Background And Pathophysiology Of Schizophrenia Psychology Essay

Background And Pathophysiology Of Schizophrenia Psychology Essay Schizophrenia is a severe chronic psychotic disorder associated with the brain and is characterised by symptoms classified into three major categories; positive, negative and cognitive symptoms. Positive symptoms include hallucinations, delusions and thought disorder. Negative symptoms consist of social withdrawal and flattening of emotional responses. In addition to this, deficits in cognitive function such as attention and memory are also often present in schizophrenic patients together with anxiety and depression. (Rang, 2007); (Lewis J A Lieberman 2000) Studies have shown several neurotransmitter systems such as serotonin, glutamate and dopamine to be involved in processes leading to the expression of the symptoms experienced in schizophrenia. Among these, the dopamine theory has received the most attention and it will be the focal point of this research. Serotonin, an essential neurotransmitter, has its place in explaining schizophrenia by trying to explain the elements of the disorder which were initially unexplained. This consisted of the negative symptoms and the actions of antipsychotics. Its role was recognised in the 1950s when it was discovered how similar serotonin was to LSD (lysergic acid diethylamide). LSD causes psychotic symptoms as it competes with serotonin and occupies its receptor sites. Atypical antipsychotics as well as blocking dopamine receptors, also act as 5-HT receptor antagonists. This hypothesis was confirmed when typical antipsychotics were combined with a 5-HT2 antagonist such as ritanserin. This resulted in relief of negative symptoms and extrapyramidal side effects. (Sadock, 2000) Glutamate has also been implicated in schizophrenia. This hypothesis is derived from evidence using PCP, a glutamate NMDA receptor antagonist. Administration produces psychotic symptoms and cognitive dysfunction in healthy subjects (Krystal et al. 1994) and negative cognitive symptoms in patients with schizophrenia. (Lahti et al. 1995) Phencyclidine, ketamine and dizocilpine, also glutamate NMDA receptor antagonists, provide psychotic symptoms in humans. Studies have also shown that there is reduction in glutamate receptor density and glutamate concentration in post-mortem brains of schizophrenic patients. (Rang 2007) The most common theory relating to schizophrenia is the dopamine one. The first formulation of the dopamine hypothesis suggests that excess mesolimbic dopamine is the reason for the positive symptoms. The evidence that this idea was based on included amphetamine abuse which increased synaptic dopamine leading to delusions (Laruelle et al. 1996) and that all antipsychotic drugs block dopamine D2 receptors. As this theory implied excess dopamine is responsible for positive symptoms, what is responsible for the negative and cognitive symptoms? Well, research has shown that negative and cognitive symptoms are the result of deficient dopamine in the pre fontal cortex due to D1 receptor dysfunction (K. L. Davis et al. 1991) There have been operational definitions of schizophrenia developed in an attempt the reliability of the diagnosis; The International Classification of Diseases (ICD-10) and The American Psychiatric Associations Diagnostic and Statistical method (DSM-IV-TR) and both contain lists of criteria but also insist that symptoms must have persisted for 6 months. PICTURE Schizophrenia usually presents itself in late adolescence or in early adult life (Kirkbride et al. 2006) with males having an earlier onset than females. In the UK, the mean age of first admission is about 22 years for men and 27 years for women. (Castle R M Murray 1991)Females also tend to have fewer negative symptoms and a better outcome than males. According to leading experts in this disorder, they have found that it is caused my many factors. One major factor is genetics, and schizophrenia occurs in 10% of people who have parents, brother or sister (first degree relatives) with the disorder. People who have grandparents, cousins or aunts and uncles (second degree relatives) also develop this disorder a lot more than the general public. (Kendler et al. 1993) Most importantly, the risk is at its greatest for a person who has a twin with schizophrenia. (Irving Gottesman 1991) PICTURE Several genes are related with the risk of schizophrenia but previously it was believed there is no particular gene that is responsible for the disease itself. Studies have shown that people with schizophrenia also have many rare gene mutations which involve many genes and disrupt the development of the brain. However in recent times, new research has shown there may be several susceptible genes. One such gene is DISC1 which could be linked to the development and treatment of schizophrenia. DISC1 plays a key role in the growth of individual neurons. Mutated Disrupted in