PEST Analysis for a Company in the Tourism Industry Essay

The Tourism industry is one of the fastest growing industries in theworld. The World Travel and Tourism Council estimates that in 2004 Travel and tourism is expected to generate* US$ 5,490.4 billion of economic activity* 10.4% of total GDP* 214,697,000 jobs or 8.1% of total employment* 12.2% of total exports [1]My task is to conduct a PEST analysis for a company within the Tourismindustry. Within the tourism industry, I have to select one area of interestlike transportation, accommodation and transportation etc. and thenone company doing business with these sectors related with thetourism. According to Leiper ?Transportation is the only link between thetourist-generating region and destination region?[2]So, transportationwas a more interesting sector to discuss in the report but I tried tofind a company which is related with all these main sub-sectorsdiscussed above in the report. I have decided to look in the U.K market for such company because?Tourism is one of the largest industries in U.K, worth approximately75.9  £ Billion to the U.K economy in 2002 and supporting around 2.1million jobs.? [3]During my research on internet I found many companies offeringservices in the tourism of U.K but I have decided to choose ?SimplyTravel? because of its variety of services offering related with theaccommodation, transportation and attractions. 1.2 Problem FormulationIn the problem formulation part of my report I would describe theoverall situation of the U.K Tourism industry. The service concept of?Simply Travel? will give us information about the services providedby the company. I will find out about the customers, competitors ofthe company. I will find out what political, economical, social andtechnological factors affecting the company and its demand situation. 1.3 LimitationsThe biggest limitation for writing this report is time and the pagesto write. It is a broad topic and it could be better presented ifavailable more time and space to write about, but still I have triedto  highlight some main points raised during my finding. My knowledgeabout the company ?Simply Travel? is internet-based and I could notable to contact the company for further information. Due to the lackof information about the company I will only describe one component ofthe Service Management System. I will be describing only the OT partof the SWOT analysis. 1.4 MethodologyBeing inspired from the Service Management System I will describe theservice concept of the company .I will conduct a P.E.S.T analysis tofind out the political, economical, social and Technological factorsaffecting the company. From SWOT analysis, I was conducting OTanalysis to find opportunities for the ?Simply travel? in future. 1.5 DataI will use Secondary data collected from different industry reportsavailable on internet for my report. Data provided in conductingP.E.S.T analysis has been taken from www.statistics.gov.uk. Chapter 22.1 Simply Travel?s Service Concept[4]Established in 1978, Simply Travel has been providing travel solutionssince 26 years for the discerning travels who want more from theirholiday than just a decent tan. Not through the aggressive marketingtactics, but by providing an attractive alternative to mass-marketpackage holidays has lead ?Simply travel? to gain a big loyalty poolamong the holiday travellers. Mentioning about the core services provided by the, company provideshand- picked properties to meet the individual needs of its customers. Ski holidays, winter sun, Family holidays (special locations forfamily holidays with child care) helpful staff, peace of mind andsafety during the whole travel are the core services provided by thecompany. Unparalleled service, late availability, nannies for kids , pleasantexperiences for its customers are the peripheral services provided bythe company. 2.2 Service PackageService package provided by the company for different holiday travelsincludes all airport taxes, flights and transfers, accommodationincluding breakfast and meals and the service of its representatives. Chapter 33.1 CustomersHolidaymaking is the main reason that UK residents travel abroad. Asthe company deals with the both inbound and outbound tourism I willhave a brief look on the inbound and outbound market. Number ofoverseas visits by UK residents increased to 59.3 million in2002.Expenditures by these visitors, excluding international fares £27.07 billion-slightly higher than the total for the domestic market(which includes fares). Describing about the demographics of the customers, most of thecustomers are families with children and older people but latest trendhas been seen in the youth to take holidays. 