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Comparing and Contrasting Biblical and Professional Views of Addiction Essay Running head: COMPARING AND CONTRASTING VIEWS OF ADDICTION Comparing and Contrasting Biblical and Professional Views of Addiction Mike Hill Liberty University Abstract This paper compares and contrasts the biblical view of addiction counseling with the historical and current professional standpoint. This is achieved by carefully inspecting from a biblical perspective the meanings and usages of terms such as counsel, advice, wine, strong drink, abstinence, and others. This paper will also present the definition, etiology, assessment, diagnosis, consequences, and intervention strategies related to addiction. Finally, the last section will provide personal insights and applications. Comparing and Contrasting Biblical and Professional Views of Addiction Introduction As the fabled emperor proudly paraded around in his new clothes, the whole hamlet knew there was a problem except the naked, self-deceived ruler. Similarly, the common threads that bind most substance abusers are denial and destructive behavior. Kanel (2007) summarized substance dependence as â€Å"a maladaptive pattern of substance abuse leading to clinically significant impairment or distress† (p. 169). Clients who present with alcohol dependence or abuse have a vice-grip hold on defenses which include denial, displacement, fantasy, projection, rationalization, minimizing, and repression (Kanel, 2007, pp. 174-175). For example, Kanel (2007) asserts, â€Å"Denial is strong in these types of clients because most of them who come in for counseling are still capable of functioning on the job; therefore, they do not see themselves as addicts† (p. 175). However, denial does not cover the problem nor the devastating consequences. Nationally, researchers have estimated a staggering 40% of all traffic crash fatalities are alcohol related (NIAA, 2010). Research has also demonstrated  that most high school students â€Å"started their drug involvement with beer or wine. The second stage involved hard liquor, cigarettes, or both.† In the third stage, teens moved on to illicit drug use (Ksir, Hart, Oakley, 2009, p. 17). In addition, in 2008, 51.6% of Americans age 12 and older had used alcohol at least once in the 30 days prior to being surveyed (NIDA, 2010). The estimated cost of alcohol abuse and alcoholism to the United States is in the billions—a sobering thought, especially in our current economic distress (NIAA, 2010). The purpose of this paper is to compare and contrast the biblical view of addiction counseling with the historical and current professional standpoint. This goal will be achieved by carefully inspecting from a biblical perspective the meanings and usages of terms such as counsel, advice, wisdom, plan, purpose, instruction, and help as well as words related to addiction which include wine, strong drink, desire, self-control, and abstinence. Secondly, this paper will compare and contrast the professional view of counseling versus biblical counseling as related to addiction. This section will present the definition, etiology, assessment, diagnosis, consequences, and intervention strategies related to addiction. Finally, the last section will provide personal insights and applications. Biblical Words Related to Counseling To grasp the message of a song, it is necessary to dissect the lyrics. Likewise, to comprehend the philosophy and purpose of counseling, the meaning of the words related to it must be defined and understood. According to a biblical worldview, the first word to be defined is â€Å"counsel.† Counsel The word â€Å"counsel† in the Bible is derived from different Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek words. The word definitions were derived from the Blue Letter Bible (2010) website which provides the meanings of the words from Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible. A sample of Old Testament (OT) usages from the New King James Version (NKJV) and the King James Version (KJV) are as follows: a. Ya‘ats (verb)—means â€Å"to advise, to consult, devise, or plan.† David joyfully proclaimed, â€Å"I will bless the LORD who has given me counsel (ya‘ats)† (Psalm 16:7 NKJV). David identified the Lord as being the source of good counsel. b. Dabar (noun)—refers to â€Å"a saying or speech.† The counsel (dabar) of Balaam led the Israelites away from the Lord which resulted in severe judgment (Numbers 31:16). From this Hebrew usage, counseling can be understood as much more than simply listening to clients. Listening plays a large part in establishing a working alliance, but counseling also involves the counselor supplying verbal input, albeit, better counsel than Balaam’s. c. ‘Etsah (noun)—means â€Å"advice or purpose.† This word is akin to the Greek word boule. Clinton and Ohlschlager (2002) discovered that, â€Å"The word occurs more than a hundred times in the Septuagint, where it is used seventy-four times to translate the Hebrew word etzah† (p. 59). Usage of this word in both Psalm 33:10-11 and Psalm 1 demonstrate that there are basically two types of counsel: either ungodly or godly. â€Å"The LORD bringeth the counsel (‘etsah) of the heathen to nought: He maketh the devices of the people of none effect. The counsel (‘etsah) of the LORD standeth for ever, the thoughts of His heart to all generations† (Psalm 33:10-11 KJV). This word is also used in 2Samuel 15:31, 34, 1Kings 12:8, Psalm 1:1, 33:10-11, Proverbs 20:5, and Isaiah 11:2. d. Tachbulah (noun)—conveys the idea of â€Å"direction, guidance, or good advice.† (See Proverbs 11:14.) e. Melak (Aramaic-noun)—means â€Å"advice.† (See Daniel 4:27.) The New Testament (NT) was originally written in Greek. The following Greek words are translated into the English word â€Å"counsel†: a. Sumbouleuo (verb)—means â€Å"to counsel, to advise, or exhort.† The essence of the counsel (sumbouleuo) of Jesus to nominal believers in Laodicea was to turn from their materialistic self-complacency and open their hearts to true intimacy with Him (Rev. 3:18, 20). This word also means â€Å"to consult together or to plot† as used in Matthew 26:4 and Matthew 28:12. b. Boule (noun)—means â€Å"counsel, purpose, design, determination, or decree.† This word is used in Luke 7:30, Acts 2:23, Ephesians 1:11, and Hebrews 6:17. Noted  Greek scholar Ken Wuest (1947) adds that boule means, â€Å"To desire, which desire comes from one’s reason†¦counsel to the effect that the soul might find a sure refuge in the Lord Jesus† (p. 123). c. Bouleuo (verb)—means â€Å"to give counsel, to purpose, or to determine.† The idea of counsel being â€Å"advice or the act of giving advice† is a common thread tying most of these words together. Tachbulah, boule and bouleuo include â€Å"purpose† and â€Å"direction† to further expound the meaning. While good counsel includes advice-giving, Clinton and Ohlschlager (2002) encourage an approach that helps the client discover truth rather than simply telling them what the truth is. Drawing from Proverbs 20:5, they assert, â€Å"Truth drawn out of the client’s own life tends to be more deeply understood and more actively embraced, and it motivates and sustains the change process† (p. 204). Advice The next word â€Å"advice† is translated from two different Hebrew words and a Greek word. a. Dabar (noun) and ‘etsah (noun)—are Hebrew words that are also translated as â€Å"counsel† in the OT as described above. b. Gnome (noun)—this Greek word means â€Å"view, intention, or reason.† c. Webster’s dictionary (1983) defines advice as â€Å"counsel; an opinion offered as worthy to be followed in a particular situation† (p. 29). Plan â€Å"Plan† and â€Å"purpose† are both translated from the Hebrew word machashabah (noun) which is found in Proverbs 16:3, Proverbs 20:18 and Jeremiah 29:11. In the New Testament, the Greek word prothesis (noun) means â€Å"purpose, a predetermination, or a setting forth† and is used in Romans 8:28; and 9:11. Instruction Another word related to counseling is â€Å"instruction.† Examples from the Old Testament and New Testament are as follows: a. Muwcar (noun)—Hebrew meaning â€Å"discipline or correction† as in Proverbs 19:20. b. Paideia (noun)—this Greek word refers to the â€Å"training up† of children into adulthood. As it relates to believers, it is â€Å"instruction with the aim at increasing virtue.† A key passage where this word is used is 2Timothy 3:16. Wisdom Wise counsel is non-negotiable for success in the therapeutic relationship. â€Å"Wisdom† is defined in the Hebrew and Greek below: a. Chokmah (noun)—this Hebrew word also means â€Å"shrewdness or prudence.† There is a prophetic reference to the Messiah in Isaiah 11:2 indicating that He would have the â€Å"Spirit of wisdom (chokmah)† upon Him. b. Sophia (noun)—Mounce (1993) defines this word as â€Å"wisdom, in general, knowledge, learning, science or enlightenment† (p. 419). This word can be found in James 3:16-17 where wisdom from God is contrasted with earthly, demonic wisdom. Help Finally, forming a helping relationship is necessary for client change (Horvath Luborsky, 1993, p. 561). The Hebrew words ‘ezrah and azar as well as the Greek words boetheia, sullambano, and epikouria, all basically mean â€Å"to help.† Psalm 60:11 concludes that help (‘ezrah) from man is useless. True help is only from the Lord. Christian counselors can boldly visit God’s throne of grace to receive grace for the right help (boetheia) to extend to clients (Hebrews 4:16). As connecting dot-to-dots will form an image, combining these words together will provide a picture of counseling from a biblical worldview. In essence, there are two types of counsel: either godly or ungodly. Godly, wise counsel originates from God and accomplishes His purposes. Ungodly, unwise counsel is â€Å"earthly, sensual, demonic† and fulfills the plans of this present age (James 3:15-17). The goal of Christian counseling includes  God’s eternal plan for souls to enter a relationship with Jesus and grow in Him. The priority of the counsel of Jesus is intimacy with Him above attaining material wealth and earthly satisfaction (Revelation 3:18, 20). In contrast, secular counseling has the temporal goal of human satisfaction and self-fulfillment (Clinton Ohlschlager, 2002, p. 77). Bufford (1997) considers the difference in goals as the most important factor distinguishing Christian from secular counseling (p. 120). For example, suppose a client’s unwanted pregnancy was causing distress in her life. A secular counselor would provide abortion as an option (Feldman, 2008, p. 57). A competent Christian counselor would assist the client to view issues through the lens of Scripture and would not suggest abortion as an option (AACC code of ethics, 2004, p. 7). Rather, the Christian counselor would supply other options such as adoption, para-church ministries, and other ideas to support the decision of carrying the baby to term. Fulfillment, satisfaction, and peace are the by-products of godly counsel. When Moses appropriated the counsel of his father-in-law Jethro, he was able to manage his overwhelming responsibilities more efficiently and to have peace of mind (Exodus 18:19). Another illustration of counseling in Scripture is in 2Samuel 15. Ahithophel was once King David’s counselor. Ahithophel’s job was to provide advice to the king in order for him to make wise decisions in war plans and to understand the mind of the Lord in other practical matters. Proverbs 20:18 (NKJV) instructs, â€Å"Plans (machashabah) are established by counsel (‘etsah); by wise counsel (tachbulah) wage war.† However, Ahithophel betrayed David by becoming Absalom’s counselor. Therefore, David prayed that Ahithophel’s counsel would be turned to foolishness. God honored David’s request, and the Lord’s counsel and purpose was accomplished (2Samuel 15-17). Ultimately, God’s counsel will stand forever, whereas the opinions and plans of man will pass away (Psalm 33:10-11). Biblical Words Related to Addiction Wine a. Yayin (noun)—means â€Å"wine.