Philosophy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 8

Philosophy - Essay Example Aristotle asserts that all human endeavor is directed towards the achievement of the â€Å"chief good† (Aristotle, 32). This good, towards which mans’ knowledge and activity is directed, is difficult to define precisely, as it has different connotations for different people. However, based on the criteria of the chief good being â€Å"that which is always desirable in itself and never for the sake of something else† (35), we reach the conclusion that it is only happiness which is â€Å"final and self-sufficient† (35) and is therefore the ultimate objective of man. Aristotle concedes that happiness requires external instruments, such as good birth and prosperity. Man’s function is to perform any activity to the best extent possible and in accordance with virtue. Aristotle defines happiness as â€Å"an activity of the soul in accordance with perfect virtue† (37). Virtue has both moral and intellectual components - the former, such as temperance , is a result of good habits, while the latter, such as wisdom, can be learned. Virtue is the perfect intermediate or mean, which avoids both excess and deficiency. Aristotle equates good with truth: â€Å"The good state is truth in agreement with right desire† (44). Choice is inherent in the practice of virtue. Aristotle affirms that the most self-sufficient and superior kind of life, which will lead to â€Å"the complete happiness of man† (44) and enable man to reach for the divine, is the life devoted to the philosophical contemplation of the truth based on reason. Unlike most other philosophies, which lay down rigid rules (Hobbes), or advocate highly idealistic, intellectual tenets (Kant), Aristotle’s moral principle, which identifies the pursuit of happiness as mans’ objective in life and links this objective to virtue and activity, is particularly pertinent to everyday life.

Advanced Marketing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 5

Advanced Marketing - Essay Example McDonalds’ is an exemplary example of expertly exploiting the changing demands of the public and now includes healthy food with salads, fruits and energy drinks in its menu. This helps the organizations to effectively meet the needs of the individual segments of the masses and thereby develop more lasting relationship with its customers. Tesco extensively use the database to customize their service and win trust of their customers. The database of customer also promotes in identifying the products that have niche market position and thereby helps to promote brand creation to maintain its position. Levi’s, L’Oreal, Gucci etc. are major brands whose major strength is value positioning. It helps to gauge the flow of customers at different times of the day and helps in sales forecast. They can ensure inventory of products that are more in demand. Samsung extensively uses the customer database to manufacture its products as per the sales demand so that they can come up with new value added products without incurring loss on huge unsold

Investigation of red bull Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Investigation of red bull - Research Paper Example In contrast, the consumption of coca-cola and hot chocolate per day was found to be much lower, with an average consumption of –cups of coca-cola and –cups of hot chocolate per day. From the experiments conducted, the mean arterial pressure (MAP) for all participants at baseline (i.e. time=0 min) was found to be 92.09 Â ± 0.45 mmHg after consuming water, while the average heart rate was found to be 74.72 Â ± 1.75. Similarly, the readings for MAP and heart rate at baseline after the consumption of glucose drink were comparable, i.e. 92.09 Â ± 1.25 mmHg and 73.71 Â ± 2.65. However, as the time progressed, it was observed that while the readings for MAP and heart rate after consumption of water did not vary much, there was an observed increase in the MAP and heart rate after consumption of the glucose drink, peaking at 90 minutes post-consumption i.e. HR=79.01 and MAP= 94.75 mmHg and then declining to 73.76 and 92.73 mmHg, respectively, at 120 minutes. These findings a re depicted in the graph (Figure 1) below. Figure 1: Variation of MAP and Pulse Pressure with time: A comparison of Glucose vs. Control A similar trend, i.e. an initial increase in the heart rate and MAP followed by a decline, was observed in the after the consumption of the energy drink, i.e. Red Bull, but with certain differences. Although, as observed in the case of glucose drink, the heart rate and MAP increased after the consumption of Red Bull too, but the observed increase was much greater than that observed in the case of the glucose drink (i.e. Heart Rate: 81.71 post Red Bull consumption vs. 79.01 post-glucose consumption and MAP 100.1 mmHg post Red Bull consumption vs. 94.75 mmHg post glucose consumption respectively). Moreover, another important difference that was seen was that in the case of Red Bull consumption, the peak MAP and heart rate were achieved earlier, i.e. at 60 minutes post-consumption after which they started declining. Figure 2 below is a graphical repres entation of these findings. Figure 2: Variation of MAP and Pulse Pressure with time: A comparison of Red Bull vs. Control Another aspect of this experiment was to compare the differences, if any, in the variation of MAP and pulse between Red Bull and Red Bull without sugar. When the students were asked to consume Red Bull without sugar, an interesting observation was noted. It was seen that the results for the consumption of Red Bull without sugar were comparable to those obtained after the consumption of Glucose drink. After the consumption of Red Bull without sugar, the MAP and heart rate were observed to rise, reaching a peak at 90 minutes, when the MAP rose to 97.74 mmHg from a baseline MAP of 92.98 Â ± 1.70 mmHg and the heart rate rose to 80.83 from a baseline heart rate of 72.71Â ± 2.99. After 90 min, both the heart rate and the MAP were observed to decline. This is illustrated in the figure 3 below. Figure 3: Variation of MAP and Pulse Pressure with time: A comparison of Re d Bull without sugar vs. Control It is also important to note that the magnitude of the effect of Red Bull with no sugar on the heart rate and MAP was higher as compared to glucose drink while it was lower than the magnitude of effect of conventional Red Bull, i.e. with the sugar component. This study also aimed at elucidating the impact of the different beverages, i.e. water (control), glucose drink, Red Bull and Red Bull without sugar on the reaction times of the subjects. When the reaction tim

Fair Value Reporting Advantages and Disadvantages

