Monday, September 30, 2019

A Comparison of Han China and India Essay

Mauryan/Gupta India from 320 B.C.E. to 550 C.E. had similar as well as different methods of political control with that of Han China from 206 B.C.E. to 220 C.E. in the sense that both used culture to justify social inequality supported with the idea of rising in social status and the use of religion to help with political control. The differences were more seen by the twos’ organization in political control as well as the language role in the midst of the civilizations. The differences between the Han and Gupta/Mauryan had been largely attributed to the main sense of political organization when keeping a civilization running. Han China was more organized due to a solid bureaucracy as a solid political system where all people would be told what’s what so there wouldn’t be confusion as to where ideas and laws were going. India on the other hand had regionalism which could go differently for each political system that would be developed. This political method appeared to be the best option for India since the Geography would not permit them a more central and organized political system such as the one that Han China had created. Another political difference involves the use of a language. Han China had the standard language of Mandarin which kept the civilization more together and unified as a whole. India did not have a standard language at all. They did have the use for Sanskrit but this was mainly reserved for the elite only. Again this political method kept India more apart than Han China. Both Han China and Mauryan/Gupta had the idea of a social hierarchy and the achievement of a status on that hierarchy. However the Han had less of a religious route than India in this sense. Han China had a course of study for all students known as the civil service exam. The passing of this exam would ensure and/or determine a student’s position in the government. India would have a religiously political setup where there would be a change in social status through reincarnation. At another point both Han China and India used religion in a way to help their political control. Han china’s political method underwent Confucianism which would allow everyone to have a good picture in their heads of a world that can be unified so as long as they follow their duties and follow an individual sort of role all the while. India had Hinduism as a form of political control. As it became popular under the Guptas, Hinduism was made the main religion which in itself unifies the people under one single religion. Han China was overall stronger when it came to that of political organization and the use of a standard language to keep the people unified. India still kept up similar characteristics with regionalism and Sanskrit but was not as strong. Both still had evened ideas to do with rising in social status and ensuring political control through religion.

