Pro Audio Sales Agent Program

Pro Audio Sales Agent Program 1. Major Facts / Major Problems: – The program is an administrative nightmare at retail level – Retailers have problems in delivering the product -many dealers were spending time training customers and later losing them to other dealers. -there were errant sales agents working against the retail price -the product image of PSX-360 was on the verge of damage because of the new plan. 2. Possible Solutions: Solution A: Control the retail price of electronic, and sound processing equipment through public awareness programs Pricing is a relevant issue in procurement at all levels.Individuals purchasing the commodities of an organization should receive clarity on pricing. There is confusion in this organization because dealers are giving different prices for the equipment. This makes customers shop around for the lowest price and buy from such a dealer. Ensuring the same retail price for all dealers will ensure a level playing ground for all the dealers. This means that customers will buy from any dealer in the market. This will help in streamlining the market and reducing the problems faced currently. Solution B: Canceling agreements with errant sales agentsThe reason for the state the organization is facing might be the issue of errant sales agents. These rights should be cancelled to ensure that all dealers have a say in the market. This will stop dealers who take local markets from far, leaving local dealers with no market. This will ensure that sales increase in the market without having to sideline other dealers. 3. Possible Solutions: Advantage A: Controlling the retail price ensures that dealers get a level playing field. Furthermore, dealers will not lose customers after training them. This is because the retail price is the same at all levels.The problem of persistent discounting of products will be solved with a common price. Complaints on the loss of sale by other dealers will be an issue of the past. Evaluation of the sales agents was a step in the right direction for Pro Audio. Disadvantage A: The errant sales agents who were getting the largest chunk of profits will lose in this new move. This is because other dealers in the market will get an opportunity to sell their products in the market. Customers can get products locally with the change. Some suppliers can still get a way of working around the pricing issue to increase their sales.Advantage B: An increase in sales will translate to profitability in the organization. This in turn translates to revenue increase in the organization and dealers. Canceling agreements to exclusive rights of sale will give all dealers similar opportunities. This means that the dealers in the market have an opportunity to reach any consumer. Additional dealers will help in leveling the playing field. Disadvantage B: Canceling sale agreements may constitute a breach of contract, which means that dealers can sue the organization where there is no proof of e rror.This cancellation might make dealers feel shortchanged in the organization. This means that it is critical to have a clear direction so that such occurrences do not happen in organizations. 4. Choice and Rationale: Solution A: Control the retail price of electronic, and sound processing equipment through public awareness programs. Rationale Pricing is a pertinent issue in procurement and acquisition in organizations. Consumers buying the commodities of an entity should get clarity on pricing related issues. There is uncertainty in Pro Audio because dealers are presenting differing prices for the products.This makes buyers look around for the lowest rates and buy from these dealers. This means that customers will buy from any dealer in the marketplace. Maintaining the same retail price for all dealers ensures a level playing field for all the traders. This will help in reformation of the market and reduce the troubles faced currently by Pro Audio. Furthermore, making the custome rs aware by providing a hotline where queries can be lodged is relevant. Public awareness gives consumers information that helps them in making sound decisions. In this context, any retailer found on the wrong loses the contract. 5.Implementation: 1) Termination of old contracts would be the first step. This would mean that the terms would change to favour the retail market. 2) New contracts would be given to suppliers to ensure that they are aware of the retail terms of agreement. These contracts must be given on the basis of performance. 3) Retail agents should be hired to train and demonstrate consumers on the use of the products in all dealerships. 4) Orders will be processed by the company on the basis of payment to avoid losses. 5) The prices for the products should be fixed to stop issues of discounting and negotiating with dealers.

Concept of Maqasid Al-Syariah Essay

1. In directly meaning Maqasid Al-Syariah can be define as the objectives of Islamic law. However, in linguistic meaning Maqasid is define as follow, a goal or as an inspiration meanwhile Al-Syariah is define as the law that God reveal to Muhammad involving all aspects of life such as family institution, in finance or it can say the way of a Muslims live their life. In together term Maqasid Al-Syariah carriers the meaning based on its constituent part, of the goal and objectives which are reason for legislation of the rule of Islam. As we known all law in Islam has wisdom behind them and not randomly legislated or without purpose. These terms are back bone to this concept. They are Illah and Hikmah. Illah; in linguistically has two meaning. A sickness and a reason or causes. In definition Illah is a law that exist because of the reason or it impact in bad ways. As an example is prohibition of drinking alcohol is due to it give bad effects to our health and mental stability. Allah prohibits us to drink Alcohol in order to avoid us losing our insanity and doing something immoral without our awareness. Hikmah; in linguistically means wisdom or intend. This mean Islamic law has it intend even though it is not clear why Allah make a rule like that. There are some rules in Shariah for which the reason for their legislation is not clear or apparent. We do not say that there is no reason, rather which it is hidden from us and Allah with His wisdom chose not to disclose it. As an Example prayer five times daily. That not to say there are no benefits. Only Allah knows best. 2.Sources of Islamic Law Several of sources Islamic law used by Islamic jurisprudence to clarify the Shariah. There are two main sources that can be consider as the core of Islamic law which is Al-Quran and Sunnah.However in some circumstances of jurisprudence different methods are used to judge the level of authencity which is comprise of Ijtima’ and Qias. The Quran Muslims believe the Quran to be the direct words of Allah, as revealed to and transmitted by the Prophet Muhammad. All sources of Islamic law must be in essential agreement with the Quran, the most fundamental source of Islamic knowledge. When the Quran itself does not speak directly or in detail about a certain subject, Muslims only then turn to alternative sources of Islamic law. The Sunnah Sunnah is the traditions or known practices of the Prophet Muhammad, many of which have been recorded in the volumes of Hadith literature. The resources include many things that he said, did, or agreed to — and he lived his life according to the Quran, putting the Quran into practice in his own life. During his lifetime, the Prophet’s family and companions observed him and shared with others exactly what they had seen in his words and behaviors — i.e. how he performed ablutions, how he prayed, and how he performed many other acts of worship. People also asked the Prophet directly for rulings on various matters, and he would pronounce his judgment. All of these details were passed on and recorded, to be referred to in future legal rulings. Many issues concerning personal conduct, community and family relations, political matters, etc. were addressed during the time of the Prophet, decided by him, and recorded. The Sunnah can thus clarify details of what is stated generally in the Quran. Ijma’ (consensus) In situations when Muslims have not been able to find a specific legal ruling in the Quran or Sunnah, the consensus of the community is sought (or at least the consensus of the legal scholars within the community). The Prophet Muhammad once said that his community (i.e. the Muslim community) would never agree on an error. Qiyas (analogy) In cases when something needs a legal ruling, but has not been clearly addressed in the other sources, judges may use analogy, reasoning, and legal precedent to decide new case law. This is often the case when a general principle can be applied to new situations. (See the article Smoking in Islam for an example of this process at work.) 3.Type and categories of riba and gharar The Islamic economic system as part of spiritual activities obtains its general rules from Al Qur’an and Sunnah. Therefore, its values consist of what is allowed and leaves out what is forbidden. Some values that are forbidden in Qur’an and Sunnah are Riba (Usury) and Gharar (Uncertainty). These values are the biggest differences between Islamic economics and Capitalism and Socialism economic systems. The following is the explanation of Riba and Gharar: A. Riba (Usury) Riba is literally translated from the Arab language and means ‘an increase, growth, augmentation or accretion,’ (Khir, Gupta, & Shanmugam, 2008, p.28), and ‘addition and expansion,’ (Al-Harran, 1993, p.16) although not all of increasing is forbidden in Islam. And as syari’ah term, it means ‘the premium’ that is paid by the borrower to the lender together with the principal of loan due to some condition and because of its addition time to maturity (Chapra, 1992). According to this definition, many scholars agree that the riba refers to ‘interest’ used commonly in economic conventional system. Types of Riba: Scholars have divided riba into two types: 1. Riba Duyun. This type of riba occurs in a loan or debt. Any kind of addition or increase above the amount of principal whether the addition or increase are inflicted by the lenders or willingness of the borrowers. Riba Duyun is divided in two types: a.RibaQardh This is all increments above the amount of the principal of the loan whose amount is imposed proportionately at the beginning of the lending agreement. The addition above the amount of the principal and is due in a certain amount of time based on the loan. b.Riba Jahiliyyah This occurs when the increment of the principal increases as the time of loan increases. At first, there is no such fix increment, but when the borrowers want to postpone the loan or to extend the time to maturity the lenders will compel the increase of the loan. However, this addition is due to the time of maturity and can also happen along with the riba qardh above. According to this explanation riba qard and riba jahiliyyah refer to ‘interest’ because they are associated with the ‘addition or increase’ and the ‘extension’ of time to maturity. For example: Loans from the banks, credit card etc. 1. Riba Buyun Riba buyun occurs in trading transactions. This kind of riba occurs in trading of two of the same product but in unequal amounts; or the same product in equal amounts but there is a postponement in delivery. Types of Riba Buyun are: a. Riba Fadhl Riba fadhl is products that are exchanged in different amounts, number, measurement or weight without the postponement in delivery of the product or the payment. According to Khir, Gupta, & Shanmugam (2008) it is also called Riba of Excess (p.31). Riba fadhl can happen in the purchase and sale of different products, but the quantity or the amount of products that is exchanged are different. The difference in the quantity or the amount is unjust and dishonest which is prohibited in Islam. Riba fadhl can be avoided if the goods exchanged are equal in amount, number, quantity, and measurement. b. Riba Nasi’ah (Riba Yad) According to Khir, Gupta, & Shanmugam (2008), this is a kind of riba happens in trading in same weight, measurement and number of products, but the delivery of products, or the payment of money are delayed. However, Chapra (1992) stated that Nasi’ah come from nasa’a means ‘to postpone, defer, or wait’ (p.35), and refers to the time the borrower returns the loan with the addition. And he argues that this is interest in a conventional system. Although there are some explanations and definitions about types of riba, basically the meaning is same; because in concluding knowledge, scholars is usually referred to as Ijma’ Ulama (the teaching from Scholars who have well known about their knowledge in Islamic Jurisprudence). Motivation in prohibition of Riba: Islam is very concerned with human prosperity. Therefore, it would not forbid something without any explanation for the prohibition. Although riba does not just refer to interest, but the term of riba is used to explain interest. The following is the reason why riba is prohibited in Islam: 1. An interest based system damages equity. Interest will force the borrowers to pay additional money above the principal; while the borrowers do not have a positive profit from their loan used in business. Therefore, the interest rate will increase the money of rich people. 2. Interest based systems dissuade people to open a new business. Interest rates will cause people to hesitate in finding something new or in opening a new venture because the new business does not yet have a positive return. On the other hand, the owner must pay definite payments to the lenders. 3. Interest based systems set profit to one side and ignores the other side. Much like banks, they are just concerned about their returns and don’t care about loss or profit of the borrowers. 4. Interest based systems depress investment activity. Interest will increase investment costs. 5. Interest based systems add securities to the lenders rather than participate in development. For example: For safety lending reasons, banks tend to provide loans to the most profitable business or company that have been in existence for a long time and are less concerned with small enterprises that are new in the market.

