to restrict the supply of his/her intellectual property on a large scale and thus control it. In response, the music industry has resorted to litigation and restrictive usage rules on licensed or retailed digital products. 2. Analysis the Economics of the music recording business The music industry continues to be characterized by commodity pricing. This is largely due to the fact that major label revenues are predominately derived from CD sales. As such, the focus of the industry’s online strategy has been to prevent CD sale cannibalization through control of online product supply and distribution. In the absence of this control, copyright owners would be unable to maintain pricing control. As a result, the industry has taken the lead in defining new rules for online digital distribution that would replicate conditions existing for off-line digital distribution. ï  ¶ Copyright infringements (excluding the effect of Internet) - bootlegging, piracy and counterfeits - are costing the music industry approximately $5 billion per year ï  ¶ sales in the music industry's five biggest markets (USA, Japan, Germany, UK and France) are growing slowly, if not stagnating 3. Analyze the company’s history, development, and growth. James Breyer (venture capitalist): â€Å"Napster is truly revolutionary- and it will be a precursor of some of the most important web applications over the next several years.)† 3.1. History Napster Case :: Napster Music Download . Introduction: Amidst the hot debate about whether or not music should be free, there are ethical and moral considerations as well. MP3 music downloading has become the latest fad for computer owners. One computer site where users can download MP3 songs is Napster. The emergence of digital entertainment, whether an MP3, Liquid Audio book, or streaming video, has caused an inevitable shift in the entertainment market from a commodity base to a service base. One reason is that the digital medium eliminates acquisition cost for the consumer. A perfect copy of the original good is automatically created upon request. Using open platforms and formats, new companies in the entertainment sector have literally bypassed traditional production and distribution channels to reach the consumer. Napster is the perfect example of this new paradigm, turning every member’s computer into an audio server and distributing an individualized playlist. However, this trend seriously limits a content owne r’s ability to restrict the supply of his/her intellectual property on a large scale and thus control it. In response, the music industry has resorted to litigation and restrictive usage rules on licensed or retailed digital products. 2. Analysis the Economics of the music recording business The music industry continues to be characterized by commodity pricing. This is largely due to the fact that major label revenues are predominately derived from CD sales. As such, the focus of the industry’s online strategy has been to prevent CD sale cannibalization through control of online product supply and distribution. In the absence of this control, copyright owners would be unable to maintain pricing control. As a result, the industry has taken the lead in defining new rules for online digital distribution that would replicate conditions existing for off-line digital distribution. ï  ¶ Copyright infringements (excluding the effect of Internet) - bootlegging, piracy and counterfeits - are costing the music industry approximately $5 billion per year ï  ¶ sales in the music industry's five biggest markets (USA, Japan, Germany, UK and France) are growing slowly, if not stagnating 3. Analyze the company’s history, development, and growth. James Breyer (venture capitalist): â€Å"Napster is truly revolutionary- and it will be a precursor of some of the most important web applications over the next several years.)† 3.1. History

Comparing Individuality and Transcendence in Wordsworth, Tennyson, and

Individuality and Transcendence in Wordsworth, Tennyson, and Joyce      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The development of the scientific method started a revolution in thought   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   that changed how people viewed the world. Scientists tested theories by   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   creating experiments and carefully observing the results. The importance   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   of scientific discoveries raised questions about the role of the observer.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     According to Ralph Koster, the importance of observation in science led to   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   the rise of the individual and an awareness of subjectivity. Society   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   realized that the individual could determine the outcome of an experiment   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   and that people could interpret events differently depending on prior   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   experience.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In addition to changing the role of the individual, science also changed   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   people's views on religion. By contemplating experimental results,   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   scientists created rules for how the universe operated. Nature became a   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   knowable force that scientists described in a logical collection of laws.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Thus, science took away much of the world's mystery and changed how people   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   viewed God. If the universe operated by rules, it wasn't necessary for God   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   to be involved every moment. God became a clockmaker who started the   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   universe and sat back to let it run.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The rise of individuality and changing views on religion resulted in   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   insecurity and isolation. Before the Romantic era, achieving oneness was   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   often thought of as an act of grace given in mysterious moments. God was   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   ineffable, but just. Because science encouraged the clockmaker view of ... ...nity. He embraces it all in a unique   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   vision. Amazingly, in this total embrace, he recovers mystery lost in   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   modern civilization.         Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Works Cited      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Joyce, James. "The Dead." The Norton Anthology English Literature. Ed.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     M.H. Abrams. New York: WW Norton, 2000. 2240-68.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Koster, Ralph. "Seeking the Beyond" 29 March 3003.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   http://www.legendmud.org/Ralph/papers/transcendence.html      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Wordsworth, William. "Preface to Lyrical Ballads." The Norton Anthology   Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  English Literature. Ed. M.H. Abrams. New York: WW Norton, 2000. 238-50      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Wordsworth, William. "Lines Composed a Few Miles above Tintern Abbey." The   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Norton Anthology English Literature. Ed. M.H. Abrams. New York: WW Norton,   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   2000. 235-237.               

