Religion and the Meaning of Life Essay

According to Frederich Nietzche, â€Å"A man who has a why to live can bear any how†. To me this statement provides massive insight into the human experience: all people need a purpose in life. As humans we need a constructive outlet through which we can invest our thoughts, emotions, efforts and energies. We need something to thrive for and strive toward. Religion, for many people provides this outlet in life in a most positive manner. It allows people to find themselves by losing themselves foremost. Religion encourages service to others, selflessness, forgiveness and ascetic values that allow people to displace personal prejudices and mental barriers that are roadblocks on the path toward self awareness and understanding. Religion teaches that human beings are direct creations of God. Due to this, the religious person places immense gravity into the definition of what it means to be human. To the religious person human life is sacred therefore all human beings are treated as if they are sacred entities. Dignity is vital to this experience and the religious person lives a decent life based largely on the fact that they find it a grave injustice to engage in dehumanizing acts. A dehumanizing act is any action that undermines the value of what it means to be human, and because human life to the religious person is sacred; treating other people and oneself with respect is part of the job description. Religious people also are heavily focused on remaining loyal to traditions and place heavy emphasis on the concept of togetherness through ceremonies, rituals and even celebrations. Religious people congregate and come together in a forum of mutual understanding of one another’s beliefs and values, and respect for the characteristics that make individuals unique. This is how religious institutions have survived throughout the ages. People of all sorts come together based on a mutual understanding of the same truths. The idea of coming together forms a family-like atmosphere that strengthens dynamics within individual households and strengthens interpersonal bonds among all people whom the religious person encounters. The religious person lives a life of kindness, simplicity and dignity highlighted by unity, loyalty and fairness. These concepts are vital to becoming a well integrated person which is the key component to finding one’s purpose and meaning in life. Once a person gains a sense of purpose, the other aspects of their lives fall into place based around what that person chooses to life for. When a person lives for their faith, their lives are based around morals that encourage reverence for all human beings and a genuine perceptive of righteousness. This is why religious people not only have a strong sense of self, but also have unshakable character based in a solid affection for mankind.

Chemical Imbalance and Depression

Chemical Imbalance and Depression Melissa Creamer PSYC 3002- Developing a Psychology Perspective Project Draft – Persuasive Paper Capella University [email  protected] edu October 2012 Introduction According to some Psychologists, chemical imbalance can lead to depression and other mental illnesses. It is very unclear that depression is one of the possible symptoms of a chemical imbalance. However, chemical imbalance doesn’t lead to every kind of depression seen in the lives of many people. Admin,2012) Approximately five percent of the United States' population experiences a depressive episode that requires psychopharmacological treatment; in any one year, ten to twelve million Americans are affected by depression, with the condition twice as common in females than in males. (Ho, 2002) We all have chemical signals that are called neurotransmitters and they come in a variety of forms like Serotonin, Dopamine, and Norepinephrine. All three of these neurotransmitters pla y a very important role in maintaining normal mood, motivation and concentration.What is Serotonin? Serotonin acts as a neurotransmitter, a type of chemical that helps relay signals from one area of the brain to another. (Bouchez, 2007) In depressed brains, the Serotonin signal had been somehow weakened because of a chemical imbalance in the neurotransmitters. (Mukherjee, 2012) Low Serotonin levels are often attributed to anxiety, depression, panic attacks, insomnia, obesity, eating disorders, migraines, and alcohol abuse. (Integrative Psychiatry, 2012)Treatment for increasing levels of Serotonin in the brain are medication like Prozac, Zoloft, and Paxil.These medications are known to work by making more serotonin in the brain. (Carver, 2002) If we have too much Serotonin you will have this feeling of bliss and it can also produce a life threatening condition known as Serotonin Syndrome. To date there have been no recorded or documented studies proving that the brain levels of Serot onin or any neurotransmitter are in short supply when depression or any mental illness develops. (Bouchez, 2007) Serotonin can be measured in the blood but they are not sure that blood levels effect the brain’s level of Serotonin.The next neurotransmitter that is part of the brain is Dopamine. What is Dopamine? Dopamine is in the area of the brain that is considered to be the neurotransmitter of focus and attention. Dopamine relays impulses across the microscopic spaces, called synapses, which exist between adjacent nerves, thus allowing the propagation of messages from one nerve to the next. (Christensen, 2011) Low levels of Dopamine make concentration and focus very difficult, this is associated with Attention- Deficit- Hyperactivity- Disorder. Carver, 2002) If patients are found to have low levels of Dopamine, you will be prescribed medication that actually slows down the hyperactive by increasing Dopamine boasting the level into normal range allowing them to focus and pay attention. Researchers say that if a patient is found to have prolonged exposure to Dopamine, patients are more apt to  abuse drugs. Most addictive drugs, such as cocaine and  amphetamines, directly or indirectly raise dopamine levels, and the chemical plays a major role in drug-induced highs. WebMD, 2005) The next neurotransmitter that is part of the brain is Norepinphrine. What is Norepinphrine? Norepinephrine is the neurotransmitter often associated with the flight or fight response to stress. Norepinephrine also functions hormones in the body. Low levels of Norepinephrine are associated with a loss of alertness, poor memory, and depression. (Carver, 2002) It has been found that low levels of norepinephrine are in ADHD and depression patients. If the levels are two high patients may feel fatigue, have muscle cramps and a sense of being on edge.Almost all anxiety disorders involve norepinephrine elevations. (Carver, 2002) Psychiatrists would treat low levels of norepinephrine with newer antidepressants like Effexor and Serzone. Treatment of high levels of norepinephrine the psychologist would prescribe GABA, also known as Gamma-Aminobutyric Acid. Summary and Conclusion As I stated in my debate it is very clear that depression is one of the possible symptoms of chemical imbalance. However, chemical imbalance doesn’t lead to every kind of depression seen in the lives of many people. Admin, 2012) Not all medication has the same dosage. There are many different types of medication that you can have prescribed if your brain is low or has high neurotransmitters such as Serotonin, Dopamine, and Norepinephrine. If you feel like you are depressed go and see a Psychologist, so the correct medication can be prescribed to you. References Admin (2012). Is  depression  caused by chemical imbalance in the brain? Retrieved from http://smartsdepression. com/2012/04/27/is-depression-caused-by-chemical-imbalance-in-the-brain. Bouchez, Colette, (2007).Serotonin: 9 Questions and Answers. Article is a WebMD feature. Retrieved from http://www. webmd. com/depression/features/serotonin. Carver, Joseph MD, (2002). The â€Å"Chemical Imbalance† in mental health problems. Retrieved from http://www. drjoecarver. com/clients/49533/file/chemical%20imbalance. html. Christensen, Stephen, (2011). Depression treatment with dopamine. Retrieved from http://www. livestrong. com/article/362623-depression-treatment-with-dopamine/. Ho, Kathryn, (2002). Serotonin ; Depression. Retrieved from http://serendip. brynmawr. du/bb/neuro/neuro99/web3/ho. html Integrative psychiatry, (2012). Serotonin. Retrieved from http://integrativepsychiatry. net/serotonin. html. Mukherjee, Siddhartha, (2012). Post-Prozac Nation. The Science and History of Treating Depression. Retrieved from http://www. nytimes. com/2012/04/22/magazine/the-science-and-history-of-treating-depression. hmtl. WebMD, (2005). Dopamine  may play new role in  depression. Article is from WebMD new s archive. Retrieved from http://www. webmd/depression/news/20050728/dopamine-may-play-new-role-in-depression. .

Liberal Arts Education Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Liberal Arts Education - Essay Example The true meaning of positive aspect can only be understood when one knows what the negative aspect is. Even by the spiritual considerations, the march is from ‘darkness to light.’ Without darkness, light has no existence. However, Liberal Arts offer a genuine challenge to the formal graduation courses. Liberal Arts Education permits a student to do want one wants, to pursue his choices, and to achieve in life the desired goal. Success or failures do not matter much and the process of living with your own crafted discipline with which you challenge your ambitions is really important. The Liberal Arts teach us as to how to be who we really are. This education process is like self-realization in the vocation of one’s choice. Many courses taught in the universities are just the suffixes after the names of those students who make them. There exist numerous Universities that proudly own directionless and destination-less courses, which are of no use in real-life situations. For example, a MBA in business management will not be able to run a corner shop selling hamburgers successfully! With the exception of accounting, business school is an absolute fraud. Mark Edmundson argues, â€Å"Education has one salient enemy in present-day America, and that enemy is education—university education in particular. To almost everyone, university education is a means to an end. For students, that end is a good job. Students want the credentials that will help them get ahead.†(116) He will be a successful MBA if he is able to outsmart another MBA in the competin g organization. Means, whether they are fair or foul, are of no consequence in the race for profiteering! A divorce in marriage spoils personal lives, besides that of children. A divorce in career destroys the inner world of an individual, as one is required to do something, which one does not really like. Most students who go to the College

John Browns importance in the antebellum slavery debate Essay

John Browns importance in the antebellum slavery debate - Essay Example Christian savior Jesus Christ (â€Å"John Brown’s Holy War,† 2010).John Brown can be a banner for which all abolitionists really under to continue the fight for the freedom and dignity of all of the people who have been wrongly chained and enslaved. The harder that we deny these winds of change the greater the force will ultimately be all the more destructive; do you not see this only brings us further from bringing this country together, but only further tear us apart. John Brown’s crime is not the charges levied against him, but what he represents and the likelihood fuel he can add to the fight against slavery. The time for change is now. Thoreau’s message speaks volumes of the respect that many have for this condemned man. He explained that his character will likely live long after him and that is his legacy (â€Å"John Brown’s Holy War,† 2010). Ultimately, the court will decide his fate, but we can take up his cause, pass the torch, and continue the fight to the end. We can no longer allow injustices that so freely and legally occur in the southern states; crimes of the most heinous kind. If ever there was a time to rise up the banner of John Brown is now. Let his cause be ours as we bring Americ a into a whole new era and very different

