Ribena Issues Mismanaged

Ribena Issues Mismanaged Introduction In 2008, GlaxoSmithKline [GSK], which is a well-established global pharmaceutical company, was entangled in a major legal tussle that arose from the ineffective application of strategic management practices. The legal situation involved two 14-year old schoolchildren from New Zealand who challenged the organisation’s marketing campaign.Advertising We will write a custom case study sample on Ribena Issues Mismanaged specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More In its advertising, GSK claimed that Ribena Drink, which is one of its products, was enriched with vitamin C. In an effort to ascertain the truth of the firm’s claims, the two girls undertook extensive tests. The results showed that the organisation’s advert was a hoax that aimed at marketing the product to the target customers. The girls raised the issue to GSK through writing, but the organisation did not respond. This aspect prompted the girls to raise th eir concerns via a local media house, which broadcasted the issue through a local television consumer affairs program. The broadcast house raised the issue to the New Zealand Government Commerce Commission, which took GSK to court. Subsequently, the organisation was fined for misleading the public. In addition, the company was ordered to correct the misrepresentation by placing a new advert in major print media [newspaper] in New Zealand. Jaques (2008, p.394) affirms that the action by the two complainants ‘triggered a sequence of events, which led to prosecution, public opprobrium, and international damage to an iconic brand’. This paper entails a case study on the Ribena issue at GSK. The case study evaluates the strategic issues that GSK’s management team should have considered in order to avoid the legal and reputational effect. Secondly, the paper identifies and discusses the possible barriers that might be encountered in addressing the legal and reputationa l impacts. The final part involves an evaluation of the implications of the suggestions identified in organisational and management practices from the risk management perspective. Analysis The situation encountered at GSK was mainly due to poor management practices. Additionally, the management team did not appreciate the magnitude of the issue on the organisation’s corporate reputation. According to Page and Fearn (2005), corporate reputation is an indispensable element in organisations’ pursuit for excellence.Advertising Looking for case study on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Page and Fearn (2005) further accentuate that the consumers’ perception influences an organisation’s performance. Consumers have noticeably become more concerned with organisation’s behaviour in making decisions on store and product loyalty. This aspect underscores the existence of a st rong correlation between organisational behaviour and consumer behaviour. Since its inception, GSK has managed to penetrate the global market largely due to the extensive investment in product diversification. Consequently, the firm has gained remarkable global reputation. Additionally, GSK global success has also been enhanced by investment in extensive marketing. The firm did not recognise the effect of ignoring the customers’ complaints on brand preference. Hur, Kim, and Woo (2014, p.76) emphasise that achieving ‘brand preference and stimulating demand are particularly challenging for a company with no reputation in a given product category’. Moreover, organisations that do not have sufficient reputation experience challenges in developing credibility for their products. Managing corporate reputation leads to the development of positive moral capital, which protects an organisation from negative encountering negative stakeholder evaluation. GSK should have con sidered a number of issues in order to avoid the legal and reputational situation that occurred. Some of the issues that the firm should have considered are evaluated and discussed herein. Ethical advertising Despite the fact that GSK intended the marketing campaign to be persuasive, the firm failed to adopt effective practices that would have contributed to the attainment of the desired outcomes. Reast, Palihawadana, and Shabbir (2008) affirm that persuasive advertising is focused on establishing a strong bond, hence fostering long-term purchase intention. The organisation’s marketing department should have ensured that it integrates ethical advertising practices (Biegler 2013). In a bid to achieve this goal, the organisation’s management team should have adhered to the stipulated legal and regulatory standards with reference to advertising.Advertising We will write a custom case study sample on Ribena Issues Mismanaged specifically for you for only $16.05 $ 11/page Learn More Countries such as the US have established a Federal Trade Commission, which is charged with the responsibility of regulating advertising practices (Synder 2011). In the event that there are no clear ethical standards for advertising, GSK should have advocated truthful advertising practices. On the contrary, the firm exaggerated the claim that one of the ingredients used in making Ribena included Vitamin C. Thus, the advert was deceptive. Trehan and Trehan (2011) argue that a customer has the right to sue organisations based on deceptive advert. Cramphorn (2014) is of the opinion that developing brand identity depends on the effectiveness with which an organisation nurtures a strong and positive emotional bond. However, ineffective advertising can hinder the development of such strong bond (Trehan Trehan 2011). In a bid to achieve this goal, the organisation should have avoided misrepresenting or omitting material facts on product characteristics i n the marketing communication process. Product characteristic constitutes a critical element in the consumers’ decision-making process. Perry, Cox, and Cox (2013) corroborate that consumers seek product information in order to make a purchase decision that is aligned with their product taste, preferences, and values. By misleading customers to purchase