Cirque Du Soleil Essay

1. Cirque du Soleil does not have a product, they have a diverse, creative, critical thinking, artist works company; a circus without animals. Within this company, this show allows their featured unique artists, to tap into their creative side and create magic for an audience. Cirque du Soleil aims to create the greatest shows onstage all around the world. The core for a functioning Cirque du Soleil is behind the scenes, with artists and staff. Recruiting these people seems to be a challenge for this ever diverse world we live in. Recruiting and hiring these staff members for Cirque du Soleil is difficult because not many people will just run away to the circus. This lifestyle is an ever changing one, with artists of different cultures and diverse backgrounds. It cannot always be an easy mix for everyone to get along. It takes a special kind of person with that magic in their eyes, that will keep evolving and keep being an asset to the ever changing show. Although it is the same lifestyle these employees will be part of, they service two completely different jobs. Artists perform for the audience, whereas staff is simply there to serve the artists needs. Recruiting for this job takes time, the director Cantin has even traveled to twenty countries in search of local talent. In terms of recruiting and hiring staff, again asking someone to uproot themselves, for little pay, to cater to extremely unique artists demands can be a challenging proposition. Creating extensive rewards for these employees is key. The owners of this company have taken time to understand what the needs are of their staff and artists. Compensation such as free meals and board, as well as the opportunities to improve a talent or passion are aspects of this company where they continue to grow positively. From this article I would say that this company takes extensive time to evaluate and understand the needs of everyone they have on board. In the small market Cirque du Soleil services, it is essential every performer or staff member is â€Å"fit† for the company. This market seeks out individuals who are qualified mentally, and physically for the strenuous changing show and lifestyle. They search for people who are ready to hit the ground running and jump into shows. Here employees are encouraged to discover their magic and embrace their talents, in fact Cirque provides outlets to bring your talents to the next level. They want employees to be able to continuously develop as well as have clear heads of stereotypes. % quit: %15 %quit x current population : 15% x 475 = 71.25 = 72 Artists left: 475-72=403†¨Future demand: 500†¨Needed (500-403= 97) Keeping employees happy enough to stay is and will continue to be a problem for Cirque du Soleil. This problem will affect retention because, if employees are not happy, they will leave. If employees leave, there may not be enough staff to sustain the upcoming show, but the show must go on. This problem could potentially lead to a default product, a poor performance. Cirque provides an environment with different experiences constantly with no fixed structure but to allow artists to tap fully into who they are. By designating a heavy amount of time for managing the artists needs and analyzing what what would make there experience even better. Cirque du Soleil aims to create an environment with the best possible conditions that you don’t want to leave. By retaining employees core artists to the Cirque shows have and can obtain more hands on experience out in the world. Recruiting employees cost money and time. When artists are better at their job they provide stability within the company for a better transitional environment for new employees. Employees will effectively be able to teach each other the ropes, or provide support for one another. The concept is for artists to learn together. With the wide diversity of ethnicity, or gender it can be problematic to find employee who are non stereotype. Those who are open to all cultures. Compensation and benefits however is variable because income becomes an issue. Cirque has a variety of shows and venues that do not always provide steady pay. With that being said its hard to keep up with the rewarding benefits Cirque boasts about, such as providing new experiences. By giving the artists more say, a greater employee output is achieved, with higher job satisfaction, keeps employees. To solve its retention problems Cirque’s benefits heavily outweigh their drawbacks. Ultimately providing the best work environment than anyone in their competing market. Finding talent i is the second current problem Cirque is facing. Cirque du Soleil has created a name for themselves serving as a business that lets you play to your full potential as an artist. In doing so they created an even more diverse product that makes it hard to find that diamond in the rough in cities and continents. This problems affects staffing mostly because they have created a name for themselves that their brand is a luxury good, possibly making artists perceive their company as unachievable. Perspective employees want to work with the best performers around. Now that the company has made a name for themselves, they are hiring staff with more direct experience instead of performers with potential. With a changing and diverse work force this poses a problem within staffing. In creating diversity, gaps in language and background quickly becomes an issue. Training and development problems are solved by having current employees that have open mindsets about other cultures, providing a more welcoming environment. People coming from different socioeconomic backgrounds I would imagine feel secure in knowing they at least have paid meal and board. The shows performances cannot continue to increase levels of diversity without new talent. The current employees care about quality of their product. By having varying levels of skill and ability this could be exciting for new artist morale. Also by having a good training system to develop and articulate performances would provide a great benefit to perspective employees. The movement to keep the excitement alive is on!

Graduate school Essay

Preparation Before applying, understand why attending graduate school makes sense to you. To clarify why you want to attend graduate school at this point in your life, try answering questions such as: †¢Ã‚  What will this degree enable you to achieve? †¢Ã‚  What do you plan to do with your advanced degree? Be able to express what about you and your experiences will help you to succeed in the program: †¢Ã‚  Make lists of professors, courses, research projects, ideas, travel, and other experiences that have been important to you, or have influenced your decision to apply to graduate school. †¢Ã‚  Think about any volunteer, extracurricular, or paid work experiences, as well as interests, special skills you possess, or honors and awards you have received. †¢Ã‚  What have you learned from your experiences? How have you used this knowledge? †¢Ã‚  Provide the admissions committee with information that supplements (not repeats) the information in the rest of your application. What important aspects are not clearly reflected in your resume, college transcripts and test scores? For example, you might want to indicate how you hope to benefit  from graduate studies, and how you intend to apply and integrate your graduate studies in your career. Writing Tips †¢Ã‚  Answer the question. Some applications require a general personal statement, others ask you to write on more specific topics. Be sure to tailor your essay to the school’s request. †¢Ã‚  Keep the essay clear, concise, and to the point. The essay demonstrates your writing ability and communication skills. Engage your readers with an effective introduction and clear structure. Say what you mean directly and avoid using phrases like â€Å"I think† or â€Å"In my opinion.† †¢Ã‚  Write your personal story. Set your statement apart by discussing WHAT is important to you, WHY it is important, and HOW you have used your talents and abilities in your life. †¢Ã‚  Be specific and give examples. For instance, instead of simply stating that you would make an excellent doctor (lawyer, engineer, etc.), provide reasons and examples. What experiences have you had that encouraged you to enter this field? †¢Ã‚  Follow any format guidelines provided by the school, such as length, font, or margin size. †¢Ã‚  Proofread! Ask several people to read through your essay, especially faculty in your desired area of study, English professors, career counselors, parents, and friends who will give you honest feedback. Ensure that there are no typos, misspellings, or grammatical errors. Over → USD Career Services †¢ Hughes 110 †¢ 619-260-4654 †¢ careers@sandiego.edu †¢ www.sandiego.edu/careers Tailoring Your essay will be different for each application. Know the special features, emphases, or approaches of each program, and reflect these in your essay. †¢Ã‚  What are the school’s strengths? †¢Ã‚  What makes the program a good choice for you? †¢Ã‚  How might you contribute to the program? Cautions †¢Ã‚  Do not include references to your experiences or accomplishments before college, unless there was an extraordinary achievement or trauma that had a significant impact on your current situation. †¢Ã‚  Do not mention subjects that are too controversial. Avoid offending the admissions committee. †¢Ã‚  Do not be too general. Top schools may receive thousands of applications, and you want yours to stand out. Keep your essay interesting, relevant, and tailored to the school. Additional Resources Websites at many universities contain advice on writing graduate school essays. The Writing Center at RPI www.rpi.edu/dept/llc/writecenter/web/gradapp.html UC Berkeley: Graduate School Statement http://career.berkeley.edu/Grad/GradStatement.stm UCSD: Application Essays http://career.ucsd.edu/sa/applicationEssays.shtml These commercial web sites offer helpful samples and tips on writing graduate school essays. By listing these sites, USD Career Services is not endorsing the additional paid services. Essay Edge www.essayedge.com/ Admissions Essays www.admissionsessays.com (click on Writing Tips) All About the Graduate Admissions Essay http://gradschool.about.com/od/essaywriting/All_About_the_Graduate_Admissions_Essay.htm The following books on graduate school essays are available in the USD Career Services Library. Graduate Admissions Essays, by Donald Asher (Ten Speed Press) Peterson’s Perfect Personal Statements, by Mark Stewart (Thomson Peterson’s)

Internal Rate of Return and Slab Casting Essay

1. What have been the sources of Nucor’s competitive advantage so far (namely, up until 1986)? Do you think â€Å"business as usual† is likely to continue generating the same profits for Nucor? Why? 2. What are the technological risks associated with thin-slab casting? (What could go wrong and how bad would it be? You may find the spreadsheet posted with these preparation questions helpful here.) 3. What are the market risks associated with thin-slab casting? (What could go wrong and how bad would it be? You may also find the spreadsheet useful here.) 4. What are the financial risks associated with thin-slab casting? (What could go wrong and how bad would it be? Use the financial information in the case for guidance.) 5. If thin-slab casting works, do you think it is likely to generate a sustainable competitive advantage for Nucor? 6. Should Nucor commit to thin-slab casting? Case Analysis Question Make a recom m endation r egarding w hether Nucor should go forward with the t hin – slab casting project. In developing your recommendation, you should a ddress s everal questions . 1 . First, what have been the foundations of Nucor’s com petitive advantage o ver the past decade? Which of those (if any) are likely to help them succeed in the thin – slab casting venture? 2 . Second, do you think that thin – slab casting will be a source of s ustainable com petitive advantage? In answering this, you must consider two things. a . One, do you think thin – slab casting will be a profitable investment? There is a spreadsheet available for download along w ith this project that will help you m ake an assessm ent. This s preadsheet calculates the internal rate of return (IRR) of the new p roject using cash flow projections. The projections are based on a ssum ptions detailed in the notes below the m ain spr eadsheet. Once you download the spreadsheet, you can exp erim ent with d ifferent values that correspond to different assum ptions regarding Nucor’s strategic concerns. Som e of these m ay have a l arge effect on the value of the project; others may not. Some of the issues raised in the case whose effect you m ay want t o c onsider include scrap prices, tim e to r each f ull capacity, and r esponses by com petitors in the new m arkets Nucor would be e ntering. b . T wo, do you think that the profits obtained by thin – slab casting w ould be sustainable? Why or why not? 3 . T hird, what are t he options that would be opened or close d if Nucor p roceeded with thin – slab casting? Your recom m endation should be based on both your calculations of cash flow projections and also on a m ore qualitative analysis about c om petitive advantage a nd p rofitabi lity, and t he extent to which they w ill be s ustainable (m eaning they cannot be easily im itated by other c om panies, etc.) .

