Splitting in Borderline Personality Disorder

Splitting in Borderline Personality Disorder BPD Print Splitting and Borderline Personality Disorder A defense mechanism where everything is black or white By Kristalyn Salters-Pedneault, PhD Kristalyn Salters-Pedneault, PhD, is a clinical psychologist and associate professor of psychology at Eastern Connecticut State University. Learn about our editorial policy Kristalyn Salters-Pedneault, PhD Reviewed by Reviewed by Amy Morin, LCSW on July 01, 2019 facebook twitter instagram Amy Morin, LCSW, is a psychotherapist, author of the bestselling book 13 Things Mentally Strong People Dont Do, and a highly sought-after speaker. Learn about our Wellness Board Amy Morin, LCSW Updated on July 28, 2019 More in BPD Diagnosis Treatment Living With BPD Related Conditions In This Article Table of Contents Expand Overview Examples of Splitting Features Diagnosis Care and Coping Emergencies View All Back To Top Splitting is a term used in psychiatry to describe the inability to hold opposing thoughts, feelings, or beliefs. Some might say that a person who splits sees the world in terms of black or white, all or nothing. Its a distorted way of thinking in which the positive or negative attributes of a person or event are neither weighed nor cohesive. Verywell / Hugo Lin   Splitting and Borderline Personality Disorder Splitting is considered a defense mechanism by which people with borderline personality disorder (BPD)  can view people, events, or even themselves in all or nothing terms.?? Splitting allows them to readily discard things they have assigned as bad and to embrace things they consider good, even if those things are harmful or risky. Understanding Borderline Personality Disorder Examples of Splitting Splitting can interfere with relationships and lead to intense and self-destructive behaviors. A person who splits will typically frame people or events in terms that are absolute with no middle ground for discussion?? . Examples include: Things are either always or neverPeople can either be evil and crooked or angels and perfectOpportunities can either have no risk or be a complete conScience, history, or news is either a complete fact or a complete lieWhen things go wrong, a person will feel cheated, ruined, or screwed What makes splitting all the more confusing is that the belief can sometimes be iron-clad or shift back-and-forth from one moment to the next. People who split are often seen to be overly dramatic or overwrought, especially when declaring that things have either completely fallen apart or completely turned around. Such behavior can be exhausting to those around them. Accompanying Features   By itself, splitting may seem almost commonplace, a behavior easily attributed to any number of individuals we know and maybe even ourselves. However, splitting in BPD is considered a consistent and distorted behavior usually accompanied by other symptoms?? , such as: Acting out (acting without consideration to consequences)Passive aggression (an indirect expression of hostility)Denial (consciously ignoring a fact or reality)Projection (assigning an undesirable emotion to someone else)Omnipotence (the belief that you possess superiority in intelligence or power)Emotional hypochondriasis (trying to get others to understand how severe your emotional pain is)Projective identification (denying your own feelings, projecting them onto someone else, and then behaving toward that person in a way that forces them to respond to you  with the feelings you projected onto them) How BPD Is Diagnosed A BPD diagnosis can only be made by a qualified mental health specialist. To make the diagnosis, the doctor would need to confirm five of nine symptoms outlined in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5), including:?? Intense and stormy relationships that involve splittingFeeling persistently empty or boredA warped view of yourself that affects your emotions, values, moods, and relationshipsImpulsive behavior, such as abusing substances or driving recklesslyAnger issues, such as violent outbursts followed by extreme guilt and remorseExtreme attempts to avoid abandonment or extreme feelings of abandonmentSuicidal thoughts and/or self-harming behaviorsExtreme depression, anxiety, or irritability that can persist for hours and daysFeeling dissociated from yourself, including paranoia and amnesia Caring for a Loved One With BPD There is no easy answer on how to deal with a loved one who has BPD, especially when symptoms are extreme. How you cope depends largely on the nature of your relationship and the impact your loved ones symptoms are having on your family. However, there are some guiding principles that may help, including:?? Cultivate empathy. Start by reminding yourself that splitting is part of the disorder. While certain actions may seem intentional and manipulative, your loved one is not doing any of this to gain satisfaction. These are simply defense mechanisms he or she turns to whenever he or she feels defenseless.Try to manage your response. If your loved one has BPD, keep in mind that you are in the better position to control your temper. Yelling or engaging in hostility will only serve to make the situation even worse.Remind your loved one that you care. People with BPD are often terrified of being rejected or abandoned. Knowing that someone cares often helps reduce the splitting behavior.Maintain lines of communication. Discussing a situation when it happens allows you to isolate that event rather than piling one situation on top of the next. Failure to communicate only serves to fuel your loved ones rejection anxiety.Set boundaries. Dealing with the challenges of BPD is one thing; becoming th e object of abuse is another. Always set limits with a loved one who has BPD. If that line is ever crossed, explain why you are backing away and try to do so dispassionately. Setting boundaries helps preserve the relationship rather than challenging it.Encourage and support treatment.  Your loved one can live a better life with treatment, which may include medication and/or talk therapy, most likely dialectical behavior therapy (DBT). Encourage him or her to start or continue with treatment and learn everything you can about what he or she is going through. If needed, participate in therapy with your loved one.Take care of yourself. This may include finding your own therapist to help you balance your needs along with those of your loved one. When BPD Harms Your Well-Being There may be times where you will need to take more drastic action. In the event that the relationship is harming your family, your work, and your sense of well-being, you may be faced with the reality that the relationship cannot continue.?? While this is an incredibly painful choice for everyone involved, it can also be the most healthy in some cases. If needed, this decision should be made with the help of a qualified mental health professional.

