Kmart and Sears Merger Essay Example for Free

Kmart and Sears Merger Essay Kmart had been established in 1962 by its parent company S. S. Kresge as a discount department store offering the most variety of goods at the lowest prices. Un- like Sears, the company chose not to locate in large shopping malls but to establish its discount stores in highly visible corner locations. During the 1960s, ’70s, and ’80s, Kmart prospered. Retail formats in operation Kmart – is a chain of discount stores that are usually free standing or located in a strip malls. Big Kmart – signals a different kind of Kmart. These stores are bigger, brighter and offer big savings, big value, big selection and big convenience. Big Kmart stores are designed to increase store sales by increasing the frequency of customer visits. The format focuses on three distinct businesses – home fashions, children’s apparel and consumables – and features an expanded food area known as the â€Å"Pantry†. Kmart Super Center is a chain of hypermarkets that carry everything a regular Kmart carries, but also have a full grocery section with meat and poultry, baked goods, a delicatessen, garden produce, and fresh seafood. Most Kmart Super Centers operate 24-hours a day and offer special services. In 1999 Kmart began offering a dial-up internet service called BlueLight, which was eventually spun off as an independent company. BlueLight was initially free and supported by banner ads. BlueLight dropped the free service in February 2001 and was reacquired by Kmart in July 2001. In 2002 United Online, which also owns NetZero and Juno, bought the BlueLight service after Kmart filed for bankruptcy. In August 2006, Bluelight dropped the banners. As of August 2006, the service costs $14. 95 a month and has around 165,000 subscribers. Promotional Pricing model Promotional pricing had always been the forte at Kmart. Offering a lower price temporarily in order to enhance the effectiveness of product sales efforts to cost sensitive consumer. In 1990, Wal-Mart overtook Kmart in sales, they tried to wean the company away from this strategy. Kmart cut process on 38,000 items and promoted the with expensive television commercials, which failed to lure younger shoppers. Then Wal-Mart countered by using its greater efficiency and economies of scale to fight back on pricing. The outcome was 1% drop in Kmart’s sales in December and 8% increase in those of Wal-Mart. Financial Analysis Prior to 2001, company was making continues losses, in order to understand scenario; we first analyze the period from 1995 to 1998. Here, Kmart started making some profit. And the second part from the year 1998 to 2002, where they actually went bankrupts. In 1995, the firm suffered a huge loss of $571 million. This was because of the non-performance of 127 international stores. It was in the same year that COGS as a percentage of sales were too high as 78%. Operating expenses as a percentage was in proportion to that of the industry. However due to the low performance of the international stores, stores outside t United States, Kmart had a bad financial year in 1995. It was the same year that the management decided to do away with the non preforming stores and thereby closed all its international stores and started four new stores in the home market. The list of stores by Kmart during the period can be seen as under: In 1999, COGS was 78% of sales as compared to 72 % of sales in the year 1998. Also, COGS increased drastically compared to increase in sales. Sales in 1999 increased by 6. 26%, however COGS increased by 12. 23%. Thus, there was a major decrease in the grow profit from 27% of sales to 21% of sales. This was the beginning of the downfall of Kmart. From here on, COGS kept on increasing. In 2002 COG reached 85%, thus gross margin reduced from 21% in 1999 to 14% in 2002. During the same time, Kmart’s operational efficiency too decreased and it increased from 18% in the year 1999 to 21% in 2002. Thus, increase in the COGS, lowering of the gross margin and increase in the operational costs, all contributes to the fall of Kmart. Competitors within the industry Its primary competitors were Wal-Mart, Sears, Target, Kohl’s, and J.  C. Penney, with secondary competitors in certain categories. Wal-Mart Wal-Mart followed the lower cost competitive strategy of cost leadership. According to our textbook cost leadership aims at the broad mass market and requires efficient scale facilities, cost reductions, cost and overhead control; avoids marginal customers, cost minimization in RD, service, sales force and advertising. Therefore Wal-Mart could get following benefits: this strategy provided defense against competitors, provides a barrier to entry for new competitors and generate increased market share. Wal-Mart managed to maintain â€Å"everyday low prices† and achieve highest sales in the industry. It should be noted that Wal-Mart’s 2005 revenues exceeded that of the next ? ve U. S. retailers combined: these are Home Depot, Kroger, Sears Holding Company (which includes Sears and Kmart), Costco, and Target. Wal-Mart’s technological edge is in its logistics, distribution, and inventory control helped it reduce cost and offer customers product cheaper than its competitors. Moreover it could benefit from economies of scale. Wal-Mart also used differentiation focus strategy by creating a product and service unique to customers, according to ReferenceForBusiness. com. It could be argued that this feature is not real and just in the mind of the customer; customers believed they were being offered something special. Wal-Mart achieved this strategy by offering unique warranties and brand images. Wal-Mart customers believed they were being provided with something that they cannot find at any of the stores competitors. Wall-mart’s value chain worked in following way: Vendors, Wal-Marts suppliers delivered products to Wal-Marts distribution center or directly to one of the stores. Wal-Mart was able to bargain for the lowest possible price because of the high volume of sales. Therefore, Wal-Mart could pass this savings to its customers. After that once the products were delivered to the distribution center, they were sorted and placed on trucks to be delivered to stores. This allows for less than 48 hour deliveries to stores and increased efficiency on trucks with backhauls. After products were delivered to the stores, they were placed on the appropriate shelf location for customers to view. Store locations were located throughout the U. S. in rural and urban towns. Moreover customers could purchase products at very low prices and have the ability to return any item. These were the key elements of Wal-Mart value chain. Overall Wal-Mart’s competitive advantage over its competitors was efficient supply chain management and lower prices achieved through maintaining low costs. Sears Sears, with the second-highest annual sales, had a strong position in hard goods, such as home appliances and tools. Around 40% of all major home appliance sales continued to be controlled by Sears. Nevertheless, Sears was struggling with slumping sales as customers turned from Sears mall stores to stand-alone, big-box retailers, such as Lowe’s and Home Depot, to buy their hard goods. Sears main competitive disadvantage was its store locations. Sears has been too slow to expand away from mall locations, industry analysts said. As Sears Chairman Alan Lacy said: â€Å"Our service and products are as good as our competitors but theyre not where our customers are. † Target Target was third in sales but second in profits, behind Wal-Mart. It used differentiation strategy and tried to offer customers quality products and had distinguished itself as a merchandiser of stylish upscale products. Targets mission statement focused on great guest service, clean stores and speedy checkouts. Along with Wal-Mart, Target had flourished to such an extent that Dayton-Hudson, its parent company, had changed its corporate name to Target. Its main focus was statically higher income consumers and early internet adopters. Target’s main competitive advantage was good customer service and quality product. This is where it creates value for its customers. Kohl’s, and J. C. Penney Both Kohl’s and J. C. Penney emphasized on soft goods, such as clothing and related items. They both chose differentiation strategy. Kohl’s concentrated on selling both private and exclusive brands which were â€Å"only at Kohl’s† as well as national brands like Nike, Adidas, Lee, Levi’s, Jockey, Van Heusen. Private and exclusive brands contributed a lot more to the gross margin as Kohl’s has significant control over the production, manufacturing and marketing expense of these brands. Keeping this in mind, Kohl’s has shifted its