3.1.1 Customers? Buying BehaviourContinued concerns over safety and security while travelling are foundin the customers for holiday travels. Tourists are increasingly buyingexperiences rather than a usual routine holiday. They try to find aparticular activity. The fuel blockades at U.K petrol stations, the events of 11thSeptember 2001, the foot and mouth outbreak, SARS and Iraqi war hashad continuous affect on the buying behaviour of UK market customers. Consumers are showing a continuing search for value for money fromtheir  holiday choices. Consumers expect more choice, individuality andvariety. 3.2 CompetitorsAggressive marketing by low cost airlines and internet bookingagencies present a big challenge for the holiday market. Airlines likeBritish Airways are offering customers to make their own travel plansthrough internet. Travel agents compete in variety of ways i.e. price,quality and the package itself. Companies offer special discountedpackages and also compete on branding. As there are hundreds oftravel agents in the U.K market so, it?s difficult to specify thecompetitors in the market. Travel select, Expedia, Travelocity, Ebookers and Thomas cook etc. are the big names in the market andoccupy the bigger part of holiday sales for the U.K customers. 3.3 MarketI can say that market is in a state of perfect competition and noindividual consumer and travel agent is in position to affect themarket. Key success factors for ?Simply Travel? are* Effectively segmented and targeted adventure travellers marketwithin the larger travel market. * Successfully positioned as travel specialists. * Personal interaction, media and marketing. * Repetition of customers, Loyalty pool3.4 PEST analysisTo assess the market for the business of ?Simply Travel? I willconduct PEST analysis to find out about the Political, Economic,Social and Technological factors in the external macro-environment. 3.4.1 Political FactorsPolitical arena has a huge influence upon the regulation of businesses.It includes government regulations and legal issues under whichbusinesses should operate. According to the findings, political environment of U.K. is quitestable. Issues like enlargement of European Union and war against terror havehad an  effect on the political stability of the government. In result of growing awareness of the environmental consequences, U.KGovernment is planning actions to ensure aviation reflects itsenvironmental impacts. Proposals are emerging for a tax on aviationfuel and VAT on air tickets. Government?s taxation policies and decision about the increasing thepetrol prices have affected the buying power of the individuals inU.K. The political decision as to whether a UK sign up to single Europeancurrency is again having an effect on the businesses. 3.4.2 Economic Factors Economic factors affect the purchasing power of potential customersand also affect the individual company’s offerings. U.K economy is benefiting form gradual low inflation rate. Inflationrate Inflation rate fell to 1.3% in February 2004. In U.K, unemployment is low. According to labour market statistics inJanuary 2004 fell down to 4.8 per cent. Job confidence is high andbecause of this confidence spending by consumer is also high. Predictions point to continuing GDP growth over the period averagingaround 2.4% a year (GDP rose by 0.9% in fourth quarter of 2003), withreal household disposable income rising at a somewhat faster rate. Household expenditures rose to 0.9 per cent with the increase indisposable income. The UK?s deficit on trade in goods and services in February 2004 stoodat  £3.2 billion ?compared with the revised deficit for January of  £4.4billion. Continued sales growth has been observed during the past few months inthe UK economy. Exchange rates are favourable for UK residents for travelling abroaddue to strong position of British Pound against the other foreigncurrencies. ?Euro? used as a single currency in many Europeancountries, is also stable against the other foreign currencies. Latest predictions for the UK economy suggest that it will remain oneof the strongest economies in the world over the next five years, withlow inflation (inflation fell to 1.3% during February 2004), lowunemployment and reasonable economic growth. The downside is that disparities between the wealthier parts of thecountry, not all in the south east of England, and pockets ofdeprivation, will get wider, with implications for travel demand. These are likely to influence the growth of the UK resident travelmarket. 