† Sometime after he departed from the ark, Noah became intoxicated by wine. Noah’s inebriated condition elicited a lack of inhibitory control because he â€Å"was uncovered within his tent†Ã‚  (Genesis 9:21 KJV). As a result, his son Ham apparently engaged in some sort of inappropriate behavior (Genesis 9:22-25). Lot’s daughters introduced wine into their plan to perform inappropriate behavior with their father (Genesis 19:32-35). These two examples present the negative side of wine abuse which coincides with sobering warnings in other passages (cf. Proverbs 20:1; 23:31-35). Scripture also displays wine as an illustration of joy. The Lord provides â€Å"wine that makes glad the heart of man† (Psalm 104:15a NKJV). b. Oinos (noun)—In the NT, this Greek word means â€Å"wine.† Vine and Bruce (1981)  expound, â€Å"The drinking of wine could be a stumbling-block and the Apostle enjoins  abstinence in this respect, as in others, so as to avoid giving an occasion of stumbling to a brother (Romans 14:21)† (p. 219). In contrast, Paul encourages Timothy to â€Å"no longer drink only water, but use a little wine for your stomachs sake and your frequent infirmities† (1Timothy 5:23 NKJV). Strong drink a. Shekar (noun)—is an OT Hebrew word meaning, â€Å"strong drink or intoxicating liquor.† While performing priestly duties in the tabernacle, Aaron and his sons were forbidden to drink wine or strong drink under penalty of death (Leviticus 10:19). b. Sikera (noun)—In the NT, this word means, â€Å"intoxicating beverage which is different  from wine.† It was made of a mixture of sweet ingredients. John the Baptist did not drink wine or strong drink, but he was filled with the Holy Spirit from his mother’s womb (Luke 1:15). Desire a. Teshuwqah—This OT word means â€Å"desire, longing, or craving.† God confronted Cain by personifying sin as a crouching lion ready to destroy  him, who’s â€Å"desire [is] for you, but you should rule over it† (Genesis 4:7b NKJV). b. Chamad—In Exodus, this Hebrew word meaning â€Å"desire, to take pleasure in, or to delight in† is translated as â€Å"covet,† being utilized in a negative sense. For example, the tenth commandment indicates that individuals are not to â€Å"covet† anything that belongs to a neighbor (Exodus 20:17). c. Zeloo—This NT Greek word means â€Å"to be heated for or to be zealously sought after.† This word is either used in a good or evil way, depending upon the context. For example, James rebukes believers for desiring things with a sinful motive (James 4:2). In contrast, Paul exhorts believers to desire spiritual gifts (1Corinthians 14:1). d. Epithumeo—This Greek word meaning â€Å"to long for, to lust after, a craving, to have a desire for, or to seek things forbidden† is presented in either a negative or positive light, depending upon the context. For example, Jesus revealed to His disciples that â€Å"many prophets and righteous men desired to see what you see† concerning the kingdom of God. However, the usage of this word may also denote a sinful desire as in Romans when Paul disclosed that he became aware of his sinful nature when the commandment declared, â€Å"You shall not covet (epithumeo)† (Romans 7:7). The Bible appears to indicate that lust (epithumeo) and love are mutually exclusive (1John 2:15-17). Self-control a. ‘Aphaq—This OT Hebrew word means â€Å"to hold back, refrain, or to restrain oneself.† Scripture instructs that a wise person will refrain from taking the popular path of the crowd and making sinful choices (Proverbs 1:8). b. Egkrates—means â€Å"to exercise self-government, to conduct one’s self temperately, or to exhibit self-control.† Paul draws upon the competitive edge required to win in athletic events to inspire believers to exercise self-control as he describes, â€Å"Everyone who competes [for the prize] is temperate in all things† (1Corinthians 9:25a NKJV). Paul reveals that the  ability to manifest self-control is the by-product of the work of God’s Spirit within a believer’s life (Galatians 5:23). Abstinence a. Nazar—means â€Å"to separate, consecrate, or to dedicate.† For example, men who had consecrated themselves to God with a Nazarite vow â€Å"must give up (nazar) wine and other alcoholic drinks† (Numbers 6:3a NLT). Though certain individuals may choose to take a vow that requires abstinence, Miller (1995) asserts, â€Å"Nowhere in scripture is abstinence from alcohol prescribed as a general rule† (p. 78). He cautions, â€Å"Alcohol is now known, for example, to damage brain tissue, and measures of brain impairment are correlated with amount even in the ‘moderation’ range† (Miller, 1995, p. 78). b. Apexo—means â€Å"to hold one’s self off, refrain, or abstain.† The Bible teaches that God’s will is for believers to â€Å"abstain (apexo) from sexual immorality† (1Thessalonians 4:3). In fact, believers are commanded to â€Å"abstain from every form of evil† (1Thessalonians 5:22 NKJV). Scholars question whether a particular drug may be deemed as evil, requiring complete abstinence. Miller (1995) offers, â€Å"If a certain drug serves no good and useful purpose, and there is no known ‘safe’ level of use which does not cause harm (or risk of harm) to the person, then the use of that drug might be regarded in itself as sinful† (p. 81). He concludes, â€Å"As in the biblical view of alcohol, the appropriate use of chemicals is generally accepted in society† (p. 81). Comparing and Contrasting Biblical Views with Professional Views Addiction Defined As the rudder steers a ship, a counselor’s theory guides the counseling process. To effectively steer the therapeutic session of clients with addictions, counselors must understand the dynamics of addiction. Addiction is defined as â€Å"self-destructive behaviors that include a pharmacological component. The most stringent application would limit the term addiction and the companion label of addict to individuals with a physiological dependence on one or more illegal drugs.† (DiClemente, 2003, p. 3). Addiction involves â€Å"an escalating pattern involving tolerance (e.g., seeming to be relatively unaffected by ordinary doses) and dependence (e.g., relying  upon the drug to function or feel normal)† (Miller, 1995, p. 82). Still, over the past two decades, the definition of addiction has broadened to include â€Å"any substance use or reinforcing behavior that has an appetitive nature, has a compulsive and repetitive quality, is self-destructive, and is experi enced as difficult to modify or stop† (DiClemente, 2003, p. 4). Gambling, shopping, video games, internet pornography, negative view of body image, and even work may be included under the umbrella this broad definition of addiction (LaBerge, 2009, p. 13). The biblical definition of addiction coincides with the expanded definition, equating addiction with habitual self-absorbed behaviors which produce spiritual slavery. Welch (2001) clarifies, Addiction is bondage to the rule of a substance, activity, or state of mind, which then becomes the center of life, defending itself from the truth so that even bad consequences dont bring repentance, and leading to further estrangement from God. To locate it on the theological map, look under sin (p. 35). Etiology Counselors with clients who present with symptoms of alcohol and drug addiction need to have competencies such as an understanding of addiction, treatment knowledge, how to appropriately integrate treatment modalities, assessment, screening, and diagnostic insight (Treatment Improvement Exchange, 2010). Scholars debate the origin of addiction, as observed by the variety of proposed models of addiction. The models of addiction include: the disease (genetic/physiological) model, coping/social learning model, personality/intrapsychic model, compulsive/excessive behavior model, and the conditioning/reinforcement model (DiClemente, 2003, pp. 9-18). The disease model posits that alcoholism is the direct result of genetic influences. Yet, researchers demonstrate that â€Å"genetic factors account for approximately ‘half the risk for alcoholism.’† (Van Der Walde, Urgenson, Weltz, Hanna, 2002, p. 146). Miller (1993) noted how a pure disease model does not give any role to the psychological factors in treatment (p. 132). Still, there appear to be two types of alcoholism which researchers present as evidence for a genetic influence. Van Der Walde et al. (2002) describe, â€Å"The first is a severe form of early-onset alcoholism, which often presents  before age 21 and is characterized by a high density among first-degree relatives† (p. 146). The second form â€Å"does not appear until middle age and seems to be triggered by negative life events such as loss of a significant other or other environmental influences† (Van Der Walde et al., 2002, p. 146). The social/environment model emphasizes an individual’s lack of coping skills in response to life’s stressors in conjunction with vicarious learning of maladaptive behaviors from others (DiClemente, 2003, p. 13). The coping model theorizes that individuals who are unable to deal with life stressors seek to escape through their addiction, relying upon the addiction for comfort (DiClemente, 2003, p. 13). Pangle (2010) observes, â€Å"There seems to always be an emotional distress associated with addiction. This emotional distress finds relief [or so the addict thinks] in numbing out and finding a temporary ‘escape’ from the pain involved† (personal communication, January 28, 2010). Hester and Miller (2003) cite several coping skill deficits such as the â€Å"lack of adequate skills to regulate positive and negative mood states as well as to cope with social-interpersonal situations, including work, parenting, or marital relationships† (p. 213). Concerning the social learning aspect of this model, â€Å"several studies have shown that children and parents tend to exhibit similar drinking practices, indicating that observational learning plays some role in later alcohol use† (Ellis Zucker, 1997, p. 222). Soberingly, Dawson, Goldstein, Chou, Ruan, and Grant (2008) demonstrate that â€Å"individuals who started drinking before 15 years of age were significantly more likely to experience the incidence of alcohol dependence and alcohol abuse in adulthood than those who delayed initiation of drinking until 18 or older† (p. 2155). The personality/intrapsychic model seeks a connection between the intrapsychic conflicts within an individual or personality traits such as impulsivity, with substance abuse (DiClemente, 2003, pp. 11-12). The compulsive/excessive behavior model links â€Å"addiction with ritualistic compulsive behaviors like repeated hand-washing or cleaning rituals† (DiClemente, 2003, p. 16). The conditioning/reinforcement model relies upon reinforcement theory to explain the etiology of addiction. For example, the  intermittent schedule of reinforcement allotted for slot machines assures addictive usage for many patrons (Tavares, Zilberman, El-Guebaly, 2003, p. 23). The current literature appears to repudiate the view that physiological dependence is the key element that determines whether a person has an addiction. Instead, the emphasis has become the psychological component that develops and maintains addiction. Ksir et al. (2009) reveal, â€Å"Psychological dependence, based on reinforcement, is increasingly accepted as the real driving force behind repeated drug use (p. 36). They indicated that tolerance and physical dependence do not play as a major role as psychological dependence (Ksir et al., 2009, p. 36). Yet, Roberts and Koob (1997) contend that addiction is the by-product of the dual processes of reinforcement and neuroadaptation. They explain, â€Å"Working together, these factors appear to motivate the initial, short-term (i.e., acute) response to a drug and the