merchandise gradually towards this section of merchandise. In 2004, Kohl’s carried 25% in Private and Exclusive Brands, and this figure rose to 50% in 2011. Moreover it tried to provide â€Å"convenience† promise to customers an easy and satisfying shopping experience. Kohl’s organized departments by lifestyle, added signage and graphics depicting key trends, and presented merchandise to suggest how customers can create new looks. They also continued to improve inventory management to deliver more new product more often, to differentiate line mixes according to geographic preferences, and to assure a â€Å"shelf never empty† of products the consumer desires. J. C Penney targeted moderate income customs, mainly women who as company executive said that were with, â€Å"too little time, too little money, and two little kids. † Kmart versus Competitors Kmart’s main problem was that it did not have clearly defined competitive strategy. In 2001, Kmart proclaimed a new retailing strategy that included less advertising, fewer advertised specials, and lower daily prices on many items. In short, Kmart tried to challenge Wal-Mart as the everyday low-price leader. Wal-Mart responded to the Kmart challenge with still lower prices. These new initiatives further weakened the ? nancial position of Kmart Corporation. The Kmart assault on the Wal-Mart image as the low-price leader failed, and Kmart was left with huge volumes of unsold merchandise (Turner 2003, 71–72). Kmart forgot to take into consideration that its capacity to lower prices was limited because of its poor supply chain management, often popular products would be out of stock, in some cases stored in trailors outside of the stores. Kmart was not successful in using differentiation competitive strategy either. While Wal-Mart reigned supreme as the low cost leader, Target was perceived as being a â€Å"higher quality† retailer. There was basically nothing left for Kmart. In attempt to pursue differentiation strategy Kmart updated and enlarged the stores, added name brands, however this was not successful either, acquisitions all performed poorly posting minimal net income or losses and distracted management from core business. Kmart’s main competitive disadvantages were problems in value proposition, poor supply chain/inventory management and poor customer service. It needed to choose competitive strategy suitable for it and concentrate on it.

Effect of Cultural Exposure on Ethnic Identities in Adoption

Effect of Cultural Exposure on Ethnic Identities in Adoption How has cultural exposure shaped the ethnic identities of Asian children who have been adopted into American families? Emma Schroeter This essay assesses the effects of cultural exposure on the ethnic identities’ of Asian transracially adopted children. It examines how cultural exposure shapes the ethnic identities of Asian children who have been adopted into American families. To do so, the variety of cultural exposure methods and the factors that typically influence a child’s self-identity are first discussed. This includes the â€Å"nature versus nature concept† and Albert Bandura’s social learning theory. The way ethnic identity is measured is then identified. Next, a relevant study by David C. Lee and Stephen M. Quintana’s which was published in 2005 is analyzed in relation to the investigation. The results are discussed and conclusions are drawn. In conclusion, there are significant positive effects of cultural exposure on Asian transracially adopted children. Introduction: International adoption is becoming increasingly popular within families in the United States. Since 1971, over 330,000 children have been adopted from other countries and the annual rate for international adoption has tripled.[1] The amount of internationally adopted children went from 7,093 children in 1990 to 22,884 children in 2004.[2] The increase in international adoption can be attributed to war, poverty, the lack of social welfare in these countries, as well as: greater infertility rates in the United States, recognized difficulties associated with domestic adoption, desire to adopt babies rather than older children, or a repugnance toward foster care adoption.[3] Today, children (the majority infants and young children) are adopted annually from over one hundred countries, with approximately 90% of children adopted from only twenty countries.[4] However, most are from China, Russia, South Korea, and Guatemala.[5] Transracial adoption in the United States has a controversial history.[6] The perception of ethnic identity within these children has been an immense concern for the general wellbeing of the child. Currently, Asian children adopted into American families cover about 15% of all adopted children and continues to increase annually.[7] Whether or not we want to accept it, our childhoods play a prodigious role in not only shaping who we become as adults but also our identity. Some people actually consider transracial adoption cultural genocide.[8] When transracially adopted into an American family, a child is at risk for being robbed of their own identity and culture. Although many families who adopt children do make an effort to expose their child to as much of their original culture as possible, what the child interprets may not necessarily be the expected. Therefore, the question remains: How has cultural exposure shaped the ethnic identities of Asian children who have been adopted int o American families? Although, many of the studies referenced refer to Korean children, the researchers have made the conclusion that the same effects apply to all Asian adoptees. Investigation: Cultural exposure can have a variety of meanings. In the case of a child being transracially adopted, cultural exposure is the introduction to aspects and collective manifestations of their home country. For Asian children, these items may include: attending Asian/culture-specific cultural group activities/festivals, visiting home country, attending culture-specific (fully Korean, Japanese, etc.) school, can speak some of native language, can write some of native language, or eats culture-specific food frequently (daily, weekly, monthly, etc.). These items are drawn from a variation of the Suinn-Lew Asian Self-Identity Acculturation Scale and the Children’s Acculturation Scale.[9] All of the preceding factors would result in exposure to the child’s home country in one way or another, to a certain extent. Depending on the adoptive family, the child may or may not be able to experience these types of things. It is important to define cultural exposure to understand the ba sis of this investigation and argument. The aspects listed previously are examples necessary in understanding what cultural exposure deals with. In David C. Lee and Stephen M. Quintana’s study published in 2005, these items were constructed into questions and used in interviews with Korean children. This study will be referenced frequently, due to its relativity to the subject being discussed. An important focus of this investigation is on transracially adopted children’s ideological, behavioral, and social commitment to their country of origin.[10] Transracially children who are adopted and being raised by parents with a different racial status tend to experience a different racial socialization than those who are raised by their biological parents or adopted within their race. According to research, more than 65% of transracially adopted children fail to identify with their racial status.[11] This was evident in Andujo’s 1988 study comparing Mexican within race adopted children and Mexican transracially adopted children. This study found that none of the thirty transracially adopted children identified with the race â€Å"Mexican American†, while twenty-two out of thirty within race adopted children did. Although this study investigates Mexican children, it is relevant because of the conclusions drawn. Andujo concluded that these results can be gener alized to apply to all transracially adopted children due to the similarities in their situations. It has also been replicated using Asian, African as well as other South American countries, producing close, if not the same results. In DeBerry, Scarr, and Weinberg’s (1996) longitudinal study, it was found that transracially adopted children had difficulty developing biracial competence and identified more with White than Asian groups. Not only was this result a concern, but the statistic stating that over 20% of transracially adopted children indicated that they wished they had a different racial status as well.