Economics 5100 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Economics 5100 - Essay Example Economic thought began long ago in history with Greek philosophers such as Aristotle, taking part early and later on being greatly developed in the medieval times. Aristotle looked at the ways of wealth acquisition questioning whether it should be privatized or publicize because of its effects. The French, later in the medieval era, were against mercantilism. Mercantilism, also known as commercialism, is the system through which trade was encouraged in order to amass wealth. That is more exports than imports to increase the quantity of gold in stores. The French vied this with little regard and from their works inspired the Scottish philosopher Adam Smith, who is considered the â€Å"father of Economics.† Smith took their ideas expounding them to a thesis on how economies should be driven versus how they were currently being driven. He believed that completion in itself was self regulating and the government should be involved in business unless it was to support free market t rade. In doing so, many of the resultant economists’ works were in a way or the other in reaction to his thesis. From Smith’s work, Marxism came into play. Karl Marx believed that production was the pillar of any economy. This was influenced by Thomas Malthus, who also received Smith’s theory negatively claiming that the food supply was not able to sustain the rapidly growing population. Marx was convinced that capitalism was very unstable and would lead to a collapse in the economy brought about by the different classes brought about by it. He failed to see the flexibility of capitalism (Beattie 4) where investing brought a mixed class of workers and owners who held each other’s interests thus a balance. However, he was able to predict the growth of businesses. He claimed they would grow larger and more powerful. Keynesian economics largely influenced by Marxism led to the development of the mixed economy. Marx saw capitalism’s

Engineering Products Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Engineering Products - Case Study Example The largest of the three business areas is automotive components, employing 60% of the group's workforce. The division is a first-tier supplier, dealing with several of the multinational final producers of cars, and is less concentrated in the UK than the company as a whole; Table 11.2 shows that only a small proportion of the division's sales are made in Britain, while an even smaller proportion of the workforce is employed there. Continental Europe is the base for a much larger proportions of sales and employment, with most of this being in Germany, France and Spain. The case study concentrates on this division of the multinational. In recent years the pressure from the automotive division's customers has become a central force in shaping how it manages its international operations in general and its international workforce in particular. The customers themselves have sought to standardise their methods of production and working practices through a process of sharing 'best practice' across sites. This has meant that, while the cars sold vary in minor respects between countries, they are produced in increasingly similar ways. One consequence has been that the components they purchase need to be of exactly the same specification in different countries. Since many of the first-tier suppliers in the motor industry are themselves multinational and in many cases supply the same companies in different countries, the effect has been to persuade the components manufacturers to standardise their own operations internationally. The Standardisation of Production across Borders The impetus for international integration in Engineering Products, therefore, came from the demands of its customers. Management at the HQ of the division have been faced with the task of integrating what had previously been disparate plants, serving customers in their own country and operating in a largely decentralised way. A key part of forging greater integration was to create management structures at the international level in order to bring together managers from different parts of the group, facilitating the exchange of information between them. In Engineering Products there are several such structures which serve this function. The division operates 'manufacturing councils' which periodically bring together senior manufacturing directors from the plants to examine the processes which are adopted in each of the plants. A different structure fulfilling a similar function is the 'International College of Engineering', located in Germany, at which engineers develop and learn about new manufacturing methods. A further way in which the HQ has sought to drive integration at the international level is through the creation of an international cadre of managers who are expected to spend time on assignments in countries other than their own. One element of this has been the creation of internal consultants; these are managers who have been responsible for pioneering a new practice and who are subsequently given

Persuasive synthesis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Persuasive synthesis - Essay Example As a means of expounding upon this particular topic, it is the hope of this author that the needs of the healthcare professional within such a context will be further appreciated; thereby ultimately helping draw a tangential level of understanding with regards to the use and application of euthanasia and/or physician assisted suicide. When one considers the difficulties of working as a healthcare professional, a litany of problematic issues comes to mind. However, a primal concern that the healthcare professional must deal with on a daily basis is the question of burnout. Burnout is of special importance due to the fact that it intimately affects the ability of the given individual to continue to provide a high level and quality o care to the end recipient. ... 339). This is of course a function of the fact that the average healthcare professional will only come in contact with a dead or dying patient on a rare incidence. Conversely, the healthcare professional that deals exclusively with the terminally ill must experience this on a daily and sometimes hourly basis. To seek to understand the means by which these impacts won the outlook and mental well-being of the healthcare professional is something of an impossible task due to the fact that different people respond to pressures in different ways. One of the readings that was engaged with as a means of informing this particular essay was that of Paul T. Schotsmans â€Å"Ethical Claim of a Dying Brother†. As such Schotsman integrates with the reader the severe physical and mental toll that standing helplessly beside the bed of a human writhing in agony exacts on the healthcare professional; regardless of the overall strength of their character, years in the profession, or resiliency of faith. Ultimately what happens is that the healthcare professional is unable to continue to integrate such continual death and suffering into their model of patient interaction. This no doubt comes from the fact that although death and dying are a fundamental part of life on planet earth, it is somehow programmed to be resented and rejected by humanity. This interestingly strikes at the very core of what healthcare provision is intended to provide. As anyone familiar with the Hippocratic Oath can attest, the ultimate goal of the healthcare professional is to seek to alleviate the suffering of the ill. As a function of this, the reader/researcher can quickly see that try as they might, the job of the healthcare

Explain the determinants of daily price changes of a stock market Coursework

Explain the determinants of daily price changes of a stock market index of your choice - Coursework Example Based on relevant literature and economic theory, this paper explains why there is stock market price change almost every day. Determinants of Stock Market Price changes The table given below is a summary of stock price changes of Apple Inc, American Express, Ameriprise Financial Inc, Noble Corp and Johnson and Johnson, extracted from Bloomberg.com. This table illustrates daily stock price changes for the above mentioned companies. According to economists, there are various reasons and driving forces for this stock market price changes. Â   Apr-18 Apr-19 Daily Price Change Apr-20 Apr-21 Daily Price Change Apr-26 Apr-27 Daily Price Change Apple Inc 437.92 438.95 0.30% 439.3 448.21 2.00% 455.13 456.5 0.30% American Express 53.05 52.67 0.70% 52.67 52.83 0.30% Â   Â   Â   Ameriprise Financial Inc 69.7 70.1 0.60% Â   Â   Â   70.4 70.1 0.30% Noble Corp 46.79 46.82 0.10% Â   Â   Â   47.55 47.49 0.10% Johnson and Johnson 64.56 64.75 0.30% 65.11 65.44 0.33% Â   Â   Â   Source: Ro se, April 19, 2011, Rose, April 21, 2011, Rose April 25, 2011 and Rose April 27, 2011 The major forces in the market are demand and supply and the same play significant roles in fluctuating the stock price too. The above table shows that stock price of different companies change almost every day in different proportions. For instance, Apple’s share price change was 0.30% between April 18 and April 19 and 0.20% between April 20 and April 21. This change is the result of market forces namely demand and supply. In simple economic terms, if more people want to buy a commodity (share) than they want to sell it, then the price essentially increases. If more people want to sell it than buy it, then price conversely move down. It is highly important to understand what makes people prefer a particular share to another one. People like a stock only when they get good and positive news about the company, such as company’s earning. Investopedia (2011) considers market capitalizati on and company’s earning as major measures that people value stock price of a company. The value of a company is perhaps its market capitalization which can be found by multiplying the stock price by the outstanding shares. For instance, a company that sells its share at $250 and it has 10,000 outstanding shares has considerably less value than a company that sells its share at $100 and has 30,000 outstanding shares (250*10,000 = 250,000 whereas 100*30,000 is 300,000). People anticipate and even extensively go for studying the earnings or profitability of a company when they think to buy or sell its share, and if this causes them to buy more, as a result the demand will be more and the price will move up. If people find that company not to be profitable in long-run, they eventually will like to sell its shares and it will increases its supply causing price to decrease. Brigham and Houston (p. 10) explained that stock price changes over time as conditions change and investors obtain new information about a company’s prospects. A good example that he mentioned was stock price variation of Apple Inc. Its stock price ranged from $77 to 4193 between 12 months in 2008 rising and falling as good and bad news about the company released. Stock Price change and Gordon Growth model Gordon Growth mod