3.4.3 Social FactorsA trend of getting internet access at home and buying online isdeveloping in the UK. According to statistics in September 2003, 11.9million households online were recorded. Listening to music or radio is a popular choice among the UKresidents.92% of people content to spend their evenings and weekendswatching TV or hired videos. To socialize, most people think toentertain family and friends at home rather than going out (79%). A great trend has been seen in U.K population about diet and healthissues in the recent years. This trend leads towards the need of morefitness clubs and organic food for the people from U.K Changes in thestructure of the population because of the immigrants from Europe,Asia and Africa etc. will also affect the supply and demands of goodswithin the U.K economy. Continued concerns over safety and security while travelling are foundin the U.K residents. Lifestyle changes have also been affecting the U.K travel market for anumber of years. Postponing the start of the family and an increase inthe number of households consisting of couples with two incomes arethe main trends toward the changing life style. Changing fashions,which are difficult to predict also have an affect on the market. 3.4.4 Technological FactorsThe rapid development of technology is affecting the businesses in UKand all over the world. Changes in the technology have changed the waybusinesses operate i.e. Internet booking for tickets and holidays. Faster changing development in technology creates a need to reactquickly for different businesses in order they want to maintain thecompetitive environment by providing the same innovative services,which their competitors are offering. Distribution of products by the use of technologies e.g. marketinginformation systems, customer relationship management are also commonpractices with different businesses for effective services to theircustomers. Chapter 44.1 Impacts on demand situationFindings from the PEST analysis will enable me to comment on theimpacts on the demand situation of the customers of the ?SimplyTravel?. ElasticitiesChanges in the quantity demanded due to change in price and income arevery important for the tourism industry. Rising disposable incomeamong the UK residents is the positive indication for the ?SimplyTravel? that people will have enough money to buy company?s products. However, Government?s fiscal policies for tax on aviation fuel and VATon air tickets will impact the company?s supply of services at thesame rate. Higher prices of the tour packages will lead to lesserdemand among the UK residents. Cross-Price ElasticitiesNot only a price change in the UK due to taxes is important but alsothe price of the facilities in other destinations where  company servesis also important. For example rising prices in Italy, Spain etc. fordifferent tourism related products will also make supply of productsexpensive for the tourists. TrendsLatest trends of home- entertainment and more awareness about the dietand health-issues does also have an impact on the demand of thetourist. Company will have to compile the Supplies of servicespackages with variety of facilities available according toindividual?s choice, so it can make supply of the products a bitexpensive for the customers. Purchasing methodGrowing direct purchases of holiday packages from airlines will impactthe demand situation .Buying the package direct from suppliers i.e. Hotels, air lines will decrease the demand of the tourists. Moreover, low inflation rate and high employment rate and favourableexchange rate will increase the buying power of the tourists so itwill increase the demand in British holiday travellers for the holidaytravels abroad. 4.2 OT analysisTo find opportunities and threats from the external environment forthe ?Simply Travel?, I will conduct the OT analysis. 4.2.1 OpportunitiesOpportunities exist for ?Simply Travel? in expanding the servicepackage according to the latest trends such as* Packages with individual concerned Diet and health matters* Adding particular activities for the tourists, providingexperiences* Providing more choice, individuality and variety. And providing the real value for the money of the tourists. 4.2.1 ThreatsCheap airlines adding facilities for the travellers to make their owntravel plan is the biggest threat for the company. Government?s decision to add taxes on aviation fuel and VAT for airlines are also a main threat for the company. Latest trends of home entertainment i.e. listening radio, watching TV,Inviting family and friends are also threatening the company. Terrorist attacks like 9/11 is also a big threat for the company. Chapter 5ConclusionI conclude my report by saying that the Holiday Travel market in UK isin a state of perfect competition. Though there are positive signs inthe economy for present and near future and buying power of theindividuals is increasing day by day but still ?Simply Travel ? is in need to expand its service package according to the latest trends. ———————————————————————[1] http://www.wttc.org/2004tsa/frameset2a.htm[2] Tourism, principles and practices,2nd edition,pp5[3] www.staruk.org.uk[4] The information used in describing the service concept and servicepackage of ?Simply travel? are obtained from www.simply-travel.com.