[12] It is concerning that children are not happy with their ethnicity and culture. This â€Å"wish† that these children possessed could be a predetermining factor for other issues that the child will later stumble upon (depression, etc.). This statement could be caused by a variety of reasons, such as deprivation to culture exposure. On the contrary, research h as also found that most transracially adopted children show adjustment levels (self-esteem, well-being, etc.) equivalent or higher than those of within race adopted children.[13] As seen in Feigelman and Silverman’s (1983) and Andujo’s (1988) studies, this pattern in adjustment levels applies when comparing within race adopted white children and within race adopted transracial children (for example, a Korean couple living in the U.S. adopting a Korean child). The error in the adjustment levels pattern occurred in certain circumstances where differences in the adoptions took place, such as: age of adoption and placement in foster care.[14] When these circumstances were controlled, the high adjustment levels pattern was evident and the similarities between adjustment levels in both transracial and within race adopted children disappeared.[15] Ultimately, this suggests both the positive and negative sides of transracially adopted children’s perception of their iden tity. Recently, researchers have been focusing on the ways in which these children develop positive or negative understandings and perceptions about their ethnic, cultural, and racial identity. As of right now, the biggest reason for this revolves around the adoptive parents attitudes towards adopted children’s attitudes and children’s racial identity.[16] Research is showing that transracially adopted children begin to recognize their racial differences as early as ages four or five.[17] As transracially adopted children get older, they develop a more non-literal understanding of their identity.[18] At the same time, they can start to feel a loss of their home culture and family history and begin to understand the effects of racism and discrimination.[19] This development will be specifically discussed later in the investigation. These new feelings and emotions in a child, however, can relate to the famous â€Å"nature versus nurture† debate. This argument focuses on the relative contributions of genetic inheritance and environmental factors to human development.[20] For example, when a person is very knowledgeable, gets good grades, and is ultimately successful, did they do so because they are genetically predisposed or is it the result of a fortified environment? Similarly, If a man/father abuses his family/wife/kids, is it because of something he was born with violent tendencies or is it something he learned from personal experience and by observing his own parents behavior? A few characteristics that seem to be biologically determined (nature) include eye color, hair color, skin color, some genetic diseases, etc. Other attributes like height, life expectancy, and even left/right handedness have a strong biological component, but they are also influenced by the environment you are exposed to and the lifestyle you experience (nurture). Families who have adopted children are typically used in experiments researching â€Å"nature versus nurture † because it is so easily seen in these situations. How a person behaves can be tied to influence such as parenting styles and learned experiences (cultural exposure). For example, a child might learn through observation and reinforcement to say â€Å"please† and â€Å"thank you.† Another child might learn to behave violently by observing older children engage in aggressive behavior on the playground. This act of imitation is also known as Albert Bandura’s â€Å"social learning theory†. In his famous â€Å"Bobo doll experiment†, Bandura showed that children learn and copy behaviors they have watched other people complete. Children participating in Bandura’s study observed an adult acting aggressively toward a Bobo doll. When the children were later allowed to play and interact with the Bobo doll, they began to imitate the aggressive and violent actions they had previously been exposed to and observed. These studies are significant to t his investigation because it shows the impact of parents on the behaviors and actions of children, ultimately leading to the child’s identity. The effect of cultural exposure on adopted children can be considered the â€Å"nurture† aspect because it involves the environment the child is exposed to and how they are brought up. When it comes to Bandura’s study, the importance lies in the fact that adopted children imitate their parents, just the same as biological children used in the study.[21] If the adoptive parents were to show an interest in the culture of the child (while the child is at a young age) and practice â€Å"the ways† of the culture, if you will, the child would likely follow or imitate with their interest of the subject. As seen in the results of the Lee and Quintana (2005) study discussed later, cultural exposure is important to the perception of ethnic identity within the child. If a parent can play such a significant role in what a chil d believes and understands (Bobo doll experiment), it becomes important and relevant to this investigation as well. Within even some of the smaller communities in Rochester, New York parents of Korean adopted children children take them to an annual Korean festival to learn about their home culture. Although the kids are still very young, the parents believe they should expose their child to as much of their own culture as they can, before the child can make their own decision to continue to follow the culture or stick to the American culture.[22] This is an example of how the actions of the parents regarding cultural exposure, influence the child’s positive or negative understandings and perceptions about their ethnic, cultural, and racial identity. This â€Å"ethnic identity† is not always easy to measure, especially within children. Children have been shown to progress through physical, literal, social, and group perspectives on their cultural and racial experiences.[23] The Perspective-Taking Ability (PTA) scale (see Appendix I) is a way to measure and show the extent to which children understand their ethnic identity in different stages. The PTA’s results tends to vary over age as well. The PTA scale ranges from level zero to level three. As expected, young children’s (preschool aged) understanding of race, culture, and ethnicity are based on superficial physical appearance. This is considered the physical perspective and contains something like, â€Å"Korean people have black hair, brown eyes while Americans (Caucasian) have tan hair and different colored eyes.† Furthermore, older children (elementary aged) begin to understand non-physical features, including literal aspects such as, heritage and culture characteristics (food, ancestors, language, etc.). This is considered the literal perspective meaning, â€Å"To be Korean means your parents were Korean. But just because you’re Korean on the outside, it does not mean you are not American on the inside.† In early adolescence, youth begin to base their racial status on a social perspective, including racism and social discrimination. This stage is labelled the social perspective, when youth begin to realize, â€Å"I guess I’m different (from Caucasians) because they treat me differently.† In later adolescence, racial and cultural group consciousness is the key factor in identifying racial status (ethnic identity). The last stage is called the collective group consciousness perspective, stating, â€Å"I believe (what makes me Korean) is the way you feel about it†¦ it’s more what you know about your culture and how much you believe it.† The age groups associated with each level ar e a generalization of any typical child’s understanding. This scale has been used in research relating to ordinary young children’s perception of race before, but is more significant in evaluating a transracially adopted child’s idea of identity. This significance can be attributed to the contrasting lifestyles and environments experienced by transracially adopted children. This also suggests that the results of transracially adopted children tend to differ from ordinary children due to the possible early exposure of their culture at young ages. This exposure could lead them to knowledge beyond their years relating to this topic. The purpose of Lee and Quintana’s (2005) study was to not only look into the benefits of culture exposure but also investigate whether or not the same race developmental models would work for adopted children as well. The interest laid in the fact of whether or not transracially adopted children developed and attained the same PTA levels as non-adopted children. Previously, a small qualitative study by Friedlander et al. (2000) reveals that transracially adopted children’s ethnic and racial cognition development is parallel to those of non-adopted children. This was further investigated with this study. With varying hypotheses (see Appendix II), a method was created to test these questions. Fifty Korean-born transracially adopted children participated, twenty-seven girls and twenty-three boys. They were attending a Korean culture camp and the average age was twelve years old. Fifty-six percent of the children had some limited knowledge of verbal and written Korean, sixt y percent had been back to Korea, and sixty-four percent had previously participated in culture-specific activities outside of the camp. Almost seventy-five percent reported being teased because of their racial status (see Appendix III). The children were selected using opportunity sampling and all had parental consent. The children were interviewed using the PTA scale which had been altered to be Korean specific. Culture exposure questions were asked orally while cultural knowledge was investigated by asking the children to imagine two towns.