Consolidation of Financial Statements Research Paper

Consolidation of Financial Statements - Research Paper Example This paper seeks to analyze how the acquisition method compares with the earlier two methods in consolidation of financial statements, its impact on financial statement reporting quality, potential Impact on decision making and International implications of consolidation of financial statements. The paper also discussed the differences between the standards of IFRS and GAAP in respect of consolidation of financial statements with a view to resolve the differences for enhancing uniformity, comparability and transparency in consolidation of financial statements. Acquisition Method Primarily there are two types of treatment under this method. In the first one, the investor acquires assets (and often liabilities) and investee goes out of business and the investor continues to do the business with the controlling interest. The investee company becomes a subsidiary and the stock of investee is shown as investment in the investor’s books of accounts. This process involves accounting for the fair value of the company acquired by ascertaining fair value of the assets and liabilities including contingencies based on risks associated as well as the consideration in line with the international standards. If the consideration is not equal to fair value either it is treated as good will where consideration exceeds fair value or as gain on acquisition where the consideration is less than the fair value. Direct costs associated with the acquisition are expensed. It may include fees payable to legal advisors, appraisers, auditing firms and investment bankers. Indirect costs of acquisition such as secretarial and managerial efforts are expensed. However, fair value is reduced by the costs associated with registration and issue of securities. In the second case, the acquired company continues to function as a separate entity without dissolution. In this case, the financial statements of such entity are considered in the accounts / financial statements of the acquired compa ny. The balances are consolidated separately without formal entries in the books of accounts. Assets with indefinite life are reviewed periodically for impairment in line with the accounting / reporting standards. How Purchase Method differs from Acquisition Method Application of fair-value principle is common to both the purchase method and the acquisition method. However, under Purchase Method transactions costs are included in the purchase price in the books of accounts of the subsidiary. The transaction costs and restructuring costs included in fair value under purchase method are considered as business expenses under acquisition method. Also, fair value is measured as on acquisition date under acquisition method. The acquisition method is based on recognition and measurement of the assets. The acquisition method takes into account non-controlling interests and contingencies, whereas purchase method ignores this aspect. Pooling of interest method The investor records investment in sub account and consolidation is outside the books of accounts by eliminating investment account and equity account in subsidiary’s accounts. Book values of the companies are simply combined together in consolidation of financial statements. Goodwill is not recorded in the books of accounts. Revenues and expenses are added together with retrospective effect. Rezaee, Z. (2001, p. 291) stated â€Å"Under the pooling of interest method: (1) carrying amounts on the books of combining entities should be carried forward; (2) no goodwill should be recognized; and (3) prior financial statements should be restated as if the combining entity had always been combined.† Acquisition method has significant improvements over this method to suit the needs of the businesses. Impact on financial stateme

Organisational Change Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words - 6

Organisational Change Management - Essay Example From a critical perspective, it is quite likely that in the prevailing situation, the planned change management strategies will lead to unavoidable conflicts and confusions among the employees. The objective of the study is thus to analyse the underlying problem as well as to find solutions to these problems. Emphasising on these aspects, the underlying objectives of the study is to critically analyse the change management approach considered by D2 applying the 5D’s framework that involves Definition, Discovery, Dream, Design and the Destiny. Definition: Primary Underlying Problems of the Case Study The situation witnessed by D2 as described in the case study of â€Å"The auto-components manufacturer†, portrays the problem of the survival and the sustainability within the competitive market scenario. In this context, a crisis was caused within the operational process of D2, fundamentally due to the decreasing demand of the consumers for the products. With reference to t he problem, the main cause was identified as the economic downturn resulting in the contraction of the business cycle and inhibited purchasing power of the customers. Hence, to counter the situational crisis, and generate customer demand to a sustainable extent, the company has been concentrating towards applying cost cutting strategies in accordance with the customer convenience with the given reduction in the purchasing power of the customers. From a theoretical understanding, it can be affirmed that the company has been focusing on a framed process to execute its change management approach, with a clear definition of the underlying objectives and assumptions (Golembiewski, 2000). In accordance with the crisis scenario the company also framed plans to discontinue the production of the few components and concentrating towards the other components at fewer production units to derive more sustainable benefits from economies of scale applying a retrenchment strategic notion. In accord ance to the crisis, the company has decided to close down an existing unit that being operated on the basis of out-dated technology support. It is expected that the closure of the company will result in accelerated redundancies as well as provide a substantial opportunity to very few employees to re-deploy within other plants or units. Economic downturn within the market scenario is also quite likely to cause increased unemployment thereby causing ethical concerns in the light of economic downturn situation. In accordance with aforementioned crisis scenario, situational leadership or the management style can be observed. Situational leadership style portrays decisions of the leader with respect to a particular situation. With reference to the related case study, a hierarchical organisation structure of D2 can be identified wherein the management’s decisions and the rules are followed from the top to the bottom level of the organisation. The prevailing organisational structure also forces the employees to abide by rules and regulations as well as the strategies framed by the management in

Architecture of the UAE Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Architecture of the UAE - Essay Example sis is now placed on projects to be completed within the specified project duration due to the current trend of shifting most projects towards the fast track approach. This has led to the need to pinpoint exactly the relevant causes of delay that have to be monitored during the entire phases of the project on time. (Olsen & West, 2007) There is a major construction boom in Dubai; Garhoud Bridge expanding hotels, sky scrapers, projects, palm islands, metro and so on, is currently in full swing. This requires a lot of investment and Dubai has been successful in attracting foreign investment by giving benefits such as residence visa and 99 year freehold ownership. All this has led into a vicious circle where the flow of money in Dubai has increased resulting increase in absolute prices which has in turn led to higher inflation. (Stern, 2009) Who is building this huge new city and its peers around the United Arab Emirates? Some of the worlds most acclaimed architects — whose reputations in western capitals, China, and India have put them in high demand — have been drawn to these desert lands. They include Frank Gehry, Zaha Hadid, Tadao Ando, Rem Kolhaas, Carlos Ott and many others. (Kaufman, 2007) To the untrained eye, the Dubai of 25 years ago might have seemed an unappealing place to build. The region was more or less a blank slate. But to talented international architects striving to execute their unique vision and to the firms that grew around them, Dubai was fertile ground. Here there was no need to remove previously constructed housing complexes or industrial structures, theater districts or public buildings (Stern, 2009). There had been no visionaries or practitioners of architecture whose footprints would be erased in order to build anew. Most importantly, there were ample funds available, and the support of the local population who shared the new, unique vision of development. As a result, the imagination and creativity of the worlds greatest architects

A world of whose making - Economic Interdependence and Political Order Essay

A world of whose making - Economic Interdependence and Political Order - Essay Example A world of whose making - Economic Interdependence and Political Order These advantages cannot be transferred from one economy to the other, and therefore countries aim to use the advantages they have for producing goods with relative competence. This provides an insight into the reasons for countries like Japan and U.S. to develop their technology with relative efficiencies. When countries produce a specific good with comparative efficiency, they may not focus on the production of other goods. As a result, they would have to trade their goods with other countries. This is the argument buttressed by the theory of comparative advantage (Madura 2008). The theory provides an insight into the dynamics of the international trade and helps to show how trade provides advantages to the trading parties (D'Anieri 2009). The theory of comparative advantage in economics refers to the concept of production of goods and services at a lesser cost than that produced by another country. The country has a margin of superiority in the goods produced; this pertains to the notion that the opportunity cost of the goods produced by one country is less than that in the other country. David Ricardo was the developer of the basic theory of comparative advantage. He was of the view that absolute advantage is a subset of the more general theory. After Ricardo, a number of theorists furthered and developed the theory of comparative advantage including Heckscher, Ohlin and Samuelson. The theory projected the facts that different countries have varying factor endowments of labor, land and capital input. Countries are going to prefer the production of those products which extensively use the factors of productions with the greatest endowment (Tutor2u 2011). This follows that if the countries gain advantage by specializing in these goods, there will be an increase in the total output and economic welfare. This holds credibility even when one nation may have an absolute advantage over the other country. One of the assumptions which constitute the theory of compara tive advantage is that there is perfect occupational mobility of the factors of production. This means that the resources of one industry can be transferred to another without significant loss of efficiency. The theory also assumes that there should be constant returns to scale; a proportionate increase in the inputs leads to an equal increase in the outputs. There are no externalities surfacing from production and consumption. Also transportation costs are not taken into consideration. Increased returns are a product of specialization and the idea was put forward by Paul Romer and Paul Ormerod. If businesses take advantage from increasing returns to scale, the gains from the trade are more. There is no transport costs associated with comparative advantage. Costs do not vary and economies of scale are not present. There are two economies producing and trading homogenous goods. Moreover the trade carried out between the two countries is not impeded by trade barriers. Also the buyers and sellers have perfect knowledge and the buyers are able to trace down the cheapest goods available in the market (AC Mulligan n.d.). Comparative advantage is not a static concept; rather it keeps changing. Businesses may have had comparative advantage in a market in one product for years in a row. However the gains made during this period may suddenly be at stake as new competitors enter the market. The contribution of Ricardo in the basic theory of