Fair Value Reporting Advantages and Disadvantages Discuss the pros and cons of fair value reporting for investors? Why has this trend emerged, and how does asset value volatility seen during and since the Global Financial Crisis effect your views on this? There have been many debates in previous decades amongst the investors, users of the financial statements, on whether fair value accounting is worth being used. According to IFRS 13, fair value is the price that would be received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date (ACCA, 2016). Usage of fair value has advantages, however, it has disadvantages as well. This essay will discuss how fair value is more advantageous than disadvantageous and how it is carried out. It will also examine how fair value led Lehman Brothers, an American investment bank, into bankruptcy during the global financial crisis and why the trend of fair value has emerged in the recent decades. As historical cost loses relevance with the passing of time, it is more appropriate to use fair value reporting as it considers current market prices and conditions. This provides investors with the most relevant estimates of the value of business (Gjorgieva-Trajkovska et al., 2016), and timely information which is important for making investing decisions (McEnally, 2007). Penman (2007) states that fair value accounting reports assets and liabilities through an economists view and therefore reports economic income the change in fair value of net assets on the balance sheet. This is of interest to investors as they can make predictions of future earnings based on current information (Marra, 2016). On the other hand, Sundgren (2013) claims that there will also be fluctuations in fair values, leading to uncertainty of future inflows. Although this poses a disadvantage towards certain stakeholders, it is helpful to investors as high fluctuations could indicate high risk, which may rewar d them with high returns. Another advantage of fair value reporting is the reliability and transparency of the method. More transparency means that the investors are able to get an insight into the real value of the company. This allows investors to make more informed decisions that will benefit the business (Bigelow, n.d.). Fair value reporting is reliable as it can be checked in hindsight from available information about current and past market prices (Betakova et al., 2014). This is beneficial for the investors as it means that they can be confident that their decisions are correct and that the finances of the business will not suddenly change. Bubble prices can be an issue for investors as it may mislead them into making poor investing decisions. There is plenty of empirical evidence to show that bubble prices exist (Ryan, 2008). These price bubbles, according to Penman (2007), are introduced into financial statements through the usage of fair value accounting. He goes on to say that this causes bubble gains to reflect on the income statement, and these may, falsely, show the company as being healthy which could lull investors into a false sense of security. These bubbles also result in the investor receiving ineffective financial statements which will impair their decision making. An example of this would be where investors pay prices that far exceed their own valuation (Scheinkman and Xiong, 2003). This would make it tough for investors to earn a reasonable return on their investments. However, the research fails to consider the difficulties locating price bubbles or how investors can prevent themselves from being misled . It also fails to consider that bubble prices show the current trading price, albeit inflated, and therefore show the true value of the investment according to current prices. When there is illiquidity in a market, fair value is called mark to model accounting. Ball (2006) explains that when this occurs, market prices are not accurate as firms try to find an approximate value for the assets. He continues by stating that this can let managers easily manipulate values according to their own preferences affecting the reliability of financial statements. Betakova et al. (2014), argues that measurement procedures of fair value create loopholes and this means that prices can be written as vastly different from what they really are, which again allows manipulation. The fair value of assets and liabilities is derived from the 3 level hierarchy of inputs. According to IFRS 13, the highest priority is given to level 1 inputs the quoted price of assets and liabilities that are traded in the active market. Laux et al. (2010) state that assets or liabilities should be marked to market, which means that the quoted price has to be used to determine its fair value as it is the best approximation of how much an asset would be sold for (Magnan, 2009). IFRS also emphasises that the price to be used has to be those of an orderly transaction to ensure that it is not a forced transaction in order to maintain its representability. An example of level 1 valuation would be listed stocks or bonds. In cases where an asset does not have an active market, level 2 fair value measurement should be used. This is when the valuation inputs are directly or indirectly observable but do not fall under Level 1 (Magnan, 2009). Level 2 inputs, the net replacement cost, includ e quoted prices for similar assets or liabilities in active or non-active markets, and other relevant market data like the yield curves (Sundgren, 2013). For example, Petrobras issued a bond which is not traded. However, if there is an active market for a Valero Energy bond that is similar, the price of the Valero Energy bond can be used as level 2 input to value the Petrobras bond. Finally, the least priority is given to level 3 inputs, which are unobservable inputs. It is the least accurate as it is based on model assumptions. An example of level 3 measurement is when there is no observable input to value the Petrobras bond, then the value of the bond can be estimated by discounting its future cash flows. As a result, the reliability is reduced due to the subjectivity of the discount rate. Fair value is argued to be more appropriate, compared to historical cost, when level 1 valuation is used as it only allows minimal manipulation. However, during 2008, many companies overvalued t heir assets by using the level 3 measurement, contributing to the global financial crisis. Furthermore, there is an advantage in valuing certain assets using historical cost over fair value, like property, plant and equipment. This is because historical cost results in a more consistent calculation of depreciation. Moreover, under fair value, assets would need to be revalued frequently due to changing market conditions and this would impose additional costs to the organisation (Christensen and Nikolaev, 2013). Fair value was a dominant force in the financial crisis and exacerbated its severity (Cai-xia and Chi, 2010). Huizinga and Laeven (2009) note that fair value is procyclical and therefore intensifies the phases in the economic cycle. They expressed that banks were materially impacted due to the contrast between market and book values. Lehman Brothers was an American investment bank, founded in 1850, and was the fourth-largest investment bank in the United States. Its bankruptcy in 2008 was a prominent event in magnifying the repercussion of the financial crisis (Acharya and Richardson, 2009). One of the pivotal reasons for this collapse was due to the high leveraging (Lehner, 2016). Lehman disguised this from stakeholders by utilising fair value accounting and creative accountancy. The incentive behind such manipulations would be the benefit pressurised managers derive by camouflaging vulnerabilities in the organisation. This is proved by the movement of the leveraging ratio from 23.7 :1 in 2003 to 30.7:1 in 2007 (SEC Info, 2007) which signifies a high level of risk to investors. In addition, Azadinamin (2012) mentions that accounting standards, due to their defects, enable management to misrepresent financial information for momentary monetary rewards. He states further that Lehman window dressed the financial statements, using fair value, to present healthy looking balance sheets which assisted in concealing a major complication negative cash flows. Magnan (2009) states that As of November 30, 2007, 75.1% of assets measured at fair value were measured according to level 2 or level 3 inputs. This indicates that Lehman generally did not use the more reliable level 1 values. In addition, the proportion of assets valued using level 2 or 3 increased to 81.7% the following year. This shows the speed at which reliability in the accounting method was reduced. It is backed up by the empirical evidence provided by Magnan which shows that the movement from level 1 to lev els 2 and 3 was done intentionally so that they were able to report assets too highly and hide losses. He goes on to explain that fair