Ethics of Doctor Assisted Suicide

One of the most hotly debated topics going on now is the one concerning the ethics of assisted suicide and euthanasia. Nowadays with all the progress that the medical profession has gained, people who are terminally ill have more options, and there have been continued efforts to give them the â€Å"right to die† when they choose this option. I was interested in researching this topic because I think the debate has a lot to do with politics. This dilemma has been hotly debated and I was open to seeing how this movement was progressing. In the beginning, I was a proponent on this issue, and believed people should not be denied their wishes when they wanted to end their pain. However, I was open to learning more about the opposite stance and what the reasons for opposition were. It always seemed unusual to me that suicide was not illegal, but it was illegal to assist in one even with a consenting party. I wondered how this could be, and how people could deny people this right in unending pain. There never seems to be a prosecution of doctors who participate in these acts, even though they frequently go to court. I wondered why this occurred and what the laws really said regarding this. I also wondered how people distinguished between forgoing medical interventions and actually assisting in the suicide. As I approached the research, my main questions were regarding the opposition. I really did not know all the problems that could occur. Research about this brought to light many things that are not discussed in the media, although this is a highly publicized subject. I found that it is very difficult to end the debate because all the arguments are just matters of opinion. Opposers and protestors have good arguments. No one really knows what would happen, so opinions are used to predict it. Since all the media attention, I will try not to discuss the many things that are already known. I found myself intrigued at what I did not know, and found my views profoundly affected. After reading current articles about what was going on legally and about cases, reviewing the history of this topic, and reading books showing the two opposing viewpoints, I have made my conclusions. I will show how people are currently handling this and how they are being viewed. I will discuss the main arguments on both sides. Finally, I will show what I concluded from this and how my views have been altered by information that I did not know before. I will begin by explaining how the terms are defined. Euthanasia derived from Greek roots and means â€Å"good death. † Active euthanasia is a direct and deliberate intervention to kill the patient. It is â€Å"intended to end the life of the competent, terminally ill patient who makes a fully voluntary and persistent request for aid in dying. † Voluntary euthanasia takes place when the patient requests the action and it is involuntary if the patient is not mentally competent enough to make the right choice. Passive euthanasia is withholding treatment from a patient. A physician-assisted suicide occurs when the patient does the actual act, but the physician provides either enough information or the means to do it. One source defines it as a â€Å"desperate measure, justified only in exceptional cases where every effort has first been made to care for a dying person by other means. † The terms euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide usually are used for the same thing and are not generally distinguished from one another. Typically the means of suicide is lethal doses of a poison such as pills, an injection, or gas. Motive causes euthanasia to be distinguished from murder, because its intent is merciful and is done out of kindness. The physician's intentions can make considerable differences concerning how their act will be classified. The most common reason for a patient to want this aid is a terminal illness. Unbearable suffering has caused the person to become intolerant of the physical and/or emotional pain. The other reason is a physical handicap that is debilitating and the patient would rather die than live with it. Most people are able to cope with this, but in some cases, it is impossible for the patient to do so. In ancient times, euthanasia was encountered often. However, suicide was condemned. During the sixteenth century, some people began to see it as more of a personal choice. It eventually became decriminalized, but assisted suicide and euthanasia are still crimes in most countries. The introduction of powerful analgesics caused a rise in the interest in the â€Å"right to die† movement. It was advocated in the late 1800's, and has been a topic for debate since the early 1900's. Doctors have been helping patients die for centuries. Some cultures today have people that will stop eating and wait to die when they become seriously ill. The â€Å"right to die movement† is encouraged by several factors. Modern technology has come along to extend human life. The fear of the dying process is of great concern to some people, especially when it accompanies physical and psychological suffering. Patients are becoming more in charge of their own fate and have more of a voice. Finally, there is a concern about the high health care costs. They cost more than 60 billion annually, and 1/3 of Medicaid payments go to patients in their last year of life. Medicine's main goal has always been the preservation of life. Now, this is being challenged in an attempt to change it. The two sides of the issue are being debated. On one side are the people who think it is not a physicians place to kill a patient, because he/she should only help, not harm. The opposition thinks that suffering is the real harm. The debate comes at the point of the onset of the terminal illness, when it will be time to decide on the means. This is sometimes called the â€Å"Kevorkian moment. † Proponents give examples of people who could be helped, while opponents give counterexamples of people who may be harmed. There are many moral and legal considerations. The support for a physician's participation is increasing. According to opinion polls, about 60% of people in the U. S. are supporters. About 15% of physicians practice it when it is justified. It is actually impossible to know for sure how much takes place because incidents are usually kept secret to avoid prosecution. Most people who have reported that they would consider it give reasons such as that they would not want to be a burden, would not want to live in pain, or would not want to depend on machines or others. The main argument for the support of euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide is that people should have the right to control their life and death, and should be able to end their lives when they wish if they are suffering needlessly. It is argued that it is a private choice and society has no right to be concerned. They usually portray it as a case of individual liberty. One source states â€Å"euthanasia, if legalized, would be the ultimate civil liberty, since it would secure the freedom to determine and to control our own death. † Physicians must then decide if they are willing to take part in either directly killing the patient or by assisting the patient in suicide. The physician should follow the demands of the patient, even if it means killing them, because that would respect their wishes and the rights of the patient. Physicians treat patients with the purpose of restoring health. If the patient can't be restored to a reasonable level of living, it shouldn't be wrong to discontinue it. Euthanasia supporters often try to get sympathy by relating stories to make one feel like suicide is the only option in their case. The media has sparked a lot of interest, and continues to show stories like this. Simi Linton, psychologist, says, â€Å"I'm disturbed at how the media treats it, as: here are these poor folks; let's help them end their lives† (qtd. in 1). It makes it seem as if would be inhumane to deny anyone this option. Basically, it is the quality of life that is the main concern of the patient. They may feel that life is not worth living in their state. It would not be humane to insist that every means be taken to keep someone alive. A physician's main concern is to relieve suffering, so sometimes there is only one way to achieve that goal. At the time that efforts are no longer doing any good, the main concern is to make the patient comfortable and alleviate symptoms such as pain. Drugs do not always get rid of all the pain, especially when it is excruciating. Sometimes a patient will be drugged into unconscious with severe pain that cannot be controlled. This does not seem like effective pain management to me. I do not believe people will be satisfied living in such a state as that. They would want to be put out of their misery. Legalization would cause many changes. It would give rights to the person who does it, rather than the person who dies. It is about the right to kill, rather than the right to die. 9 Physicians would need to be trained in more areas regarding this, such as information about medications and dosage, and about the mentality of the patient. They will need to gain expertise in understanding patients' motivations for requesting it, assessing their mental status, diagnosing and treating depression. The medical profession is developing greater expertise in managing terminal illness but would need to develop similar expertise in responding to requests for physician-assisted suicide. The debates over assisted suicide have forced clinicians to be more aware of what can be done to relieve suffering. Doctors are improving palliative care and their own behavior. Patients are becoming more aware of their options. The problems associated with legalizing assisted suicide are usually not talked about when the proponents make their argument. The discussion of the potential for abuse, the ways it could be prevented or better helped are put on a backburner. The main argument against legalization is that human life is sacred, and it is not a human right to take it away. Some say that there is no need for suicide, because health care should resolve all problems and pain management has come a long way. Most people who commit suicide suffer from depression, so it is often debated whether this could be the reason for someone wanting assisted suicide. Often, when their depression is treated, the patient responds well, and would like to live. A regular physician cannot make the determination of whether a patient is suffering from depression. This is something that is difficult to diagnose in terminally ill patients. Just because a patient request suicide does not mean this will be an appropriate solution. Sometimes, a patient may even request suicide, but when the time draws near, they change their mind because it did not seem so imminent before. The will to request the suicide must be voluntary, but this decision is left up to the physician. How can a physician judge whether it is voluntary or not? It is also difficult to determine what terminal is. When people say that it should be reserved for people who are terminally ill, they cannot define it. It is used to mean someone whose death will occur in a relatively short time. Some people may say that if they will die in 6 months it is considered terminal, but it is difficult to determine exactly how long someone has to live. They may live much longer than that. A person could also be terminal who is in a vegitative state, but will live for years in that state with continued medicine. People cannot reach an agreement on what the definition of terminal would be, some even say old age is terminal. Marianne Smith, Program Development Director of the Death with Dying National Center defines it as â€Å"an illness in which there is no chance of recovery and that death is imminent. â€Å"15 Activists of euthanasia use the demonstration that suicide is the only means to control unbearable pain. Most pain is supposed to be able to be eliminated, or greatly reduced. Many people do not get enough pain control. 6 One reason is the underknowlege many physicians have about this, and that they are afraid the patient will become addicted. Also, too much pain medication can cause symptoms that may be worse than the disease was itself. One source says that â€Å"patients and physicians alike may be unaware of the options available in the medical system, including advances in pain control that could help patients but are not routinely provided. â€Å"3 There may be no solution to these problems, but some things can be done. Better health care education, more access to health care, and informing patients of their rights. 