Case analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 5

Case analysis - Essay Example This is not the case in other countries such as the U.S. and the European markets, where there seem to have a relatively sluggish economic growth consequently resulting to decreasing disposable income. The levels of disposable income in any particular country will affect the demand of the motorcycles. Most people will tend to determine whether a motorcycle is a luxurious good or an alternatively cheaper means of transport. If for instance the motorcycle is considered a luxurious good, any sort of an increase in the level of disposable income would lead to increase in demand of the motorcycle and vice versa. On the contrary, if a motorcycle is widely considered as a cheaper option for transport, decrease in the level of disposable income will increase the demand for the motorcycle and vice versa. The company scenario planners take the varying levels of income into consideration. They plan to establish market segments where different motorcycles would be sold depending on the needs of the market. In addition, scenario planning has led to developing strategies that ensure that motorcycles are developed to meet the different economic conditions (Fred, 2011). The company will thus be in a better position to compete well in the market. Other influences such as trade barriers in terms of tariffs are highly affecting the number of motorcycles imported within any particular country. This excludes the countries that are engaged in agreement of free trade and reduction of trade barrier. The free trade agreement has also increased the opportunity of international trade of motorcycle. Legislations regarding noise and emission levels have set the standards within certain countries. Thus, the motorcycles have to be made to comply with such standards (Fred, 2011). Harley Davidson Company continuously monitors the changes of laws and regulations in the market and other political issues that might hamper the sales efforts such as war. Over the

What was the Social Cost of Industrialization in Great Britain Essay

What was the Social Cost of Industrialization in Great Britain - Essay Example The coming together of England and Scotland brought about the much needed peace and stability; thus, there were no barriers between them. This meant that the trade could occur between the two. Then there was the law that dictated the terms about the respect of contracts, which meant that any contracts that were made had to be respected and followed by the parties that made them. In addition, a legal system allowed co-operations or companies to have joint stock. This system fuelled the industrialization since there was the ability to have stock in different companies or organizations such as co-operations and even the merging of some1. Then there was capitalism; which was the availability of a free market that enabled entrepreneurs to be economically and socially capable of running their own businesses. These key factors enabled the industrial revolution in Great Britain2. The social cost of industrialization in Great Britain affected the lives of people, from the urbanization process, housing, standards of living, increase in population, jobs, labor, and creation of new ideas and inventions. Middle-class people came to rise, whereas ordinary people who barely earned a living now had to deal with the increased levels of opportunities for employment when the new factories and other employment opportunities popped up. However, even though there were jobs, these people had to bear the cost of that easy-come job. They had to endure long working hours and strict working conditions3. This was because the revolution had just started, and this forced them to maintain the hard work. Little earnings followed these harsh working conditions. Those who worked the longest hours were the people who worked in the steel industry. These little earnings did not help, as the little earnings did not provide a decent life, one that required looking decent, eating decent and proper shelter. Even though these

Go tell it on the mountain by James Baldwin Essay

Go tell it on the mountain by James Baldwin - Essay Example â€Å"He awoke on this birthday morning with the feeling that there was a menace in the air around him’’ (Baldwin 1985, 19). The thought of sinning makes John depressed. John’s relationship with the father deteriorates because of his sin. He feels that obeying God requires submitting to his father. John tells Elisha that: â€Å"Elisha†¦ no matter what anybody says, you remember –please remember-I was saved. I was there.’’ This shows John depressed because of masturbating. â€Å"Then John knew that a curse was renewed from moment to moment, from father to son.†(Baldwin 1985, 288). This highlights John’s depressed state. Sinning is an innate behavior therefore should not cause depression. Instead, one should ask for forgiveness. The bitter relationship between John and Gabriel shows the theme of hatred. There is conflict between Gabriel and his son John. John did not understand the reason of Gabriel’s hate towards him. He tries all he could to appease Gabriel in vain. However, towards the end of the novel, John realizes that Gabriel hate could be because he was not his biological father but his stepfather. â€Å"He lived for the day when his father would be dying and he, John, would curse him on his death-bed.†(Baldwin 1985, 23) .This shows John’s hate for his father. â€Å"Satan, at the moment, stared out of John’s eyes while the spirit spoke.† This quote highlights Gabriel regarding John as a Satan. â€Å"And John did†¦to stare forever into the bottom of Gabriel’s soul.† This shows John disturbed looking for possible reason for Gabriel’s hate. The religious norms practiced by the community are hypocritical. Most of the church leaders and the congregation did not practice the Christian ideals they preached. The fact that Gabriel hated John despite the fact that he was a deacon shows religious hypocrisy. Gabriel does not seem pleased with John even after he became a saint. â€Å"They stood before each other in

Apply Dsm-Iv to William Styron Essay Example for Free

Apply Dsm-Iv to William Styron Essay He chronicles â€Å"the leaden and poisonous mood† (Styron, 1990) that occupies most of his days. He reflects his diminished interest and pleasure towards â€Å"exceptionally island’s pleasure†, his â€Å"beloved home†, writing and other activities that he used to enjoy. He wonders how his friendly place seemed so hostile and forbidding. As a writer it felt helpless and painful to him when he found out â€Å"the writing becomes more difficult and exhausting, finally ceased† because depression has made him unable to concentrate. Styron’s statement of â€Å"two or three hours of sleep I was able to get at night† indicated that he suffered from insomnia and the everyday sleepless was â€Å"a rare torture† to him. It was clear that his insomnia evolved from middle insomnia to severe insomnia just right before his hospitalization (Andreasen Black, 2011). Styron also stated his slowed psychomotor functions that manifested in â€Å"slowed-down responses, near paralysis, psychic energy throttled back close to zero†. Styron further describes his mental illness severity as â€Å"reached the phase of the disorder where all sense of hope had vanished, along with the idea of a futurity†. While these particular descriptions depict Styron’s hopelessness and despair, he also proposed a question â€Å"Why wasn’t I in a hospital† which implies his later voluntary hospitalization and improvement in his illness. In addition, Styron constantly thinks about death and suicide evidenced by â€Å"Death, was now a daily presence†. His house has also become a place that was filled with possibilities of committing suicide. These core symptoms in Styron’s case defined major depression and has presented for more than two weeks (American Psychiatric Association, 2000). Styron stated by himself that there was no manic episode occurs. And there were no evidence for a Mixed Episode. Although it was clear that client’s alcohol abuse history and his overuse of sleep medication play roles in his depression client’s depression are not due to the direct physiological effects of the substances or any general medical condition (American Psychiatric Association, 2000). It is interesting to address that client’s symptoms are not better accounted for by Bereavement but the unresolved grief Styron had toward his mother can be consider a major factor that contributed to his depression. The childhood trauma and the unresolved grief will be discussed later in this essay. In Styron’s case his depression began gradually during the six to eight month time frame. â€Å"Styron is on point in his astute description of milder dysthymic states that evolve into physiologically engaged forms of sever, endogenous depressions† (England, Ganzer, Foster, Tosone, 2006). Based on client’s current situation it is reasonable to give Styron â€Å"moderate† with current GAF score of 65. Styron stayed in hospital for nearly seven weeks and discharged with an improvement in his illness and his functions. All of his statements of â€Å"I began to get well, gradually but steadily† â€Å"the fantasies of self destruction disappeared† â€Å"suicidal notions dwindled then disappeared† â€Å"had first dream in many months† indicated that he was in the process of Partial recovery. Not only he started to feel â€Å"peace† in his mind but also he was able to attend hospital group activities. Styron has high adaptive level of defensive functions at current state. The understanding of the causes of depression has evolved over centuries. While Styron was detecting his â€Å"forgotten or buried events† that underlay his depression it will be important to look into his case through the biopsychosocial lens. From biopsychosocial model perspective the three major factors which all play a role in causing depression are biological, psychological and social factors. There are three aspects that contribute to Styron’s biological factor: genetic, alcohol use and medication. Based on Styron’s memory, his father, a shipyard engineer, suffered from clinical depression. When Styron was a young boy he have witnessed his father’s depression and hospitalization. Recent genetic research supports earlier studies reporting family links in depression (Pittenger Duman, 2008). If one or both of child’s parents have a vulnerability to depression, then it can be transmitted to the child. Therefore Styron’s father’s depression can be viewed as a risk factor to Styron’s later depression. In the narrative of Styron, he stated his dependence on alcohol and the overuse of Halcion for his sleeping problem. Excessive alcohol consumption significantly increases the risk of developing major depression (Gottlieb). Similar to alcohol, the increased risk for developing depression in benzodiazepines might be due in part to effects of drugs on neurochemistry, like decreased levels of serotonin and norepinephrine (Pittenger Duman, 2008). Styron himself acclaims that â€Å"more significant factor† (Styron, 1990) to his depression was the death of his mother when he was thirteen. In order to view psychological factor in Styron’s case Styron’s early mother lost has strong affect on his depression. Attachment theory predicts a relationship between depressive disorder and the early bond between the child and parents. Particularly the experiences of early loss, separation may all lead to insecure internal working models (Ma, 2006). To Styron, the death of his mother has â€Å"created nearly irreparable emotional havoc† (Styron, 1990) for him. This huge hole in his life may lead to his insecure and self-worthlessness. This insecure internal working models manifest through depressed individuals often blaming themselves for negative events and may not taking credit for positive outcomes. Styron reaction towards can be interpreted as he subconsciously felt he was not worthy of the honor (Marowitz, 2009). Regarding Styron’s own insight of â€Å"incomplete mourning† (Styron, 1990) he is right about the unsolved grief can keep bring the â€Å"insufferable burden of rage, guilt and sorrow†. â€Å"The Styrons were a dignified Southern WASP fanily and open displays of grief were tacitly discouraged† (England, Ganzer, Foster, Tosone, 2006). Since Styron was stuck in the phase of unresolved grief and using rage, guilt, and sorrow as the fuel for his work he never really learned a correct way to release his negative repeating emotions. Social factor in Styron’s case may be his social isolation during his early life from childhood to adolescent. As an only child in the family Styron’s social support can only come from his depressed father and mother with terminal illness. There was no one to share the burden and loneliness with him. As a pre mature and gifted child Styron went to school’s grade that did not match his developmental stage.

