What’s Up with Pasta

What's Up With Pasta Q1: We need to understand and research why the Spaniards are spending relatively less on Pasta than its European neighbors. Current market research done by AEFPA offers insufficient data, so we need to improve data quality. The main goal is the get a clear demographic segmented market overview. One of the problems is that we cannot clearly identify the potential and current pasta consumers clearly – we simply do not know enough about of core target group. In addition we need insights on consumer behavior and habits as we do not know what drives the consumer decision when choosing pasta and when declining pasta.Another advantage of a broad market study would be that it would become clear if there are segments in the market currently not being explored. As a result we will be able to clearly identify the market entry barriers for pasta. According to our calculations (Appendix 1), there is an underutilized yearly market gap of EUR 87Mln. Given this significan t amount we find it justified to spend 0. 2% (Eur 175. 000) of the market gap initializing the market research plan, collect the data and conduct the analysis.Costs to marketing strategy, marketing planning and implementation are not included in this figure. We estimate the overall cost of the market research will be Eur 132. 800 Judging from informal discussions with contacts in Unilever and Kraft Foods, our estimate seems to be on the low side. Q2 – Methodology: We are interested in conducting both quantitative and qualitative research. In our opinion we need both elements to fully understand the market. This will allow us to better segment the market. Starting point of the quantitative research is the detailed quantitative research already done by AEFPA.The Geographical sales overview, distribution channels and sales pr. pasta type, must be investigated further. We suggest conducting a demographic segmentation overlay to this data, as the segmentation will serve us by divi ding a large population/sample into specific customer groups. We are opting for the demographical segmentation as we expect to receive a large amount of data that otherwise would not be feasible to analyze. Therefore, we cluster the information to make patterns of sub-groups visible and will enable to identify consumer profile and behaviors.We refer to this as top-down market research. The consumer behavior can only be partly captured in the demographic segmentation, so to ensure we have a bulky sample of data, we introduce a bottom-up process by initiating â€Å"Shopper Insights† research. â€Å"Shopper Insights† will in addition to bring to additional data on behavior also provide invaluable insights to the customer’s perception of pasta. The aim with â€Å"Shoppers Insight† is to passively monitor the customer’s behavior in the situation of purchase at point-of-buying to learn about the â€Å"conversion rate†.Unilever defines â€Å"Shopp ers Insight† as † focus on the process that takes place between that first thought the consumer has about purchasing an item, all the way through the selection of that item†. This is further underlined by practical examples from Kraft Foods Switzerland, who has provided access to their methodology to this group. We will be adopting the methods of â€Å"5 S’s† to conduct our â€Å"Shopper insights† research and conduct this across the difference distribution channels mentioned in the case.Detailed explanation in Appendix 2 By making use of both top-down and bottom-up quantitative research, we feel we have adequate data quality. However it is critical to maintain a satisfactory sample size. We assume our sample pool will be the entire Spanish population. There are many considerations when choosing a sampling size. We consider it a tradeoff between costs and sampling quality as there is a linear relationship between the sampling size and the cost. We estimate that the sampling size must be at least 384 people. See further details in appendix 3.To finish the research we introduce â€Å"Consumer Insight† which is a qualitative overlay. Personal interviews with customers will be done immediately after the consumer has been observed in the â€Å"Shoppers Insight†. The sample size when conducting qualitative research is less important as there is no need for statistical significance, so we will be highly selective when choosing participants. Actually we will aim to only interview the â€Å"High-Consumer† and â€Å"Non-consumer† segments found in the top-down demographic segmentation research.This will provide strong qualitative data for creating the marketing strategy and planning. These topics will not be discussed in this paper. Q3 – Implementation: As we want to build in the existing data from AEPFA, significantly more data collecting must be done. We would conduct a survey on a large sample, using these four variables: Age, life-cycle stage (the life cycle stage of a consumer group defines what will be the need of that particular customer), Gender and Income. In addition questions in pasta purchasing history and frequency would be asked.The questions will be designed so the answers can be directly comparable across the entire sample. This can be achieved by having a 1-5 scale designed on which the answers must fit one of the numbers. Example: Question: â€Å"How often do you eat pasta†, Possible answers: â€Å"1: Never, 2: ones a day, 3: ones a week, 4: ones a month, 5: ones a year†. By constructing all questions to fit such answer-schedule, we will be able to achieve statistical significance. The result will be a clear segmented group, where we can establish who are the current consumers (core buying segment) and non-consumers (core anti-buyers).We believe these segments should be targeted for further penetration. Next step we passively and discretely mo nitor the consumer at point-of-buying using the â€Å"5 S’s† approach (See appendix 2). We will be present in all the distribution channels mentioned. This can be done via video or via physical presents. It is paramount the customer is unaware she/he is being monitored as this potentially would influence the buying habits. The consumer segments found above – the consumer and non-consumer – will be specifically targeted in the monitoring. I. e. hen a consumer fits one of the segments, the monitoring will be initiated. We wish to focus on these segments due to costs, but could increase the sampling to all customers across all segments if budget would allow. As the quantitative research should not stand alone, we would initiate in-depth interviews with more open-ended questions to better grasp the motivation behind the choice made by the customer. Such questions could be â€Å"Why did you buy pasta†, â€Å"What type of pasta do you normally buy†, â€Å"why did you buy pasta instead of rice or potatoes. . For the non-consumers questions could be â€Å"Why do you choose rice/potatoes instead of pasta†, †Which pasta products are you missing in the shop† etc. We believe the quantitative and qualitative output of this extensive research plan, by identifying the two interesting segments and dwell into their motivations behind their choice, would form an excellent base for developing an effective market strategy and for creating an overall marketing strategy for Pasta in Spain. ? APPENDIX 1For the calculations of the market gap – difference in current and potential market – we have assumed the following: †¢Current year is 1990. †¢Potential year is 1992. Population has increased by 0. 6% from 1990 to 1992. †¢Euro/Pesetas exchange rate is 166. 386. (Official final fixing when Spain adopted the Euro) †¢Consumer behavior in terms of demand of the different pasta types is unchange d from 1990 – 1992 †¢Pasta price was inflated with 4% from 1990 – 1992. †¢Consumption of pasta rose 1 kg pr. Capita from 1990 – 1992 Pasta Market in 1990: Pasta Market in 1992: ? APPENDIX 2:The 5 S’s method is designed so marketers can observe a customer from entering point-of-buying (POB) to final transaction. The method works on two levels: 1. Consumer level; The consumer are monitored so we follow the target discreetly around the POB. We observe how the consumer Sees, Scans, Spot, Show interest and (potentially) Select the product we represent. This gives us valuable information as we can identifies were in the process we lose the customer (also call Fall-out). The conversation rate is computed as number of consumers selecting our product out of shoppers entering the POB.The net sales for a given company is highly sensitive to changes in conversation rate – Only a small increase in conversion will generate a (relative) large increase i n sales. 2. Store layout and the category placement in POB. We can observe the customers’ ability to find the product in POB; is the product visible to the consumer, where on the shelve is it placed, is it placed with complementary goods? or supplementary goods? After the research is concluded feedback will be delivered to POB to improve visibility if required. ? APPENDIX 3: We recognize the sample size of 1067 is a (very) rough estimate.We opted for an internet resource from Creative Research Systems as we decided to focus our resources on the research planning and method. The sample size is computed using: Confidence level: 95% Confidence Interval (margin of error) 5% Population 40’000’000 We believe these input factors are comparable with real-life statistical simulations. ? APPENDIX 4: As we require a specialized set of data and therefore need a specialized report, we assume such report must be order and bought directly at a Market Research company or instit ute under normal circumstances.As it is specialized we assume the price will be high, so budget with a one-time payment of EUR 75. 000. We have only very little foundation for making this estimate. It was the conclusion of a conversation between marketing executives on Linkedin. The bottom-up research will need to conduct 384 observations in order to fulfill to the minimum sample size requirement found in appendix 3. Based on information from marketing sources at Kraft Foods, we consider it realistic one market researcher can conduct 25 observations in one day. This results in 15. 3 days of work at an assumed daily rate of EUR 1000