Reflection About Self Reflection - 1343 Words

Self-Reflection I always thought of myself as a fairly talented writer. Throughout the years from elementary school to highschool I have always found it easy to write. With that in mind, I came into this class thinking that I was gonna float right through it and it would be easy. I never had though about how much more there was to learn and how much I could improve my writing. I have learned many valuable skills such as researching credible information, using critical thinking and rhetorical strategy, writing mechanics, analyzing and disproving counter-arguments, addressing specific audiences, and using peer editing in my writing process. With my progress throughout this class, I have developed into an exceptional writer which will†¦show more content†¦Using my developed Critical Thinking Skills, I was able to pull parts of information from different sources and make connections to further strengthen my argument. In the Analyzing a Visual paper, I had to use a lot of critic al thinking to break down the image and develop criteria based on what I saw. I had to formulate ideas that could not be found in the image alone, but from breaking down the image and thinking about what it really means, I could develop these ideas. Also, in the Justifying an Evaluation paper, i needed to use critical thinking and rhetorical strategy to break down the website’s content and determine if it was effective or not. These included things such as organization, visuals, functionality, and how these relate with one another. These critical thinking skills that I have obtained will aid me in my future with school and my career. In the beginning of the semester, I had trouble with my writing mechanics. I had a difficult time keeping my papers organized and my papers balanced. I had some really strong paragraphs and others lacking essential details. Since then I have significantly improved in my mechanics. My latest papers have organized, balanced paragraphs which makes a good flow for the reader to follow. I solved my issue by making sure my outline had several details for each criteria so that when I typed out each paragraph, they would have enough detail to balance with everyShow MoreRelatedReflection About Self Reflection2036 Words   |  9 Pagessince making the decision to return to college, and one in which I know has undoubtedly induced such a powerful personal impact, more so than any other curriculum I’ve studied. Reading the two books I was assigned required an enormous amount of self reflection and helped explain how certain occurrences shaped me into the person I am today, and taught me the necessary skills needed to elevate my understanding on the subject of biblical narrative, and how instrumental it is in developing my story. WhileRead MoreEssay about Self Reflection4184 Words   |  17 Pagesthe baby boomer generation, Greg defined that this generation is workaholic. They are work efficiently and crusading causes. Baby boom er is also personal fulfillment and desire quality of work. On the other hand, based on Greg, the generation X is self-reliance who wants structure and direction on works. They will eliminate the task and always skeptical others ability. However, the generation Y is tenacity at work and they are multitasking. Generation Y is goal oriented as they focus on what theyRead MoreReflection About Self Compassion1310 Words   |  6 PagesSelf Compassion and love are two things everyone needs to discover. When you discover the true concepts and apply them to your everyday life your outlook on life can be transformed. Using the concepts from the book â€Å"Self-Compassion† by Kristin Neff, I will discuss the idea of self-compassion and provide examples of my life experiences and strategies that I have used. Then I will use the concepts from the books â€Å"Lovability† by Robert Holden and â€Å"Whatever Arises Love That† by Matt Kahn to discuss theRead MoreReflection Pap er About Self2161 Words   |  9 Pagesof the Sister to Sister class, the one that resonated with and still resonates with me the most would have to be the theme of self. This is simply because you cannot even begin to form a sense of community or delve into higher education successfully without a keen awareness of self. This phenomenon is stated beautifully with, â€Å"an ongoing commitment to developing the self is paramount to the establishment of an identity that is centered and grounded† (King, T. C., Ferguson, S. A 2). The ongoingRead MoreSelf-Reflection Paper About Cbt and Act680 Words   |  3 PagesSelf-Reflection Paper about CBT and ACT The late 1960s through the 1990s represented a second generation of behavior therapy and it is called Cognitive Behavior Therapy. It is born from the view that the history of behavior therapy, in which cognitive factors assumed greater importance in both therapy and practice. The central idea is that psychological disorders involve dysfunctional thinking and modifying dysfunctional thinking is linked to improvement in symptoms. Since the 1990s, acceptance-basedRead MoreEssay about Self Reflection for Oral Presentation733 Words   |  3 PagesSelf Reflection for Oral Presentation Firstly, I would like to begin by saying that feedback was very mixed and gave some very differing opinions on the presentation as a whole. As an example, several reviewers stated that eye contact was poor throughout the presentation but several others contradict this. Again this is apparent with the clarity and volume of our speech. According to half the reviewers the presentation was too softly spoken and not clear with the other half praising our clarityRead MoreEssay about Self-Reflection: Writing Composition1410 Words   |  6 Pageswriting about to find the correct criteria. In my Advertisement Synthesis, titled â€Å"Toyota: Past vs. Present†, I wrote â€Å"In terms of aesthetic sensations, the target audience, and the overall message, Toyota’s 2014 Corolla ad contrasts from Toyota’s 1990 Corolla ad† (Tharwani 1). I had to conclude these differences through my observations. As a result, writing the criteria for a synthesis essay helped me improve m y critical thinking skills. Furthermore, synthesis allowed me to critically think about theRead MoreThe Activity Of Doing Action Research Among Iranian Teachers1540 Words   |  7 Pagesinterviewing with professional teachers, since reflection is an unfamiliar terminology among Iranian learners and teachers which has not been practically used yet. Thus, they can gain the