Schizophrenia (DISC1) gene is seen to disrupt the growth and development of cells in the brain. When DISC1 levels were reduced in mice, cells in the brain failed to divide and the mice developed symptoms that mimicked schizophrenia in humans. (REFERENCE IMPORTANT ONE) Other than genes, environmental factors are probably important in the development of schizophrenia. These include exposure to infections, immunocompromised, stress and being in contact with toxic chemicals during childhood may slightly alter brain development. (Marcel ET AL REFERENCE 1999) Chlorpromazine was the first drug discovered to have antipsychotic properties, followed by haloperidol which was widely prescribed. This is an example of typical first generation medications and produced D2 receptor blockade. By 1980, second generation atypical drugs were out, most notably clozapine which was seen to be more potent in treating chronic patients. These had the benefits of also reducing negative symptoms and extreme side effects. Pharmaceutical companies in the 1990s started to take advantage of clozapine and develop drugs without its side effects and olanzapine is another popular atypical drug. In 2005, there was a study done known as the CATIE study, in the USA, comparing the effectiveness of antipsychotic drugs in clinical settings. It was seen that there were high rates of discontinuation; 64-82% over 18 months, due to patients not being able to tolerate side effects. Lack of efficacy was also found for all antipsychotic drugs in the study, although olanzapine was most effective (terms of discontinuation rates) than other drugs in the study. Despite this, olanzapine was associated with greater weight gain and increase glycosylated haemoglobin, cholesterol and triglycerides. These changes could have serious implications such as development of metabolic syndrome. (Jeffrey A. Lieberman et al. 2005) So why use or develop Chinese herb extracts as a therapeutic tool for schizophrenia? Although antipsychotic medication is still the foundation for the treatment in schizophrenia, it still leaves some people with unbearable side effects and distressing symptoms. The most common side effects are Parkinsonism, dystonia and akathisia and are most common with haloperidol and fluphenazine. (Schillevoort et al. 2001) (Levinson et al. 1990) Dystonic spasms affect the neck muscles tongue and face, and occur within a few days of treatment and are frequent at high doses. Akathisia is the restless leg syndrome and is characterised by great urges to move and difficulty in sitting still. Anti-cholinergic drugs can relieve these symptoms; they should not be given routinely as they also cause side effects such as blurred vision, constipation, dry mouth and euphoria. It is also important to remember that not all patients will get side effects from taking antipsychotics. Another long term side effect is tardive dyskinesia which is slow irregular movements particularly in the regions of the mouth, lips and protrusion of the tongue. Approximately 5% of the patients on antipsychotic medication developing this each year, but there is evidence that the incidence may be declining with increasing use of atypical antipsychotics. (Tarsy Baldessarini 2006) Due to the side effects, herbal medicines are commonly used for psychiatric purposes in both the developed and developing countries. (Walter Rey 1999) Studies have shown that some Chinese herbal medicines are effective for psychosis and that if used in conjunction with western medication, they enhance antipsychotic efficacy and reduce adverse effects. Another important aspect is that, Chinese herbs may be more accessible, acceptable and cheaper than drugs already available. Chinese herbal medication includes plants, fungi, resins, animal and mineral substances which are given within a formula which typically consist of 4 to 12 herbs. Administration is in the form of decoctions, pills, powders, tablets, phials and as standardized plant extracts. Chinese herbal medication has been known to treat schizophrenia for over 2000 years; although the methods used in Traditional Chinese medicine to diagnose and treat schizophrenia differs from that used in western medicine. In western medicine, it is usually diagnosed by criteria such as the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM) or the International Classification of Diseases (ICD) but in Traditional Chinese Medication, its diagnosed by the Chinese Classification of Mental Disorder (CCMD). Figure shows the difference between diagnosing and treating Schizophrenia using traditional and Chinese herbal medication Traditional Chinese medicine differentiates schizophrenia into syndromes which determine the course of treatment. Therefore if two people are to be diagnosed with schizophrenia could have different clinical features (syndromes) therefore will require different medications. Each syndrome has a specific herbal formulation, but patients