How Starbucks Saved My Life Essay

We chose to review the bestselling book called â€Å"How Starbucks Saved My Life† by Michael Gill because we thought that it would be a good read, as the title itself was intriguing. The book was quite difficult to find but somehow we managed to chance upon some copies of it. The book was not a disappointment as it was truly inspirational. It had taught us to start looking on the brighter side of life and to always move forward, not backward. We have also learned that we should not dwell on the past. At the start of the book, Michael Gill had been living in his past and had many regrets in his past life. Soon enough, the author came to the realization that lingering in his past was not going to make the present any better for himself. Hence, he made the decision to obtain a more positive mindset about the future. He proceeded to observe things in a different light and always did things with an open mind. Another one of the reasons why we chose this book was because it has also taught us to be hard working and take pride in whatever we have accomplished. In addition to that, the author taught us to never take things for granted and to appreciate the things we have in life before it can be abruptly taken away from us. The book is based on a true story about the author’s life. He used to work with J. Walter Thompson (JWT) – the largest advertising agency in the United States of America – as a successful advertising executive. He devoted most of his life working hard for the agency and sacrificed most of his time with his family to contribute in making the agency successful. He had spent long hours working with his clients instead of being with his family. The author thought of himself as a pillar of his family. He thought that sacrificing his job was worth all the times he had not been there for his family as he desired to provide a good life for his family. In fact, he was so loyal to his job that he was willing to surrender spending Christmas with his family to work with his client. The author had said â€Å"I was full of pride that I had never refused any effort JWT ever asked of me. † (2008, page 8). He had done everything he could to dedicate himself to the company; he was soon enough fired by one of his colleagues, Linda. The author had really liked Linda and he had helped her to move up on the Board of Directors. Hence, he felt extremely hurt that he was fired by Linda as he thought of her as a friend. The author was also furious with himself because he did not notice the signs earlier on while he was working that his new boss, a Brit named Martin Sorrell, who was younger than him. One of the signs that the author should have paid attention to was when his boss had once said straightforwardly â€Å"I like young people around me. † (2008, page 9). A few years later, he decided to open up his own consulting company and at the start, many of his old clients made business with him. However, his business gradually slowed down to a halt as lesser and lesser of his clients went back to him. His life became more miserable when he found out that he had a tiny tumour called an ‘acoustic neuroma’ on the base of his brain that was affecting his hearing. The author also started going to the gym momentarily after he was fired to keep himself occupied. â€Å"I needed a reason to get out of the house everyday, and exercise became my new reason for getting up and out. (2008, page 23) was what the author said. The gym was where he met his mistress, Susan. He had an affair with Susan for more than a year while still being married to his wife, Betsy. Late one morning, Susan broke the news to the author that she was pregnant with his child. He had hoped that she would go for an abortion but she refused because she thought that God told her that she should keep the baby. The author had then confessed to his wife of many years that he had impregnated another woman which led to his divorce. The author was sitting in a Starbucks store, reminiscing about his past when a black lady named Crystal accosted him intrepidly and confidently, offering him a job at Starbucks. During the interview, Crystal provided the author with a booklet that showed the health benefits of working as a barista at Starbucks. This caused the author to immediately make the decision to work at Starbucks as he could finally secure his fifth and last child’s health insurance. He then embarked on a new journey working at Starbucks and working for Crystal was a new experience for him since he was used to working in a high rank position. The author also wrote about how the Guests of Starbucks treated him differently than the clients he used to work with in his previous job. His Partners treated him with respect and was always patient when it came to teaching him new things. Slowly, he moved up his position as a barista and became the Coffee Master of the store. He adored his job so much that he wanted to exceed his service for his Partners and Guests. Therefore, he did this in a form of writing poems for them. One of the poems he wrote for his Guests was: â€Å"Your wonderful smile/When you walk in the door/Helps to make/Our spirit soar. You make sure to us/Just how we are/When we see you at the register/Or at the bar. /Little wonder you are our star/And a favourite Guest. /You bring out/Our very best! † (2008, page 224). At last, he decided to quit working at Crystal’s store and work at the Starbucks store which is near to his apartment. When he told Crystal that he wanted to work at another Starbucks store, he was praised by Crystal as being one of the best at delivering legendary service. It meant that he made the extra efforts to make positive bonds with the Guests. Due to his excellent service, he helped the store to attain a five star award which was the first ever time that Starbucks rewarded its stores. The book was useful to us as