Reflecting on Wisdom Essay Example for Free

Reflecting on Wisdom Essay The one individual that I consider to be very wise is Bishop T.D. Jakes. Even though, I have never met him face-to-face; words spoken by him has inspired mass congregations; as well as me. Opposing to common beliefs, wisdom is not the ability to be knowledgeable about everything, but to a certain extent holding an open mind to additionally enhance comprehensions A wise person considers anything they say before they speak and discuss about area of circumstances he/she knows about and asks questions about the ones he/she are not familiar with. Individuals who have wisdom are inclined to be modest instead of displaying show-offs mentality. A wise individual have a tendency not to be competitive and do not mind if others have the notion to accuse them of being wrong. People with wisdom also know that people will gain knowledge at their own rate and in their own time, therefore not staring down on someone just because they are not equally understood. Wise people have great insight and a gifted ability to articulate it without belittling or embarrassing others. My favorite characteristic of a wise person is their ability to look beyond what is obvious (especially in unfavorable circumstances) and focus on the subject at hand. It must be also being made aware of that wisdoms come from life encounters, mirror image and/or educational training. Bishop T.D. Jakes holds these characteristics traits as an individual of wisdom. Bishop Jakes uses illustrations from his personal experiences in life, in addition to the lives of others which is under his counseling; Bishop Jakes provides pointed guidance on how to shift from battle to triumph, from prey to conqueror. Motivating and revitalizing direct honesty, this is the ultimate source for those seeking to comprehend and care for the love ones in their lives. This lends a hand decoding individual’s often impenetrable conduct which offers one-on-one approaches for better understanding and therapeutic in a person’s affiliations. Books such as, He-Motions written by Bishop T.D.  Jakes h ave put into words precision and prospect to everyone; which help them strengthen their relationships with themselves, others, and with their Savior. It has also given females the explanations they try to find as they communicate to the men they be devoted to. It may seem unbelievable to some because of the fact; a book causing so many people to get nearer as one in relationships and closer to God. Wisdom is that attribute of spirituality by which creates the greatest potential outcome with the greatest potential measures; through ministry and spirituality. Wisdom and intellect-knowledge are not equivalent, yet are strongly associated. Knowledge is obtained by building up information, but wisdom is effects from the approaching of issues that are learned. Knowledge is the bits and pieces made known through which wisdom put together its formation. An individual not educated possibly will be wiser than the most knowledgeable intellectual in actuality time and again are! While speaking of Bishops wisdom, it stands for his capability to formulate flawless conclusions and to accomplish those conclusions by great measures. Bishop in his wisdom makes use of the unlimited knowledge so that he may accomplish his objective in a means which praises God the greatest. All that is done by him seems to be prepared with flawless wisdom. Bishop perceives every thing in its proper relation to everything else, and so He is able to work toward His predestined goals with flawless precision. These are the reason, Bishop T.D. Jakes is known by many as a man of wisdom. He has changed lives through his knowledge of the Bible. There is not any study of more importance or value than a study of the nature and attributes of spirituality. In the past few years, I have been drawn deeper into what is known as, â€Å"The Words of God†. This is the reason why attributes of spirituality is the area, in which I have developed most fully. At the same time, not anything in life worth having was ever gained overnight. Therefore, I feel much work is ahead for me; to fully develop in future years come. Neither knowledge nor wisdom is gained overnight; it is a continuous growth process for years to come.

