Monday, September 30, 2019

Family, its meaning, important and functions Essay

Family, what is it? The Thesaurus dictionary defines family as â€Å"a primary social group consisting of parents and their offspring. † Dcitionary. com defines family as â€Å"any group of persons closely related by blood, as parents, children, uncles, aunts, and cousins. † Do you agree with it? What is your concept of family? For me, family has more to do with the emotional side because someone might have been adopted, might be an exchange student but still is part of the family. Two years ago, I was an exchange student. I lived in Snellville, Georgia with the Head family. I wasn’t related to them by blood, I was not even adopted (meaning that I didn’t have their middle nor last name) but that didn’t stop me from feeling like I was a part of the family. There I learned a new concept of what family is and what the functions of the family are. The functions of the family are giving material and emotional security to the ones you love, social placement, and socialization besides regulation of sexual activity through the incest taboo (meaning that there shouldn’t have sexual relationship or marriage between certain kin). Between all the things I learned that were functions of the family, one seems to me the most important, emotional and material security because those are the base of a good and happy family, once the others can change. Due to career changes, a lot of families now-a-days move quite often, thus every time you move you have to once again adapt yourself to the new habits of the place you are and start to socialize, going through the whole social path again (meeting the people, getting to know there culture, showing them your culture and adapting yourself to the new). I admit that this path it is not easy but if you have material and emotional security you’ll go through it easier. For me it was a bit different because I didn’t have my â€Å"blood family† with me but they were supporting me every way they could. Even without them, it wasn’t hard to adapt myself to the American culture because I also had my American family with me. Whenever I had difficulty with something in the American culture I had my American family to help me to understand the new concepts and also to show me some other new things; and whenever I need help in accepting the new cultural values, my Brazilian family (even far from me) were supporting me and showing me that all the values they taught me when I was younger were now going to be used because, sometimes you don’t need to like the new but you always have to respect it. My family taught me that the love, affection and companionship family members have for each other are bigger than any other feelings someone can have and that is what makes a family, that’s what makes family such an important concept in everyone lives.

Sunday, September 29, 2019

Down Goes Banking Up Comes Problem-Posing Essay

In the article â€Å"The Banking Concept of Education,† Friere claims that the teacher and student’s relationship is fundamentally narrative in which the students are somewhat being trapped in the system of â€Å"Banking Education†. Freire goes on to say that education is suffering from narrative sickness, which means that information is being repeated constantly to the point where it has no meaning to it or that it is lifeless. â€Å"Students are becoming alienated when learning time is being generated from the teacher,† Friere argues. Students are becoming machine-like-creatures because they are not engaged into the lesson. Friere writes that â€Å"four times four is sixteen†¦The student records, memorizes, and repeats these phrases without perceiving what four times four really means† p.318. Students are too simply just repeating what they are told, but they really do not have an explanation or an understanding as of why the answer is that specific answer. Also the student works on storing the information that they were given, this causes their critical consciousness not to develop at the normal pace. I agree with Freire on this issue. A solution to this issue would be the Jasperian â€Å"split.† Instead of students taking mental notes, they could wright questions in regards to the lesson. For example, if I am writing an essay I would not just being aware of the essay I am writing but also questioning, why I am doing so. Overall I believe that â€Å"The Banking Concept† is rendering our development as students as well as teachers. It has caused many students to not think outside of the box, but to make them become a receptacle to be filled with narrative information passed on from our teachers, Friere explains. Teachers also have grown to become the superior opposite to the absolute ignorance of their students, but just like how the teacher can teach a student, the student can educate the teacher as well. This concept has made much of our generation into the norm. We need to think outside the box and to transform our generation into what we want to become of it.

Saturday, September 28, 2019

Derivatives Literature review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Derivatives - Literature review Example AP, (2011), derivative transactions entail a number of financial contracts such as forwards, collars, futures, floors, caps, options, swaps, deposits, and structured debt obligations. With reference to the writings by Durbin (2011), the origin of derivates is traced back to the 18th century whereby the earliest form of derivatives known as rice futures were been traded on the Dojima Rice Exchange. In the studies conducted by Hull (2009), he stated that derivatives are essentially contracts between two parties who have agreed on certain conditions under which financial transactions are to be settled and he further added that the most commonly used underlying assets in derivative transactions include currencies, interest rates, stocks, bonds, and commodities. Derivative contracts are categorized into two groups that comprise of the exchange-traded derivatives, which are derivatives that are transacted in a specialized derivatives exchange. The second group of derivatives is the private ly traded derivatives that are traded over-the-counter and therefore, the transactions are not undertaken with the assistance or expertise of an intermediary or the exchange platform (Institute for Financial Markets, 2011). An example of the privately traded derivates is the swaps. Additionally, derivatives are categorized as either option products or lock products; Shirreff (2004) stated that option products give buyers certain rights but they are not under any obligation to agree to the contract under the terms stipulated, an example of an option product is interest rates caps. While lock products underpin the parties in the contract to the terms stipulated until the expiry of the contract, examples of lock products include forwards, futures, swaps. It is of essence to note that the... This paper stresses that derivative contracts are categorized into two groups that comprise of the exchange-traded derivatives, which are derivatives that are transacted in a specialized derivatives exchange. The second group of derivatives is the privately traded derivatives that are traded over-the-counter and therefore, the transactions are not undertaken with the assistance or expertise of an intermediary or the exchange platform This essay declares that derivatives are categorized as either option products or lock products; Shirreff stated that option products give buyers certain rights but they are not under any obligation to agree to the contract under the terms stipulated, an example of an option product is interest rates caps. While lock products underpin the parties in the contract to the terms stipulated until the expiry of the contract, examples of lock products include forwards, futures, swaps. It is of essence to note that the classification of derivates is mainly based on four main factors that include the type of underlying assets entwined with the derivate, the relationship between the derivative and the underlying asset, the market that the derivative transaction will take place, and the returns they offer. The parties involved in the over-the-counter derivative transactions include hedge funds and banks, and this market is the largest in the overall derivatives. Because of the fact that transac tions are performed on private level it means that there is minimal disclosure of information to the public concerning the market and for this reason it remain less regulated.

Friday, September 27, 2019

Constitutional Court in Europe Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5000 words

Constitutional Court in Europe - Essay Example The need for an effective and uniform EC law applying within national legal orders in compliance to a voluntary limitation f sovereignty by Member States is critical to the concept f integration. By considering the fact that supremacy is ultimately perceived throughout national courts to be a monolithic holy concept which bears tremendous implications if removed or limited, the question is then raised as to how Member States receive the 'supreme nature' f Community Law. In attempting to clarify the need for a supreme legal authority for integration, I will examine the supremacy f EC law and state its Treaty position with particular emphasis on significant case-laws that have shaped the supremacy debate. Furthermore, I will observe the Constitutionalization f the Treaty system, looking at the interplay f the doctrine f direct effect and doctrine f supremacy; under what conditions Member States might be provoked to challenge the authority f the ECJ; the expanding competence f the ECJ which now includes a political and judicial interplay f decision-making; and conclude with a look at what the Constitutional Treaty would have signified in terms f legalizing the doctrine f suprem acy and how the rejection has started questioning whether the Community law should be considered above and beyond national laws and if it has gone too far already. The role f the European Court f Justice in developing the legal means for the integration process and constructing a constitution from the Treaty f Rome is a fundamental factor in the eventual expansion f the Community into its form as a Union f soon to be 27 Member States. In order to understand the evolution f the ECJ from its initially idealized form designed by the Member States so that it "could not significantly compromise national sovereignty or national interest", to a judicial organ that entailed national legal organs to acknowledge its supremacy through "significant nonincremental adaptation f Community law, abandoning deeply entrenched, constitutive principles", an insight into the logic behind legal integration needs to be discussed. In respect to the relationship between legal integration and Member States, the neofunctionalist model f integration seeks to explain the role f both supranational and subnational actors and why nation-states accept the eventual infiltration f the Community law into the spheres f their national laws, which demands full jurisdiction and a limitation to their sovereignty. Legal integration, as perceived by the neofunctionalist model, is a two way process in which supranational and subnational actors both seek to further their own interests by respectively accepting and acceding certain rights and obligations in return for long term benefits, in a "'functional domain' shielded from the interplay f direct political interests". By building on this

Thursday, September 26, 2019

International Trading and Financial Systems Essay

International Trading and Financial Systems - Essay Example presence in the UK. In 1998, it became the first British retailer to reach a pre-tax profit of over one billion pounds. After peaking in 1997-98, a slump in profits began to take place around 1999 which started while Sir Richard Greenbury was the Chairman. Profit margins were pushed to untenable levels and customer loyalty was seriously eroded. In an increasingly competitive and more globally outsourced retail business, the aging and bureaucratic Marks and Spencer which had based its image on being a traditional British retailer, was no longer able to compete with its business rivals. There was a belated switch to overseas suppliers as rival retailers increasingly imported their goods from low cost countries. This undermined a core part of its appeal to the British public. Its refusal to accept credit cards in its stores apart from the company's own charge card played a part in falling profits. It failed to analyze the market needs of the younger customer and cater to a more diverse section of the public. As a result of these shortsighted policies, its profits fell from 1 billion pounds to 145 million pounds by 31st March 2001. The share price fell by more than two-thirds. In 2004, the Arcadia Group tried to take over Marks and Spencer (Wikipedia 2008). A major corporate restructuring plan was announced on 29th March, 2001. This included a total focus on UK retail, expansion of home, food and beauty products, recovery plan for clothing, modernization of stores, improving pricing for value and longer store hours. Financial measures were implemented to bring about sustained growth and enhanced profitability in the company's future. These included renting store space instead of owning the property in the sale and... This paper analyzes the general economic factors that affect the market from which finance will be drawn also need to be considered. There has been an increased trend among economists to favour a finance system based model of macroeconomics.A strong financial system leads to overall growth of the economy, via domestic markets as well as international. Governments should have an effective monetary policy regarding exchange rates which affect international trade, as well as judicious policies regarding interest rates, taxation and the budget which will affect the investment and credit activities of banks and corporates. These will in turn affect the primary and secondary financial markets from which finance is being drawn. The government needs to monitor the economy, not through excessive deregulation or liberalization, but by exercising caution and some restraint, if needed. International capital flows via multinationals and foreign direct investment will benefit the international market. Short term loans and capital flows should not be used as a trade-off for long term financing which will bring about a stronger economy in the long run. It concluded that The UK Government can also educate the individual consumer about personal and public finance issues, thereby producing more financially capable individuals who can then play a more informed role in the financial future of the UK.