Sunday, September 29, 2019

Effects of Television Commercial Repetition

Journal of Consumer Research, Inc. The Effects of Television Commercial Repetition on Cognitive Response and Message Acceptance Author(s): George E. Belch Reviewed work(s): Source: Journal of Consumer Research, Vol. 9, No. 1 (Jun. , 1982), pp. 56-65 Published by: The University of Chicago Press Stable URL: http://www. jstor. org/stable/2488937 . Accessed: 17/08/2012 06:48 Your use of the JSTOR archive indicates your acceptance of the Terms & Conditions of Use, available at . http://www. jstor. org/page/info/about/policies/terms. jsp .JSTOR is a not-for-profit service that helps scholars, researchers, and students discover, use, and build upon a wide range of content in a trusted digital archive. We use information technology and tools to increase productivity and facilitate new forms of scholarship. For more information about JSTOR, please contact [email  protected] org. . The University of Chicago Press and Journal of Consumer Research, Inc. are collaborating with JSTOR to digitiz e, preserve and extend access to Journal of Consumer Research. http://www. jstor. org The Television Commercial Repetition on Cognitive Response and Message Acceptance Effects ofGEORGEE. BELCH* The cognitiveeffects of advertisingrepetitionare examined by consideringthe impactof three levels of TV commercialexposure withina one-hour program. Attitudesand purchase intentionswere not affected by message repetition, although cognitive responses became more negative as exposure frequencyincreased. The relationship between cognitiveresponses and the message acceptance measures was relatively constantacross the three exposure levels. effects of repeated exposure to a persuasive communication have long been of interest to social psychologists and marketers.However, research concerning the effects of persuasive message repetition on cognitive processes has been limited in both social psychology and marketing. In social psychology, much of the repetition researchhas been performedin contexts thatdo not involve communication. For example, Zajonc's (1968) theory of mere exposure suggests that a person's attitude toward a stimulus is positively relatedto exposure frequency(an effect Zajonc attributedto the pleasantness associated with hearing an increasinglyfamiliar stimulus).However, mere exposure theory may have limited relevance to the attitudinal effects of persuasivemessage repetition,as this model applies primarilyto simple nonassociative stimuli, such as nonsense syllables or Turkish alphabet characters. Persuasive messages tend to be more complex stimuli and, in the case of advertisingmessages, the focus is generally on objects or ideas presentedin the message ratherthan on the advertisementitself. With the exception of a study by Cacioppo and Petty (1979), the cognitive and affective effects of repeated exposure to persuasive communicationshave generatedsurprisinglylittle researchin social psychology.Attemptsto determinethe effects of advertisingmessage repetition have appearedfrequentlyin the marketingliterature (Craig, Sternthal, and Leavitt 1976; Grass and Wal- The lace 1969; Mitchell and Olson 1977; Ray and Sawyer 1971; Sawyer 1973; Silk and Vavra 1974; Winter 1973). However, most researchinto the effects of advertisingrepetition has focused primarilyon outcome measuressuch as recall, attitude,and purchaseintention,ratherthanconsideringthe underlying processes that might shape and determine reaction to an advertisingmessage following multiple exposures.While knowledge of the repetition function for a persuasivemessage with respect to these outcome variables is important, the cognitive effects of message repetition must also be consideredif insight is to be gained in understandinga recipient'sreactionsto a message following multiple exposures. The purpose of this investigation is to study the effects of repeated exposure to a persuasive communication by examining the impact of television commercial repetition on cognitive processing.Cognit ive response measures (Greenwald 1968; Petty, Ostrom, and Brock 1981; Wright 1973) as well as traditionaloutcome measures such as recall, attitude, and purchase intention are used to examine the effects of multiple message exposures on recipients. This study also examines changes in the relationship of cognitive response mediators to measures of message acceptanceresultingfrom multipleexposuresto a commercial message. RELEVANT LITERATURE *George E. Belch is AssistantProfessorof Marketing,College of Business Administration,San Diego State University, San Diego, CA 92182.The author wishes to acknowledge the financial support provided by a doctoraldissertationgrant from the AmericanMarketingAssociation and by researchgrantsfrom the MarketingScience Instituteand the University of California, Los Angeles. Appreciationis also expressed to Rich Lutz and James Bettmanfor their comments on an earlierversion of this manuscript and to two anonymousreviewers for their insightful comments and re commendations. The effects of advertising repetition on outcome measures such as attitude and purchase intention have been examined in a numberof studies.Winter(1973) found that exposure to the commercials decreased the distance between attitudes toward the advertisedbrand and the ideal brand. However, diminishingreturnswere found, since the greatestamountof attitudechange occurredduringthe first two exposures. Also, exposure had a significanteffect only on individualsinitially unfamiliarwith the advertisedbrand 56 ? JOURNAL OF CONSUMERRESEARCH* Vol. 9 0 June 1982 EFFECTSOF TV COMMERCIAL REPETITION and it was positively related to brand familiarity for the relatively new brandonly. Ginter(1974) found that either overall attitude change nor brand choice was affected by the numberof message exposures. Null effects of advertising repetition were also found in a study by Mitchell and Olson (1977): repetition of two types of print ads had no effect on belief strength, attitude, or purcha seintention. Several studies have examined the effects of multiple exposure in conjunction with varied advertising appeals. Ray and Sawyer (1971) found that repetitionof six soft-sell â€Å"nongrabber† advertisementsproduced increases in purchase intention, while intention was not increasedby repetition of hard-sell â€Å"grabber† ads.Similar results were found in-a study by Silk and Vavra (1974), who examined reactions to hard-sell and soft-sell radio commercials. Gorn and Goldberg (1980) examined the effects of repeated commercialexposure on eight- to ten-year-oldboys by varying the numberof commercials seen in the context of a half-hourprogram. Subjects viewed the commercials eitherone, three, or five times. However, some of the multiple-exposure condition subjects viewed the same commercialrepeatedly,while otherssaw a differentcommercial for the new brandeach time.Gorn and Goldbergfound that moderateexposure (threerepetitions)resultedin the highest level of brandpr eference, providedthat the same commercial was not seen each time. 57 Cacioppoand Petty (1980) tested the viability of the twostage cognitive response model in two other repetitionexperiments. In the first experiment, the cognitive response measureand a persistingmeasureof attitudechange (taken one week later) were affected in the curvilinear manner suggested by the two-factor model.In the second experiment, they predicted-and found-an interactionbetween exposure frequency and the nature of the argumentsused on a persisting attitudechange measure. Strong argumentbased messages became more persuasive with repetition; weak argumentmessages became less persuasivewith repetition; and novel messages became more, then less persuasive with repeatedexposure. Calder and Sternthal (1980) measured cognitive responses after commercials for two products;one product and was unfamiliarto the participants one was well known.They found that increased frequency of exposure led primarilyto more total thoughtsfor the unfamiliarproductand to an increasein negative thoughtsfor the well-knownproduct. TheoreticalAccounts of RepetitionEffects While several theoreticalexplanationshave been offered for repetitioneffects, the one that appearsto be most congenial for advertisingmessage repetition is some form of Berlyne's (1970) two-factor theory. Berlyne proposed a nonmonotonic inverted U-curve relationship between familiarity and liking.According to Berlyne, two separate and opposing psychological processes, positive habituation and tedium, operatesimultaneously. Positive habituationis similar to a reduction in response competition: exposure results in a reductionin arousaldue to uncertaintyand conflict and thus increases liking. Tedium also increases with exposure and results in a less pleasurablefeeling toward the stimulus. Berlyne suggests that the relative strengthof each factorvaries as a functionof exposureto the stimulus, with the habituationprocess having the greaterimpact on af fect initially, while tedium and disliking occur at higher exposure levels.Stimulus complexity and sequence heterogeneity slow the positive habituationprocess; thus tedium occurs at higher exposurelevels for complex, variedstimuli and at a relatively low frequency for simple, nonvaried stimuli. An extension of Berlyne's two-factor theory was proposed by Stang (1973, 1975), who argued that repeated to exposureprovidesmore opportunity learnaboutthe stimulus and that because this learning is rewarding, positive affect results. However, continued repetition beyond that necessary for initial learningleads to boredomor satiation, and repeated exposure ultimately produces negative affect toward the stimulus.A similar explanationfor repetitioneffects was proposed by Cacioppo and Petty's (1979) two-stage attitudemodification model. They argue that repetition of the message to providesrecipientswith more opportunity elaboratecognitively upon message content and to realize the favorable implic ationsand cogency of the argumentsused in the mes- Repetition and Cognitive Response McCullough and Ostrom(1974) examined the effects of repeatedexposure by having subjects view five similar ads that used the same basic appeal, but differed in the order and phrasing of the message arguments.Cognitive responses were measuredimmediatelyafter each exposure to the advertisements. They found that repetition resulted in a significantpositive effect on cognitive response activity, as subjectslisted more positive thoughtsand fewer negative thoughts with repeatedexposure. Cacioppo and Petty (1979) examined the effects of repeating messages that were either consistent with or contraryto recipients' initial attitudeon cognitive response activity. They found that agreementwith the message position increased and then decreased as exposure frequency increased.The cognitive response patternfollowed a similar curvilinear relationship as favorable thoughts showed an increase followed by a decrease, while counterarguments showed a significant decrease followed by an increase. Analysis of the cognitive response measures also revealed that the counter-attitudinal message evoked a greaternumber of topic-relevantthoughts and fewer neutralor irrelevant thoughts than the proattitudinal message. Cacioppo and Petty interpretedthese results in terms of a two-stage attitudemodificationprocess.Accordingto this model, repetitionof the message providesmore opportunity for cognitive elaborationupon the specific argumentsand realizationof theirfavorableimplications. At high exposure levels, however, tedium and/orreactancelead to an attack against the message by the receiver. 58 sage. However, in the high exposure conditions, it is very likely that tedium and/orreactancewill develop, leading to a decline in affect. Sawyer (1981) has suggested that Berlyne's two-factor theory is consistent with results concerning the repetition effects of advertising.Sawyer suggests that advertisements and othe r persuasive messages in contexts of obvious manipulative intent may elicit a majority of defensive responses-such as counterarguments and source derogations-at the outset. Once expressed, these defensive responses may dissipate and allow other, more objective evaluations and associations to occur. However, high exposure levels would ultimately result in satiation and negative reactionsto the message.The first question of interest is whetherthe inverted Ucurve predictions offered by Berlyne's two-factor theory and Cacioppo and Petty's two-stage attitude modification process model occur with multipleexposuresto a television commercial. Most of the studies extant have only examined outcome measures of effectiveness, providinglittle insight into the cognitive processing that underliesthese reactions. The studies that have utilized cognitive response measures have produceddivergent results, primarilybecause of the methodologicaland proceduraldifferences among them.It will be difficult t o arrive at any generalizationsconcerning the effects of persuasive message repetition on cognitive processing until more empiricalevidence is produced. The firsthypothesisto be tested in this studyconcernsthe effects of commercialmessage repetitionon cognitive responseand message acceptance: Hi: The favorabilityof message acceptanceand cognitive responses to a television commercial increases with moderate levels of exposure, then declines following high levels of exposure. THEJOURNAL CONSUMER OF RESEARCH curring during the first few exposures to it.Krugman's (1972) notion of only three message exposures being sufficient to stimulatea buying decision is relevanthere. According to Krugman, the very first exposure (defined as actualattentionby the consumer)is dominatedby a â€Å"What is it? † type of response, whereby the message recipient attemptsto define and understandthe advertisingstimulus and to determine whether the message is of any use or interest. Krugmansuggests that much of the needed reduction in response competition occurs during this first exposure and that the second exposureevokes a more evaluative and personal â€Å"What of it? reaction, which determinesthe message's ultimate ability to persuade. If any meaningful response occurred earlier, the third exposure then acts mostly as a reminderto the recipient. The third exposure is also the beginning of disengagement or withdrawalof attentionfrom the task. Krugmansuggests that more than three exposures to a message essentially repeat earlier exposure effects. While no direct test of Krugman's conjecturehas been conducted, there is indirect evidence that is relevant.A study by Krugman(1968) of eye movement explorationof print ads indicated that peak effectiveness occurred after two or three exposures, while Grass and Wallace's (1969) work with CONPADD response indicatedthat from two to 1 four exposures are optimal. Otherevidence consistentwith Krugman's notion comes from a study by Goldberg and Gorn (1974). Also, Cacioppo and Petty's (1979) finding that topic-irrelevant ideation increased as exposure frequency increasedsuggests that the importantprocessing of a message takes place during initial exposures. This review suggests that the strengthof the relationship between cognitive responses and message cceptancemeasuresshould increasefrom low to moderateexposurelevels, since more detailed and evaluativeprocessing will occur as message recipients become familiar with the commercial message. At higher exposure levels, however, the tedium and/or reactance associated with message satiation would inhibit and/or interfere with subsequent informationprocessing activity and resultin a weakeningof the relationship between cognitive response and message acceptance. Cognitive processing at higher levels of exposure may consist ideationmore thanof relevantprocessing of topic-irrelevant and evaluation of the message arguments.The following predictionsconcerningthe effects of televi sion commercial message repetition on the relevancy and mediatingrole of cognitive responses will be examined: H2: The frequency of topic-irrelevant ideation increases as exposure to a television commercial increases. ‘CONPADD (ConjugatelyProgrammedAnalysis of Advertising)measures attentionto commercialsby using an operantconditioningprocedure whereby subjects operate either a foot or hand device in orderto receive the video and audio portionsof an advertisement.The subject'seffort thus becomes a measure of interest and attentionto the message in either the audio or video mode. Effects of Repetition on the MediatingRole of Cognitive Response Also of concern in this study are the effects of message repetitionon the mediating relationshipbetween cognitive responses and message acceptance. The issue of interest here is whethercognitive responseselicited afterhigh levels of message exposure mediate affective reactionto the message. Most studies of repetition effects have focused o n dependentmeasures, such as recall, attitude, and purchase intention.In these studies, the cumulativeeffects thatresult from repeatedexposure to the message may be capturedby using these â€Å"outcome† measures. However, this may not be the case for cognitive response measures. The detailed processingthat truly determinesthe message recipient'sreactionto the message may take place duringinitial exposure to the advertisement. Theorizingconsistent with this position has been offered by several researchers. For example, Leavitt (1974) has suggested a â€Å"strong effects† hypothesis, which suggests that the effectiveness of an ad depends on the events oc-EFFECTSOF TV COMMERCIAL REPETITION H3: The strength of the relationshipbetween cognitive response and message acceptance measures increases with moderatelevels of exposure, then decreases at high levels of exposure. 59 thoughts. 