best possible reflective and successful as well as practical and effective outcome. Teachers on the other hand have the responsibility of helping the students which could guide them to become better, autonomous learners through different procedures and ways of reflection. As the results which were investigated in advanceRead MoreReflection Of A Reflective Leadership Retreats1084 Words   |  5 Pages as well as application of the lessons to personal, professional, and spiritual settings. We experienced what Walters (2006) considered the essence of retreats, which is to â€Å"have conversations with each other abo ut things that are important†¦individually and collectively† (p. 22) Reflection on Retreat Experience Accustomed to a world inundated with technology, constant motion, and noise, spending a sustained period of time in nature initially produced feelings of isolation and withdrawal. The feelingsRead MoreReporting Studying senior social science subjects was the most influential factor which provided a1600 Words   |  7 Pages This concept highly resembles that of SCCT’s ‘self-efficacy’, a concept originally derived from Bandura’s theory (1989), which determines basic career and academic interests as well as further career choice (Lent, Brown Hackett, 1994). In my case, the successful achievement in the assignment had significantly influenced in developing a strong self-efficacy in the related activities, while positive outcome expectations were formed by the high self-efficacy and enjoyment of performing similar activities

Symptoms And Diagnosis Of Alzheimer s Disease - 2581 Words

Word Count: 1840 It is estimated that currently 5.1 million Americans may have Alzheimer’s disease. [1] 60-70% of dementia cases in the elderly are caused by Alzheimer’s. [2] As the population ages a greater percentage of Americans will be impacted whereas between present time and 2050 it is estimated that 20 percent of the population will be in an age category that puts them at risk. [1] The disease is a progressive, degenerative disorder that attacks the neurons resulting in memory loss, language skills, thinking and behavioral changes. Diagnostic and therapeutic approaches to this disease are changing due to knowledge that the underlying pathology begins 10-20 years before the symptoms appear. [3] Therefore new methods are†¦show more content†¦[5] In an Alzheimer’s Dementia brain the insoluble Aï  ¢ exceeds soluble forms of Aï  ¢ by a factor of about 100-fold. [6] It has been indicated that these plaques can be cleared. [7] Plaques are composed of insoluble Aï  ¢ peptides, mostly 42 amino acids in length (Aï  ¢-42) [8] Knowledge of the initial deposition of Aï  ¢ plaques is important to improve understanding of early Alzheimer’s Dementia pathology. It is suggested that APP mismetabolism and subsequent Aï  ¢ aggregation are the primary events driving pathogenesis. [9] Mutations in the Aï  ¢ precursor protein gene on chromosome 21, lying in or near the Aï  ¢Ã¯â‚¬  peptide region, cause early-onset, autosomal dominant familial forms of Alzheimer’s Dementia. [10] The deposition of Aï  ¢ is likely important for signifying the beginning of the pathological cascade even if it may not be the only or main causal event. However, since all young healthy persons and many older individuals (who do not have Alzheimer’s Dementia) have no evidence of Aï  ¢ deposition the conversion of a non-demented individual with no evidence of Aï  ¢ plaques to Aï  ¢ deposits in a cerebral distribution suggests a pathological event. Biomarkers provide a unique, useful biological measure of the underlying pathology independent of any clinical signs and neuropsychological characteristics of Alzheimer’s Dementia. Identification of reliable biomarkers is critical

A Rose for Emily Analysis Free Essays

Gabi Kuhn 4B 11/13/12 1) What is the point of view of the story? The point of view of the story is a third person. The amount of information the reader knows would be somewhat that of a typical townsperson, since we do not find out right away what is really going on inside of the house, or have a deep view into Miss Emily’s feelings. From this point of view, we see things as how they would appear to a townsperson or viewer. We will write a custom essay sample on A Rose for Emily Analysis or any similar topic only for you Order Now 2) What does the title of the story suggest about the townspeople’s feelings toward Miss Emily? Why do they feel this way about her? (Or: What does she represent to them? ) Is there anything ironic about their feelings? The title of the story suggests that the townspeople have some sort of caring feeling towards her, since a rose is usually a symbol of care or love. They feel some sort of respect to her and her family, since they are the last remnant of the traditional south and the only ones who embrace it the most. The townspeople actually have a pity for her, because after her father died, the association of her being higher class lowered. Then, it was lowered the most when she started to spend time with Homer Barron because he was from the North and a day laborer, and thought Miss Emily should have been with someone of higher status, as she was brought up. 3) Describe and discuss the symbolism of Miss Emily’s house. The dust all over the interior of Miss Emily’s house symbolizes the traditional south which Miss Emily continues to embrace mentally through her actions and visually through the looks of her house. The traditional south ways are being abandoned, but Emily refuses to go along. The traditional south ways are old, and Emily wants to stay attached to them, so they linger throughout her home in the visual form of old dust. The portrait of her father symbolizes also that Emily does not want to adjust to the new times. He lived his life in the traditional times, and she did not want to believe that he was dead. The portrait symbolizes his everlasting presence in Emily’s life, even after his death. 