establishment of the long-term (i.e., chronic) craving for the drug that characterizes addiction† (p. 102). It has been argued that the five models of addiction described above do not address the etiology and the treatment strategy of the addiction in a comprehensive way. DiClemente (2003) asserts, â€Å"There is also no single developmental model or singular historical path that can explain acquisition of and recovery from addictions† (p. 19). For instance, the prevalent view concerning alcoholism coincides with the disease model â€Å"which someone either ‘has’ or does not have and which has an inevitable progression to more and more drinking, then the only acceptable treatment goal is total abstinence† (Ksir et al., 2009, p. 430). The etiological view directly impacts treatment as seen with Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) which subscribes to the disease model, having total abstinence as the goal (Ksir et al., 2009, p. 430). Evidence-based research also demonstrates effectiveness of psychosocial approaches and indicates that the disease model is too limited in its pe rspective and application (Miller, 1993, p. 132). Still, Miller (1993) contends, â€Å"Dispositional disease views have remained strangely intermingled with moralistic attitudes toward people who are alcoholic, seeing alcoholics as prone to lie and deny their problem (p. 131). Therefore, this researcher leans more toward a biopsychosocial model which allows for more of a comprehensive view of the etiology and an eclectic approach to treatment. That is, â€Å"a descriptive model based on continua of severity and an etiologic model encompassing host, agent, and environmental factors† (Miller, 1993, p. 135). Instead of viewing alcoholism as a disease like diabetes (you either have it or you dont), this researcher favors using the analogy of having hypertension which is â€Å"genetically influenced yet quite responsive to psychosocial factors† (Miller, 1993, p. 134). Concerning the â€Å"bio† part of the biopsychosocial view, Scripture seems to endorse certain aspects of the disease model. However, the sickness ultimately appears to be sin (Isaiah 1:5-6). That is, an addiction such as alcoholism is the symptom of the sin disease (Galatians 5:21). Jesus refers to the disease model as an illustration of humanitys dilemma and combines this â€Å"sin disease model† with what seems to be the moral model with the call to repentance—which is the treatment (Mark 2:17). The â€Å"psycho† coincides with where Scripture instructs believers to â€Å"renew† their minds, identifying the association between thought and behavior (Ephesians 4:23). The â€Å"social† element is observed in how Paul warns, â€Å"Do not be misled: ‘Bad company corrupts good character’† (1Corinthians 15:33 NLT). For example, a person ought not hang out at the bar, or he will most likely drink. The Scriptural etiological view of addiction begins with an individual’s concept of self, God, and other relationships. For example, an addict could be viewed as a person who is unwilling to come to terms with his inaccurate view of self, God, and other relationships. In contrast, a psychologically healthy person is someone who has an accurate understanding of self and does not focus on self. McMinn (1996) instructs that â€Å"To be healthy, we need to move beyond a preoccupation with self† (p. 46). An unhealthy self-concept produces detrimental results. At one extreme, Nebuchadnezzar’s inflated view of self led to blind rage and insanity (Daniel 3:18-19; 4:30-34). On the other side of the spectrum, McMinn (1996) described a man with a low view of self which brought forth destructive behaviors such as drinking alcohol excessively (p. 47). A healthy view of self does not cause a person  to be lifted up with pride nor to be brought down to a permanent condition o f wallowing in utter self-loathing. Isaiah developed a balanced sense of self when he gained an accurate vision of God. Isaiah’s encounter with God produced genuine brokenness, forgiveness, and a sense of godly competence to fulfill the high call of God (Isaiah 6:1-8). The primary element that contributed to Isaiah’s healthy sense of self was his open recognition of need. McMinn (1996) asserts that â€Å"there is only one way to spiritual health, and that requires us to recognize that we need God† (pp. 48-49). Therefore, people who have a healthy sense of self recognize their own spiritual poverty and desperate need for God. The subjective, experiential sensing of â€Å"need† for God is an appropriate craving or â€Å"thirst.† Jesus pointed to Himself as the only One who truly satisfy this thirst (John 4:13-14). Assessment A person who describes an egg as a two-fold object composed of shell and egg white is missing the yolk, therefore lacking the complete definition. Similarly, clinicians who do not include spiritual assessment in gathering data will lack a holistic, â€Å"whole person† perspective of their clients. For example, Hodge (2005) asserts that â€Å"human beings are an integrated entity, consisting of body, soul, and spirit† (p. 316). This triune understanding of a human being’s composition is consistent with a biblical worldview (1Thessalonians 5:23). Still, it is not solely Christian clinicians who recognize the need to include a client’s spiritual background within the counseling setting. Hodge (2006) reveals, â€Å"Growing consensus exists that spiritual assessment is an important aspect of holistic service provision† (p. 317). Moreover, the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO), which is the largest health care accrediting body in the United States, â€Å"now requires the administration of spiritual assessment† (p. 317). A majority of clients have also expressed the desire to incorporate spirituality within the therapeutic setting (Hodge, 2006, p. 317). Spirituality is frequently at the core of how clients develop their worldview and coping skills (Hodge, 2005, p. 314). This understanding is vital for developing effective strategies with clients addicted to alcohol and drugs. Comprehensive, qualitative spiritual assessment methods include spiritual histories, spiritual lifemaps, spiritual genograms, spiritual ecomaps, and spiritual ecograms. Spiritual histories describe a format that uses questions â€Å"to explore spiritual and religious themes in the context of an empathic dialogue† (Hodge, 2001, p. 205). For example, the counselor presents open-ended questions with a spiritual theme to encourage clients to verbally share their spiritual narrative or story. Examples of questions a clinician may use include â€Å"When and in what ways do you feel close to the Divine?† and â€Å"How is God involved in your problems?† Two other assessment tools commonly used to identify the severity of alcohol problems are â€Å"the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) and the CAGE. These instruments are listed in the NIAAA Guide and are available in computerized versions† (Hester Miller, 2006, p. 37). These and other screening tools offer benefits such as providing â€Å"personalized feedback to clients in a timely and visually engaging manner† as well as â€Å"specific recommendations for change, based on the results of the assessment and other empirical evidence (Hester Miller, 2006, p. 37). Corresponding to the transtheoretical model (TTM), â€Å"a 12-item Readiness to Change scale has been developed as an efficient measure of three stages from the transtheoretical model: precontemplation, contemplation, and action† (Hester Miller, 2003, p. 100). Diagnosis Before a mechanic can fix a car with engine trouble, he first must identify the problem. Likewise, appropriate diagnosis precedes effective counseling. According to the American Psychiatric Association (APA) (2000), the DSM-IV-TR describes the diagnosis for 303.90 Alcohol Dependence as â€Å"indicated by evidence of tolerance or symptoms of Withdrawal. Especially if associated with a history of withdrawal, physiological dependence is an indication of a more severe clinical course overall† (p. 213). The diagnosis of 305.00 Alcohol Abuse â€Å"requires fewer symptoms and, thus, may be less severe than Dependence and is only diagnosed once the absence of Dependence is established† (APA, 2000, p. 214). Instead of being viewed categorically, that is, either a person has an  alcohol disorder or not, researchers suggest that problems or addictions be viewed as being in different dimensional phases. This perspective corresponds to the psychosocial problem theory. Maddux and Winstead (2008) explain, â€Å"Psychosocial problem theory sees the dimensional responses as the very problems for which people need help, and dimensional measures as sufficient to evaluate, communicate about, and remedy them† (p. 143). The criticism that disorder theory has received is because â€Å"disorder theory prescribes shifting the focus from concrete problem dimensions to abstract mental disorders† (Maddux Winstead, 2008, p. 143). This is not to say that categorizing disorders does not have benefits. Vieta and Suppes (2008) expound, Dichotomies are useful for education, communication, and simplification; unfortunately, simplicity is useful, but untrue, whereas complexity is true, but useless. In clinical practice, we may use current classifications, such as DSM-IV, as categorical backgrounds that may help in establishing treatment and prognosis (p. 165). Consequences Researchers have demonstrated that â€Å"alcohol use can increase adolescents’ exposure to risky situations, such as driving while intoxicated, engaging in unprotected sex, and confronting violent exchanges† (Hester Miller, 2003, p. 83). Price and Emshoff (1997) reveal, â€Å"Children of alcoholics (COAs) are at increased risk for a wide range of behavioral and emotional problems, including addiction to alcohol and other drugs (AODs), depression, anxiety, school failure, and delinquency† (p. 241). A major reason for the higher risk of problems in COA’s is because â€Å"cross-generational transmission of alcoholism increases in likelihood to the extent that alcoholism invades the family system and disrupts the enactment of family rituals; that is, patterns of behavior that give identity and meaning to the family† (Jacob, 1992, p. 323). Hester and Miller (2003) assert, â€Å"Persons drinking three to four drinks per day have a two- to threefold risk for accidents, stroke, liver disease, cancer, and hypertension† (p. 65). Scripture asserts that â€Å"there is a way that seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death† (Proverbs 14:12 NKJV). Intervention Strategies Researchers assert that clinicians working with clients addicted to alcohol need to â€Å"become more comfortable with†¦brief therapy intervention technique, and motivational interviewing† (Hester Miller, 2003, p. 69). Motivational interviewing, which â€Å"aims to increase a patient’s motivation to change, has been found effective in controlled clinical trials† (McCarty, Edmundson, Hartnett, 2006, p. 8). The stages of change according to the transtheoretical model (TTM) include precontemplation, contemplation, preparation, action, and maintenance (DiClemente, 2003, p. 27). MI is helpful in addressing the client’s ambivalence and tipping the decisional balance toward change (Hester Miller, 2003, p. 65). For example, MI has helped motivate clients to move from the precontemplation stage to the contemplation stage or from the preparation stage to the action stage. Four key factors that define MI include expressing empathy, developing discrepancy, rolling with resistance, and supporting self-efficacy (Miller Rollnick, 2002, pp. 36-41). For example, the counselor conveys acceptance by incorporating listening skills such as reflective listening, paraphrasing, and clarifying. Empathy and acceptance promote an atmosphere conducive for change. To develop discrepancy, the client â€Å"rather than the counselor† is