Budgeting Process Is a Waste of Time and Valuable Resources Essay

A budget is a plan for financing an enterprise or government during a definite period, which is prepared and submitted by a responsible executive to a representative body (or other duly constituted agent) whose approval and authorization are necessary before the plan may be executed. In the case of Uganda, it is a financing plan for one year prepared by the president and approved by Parliament. Some scholars have argued that budgets are a waste of time and valuable resources. But this statement is not entirely true as the budget process has some very useful roles in public administration as shown below;- Financial control. Government needs to be able to exercise control over the ministries and departs – i. e. to make sure that the ministries are keeping to plan and that necessary actions can be taken to put them back on track when needed. Government needs to have control tools to make sure that financial plans and targets are being achieved, and the best tool is the budget. The budget is a plan set out in numbers, which enables the government to exercise control. The difference between what is budgeted to happen and what actually happens is termed a variance. A favorable variance means that ministry or department is doing well while an adverse variance shows those that are not. Allocation of scarce resources. One of the biggest tasks of government is the allocation of scare resources. This is often done through the budget. Resource allocation refers to the distribution of resources, and in particular finance, from the center to peripheral levels. Because the budgetary process is often participatory, it enable the various ministries and local governments to identify their needs and present them to the centre. Programme Coordination. The budget process serves very well to coordinate government departments and ministries. It is at this budget process that the government can get to know who is doing what and at what cost. Government can for example be able to tell that water for irrigation has been covered under the Ministry of Agriculture and should therefore be omitted from the Ministry of Water and Environment. Communication. The public budget serves as a communication tool to a variety of audiences. The general public, civil society, and legislators all receive information from the budget process. Once the budget has been approved by the legislature and signed into law, the ministries and other agencies become the information recipients. Importantly, each of these actors perceives the budget differently. Budget also communicates upwards. Ministries and various agencies must prepare a budget that persuades the president that they support him and his manifesto. At this level of the process, the information in the budget document must explain why a program deserves continued support, how it meets the president’s policy priorities, and how well it is using the resources it has been given. After a ministry budget has been incorporated into the national budget the primary audience for communicating information shifts from the executive to the legislative branch of government. The primary goal at this stage is to provide information to legislature with the recommendations and analysis that serve as the basis for their decisions. Perhaps the most important purpose for public budgeting is to communicate a ministry’s intentions and performance to the citizens. The media also plays a major role in presenting budgets to the citizens. The key events in the budget processes and budget documents must serve to support a mass communication task. Successful communication helps to build legitimacy for the government and its programs. Budgeting as a Governing Tool. Public budgeting has become an increasingly central galvanizing force for both the administrative and policy side of governance. This process begins with the preparation of program-level, agency-level, and then ministry-level requests for the coming fiscal year. This budget process presents a political platform for the selection of policy choices and for the allocation of resources to support those choices. The development of a national budget provides the foundation from which to organize a coordinated response to these complex problems and needs. Financial Accountability. Reflecting its roots, the budget process provides the tools to ensure financial accountability. Legislative oversight and audit functions are important activities that provide an opportunity for ministries to demonstrate that they have complied with legislative directives. This compliance provides assurances to both elected officials and to the public that the ministry and its programs are serving the public interest. Influence on the Economy . The spending and taxation policies of the central government and local governments have economic impact. Of course, the central government, with its sh11 trillion for 2012/2013 has far more impact on the economy than billions the local governments spend. From an economist’s point of view, the budget serves the following combination of economic objectives: * funds social service programs for those in need, thus increasing the demand for private sector goods and services; * reflects tax policy that affects business and individuals; * reflects and funds the enforcement of commercial, transportation, land use and environmental regulations that affect the business climate; * funds education and other training programs that enhance the country’s human and economic resources; * funds routine purchases (like stationary) and capital projects (like Bujagali dam) that stimulate economic activity; * serves to redistribute wealth across the country’s residents; and * Supports the government as the largest single employer. Public Budgeting as Political tool. The budget process presents a series of opportunities for elected officials and interest groups. The perspectives and needs of elected officials and interest groups may fr equently contrast with the values and hopes of most public administrators. Understanding these contrasting needs is a useful key to understanding the budget process. Elected officials must respond to their constituent’s needs and demonstrate a record of leadership. MPs must demonstrate an ability to use government to solve problems in their constituencies. Survival of an MP rests on this ability. In contrast, civil servants often rely on public service and professional values to guide their sense of action and accomplishment. For example, at the ministry of finance, the minister (who is not elected) and budget analysts are primarily committed to acquiring the resources necessary to maintain the efficient and effective delivery of programs, not delivering on promises to constituents. The budget process provides leadership opportunities to bridge and reconcile these competing perspectives. The promises of an election campaign must be quickly translated into policies and programs. Campaign goals and visions must be translated into legislation and directives that can reform and reorient the ministries. The budget also provides an opportunity for the executive to engage with the legislature. When executive and legislative branches are divided, compromise is usually necessary to meet the constitutional duty shared by the Executive and legislative branches i. e the president must present a budget to the legislature and the parliament is constitutionally required to enact a budget. Waste of time. On many instances, however, budgets may appear of a waste of time when they are not adhered too. In Uganda for example, The Monitor newspaper reported that the budget for Sate House had jumped from Shs66. 1 billion approved in September last year to Shs204. 4 billion. On the day to day running, there always unforeseen consequences that governments have to cater for and often need extra resources beyond what is budgeted for. An example in Uganda was the Bududa landslides, In the US we have seen incidences such Hurricane Katrina that devastated New Orleans in 2005. But that is only a perception. Budgets play a very big role in public management and administration.

Leading Strategic Change Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Leading Strategic Change - Essay Example suggested by the board of directors, executive team of managers needs to be developed through integrated approach that provides the necessary impetus to the employees to strive towards collective goals. To develop effectiveness in strategic change, flexible approach to managerial leadership that is more labor friendly needs to be adopted. It should also believe in developing joint goals and objectives that are mutually beneficial, thus fostering mutual beliefs and better understanding of each others value system. The management needs to accept the challenge of creating a cohesive and encouraging atmosphere so that the workers could get effective learning environment. Zeira asserts that a constant learning environment through regular training and development are essential ingredient to effectively manage the changing business equations (Zeira, 1974). They should be provided with a wider scope for professional growth in the area of core competencies and made responsible for advocating and nurturing a high standard of ethics and quality work. The empirical relationship of leaders and the emerging changes are critical for a given situation and therefore, good managerial leadership demands a better informed leader who is capable of taking initiative and at the same time, he is also able to inculcate confidence in his people to move forward. A well developed leadership within the organization facilitates integration of diverse ideologies and personal conflicts. Schwenk claims that ‘useful conflict involves constructive discussion of substantive differences in views (or cognitions) of a problem (Schwenk, 1997, p7). The leaders provide an intangible stability within the organization that comprises of people coming from cross cultural value systems and facilitate their integration with the system. They also promote shared vision of the organization and provide the necessary impetus to the people to strive towards it thus representing the team’s unique objectives and

Legal Environment of Business Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 3

Legal Environment of Business - Essay Example The court was of the opinion that the equal protection clause does not prohibit use of race in admission decisions to obtain education benefits from diversity. Barbara Grutter, a white Michigan resident, applied to the Law School in 1996 but was denied admission despite having the requisite scores, 3.8 GPA and 161 LSAT score. She filed suit against the Law School, which respondents racially discriminated against her in violation of the Fourteenth Amendment. The district court held that the Law Schools racial considerations were unlawful because the interest in diversity was not compelling and, even if it were, the policy "had not narrowly tailored its use of race to further that interest." Also, the district court granted Grutters requests for relief. The United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit vacated the injunction and reversed. The appellate court held that the "use of race was narrowly tailored because race was merely a potential plus factor" and the policy was consistent with Justice Powells opinion in Regents of University of California v. Bakke. The Supreme Court of the United States granted certiorari and affirmed the appellate decision. Chief Justice Rehnquist, Justice Kennedy, Justice Scalia, and Justice Thomas, all dissented with the argument that system at the university was unconstitutional, thinly veiled and against the fourth amendment act. As stated by Chief Justice Rehnquist the percentage of African American applicants closely mirrored the percentage of African American applicants that were accepted. The concern of Powell for individual consideration, which the Court adopted in Grutter’s case, is ironically with an argument against minority preference. Those opposed to minority preference maintain that American society has traditionally been extremely meritocratic, focusing on individual merit and true potential of applicants. Also, since all races must be

How the epic poem Iliad influenced Alexander the Great Research Paper - 1

How the epic poem Iliad influenced Alexander the Great - Research Paper Example Alexander’s dream to conquer the world has its root in the very imaginary of world of the Iliad. To a great extent, Iliad’s world was a world of heroism for Alexander. Homer’s heroes -especially, Achilles- had influenced the young mind of Alexander in his youth. But this world also taught him morality and courage to a considerable extent. It was the courage of Achilles’ courage -to go against Agamemnon’s tyrannous, unreasonable and despotic behavior- that inspired Alexander to raise his voice often against his father’s royal policies. Though he inherited much of the war-tactics and the wisdom of fighting and winning a war from his father Philip of Macedon, textual evidences from the â€Å"Iliad† show that a significant part of Alexander’s war-tactics had been induced and modulated by the war-tactics of Homeric heroes. This paper will explore into how Alexander had been influenced by Homer’s epic poem ‘Iliad’. In this regard, Alexander’s real-life activities will be compared with the textual evidences in the poem. During the formative years of his early life Alexander had been greatly influenced by the â€Å"Iliad†. Since his time, he has turned into a legendary personality. He appears to one of the most influential historical personalities who tamed the world by their courage. But this legendary personality himself has been inspired tremendously by the Greek mythologies and legends. During the early years of his life, Alexander studied the ‘Iliad’. The courage and heroism of the Greek heroes in the story were greatly shaping the young mind of Alexander. Especially the Homeric hero Achilles attracted him so much that he decided to imitate him in his real life. Till his death, the Achillean motivation to fight in a war has haunted Alexander’s mind. This Achillean motivation is best described in the following speech of Achilles: â€Å"If I hold out here and I lay siege to Troy, / my journey

The Pilot Program Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The Pilot Program - Essay Example Which I did. The next chapter on Reproduction was suspect and I decided to refer it to the Board of Education. After careful and deliberate review they determined that the terminology, especially with respect to cell division, was too explicit for a 13-year-old. Chapter 7: 43 pages were removed. Parents were outraged that I had gutted the textbook. They had no clue as to what was missing. I told them I had removed the pages as the direct result of a request by the publisher. That seemed to placate them until they became curious about what had been removed. I demonstrated the conflicting views of the frog. I told them I was not a legal scholar, just the textbook coordinator, but was legally compelled to remove certain sections on constitutional grounds. The parents grew louder. I produced the missing pages from Chapter 6. They asked me what followed Evolution. I said "Reproduction and Primates." I showed them the picture of the friendly monkey. The monkey was smiling. This brought about a pleasant quiet across the wild and unruly crowd. There is just something about a smiling monkey. Now we were on common ground. I had to burn all 28 pilot textbooks. They were deemed unusable and the pilot program never got off the ground. The new pilot program in biology is a field trip.