Contract Law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words - 1

Contract Law - Essay Example These elements are consideration, subject matter, and time of performance. While making an offer, an offeree may reply to offer made positively with some additions or modifications. Such additions or modifications affect the formation, time, and place of contract under both English and UAE laws. In respect to English and UAE laws, the following is a discussion on effects of additions or modifications made by offeree in response to an offer. Theories for Validity of Contracts Apart from the essential elements and terms of a contract determining validity of a contract, four other theories attempt to explain when, where, and how validity is attainable. The first theory proposes that a contract becomes valid when and where the negotiations begin that is, when and/or where declarations are made. For instance, in the case of Applegate v Moss [1971] 1 QB 406 the court held that the contract was valid when the negotiations started between the two parties. From the UAE Civil Code, a contract becomes valid upon receipt and realization of the offeree’s acceptance . The other theory explaining validity of a contract majors on when and where the offer and acceptance is received. Receiving of the offer and acceptance determines that both parties are comfortable with terms and conditions of the contract. Moreover, whenever a contract arises then it becomes valid. Lastly, the other theory that confirms validity of a contract is when and where the offeree becomes aware of existence of the offer. ... Additions and Modifications by Offeree Any change made by an offeree in the context of responding to an offer amounts to additions and modifications of a contract. Modifications and/or additions may be material or immaterial but they all affect formation, time, and place of the contract in all laws but in this case, special interest is on English and UAE laws. In a contract, an offer refers to a manifestation of an intention by once of the contracting parties, which leads to a binding agreement in the event that it is accepted. In the case of Moran v University College Salford (No. 2) [1994] ELR 1872 where the court held that, the University had made an offer, which was accepted by the plaintiff. Another case was OT Africa Line Ltd v Vickers Plc [1996] 1 All ER 325 3where there was a mistake in making of the offer. For instance, in the case of Barry and Davies [1962]1 2000[HC]4 the court held that there was a collateral contract between auctioneer and highest bidder since upon the of fer made by the auctioneer, the highest bidder accepted the bid. Nonetheless, many offerees in some cases accept offer upon making some modifications or adding other aspects of the contract. From the UAE laws, an offer makes a contract to be valid through three basic ways. First, when an acceptance follows the offer made5. The other way is when an offer of specific goods and services has along with it indication of remission of consideration as required in order to validate contract6. Lastly, the last offer is valid especially when there is a repetition of the offer prior to acceptance of previously made offer7. Additions and/or modifications may be valid or invalid depending on various factors. It is important to note that

Analyse the competitiveness of Danish manufacturing Coursework - 1

Analyse the competitiveness of Danish manufacturing - Coursework Example cks here according to research is that regardless of what is measured by production, total employment and value added, the manufacturing industry have portrayed a declining importance. Cluster is taken positively by the Danish, since it is termed as a competitive advantage of nations. Here, Clusters got a prominent role due to the theory of competitive advantage of nations first witnessed in the year 1990. With its strategy, that involves a geographical interconnection of companies, service providers and specialized suppliers and organizations in industries that are related and associated it can be noted that clustering strategy have made the country to move at per, with other European countries in terms of production(Daugherty, 2009.p.75). Clustering channel is better explained by the following diagram. The industrial production is divided into hundred main components. The first one, accounts for the highest output in the country, and that was in the year 2011 which accounted for 74 percent. While, mineral fuel accounts for sixteen percent while all the mechanicals, boilers and machinery accounts for almost ten percent (Daugherty, 2009.p.102). They all cluster to give out a whole 100%. The comparison of 2000 and 2011 years, illustrates that the country faced subsidized electrical production equipment. From the manufacturing side to the purchasing side, the clustering in production of this equipment was studied as deeming. This is why; the whole Denmark affirms that the electrical part portrayed a downing advantage (Hadjilambrinos,

Development of a New Snack Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Development of a New Snack - Case Study Example This puts pressure on the manufacturers of children's snack products to rethink their advertising and marketing strategies for this market group, and it also alters the process of product development by introducing new factors into their external environment analysis. The British Medical Association (2005) has also expressed its concern with regards to the increasing levels of childhood obesity in the country, which are a result of poor nutrition and exercise. Snacks probably of concern to the BMA as well as a result of their advertising and marketing which is targeted at children. This is supported by research conducted by the BMA (2005), the EU and the University of Strathclyde which demonstrated that marketing is influential in the decisions made to purchase particular foods. Another finding of this research was that children were not able to assess the nutritional quality of foods advertised to them, which further supported the actions of other European countries who have taken a step further by prohibiting advertising aimed at children (BMA 2005). The systematic review conducted by the University of Strathclyde highlighted that food advertising to children in the UK was higher, the food advertised was less healthy and that food promotion was affecting children's preferences, behaviour and consumption (BMA 2005). This brief summary of the UK highlights the potential prob... ing public pressure and regulation is bound to affect the external environmental analyses that are undertaken, which will adversely affect profits and revenue. To further understand the potential risks faced by children's snack product developers, it is necessary to undertake a brief analysis of the external environment in this industry. 2.0 The External Environment Analysis The external environment analysis is important for organisations as product development is often influenced by the needs of the consumer and the ability of the organisation to meet the consumers' needs (Brassington and Stephen 2005). In other words, the external environmental analysis prioritises the most important influences in the product market. For organisation involved in the production of snacks for children, the external environmental analysis is even more important, as their target market is one which does earn income, which means that the focus is then placed on those able to purchase the products, such as the parents. This analysis also defines the scope for the organisation, with which they can influence the needs of children by targeting their parents and other channels which children are often exposed to. Therefore it would follow that parents and marketing channels will prove to be the most influential in meeting their goals. However, recent consumer and government pres sure is forcing children's snack producers to re-evaluate their external environment analysis. As the analysis will focus on external influences, the most appropriate tool is the PEST analysis which stands for Political, Economic, Social and Technology (Sullivan and Adcock 2002). 3.0 Children's Snack Product Market In the UK advertising snack products to children has fallen by approximately 15%, which

Societal Views On The Role Of Women Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Societal Views On The Role Of Women - Essay Example One would suggest that the actions of these women throughout the two works might have come to hurt their societies because had all the women in these societies acted as they did, then it is likely that the entire social order might have collapsed. Nevertheless, this did not happen and in the case of Sula, she was looked upon as a reference by other members of the society and her example ensured that all the people live moral lives so that they could not end up like her. Despite this, after her death, it is noted that the society of The Bottom quickly disintegrated into one of chaos. Hedda is a woman who believes in the beauty and freedom and does not believe in abiding by the constraints placed on individuals by their societies. It is for this reason that she chooses to convince Lovborg to commit suicide as a means of ensuring that he does not remain a rival to her husband. However, after Lovborg does indeed commit suicide, and her actions are discovered by Judge Brack, she confesses her view of life and her weaknesses to him. However, knowing that Brack might potentially be capable of blackmailing her as long as she is alive, she chooses to commit suicide. She shows her strictly independent spirit and her need to ensure that she retains her freedom no matter the cost. Therefore, both Hedda and Sula are extremely strong and independent women who do not bow to societal conventions and instead live their lives as they want. Their actions are those of women who yearn for the freedoms that the men in their societies enjoy.

Human Resources Google culture paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Human Resources Google culture paper - Essay Example developed in consultation with both internal and external stakeholders and all the latest global, economic, social and environmental challenges were taken into consideration. Maersk’s vision is to â€Å"To be the undisputed leader of liner shipping companies† Previously they had a vision to create opportunities in global commerce. Maersk makes sure to fulfill its vision by the help of following mission: Maersk shares some fundamental values with all its 108,000 employees all over the world. These values are deeply engraved in every employee and they are guided by these values regularly. Let’s have a look at each of these 5 core values: 1- â€Å"Constant Care – Take care of today, actively prepare for tomorrow.† Maersk employees believe in preparing for tomorrow beforehand. They work for today and are pro-active rather than reactive. 2- â€Å"Humbleness – Listen, learn, share, give space to others.† Maersk has a very friendly environment for its employees. The employees work closely with each other on projects and try to uplift each other. Every employee at Maersk is respectful towards others, listen to their opinions, and most importantly give them their personal space. 4- â€Å"Our Employees – The right environment for the right people.† Employees are given great importance at Maersk as they are the people behind its great success. Employees are given a challenging and exciting environment to work in. They are supported for great career opportunities all over the world at Maersk. Maersk also is one of the highest salary givers. These values have determined how they interact with employees, customers, and society for more than 100 years. The values continue to serve as an integrated part of the way Maersk carries its business. Their Group CEO embraces the values and sees them as an important part of driving a performance culture and helping the company win in its market places. Maersk faces a few problems in its business that creates big challenges

United Cereal Case study Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

United Cereal Case study - Essay Example The Launch of Eurobrand would lead to the loss of United Cereals priority; these are the customers (Barlett and Carole 2011). However, this will mean a drop in production and marketing cost by 10-15% in 3 years. As the United Cereals are the first to introduce such an idea, it will guarantee them a substantial market penetration (Barlett and Carole 2011). My concern is that the panel will not represent all the views of the diverse European market. This would be rectified by changing the organizational structure that exists within the United Cereals. It should be more flexible. Lora should authorize the launch of Health Berry Crunch as a Eurobrand as there are far more advantages than disadvantages. The recommendations could be implemented by trying to get the support of the United Cereals’ management. The management should be comfortable with the Eurobrand Team. They should not be in a position that they feel their authority is challenged. Eurobrand Teams will provide a platform for United Cereals to grow. Based on the proposal its formation would reduce the cost of production while increasing