the product through the advert, GSK influenced adversely the consumers’ right to purchase. Koslow (2000, p.248) supports the theory of consumer right by asserting that consumers ‘learn about who, what, where, when, and how to buy through advertising’.Advertising Looking for case study on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More This aspect underscores the fact that organisations should value advertising as a critical element in facilitating the consumers’ right to choose. GSK denied the target consumers the right to choose. This move led to the development of a negative reaction amongst the consumers. The advertising process was based on different interests, which entailed influencing the consumers to make a purchase decision. GSK should have avoided incorporating misleading facts in the advert. Conversely, the firm’s marketing manager should have ensured a high level of honesty in its full disclosure on product characteristics. This element would have improved the consumers’ ability to make a decision from an informed position. Moreover, adopting this approach would have minimised the negative reaction significantly from consumers. The capacity to influence the consumers positively would have originated from the development of positive perception on the organisation’s approach towards truthfulness in its marketing communication (Gurhan-Canli Batra 2004). Thus, the firm would have succeeded in protecting its reputation. Customer Relationship Management Organisations should not be concerned with profit maximisation only. On the contrary, they should focus on fulfilling the customers’ needs (Bang, Sooyen Lyndon 2014). This case shows that the advertising process was skewed towards generating sales revenue rather than educating customers on the products. GSK should have appreciated the importance of integrating the concept of customer relationship management [CRM]. The firm’s management team should have perceived customers as an essential asset in maximising sales revenue. Leticia, Rodolfo, and Ana (2011) cite customers as a fundamental element in achieving corporate success. The concept of CRM would have enabled the firm to establish a cohesive relationship with its customers (Senn, Thoma Yip 2013). One of the issues that the organisation sh ould have taken into account in its pursuit for CRM entails complaint management. Despite the fact that organisations are concerned with delivering value to customers, the probability of errors occurring, hence hindering the delivery of the intended value cannot be ruled out. Customers may raise product complaints, which the firm must address adequately. Ang and Buttle (2012, p.1021) accentuate that customer ‘complaints are a fact of organisational life’. Past studies show that customers switch service providers due to diverse reasons. Some of the major reasons include the products’ failure to deliver the desired value and unfavourable service encounters from core organisational personnel. In the event that customers do not receive adequate treatment from key organisational personnel such as the top management, they react by voicing their concerns to third parties (Malhotra, Agarwal Ndubisi 2010). This aspect mirrors the situation encountered at GSK. Integrating optimal complaint management minimises the likelihood of customers terminating their relationship with other organisations. Knox and Oest (2014, p.42) affirm that customer complaints ‘are important non-transactional events because they represent a critical turning point in the company’s relationship with its customers’. Organisations can entrench a high level of customer loyalty through effective complaints handling. Ang and Buttle (2012) support this argument by affirming that excellent handling of complaints is critical to pre-empting the occurrence of an undesirable outcome. In order to manage customer complaints successfully, GSK should have integrated the concept of data warehousing using the effective customer relationship-management software. The software would have played a fundamental role in collecting and storing diverse customer complaints and complements. This move would have ensured that that the complaints raised by customers are understood and ma naged easily. In its quest to develop a better understanding of the customers’ complaints, it is imperative for the organisation to appreciate the contribution of social media in developing a strong customer relationship. The emergence of social media has provided customers with an opportunity to share their consumption experiences. Harrigan and Miles (2014) cite Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, Google Plus, and LinkedIn as some of the common social mediums used by organisations in their CRM practices. Consequently, social media has become a critical source of product information that consumers are using. Raj et al. (2012) opine that negative product experiences shared on social media platforms might have a multiplier effect, hence affecting the organisation’s reputation adversely. This aspect might affect the organisation’s ability to generate sales revenue. GSK should have used its CRM practices in apologising to clients. In order to undertake CRM successfully, GSK should have integrated the International Organisation for Standardisation [ISO]. Some of the ISO standards that the organisation should have considered entail ISO 10002 and ISO 9001. Adopting ISO 9001 would have provided GSK with an effective framework for integration in managing diverse organisational processes. Thus, the firm would have ensured that its products meet the customers’ expectations, hence culminating in a high level of satisfaction (Nicklas, Schluter Winzer 2013). Conversely, ISO 10002 provides organisational managers with guidance on how to deal with customer complaints related to products. This goal is achieved through optimal product planning, designing, product improvement, and operation. Potential problems that might arise The above analysis illustrates the magnitude of the issue faced by GSK as substantially high. This assertion arises from the view that the reaction by the