3After completingthe cognitive responsetask, the subjectswere asked to complete a programeval uationform and a set of postmeasuresconcerning issues dealt with in the program. After completing these measures, subjectswere asked to respondto dependentmeasuresconcerningmessage acceptance and reception.Two dependentmeasures of message acceptancewere used in this study: attitudestoward using the new brandof toothpasteand purchaseintentionsfor the new brand. Subjects' attitudeswere measuredon four semantic differentialscales (good-bad, wise-foolish, favorable-unfavorable,beneficial-harmful). Subjects' responses to the four scales were averaged to arrive at the attitude score used in the analyses. Intentionto try the new brand of toothpaste was measuredon three semantic differential scales (likely-unlikely, probable-improbable, possibleimpossible). The purchase intention measure used in the analyses was calculated by averagingthe three scales.Two measuresof message receptionwere employed. An unaidedrecall measurewas takenby askingthe respondents to write down as much as they could rememberaboutwhat was said in the commercial. The recall score was then formed by counting the number of correct claims for the productlisted by the subject. The aided recall measureconsisted of six multiple-choicequestions aboutspecific points in the commercial. METHOD Overview The data for this study were collected as part of a laboratoryexperimentexaminingthe effects of advertisingmessage structure and repetition on cognitive response and message acceptance(Belch 1981). A 2 x 2 x 3 betweensubjectsdesign was used with type of message (comparative or noncomparative), message-sidedness (one- or twosided), and repetition(one, three, or five exposures) as the factors. Commercialsfor a new, fictitious brandof toothpaste were produced to serve as message stimuli for the study. The basic text for the four commercialsis shown in the Appendix. The data used to test the repetitionhypotheseswere compiled by combiningthe resultsfor the four treatment groups at each of the three exposure level s.There were no significant interactionsbetween the message structure factorsand exposure frequencyfor the dependentvariablesof interest. Subjects and Procedure The sample consisted of 260 persons recruitedfrom two churchgroups in the Los Angeles area. Data collection was spread over 10 evenings during a two-week period. Upon arrival at the research setting, the subjects were given a brief statementconcerningthe reasonfor theirpresenceand were then randomly assigned to one of the three experimental treatments being used during that session.One hundred subjects were assigned to both the one- and the three-exposureconditions, while 60 subjectswere assigned to the five-exposurecondition. The smaller cell size in the five-exposure condition was due to cost limitations in attaining additionalsubjects. were readto the subjectsinformingthem that Instructions they were participatingin a researchprojectevaluatingthe content of television programmingand that they would be asked to evaluate an episode of Quincy. The subjects were also told they would be asked questions about the commercials.The subjects completed the set of premeasures, which included demographicquestions, a television viewing profile, and premeasuresconcerning issues dealt with in the program;the one-hourprogramcontainingthe stimulus commercial(s) was then shown. Immediatelyafter the program ended, the subjects were read the cognitive response instructionsand were given two minutesto list their Categorizationof Cognitive Responses The cognitive response classificationscheme used in this study included three categories of thoughts: product/mesevaluations,and sage-relatedevaluations,repetition-related evaluairrelevant thoughts.The product/message-related tions included the cognitive response categories of counterargument, supportargument,source derogation,and curiosity thoughts as defined by Wright (1973), as well as the categories of simple dissaffirmationsand simple affirmations describedby Beaber (1975 ). An additionalcategory, source bolstering, was also used. This categorizationis the of positive counterpart source derogation. evaluations included any thought that Repetition-related addressedthe fact that the commercialwas seen more than one time in the program.The use of the repetition-related categorizationmay be useful in analyzing message recipients' reactionto multiple message exposures duringa short time period, such as a one-hourprogram. Other studies of repetitionandcognitive response(CacioppoandPetty 1979; Calderand Sternthal1980; McCulloughand Ostrom 1974) have not distinguishedthoughts reflecting reactions to the message per se from thoughtsthat might be relatedto multiple exposures to the same message.The final cognitive response category was the irrelevantcategory, which in3The cognitive response instructionsused in this study requested the subjects to list the thoughtsthat occurredto them while viewing the commercial about the product and their reactions during the commercial to what was said about the productby the advertiser. 2A complete descriptionof the method employed in this study is available elsewhere (Belch 1981). In the interest of brevity, only a summary will be presentedhere. 60 cluded those statements that did not reflect any relevant evaluation of the advertisingmessage or of the advertisement itself.A three-judgepanel was used to code the cognitive response protocols. The judges were given operationaldefinitions of the three response categories and were trainedin the applicationof these definitions until each had a good of understanding the coding scheme and coding task. The basis for the final rating of each cognition was a modal ratingof the threejudges. Interjudge reliabilities,calculated for each response category separately,rangedfrom 0. 69 to 0. 95. THEJOURNAL CONSUMER OF RESEARCH FIGURE AND NEGATIVE MEANNUMBERS POSITIVE OF COGNITIVE RESPONSESFOR EACHLEVEL REPETITION OF 2 (1. 77) Total Negative 1. 5 (1. 32) (1. 04) Total Product/Message (1. 15) Related Negative 1 (. 96) Total Positive RESULTS The first hypothesis concerns the effects of commercial message repetitionon the message acceptancemeasuresof attitude and purchase intention and on the cognitive response measures. The mean attitudinal scores for the one-, three-, and five-exposureconditions were 3. 87, 4. 11, and 3. 77, while the mean purchaseintentionscores were 3. 24, 3. 60, and 3. 33. An analysis of variance performedon the message acceptancemeasures showed no significanteffect of repetition for either attitude or purchase intention, F (2,257) = 1. 6 and 0. 89, respectively. The means for the numberof favorableand unfavorable thoughtsgeneratedby subjectsin each of the threeexposure conditions are graphedin the Figure. 4 An analysis of variance revealed that the increase in the numberof negative thoughts across the three levels of repetitionis significant, F (2,257) = 9. 93, p < 0. 001. Pairwisecomparisons,using a Scheffe test, indicated that the difference in negative thoughts was not significant between the one- and threeexposureconditions, but was significantbetween the threeand five-exposure conditions (p < 0. 5). The Figure also shows that favorablethoughtsremainedrelatively constant across the three exposure levels. An analysis of variance for the favorable thoughts measure was nonsignificant,F (2,257) = 0. 69. The resultspresentedabove are not supportiveof the first hypothesis. The message acceptancemeasures(attitudeand purchase intention) did not show the inverted U-curve relationshippredictedby Berlyne's (1970) two-factortheory and Cacioppo and Petty's two-stage attitude modification model.The cognitive response results also fail to support the first hypothesis because negative thoughts increased across the three levels of exposure, while positive thoughts remainedrelatively constant. One possible explanationfor the increase in the number of negative thoughts across the three levels of repetitionis that multiple exposures to the message within the one-hour programmay have resultedin satiationandthe development ‘The favorable and unfavorable thoughts measures were derived by combining those cognitive responses that were positive and negative in valence, respectively.Thus, favorable thoughts representthe sum of all source bolstering, support arguments, and simple affirmations. Unfavorable thoughts representthe sum of all counterarguments, source derogations, simple disaffirmations,and repetition-related negative comments. l:; .v~~~~~~. 3 ( 53) (. 63) (. 63) I 0 I ,I 1 5 NUMBER OF EXPOSURES 3 of reactanceby the subjects. This negative reactionto message repetition could be expressed through negative repecontition-related thoughtson the partof multiple-exposure dition subjects.To determinewhether the increase in negative thoughts across the three levels of repetition was due to the repetition-relatedthoughts produced by the message recipients, these responses were omitted from t he composite of unfavorableresponses and the effect of repetitionon the number of product/message-related negative thoughts was examined. The means for the numberof negative product/message-relatedthoughtsare graphedin the Figure. A one-way analysis of variancerevealed that these differences in negative product/message-related thoughts were not significant, F (2,257) = 0. 5. Thus, the increase in negative thoughtsacross the three exposure levels was due primarily to the recipients' negative reactions to message repetition, ratherthan to negative evaluations of message content. Hypothesis two concerns the effect of multiple message exposure on the generation of topic-irrelevant thoughts. Topic-irrelevantthoughts were defined as those responses that do not represent an evaluation of the message arguments or of the advertisementitself. The mean numberof irrelevantthoughts for the one-, three-, and five-exposure levels was 0. 53, 0. 34 and 0. 3, respectively. The differences in irreleva ntthoughtsacross the threeexposurelevels were not significant, F (2. 257) = 1. 99. Contraryto the second hypothesis, it appearsthat message recipientsin the conditions did remainactive in attending multiple-exposure to the commercials, ratherthan tuning them out and producing cognitions that were unrelatedto the message. Relationshipof Cognitive Response to Message Acceptance To examine the relationshipof the cognitive responses generatedby subjects at the various exposure levels to attitude and purchase intention, several compensatoryEFFECTS OF TV COMMERCIALREPETITION TABLEI RELATIONSHIPOF COGNITIVERESPONSE AND MESSAGE RETENTION MEASURES TO MESSAGE ACCEPTANCE BY EXPOSURE LEVEL Single exposure Attitude Model 1 Purchase intention Three exposure Attitude Purchase intention Five exposure Attitude 61 Purchase intention Y2(SA+SB+SAf) – Y. (CA SD + SDf) + Model 2 .327b .323b .481 b ,345b .491 b .236c Y2(SA+SB+SAf+RRP) – Y. (CA. + + SDf+ RRN)8 SD Retention Aided recall Unaide d recall .327b .323b .468b ,339b .522b .258c . 021 . 086 .065 . 129 .014 . 010 .028 . 159 .001 . 121 .009 . 081 SAf = Simple Affirmations;SDf = Simple Disaffirmations; RRP = Repetition Related Positive; RRN = Repetition Related Negative; SA = Support Arguments; CA = Counterarguments; SD = Source Derogation; SB = Source Bolsters. bp < 0. 01 Cp < 0. 05 weighting models (cf. Wright 1973) were developed from the cognitive responses. These models, which are shown in Table 1, are based on an underlying assumption that message recipientsprocess cognitive cues in a mannersuch that opposing cues linearly balance each other. These compensatory models yield a measure of â€Å"net directionalimpact† of the cognitive mediators.Model 1 includes the product/message-related cognitive cues using the difference between the amountof positive ideation and negative ideation engaged in by the message recipients as the predictor of message acceptance. Model 2 adds the repetition-related thoug hts to the model and incorporatesall of the relevant cognitions into the cognitive response index. The relationships between the message retentionmeasures(unaidedand aided recall) and attitudeand purchaseintentionwere also examined. Simple regressions were performedusing each model as a predictorof the message acceptancemeasures.The results of these analyses, which were performedseparatelyfor each exposurelevel, are shown in Table 1. This table shows that the cognitive response models are significantly related to the message acceptancemeasuresacross all three exposure conditions. However, the aided and unaided recall scores are not relatedto either attitudeor purchaseintentionat any of the exposure levels. As can be seen in Table 1, the relationshipof the cognitive response models to the attitudinalmeasure of message acceptanceis strongerin the three-exposurecondition than in the single-exposurecondition, as predicated.However, the differences in these correlationsfor the two exposu re levels are not statistically significant (t = 1. 32, p < 0. 10). 5 Table 1 also reveals that the magnitudeof the relationshipbetween the cognitive response models and attitude does not show the hypothesizeddecline between the 5Comparison these correlationcoefficients was made using the folof lowing test statistic: three- and five-exposure conditions, but remainsrelatively constant. The relationshipbetween the cognitive response models and purchase intention across the three exposure levels is also shown in Table 1.The correlationsdo not show the predicted increase between the one- and three-exposure conditions. There is an attenuationin the correlationsbetween the three- and five-exposure conditions; however, these differences are not significant(t < 1). These results fail to supportthe hypothesizedchanges in the relationshipbetween cognitive and message acceptance across the three exposure levels. Table 1 also indicatesthat differences exist in the relationshipsbetween cog nitive response and the attitudinalmeasure of message acceptance and between cognitive response and the purchaseintention measure in the multiple-exposureconditions.There is an attenuationin the correlationof cognitive response to message acceptance when purchase intention, ratherthan attitude, is the message acceptance criterion. Wright (1973) found a similar attenuationbetween cognitive response and a behavioralintentionversus an attitudinal measureof message acceptance. The attenuationfound in this study may be due to the fact thatbehavioralpatternsfor a productsuch as toothpasteare likely to be well developed. Thus, favorable or unfavorablecognitive reactionsto the message may be related to affective position toward the new brand, but would not necessarily impact on intentionto buy the new brand.I + Vm 1 Vm I/ ~1 lNm-3 l/2 In – l/2 In 1 I + Vf 1- Vf 3 t= Nf- where Vm and Vf denote the correlationcoefficients for each group and Nm and Nf denote the size of each group. This statistic makes it possible to test the equalityof two correlationcoefficients using a t test (Kleinbaum and Kupper 1978). 62 THEJOURNAL CONSUMER OF RESEARCH sage argumentsand then developing an attitudetowardthe new brand, but ratherwere using the retainedargumentsto support a preformed affective position.This explanation may be particularlyplausible in a low-involvement advertising situation(which one might argue was the case in this study) where global affect, rather than attribute specific information,providesthe basis for consumerevaluationand decision making (cf. Olshavskyand Granbois1979; Wright 1976; Zajonc 1980). The two perspectives regarding the mediating role of cognitive response suggest differentcausal patternsamong the message acceptance measures and cognitive responses following multiple exposure to a message.The first explanation argues for the traditionalmediatingrole of cognitive responses, whereby the flow of causal effects originates with repetitionand moves th roughcognitive responses that mediateattitude,which in turnmediatespurchaseintention. The competingexplanationsuggests that the flow of effects originates with repetition and moves successively through attitude and purchase intention, which in turn influences cognitive response. This causal flow suggests thatcognitive in responses, particularly the multiple-exposure conditions, are the result of preformedaffect towardthe new brand.To examine the two competing explanationsof the relationships among the variables, a testing of alternative model forms was undertaken. The tenabilityof each causal model was tested by attemptingto reproducethe original correlationmatrix among the four relevant variables (repetition, cognitive responses, attitude, and purchase intention). Examination of the reproducibility of the original correlationmatrix provides evidence in supportof a proposed model configuration also allows for a comparison and of other alternativeflows.A techniquedeveloped by Simon ( 1957) for testing simple linear flows of causation was used to examine the relationshipamong these variables. This techniquefor testing a proposed causal flow was used by Lutz (1978) in examining the relationshipsamong beliefs, attitude, and behavioral intention-a problem similar to the presentone. Simon developed a precise set of predictionsfor the magnitudeof correlationbetween nonadjacent pairsof variables in the hypothesized flow of causation, based on observed correlationsbetween adjacent pairs of variables.Specifically, the predicted correlationbetween any two nonadjacent variables is equal to the product of all the pairwise correlations between adjacent intervening variables. For example, in the traditionalcognitive response causal sequence (repetition– cognitive response-> attitude-> intention), Simon's model would predictthat the simple correlationbetween repetitionand intentionwould be equal to the simple correlationsof repetitionand cognitive response multipl ied by the simple correlationof cognitive response and attitudemultipliedby the simple correlationof attitude and intention.Comparisonof predicted and actual correlations provides a measure of â€Å"fit† for the theoreticalexplanations being applied to the data. While this mode of analysis cannot prove that a particularcausal sequence is correct, it is useful for testing competing explanations. Cognitive Responses: Mediatorsor Productsof Message Acceptance? A basic assumptionin using the cognitive response approachto studying communicationeffects is that the spontaneous thoughts generated by the message recipients causally mediate affective reactions to a persuasive message.The assumptionthat cognitive responses precede and influencethe formationof attitudesand intentionshas been made in most cognitive response studies and has been directly tested in several investigations (Cacioppo and Petty 1979; Osterhouse and Brock 1970; Petty and Cacioppo 1977). This study assumed that c ognitive response cues generated by the message recipients mediate the effect of repetition on message acceptance,since subjectsin the multipleexposure conditions had the opportunity to become acquainted with the message arguments and had plenty of time to elaborate cognitively upon them. Thus, the responses generatedby the multiple-exposurecondition subjects would be based on the cogency of the message arguments and their reactionsto these arguments,ratherthan on a general, overall impressionof the productand/orcommercial. Evidence in supportof this position is offered by the strong relationshipbetween cognitive response and attitude in the multiple-exposureconditions. There is, however, an alternativehypothesis to the argument that cognitive responses mediate the effect of repetition on message acceptance.It may be that the thoughts producedby the message recipientsare not really mediating acceptanceof the message, but ratherare a reflectionof the recipient's affective position to ward the product and/or commercial. Several studies (Tesser and Conlee 1975; Tesser and Cowan 1977) have shown that the opportunityfor thought leads to a polarizationof attitudeswhereby affective position becomes more extreme in the initial direction. onditionsmay Message recipientsin the multiple-exposure have formed an attitudetowardthe new brandafter one or two exposures, while further exposure to and reflection upon the message argumentsmay have led to attitudepolarization. Thus, the cognitive responsesproducedby these subjects may have been a reflection of a previously developed and polarized attitude;ratherthan mediatingmessage acceptance,the recipients'responses may thus have offered cognitive justification for their affective position.This alternativeperspective suggests that the multipleexposure condition subjects were not processing the mes- 6Thereis evidence that the message argumentswere retainedmore in the multiple-exposureconditions than in the single-exposurecondition s. The cell means for the unaidedrecall measurewere 1. 