there were some original economic acumen. It taught us that no matter how rich and successful you are at that point in your life, you will still have to make a financial backup plan and be vigilant towards your own financial wealth. We found this book inspiring because the author did not give up even after many downfalls in his life. It taught us to persevere through hardship and be determined to overcome it. Family was also another important factor that he had stressed on in the book. He wrote about how he regretted not spending enough time with his family. He wrote that he was upset with himself because he had not been able to see his children grow up as fine adults that they are presently. This has taught us not to neglect our family even though it clashes with our personal work. We must always spend quality time together because it will strengthen the bond in the family as it is our first priority. The fact that he was the reason why his family was broken apart also caused him to feel guilty. The author had lived luxuriously all his life until he was fired by his company. He had once said in an interview, â€Å"I was born with just about every advantage you could imagine, or even wish for. † He had everything he wanted but he took it for granted. We can relate this to our lives as it acts as a reminder to us to always treasure what we have in life. This book is mostly about his experience working at Starbucks. However, the book was not entirely perfect. What did not appeal to us the most was that he had too many flashbacks. Due to the numerous flashbacks which he had, it made the book less interesting to us. It was tough for us to continue halfway through the story as he droned on about his previous life too much but eventually, we still managed to finish the book. The book also had too many corporate speaking and repetition. Another reason why it was not that useful was that the author talked about the Partners, Guests and having respect almost endlessly but only mentioned about his affair, divorce and his out-of-wedlock child merely. He had not exactly elaborated on the negative impacts in his life. Other than that, the author had also said in his book that he regretted prioritizing his work rather than his family in his younger years but it still seems as if he is achieving more from his work instead of from his new child. We have learned the importance of respect and serving people well from him but we feel that he had not learned how to connect with his children – especially his last child – well enough.

Traditionl Healers in Latin America

Introduction Traditional healers also known as curanderismo are important part of Latin American culture, society and a way of life. Traditional healers have been a part of Latin American culture for thousands of years and even today are considered as important as the traditional health care professionals (Avila, 1999). The services of these healers are used extensively and they are well respected and admired members of the community. Not anyone can be a healer and in order to become one a special talent and extensive training is needed (Avila, 1999).The purpose of this paper is to discuss the role of traditional healers in Latin American culture and to discuss what economic, social and religious reasons traditional healers are still so popular in this day and age in Latin America. Who Can Be a Traditional Healer? One of the most interesting aspects of the traditional healers in Latin America is that no everyone can be one. This is a striking contrast with traditional medical profess ionals where calling has become something secondary and where more people than not go into the medical field not because of genuine desire to help but because it pays well.The story is completely different for the traditional healers as the next generation is carefully hand-picked based on what is called â€Å"el don† or a gift (Avila, 1999). This gift cannot be acquired or trained, a person either has it or not. Having gift is not enough though as a new apprentice has to train for a very long time under the practicing traditional healer in order to learn the mastery and the craft of healing (Trotter & Chavira, 1997). Another interesting distinction between what Latin American traditional healers and regular health care professionals is the core philosophy that underlines their work.Traditional medicine focuses on symptoms and causes, while for the traditional healer the most important core of any problem is spiritual one, as the illness is the essentially an imbalance that h as to be corrected (Trotter & Chavira, 1997). Healers are also very in tune with nature and as it will be discussed below they rely a lot of natural remedies and so on (Avila, 1999). Spirituality and religion go hand in hand because as it was mentioned above healing powers are considered the unique gift one has received from some higher entity and thus religion plays very important role in the work of traditional healers.What Exactly Do Traditional Healers Do? Remarkably just like any health care professionals, traditional healers in Latin America also have their own specializations and areas of practice. While some have very narrow and specific areas, such are herbalists or midwives for example; others often have been trained in various specialties and can provide the â€Å"full package care† (Trotter & Chavira, 1997). Regardless of the specialty every traditional healer always considers the illness as a complex manifestation of problems in physical, emotional and spiritual planes.Traditional healers use variety of means in their practices. They prepare various mixtures, lotions, potions, oils and other substances for consumptions or for external use. But the substances are only the part of the practice. There are many rituals, offerings and prayers that constitute healing practices. The rituals could be very elaborate