two 14-year old girls received global awareness, which affected GSK’s glo bal reputation adversely. However, implementing the above issues may improve the GSK’s capacity to prevent the occurrence of such incidences in the future. Some of the major problems that the firm might encounter in implementing the proposed issues are evaluated herein. Resistance Implementing the above issues means that the organisation will be required to undertake remarkable strategic changes. Thus, the firm’s management team should not rule out the possibility of resistance to change. Wittig (2012, p.23) accentuates that employees ‘resist change because it involves moving from the known to the unknown’. In this situation, GSK employees might resist the proposed strategic changes. For example, the process of implementing ISO standards might require the organisation to change the norm with reference to how its personnel handles and interacts with customers. Some employees might develop the perception that implementing the proposed changes will lead to a significant change in job characteristics. One of the perceptions that the employees might develop relates to an increase in the degree of job strain due to additional job demands (Choi 2011). Job strain increases the level of work-related stress. Such occurrences might stimulate employees not to support the strategic changes. Resistance to the proposed change might not only be limited to the lower levels of management, but also amongst the middle and top levels of management. This assertion arises from the fact that the middle and top levels of management would be required to oversee the implementation of the required changes (Shin, Taylor Seo 2012). Lack of teamwork The process of implementing the above strategic issues will depend on the contribution of all the internal stakeholders. Thus, successful change implementation will be influenced by the extent of organisational learning. Perez and Gutierrez (2013, p.245) define organisation learning as ‘a process of knowledge ac quisition, assimilation, and exploitation’. Therefore, it is imperative for the GSK’s management team to consider the concept of employee collaboration in order to derive the required synergy. One of the strategies that the organisation’s management team should consider entails teamwork. Lack of effective networking amongst the organisation’s employees will affect GSK employees’ ability to share ideas and information (Ulrich et al. 2013). Thus, its application to the organisation’s needs, which entail the application of ethical advertising and the adoption of a customer-focused approach in the organisation’s operation in order to minimise occurrence of complaints, will be affected adversely. The capacity to improve an organisation’s competitive advantage entails the understanding that is effectively applied to the already existing knowledge. Lack of vision and ineffective planning The effectiveness with which GSK implements the proposed issues will greatly depend on the extent to which the employees have developed a clear vision. Palmer (2015) asserts that successful implementation of change is determined by the degree to which all the directly affected stakeholders by the change have developed a ‘shared-need-for-change’. The majority of the organisational employees might not appreciate the significance of the proposed approaches in restoring the organisation’s global reputation. Such aspects highlight the existence of lack of clear vision. Moreover, the implementation of the issues identified will depend on the efficacy of the organisation in planning the implementation process. The organisation’s management team has an obligation to ensure that the vision is well articulated by all the internal stakeholders. Huyer (2014, p.19) asserts that a ‘well-articulated vision paints a visual picture of what it looks like when complete and it has a clearly set direction and purpose ’. Implication of the suggestions From the above analysis, it is evident that GSK could have avoided the occurrence of the negative publicity by implementing the proposed suggestions. However, the organisation’s management team can derive a number of lessons. First, by integrating ethical organisational practices, the organisation’s management team would have protected the firm’s corporate reputation. This assertion means that the firm would have improved its effectiveness in managing crises that arise from the external environment. Hearit (2008) cites reputation as a fundamental strategic resource in an organisation’s operation. Moreover, Hearit (2008, p.319) affirms that reputation ‘is valuable because it informs us about what products to purchase, what companies to work for, or what stocks to invest in’. This aspect means that investing in ethical practices will play a fundamental role in improving the GSK’s market position. Consequently, the organisation will evade the occurrence of human capital crisis. For example, the firm will be in a position to attract valuable job candidates from the global labour market because of the positive reputation. Additionally, the likelihood of the organisation optimising its performance, hence its competitive advantage will be improved substantially. Sohn and Lariscy (2012) accentuate that reputation is a rare resource that most organisations experience in their quest to develop a strong organisational culture. Providing truthful and material facts in the marketing communication process would have promoted the organisation’s ability to develop a strong customer base. This assertion arises from the view that customers would have been in a position to make optimal purchase decision. Consequently, the likelihood of the firm maximising its sales revenue will be improved considerably. Furthermore, integrating the concept of customer relationship management [CRM] wil l play a considerable role in improving its crisis communication. Through effective crisis communication, GSK will be in a position to gain insight on how to manage crisis due to the integration of collaborative communication between the organisation and its customers. Furthermore, CRM will