Proposed research direction Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Proposed research direction - Essay Example The consumer demand in the luxury market exhibits inelastic behavior and classical marketing approaches are inefficient towards these consumers. The article also makes great references to other effects observed only in the luxury markets that can be exploited in parallel with the snob effect. Depending on the product and its target audience one can select the strongest marketing effect out of five presented components: Veblen effect, bandwagon effect, hedonic effect, perfectionist effect and snob effect. A combination of all the effects might be an overkill for our research, but presents a good overview of how deep one can go in order to properly design a marketing strategy in the luxury segment. Even if sale volumes are miniscule compared to large retail discounters the profit margins are much larger, which presents a unique business opportunity. However, large profit margins require a carefully selected and thought-out marketing strategy, which should take into account the psychological profile of the future consumer. 2. TaskÄ ±n Dirsehana, Meltem Celikb, (2011), Profiling online consumers according to their experiences with a special focus on social dimension. Procedia Social and Behavioral Sciences 24 (2011) 401–412 Authors present a new marketing tool that helps to identify your target customer audience with the help of modern technologies. It studies the behavior of online consumers and classifies them in seven categories: â€Å"individual hedonists, highly socials, holistic consumers, action-oriented consumers, knowledge seekers, sense-directed consumers and social utilitarian consumers†. Once a marketing department has an exact profile of consumers to target it becomes easier and more cost effective to come up, for example, with an advertising campaign. In the present days online shopping and online presence is a must for any

Dementia and Alzheimer's Disease Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Dementia and Alzheimer's Disease - Essay Example This brain and neuron disorder seriously affects a person's ability to carry out daily activities. This condition, called Dementia, which initially affects the parts of the brain that control thought, memory, and language, is taken to be a route map of the progression of Alzheimer's. From a medical perspective, the first signs of Alzheimer's disease are detectable from the lifestyle of affected individuals. However, the simplicity of these symptoms often result in them being ignored or dismissed as natural signs of old age. One of the earliest, yet most unnoticed symptoms of Alzheimer's disease is short-term memory loss. Very often, the patient appears to have skipped memories pertaining to a generation, or a similar time span, which essentially involves the present. Very recent incidents may be forgotten, while those which happened a relatively long time ago are vividly remembered, and oft quoted. Also, individuals and recent acquaintances may be completely forgotten, and may even be mistaken to be some individual the patient had acquaintance with, in the past. One hypothetical, yet practically very common, instance worth referring to is a case where a patient has no memory of his grandson's existence. On seeing the grandson, he may be mistaken to be the patient's son, and the patient may even make attempts to communicate with him in that context. Further symptoms may include problems with writing and speaking. The patient may forget simple words and make statements that don't make any sense. Familiar and routine tasks may prove difficult as time progresses. Common instruments used in daily life such as pens, towels, etc may appear meaningless to the patient. The patient may begin to dress inappropriately, completely forget to keep appointments and may even forget regularly used phone numbers. This is said to be a loss of the power of "Abstract Thinking" (Guide to Long Term Care.com). Also, repeated and unexplained mood swings and behavioural changes, quite contrary to the normal character are observed in such patients. As the disease progresses in the individual there may be a marked deterioration of control over his motor neurons, resulting in loss of mobility to considerable extents. The patient may be unable to feed himself, and incontinence may set in. 'Once identified, the average lifespan of patients living with Alzheimer's disease is approximately 7-10 years, although cases are known where reaching the final stage occurs within 4-5 years or at the other extreme they may survive up to 21 years'(Wikipedia, 2007a). Diagnosis and Clinical Perspectives Granted that the primary indications of a possibility of Alzheimer's disease in an individual are based on observations of the daily activities of the individual, the fact remains that it is primarily a clinical condition requiring diagnosis by qualified medical practitioners. Such a study shall be based on characteristic neuropsychological features and it must be ensured that no deferential diagnosis shall exist, considering the gravity of the possible result. Such a determination of the neurological feature shall consider the patient's medical history and clinical observation, while any neuropsychological evaluation will include testing and assessment of intellectual functioning over a series of weeks or

Market Structure Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Market Structure - Essay Example Characteristics of Perfectly Competitive Market In a perfectly competitive market, a large number of buyers are willing to buy products and services at a certain price level and a large number of sellers are willing to sale those products and services for the specified price level. All firms are price taker in perfectly competitive market, having a relatively small market share and operating in a profit maximization motive. Profit is maximized in that point where marginal revenue meets marginal cost (Stackelberg, Bazin, Hill and Urch, 2010). There are no barriers to entry and exit for firms into the industry. All factors of production are perfectly mobile in long run perfect competition. Complete information is available to the consumers in terms of product quality, method of production, price of competitors. Purchasing behaviour of the buyers is rational as all information is available to them. Market cannot be affected by any externalities. Buyers are well aware about their market rights. Therefore, no cost of benefit can influence one party to harm the other party. Firms are engaged in producing homogeneous goods which are hardly differentiated in terms of price level and quality. Economies of scale is absent in this market structure as a result of continuance of a large number of buyers and sellers. There is no transaction cost is perfect competition. Hence no cost is involved in exchanging goods in this type of market structure. Local fish or vegetable market is a perfect example of this kind of market structure (Stackelberg, Bazin, Hill and Urch, 2010).

The controversy of water fluoridation Research Paper

The controversy of water fluoridation - Research Paper Example One particular issue has to do with the overall potential benefit for drawbacks that this fluoridation might necessarily affect. For the most part, it is been broadly accepted that water fluoridation is beneficial to the overall health of individuals within society. For the most part, this benefit has been tangentially related to dental health. However, there are also been claims by many scientists and researchers that fluoride within drinking water also benefits the overall bone health within an individual that is exposed to it. Furthermore, this practice has been approved and supported by both the American Medical Association and the American dental Association since 1951 and 1953 respectively. Essentially, two government agencies are ultimately responsible for overseeing the way in which fluoride is represented within the water supply in the United States. These government agencies are the Federal Drug Administration and the Environmental Protection Agency. The government requirem ents for fluoridation of water and acceptable levels stipulate that the maximum level of fluoride that can be found in public water should not exceed 4 ppm (parts per million) (Vandana, 2014). In several studies that have been conducted nation-wide, this has been found to have been exceeded. For the most part, there is a great dearth of effective and fully scientific studies that have been conducted as a means of determining the potential drawbacks or extant benefits that water fluoridation is able to effect. This is unique and at the very least somewhat troubling; in light of the fact that the nation’s water supply has been fluoridated for well over 60 years now. As such, the following analysis will pay a special level of attention to some of the positive and potential negative effects that water fluoridation may have on the populace. Through such a level of examination and

Ethical Issues Report Essay Example for Free

Ethical Issues Report Essay SeaWorld is a public company that is facing a significant ethical issue right now, mostly in part to the release of the documentary Blackfish. This documentary takes viewers inside the capture, training and marketing of these Killer Whales for the sole profit of the company. It also highlights the breeding, training and housing of these magnificent mammals. It brings many ethical issues to the table. 1) Should any wild animal be taken from its natural home and forced to live in captivity? 2) Should these animals then be forced to â€Å"perform† for our entertainment purposed? And finally 3) Should these animals be treated as objects and put thru artificial insemination, separated from family members and subject to inbreeding all while SeaWorld knows that this is making the whales lives beyond inadequate and causing not only death to the animal but to numerous trainers involved as well. Blackfish is a documentary made in 2013 by director Gabriela Cowperthwaite. It focuses on Tilikum (Tili), an orca forced by SeaWorld to live in captivity. It highlights the health issues, the whale-on-whale and whale-on-trainer aggression as well as the compromised lives and social experiences of SeaWorld’s killer whales. Tili is involved in deaths of 3 individuals and is a direct result of keeping killer whales in captivity. The film covers the captivity of Tili in 1983 off the coast of Iceland where he was torn away from his family. It then goes on to show the lack of social interaction these whales receive in captivity; causing grief, stress and anxiety all while being forced to perform. It makes an effort to show that although SeaWorld tried to promote their whales â€Å"wonderfully social and fulfilling† lives it is fact doing just the opposite. Not only that, but only .06% of all revenues SeaWorld actually puts towards conservation. Should wild animals be held in captivity at all? â€Å"Animals are often prevented from doing most of the things that are natural and important to  them, like running, roaming, flying, climbing, foraging, choosing a partner, and being with others of their own kind,† PETA writes in a web fact sheet. â€Å"Zoos teach people that it is acceptable to interfere with animals and keep them locked up in captivity, where they are bored, cramped, lonely, deprived of all control over their lives and far from their natural homes.† True, not all animals in captivity have been ripped from their natural habitat and placed into a cage to be used as a spectacle for human entertainment, but when there is not environmental reason or risk to the animal, why do we do so? Whales are by no means lacking in ocean to swim in. Why, just because we think they look â€Å"cool† should they be subjected to living as we say they should? Former SeaWorld senior trainer John Hasgrove, who appeared in Blackfish, asked: â€Å"If animal care in captivity is truly the goal, why are SeaWorld’s killer whales still â€Å"in the same sterile concrete pools† the park has kept them in for decades? SeaWorld has since said it has spent $70 million into upgrading those killer whale habitats in recent years. Should these animals be forced to perform solely for our entertainment purposes? Humans are generally fonder of critters that seem to have more dynamic personalities and pronounced social attachments. Killer whales are just that. In the wild the stay with their families for generations and have their own communication sounds of clicks and whistles individualized to their pod. SeaWorld has long benefited from promoting this idea. Its killer whale shows, marketing and displays have made the company money for years. For a time, the park even ran a Shamu Twitter account. Lori Marino, a neuroscience lecturer at Emory University in Atlanta who appeared in Blackfish, has said killer whales are among the world’s most intelligent animals. Almost a decade ago, Nova Scotia based biologist Hal Whitehead claimed orcas the second more â€Å"cultural† species. â€Å"They have their way of doing things, which they’ve learned from their mother and their other relatives,† Whitehead told the newspaper. The documentary states that the orcas suffer from broken teeth because they rub and ram equipment in their tanks and that they sometimes regurgitate their food all out of boredom. It also points out that captivity leads to violence and shortened live spans. Finally, are these animals’ just objects and are we under obligation not to  encourage and support this abuse? Is keeping these whales in captivity overshadowing any good that SeaWorld is doing? Is there a moral obligation that we have to protect these creatures from artificial insemination that is often the result of inbreeding? Do we have a right to separate the calves from their mothers just to allow another park, sometimes half way across the globe, a chance to showcase a killer whale? Should be â€Å"training† these whales to do human decided tricks for profit? Where does money no matter hold importance to the damage that we are doing to our environment ethically? How can one say that we have a right to remove an animal from its family and its lifestyle and then tell our children not bring a wild rabbit into the house? These animals, once raised in captivity cannot be returned to the wild, but how can we justify continuing to force breeding and incest? What does it stay about our intelligence and our ethical moral if we do not put an end to this mistreatment of such creatures?