[24] They were given questions regarding the likelihood of people from each town participating in each event. Some questions were culture specific, others were not. Self-esteem was also measured using Rosenberg’s self-esteem scale. This was administered to ensure that discriminant validity that cultural variables were not significantly related to self-esteem.[25] The results can be found in Appendix IV. The results suggest that cultural exposure had a significant role for transracially adopted children’s development of PTA. Cultural exposure could be used to predict the child’s PTA after certain factors like age and cultural knowledge were controlled. These findings can be compared with research of either Portes and Rumbaut (1996) or Zhou (1997). This previous research found that children’s adaption based on a blending of culture of origin or family culture and dominant culture was complex.[26] For some, there were benefits to increased socialization which appeared to pose challenges to their adjustment. In recent situations, acculturation to the dominant culture may be experienced as threatening to ethnic/racial minority adolescents’ identity.[27] The interaction between cultural exposure and chronological age in predicting levels of PTA also had a small significance. This indicated that cultural exposure is much more important for younger transracially adopted children (less than ten years old).[28] This suggests that types of cultural exposure may need to be accustomed to age. The kinds of exposure indexed were focused on experiences with Korean culture (like food and language) just as how the cultural knowledge assessed was focused more on objective features of culture (like cultural traditions). It now seems that these kinds of exposure may be more important to young children at a level one PTA. On the other hand, older children at level two need to focus on more racial components, such as, racial prejudice. In further research, it would be important to investigate the kinds of experiences that promote transracially adopted children’s development prior to and throughout adolescence. The study findings could also help to alter the adoption policy. Currently, most adoption agencies do not have standard protocols for pre and post-adoption services focused on cultural socialization. Adoptive parents have to initiate their own support services to address these issues.[29] Consequently, agencies may want to tailor services to address these aspects of cultural socialization and exposure when working with adoptive families. Parents thinking about adopting might be encouraged to think past racial awareness and self-examination of their cultural belief systems but instead what it means to engage in culturally competent parenting. Likewise, adoptive parents whose children are currently struggling with ethnic and racial issues may benefit from learning additional ways to engage in cultural exposure. These collective efforts, in turn, we hope will promote the development of a healthy and positive ethnic identity and will contribute to the well-being and mental health of inte rnationally adopted children.[30] Conclusion: There seem to be important benefits to transracially adopted children from exposure to their country of origin for their development. Research shows the emphasis and importance of cultural exposure, particularly for young children. High levels of cultural exposure may help to minimize differences between transracially adopted children’s developmental understanding of culture and race and non-adopted children. Direct exposure appears more beneficial than knowledge or awareness of differences. 1 [1] U.S. Department of State, 2005 [2] U.S. Department of State, 2005 [3] Lee, 2003 [4] Grotevant, 2008 [5] Grotevant, 2008 [6] Simon and Alstein, 2002 [7] U.S. Department of Health and Human Services [8] National Association of Black Social Workers, 1972 [9] Suinn, Khoo, and Ahauna, 1995; Franco, 1983 [10] Taylor and Thorton, 1996 [11] Andujo, 1988; Feigelman and Silverman, 1984; Kim, 1995 [12] Benson, Sharma, and Roehlkepartain, 1994 [13] Alexander and Curtis, 1996 [14] Simon and Alstein, 2000 [15] Wickes and Slate, 1997 [16] Carstens and Julia, 2000; Friedlander et al., 2000; Vonk, 2001; and Yoon, 1997 [17] Brodzinsky, Singer, Braff, 1984; Huh Reid, 2000 [18] Lee and Quintana, 2005 [19] Meier, 1999; Powell Affi, 2005 [20] Grenke, 2012 [21] Bandura, 1965 [22] Arber, 2013 [23] Lee and Quintana, 2005 [24] Bernal, Knight, Ocampo, Garza, and Cota, 1990 [25] Lee and Quintana, 2005 [26] Zhou, 1997 [27] Ogbu, 1994 [28] Lee and Quintana, 2005 [29] Steinberg and Hall, 2000 [30] Gunnar and Lee, 2006

Tobacco addiction case study

Tobacco addiction case study Nick is a thirty-year-old Caucasian male who recently enrolled in your patient panel. He comes in today because he desires to â€Å"kick the habit† of tobacco use. He had tried to quit before and succeeded twice, only to start up again. He denies any health problems but has a strong family history of COPD and lung cancer. His father died of lung cancer three months ago, and he has been dreaming of him since then. He does not want to end up the same way. Past medical history The patient denies medical problems. He had a vasectomy four years age at his ex-wife’s request, no other surgeries. He has noticed a recurrent morning cough and increased production of mucus over the past two months or so. Medications – none Allergies – none Stage of change – contemplation Diagnosis – tobacco abuse and addiction Patient education Through the use of tobacco, nicotine is one of the most heavily used addictive substances and the leading preventable cause of disease, disability, and death in the United States (Brunton, Chabner, Knollman, 2011). According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, cigarette smoking accounts for around one of every five deaths in the United States (Center for Disease Control and Prevention). When a person is addicted to a substance, they have a compulsive urge to seek out and use the substance, even when they understand the harmful effects it can have (Brunton, Chabner, Knollman, 2011). Tobacco products are addictive. With each inhalation of a cigarette the smoker pulls nicotine and other harmful substances into the lungs, where it is absorbed into the blood stream (Brunton, Chabner, Knollman, 2011). Nicotine is shaped like the natural brain chemical acetylcholine. Acetylcholine is a chemical called a neurotransmitter; this carries messages between the brain cells or neurons (Brunton, Chabner, Knollman, 2011). Theses brain cells or neurons have specialized proteins called receptors, into which specific neurotransmitters fit. Nicotine locks into acetylcholine receptors. Nicotine attaches to acetylcholine receptors that release a neurotransmitter called dopamine. Dopamine is released normally when a person experiences something pleasurable. Smoking causes neurons (brain cells) to release excess dopamine, which is the cause of feelings of pleasure when smoking (Brunton, Chabner, Knollman, 2011). This effect wears off quickly, causing the smoker to get the urge to light up another cigarette for another dose of the drug (Brunton, Chabner, Knollman, 2011). Nicotine is the primary addictive component in tobacco, but it is not the only important ingredient (Brunton, Chabner, Knollman, 2011). People who smoke have a reduction in the level of an enzyme called monoamine oxidase (MAO) in the brain and body. Lower levels of MAO in the brain may lead to higher dopamine levels and this leads to the reason people continue to smoke and continue to get the pleasurable effects from smoking (Brunton, Chabner, Knollman, 