The History of Automobile Essay Example for Free

The History of Automobile Essay 1. The history of automobile The first working steam-powered vehicle was probably designed by Ferdinand Verbiest, a Flemish member of a Jesuit mission in China around 1672. It was a 65 cm-long scale-model toy for the Chinese Emperor, that was unable to carry a driver or a passenger. It is not known if Verbiests model was ever built. Nicolas-Joseph Cugnot is widely credited with building the first self-propelled mechanical vehicle or automobile in about 1769; he created a steam-powered tricycle. He also constructed two steam tractors for the French Army, one of which is preserved in the French National Conservatory of Arts and Crafts. His inventions were however handicapped by problems with water supply and maintaining steam pressure. In 1801, Richard Trevithick built and demonstrated his Puffing Devil road locomotive, believed by many to be the first demonstration of a steam-powered road vehicle. It was unable to maintain sufficient steam pressure for long periods, and was of little practical use. In 1807 Nice phore Nie and his brother Claude probably created the worlds pce first internal combustion engine which they called a Pyre olophore, but they chose to install it in a boat on the river Saone in France. Coincidentally, in 1807 the Swiss inventor Franc Isaac de Rivaz designed his own de Rivaz internal combustion ois engine and used it to develop the worlds first vehicle, to be powered by such an engine. The Nie pces Pyre olophore was fuelled by a mixture of Lycopodium powder (dried Lycopodium moss), finely crushed coal dust and resin that were mixed with oil, whereas de Rivaz used a mixture of hydrogen and oxygen. Neither design was very successful, as was the case with others, such as Samuel Brown, Samuel Morey, and Etienne Lenoir with his hippomobile, who each produced vehicles (usually adapted carriages or carts) powered by clumsy internal combustion engines. In November 1881, French inventor Gustave Trouve demonstrated a working three-wheeled automobile powered by electricity at the International Exposition of Electricity, Paris. Although several other German engineers (including Gottlieb Daimler, Wilhelm Maybach, and Siegfried Marcus) were working on the problem at about the same time, Karl Benz generally is acknowledged as the inventor of the modern automobile. An automobile powered by his own four-stroke cycle gasoline engine was built in Mannheim, Germany by Karl Benz in 1885, and granted a patent in January of the following year under the auspices of his major company, Benz Cie. , which was founded in 1883. It was an integral design, without the adaptation of other existing components, and included several new technological elements to create a new concept. He began to sell his production vehicles in 1888. In 1879, Benz was granted a patent for his first engine, which had been designed in 1878. Many of his other inventions made the use of the internal combustion engine feasible for powering a vehicle. His first Motorwagen was built in 1885, and he was awarded the patent for its invention as of his application on January 29, 1886. Benz began promotion of the vehicle on July 3, 1886, and about 25 Benz vehicles were sold between 1888 and 1893, when his first four-wheeler was introduced along with a model intended for affordability. They also were powered with four-stroke engines of his own design. Emile Roger of France, already producing Benz engines under license, now added the Benz automobile to his line of products. Because France was more open to the early automobiles, initially more were built and sold in France through Roger than Benz sold in Germany. Bertha Benz, the first long distance automobile driver in the world In August 1888 Bertha Benz, the wife of Karl Benz, undertook the first road trip by car, to prove the road-worthiness of her husbands invention. In 1896, Benz designed and patented the first internal-combustion flat engine, called boxermotor. During the last years of the nineteenth century, Benz was the largest automobile company in the world with 572 units produced in 1899 and, because of its size, Benz Cie. , became a joint-stock company. Daimler and Maybach founded Daimler Motoren Gesellschaft (DMG) in Cannstatt in 1890, and sold their first automobile in 1892 under the brand name, Daimler. It was a horse-drawn stagecoach built by another manufacturer, that they retrofitted with an engine of their design. By 1895 about 30 vehicles had been built by Daimler and Maybach, either at the Daimler works or in the Hotel Hermann, where they set up shop after disputes with their backers. Benz, Maybach and the Daimler team seem to have been unaware of each others early work. They never worked together; by the time of the merger of the two companies, Daimler and Maybach were no longer part of DMG. Daimler died in 1900 and later that year, Maybach designed an engine named Daimler-Mercedes, that was placed in a specially ordered model built to specifications set by Emil Jellinek. This was a production of a small number of vehicles for Jellinek to race and market in his country. Two years later, in 1902, a new model DMG automobile was produced and the model was named Mercedes after the Maybach engine which generated 35 hp. Maybach quit DMG shortly thereafter and opened a business of his own. Rights to the Daimler brand name were sold to other manufacturers. Karl Benz proposed co-operation between DMG and Benz Cie. when economic conditions began to deteriorate in Germany following the First World War, but the directors of DMG refused to consider it initially. Negotiations between the two companies resumed several years later when these conditions worsened and, in 1924 they signed an Agreement of Mutual Interest, valid until the year 2000. Both enterprises standardized design, production, purchasing, and sales and they advertised or marketed their automobile models jointly, although keeping their respective brands. On June 28, 1926, Benz Cie. and DMG finally merged as the Daimler-Benz company, baptizing all of its automobiles Mercedes Benz, as a brand honoring the most important model of the DMG automobiles, the Maybach design later referred to as the 1902 Mercedes-35 hp, along with the Benz name. Karl Benz remained a member of the board of directors of Daimler-Benz until his death in 1929, and at times, his two sons participated in the management of the company as well. In 1890, Emile Levassor and Armand Peugeot of France began producing vehicles with Daimler engines, and so laid the foundation of the automobile industry in France. The first design for an American automobile with a gasoline internal combustion engine was made in 1877 by George Selden of Rochester, New York. Selden applied for a patent for an automobile in 1879, but the patent application expired because the vehicle was never built. After a delay of sixteen years and a series of attachments to his application, on November 5, 1895, Selden was granted a United States patent (U. S. Patent 549,160) for a two-stroke automobile engine, which hindered, more than encouraged, development of automobiles in the United States. His patent was challenged by Henry Ford and others, and overturned in 1911. In 1893, the first running, gasoline-powered American car was built and road-tested by the Duryea brothers of Springfield, Massachusetts. The first public run of the Duryea Motor Wagon took place on September 21, 1893, on Taylor Street in Metro Center Springfield. To construct the Duryea Motor Wagon, the brothers had purchased a used horse-drawn buggy for $70 and then installed a 4 HP, single cylinder gasoline engine. The car had a friction transmission, spray carburetor, and low tension ignition. It was road-tested again on November 10, when the The Springfield Republican newspaper made the announcement. This particular car was put into storage in 1894 and stayed there until 1920 when it was rescued by Inglis M. Uppercu and presented to the United States National Museum. 2. Direction of automobile industry 2. 1Fuel technology As we all know, the earths resources are limited, so human beings develop fuel technology, let us make better use of these resources. There are many resources we can use, like Air engine, Battery-electric, Solar, Bioalcohol, Hydrogen and Hybrid vehicle. A hybrid vehicle uses multiple propulsion systems to provide motive power. The most common type of hybrid vehicle is the gasoline-electric hybrid vehicles, which use gasoline (petrol) and electric batteries for the energy used to power internal-combustion engines (ICEs) and electric motors. These motors are usually relatively small and would be considered underpowered by themselves, but they can provide a normal driving experience when used in combination during acceleration and other maneuvers that require greater power. The Toyota Prius first went on sale in Japan in 1997 and it is sold worldwide since 2000. By 2010 the Prius is sold in more than 70 countries and regions, with Japan and the United States as its largest markets. In May 2008, global cumulative Prius sales reached the 1 million units, and by September 2010, the Prius reached worldwide cumulative sales of 2 million units. The United States is the largest hybrid market in the world, with more than 2 million hybrid automobiles and SUVs sold through May 2011. The Prius is the top selling hybrid car in the U. S. with 1 million units sold by April 2011. The Honda Insight is a two-seater hatchback hybrid automobile manufactured by Honda. It was the first mass-produced hybrid automobile sold in the United States, introduced in 1999, and produced until 2006. Honda introduced the second-generation Insight in Japan in February 2009, and the new Insight went on sale in the U. S. on April 22, 2009. Honda also offers the Honda Civic Hybrid since 2002. Among others, the following are popular gasoline-electric hybrid models available in the market by 2009: Ford Escape Hybrid, Chevrolet Silverado/GMC Sierra Hybrid, Lexus RX 400h, Toyota Highlander Hybrid, Mercury Mariner Hybrid, Toyota Camry Hybrid, Saturn Vue Green Line, Lexus LS600hL, Mazda Tribute Hybrid, Nissan Altima Hybrid, Ford Fusion/Mercury Milan Hybrid, and Mercedes S400 BlueHybrid. Several major carmakers are currently developing plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs). Chinese battery manufacturer and automaker BYD Auto released the F3DM PHEV-68 (PHEV109km) hatchback to the Chinese fleet market on December 15, 2008. The 2011 Chevrolet Volt is the first mass produced PHEV launched in the United States, and it was introduced in November 2010. Other PHEVs undergoing field testing as of December 2010 include the Toyota Prius Plug-in Hybrid, Ford Escape Plug-in Hybrid, Volvo V70 Plug-in Hybrid, and Suzuki Swift Plug-in. The Sinclair C5 pedal-assisted battery vehicle. The Elantra LPI Hybrid, launched in the South Korean domestic market in July 2009, is a hybrid vehicle powered by an internal combustion engine built to run on liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) as a fuel. The Elantra PLI is a mild hybrid and the first hybrid to adopt advanced lithium polymer (Li–Poly) batteries. 2. 2 Driverless car A driverless car is a vehicle equipped with an autopilot system that is capable of driving from one point to another without guidance by a human operator. This is intended to produce several direct advantages: Avoiding crashes by eliminating driver error 2. Increasing roadway capacity by reducing the distances between cars and better managing traffic flow 3. Relieving vehicle occupants from driving and navigating chores, so allowing them to concentrate on other tasks or to rest during their journeys Indirect advantages are anticipated as well. Adoption of driverless cars could reduce the number of vehicles worldwide and eliminate the need for drivers licenses, rules of the road, traffic lights, traffic signs, highway patrols and vehicle insurances. The systems currently under development work by simulating human perception and decision-making during steering of a car via advanced computer software linked to a range of sensors such as cameras, radar and GPS. Current driverless passenger car programs include the 2 get there passenger vehicles from the Netherlands, the DARPA Grand Challenge from the USA, and Google driverless car.