led to â€Å"present the arguments for change† (Miller Rollnick, 2002, p. 39). Empathy is characteristic of the person-centered approach and is considered â€Å"the most powerful determinant of client progress in therapy† (Corey, 2005, p. 173). Empathy disarms clients’ defenses and promotes trust within the therapeutic relationship. Empathy â€Å"involves demonstrating the act of listening to the subject and understanding the individual’s situation and the emotional reaction to it with the purpose of establishing a basic trust relationship† (Regini, 2004, p. 2). Without it, there will be no change. In fact, research has shown that the model of therapy is not what determines the effectiveness of therapy, but the quality of the therapeutic relationship. McKergow and Korman (2009) assert, â€Å"More important are the therapeutic alliance as seen by the client, allegiance of the therapist to their model of choice, placebo effects, and general therapist competence† (p. 46). Person-centered theory presumes that the quality of the relationship between the therapist and client is all that determines change (Kirschenbaum, 2004, pp. 116-117). Research has shown that the key predictor in achieving a successful outcome in treatment is a strong therapeutic relationship between the clinician and client (Jennings Skovhalt, 1999, p. 4). If clinicians do not establish trust in the first phase of the working alliance with their client, their client will be less likely to proceed to the next level that includes â€Å"shared responsibility for working out treatment goals† (Horvath Luborsky, 1993, p. 563). Clinton and Ohlschalger (2002) insist that trust is vital â€Å"†¦for without it the client too easily backs away from the difficult challenges inherent to change† (p. 205). Trust is established when the client perceives the counselor as caring, sensitive, sympathetic, and helpful (Horvath Luborsky, p. 564). Patients who do improve with medication often become less consistent with taking their medications over time. A strong alliance has been shown to help in this area. Strauss and Johnson (2006) reveal that â€Å"patients who reported stronger alliances with their providers reported more positive attitudes about medication and stigma. (p. 220). Spiritual, psychological, and emotional health is interwoven within the fabric of loving relationships. The author of Hebrews encourage believers to â€Å"consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching† (Hebrews 10:24-25 NKJV). There are necessary times for solitude but disaster awaits people who completely cut themselves off from authentic relationships. Solomon instructs, â€Å"A man who isolates himself seeks his own desire, he rages against all wise judgment† (Proverbs 18:1 NKJV). Therefore, clients are encouraged to join a small group Bible study, a men’s group, a women’s group, a cancer support group, or another group conducive to a client’s need. Solutions-focused brief therapy (SFBT) employs rapport-building techniques such as active listening. The counselor seeks to understand what the client wants through actively listening and echoes back the past, present, and  future desires of the client. In addition, active listening entails paraphrasing, summarizing, and asking questions. SFBT has been useful in walk-in sessions. Clinical interviewing techniques are â€Å"designed to move clients away from focusing primarily on the problem and toward a focus on solutions. Some of these ideas include attending to exceptions to the problem (already existing periods when the problem is not occurring)† (Slive, McElheran, Lawson, 2008, p. 14). Other treatment strategies for clients struggling with alcohol dependence and abuse include psycho-education, family therapy, behavior modification, detoxification, and 12-step programs such as Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) and Narcotics Anonymous (NA) (Kanel, 2007, p. 176). Hester and Miller (2003) demonstrate, â€Å"Patients attending AA were significantly more likely to be abstinent than those not attending† (p. 182). They also provide a summary of treatment strategies by order of their effectiveness such as coping skills treatment (CST), cue exposure treatment (CET), community reinforcement approach (CRA), and community reinforcement and family training (CRAFT) (Miller Hester, 2003, pp. 218, 229-232, 237-240). Brewer (2008) presents an integrative Christian counseling grid called METAMORPH. He delineates that â€Å"METAMORPH integrative Christian counseling grid represents an eclectic approach to counseling that seeks to responsibly draw upon a plethora of counseling theories within the context of a Christian worldview† (Brewer, 2008). Truth drawn out from an individual’s life has the tendency to be more easily apprehended and embraced (Proverbs 20:5). For example, Brewer (2008) integrates choice theory techniques with exploratory questions such as: â€Å"What do you want? What are you doing to get what you want? How is it working for you? Is it the right thing to do?† When Adam and Eve were hiding in the garden, God asked them â€Å"Where are you?† God knew where they were, but He wanted them to become self-aware and to consider turning back to Him (Genesis 3:9-13). In like manner, Jesus asked His disciples important questions (Matthew 16:13, 15). Concerning pharmacotherapy, prescribing medications for mental disorders has been a controversial practice especially in Christian circles. This  researcher has been quite wary in the past about any type of drug therapy, because God has â€Å"given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness† through His divine power (2Peter 1:3a NKJV). In addition, Scripture is sufficient to help believers become complete and mature, â€Å"equipped for every good work† (2Timothy 3:17b NKJV). The two previous biblical references did not include mention of the need for medications. Yet, it is interesting that soon after, Paul describes one of the requirements for godly leadership as â€Å"not given to wine,† which means to not abuse alcohol or to not be addicted to wine. Two chapters later he instructs Timothy to personally use wine for a medicinal purpose (1Timothy 3:3a; 5:23 NKJV). This researcher currently holds the view that certain drugs including medications for brain chemical imbalances were given through God’s guidance to benefit humanity. However, just as there is a danger that wine may be abused and lead to tragic consequences, these medications have the potential of being abused. Clinton and Ohlschlager (2002) teach, â€Å"They [psychiatric medications] have tremendous potential to help people with problems that can destroy their lives psychologically, medically, and spiritually. However, they must be used with care and at the discretion of someone who is skilled in their administration† (p. 152). Drug therapies address the neurobiological dysfunctions which impair emotions and behavioral functioning. Medications are not necessarily the â€Å"silver bullet† in solving all the issues which challenge individuals any more than wine was the cure-all for Timothy’s problems. Rather, they may help promote enough emotional stability for a client to be able to receive input regarding other issues. An example of a medication that has been successful in the treatment of alcohol addiction is naltrexone, which â€Å"is an opiate-antagonist medication. Clinical trials suggest that naltrexone contributes to reductions in the frequency of drinking and severity of relapse among alcohol-dependent patients† (McCarty et al., 2006, p. 7). Personal Application As the rudder steers a ship, a counselor’s theory guides the counseling process. This researcher believes that a comprehensive counseling theory begins with a biblical worldview that evaluates psychological contributions,  human nature, and the systems that shape the human personality, and view of addiction through the lens of Scripture. Psychology often limits its focus to the study of the soul. The word â€Å"psychology† is a combination of the words -ology and psyche. The suffix -ology means â€Å"the study of.† The Greek word psyche in the Bible means â€Å"a living soul,† and it is also defined as â€Å"the seat of the feelings, desires, affections† (Blue Letter Bible, 2010). Therefore, psychology is the study of one of God’s works, the human soul. Theology derives meaning from His word, the Bible. Averbeck (2006) proposes that the â€Å"double knowledge† of psychology (knowledge of the human person) and biblical theology (the knowledge of God) is necessary. He expounds, â€Å"Neither one is complete in itself; both need the other†¦True wisdom is bringing the knowledge of God and people together in the midst of the mess which we are and in which we live. This is what the Bible and counseling are really all about† (p. 111). Therefore, this researcher seeks to integrate theology and psychology into his understanding of addiction. This researcher works in a psychiatric hospital setting. Alcohol dependence and abuse in particular is common within the patient population. Jeannette Sapp, a clinician at the hospital discloses, â€Å"Alcohol is the drug of choice for many patients because it is available, legal, and relatively inexpensive. Many patients self-medicate their particular disorder† (personal communication, February 16, 2010). The stages of change are going to become hospital policy concerning patient treatment. The supervisor has been encouraging clinicians to consider the specific stage of change each patient they are working with is in. This is a necessary step since each stage of change has different tasks which require appropriate corresponding interventions (DiClemente, 2003, p. 240). DiClemente (2003) asserts, The best way to mirror the process of change is to have a dynamic treatment protocol that can respond to being stuck at various stages as well as to movement through the stages of change (p. 250). It is helpful to understand that â€Å"addictions are understood as learned habits that once established become difficult to extinguish even in the face of dramatic, and, at times, numerous negative consequences† (Jenkins, n. d.). Since addictions are learned habits which develop through  the stages of change, they can be unlearned and replaced with healthy and helpful habits as the individual progresses through the stages of change. As applied to believers, Christians are to deal with ambivalence concerning the â€Å"tug of war† between sin and the new nature, and to move along the stages, becoming transformed into the image of Christ from glory to glory by God’s Spirit (Romans 7:7; 2Corinthians 3:18). Clinton and Ohlschlager (2002) clarify, â€Å"The effective Christian clinician will be a principled, biblically informed, and responsible eclectic who knows how to fit the right therapy with the right client at the right time and the right stage of living† (p. 176). Christian counselors are to model the divine Counselor. Jesus, the â€Å"Wonderful, Counselor† (Isaiah 9:6b), has all the qualities for promoting effective client outcomes: genuine compassion, ability to comfort, ability to challenge, and a provider of sanctuary for the client. Jesus said that â€Å"everyone who is perfectly trained will be like his teacher† (Luke 6:40b). Christian counselors know they will become like the best counseling teacher as they learn from the Master Himself (2Corinthians 3:18). Jennings and Skovhalt (1999) identified and defined the key characteristics of master therapists. They also gave credit to studies that describe effective therapists who have attributes such as compassion, sensitivity, and commitment to their clients’ well-being. These qualities describe love. Clinton and Ohlschlager (2002) insist that â€Å"the most important counseling tool is you† (p. 67). Tripp (2002) insists, â€Å"God never intended us to simply be objects of His love. We are also called to be instruments of that love in the lives of others† (p. 18). The goal of this writer is to become a competent and effective counselor. The starting point of reflecting His love is allowing Jesus to be the â€Å"first love.