2011). Long-term use of nicotine products leads to addiction. The way nicotine is absorbed and metabolized by the body enhances its addictive potential (Brunton, Chabner, Knollman, 2011). Each inhalation brings rapid distribution of nicotine to the brain, but it quickly disappears along with the pleasurable feelings. This triggers the smoker to seek that same pleasurable sensation throughout the day (Brunton, Chabner, Knollman, 2011). Over the course of the day tolerance develops, requiring more frequent doses or higher doses to get the same effect. Nicotine, heroin, and cocaine have similar effects on the brain (Brunton, Chabner, Knollman, 2011). Many people who have a nicotine addiction are in denial. They may be social smokers, meaning they only smoke when out with friends, or they believe they can stop when they are ready (Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 2008). Recognizing the signs of addiction is important for the getting over the addiction. Common signs of addiction include requiring increased use of tobacco to get the same satisfaction, experiencing withdrawal when nicotine levels are low, having the desire to quit but not being able to, experiencing cravings and urges to smoke, and continuing to smoke despite being aware of the health risks (Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 2008). The physical symptoms of nicotine addiction are caused by withdrawal. Withdrawal occurs because the brain can no longer naturally produce adequate levels of dopamine. Nicotine withdrawal symptoms include anxiety, frustration, irritability, depression, difficulty concentrating, increased appetite, and weight gain (Brunton, Chabner, Knollman, 2011). Some of the health risks associated with nicotine use include chronic obstructive lung disease (COPD), lung cancer, asthma, gum disease, mouth and esophageal cancer, heart disease, and stroke. The carcinogens in tobacco products cause abnormal cell growth that can develop into cancer (Brunton, Chabner, Knollman, 2011). Deciding to quit smoking is the first step toward becoming a non-smoker and better health (Center for Disease Control and Prevention). After quitting, the risk of stroke can be reduced to that of a non-smoker in as little as two years after quitting (Center for Disease Control and Prevention). Heart rate and blood pressure return to the non-smoker levels after only two hours of not smoking. The rate of heart disease related to smoking is decreased to fifty percent and the rate of lung cancer is substantially reduced (Center for Disease Control and Prevention). Steps to nicotine abuse and addiction recovery that may help are to set a date to quit; this allows the person to get in the mindset to stop (Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 2008). Knowing the triggers that make the person want to smoke is another important factor. Some triggers commonly observed that increase the desire to smoke are after a meal, while driving, drinking alcohol, boredom, stress, coffee, and being around other people that smoke (Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 2008). Having a strong support system is another important factor in quitting. Informing the people around the smoker of the decision to quit may help to support the decision as well as holding the smoker accountable for the goal of quitting. It is easier to stop smoking if the people around support the effort to stop smoking (Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 2008). If the smoker is thinking about quitting, or has made the decision to quit, there are several products to help in the process of quitting and prevent many of the withdrawal symptoms. Nicotine replacement is an alternative to stopping cold. Many people find it easier to use a replacement therapy such as the nicotine patch, inhaler, or nicotine gum. This may make the transition easier and more comfortable for the person trying to quit (Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 2008). Tobacco dependence is a chronic disease that often requires repeated interventions and multiple attempts to quit. Effective treatments exist; however, that can significantly increase the rate of long-term abstinence. Counseling and medications are effective when used by themselves. The combination of counseling and medications, however, is more effective than either alone (Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 2008). Products designed to help quit tobacco abuse and addiction Bupropion SR treatment should begin one to two weeks before the quit date. The starting dose for tobacco cessation is 150mg orally every morning for three days, then 150mg orally twice daily. This dosage should be continued for seven to twelve weeks. For long-term dosage, use of bupropion SR 150 mg for up to six months post-quit may be used (Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 2008). Common side effects include insomnia and dry mouth. Insomnia may be addressed by taking the evening pill at least eight hours before bedtime, with at least eight hours between doses (Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 2008). Nicotine gum is available in both regular and flavored forms. The gum dosage is available in two milligrams and four milligram doses. Smokers should use at least one piece every one to two hours for the first six weeks (Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 2008). The gum should be used for up to twelve weeks with no more than twenty-four pieces to be used per day. Common side effects of the gum include mouth soreness, hiccups, dyspepsia, and jaw ache. These effects are generally mild and transient, often caused by the patient’s chewing technique (Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 2008). This can be alleviated by correct chewing techniques. The gum should be chewed slowly until taste emerges, then parked between the cheek and gum line to facilitate absorption. The gum should be slowly and intermittently chewed and parked for around thirty minutes or until taste dissipates from the gum (Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 2008). Nicotine Inhalers- A dose from the nicotine inhaler consists of a puff or inhalation. Each cartridge delivers a total of one milligram of nicotine over eighty inhalations (Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 2008). Recommended dosage is six to sixteen cartridges per day. Duration of the therapy is up to six months. Side effects include local irritation in the mouth and throat, coughing, and rhinitis. The severity of the irritation is mild and the frequency of symptoms decline with continuous use (Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 2008). Nicotine lozenges are available in two milligrams and four milligram doses (Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 2008). Generally, smokers should use at least nine per day in the first six months of therapy, and should be used for up to twelve weeks, with no more than twenty lozenges used per day (Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 2008). The two milligram is recommended for smokers that have the first cigarette more than thirty minutes after waking. The four milligram is used for patients that have the first cigarette within thirty minutes of waking (Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 2008). The most common side effects include nausea, dry mouth, hiccups, and heart burn. Use of the four milligram lozenges may also cause increased rates of headaches and coughing. The lozenge should be allowed to dissolve in the mouth rather than chewing or swallowing it (Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 2008). Nasal spray- The nicotine nasal spray produces higher peak nicotine levels than other nicotine replacement therapies (NRT) and has the highest dependency potential (Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 2008). A dose of the nasal spray consists of one 0.5 mg dose delivered to each nostril (1mg total). Initial dosing should be one spray per hour, increasing as needed for symptom relief (Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 2008). Minimum dosage is eight doses daily with a maximum of forty doses per day. Each bottle contains around one hundred doses. Recommended duration of therapy is three to six months (Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 2008). Patients should not sniff, swallow or inhale through the nose while administering doses, as this increases irritation. The spray is best delivered with the head slightly tilted back. Users report moderate to severe nasal irritation in the first two days of use. Nasal congestion and transient changes to taste and smell are al so reported (Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 