Achieving Competitive Advantage In The Biotechnology Sector Commerce Essay

Achieving Competitive Advantage In The Biotechnology Sector Commerce Essay Biotechnology can be generally defined as the use of living things to create products or to do tasks for human beings. Biotechnology or biotech is used in industry, medicine and agriculture to produce foods, medicine, and test for diseases and remove wastes. (Biotechnologyonline, n.d) As such, there are different types of biotech such as green technology, red technology, and white technology and Bio fuels. In this report, we will have an insight into each of these branches of biotech and use various analytical tools to evaluate how knowledge management is playing a role in creating competitive advantage for companies in the sector. In so doing, we shall look at the Green biotech, Red biotech, White biotech and bio fuel respectively. Green Biotechnology Green technology, otherwise known as plant or agricultural technology is a branch of biotechnology (biotech) which involves the introduction of foreign genes into economically important species, resulting in crop improvement and the production of novel products in plants. (123biotech, n.d.). To better understand the role of knowledge management in harnessing a competitive advantage in this branch of biotechnology, we will take Monsanto as case example. Monsanto is the worlds leading green technology company ahead of rival such as DuPont. (SmartMoney, 2009). The company specialises in breeding (improving the genetic base through technology of crops thus increase yield and genetic engineering (by enhancing generic traits in crops such as insect resistance, herbicide tolerance and drought-tolerance). (SmartMoney, 2009 and Monsanto, n.d.) As with its sister braches such as bioinformatics, white technology(industrial biotechnology), red technology(pharmaceuticals) as well as biofuels, green technology and companies associated with it like Monsanto, are not left unscathed by critics. For instance, Monsanto and its counterpatrs , through its use of plant technology has been criticised of endangering human, the environment and socio-economic.( Friends of the earth, 2006). Significance of Green Technology However, the following advantages are beign celebrated by its supporters: Protection of Crops: for instance, the AT-DBF2 gene from Arabidopsis Thaliana crop injected into plants to enable them withstands Osmotic stress such as drought, salt and stress. (PNAS, n.d.) Increase Crop yield: during the teething years of biotechnology in term of Genetically Modified Food, there has been a widespread criticism of GMO claiming that GM Crops do not increase crop yield, that on the contrary it, reduces it. (Truth about Trade and Technology, 2009). These claims were dismissed by the then USA president Jimmy Carter who stated that, responsible biotechnology is not the enemy; starvation is. (Biotechnology Industry Organisation, n.d.)His favourable stance towards green biotechnology because of organisms like the Bacillus Thuringiensis used to produce the BT-corn. Introduces in 1996, the Bt corn has the potential to simplify management and effectively control corn borers throughout the season thus increasing its yield. (College of Agriculture, n.d.) Improved Food Quality: an example of this was the invention of the Golden Rice by Prof Potrykus and Prof. Beyer of ETH-Zurich and University of Freiburg respectively. The Golden rice is believed to alleviate Vitamin A deficiency in young people especially in the developing world. (Golden Rice, n.d.) Another example is the Maltogenic Amylase used for Retardation of staling in baked food, such as bread and cakes. (Food and Agriculture Organisation, 1997) Having had an insight about how green technology functions, its pros and cons, it is now essential to discover how companies like Monsanto use knowledge management in harnessing and safeguarding innovation in order to create a sustainable competitive advantage against rivals like DuPont. Knowledge Management as a competitive advantage vehicle. To understand the role knowledge management in achieving competitive advantage for biotech companies such as Monsanto, lets apply the Resource-Based View of strategy coined by Grant (1991citied in Henry, 2008). This analysis seeks to analyse how a company exploits its resources to achieve a sustainable competitive advantage against its rivals in the industry. (Henry, 2008) A resource-based view of strategy analysis Consumer Confidence, First Mover Advantage, Tap blue Oceans, CAPABILITY Fund expensive RD, New Product Development RESOURCES Finances, Experts, Human Capital COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE Knowledge power, Experience curve STRATEGY Differentiation (Grant 1991 cited in Henry 2008) Step 1: Resources: Biotech industries such as Monsanto go beyond the ordinary in Identifying and attaining young talent; because technology can easily be rendered obsolete, there is always the never-ending necessity to pool talent and innovate. Thus, biotech companies like Monsanto are in collaboration with renowned sciences universities like Truman State University to recruit outstanding students with sound sciences background. (Monsanto, n.d.).Furthermore, with their immense finance capability, they are able to fund and exploit these talents. Step 2: Capability: with their finance abilities, these biotech companies are able to fund rigorous Research and Development: Monsanto reported spend $2.6m dollars a day in research and development on how breeding and genetic engineering could develop corn, cotton and soybean seeds that yield more bountiful and nutritious crops and protect against bugs and weeds. (SmartMoney, 2009)This paids off has the company as been able to develop leading brands such as Acceleron, Roundup Ready,Asgrow and Yieldgard for plant resistance to osmotic stress as well as De Ruiter Seeds,Dekalb and Deltapine(Monsanto, n.d.) Step 3: Competitive Advantage: consequently, Monsanto is able to acquire a sustainable competitive advantage due to its ability to create Knowledge power and experience curve on producing competitive and fast selling products like its renowend leading brands like , Acceleron and Roundup Ready Step 4: Strategy: as a result, Monsanto adopt a differentiation strategy. This diferentiation strategy is typical of biotech companies with exception to biofuel companies as they end result; fuel, once drilled and refined is standard worldwide. Step 5: Bridging any resources Gaps: this calls for proactiveness from the part of the company as it involves identifying where the company is weak and formulating adequate strategy to address such weaknesses or resource deficeincies. For instance, tapping blue oceans or untouched markets to increase the companys economies of scale (Henry, 2008) Knowledge Protection in Biotech Use of copyright and licensing: to safeguard knowledge and innovation the company licenses seed germplasm or biotechnology traits to approximately 200 seed partners in the United States. (Monsanto, 2009) In summary, it can be argued that because of the level of technological innovation that occurs in the biotechnology such as green technology, its both a key and critical success factor for company to effectively and efficiently management knowledge by harnessing and protecting its knowledge thus maintain a competitive edge. This we have evaluated using the resourced-based view of strategy analysis coined by Grant (1991 citied in Henry 2008). Red Technology Introduction: The term biopharmaceutical means that developing medicines from using living cells, proteins and nucleic acids. None of the two biopharmaceuticals can be same. Over the past decade world has seen enormous development in this sector. Part 2. The Value Chain Procurement Technology Development Human Resource Management Firm Infrastructure Post Sales Service Inbound Logistics RD Production Marketing Sales MARGIN MARGIN Adopted from Micheal E. Porter Competitive Advantage: Creating and sustaining Superior Performance. (1985 p.37) A lot of researchers like Porter (1985, p36) Henry (2008, p103) have emphasized the importance and application of Value chain analysis. We can assess the strength and weaknesses of any biotechnology company by looking at its resources. It expresses important information about strategy and focus of a particular company. By identifying key focus areas, companies can concentrate in achieving competitive advantages. Biotech companies tend to elongate their value chains by getting into alliance with the business partners; this can either be done by incorporating the concept of upstream or downstream value. Henry (2008, p103) depicts the importance and benefits of adopting this strategy. By exploiting the resources of partners, a biotech company can maximize operational efficiency. This operational efficiency leads to achieve competitive advantage. Each industry sector is unique in terms of function. Biotechnology industry, mostly being a manufacturing industry always works differently as compared to a service industry because of the fact that primary and support activities vary from industry to industry. Porter (1985, 38-40) also supports this fact. Like most of other industries, knowledge management plays a vital role in biotechnology sector and is considered to be a primary activity. Prusak as cited in Young (2008, p5) states that knowledge management is all about the information that is in the brain of individuals as an asset and how it is used to leverage into corporate asset. In biotechnology, explicitly it can be transformed into a corporate knowledge paradigm. This idea is also supported by Gorelick, April and Milton. (2004). In biotechnology sector, even if you look at any sub-sector of biotechnology, industry innovation is the foremost weapon to achieve competitive advantage. Cooke and Mayes (1996, p.13-15) also established relationship of innovation and competition. This mean that by innovation biotech companies achieve competitive advantage and in turns get increased market shares with higher growth rates. The innovation is leading to new effective products thus enabling biotech companies to achieve competitive advantage. By looking at the value chain analysis of biotech industry we come to know that the most valued activity is innovation and knowledge management. That is why biotech companies invest heavily in research and development (RD). For biotech industry RD part of value chain is much more focused and valued. In biofuel, biofood and bioagri the value chain is more or the less same, but when we look at biopharmaceutical and bioinformatics, the value chain tends to alter itself a little bit. The activity that also affects biophrmaceuical is that the phase of clinical trial demands a lot of time, capital and management. Procurement Technology Development Human Resource Management Firm Infrastructure Post Sales Service Inbound Logistics RD Production Marketing Sales MARGIN MARGIN Clinical Trials A typical value chain for biopharmaceutical company. Knowledge is a scarce resource and that is why there are very few biotechnology companies in the market. Adopted from Tzokas, N. and Saren, M. By looking at the above figure it is clear that knowledge management is difficult to achieve. Companies transform their knowledge-based and skills-based information with equipment-based knowledge to create competitive advantage. Theses factors build an organizational culture of innovation and the stake holders like employee and customers force company to come up with new ideas We need to investigate about the potential contribution of each stakeholder-based knowledge pool to the strategic investments, plots and projections undertaken by the biotech firms. The long term development effort needs trust relationship from stockholders that the deliverable of RD can result in to a competitive advantage. This can be done by making multidimensional plans linking knowledge requirements and knowledge pools, thus evolving a knowledge space in which the strategic issues of the firm and its stakeholders can be positioned. As such knowledge space and associated distances can be used as navigational instruments for knowledge utilization. White Technology Biotechnology is now used as a very wide term, but we can say that in general term that it the use of organisms by human . In recent years and past also researchers all over the world got new techniques and ideas to develop biotechnology and changing the future. the most known invention of biotechnology is cloning of animal as well as of name. This amazing technology works at visual as well as molecular level. INDUSTRIAL BIOTECHNOLOGY Industrial biotechnology is recognized everywhere in the world weather to prepare consumer goods, material, chemical.( www.liebertpub.com,12:04) Industrial Biotechnology is the premier forum for this critical field and the only publication bridging biotechnology RD with later-stage commercialization for all industrial and environmental applications . it include fooding items ,textiles, automobiles, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics and body care products and many other products which we use in our daily life. The growing companies in many countries are taking help of biotechnology. By this companies make promise to the public to deliver new and improved products to their customers. Industrial biotechnology is of two types red and white. Red technology is now ignored by the companies and very less companies are dedicated with white biotechnology. PEST ANALYSIS POLITICAL FACTORS The first and the foremost factor to go through in pest analysis is the political factor. Researchers has emphasizes a lot on this factor. One such researcher is Jobber (2007, p79) who is of the opinion that Political and Legal issues can influence marketing decisions by setting the rules by which business can be conducted. Union Laws, Collusion, Abuse of market dominance, acquisitions and mergers, state aid and national laws are few of the political factors that reshape the companies. This factor includes all the political effects which affect the company or an organization. In some business political issues are much higher than any other companies but in case of industrial biotechnology government supports it and make policies to amend it or to improve it so that the future of a country can get improved and standard of living can be increased. All those organizations which do experiments on different methods of industrial biotechnology, government gives rebate from taxes pass legislations and create new departments to look at their working procedures. Strong legislation makes the Through legislation biotech companies are getting their products and processes patented. The biotech companies usually invest heavily in RD and come up with innovative products; these deliverables are end result of knowledge management. By getting the patent biotech companies make sure that their intellectual property right is secured and hence they achieve competitive advantage as no other company can imitate that. In the case of biopharmaceutical, the main governing body is FDA (Foods and Drugs Administration, USA). FDA ECONOMIC FACTOR Economic environment is the second most important factor in PEST analysis. Factors that affect consumer buying power and spending patterns Kotler et al (1999, p158) As evident from the various researchers, monetary policy, interests and exchange rates, income distribution, change in purchasing power, change in spending patterns, availability and rising cost of energy, labor and raw material has lead to significant changing in business world. World economy is in recession, so is the case of UKs. Unemployment ratio has gone up; peoples purchasing power is going down with a less savings. People are naturally focused more on spending towards necessities. Incomes are low. In this case consumer will move toward those products which saves their money and bio-products are one of those products which are cheap and reusable without damaging the envoirment and causing pollution. Envoirment issues are to be considered when it comes to shopping point of view and traveling. Legislation Banerjee, (1998) as cited in Charter and Polonsky (1999, p31), states that The threat of tougher legislation and the rising costs of complying with environmental regulations are possible motivating factors for firms to incorporate environmental concerns in their strategies. Tougher legislation can affect a firm in two ways: first the cost of compliance becomes prohibitive, second, legislation can require substantial changes in product or package design or distribution channels. (Taking back used thing) Public Concern Another important reason for firms to develop an international orientation and strategy is the rise in public concern for the environment. There are literally hundreds of opinion polls on the environment conducted in Europe, Asia and USA. Charter and Polonsky (1999, p32) The need to maintain a good public image and respond to public concerns can lead to firms adopting corporate environmentalism. Charter and Polonsky (1999, p33) Need for competitive advantage There are numerous cases where the installation of new environmentally friendly technologies has reduced costs for firms Charter and Polonsky (1999, p35) Social factors Social / cultural factors include Demographics forces, World Population growth, Age distribution, household structures and social factors. According to Kotler et al (1999, p153) the European and American societies are evidencing huge demographic shifts. Technological Factors Kotler et al. (1999, p165) Forces that create new technologies, creating new product and market opportunities. Those companies which have good knowledge about the new products can develop those and can attract new and existing customers. By this method apart from new technology awareness among public will also able to increase. Companies with better knowledge will develop new products in order to spread awarness among all sectors of consumers. Bibliography? Biofuels Introduction Biotechnology Biotechnology is the use of biological processes, organisms, or systems to manufacture products intended to improve the quality of human life. Biotechnology is an important innovative tool to attain The target the various levels example Bio fuels Bio informative, Bio medics, agriculture Biotechnology proficiency can serve to increase biomass yield, improve crop quality, and convert agriculture waste into bio fuels. (whatistechtarget n.d) Bio fuel It is also knows as agro fuel, these fuels are mainly derived from Biomass or Bio waste. Its often derived from plants and animals. Bio fuel is used faster growing modern technology for transporting sector. Liquid form of fuel is required for most vehicles is this convenient for storage and delivery, hence the bio mass is converted to liquid form. Bio fuel plays a virtual role in modern fuel manufacturing as they are renewable source of energy. Ethanol is the most commonly used Bio fuel in the world particularly in Brazils and largest exporters Asia, Europe and America are the some major producer of bio gases Lleading fuel companies like Bps and Shells company they involved in research and development in bio fuels. (biofuel,n.d) Generic strategies Porters alter the system by reducing its down to three best strategies. Overall Cost leadership Differentiation strategies Focus strategy strategies Overall cost leadership: A firm produced standard product by low cost and also take responsibility of economic scale and experience curve effect. market share is advantage. Differentiation strategies: A company is aimed at broad market. the product must some special feature like advance technology, brand image, etc Focus strategies: In this focus strategies a firm concentrated in market and particular group of consumer. (Reference) Overall cost leadership ? Bio fuel are the cheapest form of fuel you can ever get they dont need big investment in new distribution system but just the basic establishing plant is enough to produce them bio fuel mostly involves in long term investment. Hence Initial investment is very crucial. Its been assessed that share holders all over the world show keen interest in investing huge amount of money in this upcoming promising sector. Differentiation strategies? Bio fuel is renewable source of energy unlike others fuels they have less emission of air pollutants. Hence they are environment friendly; they are very low cost so they can match all the price of leading fuels. The impact of Hybrid cars and green cars with play a massive role in decreasing global warming. Focus strategies? Bio fuel industry will create a big employment opportunities all over the world and helps the countrys economy to develop as well. They provide jobs at all levels even form farmers to scientists. This industry has been welcomed by all countries and they are trying to be innovative to improve this sector all over the world. Most government offer discount and tax reduction on green cars thus encouraging people to buy them. This difference makes the bio fuel market to be more competitive in the fuel market. In forward planning about the global warming all nation now concentrate on bio fuel as they play a vital role in helping to control the pollution. APPLICATION OF PORTERS THEORY TO BIOTECHNOLOGY INDUSTRY Biotech industry has a varied range of applications like in agriculture, molecular biology, health care, pharma sector, chemical industry, environment related and so on. Porters five forces theory helps us to understand and interpret the business processes. This knowledge can be translated to gain a competitive edge over the competitors. This theory is also used to assess the profits that can be generated in the proposed business scenario or the services or products. According to this theory, the five forces that decide the competitive power of the firm in the industry are as follows, Threat of new entrants In the biotech industry, intellectual property is the most important asset. The firms in this industry are heavily dependent on funding to sustain the research and development activities. And very negligible revenue is generated by the firm till the product is developed. So finance is one of the major barrier that keeps away new entrants from the industry. Another barrier that deters the new entrants is the want of specialized knowledge in the area of research or development. Patent rights and proprietary rights also act as barriers to some extent. In some cases where knowledge and patent rights are easily overcome, many small players come into the picture. Although entry is easy for smaller companies, sustenance would be very difficult in this industry. Suppliers As discussed earlier, intellectual property is the most important asset in this industry. The biotech firms usually do not heavily rely on the suppliers. The tools, kits, equipment, chemicals and all other requirements are highly specialized. However small companies who either fail to explore new channels of distribution or who cannot afford the traditional channels of distribution, are at a loss, as they are compelled to enter into marketing alliances. Buyers The power of buyers is not uniform throughout the biotech arena. Earlier, the pharma companies were not affected by the buyers as the customers did not have or had a very little say about the product. The pharma companies had marketing alliances with the hospitals, pharmacists and agents. So the buyer power was less. In case of firms where the major purchasers are the governments or the hospitals, the buyers are strong. But now the health care companies, insurance companies and common man have entered the arena. The increasing price sensitivity of this new group of buyers is forcing the biotech companies to cut the prices and therefore the profit margin is becoming less. In addition to this, governments in some developing countries are pressurizing the biotech companies to take some social responsibility. ( as in the case of providing vaccines for epidemics at an economical price.) So there is a clear shift and the buyers power is increasing. Substitutes The availability of substitutes also depends on the kind of bitech firm/product. If the knowledge and patent rights are not properly protected, the investment in Research and Development (R D) cannot be recovered. If the patent can be easily overcome, some other company can simply copy the formula/application to offer the product at a much cheaper price. So the formulae/knowledge are to be carefully guarded through patenting and Intellectual Property (IP) rights. In some cases, cheaper chemical product alternatives may be available to the sophisticated and more accurate biotech products. Rivalry The competition rivalry is too intense in the biotech industry. Market analysis shows that only 1% of the biotech firms manage to make a profit. Biotech industry is largely dominated by few large firms although there are hundreds of smaller companies. All the firms are struggling to translate their RD efforts into a breakthrough innovation/product. This innovation could potentially change the fate of the firm overnight. So the Intellectual Property is carefully guarded and the rivalry is extremely high in this industry. For example, In U.S, 82 % of biotech firms make 0 % profit, 76 % of firms have less than 50 employees and only 30 companies have more than 300 employees. Porters five forces theory certainly helps in understanding the pros and cons, the opportunities and threats in the business situation. This theory definitely aids in evolving a business strategy. but this theory may not be of great help in assessing the degree of ease or difficulty or profitability in dealing with the business situation. In this context, this theory does not consider the following strategic influences like, Industry merges and acquisitions have become the norm of the day and the consequences of such deals cannot be assessed and is not taken into consideration. Research and innovation has the potential to dramatically change the face of the industry. As new discoveries/innovations occur, many new threats/opportunities spring up. This makes the biotech industry a highly vulnerable one. This aspect is left out by the theory.