4) What is the role of the â€Å"smell† incident in the story. What other problems has Miss Emily caused the local authorities? The role of the smell incident gives suspicion as to what it is in Miss Emily’s house that is causing it. It gives suspicion that it is something like a dead body, because only such things like a dead body can have such a permeating odor able to reach outside. Miss Emily also has not paid the taxes and thinks she is still entitled to the tax waiver that Colonel Sartoris gave to her, even though he is dead. 5) How do the townspeople know what they know about Miss Emily’s life? What is the source of their information? The townspeople know what they do about her house from when the Aldermen visited the inside of her house. They were the ones who saw how dusty and creepy it was inside of the Grierson house. They also get the minister’s wife to get in contact with her relatives, who then come and visit. They also know most of the information they know by simply keeping track of her and seeing her do the things she does, such as buy the poison, and buy the wedding gifts. They all find out by gossiping and sharing the things they see, especially the older women. 6) Consider the mixed quality of the townspeople’s reactions to Miss Emily’s â€Å"failures†. 7) What is the significance of Miss Emily’s actions after the death of her father? Miss Emily tried to keep the body of her father with her in her house. This signifies that she did not want to accept the fact that he was dead. She was lonely, and did not want him to go too, like her lover that had recently left her. He was part of the last of the Grierson family and had shaped her whole life, so she did not want to let him go. 8) What role does Homer Barron play in the story? Is there anything ironic about a match between him and Miss Emily? Homer Barron plays the newcomer to town who Miss Emily succeeds with in her ruesome plans for him. The irony in their relationship is that they are from different regions, which did not have a good relationship back then, because of the Civil War. Homer was from the North, and represented the new innovation of the coming future. Miss Emily has remained in the South all her life and wishes to stay practicing her values and not adjust to changes in life. It is also ironic that after all of the upbringing from her father sending away men who were not â€Å"high enough in class† for her, that she would choose Homer as her partner. Her father would have never approved of him. 9) Look closely at the second paragraph in section five. What does this paragraph suggest about the nature of the people’s memories of the past? 10) What is the horrible revelation about Miss Emily that the story ends with? How is this related to the overall meaning of the story? The horrible revelation about Miss Emily is that she actually used the rat poison to kill Homer, and even more grotesque, she kept his body frozen in time so that he could stay with her forever. We also find a gray hair from Miss Emily, which means that she laid down next to the body in the bed for her own satisfaction. This is related to the overall meaning of the story because it shows how Miss Emily was determined to live life and have things the way she wanted them, and she didn’t care that the times were changing or that her actions were socially unacceptable. She lived the rest of her life devoted to the traditional ways of the south, and did not want to accept any changes. How to cite A Rose for Emily Analysis, Essay examples

Competitive Advantage in Business Environments †MyAssignmenthelp

Question: Discuss about the Competitive Advantage in Business Environments. Answer: Introduction Projects are initiated to satisfy specific predetermined needs. For a project to be defined as successful, it must be completed within a fixed period, budget and within the desired quality. Project managers must, therefore, make use time and cost management tools and techniques to ensure those project deliverables are met. Project management refers to the use of techniques, tools, skills, and knowledge in project activities to ensure that project deliverables are met (Wysocki Mcgary, 2013). This report explores the concept o time and cost management in project management with regards to its significance and the applicable tools and techniques. Management of time and cost in project management is quite important for the project management practice. There are numerous advantages presented by such plans. Project time is the time set aside for the completion of a given project. Time management in project management is, therefore, the effort put in place to ensure that a project is completed within the established timeline. Sound time management plans have numerous advantages to both the project team and other project stakeholders. Time management facilitates maintenance of the project scope and budget by ensuring that no deviations are encountered in the course of project implementation. Having sound time management plans can also save project team and project manager stress and burnout that is associated with a last-minute rush to complete a project while considering all the project objectives. Time management plans, therefore, reduces the chances of a possible negative impact on a project by ensuring that project deliverables are completed in their established order (Thomsett, 2010). Project budget refers to the amount of money set aside for successful completion of all project deliverables. The project cost is the amount of money required to implement deliverables of a project successfully. Project cost management is one of the most important aspects of any given project. There are numerous benefits of having in place sound cost management plans including controlling costs associated with a given project as well as business costs (Pautsch Steininger,2014). Cost management also ensures that all project deliverables are met within the established budget, reduces chances of project delay, change of scope and ensures that a project is completed within the desired quality Time blocking technique is a technique that works on the principle of dedicating several hours to a single task. The project manager can use this technique by blocking time on the calendar for each task. Through the use of this technique, a schedule for completion of each project task is created while leaving allowances for any possible interruptions that might be encountered in the course of implementation (Pasian, 2015). The weekly review is an effective time management tool that allows a project manager to identify the most important actions which need to be prioritized. The weekly review makes it possible to focus on more important tasks on a weekly basis. Prioritization of important tasks reduces time possible time wastage that can lead to project delays (Kerzner Learning, 2013). A to-do list is a list of activities which must be carried out in a given undertaking. This technique involves the creation and writing down a daily list of activities and tasks to be