Legal Aspects of Business Decisions Unit 2 IP Research Paper

Legal Aspects of Business Decisions Unit 2 IP - Research Paper Example Sturge Ltd to honor obligation amounts to violation of Ohio’s statutory and property law. According to Steinberg (1993), the court’s holding asserted that the Ohio Blue Sky Laws in subject were not applicable since international transactions at that time were not explicitly covered within the laws. The plaintiff, West Shell Jr. and the defendant R.W. Sturge Ltd were locked in a case, which was eventually brought to conclusion by Hamilton County Court in December 08, 1993. With respect to the presiding judges, West Shell Jr. et al were supposed to be refunded all monetary resources that they incurred as loses after investing in unregistered securities. According to Steinberg (1993), the court established that the defendant R.W. Sturge Ltd et al made a coalition with other third parties in selling illegal stocks and securities to the plaintiff. Therefore, R.W. Sturge Ltd et al was liable for refunding money used to purchase securities as well as payment of any attorney fees incurred by the plaintiff throughout the case. With respect to procedural construct of the case, British law asserts that any insurance and investment premium received by underwriters of a financial company is automatically placed in a trust fund. Any profits realized from a trust fund are released to the underwriters association, upon which the underwriters will extend the proceeds to investors. In this case, R.W. Sturge Ltd failed to honor its agreement by selling illegitimate securities to the plaintiff. Consequently, the plaintiff argued that the agreement binding the sale of securities was void under the Ohio Blue Sky Law. With respect to the legal background, Ohio Blue Sky Laws states that all public transactions brought into Ohio are accorded protection from fraudulent contracts and misrepresentation of facts during an agreement. According to Steinberg (1993), this means that Ohio Blue Sky Laws protect investors against gullibility and mischievousness of international

Operations Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 6

Operations Management - Essay Example For example the case study for Mark and Spencer that is involved in providing high quality fashionable products, product design is very essential so as to produce products that are highly competitive in the market (Vilcox & Thomas 2007). The company is known for innovation of its fabrics from its own textile technologies laboratories that is part of the product design. The process of product design however requires the input of several resources so as to come up with a presentable product in the market. The most essential requirement for the design of products in the apparel industry the raw material used to design the product. For the final product to be highly competitive in the market, the used raw materials should be of high quality although relatively low priced (Paulin & Hillery 2009). The raw material should be provided as low prices so as to regulate the product cost in the market. To enhance the constant provision of the raw materials, Mark and Spencer invested in a close re lationship with its materials suppliers. Due to these factors the company is known for the use of easy synthetic fibre to design its clothing. The company also prides in the application of high health and hygiene standards in the processing of their food products. The company has invented the design of new styles by providing new brands over shorter periods (Malcom 2007). Despite operating in a highly competitive market, Mark and Spencer has embraced innovation using the latest technology to suit the changing trends, the fashion and design sector (Jones 2006). The values of quality and service which were used by Mark and Spencer however led to higher prices of the products. Designing of products is essential because in determine different characteristics of the product as well as how well the product functions (Jones 2006). The essential activities involved in product design include research and development, marketing and engineering. Some of the factors of the product that are dete rmined by the design process include the products cost and quality (Beauchamp, Norman & Arnold 2008). The main purpose of design is to develop a product or service that appeals to the consumer at convincing prices and at the same time. For the product to achieve this it has to be designed using high quality but low cost raw materials. The technology applied in the development of the product also determines the p

Report leadership Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4750 words

Report leadership - Coursework Example g to a visible set of leadership differences prevailing between Apple under the guidance of Jobs and Enron, their respective approaches towards performing various operational functions were also been determined thoroughly in the report. Steve Jobs had been quite an influential leader over the years and during his reign, Apple has experienced maximum success in the global business market. However, on the other hand, owing to the inefficiency in the domain of leadership, Enron has seen a major setback in its business, which ultimately resulted in total demise from the global market. Contextually, certain areas of improvement were highlighted in the report that could have enhanced the leadership approaches of both the companies and their respective leaders up to a certain extent. Business patterns have been transformed immensely over the years due to the progression in the domain of technology along with the emergence of various new and developed means of steering business activities. It will be crucial to depict that companies, which fail to move in parallel with the changing business environment will not be capable or less capable in ensuring the conduct of sustainable operations in the global business world. Contextually, it is worth mentioning that companies have the need to develop effective as well as creative strategies that can strengthen their competitive position both in the domestic and the global market. It is quite obvious to the fact that due to the absence of proper plans and policies, any business will suffer adversely and will not able to create a sustainable position for themselves in this competitive business world. In this regard, it is vital that companies plan their objectives and business prospects in an effective and efficient manner, further enhancing the probability of gaining maximum success. However, the other side of the coin depicts that proper execution of the strategies is equally important to attain several significant benefits for

Globalization Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 9

Globalization - Essay Example hibited throughout Germany; one in which personal privacy and the belief in national sovereignty trumps any mutual or shared interests that the United States or Angela Merkel might seek to promote. The article itself is indicative of the power and impact of globalization for a number of reasons. Firstly, it underscores the ramifications that governmental actions can have on business and/or profitability that a multi-national company can hope to achieve. Secondly, it underscores the way in which the growth of a reputable and well known US telecommunications giant can eventually create a situation in which international pressure and disagreement, some might even argue illegal actions, create a situation in which the entire business model falls in jeopardy. Although the reader might assume that the NSA snooping scandal is somehow separate from the issue of international business or globalization, the fact of the matter is that it is not; instead, the NSA was using these snooping practices to gain a strategic advantage over German firms and not necessarily as a means of stopping or intercepting

Population & The Environment Essay Example for Free

Population The Environment Essay Discussions regarding the environmental impact of increasing population densities across the globe never lose their currency. From Thomas Malthus to Paul R. Erlich and onwards, there is a persistent concern that a growing international population may not only reach a tipping point in which the planet’s ability to provide for it is stretched to its limit, but begin to experience detrimental effects in the form of environmental problems. This concern is not simply a matter of numbers, but a matter of how industrial civilizations have consistently failed to curtail anthropogenic impacts. As Donella Meadows (199) opines, â€Å"not only are there so many more of us, but each of us is bigger† when one measures the amount of energy and material we use and the amount of pollutants and waste created by the industries we have created to support our energy and material use. In effect, â€Å"The number of people is not what degrades the earth; its the number of people times the flow of energy and material each person commands. † One of the most frequently cited means by which highly dense populations negatively impact the environment is through intense car use. Alex Steffen (2008) notes that intensive car use within a finite geographic territory is not only a massive contributor to greenhouse emissions that are warming the planet, but they also command a large amount of resource use through the inputs necessary to maintain highway infrastructure, build the actual cars and fuel them. Granted, the resource consumption and greenhouse emissions caused directly by private automobile ownership is absolutely no surprise to anyone, but the less obvious implication that Steffen reports is that exhaust emissions are only a fraction of the environmental impact of the automobile. Over the course of the mid-20th century onwards, the increasing prominence of the automobile as part of modern living has necessitated the construction of massive highway infrastructure. The result is that when you factor dense populations with intense private ownership and use of automobiles is that not only is there a massive amount of greenhouse emissions, but the amount of pavement this infrastructure commands can contribute significantly to the heat island effect which has become a concern among urban planners as of late. Heat islands not only increase the amount of energy expended on indoor air conditioning, but they can worsen air quality. (Steffen, 2008) As such, Steffen argues that no matter the great lengths that today’s automobile manufacturers go to in order to make their automobiles into shiny fuel-efficient emissions-reduced green things to sate the eco-minded consumer, it will not be enough to remediate environmental impacts brought about by car use. Take for example the push towards biofuels, which is essentially, a push for auto manufacturers, in collaboration with energy companies, to make automobiles that run on renewable agricultural products that emit a reduced amount of greenhouse gases. While there is much fuss in the mainstream press about the extent to which the biofuel industry is cannibalizing the food supply, a more overlooked concern is the manner in which the expansion of industrial agriculture to such a massive scale negatively impacts the environment. Simply put, the principal concern is not the ability of agriculture to feed populations, but rather how the expansion of the food supply, combined with the accommodations made for biofuels, has a deleterious effect on the environment. Manning (85-89) notes that the homogenous and unsustainable approach of industrialized corn-based agriculture is detrimental to the health of the soil. As such, there is a possibility that the massive conversion of lands towards the production of corn could recreate the conditions of The Great Dust Bowl, a period in the American heartland which saw hundreds of thousands of would-be wheat farmers plow the soil to death to profit from golden grain. Thus, as civilizations increase in population density, so too do their demands in food and automobile use, effectively exerting a greater toll on the planet’s natural environment. In any case, we must be mindful to remember that the problems inherent with a massive human population should not lead us to conclude that humans have no ecologically acceptable place in the planet. Humanity is not a virus on the operating system of the planet. Rather, what human society should begin to acknowledge is that it must begin to take a more comprehensive look at its impacts in order to correct them thoroughly. REFERENCES Meadows, Donella. â€Å"The Deep Six. † Grist. 12 October 1999. Retrieved online on March 14, 2009 from: http://www. grist. org/comments/citizen/1999/10/12/deep/index. html Steffen, Alex. â€Å"My Other Car is a Bright Green City. † Worldchanging. 23 January 2008. Retrieved online on March 14, 2009 from: http://www. worldchanging. com/archives/007800. html Manning, Richard. Against the Grain: How Agriculture Has Hijacked Civilization. New York: North Point Press, 2004.