6 Everyone has the right to pain relief. Patients should get adequate health care, and not killed. Physicians argue that if good care of the dying is being provided, then a request for suicide would be rare. 4 Some patients may want to consider suicide, but are incapable of administering medicine. Some people may also lose their mental capabilities, and will be unable to request it. It is difficult to assess fairness in cases like these. Some people use a form of advance directive and make their request before deterioration occurs. It is hard to extend the same rights to all patients without causing abuse. If someone is unable to communicate their request, it would be frightening for someone to make that decision for them and to say that their life is not worth living, so we must kill them. There is great potential for abuse if it were to be legalized. Depressed people, elderly, and very frightened people would be greatly affected. People may feel pressured into giving up. Elderly are especially vulnerable to this. Now that there are more people living longer, this problem will increase. They may tend to feel they are a burden on their families, or are selfishly consuming resources. If a physician advocates it, they also may be swayed. People may also feel distrustful of the physician's advice. This may cause a hardship in getting appropriate care. 10 Legalization will only encourage more people to take part in it. It does not seem as if we would be ready for this to occur, because we are only just beginning to explore some realms of the medical world. It took a long time to figure out about adequate care for many patients and when is the right time to withdraw life support, so it would not seem that we would be ready for this step. The â€Å"slippery slope† argument is used by opponents, saying that legalization will lead to involuntary euthanasia. My own opinion is that if assisted suicide were legalized, we may not be as inclined to advance medical progress and knowlege. It would seem easier to just put the patient out of his/her misery. They may not use their experience to increase what we know about medicine and learn how to help the illness, or better cope with it. Proponents have said that euthanasia should be considered â€Å"medical treatment. † If this is so, there could be great potential for abuse. Then it may be more likely to be administered to people who cannot make the request. Some decisions that have gone to court say that assisted suicide is a constitutional right and that someone else can make the decision for the patient. If direct killing can be legalized by someone else, someone who is not competent could be euthanized without ever expressing that wish. It seems to be inevitable that patient are going to be killed without permission if legalization occurs, even with rules about consent. The main argument of how abuse of the practice could occur is called the â€Å"slippery slope argument. † It says that â€Å"even if particular acts of killing are sometimes morally justified with particularly pain-ridden patients, sanctioning practices of killing would run serious social risks of abuse, misuse and neglect. 3 The bad consequences of legalization would occur over time as this practice became more used. Another potential form of abuse lies in the fact that it would be cheaper to euthanize a patient than to continue medical treatment. It is thought that it could become a means of health care cost containment. Some of the main supporters of euthanasia are people concerned about lowering health care costs. 6 Religion has caused many people to debate it. Most churches are adamantly opposed to the idea of suicide. However, some Christians believe that God would not want them to suffer. 9 Although most religions and churches disagree with intentionally killing a patient, many people who hold this stand will allow the withdrawal of life support. It is believed that there is a difference between killing and letting die. Someone who is against euthanasia may agree with letting someone die who is being kept alive solely by life support that is not really helping them. 3 People feel that the intent in these cases is different. The more accepted approach does not involve killing. One interpretation of the difference shows that the intent is different because actively killing is aiming at death, and withdrawing support simply accepts that we are limited to help the dying and cannot reverse the process. 8 However, some peole believe that since death is the outcome no matter what, there is no moral difference between them. Another matter of intent distiction regards what is called the â€Å"double effect. † A physician will administer a pain medication to relieve pain, but knows that it may cause death. The patient would be in pain without it, but it may cause death if it is administered. It is usually believed to be moral if the doctor's intent is to relieve the suffering, and not to cause death. It is allowed if the death is foreseen but not intended, because it is the intent that makes it wrong. Although suicide is no longer a crime, giving assistance in it is, everywhere except for Switzerland, Germany, Norway, and Uraguay. In Australia, a law was passed that allows terminally ill patients to ask for assistance by injection or taking drugs themselves. 7 There is a debate about it because Parliament wants to overturn the statute, which is the world's only voluntary euthanasia statute. In the Netherlands, it is actually a crime, but it has been ruled that physicians may assist in death under certain conditions. Some of these are that the patient must be ruled competent, and two doctors must conclude that the patient has less than 6 months to live. 8 The United States has used them as an example to see what would happen if it were to occur here. They are having problems with it, mainly with abuse. The physicians there have reported that the main reasons people request it are â€Å"low quality of life, the relatives, inability to cope, and no prospect for improvement. 0 Some sources show that people are requesting it for physical symptoms that it is almost ridiculou that they would go to such an extreme measure for. I think that the potential for abuse here may be great, because it is getting out of hand over there. People are becoming afraid to go to hospitals because euthanasia is becoming so commonplace. It now accounts for 15% of deaths. 1000 unconsenting deaths occur each year. 1. In 1994, the state of Oregon passed a ballot that gives limited physician-assisted suicide legality. This makes it the first in the nation to do so. A doctor must determine the patient has less than six months to live. A second doctor must decide that they are mentally competent and not suffering from depression. The patient must request it in writing with two witnesses, and then 48 hours before the doctor delivers the prescription the request must be repeated orally. 1 It must be a voluntary act. However, those jugements are left to the physician. So far, it has never been put into action. Other states are considering similar legislation, such as California which has proposed a law that is similar to the guidelines that the Dutch have adopted. Lawsuits in Washington State and New York were ruled by the 9th and 2nd U. S. Circuit Courts of Appeals that laws prohibiting physician-assisted suicide are unconstitutional. The legal fate will be determined by the Supreme Court. In 1990, the decision of Cruzan v. Missouri Department of Health resulted in people having the right to avoid unwanted medical treatment, including food and water. 5 It recognized the right to terminate unwanted medical treatment even when death would be the result. 14 People often use the Constitution as a basis for argument. The 14th amendment prohibits the state from depriving â€Å"any person of life, liberty, or property without due process of law. † So to deny a dying patient medical assistance when requested is to â€Å"threaten this patient's request for help is judged denial of constitutionally protected due process. â€Å"4 As the courts were in session to hear a case about whether terminally ill people have a constitutional right to physician assisted suicide, demonstrators sang and picketed outside a Supreme Court building. The emotions of the rights issue has been compared to that of abortion. Both of these issues dig into whether we have the right to choose such personal issues. People can feel very strongly about the issues of mercy killing, whether they oppose or support it. The lack of laws cause people to avoid prosecution for assisting in a suicide. Kevorkian has escaped prosecution because there is not a state law prohibiting it, according to a Michigan judge. 9 People are afraid that activities such as his would become widespread if assisted suicide were legalized. His actions have been opposed not because of the assistance, but because he had no real relationship with his patients and had not given them any kind of clinical evaluation. Many were also not terminally ill. 3 It seems to show what is lacking in the medical sysytem, or what could become of it. Every case of assisted suicide is not convicted or prosecuted, even in states that make it illegal. However, the fact that there are many landmark â€Å"right to die† cases, shows that the law is commited to the prohibition. However, the procedures are not described as killing. If this were the case, the act would have to be justified similar to killing someone out of self defense. 4 It is hard to define the conditions that there must be in order to make it legal, because there is so much that we do not know. For euthanasia to be ethical, there must be certain guidelines. The person must be a mature adult, and has been shown to be mentally competent and willing to make the decision. Some medical help will have already been given, and it should seem that the fight is hopeless. 9 Many organizations have beliefs on this and they try to educate the public on euthanasia and what their views are. I contacted Marianne Smith, the Program Development Director of the Death with Dignity National Center. 15 She explained to me in e-mail how the organization feels about euthanasia and what they do to educate the public about it. The organization is working toward better health care for paients. She feels that assisted suicide should be legal, but that â€Å"physician-assisted dying should be the response of last resort,† and â€Å"when all other options fail to relieve unbearable suffering, when the patient is acting on his or her own initiative, is not clinically depressed, and is capable of administering the medication personally. The people who could be elgible are â€Å"only terminally ill, competent adults with decisionmanking capacity. † I also asked whether euthanasia could be avoided with adequate pain medicine. Her response was that â€Å"Physicians, medical associations and hospices all have stated that not all pain can be controlled. † Their view, which is one I encountered a lot, is that the medical professionals have not been trained adequately in pain management. Regarding the issues of potential â€Å"slippery slope† abuse, she says that physician's aid in dying is more common than people realize, and legalization would just make it happen openly, instead of secretly. However, the state regulation should provide strict guidelines and penalties for violations. I think that it is hard to make sure that the decisions are correct, so it should be carefully thought out. We are dealing with a very serious issue, which is death. It should not be an easy decision to make or to carry out. Becaue death is the consequence, the decision to kill oneself, and carrying it out should be very difficult and carefully thought out. This would help ensure that people have thought about it enough and know that this is the best decision. I don't know how a solution can be thought of to deal with the debate, but things such as more health care education and informing patients of their rights should be a consideration. I hope that if legalization ever were to take place, that they would carefully restrict who qualified for euthanasia. After all my research, most of my questions have been answered. It is difficult to come to a conclusion because there is no right or wrong answer. I don't know how anyone can determine what should be done. Who can put a price on life and say who has the right to die? The basic choice is whether to let doctors help people die, and if so, how? I have found many great arguments either opposing or protesting this issue, which has led me to my conclusions. When I began this paper, I dove into it thinking that I was going to condone the idea of assisted suicide. I knew I could convince someone that it should be the moral and legal thing to do. I could not imagine a life without the ultimate choice or having to endure great suffering. I was going to defend this side, but also show the opposing side. Once I got into the research, I found many facts that I had not known before about why it has not yet been legalized. Many questions and opinions showed me that there were things I had not even bothered to think about before. What a surprise to me that I could begin a project as a supporter, and then turn around my views. I now see where the opposers are coming from. There are just too many problems and considerations to think about before this could ever happen, and there are alternate solutions. I cannot say that this has given me a complete turn in the opposite direction, but I am definitely leaning toward the opposing side except in extreme circumstances when nothing could ever help the patient.