70, 2. 33, and 2. 48, while the means for the aided recall measure were 2. 22, 2. 74, and 3. 20. An analysis of varianceperformedon the receptionscores showed thatthe effect of repetitionwas significant for both measures, F (2. 257) = 7. 01 and 11. 25, respectively (p < 0. 1). Pairwise comparisons of the cell means, using the Scheffe test, indicatedthat both recall measuresshowed a significant increase between the one- and three-exposureconditions (p < 0. 05), but not between the three- and five-exposurelevels. REPETITION EFFECTSOF TV COMMERCIAL TABLE 2 INTERCORRELATIONSOF VARIABLES IN HYPOTHESIZED FLOW OF EFFECTS Cognitive response – 63 TABLE 3 PREDICTIONS AND DEGREES OF FIT FOR RELATIONSHIPS AMONG NONADJACENT CAUSAL VARIABLES Degrees of fit Actual Expected Variable Repetition – Attitude – . 013 . 429 Purchase intention . 31 R–CR->Att->PI' 1. Repetition 2. Cognitive response 3. Attitude 4 . Purchase intention .022 .310 . 692 13 12r23 -. 013 rl2r23r,. r24= r23r, r14= .031 . 310 R–Att->PIl-CR -. 009 [(-. 022)(. 429)] – . 006 [(-. 022)(. 429)(. 692)] . 297 [(. 429)(. 692)] In performingthis analysis, the cognitive response variable was operationalizedby using the compensatoryindex derived from model 1 (Table 1). Repetition was assigned a value of 1, 3, or 5, dependingupon exposurelevel. Table 2 shows the observed simple correlationsamong the four variablesof interest.Each variableis numberedto facilitate of interpretation Table 3, which shows the actual and expected correlations among nonadjacentpairs of variables for the two competing causal flows previously described. To compare the degrees of fit of the two models, a total discrepancy score was computed from the correlations shown in Table 3. Total discrepancy was operationalized as the sum of the absolute differences between predicted and actual correlations. Table 3 shows that the degree of fit was best for the traditional model, in which cognitive responses mediate message acceptance.The total discrepancyfor this model was 0. 055, while the total discrepancy for the competing model was 0. 278. In additionto the two models previously considered, alternativeorderingsof the cognitive response and message acceptance measures following message repetition were also examined. However, none of these models performedas well as the basic cognitive-responses-as-mediatorsmodel. 13 r12r23 r14 =r2r23r34 r24 =r23r34 .031 -. 022 . 429 -. 015 [(-. 022)(. 692)] -. 005 [(-. 022)(. 692)(. 310)] . 214 [(. 692)(. 310)] intention aRepetitionrCognitive response-Attitude-oPurchaseDISCUSSION The results of this study are not supportiveof Berlyne's (1970) two-factor theoretical account of repetition effects nor of Cacioppo and Petty's (1979) two-stage attitudemodification process model. Neither attitudesnor purchaseintentions were affected by the level of advertisingexposure. This is consistent with t he results of otherrepetitionstudies that have failed to find a significant main effect for repetition on these outcome measures. The patternof results found for the cognitive response measures was also inconsistent with theoretical expectations.The number of negative product/message-related thoughtsdid not decline between the one- and three-exposure conditions, as had been predicted. The negative thoughtsvariablealso failed to parallelthe resultsfound for the attitude and purchase intention measures for the oneand three-exposureconditions. This inconsistency, which was also found by Calder and Sternthal(1980) and, to a lesser degree, by-Cacioppoand Petty (1980), suggests that there is not always a direct correspondencebetween cognitive response and outcome evaluations.The second stage of two-factortheory and the two-stage attitudemodificationprocess, which predicts a decrease in affect and an increase in negative thoughts due to tedium and reactance, was partially supported. Neithe r attitudes nor purchase intentions showed a significant decline between the three- and five-exposure conditions. However, the significant increase in negative repetition-related thoughts between the three- and five-exposure conditions suggests that reactance to the multiple message exposures did become more pronouncedin the high exposure condition.The significant increase in repetition-related thoughts across the three exposure levels is not surprising,but it is noteworthy. Past studies of repetition and cognitive response have not directlyrecognized the possibility thatrepetition-relatedcognitions might occur as a result of excessive exposure to a message; instead, they have assumed that the recipient's reaction to message repetition impacts on more traditionalcognitive response variables, such as or counterarguments favorablemessage-relatedthoughts. From a strategicperspective, these findings have implications for the scheduling of adverising messages, particularly over short tim e periods. While the exposure levels used in this study were high for a one-hour time period, they are not totally inconsistent with actual media schedvalue uling practices. The results suggest that no short-term is gained from addedexposures. Media schedulesthatresult in high levels of message exposure in a limited time period run the risk of alienatingthe viewer and may not represent Althoughcognitive response measures were not taken in the study by Gom and Goldberg (1980), they did find negative repetition-related reactions to be commonplace: â€Å"Observationof the children suggested that when exposed to the same commercial three or five times, they became annoyedby the repetitions. Remarkssuch as â€Å"Oh no, not again† or â€Å"not anotherone† were common †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ . . . (p. 424). † 64 the most effective expenditureof media budgets.However, ratherthan focusing only on immediate postexposure reactions, it would be helpful to consider the effects of mul tiple message exposure over longer time periods, in order to determine the persistence of positive or negative responses. Crandall,Harrison,and Zajonc (1975) found that the negative effects of tediumfrom repeatedexposuresmay be only transitory,whereasthe positive effect is permanent. Stang (1974) also found satiationeffects to be short-lived: a small measurementdelay was more likely to show positive effects of exposure than an immediate measurement.Research similar to that of Cacioppo and Petty (1980), which uses delayed measures of cognitive response and the attitudechange, is needed to fully understand effects of message repetition. The use of delayed response measures in examining repetition effects is discussed in detail by Sawyer and Ward (1977). The results of this study are supportiveof other investigations suggesting that cognitive responses mediate postmessage attitudesand purchase intentions. Moreover, this studyoffers furthersupportfor the viabilityof using thought verbal ization data in studying communication effects.While the cognitive response models were capable of explaining a significantamountof the variancein attitudeand purchase intention, the aided and unaided recall measures did not show a significant relationshipto message acceptance despite the increase in recall scores across the three levels of exposure. These findingsare consistentwith other studies which have found that stimulus learningis not necessarily related to affective reactions (Cacioppo and Petty 1979; Greenwald1968; Wright19,73).These resultssupport the argumentthat cognitive cues generatedby the message recipient, ratherthan message arguments, are the primary mediatorsof message acceptance. [ReceivedMay 1981. Revised November 1981. ]RESEARCH THEJOURNAL CONSUMER OF REFERENCES Beaber, R. J. (1975), â€Å"The General Characteristicsof Covert Resistance Mechanisms and Their Relationship to Attitude Change and SpeakerPerception,† Unpublisheddoctoraldissertation,Department of Psychology, Universityof Southern California. Belch, George E. 1981), â€Å"An Examinationof Comparativeand Noncomparative Television Commercials: The Effects of Claim Variation and Repetition on Cognitive Response and Message Acceptance,† Journal of MarketingResearch, 18 (August): 333-49. Berlyne, D. E. (1970), â€Å"Novelty, Complexity, and Hedonic Value,† Perception and Psychophysics, 8: 279-86. Cacioppo, John T. , and Petty, Richard(1979), â€Å"Effects of Message Repetition and Position on Cognitive Response, Recall and Persuasion,† Journal of Personality and Social Psy97-109. hology, 37 (January): and Petty, Richard, (1980), â€Å"Persuasiveness of Communicationsis Affected by ExposureFrequencyand Message Quality: A Theoreticaland EmpiricalAnalysis of Persisting Attitude Change,† in Current Issues and Research in Advertising, eds. J. H. Leigh and C. R. Martin,Jr. , Ann Arbor: Division of Research, GraduateSchool of Business Administration, Univer sity of Michigan. Calder, Bobby J. and Sternthal,Brian (1980), â€Å"Television ComProcessingView, † Journal mercialWearout:An Information of MarketingResearch, 17 (May): 173-186. Craig, C.Samuel, Sternthal, Brian, and Levitt, Clark (1976), Analysis,† Journal â€Å"AdvertisingWearout:An Experimental of MarketingResearch: 13 (November):365-72. Crandall, R. , Harrison, A. A. , and Zajonc, Robert B. (1975), â€Å"The Permanence of the Positive and Negative Effects of StimulusExposure:A Sleeper Effect? ,† Unpublishedmanuscript, University of SouthernCalifornia. Ginter, James L. (1974), â€Å"An ExperimentalInvestigationof AttitudeChange and Choice of a New Brand,† Journal of Mar30-7. keting Research, 11 (February): Goldberg, Marvin E. , and Gorn, Gerald J. 1974), â€Å"Children's Reactions to Television Advertising: An ExperimentalApproach,† Journal of Consumer Research, 1 (September): 69-75. Gorn, Gerald G. , and Goldberg, Marvin E. (1980), â€Å"Chi ldren's Responses to RepetitiveTV Commercials,† Journal of Consumer Research, 6 (March):421-25. Grass, R. C. , and Wallace, Wallace H. (1969), â€Å"SatiationEffects of T. V. Commercials,†Journal ofAdvertisingResearch, 19: 47-57. Greenwald, A. G. (1968), â€Å"Cognitive Learning, Cognitive Response to Persuasionand AttitudeChange,† in Psychological Foundations of Attitudes, eds.A. G. Greenwald, T. C. Brock, and T. M. Ostrom, New York: Academic Press. Kleinbaum,David G. , and Kupper,LawrenceL. (1978), Applied Methods,North RegressionAnalysis and OtherMultivariable Scituate, MA: Duxbury Press. Krugman,HerbertE. (1962), â€Å"An Applicationof LearningTheory to TV Copy Testing,† Public Opinion Quarterly, 26: 626-34. (1965), â€Å"The Impactof Television Advertising:Learning Without Involvement,† Public Opinion Quarterly, 30: 583-96. (1968), â€Å"Processes Underlying Exposure to Advertising,† AmericanPsychologist, 23: 11-14.APPENDIX Sample Text o f CommercialMessages Announcingan importantadvance in the science of dental hygiene, new Shield toothpaste with fluorigard. Fluorigard is a new stannous fluoride substance developed by a biodental team at a leading university. Clinical tests by the American Dental Association have found new Shield to be more effective than Crest, the leading fluoride toothpaste, in reducing cavities. These tests showed that Shield, with its patented fluorigardformula, has significantly higher levels of fluoride activity than Crest.This means that Shield spreads faster while you brush, actually penetratingand cleaning in between your teeth, where most cavities occur. And Shield's fluorigard formulawas also preferredin taste tests. Remember, see your dentist regularly and brush often with new Shield, the only toothpastethat gives your teeth the protectionof fluorigard. REPETITION EFFECTSOF TV COMMERCIAL (1972), â€Å"Why Three ExposuresMay Be Enough,† Journal of AdvertisingResearch, 12: 11-14. Leavitt, Clark (1974), â€Å"Strong Versus Weak Effects of Mass Communications:Two Alternative Hypotheses,† in Buyerl ConsumerInformationProcessing, eds.G. D. Hughes and M. L. Ray, Chapel Hill, NC: University of North Carolina Press. Lutz, RichardJ. (1978), â€Å"A FurtherExaminationof Two Laboratory Tests of the Extended Fishbein Attitude Model: Rejoinder,† Journal of Consumer Research, 4 (March): 266-271. McCullough, J. L. , and Ostrom, Thomas (1974), â€Å"Repetitionof Highly Similar Messages and AttitudeChange,† Journal of Applied Psychology, 59 (June): 395-7. Mitchell, Andrew, andOlson, JerryC. (1977), â€Å"Cognitive Effects of Advertising Repetition,† in Advances in ConsumerResearch, Vol. 4, ed. W. D.Perreault,Atlanta, GA: Association for ConsumerResearch, pp. 213-20. Olshavsky, Richard W. , and Granbois, Donald (1979), â€Å"Consumer Decision Making-Fact or Fiction,† Journal of ConsumerResearch, 7: 331-33. Osterhouse, R. A. , and Brock, Tim othy C. (1970), â€Å"Distraction Increases Yielding to Propagandaby Inhibiting Counterarguing,† Journal of Personality and Oocial Psychology, 15: 344-358. Petty, RichardE. , and Cacioppo, JohnT. (1977), â€Å"Forewarning, Cognitive Responding, and Resistanceto Persuasion,†Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 35: 645-55.Ostrom, Thomas M. , and Brock, Timothy C. (1981), CognitiveResponses in Persuasion, Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum. Ray, Michael L. , and Sawyer, Alan G. (1971), â€Å"A Laboratory Technique for Estimating the Repetition Function for Advertising Media Models,† Journal of MarketingResearch, 8: 20-29. Sawyer, Alan G. (1973), â€Å"The Effects of Repetition of Refutational and SupportiveAdvertisingAppeals,† Journal of Mar3-33. ketingResearch, 10 (February): (1977), â€Å"Repetition and Affect: Recent Empirical andTheoreticalDevelopment,† in Foundationsof Consumerand Industrial Buying Behavior, eds. A. G. Woodside, J. N. Sheth, and P. D. Bennett, New York: AmericanElsevier. (1981), â€Å"Repetition, Cognitive Response and Persuasion,† in Cognitive Responses in Persuasion, eds. R. E. Petty, T. Ostrom, and T. Brock, Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum,pp. 237-61. 65 , and Ward, Scott (1979), â€Å"Carry-OverEffects in Advertising Communication,† in Research in Marketing, Vol. II, ed. J. N. Sheth, Greenwich, CT: JAI Press, pp. 259-314. Silk, Alvin J. , and Vavra, J. G. 1974), â€Å"The Influence of Advertising's Affective Qualities on Consumer-Response,† in Processing, eds. G. D. Hughes Information Buyer/Consumer and M. L. Ray, Chapel Hill, NC: University of North Carolina Press, pp. 157-86. Simon, H. A. (1957), Models of Man, New York: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Stang, D. J. (1973), â€Å"Six Theories of Repeated Exposure and Affect,† Manuscript#482, JSAS Catalog of Selected Documents in Psychology, 3: 126. (1975), â€Å"The Effects of Mere Exposureon Learningand Affect,† Journal of Personality a nd Social Psychology, 31: 7-13.Tesser, A. , and Conlee, M. C. (1975), â€Å"Some Effects of Time and Thought on Attitude Polarization,† Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 31: 262-70. , and Cowan, C. L. (1977), â€Å"Some Attitudinaland Cognitive Consequences of Thought,† Journal of Research in Personality, 11: 216-26. Winer, B. J. (1971), Statistical Principles in ExperimentalDesign, New York: McGraw-HillBook Co. Winter, FredrickW. (1973), â€Å"A LaboratoryExperimentof Individual AttitudeResponse to AdvertisingExposure,† Journal of MarketingResearch, 10 (May): 130-40. Wright, Peter L. 1973), â€Å"The Cognitive Processes Mediating Research, Acceptanceof Advertising,† Journal of Marketing 53-67. 10 (February): (1975), â€Å"Factors Affecting Cognitive Resistance to Advertising,† Journal of ConsumerResearch, 2 (June): 1-10. (1976), â€Å"An Adaptive Consumer'sView of Attitudesand Other Choice Mechanisms, as Viewed by an Equally Adaptive Advertiser,† in AttitudeResearch at Bay, eds. Deborah Johnson and William D. Wells, Chicago American Marketing Association, pp. 113-31. (1980), â€Å"Message-Evoked Thoughts: Persuasion ResearchUsing ThoughtVerbalizations,†Journal of Consumer Research, 2