What Is A Carbon Footprint Environmental Sciences Essay

What Is A Carbon Footprint Environmental Sciences Essay there are many definitions used by different organizations; a carbon footprint is The total amount of greenhouse gases produced to directly and indirectly support human activities, usually expressed in equivalent tons of carbon dioxide (CO2) (timeforchange.org); The total set of greenhouse gas emissions caused directly and indirectly by an [individual, event, organisation, product] expressed as CO2.'(carbon trust). Some organisations such as direct.gov and the carbon trust provide online calculators which allow individuals and businesses to calculate their individual carbon footprint and how you can go on to minimise and/or offset it. Government campaigns and initiatives such as Act on CO2 encourage and provide information on how the CO2 output can be reduced (which is the main contributor to greenhouse effect) by making changes to their lifestyle and daily routine. For households this includes switching to energy efficient light bulbs, switching of appliances when not in use and red ucing the temperature of laundry washes. For businesses there are incentives and aids such as online help for reducing co2 emissions and costs, carbon surveys and 0% interest loans for energy efficient equipment upgrades (carbon trust). Companies such as carbon trust set up by the government are providing  £50 million in interest free loans to help the public sector save energy. It is clear that an incentive for both individuals and businesses is that reducing their carbon footprint will inevitably save them money; replacing an old boiler (10-15 yrs old) with and energy efficient boiler could save a household  £90 each year. (direct) Savings such as these are enough of a driver to encourage those people to consider reducing their carbon footprint. However it is important to consider if initial costs are relatively small and how easy and practical it is to make these changes. ( exoand on this) There is a need to reduce the CO2 emissions contribution to greenhouse gases (GHG) compared to other GHG as the actions of humans mostly contributes to Co2 . Since the last industrial revolution there has been a rise to tens of billions of tons per year from human greenhouse gas emmisions. Figure 1 shows human produced greenhouse gases. Figure 1 Currently over 30 billion tonnes of CO2 is emitted each year by the burning of fossil fuels which releases co2 directly into the atmosphere. 7 billion tonnes is emitted from land use changes such as deforestation which changes the natural process of trees removing Co2 from the atmosphere. (actonco2) different activities which contribute include; Industry: more than 40%, Buildings (homes, offices and the like: about 31%, transportations: around 22% and Agriculture; about 4%. (robert henderson) The contribution from other GHG to global warming can be calculated by converting them into their carbon equivalent (carbonfootprint.com) The previous bullet point describes the carbon emissions of different sectors and countries. There is an increasing need for businesses in the private and public sector and local authorities to reduce carbon emissions as well as individuals. The UK government is introducing new legislation in order to meet the target of reducing emissions by 80% by 2050. This legislation includes charging businesses if their energy usage is greater than 6000MWh per year. (reference). If these requirements are not met then the result is being placed in a low league table (carbon footprint-crc) and the possibility of facing other penalties. EU and UK legislation regarding reducing carbon emissions and energy in the UK is discussed in sectionxxxx of this report. Local authorities are encouraged to be fore frontiers of combating global warming in their areas and societies; encouraging others to make changes in order to reduce carbon emissions. Local authorities will need to calculate the carbon emissions of their buildings and services yearly and report them to DEFRA. Under new regulations they are encouraged to raise awareness of reducing carbon footprints in the local area ( carbonfootprint.com). The Carbon emissions of LAs will be published annually. There are also a number of campaigns such as Act on Co2 being advertised to the public to highlight the problem of carbon emissions. The Government is putting pressure on tenants, buyers and the public for making their buildings more energy efficient. Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs) were introduced in 2008 (carbon foot) and are required when a building is constructed, sold or rented out. It rates the energy performance of a building; informing buyers, possible occupants if the building is energy efficient. A recommendation report is always produced along with the certificate listing the potential opportunities to increase the buildings energy efficiency. Landlords are open to Heavy penalties of 12.5% of the rateable value of the building if an EPC is not presented when requested by a tenant/buyer. The equivalent for public buildings are Display Energy Certificates; where the building is rated on its operational efficiency every 10 years, with the result certificate displayed in a publically visible place (cfprint) How is a carbon footprint calculated? Online calculators provided by organistations including direct.gov, carbon trust and carbon footprint allow both businesses and households to calculate their carbon footprint. In order to get an accurate idea of a carbon footprint it is important to use calculators regulated by Government bodies. For households, data which is usually sort for calculation of the footprint are statistics such as gas and electricity bills, motor vehicle mileage and Miles per Gallon (MPG) the products contained in homes and the main source of heating the home gas or electricity (act on co2),. For businesses this can includes all of the above as well as employee travel and fuel usuage for example. A carbon footprint is made up pf the sum of a primary footprint and a secondary footprint These are defined by Carbon Footprint Ltd. below 1. The primary footprint is a measure of our direct emissions of CO2 from the burning of fossil fuels including domestic energy consumption and transportation (e.g. car and plane). We have direct control of these. 2. The secondary footprint is a measure of the indirect CO2 emissions from the whole lifecycle of products we use those associated with their manufacture and eventual breakdown. To put it very simply the more we buy the more emissions will be caused on our behalf. The graph below shows the main elements of an individuals lifestyle which contributes to a carbon footprint. The pie chart above shows the main elements which make up the total of an typical persons carbon footprint in the developed world. This is different for residents of other countries; on average a UK resident has an annual carbon footprint if 11.6 tonnes; 40% manufacture/construction, food 5%, services 6% housing 20%. Compared to a US resident of 25.9 tonnes 38% manufacture/construction, food 45%, services 6%, housing 18%, personal travel 34% and resident of Africa resident 0.9% from services solely ( robert henderson book) How to reduce a carbon footprint When considering reducing and how to reduce a carbon footprint it is important to consider the persons lifestyle and for a company; the type of business. Everyone leads different lives and will be able to make differences depending on their lifestyle. Some people require travelling abroad for instance so it may be difficult to minimise travel co2 emissions. In almost all instances reducing co2 emissions inevitably results in reducing costs in the long term. Changes can be made in all aspects of life in order to reduce a carbon footprint; this includes in the home, changing transport and travel, shopping and recycling. Initial costs outweigh benefit At home switching to low energy light bulbs, and investing in attic insulation can reduce the energy lost in a home resulting in less energy and money required to heat it. Some utility companies also allow customers to specify that some or all of the power supplied to your home is from renewable sources (roberthenderson). This works by the company putting energy into the grid in an amount equal to your consumption. Households could also switch to renewable energies such as photovoltaics and wind turbines. The benefits and reality of such technologies smaller households will be discussed in sectionxxx Businesses Table xxx shows methods to help reduce an indivuals carbon footprint Home Travel shopping Business-buildings product Loft insulation Switch to cycling and walking Consider the materials used and transport mechanism for products Turning elcetircla equipment off at night Deisng for environmentally friendly products Double glazing Making fewer and shorter journeys by car uses a lot if energy Choose local products, and farmers market products and organic products Invest in energy saving plant/ technology Draught excluders Choose energy efficient vehicles-hybrid Buying in vulk and ingeredients instead of ready made foods Install movement sensitive lights in lower used areas such as toilets Cavity wall insulation Plan route, save fuel, time and money getting lost Improve insulation and lowering the thermostat temperature Carbon offsetting Carbon offsetting is the process of compensating for carbon emissions which are generally unavoidable (i.e lifestyle essentials) by funding an equivalent co2 saving project somewhere else. carbon credits are awarded in order to balance to emissions from defined activities measured in carbon dioxide equivalent (co2e) (qas). It is highly stressed (act n co2) that carbon offsetting is not an alternative to reducing an individuals/organisations carbon emissions to combat climate change but provide a mechanism to reduce GHG emissions in the most cost-effective and economically-efficient manner (carbonfootprint.com) carbon offsetting is defined as (offsetting.decc.goc.uk) Offsetting is also used by global corporations such as HSBC (get some more) Some online travel services and airlines also offer customers the possibility to offset their air travel emissions. The UK Governments Quality assurance Scheme (QAS)- for carbon offsetting introduced in xxx. It has been created to help individuals and companies choose approved quality offsets. The QAS effectively vouches for the quality of offsets provided with a quality mark. The aim of the scheme is to tackle public confusion and distrust of carbon offsetting whilst providing better information and high quality standards for customers of carbon offsetting. The main process of carbon offsetting (carbon neutral) is (directgov offset) calculating the emissions produced- this can be done using QAS offset providers which have carbon calculators -choose which activity/activities you would like to offset Buy an equivalent amount of carbon credits from projects- which use the fee paid to fund the projects Some projects include: harnessing river hydropower  in Fiji establishing the first wind energy plant in Cyprus collecting methane to generate electricity from landfill sites in Durban, South Africa (offsetting .decc.gov.uk) QAS offsetting providers include: -Energy Saving Ttust Crabon Trust The offsetting argument Offsetting fees are not regulated they do vary over time- however there are plans to set these costs from European emissions trading which are measured in cost per tonne. Therefore I is currently difficult to say if consumers and businesses are getting their monies worth of carbon offsets. Projects such as tree planting are slightly controversial as there is evidence to show that there may be longer lasting ways to beat climate change (henderson). When trees die most of its stored carbon is restored to the atmosphere anyway and It may be more important to protect the rainforests which are still remaining from deforestation. The actual deforestation of forests is a very large source of greenhouse emissions- the burning of trees contributes to around a fifth of co2 produced emissions (Henderson) Now with governmental standards it should make it easier to pick offsets which actually work. It can take years to see the environmental benefits of tree planting to take affect and It also difficult to measure exactly how much carbon dioxide is saved preventing projects such as these from receiving the QAS mark (offsetting.decc.goc.uk). There are many different types of offsetting projects,  generally involving energy efficiency or renewable energy. Here are some examples of the kind of projects that could produce a credit used for offsetting: providing people in Aceh, Indonesia with solar cookers and heat retention containers for cooking, heating, sterilising water and preserving food introducing energy efficiency measures at a resort hotel in India harnessing river hydropower  in Fiji establishing the first wind energy plant in Cyprus However carbon footprint offsetting does allow people to start making the effort to combating co2 and for some (due to busy lifestyles which require releasing larger amounts of co2 9e.g-needing to travel) it is easier to do this than invest in renewable energies in the home/office. It can take decades for the carbon produced to be offset by projects such as tree planting. Whilst investing in lower energy light bulbs and insulating a loft can lead to benefits in a year.