and include other objects and things such as for example birds’ eggs, or water or fire. All these things are believed to be important components in the healing process and are more often than not part of the ritual.Healers often give their clients various amulets to protect or to heal them including bracelets, necklaces and other objects. Many herbal and plant matters are used including very common veggies, spices and fruits like papaya, potatoes, garlic, cumin, mint and others (Davidow, 1999). Finally traditional healers employ many psychological means as they are often keen observers and student of human nature (Trotter & Chavir a, 1997). Many healers admit that the use of rituals is done for the patients’ sake as it aids in healing process.Remarkably there is a scientific support to this notion as the â€Å"placebo effect† indicates that something with strong suggestive power can deliver desired results. Economic, Religious, and Social Explanation For the Use of Traditional Healers in Latin America There are numerous reasons why traditional healers are so widespread and commonly used in Latin America. One reason is purely economic as traditional healers are the only medical care many families could afford (Trotter & Chavira, 1997). Traditional healers in general do not take any money from their clients and definitely do not take anything from very poor clients.They could accept offerings for their service but it is done on case to case basis. So for that reason the most important economic reason why healers are used is because their services are free. Another reason why healers are so popular is religious. As it was described above in order to be a healer one has to have a gift from the high spiritual power (Trotter & Chavira, 1997). Healers often offer some sort of a mix of religious, spiritual and physical practices that resonate with the Latin American community that has this mix also present.Latin American culture is both spiritual and religious and this is exactly what healers do offer. The religious/spiritual aspect of healing process is something that is strikingly different from traditional medicine and this is why healers are so popular. They often use religious objects in practices and the healing process including icons, crucifixes and so on. Finally there is a social explanation for why traditional healers are so often used even today. Healers have been traditionally not just a part of community but very well respected and admired members of community.Latin American culture is well known for its strong cultural ties and strong community sense (Trotter & Chav ira, 1997). Hence in case of illness or any other malady the first reaction is to go to the community member, a traditional healer than to go the hospital which many could not afford anyway. Healers also offer social and spiritual support and often even counseling, thus making it even more likely for a person to seek their help. As it was discussed above, economic, religious and social reasons for using traditional healers are very strong and more often than not they operate in conjunction even further supporting each other.For example, when a person has no money, he is less likely to go to a hospital. A healer could also play into person’s religiosity and sense of community, so all this factors together make a traditional healer more popular than any local hospital. Conclusion Traditional healers have been and most likely will be in the foreseeable future a very important part of Latin American culture and way of life. Traditional healers operate within community and are imp ortant and well-respected members of the community.They are often the last resort for poor segments of population, and the complex interactions of social, religious and economic factors often make them more attractive and popular than local hospitals. Traditional healers often have specific specializations such as herbalists or midwives, but many have numerous specializations. Not anyone can be a healer as it requires a gift and extensive training. Traditional healers offer a variety of services including physical treatment, various remedies and amulets and spiritual and psychological counseling.Spirituality is important part of practice and is one component which makes healers so popular. Traditional healers’ approach differs significantly from traditional medicine approach because it is more multileveled and holistic. Healers in a sense try to address the issues on both physical and spiritual levels, while the traditional medicine often focuses on physical symptoms and defi nitely less on spiritual aspects of illness. Healers are of course often frown upon by the medical community and called â€Å"quack doctors† because they do not have formal training and education.Yet Latin American communities still use their services extensively and remarkably even immigrant communities like Mexicans in the US for example, still use traditional healers. Recent estimates demonstrated that as many as 75% of Latin Americans living in Texas used traditional healers in one way or the other to either completely or partially deal with their illnesses or ailments (Tafur, 2009). This trend is very unlikely to change any time soon, after all traditional healers have been a part of Latin American culture for thousands of years. References:Avila E (1999). Woman Who Glows in the Dark: A Curandera Reveals Traditional Aztec Secrets of Physical and Spiritual Health. New York: Penguin Putnam. Davidow J (1999). Infusions of Healing: A Treasury of Mexican-American Herbal Remed ies. New York: Simon & Schuster. Tafur, M. M. , Crowe, T. K. , & Torres, E. (2009). A review of curanderismo and healing practices among Mexicans and Mexican Americans. Occupational Therapy International, 16(1), 82-88. Trotter, R. T. , & Chavira, J. A. (1997). Curanderismo: Mexican American Folk Healing. University of Georgia Press.