Internet Governance Is The Development Media Essay

Internet Governance Is The Development Media Essay Few Internet users will deal with how an e-mail around the world is sent or how clicking on a hyperlink a WWW page arrives. Nevertheless, history knowledge of the Internet and underlying technology is of significant value to those who want to intervene in regulating the Internet. This is because the Internet is strong as a result of the rapid development and it differs from other existing forms of media. The explosive growth of the Internet, however, with its many technical innovations and international reach was hardly a parallel adaptation of the different state rules. The development of the Internet was associated with a previously unparalleled standardization process. Internet governance is the development and  application  by governments, the private sector and civil society, in their respective roles, of shared principles, norms, rules, decision-making procedures, and programmes that shape the evolution and use of the Internet. The internet has allowed the world population to express themselves as well as their thoughts and ideas and communication has never been so accessible. With the ability to run an international firm 24/7 due to information passed through emails, wikis, etc. Additionally, the accessibility of current affairs updates as and when they happen enables the majority of the world to engage more than ever before. Taking this into account, a study has shown that there is a large amount of younger users within the UK that use the internet daily. In addition to this, for every age bracket that it increases, the daily usage decreases. This shows that as time goes on the users will continue to grow as well as the skills and knowledge related to the internet. In order to govern the internet on a global scale, there needs to be constant change and alterations to the governing bodies in order to adapt to the increasing liberal views of the younger generations. Governance of the internet, as with the network itself, is something that will never stop being of importance. For the governing of it to keep at a similar rate of change to the system, the governing bodies need to decide among the areas of issues which are most important. This would be best determined by considering what areas are developing the quickest within the internet platform. This essay will compare and contrast the difference between East and West ideas and whether there will ever be a governing body that has complete control of the internet and if there will ever be a global understanding in relation to the accessibility of everything. GO WEST Freedom of speech The internet is an open door to express opinions, thoughts, ideas and beliefs. The issue with governing this is that everyone has different views on what should and shouldnt be allowed. Social networking is a main way that online users can freely voice themselves and with the number of users using this platform as a way to communicate, talking the situation of what is and isnt accepted worldwide. As mentioned previously, this is hard to monitor due to people connecting with each other globally and updating others on their life. Social networking and other ways of cross border inflows make it hard to govern this. Until now, the management of the Internet is largely dependent of the U.S. company Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), which determines, for example, the endings of such addresses Com and organized linking memorable web addresses with readable computer numerical codes. The U.S. wants to continue to manage Internet addresses, while others prefer this task the United Nations or any other body shortly before the start of a UN conference on the information society is not a solution to the simmering conflict for years over control of the Internet in sight. The European Union would like to find the middle ground at the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS). But in the face of growing resistance to the U.S. observers see little chance of this happening. Founded in 1998, ICANN is based in California and is under the control of the U.S. Department of Commerce. Contrary to previous expectations, the U.S. government has recently announced its intention to retain this control in the future. It is a non-governmental organisation in the company, engineers, scientists and simple Internet users are represented and which will help to clarify the organisational and technical issues. ICANN will decide in the near future including the introduction of new address spaces as a supplement. Before ICANN, the U.S. government regulated practically alone along with contracted companies or volunteers to organise the global computer network. The U.S. dominance was in line with the origins of the Internet as a research and education network in particular in U.S. universities, but not enough in the age of global expansion of the network and has been regarded as critical in many countries. The European Union supports itself a UN proposal providing a multinational management of the Internet, so that the World Wide Web will be democratic and transparent organisation. The United States considers the control threatened by an international body and thus an agreement appears unlikely. It was mentioned by the U.S. delegation head at the recent World Summit that it would be better not to come to an agreement than to end with a bad one. CYBER CRIME Unfortunately, ICANN is often seen as an agent of the US government of which the functions would easily be able to be achieved by a UN body. The issue of variations in internet usage worldwide arent addressed by the body nor does it design technical standards for the internet. ICANN certainly has its limitations. The year 2012 has proven one thing with regard to cybercrime; not only weak passwords can be cracked easily, even well-secured accounts are not safe from hackers. New security measures are urgently required in order to try and make the data placed online safe. To criticise the governing body furthermore, ICANN doesnt regulate any internet content; whether that may be pornography, spam or cybercrime. For the fact that there arent any governing bodies for a global security for cybercrime, there should be no reliance on web pages and passwords keeping secret. It is currently recommended to use multiple passwords in order to minimise such risks that if a hacker was able to access something, then there wouldnt be a way of accessing something else. The year 2012 renounced largely on massive data bank robberies just like the Playstation Network-collapse of 2011. There were 6.5 million stolen passwords from LinkedIn, followed closely by 1.5 million stolen passwords from eHarmony, 450,000 stolen information for logins from Yahoo Voice, and loads of data taken from other sources too. Dropbox had problems in 2012 regarding spam. Dropbox users were suddenly sent a large sum of spam messages and it was only when the issue was looked into that they found out that it was due to hacking into an account. The hackers had managed to access one of the employees accounts and consequently gained access to a document containing many email addresses of the users. Although there was minimal damage, if there was governance in place, this sort of problem wouldnt have occurred. PIRACY Look East Freedom of speech China Although freedom of speech is accessible through the internet portal, China and other communist countries enforce rules within the countries that only allow the population to view certain websites. China built the Great Wall of China to keep the place secure, but also to keep influences away. China now uses censorship and internet filtering as a way to do the same through information. This is known as the Great Firewall of China. Normally, a firewall will protect your computer from malicious websites or programs, whereas in China it works vice versa. A whole country is cut off by the Great Firewall of important information, as well as of free reporting of social communities, where a free exchange of ideas is possible. The country is connected by a single node in Shanghai with the World Wide Web, and there are data centres set in place by the Communist government to monitor all traffic. What does not fit with the standards in place is filtered out. The Chinese government requires its 500 million Internet users to register with their real names. A new law states that they must identify themselves to the Internet service providers and this new regulation serves the greater protection of private information and the safeguarding of public interests. As well as this protection against outsiders, the Chinese government even create their own platforms of social networking, such as Weibo (Chinese version of Twitter), in order to allow the Chinese population to express themselves but simultaneously be monitored. By keeping these forms of platforms to a smaller scale it means that it can be easily controlled, but there are certain topics that are not allowed to be voiced even when they are restricted to the country. Russia In Russia, there is a law that came into force, which ensures that the Internet service provider blocks future websites and content that is currently available. Before it was put into action there had been much criticism, the Russian Wikipedia protested with a 24-hour strike before the adoption of the law, but without success. But the law gives another, more profound change with it, which is the implementation of using a technology that makes it possible to monitor the entire Internet traffic, residents of Russia users, permanent and automated E-mails, website views, chats. This allows all of the authorities to continue to record with minimal effort or even manipulate. The principle of Internet censorship for Russian authorities is nothing new like with many of the Eastern part of the world. This allows the government to still dictate what is viewed by the people in these places and, in doing so, keeping control of what goes on within the reality and the virtual. Mission Impossible? The dispute over the access to the Internet takes place between the United States and Europe on the one hand and countries such as Russia and China on the other. While Western states used for maintaining the open, decentralised and non-state structure of the network, other countries require a stronger influence of the ITU, which operates under the umbrella of the United Nations. The focus of the eleven-day conference is a revision of the International Telecommunication Regulations (ITRs), This is an attempt to transfer the telecommunications model to the Internet, said the vice president of the Internet Society (ISOC), Markus Kummer, before his departure to Dubai. Since we overlook seemingly unaware that the internet works very differently. During the conference, there was an effort to counteract the criticism of it. The ITU-General Hamadoun Tourà © mentioned that the WCIT was not about to take over the internet, but to connect more people to the internet that are currently offline. The ITU-General called for an approach in which the involvement of all parties is sought, among them the Internet users. The ITU had no intention to play a central role in Internet functions such as the regulation of Internet addresses which the ICANN non-governmental organisation already governs. The Russian delegation stated that its proposed ITR additions were based on an understanding of the Internet as a new global information infrastructure, and also as part of the national communication infrastructure of each individual Member State. Internet activists are also concerned with a proposal from the Association of European Airlines (AEA), a restriction of the freedom of information. The association is also to ensure that in future companies such as Skype or Google to pay fees for the use of the data network. The 193 countries represented have filed more than 900 amendments pertaining to the internet, mobile and fixed networks. Results of the conference must be reached by consensus. The federal government has argued against regulation of the Internet as part of the conference and that unrestricted access to the Internet is essential to society. For the Federal Government, the objectives of openness, transparency and freedom of the Internet conditions, ensure that the Internet keeps its prominent role as the engine of social and economic development. Basic human rights such as freedom of speech and freedom of assembly must be protected on the internet just like in the offline world. Conclusion The internet is something that has only been around forà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦. Years and for this reason there will still be further development with regards to the platform itself and the bodies that govern it. Developing countries are only starting to have more access and with it there will be other aspects to consider that wouldnt have perhaps been an issue before. Like with the development of phones, the internet could be viewed in a way that would have previously never been imagined. With this in mind, as the internet develops to adapt for new users and to provide a better platform for communicating as an example, the governance will also need to change and adapt itself rather than be stuck in its ways. Due to the different styles of governance within countries, there is unlikely to be a global agreement to what is acceptable to be shown on the internet. Especially with the countries that follow a communist regime, the governments would like to limit the information that is able to be seen. Cultural differences also play a part to this, but users dont necessarily view the content that they find offensive. If the institutions become outdated and there is no such adaptation, as the network sees continuation in growth, new institutions will be created and take on the rules and regulations from the older institutions and use them in respect to the current situation. Likewise with the collection that ICANN took on. There will never be an ultimate body that controls everything due to the contrasting views. Another reason is because of national sovereignty because it means that until every country is open to every point of view, the government within a country can stop the information and people will be punished for going against this. Cross-border information flows are clearly making it hard to prevent everything being controlled, but for every piece of information that is against the regulations of a place, the government soon blocks the access. Perhaps in the future there will be a shift in the governments within the Eastern part of the world and as a result will mean that the internet will be a platform that is open for all to use.