typically have mixed clinical features therefore they require precise formulations made by adding or substituting herbs. (Rathbone et al. 2007) Hype or hope? Is there really a benefit of using Chinese herbs as a therapeutic tool of schizophrenia? There have been several clinical trials done using Chinese herbal medication in the treatment of schizophrenia. One of the earlier studies was done using Dang gui cheng qi tang as the herbal medication given to the treatment group without the addition of the antipsychotic chlorpromazine which the control group received. The setting was in a hospital and participants were divided into groups randomly. It was reported that no participants left the groups early and the result showed that the global state outcome not improved /worse favoured the control group receiving chlorpromazine. (Rathbone et al. 2007) These results should be treated with caution given design limitations such as it being only conducted for 20 days, but nevertheless do not support that herbal medication should be used by itself for the treatment of schizophrenia. Further research and trials have been done which has incorporated using herbal medication together with an antipsychotic versus an antipsychotic alone. In 1997, Chinese herbal medications Dang gui cheng qi tang or xiao plus an antipsychotic was given to a treatment group compared to just the antipsychotic given to the control group. The allocation was randomized, lasted for 12 weeks and included hospital as well as community setting. The result showed that the treatment group scored significantly lower for the outcome of global state not improved/worse than the control group. (Rathbone et al. 2007) Global data score from the Clinical Global Impression scale (a rating scale measuring severity of symptoms, treatment response and efficacy of treatment) also favoured treatment groups that took the herbal medication plus antipsychotic. Ginkgo biloba was used with an antipsychotic for the treatment group in 1996 (Rathbone et al. 2007) and Shui zhi and Da huang were used with chlorpromazine. There were side effects associated with taking antipsychotics and taking herbal medications with antipsychotics showed that extra pyramidal side effects still arose. Constipation was however lower in the treatment group. (Rathbone et al. 2007) In 2001, Zhang et al did a study giving a treatment group Ginkgo biloba with haloperidol with the control group only receiving the latter. When compared, the study showed there was no difference between treatment group and control group when comparing negative symptoms and also when looking at Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale scores. However, the scale of positive symptoms did marginally favour the treatment group. (Rathbone et al. 2007) For all studies done in the past, we have to be aware that application of Chinese herbal medication is based on syndrome differentiation with failure of applying this differentiation resulting in ineffective or harmful treatment. There is no concrete evidence that when given alone, Chinese herbal medications offer benefits which are equal or even greater than antipsychotic drugs. When the herbal drugs are used with antipsychotics, they may offer improvement in symptoms but as there is still limited evidence in regards to Chinese herbs and traditional Chinese medication, this approach must still be considered new and more investigation is needed. Stepholidine is an active ingredient of the Chinese herb Stephania intermedia Lo, and belongs to an alkaloid group tetra-hydroberberine. (S. X. Xu et al. 1989) Initial research had shown that Stepholidine decreased blood pressure without exerting any adverse effects on the heart as well as exhibiting analgesia and any sedating effects on the central nervous system. Recent studies have shown stepholidine to be a pioneering drug in the treatment of schizophrenia because it is a dopamine D1 receptor agonist and a D2 receptor antagonist. Due to the pathogenesis of this disease suggests the dysfunction of D1 receptors in the medial prefrontal cortex, which is accompanied by hyperactivity of D2 receptors in subcortical regions such as ventral tegmental area (VTA) and the nucleus accumbens (NAc), when developing a antipsychotic drug should possess dual agonistic and antagonistic actions on the receptor. Stepholidine and its analogues tick these two important boxes. Stepholidine acts through D1 receptors to increase adenylyl cyclase activity and subsequent signalling pathways regulated by adenylyl cyclase might be responsible for the physiological responses, including rotational behaviour and changes in the firing activity of the neurons induced by Stepholidine. By contrast, Stepholidine inhibits both D2 auto-receptor mediated feedback inhibition of dopamine containing neurons and D2 receptor mediated effects on target non dopamine containing neurons. (Guo-Zhang Jin et al. 2002) There are several