As I Walked Out One Evening | Analysis

As I Walked Out One Evening | Analysis There is a certain level of hesitation that is often experienced when it comes to ones acceptance of time. One may see this uncertainty not only in others but perhaps in his or her own perceptions. There is much speculation surrounding time and what happens when ones time on earth finally reaches its end. The nature of time, in itself, is a scary reality. Not only does time play a very personal role in the lives of all of humanity, but it also plays a prominent part in many of the works included in modern and contemporary poetry. We see the positions of various poets when it comes to the concept of time, whether it be a position of optimism or pessimism. There is one thing that is certain, however; one never knows when his or her time on earth is up. Time is, essentially, all we have. W. H. Audens As I Walked Out One Evening, can be viewed as a prime example of a poem which revolves around the theme of the finite nature of time. A background set to match this exchange between mortality and eternity is the brimming river (5) where the speaker stops to listen to the lovers. The river is used as a metaphor for Time because of the way it flows: it goes on endlessly and goes on even as we do not. No matter what small connection we may make with the water in the flowing river, it keeps flowing past us. No matter how hard we may try we could never stop the river from flowing. Similarly, the bells of the clock tower remind us of the Time that is passingthe time that will not stop for us: The underlying theme of Time is the cycle of life or perhaps the rotation of the seasons. The speaker may already be thinking about the passing seasons of his own life when the crowds remind him of harvest wheat. Auden portrays the wheat in terms of time: fall is frequently used as a metaphor for old age. It is the final stage of the life cycle; the flowers have blossomed and the cold winter is on its way. Here the speaker sees the crowd and is perhaps reminded of the cycle we all experience as we head towards our elder years. Even the young lovers will grow pale with old age, just as into many a green valley / Drifts the appalling snow (33-34). There is tragedy that lies in beauty and youth; neither of them last and eventually we grow old and disintegrate. Auden metaphorically portrays Time in terms that are almost disturbing, as it dwells in the burrows of the nightmare (25) and watch the lovers from the shadows. It pauses just until they are about to complete their love with a kiss before it coughs and interrupts with its opposition. The same church bells that chime the hour also ring for the dead and on this night near the river both bells have the same sounds. The speaker, as he walks along the river down Bristol Street, may have found himself further down that lane than he anticipates, as he ends up somewhere between the lovers and all the clocks in the city (21). Standing there as the bells ring, he loses track of time, hearing a complete song in reply to the lovers singing. He soon realizes how much time has passed: It was late, late in the evening, / The lovers they were gone (61-62). Here, we see the speaker as he spends his time observing others. In the process, he never gets to experience his own life, on his own time. As so on as he knows it, a great deal of time has passed; so much in fact, that the lovers have gone away-indicating that they have used up their own mortal time on earth and the speaker has wasted a great deal of his own time through his relentless observation of them. The poem incorporates two different ideas conveyed by the songs. Auden ultimately invites us to evaluate the viewpoints of the lover and the clocks that are clearly at odds with one another. The lover argues that love is everlasting and eternally young while the clocks assert that all of life, including love, is subject to time and decay. Although Auden does not want o deny the lovers optimism, he ultimately gives more acknowledgment to the clocks practical outlook. The clocks song is less emotional and more detached than the lovers. They whirr and chime and dispute that time is more powerful than anything human, even love: Time watches from the shadow / And coughs when you would kiss (27-28). Time is a silent and inevitable force that disrupts even the most joyous of moments and can replace a kiss that brings people closer, with a cough that pushes them apart. The clocks uphold that Time is the triumphant force since it is a race that can never be won by humanity and there are never any exceptions to its limits nor are there any survivors of its boundaries. As the clocks describe it, In headaches and in worry / Vaguely life leaks away (29-30). The clocks go on and we see that time not only presents trivial worries such as headaches, but it also carries greater dangers: The glacier knocks in the cupboard, / The desert sighs in the bed, / And the crack in the tea-cup opens / A lane to the land of the dead. The items mentioned are all objects foun d in ones home. The greater powers of the external world can infiltrate even such personal places as the ones we call home. Even death, perhaps the greatest threat of all, can make its way into this domestic place. The cracked tea-cup represents the effects of time. It is evidence that things diminish as time goes by and it illustrates the human condition. We are, essentially, born to die because Time is bound to take its course. Auden personifies the clocks by giving them the ability to speak. In reality, these clocks do not have the capacity for human language. The clocks argument, like the lovers, may well be taking place inside the poets head. The poet is thinking about the nature of human life, and in the clocks song there are several references to vision as well as literal reflections. In one of the clocks songs, the clocks urge: O look, look in the mirror, O look in your distress; Life remains a blessing Although you cannot bless. (49-52). Here, the mirror portrays an image of sorrow while the downbeat voice of the stanza is fit by the statement that Life remains a blessing (52). Nonetheless, the clocks make it clear that humans are not capable of valuing the joys of life and give one final order: You shall love your crooked neighbour /With your crooked heart (55-56). The clocks song cuts the lovers optimism and certainty short. Auden gives the clocks three times as many stanzas as the lover to state their ideas about life, love, and time. This imbalance, along with the fact that the clocks get the last word in the discussion, demonstrates that their viewpoint is the prevailing one. The clocks do not, however, get the last word in the poem. In the final stanza, the speaker is finished quoting them and returns to speak in his own voice. Many hours have passed since the start of the poem. The crowds, along with the lovers, are gone. The sounds of clocks have stopped and the poem concludes the deep river ran on (60) This line hints towards hopefulness as it may indicate that the cycle presented in the poem will recur and that lovers as well as those who believe in love, will again sing of their hopes and passions, despite the dire assertions of clocks and other reminders of the reality of time. On the contrary, the concluding line may be disparaging-the river seems to be symbolic of times unyielding onward motion. The river appears to have little concern for the human world and is unchanged by joy and grief. In spite of the inevitability of human fate, nature and time will continue to move forward with or without us, as it has done for countless years. Auden seems to advance the clocks message over the lovers perhaps becau se he cannot refute the fact that love is stifled by the complexities and boundaries of life. On the other hand, poetry, unlike love or the life spans of human beings, has the potential to forwardly and eternally progress. As I Walked Out One Evening and other poems must end, however, poetry as a figure of human accomplishment, has the chance to live on.

