Introduction to Natural Monopoly

Community Is Not A Part Of A Community Essay - 1975 Words

We are all a part of a community, whether we realize it or not. One may not feel welcomed with a particular community, however, that does not mean one is not a part of it. Many may feel that they are not members of a community because of their physical features, racial background, gender, sexual orientation, culture, beliefs, etc.. Nevertheless, every human being has experienced multiple situations that distinguish what they identify themselves with. At most times, this type of individuality is shown through personal experiences within our community. Many may surround themselves with other people that give them a sense of compatibility. One should perceive that a community relates to an individual s way of life. It can be argued that a community is more than the cliche definition that is described as a group of individuals who live in the same area. The readings: â€Å"A letter to Marty (by N/A) and Who gets to graduate? by Paul Tough, prove that a community can have a strong impac t on the majority of an individual’s life. From my experience, I realized that a community is not only about one’s experiences but is about what one identifies themselves with, which can expand to many aspects. My community has impacted my life in terms of my goals, aspirations, cultures, morals, values, which unfold to ways of how I identify myself. My parents were born in Haiti. However, I was born in Manhattan, New York. Nearly after a year I was born, my parents moved to a residential areaShow MoreRelatedFirst Nation Community : A Part Of The Community1552 Words   |  7 PagesHUPACASTH FIRST NATION As a part of the community case study, we selected the Hupacasath First Nation community first nation that situated in the Vancouver Island, British Columbia. They are just one among the First Nation communities, who suffer a lot to survive in this materialistic world. Even with all we already know about the Native people and culture, it is a very interesting topic for us and we are very eager to learn something new about them. When we started the case study, we could understandRead MoreThe Parts Of A Community Analysis1443 Words   |  6 Pagesthe parts of a community analysis report why each part is important. Defining borders is important for the patrons to understand the community in which the library serves. It’s also important due to knowing the development of the collection which caters to the patrons of the community. The borders can be defined through zip codes, and service areas. (Disher, 2007, p. 10) Understanding the borders of the library allows the staff to understand who they are servicing, and what trends are a part of theirRead MoreThe Transgender Community Is An Integral Part Of The Lgbt Community1364 Words   |  6 PagesThe transgender community is an integral part of the LGBT community, although there are slight differences. The purpose of this paper is to bring to highlight such differences and discrimination that the transgender community faces. The Merriam Webster’s dictionary defines being transgender as â€Å"of, relating to, or being a person (as a transsexual or transvestite) who identifies with or expresses a gender identity that differs from the one which corresponds to the person s sex at birth.† TypicallyRead MoreBeing Part Of The Lgbt Community1799 Words   |  8 PagesPart 1: Using peer-reviewed references, describe some of the risk factors for suicide in gay, lesbian, and/or/or bisexual youth in the United States, and how these risk factors are different and the same across these three groups. Provide some data, with original sources, regarding frequency of suicidal ideation, frequency of suicidal attempts, and frequency of suicide completion in these groups. Being part of the LGBT community comes with profound challenges that affect the individualsRead MoreCommunication, Radio, And Becoming Part Of The Community1684 Words   |  7 PagesDiscourse communities can come in many different variations whether they differ in goals or in the ways they communicate. Some discourse communities may very well play important roles for the rest of society as a whole. One example of these vital communities is t he United Sates Army Special Forces. You may find yourself asking, â€Å"What exactly is the purpose of this community?†. The goal of Special Forces is simple, to serve and protect our nation and to carry out special missions. In this essayRead MoreCommunity Is An Essential Part Of Our Existence1115 Words   |  5 PagesCommunities are an essential part of our existence. This essay will describe a community of which I am a member. Furthermore, it will describe the key elements of this community and analysis how boundaries are maintained. In addition, it will list the benefits and drawbacks of a community belonging. Lastly, it will discuss how the concept of community changed because of taking conflict, faith, and community. Over the years, we have formed communities so that we can feel apart of something. I amRead MoreWedding Is An Important Part Of Life And The Community2209 Words   |  9 PagesCelebrations are an important part of life and the community; this is because they range from being civic and public events to a more private event that focuses on family and friends. One of the main celebrations of a community is a wedding. In the 1870’s weddings were a momentous occasion in a young couple’s life that require a lot of rules and procedures when planning. Weddings are a meaningful celebration that not everyone fully understands the significance of. The purpose of a wedding is toRead MoreGeneral Karenzi Karake Is Part Of The International Community755 Words   |  4 PagesThe recent arrest of General Karenzi Karake is part of the international community trying to grasp its understandings of Rwanda’s bloody history. On the night of April 6, 1994, Rwandan President Juvenal Habyarimana assassination while flying back to Rwanda by unknown fighters triggered the last genocide of the twentieth century. The Rwandan Genocide or also named the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsis, ravaged the entire country as neighbours killed neighbours. Genocide perpetrators claimed that theRead MoreQi Plan Part II : Form Madison Community Hosital1208 Words   |  5 Pages QI PLAN PART II JEANA BARNES HCS 589 PROFESSOR SANDBERG July 6, 2015 QI PLAN PART II – FORM MADISON COMMUNITY HOSITAL (FMCH) Focusing on improving quality service and managing care at Fort Madison Community Hospital is something they are striving to do daily. Managers also have to take in account of looking at information technology and its applications. Using these they find benchmarking and milestones. By discovering the benchmarking it will allow Fort Madison Community Hospital toRead MoreHelping The Community Is A Big Part In How Our World Grows1913 Words   |  8 Pages Helping the community is a big part in how our world grows and improves every day. It is important to learn to be compassionate and to be willing to give something back in a community. Unfortunately many people rarely or never volunteer in their cities and this is harming our country. I believe everyone should be required to volunteer even if it is only for a few days or a couple of hours a week in order to show some acts of charity in their everyday lives. There are several philosophers that hold

Homer the Greek poet Essay Example For Students

Homer the Greek poet Essay Two long epic poems, the Iliad and the Odyssey were written by Homer. The Iliad and the Odyssey set the start of all Greek literature. The setting of the Iliad and the Odyssey is in ancient Greece in the time frame at around 1200 B. C, up to 500 years after the Trojan War took place. In Homers poem he sometimes mentioned the name of some Greek gods. The Olympian gods as Homer represented them became accepted all over Greece and gave Greek religion whatever unity it had. Homers poem was usually spoken by, or sung by a group of bards called the Hemorrhoid or Sons of Homer. The Hemorrhoid are a group of expert who often composed the work of Homer. The Jobs of The Hemorrhoid was to recite some parts of Iliad and Odysseys at parties or public gatherings. A Bards would sometimes recite a prelude of his own composition before they would start their performance. Some of the Bards preludes have survived through the ages and now they are called Homeric Hymns. The Odyssey is a story about Odysseus, a hero of Troy. As Odysseus and his crew member attempt to sail home from the war, they face a series of multiple misfortunes causing Odysseus sail home to last ten year. A tale of traveling that takes place over many years Is not easy to recount, it can become a rambling sequential story. To prevent that Homer used a method called Flashback. In the Flashback method homer separates his story into a serious of different episodes. In each episode there Is a different subject so then the story can be much easier to understand and to relate to. The Iliad Is about the AR between the city of Troy and the Spartan and the events that led up to the Trojan War. The Iliad keeps a unique position In Western literature. The Iliad Is frequently recognized as the greatest work of Greek literature, and It Is also assumed to be the earliest work of Greek literature that was documented. A reason why Homers Iliad Is still famous as of today Is because there Is much more to It than It just being a story about war. In Homers Iliad he delivers Intense emotional representations of heroes Involved on both sides of the fight. The Greeks recognized Homer as the educator of all Greece. Homers epic poems were appreciated all through ancient Greece. In Homers epics he would often mention some of the Greek gods and represent them well In his poems. Homer representation of the Greek gods In his story became accepted all over ancient Greece, and gave the Greek religion whatever unity It had. Homers epics well-defined the gods and goddesses of ancient Greece and gave them their qualities. In both of Homers epics the Greek gods and goddesses lived high above earth and observed down on mortals with unbiased Interest. As of today people still recognize homer as the greatest Greek poet who has ever lived. Home to last ten year. A tale of traveling that takes place over many years is not easy a serious of different episodes. In each episode there is a different subject so then the story can be much easier to understand and to relate to. The Iliad is about the Trojan War. The Iliad keeps a unique position in Western literature. The Iliad is frequently recognized as the greatest work of Greek literature, and it is also assumed.

A Comparison And Contrast Of Nature Essay Example For Students

A Comparison And Contrast Of Nature Essay In the Nineteenth century Realism, Naturalism, and Symbolism were popular modes of expression by writers of that era. Such modes of expression were the use of nature in their writings. Two poets that really stand out among the rest are Charles Baudelaire 1821-1867 and Paul Verlaine 1844-1896. Baudelaire was referred to by many as the first Modern Poet and the father of modern criticism. Verlaine like Baudelaire was a symbolist poet, he was also French and referred to as the Prince of Poets. Both these poets touch on nature in their poems. It was in Baudelaires Song of Autumn I and Verlaines Autumn Song that similarities and differences were most evident. Their views of autumn had melodramatic view of death and at the same time can contrast with one another. Throughout this paper I will discuss the parallelism and divergence between these two poems. In Baudelaires first stanza of Song of Autumn I, he explains how the end of summer is near and the weather will become cold. He starts the reader off in the end of summer. Soon we shall plunge into the chilly fogs; Farewell, Swift light! Our summers are too short line 1-2, pg. 1151. Baudelaire then begins to explain the chopping down of the trees to gather firewood. This idea of the rhythmic thump firewood being delivered is repeated throughout his poem. In Verlaines Autumn Song, the first stanza is told in a very monotonous tone much like the first stanza of Song of autumn. Verlaine talks about long sobs and the feeling he has in heart, what he describing is the end of summer and begging of the gloomy season of autumn. This is exactly the same that Baudelaire describes in his first stanza. Verlaine difference in this stanza is that he starts the poem already in autumn whereas Bauderlaire starts his poem in the end of the summer. In the second stanza of Autumn Song, Verlaine discusses the feeling he has inside of him. Choking and pale when I mind the tale the hours keeplines 6-9, pg. 1169. Verlaine then relates back to memories of the summer and this makes him cry. My memory strays down other days and I weep,lines 10-12, pg. 1169. He also even makes references to idea of daylight savings time, the hours keep,line 9, pg. 1169. In that line he is saying that along with the gloomy aura of autumn there is now an extra hour. In Song of Autumn I, Baudelaires second stanza follows the theme of Verlaine. Here Baudelaire like Verlaine explains his personal feeling of autumn. All of winter will gather in my soul: Hate, anger, horror, chills, the hard forced work;lines 4-5, pg. 1151. Baudelaire however has a more cynical approach to his feeling; he describes in several adjectives the extent of his pain. Baudelaires next two lines really personify his feelings, And. Like the sun in his hell by the North Pole, My heart will be only a red and frozen block,lines 6-8, pg. 1151. What he is exemplifying in these lines is the strong hate that burns inside of him. Baudelaire seems to loathe everything that deals with autumn. As these poems progress there is an evident contrast in the tones of the poets writings. Verlaine has maintained a very slow and monotonous tone throughout, whereas Bauderlaire has been very boisterous about his feelings. Similar to a fire that has gasoline thrown on his fire his raging bigger and bigger with each stanza. In Song of Autumn I, stanza three, there really is no correlation between this stanza and the third stanza in Autumn Song. There is however a major contrast with this stanza and the whole poem by Verlaine. Baudelaire has kept a pattern of mentioning the idea of the chopping of firewood. He has kept it to an ever-other stanza pattern. Verlaine has no correlation between autumn and firewood. Baudelaire looks at autumn in a way that squirrel might. A squirrel spends autumn preparing for long haul of winter so the squirrel his constantly working through autumn. .u309ac3487269ae22c12e37cd57ecfffb , .u309ac3487269ae22c12e37cd57ecfffb .postImageUrl , .u309ac3487269ae22c12e37cd57ecfffb .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u309ac3487269ae22c12e37cd57ecfffb , .u309ac3487269ae22c12e37cd57ecfffb:hover , .u309ac3487269ae22c12e37cd57ecfffb:visited , .u309ac3487269ae22c12e37cd57ecfffb:active { border:0!important; } .u309ac3487269ae22c12e37cd57ecfffb .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u309ac3487269ae22c12e37cd57ecfffb { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u309ac3487269ae22c12e37cd57ecfffb:active , .u309ac3487269ae22c12e37cd57ecfffb:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u309ac3487269ae22c12e37cd57ecfffb .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u309ac3487269ae22c12e37cd57ecfffb .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u309ac3487269ae22c12e37cd57ecfffb .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u309ac3487269ae22c12e37cd57ecfffb .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u309ac3487269ae22c12e37cd57ecfffb:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u309ac3487269ae22c12e37cd57ecfffb .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u309ac3487269ae22c12e37cd57ecfffb .u309ac3487269ae22c12e37cd57ecfffb-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u309ac3487269ae22c12e37cd57ecfffb:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: The poet Edna Vincent Millay EssayBaudelaire explains All of winter will gather in my soul, the hard forced work,lines4-5, pg. 1151. He is saying the he has a lot of work to do to before the winter comes. In stanza three you see that constant chopping of logs is taking its toll on Baudelaire. I shudder, hearing every log that falls; No scaffold could be built with hollower sounds,lines 9-10, pg. 1151. Its almost as like Baudelaire is teetering on the brink of insanity with all the chopping of the trees. This stanza helps to really show how Song of Autumn I and Autumn Song, as similar as they are have differences. The last stanzas of both poems seem as though that they have no correlation, but underneath it there is a relationship between the stanzas and death. Verlaine looks at autumn in the last stanza as the final stand, he has still kept the monotonous tone throughout the poem. And I let me go where ill winds blow, now here, now therelines 13-15,pg. 1169. He goes to talk about how makes him feel like dead leaf being sent all over. Even as a dead leaf, anywhere,lines16-17,pg. 1169. Verlaine takes the approach that the autumn while carrying an essence of death, leaves one is a depressing state. Bauderlaire puts a spin on his poem; it seems that Baudelaires writing has almost assumed the role of a half-crazed man. He has gone from a tone of hate and rage, to a tone of a man that has been consumed by the madness. It seems to me, lulled by monotonous shocks, as if they were hastily nailing a coffin today. lines 13-15,pg. 1151. Baudelaire the relates back to memories of summer Yesterday was summer. Now autumn knocks,line 15,pg. 1151. He then ends the poem with an idea of death. That mysterious sound is like someones going away,line 16, pg. 1151. I feel that Baudelaire in this line is describing that the change from summer to autumn is like losing someone you love. It is very understandable for Charles Baudelaire and Paul Verlaine to have similar poems. Both were symbolists poets and from France, They live relatively close in time. That is why it is not that unusual for their styles of nature to be similar. The thing that makes these two writers so unique is the fact that they both can have such great similarities between their feelings on a certain part of nature, and at the same time both have such distant ideas of writing it. Both these writers had the same feelings when they look at autumn; it was dark desolate time of the year according to both writers. Baudelaire however seemed enrage with this time of year, the fact of saying goodbye to summer to bring on Autumn fuel a fire deep inside of him. Verlaine looks at the coming of autumn as a dismal time of the year and this was apparent in the melancholy tone he keeps throughout the poem. Charles Bauderlaire and Paul Verlaine showed that their poems had a lot similitude and differences of nature.