enable the organisation to be proactive in identifying issues that might affect the organisation’s corporate reputation adversely. In addition to the above aspect, investing in CRM will improve the organisation’s capacity to undertake crisis management. For example, the firm will entrench different communication approaches such as impression management, image restoration, and apologia (Kim 2014). According to Riddell (2013), apologia entails a compelling and vigorous defence mechanism used in organisational management in order to restore corporate reputation. One of the elements in entrenching the concept of apologia includes admission of guilt. In this case study, GSK did not admit guilt for the inclusion of false information in its advert. Consequently, the complainants were forced to take extreme measures by raising the issue to third parties. Conclusion Marketing communication constitutes one of the essential elements in organisations’ quest to optimise their performance. However, in their marketing communication process, it is imperative for organisations’ management teams to recognise their capability of influencing the consumers’ purchase decisions. Thus, organisations have an obligation to give truthful and material facts of their products. This approach improves the consumers’ ability to make effective purchase decisions, hence attaining a high level of satisfaction. For example, customers base their product preference on product information offered through the marketing communication process. In this case, GSK erred in its market communication through the falsification of the product characteristics. Consequently, the firm ’s global reputation was affected adversely. Apart from the reputation impact, the organisation suffered remarkable legal implications. However, the organisation would have been in a position to avoid such situations by implementing effective strategic management practices. Amongst the issues that the organisation’s management team should consider include ethical practices and customer relationship management. The firm should ensure that all its operations adhere to ethical practices. Currently, consumers are increasingly becoming concerned with how ethical an organisation is in its operations. This trend is influencing the consumers’ product choice and preference. Therefore, it is imperative for organisations to ensure that they give truthful information. The adoption of ethical practices will culminate in the development of a strong level of customer loyalty. Moreover, the case study indicates the importance of integrating effective customer relationship manag ement in order to gain insight on diverse customer concerns. Thus, the organisation will be proactive in dealing with emergent issues. The case study further underscores the likelihood of challenges occurring in implementing the proposed suggestions. However, the firm should consider integrating effective leaders, planning, internal communication, and teamwork. These elements will improve the likelihood of the organisation transforming its global reputation successfully. Moreover, the organisation’s effectiveness in crisis management will improve considerably. Reference List Ang, L Buttle, F 2012, ‘Complaints-handling processes and organisational benefits; an ISO 10002-based investigation’, Journal of Marketing Management, vol. 28, no. 28, pp. 1011-1022. 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P2 IP1 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

P2 IP1 - Essay Example Accordingly, the following brief analysis will be concentric upon defining and discussing tell tale hallmarks of the manner through which each of these market structures operates. Firstly, perfect competition will be discussed. Naturally perfect competition only happens in a situation in which numerous difference firms are competing against one another for business. Furthermore, firms in perfect competition in a competitive industry will produce an optimal output at the minimum possible cost for the consumer. Even though this might seem as rather confusing wording, it stands to reason. When one considers the way in which the market and the consumer benefit from a situation in which firms are locked in continual competition, the analogy makes perfect sense. For instance, consider the restaurant market within most locations throughout the United States. Even though this is permeated by many branded entities that engage in competition within a variety of different markets, it is invaria bly made up of many local entrants to the market that are effectively locked in perfect competition with one another; representing a benefit to the consumer in the fact that their output is optimal and their costs are minimized. The ease of entry into such a market is better than any of the other models/structures that will be discussed. Comparatively, a quite dissimilar form of market structure is that the monopoly. The monopoly is obviously a situation in which a firm has no competition within the industry (Elzinga & Mills, 2011). Accordingly, such a structure necessarily reduces the overall level of output that a particular business entity might otherwise be capable of and drive up prices accordingly. As was referenced in the previous model, the overall level of societal good that can be represented within the monopoly is greatly decreased. Furthermore, this particular reality has an economic definition which is defined as deadweight loss. Due to the differential with respect to where the supply and demand curves me, this deadweight loss is a quantifiable economic term that can be presented in numeric form to the individual seeking to understand and define the monopoly. The ease of entry into such a market is all but nonexistent. Another type of market structure that is known to exist is defined as an oligopoly. The oligopoly is an industry with only a few competitive firms. A traditional definition of oligopoly includes a tacit understanding of the fact that an element of collusion is possible. Within such an element of collusive oligopoly, the firms that are â€Å"competing† agree to function as a singular entity as a means to drive up costs and represent a market structure that is similar to a monopoly. However, the situation represents the ultimate prisoners dilemma. The temptation not to cooperate and to undercut the competition by providing a lower price and/or a higher quality product/service to the consumer is enough to ensure that most oligo poly is still compete; albeit at least upon the surface. The ase of entry into such structure can be difficult if not impossible; due to the desire of the existing firms to keep any potential further competition at bay. The final market structure which will be discussed can be defined as monopolistic competition. The monopolistic comp