Our Children and the Avalanche of Crud

In the essay â€Å"Buried Alive: Our Children and the Avalanche of Crud†, David Denby argues that pop culture is distinctive and damaging to children in the United States today. Pop culture is damaging because media has changed to become three- dimensional, inescapable, omnivorous, and self-referring. Media, according to Denby is everywhere; you cannot step away from the system of it. It has been known to be a commercialized aggression that puts parents on defense. Children now days have become commoditized towards television because they are being sold.Children are being treated as objects because of how television is influencing them. Television is teaching a child that is it cool to be vulgar. Denby suggest that vulgarity is a concept children do not understand because the makers of commercial cultures teach them not too. Denby argues that the old dream that parents and teachers would nurture the development of a child is now lost. Media has taken over the parental role bec ause it is teaching children negative concepts and parents do not have control over this.Irony plays a part in this aspect because this is a form of commodity. Media does not only influence children through television but also through the products that you can buy in store or online. I agree with Denby because television shows have taught children to become vulgar and stereotypical. Television shows have become increasingly influential towards children because it has been teaching children about vulgarity and stereotypes in a negative way. In the article, â€Å"Why Greek Girls are Tired of ‘Big Bang' Bullshit,† Kristy Pirone analyzes the elevision show The Big Bang Theory.The Big Bang Theory according to Pirone is a sexist and stereotypical television show that portrays men to hold a higher archery towards women. Pirone identifies this show by being sexist because â€Å"†¦ Lit] accepts the idea that only men can be â€Å"geeks† with open arms. † Chuck Lorre created The Big Bang Theory, the same man who created Two and a Half Men. Lorre is known to create shows with perpetuating stereotypes that could be insulting to men as well as women. These shows are constantly reducing women to nothing more than sex- providers and men to predatory creeps.

Business Ethics Problem Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

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Acer Company Marketing Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Acer Company Marketing - Case Study Example It is of considerable importance to highlight the fact that the paradox related to the company’s focus on the global and local markets is part of company’s long terms strategy. It is relevant to mention that during the middle of the 90’s period, the company was facing issues of depreciating sales in the markets of the United States. Significant analysis by the company in regards to the causes associated with the slowdown in sales resulted in a strategic change of the company. The top management of Acer realized that for the purpose of entering the foreign markets of United States, it is very essential to develop a significant strong hold in the local Chinese market, which can be viewed as the company’s home turf. Also, the management realized that by catering to the local market, Acer will be able to leverage significant advantages in regards to economies of scale, which will thus make it viable for the company to focus on the process of introducing innova tion to its products (Keegan and Green, 2009, p. 80). Finally in a closing note, it can be specified that the company realized that by adding innovation to its product offerings, Acer will be able to squeeze out significant edge in regards to the offerings of the local players of the US market, thereby making it possible for the company to achieve a high sales turnover from the market of the United States.It has to be said that the company faced depreciating sales in the period of 1995-97, which resulted in fall of market share in the US.... It is relevant to mention that during the middle of the 90’s period, the company was facing issues of depreciating sales in the markets of the United States. Significant analysis by the company in regards to the causes associated with the slowdown in sales resulted in a strategic change of the company. The top management of Acer realized that for the purpose of entering the foreign markets of United States, it is very essential to develop a significant strong hold in the local Chinese market, which can be viewed as the company’s home turf. Also, the management realized that by catering to the local market, Acer will be able to leverage significant advantages in regards to economies of scale, which will thus make it viable for the company to focus on the process of introducing innovation to its products (Keegan and Green, 2009, p. 80). Finally in a closing note, it can be specified that the company realized that by adding innovation to its product offerings, Acer will be able to squeeze out significant edge in regards to the offerings of the local players of the US market, thereby making it possible for the company to achieve a high sales turnover from the market of the United States. 3. It has to be said that the company faced depreciating sales in the period of 1995-97, which resulted in fall of market share in the United States. As a counter measure, significant amount of strategic changes were introduced within the company’s business process. As a part of the strategic change, the market focus of the company was shifted to the local market of China, which is fast growing in nature. By trying to cater to the market of China, the company Acer tried to leverage the benefits associated with economies of scale, as well as tremendous availability of high