AP Gov Essay free essay sample

What is the responsible party model and what are its consequences for democracy? Political parties are very important fundamentals of United States Government. In a democracy, candidates should go through with what they promised they were going to do. However, this has proven to not always be the case. Critics of the American party system have proposed that a more responsible two-party system should be used to solve this problem.The responsible parry model calls for each party to present distinct, unimpressive programs; have the internal cohesion and discipline to carry out its program if elected; implement its programs if it is the majority party or state what it would do if it were in power; and accept responsibility for the performance of the government. Under this model, promises would be made easier to convert into actual government policy. Its consequence for a democracy would be that a partys officeholders would have firm control of the government, and they would be collectively (and not individually) expansible for their actions. We will write a custom essay sample on AP Gov Essay or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page This would cause many policies to be made that would contradict each other and the public would not have a direct say on the policies implemented. There would be a lot of confusion if all promises were kept because then the House and Senate would have little say when passing policies. Voters would know exactly who to blame for what government does and doesnt accomplish.

Toddler development assessments essays

Toddler development assessments essays Development assessment is a structured evaluation of all of the childs developmental skill such as physical, language, intellectual, social, and emotional skills. The development assessment of a toddler can provide very helpful information to parents. Assessment also holds great potential to help caregivers understand the children they care for. Development assessment can increase your knowledge about your child. The child pediatrician or teacher may supervise the child, and if they notice an area where the child is lagging, they may request and evaluation with a developmental assessment specialist. Also they may give you a suggestion on how to work with your child at home. It doesnt mean that the child has a problem; in many cases the result is that the child is absolutely normal and may not need further treatment. Since every child is different, the development assessment is different too. The development specialists will tailor the childs assessment according to his age. If the child pediatrician asks you for an evaluation you must be prepare to answer a wide variety of detailed questions about your child growth, movement, behavior, play, and interactions with family members an the rest of the world. This assessment is going to be conduct by a team that can include a pediatrician, audiologist, child psychologist, and child psychiatrist, among others. This teen will observe how the child plays, learns, reasons, moves, and interacts. The child will be expose to several tests. To get the best result for the child, both parents need to be prepare. Also they need to attend any meeting or screening exams. The child needs to be healthy and comfortable during testing. At the end parents must receive a written report of the assessment. If the results end with a delay, you can consider getting a second opinion. ...

In two paragraphs, compare and contrast rationalism and empiricism Essay

In two paragraphs, compare and contrast rationalism and empiricism - Essay Example Reason is the rationalist’s tool for determining the nature of knowledge about the objective world. The application of the tools, methods, and processes of logic, according to rationalists, should guide an individual to the kind of knowledge that conforms to the laws of logic. These usually begin from concepts that form in the mind. On the other hand, empiricism is the epistemological school of thought that argues that all knowledge comes from the senses. According to this school, all people are born with their minds representing a blank sheet of paper so that all subsequent experiences generate knowledge for the individual. Empiricism argues in favor of sense experience as the fundamental basis of all knowledge (Maritain 26). We acquire knowledge by interacting with the subjective world before we form ideas and knowledge about the shape of reality. In this manner, all knowledge becomes a posteriori. It must necessarily proceed from sense experience. Empiricists argue that all knowledge is based on precepts, which form after some form of experiences. These are then ordered in the mind before they are synthesized into workable

CJ3Book Review The body of the Condemned Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

CJ3Book Review The body of the Condemned - Essay Example But they each define a certain penal style.† (Foucault, 1995, p. 7) Foucault points out that modern forms of punishment are, thankfully, not carried out in the same spirit or with the same purpose. Many legal reforms were instituted between the old world of executions and torture and the new world of prisons and labour camps, the main difference being that what used to be a public spectacle became, over time, a regimented process, more bureaucratic than anything else, that is carried out behind high walls and locked doors. For Foucault what is significant about this change is that the punishment is no longer something visibly displayed, and it no longer focuses so sharply on the human body of the convicted person. Foucault concedes that penalties such as imprisonment, forced labour, deportation and the like do also affect the human body but they do so indirectly: â€Å"The body now serves as an instrument or intermediary†¦physical pain, the pain of the body itself, is no longer the constituent element of the penalty.† (Foucault: 1995, p. 11) He observes that a whole army of â€Å"technicians† are now involved in the penal side of the criminal justice system, and one need only think of the modern prison to realise that he is right. Warders, chaplains, social workers, educators, even doctors and psychologists all participate in the process. In states and in periods where in states where the death penalty is or was permitted, there is also an increasing presence of technicians in the process. The methods chosen for death have veered away from elements of spectacle and torture and have become swifter, for example the guillotine in France, the hangman’s noose in England and the lethal injection in America. Technical experts accompany the convicted person right up to the moment of execution. Drugs are used to dull the sensations of inmates, and also to make sure that executions are free of physical pain. Foucault calls this a kind of d isconnection which makes the penalties non-corporeal and therefore distanced from the physical being of the person. Punishment in this way becomes, for Foucault something abstract, with only the most fleeting actual contact with the body of the victim. If modern punishment systems do not target the prisoner’s body any more, then the question of what exactly it does target then arises. Foucault suggests: â€Å"The expiation that once rained down upon the body must be replaced by a punishment that acts in depth on the heart, the thoughts, the will, the inclinations† (Foucault: 1995, p. 16) Some people might refer to this as the soul of the person, and cite moral or religious beliefs to underpin this view, but Foucault looks instead at the way attention has shifted away from the past crime that has been committed, and towards the person who has committed the crime and now deserves some kind of punishment. There is in modern criminal justice systems a belief that punishmen t can be used to change a person’s behaviour for the better, and perhaps even influence his nature and personality in a positive way. This can be done in a way that suppresses part of the person’s personality. Foucault also observes a modern fascination in the causes of crime, by which he means all the circumstances which surround it, including the background of the criminal and all the various factors which contributed to his committing the crime. This is a very important point, because it brings Foucault to make a serious judgement about modern

Consumer Behaviour Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Consumer Behaviour - Essay Example While the youth and children are the primary decision makers on certain categories of products, among the adults the decision rests with the one who contributes the maximum towards household expenses. Based on these factors Starbucks is advised to cater to the discerning consumers products and service that would make them feel distinguished. Table of Contents 1. Introduction 1 2. Motivation & Benefit 2.1 Theory of Planned Behavior 1 2.2 Self-identity 1 2.3 Uniqueness Theory 2 2.4 Scarcity and attractiveness 3 2.5 Organic coffee and its impact 3 2.5 Customer preferences 4 2.6 Physical environment 4 2.7 Recommendations for Starbucks 5 3. Family Life Cycle and Family Decision-Making 5 3.1 Family Life Cycle 5 3.2 Stages in FLC and choices 7 3.3 Family decision-making 8 References 10 1. Introduction Starbucks is an upscale, recognized coffee brand enjoying competitive advantage. They have 17,000 stores in 49 countries and their greatest strength is their strong brand image and a considera ble market share. The UK coffee market, according to a study by Mintel in 2010, is expected to grow and is forecast to be worth GBP976 Million by 2015 (PR Newswire, 2010). On an average adults consume about two cups of coffee per day and Starbucks has less than 1% of the global market share (Kotha & Glassman 2003). Competition being intense, Starbucks needs to understand the motivation and benefits that consumers seek. 2. Motivation & Benefit 2.1 Theory of Planned Behavior Consumer behavior is associated with idealized people and communicates information about consumers (Smith, Terry, Manstead, Louis, Kotterman & Wolfs, 2008). It communicates their personal values and their self-identity. The Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) suggests that behavioral decisions are not spontaneous but the result of a reasoned process in which behavior is influenced, even if indirectly, by attitudes, norms and perceptions of control over the behavior (Smith et al. 2008). The attitudes, norms and the pe rception of control over behavior influence behavior through their impact on behavioral intention. Food choices including the intention of consuming environmentally friendly products are all influenced by the TPB. 2.2 Self-identity People buy a product for the value they can deliver. The purpose, the product and the person interact to shape consumer behavior and any changes on any of these could impact consumer behavior (Ratneshwar, Shocker, Cotte and Srivastava (1999). How the product or service contributes to their self-identity and well being influences consumer behavior. The teenagers, for instance, like to be seen at trendy places. To them the social experience and the perceived brand value hold importance (Lockyer 2009). Self-identity is the extent to which the individual sees him- or herself as a typical consumer of a product, and may play a role in the context of the consumer (Smith et al. 2008). Self-identity, an important determinant of behavior, reflects the label people use to describe themselves. To boost their self identity consumers can consume food and also consume food at places that would help distinguish them. Self-identity predicts intentions to consume fair trade products and unique products. 2.3 Uniqueness Theory Food can either be consumed publicly or privately. Consumers like to experience goods and services that will distinguish them from others. Hence advertising should be unique in its appeal to the coffee consumers.