Saturday, September 28, 2019

The Electronic Frontier Foundation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

The Electronic Frontier Foundation - Essay Example The Electronic Frontier Foundation The organization is a non-profit organization that relies upon donations for their existence. One of the major areas that EFF attends to is privacy rights. In 2008, the EFF challenged the NSA policy of wiretapping, suing the NSA to end the surveillance of Americans and hold the government officials accountable who pursue these measures. The two cases that they brought were Jewel v. NSA and Hepting v. AT&T. These cases involved a lawsuit against the NSA for directly conducting surveillance on ordinary Americans. Hepting v. AT&T involved a lawsuit against the telecommunications giant because it was helping the government in surveillance measures. These cases were dismissed due to governmental immunity, and is currently on appeal in the 9th Circuit (eff.org). The EFF has also argued in a Senate Judiciary Committee that warrantless searches of individuals’ laptops and other electronic devices are not considered to be a routine search, despite the fact that the Supreme Court found that border guards can conduct a routine search of people who are crossing the border. These are searches that can be conducted without a warrant or either a reasonable suspicion of any criminal wrongdoing. They also testified in front of the Senate Judiciary Committee that taking data from an individual’s laptop or other electronic device should be considered to be a seizure under the Fourth Amendment’s prohibition of searches and seizures (eff.org). Additionally, the EFF has urged the senate to put more oversight on border guards. EFF has also argued, successfully, in a Pennsylvania court that the information stored by cell phone providers as to the location of an individual is protected by the Fourth Amendment, therefore the government has to have a warrant based upon probable cause in order to obtain theses records. The government appealed this decision to the Third Circuit Court of Appeals, and this is currently being considered by this Court (eff.org). The EFF al so has worked to protect e-mail privacy, stating that the Department of Justice’s policy of requiring an e-mail provider to save prospective e-mails with only a subpoena and a court order not based upon probable cause is illegal, as the government needs to, under the Fourth Amendment, obtain a search warrant based upon probable cause, and this warrant needs to describe exactly what it is that the government is trying to obtain. In this case, the EFF filed an amicus brief in the case, as the case was brought by Steven Warshak (eff.org). The EFF also has helped consumers by helping them get proactive. The way that they do this is by publishing an on-line guide for consumers that helps them understand what is acceptable and what is not when it comes to on-line and electronic issues. This is called Surveillance Self-Defense (SSD). In particular, this organization helps educate consumers about government spying on computers, as well as data that is obtained through electronic mean s such as cell phones, and communications stored by third parties (eff.org). Moreover, the EFF also has launched a program to aid people in foreign lands about their rights regarding privacy concerns (eff.org). Free speech is another broad issue that the EFF. They have resisted the misuse of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act. The DMCA gives providers immunity when they take down content, while not providing for a way to resist this. The EFF notes that there is a