Financial planning and wealth management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Financial planning and wealth management - Essay Example The World Wealth Report 2013 has been prepared by Capgemini and Royal Bank of Canada jointly. This report shows that 2012 was started with a sluggish beginning with low levels of GDP of most of the economies around the world. However, with efforts from the national governments, economic activities in the world have increased considerably (The wealth report, 2012). Eventually, HNWIs (individuals possessing US$1 million or more investable assets) have ultimately benefitted, as the international market has strongly turned around towards the end of 2012. The report presents the analysis of data collected through survey of more than 4,400 HNWIs belonging to twenty one countries. This makes the study one of the most data rich and highly relevant studies for present economic times. Background The report sheds light on three distinct peripheries; levels of confidence held by HNWIs in the international market, their long term investment objectives, their investment pattern and plans and most importantly, the types of relationships maintained by them with advisors and wealth management firms. The investment pattern of these individuals determines the flow of investment around the world and affects the services offered by the advisors. The type of service demanded by the firms, casts significant influence on the actual investments that would be made throughout the year (Kennedy, 2011). Secondly, the nuances involved in wealth advisor-HNWI relationships have been studied in detail. Emerging opportunities for investment of wealth have been identified and recommendations have been made for improving the relationships between wealth managing firms and all segments of HNWIs. The impact of changes in the national regulations as well as the regulations of the international bodies, such as the Euro zone, during and after the financial crisis, is expected to cast major impacts on the investment climate around the globe. Impact of such changes on individuals and firms has been expl ored to assess the effect it casts on world wealth. Growth of HNWI Market Analysis of HNWI population and investible wealth shows that the HNWI Market has taken a grand leap forward since 2012. Total HNWI population in the world has increased by 9.2% in between 2011 and 2012 and reached the figure of 12 million. Financial market performance also shows impressive improvements, which has been the cause of substantial growth HNWI wealth. Although, there was a fall in aggregate investable wealth in 2011, it again increased by 10.0% and reached a record level of US $46.2 trillion. Market observers have forecasted that the HNWI wealth is expected to grow at the rate of 6.5% annually in the coming two years consecutively. It would touch the US $55.8 trillion orbit by 2015 (Capgemini, 2013). This growth would mainly be driven by expansion of HNWI wealth in the countries in Asia-Pacific region (Durgy, 2013). It is evident from the data that the developing countries are showing greater growth rates than the developed countries. Although, developing economies have been hit hard by the breakdown of the global financial system, these countries offer greater opportunities for growth. Population growth rates in these countries are high and economic activities are increasing at an increasing rate. Therefore, the process of capital accumulation occurs more spontaneously in these economies than the develo

Children and Discipline Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Children and Discipline - Essay Example Spanking spoils the child just like extreme pampering does. When a child does something bad that irritates the parent, the last thing that the parent should do is spanking the child because this way the child gets used to spanking and he grows out of the fear. In other words, he stops fearing spanking anymore. Whenever he would do something bad, he would think that all that his parent is going to do is spanking and nothing else, and since that is a routine so there is nothing to worry about. When he is tackled with love, he would stop himself from doing anything that would spark such anger in the parent that could result in hitting. Spanking also tends to stop the child from respecting the parent. A kind of rebellion and hatred starts nurturing inside the child’s heart which is very dangerous when he goes in his teenage. The child stops listening to the parents’ advice seriously because he does not respect them anymore. This makes him shout at his parents and do what they do not want him to do because he has been nurturing this rebellion inside him due to constant spanking. He stops communicating with his parents, which isolates him. This can hinder with the development of his healthy personality. Hence, parents should be told the side-effects of spanking â€Å"through education and legal reform† (â€Å"End Physical Punishment of Children†). Spanking creates inferiority complex in the child which is a frustration that grows inside him when he feels that he is not good enough to satisfy his parents. He feels that he is so bad that his parents always want to hit him. He takes out this frustration by hitting his younger siblings. Spanking teaches him that he should make use of power to make others do what he wants them to do, so he beats and bullies his peers at school. This makes him a violent person when he grows up. To conclude, spanking is a negative reinforcement given to the