Definition Of Generic Pharmaceutical Company Business Model Economics Essay

Definition Of Generic Pharmaceutical Company Business Model Economics Essay This is an essay to identify CIPLA a generic Pharmaceutical companys business model and to explain the reasons why the company has to change its existing business model. This is done by first identifying the term business model and then using the definition to explain the business model adopted by the company, also determining the inherent changes in world policies and economic environment that prompt the change of the present business model. The second part of the essay addresses the issue of the conflict between the big ethical pharmaceutical companies and the relatively smaller generic pharmaceutical companies business models. This is addressed by highlighting the big pharmaceutical companies business model and comparing the two models (which will reveal the nature of their competitive relationship) there by identifying if there seems to be a convergence in their models and they are both becoming competitors in the same market or companies producing the same products but competing in different markets or companies where a symbiotic relationship has become inevitable for their survival in this present economic situation. Conceptualization of a Business Model. A definition of a business model is required to highlight the context to which CIPLAs (a generic pharmaceutical company) business model can be identified. During my research I encountered various concepts of a business model such as the definition given by Chesbrough and Rosenbloom (2002) a coherent framework that takes technological characteristics and potentials as inputs, and converts them through customers and markets into economic outputs (p.532), comparatively, Rayport and Jaworski (2001 cited in Wimmer 2004) defined a business model as the four choices of (1) a value proposition or a value cluster for targeted customers (2) a market space offering which could be products, services, information or all three (3) a unique dependable resource system and (4) a financial model. However Shafer, Smith et al (2005) suggests that a representation of a firms underlying core logic and strategic choices for creating and capturing value (p.202); is a design or creation, not an accident; wha t structures are in place to ensure firms capture value. Factually no sole definition can adequately cover all aspects of the term business model; I will endeavour to use a combination of all the stated business model definitions to better recognize the Generic pharmaceutical companys business model. I focused on the definition of this model first as most generic companies including CIPLA initially followed this business model before the need for change in 2005. The focus on India is also due to the fact that CIPLA originated from there. Definition of Generic Pharmaceutical company business model. Generic pharmaceutical company business model in India is characterised by the production and selling of copy cat pharmaceutical drugs discovered and developed by the big ethical pharmaceutical companies such as GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), this was achieve through the reverse engineering of the drugs invented by the big ethical Pharmaceutical companies and sold at lower costs. This was made possible in India due to the availability of cheap labour in the country, the favourable environment encouraged by the Indian government at the time which allowed low restriction on process patent and little or no conformity with WTO regulations. This was confirmed by Greene (2007) who wrote that government policy culminated in various actions including: the abolition of product patents on food, chemicals, and drugs; the institution of process patents; the limitation of multinational equity share in India pharmaceutical companies, and the imposition of price controls on certain formulations and bulk dr ugs. He also highlighted that India has garnered a worldwide reputation for producing high quality, low cost generic drugs. Financial evaluation of CIPLAs business model Using the Profit and loss account for 2000-2010, sales turnover steady increases from 2000-2004 but in 2005 there is a decline of about 10% which can be attributed to the implementation of the WTO law that affected the number of drugs available for replication. This also affected the earnings per share which dropped from about 51 to about 13 in 2005. Investment and debt also showed a steep decline of over 100% from 2004-2005, this corresponds to the change in business environment which can infer a reduction of debt incurred for drug production. However the excise duty showed steady from 2000-2005 indicating company focus on domestic market but in 2006 there is a steady decline in excise duties paid and this can be as a result of increased exportation of drugs following a change in business model. Change in CIPLAs Business Model The era of this type of business model however draws to an end as various changes in the economic situation and world policy will threaten the very successful model in which the generics pharmaceutical companies in India have been thriving. In 2005 Indian government changed its law concerning patent drugs and fell in line with World Trade Organization (WTO) Trade Related Intellectual Property Agreement (TRIPs) this limited the production of certain drugs that was filed as a patent from January 1, 1995(Greene 2007). Another important point is that the rate at which ethical pharmaceutical companies are coming up with new blockbuster drugs is slowing down, with a shift from Research and development (RD) to marketing. This is as a result of the enormous cost to bring to the market a new drug ranging between 802million 1billion over a period of 10-15 years (Mogalian, Myrdal 2004). As inferred by Martinez and Goldstein (2007) statement that the century-old approach of finding chemicals to treat diseases is producing fewer and fewer drugs. Yusuf Hamied (CEO of CIPLA) stated that the World Trade Organization regulations, which since 2005 have prevented Indian generic drug firms from copying patented drugs, signifies that Indian generic companies have to change their business model or risk being swallowed up by multinational firms. (Livemint, 5th January 2010). Most generic companies in India adapted to this setback in their business model by transferring focus from domestic market in India and increase export of generic drugs to the United States and Western Europe, entering into RD agreements, mergers and acquisitions of foreign drug companies and developing alliances with foreign pharmaceutical firms. CIPLA however chose a slightly different approach than most pharmaceuticals by focusing on organic growth in India and only seldom indulging in strategic business alliances, technological services (such as knowhow transfer, plant supply etc) and in licensing with big pharmaceuticals. CIPLA also increased their export of generic drugs to the United States and Western Europe. Some points in CIPLAs corporate presentation in August 2009 highlight the companys focus: Business model based on international strategic alliances- Business focuses on organic growth and leads to reduced capital commitment and regulatory/litigation risks. RD targeted at ensuring efficient utilization of resources and focused at developing and launching niche products. The graph below shows a steady increase in the value of Indias pharmaceutical RD expenditure from 2001-2006 as a result of a shift in business model. Source: William Greene, US Trade Commission (2007) The emergence of Indias pharmaceutical industry and implications for the US generic drug market, US Office of Economics Working Paper 2007-05-A Business models of Big, Ethical pharmaceutical companies and the consequent reason for change of model. The big pharmaceutical company business model is the traditional pharmaceuticals company business model which comprises of large scale Research and Development departments which discover new drugs for diseases and the sale of those drugs to consumers .This is a rudimentary definition of their business model as it also entails many more components than those mentioned above for instance in recent times we see a shift of emphasis from the research and development to sales and marketing campaigns due to the competitive nature of the environment. A branded drug product is originally discovered and developed by a pharmaceutical company. In order for the company to market and sell their product they must first gain approval from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) by submitting a New Drug Application. In this documentation the company submits data to establish a drugs clinical safety and efficacy. Other studies determine the characteristics of the drug dosage form, including the manufacturing process, drug stability, purity, strength, and how it dissolves. Once the drug receives FDA approval, the innovator company can then exclusively market and sell this brand-name product for as long as the company has patent protection. (Mogalian, Myrdal 2004) However a new external threat has evolved apart from the usual competition of rival companies in the form of Generics pharmaceutical companies. These companies as mentioned in prior section of the essay have used the process of reverse engineering to create cheaper replicas of the drugs produced by these big pharmaceutical companies and selling the drugs at cheaper costs to consumers. This has been of great profit to the generics companies as they had to indulge in little or no cost consuming research and development to come up with the drugs in the first place and the availability of low cost of production was just an added advantage to their business model. Martinez and Goldstein (2007) noted however that the rise of generics wouldnt matter so much if research labs were creating a stream of new hits. But that isnt happening. Though the industry doubled its investment from 2002 till 2006 in RD it yielded 43% less than it had in five years during the 1990s of chemical-based drugs. There is a change in the business environment for generic companies in India however with the 2005 adherence to WTO laws. They generics companies are focused on RD to produce their own patent drugs and generic drugs have become more accepted in Western countries over the years, with the rising costs of healthcare these governments are looking to cut costs and are therefore encouraging the adoption generic drug prescriptions to patients. Another major factor affecting the big pharmaceutical companies is the problem of expired patents. Companies like Pfizer that had a blockbuster drug called Lipitor a cholesterol lowering drug will be coming off patent in 2010 and this will allow the generics companies to bring in a cheaper replica of the drug which will reduce the sales of the company drastically. Patent expirations are a big problem. Drugs are granted 20 years of patent protection, Although companies often fail to get a product to market before half of that period has elapsed. Once it hits the market, however, the patent-protected drug is highly profitable: Typical gross margins are 90% to 95%. When patents expire, generic makers offer the products at a price much closer to the cost of production (Martinez and Goldstein 2007). *Sales data is from IMS World Review (except for China and Poland) ** Patented/generic split is from ESPICOM. Generic defined as a drug whose patent has expired ***2001 values for China; 2000 values for Poland; 2003 values for Brazil reflects patented/unpatented (unpatented includes branded unpatented, generics, similar) Sources: IMS; ESPICOM; Factiva; EGA; Mckinsey team Analysis This development will result in the increased encroachment on the market share of the big pharmaceutical companies, though we can see from the chart that countries like China, Brazil, India and Poland have higher percentage of generic drug usage than US, Japan, Germany, France and UK the problem of the global recession may cause an increase in the use of the generic drugs in these countries as well since developed countries like UK are hoping to cut costs on public expenditure like healthcare costs. Definition of relationships Based on these new developments in the business environment of pharmaceuticals companies and my research I begin to recognize a trend where big pharmaceuticals and generics have increasingly instances of working together in order to thrive in the new environment. This aids me in my definition of in tension asked in the question, I identify this as the type of relationship generating between the big pharmaceutical and the generics companies and we can see that it if morphing from a completely competitive one to a more competitive-collaborative relationship, where we can even see a convergence in their business models in some cases. We see big pharmaceutical companies are begin to return to India after the 2005 law passed by the government protecting their drugs, so they can benefit from the availability of cheap labor and low cost of innovative talent, they are even cooperating with the generics companies for Research and Development, in licensing and use of their distribution lines to transport their drugs to underdeveloped countries formally catered to by mainly generics companies. AstraZeneca, GlaxoSmithKline and Bristol-Myers Squibb have also recently suggested they will outsource at least some of their manufacturing. There are lots of people in India, China and Eastern Europe who can make products of the same quality as ours but at significantly less cost, says Bristol-Myers Squibb CEO James Cornelius (Martinez and Goldstein 2007). However though we see them working together big ethical pharmaceuticals companies still have some strategies to compete with generics pharmaceutical companies. Some defensive strategies of the big pharmaceutical companies are to develop new generic subsidiaries of their organization so as to be able to better compete with generics companies. By having their own licensed generic companies, they are able to limit the rate at which generics encroach on their market share for drugs that are off patents, they accomplish this by allowing their licensed patents to release generic copies of their blockbuster drugs into the market just before they are off patent thereby gaining market share before the other generic companies release theirs. In first nine months of this year, Novartiss generics unit, Sandoz, grew roughly three times as fast as its branded-drugs business and accounted for nearly 20% of overall revenue. The balance is changing, says Novartis CEO Dr. Vasella. In the coming quarte rs, we will continue to see a faster growth opportunity in generics. (Martinez and Goldstein 2007) Competitive strategies of the big pharmaceutical companies include investment in biotechnology and diversification. Biotechnology is of great appeal because of the inability for generics companies to create copies of the drugs as of now. Diversification on the other hand will allow the company to expand the range of services it offers its customers and allow it to get alternative sources of income. CONCLUSION In conclusion we make-out CIPLA business model to be the production of copycat drugs by reverse engineering of branded drugs and the sale of the generic drugs at cheaper prices to the India and any other country where the big pharmaceutical drugs do not have patent rights, however a change in the business model became inevitable in 2005 because of the Indian government adoption of WTO laws and caused a shift of the business model of CIPLA to focus more on RD for the production of its own Branded drugs and strategic alliances which entail cooperation with Big Ethical pharmaceutical companies through in-licensing and know how transfer. Another point to note is the change in relationship between the generic company and the big pharmaceutical where we see a competitive symbiotic relationship brewing, with increased dealings between the two types of firms where big pharmaceutical companies benefit from the cheaper cost of production and access to generic companies distribution pipelines a nd generics gain from the in licensing agreements where they share profits with the bug pharmaceutical companies. However big pharmaceutical companies still maintain development of competitive strategies to combat the generic companies by creation of their own generic companies and increased investment in both diversification and biotechnology. Biblography Rayport, J.F. , Jaworski, B.J.(2001). e-commerce, New York: McGraw Hill/Irwin. Wimmer M.A., Knowledge management in electronic governance. 5th ed. IFIP international. William Greene, The Emergence of Indias Pharmaceutical Industry and Implications for the U.S. Generic Drug Market (2007) CIPLA Corporate presentation August 2009 CIPLA Pharmaceuticals Yusuf Hamied: I Am Not Against Patents I Am Against Monopolies Published: May 07, 2009 in India [emailprotected] Pharmacist Erik Mogalian, Assistant professor Paul Myrdal of the University of Arizonas College Whats the difference between brand-name and generic prescription drugs? December 13, 2004Â   Big Pharma Faces Grim Prognosis Industry Fails to Find New Drugs to Replace Wonders Like Lipitor By BARBARA MARTINEZ and JACOB GOLDSTEIN December 6, 2007; Page A1

Internet Security Essay -- Internet Privacy Security Web Essays

Internet Security Internet Security is the most important aspect of information technology. It has been years since computer has been invented and to keep the information confidential we have to safeguard this information. The importance of integrating security measures into systems development. Every business has their own security systems to reach their goals of information security. The computer world created security systems in order to reduce risk, maintain confidentiality, ensure the reliability of data resources, and compliance with national security laws and privacy policies and laws. SECURITY STANDARDS There are several types of standards when integrating security measures into new systems. Some companies developed their own application that has their own standards; others usually follow well-established national or international standards especially if the systems they developed are to be used by government agencies or contractors. Two major standards developed by the United States government and the other by the International Standard Organization. The U.S. used of the information security standard not only for businesses but also for our homeland security. Ever since the September 11 incident we have developed a tighter security for every branch of the government. The new standard is being used most especially for our military from the Internet worldwide and others has to follow. The most important one is the issuance of immigration visas. Our land, air and water transportation has been the first one to put this into action and intelligence officer’s tract criminal ’s activities through these measures. These are the Standards from the Orange Book: Trusted Computer System Evaluation Criteria (TSE... ...rmation security but not people security. Sometimes people’s value diminished because of business. We are so lucky to have live in the United States of America knowing that our security is the first priority of our government. Through the use of information security our government was able to tract down some of the most dangerous people in the world who were also involved in the September 11 incident. We are the world’s leader in the military and democracy. To live in a secure world is to live in peace! Reference: Management Information Systems, Third Edition Effy Oz, http://www.jeis.co.jp/ http://www.alw.nih.gov/Security/security-www.html http://www.alw.nih.gov/Security/security-prog.html http://www.alw.nih.gov/Security/security-groups.html/ http://www.sans.org/resources/glossary.php http://www.firewallguide.com/newsletter.htm.

