How Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy Works

How Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy Works Depression Treatment Print How Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) Works By Nancy Schimelpfening Nancy Schimelpfening, MS is the administrator for the non-profit depression support group Depression Sanctuary. Nancy has a lifetime of experience with depression, experiencing firsthand how devastating this illness can be. Learn about our editorial policy Nancy Schimelpfening Medically reviewed by Medically reviewed by Steven Gans, MD on August 05, 2016 Steven Gans, MD is board-certified in psychiatry and is an active supervisor, teacher, and mentor at Massachusetts General Hospital. Learn about our Medical Review Board Steven Gans, MD Updated on February 24, 2020 Westend61 / Getty Images More in Depression Treatment Medication Causes Symptoms Diagnosis Types Childhood Depression Suicide Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) is a type of psychotherapy that involves a combination of cognitive therapy, meditation, and the cultivation of a present-oriented, non-judgmental attitude called mindfulness.??? History of MBCT Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy was developed by therapists Zindel Segal, Mark Williams, and John Teasdale, who sought to build upon a form of therapy called cognitive therapy, developed by Aaron T. Beck in the 1960s. They felt that by integrating cognitive therapy with a program developed in 1979 by Jon Kabat-Zinn called mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR), therapy could be even more effective.?? What Is Cognitive Therapy? A primary assumption of cognitive therapy is that thoughts precede moods and that false self-beliefs lead to negative emotions such as depression. The goal of cognitive therapy is to help you recognize and re-assess your patterns of negative thoughts and replace them with positive thoughts that more closely reflect reality.?? How Cognitive Behavior Therapy Works How MBCT Builds on Cognitive Therapy Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy builds upon the principles of cognitive therapy by using techniques such as mindfulness meditation to teach people to consciously pay attention to their thoughts and feelings without placing any judgments upon them, or without getting caught up in what could have been or might occur in the future. It provides clarity of thought and can give you the tools needed to more easily let go of negative thoughts instead of letting them feed your depression.?? Much like with cognitive therapy, MBCT operates on the theory that if you have a history of depression and become distressed, you are likely to return to those automatic cognitive processes that triggered a depressive episode in the past. The combination of mindfulness and cognitive therapy is what makes MBCT so effective. Mindfulness helps you observe and identify your feelings while cognitive therapy teaches you to interrupt automatic thought processes and work through feelings in a healthy way.?? Depression and Common Cognitive Distortions MBCT for Depression The goal of MBCT is to help patients with chronic depression learn how to avoid relapses by not engaging in those automatic thought patterns that perpetuate and worsen depression.  In fact, a study published in The Lancet  found that MBCT helped prevent depression recurrence as effectively as maintenance antidepressant medication did.?? On average, MBCT was shown to reduce the risk of relapse for people who experience recurrent depression by nearly 50%, regardless of their sex, age, education, or relationship status. Research has shown that MBCT can also reduce the severity of depressive symptoms as well as help reduce cravings for addictive substances.?? What to Expect The MBCT program is a group intervention that lasts eight weeks. During those eight weeks, there is a weekly course, which lasts two hours, and one day-long class after the fifth week. During this time, participants might be taught whats known as the 3-minute breathing space technique that focuses on three steps, each one minute in duration:?? Observing ones experience (How are you doing right now?)Focusing on breathAttending to the body and physical sensations Other MBCT techniques include body scan exercise, yoga, walking and sitting meditations, sitting with thoughts, sitting with sounds, and mindfulness stretching. Much of the practice, however, is done outside of class. Participants are asked to do homework, which includes listening to recorded guided meditations and trying to cultivate mindfulness in their daily lives. This may mean bringing mindfulness to day-to-day activities, like brushing your teeth, showering, washing the dishes, exercising, or making your bed, by applying MBCT skills such as:?? Paying close attention to what is going on around you.Participating without being self-conscious.Taking a non-judgmental stance.Focusing on the moment without distraction from other ideas or events.Doing what works rather than second-guessing yourself. Though a lot of the hard work of MBCT is self-directed, advocates stress that the classes themselves are important to the efficacy of the program. Still, there is not necessarily an established network of teachers around the globe or a single directory in which you can find a program close to home. If youre interested in learning more about MBCT, you can explore more on the official program website.?? The 9 Best Online Therapy Programs

Differences Between Categorical And Dimensional Approaches...