2008). Nicotine patches treatment of eight weeks or less have been shown to be as effective as longer treatment periods (Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 2008). Patches of different doses are available. Dosing regimens should be based on patient characteristics such as amount smoked and degree of dependence (Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 2008). The step down dosage includes four weeks of twenty-one milligram per day patches, then two weeks of the fourteen milligram per day patches, then two weeks of the seven milligram per day patches (Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 2008). There is a single dose regimen available in twenty-two and eleven milligram per day patches for other step down regimens. Up to fifty percent of patients using the patch will experience a local skin reaction. These skin reactions are usually mild and self-limiting, but may be worsened during the course of therapy (Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 2008). Local treatment with a o ne percent hydrocortisone cream or a five percent triamcinolone cream, and rotation of patch sites may ease the skin irritation. Other side effects of the patches include insomnia and vivid or strange dreams. At the start of each day the patient should place a patch in a relatively hairless area, typically between the neck and waist, rotating the site daily to reduce irritation (Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 2008). The patch should be applied as soon as the patient wakes on the quit day. If insomnia is a problem, the patient should remove the patch prior to going to bed (Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 2008). Varenicline is an approved non-nicotine agent for smoking cessation (Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 2008). The FDA added a warning regarding the use of this agent. Depressed mood, agitation, changes in behavior, suicidal ideation, and suicide have been reported in patients attempting to quit smoking when using Varenicline (Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 2008). Any history of psychiatric illness should be discussed before using this medication. Side effects of the medication include nausea, trouble sleeping, and abnormal or vivid dreams (Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 2008). The patient should start Varenicline one week before the quit date, with a dose of 0.5 milligram daily for three days followed by 0.5 milligram twice daily for four days, followed by one milligram twice daily for three months. Varenicline is approved for maintenance therapy for up to six months (Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 2008). The patient should quit smoking on day eight, when the dosage is increased to one milligram twice daily. To reduce the insomnia problem, the second dose should be taken at dinner time rather than bedtime. To reduce the nausea, the medication should be taken on a full stomach (Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 2008). Varenicline is a non-nicotine medication. The mechanism of action is due to its partial nicotine receptor agonist and antagonistic effects (Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 2008). Because Varenicline is eliminated almost entirely unchanged in the urine it should be used with caution in patients with severe renal dysfunction. It is not recommended to be used with other nicotine replacement therapies because of its nicotine antagonistic properties (Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 2008). Plan of treatment Patient will be advised that the increased cough and mucus production is related to the use of tobacco products and that once he no longer smokes the frequency of cough and mucus production will decrease as this is related to irritation in the lungs caused by tobacco use. A smoker’s cough is a persistent cough that develops in long-term smokers. At first it may be dry, but over time it usually produces phlegm. The cough is usually worst upon awakening and improves throughout the day. The airways are lined with tiny hair like cells called cilia, which catch toxins in inhaled air and move them upward toward the mouth to be expelled. Smoking paralyzes these cells. Instead of toxins being caught in transit, toxins enter the lungs and create inflammation. This leads to coughing as the lungs attempt to clear these toxins. As the Celia begins to repair themselves during the night and attempt to remove the accumulated substances from the lungs, the result is coughing upon arising. Thi s cough will usually fade as the Celia is allowed to repair themselves from the abstinence of cigarette smoking. Treatment will consist of smoking cessation counseling and support, Varenicline 0.5 mg daily, starting immediately, orally once daily for three days, then 0.5 mg orally twice daily for four days, followed by one mg orally twice daily for three months. Follow up should be in three days to evaluate side effects and patient response. The next follow-up will be dependent on patient progress and response to medication. The patient will be instructed on the community resources for smoking cessation support groups and how to cope with the stress of not smoking and how to manage daily frustrations related to smoking cessation. Dietary counsel will be offered for possible nutrition advice and weight management. The patient will be encouraged to enroll in an exercise program or to increase physical activities during the initial phase of smoking cessation. A chest x-ray will be ordered, at the patient’s convenience, to rule out COPD or other lung issues. References Brunton, L., Chabner, B., Knollman, B. (2011). Goodman Gilmans: The pharmacological basis of therapeutics (12 ed.). McGraw-Hill. Center for Disease Control and Prevention. (2008). Clinical practice guidelines: Treating tobacco use and dependency. Retrieved from CDC.gov: http://www.bphc.hrsa.gov/buckets/treatingtobacco.pdf Center for Disease Control and Prevention. (n.d.). Smoking and tobacco use. Retrieved from Center for disease control and prevention: http://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/quit_smoking/how_to_quit/you_can_quit/nicotine

Symbolism in The Yellow Wallpaper :: essays research papers

Symbolism in The Yellow Wallpaper The Yellow Wallpaper is overflowed with symbolism. Symbols are images that have a meaning beyond them selves in a short story, a symbol is a detail, a character, or an incident that has a meaning beyond its literal role in the narrative. Gilman uses symbols to tell her story of a woman's mental state of being diminishes throughout the story. The following paragraphs tell just some of the symbols and how I interpreted them, they could be read in many different ways.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The title itself, The Yellow Wallpaper, is symbolizing the role men play in a patriarchal society, where men are the more dominant sex, and how women are 'trapped'; in a life of male control. For instance, At night in any kind of light, in twilight, candlelight, lamplight, and worst of all moonlight, it becomes bars!';(Gilman 211) This shows how the narrator feels trapped by the paper. Another symbol that refers to the role women play is, 'And she is all the time trying to climb through that pattern, it strangles so; I think that is why it has so many heads.';(Gilman 213) This is meaning that if a women tried to play a role in society she was just not taken seriously, or felt like trying to play a role was getting nowhere.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The way Gilman describes the wallpaper tells of what the narrator's mind is thinking, 'and when you follow the lame uncertain curves for a little distance they suddenly commit suicide.';(Gillman 206) She doesn't think this on the conscious level but more on the unconscious level. When the narrator writes, '(The designs) destroy themselves in unheard of contradictions.';(Gillman 206) She is speaking of her state of mind subconsciously, the narrator is on the brink of losing her mind at this point. Gillman writes, 'There is a recurrent spot where the pattern lolls like a broken neck and two bulbous eyes stare at you upside down. '(Gillman 207) She was explaining how the wallpaper is like a 'watchdog'; or a guard of some type, watching her every move, naturally making her nervous.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  I think that the narrator feels much alone in life, even though she has a family who cares for her. She is clinically depressed so naturally she is going to feel isolated from the world. Speaking about a house that the narrator grew up in, she writes, 'and there was one chair that always seemed like a strong friend.