Racial Diversity: Historical Worksheet Essay

†¢ Throughout most of U.S. history, in most locations, what race has been in the majority? What is the common ancestral background of most members of this group? Throughout most of U.S. history, in almost all locations the race which has been the majority is the â€Å"white Americans which comprises Hispanic Americans. White Americans are the majority in forty-nine of the fifty states, with Hawaii as the exception. White Americans, trace their ancestry to the original peoples of Europ, the Middle East, and north Africa. †¢ What are some of the larger racial minorities in U.S. history? What have been the common ancestral backgrounds of each of these groups? When did each become a significant or notable minority group? Some of the larger racial minorities in U.S. history would be African Americans, Native Americans. Native Americans who were first to be in North America. In 1871 the Federal Government declared them American Indians and were forced to move to reservations. This is where they were forced to adapt to Christianity instead of their own religion, schools that were done in English. African Americans were the other larger racial minorities. African Americans arrived with the first European explorers from Africa. Shortly after they arrived they became slaves due to their color in 1776. In 1865 Congress abolished slavery everywhere. †¢ In what ways have laws been used to enforce discrimination? Provide examples. These laws were intended against which racial minorities? Laws have been used to enforced discrimination by having consequences for your actions when discriminating against a person or any minority group. An example of this is when an employer does not want to hire a certain race or only wants to hire one certain type of race, but still hires you only because he/she has to have a certain percentage of that race. I believe that these laws were intended to end racism between different races, mainly with whites and blacks in the United States. The reason why is because the history with both races. Whites have always over powered blacks and treated them unfair and now they placed the laws in place so that can not happen anymore and everyone can be treated equally. †¢ In what ways have laws been used to eliminate discrimination? Provide examples. Did the laws work to eliminate discrimination? One example I could think about would be when putting down your race or gender on an application or some type of form. Now it gives you the option to do so or not to do so. What I had found hard about answering the race question is the fact that I am biracial and most of the time they only want you to pick one race or if you do pick just one and they see you then they question it. This law was intended to stop employers to discriminate against women and different kinds of race. However what they law did was make it a point to have a percentage of a race or gender in that work force, so that may be the only reason of getting hired on.

Comparison of the Healthcare System in Singapore and America

Comparison of the Healthcare System in Singapore and America Introduction Singapore is an Asian country that has a population of approximately five million people. The country has one of the most efficient healthcare systems in the world. Since its independence in 1965, the country has taken several steps that have led to significant improvements in its healthcare system. In 1983, the government developed the National Healthcare Plan.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Comparison of the Healthcare System in Singapore and America specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The aim of the plan was to provide a roadmap for the development of the healthcare system for the next 20 years (Meng-Kin 17). During this period, the government introduced several programs that targeted various groups of people. In 2002, the government introduced the ElderShield plan. The aim of this program was to improve the healthcare of the elderly and disabled. On the other hand, the US healthcare industry i s more than two centuries old. The US government spends vast sums of money on healthcare provision. Medicaid and Medicare account for the lion’s share of government expenditure on healthcare provision. This necessitates the US government to formulate strategies that would help in reducing the cost of healthcare provision. Increase in the proportion of the elderly to the total population necessitates the US government to take urgent steps to prevent further escalation of the healthcare budget. The US government should formulate a strategy that would help in replicating the strengths of the healthcare system of Singapore in the US healthcare system. Healthcare Regulation Singapore’s healthcare system has three pillars. The healthcare system strives to improve the general health of the population through various preventive healthcare programs. In addition, the healthcare system puts great emphasis on the personal responsibility of individuals towards their healthcare. The government strives to reduce the cost of healthcare services by subsidising healthcare in public health institutions. The Ministry of Health (MOH), Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) and the Central Provident Fund (CPF) are the main health regulators. CPF is a social security savings plan that enables Singapore nationals to support themselves in their old age (Ho 95). On the other hand, the US has one of the most complex healthcare regulations in the world. Numerous agencies help in regulation of healthcare. Healthcare agencies may regulate healthcare at the state or federal level. In addition, the regulators may be private or public.Advertising Looking for research paper on health medicine? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The United States Department of Health and Human Services and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) are the major bodies that cater for the healthcare needs of all American citizens. The Ame rican Medical Association (AMA) is one of the vital private organisations that help in the oversight of healthcare industry (Field 608). In the US, different states may have different agencies that help in regulation of healthcare. Healthcare Delivery Singapore’s healthcare system helps in the delivery of various types of healthcare to the population. Approximately 2000 private hospitals provide 80% of the primary healthcare needs of the population. This shows that the government’s efforts to provide primary healthcare services to the population have been unsuccessful. However, the government provides the bulk of hospital care services. Government healthcare facilities provide approximately 80% of hospital care services. In 2010, there were 8,881 hospital beds in government healthcare facilities (Ministry of Health Singapore para 1). Public health facilities had slightly less than thirteen thousand nurses and approximately 1800 nurses. On the other hand, private health care facilities had 2,268 hospital beds. The number of doctors and nurses in the private healthcare facilities was approximately 3,300 and 5,100 respectively (Ministry of Health Singapore para 2). These statistics show that the government is the dominant player in the provision of hospital care. However, a close analysis of the number of doctors and nurses shows that there are less hospital beds for every healthcare practitioner. The number of hospital beds per healthcare practitioner has a significant effect on the quality of healthcare. This may imply that the quality of healthcare services in private healthcare facilities is higher than in government healthcare facilities. Community hospitals play a key role in healthcare delivery in the US. Community hospitals may be state-owned or investor-owned. Community hospitals are the major healthcare facilities that provide primary and intermediate healthcare services. Most community hospitals tailor their services to meet the healthcare needs of the community (Purves 88). This improves the efficiency of healthcare services of community hospitals. There are 4,973 community hospitals. The total capacity of these community hospitals is 797,403 beds. On the other hand, there are slightly more than 200 federal government hospitals.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Comparison of the Healthcare System in Singapore and America specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The total capacity of these hospitals is slightly more 100,000 beds. Therefore, community hospitals are vital in designing various preventive health programs. Most community hospitals have adequate staffing levels that enable them to meet the healthcare needs of the community. Funding Medisave, MediShield, Medifund, and ElderShield are the main medical schemes that help in financing public health in Singapore. Medisave is a social scheme that helps people to save for future healthcare expense s. Medisave caters for hospitalisation expenses and certain outpatient treatments of individuals and their immediate family members. In addition, Medisave may help in paying the premiums of MediShield and Private Medical Insurance Scheme (PMIS). On the other hand, MediShield is primarily a medical insurance scheme that caters for severe health conditions. It caters for partial expenses of prolonged hospitalisation and outpatient treatment of various serious illnesses. ElderShield is a health insurance scheme that caters for people who need long-term care. ElderShield mainly covers the elderly. Medifund is a government endowment fund that acts as a last resort source of funds if Medisave and MediShield are unable to cater for medical expenses. The government replenishes the funds when there is a budget surplus. However, the government is not the only major player in the healthcare insurance industry. Several private health insurance companies provide health insurance to individuals a nd groups (Meng-Kin 19). In the US, it is the duty of employers to ensure that their employees have medical cover. Medicare and Medicaid are the major medical schemes that help in financing public health. Medicare is a healthcare plan that covers the elderly and disabled. On the other hand, Medicaid covers people who have low incomes. Federal funds help in supporting Medicare while state and federal funds support Medicaid. Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) is a healthcare regulation that ensures that all Americans have access to healthcare insurance. Access to healthcare insurance enables people to save huge sums of money that they would have used to cater for medical expenses (Pipes 107). People who would like to receive extended healthcare services may enrol in various private healthcare plans.Advertising Looking for research paper on health medicine? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Healthcare Expenditure Healthcare expenditure as a percentage of GDP is one of methods that help in determining the government’s commitment to improving the health status of the nation. In 2009, Singapore’s ratio of healthcare expenditure as a percentage of GDP was 3.9% (Ho 95). There is a gradual increase in the ratio of direct government expenditure on health through Medifund. On the other, there is a gradual decrease in the social security expenditure on healthcare. In the private sector, out-of-pocket expenditure accounts for a sizeable percentage of healthcare payments (Ho 95). This necessitates the government and the private sector to formulate strategies that would improve access to healthcare insurance. In 2008, the US had the highest healthcare expenditure as a percentage of GDP. The expenditure of the US on healthcare was 16% of its GDP. Medicare and Medicaid accounted for a sizeable percentage of the government spending on healthcare. In addition, out-of-poc ket healthcare expenditure of the US was very high (Squires 2). Conclusion The US has one of the most efficient economic systems in the world. Very few economic systems can rival the US economic system. However, the healthcare system of the US has many flaws. Exponential increase in healthcare costs is one of the major problems that the healthcare system faces. On the hand, Singapore has been able to replicate the efficiency of its economic system to the healthcare system. Despite having significantly lower expenditure on healthcare, Singaporeans are some of the healthiest people on the planet. Copying the healthcare structure of Singapore would enable America save huge sums of money. It would free up money for other activities that would lead to economic development. However, the healthcare systems of the countries face several problems that are unique to each country. Field, Robert I. â€Å"Why is health care regulation so complex?† Pharmacy and Therapeutics. 33.10. (2008) : 607–608. Print. Ho, Lok-sang. Health policy and the public interest. Burlington, MA: Routledge, 2012. Print. Meng-Kin, Lim. â€Å"Health care systems in transition ll. Singapore, part I.† Journal of Public Health Medicine. 20.1. (1998): 16-22. Print. Ministry of Health Singapore. â€Å"Healthcare institution statistics.† Statistics. n.d. Web. Pipes, Sally C. The truth about Obamacare. Washington DC: Regnery Gateway, 2010. Print. Purves, Geoffrey. Primary care centres. Burlington, MA: Routledge, 2012. Print. Squires, David A. â€Å"The U.S. health system in perspective: A comparison of twelve industrialized nations.† The Commonwealth Fund. 16.1. (2011): 1-13. Print.

The Gold Standard vs. Fiat Money

The Gold Standard vs. Fiat Money An extensive essay on the gold standard on The Encyclopedia of Economics and Liberty defines it as: ...a commitment by participating countries to fix the prices of their domestic currencies in terms of a specified amount of gold. National money and other forms of money (bank deposits and notes) were freely converted into gold at the fixed price. A county under the gold standard would set a price for gold, say $100 an ounce and would buy and sell gold at that price. This effectively sets a value for the currency; in our fictional example, $1 would be worth 1/100th of an ounce of gold. Other precious metals could be used to set a monetary standard; silver standards were common in the 1800s. A combination of the gold and silver standard is known as bimetallism. A Brief History of the Gold Standard If you would like to learn about the history of money in detail, there is an excellent site called A Comparative Chronology of Money which details the important places and dates in monetary history. During most of the 1800s, the United States had a bimetallic system of money;  however, it was essentially on a gold standard as very little silver was traded. A true gold standard came to fruition in 1900 with the passage of the Gold Standard Act. The gold standard effectively came to an end in 1933 when President Franklin D. Roosevelt outlawed private gold ownership. The Bretton Woods System, enacted in 1946 created a system of fixed exchange rates that allowed governments to sell their gold to the United States treasury at the price of $35/ounce: The Bretton Woods system ended on August 15, 1971, when President Richard Nixon ended trading of gold at the fixed price of $35/ounce. At that point for the first time in history, formal links between the major world currencies and real commodities were severed. The gold standard has not been used in any major economy since that time. What system of money do we use today? Almost every country, including the United States, is on a system of fiat money, which the glossary defines as money that is intrinsically useless; is used only as a medium of exchange. The value of money is set by the supply and demand for money and the supply and demand for other goods and services in the economy. The prices for those goods and services, including gold and silver, are allowed to fluctuate based on market forces.   The Benefits and Costs of a Gold Standard The main benefit of a gold standard is that it  ensures  a relatively low level of inflation. In articles such as What Is the Demand for Money? weve seen that inflation is caused by a combination of four factors: The supply of money goes up.The supply of goods goes down.Demand for money goes down.Demand for goods goes up. So long as the supply of gold does not change too quickly, then the supply of money will stay relatively stable. The gold standard prevents a country from printing too much money. If the supply of money rises too fast, then people will exchange money (which has become less scarce) for gold (which has not). If this goes on too long, then the treasury will eventually run out of gold. A gold standard restricts the  Federal Reserve  from enacting policies which significantly alter the growth of the money supply which in turn limits the  inflation rate  of a country. The gold standard also changes the face of the foreign exchange market. If Canada is on the gold standard and has set the price of gold at $100 an ounce, and Mexico is also on the gold standard and set the price of gold at 5000 pesos an ounce, then 1 Canadian Dollar must be worth 50 pesos. The extensive use of gold standards implies a system of fixed exchange rates. If all countries are on a gold standard, there is  then  only one real currency, gold, from which all others derive their value. The stability of the gold standard cause in the foreign exchange market is often cited as one of the benefits of the system. The stability caused by the gold standard is also the biggest drawback in having one.  Exchange rates  are not allowed to respond to changing circumstances in countries. A gold standard severely limits the stabilization policies the Federal Reserve can use. Because of these factors, countries with gold standards tend to have severe economic shocks. Economist  Michael D. Bordo  explains: Because economies under the gold standard were so vulnerable to real and monetary shocks, prices were highly unstable in the short run. A measure of short-term price instability is the coefficient of variation, which is the ratio of the standard deviation of annual percentage changes in the price level to the average annual percentage change. The higher the coefficient of variation, the greater the short-term instability. For the United States between 1879 and 1913, the coefficient was 17.0, which is quite high. Between 1946 and 1990 it was only 0.8. Moreover, because the gold standard gives the government little discretion to use monetary policy, economies on the gold standard are less able to avoid or offset either monetary or real shocks. Real output, therefore, is more variable under the gold standard. The coefficient of variation for real output was 3.5 between 1879 and 1913, and only 1.5 between 1946 and 1990. Not coincidentally, since the government could not have discretion over monetary policy, unemployment was higher during the gold standard. It averaged 6.8 percent in the United States between 1879 and 1913 versus 5.6 percent between 1946 and 1990. So it would appear that the major benefit to the gold standard is that it can prevent long-term inflation in a country. However, as  Brad DeLong  points out: ...if you do not trust a central bank to keep inflation low, why should you trust it to remain on the gold standard for generations? It does not look like the gold standard will make a return to the United States anytime in the foreseeable future.