Friday, September 27, 2019

An analysis of COCACOLAs current strategic position, and how COCACOLA Essay

An analysis of COCACOLAs current strategic position, and how COCACOLA will develop these strategies in the future.THIS is an individually written report - Essay Example Coca Cola has around 16 million clients all over the world. The management concentrates more on enhancing the values for their clientele and aiding their beverages business to grow. Moreover the management is working hard to understand their cliental needs whether the customer is classy retailer in industrial market or a risk owner in rising markets. The basic key or strategy is that they place right product in right market at right time. This indicates that geographically company's market is vast & the management has huge control on its market. As carbonated drinks are the highly productive segment so the company emphasis more in its production and promotion as it brings larger portion of their revenue from overall sales The Coca Cola Company currently has different brands in the market worlds wide. The company not only a big manufactures of carbonated drinks but also manufacture juices, water and other drinks. The key for launching any new brand in the market is the culture of the country. Strategic Planning is the tool which a management used to considerate it future course of action. In any business strategic planning is the tool of giving the right directions to the management .the management emphasis on how to apply different strategies in order to expand the business, which policies suits best in all the areas of the business and what are the potentials and how to use them. FORMULATION AND IMPLEMENTATION OF STRATEGIES BY COCA COLA: The

Thursday, September 26, 2019

Social Marketing Plan Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Social Marketing Plan - Essay Example So it is fair to say that the success of the company is not only in the number of customers but also in the use of social media (Drell, 2011, p. 123). Through adequate study on the impact of social media in marketing strategy, the company has formed its own guideline for controlling the interaction between the company and its customers. The Coca-Cola Company presence in social media is, therefore, incredibly vital in engaging its customers in the company’s operations and in facilitating constructive conversation between the company’s management and other stakeholders in the market (Coca-Cola, 2012, p. 37). The essay below therefore seeks to expound on the advantages and disadvantages of using social networking plan in Coca-Cola Marketing strategy. Coca-Cola brand is a highly valued brand in beverage and food industry. The brand is commonly known for its community involvement as well as its high sales in global market. On the other hand, to continue its dominance in glob al market, Coca-Cola Company has in the last two years actively involved itself in various social media platform. The company’s engagement in social media platform has as a result formed the bases for the company’s social marketing plan. ... In these two promotion strategies, the two teams were expected to use social media platforms such as YouTube Face-book and Twitter to identify what makes people happy in the world and to document the occurrences of the trip. Participants in the two activities used Face book and Twitter to express their experiences. The respondents’ comments were as posted in the Coca-Cola Face-book and Twitter pages Advantages To start with, the 2010 social marketing plans in Coca Cola Company proved to be very effective in the company’s internal and external operations. Internally, the use of social media tools triggered effective communication between the marketing team, communication department, and public relationship team (Katz, Blumler and Gurevitch, 2004, p. 509). Productive communication between the three teams led to the creation of an effective marketing strategy which has so far helped the Coca-Cola brand to be one of the most competitive products in global market. The compan y’s current marketing strategy has incorporated customers’ opinions and suggestions. The communication department has the mandate of updating the company’s social site and transferring the posted feedbacks to the department of public relation and marketing for action. Externally, the two promotion strategies were as well successful in linking the company to its customers. The two campaigns strategies helped the company contact more than 650 million customers in a span of 12 months. Most of the contacted customers created a very close link with the Coca-Cola brand thus advancing the brand reputation in global market. On the other hand, the two plans also demonstrated the involvement of

Wednesday, September 25, 2019

Compare two of the regional human rights systems, analyzing the Essay

Compare two of the regional human rights systems, analyzing the similarities and differences in their respective approaches to the protection and promotion of human rights - Essay Example They are the precursors of normative frameworks. They form the minimum standards that a member state has to adhere to while enacting their municipal law must conform to these standards. This means that in any case a country seeks to enact a municipal dealing with a matter that is covered under any human right system, then that country needs to use the standard set in that particular human right system as the benchmark. There are three main human rights systems in the world; the European Human Right System, the Americas Human Rights system and the African Human right system. For the purposes of this paper, the comparison shall be focused on the European and the African Human Rights system. The choice of the two is influenced by the fact that the European Human Right system was the first to develop while the African human right system is the last to develop. Another motivation for choosing these two systems is derived from the fact one is established in the developed region while the other is developed in a developing region. Despite the existence of the African Human rights system there is still a high level of human rights violation. It is important to note that each of these human rights systems developed out of influences and forces unique to the nations involved. These systems developed at different times and were triggered by different reasons. It is also imperative to note that each of these three systems has specific and tailor -made solutions and means to ensure that the specific rights of a certain group of people is catered for. The matters that led to the development of the European Human Right system were influenced by the World War II. On the other hand, the African Human Right system was triggered by other factors the main one being colonialism. Robertson (1982) propounds that the belief by the European nations that in order to secure democracy human rights had to be respected. The East Europe as well as the Western

Tuesday, September 24, 2019

Goldman Sachs Fraud Case Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Goldman Sachs Fraud Case - Research Paper Example Goldman Sachs Fraud Case Introduction Goldman Sachs defrauded investors by failing to reveal the apparent conflict of interest on mortgage investment it floated as the housing market became sour. The charges that were brought forward by the Securities Exchange Commission against Goldman Sachs argued for unlawful action and fraud in the trading of toxic subprime mortgage derivative securities. Nevertheless, Goldman Sachs affirmed that they were merely following normal business practices and had not committed any wrong. The Goldman Sachs fraud case elicited critical issues centering on the inadequacy of the investment banking practices, and raised the question whether it is a case of deceptive or unethical behavior (Craig & Scannell, 2010). The three-month legal ordeal erased close to $20billion of the firm’s stock-market value. A lively public discussion that followed the charge of Goldman Sachs by SEC centered on whether Goldman Sachs, broadly viewed as an embodiment of bubble -era greed, was also a lawbreaker. Questions emanated on whether Goldman bankers warranted condemnation for deliberately exploiting the naivety of investors to gain from the trading of debt instruments that were bets on a market Goldman Sachs was doomed to collapse (Whalen & Bhala, 2011). Although the transaction entailed in the SEC’s lawsuit can be regarded as small by Goldman Sachs’ standards, its arrangement alludes to weighty questions regarding the fault of the banks in driving up a market within mortgage-derived securities that lingered practically inclined to self-destruction (Buell, 2011). The SEC was asking whether Goldman Sachs gained from both sides in a way that contravened their fiduciary obligation to their customers. The SEC claimed that investors essentially lost over $1billion dollars and that Paulson’s short option debt instrument on the credit instrument derived a profit of more than $1billion (Jones, 2010). Email traffic pointed out that Tour re plus others were aware of the subprime mishap as early as January 2007 before the crisis became full blown. The SEC sought a restriction, disgorgement of profits, and sanctions with regard to interest and civil monetary penalties (Craig & Scannell, 2010). In addition to these charges, criminal prosecutors were exploring whether Goldman Sachs or its employees committed securities fraud with regard to the firm’s mortgage trading. #1 The Fraud Goldman’s case entailed four forms of securities that all played some roles amid the 2008 financial downturn: first, the residential mortgage-backed securities (RMBS) embodying a form of security derived from pooling of mortgages on residential real-estate into bonds; a credit-default swap (CDS) representing a form of insurance policy; a collateralized debt obligation (CDO) representing a debt security collateralized by debt obligation; and, synthetic CDO’s (SCDOs) equivalent to ordinary to ordinary CDOs excluding that inv estors own CDOs on real securities rather than the real securities themselves. The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) filed a civil fraud charge against Goldman Sachs & Co, as well its vice presidents for fraud for misrepresenting information meant for investors by misstating key facts regarding a financial product connected to subprime mortgages at a moment when the housing market within the United States started to crumble and lose value (Buell, 2011).  

Monday, September 23, 2019

Corporate risk management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Corporate risk management - Essay Example Each region or country has their own rules and regulations to be followed. There are many additional features like giving financial protection against theft of the vehicle or possible damage to the vehicle. It is illegal for any person to run their vehicle in the road without any motor insurance. Most of the jurisdiction are applied both to the drivers well as to the car, though degree of severity varies. There are many countries where there is a scheme like â€Å"pay-as-you-drive†. Here the driver has to pay the premiums through the gasoline tax that he uses. Using this both the problem get solved, one like charging the uninsured motorists and another is to charge them based on the number of miles. This increases the efficiency of the insurance through streamline collection. But associated with it is the risk of insurance companies charging higher premiums than others. But being a compulsory thing, the motor man sometimes faces the risk of paying higher insurance in cases if he doesn’t get any options. Discussion The manager here owns a fleet of motor vehicles. The problem here is that the motor insurer has given them a premium quotation which appears to be high to them. Hence the manger has to look for alternative course of action. The manager must look for other motor insurance provide. The manager must know what the options available to him in the market are, like he can go to any brokerage house where there is a number of insurance provider tied up with them. Manager must understand the features offered by the insurance provider (Frenkel, Dufey, Hommel and Rudolf, 2005, p. 543). There are several basic features which he needs to look at. Like the Liability Only Policy. This type of insurance policy covers the liabilities of insure towards third parties only. It is mandatory for the each and every vehicle which runs in any the public place as per the Motor Vehicles Act of any country. Next important step is the Package Policy. This states that for any loss or any damage to the vehicle insured it will be covered subject to the terms and conditions to the policy. The manager must understand that premiums are calculated on various factors like type, usage, model, place of registration, past claims of history etc. of the vehicle under consideration. Hence the approach should be known to him (Vinnem, 2007, p. 32). He must understand that while buying a fresh new insurance during the renewal he can go for other companies who provide the insurance. The manager must also know that if the premium is charged too high he can go to the insurance provider and ask for the exact details of the components where the money is being charged high. He must mention whether the vehicle runs on Gas or on Petrol because each of them will have a different cost attached to it (Khatta, 2008, p. 241). Hence the manager should understand the fact that there is a risk of moving from one insurer to another new insurer. For any new client the motor car insurance provider will check what is the vehicles damage, what is the cc of the car and accordingly quote the premium. But it might happen that government may increase tax rate which is applicable to the motor insurance. And as a result the premium may again rise (Merkin and Smith, 2004, p. 387). Hence the manger has to consult many insurance providers at the same time and assess the risk by discussing with them. There are many steps to assess the risk. First step is to identify hazard, here the managers must know