carried out. All the listed tasks must be completed by the end of the day until all project deliverables have been achieved. The to-do list ensures that no project tasks are overlooked or forgotten hence ensuring that no project delays are witnessed (Harrin Peplow,2012). Expert judgment technique makes use of specialist knowledge and experience in estimating the cost of a project by taking into account any factors related to a given project. This knowledge can come from members of the project team, the project manager or experts outside the project team. It facilitates budget decision making based on expert viewpoint. The bottom-up technique works through the involvement of project team members in the Budget estimation process. Typically it involves the team members working together with the team members to develop estimates for each task in a project. This technique presents a cost estimation method that is more accurate than other methods (Heldman Mangano, 2011). This technique involves analyzing a project from cost overruns and creation of buffers in the appropriate places to facilitate effective countering of project uncertainties. Reserve analysis facilitates monitoring, reduction. Usage or elimination of project buffers depending on the situation at hand (Pasian, 2015). Project scope refers to the features or deliverables of a given project derived from the requirements of the project. Activities to control and monitors the scope of the project Planning will involve creation and organization of activities that require being done to achieve the deliverables of the project through formulation of strategies to meet them Controlling focuses on making sure that there is no deviation of performance from standards through the establishment of performance standards, Comparison of performance against established standards and adoption of corrective action whenever need be. Controlling will be used to document scope creep, tracing and giving consent or declining proposed project changes This will involve examination of project deliverables and an assessment the outcomes of the project against the initial project plan before closing the project to determine if all expectations have been met Other activities will include schedule control, risk control, quality control, change control, undertaking of change reporting and scope verification (Pautsch Steininger,2014). Conclusion In Conclusion, time and budget management are essential considerations in the success of any given project. For this reason having in place, sound time and cost management plans can be of significant value to a project, among the techniques commonly used are weekly reviews, the creation of a to-do list, expert judgment technique, bottom-up technique, reserve analysis and time blocking technique. Finally, several activities can be undertaken to manage the scope of a project including controlling, scope verification, planning and change reporting. Reference List Bodea, C.-N., Purnus, A., Huemann, M., Hajdu, M. (2016). Managing project risks for competitive advantage in changing business environments. Heldman, K., Mangano, V. (2011). PMP: project management professional exam review guide. Indianapolis, Ind, Wiley. Harrin, E., Peplow, P. (2012). Customer-centric project management. Farnham, Gower. Kerzner, H. R., Learning, I. I. F. (2013). Project management - best practices: achieving global excellence. Hoboken, N.J., Wiley. https://rbdigital.oneclickdigital.com Pasian, B. (2015). Designs, methods and practices for research of project management. Routledge. Pautsch, P., Steininger, S. (2014). Lean Project Managment Projekte exzellent umsetzen. Mu?nchen, Hanser, Carl. Thomsett, M. C. (2010). The little black book of project management. New York, American Management Association. https://public.eblib.com/choice/publicfullrecord.aspx?p=472580. Wysocki, R. K., Mcgary, R. (2013). Effective project management: traditional, adaptive, extreme. Indianapolis, Wiley Pub. https://www.123library.org/book_details/?id=47451

PJ Smoothies Essay Example

PJ Smoothies Essay In the world of business we live in today, marketing has a crucial role. In the previous days, back in the first days of the industrial revolution, entrepreneurs believed that it only production that was important. All resources are dedicated to increase the capacity for producing good and services with little worries of whether the products were going to get sold. This sentiment lasted for decades because people in the past were still craving at the marvel of technology and mass production, which entrepreneurs have little care of the amount they produce, because generally, no matter how much they produce, the society absorbs.Of course, this is nothing like the present day. Today, mass production and technological advancements have become natural parts of people’s lives. There is no sense in producing without considering how much the market would be willing to absorb. There are times when people are easier to influence using many kinds of marketing efforts and ‘tricksâ⠂¬â„¢. However, people of the day have seemed to go pass that stage. Marketing jargons and propaganda can no longer dictate what people want. Consumes are more critical and selective. Today, marketers must be sensitive of where the market’s interest are growing today, and act upon it.Today, marketing should be the guide of any production decision. Moreover, marketing should be involved in almost all stages of product design and even pricing. This is important because in the end, only marketers have the most vivid idea of what consumers want and how much they will pay to obtain it. This concept is well known and there are many companies turn into market-based companies. However, there are those that get tangled-up in the complexity of their own businesses and deviate from their existing market niches.Within this paper, I will discuss the marketing strategy that is appropriate for smoothies, the new trend of drinking in United Kingdom. The paper will contain suggestions of stra tegic position and the appropriate marketing mix to support that strategic position.II.