The Germ Theory Of Disease

The Germ Theory Of Disease The germ theory of disease is a theory that suggests that all types of specific infectious diseases are caused by micro-organisms called germs. This theory was developed by Louis Pasteur through the influence of Antoine Bechamp. Observation and questioning stage: 1854: Pasteur, the 19th century biologist and chemist, becomes the director of scientific studies where he had studied. 1857: He begins his work on the theory of germs and micro-organisms. His first research based on: Fermentation in alcohol, such as wine and beer. Through his research, he found that fermentation without oxygen, involved living organisms that abound in the surface of all objects in the air and in water. 1861: Pasteurs germ theory is published. Hypothesis and experiment stage: 1864: He used the process of pasteurisation to heat liquid: such as, milk and alcohol at about 50 degrees Celsius for certain time and then cooled them in order to destroy the micro-organisms. From his observation, Pasteur was aware that if the microbes could affect liquids, then it was a possibility that they could also affect animals and humans. 1865: Pasteur begins his studies again after his asked by the silk industry to find the cause of the disease that had been affecting the silk worms. From his research he found that this infectious disease was caused by living organisms, in this case parasites, bacteria and fungi. Sharing findings stage: 1867: After Pasteurs influence, Joseph Lister a Surgeon decides to use this theory in medical procedures. Joseph begins to use phenol (Carbolic acid) solution to treat surgical wounds, reducing infections and deaths. Repeat by others stage: 1876: Robert Koch, a German physician was one of the people who established that bacteria actually cause diseases. Based on Pasteurs previous studies, Koch was the first to discover the cause of anthrax (a disease that was destroying cattle and sheep in Europe). With his research, Koch found a rod-shaped bacterium now known as: (Bacillus anthrax) in a dead cows blood. Koch experimented by growing a culture of the bacteria from the dead cow and injecting samples into healthy animals. When these animals became sick and subsequently died, Koch separated the bacteria from the blood of these cows and compared them with the original set of bacteria samples taken from the blood of first cow. He concluded that both samples of blood had the same bacteria. This occurrence proved that Pasteurs previous study on microbes; the cause of most animal deaths meant that these infections where motivated by micro-organisms. Theory acceptance stage: 1888: The Pasteur institute was founded in Paris for the treatment of diseases and Pasteur became the director. Task 2 M1 Scientific questioning. Questions science is currently addressing. Is there a cure for AIDS? Global warming, can it be stopped? Issue: First of all, global warming has not been proven; it is as much a theory as is the theory of evolution and neither has been established as incontrovertible fact. The causes for global warming are many and varied; the latest proponent is that there are too many of us already on the planet and the numbers are increasing rapidly. The mere fact that we are continuously breathing out carbon dioxide means that CO2 levels can only increase which will further increase the warming effect. Science is being used in many ways to bring about the aims of Agenda 21, which was divulged at the UN Conference on Environment and Development held in Brazil on June 14, 1992. The main purpose of Agenda 21 is to control the world and reduce our population by 80-90%, which would bring the population down to around 500 Million. Vaccines have been developed and are being used covertly to render populations of developing countries infertile and therefore reduce the size of future generations. Questions science cannot answer yet. Where did humanity come from? Is there life on other planets? Issue: At the moment, from the scientists point of view there is no technology available at present to investigate this point which makes the whole question very difficult to answer. Firstly, there is no way of knowing what forms of life could exist on the planets outside of our solar system. Moreover, the universe is simply too vast and present technology cannot provide space ships with the ability to travel fast enough to explore these far off regions. Water has been found on the moon in higher quantities than ever thought possible, and as Mars (which is thought most likely planet to support some form of life) has conditions close to what is found in Antarctica (other than the absence of oxygen). It is quite likely that Science will be able to answer this question definitively within the next 10 to 20 years or so. Questions science may never answer. Can time travel be possible? When will the world end? Issue: The only way a definitive answer can be substantiated is if time travel was possible and that information could be relayed back to the present time. This in itself is a paradox. However, in order for science to answer the question, other questions need to be presented. There is a raft of media attention focusing on the fact that the last date on the Mayan calendar is December 21st 2012. As most of the predictions relating to key events in history have been successfully predicted, then it is quite reasonable to hypothesise that by using the Mayan calendar, some catastrophic event could well happen on or immediately after the 21st of December 2012. Philosophical proponents of the last days have different opinions as to when this event will take place. For instance, Christianity teaches that the world will end will end once Jesus has returned to earth and taken his true followers to heaven. It is written that Jesus himself does not know the date, as it is God the Father alone who knows. Ultimately, it is a known and proven fact that the earth will eventually burn up in a billion or so years time, when the sun has expanded into a giant red ball of fire. However a date within a million years either way cannot be substantiated. Reasons why these questions are different: Is there life on other planets? Global warming, can it be stopped? When will the world end? Each of these questions are different, because in order for them to be answered there needs to be an evolutionary step ladder of scientific knowledge. In other words, the level of scientific knowledge we have at present can only provide answers to a limited number of questions. However once our present level of scientific knowledge evolves to yet a higher level, todays mysteries will be disclosed with ease. Argument For and Against The Theory of Evolution. D1 We should all be aware that evolution is just a theory and as such this assignment addresses arguments both for and against the Theory of Evolution. What is evolution all about? We are initially taught in schools, universities and by the media that all existence evolved from a simple life form over millions of years; that the more intricate species on earth were compelled by natural selection, thus encouraging all present life on earth to have arrived at its present state as a result of what is termed as survival of the fittest. This is what most people take for granted as to what the term Evolution represents. However, there are modern aspects to the term Evolution, One example in microbiology, is where bacteria has become resistant to antibiotics; these bacteria are said to have evolved into an antibiotic strain. For the purpose of this argument, I will deal with the former, where the term Evolution assumes that all present life has evolved from primordial forms of life. Evidence has been presented to support this theory; most coming from fossil records. According to some records, the fossils examined as evidence reveal that living organisms such as the horse has modified over time. If we look at an example of a transitional form of record, we find that the horse has developed from a tiny animal with multi-toed feet existing within a tropical rainforest type environment, into a single-toed animal that is accustomed to a totally different environment. Additionally, evolutionists have proposed ideas that suggest that whales developed from early mammals such as: camels, elephants and cows. Fossils of different animals were found to have similar characteristics as early whales. In their view this was the evidence to show different transitions. In contrast, there is also strong evidence that overrules the theory of evolution. If we take a close look at the whales formation, we start to question: how is it possible that what was once a camel, adapted to breathing air and land based have the mental ability to know how to hold its breath in order to put its head under water? And how many generations of camels would have to have been born for this ability to become an inherent characteristic of its nature? Camels are herbivores, so at what point in their supposed evolutionary process were they able to begin to digest a wide range of food such as: microscopic plankton and very large animals? Likewise, although evolutionists have argued that birds have developed from reptiles such as crocodiles there hasnt been any evidence to support this. Reptiles do not breathe in the same manner as birds, so how could a birds lung function possibly change from another type of lung function? To further support this argument of birds evolving from reptiles, there are no fossil records showing reptiles with feathers, birds with scales or anything in-between. Also, creationists argue that there is nothing in the fossil records which definitively proves that there is a relationship between humans and apes or even between any other living systems. This view is supported by the bible in Genesis chapter 1:24-25, which states: And God said, Let the earth be filled with animals, each producing more of its kind. Let there be tame animals and small crawling animals and wild animals, let each produce more of its kind. And it happened. Verse 25: So God made the wild animals, the tame animals and all the small crawling animals to produce more of their kind. God saw that it was good. The key we learn from this quote is that every kind of living thing was spoken into existence at the same time, hence the word: Kind. This includes all life forms that have become extinct since that time and are now to be found in the fossil records. To further support this; when we look at the different types of animals of the same kind: dogs, whales, lizards and butterflies in the world, the theory that one simple life form evolved into many different types of life forms, becomes negated. Conclusion To conclude, looking at the arguments above it is quite fair to say that evolution is still a theory and not proven as fact; there is as much evidence, if not more, to disprove it as a theory. Despite the fact that evolutionists have found evidence in fossil records to support transitional forms, there is still no obvious evidence of fossils which show development between crucial life-forms such as; humans and the apes. It is clear when looking at the likeness in the anatomy of all living systems that they indicate exceptional evidence for Intelligent Design rather than the development of living things from a simple life form. Bibliography (Scientific theories) Encyclopaedia Wikipedia Discovery channel YouTube Books: An introduction to microbiology (first edition)