symptoms related to schizophrenia and insomnia is one of the most common. This could be partly related to the over-activity of the dopaminergic system. There has been a study done to show whether stepholidine modulates sleep behaviours. This was done in mice and the sleep-wake profiles were observed. From this study it has been concluded that stepholidine significantly increased the amount of NREM sleep and prolonged the duration of NREM sleep episodes, with reduction in the amount of wakefulness. Stepholidine had no effect on either the amount of REM sleep. Because it maintains NREM sleep in mice, it is suggested that it has the potential to be also used in the treatment of insomnia. (Qiu et al. 2009) Figure 1 shows the dual action of Stepholidine. Dopamine (DA)-containing neurons in the ventral tegmental area (VTA) project to the nucleus accumbens (NAc) and medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC). The schizophrenia hypothesis suggests that D1 receptor dysfunction in the mPFC leads to the negative symptoms of schizophrenia and the D2 receptor hyperactivity in the sub-cortex nuclei leads to the positive symptoms of this disorder [1-4]. The D1 receptor agonist effect of SPD in the mPFC is suggested to ameliorate the negative symptoms of schizophrenia, whereas the D2 receptor antagonist effect of SPD that predominates in the sub-cortex would improve the positive symptoms The Stanley Medical Research Institute (SMRI) awarded a grant of Canadian $330,000 to Dr. Shitji Kapur and Dr. David Mamo in 2006 to study L-Stepholidine. The work they would do would be built up from previous knowledge of the drug already known. They conducted preclinical studies in rats and it showed to be a very promising compound. The goal then was to give it to humans and measure its D2 binding in an attempt at showing it indeed is a D2 drug in vivo using PET, and also estimate its expected therapeutic dose for future clinical studies. Having had several correspondences Dr Mamo, he has informed me that the main company in China had stopped the production of Stepholidine and for ensuring that the compound is pure without any contaminants and to assure the local regulatory authority the research was a safe study, they decided not to use stepholidine from China. Dr Kapur and Dr Mamo then collaborated with a chemist to synthesize stepholidine in a lab. Synthesis was fine, but the pr oblem was that they couldnt scale up the production to gram scale. A chemist had told him with further work, production was possible, but the SMRI was not willing to wait for this. The funding had to be given up but not for the reason that the drug wasnt showing promise. Another drawback in stepholidine is its bioavailability. Drugs given orally, acting on the central nervous system, should have good bioavailability and good blood brain barrier penetration. In rat based assays, it was seen that stepholidine, when administered orally, was poorly available to systemic circulation but could cross the blood brain barrier easily, resulting in good entry into the brain. Stepholidine was also found to have good permeability of the membrane that was not affected by efflux transporters such as P-gp or MRP2. Stepholidine which was absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract was also rapidly eliminated by glucuronidation of phenolic hydroxyl group, and less by sulphation, methylation, demethylation and /or N-oxidation. This poor bioavailability achieved by stepholidine could be due to the extensive pre systemic metabolism. A way to overcome this would be to develop pro-drugs, which would be chemically modified versions of stepholidine which will undergo enzymatic or chemical transformation for the active drug to be released. Example of this might be to modify the hydroxyl groups of stepholidine. (Sun et al. 2009) Due to its poor bioavailability, there has been significant development in recently towards the modification of stepholidine by development of series of derivatives. One derivative that has improved bioavailability while maintain the pharmacological properties of stepholidine, is bi-acetylated l-stepholidine. In recent times, although there has been an increase in material prosperity and growing success of traditional western medication, there has been an overall increase in psychotic disorders especially schizophrenia. Psychiatric patients not only want their symptoms to disappear, they also want to continue to lead a normal life without all their troubles. Psychiatric patients have better resources for the treatment now than ever before, but due to frequent disappointments in western medication especially due to its side effects; there has been increased growth of alternative and complementary methods in the treatment of patients. Sometimes patients also seek help from spell breakers, exorcists and herbalists. In recent times, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO) approximately 80% of