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Product and Corporate BackgroundII.1  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Product BackgroundSmoothies are the new trend of drinks in United Kingdom. In simple definition it is a fruit drink. Some may refer to it as a fruit juice, but PJ refer to them as crushed fruit. There is a rather different understanding regarding the two definitions. The first is smoothies made of juiced fruit, which has more of a juice-flavor and nutrient contents. On the other hand PJ smoothies are made out of concentrated fruit juice, which is closer to the ‘crushed fruit’ definition and sets the differences between ordinary juice and smoothies. Other characteristics that created differences between smoothies and juices are that smoothies uses yogurt as a mixed ingredients along with the various fruits (‘Pulp Friction’, 2004).The drink became popula r because it has a recreational sense within it and it is in line with the health sentiment to have at least five portions of fruit and vegetables daily. Nevertheless, there are also analysts who stated that PJ Smoothies are rich with natural sugar and has a low proportion of fiber. In other words, other supplements of fruity vitamins are still necessary despite having a bottle of PJ Smoothies a day. The inventor, Harry Cragoe, stated in his defense that the drink is not meant to be an exclusive and expensive health drink, but rather an affordable healthy drink.As mentioned previously, the trend of Starbucks have gained new competition as the society looks for a healthier ‘fun’ in their drinking habit. The product has been around for a long time in the United States, but has recently been popular in United Kingdom. The UK smoothies market was created no longer than 12 years ago in 1994, when Harry Cragoe decided to import the products to UK markets because he was surpri sed not to find this delicious treat anywhere in UK. He had to sell his flat as a part of financing the business at first. Afterwards, in 1998 the company purchased a former bottling facility in an industrial estate in Newark, and began to make smoothies in the United Kingdom (‘How to Make’, 2004).The smoothies industry has developed from zero to a  £ 33 million business in just 10 years. PJ are still the market leader in respect of volumes in 2002, but sometimes, their tight competitors, Innocence, took over for several months. The competition is tight as both has controlling shares of the UK smoothies market (about 40% each)II.2  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Corporate Background ‘Pete and Johny Smoothies’In its first years of production, the company gained tremendous profit because of the lack of competition. However, after the year 2000, the prices have come down to a competitive level, leaving the company with decreasing profitability. The decreasing profitabil ity continued as competition gets tighter with Innocence. By 2003, the company already reported losses instead of profits, despite its increase in sales number (John, 2005).In early 2005, the company sells itself in efforts of gaining capital to repair and develop the business. The buyer was Pepsi, who has similar market segment with the brand named Tropicana and Copella. Many considered this as a good step to restructures and further develop the business. Nevertheless, Innocent was pessimistic toward the deal. They doubt if the combination could help enhance a business with such a low profit margin (John, 2005). However, they are also taking the positive side that the deal would help the UK smoothies market to grow (‘PJ Smoothies Sells’, 2005). After the purchase, Pepsi sent its representative to help develop the product personality of the brand (‘Landor’, 2006).III.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Strategic Positioning SuggestionsIn or der to provide this paper with a more analytical structure, I am using the Porter’s five forces analysis and the SWOT analysis to help develop a deeper understanding of the smoothies industry and what competitive advantages doe PJ Smoothies have. The results of this analysis are suggestions of what PJ Smoothies should do or should be aware of in the near future. The final suggestion will be made in the four Ps marketing mix form.III.1  Ã‚  Ã‚   Porter’s Five Forces AnalysisIII.1.1. RivalryAs revealed previously, the company –which has been a separate company owned by Pepsi- currently in tight competition with Innocent, its only worthy rival. The UK Smoothies industry has a highly concentrated market with only two large companies holding up to 80 % of the entire market share. However, the competition between these two is tight. In early years, PJ, who had the first start, led the way by 70% of the market. However, the last development reveals that the company i s losing in terms of market share to Innocent. The latest available information revealed that innocent now has 46% of the market, while Smoothies has only 33%.I believe that rivalry is the most important factor that will influence the condition of PJ Smoothies in years to come. Although some stated that harsh competition might scare away customers, but acknowledging the threat is necessary nonetheless. Competition should not be sees as a way to knock each other down; rather it is a way of learning from each other. I believe that PJ Smoothies have a lot to learn from this competitive atmosphere.III.1.2. Threats of SubstitutesSubstitutes are products of another industry or from the smoothies industry itself that consumers could use as a replacement of the original smoothies. The substitutes generally have lower level of quality and smaller cost structure that allow cheaper prices. However, it might not contain all the nutrients that are offered by the original smoothies. Regarding the smoothies’ product, substitutes come from fruit juice drinks products.The low cost of production allows just about anyone to produce fruit juice by themselves. The threat of substitutes does not necessarily come from companies of PJ’s scale. Rather, a small-scale stores or restaurant that sold good blend of fruit juice could take away market share from the company. There are many shops in UK that provided such fruit juice, and they have daily basis customers. In respect of this condition, it is largely necessary to differentiate the product in prices and flavors. I believe distinctive flavors and product personality are crucial for PJ Smoothies to gain a place in the market.III.1.3. Buyer PowerThis factor represents the threat that comes from consumers that overpowers producers. In some industries, due to the small amount or concentrated consumers, they posses a strong influence to the producers. Regarding the smoothies product however, such threats do not exist becau se consumers are from various level of social and economic stature. They are many and fragmented in nature. There