† The AACC code of ethics (2004) which states, â€Å"Christian counselors are dedicated to Jesus Christ as their ‘first love’† (p. 5), for He alone can truly equip and empower a person to be a tool filled with the agape love everyone needs (John 15:5; Acts 1:8). References American Association of Christian Counselors (AACC), (2004). AACC code of ethics. Forest, VA: AACC. American Psychiatric Association (APA) (2000). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders text revision (4th ed.). (DSM-IV-TR). Arlington, VA: Author. Averbeck, R. (2006). Creation and corruption, redemption and wisdom: A biblical theology foundation for counseling psychology. Journal of Psychology and Christianity, 25(2), 111-126. Blue Letter Bible (2010). Strong’s exhaustive concordance of the bible definitions for Hebrew and Greek words. Retrieved February 24, 2010 from http://www.blueletterbible.org/ Brewer, G. R. (2008). METAMORPH integrative Christian counseling grid. Retrieved February 25, 2010 from http://bb7.liberty.edu/webapps/portal/frameset.jsp?tab= coursesurl=/bin/common/course.pl?course_id=_568125_session_key= Ljv71oy4g41C9Q43R34dr24n53q99DWq35Qb7rTkBCp Bufford, R.K. (1997). Consecrated counseling: Reflections on the distinctive of Christian counseling. Journal of Psychology and Theology, 25, 111-122. Clinton, T., Ohlschlager, G. (Eds.). (2002). Competent Christian counseling: Foundations practice of compassionate soul care. Colorado Springs, CO: WaterBrook Press. Corey, G. (2005). Theory and practice of counseling and psychotherapy (7th ed.). Belmont, CA: Brooks/Cole. Dawson, D., Goldstein, R., Chou, S., Ruan, W., Grant, B. (2008). Age at first drink and the first incidence of adult-onset DSM-IV alcohol use disorders. Alcoholism: Clinical Experimental Research, 32(12), 2149-2160. DiClemente, C. (2003). Addiction and change: How addictions develop and addicted people recover. New York, NY : The Guilford Press. Ellis, D., Zucker, R. (1997). The role of family influences in development and risk. Alcohol Health Research World, 21(3), 218-227. Feldman, R. (2008). Development across the life span. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall. Hester, R., Miller, J. (2006). Computer-based tools for diagnosis and treatment of alcohol problems. Alcohol Research Health, 29(1), 36-40. Hester, R., Miller, W. (2003). Handbook of alcoholism treatment approaches: Effective alternatives (3rd ed.). Boston, MA: Allyn and Bacon. Hodge, D. (2001). A review of major qualitative methods and a new framework for assessing spirituality. Social Work, 46(3), 203-214. Hodge, D. (2006). A template for spiritual assessment:  A revi ew of the JCAHO requirements and guidelines for implementation. Social Work, 51(4), 317-326. Hodge, D. (2005). Developing a spiritual assessment toolbox: A discussion of the strengths and limitations of five different assessment methods. Health Social Work, 30(4), 314-323. Hodge, D. (2005). Spiritual assessment in marital and family therapy: A methodological framework for selecting from among six qualitative assessment tools. Journal of Marital Family Therapy, 31(4), 341-356. Horvath, A., Luborsky, L. (1993). The role of the therapeutic alliance in psychotherapy. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 61(4), 561-573. Jacob, T. (1992). Family studies of alcoholism. Journal of Family Psychology, 5(3/4), 319-338. Jenkins, D. (n. d.). DiClemente Addiction-change. COUN711. Lynchburg, VA: Liberty University. Jennings, L., Skovhalt, T. M. (1999). The cognitive, emotional, and relational characteristics of master therapists. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 46, 3-11. Kanel, K. (2007). A guide to crisis intervention (3rd ed.). Belmont, CA: Brooks/Cole. Kirschenbaum, H. (2004). Carl Rogers’s life and work: An assessment on the 100th anniversary of his birth. Journal of Counseling Development, 82(1), 116-124. Ksir, C., Hart, C, Oakley, R. (2009). Drugs, society human behavior (13th ed.). New York, NY : McGraw-Hill. LaBerge, R. (2009) Addiction seen as a societal problem, not an individual one. CCPA Monitor, 16(3), 13-13. Maddux, J., Winstead, B. (Eds.). (2008). Psychopathology: Foundations for a contemporary understanding (2nd ed.). New York, NY: Routledge/Taylor Francis Group. McCarty, D., Edmundson, E., Hartnett, T. (2006). Charting a path between research and practice in alcoholism treatment. Alcohol Research and Health, 29(1), 1-10. McKergow, M. Korman, H. (2009). Inbetween—neither inside nor outside: The radical simplicity of solution-focused brief therapy. Journal of Systemic Therapies, 28(2), 34-49. McMinn, M. (1996). Psychology, theology, and spirituality in Christian counseling. Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House. Miller, W. (1993). Alcoholism: Toward a better disease model. Psychology of addictive behaviors, 7(2), 129-136. Miller, W. (1995). Toward a biblical perspective on drug use. Journal of Ministry in Addiction Recovery, 2(2), 77-86. Miller, W., Rollnick, S. (2002). Motivational interviewing: Preparing people for change (2nd Ed.). New York, NY: Guilford Press. Mounce, W. (1993). The analytical lexicon to the Greek new testament. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House. NIAA (2010). National institute on alcohol abuse and alcoholism: Traffic crashes, traffic crash fatalities, and alcohol-related traffic crash fatalities, United States, 1982-2 004. Retrieved January 19, 2010, from http://www.niaaa.nih.gov/Resources/ DatabaseResources/ QuickFacts/TrafficCrashes/crash01.htm NIAA (2010). National institute on alcohol abuse and alcoholism: Estimated economic costs of alcohol in the United States, 1992 and 1998. Retrieved January 19, 2010, from http://www.niaaa.nih.gov/Resources/DatabaseResources/QuickFacts /EconomicData/cost8.htm NIDA (2010). National institute on drug abuse: The science of drug abuse and addiction. Retrieved January 19, 2010, from http://www.nida.nih.gov/DrugPages/Alcohol.html Price, A., Emshoff, J. (1997). Breaking the cycle of addiction: Prevention and intervention with children of alcoholics. Alcohol Health Research World, 21(3), p241-246. Regini, C. (2004). Crisis intervention for law enforcement negotiators. FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin, 73(10), 1-6. Roberts, A., Koob, G. (1997). The neurobiology of addiction. Alcohol Health Research World, 21(2), 101-106. Slive, A., McElheran, N., Lawson, A. (2008). How brief does it get? Walk-in single session therapy. Journal of Systemic Therapies, 27(4), 5-22. Straus, J., Johnson, S. (2006). Role of treatment alliance in the clinical management of bipolar  disorder: Stronger alliances prospectively predict fewer manic symptoms. Psychiatry Research, 145, 215-223. Tavares, H., Zilberman, M., El-Guebaly, N. (2003). Are there cognitive and behavioural approaches specific to the treatment of pathological gambling? Canadian Journal of Psychiatry, 48(1), p22-27. Treatment Improvement Exchange (TIE) (2010). Appendix c: Addiction counseling competencies. Retrieved February 27, 2010, from http://tie.samhsa.gov/ Tripp, P. (2002). Instruments in the Redeemer’s hands: People in need of change helping people in need of change. Phillipsburg, NJ: P R Publishing Company. Van Der Walde, H., Urgenson, F., Weltz, S., Hanna, F. (2002). Women and alcoholism: A biopsychosocial perspective and treatment approaches. Journal of Counseling Development, 80(2), 145-154. Vieta, E., Suppes, T. (2008). Bipolar II disorder: arguments for and against a distinct diagnostic entity. Bipolar Disorders, 10, 163-170. Vine, W., Bruce, F. F. (Ed.) (1981). Vine’s expository dictionary of old and new testament words. Old Tappan, NJ: Fleming H. Revell Company. Webster, N., McKechnie, J. (Ed.). (1983). Webster’s new twentieth century dictionary (2nd ed.). New York: Simon and Schuster. Welch, E. (2001). Addictions—a banquet in the grave: Finding hope in the power of the Gospel. Phillipsburg, NJ: P R Publishing Company.

Game Theory (strategic Thinking In Everyday Life) :: essays research papers

Game Theory (Strategic Thinking in Everyday Life) Have you ever been faced with having to live with a decision you made knowing that had you taken the time to analyze the outcomes you may have made a more intelligible choice? Most likely the answer to that question was "yes". After all that is more - or - less is what life is about, a series of choices and the outcomes we are faced to live with as a result of our decisions. Well your probably asking yourself "What does this obvious statement have to do with me?". I'll begin by telling you it has everything to do with you and everything to do with any situation you may confront from this day forward. After - all life is but a game and it is our goal to win. The fundamentals of the "Game Theory will provide us with the basic tools we need to succeed at this game. What is Game Theory? Simply put, it is the study of rational behavior in situations requiring interdependence. Wow! That seems like a pretty heavy statement. Actually it is pretty straight - forward. What is meant by "rational behavior or interdependance?" Rational behavior in game theory is the assumption that moral critique aside, the players in the game will act in a way which provides them with the greatest benefits.. Interdependence is the idea that what one player does will directly affect the other and vice -versa. By players I am talking about any two interdependant variables, whether they be people, countries, animals etc. Game theorist take apart a situation involving two players and systematically analyze their objectives and their potential outcomes. In doing so they are able to create models which replicate the basic motives each player has and diagram the outcomes.. Game theory is something that to some extent all of us have experience in. Game Theory (strategic Thinking In Everyday Life) :: essays research papers Game Theory (Strategic Thinking in Everyday Life) Have you ever been faced with having to live with a decision you made knowing that had you taken the time to analyze the outcomes you may have made a more intelligible choice? Most likely the answer to that question was "yes". After all that is more - or - less is what life is about, a series of choices and the outcomes we are faced to live with as a result of our decisions. Well your probably asking yourself "What does this obvious statement have to do with me?". I'll begin by telling you it has everything to do with you and everything to do with any situation you may confront from this day forward. After - all life is but a game and it is our goal to win. The fundamentals of the "Game Theory will provide us with the basic tools we need to succeed at this game. What is Game Theory? Simply put, it is the study of rational behavior in situations requiring interdependence. Wow! That seems like a pretty heavy statement. Actually it is pretty straight - forward. What is meant by "rational behavior or interdependance?" Rational behavior in game theory is the assumption that moral critique aside, the players in the game will act in a way which provides them with the greatest benefits.. Interdependence is the idea that what one player does will directly affect the other and vice -versa. By players I am talking about any two interdependant variables, whether they be people, countries, animals etc. Game theorist take apart a situation involving two players and systematically analyze their objectives and their potential outcomes. In doing so they are able to create models which replicate the basic motives each player has and diagram the outcomes.. Game theory is something that to some extent all of us have experience in.