people in the world have relied on herbs in satisfying their medical care needs, and developed countries such as Germany, Italy and even the USA have shown a dramatic increase in herbal medicine consumption. Stepholidine had led the way in recent drug discovery with it being both a D1 receptor agonist and D2 receptor antagonist activity. This is a unique pharmacological characteristic of DH-THPBs (dihydro) and will be vital in the future when developing new antipsychotic drugs. More so, another DH-THPB, 12-chloroscoulerine has been found to have more potent dual action than stepholidine. In this project, I will analyse research done with stepholidine in regards to it being a therapeutic tool in the treatment of schizophrenia. Word count 2,992

Role of the New Zealand Reserve Bank :: essays papers

Role of the New Zealand Reserve Bank The Reserve Bank of New Zealand’s Role and Polices. The 1980’s saw some major changes for New Zealand, but none as significant as the deregulation of the financial institutions and economic policy undertaken by the Labour government. The trigger for these changes occurred in 1984 whilst the country was still under the National party control. The economy was in a bad way, with inflation high, foreign debt through the roof, and the subsequent lack of equity left in the country. The National, ruled under Robert Muldoon, called a snap election, which lead to the Labour party taking control of the country. The new Prime Minister, David Lange, immediately froze the foreign exchange market due to the major flow of currency out of the country, caused by speculation of the New Zealand dollar being devalued. Five later the exchange was reopened with the New Zealand dollar being devalued by 20 cents. This first major reform conducted by the newly elected government was to be just one of many carried out during the deregulation of the next eight months. By March 1985 a number of reforms had been passed by government to help save the economy and bring it in line with other modern economies and financial systems throughout the world. These reforms included the removal of interest rate controls, removal of the limit on interest paid to savings accounts (previously 3%), removal of the 30-day rule (a rule for trading banks, halting them from paying interest on money deposited for less than 30 days), removal of the special position given to a number of dealers on the short term money market, removal of the limitations placed interest rates and maturity for off shore borrowings, reduction in boarder controls, and the floating of the New Zealand dollar on the exchange market. Perhaps the most important changes made, however, were the reforms of the Reserve Banks monetary policies (Spencer, 1990)(Spencer & Carey, 1988)(Peare, 1999). In 1986 the reforms, by the Labour party, of the New Zealand banking system began with expansion of the financial system to incorporate new domestic and foreign banks, with no limits placed of the number of new banks allowed. As well as leading to a more competitive banking system, it also lead to an increase in the powers of supervision allocated to the Reserve

China 1400’s

In the early 1400’s most people did not venture outside of their birthplace. Most did not live long lives. They died either from child birth, famine, or sickness. Their knowledge of Arts, medicine, work, and law was confined to the small village and the families that lived there. They would have traveled only a few miles to the next village to trade or shop for necessities. The bulk of their food intake would have been corn, wheat, sorghum, rice and barley. But not too far away in the same world there were missionaries, pilgrims, explorers, conquerors, seaman, caravan leaders and merchants.Explorers and conquerors made their way to villages and took people into their web of networks most against their will. In the beginning merchants were like lower class people. They were watched closely, and their activities were regulated. However as the world got bigger the merchants grew in power, wealth, and status. China was a power house in the early 1400’s. They were an advance d region and would have been best prepared for the emerging world market. They were trading silk, spices, tea, religion, and sickness. Sickness was a drawback/ disadvantage of having travelers, merchants and traders in your area.China had a fleet of ships that traveled to places such as Calicut, Thailand, and other countries. But in 1421 a emperor named Yongle stopped a voyages by the Ming Fleet, and in 1436 emperor Zhu Qizhen ordered the destruction of all shipbuilding plans. China became isolated from other countries and isolated from itself merchants and traders were not supported by the government and were not protected from pirates. The population almost tripled in size from the 1400’s to the 1600 to a staggering 160 million. The majority were poor and could not purchase from Chinese traders.