To what degree are contemporary political systems shaped by history Essay

To what degree are contemporary political systems shaped by history Answer with reference to two states studied - Essay Example The first of these compliments will be with regards to the historical occurrences that took place in the second will be with regard to the manner through which these historical occurrences at impacted upon a sense of identity and purpose with respect to governance and the means through which power is evidenced. Beyond merely describing to culturally dissimilar nations, it is the hope of this author that the analysis will also provide a level of comparison with respect to the way in which similar historical experienced has coalesced to create a shared interpretation on many fronts that might otherwise not be exhibited. Firstly, taking the case of the Russian Federation, the analyst can see that this particular entity grew out of the members of the former Soviet Union. Tracing this back even further, the reader can determine that the Soviet Union was the results of economic and political pressures that the Russian Empire was unable to address. Accordingly, it would of course be possible to trace the historical impact of Russian governance back to the era of prehistory; however, for purposes of this analysis, the discussion will only go this far as the czarist era. The Russian Empire began to take shape as the Mongol Empire and its accordance of horsemen began to recede throughout Eurasia. For centuries, the Mongol horde had dominated Russian land and demanded Steve attributes each and every season. The level of complete and total control that the Mongols were able to wield over Russians created a unique Eastern identity that helps to separate Russians from the remainder of culturally and linguistic ally similar Europeans. Following the example of government and control that the Mongols had exhibited, the first czars utilized a very totalitarian approach to organizing the early Russian Empire. Furthermore, utilizing the power vacuum that was left by the Mongol Empire, the first czars took advantage of this

The Qualities of the Real Personal Statement Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

The Qualities of the Real - Personal Statement Example My conception of the Divine is based on the very real existence of my intellect, which has no physical form. I hold that nothing real can come out of nothingness. The reality of biological life is proof of the reality of a Creator, who was the first cause of life. He is infinite and is the cause of all finite things. He is independent and does not depend on anything for his existence. Â  It cannot be denied that good is real. There are degrees of goodness. These degrees of goodness are possible only with reference to something which is absolutely good. My conception of the Divine is that absolute good. My God is the embodiment of the highest degree of Perfection. He is removed from the senses and the body and belongs only to the mind. He is the foundation of moral values. My God is real. The existence of the unicorn and the leprechaun do not meet my criteria of real, as I can neither see them with my senses nor with my intellect. They are merely part of my imagination. They have not originated independently: they originate in my imagination. These imaginary creatures are not infinite, or perfect. They are not real. Â  

Logistics and operation managment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words - 1

Logistics and operation managment - Essay Example In addition to this inventory management, capacity planning and scheduling are all considered to be significant factors in the choice of technology of the organization. These processes help in determining that how much capacity must be needed by the firm, the schedule and all the processes related to inventory management that are required for manufacturing a great product or begin the production of an entire new product. Before discussing the imbalance between inventory management, capacity planning and scheduling, it is important to build some understanding of these production aspects. Inventory management can be defined as controlling and overseeing the storage, ordering and making use of the components that will be used by the organization in the manufacturing process, as well as controlling and overseeing the quantity of finished goods for sale. Capacity planning can be defined as the maximum rate of transformation system processes or produced inputs. It can also be defined as volume of output within the elapsed time or the production capability of a manufacturing facility. There are a number of factors that affect capacity such as the number and ability of workers, number of suppliers and machines, waste, defects, scrap, productivity, errors, preventive maintenance and government regulations. The capacity planning can be relevant for both the short term as well as the long operations of the org anizations. Scheduling can be defined as the process of controlling, arranging and optimizing the workload in the manufacturing or production process. It is used for allocating the machinery and plant resources, planning production processes, planning human resources and purchasing materials. It is a significant process for engineering and manufacturing, where it may impose a significant impact on the production of the organization. In manufacturing process, the major purpose of scheduling is to minimize the time and cost of production by