Case #5 AP Courses Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Case #5 AP Courses - Essay Example The scale of marking is quite simple. Each exam would be marked out of 5 with 3 being the lowest to crawl into some universities and a score of 4 or 5 being acceptable to the majority. With me being the leader and school counselor, and the one to make or break their 'dreams', the whole responsibility rests on my shoulders. To start off, the first question which would pop into my head would be: 'exactly how much did these students score' Since the most common score of acceptance is 4 out of 5, it's a necessary question to know how that by how much they are lagging behind. It is also the reason that I will assume here that my institution accepts a 4 out of 5 score for passing. Now, the most important fact to take into consideration is this; these students have consistently been on the honor roll throughout their academic careers. This proves that they are hard working and dedicated students keen upon learning. This also makes the case tilt towards their side of the argument because I should not make a decision which will seem unfair to them, in which case there might be serious consequences like they might get highly de-motivated and stop studying altogether.

The Importance of Determination Essay Example for Free

The Importance of Determination Essay Everyday people face challenges, but it is important that one does not give up, and to keep trying until they successfully overcome the obstacles that stand in their way. â€Å"Mother to Son† by Langston Hughes and â€Å"Still I Rise† by Maya Angelou are two different works written by two different authors yet they both convey the same message. Together, the two authors stress the significance of pushing harder when faced with conflicts rather than simply giving up. Using figurative language and repetition, Langston Hughes and Maya Angelou effectively emphasize this message in both of their poems. In both poems, both authors attempt to convince the reader of the importance of not giving up and trying harder, and do so successfully. In â€Å"Mother to Son†, Langston Hughes is able to open the eyes and the mind of the reader by comparing the narrator’s difficult life to an object that is elegant, clear and simple. At the beginning and end of the poem Hughes’ writes, â€Å"Life for me ain’t been no crystal stair.† (Hughes 2, 20). Using the crystal stair as a symbol of clarity, Hughes’ is implying that life for the narrator is not clear and is not elegant, nor simple. He establishes the struggle in the narrator’s life and compares it to the crystal stair all while subliminally hinting that one must not back down from difficult courses in one’s life because no one’s life is a â€Å"crystal stair†. Much like the previous metaphor, Hughes’ highlights the importance of determination through another metaphor. He expresses, â€Å"It’s had tacks in it / And splinters / And boards torn up / And places with no carpet on the floor† (3-6). This metaphor is comparing life to a rough, bare and hard floor that has been through a lot. The use of this metaphor illustrates the image of a life that has been through a lot, but yet continues to persevere and manage through all the problems. In the same fashion as Hughes, poet Maya Angelou has used similar figurative language in her piece â€Å"Still I Rise†. It is important to note that similarly to the use of metaphors in â€Å"Mother to Son† by Langston Hughes; Maya Angelou makes a point to emphasize the same importance of pushing harder when faced with conflicts rather than simply giving up by using similes. Angelou writes, â€Å"You may trod me in the very dirt / But still, like dust, I’ll rise.† (Angelou, 3-4). Angelou compares triumph after a challenge in life being similar to that of dust rising after dirt has been trotted on, thus proving that just as important as it was for the dust to rise after the dirt, it is equally as important to rise after being faced with a challenge in life. Identically to the previous quotation, Angelou again expresses the importance of determination by writing, â€Å"Just like moons and like suns / With the certainty of tides / Just like hopes springing high / Still I’ll rise.† (9-12). Angelou effectively compares the sure rising of moons and suns rising with the certainty of tides, and the guaranteed rise of hopes to her own certainty to rise. Her persistence to continue to rise after being put through many evident hardships demonstrates the importance of pushing harder when encountering difficulties rather than quitting when things get hard. All things considered, both poets are able to successfully interpret the importance of pushing harder when faced with conflicts rather than simply giving up by using figurative language such as metaphors and similes. Equally as significant as the use of figurative language in both Langston Hughes’ poem, and Maya Angelou’s poem, is the use of repetition.   Though individually the poems may seem different, together the two poets commendably integrate and are able to convey the significance of persistence when one finds themselves in difficult situations in life. In the final analysis, using literary devices such as figurative language and repetition have assisted the two poets in emphasizing their message. It is important that one must not simply tolerate the troubling things they are faced with in life, but rather overcome them.