Equal pay act of 1963 Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Equal pay act of 1963 - Research Paper Example The Equal Pay Act of 1963 prohibits â€Å"discrimination on account of sex in the payment of wages by employers engaged in commerce or in the production of goods for commerce†. In other words, the Equal Pay Act of 1963 was designed to prohibit employers from discriminating against employees on account of gender. In many instances, the development and implementation of such Act was an urgent response to the existing labor conditions in America and the growing dissatisfaction of women with their inferior job position. Since the end of the WWII, wage differentials between men and women plagued the development of labor relations in America and called for major improvements. However, the Equal Pay Act of 1963 was not the first attempt to curb wage disparities based on gender in American economy: during the WWII, the equal pay for women policy was declared and several federal governments proposed that legislation be implemented to reduce and, finally, eliminate wage discrimination b ased on gender (Fogel, 1984). Actually, Congress took the difficult decision to pass the Equal Pay Act, fearing that the existing wage discrimination would negatively influence the balance of labor supply and demand and would, simultaneously, burden courts with unnecessary paperwork as they are fighting to prove women’s rights for equal pay (Fogel, 1984). In many instances, the Equal Pay Act of 1963 became the turning point in the development of equal labor opportunities in America. Whether the Equal Pay Act of 1963 has far-reaching implications for HR and produces significant impacts on HR practices is difficult to define. On the one hand, the act sets the stage for developing equal wage opportunities for women and men in similar professions and those, who fulfill similar obligations and tasks. Alternatively, it is clear that the Equal Pay Act of 1963 did not produce the desired effects on the state of labor relations in the U.S.: the change in wage discrimination is meager compared to

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Violence on children - Essay Example However, the other perspective is that corporal punishment is nothing more than violence against children masked as discipline. It is a crucial debate, and a complex issue that affects everyone. Although there are well-developed arguments for both sides of this topic, corporal punishment is sometimes necessary for children to become well developed, and it is not a form of behavior that should be considered the same as violence against children or physical abuse. Using corporal punishment on a child is often considered to be a form of violence, and some consider it to be a particularly bad form of punishment. This consideration comes from the fact that the offender is the person that the child looks to for protection, and as such, the act of violence directly breaks the trust the child has. The use of corporal punishment on children has been the subject of substantial research, as people attempt to determine whether this type of discipline has negative repercussions on children. A study published in Pediatrics provides persuasive evidence that shows the short-term benefits of using corporal punishment on children does not outweigh the long-term negative consequences. The authors found that children who were physically punished more often at the age of three was likely to be more violent than other children of his or her age by the time the child reached five years old. Not only were the five-year-olds who had been physically punished more vi olent and aggressive towards people, animals and objects, they were also more demanding, rebellious and become frustrated easier than children who were physically punished less often or not at all (Taylor 1057-65). It can be argued that this occurs because hitting a child results in fear, which does not help the child to understand the proper methods of behavior. It also has the potential to teach children that violence is the solution to the problems of adult life, leading them to turn to violence themselves

Social Media Team with a strategic mandate for customer relationship Essay

Social Media Team with a strategic mandate for customer relationship management - Essay Example Media thus helps a business organization to gather consumer base. Media also has the influencing capacity to make a product good or bad. People in the society generally have a strong faith in the advertisements and the displays of various offerings on a media source. In the present scenario, with the advent of newer technologies like internet, the term social media has been expanded to few other aspects also. These aspects include the use of e-commerce related tools like customer relationship management, forums, social networks, and social news. Social media related applications consist of Google, YouTube, and Face book. Customer relationship management has been a major addition to the business related marketing segment (Safko & Et. Al., 2009). Social media, as a medium of communication, has a huge amount of option and also a wide spectrum. Social media in the modern era has gained popularity with the advent of internet. People in different parts of the world have been able to share ideas, know about their culture and society by using the internet. Internet has brought the people of the world much closer. Internet has provided business organizations a different option of promoting and popularizing their products. Social media have expanded in its horizon with the innovation of social networking. As per the study of Nielsen in 2009, social networking and also blogs written by different people have been the 4th most well-liked online activity in the United States (Bonde, 2009). Social media along with social networking have changed the method of communication and connection among people. These technologies have caught the imagination of people in all the age groups throughout the world. It has enabled business organizations to reach out to a wider audience with their offerings. Internet and email are the two sources mostly used to

Geographies of war, occupation, resistance, and terrorism Essay - 1

Geographies of war, occupation, resistance, and terrorism - Essay Example It goes without saying that most the Arab World has thrown their weight behind Palestine while the US and its Western allies are behind Israel. In June 7, 1981, Israel had attacked and crippled a nuclear reactor before it became operational in a town near Baghdad. Although it claimed self defense, it came under intense criticism even from US their main allies. Much later, the same strategy was used by US to lead a foreign invasion on Iraq under the guise of different reasons (Kramer & Michalowski, 2005). This paper then will try to answer the question why the US invaded Iraq under Bush administration. Plausible Explanation for the Invasion There are many official justifications that were offered by the Bush administration for its invasion of Iraq. The three main ones were that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction, had strong ties with al-Qaeda which all turned to be false after the invasion. The third one was that the sectarian US government was trying to bring democracy in Baghdad. However, unofficially, there are other plausible explanations include control of oil fields and business and for strategic interests. Another explanation that has been overtly explored in the recent past is the assertion that the Israel government and its key supporters in US government caused the Iraq Invasion (Mearsheimer & Walt, 2006). Israel has been over the recent past been dominated by right wing governments and their policies have been supported by their US supporters and have led increased tensions in the Arab world and needless human suffering. However, the idea of invading Iraq is not one of their agendas because it had no value to Israel and if anything it only increased hostility towards Israel in the region (Robert, 2002). It is true that this invasion was supported by many Israel sympathizers and a majority of US Congress members of Jewish origin voted in favor of war resolution together with the American-Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC). Indeed, AIPAC had long been touted as an ardent lobbying and supporter of US invasion of Iraq. Although AIPAC had enormous influence on the matters pertaining to the Israel-Palestinian conflict when it came to congressional voting, it had no role in lobbying for the invasion of Iraq. This was largely due to the knowledge that there was an enormous bipartisan support within the US government to invade oil rich Iraq. There were more powerful interests by the US government than the interests of AIPAC in this country like the arms industry, oil deals among other special interests. As such, these interests from the US government and other lobbyist far outweighed the interests of the Zionist lobby groups (Stephen, 2013). Many people and political analysts have tried to point to Israel as the prime suspect for the invasion by quoting many American Zionists and Israeli officials. However, those who are quoted in support of the invasion had expressed their sentiments after the decision to invade Iraq had been arr ived at in 2002. The invasion intended back then was a two thronged attack which later would be extended to Iran later. What this means is that the Israel lobby groups and the Israeli government was willing to procure public support for an invasion campaign which the Bush led US government had independently determined to undertake. In addition, the Bush administration was an ardent supporter of Israel course of actions in its

HRM AND TRANSFORMATION Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words - 1

HRM AND TRANSFORMATION - Essay Example is the first step in effective human-resource management as it involves forecasting the human-resource needs of the organization and planning certain useful and important steps that the organization must take in order to meet those human resource needs that will contribute a high percentage for its overall success as human-resource planning should be connected to the organization’s strategic objectives and mission. (Butensky and Harari, 1983) It can be said that human-resource planning is a challenge because the needs of the organization are constantly changing and sometimes do not converge and such challenge can be greater if the recruitment pool is limited or if the people in charge of human-resource management have not been trained to forecast the organization’s needs to maintain and achieve success in all areas of concern. (Butensky and Harari, 1983) In determining a certain range of importance in regaining factual information regarding as to what extent does human resource planning contributes to the overall success of the organization then, it is important to take in consideration some of its planning issues that may affect positively and or negatively to the success of such organization thus, it is crucial to identify and determine these planning issues as it enumerated below. (Craft, 1980) RetailCo, implements the employment of part time staff and this has provided them some benefits. There is some evidence from a number of sources to indicate a much broader potential for part-time work than its current reputation suggests. Employer benefits complement the increased work flexibility that such programs provide for the suppliers of labor. First, part-time work need not be limited to jobs in the low-pay sales and service sectors where they tend to cluster. Individual examples of New Concept reduced-hour jobs, often among professional librarians, teachers, editors, nurses and others, function well. Some public-sector employing agencies have