The Success of Treatments for Social Anxiety Disorder Essay Example for Free

The Success of Treatments for Social Anxiety Disorder Essay With the increased dependence on others because of the boom in societies’ populations, social skills are becoming more of a necessity in the normal functioning of individuals. Behaviors which obstruct the normal functioning of individuals in social situations are therefore a growing cause of concern. One such behavior is the psychological disorder, social anxiety disorder. Social anxiety disorder is a psychological disorder characterized by a persistent fear of negative evaluation from others in social situations to which the individual is exposed (Stein, 2006). Because of this increase in fear of experiencing humiliation, there is an observed pattern of irregular functioning as well as clinically diagnosed distress in the individual (Stein, 2006). This therefore stops the suffering individual from relating to others in regular social situations. Furthermore, the distress resulting from the fear incapacitates the individual from other day-to-day patterns of behavior. Social anxiety disorder manifests during early stages of human development and has been found to be one of the most prevalent mental disorders (Stein, 2006). Because of this, an increase in concern has been raised for the treatment of the disorder, especially because the nature of the disorder prevents individuals from seeking treatment of the same. This paper will deal with two therapies used in treating social anxiety disorder. The treatment procedures offered by cognitive-behavioral therapy and pharmacotherapy, the use of medicine in treatments. This will be done by reviewing several articles written by experts studying methods of treating the symptoms of social anxiety disorder. Also the effectiveness of the different treatment procedures in helping clients will be discussed. By the end of this paper a clearer picture will have been made of the research methods utilized in studying social anxiety disorder, the treatments suggested, and the effectiveness of such treatments. The Importance of Working Alliance Hayes, Hopes, VanDyke, and Heimberg (2007) conducted a study regarding the effectiveness of cognitive-behavior therapy in addressing the concerns of patients suffering from social anxiety disorder. One of the processes of cognitive-behavior therapy involves the firm establishment of an interpersonal relationship between the client and therapist. This relationship is known as the working alliance. Working alliance goes beyond forming a bond and involves the foundation of an agreement between the client and therapist regarding the tasks and goals of the therapy proceedings (Hayes et al., 2007). In their research study, Hayes et al. (2007) studied the role that working alliance played in having treatments result in effective treatments. The research was conducted through first assessing that the patients were seeking treatment for social anxiety disorder and that no other therapist was being consulted (Hayes et al., 2007). Participants were then asked to rate the level of distress they felt before entering the therapy. After the session, participants and third-person observers rated the perceived level of working alliance as well as the degree of helpfulness of the session (Hayes et al., 2007). Only the first session was studied by the researchers as they believed this first session was important in knowing if the client would come back or not. This may have limited the results as the researchers couldn’t make sure if the long-term effectiveness of the treatment is because of working alliance or because of other reasons. The research ended with the finding that high levels of working alliance didn’t lower the reported level of depression of the clients (Hayes et al., 2007). However, the treatment did get positive reports as to helpfulness. Those participants who reported moderate levels of working alliance showed decreases in depression (Hayes et al., 2007). In fact, those who reported before the session the highest levels of depression and showed the greatest decrease in depression after the session were those who reported average working alliance levels (Hayes et al., 2007). The research raises the question whether or not an entirely open relationship with therapists would help change the non-helpful social behavior of participants. Also, the research does not clearly point out whether it is the process which clients say is helpful or if it’s working alliance. More than anything, this study points out the need to study more the processes of cognitive-behavior therapy so that it will be understood what particular process helps social anxiety disorder patients. The Efficacy of Cognitive-Behavior Therapy A research study conducted through the review of relevant past research was conducted by Zaider and Heimberg (2003). Past research was tapped through the use of literature searches, reference lists and research databases (Zaider Heimberg, 2003). This provided the researchers with a long list of research papers to review – more than 100 papers were found but only 80 were accepted based on relevance. This method serves to summarize research conducted over the last fifteen years, making clear the contribution of each individual research conducted. But the study is limited because of the method used. Data still needs to be collected by studying the conclusions and proposals of