Helping Pauline Face Her Sister Death

Like Pauline we could have told God many times you created me without my knowledge about it and will take my life at your convenience.   The statement implicates that everyone knows that humans are immortal but still many are not ready to face death.   Many are afraid to die because that is leading someone to the unknown or simply the end of non-being.   Very few accept that death as a sister or a brother that will accompany us to the next life.In the case of Pauline it will be very difficult in the beginning for an existential therapist to argue with her the meaning of life when it is the reason that aggravates Pauline’s situation.   The twenty year old woman is just finding meaning in her life and the promise of an eminent death brings all her plans to a halt. Though she is filled with rage, her initiative to ask for counseling is a sure sign that she will be able cope with her anxiety.To help Pauline, first is to understand her fear that is to be able to penetrate h er emotions, her will and dispositions.   Many people are afraid to die because we die alone just like when we were born when we came to this world without anything.Next is to encourage her to face death by preparing well for it and telling her the advantage that life is not being taken away but it is simply what happens to everyone.   If she’s   been given sometime to live, it would be to her advantage to live fully the times that are still available unlike those people whose life were taken by surprise say for example the 9/11 catastrophe.   The victims did not even have the time to say goodbye or leave something pleasing for their loved ones.Making Pauline realized that there is still time left behind for everything no matter how short life is will certainly increase her hope.   In one of the book written by Josemaria Escriva he said that† it is hope in God which sets us â€Å"marvelously ablaze with love, with a fire that makes the heart beat strong and k eeps it safe from discouragement and dejection, even though along the way one may suffer and at times suffer greatly (Scheffczyk, 2006).†ReferencesScheffczyk, C. L. (2006). Grace in the spirituality of St. Josemaria Escriva [Electronic Version]. Retrieved 09 April 2008, from http://en.romana.org/art/43_8.0_2   

Romeo and Juliet Fate

Forced marriage – Feud (we don't know what the feud is over, its never explained. Its clearly fate because they don't know what they're arguing about) – Meeting at the party (Romeo is drugged) – Violence: Deaths of Table and Mercuric (influences) when Romeo kills Table everything starts falling apart – Forced marriage – attitude to women – If women were valued, women would not be forced into such as marriage and not treated Just as objects, we may see more love and less violence.Mercuric says if you fall in love you become less masculine – Prologue (Not only will they die, the only way for the feud to end if for them to die.This is the only way out, it is certain) from the outset the viewer knows they'll die, not only for each other but to stop violence and feud because its written in the stars – Loveliness between Montague and Caplet – Only example of love besides Romeo and Juliet, is Romeo and Mercuric but Romeo doesn't love Mercuric back, no one loves anyone, or doesn't seem too, Lady Caplet doesn't love Juliet Romeo: Romeo-reckless young man (Friar Lawrence tells Romeo to slow down, find quote) Rushes into things, very in-touch with his emotions, lets it get the best of him (top with heart, symbolic) â€Å"Oh I am fortunes fool† is he was passionate young man, he would not have made the decision to kill Table Romeo and Juliet are in no way to blame for their untimely deaths, discuss. Agree: – Fate has determined that they must die (as is written in the prologue)

Martin Luther King Jr.’s Role in Advancing the Black Civil Rights

Looking back at the advancement of civil rights throughout the period 1865-1968, it is understandable to see Martin Luther King as the major player and leader. He was seen by many as a figurehead of the campaign, with his ‘mesmerism's oratorical ability he gave a lot of people inspiration and a man to lead the line to the end of racism in the United States. Undoubtedly, Martin Luther King did a lot to advance lack civil rights until his death in 1968, namely the 1964 Civil Rights Act.However, many historians until around the sass were too easy to go for the king centric approach in which black civil rights started in 1955 and ended in 1968. Not to take any credit away from King, the civil rights movement far exceeded of that during this period. Of curse and with great reason, resistance to race discrimination had been developing ever since the start of race discrimination itself, but it arguably only darted to pick up real pace with the 1863 Emancipation proclamation and the pa ssing of the Fourteenth Amendment of 1868.This gave black people De Cure rights across all stated, But, discrimination continued throughout this period with Jim Crow legislation and the ASK among other things, the fight continued for De facto rights. In response, many organizations emerged. These organizations attracted widespread attention and support with their mostly non-violent action, fighting for not only legislation but to gather public support.These organizations and Individuals existed ND made valuable progress long before Martin Luther King and continued long after his death, as cited by veteran civil rights activist Ella Baker, ‘Martin didn't make the movement, the movement made Martin'. Outside factors cannot be understated with the media, politicians and Judges being some of the few also Involved. But It Is natural to want to put Individuals responsible for great moments In history, It Is questionable whether Martin Luther King was the most Important facto towards the advancement of Civil Rights between 1863 and 1968.