is no sense in thinking that customers would integrate themselves and pose as a new threat to PJ Smoothies.III.1.4. Supplier PowerSupplier powers are the extent of influence possessed by providers of materials and equipment of the company’s production facility. They would have considerable influence if they are small or concentrated in number, or the materials are unique in nature. This factor also hold no threat toward the company. The business has simple ingredients structure and there are many providers. The type of tools and equipment necessary to produce also has numerous providers in such market as the United Kingdom. Thus, the supplier holds little influence.III.1.5 Barriers to EntryThis factor, on the other hand, has significant influence in the business. There are considerably small factors that could prevent anyone form entering the industry. The cost of capital to start the business is comparatively small and there are no restrictions form the government or patents that pose as a significant barrier. Technological issues pose some but insufficient barrier to keep competitors away. In other words, there is little reason to think that competitions would not appear out of nowhere and take portions of the market share. If PJ smoothies prefer a room for growth in the UK markets for the future, it must move fast to create a brand that has the capacity to obtain stronger consumer basis in most of the markets in UK.III.2  Ã‚  Ã‚   SWOT AnalysisIII.2.1 StrengthsOne of the strengths of the product came from the fact that there are few, or even non of similar products in United Kingdom. However, this advantage has passed away as innocent enters the market. Furthermore, due to the lack of notable barriers to enter the business, there is no reason to rely on the non-existence of competition. Other strength of the company is its place as the original smoothie maker in United Kingdom. PJ brings the product to the country and redesign them in its Newark production facility.The most powerful competitive advantage of the product is its promotion toward healthy living. The product is a way of creating joyful as well as healthy lives at the same time. In the middle of a society, that has grown great consciousness toward health and a healthy life, the product has found a good place in people’s heart. The company has taken advantage of this fact by inserting the health image into the product personality designIII.2.2 WeaknessesOne of the weaknesses of the product is related to its strength. The drink is fill with natural ingredients. Harry Cragoe, the inventor, is proud of the fact that the drink does not have any preservatives as a part of its ingredients. However, fresh fruit means shorter life span, and shorter life span could only lead to shorter shelf time. The company should have rather precise market estimation be cause a short estimation will cause customers to loose trust over the product and a long estimation will cause the products to be unproductive expenses.Other type of weakness that I would like to underline is the weak differentiation strategy of the product. As mentioned previously, the product would receive considerable competition from its surrounding environment and the only way to face such threat is by developing a strong differentiation strategy. The product must be distinctive and deliver unparalleled value to consumers (Doyle, 2000).Currently, the strategy of the company is not to be an elitist drink. In a way, the company directed its product to foster simplicity that would create the image of everyone’s drink. Concerning the importance of having a differentiation strategy as mentioned above, this simplicity image is not a good idea at all. People would see it as another drink in the market and they will go for competitor’s product who manages to deliver a hig h class and attractive image with competitive prices.The third weakness is the fact that the industry seem to have a very low selling price and a considerably high cost structure. The profit margin within the business has apparently been lower than expected. This could pose as a great threat as the product expands to larger volume of production.III.2.3 OpportunitiesOpportunities for the company come from its reputation and its new market all around the United Kingdom. Articles of various newspaper stated that smoothies is the new trend after Starbucks. This type of publication will keep people curious of how the product really taste. If the company manages to provide new consumers with quality that fulfill their expectations, the company will gain new daily customer as a result.The second opportunity is the children market. There is a great chance that the product will receive a good welcome by the children market because of its healthy traits. Parents would be glad to give their ch ildren a healthier drink compare to soft drinks or any other lack-of-nutrition drinks. However, this would only work if the company is able to insert some element within the product personality that is appealing to children. The sense of fun, friendly and cheerful in the products is important to obtain such achievement.III.2.4 ThreatsOne of the most apparent threats seems to attack the strength of the product itself. Some analysts claim that PJ smoothies have a high content of natural sugar and low fiber, which means that the health-promoting role is not as dominant as the company might want. The second threat comes from competitors like Innocent. If the company fails to deliver the right product image and make a worthy distinction out of itself, there is little chance that PJ will be able to maintain its 30% share of the smoothies market.IV.