this review of past literature. The studies reviewed also reflected several treatment procedures used in cognitive-behavior therapy. To name some of these treatments: relaxation training, social skills training, exposure, cognitive-restructuring techniques, and combined exposure and cognitive restructuring (Zaider Heimberg, 2003). However, the general conclusion that could be made was that the treatments were most efficient when applied together. The exact combination of treatments that would give the best results was not made clear though. But the research did conclude that the use of cognitive-behavior therapy greatly improves social performance fears (Zaider Heimberg, 2003). Moreover, the therapy resulted in the improvement of social skills and feelings of depression associated with the disorder (Zaider Heimberg, 2003). The research reflects that cognitive-behavior therapy is quick to answer the needs of social anxiety disorder. But it doesn’t answer the question of which aspect of the therapy directly contributes to the improvement. With the many treatments that may be used in cognitive-behavior therapy it is vague which one results in the best stage of improvement. There is also no explanation regarding the concepts used in this theory which help patients overcome their disability. Comparison between Cognitive Behavior Therapy and Pharmacological Interventions A handout for clinical practice guidelines (Paris, 2006) further discussed the efficacy of cognitive-behavior therapy in treating social anxiety disorder. The goal was to determine methods of improving the helpfulness of the therapy. This was done through a comparison of the data obtained from past researchers treating social anxiety disorder with three different treatments: cognitive-behavior therapy alone, cognitive-behavior therapy combined with prescribed medications, and pharmacology alone (Paris, 2006). However, this comparison method doesn’t control for certain conditions which might not be present in all studies. This would leave room for error in the data obtained and not make the conclusions objective and reliable. The research also enumerates the treatments applied in cognitive-behavior therapy. The list is similar to the list provided by Zaider and Heimberg (2003), as discussed earlier, except for the deletion of relaxation training and the addition of education and emotion-regulation approaches (Paris, 2006). When the researchers compared the effectiveness of the three above-mentioned conditions, no significant were noted. Therefore there were no added benefits to the use of the therapies in combination as compared to applying them separately. However, the findings did show that after stopping treatment, improvements made through cognitive-behavior therapy lasted longer than those in pharmacotherapy (Paris, 2006). Such findings raise the question as to why cognitive-behavior therapies are not the default treatment for social anxiety disorder. Combined Cognitive-Behavior Therapy and Pharmacotherapy As has been said in the previous study, there have been little to no proof showing the benefits of combining cognitive-behavior therapy with pharmocological treatments. However, medications have been found to lead to faster relief than cognitive-behavior therapy which takes a long and slow process (Rodebaugh Heimberg, 2005). On the other hand, medications have been associated with higher possibilities of relapse while cognitive-behavior therapy has shown low cases of relapse (Rodebaugh Heimberg, 2005). This accounts for the potential of exploring options for a combined treatments therapy. The possibility was studied through a review of current and recent research concerning combination treatments. But this review method fails to give a thorough control for factors which may affect the studied result along with the studied factors. There is no certainty of direct compatibility between studies. The review of the current state of knowledge served to show that some experiments had resulted in the growth of improvement effects through the combination of the two therapies (Rodebaugh Heimberg, 2005). However, this progress was observed only in the short-term effect of the therapy and no data is yet present as to the long-term benefits provided by combined treatments. It has further been found that clients who go through therapy may think that real-life practice situations as safe only when under medication. But when medication is stopped, the fear may return. This shows in truth, little improvement is made in the therapy sessions. This research brings about more questions for future research than it does provide answers. Of particular focus for future research would be the long-term rise in improvements through the early prescription of medication to a client and the delayed start of psychotherapy. Given that the effectiveness of therapy undergone while under medication may only be observed after the stop of such medication, therapy must extend after medication has been stopped. This picture gives a probable combination treatment set up. Pharmacological Treatments of Social Anxiety Disorder Stein (2006) presented his study considering the effect of clinical practices combined with advancements in medical research. This was done through the review of current clinical guidelines. The effects of known medications when applied to individuals suffering from social anxiety disorder were also considered. This method serves to provide a clear picture of the role of pharmacology in