Overview of Vagus Nerve Stimulation

Overview of Vagus Nerve Stimulation The vagus nerve is one of 12 cranial nerves that pass information to and from the brain. The vagus nerve is the longest of the cranial nerves, with connections to the brain and many of the organs of the body. Intermittent electrical stimulation of the vagus nerve seems to reduce or prevent seizures. Vagus nerve stimulation involves a surgical procedure to implant an electrical pulse generator in the chest and attach electrodes to the vagus nerve in the neck. A pulse generator is similar to a pacemaker. It isabout the size of a pocket watch and weighs about 25 grams (g). How does vagus nerve stimulation work? The pulse generatoris surgically implanted in the chest just under the skin. This generator is programmed to intermittently transmit small electrical signals via a wire to the vagus nerve in the neck. We do not understand why electrical stimulation of the vagus nerve is effective at preventing seizures. It may be related to changes in the brainstem and thalamus, or the electrical stimulation may intercept the abnormal brain activity associated with seizures. The generator functions automatically 24 hours a day. An external programming wand and software are used by the doctor, to read and alter the stimulation strength and frequency. After the generator is first implanted, the usual starting settings are 30 seconds of stimulation every 5 minutes. The strength of the electrical signal usually starts at 0.25 or 0.5 milliamperes (mA) and is then increased every few months by 0.25 mA. The frequency of the stimulation can also be adjusted, to come on and off more frequently. Patients are also given a magnet, which acts as a switch for the generator. When a patient senses the beginning of a seizure, she can pass the magnet over the pulse generator to deliver extra stimulation. For some people, this extra stimulation can stop a seizure from progressing, shorten a seizure, or reduce the intensity of the seizure. The magnet can also be used to turn the stimulator off temporarily. The battery life of the generator is about six years, after which the device can be replaced. This will require another surgical procedure, similar to the first2. What and who is vagus nerve stimulation best used for? Vagus nerve stimulation has been used to treat partial and generalized seizures in both adults and children. It is considered in the following cases: Anti-epileptic medication does not control seizures effectively. The child is not a good candidate for brain surgery, either because of high risk or because he has various epileptogenic (seizure-generating) areas in his brain. The child is large enough to support the implant. This is usually decided by the neurologist and surgeon. Vagus nerve stimulation should not be used in children with certain cardiac, respiratory, or gastrointestinal problems. The vagus nerve serves the heart, lungs, and stomach, and some existing problems in these areas may lead to complications with vagus nerve stimulation. Vagus nerve stimulation usually reduces seizures but does not often eliminate them completely. Usually it is used together with medication. Use in the Pediatric Population A large group of patients with intractable epilepsy are younger than 12 years, including children with Lennox-Gastaut syndrome, Dravet syndrome, and other difficult-to-treat epileptic conditions. Morris and colleagues[3]recently provided an evidence-based guideline for VNS in children that is based on a review of off-label use. In 13 class 3 studies involving 470 children with partial or generalized epilepsy, 55% had > 50% seizure reduction with VNS. Similarly, in 4 class III studies of 113 children with Lennox-Gastaut syndrome, 55% had > 50% seizure reduction. Mood studies were not available for children. (In 2 class 3 studies of 31 adults with epilepsy, significant improvements in standard mood scales were observed.) Children were 3.4 times more likely than adults to develop an infection at the VNS implantation site. What is the procedure? A medical evaluation is necessary to determine if this is a case that may be successfully treated with vagus nerve stimulation. Once it has been decided that your child may be helped by vagus nerve stimulation, the surgeon, anaesthetist, and others on the medical team will explain the procedure to you in detail. Its important that you understand the procedure, its risks, and your childs future care; feel free to ask them any questions you may have. With the help of the treatment team, you should then explain the procedure to your child and help him understand what to expect after the implantation. Your child will need to be admitted into the hospital to install the device. Your child will probably need to be put to sleep under general anaesthetic, and therefore will need to stop eating eight hours before. The operation can be done with a local anaesthetic, but because it is hard for children to stay still, most require a general anaesthetic. The procedure itself takes about one hour. One cut about 5 cm long is made on the left chest wall to implant the pulse generator. Another cut about 5 cm long is made in the neck, through which flexible platinum electrodes are attached to the vagus nerve. Because the vagus nerve also goes to the heart, the generator will be turned on in the operating room so that the surgeon can make sure the device does not interfere with the heart. For the same reason, the electrodes are almost always placed on the left vagus nerve, which has less critical influence on the heart. Your child may be sent home on the same day or kept overnight for observation. You and your child will be taught how to care for the incisions before discharge1. Using vagus nerve stimulation After the pulse generator is implanted, the doctor will start the stimulation, using a wand attached to a laptop computer. The doctor will begin with a low dose of current, given for 30 seconds every five minutes. The strength and duration of the stimulation will be slowly increased, at subsequent doctor visits, to achieve optimum seizure control. The stimulation is delivered automatically, 24 hours a day. Your child will also be given a special magnet for use with the pulse generator. Children who experience auras (a feeling that signals the onset of a seizure) can use the magnet to give an extra burst of stimulation, which may reduce or eliminate an imminent seizure. You can also use the magnet if you see that your child is about to have a seizure. The magnet can also be used to turn off the pulse generator temporarily and to check its operation. The doctor will make sure that you and your child understand how to use the magnet before you leave the hospital. Your child will need to continue taking his medications. The dosage will be kept constant for several months while the generators output current is slowly increased. Once the current has been increased to its optimal level, your childs doctor will consider reducing medication and will discuss a new schedule with you. The benefits of VNS seem to increase over time. In one study:1 After 3 months, the number of seizures decreased by about one-third. After 12 months, the number of seizures decreased by about half. And in 2 out of 10 people, the number of seizures decreased by about three-fourths. For people who can sense when they are about to have a seizure, turning on the VNS using their hand-held magnet can sometimes prevent the seizure. It may also shorten a seizure already in progress. Studies show that VNS may also be effective in children. VNS improved independence, mood, and learning in some children3. What to Expect After Surgery The generator may be turned on the day following the surgery or at the first post-surgical visit. Your child will be reassessed in seven to 10 days for a wound check, and the generator may be turned on or adjusted.Parents will be shown how to use a magnet to control a seizure. Waving the magnet over the generator may stop or shorten a seizure. Children who are implanted with a VNS usually return home the same day following their surgery. Sometimes a hospital stay of one night is necessary2. Regular monitoring Regular monitoring is required to check the generator and battery and to make sure the treatment is working well and is not uncomfortable. The battery life of the generator is about six years, after which the device may be replaced. This will require another surgical procedure, similar to the first Risks The vagus nerve stimulator is considered safe. Mild side effects occur in some people when the device stimulates the nerve. The most common side effects include: Coughing. Throat pain. Hoarseness or slight voice changes. Shortness of breath. In children, vagus nerve stimulation may cause increased hyperactivity2. Conclusion For more than 15 years, VNS has proven a useful adjunct to pharmaceutical therapy in adults and children with intractable epilepsy. In an evidence-based guideline, Morris and colleaguesconcluded that VNS may be considered for treatment of seizures in children with epilepsy, including those with Lennox-Gastaut syndrome (level C). Improvements in mood, as well as a sense of control over seizures provided by the magnet, may be added benefits. Adverse events, such as postimplant infection and lead fracture, may occur more often in children than in adults1. As with many pediatric therapies, VNS is not FDA-approved for children. Nonetheless, VNS represents a potentially effective and nonsedating treatment option and should be considered for children with intractable epilepsy. Referances Andrew N,Vagus nerve stimulation for children;Medscape neurology,November 2013.http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/813917_3 Buchhalter JR, Jarrar RG (2003). Therapeutics in pediatric epilepsy, part 2: Epilepsy surgery and vagus nerve stimulation.Mayo Clinic Proceedings, 78(3): 371–378 Schachter SC (2002). Vagus nerve stimulation therapy summary: Five years after FDA approval.Neurology, 59(6, Suppl 4): S15–S20.

Bullying Essay -- Papers

Have you ever bullied or been bullied? If you have bullied or been bullied then you should know how bullying feels like. Bullying is very negative and creates major problems for our society. Nothing good comes out of bullying. It could very well change or ruin a person’s life. In fact, it does ruin many people’s lives. Kids can be mentally scarred if they are teased often. Even worse, they could be killed or fatally injured if the bullying gets extreme. There are many causes for bullying which must be taken care of before bullying can be stopped. T.V. violence, families in poverty, and mis-teachings are just several of the many serious causes for bullying. Bullying must be stopped or prevented no matter how long it will take, it is a deeply concerning matter. Bullying does not always have to be childish play, it can be extremely violent. People may be bruised, injured, or even killed. Kids under bad influence may turn very violent. Parents, relatives, friends, T.V., music and pictures may all influence people, especially when they are depressed or are in a lowered...

Essay --

1. Introduction 1.1 Definition High speed machining (HSM) enables an increase in efficiency, accuracy, productivity and quality of work-pieces as well as a reduction in costs and completion time compared to conventional machining. [1, 2] HSM can trace back to early twenties of 20th century. However, the definitions of HSM are varied and complicated. The first definition is proposed by Carl Salomon in 1931. Salomon’s theory is that the chip-to-tool temperature will begin to decrease at a certain cutting speed which is 5 to10 times higher than conventional machining speed as shown in Figure 1. [1, 3] Figure 1 Salomon's theory Nowadays, one popular definition of HSM is based on the DN ratio, which means the bearing bore diameter (mm) multiplied by the maximum spindle speed (rev/min). For high-speed machining, the typical DN ratio is between 500,000 and 1,000,000. Moreover, HSM generally refers to end milling at high rotational speeds or surface speeds as shown in Figure 2. Figure 2 High Speed Machining HSM means utilizing cutting speed significantly higher than conventional machining speed. Generally, a specific range is used to quantitatively define machining speeds, which is shown as follows. [4] †¢ High speed machining : 600-1,800 m/min, †¢ Very high speed machining: 1,800-18,000 m/min, †¢ Ultra high speed machining : >18,000 m/min. The range of high speed milling is shown in Figure 3. Figure 3 Range of high speed milling There is a comparison between conventional machining and high speed machining shown in the table. Parameters Conventional HSM The tool/workpiece contact time Long Short Accuracy Low High Cutting force High Low Surface finish Low High Material removal rate Low High Cutting fluid Need No need normall... ...lusion Machining processes are fundamental and essential steps in manufacturing engineering. HSM as a modern technology can bring about a dramatic increase in efficiency, accuracy, productivity and quality of work-pieces as well as a reduction in costs and completion time. However, there are some disadvantages of HSM, which require to be overcome to realize scientific and economic benefits in a better way. Therefore, the potential improvement is proposed, such as the multi-purpose coatings as well as the combination with AR to become smart HSM. Additionally, it is of vital importance to hold and balance the tool properly to ensure the best performance. With the potential development in the future, HSM can find more applications in manufacturing engineering, and generate more perfect products in a more safe and effective method and finally contribute to the society.