Violence and Oppression in Wrights Black Boy :: Wright Black Boy Essays

Violence and Oppression in Wright's Black Boy "You are dead to me dead to christ!" In the following paragraphs, violence and oppression in Ch. 5 will discussed and analyzed through examination of Richard Wright's --author of Black Boy(1945)--use of diction, tone, and metaphors. Were people of his time to read this book it's probable that they would understand, wheather they agree with the author's point of view or not, the amount of violence and oppression witnessed by a boy his age. Richard Wright, through the the use of the words his senses produced, brought his past into light for the children of the future. He allows his readers to feel as he did under the light of strong persecution with the use of an intimidating, heartfelt tone. "The cosmic images of dread were gone and the external world became a reality, quivering daily before me. Instead of brooding and trying foolishly to pray, I could run and toam, mingle with the boys and girls, feel at home with people, share a little of life in common with others, satisfy my hunger to be and live." Wright fills the chapter with a calm and mesmorizing tone; like that of a preecher drawing his audience into a hymm. Omisdt violence, under anger and fear, Wright converses with the reader as though he were a youth leader telling a story to a group of boyscouts outside by a campfire. His spellbounding words chant the reader into his world and produce a map through which the reader follows his life in the shadows of others. " I mingled with the boys, hoping to pass unnoticed , but knowing that sooner or later I would be spotted for a newcomer. And trouble came quickly- a bloabk boy came bounding past me, thumping my hat to the ground and yelling." To keep his audience from dazily drifting into a state of semi-consiousness, Wright interjects into his prayer with action in an excited and staggering tone. "A blow landed on the back of my head. I turned and saw a brick rolling away and I felt blood oozing down my back. I looked around and saw several brickbats scattered about.

sport marketing :: essays research papers

Sport Marketing The notion of "marketing myopia" has haunted marketers since Theodore Levitt published his famous article "Marketing Myopia" in Harvard Business Review in 1960. Levitt argues that companies which narrowly focus on the product to the detriment of customer requirements (i.e., dispensing with the marketing concept) suffer from marketing myopia. Myopia or shortsightedness is often apparent within organizations. Several types of marketing myopia can be identified including classic myopia, competitive myopia and efficiency myopia. Companies displaying one of these three elements are clearly distinguishable from innovative firms which embrace the marketing concept in practice and which have a much broader scope than is required for a single business sector. In order to overcome myopia and become innovative, the following is recommended:  Companies should hold a generic view of themselves and of the industry in which they operate  Companies should also take the crucial step to monitor other industries  Benchmarking should be conducted  Marketing staff should be recruited but not necessarily from the same sector  Companies should be flexible and seek unique solutions. The biggest reason for market myopia is the lack of research or the inefficiency of that research. Almost all of the myopia could be avoided if research and the researchers were trained and the thought process was developed in a good fashion. All of marketing whether it is in sports or out of sports all revolves around the same basic principles the four P’s. In all of marketing the P’s are: Product, Price, Place and Promotion, however in sport there is an added principle and that is Public relations. Even the best marketers can come up short according to these principles because it does not matter how much you know but rather in a service business such as sport it most important to be able to interact with the consumers. A great example of a lack of interaction is here at Merrimack College. Our sport programs do not get enough marketing coverage both on and off campus. Our Sports Information Director does not place flyers in the student union and also he does not advertise on the college television channel. Here at Merrimack, they lack the Promotion aspect of their sports, which includes our division one hockey program. A great example of this lack of communication was the fact that when the hockey team was playing against then #1 Maine, the campus was not informed of this huge game.