the clinical setting. It also identifies the most effective medicine to prescribe to a client asking for help for social anxiety disorder. Unlike other studies which only find basis on the helpfulness of particular pharmaceutical products in combating disorders, this method, evidence-based treatment, looks at clinical data in order to identify the best medication may be given to a client (Stein, 2006). The study reported that the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors and serotonin-noradrenaline reuptake inhibitors were the primary pharmacological treatments recommended for manifesting social anxiety disorder (Stein, 2006). It was explained that selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors serve as effective short- and long-term treatments for social anxiety disorder. This treatment has been found to be superior to other medications available for social anxiety disorder. However, the occurrence of relapse was common in cases where treatments were not continued. It is therefore best to give long-term treatment for maximum improvement of the patient. Long- term treatment would also decrease the frequency of relapse. Instead of concluding that selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors alone should be used for treatment, this research only encourages more research. Although the best possible medication has been identified, the contribution of other known medications has not been forgotten. Stein leaves open the possibility of creating new medicines for the treatment of social anxiety disorder with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors as the main ingredient. Summary of Research Material Reviewed To summarize the research findings discussed above, the only successful psychotherapy so far applied to social anxiety disorder is cognitive-behavior therapy. This may be because of the close working alliance between the client and therapist as well as the real life experimentation which acts as practice for the client. This treatment has been found to have more long-lasting improvements than pharmacological treatments. However, on the basis of quality of improvements observed, no significant difference has been found between cognitive-behavioral and pharmacological treatments. It is theorized though that the best improvement environment might be achieved through the combination of the two treatments. However, there is little evidence collected to support such a theory. It should also be noted that the most effective medication, on the basis of evidence from clinical records, has been identified as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors. But the combination of this medication with others has not been considered or studied yet. Even though the research findings have not pinpointed the specific predictors of improvement in clients’ conditions, it has been shown that indeed social anxiety disorder may be treated. In fact the challenge for researchers is to make treatment conditions better in order to maximize the improvements already offered by current therapies. Reflection on Research Findings The research has served to the existing state of research clear. From the conclusions of the researchers it can be seen that successful treatments of social anxiety disorder have been achieved. However, the reliability of medication as a treatment for this disorder remains uncertain. Medication gives quick relief of the symptoms of social anxiety disorder. However, when taking medicine is stopped, relapse is not only likely, it is sure to follow. On the other hand, cognitive-behavior therapy offers a more stable process of improvement with fewer chances of relapse. Although this therapy takes longer in showing improvement, the wide variety of treatments it offers allows for the specialization of client-therapy interactions based on the specific concerns and situation of individual clients. This allows for a stronger foundation of change. This would improve interaction even outside the clinical setting. This is quite different from the role of medication which is only to prevent the manifestation of symptoms without addressing the cause of the actual behavior being treated. Although a combination treatment is hoped for, it should be remembered that medication might only bring about a false sense of reliance. Medication should therefore not be regarded as the primary intervention mechanism. It’s psychotherapy which empowers the individual to face different social situations. Cognitive-behavioral therapy gives the patient the ability to develop coping mechanisms which he or she will learn to apply in many different social interactions that may come his or her way. References Hayes, S.A., Hope, D.A., VanDyke, M.M., and Heimberg, R.G. (2007). Working Alliance for Clients with Social Anxiety Disorder: Relationship with Session Helpfulness and Within-Session Habituation, Cognitive Behaviour Therapy, 36(1), 34-42. Paris, J. (2006). Social Anxiety Disorder. Canadian Journal of Psychiatry, 51(2), 35S-41S. Rodebaugh, T.L. and Heimberg, G.T. (2005). Combined Treatment for Social Anxiety Disorder. Journal of Cognitive Psychotherapy: An International Quarterly, 19(4), 331-345. Stein, D.J. (2006). Evidence-based treatment for social anxiety disorder. International Journal of Psychiatry in Clinical Practice, 10(1), 16-21. Zaider, T.I. and Heimberg, R.G. (2003). Non-pharmacologic treatments for social anxiety disorder. Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica, 108(417), 72-84.