Methadone Maintenance

Opiate addiction is a chronic disease that affects millions of people in the Unites States. This deadly epidemic is one that in most cases requires some form of medical treatment. There are many treatment options available to those struggling with addiction. The three most well-known options are rapid detect, jukeboxes, and methadone maintenance (Medication-Assisted Treatment for Podia Addiction Facts for Families and Friends).Though each form of treatment has its own advantages and disadvantages, they all have one common goal; drug freedom. Research has shown that those receiving treatment are nearly twice as likely to achieve their goal of drug freedom (Mayo Clinic). Opiates are highly addictive powerful drugs that are derived from the poppy plant and are generally used to relieve pain (mayo clinic). There are two types of opiates, natural and man-made. Though both are prescribed by physicians with the exception of heroin, often times when dealing with someone that has become addic ted they are obtained illegally.Because of the potential for prescribed opiates to end up being sold or traded on the streets, stricter regulations have been put in lace for physicians to prescribe them (samara). Where they were once a little quicker to write a prescription for a schedule II narcotic, they are now telling patients to â€Å"take a Ethylene or Motoring† (Levied). These regulations have become a necessity in the war against opiate addiction. Deciding to enter into treatment for opiate addiction is one that requires much thought. Generally when one decides that it is time for them to enter treatment, they have hit rock bottom (Levied).However, rock bottom is different for every person. For some, treatment may be court ordered and they are in a situation where their form of retirement is being chosen for them. For some, they are on the verge of losing everything that is important to them, or they may have already lost it. Whatever the reason may be, getting the tr eatment needed is a life changing decision. The best form of treatment varies from person to person. For some, the idea of a rapid detect would be the best. It is a quick process that only requires a short stay of usually 2-4 days in a detect facility or a hospital (mayo clinic).In most cases, the person will be given medication to assist them in dealing with the side effects of withdrawing from opiates. During a rapid detect, patients are monitored around the clock for a period of time for signs life-threatening withdrawal symptoms such as cardiac distress and seizures (ASSAM). Those that choose a rapid detect can expect to be sedated to keep them as comfortable as possible during this time period. Prior to sedation, they are generally given Maltreatment, to block the effects of opiates. Other medications may also be given during this time as withdrawal symptoms increase.In many cases medication to help control blood pressure and seizures become necessary. Jukeboxes has become popu lar because it does not require one to report to a clinic lily, but rather are given a prescription to be filled at a pharmacy. Jukeboxes comes in two forms, a tablet and a film, both are administered subliminally (jukeboxes). Though there are regulations governing the prescribing of jukeboxes, they are not nearly as strict as those in place for methadone (FDA). In order for a physician to begin prescribing jukeboxes, they are required to complete online training that is very limited (Manson).For many, that is the only training they have in addiction. Methadone is a synthetic drug that acts in a similar way to narcotics. Methadone moms in the form off tablet, powder, or liquid. The tablet and powder form are dissolved prior to administering the medication. When methadone is taken on a regular schedule, it will build up in the tissues making the effects last longer (samara). Methadone will not provide the same effects of opiates such as sedation or euphoria; it will instead block the se effects if other opiates are used (Catatonia 8). A stable dose will vary from person to person.Generally once someone achieves a stable dose of methadone it will hold them for 24-48 hours without them feeling dope sick (Levied)† Medication-assisted treatment has proven to be the most successful form of treatment for someone wishing to become drug free. However, these forms of treatment face tough criticism. It has been said that treating opiate addiction with medication is simply trading one addiction with another. However for those dealing with the daily struggle of addiction, they depend on these forms of treatment to gain control of their lives.For those people, the daily routines, the counseling, the referrals, the support of others and the consequences is what gives them hope; the pop that they will beat this disease that plagues them (in my own words). Methadone Maintenance treatment is the one form of treatment available that offers all of those things and more. When properly used, I feel that methadone maintenance treatment is the safest and most effective way to treat opiate addiction. There are many reasons that I feel methadone maintenance is the safest form of treatment available to someone battling opiate addiction.Contrary to what some may think, or some of what has been reported, these facilities can have a life changing effect on those who are committed to the program (Methadone Maintenance Treatment Facts). These programs are not only a place for someone to come in, pick up a prescription and leave. Instead these programs require patients to report daily for their medication, at least until they are able to meet all requirements for take home privileges. While there, patients interact with office staff, nursing staff, and clinical staff on a daily basis.Patients are monitored for any changes in their appearance, attitude, alertness, and overall demeanor (Levied). This helps to ensure that if someone is having an issue that staff is th ere to offer assistance right away. For many that battle addiction, Just knowing someone is there to listen and offer as much assistance as possible is enough to get them headed on the right path (In My Own Words). The guidelines set by the federal and state governments are much stricter for methadone maintenance that those set for jukeboxes (samara).For instance, in jukeboxes clients walk into a clinic to sign up and within a matter of a couple of hours they are able to walk out with at the very least medication that should last them a week. When people struggling with addiction first make the choice to enter into a retirement program, they are scared, sick, and in many cases about to lose everything important to them (In My Own Words). These patients are still using illicit drugs daily, and are at this point willing to do whatever it takes to avoid being â€Å"dope sick. Jukeboxes often ends up being sold illegally on the streets because people that have been lying, cheating, and stealing for a long period of time are now given a large amount of medication to take home with them (Levied). Methadone maintenance has a lengthy set of requirements before one is able to obtain the privilege of taking home medication (Blanchard and Crappy). One must be in treatment for 90 days, and produce at least 3 illicit free urine drug screenings before earning the privilege of one dose of medication to take home.In order for someone to have a full week worth of medication to take home with them at one time as they do in jukeboxes treatment after one day, they must be enrolled in the program for a minimum of three years and produce at least 12 illicit free urine drug screenings (SMASH). That is Just one of many requirements for one to earn the privilege of taking home their medication. They also have to participate in regular counseling sessions. The amount of time required for each session varies from patient to patient depending on the amount of time they have been enrolle d in the program as well as their