The Necessary Relationship Between Categorical and Dimensional Approaches to Diagnosis Within the realms of psychology, classification systems are imperative and allow for appropriate organization and proper descriptions of a patient’s psychological diagnosis. (Hunsley, J. Lee, M. Catherine, 2010). Classification is a central element of all branches of science and social science, and is how clinicians perform their job to diagnose patients. The two, main types of classification systems are the categorical approach and the dimensional approach. In a broad view, the categorical approach is an one in which a person or object is determined to either be a member of a specific category or not, and the dimensional approach is based on the assumption that the object or person being classified differs in the extent to which they possess certain characteristics and properties (Hunsley Lee, 2010). The controversy over dimensional versus categorical approaches to diagnosis as manifested in the recent development and publication of the DSM-V is a debate that is one to take note of. Numerous limitations and benefits to both the categorical and dimensional approaches exist, and are widely discussed by researchers when speaking of the production of the DSM-V in regards to personality disorders (PDs). This paper will mainly focus on the diagnosing of one with Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD), and how the changes from the categorical approach to dimensional approach in the recentShow MoreRelatedThe Classification System Of Mental Health Disorders2431 Words   |  10 Pageswith providers from Western countries like the United States relying almost exclusively on the DSM-5. The DSM-5 and its previous editions were constructed using a categorical approach to the classification of mental disorders (Blashfield, Keeley, Flanagan, Miles, 2014). 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Filzmoser Forschungsbericht SM-2009-4 November 2009 Kontakt: P.Filzmoser@tuwien.ac.at Benefits from Using Continuous Rating Scales in Online Survey Research Horst Treiblmaier* Institute for Management Information Systems Vienna University of Economics and BusinessRead MoreQualitative Research in Instructional Technology Essay2865 Words   |  12 Pagesnaturalistic inquiry (or qualitative research) has gained considerable acceptance. Nevertheless, the debate between quantitative and qualitative methodologies, as competing positions, persists. It is important to recognize the limitations of viewing quantitative and qualitative methods as completely different or competing approaches (Custer, 1996). What exactly are the basic differences between the two forms of research? Hoepfl explains it by saying that phenomenological inquiry, or qualitative researchRead MoreIntercultural Leadership6009 Words   |  25 Pagesglobalization are being experienced around the world. 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Marketing Analysis Best Buy - 982 Words

The consumer electronics retailer, Best Buy, is a private company founded in 1996 by Richard Schulze. The company now operates retail stores and call centers in domestic and international markets. The company’s headquarters is located in Richfield, Minnesota and current CEO/president is Hubert Joly. It has retail stores in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, and China. Computers, laptops, smartphones, accessories, televisions, video games, audio players, home appliances, and many more products are sold through stores and online at bestbuy.com. It has special retail stores for mobile phones, tablets, and accessories under Best Buy Mobile. Through Geek Squad, it offers technical support, installation, services, and repairs for products (Best Buy Co†¦show more content†¦The industry’s total current ratio is 1.34. The company’s ability to pay off current-liabilities with current assets is higher than the industry average (Best Buy Co Inc (BBY.N) Quote| Reuters.com) (R efer to appendix). Main Issue Best Buy was ahead of all the competitors in its industry. With changing consumer buying preferences and new competitors entering the market, the industry is becoming more competitive and the company is facing threats. Consumers are shifting their shopping preferences towards online shopping more and more each day. The company’s direct competitor is online retailer Amazon.com. The number of people visiting the store is decreasing as more people are comparing prices and purchasing online (La Monica, 2014). Causes Amzon.com offers consumer electronic products as well as products in other departments at lower prices than competitors. For consumers who have an emergency need for a product, Amazon has one-day shipping for most of its products. Online shopping is convenient for consumers, and they have access to it 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Amazon has Amazon Prime, Amazon Student, and Amazon Mom; which offers services such as streaming of music and videos, free eBooks, and free two-days shipping to its members (â€Å"Amazon.com†). Impacts Best Buy is being impacted by online shopping and online media streaming. As a result of growing online shopping and lower price alternatives, Best Buy’s revenue is declining.

A View On Censorship And The Government Essay Example For Students

A View On Censorship And The Government Essay Daniel BagwellMs. WaggonerEnglish 11115 November 2000A View on Music and the GovernmentThe censorship of music and other forms of entertainment by the government have long been the topic of discussion among social and political circles. Some forms of censorship such as warning labels for parents can be helpful. However the censorship of music is just not right, and the government has no right to do so. All too often the government gets on a self righteous feeling and thinks that it is it’s right to control what goes in or out of this so called â€Å"free nation’s† minds. Censorship in music falls into one of those categories in which the American people and the American government, which is supposed to be a representation of the people, have extremely conflicting ideas on the subject. Some say that the government should regulate the music industry. They say that the American people don’t know what is best for them as a whole. Their proof is in the increase in violence, crime, Unadulterated sex and other â€Å"taboos† that have been on the rise in recent years. There are those that say that the government should only slightly be involved. These are the proponents of warning labels and the like, and that is about the extent of what they want the government to interfere with. The remainder generally says that the government has no right infringing on entertainment at all. They say that the government does not have the right to decide what the people can or cannot see, read, or listen to. Most of those who are of the opinion to let government help regulate the entertainment industries take the all too familiar tragic occurrence at Columbine High School in Littleton, Colorado as proof of their position. On April 20, 1999, two students interred the school and killed twelve other students, a teacher, and then themselves, and set the media and the entertainment worlds ablaze. The two killers were said by their peers to be avid fans of Marilyn Manson, and were even said to almost idolize him. Marilyn Manson is the all to accused shock-rocker who has been described by the music press as an â€Å"ultra-violent satanic rock monstrosity† (Jipping). There have also been several other reports of teenage killers who have been big fans of rocker. Thurston High School student Kip Kinkell, who murdered his parents and two students in Springfield, Ohio, was said to be a listener of Marilyn Manson. In Edinboro, Pennsylvania, Andrew Wurst killed a teacher at his eighth-grade dan ce. In Pearl, Mississippi, Luke Woodham murdered his parents and a classmate. Both of these kids were heavy listeners of Marilyn Manson (Jipping). People are using the increase in violence among children as proof that violent-themed music is causing a change for the worse in kids and young adults today. It appears to me that this is a case in which people want to blame someone or something, and his is the easiest and most obvious choice. An easy assumption, but it is just that, an assumption. When asked for proof, as has occurred in recent years, various reports are mentioned that supposedly has scientific proof of the correlation between increase in violence and violence in music. A recent article in The World I quoted the American Medical Association in September of 1996 as saying â€Å"the link between media violence and real life violence has been proven by science time and again.