Wednesday, September 25, 2019

Fashion and its role in our daily lives Research Paper

Fashion and its role in our daily lives - Research Paper Example The paper "Fashion and its role in our daily lives" discovers the role of fashion. More than this, it is the fashion retailer with added promotions and media hypes to boost up the consumer’s need to have the new piece of clothing for his own social projection. A lot of say is also from the word of mouth approach which suggests that the friends and family circles play a very positive and vibrant role in the whole equation. Furthermore, when one talks about the consumers’ needs of understanding their own self in a better manner, one must make note of the self concept which discusses a person’s understanding of his own personality and what does or does not echo his personal statements. This could include issues like his mood shifts that can happen with the changing seasons, the attachment of peculiar feelings with certain colors and going out of the way to buy a certain piece of cloth which is usually not considered a viable option when it comes to buying by the mas ses. Thus the self concept is quintessential since it underpins his own notions related with the fashion needs and in what manner he can best fulfill the very same. As stated earlier, the people who are considered amongst the aspired groups by the relevant sets of consumers, who are about to make a potential purchase, are the right people to which these consumers can actually focus their symbolic wishes and aspirations. This aspired group could be consisting of those people who are looked upon at by the consumers with a sense of desire. and yearning and the consumers always make sure that they buy this just to remain attached with the aspired group. When it comes to these aspired groups, one can easily understand that they consist of models, celebrities, sportspersons or just about anybody who the consumers think worthy of being hailed as something different, so much so to bring about a different in their belief system. Thus symbolic consumption forms up as a very imperative part of the whole thinking mindset of the consumers before they hope to change their fashion practices and mold their own selves in line with what should be their need and in what manner they would fulfill the very same. Rightly put, consumers of fashion are very conscious of their needs and wishes and usually they go out of their budgets to satisfy their whims. This means that there is a lot of room for strengthening the products in the best manner possible when the talk is of quality rather than mere quantity (Thorsell, 2011). Versace has adopted on to the bandwagon of having celebrity endorsements for its fashion apparels and products, much like the other well-known fashion labels that are operational all round the world. Elton John, Axl Rose, Late Princess Diana, Beyonce, The Notorious B.I.G, Elizabeth Hurley, Jennifer Lopez, Demi Moore, Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera, Madonna, Halle Berry, Kate Moss, Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Angela Lindvall, Carolyn Murphy, Christy Turlington, Daria Werbowy and Miriam Escott IV are some of the prominent ones to make Versace such a huge name in the world of fashion. Needless to state, when one tries to understand the rationale behind advertising in the realms of fashion it is quintessential to comprehend that fashion advertising brings with it a sense of bonding and creating linkages amongst the different social groups present within any society. The social groups to which the consumers try their best to attach with have a lot of positive say on the sale of a particular category of fashion (Mcconathy, 2001). This means that

Tuesday, September 24, 2019

St. Anselm's Ontological Argument Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

St. Anselm's Ontological Argument - Essay Example That is, absolute cause of everything, which implies that God exists. Anselm at the beginning starts by explaining and rooting his ontology in the Christian understanding of God, in that He is â€Å"something beyond which nothing greater can be thought† (Pojman & Rea 139). In this regard, Anselm implies that Gods is the end in power, love, truth and other qualities beyond which nothing of better quality can be conceived. Anselm takes the reader through two steps: he explains and defines the basic qualities of God in relation to his divineness and explains the absolute necessity of God‘s existence in the universe in relation to nature. In the first regard, Anselm narrates about God’s perfection. God is a perfect being in all angles, with other beings trying to emulate this perfection. By considering the order in nature, which Anselm relies on to prove his ontological argument, there is much perfection in nature where the orderliness of things that exist is puzzling . Nature and how it relates is so orderly that there has to exist a being either in understanding or in reality from whom nature owes its orderliness. Such a being has to be the absolute perfection, beyond which no other perfection can be possibly conceived and which is replicated by the physical orderliness of nature. This is because nature draws its orderliness not from itself, but from a power much greater and perfect than itself. Such a being as Anselm states cannot be said not to exist, as his powers are manifested by what really exists. A thing cannot cause itself, but has to have a higher cause from which it derives its existence. This means that the perfection in nature has its cause from a higher perfection, beyond which no more perfection can be thought, which is God himself. Anselm explains the difference between what exists in understanding and what is real. For instance, persons, tables, trees or what is seen or experienced exists in reality having a close contact with humanity. This means that these things exist and there is no argument about their being or not being. However, Anselm defines another classification of things that exit in understanding. These things still exist, though in a different way from those that are known in reality; consequently, it is possible that something will exist in reality and at the same time in understanding. For instance, a painter who proceeds to paint has what he wishes to paint existing in understanding and paints it to exist in reality (Pojman & Rea 139). This as Anselm argues implies that there has to be a form of that which exists in reality, which exists in understanding. Considering a table, there has to be an idea of what a table looks like, which is the perfection form of the thing and which exits in understanding. As Anselm states, â€Å"the fool says in his heart there is no God, when it is so evident to the rational mind that you among all beings exist most greatly† (Pojman & Rea 139). By the mere fact that even a fool recognizes that there has to be power where everything seems to converge, or behind anything they may not fully understand the actual cause, portrays that such a fool does not totally reject the existence of God. Moreover, that which is real exists despite our understanding. Consequently, the thought of existence of such a superior being implies that God really does exist. If a fool does not think

Monday, September 23, 2019

P&G Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

P&G - Essay Example It is equally important, if not more so, that innovation is cost-effective, aligned with consumer demands and addresses a perceived gap in the market. In other words, not only is the strategy for corporate survival continued product development and innovation, but the cost-effective development of innovative products which market research indicates will attract the consumer market. Proctor and Gamble has resolved the seemingly complex equation of cost-effective continued product development and equation through its "connect and develop" strategy. Indeed, P&G's approach to product development and innovation has the potential to serve as a critically valuable lesson to corporations across the world. The hurdles to new product development are cost and innovation. As Huston and Sakkab (2006, p. 60) write, "Most companies are still clinging to what we call the invention model, centered on a bricks-and-mortar R&D infrastructure and the idea that their innovation must principally reside within their own four walls." Confining product development to the company and to individuals working in the company often means that development will be a costly and time-consuming process. The reason, as Huston and Sakkab (2006) illustrate through reference to a case study, is that when a company begins the R&D process with an idea for a new product or an innovation to an existing product, it may not have the technology to translate the idea into a reality. The company's in-house Research and Development team will then have to experiment with several technologies to bring the idea to life and, of course, may and may not succeed. Even if they succeed, success comes at high financial cost. Furthermor e, as Brown and Eisenhardt (1995) argue, because the process is often a length one, there is always the risk that a competitor may beat them to the market with the technology and product. In this case, the return on the new product research and development investment may not be realized. Hence, a financial risk factor enters into the equation. Proctor and Gamble stumbled across a high radical approach for new product development and innovation when it found itself confronting numerous technological obstacles to the manufacturing of their innovative Pringle line of imprinted chips. Initially relying on in-house talent for the development of the required technology, Proctor and Gamble soon found the process excessively costly, unrealistic and unfeasible in terms of implementation. It was at this point that P&G decided to look outside its walls for a solution and, with that in mind, developed and circulated a technology brief which outlined the problem. The response was positive and the company was approach by a baker in Italy who had already developed the technology in question. Proctor and gamble obtained the rights to the use of the technology, developed it to suit their specific needs and were, as a result, able to successfully produce their new line of Pringle chips at a fraction of the cost they would have otherwise run into. Huston and Sakkab (2006) concede to the fact that the approach adopted by Procter and Gamble is a radical one. As new product development, inclusive of research and development, often functions as a firm's competitive edge, corporations generally tend to prefer to keep all research, development and product