use of illicit substances.Patients are required to sign releases for every physician that they see so that care can be coordinated properly. It is very important that medication that physicians prescribing other medications are aware of the patient being on methadone. By the time patients in methadone maintenance are able to start taking home doses of their medication, they have started on the right path (Levied). They are on a stable dose that effectively holds hem without the use of opiates, and they like the freedom of not having to report to the clinic to be dosed for the day.These take home bottles that are so hard to obtain, are so easy to have revoked as well. If someone produces an illicit urine drug screening, or does not get their required amount of counseling time in for the month among other things, they will have to start earning their take home privileges all over again. Those that receive take home bottles are also subjected to  "call backs (Medication-Assisted Treatment for Podia Addiction. )† This is when the client is allied and given a short notice of when they will have to report to the clinic with all of their used and unused take home bottles.At this time, the bottles are thoroughly inspected to be sure that their medication is in fact being administered the correct way (SAMARA). Because of these guidelines being as strict as they are, less methadone is sold illegally in the streets making it a safer choice. Methadone is also the safest form of treatment for pregnant women who happen to be struggling with opiate addiction (Practical Approach). In fact, it is currently the only FDA approved medication for treating opiate addiction during pregnancy Methadone Maintenance Treatment (MET): A review of Historical and Clinical Issues. When properly prescribed, methadone has proven to provide an environment that is less stressful on a developing fetus (Catatonia, 19). While a proper dose of methadone w ill help to prevent miscarriage and pre-mature labor, other forms of treatment seem to cause these issues. The use of maltreatment has been proven to cause spontaneous abortion, fetal distress, premature labor, and stillbirth Issues. ) Because methadone is a long acting medication, it is able to provide the fetus with an environment that promotes development.Though methadone during pregnancy is considered to be the safest of the options available, it comes with side effects (About Methadone). Babies born to mothers prescribed methadone are at risk for low birth weight. This is a very small risk to take when compared to risks faced with other forms of treatment such as jukeboxes or rapid detect. Some of those risks include fetal distress and miscarriage. During pregnancy, women are monitored very closely by the physician at the clinic and are also required to provide proof of prenatal care from an BOGGY (Levied).Studies have shown no long term effects on babies that are born to mothe rs prescribed methadone during their pregnancy. At birth, these babies will test positive for methadone in their systems, however are able to be weaned in a timely manner (Catatonia, 20). When compared to a rapid detoxification and jukeboxes, methadone maintenance is the safest choice. When a rapid detect lasting 2-4 days in most cases is completed, the patient is left without any aftercare other than what they obtain on their own. They are given a stack of paperwork that in most cases will contain a few referrals for mental health providers and a list of AN meetings.At this time, the patient may be wrought the worst part of the withdrawal process, but they are still unstable (ASSAM). These patients still need the support of clinical and medical personnel, but sadly many will not get that support. Those that do not will most likely find themselves in the same situation they were in previous to the rapid detect. Though patients in jukeboxes treatment have more of a clinical and medic al support than those choosing rapid detect, they still do not have the same support as those in methadone maintenance.Those Just starting out in treatment, whatever option they may choose, are at the lowest points in their lives. It is because of that I feel that they are in need of the most support that is available to them. To me, that support comes from a friendly smile when they walk into the clinic every day that reminds them that they are Just another Junkie, they are a person. They are a person that deserves to be monitored daily, given referrals for housing, food, clothing, medical care, and anything else that they could possibly need. For many addicts, the clinic is the safest place that they are in all day (In My Own Words).The goal of any form of treatment is to improve the patient's health as well as their laity of life (Marion). For many struggling with addiction, their health has come last while obtaining opiates in order to avoid feeling â€Å"dope sick† has c ome first. For many, this low point in their lives will lead them to participate in high risk behaviors. Those that find themselves addicted to opiates will often turn to theft or prostitution in order to fund their habit, while others will share needles used to administer drug such as heroin.These high risk behaviors not only put them at risk for many other infectious diseases such as Hepatitis and HIVE, but for legal troubles as well (Marion). Though the long term results of any treatment lays largely on the person in treatment, studies show methadone maintenance to be the most effective form available at this time (Medication-Assisted Treatment for Opiate Addiction). Drug freedom is a long term commitment that has to first be taken seriously by the person in treatment. If the dedication on their part is not there, the efforts of clinic staff will not be enough to help them (Pogo).Research has shown that that rapid detect treatment has a high rate of relapse (Medication- Assisted Treatment for Podia Addiction). Those that choose a rapid text as a form of treatment often have difficulty transitioning into a lifestyle of recovery. Often times, they are still living in the same places, with the same phone numbers, and associating with the same people making abstinence from opiates even harder to maintain (Mayo Clinic). For most choosing this form of treatment, it only takes one poor decision to be back in the same situation they were before.These poor decisions have devastating effects on their sobriety making this form of treatment the least effective of the three most well-known forms of medication assisted treatment. Psychosocial counseling has proven to be very beneficial to those dealing with addiction. Those enrolled in both Jukeboxes and Methadone Maintenance is required to participate in counseling. However for those that has chosen a rapid detect, this counseling is not a requirement. . Referrals are given to the patients upon discharge from the facili ty, but not everyone follows through with it .For some it is simply because they feel they do not need it, for some it is because they are unable to afford it (Mayo Clinic). Jukeboxes treatment does require some counseling though the guidelines for this is not nearly as strict as those set for ethanol maintenance. For those enrolled in a methadone maintenance treatment program, there are strict rules for clients to obtain this counseling (Pogo). Clients enrolled in a methadone maintenance program are required by state and federal regulation to have a minimum of 2. 