Personal and Professional Development Essay

I. Introduction Self-managed learning is an individual person or to find different ways of learning, which may be in the society they live or work in an environment that is diverse. Self-managed learning is also about setting goals for learning by assessing the learning goals and how to achieve that goal. People learn new things such different cultures of people, behavior, personality, cognitive, etc. Individuals can learn things not only in the classroom but also through friends, newspapers etc. Self-managed learning opportunity for people to come up with their own strategies for learning, although sometimes it takes a short time to learn something that might be possible for them to have can pass the exam, or completing a project, it is important for people to acquire knowledge as long as the current environment facing the challenges posed by technological development who need knowledge they can use them in your personal life and your career. Lifelong learning is all about continuous learning individuals can contribute to the professional context. Individuals may have personal assessment as a means of lifelong learning by assessing strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats to their (SWOT analysis). (James, 2014) Both 2 Long life and self- managed learning are important to each individual. Self-study, access is really the foundation for acquiring knowledge. Choose a suitable learning can maximize capacity and gather knowledge faster. Access to and understanding of knowledge is a huge advantage for personal growth, personal excellence productivity will lead to broad career. Appropriate plans put in place by making a plan of action, monitoring it, set the date, review it regularly will help students achieve their goals. Although, they need help from colleagues by accepting the opinions and judgments that will help them to learn, individuals need to understand the stages of the career development plan for the purpose of having a clear goal of what they want to achieve from learning self-management. It is a self- managed development can enhance long life. Today, when the world is integration, how to understand and choose a best way to learning to maximize the learning capacity is very important in the competition to get better positions to benefit themselves and their organizations, even is a national interest. Here I’ll write down clearly about my learning abilities, strengths and weaknesses of my learning ability to apply to your organization. II. Task 1: Evaluate approaches to self-managed learning: 1. Kolb’s Experiential Learning Cycle Figure 1. Kolb’ ELC Model Having developed the model over many years prior, David Kolb published his model about learning styles model in 1984. This led to the related terms such as experiential learning theory of Kolb (ELT), and learning styles of Kolb inventory (LSI). In his publications – especially his 1984 book â€Å"learning experience: Experience as the source of Learning and Development ‘Kolb acknowledges the early learning experiences of others in the 1900s, including Rogers, Jung, and Piaget. In turn, the learning style model Kolb and experiential learning theory is now recognized by scholars, teachers, managers and trainers works as really profound concepts fundamental to our understanding and explaining the behavior of human learning, and towards helping others to learn. (businessballs, 2014) Kolb’s learning theory laid out four different learning styles (or preferences), which is based on a learning cycle of four stages. Kolb includes this â€Å"cycle of learning† as a central theoretical principles of their learning experience, usually calculated according to the four-stage cycle of learning, which â€Å"experienced immediate or concrete† offer a basis for â€Å"observations and reflections†. These’ observations and reflections are assimilation and distilled into â€Å"abstract concepts† producing new implications for action which can be â€Å"actively testing† times in turn creating new experiences. Here we are going to learn specifically about Kolb’s ELC model: Concrete Experience: Concrete experience is the first stage in 4 stages of Kolb’s ELC. It’s about when we done any activities, after that we have experiences. Experience will create based on done-activities. In this stage, individual or organization will be implemented or do activities. Base on activities and implementation, the experiences will be created. For example, Organizations open many actual work experiences or work rotation will help their employees be more realistic experiences. Also, for those who are in this stage, they are not primarily interested in theory; instead they want to treat each case as unique and learn best from specific examples. Reflexive Observation: â€Å"When the learner consciously reflects back on that  experience† (Many, 2014, p. 15). That means when the experience from stage 1 came, we have to review again, summarize all the task of activity and make sure it’s true. The ‘reflective observation’ factors deri ved from the analysis and judgment of events and discussions about learning and teaching that you take with your mentors and colleagues. People naturally think about their experiences in teaching, especially when they are new to it and less confident in their abilities or when an already painful experience. All of us went out to tell his lesson â€Å"went well or severe, in a visual sense. This could be called† common sense reflection ‘. But how do we know it is good or bad and what is good or bad about it? We need to speak our thoughts in a systematic way for us to remember what we think and build on the experience for the next time. This example may be through the self-reflection or evaluation of your next event by keeping a log or journal. It can also include feedback from students, peer observation of teaching (e.g., advice or opinions of your peers), moderation of assessment, examiners commented on the outside. All of these can be aggregated to give an overall reflection of your practice. Reflected in itself, though, is not enough to promote the learning and career development. Twenty years of experience may include twenty years of teaching the same content in the same way! Unless we act according to our reflections about themselves and about the opinions of others, there is no development took place. Abstract Conceptualization: â€Å"Is where the learner attempts to conceptualize a theory or model of what is observed† (Many, 2014, p. 15). In this stage, the definition start to forming, the place that all the concepts have to be specification. To plan what we would do different next time, we need to do? – In addition to our reflection on our experience – to be informed of educational theory for example, through the reading of relevant literature on teaching and learning or by attending staff development members or other activities. Therefore reflect a middle ground, aggregate and analyze the theory of action in the past. It allows us to conclude about our practice. Active Experimentation: â€Å"Is the learner trying to plan how to test a model or theory or plan for a forthcoming experience† (Many, 2014, p. 16). When all the concepts, definitions are formed and specific, the learning activity will be active. The conclusions we form from the stage ‘summary overview our’ then form the basis by which we can change the plan – ‘Operation experiments. ‘Experiment  Activity’ then starts the cycle again when we make changes in the actual teaching us to create a specific experience is then followed by reflection and sees review to draw conclusions about the effectiveness of the changes†¦ After activities are active, we have experience again and go back to the stage 1 of Kolb’s ELC, continue and expand the cycle. That’s how Kolb’s ELC work. For example, A singer vocal training, when done the first song, he looked back and do not feel good because it is not appreciated when the song be uploaded online in the internet. Singer began thinking about the theory learned vocal and start over, with the stylized rhythms. Finally, the singer then develops a plan and has successfully recorded a next song. In addition, Kolb believes that we can not do both variations on a single axis at a time (such as thinking and feeling). Learning styles of our products is a choice of two decisions. It is often easier to see the construction of Kolb learning styles in a two-by-two matrix. Each learning style represents a combination of two favorite styles. The chart also highlights Kolb term for the four learning styles; diverging, assimilating, and converging, containing: Doing ( Active Experimentation) Watching (Reflexive Observation) Feeling (Concrete Experience) Accommodating Diverging Thinking (Abstract Conceptualization) Converging Assimilating Accommodating: The Accommodating learning style is ‘hands-on’, and relies on intuition rather than logic that mean: people who use other person’s analysis and want to participate in an approach of practical experience. They are attracted to the challenges and new experiences, and plan implementation. They often act on instinct rather than rational analysis.  People with a learning style will tend to rely on others to contain more information than carry out their analysis. This learning style is common in the general population. Diverging: These people can look at things from different perspectives. They are very sensitive. They prefer to watch rather than do, tending to gather information and use imagination to solve problems. They are best viewed in the specific situation of different perspectives. Kolb called this style â€Å"divergence† because people perform better in situations requiring idea generation, for example, brainstorming. Those with a diverging learning style have broad cultural interests and like to collect information. They are interested in people, tend to be imaginative and emotional, and tend to be strong in the arts. Those with divergent styles like teamwork, listening with an open mind and get a personal response. Converging: Those with a converging learning style can solve problems and will use their learning to find solutions to practical problems. They prefer technical tasks, and less concerned with others and personal aspects. Those with a converging learning style are best to use the actual search for ideas and theories. They can solve problems and make decisions by finding solutions to questions and problems. Those with a converging learning style attracted many technical tasks and problems rather than social issues or individuals. A converging learning style allows the expertise and technology. Those with a style convergence want to experiment with new ideas, to simulate, and to work with practical applications. Assimilating: The assimilating learning preferences is a reasonable approach brief. The idea and concept is more important than people. These people require good clear explanation rather than practical opportunity. Predominates in-depth understanding of information and organize it in a clear logical format. People with learning style assimilation is less focused on people and more interested in ideas and abstract concepts. People with this style are more attracted to the more theoretically sound approaches based on practical value. This learning style is important for efficient information and science careers. In formal learning situations, people with this style prefer to read, lectures, exploring analytical models, and have time to think things through. 2. 