Sunday, September 22, 2019

Color Scheme and the Work Place Essay Example for Free

Color Scheme and the Work Place Essay Color Scheme and Work Productivity 1 Running Head: Color Scheme and Work Productivity Color Scheme and Work Productivity How Does the Color Scheme of a Building Affect Work Productivity Introductory Psychology Research Paper Using APA Style Jessica N. Russell Milwaukee Area Technical College July 2008 Color Scheme and Work Productivity 2 Creating a productive work environment is a shift in both the blue collar and white collar work worlds that has the potential of influencing change in the wider arena of life. High work productivity while maintaining quality could have an extremely positive impact on the economy. Research indicates that employees produce a higher output of work when they are employed where there is a positive work environment. A huge part of the positive environment is the color scheme of the work building. Using color psychology when designing work environments can make a difference in attitude and work performance, thereby impacting the bottom line of a company. It is the higher work productivity and positive attitudes that are the focus of this research. Color Scheme and Work Productivity How Does the Color Scheme of a Building Affect Work Productivity Introductory Psychology Research Paper Using APA Style Introduction The author of this research paper has been in the workforce for over ten years. During this time, the author has worked in a wide variety of industries, including: clerical work, food service, sales and service, and collections. The author is most currently a team lead in the current position of collector. Working as an employee, and now in a somewhat supervisory role, the author has seen both high and low levels of productivity performed by employees. There is a noticeable pattern that Color Scheme and Work Productivity 3 either most employees are highly productive at some of the companies, or most of the employees are less productive than they should be at some of the companies. The one thing that has intrigued the author is the difference in attitudes and work productivity when moving from one workplace to another. In some work settings, people did unpleasant and difficult work tasks, yet they maintained a positive attitude and high productivity rates. In other work environments, people had a great job and worked in a pleasant environment, yet their attitudes were not upbeat to reflect that and work productivity was average or low. What in these work places makes the difference in work productivity? The author spoke of this project with employees at work. When the author referenced what in the â€Å"workplace environment† makes a difference, many employees stated things such as furnishings, ergonomic work stations, colors of the walls, windows and art in the workplace. The feedback that was given led to the topic for this research paper. It is important to know the answer to color schemes and their affect of work productivity, as work productivity is what affects a company’s bottom line. The company’s bottom line, in turn, has a huge affect on the economy. Since economic conditions affect all people in this world, it is important to Color Scheme and Work Productivity 4 research and find ways to increase worker productivity. Since there are many things that affect work productivity, the author narrowed the research down to one main thing that affects levels productivity. Does the color scheme of a building affect work productivity? Method There has been much research done on how to increase work productivity, going far back at the mid 1800s. However, most research has been on management style and hierarchies in the work place. Not as much emphasis has been put on researching the work environment in regards to color schemes. To find information for the research, the author looked in the library research database EBSCOHOST to find articles related to color psychology. The author also utilized a book written on the topic of contemporary management. Results and Findings The earliest known study in regards to the work environment was series of studies was conducted from 1924 to 1932 at the Hawthorne Works of the Western Electric Company. This research, now known as the Hawthorne Studies began as an attempt to investigate how characteristics of the work setting – Color Scheme and Work Productivity 5 specifically at the level of lighting or illumination – affect worker fatigue and performance. (Jones George, 2008, p. 65). The researchers conducted an experiment in which they systematically measured worker productivity at various levels of illumination. The experiment produced some unexpected results. The researchers discovered that regardless of whether they raised or lowered the level of illumination, productivity increased. In fact, productivity only began to fall when the level of illumination dropped to the level of moonlight, a level at which, presumably, workers could no longer see well enough to do their work efficiently. (Jones George, 2008, p. 65). It was concluded that the employees were just happy that people were paying attention to them, and seeing what caused them to work more productively. The Hawthorne Studies did not look at how illumination at higher or lower intervals for a set period of time affects the performance. This would have answered the question if the illumination affects work performance. Thus, from there, research could have been done in regards to the color schemes of a room. Also, much of the research cited for the Hawthorne Studies was perception based. This would suggest that it is important to ask the workers involved what their illumination preference, as well as their color, preference is. (Hart, 2004, Color Scheme and Work Productivity 6 P. 1). According to research completed by Blumber Capitals Partners, 80 percent of workers said the condition of their work environment affects their productivity, and 33 percent said they have actually left a job or taken a new one nased on the condition of the building and/or amenities offered. (Kampert, 2008, p. 1). In 1998, a study was conducted in regards to task type, posters, workspace color on mood, satisfaction and performance. This study was overseen by the department of psychology at Creighton University in Omaha, NE. There were 112 student participants. As part of the experiment, they either performed a low or high demand task in a blue or red workspace, with or without a scenic poster. (English and Stone, 1998, p. 175). Only hostility was affected by task type. Satisfaction and performance were not significantly affected by either the posters. Performance decreased for the high demand tasks and decreased for the low demand tasks. Posters made the workplace more pleasant, but also increased perceived task demand. Perceived task demand was marginally related to workplace color. Perceived task demand may moderate the effects of posters and workplace color on mood and other perceptions. Other date support the notion that cool Color Scheme and Work Productivity 7 colors are calming and warm colors are stimulating. (Stone English, 1998, p. 175). Many studies in regards to color have actually been done by interior designers who decorate homes,and some who decorate offices. Interior designers are aware that while people do not spend a lot of time thinking about room color, it affects every day of our lives. Room color influences our mood and thoughts. Colors affect people in many ways, depending on one’s age, gender, ethnic background, or local climate. (Corrigan, 2008, p. 3). Also,certain colors, or groups of colors tend to get a similar reaction from most people, regardless of their age, gender, ethnic background, or local climate. The overall difference is in the shades or tones that are used. To understand what colors work best in certain rooms in either a home or place of business, it is first important to understand the moods that colors evoke. Much research has been done in the area of color psychology – the study of colors and their affects on moods. Below you will see the colors listed and mood that are evoked. The descriptions come from a book titled Color and Human Response by Faber Birren. The colors and the moods they evoke can also be located on any internet site that discusses color psychology. Color Scheme and Work Productivity 8 Red – raise’s a room’s energy level. It stirs up excitement, but has also been shown to raise blood pressure, speed respiration and speed heart rate. Red can sometimes be too stimulating for a room. Crimson – makes people feel irritable. People sitting in a crimson room for a long period of time will likely break down any peace or harmony that one is striving to create. Overall red and crimson colors, should only be used in rooms that are used after dark where just a lamp makes the room have an elegant feel. Many steak restaurants like to use red and crimson. Yellow – captures the joy of sunshine and communicates happiness. Thought it is a cheerful color, it should only be used in kitchens, dining rooms and bathrooms. People are more likely to lose their tempers in a yellow room, as it tends to create feelings of frustration and anger in people. The color yellow is also fatiguing on the eyes. Blue – brings down blood pressure and slows respiration and heart rate. It is considered calming, relaxing, and serene. Pastel blue, however, can come across as unpleasantly chilly, especially in a room that receives little natural light. Color Scheme and Work Productivity 9 Green – considered the most restful color on the eye. A sage or medium green cools things down, encourages unwinding, and promotes comfort and togetherness. Green is believed to relieve stress by helping people relax. Purple – in its darkest forms is rich, dramatic and sophisticated. Light purples have the same effect as pastel blues, but without the chilly effect. Orange – evokes excitement, enthusiasm, and is an energetic color. It is great for an exercise room. Orange was used in ancient cultures to increase energy levels. Neutrals (black, gray, white, and brown) – are calm colors. Black is used sparingly as trim, same as dark tones of brown, because too much of a dark color make a room feel smaller. White brightens up small areas.

Saturday, September 21, 2019

The Strange Case of Mr Hyde and Dr Jekyll Essay Example for Free

The Strange Case of Mr Hyde and Dr Jekyll Essay I the conflicting seed of everymans agonising conscience stirs deep in the inveterate, dark, depths of the inner soul. Time spent in patience, waiting in earnest for favourable conditions to germinate, a yearning to be nurtured; to be fed, fed the pleasures that would supply my imperious craving; to permit the outstretching and entanglement of my darkened roots into the depths of the nourishing elixir of life itself. Thus countless times I fought my perennial war, with my so-called double-dealer. On occasions my very existence hung in the balance. My utmost pleasures were denied me; I was kept concealed, hidden as if I were an open, infected, contagious wound, suppressed by the heavy weight of honour and dignity. His goodness, his knowing righteousness strangles my growth like bind weed to a new sapling, If it were not for my hosts rather growing intrigue and exacting aspirations of mans divided and compounded dual nature of good and ill, coupled with his morbid sense of shame and guilt. I would have long past this hour. But much to my joyous wickedness, he dwelt with pleasure, on the notion, that life could be relieved of all that was unbearable; a departure of our intertwined, conflicting qualities; hence to permit him to walk unfalteringly and firmly on his upward path, enabling him to derive pleasure in its most purest form, no longer, exposed to dishonour and penitence, delivered from my extraneous evil. On this darkened mystical hour, shadows beckoned me to watch the ultimate demise of the labours of my double-dealer. Elements were weighed to precise accuracy, and then compounded. I watched behind the veil of darkness, watched hungrier than I had ever been before, watched as these elements bubbled and smoulder mutually in the glass vessel. Attractive temptation hung in the air, teasing, tantalising and encouraging the flows of my frenzied juices to run wild, bittersweet poisons tripped through the chemically charged room. I gleefully waited for my host to feed the very essence of my soul, my unripe, immature soul; I am yet still but an infant as if unblemished by the first utterances of lies. The poison slipped smoothly through his lips. My villainous senses had long since been awoken, awoken by the pungent smells that fill the laboratory. I craved for this elixir, this elixir that will open the doorway to my freedom. This power is like nothing I have felt in hand, it surges right to my core. Rapidly I exceed in height and statue, filling his inadequate skin. He clutches at me now, ripping, tearing and scratching at my very flesh, his intense moaning and crying fills the darkness. No more so does he deserve that tormentor, than I deserved the suppression I have felt over this exceeding and exasperating time, henceforth justice be done. I inhale deep and strong, sucking and drawing my opposition into myself. With every lungful of air my escalating evil powers engulf all that is righteous; as I exhale his morality flips into immorality. The first wholesome breaths of my new life were one of wicked exhilaration. I felt the power of control, no longer was I pushed to the subterranean of this being, held fast by principles and ethics. Freedom was mine to be had. I would blithely rejoice and celebrate this happening. I proceeded to banquet in malevolent, malign thoughts, feast on the pureness of evil and drink from the chalice of cruelty. Glowing as I was with eagerness and triumph at my newly born body, freedom tastes fresh and tantalising. I aspired to observe my fully formed transformation. Some innate sense compelled me to venture crossed the yard. With slight agitation I slipped silently through these foreign corridors, an outsider in the midst of a home that felt partially mine; and coming to a room, I witnessed my reflection; a sight that thrilled and elated me, evil placed its mark upon my countenance, deformity and decay strongly exuded itself from my entirety, my hideous, repulsive image leapt at me with a warm welcome. My eyes danced, played and frolicked with the devil himself. For now time escaped my clutches, the wakening of day was near; the once blackened sky grew lighter with every passing moment. I hurriedly fled this dreamt of house, took flight before daylight reached out and took hold of me to shake and judder my very supremacy. I took shelter in the laboratory, mulling over the deprived pleasures with which I wish to make haste to seek, the ultimate goal, self-satisfaction. This time, I myself am the victim of the writhing, cramping pangs that succeed the drinking of the poison; a noose grips my fervent wickedness, Im engulfed by a pureness, a loving wholesome conscience, it quashes and suffocates my once supreme sinfulness. Gradually I decline in spirit, the hour of my death felt nigh. With wrath of new, I struggled to escape captivation, restraint no longer was my collaborator, His statue grows stronger as mine fades; he overwhelms me with his kindness. Yet my strength is not subdued to the former, I have grown, my power increased, eventually he will submit to the pleasures I offer him, temptation can surpass his profound reasoning, enticing him to the slavery of the joys that I bring.