Clinical psychology Personal Statement Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Clinical psychology - Personal Statement Example It is their purview to help people cope with their condition and find suitable means to overcome them and lead a normal life. Regarding my experiences in this field, I have worked for 10 years as a Psychologist in the Department of drug addiction. Having fully realized the importance of clinical psychology, I now want to pursue a Masters Degree program and hence I am seeking admission for the same at your institute. I believe enrolling for the Masters Degree program will give me an opportunity to learn in depth the concepts and theories relating to clinical psychology and thus improve my understanding of the subject. This will enable me to work better with my patients and have the right understanding about their medical condition. In addition, I am also interested in pursuing research in this field and hence this Masters program will help me achieve my long-cherished dream. Studying about the human mind is always fascinating as the mind is subject to constant changes. Both genetic an d environmental factors can contribute to these changes. All the studies carried out in the field of clinical psychology focuses on the human mind in order to better understand the working of the mind and to work out a solution to help people overcome their difficulties and problems. These studies have helped psychologists to understand how the human mind works under different circumstances. This field also provides the opportunity to work with people both young and old and both the sexes. I am keenly interested in using the various theories of clinical psychology to understand in more detail about several psychological disorders such as schizophrenia and depression. During my experience as a psychologist with the department of drug addiction, I employed techniques such as observation, assessment and experimentation to understand individual behavior and the causative factors behind the addiction. Additionally laboratory experiments carried out along with suitable controls, hypnotic methods, biofeedback techniques, and tests which help to ascertain the personality traits, intelligence and aptitude of an individual. I understand that clinical psychologists play a vital role in helping people deal with their lives after events such as terror strikes and numerous other accidents and natural calamities. It is the clinical psychologists who help people cope with mental disorders or personal problems. A strong bond between the patient and the psychologist is established through patient interviews, psychotherapy for patients and their family and other suitable intervention and treatment strategies which are undertaken to fully understand the mental state of the individual. I hope to employ all the above approaches and strategies effectively while dealing with patients and their families. I also understand the importance of encouraging patients to think and reason out things on their own which would provide more clarity to previously confusing thoughts and actions and also help them cope better with their mental condition. When the right strategy is employed people often find a relief from the underlying medical condition or from the stresses imposed by daily life. I also have a strong inclination to work with under-privileged people suffering from mental illnesses and want to help them cope with their condition and thus bring some cheer in to their lives. I have, in my personal experience, worked and helped such people and the experience that I had gained

MOBILE COMMERCE (M- COMMERCE) Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

MOBILE COMMERCE (M- COMMERCE) - Research Paper Example Mobile commerce is similar to e commerce because it is mediated by computer networks; however, it differs from this form because some internet devices do not have access to telecommunications networks. Mobile commerce has numerous benefits that companies in any industry can enjoy, and one of them is their ability to respond to issues instantly. It is a given fact that certain transactions are time-critical, such as making a buy in the stock market for brokers; having an m-commerce platform for such industries could make the difference between success and failure for these stakeholders. Businesses can gain significant leverage when they merge the intention to purchase with the actual purchase through a mobile device. One way of how this has been achieved is through the use of PDAs (personal digital assistant) in the healthcare sector. Nurses and physicians constantly need to access patient information or records even though this may have occurred in another department within the institution. Some healthcare providers that have adopted these technologies are now able to access patient status and