value provides beneficial information to investors when assets trade in deep and efficient markets but are less useful when the markets are less liquid. One of the key reasons for the fall was the lack of liquidity caused by banks securing themselves, due to the financial crisis, by asking Lehman to pay off their debts. In addition, even though Lehman had a huge asset base, they lacked assets which could quickly be sold for cash (Brunnermeier, 2009). Apart from the ongoing financial crisis, another aspect that increased the speed of the collapse was the unrealised gains and losses brought about by the usage of fair value accounting (Magnan, 2009). For example, Hughes (2008) mentions that Lehman Brothers showed a $400m gain from fair-valuing its own liabilities. As no other firm wished to buy Lehman, in its state at the time, they declared bankruptcy on the 15th of September 2008 and this was quoted as the largest bankruptcy in the history of the United States (Mamudi, 2008). Therefore, fair value accounting without adequate additional disclosure is neither fair nor a good reflection of the value that is at risk (Magnan, 2009). To summarise, whilst relevance and reliability are the primary qualities of the usefulness of a financial report, there is a constant debate on the trade-off between these qualities when fair value measurement is adopted. Fair value is known to be relevant as it uses the current market price, however, it sacrifices its reliability as level 2 and level 3 inputs are used. The value of relevance and reliability is equally important because relevant information that has no reliability would mean nothing to the investors (Sing and Meng, 2005). In contrast, Hitz (2007) notes that fair value would be reliable if there was an actively traded market but the problem arises when there is not. He also remarks that usage of historical cost is falling whereas fair value accounting is on the rise. The reason for this is because fair value provides more timely and comparable information than amounts that would be reported under other alternative accounting approaches (Laux and Leuz, 2009). Furthermo re, they add to this by saying that fair value accounting recognises losses earlier than other methods of accounting and this makes it much more difficult to hide problems in the corporation which, if left to grow, would make crises more severe. However, we have seen that even through the use of fair value accounting, as in the case of Lehman Brothers, fair value accounting was a significant player behind the crisis of 2008. Wallison (2008) argues that fair value causes instability among financial institutions, although the title of the journal suggests that he would be taking a biased stance towards the topic. Moreover, the usage of fair value accounting causes volatility due to constantly changing prices. This concerned banks during the financial crisis due to the enormous write-downs caused by falling asset prices. However, Enria et al. (2004) argue that volatility provides information to investors regarding the risks of their investment. We believe that solely utilising fair val ue has pitfalls and therefore companies should adopt an integration between historical cost and fair value to eliminate the weaknesses of each. Nonetheless, we conclude that investors still prefer fair value accounting despite the disadvantages and the trade-off because it represents the true economic condition of assets and liabilities. References: ACCA, 2016. A framework for determining fair value? [Online]. Available from: http://www.accaglobal.com/gb/en/student/exam-support-resources/professional-exams-study-resources/p2/technical-articles/ifrs13.html [Accessed 08/03/17] Acharya, V.V. and Richardson, M., 2009. Causes of the financial crisis. Critical Review, 21(2-3), pp.195-210. Azadinamin, A., 2012. The bankruptcy of Lehman Brothers: Causes of Failure recommendations going forward. Swiss Management Center. Ball, R., 2006. International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS): pros and cons for investors. Accounting and business research, 36(sup1), pp.5-27. Betakova, J., Hrazdilova-Bockova, K. and Skoda, M., 2014. Fair value usefulness in financial statements. DAAAM International Scientific Book, pp.433-448. Bigelow, L. The Advantages Of Fair Value Vs. The Equity Method. The Finance Base. Available from: http://thefinancebase.com/advantages-fair-value-vs-equity-method-3255.html [Accesses 02/03/2017] Brunnermeier, M.K., 2009. Deciphering the liquidity and credit crunch 2007-2008. The Journal of economic perspectives, 23(1), pp.77-100. Cai-xia, H.E. and Chi, Z.H.A.N.G., 2010. Fair value accounting under financial crisis. Journal of Modern Accounting and Auditing, 6(6), p.59. Christensen, H.B. and Nikolaev, V.V., 2013. Does fair value accounting for non-financial assets pass the market test?. Review of Accounting Studies, 18(3), pp.734-775. Enria, A., Cappiello, L., Dierick, F., Grittini, S., Haralambous, A., Maddaloni, A., Molitor, P.A., Pires, F. and Poloni, P., 2004. Fair value accounting and financial stability. Hitz, J.M., 2007. The decision usefulness of fair value accounting-a theoretical perspective. European Accounting Review, 16(2), pp.323-362. Hughes, J., 2008. Fair value can flatter to deceive on your own debt. Financial Times, 24(07), p.2008. Huizinga, H. and Laeven, L., 2009. Accounting discretion of banks during a financial crisis. Laux, C. and Leuz, C., 2010. Did fair-value accounting contribute to the financial crisis?. The Journal of Economic Perspectives, 24(1), pp.93-118. Lehner, O.M. ed., 2016. Routledge Handbook of Social and Sustainable Finance. Routledge. Magnan, M.L., 2009. Fair value accounting and the financial crisis: messenger or contributor?. Accounting Perspectives, 8(3), pp.189-213.. Mamudi, S. 2008. Lehman folds with record $613 billion debt [Online]. New York: Market Watch. Available from: http://www.marketwatch.com/story/lehman-folds-with-record-613-billion-debt [Accessed 08/03/2017]. Marra, A., 2016. The Pros and Cons of Fair Value Accounting in a Globalized Economy: A Never Ending Debate. Journal of Accounting, Auditing Finance, 31(4), pp.582-591. McEnally, R., 2007. Fair Value Financial Reporting. CFA Magazine, 18(1), pp.25-26. Penman, S.H., 2007. Financial reporting quality: is fair value a plus or a minus?. Accounting and business research, 37(sup1), pp.33-44. Ryan, S.G., 2008. Fair value accounting: Understanding the issues raised by the credit crunch. Council of Institutional Investors, (July, 2008), pp.1-24. Scheinkman, J.A. and Xiong, W., 2003. Overconfidence and speculative bubbles. Journal of political Economy, 111(6), pp.1183-1220. Sing, T.Y. and Meng, S.C., 2005. Fair value accounting-relevance, reliability and progress in Malaysia. University College Sedeya International. Sundgren, S., 2013. Is fair value accounting really fair? A discussion of pros and cons with fair value measurement. The Finnish Journal of Business Economics, 62(3-4), pp.242-250. Trajkovska, O.G., Temjanovski, R. and Koleva, B., 2016. FAIR VALUE ACCOUNTING-PROS AND CONS. Journal of Economics, 1(2). Wallison, P.J., 2008. Fair value accounting: A critique. Financial Services Outlook. LEARNING LOG SUMMARY (maximum 1 page using Aerial 12-point with at least 1cm margins) Suggested content: What did you learn from the assignment both technically and in terms of working together as a group? We learnt about what caused the global financial crisis to occur and the impact it had on various financial institutions We gained a deeper understanding on the faults in fair value accounting which also shows why historical cost was so prevalent We learnt how to allocate work between the members of the group as well as set realistic deadlines What strategy as a group did you follow in tackling the assignment task? Making sure everyone