Jean Paul Marat: Target and Martyr of Liberty Essay -- Jean Paul Marat

Jean Paul Marat: Target and Martyr of Liberty The French Revolution produced countless influential politicians throughout its tumultuous course. As a political figure in the French Revolution, Jean Paul Marat began as a nonentity and became a martyr to the revolutionary patriots of France. His influence is often misconstrued, and sometimes overlooked. Although he was not a political leader like Robespierre, his influence was substantial in that he motivated many people through his writings and powerful personality. Through his involvement with the Cordeliers’ Club and his journal Ami du peuple, started September 1789, Marat was able to express the indignation of the bourgeois class through his hopes for social revolution. His conspiracy theories and alleged prophetic outlook on the Revolution created an aura of mystery and intrigue around him, as well as detestation. Because he often stood alone behind his radical ideas, Marat became marked as the scapegoat for various controversial events of the period, and was se veral times forced into hiding to evade the law. Targeting Marat was an easy and effective way for the warring factions in the National Convention to assert their political dominance. It is curious how a virtual unknown and newcomer to government could become so crucial to the politics of the French Revolution, only to be murdered by another unknown in a seemingly isolated event. Marat’s assassination played a great part in what became the cycle of the Terror. Even though he was not a preeminent leader, both his life and death had an impact on the course of the Revolution. Because of his incendiary political beliefs and bold nature, the government targeted Marat, however, his assassination by the outsid... ...manities Press, 1997. Germani, Ian. Jean Paul Marat: Hero and Anti-hero of the French Revolution. Lewiston: The Edwin Mellen Press, 1992. Gottschalk, Louis R. Jean Paul Marat: A Study in Radicalism. New York: Benjamin Blom, 1927. Gough, Hugh. The Newspaper Press in the French Revolution. London: Routledge, 1988. Marat, Jean Paul. Polish Letters. Bibliophile Society, 1905. Miller, Stephen. Three Deaths and Enlightenment Thought. Lewisburg: Bucknell University Press, 2001. Popkin, Jeremy D. Revolutionary News: The Press in France 1789-1799. Durham: Duke University Press, 1990. Scherr, Marie. Charlotte Corday and Certain Men of the Revolutionary Torment. New York: AMS Press, 1929. Sydenham, M.J. The Girondins. London: The Athlone Press, 1961. Walzer, Michael. Regicide and Revolution. New York: Columbia University Press, 1992.

Government and Politics - No Peace for the Middle East Essay -- Argume

No Peace for the Middle East Since its inception the State of Israel has been at war with the Arab countries surrounding it. Dating back to biblical times when the Israelites left Egypt after two hundred years of bondage there, they began forty years of wandering the desert in which they encountered many enemy tribes such as their sworn enemies, the Amalekites. Thousands of years later, the Arabs and Israelis are still fighting. The State of Israel began with the War for Israeli Independence in 1948. Israel has kept on fighting ever since. Over the lengthy span of time in which Israel has been at war with the Arabs, the people of Israel and the Palestinians have developed a deeply rooted hatred for one another. Terrorism has been another factor which has contributed to this loathing. On top of all this, is the cultural and religious clash which the two populations experience. However, in the past twenty years, Israel and the Arab countries surrounding it have begun taking the first few strides toward peace. The meeting of Menachim Begin and Anwar el-Sadat created the peace treaty between Israel and Egypt in 1979. This marked the beginning of the never ending struggle for peace. Despite the overwhelming political endeavor for peace, the people of Israel will never fully achieve a peaceful coexistence with their Arab neighbors, due to the dark history between the nations and the years of hatred which have transpired. In recent years, the Middle East has made serious advances toward peace. Menachim Begin and Anwar el- Sadat formulated and signed the historic peace treaty between Israel and Egypt in 1979. It took immense preparation and the active participation of many of both countries?highest ranking officials and leaders to ... ...t with it many positive changes in the Middle East. In spite of what appear to be insurmountable obstacles, one can only hope for continued progress in the direction of peace and the best possible future for the Middle East. Works Cited 1. Weizman, Ezer. The Battle for Peace. New York: Bantam Books, 1981. 2. Gervasi, Frank. Thunder Over the Mediterranean. New York: David McKay Co., Inc.,1975. 3. Lustick, Ian. Arabs in the Jewish State. Austin: University of Texas Press, 1980. 4. â€Å"Middle East.?Microsoft Encarta. 1995 ed. 5. Friedman, Thomas L. From Beirut to Jerusalem. New York: Farrar Straus Giroux, 1989. 6. Chafetz, Ze’ev. Double Vision. New York: William Morrow and Company Inc.,1985. 7. â€Å"Kol Israel News Broadcast.?http://www.artificia.com/ (January 17,1997) 8. â€Å"Daily News from Israel?http://www.iclick.com/news (January 21,1997)

Parenting Styles and Culture

Given the diverse cultures that can shape parenting behavior, some basic assumptions regarding the links between parenting styles and developmental outcomes may not be universal. Much research has been conducted on the different parenting styles across cultures. There are also many myths about which parenting style is the best or the most beneficial to the social development of children. Reviewing past literature on this subject matter reveals that the authoritarian parenting style produced more overt aggression and many more social interaction difficulties among young children. Recent research point to the theory that the best parenting style is dictated by the culture in which it is practiced. A study by Whaley (2000) states that although a positive correlation between the use of physical discipline (i. e. , spanking) and disruptive disorders in children is found in studies of European American families, research on African American families has found a negative association or none at all. Moreover, a review of the literature indicates that the positive association between spanking and child behavior problems is bidirectional for White families, whereas it is the product of reverse causation (i. . , negative child behaviors result in spanking) in Black families. The implications of these sociocultural differences for parent training programs and the family study of disruptive behaviors are discussed. This study establishes that the positive correlation between the use of physical discipline and disruptive disorders in children found in research on European American families does not appear to be generalizable to African American families. Black parents' use of spanking is more a consequence than a cause of problem behaviors in children. Moreover, parents in the African American community, especially in low-income urban areas, may use authoritarian methods in attempts to protect their children from noxious social environments. Awareness of sociocultural differences in the relationship between parenting practices and