other critical information without having to go to the corresponding department. This has minimized administrative cost while productivity has increased, and the service quality within these entities is also quite promising. In addition to its instantaneous nature, m commerce allows users to carry out transactions independent of their location; this could drive sales substantially for such companies. Many buyers may want to purchase a certain item or service but could be unable to do so because of their distance from the actual store. Even e-commerce, which promises such an advantage is often limited by one’s ability to locate a computer, yet this is not the case for mobile devices. M-commerce holds a lot of promise for businesses that embrace it because they have the opportunity to sale their wares to buyers anywhere they are. The ubiquity of

Working Capital and Financial Environment Paper Essay

Working Capital and Financial Environment Paper - Essay Example The total amount is $10493m. They are collectable within a year. Current liabilities - is another balance sheet item. It is the sum of money owed by an organization that is due for payment within a period of one year. For GlaxoSmithKline, current liabilities for year 2005 as given in the financial statements include elements such as: - Trade and other payables - trade payables, wages and salaries, social securities, other payables, deferred income, customer return and rebate accruals, other accruals, dividends payable, derivative financial instruments - $1,0091.7m Financial regulators such as IFRS body are seen as international marks quality and transparency and thus boost the image of the reporting Entity (Michael W. Maher, William N. Lanen, Madhav V. Rajan. 2004). 4. Mitigation of risks. Effective control also ensures that risks are identified early and assessed properly inorder to come up with timely mitigation plans. This is because it is not possible to completely eliminate risks in such areas as research and development where it's not certain whether investment will bear significant returns.. 7. Control programs also ensure group's compliance with audit functions, as well as regulations and ethical codes of practice. This ensures the integrity of financial statements (Horngren, C., Sundem, G. and Elliott, J. (1991). (i) GSK has... Cash and cash equivalents Short term investments Accounts receivables Short term loans Inventories Pre-paid expenses and taxes Assets held for sale Total current assets = $41,896m (Pfizer financial reports 2005) Current liabilities - This is money owed by the company and repayable within one year. For Pfizer Inc. current liabilities include: - Short term borrowings ($11,589) Accounts payables ($2,226)m Dividends Payables ($1,772)m Income tax payable ($3,617)m Accrued compensations and related items ($1,720)m Other current liabilities ($7,522)m Liabilities held for sale ($2)m Total current liabilities are given as $28,448m = 28.45 billion dollars Working capital is therefore $41,896 - $28,448 = $13,448 = $13.45 billion b. Explain the functions of intermediaries and financial regulatory bodies with the company. Functions of intermediaries and financial regulators Financial regulators such as IFRS body are seen as international marks quality and transparency and thus boost the image of the reporting Entity (Michael W. Maher, William N. Lanen, Madhav V. Rajan. 2004). They provide a platform for comparison of similar companies in same Industry and therefore boost standardization. They also enhance financial reporting ensuring that companies understand risk controls and management and understand the impact of finance in business activities. They ensure compliance of set rules and regulations within the particular industry. C. Determine the importance of control programs and effective internal control techniques to the selected organization. Discuss the impact of the 2002 Sarbanes- Oxley Act. For GlaxoSmithKline good control programs are important due to the following reasons: - 1. They enable the board to present a balanced and

Psychology-Interview Profile Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Psychology-Interview Profile - Essay Example Tell me about yourself. Paulo Antonio: I’m Paulo Antonio, 31 years old and a graduate of BA Psychology. I may be getting married this year to my girlfriend of three years. I have two younger siblings; my brother is a marketing agent while my sister is a nurse. My mother works as a company consultant, and my dad is a businessman. He left us when I was in college, and he has another family now; we see each other every now and then. I’m usually optimistic, and I take a time out from work and other stressors when I feel that it gets hard to breathe, figuratively. C.I.: How does a person’s race, gender, or ethnicity contribute to his personality and attitudes? P.A.: Well, race, gender, or ethnicity always contribute to an individual’s wholeness. They do not necessarily solely ground the person’s attitudes and personality, but they do play their parts, especially when you consider the society. Take for example, gender. Although the present times are more open to equal gender roles, it cannot be denied that there are still several stereotypes that men are more dominant, and women, let’s say, are more emotional. Another, race. I am a Hispanic, and you are an African-American. We have different cultures and backgrounds that mold our personalities, making us who we are today. Usually Hispanic families have two parents in the household, but look at us, we have a single parent since years ago. That, for example, has changed how I act and perceive things, specifically in line with family values. C.I.: Personally speaking, what is the strongest influence on your attitudes? P.A.: As mentioned, I tend to have a positive attitude. I think my mother has influenced me a lot. She is a really strong woman. She has taught me, both directly and indirectly, that every problem that comes is accompanied by a hidden solution you have to uncover yourself so you can learn things in life that cannot be found in books. She sees light in little things , and she is very spiritual, which I believe has helped her a lot in her struggles. Observing her, and watching her, I believe that my optimism is something I owe her for passing on to me. C.I.: Do you self-monitor, or look back at yourself, with regard to your attitudes? How so? P.A.: Of course, I think everyone basically does. Although I am generally optimistic, there are times when I feel like the world is on my shoulders, and I fall back to being negative. Being a Psychology major has helped me, though. It’s now easier to detect when I’m being too hard on myself, so I snap out of those morbid thoughts. Sometimes I see myself implementing a â€Å"self-cognitive behavioral therapy!† *laughs* C.I.: Good for you. They say a man’s personality sums up his characteristics from different aspects. What experiences most contributed to the development of your personality? P.A.: I think it was when dad left us. Although I was in college already, my siblings were young, then. And taking into consideration our usually conservative culture, I felt ashamed that we had to go through such experience. Our relatives back home had strong family bonds and generally stayed with traditional gender roles. It seemed like everything had to change quickly. Mom had to find a better-paying job, and I felt the urge to stand as the man of the house. My thinking changed, and I was emotionally vulnerable but I had to learn how to deal with it. Dad leaving was a blessing in disguise - I learned how to take care of myself and my family better. C.I.: Have you taken the Myers-Briggs test? How

Trends in the workplace Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Trends in the workplace - Assignment Example It achieves this objective through career mapping, trainings, and performance management. The aim of this process is to impart the necessary skills to employees, for purposes of achieving efficiency in their work. Furthermore, the development of the human resource staff is a motivating factor that can improve the quality of work an individual does (Mondy and Noe, 2005). Evaluation, designing and implementation of compensation benefits is another important function of human resource management. This includes salaries and bonuses that employees get for their services to the organization. A fair and good remuneration package will most likely attract workers to the organization (Chandler, 2006). The organization will therefore have an opportunity to choose the best talents, from the high number of people who have applied in it (Mondy and Noe, 2005). Companies that do not pay their employees according to the living standards of the region will experience a high labor turnover. This in turn is expensive to the company, mainly because it will have to recruit employees again, which is an expensive process. Retention of workers is therefore an important strategy for an organization, and it cannot achieve this, with poor pay, and bonus system (Chandler, 2006). The employee-employer relationship is very important for the success of the organization. This is because the organization will manage to communicate its goals, aspirations, and mission to the employee. Furthermore, the employee will feel as if he or she is part of the organization, and hence work hard to achieve the objectives of the organization. Through compliance, collective bargaining, and a number of initiatives, human resource management is able to create a positive relationship between employees and the employer. Finally, risk management is another important function of human resource management. The HR