Nike's Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Nike's - Case Study Example The company lacked the diversification on its products and produced products for only some specific consumers. It shunned sports like soccer, rollerblading and golf and focused more efforts on making shoes for basketball and track market. This lead to falling of the sales in the market and the company realized that it had to increase its sales. As a result, the company took its designs and marketing competencies and crafted new lines of shoes for its consumers. It lined a new line of soccer shoes and started winning a big market share from the soccer market. The company lacked competences in marketing and design. To improve on it design it purchased other foot wear companies that were complimenting its products. The company lacked a marketing design of convincing its customers that its products were the best. Nike is now searching for new market acquisitions to improve its market share (Henderson et al, 2). The focus of developing new products for new market segments has proved to be a

Relationships with external care providers Essay Example for Free

Relationships with external care providers Essay Cultivating and nurturing relationships with outside care providers and researchers who are involved in a church’s social programs is easy to forget; it can fall by the wayside as a busy pastor tries to juggle many balls, and it is easy to delegate these programs to willing volunteers or outside help. However, study after study has emphasized the importance of pastoral involvement in social programs as a factor for their success. The congregation trusts the pastor implicitly: they trust his judgment and will follow his lead. A pastor who remains interested and enthusiastic about social programs, with as much active involvement as his time allows, will produce a congregation which is interested in and enthusiastic about its church’s social programs, willing to support them and utilize them if they are in need. The pastor can also help ensure success of a social program administered by outsiders by helping the outsiders to understand the cultural norms, traditions and history of the church. This is particularly important in a church where there are significant mental health programs in place; maintaining ties to the formal care system , and gaining the knowledge required to pre-screen congregants and help provide referrals to formal care services when required. CONCLUSION The Black church has developed a unique tradition of holistic care for its congregants. In an atmosphere of slavery, oppression, inequality and uneven or nonexistent access to formal services, the extended family and the care services provided by the church has been invaluable in preserving the physical and mental health of African-Americans. Today, this tradition continues with formalized social programs as well as informal care networks; areas such as community health care, mental health, youth services, and economic and literacy initiatives as well as traditional pastoral care continue to provide an essential resource to congregants who are still underserved and suffer disproportionately from social ills. In order to ensure that the congregants of his church have the best chance at health and secular success as well as spiritual well-being, the pastor of the Black church must determine the best social programs to emphasize, and facilitate the implementation of these programs to the best of his ability. REFERENCES Adkinson-Bradley, Carla, Johnson, Darrell, Sanders, JoAnn, Duncan, Lonnie, Holcomb- McCoy, Cheryl. â€Å"Forging a Collaborative Relationship Between the Black Church and the Counseling Profession. † Counseling and Values 49 (January 2005):147-154. Blank, Michael, Mahmood, Marcus, Fox, Jeanne, Guterbock, Thomas. â€Å"Alternative Mental Health Services: The Role of the Black Church in the South. † American Journal of Public Health. 92. 10 (October 2002): 1668-1672. Borg, Walter R. Educational Research. New York: David McKay Co. , 1963 Drake, St. Clair and Cayton, Horace. Black Metropolis: A Study of the Negro life in a Northern City. New York: Hartcourt, Brace World, 1970 Ferguson, Everett. â€Å"Factors leading to the selection and closure of the New Testament Canon Debate. †. in The Canon Debate. Eds. L. M. McDonald J. A. Sanders. Peabody, MA: Hendrickson Publishers, 2002. Ferman, Gerald S. , and Jack Levin. Social Science Research a Handbook for Students. New York: John Wiley and Sons, 1975. Isaac, Stephen. , and William B. Michael. Handbook in Research Evaluation. 2d Ed. San Diego, CA: Robert R. Knapp, 1988 Lewin, Kurt, â€Å"Action Research in Minority Problems,† Journal of Social Issues. 2, no. 4. 1948. Markens, Susan, Fox, Sarah A. , Taub, Bonnie, Gilbert, Mary Lou. â€Å"Role of Black Churches in Health Promotion Programs: Lessons from the Los Angeles Mammography Promotion in Churches Program. † May, 2002. 92(5):805-810. Miller, Kelly. Radicals and Conservatives and other essays on the Negro in AmericaNew York:Schocken Books, 1968.