5 hours of counseling time per month (ASSAM).Clients will usually meet with their counselors once or twice each week to discuss progress in treatment as well as the goings on in their lives. By discussing issues that the client is dealing with, the counselors are able to teach them skills that will be useful to the client as they continue on the path to drug freedom. During this counseling, clients are taught many ways to recognize triggers that were once their excuse to use illicit substances so that they are able to refrain from using (Pogo). Counselors discuss in depth the things that seem to be holding the clients back from achieving their goal of drug freedom.By doing this, they are able to form treatment plans for the client. These treatment plans list goals as well as steps needed in order to achieve the goals. If needed, clients are given referrals during this time. When referrals are given to a client, the counselor will check in with the client to see if they ere able to get the assistance they were in need of (Pogo). The fact that the counselors take the time to follow-up on things discussed during these sessions hold the client accountable for their treatment. Because they are held accountable, I feel that it helps to make methadone maintenance a more effective form of treatment.The goal of methadone maintenance treatment is to stabilize the patient. A stable dose of methadone with effect ively block the craving for one to use illicitly while avoiding withdrawal symptoms which in turn permits one to function â€Å"normally. † When taken properly, methadone will not create sedation or euphoria. It should have no adverse effects on mental capacity, motor skills, or the ability for one to maintain employment. A stable dose of methadone will hold a person for 24-48 hours which will allow them the time and energy to devote to making improvements in their lives.However, methadone maintenance treatment is a long term commitment. It can take up to a month to achieve a stable dose in order for a patient to get the most benefits out of treatment. A stable dose of methadone varies from person to person (Levied). There are many factors that will affect the dose that one would require to become stable. For many, the tolerance that they have built up over years of illicit use will require them to have a much higher dose of methadone in order to remain stable.For others, hea lth factors and other medications will affect the way their body is able to metabolize the methadone requiring them to have a higher or lower dose. Once a stable dose is achieved, one is usually able to begin the process of getting their lives back on track by dealing legal obligations, following up on medical care that has been pushed to the side, and mending broken relationships with family members (Pogo). The longer one remains committed to treatment; they will have a greater success rate for maintaining their goal of drug freedom.It is recommended that one remain in a methadone maintenance program for a minimum of one year. For many, once they achieve a stable dose and they are able to provide illicit free urine drug screenings, they feel that they will be able to effectively remain drug free on their own. In these cases, the rate of relapse is much higher than those who remain committed to the program for a year or in many cases longer (Methadone Is an Effective Treatment for H eroin Addiction). Those who remain in treatment for at least year are nearly three times as likely to remain drug free than those who are only in treatment for a short period of time.In a methadone maintenance program, the patient along with the influence of clinical and medical staff decide when they have reached a point in their treatment that they are ready to begin decreasing their dose in order to discharge from the treatment program. There is no set time frame to this process. When one decides they are ready to begin decreasing, they have generally been on a stable dose for an extended period of time and have shown that they are able to effectively manage heir new abstinent lifestyle.Patients that decrease their doses slowly have proven to have the most success in remaining drug free. The slow taper allows their bodies time to adjust to the change in medication so that they are able to refrain from having withdrawal symptoms. These withdrawal symptoms are what will push a pers on into illicit opiate use again. Once a decrease in a person's methadone dose is taken, they are encouraged to remain at that lower dose for a period of at least 2-4 weeks.During this time, the clinical and medical staff is able to monitor the patient o ensure that they are handling the decrease in medication with no adverse effects. This process for tapering will continue until the patient has reached a dose of OMG when they will be able to â€Å"walk off' from the treatment. After the patient has been able to discontinue the use of methadone, they will still receive after care. Clinical staff will make phone calls to check in on the patient and offer them resources that will assist them in remaining drug free.Methadone and Jukeboxes clinics face tough criticism from many. People living in communities where these clinics are located are often unpleased with having a clinic n their neighborhood. Many feel that it will bring drug addicts and crime into their otherwise peaceful neig hborhoods (Swisher). What they fail to realize is that these addicts are a part of their communities regardless of if they are enrolled in a treatment facility or not (In My Own Words). It is a common misconception that it is very easy to â€Å"pick out† an addict (Mayo Clinic).However, that could not be more untrue. There are people everywhere that struggle daily with addiction. Some of these are doctors, lawyers, teachers, actors and actresses, and professional sports figures to name a few (Mayo Clinic). These are people that are clean, well dressed, well groomed and well spoken. Not every addict lacks personal hygiene and an education. There are certain risk factors that may be a factor in opiate addiction. For many who suffer from addiction, the environment that they are in plays a large role in them remaining dependent on illicit substances.There are also inherited traits that will influence one's addiction. Those that have immediate family that suffers with addiction ar e at a higher risk of also having addiction issues themselves. Research has also shown that males are nearly twice as likely to have addiction problems as males (Mayo Clinic). Methadone was approved by the FDA in 1972 for the treatment of opiate addiction. Methadone is considered to be the most effective treatment available to those addicted to opiates (Methadone Maintenance Treatment (MET): A Review of Historical and Clinical Issues).It is estimated that upwards of 170,000 individuals in the United States currently are enrolled in a methadone maintenance program. It has been proven that illicit drug use has decline by over 60% for those that have been enrolled in a methadone maintenance program for a year. For those that main committed to the program for at least two years, the use of illicit opiates declines by nearly 85% (Accreditation Of Methadone Maintenance Treatment: Assuring Quality of Care. ) Furthermore, crimes committed by these individuals are also significantly reduced. After lengthy research, I am confident is saying that methadone maintenance treatment is not only the safest method of medication assisted treatment available to those battling opiate addiction, but it is also the most effective Accreditation of Methadone Maintenance Treatment: Assuring Quality of Care). The regulations overriding methadone maintenance are much stricter than those for other forms of treatment. Methadone maintenance is the only form of medication assisted treatment that is approved by the FDA for pregnant women.It also remains the form of treatment that has the most thorough requirements for admission, and for supplemental and after care. As with any form of treatment, there are pros and cons, however it has been proven that for someone struggling with this disease that the pros far outweigh the cons. This form of medication has assisted thousands of people in getting their lives back. It has made it possible for patients to function successfully in society. These pe ople will be able to maintain employment and be productive. The counseling that they receive will help them to recognize triggers and effectively avoid