was involved in writing each paragraph so that we received various different viewpoints Having frequent meetings and discussions in order to compare our research and decide on which points we should include within our paragraphs What problems did you face and how did you overcome them? Understanding what was required of the question. We overcame this ask question to the lecturer and finding out, through research, about other topics that could be included in each paragraph What went well? Coordination was good since we kept in touch with each other frequently Everyone kept to their deadlines and provided what was required of them when needed What, in retrospect, would you have done differently, why and how? In the beginning we took time to assign research topics and research took a while as we were all new to it. However, later on we were able to increase the pace as we became more proficient. If, however, we had been able to start off at this pace, the work would have been more evenly distributed over the weeks rather than being skewed towards the deadline Where did you locate most of your sources? Google University of Bath library Google Scholar LOG OF GROUP MEETINGS (complete a maximum of 1 page for each meeting) Meeting 1 Date of Meeting 23 Feb 2017 (Thursday) Attendees Ben Maitland Kylie Siow Gavriella Kafkalia Sidharth Ranjith Name of Absentees Agenda and tasks completed Decide on days of meeting every week (Tentatively Tuesday 1-2pm Friday 12.30-2pm) Talked about the structure of the essay Agreed items Structure of Essay Introduction Pros and Cons of FV 3rd of March How its carried out 10th March Example of FV during Financial Crisis 10th March Conclusion Tasks to be completed by next meeting Find points for pros and cons of fair value Date of next meeting 28 Feb 2017 (Tuesday) Meeting 2 Date of Meeting 28 Feb 2017 (Tuesday) Attendees Ben Maitland Kylie Siow Gavriella Kafkalia Sidharth Ranjith Name of Absentees Agenda, items agreed on and tasks completed Allocation of points for the first paragraph pros and cons of fair value accounting to investors Tasks to be completed by next meeting Full paragraph of pros and cons of fair value Date of next meeting 3 March 2017 (Friday) Meeting 3 Date of Meeting 3 March 2017 (Friday) Attendees Ben Maitland Kylie Siow Gavriella Kafkalia Sidharth Ranjith Name of Absentees Agenda and tasks completed Compiled the first paragraph Talk about the next 2 points Global financial crisis How fair value is carried out Allocate points to each person Tasks to be completed by next meeting Find points for the financial crisis and how fair value is carried out Date of next meeting 7 March 2017 (Tuesday) Meeting 4 Date of Meeting 7 March 2017 (Tuesday) Attendees Ben Maitland Kylie Siow Gavriella Kafkalia Sidharth Ranjith Name of Absentees Agenda and tasks completed Choose which points to write about and discuss how to evaluate it. Tasks to be completed by next meeting Finish the paragraphs how FV is carried out and the example during financial crisis Date of next meeting 10 March 2017 (Friday) Meeting 5 Date of Meeting 9 March 2017 (Thursday) Attendees Ben Maitland Kylie Siow Gavriella Kafkalia Sidharth Ranjith Name of Absentees Agenda and tasks completed Completed all body paragraphs Tasks to be completed by next meeting Introduction and Conclusion Date of next meeting 14 March 2017 (Tuesday) Meeting 6 Date of Meeting 15 March 2017 (Wednesday) Attendees Kylie Siow Gavriella Kafkalia Sidharth Ranjith Name of Absentees Ben Maitland (However did send his share of the work by e-mail) Agenda and tasks completed Completed introduction and draft for conclusion Tasks to be completed by next meeting Complete full paragraph for conclusion and make some changes for body paragraphs Date of next meeting 16 March 2017 (Thursday) Meeting 7 Date of Meeting 16 March 2017 (Thursday) Attendees Kylie Siow Gavriella Kafkalia Sidharth Ranjith Name of Absentees Ben Maitland (However did send his share of the work by e-mail) Agenda and tasks completed Worked on conclusion Date of next meeting 18 March 2017 (Saturday) Meeting 8 Date of Meeting 18 March 2017 (Saturday) Attendees Ben Maitland Kylie Siow Gavriella Kafkalia Sidharth Ranjith Name of Absentees Agenda and tasks completed Made some changes to body paragraphs Finalised the whole essay

Kate Chopin Essay -- Essays Papers

Kate Chopin Kate Chopin is an American writer of the late nineteenth century. She is known for her depictions of southern culture and of women's struggles for freedom. At this time in American history, women did not have a voice of their own and according to custom, they were to obey their father and husband. Generally, many women agreed to accept this customary way of life. Kate Chopin thought quite differently. The boldness Kate Chopin takes in portraying women in the late nineteenth century can be seen throughout The Awakening and other short stories. The following is an overview of her dramatic writing style. Elaine Showalter states, "Chopin went boldly beyond the work of her precursors in writing about women's longing for sexual and personal emancipation." (170). Chopin said that she was not a feminist of a suffragist. She was not an activist and she never joined the women's suffrage movement or belonged to a female literary community. Chopin saw freedom as a matter of your won spirit or soul without constraints. She did not try to encourage the women's movement in her writing; rather, she wrote what she felt. In writing what she felt, Chopin came to believe that " a true artist defied tradition and rejected respectable morality and the conventions and formulas to literary success." (Showalter 171). It could be said Chopin had a "literary awakening." In the early stages of Chopin's career, she tried to follow the literary advice and examples of others of her time. These efforts proved to be worthless. Chopin translated "Solitude", a story by Guy de Maupassant, in which Maupassant "escaped from tradition and authority†¦had entered into himself and looked out upon life though his own being and with his own eyes." (Seyested 701). Chopin did not want to imitate Maupassant; she just wanted to express herself in her writing the way he had done so in his. In The Awakening Chopin seems to tell her story through the main character Edna Pontellier. Her breaking away from the conventions of literary domesticity is shown through Edna breaking away from the conventional feminine roles of wife and mother (Showalter 170). Kate Chopin shows boldness by taking the main characters and having them completely change their views on life. Edna is a young woman who discovers that her pampered married life is not what she wants. ... ...ory in such a way that Edna has come to know herself, her true self, and does not need to continue living and searching. Kate Chopin's success as a writer plummeted after the release of The Awakening. It has been noted that contemporary critics were shocked at the way Chopin portrayed Edna Pontellier. Edna's character violated the codes of the behavior of nineteenth-century American women. The criticism became so bad the The Awakening was banned and dropped out of sight for many generations. It was not until the 1960's that Kate Chopin was recognized as a writer with her own views. Elaine Showalter states "Kate Chopin's literary evolution took her progressively through the three phases of the nineteenth-century American women's culture and women's writing." (176). Works Cited Chopin, Kate. The Awakening. New York: Dover, 1993. Night in Acadie. The American Short Story Series. Vol. 8. New York: Garrett, 1968. Seysrsted, Per, ed. Kate Chopin: A Critical Biography. New York: Octagon, 1980. Showalter, Elaine. "Tradition and the Female Talent: The Awakening and a Solitary Book." The Awakening. Ed. Nancy A. Walker. Boston: Bedford, 1993. 169-89.