† How can the American Medical Association have jurisdiction over the music industry to say what its product effect? Music has nothing to do with medicine. Psychology, maybe, but definitely not medicine. .u8976ac409adeafbaf1922d1d6d4f1355 , .u8976ac409adeafbaf1922d1d6d4f1355 .postImageUrl , .u8976ac409adeafbaf1922d1d6d4f1355 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u8976ac409adeafbaf1922d1d6d4f1355 , .u8976ac409adeafbaf1922d1d6d4f1355:hover , .u8976ac409adeafbaf1922d1d6d4f1355:visited , .u8976ac409adeafbaf1922d1d6d4f1355:active { border:0!important; } .u8976ac409adeafbaf1922d1d6d4f1355 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u8976ac409adeafbaf1922d1d6d4f1355 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u8976ac409adeafbaf1922d1d6d4f1355:active , .u8976ac409adeafbaf1922d1d6d4f1355:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u8976ac409adeafbaf1922d1d6d4f1355 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u8976ac409adeafbaf1922d1d6d4f1355 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u8976ac409adeafbaf1922d1d6d4f1355 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u8976ac409adeafbaf1922d1d6d4f1355 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u8976ac409adeafbaf1922d1d6d4f1355:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u8976ac409adeafbaf1922d1d6d4f1355 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u8976ac409adeafbaf1922d1d6d4f1355 .u8976ac409adeafbaf1922d1d6d4f1355-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u8976ac409adeafbaf1922d1d6d4f1355:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: A Brief on Paul Czanne EssayA vast majority of media publications refer to these reports, but never give the information to find the report oneself. This to me is no coincidence. Every article that I have read in my research has quoted lines out of context in an effort to emotionally sway the reader. Out of context of the feeling of the songwriter, not of the lyric. First of all, songwriters write for themselves. Even with more songwriters today openly saying that they like being rock stars for the money, they began writing for themselves. Even if they didn’t get paid to write, they would still write. Therefor their songs are representations of their mood and thoughts at the time. Every person has their own deep dark thoughts that would shock others, and they keep them intensely private. However some choose to express it in their lyrics, they are still just words. The problem comes when people fail to realize this. The problem comes when people have to be spoon-fed their thoughts, and the ones to young to do so have parents whom are the same or do not care. My parents raised me, and then let me go to make my own decisions. I was not left alone to my own devices as a fifth and sixth grader. But this is just a personal anecdote. I say that people today need a mind of their own. I say that people need to blame themselves for the things they do. People need to stop avoiding the issues of personal integrity and respect. People need to pressure parents to raise their kids in such a way as to teach these things to them. When my grandparents were growing up, Elvis was thought of by many as the devil. They thought that his hip swing was too sexually explicit for the young girls of the day to be seeing, much less enjoying. Led Zeppelin was thought of in much the same way. Today, Elvis is considered a king and Led Zeppelin is considered on of the most influential bands of all time. The adults and the establishment of the day for both artists harshly criticized them, some even calling them satanic. Countless social problems dealing with youth were blamed on their music. Yet today, both of these artists are considered classics. The trend is sadly spreading to other nations. French rappers NTM were arrested for so called offenses against â€Å"public authority† in 1996. In Pakistan, popular rock group Junoon has been repeatedly banned because of the content of their lyrics. Nigerian Afrobeat artist Fela Kuti was regularly imprisoned. His son now leads his Movement Against Second Slavery (Naylor). There is evidence of what is happening. Strauss Zelnick, the head of BMG Entertainment, has said that the Federal Trade Commission’s survey shows that seventy-four percent of parents are satisfied with the current system of parental advisory stickers, which warn parents of explicit lyrics (Oppelaar). If the American people supposedly need their entertainment screened for their own good, then why do so many of them say that they are satisfied with the current limited form of warning labels. Why does the government want increase the level of censorship, when the American people say that they like the cur rent level?The incident at the Woodstock ’99 Festival in rural New York is another attempted example of violent actions and violent music. On the last day of the festival the crowd was whipped into a frenzy of burning cars and speakers and people dancing naked among the flames. Ironically, the band playing at the time was the Red Hot Chili Peppers. Even more ironic is the fact that they were doing a cover of Jimi Hendrix’s â€Å"Fire† (Naylor). Five hundred riot police were called in. Later that evening, Limp Bizkit stirred the spectators into an even greater frenzy. The mob eventually destroyed the entire park. Many had the nerve to say that it was the actions and words of Limp Bizkit that caused the actions of the crowd. This is also the same festival that had five-dollar hamburgers, two and a half-dollar cokes, and unsanitary toilets of which there were too few to begin with. Again, an example of using the first and most obvious scapegoat that is available. T he bottom line is that music does not cause action. Music is thoughts, feelings, moods, attitudes, and ideas. Music is not a tool to affect the nation and its actions, and there has been no conclusive evidence otherwise. Current Events

Ranbaxys Interview Process Essay Example

Ranbaxys Interview Process Essay Process At Ranbaxy R. P. Report Compiled By: Aditi Apoorva Nayan Swati Shivani Under the Guidance of Prof. N. N. Akhouri Ranbaxy Laboratories Limited: Ranbaxy is one of Indias largest pharmaceutical companies. Incorporated in 1961, Ranbaxy exports its products to 125 countries with ground operations in 46 and manufacturing facilities in seven countries. The company went public in 1973, and Japanese company Daiichi Sankyo gained majority control in 2008. Milestones in Ranbaxy’s Path: The year 1994 marked three distinct changes including the withdrawal of contract with Eli Lily, establishing of separate head quarters in the United Kingdom and USA and the beginning of functioning at the Gurgaon plant. By now the company had established itself in Africa, India, China, US, and UK. In 2000, the company entered, the German markets by acquiring Bayer’s generic business. In 2003,Ranbaxy received the prestigious The Economic Times Award for Corporate Excellence for ‘The Company of the Year, 2002-2003’. Ranbaxy acquires Be Tabs pharmaceuticals, Terapia and acquires unbranded generic business of GSK in Spain and Italy. In June 2008, Ranbaxy entered into an alliance with one of the largest Japanese innovator companies, Daiichi Sankyo Company Ltd. , first by purchasing 34. 8% of the total stakes followed by 64. 