7 Approaches to Learning There’re 7 ways to approach knowledge below: Learning through Research: Is a person who is able to use internet to read any things available that relevant with their demand. In addition, learning through research also is a person that likely to read books or documents to approach to knowledge. The advantages of this kind of learning is not waste time to learn how because everything already available on the internet and books. Their disadvantages are some time they will get too much information and waste time to classify. Learning from others: Coaches and mentors both work one-on-one. Person who’s tend to learn from precursor’s experience but in better way. With this style of learning, they will get the low rate of risk and comfortable to work. Besides, the disadvantages of learning from other are: They are always depending on mentor’s ideas, their creativity is not been developed. Some mentors come from the other environmental with different lever of knowledge and people who are learning from other won†™t understand, and apply the wrong way. Secondments: Is a person who approaches knowledge from traveling, changes in the work environment, work rotation†¦ Because of the continuity change of environment, their advantages are received more experiences, knowledge and adaptment. However, the disadvantages are lack of team work because they couldn’t belong with a group or a team or maybe they get sick because not suitable with the environment. Interview: It’s conducted in order to achieve a specific purpose for at least one of the practices involved, such as information gathering, problem solving or behavior change. Interview provides a vision about ourselves to know who we are. What our position? Interview helps them to know clearly about them self, know clearly about self-awareness. Obliviously, Not only advantages but also the disadvantages, the disadvantages is the information from interview can be inaccurate. Seminars and Conferences: Is the form that learning with teacher or professor. It usually held for groups of 10-50 individuals (a kind of meeting). Seminars and conferences help them to improve their working in group skill, communication skill, presentation skill because many home work for their team. The disadvantages are conflict of knowledge between teacher/professor and students, sometime is waste of time. Internet, Intranet, Extranet: Distance learning, learning through networking. Students can study online courses to obtain more knowledge outside of school. Because of the internet, extranet, intranet so the works/ knowledge are very convenient and cheaper  than learning in class with direct teacher but much if unverified information, out dated, irrelevant information are the disadvantages of this way to approach knowledge. New groups and forum: Is the kind of learning that we open a thread then discuss online a problem or situation with direct post and direct reply of members in group. When people talking, the brain start to storming and many ideas have given out, we can choose one of them. Sometime the ideas getting conflict and bias†¦ There are 7 approaches to learning and knowledge mentioned above, depends on each person, task, resource, and environmental organizations. Each environment, different jobs have different ways of learning to adapt to the situation. In Vietnam with amore harsh environmental conditions more than the other country. The existence of inferior technology and very difficult to identify the sources of open knowledge. In the US and some European countries, students are funded 100% of tuition, even health insurance from birth to 18 year-old. Also, they are equipped with a lot of open source knowledge and especially completely free. They also promote the academic life of students by offering an innovative fund, all creativity and invention will be using public money of government. However in Vietnam, many knowledge donors but not really common, most students are still very difficult to study and develop themselves. Excelled students tend to learn in a better environment to develop them; their dedication to foreigners led to Vietnam has been severely brain drain. Source: (See survey table in appendix). To against the brain drain and improve our own self-study, the following is suggested models that may help students develop Vietnam’s own self-study: With the popularity of social networking, the groups and the forums, you should use them as a learning tool instead of gaming. Figure 3. Self-Constructed study model 2 In Vietnam, mostly self-taught students through the internet so this model will maximize the learning ability and can reach to the most students in Vietnam; Based on hcmuaf.edu site, the percentage of students use the internet in Viet Nam up to 99% (Tran Minh Tri, Do Minh Hoang, 2013). We will share key, close documents (the documents must pay to be read) on a group or forum. On piracy, the State of Vietnam doesn’t have enough ability to find a  hidden group or a hidden topic to share information, discuss and exchange. You make a great ideas, questions, and people will talk, share relevant documents and receive the request. But it will take time to select a member’s idea, but the idea of the document will be firmer. You buy one document but can get back 10 documents related to the work you want to learn, study. Creating a community with the persons that have the same passion for learning and personal development will help you learn effectively in the environment of Vietnam. Source: (See survey table in appendix). III. Task 2: Propose ways in which lifelong learning in personal and professional contexts should be encouraged. 1. Continue Professional Development (CPD) What’s CPD Means? CPD stands for Continuing Professional Development. It refers to the process of tracking and recording the skills, knowledge and experience you can be both formal and informal as you work, beyond any initial training. It is a record of what you experience, learn and apply. This term is often used to mean a physical directory development portfolio of your document as a professional. Some organizations use it to mean a plan for training and development, which I would argue is not exactly true. This article is about the CPD is a process of recording and reflecting on learning and development. (Allen, 2014) What its functions? CPD process is to help you manage your own development on an ongoing basis. Its function is to help you record, review and reflect on what you learned. It is not a tick box document recording the training you have completed. It is wider than that. What are the difference between training and developing? These terms are often used interchangeably, although there are differences. As a rule of thumb, the training is formal and linear. It’s to do with learning how to do something specific, related to skills and competence. Training can be as simple as using a computer application and as complex as learning how to become a pilot. Developers often do not have a formal and widely applicable, giving you the tools to perform a variety of things and  is related to the ability and capacity. It is related to the evolution from basic tips to understanding how higher, adult or complex. Also it can be expanded your range of transferable skills such as leadership, project management or organizational information. 2. Honey and Mumford learning style Learning styles include a variety of theories for the differences in modeling natural systems or personal habits of collecting and processing information in the learning situation. A core concept is that individuals differ in the way we learn. The idea of ​​individual learning style originated in the 1970s, and has great influence education. Proponents of the use of learning styles in education recommend that teachers assess learning styles of students and adapt their classroom methods to suit the learning styles of each best student. Although there is ample evidence that individuals express preferences for how they want to receive information, some studies have found value in the use of learning styles in education. Critics say there is no evidence that the identified learning styles of each student. To understand the learning styles, we have four learning styles based on Honey and Mumford theory as follows: (Mobbs, 2013) Activist: Definition: Activist involving themselves fully and without bias in new experiences. They enjoy the here and now, and I’m happy to be dominated by immediate experiences. They are open-minded, not skeptical, and this tends to make them enthusiastic about anything new. Their philosophy is: â€Å"I’ll try anything once†. The activists are learning by doing. Activists need to get their hands dirty, to jump in with both feet first. There is an open-minded approach to learning, involving them fully and without bias in new experiences. Career: Because of their characteristics is preferred adventurous, not afraid of risk and dare to accept the challenge to succeed, they work with the high-risk nature, requires brainstorming and experience, based on the characteristic of openness in big 5 traits model3 , for example as Strategy  Director. Why is Strategy Director? Strategy Director is a job that requires creativity and pioneering. Strategy Director huge impact to the reputation of a company or a corporation. Similar with openness in big 5 traits, openness very excited to be experienced with whatever news; they want to be a pioneer. When creating a new strategy, the risk of failure is big, but if successful, it will bring the not-small benefits when our company/ group is a pioneer company/group, a leader company/group in a particular field. Way to enhance: From above, to manage risks and develop good career, Activist should use the interview-learning to know their exact location and their own ability clearly, from that then personal development and minimize risk.

Ikea Company Profile - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 10 Words: 2990 Downloads: 5 Date added: 2017/09/24 Category Advertising Essay Type Narrative essay Level High school Tags: Study Essay Did you like this example? Swedish Furniture Giant IKEA Case Study The points of the Porters Diamond are described as four broad attributes. And these attributes promote or impede the creation of competitive advantage. These attributes are: †¢Factor conditions a nations position in factors of production such as skilled labor or the infrastructure necessary to compete in a given industry. †¢Demand conditions the nature of home demand for the industrys product or service. †¢Relating and supporting industries the presence or absence in a nation of supplier industries and related industries those are internationally competitive. Firm strategy, structure, and rivalry the conditions in the nation governing how companies are created, organized, and managed and the nature of domestic rivalry. National Competitive Advantage of IKEA IKEA Group, a Swedish company founded in 1943 with its headquarters in Denmark, is a multinational operator of a chain of stores for home furnishing and furniture. It is the worlds largest furniture retailer, which specializes, in stylish but inexpensive Scandinavian designed furniture. At the end of 2002 (1 September 2001 31 August 2002), the IKEA Group of Companies had a total of 175 stores in 31 countries. In addition, there were 19 IKEA stores owned and run by franchisees, outside the IKEA Group, in 12 countries. During the IKEA financial year 2001-2002, 323 million people visited our IKEA stores around the world. Factor Conditions of IKEAs National Competitive Advantage IKEAs Heritage - the Swedish Root Its no accident that the IKEA logo is blue and yellow. These are the colours of the Swedish flag. In Sweden, nature and the home both play a big part in peoples lives. In fact, one of the best ways to describe the Swedish home furnishing style is to describe nature full of light and fresh air, yet restrained and unpretentious. In the late 1800s, the artists Carl and Karin Larsson combined classical influences with warmer Swedish folk styles. They created a model of Swedish home furnishing design that today enjoys world-wide renown. In the 1950s the styles of modernism and functionalism developed at the same time as Sweden established a society founded on social equality. The IKEA product range modern but not trendy, functional yet attractive, human-centred and child-friendly carries on these various Swedish home furnishing traditions. Many people associate Sweden with a fresh, healthy way of life. This Swedish lifestyle is reflected in the IKEA product range. The freshness of the open air is reflected in the colours and materials used and the sense of space they create: blond woods, natural textiles and untreated surfaces. In a climate that is cold and dark for much of the year, these light, bright living spaces create the sensation of summer sunshine indoors all year round. The IKEA Concept, like its founder, was born in Smaland. This is a part of southern Sweden where the soil is thin and poor. The peo ple are famous for working hard, living on small means and using their heads to make the best possible use of the limited resources they have. This way of doing things is at the heart of the IKEA approach to keeping prices low. But quality is not compromised for the sake of cost. Sweden has an international reputation for safety and quality you can rely on, and IKEA retailers take pride in offering the right quality in all situations. IKEA was founded when Sweden was fast becoming an example of the caring society, where rich and poor alike were well looked after. This is also a theme that fits well with the IKEA vision. In order to give the many people a better everyday life, IKEA asks the customer to work as a partner. The product range is child-friendly and covers the needs of the whole family, young and old. So together we can create a better everyday life for everyone. Demand Conditions of IKEAs National Competitive Advantage Figures of IKEA Worldwide turnover for all IKEA storesThe turnover for the financial year 2002 (1 September 2001 31 August 2002) was 12 billion Euro (sales tax not included). turnover per region Middle East, Australia, Asia 4 % North America 19 % Europe 77 % purchasing per region Asia 30 % North America 4 % Europe 66 % co-workers per region Middle East, Australia, Asia 3 500 North America 10 000 Europe 62 000 IKEA employs a total of 75 500 co-workers. o- workers per function Range, purchasing/trading, wholesale and others: 8 400 The Swedwood industrial group: 9 600 Retail: 57 500 top five sales countries Germany 20 %United Kingdom 13 %USA 12 %France 9 %Sweden 8 % top five purchasing countries China 15 %Sweden 12 %Poland 10 %Germany 6 %Italy 6 % According to the chart, we can see the turnover of IKEA mainly come from Europe market. The demand is still high in Sweden where IKEA original comes from. The Sweden market still has high sales (8%) and high purchasing (12%). Relating and Supporting Industries of IKEAs National Compet itive Advantage IKEA Supply Net Worldwide In general, IKEA does not manufacture its own products, but works through a complex network of suppliers around the world. However, in the past few years, IKEA has acquired a number of its own factories, some of which function as training units and set standards