Gender Identity Paper Essay Example for Free

Gender Identity Paper Essay The determination of gender identity is much deeper than whether a person is born a male or a female. The exact identifier that separates gender identity is currently unknown but researchers believe that genetics, hormones, reproductive organs, biological, and environmental factors all play a role in distinguishing a person’s gender identity. A person’s physical gender and their sense of gender are formed at two different times in two different parts of the body. A person’s gender is whether they are born male or female, but the way they identify themselves may be the opposite, which is not uncommon and has occurred since the beginning of time. In culture males are known to be the stronger, more aggressive sex, while females are the fairer, more nurturing sex. Usually, by the age of four, individuals have identified their gender identities aside from what gender they were born as physically. Throughout this paper, I will discuss the biological factors of gender identity (nature), environmental factors (nurture), and the role between hormones and behavior, and how these interactions all affect the determination of one’s gender identity. Gender identification begins to develop while the fetus is in the beginning stages of development. Between weeks six and twelve of gestation is when the fetus begins developing reproductive organs and that is when the fetus takes on the role of male or female. Hormones are produced in both the nervous system and the endocrine system and are transported through the blood stream. Specifically, hormones are chemicals that combine and respond to certain cell receptors. Hormones like testosterone and androgen are mainly found in the male gender while estrogen is mainly found in the female gender. Testosterone is a contributing factor to behaviors like aggression. â€Å"Gender identity, an individual’s self-awareness of maleness or femaleness, and gender role, are programmed for the child within his mother’s womb,† (Institute of Medicine, 2006). Evidence has shown that the female gender is likely to excel in verbal skills and muscular coordination when their production of estrogen is high rather than when it is low. For men, they are stronger and more aggressive when their testosterone levels are high and they are able to perform better in actions that require physical performance. The nature side of the theory relies on prenatal hormones that modify the brain and peripheral tissue and the development of male or female external genitalia. Although a person may have a certain physical gender, their gender role is the adoption of masculine or feminine behavioral traits that are appropriate for that specific sex. Gender identity differs from the gender role because it is an individual’s personal sense of sex, which is not necessarily their physical gender. There are multiple stages from childhood to adulthood when hormones are present that are identifiable of a specific gender. The pituitary gland (or hypophysis) secretes many hormones during puberty including adrenocorticotropic hormones, growth hormones, gonadotrophins, prolactin, and thyroid stimulating hormones. Gonadotrophins, which include luteinizing and follicle stimulating hormones, stimulate sex hormone production in the ovaries or testes and also lead to egg and sperm maturity. Prolactin stimulates milk production and adrenocorticotropic hormones stimulate the adrenal glands to secrete steroid hormones like cortisol. All of these hormones play a major role in sexual development and an individual’s determination of gender identity. Environmental factors of gender identity arise as soon as the individual is born. Everything from a female child wearing a pink dress to a male child having a sports themed blanket can play a role in their gender identity. Sociologists believe that by the age of five years old, females show a preference for dolls, arts and crafts, and playing dress up while males prefer cars, blocks, tools, and outdoor play. â€Å"The environment has a direct relation to personality traits, because characteristic adaptations are always involved in expression,† (Nature over Nurture, 2000). At a young age, children who are taught that traits and activities are appropriate or inappropriate for them to perform because of their gender tend to absorb those teachings and are influenced by them later in life. For example, young girls who are raised believing boys are innately better at sports than girls, may disclaim their interest in sports and go on to believe they are not good at them without pract icing them to their full potential. Both males and females have proven to be great athletes but if at a young age, a girl is told she will never be as good as a boy she may never give sports and athleticism a chance. Young children learn by observations, if a young girl witnesses her mother performing the acts of a man then she will repeat those acts and believe that is what is appropriate for her. The same goes for the male gender, if a little boy observes his father doing something that a woman is more likely to do like sewing or interior decorating then that is what the little boy will believe is expected of him upon adulthood. â€Å"For instance, the way in which one educates children, how children in institutions such as orphanages are raised, and the kinds of day-care are considered optimal have all been influenced by one’s understanding of the interaction of biology and environment regarding gender identity,† (Kowalski Westen, 2005). The previous statement is very true because children observe many things that one may never think would make any difference but in reality they do. Nature factors include everything from what kind of parents raise the child, what roles they perform, the culture, and even the color of paint on the child’s walls all make a difference in the child’s personal gender identity. I believe that between nature and nurture and their influence on gender identity, nature has a greater influence. For example, if a perfectly healthy little girl with no hormone disorders is raised with a single father and only brothers with no immediate influence of females, she is more likely to become a tomboy and take on the gender identity that resembles that of her father’s or brothers’. The same reference goes for a boy raised with a single mother and only sisters with no immediate influence of a male figure in his life. Matthew Wolfe-Meyer makes a valid point when saying, â€Å"nature and its contestation is a dominant strategy†¦ unfortunately nurture fails to receive similar scrutiny and culture is more often used as an explanatory device than deeply interrogated for its logistics.† Often times when a child is going through puberty and takes on the role of the opposite gender, many people jump to the hypothesis that there may be something wrong with their hormones or a chemical imbalance but before jumping to that conclusion, they should look at their home life, how was the child raised, what was their environment like and from there they will find many answers. All children naturally comply with the demands of their internal sense of gender without effort. If the child becomes confused with their gender then they often refer to behaviors of adults near them and they learn what actions are appropriate for them relatively quick. Environmental factors bear a critical amount of effectiveness in gender identity but because environmental factors are ever changing, it proves that the nurture theory is a substantial factor. Currently, psychologists and researchers do not know the exact causes of gender identity and individuals taking on the opposite roles. But there are many factors that support both sides of the nature versus nurture argument. The male and female genders each have differences in many areas both physical and emotional but neither is â€Å"better† than the other. By the age of four years old each child already has an idea of who they are and what gender they belong to. Gender confusion is normal but most children are able to look at parents or acting influences in their lives and see what the appropriate actions are for their gender. Nature versus nurture has and will continue to be a strong argument. References: McCrae, R. R., Costa, P. r., Ostendorf, F., Angleitner, A., HÃ…â„¢ebà ­Ã„ kovà ¡, M., Avia, M. D., Smith, P. B. (2000). Nature over nurture: Temperament, personality, and life span development. Journal Of Personality And Social Psychology, 78(1), 173-186. doi:10.1037/0022-3514.78.1.173 Matthew Wolf-Meyer. (2007). Complexities: Beyond nature and nurture. Anthropologica, 49(2), 325-327. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/214174663?accountid=35812 Money, J. (1971). Differentiation of gender identity and gender role. Psychiatric Annals, 1(4), 32-37,42-43,8-9. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/894195162?accountid=35812 (2006). Institute of medicine (us) committee on assessing interactions among social, behavioral, and genetic factors in health. Washington DC: National Academies Press (US). Retrieved from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK19934/