Budget :: essays papers

Budget To pass a budget deal takes a lot of time and work. There are many factors involved in this long process. The President first has to propose a plan to balance the budget. He has to look at the Federal deficit and talk with Congress. Congress then will negotiate or compromise a plan of their own with the President. In early March, President Bill Clinton began to put together a plan to balance the budget. He then gave Congress the plan to look over. At this time, congress criticized the plan, saying it would cost the country a bigger Federal deficit. Over the past three months, Congressional Leaders and the Clinton Administration have been doing a lot of compromising and negotiating over a plan to balance the federal budget by the year 2002. Since the Federal deficit isn’t that large, it is helping them to come up with a deal a lot easier and quicker. Although the fact that there is a low Federal deficit, they are still meeting some major complications in approving a plan or even coming up with a plan that can be agreed on. In order to balance the budget by 2002, the government would have to cut spending on things that really couldn’t afford it. The schools of the country need repairing. By cutting on the spending of schools, deteriorating schools would not receive the proper funding to make the schools safe and sanitary. Another item that spending would be cut from is Medicare, Medicaid, and social security. This would mainly affect the elderly and the poor. By cutting spending on these items, the elderly and the poor would not receive that much medical coverage, which is vital to them. Another factor which isn’t being very helpful in the budget deal is tax cuts. Democrats and Republicans cannot agree on where to cut taxes from. Democratic Congressional Leaders feel that President Clinton is having "secret" meetings with Republican Congressional Leaders on the budget plan. They feel that the President isn’t telling them everything and that these meetings are being held "behind their backs". Some even say that President Clinton is acting more like a republican than a democrat. Some evidence of this is that the President is proposing tax cuts for businesses, or the wealthy. They say that "ordinary and low income people are suffering the most.

Mountain Dew Case Study Essay

Mountain Dew Mountain Dew’s unique way of connecting to the younger generation through extreme sports has become a grand success, consequently many companies are coming up with similar advertisement base Recent threats to Carbonated Soft Drinks in recent years by highly caffeinated and sports drinks have affected their sales. The company advertisement has focus on the young generation and thus quickly rose as Coke’s loyal opposition. They have advertisements harnessing ideas of current generation as well as advertisement promoted by celebrities. All of this pushed their sales up. The Dew Campaign effectiveness: The Do the Dew Campaign has always been about excitement and energy and was successful since the beginning, 1992. The main focus has always been on the cultural trends closely bounded with the youth. There were 3 main trends Rap Music, Extreme Sports, and Gen X culture. Taste in Music was matched to that of the young generation. In early 90s it was it related to rap songs then came the generation of alternate rock songs and later the techno music. Similarly in sports and GenX Ethos, It also became one of the founding leader sponsors of X Games. In the process it mainly target audience was 18 year old males while at the same time it created an appeal to age group 20 to 39. However the impact gradually lowered as other companies started to pick up the trend. The company required a fresh move and they saw an opportunity in recent rising trend that was retro. The committee picked up this trend for recent ad scope. Consequently, they shortlisted many differ ent concepts to five different advertisements after thorough review. Brief perception on them is provided. The Labour of Love Ad – humorous is there but does not create an impression of the brand as an adrenaline rush factor. So not the best strategy unless Dew considers repositioning. The Dew or Die Ad and the Cheetah Ad – The focus is same as before on exhilarating choice and fun and daring. The idea is repetitive in nature hence not as effective. Mock Opera Ad – The cultural trend is Gen X attitudes while at the same time portraying the brand as exhilarating and exciting. This takes care of the predictability aspect of the ads with the Dew Dudes performing the Bohemian Rhapsody. Showstoppers – Similar to that of Mock Opera ad holds on to the image of the brand as daring and exciting while at the same time is less predictable. Response to threat of functional and alternative drinks: In response to non-CSDs, an advertisement campaign must be selected which appeals to the irreverent, daring and fun loving side of the young generation. The citrus flavour in Mountain Dew is its uniqueness. The advertisements can focus on Diet Mountain Dew to appeal to the calorie conscious consumer as the amount of calorie is low. Increase in advertisement is essential. By correlating the cost of the advertising campaign with the sales we observed that there is a high correlation which is around .95. SO the advertisement selection has to meet the current trend as well as the mind-set of young generation as discussed.