Drugs: A Major Problem In Canadian Society :: essays research papers fc

Drugs: A Major Problem In Canadian Society A major problem that exists within Canadian society is the abuse of mind- altering substances. Such narcotics cause not only health problems, but also violent and potentially criminal acts. A mind-altering narcotic can be defined as both the legal and illegal type. The four main categories of drugs are: narcotics, CNS depressants, CNS stimulants, and hallucinogens. Most of these drugs are highly addictive and are usually obtained by prescription or are considered a banned substance and must be purchased illegally. Users of many of the "harder" drugs being abused today also face the possibility of an eventual overdose. An overdose is the ingestion of a lethal or mind- damaging amount of drugs. Once an full addiction of these drugs occur, the user faces withdrawal symptoms when a discontinuation of a drug transpires. This is due to a reduction of the natural pain-killers that exist in the body of non- drug users. These symptoms include chills, sweating, cramps, headaches, diarrhea and excessive vomiting. The treatment of drug addicts includes an extensive program of detoxification. Medical drugs, such as Naloxone, are sometimes given to patients to aid in overcoming these addictions. These drugs occupy opiate receptors in the brain to block all effects of the damaging drugs, however the Naloxone is not an addictive drug, as the others are. The downfall to the medical drugs being used to help addiction are that there effects are very short-term and cannot cure the patient, but does assist in attaining the goal of substituting a more controllable, less lethal drug as opposed to the original narcotic . The key to preventing substance abuse in Canada is to educate the public, preferably at a young age, never to experiment with potentially life-threating drugs. This education can be attained within the pre-secondary schools. In 1988 prime minister Brian Mulroney announced proposed Canada's Drug Strategy. Laws were enacted, which prohibited the sale of drug paraphernalia and increased the power of police to seize the assets of arrested drug offenders. The Strategy allocated the sum of $210 million in its first five years (and an additional $270 million in 1992) mainly to the prevention, education and treatment of drug use, while 30 per cent of this money was intended for the traditional area of law enforcement. The goal of education within the school system should be to support those students who are non-users with recognition and social activities that will encourage them to remain non-users and to facilitate a belief and value system that incorporates concern for fellow students and residents of the community. Drug education should emphasise the negative aspects of drugs to give the

Data Flow Diagram

mywbut. com Data Flow Diagrams (DFDs) 1 mywbut. com Specific Instructional Objectives At the end of this lesson the student will be able to: †¢ †¢ †¢ Identify the activities carried out during the structured analysis phase. Explain what a DFD is. Explain why constructing DFDs are important in arriving at a good software design. †¢ Explain what a data dictionary is. †¢ Explain the importance of data dictionary. †¢ Identify whether a DFD is balanced. Structured Analysis Structured analysis is used to carry out the top-down decomposition of a set of high-level functions depicted in the problem description and to represent them graphically.During structured analysis, functional decomposition of the system is achieved. That is, each function that the system performs is analyzed and hierarchically decomposed into more detailed functions. Structured analysis technique is based on the following essential underlying principles: †¢ †¢ †¢ Top-down de composition approach. Divide and conquer principle. Each function is decomposed independently. Graphical representation of the analysis results using Data Flow Diagrams (DFDs). Data Flow Diagram (DFD)The DFD (also known as a bubble chart) is a hierarchical graphical model of a system that shows the different processing activities or functions that the system performs and the data interchange among these functions. Each function is considered as a processing station (or process) that consumes some input data and produces some output data. The system is represented in terms of the input data to the system, various processing carried out on these data, and the output data generated by the system. A DFD model uses a very limited number of primitive symbols [as shown in fig. 5. 1(a)] to epresent the functions performed by a system and the data flow among these functions. 2 mywbut. com External Entity Process Output Data Flow (a) Data Store number readnumber validatenumber data-item valid number (b) data-item readnumber validatenumber validnumber number (c) Fig. 5. 1 (a) Symbols used for designing DFDs (b), (c) Synchronous and asynchronous data flow Here, two examples of data flow that describe input and validation of data are considered. In Fig. 5. 1(b), the two processes are directly connected by a data flow. This means that the ‘validate-number’ process can start only after the ‘readnumber’ process had supplied data to it.However in Fig 5. 1(c), the two processes are connected through a data store. Hence, the operations of the two bubbles are independent. The first one is termed ‘synchronous’ and the second one ‘asynchronous’. Importance of DFDs in a good software design The main reason why the DFD technique is so popular is probably because of the fact that DFD is a very simple formalism – it is simple to understand and use. Starting with a set of high-level functions that a system performs, a DFD model 3 mywbut. com hierarchically represents various sub-functions. In fact, any hierarchical model is simple to understand.Human mind is such that it can easily understand any hierarchical model of a system – because in a hierarchical model, starting with a very simple and abstract model of a system, different details of the system are slowly introduced through different hierarchies. The data flow diagramming technique also follows a very simple set of intuitive concepts and rules. DFD is an elegant modeling technique that turns out to be useful not only to represent the results of structured analysis of a software problem, but also for several other applications such as showing the flow of documents or items in an organization.Data dictionary A data dictionary lists all data items appearing in the DFD model of a system. The data items listed include all data flows and the contents of all data stores appearing on the DFDs in the DFD model of a system. A data dictionary lists the p urpose of all data items and the definition of all composite data items in terms of their component data items. For example, a data dictionary entry may represent that the data grossPay consists of the components regularPay and overtimePay. grossPay = regularPay + overtimePay For the smallest units of data items, the data dictionary lists their name and their type.Composite data items can be defined in terms of primitive data items using the following data definition operators: +: denotes composition of two data items, e. g. a+b represents data a and b. [,,]: represents selection, i. e. any one of the data items listed in the brackets can occur. For example, [a,b] represents either a occurs or b occurs. (): the contents inside the bracket represent optional data which may or may not appear. e. g. a+(b) represents either a occurs or a+b occurs. represents iterative data definition, e. g. {name}5 represents five name data. name}* represents zero or more instances of name data. represe nts equivalence, e. g. a=b+c means that a represents b and c. {}: =: /* */: Anything appearing within /* and */ is considered as a comment. 4 mywbut. com Example 1: Tic-Tac-Toe Computer Game Tic-tac-toe is a computer game in which a human player and the computer make alternative moves on a 3? 3 square. A move consists of marking previously unmarked square. The player who first places three consecutive marks along a straight line on the square (i. e. along a row, column, or diagonal) wins the game.As soon as either the human player or the computer wins, a message congratulating the winner should be displayed. If neither player manages to get three consecutive marks along a straight line, but all the squares on the board are filled up, then the game is drawn. The computer always tries to win a game. display Tic-Tac-Toe Software 0 move Human Player (a) displayboard 0. 1 validatemove 0. 2 game move board result checkwinner 0. 4 playmove 0. 3 (b) Fig 5. 2 (a), (b) Level 0 and Level 1 DFD for Tic-Tac-Toe game described in Example 1 5 mywbut. comIt may be recalled that the DFD model of a system typically consists of several DFDs: level 0, level 1, etc. However, a single data dictionary should capture all the data appearing in all the DFDs constituting the model. Figure 5. 2 represents the level 0 and level 1 DFDs for the tic-tactoe game. The data dictionary for the model is given below. Data dictionary for the DFD model in Example 1 move: display: game: board: result: integer /*number between 1 and 9 */ game+result board {integer}9 [â€Å"computer won†, â€Å"human won† â€Å"draw†] Importance of data dictionaryA data dictionary plays a very important role in any software development process because of the following reasons: †¢ A data dictionary provides a standard terminology for all relevant data for use by the engineers working in a project. A consistent vocabulary for data items is very important, since in large projects different engine ers of the project have a tendency to use different terms to refer to the same data, which unnecessary causes confusion. The data dictionary provides the analyst with a means to determine the definition of different data structures in terms of their component elements. Balancing a DFD The data that flow into or out of a bubble must match the data flow at the next level of DFD. This is known as balancing a DFD. The concept of balancing a DFD has been illustrated in fig. 5. 3. In the level 1 of the DFD, data items d1 and d3 flow out of the bubble 0. 1 and the data item d2 flows into the bubble 0. 1. In the next level, bubble 0. 1 is decomposed. The decomposition is balanced, as d1 and d3 flow out of the level 2 diagram and d2 flows in. 6 mywbut. com (a) Level 1 DFD (b) Level 2 DFD Fig. 5. 3: An example showing balanced decomposition 7