Democracy and capitalism Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Democracy and capitalism - Research Paper Example More importantly, it was argued, this entrepreneurial class would enforce democratic structures in the localities in which they operated. In other words, â€Å"by producing economic wealth and an entrepreneurial class, capitalism inevitably produces democracy. And since democracies don't start wars or have expansionist proclivities--forget, for the moment, Theodore Roosevelt and imperialist Britain--capitalist-democratic development contributes to security and to world peace.† (Foulkes, 2006, p.22) There is evidence from recent political history to support this benign linkage of capitalism and democracy. For example, â€Å"Entrepreneurial capitalism became more dominant in the America of Ronald Reagan than it had been before, and job growth and record-breaking prosperity followed. In Britain, Margaret Thatcher reversed almost four decades of socialism and changed her country from the sick man of Europe into one positioned for long-term, non-inflationary growth. Meanwhile, the Soviet economy was shown to be like the Wizard of Oz--an imposing facade, but impotent and powerless at its core. Put these events together and you have an unassailable proof that capitalism produces a level of economic welfare that a planned economy simply cannot emulate.† (Stelzer, 1994, p.32) And, when we scan the performance of capitalist regimes in other parts of the world, the links between capitalism, prosperity and democracy becomes incontestable. After all, in recent times, capitalism in countries such as Chile, Taiwan and South Korea have resulted in both economic progress as well as democracy establishment. In the newly remodeled Russian political system too, we see the formation of glasnost (democratization) and perestroika (economic restructuring) marching hand in hand. (Friedman, 2007, p.46) Nothing exemplifies the successes of capitalism than the recent developments in India and China. By participating in financial globalization, countries with abundance of che ap labour such as India and China are primed to assume leadership position in another 10-15 years. While Mao Zedong was the father of the Communist China, his successor Deng Xiaoping must be credited for the nation’s progress toward prosperity. It was under his leadership that the party ratified and implemented the ‘Four Modernizations’ program that would propel China onto the global stage, where it is fast approaching leadership position. This ambitious program of sweeping economic reforms opened China to the outside world in more than strictly economic sense. In the case of India, it’s huge pool of skilled workers, who have the added advantage of proficiency in English language, have been the engine of economic growth. The re-election of Manmohan Singh as the Prime Minister is also a positive development from an economic perspective, for it was he who initiated India as a participant in globalization in 1991. China, on the other hand, started participati ng in the process of globalization much before India did. As a result, its economy is more than twice that of India and is catching up fast with that of the United States and Japan. Some of the South American countries such as Venezuela and Russia (rich in oil resources) and Brazil (rich in natural resources) also pose a threat to American domination of global economy. In fact, American media believes that the threat

Chapter Reaction Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Chapter Reaction Paper - Essay Example In addition, due to the inclusion of principles developed by known authors like William Howell, David Kale, Martin Buber, etc., the chapter is able to demonstrate profound knowledge on areas that warrant scholarly support. Although it is relatively a long reading, the choice of words does not make it a turn off, and is direct to the point. 2. Lessons Learned Ethics define what actions are acceptable, appropriate, and worthy of approbation (340). I learned that owing to the different ways by which different people were raised, along with the environment that shaped their values, there is no standard form of ethics; or rather it is not possible to have one set of ethics that is universally applicable. Ethics influences the manner by which a person reacts to a stimulus. To consider an act as right or wrong is not merely contingent on its consequences. Of course, when an act evidently inflicts harm upon another human being, it can be readily deduced as malevolent. In a modern society, sp ecifically that of white Americans, due process of law is thereby practiced to evaluate intent and affirm guilt. The means does not justify the end, and there is no questioning to the liability of an act. Nevertheless, when it comes to behaviour, the chapter emphasizes that there can be justifications; and these are on account of inherent standards and cultural orientation. The ‘common good’ is also illustrated in its broadest sense. I realized that the way to determine whether I made the right decision or not is by asking myself if it was to the benefit of the many, approved by my conscience, and adherent to my values. We make a multitude of decisions everyday ranging from the trivial to the most critical. What is noted largely is not the craftiness but rather the effect it brings upon all concerned; and that is made even more complicated when one ought to choose between people and principle. Establishing relationship especially with people of different roots and forei gn customary ways can be difficult. Apprehension is not easy to set aside, and the feeling of indifference is rather disconcerting. One of the best ways in creating rapport with a stranger is through compliments. Starting a conversation with simple positive statements that declare appreciation of a certain deed can go far. Furthermore, the chapter asserts that finding things that one has in common with another bridges the gap, thus making the interaction more sincere and personal. 3. A Reflection Some points in the chapter, lead me to a more profound understanding of how I regard a person of unfamiliar background, and the feelings I have toward the principles that disagree with my own. I set my own rules of what is right and wrong, and in that respect, I may not have given the others due consideration. A conclusion is easily made without any attempt to discover the reasons behind a decision or behaviour. Although I do not consider myself a racist, it seems that I tend to consider my culture as superior to that of the others. There is no intention whatsoever to show disrespect; only that I can’t help myself from passing judgment on certain practices in which the purpose is not openly implied. For instance, I do not understand how women from the Islamic nations do not have the same rights as men do. I look ill at

The United Nations Involvement in Rwanda during the Genocide Research Paper

The United Nations Involvement in Rwanda during the Genocide - Research Paper Example According to the research paper "The United Nations involvement in Rwanda during the genocide" findings, since the second half of the twentieth century, the bleak nature of precedents in regard to the implementation of the Genocide Convention exposes a grim account of the stance taken by the international community to crack the whip on the perpetration of such heinous acts (Verdeja 37-54). This has left experts at loggerheads concerning whether prominent cases that justify the description â€Å"genocide† passed the legal thresholds. In the current world, the wheels of justice at different levels of jurisdiction such as international tribunals and internal trial courts are slowly elaborating definitional uncertainties and raising their flag, though hesitantly, that perpetrators of genocide may be tried and jailed or executed depending on their level of culpability (Barta, Finzsch, and Stannard 111-133). Yet, the very realities that trial chambers are seeking justice for perpetr ators of genocide-related crimes stand as an apparent proof of a deeper rot, which probably led to the Rwandan genocide (Verdeja 37-54). The key perpetrator of the Rwandan massacres had not seen a serious court that would try the perpetrators of such grave crimes. The United Nations established the United Nations Assistance Mission For Rwanda (UNAMIR) on 5th October 1993 to provide the security within Rwandan capital Kigali. Other responsibilities of the UNAMIR included watching the implementation of the ceasefire agreement.

Combating Compassion Fatigue Essay Example for Free

Combating Compassion Fatigue Essay The nursing profession is a complex field that can challenge you mentally, physically, emotionally, and spiritually. People who go into the field of nursing have daily interacts with patients’ and families in need of medical help and guidance. Nurses face numerous challenges on a daily basis and must be able to handle not only their patients’ issues, but remain strong and healthy to avoid compassion fatigue and burnout. Compassion fatigue is defined as emotional, spiritual, and physical exhaustion resulting from â€Å"witnessing and absorbing the problems and suffering of others† (Wisniewski, 2013). Compassion fatigue can lead to burnout with one’s professional career and affect home life. Caregivers can also be affected by compassion fatigue and burnout from the roles that they play with their loved ones. It is vital to be able to identify the warning signs of compassion fatigue and burnout. This is a battle that can be â€Å"fought with a commitment to personal health and well-being† (Chapman, 2007). Health care professionals and caregivers need to be able to find a balance and maintain health in their own spiritual, physical, mental, and emotional lives to assist patient’s to optimal care. Strategies on stress management, healthy lifestyle choices, and resources available will be discussed to help prevent and manage these issues. â€Å"Nurses are the backbone of the medical system and act as the first line of patient medical care† (Chen et al., 2009). Dealing and coping with stress is vital for nurses to maintain to provide adequate care. Compassion fatigue is a feeling of hopelessness and a loss in the sense of meaning in one’s life. Symptoms can be â€Å"strong feelings of anxiety, difficulty concentrating, being jumpy or easily startled, irritability, difficulty sleeping, excessive emotional numbing, and intrusive images of another’s traumatic material† (Portnoy, 2011). These symptoms need to be recognized to receive help or they can progres s to long-term effects and  complications. There are five concepts of compassion fatigue that need to be addressed to help with prevention and burnout. The first concept is cognitive; symptoms can be apathy, disorientation, trouble concentration, and harshness. The second concept is emotional; signs can be anxiety, fear, helplessness, feelings of powerlessness, depression, having bad dreams, and shock. The third concept is behavioral which can be lack of sleep, moody, change in appetite, withdrawn, and repeatedly having bad dreams. The fourth concept is spiritual. This area can lead the individual to question their role in life and their profession, feelings of being lost, and questioning faith and personal beliefs. The last concept is somatic, meaning affecting one’s voluntary nervous system. This can cause rapid heartbeats, trouble breathing, headaches, aches and pains, trouble staying or falling asleep, and sweating (Portnoy, 2011). There are numerous factors that can lead up to and cause compassion fatigue. Triggers can be issues with management such as nursing acuity, patient to nurse ratios, overworked nurses, personal issues, lack of support from coworkers or bosses, and loss of the feeling that the nurse is making a difference. To combat these factors in nurses and other employees in health care, managers and organizations need to be aware of this dynamic issue and offer help (Portnoy, 2011). Creating an open environment along with education and training on how to deal with these complex issues is the first step to addressing compassion fatigue within the workplace. Group meetings within the workplace will offer the nurses a chance to share their thoughts and feelings, realizing that they are not alone. Building bonds with coworkers and sharing patient experiences will help to encourage positive healthy habits. Self-care is vital for nurses to maintain to keep life in balance and to adequately take proper care of our patients. Everybody has stress, learning how to deal with it is the key to happiness and a healthy well-being. Nurses are constantly educating our patient’s on lifestyle changes needed to maintain health such as a proper diet, exercise, and a strong support system. We in turn need to practice what we preach and maintain our health to be at our best to help our patients achieve their best. Burnout and compassion fatigue are sometimes talked about as one, but there are differences. Burnout is â€Å"state of emotional, mental, and physical exhaustion caused by excessive and prolonged stress† (Preventing Burnout, n.d.). Signs of burnout can be depression or  detachment, emotions are rigid, loss of hope and motivation, and a feeling of not worthy of living. Burnout can be caused by lifestyles or work-related issues. Working in an environment that you feel like you have no control or lack of resources can lead to burnout. Self-care is needed to maintain positive outlets to express one’s stress to avoid burnout in one’s personal life. There are physical, emotional, and behavioral signs of burnout. Physical signs are feelings of being tired all the time, being sick a lot, change in sleeping habits, body aches, and frequent headaches. Emotional signs can be loss of motivation, feelings of helplessness, feelings of detachment, sense of doubt, and an increased negative outlook in life. Behavioral signs can be isolation from others, avoidance of responsibilities, drug or alcohol abuse, missing work, and anger directed at others (Preventing Burnout, n.d.). There are several ways to help prevent burnout. Learning how to manage stress and adopting a positive healthy eating, sleeping, and exercising habits are good examples to start with. It is important to know when you need help and that it is available. Burnout can lead to compassion fatigue within your professional career. Nurses who are tired, overworked, and stress out over time without help can suffer from burnout and in turn fall into compassion fatigue. Nurses need compassion to help guide patients in their medical situations, if the nurse is stressed out and needing help herself then how can she guide the patient? Burnout can be healed, addressing the issues and finding â€Å"your balance by reassessing priorities, making time for yourself, and seeking support† (Preventing Burnout, n.d.). There is a three â€Å"R† approach when dealing with burnout; recognize, reverse, and resilience. Recognition of burnout, reversal of the damage caused from stress, and building resilience to deal with the stress by taking care of one’s emotional, mental, physical, and spiritual health. Identification is one step into addressing compassion fatigue and burnout. One can recover from burnout. There are three strategies that one should remain mindful of, slow down, get support, and reevaluate your goals and priorities (Preventing Burnout, n.d.). When dealing with job burnout there are a few options that you can do to improve the circumstances. Taking time off, asking for a new assignment, speaking with management about issues, and clarifying your job duties are a few suggestions to start with. Caregiver burnout can happen to anyone at any  given time. The roles of caregivers are equally important like that of nursing. Caregivers are responsible for the direct care of a loved one and can experience compassion fatigue as well as burnout. Being involved with a loved one’s care can cause physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual distress. The health of the caregivers is important for the success of the one who is receiving the care. Promoting policies and interventions that will help the caregivers to avoid emotional exhaustion is the goal. Caregivers need to remain aware of their needs and beliefs and know when to ask for help should they need it. Education is the start to helping patients, families, and caregivers; talking about compassion fatigue and burnout allows people to see that they are not alone and that help is available. There are numerous resources available to assist those seeking help such as The Gift from Within organization that specializes in helping people deal with trauma and stress. There is also a Compassion Fatigue organization that aims at educating people on how important self-care is and how vital it is to know the signs and symptoms (Portnoy, 2011). In conclusion, compassion fatigue is the loss of self and burnout is the emotional exhaustion that one can feel. Nurses and health care professionals are at higher risks of having these issues come up; however caregivers can suffer from these issues just as easily. The goal to combating these topics is to bring awareness to them and to continue educating people on the ways to handle them. Sometimes asking for help is hard, but it is the first step in the right direction to becoming a healthy well-being who can handle stress. Seeking guidance from professionals will benefit the person in distress as well as their families. To be emotionally, physically, mentally, and spiritually sound one must take care of themselves in all aspects of life. One must have compassionate caring, empathic boundaries, self-awareness, spirituality and hope, and self-forgiveness to succeed in life (Bush, 2009). References Bush, N. (2009). Compassion fatigue: are you at risk? Oncology Nursing Forum, 36(1), 24-28. doi:10.1188/09.ONF.24-28 Chapman, E. (2007). Radical loving care: Building the healing hospital in America. Nashville, TN: Vaughn Printing Chen, C., Lin, C., Wang, S., Hou, T. (2009). A study of job stress, stress coping strategies, and job satisfaction for nurses working in middle-level hospital operating rooms. Journal Of Nursing Research (Taiwan Nurses Association), 17(3), 199-211. doi:10.1097/JNR.0b013e3181b2557b Portnoy, D. (2011). Burnout and Compassion Fatigue Watch for the Signs. Journal of the Catholic Health Association of the United States, 47-51. Retrieved January 20, 2015, from http://www.compassionfatigue.org/pages/healthprogress.pdf Preventing Burnout. (n.d.). Retrieved January 20, 2015, from http://www.helpguide.org/articles/stress/preventing-burnout.htm Wisniewski, L. (2013, February 5). What is Nursing Stress, Burnout, or Compassion Fatigue? Retrieved January 20, 2015, from http://www.nursetogether.com/what-is-nursing-stress-burnout-or-compassion-fatigue