Nutrition Essay Essay

I certify that this assessment is the result of my own work and quotations and sources of information have been duly acknowledged in the text. This work has not been submitted for any previous award. In this assignment the author will be comparing the components of a balanced diet for babies, children and young people, this will cover what is important when looking at sources and components of food groups and what children need in order to achieve optimum health. Another aspect of this nutrition assignment will be to discuss the short and long term health benefits of optimum nutrition and to explore the factors affecting nutrition in children and young people. Finally the author will be demonstrating consequences of inadequate nutrition and poor health that some children experience. Stated by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) (2008) when a women is conceiving a child there are things that should be avoided, things that should be changed and some things that should be taking into consideration and if carried out correctly it will benefit the mother and her unborn child. NICE (2008) propose that there are five main things to consider whilst you are pregnant, they include a ‘healthy start, training, vitamin D, breastfeeding and folic acid, all of which are very important when a mother is planning for the birth of her child. Healthy start (n.d) indicate that they are a programme designed by the government to ensure  mothers on a low income will receive the best possible resources for her and her children, healthy start provide vouchers which can be used for cow’s milk, infant formula, fruit and vegetables and also vitamins. Training may include attending antenatal clinics and attending appointments with a midwife so that things can be planned in advance and so that the mother can speak to a professional about any concerns. (NICE 2008). Mothers should be educated on the importance of vitamin D, the consequences of vitamin D deficiency and how it will benefit her and her unborn child, according to NICE (2008) vitamin D supplements can be provided by healthy start coupons. NICE also consider that maternal women should be educated on the benefits of breastfeeding and recommend that women should attend breastfeeding support groups to ensure they know everything they need to about the nutritional substance they can give their child. The final key priority which is folic acid should be taken whilst pregnant as it will minimise the chances of birth defects such as spina bifida (The National Health Service 2012). When focusing on babies we need to think about what is important from the day they are born, and due to the fact that babies receive all their nutrition from one source either breast milk or formula milk it is ‘imperative that the right kinds of nutrients at the right levels are present in that source’ (Infant Feeding and Nutrition N.D). Breast milk is the preferred feeding method for babies according to Bonnie and Rodwell (2000), although they consider that if breast milk is not available cow’s milk- based formula should be given to the baby for the first twelve months of life. The American Academy of Paediatrics (2012, cited in American Pregnancy Association, 2014) strongly recommend breastfeeding for the first six months and that it is continued for at least twelve months. When focusing on the components of breast milk and the nutrients it provides for the baby the American Pregnancy Association (2014) claims that breast milk contains proteins essential for easy digestion and which are great for infection protection. From tables and evidence found about the Recommended Dietary Allowances for Infants and Children the author can see that at 0-5 months a baby will need the most protein at this age than any other age. More specific proteins that are found in breast milk are Lactoferrin’s which restrain the growth of iron- dependant bacteria, breast milk also contains Lysozymes which protect against E.coli and salmonella (APA 2014). Larger components of breast milk according to APA (2014) are fats essential for ‘brain development, absorption of fat- soluble vitamins and is the primary calorie source for a baby. Breast milk also satisfies the baby’s requirements of a range of vitamins and carbohydrates which help battle diseases and enhance the growth of healthy bacteria in the stomach (APA 2014). For parents choosing not to breastfeed or for those who cannot breastfeed the best alternative supplement is commercially prepared, iron-fortified infant formula and just like breast milk, ‘formula provides the correct nutrients at appropriate levels necessary for a baby to sustain a rapid rate of growth and development, and will not stress the infant’s delicate and develop ing organ systems’ (Infant Feeding and Nutrition N.D). Also evident from the tables and evidence found is that children’s recommended fluid intake reduces as when infants grow they start to eat more solid foods rather than just breast milk or formula. Around six months of age the Baby Centre (2014) propose that an infant can be introduced to different foods such as pureed sweet potatoes, squash, apples and bananas and although they cannot have much of these food just yet it will prepare the baby for when they will be eating much more solid food around the age of 8- 10 months (Baby Centre 2014). As children age their diet will have also changed over the years, it will have gone from being very high in fat to much lower in fat and higher in fibre and should be focused on natural, fresh sources of energy and nutrients (Tidy 2013). Children around the age of 4- 6 will need foods high in energy and foods containing high vitamins and minerals due to them being very active at this age (Tidy 2013). Children at this age also need small frequent meals as their stomachs are not able to cope with large meals at a time suggested by Tidy (2013), he also indicates that foods high in sugar such as fizzy drinks should be avoided due to the damage on their teeth, it can cause diarrhoea and can leave children feeling full meaning they may reject their dinner leading to an unbalanced diet. At 6- 10 years children are still growing rapidly and their body will becoming even more mature and changing, dietary needs may not vary much from the previous age range although more low fat dairy products should be consumed rather than full fat which are needed during infancy according to the NHS (2013), children at the lower end of this age range are recommended to consume between 1520kcal to 1649kcal and children at the higher end of this age range are recommended to consume between 1963kcal to 2032kcal, these figures also according to the NHS (2013) depend on gender and how much physical activity children are carrying out on a daily basis. Young children around 10-12 will start to learn more academic skills whilst at school and because of this it is essential for children to receive a balanced diet in order to function at optimum level and to be able to concentrate well (Build Healthy Kids 2011). Build Healthy Kids (2011) also take the view that five fruit and vegetables a day is essential in this age range in order to gain the recommended amount of vitamins and minerals. Children are also still growing physically and mentally at this age and therefore it is important that children are receiving their intake of calcium which will help growth and development of bones and also help children’s teeth to stay healthy, if a child’s intake of calcium ‘before the age of twenty was inadequate, they run the risk of forming softer and more brittle bones which puts them at risk for fractures and osteoporosis later in life, especially for girls’ (Build Healthy Kids 2011). From the research and evidence fo und from Build Healthy Kids (2011) the author found that from birth to twelve months no dairy products are recommended, from 1-2 years whole milk at 2 servings a day is recommended which is then increased at 9- 18 years to 4 servings a day of low or non- fat dairy products. For children and young people it is paramount that they are eating the correctly to ensure they are growing and developing at the correct rate and so they can establish a good eating pattern for later life (Cenovis 2012). There are many guides and recommendations for what children should be eating however the eatwell plate is a very good example and is something that children can learn from, the eatwell plate highlights the foods and amounts that will ensure we are eating a balanced diet (NHS 2013). This section of the assignment will look at the short and long term benefits of optimum health for children and young people. The World Health Organisation (WHO) (2000) propose that the first 2-3 years of a child’s life is very important when it comes to physical and mental development and therefore gaining optimum nutrition in childhood will have many short and long term benefits. As covered above babies will gain essential proteins, fats and the majority of their calorie intake from either breast milk or formula, therefore a baby will also gain a short term health benefit of having a lower risk of sudden infant death syndrome according to Newson (2013), they state that this factor is less common in babies gaining the essential nutrients from breast milk and although this is not fully explained it is believed that due to the anti- bodies breast milk provides babies are more protected again the fatal syndrome. Another short term health benefit of breast fed babies observed by Newson (2013) are that babies are less likely to become constipated and will gain help with the passage of a baby’s first stools which can be very painful, they are called ‘meconium and are sticky, black and like tar’. Long term benefits proposed by Newson (2013) are that health problems in later life are less common in those who had been breastfed rather than those who had not, health problems such as obesity, high blood pressure and eczema have been proven to be less likely in those who received the nutrients from their mother. An emotional bond may also be seen as a long term health benefit which can be gained from breastfeeding, a mother and baby attachment in early infancy could lead to more well-rounded individuals in the future and evidence suggests that breastfed people are less likely to develop mental health issues such as anxiety or depression (Mitchell- Askar 2011). The NHS (2013) indicate that when children are able to move on from breast milk they will start to receive their essential nutrients from other food sources a little at a time, the process of weaning begins when children are around 6 months old. The NHS (2013) recommend that breastfeeding alongside solid food will continue to protect a baby against infection and will still  provide babies with the essential antibodies. When moving from small finger food and pureed food, according to Nutritionist Resources (n.d) children around 2 years can start to eat meals which will provide them with their essential daily needs. The Nutritionist Resources (n.d) also give recommendations on the five main food groups which need to be incorporated within a child’s diet and the health benefits which can be gained from consuming the correct kinds of food at the correct levels. Research into healthy eating show that children who have had a good start with nutrition will lead a good pathway in later life when it comes to staying on the right path and choosing foods that will be more beneficial for them (Nutritionist Resources n.d). A good start with eating correctly and regular activity could benefit children to develop strong bones, maintain a healthy weight and also concentrate well whilst in school and on a long- term basis healthy eating could help lower the risk of certain health implications such as stroke, joint problems and being overweight or obese (Nutritionist Resources n.d). Although healthy eating comes with many benefits there are also factors that can affect the maintenance of adequate nutrition for children and young people and if children develop unhealthy lifestyles from a young age they run the risk of health problems in adulthood (Warner 2011). Birch (1998) takes the view that almost all food preferences are learned through early experiences of eating and that children will become familiar with foods they like such as sweet tastes and reject sour and bitter foods. From experience children may have tried a food they disliked or had a bad experience and will then psychologically dislike the food in later life, it may also be the case that if a child has be forced to eat certain foods such as fruit and vegetables they will refuse to eat them when they have the power to choose what they eat, this could then lead to serious deficiencies if they are not receiving the vital vitamins and minerals their body needs to function (Birch 1998). Birch also stated that children’s preferences are formed by the quality of experiences children have with food and as a result ‘the physiological consequences of ingestion, children come to accept some foods and reject others, shaping their dietary intake’. As well as psychological factors affecting the maintenance of adequate nutrition for children and young people, there are also the socioeconomic factors which may hinder a child’s nutrition and impact a child’s nutritional status (Ricketts n.d). Socioeconomic factors such as income, environment and education may have an impact on how some children eat, for example if a child was living in poverty they may not have access to fresh nutritional food and therefore they may only have access to more fatty foods such as ready meals which may be more affordable for a family on a low income (Ricketts n.d). Ricketts also considers that environmental factors could be the physical proximity to healthy foods and supermarkets, as those who have access to supermarkets have a higher consumption of fruit and vegetables and those who don’t have a lower intake of these foods. The government recommend that children should eat five fruit and vegetables daily as part of a balanced diet and to ensure we a protected against illnesses, one portion being the palm of the child’s hand (NHS 2013), however new research carried out has suggested five a day is not enough and we should be receiving at least 7 portions a day which will be additionally beneficial (Stephens 2014). If this evidence shows 5 portions a day is not enough the children who cannot access even 1 portion a day may have serious health problems and suffer from things such as vitamin and mineral deficiency, digestive issues, cardiovascular problems and weight problems (Annigan n.d). One of the final factors that can effect child nutrition is political factors, the NHS spend around 16 million pounds a year on people who are too obese to leave there home (Gayle 2012). According to the Department of Health (DH) (2008) the government have also spent 372 million pounds over three years on creating healthy schools, workplaces and towns. However the government are still allowing fast food industries to open and to advertise around the country, ‘The government spends  £14m a year on the social marketing programme Change4Life. The food industry spends more than 1 billion pound a year on marketing in the UK’ (Izzo 2014). Sifferlin 2013 stated that when research was conducted on food markets and their advertisements 99% of them were aired nationally on children’s TV channels such as Cartoon Network. They also caught children’s attention with a free toy giveaway to promote their product (Sifferlin 2013). There are no law’s  on how old a child needs to be to buy any fast food such as McDonalds or Burger King and therefore if children have easy access to these food chains and restaurants they will continue to consume the foods that will have detrimental effects on their health (Izzo 2014). Gianni (2013) strongly believe that fast food is causing many short and long term health problems for children including obesity, diabetes, and high blood pressure, all of which are serious and are having a huge impact on the NHS. Being able to maintain adequate nutrition in children will be very difficult if parents and the government are allowing young children to purchase foods that will increase their chances of developing obesity, children may also think that it is normal to do so in later life if they have children and therefore a circle that is hard to break will form (Izzo 2014). For the final part of this assignment the author will discuss the common signs and symptoms a child may experience due to a poor diet or malnourishment. The NHS (2013) define malnourishment as a ‘serious condition in which a person’s diet does not contain the correct amount of nutrients’. There are two types of malnourishment, they include under nutrition when a person is not receiving enough nutrients and is underweight and over nutrition when a person is receiving too many nutrients and is therefore overweight (NHS 2013). The NHS (2013) claim that children who are malnourished may not be able to grow at the expected rate including both height and weight. At the age of 4 children are at a very important age range, they are growing at a rapid pace, they are starting to learn more academically as they will start at school and they will also create habits and traits which they will take into adulthood (Rochman 2011). Johnston (2009) observes that if a child was to have poor nutrition at the age of 4 they have a much higher risk of developing physical, intellectual, emotional and social problems, physical problems could include obesity, delayed growth and also developing motor skills at a slower rate. Intellectually, Johnston (2009) suggests that if children are consuming the incorrect amount of nutrients it will have harmful effects on the brain and children can lead poor intellectual development and hinder learning whilst at school. Gallahue and Ozmun (2006 cited in Johnston 2009) implies that if children experience inadequate nutrition or malnutrition during the first four years of their  life they will never recover the growth miles tones for their age range and they will never catch up in mental and physical development. Over all a balanced diet needs to start when a women becomes pregnant, and continue throughout childhood and adulthood to avoid the consequences that come with a poor diet. And although some bad habits maybe present in a child’s diet, as long as children are led the right way and educated on the nutrition they need they will significantly reduce the chances of many diseases and illnesses (British Heart Foundation 2014). Children on the correct eating path will benefit from optimum health and may also avoid the factors effecting healthy eating such as psychological or political problems. Finally the importance of educating children and ensuring they understand how to eat correctly may minimize the chances of them experiencing the sever symptoms of malnourishment or poor nutrition. References AMERICAN PREGNANCY ASSOCIATION, 2014. What is Breast Milk [Online]. Available from: http://americanpregnancy.org/first-year-of-life/whats-in-breastmilk/ [Accessed 10 November 2014]. ANNIGAN, J., N.D. consequences of not eating fruit and vegetables [Online]. 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