them. Methadone Maintenance Opiate addiction is a chronic disease that affects millions of people in the Unites States. This deadly epidemic is one that in most cases requires some form of medical treatment. There are many treatment options available to those struggling with addiction. The three most well-known options are rapid detect, jukeboxes, and methadone maintenance (Medication-Assisted Treatment for Podia Addiction Facts for Families and Friends).Though each form of treatment has its own advantages and disadvantages, they all have one common goal; drug freedom. Research has shown that those receiving treatment are nearly twice as likely to achieve their goal of drug freedom (Mayo Clinic). Opiates are highly addictive powerful drugs that are derived from the poppy plant and are generally used to relieve pain (mayo clinic). There are two types of opiates, natural and man-made. Though both are prescribed by physicians with the exception of heroin, often times when dealing with someone that has become addic ted they are obtained illegally.Because of the potential for prescribed opiates to end up being sold or traded on the streets, stricter regulations have been put in lace for physicians to prescribe them (samara). Where they were once a little quicker to write a prescription for a schedule II narcotic, they are now telling patients to â€Å"take a Ethylene or Motoring† (Levied). These regulations have become a necessity in the war against opiate addiction. Deciding to enter into treatment for opiate addiction is one that requires much thought. Generally when one decides that it is time for them to enter treatment, they have hit rock bottom (Levied).However, rock bottom is different for every person. For some, treatment may be court ordered and they are in a situation where their form of retirement is being chosen for them. For some, they are on the verge of losing everything that is important to them, or they may have already lost it. Whatever the reason may be, getting the tr eatment needed is a life changing decision. The best form of treatment varies from person to person. For some, the idea of a rapid detect would be the best. It is a quick process that only requires a short stay of usually 2-4 days in a detect facility or a hospital (mayo clinic).In most cases, the person will be given medication to assist them in dealing with the side effects of withdrawing from opiates. During a rapid detect, patients are monitored around the clock for a period of time for signs life-threatening withdrawal symptoms such as cardiac distress and seizures (ASSAM). Those that choose a rapid detect can expect to be sedated to keep them as comfortable as possible during this time period. Prior to sedation, they are generally given Maltreatment, to block the effects of opiates. Other medications may also be given during this time as withdrawal symptoms increase.In many cases medication to help control blood pressure and seizures become necessary. Jukeboxes has become popu lar because it does not require one to report to a clinic lily, but rather are given a prescription to be filled at a pharmacy. Jukeboxes comes in two forms, a tablet and a film, both are administered subliminally (jukeboxes). Though there are regulations governing the prescribing of jukeboxes, they are not nearly as strict as those in place for methadone (FDA). In order for a physician to begin prescribing jukeboxes, they are required to complete online training that is very limited (Manson).For many, that is the only training they have in addiction. Methadone is a synthetic drug that acts in a similar way to narcotics. Methadone moms in the form off tablet, powder, or liquid. The tablet and powder form are dissolved prior to administering the medication. When methadone is taken on a regular schedule, it will build up in the tissues making the effects last longer (samara). Methadone will not provide the same effects of opiates such as sedation or euphoria; it will instead block the se effects if other opiates are used (Catatonia 8). A stable dose will vary from person to person.Generally once someone achieves a stable dose of methadone it will hold them for 24-48 hours without them feeling dope sick (Levied)† Medication-assisted treatment has proven to be the most successful form of treatment for someone wishing to become drug free. However, these forms of treatment face tough criticism. It has been said that treating opiate addiction with medication is simply trading one addiction with another. However for those dealing with the daily struggle of addiction, they depend on these forms of treatment to gain control of their lives.For those people, the daily routines, the counseling, the referrals, the support of others and the consequences is what gives them hope; the pop that they will beat this disease that plagues them (in my own words). Methadone Maintenance treatment is the one form of treatment available that offers all of those things and more. When properly used, I feel that methadone maintenance treatment is the safest and most effective way to treat opiate addiction. There are many reasons that I feel methadone maintenance is the safest form of treatment available to someone battling opiate addiction.Contrary to what some may think, or some of what has been reported, these facilities can have a life changing effect on those who are committed to the program (Methadone Maintenance Treatment Facts). These programs are not only a place for someone to come in, pick up a prescription and leave. Instead these programs require patients to report daily for their medication, at least until they are able to meet all requirements for take home privileges. While there, patients interact with office staff, nursing staff, and clinical staff on a daily basis.Patients are monitored for any changes in their appearance, attitude, alertness, and overall demeanor (Levied). This helps to ensure that if someone is having an issue that staff is th ere to offer assistance right away. For many that battle addiction, Just knowing someone is there to listen and offer as much assistance as possible is enough to get them headed on the right path (In My Own Words). The guidelines set by the federal and state governments are much stricter for methadone maintenance that those set for jukeboxes (samara).For instance, in jukeboxes clients walk into a clinic to sign up and within a matter of a couple of hours they are able to walk out with at the very least medication that should last them a week. When people struggling with addiction first make the choice to enter into a retirement program, they are scared, sick, and in many cases about to lose everything important to them (In My Own Words). These patients are still using illicit drugs daily, and are at this point willing to do whatever it takes to avoid being â€Å"dope sick. Jukeboxes often ends up being sold illegally on the streets because people that have been lying, cheating, and stealing for a long period of time are now given a large amount of medication to take home with them (Levied). Methadone maintenance has a lengthy set of requirements before one is able to obtain the privilege of taking home medication (Blanchard and Crappy). One must be in treatment for 90 days, and produce at least 3 illicit free urine drug screenings before earning the privilege of one dose of medication to take home.In order for someone to have a full week worth of medication to take home with them at one time as they do in jukeboxes treatment after one day, they must be enrolled in the program for a minimum of three years and produce at least 12 illicit free urine drug screenings (SMASH). That is Just one of many requirements for one to earn the privilege of taking home their medication. They also have to participate in regular counseling sessions. The amount of time required for each session varies from patient to patient depending on the amount of time they have been enrolle d in the program as well as their