Sunday, September 22, 2019

Images of Millay's emotional state in What lips My Lips Have Kissed Essay

Images of Millay's emotional state in What lips My Lips Have Kissed - Essay Example Upon reflecting on her past love affairs, there were some images that helped her convey her emotional state. Specifically in line three and four stated that â€Å"Under my head till morning; but the rain (line 3) Is full of ghosts tonight that tap and sigh (line 4)† suggests that the speaker had to spend the rest of the evening without the presence of a loving mad. Line seven and eight stated that â€Å"For unremembered lads that not again (line 7); Will turn to me at midnight with a cry (line 8)† expresses the idea that the speaker had for several times experienced crying because of misunderstanding with a man. The reason why she feels the way she does is because of her past recent summer relationship which has ended for no reason at all. In line with this, the speaker’s recent summer relationship was clearly indicated in line thirteen and fourteen of the poem stating that â€Å"I only know that summer sang in me (line 13); A little while, that in me sings no more (line 14)†. Although the speaker does not clearly reflect any forms of bitterness or regrets, line six of the poem which stated that â€Å"And in my heart there stirs a quiet pain† suggests that the speaker is emotionally hurt was because of the last summer love she had with a man. All this made her think about her past relationships that never worked the way she

Saturday, September 21, 2019

Subsidiary Ledgers and Special Journals Essay Example for Free

Subsidiary Ledgers and Special Journals Essay A subsidiary ledger is a ledger that includes all of the details of a general ledger, and it holds accounts with similar attributes. The purpose is that is can contain things such as accounts receivable and accounts payable and it can show the sum total. The advantages of using subsidiary ledgers is that the sum of all the accounts is kept in the General Ledger and all of the details of the accounts are kept in the subsidiary ledger which is separate so you can keep them in different columns so to not get confused. A control account is an account that contains the total number of sales/purchases made. If you add up all of the individual accounts it should equal the control account, also known as a summary of the account. The purpose of a control account is that it doesn’t have to contain all of the details but it will have all of the financial information organized accurately. The accounts receivable and accounts payable ledgers are two general ledger accounts that act as control accounts for a subsidiary ledger. Cash receipts journal, cash payments journal, sales journal, and the purchase journal are the four different special journals of accounting. The advantages of all the journals are that transactions that occur on a daily basis can be put into a specific journal and one person can be in charge of that journal. All of the information can be tracked in one place which can make the work much easier as well. A cash payments journal can be used with any company that deals primarily with cash which is most companies. A cash receipts journal is sometimes used for the sales of a product to help track transactions. Purchase journals are used with companies that make a lot of purchases on one account while sales journals are for companies that perform purchases. The sales journal posts the sum on the general ledger at the end of the pay period/month.