Flu Vaccines: Technology Developments and Effects

Flu Vaccines: Technology Developments and Effects Flu, also known as Influenza, is a contagious viral disease that affects the respiratory system. It is caused by influenza viruses. It is highly infectious unpredictable disease that spreads though secretions of nose and lungs. Flu causes mild to severe illness and sometimes even leads to death. According to U.S. CDC, in an average year, 5 to 20 percent of the U.S. population gets the flu, more than 200,000 people are hospitalized with seasonal flu-related complications and about 36,000 people die from flu-related causes.  [1]   Flu vaccination is one of the best ways to protect the community from the seasonal and pandemic flu effects. Pandemic flu is different from seasonal flu,  [2]  it is a global disease outbreak that usually occurs when a flu strain new to humans emerges and causes widespread illness. The pandemic flu is very dangerous because of newly originated strain to which humans have little pre-existing immunity and vaccines would probably not be available immediately in early stages of pandemics.2 The pandemic outbreaks have potential impact on society causing high levels of illness, death, economic loss and social disruption. Recently in 2009 a novel H1N1 virus emerged which became pandemic. It is estimated that in U.S., approximately 43-89 million persons became ill because of this pandemic H1N1. It also resulted in deaths among children, adults, pregnant and post-partum women. On the other hand seasonal flu form occurs seasonally, usually in winter. Seasonal flu causes significant illness and in some cases death. Annual vaccination: Flu vaccination is most effective way to control and prevent influenza virus infections and severe complications. It is especially important for younger children and people who are at high risk of catching infections. Flu vaccines are available as Flu shot of trivalent inactivated or killed virus (TIV) or Live Attenuated Influenza Vaccine (LAIV) as nasal spray. However, it is impossible to prevent influenza by one time vaccination because Influenza viruses undergo changes from year to year and develop resistance making previously available vaccines ineffective. Therefore scientists make different flu vaccine every year. In addition the immunity developed from having the flu caused by one strain does not always offer protection against new strain. Immunity also declines over time after previous years vaccination and at a point it may be too low to provide protection after year. Hence to combat with changing influenza viruses, vaccination is done every year. Getting seasonal flu vaccin ation offers protection that lasts throughout the year preventing infection and its complications. Vaccine recommendations: The World Health Organization organizes meetings twice a year and recommends inclusion of specific virus strains in Influenza vaccine based on results of surveillance, laboratory and clinical studies, and the availability of vaccine virus strains. Then individual countries make their own decision about inclusion of virus strains in vaccines licensed in their country. In U.S., each year, a panel of experts from agencies such as the FDA and the CDCs Advisory committee on Immunizations Practices (ACIP) studies the available data and decides which three strains of influenza viruses will most likely be active during the next flu season. The selection of vaccine strains for inclusion in seasonal flu vaccine is based on circulating virus strains, how they are spreading, and how well current vaccine strain protects against newly identified strains.  [3]  The ACIP makes written recommendations for administration of vaccines to children and adults. These recommendations include age for administration, doses, dosing interval, precautions and contraindications.  [4]  The seasonal flu vaccine for 2010-2011 offers protection against H3N2 virus, an influenza B virus and pandemic H1N1 virus that emerged in 2009. Vaccine Shortage Issue: There are many issues related to flu vaccines. Among many vaccine shortage is the most noticed every year. A close examination reveals that the shortage for vaccine is not one cause but several. Some of them include high risk of contamination in vaccine production, unpredictable consumer demand, and low profits along with lack of liability protection from costly lawsuits made many manufacturers out of flu vaccine business.  [5]   Most of the companies stopped production of flu vaccine because the demand varies from year to year, as it is always unpredictable and once flu season passes away the remaining stock is useless because a new vaccine is required to deal with changing strains of virus  [6]. According to 2003 report by Institute of Medicine, a unit of National Academy of Sciences, the companies producing vaccines dropped from 30 to 5 in year 2004.6 The companies producing injectable influenza vaccine dropped to two (Chiron Aventis Pasteur) in year 2005.5 Production of flu virus vaccine is very complicated and expensive, but the government keeps price of flu vaccine low. Among the two firms Chiron was forced to shut down its UK plant because of quality control reasons. This resulted in shortage. Another problem is that each year, the U.S. Food and Drug Administrations Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee meets in spring identifies the flu virus strains to be protected by flu vac cine manufactured for that fall-winter flu season.5 This time gap between committees decision and following flu season allows manufactures to make vaccines but the flu strains can undergo changes by the time vaccines are manufactured for flu season. Thus it is difficult to determine for what strains of flu virus vaccine should be made which may end up with vaccine shortage for specific flu season. In 2003 committee voted to include the Panama flu virus in vaccine for the 2003-04 flu seasons, excluding Fujian flu mutant virus, a more virulent but less prevalent at that time. But the winters flu outbreak consisted almost entirely of the Fujian strain. CDC without noticing it recommended widespread vaccination which did not protect the public against the prevalent flu strain. The CDC later admitted the vaccine had no or low effectiveness against ILI (influenza-like illness). Latest development in flu vaccine research: The outbreak of pandemic flu has motivated increase in flu research The recent advancement in field of flu vaccine research is development of Universal flu vaccines. Scientist Dr. Sarah Gilbert and team at Oxford Jenner Institute developed universal flu vaccine that target proteins inside flu that are common across all strains and tested on humans infected with flu  [7]. Gilbert used 11 healthy volunteers for her study and vaccinated and then infected them along with 11 non-vaccinated volunteers. Upon careful monitoring there has been dramatic increase in T-cell count in vaccinated subjects which play important role in producing immune response, protecting against viral infections. Researchers of University of Adelaide, Dr. Darren Miller and his colleagues, have trialled a universal synthetic flu vaccine in mice which is another step closer to development of a universal flu vaccine. It is derived synthetically which does not require annual reformulation which would be advantageous to control and prevent flu. Dr. Miller used specific peptides derived from noses of mice to trigger an immune response to a tiny region of flu virus that is present in all influenza A and B viruses, which effectively neutralizes the virus.  [8]   The studies have shown that test vaccine provided mice with 100% protection against a laboratory strain of H3N2 and 20% protection against a highly pathogenic bird flu virus.8 This positive response provides scope for further laboratory and clinical testing. Economics of Flu vaccination: Economic studies indicate that flu vaccination reduces healthcare, societal, and individual costs and also productive losses associated with influenza illness.  [9]  A study of a larger population comparing persons aged 5064 years with those aged à ¢Ã¢â‚¬ °Ã‚ ¥65 years estimated the cost-effectiveness of influenza vaccination to be $28,000 per QALY saved (in 2000 dollars) in persons aged 5064 years compared with $980 per QALY saved among persons aged à ¢Ã¢â‚¬ °Ã‚ ¥65 years (393).Two studies in the United States indicated that vaccination can reduce both direct medical costs and indirect costs from work absenteeism and reduced productivity (79,394). Latest flu pandemics and their effect on the Regulatory world: The pandemic flu is unpredictable, spreads rapidly world wide affecting large proportions of the human population. There have been three influenza pandemics of which the recent one was the 2009 flu pandemic. This occurred first in Mexico, March 2009 caused by pandemic H1N1/09 virus also referred to as swine flu. It is subtype of Influenza A virus. On 10th of August 2010, the Director General of WHO announced that H1N1 pandemic virus has moved into post-pandemic period.  [10]  CDC estimated that nearly a 1 million cases of 2009 H1N1 pandemic flu had occurred in United States. The pandemic H1N1 flu cases doubled in many countries from mid-June 2009 to early July 2009. According to WHO statistics, 18,000 deaths were reported because of H1N1. This outbreak resulted in extraordinary illness throughout the world with increased demand for vaccination against the swine flu virus in a short time. The pandemics put intense burden on the regulatory authorities as vaccines have to be made available globally to meet the increased demands. Regulatory agencies adopted procedures for accelerated approval of vaccines against swine flu. In U.S., FDA expanded its capacity to expedite development, evaluation and licensing of additional flu vaccines and manufacturing facilities to meet pandemic preparedness needs  [11]. CBER has issued guidelines encouraging vaccine manufacturers to explore cell-culture and recombinant techniques, and to incorporate biological integrators, such as immune response, into their product-development designs.  [12]  The outbreak of pandemic flu also has increased collaboration among foreign regulatory agencies to share vaccine safety information and experiences and mount a coordinated response to the emer gency. Beta Lactam Antibiotics: Examples and Uses Beta Lactam Antibiotics: Examples and Uses The beta-lactam antibiotics for their extensive scale of actions are preferred most among antimicrobial factors. The penicillins and cephalosporins are the two categories of this ÃŽ ² lactam antibodies that are extraordinarily less toxic to organisms.(1) At present ,the ÃŽ ²-lactam groups of antibiotics are the highest frequently used universal antibiotics .(2) Cellular membrane of most bacteria enclosed by a cell wall but an extra outermost layer seen on some of them. The periplasmic space in gram negative bacteria is the cavity in the middle of the cell membrane and the cell wall. Periplasm instead of a clearly defined periplasmic space is retained by most gram positive bacteria .(3) But peptidoglycan is the greatest significant element of the cell wall that linked as a new cell by way of the metabolic absorption in periplasm is a polymer made of N-acetyl muramic acid alternating with N-acetyl glucosamine.Arises of the bacterial cell that is actually a process of peptidoglycan synthesis where accumulation of 5 amino acids to N-acetyl muramic acid is one of the leading phases. A precursor of peptidoglycan that conducted by a cell wall acceptor crossway the cell membrane in the periplasm and developed by linking N-acetyl glucosamine to the N-acetyl muramic acid . Generous crosslinking occurs for two key enzymes (trans peptidase and D-alanyl carboxypeptidase) and for the capacity to bind penicillins and cephalosporins, they are recognized as the penicillin binding proteins. B4 Development of cell wall by cross linking of a number of films of peptidoglycan grounds numerous layers and a much denser cell wall in gram positive bacteria than gram negative bacteria. Beta-lactam ring attach enzymes to cross-link peptidoglycans, that is a chemical structure which is available in the beta-lactam antibiotics consist of all penicillins and cephalosporins. Synthesis of bacterial cell wall is prevented by the affect of beta-lactam when transpeptidase and D-alanyl carboxypeptidase enzymes are attaching there by means of cross-linking and cause deterioration of bacterial cell wall.b5 As a bactericidal agents the antibiotic-penicillin binding protein complex of beta-lactam antibiotics excites autolysin discharge that have the capability of digest cell wall that left after bursting a cell. Generally, excessive inner osmotic pressure possessed by gram positive bacteria and in a low osmotic pressure enclosed atmosphere , cells those are lack of a usual and rigid cell wall are burst out.b6 There are many different types of methods of that bacteria became reistance to beta-lactam antibiotics. Transformation is one of the most important mechanisms among them and in the mean time of this process transfer of chromosomal genes between bacterium happens. Due to the death of a a resistance gene in a bacterium releasing of naked DNA in surrounding environment happens. a process known as homologous transformation and by this method the resistance gene in the host bacteria transferred from the naked DNA to the chromosome. the segment of the host DNA have been remodelled by resistance genes results altered penicillin binding proteins production by coding for cross-linking enzymes. But still cross linking of the peptidoglycan layers of the cell wall happens due to these altered penicillin binding proteins and reduces affinity for beta-lactam antibiotics and the bacterium became resistance. In penicillin-resistant S. pneumonia, this process caused the acquirement of genes from othe r naturally arising penicillin-resistant Streptococcus species. Bacteria grow into resistant to beta-lactam antibiotics by one more significant system is by the construction of enzymes capable of deactivating or altering the drug formerly it has a chance to apply its outcome on the bacteria.   peni The first human gammaretrovirus that is Xenotropic murine leukemia virus-related virus (XMRV) and responsible for chronic fatigue syndrome and prostate cancer (PC) have been revealed in recent times. Gammaretroviruses family is famous for their capability to activate cancer in the infested hosts. Analyzing study showed that vaccine-induced XMRV Env -specific binding and neutralizing antibodies (NAb) titers had limited span but highly changeable. in antibody levels, the different incidence stated for XMRV in a number of prostate cancer and chronic fatigue syndrome cohorts can be explained by the reasonably fast diminution . (2) Monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) have exceptional therapeutic applications in ophthalmology and can be used therapeutically by binding to molecular objects with high specificity. Tumour necrosis factor (TNF), epithelial growth factor receptor, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) receptor, basic fibroblast growth factor receptor, platelet-derived growth factor, and cluster of differentiation antigens repressed by a number of single-agent therapies. Existing and future mAbs in contrast to different cytokines were evaluated for ocular disease treatment and two anti-VEGF mAbs( bevacizumab and ranibizumab), and three anti-TNF agents (infliximab, etanercept, and adalimumab), instruct ocular neovascularization and intraocular inflammation. Other mAbs showed positive results for ocular lymphoma or ocular inflammation but Ranibizumab is the only FDA-approved therapy. Intravenous application of mAbs has established satisfactory toxicity profiles, while intraocular injection may decrease the chances of systemic complications . To develop the excellence and extent of responses is the challenge for the future by merging biologic therapies while lessening side effects. 2i Leading causes of death in the world for coronary syndromes, stroke and other ischaemic arterial diseases . Therapy involves with medical actions correlating thrombolysis, antiplatelet drugs, and the re-opening of the coronary artery by angioplasty. In ischaemic cardiovascular diseases, platelet initiation is a acute phase . Chimeric Fab, c7E3 or abciximab is the only one recombinant antithrombotic antibody currently used in therapy and obstructs the ultimate phase of platelet aggregation. Subendothelium matrix activation by other platelet receptors have been recognized as prospective targets for the improvement of antithrombotic antibodies .2ii In drug development, insulin-like growth factor receptor I (IGF-IR) is becoming an attractive target. IGF-IR owed confined homology to insulin receptor and its specificity permits to distinguish between the two receptors. Recently there are some ongoing on IGF-IR and ongoing clinical trials on anti-IGF-IR monoclonal antibodies and combined treatments. 2iii