use of illicit substances.Patients are required to sign releases for every physician that they see so that care can be coordinated properly. It is very important that medication that physicians prescribing other medications are aware of the patient being on methadone. By the time patients in methadone maintenance are able to start taking home doses of their medication, they have started on the right path (Levied). They are on a stable dose that effectively holds hem without the use of opiates, and they like the freedom of not having to report to the clinic to be dosed for the day.These take home bottles that are so hard to obtain, are so easy to have revoked as well. If someone produces an illicit urine drug screening, or does not get their required amount of counseling time in for the month among other things, they will have to start earning their take home privileges all over again. Those that receive take home bottles are also subjected to  "call backs (Medication-Assisted Treatment for Podia Addiction. )† This is when the client is allied and given a short notice of when they will have to report to the clinic with all of their used and unused take home bottles.At this time, the bottles are thoroughly inspected to be sure that their medication is in fact being administered the correct way (SAMARA). Because of these guidelines being as strict as they are, less methadone is sold illegally in the streets making it a safer choice. Methadone is also the safest form of treatment for pregnant women who happen to be struggling with opiate addiction (Practical Approach). In fact, it is currently the only FDA approved medication for treating opiate addiction during pregnancy Methadone Maintenance Treatment (MET): A review of Historical and Clinical Issues. When properly prescribed, methadone has proven to provide an environment that is less stressful on a developing fetus (Catatonia, 19). While a proper dose of methadone w ill help to prevent miscarriage and pre-mature labor, other forms of treatment seem to cause these issues. The use of maltreatment has been proven to cause spontaneous abortion, fetal distress, premature labor, and stillbirth Issues. ) Because methadone is a long acting medication, it is able to provide the fetus with an environment that promotes development.Though methadone during pregnancy is considered to be the safest of the options available, it comes with side effects (About Methadone). Babies born to mothers prescribed methadone are at risk for low birth weight. This is a very small risk to take when compared to risks faced with other forms of treatment such as jukeboxes or rapid detect. Some of those risks include fetal distress and miscarriage. During pregnancy, women are monitored very closely by the physician at the clinic and are also required to provide proof of prenatal care from an BOGGY (Levied).Studies have shown no long term effects on babies that are born to mothe rs prescribed methadone during their pregnancy. At birth, these babies will test positive for methadone in their systems, however are able to be weaned in a timely manner (Catatonia, 20). When compared to a rapid detoxification and jukeboxes, methadone maintenance is the safest choice. When a rapid detect lasting 2-4 days in most cases is completed, the patient is left without any aftercare other than what they obtain on their own. They are given a stack of paperwork that in most cases will contain a few referrals for mental health providers and a list of AN meetings.At this time, the patient may be wrought the worst part of the withdrawal process, but they are still unstable (ASSAM). These patients still need the support of clinical and medical personnel, but sadly many will not get that support. Those that do not will most likely find themselves in the same situation they were in previous to the rapid detect. Though patients in jukeboxes treatment have more of a clinical and medic al support than those choosing rapid detect, they still do not have the same support as those in methadone maintenance.Those Just starting out in treatment, whatever option they may choose, are at the lowest points in their lives. It is because of that I feel that they are in need of the most support that is available to them. To me, that support comes from a friendly smile when they walk into the clinic every day that reminds them that they are Just another Junkie, they are a person. They are a person that deserves to be monitored daily, given referrals for housing, food, clothing, medical care, and anything else that they could possibly need. For many addicts, the clinic is the safest place that they are in all day (In My Own Words).The goal of any form of treatment is to improve the patient's health as well as their laity of life (Marion). For many struggling with addiction, their health has come last while obtaining opiates in order to avoid feeling â€Å"dope sick† has c ome first. For many, this low point in their lives will lead them to participate in high risk behaviors. Those that find themselves addicted to opiates will often turn to theft or prostitution in order to fund their habit, while others will share needles used to administer drug such as heroin.These high risk behaviors not only put them at risk for many other infectious diseases such as Hepatitis and HIVE, but for legal troubles as well (Marion). Though the long term results of any treatment lays largely on the person in treatment, studies show methadone maintenance to be the most effective form available at this time (Medication-Assisted Treatment for Opiate Addiction). Drug freedom is a long term commitment that has to first be taken seriously by the person in treatment. If the dedication on their part is not there, the efforts of clinic staff will not be enough to help them (Pogo).Research has shown that that rapid detect treatment has a high rate of relapse (Medication- Assisted Treatment for Podia Addiction). Those that choose a rapid text as a form of treatment often have difficulty transitioning into a lifestyle of recovery. Often times, they are still living in the same places, with the same phone numbers, and associating with the same people making abstinence from opiates even harder to maintain (Mayo Clinic). For most choosing this form of treatment, it only takes one poor decision to be back in the same situation they were before.These poor decisions have devastating effects on their sobriety making this form of treatment the least effective of the three most well-known forms of medication assisted treatment. Psychosocial counseling has proven to be very beneficial to those dealing with addiction. Those enrolled in both Jukeboxes and Methadone Maintenance is required to participate in counseling. However for those that has chosen a rapid detect, this counseling is not a requirement. . Referrals are given to the patients upon discharge from the facili ty, but not everyone follows through with it .For some it is simply because they feel they do not need it, for some it is because they are unable to afford it (Mayo Clinic). Jukeboxes treatment does require some counseling though the guidelines for this is not nearly as strict as those set for ethanol maintenance. For those enrolled in a methadone maintenance treatment program, there are strict rules for clients to obtain this counseling (Pogo). Clients enrolled in a methadone maintenance program are required by state and federal regulation to have a minimum of 2. 