Instant Messaging the Conversation of Tomorrow :: Computers Communication Essays

Instant Messaging the Conversation of Tomorrow I can remember my first day here at Eastern Michigan University. I moved in all of my belongings, including the new computer my parents bought me to start off the new school year. After setting everything up in my room I hooked up the computer and signed on to my AOL Instant Messenger for the first time. I wanted a screen name that would some how reflect my personality and ended up with butterfly3742. The butterfly referring to my free spirit emerging from the cocoon of my parent’s home, and the 3742 was the last four digits of my brand new very own telephone number. As the school year slowly progressed I added tons of new buddies to my â€Å"cool people† list, also friends from high school and home that went away to other universities started signing on so it became the easiest and most economical way to stay in touch. Instead, of being on the phone till all hours of the night, I was typing away at my computer with whoever was online at the time. My parents were ecstatic because I managed to keep my long distance phone bill at the bare minimum. They rewarded my money saving tactics through other means. Basically, the instant messenger became a standard, resourceful, and economical way of keeping in touch through writing with friends from my past and friends in my present. Instant messenger is an easy tool used for written communication that has taken the world by storm. No longer is it cool as a student to use your phone, or other written materials as a form of interaction among friends. Authors are also beginning to see reading from the screen as becoming the norm of our society. As reading texts on screen is becoming a more accepted practice, using the IM is becoming the standard form of written communication for many adolescents across the globe. Writer James Sosnoski also accepts the custom of reading on screen becoming a norm. â€Å"Though I readily acknowledge that many persons do not like to read from their screens at this time, I assume that over a period of time, the practice will become so habitual that it will seem â€Å"natural†- just as it now seems customary to use a computer rather than a typewriter.

The Gravity Model of Trade

THE GRAVITY MODEL OF TRADE 1 Assignment 1: The Gravity Model Of Trade: Do Size And Distance Matter For The Exports Of Japan? THE GRAVITY MODEL OF TRADE 2 Abstract In the field of international economics, the gravity model for trade reveals that bilateral trade is directly proportional with the extent of the economy (usually expressed in GDP) and inversely proportional with the geographical distance between the analysed entities. The present report illustrates the model for the case of Japan, elaborating the trade patterns created among it and its 9 main trade partners.The parameters for the gravity equation are estimated and the relation between GDP and exports for the countries in question are depicted through a scattered plot, for a more in-depth view on the connections. By testing the model it can be observed that the trade relations of Japan are being influenced by the size of the economy and the distance to the trade partners. (JEL F100, F170) THE GRAVITY MODEL OF TRADE 3 The la w of universal gravitation was published by Isaac Newton as a general physical law.Its application was later on spread into various fields of research, succeeding to explain a series of scientific phenomena. In international economics, the gravity model of trade is used in order to predict bilateral trade flows in respect to the economic performance (measured in GDP) and distance between the two states taken into consideration. The present report aims to illustrate the gravity model of trade for the particular case of Japan, revealing how size and distance influence the country’s exports, centering the study on the relation among Japan and its 9 top trade partner countries.The model will be tested by estimating the parameters of the gravity equation, namely the elasticities for GDP and distance. In order to estimate the gravity equation, the R statistical software has been used. The data set contains information regarding exports, GDP and distance to destination country, retr ieved from the 2011 International Trade Statistics Yearbook of the United Nations. All data has 2011 as the year of reference. The GDP value for each country has been converted into billions of USD, in order to maintain the same unit of measure.Example: China’s GDP 2011 = 47. 16 trillion CN? ;exchange rate: 1$ = 6. 4588 CN? ;therefore, China’s GDP for 2011 amounts to 7,298,147 millions USD. Figure 1 shows Japan’s trade as percentage of the exports of the top-9 export destinations in 2011, versus the GDP as percentage of the total GDP reported by the top-9 export destinations. As it can be seen, China does a lot more trade with Japan than even with the U. S. A, the main reason being the small distance between the two states, which THE GRAVITY MODEL OF TRADE reduces transportation costs.In addition to this, the cultural factor has also to be taken 4 into consideration, as both Japan and China are Asian cultures sharing similar values and tastes; therefore they hav e a look-alike pattern of trade. The linear equation appears as it follows: z = 12. 03 + 0. 05 x1 – (-0. 15) x2 The coefficients of correlation in respect to GDP are b = 0. 05, therefore there is a weak relationship between trade and one country’s GDP. The coefficient of correlation in respect to distance is c=-0. 5, therefore there is also a weak relationship between trade and the distance between Japan and the trade partner country. The direct effect is that trade increases by 0. 05% when the partner country’s GDP increases by 1%, while it decreases by 0. 15% when the distance to the partner countries increases by 1%. The mean and the standard deviation (descripted variables) have been computed for the variables: GDP, exports, distance. GDP: mean= 1556897. 3, standard deviation= 2417090. 79 Exports: mean= 58211. 7, standard deviation= 52047. 57 Distance: mean=4319060. , standard deviation= 3462913. 81 The results obtained depict that the model it is indeed ver ified, but the correlations are not strong enough in order to fully explain the patterns of trade between Japan and its 9 main trade-partners. Nevertheless, we can observe that both distance between countries and the size of one country’s economy are factors that influence the trade between two states. THE GRAVITY MODEL OF TRADE 5 References: American Economic Association, JEL Classification Codes Guide. Retrieved October 6, 2012 from: http://www. aeaweb. org/jel/guide/jel. hp Centre d'Etudes Prospectives et d’Informations Internationales (CEPII) (2011). Geodesic Distances. Retrieved on October 6, 2012 from: http://www. cepii. fr/anglaisgraph/bdd/distances. htm International Monetary Fund. (2012). International Financial Statistics Yearbook 2012. Washington, DC: International Monetary Fund Krugman, Obstfeld, and Melitz (2012), International Economics Theory & Policy, (9th edition), Pearson Education United Nations. (2011). 2011 International Trade Statistics Yearbook. New York: United Nations. Retrieved on October 14, 2012 from: http://comtrade. n. org/pb/CountryPagesNew. aspx? y=2011 United Nations Statistics Division, Countries or areas, codes and abbreviations. Retrieved October 15, 2012 from: http://unstats. un. org/unsd/methods/m49/m49alpha. htm THE GRAVITY MODEL OF TRADE 6 Table 1 Japan’s Trade Partners Country Exports (millions USD) China USA Republic of Korea China, Hong Kong SAR Thailand Singapore Germany Malaysia Netherlands 162062. 1 127679. 0 66167. 5 42954. 4 37530. 60 27264. 60 23505. 50 18796. 00 17945. 80 GDP (millions USD) 7298147. 00 14660400. 00 1116247. 00 243666. 00 345672. 00 259849. 0 3607364. 00 287943. 00 838112. 00 2098111. 00 10855. 59 1156. 67 2891225. 00 4612997. 00 5326388. 00 9298341. 00 5329095. 00 9303377. 00 Distance (km) Source: Data retrieved from the 2011 International Trade Statistics Yearbook of the United Nations (2011 – year of reference) Table 1 THE GRAVITY MODEL OF TRADE 7 Figure 1. Which a re the closest trade partners for Japan? This figure illustrates Japan’s trade as percentage of the exports of the top-9 export destinations in 2011, versus the GDP as percentage of the total GDP reported by the top-9 export destinations.