Winston Churchill: The Great Communicator :: Winston Churchill Essays

Winston Churchill was perhaps one of the greatest public speakers in history. Some of the best speeches have come from being in life or death situations, Winston was known best for this. His small sound clips like, â€Å"this was their finest hour†, and â€Å"this is not the end. It is not even the beginning of the end. But it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning†, encourage his troops and his people that they will win this war and will overcome the greatest odds. Although Churchill told many speeches, his speech on June 18, 1940 showed the most emotion and courage of any other speech he told. In this speech he explained that the war in France is over and the war in Britain would begin. He said that if we fail then the world sink into an abyss. This emotion that he shows would give Britain hope, courage and most of all determination. Winston Churchill spoke these words at the House Commons; his way of talking to people was a power which he held. Winston Churchill was born November, 30 1874, in Blenheim Palace. He was born into a wealthy family who treated Winston to a rich lifestyle. In 1893 Churchill entered the Royal Military College as a cadet, from here on he rose to the top ranks commanded with great authority. He began to have political speeches at the age of 23 when he talked to the primrose League. When he was 24 he wrote his first book entitled The Story of the Malakand Field Force. Churchill was elected to the House of Commons at the age of 26, being one of the youngest members. Winston was appointed Prime Minister of England on May 10th 1940. Winston’s 2 books that were published shows people that he is a respectable author who people can believe what he says during his speeches. In this speech Winston was talking to the members of the House of Commons, but this speech was m ore than trying to persuade elected officials, it was intended to speak to all people fighting against the Nazi Party. The purpose of this speech was to show the members of Commons that we must fight in this war and we must win, for if England shall lose the rest of the world would lose.

HIV/AIDS in India:An epidemic Essay -- AIDS India Health

What may be seen as a result of a surplus of labor by an economist, has ultimately led to an epidemic. India's population, estimated to be 1.35 billion, suffers extensive poverty as more than thirty seven percent of its population lives below the poverty line. (Economy Watch) This surplus of labor has driven the price of labor in India to incredibly low amounts, hence the outsourcing which has become rampant. Low labor prices compounded with exclusion due to the caste system and high dependency on agriculture all have amplified the poverty which in turn, has given rise to the largest population—2.3 million--within the borders of a nation to be infected with HIV/AIDS. (India HIV and AIDS Statistics.) Though those who are infected represent less the one percent of the total population, the environmental conditions of the society by which India presides are conducive to the rapid spread of this problem. More importantly, of those that are infected, thirty nine percent are women which increases the probability of parent-to-child transmission of this STI(Sexually Transmitted Infection). While an entire forty percent of the HIV bearing population is constituted by women, only a fraction of a percentage point of those women who choose to get screened test positive for the infection indicating a major problem—those who have it, are unaware or choose not be screened*. Close to eighty five percent of the transfers are through sexual transmission, five percent through parent-to-child transmission and the remainder through injecting drug use. As observed, red-light districts in India have given obvious rises and have some of the highest incidence of AIDS (fifty percent in Mumbai and Pune), but the other regions of the country do not r... ...ohen, J. "HIV/AIDS IN INDIA: HIV/AIDS: India's Many Epidemics." Science 304.5670 (2004): 504-09. Print. Cohen, J. "HIV/AIDS IN INDIA: HIV/AIDS: Till Death Do Us Part." Science 304.5670 (2004): 513-17. Print. "HIV/AIDS." UNICEF INDIA. 2007. Web. 04 Dec. 2010. . "Poverty in India | Economy Watch." World, US, China, India Economy, Investment, Finance, Credit Cards | Economy Watch. Web. 08 Dec. 2010. . "India HIV and AIDS Statistics." AIDS & HIV Information from the AIDS Charity AVERT. Web. 05 Dec. 2010. . "Stigma, Discrimination and Attitudes to HIV & AIDS." AIDS & HIV Information from the AIDS Charity AVERT. Web. 07 Dec. 2010. . HIV/AIDS in India:An epidemic Essay -- AIDS India Health What may be seen as a result of a surplus of labor by an economist, has ultimately led to an epidemic. India's population, estimated to be 1.35 billion, suffers extensive poverty as more than thirty seven percent of its population lives below the poverty line. (Economy Watch) This surplus of labor has driven the price of labor in India to incredibly low amounts, hence the outsourcing which has become rampant. Low labor prices compounded with exclusion due to the caste system and high dependency on agriculture all have amplified the poverty which in turn, has given rise to the largest population—2.3 million--within the borders of a nation to be infected with HIV/AIDS. (India HIV and AIDS Statistics.) Though those who are infected represent less the one percent of the total population, the environmental conditions of the society by which India presides are conducive to the rapid spread of this problem. More importantly, of those that are infected, thirty nine percent are women which increases the probability of parent-to-child transmission of this STI(Sexually Transmitted Infection). While an entire forty percent of the HIV bearing population is constituted by women, only a fraction of a percentage point of those women who choose to get screened test positive for the infection indicating a major problem—those who have it, are unaware or choose not be screened*. Close to eighty five percent of the transfers are through sexual transmission, five percent through parent-to-child transmission and the remainder through injecting drug use. As observed, red-light districts in India have given obvious rises and have some of the highest incidence of AIDS (fifty percent in Mumbai and Pune), but the other regions of the country do not r... ...ohen, J. "HIV/AIDS IN INDIA: HIV/AIDS: India's Many Epidemics." Science 304.5670 (2004): 504-09. Print. Cohen, J. "HIV/AIDS IN INDIA: HIV/AIDS: Till Death Do Us Part." Science 304.5670 (2004): 513-17. Print. "HIV/AIDS." UNICEF INDIA. 2007. Web. 04 Dec. 2010. . "Poverty in India | Economy Watch." World, US, China, India Economy, Investment, Finance, Credit Cards | Economy Watch. Web. 08 Dec. 2010. . "India HIV and AIDS Statistics." AIDS & HIV Information from the AIDS Charity AVERT. Web. 05 Dec. 2010. . "Stigma, Discrimination and Attitudes to HIV & AIDS." AIDS & HIV Information from the AIDS Charity AVERT. Web. 07 Dec. 2010. .