Discuss The Strategic Options And Provide Examples Marketing Essay

Discuss The Strategic Options And Provide Examples Marketing Essay Globalization is the system of interaction among the countries of the world in order to develop the global economy. Globalization refers to the integration of economics and societies all over the world. It involves technological, economic, political, and cultural exchanges made possible largely by advances in communication, transportation and infrastructure. http://hubpages.com/hub/Definition-of-Globalization Integration in globalization is either negative or positive depends breaking down of trade barriers. The removal of barriers can be beneficial for products that are important to the economy growth. An example of imported raw materials is very expensive but the cost will be down if the supply will increase and will make cheaper to produce the final products for export. 2STRATEGY Strategy is reflects decisions to offer particular products or services in the particular markets. The strategic options for the exploring opportunities in the new established market and existing product are good opportunity to use the availability resources. It is a tool in the direction of the firms objective in achieving business success in the long term. CORPORATE STRATEGY: This is the focus of an organization which products or service markets to compete and area to operate. This is because market definition is the domain of corporate level strategists, the responsibility for diversification, addition of new products or services to the existing product, also falls within the realm of corporate-level strategy. A Strategic Alliance is a relationship between two or more parties to pursue a set of agreed upon goals or to meet a critical business need while remaining independent organizations. Businesses use strategic alliances to: Achieve advantages of scale, scope and speed Increase market penetration Enhance competitiveness in domestic and/or global markets Enhance product development Develop new business opportunities through new products and services Expand market development Increase exports Diversify Create new businesses Reduce costs. 3How to enter Market The best mode of entry its broad choices are indirect exporting, direct exporting, licencing, joint ventures and direct investment. A joint venture is an agreement by two or more parties to form a single entity to undertake a certain project. Each of the businesses has an equity stake in the individual business and share revenues, expenses and profits. Joint ownership has certain drawbacks. The partners might disagree over investment, marketing, or other policies. One partner might want to reinvest earnings for growth, and the other partner might want to take out these earnings. Furthermore joint ownership can hamper a multinational company from carrying out specific manufacturing and marketing policies on a worldwide basis. Licensing is a simple way for a manufacturer to become involved in International business. The licensor enters an agreement with a licensee in the foreign market, offering the right to use a manufacturing process trademarks, intellectual property and trade secrets are licensed to an external firm. Its used mainly to manufacture and sell a certain product. Its a lower risk way of expanding the reach of product compared to building company manufacturing base and distribution reach. Coca-cola is an example of an international market by licensing bottlers around the world. Franchising is an excellent way of quickly rolling out a successful concept nationwide. Franchisees pays fixed fee and agree to ongoing payments so the process is financially risk-free for the company. However, downsides do exist, particularly with the loss of control over how franchisees run their franchise. It is thus an important form of vertical market integration. Potentially, the system provides an effective blending of skill centralization and operational decentralization. It permits the franchise to sell products or services under a highly publicized brand name and a well-proven set of procedures; it is a carefully developed and controlled marketing strategy. Examples of franchisers are hotels brands i.e. Hilton, Holiday in and Coco-cola. Advantages of forming strategic alliances Provide companies with the opportunity to gain new capacity and expertise Allow companies to enter related businesses or new geographic markets or gain new technological knowledge access to greater resources, including specialized staff and technology sharing of risks with a venture partner Disadvantages of strategic alliances It takes time and effort to build the right relationship and partnering with another business can be challenging. Problems are likely to arise if: There is an imbalance in levels of expertise, investment or assets brought into the venture by the different partners. Different cultures and management styles result in poor integration and co-operation. The partners dont provide enough leadership and support in the early stages. Success in a joint venture depends on thorough research and analysis of the objectives. Examples of strategic alliances companies   Sony-Ericsson is a joint venture by the Japanese consumer electronics company Sony Corporation and the Swedish telecommunications company Ericsson to make mobile phones. Virgin Mobile India Limited is a cellular telephone service provider company which is a joint venture between Tata Tele service and Richard Bransons Service Group. http://wiki.answers.com/Q/Examples_of_joint_ventures#ixzz1KAPliPOB Product Strategies Is the central focus of the marketing mix. It is fails to satisfy the needs of the consumers, no amount of promotion, price cutting, or distribution will persuade them to buy. The total product, which is what the customer buys, which also include the package, the brand name, accessories, after sales service, the warranty and instructions for use. Thus international product strategies and policies should include the following aspects. 4Strategies Matrix Ansoff Matrix has four strategies which an organization will be good to process for good foundation of the company future development. Ansoff matrix focused on the firms present and potential products and market, customers by considering ways to grow through existing products and new products and in existing market and new markets. It is one of the best tools for the companies to develop market and product expansion. Market Penetration, Product development, Market Development Diversification Diagram below indicate the Ansoff Matrix : faculty.msb.edu/homak/homahelpsite/webhelp 5MARKET PENETRATION Is a term that indicates how deeply a product or service has become entrenched with a given consumer market. The degree of penetration is often measured by the amount of sales that are generated within the market itself, increasing sales force, increase distribution and promotion of products, more expenditure in marketing and advertising activities will results in increasing sales. Market penetration can be considered in broader terms, and be used as a way of identifying a wider consumer base. Penetration expands the influence of the product to new consumers and thus increases the sales and general proportion of the consumer market that the manufacturer controls. http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-market-penetration.htm Market penetration seeks to achieve four main objectives: The market share of current products should be maintained, this will be achieved by a combination of competitive pricing strategies, advertising, sales promotion and perhaps Dominance of growth markets should be secured Competitors should be driving to restructure a mature market, promotion campaign should be more aggressive for the same pricing strategy should be designed to make difficult to the competitors Implemented loyalty scheme for the existing customers. 6Examples of Market Penetration Dell Recognizing the software as a service can be a potent market penetration tool, also assembling a services portfolio that now includes e-mail disaster recovery, spam/virus filtering and archiving via its Message one acquisition. Airlines Easyjet Airline market was by offering flights for the small distance cities. Southwest Airline same as Easyjet were more profitable on operating small distances Pakistan State Oil penetrates in Pakistan market growth from 40% to 65% in the duration of 4 years by developing new retail outlets. Car Manufacturing Toyota Motor Corporation is the worlds largest automobile manufacturer by sales and production. Toyota and BMW good relationship in marketing in order to retain and have high profile for their value customers. Toyota Motor Corporation is the largest conglomerates in the world. Toyota has grown to a large multinational corporation from where it started and expanded to different worldwide markets and countries. Banking HSBC Bank customers were very happy on internet banking that they can access their online account 24hrs a day wherever they are in the world. Telecommunication Airtel promoting its services to penetrate in the Indian market. It is the worlds fastest growing industry, they have couple of joint ventures with Alcatel in Indian, it is operates in 19 countries across South Asia, Africa and the Channel Islands. Airtel is the fifth largest telecom operator in the world. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Market_penetration 7Advantage and Disadvantage of Market Penetration Benefits One of the successful penetration is pricing strategy may lead to large sales volumes/market shares and therefore lower costs per unit. Penetration strategies are often used by businesses that need to use up spare resources. A penetration pricing strategy may also promote complimentary and captive products. The main product may be priced with a low mark-up to attract sales. Risk The most obvious potential disadvantage of market penetration is the likelihood of competing suppliers following suit by reducing their prices, May lead to a price war with a competitor with the same strategy The effects of economies of both scale and experience lead to lower production costs, which justify the use of penetration pricing strategies to gain market share Low pricing could be detrimental to the perceived brand value and to the company reputation. Another potential disadvantage is the impact of the reduced price on the image of the offering, particularly where buyers associate price with quality. http://tutor2u.net/business/marketing/pricing_strategy_penetration.asp 8MARKET DEVELOPMENT Market development is a marketing technique aimed at increasing a companys market in order to widen the customer base for the purpose of selling more products. This is an important aspect of helping a company grow. Small companies with limited marketing experience may turn to consultants for this, while experienced large companies have internal marketing departments that may be responsible for market development. It is an ongoing part of doing business for successful companies. Also will help to grow your market by understanding how your product is perceived in the marketplace and what areas of improvement are there. Using the Starbucks example This occurs when the market analyzing makes some sort of change, market development has occurred over the past couple of years as consumers are becoming more health conscience. Preferences are moving toward different types of teas/drinks and consumers are demanding more healthy alternatives. These factors have aided to market development, with different franchises popping up, such as Argo tea, which become direct competitors to Starbucks Benefits Another way would be to focus on the  Ã‚   technology base used to supply existing products and to identify other products needs, which customers might need to be produced using current facilities and know how. Here the organization tries to develop  Ã‚   new products or services and thereby makes similar existing products obsolete unlike product development strategy which extends an existing products life cycle. There could be radical innovations where the company tries to replace existing products or technologies in an industry. In the case of incremental innovations, the firm tries to put focus on new products or services that modify the existing  ones. Apart from such radical innovations firms, also carry out incremental innovations to differentiate their products. One example, is Toyotas multi-utility vehicle Qualis.   Although other Indian  Ã‚   companies had similar products, Toyota, more effectively combined the styling an engineering that resulted   in increased demand   for its product (a great hit compared) to Sumo, Disadvantages/Risks As per Ansoff framework of a Market Development strategy New Markets may be different then expected ( especially in new geographic market with cultural differences Costly modifications may be required Examples of Market Development Compact disc technology has virtually replaced long playing vinyl records in the recording industry, and high definition television is likely to replace regular television technology. McDonalds has couple of new markets in the wake of globalization with its existing products. This is because of the nature of the business and products, McDonald; implemented its burgers which helps the growth of the market. Nestle expanded the market for its product Milkmaid by advertising the new uses of the product aggressively in India. Chinese products developed new market for their product worldwide Toyotas multi-utility vehicle Qualis although there are same product in India,  Toyota, more effectively combined the styling an engineering that resulted  in increased demand   for its product than Indian. Close Up toothpaste was first gel toothpaste which was transparent with a red distinctive colour, all others pastes were white. The market was dominated by Colgate which promised that it  would fight tooth decay and bad breath.  Ã‚   Close up promised the dual benefit of being a toothpaste and mouthwash in one and thus delivered fresh breath and white teeth. 9PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT This is a new product to be marketed to our existing customers. Here we develop and innovate new product offerings to replace existing ones. Such products are then marketed to our existing customers. This often happens with the auto markets where existing models are updated or replaced and then marketed to existing customers. http://www.marketingteacher.com/lesson-store/lesson-ansoff.html Developing of new products and offering to the existing market is product development strategy which need capital and time to implement. The company has to do a market survey in detailed if it is feasible to introduce new product in the current market. Challenges Several things need to be checked in developing new products in the company this is including, Technology and Cost, by using latest technology the product performance or the quality of products will be on highest level of functionality although Cost will be challenge to the company in either buying the new equipments or conducting trainings. Benefits Company products will be extended by producing different variants, packaging in new ways. Service industries shorten time to market and improve customer service and quality. Risks Customers might be confused among the existed and developed products, if the analysis will not performed carefully, example is the new Coke, Customers liked the taste of the new Coke in the taste tests conducted by Coca Cola, customers of the brand favoured classic Coke over the new product. Another Examples of Market Development Google developed a new browser chrome for the existing internet user McDonalds is always within the fast food industry, but frequently markets new burgers 10DIVERSIFICATION STRATEGY Diversification is a form of corporate strategy for a company. It seeks to increase profitability through greater sales volume obtained from new products and new markets. Diversification can occur either at the business unit level or at the corporate level. Diversification is very important into related and unrelated areas. http://www.coursework4you.co.uk/essays-and-dissertations/ansoff-analysis.php Diversification related in the form of backward, forward, and horizontal integration. Concentric diversification This means that there is a technological similarity between the industries, which means that the firm is able to leverage its technical know-how to gain some advantage. For example, a company that manufactures industrial adhesives might decide to diversify into adhesives to be sold via retailers. The technology would be the same but the marketing effort would need to change. The company will focus to add more market share to launch a new product that helps the company earn more profit. An example technological related in concentric diversification is Tomato ketchup and sauce to the existing brand processed items of food specialties. Vertical diversification This is when the company is closer to the raw materials sources in production, in another words is backward vertical integration strategy. An example of Avons line on cosmetics business. Avon pursued a backward form of vertical integration by entering the production of cosmetics. Forward diversification occurs when Avon move closer to the consumer in term of production stages. Horizontal diversification, occurs when a company develops interests complementary to its current activities. For a company may integrate its activities to include all aspect of the value chain; design, manufacture, market and distribute. The company adds new products or services that are often technologically or commercially unrelated to current products but that may appeal to current customers. In a competitive environment, this form of diversification is desirable if the present customers are loyal to the current products and if the new products have a good quality and are well promoted and priced. For example, Avons move to market jewelry through its regular sales force involved marketing new products through existing channels of distribution. Conglomerate diversification (or lateral diversification) The company markets new products or services that have no technological or commercial synergies with current products but that may appeal to new groups of customers. The conglomerate diversification has very little relationship with the firms current business. Therefore, the main reasons of adopting such a strategy are first to improve the profitability and the flexibility of the company, and second to get a better reception in capital markets as the company gets bigger. Even if this strategy is very risky, it could also, if successful, provide increased growth and profitability. For example a company whose core business is media services may diversify into provision of financial services. Advantages of diversification strategy Control markets by guaranteeing sales and distribution. This can arise through a combination of linkages in the value chain. For example where production and distribution channels are combined, or where a company uses its well-established brand names or corporate identity to gain benefits in new markets Take advantage of existing expertise, knowledge and resources in the company when expanding into new activities. This may result in transfer of skills, such as research and development knowledge and sharing of resources. Provide better risk control through no longer being reliant on a single market Spread risk by avoiding having all eggs in one basket Disadvantages of diversification strategy Adding bureaucratic complexity. In addition to direct financial costs, there may additional bureaucratic complexities necessitated by the need to coordinate and control core activities with additional activities. Diversification through acquisition across national boundaries may result in the organisation having to deal with varying intricacies of the political and legal requirements of the different countries in which the organisation has controlling interests. Diversification also acquisition May result in failure where there is a mismatch between core competencies Adding management costs. Adding bureaucratic complexity. In addition to direct financial costs, there may additional bureaucratic complexities necessitated by the need to coordinate and control core activities with additional activities. Examples Virgin Media moved from music producing to travels and mobile phones Walt Disney moved from producing animated movies to theme park and vacation properties Canon diversified from a camera making company into producing whole new range of office equipment CONCLUSION It is true for the world investment and business to move from national and domestic markets to a worldwide environment. Globalisation eliminates all boundaries, causing firms to engage in business worldwide. Consequently firms have to deal with couple of challenges if the management strategies will not help them to make the correct choices and decisions. Strategic options related to products and services which a firm may offer in which markets are critical to the success of companies. The differences in strategic choices of the firm can often be attributed to the type of market in which the company operates. Changes in business environment play a crucial role in the strategic options that an organisation may pursue over its future development. There are risks associated with all of the four strategic options entailed in the Ansoff matrix. Market penetration is generally considered as a low risk strategy while diversification, on the other hand, is deemed as a high risk growth strateg y as it involves moving simultaneously into new products and new markets. Diversification remains a popular strategic option for firms in todays competitive business arena, and if the diversification strategy is consistent and well throughout, like the case of IBM, significant improvements in profitability can be experienced.