Haiku Basho Matsuo

It si often difficult for Westerners to fully appreciate the technical sophistication of Japanese Haiku, either from a technical or thematic point of view. The obvious obstacles in translating Haiku into English combined with cultural differences and linguistic eccentricities such as slang or puns, make the translation of haiku even more formidable than it would otherwise be.Settling on a single English translation of any particular haiku can prove troublesome; however, the brevity of the form, combined with its visceral impact — when executed with skill — allows for an impact of poetic vision which, while based in the same elements as Western poetry: metaphor, assonance, dissonance, rhyme, theme, and imagery — demonstrates an intense compression of poetic language and a refinement of prosody which is slightly more calculated and reserved than much of Western poetry.A good case in point is the poetry of Basho Matsuo whose work is often considered by Western criti cs and observers as the highest representation of Japanese haiku. By and large, the intricacies of Basho's writings in the haiku form are only understood with effort by Western readers. By examining one of his famous haiku, it is possible to take note of those aspects of Basho's writings which are intrinsic to the aesthetic power of his work and also which may be slightly beyond easy appraisal for many readers.The following example of haiku reveals many techniques in diction, imagery, and prosody (or meter); although in translation, the specific notable qualities may be different than in the original work, the translated work retains the â€Å"spirit† of the original and allows for at least a cursory examination of how poetic techniques thrive under the haiku form. The poem: The first soft snow! Enough to bend the leaves Of the jonquil low. The most readily apparent quality of the poem is its imagery.No-one could miss the grand images of falling snow upon a gracefully bending flower. This juxtaposition of seasonal imagery: snow for winter and the jonquil for spring (or summer) functions at many levels, among them, bringing a great range to the poem which in actuality is quite brief, and also by bringing a violent, but wholly balanced, conflict between the images of snow and spring, a conflict which extends to the reader and involves the reader at a deeply symbolic level.By not naming any individual struggle, complaint, or lament — Basho allow the reader to project onto the archetypal symbols of snow and spring, their own subjective responses to the imagery which stimulates a sense of coming change, transition, or even loss. Another key aspect of the imagery of the poem is what might be termed the gesture of the imagery. Just as in a work of sculpture or a painting, the attitude and â€Å"pose† of the i,images in Basho's poem are as important as the images themselves.To create a sense of indelible gesture, Basho's verb â€Å"bends† s ucceeds with great capacity and also conveys a sense of one force bowing gracefully to another, as though the conflict between spring and winter, life and death, warm and cold, are pulled altogether under the image of the gently bending flower which accepts the change of seasons (and its own eventual death in winter) with a delicate bow.Read this way, the image of the jonquil in the poem is anthropomorphisized at leat to the extant that it invites the reader to project themselves into the scene of the poem and most likely view the jonquil as a symbol for themselves or for humanity in the face of changing nature. Because the jonquil bows to the snow, the transmitted meaning of the images in gesture is that man and nature are one.In order to convey this profound message, Basho made use of a sort of figurative language which is not precisely metaphor or simile, but nonetheless connects the image of the jonquil to the image of humanity. The sound of the poem is also important to the tra nsmission of meaning and the prosody of the poem, like its imagery and figurative language, is also a bit outside of typical Western techniques in verse. Spoken aloud, Basho's haiku forwards the idea of an enlightened exclamation, a spontaneous â€Å"ejaculation† of wonder and insight.There is reflectiveness in the poem, despite its brevity, indicated by the alliteration of â€Å"soft snow† and the pointing out of it being â€Å"the first† snow. This alliteration is carried out to the word â€Å"leaves† connecting the images of snow and tree-flowers by diction and assonance. Meanwhile, the abbreviated prosody of haiku allows for a conversational tone of delivery, as though a magnificent insight into nature of one's own being — both in fact — is being communicated in universal terms through the use of ordinary conversation.By using relatively pedestrian language along with intense archetypal imagery, Basho imbues the haiku form with a great b readth and profundity that its short form and controlled meter and theme might in other hands not allow to be attained with such grace or precision. The word â€Å"low† which closes the poem, and also in translation rhymes with the word â€Å"snow,† indicates a harmonious connection to nature and also an acknowledgment of the unknowable mystery of nature.It is as though in the face of the â€Å"snow† of heaven or of the cosmic breadth of the universe, the jonquil simply bows low with respect and is then taken into the protective embrace of nature. That this insight is delivered with the easy, controlled and conversational idiom of haiku demonstrates a plastic connection of the cosmic and personal, the profound and trivial, the poetic and ordinary, which is a paradigm which seems intrinsic to the haiku form itself.

Explore the Theme of Monstrosity in Frankenstein Essay

Montrosity is a key in Frankenstein, and it affects both the Creature and Victor, whilst at the same time , Shelley argues that society is monstrous through injustices of the time and the social conventions. Frankenstein could be said to be the monster himself- when he says â€Å"miserable monster† whom â€Å"I had created†, we see Shelley implicitly suggest, through the alliterative phrase, that just as â€Å"Adam was created in God’s image† so too was the Creature born in the image of Victor. Moreover, the idea that Frankenstein is himself the monster is reinforced by â€Å"or rather cell†. â€Å"Cell† refers to a prison cell, and is used symbolically to represent the idea that just like a cell is for criminals, who perform acts of monstrousity, so to is Frankenstein the â€Å"criminal† commiting an act of â€Å"monstrosity†. On the other hand, we could argue that it was not so much the act of creation that was monstrous, but rather Frankenstein’s reaction. By writing â€Å"I ran out of the room† we see Victor perform the ultimate rejection, and therefore, shunning the responsibilty that exists in the binary between â€Å"Parent† and â€Å"Child†- as John McRae argued. It is interesting to note that Frankenstein rejects the monster because of an innate selfishness- â€Å"the beauty of the dream vanished† implies that Frankenstein’s physical conception does not equal that of his mental conception, and that because Frankenstein’s plan are in disarray, his rational scientific methods- â€Å"I selected†¦in proportion† show this- are replaced by emotional responses; which for him, is territory unknown- in the same way Walton seeks to â€Å"ascertain the secrets† or how the Creature wants to understand human behaviour at the De Lacy’s. Thus, we see a connection between Victor and the Creature- whom he describes as â€Å"miserbale monster†. Furthermore, the fact that Frankenstein can only respond to the Creature’s birth in empirical, scientific observations- â€Å"pearly white teeth, dull eyes†- constrasts with Elizabeth’s response to William’s death- â€Å"O I have murdered my child†. By portraying Elizabeth in a positive light- she forms an emotional response, which juxtaposes with the sterile feelings of Frankenstein at the conception of the Creatue, Shelley implies that women present a greater degree of humanity- and thus criticises the male dominated society on education- whilst they may read â€Å"Shakespeare† and â€Å"Agrippa†, women will be worldly-wise, (no doubt influence by her feminist mother) and that they are necessary to prevent monstrosities. This idea of the female role is reinforced by the fact that as the novel progresses, the women are slowly being removed- first his Mother, then Justine and then Elizabeth- â€Å"I saw Elizabeth†¦held the corpse of my dead mother†. This presents Frankenstein’s mental degregation and ultimately, the ctalyst for the mosntrous act- so Shelley presents the idea of a dichotomy between man and women- Darwin supported this by suggesting the hierachy of reproducion- man and woman is better than man alone. However, it could also be argued that Frankenstein’s settings augment his monstrousity- we see a sense of isolation- â€Å"solitude† is repeated, implying that by imposing self-exile, Frankenstein detaches himself from society and its rules and that he has become an â€Å"outsider† (McCrae)- much as the monstrousity that Victor calls the Creature, is also an outsider. Indeed the connection between the two is best examined by the Shelley use of the mountain-top- â€Å"Chamonuix, where I saw him†- which alludes to the idea of the Creator and Creation meeting (Hayward), both as equal, with both, arguably as montrous, Victor for abondoning the Creature, and the Creature (for Victor) a representation fo his failure. By using â€Å"Solitude and â€Å" Filthy Workshop of Creation†, Shelley implies that this isolation leads to thoughts of monstrousity- Godwin influecned her argiung it â€Å"was a nusery of madmen†. This separation from society is symbolic too. If Geneva is â€Å"Eden†, then by extending against the limits of knowledge-â€Å"if no man broke the rules† suggests no remorse- he cut himself off, much like Lucifer in Paradise Lost- and thus, Shelley implies that this inner monster within Frankenstein and all of us, can only be restrained by a balance- whether, male or female, or equal laws. The idea that the monstrousity is within Frankenstein (and therefore us) is suggested by â€Å"wildness in his eyes†- he claims the Creature to be â€Å"wild†, but if the eyes are â€Å"windows to the sould†, Shelley suggests and innate montrosity in him (and us); an â€Å"id† that is the carnal desires. This contrasts the idea of the Monster’s â€Å"dull eyes†- which challenges the idea that the Creature is the monstrosity- this challenge is the reason why Shelley uses the Chinese Box Narrative- the various â€Å"narritve eyes† makes us formulate our own judgement. In fact, the Moster, may be the most human of us all- he â€Å"imitates the physiognamy and manners† in the same way that Justine did, yet both are treated unfairly. This idea of an unfair treatment alludes to Shelley’s belief that monstorusity exists in society- so whilst we can say it was Victor’s nature to be monstorus (and that society placed limits to prevent this), the nurturing of him within society is what leads to the monstrosity arguably. In the case of the Justine, the irony is that she is treated â€Å"un-JUSTlY† contrary to her name- which perhaps could be Shelley’s sly reference to her desire for female eqaulity (influenced by Wollstencraft –the feminist motehr) – a name is afforded to all, and Justine’s name contain’s justice- therefore, when she â€Å"is found guilty†- there is a trangression of nature, in the same way that Frankenstein transgresses nature by creating life. This presents the idea that society is too quick to judge- just as Frankenstein believes â€Å"seemingly to grab me†, Justine is quickly found guilty- regardless of Elizabeth’s plea- no wonder Shelley present s the law in such a negative light- â€Å"judge†¦meddle in the dark side of human nature†, because it is flawed and makes rash decisions. Thus, we see Shelley regard society as the monster. To conclude, monstrosity is pervades throughout the novel, affecting all characters and being influenced by setting and society. Yet, in the same way that the Creature was Frankenstein’s creation, the novel coould be seen as her monster-shunned by contempories but exposing the reatiy of monstrosity within us all.