Managers and the Process of Change Essay -- Business Management

Managers and the Process of Change The desperate call-to-arms, "Change or Die"— which can be heard echoing down the corridors of businesses everywhere — is evidence that leaders have recognised the need to change. Managers know that companies must be fast, flexible, responsive, resilient, and creative to survive. Most also know that current mind-sets, techniques, and tools are ineffective for creating such an organisation. These people are displaying the talents required to successfully negotiate change. They are aware of the limitations around or within themselves and are willing to learn the necessary skills required to succeed as change managers. Change is the process of moving from one state to another. Just as moving house requires the massive packing of furniture and other items, change requires just as much preparations to be successful. Most people do not like change, they like things to remain the same. Changes require more effort to adapt. It threatens stability and security and people fear that they will not be able to cope. Resistance is the natural defence to such perceived threats. A good manager has to be able to work with and overcome resistance he/she must be able to control the whole process of change. With this in mind, I have considered the role of the manager, what his/her function is and what skills are required to enable him/her to be a successful change manager. Function of Managers Fayol (1908) identified the functions of the manager as: 1. Setting objectives 2. Organisation 3. Motivation 4. Control or measurement 5. Co-ordination These functions are as true today as they were then, but I consider communication as the key to them. It is the essential function in successful change management. Drucke... ... Herts. Prentice Hall. Clegg et al. Palmer, G. ed. 1996. The Politics of Management Knoelwdge London. Sage Publications. Dawson, P. (1994). Organisational Change – A Processual Approach Newcastle upon Tyne. Athenaeum Press Ltd. Dove, R. Essay #051.3/99 in Automotive Manufacturing & Production, Gardner Publications, Revised 5/99. Dove, R. Essay #058. Paradigm Shift International - Originally Published 10/99 @ www.parshift.com Fayol, H. (1949). General and Industrial Management, London. Pitman. Hitler and His Henchmen 1999, The History Channel. Kotter, J.P. & Heskett, J.L. 1992. Corporate Culture and Performance. London. Pitman. Schneider, B. Leadership at the Edge of Chaos. Strategy & Leadership Magazine, Sept. 1997. Stewart, R. 1986. The Reality of Management. London. Pan Books. Vaill, P. The Quantum Organisation. Business Week online. Accessed 03/04/2000

Examination of the factors that contribute to depression among young women aged 15 to 25 of age in the UK

Abstract This dissertation identifies the factors that contribute to a mental health problem (depression) among young women 15 to 25 of age in the UK. The literature review revealed that the young women aged 15 to 25 are exposed to the risk of being depressed as a result of the interplay between biological and environmental factors. Furthermore, the rates of depression were found to be higher in the women population compared to men. The study also reveals that depression in the young women of this age bracket has negative effects on their family and friends. Although the family members and friends are always willing to help their loved ones recover from mental health problems they are prevented from doing so because of their lack of knowledge and skills in handling depression. As a result, depression ends up disrupting the relationship between the patients and their loved ones who equally end up being distressed as well. The findings reveal that the government should increase the funding on i ts programs and consistently review the performance of the policies in order to correct any mistakes in time. Introduction The main purpose of this study is to review literature on the factors that contribute to depression among young women aged 15 to 25 in the UK. The study will explore the impact of the patient’s condition on the family members and friends, and evaluate the effectiveness of the different initiatives to support young women with depression. The study carries out an extensive review of academic articles and will access all available data to discuss the research objectives. Additionally, it will perform an appraisal of the findings and results obtained from related literatures. Thereafter, a conclusion will be provided on all issues deliberated in the study, and then a recommendation will be given for the public education and possibly for future mental health research project among young women in the United Kingdom. Background and Rationale for the study The World Health Organization (WHO) defined mental health as a state of well-being in which an individual realizes his or her own abilities, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and is able to make a contribution to his or her community, whilst, mental problems or illness refers to conditions that affect cognition, emotion, and behaviour for example, schizophrenia, depression, and autism (Manderscheid et al, 2010). Women are more likely to suffer from depression compared to men. Brady (2013) confirmed that the investigation of national mental health surveys have shown that psychological disorders are 20% to 40% likely to occur in women than men. Walsh (2009) claims that this disparity is due to many elements, as studies have given a number of factors have been responsible for the cause of mental health problems among women in the UK; some of the influences include the increasing responsibility of women performing multiple roles in the society, such as care ers, homemakers and breadwinners. Seeman (2006) stated that the care giving role of women, which sometimes extends to spouses, children and the elderly, may induce increased stress and possibly cause mental health problems. Likewise, the associated issues of pregnancy and child-bearing are an additional consideration responsible for a high rate of mental health problems among women (Kidd et al, 2013). Ussher (2010) notes that the issue of domestic violence is also a contributing factor because women have depression or mental health problems because they have been subjected to domestic violence. These women sometimes find it hard to go for counseling as a confidential and safe means by which they can outlet their feelings. There are very few studies that have identified the relationship between mental health problems among young women and depression; this supports studies that have linked stress as a catalyst responsible for mental health problems amongst young women (Pratt et al 201 2). Weich (2004) confirmed that some UK based studies have reported an excess in the prevalence of the most common mental disorders of anxiety and depression. The cost of treating depression and other mental problems is a big financial burden to the government. The Centre for Mental Health (2010) concluded that mental problems have not only a human and social cost, but also an economic one, with wider costs in England amounting to ?105 billion a year. Rosenfeld (2009) asserts that very few studies have focused on the causes of depression among young women in the age group of 15-25. Most studies focus on depression on women, men, or adolescents without necessarily narrowing down to young women (Rosenfeld, 2009). The rationale for this study is to identify the causes of depression among the young women aged 15-25, evaluate the effects of depression on the family members and friends, explore the government policy and interventions and then offer recommendations on how to protect the yo ung women from depression. The study of depression in young women is important because the depression suffered at this age group has a direct effect on the future lives of these women (Thomas et al 2008). It is therefore important to look into ways of protecting them against depression because this will not only save the government money that is currently being used on treatment but also ensure that the young women enter the early adulthood stage with a strong mental ability. To the healthcare profession, this study will be helpful in the treatment of depression through making maximum use of preventive measures and formulating a basis for further research on ways of reducing the rates of depression among women aged 15-25. Aims and Objectives The primary aim of this project is to review literature on the factors that contribute to depression among young women aged 15 to 25 in the United Kingdom. The objectives of the study are as follows: To identify and understand the risk factors responsible for depression as a mental health problem among young women aged 15 to 25 in the UK. To examine the impact of depression on the family and friends of the depressed persons To investigate ggovernment initiatives that support young women with depressionEthicsThis study addressed ethical and anti- oppressive issues that relate to research and practice. It adhered to all the ethical principles that guide the use of secondary data. The review was conducted with an interest of finding ways of improving the lives of young people with depression through evaluating ways of reducing the causative agents and providing care for the already depressed population. The findings are meant to benefit both the depressed young people and form a basis f or future research. Literature ReviewMethodsThis review followed an inclusion and exclusion criteria in determining which articles and books to review and which ones to ignore based on the relevance of their content to this dissertation. The journal articles were chosen from EbSCOhost, BNI, MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINHAL, government published documents and policy. Simple electronic database search was then done using the key words as a guiding