The History and Objectives of Sex pre-Selection Essay -- Exploratory E

The History and Objectives of Sex pre-Selection Scientists have been aware for many years that dominant X-chromosomes produced females and sperm dominate Y-chromosomes produced males. However, it wasn’t until 1975 when scientist Ronald J. Ericsson, PhD. Began studies to determine whether or not enriched sperm samples would aid in the offspring of a desired gender. Sex pre-selection literally means the selection or induction of the gender of a child prior to conception. Sex pre-selection was first established in the 1970s which scientists stained X and Y sperms to successfully identify them. Rigorous work has been complied on this treatment in the last three decades due to increasing demand from society for the â€Å"balanced family† and â€Å"planned pregnancy† with regards to the â€Å"chosen baby.† The concepts pf sex selection can easily be traced back to the ancient times of China, Greece, Egypt and India. People of these communities had their own methods of convincing a baby of a desired gender. Many methods and approaches used during the ancient times are still u...

breast cancer Essay -- essays research papers

Breast Cancer   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women. The American cancer society estimates that in 2002 about 192,200 new cases of breast cancer will be diagnosed among women in the U.S. alone. Breast cancer also occurs in men. An estimated 1,500 cases will be diagnosed among men. In 2002, there will be about 40,600 deaths from breast cancer in the United States.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  What is breast cancer? Breast cancer is a malignant tumor that has developed from cells of the breast. To make it easier I’ll put it this way. When the body needs new cells they will divide or reproduce. Sometimes the cells grow and divide out of control, which creates a mass of tissue called a tumor. Now if the cells that are growing out of control are abnormal and don’t function like the body’s normal cells the tumor is then called malignant or cancerous. Cells from the malignant tumors can invade and damage nearby tissues and organs. They may also travel through your blood stream or lymph system to other parts of your body. If the cells are normal cells the tumor is called benign or non cancerous. This Disease occurs mostly in women, but dose occur rarely in men. There are many stages of breast cancer. Stage 0 breast cancer is when the disease is localized to the breast and lymph nodes. Stage 1 is when the cancer is smaller than 1 inch across and hasn’t spread. Stage II is one of the following: the tumor is less than one inch but has spread to the underarm lymph nodes or the tumor is between 1-2 inches without spreading. Advanced breast cancer results after cancer cells spreads to the lymph nodes and to other parts of the body. Stage III breast cancer is also called locally advanced breast cancer. The tumor is now larger than 2 inches and has spread to the lymph nodes under the arm, or a tumor that is any size with cancerous lymph nodes that attach to each other or surrounding tissue.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Stage IIIB breast cancer is a tumor of any size that has spread to the Skin, Chest wall or internal mammary lymph nodes, which are located beneath the breast and inside the chest.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Stage IV breast cancer is defined as a tumor that has spread to places far away from the breast, such as bones, lungs or lymph nodes.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  There are... ... no way to prevent breast cancer but there are a ton of things you can do to help reduce your risks of getting it. You should always eat foods high in fiber. Fiber helps reduce the amount of circulating estrogen in your body. Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables, also include soy in your diet. Studies say that soy may inhibit the development and growth of cancer cells. Limit the fat in your diet, limit alcohol, and stay physically active. The Nurses Health Study found that women who exercise for at least 1 hour a day reduce their breast cancer risk by 18 %. You should also maintain a healthy weight and avoid exposure to pesticides. Because the molecular structure of some pesticides closely resembles that of estrogen. This means that they might attach to receptor sights in you body. It is known that women with high levels of pesticides in their breast tissue have a greater breast cancer risk.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Although there are many different things that go along with breast cancer. This paper really helped me understand more about the subject and helped me know some of the signs that I need to look for and ways to help me reduce the risks of getting breast cancer.

Reflection Essay -- Reflection Essay

The assignment instructed to be completed for my Dean’s Seminar class was a study plan. This plan organized my study habits and helped me with my time management. I learned valuable skills that I will incorporate into my daily routine. By sticking with this plan I will be able to see an improvement and progress in my work . I hope to use this template for the rest of my educational career.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Many of the study skills that I learned have become integral in my study habits. I began to highlight my book for key works and phrases which help me organize the main points the book is articulating. I do not procrastinate as much as I did because I understand about doing my work when it is assigned will help give me free time. I go out to parties and social events only when I have completed all my assignments. Another organizational skill I use is typing up notes. This method helps reinforce the material from lecture and I am able to comprehend the material as I type it up. A valuable tip that I learned is to split up work so that it is not over consuming. I use this skill in all my areas such as reading a section of text every night. It helps in many aspects of studying. I make use of the my time and work diligently at my work. I make sure I am able to have a peaceful working environment where I can concentrate without outside distractions. I found the ideal place for this is the library. For English, I learned about the writing center which helps students...