Promotion Strategy

Table of Contents Sr No. | Title| P No. | 1. | Introduction| 2-5| 2. | Promotional Mix| 5| 3. | Sales process| 7-8| 4. | Advertising| 9-13| 5. | Other Methods| 14-15| 6. | Public Relations| 15| 7. | References| 18| Introduction What is promotional strategy ? Promotional strategy is the function of informing, persuading, and influencing a consumer decision. It is as important to non profit organizations as it is to a profit oriented company like Colgate-Palmolive. Some promotional strategies are aimed at developing primary demand, the desire for a general product category.For example, the Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board promotes natural cheese through advertisements without referring to any particular cheese maker. But most promotional strategies are aimed at creating selective demand, the desire for a particular product. Land O' Lakes campaign—†The taste that stands above. Land O' Lakes 4-Quart Cheese†Ã¢â‚¬â€is an example. The objectives of promotion, the component s of the promotional mix—personal selling, advertising, sales promotion, and public relations are discussed, and finally, the factors that influence marketers' decisions in selecting a promotional mix are explained.Objectives of Promotional Strategy Promotional strategy objectives vary among organizations. Some use promotion to expand their markets, others to hold their current positions, still others to present a corporate viewpoint on a public issue. Promotional strategies can also be used to reach selected markets. Most sources identify the specific promotional objectives or goals of providing information, differentiating the product, increasing sales, stabilizing sales, and accentuating the product's value. An organization can have multiple promotional objectives.The National Pork Producers Council has developed â€Å"The Other White Meat† promotional campaign primarily to position pork as a white meat rather than a red meat. Other goals of the campaign include inc reasing the sale of pork and informing consumers that pork is low in calories and cholesterol, high in nutrition, easy to prepare, and versatile. To illustrate the versatility of pork, one advertisement in the campaign features 21 different pork dishes and offers consumers a free booklet for those and other pork recipes. Providing InformationIn the early days of promotional campaigns, when there was often a short supply of many items, most advertisements were designed to inform the public of a product's availability. Today, a major portion of advertising in the United States is still informational. A large section of the daily newspapers on Wednesdays and Thursdays consists of advertising that tells shoppers which products are featured by stores and at what price. Health insurance advertisements in Sunday newspaper supplements emphasize information about rising hospital costs.Industrial salespeople keep buyers aware of the latest technological advances in a particular field. Fashion retailers advertise to keep consumers abreast of current styles. Promotional campaigns designed to inform are often aimed at specific market segments. Warner Bros. Records, for example, created a compact disc advertisement targeted at the baby-boom generation. In explaining the purpose of the ad, a Warner executive said, â€Å"We believe that most boomers are unaware that our classic recordings of the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s are on CD along with the current releases. The ad informs baby boomers that Warner releases not only contemporary recordings but also some of its best albums from previous years, including those by Fleetwood Mac, Van Morrison, and ZZ Top, on compact discs. Included in the ad is a list of classic recordings now available on compact discs. Differentiating the Product Marketers often develop a promotional strategy to differentiate their goods or services from those of competitors. To accomplish this, they attempt to occupy a â€Å"position† in the market t hat appeals to their target customers.Promotions that apply the concept of positioning communicate to consumers meaningful distinctions about the attributes, price, quality, or usage of a good or service. Positioning is often used for goods or services that are not leaders in their field. The advertisement for Murphy's Oil Soap in Figure 13. 2 is part of a promotional campaign The Murphy-Phoenix Company uses to differentiate its household cleaner from its much larger competition. While market leader Mr. Clean and other large competitors such as Top Job are promoted as â€Å"tough on dirt† cleaners, Murphy's Oil Soap is positioned as a gentle household cleaner.The positioning strategy is carried through in other ads in the campaign, in which caretakers of churches and opera houses emphasize the soap's gentle cleaning attribute. Increasing Sales Increasing sales volume is the most common objective of a promotional strategy. Some strategies concentrate on primary demand, others on selective demand. Sometimes specific audiences are targeted. In an effort to build the sales volume of its bodywear, Danskin developed an advertising campaign targeted at women age 18 to 44. Advertisements in the $3 million campaign, helped boost the sales of Danskin's adult garments by 30 percent in one year.The campaign theme—†All the World's a Stage†Ã¢â‚¬â€communicates the message that Danskin garments can be purchased not only for exercise and dance but also as everyday apparel. Stabilizing Sales Sales stabilization is another goal of promotional strategy. Sales contests are often held during slack periods. Such contests offer prizes (such as vacation trips, color televisions, and scholarships) to sales personnel who meet certain goals. Sales promotion materials—calendars, pens, and the like—are sometimes distributed to stimulate sales during off-periods.Advertising is also often used to stabilize sales. Hotels are crowded on weekdays with bu siness travelers, but these people go home on Friday. So many hotels promote â€Å"weekend packages† at lower rates to attract tourists and vacationers. A stable sales pattern allows the firm to improve financial, purchasing, and market planning; to even out the production cycle; and to reduce some management and production costs. The correct use of promotional strategy can be a valuable tool in accomplishing these objectives. Accentuating the Product's ValueSome promotional strategies are based on factors, such as warranty programs and repair services, that add to the product's value. Many Ford Motor Company advertisements promote specific car and light truck models. Some ads, however, are designed to promote Ford's 6-year, 60,000-mile powertrain warranty, while others concentrate on the Lifetime Service Guarantee offered by Ford dealers. These promotions point out greater ownership utility to buyers, thus enhancing the product's value. The Promotional Mix Firms use various elements to achieve their promotional objectives.Promotion consists of two components: personal selling and nonpersonal selling. Personal selling is a promotional presentation made on a person-to-person basis with a potential buyer. Nonpersonal selling consists of advertising, sales promotion, and public relations. The promotional mix is a combination of personal selling and nonpersonal selling. Marketers attempt to develop a promotional mix that effectively and efficiently communicates their message to target customers. Personal Selling For many companies, personal selling—a promotional presentation made on a person-to-person basis to a potential buyer—is the key to marketing ffectiveness. The promotional strategy of Merrill Lynch, a financial services firm, focuses on its 12,000-person sales force. Selling was the original method of promotion. Today, selling employs over 6 million Americans. The sales function of most companies is changing rapidly. In some cases, the change has been only cosmetic, such as when the title salesclerk is changed to account representative but the job function remains the same. Yet, many firms are making significant changes in their sales force. Sales duties have been expanded, and in some instances, the function itself has changed.The primary trend is toward increased professionalism on the part of sales personnel. Today's sales people act as advisors to their customers, helping them utilize more efficiently the items they buy. Sales Tasks Sales tasks vary significantly from one company or situation to another, but it usually includes three basic tasks: order processing, creative selling, and missionary selling. Order Processing: The task of order processing involves the receipt and handling of an order. Needs are identified and pointed out to the customer, and the order is processed.The handling of orders is especially important in satisfying customer needs. The Willamette Industries advertisement points out that t he firm's salespeople take a customer-oriented approach to order processing. They check the quality of the products their retail customers receive, know their customers' market, and ensure that products are available when customers need them. Route sales personnel for such consumer products as bread, milk, and soft drinks are examples of order processors. They check a store's stock, report the inventory level to the store manager, and complete the sale.Most sales jobs have at least a minor order-processing function. It becomes the primary duty in cases where needs are readily identified and acknowledged by the customer. Creative Selling: Sales representatives for most industrial goods and some consumer goods are involved in creative selling, a persuasive type of promotional presentation. Creative selling is used when the benefits of a good or service are not readily apparent and its purchase is being based on a careful analysis of alternatives. In new-product selling, sales people n eed to be very creative if initial orders are to be secured.Missionary Selling: An indirect form of selling in which the representative markets the goodwill of a company or provides technical or operational assistance to the customer is called missionary selling. For example, many technically based organizations, such as IBM and Xerox, provide systems specialists who consult with their customers. These people are problem solvers and sometimes work on problems not directly involving their employer's product. A person who sells a highly technical product may do 55 percent missionary selling, 40 percent creative selling, and 5 percent order processing.By contrast, the job of retail salespeople may be 70 percent order processing, 15 percent creative selling, and 15 classifying a particular sales job. The Sales Process Years ago, sales personnel memorized a sales talk provided by their employers. Such a canned sales presentation was intended to provide all the information the customer ne eded to make a purchase decision. The entire sales process was viewed as a situation in which the prospective customer was passive and ready to buy if the appropriate information could be identified and presented by the representative.Contemporary selling recognizes that the interaction between buyers and sellers usually rules out canned presentations in all but the simplest of sales situations. Today's professional sales personnel typically follow a sequential pattern, but the actual presentation varies according to the circumstances. Figure 13. 5 shows that seven steps can be identified in the sales process: prospecting and qualifying, the approach, the presentation, the demonstration, handling objections, the closing, and the follow-up. Prospecting and Qualifying: In prospecting, salespeople identify potential customers.They may come from many sources, such as previous customers, friends, business associates, neighbors, other sales personnel, and other employees in the firm. A re cent study indicated increased advertising in business publications results in more prospects for salespeople promoting industrial goods and services. In the qualifying process, potential customers are identified in terms of their financial ability and authority to buy. Those who lack the necessary financial resources or who are not in a position to make the purchase decision are given no further attention.The Approach: Salespeople should carefully prepare their approach to potential customers. All available information about prospects should be collected and analyzed. Sales representatives should remember that the initial impression they give prospects often affects the prospects' future attitudes. The Presentation: The presentation is the stage at which the salesperson transmits the promotional message. The usual method is to describe the good's or service's major features, highlight its advantages, and cite examples of consumer satisfaction. The Demonstration: A demonstration all ows the prospect to become involved in the presentation.Demonstrations reinforce the message communicated to the prospective buyer. In promoting some goods and services, the demonstration is a critical step in the sales process. Paper manufacturers, for example, produce elaborate booklets that their salespeople use to demonstrate different types of paper, paper finishes, and graphic techniques. The demonstration allows salespeople to show art directors, designers, printers, and other potential customers what different paper specimens look like when they are printed. Handling Objections: Many salespeople fear objections from the prospect because they view them as a rebuke.Actually, such objections should be welcomed, because they allow additional points in support of the sale and to answer questions the consumer has about the good or service to be presented by the sales representative. The Closing: The closing is the critical point in selling—the time at which the seller actua lly asks the prospect to buy the product. The seller should watch for signals that the prospect is ready to buy. For example, if a prospect starts discussing where the new equipment would fit in the plant system they are inspecting, it should give the sales agent a signal to attempt to close the sale.Effective closing techniques might be that the salesclerk can ask the prospect directly or propose alternative purchases. Or the salesperson may do something that implies the sale has been completed, such as walking toward a cash register. This forces the prospect to say no if they do not want to complete the sale. The Follow-Up: After-sale activities are very important in determining whether a customer will buy again later. After the prospect agrees to buy, the salesperson should complete the order processing quickly and efficiently and reassure the customer about the purchase decision.Later, the salesperson should check with the customer to determine whether the good or service is sat isfactory. Many firms employ telemarketers to conduct post-sale activities. Telemarketing: is a personal selling approach conducted entirely by telephone. Telemarketers employed by the Apple Bank for Savings in New York make follow up calls to customers to measure their reaction to the bank's services. Telemarketers also perform other functions in the sales process. At Apple Bank, they handle customer inquiries and help market the bank's financial services.For example, telemarketers call customers when their certificates of deposit are about to mature and suggest other savings alternatives. Advertising For many firms, advertising is the most effective type of nonpersonal promotion. Advertising is a paid, non personal sales communication usually directed at a large number of potential buyers. Firms in the United States account for about half of worldwide advertising expenditures. U. S. marketers spend more than $100 billion each year, or about $420 for each man, woman, and child.The nation's leading advertisers are Philip Morris; Procter & Gamble; General Motors; Sears, Roebuck; and Ford Motor Company, each of which spends more than $1 billion on advertising annually. Advertising expenditures can vary considerably from industry to industry and company to company. In the nonresidential general building contracting industry, for instance, advertising spending amounts to only two-tenths of 1 percent of sales. At the other extreme is the retail mail-order house industry, which spends 14 percent of sales on advertising. Types of AdvertisingThe two basic types of advertising are product and institutional. Product advertising involves the selling of a good or service. Advertisements for Nike Air shoes, Marriott hotels, and Packard Bell computers would be classified as product advertising. Institutional advertising: involves the promotion of a concept, idea, or philosophy, or the goodwill of an industry, company, organization, or government entity. For example, Texas p romoted tourism with the theme: â€Å"Visit a country where the natives are friendly and the language barrier is easily overcome. Institutional advertising by profit-seeking firms is called corporate advertising. A form of institutional advertising that is growing in importance, advocacy advertising supports a specific viewpoint on a public issue. Its purpose is to influence public opinion and/or the legislative process. Advocacy advertising is used by many nonprofit organizations. For example, advertisements by the National Rifle Association support Americans' constitutional right to keep and bear arms and speak out against the passage of gun-control laws.The Chemical Bank advertisement an example of a corporate advocacy advertisement. The ad expresses Chemical Bank's viewpoint concerning a current law that prohibits commercial banks from competing in the securities underwriting market. Advocacy advertising is sometimes referred to as cause advertising. Advertising and the Product Life Cycle Product and institutional advertising can be subdivided by its purposes: to inform, persuade, or remind. Informative advertising, intended to build initial demand for a product, is used in the introductory phase of the product life cycle.When Johnson ; Johnson introduced its Acuvue disposable contact lens—the nation's first disposable lens—it launched a massive advertising campaign directed at consumers and eye-care professionals to explain the health benefits of using the new product. Persuasive advertising attempts to improve the competitive status of a product, institution, or concept. It is used in the growth and maturity stages of the product life cycle. The Kinder-Care advertisement in Figure 13. 