criterion. All the journals and books were screened by reading the titles, abstract and in some cases full text in deciding which ones were suitable for this research. The key words for the search were â€Å"mental illness, young women, depression, and government policies to address depression†. The database search depended on wildcards and keywords in looking for information in the abstracts, title, subject heading, and full text. The words were used separately and then in combination to ensure that as many relevant articles are reviewed. The criteria for inclusi on and exclusion of articles and books The method for selecting articles made use of the inclusion and exclusion criteria to ensure that the search generated the best possible articles and books. The inclusion criteria targeted the articles that cover prevalence of depression among women, early adulthood, policy intervention in the United Kingdom, peer reviewed and possible methods of dealing with depression. The exclusion criteria on the other hand included the articles and books published prior to 2001, generalized the youth without separating young women from women, only included children under the age of 15, focused on bipolar mood disorder, studies with small sample sizes (less than 50), and those involving non representative samples like the ethnic minorities.ResultsA total of 100 citations were considered for the research, out of which 30 duplicate citations were filtered out. The remaining 70 citations were then screened using the inclusion and exclusion criteria outlined above. 50 articles were retained for inclu sion and the other 20 were excluded from the study. Therefore, this review is based on a sample of 50 citations. The details of the review are availed in the subsequent sections of this literature review. The articles were then grouped into those that cover the general correlates of and prevalence of depression, those that cover young women below the age of 30, and finally those that cover young women still under the care of their parents. Among the 50 citations considered for review, only a small percentage was longitudinal by design. The samples had different sample sizes with the least having 50 and the most having 20,000 participants. General correlates and prevalence of depression The findings of this review reveal that in the cases where the articles made comparisons between the males and females, women were more likely to be affected by depression compared to the males. Out of the 10 articles that compared the two sexes only three posted a different result. The three articles did not find any significant differences in the prevalence rates between young men and young women. The other seven articles all concluded that women are more vulnerable to depression than men. The prevalence rates ranged from as low as 4.3% to a high of 49%. Factors that contribute to depression among young women 15 to 25 of age in the UK Lundt (2004, p. 67) claims that in addition to women having higher rates of depression than men, many features of depression differ for women when compared to men. These differences include factors like the likelihood of occurrence, risk factors and the symptoms of depression. This literature review reveals an overwhelming support for a multidimensional model of the risk factors for depression in women with a complex relationship being exhibited between life stress, social, biological, sex role socialization and developmental factors. Hales (2008, p. 33) asserts that currently, the exact neurophysiological mechanisms surrounding depression have not yet been identified although stress appears to play a crucial role in the onset of depressive episodes particular at the initial stages. While the conventional perception of depression supports biopsychosocial model of risk factors, more contemporary conceptualizations and research emphasize on the impact of the sex role socialization (Tho mas, et al 2008, p. 41). The societal gender expectations have a direct influence on how to deal with depression. The women who are forced to adopt female roles that are more stereotyped often experience more depression compared to the ones that are not exposed to such hostile environments. Ussher (2010, p. 13) also adds that women are also more likely to make complex inferences and engage in more ruminative self-focus and this may maintain or even aggravate depression. Walsh (2009, p. 66) notes that there is no single theory explaining the gender differences in depression. In fact the different rates of depression are as a result of multidimensional and interactive issues that are functions of idiographic factors. Rosenfeld (2009, p. 76) supports this further by asserting that integrative biopsychosocial theories of depression have been espoused by many different theories. They note that there are five major categories of risk factors which are: Biological, Life stress, Sex role so cialization, Societal/Social and Developmental The interactive model of risk factors is an expansion of the Worrel and Remmer (1992) model (White, & Groh, 2007, p. 65). All the five factors are discussed in discrete sections below for purposes of clarity although in reality most of these factors are interrelated and involve more than one factor at a time. It is for this reason then that some factors will appear in more than one section. Biological Factors In the past, most scholars held the assumption that there were two subtypes of depressions, neurotic and endogenous (Stahl et al. 2003, p. 56). The endogenous depressions were believed to be driven by purely biological factors whereas the neurotic depressions were thought to be functions of interpersonal and intrapersonal factors. However, more recent research shows that very few depressions are purely biological and there is a general consensus that most depressions have a biopsychosocial basis (Savoie et al 2004, p. 29) Although genetics play a significant role in unipolar depression, heredity is not an important factor as it is in bipolar depression. Depression affects women throughout their lives and it is caused by a combination of different factors that range from hormonal, pregnancy, postnatal to biological factors (Paxton, & Robinson, 2008, p. 16). At a later stage in life women may also suffer from depression caused by menopause. These are the factors that make women more vu lnerable to depression than men. Additionally, women are more likely to be diagnosed with depression in their early lives than men. Nimrod (2012, p. 43) found that females start experiencing depression in their early adolescence. The study highlights that depression can occur in the young women and puberty increases the risk. This assertion was supported by Greenblatt (2011, p. 45) who claims that the depression in women mostly starts at puberty. The hormonal levels at puberty are a major cause of depression in young women. The changes in oestrogen and androgen are more responsible for the depression than puberty itself. Hales (2009, p. 77) asserts that this view is consistent with the fact that depression can be as a result of hormonal changes that are related to the reproductive system of women. This is particularly evident in the young women who often complain of both emotional and physical premenstrual symptoms. The young women may also suffer depression during pregnancy. Erland sson and Eklund (2006, p. 32) claim that while pregnancy does not necessarily cause depression, pregnant women who have a history of depression are more likely to suffer relapses because of their reluctance to use antidepressant medication. This thought is supported by Castle et al (2006, p. 61) as they highlight the implications of managing and treating depression in women. Their research revealed that although many women are often reluctant to take medication during pregnancy, the effectiveness of using antidepressants outweighs the consequences of untreated depression on both the child and the woman. As such, their research outlines the importance of the role of nurses, health visitors, general practitioners, mental health practitioners and the other health professionals in educating the young pregnant women and their families. Additionally, the research also highlights the importance of taking the risks of managing and treating depression during pregnancy into consideration as w ell as empowering the young women to make decisions based on the best guidelines and available evidence. However, every pregnant woman must be considered differently and individually because there are many factors that influence their decisions on whether to use the antidepressants or not. Sleath et al (2005, p. 47) say that additional information is required by both pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatments and that all medical practitioners must always weigh up the different treatment options available as well as the wishes of the patient before making any decisions. In fact this is the reason why Pestello & Davis-Berman (2008, p. 15) asserts that current advice must be provided based on evidence based practice and practice guidelines. Mirowsky and Ross (2003, p. 55) claim that there is often an increased risk of depression after childbirth because of the hormonal changes in the postnatal period. During this time, there is often an influx of other factors like breast feed ing that may influence a young woman not to use antidepressants. Although infertility does not lead to depression, the young women struggling with infertility may be susceptible to depression. In fact Demyttenaere, De Fruyt, & Stahl (2005, p. 37) claim that depression may play a role in infertility. Some studies indicate a positive correlation between depression symptoms prior to attempting to conceive and infertility. However, the inability to conceive may lead to depression which may in turn affect the probability of being able to conceive (Ravindran, et al 2002, p. 99). Several other medical conditions