2% in November 2008, to create an innovator and generic pharmaceutical powerhouse. The combined entity now ranks among the top 20 pharmaceutical companies, globally. The transformational deal will place Ranbaxy in a higher growth trajectory and it will emerge stronger in terms of its global reach and in its capabilities in drug development and manufacturing. We will write a custom essay sample on Ranbaxys Interview Process specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Ranbaxys Interview Process specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Ranbaxys Interview Process specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer An interesting point to note is that throughout history, Ranbaxy has grown through Mergers and Acquisitions. This can be attributed to the increasing levels of inward FDI, the growth in the Indian economy, and relaxation of the constraints on Indian companies, which wanted to expand overseas. Ranbaxy Today: Today Ranbaxy is one of Indias largest pharmaceutical company, and is an integrated, research based, international pharmaceutical company, producing a wide range of quality, affordable generic medicines, trusted by healthcare professionals and patients across geographies. Ranbaxy has a presence in 23 of the top 25 pharmaceutical markets of the world. The Company has a global footprint in 46 countries, world-class manufacturing facilities in 7 countries and serves customers in over 125 countries. The Company’s business philosophy based on delivering value to its stakeholders constantly inspires its people to innovate, achieve excellence and set new global benchmarks. Driven by the passion of it’s around 14,000 strong multicultural workforce comprising of over 50 nationalities, Ranbaxy continues to aggressively pursue its mission ‘To become a Research-based International Pharmaceutical Company’. Company Vision: Achieve significant business in proprietary prescription products by 2012 with a strong presence in developed markets. Company Mission: â€Å"To become a Research-based International Pharmaceutical Company† The vision and the mission statements of Ranbaxy make it clear that, it is working on a strategy that strikes out a balance between an innovation based differentiation strategy and a cost leadership strategy. It therefore works on a Hybrid model, a unique and pro-active model that has potential to provide an excellent mix of innovative and affordable quality medicine to people around the world. The model represents a great opportunity for synergy benefits to both Ranbaxy and Daiichi Sankyo. The strategy for optimum utilization of the Ranbaxy NDDR (discover R and D) resource has also been agreed on. Financials of Ranbaxy: Ranbaxy is an Rs. 4000crore company with a profit of Rs. 571. 98crore in 2010. This was after a loss of Rs. 1044. 88crore last year. According to the financial report, the company is growing at a healthy 13% as compared to last year. Ranbaxy was incorporated in 1961 and went public in 1973. For the year 2009, the Company recorded Global Sales of US $ 1519 Mn. The Company has a balanced mix of revenues from emerging and developed markets that contribute 54% and 39% respectively. In 2009, North America, the Companys largest market contributed sales of US $ 397 Mn, followed by Europe garnering US $ 269 Mn and Asia clocking sales of around US $ 441 Mn. Recruitment: It is the practice or activity carried on by the organization with the primary purpose of identifying and attracting potential employees. RECRUITMENT CHALLENGES: Some of the Challenges that Ranbaxy encounters while recruiting potential employees: * GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare Ltd. , East India Pharmaceutical Works Ltd. , Dr. Reddys Laboratories Ltd. , Cipla Ltd. , Concept Pharmaceuticals Ltd. and Khandelwal Laboratories Ltd. are most of the competitors of Ranbaxy. So, Ranbaxy has to make sure that its image in the market remains competitive to others in order to attract potential employees. * Ranbaxy is already maintaining its brand in the market and it does not go for mass recruiting hence it is able to attract potential employees through its recruitment. * Ranbaxy Laboratories being hit by charges of sub-standard drugs, is going to increase its sales staff by a third and launch scores of new drugs that would further propel its growth in the next 25 years. It has already hired 1,500 sales executives which was the biggest recruitment drive in 14 years. â€Å"This strategy will be the foundation for Indian market for the next 25 years,† said Mr. Sobti. â€Å"We are layering new resource for the first time,† he said. By the end of 2012, Ranbaxy plans to increase its market share to at least 6% from 4. 9%. Market leader Cipla has 5. 6% of the estimated Rs 40,000-crore retail drug market. â€Å"With lesser manpower, products and coverage, the company is number two and additional resources will take it to the next big leap,† said Mr. Sobti who in the past helped Hero Honda Motors become the top selling motorbike company in the nation and hence we can expect Ranbaxy to reach the number one position soon. * In this business, the sales staff becomes vital for a company’s growth as they can directly influence doctors to prescribe a particular company’s drugs over similar drugs from rivals, other things remaining the same. Ranbaxy has 4,300 sales staff, compared with more than 5,000 for rivals, such as Cipla and Piramal Healthcare. SOURCES OF RECRUITMENT: All pre-recruitment objectives and conditions are taken into consideration by Ranbaxy before embarking on a recruitment campaign. Proactive and Reactive Recruitment: The company adopts proactive recruitment approach for freshers i. e. entry level where its focus is to create a bench strength for the company. So, before recruiting it takes into consideration the forecast for next year and feedback from functional heads to come to a target number for hiring. It zeros in on the institute primarily based on the rankings and other factors such as feedback from the management, past experience, specialization suited to the job position. For example, it would go to MICA campus it wants to hire someone from communication field. It visits the campuses during their campus recruitment season. Ranbaxy adopts a reactive recruitment approach for laterals. The company does a budgeting exercise and it puts proposal in front of the executive committee, based on the requirement of manpower in the near future. The various sources of recruitment include: * Campus Recruitment * Referrals * Direct Applicants * Consultants * Job Portals * Headhunters * Database of Previous applicants INTERVIEWS: Once Ranbaxy gets enough applicants to choose from through its recruitment processes, it shortlists candidates and starts the selection process. Interview is one of the selection stages and is very important. It gives the company time to interact with the candidate face to face and assess him/her to find whether he is right fit for the organization or not. Ranbaxy does a thorough job analysis which includes a review of the position’s responsibilities, requirements, reporting relationships, environment factors, benefits and growth opportunities before starting the interview process. For freshers, the short-listing of resume may be done on the basis of CGPA i. e. a minimum cutoff is used to screen the applicants. This cutoff varies from institute to institute, also depends on the market conditions Once short-listing is done then the stage is set to the start the interview process. The interviewers are well trained on the interview process. Types of Employment interviews at Ranbaxy: * Human Resources (HR) Interview: The Company conducts HR interview and technical interview for freshers. Interviews conducted by HR specialists are both broad-based and job specific. The HR interviewer covers a great deal of general area of the candidate that is his interests, goals and educational experiences that can be related to the job position available. * Departmental Interview: The technical interview focuses on job specifics i. e. the required skills and abilities possessed by the candidate to perform the job efficiently. This is conducted by the functional head. * Panel Interviews: A panel is where there are two or more interviewers who sit side by side and take the interview of the candidate simultaneously. Ranbaxy also employs panel interviews where the panel consists of two people; one from the HR and one from the concerned department or vertical. Panel interviews help in saving time and comparing impressions of applicants as they answer questions. This helps in reducing biases and ensures a fair selection process. Ranbaxy’s reference check is done after the interview process and it is done in a couple of days to make sure not much time is wasted. PRE- INTERVIEW PROCESS: Q. What are the pre-interview processes for the lateral hiring in your company? Ans: At the beginning of the year, we have a budgeting exercise. In line with the plans for next year, every department has a separate plan. For Example,HR plans to do the following activities this year: Training calendar, Engagement survey ,Communication training . Now all this needs manpower. So, depending on the requirements and having a look at the headcount we have, we find out how many more people are required for the year. This manpower requirement then has to be presented to the executive committee. The costs in the plan include that of the headcount. Once it gets approved,based on the plan and based on the headcount, we go ahead for the recruitment process. Then we check with the different options we have to recruit people. The options include: * Employee referrals * Direct applicants * Job portals * Consultants * Head hunting(throught LinkedIn) Department-wise Budgeting exercise For senior level recruits, we go for consultants for headhunting, but for the junior level recruits headhunting is done by the HR team of the company. Present to the executive committee Go ahead with the recruitment process Approval Consultants Head hunting Job portals Employee referrals Direct applicants Q. What is the pre-interview process for fresh recruits? Ans: After deciding the headcount requirements for the year with the help of line managers in the same way as above, we decide on the colleges we want to visit, whether it should be a tier 1 or a tier 2 institute. Then the resume shorlisting is done on the basis of fixed criteria, be it CGPA, or in some cases, graduation and 10th,12th percentage. This is done in a very objective manner, and extra curricular aren’t given any weightage. This is a proactive hiring process. The recruitment for MTs and GETs goes in synchronization with the campus recruitment process. The pre- interview process also included making a competency mapping sheet where we can keep in mind the basic skill set required for the job. The candidates are assessed for those skill sets while the interview process. Entry-Level Recruitment: This process is basically carried out while recruiting Graduate Engineer Trainees(G. E. T. ) and Management Trainees(M. T. ). These trainees are hired to enrich the talent pool of the organisation. After the short listing of resumes based on the criteria decided in conjunction with the function heads, an Aptitude Test is conducted by Ranbaxy. This aptitude test functions as a filter or a gate, here the candidates who exhibit a certain degree of aptitude for the position in question are selected for the next step of the recruitment process. After the aptitude test, comes the Group Discussion, this is conducted as a elimination process, where as aptitude test was conducted as a selection process. A G. D. is important because the person who finally gets the job will have to interact with others in the organisation effectively, work in teams, and a G. D. will allow the candidate to exhibit those qualities. Candidates who are left after the G. D. are then called in for interviews. Q. What is the interview process for fresh recruits? Ans: There are basically two panel interviews. Each panel consists of two assessors. One interview is obviously a technical interview, here the technical skills of the candidate are assessed. The questions pertain to subject matter and the interview is pretty much a structured one. The other interview is a behaviour interview popularly known as the H. R. interview on the campuses. Q. Could you please describe the behavior interview? Ans: In the behaviour interview we basically ask competency based questions, so our interviewers are trained in competency based interviewing. Q. Could you give us some sample questions that you personally like to ask? Ans: One of the questions I like to ask is â€Å"What is your biggest achievement? † and â€Å" Why do think that it is your biggest achievement? † this gives me an idea of what is the candidates self assessment and expectations of self. Also I ask the candidate to give me specific instances of where he/she displayed their strengths and sometimes I ask leading questions so as to scratch beneath the surface to make sure the candidate knows what he’s talking about. Q. Candidates are normally on the edge before interviews, how do you deal with that? Ans: I don’t go out of my way to make the candidate comfortable and neither do I advice doing that because it can also be a criteria for assessment as to how confident a person is when they face the interview panel. But at the same time I never begin a interview with threatening questions, I never ask questions to which a candidate may not know the answer. Always begin with conversational questions like â€Å"Tell me something about yourself† or â€Å"your family† to get the candidate in the flow then I move onto competency questions. Q. What is the mix of the assessors on the interview panel? Ans: Across the two panels there is a healthy mix of H. R. and functional leads, this is to assess the candidate completely on two different fronts and make the best possible decision for the company. Q. Do you use a grade sheet during interviews? Ans: Yes, we use grade sheets in entry level interviews to better differentiate among candidates because we want to have a complete picture of the candidates skills when the panel sits down to make a final decision LATERAL RECRUITMENT: Another type of recruitment done in the company is Lateral Recruitment. The candidate being recruited at this level has almost same kind of roles and responsibilities as the firm offers him without any additional or only notional increase in the salary. At the lateral level, project execution, people management, and client leadership skills become very important parameters of evaluation. Besides project and client-related responsibilities, the firm expects its senior team members to take up firm-building initiatives. 1. When asked from GM-HR Ms. Ruchira Gupta about the lateral recruitments at Ranbaxy, she provided us with the following information: 2. Lateral Recruitments at Ranbaxy continues throughout the year as and when the requirement arises. 3. The first and foremost step to carry is Budgeting Exercise done by professionals at Ranbaxy. This exercise includes the plans for next year followed by the needs and requirements of various job profiles. Forecasting of manpower is then presented to higher executive committees in the company. Then next step is to get the plan approved by the committee. 4. To carry forward the process, various sources are used to assist in the process of recruitment i. e. attracting the right fit candidate. a. Referrals . Direct Contact c. Consultants d. Portals e. Headhunting 5. Initial short listing is done using benchmark criteria such as the previous employers, the previous job role and responsibilities. 6. Next the process continues with an online aptitude test for next level of short listing and the selected candidates are called up for GD and Interview process. This process remains similar as in case of Proactive recruitment. 7. During these rounds, the company also responds to queries and the role that the candidate is being evaluated for. The intent, again, is to help the candidate make an informed decision. . The major challenge for the company is to attract best talent from the market majorly from its competitors and to retain with Ranbaxy further. For this purpose the candidate is made aware of all the best practices followed, the clarity of job role, compensations packages, rules and policies. Further they are provided with the information of culture and environment within the organization. Post Interview Process: After the interview process is over candidates are judged on the predefined criteria. The performance and the skills of the interviewee are matched against the organization requirements. Then the best fit is selected and then the whole process for reference check is started. On completion of reference check the candidate is informed whether he is selected or not, including informing about the compensation and benefits as well as when the candidate is expected to join the organization along with it some information about the work culture at the organization also those who are not selected were informed that they were not fit for particular job opening but in future if any opening would be there then they would be considered. Q: How much time do you normally need for reference checks? Ans: Our organization does not believe in keeping a task pending so we try to complete the reference check as early as possible and mostly complete the reference check is within two days. Q: Who are the people involved in reference check? Ans: If the candidate is through employee referral then that employee is best person for reference check. Otherwise we use the reference provided by he candidate, but we keep in mind the sensitivity of the process because the candidate’s reputation maybe on line. Q: How do you inform the candidates regarding the interview selection process? Ans: Mostly the candidate is informed through email and telephone that he is selected and for those who are not selected, it is through email with a thank-you note for their participation in the whole process. Q: How much time you required for to complete process? Ans: The candidate selection generally takes around a week after interview is over. Q: What about the candidates those who are not selected is their previous interview used or do they go through the whole rigmarole again for new openings? Ans: For every new job opening, we start afresh; it is a completely new process just the interviewee application is considered for that position because the candidates resume is in our database. Inferences and Conclusions: For this project we as a group decided to focus on Ranbaxy’s interview process while recruiting. We broke the entire process into three distinct equally important components namely: 1. Pre-Interview 2. Interview 3. Post-Interview Some of our deductions based on our interactions with Ms. Ruchira Gupta GM-HR Ranbaxy are as follows: †¢The company first relies on its database of past applicants for any new job vacancy that arises. After that it also takes into account the employee referrals. This saves a lot of cost in recruitment for the company. †¢Also, since the headhunting process is taken up by the HR department of the company itself, it shows that the team keeps a constant eye on the social networking sites and the job portals. †¢Fresher’s recruitment is a proactive process which always helps the company meet its requirements. †¢The recruitment requirements are taken from all the departments, who best know what would be their requirements for the next year according to their expansion plans for the year. This elps the company perfectly map its requirements in terms of people requirement with particular skill set. †¢The company already uses e-recruitment through job portals but it doesn’t have an option in their website to seek applications. This should be focused upon as many companies today have applications on their websites for job openings. †¢The company should start investing in innovative sources of recruitment which wil l help it in beating its competitors and hire the best. †¢The company does not disclose the salary package to the candidates before interview. This may create skepticism amongst the candidates and hence it is better to at least mention salary if not the entire benefits. †¢The whole process of short-listing campuses and then candidates is a little ambiguous, could be made more structured. References: 1. http://indolinkenglish. wordpress. com/2010/04/29/ranbaxy-to-step-up-head-count-launch-new-drugs 2. Arthur, Diane. Recruiting, Interviewing, Selecting Orienting New Employees. New Delhi: Rekha Printers Private Limited, 2010. 3. http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Ranbaxy 4. http://www. ranbaxy. com

Analogy Questions in SAT Reading Strategies and Tips

Analogy Questions in SAT Reading Strategies and Tips SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Though direct analogy questions were eliminated along with the old SAT Verbal Reasoning section in 2005, analogy questions remain in place in a more abstract form in the Critical Reading section. In this article, I’ll show you what analogy questions look like, the best way to approach them, and some step by step examples for solving them with real questions from the SAT! What Is An Analogy Question? Before we learn how to solve these types of questions, we need to learn how to spot them in the first place. Analogy questions will ask you to make comparisons.They might ask you to compare a relationship between two things in the passage with a relationship between two things in the answer choices, or they might just ask for the answer choice that is most similar to something in the passage. Here’s an example of an analogy question: Which of the following most resembles the relationship between "black hole activity" and "star formation" (lines -12) as described in the passage? A. A volcanic eruption on one continent results in higher rainfall totals on another continent.B. Industrial emissions in one region lead to an increase in airborne pollutants in adjacent regions.C. A drought in a wilderness area causes a significant loss of vegetation in that area.D. Decreased oil production in one country results in higher gas prices in oil-dependent countries.E. Overfishing in a gulf leads to an increase in the population of smaller aquatic organisms. In this case, you would have to examine the cause and effect relationship between black hole activity and star formation described in the passage and see which of the five choices is most similar to that relationship. Analogy questions are a subset of inference questions because they require you to understand a relationship or condition in the passage and then take it one step further to infer the similarity of something NOT mentioned in the passage. How Do I Solve Analogy Questions? You’re going to have to take a couple of mental steps to solve analogy questions (which is why they can be one of the more confusing question types). Step 1: Read the question carefully. This is important because some analogy questions will ask you for the relationship that is LEAST like the one in the passage.Make sure you know what you’re looking for! Step 2: Understand the relationship or condition in the passage. Go back and read the relevant section of the passage.If you think it will help you to remember the nature of the relationship or condition mentioned in the question, sum it up in simpler terms.Make sure you fully understand what specifically you’re going to be comparing to the potential answer choices. Step 3: Go through the answer choices, break them down, and eliminate the duds. Look at each relationship or condition presented in the answer choices, and see if it is functionally the same as what you found in the passage.Remember that the point of an analogy question is that the concrete details are different, but the core relationship or condition is a match between the passage and the answer choice.If this is not the case, eliminate it (unless it’s a LEAST question, of course). Keep going with this until you have only one correct answer! Ok, that sounds doable. Let’s try a sample question. Time to get our feet wet. Good thing we painted our toes "College Board blue". Analogies in Action Now for our first real SAT analogy question! Here it is: Which most resembles the "irony" mentioned in line 34? A. A worker moving to a distant state to take a job, only to be fired without warningB. An executive making an important decision, only to regret it laterC. An athlete earning a starting position on a good team, only to quit midseasonD. A student studying for a major exam, only to learn that it has been postponedE. A person purchasing an expensive umbrella, only to lose it on the first rainy day First, let’s make sure we read the question carefully - looks like this one is pretty straightforward. No LEASTs here.We are clearly looking for the answer choice that is most similar to a condition in the passage. Ok, now we will refer to the passage.Here’s the sentence we need to reference: As she wrote a final letter on her typewriter - she did hate letting the old machine go - Georgia did considerable philosophizing about the irony of working for things only to the end of giving them up. What is the irony mentioned in the passage?Looks like it's â€Å"working for things only to the end of giving them up.† So: we are going to be looking for an answer that demonstrates working hard for something but later deciding to abandon it. Now we can go through the answer choices to find our winner! For these answer choices, I thought it was helpful to break them down into two parts to show exactly why each incorrect choice was eliminated. Choice A: A worker moving to a distant state to take a job, only to be fired without warning A worker moving to a distant state to take a job - Ok, the first part of this answer sounds promising. That's definitely an example of someone putting in effort for something. Now let's look at the second part. Only to be fired without warning - No, that’s not going to fit. Being fired doesn’t mean you gave up, it means someone else gave up on you. This doesn’t match the irony described in the passage, so let's eliminate it! Choice B: An executive making an important decision, only to regret it later An executive making an important decision - Eh, that doesn’t really fit with working towards something. Only to regret it later - Regret isn't the same as giving up, so this part doesn't work either. This doesn’t match the irony described in the passage either - get rid of it! Choice C: An athlete earning a starting position on a good team, only to quit in midseason An athlete earning a starting position on a good team - Ok, that’s definitely working towards something. Only to quit in midseason - Yes, that’s absolutely giving up. Looks like it matches the irony described in the passage.This choice works! Choice D: A student studying for a major exam, only to learn that it has been postponed A student studying for a major exam - Yes, this part makes sense as working towards something. Only to learn that it has been postponed - No, this isn't the same as giving up because something happened that was outside of the student’s control. It doesn’t match the irony described in the passage, so cross it out! Choice E: A person purchasing an expensive umbrella, only to lose it on the first rainy day A person purchasing an expensive umbrella - Nope, that's not really an example of working towards a goal unless your priorities are seriously weird. Only to lose it on the first rainy day - That’s not giving up, this person is just frivolous AND careless. I’m glad they lost their umbrella. This doesn’t match the irony described in the passage either - eliminate it! Great, so we have Choice C as our answer! "O Umbrella, why did you leave me? O cruel vagaries of fate!" - quote from the poor sap in choice E Let's try another one. The first sample analogy question that I showed you about black holes is pretty tough, but I think we're ready for it. Here it is again: Which of the following most resembles the relationship between "black hole activity" and "star formation" (lines -12) as described in the passage? A. A volcanic eruption on one continent results in higher rainfall totals on another continent.B. Industrial emissions in one region lead to an increase in airborne pollutants in adjacent regions.C. A drought in a wilderness area causes a significant loss of vegetation in that area.D. Decreased oil production in one country results in higher gas prices in oil-dependent countries.E. Overfishing in a gulf leads to an increase in the population of smaller aquatic organisms. Ok, first we need to read the question carefully. We are going to be comparing two relationships for this question, and there's no LEAST, so we want to find the answer choice that is most similar to the relationship in the passage. Now let's read the lines from the passage. Here's our relevant excerpt: Accordingly, astronomers long assumed that supermassive holes, let alone their smaller cousins, would have little effect beyond their immediate neighborhoods. So it has come as a surprise over the past decade that black hole activity is closely intertwined with star formation occurring farther out in the galaxy. What's the relationship between black hole activity and star formation? They are "closely intertwined," implying a cause-effect relationship of some kind, although the star formation is occurring very far away from the black hole activity. So we are looking for a vague cause and effect relationship between two events that are occurring far apart from one another. Now let's examine our answer choices to see which one matches up with this relationship. Choice A: A volcanic eruption on one continent results in higher rainfall totals on another continent. This answer seems to work. The volcanic eruption and the higher rainfall totals are occurring in two separate regions, just like the black hole activity and star formation. This answer also demonstrates a cause and effect relationship that is somewhat ambiguous - though the events are related, they do not directly lead into one another. The nature of this relationship is the same as that of the relationship between black hole activity and star formation. Choice B:Industrial emissions in one region lead to an increase in airborne pollutants in adjacent regions. The key to detecting this wrong answer is the word "adjacent". Black hole activity and star formation in the passage are occurring very far away from each other, not in nearby regions of the galaxy. This answer also describes a direct causal relationship that makes straightforward logical sense - that's different from the vague nature of the relationship in the passage. Get rid of this one! Choice C:A drought in a wilderness area causes a significant loss of vegetation in that area. This answer is incorrect because both events are occurring in the same area. This makes it even more clearly wrong than Choice B, where the events happened in adjacent regions. This answer also describes a very logical relationship that demonstrates obvious cause and effect between drought and loss of vegetation. This is not the same as the relationship between black hole activity and star formation. Eliminate this one too! Choice D:Decreased oil production in one country results in higher gas prices in oil-dependent countries. Though the two events in this relationship are occurring in regions that are far away from one another, this answer still doesn't work. This relationship demonstrates a direct and logical cause and effect chain of events. This was not the case with black hole activity and star formation. Cross it out! Choice E:Overfishing in a gulf leads to an increase in the population of smaller aquatic organisms. This once again refers to a scenario where both events are occurring in the same place, whereas a key feature of the relationship in the passage was that black hole activity and star formation happened far away from each other. This one's wrong too! Looks like Choice A is our answer! That was a really tough one, but if you understood why we eliminated the four incorrect answers, you shouldn't have to worry about any super challenging analogy questions sneaking up on you on the SAT. You've already got the skills to beat them. Your brain must be like a black hole for SAT knowledge! Summary Analogy questions (in a less direct form) are still a part of the SAT Critical Reading section.These questions will ask you to make a comparison between a condition or relationship in a reading passage and a different condition or relationship that’s not referenced in the passage. When you see an analogy question, remember to: Read the question carefully. Go back to the passage and make sure you fully understand the condition or relationship you are being asked to compare. Read each of the answer choices and break them down so that you can make a direct comparison to what’s in the passage. Eliminate four choices, and find the one that works! Remember, you can do it! What's Next? Want more skills-focused SAT Reading articles? Start with these articles on sentence completion questions and vocab-in-context questions, and check back in the next week for more! What's the best way to get information out of a passage on SAT Reading? Find out the best way to read the passage and what's actually on SAT Reading. Worried that vocab is going to trip you up? Don't worry - we can help. Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points? Check out our best-in-class online SAT prep program. We guarantee your money back if you don't improve your SAT score by 160 points or more. Our program is entirely online, and it customizes what you study to your strengths and weaknesses. If you liked this Reading lesson, you'll love our program.Along with more detailed lessons, you'll get thousands of practice problems organized by individual skills so you learn most effectively. We'll also give you a step-by-step program to follow so you'll never be confused about what to study next. Check out our 5-day free trial:

USS Kentucky (BB-66) in World War II

USS Kentucky (BB-66) in World War II USS Kentucky (BB-66) was an unfinished battleship that was started during World War II (1939-1945). Originally intended to be the second ship of the Montana-class of battleship, Kentucky was re-ordered in 1940 as the sixth and final ship of the US Navys Iowa-class of battleships. As construction moved forward, the US Navy found that it had a greater need for aircraft carriers than battleships. This led to designs to convert Kentucky into a carrier. These plans proved impractical and work resumed on the battleship but at a slow pace. Still incomplete at the end of the war, the US Navy then considered a variety of projects for converting Kentucky into a guided-missile battleship. These also proved fruitless and in 1958 the ship was sold for scrap.      A New Design In early 1938, work began on a new battleship type at the request of US Navy General Board chief Admiral Thomas C. Hart. First seen  as a larger version of the earlier  South Dakota-class, the new battleships were to carry twelve 16 guns or nine 18 guns. As the design evolved, the armament changed to nine 16 guns. In addition, the class anti-aircraft complement underwent several alterations  with the majority of its 1.1 weapons being replaced with 20 mm and 40 mm guns. Funding for the new ships came in May with the passage of the Naval Act of 1938. Dubbed the  Iowa-class, building  of the lead ship,  USS  Iowa  (BB-61), was assigned to the New York Navy Yard. Laid down in 1940,  Iowa  was to be the first of four battleships in the class. Fast Battleships Though hull numbers BB-65 and BB-66 were originally intended to be the first two ships of the new, larger  Montana-class, the approval of the Two Ocean Navy Act in July 1940 saw them re-designated as two additional  Iowa-class  battleships named USS  Illinois  and USS  Kentucky  respectively. As fast battleships, their 33-knot speed would permit them to serve as escorts for the new  Essex-class  carriers that were joining the fleet. Unlike the preceding  Iowa-class ships (Iowa,  New Jersey,  Missouri, and  Wisconsin),  Illinois  and  Kentucky  were to utilize all-welded construction which reduced weight while enhancing hull strength. Some conversation was also had as to whether to retain the heavy armor arrangement initially planned for the  Montana-class. Though this would have improved the battleships protection, it would also have greatly lengthened construction time.   As a result, standard  Iowa-class armor was ordered.   Ã‚   USS Kentucky(BB-66) - Overview Nation:  United StatesType:  BattleshipShipyard:  Norfolk Naval ShipyardLaid Down:  March 7, 1942Fate:  Scrapped, October 31, 1958 Specifications (Planned) Displacement:  45,000 tonsLength:  887.2 ft.Beam:  108 ft., 2 in.Draft:  28.9  ft.Speed:  33  knotsComplement:  2,788 (Planned) Guns 9 Ãâ€" 16 in./50 cal Mark 7 guns20 Ãâ€" 5 in./38 cal Mark 12 guns80 Ãâ€" 40 mm/56 cal anti-aircraft guns49 Ãâ€" 20 mm/70 cal anti-aircraft cannons Construction The second ship to carry the name USS Kentucky, the first being the Kearsarge-class USS Kentucky (BB-6) commissioned in 1900, BB-65 was laid down at the Norfolk Naval Shipyard on March 7, 1942.   Following the Battles of the Coral Sea and Midway, the US Navy recognized that the need for additional aircraft carriers and other vessels superseded that for more battleships. As a result, construction of Kentucky was halted and on June 10, 1942, the bottom section of the battleship was launched to make room for Landing Ship, Tank (LST) construction. The next two years saw designers explore options for converting Illinois and Kentucky into carriers. The finalized conversion plan would have resulted in two carriers similar in appearance to the Essex-class. In addition to their air wings, they would have carried twelve 5 guns in four twin and four single mounts. Reviewing these plans, it was soon found that the converted battleships aircraft capacity would be less than the Essex-class and that the construction process would take longer than building a new carrier from scratch. As a result, it was decided to complete both vessels as battleships but very low priority was given to their construction.   Moved back to the slipway on December 6, 1944, construction of  Kentucky slowly resumed through 1945. With the end of the war, discussion ensued regarding completing the vessel as an anti-aircraft battleship. This led to work halting in August 1946.   Two years later, construction again moved forward though using the original plans. On January 20, 1950,  work ceased and Kentucky was moved from its dry dock to make space for repair work on Missouri.    Plans, But No Action Moved to the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard, Kentucky, which had been completed to its main deck, served as a supply hulk for the reserve fleet from 1950 to 1958. During this period, several plans were advanced with the idea of converting the vessel into a guided missile battleship. These moved forward and in 1954 Kentucky was renumbered from BB-66 to BBG-1. Despite this, the program was cancelled two years later. Another missile option called for the mounting of two Polaris ballistic missile launchers in the ship.   As in the past, nothing came from these plans. In 1956, after Wisconsin suffered a collision with the destroyers USS Eaton, Kentuckys bow was removed and used to repair the other battleship. Though Kentucky Congressman William H. Natcher attempted to block the sale of Kentucky, the US Navy elected to strike it from the Naval Vessel Register on June 9, 1958. That October, the hulk was sold to the Boston Metals Company of Baltimore and scrapped. Prior to disposal, its turbines were removed and used aboard the fast combat support ships USS Sacramento and USS Camden.