Exploring the Role of Women in Mexico in Like Water For Chocolate Essay

Like Water For Chocolate by Laura Esquivel explains women’s roles in northern Mexico during the turn of the nineteenth century. The novel takes place in northern Mexico on a family ranch where many family traditions are carried out. Also, the novel describes some of the typical foods that were prepared and fiestas that were celebrated in the Mexican culture around this time. However, the novel mainly focuses on the roles of females in Mexican society at that time. The novel goes beyond explaining women’s roles and also explains what took place in the Mexican family. Throughout the novel, readers learn the role of mothers, the conflict between personal desires and tradition, and typical foods, celebrations, and family traditions that were important to a Mexican family. The background of an author plays a significant role in the reason he or she writes a novel. The story is often written about his or her culture. Laura Esquivel, a novelist, teacher, and screenwriter, was born in Mexico City, Mexico. Laura Esquivel was born the third of four children to a middle-class family. The biography of Laura Esquivel from â€Å"The Biography Channel website† states that, â€Å"Laura Esquivel often explores the relationship between men and women in Mexico in her work† it is obvious by the way Esquivel describes the traditional roles of both men and women in Mexico that her background played a large part in her work (â€Å"Laura Esquivel†). Laura Esquivel’s novels are still loved and cherished today due to her â€Å"creative flair and style in her work† (â€Å"Laura Esquivel†). Laura Esquivel found her inspiration for her novel from her personal experience and hands on time in the kitchen. In â€Å"Literature of Develop ing Nations for Students†, there is a section regar... ... Luis Alberto Vargas. n.p.: Westport, Conn. : Greenwood Press, 2005., 2005. Tri-County Tech College's Catalog. Web. 27 Feb. 2014. Mujica, Barbara. "'Like Water for Chocolate,' (book review)." Americas 45.4 (July-Aug. 1993): 60. Rpt. in Literature of Developing Nations for Students: Presenting Analysis, Context, and Criticism on Literature of Developing Nations. Ed. Elizabeth Bellalouna, Michael L. LaBlanc, and Ira Mark Milne. Vol. 2. Detroit: Gale Group, 2000. Literature Resource Center. Web. 5 Feb. 2014. Salisbury, Joyce E. and Andrew E Kersten. "Eras / 20th Century Latin America / Family Life in 20th Century Latin America." Daily Life through History. ABC-CLIO, 2014. Web. 5 Feb. 2014. Standish, Peter, Steven M. Bell. "Social Life, Leisure, and Food." Culture and Customs of Mexico. Santa Barbara, CA: Greenwood, 2004. ABC-CLIO eBook Collection. Web. 5 Feb 2014.