Optimism vs. Pessimism in Popes Essay on Man and Leapors Essay on Wom

Optimism vs. Pessimism in Pope's Essay on Man and Leapor's Essay on Woman     Ã‚   Both Alexander Pope's Essay on Man, Epistle 2 and Mary Leapor's Essay on Woman expound the fatalist contention that neither man nor woman can "win," as each individual exists in a world of trade-offs. Yet, by each author's singular technique of sculpting his ideas with the literary tools of contrast, argument, and syntax, the cores of the two essays turn back to back, evolving into distinct, but contrary perspectives of Man's (in respect to mankind) and Woman's existence. Pope asserts that a profusion of trade-offs establish a certain equilibrium point where Man hangs "on this isthmus of a middle state" (Magill 2629). After defining the boundaries of Man's oscillations through a procession of clever paradoxes of words, Pope conciliates Man's unpredictable balance, or fulcrum point, as the essence of Man as an individual. Although consistent with Pope's theory of life's extremes, Mary Leapor utilizes contrasting imagery within specific female case studies to decry the life of Woman as doomed to slavery by her inevitable fate. The two poets' views ultimately oppose each other. While Pope experiments with punctuation and precision, Leapor explores the effects of personalization. By subtly but convictively proposing an optimistic perspective, that Man's confused position is his claim to fame, Pope intones his poetry with an uplifting vitality readily conducted to his reader; whereas Leapor opines Woman's confused position as the doom of life's essence and transitively condemns her reader to the incurable pessimism she so vividly relates.    The essence of man, as defined by Pope, is a series of paradoxical, yet concrete sets of contrasting wo... ...les: 1968.    Dixon, Peter. The World of Pope's Satires. Methuen & Co, London: 1968.    Lonsdale, Roger. Eighteenth Century Women Poets. Ed. Oxford University Press, London: 1952.       Morris, David B. Wit, Rhyme and Couplet: Style as Content in Pope's Art. Jackson-Wallace, New York: 1993. Rosslyn. From Alexander Pope: A Literary Life. Cambridge UP, Cambridge: 1993.    Sherburn, George. The Best of Pope. Ronald Press Company, New York: 1929.    Soloman, Harry M. "Johnson's Silencing of Pope: Trivializing an Essay of Johnson: A Scholarly Annual. New York: 1992. on Man." The Age    Tillotson, Geoffrey. On the Poetry of Pope. Clarendon Press, Oxford: 1950.    Thomas, Claudia N. Alexander Pope and His Eighteenth-Century Women Southern Illinois Readers. University Press, Carbondale: 1994.       Optimism vs. Pessimism in Pope's Essay on Man and Leapor's Essay on Wom Optimism vs. Pessimism in Pope's Essay on Man and Leapor's Essay on Woman     Ã‚   Both Alexander Pope's Essay on Man, Epistle 2 and Mary Leapor's Essay on Woman expound the fatalist contention that neither man nor woman can "win," as each individual exists in a world of trade-offs. Yet, by each author's singular technique of sculpting his ideas with the literary tools of contrast, argument, and syntax, the cores of the two essays turn back to back, evolving into distinct, but contrary perspectives of Man's (in respect to mankind) and Woman's existence. Pope asserts that a profusion of trade-offs establish a certain equilibrium point where Man hangs "on this isthmus of a middle state" (Magill 2629). After defining the boundaries of Man's oscillations through a procession of clever paradoxes of words, Pope conciliates Man's unpredictable balance, or fulcrum point, as the essence of Man as an individual. Although consistent with Pope's theory of life's extremes, Mary Leapor utilizes contrasting imagery within specific female case studies to decry the life of Woman as doomed to slavery by her inevitable fate. The two poets' views ultimately oppose each other. While Pope experiments with punctuation and precision, Leapor explores the effects of personalization. By subtly but convictively proposing an optimistic perspective, that Man's confused position is his claim to fame, Pope intones his poetry with an uplifting vitality readily conducted to his reader; whereas Leapor opines Woman's confused position as the doom of life's essence and transitively condemns her reader to the incurable pessimism she so vividly relates.    The essence of man, as defined by Pope, is a series of paradoxical, yet concrete sets of contrasting wo... ...les: 1968.    Dixon, Peter. The World of Pope's Satires. Methuen & Co, London: 1968.    Lonsdale, Roger. Eighteenth Century Women Poets. Ed. Oxford University Press, London: 1952.       Morris, David B. Wit, Rhyme and Couplet: Style as Content in Pope's Art. Jackson-Wallace, New York: 1993. Rosslyn. From Alexander Pope: A Literary Life. Cambridge UP, Cambridge: 1993.    Sherburn, George. The Best of Pope. Ronald Press Company, New York: 1929.    Soloman, Harry M. "Johnson's Silencing of Pope: Trivializing an Essay of Johnson: A Scholarly Annual. New York: 1992. on Man." The Age    Tillotson, Geoffrey. On the Poetry of Pope. Clarendon Press, Oxford: 1950.    Thomas, Claudia N. Alexander Pope and His Eighteenth-Century Women Southern Illinois Readers. University Press, Carbondale: 1994.      

Analysis of an extract from ‘The Singing Lesson’

â€Å" With despair – cold, sharp despair – buried deep in her heart like a wicked knife, Miss Meadows, in cap and gown and carrying a little baton, trod the cold corridors that led to the music hall. Girls of all ages, rosy from the air, and bubbling over with that gleeful excitement that comes from running to school on a fine autumn morning, hurried, skipped, fluttered by; from the hollow class-rooms came a quick drumming of voices; a bell rang; a voice like a bird cried, â€Å"Muriel. † And then there came from the staircase a tremendous knock-knock-knocking.Someone had dropped her dumbbells. â€Å" ‘The Singing Lesson’ by Katherine Mansfield is a short story written with elements hinting at the modernist movement of the late 19th century. We are instantly informed of the solemn feel of the story with the opening words â€Å"With despair- cold, sharp despair-† which eject a sombre tone to the piece. Mansfield’s use of parenthesis b eginning and ending with the repetition of â€Å"despair† successfully captures a reader’s attention by isolating the description, highlighting its significance.The three adjectives â€Å"despair†, â€Å"cold† and â€Å"sharp† are all harsh sounding and evoke emotions of pain and suffering, telling us that the story is about something bad. The use of the verb â€Å"buried† is poignant because of its connotations of death, reiterated by the simile â€Å"†¦ deep in her heart like a wicked knife†. The imagery of the knife, cold and sharp suggests death or immense pain. We are first introduced to the main character, Miss Meadows â€Å"in cap and gown and carrying a little baton† as a strong stern woman, most likely a teacher because of the formality of the â€Å"Miss†.The image of her carrying a baton is police like and emits a strong female presence. She is described as walking with a â€Å"trod† which is animal istic and contrasts how the school girls are â€Å"bubbling over with gleeful excitement† and the way in which they move like autumn leaves. The huge contrast between the cold harsh language used to describe Mrs Meadows and the light-hearted past participles like â€Å"bubbling†, to describe the pupils highlights the different character’s personalities and shows two extremes.Mansfield has used long sentences which suggest ongoing thoughts and emotions of the character Miss Meadows surrounded by a busy hectic environment. The subordinate clauses inject lots of extra information for the reader, and the power of three â€Å"hurried, skipped, fluttered† effectively portray imagery of an autumn morning. However, the past tense of the three verbs breaks the previous present tense imagery, suggesting that the narrator is clasping onto something from her past. â€Å"Hollow† and â€Å"drumming† imply drums and have connotations of emptiness, an eleme nt of Miss Meadows personality which has possibly been affected by her past.The description of the bird links back to the imagery of the autumnal morning, and are an example of the modernistic movement about the thoughts in our subconscious. Another example of this is the last sentence â€Å"Someone had dropped her dumbbells† which is totally unrelated to anything in the first passage, but shows another thought forming in the character’s mind. It reminds us as the reader that it is a modernist piece of writing, with an abstract writing style which is more like ‘real life’.