Free Essays on Daisy Miller & Huck Finn- American Adventures

NOSEWAKS@aOl.com March 20, 2002 DAISY MILLER AND HUCK FINN-AMERICAN ADVENTURERS After reading the two American classics â€Å"Daisy Miller† by Henry James, and â€Å"Huckleberry Finn† by Mark Twain, I thought about the messages these authors were saying about their societies. Both authors lived at a time when very influential things were happening in their worlds. The Civil War, and the ceaseless turmoil between social classes. Twain and James both wrote these two stories around the same period. Like everyone, they were influenced by their surroundings and personal experiences. Although they were both very different people with completely different backgrounds, they both managed to have leading characters that had the common problem of not fitting in their societies. Although James’ Daisy Miller and Twain’s Huck had a common problem, they both had very different ways of coping with it. They both had different strategies of living in an environment they didn’t completely control. Henry James had the very plain Miller family traveling throughout Europe at a time when many people in the world were immigrating to the Unites States. Her family was wealthy enough to pay for such a trip where she was able to stay at the most extravagant hotels in Europe. James makes it clear numerous times that the Miller family was new to this level of money. While Daisy stayed in these hotels she had a chance to see what the people of her new status were like. Coming from a background that was not as fortunate as the people she stayed with in Europe, she wanted what she couldn’t have had. She wanted to be part of the privileged society. In Europe, James has her finally getting what she wanted- the ability to interact with societies upper class. Daisy’s flaw was that she had the tool to be with the 1900th century aristocrats (money), but she didn’t have the culture to pass as one. This is a tragic conflict for her.... Free Essays on Daisy Miller & Huck Finn- American Adventures Free Essays on Daisy Miller & Huck Finn- American Adventures NOSEWAKS@aOl.com March 20, 2002 DAISY MILLER AND HUCK FINN-AMERICAN ADVENTURERS After reading the two American classics â€Å"Daisy Miller† by Henry James, and â€Å"Huckleberry Finn† by Mark Twain, I thought about the messages these authors were saying about their societies. Both authors lived at a time when very influential things were happening in their worlds. The Civil War, and the ceaseless turmoil between social classes. Twain and James both wrote these two stories around the same period. Like everyone, they were influenced by their surroundings and personal experiences. Although they were both very different people with completely different backgrounds, they both managed to have leading characters that had the common problem of not fitting in their societies. Although James’ Daisy Miller and Twain’s Huck had a common problem, they both had very different ways of coping with it. They both had different strategies of living in an environment they didn’t completely control. Henry James had the very plain Miller family traveling throughout Europe at a time when many people in the world were immigrating to the Unites States. Her family was wealthy enough to pay for such a trip where she was able to stay at the most extravagant hotels in Europe. James makes it clear numerous times that the Miller family was new to this level of money. While Daisy stayed in these hotels she had a chance to see what the people of her new status were like. Coming from a background that was not as fortunate as the people she stayed with in Europe, she wanted what she couldn’t have had. She wanted to be part of the privileged society. In Europe, James has her finally getting what she wanted- the ability to interact with societies upper class. Daisy’s flaw was that she had the tool to be with the 1900th century aristocrats (money), but she didn’t have the culture to pass as one. This is a tragic conflict for her....