Blair Water Purifiers India

Blair Water Purifiers India strategic marketing planning process Presented by : Reham Mohamed Moustafa Yara Shahwan Dian Zorkany Rania Zeid Tarek Zeid Strategic analysis ? The Audit Stage ? Scanning the External Macro environment ? Political legal ? Economic factors ? Sociocultural factors ? Technological factors ? Scanning the internal and external micro environment ? Internal-environment analysis ? External microenvironment analyses ? Demand forecast ? End Users needs ? Factors affecting consumer behavior ? Consumer buying decision process ? Competition analysis The market sales chart in 1996 ? The product mapping technique ? Weighted competitive strength assessment ? SWOT analysis ? TOWS analysis ? Setting objectives ? Setting Strategies ? Our suggestions ? Porter Generic Strategies ? Mckinsey matrix ? Ansoff Growth Strategy ? Segmentation ? Targeting ? Positioning ? Entry Strategy recommended Strategic analysis: Strategic planning precedes marketing planning by providing a framew ork within marketing plan might be formulated. Based on the assessment of: 1. Organizational capabilities 2. Threats from environmental forces 3. Competitor’s strength and weaknesses 4. Customers’ needs 5. Demand This must be done through the following steps: The Audit Stage Step one: Scanning the External Macro environment: Any marketing strategy must develop out of a detailed understanding of the environment. This is important to: Identify organization’s strategic position. Decide on the future of the organization. Matching organizational resources and capabilities For scanning external environment we should use the PEST model, as it will scan the whole external environment to give management clues about strategic decisions [pic] pic] Chatterjee analysis in the two visits was centred only on the urban cities neglecting the rural ones and this is a drawback as the rural cities in India count for around 80% of the population, his purpose was to make recommendations on market entry and on elements of entry strategy. Political legal: †¢ Chaterrjie confirmed that India is attractive to foreign investment through liberalization †¢ Foreign companies were taxed on income arising from Indian operations and pay taxes on any interest, dividends and royalties received The government offer favourable tax treatment if foreign investors will locate on one of the free zones †¢ Tax rate is higher than the USA, however the return on investment is higher than USA †¢ Trademarks and patents were protected in India †¢ Legislation in India was expensive and protracted that foreign firms prefer arbitration Our suggested improvements and comments: He should have analyzed the following: †¢ Monopolies legislation: to hedge against any monopolistic actions that may appear in the future †¢ Environmental protection law Employment law and this is important if the market entry will be joint venture or acquisition Economic factors: Chatterjee analysis completely missing the economic factors, as he didn’t analyze the Indian economy in any way He should have analyzed the fol lowing: †¢ Interest rates †¢ Inflation rate †¢ Business cycles †¢ Unemployment rates †¢ Disposable incomes As these factors are important to give insights about the economic conditions and the economic growth for the next years so as to know whether the market is potential for entry or not Sociocultural factors: Chaterjee identified his target market to be around 40 million households and he identified their needs and behaviour, but he missed identifying the whole sociocultural factors from the following perspectives: †¢ Population demographics: population size, age distribution , religion ,social class are important factor to be analyzed by any firm before entering any market †¢ Income distribution †¢ Levels of education †¢ Social mobility †¢ Work and leisure time These factors are important especially that the target market for him was the rich well-educated high social class so it’s important to identify this class and its growth Technological factors: Chatterjee analysis emphasized that technology was only available in large Indian cities; the lack of adequate distribution and communication infrastructure in rural India meant that any market entry would begin with larger Indian cities most likely in the west coast. But he should have analyzed many other aspects regarding this issue: †¢ Government spending on research Government and industry focus on technological efforts †¢ The speed of technology transfer †¢ New discoveries and development †¢ Rate of obsceneness Step two: Scanning the internal and external micro environment In this step we will start by analyzing the internal and external microenvironment then finalize it by the swat analysis, which was missing in chatterjee’s study. He ignored mainly the microenvironment regarding the suppliers, stakeholders and intermediary’s . He only analyzed consumers and competitors. [pic] 2-1 internal-environment analysis: Employees: Blair Company employed over 4000 people with 380 having technical backgrounds and responsibilities Cash Flow: company sales revenue for 1996 would be almost $400 million with an expected profit close to $50 million Annual Growth in sales revenue: averaged 12% for the past 5 years Capital assets: ignored by Chatterjee Sales in the international division: would reach almost $40 million in 1996, about $70 million would come from Latin and south America, $30 million from Europe and $40 million from south Asia and Australia Materials: ignored in the analyses though it’s important to scan the need materials for operation and theirs availability in the market, he only pointed that importing a few key components would be necessary at the start of the operations The Mckinsey 7 S model must be used here to finalize the step of internal marketing audit and this wasn’t done by chatterjee Mckinsey 7S [pic] By analyzing these 7S we can know the firm’s core competences and it’s competitive advantage, which can be augmented for new market entry. Check List for internal audit: While doing internal audit for strategic analysis, we can also use the below check list to recognize the organization’s strength and weaknesses and it must be weighted because some weaknesses are of less importance than others , while other strengths are of more importance than others 2-2 external microenvironment analyses: Stakeholders: these were ignored in the analyses although it’s important to scan the stakeholders for the organization Suppliers: again it was ignored in the analyses, our suggestions that the analyses of the suppliers must have be done from the following perspectives: Their number, their prices, their bargain power (if any), their strategic alliances with competitors (if any present), their distribution channels, their management structure Consumers and demand forecast: Consumer’s analysis is essential for any strategic planning as they are the main concern for the organization and this must be done through: Demand forecasting Consumers (end users needs) First: Demand forecast: Chatterjee estimated the market potential based on collecting unit sales estimates for a 10-year period for 3 similar product categories –vacuum cleaners, sewing machines and colour televisions. In addition a Delphi based research firm had provided him with estimates of unit sales of Aquagard, the largest selling water purifier in India. Chatterjee had used the data in two forecasting models available at Blair Company along with three subjective scenarios -realistic, optimistic and pessimistic. But it was conservative as they described only first time sales not replacement sales and it only applied to industry sales in larger urban areas which was the present industry focus. Second End Users needs: The target segment was around 40 million households plus those in another 4 million households that share common needs. They valued comfort and product choice. They liked foreign brands and would pay higher price for such brands. One thing that seemed certain was that many Indians felt the need for improved water quality. Folklore, newspapers, consumer’s activities and government officials regularly reinforced this need by describing the poor quality of water. Quality suffered especially during the monsoons and because of numerous leaks and unauthorized withdrawals from the water system Better educated, wealthier and more health conscious consumers took steps to safeguard their family ‘s health and use water purifiers to purify the water all over the year. This is the target segment for Chatterjee. They are people who value comfort and product choice. They saw consumption of material goods as a way to a higher quality of life. o His analysis was missing forecasting the growth of this segment as his potential market is based on the educated aware segment but he missed forecasting the growth of this segment as the growth of the segment closely relates to the growth of the sales The analysis also missed a deeper look at the target segment. From our point of view, market survey should be conducted to show in details the target segment preferences, their demographics (age, social class, occupation, style of life) whether they like flavours to be added in the water or not, their ethnic direction, even their political views (if they are anti-Americans or not) as thes e factors may affect potential sales in the short and long terms . Consumers in the target market needs (according to Chatterjee) can be summarized as the following 1) Product performance to remove sediments, bacteria and viruses ) Purchase price this is only concern for consumers who boiled water who count for 50% of the target market 3) Ease of installation 4) Warranty and availability of financing for purchase Factors affecting consumer behaviour: We should analyze the uncontrollable and controllable factors affecting the Indian consumer behaviour, the uncontrollable factors are the sum of the macro environment analysis (PEST) but the controllable factors reflect the marketers efforts in designing the 7 PS in a way that make the product convenient for the consumer so from the analysis of the target market done by chatterjee. Also there are other factors like motivation, life style, consumer perception and attitudes towards the product From the consumer analysis we can summarize that consumers in the target market need product of high quality, medium price (to be able to target a wider segments especially in the rural areas as they count 80% of the population and if they were successfully penetrated this will result in huge sales), ease of installation, warranty is needed, the emphasis on the need of healthy life style and better water will be a motive for consumers to buy the product. For consumer analysis, we suggest that he should have used also the decision making process to know exactly what are the forces that affect the consumer’s buying behaviour Consumer buying decision process: [pic] So according to this model we should analyze how consumers in India become aware of the water problem and so the need for purifiers is recognized, then from where consumers get the information (from magazines, newspapers, reference groups) , then how they evaluate alternatives (based on price or quality or warranty or capacity ,,,,) . Then the purchase and post purchase evaluation Competition analysis: It is very important for any strategic marketing plan to deeply analyze competition especially when it is done for new market entry Steps of Product /Market analysis 1. Identifying the generic need satisfied by the product categories (The need for improved water quality) 2. Identify the product categories (types / Classification) The need for water purifiers for household 3. Identify the specific product-markets Water purifiers, candle filters 4. Identify the product-variants (brands) competing with each other. Chatterjee analyzed the competition in a detailed way, which can be summarized in the following: The market sales chart in 1996: Product |Price |Strength (competitive advantage) |Weakness | |Aquaguard |RS 5500 |Huge personal selling force |Needs electricity | | | |Sales calls |Enormous fixed costs for sales efforts | | | |TV commercials |(100-120 millions on sales commissions | | | |Magazines and newspapers advertising |only) | | | |Advertising expenditures RS 1 million |No st orage capacity | | | | |Slow flow rate | | | | |Stop functioning at 190 volts | | | | |Couldn’t eliminate strong odours | |Puresip |RS 2000 |Water could be stored safely for later usage |Promotional tools was limited as it was | | | |Doesn’t need electricity |sold only by small no of independent | | | | |dealers | |Zero B |RS 2000 +RS 200 |3 stage purification process |Lack of onsumer’s awareness | |(Puristore) |yearly |Prevent iodine deficiency diseases |No heavy advertisement | | | |Water can be stored up to 8 hours |No sales efforts | | | |No electricity or plumbing is needed |Limited distribution | | | |Store 20 litters of water | | | | |TV advertisements and point of sales brochures | | | | |Marketing expenditure RS 3 millions | | |Aquarius |RS 4000 |Remove sediments, heavy metals, bacteria, fungi|Life of the device was listed as 40000 | | | |No electricity is needed but need water |liters | | | |pressure | | | | |Heavy advertising (TV, magazines, newspaper s) | | | | |Perfect design | | | | |Superior distribution channels | | | | |Knowledgeable personnel | | | | |3000 independent dealers | | |Delta brand | |More eye pleasing design | | |Alfa Water |RS 4300-RS 6500 | | | |purifies | | | | |Spectrum |RS 4000 | |Remove only suspended sediments not heavy | | | | |metals or bacteria | |Water Doctor |RS 5200 |Third stage ozonator to kill bacteria | | | | More attractive countertop 6-12 litre | | | | | | | | | | | | |Candle Filters | | | | |(Bajaj ) | | | | The analysis shows that the market is Oligopolistic structure The product mapping technique: Quality Puristore Puresip Aquaguard Weighted competitive strength assessment: We should do the weighted competitive strength assessment in the analysis to be able to see the relative importance of key success factors and the relative strength of each competitor on each of these factors |Key success factor |Weight | | O | T | |-Poor water quality in India as a result of infrastructure. |- Competition in India market regarding water purifies. | |-Reinforcement of government officials and newspapers to improve water | | |quality. Regarding Eureka Forbes | |-Life styles of Indians that value comfort and product quality choice. | | |-Ineffectiveness of traditional methods in bacterial and viruses’ elimination. |Huge sales force that highly motivated and well managed. | |-Liberalization and opened Indian economy to foreign investment. |- Tremendous brand equity. | |-Market in India requires more than one design. | | |-skilled labor in India was around Rs. 20to Rs. 25 per hour less than if |Regarding Ion Exchange. | |compared to that in USA. | |-The weak st rategic component of Aqua guard |-ZERO-B purifies marketing efforts will intensify to increase awareness | |-No filter or purifies in India market can remove iron contamination to a |-New advertising program to increase awareness. | |satisfactory level. | | |-No company in India target rural areas. |Regarding Singer. | |* lack of consumer awareness of the consumers of the ZERO-B | | |*the upper middle class households prefer high price and high quality for |-It was superior in comparison to other primitive products in the markets| |foreign brands |in design and distribution channels | TWOS ANALYSIS | | | |Past Huge success of Blair company. | -Product should be worked by | | |-Brand name in USA. |electricity | |Internal elements |-Regarding water purifies company | | | |experts as superior in term of quality|-Lack of sales office in India. | | |and performance. |*lack of sales force | | |-High technology that certified by | | | |WHO. – Product name (Delight) not knowing | | |- Design distinguished from |it might infringe on any existing | | |competitors |brand in India. | | |-Blair Company employee (4000 people | | | |with 380 having technical background) |-They still faced major issues in | | |-Strong financial position |configuring technologies into physical| | |*sales in the international division |products. | |reach almost $ 140 million in 1996 | | | |* Deligth has a distinguish western | | |External elements |design | | | |*the option of using battery is | | | |available | | | |Strategic options | | |-Poor water quality in India as a |S-O* using high technology that is |W-O | |result of infrastructure. certified by WHO to satisfy the need |*We can use the low cost skilful | |-Reinforcement of government |for pure water in India |labour in India to overcome the | |officials and newspapers to improve |*Using the strong financial and |shortage of sales force in India | |water quality. |international division to build up an | | |-Life styles of Indi ans that value |opportunity in the liberalized Indian | | |comfort and product quality choice. |market | | |-Ineffectiveness of traditional |* Using the high tec. to attack the | | |methods in bacterial and viruses’ |Aquaguard weak strategic components | | |elimination. * Using the high quality products to | | |-Liberalization and opened Indian |satisfy the needs of the upper middle | | |economy to foreign investment. |class | | |-Market in India requires more than | | | |one design. | | | |-skilled labor in India was around | | | |Rs. 20to Rs. 5 per hour less than if | | | |compared to that in USA. | | | |-The weak strategic component of | | | |Aquaguard | | | |-No filter or purifies in India | | | |market can remove iron contamination | | | |to a satisfactory level. | | |-No company in India target rural | | | |areas. | | | |* lack of consumer awareness of the | | | |consumers of the ZERO-B | | | |*the upper middle class households | | | |prefer high price and high quality | | |for foreign brands | | | |*to trade up the users of candle | | | |filters to a better safer product | | | |- Competition in India market |S-T |W-t | |regarding water purifies. |*Using the high technology to compete |*we must try to cope the product tec. | | |with the other brands |with India to be able to overcome the | |Regarding Eureka Forbes. *Using the western design to compete |Indian market competition | | |with competitors | | |-Huge sales force that highly | | | |motivated and well managed. | | | |- Tremendous brand equity. | | | | | | | |Regarding Ion Exchange. | | | | | | |-ZERO-B purifies marketing efforts | | | |will intensify to increase awareness | | | |-New advertising program to increase | | | |awareness. | | | | | | | |Regarding Singer. | | | | | | | |-It was superior in comparison to | | | |other rimitive products in the | | | |markets in design and distribution | | | |channels | | | Step three: Setting objectives: The main objective is to consolidate the Indi an market and stimulate tremendous growth, as the situation in India is attractive for foreign investment and considered to be a window of opportunities The objective is smart as it is specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and time framed Step Four: Setting Strategies: Based on the above situational analysis, we can now choose the strategies that will be used to achieve Blair Company’s objectives According to Chatterjee, he identified two entry strategies †¢ Skimming strategy: which means high price (RS 5900) and high quality Where the product design would be superior with higher performance and quality, longer warranty period, more features and more attractive appearance †¢ Penetration strategy: which means low price (RS 4400) and lower quality Our suggestions: First: Porter Generic Strategies [pic] Using Porter’s Generic Strategies, since the competitive scope is broad and competitive advantage is higher cost. We suggest using Differentiation strategy to enter the Indian market . y using the high technology strength of the Blair Company, the product must be high performance regarding to quality and western unique design. Second: using Mckinsey matrix: [pic] Since the competitive position of the firm is considered strong du e to high technology and strong financial position and the market is attractive, we suggest adopting the Protect Position strategy where the company has to invest to grow at maximum digestible rate and concentrate efforts in maintaining strength From our strategic point of view Blairwater must enter the Indian market by acquisition (high investment) using the low cost Indian labour force and the liberalized investment atmosphere in India. Third Ansoff Growth Strategy: [pic] According to Ansoff growth strategy matrix, Blair Water Purifier Company will adopt the Market Development strategy as the market is new but the product is the existing product. Regardless that the product must have some modifications regarding the Indian market, for example it may need extra purifying stage that the Indian water require, may be a whistle that tells the purifiers users that the unit is functioning probably, a small battery to operate the filters for several hours in case of a power failure (a common occurrence in India and other LDCS) or even permitting users to add fluoride, vitamins or even flavourings to their water. Step Five: STP (Segmentation, Targeting and Positioning) [pic] 5-1 Segmentation: Previously we focused on approaches to environmental, customer and competitor analysis, and the frameworks within which strategic marketing planning can best take place. Against this background we now turn to the question of market segmentation, and to the ways in which companies need to position themselves in order to maximize their competitive advantage and serve their target markets in the most effective manner. In Blair’s company case Chaterjee analyzed his target market to be the better educated, wealthier, and more health-conscious consumers who took steps to safeguard their family’s health hand often continued these steps years around. By estimation Chatterjee thought it would be around 40 million, these consumers were similar in many respects to consumer in middle and upper class households in the US and European Union who valued comfort and product choice they saw consumption of material goods as a mean to a higher quality of life, they liked foreign brands and would pay a higher for such brands He reached the conclusion that his target market is these 40 million households plus those in another four million households who had similar values and lifestyles Chatterjee divided the target segments 40 million as follows: *50 % from the target market boil water *10% from the 50% filter the boiling water *40% used a mechanical device in improving water divided to consumers who use candle filters and consumers who use water purifiers *10 % remaining consumers who know nothing about the problem and if they know they don’t want to pay There are three marketing distinct approaches to marketing strategy which exist s uch as 1 Undifferentiated or mass marketing Product-variety or differentiated marketing 3 Target or concentrated marketing These are well illustrated in Figure Marketing segmentation: Dividing the total market into different units, the units are heterogynous with each other We see that chatterjee divided the market using the following 4 segmentation factors into 4 segments: He used the demographics (age) , social class (to show the buying power ,income and education ),Family size (to show the demand volume ) ,geographic (between rural and urban ) and volume of usage 5-2 Targeting: Choosing one or more segment Chatterjee chooses segment 1,2 and 3 and ignored segment 4 5-3 Positioning: Positioning is determined according to the price strategies that Chatterjee mentioned whether if it skimming or penetration, product design for the skimming strategy would be noticeably superior with higher performance and quality longer warranty period, more features and more attractive appearance than the design of the penetration There are several positioning possibilities performance and taste, value for the money/low price, safety, health, convenience, attractive styling, avoiding diseases and health related bills and superior American technology. The only position he considered taken in the market was that occupied by Aquaguard protect family health and service at your doorstep. According to the differentiation entry that we selected, the positioning should be Superior American technology and design, performance and taste. Due to the three segments that we mentioned above, Chatterjee must design three different marketing mix as shown below: Model of smaller capacity for segment 1, model for larger capacity for larger houses for segment 2 and 2 models for segment 3 that would remove iron, calcium and other metallic containments that were peculiar to particular regions, for example Calcutta. Question 2: The 3 ways to enter the Market: †¢ Joint working arrangement †¢ Joint venture company †¢ Acquisition Main three Factors while selecting the best entry method: Litigation Problems could extend a case for easily a generation †¢ Foreign companies were taxed on Income arising from Indian operations †¢ The foreign company should pay taxes on also any interest, dividends, and royalties received and on any capital gains received from a sale of assets. Licensing Consideration: Chatterjee Analysis †¢ Blair Company Financial Position will be minimal †¢ Expenses: 30,000 in capital for production facilities and equipment , another $ 5,000 for office facilities †¢ Annual fixed costs should not exceeds $ 40,000 †¢ these investments would be offset by the Licensee’s payment to Blair company for technology transfer and personnel training †¢ Decrease of annual fixed costs to $ 15000 once Indian national are hired, trained and left in charged †¢ Duties of the Indian Labor will include seeing how the units are produced in USA with Blair company specification. The licensee would pay to Blair company around 280 R. S for each unit solid in the domestic market and 450 R. S for exported units, so the average will be around 300 R. S Licensing Analysis Brief: †¢ Indian company would manufacture and market the product. †¢ Licensee fees would be remitted to Blair company per unit basis over the term of the agreement Licensing Definition: A contractual agreement whereby a multinational marketer (the licensor) makes available intangible assets – such as patents, trade secre ts, know-how, trademarks, and company name- to foreign companies in return for royalties or other form of payments Licensing Pros and Cons: Pros: †¢ Quick and easy way to enter the market. Could be the only way to open the market. †¢ Provides life extension for products in the maturity stage of their life cycles. †¢ Is a good alternative for foreign productions and marketing? †¢ Royalties are guaranteed and periodic. †¢ Licensing can overcome high transportation costs which make some exports noncompetitive in export market. †¢ Licensing is immune to expropriation. Cons: †¢ No full control over production and marketing. †¢ Royalties are negligible compared with equity investment potential. †¢ There is a danger of creating competition in third country, or even home country markets if the licensee violates territorial agreement. Joint Venture/ Acquisition: Chatterjee Analysis: Financial investment and annual fixed costs would be higher and depnd on the scope of operations. †¢ Estimates of annual fixed expenses via acquisition would be same for joint venture †¢ Estimates for the investment might be considered higher/lower depend on what will be purchased. †¢ Assumption where made on the skimming, penetration pricing strategies Joint Venture Brief: †¢ Blair company will be a partner with an existing Indian company specially for manufacturing and marketing the product †¢ Profits will split between the two companies according to their agreement Acquisition Brief: †¢ Blair company will purchase an existing Indian company †¢ Profits will belong to Blair company Join Venture Definition: A long term partnership between two or more companies sharing equity and risk with the purpose of making profits in a target market. Pros: †¢ Potential for higher profits. †¢ More control over production and marketing. †¢ Better market feedback. †¢ More experience in international marketing. Cons: †¢ Great investment of capital. †¢ Higher level of risk. †¢ Potential conflicts between partners. Acquisition Definition: Ownership by the international firm in foreign markets Pros: †¢ Maximum profits. †¢ Full control over production and marketing. †¢ Better market feedback. †¢ Great experience in international marketing †¢ Integration of operations on a worldwide basis. Cons: High capital and management resources requirements. †¢ Higher risk of expropriation Why Acquisition is the better entry way for Blair Company : Based on all the mentioned analysis we have found that the Acquisition will be the best entry way due to all the acquisition pros the maximum profits, the full control and the better market feedback. In addition it will avoid the Licensing problems example no control over production and marketing as the Indian labor will know how the units are produced and their specifications as they must be trained in order to reduce the cost as the Indian Labor cost is less than the American Labor cost. Therefore, this is considered a negative point; As for the joint venture it is not considered a good entry way as in India the Litigation Problems could extend a case for easily a generation in addition to the higher level of risks and the potential conflicts between partners. ———————– WEAKNESSES Areas of relative disadvantage that: Indicate priorities for marketing improvement Highlight the areas and strategies that the planner should avoid OPPORTUNITIES Environmental trends with positive outcomes that offer scope for higher Levels of performance if pursued effectively: Highlight new areas for competitive advantage THREATS Trends within the environment with potentially negative impacts that: Increase the risks of a strategy Hinder the implementation of strategy Increase the resources required Reduce performance expectations STRENGTHS Areas of (distinctive) competence that: Must always be looked at relative to the competition If managed properly, is the basis for competitive advantage Derive from the marketing asset base S3 Adults 25-45 Social class A, B High income Healthy life style Regions with iron contaminants S4 Adults 25-45 Rural areas Social class c Low income Low infrastructure S2 Adults 25-45 Social class A, B High income Healthy life style Large family size Big houses High volume usage S1 Adults 25-45 Social class A, B High income Healthy life style Small family size Flats residence Low volume usags1e Project content [pic] Submitted to Dr Usama Saleh