History Nightingale vs Seacole Essay

Do you agree with the view that Mary Seacole, and not Florence Nightingale was the real ‘Angel of Mercy’ during the Crimean War I agree totally with the view that Mary Seacole was the real ‘Angel of Mercy’ although I can understand why there may be some evidence suggesting that Nightingale warranted the title. Sources 2C and 2O agree with the view that Nightingale was the ‘Angel of Mercy’ whereas Source V gives evidence that shows Seacole deserved to herald the title.The weight of evidence clearly supports the view seen in Source V saying Seacole was the real ‘Angel of Mercy’ due to the provenance that surrounds the other two sources which support Nightingale. There is a lot of evidence to suggest that Mary Seacole really was the angel of Mercy. This is very clearly supported in Source V which describes her work in comparison to that of Florence Nightingale. Source V, which is an extract from a book called â€Å"The Victorians† written by A. N.Wilson and published in 2002, states how Seacole was very ‘attentive’ and was always ‘on hand for the troops’ so therefore of course showing Seacole in a very good light. The source was produced to show the readers what the modern day revisionist view is in regards to who the real ‘Angel of Mercy’ was and also how the work Nightingale did was minimal and had no positive effect on the soldiers. The author has clearly been well informed and has a strong agenda in wanting to play down the role of Nightingale in the Crimea.When comparing this to Source O, we can clearly see the difference between the Jingoistic and Traditionalist view of Nightingale being almost angelic and even like the Virgin Mary compared to the revisionist view where she is criticised hugely. Source O may have a very different perspective on Nightingale’s role during the Crimean War, however it is still valid as it shows the view point of British peopl e of Nightingale being a hero during Victorian times.Also, Source 2C is a traditionalist view and we now know that many of the things stated within it are false such as the statement that she ‘tended the dying’. Furthermore, Seacole has to be considered as the real Angel of Mercy due to the great efforts she made just to get out to the Crimea in which she had to pay money herself to get there. She was previously turned down a position as a nurse under Nightingale’s leadership, which it is thought, could be to do with the fact she was black.Her heroism was proven further through her setting up the ‘British Hotel’ in Scutari that tended to the troops. As well as giving them provisions when they were in need. In addition, we can clearly see the bravery she possessed from the fact she would minister to the wounded and the dying on the actual battlefield. She was willing to risk her life to save others. Seacole gave an honest recollection within her diari es of the things she did out in the Crimea and gave a description of her everyday life out there, which clearly involved so much hard work.The Times journalist at the time William Howard Russell, who himself was out in the Crimea, backs up the opinion that Mary Seacole was the real ‘Angel of Mercy’, stating how ‘she doctors and cures all manner of men with extraordinary success’ just going to show the extent of the positive impact she had on the troops during the Crimean War. Moreover, Dr Reid, a surgeon in the Army at the time, who states how he met ‘a celebrated person ‘who’ did not spare herself if she could do any good to the suffering soldiers, furthers Russell’s opinion.This once again goes to show the nature of the person she was and the impact she had which is seen in Source O. Therefore, there is strong evidence to suggest that Mary Seacole, and not Florence Nightingale, was in fact the true ‘Angel of Mercy’ d uring the Crimean War. There is also substantial evidence to suggest that Florence Nightingale, and not Mary Seacole was the real ‘Angel of Mercy’ during the Crimean War. To begin with, both Source 2C and Source 2O show a great deal of support towards the view that Nightingale was a hero and was the true ‘Angel of Mercy’.Source 2C states how ‘Florence Nightingale battled as valiantly as any soldier in the field to improve conditions’ giving us an impression as to the extreme effort she put in to helping out the British troops. It states how she worked with ‘incredible energy’ once more showing the amount of work she put in. This can be compared to Source 20 which also portrays Nightingale as being angelic and tending to the men for their every need. We now know that she didn’t actually treat the men herself and instead supervised whilst other nurses did this work. Source 2C was written by Denis Judd and is an extract from th e 1975 book â€Å"The Crimean War†.Judd clearly had an agenda to portray Nightingale well and perhaps hadn’t got the benefit of receiving all the evidence necessary to produce a completely truthful representation. It does however give us a perspective into the opinions people held until about ten years ago. Furthermore, there is a huge amount of evidence to suggest that Nightingale was in fact ineffective and perhaps even had a negative effect on the soldiers in The Crimea. This can clearly be seen due to the death rate rising to 42 per 1000 during her time at the Scutari between November 1854 and March 1855.This is clearly down no the filthy conditions that the hospital managed to get into whilst she was there with the floors being covered in muck and â€Å"crawling with vermin† which obviously led to many diseases such as gangrene and in particular cholera. Cholera was the disease that resulted in the most deaths. Before Nightingale arrived, we know that the c onditions were much better and were described as ‘sufficiently comfortable’ and ‘clean and airy’, but this changed and rapidly declined following Nightingale’s arrival thus meaning she cannot be considered as being the ‘Angel of Mercy’.This view is furthered from the fact that following the arrival of sanitary commission, the conditions changed for the better and the death rate went down to 2 per 1000. In addition Nightingale was very arrogant and jealous of anyone who competed with her and even accused Mary Stanley of ‘plotting to set up an opposition’, which never would have happened, had Nightingale not have turned down her help. This once again shows how she was not the hero that Victorian society thought she was as seen in Source 2C and Source 2O. Thus, there is some evidence to suggest that Florence Nightingale was the ‘Angel of Mercy’ and not Mary Seacole.However that evidence is very weak in comparison t o the evidence suggesting that Seacole warranted the title of ‘Angel of Mercy’. To conclude, Mary Seacole and not Florence Nightingale was the real ‘Angel of Mercy’ due to a number of reasons addressed. In Sources 2C and 2O, although they describe and show Nightingale being angelic and having a huge impact on the soldiers lives positively, they can’t be seen as true because they were written at a time where Nightingale was seen as a hero and people held a much more traditionalist view.This differs to Source V which is a revisionist view and was written by an author who was well informed in comparison to the ill-informed Dennis Judd and the artist who painted Source O. Overall, it is very clear that the evidence for Mary Seacole being the true ‘Angel of Mercy’ far outweighs that of Florence Nightingale deserving the name so therefore in my opinion Mary Seacole was the true ‘Angel of Mercy’. David Hughes-D’Aeth

A Few Good Man Movie Review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

A Few Good Man - Movie Review Example ges to prove the presence of Code Red, â€Å"an extrajudicial punishment† for dissenting officers, but there is a setback when it is proved that Dawson was absent when the code red order was made. As the movie ends, Colonel Jessup contradicts his testimony and angrily justifies his actions that led to the death of Santiago. Jessup is arrested, while Downey and Dawson are found guilty of unbecoming conduct of a marine and discharged dishonorably. A Few Good Men touches on military justice and demonstrates how military honor and competence is suborned by authorities. Dawson and Downey were treated fairly in A Few Good Men as they were cleared of murder and Jessup was arrested for giving the code red order on Santiago. Dawson and Downey were following orders dictated by their code on abiding to a unit, corps, God, and country in the course of duty (Sorkin, 1990, p. 32). However, they followed orders from their superiors, including Colonel Jessup, but did not regard their duty to protect those not in a position to protect themselves leading to their dishonorable discharge. There was unfairness by the justice system in choice of attorney, willingness to make plea, and choice of prosecutor. Instances exist where the judicial system treated the accused differently as they were going against the word of powerful people. The first instance is assigning the Santiago case to Kaffee and Moore despite their proven inexperience in courtrooms and Kaffee best known for settling cases regardless of guilt, innocence, or the opinion of accused. The other instance is that Downey and Dawson were investigated by military that set up the justice system through appointing the attorneys and presided over the prosecution, which is a violation of their right to fair treatment. The other difference was through instructing Kaffee to plea on behalf of the accused to avoid getting the case to trial. This is evidenced by the prosecutor cautioning him that not pleading was a risk to his

Performance Management Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Performance Management Paper - Essay Example The self-assessment process allows the organization to discern clearly its strengths and areas in which improvements can be made and culminates in planned improvement actions that are monitored for progress" (Bohigas and Heaton, 2000). EFQM Excellence Model aims to select and award a confirmation of high quality health care provision to institutions or services which achieved excellence. To apply for the EFQM, a health care service provides data of activities derived from its self-assessment according to EFQM's nine award assessment criteria. These nine award assessment criteria are as follows: "leadership, people, policy and strategy, partnership and resources, processes, people results, customer results, society results, and key performance results" (http://www.proveandimprove.org/new/tools/index.php). The use of the Model could be facilitated in small groups and even possible for one individual. Good rapport among the stakeholders will ease the process as each will be involved in some ways with the Model. To be effective, management and organization heads needs to be actively involved. As the staff becomes familiar with the system of the model, self-assessment against the Model can be completed very quickly - within days for a very basic assessment. It can also be used as a "diagnostic tool" because areas for action are given emphasis. With tWith the models varying approaches: "questionnaire, matrix chart, workshop, pro-forma, and quality award simulation", an organization can set up their own assessment to fit specific structure of the organization. For emphasis, the following statements from http://www.proveandimprove.org/new/tools/index.php will be cited. "A lot of the success of the model is in changing the way people think, looking for links between

Marketing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 1

Marketing - Essay Example Positioning strategies aims to ensure that an organization’s names pops up in the minds of consumers whenever services in their field of expertise are required. Differentiation strategies ensure that the products and services offered to the market are unique compared to those offered by their competitors. This gives an organization the edge over their competitors when battling for consumers in that particular market (Guidry, 2011). These strategies are implemented in a number of businesses, including hospitals and other health care facilities.   An example that can is used to showcase their use is the comparison between Bon Secours St. Mary's Hospital and HCA Henrico Doctor's Hospital that are both located in Richmond VA. Both of these hospitals function independently but are part of larger organizations that have other hospitals in the Richmond area and throughout the United States.   Though these two organizations essentially offer similar services to their clientele pos itioning and differentiation strategies are used to ensure that they stand out from their competitors as they strive to develop a better grasp on the region’s market. ... This hospital has created marketing strategies that have ensured its survival over the years most notably in this case positioning, and differentiation strategies. The differentiation strategies used by the hospital is seen in the types of services that it offers the clients who visit their premises. One service includes: Bon Secours for Women. This is an initiative launched by the hospital and aims to offer specialized healthcare services to the women who visit the hospital (Bon Secours Health System, Inc., 2012).   Bon Secours for Women deals with medical issues that solely affect women, such as giving birth and parenting issues that follow afterwards.   Classes and education is offered and presented to consumers on  breastfeeding, parenting  and management of any complication that may arise after the birthing process, such as the care of wounds for women who have had to undergo a Caesarian section. Though these services are offered by other hospitals as well, St. Mary's Ho spital has gone a step farther by setting it aside from the other medical services on offer, thus making the women who seek these services from their hospital believe that they are cared for and appreciated, unlike other healthcare facilities whereby these services are alligned with the rest of the medical care that they have to offer.   Bon Secours for Women  concentrates on a particular niche in the market, which is women, and their needs.   They aim their marketing toward women customers who prefer specialized care when dealing with any medical issues. Home care services are another specialized area for Bon Secours.   This is also another clever way of differentiating the hospital’s services from those offered by other