Hello Mississippi essays

Hello Mississippi essays 1. The development of Muslim authority within India grew out of the demise of the Abbasid Caliphate in Persia. Eastward expansion under the Ghaznavids and the subsequent acquisition of territories in Northern India helped provide a stepping-stone for further insurgencies into the prosperous region of the Deccan and southern India. By way of introducing the Shari Law and many other Turkish administrative customs, the Muslim elite were able to consolidate their foothold in the various regions. Hindu regional elites were appeased and then later taxed under the rule of the Tughluqs. Their role in the localities was therefore central to both the development and the demise of Muslim hegemony in this period. The importation of a wealth of materials and technological advances in the form of horses and various ingenious agricultural inventions also serve to transform the social, political and economical environment in the region. However the very fact that the Hindu peoples made up the superi or portion of the population was systematic in preventing the extension of Muslim rule throughout. The various Hindu regional polities which grew out of the indirect rule of the Sultanates of Delhi and Daulatabad, notably Vijayanagar, underline this factor. The Ghurid acquisition of Ghazni in 1152 marked a marked growth of Muslims eastward expansion. Bringing with them a variety of new trades, (horses, slaves) the Ghurids, notably Ala Udin and Mahmud of Ghori, were able to supplant the local Rajput princes. After a decisive loss at Tarain in 1193 Mahmud of Ghori successfully swept to victory and toward Delhi in 1198. Although Mahmud was not instrumental in bringing about the growth of Delhi, his slave and lieutenant Aibak, quickly asserted himself as the ruling authority. Using a system of superior techniques and the extensive materials at his disposal Aibak was able to consolidate his position. Aibak himself quickly set up an independent stat ...

Strategy implementation Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Strategy implementation - Assignment Example The names on the left are pocket-friendly; they are cheaper the further the arrow goes. As one move, the opposite direction to the right brands gets more expensive prices rise. Across the vertical side on the horizontal axis brands are more expensive. The price increase so does the content of the brands. The arrows also mean that one can get expensive and yet light brands or heavy brands depending on the closeness to the axis. All brands above the horizontal axis are heavy brands regardless of the price it costs. All those below the horizontal axis, there are brands that are light whether budget wise or are on the premium side. Above is a perceptual map for the shampoo market. Just like the beer perceptual map, the shampoo perceptual shows the different segments formed in the market for the products. There are different view and test that different people in the market will want. A Price of a product is always a critical factor to consider when purchasing a product. In the case of different types of shampoos, have different scents. The Net worth of a company shows how much a company would remain with is if it decided to end its business operations. When calculating the net worth of an entity or shareholders’ equity, sum up all assets both current and fixed and find the sum of all the liabilities the firm has. They include current liabilities and long-term liabilities To calculate the price-earnings ratio, one just finds the current price of the stock of a company and then divide it by earnings per share. In short, it is a ration of an organization’s stock price to that of the firm’s earnings per share. Outstanding shares are the common stock that a company authorizes to be issued and purchased by investors. Capital change will be the value in the equity column less the value in the increase of the company’s

The Factors that Affect Online Buying Decisions Essay

The Factors that Affect Online Buying Decisions - Essay Example It is generally expected that with the Internet, national and geographical boundaries should become irrelevant when engaging in business exchanges; consequently, global expansion on the Internet could promise greater customer reach and profits. However, although the adoption rate of Internet shopping is relatively high in the West, it is still generally unpopular in the East (Lee et al., 2004, 545). The above assumptions which present the current conditions regarding the use and the evaluation of an Internet site from a consumers’ perspective, although completed regarding the issues targeted they can, however, be been criticised as limited to the geographical aspect of the Internet usage. The current paper examines the online activity from the aspect of the transactions made, mostly the online shopping. Under these terms, the factors that affect the relevant decision are being examined in order to provide a specific and complete view on the issue. The use of research tools, su ch as questionnaires, has been evaluated as necessary in order to gather empirical information regarding the specific subject. Moreover, the data revealed are being analyzed and compared between them but also with the views of the literature, so that the formulation of a integrate result to be achieved at the highest possible level. According to a British Computer Society research (Kavanagh, 2005), online shoppers are starting to desert the High Street; however, the same survey also shows that many people are being excluded from electronic services. According to the above survey (which was conducted by interviewing a representative sample of 2,113 people aged over 15) about 35% of the people surveyed shop online — and nearly one-fifth of these now choose to shop online rather than visit the High Street; in addition, although 46% still prefer the High Street, 36% have no preference, again suggesting wide acceptance of online shopping.