Friday, September 20, 2019

The Impact of Occupational Segregation on Working Conditions

The Impact of Occupational Segregation on Working Conditions Zoe Stux â€Å"Critically evaluate the claim that occupational segregation in the British workforce leads to lower pay, lower status and increased insecurity among women employees† Occupational segregation finds it roots in the social behaviour of society, by definition this means a separation within job roles by gender. Feminist movements paved the way for women to have equal life styles and occupational choices for women in Britain. Legislation currently in place would lead to the assumption that inequality is not possible in today’s organisations given that there are anti discrimination and equal pay laws to protect the workforce without having to rely on the trade unions. Yet, when considering the effects of direct and indirect discrimination it becomes apparent how an organisation may apply a condition of employment to all employees which can be weighted to affect a large proportion of one gender over another if it is so designed. It is necessary here to demonstrate that current legislation allows some discrimination, for example, a disabled woman requiring a carer to help with personal duties is allowed to state only women can apply. Despite the ab ility to discriminate there is evidence to suggest that equalities within the genders are lessening and women are becoming more present in senior roles, the assumption is that the equality will pass from the top down the chain to affect the gender segregation on a larger scale lessening the increasing levels of discrimination over time. In contrast it could be the divide is not diminishing, and in fact current occupational segregation retains a level of inequality between the genders with regards pay, status and increasing insecurity. Cockburn recently (1991 p123) states â€Å"it will remain a fact of life that women are severely disadvantaged compared to men in their career opportunities†. This evaluation will assess the suggestions that women’s inferior place within the workforce leads to lower levels of pay for the same roles, lower status in general placed on their roles and the increasing insecurity of the roles performed by women whilst critically debating the various viewpoints to look at how the relationship between the employer and employee is introduced and subsequently managed. Whilst considering the view that women are disadvantaged through social constraints, biological constraints and personal choice allowing for the impact in Britain for future generations. As recently as 2004 it is suggested work status is far from equal with most management structures showing primary male domination. However, whilst many companies continue to operate within these male confines there have been an increasing number of women in management roles within recent years breaking the inequality traditions in status. However in line with feminist theories these areas are under represented within the professions and senior management. For those that achieve success on equal grounding it is often the case that women will be required to fit the male value system already established within the organisation, thus suggesting that women may achieve levels of perceived power but the opportunity to make decisions affecting the power will be biased towards the male institutionalised practices already in place. This can translate to a new mind set and change in belief system which for some this can be difficult to adapt to. For those that do not achieve a level of seniority occupations tend to be limited to clerical or secretarial roles and are primarily held as part time (Rose, E (2004) p557). Rose successfully illustrates for a small percentage of the workforce success is possible however for the masses lower status roles are the norm, assuming that these levels of employment are lower down the organisational chain the level of reward will be suitable to the roles therefore less than the male managers. However according to the equal opportunities commission (hereby referred to as EOC) in 2005 there was an average twenty percent difference between the genders in each employment section with regards wages earned on an average hourly rate. Although banking was a much higher rate at forty percent and not included in the average. It could be argued as Rose states above most female roles are primarily part time which would lead to less remuneration and increased insecurity. Although the same study shows dif ferentials between high profile roles which are assumed to be full time with the bias favouring males within these roles. Historically a biological viewpoint was used to control the workforce, and all collective bargaining would have been pursued by the trade unions led by men bargaining for men. Trade unions and workers alike were concerned with controlling wage levels and entry into trade ensuring the skills required by industry were sought after therefore controlling the flow of work and the financial demands that could be made, if women had been able to contribute to these tasks the reward level would have decreased as women were deemed cheap labour. Whilst this would be beneficial to employers who would decrease outgoings and protect profit margin it would be detrimental to the male workforce and unions, illustrating an impact of male trade unionist methods to drive towards male domination in the workplace. Biological theory was used to manipulate society to believe women were not capable of carrying out physical labour as men were; this served the purpose of providing a reason to prevent female pr esence in physical industry and at the same time set a cultural way of thinking. Biological theory argues that men are naturally stronger than women due to the way the body is constructed and this permits men to carry out certain tasks woman can not. Social acceptance of this granted the woman’s place was at home given the childbearing and nurturing ties to the female. In contrast biologically men’s behavior is seen as predatory and aggressive. However, there is the suggestion that roles are culturally determined as opposed to biologically, and the parental relationship cements social development. Children are manipulated by social norms at a young age to reinforce gender differences, for example a girl wears pink and a boy wears blue, a girl is given a doll or a tea set and a boy receives a car or a football. As the child gets older media influence will be introduced through adverts, popular television or movies to reinforce the socially acceptable roles for the genders (Oakley 2005). In support for this idea the functionality of the two genders is underpinned by analysis from several societies which concluded that there were no tasks with the exception of child birth that could be completed by only one of the two genders (Rose 2004). Biological attributes do not restrict women from roles; this was further supported through evidence observed during the Second World War where women were forced to take on men’s roles because of the shortage of people available. Based on this assumption it could be suggested that the divides seen in today’s workplace are intentional on the part of the female workforce who chose not to be equal and accept the pay differences secure in the knowledge that their income is secondary and whilst potentially insecure in the employment world it is not important to the family world and therefore of little consequence. Despite the Second World War the biological view would continue after the war had finished. This swift change in attitude back to the old social norm would prove to be difficult for some women to cope with. The myth that biologically women were incapable was squashed, however the value system that had created social structure before the war was still present with the men who returned therefore the social constraints were restored. However, the awareness of women being physically capable was a reality for society to develop and accept it was social and cultural beliefs that stopped women from working. There became an understanding that a reserve army of labour could be called on when required by policy makers and employers alike to achieve common goals, exploiting women into the workplace when it suited those in control. Male perception did not change and work was seen as a secondary focus to family, this created a vacuum where women were manipulated by others to conform to social rul es. It would appear modern society has not moved on that much, according to the equal opportunities commission in 2006, sixty seven percent of the female population of working age were in employment verses seventy eight percent of men under the same criteria, this would fit within social assumptions today where to a certain degree women remain primary family carers. Interestingly this research quantifies that forty three percent of women working were in part time employment whilst only eight percent of the men fulfilled part time roles, this would support the assumption that men remain the primary breadwinners in mass society. Purcell (2000) explains that from the 1980s changes have been seen within British society, until the 1980s women were active in the workplace until the birth of their first child, when they would remain inactive until school age or another child was born and the cycle would repeat. However by the end of the 1980s two thirds of mothers were active within the wo rkplace and approximately half of these returned to work within nine months utilising family and childcare options. Therefore gender changes and opinions within society have been demonstrated resulting in the counter argument for the gender nurturing social arguments demonstrated earlier. In contrast there is also the view that Britain’s economic climate has dictated these levels of work as increasingly families need to draw two wages in order to cover the high cost of living which is not relative to the rises seen in salaries. Supporting the view of exploitation further is the investigation of the reserve army of labour which proves to be beneficial to industries. The foundation of this idea is in Marxist explanations, suggesting that capitalism required a secondary outlay of potential recruits who could be relied on in times of both economic recession and boom to provide a flow of supply and demand in terms of workforce. This is essentially a flexible workforce with few rights and therefore the inability to make demands on the employer, whilst the employer has the right to reduce wages and increase the rate and extent of the worker exploitation at will. This is extreme and in today’s society would be tapered to meet legislation and social standards, although this does not necessarily mean the exploitation has ended, it has simply taken a different guise. In their book Women in Britain today (1986) Beechey and Whitelegg conclude that women would be less able to resist redundancy due to lack of trade union representation and their lower financial value within the workplace which makes them a high risk to increasing insecurity. However this study is dated and whilst in some areas trade union representation is valid this is not the case across mass private industry. Beechey and Whitelegg go on to suggest women are more likely to accept work at a lower rate than a male counterpart given they will not be aggressive and negotiate, and from a political viewpoint unemployed women are less likely to register unemployed as with primary incomes from their husbands they would not be eligible for benefits, thus supporting the claim that the segregation between the two genders within the workplace leads to insecurity for women. However in contrast to the insecurity being suggested this theory would imply when Britain went through a recession in the 20th Century the part time and flexible lower paid workforce would have been the first to suffer, yet this was not the case. The answer to this would be, for the same reason the reserve army of labour was considered a good idea, when in recession the primary function is to save long term financial plans, therefore making commercial sense to retain the cheaper labour on the workforce inadvertently providing incre ased security during times of recession and economic crisis. There is mass evidence to support the perception that management and trade unions perceive female workers to have a lower commitment to paid work. It is largely these ideals which populate within the labour markets of today, showing women to be secondary to their male counterparts, exploited at will, to control the labour markets and placed in insecure roles because they are not valued (Purcell 2000 p133).This is also supported by Homans (1987 cited in Rose 2004) where interview techniques were questioned when direct discrimination was uncovered and the reasons provided illustrated the view that women will project a lack of commitment to the role, either requiring time off to have a family or caring for an existing family. In contrast Rose (2004) establishes that although the majority of organizations have been traditionally dominated by men, there are a percentage of female senior managers pulling through to powerful positions and this appears to be increasing. In 1991 nine percent of the total women surveyed represented a small number of executive managers and directors. However in 1998 this increased to eighteen percent and four percent of these were director level. On the other hand in 2001 the number dropped to nine percent, although this figure did not include executive directors, therefore there is no like for like comparison making analysis difficult to draw conclusions from. It may be the changing social climates of the late 20th and early 21st Centuries have led to this change in female presence. With a change in social attitudes it is possible to see both genders have been suppressed with women missing the workplace opportunities and men increasingly missing family life. A movement in social acceptance can now see men remain at home while the woman goes out to work reversing the traditional roles. However whilst changes to social thinking are beginning there is the suggestion that the perception of women in power is a false one, despite the movements into senior roles the movements come from organisational restructure, changing job titles and removing levels of management to make opportunities less. Therefore the reality does not translate to total equality as power would be cascaded back up the chain towards the men. It would appear the opportunities for development and progression become stifled and the female workforce are only able to reach a particular point in the structure before they hit the ‘glass ceiling’ and their progression is halted. The lack of development in many cases appears to be attributed to women taking time off to have families, the assumption then is that by the time they return to work priorities have changed and long unsociable hours are a problem, leading to static working practices and fewer women successfully climbing the ladder. It appears industry is asking women to make a choice between motherhood and career but not working to aid the two in working side by side. Kirton and Greene (2001 p46) appear to agree, women have to make a choice, they place women at a disadvantage in the workplace due to less experience, lack of training and education compared to male counterparts. However they go on to suggest there are two counter points that can have a positive effect on a woman’s career; by working uninterrupted without family breaks it demonstrates commitment combined with the ability to project a long term ambition through working steadily and when required including late nights. Given that not all women will want to start a family these restrictions will not apply to all, however the statistics seem to indicate these are the minority of women or in exceptional cases women will have both and make sacrifices within the family to return to work with the aid of a non work support network of family and frie nds or childcare. Although the EOC statistics show a high percentage of female workers in part time employment it remains that over half the employed women surveyed were working in full time roles. Sly et al (1998) relate education and occupational qualifications as key to the success of women with the workplace. In 1997 eighty six percent of women qualified from A Level or above were economically active whereas fifty two percent of those with no formal qualifications were inactive. On the other hand both full and part time roles primarily fall within the clerical, secretarial, service and sales areas of the employment sphere as a total out of this collective group over sixty percent of the workforce were women. For the same exercise with the male workforce related to roles such as managers, administrators, craft, plant and machine operators, the statistics accounted for sixty percent of the male working population reinforcing the gender prejudice. Although there will always be a gender differential b etween traditional industries such as construction, manufacturing, education and public health despite drives to change these dynamics, it is worth noting the most recent study in 2006 states that women’s employment has increased seventy percent since 1975, yet in contrast fifty seven percent of women use either part time, flexible working time or home working in order to meet family commitments as well as complete the economic requirements of a day job supporting the theory that gender segregation leads to lower status and increased insecurity for women. Discrimination with the workplace would appear to be subtle and careful. By definition organizational segregation is the separation of the two genders within the workplace environment. However within this concept there are two styles to be considered. Horizontal segregation, where the workforce is primarily one specific gender, for example, within the construction industry men make up ninety percent of the entire workforce as detailed on the labour force survey for 2006 October to December, this can be attributed to the strong male social values within the industry. In comparison the same survey shows public admin, education and health is primarily a female sector role with women accounting for seventy percent of the total. However what are not evident are the levels employed by women and how the senior managers are gender split. Alternatively, there is also vertical segregation, where the opportunity for career progression is tapered to a particular gender. The implication with vertical segregation is that women would be affected given that it is women who are less likely to fulfil roles within management or senior executive posts. Liff ((1995) p476) suggests that the reason women fail to make the career progression which causes vertical segregation can be found in the division of labour within social confines. A manager is expected to work long hours and within this principle lays the issue, as British women whether working or not are still expected to carry out the same level of domestic duties for the family resulting in the inability to work late often which is suggested makes women unsuitable for progression to management and senior executive levels therefore reducing them to flexible part time roles with low pay and less security than management positions. Within the two types of segregation the workforce is split further, two sections primary and secondary, otherwise termed dual labour markets. The primary labour market is attributed to high pay, excellent working conditions, favourable promotional prospects and job security, secondary sector workers are disposable and easily replaced and transferring between the two markets is difficult either within the same or different organisations. Rose (2004), states that women are the primary of the two genders to appear in the secondary category, due to their low status in society and tendency to not belong to a trade union. However in contrast to the dual labour theory there are limitations not considered, workers within the textile industry where the job roles are similar whether primary or secondary still see a pay discrimination due to gender, the theory also fails to take into account the moving social scales of today’s society which sees many women in primary roles but in areas w here women see a high percentage of employment, for example, public health care and education. The 2006 EOC study for 2005 illustrates within the high paid jobs category, the gender gaps on four areas have a close to equal split however the other six areas show large discrepancies suggesting primarily male management. What is difficult to ascertain from the research on the areas of wide discrepancy gender split are the number of women who have chosen to work within limited roles with limited responsibilities due to family commitments verses the number of women forced into these roles because of the male constructed value system dictating they are inferior to the role of management. From the 1970s work ethics changed to reflect an increasingly flexible work pattern. Consumer society expected faster and quicker trends to be available to them resulting in the change of work ethic hence seen. The 1970’s saw a requirement for flexible low income workers to manage the production lines based on the changes from Fordism production. The reserve army of labour would become ideally suited for this and naturally this comprised of women. Loveridge and Mok (1996 cited in Mullins p165) confirm that women encompass an ‘out-group’ which makes the basis of an industrial reserve pool providing additional labour when required by society. However there is the suggestion that in the 1970s this was not a forced choice for women but one entered into willingly, although the family remained the primary concern there was also increasing financial pressures as social movements changed. Hakim (1998) supports this and suggests that there are three types of women who choose their preferences about home and work. There is a home centred attitude which prefers a home life to a work environment, a work centred view which for some are childless but have a strong commitment to their work and finally the adaptive who want a little of both but do not want to commit to a career. Hakim also suggested that with regards to a woman’s qualification there was a correlation between them marrying men with a higher qualification than their own thus leading to the assumption that they would rely on this as a primary income therefore resulting in family becoming the primary focus. This would indicate that it is not viable to apply the same theory to all women as there are differing personal choices within these statistics which can not be quantified. In contrast to Hakim, Crompton et al (1999) argue that it is the structure of the labour market which moulds the individuals career, suggesting men will turn to traditional male jobs whilst women will opt for traditional female roles reinforcing male roles as aggressive and physical whilst female roles are caring and nurturing, strengthening the structures that produce the gender differences which in turn make it difficult for those within the confines to pursue a career not stereotypically for their own gender. Thus, supporting the suggestion that women continue to be subjected to discrimination, which provides them with disadvantages within the employment relationship including, lower pay, lower status and power and greater insecurity. Employment relationships have undoubtly changed over recent years along with social belief systems and the relationship between the two is intensely fused. There is no denying that women have more freedom within the workplace in today’s society, although there are still constraints to this freedom it is progress none the less. However it would appear these freedoms come with painful choices to be made; in the cold light of day reality will push to suggest it is not possible to have it all. Women with children will require a degree of flexibility in order to enjoy their families, however this does not have to mean choosing lower status, part time, insecure employment at the expense of high profile full time management roles however the support needed from colleagues and family is greater than those who do chose to not work full time, although the balance is possible to obtain. It has taken nearly three decades to make the small improvements seen since the 1970s, if this is followed through to the natural conclusion those with the power now can influence others performing up the ranks within the labour market and as such in another thirty years there should be considerable improvements on where we are today. Attitudes and beliefs take time to change and as it would appear to be the social constraints of attitude that find us in a gender segregation of the workforce it stands to reason that these differences will lessen as attitudes change. There is always the risk that as we see poor political decisions made affecting social policy there will be a reversal of attitudes. However with the economy balancing precariously it is necessary in many cases for both men and women to work full time and aspire to be the best of their field and maximise their potential in order to provide for themselves and their families providing a stable economic background. With regards the claim that occupational segregation leads to lower pay there is some truth to this – what is difficult to assess is the level those are accepted by women and the level they are forced. It is not quantified how many women within the workforce challenged their wage to be equal to that of men. Although lower status compared to male counterparts is at present unfortunate as social policies change and those women there now cascade down to others there is the opportunity to improve these rates and become level within the management and decision making roles. Increased insecurity is difficult to define as by its nature it implies that the insecurity is becoming worse. However in order to understand this it is necessary to understand how the workforce feels about this. The assumption that women’s roles are secondary to that of their husbands would indicate there is no insecurity as his salary would form the main income. However this does not take into account w omen who are the sole breadwinner and in some cases have a family to bring up. Where it could be argued that the inequality in pay and status is in fact advantageous as should cut backs be necessary the lower incomes will survive over the higher levels which make a bigger financial impact on the profit and loss accounts. In general it would appear there remains discrimination and prejudice towards women in the labour market which manifests through lower salaries and status however progress has been made and will continue to be made in order to abolish these unjust differences. There is a requirement needed to understand the assumptions on gender differences by senior managers of today. When designing policy it is becoming ever more important to offer individualism and flexibility as opposed to static terms and conditions. By understanding the diversity within the workforce there will derive an understanding of how to motive the team and therefore produce exceptional results which of course is the aim of all good Chief Executives. Bibliography Rose ED (2004) Employment Relations 2nd Edition, FT Prentice Hall Liff S (1995) Industrial Relations Theory and Practice in Britain, Blackwell Business Hollinshead G, Nicholls P, Tailby S (2000) Employee Relations, FT Pitman Publishing Oakley A (2005), Gender Women and Social Science, Policy Press Beechey V, Whitelegg E (1986) Women in Britain Today, Open University Press Mullins LJ (1996) Management and Organisational Behaviour 4th Edition, Pitman Publishing Kirton G, Greene AM (2000) The Dynamics of Managing Diversity: A Critical Approach, Oxford Butterworth Heinemann Crompton R, Harris F (1999) Attitudes, Womens Employment, and the Changing  Domestic Division of Labour: A Cross-National Analysis, Oxford University Press. Purcell K (2000) Gendered Employment Insecurity, London Routledge Ledwith S, Colgan F (1996) Women in Organizations, Macmillan Business Hakim C (1998) Developing a Sociology for the Twenty-First Century: Preference Theory, British Journal of Sociology, 49(1), 137-143. Colgan F, Ledwith S (2002) Gender and Diversity: Reshaping Union Democracy, Employee Relations, 24(2), 167-189 Grimshaw D, Whitehouse G, Zetlin D (2001) Changing Pay Systems Occupational Concentration and the Gender Pay Gap, Industrial Relations, 32(3), 209-229 Hogue K, Noon M (2004) Equal Opportunities Policy and Practice in Britain in Work Employment and Society, 18(3) 481-506 Equal Opportunities Commission (August 2007) Facts about Men and Women 2006; http://www.eoc.org.uk/pdf/facts_about_GB_2006.pdf Communities and Local Government Labour Force Survey (August 2007) Tackling Occupational Segregation Fact Sheet; http://www.womenandequalityunit.gov.uk