for other suppliers for production economy, quality, and environmental awareness. To secure supplies and help suppliers develop, IKEA has launched partnerships as joint owners or financiers in a number of countries including Poland, Slovakia, Russia, Romania, and China In addition to working with around 1,800 different suppliers across the world, IKEA produces many of its own products through sawmills and factories in the IKEA industrial group, Swedwood. Swedwood also has a duty to transfer knowledge to other suppliers, for example by educating them in issues such as efficiency, quality and environmental work. Swedwood has 35 industrial units in 11 countries. Purchasing IKEA has 4 2 trading service offices (TSOs) in 33 countries. Proximity to their suppliers(1,800 of them in 55 countries) is the key to rational, long-term co-operation. Thats why TSO co-workers visit suppliers regularly to monitor production, test new ideas, negotiate prices and carry out quality audits and inspections. TSO staff are also responsible for the important tasks of developing and checking working and social conditions, and environmental work among IKEA suppliers. Distribution The route from supplier to customer must be as direct, cost-effective and environmentally friendly as possible. Flat packs are an important aspect of this work: eliminating wasted space means we can transport and store goods more efficiently. Since efficient distribution plays a key role in the work of creating the low price, goods routing and logistics are a focus for constant development. Now 25 regional distribution centers in 14 countries are responsible for supplying goods to IKEA stores Firm Strate gy, Structure, and Rivalry of IKEAs National Competitive Advantage The Business Idea of IKEA The IKEA business idea is to offer a wide range of home furnishings with good design and function at prices so low that as many people as possible will be able to afford them. And still have money left! The company targets the customer who is looking for value and is willing to do a little bit of work serving themselves, transporting the items home and assembling the furniture for a better price. The typical Ikea customer is young low to middle income family. The Competition Advantage Strategy of Ikeas product IKEAs success in the retail industry can be attributed to its vast experience in the retail market, product differentiation, and cost leadership. Over all IKEA is doing differentiation and cost leadership. Differentiated because their products are different compared to the conventional ones already in the market. They defy the norms in terms of furniture style. They go with furni ture with simple design. And they are a cost leader in terms of the price of their products are cheaper compared to other retailers. It is also shown by their company being cost conscious in everything that they do. IKEA Product Differentiation - A Wide Product Range The IKEA product range is wide and versatile in several ways. First, its versatile in function. Because IKRA think customers shouldnt have to run from one small specialty shop to another to furnish their home, IKEA gather plants, living room furnishings, toys, frying pans, whole kitchens i. e. , everything which in a functional way helps to build a home in one place, at IKEA stores. Second, its wide in style. The romantic at heart will find choices just as many as the minimalist at IKEA. But there is one thing IKEA dont have, and that is, the far-out or the over-decorated. They only have what helps build a home that has room for good living. Third, by being coordinated, the range is wide in function and style at the same time. No matter which style you prefer, theres an armchair that goes with the bookcase that goes with the new extending table that goes with the armchair. So their range is wide in a variety of ways. Cost Leadership - Low Prices Strategy A wide range with good form and function is only half the story. Affordability has a part to play the largest part. A wide range with good form and function is only half the story. Affordability has a part to play the largest part. A low price is linked to the happiness of inding just what you need for your home. And the joy of being able to own it without having to forsake everything else. Thats why IKEA designers, manufacturers and purchasers spend most of their days finding solutions that result in a low price, then, buy big volumes to make it even lower. And the customers help, too, by choosing the furniture, getting it at the warehouse, transporting it home and assembling it themselves, to keep the price low. IKEAs Global Expansi on Strategy Originally established in the 1940s in Sweden by Ingvar Kamprad, IKEA has grown rapidly in recent years to become one of the worlds largest retailers of home furnishing. In its initial push to expand globally, IKEA largely ignored the retailing rule that international success involves tailoring product lines closely to national tastes and preferences. Instead, IKEA stuck with the vision, articulated by founder Kamprad, that the company should sell a basic product range that is typically Swedish wherever it ventures in the world. The company also remained primarily production oriented; that is, the Swedish management and design group decided what it was going to sell and then presented it to the worldwide publicoften with very little research as to what the public actually wanted. Moreover, the company emphasized its Swedish roots in its international advertising, even going as far to insist on a Swedish blue and while color scheme for its stores. And from the chart above, we can see the top purchasing country of IKEA is China. It is the new big potential market for IKEA expanding globally. National Competitive Advantage of IKEA China Factor Conditions in Developing China As living standards improve in China and the government opens up the property market so interior decoration, design and DIY are becoming popular pastimes in certain key markets. In line with the interest in home decoration and improvement has come a desire for better quality materials. In the 1990s with the emergence of better public housing, improved incomes and raised expectations of households, the market has moved beyond the provision of shelter to the quest to provide pleasant homes tailored to the households needs. The result of this trend has been for the Chinese government to begin to sell-off state housing and create a class of homeowners, primarily in the larger cities but gradually throughout the country. With the future development of a secondary housing mar ket, eventually it is envisaged that the Chinese housing market will come to resemble that seen in mature private property markets. Key Facts †¢ Home ownership has been the catalyst behind the home improvements market and has encouraged consumers to engage in DIY and home improvement/ decorating activities. Additionally, this growth in private housing is attracting domestic and foreign retailers such as BQ and IKEA to China. †¢ The market had grown by 106. % since 1994, with the opening up of the housing market, continuing rapid increases in average salaries and consumer spending power and the improved retail supply of goods all contributing to the strong growth. As the market opens, so China is becoming increasingly house-proud while the home improvements industry is becoming an increasingly established part of the Chinese retailing and consumerist landscape. Relating and Supporting Industries in China The Chinese translation of IKEA pronounces Yijia, which literally mean s suits home. IKEA has a 4 prong strategy for China: setting up commercial offices, opening stores, establishing procurement centres and investing in setting up factories. It is reported that IKEA has invested US$60 million to build Asias biggest furniture market in Shanghai (area 36 000 square metres). The company president is on record as saying the company also plans to set up 2 new stores every year in China. The coastal cities and developed inland cities will be its main focus. Currently the companys commercial office in Chengdu City, Sichuan Province plans to procure furniture valued at yuan 4 million every year. The company also invested US$180 million to build an industrial area in Shanghais Song Jiang and establish IKEAs production base in China. Today furniture companies in China have become IKEAs biggest trading partners and 30% of IKEAs products are made in China. Most of the raw materials also come from China so that product prices are competitive. Demand Conditions of IKEA China The Growing Demand and Strong Sales for IKEA China IKEA has sold US$86 million in products through its own retail outlets by August 26, 2003 in China. This is a new record for the company, and represents 24 percent growth over the same period last year. IKEA has been expanding its retail network, and sourcing more production in China. IKEA won the hearts of Chinese consumers, and the government, by announcing its expansion plans for China in May, during the SARS crisis, when many international businesses were re-examining what they would do. Just as China Business Strategy predicted at the time, Chinas economy and consumers have quickly bounced back from the SARS crisis. IKEAs new Shanghai store has set a record number of shoppers for one day, with 80,000 visitors in one day. Current estimates are that IKEA sources 15 percent of the products sold in its stores from China. It is estimated that by 2005, IKEA will source more than US$1 billion of products from China . IKEAs products have struck a chord with Chinese consumers who like European style furniture at prices they can afford. Firm Strategy, Structure, and Rivalry in China There are many furnishing stores in China, take OBI, ChengWaiCheng as example. These furnishing stores are always good design and function, or low prices. For the most of middle class, they trend to choose the reasonable price and good quality. ChengWaiChens business idea is honest and have the low price meanwhile have good quality. According to the expenditure level of middle class, common people build their home will consider ChengWaiCheng furnishing store firstly. OBI furnishing store is tend to be market niche, only the upper class can afford that price. Build a comfortable home is harder than a luxury one. Some of the product are not pratical and short service life. IKEAs Competition Advantage - low-price strategy Swedish home furnishing producer IKEA said it will maintain its low-price strategy and planned to open new stores in China in the new financial year. Prices decreased by about 12 per cent in the past financial year, said IKEA China manager Ian Duffy. Low prices will remain in the coming year to make our products more affordable for IKEAs 8 million customers. Duffy gave an example, a sofa priced at 2,999 yuan (US$363) in 1999 is now sold at 995 yuan (US$121). With more local purchases, lower prices are becoming more possible. China is IKEAs main purchasing market and 15 per cent of all home furniture sold by IKEA is made from materials purchased in China, according to Duffy. Our low price strategy is also a result of a survey conducted among local residents, said Jerome Deloix, IKEA China sales manager. After the survey, we decided we should aim at local families with monthly income of 3,350 yuan (US$405) instead of people in higher income brackets. IKEA will also maintain its aggressive growth strategy in the new financial year. The firm plans to open two new stores, one in B eijing and the other one possibly in South Chinas Guangdong Province. Linda Xu, public relations manager of IKEA China, said this could lead to a 50 per cent growth in the companys customer base. Our targeted consumers are those with lower incomes. IKEA China Expanding Strategy - open 10 new stores by 2010 IKEA said it plans to spend $600 million to open 10 new stores in China by 2010, a six fold increase of its China investments. It will expand beyond its current two outlets in Beijing and Shanghai, with a new store in the southeast, most likely in Guangdong, and a second store in the capital to open this year. The expansion is driven by its robust growth in its mainland operations. IKEAs sales in China between September 1, 2002 and August 26, 2003 were 713 million yuan (US$86. million), 24 per cent more than the previous year. The opening of the firms Shanghai store, its biggest in Asia, attracted a record 80,000 visitors within one day. Ikea China manager Ian Duffy said that the company had achieved double-digit growth in sales every year since opening in China in 1999. At the same time, the average price of Ikeas products will be reduced by 10 percent starting Wednesday as the company continues its aggressive strategy of targeting families with 3,350 yuan (408 dollars) income per month. And the number of people who visited IKEAs two stores over the last fiscal year grew by 1. 8 million to 6. 5 million. In conclusion, the worlds largest home-furnishing retailer, Swedens IKEA has been expanding sales all over the world by they national competitive advantage, especial in the increasingly wealthy China. IKEA China main to attract sales as the proportion of Chinas middle class grows. In the not so distant future the size of Chinas domestic furniture market will be as big as the whole Europes. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Ikea Company Profile" essay for you Create order