5 hours of counseling time per month (ASSAM).Clients will usually meet with their counselors once or twice each week to discuss progress in treatment as well as the goings on in their lives. By discussing issues that the client is dealing with, the counselors are able to teach them skills that will be useful to the client as they continue on the path to drug freedom. During this counseling, clients are taught many ways to recognize triggers that were once their excuse to use illicit substances so that they are able to refrain from using (Pogo). Counselors discuss in depth the things that seem to be holding the clients back from achieving their goal of drug freedom.By doing this, they are able to form treatment plans for the client. These treatment plans list goals as well as steps needed in order to achieve the goals. If needed, clients are given referrals during this time. When referrals are given to a client, the counselor will check in with the client to see if they ere able to get the assistance they were in need of (Pogo). The fact that the counselors take the time to follow-up on things discussed during these sessions hold the client accountable for their treatment. Because they are held accountable, I feel that it helps to make methadone maintenance a more effective form of treatment.The goal of methadone maintenance treatment is to stabilize the patient. A stable dose of methadone with effect ively block the craving for one to use illicitly while avoiding withdrawal symptoms which in turn permits one to function â€Å"normally. † When taken properly, methadone will not create sedation or euphoria. It should have no adverse effects on mental capacity, motor skills, or the ability for one to maintain employment. A stable dose of methadone will hold a person for 24-48 hours which will allow them the time and energy to devote to making improvements in their lives.However, methadone maintenance treatment is a long term commitment. It can take up to a month to achieve a stable dose in order for a patient to get the most benefits out of treatment. A stable dose of methadone varies from person to person (Levied). There are many factors that will affect the dose that one would require to become stable. For many, the tolerance that they have built up over years of illicit use will require them to have a much higher dose of methadone in order to remain stable.For others, hea lth factors and other medications will affect the way their body is able to metabolize the methadone requiring them to have a higher or lower dose. Once a stable dose is achieved, one is usually able to begin the process of getting their lives back on track by dealing legal obligations, following up on medical care that has been pushed to the side, and mending broken relationships with family members (Pogo). The longer one remains committed to treatment; they will have a greater success rate for maintaining their goal of drug freedom.It is recommended that one remain in a methadone maintenance program for a minimum of one year. For many, once they achieve a stable dose and they are able to provide illicit free urine drug screenings, they feel that they will be able to effectively remain drug free on their own. In these cases, the rate of relapse is much higher than those who remain committed to the program for a year or in many cases longer (Methadone Is an Effective Treatment for H eroin Addiction). Those who remain in treatment for at least year are nearly three times as likely to remain drug free than those who are only in treatment for a short period of time.In a methadone maintenance program, the patient along with the influence of clinical and medical staff decide when they have reached a point in their treatment that they are ready to begin decreasing their dose in order to discharge from the treatment program. There is no set time frame to this process. When one decides they are ready to begin decreasing, they have generally been on a stable dose for an extended period of time and have shown that they are able to effectively manage heir new abstinent lifestyle.Patients that decrease their doses slowly have proven to have the most success in remaining drug free. The slow taper allows their bodies time to adjust to the change in medication so that they are able to refrain from having withdrawal symptoms. These withdrawal symptoms are what will push a pers on into illicit opiate use again. Once a decrease in a person's methadone dose is taken, they are encouraged to remain at that lower dose for a period of at least 2-4 weeks.During this time, the clinical and medical staff is able to monitor the patient o ensure that they are handling the decrease in medication with no adverse effects. This process for tapering will continue until the patient has reached a dose of OMG when they will be able to â€Å"walk off' from the treatment. After the patient has been able to discontinue the use of methadone, they will still receive after care. Clinical staff will make phone calls to check in on the patient and offer them resources that will assist them in remaining drug free.Methadone and Jukeboxes clinics face tough criticism from many. People living in communities where these clinics are located are often unpleased with having a clinic n their neighborhood. Many feel that it will bring drug addicts and crime into their otherwise peaceful neig hborhoods (Swisher). What they fail to realize is that these addicts are a part of their communities regardless of if they are enrolled in a treatment facility or not (In My Own Words). It is a common misconception that it is very easy to â€Å"pick out† an addict (Mayo Clinic).However, that could not be more untrue. There are people everywhere that struggle daily with addiction. Some of these are doctors, lawyers, teachers, actors and actresses, and professional sports figures to name a few (Mayo Clinic). These are people that are clean, well dressed, well groomed and well spoken. Not every addict lacks personal hygiene and an education. There are certain risk factors that may be a factor in opiate addiction. For many who suffer from addiction, the environment that they are in plays a large role in them remaining dependent on illicit substances.There are also inherited traits that will influence one's addiction. Those that have immediate family that suffers with addiction ar e at a higher risk of also having addiction issues themselves. Research has also shown that males are nearly twice as likely to have addiction problems as males (Mayo Clinic). Methadone was approved by the FDA in 1972 for the treatment of opiate addiction. Methadone is considered to be the most effective treatment available to those addicted to opiates (Methadone Maintenance Treatment (MET): A Review of Historical and Clinical Issues).It is estimated that upwards of 170,000 individuals in the United States currently are enrolled in a methadone maintenance program. It has been proven that illicit drug use has decline by over 60% for those that have been enrolled in a methadone maintenance program for a year. For those that main committed to the program for at least two years, the use of illicit opiates declines by nearly 85% (Accreditation Of Methadone Maintenance Treatment: Assuring Quality of Care. ) Furthermore, crimes committed by these individuals are also significantly reduced. After lengthy research, I am confident is saying that methadone maintenance treatment is not only the safest method of medication assisted treatment available to those battling opiate addiction, but it is also the most effective Accreditation of Methadone Maintenance Treatment: Assuring Quality of Care). The regulations overriding methadone maintenance are much stricter than those for other forms of treatment. Methadone maintenance is the only form of medication assisted treatment that is approved by the FDA for pregnant women.It also remains the form of treatment that has the most thorough requirements for admission, and for supplemental and after care. As with any form of treatment, there are pros and cons, however it has been proven that for someone struggling with this disease that the pros far outweigh the cons. This form of medication has assisted thousands of people in getting their lives back. It has made it possible for patients to function successfully in society. These pe ople will be able to maintain employment and be productive. The counseling that they receive will help them to recognize triggers and effectively avoid them.