Thursday, September 19, 2019

Thomas Hardys Views on Marriage Essay -- Biography Biographies Essays

Thomas Hardy's Views on Marriage Thomas Hardy lived in a time when marriage was the expected practice for young men and women. He had a very distinct view of the institution and the implications that came along with it. He himself was married twice in his long life, both times not very happily, and had progressive views about the union of the sexes, most particularly regarding divorce. His ideas and opinions are not too carefully concealed in his literary works, though he contested that he kept his own views out of his fiction. In order to understand Hardy and his views on marriage, we must first understand the time in which he lived. The Victorian society held rigid views on marriage and the role of women in life. Most women regarded marriage as a fixed fact of nature. It was a fundamental part of their life plan, as was childbearing. In the mid-19th century, reproduction was considered a woman's only correct occupation. On average, women of all classes married between the ages of 23 and 26, men between 25 and 30. Marriage and divorce legislation regulated the relations between men and women. During the 19th century there were great changes made to matrimonial law; however, marriage laws still continued to grant more rights to men than to women. Under the common-law doctrine of couverture, when a woman married she lost her independent legal personality as a femme sole (single woman) and became a femme couvert (covered woman). Men could divorce their wives solely on the grounds of adultery, but women were forced to show proof of cruelty, bigamy, incest, or bestiality along with infidelity. Husbands could beat to death their wives and get only a minimal prison sentence, but wives were considered reprehensible for kill... ... should rule marriage. If two people have similar interests and work well together, they should be united by marriage in order to enjoy the physical pleasures of a relationship in a socially acceptable way. However, if two people should grow apart and be utterly miserable with one another, Hardy believes that the practical course is separation and divorce. Bibliography Christ, Carol T., ed. The Norton Anthology of English Literature: The Victorian Age. V. 2b, 7th ed. New York: W.W. Norton & Company, 2000. Millgate, Michael. Thomas Hardy: A Biography. New York: Random House, 1982. Mitchell, Sally, ed. Victorian Britain: An Encyclopedia. New York: Garland Publishing, Inc., 1988. Page, Norman, ed. Oxford Reader's Companion to Hardy. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2000. Perkin, Joan. Victorian Women. New York: New York University Press, 1993.