Corrections and Treatment Essay

Community-based treatment The three community-based treatment efforts which I would like to focus attention on are Intensive Outpatient Counseling Services, abbreviated as (IOP) next, a community based program known as: Child Mental Health and lastly Emergency Crisis Response. Community-based treatment efforts vary between states however, the purpose and importance of these treatment efforts are identical. Larry J. Siegel, Brandon C. Welsh authors of: Juvenile Delinquency: Theory, Practice, and Law quote the purpose: â€Å"Provide care, protection, and treatment for juveniles in need†. Institutionalization Issues affecting institutionalized juveniles reflects possible detrimental successful compliance with respect: to community-based efforts. Likewise, institutionalized juveniles are faced with the reality of prison life and a concern is introduced to wither or not juveniles will learn criminal behaviors. Lastly, the opportunity to provide individualized and/or group counseling even more so education is a separate affecting issue of institutionalized juveniles. The juvenile justice system should be concerned with those issues, because it clearly represents foreseeable safety issues for incarcerated juveniles and staff. Separately, the potential for reoccurrence: entry or criminal charges to the justice system leading to overcrowding. With that a final concern to the justice system might reflect mental health issues that are not able to be diagnosed in incarcerated juveniles, this would impact cost or funding within the justice system. Two of the three Intensive Aftercare Programs discussed in Juvenile Delinquency. The Core that I would like to focus attention on are Juvenile Boot Camps and Wilderness Programs, the importance of aftercare programs  offer the opportunity for juveniles to have a safe place to go. Another aspect that can be considered aftercare programs, redirect negative attitudes in juveniles and: potential for reoccurrence criminal behavior. In the reading materials, The Core the following statement is provided â€Å"exposure to a wholesome environment; where the  concepts of education and the work ethic are taught and embodied in adult role models, troubled  youth can regain a measure of self-worth.†

Management Structures

Efficient management structure that meets the needs of an organization is definitely a must in every company. Needless to say, there are various management structures, but each one of them does affect both daily and long term activities of a company. Departmentalization In general, departmentalization refers to grouping activities into separate departments that are coordinated by a specialist or a group of specialists depending on the size of an organization (Torbiorn, 2004). Whether departmentalization is functions, product, customer, geigraphic, process, or a mixture of the stated above types, the affect on daily activities varies accordingly. As a result of departmentalization, the work process is built around certain products, services, or locations; the effeiciency of the production process also increases. To be more specific, the need for extensive external coordination reduces, since ability for the internal coordination within one unit increases, which means that daily company activities are more structured better organized around a certain factor, i.e. customer support department is built around the customer. Matrix Organizations In matrix management, workers in a company are grouped based on their skills, i.e. high-tech specialists work in the IT department (Shell, 2003). In this case, several projects can be assigned to a single department, which then leads to employees reporting to several project managers. Given workers are engaged in narrow activities and are grouped based on their specialization field, the depth of knowledge of employees increases. For instance, Java programmers, being involved solely in programming on this language, have their daily activities centered on this narrow activity, which then leads to narrow professional growth. The Project Team In the case of the project team, people are grouped together based on the common function, project they need to carry out (Shell, 2003) Given people are viewed as a one team, the performance is assessed based on mutual work, which then increases the â€Å"team spirit†. The daily work of team members is more supportive especially in situations when, for instance, one of the the members of a group team failed to carry out a task assigned. The Collegial Model Under the collegial model, the deision making process consensual and involves representatives of all parties affected by the decision (Nicholl, 2006) This management structure is more of idealistic, as daily activities of an organization are centered around meaningful progress, which even though leads to a greater level of empowerment and increases the level of interest, is still less efficient. This includes situations when a decision must be taken that has a negative impact on one or more parties that still must be taken for the mutual benefit. As the daily decision making process is more complicated, time and efforts consuming. It should be noted, that all management structures have positive and negatives sides, whereas implementation of a definite structure is a matter of specific organizational needs of a given company. References Nicholl, P. (2006). Organisational Structures Do Matter for Good Governance and Good Performance. Comparative Economic Studies, 48(2), 214. Shell, R. L. (2003). Management of Professionals (2nd ed.). New York: Marcel Dekker. Torbiorn, I. (1994). Operative and Strategic Use of Expatriates in New Organizations and Market Structures. International Studies of Management & Organization, 24(3), 5.

Lay’s Product & Promotion Policy

Lay’s, known as Walkers in the UK and Ireland, is the brand name for a number of crisps varieties as well as the name of the company that founded the chip brand in 1932. Over 90% of the population is familiar with the brand-name and with more than 50% of the market shares, we can definitely call them the market leader. It’s for this company that we will briefly clarify the product- and promotion policy. Product: Lay’s The brand name For the brand’s name Lay’s uses a combination of group-brand and a individual brand. It’s a group-brand because PepsiCo doesn’t use its own name to sell the products, but they use the brand Lay’s to distribute them. Further more, Lay’s makes use of individual brands for the different flavours like there are: Lay’s Light, Lay’s Oven and Lay’s Sticks. Even though all the products belong to Lay’s, they sell them according to their different characteristics by a different name. By making use of market segmentation, Lay’s creates the possibility to expand its assortment and itself. In this way each product will receive its own identity. Assortment strategies Line stretching Lay’s often expands their assortment by adding new flavours and new sub-groups. For example: Lay’s developed Lay’s Light and Lay’s Oven. With these groups they tried to penetrate a new group of consumers who worry about the percentage of fat that crisps contain. Lay’s Light contains 33% less fat and in the sub-group Lay’s Oven, the crisps contain 70% less fat. Line filling Lay’s completes their assortment of existing products by adding new varieties to the different groups. Since 2011, for example, they have a product variant called â€Å"Black Pepper & Sea Salt†. In this way they obtain a more complete assortment and can they satisfy more consumers. Promotion: Lay’s Promotional campaign Lay’s as a market leader doesn’t have strong competition because they have a strong promotional campaign. The company also makes different price actions for the introduction of new products. Subsequently the price is lowered to capture the market. The consumer pays less for the same product and receives a sort of reduction. This is one of the sales promotions techniques Lay’s uses. The sales are stimulated at short term by temporal improvement of the price-value ratio. Sometimes Lay’s offers sampling and free crisps. Lay’s also organises cash-refund actions where you get your money back by sending back the barcode of your package of Crisps. The main advantages are the low cost, the consumers information is saved in database and the involvement of the retailer is not necessary . This may lead to a horizontal effect or market expansion. At first place, Lay’s wants the customer to meet and try its product. When the customer is satisfied and buys the product again, we call it a repeat. Sometimes Lay’s also has a special offer where you get a 3rd bag for free. They realise this by offering special promos to customers. This also is a kind of sales promotions where they offer a bigger quantity of goods for the same price. This results in an advantage in goods. Within these promotions, we can speak of a vertical effect or market effect. One will try to create more market share by creating a higher brand loyalty, user intensity and revenues. Moreover the consumers will be blocked to other brands of crisps. Possible risks are that the consumer will store their products and it won’t lead to extra consumption. Lay’s also organises saving campaigns. They have a savings campaign called Lay’s Chip Trips. The point of this campaign is that consumers find a code on the bag of Lay’s. They can go to the site of the company and enter this code. People can save points online this way, and when they have saved enough, they can exchange there points in all kind of prices like free entrance to a theme park and free stay at a hotel. Lay’s will try to stimulate the revenues on the shorter term and bind the consumers to the brand this way. The company also organises contests. In many countries like the Netherlands, Lay’s has started a competition where people can make new flavours and present them to Lay’s. flavours are chosen by Lay’s and the consumer has to decide by voting which flavour is the best. Every consumer that votes, has the chance to win a Mini. This campaign was a great success. The finale flavours were sold 6 million times. In the Netherlands, ‘Patatje Joppie’ was the eventual winner and has appeared in the shops last February. These promotions can lead to higher revenues because one creates more users. These users can be people who buy the product for the first time or people who buy the products of the competitor.

SAP Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

SAP - Essay Example By using SAP solutions, organizations of all sizes -- including small and midsize enterprises -- can reduce costs, improve performance, and gain the agility to respond to changing business needs. Many of today's most profitable businesses run ERP solutions from SAP. Considering the significant investment in SAP ERP systems, along with the increasingly demanding and competitive business environment, organizations need to achieve return on the investment. SAP ERP solutions take businesses a long way toward standardizing -- bringing together interrelated business processes under a standard architecture that helps the enterprise become more efficient, productive and agile in response to changing business conditions. Within the enterprise, SAP ERP solutions do an excellent job of automating and integrating many aspects of business processes. SAP ERP has got extensive support for various business processes and can be molded according to individual requirements. SAP can be used with various databases at backend. Customizations in SAP can be done using their Net-Weaver software package designed to provide a graphical user interface to make customizations and also provides features to code the customizations required. Oracle applications provide business information for effective decision-making, enable an adaptive enterprise for optimal responsiveness, and offer a superior total ownership experience that drives profitability. Oracle is committed to providing the leading solutions for your industry, including banking, insurance, communications, life sciences, manufacturing, retail, public sector, and high tech. Oracle Applications, running on a foundation of Oracle technology, address the unique business needs and challenges of your industry. Oracle provides extra features of data mining, warehousing and CASE tools as supplementary packages to enhance the capabilities of the Oracle Applications and their ERP package. Oracle provides oracle or any other front end interface to be used with Oracle applications. Oracle provides its customers with an easy to use software packages with very little training and learning required. SAP vs Oracle Oracle E-Business Suite (Oracle) SAP R/3 (SAP) Does the General Ledger Module Support: 1 Multiple Currency Transactions Y Y 2 Foreign Language Y Y 3 Consolidations Y Y 4 Allocations Y Y 5 Statistical Accounts Y Y 6 E-Mail Financial Statements Y N 7 Scheduled Financial Statements Y N 8 GL Drill Down to Source Document Y Y 9 Financial Statement Drill down Y Y Does the Inventory Module Support: 10 Matrix Pricing Y Y 11 Serial Numbers Y Y 12 Multiple Bins Y Y 13 Lot Tracking Y Y 14 Multiple Warehouses Y Y 15 Pictures Y Y 16 Bar Code Tracking Y Y 17 Consignment Inventory Y Y 18 Shelf Life Tracking Y Y 19 Bill of Materials Processing Y Y 20 Exploding & Imploding Quantities Y Y Does the Project Costing Module Support: 21 Estimating Y Y 22 Time & Billing Y Y 23 Retainage Y Y 24 Job Phases Y Y 25 Resource Tracking Y Y 26 Critical Path Reporting N Y 27 PERT Charts N Y 28 A.I.A. Billing Y Y Do the Manufacturing Modules support: 29 A Product Configurator Y Y 30 Multi-level Bill of Materials Y Y 31 Production Planning N Y 32 Machine