like anemia, AIDS, Addison’s disease, cancer, diabetes, infectious hepatitis, influenza, systemic lupus, hypothyroidism, multiple sclerosis, ulcerative colitis, rheumatoid arthritis, hyperthyroidism, mononucleosis, and Cushing’s disease can cause symptoms of depression in young women (Pratt, et al. 2012, p. 21). Furthermore, other medical conditions like heart disease , asthma and hypoglycemia can equally cause anxiety like symptoms. Lazear et al (2008, p. 30) claims that there is a positive correlation between depression and coronary heart disease. Depression occurs with a high rate mostly after coronary heart disease. In fact recent research indicates that depression is a risk factor for coronary heart disease and a predictor of poor outcome (Eklund, Erlandsson, & Persson, 2003, p. 48). Life stress factors Hales (2012, p.50) claims that certain types of stressful life events eventually lead to depression in most young women. One of the possible reasons for the intermittent nature of depression is explained by the kindling hypothesis. According to this hypothesis, the strength of the association between stressful life events and depressive onsets decrease with an increase in the number of episodes (Eklund et al 2010, p. 82). It is the unspecified changes that take place during the repressive episodes either through learning or brain changes rather than the stressful life events that kindle future episodes. Erlandsson and Eklund (2003, p. 68) note that in people with recurrent depressions, the relationship between stress and depression declines progressively through approximately nine episodes and then stabilises through the future episodes. The stress diathesis theories of depression indicate that depression results from the way an individual interprets the life stressful events (Castle , Kulkarni, & Abel, 2006, p. 51). Hopelessness depression is a stress diathesis theory whereby an attributional style interacts with the negative style events to generate specific subtype of depression with symptoms of sadness, loss of motivation and suicidal ideation. In the context of this model, the internal factors (an attributional style) interact with the external factors (negative life events) to produce depression in the young women. Therefore, stress in womens’ lives has a direct impact on the levels of depressions. Caretaking and parenting demands on women often confer an increased risk for depression. Young women with children are particularly vulnerable especially for those that do not work outside the home (Duncan, 2004, p. 58). In fact, the more children in the house the more depression are reported. The responsibility of caring for the aging parents is often left to the adult daughters, which in turn increases their vulnerability to depression. Women seem to be more vulnerable to the negative effects of interpersonal relationships (McLeod & McLeod, 2009, p. 28). Women in unhappy marriages are three times more likely to be depressed than the single ones or men (McLeod & McLeod, 2009, p. 28). Women are more vulnerable to interpersonal violence than men are, and depression is a function of interpersonal violence (Beck, & Alford, 2009, p. 77). Depression can occur because of psychological and neurological changes caused by the interpersonal traumas. Smith & Elliott (2010, p. 44) claim there is a positive correlation between women with histories of childhood sexual and physical abuse and reversed neurovegatative depressive symptoms such as weight gain, increased appetite and hypersomnia, which suggests unique biological processes in trauma related depressions. Depression may also occur because of the effects of brain injuries suffered by battered women (Thomas, et al. 2008, p. 49). Sex Role socialisation Factors Certain types of stereotypical female personality traits as well as the gender role socialisation often contribute to the vulnerability of young women to depression. Weiten (2010, p. 37) claims that women with stereotypical beliefs on the gender roles of women and higher scores of measures of femininity are more vulnerable to depression. Furthermore, gender related personality traits like instrumentality are positively correlated to depression. The same is also true for socially influenced stereotypical female personality traits like dependency and passivity, which are conceptualised as mild manifestations of depression (Gotlib & Hammen, 2010, p. 22). Societal / Social factors Women are more likely to face lowered social status in work roles, family roles and community roles. Despite the gains, women have made both economically and socially, inequality between the sexes continues to persist in the society (Kittleson & Denkmire, 2005, p. 09). The reinforcement deficit theory postulated by Worrell and Remer (1992) indicates that depression is related to an unfavourable ratio between positive and negative person environment outcomes (Pettit & Joiner, 2005, p. 64). The low rate of positive outcomes is assumed to be caused by the increase in passive behaviour and dysphoric mood as the young women feel incapable of attaining personal goals leading to eventual withdrawal and despair. The inequity in family decision-making and access to family finance can cause women to feel powerless and unimportant, precursors to depression. Kantor (2007, p. 18) asserts that poverty is a pathway to depression. The majority of the people living in poverty in the United Kingdom ar e women and children. Dobson and Dozois (2008, p. 13) note that 10% of new cases of major depression are caused by poverty. The same is supported by Diamond (2005, p. 73) who hypothesises that depression is a function of financial hardships and poverty. Although gender differences in rates of depression do not differ by culture, the ethnic minority women and lesbians are at a higher risk because of the complexity and number of risks that they face on daily basis (Friedman, & Anderson, 2010, p. 63). The ethnic minority young women are more likely to be subjected to different socioeconomic factors for depression like ethnic/ racial discrimination, segregation into low status and high-risk jobs, lower educational and income levels, unemployment, single parenthood, poor health, marital dissolution and larger family sizes. Greenblatt (2011, p. 31) adds that being a member of a non-dominant group can also lead to experiences of discrimination and oppression, which are risk factors. Additi onally, intragroup and intergroup racism are also stressors that lead to poor health and psychological distress. Cultural role prescriptions for some ethnic minority women may at times lead to depression. For instance, for the Asian and British Indian women, the cultural norms of deference, passivity and courtesy may result in difficulties in self-assertion especially regarding issues of power consequently resulting in depression. Experiences of migration for any ethnic minority group may result in lack of social support, cultural conflicts, identity confusion, cultural adjustments, and feelings of powerlessness and diminished social status. Developmental Factors Gerrity et al (2001, p. 48) point out that prior developmental experience have a direct influence on the adult susceptibility to depression. This is particularly true for the individuals who have a history of neglect, abuse and parental loss as well as those that were brought up by depressed mothers. Additionally, the subsequent developmental transitions and the accompanying stressors increase the vulnerability of young women to depression. The developmental pathway of women often contain five major key points that begin when they start showing increased rates of depression in adolescence, continuing to the transitions on young adulthood, midlife and old age. Ussher (2010, p. 77) asserts that each of these transitions is accompanied by challenges and stresses. The intensity of these factors varies depending on the unique personality of an individual, social contexts, familial and social support, and life circumstances. One such interactive model indicates that girls arrive at the ado lescence stage with more pre-existing factors than boys do and these factors interact with social and biological changes of adolescence, which then extend into adulthood (Peacock & Casey 2000, p. 74). The young women in the age bracket of 15 to 25 are in the period of young adulthood. This period is a time of potential stress and strain for them because it is a time when they must make important interpersonal and vocational life choices that include decisions related to marriage and motherhood (White & Groh, 2007, p. 17). The young mothers with children at home face higher risks of depression. Epidemiological data indicates that the mid to late 20’s is the age at which women start experiencing depression because of the many decisions that they have to make (Stahl, et al 2003, p. 94). In the period of transition to adulthood, the women that were exposed to childhood adversities are more likely to be depressed compared to the ones that did not go through such terrible childhood s. The mid 20’s is the first time a woman must face the harsh realities of life in the context of the dreams and visions mapped out in the adolescence period. The discovery that adulthood is not as she expected often thrusts most women into despair and confusion. The fact that the young women are facing the challenges and stresses of adulthood for the first time in their lives makes them feel unprepared as the demands of adult life are at times very overwhelming (Ferentinos, et al. 2011,p. 63). These stresses make the young adult women vulnerable to psychological distress, particularly depression. Effects of depression on family and friends of the patients Weiten (2010) says that when a young woman gets depression, it does not affect her alone as it also has gross effects on their parents, siblings, friends and the whole family. All the people close to the individuals suffering from depression often get extremely worried about the patients. Beck and Alford (2009) claim that the worst part of it is that in most cases these people do not have the knowledge and skills to help the patients. This worsens the situation for the patients, as they feel helpless and in so doing adding more misery to the parents, siblings and close friends. Dobson and Dozois (2008) assert that the family members and friends get worried on the possibility of the young depressed women contemplating suicide because of their unstable conditions. In as much as they are always willing to help these young depressed women get back to the normal swing of things, the ways of doing it makes the whole thought a mirage. Therefore, they end up being very focused on them, alway s worrying for them and having difficult time connecting with the depressed young women because depression inhibits their ability to interact with other people. Depression hurts the young women both mentally and physically inhibiting their ability to work and function. The people who have affection for the young girls are often hurt by the experiences of their loved ones (Thomas et al 2008). Unlike the other physical illnesses, depression is not easily visible to people without prior experience. In fact, many people have no idea of its causes or treatment (Sleath et al 2005). The intangibility of the illness makes it very hard for the family and friends who are not able to feel or see the intensity of the suffering. Some family members and friends even deny the existence of depression because of the confusing nature of the illness. Castle, Kulkarni, & Abel (2006) claim that some family members and friends consider depression as a sign of personal weakness, while others often end up fighting alongside their depressed friends and family members. These too cases are both extreme and cause grief especially because the depressed young girls feel frustrated, misunderstood or overstretched to recover quickly. Demyttenaere, De Fruyt, and Stahl (2005) say that the symptoms of depression are very difficult to interpret. The young girls often get withdrawn and have little energy to perform ordinary daily tasks. Unfortunately, this is at times misinterpreted by the other family members as a lack of effort in helping in the daily house chores. Evaluation of initiatives for tackling the mental health problems among young women in the UK The purpose of this part of the dissertation is threefold: Make reference to some policies that touch on mental health of young women in the United Kingdom; Highlight some of the progress made by the government in helping the young people suffering from mental health problems; Identify the weaknesses and gaps in the policy and support and what should be done to improve their effectiveness. Owing to the large number of government policies on the young people, this dissertation will be highly selective in approach. INITIATIVES The National Service Framework for children, young people and maternity services policy contains the 11 standards that contribute to the mental well being of the young people. In 2007, the government developed the National Indicator Set to enable the central government manage the performance of the local government. These indicators were as follows: NI50, which monitors the emotional health of the children and young people; NI51 to monitor the effectiveness of government policy. The Children and Young People in Mind (CAMHS) made recommendations that highlight the role of all universal services like the police and midwives in promoting the mental health of children and young people. The government implemented two of its recommendations through the creation of National Advisory Council (NAC) and National CAMHS Support Service (NCSS). The role of the NAC is to hold the government accountable in ensuring that all the recommendations are met. The NCSS, on the other hand, was charged with the role of continually improving and sustaining service delivery. The New Horizons (2009) made mental health the responsibility of everyone. It required all the government departments to work as a team in the prevention of mental health problems and develop resilience in the households. It paid special attention to the need of improving transition from adolescence to adulthood and emphasised the importance of prevention of mental illnesses. In 2010, the Keeping Children and Young People in Mind applauded the need for the government to invest in the mental health and emotional well-being of the children and young people. The Progress Made The investment in CAMHS led to increased advocacy in building resilience, early intervention, general well being and the called for support from families. As a result, there was an increase in the number of professional staff to offer services to the young people (Ferentinos et al 2011). However, the progress was slower for the 16 and 17 year olds as evidenced by the increased number of young people of this age spending time in psychiatric hospitals. This implies that comprehensive implementation of CAMHS is not easy and will require more time and commitment from all the stakeholders. The Mental Health Promotion Driving Policy in the New Horizons is performing well although it is mainly adult focused which places the young women at an increased risk of being lost in the bigger agenda. The Challenges and Recommendations Most of the government policies on young people are properly aspirational although turning them into reality on the ground remains the biggest challenge. The process of implementation is very critical as it underlines the efficiency of the policies. It will be impossible to realise the vision of these policies without total commitment and consistent long term funding. This is why it is advisable for the government to look into ways of ensuring better management and leadership to ensure that these services reach the people as envisaged in the policies. Presently, there is still a gap in the logic on the empowerment of people, families and communities on taking care of mental health (Castle, Kulkarni, & Abel, 2006). Many people have gone through the process of intervention but the real solution lies on empowering individuals with the skills, knowledge and resources to deal with mental health challenges on their own. Helping the young women with self-awareness, social and emotional skil ls, and foster knowledge will help them take the responsibility for their mental health and emotional well-being. Conclusion This dissertation has identified the factors that contribute to a mental health problem (depression) among young women 15 to 25 of age in the UK. The secondary research also assessed the effects of the condition on the family and friends of the patients and then evaluated the policy and support for tackling the mental health problems among young women in the UK. The extensive review of academic articles and books revealed that the young women aged 15 to 25 are exposed to the risk of being depressed as a result of the interplay between biological and environmental factors. Furthermore, the rates of depression were found to be higher in the women population compared to men. The study also revealed that depression in the young women of this age bracket has negative effects on their family and friends. The worst part of it is that the family and friends are always willing to help their loved ones recover from mental health problems but are prevented from doing so because of their lack of knowledge and skills in handling depression. As a result, depression ends up disrupting the relationship between the patients and their loved ones who equally end up being distressed as well. The government has enacted many policies to contain mental health problems in the country, however there are still challenges as highlighted in the discussion. These policies although aspirational, still need more commitment in terms of funding, leadership and management for them to have their intended impact in the country. Recommendations The policies for helping the young girls aged 15 to 25 have already been identified and enacted by the government. The only challenge remaining is the implementation process, which is proving to be difficult as evidenced by the high number of young girls spending their time in the psychiatric hospitals. This can be addressed through increasing the amount of funds allocated to the project. This increase will enable the government to reach more people and empower them with the knowledge and skills on how to handle mental illnesses. As already outlined, the family members and friends are always willing to help the depressed young women but then they lack the necessary knowledge and skills. Equipping these people with the knowledge and skills will be helpful in reducing the rates of depression among young women aged 15 to 25 because they have a close contact and better understanding of their loved ones. Additionally, consistent evaluation and assessment of the policies will also be helpf ul to the government in terms of identifying new ways of helping the young girls. Limitations of the study The study was only reliant on secondary data as the researcher was not able to interact directly with the respondents. This implies that the errors that may have been made by the secondary data could have been replicated in the outcomes of this study. Secondly, very few policies are tailored for this particular age group so the policies used were those overlapping between late adolescence and early adulthood. This may have in some way affected the results although the impact may not be that big given that the age group of 15 to 25 lie in the same period of late adolescence and early adulthood. Bibliography Beck, A. T., & Alford, B. A. (2009). Depression: Causes and treatment. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press. Brady,. T. 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