Wednesday, September 18, 2019

Relationships in Norman MacLeans A River Runs Through It Essay

Relationships in Norman MacLean's A River Runs Through It "Eventually the watcher joined the river, and there was only one of us. I believe it was the river." The river that Norman Maclean speaks of in A River Runs Through It works as a connection, a tie, holding together the relationships between Norman and his acquaintances in this remote society. Though "It" is never outwardly defined in the novella there is definite evidence "It" is the personality of the people and that the river is running through each individual personality acting as the simple thread connecting this diverse group of people. With the help of the river these Montana residents are able to teach as well as learn from each other. Since the time of the Indians, fathers have been teaching sons the ways of the river and the Maclean family is no different. Paul and Norman learn from a young age first how to pray, read the Bible, and then fly fish from their father. For the Maclean family "there is no clear line between religion and fly-fishing" and their father is a Presbyterian preacher who incorporates all these lessons into the river. He carefully transitions from telling them "about Christ's disciples being fishermen" to teaching them "to approach the art (of fly-fishing) Marine- and Presbyterian- style" alongside the river. Along this river his sons receive "as many hours of instruction in fly fishing as in all other spiritual matters" making the river a pivotal part of everyday life. "Although Paul was three years younger than Norman?he was already far ahead in anything relating to fishing" by their early teens. Paul quickly passes Norman and his father in skillful fishing but more than that he acquired more style. His father... ...y and as expected Norman "is blamed for Neal." Norman is able to put his anger quickly behind him however, when he and Paul go on a fishing trip to "recuperate." He looks to "fishing for the healing effects of the cool waters" of the river. He quickly becomes lost in his fishing, so completely that he becomes "totally composed of thoughts about the Elkhorn River, the weather, and a mythological fish" and not a single thought of his dying anger. Characters are bound to each other by the river and through their common love of the river. Sometimes the only thing they have in common is this mutual love. This Montana community is entwined in the river that runs through it. All the characters obviously feel the same as Norman when he says "I also became the river." Work Cited MacLean, Norman. A River Runs Through It. University of Chicago Press, 1989.