developmental outcomes would put Black parents' behavior in proper perspective, as well as encourage interventions and policies that address community-level problems to ensure healthy child development in high-risk environments. On the one hand, these controlling methods of parenting may be effective in reducing undesirable or high-risk behaviors of Black children and adolescents. On the other hand, they may place African American children at risk for other problems, such as academic failure and child abuse. Thus an appreciation of sociocultural differences in parenting styles and related outcomes should not lead to unconditional acceptance of punitive behaviors because of their cultural significance. Alternative strategies that are culturally compatible, such as response cost, may be useful if the motivation is child oriented and not parent oriented. Sensitivity to differences in parenting styles across cultures simply means that the functional significance of spanking should be explored, and the ecological context in which families live should be taken into consideration in theory, research, and practice devoted to understanding environmental influences on child development. Research conducted by Hart and colleagues (1998) shows that maternal and paternal parenting styles and marital interactions are linked to childhood aggressive behavior. This study included an ethnic Russian sample of 207 families of nursery-school-age children. Results corroborated and extended findings from Western samples. Maternal and paternal coercion, lack of responsiveness, and psychological control (for mothers only) were significantly correlated with children's overt aggression with peers. Less responsiveness (for mothers and fathers) and maternal coercion positively correlated with relational aggression. Some of these associations differed for boys versus girls. Marital conflict was also linked to more overt and relational aggression for boys. When entered into the same statistical model, more marital conflict (for boys only), more maternal coercion, and less paternal responsiveness were found to be the most important contributors to overt and relational aggression in younger Russian children. Similar to Western findings, the results of this research supports the idea that the absence of positive parenting is as important in the development of childhood behavior problems directed toward peers as is the presence of negative parenting. In terms of the development of aggression, lack of Russian paternal responsiveness and more maternal coercion remained significant contributors to overt and relational aggression, regardless of which other parenting style or marital hostility variables that they were pitted against in the regressions. Although this supports prior work concerning relationships between maternal coercion and aggression, it highlights the importance of paternal responsiveness that involves positive, playful, and engaging interactions in children's social development. It is interesting that only maternal (and not paternal) psychological control was found to significantly correlate with Russian preschoolers’ overt aggression. However, when pitted against the effects of other predictors in the regression model, its contribution was reduced to a marginal trend. Although these findings appear to suggest that psychological control may not be as powerfully related to aggressive outcomes in young Russian children, firm conclusions should be reserved for future researchers using a variety of methodological approaches. A study conducted by Chen and colleagues (2000) included a sample of children, initially 12 years old, in the People's Republic of China who participated in a 2-year longitudinal study. Data on parental warmth, control, and indulgence were collected from children's self-reports. Information concerning social, academic, and psychological adjustment was obtained from multiple sources. The results indicated that parenting styles might be a function of child gender and change with age. Regression analyses revealed that parenting styles of fathers and mothers predicted different outcomes. Whereas maternal warmth had significant contributions to the prediction of emotional adjustment, paternal warmth significantly predicted later social and school achievement. It was also found that paternal, but not maternal, indulgence significantly predicted children's adjustment difficulties. The contributions of the parenting variables might be moderated by the child's initial conditions. Since the implementation of the one-child-per-family policy, maintaining the balance between expressing love and affection and imposing requirements and limits on the child has been a significant challenge to Chinese parents. Many parents in China are concerned about whether their child is indulged or spoiled because they may give too much attention and privilege to the child. Does parental indulgence predict children's problems? An examination of this issue would not only help us understand the meaning and significance of the parenting dimension, but would also have practical implications for childrearing in China. The results of this study indicated that paternal indulgence had significant and negative contributions to the prediction of later leadership, social competence, and academic achievement. Furthermore, paternal indulgence significantly and positively predicted later aggressive-disruptive behaviors. Thus, children who had indulgent fathers tended to be less competent and more maladjusted in both social and academic areas than other children. Maternal indulgence, in general, was not significantly associated with children's adjustment outcomes. Two possible explanations may be offered. First, because parental indulgence is likely to result in a lack of social assertiveness and poor skills in self-control and self-regulation, which are important for social interactions and school performance, the effect of indulgence may be more salient on social and school adjustment than on psychological well-being. Fathers may focus mainly on children's social functioning and school achievement, whereas mothers may be more sensitive to the children's emotional adjustment. The review of literature on the different parenting styles and child development in different cultures support the current theory which states there is no particular parenting that is best over all others. There are, however, parenting styles that are more suitable to different cultures. Furthermore, it is becoming more clear and evident that not only culture determines which parenting style is best for children. Many other factors, such as social and economic circumstances play a significant role in this matter as well. References Chen X. , Li D. , Liu M. (2000). Parental warmth, control and indulgence and their relations to adjustment in Chinese children: a longitudinal study. Journal of Family Psychology 14(3) pp. 401-419 Hart C. , McNeilly-Choque M. K. , Nelson D. A. , Olsen S. F. , Robinson C. C. (1998). Overt and relational aggression in Russian nursery-school-age children: parental style and marital linkages. Developmental Psychology 34(4) pp. 687-697 Whaley A. L. (2000). Sociocultural differences in the developmental consequences of the use of physical discipline during childhood for African-Americans. Cultural Diversity and Ethnic Minority Psychology 6(1) pp. 5-12