The Switch

After my second year in high school, I made a decision that would turn out to be life changing. This decision wasn't life changing in the way that getting married or going to college would be, but I really learned a lot about myself that summer. What I'm about to tell you is what happened when I switched from Marching Band to Football. I will explain to you why this switch was such a big deal to me and what I learned about myself from it. Switching from Marching Band to Football after mySophomore year of high school changed the way I saw myself because I found I have a strong enough will to follow my heart despite controversy with others, I have a strong desire to be in control of my life, and I have an aggressive side that had not shown itself before. While making the decision to change from one activity to another, my own self- reliance and confidence really took over and helped me to deal with the controversy among my friends and teammates. My friends and band director wanted me t o stay in the marching band because I was a section leader with three years of experience ho was up for the Drum Major position.Naturally, this put me under a lot of social pressure. On top of that, my new teammates on the football team weren't exactly thrilled to have a tuba player trying out for the team. They used to make fun of me quite a bit, until I proved myself out on the field, that is. Another significant hurdle was telling my parents that I wanted to switch. I knew that my parents said they would support me in any decision I make, that isn't life threatening, but I wasn't sure if they would condone me playing football, which is probably one of the most angerous sports in the world if you don't practice proper technique.The fact that I was able to deal with all this and still stick to my guns showed me I was strong enough to follow my heart and cut my own path. Especially after considering the craziest part out of this whole thing, before this I never had been one to go ag ainst the grain. I had been a people pleaser my whole life and was afraid of making anyone mad at me. So, now that IVe explained the situation I found myself in, the reason I put myself in that position was because of a realization I had while sitting in the stands with the and at a football game during my sophomore year.I realized that I didn't enjoy sitting on the sidelines watching the action happen. I wanted to be out there in the middle of it. It made me think about how I always took the path of least resistance in every aspect of my life. I was always trying to make everyone around me happy when I wasn't completely happy myself. Watching that football game, I felt like I was the stands watching it go by, powerless to influence to course of fate. This mindset is what helped me to strengthen my will to follow my heart and do what I wanted to do. That night, I discovered my desire to have control of the direction my life was going in.On top of wanting to steer my life in the dire ction I wanted, that night I also discovered that I have an aggressive side that makes want to prove what I'm worth, fght to win, and be remembered. In every sport I'd ever done up to that point in my life, from Baseball to Karate to Wrestling, every single one of my coaches I'd ever had told me that I don't have a mean bone in my body, and I thought they were right. I always had a hard time with being competitive because I didn't want to hurt anyone nd I was somewhat content to sit in the dugout or on the sidelines unless subbed in.That is, until I had this self-realization one day in the stands. After that, a fire lit in my belly that hadn't been there before and I was ready to show everyone what I could do. This fire didn't go away and, actually, still hasn't to this day. And so, I Joined the football team and said good bye to the marching band as my first official act of taking control of my life. Looking back, I don't regret being in the marching band for three years, but I do ish I had played football all four years of my high school career.Unfortunately, I never felt the urge to play until that moment of self-realization that my life would pass me by if I didn't take hold, that night in the stands. And I never would have had the determination to follow my heart without that fiery passion in my gut that was ignited that night. In the grand scheme of things, this decision was very minor in nature, switching from one extracurricular activity to another. However, for me, it was a very momentous and self-awakening experience where I discovered how strong I can be.

Multicultural counseling, diversity counseling, counseling...

The Hidden Minority Upon hearing multicultural counseling, culturally diverse counseling, or counseling of diverse populations most people may think of groups that differ from the dominant culture in our society, such as, race, culture, ethnicity, etc. Many people do not think beyond these categories to consider a second tier of diversity, for instance, age, disability, sexual orientation, etc. What is the dominant culture? In most references the comparison is associated with the White Euro-American norms. The basic assumption that heterosexuality is the only normal path of all human beings creates a need for counseling trainees to consider the hidden minority group of gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender issues (GLBT). In general,†¦show more content†¦The GLBT community views individuals exhibiting these behaviors as homophobic. Homophobic Attitudes Within families, homophobia can appear in the forms of verbal abuse, physical threats, or physical attack. In a survey of GLBT teens in Rhode Island, 58 per cent of GLBT females reported experiencing these three types of victimization committed by their mothers, 34 per cent by their fathers, 24 per cent by their brothers, and 15 per cent by their sisters. In the same survey, GLBT males accounted 30 per cent victimization by their mothers, 23 per cent by their fathers, 43 per cent by brothers, and 15 per cent by their sisters. The most significant predictors identified as a risk factor of GLBT teen suicide is negative family interactions (Quinn, 2002). Nearly 26 per cent of GLBT youth are forced to leave their homes due to disputes concerning sexual orientation. This leaves the youth feeling isolated and unaccepted by the family. Often, teens believe running away is the only option. It makes teens feel like they have some control of their situation (Quinn, 2002). If GLBT teens seek refuge in a shelter will they meet the same discrimination and rejection they initially were trying to escape? 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