Tuesday, September 17, 2019

Glaxowellcome

Case 21 †¢ The Headaches of GlaxoWellcome comply with regulations, and selling it to the end users while making a pro? t. In addition, there is a tariff for the import of candelilla wax into Japan of 3. 8 percent; this is for either ? rst or second re? ned candelilla wax. FUTURE OF THE CANDELILLA WAX INDUSTRY ? According to executives of Ceras Deserticas, the future of this market is promising. They expect growth in the future, although they they have not made public the actual estimated growth for the market. They are worried about the best path to take advantage of this growing and competitive market. The industry is consolidating and if Ceras Deserticas does nothing, it will either die or be taken over. As mentioned before, there are several joint ventures in which U. S. companies are investing in Mexico to guarantee a steady supply of candelilla wax. Both Ceras Nacionales de Mexico and †¢ 735 Multiceras have established joint ventures with American companies. They are p ursuing research and development to try to create a synthetic wax that can replicate the characteristics of candelilla wax and meet the requirements of end-users.DISCUSSION QUESTIONS 1. Of the three options options presented at the beginning of ? the case, what should Ceras Deserticas do? 2. Why would Mitsuba Trading Co. be interested in a joint ? venture with Ceras Deserticas? 3. What would be the advantages and disadvantages for Ceras ? Deserticas of a joint venture? ? 4. What strategy must Ceras Deserticas follow in approaching joint venture? C ASE 21 THE HEADACHES OF GLAXOWELLCOME Migraine medicine is a key growth area for Glaxo Wellcome Inc. Glaxo); a Britain-based pharmaceutical company with global operations. 1 Glaxo’s primary business is to market prescription products to physicians and healthcare providers. Glaxo was the ? rst pharmaceutical company to manufacture and market a revolutionary new class of prescription migraine medications called ‘‘triptansà ¢â‚¬â„¢Ã¢â‚¬â„¢. Triptans, which Glaxo launched in 1993, are a class of medications that work speci? cally on the 5HT-1 receptor sites, which are believed by doctors to be the primary cause of migraine headaches.In mid May of 1997, Sir Benjamin Palmer, the general manager of Glaxo’s CNS/GI Metabolic division, sat at the head of the conference table in room G-1 of the Glaxo Wellcome global headquarters in Stockley Park West, England. A group of 6 marketers (3 from the ‘‘Professional’’ team and 3 from the ‘‘Commercial’’ team) were staged in front of Palmer and two vice presidents of sales (East and West). The three of? cers listened attentively to the ? nal marketing presentation that more than 60 marketing team members had worked on for the past 19 months.The issue: How to launch Naramig, Glaxo’s new (second generation) prescription migraine medicine, in the U. K. In the back of Palmer’s mind were the following considerations: – Although Naramig was considered by Glaxo to be a better triptan than Imigran, in reality, there were some attributes of Naramig that were inferior to those of Imigran. – It was not as if Imigran had not been successful: Glaxo had captured 91 percent of the prescription medication market share (in ? s) for migraines in the U. K. – Glaxo expected the approval and launch of its competitor, Zeneca’s ? st triptan medication (Zomig) prior to that of Naramig, and likewise, expected Zeneca to market Zomig as a 2nd generation triptan. 8 1 Months Later 2 Early in February of 1998, a similar scene to that of 8 1 months 2 ago, in room G-1 of the U. K. headquarters, was taking place in a conference room located at the U. S. home of? ce in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina. Mark Glackin, U. S. General Manager of Glaxo’s CNS/GI Metabolic Division, considered several marketing options presented by the team for the U. S. aunch of Amerge, Glax o’s second-generation triptan that had been marketed in the U. K. as Naramig. 2 Although Glackin had several considerations to keep in mind, various factors and events gave Glackin a much different perspective than 1 that of Palmer 8 2 months earlier: †¢ How would U. K. hospitals and doctors react to Glaxo’s promotion of Naramig? †¢ Glaxo was apprised of the marketing strategy chosen by the U. K. for Naramig and its short-term results. †¢ What was the best product positioning of Naramig with respect to Imigran? This case was prepared by Jared Fontaine, Aaron C.Lennon, and Robert Moscato of the Fox School of Business and Management at Temple University under the supervision of Professor Masaaki Kotabe for class discussion rather than to illustrate either effective or ineffective management of a situation described (2001). 1 Today the company is known as GlaxoSmithKline, which was formed in January 2001 as the result of a merger between GlaxoWellcome and S mithKline Beecham. †¢ Zeneca’s Zomig had in fact been approved and launched in the U. K. prior to that of Naramig. The effects of Zomig on the success of Naramig and Imigran were therefore available for analysis by Glackin. Just as in the U. K. , Glaxo U. S. expected the approval and launch of Zomig in the U. S. prior to that of Amerge. 2 Like Amerge/Naramig, Glaxo’s research indicated that the name Imitrex would fare better than Imigran in the U. S. market. 736 †¢ Case 21 †¢ The Headaches of GlaxoWellcome EXHIBIT 1 The Businiess GW Portfolio: 1998 ?1,027m (+9%) ? 432m (+5%) ? 1,971m (+24%) Respiratory Viral Infections CNS ? 688m (? 44%) ? 749m (+1%) ? 1,209m (? 4%) ? 1,089m (+31%) (Migraine ? 645m) Migraine Bacterial Infections Gastro-intestinal Oncology Others % of Sales 28 17 15 9 10 10 6 14Total sales ? 7,165m increase of 2% †¢ Glaxo U. S. had launched the marketing promotion of Product Lines: Migraine Depression Gastrointestinal Imitrex (the U. S. brand name of U. K. ’s Imigran)3 Nasal Spray 5 months earlier. on pharmaceutical marketing, Glaxo U. S. could use directto-the-consumer (DTC) advertising to promote Amerge. †¢ Unlike the U. K. , which has stricter government regulations †¢ Allergy/Immunology/Respiratory Division Product Lines: Allergy/Immunology Asthma COPD COMPANY BACKGROUND GlaxoWellcome Inc. was formed in 1995 when U. K. based Glaxo Pharmaceuticals, a relatively young company, acquired U. K. pharmaceutical company Burroughs Wellcome in a corporate takeover. The acquisition made Glaxo Wellcome Inc. one of the top three pharmaceutical ? rms in the world with approximately 4 percent of the worldwide prescription pharmaceutical market. International Organization GlaxoWellcome Inc. is based in the U. K. with its Worldwide Headquarters located in Stockley Park West. As of 1997, Glaxo Wellcome Inc. had 22 local operating companies (LOCs) in 9 countries of which Glaxo U. S. was one. Although based in the U.K. , the U. S. market made up approximately 40 percent of worldwide sales, while the U. K. only accounted for 7 percent. Due to the rigid guidelines of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Glaxo’s products are generally introduced ? rst in one of the other 8 LOCs before gaining approval in the U. S. The majority of R&D and production for Glaxo takes place in the U. S. , U. K. , France, and Italy, each having both an R&D unit and manufacturing plants. Organizational Structure/Product Lines The organizational structure of Glaxo Wellcome in both the U. K. and the U. S. s based around its 3 divisions and the product lines within each of those divisions: †¢ HIV/Oncology Division Product Lines: HIV Cancer Glaxo sells prescription medications that fall into one of these three product lines. As of 1998, the migraine product line made up just over 9 percent of total Glaxo sales worldwide. The CNS/GI Metabolic division, of which migraine makes up 60 percent, grew 31 perc ent from 1997 to 1998 (see Exhibit 1). THE PHARMACEUTICAL INDUSTRY Pharmaceuticals are generally classi? ed into two categories: over-the-counter (OTC) and prescription medications.As of 1998, there were no OTC drugs speci? cally formulated for migraine. After a pharmaceutical medication has been developed, there are two stages: approval and marketing. Approval In order for a pharmaceutical company to market and sell any medication that they have developed, the product must ? rst be approved by the respective regulatory body of each country (FDA in the U. S. , MCA in the U. K. ). On average it takes 12 years for an experimental drug to travel from the lab to the medicine chest. Only ? ve in 5,000 compounds that enter preclinical testing make it to human testing.One of these ? ve tested in people is approved. Although each country has †¢ Central Nervous System/Gastrointestinal Metabolic Division (CNS/GI) 3 Market research showed that U. S. consumers would be more responsive to t he brand name ‘‘Amerge’’ than that of ‘‘Naramig. ’’ Case 21 †¢ The Headaches of GlaxoWellcome its own particular set of guidelines and speci? c procedures for approval, new medicines are generally developed and approved as follows: 1. Preclinical Testing—This is the exploratory process where a pharmaceutical company identi? es compounds through in vitro (test tube) testing.The deliverable at the end of this process are compounds that can enter Phase One of Clinical Testing. 2. Clinical Trials, Phases—There are three mandatory phases of clinical trials. These clinical trials study the medicine’s safety pro? le, how it is absorbed and distributed, the duration of its action, its ef? cacy, and side effects. 3. Application—Following the completion of all three phases of clinical trials, the company analyzes all of the data and applies for approval in the respective country if the data successfully demon strate safety and effectiveness. The application contains all of the scienti? information that the company has gathered. At this point, the regulatory body may request further information. 4. Approval/Refusal—Once the regulatory body completes the professional assessment of all relevant information, it either approves the application and the new medicine becomes available for physicians to prescribe, or, if unsatis? ed, refuses to grant approval. There is one important distinction between the U. S. and the U. K. in the approval stage of pharmaceuticals. In the U. S. , every medication must be approved by the FDA before it can be marketed and sold.However, because of the existence of the European Union (EU), it is possible that a medication may be approved in member nations without being professionally assessed and analyzed by each country’s respective regulatory body. This means that if one member nation’s (e. g. Sweden’s) regulatory body approves a medic ation, the applying pharmaceutical company can either ask the other EU member nations to ‘‘recognize’’ Sweden’s approval or apply to each member nation separately. If one member nation approves a medication, then all of the countries in the ‘‘Mutual Recognition’’ procedure have the same prescribing information.However, if a medication receives independent approvals, then the prescribing information will be unique in each country. The difference can have an effect if applying in each country separately produces slightly different results in the trial phases (e. g. , perhaps the trials show that a medication is more effective for its desired indication during trials in the U. K. as compared to similar trials performed in Sweden). Marketing In general, products are marketed and advertised solely toward the ? nal consumer. This makes sense since it is the ? al consumer that ordinarily has the ? nal say as to whether he/she will actually purchase the product. However, pharmaceuticals are marketed to physicians and hospitals that in turn decide if they will prescribe the medication to their patients. U. S. vs. U. K Although it is illegal for pharmaceutical companies to advertise their products directly to patient/consumers in the U. K. , †¢ 737 in the U. S. (as of 1997) direct-to-consumer (DTC) advertising is permitted. Research has shown that DTC advertising in the U. S. has a large impact on sales.The research shows that patient’s requests for speci? c medications marketed by speci? c pharmaceutical companies affect the companies’ sales to physicians and hospitals. The other major difference in the pharmaceutical industry between the U. S. and the U. K. is the extent of governmental coverage. In the U. K. , the health care system is socialized. Doctors are paid by the government with an additional payment per patient. Everyone is entitled to free medical care under the plan, which is fun ded by the National Treasury and Health Insurance Tax. The U. S. on the other hand, has not employed socialized medicine, although Medicare and Medicaid cover a signi? cant part of the population. Instead, the U. S. health care system follows an insurance-based coverage scheme whereby individuals buy insurance from a company, which in turn pays for their medical costs. HEADACHES AND MIGRAINES Doctors classify headaches into three main types: †¢ cluster headaches †¢ tension-type headaches †¢ migraines Cluster headaches are the most painful type but also quite rare and hence have not offered pharmaceutical companies a suf? cient market potential to pro? ably develop and market a medication speci? cally focused on curing these headaches. Tension-type headaches, while the most prevalent, are generally capable of being combated with over-the-counter medications such as aspirin and ibuprofen and hence, likewise do not offer Glaxo a pro? table market for which to develop a p rescription product. Migraines, on the other hand, are suffered by an estimated 26. 3 million people in the U. S. , 5 million people in the U. K. , and at the time of Glaxo’s launch of Imigran/Imitrex, were not effectively treatable with over-the-counter medications.Migraines are complicated combinations of intense pain (usually on one side of the head) and neurological symptoms like visual problems, nausea, vomiting, and sensitivity to light and sound, which often reduce the sufferer’s productivity and concentration and in some cases render the sufferer bedridden. In the U. K. about 18 million working days are lost to migraine sufferers a year. In the U. S. approximately 10 million migraine sufferers were bedridden for more than 3 million days per month and experienced 74. 2 million restricted activity days per year (as of 1989). Such statistics translate to lost workplace productivity ranging from $5. billion to $17 billion annually in the U. S. and sick pay and repl acement personnel costs of ? 750 million in the U. K. annually. Hence, in the early 1990s, Glaxo took advantage of the market potential for migraine-speci? c prescription drugs. 4 4 At the time of Glaxo Wellcome Inc. ’s entrance into the market for prescription migraine medicines, although doctors were prescribing drugs for migraines, these drugs were not migraine-speci? c but rather were drugs that were developed for general pain relief. 738 †¢ Case 21 †¢ The Headaches of GlaxoWellcome IMIGRAN/IMITREX In 1993, Glaxo Pharmaceuticals introduced in the U.K. and the U. S. , the ? rst medication (triptan) speci? cally formulated for the acute treatment of migraine. 6 Imitrex/Imigran when initially launched in March of 1993 was produced in injection form. In 1995 and 1997, Glaxo followed up the marketing of Imitrex/Imigran by introducing line extensions in the forms of tablets and nasal spray, respectively (see Exhibit 2). Imitrex/Imigran5 uncomfortable injecting themsel ves). Sales of Imitrex/Imigran worldwide grew from less than $350 million in the year of its introduction to more than $1 billion in 1997.Imigran/Imitrex SWOT Glaxo considered the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats of Imigran/Imitrex to be the following: Strengths—Imigran/Imitrex was the ? rst medication marketed toward speci? c migraine relief. Hence, Imigran/Imitrex had a strong brand image as the market leader, and in fact played a signi? cant role in the development of the migraine market. Imigran/Imitrex was also a potent medication with a proven ef? cacy; it was in fact very successful in relieving the pain of migraine headaches. Although there were some side effects associated with the medication, Imigran/Imitrex has a proven safety pro? e. The fact that Imigran/Imitrex is offered in 3 different line extensions offers Glaxo a ‘‘portfolio’’ of relief to offer to various patients. Weaknesses—The fact that Imigran/Imitrex is a potent medication has its downside as well. The medication proves to be too powerful for some patients, which therefore limits its use. Moreover, Imigran/Imitrex is expensive relative to OTC products that were used to ? ght headaches. This weakness of being expensive is exacerbated by the fact that the medication has a high rate of recurrence (a patient may need to take the drug more than once during a migraine).Although Imigran/Imitrex is proven to be safe, because of the side effects (e. g. , tightening of the chest), there is a perception by some that the medication is not safe. Opportunities—Glaxo felt that having 3 product line extensions opened up the opportunity to perhaps exploit Imigran/Imitrex as a medication that is right for every kind of migraine sufferer. The biggest opportunity for Glaxo and Imigran/Imitrex is the fact that the migraine market was completely underdeveloped. EXHIBIT 2 Line Extension Injection Tablet Nasal Spray U.K. 3/1993 5/1995 5/1997 U. S. 3/1993 7/1995 8/1997 These line extensions were spurred by the fact that only a small percentage of the total 26. 