7 is an example of persuasive advertising. Since it was established in 1969, Kinder-Care used informational ads that promoted the centers' hours and programs.But now that the company has grown to almost 1,400 centers and competitors such as La Petite Academy, Children's World, and Gerber Children's Center have entered the market, Kinder-Care has shifted to a persuasive advertising approach. The theme of the campaign—†The Joys of Kinder-Care†Ã¢â‚¬â€promotes the idea of trust, which the firm's marketing research indicated was parents' major child-care concern. One of the most popular approaches to persuasive product advertising is comparative advertising, which makes direct comparisons with competitive products. Numerous companies have used comparative advertising in recent years.The Pepsi Challenge is an example of comparative advertising. Pepsi-Cola ads have used blind taste tests in which a majority of consumers choose Pepsi over Coca- Cola. Although Coca-Cola still leads the soft-drink market, the Pepsi Challenge helped increase Pepsi sales considerably. Reminder-oriented advertising, used in the late-maturity and decline stages of the product life cycle, attempts to keep a product's name in front of the consumer o r to remind people of the importance of a concept or an institution. Soft drinks, beer, toothpaste, and cigarettes are products for which reminder-oriented advertising is used.The Association of Railroads used an advertisement that began: â€Å"Today's railroads, America's great untapped resource. † Even police cars in some areas of the United States carry reminder-oriented themes such as â€Å"We protect and serve. † E. D. Bullard Company designed the poster shown in Figure 13. 8 to remind workers of the importance of wearing hard hats. Advertising Media All marketers face the question of how to best allocate their advertising expenditures. Cost is an important consideration, but it is equally important to choose the media best suited for the job. All media have dvantages and disadvantages; these are discussed in the sections that follow. Newspapers: Newspapers, with 26 percent of total advertising volume, are the largest of the advertising media. 9 Because newspaper advertising can be tailored for individual communities, local advertising is common. Newspapers also reach nearly everyone in the community. Other advantages are that readers can refer back to them, and they can be coordinated with other advertising and merchandising efforts. In fact, advertising is considered the third most useful feature in newspapers, after national and local news. A disadvantage is the relatively short life span.Television: Television ranks second overall to newspapers with 22 percent of all advertising volume, but it is the leader in national advertising. Television advertising can be classified as network, national, local, and cable. Television has a significant impact on potential customers despite its high cost. Mass coverage, repetition, flexibility, and prestige are other advantages. The medium's ability to reach huge audiences was demonstrated vividly by the 1989 Pepsi commercial featuring pop singer Micahael Jackson. The firm spent $5 million to beam the commercial to 250 million viewers in 40 nations, from Finland to the Philippines. The ad was pulled because of Michael Jackson’s image and legal problems. ) In addition to high cost, its disadvantages include the temporary nature of the message, some public distrust, and lack of selectivity in the ability to reach specific target market segments without considerable wasted coverage. Direct Mail: Direct mail is the third-leading advertising medium, with about 17 percent of total advertising expenditures. Its advantages include selectivity, intense coverage, speed, flexibility, complete information, and personalization. On the other hand, direct mail is extremely costly.It is also dependent on effective mailing lists, and it sometimes meets with consumer resistance. Radio: With 99 percent of all U. S. households owning on average five radio sets, radio is another important broadcast advertising medium. Radio, which accounts for 7 percent of total advertising volume, can be cla ssified as network, spot, and local advertising. Advantages of radio are immediacy, low cost, targeted audience selection, flexibility, and mobility. Disadvantages include the short life span of a radio message and a highly fragmented audience.Magazines: Magazines account for about 5 percent of advertising volume. Modern Maturity, with almost 20 million subscribers, is the nation's largest magazine in terms of paid subscriptions. It is followed by Reader's Digest and TV Guide, each with about 17 million subscribers. Advantages of magazines include selectivity, quality reproduction, long life, and prestige. The main disadvantage of magazines is that they lack the flexibility of newspapers and broadcast media, but the appearance of local advertising in various regional editions of national news magazines suggests that this problem is being overcome.Outdoor Advertising: One percent of total advertising expenditures are on outdoor advertising such as billboards. Its strength is in commu nicating simple ideas quickly. Other advantages are repetition and the ability to promote goods and services available for sale nearby. However, the message must be brief, and there are aesthetic considerations. Other Media Options: Other media include advertising in movie theaters and on airline movie screens. Recently, several firms such as Coca Cola, PepsiCo, Chrysler, and Hershey placed ads on videocassette movies.Many firms display their advertising message on trucks, while others use transit advertising. An advertising vehicle gaining in popularity is the hot-air balloon, used by organizations such as Maxwell House, Coors, Eastman Kodak, and the states of Maryland and Connecticut. These alternative media can be employed separately or in conjunction with advertising campaigns using more traditional media. Can you name the candy the space creature picked up in the film â€Å"E. T. â€Å"? Reeses Candy company's sales of Reeses Pieces went through the profit ceiling for this ex posure.As such, many other companies now pay thousands of dollars for this type of theatrical exposure and advertising. Sales Promotion Sales promotion consists of the forms of promotion other than advertising, personal selling, and public relations that increase sales through one-time selling efforts. Sales promotion was traditionally viewed as a supplement to a firm's sales or advertising efforts, but now it has become an integral part of the promotional mix. Expenditures for sales promotion total more than $100 billion each year. Point-of-Purchase Advertising (POP)Point-of-purchase advertising (POP) consists of displays and demonstrations promoting an item at a time and place near the location of the actual purchase decision, such as in a retail store. Video advertising on supermarket shopping carts is an example. POP can be very effective in continuing a theme developed by some other aspect of the firm's promotional strategy. Specialty Advertising Specialty advertising is the gi ving away of useful merchandise such as pens, calendars, T-shirts, glassware, and pocket calculators that are imprinted with the donor's name, logo, or message.Because the items are useful and are often personalized with the recipient's name, they tend to be kept and used by the targeted audience, giving the advertiser repeated exposure. Originally designed to identify and create goodwill for advertisers, specialty advertising is now used to generate sales leads and develop traffic for stores and trade show exhibitors. Trade Shows A trade show is often used to promote goods or services to resellers in the distribution channel. Retailers and wholesalers attend trade conventions and shows where manufacturers exhibit their lines. Such shows are very important n the toy, furniture, and fashion industries. They have also been used to promote the products of one nation to buyers from another. L. A. Gear used a trade show extravaganza to let retailers know about its diversified product lin e. The company, which originally produced a line of teenage fashion athletic footwear, expanded its offerings to include 80 women's shoe styles, a men's and a children's line, and an apparel collection. But most retailers carry a limited number of L. A. Gear styles compared to those of nationally recognized brand names such as Nike and Reebok.To build its brand recognition among retailers, L. A. Gear designed a trade show display replicating the city of Los Angeles, complete with a Beverly Hills Hotel and a 25-foot City Hall. The display includes a stage where dancers, gymnasts, and other performers entertained retailers attending the National Shoe Fair in New York and the Super Show, the trade show of the sporting goods industry. Don Wasley, L. A. Gear's vice-president of promotion, said, â€Å"When we created this trade show booth, it was to let the retailers know we'd arrived.We wanted them to take us seriously. Other Sales Promotion Methods Other sales promotion techniques incl ude samples, coupons, premiums, contests, and trading stamps. Most of these methods are used to introduce new products or encourage consumers to try a new brand. A sample is a free gift of a product distributed by mail, door to door, in a demonstration, or inside packages containing other products. Samples are particularly useful in promoting new products. PepsiCo used a novel sampling promotion to boost the market share of Pepsi Cola in Brazil.Young male students wearing T-shirts with the Pepsi logo dispensed Pepsi samples from refrigerated backpacks to beachgoers sunning themselves on the beaches of Rio de Janeiro. The promotion supported PepsiCo's â€Å"Taste of a new generation† advertising campaign in Brazil, where 50 percent of the population is younger than 20. A coupon is an advertising clipping or package inclusion stamps are similar to premiums in that they are redeemable for additional merchandise. Historically, they have been used to build loyalty to a certain ret ailer or supplier. Contests, sweepstakes, and games offer cash or merchandise redeemable by the customer.Offering what amounts to a small price discount, it can help get a customer to try a new or different product. Many retailers, including southern supermarket giant Winn Dixie, double the face value of manufacturers' coupons. In a recent survey comparing various methods of consumer promotion, 83 percent of respondents said coupons increased the value of their shopping dollar. The respondents gave sweepstakes and other sales promotion techniques much lower ratings. A premium is an item given free or at a reduced cost with the purchase of another product. Premiums are most effective when they relate in some way to the purchased item.To promote its new cinnamon-and-raisin biscuits and increase overall breakfast traffic, Hardee's fast-food restaurants offered the premium of a California Raisin figurine for 99 cents with the purchase of two biscuits. Sales during the four-week promotio n increased 18 percent, well above Hardee's goal of increasing sales 4. 5 percent. McDonals and Burger King promote theatrical releases through their â€Å"Kids Meals. † Trading as prizes to participating winners. The transit poster advertises an American Natural Beverage Corporation sweepstakes in which the grand prize is a 1957 Thunderbird Classic.The first person to spell â€Å"Cruisin†Ã¢â‚¬Ëœ by collecting specially marked bottle caps from Soho Natural Soda wins the car. Public Relations Public relations is an organization's communications with its various publics, such as customers, vendors, news media, employees, stockholders, government, and the general public. Many of these communication efforts have a marketing purpose. Johnson ; Johnson Health Care Company launched a five-year public relations campaign to educate the public on reducing childhood injuries.The Safe Kids program includes a free safety kit for children that contains Band-Aids and other J;J produc ts. The firm hopes the goodwill generated by the program will not only enhance its image as a caring and concerned company but also translate into more sales. â€Å"Building our image builds our business,† said a J;J executive. 14 Public relations is often used to supplement advertising and personal selling efforts. In some cases, however, public relations is used as a dominant element in a firm's promotional campaign. For example, in ddition to advertising, Paramount Pictures developed a public relations program to promote the Eddie Murphy movie â€Å"Coming to America. † The program was designed to change Murphy's image and broaden his appeal beyond his hard-core, young male fans. In the movie, Murphy plays a romantic and humorous leading man, a departure from his familiar tough-guy role in previous films such as â€Å"Beverly Hills Cop† and â€Å"Trading Places. † To stress the versatility of Murphy's talent, Paramount prepared publicity releases for n ewspapers and magazines and sent electronic press kits to television stations.These efforts resulted in extensive media coverage for the movie. For example, several magazines featured Murphy in cover stories, and radio stations gave the movie's soundtrack additional playing time. Selecting a Promotional Mix Selecting the appropriate promotional mix is one of the toughest tasks confronting marketers, but there are some general guidelines to assist in determining the relative allocations of promotional efforts and expenditures among personal selling, advertising, sales promotion, and public relations. These guidelines might be stated as a series of four rules.The first guideline is the decision whether to spend promotional monies on advertising or personal selling. Once this decision is made, the marketer needs to determine the level of sales promotion and public relations efforts. A second consideration is the market served by the good or service. For instance, a drill press is sold to the industrial market, so the manufacturer's strategy must emphasize the sales force. By contrast, California Raisins are sold to consumers; an effective advertising campaign is important to consumer products like raisins.The third rule deals with the value of the product. Most companies cannot afford to emphasize personal selling in marketing a low-priced item and instead choose advertising for the promotional strategy of goods like toothpaste, cosmetics, soft drinks, and candy. Higher-priced items in both industrial and consumer markets rely more on personal selling. Examples include time-share vacation condominiums and Boeing aircraft. Finally, the marketer needs to consider the time frame involved. Advertising is usually used to precondition a person for a sales resentation. An effective and consistent advertising theme may favorably influence individuals when they are approached by a salesclerk in a store. But except for self-service situations, a salesperson is typically in volved in completing the actual transaction. Advertising is often used again after the sale to assure consumers of the correctness of their selection and to precondition them for repeat purchases. Alternative Promotional Strategies The selection of a promotional mix is directly related to the promotional strategy the firm will employ.The marketer has two alternative strategies available to meet these goals: pushing strategy or pulling strategy. A pushing strategy is a sales-oriented approach. The product, product line, or service is marketed to wholesalers and retailers in the marketing channels. Sales personnel explain to them why they should carry this particular item or service. The marketing intermediaries are usually offered special discounts, promotional materials, and cooperative advertising allowances. In the last case, the manufacturer shares the cost of local advertising of the product or line.All these strategies are designed to motivate wholesalers and retailers to †Å"push† the product or service to their customers. The kiwifruit advertisement is an example of a pushing strategy. In it, the New Zealand Kiwifruit Authority suggests ways retailers can merchandise the fruit so consumers will buy it. A pulling strategy attempts to generate consumer demand for the product, product line, or service, primarily through advertising and sales promotion appeals. Most advertising is aimed at the ultimate consumer, who then asks the retailer for the product or service; the retailer in turn requests the item or service from the supplier.The marketer hopes that strong consumer demand will â€Å"pull† the product or service through the marketing channel by forcing marketing intermediaries to carry it. The General Foods advertisement for Maxwell House coffee in illustrates a pulling strategy. The ad announced a sales promotion that tied in with the Taste of Chicago outdoor food festival. Consumers who brought two empty coffee cans to the Maxwell Ho use cafe at the festival received $6 worth of free food tickets. The consumer pull influenced Chicago-area retailers to prominently feature the brand at their stores. With consumers edeeming about 49,000 empty cans, the promotion was so successful it produced record sales and moved the Maxwell House brand from third place to first in the Chicago market. Most marketing situations require the use of both strategies, although the emphasis can vary. Consumer products are often heavily dependent on a pulling strategy, while most industrial products are sold through a pushing strategy. References 1. Colton. M. Jo Ann (2000). The Entrepreneur's Guide to Business Basics 101; Advanced Marketing Technologie 2. http://www. smallbusiness. wa. gov. au/marketing-promotion-strategy/#selling