Strychnine :: Botany

Strychnine Strychnine is a poisonous alkaloid, C21H22N2O2, obtained in colorless or white rhombic crystals. These have a bitter taste and melt at around 290( C (4 p.1). Alkaloids are any class of naturally occurring organic nitrogen containing bases, usually containing one or more of these nitrogen atoms in a ring of atoms called a cyclic system. Alkaloids are primarily found in plants and are predominant in flowering plant species. The function of alkaloids in plants is thought to be simply a waste product of the plants metabolic processes, but current research may suggest a specific biological function. This is evident in some plants as the levels of alkaloid increase just prior to seed formation and then drops off after the seed is ripe. This evidence suggests possible mechanisms of maturation and possible defense, against certain insect species (5 p.2). Strychnine, being an alkaloid, is slightly soluble in water, but is more soluble in alcohol and is released from its salts by alkalis. Many of the commercial alkaloids are found in the genus Strychnos. Strychnine was the first alkaloid to be identified in plants of the genus Strychnos, Family Loganiaceae. Strychnos, created by Linnaeus in 1753, is a genus of trees and climbing shrubs of the gentian order. From the standpoint of biological diversity, it is the most important genus of the Loganiaceae family (6 p.1). The genus contains 196 various species and is distributed throughout the warm regions of Asia (58 species), America (64) and Africa (75). The Strychnos alkaloids were originally classified based solely on their geographic origin. Asian Strychnos was thought to contain strychnine and the American Strychnos were thought to contain curarizing ammonium salts (6 p.2). Plants of the genus Strychnos have opposite leaves and bear cymes of white or yellowish flowers that have a four-lobed or five-lobed calyx, a four-parted or five-parted corolla, five stamens, a solitary pistil and bears fruit in the form of a berry. The seeds and bark of many plants in this genus contain the powerful poison (4 p.2). Strychnine is obtained commercially from the seeds of the Saint-ignatius's-bean and from the nux-vomica tree. Strychnine was first discovered by French chemist Joseph-Bienaime Caenoiu and Pierre-Joseph Pelletier in 1818 in the Saint-Ignatins'-bean (S. ignatii)(1 p.2). Strychnos ignatii is a woody climbing shrub of the Philippines. It was introduced into Cochin China and is highly esteemed there as a medicine. It got its name from the attention it attracted from the Jesuits.

Grace Kelly :: essays research papers

Even before Grace Kelly married a prince, she had the aura of a princess. Frank Sinatra once commented, "Grace was a princess from the moment she was born." She had remarkable elegance and sophistication that made her different from other Hollywood actresses. Some say she had an undertone of fire beneath her charm. Alfred Hitchcock, who directed her in three films, called her "a snow covered volcano". Grace was born into a family of fame and success. Her father was a wealthy bricklayer, her brother was a champion sculler, and her uncle, George Kelly was a famous playwright. They set a hard example to follow and Grace sometimes felt pressured by her family’s reputation for prosperity. She lived up to and even surpassed the fame of her family members. Grace served many roles in her life as an actress, princess and mother. 	When Grace Kelly first walked on stage as Virgin Mary at age six, people knew she was magic. She had a passion for the stage that her father could not understand. He had a poor opinion of the acting profession, but then his daughter had always been a mystery to him. Being so energetic and outgoing himself, he found it hard to understand a daughter who enjoyed sitting still, reading or writing. Grace begged him to enroll her in the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York and he reluctantly agreed. Her mother also disapproved of sending her to New York. She worried about the dangers lurking in wait for an innocent girl in New York City, but Sending Grace to the Academy proved to be a valuable decision. Grace loved the Academy and worked hard there, modeling in her spare time. She faced many rejections before she landed her first film role, Fourteen Hours in 1951. She also starred in many other films such as High Noon, High Society and Rear Window. Perhaps her best role of all was in The Country Girl, where she played the shabby wife of an alcoholic. Before, she had mostly played roles that were similar to her own personality. In The Country Girl, she broke free from this restraint to play a depressed, bedraggled woman. Many people, including her costar Bing Crosby, opposed to her playing this role. They saw her as being too genteel. Her extraordinary performance stunned the world, and she won the Academy Award for Best Actress in 1954.