3 million migraine sufferers had ever tried Imitrex/Imigran in injection form. Hence, Glaxo, even 2 years after the introduction of Imitrex/Imigran injections, viewed the potential market as wide open. The injection formulation of the product provides the fastest relief—as early as 10 minutes; the nasal spray—as early as 15 minutes; and the tablet—as early as 30 minutes.Hence, Glaxo has been successful marketing the injection form of Imitrex/Imigran using a strategy of ‘‘quick-relief’’ (an aspect that is very important to severe migraine sufferers) and successful marketing the tablet and nasal spray forms of the drug using a strategy of ‘‘easy and painless administration’’ (an aspect that is important to migraine sufferers who are 5 The launch of Imigran/Imitrex came prior to the Glaxo Pharmaceutic als’ acquisition of Burroughs Wellcome, Inc. 6 Glaxo used the brand name Imitrex in the U. S. nd the brand name Imigran in the U. K. for the same product. Market research showed that the name Imitrex would fare better with U. S. physicians and hospitals. EXHIBIT 3 GlaxoWellcome Worldwide Migraine Franchise $m 1,200 1,000 800 600 400 200 0 1993 Injection 1994 1995 Tabs 1996 1997 1998 Nasal Spray Case 21 †¢ The Headaches of GlaxoWellcome Threats—The two main threats to Imigran/Imitrex are that of competition and cannibalization. Glaxo was aware that Zeneca was close to marketing a competitor triptan called Zomig. SinceImigran/Imitrex had been on the market for over four years, Glaxo felt that Zomig would be marketed as a ‘‘second-generation’’ triptan (an improved version of Glaxo’s ? rst-generation Imigran/Imitrex). Imigran/Imitrex had also experienced some cannibalization effects between its 3 line extensions (see Exhibit 3). The Un derdeveloped Migraine Market As of 1997, the fact of the matter, was that approximately 90 percent of migraine sufferers were not being medicated with a triptan (see Exhibit 4). This meant that many people were still taking ineffective OTC drugs to combat their migraine pain.Accordingly, Glaxo considered the market for ‘‘triptan’’ drugs to have great potential. †¢ 739 Exhibit 5 shows how Naramig/Amerge speci? cally compared to Imigran/Imitrex as a migraine medication. EXHIBIT 5 Imigran vs. Naramig MEASURE Speed of onset Peak efficacy Consistency of response Tolerability Incidence of chest pain Incidence of recurrence ORDER (best first) Imigran > Naramig Imigran > Naramig Imigran > Naramig Naramig > Imigran Naramig < Imigran Naramig < Imigran EXHIBIT 4 Migraine market = underdeveloped 48 million migraine patients 586 million migraine attacks/yearNaramig/Amerge SWOT Glaxo considered the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats of Naramig/Amerge to be the following: Strengths—Although not as powerful as Imigran/Imitrex, Naramig/Amerge was effective in relieving migraine pain. Its biggest strength, relative to Imigran/Imitrex was its mildness; the side effects caused by Naramig/Amerge were substantially less compared to Imigran/Imitrex, which gave it ‘‘user friendly’’ image. Its long duration of pain relief gave Naramig/Amerge a low rate of recurrence; 67 percent of patients require only one dose of Naramig/Amerge over a 24-hour period.Naramig/Amerge was able to be marketed as a true second-generation triptan (an improvement on the ? rst) since Glaxo was the company that had introduced the ? rst triptan medication. Weaknesses—The major weaknesses of Naramig/Amerge were twofold. First, it had a slow onset of action. This of course would turn off patients looking for fast relief. Second, Naramig/Amerge had only been developed in tablet form and therefore lacked marketability in terms of line extensions. Opportunities—The market opportunity for Naramig/ Amerge was quite obvious.At the time of Naramig/Amerge’s approval, only 10 percent of all migraine attacks were being treated with triptan drugs. This meant that 90 percent of migraine sufferers were either not being treated at all, or treated with relatively ineffective medications. Threats—Like Glaxo’s ? rst-generation triptan, Naramig/ Amerge’s biggest threat came from Zeneca’s Zomig. Although it was unclear how successful Zomig would be in stealing Glaxo’s market share and expanding the market through sales to the untapped 90 percent, what was clear was that Zomig was likely to be approved in both the U.K. and the U. S. prior to Glaxo obtaining approval for Naramig/Amerge. COMPETITION 60 Triptan Rx = 10% 526 Million Attacks Since its introduction in 1993, Imitrex/Imigran had clearly played a role in de? ning patient expectations. However, combining its awareness th at Zeneca was in the process of developing Zomig and the fact that Glaxo, as a company, was always looking to bring new medications and improvements to the forefront, Glaxo had worked on developing a secondgeneration triptan of its own.Company research revealed that for a new triptan product to be successful, patients and doctors would require it to be as effective as Imitrex/Imigran but with a longer duration of pain relief and a lower side effect pro? le. NARAMIG/AMERGE Naramig/Amerge, Glaxo’s second-generation triptan, was actually being developed prior to the launch of Imigran/ Imitrex. 7 Amerge/Naramig, only available in tablet form, tested to have both a longer duration and a lower side effect pro? le than Imigran/Imitrex.Although Naramig/Amerge was considered by Glaxo to be a better triptan than Imigran/Imitrex, in reality, there were attributes of Naramig/ Imigran that were inferior to those of Imigran/Imitrex. 7 Glaxo, as with Imigran/Imitrex, used the brand name Nar amig in the U. K. and the brand name Amerge in the U. S. for this new ‘‘triptan’’ drug. This decision was once again a product of market research. When Glaxo Pharmaceuticals acquired Burroughs Wellcome in 1995, they had already launched Imigran/Imitrex (1993). 740 †¢ Case 21 †¢ The Headaches of GlaxoWellcome However, Burroughs Wellcome was also developing a triptan of its own.When the takeover took place, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) forced Glaxo Wellcome to divest one of its triptan formulations because of antitrust implications (i. e. , monopolization). Having already successfully marketed Imigran/Imitrex, Glaxo Wellcome of course chose to divest the triptan that Burroughs Wellcome had developed. (Burroughs only completed about 55 percent of the clinical trials. ) Zeneca purchased the rights to this incomplete triptan and ? nished the further development and application process of what came to be Zomig.Glaxo had the following assumptions a bout Zomig: powerful means of maximizing market share, Palmer was unsure of the logistics of such an approach and worried about the ethical considerations of focusing the promotion of their product in areas based on factors such as socioeconomic status. Also, Palmer considered the fact that such a strategy may overlook patient needs. 3. An Alternative: Whereby Glaxo would market Naramig as an alternative to Imigran/Imitrex, (e. g. , superior; different; similar). The pros of the ‘‘Alternative’’ strategy were that it could detract from competitor noise, and could in fact devalue the image of the econd-generation triptan. This latter aspect may be an effective way to combat Zomig. The biggest drawback of this strategy was the idea that if there were no clear message (in terms of the medication that was best for migraines) it could lead to confusion and hence hurt Glaxo’s image. 4. Replacement: Whereby Glaxo would discontinue the marketing of Imigran an d focus solely on Naramig. This option ? t well with the overall concept that Naramig was an overall superior drug to Imigran. It would also allow Naramig to gain all the bene? s of a new compound: ‘‘secondgeneration,’’ safety, and low recurrence. However, Palmer worried about the confusion that would accompany such an approach and if a ‘‘Replacement’’ strategy would devalue Glaxo Wellcome in the eyes of physicians and hospitals. 5. Don’t Launch: Whereby Glaxo would only continue to market Imigran and never launch Naramig. Although this strategy might class all triptans as the same, negating Zomig as a second-generation, Palmer had already made up his mind that not launching Naramig was a waste of an opportunity and of resources that went into developing the medication.There was also the consideration that Zeneca would still be able to accomplish marketing Zomig as a second-generation triptan and leave Zeneca with an open ? eld. Naramig in the U. K. Palmer and his team chose a ‘‘Replacement’’ strategy for Naramig. This involved ceasing all promotion of Imigran (except to the extent of sales for patients who were already using Imigran) and positioning Naramig as the recommended starting place for migraine patients. Palmer felt that replacement was the best way to attract triptan-na? atients and ? ve capture the untapped market. Glaxo focused the promotion around Naramig as a ‘‘patient-friendly’’ medication providing patients with the best relief on the market. The results showed that the replacement strategy met Glaxo U. K. expectations. Naramig proved to be effective for migraine headaches in the majority of patients. In terms of the 90 percent untapped market, Naramig was preferred by 67 percent of previous non-triptan users. Exhibit 6 shows worldwide sales of Glaxo Wellcome’s two triptan drugs.It is clear that the replacement strategy thwarte d the growth of Imigran, and that Zomig and Naramig were both successful in expanding the market. PRODUCT POSITIONING: U. S Mark Glackin was now faced with the same decision that Palmer was faced with 8 ? months earlier. What was the best strategy to market Amerge with respect to Imitrex in the U. S. †¢ Like Naramig/Amerge, Zomig had a lower recurrence rate than Imigran/Imitrex. †¢ Zeneca would be successful in marketing Zomig as a secondgeneration triptan even though it was the company’s ? rst triptan. This was simply an issue of timing. Zomig’s ef? cacy was comparable to Imigran/Imitrex. †¢ Zomig would be launched in both the U. K. and the U. S. prior to Naramig/Amerge gaining approval in both markets. PRODUCT POSITIONING: U. K Sir Benjamin Palmer sat in his of? ce weighing all the information he had just learned in the marketing meeting. There was only question to be considered; the considerations were complex; the answer to that question was crucial: the success of a major product line of Glaxo Wellcome hung in the balance. How should Glaxo Wellcome U. K. , position its new triptan Naramig?Palmer wondered how U. K. hospitals and doctors would react to Glaxo’s promotion of Naramig when Imigran had been the ‘‘gold standard’’ for the past 4 years and had captured 91 percent of the prescription migraine medication market share. Palmer’s bigger concern was how to position Naramig with respect to Imigran in order to capture the 90 percent of the market that was untapped (see Exhibit 4). Although Naramig was considered to be a better triptan than Imigran, perhaps there were new patients who would be partial to the characteristics of Imigran.Just as important was what positioning strategy would be the most effective in ? ghting off the attack of Zeneca’s Zomig that Palmer expected to be launched in the U. K. prior to that of Naramig. Palmer had been presented by the marketing team with ? v e positioning strategies for Naramig: 1. Based Segment: Whereby Glaxo would target its marketing efforts toward different patient types. (e. g. , adolescents; elderly; chronic migraine; Imigran/Imitrex nonresponders; and patients who do not tolerate Imigran). Using such a strategy would allow Glaxo to promote Naramig where Imigran was weak to increase market share.At the same time, though, it was not clear as to how the market should be segmented, or how able physicians would be to identify such segments. If in fact physicians had trouble identifying the different patient types, the effect may be to confuse the prescribing process. 2. Distribution Based Segment: Whereby Glaxo would segment the market based on distribution channels. (e. g. , hospitals only; clinics only; private channels; less wealthy areas). Although Glaxo considered this option to be a Case 22 †¢ Benetton †¢ 741 EXHIBIT 6 Sales (? m) 700 600 500 400 300 200 194. 04 100 35 0 8 6054 282. 588 362. 346 539. 4 51 Triptan Revenue 662. 12 671. 797 would have to consider this difference along with the differences in the respective health care systems. Would Glaxo U. S. be successful in using DTC advertising to offer a portfolio of migraine medication to various types of migraine patients, or should the U. S. follow a similar replacement strategy as the U. K. and position Amerge as the best migraine medication available. Glackin considered the same 5 options for Amerge positioning as Palmer had considered 8 ? months earlier for Naramig: 1.Clinical/Patient Based Segmentation 2. Distribution Based Segment 3. An Alternative to Imitrex 4. A Replacement for Imitrex 5. Don’t Launch Amerge at All DISCUSSION QUESTIONS 1993 1994 Imigran 1995 1996 Zomig 1997 1998 Naramig market? Glackin had several considerations to keep in mind including the results of the ‘‘Replacement’’ strategy chosen in the U. K. , and the effect of Zomig as a competitor. As was the case in the U. K. , Imitrex had largely de? ned the market for migraine medication and had been quite successful in capturing customers.Glackin also expected that Zomig would be launched in the U. S. prior to that of the approval of Amerge. The U. S. had recently legalized DTC advertising. Glackin 1. Why is GlaxoWellcome introducing a second migraine medication? 2. How should GlaxoWellcome position Naramig in the U. K.? 3. Was the actually chosen strategy (option #4) the best decision? 4. How should GlaxoWellcome position Amerge in the U. S.? C ASE 22 BENETTON COMPANY BACKGROUND Benetton was founded as a single shop in Italy in 1965. Three years later the company expanded into France.Eventually, Benetton spread throughout Europe and by 1979 it was established in the United States. Benetton Group S. p. A is a unique global group that is a part of a larger organization known as the Edizione Holding Group. This is the holding company through which the Benetton family has ownership in many different b usinesses including hotels, publishing, and real estate. The Edizione Holding Group as well as the Benetton Group was founded by the Benetton family, which is made up of four siblings: Luciano, Chairman; Gilberto,Deputy Chairman and Joint Managing Director; Carlo, Director; and Giuliana, Director, who own and run the company as shown in Exhibit 1. Luciano’s son, Alessandro, is also one of the eight Directors. This global Benetton Group specializes in designing and manufacturing of clothing within the textile-apparel sector of industries, and combines this know-how with the strong identity and image of world-leading sports brands that have been incorporated through the acquisition of the Benetton Sportsystem business.These sports brand names are encompassed under the Playlife label and include Rollerblade, Killer Loop, Prince, and Nordica. The clothing sector includes casual and sportswear, consisting of the Sisley, United Colors of Benetton (UCB), and Undercolors of Benetton brands, which are mainly produced and distributed by the Automated Distribution Center in Castrette, Italy, the factory that produces over 90 million items of clothing each year. There are production facilities in France and Spain as well. These ? ished and packaged products are the dominant production category for the company and are distributed directly to the Benetton Group’s 7,000 retail stores located in 120 countries, of which only 55 stores are owned by the company, with the remaining stores independently owned and operated. The second production category for Benetton comprises the sports equipment and performance-wear item and a third category encompasses items such as footwear, bags, and accessories. Benetton’s overall turnover amounts to about 4,000 billion lire.Recently, in 2003, the company initiated an effort to diversify away from its main clothing business by moving to acquire Italian highway operator, Autostrade. This case was prepared by Eunjung Jenny Chun, Juliet Freedman, and Nicole Parker and updated by Sonia Ketkar of the Fox School of Business and Management at Temple University under the supervision of Professor Masaaki Kotabe for class discussion rather than to illustrate either effective or ineffective management of a situation described (2003).