Friday, September 20, 2019

Wound care essentials summative assignment

Wound care essentials summative assignment Module Code: Wound Care Essentials Section 1. Search strategy Describe the strategy you used to retrieve the right resources to help you write your assignment. You must include the key words you used, the sources of your literature, the years searched and the type of literature you were looking for. Harvard (2007) stated that a well-structured literature search is an effective way to get reliable evidence on the topic being searched. The intended sources that will be use are healthcare databases, systematic review libraries and specialist organisations. In searching, keywords were created using Boolean logics AND, OR, NOT and phrases with quotations. The following are the list of keywords: Foot ulcer* CINAHL- retrieved 1842 records -COCHRANE lib retrieved 3 records PubMed retrieved- 1770 records diabetic foot ulcer* CINAHL- retrieved 844 records COCHRANE 2 records Cochrane reviews PubMed 46 records diabetes mellitus* CINAHL 54940 records PubMed 32863 records COCHRANE 0 record diabetic neuropathy* CINAHL 1003 records PubMed 802 records COCHRANE 0 IJDDC 76 records assessment tool* AND diabetic foot ulcer* CINAHL 24 results PubMed 2 results COCHRANE 0 International Journal of Diabetes in Developing Countries 0 manage* AND diabetic foot ulcer* CINAHL 216 results PubMed 24 results COCHRANE 0 IJJDC 0 manage* OR intervention* AND diabetic foot ulcer* CINAHL 224573 results PubMed 24 results COCHRANE 1131 results IJJDC 0 prevalence AND diabetic foot ulcer*- CINAHL 64 results PubMed 9 records COCHRANE 0 record IJJDC 11 records treatment* OR intervention* AND diabetic foot ulcer* CINAHL 316806 PubMed 33 records COCHRANE 39911 records IJDDC 5 records cost* AND diabetic foot ulcer* CINAHL 97 records PubMed 4 records COCHRANE 0 evidence base* AND diabetic foot ulcer* CINAHL 73 records PubMed 1 record COCHRANE 0 care guideline* AND diabetic foot ulcer* CINAHL- 3 records COCHRANE 0 PubMed 0 Eligible studies were identified by searching the Cochrane Library (November 8, 2010), Cochrane Wound group (2000 to November 1st week 2010), PubMed (2000 to November 1st week 2010), EBSCO CINAHL plus (2000 to November 2nd week 2010). Furthermore, reliable websites and links were used also such as www.intute.ac.uk, www.boperis.ac.uk, www.dh.gov.uk, www.library.nhs.uk, Wound Care Alliance, World Wide Wounds Electronic Journal, the Tissue Viability Society, and the International Journal of Diabetes in Developing Countries or www.ijddc.com. Peer reviewed and published journals were used which are reliable and reviewed by other authors. There was no restriction on language of publications. All publications were no more than 10 years old. Section 2. Wound aetiology Select a common wound type (e.g. diabetic foot ulceration, pressure ulcer, leg ulcer, fungating wound, dehisced surgical wound), which you have cared for in your role as a qualified nurse. It may help to reflect on a patient you have cared for with this type of wound. Using contemporary literature to support your work, discuss: What your chosen wound type is How this type of wound develops (including contributory factors) How this type of wound is recognised (common characteristics) Who it affects Prevalence in UK and home country Approximate word count: 800 _______________________________________________________________________________ Your answer here: One of the common types of wounds is diabetic foot ulcer. International Working Group on the Diabetic Foot (2010) defined diabetic foot ulcer in their research system as a full-thickness penetration of the dermis of the foot in a person with diabetes. According to Jeffocoate and Harding (2003) diabetic foot ulceration is a common complication of diabetes and it is disabling and frequently leads to leg amputation. It usually occurs as a result of neuropathic, vascular changes of a diabetic foot, foot deformities, plantar callus and smoking (NICE, 2010). Even though the cause of diabetic peripheral neuropathy is uncertain, it is known that the nerve function of a diabetic patient degenerates in response to metabolic changes, pressure and ischaemia (Alexander, Fawcett Runciman, 2000). On the other hand, the presence of high sugar level in the blood such as sorbitol can cause osmotic swelling and subsequent damage to the nerve cell, increase the risk of vascular disease and can also give rise to neuropathy and increase the risk of infection (Falanga, 2005; Watkins, 2000). Pendsey (2010) stated that the neuropathy in diabetic patients is manifested in the motor, autonomic and sensory components of the nervous system. In motor neuropathy, the innervations of the intrinsic foot muscles are damaged that leads to an imbalance between flexion and extension of the diabetic foot. It also affects the muscles required for normal foot movement altering the distribution of forces during walking. This creates anatomic foot deformities that make abnormal bony prominences and pressure points and causing skin reactive callus at the sites of abnormal load. It then gradually causes skin breakdown and ulceration (Pendsey, 2003). In sensory neuropathy, it affects the peripheral sensation, subsequently loss of sensation that makes the patient unable to feel trauma to their lower extremities. Patient will also feel heaviness, insensitivity to heat, cold and pressure. It is estimated that 45-60% of all diabetic ulcerations are due sensory neuropathy (Frykberg, Zgonis, Armstrong et al., 2006). According to Alexander et al (2000) when mechanical forces continue to be applied on the affected area, it leads to inflammation, abscess formation and, eventually, ulceration. This is also the reason many wounds go unnoticed and get worse progressively since the affected area is continuously subjected to repetitive pressure and shear forces from ambulation and weight bearing without noticing it. In autonomic neuropathy the peripheral nerve function is affected, which controls the distribution of blood through arteriolar vessels. One of the signs and symptoms is decreased perspiration in the lower extremities which make the skin becomes dry and increasingly prone to fissures (Alexander et al. 2000). Moreover, poor blood supply to the foot or ischaemia is another significant risk factor for diabetic foot ulceration, which according to Frykberg et al. (2006) it often occurs in combination with loss of sensation and the researchers also said that an estimated 45% of diabetic ulcers are due to ischaemia and neuropathy. Diabetic foot ulcer is commonly found in areas where the abnormal pressure distribution arises from disordered foot architecture. It is usually located on hallux, first metatarsal and fifth metatarsal heads, and under the heel (Grey, Enoch Harding, 2006). The precipitating causes of foot ulceration and infection are friction in ill fitting or new shoes, untreated or self treated callus, foot injuries, burns, corn plaster, nail infections and heel friction in patients confined to bed (Watkins, 2003). According to International Working Group on the Diabetic Foot (IWGDF) diabetes is global epidemic with devastating human, social and economic consequences. The disease claims many lives and places a severe burden on healthcare systems and economies everywhere, with the heaviest burden falling on low and middle income countries such as Philippines. It is estimated that 250 million people worldwide have diabetes, equating roughly 6% of the adult population with the age group 20-79 years. The number is expected to reach about 380 million by 2025, representing 7.1% of the adult population. This is due to the current lifestyles which is lack of exercise and not having a proper diet. A survey conducted by Morgan, Currie, Smithers, Butler and Peters (2000) revealed that foot problems occur in nearly 20% of diabetic patients. Two-thirds of lower extremity amputations are performed in diabetic patients alone, and a majority of these are preceded by a foot ulcer. Nwabudike and Ionescu-Tirgoviste (2008) set out a study to identify the clinical parameters associated with foot ulceration in diabetic patients. The study suggested that older age diabetic patient poses the risk of developing foot ulcer because of decreased ability to self care, including personal daily foot examinations. This is also a result of poor vision and impaired mobility which also predispose patients to trauma. The study also shows that most patients with ulcer were type 2 diabetic patients and this correlates with the age of the patient group. The average duration of diabetes the patients have was of 11.5 years. It is twice more common in males may be due to the active nature of the activities th at men are engaged compared to women, increasing the likelihood they may suffer from trauma. In Nwabudike (2008) research, it also showed that lack of awareness of the disease process and personal care increasing the likelihood that the ulcers may degenerate and leads to gangrene and amputation. Section 3. Wound Assessment Identify features of your chosen wound aetiology (wound type) that are commonly identified during the assessment process. Now select one of these features and critically discuss different ways of assessing this problem. You must link your discussion to the contemporary wound care literature. Here is a list of wound features commonly identified during assessment: Odour Exudate Infection Wound bed tissue e.g. slough, necrotic tissue Your discussion must make clear which aspect of wound assessment you have chosen and include an exploration of the different options available for measuring, describing and documenting it. Approximate word count: 500 Your answer here: Accurate wound assessment is essential for the appropriate and realistic planning of goals and interventions for patients with wounds (Collier, 2003). Diabetic foot wound has two classifications, the neuropathic foot ulcer and neuroischemic foot ulcer. Differentiating between these entities is essential because their complications are different and they require different therapeutic strategies (Pendsey, 2007). Neuropathic wound has no sensation and foot is warm to touch with intact pulses. The ulcerations are usually located on tips of toes and plantar surfaces under metatarsal heads. It also shows oedema, local necrosis and sepsis. On the other hand, ischaemic ulcer is painful upon rest and usually diminished sensation over period of time. Moreover, the foot is not warm to touch and has no pulse. The ulcerations are often located on margins of foot especially on the medial surface of the first metatarsophalangeal joint and over the lateral aspect of the fifth metatarsophalangeal joint. They also develop on the tips of the toes and heels. Signs of sepsis, necrosis or gangrene are also noted. An established clinical tool TIME which is adapted from Watret (2005) is being used for assessing the wound bed. The acronym stands for tissue, infection, moisture balance and advancing or undermining epithelium. Necrotic tissue, slough and eschar are non-viable tissues that can be found on diabetic ulcer that needs to be removed through debridement while the presence of epithelial tissue and granulation tissue in the wound suggests healing. The unhealthy granulation tissue often dark in colour and frequently bleeds on contact are signs of infection. Moisture in the wound bed needs to be assessed too. Moist is known to stimulate healing by promoting granulation and encouraging debridement, nevertheless, moisture balance should be maintained to prevent the wound from becoming too dry and too moist which could delay wound healing. In addition the wound edges and environment will be assessed for migrating epithelial cells which is a good sign of healing or maceration which suggest poor care. Infection is a major factor that affects the time healing of all wounds. Jeffcoate and Harding (2003) said that infection can cause substantial deterioration and delay wound healing. Infection is an invasion and growth of pathogenic microorganisms in the body. Diabetic foot infection is divided in three categories: superficial and local, soft tissue and spreading or cellulitis, and osteomyelitis (Jeffcoate Harding, 2003). The classic signs of infection are: heat, redness, swelling and pain. Other signs such as increase exudates, delayed healing, odour, and abnormal granulating tissue are also suggesting infection (Grey et al, 2006). Cutting et al (2005) and Edmonds (2005) used a checklist for identifying infection in diabetic foot ulcers. In the checklist, there are four areas; under it are the signs and a box opposite to it to check if certain signs are present. Clinical signs of infection: Cellulitis- acute inflammation of tissue lymphangitis phlegmon- purulent exudate pus/abscess crepitus in the joint erythema increase in exudates volume localised pain malodour probes to bone. Systematic signs of infection: Nausea Fatigue Vomiting Fever chills Probe to bone test: bone palpated no bone involvement Wound culture: wound swab required wound biopsy required. Furthermore, the wound infection continuum of Gary, White, Cooper and Kingsleys (2005; 2010) is also use to measure the extinct of infection. It is also a useful adjunct in identification of treatment objectives. The scoring is from 3-0; score of 3 means spreasing infection and 0 is colonised. Moreover, Gray et al (2010) also have the wound exudates continuum; it identifies presence of infection since excessive exudates suggest infections. Section 4. Wound Management Using the same wound feature that you identified in Section 3; critically discuss the different ways there are of managing this problem. Your discussion must include: The different types of wound care dressings, products and treatments that could be used to manage this problem Other appropriate/related aspects of patient care such as nutrition and positioning How the patient experience can be improved Now select one of your identified dressings and answer the questions in the product information table below: Product information table Name of dressing (the company name) AQUACEL Ag Hydrofiber (Convatec, Hull, UK) Category of dressing (the generic name) Hydrofiber Wound Dressing with Ionic Silver Indications for use Use on acute and chorin wounds, including burns, surgical wounds, diabetic foot ulcers, pressure ulcers, and leg ulcers Contra-indications Aquacel Ag Hydrofiber should not be used on individuals who are sensitive to or who have had an allergic reaction to the dressing and its components such as Na Carboymethylcellolose and silver. Its not compatible with oil-based products, such as petrolatum jelly. Sizes available 2x 2, 4x4.7, 6x6, 8x12, 75x18, 39x18 Adhesive or non-adhesive? Non-adhesive dressing Secondary dressing needed required Moisture retentive dressing such as DuoDERM Extra Thin or Versiva Approximate word count: 1000 Your answer here: Management of diabetic foot ulcers are removal of callus, eradication of infection, and reduction of weight bearing forces, often requiring bed rest with the foot raised (Alexander, Fawcett Runciman, 2000). A large proportion of patients with diabetic foot ulceration will develop infection, including osteomyelitis or bone infection and gangrene (OMeara et al, 2006; McIntosh, 2007). An infected diabetic ulcer needs immediate medical attention. Jude (2007) stated that infection is a major factor that delays wound healing of a diabetic ulcer. It may be necessary to undertake surgical debridement and drainage of pus. Then a wound swab will be taken from the floor of the ulcer after the callus has been removed. A culture of the excised tissue may provide more accurate information (Watkins, 2003). This will help identify the infective microorganisms and the appropriate antibiotic therapy to be given (Alexander et al., 2000). According to Watkins (2003) patients with superficial ulcer infection can be treated with oral antibiotics such as amoxicillin, flucloxacillin and metronidazole. Since the most likely organisms to infect superficial ulcer are staphylococci, streptococci, and sometimes anaerobes. For patients with deep infections should be hospitalised and started on broad-sprectrum antibiotics. Surgical debridement should then be carried out, which should include all the devitalised tissues, sloughed tendons, and infected bones. Jude (2007) said that diabetic foot ulcers generally have multiple organisms isolated from within the wound and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is an important vancomycin and teicoplanin can be given to patients infected with MRSA. Anyhow, linezolid can be an alternative which can be administered orally. Furthermore, various topical antimicrobials, antiseptics, and antibiotics have been used also in treating infected diabetic foot ulcer. Topical antibiotics like neomycin, bacitracin, neomycin, gentamycin, polymyxin B, mupiricin, fusidic acid, and topical antiseptics are also used in infected foot ulcers. Although antiseptics and antibiotics are widely used, there is insufficient evidence for their use in diabetic foot ulcers (Jude, 2007). Lipsky, Holroyd Zasloff (2008) studies showed that pexiganan cream can be used as an effective alternative to oral antibiotic therapy in treating mildly infected diabetic foot ulcer and might decrease the risk of selecting antimicrobial-resistant bacteria. Dressings also play an important role in managing infected diabetic foot ulcers. There are various dressings available in the market nowadays. The selection of a dressing will depend on the condition of the ulcer. Most infected diabetic foot ulcers produce copious amount of exudates and pus. Dressings are used to control exudates, maintain a moist wound healing environment and eradicated the microorganisms that cause infection. The appropriate dressings for infected wounds with exudates are foam, alginates, hydrofiber, and hydrocolloids that are combined with silver ion. Silver has been shown to have bactericidal properties and has been used in wounds as an antimicrobial for more than century. It acts by impairing the bacterial electron transport system and some of its DNA function. It kills the microbes on contact through multiple mechanism of action, such as inhibiting cellular respiration, denaturing nucleic acids, and altering cellular membrane permeability. Nowadays, Silver ions have been incorporated in hydrofiber, foam, hydrocolloid, and alginate dressings (Bergin Wraight, 2006). Concreet Foam dressings with silver can be used during inflammatory phase following debridement and desloughing. It also kills microorganisms on the wounds. It is very absorbent that can be left undisturbed for 3-4 days. However, it can cause a drying effect on the wound if there are too little exudates. Hydrofiber dressings such as Aquacel Ag absorb the exudates, protecting the edges of the wounds from maceration at the same time kills the bacteria in the wound. Alginate dressings is use as a primary dressing and for packing wound, it is good for deeply ulcerated wound with high exudates. Another dressing is hydrocolloid; it is best use on wounds with granulating and epithelialising wounds that with low to moderate amounts of exudates. The primary dressings therefore should be either foam-based such as Contreet foam (Coloplast;Humlebaek, Denmark) or hydrofiber AQAg (Aquacel Ag; Convatec, Chester,UK), both of which will absorb the exudates. A moisture retentive dressing can be used as a secondary dressing such as DuoDERM Extra Thin or Versiva. One advantage with the hydrofiber dressing is its capacity to hold wound exudates and microorganisms within its fibres where the bacteria are then eradicated by the ionic silver (Jude, 2007). In addition, the used of hydrofiber dressing in exudating wounds has been proven with research. Jude also implied to improved outcomes in infected diabetic foot ulcers and ulcers that are colonised, one should consider silver dressings as an essential adjunct to wound care to improve its wound bed and to facilitate healing. Studies also revealed that patients treated with AQAg primary dressing showed improved healing and more overall ulcer improvement with less deterioration in the ulcer. Once the acute situation has resolved it will be necessary to ensure redistribution of the weight-bearing forces on the vulnerable foot by the use of specially constructed shoes or moulded insoles. Application of a total contact plaster cast, lightweight scotch cast boot, or air cast boots may help healing. These conform to the contours of the foot, thereby reducing shear forces on the plantar surface. Great care must be taken, especially with the fitting of plasters, to prevent chafing and subsequent ulcer formation elsewhere on the foot or ankle (Watkins, 2003). If recurrence of neurophatic ulceration is to be avoided, regular follow-up by a chiropodist will be required. An ongoing podiatry to remove excess callus and provide nail care regular assessment, look for active lesions and treat immediately, detect and manage deformities, callus, skin cracks, and discoloration, simple sensory test, examine pulses such as dorsalis pedis and posterior tibial, assess ankle reflex and assess other sensory modalities (Alexander, Fawcett Runciman, 2000). The patients experience will be improved by having a highly structured care. The patients infected ulcer shows healing improvement and prevent from amputation. Understanding the diabetic foot, the proper examination of the patients feet, investigations to classify the foot ulcers, and proper management techniques using a team approach, along with preventive steps, will go a long way in limb salvage and prevention of foot amputation (Pendsey, 2010). Section 5. Evidence based guidance Identify a contemporary source of evidence based guidance (i.e. a clinical guideline) which could be used as a basis for providing a high standard of care to patients with this type of wound. Critically discuss how the guidance given in this document might influence your nursing practice including whether you believe there are any omissions or recommendations made that would be difficult to manage in your own clinical setting (Phillipines). You must clearly state the full reference of your chosen guideline document and link your work to other healthcare literature where appropriate. Approximate word count: 500 Your answer here: