Review of Interventions That Apply Scripture in Psychotherapy Essay Example

Review of Interventions That Apply Scripture in Psychotherapy Essay Summary Garzon (2005) seeks to describe ways in which a therapist may use Scripture within psychotherapy interventions and to increase the awareness of therapists in these techniques. He bases this description by utilizing a case study by the name of George. Garzon contemplates issues surrounding scripture interventions. The article proceeds to relate interventions that use implicit scripture, psycho educational, theo educational, behavioral, cognitive, and affective experiential approaches. Ethical concerns are present within this discussion. Garzon (2005) relates to the reader that one must acknowledge that within these interventions dual relationships occur, boundaries may be violated between church and state, an imposition of values and issues such as informed consent and competency of the counselor do arise. Ways to avoid these ethical pitfalls are to have a inclusive conformed consent, conduct assessments that clearly define the clients spiritual beliefs, and use the scripture interventions only with certain clients (Garzon). The religious background of both counselor and client must be positive to avoid negative outcomes such as guilt. Implicit integration may include empathetic stance of the counselor, praying for the client, and the spiritual life of the counselor. Garzon (2005) also covers integration with psychoeducational approaches. This is exemplified through providing a client with scripture that shows the emotions of Christ or the trials of Job as two possibilities to use with someone on emotions and grief process respectively (Garzon). Another intervention to use with the case study is a theoeducational avenue. We will write a custom essay sample on Review of Interventions That Apply Scripture in Psychotherapy specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Review of Interventions That Apply Scripture in Psychotherapy specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Review of Interventions That Apply Scripture in Psychotherapy specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Garzon shows that he clients comments pointed to the heavy view of sin nature while minimizing the love of God. Work in this area and with his view of his father allowed the client to re evaluate his theological stance. Behavioral and cognitive approaches are also suggested (Garzon, 2005). Teaching breathing techniques can be integrated using scripture verses upon breathing out. The cognitive approach suggested is using REBT or Greenberger and Padeskys (as cited by Garzon) seven column technique. Inductive reasoning is utilized and scripture can be incorporated to adjust the way the the client thinks. Using scripture as an affective experiential approaches is also explained by Garzon. Here he allows the client to put himself into scripture through meditating on a specific part and allowing God to heal through this experience. Garzon (2005) uses this article to highlight some techniques and allows the reader an opportunity to expand their ability to integrate Christianity. It is noted that this was not all inclusive of every technique utilizing scripture but merely an example of professional Christians working with scripture with other Christians. Interaction This article was informative. The technique that resonated most with me was the affective experiential technique. I believe this approach can be highly effective but also requires a clinician that has an adequate basis of both scripture and psychology. When considering how powerful this can be the counselor must be sure of the clients need and the therapists ability to take the client before the Savior. In this article, Garzon (2005) speaks of using the story of the woman in need of healing but changes it to the self esteem problem of his client. By putting the client as the character in the story he was able to experience a transformation from Christ. This is incredibly powerful and in my opinion should only be used by someone trained in this technique. The cognitive approach seems to fit nicely with Christian perspective. A Christian is to form their thinking, attitudes and actions according to the Bible. Therefore it only makes sense to take irrational thoughts or ideas and reformulate these thoughts to bring about new attitudes and actions. The behavioral approach mentioned as well helps the Christian client to relax utilizing helpful scripture. Scripture can be used in a theoeducational and a pychoeducational way to provide help to clients. As Garzon (2005) provides an example, using Job when dealing with grief. Many people may find comfort, guidance and clarity through scripture. A counselor would have to watch for the pitfall of pushing their views onto the client. If both come from the same background or if the counselor has great understanding of the clients belief system the risk would be reduced. Application The use of prayer and scripture in psychotherapy is something that Christian therapists and some non Christian therapists may choose to use within their sessions with Christian clients. An example of using scripture and prayer in a case where the client was experiencing racing thoughts and anxiety over too many problems occurring at one time; A counselor could assess the client to see if they agree with the statement that God wants to receive your burdens and heal your heart while sanctifying you. The counselor could even simply give these following scripture verses to the client: Romans 5:3-4, Philippians 4:6-7, 1Peter 5:7 and Psalm 54:22. The sense that one is not alone and can go to the Lord with their burdens can help to ease anxiety. The client can write their burdens on paper and place into a box. In prayer present them to the Lord asking Him to give peace, guidance and clarity. The client can take the problem with the Holy Spirit guidance and then work on that one area with the rest of the problems resting with the Lord. This exercise can help to relieve some anxiety while also dealing with issues. The idea, â€Å"God wants to receive your burdens and heal your heart while sanctifying you† can also be a thought that one can breath through when thoughts begin to race. Inner healing prayer seems fascinating to me. The â€Å"desire to bring these core issues and connected emotions ‘into the living presence of God’ for processing, as well as for processing with the therapist are the goal. This could be quite effective for those struggling with irrational beliefs about themselves and feelings of helplessness as well as many other conditions. This powerful experience could be life changing. Overall, there is significant benefit to understanding the spiritual beliefs of the client and as a Christian counselor to center the therapy on Christ. References Garzon, F. (2005) Interventions that apply scripture in psychotherapy. Journal of Psychology and Theology 33 (2) 113-121.

Grace Kelly - Actress and Princess of Monaco

Grace Kelly - Actress and Princess of Monaco Grace Kelly was a beautiful, classy stage actress who became an Oscar-winning movie star. In five years she starred in 11 motion pictures and, while at the top of her popularity, she left stardom to marry Prince Rainier III of Monaco in 1956. Dates: November 12, 1929 – September 14, 1982 Also Known As: Grace Patricia Kelly; Princess Grace of Monaco Growing Up On November 12, 1929, Grace Patricia Kelly was born the daughter of Margaret Katherine (nà ©e Majer) and John Brendan Kelly in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Kelly’s father was a successful construction company owner and former triple Olympic gold medalist in rowing.  Her mother had been the first coach of womens athletic teams at the University of Pennsylvania. Kelly’s siblings included an older sister, older brother, and a younger sister. Although the family did not come from â€Å"old money,† they were successful in business, athletics, and politics. Grace Kelly grew up in a 17-room brick mansion with plenty of recreational features for active children; plus, she spent summers in her family’s vacation home in Ocean City, Maryland. Unlike the rest of her athletic family, Kelly was introverted and always seemed to be fighting a cold. She enjoyed making up stories and reading, feeling like a misfit in the sporty household. As a child, Kelly was taught by her mother to never publicly show emotions and her father taught her to strive for perfection. After Ravenhill Academy elementary school, Kelly attended the private Stevens School for young matrons, where, to the astonishment of her parents, she excelled in the school’s drama society. Grace Kelly wanted to continue studying drama in college; thus, she applied to Bennington College in Vermont due to their outstanding drama department. With low scores in math, however, Kelly was turned down. Her father was against her second choice, which was to audition for the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York. Kelly’s mother intervened, telling her husband to let Grace go; she was confident their daughter would be home in a week. Grace Kelly Becomes an Actress In 1947, Grace Kelly was accepted into the American Academy of Dramatic Arts. She took off for New York, lived at the Barbizon Hotel for Women, and earned extra money by modeling for the John Robert Powers modeling agency. With her blonde hair, porcelain complexion, blue-green eyes, and 5’8† perfect poise, Grace Kelly became one of the highest-paid models in New York City at the time. After graduation from the Academy in 1949, Kelly appeared in two plays at the Bucks County Playhouse in New Hope, Pennsylvania, and then in her first Broadway play, The Father. Kelly received good reviews for her â€Å"essence of freshness.† She retained an agent, Edith Van Cleve, and began acting in television dramas in 1950, including the Philco Television Playhouse and the Kraft Theatre. Sol C. Siegel, a producer at Twentieth Century Fox, had seen Grace Kelly in The Father and was impressed with her performance. Siegel sent director Henry Hathaway to test Kelly for a small part in the motion picture Fourteen Hours (1951). Kelly passed the reading test and joined the Hollywood cast. Her parents, concerned about her safety, sent Kelly’s younger sister to accompany her to the West Coast. The shooting for Kelly’s part, a cool wife seeking a divorce, only took two days; after which she returned back east. Continuing to act in off-Broadway plays in Ann Arbor and Denver in 1951, Kelly received a call from Hollywood producer Stanley Kramer to play the part of a young Quaker wife in the Western film High Noon. Kelly jumped at the chance to work with the experienced leading man, Gary Cooper. High Noon (1952) went on to win four Academy Awards; however, Grace Kelly was not nominated. Kelly returned to acting on live television dramas and Broadway plays. She took more acting classes in New York with Sanford Meisner to work on her voice. In the autumn of 1952, Grace Kelly tested for the film Mogambo (1953), enticed by it being filmed in Africa and starring legendary film star Clark Gable. After the test, Kelly was offered the part and a seven-year contract at MGM. The film was nominated for two Oscars: Best Actress for Ava Gardner and Best Supporting Actress for Grace Kelly. Neither actress won, but Kelly won a Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actress. Hitchcock Uncovers Kellys Warmth By the 1950s, director Alfred Hitchcock had made a name for himself in Hollywood making suspenseful motion pictures that featured very cool blondes as his leading ladies. In June 1953, Kelly got a call to meet Hitchcock. After their meeting, Grace Kelly was cast as the female star in Hitchcock’s next motion picture, Dial M for Murder (1954). To rival television in the 50s, Warner Brothers decided the movie would be shot in 3-D, to Hitchcock’s dismay. The cumbersome camera made routine filming difficult and scenes had to be shot over and over, especially the murder scene in which Kelly’s character turns from victim to victor with a pair of scissors. Despite Hitchcock’s irritation over the 3-D frustration, Kelly enjoyed working with him. He had a way of exploiting her cool exterior while unearthing her warm passionate interior. When filming for Dial M for Murder finished, Kelly returned to New York. Soon she was offered two screenplays and had to make up her mind which movie to star in. On the Waterfront (1954) was to be filmed in New York, where Kelly could continue dating her boyfriend, the famous clothing designer Oleg Cassini. The other was another Hitchcock picture, Rear Window (1954), to be filmed in Hollywood. Feeling that she better understood the fashion model character in Rear Window, Kelly opted to go back to Hollywood and work with Hitchcock. Kelly Wins Academy Award and Meets a Prince In 1954, Grace Kelly was handed the script for The Country Girl, a role that was completely different from anything she had played before, that of the wearied wife of an alcoholic. She wanted the part badly, but MGM wanted her to star in Green Fire, a film she felt was full of clichà ©s. Kelly never found enchantment or contentment in Hollywood and wrestled with MGM with firm resolve, threatening to retire. The studio and Kelly compromised and she starred in both movies. Green Fire (1954) was a box-office failure. The Country Girl (1954) was a box-office success and Grace Kelly won the Academy Award for Best Actress. While Grace Kelly turned down multiple motion picture offers, to the studio’s displeasure, audiences revered her everywhere. One film she did not turn down was Hitchcock’s To Catch a Thief (1955), filmed on the French Riviera with Cary Grant. Kelly’s boyfriend, Oleg Cassini, followed her to France and when the film finished, she introduced him to her family. They did not hide their disdain for him. He was divorced twice and seemed to be interested in more women than just their daughter, which was true, and the romance ended several months later. In spring 1955, while at the Cannes Film Festival, Grace Kelly was asked to appear in a photo session at the Palace of Monaco with Prince Rainier III. She obliged and met the prince. They chatted lightly while photos were taken. The photos sold magazines worldwide. After being a bridesmaid in her younger sister’s wedding during the summer of 1955, Kelly wanted marriage and a family of her own all the more. Prince Rainier, who was actively seeking a wife, began corresponding with her, finding out that they had a lot in common; they were both uncomfortable celebrities, devout Catholics, and desired a family. Grace Kelly Exits Stardom and Enters Royalty Prince Rainier arrived in the States to woo his future princess during the holidays of 1955 before asking Grace Kelly for her hand in marriage. Kelly’s family was very proud and the official proclamation of the couple’s engagement was made in January 1956, which became front-page international news. To finish her contract, Kelly starred in two final movies: The Swan (1956) and High Society (1956). She then left stardom behind to become a princess. (No one was more melancholy about her leaving Hollywood than Hitchcock for he had her in mind as his leading lady for several more of his movies if not all of them.) The royal wedding of 26-year-old Miss Grace Patricia Kelly to 32-year-old His Serene Highness Prince Rainier III of Monaco was held in Monaco on April 19, 1956. Then began Kelly’s most challenging role of all, fitting into a foreign country while feeling like an unwelcome visitor. She had left the States, her family, friends, and her acting career behind to enter the unknown. She became homesick. Sensing his wife’s unease, the prince began to ask her opinions and include her in state projects, which seemed to improve Kelly’s outlook as well as Monaco’s tourism. Kelly surrendered her former acting desires, settled into life in Monaco, and revitalized the principality as a center for opera, ballet, concerts, plays, flower festivals, and cultural conferences. She also opened the palace for guided tours during the summer when she and the prince were away at their summer home, Roc-Agel in France. The Prince and Princess of Monaco had three children: Princess Caroline, born 1957; Prince Albert, born in 1958; and Princess Stà ©phanie, born in 1965. In addition to motherhood, Princess Grace, as she was known, supervised the renovation of a crumbling medical facility into a first-rate hospital and founded the Princess Grace Foundation in 1964 to help those with special needs. Princess Grace of Monaco became loved and cherished by the people of her adopted homeland. Death of the Princess Princess Grace began suffering from severe headaches and abnormally high blood pressure in 1982. On September 13th of that year, Grace and 17-year-old Stà ©phanie were returning to Monaco from their country home, Roc-Agel, when Grace, who was driving, blacked out for a second. When she came to, she accidentally pressed her foot on the accelerator instead of the brake, driving the car over an embankment. As the women were pulled from the wreckage, it was discovered that Stà ©phanie had sustained minor injuries (a hairline cervical fracture), but Princess Grace was unresponsive. She was placed on mechanical life support at the hospital in Monaco. Doctors concluded that she had suffered a massive stroke, which had caused irreversible brain damage. The day following the accident, Princess Grace’s family made the decision to remove her from the artificial devices that were keeping her heart and lungs going. Grace Kelly died on September 14, 1982, at the age of 52.

Lets Get Real About Passion

Lets Get Real About Passion New writers/unpublished writers are quick to say I am passionate about writing. I just dont know how to publish. Okay, but thats apples and oranges. To be passionate about anything means you are skilled at it to a certain degree. You may not be a master or a best-seller, but you have written for long enough to make mistakes, learn from them, and have direction. . . at writing. You can self-correct. You have dreams about the stories. Publishing, however, is not writing. Publishing is about the business. You cannot be passionate about being a published writer simply Passion is a strong feeling, emotion, or like. You cannot have passion for another person without knowing them well. Same goes for writing. Same goes for publishing. In other words, you have to do it long enough to tell whether or not its a passion, because a passion sticks with you for a long, long time. . . and youll do anything to make it happen. It doesnt go away. It doesnt get disenchanted. It sticks. Its purpose. Its about making it happen regardless of what gets in your way.

Does the rotation of auditors improve the quality of auditing Essay - 5

Does the rotation of auditors improve the quality of auditing - Essay Example Auditing had never been influential and applicable as it is today. Each corporation feels the need to examine its accounts from time to time, and especially when change is about to occur, so that it can determine their correctness and fairness, as well as detect of any irregularity. Auditing is broad and can be conducted for systems, data, and finances which are of great concern in this context. Auditing can be described as an examination and verification of accounting data with an aim of establish the correctness and reliability of the accounting reports and statements (Shirin, 2009). However, numerous controversies exist over establishing a standard against which actual audit performances can be measured. Therefore, organizations may have difficulties in assessing the effectiveness and quality of their audit, even if it serves the purpose. Audit quality has been described by Fearnley et al as the â€Å"market assessed joint probability that a given auditor will both discover a bre ach in the client’s accounting system and report the breach† (2011, p. 2007). Organization’s committees and shareholders need enhanced audit quality for the sake of delivering appropriate organization audit results and opinions. Firm rotation of auditors has been campaigned for and applied in some countries as a way of improving audit quality. The issue of audit quality that auditors’ rotation attempts to address There are several factors that affect the quality of audit. Nowadays, clients want to be confident of the financial reports they get, to make future projections of the business. Internationally, various initiatives have been proposed to establish a standard or enforce some consistencies across borders, in how the auditors ought to accomplish the audit objective, and what financial statements clients should expect (ICAEW, 2010). The number of recently reported financial failures in organizations call for more accountability and undertaking of effec tive measures for countries, firms, and audit practitioners, whom are all affected in case of any unexpected undesirable effect after auditing. There have been cases of firms experiencing frauds and even bankruptcy after a repetitive auditing by specific auditors, while auditors are sometimes prevented from delivering certain quality audit results due to differences in countries’ regulations, economic incentives, their ability, and expertise. Considering the perceived audit failures, there is an urge for audit effectiveness and efficiency to enhance clients’ confidence in the quality of audit reports. This remains the greatest problem in quality control. Rotation of auditors is one of the strategies recommended, but still debatable over its success in promoting audit quality. Rotation of auditors The concept of auditors’ rotation is related to job rotation of employees, but unlike the later, which is intended to enhance motivation, the former has clear based obj ectives to impact on the quality of audits. Due to the established failure and fraud cases when a former auditor has been reemployed for a longer term by a specific client, companies avoid hiring similar auditing firms for a subsequent number of years to conduct their audits. The issue surfaced since the 90s and proposes that audit firms serve as client auditors for a certain period, then replaced by others. AICPA requirement proposes seven years of an auditor firm or auditor service, after which rotation occurs

Strategic Choice and Evaluation Research Proposal

Strategic Choice and Evaluation - Research Proposal Example In accordance to this, an evaluation would be made on the new objective conditions as well as the internal strengths and weaknesses of the organization. Value Discipline Every business organization must adhere to a certain value discipline in order to succeed. This is actually a principle that the organization must uphold always as it continues to operate. There are three types of basic value discipline from this business may choose from; namely, operational excellence, product leadership, and customer intimacy. While it does not necessarily disregard the both operational excellence and product leadership, this daycare facility puts heavy emphasis on customer intimacy. The organization managing this believes that it is through being in close contact always with the children and their parents could ideas arise regarding the continuous development of the services being provided. Customer intimacy is â€Å"a value discipline based on development and nurturing of customer relationships and the customized delivery of product and service solutions for those customers† (Marks 2002, p. 14). ... Apparently, by adhering to the value discipline of customer intimacy, this daycare business may also realize the operational excellence. It must be noted that in this particular kind of business, the best gauge for the effectiveness of its operation is through determining the level of satisfaction of the children and parents. Unlike other businesses that produce actual commodities, operational excellence here could not be measured by the quantity and quality of products produced at a short time and at the least cost. If the children learn and enjoy during their stay and if the parents appreciate the work that is being done then the operation of the facility may be considered as satisfactory or even outstanding. This organization does not believe that it should strive to be a leader in the daycare business. It possesses the perspective that daycare businesses should not put a premium on competition because this does not have a good effect on the training of the children in general. Ho wever, by striving to practice customer intimacy, it may also develop operational excellence, which should then result in leadership in this particular field of business. The point, however, is that is focus should be more on customer intimacy and the rest would inevitable follow. Generic Strategies Since the daycare facility to be established and operated is still a business, it must maintain its viability not just to generate the desired target profits but also to continue providing services to the community. As pointed out earlier in the mission and goal of this business, although profit is an important concern, the ability to provide service to the children and their working parents share is also a significant aspect. In order to

Mothers Smoke Less around Their Children after Counseling :: Essays Papers

Mothers Smoke Less around Their Children after Counseling In Melbourne F. Hovell’s article: â€Å"Effect of Counseling Mothers on their Children’s Exposure to Environmental Tobacco Smoke: Randomized Controlled Trial,† the author persuades the reader effectively through showing evidence about the dangers of second hand smoke. He also introduces the effectiveness that counseling has on mothers who smoke in front of their children. The article presents a study of the effectiveness of counseling for smoking mothers, and shows the decline of children's exposure to smoke in their environment. The article states many valid points, and backs the evidence with statistics to insure that the reader is persuaded by the article’s points. The article begins by introducing the problem of second hand smoke to children, and has a delayed thesis which states his main point about the effectiveness of therapy. The author then explains the methods and who participates. Many statements backed up with evidence co ntinue throughout the article. The article also shares individual stories of mothers who have gone through this type of therapy and how it has helped them. Hovell’s article was believable because it included statistics as well as success stories. His research is also believable because he displays it with credibility and logic, and he appeals to the reader’s values. There are numerous reasons as to why smoking should be banned around small children, specifically in the United States. Hovell addresses these reasons with statistics. The World Health Organization estimated that half of the world’s children are in danger due to second hand tobacco smoke (1). In the United States, 43% or about 15 million children live in homes polluted with tobacco (1). This is a higher percentage compared to other countries across the globe. Many of these children will suffer from asthma, repertory tract infections, otitis media, and sudden infant death syndrome (for fetuses whose mother’s smoke) because of their exposure. The article states that counseling tends to decrease children’s exposure and mother’s smoking while increasing the number of quitters (1). The study done for this article involved recruiting of certain mothers and families who would undergo the counseling process.

Costco Wholesale Corporation

Costco Wholesale Corporation, which was established in 1983 as a single store in Seattle, became the biggest membership warehouse club chain the world, employing the so-called â€Å"less-is-more† concept. With such concept, Costco Wholesale Corporation also looks upon themselves as the membership warehouse club that has the capability to sell top-quality food, hardlines, softlines, and other goods usually in a large number or bulk quantity at the lowest possible price. Costco now has over 457 stores which are situated in most parts of the United States and is still growing.Their success was mainly attributed to their sales volume, good consumer acceptance, generally good services and customer care, and the lowest possible price offered. Furthermore, Costco sells, provides or displays items or products from limited suppliers or from a small number of suppliers. Variety of items is also reduced and this is done to reduce the risk of purchase decision and encourages a consumer to buy such product or service. Another benefit of this is that loyalty on a certain product or service is created or improved.The corporation’s goal is to provide more discounts and cheaper prices to the customers, focusing more on the customers, rather than to the competition. It is able to provide lower cost and greater discounts because the corporation’s marketing style is to reduce overhead cost by reducing fancy outlet designs, taking almost everything to simplicity. Costco also pays to its workers and employees, giving them good salaries and benefits, resulting to the tremendous low rates of theft and turnovers by its employees.Since Costco is known for its cheap prices and sales in large or bulk quantities, it had created policies, just like other competing membership warehouse clubs, regarding merchandise returns and exchanges. Costco had been formulating and had been modifying its product guarantees in order for their goal and or concept to be followed. These g uarantees, in order to improve a business’ quality or to be used as stepping stones for a corporation’s growth, such as the Costco, must be effective.Costco Wholesale Corporation provides information regarding the guarantees that they offer on products and memberships, but it seems that their guarantees vary from one Costco branch to the other. In Costco found or established Japan, â€Å"What is Costco? † their guarantee states that: â€Å"COSTCO'S UNCONDITIONAL DOUBLE GUARANTEE on merchandise: We guarantee your satisfaction on every product we sell with a full refund. On membership: We will refund your membership fee in full at any time if you are dissatisfied. † With regards to the corporation’s guarantee, a policy regarding computer returns was created.This is in relation to Costco (Japan) unconditional double guarantee. Costco’s return policy, â€Å"What is Costco? †, states: â€Å"COSTCO'S COMPUTER RETURN POLICY Costco Wholesale 's return policy for all desktop and notebook computers is six months from the date of purchase. After six-months from the date of purchase, all services and technical support will be subject to the applicable remaining manufacturer's warranty. While on the other hand, the guarantee of Costco Wholesale Corporation in their online store, â€Å"Costco Returns†, states that: â€Å"Costco.com Costco guarantees your satisfaction with the merchandise you purchase from us. Costco. com products may be returned to any of our hundreds of Costco warehouses worldwide. Or, if you wish to return or exchange merchandise directly to costco. com, contact us at customer service. Effective November 4th, 2002, Costco Wholesale’s desktop and notebook computer return policy is six-months from the date of purchase. After six-months from the date of purchase, all service and technical support will be subject to the applicable remaining manufacturers' warranty. † According to Christophe r W. L.Hart, â€Å"effective guarantees must be unconditional, meaningful, easy to understand, easy to invoke, and easy to collect† (72). A guarantee is said to be easy to understand and communicate if the guarantee that is created is written in a simple manner, using concise language and directly state what the guarantee is about or what it offers. This is done in order for customers and employees to know or learn what to expect and what is expected of them, respectively. Evaluating the guarantee stated by Costco in Japan, it can be observed that it is indeed easy to understand, and is easily communicated.It clearly states in its guarantee on the merchandise, that they can provide satisfaction to the customers for every product that they sell and directly states a promise to give a full refund, in cases that the former statement is not fulfilled. Also, with regards to their membership, it was also directly stated that if a customer was disappointed or frustrated, they (Costc o), would give a full refund. Furthermore, with regards to some items or products they sell under the exemption of a full refund, the policy regarding these products is also clearly stated.Evaluating the guarantee given by Costco in their online store, though understandable, it is not easily understood as compared to the previous guarantee. It does not state the company’s promise, or what the company would do or give in return if a customer becomes dissatisfied with their goods and services. â€Å"Subject to the applicable remaining manufacturers’ warranty† seems vague and that customer’s would already think twice when it comes to invoking refunds. The guarantee stated at Costco’s online store (costco.com) should be stated in fewer words, pinpointing more on the necessary information, terms, and policies. With regards to a meaningful guarantee, two considerations or concerns are raised by Hart. A guarantee is said to be meaningful, first, if the gu arantee provided by the company or corporation addresses the service that is of most importance to the customers. Second, a guarantee is said to be meaningful or of good quality, if it is meaningful financially or that a guarantee should focus on what a customer would enjoy more.The guarantee stated by Costco in Japan, is indeed meaningful, as it noticeably indicates that it would provide full refund for both products and membership fees. In this guarantee, price, which is considered by Hart as the most important element for a meaningful guarantee, is evident. Costco’s guarantee is meaningful relative to the price of the product or service. Costco would return the price which the customer paid, in full, if the customers are not satisfied with their products or services.On the other hand, the online store of Costco only states or offers a return or exchange of a product bought by an unsatisfied consumer. One meaningful thing is that in the statement of their guarantee, the cus tomers are informed that they have several outlets or that stores where the customer could return or exchange the merchandise. This helps the customers by immediately identifying where customers could go or convey their problems. Again, better promise or customer return should be created, or if such promise or payback exists, it should be clearly declared in their guarantee or policy.In the further evaluation of a good guarantee, a guarantee is said to be easily invoked by customers if the process that a customer has to take is simple, trouble-free and undemanding. The process of invoking a full return of a good or service should be straightforward and uncomplicated or understandable. This will help customers who are already displeased, to favor or buy again such goods or services by the business establishment. In addition to an easily-invoked guarantee, Hart states that â€Å"customers should not be made to feel guilty about invoking the guarantee — no questioning, no raise d eyebrows, or â€Å"Why me.Lord? † looks. A company should encourage unhappy customers to invoke its guarantee, not put up roadblocks to keep them from speaking up† (5). Looking on Costco’s guarantee on this aspect, complains, letters and calls conveyed to the customer service of Costco can be used. How Costco responds to these complaints and the measures they take to help the customers and the process of invoking a refund can also looked into. The process of invoking a refund is easy. There are no forms to be filled or series of questions to be answered.A customer just needs to bring the product to the Costco warehouse. From the statement of the guarantee in Costco’s online store, it was stated that there are a lot of Costco warehouses where the customer can return or exchange the product, though a list of these warehouses were not given. Some reported complaints were about growing membership bills even if a customer had already left the list of Costcoâ €™s members. Also, there were some complains regarding Costco’s customer service or how Costco deals with complains or requests from customers.With regards to these complaints, Costco creates ways of helping these customers in other ways or that, in most cases, the managers send letters of apologies to unsatisfied customers. There was an incident that a customer was asking for the tires he bought to be installed in the front of his minivan (â€Å"Consumer complaints about Costco – tires†). Costco did not respond to this request and kept a firm stand that these new set of tires should be installed in the rears. Costco states that it is best for the tires to be installed in the rears, even if the vehicle was a front wheel drive.They offered a video and articles stating or defending their claim regarding the installation of tires on the rears. Major sales representative Chris Biggers, sent a letter in response to the complaint regarding the installation of tire s on the rears and stated that Costco aims or looks on the safety of both its employees and members (the consumers). With regards to the treatment of Costco employees and managers to the discontented customers, I think that Costco tries their best in addressing the complaints and that they still maintain a good relationship with the consumers.Other wholesale corporations such as the Wal-Mart experience the same complaints, worst, they have more. Wal-Mart had been continuously complained because of their â€Å"unfriendly† treatment with customers. Their customer service and care was insufficient and sometimes, there are incidents of discrimination. Costco on the other hand have strong principles that they apply for the benefit of consumers and that they humble themselves to maintain the good relationship that they have with the customers.It is just that customer’s are already irritated that they fail to see the efforts of Costco in helping them. Further personnel traini ng and teambuilding should also be exercised by the company in order to nicely and properly address disgruntled customers, most especially those with tempers. There were complains filed against Costco, stating that their refunds or certain products were not being received by the customers or that Costco is unable to give the necessary benefit or compensation for a poor service or low-quality product.If a refund was promised, the problem was that no certain dates of such reimbursement were given by the customer service, oftentimes resulting to unclaimed refunds. In terms of the refunds, Costco is at the losing end. Costco provides the cheapest price as much as possible, by keeping a mark up that is not higher than 14 percent for unbranded products or items and mark up not higher than 15 percent for non-private-labeled items, unlike its competitors who has mark ups up to 25 percent, or even 50 percent.Suppliers also exert pressure on Costco regarding product returns. I recommend impro ved customer service hotlines or more customer service centers that are accessible to the consumers for easier management of complaints and quick response to customer needs. Also, the policy regarding the guarantee they provide should be further developed, but taking importance not to render the guarantee impractical for both the company and its consumers. Works Citedâ€Å"Consumer Complaints About Costco – Tires†. 2004. ConsumerAffairs. Com Inc. August 31, 2007. . â€Å"What Is Costco? † Japan, 2005. Costco Wholesale Japan, Inc. and Costco Wholesale Corporation. August 31, 2007. . Greenhouse, Steven. â€Å"How Costco Became the Anti-Wal-Mart. † The New York Times, 2005. Hart, Christopher W. L. â€Å"The Power of Unconditional Service Guarantees. † The McKinsey Quarterly, 1989.