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The Marketing MixIn spite of the various factors of strategic positioning mentioned above, marketing decision eventually comes down to four types of decisions. They are called the marketing mix. They are tools to help marketers implement their strategic considerations into more actionable forms (Borden, 1994. Lauterborn, 1990). It is considered the final step of designing a marketing plan. In this paper, these four aspects of marketing strategy are the outcomes of the considerations mentioned in previous chapters.IV.1  Ã‚  Ã‚   ProductThere are several aspects of the product’s characteristics. The first is the name. Pete and Johny are not real names. They are fictional character created by Harry Cragoe to create the image of simplicity toward the product. He wanted the product to provide the sense of closeness to its consumers, away from exclusiveness and anything that will cause consumer to feel not at home. Prior to the buyout with Pepsi, the packaging and styling of the product is designed with similar intention. It was design to be simple and away from any i mage of an elitist drink.In a review of the competition between PJ and Innocent, Innocent stated that instead of mixing yogurt with pure fruit juice, PJ mixed concentrated juice as the primary ingredients. Many considered this would reduce the flavor of the drink, but Harry Cragoe said that it suit his statement that he is selling crushed fruit instead of fruit juice. This unpopular choice is also a part of Cragoe’s plan to maintain a certain image simplicity of the product.As a part of my conclusion within this paper, I believe that the simplicity and the ‘drink for all’ image is not working as good as Harry Cragoe might have expected. As said in several magazine articles, the company never performs adequate marketing research prior to determining the product strategy. The product strategy started the moment PJ Smoothies open their producing facility in Newark. The strategy worked for several years because their competition, Innocent, has not fully developed the ir strategy yet. After Innocent revealed their ‘more exclusive’ strategy, the market seemed to turn to Innocent instead of PJ.Therefore, as a part of the new marketing strategy for PJ Smoothies after the acquisition by Tropicana, I believe that the company should design a bolder strategy. One that would involve a much more recognizable, attractive and outgoing packaging. This could also work with the new children market. The image of simplicity is unattractive and rather boring. The image should turn from simplicity to fun and popular, an image that make people see PJ Smoothies as what the newspapers said about them these days, the new drinking trend that replaced Starbucks.IV.2  Ã‚  Ã‚   PriceAs mentioned previously, the product seemed to have a much smaller profit margin than expected. The profit margin stumbles as a result of the tight competition with Innocent. Harry Cragoe stated that the company was trying to deliver consumers with the drink-for-all smoothies. T his unavoidably means cheaper prices as well. Nevertheless, in spite of having cheaper prices than Innocent has, the competitor still took away market leadership by 2003. This revealed the fact that price was not the sole factor that contributes to sales number.As a part of the new and bolder strategy, I believe that the company should focus on changing the image of the product first. If the change is performed with adequate marketing research and consumer behavior considerations then the price of PJ Smoothies will rise along with market share (Culliton 1968).IV.3  Ã‚  Ã‚   PromotionDue to the new nature of the product and the wide range of ‘untouch’ market available, promotion has a crucial role in the development of PJ Smoothies, especially to target the upcoming children market. By experience, the most effective method to introduce such product is by giving free trials to people. Beside free sales promotions, aggressive marketing using billboards and advertisements is also important to keep the product in people’s mind (Frey, 1961).IV.4  Ã‚  Ã‚   PlacementSince there are many people in Britain that have not had a taste of PJ Smoothies, the product has a wide range of area to cover. Moreover, as stated previously, it is important to develop presence in most market of the United Kingdom to ensure brad loyalty and make it easier for future expansion of the brand. The company has only 25 days of shelf time, which demanded a quick delivery system to prevent deterioration. The product also need to be frozen in delivery, thus, the delivery system will cost the company a little more than other companies.To safe money and shelf time, the product should be delivered directly from the Newark factory to retailer’s stores rather than converging them into distribution warehouses in each area. Therefore, transportation is an important element of PJ Smoothies’ distribution system. There are two choices of distribution model. A private distribution model, which requires the company to have its own delivery fleet, and an outsourcing distribution model, which involves external transportation services in delivering the products. In a small scale, outsourcing would be a preferable distribution strategy. However, after the merger with Pepsi, the smoothies segment would most likely collaborate with distribution system of other Pepsi brands (Klinger, 2005).

Competitive Strategies Example

Competitive Strategies Example Competitive Strategies – Coursework Example Competitive Advantages Competitive Advantages The selection of cost leadership as the competitive advantage that Riordan has to adopt is based on the fact that the company has adequate resources to ensure that it benefits from this strategy. As such, pricing of the company products in a unique manner will ensure that Riordan has the potential of attracting new, as well as retaining its customers (Khurana, 2002). This is because in every market, customers are sensitive on the price of the products and they focus on having value for their money. Effective pricing of the company products will ensure that long-term performance of the company is stable. Such will occur since the company will increase its market share and have sufficient financing for acquiring more resources for the production process. Innovation and sustainability is another competitive advantage that the company should embrace. This is essential since innovation aids in improving the performance level of the processes o f the company in the production of goods and services. Further, innovation contributes in the reduction of the production cost of the company and ensuring that sustainability is achieved. Embracement of sustainability in the company will contribute in ensuring that the production process of the company does not suffer from technological changes and it is able to last for a long time. Hence, the company has room for adopting lean manufacturing, which is an innovative and sustainable strategy, which will contribute in the attainment of the competitive advantage for the company. Such includes having a stable long term performance of the company. ReferencesKhurana, R. (2002). Searching for a corporate savior: The irrational quest for charismatic CEOs. Princeton, NJ7 Princeton University Press.